281. l. 12. The most valuable Opinions that are controverted amongst Churches and Sects c. That from this place and some others of my Reply some would gather that I make nothing of the Articles of the Christian faith it is a signe to me that they either want Reason or Charity For in my own thoughts I make a vast difference betwixt the Articles of the Christian faith and Opinions and cannot forbear to professe that my judgement is That if Sects differ in these some of them will not fail to prove maimed or defective Christians of which sort I conceive are such Articles as these namely The existence of a God Omnipotent Omniscient and infinitely Good together with the Trinity of the Godhead The Divinity of Christ That he is a sacrifice for sin That he came into the world to root out the works of the Devil and every plant that is not of his Fathers planting that is all manner of Idolatry and Wickednesse of either Flesh or Spirit That he rose corporeally out of the grave That he ascended up into heaven visibly in the sight of his Disciples And that he will in due time return visibly from thence to take vengeance on the wicked and recompence the good when he shall change their vile bodies into the similitude of his glorious body crowning them with everlasting life and joy These and such like Truths as these so plainly comprehended in the sacred Text it never came into my mind to debase them so much as to cast them into the rank of Opinions though of the best sort that can be imagined For these are not the objects of Opinion to any reall Christian but of Faith by which I understand a steady and unshaken belief that they are true And whosoever contradicts any of these I make bold to pronounce let him talk as sweetly and graciously as he will that it is nothing but either puzzled Nature obfuscating Melancholy or some Diabolicall mysterie working in him that imboldens him to contradict so holy a truth 14. Pag. 281. l. 31. To cast me amongst the Puritans as thou callest them It is also groundlesly spoken of those that vote me for a peculiar enemy to the Puritanes from this passage and some others of like nature when as if they read but on a little further in this place they may see I openly professe my self a Friend to all Sects whatsoever in the Christian world For what warrant have I to be a foe to them that God himself is a friend to as I make no question but he is to any in any Sect that hold the Fundamentalls of Christianity with a conscionable endeavour of living accordingly and does mercifully wink at their Childishnesse in the rest But if in stead of Children they prove Bears and Lyons and devour their Neighbours out of a zeal to their own follies or it may be out of a worse principle Pride Covetousnesse and Revenge I must confesse I think they are not then Christians at all but Wolves in sheeps clothing 15. And verily every Sect as a Sect is of this nature and condition and they want nothing but opportunity to show their fangs and therefore I think Bertius has done very unjustly in laying all the load upon the Calvinists as if that were peculiar to them that is the disease of all Opinionists whatsoever But for my part my ambition is to be found rather amongst them that are sound then those that are diseased containing my self within the sober limits of the Word of God for the Articles of my Faith and shall be so civill to others as to give them leave to believe what they will so they do not believe against what is plainly and expresly contained in Scripture For for a man to be hot for some Point that with a great deal of study and care he has hammered out of the Text and imperiously to obtrude it upon others seems to me as absurd as if some conceited Artisan should force another to buy some elaborate toy that he has spent a great deal of time and pains upon at his own rate when the chapman professes he has no need of any such impertinent curiosities And I doubt not but that this is the condition of every man that has an hearty and favoury sense and firm belief of the grand Truths of Christianitie such as are That there is an all-seeing eye of Providence that takes notice of all our actions to reward or punish them That if we sinne and unfainedly repent thereof that we have a Mediatour Jesus Christ the righteous who is a propitiation for our sins That we may through him in time have a very considerable victory or conquest over them we keeping as close to his precepts and example as we can and earnestly imploring the aid of his Spirit for a further proficiency dayly in that life that has begun to appear in us and to â—each us that denying all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works I say a constant endeavour after such a pitch of holinesse as this and a firm belief of His return to judgement whom we most affectionately love adore and to the utmost of our power imitate in our conversations is so warm and filling a cordiall to the sincere Soul that he will either loath or at least not much long for what ever humane invention can afford him as an overplus For if a man stick to such plain things as these and others of the same nature that are to be found and easily understood in Scripture he has built his house on the Rock of ages and all the Sectarian Gibberish in the world cannot distract him nor dissettle or bring him into any diffidence but that he is safe and well 16. Pag. 282. l. 32. Coldnesse and trembling seized upon my flesh What you say some have collected from this place is the most fair and probable calumniation of any For for my own part I have so little esteem of any Sect whatsoever that comparing their Title with that of a Christian I conceive it little better then a reproach or calumny But to tell you my opinion of that Sect which are called Quakers though I must allow that there may be some amongst them good and sincere hearted men and it may be nearer to the purity of Christianity for the life and power of it then many others yet I am well assured that the generality of them are prodigiously Melancholy and some few perhaps possessed with the Devil And I conceive that he doth work more cunningly and despightfully against the kingdome of Christ in that Sect then in any open Sect that has appeared in these latter times For they intermingling so
Enthusiasmus Triumphatus OR A DISCOURSE OF The Nature Causes Kinds and Cure OF ENTHUSIASME Written by Philophilus Parresiastes and prefixed to ALAZONOMASTIX HIS Observations and Reply Whereunto is added a Letter of his to a private Friend wherein certain passages in his Reply are vindicated and severall matters relating to Enthusiasme more fully cleared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by I. Flesher and are to be sold by W. Morden Bookseller in Cambridge MDCLVI Enthusiasmus Triumphatus OR A DISCOURSE OF The Nature Causes Kinds and Cure OF ENTHUSIASME Written by Philophilus Parresiastes and prefixed to ALAZONOMASTIX HIS Observations and Reply Whereunto is added a Letter of his to a private Friend wherein certain passages in his Reply are vindicated and severall matters relating to Enthusiasme more fully cleared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by I. Flesher and are to be sold by W. Morden Bookseller in Cambridge MDCLVI To the Reader Reader THou maist very well marvell what may be the meaning that I should publish the Writings of another the Authour being yet alive and at leisure to do it himself But I can inform thee though it perhaps may seem a Riddle to thee that he is alive and not alive For when I treated with him concerning this matter I found him quite dead to all such kind of businesses His Constitution is grown so unexpectedly and astonishingly grave or sower I know not whether to call it that there is now as I told him some small hopes that he may be brought off in time to put on a pair of Sattin eares or wear a silk cap with as many seams as there be streaks in the back of a Lute as himself expresses it in the Preface to his Reply Assuredly said I Mastix thou hast an ambition of being one of those venerable Idols or stalking peices of Gravity to whom little boyes smack the top of their fingers so loudly making long legges and young girls and women drop so demure courtsies to as they passe by in the street How strongly is my friend Mastix metamorphosed within this space of three or four yeares But Parresiastes said he is I perceive the same man still as merry and unluckie as ever and for my self I am not so much changed or sunk into thy present temper but that I can with the same patience bear with thy frolicks as I could with others sullennesse in the dayes of my jollitie But I know by certain and approved experience that there is nothing so safe and permanently pleasant as a staid mind and composed spirit not easily loosned into profuse mirth For such Jocantrie while we are in these earthly Tabernacles is but like the dancing of men and women in an unswept room it does but raise a dust and offend the eyes even of the Revellers themselves what ever it does to the Spectatours Wherefore what a vain thing were it in me to ruffle the calme composure of my own Spirit by perusing and republishing of that which proved so great an aggrievance to one to whom I never did nor yet do bear the least enmity I seeing Mastix so seriously set against Mirth presently conjectured for all his smooth speeches that it might happily fare with him after the usuall manner of other mortalls who commonly do not wholly quit themselves of their passions but change them and therefore did not much mistrust but that though I could not melt him into a merry temper yet I might heat him into a fit of Indignation and naturall sense of Revenge And to this purpose I set before his eyes the high Insolencies of Eugenius against the Universities his unpardonable Incivilities to that Miracle of Ages the noble Des-Cartes besides his outragious Barbaritics upon Mastix his own self where I exhibited to his view a whole Catalogue of those honourable Titles he so liberally bestows upon him throughout his writings being so many and so uncouth that they might stuff out a whole Dictionary with terms of scurrility These I spread before him like the bloud of Mulberries beforeâ— Elephants in battel to provoke his Irascible But to my amazement he seemed to me not at all moved but in a carelesse manner made this Answer The grosser these Revilements are the Greater Christianity not to be incensed Besides if either he or any others by his defamations think worse of me then I deserve the injury is theirs not mine as when one conceives a true Proposition to be false the Proposition saith Epictetus is not hurt but he that is mistaken in it When I saw these Engines levelled at his affections could make no breach upon him at last I betook me to more subtil weapons Well said I Mastix it should seem you are grown a man of strange Master-dome over your Passions or at least you are willing to appear so for the present but you have been as great a professor of Reason heretofore I pray you let me ask you one question whether do not you think your Observations and Reply very serviceable for that purpose you intended them viz. for the discountenancing and quelling of vain Fantastry and Enthusiasme Here he putting upon himself a ctosse and unexpected garb of Modesty told me that it was unfit for him to speak any thing that may seem to tend to the commendation of his own Writings but smilingly asked me what my opinion was thereof I professe said I I cannot but think them very serviceable for that end nor can imagine how that Fanatick spirit can be better met withall then by slighting and deriding it there being alwayes so much Pride at the root from whence these Follies and Vanities bloom For Fantasticks and Enthusiasts seek nothing more then the admiration of men wherefore there is no such soveraign Remedy as scorn and neglect to make them sober But anxiously to contend in a drie way of Reason with them that professe themselves above it is indeed to condescend below a mans self and use his sword there where he ought to have shown his whip whâ—ch was the mistake of the Scythians when they fought against their slaves and therefore it being not so rational to prefer a private humor before a publick good you ought not to be so shie in the matter I propound I know not what you mean said Mastix Your late laudable intentions said I have been as well against Enthusiasme as Atheisme what pretence then have you that those two Pamphlets against Enthusiasme may not march in one body I mean be bound up in one Volume with the rest of your Treatises for they would be then more in view and consequently do more service It may be so said Mastix if they would do any at all But you do not in the mean time consider what disservice they may do to the rest of my Writings which are so grave and serious and how they may cause the Reader through incogitancy to think me in good earnest no where having once found me so much in
