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
unbelief and contempt doth drive away and cause a seperation of the Souls of the deceased as also of all good Spirits and Angels which otherwise would be more prompt and ready to such Communications as being forward to serve help and enlighten those that are sober and well-minded and such as believe and are sensible of those wonderful things and mysterious Impartments for a strong Faith firm desire and belief viz. when the Spirit or Soul is delighted in the Consideration of this spiritual discourse and converse does naturally attract and draw the internal powers Souls and good Angels and causeth them to delight to accompany men both sleeping and waking defending them from various dangers and troubles and ready at all times to reveal and foretel them of future things but on the contrary Incredulity with vain despising Discourses do potently drive them away and causes as it were a total separations so that there seems to thâ—… outward senses and Reason of most men that there is no such thing but all idle vain Conceits so greatly is mankind depraved having by vanity and carnal apprehensions put out the inward Eyes of his intellectuals so that they are to him but as idle immaginations But the Records of sacred Truth do assure us that most of the Sober inlightned men in former Ages were sensible of this secret converse of Angels and Souls and had mysteries revealed to them from God and his ministring Spirits in Dreams and Visions as appears in the holy Scriptures of which we shall take a particular survey in a Chapter by it self But now mankind's frowardness intemperance and incredulity have so estranged those holy powers good Angels and Spirits that they cannot come near man to reveal unto him the secret mysteries of their Beeings and Conditions oâ—… foretel him either Good or Evil that shall happen unto him for a firm Faith in God and frequent meditation on those sublime things have a wonderful power sympathetical inclination and attraction on good Angels and Spirits of all offices and kinds for all things both in the material immaterial worlds haâ—… that secret communiction and opperation by likenesses for the nearer we resemble and become like the good Angels they are the more ready and prone to serve us this being the simpathetical drawing which is the way of God in nature for every thing doth incorporate with its likeness and by a secret agreeable power each thing is ready to strengthen its own Property having the Key in its self that can open the Gates of its own Principle in all other things both Heavenly and Earthly for they all flow from the two grand principles viz. Good and Evil and which soever of these two a man suffers his will to enter into that property or principle gets the dominion and chief goverment in the Soul and if it be in the evil or fierce wrathfull principle then the Spirit and Soul by way of desires and imaginations penetrates all Elements and things both external and internal and wheresoever it finds matter capable or disposed to receive them it incorporates and with highest diligence indeavours to destroy its contrary viz. all Goodness and Vertue And thus men are rendred fit and capable to be the companions of and have society or secret communication with evil Angels and spirits there being often internal agreement and compacts bewteen the Souls of men and evil Angels by way of Imagination and desires in the very center of their lives which very few persons are sensible of though subject unto and consequently cannot comprehend from whence those multitudes of evil suggestions desires and vain imaginations where-with they find themselves incombred do proceed for whosoever suffers his will and strong desires to enter into the fierce violent envious wrathfull original spirit or property has unity with and becomes a Companion of all evil angels and spirits whence do proceed those wonderfull troops and numberless swarms of vain thoughts imaginations desires words and actions being the very dictates of Devils And from the same black Stygian fountain do arise that wonderful subtilty and cunning and those strange unimaginable inventions of evil words acts and vain plays so various a sober man would think it impossible for men to be so strong ready and cunning in the doing of evil hence the old deceiving Serpent is said to have been more subtil then any beast of the field Gen. 3. 1. And our Lord Christ tells us that the Children of this world the race of Cain and sons of Belial are wiser that is more crafty and full of inventions in their Generation then the Children of Light and so the Apostle Paul calls Elinas the Sorcerer O thou full of all Subtilty and all Mischief thou Son of the Devil and Enemy of all Righteousness Acts 13. 