DIVINITY AND PHILOSOPHY Dissected and set forth by a mad Man The first Booke divided into three Chapters Chap. I. The description of the World in mans heart with the Articles of the Christian Faith Chap. II. A description of one spirit acting in all which some affirme is God Chap. III. A description of the Scripture according to the history and mystery thereof Amsterdam Printed in the Yeare 1644. Deare Friend and Reader HEre is Divinity and Philosophy dissected and laid open to the view of the world by a mad man therefore if the manner phrase be not so exact as that it is not able to satisfie the curious eye or abide the censure of the nice Mercuriallist who is apt to carpe more at the misplacing or neglect of words then matter it is no great wonder nor care I whether they be satisfied or not seeing my intention is to declare the matter according to my own mad minde unto those who will under stand it after my mad manner The reasons why I expose it to the generall view needs not much be questioned or inquired after in this age wherein the whole world is full of so many distracted heads and religions which say Loe here and loe there is Christ that many are put besides their wits in straining them out of joynt to inquire with Pilate what is truth by which it may be gathered that in many ages the same hath been in obscurity without being discovered or searcht after nor are there any to bee found amongst the multitudes of those who beare the name of men that are able or at least willing to rectifie them by resolving the question Wherefore I have thrust my selfe upon the Theatre in this mad posture and act in publishing my mad minde amongst the rest to prove if any will accept my madnesse for truth the which I dare not avouch for truth to all because I know most men are full of self conceited or imaginary knowledge so that if the highest divinest and greatest wisdome and truth that can be written or expressed by letters were laid down to them they will not admit of nor receive it in their understandings but will esteeme of it as the greatest blasphemy folly and lie in the world Besides I am not so ignorant in my madnesse but that I know likewise that severall eyes and judgements will looke upon and into it and according to their eye or judgement it will appeare to or in them and so I doe expect their thoughts and verdicts to passe upon it therefore I say I will not nor dare not maintaine it to them in respect of their various capacities conceptions and dispositions but only leave it to the diversitie of censures as every one doth finde it to or in them earnestly desiring that they may understand the best sense for 〈◊〉 or profit which is my reall intention As also I propound it for a triall 〈◊〉 there be any in this uncharitable and selfe loving age that out of true love and sound judgement will extend his hand to helpe a mad man and answer him so as is able throughly to rectifie and cure his judgement in demonstrating to him by more probable substantiall and apparant reasons his error in this following Treatise be his director to a more sublime and higher truth in the thing treated of I doubt not but the truly divine and right reasonable or the truly wise able and sound in judgement is so wise and good that he is able and willing to cure distempers of all sorts to whom I am alwayes willing to submit my judgement upon better grounds however deare Reader whosoever thou art whether friend or enemy whether wise or mad man I wish thee no lesse happinesse then to my selfe who desire to be in my wits and right minde to God although a fool and mad man to the world if those things spoken here trouble or offend thee so as thou conceive hatred or malice against me for the same or that thou thinkest that any prejudice may redound to thy owne or others judgements or religions by this ensuing Discourse I beseech thee pacifie thy selfe first and judge not rashly or before thou knowest nor blame me but first enter in judgement with thy selfe by pondering and considering in thy selfe that if thou hadst ever under stood or known things aright thou couldst never have been offended at any thing spoken or at least intended for thy good much lesse could the words of a mad man have stumbled or offended thee for to the wise all things are profitable but if any doe reap good thereby let them know that out of a hearty love I earnestly intend good to them and to all and wish from my heart that they may attaine unto the perfection thereof for their owne everlasting peace and tranquility in minde nor is it impossible but perhaps that which seemeth to be a lie and madnesse to some may appeare to be the reall truth and true wisdome to others thus wishing thee the true knowledge of all things and their cause together with the fruition and enjoyment of the truest happinesse which is God I am thy true friend Errata Page 21. line 36. For negative read vegitative p. 22. l. 16. r. feeleth p. 37. l. 21. r. taste of CHAP. I. The description of the world in Mans heart AS for the creation of the world it is in Mans heart as Ecclesiastes saith in the third Chapter it is internally and in the first of the Hebrewes he saith that God hath created the worlds speaking in the plurall number that is he makes a first and second creation of Man now the creation of Gods first world in Man is Man and God joyned together from eternity and this was that deep silence and waters that God moved or brooded on and he separated the waters from the waters for God is that light and holy spring and Man is that darke and blacke water and God is the Heaven and Man is the Earth and the separation is the first day for distinctions sake that we may know God from our selves I meane the firmament and separating light and darknesse is the distinction and that is the first day in Man which is called the Evening and the Morning So these waters is the flowing of the mindes of God and Man which was separated the minde of God floweth above the firmament and in his owne light or sphere or in himselfe The Man his minde floweth under the firmament and on the earth or in himselfe that his dry land or earth might appeare and this separation of mindes or waters is the second day or light that discovers two one discoursing to the other and saith let us make or doe these things and so this day or light hath its evening and morning which is a whole day and God saith let the Earth bring forth fruits now the desires and affections are the herbs and fruits with their seeds that is their proper selves that
