Unities of 2. for the beginning and another for the middle then there wants an end If you put an Unity for the beginning and an other for the end then you have two extreams but no mean or middle and therefore it is this way also imperfect Or if you place one Unity for a mean and the other for an end here also you have imperfection because there wants a beginning In like manner if Unity had not emitted his actuall emanatiom as a bright Unity of life the 2. or deformed matter of the Chaos had stood in his duall confused or imperfect estate that is without the form or shape of any perfect thing I mean a plain Nihil or Aliquid in potentia non actu Something in puissance and not in act So that matter I say before it was informed by the Unity of Light which maketh the third Unity was Vacuum inane Vacuity and inanity because it wanted the presence of the informing Unity or actuall emanation to endue it with the title of goodnesse for after the bright emanation was made then vacuity was changed into plenitude puissance into act darkness into light and a deformed matter into well formed and vivified waters and in a word imperfection into perfection And thereupon it was said that God saw that it was good that is it was replenished with his virtuous Essence who was all good and onely goodnesse By this reason therefore namely by the addition of the formall Unity the manner of confusion and of imperfection which is the materiall duality that doth Symbolize with the Chaos which is the mother of matter perfection is brought into the world which by animating the purest and subtiler waters doth unite the mentall Light with the heavenly Spirit in an Angelicall essence which doth afterwards animate and inform all things And this formall Union is Symbolically expressed by the figure 3. which for this cause is termed the first number of perfection and the number of the Soul or the radicall number of form in the course of nature henceforth therefore it cometh that the Platonists and Pythagoreans do expresse matter which is imperfect in it self by eaven or imperfect numbers and according as in the Achetypicall world defigned by 1 2 3. in form of the sacred Trinity there appeareth to be three Ideall dimensions in one divine nature or eternall essence which present in their manner of progression a Root a Square and a Cube which import a supream soul a spirit and body of the world Ideally painted out in the Archetype and that these three seem to be raised out of one 1. or Unity for multiplying 1. by the root 1. doth produce 1. and its self which makes 2. or a simple Ideal square and multiplying it again by 1. there riseth but 2. and 1. which make 3. or a Cube which argueth the perfection of the Ideal world which was in God if we take the two radical compounded numbers for roots we shall produce after this pattern the created or exemplar world namely we shall find out three dimensions to wit longitude latitude and profundity of the matter by the inquiry or searching out of the Root Square and Cube of matter the root of matter therefore was 2. for though the supream unity had multiplied or dilated it self in 2. arguing its first-born issue yet because the holy Spirit of Illumination shined not forth all was dark quoad nos wherefore we must imagin that the multiplication of matter in the world is nothing but variety of penetration of formall light into the watery abysse or materiall multitude For the thicker matter is the nearer she appeareth unto her root 2. or the dark Chaos Again the thinner it is made by the opulency of the formall emanation's bright presence the nearer it appeareth unto the root of formall Unity This mystery I say being rightly understood all science even in the abstrusest Philosophy may easily be decyphered The root of matter therefore which is 2. imports the dark Chaos the root of form which is 3. imports that the root 2. or the dark waters is animated by the formall or bright emanation of Unity or 1. and so the first 2. was accomplished and the soul of the world created namely by the Angelicall emanation And thus was the Cabalists Mâ—tuâ—tron oâ— Anâ—ma mundi first produced which according unto their traditions is said to be the first creature that was created agreeing with that of Ecclesiasticus Prior omnium creata est Sap entia Dâ—us 〈…〉 Sancâ—o Wisdom was created before all things God created her in the Holy Spirit c. And in and by this Angelical creation all other Angels were also made and therefore it is said Christus est Imago Dei invisibilis Primogenitus emnis â—â—caâ—â—rae in quo edâ—ta sunt unâ—vâ— saâ— coelis in â—â—â—ra visibilia inviâ—â—bilia sive Thâ—â—ni sive Dominat ones sive Potestaâ—es omnia per ipsum in ipso â—mnia sunt ipse ante omnes omnia in ipso constant Christ is the Image of the invisible God being bâ—ough◠〈◊〉 before any creature in whom all things as well visible as invisible are maâ—e both in heaven and earth whether they be Thrones or Dominations or Potestats all are made by him and in him and he was before any thing and all consist in him Loe here is evidently described the true vivifying Spirit which not onely made all and is all that he made being that all are in him doing the will of his Father in all that he hath made whom the Hebrew Rabbies call Mitattroâ— or Donum Dei and the Prophet Magniconcilii Angelum the Angel of the great councell Et vocabitur nâ—mâ—n ejus saith the Prophet magni concilii Angeâ—us And his name shall be called The Angel of the great councel c. Thus by the multiplying of 3 in it self we have the created formall square which imports the nine Orders of the Angels which vary according to the multiplicity of properties by which the effluxion or emanation that is sent out from this infinite fountain of light doth operate diversly in the world according unto the will of the Father of lights which sent it forth And the formall square 9 being joyned with the materiall square 4 doth animate the heavens which by inspissation or multiplication are made corporall or cubicall so that all bodies are made of those thin substances by multiplying of each square in his root whereupon the cubicall form wil be 27 and that of matter 8 which argue every elementated or compound matter and as the more the matter is multiplied in it self the darker and thicker will it be so the more that light is multiplied in it the lighter thinner and more spirituall will the creature be Insomuch that the formall root and square and cube import the essence and souls of creatures as well super-celestiall as celestiall and elementall which are more or less dignified with form for
is proved true For when the the wood and Coal is consumed we shall find that their terrestriall Corpulency or bodily masse is almost resolved by fire and heat into watry smoke and fumish ayre But the Philosophicall axiom is that every thing is resolved into his first matter or principle therefore it is apparent that both the water and aery smoke which make up the Earthly bulk of a great Oake or mountaine of pit-Coal was first of the invisible Ayre Again if these were not so the brimstone Stones and dust which authority of the Bible and common experience teacheth to descend from heaven being that they fall in one place or another daily would increase the Earth more and more But leaving these speculative proofs I will descend unto such ocular demonstrations as I have learned out of mine Experimentall glasse The Demonstration We find that from the lower region of the Calender or Weather-glasse unto the summity or top of the head there is nothing but a portion of the common invisible element namely the Aire within it But we shall find even in this little modell of aire strange mutations or alterations effected by vertue of the four winds which blow in the open element for when the hot Easterly wind doth blow it dilateth and extendeth it self all along the neck of the Glasse and beateth down the water unto the lowest degree by reason of its extension so that it approacheth unto the nature of fire for fire is said to be nothing else but aire extreamly dilated though indeed it is the abundant presence of the bright form which dilateth it so but if the South-wind bloweth then it will not be so extreamly dilated but it will endue the mean nature of aire and therefore it will draw up the water by certain degrees But if it happen that the westerly wind have the sole domininion in the sublunary element then will the aire in the Glasse grow thicker and for that reason it draweth or attracteth the water higher For cold hath a great power in the said air whose nature is to condense and thicken Lastly if the cold northern winds do govern or dispose of this universall sublunary element then will the included aire be contracted or coarcted into a very strait room which is argued in this namely because the colder the winde is the higher will the water be elevated in the Glasse and therefore it is made manifest that by how much the more the aire is contracted by so much the more it is thickened and consequently it must be made ponderous considering the proportion of place in which it is for all the aire which weighed thus much in half a yard of Place doth weigh at the least even so much in 2 inches of Space after Contraction Thus you see that in verity there is radically but one catholick sublunary Element though by the angelicall spirit that bloweth from the four corners of the heavens it is four-foldly informed and altered which made the Antients to imagine in their phantasies four distinct elements of an equall birth and beeing from all beginnings But you see apparently by this that is said that this position of the Peripateticks and other sects is false though that it hath gotten an universall name and dominion in this world among men as well of learning as of the ignorant who ground their sayings on the doctrine of the learned of this world who are corrupted and seduced from the truth by the Ethnick discipline I will now expresse unto you in the last place of this book how all generation and corruption in this world is made and that the lowest profundity or terminus ad quem the motion of corruption tendeth is but unto the simple element of nature and then beginneth a new generation from that principle being four-foldly altered according unto the nature of the four winds and therefore when the dead carcasses should live again the Prophet said Come from the four winds O Spirit and blow on these dead bones that is inform and vivifie their Spirit with thy breath for bones were made after a hard Northern and fixt manner the humours after their proportion the Westerly and Southerly property namely flegm and blood and lastly the Spirit of life came from that all-vivifying fire which Hermes calleth Splendorem Sanctum The holy Splendor To conclude I will demonstrate the mystery of the worlds Creation by way of an Arithmeticall progression after this manner Here we have the progression in the worlds Creation where 1. signifieth the Unity which was before all things which whilst it was in it self and did not shine forth conteined its inacting property within its potential Nolunty or Darkness and therefore was esteemed as nothing in regard of mans weak capacity although that in it self it is all in all Then the rank 2. sheweth the actuall emanation of the in-created Light out of the potentiall Unity at the presence whereof the humid nature did appeare out of the dark abysse 1. 0. in the shape of waters so that the light and waters as active and passive are ranked next after Unity thus 0. Light 0. Water 2. then by the fiery Spirit of eternall love and union those two opposit natures are joyned together into the nature of heaven by a spirituall union or composition the which is termed by the Platonicks the soul of the world which the Philosophers have styled by the name of Quinta essentia the quintessence For we must understand that as the 4. Elements were made after the Heavens so also are the Heavens said to animate the Elements no otherwise then the soul doth the body So that this degree of Progression in the Creation standeth thus 0. Light 0. Aire 0. Water 3. The last scale in the Progression of the worlds Creation is thus 0. Fire 0. Aire 0. Water 0. Earth which importeth the four-fold alteration of the catholick Element by the four Winds which was and is effected by the Word the third day of the Creation and this was nothing else but the generall sublunary or lower waters This therefore was the estate of the world in the Creation and in this very state doth continue hitherto and will do till it be refined by the fiery Tryall All this the wise Hermes hath according unto the Tenor of Moses described unto us exactly in these words Erat umbra infinita in abysso aqua insuper spiritus tenuis intellectualis per divinam potentiam in chaos inerant floruit autem splendor sanctus qui sub arena humidanatur a elementa deduxit cumque indistincta fuissent levia postmodum in excelsam regionem provolarunt gravia sub arena humida resederunt distinctis libratisque rebus quae igneo Spiritu vehebantur emicuit coelum septem in circulos c. An infinite shadow or darkness was in the abysse moreover water and a subtil intellectuall spirit was by the divine puissance in the Chaos And a holy brightness or splendor did
protinus evolans alta petit Aer quoque levis spiritu parens mediam regionem inter ignem aquam sortiebatur â—erra vero aqua sâ—c invicem commixta â—acebant ut terrae facies aquis obrutâ— nusquam pateret Tunc Pimander ait Lumen illud ego sum mens Deus tuus antiquâ—or quanâ— humida natura quae ex umbra effulsit mentis vero geâ—men lucens Dei Fâ—lius c. Pimander being the mentall exceâ—lency of the divine puâ—ssance did change his form or shape and on the suddain revealed the universe for I did discern that all things were converted into a pleasant and delectable light which did rejoyce me to behold A little after a feaâ—full shaddow or darknesse did glide downwards by an oblique revolution and was converted into a humid or moist nature which was exagitated or stirred up by an unspeakable aspect thereupon a gâ—eat fume or smoak made a noise out â—f that noâ—se proceeded a voice which I did imagine to be the voice of the light out of this voice of the light the word which was made was utteâ—ed but this word joyning it self with the humâ—d naâ—uâ—e did nourish and animaâ—e it Out of the bowells of this humid nature the light element of fire doth fâ—y and soareth on high also the thin aire possesseth the middle region between the fire and water bâ—t the earth and the water were intermingled after such a fashion that the face of the earth was no where over-flowed by the waters Then Pimander said I am that light the mentall spirit that is thy God of a greater antiquity then is the humid nature which did shine out of the dark shaddow but the brightsome germe of the mentall spirit is the Son of God c. Whereby it is evident that by the mentall unity is meant the absolute divine Monady in it self without any respect had unto creation By the Divine Puissance is understood the dark principle beginning or Chaos out of the which light or the divine emanation did spring At the issuing of Light the word was made manifest out of the dark and deformed Chaos from which also the humid nature or the Abysse of waters did spring or proceed into action by the creating emanation this humid Mass was nourished and vivified by the word and framed in the Elements as is said before And therefore it is apparent that the darkness the light the word the waters and Elements were complicitly contained all in the mentall puissance and abstruce reservation of the sincere Identity of Pimander or God in himself before they were created But I will yet pass a little further and confirm all this more rationally and demonstratively by the authority of Holy-Writ Job saith Revelat Deus fundamenta è tenebris educit in lucem umbram lethalem God revealeth the foundations of the world out of darknesse and he discovereth or bringeth forth into light the deadly shadow c. Where by the foundations he understandeth the waters which were secretly contained in the dark and misshapen abyss of the which afterward the heavens and the earth and consequently the whole world was framed by the Word according unto the Archetypicall pattern So that we here perceive that two principles of a clean contrary nature do issue or proceed from and out of one and the same Identity or Unity in Essence namely a deadly darkness and as it were the shadow of death and an admirable vivifying light whereof the one was the matrix or receptacle of form And the deformed bowells of the other contained that matter without form whereof afterward the world was framed and therefore the wiseman saith Manus omnipotentis mundum ex informi materia effecit The hand of the Almighty hath made the world of a matter without form And according unto this tenent also Job in an other place Aquilonem extendit Deus super inane vacuum suspendit terram super nihilum God stretcheth forth or spreadeth the North upon emtpyness and inanity that is to say on a thing that was void and destitute of shape and hanged the earth upon nothing In which speech by inane or vacuum and nihilum he meaneth misshapen darknesse and deadly shadow of which he spake in the before-specified place or that matter without form mentioned by Solomon the which whilst it was in Potemia Dâ—vina or the Divine Puissance was meerly nothing in man's weak capacity being that it was not as yet actually created or informed for it is form onely that giveth name and essence as all Philosophers do confesse By this therefore we may discern how all things are essentially comprehended in this eternall and radicall Unity Forasmuch as being one he is infinite and being infinite as well in his dimension and essence as power he must of necessity comprehend in himself all finite things whatsoever He is in all and filleth all and yet he is beyond all as he that surpassing and compassing all is onely in himseâ—f and yet neither absent from his creatures which he hath framed out by his Word according to his Will For first from his Volunty did proceed his Word Fiat and it was done Now that we have the privative principle namely deadly darknesse and deformity drawn from the infinite center of all things whose circumference is no where to be found We will dive into the nature of that formall and lively Light which did also issue from the self-same Originall Root and most antique beginning of all things that thereby we may with the best colours of our understanding paint out and describe that excellent formall Essence which redeemed the humid matter or watery substance out of the captivity of the deadly and misshapen darkness or shadow of death that I may speak in Job's language by which all things have their being and beauteous existence CHAP. III. How that amiable and bright emanation of vivifying Love shone forth from the Fountain of all goodness and displaced Litigious and odious darknesse from the Throne of the obscure Chaos or dark Abysse that thereby a World might be made of nothing that was actuall and beautified by the formall presence thereof IT is a wondrous thing and passing all humane understanding that out of one Unity in essence and nature two branches of such an opposite nature should arise and sprout forth as are Darknesse which is the seat of error deformity contention privation or death and Light which is the vehicle of truth beauty love position and life It is not for nought that the Sect of the Manichaeans did so stifly hold that there were two coeternall principles whereof they made one to be God whom they termed the Prince of Light and the beginner and Author of life health and all goodnesse the other they attributed unto the Devill whom thy entitled the Prince of Darknesse and the originall and principle of opposition death sicknesse and all evill And they esteemed the Devill or Prince of Darkness
otherwise then Adam contained in himself Eve which was the Mother of the little world or man after Adam and therefore Hermes saith Mens autem Deus utriusque sexús foecunditate plenissimus vita lux cum verbo sic alteram mentem peperit God being full of the fertility of both sexes and being life and light brought forth another Divine Spirit by his Word And Scriptures seem to intimate thus much in this sense Qui caeteris generationem tribuo an sterilis ero It is evident therefore that out of one and the same radicall Unity existing before all antiquity both the matter and form of all things do proceed and that they appear in regard of their being or births but aeviall that is having a beginning but no end though in their essentiall Root they are Eternall in God the abstruse Monady or Unity of all things So that as the dark Chaos and the bright informing Spirit are two principles opposite and contrary to one another in nature and property for from the dark principle discord evill cold congelation rest death privation negation or Nolunty do proceed but from the other which is the type of beauty and grace namely the bright beginning light concord goodness heat resolution motion life and position or Volunty are poured out into the nature of the world to cause it to exist and live so also both these are but main branches arising from one and the same essentiall Unity which when they cannnot pass or exceed the limits of their infinite fountain are in him light and darkness and no way differing in essence from their Root which is all in all because that as the Psalmist doth say Tenebrae sunt ei sicut ipsa lux Darkness is unto him as lighâ— For all is one in him who is onely one and the same in himself In whom by whom and therefore from whom are all things For his Volunty and Nolunty is but all one in him that is one simple Identity and what is his Volunty that is as well his affirmation as his negation which is all but one good in him that is all goodness And yet in regard of the creature when his negation hath the supremacy he hides the light of his loving countenance and all is dark and then he operateth in regard of his privation For where he hideth his face all is deformed and as it were void of essence and goodness Lo here is his Volunty negative or privative which may rightly be termed his Nolunty If his affirmation hath dominion he emitteth the beauty of his benignity and the creatures expecting spirit is enlightned by his presence and consequently replenished with goodnesâ— Lo here is also his Volunty affirmative or positive called his Volunty in the right sense But least any man should think this strange let him but observe the mentall beam which is assigned by God unto man to inform him with reason and adorn him with understanding We know that man hath but one Divine nature which giveth him intellect Spiritus est in homine saith Job sed inspiratio omnipotentis facit eum intelligere And yet this Unity in essence which is the Image of God operateth in generall by two contrary properties Whereof the one is apt to affirm give and grant a petition by an affable emanation Lo here is the Act of position scored out in mans spirituall Unity or else to deny take away or be against the demand of him that craveth by a privative ablation of the wished rewards Lo here is the effect of negation deciphered for the mentall beam shineth not out unto the Petitioner but is reserved or contracted in it self In these two actions we may observe but onely one effect wich is laudable in this one simple and absolute unity unto the petitioner for though I grant by the friendly and pitifull emanation or emission of my mentall beam so that it is according unto the petitioners wish or though I deny his demand contrary unto his desire and so it appeareth to be a great evill or mischief unto the demander yet unto my mentall spirit both the affirmation or negation appeareth good and are founded upon good reason and therefore are indeed but one thing though they seem divers to the demander In like manner in the eternall and archetypicall mentall unity whose type or similitude the beam of our understanding is as well the act of Volunty as Nolunty is all one and that is goodnesse for he that is all goodnesse hath in it self no contrariety although in the creature which is subject unto the effects either of his privative or positive will his privative or dark action is esteemed for evill as contrariwise his positive and light emanation that is full of love and benignity is received for good and therefore embraced with joy For doth not the holy Text tell us Bonum malum vita mors à Deo sunt Good and evill life and death are from God And doth it not tell us in another place Quod Deo abscondente faciem suam a creaturis conturbantur recipiente spiritum eorum exspirant emittente spiritum suum recreantur bono God hiding his face from the creatures they are troubled and sick taking his bright vivifying Spirit from them they dye and sending it forth again they are recreated with goodnesse health and life And again Visitatio tua saith David praeservat spiritum meum Thy visitation doth preserve my spirit Attolâ—e faciem tuam emitte lucem supra nos efficiet ut videamus lucem splendentes efficiat tenebras nostras Send out the light of thy countenance and it will cause us to see light and it will make our darknesse bright and shining And again Tenebras ponam iis in lucem I will put darknesse in them in stead of light Tenebras in diem incurrent astuti quasi in nocte sic palpabunt in meridie Crafty men shall in the day-time run into darknesse and they shall grope at noon-day as if it were in the night In tenebris est in tenebris ambulat qui odit fratrem He is in darknesse and walketh in darkness that hateth his brother And the Prophet saith Tenebrae persequentur inimicos Dei Darknesse shall persecute the enemies of God Abscondit faciem suam ab iis ut obtingant iis multa mala angustiae He hideth his face from them that evill and misery may befall them And yet there is neither of these two properties in this one essentiall unity but is good absolutely though the latte be privative passive odious disturbing and deadly unto the creature that end â—reth the effect Is it not written that he hath the power of life and death and doth â—â—ad down unto the mouth of the grave and can bring back again to life when he pleaseth And yet all this is but according to his double property of Volunty and Nolunty that is of his
granting or positive emanation and privative or negative condition which are as I have said both good in him who is nothing but pure goodnesse in his simple and absolute nature and therefore are one in him who is sincere unity in himself Whereupon the wise Philosopher not disagreeing in this from Scriptures saith Non est â—n monade divinâ nisi unum bonum ab ipso enim factore nihil malum nihilque turpe In the divine essence there is not any thing but unity and goodnesse for from the Creator there is neither evill nor filthinesse And for this cause when Job saw that God did strike him as it seemed to him without a cause forasmuch as he was a just man and as the Text saith according unto Gods heart he being egged forward notwithstanding all his pains with a pious zeal towards his Creator though he knew that his affliction proceeded from the hiding of his Maker's countenance from him did break forth into these terms Et tamen absit à Deo impietas ab Omnipotente iniquitas And yet for all that far be it from me that I should deem any impiety to be in God or that iniquity should proceed from the Almighty It is most apparent unto the sleightest Philosopher that God is conversant in the created nature as well about corruption and privation as generation and position and yet no good Christian can be ignorant but that either of these opposite properties so familiar in one sincere essence is absolutely good in that it is compleatly excellent in goodness in it self although nothing is more terrible fearfull abominable and wicked to the creature than is his own death and corruption If we Christians deny the property in the Ideal unity namely as well to deprive the creature of his life by withdrawing his act of life from it into it self we may justly imagine our selves to be inferiouâ— in judgment unto the Infidell Poets and Philosophers who do verifie this fore-mentioned axiom of the wise-man Bonum malum vita mors honestas paupertas à Deo sunt Good and eviâ—l life and death riches and poverty are all from God Whereby he intimateth that this one essentiall divinity operateth oppositely in the created world by a two-fold differing property Their Allegoricall story is this Proclus follâ—wing the antient Theology of Orpheus Ilesiode Euripides and Eschylus which personages have inveloped in their fabulous Counts or Stories such hidden secrets as they had learned of divine persons and such as were profoundly seen in the mysteries of God doth decipher the properties of the supream and archetypicall Son under the shadow of the visible and typicall Sun in this manner expressing thereby that one and the same eternall essence doth operate all in all as well privatiâ—ly as poâ—â—tivly These Poets tearm it by the name of Apollo in the day-time because they pretend that in his position and benigne nature which is manifested by the vivifying property of the Sun he composeth the creature of seven parts fo◠〈◊〉 â—he quaternary number the Pythagoreans did signifie matter which is â—â—amed of the Elements for it is the square oâ— 2 which is an unperfect number and therefore doth deâ—ipher matter and by the ternary which is the number of perfection they express the form of things so that these two numbers united do make up the septenary number whiâ—h doth inâ—lude the perfect complement of the creature Again they intitle it Dionysius in the night time namely in his dark and privative disposition saying that under this name he useth to tear and divide that creature into seven pieces which under the title of Apollo or in his positive property or solar and divine nature it had composed So that they seem to argue that the self-same unity in essence is the author as well of destruction and corruption as of the generation and vivification of the creature but they therefore tearm it according unto the variety of his property by a differing name no otherwise than the Cabalist calls it in his hidden and privative property Aleph tenebrosum or darâ— Aleph namely when he keepeth in his beams of life in himself or withdraweth his face from the creature and Aleph lucidum or light Aleph when he shineth forth unto it and extendeth his beams of life upon it By this therefore we Christian may see that the very Pagans did grant or acknowledge that which the Scriptures do testifie though it be by an allegoricall way concluding with them that it is onely in the power of one and the same radicall unity to save or destroy to give life or take it away to will or to nill and in conclusion to operate all and in all and that according unto its pleasure Thus have we confirmed that the two members of an opposite condition or disposition do spring out of one eternall root and that they operate in this world by clean contrary effects and consequently that since the mass of waters whereof as St Peter doth testifie the heavens and the earth were made of old did come out of the dark chaos and was as it were her second birth which the Poets feigne to be Pan or the universall nature it is easie to be considered by the wise Philosopher that this passive portion of the world is by a naturall instinct inclined to darkness and unto all the privative conditions thereof so that if it were not for the formall portion of the world which proceeded from that bright spirit of wisdom which Solomon calleth The vapour of the vertue of God and the sincere emanation of the brightnesse of the omnipotent and the splendour of the divine liâ—ht and the mirrour without all spot of his goodnesse that divided the waters into distinct orbes or sphears and gave a proportionall weight unto the aire and tyed or hanged up the waters in the thick clowds by measure and gave orders unto the rain and made a passage for the lightnings of the thunders if it were not I say for the act of this Spirit all things would be alike It is this Spirit that said Ab ore altissimi prodij retunditatem coelorum circumivi solus in profundo abâ—ssi ambulavi I came out from the mouth of IEHOVA and compassed about the heavens I walked in the profundity of the abysse c. It was the bright wisdom which IEHOVA did possesse in the beginning of his waies before his works before all time before the world was made when there was not any abysse before there was any fountain before the mountains were raised or the earth created When he made the heavens it was there when he did fortify the superiour waters it was there when the limits of the sea were framed lest the waters should passe their bounds When he gave the earth her foundation it was there with him as a helper to compose all things To conclude by it all was formally made and
excellently-bright throne of Eternity All this in effect we may collect from the Fathers of the Church for St. Dionys. saith That an Angell is the image of God and the shining forth of his hidden light a mirrour pure and most bright without spot without wemm and withâ—ut defiling And for this cause he calleth the Angels Algamatha that is mâ—st clear Mirrâ—rs receâ—ving the light of God arguing theâ—eby that they are the images of the catholick Emanation from whence they spring For Scriptures say that the Spirit of wisdom is the brighâ—nesse of the eternall light a glasse or mâ—rroâ— of the maâ—esty of God wâ—thout â—pot and the image of his Goodnesse And Bartholâ—mâ—w saith That an Angell taketh his hidden light from God by influence and sendeth it forth unto those Angells whiâ—h are of a lower order or condition And Austin and Damascens say that Angeâ—ls are intellectuall lights receiving their light from the first light Again Baâ—tholâ—mâ—w saith that they are called Gold by reason of the beams which they send forth Also they are called Fiery Rivers by reason of the bright influences which they receive and send forth to those of a lower region Also St. Dennis saith that the higher Ordeâ—s receive most plentiously the light of God which afterward they impart by influence unto such Spirits as are lower And this Law is observed in the Oâ—der of Angels namely that some be the first and some the second and some the last For this cause therefore the SERAPHINS are Angels so called because they are said to burn and be set on fire by reason of their immediate presence befâ—re the face of God But letting all these testimonies passe we are instructed by many places of Scripture that Angels are bright â—â—ning lights that they are above in the third heaven attending on the Throne that there are seven which are Presidents in heaven as there are seven Candlesticks which import the seven Planets and that there is one great Angeâ— that is head or master over them all which held the seven stars in his hand And that there are four Angels which have dominion over the four winds who have power to hurt the earth and the seas And that they are commanded and over-ruled by one great Angel who beareth the soveraâ—gn seal of preservation And that there is a Prince of daâ—knesse who is that great opposite spirit which hath dominion in the aire And that there are as well deadly as hurtfull Principalities Potestates and Governours in this world which are adverse unto Gods creatures as good Angels or Angels of light which are friends unto them To conclude the multiplicable fruit or seeds we compare unto the stars of heaven and the leaves unto the creatures below which have their natures and mutations from those internall or spirituall organicall agents So that we may see that Eternity giveth life unto eviality and eviality unto tempâ—rality And as we see that in the eternall world the First Person addeth a beeing unto the Second and the Third proceedeth from them both so the aeviall or Emperiall Angells poure down the influences of life into the Olympicall or heavenly ones and the Olympicall or starry spirits do send them down on the Elementary In the same manner the Emperiall Spirits are the soul or life unto the Starry or Aetheriall heaven which animateth by his influences the Elementary and the earth is animated by them all Thus therefore we see that God operateth by his divine organs variously all in all which being well understood in the first place we may boldly conclude that also all the peculiar angelicall lights do proceed from one and the self-same catholick Emanation aâ—d consequently we find that the diversity and opposition of their natures proceed from the multiplicity of properties which is in that generall emanation proceeding from the throne oâ— God or Unity before all beginnings And this is the reason that this eternall creating Spirit of wisdom is tearmed by Solomon Unicus multâ—plex One and manifold One I say in regard of his essence and manifold in regard of the multiplicity of its properties by which it worketh variously and sometimes by opposition in the world But all this is excellently expressed by the learned Cabalisticall Rabbies in the description of their Numericall or Sephiroticall Tree You must therefore understand that as the mysticall Theologians did observe but ten speciall names or attributes which were ascribed unto God in the Hebrew Bible a proprietate so they did perceive that each of these did import a diverse operation to be effected so that the Hebrewes did call upon this or that Name of God mentioned in the holy Text according unto the nature of the severall necessity they had of Gods assistance And though they collected by the word of God that as the Divinity or Godhead is but one internall immutable essence and therefore hath but one onely essentiall title to be expressed by namely Tetragrammaton or Jehova which is his unseparable name forasmuch as it is appropriated unto him onely for it includeth as Rabbi Moses the Aegyptian hath it and argueth by a pure signification the substance of the Creator without any respect or participation that it hath unto the creature yet neverthelesse they found that the other names ascribed unto him in Scripture do note or signify God as he participateth with his creatures or as he hath relation unto things that are created and consequently are known by the effect of his works As touching his essentiall name it was had amongst the Hebrewes or Jewes in that high esteem and reverence that it was never uttered but in the Sanctuary and that by such Priests as were consecrated and made holy onely unto the Lord and then it was pronounced in that Benediction which the High Priest uttered in the day of fasting For this reason that name was had in that honourable regard that it was never rashly spoken or uttered because as the said Rabbi Moses saith denotat Deum esse fuisse super omnem essentiam quatenus antequam ullares esset existeret Iâ— importeth that God is and was above any essence forasmuch as he did exist before that any thing was existent in the world And this was that pretious Name of God which Moses was so desirous of him to hear and know when he received from him this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hoc est nomen meum in aeternum IEHOVA is my everlasting name Which name is so pure and simple that it cannot be articulated or compounded or truly expressed by mans voice As for the other denominations appropriated unto God they do not expresse him according unto his Essence but onely in respect of his works as is said namely as he appeareth all in all and existeth in all things We must understand therefore for our better instruction that seeing the Divine Nature is and operateth in all created things as also without them for he is the
of his nature is tearmed by the Hebrews Mulchut that is Regnum or Imperium And this numeration importeth severity and servility unto the creatures through Gods anger and wrath and his influxion is directly into the Elementary world By which collections and observations of the wisest Rabbies we find that in these Ten generall properties of God signified by the ten attributes unto the Divine Essence all things in the world be they esteemed good or evill or positive and primitive or concordant and aimeable or discordant or odious or in a word either occultly or manifestly opposit or else concurring in nature or quality unto an other do originally descend from this fountâ—â—â— of Unity which though it be one in essence is nevertheless manifold in property and that property is therefore divers and altering according to the multiplicity of Volunty in the Father or fountain that sent it out according unto whose mind all things as well concordant as disagreeing are ordained both in heaven and in earth and that by a multiplicity of speciall emanations of different qualities from that eternall generall catholick effluxion and every of those specifick emanations do branch themselves again into an infinity of individuals even as ten may be multiplied in infinitum So that every one of those specifick properties do shine forth from the Star in heaven as well fix as erratick which is their receptacle or store-house unto an infinity of earthly and watery creatures which are generated or do grow upon the earth and under the earth according unto the influences of those Planets and fixed Starrs over creatures be they animal vegetable or minerall And the reason why the Divinity created or sent forth one specifick eradiation so contrary unto another was as well for the preservation as destruction of the creatures For as the last effect of each of these contrary emanations or radious eâ—fluences is the Creation or generation and preservation of creatures of their own nature and condition So also are they to be applyed either for the preservation or restauration of the decaying creatures namely when we apply any venomouse simple either animal vegetable or minerall to expell a dangerous disease or to poyson a nature which is sound as in the animal kingdom is the venomouse Viver Scorpion Toad Spider or blistering Cantharides and in the vegetable Kingdom the Somniferous and stupifying Poppy or Opium the searching and inflaming or burning Flammula and Euphorbium the fretting Scamony the vomiting Groundsell Dâ—ffodâ—ll Assera Bacca Bears-foot Titimall and the venomouse Aconite In the minerall ranck the corroding Asnick the quick peircing and infecting Quick-silver and Subâ—imary the destroying Resalgar the vomiting Antimony and such like which have all as well the property to take away dangerous diseases as to bring them For in some cases they take away dolorous maladies and in other some they bring them quickly and hasten on destruction upon the creature So that all things in some cases both wound and destroy and in othersome they heal and cure yet unto him that sent them the beams and irradiations of their form from some of his particular properties they appeared all good being they were ordained not onely to heal in his benignity but also to destroy in his severity and to conclude to effect his will one way or another even as it pleaseth him who onely worketh essentially all in all And therefore Solomon saith Could any thing exist which thou wouldest not have to be So that all is good unto God although unto wicked men which suffer them they may appear bad Oper a Domini universa saith the Wiseman bona valde All the works of God are very good Bona bonis crea a sunt ab iâ—itio sic nequissimis bona mala Good things were created originally for good men but to evill men they were in effect good and evill There are Spirits created for vengeance and in their fury they execute their torments in the time appointed they poure out their virtue and effect his furie that made them namely water hail the teeth of beasts as of the Scorpion and Serpent c. All these rejoyce to execute his Commandements upon the Earth c. Even for this cause therefore namely for the secret opposition of natures in the world originally proceeding from the streams of those variable properties which radically do spring from that one incomprehensible Fountain Love and Hatred and consequently Sympathy and Antipathy were created to justle and as it were shoulder one another in this world as well generally under the titles of Light and Dark as particularly in that friendship and hatred which is observed and testified in Scriptures to be first between the very Angells themselves then amongst the Starrs which receive these opposit natures from the Angells and thirdly amongst the winds and Elements which have their spirit of contention from the Starrs and lastly amongst those compound creatures which are composed of those Elements by the active spirits of the winds But because amongst all other opposite qualities in the world this Sympathy and Antipathy are most occult and hidden For whereas we can produce the reason of contrariety of Elements from their manifest qualities namely cold heat moisture or drought in and for this occult opposition we find not distinctly any such elementary ground we will dive so farre as our steril capacity will give us leave into the bowells of this Mystery CHAP. III. Here it is demonstrated that the occult action as well of Sympathy as Antipathy in creatures proceedeth from Angelicall irradiâ—tions or shinings forth that is by the emission or ejaculation of their secret beams the one against the other out of such creatures as are created or generated under their Dominions SUch as are well seen in the Mysticall Theology affirm that Angells are all of one kind in respect of their own creation though the one is more or less illuminated according to the importance of the office whereunto they are called or the Creator's will and mind is to employ them For we must consider that the Angels are the immediate organs by which and through which the Eternity effecteth his will and pronounceth his word Fiat after that his will is decreed in himself For that very reason David saith Angeli Dei validissimi robore efficientes verbum ejus a scultantes voci ejus ministri ejus facientes pâ—acitum ejâ—s The angells of God are most strong in power and do or effect his word and lâ—sâ—en unto his voice they are his minâ—sters to perform his will aâ—d leasure So that it is evident that nothing is effected in the world be it in heaven or in earth but it is performed by one of these organicall spirits And therefore Reucâ—â—ne saith That all bodies as well celestiall as terrene have by the ordinance of God allotted them certain spirituall directors and rulers of their vertues and presidents of their operations namely as well they which