10. for as man is various in his central ground as to inclinations dispositions love hate and the like so various also are the evil angels and spirits whence we read their name is said to be Legion because they are many so that whatsoever a man inclines to or awakens in his will and desires whether good or evil there is presently a spirit or angels of the same property ready and prompt to execute and put into practice such his imaginations and to incline and urge him forward in the thing But these sublime Matters are understood or considered but by very few and therefore I would intreat my Friends and all that are of humane Race seriously to ponder in their Minds from what Fountain Principle and Ground that great Variety of Dark Vain and Evil Thoughts Imaginations Words and Actions do proceed of which some few I shall set down for an Example or Looking-glass to the considerate Reader As first in Child-hood for to wish to be Kings and Emperors to have brave Houses and costly Furniture to have gay Clothes and think that whoever meets one does or at least ought to admire an Ass foâ—… his golden trappings to desirâ—… f live idlely and spend all ones time in eating drinking sleeping and playing And as people attain to maturer Years to wish and desire a great deal of Mony and Liberty to have Variety of Women to exceed all others in Evil Mischievous Arts and Sciences to Hurt Kill and Murder all such as shall Offend them For a Man secretly to wish his Wife dead that He might have another with more Mony to contrive how to Circumvent another in a Bargin or Defraud him of his Inheritance or Right by colour of Law and then to boast of our Wit and Cunning in doing it for a man to design himself an Universal Empire or the Government of the whole world as some Princes have done and sacrificed millions of mens lives to that conceit These and the like strange Evil â—…nd most abominable Thoughts â—…inations and Desires bubble up in and have possession of most mens Minds even to the day of death which do all arise and proceed from the poysonous
been true to the heavenly Power for unto them alone is granted the Key that opens the Gate of the Heavenly Ierusalem CHAP. XII The Causes why Dreams are always Represented us actually present As also some means tending to promote intellectual Communications The Excellency of Temperance and a Regular Diet and Sober Vertuous Life to conciliate and advance true significant and profitable Dreams and to make an honest useful improvement thereof THE Soul of man having a divine original being an Eye or Ray of the Eternal power and Heavenly Fire when looseried from the outward gross senses of the Elimental nature as in Dreams sees into the great Mystery of Eternity as into its Motheâ—… where there is neither Place nor Time but near and afar off is all one and the same For the Soul in Dreams when the Body and sensual Powers of the outward elemental grosness are asleep or dead which is all one during the sleep of the Body is as it were already in Eternity and swims in the great Depth or Abysses and sees with an eternal Eye or Sight in the same measure like its Creator whence it had its birth and whose Image it beareth For this cause the Soul is busied in Dreams and Visions that are represented not only really actuated but present as if they were already done or at the same time accomplished for all things whether past present or to come appear present to the Great Eye of the Eternal beeing and the same in proportion is to be understood of the Soul in its separate state that is to say dead asleep or loosed from the chains and dark clouds of the body and sences of outward composition for the Lord sees and knows all things for unto him there is neither time nor place night nor day but all is essencially present for things in Eternity goes not on by degrees or by progressions as they do in time the like is in its kind to be understood of the Soul in Dreams when it swims out of the grosse sleepy Body more especially after Death in which state all the mystries of that Principle into which the Soul had entered and immorsed its self in the time of its Cohabitation with the Body whether Good or Evil and also all its works do follow attend and are present naked and bare unto each Soul hence the Scripture saith Blessed are those that dye are Comprehended in Gods Love for their works follow them that is are Essensually present with them as their Figures and Representations are in Dreams so the same divine Scripture saith of Christ that he was a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World nevertheless the same was not accomplished according to time in some thousands of years after And as in Eternity all things and time are present so it thence follows that it comprehends all times and is not capable of being measured or divided much less comprehended so the Soul of man being inspirited by the eternal divine