Death do often Communicate their desires and reveal various Secrets unto their Friends for Dreams are Incorporeal and the Souls deceased have no other way to impart their Secrets that is so amiliar as this except some few who at their Death are greatly affectionated to Wife and Children or the like and dye with a strong desire of revealing something that lies hid or to manifest their affections to their surviving Friends and these sometimes do it by assuming an aireal Body and appearing Affections being the chief general Cause of Apparitions of Souls departed But then the will and desire must be very strong and powerful at the departure of the Soul from the Body or else it cannot cloath it self with a sidereal or Elemental thin Body for the External Eye cannot see any thing but what is like is self or compounded of them same Elements and there is great difficulty for any Soul to cloath it self with a material Body neither indeed can it be done if the Affections and desires be not wonderful strong and powerful Which shadow or thin Body continues no longer than the Radical moisture in the deceased Body does in some degree continue for as the moisture and matter of the Body does waste so the Apparition or Ghost does grow weak and at last vanish For the Soul cloathed it self by the help of the matter contained in the Body which is done by a sympathitical Operation between the External and Internal for there is some likeness or Relikes of the Spirit remaining in the deceased Body so long as it continues moist and full of matter for if it were not so it were impossible that any Soul should appear in any Body or shape either humane or Beastial Therefore it was that some of the Philosophical Antients commanded the Bodies of the dead to be burni to Ashes which did totally destroy the Humour Radicalis or Spirit of the external elemental Nature thereby perventing such Apparitions as wâ—… are speaking of and hindering Souls from Cloathing themselves with thin Aireal Bodies which they can do only by a Sympathetical agreement between themselves and their old Houses the deceased Bodies For if the Soul departs from the Body filld with Affections to external things be they what they will then finding it discomposed and disquieted it longs after its old Body or House and by Simile and help of the Fluid Humours and Spirits yet remaining in the Body it attracts a subtle matter in which having vested it self it becomes to outward view Corporeal â—…ut if the body should be consumed by Fire then the Spirit or Soul would be prevented wholly of matter for this sidereal Cloathing And therefore this way of burning the dead bodies was practised as in divers other Nations so also in England in former Ages for then it was more frequent for departed Souls as also for divers other sorts of Spirits to appear to the living than of late years for some Reasons which I shall not stand to insist upon or explain in this place And therefore they did consume their dead Bodies with Fire by which there was an immediate and full Separation between the Body and Soul and no simile remain'd and consequently no matter could be attracted or coagulated for the formation of such Spectre's or Apparitions For the like Reason we may note by the way that the first Midwives and Directors of Women after Delivery ordered the After-Birth with Consumption by Fire to put a period to the Atomes or subtle Spirits that can and do powerfully penetrate all Bodies for they are so subtle and quick that nothing can hold or hinder them from returning to their Centers but only the Annilation of the whole But it is further to be observed That all Midwives ought to let the After-Burthen be through cold before they burn it or else the fierce surprisal which the Fire makes upon the Spirits will force them back to their Center whence they proceed with a Rapid motion and carry with them the hot sulpherous Atomes and Particles of the Fire which in some Complections will wound the Health and oft-times cause Fevers and unnatural Heats and Indispositions and more heat the Milk by simile These things are seldom considered and therefore the Evils thereof are the ofter felt But to return from this Digression wherein we thought it not unfit to point out briefly the Nature Causes and Manner of Souls appearing after Death which sometimes happens where the affections are exceeding violent as aforesaid it is far easier and more familiar for the deceased Souls to communicate their secrets to their living Friends in Dreams then to appear thus in external Forms by cloathing themselves with thin Elemental Bodies for men in Dreams are nearer unto the condition of departed Souls then when awake and therefore they can with ease and great familiarity discourse and reveal their minds unto them more especially if there were a simile between their spirits or if there was a hearty Love and Affection whilst they lived For all the time the Body sleepeth it is as it were dead and ten hours is but as one minute but the spirit and soul liveth and acteth and seeth and apprehendeth things as if it had not any earthly Body but were already in Eternity for near and afar off is all a like unto it it can as easily visit remote Countries and Regions beyond the Equinoctial or Tropicks as a mans own House or Garden it can sink it self into the deepest of Depths and also sore aloft and range through all the Coelestial sphears the Etherial Spirits of men being thus volatile and busie when the outward body or senses are dead or which is all one for the time asleep the Immaterial Beeings or seperated Souls being of an homogenial Nature and like state can easily hold communication therewith by such means as are proper for the intercourse of such spirituous Essences especially if before the Death of the Body there was something strongly impressed on the Spirit of the deceased which proves very burthensome until they have by some means revealed it to those to whom they had a desire to impart it before their Death but by some accident were prevented or where there is some great sympathy or similitude between the Soul of the deceased and the Living and for this last reason the Souls of strangers sometimes do make application to such sympathizing Souls of the Living whilst the Body lies asleep and reveal great secrets or foretel them of things sometimes good and sometimes evil that are likely to befal them But there is such a vast disproportion between the Incorporeal Beeings viz. Souls departed Spirits and Angels on the one side and our outward material Senses and Reason on the other as makes all these Wonderful mysteries that happen to man of this Nature appear but as meer fantasies shadows or Vanity and therefore this secret spiritual converse and real Communications of Souls are deâ—…ided in the highest degree which
or Hob-Goblin yet the truth is it proceeds from inward Causes This Discease being an obstruction of Motion or an interception especially of Breathing and Speech with a false apprehension of some heavy thing lying upon their Breast and as it were stiffling them occasioned by means the free penetration of the Spirits to the Nerves is hindred the passages being stopt by a surcharge of the aforesaid Humors This happens most to such as use to lie upon their Backs and whilst it is upon them they are in great Agony being unable to speak but strive to do it with imperfect groans but if any person speak to hem and call them by name the animal spirits being excited force their way and the oppression ceases or if they can move or turn the body on one side and especially if the Brest be rubbed to dissipate the Humor The Cure is to be effected by a regular diet and such as may generate good spirits and prevent the increase of Melancholy and Phlegm avoid full Suppers and excess in Liquors which oft occaâ—…ion the Disease use convenient purging and sometimes breathing a Vein may be expedient especially in Women in certain obstructions peculiar to that Sex the black Seeds of the Male Piony are much commended in this Distemper Thus much though it be a digression from our main Subject I thought fit having this opportunity to say of these two Nocturnal disturbances conceiving it might be of use and satisfaction to some Readers CHAP. III. Of the General Cause of Dreams or Radix whence they are derived in Nature IT is a Truth generally acknowledged but feldom so well considered as it ought to be that Man is the compleat Image of God and Nature and contains the Principles and Properties of all things Corporial and Incorporeal that he is endued with an Elemental or Palpable body actuated enliven'd or informed by an etherial spirit and so answers to the great Body of the World from whence the same is taken and is an Abridgment or Epitome thereof or if you please its Son or Off-Spring and as it doth contain all the true Properties of the gross Elements viz. Earth Air and Water which are as it were the Mothers of the Body that nourish and sustain it So he has also the Principle of Fire and Light that is Soul and Spirit which gives Life and Motion to the Body of Flesh and answers to the Soul of the great World or that mighty Spirit which is moving vivifying and most wonderfull creative and conservative Power in this vast Systime of things which we call the World and which does preserve and sustain it and every part thereof in Beauty Splendor and Harmony which living and creating power does never stand still or cease from generating and operating for if it should the whole Systime or Body of this World would immediately fall and perish as the Apostle Paul saith without the Spirit the Body is dead and profiteth nothing The like is to be understood in the little World Man all lively Motion strength vigour and beauty resides in the Spirit or Soul in which there is no standing still Idleness or Cessation no more than there is in the great world and as the universal spirit or power of the Lord is always forming shaping and bringing to manifestation the hidden mysteries of Eternity and cloathing the various Spirits with Elemental Bodies the like does the Soul and Spirit in Man it is always in motion and generating and as the Scripture saith of the wonderful and ever-blessed Creator That he slumbereth not nor sleepeth for sleep does truly signifie death and weakness and nothing sleepeth but what is mortal and finite So the soul and spirit in man sleepeth not as being the Breath of God and Eternal for in God there is no Time nor Seasons or divisions of Time as nights days years or the like nor any use as to himself of Sun or Moon but they are Creatures made by him for the Accomodation of this lower World and the Inhabitants thereof as St. Iohn in the Revelations doth declare speaking of the new Ierusalem or Super-Caelestial Paradise There was there neither days nor nights nor Light of the Sun or Moon but the divine Power and Spirit of the Lamb was the Glory and Light thereof And this Glympse of the ineffable Splendor he saw upon the Lords-day when he was in the spirit not in the operations of the senses of the external Nature or Body of this world unto which the properties of the natural sleep do belong but the Soul or Spirit cannot sleep for then it could not be eternal but when the Body and Senses lie lock't up fast in the Arms of Merpheus then is the soul or spirit as it were unchain'd or unbound as being free'd from the continual Interruption of the senses and Earthly dispositions which whilst they are waking and in full strength and vigour do captivate the soul and hinder its generating and progress in that manner as it doth when the body is a sleep or dead for the soul of man hath so great Power when freed form the Earthly Quality and heavy sensual power that it can make something where nothing is and from the Representations of Swords or Guns Fire or Water as real when and where there is indeed no such palpable substance but it is real and substantial in the spirit even as the good and evil words and works of men shall be unto them in Eternity their works do follow them not after the manner of this world but in the Spirit yet real and essential Now it is from the Soul or Spirit in man which is the Image of the divine Eternal Spirit and never standeth still Sleepeth or Slumbereth whence Dreams and all Nocturnal Visions do arise and proceed for whilst the Senses and Powers and Faculties of the outward Nature do sleep rest or cease from their Functions the Soul and Spirit ceaseth not from its operation but goeth on forming figureing and Representing of things as real and substantial for in truth though ofttimes we perceive it not and more often cannot remember particulars yet when ever we sleep we dream for you may as well imagine Fire without heat Sun without Light as to conceit that an Intellectual Immortal Soul can for one moment cease from Actions suitable to its Nature But here some will be apt to object and say This is a strange Paradox for if we always Dream in some kind or other as often as we sleep how is it that we but seldom perceive or are sensible of it Sure if the Soul and Spirit be as you teach evermore busie in framing and representing of things we should remember somewhat of the matter whereas we sleep soundly for several nights together sometimes and cannot remember that we had any Dreams at all To this I answer That the thoughts of worldly Affairs and the intemperances most men commit in Meats Drinks Labours Exercises and Passions do not only becloud
human Souls who seem to differ from them gradually rather then Specifically chuse to Communicate with us thereby often forewarning us of impending dangers or instructing us to some eminent advantage if we have the discretion to make use of those precautions 7. It sometimes pleases Almigâ—…ty God in a special and extraordinary manner to reveal his secrets to those that fear him 〈◊〉 Representations in Dreams which then are more usually called Visions to difference them from the other kinds Now though we shall occasionally here handle each of these yet to avoid prolixity I do conceive we may more briefly reduce all Dreams to a Three fold Radix or Original according to which the three fold grand Principles carry the upper dominion in the Centre of Life or Will-Spirit in each person that is to say they proceed either from the Sidereal or outward Principles of this world Or secondly from the dark Wrath or fierce fiery Life Or Lastly from the meek friendly divine Principle of Love which of these three does predominate of a suitable Nature and property shall your Dreams be As for Example 1. If the dark wrathful fierce keeâ—… principle bear sway then the nocturnal Representations are Dark Melancholy Fierce Frightfull and the like 2dly If the middle uniting Nature or Friendly qualifying Fountain of divine Light do hold the chief dominion in the Life's Centre then the Dreams are more Essentially pleasant and delightful to the Soul and oft-times many wonderful Secrets are revealed and impending Dangers foretold in 〈◊〉 Figurative way easily deciphered or understood by a well prepared mind But 3dly If the principle of this outward world and the Business or things thereof do bear sway and carry the supream Government as it generally happens amongst men that lead a meer bruâ—…tish and sensual Life and iudulgâ—… themselves in Vices Superfluities and the Vanities of the world thâ—… the Dreams are full of Idle Phantasies confused Mixtures of outward Affairs and things belonging or relating to what each man is concerned in or busied about and these are apt to be forgotten or so darkly represented and imperfectly remembred that they administer very little use or benefit to those that receive them unless they were before hand made sensible of that ill Conduct of their Lives which occasions them and thence would be perswaded by a total change of their Manners and Conversations to improve and fit their spirits for better and more advantageous Communications As for Complectional Dreams they proceed from vapours flying up from that Humour which is most predominant in the Body unto the Brain and thence Imagination with Representations sutable to such humour As persons of a Sanguine Complection or in whose mass of humours the Blood bears sway have generally pleasant chearful and delightfull Dreams Thay they are in Merry Company Entertain'd with Musick Conversing with Persons fine beautiful and obliging drest in splended Robes and the like divertive objects Persons of Cholerick Complections dream of Anger Wrath Brawling of Quaâ—…relling or Fighting that they use some violent motion or strugling that they meet with Bears Lyons Dogs or the like and are in danger to be hurt by them Such in whom Melancholy abounds are continually disturbed with frightfull Phantasies and Ideas full of Horror of being surrounded with Daakness or confined to some close Dungeon left alone in a Wildeâ—…ness oppressed with Poverty Want and Dispair ready to be torn to pieces with evil Spirits Lastly The Phlegmatick person is less apt to remember his Dream but they are generally about water fear of falling from on high down into some great River and being drown'd or the like As these several Humours are more or less mixed or prevailing in any persons Constitution so his or her common ordinary Dreams will be diversified accordingly The same in effect is to be observed in Dreams that are the effects of sidereal Influences they carry with them the resemblances of that Planet from whence they proceed As 1. If the Saturnine Property carries the upper dominion in earthly Signs then the Dreams are sad dull heavy and frightfull fill'd with fear and sorrow 2. If the Martial or fierce Fire have the chief Government then the Dreams are Fierce filled with Wrath Passion Fear and Trembling Amazing and Affrighting the outward Body insomuch that not unfrequently such Dreams do by their Horror awaken the person from his Sleep and cause all his Limbs to tremble for fear 3. If the Iovial nature do predominate in the Centre of Life then the Dreams are more mild grave and moderate 4. If Venus carries the dominion in the Complection then the Dreams are pleasant delightful and amarous 5. If Mercury have rule then your Dreams are mixt various and oft-times confused 6. If Sol bear sway then your Dreams are apt to be of great Light Honours and Dignities or of Splendid and Magnificent things Lastly If the Moon predominate the Dreams are confused unconstant mixt with Truth and Falshood So that if men would but turn their Eyes inward and learn to know themselves and the Principles and degrees of their own nature every one might in a great degree understand from what Radix and Property of nature each Dream proceeds and takes its Birth and consequently know their own Complection and likewise what Principle or Quality Good or Evil does carry the upper dominion in them so that there would be much teachableness in Dreams as they are derived from and demonstrate what property of the seven-fold nature has dominion in the Soul CHAP. V. That Dreams are a Figure or Resemblance of the Condition of Souls after Death c. BY what has been said it partly appears That altho by the degeneration of Mankind instead of observing and noting the nature of those things Dreams are become a By-Word and serve only to be derided and scoft at yet essentially and in themselves unto the wise and well-minded they may discover great Secrets both of Time and Eternity which will further appear if we modestly consider that there is scarce any thing that yields so true and great a figure or similitude of the condition of the Soul after Death or in the state of Separation as Dreams For as Death is a full Period to all the Senses and outward Faculties of the Humane Life the very same is Sleep during the time thereof for if a man should sleep seven or eight dayes nay if possible seven years when he awakes it would be no more to him then one night By this it doth plainly appear that Sleep is a Temporary Death to the Senses where no distinction length or shortness of Time is measured Therefore in Sleep all men are as it were totally dead as to the sensitive and distinguishing power of Nature and the time passes away as if he were in Eternity insensibly to all the outward Properties for what happens to the Soul in Dreams is somewhat like or a notable Resemblance of that which attends it in its separated
