and his too Daughters consumed those wicked Cities whose Inhabitants burning with unnatural Lusts were justly destroyed with a shower of Fire and Brinstone the Lord by the Angels of his vengeance raigning down as it were Hell out of Heaven upon them such was his Abhorance of their Abominations When David had provoked the Lord by numbering the People and thereby shewing his Inclinations to boast of the Arm of Flesh rather than trust in the Lord his God It is said 1 Chro. 21. 15. God sent an Angel to Ierusalem to destroy it and he repented him of the evil and said to the Angel that destroyed It is enough stay now thy hand And the Angel of the Lord stood by the threshing Floor of Ornan the Iebusite and David lift up his Eyes and saw the Angel of the Lord stand between the Earth and the Heaven having a drawn Sword in his Hand stretched out over Ierusalem then David and the Elders of Israel who were cloathed in Sackcloath fell upon their Faces When Senacherib King of Assyria presuming upon the strength and number of his Army had proudly Blesphemed the God of Israel the Lord sent an Angel which cut off all the mighty men of valour and the Leaders and Captains in his Camp so that he returned with shame into his own Land 2 Chron. 32. 21. which is also Recorded more particularly Isaiah 37. 36. The Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand and when they arose early in the morning behold they were all dead Corps In like manner when Herod had accepted the blasphemous Flatteries of the people Acts 12. 23. immediately the Angel of the Lord smote him because he gave not God the glory and he was eaten of Worms and gave up the Ghost So the Angel that slew the first-born of the Egyptians is called the Destroyer Exod. 12. 23. As also the Angel that smote the rebellious Israelites in the Wilderness Neither murmur ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed by the Destroyer 1 Cor. 10. 10. For when men by imitation do come near and sympathize with the principle of the evil Angels they become incorporated with or swallowed up by their wrathful dark Nature as the Kingly Prophet David saith Pfal 78. 49. The Lord casts upon them the fierceness of his Anger Indination and Wrath that is by the sending out or granting Commissions unto evil Angels to vex and plague them for man by his Out-rages Gluttony Drunkenness and Oppressions both to Man and Beast and killing of those of his own kind has opened the Gate of Gods fierce warthful anger which does powerfully attract the evil Angels and give them oppertunities to commit Evils without Remorse having a free access both by Dreams and Visions and other Spiritual Communications which do exert and inwardly stir up man ever even in the very center of his Life to Evils whence those numberless strong lewd Immaginations wicked Words ungodly Works do proceed so that a rational man would think that no thing or Creature that is cloathed with the humane nature could be so much depraved and precipitated into Error and all kind of Ungodliness Therefore well may the Angel of the Lord in the Revelations cry woe unto mankind or the Inhabitants of the Earth for the Devil is cast out of Heaven and is come down on the Earth in great Wrath and Indignation that is into the wrathful or evil part of the Adamical Earth and not into the good part for this world and all things therein do consist both of Good and Evil Light and Darkness Love and Hate but into the good the Devil that is evil Angels or Spirits cannot enter as being contrary to their Ubi or Beeing the Light being set in an eternal opposition to Darkness and Satan and all his associate Angels being fallen from the Light are entered into the dark original wrath whence the evil part of this world proceeds and therefore he and his Legions are only capable of the poysonous fierce wrathful Ubi or Station and consequently where persons give themselves up unto Oppression Violence Envy Back-biting Gluttony Drunkenness Swearing Lying Lustful Frothy Romancing Discourses and vain foolish Jestings all which do arise and are generated from the fierce poysonous wrath both inward and outward wherein Belzebub has his Throne to and with the souls and spirits of such men the evil Angels have free access and a ready Intercourse because they are nearly allyed in their original principle Ahabs Prophets were before false and lying Prophets and had made a Trade of soothing up that wicked King in his Idolatry with counterfeit Visions and Flatteries and therefore it was that an evil Angel was so ready to offer himself to be a lying Spirit in their mouthes It was the Sin of David that drew down the before-mentioned destroying Angel with his Sword in his hand against Ierusalem and when David and his people repented of their misdeeds then presently the Lord commanded the Angel to put up the Sword of wrath for by such their Repentance the principle of Indignation was weakned and on the contrary the principle of Light and Love was thereby strengthened and corroborated which did discuse the wrathful particles or cause the destroying Angel to disappear attracted the presence and assistance of the good Angels who have their Ubi or are conversant in the good part of this world as the evil Angels are in the dark maligne part thereof and as men enter either into Good or Evil so do they contract a familiarity with the one or the other and acquire good or bad Guardians which do powerfuly stir them up either to vertue or vice Hence we read Gen. 48. 16. Iacob acknowledging Gods divine hand of providence saith to his Son Ioseph The Angel which hath delivered me from all evil bless the Children as also the same sacred Scripture Gen. 32. 24. declares that the Lord wrastled with Iacob all Night in a Vision or Dream by his good Angel and Iacob's Spirit or Soul was in good earnest and strove so with the divine power or good Angel that he would not let him depart untill he had blessed him which did manifest Iacob's firm Faith and inward acquaintance with and understanding of Gods goverment by Angels which of late Years has hardly any being in the Heads or the Hearts in the Understandings or Desires of men CHAP. X. Man cannot Communicate with Spirits in his outward Senses but in Dreams and Extasies Strange material Figures Calls Blows c. before Death Of middle Spirits Against telling of Dreams and how Dreams are always represented in Corporeal Forms and in what sence mens works are said to follow them after Death VVE have before demonstrated that during the sleep of the Body the Soul is as it were already Seperated and in Eternity so that both Joy and Sorrow is essential unto it and the Soul does really enjoy