Principle of Love and Light and thereby capable of having its Conversation in Heaven and taking its Flight into Eternity for every thing is capable to reascend as high as its first Fountain whence it first descended in which state it is capacitated according to its Gifts to see things either actually past and Transacted or as yet to come and to be Transacted in time both as still or already actually present for so they all stand in Eternity there being no Yesterday nor to Morrow but t is always the same Yesterday to Day and for Ever there being in him no Turning Variation nor Shadow of Change Thus Moses saw the Transactions of the Creation the Fall of man the Flood and all those several Actions done in the World to his own time as we may find it Recorded to us in his Five Books 2 Esdras Chap. 14. 21 to the end Esdras Likewise by the Spirit of the most high dictated to his Scribs the lost Bible for it is said in the 42 verse They wrote the wonderful Visions of the Night as for me saith Esdras I spake in the Day and in the Night I held not my Tongue v. 43. The Prophet Isaiah having a grevious Vision declared to him was orderd to set up a watchman and he to declare what he saw Chap. 21. and amongst other things he saw a Chariot with a couple of Horsmen and he answered and said Babylon is Fallen is Fallen Thus the prophet Ieremiah Chap. 51. 8. declares the Word of the Lord against Babylon and saith Babylon is suddenly Fallen as if her â—…estruction were Actually present or rather past and yet as to time the City Babylon Flourished many years after those Visions of Ieremiah And Isaiah after the same manner spake of Cyrus in the present Tense Chap 44. v. 29. Cyrus he is my Shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure and Chap. 45. v. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus whose Right hand I have holden as if Cyrus had then been in being when as to time it is recorded that this Vision was more then an hundred Years before Cyrus was born The Angel that appeared unto St Iohn Rev. 14. 8. saith Babylon is faln is faln and another Angel also appeared unto him and cryed mightily with a strong Voice Babylon the Great is Fallen is Fallen Rom. 18. 2. yet whether this mystical Babylon or that Confusion and Oppression to the meek humble divine Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ be yet fallen we are all witnesses altho the fall thereof was seen and represented as already done in Eternity at that time of St. Iohn's Vision which is about sixteen hundred years ago Thus much I'thought fit to observe from that which every man from his own experience may find True that Representations of things in Dreams are alwayes actually present not past or future whereof the judicious Reader may from these hints I have given deduâ—…e several notable Remarkes But here 't is probable some may be apt to inquire If there be so much in Dreams as you seem to teach and that some Dreams are so useful and instructive above others Can you show us a method how we should procure such signifiant Dreams and retain them and come to understand their true significations I answer those Inquirers do it out of pride vanity or curiosity desireing Dreams and the understanding thereof that they may vapour therewith and seem some-body in the World or to get money thereby and the like devilish intentions then neither I nor any man else can possibly contribute any thing to the satisfaction of their desires because they act in a contrary Principle and these mysteries are Sealed up from them and all that are of their Spirit but to the Meek and the Humble who drives on no foolish design but the glory of God in the first place their own and Neighbours Happiness so far only as it may be subservent to that I will propose a few considerations which may somewhat
Many other wise men and Phylosophers have by Solitude and Abstinency obtained many wonderful gifts the true knowledge of divine and natural things We ought also avoid the haunt or sorutiny after all such kind of curious abstruse Arts or Knowledge as is apt any way to distract or deceive us or amuse us more then profit us as credulous Niceness in judicial Astrology Criticisms in Grammar Derivations and vain Genealogies Squaring the Circle contriving a perpetual motion and such kind of impertinent Curiosities or other Phylosophical Follies for the super-intellectual and essential Unity cannot be known or understood except a man doth absolutely withdraw himself from the multitude and the noise of the confused World where little but Violence and Wrath is practised Charity is absolutly necessary to a Christian Life for it includes our Love to God the supream Good for his own sake and to all the rest of the Creation in obedience to his Commands but particularly giving of Almes which is but one and one of the lowest Branches of the