V. But as all ih's was unknown unto the EthnickPhilofophers , foharh it been

rJtogether negleded, or rather rejeded by thei: Chtiftian difciples, becaufe that in
their
Sed.i. MojaicallPhilofofby. ii^
their mouths and writings thi lying and falfe fpiric of AriJlotU^ hith taken too deep a root or polklTion,3nd challent^cd unto it lelf the prime and Inperiour place. Although therefore that this my admonition, may feem unto fuch as are vvs;dded unto their will, and hood-winked with Arifloth*s I'ubtill documents,t o be bu: wild, ridiculou in know that it is a thing of great importance and high confcquence, being that it conceneth and toucbeth the honour of God : For by it true CbrilHans may fundamentally know, jnd underltand the reall and effentiall caufes of tempeft-, and other ads and opera- tions, which do thereunto belong , and thereby perceive that they happen not by cafe fortuit , neither operate by any act of th^irown, as the phantalli.k Eth- nicks have devifed or fained in their writings J but are traduced out of the holy Treafuries by the Divine Providence, and are fent down here below , by the ope- ration of the Word, and execution of his Angelicall Minilters ; either to amift (Ujdfcourge the wicked for their offences, or by putting them in remembr;ince ^their lins, that they may, by the fear thereof, be driven to repent: So that vvhen they unto their terrour, (hallhea^^th.; voice of the Lord in Thunder from above, and behold the fiery flafhes of his wrath and indignation , or (hall fee the dread- full inundations caufed by abundance of Snow or Rain, they might be induced to repentance, andbe humbled, andincited to invoke their Creator unto their aide, and to pray him heartily to avert all dangers from them, and to mitigate hi; Tern* pelts, and to pacify the fury of his fiery or watery Miniiters , and to grant them milder and more benigne weather, with gentle and fertill rains, and to blefs and fave the fruit of their lands , and to preferve their cattle, which feed upon them; as alfo their houfes, and other fuch likenece(fary additaments, from the vi- olence of his tempertuous Angells or Spirituall inllruments : contrariwifci who negledeth this do6lrine, which is founded on the true Wifdom, and wallowing asitwerewith theSowin themire, betaketh himfelf unto the rules of that Wif- dom, which is but meer foolilhnefs before God, and confequently will imagine allthefe Meteorologicall marvels, to proceed by chance, and accidentally, and with* out the aft of any intemall principle, and for that caufe will neglect them, as efteeming them onely things naturall ; and therefore will netfher dread them, as in- deed they ought to do, nor yeracknowledghim, who is the true Author of them, and immediate Aftor in them ; is juftlytobenumbredamongthofemen, at which the Wifeman aimeth in this fpeech , All men (fairb Solomon) are vain by nature^ In WIfd. ij. yvhom Is the ignorance of God , and who cannot under fiand him who is hy fuch things as are made^ nor yet conceive the wprhrnan by the confideration of his works.
z6 Mofaicall Phtlofofby, Book 5*
t;
The Epilogue unto this Sedion.
^Hus (^Judicious and C'r'riftian Reader ) ha'veyou nnder- jiood the wain difference that is between the wifdom of this world , which the Afofile affirmeth to be but meer foolijhneffe before God.^ and that which defcendeth from abcve^ and ijjueth from the Father ofLtght , which is the ejfentiall and true Spirit of^api' enceor Difcipline : Andconfequentiy^youmay eafily dijcern ^ how the Ethnic k^ Philofophy ^ that is grounded upon the worldly wif- dam, foraf^i^ch as it relyeth onely onthelraditiofis of men, and Elements oftfjis world, is but a 'vain f allacy , or frefiigious t'fg' wefit ; and therefore on ly that of the Fatriarcks, frophets , a»d Apo files, which ii founded upon the CathoHck^Chrifi , or Eternal I Spirit of God , in whom is the plenitude ofDilpinity, is onely true , reall, andeffentiall. And therefore J may boldly conclude, andfpea\ unto yon, with other ChriUians , inMofes his language , faying, Deut.30. i^ Conteftorhodie contra vos Coelum &Terram, me Titam & mortem,bonum & malum, benedictionem & malcdictionem, prxpofluifle tibi. Quare clige vitam, ut tu cum Teminc tuo vivas. I call Heaven and Earth to record this day againft you , that I have fet before you life and death , good and evill, be- nediction and malediction. Therefore chufe life, that you with your feed may live , and increafe in the knowledge and un- der fanding of God ^ being that inthe true W if dom confijieth all true Fhilofophy, certain Science^ andcompUat Difcipline,
FINIS,
THE SECOND SECTION
TREATISE
WHEREIN
Thereall Hiftory and fundamental! grounds
of Sympathy, orconcupifciblc Attradionand Coition^
and confequently of all Magneticall forts of curing :
As alfo of Antipathy orodiblc expulfion , and therefore of
each malady or annoyance, are proved by infallible reafons, maintained
by che affi-rtions of the wifeft Philofophers and Cabarifts , juftificd by the inviolable Tcftimaniw of Holy Scriptures.
And laftly , verified and confirmed by fundry Mag- neticall Experiments.
Cemina fecit Deus omnia ^ qnorum aUerum comrariumefl alterii nee quic quant faBum eft quod mincnm eftj S'y rach. 42. 2 ^ .
Omnia dupliciayUnum contra HfJuffTy d^ nm fecit qiticquam dee jje ^ F.cclcf ^a. verf. 35.
L 0 N D ON,
Printed for Humphrey Mofeley , at the Princes Armes
in St. Fanl'^ Church-yard. 1 6 5 p.
■ I
up
The Second SeBion of this
TREATISE.
The Firft Book,
The Argument ofthc Firft Eook.
AFter that the Author had bj diligent enquirf underftoodithat all Sympathy arid Antipathy didfpring immediately from certain different pa/fions of the Soul, or vivifying spirit, whereof the one is Concupi^cille , arid the other is Irafcible'^and yet perceived th. m by effeB to he in Creatures j as well Vegetable and Alinerall y as Animal » he veas furprtfed with an efpeciatldefrey tofndout the radicall occa- fion or l>tginnir.g thereof. And when he had well pondered and confidrred that eternall Unity, (which is the head a/.d root of allthings ) in its fimple and ahfo- lute nature, he could difcern ),ofuch diverfity in its (([ei.ce, feang that it exijteth for evermore, but onely one and the fame Identity. For-, according unto holy fVritj Sicuc tenebra: ejus, ita & lux ejus; As his darkneffe, fois his light, fvhere- pfai.138 1 1. fore he gathered, that a two- fold^viall effeB or principle^ clean oppcjite unto or.e another in condttioH and difpofition y muji needsjpringandarife jrcm thefe two feverall properties , in that one entire eQence •> r.amely, NoluntyandFolunty^ whereof the i^r^ was exprefsed hy darkneffe-, and the other ky light : for when this mentall Eternity, and infinite Light, in whom in verity there is no darknefj'e, wills not, it referveth it fell^ within it flf, that is, it refieBeth his Leams into itfelf, and fo tnformeth nothing by his prefef.ce , but leaveth the untverfall Abyjje or chaos (which is [aid in thts ejiate to dwell and exiji in the divine puiffahce } dark , de- jormed,quitevoid,anddeflituteol its vivi'ying aByor refjlend^nt brightnfjj'd^ and this his negative aBion is theperfeB charaBer of his Nolunty , the generall effeBs whereof are darknefje and privation. Bnt when this abflrufe unity djth fend out the benigne and falutary brightnejje of its ejfence, ( which is the exprejjlon of his Volunty or will) into the deformed Chaos, then deformity, or darknefje and priva- tion, are forced to give place unto their oppofite corrivalls , Coyifornt'.ty, or Light and Pofition, which are the ajprmative aBs of life and tfjentiall exijieue. By this objeBtherei ore of his contemplation, hedidgather , thattheaB ofrolunty , and that of Nolunty^ were in one e^'entiall Unity, which was allgoodnefje , andconfe- quently that Nolunty in it,ls nothing elfe but its Volunty , being that as it is one andall,fo alfo is its Volunty but one identity in it-,andyet all and over all with it, for thereby it aiteth or vvorkcth its pleafure , both privativly and poG- ^^n^ , tivly,as well in the neavenly vertucs, as the inhabitants of the earth. And therefore darknefje and light are all one in this Archetypicall Unity, becnufe that
S all
jio Mofaicall Thihjovhy, Book i,
fill in it is good , foyafmucb as it is 0 nely arid alfolat el j good indeed m it [elf. ^s for the contrary ejfeds , namely ^the dejcr»:ed And ^jniaiive dayir.tffe of the rude chaos-, or und/'^eftedahjjf ■> and the informing atl or jicjitiie enia.'.Aiicn of lioht-i they indeed appear [uch unto tke creatures -i andfcem top,oduce unttth; mrU an inpmty of cofttrartet/es^whicb are e deemed ly ntvr'.ah to te either ^■^oodc^- eviilyaccordin'7 as by e§eci (bey find them. Hovpfoever-^ft j'eemeth moi apparent un'.) the a/fulhori that thefe tno contrary eff-uxtons, or extenfions^ proceaiing in e§cH from oneffjentialleternity, were the principles of- all ihtngs-, httng that the nark chaos dida^ord and produce out oj her womb the waurs -^ which was the oncly
*^"'^- matter whereof the world, and conrequcntly the heavens and eartli were made. At.dthe nji'vijytng emanation or irraciiation oftheeternall light , did bejiow on itfcrm^fhape-y venue and moiion. Allwhich^ ahen the j4uthor had
^ difcovcred , andferioufly pondered rvilh himfelf , his reafon did clearly iheretipon
infcrm hiwy that the world was compared and framed of contrary ^uf^e ; for horv " is it pfffible, but that oppofite and atjfcordant patents , fljould bri/ig forth children difafJreeino in condition jrom their kind ? ylndyetjuch was the will of the Crea- tor ^ that thefe two difjonant accords jl:)ouhl , m the beginning and Ihaptngfo rth of an Imase like unto htmfilf^ be united into one Unifon or unity ^ hy ibe tmiolable tye of his never-dying Spirit of love and concord.^ that tbereiy t\:e matter ( which is thefubjlance of the dark waters ) might ferte as a female unto the formall and niafculine eradiation-, or illuminating fpirit, which ijfuedftom htm , and fo make of that duality -^or confufion ofunitieSy a typicall Irinity in Ui.tty , figured after the fimilitude of the Archetype, which being meerly fpirituall, was the et email life and formall being of the world, (it felf remaining without any beginning) and for that caufe, the world being its image , mufi alfo have a catholic k life or foul , by which it may aH and lite, according unto ihe pattern from whence^as well iheform of its effence, as the matter ofitsexiftence, didflow^ and mu(i for that reafon be en- dued with the oppofite properties of willing andnilling , or l^olunty and Nulunty , and, by confequence, of amiable attraBion^ or odtble expulfion. Hereupon there - fore he did obferve, that both the internal] and externall type , or typicall world ^ mu(l needs befubjeB to contrary paffions and alterations, proceeding from the like properties, namely, being fometimes apt to incline unto the difjioption of darknefje, following therein by a naturall inftinB^the condition and inclination of matter or water ^ which was the offspring of the dark tyibjjjeor 0jaoSy over which the divine puiQ'ance hath dominion; and therefore in this condition^ it enduetb the cbaraHer of unitie's Nolunty, and fometimeS ajfeBing and imitating the action a/', d property pfli^htj which fioweth from the eternall and all-acting fountain of unity. ^And this is tf}eiertucus effect of the facredP^oluntji. Foritfeemed unto the Au:hor ^ that by reafon that the whole world was compofed of thefe two con:rary properties , namely, of formall li'j^ht J an^ the humid dark matter , it mu^^ needs follow ^ that the catholic k foul , or generall vivifying fpirit thereof , andconfequently every particular fffence , or formall existence , which is derived from tha' cathdick foul, no otberwife than beams from the Sun, mujt be obnoxious , faljtct Unto oppo- fite paffions and alterations. From hence therefore fpringetb that originall love or hatred, which is known to be between the good Angels, and the evill Spirits •■,from hence do ijfuc all tbofe ajUduall mutations and alterations , which happen in the influence. From hence proceed thofe oppofitions, ani contrary ejjeHs, which are ex- ^ired^ or breathed forth from the winds : From hence are derived the difcordand concord of the Elements , with the diverfity of natures in /he meteorologicall Im- preffions : From hence do flow the muluplicity ofa^eBions, the oppofiiion ofdifpo- fitioas , thepiiffionoffpirtts^and, in a word ^ the fympathy and antipathy which is obferved to be between all creatures, as wellfimple as compound, be they animal, I'eoetable, or mineral.
