estate whether in the Good or in the Evil. Thus in Dreams the soul enjoys a more compleat and unmixed pleasure and delight than is possible for any person to enjoy when awake and in the use of the perfectest Senses for then in the height of his Complacency fears and apprehensions of losing the pleasing objects or jealousies of others sharing with him therein or one thing or other is apt to crowd in and interrupt his Joy But in many Dreams the Horizon is all Light and clear no Cloud to be seen and the whole seems to be so real that nothing we possess in this world can for the time be more insomuch that these Joys and delightful Transports do oft times awaken the sensitive power of the outward Nature the thoughts and Consideration thereof is very delightful to the mind even after the waking of the Body As on the other side Evil Dreams cause strange Trouble Fear and Horror to the Soul it apprehends it self to be in real danger of drowning falling killing being run through with Knives Swords and the like falling down from precipices being in pain anguish and agony and many other things of that kind which do all arise from the awakening or kindling of the wrath and fierce poisonous Nature or Central Fire which cruel fears and pains are real and essential to the Soul as the Body or Senses are dead or asleep which is as it were all one and yet there is no material thing neer them that can wound or hurt them So great is the power of the Soul when it has either wholly or in part for a small time quitted it self from the operation of the Senses that it can make something where no thing is and create either Grief or Sorrow all according to that Principle or Form that is chief in the Government of the Soul For as that is quallified such is the nature of those Ideas that are generated and the Phantasies arising either of joy or fear as the Radix stood in Equality or Inequality for in the seperated state whether in the Bliss or the Curse there is no Matereal thing that can hurt or afflict the Soul but only its own Imaginations or Turba and what it forms unto it self in the principle of Evil in which it self is comprehended being the Root and Fountain whence all sorrow and fear takes its Birth As on the contrary those that are comprehended in the blessed Fountain or friendly principle of Light Love their Joy Pleasure does arise and is continually generated from the same principle in the Spirit and is real and essential beyond all outward Enjoyments or what can be apprehended because none in the Body can have the full enjoyment or true sense of it For that property or principle man has precipitated himself into and which has gotten the upper dominion in the Soul From the very same principle after death does proceed and is generated either his Joy or Sorrow according to the degree and nature of that Form and as it is more or less kindled in the good or the Evil whilst the Soul remain'd in the Body Which is a great Figure and true signe that the Souls and Life's-Spirit does burn or quallifie between the wrath and the noises and bussle of this world and acts or Suffers as it is tinctured and impressed for every property and principle doth contain the true nature of the whole and therefore has wonderfull power and efficacy to generate and form strange unheard of things to the Imagination For which cause many persons dream of and see such strange things in their sleep as they never beheld nor thought of when awake for the formings of the predominate principle in mans soul are beyond all humane Number Now let us suppose a man in a terrible Melancholy frightful Dream were never to awake but to continue eternally in this imagined Agony and Dread what a disconsolated State and Condition would this be to the soul where all these fears and troubles are apprehended to be Essential as indeed they are during the Sleep of the Senses But when the Soul is thus perplexed and in this terible fear and horror it violently seizes on the Body as its Natural House and with its fierce motion awakes it and causes the very flesh to tremble and then the Soul or Spirit is glad and rejoyces that it hath escaped those dangers it apprehended whereas if it had not been cloathed with an humane Body it would have been destitute of any such refuge to ease its self as Soul are after Death Dreams and Visions are incorporeal like the Soul or Spirit and the Joy Pleasure Trouble or Sorrow that is apprehended is as Essential to the Soul as any sensual pleasure fear or grief is to the Body And what we have said of the Kingdom of Darkness Sorrow and woe the like is to be understood in the Light and Blessed Kingdom of Heaven where the Paradisical Ioys are incorporeal or else the beautified Inhabitants could not have any pleasure in or Simile with them for when the body is dead and the Soul separated from it then all incorporeal things became as substantial as material things do to the Body and the Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting and Feeling is as real and essential to the Spirit as all sorts of gross substances are to the outward senses and during sleep