PYTHAGORAS HIS Mystick Philosophy REVIV'D OR THE Mystery of DREAMS UNFOLDED Wherein the Causes Natures and Uses of Nocturnal Representations and the Communications both of Good and Evil Angels and also departed Souls to Mankind are Theosophically Unfolded that is According to the Word of GOD and the Harmony of Created Beings Night unto Night sheweth Wisdom Psal. 19. 2. To which is added A Discourse of the Causes Natures and Cure of Phrensie Madness or Distraction By THO. TRYON Student in Physick and Author of The Way to long Life Health and Happiness London Printed for Tho. Salusbury at the Sign of the Temple near Temple-Bar in Fleet-street 1691. THE CONTENTS OR CHIEF HEADS of the Two Ensuing Treatises Of Dreams Chapter 1. IS by Way of Introduction shewing the Difficulty of this Work it s Usefulness both in Physick morral Phylosophy and Divinity Objections against the Observations of Dreams Distinguish'd and Answered Those that have hitherto Treated of this Subject have done it imperfectly because they understood not the true Radix of Dreams The Vain or Superstitious Conceits of many People about their Dreams no Argument but a Wise and Good man may still regard his with great profit to himself from Page 1. to p. 11. Chapter 2. Gives a Definition of Sleep and shews its Causes Natures and End The Mischief when 't is too long Also a plain Description of the Nature and Uses of the inward Sence's Faculties of man Viz. the common Sence Phantasie Iudgment Memory and where each of them Reside Why we sometimes remember our Dreams and sometimes not Of those that Talk Rise Walk c. iâ—… their sleep the Causes thereof and hoâ—… to prevent it as also of those that arâ—… troubled with the Night-Mare itâ—… Causes and Cure from Pag. 11. to 26â—… Chapter 3. Layes open the general Cause or Radix of Dreams whence they are derived viz. from the ever active proerty of the Soul that really we never sleep without Dreaming and the reasons why we do not sometimes perceive it That there is no standing still in the ways of God or Nature whence occasionally is discoursed why young Converts very zealous at first do afterwards decay in Grace and Knowledge the Advantages of being sober and serious and pressing on after greater Acquisitions and Attainments from Pag. 26. to p. 47. Chapter 4. Treats of the Causes of Dreams more particularly where seven Causes are assigned viz. 1st The Constitution 2dly The Profession or Course of Life 3dly The influx of the Planets 4thly Diet or Medicine 5thly Evil Spirits 6thly Good Spirits and Angels 7thly and lastly Extraordinary Visions from God all which are severally handled and the whole reduced into a threefold Radix viz. either 1. from the outward Principle of this World or 2. from the dark wrath or 3. from the friendly Divine Principle of Gods Love and Light and how by your Dreams you may know which of these three Principles do predominate in your Souls with a distinction of the several kinds of Dreams arising from each Complexion Sanguine Cholerick Melancholy and Phlegmatick as also of those that flow from each of the seven Planets from Pag. 47. to p. 58. Chapter 5. Contains a deep and serious Discourse proving that Dreams are a Figure or Resem blance of the Condition of Souls after Death The representations in Dreams are real to the Soul whilst we sleep tho they seem fantastick to us after we wake by reason of the vast difference between the material and immaterial Worlds from Pag. 58. to p. 68. Chapter 6. Shows how departed Souls Communicate with persons living in Dreams and sometimes in Apparitions What kind of Bodies such Apparitions have and whence taken How long such Bodies can endure Burning of dead Bodies a means to prevent the appearing of their Spirits and why A necessary Note for Midwives That it is easier for departed Souls to communicate with us in Dreams then by Apparitions Here is likewise discoursed of the Communications of Angels with men How Spirits either good or evil are attracted by sympathy or simile and their effects whence the vanity of mens imaginations and desires do in a great measure proceed from Pag. 68. to p. 89. Chapter 7. Treats particularly of the Offices rendred to men by good Angels The Ground of mixt Thoughts Actions The Shapes wherein good and bad Angels appear and the Reasons thereof from Pag 89. to p. 125. Chapter 8. Rehearses in order several Scripture-Examples and Testimonies touching Dreams and discants thereon illustrating thereby many difficult Texts from Pag. 125. to p. 143. Chapter 9. Discourses of Angels-Guardians of Countries and particular Persons and their Offices towards men mentioned in Scripture and how men do conciliate their assistance not by invocation or worship which is not due to them but by simile as they increase in Faith Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 143. to p. 176. Chapter 10. Why man cannot communicate with Spirits in his outward Sences but in Dreams and Extasies It also treats of strange material Figures represented Calls heard Blows received and the like before Death Of middle Spirits Against telling of Dreams Why Dreams are always represented in coopereal Forms and in what sence mens Works are said to follow them after death from Pag. 176. to p. 202. Chapter 11. Offers reasons why we are not to think that these Communications from good Angels by Dreams and the like so frequent in former times are not now wholly ceased Together with the Reasons why the same are so Rare and Seldom from Pag. 202. to p. 219. Chapter 12. The causes why Dreams are always represented actually present As also of the means tending to promote intellectual Communications the Excellency of Temperance and a regular Diet and sober vertuous course of Life and that it doth mightly advance true significant and profitable Dreams and helps to make an honest useful Emprovement thereof Also a Conclusion of the whole exhorting to Piety Holiness and Innocency from Pag. 219. to p. 249. Of Madness Section 1. DEfines the several sorts of Distraction that the same ariseth not so much from Excess of any of the Humors as from irregular Passions of the mind and poysonous Ferments Pag. 249 250 251. Section 2. The particular Passions most apt to cause it Pag. 251 252 253. Section 3. The maner how they disorder the Soul Pag. 253 254 255 256. Section 4. Pride the general cause of several sorts of Madness Pag. 256 257 258. Section 5. Madness is a bringing forth of all conceptions or imaginations as fast as they arise without any choice from Pag. 258. to p. 261. Section 6. They have no Vail to cover or disguise themselves with Pag. 261 262. Section 7. Most of the actions of men are worse and more mischievous and silly then those of common Madmen proved by particular instances from Pag. 262 to p. 267. Section 8. The several species of Madness and hoâ—… by their Carriage you may know whaâ—… Principle is most