estate whether in the Good or in the Evil. Thus in Dreams the soul enjoys a more compleat and unmixed pleasure and delight than is possible for any person to enjoy when awake and in the use of the perfectest Senses for then in the height of his Complacency fears and apprehensions of losing the pleasing objects or jealousies of others sharing with him therein or one thing or other is apt to crowd in and interrupt his Joy But in many Dreams the Horizon is all Light and clear no Cloud to be seen and the whole seems to be so real that nothing we possess in this world can for the time be more insomuch that these Joys and delightful Transports do oft times awaken the sensitive power of the outward Nature the thoughts and Consideration thereof is very delightful to the mind even after the waking of the Body As on the other side Evil Dreams cause strange Trouble Fear and Horror to the Soul it apprehends it self to be in real danger of drowning falling killing being run through with Knives Swords and the like falling down from precipices being in pain anguish and agony and many other things of that kind which do all arise from the awakening or kindling of the wrath and fierce poisonous Nature or Central Fire which cruel fears and pains are real and essential to the Soul as the Body or Senses are dead or asleep which is as it were all one and yet there is no material thing neer them that can wound or hurt them So great is the power of the Soul when it has either wholly or in part for a small time quitted it self from the operation of the Senses that it can make something where no thing is and create either Grief or Sorrow all according to that Principle or Form that is chief in the Government of the Soul For as that is quallified such is the nature of those Ideas that are generated and the Phantasies arising either of joy or fear as the Radix stood in Equality or Inequality for in the seperated state whether in the Bliss or the Curse there is no Matereal thing that can hurt or afflict the Soul but only its own Imaginations or Turba and what it forms unto it self in the principle of Evil in which it self is comprehended being the Root and Fountain whence all sorrow and fear takes its Birth As on the contrary those that are comprehended in the blessed Fountain or friendly principle of Light Love their Joy Pleasure does arise and is continually generated from the same principle in the Spirit and is real and essential beyond all outward Enjoyments or what can be apprehended because none in the Body can have the full enjoyment or true sense of it For that property or principle man has precipitated himself into and which has gotten the upper dominion in the Soul From the very same principle after death does proceed and is generated either his Joy or Sorrow according to the degree and nature of that Form and as it is more or less kindled in the good or the Evil whilst the Soul remain'd in the Body Which is a great Figure and true signe that the Souls and Life's-Spirit does burn or quallifie between the wrath and the noises and bussle of this world and acts or Suffers as it is tinctured and impressed for every property and principle doth contain the true nature of the whole and therefore has wonderfull power and efficacy to generate and form strange unheard of things to the Imagination For which cause many persons dream of and see such strange things in their sleep as they never beheld nor thought of when awake for the formings of the predominate principle in mans soul are beyond all humane Number Now let us suppose a man in a terrible Melancholy frightful Dream were never to awake but to continue eternally in this imagined Agony and Dread what a disconsolated State and Condition would this be to the soul where all these fears and troubles are apprehended to be Essential as indeed they are during the Sleep of the Senses But when the Soul is thus perplexed and in this terible fear and horror it violently seizes on the Body as its Natural House and with its fierce motion awakes it and causes the very flesh to tremble and then the Soul or Spirit is glad and rejoyces that it hath escaped those dangers it apprehended whereas if it had not been cloathed with an humane Body it would have been destitute of any such refuge to ease its self as Soul are after Death Dreams and Visions are incorporeal like the Soul or Spirit and the Joy Pleasure Trouble or Sorrow that is apprehended is as Essential to the Soul as any sensual pleasure fear or grief is to the Body And what we have said of the Kingdom of Darkness Sorrow and woe the like is to be understood in the Light and Blessed Kingdom of Heaven where the Paradisical Ioys are incorporeal or else the beautified Inhabitants could not have any pleasure in or Simile with them for when the body is dead and the Soul separated from it then all incorporeal things became as substantial as material things do to the Body and the Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting and Feeling is as real and essential to the Spirit as all sorts of gross substances are to the outward senses and during sleep the Soul is as it were seperated and as if it were in Eternity does really enjoy pleasure or pain according to that principle that predominates therein whilst the Body lies at it were dead and also all the senses not at all concerned with or capable of those sights pleasures or sorrows but oft-times the Soul or Spirit being affrighted with hideous apprehensions and dangers oâ—… too highly lifted up with Ioy and Delight does return and seizes the Body and awakens the outward senses which immediately puts a period to the Joy or Sorrow Griâ—… or Pleasure and they seem to the outward Sense and Reason as iâ—… there had not been any such thing but all had been a Romance or Illusion for so it may well be apprehended by the senses for the immatereal world and the wonders thereof are as nothing to the material there being such a vast gulf or difference between the internal and external principle of each and yet they are very near each other but one is Corporeal the other Incorporeal therefore the latter hath no Simile with the outward Senses but on the other side there is a great Analogg and Similitude between the internal World or Incorporeal Beeings and the Soul and Spirit of Man CHAP. VI. How departed Souls Communicate with Persons living in Dreams and sometimes in Apparitions The Converse of good and bad Angels with men how promoted c. BY reason of that Affinity or Similitude between incorporal Beeings and the Soul of man mentioned in the last Chapter it comes to pass that Souls departed or seperated from their Bodies which divorce we call
and sympathetical force over evil Doemons and causes a near affinity between the soul and them whence do proceed such a multitude of vain Thoughts Dreams Words and Works And therefore the Scripture saith of the evil Angel That he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour being a great Prince of the wrathful evil part of the world but not in the humane friendly or good part for that is separated from his Principle beyond the Sphear of his Activity so that he hath there no power And although nothing can be more prompt and ready than these dark spiritual Beeings to assist and carry on all evil designs in the hearts of men that incline to do the works of their principle yet still they cannot annoy nor injure any but only such as draw near unto or awaken their fierce wrathful Fountain by means of Uncleanness Superfluity and Intemperance which are the grand Inletts of the Devil that give him power over the Soul and Spirit whence arise innumerable vain Thoughts Imaginatious corrupt Words and Works and all kind of Violences and Oppression Nay further a secret Compact or Confederacy between the evil Genius and mans Soul in an insensible way so that many are Drown'd and as it were totally captivated into this dead Sea or Fountain of wrathful Darkness and they knew it notthemselves but others who have adhered unto the voice of Wisdom in themselves and live in the power and Vertue of Temperance do clearly perceive and know it for those that are afflicted and inslaved do make demonstrations of their wretched condition and what Angels or Spirits are their Guardians by their Vile and Blasphemous Words Wicked Works Cruel Violences and Oppressions to those of their own kind and also to all the inferiour Creatures which does sufficiently manifest whose Children they are and what Angel is their Captain and Conductor to wit he who in the Scripture is stiled Abbadon or Apolyon the Serpent the Enemy of all Goodness and Righteousness the False Accuser and the Destroyer And as their daily practises are so also suitable are their nightly Visions that is to say Vain Turbulent Lascivious Hideous or Frightful For the Thoughts Imaginations Ideas Figures Shapes Forms and the like that proceed or are generated from the dark Centre or wrathful Kingdom are Impertinent Lewd or Monstrous For this cause some Saturnine and Martial people are Afflicted with Hideous Frightful Malancholy Dolorous Dreams especially if they do not vigorously Endeavour through the Vertue and Power of Wisdom and Temperance to moderate the Inequality of those Astreal Forms which hath had the chief Government in the Complection The like is to be understood of the Shapes or Forms wherein deceased Souls appear or represent themselves for the same are either hideous and frightful or pleasant and humane according to what Property or Principle they are fallen into or captivated under Therefore those that have precipitated themselves into the divided Forms into Beastiallity and the savage Nature having cast off and abondon'd the humane Property and grown Hardhearted Cruel and Sordid without Mercy Compassion and Innocency such I say as live and dye in this Savage Brutish State do fall into the dark Fierce Hellish Principle which had already in their Life time captivated the Soul as may be understood by the unclean Words and Works that Proceeded from them Now according to what Property or Form has gotten the chief dominion in the Soul such a Shape and Form is the Soul and Spirit Cloathed with For in the Dark Wrathful or Hellish Fountain there is as great a Variety of Shapes Forms and Figures as there is in the Paradisical or Divine Principle of the Light-Kingdom of Love for every Soul shall be capable to reinvest and attract matter out of all things of the nature of the property that carries the upper dominion in the Spirits for such seed as men do sow such a Body Viz. of that Nature is generated and of a suitable Shape and Form for so the great and illuminated Apostle speaks of the Resurrection God giveth to every Seed its oâ—…n Body Wherefore if men sow hellish Seeds in their Lives no wonder if they be cloathed with sutable shapes in the next World But on the contrary those that in earthly Pilgrimage have freed their Souls and Spirits from Oppression Violence Uncleanness and Intemperance and seperated themselves from the giddy Croud and vain Wayes of the Multitude and introduced their Wills and Desires into the Friendly Principle of Gods Eternal Love and Light and have been guided by its Counsel their Souls shall after Death arise and be cloathed with a more Perfect Beautiful and Glorious Humane Shape and Form of whom our Lord Jesus Christ was the first For after He had Vanquisht Death by his Resurrection He Appear'd in the same Shape Form and Body as he had before in his Life Likewise the good Angels and all separated Souls of Saints have in all Ages appeared to the Prophets and holy â—…n in humane Shapes and Forms exceeding beautious For it is not to be doubted but that in the beginning the blessed Creator made Man in this very Form and Shape as to his Body which he does retain though not now altogether so beautifull by reason of his Degeneration and sordid Intemperances which have in some degree defaced the lovely Majesty of his Body and Countenance for though Man through Transgression and giving way to vain Imaginations hath lost the Government of the divine Principle and so is fain from his first illustrious and innocent Estate yet neyertheless he has in some measure preserved still his outward original shape or form of Body for the Lord endued every Body with a Seed in it self to beget and produce its own Species in all particulars and if it had not been for this great and undefeazable Law of the Creator Man by his great Lusts Intemperances Violence Oppression Cruelty Vanities and other evil Courses would long since have destroyed and lost his beautifull humane shape and form as well as that Angelical form of his Soul But it was not in the power of his will to alter Shapes and change one Form into another so long as his Soul is cloathed with Humane Nature for the truth is he hath done what he could to be a Beast outwardly as well as inwardly nay he is become far worse than any of the savages of the Desert internally in the Spirit and therefore the illuminated Prophets called men by the names of the worser sort of Beasts in whom the fierce cruel wrathful nature is most predominant as Generation of Vipers Lions Foxes Wolves c. and also the evil separated Spirits or Souls of Men as well as faln Angels have always been resembled and likened unto savage Beasts and represented accordingly when ever they appeared in brutish or fierce hideous forms Therefore when departed Souls shall appear to their surviving Friends either cloathed with sidereal thin Bodies or in Dreams
and his too Daughters consumed those wicked Cities whose Inhabitants burning with unnatural Lusts were justly destroyed with a shower of Fire and Brinstone the Lord by the Angels of his vengeance raigning down as it were Hell out of Heaven upon them such was his Abhorance of their Abominations When David had provoked the Lord by numbering the People and thereby shewing his Inclinations to boast of the Arm of Flesh rather than trust in the Lord his God It is said 1 Chro. 21. 15. God sent an Angel to Ierusalem to destroy it and he repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed It is enough stay now thy hand And the Angel of the Lord stood by the threshing Floor of Ornan the Iebusite and David lift up his Eyes and saw the Angel of the Lord stand between the Earth and the Heaven having a drawn Sword in his Hand stretched out over Ierusalem then David and the Elders of Israel who were cloathed in Sackcloath fell upon their Faces When Senacherib King of Assyria presuming upon the strength and number of his Army had proudly Blesphemed the God of Israel the Lord sent an Angel which cut off all the mighty men of valour and the Leaders and Captains in his Camp so that he returned with shame into his own Land 2 Chron. 32. 21. which is also Recorded more particularly Isaiah 37. 36. The Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead Corps In like manner when Herod had accepted the blasphemous Flatteries of the people Acts 12. 23. immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten of Worms and gave up the Ghost So the Angel that slew the first-born of the Egyptians is called the Destroyer Exod. 12. 23. As also the Angel that smote the rebellious Israelites in the Wilderness Neither murmur ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the Destroyer 1 Cor. 10. 10. For when men by imitation do come near and sympathize with the principle of the evil Angels they become incorporated with or swallowed up by their wrathful dark Nature as the Kingly Prophet David saith Pfal 78. 