the Soul is as it were seperated and as if it were in Eternity does really enjoy pleasure or pain according to that principle that predominates therein whilst the Body lies at it were dead and also all the senses not at all concerned with or capable of those sights pleasures or sorrows but oft-times the Soul or Spirit being affrighted with hideous apprehensions and dangers oâ—… too highly lifted up with Ioy and Delight does return and seizes the Body and awakens the outward senses which immediately puts a period to the Joy or Sorrow Griâ—… or Pleasure and they seem to the outward Sense and Reason as iâ—… there had not been any such thing but all had been a Romance or Illusion for so it may well be apprehended by the senses for the immatereal world and the wonders thereof are as nothing to the material there being such a vast gulf or difference between the internal and external principle of each and yet they are very near each other but one is Corporeal the other Incorporeal therefore the latter hath no Simile with the outward Senses but on the other side there is a great Analogg and Similitude between the internal World or Incorporeal Beeings and the Soul and Spirit of Man CHAP. VI. How departed Souls Communicate with Persons living in Dreams and sometimes in Apparitions The Converse of good and bad Angels with men how promoted c. BY reason of that Affinity or Similitude between incorporal Beeings and the Soul of man mentioned in the last Chapter it comes to pass that Souls departed or seperated from their Bodies which divorce we call
PYTHAGORAS HIS Mystick Philosophy REVIV'D OR THE Mystery of DREAMS UNFOLDED Wherein the Causes Natures and Uses of Nocturnal Representations and the Communications both of Good and Evil Angels and also departed Souls to Mankind are Theosophically Unfolded that is According to the Word of GOD and the Harmony of Created Beings Night unto Night sheweth Wisdom Psal. 19. 2. To which is added A Discourse of the Causes Natures and Cure of Phrensie Madness or Distraction By THO. TRYON Student in Physick and Author of The Way to long Life Health and Happiness London Printed for Tho. Salusbury at the Sign of the Temple near Temple-Bar in Fleet-street 1691. THE CONTENTS OR CHIEF HEADS of the Two Ensuing Treatises Of Dreams Chapter 1. IS by Way of Introduction shewing the Difficulty of this Work it s Usefulness both in Physick morral Phylosophy and Divinity Objections against the Observations of Dreams Distinguish'd and Answered Those that have hitherto Treated of this Subject have done it imperfectly because they understood not the true Radix of Dreams The Vain or Superstitious Conceits of many People about their Dreams no Argument but a Wise and Good man may still regard his with great profit to himself from Page 1. to p. 11. Chapter 2. Gives a Definition of Sleep and shews its Causes Natures and End The Mischief when 't is too long Also a plain Description of the Nature and Uses of the inward Sence's Faculties of man Viz. the common Sence Phantasie Iudgment Memory and where each of them Reside Why we sometimes remember our Dreams and sometimes not Of those that Talk Rise Walk c. iâ—… their sleep the Causes thereof and hoâ—… to prevent it as also of those that arâ—… troubled with the Night-Mare itâ—… Causes and Cure from Pag. 11. to 26â—… Chapter 3. Layes open the general Cause or Radix of Dreams whence they are derived viz. from the ever active proerty of the Soul that really we never sleep without Dreaming and the reasons why we do not sometimes perceive it That there is no standing still in the ways of God or Nature whence occasionally is discoursed why young Converts very zealous at first do afterwards decay in Grace and Knowledge the Advantages of being sober and serious and pressing on after greater Acquisitions and Attainments from Pag. 26. to p. 47. Chapter 4. Treats of the Causes of Dreams more particularly where seven Causes are assigned viz. 1st The Constitution 2dly The Profession or Course of Life 3dly The influx of the Planets 4thly Diet or Medicine 5thly Evil Spirits 6thly Good Spirits and Angels 7thly and lastly Extraordinary Visions from God all which are severally handled and the whole reduced into a threefold Radix viz. either 1. from the outward Principle of this World or 2. from the dark wrath or 3. from the friendly Divine Principle of Gods Love and Light and how by your Dreams you may know which of these three Principles do predominate in your Souls with a distinction of the several kinds of Dreams arising from each Complexion Sanguine Cholerick Melancholy and Phlegmatick as also of those that flow from each of the seven Planets from Pag. 47. to p. 58. Chapter 5. Contains a deep and serious Discourse proving that Dreams are a Figure or Resem blance of the Condition of Souls after Death The representations in Dreams are real to the Soul whilst we sleep tho they seem fantastick to us after we wake by reason of the vast difference between the material and immaterial Worlds from Pag. 58. to p. 68. Chapter 6. Shows how departed Souls Communicate with persons living in Dreams and