and evil clean and unclean Spirits viz. respectively in the two grand Fountains or Principles of good and evil as there are material Inhabitants in this internal or visible principle or Elementary Quaternion of Earth Air Water and Fire and of as various and different shapes formes and natures and complexions if we may in an Analogous way apply those words to Spiritual which commonly are only predicated of gross Palpable Creatures and thâ—ngs for all this wonderful variety of the Animal Vegetative and Mineral Kingdoms are but a Figure and Similitude of what is in the internal Spiritual World whence all those proceeded and the internal Spirit and Power is still the true cause of all motion growth and increase and Life in all Creatures and things contained in the said three Kingdoms and no internal Intelligence Power Spirit Angel or Genius whatever can affect us otherwise than as we draw near them in Spirit and so by degrees awaken their predominant property or principle by which they have power to influence us either in good or evil But for the most part it happens in the Evil because most men live under the dominion of the evil principle and properties of Nature For a man hath both inward oâ—tward helps in whatsoever he inclines to more especially if his propensions desires be fixed and strong his inward helps towards vertue are the good Angels and Spirits who readily meet embrace and rejoyce at the drawing near of men to their principle whence it is said that there is Joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a Sinner and to encourage them in well-doing they by almost imperceptible wayes afford them assistances and reveal many wonderful secrets to them both by day and nightly Visions and his outward Helps are innocent Living Temperance and Cleanness in Meats Drinks Exercises and Communications with good sober men and those latter helps being practised to conciliate and promote the former On the contrary men evilly enclined have also two Spurs to wickedness viz. inwardly by the suggestions of bad Doemons whose work it is to prompt men to viciousness and outwardly by Covetousness Pride Drunkneness Vain-Glory Uncleanness Intemperance evil Words Works and Communications with evil men Likewise as every man is endued Radically with the two grand Fountains or Principles of good and evil which every one in the World is more or less sensible of by their inward operations and that continual Strife and as it were open wars there is between them in the Centre of his Soul so every man thence comes to have two Genij or Spirits that alwayes wait upon and attend him viz. one good which answers to the good friendly principle of Light and Love The oâ—her evil refering to the fierce wrathful Principle which two do continually and fiercely contend for Victory and oft-times cause great trouble perplexity in the Soul but when 〈◊〉 good overcomes then there is Joy Concord and Pleasure or an intire Satisfaction of Mind It is further to be noted that there are great numbers of Elemental Spirits which are of a middle nature some of which do dart and gleam into some persons whose understandings are not exalted above their Principles or Elements These only busie themselves in foolish unluckey ridiculous prankes and doing of pretty mischiefs whereby they often promote idle jesting vain laughter wanton love stories and the like but they generally attend those people that have poor low beggerly genius whose understandings are very little elevated above Bruits for this Infantry of Spirits or lower graduated Spectrums have no communication either with men of vertue or prudence nor yet with those that are Exalted in the highest degrees of evil for these Lemures or Terrestrial or Watery Spirits are as they chiefly inhabit woods Mountains or unfrequented Valleys Rivers and Lakes so they come nearer to the nature of some sorts of Beasts then of man unless of such men only who have base low beastial complexions for with such they have a simile of this sort The Prophet Isaiah seems to speak Chap. 13. 21. where he mentions Ziim and Ob and 〈◊〉 and the Satyrs which should dance in the ruins of Babilon they are unclean sorts of inferiour Spirits and their conversation does ill become the Noble Race of Mankind But for the good Superiour Angels their converse is very advantageous and therefore ought by all lawful means to be courted and conciliated and the discoveries made by them to be highly regarded and concealed for its a great and mischievous error for People to tell abroad their Dream and the secret communication of their Souls with Angels and good Genij and so highly to prostitute them to every lewd and vain Companion as though they were of no worth or value this is very common amongst most people but it is a greater evil then most do imagine for some who have had good