Sed.zJ MofaicallPhilofofby. ijr
ThetAuthor therefore concludeth upon thefe greu^ids , that it ii hat jufi and reafonable, to confent unto the opinions of the tm notable and famous Thilofo- phers , Heraclitus and Empcdocles, touching this point , thereof thefirfl hjath expofed it as an infallible Maxtm , Quod omnia fiant per litem &: amiciri- am ; That all things are made and compofcd of ftrite and fricndlliip,tfe4f ' 5 ^of^^i Of hatred and love. The lafl hath pronounced it for an oracle of truth , Quod ex quatuor dementis, & ex amicitia & lite compofita fit anima j That the loul is corapolcd of four elements, and of peace or concord, and ^**'"*'^*'*'* contention or dKcotdj jignifyi fig thereby^ that contrary difpofitioh vehich is be- tween theivatry fpirit^ and the bright mentallheam , in regard of their originall: Forty litem, or ftrife , be argueth as if ell the fpirituall contention as the corpo- rally in refpeB of that contrary puifjawe and habtlit) , which is between ihefor-m mall light and dark matter, both in regard of the body , in the act of corruption ^^ vphen the foul muld part from it; and in the antipatheticall or irafcible pajftofiy in refpect of the foal, in which thefpirit laboureth and fuffereth unnaturally. In thefe opinions of the fore-faid PhilofopherSy theyfeem not to vary from that ofthefon of Sytich, fpeaking thus 5 Gemina funt omnia, quorum alterum eft contrari- um alteri, nee quicquam faftum eft quod niancum fit: Ail things are of a double nature , the one of them contrary to the other , and yet there is nothing made which is defcftive.
- CHAP. I.
I» this Chapter it is demonfiratedy that God is that pure andcatholick^ Unity, the which inclftdeth and comprehendeth in itfelfall multiflicity.
I S there is no man, be he never fo highly exalted in the fphear ofMathematicallperfeftion, orprofoundly dived into the myrticallbowells of the abftrufelt Arithmetick , that can with the quick eye-fight of his ripelt underftanding , ob- ferve or difcry any thing, either by order or antiquity , to challenge juitly unto its felf a place or ranck before Uni- ty , (and for thi'? reafon,rhc ivifelt Philofophers do inge- nuoufly confcffe, that it is the onely principle or root of all number and multitude) foalfo ought each perfon of judgment to acknowledge, that this radicall Identity , asit isconfideredin itspure andabfolute nature and condition , cannot belimited by any quantitative dimen- fion, nor yet included or comprehended by any member, nor divided into di- ftinft portions, nor yet defined by any fubihritiall quiddity or entity. And here- upon it hath been judicioufly concluded by wife men , that Unity is the molt an- tique and radicall principle of all others , forafmuch as it comprehendeth in it felf all fubliances, quantities, and qualities, no othervvifethin the Gecmetricall prick or point, bein^ confideredin its naked iimplicity, is obfervedto be indivilible, an d fcarcely to be perceived ; yea verily, and as it were nothing to be determined : and yet neverthelefs, the prick or point is evidently known to be the infallible be- ^ ginningnot onely of every Geometricall line, butalfoof all other continuated Mathematicall dimenfions whatfoever , feeing that it comprehendeth all magni- tudes, and is not comprehended of any.
Thefe two principles of all dimenfions whatfoever , fince that they in order, rank,and antiquity, do precede and excell all others , did the expert Mathematici- ans invent , after the typicall imitation or image of the moft internall , centrall , and abftrufe point of Divinity , or divineft and brightell Unity , remaining in that very eftate in which it ftood before the creation of the world , namely, when it re- ferved it felf within it felf,and remained occult and hidden fromall potentiall crea- tures, which it was pleafed afterward , by the revealingof it felf, or emiflion of its vivifying light , to inad and make manifeft for its abode in its fimple and abfolute nature of unity , without having any refpeft or confideration to things which ic would create : So that in this manner of this Unitie*s being and exiftence, it could
S 2 noc
132, MofaicallPbilofofby. Book i-
not be efteemed for God : forafmuch as hitherto it had not produced any crcirure, by the which it might be adored or acknowledged for God ; neither could it right- ly be Uiled or termed a Father: For it did not appear to have thought on any Son or iffue, either Archctypicall and ideall, ortypicall and mundane; neither could it be reputed for the >$■«»»»««?» ^a;7;/w, or highelfgoodnefs ; being that the deformed matter or dark Chaos, or rather Hyle did not as yet talte of that his bright and all-inafting blefling , which was concealed and hidden in its potentiall darknefs andpWcuricy, whkhvvas therefore void of all form; neither could it be intitled fair> forafmuch as ic did not hitherto impart his beauty , for the decoration or in- ailing of any creature ; nor could it rightly be faid to be eternity, being thacm this manner of his occultation within its felf, it feemed unto human; capacity not to exift at all, and confequenrly nottohaveany reference or commerce wirh ei- ther eternity, or xviality, or temporality : moreover it could not aflume or chal- lenge unto it felf the name of principle, becaufe it had no relation as yet unro any thing that did fpring or ilVue from any beginning. To conclude, the nature of this fimple Monadicallexilknce, wasbeforc all created, fo occult and obdu re , unto mortalls apprehenfion,& in its order and antiquity fo unknown; yea and fo infcru- table, and inconiprehenfible in its eflence , that it could not any way be conclu- ded to be cither fubftance, or quantity, or quality, bur rather was conceived to be a certain tranfcendent entity or e-xilience, refervcd onely in its ielf, and conliliing of it felf ; not having any principle root or beginning to fpring from , and oilt by, but onel y from, and of it felf, in whofe Divine Puiflance as in a place without end orlimirs, all things which are now explicitly apparent , were then complicirly contained, although in regard of our capacity, they were elleemed nothin;:;. And for this caufe, fuchperfons as were converfant in the Laws of the true Wifdome, have inaiffed in their never dying Regillers, that this myllicall infinity, when it was thus btwrapped in the gloomy clew, or profound abyffe of darkneffe, and remai- ned as it were vacanr , orreliing in its felf, without any ad ion, or (astheyfay) having regard or refpeit unto nothing, was therefore termed in Hebrew m : that Koulkjn. li&.j. is to fay,"A^'/''V, Uonfinis, Nofi Ens, and, in plahi Englifli, Nothing at all in our ima- 4e An. Ctb. gination, becaufe the tenuity and poverty of man's capacity and ingeny in the re- gard of Divine things is fuch , that it is accuftomed to judge and imagine thar not tobeorexill atall , which appeareth not manifetily unto the fight : Forthis rea- fon therefore the wifell perfons in the abRrufe and hidden Caball, have termed this originall Unity in his fecret difpofuion yiUph tenebrojnm, or tie ohfcuye and dark^ Ateph, the wHich Hebrew let ter is received among the Jews and Cahnlifticall Kabbi's for the figure of one in Arithmetick, and by confequence it is Hieroglyphically ta- ken for God, as heis underRoodtobethatabfolute Monady 01 Umty , whichonely was in it felf , and did abide and relt in it felf , without any a5lion of emanatiopj which afterward he did ufe when he was pleafedto operate in Creation; and therefore the wife Philofopher Hermes (not difagreeing in this from the Ho- ly Scripture) faith, Ahaas ante mnndiexord nmjiht ipji & m»/tl!isreluxii. Unity ?/m Fimtnd. J. And in another place : Er JnteUelhialts per dvina-yi potent' am w Chc.osinerant: 1 here was an infinite ihadoiv upon the face of the rhyffe, and moreover, water and a thin mtelleEiHall fpirit were in the Cha- os throH^ h the d.'v'ine puijfance. And tj\{oftsr:o confirm this faying of that wife Phi- lofopher : Tcntbrs. crant ftperfacient abjffu By this therefore may wife men difcern I Joh. I, and contemplate, though a far off, what the Potentta , or pmffance div,ne was, before anv creature didexplicitly appeare out of darknefs ; asalfo thiy may eafily gather, whu is the true principle and foundation of Darknefs, namely thecnrlo- fing or retaining of the ai\:uall beams or light of immortall life , and b>;ing in this bright fundamental! uniry , inthe which is no darknefs; To thar the Origin.ill d.uk- nefs can be reputed for ncrhing elfe, but theabfenccof the r^idicall 11 nit ic' emanation, which is the fountain of nil adion; neither can rh.u Divine vivifying Genef. i. andcreatingLightbcprefenti when the will of that fimple and abfolute efTence in Unity is not minded to fend forth unto deformity , therreafure of irs informing beams. And hereupon it followeth of necefTtty •> that darknefs was upon the fice of theabvfle, and that the earth w.ts void and without form, before the Divin; ElTence did Oiine forth ; and that darknefs was made the tabernacle of red, and repoTe, becaufe where the Divine ad orfacred emanation is abfent , all rhini^s are onely porentiall, andconfequenily without ailuall vcriry , bein^ as it were (lark
dead,
Sed. 2.^ Mtfakall Pbilofoph^. ijj
dead, and without life or motion ; and that the property of coldnefs andRupidlty had doininion during that privative eltace, bicaule that hear is ingindred by moti- on onely, and motion hath its beginning froin Light, and all brighcnefs doth flow from this Unity, which is termed the F.irher and Fountain of all Light: whare- fore it foUoweth, that if this Divine Eff;nce retain it felf in it felf , then the dark Chaos referved onel y in the Divine PKiffancc, or Potemia D.vina , mull be deprived of motion •■ and that it is inclined to infpifl'at ion and condenfation , byreafonof his congealing and cold property, which doch thicken and make grofs , oy contra- tures life and being , becaule it is contrary to ail:, motion, and heat , which are the hand-maids of the Divine emanation, andconfequently ic is the fountain of death, deformity, and non-eneity. To conclude, as Light is the originall of life, pofition,a£l, motion, and, in a word, of the Volunty of God in his revealed Nature- fo alto is this primordialldarknefs, the head and well-fpringof death, privation, re!}, or vacancy; and in brief, oftheDivine effence's Nolunty. And hereupon the Scriptures do jurtify , that when God doth fend forth his lalutife- rous beams, and manifeft unto his creatures the light of his countenance, the^ are ■refrejhed vith goadnefs mnd life ; when he in part doth hide his face, and rvithd aweth his ^^*'' lo4> *?• /ivelji and vivifying beams from them, they grow Jick, and their fpirits are troubled : bnt if he totf.11^ withdraw his afpc^i of life from them , they do immediatly expire and breath their laji. Whereupon alfo Mofes : Dens malos reliit^uit , & abfcondit fncicm fuamab iis Mt obveniant iismaUmultA: Codforfakeththewlehed, an.ihideth his face^^^^' ^^' '7' from them that much mifch'ief may befell them. And David , Ojtoufque abfcon-prt dis vultum tHum ame} Exhi/ara me vhUsi. tuo : vifnatio tua confervat Spiritftm me- um : Horv long rvilt thou hide thy face from me ? makj me glad with thy countenance', thy vifitation doth conferve my fpirit , &c. Whereby ic appsareth that this Divine E{Tence, obferveth as well after his creation of the world, as before it, both the action of his Nolc.ntj, and his Folumj: in the firll whereof, he withdraweth or with- holdeth that vertue of life from the creature, which is the act of privation , in the lart he giveth life and prefei vation to it : For by this his dilatative property he crea- ted the world, and all things therein.