sometimes in Apparitions What kind of Bodies such Apparitions have and whence taken How long such Bodies can endure Burning of dead Bodies a means to prevent the appearing of their Spirits and why A necessary Note for Midwives That it is easier for departed Souls to communicate with us in Dreams then by Apparitions Here is likewise discoursed of the Communications of Angels with men How Spirits either good or evil are attracted by sympathy or simile and their effects whence the vanity of mens imaginations and desires do in a great measure proceed from Pag. 68. to p. 89. Chapter 7. Treats particularly of the Offices rendred to men by good Angels The Ground of mixt Thoughts Actions The Shapes wherein good and bad Angels appear and the Reasons thereof from Pag 89. to p. 125. Chapter 8. Rehearses in order several Scripture-Examples and Testimonies touching Dreams and discants thereon illustrating thereby many difficult Texts from Pag. 125. to p. 143. Chapter 9. Discourses of Angels-Guardians of Countries and particular Persons and their Offices towards men mentioned in Scripture and how men do conciliate their assistance not by invocation or worship which is not due to them but by simile as they increase in Faith Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 143. to p. 176. Chapter 10. Why man cannot communicate with Spirits in his outward Sences but in Dreams and Extasies It also treats of strange material Figures represented Calls heard Blows received and the like before Death Of middle Spirits Against telling of Dreams Why Dreams are always represented in coopereal Forms and in what sence mens Works are said to follow them after death from Pag. 176. to p. 202. Chapter 11. Offers reasons why we are not to think that these Communications from good Angels by Dreams and the like so frequent in former times are not now wholly ceased Together with the Reasons why the same are so Rare and Seldom from Pag. 202. to p. 219. Chapter 12. The causes why Dreams are always represented actually present As also of the means tending to promote intellectual Communications the Excellency of Temperance and a regular Diet and sober vertuous course of Life and that it doth mightly advance true significant and profitable Dreams and helps to make an honest useful Emprovement thereof Also a Conclusion of the whole exhorting to Piety Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 219. to p. 249. Of Madness Section 1. DEfines the several sorts of Distraction that the same ariseth not so much from Excess of any of the Humors as from irregular Passions of the mind and poysonous Ferments Pag. 249 250 251. Section 2. The particular Passions most apt to cause it Pag. 251 252 253. Section 3. The maner how they disorder the Soul Pag. 253 254 255 256. Section 4. Pride the general cause of several sorts of Madness Pag. 256 257 258. Section 5. Madness is a bringing forth of all conceptions or imaginations as fast as they arise without any choice from Pag. 258. to p. 261. Section 6. They have no Vail to cover or disguise themselves with Pag. 261 262. Section 7. Most of the actions of men are worse and more mischievous and silly then those of common Madmen proved by particular instances from Pag. 262 to p. 267. Section 8. The several species of Madness and hoâ—… by their Carriage you may know whaâ—… Principle is most
either pleasure or pain For this cause both good and evil Angels and Spirits can most easily and familiarly communicate with the Souls of men in sleep for then the Soul is near unto their Ubi or Beeing and there is a great affinity between them but when the Body is awake and all its sally-ports of the Senses wide open to let in outward material Objects the Soul is cloathed with a dark heavy earthy sensual vesture which does as it were wholly captivate and chain this incorporeal Essence and as those Communications Revelations Sights or whatever else does happen to the Soul in Dreams and Visions seems as nothing to the Body and Senses after waking which is one main cause so many slight Dreams so what is translated through the Senses or in the outward material World is nothing to the Soul in Dreams but the Beggar has as lofty Representations as the King and the poor Captive as free Enjoyments as his Judge therefore we should consider the vast differance between the internal and external principles and their respective Inhabitants and that the external Eye can see only into its own Birth or Original that is into the Things and Light of this outward material World as receiving its Light from thence for nothing can see further than its own principle whence it proceeded For this cause no mortal man can see and communicate with Angels and Spirits by sight and under the perfect Exercise of their outward Senses therefore when the holy Prophets and Antients received Visions and the good Angels and Spirits Communicated their Secrets unto them it was alwayes in Dreams Extasies or Raptures not knowing as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12. 