jest Now certainly Mastix said I it is not Gravity but Melancholy that makes such a prudent fool of thee Do not even the godliest and severest men that are without either sin or scruple laugh heartily at dinner and tell merry tales though they begin and end their meal wiâ—h more then ordinary seriousnesse and devotion Besides the promiscuous jumbling of those divine Raptures in your Reply with your usuall merriment there seems in my judgement far more harsh then the joyning both your Observations and it with the rest of your Discourses This struck Mastix home as I thought who a little changing his countenance after some pause returned this answer The truth is said he that confusion of so great seriousnesse with so humoursome mirth is the very worst thing in all that book Which my spirits so ill relish now I am more cool that I would gladly if opportunity were offered have my Reply distinguished into Sections with Arguments before every Section that there may be a due time of Interspiration betwixt the ending of the serious and the entring into the merry passages as well as there was in my writing of them But this may be done though these two Pamphlets be still kept apart from the rest in a lesser volume That 's true said I but you do not observe that you endeavour the declining of that which is unavoidable For as sure as your Books will to the Press again after your death these two which you would keep out will croud in with the rest Here Mastix began to scratch his head and seâ—med utterly at a losse what to say But at last recovering himself what reason said he have I to take Philophilus for a Prophet or admit of his Presage as probable that my wrâ—tings should be so much in â—equest hereafter unlesse it be because they are in so little now Writers having the same fate that Fashions they all coming up by their turns and then going down again But suppose your presage true what then Philophilus Iâ— plainly then follows said I that you are to republish your two Pamphlets joyn them with the rest of your Writings especially having opportunity thereby to cast your Reply into Sections and make what corrections else you think fit in either of them It does not at all follow sayes he It follows indeed that it is fit the thing should be done but it does not necessarily follow that I do â—t my self Friend Mastix how captious are you said I My main drift was to demonstrate that the thing was fit to be done not questioning but that that being proved you would not stick to do it your self Well said he my friend Philophilus it is acknowledged then on both sides that it is fit and requisite to be done but my self refusing of it will any body else think you do it Not any body said I Whether can you do it or no said Mastix to me Here I began to fumble but I could not but confesse that I could do it The whole businesse said Mastix lies then betwixt you and me As for my own part I am resolved I will not meddle with it it being utterly against the present temper of spirit I am in And a thing so fit to be done in your own judgement which you can do if you will and will not be done unlesse by you must lie at your door as a neglected duty if you refuse it I marry said I friend Mastix this is rare indeed I perceive though you can forego your wonted mirth you have parted with little of your wit that you can thus finely catch me in a noose of mine own making Well I will not be unwilling to think it my duty for this once since it can be no otherwise And I have Reader outdone his desire in the prosecuting thereof For I have not onely cast his Reply but his Observations also into Sections prefixing before each Section the Argument thereof in which I might almost equalize my pains to his that first compiled the Books at least I might the fruits of them being well assured that they will prove ten times more plain and consequently more pleasant then they were before especially if thou takest notice of what Instructions I shall impart to thee in reference to their perusall Know therefore that in every Argument of the Sections of his Observations there is exhibited to thee the Matter that Mastix speaks to in each Observation that so fully and faithfully that if the Discourse he writes against lay open before thine eyes it would not make him more intelligible Now his Observations being so punctually numbred and fully understood it will follow that his Reply will be as easie the same numbring of the Observations being kept there also so that if thou beest not satisfied in the sense it is but having recourse to the Observation the number does direct thee to in the foregoing Pamphlet and then all will be clear The chief light therefore for understanding both being the right framing of the Arguments of the Sections of his Observations which were so plainly to propose to thy view the Matter that is first spoke to it made me very carefull in contriving thereof But I was lesse curious in the Arguments of the Sections of his Reply they being not so much to tell what is spoke to as what is spoke in every particular Section Besides this dividing his two Pamphlets into Sections I have also prefixed A Brief Discourse concerning the Nature Causes Kindes and Cure of Enthusiasme where though my pains seem more entirely my own then in the following Books yet to confesse ingenuously they are here farre lesse I having had more easie and frequent accesse to Mastix in this so serious and weighty a Matter After the whole compilement whereof it being reduced to that form thou seest it desirous to leave out nothing in so important a subject that was of consequence to be put in I asked him if it seemed not somthing maimed in the enumeration of the Causes of Enthusiasme because there is nothing set down there concerning the Devil nor the wilfull wickednesse of the mind of man but all is resolved into Complexion or the present Temper or Distemper of the body arising from naturall causes that necessarily act thereupon For thus this Discourse said I may seem as well an Excuse for as a Discovery of this disease of Enthusiasme Why said Mastix I hope it is not your designe I am sure it is not mine to incense the mindes of any against Enthusiasts as to persecute them all that I aim at is onely this that no man may follow them And your Discourse already I think is effectuall enough for that purpose it so plainly discovering that what seems so strange and taking in them is not from God but a meer Constitution of body the fanaticall workings whereof though they may be much heightned by some peculiar Vitiosity of the mind or subtile insinuations
themselves persons of honour Dukes Princes Kings Popes and what not Much to this purpose may you see in Sennertus and more in Democritus junior 13. That which is most observable and most usefull for the present matter in hand is That notwithstanding there is such an enormous lapse of the fancy aud judgement in some one thing yet the party should be of a sound mind in all other according to his naturall capacities and abilities which all Physicians acknowledge to be true and are ready to make good by innumerable examples Which I conceive to be of great moment more thorowly to consider I do not mean how it may come to passe for that we have already declared but what excellent use it may be of for to prevent that easie and ordinary Sophisme which imposes upon many who if an Enthusiast speak eloquently and it may be rationally and piously you may be sure zealously and fervently enough and with the greatest confidence can be imagined are so credulous that because of this visible dresse of such laudable accomplishments they will believe him even in that which is not onely not probable but vain and foolish nay sometime very mischievous and impious to believe as That the party is immediately and extraordinarily inspired of God that he is a speciall Messenger sent by him the last and best Prophet the holy Ghost come in the flesh and such like stuff as this which has been ever and anon set on foot in all ages by some Enthusiast or other Amongst whom I do not deny but there may be some who for the main practicall light of Christianity might have their judgments as consistent as those Melancholists above named had in the ordinary prudentiall affairs of the world but as for this one particular of being supernaturally inspired of being the last Prophet the last Trumpet the Angel in the midst of Heaven with the eternall Gospel in his hand the holy Ghost incorporated God come to judgement and the like this certainly in them is as true but farre worse dotage then to fancy a mans self either a Cock or Bull when it is plain to the senses of all that he is a Man 14. But it being of so weighty a concernment I shall not satisfie my self in this more generall account of Enthusiasme that it may very well be resolved into that property of Melancholy whereby men become to be delirous in some one point their judgement standing untouched in others For I shall easily further demonstrate that the very nature of Melancholy is such that it may more fairly and plausibly tempt a man into such conceits of inspiration and supernaturall light from God then it can possibly do into those more extravagant conceits of being Glasse Butter a Bird a Beast or any such thing 15. For besides that which is most generall of all that Melancholy enclines a man very strongly and peremptorily to either believe or misbelieve a thing as is plain in that passion of Suspicion and Iealousie which upon little or no occasion will winne so full assent of the mind that it will engage a man to act as vigorously as if he were certain that his jealousies were true it is very well known that this Complexion is the most religious complexion that is and will be as naturally tampering with divine matters though in no better light then that of her own as Apes and Monkies will be imitating the actions and manners of men Neither is there any true spirituall grace from God but this meer naturall constitution according to the severall tempers and workings of it will not onely resemble but sometimes seem to outstrip by reason of the fury and excesse of it and that not onely in Actions but very ordinarily