CHAP. II.
fVhereifi itki proved, that all things iverecomplicitly and ideal/y in Godf and of Godf before they were made,
THushavelexprefledandmademanifert, according unto the fmall validity of mineunderftanding, the eftate and being of this radicall and eternall Unity, before any thing was by it created , with the effects that it did produce inthepo- tentiall and deformed Mafs, or materiall fubjedl of all things , which was compli- citly or hiddenly detained and comprehended, in that Omnipotent and incompre- "henlible point of Divine perfeflion, in which increated condition it remained as Nothing, quoadnos ; forafmuch as it was without form, unto the whichit apper- taineth onely to give a name and eflence , and therefore in theellateof its non- aftuall being, wife men have termed it, Poteutiam Divinam , orthe Divine Pftif Kom. ii. jd. fa»ce. To confirm and verify all this, we find thefe axioms of the Scriptures : £.v i Cor. u. it. if Jo, per ipfum, & in ipfo pint omnia : Of him, by him, ardin him are all thin as. Om- Ephef. 4. *. mafunt ex Deo : AUthings are of God. Uuns Paur oranittm, quijuper omnet, & pe^ r°l°f '* '^* omnia, & iuomnibi4snobii: There is one Father of all, who is above all , and through °°'^-^^- all, and in all of us, Omniaper ipfHm& inipfo creata funt^ & ipfe e(i anteom-'ies^ & omnia tn ipfo conjlant : AUthings are created by him andin htm, and he 'is before all, and all confffi in him, Ipf,: eft omnta in omnibus : He is all a>id m all thin^t, AndtheSoil of Syrach : Dixim/tsmtjltanectameneaajfe^uuiifftmus-.SummadlBorftmeJl; Ipfttnt ejfe omnia: fVe have faid many thina^s, without attaimrtT^ unto them : the Sum of all our ■wordsis, thatheisalltnings. By the whichaxioms we may eafily gather , thatGod didbeget, bringforth, make, and creare nothing, which was not eternally of him- fclf and in himfelf ; fo that from him all things did flow and fprirg, namely out of a fecret and hidden nature to a revealed and manifelt condition , from an un- knovvn elhte unto an evident and known exilknce; from a pure Archetypicall fim- pliciry into a real type or fimilittude; from a radicall fountain into a Sea, and from
a meer
i54
Mofaicall Philofofhy.
Book,
Meicums ad Aidtf,
ameer point into a circle or circumference; verifying that faying of the wife Phi- lofopher : (Judis the center of every things whofe Circumference is no where to befoiiyidi thac is, in all and beyonij all. To confirm all this , we may boldly and without of- fence infer thus much, namely that every thing that is begotten , principiared, created, produced? or fcparated , dothradically proceed fro none that is unbegot- ten, infinite, not made or created, nor feparated, but onely one Unity , indivi- duall in his effence : For it is an eafy matter to conhder , thac every inferior thing doth ilfue from, a luperior; every corporall thing from a fpirituall; every vi- able thing from an invifible ; every temporall thing, namely which hath both a be- ginning and an end, from athing chat is sviall, that isto fay, which hath abegin- ningbutnoend; and every acviall thing from an eternall thing, to wit, that which , hath neither beginning nor end, and therefore that eternall point or brightelt Uni- ty which hath no beginning , andconfequentlynoend , is the fountain from the which all aeviall and temporall things do effentially proceed , no otherwife then 3\\ numbers do flow from Unicy y and are comprehended in Unity •• For how far fo- everthe number doth extend it felf, evermore it hath an unity to begin it , and an unity to conclude it, and in verity it hath nothingbefides an unity to create and compofe it within. But for your better initruftion , you may obferve by a dili- gent inlight into the collicall numbers,how the Divine and Centrally formall Unity doth comprehend all creatures, as well before they were made , as lince their crea- tion in its felf : For we muft note, thac there is nothing in the world , but it is either a root, orafquare, oracube, or fome other fuch like figure, which is framed and compofed of thefe. The root doth reprefent the beginning of all cof- ficallproportions or magnitudes : the Square doth decipher the limple and fpiritu- allptincipiated figure , which is created or made by the multipli:ation of that root : the cube is compofed through the augmenting of that fquare orprinripia- ted (hape in its root; fo that we may difcern that the whole cubick body , and con- fequently the fquare is conteined in the root , and in condufion , is nothing elfe then the root multiplied in it felf or from it felf. But that my demonltrations may yet approach a little nearer unto our purpofe, let us I pray you with diligence confider the nature and property of this Divine Monady or Unity, as it is in its fimple and fincere exi(ience,and then we fli all find it,and that without any egrefllon from his own punftuall or centrall profundity, to comprehend complicitly with- in it felf the three forefaid colTicall Dimenlions, and confequently all other things which it hath now by Creation explicitly made evident , in this typicall world, and that is proved eafily by this Arithmetical! demonftration : For if we (hall multiply an unity as a root, in it felf, it will produce but it felf, namely an uni- "tyfora fquare, the which being again remultiplicated in its felf, will bring forth a cube, which is all one with the root or fquare ; to wit, afimple unity: ^A^hereby it is evident, that though we have here three various branches , which feem ro dif- fer in their formall progrelTion, I mean a Root, a Square, and Cube, yet in the effen- tiall verity and reality , there is but this one Unity or Indentity , in the which all things remaine potentially, and that after a moft abflrufe manner. And for this reafon the Wifeman faith : Deo omnia fum co^mta ar.tecjuam crearentw : JUthings Ecclus. aj. Ti'ere kjiown unto God, bepre they were created. And Efdrar. Dei fotemla,ame omnia cre- ata^ finis ($" initium omnium eji: The PuijfaHCe of Cod which was before all creatures, was the beyinnina and end of all things. And unto this purpofe Hermes faith > Ex uno principio cun^adependent, princip-iim ex unefolo, & principium movetur tit rurjHS ex- tet princip urn, ipfum tamen unum priflat,nec recedit ab unitate : -All things depend of one principle or bs^innin^, that is ok one fole U'^ity , andthu principle or beginning is mo- ved^ that it m^j again become a principle , andyet neverthelefs it is b: that doth ejfeU it, net departing from the nature of Unity. And to this fi-^nfe faith St. loh'' : In principio erat verbum : In the beginning was the irord : The which Joh. 13. 10. wordaffirmeth thus much : Ego & Pater mum fumiis. Pater in m: & ego in Patre, & Pater in me ntanens^ ipfe facit omnia : I and my Frther am one, my F.nher tn me and I in my Father ; and my Father in me , is he that makjth all things. Even unto this very purpofe feemeth the wife W^rwf/ to concurre with the Scriptu'^es, in the (Via- pingout of the Archetypicall world , afrer whofe Imnge this our typicall world is created (and therefore he termerh it elfewhere, thevilibleSon of God:) M"- n.ts (faith he) general Monadem , & in fei p f urn reflex it ardirem : One be gar one, and refletted the y^rJor and vertue of his emanation into it Jelf -J that is, ir fhined into it felf, to thefliapingout of an Ideal world , and was not as yet converfanc about
the
Efdras 4. 6. Tittiind. to.
Tinund.
Sedt. 2. Mo/aicall Philofofhyi ar
the framing out of any typicall one. Whereby k is evident, that nothing is reaily figuredin this world, which vvas not ideally fafliioned out in the archetyp; or etei - nail one. But left fome captious perfon fliould except againll thefe places in Scrip-- ture, and elfe-where cicea by me , touching this very point , and alledge , (as fome . of them have already done) that thefe mine opinion, are flatly difsonant unto thnr ■ of the antient Fathers, and School- men, Ivviliinfew words exprefs fomeoftheir
minds touching this point. St. Aujhn's opinion is , Ouodideafutit forma, aterns [ib eitu-im
(*r incommut'ibiies w mente dtvina ; That the idea's of things Are eternal I forms'^ a>.d in~ quoq 41
com/KHtah'e jtapes in God. And Sco:us wMl have them to be, Res objeEitV£,cca!ji:a ab
intelUUu divim , Certain objelts, which are kjJswn umo the divine m.eMt. But there ''*• ''^'^ J
is nothing in God but that which is God, becaufe the Godhead is one and rhe fame
Spirit •• Whereupon it foUowethjchat the Idea's in God, although they be many ,
(fornian was made after one fafl-iion , and a horfe after another, &c.) yet all are
one in God, as St. ^nfiin feemeth to prove and confirm elfe-where, in thefe words.
Primus & fumrHUs intelleBus eft ars quadantommpotemis atqne fapientis Dei, plena om- ^ ^"n"*'-
mum rationum vlventium incommutabilium ;& onmes un:tm inea,ficut ipfa unnm de "^«^'•
uno cum
And wife God, full of all the v.nchangeabereafons of living things , and all of them are
ene in it, as it is one of one with whom is one. And in another place he faith, Tu es Detti
mens, & Domtni4s omnium ejaa creafli; & apudte omnium fiabilium funtcaxfitj & om- *"'''*?'"
nium mutabilium, apnd te^tmminabi/es manent origines,& omnium rationahilium & ir- ''
rationabilium atque temporalium femper vivunt rationes. Thou art mj God , and the
Lord of all that thou hafl created ; wJth thee all originallsremain immntable , and the
reafonsorcaafesofallreafovable, and unreafonabley and temporall things , do alwaies ,■• ,
/;t;^. And 7?
Tu ciinElafuperno Ditcis ab exemploj pulchrum pulcherrimus ipfe Afundam mente oerens-, ftmilique in tmaaine furmas.