2. whether they were in the Body or out of the Body and therefore the Prophet Daniel saith that in the great Vision before mentioned he had not the strength of a man that is his senses and natural understanding was during that time of the Vision weak dead or as it were asleep and did not see nor know any more of the mystery or divine sight than men do of their common Visions of the Night which are as nothing to the Body and Senses for every Eye sees into its own Radix that of the Body into the Principle of this World as being generated from the Light thereof and being it self Corporeal sees apprehends and comprehends all Corporal things but the Eye of the mind and soul is Incorporeal and therefore it can well see apprehend and comprehend things Incorporeal and Spiritual especially when it shakes off and as it were quits it self of the Chains and heavy Fetters of its earthly Tabernacle and the sensual Facultites of the external palpability as comes to pass in Visions and Dreams for the Soul has an eternal and Coelestial original proceeding from the Intelligible World and therefore when it is freed from Darkness it can well see into and communicate with the internal and heavenly Spirits and Angels But the Senses and Body take their original from gross palpable matter and therefore depend upon sublinary nature consequently subject to destruction and coruption The Body is a dull heavy Trunk but the Soul is quick as Thought and nimble as a Beam of Light and therefore when freed from the clog of the Body and sensual Power 't is capable of entertaining and receiving all things be they either material or immaterial But here it must be noted that it is common for Persons in Dreams to be presented with various Figures Forms and Shapes of material things belonging unto the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms which do signifie or often times fore shew or denote Prosperity Adversity Health Sickness the Death of themselves or Friends others have vocal Calls Voices or Blows before Death or Sickness Now all this variety of Nightly Representations or Dreams proceed from the variety of each mans Genius or Angel and are true or false according to its Nature and the vertuous or vicious Lives of the Persons But certain it is that many men have certain and assured signs or premonitions given them of the Death or Well-fare of absent Friends and Relations as also of their own of which were it needful numerous Instances might be given and this as it is very strange and wonderful so I see not which way it can come to pass otherwise than by the operation of the internal and supernatural Intelligers or Genji which amongst the wise and sober Antients was more frequent then of late years viz. when men fearing the Lord believed that he governed the world by Angels and when men lived in Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness which doth wonderfully prepare men for and render them capable of receiving true Dreams or Oracles For external as well as internal Purity and to be free from Violence and the defilements of Blood and of unclean Meats and Drinks is most necessary for all who would be worthy of this sublime Knowledge and Gift of true Dreams must keep a pure undisturbed and undisquieted Spirit and Imagination friendly compose the same for an unclouded Spirit is like a clear Glass or calm limpid spring of water wherein you may behold the true Images of things but if the same be troubled stirred or agitated then you perceive nothing but confused Figures so the Spirit being discomposed apprehends nothing as it ought to do but as long as it continues serene and tranquil it lets in the true Lights of distinguishing understanding and presents the real Figures and Notions of things to such as are of a sound and healthy Body Mind not dulled with Intemperance nor made sad by Anger nor provoked to Bitterness and Envy by Covetousness but when at peace with God and all its innocent Creation you quietly go to Bed and fall a sleep then the Soul being loosed from hurtful thoughts and freed from the heavy body and sensual Spirits does freely Communicate with divine Angels and Spirits and far more certainly clearly and efficaciously behold and enjoy wonderful things and oftimes is then instructed in and taught many abstruce Secrets and Mystries for the good Spirits being diffusive and communicative do invite the Soul to their Society by the opportunity of the Sleep of the Body Sences and the nocturnal solitariness nor will they be wanting to such when they are awake if they shall square and conduct their Lives and Actions by the measures of wisdom and rules of Piety On the Contrary such whose Fantsies and Spirits are dull and as it were unpolished and who languish under distemperatures of mind and a Body oppressed with excess of wine or other superfluity whence noxious Fumes arises that miserably becloud all the Intellectual Hemispere the access and intercourse of the benigne Spirits or Angels is prevented or frustrated and such peoples Dreams are confused oblivious and tending to Evil and Vanity for the good Intelligences cannot nor will give true Oracles or significant Dreams to persons intemperate and unclean and whose Souls are