in Eloquence and Expressions as if here alone were to be had that live sense and understanding of all holy things or at least as if there were no other state to be paralleld to it The event of which must be if a very great measure of the true grace of God do's not intervene that such a Melancholist as this must be very highly puffed up and not onely fancy himself inspired but believe himself such a speciall piece of Light and Holinesse that God has sent into the world that he will take upon him to reform or rather annull the very Law and Religion he is born under and make himself not at all inferiour to either Moses or Christ though he have neither any sound Reason nor visible miracle to extort belief 16. But this is still too generall we shall yet more particularly point out the Causes of this Imposture Things that are great or vehement People are subject to suspect they rise from some supernaturall cause insomuch that the wind cannot be more then ordinary high but they are prone to imagine the Devil raised it nor any sore Plague or Disease but God in an extraordinary manner to be the Authour of it So rude Antiquity conceiv'd a kind of Divinity in almost any thing that was extraordinarily great Whence some have worshipped very tall Trees others large Rivers some a great Stone or Rock othersome high and vast mountains whence the Greeks confound great and holy in that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies both And the Hebrews by the Cedars of God the mountains of God the Spirit of God and the like understand high Cedars great Mountains and a mighty Spirit or Wind. We may adde also what is more familiar how old Women and Nurses use to tell little Children when they ask concerning the Moon â—â—â—ting at it with their fingers that it is Gods Candle because it is so great a Light in the night All which are arguments or intimations that mans nature is vâ—â—y prone to suspeâ—t some speciall presence of God in any thing that is great or vehement Whence it is a stroâ—g temptation with a Melancholist when he feels a storm of devotion or zeal come upon him like a mighty wind his heart being full of affection his head pregnant with clear and sensible representations and his mouth flowing and streaming with fit and powerfull expressions such as would astonish an ordinary Auditorie to hear it is I say a shrewd temptation to him to think that it is the very Spirit of God that then moves supernaturally in him when as all that excesse of zeal and affection and fluencie of words is most palpably to be resolved into the power of Melancholy which is a kind of naturall inebriation And that there is nothing better then nature in it it is evident both from the experience of good and discreet men who have found themselves strangely vary in their zeal devotion and elocution as Melancholy has been more or lesse predominant in them and also from what all may observe in those that have been wicked mad and blasphemous and yet have surpassed in this mistaken gift of prayer as is notorious in Hacket who was so besotted with a conceit of his own
a sufficient pledge of this truth if we set before our eyes those that have the most highly pretended to the Spirit and that have had the greatest power to delude the people For that that pride and tumour of minde whereby they are so confidently carried out to professe as well as to conceive so highly of themselves that no lesse Title must serve their turns then that of God the holy-Ghost or Paraclet the Messias the last and chiefest Prophet the Iudge of the quick and the dead and the like that all this comes from Melancholy is manifest by a lower kind of working of that complexion For to begin with the first of these Impostours Simon Magus who gave out that he was God the father he prov'd himself to be but a wretched lecherous man by that inseparable companion of his Helena whom he called Selene and affirmed to be one of the Divine powers when she was no better then a lewd Strumpet There was also one Menander a Samaritan that vaunted himself to be the Saviour of the world a maintainer of the same licentious and impure opinions with Simon Montanus professed himself to be the Spirit of God but that it was the spirit of Melancholy that besotted him his two drabs Prisca and Maximilla evidently enough declare who are said to leave their own husbands to follow him We might adde a third one Quintilla a woman of no better fame and an intimate acquaintance of the other two from whence the Montanists were also called Quintillians Manes also held himself to be the true Paraclet but lest a sect behind him indoctrinated in all licentious and filthy principles Mahomet more successefull then any the last and chiefest Prophet that ever came into the world if you will believe him that he was Melancholy his Epilepticall fits are one argument and his permission of plurality of wives and concubines his lascivious descriptions of the joyes of heaven or Paradise another But I must confesse I do much doubt whether he took himself to be a Prophet or no for he seems to me rather a pleasant witty companion and shreud Politician then a meer Enthusiast and so wise as not to venture his credit or success upon meer conceits of his own but he builds upon the weightiest principles of the Religion of Jews and Christians such as That God is the Creatour and Governor of the world That there are Angells and Spirits That the Soule of man is immortall and that there is a Judgement and an everlasting reward to come after the natural death of the body So that indeed Mahometisme seems but an abuse of certain principles of the doctrine of Moses and Christ to a political design and therefore in it selfe far to be preferred before the vain and idle Enthusiasmes of Dâvid George who yet was so highly conceited of his own light that he hoped to put Mahomet's nose out of joynt giving out of himselfe that he was the last and chiefest prophet when as lef◠to the intoxication of his own Melancholy and Sanguine he held neither heaven nor hell neither reward nor punishment after this life neither Devil nor Angell nor the immortalitie of the Soul but though born a Christian yet he did Mahomitise in this that he also did indulge plurality of wives It should seem that so dark and fulsome a dash of Blood there was mixed with his Melancholy that though the one made him a pretended Prophet yet the other would not suffer him to entertain the least presage of any thing beyond this mortal life He also that is said to insist in his steps and talks so magnificently of himself as if he was come to judge both the quick and the dead by an injudicious distorting and forcing of such plain substantial passages of Scripture as assure us of the existence of Angels and Spirits and of a life to come bears his condemnation in himselfe and proclaims to all the world that he is rather a Priest of Venus or a meer Sydereal Preacher out of the sweetness and powerfulness of his own natural Complexion then a true Prophet of God or a friend of the mystical Bride-groom Christ Iesus to whose very person as to her Lord and Soveraigne the Church his spouse doth owe all reverential love and honour But such bloated and high swoln Enthusiasts that are so big in the conceit of their own inward worth have little either sense or beliefe of this duty but fancy themselves either equal or superiour to Christ Whom notwithstanding God has declared supreme head over men and Angels And yet they would disthrone him and set up themselves though they can show no Title but an unsound kind of popular Eloquence a Rapsodie of sleight and soft words rowling and streaming Tautologies which if they at any time bear any true sense with them it is but what every ordinary Christian knew before But what they oft insinuate by the by is a bominably false as sure as Christianity it self is true Yet such fopperies as these seem fine things to the heedless and pusillanimous but surely Christ will raise such a discerning spirit in his Church that by Evidence and conviction of Reason not by force or external power such Mock-prophets and false Messiasses as these will be discountenanced and hissed off of the stage nor will there be a man that knows himselfe to be a Christian that will receive them 22 We have I think by a sufficient Induction discovered the condition and causes of this mysterious mockery of Enthusiastical love in the highest workings of it and shown how it is but in effect a natural complexion as very often Religious zeal in general is discovered to be As is also observable from the tumultuous Anabaptists in Germany For amongst other things that they contended for this was not the least to wit a freedome to have many wives So that it should seem that for the most part this religious heat in men as it arises meerly from nature is like Aurum fulminans which though it flie upward somewhat the greatest force when it is fired is found to go downward This made that religious sect of the Beguardi conceit that it was a sin to kiss a woman but none at all to lie with her The same furnisht Carpocrates and Apelles `two busie sectaries in their time the one with his Marcellina the other with his Philumena to spend their lust upon 23. But enough of this Neerest to this Enthusiastical affection of Love is that of Ioy and Triumph of Spirit that Enthusiasts are several times actuated withall to their own great admiration But we have already intimated the neer affinity betwixt Melancholy and Wine which cheers the heart of God and Man as is said in the Parable And assuredly Melancholy that lies at first smoaring in the heart and blood when heat has overcome it it consisting of such solid particles which then are put upon motion and agitation is more strong and vigorous then any thing
else that moves in the blood and Spirits and comes very neer to the nature of the highest Cordialls that are Which Aristotle also witnesses asserting that Melancholy while it is cold causes sadnesse and despondency of minde but once heated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Extasies and Raptures with triumphant joy and singing 24. There are Three delusions yet behinde which because they come into my memory I will not omit to speak of viz. Mystical interpretations of Scripture Quakings and Visions all which are easily resolved into effects of Melancholy For as for the first we have already shown that Melancholy as well as Wine makes a man Rhetoricall or Poetical and that Genius how fancieful it is and full of allusions and Metaphors and fine resemblances every one knows And what greater matter is there in applying moral and spiritual meanings to the history of the Bible then to the History of Nature and there is no Rhetorician nor Poet but does that perpetually Or how much easier is it to make a story to set out a moral meaning then to apply a moral sense to such stories as are already a foot And for the former AEsop was old excellent at it without any suspicion of inspiration and the later Sir Francis Bacon has admirably wel performed in his Sapientia Veterum without any such peculiar or extraordinary illapses of a divine Spirit into him a business I dare say he never dreamt of and any man that understands him will willingly be his Compurgatour 25. And for Quaking which deluded soules take to be an infallible sign they are in actuated by the Spirit of God that it may be onely an effect of their Melancholy is apparent for none have so high passions as Melancholists and that Fear Love or Veneration in the height will cause great Trembling cannot be denied And to these