sublime tho most lowly Vertues which as it does wonderfully abate Pride Covetousness and such swelling Vices so it does advance the Soul in all kind of Vertue causes it to draw near the supream Good who in his boundless mercy giveth all things freely receiveth naught from any but his own the Truth tells us Give Almes and all things shall be clean unto you and the wise man saith As Water extinguishes Fire so Almes doth Sin and Daniel taught the King of Babylon that he should Redeem his Sin by Almes and the Angel Raphael testifieth to Tobias that Almes freeth from Death so our Lord Christ commands us to pray to the Father Forgive us as we forgive and by analogy Give us as we give to others but for our further encouragment to Charity and Almes-Giving he adds not only that you shall receive an hundred fold but possess eternal Life and the Scriptures declare that when he comes to judge the Quick and the Dead he shall upbraid the wicked above all things for their neglect of Almes and works of Mercy Furthermore all that have obtained the knowledge of themselves and the gifts of the mind and the communications of good Spirits and Angels by dreams or any other ways ought above all things to keep silent and constantly conceal and lock up such sublime secrets in their religious Breasts for nothing drives away and offend the divine Powers good Angel Guardians more then to publish mysteries to the profane multitude for this cause our Saviour Christ when he lived on Earth spoke after such a manner and fashion that only the more intimate Disciples should understand the Word of God but the multitude should only perceive the parable he likewise on the same ground commanded that holy things should not be given to Dogs nor Pearls be cast before Swine therefore well saith the Prophet I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee and it is said of Mary the Mother of Christ that after the Angel had informed her that she had found favour in the sight of the Lord and should bring forth the Saviour of the World she laid all these things up in her heart and she did not divulge what was discovered to her by the Angel The thrice Great Hermise or Mercury of Egypt avers that to publish to the knowledge of the Rabble a Speech filled with the Mysteries and Majesty of the Deity is a sign of a irriligious Spirit and Plato Commandeth that holy Secrets and Religious things should not be divulged to the Common People Pythagorus injoyned his Followers to a Religious silence for so many years Orpheus also did with a certain Authority of Religion exact an Oath of silence from those whom he innitiated in holy Rites and in Esdras we read this precept concerning the Cabalistical Secrets of the Hebrews Thou shalt deliver these Books to the wise Men of the People whose hearts thou knowest can comprehend them the Antient Egyptiaens had certain Characters for their secrets and mysteries which might not be easily known to the vulger and these are therefore called Hieroglyphicks and Tertullian saith that the promise of silence is due to Religion so we Read of a certain Greek Tragedian that when he would have Transfered somewhat out of the Jews Laws to supply one of his Fables with was struck Blind And Theopompus who beginning to Translate somewhat out of the divine Law into the Greek Tongue was presently troubled in mind and afterwards earnestly desiring God to let him know the occasion of that Judgment received answer in a Dream that it was because he had poluted divine things by Setting them forth in publick Thus the Indian Brachmans the Persians Magi the British Druids the Greek Phylosophers Pythagoras Socrates Plato c always were nice and diligent in keeping secrets to themselves and their qualified Sectatores and never to discover Mysteries without a vail Certain it is that as in Heaven there is an everlasting Stilness and sweet Harmony so all heavenly wisdom is strengthened by Silence and Concord but publication and discord distroys good Effects and drives away holy powers from us Therefore such as would reap Fruit by what we have before taught must hide and lay up those secrets in their religious breasts for the prating of Fools and incredulity are the two grand hinderances that disturb and obstruct the good effects in every thing that tends towards the Illumination of mans Soul for those sublime vertues require in a man a wonderful dignification self-denial and that we should leave carnal Affections frail Sences and materal Passions for mens souls when freed from the gross Fumes of the body and evil dispositions have wonderful power being not distempered but influenced by divine Light whereby they are rendered compleat in Intrinsecal and Extrinsecal Perfection Let us therefore remove all Impediments possible and wholy apply our selves to Contemplation and innocency of Life that is doing unto