49. The Lord casts upon them the fierceness of his Anger Indination and Wrath that is by the sending out or granting Commissions unto evil Angels to vex and plague them for man by his Out-rages Gluttony Drunkenness and Oppressions both to Man and Beast and killing of those of his own kind has opened the Gate of Gods fierce warthful anger which does powerfully attract the evil Angels and give them oppertunities to commit Evils without Remorse having a free access both by Dreams and Visions and other Spiritual Communications which do exert and inwardly stir up man ever even in the very center of his Life to Evils whence those numberless strong lewd Immaginations wicked Words ungodly Works do proceed so that a rational man would think that no thing or Creature that is cloathed with the humane nature could be so much depraved and precipitated into Error and all kind of Ungodliness Therefore well may the Angel of the Lord in the Revelations cry woe unto mankind or the Inhabitants of the Earth for the Devil is cast out of Heaven and is come down on the Earth in great Wrath and Indignation that is into the wrathful or evil part of the Adamical Earth and not into the good part for this world and all things therein do consist both of Good and Evil Light and Darkness Love and Hate but into the good the Devil that is evil Angels or Spirits cannot enter as being contrary to their Ubi or Beeing the Light being set in an eternal opposition to Darkness and Satan and all his associate Angels being fallen from the Light are entered into the dark original wrath whence the evil part of this world proceeds and therefore he and his Legions are only capable of the poysonous fierce wrathful Ubi or Station and consequently where persons give themselves up unto Oppression Violence Envy Back-biting Gluttony Drunkenness Swearing Lying Lustful Frothy Romancing Discourses and vain foolish Jestings all which do arise and are generated from the fierce poysonous wrath both inward and outward wherein Belzebub has his Throne to and with the souls and spirits of such men the evil Angels have free access and a ready Intercourse because they are nearly allyed in their original principle Ahabs Prophets were before false and lying Prophets and had made a Trade of soothing up that wicked King in his Idolatry with counterfeit Visions and Flatteries and therefore it was that an evil Angel was so ready to offer himself to be a lying Spirit in their mouthes It was the Sin of David that drew down the before-mentioned destroying Angel with his Sword in his hand against Ierusalem and when David and his people repented of their misdeeds then presently the Lord commanded the Angel to put up the Sword of wrath for by such their Repentance the principle of Indignation was weakned and on the contrary the principle of Light and Love was thereby strengthened and corroborated which did discuse the wrathful particles or cause the destroying Angel to disappear attracted the presence and assistance of the good Angels who have their Ubi or are conversant in the good part of this world as the evil Angels are in the dark maligne part thereof and as men enter either into Good or Evil so do they contract a familiarity with the one or the other and acquire good or bad Guardians which do powerfuly stir them up either to vertue or vice Hence we read Gen. 48. 16. Iacob acknowledging Gods divine hand of providence saith to his Son Ioseph The Angel which hath delivered me from all evil bless the Children as also the same sacred Scripture Gen. 32. 24. declares that the Lord wrastled with Iacob all Night in a Vision or Dream by his good Angel and Iacob's Spirit or Soul was in good earnest and strove so with the divine power or good Angel that he would not let him depart untill he had blessed him which did manifest Iacob's firm Faith and inward acquaintance with and understanding of Gods goverment by Angels which of late Years has hardly any being in the Heads or the Hearts in the Understandings or Desires of men CHAP. X. Man cannot Communicate with Spirits in his outward Senses but in Dreams and Extasies Strange material Figures Calls Blows c. before Death Of middle Spirits Against telling of Dreams and how Dreams are always represented in Corporeal Forms and in what sence mens works are said to follow them after Death VVE have before demonstrated that during the sleep of the Body the Soul is as it were already Seperated and in Eternity so that both Joy and Sorrow is essential unto it and the Soul does really enjoy
things by setting them forth in publick Our Lord Christ himself whilest he lived in the humane Nature spake after that manner and fashion that only the more intimate Disciples should understand the mysteries of the Word of God but to others he spake onely in Parables he also commands that holy things should not be given to Dogs nor Pearls cast before Swine Therefore saith the Prophet I have hid thy Word in my Heart that I might not sin against Thee And Mary the blessed amongst women when the Angel Saluted her and told her what glorious things should happen unto her it is said that she laid up the sayings in her heart and pondered them in her religious mind which reverence and serious meditation on these wonderful things which the Angel communicated unto her was well pleasing to the blessed Creator whence every good and perfect gift proceeds For all celestical vertues are wonderfully strengthened by secrecy and the holy powers attracted who detest publick and profane things and vain bablings Now Dreams are no other then certain discourses and incorporeal Sights of the Soul being in sleep loosed from the heavy Fetters of the Body and sences whereby it hath an near affinity with the matereal beeings and according to what property of the sevensold Nature she is subjected unto such and such Phansies Representations or Dreams she apprehends which appears as real as if they were corporeal qualities and the Soul is thereby either tormented and full of perplexity or on the other side filled with Joy and Delight apprehended in the Divine Vision somewhat to this purpose is imitated by Iohn the Divine in the Revelations where 't is said Blessed are they that dye in the Lord for their Works do follow them For the Manners Habbits Temperance Sobriety Innocency of Life doing unto all as they would be done unto and the true illuminated understanding of the Mysteries of God and his great Divine Law in nature are works that may be said to follow a pious Soul after death which then calls to mind those things that it did in its life and still more intently meditates and thinks on them and endeavors to do them again for they being the Souls chief delight in the time of its continuation with the Body it still takes Pleasure in them but in a more perfect and exalted degree For after Death the Soul being deprived and wholy destitute of all the Faculties and Functions of humaâ—…e Life as Nourishing Growing Generating and various Occupations of the Senses all the delights of the Body must needs cease and be terminated but their works follow them in the Mystery and become substantial for all things then appear in their real Figures Forms and Shapes as they do in this World but in the greatest Perfection and most Sublime The truth of this St Iohn in the Revelations does demonstrate where the Gate of the Heavenly Paradisical Kingdom of Eternal Happiness being opened and shewed unto him it appeared in most beautiful curious Fâ—…ms Shapes and Figures of the things of this external World but in a far higher degree of perfection for the Furniture of this World viz. the innumerable and vast variety of Creatures in the Animal Vegative and Mineral Kingdoms are gross and as it were half dead in comparison of the Heavenly and Spiritual for all these lower things are but faint dull imperfect corporal Figures and Forms af the Spiritual Kingdom whence they had their original It is therefore to be noted that no man ever dreamed that he saw any Thing Figure or Shape of the Animal Vegative and Mineral Kingdoms which he never saw thought or heard of before at least in the parts if not in the whole for though many times things are magnified or diminished and made better or worse or Heterogeneous things conjoyned in a representation that never were in nature yet still there is nothing that hath not before been seen heard or though of The like is to be understood of the contrary or dark Kingdom of Wrath or Hell such as have by transgression precipitated their souls thereinto their work do also follow them and all Figures Forms Shapes or what ever else is represented unto them is Fearful and Hideous according to what degree they have with their wills entered into the wrathful fierce unclean Principle Their Conditions is like men in terible Dreams who are afraid of Swords killing falling from high places drownings Rocks falling on them or being torn to peices with wild Beasts and the like strange fierce or malancholy imaginations and representations which are all real and most essential and yet no danger of death near them nor any period to their woful condition And therefore the state of the damned is called Eternal death and a worm that never dyeth and therefore no end of their sorrow and misery These strange â—…hansies and yet real apprehensions do follow each Spirit or Soul according to that property which carried the upper dominion in the time of the Body from which predominating property do arise and are generated most frightful hideous representations whiâ—…h put the captivated Soul into unexpressible fears agonies make it desious to die cannot but continuing forevermore in this doleful torture perplexity yea the predominating quality gives the form to the new Body viz. of a Dog Cat Bear Lion Fox Tyger Bull Goat or other savage Beasts according to what degree such persons in their life time entered into any of their respective natures by Cruelty Lust Subtilty or the like for this very cause as was before intimated all the evil Angels Souls that have at any time appeared in Dreams or Visions have been clothed with beastial Shapes Figures Forms but good Angels and blessed Spirits in human Form and cloathed with the product of clean innocent vegetation as fine Linning and the like for which reason some of the Philosophical Ancients would not wear any other cloathing or garment then what had an innocent original as pure Linning and the like of their Foods whereby immitating the good Angels they attracted their benevolent Influences Thus every persons Joys or Sorrows in the Worlds to come are of that nature as where the predominant properties and inclinations the will entered into in the time of its corporeal pilgrimage for from the two internal or immaterial Worlds viz. the Good Heavenly and Paradisical and the Hellish Wrathful does proceed is generated this good evil or material World of which external beeings are but a platform or figure Which may afford a very sublime and Philosophical Speculation and he that would truely know the great adorable and ever blessed Creator must with fear and earnestness pray unto him to teach him the knowledg of himself and of the things that are every one of which does in its respective degree contain the true nature and property of the whole for the wonderful all forming Creator is in the midst of his own works and does sustain and
been true to the heavenly Power for unto them alone is granted the Key that opens the Gate of the Heavenly Ierusalem CHAP. XII The Causes why Dreams are always Represented us actually present As also some means tending to promote intellectual Communications The Excellency of Temperance and a Regular Diet and Sober Vertuous Life to conciliate and advance true significant and profitable Dreams and to make an honest useful improvement thereof THE Soul of man having a divine original being an Eye or Ray of the Eternal power and Heavenly Fire when looseried from the outward gross senses of the Elimental nature as in Dreams sees into the great Mystery of Eternity as into its Motheâ—… where there is neither Place nor Time but near and afar off is all one and the same For the Soul in Dreams when the Body and sensual Powers of the outward elemental grosness are asleep or dead which is all one during the sleep of the Body is as it were already in Eternity and swims in the great Depth or Abysses and sees with an eternal Eye or Sight in the same measure like its Creator whence it had its birth and whose Image it beareth For this cause the Soul is busied in Dreams and Visions that are represented not only really actuated but present as if they were already done or at the same time accomplished for all things whether past present or to come appear present to the Great Eye of the Eternal beeing and the same in proportion is to be understood of the Soul in its separate state that is to say dead asleep or loosed from the chains and dark clouds of the body and sences of outward composition for the Lord sees and knows all things for unto him there is neither time nor place night nor day but all is essencially present for things in Eternity goes not on by degrees or by progressions as they do in time the like is in its kind to be understood of the Soul in Dreams when it swims out of the grosse sleepy Body more especially after Death in which state all the mystries of that Principle into which the Soul had entered and immorsed its self in the time of its Cohabitation with the Body whether Good or Evil and also all its works do follow attend and are present naked and bare unto each Soul hence the Scripture saith Blessed are those that dye are Comprehended in Gods Love for their works follow them that is are Essensually present with them as their Figures and Representations are in Dreams so the same divine Scripture saith of Christ that he was a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World nevertheless the same was not accomplished according to time in some thousands of years after And as in Eternity all things and time are present so it thence follows that it comprehends all times and is not capable of being measured or divided much less comprehended so the Soul of man being inspirited by the eternal divine Principle of Love and Light and thereby capable of having its Conversation in Heaven and taking its Flight into Eternity for every thing is capable to reascend as high as its first Fountain whence it first descended in which state it is capacitated according to its Gifts to see things either actually past and Transacted or as yet to come and to be Transacted in time both as still or already actually present for so they all stand in Eternity there being no Yesterday nor to Morrow but t is always the same Yesterday to Day and for Ever there being in him no Turning Variation nor Shadow of Change Thus Moses saw the Transactions of the Creation the Fall of man the Flood and all those several Actions done in the World to his own time as we may find it Recorded to us in his Five Books 2 Esdras Chap. 14. 21 to the end Esdras Likewise by the Spirit of the most high dictated to his Scribs the lost Bible for it is said in the 42 verse They wrote the wonderful Visions of the Night as for me saith Esdras I spake in the Day and in the Night I held not my Tongue v. 43. The Prophet Isaiah having a grevious Vision declared to him was orderd to set up a watchman and he to declare what he saw Chap. 21. and amongst other things he saw a Chariot with a couple of Horsmen and he answered and said Babylon is Fallen is Fallen Thus the prophet Ieremiah Chap. 51. 8. declares the Word of the Lord against Babylon and saith Babylon is suddenly Fallen as if her â—…estruction were Actually present or rather past and yet as to time the City Babylon Flourished many years after those Visions of Ieremiah And Isaiah after the same manner spake of Cyrus in the present Tense Chap 44. v. 29. Cyrus he is my Shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure and Chap. 45. v. 1. Thus saith the Lord to his Anointed to Cyrus whose Right hand I have holden as if Cyrus had then been in being when as to time it is recorded that this Vision was more then an hundred Years before Cyrus was born The Angel that appeared unto St Iohn Rev. 14. 8. saith Babylon is faln is faln and another Angel also appeared unto him and cryed mightily with a strong Voice Babylon the Great is Fallen is Fallen Rom. 18. 2. yet whether this mystical Babylon or that Confusion and Oppression to the meek humble divine Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ be yet fallen we are all witnesses altho the fall thereof was seen and represented as already done in Eternity at that time of St. Iohn's Vision which is about sixteen hundred years ago Thus much I'thought fit to observe from that which every man from his own experience may find True that Representations of things in Dreams are alwayes actually present not past or future whereof the judicious Reader may from these hints I have given deduâ—…e several notable Remarkes But here 't is probable some may be apt to inquire If there be so much in Dreams as you seem to teach and that some Dreams are so useful and instructive above others Can you show us a method how we should procure such signifiant Dreams and retain them and come to understand their true significations I answer those Inquirers do it out of pride vanity or curiosity desireing Dreams and the understanding thereof that they may vapour therewith and seem some-body in the World or to get money thereby and the like devilish intentions then neither I nor any man else can possibly contribute any thing to the satisfaction of their desires because they act in a contrary Principle and these mysteries are Sealed up from them and all that are of their Spirit but to the Meek and the Humble who drives on no foolish design but the glory of God in the first place their own and Neighbours Happiness so far only as it may be subservent to that I will propose a few considerations which may somewhat