passions none are any thing nigh so obnoxious as those of the Melancholy Complexion because of the deepness of their resentments and apprehensions That Fear causes trembling there is nothing more obvious and it is as true of Love which the Comoedian had judiciously noted in that passage where Phaedria upon the sight of his Thais speaking to Parmeno Totus tremo say's he horreóque post quam aspexi hanc And for Veneration which consists in a maner of these two mixt together it is a passion that Melancholy men are soundly plunged in whether they will or no when they are to make their addresses to any person of honour or worth or to go about some solemn or weighty performance in publick they wil quake tremble like an Aspinleaf some have bin struck silent others have faln down to the ground And that Fancy in other cases wil work upon the Spirits and cause a tumultuous and disorderly comotion in them or so suffocate the heart that motion will be in a manner quite extinct and the party fall down dead are things so familiarly known that it is enough onely to mention them Wherefore it is no wonder the Enthusiast fancying these natural Paroxysms with which he is surprised to be extraordinary visits of the Deity and illapses of the holy Ghost into his Soul which he cannot but then receive with the highest Veneration imaginable it is no wonder I say that Fear and Ioy and Love should make such a confusion in his spirits as to put him into a fit of trembling and quaking In which case the fervour of his spirits and heat of imagination may be wrought-up to that pitch that it may amount to a perfect Epilepsie as it often happens in that sect they call Quakers who undoubtedly are the most Melancholy Sect that ever was yet in the world 26. Now that Melancholy disposes a man to Apoplexies and Epilepsies is acknowledged both by Philosophers and Physicians For what is Narcotical and deads the motion of the Spirits if it be highly such proves also Apoplectical Besides grosse vapours stopping the Arteriae Carotides and Plexus Coroides and so hindring the recourse and supply of Spirits may doe the same Some would illustrate the matter from the fumes of Charcoale that has often made men fall down dead But take any or all of these Melancholy is as like to afford such noxious vapours as any other temper whatsoever And that an Epilepsie may arise from such like causes these two diseases being so neer a kin as Galen writes is very reasonable and that the morbifick matter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his Master Pelops expresses it it is evident from the suddain and easy discussion of the fit 27. But in both these there being a ligation of the outward senses what ever is then represented to the mind is of the nature of a dream But these fits being not so ordinary as our naturall sleep these dreams the praecipitant and unskilfull are forward to conceit to be Representations extraordinary and supernatural which they call Revelations or Visions of which there can be no certainty at all no more then of a Dream 28. The mention of Dreams puts me in mind of another Melancholy Symptome which Physitians call Extasie which is nothing else but Somnus praeter naturam profundus the causes whereof are none other then those of natural sleep but more intense and excessive the effect is the deliration of the party after he awakes for he takes his dreams for true Histories and real Transactions The reason whereof I conceive is the extraordinary clearness and fulness of the representations in his sleep arising from a more perfect privation of all communion with this outward world and so there being no interfareings or cross-strokes of motion from his body so deeply overwhelmed and bedeaded with sleep what the imagination then puts forth of her self is as clear as broad day and the perception of the soul is at least as strong and vigorous as it is at any time in beholding things awake and therefore Memory as thoroughly sealed therewith as from the sense of any external Object The vigour and clearness of these Visions differs from those in ordinary sleep as much as the liveliness of the images let in artificially into a dark room accurately darkned from those in one carelesly made dark some chinks or crevises letting in light where they should not But strength of perception is no sure ground of truth And such visions as these let them be never so clear yet they are still in the nature of dreams And he that regardeth dreams is like him that catcheth at a shadow or followeth after the wind as Syracides speaks 29. Whether it be in any mans power to fall into these Epilepsies Apoplexies or Extasies when he pleases is neither an useless nor a desperate question For we may find a probable solution from what has been already intimated for the Enthusiast in one of his Melancholy intoxications which he may accelerate by solemn silence and intense and earnest meditation finding himself therein so much beyond himselfe conceits it a sensible presence
ever come to passe in any one else 34 This David George a man of very low parentage was yet in the judgement of his very enemies one of notable naturall parts a comely person to look upon and of a gracefull presence He was also square of body yellow-bearded gray ey'd bright and shining grave and sedate in speech in a word all his motions gestures and demeanours were so decent and becoming as if he had been wholly composed to honesty and godlinesse He lived very splendidly and magnificently in his house and yet without the least stir or disorder He was a religious frequenter of the Church a liberall reliever of the poor a comfortable visiter of the sick obedient to the Magistrate kind and affable to all persons discreet in all things very cunning in some as in his closenesse and reservednesse in his Doctrine to those of Basil where he liv'd to whom he communicated not one Iota of it but yet he sedulously dispersed it in the further parts of Germany both by books and letters the main heads whereof you shall hear as follows 1. That the doctrine hitherto delivered by Moses the Prophets Christ himself and his Apostles is maimed and imperfect published onely to keep men in a childish obedience for a time till the fulnesse and perfection of David George his Doctrine should be communicated to the world which is the onely doctrine that can make man-kind happy and replenish them with the knowledge of God 2. That David George is the true Christ and Messias the dear Son of God born not of the flesh but of the holy Ghost and Spirit of Christ which God had reserved in a secret place his body being reduced to nothing and has infused it wholly into the soul of David George 3. That this David the Messias is to restore the house of Israel and reerect the Tabernacle of God not by the crosse afflictions and death as the other Messias but by that sweetnesse and love and grace that is given to him of his Father 4. That the power of remission of sins is given to this David George and that it is he that is now come to judge the world with the last judgement 5. That the holy Scriptures the sayings and testimonies of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles do all point if rightly understood in the true mystery of them to the glorious coming of David George who is greater then Christ himself as being born of the spirit and not of the flesh 6. That all sin and blasphemy against the Father or the Sonne may be remitted or pardoned but the sin against the holy Ghost that is against David George is never to be remitted 7. That the resurrection of Christ out of the grave and the resurrection of the dead is a meer mysterie or Allegorie 8. That Angels and Devils are onely good men and evil men or their Virtues and Vices 9. That Matrimony is free no obligation and that no man thereby is confined to one woman but that procreation of children shall be promiscuous or in common to all those that are born again or regenerated by the spirit of David George These things are recorded in the Life and Doctrine of David George published by the Rector and University of Basil 1559. 35. As for his own writings not a little admired by some his moving eloquence his powerfull animations to the great duties of Godlinesse I have already laid down such naturall Principles as they may be easily resolved into without any recourse to any supernaturaâ—l Spirit For a man illiterate as he was but of good parts by constant reading of the Bible will naturally contract a more winning and commanding Rhetorick then those that are learned the intermixture of tongues and of artificiall phrases debasing their style and making it sound more after the manner of men though ordinarily there may be more of God in it then in that of the Enthusiast 36. If he may with some zeal and commotion of mind recommend to hiâ— Reader Patience Peaceablenesse Meeknesse Brotherly kindnesse Equity Discretion Prudence Self-deniall Mortification and the like there is nothing in all this but what his own Sanguine temper may suggest without any inspiration from God For there is no Christian virtue to be named which concerns manners but Complexion will afford a spurious imitaâ—ion of it and therefore they answering in so near similitude one to another it will be an easie thing to colour over those meer Mock-graces with Scripture Phrases so that he that has but these complexionall Virtues and a Scripturall style amongst the lesse skilfull will look like an Apostle or Prophet but amongst the rude Multitude he may boast himself to be what he will without suspicion or contradiction The most unlikely of all these imitations is Self-deniâ—ll which seems abhorrent from a Sanguine temper But Enthusiasme is not without a mixture of Melancholyâ— and we are speaking now of Eâ—thusiastick Sanguine in which the fiercer Passions will also lodge and therefore this Self-denial Mortification may be nothing else but the Sanguines cenflict and victory over the most harsh and fierce Melancholy And that it is the Reign of Sanguine not the Rule of the Spirit is discoverable both from the complexion of the head of this sect as also from the general disposition of his followers and that tender love they bear to their own dear carkases who would not I dare say suffer the least aching of their little fingers by way of external Martyrdome for any Religion and therefore their prudence and discretion consists most in juglings aequivocatâ—ons and slight tergiversations peaceable compliances with anâ—thing rather then to suffer in body or goods which is the natural dictate of Sanguine triumphant which dominion yet seems far better then the Tyranny of Choler and Melancholy whose pragmatical ferocity can neither prove good to it selfe nor just to others beiâ—g prone to impose and as forward to avenge the refusal of every frivolous and impertinent foppery or abhorred falsitie with inhumane and cruel persecutions 37. Now that Sanguine was the complexion of David George the foregoing description of his person will probably intimate to any Physiognomer For it is very hard to finde an healthy body very comely and beautiful but the same proves more then ordinarily venereous and lustful We might instance in several both men and women Helena Lais Faustina Alcibiades Ismael Sophi of Persia and Demetrius who is said to have been of an admirable countenance and majestick graceful presence mingled with gravity and benignity also exceeding full of clemency justice piety and liberality but so libidâ—nous and volupâ—uous that no King was ever to be compared to him 38. But two surer signes are yet behind of this Prophets natural constitution which are His denying of a life to come and existence of Angels or Spirits and his allowing of plurality or community of wives The former whereof I must confesse I cannot so much impute to any