Thou frameft all things after a high and fuper-celefila'l example , and being mofi beautifull , bearing the fa-rvcorld in thy minde , dofl faihionit accordino- unto the like image. To conclude? Anfelm dorh learnedly expreffe the manner and progreffion of every exemplary thing , from the ideall fountain of all verity, thus. Forma rei (faith he ) artefcis efi archetypa & Veritas , cir dum ii potentia in aiium dttcitur motus Anfelm. efi; in materia v;ro ]am produEia, eft fmiiitttdo & imago : The form of a thina is the archetype andveritif ef the worl^m.rn • and whilft it is produced from ptiiffance into aB:, it ismotion- being fpecif edinmatter,itis afmilit'ideor image. Andforthis reafon Oio , ;„ ,y^« j that learned Abbot, avcrreth , Quodmimeras ternarius ft princlpale in animo condito- Hum. ternar. ris exemp.'um condendorum; That the te^ nary number (meaning the divine and formall kind of numeration) is the principal image m the Creator's mind , offuch things as are created. In the very fclf-famefenfefpeaketh the divine Philofopher /f^vwj^, in the Pim. n. place before mentioned, faying , Q^iodmjna^ genera: monadem csr infcipfitm reflexl: ardorem • That one beo-a: one , and did refle[l his beams into it p.f. Whereby he ar- gueth, that unity in the framing ofthe Ideall or Archetypicall world , did emit or fend forth hi> word, as an eifence begoc of it felf; and afterward did refleft that fpi- rit of wifdom, which iffued from them both into it felf. For thefon oiSyrach faith, Fons fapientis verhum Dei in cxcelfs, (ir iyio-re(fus illius mandata iticrnr. The fountain Ecclus.i.y. cf wifdom is the word of Godmofl high ^ andtheeverlaft.'y.g commmdements are the en- trance unto her . Thus therefore was the Archetypicall world framed, in, and of all one unity, but in a three-fold or triple manner, namely, by the egreflion of onz' out of one, and by the regreifion of that one unity foenitted, by emanation inro itfelf; whereby the three divine properties in one infinite ellence, may eafilybe fcanned. We conclude therefore, that according to this ideall Image, in triplicity of variety, this our world was afterwards fafhioned and proportioned , as a true type and example ofthe divine Pattern, after the which it was drawn ; (for out of unity in his abrtrufe exiftence, namely, as it was hid in the dark chaos, or potentiall maffe , the bright flame of all formall beeing, did fhine forth, andthefpirit of wif- dom proceeding from them both, didconjoyne the formall emanation with the potentiall matter, fo that by the union of th;fe two, namely, of the divine emana- tion of light, and of the fubftantiall matter of darkneffe, which was water, the hea- vens were made of old, and the earth, and confequently the vvhole world, as ic
(hall
12^ MofaicallPhilofofby. Book i*
fhall hereafter be evidently demonftraced in our Divine Philofopby , and is well proved by the warrant of rhe ApoHle Faer, We may therefore boldly conclude , iPet. 3. that if the unities or menr.bers of the ideall world , be allextraited out ofonera- dicall unity, as children out of one father, and are included by the felf-fame unity, which IS infinite in it fclf , it muii then follow of necellity, that the triple mem- bet of this created world , mull alfo be from , and in that felf-fame unity , being that the whole typicall woild with his parts , are fliaped after the imag^ or repre- fentation of the Archetype, which is that eternall monady or unity in vvhi^hat'i 'all things; and therefore he is rightly t»med ofthe ApoUle, to i>. a/:,^>idiKa//. Col. 5. U' And aoain, -^^l thirds are createAby h n/,, and tn him^ andhe is hifore all, and ali con- CgI.i.i 6. ^^- j:ji ;„ jj„,^ /^rid in another place, Of him, by him, a»d in him, are all th.Kgs, O'c. And Rom. II. thereupon it is rightly termed of the Philofopher Hermes, The center of all th'ngs, whofe circumference is nowhere; that is to fay, including all, not being included by any. And Kabbi'L^ar, All dun o^s are one in rcf\'etiofGod,buim,tity inregc.rd ofm. And VImo, Not or.e'y all things are in Gody but a fo all things th.u exiji , forafmuch as they .tre in Go i, and do frrceedfrom hint, they are h t one Entity. Moreover Hermes in his Smara^dine Table , As allth.ngs hereby the me llaticncfone , fo a'fo are all thinas fprnH n from this one thing b) adaptation. And Prcclits, in hs Theologicall Pro- blems , As all'h.ngs arc fprHngJrcm one onely, in like manner do they hafien by a con- \ tiriudl courfeto yeti'.rn tmtothac nnhy , with whom the greater the concord is ^ bythe which tl eym:et together, by fo m.uh the more they participate ef him . Again PlaiCfAU thin as part from the high God -, and doflrive to rettirn nnto htm etgain , for.ifmftch as in him%.nfir(th their finall repofe i and the fftflen.tfice of their exifitnce. For this caufe therefore did the Philofopher Leuci^pm^ make this eflentiall unity the /«ww;w ^ij- tinm,or the [ovtra'ine good and felic ty. Thus therefore you fee , that the antique Philofophy doth not jarordifsent in this, from the fore-faid harmony of holy Writ. There are fome well feen in this mylljcall kind of progrelTion , which do ex- Drefs it in this manner : InD.o amnio erant nihil nifi mere De.-.s. Ex Deo omnia veaic' U Vettn md-'y^ntin principiHm, CT mm omnia tiihil erant nift mere princifium ^ man.ntetamen Deo. nufcTJfto. Ex principio omntA vrocedebant in -verbttm, & tttm omnia nihil erant njfi mere l^erbum ,
manente tamen principio. Ex verba omnia procedebant infpiritam D m niy & turn nihil erar.t nifi Spirit :o Domini, mai.ente tamen verbo. Ex fpirit^ Domin, omnia procedibant in aqnas fcihcet fapenores, & tttm omnia n. hil erant nifi mere acjH£ fit per lores, manente tamen Spirita Domini. Ex acjuis fuperioribus omnia deficenderunt in aquas inferior es, & ti'.m omnia nihil erant nifi mere aqua inferiores , manentibus tam;n fuperioiibtis. 'Ex aquis inferioribus, hoc eji, ex eiementis & afiris invifibllibitsomniaproced.b.int incorpo- ra vifblli.i, C7" tunc onmia erant nihil nifi mere corpora V'fibilia , manentibits tamen eie- mentis & afiris inviftbi ibus,&c, InGodall things were nothing but mcerly God. Of God all things rcere made a beginning , and then all thinas were n thing elfe but a mccr heainmnq, Gcd remaining nevertheleffe in his entire exiflence. Ofthe beginning all be- came I he l-P'ord, and then were all th.ngs nothing elfe but the word meerly , and that not without the permanency of the beginning. From the word all did proceed into the Spirit of the Lord , and then they were nothing but the Spirit ofthe Lord, and that without any d.- minntion ofthe If ords exiflence. From the Spirit ofthe Lord all became waters.namely,:he tipper watirs^ and then all things r, ere nothing elfe but the upper waters meerly, and that without any diminution of the Spirit ofthe Lords exiflence. From the upper waters all did defcend into the lower waters , or elementary region , and then all were no:hina elfe b.^t meerly the lower waters, andyet the upper v.'aters lofl not their permanency. Ofthe lo^rer waters, that ti, of the elements, andinvifib/efiarSyorfiarry influences, all became vidble bodies, nnd then all th.ngs were nothing elfe but vifible bodies , without any derogation neverthel: fe unto any cxlftency of the elements , andfiarry influences, Cyc. All which I could .ilf o prove to be true, as well by the Scriptures , as expert Cab.ilills , and divinelt Philofophers afsertions : For by Scriptures we are taught, That God,th£ Iia.4?. . fountain of all beeing, d'd firfi create darknefs ; and that this darknefs was that ^- Sapii.8. formcdtrinc:ple,or p. imary m.^tter., v iihout itape , which did compUeitely contain all I oh. '.I. /^wf/.And x.hi.tl\\zii^ordwas m that beginning or principle. h'C\Ai2,i\n;that this word
Gcncf. 1. ifftud out of darkneffe. AT)dth:n the fpirit was carried on thefe waters, which appeared
cut ofthebowells ofthe d.v\ ab)ffe. And that all were waters at th; fi^fl , the brighc Spirit ofthe Lo'-d being not in any thing extinguifhed. And that x.\\z\iwaterswere d'vided i-to the higher and lower , namely, heaven and earth. As alfo St. Peter rea- 1 Pet. 3. chethus , x\\?tof the lower waters the elements were framed by the diflinfuiih'ng Spirit
' ■?"■ ' ■ ofthe Lord. Whic h Job faith, dot h aptarepondus aer'i & avpendere aquas ;« men fur a ,
J"'"®- '5- ' facere
Stdt,!. MojaicallThtlofofbyl jij
facere f Invite fiatuta&viamfulgetrotomn-Hum'^ that is, giveth a portion uhto the weight of the aWe, andhaao^eihthe waters or clowds inmeajure, andm.iketh fiatutes , or giveth lar»es unto ths rein, ar.d, a pajfage umo the Uohtnifiir of the thunder, &c. And Racanaty that excellent Malier in Cabal, upon the beginning oiGenefis, faith, as is already told you, tt forte quArei, Cnmfap entiafu Hnmsratio fchnda , q lare dicatar Rg^(i,j, principittm ? Scriptum eft tn libra Bahir , Nih l eft principium niji fapienti-z. Cui cquidcm reUemihiv}dearrefpondere,qt:'jdinftnitndoipfa trmm fifmmarum Caha/i/lica arharts numerationnm^qUiii vot P'es in divinis perfoy:'ts appelUre co»fueviftis,al>fol:t'JJimA effsn^ tia)qdfnn ft in iibyjpj tentbrarum rtcraSlaijr immanens ociofa,vel(^Mt ainnt') ad>tihiire- fpiciens, idcirco dicitur VS*, i. e. Nihil ftve non-ens ae non-ftnUy quia nos tarn tenuiergx res diVitioi ir.gen'.i pauper tare miiltiati,de lis qui. non apparent hand ft cut ^tqkie de iii qua tionfrtnt judicamus. Atitbi fe oftenderit ut fit a iquid & reverafubftftat ^ tunc Aleph tenebrofum tn Aleph lucidum convertitur, Scriptum eft enim, Sunt tenebra ejus ita & lKxejtts:& appellatur tui.t Aleph magnum quanda exire cupit & apparere omnrnv* remnt can fa per Beth proxime fequentem liter am, nominattirque 3(t , i. e. pater omnis generatioms & p oduchonus^ facit enim res ontnes^&c, Andperchance you will demand , Since fapience ii the fecondCabalifticall numeration, wherefore it is called Principium, er the beginning} It ts rvrnten in the boot(^ of BihiT y that nothing is ipnnciY>i\im, or the beginning , but fV/fdom, Unto whom, me-thinkj, J may rightly anfwet. That the in- finity it jelf of ihe three higheft numerations of the Cabaliliicall tree, (^whichye are ac- cuftomed to call the three Per fans in Divinity , of one abfjlute effen ce) when it is rarailed in the abjffe ofd.trknejfe , and remaining idle or vacant , and, as it were, having refpe il unto aoth.ngf is therefore called ViA, that ii to fay. Nothing, or non-entity ; becaufe that ■we being endued with fuch poverty of under^andtngin divtne matters , do p^dgeoffuch things which appear not, no other tvife than of thofe which are not at all; but when it doth fo reveal itfelf, that it ex,fleth in our fenfesfomewhat indeed, then is darkAleph conver- ted into light Aleph. For it is writ,As his darkneffe is,fo is his iight^ namel^^ when it de- fireth to tjfue out ofdarkneffe^ and to appear to be the canfe of all things , by Beth, which is the next tnfumg letter ; and it is termed 3H Ab^ that is to fay, the father of all qenera- tim and production ofthiitgs ; for it effeEleth all things. Moreover, Mercury Trifme-' gift,v/hon\ others term Hermes, doth moreexprcflyfeem to mention this progreC- fion, from unity in darknefs , down to the creation of the elements , in this very form of fpeech , Pimander mens div.nepotcntie mutavit prmam & univerfa fubito re- velavit, cerneham emr/i omnia in lumen conver fa, fy.ave nimium aiqaejucundum, quodVimtni' i. intuentem me mirificc ob.'ectabat. Paulo poft, umbra qutid.im horrenda cbliqua revolutio- ne fubterlabebatur , in humidamque naturam mi^rabat , ineffabili turn vuftu exagita- bam, indefumusmagnusin fonnumerumpebat 1 ex foyittttvoxegiediebatur,quameoa luminis vocem extftimabam, ex iiiminis voce verbum fa^um prodiit ; verum hoc natirnz hurnidt aftans^ eamfovsbat, ex humid^ critent nature vifcer'.bus fin^erut ac kvis ig- nis protinus evolans, a'ra petit, Aer quoque levisfpiritu parens mediam refionem inter ignem & aquam fortiebatur, terra vero & aquafc invicem comm'xta lacebant ut terra fades aquti obruta nufquam pater et. Tunc Pimxnder ait , Lumen Hind e ao ftm, mens Deus tuus , antiqitior quam Immida natura qua. ex umbr-t ejfulftt ■ mentis vsro gennen lucens, Det F.lius, &c, Pimander being the mentall exce lency of the divine pu'tffance^ didchange his form or ihape , and on the fudiain revealed the univerfe; forldiddif" ctrn , that all things were converted into a pleafant anadelettable light , which did rc- joyce me to behold, A little after , a fea, full jhaddow or darkneffe did glide downwards by an oblique revolution , and was converted into a humid or moift nature , which was exagitated or ftirred up by an unfpea'.^ab'e afpeSi ; thereupon a g- eat fume or fmoakmade a noife , out of that no fe proceeded a vnce , which I did im.tgins to be the voiceof the light, out of this voice of the light the word which was made was uttered^ but this wordjoyning it felfivith the humid na'we , did nourish and animate it. Out of the bowells of this humid nature, the light element of fire doth fly, andfoareth on high , alfo,the thin aire pojfeffeth the middle reaion , between the fire and water ; bit the earth and the water were intermingled af.erfuch a fajhion , that the face of the earth was nt ■where over-flowed by the waters. ThenPimanderfaid, I am that light , the mentall fpirit, that is thy God , of a greater antiquity then is the Iximii nature , which did Jhine out of the d^irk,. jhaddow : but the brightfome germe of the mentall fpirit is the Son of God, &c. Whereby it is evident , that by the mentall unity is meant the abfolute divine Monadyinit felfj without any refpe>9: had unco creation. By the Divine PuiiTance, is underRood the dark principle, beginning, or Chaos, out of the which light or the divine emanation did fpring. At theiffuing of Light,
T the
^2 MqfakattPbiloJbfhj. Book u
the word was made manifeft out of the dark and deformed Chaos ; from which al- fo the humid nature or the Abyffe of waters did fpring , or proceed into aftionby the creating emanation : this humid Mafs was nouriftied and vivified by the word> and framed in the Elements , as is faid before. And therefore it is apparent , that thedarknefs, the light, the word, the waters, and Elements were complicitly contained all in the mentall puiffance and abftruce refervation of the hncere Identity oiPimander, or God in himfelf, before they were created. But I will yec pafs a little further, and confirm all this more rationally and demonftratively, by theamhority of Holy- Writ : lob {iuh: Rtvelat Dens ftindtimemaetenebris, &edu- citinlticemHmbram lethalem: Godrevealeth the foundations of theivorld out of darl^- neffe, and he difcovereth or brinieth forth into light the dea(Uyfhadow, &c, Where,by the foundations he underftandeth the waters, which were fecretly contained in the dark and mis (hapen abyfs, of the which afterward the heavens, and the earth, and confequencly the whole world was framed by the Word , according unto the Ar- chetypicall pattern: So that we here perceive, that two principles of a clean con- trary nature,do iffue or proceed from,and out ofone and the fame Identity or Unity in Effence, namely a deadly darknefs,and as it were the fhadow of death, and an ad- mirable vivifying light , whereof the one was the matrix or receptacle of form: And the deformed bowells of the other, contained that matter without form, whereof afterward the world was framed , and therefore the wifeman faith : Ma- fias omnifotentis rnHndnm ex informi materia effecit : The hand of the yllmi^hty hath made the world of a matter without form. Andaccording unto this tenent alfo, lob in an other place : uiquilonemextenditVeHS fttfe^ inane & vacuum , df f^fpendit ter- Sap. II. 1 8. ram fuver 'fiihilum: God Jiretcheth forth or jfreadeth the North upon emtpynefs , and lob i6'i. ifjanity ; that is to fay, on a thing that was void and deftitute of fhape , andhang- ed the earth upon nothing. In which fpeech by inane or vacuum and nihilum , he meaneth misfliapen darkneffe, and deadly fhadow, of which he fpake in the before- fpecified place , or that matter without form, mentioned by 5o/ewfl« : the which ^°^ *'• whilft it was in TotemiaD.vina, or the Divine Puifancej was meerly nothing in man's
weak capacity} being that it was not as ye;ta6tually created or informed; for it is formonely thatgiveth name andeflence, as all Philofophers do confefie.