Angels granted to them for day and night Companions that taught and revealed unto them many excellent things both present and to coâ—â— have by their divulging and foolish talking of them lost such their Guardians and all the conversation of their good genij which too laâ—e they have been sensible of but found them as hard to be regained as Esan's Birth-right was when by evil courses and sin he had fooled it away and then sought it in vain with tears for there is nothing more offends the good Angels then mens light behaviour and vain talking of them as on the other side nothing doth more please and allure them then for men to look up their secrets in religious and thoughtful Brests and to abscond them from the vulger and profain as we read in Ezra Thou shalt deliver these books that contain the secret Law of the Hebrews unto the wise men of thy people whose hearts thou knowest can comprehend them and keep these secrets Therefore it was usual amongst the Philosophical Ancients to hide their great secrets and vail holy mysteries in abscure Characters and Hieroglyphicks because they should not be known to and profaned by the wicked So we read of Theodorus the Tragick Poet when he would have referred something of the mysteries of Jewish Scriptures to a certain fable he was depraved of his sight T is also reported of Theopompus when he began to translate something of the divine Law into the Greek tongue he was smitten with a kind of Phrensie or extraordinary trouble of mind and desired of God to make him sensible wherefore that calamity was fallen upon him received answer in a Dream that it was because he had basely polluted Divine 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
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 dâ—â—â—pate the Humor The Cure is to be effected by a regular diet and such as may generate good spirits and prevent the increase of Mâ—lancholy and Phlegm avoid full Suppers and excess in Liquors which oft occasion 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 seldom 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 Wâ—rld would immediately â—ail 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 〈…〉 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 Min 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 â—orm 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 mage 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 the Soul and Intellect and over-whelm their powers and operation so that they cannot see or perceive any Coelestial things with Clearness as Experience daiâ—y proves they do the same things when we are awake
A TREATISE OF Dreams Visions WHEREIN The Causes Natures and Vses of Nocturnal Representations and the Communications both of Good and Evil Angels as also departed Souls to Mankind Are Theosophically Vnfolded 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 THE CONTENTS OR CHIEF HEADS of the Two Ensuing Treatises Of Dreams Chapter 1. IS by Way of Introduction shewing the Difficulty of this Werk 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 Vses of the inward Sence's Faculties of man. Viz. the common Sence Phantasiâ— Iudgment Memory and where each of them Reside Why we sometimes remember our Dreams and sometimes not Of those that Talk Rise Walk c in their sleep the Causes thereof and how to prevent it as also of those that are troubled with the Night-Mare its Causes and Cure. from Pag. 11 to 26. Chapter 3. Layes open the general Cause or Radix of Dreams whence they are derived viz. from the ever active property 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 Extraordinery Visions from God all which are severally â—andled 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 Lâ—ve 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 Complâ—xion Sangnine Cholerick Melancholy and Phlegmatick as aâ—so 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 Resemblance of the Condition of Souls after Death The representations in Dreams are real to the Soul whilst we sleep tho they seem fantastiâ—k 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 Anâ—cessary Note for Midwives That it is casier for departed Souls to communicate with us in Dreams then by Apparitions Here is likewise discoursed of the Commnnications 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 minâ— 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 illust rating 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 Angeâ—s 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 mighly 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 how by their Carriage you may know what Principle is most predominate in each Pag. 267 258 269. Section 9. A description of Madness according to the seven Planets that the Stars especially the Moon has great Power over such distemper'd People from pag.