unity and consequently of sympathy namely by making the catholick child of darknesse like it self and therefore to make two to compassionate each other But contrariwise that of darknesse is evermore enclined to make duality of unity and to breed discord by violating the bands of concord and so to procreate a new antipathy and hatred thereby to destroy the fruits of love So that the spirit which light hath redeemed out of the dark Chaos is the intermediate subject betwixt both the extreams that is to say between light and darkness and therefore is the passive subject ordained by the Creator to endure the impressions of each opposite extream whereupon it becommeth sometimes the subject of sympathy namely when it is obedient unto union and light and sometimes of antipathy to wit when it rebelleth against that light Thus do we see the true subject of all passion in the soul of the world and this was the onely reason why the Philosopher Heraclitus avowed with such confidence That all things were composed of strife and friendship and Empedocles That the soul was made of amity and enmity I will now therefore expresse unto you that concordant order which that eternall love who shined out from the Father of light and love hath put and placed in each region of this world to distinguish the two different natures from one another by placing between them an intermediate subject which doth agree with each extream And first I will speak of the orders in the universall spirit of the world and lastly of every particular vivified and inacted spirit as well in the intellectuall or emperiall as vitall or aetheriall and naturall or elementary heaven and that in order We must place the two opposite principles in this world in the two extreams of the semidiameter thereof and first we imagine the seat of the God of light or of the divine act to consist in the convexity of the higher and purer Orbe of the Angells or Emperiall Heaven I speak unto the vulgars understanding that is in the circumference of the vawted world and then we deem the throne of darknesse or the divine puissance to be in the center thereof as the furthest place from its opposite in nature which is light Here you may see the two principles of concord and discord of love and hatred and consequently of sympathy and antipathy of the effects whereof all the Scripture and each member of Philosophy is full The catholick matter which was originally extracted out of darkness namely the waters which was made the materiall substance of which the heavens and the earth were framed by the divine word doth occupy all that space which the world containeth was by the celestiall Alâ—himy or spagerick vertue of the divine illuminating emanation divided according unto the contrary and discordant natures of the said two principles into the upper waters and the lower waters whereof the first or higher waters were good and obedient unto the bright Divinity and were converted into a fiery nature being thereupon tearmed the Emperiall nature for their obedience unto the bright emanation were full of intellectual fire and angelicall light And therefore this portion of the waters was ordained for the seat of the good Angells The lower waters contrariwise as being fecall gross impure and therefore more rebellious unto light and obedient by participation unto darknesse were placed next unto their dark beginning namely the earth and did possess all that space between the starry heaven and the earth which is called Elementary and for this cause is subject to all changes of generation and corruption And this was ordained to be the seat of Satan and his angels which is for that cause called the Prince of this world the Prince of the aire and his prime subjects are called Principalities Potentates and Governours of this world Lo here the two extreams in the created nature from the upper whereof a generall sympathy and love or a Symphoniacall consent of things is made and effected in this world by the other namely the lower an universall Antipatheticall jar is by turns effected and intruded into the Symphoniacall accord of things in the lower world namely when the severe Attributes of God do rain down into the starry world influences of a contrary nature which afterward by their emissions unto the lower world give liberty and power unto the bad Angells to work their destructive and Antipatheticall effects on certain creatures thereof As for example the attribute ELOHIM doth send down into the starre or Planet of Saturn the fruits of his chill and frozen effects whereby the spirits of that Sphere are corroborated the which again do pour down their Boreall or Northern nature unto the spirits which are their Substitutes in the Elementary world to wit those which have power to harm by the Northern winds Hereupon Archangelus Cabalista Hoc nomen EL quod nos Deum habemus interpretatu omnia fovet omnibus succurrit summa pietate clementia id quod est illi proprium ideo illi gratia attribuitur At per ipsum nomen ELOHIM veniunt severa punitiones strages Angeli ei inservientes dicuntur BEN-ELOHIM i. e. filii ELOHIM ELOHIM ergo terrorem significat pavorem Hinc locus Aquilonaris ei assignatur à quo procedit omne malum This name or attribute EL which is by interpretation God doth foster or nourish all things and assisteth every creature by his piety and clemency which is appropriated unto him But by the name or Attribute ELOHIM come severe punishments and Straâ—agems and the Angells which are his Ministers to effect his will are called BEN-ELOHIM that is to say the sons of ELOHIM ELOHIM therefore signifieth terror and fear And for this cause the Northern quarter of the world from whence cometh all evill is assigned unto this property c. By this therefore we may discern how the spirits which are dispensatours as well of salutary as malevolent and destructive influences are in the mass of the lower Elementary waters whereby man and the other creatures of God may be either preserved or destroyed To conclude that middle spirit in the world called the Firmament which divideth both the extreamly-differing waters from one another and is that intermediate spirit of the world which doth equally participate and behold each extreme is the Centrall mansion of that eternall Spirit which emitteth his beams from his stately Solar or sunny palace even unto the Center of darkness and extendeth his emanation even unto the seat of Light which is his root for his brightness is emitted from the attribute ELOAH by the beautifull or glorious port or gate TIPHERETH which importeth grace beauty and pulchritude by the Angelicall order of the Virtues into that purified pallace of the Sun So that by his emanating presence he penetrateth every where and filleth all things by his presence and vivifieth all things by his Virtue and is the Father of life
which he draweth or attracteth from the circumference unto the center and so congealeth inspissateth and hardeneth soft spirits by contraction and coarctation of those parts which before were porous and dilated But some will perchance reply and say How is it likely that the emanation or emission of spirits from the port of Binah under the Attribute of ELOHIM or the streaming forth of the breath or blasts from Boreas and his two collateralls can harden by contraction or suck and draw in spirits from the circumference unto the center when their emissions are straight from the north southward and make no reflexion whereby any such motion à circumferentia ad centrum should be made I answer That this is effected after a wonderfull fashion and worthy to be pondered by the choisest wits We must consider therefore in the first place that the property of the Attribute ELOHIM was before all beginning ordained to indue the negative or contractive nature of the eternall Unity's Nolunty namely of darkness for when God will not shew the light of his countenance he reflecteth his light in himself that is he withdraweth it from the circumference to the center and leaveth onely darkness unto the creatures This property of God is antipatheticall unto such parts of the world as also unto all such creatures as have their life from a naturall heat which heat had its beginning from Gods benevolent emanation that is from the act of unity by an emission or dilatation from the center unto the circumference I mean from unity into multitude It followeth therefore that though the emission of winds from the north be streight yet their essentiall property proceeding immediately from Gods angelicall organ is contractive and attracting from the circumference unto the center seeing that it is an emission which by the divine Spirits emanation and action in the nature of ELOHIM is cold dry coagulative or congealing and apt to rest and is therefore antipatheticall and oppugnant unto the disposition of the air forasmuch as it is hot and moist and consequently is animated by the dilative action which the catholick spirit sendeth or breatheth out of the celestiall Sun and other vivifying stars as are Jupiter and Venus And for this cause it followeth that when the Boreall spirits are sent forth into the aire it must needs succeed that at the antipatheticall contract of these cold spirits the naturall heat or life of the aire flyeth or with-draweth it self from its circumference unto its center and so partly by that contractive motion in it self caused per antiperistasin or by reason of the antipatheticall occurrence or meeting of his contrary and partly by mingling of a new terrestriall form it is congealed and falleth to the earth as if it were dead because unmovable in the form of snow hail frost and ice In like manner we see that the aery life in other creatures whose formall beeing consisteth of Gods dilating property is forced to fly from the circumference unto the center leaving the externall parts chil cold and apt to a deadly congelation or lethall repose which we observe not onely in animal creatures but also in vegetables seeing that their blood as I may tearm it or vitall suck is congealed by the winter and northern cold and is as it were liveless untill by the vivifying and dilative sorce of the ensuing Vernall or Springly and Australl vertue it is resolved and melted again and the severe tye or icy knot of the northern nature undone For this reason therefore you may discern that there is but one catholick element which is partly subject and obnoxious unto the privative and dark contracting and consequently attracting property of Gods Spirit and partly capable to endue his positive and light dilating disposition and that this common subject is the spirit or aire of the sublunary world which by lesse inspissation or contraction caused by the west winds is made water and by more compression and constriction caused by the northern and winter blasts becommeth snowy or icy earth And contrariwise by lesse dilatation and subtiliation is made aery or vaporous caused by the spring season and south wind and by a greater rarefaction and exaltation it is made fire by the dominion of such spirits as are sent out from the east and summers heat and both these main two-fold divided properties belong unto one and the same Spirit as is before related Verily this common demonstration can deceive no man being that the very unreasonable creatures are moved by a naturall inclination either to sympathize and rejoyce with the clemency and comfort of the one property or to fly from or eschew the severer assaults of the other which do antipathize with their nature But to our main business It is manifest by that which is already said that the northern breath is contractive attractive inspissative and apt to darkness immobility and rest and that the south-winde or rather the winde from the Aequinoctiall is contrary in nature unto it as being ready to undo all that the north winde did effect namely to dissolve the congealed aire which was made snow frost hail ice into water and water into aire to make transparent that which was dark and render thin that which was before thick And therefore between these properties there is no more sympathy then I have shewed you to be between the Load-stones Aequinoctiall and the Pole And again that both these opposite natures proceed and spring from one and the same divine and catholick spirit which operateth all in all every where and consequently as well in earth as in heaven this testimony of the true Philosophy doth manifestly confirm and import Deo emittente sermonem suum in terram quam celerrimè excurrit qui nives emittit sicut lanam pruâ—nam quasi cineres dispergit dejicit gelu tanquam frusta coram frigore ejus quis consistat Emittit verbum suum liquefacit ista simul ac efflat ventum suum effluunt aquae God sendeth forth his word it runneth forth most swiftly upon the earth who produceth snow like wool and spreadeth abroad the frost like ashes and casteth down the ice as it were pieces Who is able to resist against his cold He sendeth forth his word and melteth or dissolveth all these so soon as he breatheth forth his wind or Spirit the congealed waters begin to flow and move Whereby it appeareth that the Word or Spirit of God congealeth by one property and dissolveth by another and consequently as God is all one in essence so it is one and the same Spirit that effecteth these four-fold alterations in one catholick spirit of the world which are by the Ancients called distinct Elements because they cuold never as yet throughly determine what was the essentiall form of the Elements But if they had well considered the four Elements of the which they spake so much and as it should seem understood essentially but little or had they well conceived that
MOSAICALL PHILOSOPHY Grounded upon the ESSENTIALL TRUTH OR ETERNAL SAPIENCE Written first in Latin and afterwards thus rendred into English By ROBERT FLUDD Esq Doctor of Physick The Lord giveth Wisdom and out of his Mouth commeth Knowledg and Understanding Prov. 2.6 The Wisdom of the world is foolishness with God The Lord knoweth that the thoughts of the wise be vain 1 Cor. 3.19 20. Psal. 94.11 Beware lest there be any man that spoil you by Philosophy or vain fallacy through the Traditions of men according unto the rudiments of the world and not after Christ For in him dwelleth the fulness of the God-head bodily Colos. 2.8 9. LONDON Printed for Humphrey Moseley at the Prince's Armes in St. Paul's Church-yard 1659. To the Judicious and Discreet READER MY desire is Judicious and Learned Reader that it may not prove offensive unto any if in the imitation of my Physicall and Theo-philosophicall Patron St. Luke I mention and cite the testimony of Holy-Writ to prove and maintaine the true and essentiall Philosophy with the virtuous properties of that eternall Wisdom which is the Foundation and Corner-stone whereon it is grounded Was not this the radicall Subject of my foresaid Patron who was as well a Divine Philosopher as a Physitian If the office of of Jacob's Ladder was for Souls and Angels to ascend from the Earth unto Heaven and to descend from Heaven unto Earth and that by many steps or degrees corresponding-to both the Elementary and ethereall or Heavenly nature Or as the Poet speaking mystically If the chain of Nature hath its highest and last linck fastned unto the foot of Jupiter's chair in Heaven as the lower is fixed on Earth how is it possible for us earthly creatures or rather divine Images howsed and obscured in clayie tabernacles to wade of our selves through the confused Labyrinth of the creature unto the bright Essence of the Creator that is to search out the mysteries of the true Wisdom in this world and the creatures thereof but by penetrating with a mentall speculation and operative perfection into the earthly Circumference or mansion thereof and so to dive or attain by little and little unto the heavenly Pallace I mean the middle point or Center thereof where onely her abiding place is to be found who is the Center of all things whose Circumference is no where rationally to be imagined or thought of If God therefore in and by his Eternal Word or Divine Wisdom hath first made the creatures and sustained the same unto this present How can a reall Philosopher enucleate the mysteries of the Creator in the creature or judiciously behold or express the creature in the Creator for in him are all things but by such rules or directions as the onely store-house of Wisdom namely the holy Scriptures have registred and the finger of that sacred Spirit indited for our instructions Shall we with the Agarens and those which were of Theman forsake the Fountain of Virtue to search after true Wisdom where it is not to be found And yet nevertheless lest mine intention should by the misprision of any be ill interpreted or misunderstood I think it convenient to certify you that my pâ—â—â—pose in the progress of this Sacred or Mosaicall Philosophy is farre from any presumption to trench upon or derogate from the deep and mysticall Laws of Theology in her pure and simple essence or to oppose the current of her Argument against those usuall Tenents and Authentick rules in Divinity which have been long since decreed and ordained by the Ancient Fathers of the Church But as it is certain that one and the self-same place in Scriptures hath a two-fold meaning to wit an internall or spirituall and an externall or literall and either of these two senses are true and certain though they seem to vary or differ by a diverse respect no otherwise than under the name of one and the same man a double nature namely a spirituall Soul and a materiall Body are really to be understood So also besides such mysticall interpretations as the Texts of Scripture do internally contain it may also express and delineate externally such created realities as belong unto the true Subject of the most essentiall Philosophy And again we ought co consider that the Subject or method in proceeding or handling of both these progressions are in some sort different being that the one I mean Theology pointeth directly at the sincere and simple nature with the virtuous extentions and powerfull operations of the Divine Essence making her demonstration à Priori as if for the proof of a Circle's existence one should begin his inquisition from the formal Center or middle-point and so proceed unto the Circumference The other to wit Philosophy moveth by a clean opposit action or method from the externall of the creature or organ quasi demonstratione à posteriori to dive and search into its internall Center that it might there find out or attain unto the knowledg of the eternall Actor to wit of that all-working Wisdome which doth manifestly act or operate in it being warranted in this her manner of research by the wise Physiologist Solomon who teacheth us to search after and to discover the unknown Work-man by his known or visible works that is to apprehend the Divine or eternall cause by the created or temporall effect Or as the sacred Philosopher St. Paul hath it to see and consider the visible things of God that is his eternal Power and Godhead by his works No otherwise than the hidden centrall Monady or punctuall Unity of a Globe is after diligent inquiry found out by moveing first from the Circumference by the semidiameters and then attaining by degrees unto the middle and secret point which serveth as a formall prop or essentiall Corner-stone to sustain the whole Spherical Fabrick Which being so and seeing that the holy Bible doth fully handle and set down the Subject of both these Sciences by the way of the two foresaid Demonstrations namely as well after a Physicall as Metaphysicall manner My hope is that this my Philosophicall Discourse will not be therefore sinisterly judged of by the truly wise and unpartiall Reader because it chiefly relieth on the axioms or testimonies of Scriptures Now That the sacred Text doth every where specify the manner of these two proceedings it is made apparent in that it doth certify the mysticall acts or operations as well of the aeviall and temporall as of the eternall world But it is clear that the eternall world which hath neither beginning nor end being onely replenished with the glorious Majesty of God is the main Foundation on which Theology is grounded as on the other side the temporall or lowest world having both beginning and end and being divided into a visible heaven and earth with the creatures thereof is the main plat-form of the true Philosophy As for the aeviall world which hath a beginning but no end and was ordained by God to be
a receptacle for the Angelicall Spirits and blessed Souls as it hath its position betwixt both the extream worlds namely that of Eternity and the other of Temporality for it hath an immediate relation or commerce with them both For first it receiveth its immediate light life or formall existence from Eternity and then it poureth it out or communicateth it with the temporall or inferiour mansion to create and vivify it with the creatures thereof insomuch that as the formall act of the temporall world is Angelicall so the vivifying soul or spirit of the aeviall is divine or eternall Wherefore it followeth that the nature and property of Angells is neither to be excluded from the Subject of Theology forasmuch as they participate with the Divine Light or bright presence of Eternity neither can they be exempted from the body of Philosophy being that the Angelicall light is the soul and life of the Temporal nature and consequently the true Philosopher must acknowledg his essentiall science or Philosophicall grounds to proceed radically from the Eternall God by his aeviall or Angelicall Spirits into his temporall creatures I mean the Stars Winds Elements Meteors and perfect mixed bodies and therefore in respect that the Philosophicall Subject is animated by Angelicall influences it must needs pierce with a mentall regard into the eternall Light which doth centrally vivifie both the aeviall and temporall creatures beyond the which there is nothing to be found or imagined This therefore is the perfect tri-partite measure of that Ladder which Jacob dreamed of when he laid his head upon the stone which in its longitude latitude and profundity contained the images or characters of these three worlds and for that reason it was termed by the Patriarch himself Domus Dei The tabernacle of God Whereupon as that stone had his externall and internall so in his divine dream he observed Angells to ascend by it namely from earth which is the Creator's soot-stool unto the Eternall world where his Throne is by the aeviall mansion and also to descend again by the same degrees Thus may the sacred Philosopher with the Prophet not onely perceive by a more externall spirituall vision Rotam in Rota or the aeviall essence in the temporall beeing but also by a most internall or mentall aspect he may contemplate Rotam in medio Rotarum to wit a centrall mover and Eternall Spirit in the aeviall by the which the temporall or corporeall creature is immediatly vivified and agitated whereby we may boldly infer with the Scriptures that God is essentially one and all And therefore I may lawfully conclude with these axioms of the divine Theo-Philosophists which appertain as well unto the formal act in the Creature which is the true life of Philosophy as the essentiall virtue of Divinity that God operateth all in all He vivifieth all things He filleth all things His incorruptible Spirit is in all things By the Word all things were made In the Word was life and that life was the light of men He giveth life and inspiration and all things In him we live move and have our beeing He is the Father of all who is above all and through all and in all of us From him by him and in him are all things He sent his Spirit and created all things He giveth breath unto the people and spirit unto the creatures that tread on the earth O Lord how manifold are thy works in Wisdom thou hast made them all the earth is full of thy riches c. If thou hidest thy face the creatures are troubled if thou takest a way their breath they die if thou sendest forth thy Spirit they are re-created or revived By him were all things created which are in heaven and which are in earth things visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominations or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and in him all things consist Note here how the Apostle doth livelily set forth in these words the foresaid three worlds Again Christ is all and in all things He sustaineth all things by the word of his Virtue In him are all the treasures of Wisom hid God by his Wisdom giveth or proportioneth a weight unto the aire and hangeth the waters or clouds in measure and maketh a decree for the rain and ordereth a way for the lightnings of the Thunders He speaketh in Thunder and answereth Job out of a Whirl-wind He by his Word giveth Snow like wool and scattereth the hoary Frost like ashes he casteth forth his Ice like morsels who can resist against his cold He sendeth out his Word and melteth them so soon as he sendeth forth his breath the waters do flow again By his breath the Frost is engendered and the breadth of the waters is made narrow I could produce an infinity of other places out of Scriptures to manifest the universall acts and virtuous operations which are effected in the Elementary creatures by that most essentiall and eternall Wisdom which is the main ground and true Corner-stone whereon the purest Mosaicall Philosophy doth rely but I esteem it needless being that they are copiously expressed already by me in this my Philosophicall Discourse and therefore I imagine that these which are already produced will be sufficient to content and satisfy all such as are unpartially judicious unto whose better wisdom and favourable constructions I recommend these mine indeavours and finally both them and my self unto God's blessed protection Your Friend Robert Fludd MOSAICALL PHILOSOPHY The First Book Section 1. The Argument of the First Book THis first Book sheweth that whereas the minds of worldly men are at this very day erected and soared up even unto the highest pitch of infidelity insomuch as they require and demand after signes and ocular demonstrations as the Jewes did For it is said The Greeks hunt after wisdom the Jewes demand for signes c. or else they will in no case be drawn to believe our Author did esteem it the greatest means of conquest in this Herculean-combat which is to be effected betwixt the two deadly enemies and strong champions Truth and Falshood that is to say the wisdom of God and that of the World if he could find out some vulgar and well known Experiment or practicall Insâ—rument which might serve our celestiall Champion Truth instead of an Herculean-Club to tame and exanimate that foul monster Infidelity who standeth so stifly in the maintenance and defence of his Lord and Master I mean the Prince of darknesse and errour his privileges being that such persons as will not be conducted and directed unto the center of Veritie by reall practise and ocular demonstration may rightly be adjudged more irregular and extravagant from the square and polished rules of reason than the brute beast who warned by experience which in that respect may rightly be esteemed for the mistresse of fools doth make his
coldness of the middle region of the Aire as thou seemest to averre Canst thou restrain the sweet influences of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his time canst thou also guide Arcturus with his sons Knowest thou the course of heaven or canst thou set the rule thereof upon the earth And why not For thou professest by thy Peripatetick Philosophy to understand the causes of everything and he that truly knoweth the mysteries of things can do wonders For by that means my servant Josuah made the Sun to stand still And for the religious Hezekias his sake my Spirit did cause the Sun to move backward Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds that the abundance of water may cover thee Canst thou send the Lightnings that they may walk and say unto thee Lo here we are If the grounds and principles which thou hast invented be essentiall and substantiall all this and more maist thou effect For such of the Elect into whom my Spirit of Wisdome who hath assigned true principles unto the essentially wise hath inspired this knowledg are able to effect all these things as my servant Elias after a long drought caused the clouds to moisten the dry earth and my Prophets Moses and Samuel dâ—d by the power which I did assigne them produce Thunder and Lightnings unto the terror of their enemies Dost thou know who hath put wâ—sdome in the reins or who hath given the heart understanding And darest thou being led by the frivolous effects of thy inventions which are grounded on the Elements of this world and not upon my Spirit which is the true Wisdome ascribe my works who am the sole Creator of all things unto the creatures Is this to learn to strive with the Almighty he that reproveth God let him answer unto it Thus seemeth our great God to speak unto Aristotle and such like Philosophers of this world who being too much elated in their own conceits presume thus over-boldly on their terrene and animal wisdom and would check and contradict the vertuous actions of God by their phantasticall surmises I could wish therefore that these mundane Philosophers would turn from this their worldly wisdom and humiliate themselves before the onely Creator of heaven and earth and answer with the patient Job in this manner Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth I know that thou canst do all things I have spoken the things I understood not even things too wonderfull for me I have heard of thee by report but now mine eyes behold thee in thy creatures And for this cause I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes acknowledging that there is no true wisdom but that which is from thee who art the Father of light by the vertue whereof thou workest all these wonders And therefore we confesse that the wisâ—om of this world is meer foolishnesse and such as wholly addict themselves unto it are deceived forasmuch as they do neglect the divine wisdom Christ Jesus in whom all the treasures of science and sapience are hid Thus have you briefly understood the duplicity of wisdom and by consequence the bi-forked or contrary nature of philosophy that is in this world and how all good Christians contrary unto the custom of this our age ought to leave and forsake the one and with fervency and zeal to love and embrace the other And now in this Book following I purpose to set down those Mosaicall principles on which our sacred Philosophy hath erected the whole bulk or substance of her fabrick The third Book of the first Section touching the essentiall Principles of the Mosaicall Philosophy The Argument of this third Book IN this present Book the Author teacheth in a generality the true and essentiall principles of the divine Philosophy and in particular he expresseth how various and differing the Ethnick Philosophers have been in their opinions concerning the beginnings of all things where he proveth that the wisest amongst those Pagan Naturalists did steal and derive their main grounds or principles from the true and sacred Philosopher Moses whose Philosophy was originally delineated by the finger of God forasmuch as the fiery characters thereof were stamped out or engraven in the dark Hyle by the eternall Wisdom or divine Word And sheweth that although the foresaid pagan philosophers did usurp the Mosaicall principles unâ—o themselves and the better to maske their theft did assigne unto them new Titles yet because they were not able to dive into the centrall understanding of them nor conceive or apprehend rightly the mystery of the everlasting Word they erected upon their principles or foundations but a vain and worldly wisdom carved out not from the essentiall Rock of truth nor relying on Christ the onely corner-stone but framed after a human invention and shaped out according unto the elements of this world much like a Castle of straw or stubble which though it be planted on a Rock yet it is subject to mutation and is easily shaken and tottered at every blast of winde In conclusion here our Author doth set down what the true Mosaicall principles are namely Darknesse Water and Light Then that all plenitude and vacuity in the world doth consist in the presence or absence of the formall principle which is Light And lastly he sheweth how the two apparent active properties namely Cold and Heat do issue from the two fore-said fountaines of Darknesse and Light as the two passive natures Moysture and Drought do challenge their originall from the said active CHAP. I. Wherein is set down the uncertainty of the antient Grecian and Arabian Philosophers in their opinions touching the principles or beginnings of all things IT is an evident Argument that the Ethnick philosophers were not well setled upon the grounds of their philosophy but did waver in their imaginations touching the true principles of nature being that among each sect of them there was maintained and upheld a variety yea and sometimes a plaine contrariety of opinions concerning them as for example Thales Milesius who was inrowled amongst the number of the wise men of Greece had his opinion that Water was the beginning of all things But Anaximenes and his disciples affirmed that an infinite aire was the first cause or originall of every existence And for this reason also Anaximander did esteem this catholick aire to be God Again on the other side Zoroaster will have all things to take their beginning from Fire and light as also the Pythagoreans say that there is one universall Fire in and over all things in this world And verily each of these opinions if they be duely considered will be found to approach and have a near relation unto the Mosaicall truth for a divine fire or light issuing forth of darknesse or the dark abysse did suddainly by its bright presence reveal and make manifest the hidden and
the Originall or primary womb from whence the waters were extracted which were the materiall stuff whereof all things were framed was this dark and deformed Abysse or Chaos and therefore had the beginning of their formall being from the Father of all-informing and vivifying light and essence But that we may directly shew unto you the egregious theft of the foresaid Philosophers from Moses his Principles That Principle which Moses termed darknesse the darke Abysse or potentiall Principle Aristotle doth call his Materia prima or first matter which he averreth to be something in puissance or potentially only because it is not as yet reduced into act Again he seemeth to term it privation but falsly being that no position did precede it On the other side Plato calleth it Hyle which is esteemed to be nothing forasmuch as it is invisible and without form Also he compareth it to a dark body in respect of the soul and spirit As for Hermes he intitleth it by the name of umbra horrenda or fearfull shadow Pythagoras maketh it his Symbolicall Unity From in this its estate it hath relation unto nothing else but it self which is mere Unity and consequently it acquireth not so much as the name of a Father because it doth not by an emanation respect or attempt the production of a Son Hippocrates will have it named a deformed Chaos or an universally troubled mass without form or shape Again as touching the first inacted passive Principle or the primary passive matter out of which all things were carved That which Moses called waters Aristotle doth intitle by the name of Second matter forasmuch as it was begotten and derived out of the bowels of the first-matter or Chaos or dark abysse which also Plato termeth the Spirit and Hermes the humid nature Hippocrates with Anaximenes the vast and universall aire of this world Pythagoras pointeth at it Symbolically by the number of duality which is the mark of imperfection for it argueth thereby the imperfect estate of matter being destitute of the formall character of Unity which maketh three and therefore the ternary number is esteemed amongst the wisest Philosophers for the root of all perfect numbers To conclude that vivifying and animating Principle which Moses called light proceeding from the Spirit of the Lord Aristotle maketh his formall beginning Plato the act or soul of the world Pythagoras delineates it by the number of three and Hippocrates calleth it that immortall heat the which when all things were troubled in the beginning by contention did sore up unto that upper region which the Ancients do call the Aether or Heaven Is not this therefore a notable kind of Robbery amongst the choisest Ethnick Philophers thus fasly to ascribe and attribute the Principles and Doctrine unto themselves which were revealed by God's Spirit unto the wise Prophet Moses and that of pupose to make themselves great and eminent not only in the eies of the Gentiles but also by subtill allurements or false and fading suggestions laid on those foundations to distract Christian men from the Truth And yet as for Plato and Hermes I must excuse them being that they do both of them acknowledg in express terms with Moses that the matter or substance wherof the heavens and the earth were made was a humid nature and the internall form or act which did dispose of it into diversity of figures or forms was the divine Word as you may find most plainly expressed in Plato's works and in the Pimander of Hermes or Mercurius Trismegistus But amongst all the rest Aristotle hath sored highest upon the wings of his own conceited imaginations and built the structure of his worldly wisdome upon the typicall form of the Mosaicall grounds thinking thereby to assume and purchase unto himself in the regard of this world the name of an absolutely wiseman though in the conclusion he appeareth far otherwise in the eyes of God for as much as he doth assigne particular essentiall actions which appertain really unto God unto the creatures with more obstinacy then the rest affirming that they operate essentially of and by themselves when in Verity it is only God that operateth all and in all and that immediatly as the Apostle Paul doth intimate unto us And this is the reason that they give not unto God the only Creator the glory of every action in this world as they ought to do but rather to a created nature and unto Angels and Stars and Elements and compounded creatures which were made and are still sustained and maintained by the all-creating Spirit or word of the Almighty And this is the originall occasion of the multiplicity of Idolatry which hath and doth hitherto raigne in this world namely of the worshipping of the Sun Moon and starres of sacrifices offered unto Idols or false Gods and deceiving Devils of the Veneration of Isis and Osiris of the adoration of Saturne Jupiter Mars Venus and Mercury of the immolations or offerings unto Caelum Vesta Ceres Proserpina Vulcan Pluto and Neptune with many other errours and absurdities whereby ignorant men are rather seduced from the knowledg of the true God than any way induced unto the understanding of him rightly And this very same Doctrine relying on the invention of man hath been the occasion that the world hath erred concerning the divine Word and through blindness have not perceived the operations and properties of the holy Spirit in the creatures yea verily it hath been the occasion why some of our Christian Philosophers themselves have neglected the research of Gods Actions in his creatures as well visible as invisible they are I say so wedded unto the Aristotelian Philosophy that they do voluntarily avert their eies from the true and certain Science of the Meteorologicall Science revealed by the Scriptures which are the fountains of Wisdome to follow the uncertain and scarce-probable doctrine of their Ethnick-Master touching that admirable subject And this is the reason that they will not acknowledg any true Meteorologicall Philosophy to be taught by the Spirit of Wisdome in the said holy Book but only matters belonging to the health and salvation of man when indeed it is most evident that whole pages or leaves as well of the books of Moses Job Psalms and the Prophets as many places of the New Testament are full of that subject All which is expressed in the book of the true Wisdome that thereby we may admire the wonderous works which the Creator hath from the beginning effected and daily doth produce in this lower world to witness his eternall power in his creatures But leaving all allaterall discourses I will proceed now unto our main Subject which concerneth the true Mosaicall Principles with their effect CHAP. II. What were the Mosaicall Principles or beginnings in generall How they were produced and extracted out of Nothing Then what is meant by that word Nothing And lastly the first Principle which is the dark Abysse or Chaos without form is particulaerly described THe
unto each thing its name and being And therefore it consequently followeth that because this first matter was without form it was justly tearmed Nothing as having neither name or essentiall being seeing it was onely something in puissance and nothing in act Therefore Hermes tearmeth it potentia divina the divine puissance And again he saith that in the instance of the apparition of light it seemed unto him to be a fearfull shaddow saying Umbra horrenda obliqua revolutione subterlabebatur A horrible or fearfull shaddow did glide downwards by an oblique revolution c. Again in another place as Moses said Darknâ—sse was upon the face of the abysse Hermes hath it Infinita in abysso aqua in super spiritus tenuis intellectualis per divinam potentiam in chaos inerant There was saith he an infinite shaddow upon the abysse also water and a thin intellectuall spirit were in the chaos by the divine puissance In which words he exactly agreeth with Moses who said that darknesse was upon the face of the abysse Now that there was contained water and a fiery spirit complicitely within the dark chaos or abysse it appeareth by the revolution of the waters upon the which Elohim or the Spirit of the Lord was carried as shall be shewed you hereafter So that by these authorities you may discern what the first principle or potentiall being or beginning was namely the dark abysse or terra vacua inanis of Moses the nihilum inane vacuum umbra lethalis of Job the materia informis or invisa of Solomon the potentia divina of Esdras ante omnia creata quae erat fons initium omnium the divine puissance which was created before all things for such was the eternall wisdom before it did act in this world The umbra horrenda infinita in abysso potentia divina in the chaos of Heâ—mes And to conclude it was the mysticall and complicite number which is said to be principale in animo conditoris condendorum exemplar the principall pattern in the minde of the builder or creator of things which were to be created So that all things were complicitely in the divine puissance before that by the emission of his inacting Spirit they were reduced into an explicite Being And for this reason Hermes most properly saith in another place Cantabóne laudes tuas in iis quae in lucem è tenebris eru isti an in iis quae latent adhuc arcano sinu recondita Shall I sing thy praises in those things which thou hast made to appear out of darknesse or in those things which do lie hid as yet in thy secret bosome Whereby he argueth that as well the things that are hid in darkness and appear not as those which are made manifest are all one in the sight of the abstruse unity who is the God as well of those things which are not in respect of our capacity as of those which are or appear unto our sense And therefore the kingly Prophet saith Tenebrae sunt ei sicut ipsa lux Darknesse is to God as light as if he had said All things are but one thing before God who is one and the same in whom are all things arcano quasi sinu recondita as Hermes saith in the Text before mentioned which is also most excellently described thus by him in another place Ex uno principâ—o cuncta dependent principium ex uno solo Et principium movetur ut rursus extet principium ipsum tamen unum praestat nec recedit ab imitate Of one beginning all things do depend this principle or beginning is from onely one And again this principle is moved that it may again become a principle and notwithstanding onely one doth perform this and yet it recedeth not from the nature of an unity I will say no more touching this principle because I have uttered my minde more fully concerning it in the first Book of my sympatheticall Treatise or History I will now therefore proceed unto the description of the second namely unto the revealed matter which is mentioned and expressed by the Prophet Moses and the Apostle Peter to be the subject or materiall mass out of which the heavens and the earth and consequently the whole world was framed or made CHAP. III. Of the mateâ—iall fruit or principle which issued and was revealed by the Spirit of God out of the dark Abysse and how the substantiall Machine of the world was framed of it ALL things were complicitely contained or comprehended in the divine puissances as is already shewed which in the regard of human capacity was without form forasmuch as it was contained within one deformed or invisible water which was therefore called the Mother of the Elements and Seed of all things for as the whole plant or tree is contained in a small kernell or little mis-shapen seed and is no way subject unto mans apprehension before it sprouteth forth even so all things were in the beginning in the water potentially as also the water was an invisible thing without form or shape vailed over with deformity for darknesse was upon the face of the abysse which was termed the first matter that had no formall act that man could imagine and therefore was said to be onely in puissance A wise Philosopher therefore and deeply seen in the mysticall works of the Creation speaketh in this manner The first matter out of which the water did issue was nihil or nothing and out of it was created the matter of the waters and this ought not to be understood after an human manner namely that God did create the waters of Nothing and yet it was spoken rightly because that in the beginning nothing was visible But if wise men would elevate their thoughts above the vulgar capacities to find out by speculation the originall of the waters then would they not deny but that before the creation of the waters there was a certain matter in the highest mystery that is to say in the divine puissance or dark and informed abyss which was the catholick treasury or store-house as we may say out of which the waters did flow in the creation and this is partly confirmed by Scripture in divers places for the Apostle Paul teacheth us in the place before mentioned saying Fide intelligimus aptata esse secula verbo Dei ut ex invisibilibus visibilia fierent We understand by faith that the world was made or ordained by the word so that things which are visible were made of things which were invisible Whereby it is evident that the things which fall under mans sense and kenning were not at the first subject unto mans sense and therefore were esteemed as if they were not St. Paul also in like manner saith Deus eligit ea quae non sunt ut ea quae sunt destrueret God maketh election of the things which are not 〈◊〉 destroy the things