By this therefore we may difcern , how all things are effentially comprehended in this eternall and radicall Unity • Forafmuch as being one , he is infinite , and being infinite as well in his dimenfion and eflence as power ; he murt of necelfity comprehend in himfelf all finite things whatfoeyer. He is in all andfillethall,ana yet he is beyond all , as hethat furpalTingandcompalTingall, isonelyin himfelf, and yet neither abfent from his creatures which he hath framed out by his Word, according to his Will. For firft , from his Volunty did proceed his Word , Fiaty and it was done. Now that we have the privative principle , namely deadly dark- nefle and deformity , drawn from the infinite center of all things; vvhofe circum- ference is no where to be found ; We will dive into the nature of that formall and lively Light, which did alfo iiTue from the felf-fame Originall Root and moft an- tique beginning of all things, that thereby we may with the belt colours of our underftanding , paint out and defcribethat excellent formall Elfence which re- deemedthe humid matter,or watery fubllance out of the captivity of the deadly and mislhapen darknefs orfliadow of death (that I may fpeakin Iol>*s language) by which all things have their being, and beauteous exigence.
CHAP. III.
How that amiable and bright emanation of vivifying Love, fhone forth from the
Fountain of all aoodnefs, and dif placed Litigious and odious darkneffe
from the Throne of the obfcure Chaos or dark, yi^yff^ I that
thereby a World might he made of nothings that was a£lu-
all, andbeat^tified by the formall prefence thereof.
IT is a wondrous thing, and palTing all humane underttanding, that out of one' Unity in effence and nature, two branches of fuch an oppofite nature fhould a- rife and fprout forth, as are Darkneffe ( which is the feat of error? deformity, con- tention, privation, or death) and Light, which is the vehicle of truth, beauty, love, pofuion, and lifet It is not for nought, that the Seit of the Manichaans did
fo
Seft. 2. Mofaicall Philofofhy, jig
fo iHfly holdthac there were two coeternall principles ; whereof they made one to beGod whom they termed the Prince of Lighc , nndthe beginner and Author of life, heaLhj and all goodnefl^; : the other they attributed unco the Devill , whom thy entitled the Prince of Darknelle, and theoriginalLmd p inciple of oppoaci- on> death, fickneffe, and all eviU. Ardchey eiteemed the Devill or Prince of Darknefs therefore coeternall in being wich Godjbecaule there can be no goodnefli; which hath not relation unto his contrary, namely bad ncfie : For this reaion they will have, forfoothjthe God of evill and naughtinelVe.to be of a coeternall exiltence with the God of goodncik. By which mean? they would not onely exclude the Devill out of the lill of creatures, bur alfobanifh Unity our of the bounds of na- ture and judleDiady or duality ( which in verity is nothing elle but a tonmion of Unities) in its place. And verily this point did feem fo tickliili and diffi.ulrto be fcanned and reiolved, that there were tome of the wifer forr ofPoeti.all Phi- lofophers that did incline unto their part, as it appearethby fuch mylticall and alle- goricall expresfions as they did inigmatically rowl up or bewrap in their fabulous difcourfes. Among;hhere(t, wetindthatthe Poet PronaptilnhisProro-cofmus, averreththat Den-.ogir^oi:^ (by which is meant the greateft of the Gods) wasgar- ded or incirded about with Eternity and Chaos. And that on a timewhillt he was in his majeliy , he did perceive a great tumult and troublefome motion to be lUrred up in the bowelis of the Chaos : Whereupon to help her in this her travels andeafeher of h.-r trouble, he put forth his handjandperformingthe office of ?. Midwife, did fuddenly deliver her of the foul and deformed Mon'.ler Liugiyrn, or ttrife, the which after fuch time as it had moved great llorms and troubles, and had ambitioufly attemp'-ed to fore or fly upward, was forthwith by J):MOgo; gon caft down into the deep. But when he vcr perceived her to travell and be oppreffed miferably with fervent llghs and dropping fwears, Dem-gorgon vioM\d not in thefe her agonies remove his hand from her, untill Die was delivered oi Pan , with his three Sillers, which were called the Parcx. or Dellinycs, and when Demogorgon was much affefted and taken with the beauty and excellent form of Pan , he made him the Ruler of all his familiar bulinefles in the world , and commanded his three Si- fters, as his Hand-maids and Minifters, toobey his behe(lsand will. It foUoweth, that Chaos being over burthenedand oppreffed, wirhthe weight offogreac a heap or Mafs as {he travelled with, and now being delivered and freed from ir, did, at the perUvafion of Dfw«>ffflr^o« , place her Son F/^w upon her Throne. This is the ParaDolicall fable of Demogorgo/)^ and Chaos, familiarly told by the Poers. Their Allegory importeth, thic the generation and procreation of all things , did fpring from the highell God or Creator , whi'h they lignity by the name of Dcmogcrgon, unto whom Eternity is joyned, byan inviolable link in one effentiall fociety , be- caufe that he onely is truly to be called Eternall, who is, and ever was the begin- ning or primary caufe of all. things. And they fain alio that Chaos made athird inthacendleffe Society : forafmuch as flieis,by Ovld'i relation, the common mixed and confufed matter or lluftof all things in the world, and therefore the An- cients did affirm her to be eternalj with God, as being a rude Mafs or darkabyfle, out of which DcmogorgoiT, as an univerfall Father and Work-ma(1er, did acco ding unto his will procreate andfaOiion our all things, and therfore they eiteem this catholick Subllance or matter of all things, to be thigenerall Mother, on which, and out of which , the univerfall Father did beget and frame out every thing; for the which caufe they concluded 3 that there were two generall Parents of things, from endlefs antiquity ; whereof the r.ne was rhe Father and the other the Mo-
. ther: But they conienred that God was their chiefelt caufe, and they would have the Chaos ferve onely as his pasfive companion to engender on. And although ic may appear, that the wifeand divine Waro doth feem in fome forr to verify thar the Chaos was God's companion from all antiquity ; yet he doth intimate to us well, as many other of the like profundity ;that though fliebe termed acompanion withGod in the Creation , yet did Hie ifVue from him by a certain eternall generation or pro- duction, and that God did jfrerward frame all things out of Chaos : For which caufe they conclude, that it did fpring from God and is never divided from him; as alfo ic ferveth God as a female companion, for procreation and generation, no , otherwife then Eve, b;ing framed out of Adam, was called a companion unto j4dam. This is the opinion of both the HeathetiPhilofophers and mylticall Ca- balills.But to proceed in this Allegorie's expofition. The hand of Dew>gorgon im-
> ; porteth the Divine PuilVan;e. The firll-born of Chao ■ , namely Lhigi^m , with a
T 2 foul
lAo Mojaicall Pbilofofby. BooL i,
foul ifhape, fignifieth the true Prince of Darknefs, the Author of oppofitionjthe Fa- ther of difcord ; and therefore for his prelumptuous attempt, againit the Prince of Li"ht, and the Lord of Life, he was call down into the abyfle. By the Second bir^h of Chaos, namely Z**?", they point at the univerfall nature of the world, and the peaceablenefle and accord of contrary Elements, arguing thereby, that af- ter that great difcord which was in the firll opening of Chaos her womb , concord did follow in the fecond place , which was as beautifuU and acceptable unto God in thi later birth , as deformed difcord was foul and odious in his fight in the firlt. Thus you fee how in the firlt beginning of the world)all the Elements were at ftrife in the bowels of the Chaos: The three Parca. or Sifters of DelHny, Clot ho, Lachefis^ and ^tr(7/)(?/,which vvereborn with Pan, do fignify the three orders of time, namely the time prefent , the time paft, and the time to come. Clotho hath the care of the prefent time , and her office is to twili the thread of life : Lachefu is the fu- perintendrix of the time to come, and looketh to the flax or hemp which is not yet fpunne nortwifted: And y^rropsi doth import the time palt, which is irrevocable, and therefore fhe doth finifh and cut off the thread nowfpun. I infer upon this parabolicall relation, that though the Chaos or dark abyffe be with God before the world's creation, yet did the infinite and fole eternall Unity or radicall Effence create it, and produce it out of its felf : For that Eternall Unity faith : Ego Do- nai.4J. 7. minus & non tjt alter y formans Incem, & crearts tenelrras ^ facieis pacem , & creans mdum: I am the Lord, and there ii no othe-, who do inform light, and create dc.rk»e[s, maki» thebri'ght Spirit of Wifdome, and I created the dark Chaos, out of which I fra- med the world, and out of her I produced as well the concord and difi-ord of the . Elements in the world ; that is to fay, Z-if/^;»w and /".w ; fo that we may difcern ftill, that there is but one Eternall Unity , which in it felf is male and female, and all that can be imagined, which of himfelf , and in himfelf produceth all things, no otherwife then .^^f^w contained in himfelf Eve , which was the Morhe: of tne little world, or mzmizziAdam: and therefore Hermes faith. Mens amem Dens Timana. jttriufcjue [exits fascunditate plcntjftmns^ vita & lux cnrnverbo fic alteram mentempe^
peril: God being full of the fertility of bo'.hfexes, and being life and light, brought forth Another Divine Spirit by his ivord. And Scriptures feem to intimate thus much in this fenfe : Qui ceteris generationem tribuo, an fierilisero ?