the Soul and Intellect and over-whelm their power and operation so that they cannot seâ—… or perceive any Coelestial things with Clearness as Experience daily proves they do the same things when we are awake But also they cause Indispositions breed bad Blood impure Spirits and beclouded senses as well internal as external and thereby enfeebles and destroys the brisk lively apprehensions and stupifies all the Faculties of Nature and particularly the properties of the Memory and retaining Power are so dulled and rendred fluid and oblivious so as not to concerve any Impressions made thereon as we see in drunken men the next day remember none of those loud Vociferations and maâ—… pranks they plaid over-night And you may as well argue That such lewd people did not commit any such Extravagancies because very often they are not sensible of them after they came to be sober as to think you do not dream because sometimes â—…ou cannot remember it when you wake As the Disorders you commit are greater or lesser in respect of your particular Constitution so is your perception of your dreams more or less whence sometimes you can repeat a whole long story of the Representations in your sleep with the several senses words and discourses c. all clearly and distinctly other times you have a more imperfect and confused Apprehension of particulars and sometimes there does remain only a bare memory that a dream you had but the particulars are quite lost or forgot which was the case of King Nebuchadnezer Dan. 2. 5. It is also to be noted That the Spirit and Soul of a man by such Intemperances as aforesaid is so debilitated and eclipsed that the creative and generating Power thereof does as it were loose its strength and vigour and thereby is made more gross and stupid so as that its sight is not clear to perceive so neither is its generative Faculty strong and powerful enough to make such deep Impressions on it self and on the Memorative properties of Nature as otherwise it would do for the perfect memory of and advantage to be made by Dreams does chiefly consist in the cleanness of the Microcosmical Temple and the brisk livelyness of the Spirits of Nature as well as an unpolluted Soul for no man can behold with a clear sight and remember such sublime matters as those of Dreams and Visions but such whose souls are strong and vigorous and do powerfully Tinge or impress the natural Spirits and also they must be such as do abandon Superfluities and Passions which Nebuchadnezer not doing he therefore after he had seen a Dream or Vision could not remember it but said the thing was gone and departed from him Therefore such as would remember and understand the Circumstances of their Dreams and make a due use of them let them depart and separate themselves from Intemperances and Uncleanness and as much as in them lies from all the Furies and Passions of Revenge Hate Sorrow Love c. which are apt to debauch and pollute the Intellect that it cannot foresee any Coelestial thing for none but such as have experienced it can know the wonderful power and vertue of Seperation and Self-denial from Evil not only in its gross Acts but also in its Protiatartick Causes or first springs and occasions and how by degrees it opens a door or gives advantage if I may so speak after the manner of men in so sublime a matter to the Spirit of God to open shew and manifest the hidden Mysteries of his Kingdom which does always teach every one according to their respective capacities and as each man does continue in Separation from the Impurities of the Flesh the World and the Devil and is found proceeding in and pressing on by self-denial towards the price of our high-calling as it is in our ever-blessed Iesus This is most apparent in the first work or beginning of each Christtians Regeneration or new birth whereby he Infrancheses himself from the world and all its ways works words and desires and begins to aspire towards a City made without hands and to be Endenizon'd or made a proprietary in the new Ierusalem as every one upon a Conviction in his Conscience of Evil does actually close with that Conviction and Seperate himself from his former ways and practises so his Eyes become open'd more and more to see the hideousness of that evil or as the Apostle spakes The sinfulness of Sin whereas before he was not able to apprehend it to be so gross and Evil. Hence it is that most men in the beginning of the work of Gods Spirit on their souls are much more humble more fearful and thoughful of committing Evil and far more zealous than afterwards The Reason whereof is clear viz. so long as they remain'd truly sensible of their former Evil state and keep continually pressing on towards Virtue daily denying themselves of their former Superfluity and subduing their sensual Appetites and Affections keeping both Body and Spirit cool and clean by Abstinency Temperance and Purity in Meats Drinks Exercises and Communications they there by feel and find a daily Growth and Increase of Vertue and Manfestations of Grace But if once such shall set up their rest in External Forms and