or Hob-Goblin yet the truth is it proceeds from inward Causes This Discease being an obstruction of Motion or an interception especially of Breathing and Speech with a false apprehension of some heavy thing lying upon their Breast and as it were stiffling them occasioned by means the free penetration of the Spirits to the Nerves is hindred the passages being stopt by a surcharge of the aforesaid Humors This happens most to such as use to lie upon their Backs and whilst it is upon them they are in great Agony being unable to speak but strive to do it with imperfect groans but if any person speak to hem and call them by name the animal spirits being excited force their way and the oppression ceases or if they can move or turn the body on one side and especially if the Brest be rubbed to dissipate the Humor The Cure is to be effected by a regular diet and such as may generate good spirits and prevent the increase of Melancholy and Phlegm avoid full Suppers and excess in Liquors which oft occaâ—…ion the Disease use convenient purging and sometimes breathing a Vein may be expedient especially in Women in certain obstructions peculiar to that Sex the black Seeds of the Male Piony are much commended in this Distemper Thus much though it be a digression from our main Subject I thought fit having this opportunity to say of these two Nocturnal disturbances conceiving it might be of use and satisfaction to some Readers CHAP. III. Of the General Cause of Dreams or Radix whence they are derived in Nature IT is a Truth generally acknowledged but feldom so well considered as it ought to be that Man is the compleat Image of God and Nature and contains the Principles and Properties of all things Corporial and Incorporeal that he is endued with an Elemental or Palpable body actuated enliven'd or informed by an etherial spirit and so answers to the great Body of the World from whence the same is taken and is an Abridgment or Epitome thereof or if you please its Son or Off-Spring and as it doth contain all the true Properties of the gross Elements viz. Earth Air and Water which are as it were the Mothers of the Body that nourish and sustain it So he has also the Principle of Fire and Light that is Soul and Spirit which gives Life and Motion to the Body of Flesh and answers to the Soul of the great World or that mighty Spirit which is moving vivifying and most wonderfull creative and conservative Power in this vast Systime of things which we call the World and which does preserve and sustain it and every part thereof in Beauty Splendor and Harmony which living and creating power does never stand still or cease from generating and operating for if it should the whole Systime or Body of this World would immediately fall and perish as the Apostle Paul saith without the Spirit the Body is dead and profiteth nothing The like is to be understood in the little World Man all lively Motion strength vigour and beauty resides in the Spirit or Soul in which there is no standing still Idleness or Cessation no more than there is in the great world and as the universal spirit or power of the Lord is always forming shaping and bringing to manifestation the hidden mysteries of Eternity and cloathing the various Spirits with Elemental Bodies the like does the Soul and Spirit in Man it is always in motion and generating and as the Scripture saith of the wonderful and ever-blessed Creator That he slumbereth not nor sleepeth for sleep does truly signifie death and weakness and nothing sleepeth but what is mortal and finite So the soul and spirit in man sleepeth not as being the Breath of God and Eternal for in God there is no Time nor Seasons or divisions of Time as nights days years or the like nor any use as to himself of Sun or Moon but they are Creatures made by him for the Accomodation of this lower World and the Inhabitants thereof as St. Iohn in the Revelations doth declare speaking of the new Ierusalem or Super-Caelestial Paradise There was there neither days nor nights nor Light of the Sun or Moon but the divine Power and Spirit of the Lamb was the Glory and Light thereof And this Glympse of the ineffable Splendor he saw upon the Lords-day when he was in the spirit not in the operations of the senses of the external Nature or Body of this world unto which the properties of the natural sleep do belong but the Soul or Spirit cannot sleep for then it could not be eternal but when the Body and Senses lie lock't up fast in the Arms of Merpheus then is the soul or spirit as it were unchain'd or unbound as being free'd from the continual Interruption of the senses and Earthly dispositions which whilst they are waking and in full strength and vigour do captivate the soul and hinder its generating and progress in that manner as it doth when the body is a sleep or dead for the soul of man hath so great Power when freed form the Earthly Quality and heavy sensual power that it can make something where nothing is and from the Representations of Swords or Guns Fire or Water as real when and where there is indeed no such palpable substance but it is real and substantial in the spirit even as the good and evil words and works of men shall be unto them in Eternity their works do follow them not after the manner of this world but in the Spirit yet real and essential Now it is from the Soul or Spirit in man which is the Image of the divine Eternal Spirit and never standeth still Sleepeth or Slumbereth whence Dreams and all Nocturnal Visions do arise and proceed for whilst the Senses and Powers and Faculties of the outward Nature do sleep rest or cease from their Functions the Soul and Spirit ceaseth not from its operation but goeth on forming figureing and Representing of things as real and substantial for in truth though ofttimes we perceive it not and more often cannot remember particulars yet when ever we sleep we dream for you may as well imagine Fire without heat Sun without Light as to conceit that an Intellectual Immortal Soul can for one moment cease from Actions suitable to its Nature But here some will be apt to object and say This is a strange Paradox for if we always Dream in some kind or other as often as we sleep how is it that we but seldom perceive or are sensible of it Sure if the Soul and Spirit be as you teach evermore busie in framing and representing of things we should remember somewhat of the matter whereas we sleep soundly for several nights together sometimes and cannot remember that we had any Dreams at all To this I answer That the thoughts of worldly Affairs and the intemperances most men commit in Meats Drinks Labours Exercises and Passions do not only becloud