retain their Senses and Reason for those two serve to cover and hide the Conceptions Thoughts and Imaginations which continually are generated from the various Properties and Centers in man which in innocent Children as soon as they have the use of their Tongues and in mad people is not done but all Conceptions are promiscuously formed into words as they are generated there being no Judge nor Councellors to advise or determine whether they are fit to be divulged and Coin'd into Language or to be stiffled and suppressed § 7. The truth is as the knowledge of evil is mans fall so if this sort of Madness were practised amongst all men that have the use of Reason and their Senses it would be more like Innocency and Christianity then most mens general practises are now-a-days I mean if every man laying aside all subtilty and hypocrisie would speak his mind freely to his Neighbour without Cover or mental Reservations and leave off speaking of one thing to their neighbour or Friends faces and quite other and contrary things behind their backs To complement persons present with a thousand Flatteries and Lyes and revile the same persons as soon as they are absent with as many Calumnies Slanders and unjust Reproaches which is one of the worst kinds of Madness and indeed a Devilish one because they know they do not as they ought being at that very time accused and condemned by the Voice of Wisdom or divine Principle nor is there scarce one thing in Ten that men in the World do act but is far greater Madness and Evil than those things which persons do that are deprived of their Sences For Example Is it not a greater Extravagance for an Ambitious man to sell his Liberty and became a slave to the Lusts and Capricio's of Grandees to spend whole years in supple Attendances Crouching Cringing Fawning or Dissembling only in hopes of being one day made a great man or having an airey Title added like a Rattle to his name and seeing people stand Cap in hand to him whom he imagines to admire him though in truth as many of them as are wise deride and pitty his egregious Folly For a Lascivious man to waste his Wealth his Strength and expose both Body and Soul for the filthy imbraces of a loathsom Strumpet And hazard his Life and honour in attempting the Chastity of some virtuous Woman and be ready to dye for the Love of her whom as soon as he has debaucht he will scorn and hate For men to swallow down vast Estates at their Throats and Piss away the Labours of their Ancestors against the Wall To load their Table with variety of Dishes and be at any charge for poinant Sawces to provoke the Appetite beyond the power as well as necessities of Nature that their Bodies may be filled with Diseases That they may roar under the Stone and the Illiaac Passion and live Tormented Lives and dye an Immature Death For Parents to cark and care and vex and torment themselves with unreasonable Toils and many times hazard their Souls for unjust Gain meerly to heap up Estates for their Children who all ready wish them dead or to leave Riches amongst strangers who in their frolicks laugh at the memory of the old Miser and make themselves and their Companions merry with telling ridiculous Stories of him who for their sakes and for the getting those very Houses and those Bowls they carouze in lies perhaps broyling in the hottest Caverns of the Everlasting Tophet These and an hundred the like things which are the main business and the daily imployment of many that would be counted the shrewdest and most notable part of Mankind Are not I say all these far greater and more mischievous Phrensies than for a man to pull of his Garments and sit naked and spend time in weaving of Sraws or Building with Chalk upon the Walls innumerable Cities whereof he fancies himself to be Emperor To speak Truth the World is but a great Bedlam where those that are more mad lock up those that are loss the first presumptuously and knowingly committing Evils both against God their Neighbours and themselves but the last not knowing what they do are as it were next door to innocency especially when the Evil Properties were not awakened nor predominant in the Complexion in the time of their Senses Tell me I pray Are not all these Intemperances Violence Oppression Murder and savage Evils and Superfluities deservedly to be accounted the worst Effects of Madness As also Lying Swearing vain Imaginations and living in and under the power of evil Spirits more to be dreaded than the condition of those that want the use of Senses and Reason and therefore are esteemed Mad § 8. As for the Species of Madness they are as various as men are in their Complexions for according to what Principle and property whether good or evil does govern the Life in the time of their retaining their Reason and Senses such a property does more clearly manifest it self when the Reason and Senses are broken to pieces for this cause some who have seemed very Religious and soberly inclined as long as they retain'd their Senses and outward Reason as soon as they become deprived thereof the bitter envious fierce wrathful proud Spirit appears in its own form and has its operation without let or hindrance which was before by the cunning Reason and sensual subtilty kept in that it could not manifest it self for some men have obtain'd so much outward government over this bitter Spirit that they can at one and the same time cry Hosanna and Crucifie say God bless you and in their hearts wish your destruction But when such people who hide their Woolvish and Bearish Natures in the external sheeps cloathing of a dissembled Innocency happen to be Mad or deprived of outward Sense and natural Reason then they discover the Savage Nature that ruled before in the Center of their Souls But others who in the time of their sound Senses were accounted harsh and moross or severe their Tongues not so smoothly plain'd or Tipt with Complements but yet their words and works more agreeable to their insides that is they speak as they think and do not play the Hypocrites by retaining subtil Reservations or saying one thing and at the same time resolving on another such I say though many of them did not seem to be so fair and good men as the former yet they are really more innocent and have far better Principles within than the others who made use of their Natural Faculties to hide and cover the subtil bitter Spirit and therefore when these latter plain sort of people happen to be distracted they appear more calm and friendly than the former because the good property had a greater dominion in the Soul § 9. Every person when disturbed in his Senses and Reason then the distinguishing Faculties of Nature does variously appear in properties and Qualities differing according to which of the
PYTHAGORAS HIS Mystick Philosophy REVIV'D OR THE Mystery of DREAMS UNFOLDED Wherein the Causes Natures and Uses of Nocturnal Representations and the Communications both of Good and Evil Angels and also departed Souls to Mankind are Theosophically Unfolded that is According to the Word of GOD and the Harmony of Created Beings Night unto Night sheweth Wisdom Psal. 19. 2. To which is added A Discourse of the Causes Natures and Cure of Phrensie Madness or Distraction By THO. TRYON Student in Physick and Author of The Way to long Life Health and Happiness London Printed for Tho. Salusbury at the Sign of the Temple near Temple-Bar in Fleet-street 1691. THE CONTENTS OR CHIEF HEADS of the Two Ensuing Treatises Of Dreams Chapter 1. IS by Way of Introduction shewing the Difficulty of this Work it s Usefulness both in Physick morral Phylosophy and Divinity Objections against the Observations of Dreams Distinguish'd and Answered Those that have hitherto Treated of this Subject have done it imperfectly because they understood not the true Radix of Dreams The Vain or Superstitious Conceits of many People about their Dreams no Argument but a Wise and Good man may still regard his with great profit to himself from Page 1. to p. 11. Chapter 2. Gives a Definition of Sleep and shews its Causes Natures and End The Mischief when 't is too long Also a plain Description of the Nature and Uses of the inward Sence's Faculties of man Viz. the common Sence Phantasie Iudgment Memory and where each of them Reside Why we sometimes remember our Dreams and sometimes not Of those that Talk Rise Walk c. iâ—… their sleep the Causes thereof and hoâ—… to prevent it as also of those that arâ—… troubled with the Night-Mare itâ—… Causes and Cure from Pag. 11. to 26â—… Chapter 3. Layes open the general Cause or Radix of Dreams whence they are derived viz. from the ever active proerty of the Soul that really we never sleep without Dreaming and the reasons why we do not sometimes perceive it That there is no standing still in the ways of God or Nature whence occasionally is discoursed why young Converts very zealous at first do afterwards decay in Grace and Knowledge the Advantages of being sober and serious and pressing on after greater Acquisitions and Attainments from Pag. 26. to p. 47. Chapter 4. Treats of the Causes of Dreams more particularly where seven Causes are assigned viz. 1st The Constitution 2dly The Profession or Course of Life 3dly The influx of the Planets 4thly Diet or Medicine 5thly Evil Spirits 6thly Good Spirits and Angels 7thly and lastly Extraordinary Visions from God all which are severally handled and the whole reduced into a threefold Radix viz. either 1. from the outward Principle of this World or 2. from the dark wrath or 3. from the friendly Divine Principle of Gods Love and Light and how by your Dreams you may know which of these three Principles do predominate in your Souls with a distinction of the several kinds of Dreams arising from each Complexion Sanguine Cholerick Melancholy and Phlegmatick as also of those that flow from each of the seven Planets from Pag. 47. to p. 58. Chapter 5. Contains a deep and serious Discourse proving that Dreams are a Figure or Resem blance of the Condition of Souls after Death The representations in Dreams are real to the Soul whilst we sleep tho they seem fantastick to us after we wake by reason of the vast difference between the material and immaterial Worlds from Pag. 58. to p. 68. Chapter 6. Shows how departed Souls Communicate with persons living in Dreams and sometimes in Apparitions What kind of Bodies such Apparitions have and whence taken How long such Bodies can endure Burning of dead Bodies a means to prevent the appearing of their Spirits and why A necessary Note for Midwives That it is easier for departed Souls to communicate with us in Dreams then by Apparitions Here is likewise discoursed of the Communications of Angels with men How Spirits either good or evil are attracted by sympathy or simile and their effects whence the vanity of mens imaginations and desires do in a great measure proceed from Pag. 68. to p. 89. Chapter 7. Treats particularly of the Offices rendred to men by good Angels The Ground of mixt Thoughts Actions The Shapes wherein good and bad Angels appear and the Reasons thereof from Pag 89. to p. 125. Chapter 8. Rehearses in order several Scripture-Examples and Testimonies touching Dreams and discants thereon illustrating thereby many difficult Texts from Pag. 125. to p. 143. Chapter 9. Discourses of Angels-Guardians of Countries and particular Persons and their Offices towards men mentioned in Scripture and how men do conciliate their assistance not by invocation or worship which is not due to them but by simile as they increase in Faith Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 143. to p. 176. Chapter 10. Why man cannot communicate with Spirits in his outward Sences but in Dreams and Extasies It also treats of strange material Figures represented Calls heard Blows received and the like before Death Of middle Spirits Against telling of Dreams Why Dreams are always represented in coopereal Forms and in what sence mens Works are said to follow them after death from Pag. 176. to p. 202. Chapter 11. Offers reasons why we are not to think that these Communications from good Angels by Dreams and the like so frequent in former times are not now wholly ceased Together with the Reasons why the same are so Rare and Seldom from Pag. 202. to p. 219. Chapter 12. The causes why Dreams are always represented actually present As also of the means tending to promote intellectual Communications the Excellency of Temperance and a regular Diet and sober vertuous course of Life and that it doth mightly advance true significant and profitable Dreams and helps to make an honest useful Emprovement thereof Also a Conclusion of the whole exhorting to Piety Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 219. to p. 249. Of Madness Section 1. DEfines the several sorts of Distraction that the same ariseth not so much from Excess of any of the Humors as from irregular Passions of the mind and poysonous Ferments Pag. 249 250 251. Section 2. The particular Passions most apt to cause it Pag. 251 252 253. Section 3. The maner how they disorder the Soul Pag. 253 254 255 256. Section 4. Pride the general cause of several sorts of Madness Pag. 256 257 258. Section 5. Madness is a bringing forth of all conceptions or imaginations as fast as they arise without any choice from Pag. 258. to p. 261. Section 6. They have no Vail to cover or disguise themselves with Pag. 261 262. Section 7. Most of the actions of men are worse and more mischievous and silly then those of common Madmen proved by particular instances from Pag. 262 to p. 267. Section 8. The several species of Madness and hoâ—… by their Carriage you may know whaâ—… Principle is most
several Vanities of the world and observed many of the Commands of God and lived in the Forms and Rites or Ordinances prescribed unto them by the most holy Spirit of God yet all this was not Sufficient Tabernacles were not here to be built or rested in though Moses Elias and our Lord Jesus Christ himself by a wonderful Transfiguration had imparted a peculiar Glimps of Glory they must still zealously press or else their estate would become degenerate and so they have need to enter into or lay again their first principles or outward Forms whence it appears there was still as much need of Self-denial Seperation and progression as there was the very first day on which they inclined or hearkned to the Voice of Wisdom for want of which many after 20 or 30 years Seperation from the world as they call it contenting themselves with their first beloved Forms which in their time were 〈◊〉 are not half so good Christians as they were the first moneth they entred into such or such a Religious Profession or Society The Reason whereof is because as men by Abstinency Seperation self-denial and pressing forwards after Vertue do by degrees obtain Strength Wisdom Understanding and Clearer Sight as every one is obedient and capable so on the other side such as give way to Evil are by degrees and the continual workings of the Spirit of Error made more strong in Evil and Wickedness And as the former by Vertue and Purity give advantges to the good Angels and Spirits to have communications with them who are always ready to unfold the Misteries of their Kingdom to the sober and clean of Heart so the latter do by their Voices powerfully attract the bad Angels and Spirits which do teach and strengthen them in Evil. And therefore those that would have the company of the good Spirits and Angels by day and their Commumications by night in Dreams and Uisions and desire to retain the Forms and Figures represented with the Interpretations thereof and not to be subject to forgetfulness and stupidity let them observe the Rules of Cleanness self-denial and Seperation and contially even as at the first dawning of the day press on towards perfection having always a well-prepared Temple to receive the sweet influence of Gods Spirit and company of good Angels or their Communications after a Spiritual way for as those blessed Intelligencers are administrating Spirits to God primarily so in the second place their delight is to do good Officers to all the faithful Servants of God thereby advancing the praise and glory of the great and Alcreating Jehovah Aelohim Blessed forever This is a Lesson which every one ought to be sensible of and endeavour to learn and which if duly regarded then most people whose faces are looking Sion-wards would have more serious thoughts and greater esteem for the Visions of the Night and the most wonderful and hidden Conversations thereof for if mankind were sensible of these sublime Truths and the wonderful power of their own souls in such cases it would beget an awful Dread or sober and Tremendous Considerations and Contemplations which would not only invite the Courteous Communications of Benevolent Spirits but so still and prepare the inward Man and all the noble Faculties of Nature as to render them capable of retaining such abstracted sights and Manifestations whereby they would take some Root in the understanding and so make Impressions on the Spirits and thence blossom forth and grow up to very happy fruits both for encreasing good and eschewing Evil. So great is the power of Sobriety Temperance Cleanness and Self-denial as being most sublime and elevating Vertues and a great help to make men happy both in this World and that which is to come Therefore it is highly convenient for every one that applyes his Thoughts to this Science of Dreams or indeed to any sort of Knowledge that is truly Philosophical and Divine to be serious and sober and to learn first the mysteries of his own World before he lets his Eyes and Imaginations ramble into or gaze after the Wonders or Vanities of the great External World being certain of this That if he do not in some competent measure know himself and continually endeavour the Advancement and Encrease of that Knowledge he will never come to understand any thing without himself as he ought to do much less enjoy the participation of those Misteries of which we treat in this Discourse CHAP. IV. Of the particular Causes of Dreams how they proceed from a Threefold Radix Of the several Kindes of Astral and Complexional Dreams IN the former Chapter I acquainted you with the General or Universal Reason of Dreams viz. Because the Soul or Spirit of Man being the Image of the Immense Creator and Epitome of the whole created Bulk of Nature it so far resembles Him that never slumbereth or sleepeth as to be always active for in the adoreable divine Architype though there be no variation or shadow of change yet there are perpetual Emanutions of Beneficence and reflected Ideas of Love and Complacency But now from this prime procatartick or original first Moving Cause we must descend to others more particular and Immediate which influence the Soul this or that way in its Formative Activity and individuate its operations And these occasional Impressions as they Cause very different Representations to us in our sleep so they are in themselves very various For 1. Some Dreams proceed from the Constitution or Complection of each particular person 2. Others from his profession or course of Living those things which he is most earnestly intent upon or concern'd about in the day time 3. Others are occasion'd by the influx of the Planets predominate in his Nativity or at such or such times by Direction Transit or the like if we may believe the notions of Astrologers whose science as far as modestly it contains its self within the Bounds of Nature with a Resignation alwayes to the over-ruling Pleasure of Omnipotency seems not altogether to be contemned 4. Other Confused Dreams may arise from unfit Diet or Medicines which sending up abundance of Vapours to the Brain the Throne of the Understanding and beclouding the Spirits the proper Vehicles of the Soul it follows that abundance of vain Images must be represented but these are alwayes disorderly and without Connexion as is experienced by drunken and gluttonous persons and men in Feavers and the like 5. Others are injected by Evil Spirits who as they are malitious and envious to the highest degree so being Angles of Darkness where they meet with Darkness both internal and external that is a Body clogg'd with supersluity and a Soul contaminoted with Vices and Enormous Affections as with Lust Covetousness Revenge c. they are thereby strengthened to an advantage of instilling their suitable Temptations 6. Some Dreams are by courteous Visits of good Angels who that way most suitable to their Spirituous Nature and ageeable to their next Neighbours