Which if I understand any thing is no better then Atheisme For it implies that God is nothing else but the Vniversall Matter of the world dressed up in severall shapes and forms in sundry properties and qualities some gratefull some ungratefull some holy some profane some wise some senselesse some weak some strong and the like But to slice God into so many parts is to wound him and kill him and to make no God at all 48. Again how does Paracelsus justifie the Heathens worshipping the Starres he making them such knowing powerfull and compassionate spectatours of humane affairs And why might they not pray to them as Anne Bodenham the Witch did to the Planet Iupiter for the curing diseases if they have so much power and knowledge as to generate men here below and conferre gifts upon them For it would be no more then asking a mans Father or Godfather blessing For if it be admitted that any one nation is begot by the Starres the Atheist will assuredly assume that they are all so Moreover how shall we repair the losse and damage done to the authority of our blessed Saviour his miracles whereby not onely Christianitie but the first Fundamentalls of all true Religion are eminently established viz. the discovery of a Speciall and Particular Providence of God and an hope of a Life to come For if the Starres can make such living creatures of prepared matter that have sense and understanding which yet have no immortal souls but wholy return into dead mater again why is it not so with men as well as them And if they can contribute the power of such wonder-working wisdome as was in Moses and in Christ or what is so very nigh to it what footsteps does there remain of proof that there is any God or Spirits For all is thus resolvable into the power of the stars A thing that that zealous and industrious Atheist Caesar Vaninus triumphs in exceedingly in his Amphitheatrum aeternae Providentiae Where he cites several Astrological passages out of Cardan under pretence to refute them in which he fetches the original of those three eminent Law-givers Moses Christ and Mahomet from the influence of the stars The law of Moses is from Saturn saies Cardan that of Christ from Iupiter and Mercury that of Mahomet from Sol and Mars The Law of the Idolaters from the Moon and Mars And in another place Cardan imputes that sweetness and meeknesse and wisdome and eloquence that was in our Saviour whereby he was able to dispute in the Temple at twelve yeers of age to the influence of Iupiter Pomponatius also acknowledges the wisdome and miracles of Christ but refers all to the starrs a man as far laps't into Atheisme I conceive as Vaninus himselfe so that these wilde fancies of the Enthusiasts are in truth the chiefe Props or Shelters that Atheists uphold or defend themselves by But how fancieful and confounded an account there is of Astrology let any man that has patience as well as sobriety of reason judge 49. I do not speak these things as if I thought either Paracelsus or his followers thus Atheistical but to shew their Phantastrie and Enthusiasme they so hotly pretending to matters of Christianity and Religion and yet handling them so grosly and indiscreetly blurting out any garish foolery that comes into their mind though it be quite contrary to the Analogie of Faith nor has any shew of ground in solid Reason onely to make themselves to be stared upon and wondred at by the world But the event of it is that as some admire them so others execrate them as men of an impious and diabolical spirit Which I confesse I think too harsh a censure well meaning men being lyable to Melancholy and Lunacies as well as to Agues and burning Feavers Yet a man should be so far off from thinking the better of any discovery of Truth by an Enthusiastick spirit that he should rather for that very cause suspect it because that temper that makes men Enthusiastical is the greatest enemy to Reason it being more thick and muddy and therefore once heated intoxicates them like wine in the must and is more likely to fill their brains full of odde fancies then with any true notions of Philosophy But men of a purer blood and finer spirits are not so obnoxious to this distemper For this is the most natural seat of sublimer Reason when as that more mechanical kind of Genius that loves to be tumbling of and trying tricks with the matter which they call making experiments when desire of knowledge has so heated it that it takes upon it to become Architectonical and flie above its sphere it commits the wildest hallucinations imaginable that material or corporeal fancie egregiously fumbling in more subtile and spiritual speculations This is that that commonly makes the Chymist so pitiful a Philosopher who from the narrow inspection of some few toys in his own art conceives himself able to give a reason of all things in Divinity and Nature as ridiculous a project in my judgment as that of his that finding a piece of a broken oar on the sand busied his brains above all measure to contrive it into an entire ship 50. What I have hitherto spoken I would have so understood as coming from one that neither contemns the well-meaning of the Theosophist or disallows of the industry of the Chymist but I shall ever excuse my selfe from giving any credit to either any further then some lusty miracle transcendent medicine or solid Reason shall extort from me 51. We have spoken of the kindes of Enthusiasme so far as we held it serviceable for our design we shall now touch upon the Cure of this Disease Where waving all pretense to the knowledge of Physick or acquaintance with the Apothecaries shop we shall set down onely such things as fall under a moral or Theological consideration giving onely instructions for the guidance of a mans life in reference to this grand errour of Enthusiasme which a sober man cannot well determine whether it be more ridiculous or deplorable and mischievous Now the most soveraign medicine that I know against it is this Diatrion or Composition of Three excellent Ingredients to wit Temperance Humility and Reason which as I doe not despair but that it may recover those that are somewhat farre gone in this Enthusiastick distemper so I am confident that it will not fail to prevent it in them that are not as yet considerably smitten 52. By Temperance I understand a measurable Abstinence from all hot or heightning meats or drinks as also from all venereous pleasures and tactual delights of the body from all softnesse and effeminacy a constant and peremptory adhesion to the perfectest degree of chastity in the single life and of Continency in wedlock that can be attain'd to For it is plain in sundry examples of Enthusiasme above named that the more hidden and lurking fumes of lust had tainted the fancies of those Pretenders to
sight and more arid and slight then the faintest shade I tell you once more Anthroposophus that Ternaries and Quâ—ternaries and Decads and Monads and such like words of number have no usefull sense nor signification nor virtue if unapplied to some determinate substance or thing But our great Theomagician having no project in this writing that I see but to amaze the world contents himself onely to rattle his chain and to astonish the rude and simple as if some Spirit or Conjurer was at hand and so those words that are most sonorous and consist of the greatest number of syllables please him better then what have more solid signification and a more setled and sober sense Observation 18. Pag. 24. Lin. 17. He with the black Spaniell As for your ador'd Magus with the black Spaniell and that dark Disciple of Libanius Gallus what I have said to you already will serve here too But my controversie is with you onely Philalethes a sworn enemy of Reason and Aristotle and me thinks you are very like your self still in the twenty seventh page Observation 19. Pag. 27. Lin. 22. I am certain the world will wonder I should make use of Scripture to establish Philosophy c. Here Philalethes you seem self-condemned even from your own speech being conscious to your self that all the world will be against you in this superstitious abuse of the Scripture For are you wiser then all the world beside in this matter because you have pray'd away all your Logick in St. Augustines Letanie What profane boldnesse is this to distort that high Majesty of the holy Scripture to such poor and pitiful services as to decide the controversies of the World and of Nature As well becoming it is as to set pies and pasties into the oven with the sacred leaves of the Bible This is but a fetch of imperious Melancholy and Hypocriticall superstition that under pretense of being more holy would prove more Tyrannicall and leave the understanding of man free in nothing at all but bring in a philosophy too Iure Divine And I can further demonstrate to you beside what I have intimated from the transcendency of the Scripture and high scope and aim thereof that the Scripture teacheth no secret or principle of Philosophy of which there is any doubt amongst men in their wits For either as where it seems to speak ex professo of any such things it do's it so obscurely that men rather father their own notions fetch'd from elsewhere upon the Scripture or else if it speak more plainly and litterally yet it being allow'd by all sober men as well Jews as Christians as it is indeed undeniably evident from the passages themselves in Scripture that it speaks so ordinarily according to the rude and vulgar use apprehension of men there can be no deciding collections in matters of Philosophy safely gathered out of it Though I will not deny but that some Philosophick truths may have an happy and useful illustration and countenance from passages in Scripture and their industry is not to be vilified that take any pains therein But I do not believe that any man that has drove the proper use of the Scripture home to the most full and most genuine effect of it in himself but will be so wise and so discreet that he will be ashamed in good earnest to allow any such Philosophick abuse of it But questionless the Scripture is the beginner nourisher and emprover of that life and light which is better then all the Philosophy in the world And he that stands in this light the firmer and fuller he is possessed of it he is the more able to judge both of Nature Reason and Scripture it self But he that will speak out of his own rash heat must needs run the hazard of talking at randum And this I make the bolder in charity to pronounce because I observe that the reverentiall abuse and religious misapplication of the holy Writ to matters of Philosophy for which it was not intended do's in many well-meaning men eat out the use of their Reason for the exercise whereof Philosophy was intended And hence so much spurious and fantastick knowledge multiplies now adayes to the prejudice of mans understanding and to the intangling him in vain and groundlesse imaginations fortuitously sprung up from uncircumspect Melancholy dazled and stounded with the streamings and flashes of Its own pertinacious fancy Which sometime is so powerful as to over-master the Melancholist into a credulity that these flarings of false light in his dark Spirit are not from himself but from a Divine Principle the Holy Ghost And then bidding a due to Reason as having got some Principle above it measures