and sympathetical force over evil Doemons and causes a near affinity between the soul and them whence do proceed such a multitude of vain Thoughts Dreams Words and Works And therefore the Scripture saith of the evil Angel That he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour being a great Prince of the wrathful evil part of the world but not in the humane friendly or good part for that is separated from his Principle beyond the Sphear of his Activity so that he hath there no power And although nothing can be more prompt and ready than these dark spiritual Beeings to assist and carry on all evil designs in the hearts of men that incline to do the works of their principle yet still they cannot annoy nor injure any but only such as draw near unto or awaken their fierce wrathful Fountain by means of Uncleanness Superfluity and Intemperance which are the grand Inletts of the Devil that give him power over the Soul and Spirit whence arise innumerable vain Thoughts Imaginatious corrupt Words and Works and all kind of Violences and Oppression Nay further a secret Compact or Confederacy between the evil Genius and mans Soul in an insensible way so that many are Drown'd and as it were totally captivated into this dead Sea or Fountain of wrathful Darkness and they knew it notthemselves but others who have adhered unto the voice of Wisdom in themselves and live in the power and Vertue of Temperance do clearly perceive and know it for those that are afflicted and inslaved do make demonstrations of their wretched condition and what Angels or Spirits are their Guardians by their Vile and Blasphemous Words Wicked Works Cruel Violences and Oppressions to those of their own kind and also to all the inferiour Creatures which does sufficiently manifest whose Children they are and what Angel is their Captain and Conductor to wit he who in the Scripture is stiled Abbadon or Apolyon the Serpent the Enemy of all Goodness and Righteousness the False Accuser and the Destroyer And as their daily practises are so also suitable are their nightly Visions that is to say Vain Turbulent Lascivious Hideous or Frightful For the Thoughts Imaginations Ideas Figures Shapes Forms and the like that proceed or are generated from the dark Centre or wrathful Kingdom are Impertinent Lewd or Monstrous For this cause some Saturnine and Martial people are Afflicted with Hideous Frightful Malancholy Dolorous Dreams especially if they do not vigorously Endeavour through the Vertue and Power of Wisdom and Temperance to moderate the Inequality of those Astreal Forms which hath had the chief Government in the Complection The like is to be understood of the Shapes or Forms wherein deceased Souls appear or represent themselves for the same are either hideous and frightful or pleasant and humane according to what Property or Principle they are fallen into or captivated under Therefore those that have precipitated themselves into the divided Forms into Beastiallity and the savage Nature having cast off and abondon'd the humane Property and grown Hardhearted Cruel and Sordid without Mercy Compassion and Innocency such I say as live and dye in this Savage Brutish State do fall into the dark Fierce Hellish Principle which had already in their Life time captivated the Soul as may be understood by the unclean Words and Works that Proceeded from them Now according to what Property or Form has gotten the chief dominion in the Soul such a Shape and Form is the Soul and Spirit Cloathed with For in the Dark Wrathful or Hellish Fountain there is as great a Variety of Shapes Forms and Figures as there is in the Paradisical or Divine Principle of the Light-Kingdom of Love for every Soul shall be capable to reinvest and attract matter out of all things of the nature of the property that carries the upper dominion in the Spirits for such seed as men do sow such a Body Viz. of that Nature is generated and of a suitable Shape and Form for so the great and illuminated Apostle speaks of the Resurrection God giveth to every Seed its oâ—…n Body Wherefore if men sow hellish Seeds in their Lives no wonder if they be cloathed with sutable shapes in the next World But on the contrary those that in earthly Pilgrimage have freed their Souls and Spirits from Oppression Violence Uncleanness and Intemperance and seperated themselves from the giddy Croud and vain Wayes of the Multitude and introduced their Wills and Desires into the Friendly Principle of Gods Eternal Love and Light and have been guided by its Counsel their Souls shall after Death arise and be cloathed with a more Perfect Beautiful and Glorious Humane Shape and Form of whom our Lord Jesus Christ was the first For after He had Vanquisht Death by his Resurrection He Appear'd in the same Shape Form and Body as he had before in his Life Likewise the good Angels and all separated Souls of Saints have in all Ages appeared to the Prophets and holy â—…n in humane Shapes and Forms exceeding beautious For it is not to be doubted but that in the beginning the blessed Creator made Man in this very Form and Shape as to his Body which he does retain though not now altogether so beautifull by reason of his Degeneration and sordid Intemperances which have in some degree defaced the lovely Majesty of his Body and Countenance for though Man through Transgression and giving way to vain Imaginations hath lost the Government of the divine Principle and so is fain from his first illustrious and innocent Estate yet neyertheless he has in some measure preserved still his outward original shape or form of Body for the Lord endued every Body with a Seed in it self to beget and produce its own Species in all particulars and if it had not been for this great and undefeazable Law of the Creator Man by his great Lusts Intemperances Violence Oppression Cruelty Vanities and other evil Courses would long since have destroyed and lost his beautifull humane shape and form as well as that Angelical form of his Soul But it was not in the power of his will to alter Shapes and change one Form into another so long as his Soul is cloathed with Humane Nature for the truth is he hath done what he could to be a Beast outwardly as well as inwardly nay he is become far worse than any of the savages of the Desert internally in the Spirit and therefore the illuminated Prophets called men by the names of the worser sort of Beasts in whom the fierce cruel wrathful nature is most predominant as Generation of Vipers Lions Foxes Wolves c. and also the evil separated Spirits or Souls of Men as well as faln Angels have always been resembled and likened unto savage Beasts and represented accordingly when ever they appeared in brutish or fierce hideous forms Therefore when departed Souls shall appear to their surviving Friends either cloathed with sidereal thin Bodies or in Dreams
