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The Proofes of the Fathers. SECTIO. 9.
LActantius an vtter enemie vnto Athiesme and Epicurisme, in his 19. Chap. of his little Booke De opificio Dei, In which he preserreth the weake birth of Man, with his nakednesse, before the strength of Beastes with their clothinges: treating of the Soule, sayth. That a Body may be borne of bodyes, because some thing is conferred from both: But, De ani∣mis anima non potest: that a Soule cannot bring foorth a Soule, because nothing can seperate a thing that is thinne and incomprehensible: And therfore our Soules are not traduced from our Fathers, but are from one and the selfe same Father, God of all. But in his 17. Chap. he sheweth the Creation and infusion, and sayth flatly, that Anima non est aer ore conceptus, quia multo prius gignitur anima, quam concipi aer ore possit: The Soule is not the ayer or breath receaued at the mouth, for that the Soule is created a long time before breath can be drawne in at the mouth: neither is it put into the Body after the breath, Sed post conceptum protinus, foorthwith after the conception, when Nature (which in that place he calleth Necessitatem De∣uinam) hath framed the Child in the wombe. Therefore was the Soule falsely called of the Gentiles Spiritus; for that by their opinion it was winde and breath: for that wee by drawing winde and ayer at the mouth, do seeme to liue. But this is false; for that the Body receaueth not life from the breath, which hath his originall o•• seate in