Root by the Promptings Instigations and Ingections of the evil Genij which are like swarms of Pees in and about man if he suffer his will and desires to enter into their Principle and Property which is to do Evil and only Evil and that continually Others there are whose desires are not so far engaged upon Notorious Wicked Objects but rather amuse themselves with Vanities and Things which they conceit to be Innocent and Indiferent as an over care of being well spoken of in the World and therefore studying Complements and Civilities to procure Esteem pleasing themselves with fine Buildings and dilicate Walks and Gardens doting upon a brave Horse or a Dog or placing all their Affections Delight and Joy in some one particular Child or the like Now when any one doth thus inordinately take pleasure in such things he or she will continually be incouraged and prompted forward by evil Angels and Genij of a middle Nature that are indued both with the property of the inward and outward Principles having as it were an equal mixture of both which diligently attend the Motions Actions and Inclinations of each people incouraging and making them strong and fixed in their way of Vanity and when ever they go about to do an Action that in it self is good they suggest something that may mar and spoil it by circomstances As when they give an Almes they tickle them with a conceit of Glory and so they do it not for Godâ—… sake that hath commanded it but to be seen and praised if men if they are abstemious these ill spirits recommend it not as a necessary Vertue but as it saves their money or preserves their credit and so in all other like cases Others by Complection or Education devout having entertain'd and suffered their desires to enter into Superstitions or limmited sowr harsh forms of Religion immediately they are attended with an evil Genius or Angel that increaseth their peevish mistakes under a notion of Zeal so that at length for a Lye and vain superstitious idle Fancy of another mans they will both suffer death themselves and when they most cruelly murder their Brethren that will not nor cannot believe as they do they think they do God good service witness the daily Practises of many Turks and others So Great Strong and Wonderfull are the simpathetical opperations of evil Angels and Spirits on the souls of men that whatsoever any person inclines to or what Principle or Property soever is awakened or gets the Government in the center of his Life or that the same does naturally invite or attract a Genius or Angel of a sutable property which does diligently wait upon him or her so long as they shall continue in that state But if the will which indeed is the Primum mobile in man turn it self away from that and enter into another thing then the Government of that Genius or Angel grows weak and another takes his place according to the nature of that thing the man is inclined unto for no sooner can a man fix his thoughts and desires strongly upon any thing but a genius is presently at his Elbow and ready to suggest an increase of the same longing and prompt him to put his Imaginations into Action CHAP. VII Treats particularly of the Offices rendred to men by good Angels the grounds of mixt Thoughts and Actions the Shapes wherein Good and Evil Angels appear or represent themselves and the Reasons thereof VVHat we said of the Evil Genij is likewise to be understood of good Spirits and Angels in a contrary manner for they are no less ready and diligent to attend all people that are soberly and innocently inclined and do dictate to them Vertuous Things and Ways and do mightily strive for and defend all the Children of Vertue and Piety against the assaults and stratagems of evil Angels not only in an incorporeal way but also outwardly as to the Body preserving them from being Drounded falling from High Places being Killed Robbed Beaten Mislead and an hundred such like Mischances Also it is to be noted that there do arise great Tempest and Troubles in mens Souls and Minds through the strife and Contending of the good and evil Genij and Angels for Superiority or Government whence do proceed that strange and otherwise unaccountable Variety of mixed thoughts and imaginations of both good and evil so that sometimes when a man has as it were just concluded to do an evil action the good Genius or Angle comes in with a powerful admonishment but with a gentle soft and as it were still voice saying Do not this evil thing and this doth prevent many great outrages and cruel mischiefs amongst men for all men that are not as it were seared up and as it were captivated in the fierce Wrath poysonous Principle when they incline or attempt to commit evil do find some checks or reluctances and experience the effects of a struggling or counter ballancâ—… in their Souls between the good or evil Genij or Angels and which soever of the two the will gives up its assent and consent unto that carries the day and proceeds as in tryumph to the Action whether good or evil Thus sometimes a man going about his occasions shall have strange and most wicked thoughts and imaginations injected or darted as it were into his mind without any premeditation consideration or sensible occasion and then presently he shall have an opposite thought beam'd in from the good genius which does Moderate Allay and put a stop to the evil Ones and thus a multitude of surprising imaginations both in good and evil attend mankind by the dictates Gleams Rayes and Influences of Genij or Spirits which are of very wonderful consideration and moment But although those restless Spirits always busie yet the most dangerous time of all and that wherein evil Angels most certainly accomplish their mischievous designs to the destruction of men is when men give themselves up to any Intemperance or Disorder as Passion Drunkenness Gluttonny Swearing Lying Cheating Envy Debauchery Violence Oppression and the like for by these Evils men do secretly awaken their own Fountain or Principle and give the evil Spirits great Power and Authority over their Souls so that they are led into Captivity and Bondage and ensnared in a Thousand Evils and Miseries and from this impure Fountain which men awaken by their Intemperance and Uncleanness proceed the multitude of vain Dreams and lying Visions for according as the more central parts are awakened and sutable to that Principle that governs in the life's-Spirit such are the Dreams Yet it must be understood that no man's dream is wholely and altogether evil and vain for that cannot be except men were meer Devils which also cannot be so long as we live in the humane Nuture for mans fall was not like the fall of the evil Angels for these latter fell into the dark Abiss or original Wrathful Principle without or beyond Nature and Creature and
therefore there was for them no help nor recovery but on the contrary men fell into the knowledge of Good and Evil that is into Nature and Creature which is his inexpressible happiness as being not left destitute or uncapable of the Blessing or Regenerating Seed of the woman for there does centrally dwell in the humane Nature that which the wise man calls The Voice of Wisdom that continually calls man to Repentance and Reproves him for his evil Wayes This is the Genius Optimus the Soul of the Soul and the Eye of the Mind that has power and is alwayes willing to defend man from all the Assaults of evâ—…l Angels and unto this holy Principle and friendly Fountain the Dictates and Voices of all good Angels and Spirits do concur it being a great part of their work and business to assist man and preserve him from the inward incursions of the multitude of malignant Spirits And as mens Thoughts Imaginations Words and Works are mixed viz. Good and Evil but generally the evil does much over-ballance the good the very same is to be understood of their Dreams and night Visions whence it comes to pass that the far greater part of mens Dreams proving so false frivilous vain and impertinent they are become infamous and a Reproach is unjustly brought upon Dreams in general whereas indeed the fault is in themselves that their Dreams are no more certain for the streams cannot asord good pure water if the Fountain be defiled neither can any expect true delightful and pleasurable Dreams and night Visions when the unequal Forms and Properties of nature have gotten the upper dominion in the heart and soul Or who can hope for the friendly Visits and Communications of good Angels when both Soul and Spirit are captivated in evil and lives as it were in another Country or Region which is as opposite to that wherein they delight as Light is to Darkness or the Zenith to the Nadar And therefore they cannot come there for Angels and Genij have power only in their own respective principles and mankind cannot draw neer nor have any Communication with them not they with him except he immerseth his will and desires into their principle This is clearly manifested by all things in this external world which is a real and true Figure of the internal from whence it proceeded for here we see how every thing desires to accompany its own kind as proceeding from the same Matter and Element and when the same properties have the chief dominion in the Centre of Life And therefore those men whose predomnant Qualities are alike have a great affinity with each other in their Dispositions and Inclinations and and do often heartily love and desire each others company and the same is to be understood in many other things where they agree in number weight and measure there they powerfully incorporate and rejoyce together and with united Forces endeavour to cast out their Contraries A pregnant Example of this we have in sounds If two Instruments of Musick of one sort be Tun'd to an equal pitch strike one of the strings and the same string on the other Instrument will Shake or Tremble as I my self have experienced The very same attractive and sympathetical Inclinations have all other things though in some it be more occult what man in the world would believe the Attractive Vertue and Power which the Loadstone has upon Iron if it did not appear to his Eye For the wise and wonderfull Creator has endued all things with an influential vertue and attractive Inclination and Certainly if Nature hath such Great Power and Secret Energy in inanimate Things much more there is in the Living Power or Highest Graduated Spiritual and Immortal Beeings of which these Outward Things are but Figures if man did but know or were but sensible how Wonderfully he is Made and Excellency of his own Composition and that in him is Contained the True and Real Principle both of Time and Eternity then would he be ashamed of his condition and ever Praise and Admire and Serve his Blessed Creator in Fear and endeavour to immitate Him and all Good Angels in Innocency and Well-doing which would more powerfully attract the Sweet and Blessed Influences of all Good Spirits and the Intrinsick Vertue of every other Thing whereas Discord and Evil do as Powerfully drive away all Good Intelligences and make men altogether incapable of Divine Visions so that he being Defiled and Polluted with Violence cannot soresee any Celestial Thing but becomes as it were wholy Blinde as to those Sublime Misteries and Holy Vertues which is a Wofull Condition and very Deplorable for then they call Evil Good and Good Evil not being Capable to make any Distinction of their Properties or the Principles of their own Nature On the other side a firm Faith and a continued Contemplation or Meditation on the wonderfull variety of Seperated Beeings and the Immortal World whence all material things take their Birth the inward Beeing the Life and the outward but as the Body for men I say to be sensible of these Sublime Opperations does Facilitate forward and promote true Visions more especially if Temperence Cleanness Innocency be observed in Meats Drinks Exercise Words Works and Communications for these Vertues are Divine Gifts he that obtaineth the Knowledg and Government of himself is endued with a Glimps or Ray of Divine and Universal Understanding both of the Material and Immaterial Creatures together with the Fear of the Lord and the inward Workings of his Holy Spirit and Divine Power therefore it is said That the Spiritual man discerneth all things even the deep things of God that is both things Internal as well as External wherewith agreeth the Apostle teaching That what ever may be known of God is manifest in man who is the only Creature in this Visible Material World that is capable of all Spiritual and Natural Learning and as he shall give way and be obedient to the inward voice of Wisdom that continually cries in the Gates of his Microcosmical City so shall he be endued by degrees with a True Sight and Spiritual Apprehension according to the use he makes of and the Advantages he puts his intrusted Talents unto For the Foundation of all Wisdom and Right Knowing is within in our own Apartments therefore there is a Necessity for every Man first to know himself in some Measure before he Think or Presume to Know or Understand any other Thing Truly be it either Natural or Spiritual and those that with an Holy Humility do Aspire to this Sublime Knowledge Viz. of God Nature and Themselves ought by all means to be in good earnest and Zealous for Cleanness and Innocent Living for Abstinence Sobriety and Temperence do wonderfully fortifie the Observers thereof against the Assaults and Temptations of Evil Spirits and Angels and make the Body Lightsom Pleasant and Healthy thereby enlarging all its Functions and also Prepares the Soul for Celestial
Irradiations rendring it more fit to become the the Temple of God and Associate of Holy Powers those Pure Abstemious Vertues do in a wonderful but secret manner attract the good Angels and Spirits more especially to such Persons as by an insight into these Mysteries shall be satisfied of the possibility of such Spiritual Visits and Communications which are alwayes ready to reveal the Secrets of Time and Eternity to such as believe and imitate them For no man can open the Gate of that holy and friendly principle in which they live but those only who have obtained the right Key through obedience to the heavenly voice of Wisdom in themselves for this is the strait Gate and the narrow Way that leadeth into the holy City all things are moved by Concord and Equality which all the Prophets and renowned Law-givers were truly sensible of from the beginning of the world being wonderful for their strict observance of Sobriety and Temperance as Moses Elias c. who were so given to fasting that their Faces are said to have shined that is the divine principle and voice of Wisdom was so resplendent in them that they had and held the measure and reins of Goverment over the Body as if they had been a Spirit indeed all holy men endued with divine understanding and such as obtained of the Lord the great Blessing of Intelligences and the free Communication of good Spirits and Angels have been remarkable for Sobriety Temperance and innocent Living for mens minds cannot be any otherways preserved free and potent The Prophet Daniel was highly sensible of this when he and his Companions were both courted and threatned with the displeasure of the King and his Servants touching eating of the unclean Superfluities both of Flesh and Fish that came from the Kings luxurious Table which he and his fellows refused to defile themselves with chusing rather to adhere to wisdom's voice than fuffer themselves to be seduced out of natures pure simple and innocent way by either the Flatteries or Menaces of the Court and therefore according to the Law of their God and the Dictates of his Hand-maid Nature contented themselves with clean and harmless Foods and Drinks viz. Herbs Fruits Seeds and Grains for those things had not only a real Affinity with the innocent Principle in man but also they could be procured without Violence Oppression or Dying Groans and likewise without any trouble or hazard to Body or Minde Properties which the Kings royal Delicacies could not boast of Were not the Rachabites ennobled by the Recommendation even of the â—…lessed Creator Himself to all Posterity for their Abstinence and Temperence The truth is none can preserve their Spirits Clean and Pure but such as Extenuate the Gross Superfluous Humours by Parity and a Spare Frugal Innocent Diet by which the Body becomes more easily Penetrable it being a Maxime that may pass amongst the things undoubtable that if the Body be not fitly preserved and ordered the Spirit whilst it is linkt there-unto and as it acts so it suffers by it too cannot conveniently Exert its Functions for Abstinence and Temperance do dignifie men and render them fit for the Exercise of all Vertue being the Root of Strength and Fortitude For this cause the Mother of Sampson was commanded in Vision or Dream by the Angel of the Lord to abstain from Wine and Strong Drinks and so was Samson her Son who was endued with wonderfull Strength for wheresoever the Vertues of Temperance and Cleanness are Practised other Holy Vertues may be expected to follow because by its power no Superfluous Matter is Generated that may dull or indispose the Phantasie or other intellectual Power of the mind and so the Soul being freed from burthensom Vapours becomes watchful and soberly active both in Words and Works for the Body and inferiour Earthy Spirits being kept under the Soul is thereby adopted to the Superior Powers and their sweet influences Did not our Forefathers live to great Ages in perfect Health and Strength of Body and Mind enjoying many heavenly Priviledges by Vertue of their temperate and innocent Course of Life Now the Reason why Cleanness Temperance and Sobriety have been so much praised by all good men is because they proceed and are streams that slow from the benigne and ever-blessed Fountain of true Light and Love and all that espouse them in good earnest are powerfully drawn into the same Principle strengthening and defending the observers thereof against all Kinds of Superfluity and Madness of Riot Hence it was that the Wise Seers of old abstain'd from unclean Foods and the Flesh and Blood especially of such Animals whose predominant Quality and Ascendent chiefly stood in or proceeded from the wrathful and defiled Nature they being throughly sensible what a base depraved thing it was that the noble Faculties of the Soul and Humane Nature should mix joyn and incorporate with the Bruitish Nature and unclean wrathful properties of Beasts especially such as by Natural inclinations desire to eat the Flesh and Blood of others their Fellow Creatures it being concluded on all sides that such Carnivorous Blood-sucking Creatures are Radically unclean and not sit to be eaten which being a known Truth that scarce any will deny I do thence further demand by parity of Reason how then Mankind can be clean either in Soul Body or Spirit that now are so far generally degenerated as greedily to desire and devour the â—…lesh of all the Inhabitants of the sour Worlds or Elements What great Matters or Heroick Acts or spiritual performances can be expectted from such as defile themselves both in Quantity and Quality of Foods which renders them uncapable of seeing judging or understanding any thing as they ought to do Therefore whoever would know God and the wonderful Faculties of his own Soul must be conformable to the wholsome Rules of Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness in Meats Drinks and Communications For all the great Seers and holy Prophets every one according to his respective Gift and Manifestation was an immitator of God by living in the practice of those good Vertues which fitted and prepared them for every Good Work Temperance being the Captain of the Guard and chief watchman that suffereth not the Soul to sléep or be overcome with the sensual pleasures of Gluttony and Uncleanness but frees it from burthensom dulness and indisposed Dispositions and makes it see things even as they are in their Naked essential Verities and attracting the Coelestial Quires for such Manifestations both sleeping and waking as their Companions that delight to communicate with the undefiled in Mind and Body But on the Contrary Uncleanness and Intemperance defiles both the Body and Soul depraves and stupifies all the intellectual Powers and renders them uncapable of having any Converse with good Spirits or Angels for Disorders do as Naturally drive away and dissipate them as vertue and sobriety do attract their happy Company But Superfluity and Debauchery have a powerful inclination