unbelief and contempt doth drive away and cause a seperation of the Souls of the deceased as also of all good Spirits and Angels which otherwise would be more prompt and ready to such Communications as being forward to serve help and enlighten those that are sober and well-minded and such as believe and are sensible of those wonderful things and mysterious Impartments for a strong Faith firm desire and belief viz. when the Spirit or Soul is delighted in the Consideration of this spiritual discourse and converse does naturally attract and draw the internal powers Souls and good Angels and causeth them to delight to accompany men both sleeping and waking defending them from various dangers and troubles and ready at all times to reveal and foretel them of future things but on the contrary Incredulity with vain despising Discourses do potently drive them away and causes as it were a total separations so that there seems to thâ—… outward senses and Reason of most men that there is no such thing but all idle vain Conceits so greatly is mankind depraved having by vanity and carnal apprehensions put out the inward Eyes of his intellectuals so that they are to him but as idle immaginations But the Records of sacred Truth do assure us that most of the Sober inlightned men in former Ages were sensible of this secret converse of Angels and Souls and had mysteries revealed to them from God and his ministring Spirits in Dreams and Visions as appears in the holy Scriptures of which we shall take a particular survey in a Chapter by it self But now mankind's frowardness intemperance and incredulity have so estranged those holy powers good Angels and Spirits that they cannot come near man to reveal unto him the secret mysteries of their Beeings and Conditions oâ—… foretel him either Good or Evil that shall happen unto him for a firm Faith in God and frequent meditation on those sublime things have a wonderful power sympathetical inclination and attraction on good Angels and Spirits of all offices and kinds for all things both in the material immaterial worlds haâ—… that secret communiction and opperation by likenesses for the nearer we resemble and become like the good Angels they are the more ready and prone to serve us this being the simpathetical drawing which is the way of God in nature for every thing doth incorporate with its likeness and by a secret agreeable power each thing is ready to strengthen its own Property having the Key in its self that can open the Gates of its own Principle in all other things both Heavenly and Earthly for they all flow from the two grand principles viz. Good and Evil and which soever of these two a man suffers his will to enter into that property or principle gets the dominion and chief goverment in the Soul and if it be in the evil or fierce wrathfull principle then the Spirit and Soul by way of desires and imaginations penetrates all Elements and things both external and internal and wheresoever it finds matter capable or disposed to receive them it incorporates and with highest diligence indeavours to destroy its contrary viz. all Goodness and Vertue And thus men are rendred fit and capable to be the companions of and have society or secret communication with evil Angels and spirits there being often internal agreement and compacts bewteen the Souls of men and evil Angels by way of Imagination and desires in the very center of their lives which very few persons are sensible of though subject unto and consequently cannot comprehend from whence those multitudes of evil suggestions desires and vain imaginations where-with they find themselves incombred do proceed for whosoever suffers his will and strong desires to enter into the fierce violent envious wrathfull original spirit or property has unity with and becomes a Companion of all evil angels and spirits whence do proceed those wonderfull troops and numberless swarms of vain thoughts imaginations desires words and actions being the very dictates of Devils And from the same black Stygian fountain do arise that wonderful subtilty and cunning and those strange unimaginable inventions of evil words acts and vain plays so various a sober man would think it impossible for men to be so strong ready and cunning in the doing of evil hence the old deceiving Serpent is said to have been more subtil then any beast of the field Gen. 3. 1. And our Lord Christ tells us that the Children of this world the race of Cain and sons of Belial are wiser that is more crafty and full of inventions in their Generation then the Children of Light and so the Apostle Paul calls Elinas the Sorcerer O thou full of all Subtilty and all Mischief thou Son of the Devil and Enemy of all Righteousness Acts 13. 10. for as man is various in his central ground as to inclinations dispositions love hate and the like so various also are the evil angels and spirits whence we read their name is said to be Legion because they are many so that whatsoever a man inclines to or awakens in his will and desires whether good or evil there is presently a spirit or angels of the same property ready and prompt to execute and put into practice such his imaginations and to incline and urge him forward in the thing But these sublime Matters are understood or considered but by very few and therefore I would intreat my Friends and all that are of humane Race seriously to ponder in their Minds from what Fountain Principle and Ground that great Variety of Dark Vain and Evil Thoughts Imaginations Words and Actions do proceed of which some few I shall set down for an Example or Looking-glass to the considerate Reader As first in Child-hood for to wish to be Kings and Emperors to have brave Houses and costly Furniture to have gay Clothes and think that whoever meets one does or at least ought to admire an Ass foâ—… his golden trappings to desirâ—… f live idlely and spend all ones time in eating drinking sleeping and playing And as people attain to maturer Years to wish and desire a great deal of Mony and Liberty to have Variety of Women to exceed all others in Evil Mischievous Arts and Sciences to Hurt Kill and Murder all such as shall Offend them For a Man secretly to wish his Wife dead that He might have another with more Mony to contrive how to Circumvent another in a Bargin or Defraud him of his Inheritance or Right by colour of Law and then to boast of our Wit and Cunning in doing it for a man to design himself an Universal Empire or the Government of the whole world as some Princes have done and sacrificed millions of mens lives to that conceit These and the like strange Evil â—…nd most abominable Thoughts â—…inations and Desires bubble up in and have possession of most mens Minds even to the day of death which do all arise and proceed from the poysonous