the whole Creation as we would be done unto and turn our Eyes inwards for there is even in our own selves the apprehension of all things but most men are prohibited by Self-conceit prejudices of Education Custom vain Conversation and the like from enjoying the benefit of this in-born Light so as few enjoy those Heavenly Gifts for Opinions Customs and Passions do continually oppose us even from our birth but if those vain Imaginations immoderate Affections violent Desires after what is not needful be once Expelled the divine Knowledge and power presently takes place and obtains the Government over the Soul But for the further accomplishment furnishing and fitting a mans Soul for the fore-mentioned subline converse and also for the abtaining the Knowledge and Conversation of the Good Genius before treated of let these following Rules be observed 1st Let your Meats and Drinks be Clean and of a simple Nature and Operation 2d Have a care the quantity be not too
great 3d Remember to let your quality be sutable and agreable to your Nature and Constitution 4th Let none of your food be attended with the dying Groans of of the innocent Creatures 5th Consider the first state of man and what Foods were ordained for him viz. none but innocent Herbs Seeds Fruits and Grains 6th Bethink your self and understanding from what Principle Killing and Eating of Flesh did first arise and do proceed 7th Consider also the Nature Shapes and Forms of these Creatures that by Nature incline to eat Flesh. 8th Note that all the Wilde Savages of the Desart in whom the Principle of the fierce Wrath does predominant are formed by the same Principle which the fierce Spirits are formed and look also with Teeth and Claws like so many terrible Weapons of War to Prev upon and Tear their Fellow Creatures to pieces and all their Actions and Inclinations do â—…fficiently declare what property has the dominion in the Center of their Lives 9th Consider further Man the finest and most innocent and noble of all others and Governor of the whole Terrestial Orb view and mark well his Form Shape and intire Symmetry how Curiously and yet withal how innocently he is made and particularly that his all wise Creator has not furnished him with any Weapons of Violence so that he is thereby rendered almost uncapable of tearing Flesh off his Fellow Creatures and if he were not by the seeking out of many Inventions faln from his original State and Furnisht by the â—…evil with the Weapons of Mars he would scarce be able to kill and feed upon the inferiour Graduates of the Creation who are his equals in all the outward Elements for would it not be hard for a man to kill a Cow an Hog or a Sheep and Tear it to pieces and eat it as Dogs and Wolves do but what the fierce savage Creatures can do with the Wrathful Weapons of nature that most men do by invention and the helps of the dark fiery Art whereby almost as many humane lives have been destroyed as by the common course of nature or diseases Therefore upon the whole matter such as would have the free undisturbed converse of Good Angels and Spirits and the advantage of real Dreams let them endeavour and with equal constancy and earnestness pursue after purity both of mind and body to avoid all excess of foods or drinks either in quantity or quality to eschew things derived from violence and therefore to be considerate in eating of Flesh or Fish or any thing not procurable but by the death of some of our fellow Creatures rather let them content themselves with the Delicacies of the Vegetables which are full as nourishing much more wholsome and indisputablely innocent particularly avoiding all Gluttony and intoxicating Liquors as strong Drink Brandy-wine and the like and fumes as those of Tobacca Opium and the like Poysons let them make little or light Suppers viz. of Bread and Water Bread and Raisins or the like for the fewer the Body is from supperfluities and the Head from vapours and the mind from perturbations the brisker are the natural Spirits and the finer and consequently the Soul has a clearer Light and is more near the divine Power by Affinity and more susceptible of their influences and communications but above all let them at their going to Bed divest themselves of all worldly Cares as well as of their Cloathes and with an ardent Faith and intire Charity commend themselves to God the Giver of every Good and Perfect Gift and the Revealer as well as Auther of all divine Secrets and then if it be convenient for thee doubt not but thou shalt have such Discoveries as thou art capable of AN APPENDIX Shewing The Cause of Madness AND Several Observables relating thereunto § 1. THere being an Affinity or Analogy between Dreams and Madness so that the understanding of one will somewhat illustrate the other for Madness seems to be a Watching or Waking Dream I have therefore