all truth merely by the greatnesse and powerfulnesse of the Stroke of the Phantasme What ever fills the imagination fullest must be the â—ruest And thus a rable of tumultuary and crasse representations must go for so many Revelations and every heaving up by an Hypochondriacall flatulency must be conceited a rapture of the Spirit they professing themselves to receive things immediately from God when they are but the casuall figurations of their anxious fancy busily fluttering about the Text which they alwayes eye though they dissemble it as Hauks and Buzzards flie they never so high have their sight bent upon the Earth And indeed if they should not forge their fancies into some tolerable suteablenesse with the letter of the Scripture they would never be able to believe themselves or at least to beget belief in others that they are inspired And so that high conceit insinuated into them by that wonderfull yet ordinary imposterous power of Melancholy would fall to nothing and they appear not so much as to themselves either Propheâ—s or inspired But this I have touched elsewhere I will let it go Onely let me cast in thus much That he that mis-believes and layes aside clear and cautious reason in things that fall under the discussion of Reason upon the praetence of hankering after some higher prinple which a thousand to one proves but the infatuation of Melancholy and a superstitious hallucination is as ridiculous as if he would not use his naturall eyes about their proper object till the presence of some supernaturall light or till he had got a pair of Spectacles made of the Crystalline Heaven or of the Coelum Empyreum to hang upon his Nose for him to look through The truth is He that layes aside Reason casts away one of the most Soveraign Remedies against all melancholick impostures For I conceive it would be very hard for men either to be deluded themselves or to delude others by their conceited inspirations if they would expect that every Revelation should be made good either by sound Reason or a palpable and conspicuous Miracle Which things if they were demanded of the inspired people when they come to seduce surely they would sneak a way like the common Fidlers being asked to play a Lesson on the Organs
incorporate into one person And this you have done out of malice Magicus and implacable revenge But I wish you had some black bag or vail to hide your shame from the world That is the worst I wish you One that desires to be a Conjurer more then to be a Christian If you like not Conjurer write Exorcist That 's all I would have meant by it There is a Conjuring out as well as Conjuring up the devil And I wish you were good at the former of these for your own sake But now to apply my Emollient to the other boyl you have made in the body of my little book You have made the sharp humour swell into this second bunch by your unnatural draining A fool in a play a Iack-pudding a Thing wholly set in a posture to make the people laugh a giddy phantastick Conjurer a poor Kitling a Calfshead a Pander a sworn enemy to Reason a shittle scull no good Christian an Otter a water-Rat Will with the wisp and Meg with the Lanâ—horn Tom fool in a play a natural fool A fool in a play a Iack-pudding c. Let the Reader consult the place if there be not a seasonable occasion of reminding you of your over much lightnesse you taking so grave a task upon you as to be a publick professor of Theomagicks A giddy fantastick Conjurer No Conjurer there but a Phantastick I admit in you the lesser fault to discharge you of the greater Is this to revile you or befriend you A poor Kitling Poor Kitling Take it into thy lap Phil. and stroke it gently I warrant thee it will not hurt thee Be not so shie why thou art akin to it Phil. by thy own confession For thou art a Mous-catcher which is neer akin to a Cat which is also a catcher of mice and a Cat is sire to a Kitling A Calfs-head I did not call thee Calfshead Eugenius but said that no Chymist could extract any substantial visible form out of thy brains whereby they may be distinguished from what lies in a Calfshead And there is a vast difference in simply calling you Pander and calling you Pander to Madam Nature who you confesse complains of your prostitutions A sworn enemy to Reason Why Doe you not pray against reason A logicâ libera nos Domine And I think any body would swear you are a real enemy to that you pray against unless your devotions be but a mockerie A shittle scull My words were Did your sculler or shittle skull I hope you do not think that I meant your skull was so flue and shallow that boies might shittle it and make ducks and drakes on the water with it as they do with oyster-shells Or that your self was so Magical that you could row to the crystal rock in it as witches are said to do on the Seas in Egg-shells Excuse me Phil. I meant no such high mysteries It was onely a pitiful dry clinch as light as any nut-shell something like that gingle of thine Nation and Indignation No good Christian. In that place you bad us show you a good Christian and you would c. There I inferre that you being at all other times so ready to show your selfe and here you slinking back you were conscious to your selfe that you were no good Christian. Otter and Water-Rat I said onely that you did waddle on toward the river Vsk like an Otter or Water-Rat Will with the wisp and Meg with the Lanthorn I do not call you Will nor Meg but tell you If you walk by River sides and Marish places you may well meet with such companions there as those to take a turn or two with you Tom-fool in a play Why is not your name Tom They tell me it is Tom Vaughan of Iesus Colledge in Oxford Well then Tom Do not you make your self an Actour in a play For these are your words I will now withdraw and leave the stage to the next Actour So here is Tom in the play But where is the fool say you Where is the wisest man say I. My selfe saies Tom Vaughan I warrant you Why then say I Tom Vaughan is Tom fool in the play For the fool in the play is to be the wisest man according to the known proverb But how will ye wipe off that aspersion of calling me natural fool says wise Tom. That indeed I confess impossible because it was never yet laid on I said only if you had answered the Aristoteleans Sic probo's with meer laughter you would have proved your selfe a natural fool But he hath not done so nor is Tom Vaughan a natural fool I dare swear for him He has too much natural heat to be a natural fool Bless thee from madness Tom and all will be well But there is yet something else behind worse then all this That all these terms of incivilitie must proceed from spight and provocation And this you place betwixt the two bilious tumours you have raised as a ductus communis or common chanel to convey the sharp malignant humour to swell them to the full It is true my words run thus That I have been very fair with you and though provoked c. But this was spoken in the person of an Aristotelean whom your scornfull usage of their Master Aristotle you may be sure did and does provoke But in good truth Philalethes you did not provoke me at all with your book unlesse to laugh at you for your Puerilities I but you have an argument for it that I was provoked viz. Because your Theomagicall discourse has so out done or undone my Ballade of the Soul as you scornfully call it that my ignorance in the Platonick Philosophy has now appeared to the world O rem ridiculam Thou art a merry Greek indeed Philalethes and art set upon 't to make the world sport Thou dost then professe openly to all the world that thou hast so high a conceit of thy Anthroposophia that it may well dash me out of countenance with my Philosophicall Poems and that through envy I being thus wounded I should by my Alazonomastix endeavour for the ease of my grief to abate thy credit What a Suffenus art thou in the esteeming of thy own works O Eugenius and of what a pitifull spirit dost thou take Alazonomastix to be I do professe ex animo that I could heartily wish that my self were the greatest Ignaro in the world upon condition I were really no more ignorant then I am So little am I touched with precellency or out-stripping others But thou judgest me to have wrote out of the same intoxicating Principle that thou thy self hast that is vain glory Or however if there was any thing of that whâ—n I wrote those Poems which I thank God if any was very little yet long ago I praise that power that inabled me I brought it down to a degree far lesse then thy untamed Heat for the pâ—esent can imagine possible But you 'll say This is a mysterie
above all Magick What then was the Impulsive of writing against your book I have told you already but you are loth to beâ—ieve me Mere emnity to immorality and foolery But if it were any thing that might respect my self it was onely this That you so carelesly and confidently adventuring upon the Platonick way with so much tainted heat and distemper that to my better composed spirit you seemed not a little disturbed in your fancie and your bloud to be too hot to be sufficiently rectified by your brain I thought it safe for me to keep those Books I wrote out of a spirit of sobernesse from reprochfull mistake For you pretending the same way that I seem to be in as in your bold and disadvantagious asserting The soul to pre-exist and to come into the bodie open-ey'd as it were that is full fraught with divine notions and making such out-ragiously distorted delineaments of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Stoicks call it the enlivened Universe with sundry other passages of like grossnesse I was afraid that men judging that this affectation of Platonisme in you might well proceed from some intemperies of bloud and spirit and that there no body else besides us two dealing with these kinds of notions they might yoke me with so disordered a companion as your self Reasoning thus with themselves Vaughan of Iesus in Oxenford holds the pre-existencie of the Soul and other Platonick Paradoxes and we see what a pickle he is in What think you of More of Christ's that writ the Platonicall Poems Nay what think you of Platonisme it self Surely it is all but the fruit of juvenile distemper and intoxicating heat But I say it is the most noble and effectuall Engine to fetch up a mans mind to true virtue and holinesse next to the Bible that is extant in the world And that this may not suffer I have suffered my self to observe upon you what I have observed my young Eugenius This is true my Friend to use your own phrase SECT II. Mastix provoked by the unworthy surmises of Eugenius gives the world a tast of that Spirit that actuated him when he wrote his Poems Eugenius his abuse of Des-Cartes the greatest personall Impulsive to Mastix to write his Observations The Divine accomplishments of the Soul farre beyond all naturall knowledge What is true Deiformitie A vehement Invective against the Deified rout of Ranters and Libertines Mastix magnifies the dominion of his own minde over the passions of the body preferring it before the Empire of the world and all the power of Magick that Eugenius so bankers after ANd now that the World may know that I have not wrote like some bestrid Pythonick or hackneyed Enthusiastick let them look and read under what light I sat and sung that divine Song of the Soul But yet my Muse still take an higher flight Sing of Platonick Faith in the first Good That Faith that doth our souls to God unite So strongly tightly that the rapid stood Of this swift flux of things nor with foul mud Can stain nor strike us off from