therefore there was for them no help nor recovery but on the contrary men fell into the knowledge of Good and Evil that is into Nature and Creature which is his inexpressible happiness as being not left destitute or uncapable of the Blessing or Regenerating Seed of the woman for there does centrally dwell in the humane Nature that which the wise man calls The Voice of Wisdom that continually calls man to Repentance and Reproves him for his evil Wayes This is the Genius Optimus the Soul of the Soul and the Eye of the Mind that has power and is alwayes willing to defend man from all the Assaults of evâ—…l Angels and unto this holy Principle and friendly Fountain the Dictates and Voices of all good Angels and Spirits do concur it being a great part of their work and business to assist man and preserve him from the inward incursions of the multitude of malignant Spirits And as mens Thoughts Imaginations Words and Works are mixed viz. Good and Evil but generally the evil does much over-ballance the good the very same is to be understood of their Dreams and night Visions whence it comes to pass that the far greater part of mens Dreams proving so false frivilous vain and impertinent they are become infamous and a Reproach is unjustly brought upon Dreams in general whereas indeed the fault is in themselves that their Dreams are no more certain for the streams cannot asord good pure water if the Fountain be defiled neither can any expect true delightful and pleasurable Dreams and night Visions when the unequal Forms and Properties of nature have gotten the upper dominion in the heart and soul Or who can hope for the friendly Visits and Communications of good Angels when both Soul and Spirit are captivated in evil and lives as it were in another Country or Region which is as opposite to that wherein they delight as Light is to Darkness or the Zenith to the Nadar And therefore they cannot come there for Angels and Genij have power only in their own respective principles and mankind cannot draw neer nor have any Communication with them not they with him except he immerseth his will and desires into their principle This is clearly manifested by all things in this external world which is a real and true Figure of the internal from whence it proceeded for here we see how every thing desires to accompany its own kind as proceeding from the same Matter and Element and when the same properties have the chief dominion in the Centre of Life And therefore those men whose predomnant Qualities are alike have a great affinity with each other in their Dispositions and Inclinations and and do often heartily love and desire each others company and the same is to be understood in many other things where they agree in number weight and measure there they powerfully incorporate and rejoyce together and with united Forces endeavour to cast out their Contraries A pregnant Example of this we have in sounds If two Instruments of Musick of one sort be Tun'd to an equal pitch strike one of the strings and the same string on the other Instrument will Shake or Tremble as I my self have experienced The very same attractive and sympathetical Inclinations have all other things though in some it be more occult what man in the world would believe the Attractive Vertue and Power which the Loadstone has upon Iron if it did not appear to his Eye For the wise and wonderfull Creator has endued all things with an influential vertue and attractive Inclination and Certainly if Nature hath such Great Power and Secret Energy in inanimate Things much more there is in the Living Power or Highest Graduated Spiritual and Immortal Beeings of which these Outward Things are but Figures if man did but know or were but sensible how Wonderfully he is Made and Excellency of his own Composition and that in him is Contained the True and Real Principle both of Time and Eternity then would he be ashamed of his condition and ever Praise and Admire and Serve his Blessed Creator in Fear and endeavour to immitate Him and all Good Angels in Innocency and Well-doing which would more powerfully attract the Sweet and Blessed Influences of all Good Spirits and the Intrinsick Vertue of every other Thing whereas Discord and Evil do as Powerfully drive away all Good Intelligences and make men altogether incapable of Divine Visions so that he being Defiled and Polluted with Violence cannot soresee any Celestial Thing but becomes as it were wholy Blinde as to those Sublime Misteries and Holy Vertues which is a Wofull Condition and very Deplorable for then they call Evil Good and Good Evil not being Capable to make any Distinction of their Properties or the Principles of their own Nature On the other side a firm Faith and a continued Contemplation or Meditation on the wonderfull variety of Seperated Beeings and the Immortal World whence all material things take their Birth the inward Beeing the Life and the outward but as the Body for men I say to be sensible of these Sublime Opperations does Facilitate forward and promote true Visions more especially if Temperence Cleanness Innocency be observed in Meats Drinks Exercise Words Works and Communications for these Vertues are Divine Gifts he that obtaineth the Knowledg and Government of himself is endued with a Glimps or Ray of Divine and Universal Understanding both of the Material and Immaterial Creatures together with the Fear of the Lord and the inward Workings of his Holy Spirit and Divine Power therefore it is said That the Spiritual man discerneth all things even the deep things of God that is both things Internal as well as External wherewith agreeth the Apostle teaching That what ever may be known of God is manifest in man who is the only Creature in this Visible Material World that is capable of all Spiritual and Natural Learning and as he shall give way and be obedient to the inward voice of Wisdom that continually cries in the Gates of his Microcosmical City so shall he be endued by degrees with a True Sight and Spiritual Apprehension according to the use he makes of and the Advantages he puts his intrusted Talents unto For the Foundation of all Wisdom and Right Knowing is within in our own Apartments therefore there is a Necessity for every Man first to know himself in some Measure before he Think or Presume to Know or Understand any other Thing Truly be it either Natural or Spiritual and those that with an Holy Humility do Aspire to this Sublime Knowledge Viz. of God Nature and Themselves ought by all means to be in good earnest and Zealous for Cleanness and Innocent Living for Abstinence Sobriety and Temperence do wonderfully fortifie the Observers thereof against the Assaults and Temptations of Evil Spirits and Angels and make the Body Lightsom Pleasant and Healthy thereby enlarging all its Functions and also Prepares the Soul for Celestial
is the Doctrine of the wise Antients that not only every person man or woman from his or her first coming into this world hath in an especial manner a particular good Angel deputed which therefore is called his or her Guardian Angel or good Genius and that another evil Angel also of a direct contrary nature and property is always attending us thence called Catademon or a mans evil Genius but also that Communities Nations and Countries have also particular Angels assigned to their government or super-intendency And therefore in some Translations that eighth verse of the thirty second chapter of Deuteronomy is thus read when the most high divided to the Nations their Inheritance when he separated the Sons of Adam when he set the Bounds of the People according to the number of the Sons of God that is allotted to all the several Nations distinct Rulers and Supervisors amongst the Holy Angels here called the Sons of God Thus as all Contention Hate Malice Strife Oppression Violence Fighting Killing Murders and Wars both Private and Publick are first conceived in the Spirit and have their Foundation from the Wrathful Poysonous Principle so when men by their sinful vanity have awaked or kindled this direful Principle which threatens destruction and Ruin to both private Families and publick Societies States or Governments then there begins a great Combat and as it were open Wars between the Guardian Angels of each person or Country and which soever of them gets the Victory that King Country or People succeedeth in its Wars here below and subdueth the other This I conceive is plain and undeniably evident from the 10th chapter of the Prophet Daniel where an Angel comes to Daniel who had spent three weeks in mourning fasting praying said unto him O Daniel greatly beloved understand the words I speak unto thee for unto thee am I now sent for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard and I am come for thy word sake but the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty dayes but lo Michael one of the chief Princes came to help me and I remained there with the Kings of Persia now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy People in the latter days for the Vision is for many days And having strengthened the Prophet proceeded thus knowst thou wherefore I come unto thee I will return to fight with the Prince of Persia and when I am gone forth lo the Prince of Grecia shall come but I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of Truth of Michael your Prince thereby to understand the several respective Angel Guardians or Titular Intelligences of those Nations and that every particular person as well as Nation or Country hath a peculiar Angel Guardian seems to me very plain from the Scripture especially those two undeniable Texts Mat. 18. 10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in Heaven their Angels alwayes behold the Face of my Father And Acts 12. 15. when the Maid came and told the Brethren that Peter whom they supposed to be in Prison was at the Door they not believing her said It is his Angel which plainly argues what a firm opinion and belief the faithful Christians of old had in this matter The like stirvings and oppositions are to be apprehended of the Guardian Angels and chief Princes of other Countries Places and People there is frequent struggling between the Internal Princes but still the prime occasions or first motives are generally given to them by mens sinful vanities which do move the inward wrathful Principle of nature whence all those judgments and cruel Miseries do proceed and which do give oppertunity and advantage to the evil Angels to insnare man in a thousand Mischiefs unheard of Debaucheries Idle Dreams and Lying Visions For the Lord who is a God of Holiness and Purity and loveth Truth in the inward parts doth not visit any with heavenly Dreams or Visions but such as call uâ—…on fear and believe in his sacred Name such whose Temples are undefiled with Blood and Uncleanness and their Hands unstained with Oppression or Violence such in all Ages he hath admitted into his holy presence and granted unto them his good Angels to Teach Guard and Defend them from Sin and Evil but we do not read that in former times the Lord did ever so visit the froward and perverse of heart or granted them the help of these noble illuminated Companions viz. the blessed Angels and good Genij for alas tho these blessed and good-natured Intelligencers were ready to attend them they instead of accepting and attracting such their assistance do by wicked practises and intemperate lewd habit of Life and continual Violence drive the good Spirit away and on the contrary conciliate to themselves evil Genij whose work it is to suggest and dictate Lyes in a spiritual way both night and day and such persons Dreams and Visions are generally Lying Phantasies according to the nature of their attendance For every man in the world hath either a good or evil Internal Companion or Genius that he adheres unto of the nature of that property that he has the chief Govenrment in the Life and this Genius does mightily prompt froward all such things as his principle quality or Complexion inclines him unto and as men alter in inclination either to good or evil so their Genius grows either stronger or weaker according as they shall enter with their wills into good or evil and became strong therein it may also be noted that what Imployment Art or Science soever a man strongly inclines unto if he continues therein and becomes fixed he shall obtain a proper Genius which will mightily assist him in that Art and the very same is to be understood in both vertue and vice for as any one becomes wedded unto or practises either with strong inclinations so his Genius or good or evil Attendant becomes strong and powerful and if it be vertue than such a person becomes great in the mysteries of Goodness Vertue Wisdom and the secret knowledge both of God and of himself and of universal nature according as his Temper and Complexion is capable For constancy giveth strength and great power both to the Genius and all the faculties of the Soul And the like is to be said of vice as is most apparant in such as continue long in the practice of Evil they every day grow much worse the Custom takes away the Conscience of sinning and they become Seared as with an hot Iron as the Apostle fitly phraiseth it that is lockt up as it were or wholly captivated in sordid Vanities and Impieties whereby they become cruel and violent in all things and work wickedness with Greediness and draw Iniquity as with Cart-ropes for they have opened the gate of original