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 conâ—enting themselves with their first beloved Fâ—rms which in their time were gâ—odâ— are not half so good Christâ—â—ns as they were the first monâ—â—h they entred into such or such a Religious Profession or Society The Reason whereof is because as men by Abstinâ—ncy Sâ—peration self-denial and pressing forwards after Vertue do by degrees obtain Strength Wâ—sdom Vnderstanding 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 â—each 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 Visions 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 Sepâ—ration 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 Dreames orindeed 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 modeâ—â—â—y it contains its self within the Bounds of Nature with a Resignation always 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 highest degreâ— so being Angles of Darkness where they meet with Darkness both internal and external that is a Body clogg'd with superfluity and a Soul contaminated with Vices and Enormous Affections as with Lust Covetousness Revenge c. they are thereby strengthened to an advantage of inâ—tilling their suitable Temptations 6. Some Dreams are by courteous Visits of good Aâ—gels who that way most suitable â—o their Spâ—â—â—uous Nature and agreeable 〈…〉 Neighbours human Souls who 〈…〉 differ from them gradually rather then Specifically chuse to Communicaâ—e with us thereby often forewarning us of impending dangers or instructing us to some eminent advantage if we have the discretion to make use
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 â—eer 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 Sâ—rrow 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 seperaâ—ed 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 bâ—ssle 〈◊〉 this world and acts or Suffers as it is â—inctured and impressed for every property and principle doth contain the true nature of the whole and therefore has wonderfull power and efficacâ—â—o generate and form strange unheard-of things to the Imagination For which cause many persons dream of and see such strange things in thâ—ir 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 bath 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 case 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 as it were dead and also all the senses not at all concerned with or capable of those â—ights pleasures or sorrows but oft-times the Soul or Spirit being affrighted with hideous apprehensions and dangers or 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 Grief or Pleasure and they seem to the outward Sense and Reason as if 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 â—pparitions The Converse of good and bad Angels with men how promoted c. BY reason of that Affinity or Similitude between incorporal Bâ—eings and the Soul of man mentioned in the last Chapter it comes to pass that Souls depâ—â—ted or seperaâ—ed from their Bodies which divorce we call 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 a â—ilâ—ar as this except some few 〈◊〉 at their Death are greatly affectionated to wife and Children or the like and dye
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 deâ—ending 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 the 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 on 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 have that secret communication 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 extertnal 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 for his golden trappings to desire to 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 â—nother 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 and most abominable Thoughts Imaginations 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 Root by the Promptings Instigations and Ingections of the evil Genij which are like swarms of Bees 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
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 evil 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 aford 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 nor 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 Lodstone 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 foresee 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 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 Fâ—sh 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 suffer 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 Fâ—uits 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 Blessed 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 Purity 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 on 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 Vertâ—e 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 â—low from the benigne and everâ— 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 fit 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 Flesh of all the Inhabitants of the four Worlds or Elements What great Matters or Heroick Acts or spiritual performances can be expected 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 sleep or be overcome with the sensual pleasures of Gluttony and Uncleanness but frees it from burthensom dulness aâ—d 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 Convers 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 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 be goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom be may devour being a great Prince of
