_MADAM,_
By reason the _Soul_ is a _Spirit_, and therefore _Contractible_ and
_Dilatable_, your _Authors_ opinion is,[1] That _it begins within less
compass at first in organising the fitly prepared matter, and so bears
it self on in the same tenour of work, till the body hath attained its
full growth; and that the Soul dilates it self in the dilating of the
Body, and so possesses it through all the members thereof._ Truly,
_Madam_, as for the contraction and dilation of an immaterial Spirit,
if I heard never so many arguments, I should hardly be able to conceive
the possibility of it; For in my opinion, dilating and contracting
are motions and actions of Nature, which belong to natural material
Creatures, and to none else; for dilation and contraction cannot be
without extension, but extension belongs to parts which an immaterial
Spirit hath not: But suppose it be so, then the Soul must contract
and dilate, extend and shrink together, and so grow less and bigger,
according to the extension of the body; and when the body dies, the
soul, in my opinion, must contract to a very point; and if one part
of the body die before the other, the soul must by degrees withdraw
out of those parts: also when a part of the body is cut off, the soul
must needs contract, and grow less; the like when a man is let blood.
Which contracting of the soul, by your _Authors_ leave, doth seem, to
my imagination, just like the contracting of Hodmandod into her shell.
Besides, if the soul be individable, and equally spread all over the
body, then, to my opinion, she must necessarily be of a human shape;
and if the body be deformed, the soul must be deformed also; and if
the body be casually extended, as by taking Poyson into the body, the
soul must be so too, as being individable and filling every part; and
if a man be born with six fingers or toes, the soul must be so too; or
if a dwarf, the soul must be a dwarf also; and if he be born deaf and
dumb, the soul must be so too. But if two Twins, as it may fall out,
should be born united in one body, I would fain know then, whether they
would have two souls, or but one? As for example, if they should have
but one body, and one stomack, liver, heart, spleen, lungs, bowels, and
yet have four legs, four hands, and two heads: It seems, to my opinion,
that then two Immaterial Souls must be joyned as into one; neither do
I know yet how this could well be, the monster having but one body,
nor how that Immaterial Soul can be divided, being inseparably double,
when the body dies. But, _Madam_, all this I speak of the Natural
Soul of Man, not of the Divine Soul, which is not subject to natural
imperfections, and corporeal errors, being not made by Nature, but a
supernatural and divine gift of the Omnipotent God, who surely will not
give any thing that is not perfect. Wherefore it is not probable, this
Divine Soul, being not subject to Nature, should be an architect of the
body, as having an higher and more divine imployment, _viz._ to fix
her self on her Creator, and being indued with supernatural faculties,
and residing in the body in a supernatural manner; all which I leave to
the Church: for I should be loth to affirm any thing contrary to their
Doctrine, or the Information of the holy Scripture, as grounding my
belief onely upon the sacred Word of God, and its true Interpretation
made by the Orthodox Church; but not upon the opinions of particular
persons: for particular mens opinions are not authentical, being so
different and various, as a man would be puzled which to adhere to.
Thus, _Madam_, I avoid, as much as ever I can, not to mix Divinity
with Natural Philosophy; for I consider, that such a mixture would
breed more confusion in the Church, then do any good to either;
witness the doctrine of the Soul of Man, whereof are so many different
opinions: The onely cause, in my opinion, is, that men do not conceive
the difference between the Divine, and Natural material Soul of Man,
making them both as one, and mixing or confounding their faculties and
proprieties, which yet are quite different; thus they make a Hodg-podg,
Bisk or Olio of both; proving Divinity by Nature, and Faith by Reason;
and bringing Arguments for Articles of Faith, and sacred Mysteries out
of Natural Arts and Sciences; whereas yet Faith and Reason are two
contrary things, and cannot consist together; according to the Proverb,
Where Reason ends, Faith begins. Neither is it possible that Divinity
can be proved by Mathematical Demonstrations; for if Nature be not
able to do it, much less is Art: Wherefore it is inconvenient to mix
supernatural Spirits with Air, Fire, Light, Heat, Cold, &c. and to
apply corporeal actions and qualities to them; and the Divine Soul,
with the Brain, Blood, Flesh, Animal Spirits, Muscles, Nerves, Bones,
&c. of Man; all which makes a confusion betwixt the Mind or Natural
Soul of Man, and the Supernatural and Divine Soul inspired into him by
God; for both their faculties and proprieties are different, and so are
their effects, as proceeding from so different causes. And therefore,
_Madam_, as for Divinity, I pray devoutly, and believe without
disputing; but as for Natural Philosophy, I reason freely, and argue
without believing, or adhering to any ones particular opinion, which I
think is the best and safest way to choose for,
Madam,
_Your faithful Friend,_
_and Servant._
[1] _Of the Immortality of the Soul, l._ 2. _c._ 10.