It is evident therefore , that out of one and the fame radicall Unity ,*exifting before all antiquity, both the matter and form of all things do proceed , and that they appear in regard of their being or births but seviall, that is, having a begin- ning but no end, though in theireffentiall Root, they are Eternall ii) God, the ab- flrufe Monady or Unity of all things : So that as the dark Chaos , and the bright informing Spirit, are two principles oppofite and contrary to one another, in na- ture and property, (for from the dark principle, difcord, evill, cold, congelati- ■ on, reft, death, privation, negation orNolunry, do proceed; but from the o- ther which is the type of beauty, and grace, namely the bright beginning, light, concord, goodnefs, heat, refolution, motion, -life, and polition , or Volunty, are poured out into the nature of the world, tocaufeit toexift and live: ) foalCo both thefe are but main branches , arifing from one and the fame effentiall Unity, which when they cannnot pafs or exceed the limits of their infinite fountain , are in him light and darknefs, and no way differing in elTence from their Root, which Pfal. 1J9. II. isallin all, becau fe that as the Pfalmift doth fay , Tenebre funt ei^ficut ipfa lux'.. Darhnefs is unto him oi Ugh: : For all is one in him , who is onely one and the fame Rom. II. 36. in himfelf , In whom, by whom, and therefore from whom are all things: For his ro- lutttyznd Nolumy^ is but all one in him that is one fimple Identity , and what is hisri/fcw^, that is as well his affirmation as his negation, which is ail but one good in him thit is all goodnefs. And yet in regard of the creature, when his negation hath the fupremacy, he hides the light of his loving countenance, and all is dark, and then he operateth in regard of his privation. For where he hideth his face, all is deformed, and, as it were, void of effence and goodnefs. Lo here is his Folunty, ne- gative or privative, which may rightly be termed his /\lolii>ity. If his ifBrmation hathdominion, he emitteth the beauty of hisbenignity, andthe creatures expe- cting fpirit is enlightned by his prefence , and confequently replenidied with soodncf-:. Lo here is''airo his falunty affirmative or pofirive, called his Volun-j in rhe right fenfe. But leaft any man fliould think this ftrange , let him but obferve the ' inentall beam , which is ailigncd by God unto man, to inform him with reafon, and
adorn
SeSt,!. MofaicallFbilofofhy, i^i
adorn him with undcrftanding. We know that man hath buc one Divine nature, which giveth him intellect : Spintus eft in homme (faith /»^) fed wfpiratio om>Tipo^ Joi> 9- tentisfaciteHmiK'.eUigere: And yet this Unity in eflence, whichis the linage of God, operateth ingenerallby two contrary properties : Whereof the one is apt to affirm, give, and grant a petition by an affable emanation, ( Lo here is the t>~(k of pofition , fcored out in raans fpirituall Unity;) or elfe to deny , take a- way, or be againft the demand of him that cravetnby a privative ablation of the wiftied rewards, (Lohere is the effeft of negation deciphered, forthementall beam (hineth not out unto the Petitioner , but is referved or concradled in it felf.) In thefe two anions , we may obferve but onely one effeft wich is laudable, in this one fimple and abfolute unity u6to the petitioner ; for though I grant, by the friendly and pitifull emanation or emilfion of my mentall beam , fo that it is according unto the petitioners wifli; or though I deny his demand , contrary unto hisdefire, andfoitappearethtobe agreat evill ormifchiefunto thedemander; yec unto my mentall fpirit, both the affirmation or negation appeareth good , and are founded upon good reafon , and therefore are indeed but one thing, though they feem divers to the demander. In like manner , in theeternall and archetypicall mentall unity, whofe type or fimilitude, the beam of our underftanding is, as well the aft of Volunty as Nolunty , is all one, and that is goodnelfe ; for he that is all goodneffe, hath in it felf no contrariety, although in the creature, which is fubjeft unto the effefts, either of his privative or pofitive will ; his privative or dark aftion is efteemed for evill , as contrariwife his pofitive and light emanation , that is full of love and benignity, is received for good, and therefore embraced with joy. For, doth not the holy Text tell us, Bonttm & mdttm^ vita, & mors, a Deofum ? Good and tvill, life and death, are from God} And doth it not tell us in another place, '' ' •"•^♦« QHodDeoabfcottdentefaciemfuiimacreaturiiConturhancur, recipknte ffir'ttftm eomm pfj,]^ ,p. exfpirant, emittente fpintum fmtm fecreantur bono ? God hiding- his face from the crea- tures, they are troubled attd ft ckj^ tak^itig his bright vivifying Spirit from them they dye , and fending tt forth aga n they arerecreated with goodnejfe, health, and life. And again, f^ifitatio tua(ia.iih David) prrefervat fpirltfimmeum , Thy vi fit at ion doih preferve wy fe • '*• fpirit. Attollefaciem tttant & emitte lucemfupra nos, & ejfciet ut videamits lucem, & pj-jj' .g ^* fplendentcs effclat tenebras nnfiroi: Send out the light of thy countenance, and it willcanfe us to fee light , and it will make our darknsffe bright andjhining. And again, Tenebras jp^ , , ponam its in lucem ^ I will put dxrknejfsin them in /lead of light. Tenebras in diem in- job. current aftuti & quaf in no^efc palpabuntin meridie. Crafty men (hall in the d-ry-time Joh. ii. run into darkneffe, and they jhall grope at noon-day as if it were in the niqht. In tenebr.is .■ Tq^ i eft ,& in tenebris ambulat, c/nioditfratrem: He is in dark^neffe, and watketh in darknefs, thathateth his brother. And the Prophet faith , Tenebre perfecjuemnr inimicos Dei , j^^hu^ i Darknejfs Jhall per fecute the enemies of God. yibfconditfaciemfnamabiisut obtingant Deuc. 31.17. its multa mala & anguftia : He hideth his face from them, that ev.ll and mifery mny be. fall them. And yet there is neither of thefe two properties in thi^ one eflenciall unity, but is good abfolute! y, though the latter b; privative, pallive, odious, di- llurbing, and deadly unto the creature that endurech the effeft. Is it not written, that hthilhthe power efLfe and death, and do:h lead down unf) the m.'Uth ofthig aye. Sap. \6. 15. and can bring back_again to life when he pleafeth. And yet all this is but according to Pfal. 9. 6. his double property of Volunty andNolunry, that is, of his granting or pofitive emanation, and privative or negative condition , which are ( as I have fiid ) both good in him, who is nothing but pure goodnefle in his (imple and abfolute na- ture, and therefore are one in him, who is fincere uniry in himfelf. Whereupon the wifePhilofopher , not difagreeing in this from Scriptures, faith, Non eft .nmonade Vimmi. 14. divina nift unumcfrbonum, abipfo enimfaSi're nihil malum nihilij.'ie turpe : In the di- vine effence there is not any thing but unity and good-;effe , for from the Creator there is neither evill nor filthineffe. And for this caufe , when jc^ faw that God did flrike him, as it feemed to him, wirhout a caufe, forafmuch as he was a juft man , and ( as the Text faith) according unto Go*ds heart ; he being egged forward, norwithlhn- ding all his pains, with apious zeal towards his Creator , though he knew that his affliftion proceeded from the hiding of his Maker's countenance from him , did break forth into thefe terms, ErMwf»^/'/'fi« D,?o/»;/>/eM^, & abOmnipoteme ini^:ii-'° '*• tas: Andyetfor allthittyfarbe itfromme y that I fyoulddeem any impiety to be in God, or that iniquity jhauldpnc edfrom the Almighty. It is moft apparent unto the fleigh- teft Philofopher , that God is converfant in the created nature, as well about cor- ruption and privation , as generation and pofition ; and yet no good Chriftian
can
141 Mofaicall Phibfopby. Book i,
can be ignorant, but that euher of thefeoppofue properties , Co faml iar in one fincere ell'ence , is abfolutel'ygood , in chat ic is compkatly excellent in goodnefs in it felt", although nothing is more terrible, tearful!, abominable, an i wicked to the creature, than is his own death and corruption. If we Chri.Hans deny the pro- perty in the Ideal unity , namely, as well to deprive the creature of his life, by withdrawing his ad of life from it intoic felf , we may jultly imagine our felves to be inferiour in judgment, unto the Infidell Poets and Philofophers , who do veri- lef 1 fie this fore-nicntioned axiom of the wile-man , BonHm&n!a!:myvita&nio,s,hc- ■/lefias&pauperias^aDeofnw: Good and evil^ life and deaih , ricbei atii poverty, are allfrcmGjd. Whereby he intimateth , that this oneefsentiall diviniry operaceth cppotitely in the created world, by a two -fold differing property. Their Allegori- callilory is this , /'r.^c/.-.-j foil iwing the antient Theology of O/'/'/j^w/, Beftode, £«. rip/des, and Efchflns, (which perfonages have inreloped in their fabulous Counts or Stories, fuch hiudcniecretsas they had learned of divine perfons , and iu h as were profoundly feen in the mylteries of God ) doth decipher the properties of the fupream and archecypicall Son , under the fhadow of the vifible and typicall Sun ,
! in this manner , exprelfing thereby , that one and the fame eternall eflence doth
i operate all in all, as well privativly as po:uivly. Thefe Poets tearm it by the name
of^/'s/'o in the day-time , becaufe they pretend, thatinhis poHtionand benigne nature, which is manifefted by the vivifying property of the Sun, he compofeth the creature of feven parts, for by the quaternary number , the Pythagorean.^ did fig- nifie matter which is t, amed of the hilements; for it is thefquare of 2 , which is an
' unperfei!^ number, and therefo-e doth decipher matter : and by the ternary, which
is the mmb.-r of perfection , they exprefs the form of things ; ib that thefe two numbers united, do make up the feptenary number, whi;h doth include theper- feit complement of the creature. Again, they intitleit Dimyfms in the night time, namely, in his dark and privative difpo.ition , faying, thit undet this name he nfeth to tear and divide that creature into feven pieces, which underthe x\t\z of Apollo, or in his pofitive property, or filar and divine nature, it had compofed. So that they feem ro argue, that the felf- fame unity in efsence is the aurhor, as well of de-
' ftruftionrndconuption, as of thegeneration and vivification "f the creature; but
they therefore tearm it according unto the variety of his property by a differing name, no otherwife than the Cabaiill calls it in his hidden and privative property , yileph tenebro [urn-, ot dark Aleph , namely, when he keepeih in his beams of life in himfelf, orwithdrawethhis face from tne creature ; and Aleph /ucidum , o: lifh ^leph, when he fhineth forth unto it, and extendeth his beams of life upon it. By this therefore we Chriiiian 5 may fee , thatthevery Pagans didgrant or acknow- ledge, that which the Scriptures do teiiifie , though it be by an allegoricall way , concluding with them, that it isonely in the power of one and the fame radical! unity, to fave or deliroy , to give life or take it away, to will or to nill , and , in condufionjto operate all, and in all, and that according unto its pleafure. Thus have we confirmed , that thetwo members ofanoppohte condition or difpofuion dofpringout of oneete-nall root , and that they operate in rhiswo-ld by clean contrary effefts, and confequently , th.ic fincethe mafs of waters, whereof (as Sc p Peter doth ttlVific) the heavens and the earth were made of old, did come out of
'■ '■ the dark chaos, and was, as it were, her fecond birth , which the Poets feigne ro be Prf«, or theuniverfall nature, it i^eaiie tobe confideredby thewife Philofopher , that this p^ifive portion of the world is by a natural! inrtin£l inclined to darknefs, and unto all the pnvative conditions thereof ; fo that if it were norfor theformall portion oft he world, which proceeded from that bright fpiric ofwifdpm.^ (which -
Sap. 7. 84. Soh.mr.n cMcth , The vapour of the vertneofGod., a>^d the fincere em.inntwn of the l>r!(Th:ne(fe of the ontntpotent , andthefpleytdattr of the Avne li/ht , and the m'rreur ,
•j l'".'^* without all fpot, of his a oodnejfe; ihxz divided the waters into difl^iEl orhef orfphearSy
' * a^id aave aproporticiallrcieiq^ht unto the a.r^ ^ and tjedor hfinafd up the waters in the
thick, clovfds by mcafiire , and g-ave orders unto the rain , andmidi a p-'.^ag' for t1)e
lightninfsofthethnnde.'!^ if it were nor (I fay) for theact of this Spirit, allthings
P , r VTOuld be alike. It is this Spirit that faid, Ah ore nliiffimi prcdij & ntuniitatcm cceL-
^' rum ciraimivifolus in profunda al>\fjfiamhnlavi: I came oat from the mouth of J F HO- . VA, and compared about the heavens, I walked in the profnndity of the aby/fe, &c. Ic was the bright wifdom which JEHOl^A diJ poffeffe in the beginning of his waies , is-
Prov. 8. f^y^ jj-^ workjy before alltimt, before the world woi mtide, when th.^re was fWt any abvfe,
hfare there Wt^s any faftttain , before the TKO.-intalnswer! ra'fed , or the earth created. ^
yyhen
Sea. 1. Mofdcall Philofofh^. 14 j
when he ntadetheheAvensitwu there y when he did fortify the fuperiour waters itrvoi thertiwhen the limits ofthefea were framed ^ UJl the waters ^ou/d pajfe their Boftnds, fyhen he gave the earth her foundation it was there with him] oi a helper to compofe all *''"•''* thir.gs. To conclude, by it all was formally made, and without it was nothing made and preferved. So that if it were'not for the prefent action of this formall fpirit, the wa- try matter of the world would return unto the deformed eftate of her mother Chaos; for being in this world, itisinclineduntothedifpofitionofher mother, being that it is pairive,feminine,and ferveth in place o£ the mother of all chinos -and inanotherrefped:, the vivifying and bright emanation of the eternal Unity, is be- come the mafculineaftor or father of all things , being that it doth vivify every thing in thisworld, asthe Apoftleteachethus, and as the before-faid Poets dp feem to intimate unto us, under the name of Apollo^ or the father of light.