Modes of Riligion and therein begin as it were to stand still and satisfie themselves with their former Attainments and Separations which might be excellent in their day and time and the only means the Lord then used to lead the soul to vertue I say when any shall fall into such a slothful state they will in a little time find that saying verified in their souls That not to go forwards is to go backwards and lose all their inward spiritual strength which is divinely signified by our Lord in that parable of the Servants and the intrusted Talent he that care esly laid it up in a Napkin set up his Rest with such a portion of Grace or Light and indeavour'd not to augment it is condemned and 't is added that from su â—…an one shall be taken even that which he seem'd to have and so Christians came to wither and languish like a Tree that is sapped at the Root and then they sensibly decline and Apostâ—…ize or at best do only retain the Complemental outside of Religion and do indeed keep in memory their first good state which can no more nourish their Souls to a Spiritual Life and Growth then a mans bare thinking upon or boasting of a good wholesom meal he made a week or fortnight agon can support his outward Body in strength and vigour Whereby 't is evident there is no such thing in God nor his wonderful workmanship Nature as standing still or Cessation from working and therefore the illuminated Apostle admonishes the Antient Christians and in them all others in succeding Times to press on towards the mark of their high Calling and greater discoveries of the divine Vision And this was after they had seperated themselves from gross Evils and
Death do often Communicate their desires and reveal various Secrets unto their Friends for Dreams are Incorporeal and the Souls deceased have no other way to impart their Secrets that is so amiliar as this except some few who at their Death are greatly affectionated to Wife and Children or the like and dye with a strong desire of revealing something that lies hid or to manifest their affections to their surviving Friends and these sometimes do it by assuming an aireal Body and appearing Affections being the chief general Cause of Apparitions of Souls departed But then the will and desire must be very strong and powerful at the departure of the Soul from the Body or else it cannot cloath it self with a sidereal or Elemental thin Body for the External Eye cannot see any thing but what is like is self or compounded of them same Elements and there is great difficulty for any Soul to cloath it self with a material Body neither indeed can it be done if the Affections and desires be not wonderful strong and powerful Which shadow or thin Body continues no longer than the Radical moisture in the deceased Body does in some degree continue for as the moisture and matter of the Body does waste so the Apparition or Ghost does grow weak and at last vanish For the Soul cloathed it self by the help of the matter contained in the Body which is done by a sympathitical Operation between the External and Internal for there is some likeness or Relikes of the Spirit remaining in the deceased Body so long as it continues moist and full of matter for if it were not so it were impossible that any Soul should appear in any Body or shape either humane or Beastial Therefore it was that some of the Philosophical Antients commanded the Bodies of the dead to be burni to Ashes which did totally destroy the Humour Radicalis or Spirit of the external elemental Nature thereby perventing such Apparitions as wâ—… are speaking of and hindering Souls from Cloathing themselves with thin Aireal Bodies which they can do only by a Sympathetical agreement between themselves and their old Houses the deceased Bodies For if the Soul departs from the Body filld with Affections to external things be they what they will then finding it discomposed and disquieted it longs after its old Body or House and by Simile and help of the Fluid Humours and Spirits yet remaining in the Body it attracts a subtle matter in which having vested it self it becomes to outward view Corporeal â—…ut if the body should be consumed by Fire then the Spirit or Soul would be prevented wholly of matter for this sidereal Cloathing And therefore this way of burning the dead bodies was practised as in divers other Nations so also in England in former Ages for then it was more frequent for departed Souls as also for divers other sorts of Spirits to appear to the living than of late years for some Reasons which I shall not stand to insist upon or explain in this place And therefore they did consume their dead Bodies with Fire by which there was an immediate and full Separation between the Body and Soul and no simile remain'd and consequently no matter could be attracted or coagulated for the formation of such Spectre's or Apparitions For the like Reason we may note by the way that the first Midwives and Directors of Women after Delivery ordered the After-Birth with Consumption by Fire to put a period to the Atomes or subtle Spirits that can and do powerfully penetrate