I come now unto my description of that universall principle which giveth life and being unto all the waters and every thing which is framed of the waters and consequently of the whole world CHAP. IV. How the catholick formall Principle by which the waters in generall and consequently the heavens and elements and every thing else in particular were fashioned informed and reduced into a specifick act or essentiall being and are hitherto preserved in that estate did proceed and was immediately derived from God I Told you that according unto the Rabbies or Cabalisticall Doctors opinion the eternall Sapience which is the radicall beginning or unity of all things when it remained as it were quiet and at rest as being retracted in the dark abyss was in regard of our weak capacities esteemed as Ain that is to say nihiâ— or nothing or non ens non finis and yet out of this nihil was revealed unto us infinity forasmuch as the emanation which issued from it is all in all and yet without all as it is that fountain out of which the universall waters are drawn which is the existence of all things as I said before and that catholick and bright-shining-forth or fiery and formall vertue is sent out which doth impart an essence unto every thing and in conclusion both the externall or passive and internall or active of all creatures in the world do issue out of this eternall which is nihil in regard of us but omnia in omnibus extra omnia in respect of it self in whose eyes darkness and light invisibility and visibility and therefore all potentiall Nothing or first matter and actuall Something are one and the same thing in essence without any difference For this cause this eternall infinitude this all in all and without all is rightly described first by the Apostle and then by the divine Philosopher Hermes after this manner Unus Deus Pater omnium saith Paul qui super omnes per omnia in omnibus One God is the Father of all who is above all and over all and in all Ex ipso per ipsum in ipso sunt omnia Of him by him and in him are all things And Hermes Deus est circulus intellectualis cujus centrum est omne illud quod est circumferentia verò extra omnia God is an intellectuall circle whose center is all that which existeth and whose circumference is without and beyond all things Hereupon in another place he calleth him Locum in quo mundus continetur The place in which the world is contained inferring thereby according unto that of the Scriptures that he filleth all the world and yet remains in himself without all in the very self-same nature of a unity as he was For as he seemed in the eyes of mans weak and fragil capacity to be Ain or Nihil before he would create any thing yet was he both unity and infinity unto himself and therefore was complicite all in all in himself namely as he to our blinded fancy appeareth Aleph tenebrosum or dark and deformed Aleph Also though he shined forth of darkness and by the revelation of his hidden wisdom or essence made all things as well visible as invisible to exist formally and so made dark Aleph to be changed into light Aleph yet nevertheless he remaineth all one in himself and passeth not beyond the limits of his uniformity for as it is already said His darknesse unto him is as his light Even no otherwise than we see in the mind or divine mentall beam of man that it is all one without alteration when it willeth and when it nilleth namely when it granteth or giveth and when it denyeth In like manner whether the divine infinity doth shine forth from its center towards its circumference or centrally contracteth his acting beams within it self yet it is all one and the same in its self without any alteration of the essentiall identity I come to the purpose The Apostle speaking of the eternall Christ saith Christus est Dei virtus sapientia Dei Christ is the vertue of God and the wisdom of God Now I will tell you here as I have done before by the mouth of Solomon what this divine wisdom is Sapientia saith Solomon est spiritus intelligentiae sanctus qui est vapor viâ—tutis seu potentiae Dei fluxus seu emanatio quaedam claritatis omnipotentis Dei sincera candor seu splendor lucis aeternae speculum sive macula Dei majestatis imago bonitatis illius Wisdom is the holy spirit of discipline which is the vapour of the vertue or power of God and a certain flowing forth or emanation of the brightnesse of the Almighty the beauty or clearnesse of his eternall light and an immaculate mirrour of the majesty of God So that we may discern by this description of the wise-man what is the spirituall Christ who is the wisdom vertue and word of God and how by his apparition out of darkness that is by the mutation or change of the first principle which was in darknesse quasi â—â—rbum in principio from dark Aleph to light Aleph the waters which were contained in the profound bowells of the abysse were revealed and were animated that is to say by the emanation or emission of this self-same spirit of eternall fire or light and afterward by his admirable activity and restless motion and penetration for by Solomon it is said to be omnibus mobilibus mobilior attingere ubique propter suam munditiam The swiftest and most agile of all movable things and to attain and pierce every where by reason of its purenesse and subtlety it first distinguisheth and separateth the darkness from the light the obscure and gross waters from the subtle or pure and then it disposeth the heavens into sphears lastly it divideth the grosser waters into sublunary elements as by the words of the first Chapter of Genesis each man may plainly discern But that I may particularize more at large on this point to express unto you the glorious and immortall works which this spirit did first by creation and still doth by preservation effect and operate in this world Mark well these places in Scriptures Mundum ex materia informi creavit Revelat fundamenta abscondita novit in tenebris constituta lux est cum eo Revelavit fundamenta è tenebris educit in lucem umbram lethalâ—m Aquilonem extendit super inane vacuum suspendit terram super Nihilum nam sapientia ab ore ejus prodeunte rotunditatem caelorum circumeunte soâ—a in profundo abyssi ambulante omnia fecâ—t Deus Aderat ipsa quando praeparavit coelum quando certa lege gyro velavit abyssos quando aethera firmabat sursum erat ipsa cum eo cuncta componens Ipsa fundavit terram stabilivit coelos erupit abyssos nubes rore concrescere facit Aptat pondus
this cause St. Paul saith in excluding all other essentiall acts or operations out of this world saving onely this which is from God Dii sunt qui dicuntur in coelo in terra nos tamen agnoscimus unum Deum Patrem a quo omnia unum Domâ—num Jesum Christum per quem omnâ—a Though there are which are termed Gods in heaven and earth yet we acknowâ—edg but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things As if he had said however the world speaketh of the actions of the Angels Stars Elements Winds Meteors Waters Animals Vegetables or Mineralls we do not acknowledg them to act essentially and by themselves but by the Spirit of God who onely acteth and operateth in the creatures and by the creatures what he pleaseth To conclude of this spirituall Corner-stone or sacred Wisdome and Vertue of God as is said before the Scripture speaketh thus Christus implet omnia Christ filleth all things In ipso condita sunt universa in coelis in terra visibilia invisibâ—lia omnia in ipso per ipsum sunt creata Ipse est ante omnes omnia in ipso constant Ipse in omnibus primatum tenens nam in â—pso omnis plenitudo divinitatis inhabitat In principio terram fundavit opera manuum ejus sunt coeli Nam ipse est verbum De aqua per aquam mediante hoc verbo coeâ—i eâ—ant prius terra creata Denique est splenâ—or gâ—oriae figura substantiae Dei portans omnia verbo virtutis suae In Christ all things in heaven and earth are madâ— as well visible as invisible By him and in him are all things created He is before all and aâ—l consist in him He holdeth the Principalâ—ty in aâ—l things for in him all the pâ—enitâ—de of divinity dweâ—leth In the beginning he established the earth and the heavens were the works of his hands for he is the word But the heavens were made first and the earth of the wâ—ters and by the waters by the activity of the Word To conclude this divine Spirit is the splendor of Gods glory and the figure of his sâ—bstance which beareth up and sustaâ—neth all thâ—ngs by the word of his vertue By which it appeareth that it is this Spirit of Wisdome which operateth woâ—keth guideth informeth viâ—â—teth maintaineth sustaineth feedeth and illuminateth all thingâ— with life and being And again by his absence darkneth depâ—iveth and causeth death and â—orruption to all things in this world as shall be delivered more at large in the sixt Chapter of the Book which followeth CHAP. V. Of Plenâ—tude and Vacuity and what true fulness and voidness or inanity is NOw that we have in few lines discussed and set down the nature both of the two constituting or compoâ—ing Principles and also of the privative and decomposing nature It is necessary for us to know the property and sense of Pâ—enitude and Vacuiy according unto the true Wisdome or Christian Philosophy And first I will speak a word or two of that Vacuity or Emptiness which is so detestable and odious in the works which the Creator hath made As well the Fathers of the Philosophers as such as have been expert in Theology have termed it by the name of Nihil or Nothing Moses doth call it a deformed darkness or a dark abysse Hermes a fearfull or horrible shadow void of shape or form The Cabalists a potentiall being which is as yet nothing in act Plato maketh it a thing scarcely credible and therefore hardly to be imagined and likneth it to a mere dream which when a man is awake proveth nothing St. Augustin saith Cum aliquid informe concipâ—o prius nihil intelligo quam intelligebam quemadmodum nâ—hil videndo videntur tenebâ—ae nihil audiendo auditur silentium When I conceive any deformed thing I do first understand nothing else then I understood before as when I behold nothing Darkness is seen when I heare nothing Sâ—lence is heard Whereby it appeareth that he compareth this Nothing unto darknesse and silence Job therefore saith Aquilonem Deus extendit super mane vacuum suspendit terram super Nihilum God did extend the North upon Inanity and Vacuity and he hanged the Earth upon Nothing And again elsewhere Revelat fundamentaâ—e tenebris educit in lucem umbram Lâ—thalem God revealeth the Foundations out of Darknesse and maketh the deadly shadow to appear into Light By all which he argueth that Vacuity Inanity Nothing and Darkness are one and the same thing to wit Vanity Inanity or Voidness because that all fulness and plenitude is from God in his actuall property But God did not as yet shine forth unto the world and therefore as the first deformed matter of the world was void and destitute of all inacting grace and formall goodness it was said to be Vain Empty and Darkness For this reason Moses said before the act of Creation Terra erat inanis vacua The earth was void and empty because it was not as yet indued with the beames of Light Life and Form Tenebrae fuerunt super faciem Abyssi Darkness was upon the face of the Abysse before the all-informing and creating Spirit of the Lord was caried on the waters but after the Spirits apparition it is said that God calleth that which appeared dry out of the water Earth and God saw that it was good and it produced the tender herbs and seeds of every kind c. Wherefore the Earth that was before the revelation of Gods Spirit inane and void is now become full of divine Light and multiplying Grace Whereupon it was no more void and empty that is to say destitute of essentiall being but became fertill and fruitfull being now replenished with divine fire and the incorruptible Spirit of God according unto that of Solomon Spiritus Disciplinae sanctus implet orbem terrarum The spirit of Wisdome filleth the Earth And again Incorruptibilis Spiritus inest omni rei The incorruptible Spirit of God is in every thing Per hanc lucem saith St. John mundus est factus By this light the world was made And the Apostle Christus implet omnia Christ filleth all things Whereby we may perceive that all plenitude is from the divine Act as contrariwise Vacuity is when that formall life is absent from the waters and this is the reason that Vacuum or Inane is held so horrible a thing in Nature Forasmuch as the utter absence of the eternall emanation is intolerable to the creature because that every thing desireth fervently to be informed and that by a naturall appetite and affection and therefore it is abominable unto each naturall thing to be utterly deprived of being For this reason it followeth that unless God had filled all things in this world with his Spirit Vacuity and empty deformity would have possessed the world but because he by his presence did
ociosaque ad nihil respiciens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Nihil dicitur in quo statu Aleph tenebrosum dictitatur When the divine sapience was retracted in the abysse of darknesse resting still and quiet and respecting nothing it was esteemed as nothing and in that eâ—tate it was called dark Aleph In this contracted or rather sequestred or private estate therefore of the divine unity it operateth according unto this its negative pâ—operty or condition by his essentiall agent Cold which is proved therefore not to be an accident as the vain doctrine of the Peripateticks would perswade us being it is apparent unto each wise-man that no accidentall qualities are in or can be from God being that the divine Nature is meerly a simple essentiall and formall purity existing in himself and of himself and therefore he being but one essence is able to produce out of himself what essentiall property he pleaseth And for this reason the divine wisdom is said to be spiritus unicus multiplex one simple spirit in essence but manifold in respect of his essentiall properties Now that this essentiall property or nature of Cold is the formall instrument or instrumentall vertue whereby God doth operate in his hidden and potentiall estate for the resistance of heat and action or motion and for the deformity and destroying of that which he in his patent nature did effect by his Heat or active property it is made evident by effect for what the spirit of wisdom in its patent nature did operate by its hot spirit or blast from the south or easterly winde namely in subtiliating and raâ—ifying of the waters into thin aire making that which was gross subtle and making that which was opake and dark diaphan and invisible the self-same spirit again enduing his latent and cold property doth deform and undo For in blowing or breathing from the North the same thin and ratified aire is made thick dense and visible which was through raâ—ifaction made invisible and that which by dissipating of parts was made transparent light and diaphan is now by the Northern properties contractive vertue reduced into an opake or dark substance and no way perspicuous That which was active movable and lively by an addition of heat is now become stupid still and deadly by the invasion of cold That which was light and of no sensible weight is framed into an heavy and ponderous body or consistence as we see when the aire by the northern blast is turned into snow hail ice frost c. Now that it is but one and the same spirit in essence which bloweth from the four winds the Prophet Ezekiel doth testifie when he said Veni spiritus à quatuor veniis insuffla interfectos istos Come O Spirit from the four winds and breathe upon these slain persons c. Whereby he argueth that it is but one spirit though it endueth at his pleasure a four-fold property And now to confirm all this which is said to be true do but mark the words of the royall Psalmist Jehovah emittit nives sicut lanam pruinam sicut cineres dispergit deâ—icit gelu tanquam frusta coram frigore ejus quis conâ—istat Emittens verbum liquefacit ista simul ac efflat ventum suum effluunt aquae God sendeth forth the snow as wooll and scattereth the frost like ashes casteth out the ice like as gobbits who is able to withstand his cold He sending forth his word liquefieth all these northern effects So soon as he bloweth or breatheth forth his wind the waters do flow again that is the snow frost and ice do melt and are turned into water Out of which words we may observe many notable things namely first that God in his hidden or latent property doth by his essentiall action of cold contract unto the center those things which were before dilated towards the circumference Secondly that the property of cold is attributed or ascribed unto God in his northern action and therefore it is said Who is able to resist his cold For which reason it is evident that it is an essentiall vertue in the divine puissance Thirdly That it must be the act of unity in his dark hidden and privative property both because it darkeneth things that are diaphan transparent and light and then because it depriveth of life and motion that which did act move and live through essentiall heat And lastly because it is an utter enemy unto the action of heat which at tendeth on the revealed emanating and vivifying divinity Fourthly that the effects of cold are undone by the act of the revealed nature of God which is the word for the Text saith He sendeth out his word and resolveth or melteth all these namely the snow frost and ice Fifthly that all this is effected by one and the same spirit in essence but of divers and opposite conditions to perform the will of the Father which sendeth it forth Again that the cold property of the winde is the essentiall depriving vertue or stupifying and contracting act of God it appeareth by this of Job Deus fortis edit glacâ—em flatu suo flante Deo concrescit gelu The strong God bringeth forth the ice by his breath God blowing the ice is ingendered I conclude therefore that cold is the essentiall act of the divine puissance or eternall sapience shrowding it self in its mantle of darkness and therefore doth manifest the divine volunty in that estate of his by the effects namely in that it draweth from the circumference unto the center and therefore is the occasion of congregating of things as well hetero-as homo-geniall and by consequence the onely essentiall agent or efficient cause of inspissation contraction constriction fixation immobility ponderosity rest obteneration or darkness of mortification privation stupefaction and such like In the contrary divine property namely in this spirit's patent manifest and positive nature or as he is termed light Aleph wherein he moveth or sendeth out his emanation from the center towards the circumference and revealing himself upon the dark face of the Abysse maketh the invisible non Ens or potentiall Nihil to appeare in Act being first animated by his bright presence in the form of waters He is said by the Wiseman to be omnibus mobilibus mobilior ubique penetrans seu attingens propter munditiam ejus The most agile and movable of all movable things piercing through all things by reason of his purity So that as the other privative or Northern property did produce rest and vacancy from operation by attraction or contraction from the circumference unto the center so in this his positive or Southern and Orient property by dilating himself or sending out his active beam brightness or emanation from the center towards the circumference he doth beget and procreate motion being accompanied by the essentiall Act of Heat or calidity which operateth continually upon the effects of cold in resisting dissolving and
destroying of them So that this formall Champion of Light namely Heat warreth perpetually against the cold gardian of Darknesse For the one can have no dominion in the Aire untill the other by little and little be exiled And therefore as the Light principle with all his branches is said to be the Father of posiâ—ion act information plenitude motion life health and Heat So also doth Heat operate according unto the nature of his restless and ever operating Father which is Light to destroy the effects of darkness and cold as we see in the nature of the hot winds namely that of the South and East or Orient For as the Northern cold wind doth congregate contract harden thicken or condense make ponderous fix immovable and opake the aire changing it by inspissation into the nature of more ponderous Elements So contrariwise the said hot winds or spirits do dissipate dilate mollify rarify and make thin and light volatil movable and transparent what the cold winds did so change and alter and all this is effected by the Act spagerick or separative Act of God's Spirit or Word And therefore the Prophet said in the Text mentioned before Emittens verbum suum liquefacit ista simul ac efflaâ— ventum suum effluunt aquae God sending forth his Word that is causing his bright vertue to shine forth he did undo or melt the Snow Frost and Ice which God in his hidden or contractive property had caused and that under the form of an Angelicall wind And therefore it is said So soon as he bloweth forth his breath or wind the waters flow that is to say the Snow is melted and of a fix and opake substance becometh movable lively fluent and diaphan or transparent So also the heat of the Easterly wind destroyeth and dissipateth the watery effects of the Westerly wind and therefore the Prophet saith Postquam veniente Euro vento IEHOVAE è deserto exaruerit scaturigo ejus siccatus fuerit fons ejus Afterwards by the Easterly wind of the Lord coming from the desert his spring withered and his Fountain was dried up As if he had said the water was changed by the heat of that wind into Aire by rarefaction or subtiliation Thus have you understood how these two opposit Vertues namely Cold and Heat do spring from one and the same Spirit in radicall essence by which it operateth actually and essentially by a double property Forasmuch as they produce in the Catholick Element of the sublunary world opposite effects to effect the will of the Creator in the Aire and upon the Earth and Seas Now I will speak a word or two of the Procreation or Generation of such passive Natures as are brought forth by the mutuall action and opposition of the two foresaid essentiall Vertues which do spring and have their root or beginning either in the Divine Nature's Nolunty and privative existence or Volunty and positive emanation These passive qualities do essentially depend upon the former and do no otherwise belong unto them then the female or passive do unto the male or active And first I will tell you my mind touching the birth of Humidity and afterward I will come to speak of Siccity We must imagine that when there was no formall Light to inact the deformed Abysse or Chaos and consequently no Heat to act and make a division of Light from Darkness then all the dark Chaos was inclining unto drouth and wet congealed with cold For cold hath an infinite power and dominion where Heat is absent as we see about the Northen Pole all the waters are frozen into a dry and cold clod or heap by reason of the absence of the Sun's heat In like manner where the Sun or burning Easterly winde doth send forth directly their spiracles of Heat there Cold is banished and the Earth is turned into a dry thirsty and spongy masse Even so and after the like pattern are those or rather these after those patterns For the Chaos was a confused a cold and a dry heap untill the Light did appear and began to operate Also the Light of it self as it was considered without any action upon the passive masse was of a fiery condition that is to say heat and drouth did only appear in it it followeth therefore that as cold in effect is nothing else but the act of the divine puissance made potent and evident by the absence of Heat So also is drouth or dryness nothing else but an apparent passive nature evermore accompanying the two foresaid active powers in their absolute intention where moysture is totally absent Now moysture is as it were a mongrell begotten between the two opposite actives which is proved thus The North wind by his dominion turneth the Aire into Snow Hail Ice or Frost that is into a cold and dry Substance But when the Southerly or Easterly wind doth begin to have dominion then their blasts do penetrate by little and little the said dry masses or substances and undoeth them and coverteth them into a moist or humid nature according unto the tenor of those forementioned words of David So soon saith he as he bloweth forth his wind the waters flow So soon as he sendeth forth his Word they are liquefied So that moisture is nothing else but a mixtion of heat and cold in one solid Substance which is fluxible in potentia and then by little and little doth the cold and drouth depart and become faint according as the power of the wind is more or less vigorous in Heat For thus much we must observe that as cold doth make immobil and fix So it is an evident signe that the Southern or Eastern Heat hath taken possession of the Mass when by their action it beginneth to moysten to revive and move again forasmuch as nothing doth effect that function but Heat In the very same manner also the increated and all-creating Spirit of Light moving upon the face of the dark abysse did operate in it and made the congealed Mass to relent and then it was called by Moses waters and by Hermes humida natura or the humid nature And so they continue unto this day being altered from one nature unto another according unto the will of God which he effecteth by his Ministers the Angelicall winds causing the Spirituall waters to change and wheel about from one nature into another And we must observe in these changes that even the visible waters were first made and derived from the invisible waters according unto St. Paul's doctrine before mentioned For Heaven was before the Sea and Earth which were as it were the feces dregs or grosser part of the catholick Sublunary Element An ocular Demonstration confirming the Divine properties or Vertues above-mentioned Before we proceed unto our ocular demonstration which shall be made in and by our Experimentall instrument we must consider in the first place that the Catholick Aire or Sublunary Heaven is the subtiler and more spiritual portion
gunpowders force raised in the aire to a certain height moving neither lower nor higher then the form all vigor affordeth it vertue and there remaineth untill the force of the corruptible and wasting fire be spent and then it falleth down againe But the Light of the star carrieth and raiseth up the spirituall body according unto the proportion of the mounting Light which soreth as high as its power and the ponderosity of the body will permit and so it hangeth perpetually at a certain distance from the center because the fire is of an eternall and incorruptible nature and will not fade as that artificiall fire of the squib doth Now as all the illuminating vigors and animating forces or flames that are imparted unto the universall waters was bestowed on them by that bâ—ight catholick Spirit or emanation which was sent forth by God to be carried on the waters which as Scripture doth averre is brighter then the Sun or Starrs So there is none of all those Lights which are separated or divided in essence from that glorious and glittering Spirit whose beams were dispersed over all the waters in the abysse in giving of them life and being For this reason therefore because each Light had a diversity in proportion of formall brightness and measure of corpulency it is that one celestiall body doth vary in his manner of vertue motion and influence from another but because the extracted quintessence or purer materiall essence of all the Chaos with the purity of Light that issued from the creating Spirit were united into an Angelicall alterity both of those natures in the figure of one masse sored up out of the dark abysse into the heaven's center where they challenged the Royall Phoebaean Throne and that Sphaericall masse is to this hour termed the Sun of Heaven which as from the created Fountain of Light enflameth and formally enlightneth all the rest of the Starrs in the heavens above and the Element and elementated creatures below So that after the universall contracted Light was effected the fourth day of the Creation it was ordained to be that capitall Organ of life and vegetation in the starry world which did send and showre down his influences and fiery spiracles of life conservation vegetation and multiplication upon the sublunary earth and waters Thus therefore in few words you have the reason of that Condensation and Rarefaction whereby both the invisible heavenly Substance and visible celestiall bodies were made And it seemeth not to disagree from the opinions of the learned Theologians Basil and Damascene touching the causes of the divine Spirit 's action in Condensation and Rarefaction before the apparition of the Sun in the heavens Forasmuch as they will have the daie's Rarefaction or cleare heaven to be occasioned by an emission of Light ordained by the divine will or act of this Omnipotent Spirit But they think that the night's Condensation and the opake or condensed bodie in the heavens are effected by a contraction of Light which was also caused by the sacred Spirit 's volunty Thus therefore we see out of the confession of certain of the prime Fathers of the Church what was the cause of the cold condensing Night and the hot rarifying Day before the Spirit was congregated into the Tabernacle or quintessentiall substance of the Sun which was extracted by the Spageâ—ick or separative action of the divine Spirit out of the huge deformed waters of the abysse And therefore this also must be the reason of Condensation and Rarefaction unto this day For as the Spirit in the Sun being far from us and as it were contracting his beames in regard of us unto himself or absenting himself from our Hemisphere so that the cold waters do incline unto the nature of their mother Chaos by reason whereof the night and darkness are long and the light and day but short and faint in heat So also in that season the common sublunary Element is subject to Condensation and Incrâ—ssation and therefore is constrained or contracted into the consistence of Frosts Snows Hail Ice and Cold showers c. Again when it is neare unto us it dilateth it self and by his heat and presence the cold waters become hot and the daies are augmented and fortified or made strong in heat and then the common sublunary Element is apt for dilatation and subtiliation being easy to be inflamed and set on fire with Lightnings coruscations and such like But I leave the history of the Condensation and Subtiliation of the aethereall Spirit to descend unto the like acts or conditions in the sublunary Element CHAP. V. How the lower waters or catholick sublunary element were distinguished ordered and shaped out into sundry distinct sphears which are called particular Elements and that by the foresaid all-working Spirit or dâ—vine Word SInce that it is most certainly proved already that the universall substance of the world's machin was made but of one onely thing namely of a matter that was produced out of the potentiall bowells of the dark chaos or abyss by the spagerick vertue of the divine Word the which matter Moses tearmed Waters and Hermes the humid nature of the which in generall as both Moses and St. Peter aver the heavens and the earth were made of old it must needs follow that out of this catholick masse of waters the universall sublunary element was derived which is commonly termed by the name of Aer as all that humid substance in the celestiall orbe is called Aether Now this generall element is by the breath of the divine Spirit Râ—ach Elohim altered and changed from one shape unto another for that which is the visible waters was made first of the aire which is an invisible water as again the visible water by condensation is made earth And this is proved first by the words of St. Paul who saith Per fidem agnovimus quod semper ita actum sit cum mundo per Verbum ut ex iis quae videri non poterant fierent ea quae possunt videri We know by faith that it hath been ever acted with the world by the word that those things which can be seen were effected or made of those things which could not be seen And again Solomon saith that the world was made of a matter that was not seen But besides these proofs we are taught by chymicall experience that earth is nothing else but coagulated water nor visible water any thing else but invisible air reduced by condensation to a visibility nor fire any thing else but ratified aire And in conclusion all the sublunary waters were in the beginning but an invisible humid or watry spirit which we call by a common name Aire and consequently the catholick sublunary element was in its originall nothing else but one aire being that heaven was made before the seas or the earth as Moses teacheth us And therefore by faith we must believe according unto St. Paul's doctrine that all
visible things and therefore the seas and the earth were first made or produced out of things not visible that is to say aeriall or heavenly For it is one universall aire that filleth the vast cavity or vault of the world which by reason of its levity tenuity or invisibility is called Heaven as contrariwise the earth and seas are so termed because of their gravity density and visibility Since therefore it is evident that the catholick sublunary aire is the main materiall ground and substance of that which the world calleth elements and that it is altered and changed from one estate into another by the Word or divine Spirit Ruach Elohim I mean by the eternall wisdom let us consider with our selves how this potent Spirit doth effect in that one and the same homogeneall invisible thin water or aire such Protean trans-mutations whereby there is an evident rotation made in it out of one nature into another which are therefore tearmed distinct elements We must therefore consider in the first place that this was that vivifying Spirit which the Prophet called from the four winds saying Veni Spiritus a quatuor ventis insuffla interfectos istos ut reviviscant And therefore this one Spirit Ruach Elohim was the royall commander of the four winds and by consequence could contract the aire by his windy organs and again dilate it at his pleasure and therefore it was he and no other that doth animate the four winds and agitate the Angels that are his under-governours of them to alter and change the invisible aire into visible shapes when and how be listeth And first touching his generall act in ordering the aire into divers shapes it is said Deus ventos depromite thesauris And again Aer subito cogetur in nubes ventus transiens fugavit eos Sapientia aptat pondus aeri appendit aquas in mensura ligat densas nubes ut non findantur facit pluviae statuta viam fulgeâ—ro tonitruum God draweth the winds out of his treasury The air is thickned into clouds and the wind that passeth-by doth drive them By wisdom he giveth weight unto the aire hangeth or ballaenceth the waters in it by proportion and measure bindeth fast the thick clouds so that they cleave not giveth lawes unto the rain and maketh a way unto the lightnings of the thunders By which words we may conceive that the invisible aire is the main subject on which the all-operating Spirit of God worketh and bringeth forth the fore-named visible effects and that onely by Condensation or Rarefaction which is insinuated by giving weight unto the aire For by Condensation he converteth the invisible aire into visible clouds and then by a profounder degree of thickening those vaporous clouds are condensed into raine and the thicker and more unctuous part of the cloud is concreted into a hard stone or earth So that out of the invisible aire we see evidently by condensation produced three degrees of visible substance namely a vaporous aire a thick visible water which is rain and a dense and ponderous earth which is the stone called Lapis cerauneus or Thunder-bolt ingendred by the Spirit of God in that fight which is made in the conflict between the liquifying nature of the fire and congealing disposition of the cold water Again on the other side by rarefaction the aire is converted into fire namely into lightning and all these receive their severall forms and changes from the catholick nature of the invisible aire into those shapes in which after the alteration they abide So that you may by this perceive that all that which the antique Philosophers have termed Elements are nothing else but a four-fold changing and mutation of one and the same catholick element or humid nature unto the which according as they in their changes do appear various have divers and sundry names namely of fire water and earth imposed upon them Now the principal organs by the which and in the which this Spiâ—it moveth and acteth by a diversity of property in turning and changing this catholick aeriall subject into a four-fold nature that is to say out of one thing into another are the angelicall winds which he hath ordained to blow from the four quatrers or angles of the earth in a diverse property For as before I told you out of Solomon's doctrine that this wise spirit was one simple thing in essence but man fold in property or operation so doth he being but one Spirit for it is said Veni spiritus à quatuor venus act after a four-fold manner by his four-fold angelicall winds in the catholick element of aire for when he bloweth or breatheth from the North he contracteth the common element into an earthly body namely into frost snow hail and ice And therefore David saith Deo emittente sermonem suum in terram quà m celerrâ—mè excurrit verbum ejus qui edit nivem sicut lanam pruinam sicut cineres dispergit dejicit gelu suum tanquam frusta coram frigore eius quis consistat Emittens verbum suum liquefacit ista simulac efflat ventum sâ—um effluunt aquae God sending forth his word upon the earth it runneth swiftly who bringeth forth the snow like wool and disperseth the frost like ashes and casteth down his ice like lumps who is able to resist against his cold Sending forth his word he liquefieth or melteth all these so soon as he bloweth forth his wind the waters do flow forth c. Out of which speech we may gather first that it is but one word or Spirit of God which both by a northern contraction doth change the sublunary element into an earthly condition and hard and visible consistence namely when he bloweth from the North and therefore saith Ab Arcturo egreditur frigus flatu suo edit Deus fortis glaciem latitudinem aquarum coarctat From the North commeth the cold the mighty God doth bring forth ice by his breath and coarcteth or straightneth the latitude of the waters and also by a southern blast doth melt and undo those terrestriall effects which by his northern spirit it did produce and cause Secondly that the subject in which and on the which it did operate was the aire which it did metamorphose and change from a soft tender light volatil transparent thin and invisible substance into a hard rough heavy fix opake thick and visible masse Thirdly that the word there is taken for the essentiall spirit of the wind in generall and therefore it is used as well to contract the aire into snow ice or frost as to dilate it Again the Psalmist saith Angeli Dei faciunt verbum c. Again when he breatheth from the south then this generall element becommeth vaporous airy humid and hot and will easily by the concourse of the northern fortitude though in never so small a measure be changed into clouds for the southern blast is ever apt to undo the effects
of the north and so by their mutuall action a middle nature of a westerly condition will be produced namely water which is between aire and earth as the western position is betwixt the south and north But the southern blast of its own nature is hot and moist as is the disposition of the catholick element of aire or else the word being sent from that quaâ—ter would not have melted and undone the cold and drie effects of the north as is said Again that the breath of the Lord which commeth out of the South affecteth the catholick element of aire diversly but spiritually this Text of Abakkuk doth testifie God comming from the south his glory covered the heavens and the pestilence went before his face c. whereby he argueth the invisible effects namely the corruption and infection of the aire which this divine Spirit in his displeasure breatheth forth from the southern quarter of the world But when he worketh or operateth in his windy organs of the East then they imprint upon the generall element a fiery character and dilateth his substance into the nature and disposition of the fire and then may it passe under the title of the Element of fire as we have it confirmed out of many places of the holy Text Praecepit Dominus saith Jerom vento calido urenti or as Tremellius hath it Paravit Eurum silentem ut percuteret sol caput Jonae adeò ut aestuaret petiit animae suae ut moreretur The Lord commanded a hot and burning wind or a still easterly wind to go out that the sun might strike upon Jonas his head that he might be enflamed with heat insomuch as he did desire in his heart to die And again Ventus urens seu Eurus desiccabit fructus ejus rami ejus erant marcore contracti A burning or Easterly wind shall dry up his fruits and his boughs shall be consumed and wasted And again Ventus Eurus aduret spicas And JEHOVAH saith in his anger Percussi vos in vento urenti in aurigine multitudinem hortorum vestrorum Misi in vos pestem pro ratione Aegypti I have struck you with a burning winde and have blasted the multitude of your gardens I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of that of Aegypt Again Postquam veniente Euro vento IEHOV Ae à deserto ascendente exaruerit scaturigo ejus siccatus fuerit fons ejus After that by Eurus the wind of IEHOVAH comming and arising out of the desert his spring and fountain was dryed up And Haggaj Percussi vos vento urente grandine omniae opera manuum vestrarum I have struck you with a burning winde with hail even all the works of your hands c. Whereby it appeareth that at the blast of these easterly winds the aire or catholick element becommeth burning and fiery so that it heateth and enflameth the bodies of the creatures On the other side the occidentall winds are found by experience to be opposite in nature and condition unto these for they convert the hot aire or generall element into cold and naturall visible water being that they are the procurers of cold raines So that we may see by this that the formall act in each Angell of the four corners of the earth of which the Apocalyps doth make mention hath an essentiall vertue imparted unto it from God according unto his volunty at the instant of the Angels information and therefore in that very property doth the angelicall creature act in the common element or lower waters in the which the creating Spirit properly was when he made it so that the common element is daily informed anew and altered by the formall or essentiall act of the angelicall winde which bloweth with dominion insomuch as if the easterly angelicall wind informeth it then it becommeth a fiery element for it heateth and drieth by super-excellency If a southerly it is changed into that element's nature which is called aire and if a westerly spirit hath dominion it is converted into the temper and proportion of water Lastly the Northern blast transmuteth it unto the consistence and disposition of earth By this therefore that maine doubt which hath so long troubled the Peripateticks and hammered in their brains and yet hath never been rightly resolved by them unto this day may easily be undone and taken away namely to find out the essentiall form of the Elements For by this true Philosophy we find it to be an Angelicall Spiracle or essentiall blast of wind infused by the Spirit of God diversly into the aiery or spirituall vessell to alter and change according unto his will the humid passive nature out of one condition into an other Moreover the Catholick air being diversly so animated bringeth forth and informeth a new after the condition of his variety of animations a multiplicity and multiformity of Meteors As for example the Easterly element brings forth children like it self As are the fiery and light Meteors namely Coruscations Lightnings Comets and such like according unto the nature of such Seminary influences as shall descend from heaven at that instant The Southerly Vapours Clouds Lightning with Thunders The Westerly Cold raines and as it were Snowy resolutions The Northenly Frost Snow Ice Hail But I know that this wil be objected against me What then will you make of the Earth and Seas Are not these distinct Elements which have been from the beginning I answer that if they listen unto St Peters doctrine he teacheth that the Earth was of waters and therefore the waters were before the Earth and again the heavens were made before the Earth as Moses sheweth and therefore the Earth appeareth to be the Foeces or the grosser part of the lower waters and the visible water the grosser part of the Ayre For doth not the Apostle Paul tell us in the Text before mentioned that things visible were first of things invisibâ—e The change therefore of all things visible or invisible are effected by the Condensing or contracting faculty and property in the all-acting spirit And the reducing of them againe from a visible estate unto an invisible is caused by the Rarifying or dilating act of the self same Spirit in essence but differing in property And therefore as air was changed into water and water into Earth by the degrees of Cold so also is Earth changed insensibly into water and water into Ayre by the severall degrees of heat for if this were not how is it possible that so many waters falling from the Clouds should not more and more augment the Seas and diminish the Ayre or why should so much Earthen Coals and whole mountaines of wood that are burnt not make the earth lesse in Consistence if there were not an hourly supply and transmutation of Ayre into water and from water into Earth which though this divine nature doth effect secretly and insensibly yet by effect it
plants relent liquifie and become animated and fluent the birds rejoyce and are quickened and the dull and senslesse aire is by little and little refreshed and taketh flight into the southern regions for reasons I will shew you in my demonstrative positions immediately following And yet for all the absence of the bright and inacting Spirit in the Sun it followeth but that one and the self-same Spirit which filleth all may alter his privative property when and where he list for we see oftentimes quite contrary unto the common constitution of the year that by it thunders and lightnings are effected in the midst and hardest of the winters and the winds which are most active namely the east and south blow beyond expectation all which is effected by him at his pleasure who operateth all in all how and by what means and where and when he list This therefore being well pondered I enter into the state of this my demonstration The demonstration or proof how the annuall winds are moved by the vivifying spirit which is in the Sun I have told you that the whole effect of the divine action in the humid nature of this inferiour world did consist in Congelation and Rarefaction and that the first was caused by the privative and northern act of Gods Spirit which doth operate by cold and the other by his positive operation which is guided by heat Now as these two have their dominion or depression by the presence or absence of the Sun so also is the universall aire more cold spisse opake and sluggish or stupid when the Sun is farthest off and again more hot subtle bright transparent agil and active when the Sun is nearest Mark therefore the properties of the aire included in the glazen vessell of the Calender-Instrument and remember that it is but one and the same Spirit in essence that worketh as well privativly as positivly for it was one and the same Spirit which was called by the Prophet from the north and south for the Text saith Veni spiritus à quatuor ventis c. wherefore this Spirit is it that governeth the universall sublunary aire as well privatively as positively And although this Spirit be most plentifully in the Sun yet it being neverthelesse every where is able at all times and in every place to expresse himself in both properties I come therefore unto the point or mark In the first Chapter of the first Book of this present Section I have most clearly demonstrated unto you that the aire included in the Weather-glasse hath in every respect a relation unto the aire or catholick element of the great world where also it is proved that the aeriall humid nature doth as exactly fill every place of the vaulted world where the earth or water are not lest any vacuity should be found in the cavity thereof no otherwise than the dilated aire in the head and neck of the Weather-glasse doth fill the cavity thereof and therefore as the aire included in the glasse doth work by dilatation at the presence of the Sun namely in the Summer-season when the externall aire is heaâ—ed so also and after the self-same manner will the aire of this northern hemisphear be dilated when the Sun is present yea and the nearer the Sun is and the more perpendicular his beams are the greater will the generall aire 's rarefaction be and consequently of that particular aire which is in the glasse On the other side when the Sun is absent from the Boreall hemisphear namely when it moveth beyond the Aequinoctiall then will the common aire in that hemisphear wax cold and be contracted and condensed and consequently the particular aire in the glasse will be contracted after the same proportion which may easily be measured or conceived by the degrees of ascent of the water in the glasse as the rarefaction may be collected by the descent thereof This therefore being well conceived or understood and that the cause of this rarefaction is the presence of this divine act in the sunny tabernacle and that the reason of the condensation is the absence or remotenesse of the said act or operating and emanating Spirit and consequently the presence of the divine puissance which is darknesse for as we said the absence of heat is the presence of cold which is the essentiall worker in the divine puissance and again the presence of heat is the absence of cold So also the absence of positive light conceiveth privative darknesse and the absence of privative darknesse imparteth the presence of positive light We may easily hereupon collect the reason of the annuall winds and perceive what their externall is and how that aire is animated by the vivifying Spirit which is sent out from the Sun Consider therefore that when the Sun is present with us the Summer is created by his presence the aire is calefacted by the bright beams of his Spirit and by calefaction is rarified and by reason of rarefaction of parts requireth a larger place for his existency As for example We put two pound of Vitreol into a Retort and fasten the nose thereof unto a huge Recipient or Receiver stopping the joynts fast that the spirits do no way expire We force out the Spirit from the Retort into the Receiver and we find it tried by experience that part of the Vitreol being dilated into spirits those spirits finding the ample Receiver not sufficient to contain them do violently break the Receiver into an infinity of pieces Whereby it is made plain that a thing which is condensed will occupy but a small place but when it is dilated it will require a very large continent for his existence All this is argued plainly by our experimentall Instrument for when the Sun is present the aire included is forthwith dilated more or lesse according unto the vigour of the solar spirits and winds that blow but when it is dilated it requireth by so much the more a larger place to be contained in by how much the more it is dilated or â—arified and that is proved thus namely because the water is thrust down by so many degrees lower by how many the aire excelleth in rarity So that it is evident that the onely reason why the water is precipitated more and more downwards is because being by degrees subtiliated it maketh it self a larger room to abide in Now that I have shewed you thus much mark that when the Sun commeth newly into an hemisphear where winter did reigne or had dominion and therefore the cold did incrass and thicken the aire as for example when it passeth from us into the southern hemisphear to convert the winter estate of that part into summer it doth forthwith begin to attenuate the aire of that part of the world and that aire so rarified being animated and as it were revived by the operating beams of the Suns bright spirit becommeth light-winged or feathered wherefore it flyeth away from the south and seeketh a larger place for
