Reas. 2.
2. Upon the supposition that the rational Soul be not ex traduce, but be infused after the bodily organs be fitted and prepared, which is the firm Tenent of all Divines Ancient, middle and Modern, and must upon the granting of it to be simply, and absolutely immaterial and incorporeal (which is indisputable) of necessity be infused, because no immaterial substance can be produced or generated by the motion of any agent, that is meerly material, or forth of any material substance whatsoever. And therefore I say that the Soul being infused, it must of necessity follow the organized body, that could not exist (except as a lump of flesh) without the corporeal sensitive soul; which must of necessity demonstrate, that as they did separately exist before the union of the Soul and Body, so they also do exist distinctly after their separation by death, and so the Astral Spirit may effect the things we have asserted.
Reas. 3.
Histor. rarior. Obs. 62. p. 325, 326.
3. And if the experiment be certainly true that is averred by Borellus, Kircher, Gaffarel, and others (who might be ashamed to affirm it as their own trial, or as ocular witnesses, if not true) that the figures and colours of a plant may be perfectly represented, and seen in glasses, being by a little heat raised forth of the ashes. Then (if this be true) it is not only possible, but rational, that animals as well as plants, have their Ideas or Figures existing after the gross body or parts be destroyed, and so these apparitions are but only those Astral shapes and figures. But also there are shapes and apparitions of Men, that must of necessity prove that these corporeal Souls or Astral Spirits do exist apart, and attend upon or are near the blood, or bodies; of which Borellus Physician to the King of France, gives us these two relations.
Hist. 1.
1. N. de Richier a Soap-maker (he saith) and Bernardus Germanus from the relation of the Lord of Gerzan, and others, distilling mans blood at Paris, which they thought to be the true matter of the Philosophers-stone; they saw in the cucurbit or glass body, the Phantasm, or shape of a Man, from whom bloody rayes did seem to proceed, and the glass being broken they found the figure as though of a skull, in the remaining fæces.
Hist. 2.
2. There were three curious persons also at Paris, that taking the Church earth-mould from S. Innocents Church, supposing it to be the matter of the stone, did distill it and work upon it, and in the glasses they did perceive certain Phantasms or Shapes of Men, of which they were no little afraid.
Hist. 3.