This therefore being well obferved , we may by the deteftion of thefe two ab- ftruce and mylHcall principles, I mean, of Light and Darknefle, attain unto the ra- dicall knowledge and originall of the true fympathy and antipathy, being that it is evident, that the firit proceedeth from that concording and vivifying love, which arifeth from thebenigne emanation of the Creator, which defireth to be joyned with his like, and feeketh to preferve his likeby union ; and the other iffueth from that difcording, privative , and hatefull aft'eftion , which darknefle and deformity doth afford unto the children of light and life , and to all the beautious offsprings thereof. By this therefore it appeareth, that as before the feparation of thefe diffe- rent properties , or effects of one unity , namely, of light from darkneffe , which was Drought to paffeby the divine word , all things were one and the fame without dittinition and difference, and that unity or one was no way to be numbered a- mong thofe things which were created , fo that light was darkneffe, and darkneffe light, andneither of thefe difcernable; nothing was really diffinguiflied, but all were one in the firll: matter of all things, which was in the eternall unity : So that then there was neither light nor darknefs, nor day nor night, nor heaven nor earth, nor fpirit nor body, nor good nor evill , nor pure nor impure , norgenerablenor corruptible, nor this nor that ; and yet neverthelefs all thefe , as well fpirituall as corporall, proceeded from that potentiallfubjeft ■> which remained complicitely in that infinite Unity , which both was, and is, and ever fhall be , allinall, and over or without all. O admirable wifdom of God in all his works .' All things (I fay ) proceeded from one matter , the which neverthelefs was nothing of thefe things which were made. All things were abftrucely hidden andinfecret , but, ac- cording unto our Saviours words, tiothing was fo occult and obfcure , but was to be revealed, and made to appear unto fighr , by the penetrating operation of the ad- mirable word F/W, by whofe divine fpagericall aftion or vertue , that one thing was divided into two contraries ; upon the which, names, well befitting their na- tures, were impofed;for the one, as I have told you,vvas called Light, and the other Darknefs; the firft alfo was rearmed Day, the lall: Night; and thus was the pure fe- parated from the impure. Hence therefore it commeth, that all the world was ori- ginally divided into two contrary Kingdoms, chat correfpond unto thefe two ra- aicall branches of one unity, by the which relation itiseafie to exprefs, what in verity is light and darknefs , what day and night, what goodnefs and what badnefs , what is heaven and what is hell, what is truth and what is falfhood , what is humi- lity and whatispride, what juRice and what in juftice, what is gladneffe and what is forrow, what is fweet and what is bitter , what is aftion and what paffion , what is life and what is death, what is generation and what corruption, what is pure, and what impure, what is wholfom and v?hat pernicious , what is a medicine and what a poifon, and, to conclude, what is amiable and what is odious , what is concord andwhat isdifcord , and, by confequence, whatisfympathy and what antipathy, in an infinity of creatures in this world.
That the whole world , andevcry creature thereof , iscompofed of thefe two contrarieties, or oppofite natures , we find it juttified as well by the facred autho- rity, as telFimony of Ethnick Philofophy ; for the fon oiSjrach faith , in the place before fpecified, G cmin a funt omnia quorum alterum contrariumeft alteri ^ "^'^ '7'^'^" Ecdus. 4». quam f af} urn eji quod rnancumejl: All things are of atwo-foldnature, whereof the one is contrary unto the other., and yet there is not any thing which is defeiiive. And thereup- on the Philofopher Heraclitns concludeth , that all things in the world are made by ftrife and concord ; and Empedocles will have the foul to be compofed of the ele- ments, andof friendfhip and enmity. To conclude, left fomefcrupulous Reader ^ ^ (hould
J ^4 Mofaicall Philofopby. Book. i.
ftiould condemn me for making l"o long a difcourie upon thefe two concrary prin- ciples, proceeding from one Root, 1 thought it molx rit to certitieeach juoicious perlbn, that the true knowledg thereof is of an efpeciall importance, becaufe that thetwoforefaid principles are obferved to be thereall and onely foundation, both of univerfall Philofophy and Theology. For that the root and bafes of them both, doth coniilf on the true underltanding of thefe two contrarieties: And there- fore if they be not firft of all well opened and conceived , how is it polTible after- wards that they fliould be rightly handled either in true Philofophy or underltood inthofe places of Holy-Writ, wherein they arefo often mentioned ? Touching the explication of this moft profound Sphyngian Riddle or ablhufe quelfion, name- ly Why God in his fecret fenfe or mentall intent did raifeup and ordain out of the , informed matter or Ideally delineated inhimfelf, thefe two contrarieties, to caufe thereby that all things in the world, fhould be put into a mmuall dilTonance, or fioht and confliil with one another , fo that there is found nothingwhichparti- cipatethofgoodnefs, whichhath not his contrary; thar is to fay, which doth not communicate with badnefs (infomuch that God himfelf is not without an adverfa- ry) verily it is too occult a Caball to be explained by mortall capacity, being that it may well be efteemed the profoundeft fecret of all the divine myfteries : wherefore thereis required a mentall afpe£l,well purged and mundified from each mifty cloud of ignorance and error, to fearch into the bowells of this queliion , and therefore it is impollible to be revealed unto any , but to fuch as God doth immediarly be- llow his grace and holy Spirit, which is the fearcher out of allmylferies) the which Spirit is in us, and breatheth and blows, when and where it litkth, and it is called in Scriptures the Spirit of Truth,the Spirit of Sanftificationjthe Spirit of Illuminati- on, the Spirit of Revelation, which is the bell interpreter of the Divine Secrets, mentioned in holy-Writ: neither verily doth it become us of ourfelvesro enquire why God made this or that,or thus or after this fafhion.But it behoveth the zealous to refer all this unto thetime when thefe fecrcts fhallbe difcovered,which will come to pafs, when the feventh Seal lliall be opened : for then that high myllery, which is the finall caufe, why and for what end Gods Providence will by thefe two op- pofits reveal it felf, and clean extinguish all enmity out of the world, fliall be dif- covered. As touchingneverthelefstheend of thisdiflonancy, the ApolHe faith, that it will b;,whenthe Son hathdelivered the Kingdom unto God the Father, and when he hath evacuated every Principality and Potentate, and Virtue, hemuft raign untill he hath made his enemies his foot-Ilool , and the lall enemy that fhall be dell royed is Death. So that as two contrarieties or difcords , proceeded from one Unity or unifon, namely Ligho and Darknefs from one Divine Eflence ; So alfo thefe two difTonant branches or confufion of Unities, will at the lall be redu- ced or return again into one harmonious Unity , in which there will be found no diffonancy, namely when thefe words of the Revelation are accompliflied : Ecce Rcv.ii, omnia nova facio'. vetera enimtranfifrHut : Beheld I makj ^-Uthinasnerv : forrheold
heaven andearth have f.fjfed away. But leaving this allaterall difcourfe, we will proceed direilly ill our Sympathetica!! and Antipatheticall Argument or inquifi- tion : into the which that we may penetrate with thegreater celerity and facility, and dive the deeper into the refearch of their actions ; it will be fit that we fhould defcribe in the firii place, the manner how the world doth live , by the participa- tion of thefe two, namely of the Light and Darknefs, and that I will exprefle un- to you in few words , what the Ancient Philofophers have determined about the foul of the world ; and lalUy 1 will fhew that their Opinions do not erre or vary much from the Teltimony of the facred Bible.
CHAP. IV.
H^hereln it is evidently f roved, as well by the ancient Etbmck. Philofophers, as by the
anthority of Holy Scriptures, that there is a foul of the world : Herein
alfo is exfrejjedrvhat this catholick^Sonl is, and whereof a
IS cotnpofed or made.
IPurpofeinthefirftrankof my difcourfe, touchin^; the foul of the world, to exprelfe what the opinions as well of the ancient Cabalilf sand myilicall Rabbi's, as Ethnick Philofophers are , concerning this Subjed , fo mucb condemned by
fome
Sed. z. MofakaWPbilofojhy. 14^
fome feU'-conceiced and little skillfull perfon? , in fo protound a myft;ry , and fo highly priied and eKeemcd by others, who hive with the Lyncec.n eye-ligh: ot" their underrtanding, dived and penetrated into the fecrec bowells of Nature, & with due reverence contemplated her Centrail and eternall Agent. And afterwards my mea- ning is , to fet down the concordance which is obf>;tved becwixt them and Hol.y- Writ. The Cabalill's tenent is, that the great Angell whom they term A-luactro,i, (which by interpretation is Dij^ww /A-/, tue gift of God) is that very fame cacho- llck Spirit, which doth animate the whole world, and thereupon R.M: AJofes doth averre it to be ImclL It us a ■ t».f, or the j/entrntl IntelieiiHatl agent, from n'uich all nar- ticfilitr firms do jhw. And they fay , that from this univerfall angelicall Spirit , all ^ I' f, , lingular vettues as well aniiTiall, as vitall and naturall, do proceed, which alfo they " '*'
call Angells, wheteof there are an infinite number inrefped of our capacity. And the Philofopher Democr'n.is, Orpheus, vvith divers of the Pythagoreans, do nor much differ from this opinion oi thefe Rabbi's , but in variety of name onely : for they imagine that all things are full of gods , and therefore they offered divine Honours, Praiersj and Sacrifices unto them in the creatures , and did worfhip each of them with a divers fafliion of ceremony. But they had evermore that regard unto JE- HOVA, the eternall Unity and Father of all things, that they referred all thefe gods unto one Ir/piter. This point neverthelefs being ill underftood by the ig- norant, vvasan efp^ciallcaufeof Idolatry, being that hereupon, the fimple fell unto the worfliippmgof the creairure, in Ikad of the Divinity which was in the creature. And for this reafon, >S'c/ow*w: f^am fa^thominesomnesnaturk Ik qulbc.s el}- c ^ , tgncrantta Veiy & qui ex tisq la jpectancitr bomsy earn efiitejr, inteUigerenonpotHermit, neque ex operibtis con/iderati'f ipfumopificeni agmverunt : All men are naturally va'tn^ inwhontis thcyvant of thekjnwledgofGod^ and cannot conceive htm that truly is ^ by ftich good creatures as they fenfibly do difcern^ nor yet have fanned and dfcovered the IVorkrnan by the confiderationof hvsivorks' In like manner the Platonifts did call the generall vertuejwhich did engender and preferve all things the Animam mundi,ot the font of the world- And to this their opinions , the Arablck^ Aflrologians do feem to adhere •' forafmuch as they did maintain , that every particular thing In the world hath his dUllncI and peculiar foul from this vivifying Spirit. To this opini- on alfo /Wifrc«r;«j Tny?»(ff //?///, Theophrajlfts y Avicenna ^ AlgKz.el , and as well allthe Stoicks andPeripatetlcks, do feem wholly to confent or agree. Again, Zoroafier and Herachtus, the Ephefan^ conclude that the foul of the world Is that cathollck Invihblefire, of which and by the adion whereof, all things are gene- rated and brought forth ft om puiffance unto zdi.l^irail, that excellent Latine Poet, calleth It that mentall Spirit , which is Infufed through every joint and member of the world, whereby the whole Mafs of It, namely the heaven and the earth, or fplrlt and body , are after an abftrufe manner agitated and moved : Kls words are thefe;
Spiritusintusalittotamaae infufaper arm •,.,,.,,
MeHsag,tatmolem,^c. ^ned. 1,5.6.