But in this our Rude and Blind Age instead of complaining for want of the presence of the Lord and his holy powers most people make a Laughing-stock and Derision of Dreams and all things of that nature so great is the Degeneration of Mankind from all sublime Truths and heavenly Converse of good Spirits just as though there were no Angels or Genij or that the blessed God of Truth had not granted any of them to be our Guardians and Assistants in our Necessities and under his supream providence to protect and desend mankind from the many shares and inventions of evil Spirits which continually seek how they may devour and destroy man and lead him captive into perdition But the Word of Truth assures us That the God of all Power and Glory has made his Angels great and powerful ministring Spirits to aid and assist those that fear his Name and advance the Kingdom of Innocency So in former Ages we read That he sent his good Angels as Messengers of his favour and to defend his people from incursions of the evil ones for they do continually fight against the Malicious degraded Legions Thence Abraham when he sent forth his Servant to Mesopotamia to fetch a wife for his Son Isaac did by Faith assure him The Lord should send his Angel before him and prosper what he went about Gen. 24. 7. and 14. So the Lord promises the Children of Israel Exod. 23. 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his Voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in him But if thou shalt indeed obey his Voice and do all that I shall speak then I will be an Enemy to thine Enemies and an Adversary to thine Adversaries for mine Angel shall go before thee in unto the Amorites c. Chapter 23. 24. Therefore now go lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee Behold mine Angel shall go before thee which is repeated again Chap. 33. 2. I will send an Angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite the Amorite c. When Balaam went with the Princes of Moab to Curse the Israel of God 't is said The Angel of the Lord stood in the way for an Adversary against him and the Ass saw him and turned away several times but the Prophet could not see him till his Eyes were opened and then he reverenced him and received his message Numb 22. 23. and 31. An Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim to accuse the Israelites of their disobedience and trangression whereupon they repented and humbled themselves Iudges 2. 1. Another Angel appeared to Gideon and encouraged him to deliver the people of Israel out of the hands of the Midianites Chap. 6. 11. So likewise to Manoah the Mother of Samson promising her a Child and directing her how he should be Educated in Abstemiousness and Temperance that he night be fit for those mighty Aâ—chiefments of delivering his people which the Lord had designed him for Iudges 13. 3. As Elijah was in the wilderness and ready to starve an Angel of the Lord brought him provisions and said to him once and again Arise and eat in the strength of which he travelled forty days and forty nights 1 Kings 19. 5. David also teacheth us That the Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them Psalm 34. 7. And again Psalm 91. 9 10 11. Because thou hast made the Lord my Refuge even the most high thy Habitation there shall no evil befall thee neither shall any Plague come nigh thy dwelling for he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy wayes they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou daish thy Foot against a Stone When the Prophet Zachariah had a vision by night from God there was an Angel that talked with him and declared to him the things which he saw The Angel Gabriel was sent to the Virgin Mary to acquaint her with the joyful Tydings of her being overshadowed with the holy Ghost and bringing forth a Saviour Luke 1. 26. The pool of Bethesda had its Senative Vertue communicated to it by the ministry or an Angel for so the Text expressly tellâ— us Jâ—hn 5. 4. An Angel went down at a certain â—eason and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever Disease he had When the â—postles were committed to Prison for preaching the Gosple Acts 5. 1â— The Angel of the Lord by Night opened the Prison Door and brought them forth So an Angel of God appeared in a Vision to Cornelius the devout Centurion requiring him to send to Ioppa for Peter who should teach him what he should do Acts 10. 3. And when afterwards tâ—e same Peter was imprisoned by Herod the King behold the Angel of the Lord came upon him and a Light shined in the Prison and he smote Peter on his side and raised him up saying Arise quickly and his Chains fell off from his hands and the Angel said unto him Gird thy self and bind on thy Sandals and so he did And he said unto him Cast thy Garment about thee and follow me and he went out and followed him and wist not that it was true that was done by the Angel but thought he saw a Vision When they were past the first and second ward they came unto the Iron Gate that leadeth unto the City which opened unto them of its own accord and forthwith the Angel departed from him And when Peter was come to himself he said Now I know of a surety That the Lord hath sent his Angel and delivered me Acts 12. 7 8 9 10 11. And when Paul in his Voyage to Italy was in danger of shipwrack and Angel visited him and assured him That none belonging to the Ship should be drowned for said he There stood by me this Night the Angel of God whose I am and whom I serve saying Fear not Paul Thou must be brought before Caesar And lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee Acts 27. 23. Thus manifest it is that good Angels both by the appointment of the Soveraign Creator and the excellency of their own Natures are alwayes Sedulous ready and diligent to serve assist succour and illuminate good and vertuous men especially in their distresses or when they are in danger by the malice and subtilty of wicked men And it is the Doctrine of the wise Antients that not only every person man or woman from his or her first coming into this world hath in an especial manner a particular good Angel deputed which therefore is called his or her Guardian Angel or good Genius and that another evil Angel also of a direct contrary nature and property is always attending us thence called