in beastial shapes and hideous frightfull forms it is but a bad sign or token of their Condition and State in the other World and that they have not retained the humane property in the time of the Souls being in the Body for according to what property of the wrathfull Principle man has suffered his Will and Desires to enter into that same Quality or Property gets the Dominion and chief Government in the Centre of the Soul and if men live and dye in the power and strength of that predominating wrathful Nature and do not weaken or change it by Repentance and Regeneration then from that very property is generated a new Body and fealed with its proper Signiture for every Spirit has and is endued with an innate power by which it can attract suitable matter out of all things for a Covering or Body suitable or of a proportionable form and nature to its self for as at the beginning when the eternal sole Self-Existent Essence moved Himself to the Creation or Manifestation of all external Beeings and Creatures then according to the qualification of the seven Fountain-Spirits and what property degree and nature of the Spirit such matter was capable to attract out of all things for a Covering or Body such was the external nature form or shape proportionable to the inward Life or Spirit Therefore the outward Signatures or Forms Shapes and Complections of each Creature both in the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms doth clearly manifest what form or property in the seven fold â—…ture carries the uppermost Govâ—…ent therein But none can rigâ—… distingush this but only the unâ—…led Eye though every one may more or less perceive it since in Animates 'tis most clearly manifested by the eyes of each Creature For the Eyes are the open Gates and Light of all the natural Faculties through which continually pass the most subtle spirits of life and have there their free egress and regress For which Reason the disorders of nature and the strength weakness liveliness and dull heavy indispositions both of Man and Beast may easiest be perceived by the eyes and face And hence also it comes to pass that the wishful looks of some saturnine people whose souls are captivated in the astringent bitter wrathful nature do sometimes wound the pure spirits and health of those they wish evil unto which the Ancient called Fassination and our Vulger say of such as they conceive to be injured that they are bespoke Yet it is to be noted that the wishes of those bad people without their fight or looking upon one hath not that power to hurt the health or any thing of that nature as seeing and wishing both together nor yet can either of them or both conjoyn'd hurt or wound the health of any but only such as are under the dominion of their Spirits and live under the government of the same evil Properties though in a lower degree for those that are higher exalted then themselves in the Wrathful Bitter Saturnine Nature they cannot injure much less can they touch or hurt others who live in any degree of Regeneration and acknowledge the holy Fountain and eternal Light and Love of Jesus Christ to be Guide and Governour of their Souls there being a wonderful difference and vast Gulf between the Principles they live in the one being Light and the other Utter Darkness Now as the extern Signature of all material Bodies is an intelligible Character or Index of the internal Spirit or Vertue so separated Souls when they assume aierial Bodies or represent themselves in Dreams do it in Shapes and Figures Analogous to the state they are in and that Principle which bears sway over them I shall conclude this Chapter with two observations delivered by two learned men The first Trythemius who asserts that never any good Angel appeared in the shape of a woman The other Van Helmon who in his ninty third Chapter has these words If an Angel appear Bearded let him be accounted an evil one for a good Angel hath never appeared with a Beard The truth is a woman is the weaker vessel and was first in the Transgression so that Sex is an emblem of weakness and therefore there is no reason why the good Angels amongst a â—…om there is no difference of Sex shâ—…d chuse to appear as a fem â—…e but â—…tue being of a spâ—… aâ—…ove 〈◊〉 â—…d assumes the shaâ—… of the â—…t excellent of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the same reason they maâ—… appear without beards both because hair is an excrement and verges somewhat in resemblance to the brutish Nature as also more especially thereby to denote their perpetual Youth Beauty and Vigour wherein those intellectual beeings which keep their First Glorious and Happy estate do alwayes remain And the contrary in all those particulars is to be understood of the evil Genij who by their fall rendred themselves lyable to weakness imperfection and continual Transgression and consequently allyed to the savage nature which they often resemble in being all over hairy as is storied of the Satires and Fawns a sort of corporial Demons mentioned by the Ancients and one of which the great Augustine testified that himself saw CHAP. VIII Scripture Examples and Testimonies touching Dreams HOw highly Dreams were esteemed by the holy Ancients and Prophets appears by many Testimonies of Sacred Writ The ever blessed Creator frequently sending his Angels and good Spirits to tell and reveal unto his People and Sons of Wisdom his Divine Pleasure sometimes to admonish them of future things and sometimes of their own evils and at other times to avoid and prevent the evils that evil men threatned them with as Genesis 20. 3. God came to Abimeleck in a dream by night and said unto him Behold thou art but a dead man sor the woman which thou hast taken for she is a mans wife This Angelical admonishion and reproof proved very profitable to Abimelech for hereby he repented of his evil which otherwise he would ignorantly have committed and saved himself and his people unviolated and safe from the severe Judgments so near impending and threatned so Gen. 31. 10 11. The Angel of the Lord appeared to Iacob in a dream and bad him return into his own Land and when in obedience to that Vision he had stolen away unawares from Laban and Laban with his Brethren persued him seven days Journey designing as it seems to fall upon him with Violence 't is said in the 24th verse that the Lord came to Laban the Assyrian in a Dream by Night and said unto him Take heed that thou speak not to Iacob either good or bad that is offer not any Violence to him as appears verse 29. By which means the rage of Laban was restrained and Iacob preserved from danger Did not Ioseph whilst yet but a Child receive intimation of his future advancement in a Dream Gensis 37. 9. Which Dream was repeated or doubled unto him for the greater assurance of the truth
either pleasure or pain For this cause both good and evil Angels and Spirits can most easily and familiarly communicate with the Souls of men in sleep for then the Soul is near unto their Ubi or Beeing and there is a great affinity between them but when the Body is awake and all its sally-ports of the Senses wide open to let in outward material Objects the Soul is cloathed with a dark heavy earthy sensual vesture which does as it were wholly captivate and chain this incorporeal Essence and as those Communications Revelations Sights or whatever else does happen to the Soul in Dreams and Visions seems as nothing to the Body and Senses after waking which is one main cause so many slight Dreams so what is translated through the Senses or in the outward material World is nothing to the Soul in Dreams but the Beggar has as lofty Representations as the King and the poor Captive as free Enjoyments as his Judge therefore we should consider the vast differance between the internal and external principles and their respective Inhabitants and that the external Eye can see only into its own Birth or Original that is into the Things and Light of this outward material World as receiving its Light from thence for nothing can see further than its own principle whence it proceeded For this cause no mortal man can see and communicate with Angels and Spirits by sight and under the perfect Exercise of their outward Senses therefore when the holy Prophets and Antients received Visions and the good Angels and Spirits Communicated their Secrets unto them it was alwayes in Dreams Extasies or Raptures not knowing as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 12. 2. whether they were in the Body or out of the Body and therefore the Prophet Daniel saith that in the great Vision before mentioned he had not the strength of a man that is his senses and natural understanding was during that time of the Vision weak dead or as it were asleep and did not see nor know any more of the mystery or divine sight than men do of their common Visions of the Night which are as nothing to the Body and Senses for every Eye sees into its own Radix that of the Body into the Principle of this World as being generated from the Light thereof and being it self Corporeal sees apprehends and comprehends all Corporal things but the Eye of the mind and soul is Incorporeal and therefore it can well see apprehend and comprehend things Incorporeal and Spiritual especially when it shakes off and as it were quits it self of the Chains and heavy Fetters of its earthly Tabernacle and the sensual Facultites of the external palpability as comes to pass in Visions and Dreams for the Soul has an eternal and Coelestial original proceeding from the Intelligible World and therefore when it is freed from Darkness it can well see into and communicate with the internal and heavenly Spirits and Angels But the Senses and Body take their original from gross palpable matter and therefore depend upon sublinary nature consequently subject to destruction and coruption The Body is a dull heavy Trunk but the Soul is quick as Thought and nimble as a Beam of Light and therefore when freed from the clog of the Body and sensual Power 't is capable of entertaining and receiving all things be they either material or immaterial But here it must be noted that it is common for Persons in Dreams to be presented with various Figures Forms and Shapes of material things belonging unto the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms which do signifie or often times fore shew or denote Prosperity Adversity Health Sickness the Death of themselves or Friends others have vocal Calls Voices or Blows before Death or Sickness Now all this variety of Nightly Representations or Dreams proceed from the variety of each mans Genius or Angel and are true or false according to its Nature and the vertuous or vicious Lives of the Persons But certain it is that many men have certain and assured signs or premonitions given them of the Death or Well-fare of absent Friends and Relations as also of their own of which were it needful numerous Instances might be given and this as it is very strange and wonderful so I see not which way it can come to pass otherwise than by the operation of the internal and supernatural Intelligers or Genji which amongst the wise and sober Antients was more frequent then of late years viz. when men fearing the Lord believed that he governed the world by Angels and when men lived in Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness which doth wonderfully prepare men for and render them capable of receiving true Dreams or Oracles For external as well as internal Purity and to be free from Violence and the defilements of Blood and of unclean Meats and Drinks is most necessary for all who would be worthy of this sublime Knowledge and Gift of true Dreams must keep a pure undisturbed and undisquieted Spirit and Imagination friendly compose the same for an unclouded Spirit is like a clear Glass or calm limpid spring of water wherein you may behold the true Images of things but if the same be troubled stirred or agitated then you perceive nothing but confused Figures so the Spirit being discomposed apprehends nothing as it ought to do but as long as it continues serene and tranquil it lets in the true Lights of distinguishing understanding and presents the real Figures and Notions of things to such as are of a sound and healthy Body Mind not dulled with Intemperance nor made sad by Anger nor provoked to Bitterness and Envy by Covetousness but when at peace with God and all its innocent Creation you quietly go to Bed and fall a sleep then the Soul being loosed from hurtful thoughts and freed from the heavy body and sensual Spirits does freely Communicate with divine Angels and Spirits and far more certainly clearly and efficaciously behold and enjoy wonderful things and oftimes is then instructed in and taught many abstruce Secrets and Mystries for the good Spirits being diffusive and communicative do invite the Soul to their Society by the opportunity of the Sleep of the Body Sences and the nocturnal solitariness nor will they be wanting to such when they are awake if they shall square and conduct their Lives and Actions by the measures of wisdom and rules of Piety On the Contrary such whose Fantsies and Spirits are dull and as it were unpolished and who languish under distemperatures of mind and a Body oppressed with excess of wine or other superfluity whence noxious Fumes arises that miserably becloud all the Intellectual Hemispere the access and intercourse of the benigne Spirits or Angels is prevented or frustrated and such peoples Dreams are confused oblivious and tending to Evil and Vanity for the good Intelligences cannot nor will give true Oracles or significant Dreams to persons intemperate and unclean and whose Souls are
the secret mysteries of Gods nature But some will say that these divine sights and visions like miracles were only to illustrate and confirm the Gospel or glorious manifestation of Christ in the human nature and to convince and call the Heathen to repentance and to the knowledge and faith of the universal Salvation But to this I answer First The Objection is not true for as these secret Communications were before under the Mosaical Dispensation so in fact they have been continued unto and enjoyned by multitudes of holy pious and reserved Souls in all Ages since of which varions Examples might be given from Authentick Histories I shall only cite one remarkable one out of the Book of Martyrs In Queen Maries days when the Prosecution was hot against the Protestants there was but one Congregation in all the City of London that kept it self intire and privately held Assemblies to which one Mr. Rough belonged as a Dâ—…acon or Officer to care for the poor and to that purpose had in his Custody aâ—… Roll wherein all the names belonging to the Congregation were entered it happened one night that Cuthbert Simpson Dreamed that Mr. Rough was taken and the Roll in his Pocket and then awaked and falling asleep again had the saine Dream repeated with which being much affected he gets up intending to go to Mr. Rough but before he got ready Mr. Rough came unto his Chamber to whom he told his Dream and desired him that he would some way dispose of that Catalogue that it might not be taken with him Rough reproved him for such a conceit telling him Dreams were but silly fancies and Christians ought not to regard them but Sympson upon whose Spirit it had made a greater impression adjured him in the Name of the Lord as he would answer the mischief which might befal the innocent People of God to mind what he said and convey away the Book so he consented and fecured it and within two or three days was himself taken and had the book been found with him all the whole Congregation had been discovered and ruined if not lost their lives which by this providence was prevented Secondly Is there not as great need and oceasion still for such spiritual Admonitions and Asiistances as there was in the Apostles days nay more for then Behevers were in more ample manner filled with the holy Spirit and able to work Miracles then for the conviction of Infidels whereas now there are few or scarce any arrive to those Gifts And do not the greater part of mankind still continue in blindness and unbelief The compaâ—… and number of Profest Christians is inconsiderable in respect of the vast numberless number of Infidels and Heathens besides most called Christians have more of the name then of the nature of that holy Religion The adorable Jehovah sent his well beloved and eternal Son our Saviour into the World to appease his wrath and to break down that irefull Partition Wall which separated man from the Peace of God and the God of Peace and to enlighten the Heathens and those that sat in darkness and the shadow of death and to reconcile man to his maker against whom he had rebelled and was become an Enemy not only to him but consequently to all goodness and vertue Now since divine Visions and Revelations by Dreams were so frequent before our Saviours â—…carnation why should we imagine that this most illustrious Light should put a total stop to all these holy celestial Communications Aâ—… though the ever Blessed God that made all things in Heaven and Earth in concord and sympathy were not the same nor so kind to man as in former days who is certainly unalterably and always ready to draw near unto and hear all those that fear his Name But the true original reason or occasion why Visions useful Dreams and the Communications of good Angels are ceased to many nominal Christians is their infidelity and disobedience and not living in the Power of that pure Spirit of Light Love and Wisdom that they profess in name For alas What do names or formal empty professions and talk signifie in this particular the Lord accepts of no Worship but that only which is hearty viz. in Spirit and in Truth as the great Light of the World does testifie To shew that I assert no new or singular opinion in this point I shall here add the words of a most Learned and Reverend Author the famous Dr. Usher Archbishop of Armaugh who in his Body of Divinity fol. 150 saith thus Doth man commit Sin in the Night when he Dreameth that is sometimes when he hath evil Dreams for of those the Author is speaking Yes surely saith this Learned and Holy man the Soul is never idle but when it thinketh not of Good it thinketh of Evil. And the Godly may mark that after they have had many Dreams of things unlawful their heart is in a measure wounded till they obtain Peace and Pardon from God What use are we to make thereof to pray earnestly that God would sanctifie our corrupt Heart that it may be a Fountain of Holy and not Sinful thoughts and in the Nighâ—… to commit our selves specially to God that because we having our Senses and Iudgment bound and silent are less able to resist and judge our sinful thoughts God would preserve us from them by his Grace And 2dly that we avoid all occasions thereof in the Day Thus far that Judicious Author If mankind suffer the fierce wild savage Spirit of Wrath Violence Oppression Intemperance and Uncleanness to reign in their Hearts and Souls then there is no doubt but all Illuminations true Dreams and divine Visions will cease in them and the Spirit of Error and Cruelty grow Strong and Powerfull These are things all sober serious well-minded Christians ought to consider and not to be lead away with Tradition Noises and Clamours for all such as shall adhere unto and regard the Voice of Wisdom that continually cries in the Gates of mans Microcosmical City and hereby have clensed themselves from Uncleanness both of Flesh and Spirit shall find the Inward and Spiritual Eye of their Understanding opened and having by obedience separated themselves from the giddy Croud of the Multitude and their pernitions Wayes they become Subâ—…ects of the coelestial Country and belong to the New-Ierusalem whose Gates stand open to them so that they are Fellow-Citizens with Saint Iohn in the Revelation where he saith The Gate of the Heavenly City was opened unto him on the Lords-Day that is the Divine Principle of Gods eternal Light and amiable Love disclosed its self in the Center of his Heart Now this was by a Divine Vision and the Eye of the mind that he saw the Heavenly Mysteries through the Outward Nature which is a true figure of the Inward because from thence it proceeds nor can any know this holy Sabbath or Lords Day but those that have retained the Counsel of the Voice of Wisdom and
tend to their Satisfaction Since True or Prophetical Dreams are a kind of Revelation of a divine power unto the Soul and that this sublime state of the minde is much advanced or depressed by Temperance or Intemperance Vertue or Vice it follows that the first step to all true wisdom is the fear of the Lord which teaches all men Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness therefore all such as are desirous to arrive at that supream state of the Soul and to be rendered capable of the Communications of Good Angels and Spirits and to receive true and profitable Dreams ought to be Chastly and Devoutly disposed and in an especial manner to observe Cleanness in Meats and Drinks and not to over-charge Nature with to great a quantity for such surplussage does strangely dull and becloud all the intellectual powers of nature so that the Soul can neither Communicate with good Angels or separated Spirits nor of herself see or penetrate into any Celestial thing But Wisdom which is derived from and joyned to Sobriety Cleanness and Temperance in that which rightly fitteth and disposeth both the Body and Soul and Spirit and advances them to a divine purity for Abstinence and cleanness in Meats Drinks Imployments and Communications have a wonderful power to fortifie all the Observers thereof against all sorts of Vices and Temptations of the Devil who continually goeth about seeking whom he may invegle to Drunkenness Gluttony Lying Coveteousness Pride and the like to all which enormities Excesses opens the Doors and Windows and so it is easie for him to enter finding abundance of prepared matter for his Suggestions and Temptations to work upon whereby many Thousands of Poor Souls are destroyed The contrary is to be Understood of good Angels and Spirit who by Temperance Chastity and Purity are drawn and conciliated to our Assistance therefore let all that would have their Souls and Intellects adopted for such divine converse keep their Bodies and Spirits pure and unincumbered and not overwhelmed in the commerce and affairs of this World and the flesh to which purpose nothing does more contribute then a strict observation of the rules of Temperance both in quality and quantity words and works avoiding all irregular Passions Violence and Oppression both of men and beasts and to bound their desires to the necessities of nature for the things that polute and encumber mens Souls and enslave their Bodies are not needful our ever Blessed Creator having in his infinite mercy given us all needful things in abundance which are also neer us and easily attainable but those that are not needful nor of use to us are hard to come at and mens so eager pursuit after them do but shew and manifest his depravation and fall from his first innocent Estate for the more things man fancies himself to need the more is his Turba that is the more strongly he awakens the wrathful powers of his Soul or first principle and the less he needeth the more like he becomes to his Creator who giveth all things and receiveth nothing 'T is certain mans soul is a Mystery breathed out of the grand Mystery or Abyssal Fountain or Eye outof the All-seeing a Ray of the eternal Sun and therefore when it becomes purified through Cleanness Sobriety Temperance and the Fear of the Lord which includes them all that is when separated from the gross fumes and polutions of the Flesh then is it capable of ascending receiving and communicating with good Angels and Spirits and attaining unto wonderful things in a moment even as David was of a Shepherd made a Prophet and expert in divine things or as Soloman in the dream of one night was filled with the knowledg of all things in the Created World so Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and other holy Prophets and Apostles were taught and the truth is the Soul when purified and united by Faith and Charity to its divine original can without long tedious studiing or seeking without the toil of Logical demonstration or perplexity of Syllogisms and Problems see into and apprehend as far as is convenient all divine and natural mysteries nor is there any thing that does more contribute to the good Complexion and Tranquility both of body and mind then these abstaining vertues which we have always celebrated but can never two much recommend But besides clean innocent Meats and Drinks such as may extenuate all superfluous matter and prevent Crudities there ought to be observed a due natural Fasting for that not a little conduces to the making of the intellect sound and vigorous and mostly preserves the Spirit from cloudy thickness and suffocation as all the holy Seers and sage Phylosophers of old have observed who keeping an abstemious and sober Table did protract there lives in all sobriety temperance whereby they prevented the Generation of all superfluous matters that might dull the phantasie for none can obtain the high illuminated state nor understand the divine and holy mysteries of God and live in his innocent Law but only such as do by abstinency prudently moderate every extravagant motion of the Mind and Body Hence some of the wise Antients would not admit any into their society but such as were abstinent from strong drink flesh and common Vices saying That none could know themselves or their Creator but such as do fervently and constantly endeavour to imitate him by a divine conversation and that the cleanness and purity of a mind devoted to God does make such a mans Soul a perpetual Temple for the divine Majesty It is also highly requisit for such as would be capable of this excellent Gift of true Dreams to withdraw from the multitude and from the variety of the gross outward Sences Affections Imaginations Opinions and Passions which are the torturing Distempers and Sicknesses of peoples minds for the simple Truth cannot be understood nor witnessed except a man first live in the opperation and practice of the divine power and innocent Spirit of Gods Love and Light principle these sublime Gifts and nocturnal Communications are to joyn unto Abstinency Sobriety and Solitude for by Lonesomeness Retirement and Silence the mind is made fine and as it were loosened from the cords perturbations of worldly affairs and is thereby the better prepared and the more at leisure to receive the spiritual Gifts and free Communications of the good Angels of God So Moses the Law-Giver and grand Prophet abstracted himself after he was learned in all the knowledge or Phylosophy of the Egyptians from the voluptuous charms of Pharaoh's Court and hurry of the World and went into the vast Wilderness of Midian or Ethiopia when keeping of Sheep an emblem both of innocency and of his further conduct of the people of God he applyed himself to the sole contemplation of divine things which pleased the Lord so well that he suffered him to see him as it were Face to Face and endued him with a wonderful power of miracles as the Scriptures of Truth do testifie
great 3d Remember to let your quality be sutable and agreable to your Nature and Constitution 4th Let none of your food be attended with the dying Groans of of the innocent Creatures 5th Consider the first state of man and what Foods were ordained for him viz. none but innocent Herbs Seeds Fruits and Grains 6th Bethink your self and understanding from what Principle Killing and Eating of Flesh did first arise and do proceed 7th Consider also the Nature Shapes and Forms of these Creatures that by Nature incline to eat Flesh. 8th Note that all the Wilde Savages of the Desart in whom the Principle of the fierce Wrath does predominant are formed by the same Principle which the fierce Spirits are formed and look also with Teeth and Claws like so many terrible Weapons of War to Prev upon and Tear their Fellow Creatures to pieces and all their Actions and Inclinations do â—…fficiently declare what property has the dominion in the Center of their Lives 9th Consider further Man the finest and most innocent and noble of all others and Governor of the whole Terrestial Orb view and mark well his Form Shape and intire Symmetry how Curiously and yet withal how innocently he is made and particularly that his all wise Creator has not furnished him with any Weapons of Violence so that he is thereby rendered almost uncapable of tearing Flesh off his Fellow Creatures and if he were not by the seeking out of many Inventions faln from his original State and Furnisht by the â—…evil with the Weapons of Mars he would scarce be able to kill and feed upon the inferiour Graduates of the Creation who are his equals in all the outward Elements for would it not be hard for a man to kill a Cow an Hog or a Sheep and Tear it to pieces and eat it as Dogs and Wolves do but what the fierce savage Creatures can do with the Wrathful Weapons of nature that most men do by invention and the helps of the dark fiery Art whereby almost as many humane lives have been destroyed as by the common course of nature or diseases Therefore upon the whole matter such as would have the free undisturbed converse of Good Angels and Spirits and the advantage of real Dreams let them endeavour and with equal constancy and earnestness pursue after purity both of mind and body to avoid all excess of foods or drinks either in quantity or quality to eschew things derived from violence and therefore to be considerate in eating of Flesh or Fish or any thing not procurable but by the death of some of our fellow Creatures rather let them content themselves with the Delicacies of the Vegetables which are full as nourishing much more wholsome and indisputablely innocent particularly avoiding all Gluttony and intoxicating Liquors as strong Drink Brandy-wine and the like and fumes as those of Tobacca Opium and the like Poysons let them make little or light Suppers viz. of Bread and Water Bread and Raisins or the like for the fewer the Body is from supperfluities and the Head from vapours and the mind from perturbations the brisker are the natural Spirits and the finer and consequently the Soul has a clearer Light and is more near the divine Power by Affinity and more susceptible of their influences and communications but above all let them at their going to Bed divest themselves of all worldly Cares as well as of their Cloathes and with an ardent Faith and intire Charity commend themselves to God the Giver of every Good and Perfect Gift and the Revealer as well as Auther of all divine Secrets and then if it be convenient for thee doubt not but thou shalt have such Discoveries as thou art capable of AN APPENDIX Shewing The Cause of Madness AND Several Observables relating thereunto § 1. THere being an Affinity or Analogy between Dreams and Madness so that the understanding of one will somewhat illustrate the other for Madness seems to be a Watching or Waking Dream I have therefore thought it might not be unfit to subjoyn here certain Considerations touching Phrensie and Distraction its Causes Nature and Effects the rather because the same has very barrenly been handled as far as I can learn by those that have undertaken to treat thereof I shall not insist upon the several sorts reckoned up by Authors as Phrensie which they define to be An Inflamation of the Brain and its members with a continual raving and sharp constant Feaver caused by cholerick Blood to which is joyned also excrementious Choler Mania or Madness which is a loss of the wits with raging and fury but without a Feaver being a cold and dry Distemper which they say arises from adust or burnt-black Choler And Melancholy which is a doting or Delirium without a Feaver and so different from a Phrensie but with fear and sadness whereby it differs from madness which is accompanied with boldness and Fury As all those and others varying in Symptoms are but several Species of Distraction so though Galen having constituted four Humors in the Body laid it down for a Principle that from the excess of some or one of them all Diseases do proceed and consequently was bound to assign these as causes for such Distempers yet more narrow Searchers into the Mysteries of Nature have long since discarded that Doctrine which seems to consist meerly in Forms and Words rather then Reallities and do conclude that most Diseases arise either from Irregular passions of the mind or poysonous ferments occasioned by ill Dyet or inproper Physick in the Body § 2. The truth is Madness and Phrensie do generally and for the most part for some other few particular causes we shall give an account of by and by arise and proceed from various Passions and extream Inclinations as Love Hate Grief Covetousness Dispair and the like which do too violently awaken or stir up the Central Fires or four first Forms of the original of Nature which thereupon do break forth violate and destroy the five inward Senses of the Soul whence the outward Senses do arise So that the Soul loseth its distinguishing property and then the Imaginative property and Soul's Power becomes rampant unbounded or as it were without a Guide and consequently such a Soul is unchain'd or let at liberty from the dark Confinements of the grosser Senses and Reason even as men in Dreams for whatsoever in this state is represented unto the Soul by the uncontrolable and unbounded Imagination is essential unto them whether it be good or evil For it is evident that in Madness persons are not deprived of their grosser Senses of the outward Nature As Seeing Hearing Tasting Smelling and Feeling for those they retain as well as before but they are bereft of the inward Senses or distinguishments and whensoever this happeneth to any then the Soul is unclothed and all its Fantasies and Imaginations become as it were substantial unto them as material things are to those that are in