th' Vnity Wherein we stedfast stand unshak'd unmov'd Engrafted by a deep Vitalitie The prop and stay of things is Gods Benignity Al 's is the rule of His Oeconomie No other cause the creature brought to light But the first Goods pregnant fecundity He to himself is perfect-full delight He wanteth nought With his own beams bedight He glory has enough O blasphemy That envy gives to God or sowre despight Harsh hearts that feign in God a Tyranny Vnder pretense to encrease his soveraign Majesty When nothing can to Gods own self accrew Who 's infinitely happy sure the end Of His Creation simply was to shew His flowing goodnesse which He doth outsend Not for himself for nought can Him amend But to his Creature doth his good impart This infinite Good through all the world doth wâ—nd To fill with Heavenly blisse each willing heart So the free Sun doth light and liven every part This is the measure of Gods providence The Key of knowledge the first fair Idee The eye of Truth the spring of living Sense Whence sprout Gods secrets the sweet mystery Of lasting life eternall Charity c. And elsewhere in my Poems When I my self from mine own self do quit And each thing else then all-spreaden love To the vast Vniverse my soul doth fit Makes me half equall to all-seeing Iove My mighty wings high stretch'd then clapping light I brush the stars and make them shine more bright Then all the works of God with close embrace I dearly hug in my enlarged arms All the hid pathes of heavenly love I trace And boldly listen to his secret charms Then clearly view I where true light doth rise And where eternall Night low-pressed lies c. This Philalethes is that lamp of God in the light whereof my Reason and Fancie have wrought thus many years This is that true Chymicall fire that has purged my soul and purified it and has crystallized it into a bright Throne and shining Habitation of the divine Majesty This free light is that which having held my soul in it self for a time taught me in a very sensible manner â—hat vast difference betwixt the truth and freedome of the Spirit and anxious impostures of this dark Personalïty and earthly bondage of the body This is my Oracle my Counsellour my faithfull Instructer and Guide my Life my Strength my Glory my Joy my communicated God This is that heavenly flame and bright Sun of Righteousnesse that puts out the light and quenches the heat of all worldly imaginations and desires whatsoever All the power and knowledge in Nature that is all the feats and miraculous performances done by Witches Magicians or Devils they be but toyes and tricks and are no solid satisfaction of the soul at all yea though we had that power upon lawfull terms if compared with this And as for divine knowledge there is none truly so called without it He that is come hither God hath taken him to his own familiar friend and though he speak to others aloof off in outward Religions and Parables yet he leads this man by the hand teaching him intelligible documents upon all the objects of his Providence speaks to him plainly in his own language sweetly insinuates himself and possesses all his faculties Understanding Reason and Memory This is the Darling of God and a Prince amongst men farre above the dispensation of either Miracle or Prophesie For him the deep searchers and anxious soliciters of Nature drudge and toyl contenting themselves with the pitifull wages of vain glory or a little wealth Poor Giboonites that how wood and draw water for the Temple This is the Temple of God this is the Son of God whom he hath made heir of all things the right Emanuel the holy mysterie of the living members of Christ Hallelujah From this Principle which I have here expressed have all those Poems I have wrote
had their Originall and as many as are moved with them aright they carry them to this Principle from whence they came But to those whose ignorance makes them contemn them I will onely say to them what our Saviour said to Nicodemus The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but knowest not from whence it comes nor whither it goes But I am afraid I have stood all this time in a little too high a station for thee my Philalethes I descend now and come a little nearer to thee And now I tell thee further that thy rash and unworthy abuse of Des-Cartes did move me to write so as I did more then any personall regard else whatsoever For I love the Gentleman for his excellent and transcendent naturall wit and like his Philosophy as a most rationall coherent subtil piece and an Hypothesis accurately and continuedly agreeing with the Phaenomena of Nature This is he whom thou callest my fellow fool to thy own great disparagement But this is he that I call the wisest Naturalist that ever came to my hands And having not had the good hap to light on such a rare piece of my own invention I thought it was the best office I could do the world to bestow my judgment censure of his And so now you will say I am become so great a Cartesian that I begin to think but meanly of Platonisme A wise inference as if divine and naturall knowledge were inconsistent I tell thee no Philalethes Nor am I become cold to my own Poems For I say that that divine spirit and life that lies under them is worth not onely all the Magick that thou pretendest to but all that thou art ignorant of beside yea and Des-Cartes his Philosophy to boot â—I say it is worth all that a thousand times told over Des-Cartes Philosophy is indeed a fine neat subtil thing but for the true ornament of the mind bears no greater proportion to that Principle I told you of then the dry bones of a snake made up elegantly into a hatband to the royall clothing of Solomon But other naturall Philosophies in respect of Des-Cartes his are even lesse then a few chips of wood to a well erected Fabrick But I say that a free divine universalized spirit is worth all How lovely how magnificent a state is the Soul of man in when the life of God inactuating her shoots her along with himself through Heaven and Earth makes her unite with and after a sort feel herself animate the whole world as if she had become God and all things This is the precious clothing and rich ornament of the mind far above reason or any other experiment And in this attire thou canst not but dance to that Musick of the Sibyll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am Iehovah well my words perpend Clad with the frory sea all mantled over With the blue Heavens shod with the Earth I wend The stars about me dance th' Air doth me cover This is to become Deiform to be thus suspended not by imagination but by union of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyning centers with God and by a sensible touch to be held up from the clotty dark Personality of this compacted body Here is love here is freedome here is justice and equity in the superessentiall causes of them He that is here looks upon all things as one and on himself if he can then mind himself as a part of the whole And so hath no self-interest no unjust malicious plot no more then the hand hath against the foot or the ear against the eye This is to be godded with God and Christed with Christ if you be in love with such affected language But you O ye cages of unclean birds that have so be godded your selves that you are grown foul and black like brutes or devils what will become of you O you sinks of sinne You that have heretofore followed religion to excuse you from reall righteousnesse and holinesse and now have found a trick to be abominably wicked without any remorse of conscience You are Gods and Goddesses every bit of you and all actions in you divine He leads you up into the bed of a whore and uncases you both for the unclean Act. And when you tell obscene stories in a rapture you are caught up into God O you foul mouthes You blebs of venery you bags of filth You dishonour of Christendome and reproach of men Is not all this righteously come upon you because you never sought after Religion as a thing within you holy and divine but as an excuse to save you from wrath and yet to remain in your sinnes But that cannot be You are in the fewell of wrath while you are in your sinnes and that fewel will be set on fire some time or other But that you may be secure of wrath you say there is no sinne but that it is onely a conceit and a name Is it not a sinne to be lesse happy ten thousand times then God would have you Doth not both Sense and Reason discover to you I am sure it doth to others that you walk in the wayes of Hell and death But you are still secure you your selves are as much God as any thing else is and so you may make your Hell as favourable to your selves as you please But O you fools and blind I see you cannot but you are entangled with the cords and snares that the divine Nemesis hath laid for the wicked in all the parts of the world But you are not yet any thing moved O ye dead in trespasses and sinnes For there is no God say you more then a dog or a horse is God Behold O ye forlorn wretches and miserably mistaken Behold He is come down to you nay He is ever with you and you see him not Ask of him and He shall answer you Demand of him and He shall declare unto you not in obscure words or dark sayings not in aenigmaticall speeches or parables but He will speak unto your own reason and faculties which he hath given you propound therefore unto him why you think the Soul of man is mortal and why you deny an omnipotent and omniscient God distinct from Nature and particular Beings propound unto him and He will plainly answer you But alas alas your are neither fit to hear nor able to propound for you have destroyed those faculties that he hath given you by sinning against the light of them and now you have drunk out your eyes you swear there is no Sun in the Firmament and now you have whored away your brains you are confident there is no God O sunk and helplesse generation how have you sop'd and soaked overflown and drown'd the highest seat and Acropolis of your soul that through your sensuality it is grown as rotten and corrupt as a dunghil You have made your selves as
which is the holy place or temple of God Observation 30. Tecum habita I will not urge that Precept too strictly upon thy self because I wish thee a better companion Observation 31. For thy ho sounds like the noise of a Sâ—w-gelder As much as the celestiall orbs or labyrinth rumble like a wheel-barrow This is but the crowing of thine own brain to the tune of the Sow-gelders horn SECT VIII The useless mysterie of the Souls being an Hermaphrodite Of the uncleannesse of Aristotle That the shame of lust is an argument that something better then the condition of this mortall body belongs to the Soul That the Soul of man is not propagated as light from light That though she perceive nothing but her own energie yet the distinction of the inward and outward sense is not without its use That Eugenius asserts that blinde men do see in their sleep That there is but one Sentient spirit in a man which is the Rationall soul her self Of understanding without Phantasmes Mastix takes notice of Eugenius his vain boasting of his quick parts That a bad man cannot be so much as a friend to himself The great satisfaction of the plain Truths of Christianitie above the Zeal and intricacie of sects Eugenius his injudicious Poetry wherein intending to praise the Vniversity of Oxford he plainly abuses it That comparison implies not alwayes a Positive That Mastix affects not to confute every thing but what he can plainly show to be false Observation 32. HEre in answer to my objection thou tellest me that Ruac and Nephesh the parts whereof the Soul of man consists differ as male and female All the mysterie then is to make mans soul an Hermaphrodite Thou shouldst have told us here what operations were proper to Ruach what to Nephesh whether vegetation belong to the oneâ— reason and sense to the other or whether in this the divine life were seated in that the animal and fleshly reason and the like But the subtiltie of thy wit reacheth no further then the discrimination of sexes and the grossely pointing out of Male and Female Page 69. line 9. For your Sodomite Patron Aristotle allows of it in his Politicks More wretched beast he if it be so but I do not remember any such passage in his Politicks and yet have read them through but long since and it is sufficient for me if I remember the best things in Authours I read I can willingly let go the worst But what thou sayest of Aristotle is not unlikely for he is tax'd for this unnaturall practise in Diogenes Laertius with one Hermias a foul friend of his in the praise of whom notwithstanding he hath wrote a very fair and elegant Hymne which begins thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this sense Virtue that putst humane race Vpon so hard toyl and pains Lifes fairest prize Thy lovely face Bright Virgin the brave Greek constrains To undergo with an unwearied mind Long wasting labours and in high desire To throng through many deaths to find Thee that dost fire Mans soul with hopes of such immortall fruit No gold can sute Nor love of Parents equalize Nor slumbers sweet that softly seize the eyes So easie a thing is it for bad men to speak good words It is recorded by the same authour out of Aristippus that the same Philosopher was also so much taken with the conversation of Hermias's whore that in lieu of that pleasure he reap'd by her he did the same ceremonies and holy rites to her that the Athenians were wont to do to their goddesse Ceres Eleusinia From whence it seems that his soul did consist of two parts Male and Female he having to do with both So that he is more like to prove thy Patrone then mine Philalethes for I have to do with neither Page 69. line 10. But I am tickled say you Yes I say you are so tickled and do so tickle it up in your style with expressions fetched from the Gynaeceum that you are ridiculous in it and I thought good to shew you to be such as you are But for mine own part I am moved neither one way nor another with any such things but think good to affix here this sober consideration That there being generally in Men and Women that are not either Heroically good or stupidly and beastly naught a kind of shame and aversation in the very naming of these things that it is a signe that the Soul of man doth in its own judgement find it self here in this condition of the body as I may so speak in a wrong box and hath a kind of presage and conscience that better and more noble things belong unto it else why should it be troubled at its own proclivity to that which is the height and flower of the pleasure of the body as they that are given to this folly do professe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this sense What life what sweet without the golden tie Of Venus dead to this streight let me die But that there is a naturall shame of these acts and the propension to them that story of Typhon in Diodorus Siculus is no obscure argument For when he had murdered his brother Osiris that he might more sacramentally bind to him for his future help and security his twenty foure Accomplices in this act he hew'd the body of his brother into so many pieces but was fain to fling the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Pudendum into the river they every one being unwilling to take that for their share So much aversation is there naturally from these obscenities that even those that are otherwise execrably wicked have some sense of it But I do not speak this as if Marriage it self were a sinne as well as whoredome and adultery for questionlesse it is permitted to the soul in this case shee 's in But if she be not monstrous and degenerate she cannot but be mindfull that she is made for something farre better Observation 33. To this observation thou answerest like a man with reason and generosity and with a well beseeming wit how unlike to thy self art thou here Anthroposophos Observation 34. I perceive by thy answer to this observation thou art not at all ocquaitted with Ramus what ere thou art with the Schoolmen bnt I passe over this and come to what is of more moment Page 71. line 19. This is one of your three designes Yes it is one of those three designs I tax'd you for in the beginning of my Observations And here I make it good out of your own text Anthroposophia pag. 33. line 1. These are your words And now Reader Arrige aures come on without prejudice and I will tell thee that which never hitherto hath
Christ. Those that reprehend this passage they seem to me to be very reprehensible themselves as having fallen into two errours The one is that they think it so enormous and extravagant an expression of men being called Gods when as very sober and holy writers have made use of the phrase being warranted thereunto as they conceive from Scripture it self which expresly bestows upon us the title of sonnes of God John 1. Filios Dei fieri hâ—e Deos say they Nam quis nisi Deus potest esse filius Dei Isa. Cafaub and the same Authour out of the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Augustine speaks very roundly to the same purpose Templum Dei aedificaxi ex iis quos facit non factus Deus and Athanasius ad Adelphium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ became man that he might make us Gods But what this Deification is he doth distinctly and judiciously set down thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To be made God sayes he is to be united with the Deitie by the partaking of the Spirit of God And for my own part I understand nothing else by Deification which is so often repeated in that excellent Manual Theologia Germanica in which though there be much of Melancholy yet I think there is more true and savory Divinity then in thousands of other writings that make a greater noise in the world The other errour my Reprehenders are reprehensible in is in that they look upon me here as countenancing such phrases as these when it is plain I check the users of them for their affectation of such high language especially they having abused it not onely to an unmannerly usurpation of an equall estate or paritie with Christ but to a wilde presumption that there is no other God but such as themselves are Which abominable opinion of theirs presenting it self then so fully to my mind carried me forth in that zeal and vehemencie you see and therefore may be a sufficient excuse for so large an excursion I keeping my self still so well within compasse as not to let go my main designe which was against Phantastrie and Enthusiasme And do here plainly show that it may well lead a man at length to down right Ranting and Atheisme 11. Pag. 183. l. 11. Lord of the foure Elements and Emperour of the World It is in my apprehension but an extravagant censure of those that say these expressions are so extravagant If these words were to be literally understood I confesse it were the voice rather of a Mad man then of one in his right senses but they being to be understood morally they are not onely sober in themselves but contain in them a consideration very proper and effectuall for the making others sober also I mean such as by their naturall complexion being hurried on too fast after high things are liable to grow mad with excessive desire of being in some great place of honour and rule amongst men or else of being admired for some strange Magicall power over Nature and externall Elements we reminding them hereby that there is a more noble Empire and more usefull Magick to be fought after then what so pleases their mistaken fancies in endeavouring after which they shall neither forfeit their Bodies to the soveraigne Power they ought to obey nor yet their Souls to the Devil nor squander away the use of their wits and reason upon meer lying deceits and vanities Besides this inward command ouer a mans self which the wisest have alwayes accounted the highest piece of wisdome and power has ever been by all good men compared with and preferred before scepters and kingdomes so that I do but speak in the common Dialect of all those that have professed themselves to have had that right esteem of Wisdome and Virtue which it deserves The Philosophers are very loud in their expressions concerning this matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. Zen. And Horace following their steps or rather outgoing them writes thus Ad summam sapiens uno minor est Iove Dives Liber honoratus pulcher rex denique regum Nay they are not onely content to set out the dignity of their Wise man as they call him by the title of a King but will not allow any to be truely so called besides him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Demâ—philus addes that he is the onely priest also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christianity joynes both Titles together the Scripture teaching us that all true Christians are both Kings and Priests So sober and warrantable are those Metaphors taken from politicall dignities But is it not a piece of Pride to speak of a mans self in such high terms I answer is it not a piece of basenesse for a man to be ashamed to professe himself a Christian and his high esteem he has of that calling especially he being so fairly invited thereunto partly to wipe off the foul calumnies of his Adversary who would make the world believe I wrote against him out of envy the poorest and most sneaking of all passions and utterly contrary to all magnanimity and true gallantry of Spirit and partly to recommend to all generous Souls the love of Christianity and Virtue under the notion of a very Royall and magnificent State and condition which I do in most parts of this present Section and so to win over if it were possible my Antagonist himself from the vain affectation of Magick to a more sacred and more truly glorious power over his own Nature Pag. 183. l. 24. I still the raging of the Sea c. Impera ventis tempestatibus dic mari quiesce Aquiloni ne flaveris c. is the very allegorie that that devout Soul Thomas à Kempis uses in his devotions lib. 3. cap. 23. See also my Morall Cabbalâ— and the Defence thereof and it will warrant to a syllable every thing that I have wrote in this Section of this kind 12. Pag. 115. l. 7. And impregnation of my understanding from the most High c. Here you say they demand of me if I take my self to be inspired Yes in such sort as other well meaning Christians are that take a speciall care of venting any thing but what they can or at least think they can give a sufficient reason for I suppose that every one that is wise it is the gift of God to him And Elihu is right in this though much out in his censure of Iob I said dayes should speak and multitude of yeares should teach wisdome But there is a spirit in a man and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding The Apostle also bids that if any one lack wisdome that he ask it of God wherefore if any one find any measure of wisdome in himself or at least think he does he is to give him the glory of it but whether Wisdome thus obtained of God be Inspiration or no I leave to those to dispute that love to bring all things into a form of controversie 13. Pag.