thought it might not be unfit to subjoyn here certain Considerations touching Phrensie and Distraction its Causes Nature and Effects the rather because the same has very barrenly been handled as far as I can learn by those that have undertaken to treat thereof I shall not insist upon the several sorts reckoned up by Authors as Phrensie which they define to be An Inflamation of the Brain and its members with a continual raving and sharp constant Feaver caused by cholerick Blood to which is joyned also excrementious Choler Mania or Madness which is a loss of the wits with raging and fury but without a Feaver being a cold and dry Distemper which they say arises from adust or burnt-black Choler And Melancholy which is a doting or Delirium without a Feaver and so different from a Phrensie but with fear and sadness whereby it differs from madness which is accompanied with boldness and Fury As all those and others varying in Symptoms are but several Species of Distraction so though Galen having constituted four Humors in the Body laid it down for a Principle that from the excess of some or one of them all Diseases do proceed and consequently was bound to assign these as causes for such Distempers yet more narrow Searchers into the Mysteries of Nature have long since discarded that Doctrine which seems to consist meerly in Forms and Words rather then Reallities and do conclude that most Diseases arise either from Irregular passions of the mind or poysonous ferments occasioned by ill Dyet or inproper Physick in the Body § 2. The truth is Madness and Phrensie do generally and for the most part for some other few particular causes we shall give an account of by and by arise and proceed from various Passions and extream Inclinations as Love Hate Grief Covetousness Dispair and the like which do too violently awaken or stir up the Central Fires or four first Forms of the original of Nature which thereupon do break forth violate and destroy the five inward Senses of the Soul whence the outward Senses do arise So that the Soul loseth its distinguishing property and then the Imaginative property and Soul's Power becomes rampant unbounded or as it were without a Guide and consequently such a Soul is unchain'd or let at liberty from the dark Confinements of the grosser Senses and Reason even as men in Dreams for whatsoever in this state is represented unto the Soul by the uncontrolable and unbounded Imagination is essential unto them whether it be good or evil For it is evident that in Madness persons are not deprived of their grosser Senses of the outward Nature As Seeing Hearing Tasting Smelling and Feeling for those they retain as well as before but they are bereft of the inward Senses or distinguishments and whensoever this happeneth to any then the Soul is unclothed and all its Fantasies and Imaginations become as it were substantial unto them as material things are to those that are in
retain their Senses and Reason for those two serve to cover and hide the Conceptions Thoughts and Imaginations which continually are generated from the various Properties and Centers in man which in innocent Children as soon as they have the use of their Tongues and in mad people is not done but all Conceptions are promiscuously formed into words as they are generated there being no Judge nor Councellors to advise or determine whether they are fit to be divulged and Coin'd into Language or to be stiffled and suppressed § 7. The truth is as the knowledge of evil is mans fall so if this sort of Madness were practised amongst all men that have the use of Reason and their Senses it would be more like Innocency and Christianity then most mens general practises are now-a-days I mean if every man laying aside all subtilty and hypocrisie would speak his mind freely to his Neighbour without Cover or mental Reservations and leave off speaking of one thing to their neighbour or Friends faces and quite other and contrary things behind their backs To complement persons present with a thousand Flatteries and Lyes and revile the same persons as soon as they are absent with as many Calumnies Slanders and unjust Reproaches which is one of the worst kinds of Madness and indeed a Devilish one because they know they do not as they ought being at that very time accused and condemned by the Voice of Wisdom or divine Principle nor is there scarce one thing in Ten that men in the World do act but is far greater Madness and Evil than those things which persons do that are deprived of their Sences For Example Is it not a greater Extravagance for an Ambitious man to sell his Liberty and became a slave to the Lusts and Capricio's of Grandees to spend whole years in supple Attendances Crouching Cringing Fawning or Dissembling only in hopes of being one day made a great man or having an airey Title added like a Rattle