all Bodies for they are so subtle and quick that nothing can hold or hinder them from returning to their Centers but only the Annilation of the whole But it is further to be observed That all Midwives ought to let the After-Burthen be through cold before they burn it or else the fierce surprisal which the Fire makes upon the Spirits will force them back to their Center whence they proceed with a Rapid motion and carry with them the hot sulpherous Atomes and Particles of the Fire which in some Complections will wound the Health and oft-times cause Fevers and unnatural Heats and Indispositions and more heat the Milk by simile These things are seldom considered and therefore the Evils thereof are the ofter felt But to return from this Digression wherein we thought it not unfit to point out briefly the Nature Causes and Manner of Souls appearing after Death which sometimes happens where the affections are exceeding violent as aforesaid it is far easier and more familiar for the deceased Souls to communicate their secrets to their living Friends in Dreams then to appear thus in external Forms by cloathing themselves with thin Elemental Bodies for men in Dreams are nearer unto the condition of departed Souls then when awake and therefore they can with ease and great familiarity discourse and reveal their minds unto them more especially if there were a simile between their spirits or if there was a hearty Love and Affection whilst they lived For all the time the Body sleepeth it is as it were dead and ten hours is but as one minute but the spirit and soul liveth and acteth and seeth and apprehendeth things as if it had not any earthly Body but were already in Eternity for near and afar off is all a like unto it it can as easily visit remote Countries and Regions beyond the Equinoctial or Tropicks as a mans own House or Garden it can sink it self into the deepest of Depths and also sore aloft and range through all the Coelestial sphears the Etherial Spirits of men being thus volatile and busie when the outward body or senses are dead or which is all one for the time asleep the Immaterial Beeings or seperated Souls being of an homogenial Nature and like state can easily hold communication therewith by such means as are proper for the intercourse of such spirituous Essences especially if before the Death of the Body there was something strongly impressed on the Spirit of the deceased which proves very burthensome until they have by some means revealed it to those to whom they had a desire to impart it before their Death but by some accident were prevented or where there is some great sympathy or similitude between the Soul of the deceased and the Living and for this last reason the Souls of strangers sometimes do make application to such sympathizing Souls of the Living whilst the Body lies asleep and reveal great secrets or foretel them of things sometimes good and sometimes evil that are likely to befal them But there is such a vast disproportion between the Incorporeal Beeings viz. Souls departed Spirits and Angels on the one side and our outward material Senses and Reason on the other as makes all these Wonderful mysteries that happen to man of this Nature appear but as meer fantasies shadows or Vanity and therefore this secret spiritual converse and real Communications of Souls are deâ—…ided in the highest degree which
Poysons the Bitter Wrathful Astringent Spirits which compose the inwardmost Kingdom of sierceness wherein Devils dwell being destitute both of divine and eternal Light this evil center many men have so terribly awakned as shortly they have by way of simile att racted the evil Spirit and Angels for their Companions who do diligently wait upon and continually prompt them to wickedness and further exciting of the hellish poysonous properties whence are generated Filthy Swearings Lying obscene words and Actions and all kind of abominable Discourses and Actions with a thousand horrid thoughts and vile immaginations frequent amongst the multitude so that if a mans inward Eyes of his Soul were but opened he might easily see Legions of those accursed Demons fluttering in and about such People egging them on to all evil Communication and pâ—…actices it being a certain and undoubtable truth that all filthy vain thoughts words and works do arise and proceed from the Hellish centen and do all carry the power of their own principle with them and so incorporate with their Similes whereever they are received and thence pass back again into their own dark original Source and totally captivate the soul therein where they are recorded and shall stand forever as Witnesses of Condemnation against them if men Live and Dye in that deplorable state and do not Repent and turn from them by Regeneration and Newness of Life Now from those infernal Legions which beset us on all sides both inwardly and outwardly no man is safe any longer then he fears the Lord and has his mind fixed on Sobriety and Temperance in Meats and Drinks Exercises and Communications for nothing as we have already said and cannot say too often does so much disarm