their prefect Senses and under the Goverment of Reason § 3. For when any shall forsake and slight the counsel of the voice of Wisdom and suffer their wills and desires too violently to entertain and enter into any of the fore-mentioned passions then presently the Saturnine and Martial Poysonous Fires are awakened whence does arise such an Hurley-burley Confusion Strife and In-equality between the properties in the Seven-fold Wbeel of Nature as will in a moments time subvert the government of the inward Senses and Spirit of Wisdom and puts Reason under Hatches and all its Faculties into a Tempest and Confusion so that the Soul is left either without Pilot or Rudder in this outward sensible World And being thus deprived of its true Senses and friendly Guide or Moderator viz. The divine implanted Light then the first Forms of the Original nature mutiny and make War one upon the other a sullen wrathful property being exasperated powerfully attracts and endeavours to compass all with a certain in-drawing Power and this is called the first Form or Saturnine Property which gives a Body or Covering to all Spirits according to the nature of each Thing or Creature The second Form is called Mars viz. The high lofty out-going bitter fierce fiery Property which cannot endure to be much holden or captivated by the attractions and in-drawing Property of Saturn whence does arise in the Soul a most terrible Contest and annoying Heat for the Saturnine Property does most powerfully draw inward and endeavour to encompass and captivate all but this the fierce high lofty property and martial bitter Fire cannot endure it being contrary to its Nature so that in this intestine Civil War or Agonous State there is a terrible dark brimstony or sulpherous fire generated which does so disturb all the inward parts as if Nature were all on Fire even in the Center The Heart akes the inward Body seems to swell and becomes too little for the Soul which in this Combustion is so terribly afflicted that it will no longer be confined to the Body and outward Senses but either withdraws it self and flings up the Reins of Government and lets Reason like a wilde Horse that hath cast off Bit and Bridle and thrown his Rider ramble confusedly whithersoever the Imagination shall hurry it or else sometimes breaks off wholly all Commerce with the Body and separates its self in Indignation and so the Life its self is destroyed this being the great and immediate cause both of Distraction and of Hanging Drowning and various other sorts of Self-Murder which are too frequently commited in the World § 4. The truth is Pride may justly be said to be the chief Procatarick or remote original cause of Madness for an abusive Self flattering Perswasion Credulity or Esteem of Falshood do at first Seduce a person into Presumption and a despising of others or into an Indignation of Self-Love Anger Hatred or Wrathfulness towards his Neighbour from whence proceeds Irreligion Unbelief Superstition impenitent Arrogancy drunken Disparation and sottish Carelesness For as Faith is the Gate unto Humility which is the Truth of the Intelector Understanding so a credulous esteem or judgment of Falshood is the entrance of Presumption and Arrogancy and the first madness of the Soul But other Disturbances as Love Desire Sorrow Fear Terror c. are especially stirred up by extrinsical occasion and therefore they do produce their effects not only in the Soul but in the Body For all passions do in their beginning take away sleep weaken the Appetite and Digestive Faculties and impress dark Idea's upon the spirits and at length through a long immoderate strong or sudden inordinacy those Idaea's do infatuate the Archeus subvert the Iudgment and the Soul is as it were shaken out of its place § 5. Now when the five inward senses of the Soul are weakened or destroyed then they can no longer present before the Judge the Thoughts Imaginations or Conceptions but they are all formed into words as fast as they are generated there being no controul or room for Judgment to censure what are fit and what are unfit to be coyn'd into Expressions For this cause Mad People and innocent Children do speak forth whatever ariseth in their Phantasies but on the contrary all those that attain to Maturity of Years and the knowledge of good and evil their inward Senses of the Soul being unviolated especially such as adhere to the counsel of the Voice of Wisdom they let no Conception or Imagination be formed into words before it be presented by the five Counsellors of the Soul before the Judge which keeps its Court and Seat of Justice in the Center of Life for if this were not more or less observed would not every man in the world seem to be Mad or Distracted For what wild incoherent absurd ridiculous notions should we hear from the most serious people if they should continually Speak and form into words the various Imaginations and Conceptions that do continually arise from the Magie or Generating Wheel of the seven Forms of Nature which never standeth still or ceaseth from working and generating the Soul of man and all the Faculties thereof being a compleat Image of its Creator who slumbereth not nor sleepeth but his generativo and wonderful creating power is always active for never hath any man ceased from Imaginations one quarter an hour in his whole Life or indeed one moment no not even when the Body Sences are asleep For though man can cease from speaking and may attain the Gift of Silence as any shall give their wills thereunto yet they cannot cease from thoughts and Conceptions either good or evil according to what property or principle has obtained the government in the Soul for if a man could or should cease from Imagination then also he must of necessity cease from all Motion and Action and become an eternal Stilness or Nihilation in which state nothing can be brought into Manifestation but it must be done through Motion Strife and Contention of the Properties for all Material and Immaterial were and are brought into Manifestation first by Imagination Desire and Motion For the Imagination and the Desire have a most wonderful deep and hidden Original and if its mighty property were not captivated darkned and as it were chained in the Clouds of gross flesh and dark Powers of the outward and corporeal Nature it would do wonders § 6. Therefore it is not perhaps alwayes so very deplorable an estate as some suppose to be deprived of common Sense and Reason as they call it especially to be a mad Innocent that is if the property of Friendliness have dominion in the Soul For when men are so divested of their Rational Faculties then they appear naked having no Covering Vail or Figg-leaves before them to hide themselves in and therefore they no longer remain under a Mask or Disguise but appear even as they are which is very rare to be known in any that
to be noted that all or most Mad People are far stronger and more able to endure Hardship Hunger Cold and the like inconveniences although many of them are naturally of weak tender natures and during the continuances of their Senses and Reasoning Vigour did indulge and enure themselves to tenderness yet when once they become Mad they are so strong and powerful that some of them must have two three or four men to hold and rule them and as to their enduring of Cold it is wonderful for even nice tender Gentlewomen who Screen themselves all the Winter by lusty Fires in warm Beds and close Chambers and the like with choice Foods and cordial Drink are no sooner deprived of their Reason and Senses but they leap over all these things and endure hardship to admiration without prejudice to their health even beyond the sturdiest constitution the reason whereof is because when people by any of the fore-mentioned Accidents and Passions fall into Distraction the whole Systime of Nature being put into a tumultuous unequal Motion the same does in a moment of time rouse up or awaken the deep or great Original Fierce Poysonous Fire or the four first Forms of Nature Now when these turbulent Fires of Saturn and Mars have obtained the dominion and sole Government in the Soul they with a rapid motion destroy the Government of the Divine Light and also of the humane Nature which are and ought to be the Moderator and Allayers of the aforesaid original poysonous Fire and the true Distinguishers between what is good and the contrary and thus the Spirit being alwayes as upon a ferment and uncontrolable motion it warms strengthens and oftentimes does as it were put a new life into the very Element of the Body whence a strong vigerous strength and agility of body and a Defence of Cold Hunger and the like inconveniences does proceed This is further demonstrated by all sorts of people in Passion of either Love or Hate or when surprised or in Sudden Frights are they not Generally under such Circumstances of far greater Spirit stronger and more active Bodies and rendered more able to Lift Run Carry Fight or any other thing Good or Evil then at other times and have aboundantly more courage and they can attempt and perform many wonderful things without the least suspition of Danger which at other times they tremble to think of and would not for the greatest rewards be preswaded to undertake Nay when the Soul-Fires are kindled in the poysonous Root a man can whithout Dread and Fear lay violent hands on himself so wonderfully great is its â—…ower for this is a madness of tâ—…e highest degree since no man as the Apostle said hates his own Flesh but loveth and cherishes it which ought well to be considered by all Jurors concerned in such cases So likewise when men are overcome with Drink the spirituous Properties of the strong Liquor received in too great a quantity do by Simily incorporate with the Spirits of Nature in the Elements of the Body so that it inkindles the Original fierce Fires and puts the whole Frame of Nature into a tumultuous state of Inequality and during its operation Reason it captivated and men in this condition may truly be said to be in the worst kind of Madness as clearly is manifested by their idle leud Discourses and mischievious Actions Likewise Malancholy people when grievously oppressed with its taciturne Properties are in a degree deprived of their natural Sences and Reason and the Soul becomes as it were Spiritual so that it Imagines Sees Hears and Apprehends wonderful things which though to others appear as meer fansies yet to them are real and essential § 12. As for the Original Seed or Spring of Phrensies or Madness in the Body it must be noted besides what hath been already said that there is in the Pipe of the Artery of the Stomach a vital Faculty of the Soul for the in-beaming of Rayes of Light into the Heart so long as it is in a good state but when through Passions and Disorders it behaveth it self rashly or amiss then presently Heart-burning Fainting Giddiness of the Head Appoplexes Epilexsies Drousie-Evils Watchings Madnesses Head-akes Convultions c. by the means we have herein before described are sturred up And since the stomach is the Seat of the Concupiscible Faculty and from whose fumes both sleep and watchings are occationed and since that Alienation of mind chiefly proceeds from irreguler desire it may rationally be concluded that the Prime local Spring or Seed of Madness is in or near the stomach or its neighbouring parts the Midriff and the Spleen though afterwards it displays its male-influences upon the Brain for a man forms his Images in the Midriff as well those of the Concupiscible or Desiring as those of the Irascible or Wrathful Faculty so that Madness is therefore not undeservedly called Hipocondriacal for the prime Efficacy of disturbances consisteth in the Spleen and therefore perhaps Antiquity hath counted Saturn the principle of the Starry power and highest of the wandering Stars to wit that which should cast his influence downwards on the rest but that the rest should in no wise reflect upwards because they are believed to conspire for the Commodities of sublunary things but not on the contrary upwards and therefore though they called the same Saturn the Original of Life and beginning of Conceptions or Generations yet they also named him The Devourer of his own young Children as thereby intimating that as the Images or Ideas framed by the desirable Faculty do make Seed fruitfull so also the Inns of Digestion in us when they are exorbitant consume the new and tender Blood and bring many Diseases upon us § 13. But besides the before-mentioned most usual Causes of Maedness from the Passions we deny not but sometimes other things received in from without may occasion alienation of Mind Thus the Biting of a Mad-Dog conveys a Venom impregnated with its own raging Idea which is soon communicated to the Spirit of man and produces in him that wilde foolish conceit called by Physitians Hydrophobia or a fear of Water in which the Person affected by an error of his imaginations seems to see the Image of a Dog and in time if no Remedy be found grows raving Mad and dies so also those that are Bit with the Tarantula a venomous Beast or Insect seen sometimes in Italy and other forraign Parts are particularly disposed to a certain kind of skipping or Dancing Phrensie which at last proves Mortal So some by ignorance of Apothecaries who have taken Henbane-Seed insteed of Dill have immediately become Mad Stupid and Foolish so that they could not utter an intelligible word for all which there are distinct Reasons in Nature but too tedious here to be related and somewhat unnecessary because these Cases very rarely occur amongst us § 14. As to the Cure of Madness in general the Schools commonly prescribe Blood-letting and Sleep procuring Medicines
unbelief and contempt doth drive away and cause a seperation of the Souls of the deceased as also of all good Spirits and Angels which otherwise would be more prompt and ready to such Communications as being forward to serve help and enlighten those that are sober and well-minded and such as believe and are sensible of those wonderful things and mysterious Impartments for a strong Faith firm desire and belief viz. when the Spirit or Soul is delighted in the Consideration of this spiritual discourse and converse does naturally attract and draw the internal powers Souls and good Angels and causeth them to delight to accompany men both sleeping and waking defending them from various dangers and troubles and ready at all times to reveal and foretel them of future things but on the contrary Incredulity with vain despising Discourses do potently drive them away and causes as it were a total separations so that there seems to thâ—… outward senses and Reason of most men that there is no such thing but all idle vain Conceits so greatly is mankind depraved having by vanity and carnal apprehensions put out the inward Eyes of his intellectuals so that they are to him but as idle immaginations But the Records of sacred Truth do assure us that most of the Sober inlightned men in former Ages were sensible of this secret converse of Angels and Souls and had mysteries revealed to them from God and his ministring Spirits in Dreams and Visions as appears in the holy Scriptures of which we shall take a particular survey in a Chapter by it self But now mankind's frowardness intemperance and incredulity have so estranged those holy powers good Angels and Spirits that they cannot come near man to reveal unto him the secret mysteries of their Beeings and Conditions oâ—… foretel him either Good or Evil that shall happen unto him for a firm Faith in God and frequent meditation on those sublime things have a wonderful power sympathetical inclination and attraction on good Angels and Spirits of all offices and kinds for all things both in the material immaterial worlds haâ—… that secret communiction and opperation by likenesses for the nearer we resemble and become like the good Angels they are the more ready and prone to serve us this being the simpathetical drawing which is the way of God in nature for every thing doth incorporate with its likeness and by a secret agreeable power each thing is ready to strengthen its own Property having the Key in its self that can open the Gates of its own Principle in all other things both Heavenly and Earthly for they all flow from the two grand principles viz. Good and Evil and which soever of these two a man suffers his will to enter into that property or principle gets the dominion and chief goverment in the Soul and if it be in the evil or fierce wrathfull principle then the Spirit and Soul by way of desires and imaginations penetrates all Elements and things both external and internal and wheresoever it finds matter capable or disposed to receive them it incorporates and with highest diligence indeavours to destroy its contrary viz. all Goodness and Vertue And thus men are rendred fit and capable to be the companions of and have society or secret communication with evil Angels and spirits there being often internal agreement and compacts bewteen the Souls of men and evil Angels by way of Imagination and desires in the very center of their lives which very few persons are sensible of though subject unto and consequently cannot comprehend from whence those multitudes of evil suggestions desires and vain imaginations where-with they find themselves incombred do proceed for whosoever suffers his will and strong desires to enter into the fierce violent envious wrathfull original spirit or property has unity with and becomes a Companion of all evil angels and spirits whence do proceed those wonderfull troops and numberless swarms of vain thoughts imaginations desires words and actions being the very dictates of Devils And from the same black Stygian fountain do arise that wonderful subtilty and cunning and those strange unimaginable inventions of evil words acts and vain plays so various a sober man would think it impossible for men to be so strong ready and cunning in the doing of evil hence the old deceiving Serpent is said to have been more subtil then any beast of the field Gen. 3. 1. And our Lord Christ tells us that the Children of this world the race of Cain and sons of Belial are wiser that is more crafty and full of inventions in their Generation then the Children of Light and so the Apostle Paul calls Elinas the Sorcerer O thou full of all Subtilty and all Mischief thou Son of the Devil and Enemy of all Righteousness Acts 13. 10. for as man is various in his central ground as to inclinations dispositions love hate and the like so various also are the evil angels and spirits whence we read their name is said to be Legion because they are many so that whatsoever a man inclines to or awakens in his will and desires whether good or evil there is presently a spirit or angels of the same property ready and prompt to execute and put into practice such his imaginations and to incline and urge him forward in the thing But these sublime Matters are understood or considered but by very few and therefore I would intreat my Friends and all that are of humane Race seriously to ponder in their Minds from what Fountain Principle and Ground that great Variety of Dark Vain and Evil Thoughts Imaginations Words and Actions do proceed of which some few I shall set down for an Example or Looking-glass to the considerate Reader As first in Child-hood for to wish to be Kings and Emperors to have brave Houses and costly Furniture to have gay Clothes and think that whoever meets one does or at least ought to admire an Ass foâ—… his golden trappings to desirâ—… f live idlely and spend all ones time in eating drinking sleeping and playing And as people attain to maturer Years to wish and desire a great deal of Mony and Liberty to have Variety of Women to exceed all others in Evil Mischievous Arts and Sciences to Hurt Kill and Murder all such as shall Offend them For a Man secretly to wish his Wife dead that He might have another with more Mony to contrive how to Circumvent another in a Bargin or Defraud him of his Inheritance or Right by colour of Law and then to boast of our Wit and Cunning in doing it for a man to design himself an Universal Empire or the Government of the whole world as some Princes have done and sacrificed millions of mens lives to that conceit These and the like strange Evil â—…nd most abominable Thoughts â—…inations and Desires bubble up in and have possession of most mens Minds even to the day of death which do all arise and proceed from the poysonous