to his name and seeing people stand Cap in hand to him whom he imagines to admire him though in truth as many of them as are wise deride and pitty his egregious Folly For a Lascivious man to waste his Wealth his Strength and expose both Body and Soul for the filthy imbraces of a loathsom Strumpet And hazard his Life and honour in attempting the Chastity of some virtuous Woman and be ready to dye for the Love of her whom as soon as he has debaucht he will scorn and hate For men to swallow down vast Estates at their Throats and Piss away the Labours of their Ancestors against the Wall To load their Table with variety of Dishes and be at any charge for poinant Sawces to provoke the Appetite beyond the power as well as necessities of Nature that their Bodies may be filled with Diseases That they may roar under the Stone and the Illiaac Passion and live Tormented Lives and dye an Immature Death For Parents to cark and care and vex and torment themselves with unreasonable Toils and many times hazard their Souls for unjust Gain meerly to heap up Estates for their Children who all ready wish them dead or to leave Riches amongst strangers who in their frolicks laugh at the memory of the old Miser and make themselves and their Companions merry with telling ridiculous Stories of him who for their sakes and for the getting those very Houses and those Bowls they carouze in lies perhaps broyling in the hottest Caverns of the Everlasting Tophet These and an hundred the like things which are the main business and the daily imployment of many that would be counted the shrewdest and most notable part of Mankind Are not I say all these far greater and more mischievous Phrensies than for a man to pull of his Garments and sit naked and spend time in weaving of Sraws or Building with Chalk upon the Walls innumerable Cities whereof he fancies himself to be Emperor To speak Truth the World is but a great Bedlam where those that are more mad lock up those that are loss the first presumptuously and knowingly committing Evils both against God their Neighbours and themselves but the last not knowing what they do are as it were next door to innocency especially when the Evil Properties were not awakened nor predominant in the Complexion in the time of their Senses Tell me I pray Are not all these Intemperances Violence Oppression Murder and savage Evils and Superfluities deservedly to be accounted the worst Effects of Madness As also Lying Swearing vain Imaginations and living in and under the power of evil Spirits more to be dreaded than the condition of those that want the use of Senses and Reason and therefore are esteemed Mad § 8. As for the Species of Madness they are as various as men are in their Complexions for according to what Principle and property whether good or evil does govern the Life in the time of their retaining their Reason and Senses such a property does more clearly manifest it self when the Reason and Senses are broken to pieces for this cause some who have seemed very Religious and soberly inclined as long as they retain'd their Senses and outward Reason as soon as they become deprived thereof the bitter envious fierce wrathful proud Spirit appears in its own form and has its operation without let or hindrance which was before by the cunning Reason and sensual subtilty kept in that it could not manifest it self for some men have obtain'd so much outward government over this bitter Spirit that they can at one and the same time cry Hosanna and Crucifie say God bless you and in their hearts wish your destruction But when such people who hide their Woolvish and Bearish Natures in the external sheeps cloathing of a dissembled Innocency happen to be Mad or deprived of outward Sense and natural Reason then they discover the Savage Nature that ruled before in the Center of their Souls But others who in the time of their sound Senses were accounted harsh and moross or severe their Tongues not so smoothly plain'd or Tipt with Complements but yet their words and works more agreeable to their insides that is they speak as they think and do not play the Hypocrites by retaining subtil Reservations or saying one thing and at the same time resolving on another such I say though many of them did not seem to be so fair and good men as the former yet they are really more innocent and have far better Principles within than the others who made use of their Natural Faculties to hide and cover the subtil bitter Spirit and therefore when these latter plain sort of people happen to be distracted they appear more calm and friendly than the former because the good property had a greater dominion in the Soul § 9. Every person when disturbed in his Senses and Reason then the distinguishing Faculties of Nature does variously appear in properties and Qualities differing according to which of the