weaken prevent and frustrate all evil suggestions and ingections of the evil Angels both within and without as those sublime vertues with convenient Fasting and continual servent Prayers For as our Lord and Saviour Christ saith some sorts of evil Spirits are not cast out or chased away but with Fasting and Prayer and therefore the Kingly Prophet saith wherewith shall a young man cleanse and defend himself from evil Angels and other Enormities but only by keeping thy Word and being obedient to thy Commandements alwayes having a regard to that most excellent saying of Christ First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other good things shall be added or given unto you in due season For as every man does govern himself and into what property he suffers his soul to enter such an Angel or Spirit he allureth be it either good or evil there being Spirits of all Orders Complexions and Natures for which should we think the Intellectual world less peopled then the Material which always are ready and officious to exert their power as we read in the Scriptures of Truth The Lord said who will be a Lying Spirit in the mouths of Ababs prophets and presently steps forth one and said I will and far be it but we should believe that the benign Spirits are as ready to secure and defend mankind from evil when they incline to well-doing and Innocency as the malignant Ones are to precipitate them into Error Guilt and Misery If men did but believe those things and diligently observe and weigh them they would certainly be much more careful in moderating their thoughts and affections neither would many so much dote upon or be perpetually vexed with for or about the Spirits of golden mountains of Ethiopia the Dust of Guinea the Rubish of Peru which do give great advantage to and powerfully attract the evil Demons who by many of the Antients are thought to have some kind of rule over or affinity with those hidden Mines and Treasures in the bowels and dark Cavetns of the Earth which are the Idols whom most people now adore and over whom the evil spirit Mammon is said to be Lord president For whatsoever man does violently taste and set his mind and affections upon presently the evil Spirits that are of that quality do present themselves and are busie to allure the Soul and captivate it with more passionate desires after it For this cause it proves hard and very difficult for men too be temperate to moderate their affections in any thing wherein they have once run out into or contracted an habit of Excess so many Enemies there are to circomvent and inveigle them on every side whose power is great but 't is by reason of the greatness of mans sins which give them the Advantages whereby they lead multitudes into perdition On the other side the good Angels and Spirits are as easily attracted by vertue as the Evil are by vice that is so say they are delighted and conciliated by their own fair Resemblances Purity Love Truth Temperance Order firm Belief cleanness in Meats Drinks Innocency and Silence these are powerful Loadstones or Magneticks that will attract good Spirits and Angels even from the furthest parts of the World It is also further to be considered that true Dreams and Nocturnal Converse with good Angels and Spirits does afford great delight and true pleasure to the mind and soul the very thoughts of those secret visits chears and irradiates the intellectual Faculties even in the day and causeth a desire and longing for the night and the more fixed any man is and the more he lays them up in a Reserved and Religious Breast with serious Thoughts and Meditations on such sublime Mysteries the nearer he approaches unto their Beeings and powerfully invites those holy and material Essences and so by degrees even whilst he is in the Body becomes as it were incorporated with or endenizon'd amongst those Coelestial Quires of blessed Angels and Spirits of the Just made perfect and to have their Names Registred in the Book of Life as in the Revelations is promised For nothing comes so near those glorious Beeings or so effectually engages them as a constant thoughtfulness temperance and sobriety but more especially Innocency and the Child like nature which does in the highest degree imitate the nature Angelical whence our Saviour Christ Mat. 18. 10. admonishes his Disciples to take heed not to despise Innocency and the simple harmless nature which he calls one of these little Ones such as have through the vertue and power of the divine friendly innocent Principle disarmed the fierce wrathful properties and as it were cut off the members of evil that is their thoughts words and works and have as much as in them lies imitated and lived in the innocent nature of Christs Spirit and good Angels for of such he saith Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven But such as live in Uncleanness and Riot in Chambering and Wantonness in Oppression and Cruelty are subect to the Tyranny and Punishment of evil Angels as executioners of the divine Vengeance which hence are called destroying Angels Thus two Angels came to Sodom and having secured Lot