further exciting of the hellish poysonous properties whence are generated Filthy Swearings Lying obscene words and Actions and all kind of abominable Discourses and Actions with a thousand horrid thoughts and vile immaginations frequent amongst the multitude so that if a mans inward Eyes of his Soul were but opened he might easily see Legions of those accursed Demons fluttering in and about such People egging them on to all evil Communication and practices it being a certain and undoubtable truth that all filthy vain thoughts words and works do arise and proceed from the Hellish center and do all carry the power of their own principle with them and so incorporate with their Similes whereever they are received and thence pass back again into their own dark original Source and totally captivate the soul therein where they are recorded and shall stand forever as Witnesses of Condemnation against them if men Live and Dye in that deplorable state and do not Repent and turn from them by Regeneration and Newness of Life Now from those infernal Legions which beset us on all sides both inwardly and outwardly no man is safe any longer then he fears the Lord and has his mind fixed on Sobriety and Temperance in Meats and Drinks Exercises and Communications for nothing as we have already said and cannot say too often does so much disarm weaken prevent and frustrate all evil suggestions and ingections of the evil Angels both within and without as those sublime vertues with convenient Fasting and continual servent Prayers For as our Lord and Saviour Christ saith some sorts of evil Spirits are not cast out or chased away but with Fasting and Prayer and therefore the Kingly Prophet saith wherewith shall a young man cleanse and defend himself from evil Angels and other Enormities but only by keeping thy Word and being obedient to thy Commandements alwayes having a regard to that most excellent saying of Christ First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all other good things shall be added or given unto you in due season For as every man does govern himself and into what property he suffers his soul to enter such an Angel or Spirit he allureth be it either good or evil there being Spirits of all Orders Complexions and Natures for which should we think the Intellectual world less peopled then the Material which always are ready and officious to exert their power as we read in the Scriptures of Truth The Lord said who will be a Lying Spirit in the mouths of Ababs prophets and presently steps forth one and said I will and far be it but we should believe that the benign Spirits are as ready to secure and defend mankind from evil when they incline to well-doing and Innocency as the malignant Ones are to precipitate them into Error Guilt and Misery If men did but believe those things and diligently observe and weigh them they would certainly be much more careful in moderating their thoughts and affections neither would many so much dote upon or be perpetually vexed with for or about the Spirits of golden mountains of Ethiopia the Dust of Guinea the Rubish of Peru which do give great advantage to and powerfully attract the evil Demons who by many of the Antients are thought to have some kind of rule over or affinity with those hidden Mines and Treasures in the bowels and dark Cavetns of the Earth which are the Idols whom most people now adore and over whom the evil spirit Mammon is said to be Lord president For whatsoever man does violently taste and set his mind and affections upon presently the evil Spirits that are of that quality do present themselves and are busie to allure the Soul and captivate it with more passionate desires after it For this cause it proves hard and very difficult for men too be temperate to moderate their affections in any thing wherein they have once run out into or contracted an habit of Excess so many Enemies there are to circomvent and inveigle them on every side whose power is great but 't is by reason of the greatness of mans sins which give them the Advantages whereby they lead multitudes into perdition On the other side the good Angels and Spirits are as easily attracted by vertue as the Evil are by vice that is so say they are delighted and conciliated by their own fair Resemblaâ—ces Purity Love Truth Temperance Order firm Belief cleanness in Meats Drinks Innocency and Silence these are powerful Loadstones or Magneticks that will attract good Spirits and Angels even from the furthest parts of the World. It is also further to be considered that true Dreams and Nocturnal Converse with good Angels and Spirits does afford great delight and true pleasure to the mind and soul the very thoughts of those secret visits chears and irradiates the intellectual Faculties even in the day and causeth a desire and longing for the night and the more fixed any man is and the more he lays them up in a Reserved and Religious Breast with serious Thoughts and Meditations on such sublime Mysteries the nearer he approaches unto their Beeings and powerfully invites those holy and material Essences and so by degrees even whilst he is in the Body becomes as it were incorporated with or endenizon'd amongst those Coelestial Quires of blessed Angels and Spirits of the Just made perfect and to have their Names Registred in the Book of Life as in the Revelations in promised For nothing comes so near those glorious Beeings or so effectually engages them as a constant thoughtfulness temperance and sobriety but more especially Innocency and the Child like nature which does in the highest degree imitate the nature Angelical whence our Saviour Christ Mat. 10. 10. admonishes his Disciples to take heed not to despise Innocency and the simple harmless nature which he calls one of thâ—se little Ones such as have through the vertue and power of the divine friendly innocent Principle disarmed the fierce wrathful properties and as it were cut off the members of evil that is their thoughts words and works and have as much as in them lies â—mitated and lived in the innocent nature of Christs Spirit and good â—ngels for of such he saith Their Angels do always behold the Face of my Father which is in Heaven But such as live in Uncleanness and Riot in Chambering and Wantonness in Oppression and Cruelty are subect to the Tyranny and Punishment of evil Angels as executioners of the divine Vengeance which hence are called destroying Angels Thus two Angels came to Soym and having secured Lot 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. 1â— God sent an Angel to Ierusalem to destroy it and herepented 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 Ieâ—usite 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 prefuming 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 Egyptiâ—ns 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 Vbi 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 fâ—erce wrathful Vbi 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 Vbi 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 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 Vbi or Beeing and there is a great affinity between them but when the Body is awake and all its â—ally-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 Angâ—ls 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 greaâ— 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 â—erene 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 Fantasies 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 benigâ—e Spirits or Angels is prevented or frustrated and such peoples Dreams are confused oblivious and tending to Evil and Vanity for the good Intelligâ—nces cannot nor will give true 〈◊〉 or significant Dreams 〈…〉 intemperate and unclean and whose Souls are estranged and degenerated from their principle and precipitated into wrath and Violence But the Inhabitants of the infernal World have the nearest Affinity to such and do by their secret sympathitical Communications suggest and dart into the Soul many Lying Fantasies and Mischevious Dreams and teach them sundry vile pranks and evils For there is as great a variety of Spiritual Creatures and Beeings good
of good Spirits Angels in Dreams and Visions to pious and holy men in times past instructing and admonishing them and revealing divine mysteries unto them the same will be of little advantage or incouragement to us if that vulgar opinion be true that although they were so usual and frequent in former Ages yet now they are wholely ceased and no such spiritual assistances or converse to be expected but as this opinion is not founded on holy Scripture so there are divers reasons which sway with me not to imbrace the same its true the Text saith That if an Angel from Heaven shall preach any other Doctrine that is contrary or derogatory unto the Gospel of Jesus Christ he ought to be rejected and accursed for thereby it would plainly appear that he was an evil Angel since God in any of his manifestations is never contrary unto himself yet this hinders not but good Spirits may afford us good Offices and give us notice of impending Dangers and defend us from the assaults and incurrances of evil Doemons and be the Ministers of God whereby he may be pleased to make more clearer revelations of his Secrets to those that fear him for the blessed Creator is the same as ever he was and as near unto mankind as he was in former Ages whence the Apostle Paul saith the divine Word or holy Principle of Gods eternal Light and Love is near thee in thy Mouth and in the Center of thy Heart and therefore whatsoever was by divine appointment or permission of this nature common to the Prophets and holy men in former Ages its reasonable to believe that the same should not only be continued in these later times but increased and far more illustrated since the great work of redemption and divine manifestation in the flesh who was welcomed unto the humane nature by the holy Quires of Angles It s under this Gospel dispensation that the holy Prophets have foretold should be far more glorious irradications and discoveries of divine knowledge that all should be taught of God. That their Sons and their Daughters should Prophecy their young Men see Visions and their old Men dream Dreams The current of the Scripture bears Testimony to a greater Light to break forth in the latter dayes wherein the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Water cover the Sea and why then should we abridg or reject any of those ways wherein God hath formerly vouchsafed most usually to discover his will in the mysteries of his Kingdom to the Sons of men The good Spirits are inflamed with the same Zeal for spreading the Glory of their Creator now as in former times they have still the same ardent Charity and Good-will towards men that persue and seek after Vertue and Piety as heretofore and we have as much need of their aid and assistance as any of the Ancients why then should we think all entercourse out off between us and those blessed Spirits why should we with a stupid neglect lose the benefit of such powerful Auxiliaries That evil Angels are dayly contriving our temporal and eternal ruin that they do by various ways and means cast stumbling blocks before us in the Paths of 〈◊〉 and endeavour to seduce us by multitudes of temptations is generally agreed by all professors of the Christian Religion and if so I desire to know why we should not believe the good Angels to be as diligent to protect or instruct us as ready to encounrage us in well doing as the other are busie to circumvent and debauch us and prompt us on to sin and mischiefs and misery It s evident the ever blessed Creator has since the woful fall and degeneration of mankind readily heard the prayers of those that in sincerity have called upon his Name and live in obedience to his holy Law and that he hath in various manners appeared to them in Visions Calls Voyces Dreams and the like which was continued and encreased in an extraordinary manner after the great Light appeared viz. Christ Jesus cloathed with the humane nature as appears by the authority of the Scriptures before mentioned and if the same be now discontinued as some people would have us believe of which as there is no mention in Scripture so 't is against the Principles of God in nature to suppose any such Chasm or interruption of communication between superiours and inferiours in the state of created beeings and beside what a miserable and deplorable state must man then now be in for amongst the Ancients if the Spirits of the Lord did withdraw and cease from communicating and manifesting the secrets of the great Creator by some of the forementioned wayes they looked on themselves in a sad and deplorable condition as we may see in the case of Saul and others Whereas now according to these opinions we are not only debarred of all those celestial interviens and communications but also exposed to all the rage and subtilty of evil Spirits without any assistance from the good Angels which our Fore-fathers so plentifully enjoyed But the Truth is if we by vertuous lives prepare and fit our selves for the converse of holy Angels we have no more reason to dispair of their aid for the Lord doth never with-draw his holy Spirit from man except man do first by sin and disobedience separate himself from his Maker but on the contrary the divine Principle of love doth continually strive with man against the evil as our Saviour said I would have gathered you even as a Hen gathereth her Chickins under her Wings and in another place I came to seek 〈…〉 save that which was lost And elsewhere the Scripture saith As many as received the glorious Light of his Gospel became the sons of God or of Light and the great Apostle Paul who was illuminated by divine Vision saith Whatsoever may or can be known of God is implanted and manifested in man. For God made him in his own Image that is containing a breviate of the nature of all things divine and humane which is since his fall enlightened or again re-invested with the divine Seed of the woman and holy Principle of Light even to the Center of his Soul which the wise Man calls the voice of Wisdom always crying in the Gate of the microcosmical City calling man out of Sin and the Babyloniâ—al confusion into the glorious Light and Liberty of the Sons of God in which state the inward eye of divine sight is opened which sees into the secret mysteries of Gods â—â—ture But some will say that these divine sights and visions like miracles were only to â—llustrate 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 saith 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
includes our Love to God the supream Good for his own sake and to all the rest of the Creation in obedience to his Commands but particularly giving of Almes which is but one and one of the lowest Branches of the sublime tho most lowly Vertues which as it does wonderfully abate Pride Covetousness and such swelling Vices so it does advance the Soul in all kind of Vertue causes it to draw near the supream Good who in his boundless mercy giveth all things freely receiveth naught from any but his own the Truth tells us Give Almes and all things shall be clean unto you and the wise man saith As Water extingâ—ishes Fire so Almes doth Sin and Daniel taught the King of Babylon that he should Redeem his Sin by Almes and the Angel Raphael testifieth to Tobias that Almes freeth from Death so our Lord Christ commands us to pray to the Father Forgive us as we forgive and by analogy Give us as we give to others but for our further encouragment to Charity and Almes-Giving he adds not only that you shall receive an hundred fold but possess eternal Life and the Scriptures declare that when he comes to judge the Quick and the Dead he shall upbraid the wicked above all things for their neglect of Almes and works of Mercy Furthermore all that have obtained the knoweldge of themselves and the gifts of the mind and the communicatiâ—ns of good Spirits and Angels by dreams or any other ways ought above all things to keep silent and constantly conceal and lock up such sublime secrets in their religious Breasts for nothing drives away and offend the divine Powers good Angel Guardians more then to publish mysteries to the profane multitude for this cause our Saviour Christ when he lived on Earth spoke after such a manner and fashion that only the more intimate Disciples should understand the Word of God but the multitude should only perceive the parable he likewise on the same ground commanded that holy things should not be given to Dogs nor Pearls be cast before Swine therefore well saith the Prophet I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee and it is said of Mary the Mother of Christ that after the Angel had informed her that she had found favour in the sight of the Lord and should bring forth the Saviour of the World she laid all these things up in her heart and she did not divulge what was discovered to her by the Angel. The thrice Great Hermise or Mercury of Egypt avers that to publish to the knowledge of the Rabble a Speech filled with the Mysteries and Majesty of the Deity is a sign of a irriligious Spirit and Plato Commandeth that holy Secrets and Religious things should not be divulged to the Common People Pythagorus injoyned his Followers to a Religious silence for so many years Orpheus also did with a certain Authority of Religion exact an Oath of silence from those whom he innitiated in holy Rites and in Esdras we read this precept concerning the Cabalistical Secrets of the Hebrews Thou shalt deliver these Books to the wise Men of the People whose hearts thou 〈◊〉 can comprehend them the Antient Egyptiaens had certain Characters for their secrets and mysteries which might not be easily known to the vulger and these are therefore called Hieroglyphicks and Tertullian saith that the promise of silence is due to Religion so we Read of a certain Greek Tragedian that when he would have Transfered somewhat out of the Jews Laws to supply one of his Fables with was struck Blind And Theopompus who beginning to Translate somewhat out of the divine Law into the Greek Tongue was presently troubled in mind and afterwards earnestly desiring God to let him know the occasion of that Judgment received answer in a Dream that it was because he had poluted divine things by Setting them forth in publick Thus the Indian Brachmans the Persians Magi the British Druids the Greek Phylosophers Pythagoras Socrates Plato c always were nice and diligent in keeping secrets to themselves and their qualified Sectatores and never to discover Mysteries without a vail Certain it is that as in Heaven there is an everlasting Stilness and sweet Harmony so all heavenly wisdom is strengthened by Silence and Concord but publication and discord distroys good Effects and drives away holy powers from us Therefore such as would reap Fruit by what we have before taught must hide and lay up those secrets in their religious breasts for the prating of Fools and incredulity are the two grand hinderances that disturb and obstruct the good effects in every thing that tends towards the Illumination of mans Soul for those sublime vertues require in a man a wonderful dignification self-denial and that we should leave â—arnal Affections frail Sences and materâ—l Passions for mens souls when freed from the gross Fumes of the body and evil dispositions have wonderful power being not distempered but iâ—â—luenced by divine Liâ—ht whereby they are rendered compleat in Intrinsecal and Extrinsecal Perfection Let us therefore remove all Impediments possible and wholy apply our selves to Contemplation and innocency of Life that is doing unto the whole Creation as we would be done unto and turn our Eyes inwards for there is even in our own selves the apprehension of all things but most men are prohibited by Self-conceit prejudices of Education Custom vain Conversation and the like from enjoying the benefit of this in-born Light so as few enjoy those Heavenly Gifts for Opinions Customs and Passions do continually oppose us even from our birth but if those vain Imaginations immoderate Affections violent Desires after what is not needful be once Expelled the divine Knowledge and power presently takes place and obtains the Government over the Soul. But for the further accomplishment furnishing and fitting a mans Soul for the fore-mentioned subline converse and also for the abtaining the Knowledge and Conversation of the Good Genius before treated of let these following Rules be observed 1st Let your Meats and Drinks be Clean and of a simple Nature and Operation 2d Have a care the quantity be not too great 3d Remember to let your quality be sutable and agreable to your Nature and Constitution 4th Let none of your food be attended with the dying Groans of of the innocent Creatures 5th Consider the first state of man and what Foods were ordained for him viz none but innocent Herbs Seeds Fruits and Grains 6th Bâ—think 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 Spiâ—its are fâ—â—med and look also with Teeth and Claws like so many terrible Weapons of War to Prey upon
every man laying aside all subtilty and hypoâ—risie 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 fell his Liberty and became a slave to the Lusts and Capricio's oâ— Grandees to spend whole years in supple Attendanâ—â—s â—â—ouching 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 wasâ—e 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 â—corn and hate For men to swallow down vast Estates at their Tâ—â—oats and 〈◊〉 away the Labours of their 〈…〉 their Table with variety of Dishes and be at any charge for â—â—inant Sawâ—es to provoke the Appetite beyond the power as well as nâ—cessities of Nature that their Bodies may be filled with Diseases That they may roar under the Stone and the Illiaâ—c 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 〈◊〉 in lies perhaps broyling in the 〈◊〉 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 seven Forms Nature did carry the upper dominion in the Complexion Therefore Mad People vary as much in their inclinations and passions of Love and Hate as they did in when in their Senses For Example If the first or Saturnine Property did preside in the Soul and be not corrected moderated allayed and made friendly by Wisdoms Voice whilst they remained in their Senses then such will manifest themselves when Mad in sullen dogged mischievous Melancholy dispositions and Inclinations with blasphemous words apt to hurt and be injurious with Sour evil Complexion and Looks But if the lovial Properties had the uppermost Governments in the time of their Reason then such when out of their wits are for the most part affable and friendly using no â—ruel words nor so apt to do hurt or be churlish or dogged But if the Martial
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 Spiâ—it 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 power for this is a madness of the 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 prâ—ceeds 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 Tarantule a venomous Beast or Infect seen sometimes in Italy and other forraign Partsâ— 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 but with how much success daily experience witnesseth they mistake the Câ—use and therefore blindly combat with the Effect and for the latter let such as intend to cure Distractions by sleepyfying things take notice that stupifactive Medicines do scarce procure sleep unto mad persons by a four-fold Dose and when all is done they increase the Madness for Madness is nothing but an Erring Sleepifying Power because every Madman dreameth waking and therefore Stupefactive Dreams are thereby added unto doting Dreams in waking and so the mind more disturbed then before Therefore undoubtedly the sealing Character in a Madman presupposes a restoring of the hurt reason and a correction of the Poyson by its Antidote but not another stupefactive Poyson to be added unto it And as Supifying Medicines are of little value but rather prejudicial so much