A Spirit (faith he) doth nourij}? within, atid being infufeJ. over all the jo 'nts or mem- bers of the world, it dsth move the whofe fitbfiance of the fame, Marcns Mm ius, as zX^oBoetins 2it\dAptgurel, being later Poets , are of f^^^r^i/'s opinion, ^ot Man- iitis faith ;
Hoc opus immenfi confirH^um cor fore Wftndi i„ Af^rommkis
Vis animit divina regit. ad Auguli.
The divine power of the foul doth govern ffiiswark^i which fs ere^ed in tie body of the vaft world. And* Boetius
Tu triplicis medlam tiatttric, citnUa moventem, Connettis antwam.
Thou do fl frame or tje together amian foptlof a triple nature, which tnoveth all things. And Angarel faith;
Nonnulli qmcquid dijf/tnditetr ttndiejrte coelif
Aeraqste O" terras & lati marmiri-s ^tquor , ''*. i Chr'tf.
V Inttts
1^5 Mojaicall Thilofojhy, Book, u
Inttts agi referitnt amntii , ejtta vivere mitudi Cnntlapntafir, ipfumqae hae mitndum dnce}evi:Am, AJi anima q:iOniam vi! noK eft corporis expers , JVInnd:is at or muHiii partes qucque corpore cifijiant; Splritfts hie intermedins fit , qncm neejue corpus Ant ayi'intAm d cum fed ettm cjHifolus utrojns Panicipans /« idemfimul hacextrema redtcat.
Some fay, that whatfoeverfiileth the Heaven, the ^ire, the Earth, ar.dw/de Seas, it Jtiired ftp by afoul, through the vrrtae whereof all things In the world do live ; 'and alfo that the world it f elf doth exift by it. But bccanfe there is not any bodilj fubflance that is I'iod of a foal, and ihat the varld an.i every part thereof djth c^nffl of a body, therefore there is an intermediate fpirit betwixt this foul and body , nhich they neither call a fonl or a body, but ameanfubjiance , participating^ of them both , to reduce both extreams , together into one. The wifer forc of Alchymifts, do make the Soul a certain infinite
Tte c y . .4. j^^^j.y„g^ Qj. power in all things, which doch procreate like things ot their like : for this nature doth engender all things, yea, andmukipliech, andnouriflieth, or fu- Ihincth them: and they aho iiyle it, the Ligament, 01 bond of the elements ^ (ince by ic they are tartned together with the Symphoniacal accords of peaceable harmony, al- though of themfelves, that is in regard of their matter, they are dillonant. Alfo ic is termed the true virtue, that mingleth and proportionaterh every thing in this fub- lunary world, allotting unto each fpecifick creature a convenient and well agreeing form, that thereby one thing mightbe dillinguifhed and made to vary from another: andjin conclulion,the myliicall Rabbies do averre, that this occult tire is that Spirit of the Lord, or fiery love, which when it moved upon the waters, did impart un- to them, acertain harmonious and hidden fiery vertue , without whofe lovely a\X\- liance and favorable heat , nothing could be generated of them , o: multiplied in them.
Thus you may difcern the manifold opinions , as well of Chrirtian as Heathen Philofophers touching this Animamundi , or fonl of the worlds which will appear to vary little or nothing at all from the tenent of Holy Scripture in fenfe , but in words onely ; Neither are thefe their opinions fo hainous or abominable , as fome morefuperlHtioufly zealous than truly underftanding ChrilHans of this our Age will make them, if they will fcan the matter wifely and with moderation : for then they fhall really perceive, that it doth concurre with the Bible of Truth : And toconfirm what I now fay; my purpofe is in the firii place , to expreffe untoeach learned and well minded Reader, the harmony of the Scriptures touching this point, and then I will compare every one of the forefaid opinions, with the fenfe nnd grounds of the faid harmony , that each wife man may thereby the better conjecture and guelTe at the truth of the bufmefs, before he (hall ral"hly enter into the cenfuring of that deep and profound myftery , which concerneth the Divine aftion in nnturalleffeds.
I told you, in my precedent difcourfe , that the Eternall Unity , which is the God of gods, and Beginning of beginnings , did caufeby a double property in oneeflence, two divers principles to ilTue out of himfelf , whereof the one was potenrinll, andno way as yet inadtedby thebrightnefle of his esnanwion , and in that refpect is termed Darknefs, privation, Nolunty , oppohtto Light , and a friend unro death and reli: The other was aftuall, and rorh-ngelfe bur a pure ca- tholick form and brighrnefs, whichis rearmed Light, Pofition, Volunty, and in nature opp-ific to DarknelTe , and a friend unto life and aftinn , or motion. And then I Tgnifiedunroyou, that by the bright appearance of Eternity , ortheEter- njll Spirit of Wifdom, (which I termed with the Scriptures , the radiant emana- tion , or efi^uxion from the Almighty , whi^h is all one wirh riirn in efTence) the deformed waters were inafted and made m.anifefl , out of this dark Principle or Chaos, that i?, reduced from Pctentia Div.na, ox the Divine Puilfunce, without form, in which they abode, inzo ■^Et:tm Divnanr, the Divine Aih an'dbecaufeall Gen. I. the humidandpalTivecatholirk nature, of which both the h;avens and the earth
were framed, d'd iflue from this Mafs of wate-y matte-, which rhe Poets call Pa- na, or the record birth of Chaos , we muli imagine ic to be that fpirituall matter of the wodd, which was made fcrtill and multiplicnble , by reafon of that hidden active ard fo'mall Light or inNi^blefire, which thi^ increated emanation impar- teci unto it , inimediady before ,th^ creation of the heavens and the earth. Where- upon
Sed. il Mofaicall Tbmfojhy, I4'7
upon the holy Text h.uh it : Spintus Domini ferebamr f^ per at^nai : The. Spirit of the Lord moved or was carried upon the waters. AixlasSt, Augujlin addech to it, igneHmillis vi-^orem ir.ip:rneiis: BcjionKno upon th.m apery vigor or fgrmull and ait.vg vertue. Now as we i">;e th.ic Man, which is called the little-world, is compofed of foul and body, (whereof the foul is his heaven or fpirituall part,or,as wemay fay, the fuperiour and higher waters, and the body with the humours thereof, as ic were the lower waters, is the earth and grofser hutnours ) and each of thefetwoare informed, united, and vivihed by the Spirit of life, which God infpired into it s evenfowemay obferve, that the heaven or fpirituall humid nature of the great world, is animated by the eternall emanation or fpirit of the fupernaturall wif- domof God, to give life and figure unto the world. Andforafmuch as itiseafieto difcern, that the macro colmicall heavens are of two forts, namely compofed of upper fpirituall \yaters, which are called i/£iher., or heavenly; and of the lower Ipi- rituall waterS) which are called Aer^ or elementary , no otherwife than in the lef- fer world or man , the receptacle of the heavenly fpirit is known to be Aer, fo that Phyfitians dirtinguilli by reafon of this difference between the vitall or stheriall fpirits , and the naturall or elementary body : So vve ought to confider, that this materiall humid fpirit of the heavens , in both worlds , which are the fubtlety of the waters, arein themfelves dead, but in refped of the fuper-celertiall emanation into them, which informeth and vivifieth them , they live, move, and are thinner or thicker, according unto that more or lefs formall grace, which the all-informing Spirit doth allot them ; for the more the facred Spirit of life doth abound, or re- ally aft , in this or that region of the univerfall aire, the more that fphear is thin , fubtle, aftive, worthy, and noble. Doth not Scripture feem to verifie, that Deus Jap:'e»tiafiia ^ptet poudfu aeri,& appexdiit a^uiM in nicnfura, fecerit terram i>zfortitit-1°^ *'•' dine j'iia& prepa-averit orhemin fapiefitia j'na O" prttdentinfua extenderlt calos , a'p'^ "*7- penderit acjuHonem piper inane (^ fufpenderit terram fuper nihtlum. In coslornntfirH- ' ** iltira & cum Deui ftabillret fiifidimenta ternt, ipfa aderat cnnila componens. And again Wifdom faith , Ex »re ahijfimi prod'u primagenita ante omnem creaturam, in initio ante fecttlum creatafiim,ufqne ad f'.nurum fecnlnm non defi>3am,& habitatione fanlia coram ipfum mini fir av':. Jncnelis feci utoriretur Inmeninde ficiens,& ficut nebula texi omnem terram. In alilffim'is habitavi, & tbronHS r/teiuin columnanub'ts,cccli gyrnm circuivi fo- ^ ' '^' la^ profufidam abyffipenetrav: in ftntlibus maris ambuLivi & in omni terra fieti. Feci Efter 4 * yirBurum & Orionem^ convent in mane tcnebras,dicm in noiiem ^utAvi , vocavi aquas ]er. ji, maris, ejf a di e as [aper terra facicm.Coehs den' qitey mediante Spiritu meo, ornavit Dew, Job 2^, convertt coelHmin ^yro inlocum fnHmuno die : omniaq-nHmero, pond-re , & me-f^ra difpofuit & temper aVft. Godby hisivifdom givethproportionofiveig^bt unto the aire y hangcth the waters irt meafure ; He made the earth in his firentrth , prepared the world tn his w if dome , and extended the heavens by his prudency. He han^ ged the North upon emptinejfe and inanity , and ballanced the earth upon nothing. For foe was prefent at the bftHdmf of the heavens , and it was J he that did com- pijfe and falhion entail things. fVhen God didefiabli^h the foundations bf the earth ^ jhe was prefent, aid compofed a! I things. And in another place, this Spirit of wifdom faith , J came out of the mouth of the mofi hjghy being firfi-brm or brought forth before any creature. I was created in the beginning before all ages , neither ihall my bee'ng ccafe in the latttr age of the world : and I do admmifier befure him in bis holy ha- b. tatien. I caufd a nevtr failing light to rife in the heavens ^ and 1 covered the earth after the manner of a mifi. I dwellsd in the hi^hefi places, and my throne was tn a dowdy pil-^ lar. I ato'rie did compaffe round about the heavens, and did penetrate into the prufundtiy of the abyjfe; and I walked in the waves of the feas^ and I flood upon every eanh. I made the North, or pole-flar, and Orion , and I turned the darkjiejfe into day , and the day unto night. JcalledtheivatersofthefeaSi and poured them out upon the f.'.ce of the earth, I turned the heavens about ■■■nto his place in one daiesfpace. To conclude, God adorned the heavens by myfprrit , aid didprcportienate and temper all things in number, weic bty and meafure, &c. By which tellimonyes it is moft apparent,that all changes,alterations, aftions, ornaments ofbeauty, motions, numbers, weights, meafures, and confe- quently all diverfities that are made, in thegenerallhomogeniallmafs of the wa- ters, are effected by this vivifying emanation ofthebenigne and bright fpirit of the eternall Unity, whofe root is the Word ;for in verity, according unto St. Paul, ic IS oritX'j this Spirit that doth operate all tn all. Andtherefore I mult needs conclude^Cor. i-t. with the kingly Prophet, and fay, O^era Dei mirabilia & amplafuht , qua ontmafeqi- ^ '* '"3' *♦# ftiinfapiemia: The workj of God are marvellous and ample ^ which thott hajl e felted in
U a thy
148
Pral. 33. 6.
Mofaicall Tbibfo^by: