THUS the immortal _SOUL_ is, by an immortal _Engine_, convey’d to, and included in the mortal _Body_: But when by _Diseases_, or otherways, these _Mediums_ (the _Heat_ and _Humours_) begin to dissolve, the _Soul_ recollects itself, and flies back betimes to its first _Receptacle_, the _Heart_: When the _Spirit_ of the _Heart_ also fails, the _Heat_ extinguishes, and the _Spirit_ leaves the _Man_; He dies, and the _SOUL_ flies away in its _original Vehicle_: When the _Body_ returns to Earth, whence it came, and the _Spirit_ to GOD, who gave it a _sacred Nature_ and _divine Offspring_: which _Spirit_ judging the _SOUL_, if it has liv’d ill, subjects it to some general and some particular _Torments of Hell_, abandoning it also to the Pleasure of the _Devil_: Whereas, if it has _done well_, it mounts its _celestial Chariot_, rejoicing together with the _Spirit_, and passes freely to the Choirs of _Heaven_; where it enjoys all its pure _Senses_ and _Faculties_, the perfect _Knowledge_ of all things, a perpetual blessed _Felicity_; and at last, the divine _Vision_, the _Possession_ of the eternal Kingdom, _&c._
THUS far I have prosecuted the _Platonick Doctrine_ of the _SOUL_; so that even by _This_, the gross Opinion of such as deny the _Existence_ of so _divine_ a SPARK in Man, may be confuted.
AND _this_ being sufficient for that purpose, I need not introduce any _Christian Arguments_ to second it; which, however important, are commonly deem’d light by an obstinate _Sett_ of Men. Wherefore I shall only add, that from the Disparity of _Manners_, _Affections_, _Dispositions_, _Capacities_, _Judgments_, _Opinions_, and _Passions_ of Men, it appears most probable and evident, that every _one of us_ is individually indued with a SOUL, and that with a proper SOUL, peculiar to our respective _Bodies_, according to the wise _Proverb; So many Men, so many Minds_: as well as _Horace_’s[2] Saying,
_“Millia, Quot Capitum vivunt, totidem Studiorum._
_“Mille hominum Species, & rerum discolor Usus; “Velle suum cuique est, nec voto vivitur uno._
TO which Assertion the great Prophet _David_ assents, in that GOD fashioned and made the _Hearts_ and _Minds_ of Men one by one, enduing them with peculiar _Dispositions_, and assigning every SOUL its proper natural _Conditions_. Hence _Solomon_[4] says, _I was a witty Child, and had a good Spirit; yea, rather being good, I came into a Body undefiled_: That is, adapted to the _Disposition_ of his _SOUL_. As we see some _Torches_ or _Candles_ burn brighter, and some _Fuel_ cast more _Heat_ and _Light_ than others; so the _Splendour_ of every _SOUL_ shines in a different way, and produces different _Distinctions_ of _Minds_: as is evident in _Youths_, who (however accurately taught, and painfully instructed) are not equally capable of learning _Arts_, _Discipline_, or any sort of _Erudition_.