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THE human Fœtus being duly form’d and organiz’d about the 50th Day at the latest, as we observed in the preceeding Chapter, it remains to be animated, and that with a three-fold Soul, viz. a vegetative, a sensitive, and a rational Soul.

THE First of which, according to the most learned Fortunius[20] Licetus, &c. may be ascribed to the Mother, as chiefly proceeding from the Power of her Menstruum. The Second may (by the same Authority) be ascribed to the Power and Spirit of the Paternal Seed; but it is the more generally received Opinion, that the vegetative Soul is generated from the Commixture of both Seeds with the Menstruum, and therefore as much to be ascribed to the one, as to the other, Parent: And that also the sensitive SOUL proceeds from the proper natural Faculty of the organiz’d Fœtus, as the rational SOUL doth from the immediate Infusion of the great Creator. Touching which Infusion, I desire not to meddle with the Controversy that has so long subsisted betwixt Philosophers and Divines: Only as I have noted in Chap. iv. the Opinion of the greatest Masters of Nature; so if, in this, we could, from the Dictates of Faith and Religion, as well as from the Maxims of natural Philosophy, set the Matter in a clearer Light, I humbly presume it would not be disagreeable: Since the Principles of Either, taken separately, are in themselves mysterious, and can never be fully comprehended by some; whereas, both taken jointly, I mean, the Arguments of the one, to reinforce the Positions of the other, may be satisfactory to all.