and Servant.
[XXX.]
MADAM,
I sent you word in my last, I would not meddle with writing any thing of the Divine Soul of Man, by reason it belongs to Faith and Religion, and not to Natural Philosophy; but since you desire my opinion concerning the Immortality of the Divine Soul, I cannot but answer you plainly, that first I did wonder much you made question of that, whose truth, in my opinion, is so clear, as hardly any rational man will make a doubt of it; for I think there is almost no Christian in the world, but believes the Immortality of the Soul, no not Christians onely, but Mahometans and Jews: But I left to wonder at you, when I saw Wise and Learned Men, and great Divines, take so much pains as to write whole volumes, and bring so many arguments to prove the Immortality of the Soul; for this was a greater Miracle to me, then if Nature had shewed me some of her secret and hidden effects, or if I had seen an Immaterial Spirit. Certainly, Madam, it seems as strange to me to prove the Immortality of the Soul, as to convert Atheists; for it [is] impossible, almost, that any Atheist should be found in the World: For what Man would be so senceless as to deny a God? Wherefore to prove either a God, or the Immortality of the Soul, is to make a man doubt of either: for as Physicians and Surgeons apply strengthening Medicines onely to those parts of the body which they suppose the weakest, so it is with proofs and arguments, those being for the most part used in such subjects, the truth of which is most questionable. But in things Divine, Disputes do rather weaken Faith, then prove Truth, and breed several strange opinions; for Man being naturally ambitious, and endeavouring to excel each other, will not content himself with what God has been pleased to reveal in his holy Word; but invents and adds something of his own; and hence arise so many monstrous expressions and opinions, that a simple man is puzzled, not knowing which to adhere to; which is the cause of so many schismes, sects, and divisions in Religion: Hence it comes also, that some pretend to know the very nature and essence of God, his divine Counsels, all his Actions, Designs, Rules, Decrees, Power, Attributes, nay, his Motions, Affections, and Passions, as if the Omnipotent Infinite God were of a humane shape; so that there are already more divisions then Religions, which disturb the peace and quiet both of mind and body; when as the ground of our belief consists but in some few and short Articles, which clearly explained, and the moral part of Divinity well pressed upon the People, would do more good, then unnecessary and tedious disputes, which rather confound Religion, then advance it: but if man had a mind to shew Learning, and exercise his Wit, certainly there are other subjects, wherein he can do it with more profit, and less danger, then by proving Christian Religion by Natural Philosophy, which is the way to destroy them both. I could wish, Madam, that every one would but observe the Command of Christ, and give to God what is Gods, and to Cæsar what is Cæsars, and so distinguish what belongs to the actions of Nature, and what to the actions of Religion; for it appears to my Reason, that God hath given Nature, his eternal Servant, a peculiar freedom of working and acting, as a self-moving Power from Eternity; but when the Omnipotent God acts, he acts supernaturally, as beyond Nature; of which divine actions none but the holy Church, as one united body, mind and soul, should discourse, and declare the truth of them, according to the Revelation made by God in his holy Word, to her Flock the Laity, not suffering any one single person, of what profession or degree soever, indifferently to comment, interpret, explain, and declare the meaning or sense of the Scripture after his own fancy. And as for Nature's actions, let those whom Nature hath indued with such a proportion of Reason, as is able to search into the hidden causes of natural effects, contemplate freely, without any restraint or confinement; for Nature acts freely, and so may natural Creatures, and amongst the rest Man, in things which are purely natural; but as for things supernatural, man cannot act freely, by reason they are beyond his sphere of conception and understanding, so as he is forced to set aside Reason, and onely to work by Faith. And thus, Madam, you see the cause why I cannot give you a full description of the Divine Soul of Man, as I mentioned already in my last, but that I do onely send you my opinion of the natural soul, which I call the rational soul; not that I dare say, the supernatural soul is without natural reason, but natural reason is not the divine soul; neither can natural reason, without Faith, advance the divine soul to Heaven, or beget a pious zeal, without divine and supernatural Grace: Wherefore Reason, or the rational Soul is onely the Soul of Nature, which being material, is dividable, and so becomes numerous in particular natural Creatures; like as the sensitive life being also material and dividable, becomes numerous, as being in every Creature, and in every part of every Creature; for as there is life in every Creature, so there is also a soul in every Creature; nay, not onely in every Creature, but in every particle of every Creature, by reason every Creature is made of rational and sensitive Matter; and as all Creatures or parts of Nature are but one infinite body of Nature, so all their particular souls and lives make but one infinite soul and life of Nature; and this natural soul hath onely natural actions, not supernatural; nor has the supernatural soul natural actions; for although they subsist both together in one body, yet each works without disturbance to the other; and both are Immortal; for of the supernatural soul there is no question, and of the natural soul, I have said before, that nothing is perishable or subject to annihilation in nature, and so no death, but what is called by the name of death, is onely an alteration of the corporeal natural motions of such a figure to another figure; and therefore as it is impossible, that one part of Matter should perish in Nature, so is it impossible, that the natural or rational soul can perish, being material: The natural humane soul may alter, so as not to move in an animal way, or not to have animal motions, but this doth not prove her destruction or annihilation, but onely a change of the animal figure and its motions, all remaining still in Nature. Thus my Faith of the Divine, and my opinion of the Natural Soul, is, that they are both Immortal; as for the immediate actions of the Divine Soul, I leave you to the Church, which are the Ministers of God, and the faithful dispensers of the sacred mysteries of the Gospel, the true Expounders of the Word of God, Reformers of mens lives, and Tutors of the Ignorant, to whom I submit my self in all that belongs to the salvation of my Soul, and the regulating of the actions of my life, to the honour and glory of God. And I hope they will not take any offence at the maintaining and publishing my opinions concerning Nature and Natural effects, for they are as harmless, and as little prejudicial to them, as my designs; for my onely and chief design is, and ever hath been to understand Nature rightly, obey the Church exactly, Believe undoubtedly, Pray zealously, Live vertuously, and Wish earnestly, that both Church and Schools may increase and flourish in the sacred knowledg of the true Word of God, and that each one may live peaceable and happily in this world, die quietly, and rise blessedly and gloriously to everlasting Life and happiness: Which happiness I pray God also to confer upon your Ladiship; Till then, I rest,
Madam,
Your faithful and constant
Friend, to serve you.