bringeth forth their owne kinde in Man for every affection thought and inclination hath its owne seed in it selfe and doth produce its own fruit out of us which is good in their owne kinde and the appearance of these things in us is the third day in man with its evening and morning for the evening and morning maketh the whole day And God said let there be light in the firmament which light is the Son and glory of God and Man Christ Jesus and is the light which distinguishes or discovers the mindes both of God and Man to each other and the Moon that is in this distinction that rules the night or the darke Man is the instruction and the good advises that the Sunne or true day light shineth through them to the Man and all the starres in this firmament are the lights of Gods graces that is severall to the Man to enlighten his darke heart that hee might see the glorious Son through these gimmering lights for his dark eyes is not able at the first to behold the glorious Sonne but by degrees the holy God brings him to it so these holy lights in the Man are the fourth day with his evening and morning And God said let the waters bring forth fowle and fishes which waters are the flowing sea of thy minde and the fowle or birds are the flying fantasies that flye about the heaven of our souls and the fishes are thy delightfull thoughts that swim up and downe in thy minde and all these are proper selves with their seeds and are very good in their owne kinde and are usefull for the Man and for his pleasure and delight and this is the fifth day in man with its evening and morning And God said let the Earth bring forth all beasts and creeping things which beasts is the passions of thy minde some of which thou maiest use and eat of and some thou must keep under and not eat of as the Hare which is thy fearfull passions and the Swine which is thy voluptuous appetite and the birds and fishes which will not be orderly thou must keep under and not taste of for we must reigne and keep our phantasies that is the ravenous and destructive birds hood winkt that they may not see nor goe beyond their limits to disturbe the soule with their disorderlinesse for David did kill a Lion and a Bear and fought with Goliah and killed him which Lion is thy strong unruly appetite and the Beare is thy unorderly and bloody selfe will and the Goliah is that evill or divell that is thy unreasonablenesse that raileth against thy God or good which is thy reasonablenesse Now these thoughts and phantasies unruly passions appetites and unreasonablenesse must be kept under and ruled or else they will disturbe and destroy thy soul but kept under ruled and ordered are usefull to the Man but this keeping them under is death to them for they are mad and cruell let loose and keeps the soule and reason in all subjection so that no good shall appeare in the soule but they will destroy it for these beasts birds and fishes will destroy and devoure all the rest of the peaceable beasts birds and fishes as the dove or thy innocencie or meek lambe or peaceablenesse and all those peaceable creatures that would be at rest in thee and please thee and give thee rest for Sampson killed that Lion that came roaring upon him that was his strong and ravening appetite that would have devoured him so he saith afterward when he had overcome his ravening appetite there came sweetnes out thereof where with he was refreshed for he saith out of the eater came meat and out of the strong came sweetnesse so that appetite that would have devoured him keepst under and set upon the love or desire of goodnesse was meat and sweetnesse to him And God and Man said let us make or set forth our image which is male and female that is true righteousnesse holinesse and purenesse that should rule over these birds beasts fishes and all creeping things that moveth in the world of Man and they give them names according to their natures and qualities that they see in them so this is the sixth day in Man with its evening and morning and all things is good in their kinde So the rest of Gods discovering or creating things is that holy rest and dwelling of God and good in the Man for he hath shewed Man all things and he discovers himselfe the last which is the best and holy rest and peace of things and is the Sabbath or seventh day with its evening and morning the holy rest in man which hee should have kept for ever and never have lost or broken this rest is the holy Godhead or breath of life that is given to the Man and is light of his light and the life of his life or breath of his breath for Man without God is dead and his life and breath is death without the life and breath of God So God gave himselfe into the hands of Man to see what he would doe with him for he loveth the Man as himselfe Now when the Man seeth that God hath given all things in his owne power then comes the subtilest beast that is in the earth of Man to intice or allure the Man and to be master of all in him and to rule all things and this beast is the wisdome of the flesh or the wisdome of the darke man which is sensuall and devillish and now the Man or female having her will and beeing free having all things in her possession by the free gift love of God to her desires to rule by her will and wisdome and to let God alone and forsake his counsell and wisdom rule by herself and wisdome which is blind sensuall and evill and this is her guide and she will be her own God to do her will lusts and desires and she in blindenesse wil distinguish between good and evill who knowes nothing at all but by the light of Gods grace and goodnesse in her which she hath forsaken and is ruled by her owne selfe and wisdome that calls good evill and evill good and so it is all lies and falshood which the Man is ruled by and so he is lost and damned from God and goodnesse and is joyned to a lie and deceitfulnesse and hath made God taste of her deceitfulnesse by her forsaking him for shee that is his wife hath forsaken him which is her mate and yoak fellow and so he is lost and hidden from her and is under her earthly man of sin which is in hell for that which should be uppermost is undermost which is God and that which should bee undermost is uppermost for all thy brutiall passions and beastly appetites which should bee keept undermost and ruled is uppermost and they rule and governe thee and all things in thee for they keep God and goodnesse under them and will not let them appeare
free and might have stood or fell but he fell and all Adams knows this their owne conscience accusing them for hee made man upright and shewed himselfe to bee good but he sought out many inventions to destroy himselfe yet God hath mercy on him and hath brought forth his elected seed to save him which was Isaac or Jacob that wrastled with God in this darke night of man to save and blesse him for this Esau was faine to sell his birthright and was so hungry with hunting and killing the man of sinne that he had almost lost himselfe but his brothers pottage which is love and mercy and power was given him to strengthen him to overcome the man of sinne in himselfe yet he thought this pottage should not have taken away his birthright and destroyed his first creation which he wept for although it was too late for it was for his further good which is hid from his eyes for a time and whilst he is a hunting for Jacob puts on Esaus rough garment or flesh which is the law of sin which made the man of sin mad and hee thought to destroy this Jacob or this second creation which appeared in the man but in the end when sinne is destroyed they will be loving brothers and one man of God for this Jesus Christ or seed of promise the destroyer of sin will make all peace and quietnesse for this holy God is in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe in mortifying and cleansing this man and burnning up all the chaffe of sin with unquenshable fire that there might bee great love betwixt God and man againe for this Jesus was three dayes and three nights in the man of sinne and in the heart of the earth and was carried into his wildernessed land and was tempted of him the manner whereof shall afterwards be expressed for he shewed Man all his filthinesse and how wicked he was and regardlesse of God and goodnesse and this was the first day in him and the night of that day was the death and wrath of God that appeared in the Man which did teâ—rifie and feare him and was the wounds of conscience that told him what he deserved and he threw downe himselfe at Gods mercy and the second day or light God gave him true grace and sorrow for his sinnes and the night of that day is that bloody fight in heaven betweene the Man of sinne and God and that terrible agony and sweat of death was on the humanity and the third day or reigne of Christ is that day that Christ shall reigne a thousand yeares in Man with death which day is that power of patience and long sufferance that lasts till the Man of sinne is rooted out for a thousand yeares is but as one day with the Lord and one day in this suffering and reigne of Christ is as a thousand years to the man for he must reigne till all sinne is subdued and the night of that day all hell is broke loose to torment the Man for a short time but this Almighty power gives the Man a strong and victorious power that he fights with himselfe and overcomes himselfe and all his devillish crew and so the wicked world is ended and Man shall come into a happy condition There are many that think that Christ will come and reigne a thousand yeares here on earth personally but they will be deceived for they look and judge of the Scripture after the outward appearance which is not righteous judgement for we are to looke on it with a spirituall eye and then shall we see it as it is for the looking on it as a history and not as it is a sacred and holy mystery makes so many false Religions for the birth of Christ in this elementary world was after a extraordinary manner and not after the ordinary manner of men for he was not as the seed of man nor did the Virgin Mary feele any manner of paine in bringing him forth as the wise and learned hold nor doth the Scripture make mention of her paine as they doe of others as Rebeckah Isaacs wife and Rachel Jacobs wife for the Divinity is a spirit and the humanity is a spirit and the Divinity and the humanity joyned together in conjunction as man and wife is but one spirit and spirits bring forth a spirit and can doe no otherwise for this Jesus Christ is a Spirit and is the Spirit and life of God that is sowne in our hearts and spirits which makes us cry Abba Father for he was and is a Spirit comming forth of God and man that were and is spirits and that organicall body or figure that he seemed to be in and to eat and drinke and that he was like flesh and blood was as three Angells that appeared to Abraham which he did dresse a kid for who seemed to be men and did eat and drinke with them as they thought â— so Christ seemed to be in that figure and flesh of the man but he was a reall spirit for with that body he walked on the sea the which Peter could not doe with his heavy body but did sinke and Christ did hide himselfe many times and could not be found for he did walke in visibly and when they did leek him to destroy him they could not finde him till he pleased to give himself into their hands and he could come with his body into any roome the doores being shut as he did after the resurrection come to his Disciples saying Peace be unto you and he did eat a broyled fish and they knew him by eating and breaking of bread and there is surely some secret mystery in that for when hee walked like a gardener they knew him not but by breaking of bread and Thomas would not beleeve that it was the body that was crucified because he could come through a chinke of the doore as he thought till Christ shewed him the print of his nailes after which he said he beleeved because hee saw those things but Christ said to him they were more blessed that beleeved and saw not but beleeved and trusted in God without the death of Christ for if we had beleeved and trusted in God wee should not have fallen and sinned but have been more blessed for the whole had not had need of the Physitian but we all have fallen and need the death of Christ to make us whole againe and we cannot beleeve till wee see the print of his death and nailes in our hearts and spirits which he hath taken on him and is now his humane nature for his Godhead and humanity is in us if Christ be in us for he is whole Christ in us God and man nor can he be divided and be in part in us and if he had a corporall body of clay consisting of foure clements made up of flesh and blood as ours is it were impossible and against reason that he could be in us therefore looke into the Scripture with spirituall