tend to their Satisfaction Since True or Prophetical Dreams are a kind of Revelation of a divine power unto the Soul and that this sublime state of the minde is much advanced or depressed by Temperance or Intemperance Vertue or Vice it follows that the first step to all true wisdom is the fear of the Lord which teaches all men Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness therefore all such as are desirous to arrive at that supream state of the Soul and to be rendered capable of the Communications of Good Angels and Spirits and to receive true and profitable Dreams ought to be Chastly and Devoutly disposed and in an especial manner to observe Cleanness in Meats and Drinks and not to over-charge Nature with to great a quantity for such surplussage does strangely dull and becloud all the intellectual powers of nature so that the Soul can neither Communicate with good Angels or separated Spirits nor of herself see or penetrate into any Celestial thing But Wisdom which is derived from and joyned to Sobriety Cleanness and Temperance in that which rightly fitteth and disposeth both the Body and Soul and Spirit and advances them to a divine purity for Abstinence and cleanness in Meats Drinks Imployments and Communications have a wonderful power to fortifie all the Observers thereof against all sorts of Vices and Temptations of the Devil who continually goeth about seeking whom he may invegle to Drunkenness Gluttony Lying Coveteousness Pride and the like to all which enormities Excesses opens the Doors and Windows and so it is easie for him to enter finding abundance of prepared matter for his Suggestions and Temptations to work upon whereby many Thousands of Poor Souls are destroyed The contrary is to be Understood of good Angels and Spirit who by Temperance Chastity and Purity are drawn and conciliated to our Assistance therefore let all that would have their Souls and Intellects adopted for such divine converse keep their Bodies and Spirits pure and unincumbered and not overwhelmed in the commerce and affairs of this World and the flesh to which purpose nothing does more contribute then a strict observation of the rules of Temperance both in quality and quantity words and works avoiding all irregular Passions Violence and Oppression both of men and beasts and to bound their desires to the necessities of nature for the things that polute and encumber mens Souls and enslave their Bodies are not needful our ever Blessed Creator having in his infinite mercy given us all needful things in abundance which are also neer us and easily attainable but those that are not needful nor of use to us are hard to come at and mens so eager pursuit after them do but shew and manifest his depravation and fall from his first innocent Estate for the more things man fancies himself to need the more is his Turba that is the more strongly he awakens the wrathful powers of his Soul or first principle and the less he needeth the more like he becomes to his Creator who giveth all things and receiveth nothing 'T is certain mans soul is a Mystery breathed out of the grand Mystery or Abyssal Fountain or Eye outof the All-seeing a Ray of the eternal Sun and therefore when it becomes purified through Cleanness Sobriety Temperance and the Fear of the Lord which includes them all that is when separated from the gross fumes and polutions of the Flesh then is it capable of ascending receiving and communicating with good Angels and Spirits and attaining unto wonderful things in a moment even as David was of a Shepherd made a Prophet and expert in divine things or as Soloman in the dream of one night was filled with the knowledg of all things in the Created World so Isaiah Ezekiel Daniel and other holy Prophets and Apostles were taught and the truth is the Soul when purified and united by Faith and Charity to its divine original can without long tedious studiing or seeking without the toil of Logical demonstration or perplexity of Syllogisms and Problems see into and apprehend as far as is convenient all divine and natural mysteries nor is there any thing that does more contribute to the good Complexion and Tranquility both of body and mind then these abstaining vertues which we have always celebrated but can never two much recommend But besides clean innocent Meats and Drinks such as may extenuate all superfluous matter and prevent Crudities there ought to be observed a due natural Fasting for that not a little conduces to the making of the intellect sound and vigorous and mostly preserves the Spirit from cloudy thickness and suffocation as all the holy Seers and sage Phylosophers of old have observed who keeping an abstemious and sober Table did protract there lives in all sobriety temperance whereby they prevented the Generation of all superfluous matters that might dull the phantasie for none can obtain the high illuminated state nor understand the divine and holy mysteries of God and live in his innocent Law but only such as do by abstinency prudently moderate every extravagant motion of the Mind and Body Hence some of the wise Antients would not admit any into their society but such as were abstinent from strong drink flesh and common Vices saying That none could know themselves or their Creator but such as do fervently and constantly endeavour to imitate him by a divine conversation and that the cleanness and purity of a mind devoted to God does make such a mans Soul a perpetual Temple for the divine Majesty It is also highly requisit for such as would be capable of this excellent Gift of true Dreams to withdraw from the multitude and from the variety of the gross outward Sences Affections Imaginations Opinions and Passions which are the torturing Distempers and Sicknesses of peoples minds for the simple Truth cannot be understood nor witnessed except a man first live in the opperation and practice of the divine power and innocent Spirit of Gods Love and Light principle these sublime Gifts and nocturnal Communications are to joyn unto Abstinency Sobriety and Solitude for by Lonesomeness Retirement and Silence the mind is made fine and as it were loosened from the cords perturbations of worldly affairs and is thereby the better prepared and the more at leisure to receive the spiritual Gifts and free Communications of the good Angels of God So Moses the Law-Giver and grand Prophet abstracted himself after he was learned in all the knowledge or Phylosophy of the Egyptians from the voluptuous charms of Pharaoh's Court and hurry of the World and went into the vast Wilderness of Midian or Ethiopia when keeping of Sheep an emblem both of innocency and of his further conduct of the people of God he applyed himself to the sole contemplation of divine things which pleased the Lord so well that he suffered him to see him as it were Face to Face and endued him with a wonderful power of miracles as the Scriptures of Truth do testifie