262 l%esoul necessarily livings

and perceives in that Jlate : or, such is thenature of active perceptive substance, that itcannot not act and perceive in that state. Thereasons for this assertion (besides what hathbeen just now said concerning perceptivity)are, first, that we find it is under this necessity,even while united to the body, if the bodyis rightly disposed. It is not in a wakingman’s power to banisla action and perceptionfrom him. This would make strange workin the world (J), And the more he endea-vours to do it, the more will he defeat hisown design. The only way for him to ac-complish this, is to render his body indisposed,l>y fatigue, liquor, or some other method. I cis easy to observe, and shall be shewn whenwe come to enquire into the pains and plea-sures of the body, that we cannot commandsteep at our pleasure ; supposing it for the

(d) To become percipient, or impercipient, at plea-sure, would be an effect equal to annihilating, or re-creating again, the conscious Being arbitrarily.might then elude punishment from human laws, and actwhat disorders we listed j nay sport with Omnipotenceitself, in a conscious, or unconscious existence. This i sinconsistent with our being dependent creatures, andmoral agents, and lets us fee the wisdom and necessity jps ordering things otherwise

present