his abode or entertainment being that the australl hemisphear is not sufficient to receive his dilated body For this reason it is forced to pass a-traverse the Aequinoctiall and to visit by a successive motion the northern hemisphear and at its entrance therein to make a windy noise by reason of the thickness and coldness of the aire which resisteth the hot vaporous and lately dissolved or rarified aire which is animated with the southern light from whence it receiveth his agility And this aire thus animated and forced by the divine act in the Sunny tabernacle to fly from the south unto the north is that which we call the southern winde which for this reason happeneth so frequently among us in the beginning of winter namely immediately after the Sun hath passed the Aequinoctiall that is to say through Libra into Scorpio This is the reason that the southern winds I say are so plentifull among us in October November and December and consequently that we are saluted with such southern showers by reason that the northern coldness doth condense the fugitive southern aire into clouds as shall be told you in the description of the clouds All this is demonstrated out of the Weather-glass for at the heat of onely a mans hand being placed on the head of the Weather-glass the included aire is rarified and so dilateth it self and flyeth to an opposite Pole namely unto the heat of the cold water the which it beareth down before it On the other side the northern winds and the ice and snow which are more frequent in winter are caused by that breath or spirit which is sent forth from God in his potentiall and privative nature the which he doth exercise or put in execution in this world when the treasure house of his actuall power is farthest and therefore he hath ordained the Magazin or store-house of his cold in the poles of the world being farthest off from the Aequinoctiall For this reason it is said in Scriptures that cold commeth from the north and that before the cola of God who can consist and that the breath of God maketh ice and frost And again Hast thou come into the treasure-house of the snowes or hast thou any knowledge in the treasury of the hail Neither is Gods actuall light severed or distinguished from him though he breathe at his pleasure from the north in his potentiall or privative property for darknesse unto him is as light And for this reason also when he is displeased he breatheth from the north as well in lightning and thunder as in snow and hail Whereupon Ezekiel said Behold a whirl-winde came out of the north and a great cloud involved with fire c. And yet both the cold snow hail and frost and the lightnings and melting heats proceed but from one and the same spirit though divers in properties which as I said was by the same Prophet called from the four winds that is to say one and the same word in essence but multi-form in property Of which the Psalmist God sending forth his word upon the earth by it he poureth down snow on the earth like wool and disperseth the frost like ashes who can resist against his cold So soon as he sendeth out his word it doth liquifie them so soon as he bloweth forth his winde the waters begin to flow and the snow frost and ice to melt Whereby it is evident that God is ever one in himselfe wheresoever he be namely be he in the north where he operateth privation or in the Sun in which he doth expresse his actuall glory Yet doth his Volunty as well as his Nolunty that is his positive property as well as his privative accompany the unity of his essence As for example His negative property in his positive was discerned when he made the Sun to stand still at Joshuah's prayer and to go backwards or become retrograde for the confirmation of Hezekia's belief And his absolute privative when at the death of our Saviour he contracted his manifested bright glory into the center So that the Sun became as black as pitch I conclude therfore that when this potentiall property of the Divine Spirit doth move or act in the aire the aire is sucked towards the pole or center and so is made Frost Snow c. In which space our experimentall Instrument sheweth a nature quiâ—e contrary from the precedent For after the imitation of the aire in the great world it is contracted and sucked up into the bolts-head as to the cold pole and this then demonstrateth that the catholick externall aire doth also work after the same fashion It appeareth therefore that the reason of this emitted Spirit is occult and not known unto any of us that are drowned in the abysse of Ignorance but onely is made known unto him who hath been so happy as to be instructed by the true Wisdome of God which Solomon confesseth to be the worker of all things and therefore the most faithfull Schoole-mistress to teach all mysteries But I will proceed further in the search and inquiry of this Ethnick Peripatetick man's skill in the Science and knowledg of Meteorology And first I will see what he can say touching the Generation of the clowds and the rain CHAP. V. How Aristotle's Doctrine touching the Generation of the Clowds and production of the Drops of Rain is found to be altogether contradictory unto the true Wisdome's Institutions WE will now come unto our inquiry and examination of Aristotle's skill in the watry Meteors and because that the causes of mists called Nebulae and thinner clowds termed Nubeculae are comprehended under the title of Nubes or Clowds I will onely insist upon the Mystery of the clowdy impression For I purpose not to make any great Volume of words to weary your eies with reading them over but onely to touch with brevity such kinds of principall Meteors as may in their generality include by their descriptions every speciality that may be comprehended under them I will therefore briefly begin with Aristotle's opinion and then compare it with the Testimony of holy Writ that thereby the essence of it may be examined with the fire of verity to see whether it will indure the Test or withstand the tryalls of Truth 's touch-stone or no. His opinion therefore with that of his Christian followers is that A clowd is produced of a vapour which is elevated from the earth and water into the middle region of the aire by the attractive power of the Sun or Starrs where it is contracted and as it were congealed into the consistence of a visible clowd by vertue of the extreame coldnesse of the place the which clowd is afterwards partly by the heat of the Sun and partly by the force of the winds carried or forced this way and that way through the middle region of the aire Lo this is the Substance of the Peripateticall definition of a clowd Now that we may
and windy Angels as the Seraphins are fiery Spirits and so moveth upon the wings of the wind or aire which his Angelicall Cherubin doth animate So that in and by the windy Organ he is said to blow when and where he list It is I say the Eternall Spirit of Wisdome which is in brightness and vertue more noble then the Sun of Heaven as Solomon testifieth For as much as it also giveth life and splendor unto the Sun And therefore it is said to excell the Sun in brightness which is the onely efficient cause or formall and essentiall Agent in this business and consequently neither the Sun or any other of the created host of Heaven It is I say again the all-creating Spirit and not the created which is the generall act and onely formall mover in the Meteors whom his Angelicall Ministers which do ever stand before this Lord of all the earth that I may speak with the Prophet Zachary are ready to assist as Organs or instrumentall causes to execute his will It is I say the essentiall wind or Spirit which bloweth from the center of the cloud and moveth or inciteth his spirituall created Organs according unto his will For by it his Spirit also moveth in the Angels and winds causing them to effect his Command according unto David's assertion Wherefore we may see by this which is said how incongruous is this opinion of the Ethnick Peripatetick unto the Truth and how far it derogateth from the right of God's Word and consequently what an errour it is in our Christian Philosophers to follow and imitate his learning with such a devotion and fervency as if they were Theodidacti taught by God himself when in verity his doctrine doth rather disswade Christians from the knowledg of him in his works then instruct them therein being it perswadeth them that things are effected both in heaven above and in the earth and in the waters beneath by vain waies and accidentally that is to say meerly by naturall causes onely and so would blemish the honour and reputation of Him who in verity is all in all and operateth all in all and that not by constraint as the vain Peripatetick imagineth but according unto his Will as it is proved before CHAP. VI. The true and essentiall Definition or rather description of a Cloud is set forth in this Chapter WEll then will they reply Let us understand how you can better define or describe the nature of a clowd according unto that holy Philosophy and true Wisdom which you seem to profess To the which I answer that I am willing and that after a divers manner though agreeing in one unity of Essence A clowd is the revealing and making manifest of the invisible mundan spirit which is hidden in the treasury of God namely the heavens by the centrall operation of the divine wisdom and his windy ministers being incited thereunto by the will of God into a vaporous heap or clowdy substance which the said spirit of wisdom erecteth for his secret place or vehicle to move in and for the effecting of his will as well in heaven above as in the earth and waters beneath Or after this manner A clowd is the reducing of the invisible aire into a visible thick and gloomy consistence which is by the will of God effected through the concurrence or meeting together of opposite or transversall winds for the accomplishment of his secret will and pleasure Or else thus A clowd is a certain visible condensed heap of aire the which the Spirit of wisdom being expansed every wheâ—e doth make and compose as it were of nothing that is to say of an airy invisible somewhat which it extracteth out of his mysticall treasury to do and effect the will of God as well in heaven as in earth In which definitions or rather descriptions the materiall substance seemeth to be a coagulated mist or condensed masse or heap of aire the formall cause is set out in the shape and form of the clowd the efficient cause or centrall agent is the essentiall act of the divine wisdom who employeth and exciteth his windy ministers to work externally by the way of compression We have also the magazine or treasury out of which the substance of the winds is produced namely the heavens or aire which is termed Arca Dei thesauraria The chist or cabinet of Gods treasures To conclude the finall cause is manifested in this that the clowd is ordained to bring forth the effects as well of Gods clemency and benignity as of his severity and anger Now for the defence of the first part of these descriptions we find it thus written Deus sapientia suâ apt at pondus aeri appendit aquas in mensura facit pluviae statuta viam fulgetro tonitruum c. God doth by his wisdom proportionate the weight of the aire and hangeth the waters or clowds in measure assigneth lawes unto the rain and maketh a way unto the lightnings of the thunder That is to say according unto the will and ordination of the divine Spirit the aire or substance of heaven is changed from a lighter or thinner estate or weight unto a heavier or thicker the degrees of which mutation are expressed in the words following for first it was aire then clowds then rain or vulgar water Also the Text doth seem to make the lightnings internall or formall light of the clowd which is not revealed but by the violation or ruption of the compound and ablation of darkness Again it is said by Job as is already related Aer condensabitur in nubes ventus transiens fugabit eas The aire will be thickned into clowds And touching the clowds of snow Congregatio spiritus aspergit nivem The aire being gathered together doth scatter the snow on the earth Touching the efficient cause it appeareth to be God or the eternall Wisdom and therefore in the precedent Text it is said Deus sapientia sua aptat pondus aeri appendit aquas vel nubes in mensura God by his wisdom hangeth or ballanceth the waters or clowds in measure And again Nubibus densis obtegit Deus coelos God covereth the heavens with thick clowds But all this is sufficiently expressed before As for the finall cause set down in the foresaid definitions it is confirmed by Scriptures in this fashion Pro irrigatione fatigat Deus den sam nubem dispergit lucem nubis suae quodcunque praecipit illis faciendum in terra sive ad flagellum sive ad faciendam beneficentiam efficiet ut presiò sit God wearieth the thick clowd for the watering of the earth and he disperseth every where the light of his clowd whatsoever he commandeth them to be done upon the earth whether it be for a scourge or else in favour and benignity he maketh them to be ready to accomplish it And Baruch saith When God commandeth the clowds that they passe over the whole earth they
perform what is commanded them So that we see these creatures are drawn out of their secret dwellings to do the will of him that created them CHAP. VII How by our experimentall Instrument the reasâ—n of the composition of clowds is ocularly demonstrated A so in this the Snow is defined falsly and truly NOw I think it most fit to demonstrate unto you how the clowds are procreated by the opposite blast of two winds of a contrary nature namely of the Southerly wind in eminency and dominion and a Northerly spirit which also bloweth but insensibly I told you in the Chapter where I did demonstrate by our experimentall Instrument the reason of the Southerly winds which happen in winter that as the aire included in the Weather-glasse did by the onely touch of a warm hand dilate it self and in dilatation fly from the hand of the toucher unto the cold region of the water which was evidently proved and maintained because the water did suddainly thereupon move downward So also the grosse winter aire in the southern hemisphear did at the approach of the Sun unto the parts beyond the Line dilate it self by vertue of that ever-acting and subtiliating spirit which put his tabernacle in the Sun so that the southern dilated aire posted apace or flew hastily away to seek a larger place but comming into the northern hemisphear which by reason of the Sun's absence became brumall or wintry the constant aire of that region being now contracted by the northern cold and the north-wind by reason of the colds dominion blowing more or lesse though insensibly it meeting with the warm southerly spirit condenseth it with the rest into clowds and this is the reason that alwaies almost and that is where no northern blasts are discerned that the southerly winds do bring abundance of clowds and rain with them for that the hot southerly vertue of the divine agent doth more and more subtiliate and rarifie the winter aire which it found there till it had by rarefaction purified it and reduced it unto the nature of a true Summer aire so that the superfluous parts of the aire after rarefaction were chased away as is said into the northern region where it is condensed again partly by the privative act of the divine puissance and partly by the spissitude of the northern aire which denyeth it free passage into the form of clowds For the cold spisse aire of the northern hemisphear agitated and animated by the northern blast or property resisteth the hot vaporous aire and so it condenseth by little and little To conclude I could here set down the Aristotelian definitions of the snow frost hail ice and such like other meteors and then check and contradict them mainly by other true descriptions of them proved by the testimony of holy writ As for example Aristotle seemeth to aver that the snow is a clowd congealed by the great cold which before it be perfectly dissolved into water by a vaporous disposition it is changed into a snowy substance In which definition because he is ignorant as hath been proved already in the fabrick of a clowd we ought in no case believe him Again he digresseth from the tenour of Scriptures according unto the mind whereof we have defined the snow thus The Snow is a meteor which God draweth forth of his hidden treasury in the form of wool to effect his will upon the earth either by way of punishment or clemency Or thus The Snow is a creature produced out of the air or heavenly treasury of God by the cold breath or blast of the divine spirit in the form of wool to perform his will on the earth Where the fountain of his originall substance is made the aire or the matter of the heavens and therefore the Text hath it Congregatio speritus aspergit nivem The gathering together or condensation of the spirit ingendereth and sprinkleth the snow upon the earth And Job Pervenistine in the sauris nivis Camest thou into the treasury of the snow Also the form and efficient cause is expressed thus Deus verbo suo nives emittit sicut lanam coram frigore ejus quis consistat God by his word sendeth out the snow like wool who is able to resist his cold So that God by his Word which doth operate in his privative property by his cold is the essentiall efficient and omnipotent actor in the production of the snow I could I say effect all this at large but because my minde is not to dwell upon on these particulars forasmuch as in the description of the clowd I have sufficiently pointed at the rest I will proceed unto my enquiry touching Aristotle's opinion concerning the beginning of fountains that we may perceive thereby whether he have erred as far in that mystery as he hath done in the rest CHAP. VIII What Aristotle's opinion is touching the generation of Fountains and Rivers and whether he in his opinion doth jump with the verity of the true wisdom SInce therefore it is apparent that Aristotles doctrine is erroneous and deceiptfull touching the generation and essence of the winds and clowds we purpose in the third place to bring his judgment and opinion concerning the beginning and originall of fountaines and rivers unto the touch-stone of truth that thereby we may perceive whether it will endure the tryall and not shrink as the proverb is in the wetting The Peripateticks as well Christians as Gentiles are as much deceived in their meteorologicall grounds concerning the generation of fountains and rivers as in the rest of which we have spoken before and therefore their Master Aristotle all things being well pondered in the ballance of justice ought to be accounted of all true Christians for a seducer and deceiver of the world and consequently his doctrine touching this point ought of right to be repudiated and rejected Aristotle with his peripateticall sect or faction are of opinion that being the belly or bowells of the earth is full of cavities and hollow passages vapours to avoid vacuity must needs ascend from the center or bottom of it the which cleaving in their ascent unto the sides of the hollow vaults and streighter passages or veines of the earth do resolve into water which distilling down by drops do ingender fountaines and rivers In the which opinion of theirs they conclude that the matter of fountains is nothing else but a vapour arising from the bottom of the earth and resolved liquefied or condensed into water through cold and heat together within the earth no otherwise then after their saying the clowd rain snow and hail do arise and are generated in the aire of a vapour first condensed and afterwards liquefied But if we shall duely examine every member of this their description we shall perceive that they require as well a double matter as formall agent in this generation of fountaines for they faign that the remote matter is a vapour and then the near and immediate
it lift and operateth all in all Are these superficiall accidentall and externall formall agents the primary movers and animators of the bright lightnings And yet it is said that God doth animate and vivifie them with his presence What can we Christians imagine of the Aristotelian doctrine when it would faign the immediate act of God in his prime angelicall creatures to be so poor and mean as are the adventitious elevations of fumes by the starry creature and the concussion of clowds happening by chance and a conflict betwixt heat and cold Verily it was no marvell if when his invention did fail in the research of so high a mystery he was put to such weak shifts as in the eyes of wise men are scarce probable For when we behold the admirable effects of the lightning how it pierceth the scabbard without any hurt unto it and melteth the sword entereth the purse and liquifieth the mony nay pierceth the barrell or hogshead and drinketh or consumeth the wine the vessell not altered yea and what is more that it hath understanding and reason to punish wicked contemners of this wondrous work of God as having an angelicall reason to correct the presumptuous We cannot but say of Aristotle that he is onely embued with the wisdom of this world and not with that which is from God seeing that he doth foolishly imagine that the lightnings have not an internall principle and most essentiall agent which maketh them to work and move at will where they please even as the winde is said spirare ubi vult to blow where it list The lightnings I say are agitated and carried when they will and have consequently a volunty being that their internall and centrall agent is that eternall Spirit of wisdom which as Solomon saith est omnibus rebus mobilior sole atque stellis praestantior atque omni re penetrabilior More movable then all things in this world and more worthy in light than the sun and stars and more piercing than any thing And therefore it was rightly said Amictus lumine quasi vestimento He is attired with light as with a garment And In lumine numen in Numine lumen In light is divinity and in divinity is light And this is the reason of the brightness in the Lightning and of his infinite swiftness and subtle penetration And therefore it was but foolishly done of Aristotle to assigne unto the composition and animation of the lightnings onely externall and adventitious efficient causes and no internall and essentiall causes But I will tell you two famous stories of certain cases which happened in our time to manifest unto you that there is a divine volunty in the lightnings In Ireland there were two wenches which came from the market whereof the one had bought her a pair of new shoes these two travelling on foot homeward and passing through a field not far from a wood it chanced in the mean time that they were overtaken by a tempest of thunder and lightning The one of the wenches seeing the thunder to approach ran fast and called to the other wench to hasten and shelter her self under the trees But she laughed at her lagged behind and scorning like a gallant the thunder said Let the thunder kiss my back-side clapping her buttock with her hand so as it hurt not my new shoes I care not Which when she had uttered the lightning struck off onely her posterior parts and spared her shoes which were not touched and so the contemner of Gods wondrous and fearfull works died according as she had said miserably Loe here you Christian Peripateticks and see whether there be not an intellectuall mover and divine volunty in the lightnings clean of another nature than your master Aristotle hath taught you There was also a young towardly schollar a great follower of Aristotle and a disputer in the Schools a man as it should seem more confident in Aristotle's doctrine than in the documents of holy Writ This man being born at Salisbury and having been commended for his industry and learning was elected Master of the free-School there Upon a time he having been at the Act at Oxford did return home-ward in the company of some Merchants or other travellers being on horse-back It happened that as they travelled over Salisbury-plain a great tempest of thunder and lightning did arise and whereas the company which were with this schollar was very much dismaid he encouraged them bidding them not to fear For said he it is nothing but a naturall thing caused of a hot and dry exhalation which being drawn up by the Sun and being included in the cold clowd is there kindled and so breaketh forth and this is the cause of the noise you hear Which when he had said he onely of all the company was by the lightning struck dead and some of the rest somewhat astonished Loe here the loss of a miserable man through his so confident an observation of the Heathenish doctrine For if he had rejected that kind of learning which is founded on the terrene and diabolical wisdom and hearkened unto the instruction of the true sapience he would in lieu of that profane speech have worshipped him that speaks in thunder and joyned with his companions in prayer beseeching him to divert his wrath from them and to hinder his fiery ministers from harming them and then no doubt both he and they had passed free from dammage Then would he by rejecting the forgery of Aristotle have known the power of God by these authorities of holy Writ Nubes spargunt lumen suum quae cuncta lustrant per circuitum quocunque eas movet voluntas Creantis agit omne quod praeceperat illi super faciem terrae sive sit ad flagellum sive in beneficentiam The clowds do spread abâ—oad their light which enlighten all peripherically or circularly whither soever the volunty of the Creator moveth it peâ—formeth whatsoever the Creator commandeth be it to puâ—ish or to affect with goodnesse And again Fulgura nunquid mittis revertentia dicent tibi Adsumus Dost thou not send out the lightnings and when they return they will say Loe we are here Again Ibunt directè emissiones fulgurum tanquam a bene curvato arcu ad metam The lightnings being emitted will go directly unto the mark as if they were shot out of a well-bâ—nt bow But to come nearer it is said in another place Ignis exiens à conspectu IEHOVAE exanimavit filios Aaronis Fire or lightning issuing from the aspect or face of IEHOVA did kill the sons of Aaron And again Ignis egressus à IEHOVA consumebat centum quinquaginta qui admoverunt thus Fire or lightning proceeding from the face of IEHOVA did consume the hundred and fifty men which did offer francincense And as before Fulgura procedebant à throno Lightnings did go out from the throne But in another place all this is more
of unitie's Nolunty and sometimes affecting and imitating the action and property of light which floweth from the eternall and all-acting fountain of unity And this is the vertuous effect of the sacred Volunty For it seemed unto the Author that by reason that the whole world was composed of these two contrary properties namely of formall light and the humid dark matter it must needs follow that the catholick soul or generall vivifying spirit thereof and consequently every particular essence or formall existence which is derived from that catholick soul no otherwise than beams from the Sun must be obnoxious subject unto opposite passions and alterations From hence therefore springeth that originall love or hatred which is known to be between the good Angels and the evill Spirits from hence do issue all those assiduall mutations and alterations which happen in the aetheriall sublunary heavens namely by reason of the cross variety of the starry influence From hence proceed those oppositions and contrary effects which are expired or breathed forth from the winds From hence are derived the discord and concord of the Elements with the diversity of natures in the meteorologicall Impressions From hence do flow the multiplicity of affections the opposition of dispositions the passion of spirits and in a word the sympathy and antipathy which is observed to be between all creatures as well simple as compound be they animal vegetable or mineral The Author therefore concludeth upon these grounds that it is but just and reasonable to consent unto the opinions of the two notable and famous Philosophers Heraclitus and Empedocles touching this point whereof the first hath exposed it as an infallible Maxim Quod omnia fiant per litem amicitiam That all things are made and composed of strife and friendship that is to say Of hatred and love The last hath pronounced it for an oracle of truth Quod ex quatuor elementis ex amicitia lite composita sit anima That the soul is composed of four elements and of peace or concord and contention or discord signifying thereby that contrary disposition which is between the watry spirit and the bright mentall beam in regard of their originall For by litem or strife he argueth as well the spirituall contention as the corporall in respect of that contrary puissance and hability which is between the formall light and dark matter both in regard of the body in the act of corruption when the soul would part from it and in the antipatheticall or irascible passion in respect of the soul in which the spirit laboureth and suffereth unnaturally In these opinions of the fore-said Philosophers they seem not to vary from that of the son of Syrach speaking thus Gemina sunt omnia quorum alterum est contrarium alteri nec quicquam factum est quod mancum sit All things are of a double nature the one of them contrary to the other and yet there is nothing made which is defective CHAP. I. In this Chapter it is demonstrated that God is that pure and catholick Unity the which includeth and comprehendeth in it self all multiplicity AS there is no man be he never so highly exalted in the sphear of Mathematicall perfection or profoundly dived into the mysticall bowells of the abstrusest Arithmetick that can with the quick eye-sight of his ripest understanding observe or discry any thing either by order or antiquity to challenge justly unto its self a place or ranâ—k before Unity and for this reason the wisest Philosophers do ingenuously confesse that it is the onely principle or root of all number and multitude so also ought each person of judgment to acknowledge that this radicall Identity as it is considered in its pure and absolute nature and condition cannot be limited by any quantitative dimension nor yet included or comprehended by any member nor divided into distinct portions nor yet defined by any substantiall quiddity or entity And hereupon it hath been judiciously concluded by wise men that Unity is the most antique and radicall principle of all others forasmuch as it comprehendeth in it self all substances quantities and qualities no otherwise than the Geometricall prick or point being considered in its naked simplicity is observed to be indivisible and scarcely to be perceived yea verily and as it were nothing to be determined and yet nevertheless the prick or point is evidently known to be the infallible beginning not onely of every Geometricall line but also of all other continuated Mathematicall dimensions whatsoever seeing that it comprehendeth all magnitudes and is not comprehended of any These two principles of all dimensions whatsoever since that they in order rank and antiquity do precede and excell all others did the expert Mathematicians invent after the typicall imitation or image of the most internall centrall and abstruse point of Divinity or divinest and brightest Unity remaining in that very estate in which it stood before the creation of the world namely when it reserved it self within it self and remained occult and hidden from all potentiall creatures which it was pleased afterward by the revealing of it self or emission of its vivifying light to inact and make manifest for its abode in its simple and absolute nature of unity without having any respect or consideration to things which it would create So that in this manner of this Unitie's being and existence it could not be esteemed for God forasmuch as hitherto it had not produced any creature by the which it might be adored or acknowledged for God neither could it rightly be stiled or termed a Father For it did not appear to have thought on any Son or issue either Archetypicall and ideall or typicall and mundane neither could it be reputed for the Summum bonum or higheâ—t goodness being that the defoâ—med matter or dark Chaos or rather Hyle did not as yet taste of that his bright and all-inacting blessing which was concealed and hidden in its potentiall darkness and obscurity which was therefore void of all form neither could it be intitled fair forasmuch as it did not hitherto impart his beauty for the decoration or inacting of any creature noâ— could it rightly be said to be eternity being that in this manner of his occultation within its self it seemed unto humane capacity not to exist at all and consequently not to have any reference or commerce with either eternity or aeviality or temporality moreover it could not assume or challenge unto it self the name of principle because it had no relation as yet unto any thing that did spring or issue from any beginning To conclude the nature of this simple Monadicall existence was before all created so occult and obsâ—ure unto mortalls apprehension in its order and antiquity so unknown yea and so inscrutable and incomprehensible in its essence that it could not any way be conâ—luded to be either substance or quantity or quality but rather was conceived to be a certain transcendent entity or
existence reserved onely in its self and consisting of it self not having any principle root or beginning to spring from and exist by but onely from and of it self in whose Divine Puissance as in a place without end or limits all things which are now explicitly apparent were then complicitly contained although in regard of our capacity they were esteemed nothing And for this cause such persons as were conversant in the Laws of the true Wisdome have inacted in their never dying Registers that this mysticall infinity when it was thus bewrapped in the gloomy clew or profound abysse of darknesse and remained as it were vacant or resting in its self without any action or as they say having regard or respect unto nothing was therefore termed in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Nihil Non finis Non Ens and in plain English Nothing at all in our imagination because the tenuity and poverty of man's capacity and ingeny in the regard of Divine things is such that it is accustomed to judge and imagine that not to be or exist at all which appeareth not manifestly unto the sight For this reason therefore the wisest persons in the abstruse and hidden Caball have termed this originall Unity in his secret disposition Aleph tenebrosum or the obscure and dark Aleph the which Hebrew letter is received among the Jews and Cabalisticall Rabbi's for the figure of one in Arithmetick and by consequence it is Hieroglyphically taken for God as he is understood to be that absolute Monady or Unity which onely was in it self and did abide and rest in it self without any action of emanation which afterward he did use when he was pleased to operate in Creation and therefore the wise Philosopher Hermes not disagreeing in this from the Holy Scripture saith Monas ante mundi exordium sibi ipsi non aliis reluxit Unity or Identity dâ—d shine onely to it self and in it self and not to any thing else And in another place Erat umbra infinita in abysso agua insuper Spiritus tenuis intellectualis per divinam potentiam in Chaos inerant There was an infinite shadow upon the face of the abysse and moreover water and a thin intellectuall spirit were in the Chaos through the divine puissance And Moses to confirm this saying of that wise Philosopher Tâ—nebrae erant super faciem abyssi By this therefore may wise men discern and contemplate though a far off what the Potentia or puissance divâ—ne was before any creature did explicitly appeare out of darkness as also they may easily gather what is the true principle and foundation of Darkness namely the enclosing or retaining of the actuall beams or light of immortall life and being in this bright fundamentall unity in the which is no darkness so that the Originall darkness can be reputed for nothing else but the absence of the radicall Unitie's bright emanation which is the fountain of all action neither can that Divine vivifying and creating Light be present when the will of that simple and absolute essence in Unity is not minded to send forth unto deformity the treasure of its informing beams And hereupon it followeth of necessity that darkness was upon the face of the abysse and that the earth was void and without form before the Divine Essence did shine forth and that darkness was made the tabernacle of rest and repose because where the Divine act or sacred emanation is absent all things are onely potentiall and consequently without actuall verity being as it were stark dead and without life or motion and that the property of coldness and stupidity had dominion during that privative estate because that heat is ingendred by motion onely and motion hath its beginning from Light and all brightness doth flow from this Unity which is termed the Father and Fountain of all Light wherefore it followeth that if this Divine Essence retain it self in it self then the dark Chaos reserved onely in the Divine Puissance or Potentia Divina must be deprived of motion and that it is inclined to inspissation and condensation by reason of his congealing and cold property which doth thicken and make gross by contraction and that it is the fountain of all privation and an enemy unto the creatures life and being because it is contrary to act motion and heat which are the hand-maids of the Divine emanation and consequently it is the fountain of death deformity and non-entity To conclude as Light is the originall of life position act motion and in a word of the Volunty of God in his revealed Nature so also is this primordiall darkness the head and well-spring of death privation rest or vacancy and in brief of the Divine essence's Nolunty And hereupon the Scriptures do justify that when God doth send forth his salutiferous beams and manifest unto his creatures the light of his countenance they are refreshed with goodness and life when he in part doth hide his face and withdraweth his lively and vivifying beams from them they grow sick and their spirits are troubled but if he totally withdraw his aspect of life from them they do immediatly expire and breath their last Whereupon also Moses Deus malos relinquit abscondit faciem suam ab iis ut obveniant iis mala multa God forsaketh the wicked an â—hideth his face from them that much mischief may befall them And David Quousque abscondis vultum tuum a me Exhilara me vultu tuo visitatio tua conservat Spiritum meum How long wilt thou hide thy face from me make me glad with thy countenance thy visitation doth conserve my spirit c. Whereby it appeareth that this Divine Essence observeth as well after his creation of the world as before it both the action of his Nolunty and his Volunty in the first whereof he withdraweth or withholdeth that vertue of life from the creature which is the act of privation in the last he giveth life and preservation to it For by this his dilatative property he created the world and all things therein CHAP. II. Wherein it is proved that all things were complicitly and ideally in God and of God before they were made THus have I expressed and made manifest according unto the small validity of mine understanding the estate and being of this radicall and eternall Unity before any thing was by it created with the effects that it did produce in the potentiall and deformed Mass or materiall subject of all things which was complicitly or hiddenly detained and comprehended in that Omnipotent and incomprehensible point of Divine perfection in which increated condition it remained as Nothing quoad nos forasmuch as it was without form unto the which it appertaineth onely to give a name and essence and therefore in the estate of its non-actuall being wise men have termed it Potenâ—iam Divinam or the Divine Puissance To confirm and verify all this we find these
axioms of the Scriptures Ex ipso per ipsum in ipso sunt omnia Of him by him and in him are all things Omnia sunt ex Deo All things are of God Uuns Pater omnium qui super omnes per omnia in omnibus nobis There is one Father of all who is above all and through all and in all of us Omniaper ipsum in ipso creata sunt ipse est anteomâ—es omnia in ipso constant All things are created by him and in him and he is before all and all consist in him Ipse est omnia in omnibus He is all and in all things And the Son of Syrach Diximus multa nec tamenea assequuâ—i sumus Summa dictorum est Ipsum esse omnia We have said many things without attaining unto them the Sum of all our words is that he is all tâ—ings By the which axioms we may easily gather that God did beget bring forth make and create nothing which was not eternally of himself and in himself so that from him all things did flow and spring namely out of a secret and hidden nature to a revealed and manifest condition from an unknown estate unto an evident and known existence from a pure Archetypicall simplicity into a real type or similittude from a radicall fountain into a Sea and from a meer point into a circle or circumference verifying that saying of the wise Philosopher God is the center of every thing whose circumference is no where to be found that is in all and beyond all To confirm all this we may boldly and without offence infer thus much namely that every thing that is begotten principiated created produced or separated doth radically proceed from one that is unbegotten infinite not made or created noâ— separated but onely one Unity individuall in his essence For it is an easy matter to consider that every inferior thing doth issue from a superior every corporall thing from a spirituall every visible thing from an invisible every temporall thing namely which hath both a beginning and an end from a thing that is aeviall that is to say which hath a beginning but no end and every aeviall thing from an eternall thing to wit that which hath neither beginning nor end and therefore that eternall point or brightest Unity which hath no beginning and consequently no end is the fountain from the which all aeviall and temporall things do essentially proceed no otherwise then all numbers do flow from Unity and are comprehended in Unity For how far soever the number doth extend it self evermore it hath an unity to begin it and an unity to conclude it and in verity it hath nothing bendes an unity to create and compose it within But for your better instruction you may observe by a diligent insight into the cossicall numbers how the Divine and Centrally formall Unity doth comprehend all creatures as well before they were made as since their creation in its self For we must note that there is nothing in the world but it is either a root or a square or a cube or some other such like figure which is framed and composed of these The root doth represent the beginning of all cossicall proportions or magnitudes the Square doth decipher the simple and spirituall principiated figure which is created or made by the multipliâ—ation of that root the cube is composed through the augmenting of that square or principiated shape in its root so that we may discern that the whole cubick body and consequently the square is conteined in the root and in conclusion is nothing else then the root multiplied in it self or from it self But that my demonstrations may yet approach a little nearer unto our purpose let us I pray you with diligence consider the nature and property of this Divine Monady or Unity as it is in its simple and sincere existence and then we shall find it and that without any egression from his own punctuall or centrall profundity to comprehend complicitly within it self the three foresaid cossicall Dimensions and consequently all other things which it hath now by Creation explicitly made evident in this typicall world and that is proved easily by this Arithmeticall demonstration For if we shall multiply an unity as a root in it self it will produce but it self namely an unity for a square the which being again remultiplicated in its self will bring forth a cube which is all one with the root or square to wit a simple unity Whereby it is evident that though we have here three various branches which seem to differ in their formall progression I mean a Root a Square and Cube yet in the essentiall verity and reality there is but this one Unity or Indentity in the which all things remaine potentially and that after a most abstruse manner And for this reason the Wiseman saith Deo omnia sunt cogniâ—a antequam crearentur All things were known unto God before they were created And Esdrâ—s Dei potentia ante omnia creata finis initium omnium est The Puissance of God which was before all creatures was the beginning and end of all things And unto this purpose Hermâ—s saith Ex uno principio cunâ—ta dependent principium ex uno solo principium movetur ut rursus extet principium ipsum tamen unum prâ—stat nec recedit ab unitate All things depend of one principle or beginning that is on one sole Unity and this principle or beginning is moved that it may again become a principle and yet nevertheless it is but one thing onely that doth effect it not departing from the nature of Unity And to this sense saith St. John In principio â—rat verbum In the beginning was the word The which word affirmeth thus much Ego Pater unum sumus Pater in me ego in Patre Pater in me manâ—us ipse facit omnia I and my Father am one my Father in me and I in my Father and my Father in me is he that maketh all things Even unto this very purpose seemeth the wise Hermes to concurre with the Scriptures in the shaping out of the Archetypicall world after whose Image this our typicall world is created and therefore he termeth it elsewhere the visible Son of God Monas saith he generat Monadem in seipsum reflexit ardorem One bâ—gat one and reflected the Ardor and vertue of his emanation into it self that is it shined into it self to the shaping out of an Ideal world and was not as yet conversant about the framing out of any typicall one Whereby it is evident that nothing is really figured in this world which was not ideally fashioned out in the archetype or eternall one But lest some captious person should except against these places in Scripture and else-where cited by me touching this very point and alledge as some of them have already done that these mine opinions are
therefore coeternall in being with God because there can be no goodnesse which hath not relation unto his contrary namely badnesse For this reason they will have forsooth the God of evill and naughtinesse to be of a coeternall existence with the God of goodnesse By which means they would not onely exclude the Devill out of the list of creatures but also banish Unity out of the bounds of nature and justle Diady or duality which in verity is nothing else but a confusion of Unities in its place And verily this point did seem so ticklish and diffiâ—ult to be scanned and resolved that there were some of the wiser sort of Poeticall Philosophers that did incline unto their part as it appeareth by such mysticall and allegoricall expressions as they did aenigmatically rowl up or bewrap in their fabulous discourses Amongst the rest we find that the Poet Pronapis in his Pro o-cosmus averreth that Demogorgon by which is meant the greatest of the Gods was garded or incircled about with Eternity and Chaos And that on a time whilst he was in his majesty he did perceive a great tumult and troublesome motion to be stirred up in the bowells of the Chaos Whereupon to help her in this her travels and ease her of her trouble he put forth his hand and performing the office of a Midwife did suddenly deliver her of the foul and deformed Monster Litigium or strife the which after such time as it had moved great storms and troubles and had ambitiously attempted to sore or fly upward was forthwith by Demogorgon cast down into the deep But when he yet perceived her to travell and be oppressed miserably with fervent sighs and dropping sweats Demogorgon would not in these her agonies remove his hand from her untill she was delivered of Pan with his three Sisters which were called the Parcae or Desâ—inyes and when Demogorgon was much affected and taken with the beauty and excellent form of Pan he made him the Ruler of all his familiar businesses in the world and commanded his three Sisters as his Hand-maids and Ministers to obey his behests and will It followeth that Chaos being over burthened and oppressed with the weight of so great a heap or Mass as she travelled with and now being delivered and freed from it did at the perswasion of Demogorgon place her Son Pan upon her Throne This is the Parabolicall fable of Demogorgon and Chaos familiarly told by the Poets Their Allegory importeth that the generation and procreation of all things did spring from the highest God or Creator which they signify by the name of Demogorgon unto whom Eternity is joyned by an inviolable link in one essentiall society because that he onely is truly to be called Eternall who is and ever was the beginning or primary cause of all things And they fain also that Chaos made a third in that endlesse Society forasmuch as she is by Ovid's relation the common mixed and confused matter or stuff of all things in the world and therefore the Ancients did affirm her to be eternall with God as being a rude Mass or dark abysse out of which Demogorgon as an universall Father and Work-master did according unto his will procreate and fashion out all things and therfore they esteem this catholick Substance or matter of all things to be the generall Mother on which and out of which the universall Father did beget and frame out every thing for the which cause they concluded that there were two generall Parents of things from endless antiquity whereof the one was the Father and the other the Mother But they consented that God was their chiefest cause and they would have the Chaos serve onely as his passive companion to engender on And although it may appear that the wise and divine Plato doth seem in some sort to verify that the Chaos was God's companion from all antiquity yet he doth intimate to us well as many other of the like profundity that though she be termed a companion with God in the Creation yet did she issue from him by a certain eternall generation or production and that God did afterward frame all things out of Chaos For which cause they conclude that it did spring from God and is never divided from him as also it serveth God as a female companion for procreation and generation no otherwise then Eve being framed out of Adam was called a companion unto Adam This is the opinion of both the Heathen Philosophers and mysticall Cabalists But to proceed in this Allegorie's exposition The hand of Demogorgon importeth the Divine Puissance The first-born of Chaos namely Litigium with a foul shape signifieth the true Prince of Darkness the Author of opposition the Father of discord and therefore for his presumptuous attempt against the Prince of Light and the Lord of Life he was cast down into the abysse By the Second birth of Chaos namely Pan they point at the universall nature of the world and the peaceablenesse and accord of contrary Elements arguing thereby that after that great discord which was in the first opening of Chaos her womb concord did follow in the second place which was as beautifull and acceptable unto God in the later birth as deformed discord was foul and odious in his sight in the first Thus you see how in the first beginning of the world all the Elements were at strife in the bowels of the Chaos The three Parcae or Sisters of Destiny Clotho Lachesis and Atropos which were born with Pan do signify the three orders of time namely the time present the time past and the time to come Clotho hath the care of the present time and her office is to twist the thread of life Lachesis is the superintendrix of the time to come and looketh to the flax or hemp which is not yet spunne nor twisted And Atropos doth import the time past which is irrevocable and therefore she doth finish and cut off the thread now spun I infer upon this parabolicall relation that though the Chaos or dark abysse be with God before the world's creation yet did the infinite and sole eternall Unity or radicall Essence create it and produce it out of its self For that Eternall Unity saith Ego Dominus non est alter sormans lucem creans tenebras faciens pacem creans malum I am the Lord and there is no other who do inform light and create darkness making peace and creating evill As if he had said I am the Father of Light or of the bright Spirit of Wisdome and I created the dark Chaos out of which I framed the world and out of her I produced as well the concord and discord of the Elements in the world that is to say Litigium and Pan so that we may discern still that there is but one Eternall Unity which in it self is male and female and all that can be imagined which of himself and in himself produceth all things no
without it was nothing made and preserved So that if it were not for the present action of this formall spirit the watry matter of the world would return unto the deformed estate of her mother Chaos for being in this world it is inclined unto the disposition of her mother being that it is passive feminine and serveth in place of the mother of all things and in another respect the vivifying and bright emanation of the eternal Unity is become the masculine actor or father of all things being that it doth vivify every thing in this world as the Apostle teacheth us and as the before-said Poets do seem to intimate unto us under the name of Apollo or the father of light This therefore being well observed we may by the detection of these two abstruce and mysticall principles I mean of Light and Darknesse attain unto the radicall knowledge and originall of the true sympathy and antipathy being that it is evident that the first proceedeth from that concording and vivifying love which ariseth from the benigne emanation of the Creator which desireth to be joyned with his like and seeketh to preserve his like by union and the other issueth from that discording privative and hatefull affection which darknesse and deformity doth afford unto the children of light and life and to all the beautious offsprings thereof By this therefore it appeareth that as before the separation of these different properties or effects of one unity namely of light from darknesse which was brought to passe by the divine word all things were one and the same without distinction and difference and that unity or one was no way to be numbered among those things which were created so that light was darknesse and darknesse light and neither of these discernable nothing was really distinguished but all were one in the first matter of all things which was in the eternall unity So that then there was neither light nor darkness nor day nor night nor heaven nor earth nor spirit nor body nor good nor evill nor pure nor impure nor generable nor corruptible nor this nor that and yet nevertheless all these as well spirituall as corporall proceeded from that potentiall subject which remained complicitely in that infinite Unity which both was and is and ever shall be all in all and over or without all O admirable wisdom of God in all his works All things I say proceeded from one matter the which nevertheless was nothing of these things which were made All things were abstrucely hidden and in secret but according unto our Saviours words nothing was so occult and obscure but was to be revealed and made to appear unto sighr by the penetrating operation of the admirable word Fiat by whose divine spagericall action or vertue that one thing was divided into two contraries upon the which names well befitting their natures were imposed for the one as I have told you was called Light and the other Darkness the first also was tearmed Day the last Night and thus was the pure separated from the impure Hence therefore it commeth that all the world was originally divided into two contrary Kingdoms that correspond unto these two radicall branches of one unity by the which relation it is easie to express what in verity is light and darkness what day and night what goodness and what badness what is heaven and what is hell what is truth and what is falshood what is humility and what is pride what justice and what injustice what is gladnesse and what is sorrow what is sweet and what is bitter what is action and what passion what is life and what is death what is generation and what corruption what is pure and what impure what is wholsom and what pernicious what is a medicine and what a poison and to conclude what is amiable and what is odious what is concord and what is discord and by consequence what is sympathy and what antipathy in an infinity of creatures in this world That the whole world and every creature thereof is composed of these two contrarieties or opposite natures we find it justified as well by the sacred authority as testimony of Ethnick Philosophy for the son of Syrach saith in the place before specified Gemina sunt omnia quorum alterum contrarium est alteri nec quicquam factum est quod mancum est All things are of a two-fold nature whereof the one is contrary unto the other and yet there is not any thing which is defective And thereupon the Philosopher Heraclitus concludeth that all things in the world are made by strife and concord and Empedocles will have the soul to be composed of the elements and of friendship and enmity To conclude lest some scrupulous Reader should condemn me for making so long a discourse upon these two contrary principles proceeding from one Root I thought it most fit to certifie each judicious person that the true knowledg thereof is of an especiall importance because that the two foresaid principles are observed to be the reall and onely foundation both of universall Philosophy and Theology For that the root and bases of them both doth consist on the true understanding of these two contrarieties And therefore if they be not first of all well opened and conceived how is it possible afterwards that they should be rightly handled either in true Philosophy or understood in those places of Holy-Writ wherein they are so often mentioned Touching the explication of this most profound Sphyngian Riddâ—e or abstruse question namely Why God in his secret sense or mentall intent did raise up and ordain out of the informed matter or Ideally delineated in himself these two contrarieties to cause thereby that all things in the world should be put into a mutuall dissonance or fight and conflict with one another so that there is found nothing which participateth of goodness which hath not his contrary that is to say which doth not communicate with badness insomuch that God himself is not without an adversary verily it is too occult a Caball to be explained by mortall capacity being that it may well be esteemed the profoundest secret of all the divine mysteries wherefore there is required a mentall aspect well purged and mundified from each misty cloud of ignorance and error to search into the bowells of this question and therefore it is impossible to be revealed unto any but to such as God doth immediatly bestow his grace and holy Spirit which is the searcher out of all mysteries the which Spirit is in us and breatheth and blows when and where it listeth and it is called in Scriptures the Spirit of Truth the Spirit of Sanctification the Spirit of Illumination the Spirit of Revelation which is the best interpreter of the Divine Secrets mentioned in holy-Writ neither verily doth it become us of our selves to enquire why God made this or that or thus or after this fashion But it behoveth the zealous to refer all this unto the
time when these secrets shall be discovered which will come to pass when the seventh Seal shall be opened for then that high mystery which is the finall cause why and for what end Gods Providence will by these two opposits reveal it self and clean extinguish all enmity out of the world shall be discovered As touching nevertheless the end of this dissonancy the Apostle saith that it will be when the Son hath delivered the Kingdom unto God the Father and when he hath evacuated every Principality and Potentate and Virtue he must raign untill he hath made his enemies his foot-stool and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death So that as two contrarieties or discords proceeded from one Unity or unison namely Light and Darkness from one Divine Essence So also these two dissonant branches or confusion of Unities will at the last be reduced or return again into one harmonious Unity in which there will be found no dissonancy namely when these words of the Revelation are accomplished Ecce omnia nova facio vetera enim transurunt Behold I make all things new for the old heaven and earth have passed away But leaving this allaterall discourse we will proceed directly in our Sympatheticall and Antipatheticall Argument or inquiâ—ition into the which that we may penetrate with the greater celerity and facility and dive the deeper into the research of their actions it will be fit that we should describe in the first place the manner how the world doth live by the participation of these two namely of the Light and Darkness and that I will expresse unto you in few words what the Ancient Philosophers have determined about the soul of the world and lastly I will shew that their Opinions do not erre or vary much from the Testimony of the sacred Bible CHAP. IV. Wherein it is evidently proved as well by the ancienâ— Ethnick Philosophers as by the authority of Holy Scriptures that there is a soul of the world Herein also is expressed what this catholick Soul is and whereof it is composed or made I Purpose in the first rank of my discourse touching the soul of the world to expresse what the opinions as well of the ancient Cabalists and mysticall Rabbi's as Ethnick Philosophers are concerning this Subject so much condemned by some self-conceited and little skillfull persons in so profound a mystery and so highly prised and esteemed by others who have with the Lyncean eye-sight of their understanding dived and penetrated into the secret bowells of Nature with due reverence contemplated her Centrall and eternall Agent And afterwards my meaning is to set down the concordance which is observed betwixt them and Holy-Writ The Cabalist's tenent is that the great Angell whom they term Mitattron which by interpretation is Donum Dei the gift of God is that very same catholick Spirit which doth animate the whole world and thereupon Rabbi Moses doth averre it to be Intellectus a ens or the generall intellectuall agent from which all particular forms do flow And they say that from this universall angelicall Spirit all singular vertues as well animall as vitall and naturall do proceed which also they call Angells whereof there are an infinite number in respect of our capacity And the Philosopher Democritus Orpheus with divers of the Pythagoreans do not much differ from this opinion of these Rabbi's but in variety of name onely for they imagine that all things are full of gods and therefore they offered divine Honours Praiers and Sacrifices unto them in the creatures and did worship each of them with a divers fashion of ceremony But they had evermore that regard unto JEHOVA the eternall Unity and Father of all things that they referred all these gods unto one Jupiter This point nevertheless being ill understood by the ignorant was an especiall cause of Idolatry being that hereupon the simple fell unto the worshipping of the creature in stead of the Divinity which was in the creature And for this reason Solomon Vani sunt homines omnes naturà in quibus est ignorantia Dei qui ex iis quae spectantur bonis eum qui est intellig ere non potuerunt neque ex operibus consideratis ipsum opificem agnoverunt All men are naturally vain in whom is the want of the knowledg of God and cannot conceive him that truly is by such good creatures as they sensibly do discern nor yet have scanned and discovered the Workman by the consideration of his works In like manner the Platonists did call the generall vertue which did engender and preserve all things the Animam mundi or the soul of the world And to this their opinions the Arabick Astrologians do seem to adhere forasmuch as they did maintain that every particular thing in the world hath his distinct and peculiar soul from this vivifying Spirit To this opinion also Mercurius Trismegistus Theophrastus Avicenna Algazel and as well all the Stoicks and Peripateticks do seem wholly to consent or agree Again Zoroaster and Heraclitus the Ephesian conclude that the soul of the world is that catholick invisible fire of which and by the action whereof all things are generated and brought forth from puissance unto act Virgil that excellent Latine Poet calleth it that mentall Spirit which is infused through every joint and member of the world whereby the whole Mass of it namely the heaven and the earth or spirit and body are after an abstruse manner agitated and moved His words are these Spiritus intus alit totamque infusa per arâ—us Mens agitat molem c. A Spirit saith he doth nourish within and being infused over all the joints or members of the world it doth move the whole substance of the same Marcus Manâ—ius as also Boetius and Augurel being later Poets are of Virgil's opinion For Manlius saith Hoc opus immensi constructum corpore mundi Vis animae divina regit The divine power of the â—oul doth govern this work which is erected in the body of the vast world And Boetius Tu triplicis mediam naturae cuncta moventem Connectis animam Thou dost frame or tye together a mean soul of a triple nature which movâ—th all things And Augurel saith Nonnulli quicquid diffunditur undique coeli Aëraque terras lati marmoris aequor Intus agi referunt animà quà vivere mundi Cuncta putant ipsumque hà e mundum ducere vitam Ast animae quoniam nil non est corporis expers Mundus at mundi partes quoque corpore constant Spiritus hic intermedius fit quem neque corpus Aut animum dicunt sed eum qui solus utroque Participans in idem simul haec exâ—rema redâ—cat Some say that whatsoever filleth the Heaven the Aire the Earth and wide Seas is stirred up by a soul through the vertue whereof all things in the world do live and also that the world it self doth exist by it But because
there is not any bodily substance that is viod of a soul and that the world and every part thereof doth consist of a body therefore there is an intermediate spirit betwixt this soul and body which they neither call a soul or a body but a mean substance participating of them both to reduce both extreams together into one The wiser sort of Alchymists do make the Soul a certain infinite nature or power in all things which doth procreate like things of their like for this nature doth engender all things yea and multiplieth and nourisheth or sustaineth them and they also style it the Ligament or bond of the elements since by it they are fastned together with the Symphoniacal accords of peaceable harmony although of themselves that is in regard of their matter they are dissonant Also it is termed the true virtue that mingleth and proportionateth every thing in this sublunary world allotting unto each specifick creature a convenient and well agreeing form that thereby one thing might be distinguished and made to vary from another and in conclusion the mysticall Rabbies do averre that this occult fire is that Spirit of the Lord or fiery love which when it moved upon the waters did impart unto them a certain harmonious and hidden fiery vertue without whose lovely assistance and favorable heat nothing could be generated of them or multiplied in them Thus you may discern the manifold opinions as well of Christian as Heathen Philosophers touching this Anima mundi or soul of the world which will appear to vary little or nothing at all from the tenent of Holy Scripture in sense but in words onely Neither are these their opinions so hainous or abominable as some more superstitiously zealous than truly understanding Christians of this our Age will make them if they will scan the matter wisely and with moderation for then they shall really perceive that it doth concurre with the Bible of Truth And to confirm what I now say my purpose is in the first place to expresse unto each learned and well minded Reader the harmony of the Scriptures touching this point and then I will compare every one of the foresaid opinions with the sense and grounds of the said harmony that each wise man may thereby the better conjecture and guesse at the truth of the business before he shall rashly enter into the censuring of that deep and profound mystery which concerneth the Divine action in naturall effects I told you in my precedent discourse that the Eternall Unity which is the God of gods and Beginning of beginnings did cause by a double property in one essence two divers principles to issue out of himself whereof the one was potentiall and no way as yet inacted by the brightnesse of his emanation and in that respect is termed Darkness privation Nolunty opposit to Light and a friend unto death and rest The other was actuall and nothing else but a pure catholick form and brightness which is tearmed Light Position Volunty and in nature opposit to Darknesse and a friend unto life and action or motion And then I signified unto you that by the bright appearance of Eternity or the Eternall Spirit of Wisdom which I termed with the Scriptures the radiant emanation or effluxion from the Almighty which is all one with him in essence the deformed waters were inacted and made manifest out of this dark Principle or Chaos that is reduced from Potentia Divina or the Divine Puissance without form in which they abode into Actum Divinum the Divine Act and because all the humid and passive catholick nature of which both the heavens and the earth were framed did issue from this Mass of watery matter which the Poets call Pana or the second birth of Chaos we must imagine it to be that spirituall matter of the world which was made fertill and multiplicable by reason of that hidden active and formall Light or invisible fire which this increated emanation imparted unto it immediatly before the creation of the heavens and the earth Whereupon the holy Text hath it Spiritus Domini serebatur super aquas The Spirit of the Lord moved or was carried upon the waters And as St. Aâ—gustin addeth to it igneum illis vigorem impâ—râ—ieâ—s Bestowâ—ng upon thâ—m a fiery vigor or formall and actâ—ve vertue Now as we see that Man which is called the little-world is composed of soul and body whereof the soul is his heaven or spirituall part or as we may say the superiour and higher waters and the body with the humours thereof as it were the lower waters is the earth and gâ—osser humouâ—s and each of these two are informed united and vivified by the Spirit of life which God inspired into it even so we may observe that the heaven or spirituall humid nature of the great world is animated by the eternall emanation or spirit of the supernaturall wisdom of God to give life and figure unto the world And forasmuâ—h as it is eaâ—ie to discern that the macro cosmicall heavens are of two sorts namely composed of upper spirituall waters which are called Aeâ—her or heavenly and of the lower spirituall waters which are called Aer or elementary no otherwise than in the lesser world or man the receptacle of the heavenly spirit is known to be Aer so that Physitians distinguish by reason of this difference between the vitall or aetheriall spirits and the naturall or elementary body So we ought to consider that this materiall humid spirit of the heavens in both worlds which are the subtlety of the waters are in themselves dead but in respect of the super-celestiall emanation into them which informeth and vivifieth them they live move and are thinner or thicker according unto that more or less formall grace which the all-informing Spirit doth allot them for the more the sacred Spirit of life doth abound or really act in this or that region of the universall aire the more that sphear is thin subtle active worthy and noble Doth not Scripture seem to verifie that Deus sapientia sua aptet pondus aeri appendat aquas in mensura fecerit terram in fortitudine sua preparaverit orbem in sapientia sua prudentia sua extenderit coelos appenderit aquilonem super inane suspenderit terram super nihilum In coelorum structura cum Deus stabiliret fundâ—menta terrae ipsa aderat cuncta componens And again Wisdom saith Ex ore altissimi prodii primogenita ante omnem creaturam in initio ante seculum creata sum usque ad futurum seculum non desinam habitatione sancta coram ipsum ministravi In coelis â—eci ut oriretur lumeninde ficiens sicut nebula texâ— omnem terram In altissimis habitavi thronus meus in columna nubis coeli gyrum circuivi sola profundum abyssi penetravi in fluctibus maris ambulavi in omni terra sâ—eti Feci Arcturum Orionem converti in
in its simple and separated estate Damascene seemeth to define it thus Anima est subâ—tantia spiritualis a divinis fontibus emanaâ—s simplex indissolubilis immoâ—â—alâ—s libeâ—a incorporea indivisibilis quantitate figura pondere colore carens The sâ—â—l is a spirituall sâ—bstance flowing from the divine fountains simple indâ—ssolvable immortall free incorporealâ— indivisible wanting quantity figure waight and colour Unto this also Bernard seemeth to consent And Augustin defineth it thus Est mens divâ—na omnia intelligens omnibusque se assimilans It is a divine Spirit that understandeth all things and doth câ—nform it self unto the shape or lâ—kenesâ— of all things And for this reason certain Philosophers say that it is made after the likeness of the Spirit of Wisdome which is known to be the Image of God For it beareth the likeness of every thing in it self Wherefore it is defined by them to be the similitude of all things And verily it hath in it self this power to apprehend and find out all things Again it is like unto all things being that it is one in all There are some of the â—â—viner sort of Mysticall Philosophers that seem to conclude mans soul more fully in this definition Anima est lux quaedam divina ad imaginem Verbi causae causarum primi exemplaris creata sâ—bstantia Dei sigilioque figurata cuâ—us character est verbum aeâ—â—num The soul is a certain divine Light created after the Image of the Word the caâ—se of causâ—s and the first exemplaâ— or image c. Another defines it thus Est res incorporea omni decore adornata Sanctae Trinitati â—ssimiâ—ata 〈◊〉 nae gloriae coaquata It is an incorporeall thing whâ—ch is adorned with all virtue likned to or resembâ—â—ng the Holy Trinity and coâ—equated unto eternall glory Some do describe it thus Est Spiritus intellectualis semper vivens semper in mâ—tâ— sâ—cundum sui operis efficâ—â—m variis nuncupatur nominibus Dicitur vita dum vegetat spiritus dum contemplatur sensus dum sentit animus dum sapit mens dum intelligit ratio dum dâ—scernit mem ria dum recordatur dum vuli voluntas at isla omnia non sunt nâ—si una essentia seâ— proprietate diversa It is an intellectuall Spirit alwaies living alwaies in motion and in respect of its divers operations in the body it hath divers appellations assigned unto it For it is called life in regard of its vâ— vificative and vegetative property It is called a Spirit as it is conversant about contemplation and is a spirituall substance and breatheth in the body it is called sense as it is imploied about the Act of sensation it is termed Animus when it operateth in Knowledg and Wisdome and it is named Mens in regard of its Divine Understanding and Memory as it doth remember again as it is affected to will any thing it is called Voluntas and all these names decipher but onely one Anima or Soul in essence but divers and sundry properties or faculties c. And these later descriptions are assigned unto this vivifying Spirit as it is conversant with the body Now if we shall duly examine all these delineations of the essence and properties of this Anima as well in her freedom from the body as when it is included in it we shall find it not to vary one jot from the tenor of my precedent assertion For first we shall observe it to be in its essentiall virtue the off-spring of the eternall emanation which came immediatly from God for the inacting of all things and then that it hath for its substantiall Vehicle the thin subtile created spirit of the world which maketh it alteritatem or a composition of two namely of the bright emanation from the eternall Fountain and therefore in the foresaid definitions it is tearmed in regard of this its interior in the first a Spirituall Substance flowing from the divine Fountain in the second mens divina in the third the Image of similitude of the divine Wisdome in the fourth a divine Light after the Image of the Word the substance of God whose character is the Word in the fifth the similitude of the Holy Trinity coaequated unto the divine Glory Secondly it participates of the mundane spirit and therefore it is by the sixth and seventh tearmed in regard of its substance a spirit that breatheth in the body and it is the Vehicle of the formall act which is in truth the divine mentall beam being considered in it self as the substantiall and materiall spirit in its simple nature it is that which participateth with the created spirit of the world The union of these two is called anima so that anima includeth mentem and spiritum or the divine and created nature in one which filleth all and animateth and vivifieth all things according to the assertion of such Gentile and Ethnick Philosophers as I have cited before which I will prove no way to dissent or vary from the testimony of the holy Text. And to make this the plainer I will compare them in order And first I will begin my relation with the Cabalists great Angell whom they call Mitaitron which by interpretation is Donum Dei the Gift of God which as they say is the catholick intellectuall Agent from the which all peculiar forms do descend The Apostle saith that the Lord doth vivifie all things And Solomon saith that the Spirit of Wisdom is the tree of life and the fountaiâ— or beginning of life and if this Spirit be the fountain of life then the Son of Syrach effudit Deus illam supra omnia opera sua supra omnem carnem secundum datum suum God poured it out upon all his works and upon all flesh in his measure And this was that catholick angelicall Spirit which God sent out as a Spirituall Messenger from himself and out of himself in the form of an emanation to move upon the waters and to inform and vivify them and give life and being not onely to the great world but also to every particular thereof and the emanation was this Word of God by whom all things were made and vivified forasmuch as in it was life I mean that Christ which filleth all things who is all in all as the Apostle saith who in the beginning made the earth and the heavens were the work of his hands and after his creation of all things he doth as St. Paul telleth us portare omnia verbo virtutis suae bear up suffer and sustain all things by the vivifying virtue of this Word Which also David confirmeth in this Verbo Domini firmati sunt coeli Spiritu ab ore ejus omnis virtus eorum By the Word of the Lord the heavens were framed and setled and by the breath of his mouth all the virtues thereof namely the life preservation and being The Apostle therefore seemeth to conclude thus Deus non aliquo indigens
consideration that the etymology of the word by interpretation may import donum Dei or the gift of God for what greater gift could God impart unto his potentiall creatures and in generall unto the great world then his eternall Spirit of wisdom or his onely Begotten to make them of somewhat nothing and to take away all deformity and nullity from the water and to shape out of them a Heaven and an Earth and to figure out in them all the creatures thereof and to preserve them in existence essence and lively being This was therefore indeed the true catholick donum Dei or gift of God whose incorruptible nature is in all things and filleth all things and as it is the most movable of all things so it operateth all in all according to the will of him that sent him And therefore in regard of the office and as he was an emissive Spirit so was he not unworthily named by them the great or catholick Angell had not Scriptures in plain tearms seemed to intimate so much I could also demonstrate that the world and his soul or life was shaped after the image of the Archetype in this manner From 1 which was all light in whom is no darknesse did 2 issue which was quoad nos darknesse or the dark Chaos so called because unity did not as yet shine forth to inform them Betwixt these two extreams is 3 interposed as a peaceable or charitable unity between meer light and darknesse or the Spirit of divine love who resting in the midst between these two principles uniteth the divine formall fire with the humid materiall nature or spirit of darknesse making a union of two opposite natures so that both natures do remain in one sympatheticall concordance and therefore this formall ternary is called Ligamentum elementorum litem amicitiam concoâ—diae vinculis connectâ—ns The ligament of the elements tying together hatred and love with the bands of concord I expresse them thus Deus 1 Lux. Coelum 3 Sphaera aequalitatis Terra 2 Tenebrae This excellent harmony of the soul of the world is else-where most fitly expressed by me by two equall Piramidicall shapes whereof the one is formall the other materiall the basis of the formall is the immediate act of God or the infinite and onely bright Unity and it importeth the emanation of the creating and informing Spirit so that his Cone doth penetrate unto the very center of the dark earth or abysse And contrariwise the basis of the materiall or watry Pyramis is in the earth or center of darknesse and the Cone ascendeth unto the center of the basis of the formal Pyramis in this manner Now where the intersection is made between the two principal concurrences I have framed a piece of a circle which circle because the portions of the formall Pyramis and materiall are there equall we therefore with the Platonists do call Sphaeram aequalitatis or the Sphear of equality or as they in another respect tearm it the orbe or sphear of the soul of the world which is just in the midst of the starry heaven called for that reason Aether quasi igneus aer a fiery aire as who should say an equall portion of the spirit of the waters and of the formall fire descending from God or Unity as I have expressed before And therefore as we placed in the precedent demonstration the 3 in the center or middle of the line between the divine illuminating unity 1 and the dark Chaos or deformed duality 2 so in the world was the spirituall body of the visible Sun of this typicall world placed in which the invisible and increated Sun of the Archetypicall world did put his Tabernacle and for this cause it is rightly tearmed of the Platonists the sphear of the soul. And verily by effect we find that all vivification doth potently spring from the solar or Sunny influence and as for the excellent beauty of the creature as also in respect of the vivifying act thereof it is an evident argument that it aboundeth with the blessed sparks or vivifying beams of divinity Again that it is the bright organ by which he that vivifieth all things doth impart and pour forth the showre of his benignity or divine Nectar of life continuall experience teacheth even the meanest plowman Now that this most excellent and perfect concord of life doth remain principally in the midst of the line drawn from unity or the fountain of form to the earth or duality which is the fountain of matter I prove it thus by the accords of Musick The perfectest consonance in Musick is Diapason and of all the other symphoniacall accords it approacheth nearest unto the sacred Unity in Divinity for it is half unison and therefore it is rightly compared unto the blessed emanation of life which came from unity and for that reason it is rightly tearmed the Idea or image of a unison And as the unison like one essence in Divinity doth comprehend three Persons importing the three accords in the Archetypicall harmony So also the Diapason comprehendeth in it the two other accords besides it self namely Diapente and Dâ—atessaron Now that this most perfect consonant of Diapason is planted in the midst of a unison and doth as it were beget in it self two perfect chords or Diapasons which be contained within it self I prove it thus Take a Lute or Bandora and strike any of the strings open and then stop that same string exactly in the middle of it and each half will sound a Diapason unto that open unison so that the unison which is made by the striking of the whole string open will be divided into two Diapasons or most perfect consonants unto the whole which is an evident argument that the perfection of the Diapason is in the seat of the Sun and consequently that the formall and lively accord of all the world is no otherwise in that centrall or middle place then the heart which is the seat of life is in man And yet by the beams of the Sun this life of the world is made catholick and filleth all no otherwise than the vitall blood doth universally expanse it self in the Microcosm by the channells of the arteries But I fear I have followed this point too far to prove and maintain the soul of this world wherefore I leave it to come directly unto the point being that in my Mosaicall Philosophy to wit in the fourth book thereof I have fully proved and maintained that Translation of Jerom to be right namely Posuit tabernaculum suum in sole he put his tabernacle in the Sun I will proceed therefore unto the second opinion of the Philosophers The ancient Philosopher Democritus Orpheus with the Pythagoreans do judge that all things are full of gods and again all these gods they referre unto one Jupiter where by gods they â—ntend the divine virtues infused into things which Zoroaster called divinos illices Synesius the Bishop Symbolicas illecebras others tearm
this spirituall bread saith Pater noster dat nobis de coelo panem verum panis enim verus est qui de coelo descendâ—t dat vitam mundo Our father giveth us true bread from heaven for it is the true bread which descendeth from heaven and giveth life unto the world But I know it wil be alledged against me that the bread here mention'd is meant of spiritual bread not that which nourisheth corporally I grant that in a true sort they speak not amisse for this bread or food is spirituall and therefore it is reserved in the heart arteries of the creature and is nothing in it self but pure life Doth not our Saviour say Non solo pane vivit homo sed omni verbo quod procedit ab ore Dei Man liveth not onely by bread but by every word that commeth from the mouth of God And these words were understood by Moses of that Manna by which the Israelites were nourished in the desert And the Apostle calleth the food wherewith they were nourished The spirituall Rock which was Christ. And therefore that spirituall Rock said Ego sum panis vitae c. I am the bread of life which descend from heaven In this word therefore is life onely and in no food else and it is this in the aliment which nourisheth and not the creature alone for in the word onely was life And for this reason it was said Et vidit quod omnia quae creavit essent bona that is to say not vacua aut inania void and empty but full of Gods essentiall being which is onely God for it was he who by his presence made the creature good participative or by participation I will tell you what some of the Ethnick Philosophers say touching this point who in verity and the more is the pitty had a greater insight into the divine mysteries of God in nature then some of this our age who entitle themselves Christians and yet indeed are steril in the true grounds of a true Christian being apter to judge and condemn the old Philosophers and adiudge them for reprobates and reserved as they say for damnation and that onely for not bearing the name of a Christian then to observe the beam which is in their own eye which maketh them so blind as to judge rashly of their brethren when indeed the judgment concerning that point belongeth unto God onely They forget the Apostles saying which averreth that all men are of Gods generation But to the purpose This is the reason that the Philosopher Zeno did call the vitall soul in a man Ignem naturalem and Prometheus tearmeth it Ignem coelestem homines vita ditantem The celestiall fire that enricheth man with life And because this Prometheus did obtain the full possession of it the Poets feign that he is punished by Jupiter's command for stealing of this celestiall fire And Hermes calleth it The fire of the word which adhereth unto the humid nature of the world And Zoroaster and Heraclitus do say that it is that invisible fire of which all generation and multiplication is made Being therefore that the never-dying fire of life is in the animall creature it is necessary that for the conservation and multiplication thereof it be nourished by its like in the aire every moment or by the vehicle of the aire lest it should vanish and the creature should perish And this is that the Philosopher Paâ—menides seemeth to intimate where he saith Natura sua natura lâ—etatâ—â— Nature is rejoyced in his like nature For this very cause the fiery vertue of the life having her position in the center of the heart of the creature doth with comfort and delight draw and suck into it by a certain magneticall power and faculty his like out of the aire by inspiration for as I told you this hidden food or aliment of life is in the aire This is the reason therefore that a certain Author who was very profoundly seen in the mysteries of nature breaketh out into this speech O Natura coâ—esâ—is veritatis naturâ—s Dei multiplicans O thou heavenly Nature of truth which dost multiply the natures of God! And again O natura fortis natura vincens superans duâ—sque naturas gaudeâ—e faciens O stout nature nature that dost conquer and overcome and makest her natures to rejoyce By which he doth intimate that by the help and visitation of this celestiall nature the vitall spirits and flames included in them do increase and multiply for by the vertue hereof not onely the life but the fruites of generation are produced infinitely We infer by this which is already said that the elementary aire is full of the influences of life vegetation and of the formall seeds of multiplication forasmuch as it is a treasure-house which aboundeth with divine beams and heavenly gifts Neither doth this our assertion onely touch the animal Kingdom of composition but also that of the vegetables for by this spirit they do vegetate by this they do multiply into infinity and in conclusion by this they exist and have their beeing For in mine own ocular experience I am witnesse and if need be I can quickly demonstrate that in the vegetable is a pure volatil salt which is nothing but the essentiall aire of the specifick which is wheat or bread this volatil salt is an unctuous liquor as white and clear as crystall this is inwardly neverthelesse full of vegetating fire by which the species is multiplied in infinitum for it is a magneticall vertue by which it draweth and sucketh abundantly his life from the aire and sunne beams which is the principal treasure-house of life forasmuch as in it the eternall emanation of life did plant his Tabernacle as in the fourth Book of my Mosaicall Philosophy I have plainly demonstrated I have seen this volatil salt-peter of this vegetable being freed from his elementary bands and being in his unctuous nature in form of a liquor I perceived him so desirous of the beams of life which lurked in the aire and were darted from the sun that in the space of three houres it became from a white crystaline colour unto a bloody ruby whereby I was easily taught the reason of formall multiplication as well in animals as in vegetables for by this reason a grain of Wheat is multiplyed unto a million Again no true Philosopher can be ignorant that the salt-peter of every thing which is but aire by vertue of that mysticall spirit which dwelleth in it doth attract aire as well as the celestiall form unto it being the form cannot be inspired but by the means of his airy vehicle and by this very means also the quantity of the airy substance as well as the formall quality is augmented which maketh as well vegetation as multiplication By the strong magneticall attraction of the celestiall tincture which hovereth in the aire or volatil salt which is of the substance and nature of blood
in the animals it is easie to know how blood in the animals body is transmuted from a white chylous substance into a rubicund and ruddy blood By reason of his vegetation and multiplication in substance it is an easie matter to guesse the manner of augmentation and vegetation and also of the quantitative multiplication by way of generation of the animal For verily I have observed so worthy an experiment in this vegetative salt in the Wheat of which the blood of man by eating of bread is full that we need not to make any doubt but that it is the onely substance of vegetation as well in the animall as vegetable For on a day when I had cast away the faeces or superfluous part of the substauce out of which I did draw the salt liquor into a large Pipkin and covered it with a thin plate of iron within three weeks or a months space I found it to have struck up out of the pot quite through the plate of iron and to make above a thousand blades like an iron-coloured saffron to grow up out of the superficies of it which argueth the admirable vegetative property that it hath in it But letting this suffice to expresse the occult puissance of this secret fire of God in nature in all vegetables mineralls and other animals I will now convert the file of my speech onely unto that wondrous act and operation which this admirable Spirit effecteth in the little world or man The spirit of life was by God so inspired into man that he was made a living creature no otherwise then when Elohim Ruach was breathed on the waters they were animated and vivified and became a great world which the Platonists for that reason called Magnum animal A great living creature But as the world was made after the image of God before man was made and afterwards man by the same Spirit in the world was framed by the Word after the pattern of that Spirit of life and the substance of the waters which were in the great world Therefore we must conceive that man hath the vivifying means of his sustentation preservation and multiplication by generation from the soul of the world and his elements Wherefore Hermes doth not unadvisedly expresse the descent and ingression of the worlds vivifying spirit into man after this manner A er est in corpore anima in aere mâ—ns in anâ—ma in mente verbum Verbum verò est eorum pater The aire is in the body the soul or life is in the aire the mentall Spirit is in the soul the Word is in the mentall Spirit and the Word is the Father of them all And he concludeth in that place Quod Verbum sit imago Dei mens verbi anima mentis aer animae corpus aëris That the Word is the Image of God the mental beam the image of the word the vitall Soul the image of the mental beam the aire of the vitall Soul and the body of the aire Whereby we may discern the admirabletie which every portion of each dignity in the great world hath unto other in the composition of the little world and therefore it is made evident that the purest portion of elementary matter is aire the purest sublimity of the aire is the vitall form in which is the mentall beam and in it is the Word which is God and we must observe that by mentem or the mentall Spirit is meant the vivifying Spirit of Wisdom which filleth all things whose fountain as Ecclesiasticus doth teach us is the Word of God as if I with Hermes should say the bright and eternall Spirit of life in the quintessentiall Spirit maketh the Soul the Soul in the aire is conducted into the body where it operateth the effects of vivification and internall multiplication of the Species and therefore he saith in another place Anima hominis in hunc vehitur modum Mens in ratione ratio in anima anima in spiritu spiritus in corpore Spiritus per venas arteriasque sanguinemque diffusus animal undique ciet The Soul of man is carried into his body after this manner The mental beam is the reasonable spirit the reasonable spirit is in the Soul or ethereall spirit the Soul or ethereall spirit is in the airy spirit and the airy spirit is in the body which moveth through the veins and arteries and being dispersed over all the blood doth agitate and move the body on every side We must therefore imagine that the aire which is drawn into our heart by inspiration is full of that divine treasure of life the which residing in the heart of man sucketh and draweth his life into it by a magnetick force and virtue For nature coveteth and rejoyceth at the presence of its like as is said And again that the heart is the precious store-house of the active treasure of life we may collect out of this speech of Solomon Cor tuum custodi supra onâ—nem observationem quia ab eo procedunt actiones vitae Gard with the best diligence and keep charily thy heart seeing that from it proceed all the actions of life The nature and instruments by which the Spirit attracteth magnetically and expelleth after attraction that of the humid vehicle of aire which is inutil and superfluous in this Being that without the sparks of life and generation which swimme in the aire no creature amongst the which we esteem Man to be the chiefest can live scarsly a moment of time it is most necessary that they should be drawn and sucked in by the creature every minute for without this necessary act with the salutary effect thereof the animal will forthwith be suffocated or strangled for by the deprivation of the aire the soul will soon cease his vivifying operation forasmuch as it is nothing else but a portion of eternall light in the soul of the world which is composed as I proved before of the divine emanating virtue and the subtil humid nature of the world whereof the first affordeth the Calidum innatum or natural heat of life and the last the humidum radicale or radical moisture unto the creatures existence and therefore by the inspiration of aire this double virtue is every moment renewed and refreshed in the creature This Spirit therefore the Animal and by consequence man inspireth or sucketh into the left chamber ventricle or region of the heart by the contraction of the straight fibres of the heart when the transverse and oblique fibres will be relaxed whereby the heart will be dilated or opened and this action is called of the Physitians Diastole In the time thereof or interval of this motion the heart doth draw into his left vessell by the Arteria venosa or veiny artery out of the lungs whither it first was conveyed by inspiration through the aspera arteria or weesell-pipe a portion of the airy store-house of nature with his vitall treasury contained in it being as is
said ordained by God for vivification and spiritual and seminal generation's cause that is to say for the nutrition of the vital and internal generative Spirits no otherwise then the liver is accustomed to suck and draw the chylous juice of the gross nutriment for the engendring and fosâ—ering of the naturall spirits which are ordained for vegetation or encreasing of the bodily parts Again after that nature hath received and drawn-in into her well-adorned and subtilly adapted still-house or laboratory I mean the heart this aereal Spirit with his concealed or occult treasure she beginneth in it to anatomise and sift or search the bowels of of this attracted aire and separating the celestiall nature or true vitall treasure of the invisible fire of life from the grosser and most inutil portion of the aire it reserveth onely the purest which is nothing but a subtile volatile salt adapted to serve as a vehicle for the divine fire of life or true vivifying Spirit in the aethereal and quintessentiall nature and then as for the selected Spirits of life she encloseth them in her large arteriall store-house called Aorta or Arteria magna the great Artery sending immediatly the more superfluous fuligions and inutil part of the aire back again the way it came by exspiration And this expulsive action is effected by the contraction of the transverse fibres of the heart and the relaxation of the straight for by this means the heart is also contracted or compressed which action of motion is called by Physitians Systole And we must understand that for the better preservation of this golden treasure of life within his arterial treasure house God in nature hath so ordered that there is a triple valve or gate like three half-moons to close it in and to keep it securely for the bodies necessity lest it should fly away by the passage it came in and therefore this three-leaved gate is fashioned after such a manner that it doth open within and is closed without so that what gets into the great Artery cannot return back again as in like manner at the mouth of the venal artery there is a double gate compacted of two valves and they do open without and shut within so that fresh aire may easily enter but the treasure included after the expulsion of the fuliginous vehicle or superfluous aire may be retained Now will I 'm few words expresse unto you the action of this heavenly Spirit After it is thus included in the arteriall trunk it is certain that it doth dilate it self through the branches or divided channells thereof over all the body For by those branches called Charotides a refined portion of it doth ascend unto the brain by those smal conduicts I say the super-celestiall part of this Chymicall extraction forasmuch as it is in dignity the most super-excellent of all the fountain of life doth challenge unto his seat and possession the noblest and loftiest region of this micro-cosmicall palace and as it were his Emperiall heaven for hither soareth the mentall beam in his rationall vehicle electing this place for its chief tabernacle or coelum coelorum yet so that the beames of his power are reflected unto every branch of his divided Arterial cabinet For this reason therefore all Physitians as well Ethnick as Christian have concluded that the voluntary humane action hath his seat in the brain being the region of the animal virtue or faculty whereas the other two actions of man namely the vitall in the heart and naturall in the liver seem to be subject unto this being that they are actiones involuntariae unvoluntary actions and this is the reason that the Brain is the seat of reason and understanding Then in the second rank that portion of the introducted Spirit which in the forge of man's nature is framed out and found fit for the action of life is convayed into those branches of the great Artery which are called Cervicales Humerariae and those which assigne life unto the region of the Chest or breast where it doth indue and take on it that impression of spirituall vivacity which belongeth unto those parts as also the Coronariae do assume unto them the internal or ideal shape of spirits belonging unto the heart and so forward touching the other Arteriall branches and their contained heavenly treasure So that this invisible spirit lurking and as it were swimming in the thin substance of the airy spirit doth not onely expanse and dilate it self to the vivifying of each member in the body but also by a contraction of it self into a spermatick cloud the which happeneth in the act of copulation through a certain magnetick virtue animated by divine love this spirit is miraculously convayed into two preparing arteriall spermatick vessells from every member but especially from the three principalls and there this celestiall Spirit full of divine fire after the Image of the radicall Archetype in whom all things were first spiritually and ideally delineated before they were in the regard of man even as the Prophet David did glory in that he had wholly received the image of the Temple described by the hand of God which afterward was put in act containeth the invisible of that humane body which shortly was to be inacted and really to be delineated and brought forth unto man's sight that is to say it did ideally possesse the shape of the inward or spiritual man as also the image of the externall or corporall man being compacted of the four Elements proceedeth from the visible sperm which issued from the two venall spermatick vessells But that this is so we have it plainly as I imagine confirmed by these words of Holy-Writ Tu possides renes meos ex quo obtegebar in utero matris meae non celata est vis mea tibi ex quo factus sum in abdito artificiosè confectus velut in imis partibus terrae Massam meam vident oculi tui in libro tuo omnia membra mea sunt scripta ex quibus diebus for mabantur cum nullum ex iis extaret Thou dost possesse my reines from the time that I was covered in my mothers womb My strength is not hid unto thee from the time that I was made and was artificially shaped as it were in the lower parts of the earth Thine eyes do behold the masse whereof I was made and all my members were described and delineated in the dayes that they were shaped or informed when none of them did visibly exist And to this purpose it is said else-where Spiritus Dei fecit me spiraculum omnipotentis vivificavit me The Spirit of the Lord made me and the breath of the Omnipotent did vivifie me That is First he reduced me into a mass of seed and afterwards did make it alive by his breathing into it And the wise-man Ut ignoras quae sit via spiritus quomodo ossa pinganturin ventre praegnantis sic nescis opera Die quia est fabricator
arteriall vessell and this is the well-spring of the inward man for it is the invisible fire of life and it is called Semen which when the mixtion of both is made doth dwell no otherwise centrally in the visible sperm then mans soul doth in the body We must observe therefore that as there are two vessells on a side the one spirituall the other elementall so these two in their descent towards the resticles do make by their subtle implication of the one with the other that admirable and pleasant web or plex to behold which the Greeks do call Anaâ—tomosis the which embracing and secret weaving together of insensible parts is effected by the artifice of that great builder not onely as the Anatomists do think because that the red and bloody seed may be made white but first that it might divide the spermatick substance in the venall vessells and seminall substance in the arteriall from the bloody masse as well naturall which â—loweth from the liver as vitall which springeth from the heart And then that by this Dedalian labyrinth the seminall form being the microcosmicall heaven may aptly and according unto the specifick creatures true similitude be mingled together no otherwise then we observe the form of a thing to be by a naturall mixtion perfused and spread over all his elementary substance And without all doubt the fabrick of this Plexus or Anastomosis is such as is the impression of some notable Seal the which in a Man is Manlike in a Lion is like a Lion in an Eagle is after the shape of an Eagle and so according unto this impression which is occult and scarâ—ely discerned by imagination the sperm is formed after the manner of clay and is moistned with this seminary nature as with water and by the vertue of that divine spirit which dwelleth secretly in it is made a living creature in the womb These two natures therefore are so tempeâ—ed together according unâ—o the law of this vivifying nature and the semen or invisible spirit of the aire is so agitated and moved by the divine nature which moveth in that spirit no otherwise then the aire is with the spirit of the blower that the bodily visible sperm is shaped out after the image of his created species or kind even as we see a Mole to make and frame out it self a house or dwelling place under the earth And this is the work of the secret spirit after that this compounded and well mixed substance is cast into the womb To conclude all that we have spoken touching this animal subâ—ect may easily also be averred and that without any offence of the vegetable kingdom for the whole plant or tree did yet lie hid complicitely in the seed or kernell and by the same reason is explicitely brought to ligâ—t by the operation of the hid and secret spirit of light and life which is in it But I have ranged too far from my mark and that in a subject I fear which will prove offensive unto such as will not radically consider these things as they are indeed but after their sense and the wisdom of the world I will therefore now approach unto the main point of our Discourse since that I have thus largely expressed unto you the two principal and radicall pillars of Sympathy and Antipathy namely light and darkness or form and matter being that all love and therefore Sympathy proceedeth from light as contrariwise all hatred and consequently Antipathy must needs spring and arise from darkness whose first-born child was Litigium or Discord The Second BOOK Wherein those mysticall Irradiations which spring occultly from the two foresaid opposite Principles Light and Darknesse with their Sympatheticall and Antipatheticall effects as also the reason of each living or concupiscible Attraction of like natures and odious and irascible Expulsion in things of a contrary spirit are detected and opened The Argument of this Second Book THe Author having by diligent enquiry found out the essentiall root of Sympathy and Antipathy as is already expressed in the first Book where he proveth it to be but one catholick or universall simplicity in essence though of a two-fold property quite opposite unto one or other in nature and condition no otherwise than Volunty is unto Nolunty He thought it not sufficient to gather by circumstances and conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely that it is so And therefore in this present Book he attempteth with the tightest and highest stretched nerves of his understanding to enquire and search out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit why wherefore and by what means this double act is disseminated in the Universe Indeed he finds this last branch so difficult to be found out by mortall capacities that he esteemeth it no small master-piece in this his research and for this reason is contented to be directed or guided into this difficult path of so profound a speculation by the light or Pole-star of such sublime and rectified both Theologicall and Cabalisticall spirits as have received the enucleation of so great a doubt from that highest spirituall emanation who is the onely revealer of deep and arcaâ—e mysteries as the Prophet Daniel and the wise Solomon doth assure us who forasmuch as 〈…〉 â—ssentiall Actor both in Sympathy and Antipathy is most able to describ◠〈…〉 â—orth this doubt which men so earnestly hunt after in her liveliest coloâ—rs By the observation therefore of the rules and axioms as well of the holy Scriptures as learned Hebrew and Aegyptian Rabbies he hath gathered That the eternall or divine and archetypicall world which hath neither beginning nor end doth radically spring from one simple and catholick fountain of Light and doth effuse a decuple emanation endued with a ten-fold property into the Aeviall or Angelicall world which hath its beginning from the eternall one but no end And the aeviall world doth in like manner pour out these divine effluxions or emanations of light by angelicall vehicles into the temporall world which hath both a beginning and an end So that the etheriall or celestiall region of the temperall world is made the store house or treasury of the divine influences from whence they are more or lesse according unto the will of him who sendeth them out distilled down into the elementary world to effect his command or pleasure either for the good or welfare or harm and dammage of the elementary creature By this degradation therefore he perceived that God sent out one essentiall emanation by his word of a multiform and sundry condition that things might vary and differ in this world from one another and that the variety of properties in the manifold emanation or flowing forth of the divine vertue establisheth an angelicall creature or spirituall organ of a differing act whereby and in the which it doth operate centrally by a diverse nature And consequently he finds it evident that being in the divine emanations there are properties of a contrary fortitude it must needs
follow that there are differing Angelicall spirits which correspond in nature and condition unto each divine property under which they do administer in this world so that by these spirituall organs or angelicall instruments the beams and brightnesse of the eternall influence do descend first into the starry region of the temporall world and afterwards are shoured down into the elementary sphears and penetrate even into the bowells of the earth and dark abysse to operate the will of that eternall and radicall essence which sent them forth by which means the spirit of sapience is rightly said to be in the heavens above and in the abysse beneath and to fill or replenish all and lastly to operate all in all And lastly taketh into his consideration some special particular object well known unto the world that by the experimentall enquiry or searching out of his hidden nature he might practically maintain and ocularly prove that unto the incredulous world concerning the mystery of Sympathy and Antipathy which before he had onely expressed and verified Theorically or by speculation The Loadstone or minerall calamite therefore is the mark at which he aimeth or subject which he electeth for this purpose being that the effects of its secret and occult properties do most aptly correspond unto those of the animal vegetable and minerall Wherefore he prepareth in this Book a way by the anatomization and ripping up the fardell of this marvellous stone's occult nature that thereby he might with the better speed make his entry unto such experimentall conclusions and comparisons between the one and the other as shall be at large described and set forth in the third Book of this History that thereby the nature and condition of the animal may be discovered and demonstrated by that of the minerall And lastly for a conclusion unto this Book he sheweth the folly of such persons as being masked or overlaid with ignorance do imagine that any magneticall action can be effected essentially by the devills artifice or power averring confidently that the devill is able to effect nothing but by naturall means which also is rather ordained for the use of man then of the devill and consequently that man which useth the naturall creatures which the devill hath practised on to work wickednesse is no way culpable of Cacomagy as vain men would have it being that the righteous use of the creature for which God did ordain it is not therefore to be rejected because the devill with his adherents do unrighteously abuse them by converting them to mischief CHAP. I. That Sympathy is the off-spring of Light as Antipathy hath its beginning from Darkness The Etymology or true signification of both words as also the natures of them both are herein described SInce the radical and essential Unity with its two opposite branches or properties which are the characters of his Nolunty and Volunty have in generall terms been thus evidently described unto you with the two catholick effects thereof namely love and hatred and all those passions as well spirituall as corporall which are derived from them whether they be good or bad in respect of the creature that suffereth I think it now most fit to enter into our main discourse and to anatomise the secret bowels of that Sympathy and Antipathy which is not onely seen and made manifest in naturall but also supernaturall creatures by effect For no man of learning can be so ignorant and blind being instructed by daily experience which is the mother even of very fools as not to discern the hidden miracles both of heavenly and earthly things daily shining forth in Sympathy and Antipathy that is in concords and discords which are caused by reason of a secret league or friendship which is betwixt them even from their very mixtion in their first creation But before we presume to enter into this profound discovery it will be requisite to lay open the signification or Etymology of them both that thereby we may the better conceive their distinct natures and essences Sympathia is a Greek word namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est una cum or one with and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is passio or passion which pâ—oceedeth from the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. patior or I suffer as Antipathia is composed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. contra or against and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that the first imports a passion bred of unity concord and love tearmed more properly compassion and the other an odible passion mooved by two resisting and fighting natures of a contrary fortitude I may therefore rightly define Sympathy to be a consent union or concord between two spirits shining forth or having their radical emanation from the self-same or the like divine property As for example All creatures that participate of those benigne emanations or beams which are sent out from God by his Angelicall Organs into the orbe of Jupiter are from thence emitted down to the earth and are conferred upon a multitude of creatures that were created under this property which for that reason do shine forth and emit their beams unto one another here upon earth lovingly and joyfully namely because they proceed all from one root which descendeth unto Jupiter also such as are friends to Jupiter or like unto him in condition send down influences in creatures which are acceptable unto such as live from their nativities and are sustained and have their complexionary faculties from Jupiter and therefore they send forth beams of friendship or benignity unto one another as are also Venus c. But contrariwise where the influences which are adverse in property or of an opposit divine emanation are sent down unto the Planet Mars which is enemy to Jupiter and from thence are poured out on creatures beneath there will be ill and unwelcome encounters made between the secret emissions of those creatures beams So that one by a naturall instinct doth seek to fly and escape the encounters of the other or to resist and fight against the other as shall more largely and plainly be expressed unto you hereafter But because the generall cause of all Sympathy and Antipathy is a hidden and secret emanation or shining forth by emission of beams from one creature unto another it will be most requisite for us to unloose the fardle of this profound business that we may the plainlier behold and contemplate the fountain and root of all beames and eradiations in generall and thereby unfold and lay open the mysticall reason of their difference and follow their extensions even from the root unto the trunâ—k and from it unto the boughs and branches and from those branches to descend even unto the individuall twigs which nourish and foster an infinity of leaves and bring forth fruit in abundance CHAP. II. How and by what Attributes or properties the Hebrew Rabbies and profoundest Cabalists do proove thaâ— contrariety of natures
center of all his creatures whose circumference is not to be found in this regard his essential name Tetragrammaton is the common agent in every bough or branch of the Sephiroticall or Cabalisticall Tree and hath the dominion or preheminence over all the trunck or body of that Tree and consequently all the other ten names are assigned unto it as having relation unto the properties or the effects of his multiplicity of vertues or actions in one individuall essence and therefore all the rest are subject unto it and are wholly comprehended within it for it containes the property as well of Nolunty as Volunty of privation as position of death as life of cursing as blessing of evill in regard of the creatures as good though nothing is ideally bad in him of hatred and discord of love and concord and consequently of Sympathy and Antipathy All these opposite effects are testified by Scriptures to spring from one essentiall fountain forasmuch as it comprehendeth the power of life and death and induceth unto the brinck of the grave and reduceth or bringeth back again unto life It is IEHOVA that is light life and healâ—h and it is he that â—fflicteâ—h with darknesse death and sicknesse It is IEHOVA that is gratious full of misericord and that extendeth his benignity and mercy unto all his creatures And it â—s he that is angry and severe against nations and dâ—th destroy the wicked It is he that reprehendeth in his anger and chastiseth in his displeasure And it is he that is gracious and the onely Saviour It is he that woundeth and healeth again It was IEHOVA that â—â—reaâ—neâ— to send vengeance vexation and death on the disâ—bâ—dient It is he that causeth the plague the consumption the burning feavour the leprosy sâ—abs and boâ—ches â—meâ—odâ— and uâ—cers of Egypt It is IEHOVA that striketh with madnesse and blindnesse It is he which caâ—seth fear a trembling heart yea showereth down sorrow vexation timidity sad melanchoâ—ly as in Deuteronomy we read of consequently produceth antipathy and discord And contrariwise It is IEHOVA that bestoweth benedâ—ctions or bâ—â—ssings on his creatures He blesseth the bread and drink that the creature tasteth for refections cause so that they preserve and do not destroy And it is he that removeth and taketh away all diseases banisheth sterility from the earth and multiplies the daies of his creatures and by consequence is the cause of loving Sympathy and concord To conclude it is IEHOVA the great God of gods that formed light and created darknesse made peace or love and concord and produced evilâ— and contention or trouble as the Prophet teacheth us Now forasmuch as this essentiall Unity did bring to light these contrary effects by opposite properties therefore did the secret Theologians ascribe unto him divers generall names which they gather out of the holy Writ and are appropâ—iated unto him according unto the effects which follow them whereof some encline to darknesse and privation others to light and position some to severity and others argue the fruits of his benignity Some by a deprivation of his act which happeneth by a reflection of his beams in himself produce the effects of darknesse namely an essentiall frigidity and stupidity immobility congelation contraction â— Others by an actuall emanation from the center unto the circumference do generate the effects of light as are motion heat dilatation subtiliation c. I will therefore rehearse or reckon up unto you those divine Attributes whiâ—h are ascribed unto the sacred Essence in order as they are numbered in the Cabalisticall Tree from the which the divine beams of different natures do descend to accomplish the various will or volunty of him that sendeth them forth into the world to act and produce a multiplicity of effects The first name therefore of the Divine Attribute is Ehieh and this Attribute importeth the fountain or originall of all creatures and the foundation of misericord and clemency because the effluxion or eradiation that springeth from this head is full of grace and spareth all for it argueth the Father of pitty and misericord and the God of all consolation unto whom our Saviour bids us pray in this form Our Father which art in heaven c. And hereupon it is else-where said that the Father â—udgeth no man Again it is the part of a Father to deal favourably and mercifully with his children so God under this Attribute is esteemed to be the Father of all and is therefore benigne and mercifull unto his creatures according to that of Solomon Thy creatures might fall and perish by the persecution of thy justice and be ventilated or blasted by the spirit of â—hy puissance But thou hast disposed all in number weight and measure for that thou canst do much was ever present with thee But thou hast therefore pitty on all because thou canst do all things And thou dissemblest the sins of men that they might wax wise and amend for thou lovâ—st all things that are and thou dost abhor nothing that thou hast made neither dâ—dst thou ordain any thing to hate it Could any thing exist which thou wouldst not have to be or could it be preserved if thou didst not send it the means of its being But thou sparest all things because they are thine O God which art the lover of souls Lo this is the fruit of the name Ehieh namely to create and beget all things as a Father and to have a care of their preservation in his paternall affection For this reason therefore it is the President of the Capitall or radicall bright port gate branch or numeration called Cheter or Corona which is the root of the whole Tree by which and through which the clear beams or lucid and sacred emanation of JEHOVA in his creating effability or positive volunty doth descend unto the creation of all things For Ehieh signifieth the father and root of all creation The second cognomination of JEHOVA in the divine numeration or sphericall Tree is IAH which imports the blessed and gratious emanation of the world and extraction of the humid or created nature namely the waters out of the womb or bowells of the dark and deformed Chaos and therefore the Cabalisticall port by which these active and all-operating beams do descend into the world is called Hochma in Hebrew Sapientia in Latin Wisdom in English And Solomon meaning of this Divine Emanation speaketh thus When JEHOVA did frame and fashion the heavens when he did establish the fountains of the Abyss when he gave limits unto the Sea and did appoint a foundation unto the Earth I Wisdom was with him as a helper to compass all things And we must note that this name Jah whose influence or emanation is Sapientia or Wisdom appeareth sometime to be conversant as well about the effects of severity as clemency although it happen but seldom And therefore JEHOVA said of the Angell which was appointed for the conducting
are reasonable namely Man as unreasonable to wit the Stars of heaven and earthly creatures both animals vegetables and minerals And therefore Archangelus the Cabalist maketh many degrees in the offices of Angels For some saith he do stand before the divine tribunall of God still praising him some administer unto him and unto us also some have the custody of the watches of the night of which CHRIST maketh mention If he came in the second or thâ—â—d watch of the nâ—ght c. Some have the government of the four quarters of the year and these are Presidents over the four stations of the Sun others are ordained rulers over the seven Planets and some do dispose of the influences and vertues of the fixed Stars and twelve Signes of which St. Joâ—â— doth seem to make mention saying That in the twelve gates that is the twelve Signes which as Plato saith are the ports of heaven are the twelve Angels Some are tuâ—elar Angels and are ordained for the creatures safeguard some have the custody of beasts others of plants others of pretious stones and mineralls All these the secret Theologians and wisemen do affirm averring withall that God worketh all in this inferiouâ— world by the administration of Angells And therefore St. Paul saith That all are administring spiâ—â—ts sent to effect that office Thus far Archangelus And again Reuclin argueth That the influxion of angelicall beams from the stars must be divers and of sundry natures because that the Angells do not by their voluntary action move the celestiall Orbe alwaies after one manner though by reason of the violent motion it doth move daily by a diurnall motion from East to West But what needs many words when the progression of the foresaid Cabalisticall work doth open and discover all the myâ—ticall operation and variety of action in the Angells For if once the ten names of God which produce ten divers emanations of different conditions which are sent by the ten foresaid numerations or sephiroticall ports or channells do breed contrary effects both in heaven above and in earth beneath it followeth by the foresaid testimony of the Prophet David that there must be so many angelicall vehicles to conduct them into the lower world as there are Cabalisticall ports and channells and consequently as many diversities of the divine properties proceeding from the variety of his will as also varieties of vehicles to conduct them For I would have each judicious Reader to conceive that the Hebrew Doctors did judge of the nature and property of each Name or attribute ascribed unto God in holy Writ by that self-same effect which it produced after the uttering or expressing of it therein no otherwise than the Philosopher useth to judge of the nature and property of the complexion by the aspect of the Physiognomy or as by the signes whiâ—h he beholdeth in the heavens he determineth of their effects to wit of rain winds thunder c. namely because such presages in the heavens do use to bring forth such and such effects Now as I have proved before if it be the divine influence of light which animateth and informeth each angelicall spirit it must needs follow that every one of these angelicall conductions or vehicles of these influences must have also a divers property because the formall influences which do animate these intelligences which carry them are different and therefore they will be naturally prone and enclined to operate the will of the Creator according unto the nature of emanation or beams of that property which it receiveth from his proper port As concerning therefore those angelicall receptacles or organs which are ordained to receive the divers kinds of divine influences or irradiations I purpose briefly to expresse them in the first place for the better understanding of the Reader with the channell they do belong unto and then the order of Angels which doth first receive them After this I will set down the celestiall Orbes or Stars into the which as unto their particular store-houses they are conveyed And lastly I will speak somewhat of the effects that these influences which are conveyed down from their starry treasury into the elementary world do effect both in the aire seas or water and earth Touching therefore the Names or attributes of God as also their emanations or streaming forth of beams with their peculiar properties I have in few words written them in the precedent Chapter as for the rest I would have the Reader to know that those ten severall divine emissions of ten severall lights out of so many Sephiroticall or Cabalisticall spouts or channells into the vast cavity of the world to accomplish the will of the Creator have their particular angelicall waggoners or conductors for in this the best Theosophers agree that as the upper Order of the Angels do receive their light and bright emanations immediately from God so do they emit them and manifest them unto the inferiour Orders and for this reason they are called Mirrours because they receive their light from the face of God or his eternall catholick emanation which as I have proved before is the head and fountain of all these Angelicall lights And again as the secret Theologians have by their serious observation of the holy Bible espied ten distinct properties as also ten divers cognominations or Names of God appropriated unto them so they perceived that there was a singular Angel appointed to receive each of these emissions of beams endued with the self-same property or condition as the lights which they receive do possesse forasmuch as these Spirits do live and are animated by them being that as the externall of the Angell is a spirituall aire so the internall of it is the formall irradiation or emanation which is according unto Gods will emitted into it And this is a generall note amongst all the secret Theologians unto whom Bartholomaeus and St. Dennis do adhere touching this point that no Angell can intermeddle with anothers businesse or take upon him the work that belongeth unto another except it be such inferiour Angels as are destinated to serve under their Arch-angels in the same function or property as shall be said more at large We must therefore understand that the office of the great and catholick Angell Mitattron was so universall that it was employed first about the information of the whole world and the division of light from darknesse as also for the vivifying of the watry spirit of the world and the diurnall rouling about of the heavens And therefore it is said and not without a good cause That it was the divine and generall Emanation that is the eternall Sapience which for this reason is said to be created before all things by whom afterward all things were made or created And for this reason it is said That this Angel doth contain in it all the angelicall perfection no otherwise than the universall beams of the Sun are comprehended in the body of the Sun Wherefore we
do with the Hebrew Rabbies justly apply the essence of the first emanation unto Mitattron which emanation is said to enter by the royall port or gate Cheter or Corona For know that this catholick Angell is said to be the first creature because it importeth the spirit of the world which did first receive the first-born son or the Emperiall emanation from the Attribute of God called EHIAH which is a name of eternity for that it containeth and doth respect the time past the time present and the time to come For this cause therefore doth this great Angel style it self Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end The first influence therefore which was of universall life and essence is received by the Angel Mitattron which is for this reason called Donum Dei after it was shouted down from the port Cheter into the highest order of the Angells called Seraphin which by reason of their propinquity unto the throne of God are said to burn or be set on fire with divine love And hereupon these have their excellent beauty and clearnesse by reason of this sacred influence which is so full of the loving benignity of the Father of light From thence this potent angelicall nature conducts the beams of this light into the convexity of the aetheriall heaven and there bestowes it as in a generall magazin or store-house which place it afterwards informs or vivifieth insomuch that by the admirable action and motion thereof it is called Primum mobile or that sphear which moveth first in the heavens and by his motion it turneth the naturall or temporall world round about from the East unto the West in twenty four houres The mover is this catholick Angel of the world full of this eternall emanation by which it animates the world Therefore also is Sapientia said to be omnium rerum priùs creata the first of all creatures and Fluxus virtutis Dei emanaâ—io claritatis ejus omni re mobilior penetrans ubique propter suam munditiam permanens in se omnia innovans It is an influence of the vertue of God and the shining forth of his brightnesse which is the most movable of all things penetrating all things by his purenesse and being one in essence reneweth all things that is it reviveth every thing By which it is plain that this catholick emanation is the soul of the world having endued or put on the universall angelicall spirit and therefore is called by the holy Text a Creature so that the catholick created spirit of the world is the Primum mobile for by this first-born emanation from God it is animated and moved as by the swiftest mover in the world and the mover is tearmed Primus motor both together or called Mundi anima which therefore is defined to be in respect of the created spirit thus animated Primum mobile spoâ—te per se mobile The first thing moved which is moved voluntarily and by it self And for this reason also the animal faculty in man which is sedes animae intellectulis is said to move voluntarily when the action â—f the vitall and naturall faculty compared unto the etheriall and elementary heaven do move unvoluntarily that is at the will of the first mover And this work is therefore assigned unto this sphear with the legions of intelligences that are derived from and created there by their catholick head which is the said grand Arch-angell as beams from one Sun partly to hinder the starry lights which were after created from burning the elementary world or working by their long continued impression too violent and unnaturall alterations as also to make a proportionable day and night unto the earth To conclude by this angelicall act the whole spirit of the world was generally inacted The divine emanation which issued from the second Sephiret or port called Hochma which is sent out by the Attribute IAH passeth into the order of the Cherubins which signifieth the plenitude of Science and abundance of the gifts of Wisdom and is received of the Arch-angel Zophiel which by the etymology of his name argueth pulchritude as being replenished with an infinity of particular beams of life But another calleth this keeper and conductor of these beams Ruziel who immediately doth direct them into the firmament or heaven of the fixt starrs and principally into the broad girdle of the starry heaven which is called the Zodiack arguing by the etymology of his name that the beams of this emanation do chiefly work and fashion out ideally the liniments of an infinity of particularities in the elementary world as shall be demonstrated hereafter The third effluxion which is made from the port Binah under the protection of the name ELOHIM descendeth immediately into the order of the Thrones arguing thereby Gods severe property full of â—udgment and is received by the Arch-angel Zabkiel or as others will have it of Kaspiel which is as much to say as Genius Cholerae magnae and this effluxion is conducted down into the next sphear below the firmament which it informeth according unto the naturall property of the divine influx and it procreateth the globe of Saturn which it replenisheth with spirits or inferiour intelligences called by the name of Saturnine Intelligences which send down these influences into the elementary world to produce effects according unto their nature as well in the aire and water as in and upon the earth The fourth emanation which is derived from the conduit-pipe of Chesed over which the word EL hath dominion is received of the angelicall order of Dominations which import power against evill spirits and the benefit of life and breath and then is committed unto the Arch-angel Zadkiel which is by interpretation Genius justitiae and this Angel according unto the nature of the influence which it carrieth is a friend unto the true Justice in the proportion of the elements and a friend unto the creature's life wherefore it conducteth the beams of this property into the next or be below Saturn which they make a dwelling place for an infinity of spirits that are created out of the same informing influence and therefore are of its property This Terra Angelica Olympi is tearmed the Star of Jupiter and these kinds of Olympick spirits are tearmed Jovial Intelligences which do poure forth the streams of their influence into the elementary regions and animateth the spirits of its nature which work effects appropriated unto the property of this influence The fifth eradiation or emission of divine beams is out of the Sephiroticall numeration or port called Geburah whose President is the divine Attribute ELOHIM GIBBOR and these beams are said to passe directly into the order of Potestats and the Arch-angell unto the which these beams are committed is called Samaâ—l or as others will Hamael and it is a Genius which importeth horrour and this Intelligence doth conduct the beams of its Emanation into the Sphere which is below that of Jupiter and informeth the spirits
thereof with the burning fire of this nature or property making the starry Globe of Mars their residence from whence they poure out their influences unto the Elementary spirits which are of that nature The next emission of divine beams is out of the gate or channell Tipherith over which the Divine Attribute ELOAH hath dominion and these are infused immediatly into the Angelicall order of the Virtues so called because the divine Virtue doth shine forth of it For as Isidorus saith The Angells of this order do receive illumination purgation and perfection from God And this order doth send them down by the Archangell Michael which signifieth Quis tanquam Deus into the next region below the Sphere of Mars and there these golden and vivifying beams do inform and animate such bright intelligences with their like property as do dwell-in and Illuminate the visible Sun in heaven and therefore are termed Solar spirits from whence this mighty Archangell which is called Câ—stos animarum the keeper or preserver of living souls doth order that they be hourly poured out into the Elementary region to vivify and refresh those spirits which are formed out after their own image and nature The seventh effluxion or irradiation is out of the Sephiroticall port of Netzeth over which the Attribute of God JEHOVA ZEBAOTH is Lord and they pass immediatly into the Angelicall order of Principalities And this influence is committed to the Archangell Anaol's custody who conducteth them down into the next Sphere below the Sun where it animates according unto his good property all such Olympick spirits which do inhabit the Globe and Sphere of Venus which are therefore tearmed Venerian Spirits from whence the like vigour and force is sent out unto the Creation of Elementary spirits of the nature of these formal influences which are radically sent down from the divine influence The next flux of divine beams issue from the spout or channell called HOD over which the Attribute Elohim Zebaoth is Preâ—ident and descendeth immediatly down unto the order of Archangells and from thence is conducted downward by the Archangell Raphael into the next Sphere below Venus and there it createth and continually vivifieth those Olympick spirits which possesse and adorn the Orbe or Globe of Mercury and are therefore termed Mercuriall spirits which send down such mutable and changeable influences to animate those Elementary spirits which were created first by this Attribute and therefore do Sympathise with the nature of such beams as are sent down from this Sephiroticall gate The ninth effluxion or irradiation springeth out from the eternall fountain by the bright port Jesod whose Rector or President is the Attribute Sadai and passeth down unto the order of Angels and is committed unto the custody and conveyance of the Archangell Gabriel who directeth it downward unto the lowest aethereal or starry Orbe where it animateth those spirits which inhabit the Globe of the Moon and are thereupon styled Lunary spirits from whence they rain down showers of these influences upon such spirits or demons in the Elementary world as have received their Creation from the influences of this Property in God The last effluxion or flowing and streaming forth of the Divine beams is effected by the channell or gate Malchut whose President is the divine Attribute Adonai and this descendeth immediatly according unto the Cabalists opinion into the order of the blessed Souls from whence they deem them to be conducted directly into the Elementary world By the continuity therefore of thse severall and opposite irradiations or emanations of beams from God unto the Imperiall Angells and from them unto the Olympick spirits and so continuated from these unto the Elementary spirituall shapes or demons we may gather thus much namely first that God doth onely operate essentially all in all in and over all next that according unto the variety of his Volunty he worketh diversly in this world and therefore we must know that his Volunty is manifold in property because that thinge are effected as well in heaven as in earth after a manifold operation wherefore if God operateth all and in all the diversity of his work must proceed from the multiplicity of his Volunty And for this reason Hermes saith Voluntas Dei summa est rerum perfectio quam necessitas sequitur necessitatem verò concom tatur effectus The Volunty of God is the highest perfection of things which necessity doth follow and the effect doth accompany the necessity So that what God doth will must be perfect and consequently the effect must follow of neâ—essity And therefore he concludeth that God accomplisheth at an instant of time both his will and the effect thereof But what he would not have that cannot be and therefore what existeth in rerum natura of what property soever it be it is effected according unto the will or Volunty of one of these Divine Attributes Neque saith he credibâ—le est Deo displic â—urum esse quod placuit cum futurum id placâ—turum mulio ante sciverit Neither is it credible that that should displease God which did please him bâ—ing that he did know long before both the thing that was to come and what should be pleasant unto him And therefore Solomon Could any thing exist which thou wouldâ—st not have to be Thirdly That according unto the variety of his divine Volunty things were created the one either Sympathising spiritually in affection with another or Antipathysing among themselves by reason of beams of a contrary disposition according unto the concordant or opposit nature of the Angelicall irradiation or shining out of the beams of one spirituall creature another which contrariety of conditions did proceed from the varieties of properties which is in the Volunty or will of one and the same radicall and eternall Essence Thus therefore were all creatures in the world as well spirituall as corporall composed and thus were they vivified and animated by beams the one either contrarie unto the other or else by reason of their concordance and likeness of nature rejoycing greatly when they meet together by irradiation of all one influence And we must know and understand that although each creature had his radicall information by these Emanations yet in their generations and multiplications they may vary from the condition of their created or generated Parents by the uniting together of two different irradiations at the hour of their birth So therefore cometh it to pass that a man both in shape and condition may be unlike unto his Parents a horse more fierce or sluggish then his sire a plant or fruit more lax waterish or unwholsome then the stock from whence the seed or sap came and consequently by the application of Angelicall beams of an opposite nature in the birth of a man it may happen that the radiation of a plant or flower or beast or such like thing may for ever Antipathise with this man which did aptly agree and Sympathise
the root and originall foundation or point from the which all Antipathy and Sympathy do spring namely the first from the privative property or its Nolunty the second from its positive or Volunty I told you next that from this one root or Unity in essence a two-sold branch or member did spring forth expressing typically and explicitly the effects and conditions of these two contrary properties or dispositions which were contained complicitely in the Ideall root namely darkness which is the privative fruit of his Nolunty and light the true character or badge of his Volunty And then I proved unto you that these two were the beginnings of all things Lo here the two Principles of Antipathy and Sympathy extracted out of one root Thirdly I demonstrated unto you that by the separation of the pure from the impure from the dark Chaos which act was effected by the spagerick vertue of the bright emanation or word of the eternall Unity the humid or watry nature of the world was created that is to say essentially informed by the lively presence of the said all-informing Spirit so that through that union of two contrary natures in one namely the informing essence or naturating nature and the informed substance or the nature naturated the spirit of the world was animated and afterwards by the wisest Philosophers termed the Anima mundi which is that angelicall composition of two called therefore by the Sages Alteritas as God in his simple nature is called Identitas Now the passive portion of which alterity was made is said to be the humid created nature oâ— naturated matter of the world whose active essence is the ever-living emanation from eternity which as the Apostle teacheth us doth vivifie all things and filleth all things and is all in all The union of these two maketh the catholick soul of the world called in respect of the simple creating and vivifying emanation Mens in regard onely of the spirit informed Spiritus and as these two are united in one Anima Lo here the third degree of the sympatheticall and antipatheticall progression from the simple root of eternity namely the created matter or spirit in the soul of the world being the child or off-spring of darknesse or the dark Chaos which is therefore naturally prone unto the negative or privative effects of darknesse and consequently apt in its own condition to receive any discordant and antipatheticall impression which the angelicall spirits of darknesse shall imprint upon it For as the sacred light which animates the humid spirit of the world and consequently the whole masse of the waters whereof the heaven and the earth was made as St. Peter doth justifie is the most movable agill and active of all things so on the contrary party the matter that is informed and therefore the created body and spirit is most degenerate from it in that it is no way enclined of its own nature unto motion or life For the Philosophers words are Materia est per se ad motum inefficax ab ipsa anima seu luce degenerans Wherefore of its selfe it endueth its mother Chaos or Hyles her condition and is enclined to rest immobility darknesse cold spissitude and congelation For this cause therefore it suffereth the impressions and characters of both oppositions to wit sometimes it enclineth unto darknesse and then it groweth spisse opak cold immobil thick and ponderous and tendeth in that his property downwards to the cold center or the seat of darknesse which is its mother and then it is in rebellion and opposition with light motion and heat and so it is antipatheticall unto the actions of light and life as we see the airy spirit of the world which is clear light diaphan thin movable and soaring upward by the operating power of the descending light becommeth by the Northern cold congealed opak spisse and immobil or fixed into snow hail ice frost and such like So that by this antipatheticall accession of the cold characters of the dark abysse it is discordant from the loving union and symphoniacall accesse which it had unto the region of light Contrariwise the bright form of the soul which is the essence of that eternall emanation doth give the matter or spirit of the soul's life action motion hear tenuity and diaphanity and that more or lesse according as it hath power and dominion over it And we must note that the more the spirit approacheth unto the nature of light the firmer are the bonds of its sympatheticall accords For as sympathy doth consist of things of a like nature so the nearer the spirit approacheth unto form the greater is the sympathy and accord the surer the tie and the more virtuous the effect for the more that the created spirit is illuminated the lesse it remembers that naturall inclination and love that it had unto its dark originall insomuch that by such an extream purified exaltation it becommeth as it were deified And therefore Plato's opinion is that if the middle spirit which is between the mentall beam and the dark bodily substance doth more adhere unto the divine or mentall beam than the dark body then it will become a good Demon or Angel but if it respect the body more than the divine beam it will descend unto the nature of a Cacodemon or spirit of darknesse Also by Scripture we are taught that by adhering unto this divine light namely unto Christ we shall be transformed into the same image to wit if we forsake this dark world and the lusts of the obscure body or flesh But to return unto the soul of the great world If the airy spirit be given over unto the power of darknesse it becommeth bodily and turnes into the same image namely frost snow hail c. but if the hot effect or the formall act of light prevail a degree over the stupid cold of darknesse it leaveth his opake quality and becommeth diaphan and returneth from an earthly fixt and obscure nature unto a clear transparent and fluxible substance and by another degree of the divine act it is made more subtle more dilated more invisible and pure and it is called Aire by a third it is purified unto fire by a fourth unto aether when it loseth all the appetite of mutation and forgetteth the privative stock from whence it came by a fifth it becommeth angelicall or emperiall and so it is exalted more and more in dignity according as it is more and more obedient unto the actions of the eternall and catholick influence of form which shineth forth from the fountain of infinity For we must understand that the whole inclination of the eternall emanation is to reduce this child of darknesse unto eternall light unity and life as contrariwise the endeavours of the potentiall darknesse which is the stamp of Gods Nolunty or privative nature are clean contrary So that all the end of the creating light 's action is to unite all by the symphoniacall band of love and
greater and of more force by how much the nearer the spirits of the things either present or dispersed are in nature and consanguinity to one another As for example If that both be of one minier or thing in number also like specifick individualls though they differ in number as the Uznea fat or blood of one man do sympathise with another ad distans the Load-stone of one Mine may affect harmonically the Iron of another ad distans And I told you before the true reason thereof as well radicall as immediate namely because both the natures belong unto one divine influence or proceed from angelicall beams or an emanation sent forth from one and the same star as well fixed namely of the firmament or eighth sphear as erratick and planetary For I told you that there is not one animal or vegetable or mineral upon the earth or in the seas which hath not a peculiar star that poureth out upon him his proper influence as well to produce and generate its like and to continue it in succession as to preserve and maintain it in essence Now each angelicall nature hath his appropriated beams from the radicall emanation of some divine Attribute which conveyeth it to his destinated or starry store-house and from the Olympick spirits of that star it is sent down unto such spirits in the elements as are their inferiour ministers which operate according unto the self-same nature in each specifick and every individuall there As for example The stars in the Ram or Aries of the Zodiack have chiefest influence over such like cattle on the earth and the Scorpion over the like creeping things thereof the Crab over such like creatures of the sea for we finde by experience that if the Crab be taken when the Sun and Moon do joyne together according unto the Longitude or degree of the Aequinoctiall in which the great star of the celestiall Crab's claw is found it is of mighty vertue and power against poyson and if it be collected or taken at another time it will have but small effect Again we must note that each fixt star or constellation of the Zodiack hath his proper Planet whose peculiar House he is which concurreth in the fortification and alteration of that influence For the diversity of application of other Planets unto it doth cause a variety of operation even in the same animals sperm or plants seed and mettles secret spirit And yet howsoever they do more or less agree and sympathize in nature as the beams of each Planet so applying unto one another will give them leave for if the concurrence be between friendly Planets and of one and the same triplicity namely where their Houses are of friendly elements then the sympathy will be the stronger And thus much Agrippa doth seem to intimate in these words In rebus proprietates occultas non ab elementali natura sed caelitus in sitas sensibus nostris occultas rationi vix denique notas quae quidem à vita spirituque mundi per ipsos stellarum radios proficiscuntur quae à nobis non aliter quam experientia conjecturis indagarâ— possunâ— Scire ergo debes quod unaquaeqâ—e res movet ad suum simile incâ—inat aa seipsum secundum totum posse suum The occult properties in things which are not grafted in them by an Elementary nature but descend from heaven are hidden from our sâ—nses and scarcely known unto our reason Forasmuch as they are derived from the life and spirit of the world by the beams of â—he starrs the which cannot be otherwise scanned and found out by us than by experience and that conjecturally or by ghesse You must therefore know that every thing doth move unto his like and by all the means possible dâ—th incâ—ine unto it self c. Whereby he argueth that the catholick Angelicall spirit which vivifieth the world in whose Diviner part cosisteth the Sephiroticall power or Virtue of all the Divine Attributes in which also as Ezekiel testifieth is contained the virtues of the four wind is the main actor who by his severall subdivided emissions of diversly conditioned beams doth operate in and by his starry Organs all these occult and hidden effects below which cannot fall into the Sphere or capacity of a common man's understanding though by effect we find it to be thus and thus So that there is not a particular beam that is emitted from it which hath not a secret disposed act no otherwise varying from one another than by ocular experience we find the effects of them to differ For whatsoever was originally decreed in the secret Counsell of the Archetype is effected from a generality unto many Specialities and from each Speciality unto an infinit number of individuall particularities So that the aeviall or Angelicall effect is the image of the eternall Idea and the temporall world is the similitude of the aeviall and again in the temporall or typicall world every stellar shape is the likenesse or paterne of the Angelicall Idea and again the Elementary things are the shadows of the spirituall shapes or Images in heaven Wherefore as God sendeth out his Emanation which is his Image unto the Angelicall world in a diversity of fashions and multiplicity of respects So the Angelicall spirits do send out their severall different Lights unto each other namely every order unto his inferior and every upper Sphere unto the Spheres which are below them and so from the starrs whiâ—h also apply their lights unto one another by severall aspects infusing them in and upon the creatures by degrees downward even unto the very Center of the earth which creatures after the manner of their pattern do also shine forth unto one another by beams which are either Sympathetical and harmonious or Antipathetical and discordant to each other neither ought we to doubt that there are such agreeing and disagreeing beams here below seeing that in the fountain of Unity from whence all things do flow we observe an opposition of properties namely a privative Nolunty and a positive Volunty Nor yet ought we to deem otherwise then that the passive spirituall matter of the world's soul is the substject by which the Divine Virtue worketh and in which it stirreth up as well loving and positive or good and Sympatheticall passions by pouring out plentifully his positive and vivifying beams of life adding delight and joyes with a completion of the spirituall created matter 's appetite So that it forgetteth the rooted nature which its dark Parents or Mother Chaos and the Divine Puissance did in her nativity bestow upon it and is converted into a child of Light by adoption and therefore in this case it doth Sympathize with those golden showers of charitable and vivifying Light which are sent down from the benigne attributes of God and begins to hate and dread and lothe or eschew all such privative influences as are poured down from the severe insalutary and destructive attributes no otherwise then
Light flieth from darkness and being delighted at the presence of more light and life avoideth and hateth the presence of his contrary namely of death and evill Hence therefore it cometh that the children of Light which are grafted unto this catholick illuminated spirit do flie as from a pestilence the children of darknesse and their works And the reason is because this humid created spirit finding now the pleasure volunty and felicity of its illuminated estate is affraid least the privative beams of darkness or the dismall Emanations of God's wrath should dimm their light and obscure the brightness of life that is to say lest they should turn their Sympathizing passions of joy and gladness into the Antipathizing storms of sadness and mourning by sucking or contracting the beauteous Emanations of joy love and gladness from the Circumference into the Center of the Spirit and so deprive it of that salutary and sprightfull irradiation of love and life by hiding of God's face which he did emit from the Center to the Circumference of the creature to recreate and rejoyce it According unto that of Moses God forsakes the wicked and hideth his face from them that much evill may befall them Or unto that of David God hiding his face from the wicked they are troubâ—ed receiving their spirit they expire That is vexation and privative passions befall them which may also be understood of the catholick Microcosmicall wordl's spirit as of the Microcosmicall and other creatures all which have their beeing from the Macrocosmicall Spirit For when the Divine nature which animateth the Sun of heaven was displeased at the Passion of our Saviour it did Centrally withdraw his beamâ—s from it and it lost its beauty and became dark against the common course of nature So that the pleasant Sympathy which it produced by its presence unto the creatures beneath and in the heavens above was quite changed into Antipathy for a while This therefore was a privative passion in the heart of the great world or as a man may say a Syncope or swooning of the world when ELOAH did abstain for that season to pour forth his influence of beauty by the port of TIPHERETH Also that palpable darkness which happened in Egypt was a privative passion caused by the hiding away of God's face or by the contracting the beams of light within himself Such privative passions also are menaced unto the Sun Moon and Starrs towards the latter end of the world For if the world was made by the sending forth of God's bright Emanation for by the Spirit of the Lord the heavens were adorned as Job telleth us it followeth that by taking it away all will return again unto darkness and plain nothing or deformity even as it was before But this producing of good and Sympatheticall passions by emitting of light from the Center to the Circumference and again the effects of Antipatheticall passions which do oppose the concord and Sympathy of life is excellently described and painted forth by the due examination of the vital action in man For as there are noted to be in generall two severall active Virtues in man's spirit whereof the one is voluntary which is the Prince over the other and commandeth and moveth the inferior actions even as the Divine Angell Mitattron doth in the Primum mobile of the great world which is referred unto the Volunty and moveth by it the celestiall orbs and Elementary world so in the Microcosmicall Fabrick the first mover is that Divine mentall beam which is the head of man's soul and the other kind is involuntary because it is commanded and ruleth after the will of the intellectuall or rationall beam no otherwise then all the lower Orbs are constrained to move after the will of the mover in the Primum mobile So the vitall action in man is one of those branches which is involuntary and no otherwise subject unto the Volunty of the mental beam then the starry heaven which is the seat of life forasmuch as the Sun which is the heart of the world hath his residence there is commanded by the Emperyall Spirit Now as we find that according unto the will of the Divine essence poured out into the heavens and consequently here below as well joyfull and compassionate effects do spring from the positive and dilative property of Unity to recreate and stir up volupty and pleasure in the creature as also trist and sad effluxions proceeding from the contractive Virtue whereby God hideth the face of his benignity from the creatures and thereupon as well concupiscible as odible or irascible passions are caused in the world Even so we find it manifested as well by experience as by the observation of the learnedest in Physick and Philosophy that the vitall action which is over-ruled according unto the mind of the superior Volunty either is opened or enlarged by the dilative property of the first movers will and thereby openeth the cabinet of the heart to produce in the vitall spirit those good passions which Sympathize with life and light namely gladness hope confidence love miserecord and affability or it is contracted and thereby gathereth together also the spirits in the heart whereby is engendred in the vitall spirit such bad privative passions as do antipathise with those good ones which rejoyce and comfort the life and these passions are termed Antipatheticall because they are wholly contrary unto the nature of those which are good of which number proceeding from the hearts contraction are sadness care dispaire fear hatred anger furor bashfullness and so forth So that as by the former the spirit by dilatation did look up unto the Fountain of Light and did rejoyce to see the volupties and pleasure thereof So by the later the spirit was forced by contraction to be deprived from the vision of light and to look pâ—onely downward into the abysse of darkness and to participate with the dark passions thereof And by this decifering and opening therefore of the two opposit passions in the little world we may easily collect the reason and manner of them in the great world being that as eadem sit ratio parcis totius so also the passions of the great world may easily be considered by those of the little world As for example The Load-stone is in comparison of its mother earth even as man is to the whole world wherefore Man is called the Son of the world by Heâ—mes as Cardanus Bap. Porta D. Gilbert and others have made the Load-stone the child or son of the earth We find I say in the Load-stone all the passions as well sympatheticall as antipatheticall which do affect his mother earth for it hath his Poles with the earth and it escheweth all in conformity with the earth it flyeth from that which is contrary unto its nature And again doth sympathise with that which is its like it hath its Aequinoctialls Colures Meridians and Tropiâ—ks as the earth hath and in conclusion it argueth not onely
by the Port of TIPHERETH which importeth beauty and brightnesse into the Sun who by dilatation doth clarifie and subtiliate the spirit of the world and expelleth darkness and this action doth proceed from the center to the circumference And contrariwise there are other emanations which pour out beams of attraction or contraction as doth ELOHIM by the port Binah or Prudentia into the globe of Saturn By this therefore the Spirit of God in his prudency did tie and hang the heavens as it were lincks in a chain of gold together and did bear up the elements in their places and sucked or contracted the grosser part of the waters from the circumference unto the center and there did confirm and fix them in a dark and gross manner So that the fountain of this attractive and contractive property is in the divine Attribute ELOHIM which for reasons that I have told you before is the head of the northern property namely of cold drought opacity congelation incrassation and rest which is caused in the center because it is the terminus ad quem the point unto the which the contraction or attraction is chiefly made beyond the which there can be no further penetration And for this reason the centrall vertue which is in the bowells of the earth doth draw and alluâ—e all weighty things unto this point which when they attain unto the center can passe no further for it is at that centrall butt that the property of ELOHIM doth aime and the Divinity which dwelleth in the earth's center is the divine essence under the name and property of ELOHIM the seat of whose immediate emanation is the angelicall order of Thrones which belongeth unto the earth or grosser waters his magazin or treasure-house in the starry heaven is the globe of Satuâ—n whose property for this reason is cold and dry astrictive contractive attractive and retentive for his beams contract unto the center and he is the Lord over the North-winds which are cold and dry contractive attractive sad and melancholy and it is the Planet which doth administer unto the Pole-star called by the Aegyptians Alruckaba forasmuch as it hath the nature and property of Saturn and Venus and therefore it is the principall helper and assistant in performing not onely the attractive effects of ELOHIM and for that reason doth endue the nature of Saturn which abounds in the Northern effects of ELOHIM but also it participates with the condition of Venus which is the Planet that commandeth the concupiscible faculty and for this reason it maketh a naturall coition namely it draweth with a voluptuous delight his like even as feminine matter is eagerly affected to draw or suck masculine form unto it This therefore is the reason that the earth doth attract unto it the formall shapes which descend down from above and burieth them within its womb with delight For heaven is affirmed by all true Philosophers and Cabalists to be the masculine and the earth the feminine Neither can I but consent with Lucas Gauricus the Astrologians opinion where he saith as is recited before That the star in the Tail of Ursamajor or the great Bear is President of the Load-stone as also that Saturn is the Planet which is allotted unto him and lastly that it hath an speciall relation unto the Constellation of Virgo and the rather because Virgo is that Signe of the Zodiack which possesseth the very self-same Longitude that the said star doth and for that it is of an earthly stiptick and attractive nature as also of the condition of Saturn and Venus All these reasons have been strong motives to perswade me that these are principall celestiall agents in the Northern disposition and property of this lower world and consequently in the attractive motion of the terrestriall northern Pole and every particular thereof I told you before that the eternall Unity everlastingly One in essence dividing or transforming it self by property into Trinity did shape out or describe ideally the archetypicall or internall world according unto whose example he did afterwards delineate or frame out the typicall or externall Wherefore it must follow that if the typicall or naturall world was framed after the idea in the intellectuall or mentall world then what parts or properties are made evident unto our capacity in this world were also the same in the archetype for Quod facit tale est magis tale There was no house that the Carpenter or Brick-layer builded but it was first delineated in the idea of his intellect and then drawn forth superficially in paper and so afterward put into a solid execution so also David confessed that he had the Temple which Solomon erected first drawn forth ideally by Gods finger Now when that God had in his divine counsell thus ordered and shaped out an ideal world in himself to put it in execution and as it were to make it to appear unto mans sense he emitted himself out of himself in the form of an eternall emanation called his Image which was his wisdom by which the generall world and every particular thereof was produced according unto the ideall pattern which was in it self This therefore being so and being that the divine essence can no way be divided howsoever it varieth in property it followeth that every particular beam which shineth out diversly from that catholick emanation to create differing things is one indivisible essence with the whole emanation and therefore he is said to fill all and to be all in all And that the incorruptible spirit is in all things and that he filleth the whole earth I proceed therefore thus If the created world have his shape his members and every particular property assigned unto it by that formall and vivifying world which is described and imprinted in this divine and all-sufficient and creating emanation then consequently all the members properties and natures in this world are graphically or curiously painted out in the supernaturall one it remaining nevertheless one and the same in essence And therefore as in him the catholick image of the outward world is contained so every beam or emanation that issueth from him but is not divided from him containeth the shape of the world And for this reason the wise Philosophers have said That each creature enjoyeth a proportion of the great world by which it is shaped and made in it self a little world as shall be demonstrated by the Load-stone more plainly hereafter And again man is called Omnis creatura as he doth participate of all so that his soul is said to be Ad imaginemtotius sapientiae facta omnium in se gerens similitudinem Made after the similitude of all wisdom bearing in it self the likeness of all things And therefore it is tearmed of another Omnium similitudo The likeness of all things And the reason is because it is one Unity Hereupon also it is reported to be a certain divine and individuall substance Alkindus in his Book de Radiis speaking
after an Astrologicall manner seemeth to aver so much in these words Si alâ—cu datum esset totam conditionem coelestis harmoniae comprehendere mundum elementorum cum suis singulis contentis in quocunque loco quocunque tempore plene cognosceret tanquam causatum per causas si etâ—am aliquam rem hujus mundi in tota sua conditione cognosceret coelestis harmoniae conditio ipsum non lateret sed etiam causam tanquam per effectum suum comprehenderet omnis enâ—mâ—res quanâ—umcunque modica in mundo elementorum agens totius coelestis harmoniae est effectus Whosoever doth comprehend the whole condition of the celestiall harmony he may fully know the whole elementary world with every content of the same in every place and at all times as the effect by the cause Also if he understand any thing of this world in his totall nature and condition the celestiall disposition and condition will not be hidden from him but will be discovered unto him as the cause is by the effect For every thing in this world how little soever it be that acteth is the effect of the whole harmony of the heaven By which words Alkindus being deeply seen in the mystery of nature seemeth to aver that as there is a descent from unity unto multitude so all that multitude is in that unity as also that unity filleth all the multitude so is 1 in 2 and 2 in 3 and 3 in 4 and 4 in 5 c. and yet that unity which is the beginning is the end and all in all So light enforms the angelicall creature the angelicall the starry creature the starry creature the elements and the elements the compound creature Wherefore open the compound creature and look upon the elements divide the Elements and you shall find the starry and quintessentiall nature open these and you shall conceive the subtill alterity of the Angelicall spirit in which is the Divine act or immediate beam from God In this work therefore there concurreth in the separation of the first a sensible aspect in the other we must behold with intellectuall eies So that you may observe how all is in every thing and every thing in all Hereupon it was also that Hermes said speaking mystically and not after the common sense Qui fornacem cum vase nostro construit novum mundum conflat He which maketh our furnace with the glass to it he maketh a new world But what needs more words when we find all this confirmed by demonstration For we know that the Load-stone is but a part of the Earth and yet it hath all his Circles and both his Poles yea and that very nature in all respects between each Pole and Circle that the whole Earth hath and thereupon it is termed Terrella or a little Earth and so may the whole earth be tearmed parvus mundus being it containeth the Poles circles and astrall yea and Elementall natures of the great world no otherwise then the great world doth in all those respects represent the Archetype which is carved out intellectually in the all-working Spirit of Wisdom or sacred Emanation yea and we go yet deeper into our diminutives For if a piece of Iron rod which naturally aspecteth the North and South be brok off that small piece will have also as exactly his North and South Pole and consequently his circles as the whole rod and nevertheless the rod keepeth still his North and South point as before The like in the Load-stone will happen as experience shall hereafter make it appeare more plainly That we may come a little nearer to the explication of this Mystery ye must understand that this eternall catholick Emanation is the essentiall and spirituall rock out of which first the great world in generall and then all particular things therein were carved or framed by generalities first according unto the Ten generall Emanations and their properties which the Ethnicks in some sort referred unto their Ten generall Predicaments and this again had their specialities or subalternate degrees of many ranks and orders of dignities all which were at last made apparent by the infinity of individualls which they did in their kinds produce according unto those divers beams of the multiplicite Will or Volunty of God which this eternall Emanation poured out into them All which particular beams more or lesse being not divided in essence from the universall Emanation or the Spirit of Wisdome which made all things are the spirituall Corner-stone on which every creature as well particular as universall doth formally or essentially consist and this Corner-stone is that internall essence in every thing which as it giveth life so also it is all and over all the things that it inacteth with life and therefore also the soul whose Center this Corner-stone is is said to be in all and every part I will leave to speak of its action in other creatures and will onely insist on our main Subject in hand which is the earth and her off-spring or progenie amongst the which the feminine Load-stone and his ferruginous mass are chiefly reckoned Divine Philosophy teacheth us that the Globe of the Earth is sustained by this Corner-stone and consequently hath her manifold Virtues from it Ubinam eras saith JEHOVAH quando fundebam terram quis disposuit mensuras ejus aut quis extendit super eam lineam Super quo bases ejus defixae sunt Aut quis jecit lapidem ejus Angularem Where wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth Who disposed of the measures thereof and who did extend over it a line upon what basis or foundation was it sustained or who laid the corner-stone thereof In the Weather-glass which I have described in my precedent Philosophicall discourse you may discerne two points corresponding unto the two Poles namely the mattras head above resembling the Northern Pole and the water below compared to the Southern Pole the aire interposed betwixt them unto the spatious heaven or sublunary spirit which is betwixt these two Poles the middle of which in the figure 1. the Aequinoctiall doth â—ut as being in the mid-way betwixt the two Poles We find evermore that when the aire included in the top of the Mattras or bolts-head is cold namely when the northern blasts are sent forth it will be contracted and consequently will suck or draw up the water and thereupon we are taught the reason of the attractive nature not onely in the northern or septentrionall winds but also in the Load-stone and all other things which by contraction of the aire do draw and suck unto them namely that they have that property from the power of Gods Spirit which by his angelicall organs doth blow from the north By this also it is made evident why one Pole doth suck and attract from the other in the Load stone namely by the continuity of the spirituall axle-tree which is made and animated by one corner-stone or essentiall and centrall spirit
as is said though of two opposite conditions in which also it worketh after many diversities of degrees and therefore Solomon tearmeth it simplex or unicus simple or one in regard of his divine nature and multiplex in respect that it worketh and operateth after a manifold manner for as it worketh about the poles of the axle-tree by attracting and sucking unto it by cold and drought so about the Aequinoctiall and that more and more approching from the poles towards the Aequinoctiall it varieth in ten thousand proportions more or less in dilatation by reason of the manifold degrees of heat which this centrall Sun of life imparteth unto the aire And this is not onely manifested in the foresaid Weather-glass forasmuch as we find that by how much the more the heavenly Sun with his divine centrall agent approacheth unto us by so much the more the externall aire being dilated by his heat doth also dilate the aire contained in the neck of the mattras or bolts-head and driveth down the water that is it repelleth back the cold of winter which came in by showers of rain sent from the south unto his proper pole So that we see as the nature of the cold pole is to draw or suck unto it by condensation which is effected by contraction or made by a Saturnine faculty so the nature of the hot Aequinoctiall and his adjacent parts is to expell his opposite by dilatation which is effected by a subtiliating heat And this is the reason as is already demonstrated that the Aequinoctiall of the Load-stone detesteth to be joyned unto the pole as on the contrary side the pole abhorreth reciprocally the Aequinoctiall Also this is the reason that in the pole of the said stone there is so great power of attraction and that it sucketh the iron unto it ad angulos rectos that is after a perpendicular manner and then the nearer the needle or piece of steel or iron-wier approacheth unto the Aequinoctiall of the stone the more will his obliquity in coition or conjunction be with the stone So that when it commeth directly unto the Aequinoctiall it will lose all angular contact and lie flat as it were on its belly as you may see by this true observation following But because these demonstrations may seem unto the vulgar somewhat intricate as being ignorant of the centrall sun of the earth which the Philosophers call Archaeum naturae or The master-workman of nature As also it will be difficult for them to conceive what an axiltree of the earth may be and what his poles And again the right use of the Load-stone or practise in the Weather-glass is unknown unto many a man I will proceed unto a kind of proof and explication of this matter which is familiar unto each person of what degree soever It cannot be gainsaid but that Man and all other creatures as well vegetable as animal are composed of a living soul which is internall and a body being his externall The self-same also we ought to judge of the earth for it hath an inward spirit whereby it operateth diversly And again as there is no animal nor vegetable that can exist without the aire forasmuch as by it each thing liveth and existeth by inspiration for by that means they suck in the celestiall influence so also the aiery element doth feed the inward spirit of the earth and conveyeth from above all the heavenly influences into her body and maketh her the mother of all mineralls and vegetables I told you before that all inferiour things with their operations are the types or similitudes of things above and that God did animate the Angels the Angels did inform the stars and the starry demons or olympick spirits send down influences unto the winds and the winds do inform the catholick element of the aire four-foldly that is to say according unto the nature of the four winds which four-fold information doth give or assigne a name unto the four elements And although in the catholick aire there is but one onely substance in essence yet it varieth in nature after a four-fold condition according unto the will and property of that one Spirit which onely is the efficient actor or agent in this metamorphosis or Protean transmutation from one nature or form unto another although he useth as well angelicall as starry organs and is said to ride upon the cherubins and to glide upon the wings of the winds For this reason therefore the Prophet saies Come O spirit from the four winds and breathe upon these slain bodies that they may live He said not Come O spirits but Come O spirit whereby he argued that it is but one Spirit which bloweth essentially from the four winds and consequently that this one spirit in essence is but onely one thing though four-fold in regard of his property and that as in this archetypicall spirit the whole world was ideally divided into poles and portions distinguished by spirituall circles so also in all the regions of the world he observeth constantly the self-same character of position namely in the starry world as in the airy and in the airy as in the water and earth For in the heavens the northern pole is pointed at and marked out with the starry character which is found in the Tail of the great Bear in the aire it is manifested in that very point from whence Boreas or the north-wind bloweth which doth exactly correspond unto the pole-star Again that the earth observeth the very same order in the direction of her pole is confirmed by the conversion of the Load-stone and Iron unto the north-star Thus you see that it is one onely spirit in essence that worketh all in all I proceed therefore thus to my demonstration which is so familiar to each person that not any one who is in his senses can deny it for I am sure no man can be ignorant that when the north-wind bloweth the aire is of nature cold and dry and therefore is converted into the condition and consistence of earth namely from a clear transparent light subtle dissolved and dilated consistence of aire into a troubled opake or dark gross ponderous and contracted substance for experience doth teach us that it is transmuted into snow hail frost and ice that is from an aery spirit unto an earthly and solâ—d body from an invisible and mobile estate unto a visible and fixt disposition And in conclusion the whole aire is changed into a spirituall and corporall earth and this transmutation it hath from that cold dry and attractive form which it borrowed from the northern wind or septentrionall property of the divine spirit which ordereth all things and altereth them from one form unto another by the breath of his nostrills as Scriptures allegoriously speak or by those windy emissions or angelicall emanations which it sendeth from the four corners of the earth So that by his breath from the north he exerciseth that property in the lower world by the
heaven and earth were made of water and by water by the Word as Sacred Philosophy teacheth us then they would have known also that the common substantiall Subject of them all was but one created watery spirit also that this spirits four-fold information was effected by one increating formall essence or Divine Word acting and informing that universall Element by a four-fold emanation so that the will of one creating Spirit effected by and working in four Angells of an opposit nature maketh disposeth or changeth every day this one spirituall watery Subject into this or that Element according unto the Will of the Creator All which is evidently demonstrated by the wether-glass For the aire therein inclosed doth by contraction or dilatation convert it self into the form of any of the Elements and is altered therein according as the nature of the Macrocosmicall blast or wind that bloweth Now whereas it may be objectively demanded From whence then came the earth and waters that are resident perpetually here beneath I answer That they are the effects which the winds by the Will of God or ELOHIM RUACH did originally produce and these were framed first out of the aire namely by thickning it by one degree into water and ingrossing it by another into solid and fixt earth as it appeared by the third daies Creation where it was said that Aridum apparuerit ex aquis Dry-land did appear out of the waters But the Divine Philosopher St. Paul doth confirm all this where he affirmeth that we ought to believe by Faith that those things which are visible were first of things invisible and unseen And again if that the two lower bodies did not resolve themselves by little and little though insensibly into aire it would not be possible that the earth or the water could hold that abundance of Water Stones Brimstone caused of Lightnings and such like which falleth from the aire and yet we see that neither the aire nor water nor earth are at any time found bigger then their naturall accustomed proportions By this therefore I have sufficiently expressed unto you the attractive and contractive property of the Northern Pole in the aire which inferreth thus much that as the Northern blasts are enemies unto life because they contract from the circumference to the Center which is contrary unto the act of man's life therefore all things that are reduced into a chill cold and Northern property be they airy watery or earthy they draw strongly unto them as it is proved by the weather-glass For the included aire being animated by the effects of a strong and obstinate Northern wind sucketh and draweth the waters on high namely from the Aequinoctiall point of the glass unto the Center of the North Pole which is assigned by the head of the mattras and also by the same reason congealed spirits in any earthly substance do suck or draw from the exteriour to the interior as we observe that Bole Armoniack sucketh moysture unto it and also all other earth when it is throughly dry and that in his own naturall condition namely because it being of the quality of the North it sucketh and draweth strongly a watery moysture but this is by reason of his drought the attraction therefore in the Load-stone is otherwise For it having the essentiall nature of its mother Earth and the virtue of the North in his Pole draweth the masculine Sulphureous spirits out of Iron greedily and that with a feminine appetite by reason of the propinquity and likeness of one nature unto another The like regard also hath the Pole star unto the Load-stone as the Load-stone hath unto the Iron which is his like For Natura Natura suá gaudet laetatur Nature is glad and rejoyceth in her like nature as Empedocles doth truly testifie But both the Iron and the Load-stone are of one myne one vein and one nature seeing that both of them are of an earthly and boreall disposition and therefore the Load-stone and his formall included spirits being more encombred with superfluities then the refined Iron doth as it were either for their assistance namely to be delivered from that incombrance draw unto them their like out of the purified Iron or Steel by a wonderfull appetite and in this action suck unto it the Iron who as unwilling to leave its formall spirit doth follow by a naturall continuity the motion of its formall beams or else for comfort and consolation yea and formal refection's cause no otherwise then the cold materiall female doth the more formall male to be refreshed by the masculine seed or sulphureous Form which they both received from that generall Agent 's ideal Northern nature that sustaineth and animateth the earth I will prove it by a similitude but in a vegetable substance We observe that the grain of wheat not participating with the nature of the earth that is so long as it is above ground and not sown attracteth not his like from heaven but when it is committed unto the earth and the earth by corruption hath unloosed his bands his spirits suck down from above the Sun-beams and celestiall influences of his fixt constellation and erratick Planet in quantity that thereby it may be delivered and rise again by the celestiall beams of his own nature that descend from heaven and principally from the Sun so that like being added to his like becommeth the stronger in ascention For experience teacheth us that the celestiall included form or vitall beam creepeth out of the earth upwards tending by all his appetite unto its ethereal native home from whence it came but because the Element of fire is contiguous unto the aethereal spirit therefore it will not permit these aethereall or sunny-beams to ascend without it and because the aire is a near-cleaving and continued neighbour unto the fire therefore it will not permit the fire to ascend without his presence and again the water challengeth the self-same priviledge namely to ascend with the aire and lastly the earth will not let the water move upwards without her company as being next of her race and therefore will have the self-same prerogative with the other three But because the earth is ponderous and cannot ascend she holdeth it fast below and will not permit the spirit to sore higher and so those beamy spirits which seemed to descend for the freedom of their brethren are by these Elementary ties or rather the four-fold disposition of one Element detained and made to hover and hang in the aire where insteed of flying upwards to heaven they do multiply into many graines And I have noted by mine own experience namely by anatomising of corn with the fiery knife of distillation that the female in corn which sucketh down the celestiall influences of the like nature is a pure volatil Salt of a refined or aereall terrestrial condition but rich in celelestiall fire and therefore made volatil and airy by the union of both extreames so that it is this female
earth with his presence This therefore was it that made some even of our Christian Philosophers to break forth into these speeches Deus est Natura Natura Deus God is Nature and Nature is God Whereby they ment that the naturating or radicall informing nature was the eternall emanation which made and informed the humid nature of the world which for that reason was called Natura naturata or the Nature which was made naturall namely by the presence of the Naturating nature or Spirit of the Lord which moved upon the waters and imparted unto them of his fiery informing Vigor or Essence as we may find partly by Sacred Testimony and partly by the confirmation of St. Austin We must therefore after a due consideration of this which is said infer that if the influence be compleatly animated by the incorruptible Spirit of the Lord then must it be indued with the properties of that Spirit or Divine Nature and consequently it must be the most subtill quick movable and penetrating of all spirits and in that respect will be able to pass through all solid bodies without resistance and also to ingender augment and nourish all things and being incorporated or specificated it procreateth like individualities of their like and again it hath in regard of our capacity an infinite extension and therefore cannot be limited All which I purpose by experience or ocular demonstration to demonstrate in this manner We find in practice that the Load-stone by virtue of his subtill spirit which doth internally animate it is made so potent through it in his attractive virtue that it is able without resistance to display and transmit the beams of his active virtue quite atravers the hardest stones the most solid and finest grained wood through thick plates copper tin silver or gold yea and to penetrate quite through the impenetrable glass it self and other such like compacted stuff which have no sensible porosity or spiracle which is an evident Argument that this spirit is of a far more peircing and subtill nature than the sublunary aire forasmuch as it is denied passage through the slightest paper-skin or bladder In the like manner man's inward or celestiall spirit which is the vehicle of this vivifying beam is so subtil in it self that nothing is able to resist it when the inward mentall beam doth aime at any mark how far or how inaccessible soever it may be esteemed in the fleshly mans conceit For being this celestiall or aethereall spirit in man is made after the pattern of the Divine Image which it beareth it must also resemble it in its actions Now the subtilty of the Divine act in man's spirit is expressed by Hermes in these words Quicunque hac Dei Naturà fulti sunt intelligentià suâ cunctà complectuntur quae in terra sunt in mari siquid est praeter ea supra coelum atque adeo scipsos erigunt ut ipsum quoque bonum intueantur Who soever do rely on this Divine Nature may comprehend by their understanding all thingâ— whâ—ch are upon the earth and in the seas yea and besides all this any thing that is in heaven above and also they may elevate themselves in such a manner that they may behold the face of goodnesse it self c. Whereby he signifieth the all-sufficient act of penetration which is in the mentall beam by whose unresistable action the celestiall influence doth penetrate and operate without any intermediate resistance in and through all things By which it is evident that as every inferior specifick creature is indued with this essentiall spirit and doth consist and is as it were founded and edificated on it as on an essential Corner-stone or Foundation so the emission of his beams is not to be limited by any setled Sphere of activity as the unadvised and more sensuall then intellectuall Philosophers have defined it to be being that it is Vis in rebus infinita An infinite virtue or nature in things and therefore not finite or determinable For look how far it shineth or emitteth his active spirit out of the Center of the celestiall star even so far is this Centrall terrestriall bright Spirit able to make his Semidâ—ameter of extension So that as the heavenly starr's beamy influence doth penetrate downward unto the Center of the earth even after the very like manner doth each terrestriall star peirce unto the Center of the celestiall star from whence it was derived and the more rich and exalted is the starry form in the creature the nearer it approacheth unto the nature of the most exalted star in heaven and maketh his extension the more forcible Now as we see that every Astrall influence in the creature doth by a naturall inclination and that Sympathetically aspect the star or celestiall Fountain from which it did spring and likewise that star in heaven by a paternall respect doth send down his influences to feed and nourish his like filiall fire or form in the creature here below and both of them by a mutuall relation do rejoyce together at the spirituall presence of each other whereupon it is said Naturá natura laetatur naturam continet O natura coelestis veritatis naturas Dei nutu multiplicans Nature is rejoyced in nature and containeth nature O celestiall nature which by the Will of God doth mulâ—ply natures so likewise each kind or species which is indued with all one influence doth because of his likness to another send forth by a sympatheticall consent beams of one nature making an harmonious Symphony in the concourse of their beams by which they do agree in union of love And for this reason the axiom of the Philosophers before mentioned runneth in this strain Natura ex similibus similia procreare solet Nature doth use to procreate like of like And this is the cause why each specifick Form doth rejoyce in its like and is ready to produce his kind and doth not use to passe the limits of his kind as for example A Man's nature produceth a Man a Horse a Horse a fenel-seed fenel a bean a bean wheat produceth wheat c. And also the nature of each thing so created is most amiable unto the nature of his like and sendeth forth the amiable and Sympatheticall beams of his affection to concurre with the like beams which are emitted from his like so that both of them do easily consent and rejoyce at each other and by contraction of beams they indeavour to cause a union For this reason therefore the Load-stone rejoyceth at the aspect of its like for if one Load-stone meeteth with another each will aspect the other by their Saturnine Sulphureous spirits and embrace each other For by their applications they will Centrally suck and draw the one to the other with a Sympatheticall imbracing Also because that the Iron is subject unto the self-same constellation and hath his Centrall star in all points correspondent unto the Load-stone for which essentiall consanguinity
abolished being no man can justly determine of the extension of the solar influence of whose nature the beam in the grain doth participate no otherwise than one small Load-stone cut out of a great one hath his parts or poles and circles in every respect corresponding with those of the great one Man hath a most subtle influence or vivifying spirit of life sent down and infused into him by divine inspiration in which is the property of the four winds as the Prophet Ezekiel telleth us and consequently the Idea of every nature but the essence of this spirit is indivisible and therefore the vivifying spirit sent from it into man hath all the properties of the spirit that infused it no otherwise than a lesser Load-stone cut out of the greater hath in every respect the property of the greater And consequently the spirit of the one is no more divided from the other â—han the Sun-beams can be divided from the Sun But the Spirit of the Lord filleth all things as Solomon hath it and maketh the dimension of his operation in man more or less according unto his will and therefore will admit no such phantasticall limited sphear of activity as the wisdom of mans invention I mean the subject of the pagans Philosophy which is folly before God would inferr For this reason therefore Hermes saith Anima mente Deoque plena intima mundi replet complectitur extima vitamque haec omnibus suggerit The soul or vitalâ— spirit being full of divinity filleth the world and embraceth externall things and this giveth life unto all things without it giveth life unto the great and perfect animal the world and breathing unto each thing that liveth within it And again elsewhere Naturá incorporeâ— nihil est capacius nihil velocius nihil validius aut potentius Sic iterum à te ipso incipiens meditare atque animae tuae praecipito quae citius quam praeciples evolabit Jubeto inquam ut transeat in Oceanum illa priusquam â—usseris ibi erit indenbi nunc est nequaquam discedens Jubeto iterum ut in coelrm volet nullis pennis egebit nihil ejus obstruet cursui non solis incendium non aetheris amp iâ—udo non vertigo coelorum non syderum antiquorum corpora quin penetrans omnia ad supernum usque corpus transcendat Quinetiam sivolueris Globos omnes transire coelâ—rum quodque supeâ—ius est investigare id quoque tibi licebit Adverte quanta sit animae â—uae potestas quantae celeritas There is nothing more capable than the incorporeall or spirituall nature nothing more swift and quick or nimble nothing more strong or powerfull Again Beginning thus with thy self do thou meditate and command thy soul what thou pleasest and it will flye sooner than thou commandest Command it I say that it pass into the Ocean sea and it will be there before thou bidst it Again command it that it flye into heaven and it will want no wings nothing will hinder her or stop her in her course no not the heat of the Sun nor the vast largeness of the heavenly or aethereall vault nor the wheeâ—ing about of the starry orbs nor yet the bodies of the other starrs but peircing all these it passeth quite through even unto the highest body Moreover and if thou wilt have her to pass â—ver the celestiall Globes and to search out whatsoever is above thou maist do it also Mark therefore how great the power of the Soul is and how swift and quick it is in its execution c. thus far the wise Hermes By both which places we may observe first that the Soul in generall and therefore in particular is full of Divinity and consequently that it is this Divine Essence that worketh in this soul all in all in the world and every member thereof as the Apostle saith and therfore the said Philosopher in the place before Anima mâ—nte Deoque pâ—ena c. Secondly that this Divinity in the catholick created spirit filleth all things in an Angelicall existence that is indueth the mantle of the vast worldâ—s spirit And this agreeth with Scripture which saith that Spiritus Dei implet omnia The Spirit of the Lord fâ—lleth all things Spiritus incorruptibilis inest omni rei The incorruptibe Spirit is in all things Deus vivificat omnia God vivifieth all things and consequently is the essentiall act and life of the world as I have proved fully in the first Book of this Treatise wherefore Hermes in another place saith thus Animae universâ— per omnem mundum ab una mundi totius anima profluunt tanquam dâ—stributae circumferentes The universal souls throughout the whole world do proceed as it were distributed concurrentâ— from one soul of the whole world which is all one with that which we have said before namely that all Souls in this world are certain beamy streams proceeding from that catholick Emanation which issued from the eternall Fountain of the illuminating act to some more copiously and to some more spâ—â—ingly and therefore Man â—s said to be in dignâ—ty little less then the Angells by reason of the large portion of Light bestowed upon him Spiritus Dei fecit me saith Job sed inspiratio Omnipotentis fecit me â—melâ—igere Thirdly That in the very twinckling of an eye it is able to penetrate quite through all things and that at what distance it pleaseth and consequently will not be limitted by any imaginary Sphere of activity But Mr. Foster and his complices will reply that the spirit which should operate in the blood and from the blâ—od to the Ointment is a naturall spirit and not this Divine Spirit This Objection maketh me to smile As who should say that this act of vivifying yea and of every other faculty belonging unto man's spirit doth not move from one and the same Divine Fountain when the Apostle saith In him we move we live and have our being Again it is said that in the blood is the soul or spirit of life And St. John saith In Verbo erat vita in the Word was life I will tell you therefore what a true Philosopher saith touching this point Anima saith he ad similitudinem totius sapientiae facta omnem in se gerit similitudinem est que spiritus intellectualis semper vivens semper in motu secundum suâ— operis officium variis nuncâ—paâ—ur nâ—mâ—nibus Dicitur vita dum vegetat spiritus dum contemplatur sensus dum senti animus dum sapit mens dum intelligit ratio dum discernit memoria dum recordatuâ— dum vult voluntas ista omnia non sunt nisi una anima proprietate diversa sed essentia unica The soul of Man framed after the similitude of all wisdom doth beare in it self the likness of all things and it is an intellectuall spirit ever living and ever in motion and it is termed by divers names and appellations according unto the office of the work which it
effecteth For when it vegetateth or causeth to grow and multiply it is called life when it contemplateth it is termed a spirit it is called sense when it is conversant about the function which belongeth unto the externall sense it is termed the mind when it is versed about wisdom it is called Mens or the mentall beam when it understandeth it is termed reason when it discerneth between good or bad it is called memory when it remembreth it is styled Volunty when it willeth and yet all these are but onely one soul divers properties I say but one onely essence So that it is the same essentiall act which causeth life and contemplation which maketh sense and intellect which effecteth memory and reason and to conclude that willeth or nilleth Which being thus Is it not a sinfull thing in ignorant persons to make the occult actions of this abstruce spirit by which they live move understand discern between good and evill remember see feel hear touch and â—ast the effects of the devill and consequently to rob their bright soul of her honour instead of giving her thanks for her assistance by ascribing her arcane operations most irreligiously and falsly unto the devill And why I pray Why because they cannot dive into the depth of her activity by whom they themselves do live move and have their being Yea and to limit her activity with bounds according unto their pleasure who though they know not so much have their life and volunty from her which limiteth them according as she pleaseth who is infinite in her being for so much as she is a portion not divided from that Divine Emanation which is infinite in his extention It is evident therefore that this vivifying Spirit can send forth its action unto any mark in the world from any specifick nature but especially from the Microcosmicall creature and the rather if the mark be of the same specifick condition and the vehicle of the spirit namely the effused blood measuring first the distance between the wound and the Ointment Moreover we shall find this confirmed by other of her operations effected in the same Microcosmicall Mine from whence it emitteth its beams at an unlimited distance As for example It is found by experience and that by naturall means without any suspition of Cacomagicall devices or superstitious artifices that if a persons urine that hath the Yellow Jaundis be conveied at the distance of a hundred miles as by an honourable Person of no small rank and entire in Religion I am informed who hath often times made the tryall hereof unto a place where a composition shall be made of the urine and ashes of a certain tree commonly known and had in this Kingdom with certaine blades of Saffron as hath been told you in my Book entitled The Squeezing of Parson Foster's Sponge it often-times cureth that disease when the best of Physicall experiments have failed and this Medicine misseth seldom where the disease is curable And now I will relate a true story which befell this last yeare 1630 upon a Chirurgion's wife who dwelled not far from the Tower of London She fell desperately sick of the Yellow Jaundis and had sick gripings and shouâ—ings withall about her Stomack my self after many others was called unto her but prevailed but little by our Physicall means over the disease wherefore she hearing me tell of the many cures which this Noble Earl I spake of did perform in having the Parties water she sent her man unto me with her water to request me to make some means unto the Noble Man for her The fellow was sent by me with a letter four miles into the country and when he came unto the house he found two that were there to give thanks for their recovery For by that means they were cured The urine was received for my sake and the fellow sent away But mark the consequence so soon as the fellow was parted with the urine the sick woman was tatled unto by demure Gossips and told that it was done by witch-craft and the devill and therefore dangerous for her soul which made her rage and cry-out upon witch-craft and was much discontented which when I heard I came no more unto her esteeming her ungratefull and sent suddenly to the Earl to request him to undo the business and break the clods which he sent me word he would do but told me it was to late For said he it will work the effect howsoever Indeed the woman mended immediatly after it and no doubt did ascribe the cure unto some other inefficacious Physicall trash applied per chance unto her by some Mountebank All this I spake to my knowledg and I am not ignorant of the manner of the cure For it pleased the Noble Personage to impart unto me the manner yea and the Ladies his daughters have cured many of this disease aswell rich as poore who have made some means unto them for this cure And this worthy Lord did assure me that he had cured at an hundred mile's distance I cannot chose but make you acquainted with another cure which he effected upon a noble Lady that was my patient She had extreamly the Jaundis and though I did in some sort remove them for a while yet it returned again I then requested the Noble Knight her husband to send her water unto the foresaid Honourable Personage and promised him to write my letter by him All was done as I counselled and the Countess her self took it into her care to dispose of the water and the rather because the Lady that was sick was of a Noble Parentage Somewhat i wrought with the disease but not to our purpose Whereupon I did visite this Noble Man and told him of the small success that his Medicine had He willed me to send her water once more and told me that a Lady was with him in the foresaid noble patients behalf the day before I sent again her water and from that time forward she mended apaâ—e and was perfectly cured There are a hundred who can justifie this to be true Neither can it be alledged that it might be done by some medicine used in â—he mean time To â—ut off this objection she was prohibited for all that season to take any medicine but bare food onely Now the reason of this cure is no otherwise effected then that of the weapon-salve for the spirit of the blood in the infected person hath a continuated relation unto his salt yea and its habitation is in the aereall salt of the blood which being a subtle earth in the center whereof is the spirit contracted and being partly dispersed in the urine which is the whey of the blood it sucketh and draweth unto it his like from the infected body whereby it being as it were resuscitated and newly revived it emitteth new beams to meet comfort and correct the infected beams emitted out of the sick body And again the infecting spirit of the iâ—teâ—itious humour is by vertue
that all these are lies I reply That it was a learned Philosopher and famous Theologian that relateth them who no doubt would if he lived tell him That he should learn to understand the hours of elections the stars that have dominions on the earth and their times of exaltation or fortitude on the earth And lastly over what creatures in the three compound Kingdoms they have their proper influences For my part I know admirable secrets in man and beasts for the which the Peripatetick Philosophy can yield no reason as for example That the Pike or Jack-fishe's guts dried should mightily provoke urin the sucking of blood from a Mole whose nose is cut off for the same purpose will cure the falling-sickness and that after the taking of it it maketh the party exceeding sick as experience hath taught us by the cure of a Lady in Kent who was cured thereby Also that it being burnt unto powder it should by an occult nature expell the cholick That the heart and liver of the Frogs should be approved for the falling-sickness That a Snake's skin should accelerate and hasten a woman's delivery That the menstrues in a woman should cause a Leprosie That the Toad dried should stench blood as also the Spider being applyed unto the nostrills of him that bleedeth as I have often tried As for other occult miracles in stones mettles herbs and animals the true schollars unto Solomon I mean Hermes Plato Albertus Magnus Diascorides and such like are full and doubtlesse they would not prove so sottish and indiscreet to publish lies and to write things of impossibility averring them to be effected in their knowledge and so by that means lose that reputation which they have gained in the world by their wisdom But as concerning the practise of our main businesse which is touching the sympatheticall and antipatheticall respect that is between the different Mummy which is in mans body and the ocular demonstration thereof produced from the Loadstone I purpose in this next Book to shew and prove more unto you than any one hath done before me unto this present as I may imagine The Third BOOK Which toucheth many practicall Proofs and experimentall Conclusions to confirm the loving Microcosmicall Attraction or sympatheticall Coition and antipatheticall Expulsion or hatred by the magnetick and expulsive property of the Macrocosmicall Load-stone The Argument of this Book The Author's Proem unto this present Book wherein he briefly and in few words reciteth what is said before I Have related to you in my precedent discourse and made sufficient proof of it that the spirituall Christ the divine Word or eternall wisdom is the true basis or foundation of the essentiall Philosophy as is proved by the Apostle's testimony forasmuch as he is the sure and never-failing corner-stone on which every creature is builded and in whom it consisteth seeing that in it is life and that life is the essentiall light which vivifieth all things and consequently operateth all in all as the Scriptures do sufficiently testifie For if the Spirit of the Lord doth impart unto the creature life and inspiration and all things And if again that Spirit doth replenish the earth and be in every thing as Solomon confesseth then must we also acknowledge that this centrall Spirit of every specifick thing is that Divinity wherein the essentiall root of all magnetick sympatheticall attraction and antipatheticall expulsion in every kind consisteth For being it is the catholick love which imparteth it self unto every particular existence to give it action and motion to attract his like nature for a convenient nourishment assistance and consolation so also it maketh the organ in which it acteth to resist and expell all such emanations as either in order quality or essence do disagree and are opposite or harmfull to the specifick existence or conservation For this reason therefore it endueth the creature with a double affection namely with a concupiscible desire and an irascible hatred whereof the one doth rejoyce or sympathize with his like and therefore allureth or draweth it unto him to consolate and assist him in his beeing the other doth eschew and drive away by an antipatheticall and odious aspect that which may be harmfull and noysome unto it And this is the act of that all-creating and sustaining Wisdome which made each creature by a kind of successive preservation which it sucketh from his like in the world to be and exist and consequently hath given it an irascible faculty to defend it self from that which is contrary unto it Whereby we may see how this vivifying spirit doth moderate all things with an unpartiall hand insomuch that though it hath framed all things by opposition namely light and darknesse and therefore in mans regard both good and evill yet he ordained that each individuall should have the faculty to eschew with an irascible and antipatheticall disdain that which unto it is contrary either in order or nature or both untill the time be accomplished in which after he is exalted he shall expell all contrariety and discord out of this world by making a sympatheticall union amongst all things which also St. Paul doth argue in these words Cum evacuaverit omnem Principatum Potestatem Virtutem Oportet autem eum regnare donec ponat omnes inimicos sub pedibus suis novissima autem inimica destruetur Mors Omnia enim subjecit pedibus ejus Cum autem ei subjecta fuerint omnia tunc ipse filius subjectus erit illi qui subjecit sibi omnia ut sit Deus omnia in omnibus When he hath evacuated every Principality and Potestat and Virtue For he must raign untill he put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy death shall be destroyed For he shall subject all things under his feet And when all things are made subject unto him then also the Son shall be subject un-him who hath made all things subject unto him that God may be all in all Whereby it is evident that the catholick Magneticall virtue which resideth in God's eternall Spirit shall at the last be exalted after his glorious victory and draw all things unto him and all things shall be one in him and he in them and consequently all Discord and Hatred being banished and laid apart Love Peace and Vnity shall erect the perpetuall and never-dying Trophy of this hallowed Victory This universall Magnetick Virtue is acknowledged by the Spirit of Christ in these words Si exaltatus fuero à terra omnia traham ad meipsum If I shall be exalted from the earth I will draw or attract all things unto my self that is I will by mine attractive or conjoyning Vnite all things and as it were ingraft them into mine own Nature So that in the beginning all things came from one Unity as comprehending in it implicitly all things which are explicitly unfolded and comprehended under two contrary Principles So in the end all things
man that marcheth on the hill where the Mine is and holdeth this Hazel-rod in this posture shall presently perceive the top or perpendicular of the rod to incline violently downward when the man treadeth on a place where any Mine is which is an evident Argument of the Magneticall affection which is between the one and the other 6. Experiment A man that hath many boils in his body was counselled when other things would not cure him by an old woman to find out a bramble which groweth out of the earth at both ends or both ends rooted in the ground and this man was counselled to creep in his clothes under the bramble backwards three times and he was cured so his boils vanished by little and little in five or six daies Mr. Fuller 2. Proposition The singular order and sympathy or antipathy of the vegetable parts between themselves is described and typically set forth by a relation or respect had between it and the Load-stone whereby is argued that the vegetable and minerall and consequently the animal observe one sympatheticall or harmonicall proportion as well in their sympatheticall order as antipatheticall irregularity in their disorder A Problem for the confirmation of the foresaid Proposition In all Magneticall things be they vegetable or minerall and consequently animall evermore nature doth tend unto a convenient unity both in nature and position and contrariwise where their parts do not according unto the course of nature incline unto a conjunction there happeneth a disturbance and as it were a diversity between part and part Demonstration in the Minerall Magnet Take a long Load-stone or Minerall Magnet and let it be C D and let C be the North Pole B and D the South A Then divide this long Load-stone in the middle between the two poles where the aequator passeth namely in E F and E will be South or aequinoctiall unto the pole D and F unto the pole C. As therefore these parts of the Load-stone did respect one another in their entire disposition So also nature tendeth after their division to unite them again And therefore where the division is made the end E desireth and coveteth to cleave and adhere unto F. But E. will not be joyned or have any commerce with D nor yet F with C and then one must convert C unto D and they will well agree and be combinated together For D turneth to the South as before and C to the North. But E and F which should be parts naturally conjoyned and united in the Stone are in so doing mightily displaced so that they do not accord and unite together by a materiall union but they receive their motion and inclination from the form of the Stone So that the ends of this Stone whether they are disjoyned or united do Magnetically tend after one manner unto the poles of the earth both in its first entire and divided figure as in the second and the Magneticall concourse F E in the second figure into one body will be as perfect as that of C D even as it was engendered in his vein and F E as the flote in their boat Application unto the Vegetable This self-same conveniency and inconveniency of the Magneticall Form which is noted to be in the Minerall Magnet will also be observed in vegetables For take a wand or rod of a Willow Tree or any other Plant which groweth easily and let it be A B and A is the uppermost part of the rod and B the lower part next unto the root divide this rod in the middle D C I say then that if the end D be grafted again in the end C it will grow Also if B be grafted on A they will be consolidated together and sprout forth But if D be grafted upon A or C. upon B they will be at strife and consequently will never grow but one of them must needs dye by reason of the preposterous order and inconvenient position because that the vegetative force or vigor which proceedeth after one manner is now diverted and compelled or forced into contrary parts I will say no more touching this point but proceed unto the main burthen of these practicall Magneticall Conclusions with their infallible Demonstration CHAP. VI. How the feisiblity and possibility of the Magneticall manner of cure by the Weapon-salve is produced and demonstrated to be naturall The which that we may the better effect we will first set down our main Proposition touching this kind of cure and afterward elucidate and clearly demonstrate it by evident proofs derived especially from the virtue of the Load-stone The Proposition IF after the wound is made a portion of the wound 's externall blood with his inward spirits or of his internall spirits onely that have penetrated into the weapon or any other thing which hath searched the depth of the wound be conveyed from the wound at any reasonable but unlimited or unknown distance unto an Ointment whose composition is Balsamick and agreeing specifically with the nature of the creature so wounded and be in a decent and convenient manner adapted and as it were transplanted or grafted into it the oyntment so animated by those spirits will become forthwith magneticall and apply with a magneticall aspect or regard unto the bearny spirits which stream forth invisâ—â—bly from the wound being directed thereunto by those spirituall bloody spirits in the weapon or other thing which hath received or included them and the lively and southern beams streaming and flowing from the wound will with the northern attraction of the oyntment so magnetically animated concur and unite themselves with the northern and congealed or fixed bloody spirits contained in the oyntment and stir them to act southernly that is from the center to the circumference so that by this reciprocall action union or continuity the lively southern beams will act and revive the chill fixt or northern beams which do animate the oyntment with a magneticall vertue and quickned spirits of the oyntment animated by the spirits of them both and directed by the spirits which were first transplanted into it doth impart by the said union or continuity his balsamick and sanative vertue unto the spirits in the wound being first magnetically attracted and they afterwards by an unseperable harmony transfer it back again unto the wound And this is the reason of that sympatheticall and antipatheticall reference or respect which is by experience observed to be between the oyntment and the wound so that if the whole space of the weapon that made the wound be covered and annointed with the unguent and the unguent be well wrapped and kept warm the wound will find consolation and be at ease but if a part of the oynment be pared away or wiped off from the weapon it hath been often tryed that pain or dolour will immediately ensue and afflict the wound Moreover if the place anoynted be kept temperately warm the wound will also rest in temper but if it be uncovered and
minerall be divided into parts the spirituall nature of these parts do alwaies tend unto Unity although these parts be divided far from one another which is an Argument that they are no continued thing in spirits and therefore one part doth directly co-operate and send out actuall beams of sympatheticall identity unto another though the bodily divided parts be absent or distant in space from one another A Demonstration to confirm this This is sufficiently proved by the ocular Demonstrations recited for the confirmation of the first member but more especially by the second Demonstration of the eighth Chapter of this present Book where I have shewed you that if a long Load-stone be divided in the middle between the two Poles that is to say about the aequinoctial line and each of these divided parts be put to flote in his small vessell or bark on the still water The influentiall spirit which is one in essence and continued between them doth desire and covet to unite the divided minerall bodies whose limbs are by a wound or Solution of continuity separated and to reduce them into the naturall estate they were in at the first and for that cause B and C whereof the one is Meridionall namely B and the other Septentrionall to wit C which were at the first continuated parts but now divided are by that unseparable Spirit which giveth life unto both the parts reunited sucked and drawn together and reduced unto the estate of their pristine continuity that is of two stones they are made one so that the portion of spirit in C draweth and attracteth the bodily B unto it and the proportion of spirit in B sucketh and inticeth C unto it For we must note that the unity of spirit doth evermore desire and effect the unity of the body in which it dwelleth for the quintessentiall or formall spirit delighteth not in the variable disposition of the airy spirit and therefore coveteth to inhabit the close specificall house or pallace which it did possesse immediatly after his discent from his celestiall starry parents This is the reason that one specifick spirit is most easy yea and rejoyceth to communicate with his like but especially one and the same spirit must needs act with and never be absent from the other and therfore when the frozen Northern and as it were congealed nature is incited and stirred up by the aequinoctiall or Southern property if it be rightly adopted and the Southern Iron 's property is touched with the Magneticall North-pole of the other they will effect attraction the better and to this purpose speaketh this Problem Problem If Magneticall bodies be divided or any part broken off from the whole each part so broken off will have his North and South And therefore each particle of Iron or of the Load stone being divided from the whole will have a Northern property and a Southern which doth manifestly confirm unto wise men's capacities that the spirit of every Specifick yea of every individuall hath a Northern and a Southern condition and consequently an attractive and dilative property and not only the spirit of the whole but also of every particular of it if it may be spoken being that the formall spirit is in all and in every part Application Yee may therefore perceive by this how possible and fezible it is that the spirit in the dead blood or weapon being transferred and as it were transplanted at a far distance in the Ointment as having a Balsome not differing from the animall nature but especially in respect of the vegetable Salt of the Uzneas in the which altogether lurke spirits which by the present application of the Southern lively and warm spirits in the wounded man guided unto it by the spirits transported or transplanted bood doth re-vivify and co-operate with the same spirit not onely in the stanching of the flowing blood but also in the healing and consolidating of the wound as shall be shewed you more amply hereafter The third Member of the Proposition is confiâ—med by these proofs Thirdly that it is not the animal's externall blood but the internall in the externall which being separated from his fountain and transplanted on another unctuous stock doth operate Magnetically from the stock on which it is planted unto the fountain or spring from whence it floweth And it is maintained thus A Demonstration to confirm this first Problem It is not any corporeall thing which floweth from the Load-stone or which penetrateth into Iron or that is poured or extracted out of the Iron being awaked by the Load-stone's power but one Load-stone disposeth another by an originall or primary Form and the Load-stone doth revoke and disposeth the Iron which is familiar unto his nature together with it self unto a formed vigour for which reason the Iron runs unto the Load-stone and doth greedily conform it self unto it each forces or vigours symphoniacally provoking Application Therefore it is a formall spirit or subtle celestiall influence which doth operate mutually from the wounded body unto the transported or transplanted blood and not the body or the blood or the aire or the oyntment in which the transported blood or bloody spirits are contained so that the excited spirits in the oyntment do apply their regard unto the beams of the exciter the north spiracle unto the southern and so a union is made between the spirits of the oyntment with the adopted blood and those of the wounded body And as we see that by the concourse in the macrocosmicall aire of the north-wind and the south both spirits are united into one form and are magnetically with their airy vehicle contracted into a clowd which containeth in it a formall fire or lightning and a watry body So the two emanations do cause a contracted aery spirit in the place of their concourse or application which doth in his contraction attract the balsamick spirit which the oyntment doth send forth even as we see in the Weather-glass that the contracted aire sucketh up with it the masse of the water and yet the aire so contracted is not for all that visible But this is further confirmed by this Problem 2 Problem Iron is allured and drawn onely by the immateriall act of form that is to say by an incorporeall proceeding the which doth act and is conceived in the iron subject as in a continuate homogeneall body And this is the reason that Iron is moved and drawn unto the Load-stone without being impedited or hindred by the interposition of dense and well-compacted bodies between them And again Iron draweth to it the Load-stone it self and the concourse unto unity is moved by a mutuall consent and vigour the which concourse is vulgarly termed Attraction Application Here we see that reference which is between the Magnet and the Mine out of which that spirit which doth animate the Magnet is drawn As for example In the forementioned Chapter the spirit of the microcosmicall Mummy is in the excrementitious
flourish the which did reduce the Elements under the heaven and humid nature and as they were undistinguished afterward that portion which was light did fly and sore up unto the highest region the weightier part did reside and take its place under the moist heaven These things being thus distinguished and ballanced which were susteined by a fiery spirit the heavens did shine forth in seaven circles c. This I say is the manner of the world's Fabrick as also of the rotation of one Elementary nature into another caused partly by the absence or presence of the Spirit riding in his chariot or Tabernacle which is the Sun Hence therefore proceedeth that alteration by Condensation or Rarefaction which is observed annually in the world but especially by the four windy Organs or Angelicall instruments of this aeriall region and is effected assidually by changes all the year long as is justified by the weather-glasse's observation And we must with diligence-observe that these members of the worlds Fabrick do endure with incorruptibility alwaies and shall never alter untill the last PEREAT But the creatures which are compounded of this generall Element and are diversly altered or informed shall pass or begin their generation from the simple Elementary estate which is in four quasi à Termino à quo unto the complement of generation or compleat composition namely 8. tanquam ad Terminum ad quem And again the corruption or resolution of that generated compound shall have its Terminum à quo or beginning from the degree of compleat composition 8. and his Terminus ad quem that is the complement of resolution shall be in the common or catholick Element which is aire four-foldly altered in his simple nature as shall appeare in this which followeth CHAP. VI. The true Mystery of Generation and Corruption also a touch of Re-generation or Resurrection is afer the doctrine of holy Scripture herein Expressed AS we have plainly though in few words expressed unto you a dark privative Principle namely that which seemed before all beginnings to be without form and therefore mortifieth and depriveth of life and is as it were out of all existence in regard of our capacity by reason that the active vivifying light doth not shine forth but is hidden in the center So also have we manifested unto you another Spirituall Principle which is Light now shining forth of Darkness and this is that only which informeth vivifieth and animateth all things with life I told you that all was but one essentiall Unity For the three Divine Person was but one and the same in essence and therefore that Light was unto him as Darkness and consequently that he was the beginning of all beginnings that is to say he is as well the principle of Privation and Corruption as of Position and Generation whereof the one is the Act unto life namely the in-created Light and the other is the passive of life or death and that is the waters forasmuch as they were derived out of Darkness and therefore by reason of their Darkness they participate in their passion as well of the privative as of the positive principle and for that reason the Actor in both extreames is God which is Unity who by the withdrawing of his vivifying Spirit from the creature causeth death and privation and consequently leaveth nothing in it but the characters of corruption and ruine Contrariwise by continuing his incorruptible Spirit in the creature it remaineth by the presence thereof without corruption Also after that God doth withdraw his Spirit from the creature then the creature dieth if he sendeth again his Spirit of life into the creature it reviveth and riseth again This was the reason in one sense of the Resurrection of our Saviour who for that cause was termed Primaevus resurrectionis à mortuis The first that risse again from death unto eternall life And in another sense it was the cause that Elias raised from the dead the child of the widdow and that the bones of Elizeus caused the murthered Amalikite to rise again as also that Christ caused Lazarus to revive when he was dead as shall be shewed hereafter I will therefore express unto you out of Scriptures first that God to whom the act of privation is as familiar as that of position if we only consider the watery or passive composition forasmuch as it participateth of both extreames is the only Actor as well unto death and corruption as to life and generation And then secondly I will briefly prove unto you the manner how the self-same Unity in essence operateth thus contrarily in the watry or bodily Subject of all things Touching the first Scriptures say It is God that woundeth and striketh and it is he that cureth And again they say in the Person of God I kill and I make alive again In another place Thou hast power of life and death in thine hand Thou bringest unto the grave and reducest back again And the Son of Syrath Vita Mors bonum malum à Deo sunt Life and death good and evilâ— a e from God Now for the second namely to shew how the Lord operateth by one and the same Spirit to life death and resurrection we may easily gather it if we will consider with our selves that it was the all-inaâ—ting Spirit of wisdom which first did inform the world with life and being and did give life unto each creature and doth preserve it from death and corruption so long as it abideth and operateth vivifyingly in the said creatures And therefore it is said Deo serviat omnis creatura quia dâ—xisti jaâ—â—ae sunt mâ—â—sti spiritum creatae sunt Let every creature serve God for thou spakest and they were made thou didst send thy Spirit and they were created Again Deus non aâ—quo indigens that â—mnibus viâ—am inspirationem omnia God not wanting the aid of any giveth or bestoweth on al creatures life and inspiration or breath and all things In another place Deus dat flatum populo qâ—i est super terram spiritum calcanâ—bus eam And it was for this reason that the Psalmist saith Vita adest benevolenti IEHOVAE Life is present through the benignity of God Vitae restaurator est IEHOVA God is the restorer of life Vitae meae fontes omnes à Deo All the fountaines of my life are from God Vitae proâ—ongatâ—o est benignitas IEHOVAE The prolonging of lifâ—â—s through the benignity of IEHOVA Whereupon it is apparent that the presence of the vivifying Spirit of God is the cause of life multiplication and preservation And therefore Job said Viâ—tatio tua conservaâ— spiritum meum â—hy visitation pâ—â—serveth my spirit As contrariwise the absence of the same spirit lesse or more is the occasion of sicknesse death destruction or corruption And therefore it is said Deâ—s malos reliâ—quit abscondit faciem suam ab impiis ut obveniant