Book I.

X Pet. 3.
Sap. II. 18.
Ecclus. i\, Prov. 9.
P'tTMni. I.
thy wifdom. And again, ('^erh Domi»t firmadfiiuc cxli & Spiritu oris eJHSemnis virtm eerum. By the wordofthe Lord the heavens were fa./,ioiied ani fafineU , and by the Sfirit ofhumottth each verme thereof. Which Words do feemto infer , not onely tfie ma- terial! fubrtance of the world, which is intimated by that word Heavens, but alfo rhe ina(£tingforni, that is, the vivifying beginning of all things , which hath no be- ginning, and this is lignitied by theAA-orti, and his off-fpiirg, the Spirit from the which the waters firft received their beeing; and then of thefe catholick waters werethe heavens, the earth, and elements made, in number, weight, and mcafure, that is to fay, wereeffedtedby afubdivilion , through the fpagerick ad of the felf- fame word or fpirit : And therefore St. Peter hath it , Ca/i erumfriks & terra de a- qrns & per atjUM confijlenti s verba De, : The heavens and the earth were of eld of waters, and bj waters, confifttng by the word of God. As who fhould fiy, after the Spirit of rhe Lord had ifliiedout of the dark abyls , ( for it is faid , rerbnm erat in p/iacipio , The fVcrd rvM in the be finning) and had given act and form, and confequently a name un- to the waters, (for it was faid, that ihe Spirit if the Lord was earned upon the waters'^ the fame Spirit did operate to reveal cxplicitely and particularly , that which the Chaos didat the firlt contain in it felf complicitely and confufedly,and that inage- jierality ; wherefore when it had revealed the univeifall matter of all things, which was water, it did by little and little anatomife it , and open the fee ret dofets thereof, to Ihew forth and make manifelt that which from all eternity lay hid in it, and was without form or beeing, and therefore elteemcd rightly for Nothing. And firrt, the fubflance of the world was made of it in generall , as it appeareth by this Text , AianHs omnipotentis mundum ex inform'i materia ejfecit^ The hand of the Omni- potent did make the vorld of a matter without form or jhape. And as St. Jerom intcrpre- teth it. Ex materia invifa. Of an tsnfeen or invifble thing. Then that watry and humid fubftance was divided into the heaven and earth , in diftinguifhingthe waters from the waters by the fame Spirit , which is the minilfring hand of the Almighty ; for the Text hath it , In habitt-.tione fa/.Ba coram tpfo n/inipravi^ I did adminijhr before him in the holy habitacle. And again. Sapient, a apud ipfumfuit cur.Ela ccmpcncns, Wif. domrvasjhe thatcompofed all things with God. And this was the feconddaies work. Then the lower waters were divided into elements, namely, earth, water, aire, &c. and that was the third dales reparation, isAiofesdozh methodically demonlirate. All which, Hermes expreffeth thus , (as is faid before ) Ex luminis voce verbumfa- ^um prodit, vertim hoc natum, humidx ajlans, earn fovcbat. Ex hnmida fiutem natura Vtfceribfis fmcerus aclevis ignis protemts evolans a'ta petit, aer cjuocjue lcvisfpirit»s pa- rens in mediam regiontm inter aejuam & ifnemfortiebat'-ir •,terra verc^ & (lejua fie invi" cem commixta jacebant , Ht terra fades obruta nufqu.tm paterct. The word which was made did ijfue out of the Light's voice, and this fVord being prefent and aj/ijfant unto the hnmidnatfire, didfofier and preferve it. Then the light fire, proceeding out of the bowells of the humid nature, foarcdor mounted aloft. The thin air a'fj, which is the father of the fpirit^ did eleB the middle region which is between the fire and the water , for his abode. 7 he earth and water did lie fo intermingled together , that the face of the earth was no where overfiowedor drowned by the waters. Wnereby it is evidently proved, that this thin fpirituall water, or humid nature, in it felf is no more than mans fpirir, with- out the vivifying ail of life; for as in the foul of every creature that liveth, there are two things chiefly to be required, namely, an Agent and a Patient ; fo where the one of thefe are wanting , there can be no created foul : for if that the world's life was onely the eiTentiall breath of God , without the vehicle of the created hu- mid fpirir, which is the'matter of heaven ; then that life would be fimple identity , and of one and the fame property, and confequently there would be neither varie- ty of aclionjneither any contra»Si:ion or dilatation of fyftole and diallole in things , and therefore no a£lion or paflion in the foul ; for without a palfive nature there can be no adion, arvd alfo without an a£tive naturetherecanbenopaffion. Now matter which proceedeth from water is the fubjeft of all palllon , as here, mother C haos was the female or palTivejunro rhe a(fHon oiDemogorgon, orGod, Alfoacl orform, which proceedeth from light, isthefubjeft ofallaftion, asltsfather Eternity, or the bright emanation of the fpirit of wifdom from the fountain of lii^ht, was the male or agent. From hence therefore it Is an ealie thing to gather , firlt, what the foul of the world is, and therefore of what parts it doth conhll; for wemuftconlider, that as every creature hath his interior and exterior, fo alfo we muft exquifitely fearch afrer an internall and an externall, in the foul , being it is a creature ; and again, that It is a creature, it is moll certain, becaufe it is not Iden- tity,
Sedt. 2. MofaicallThilofo^hy, i^p
tity,but Alterity ; for if it were Identity, it would be the divine unity or eff^nce, and confequently it would not be created. Now that it is Alteritas it is plain, becaufe it is compounded of two, after the conlilknce of Angells , foraf- muchashisibternallis a vivifying flame , ittuing or proceeding from the eternall emanation of life; ahdhis externall is an iviall fpirit,which is created, inaSed, and animated by this eternall emanation from God. Andforafmuchas the nature of that molt elfentiall and never-dying fire, isfaidtobeall, and in every part of the world, (and therefore Scriptures h'j , Chrifius adimpUt omnia ^Chrifi fiiUth all ■£o\iei ^ things. C hrijlfti efi oMntainomnibuSj Chnftis all,andm all, Dei Spiritusefl i» ccelo yColott.t, if. in Inferno y in extremis maris, in noUe & in tenehis, &c. The Spirit of God is in heaven, Pf»l- IJ?. 7. in hell, in the extreamefi parts ofth:feas, in the nighty and in darkfiefs. Sapient iam ef- ffidit Deusjftper omnia opera fna J God hath fowred out the fpirit of vpifdom upon allf" ^'
his workj. Spiritns Dei incorr.vpti^ilis ineji emni rei. The incorruptible Spirit ofGed is c in evury .king. Cwli-.m efi eifedes, terra aatcm fcabellum pedum ejw- The heaven is his if,i "' '* feat, and the earth ts his fontjlool. Spirittu fap ienti f lleth all the worlds &c. Forafmiich ( 1 fay ) as it is in every particle of this humFd fpirit, the which by his prefence is now full of dignity, that before was vile and de- formed; it is certain, that it maketh this catholick fpirit to live. And therefore this angelicall fpirit thus compofedof alterity, or of two, is called ^«?>w caufe it is that catholick or generall fpirit, divinely animated from the beginning j which doth vivifie afterwards each particular creature of the world, proceedrnt^ from the generality to the fpeciality, and from the fpeciality unto the individuali- ty. So that the mighty queftion, fo often revolved by-thePcripatetick Philofo- pners,and fo flenderly by themrefolved, may hereby be fully determined, and enu- cleated, if it pleafe the wife and impartial! Reader rightly to confider things, as in- deed they do lland ;for by this, it is eafie to exprefs and diftinguifli mentem divinain^ or the divine emanation^ from anima^ or ihtfoul ; and again, the anima i:6m. fpirit us, or ths fpirit ; being that it is evident, that the mentaUradication , istheeternall and formall emanation , which is given or fent out by the Creator in her pofitive property, to create the world, and confequently the earthly body and heavenly fpirit thereof, of nothiiig,or non-aftuall exigence. The fpirit is that inward created fpirit of the world, or fubtlefubftance of the waters , or humid nature , fimply confidered in its fclf, which is animated and illuminated by that Archetypicall e- manationjand the foul, or mid creared fpirit , and the increated formall emanation, which doth inform or create. So that by this we may difcern j hrft, what tht forma informans, or natura naturans, is ; then what the/o?w^ informata^ or the natura natm-ata is. The forma formans , o: natura nacHraas Is God, or the divine emanation, which created all things ; ihcfirma infarmata, or natura naturata is the created light, or the fpirit in- formed or illuminated, by the prefence of the bright increated Spirit ; and the in- created Spirit clothed with, orendvting that created fpirit , is faiato be veflitus, or amiElus Inmine e^uafiveflimente^cloathedwith light, tnatis, with an illuminated fpi- Pfal. 141, t rn, as with a garment. We fhall find alfo in Exodus , that in the fame Chapter, the '-.fpirituall creature in which the divine Spirit afteth and refideth, is rearmed an An-^""^-?- :.■ Igel I, in regard of his externall fpirit in compofition ; but again, in the fame Chap- jteritistearmed JEHOVAjinregardofrhe eternall form that adteth in it. Alfo 'the Angell isfaidtogobeforethelfraelires in apillarofdowdbyday, and a pillar offirebynighr. And again it is faid in the fame hiftory, that JEHOVA went be- fore, them in the faid order. And the wife manfaid. Putt fapicntia its tegurnen- Sxp. i«, ly. tftminterdiUy & lux jhllxris noiiu ^ IVifdom rvas a cover to them in the day time , and a fiarry-light in the ni^ht. And the reafon of all this is exprelTed elfe- where thu? , Noli exacerbare eum^ quia non feret defeSlionem vefiram, quoniam Exed, ii, xdl ^ome>7mcr.m efl in eo ; Do not ancer this my angel; for he vcilt not endure your defections, bec.wfe my n.-ime is in him, G~c. Where, by his name he fignifieth his word , which is God; ns ifhehidfaid, I doeffentially animate him, and I am within him , &c. That the foul of the world, orMensd:viaainmundo, fimply taken, is the divine mentall emanation abfolutely in it felf , being diftinguilhed from the created fpi- rit , this Text in Scriptures doth warrant : Animam er Spiritum dividit & difeer- ftitfcrmo Dei v'.viu: The fVord of God doth devide the foul and the fpirit,?iC. Where, by the word is ment the mentall beam ; by the Spirit ., the humid nature that exifteth by the prefence of the mentall beam , which God by his Word can withdraw unto himfelf, or emit according unto his will and pleafure. Whereupon David faid:
Deo
1^0 MofaicallPbilofophj. Book i»
Deo reclfiente Sflrhum fuum a cteattms, ex ff trait , emhte>itefpiritumrecrea»tftr bo' no ■ God receiving or ■t»lilo(ira,r c.'fi his Spirit the]/ arerecreateiwjh life ^ird aoadmfs.hvid nowlwill prove all this ouc of fuch definkion Philofophers, both Chrilhanand Gentile, have mp.de upon the foul in gcnerall, both as it hath a relation unro a body , and alio as it is in its hmple and feparated eftate.- 7)rtw nis fontibus entanaiJS') jimplex, ind'.jfolubUis, imtni^rtaiis^ libera, tncorporen , Qr istdi- vifibilis; qu^ntitette, figura, ponders, & colore carCKS 1 he foul is a. jpirituall ft jlp-iv'ing from the divine fountains, fimple , ind^jfolvabte, immortal^ free, incorporeaL, indi-vfjible', wantDig qnantitj^ figure, rvatght, and colour. Unto this alfo Bernard feemeth to confent. And -^ttgujlin defineth it thus.- EJl mens divma omnia mteUigeHi ^H*h omnibttfqt^e fe affimilans : his a divine Spirit^ that underfiandeth all things , and doth
conformitfelfnmo the jhape orLkjiefs of all things. hrid for this reafon,certain Philofo- phers fay, that it is made after the likenefs of the Spirit of Wifdome , which is known to be the Image of God : Foritbeareththelikenefsof every thing in it felf. Wherefore it is defined by them, to be the finiilitiide of all things. And verily it hath in it felf this power, to apprehend, and find out all thing";. Again , it is like unto all things, being that it is one in all. There are fome of the diviner fort of Myfticall Philofophers, that feem to conclude mans foul more fully in this defini- j •• 2jj_* , ^ x\oiV,Animet efl lux e^udtdam divina ad imaginem Verbi^ caufA can f arum, primi exempla- cap.^j. ris,creata', ft:bJlantiaDei,figilloi]ttef.gurata^ ctijtts character efi vcrbum aternt*m:
The foul is a certain divine Light , created after the Image of the Word , the caitfe of caitfs, and the firfi exemplar or image , &c. Another defines it thus : Efl res in- corporeaomni decore adornata, SanileTriniiati fifjimilata , dterna gle^iie. coaanata: It is an incorporeall thing, whch is adorned with all virtue, likjied to or refembling the Ho' ly Trinity-, and coizquated unto eternall glory. Somedodefcribe it thus : EJi Spiritus intelleUnalis femper vivens, femper in motif , & fecundnm fm operis offcium variis nuncHpatw nominibus, Dicitur vita dum vegetat , fpiritfts dum contemplatur , fenfut dumfeniit, animets di^m fapit, mens dum intelligit, ratio dam difcernit, mcmoriadum recordatHT, dum vult voluntoi; at ifla omnia non funt n'ift una effentia fed proprietate di- verja: It is an intellettuaU Spiritalivaies living, alrvaies in motion, and in refpeH of its divers operations in the body , it hath divers appellations afsigned unto it ■" For it is called life, in regard of its vivificative and vegetative property. It is called a Spi' rit, as it is converfant about contemplation , and ^ is a fpirituall fubjlance: and breatheth in the body ; it is called fenfe , as it is imploied about the AEi of fen- fation ; it is teamed -Animus , when it operateth in Knoivledg and Wifdome ; and it is named Mens, in regurd of its D.vine Underflanding : and Alemory , as it doth remember ; again, as it is afFefted to will any thing , it is called Voluntas: and all thefe names decipher but onely one Anima or Soul in effence , but divers and fundry properties or faculties, crc. And thefe later defcn'pcions are alfigned unto thisvivifying Spirit, asit is converfant with thebody. Now if welTiall du- ly examineall thefe delineations, of the effence and properties of this Anim.i, as well in her freedom from the body, as when it is included in it ; wefhall find it not to vary one jot from the tenor of my precedent affertion. For firR , we fhall obferveit tobcin itseflentiall virtue, the off-fpring of the eternall emanation, which came immediatly from God , for the inafting of all things , and then that it hath for its fubftantiall Vehicle, the thin fubtile created fpirir of the world, which makethit alterltatem, or acompofition of two, namely of the bright emanation from the eternall Fountain, and therefore in the forefaid definitions, icistearmed in regard of this Its interior, in thefirff, a Spirituall Subitance, flowing from the divine Fountain; inthefecond wf^^^imw^; in the third, the Image orhmilitude of the divine Wifdome ; in the fourth, a divine Light, after the Imnae of the Word, the fubltanceofGodwhofe character is the Word; in the fifth, thefimili- tude of the Holy Trinity, coxquated unco the divine Glory. Secondly, it par- ticipates of the mundane fpirir, and therefore it is by the fixrh and feventh t earmed (inregardof its fubftance) a fpirit that breatheth in thebody, and it is the Vehi- cle of the formall aft, which is in truth the divine mentall beam : being confide- redinitfelf, as the fubrtantiall and mareriall fpirir, in its fimple nature, iristh.ic which participateth with the creared fpirit of the woild. The union of thefe two, is called rf«/w created nature in one , which fiUeth all, and animatech and vivifieth all things,
ac-
ScSt.z, MofaicdlThiJofofhy. K|
according ro the alfertion of fuch Gentile and Ethnick Philofophers , as I have ci- ted before, which I will prove no way to diflenc or vary fromtheteftitnony ofthe holy Text- And to make this theplainor, 1 will compare tht^m in order. And firft, I will begin my relation, with the Cabalilis great Angell , whom they call Mitaitron: w^hich by interpretation , is Dannm Dec, the Gift of God, which (as they fay) is thecatholickintelleftuall Agent, from the which all peculiar forms dodefcend. The A'poiWc [zkhy that the Lord doth vhi fie a/l things. And Sff/omo/t j. g ^ faith, thatthe Spirit of IVifdom IS the tree of life and the fonmaii^ or begtnn.ngof life: ' '
H»dtf this Spirit be thefonrtta-n of life, then the Son of Spach : ejfstdit Deus illam n^™ , fupra om»i.i opera ffta, & f'praomnemcarnem feaindum datum fit:tm: God poured it out upon all his xvorkj, andnponallflfjhinhisme.tfure. And this was that catholick angelicall Spirit, whichGodfencout asaSpirituallMelfenger from himfelf, and out of himfelf, in the form of an emanation, tomove upon the waters, and to Gen.i. inform and vivify them, and give life and being, not onely to the great world, but alfo to every particular thereof, and the emanation was this Word of God, by I^v" j-* whom allthings were made, and vivified, forafmuch as ;»«fw^ /«/ Chrifi which plleth all thmos, rvho is all in all , us the Apoftle faith, \y\iQinthe hegin- »ingmade the earthy and ihe heavens rvere the work, of his handr I zndzizzv his CKizi- iif\, i on oi Mth.\T\s,^, hcdoth (^zsSt. Pa:fl tiWcihus') psrtare omnia verba virttttis fn£: hear up , fi'jfer and fullain all things, by the vivifying virtue of thts W^rd. Which alfo David confirmeth in this • V'erba Domini firmattfnnt cxli, & Spiritu ah ore ejus omnii virtus eorum : By the IVord of the Lord the heavens were framed and fetled , and ^^'
by the breath of his mouth, all the virtues thereof namely, the life, prefervation, and being. The Apoftlethereforefeemeth to conclude thus: Dens mn aliqm indigens dat vitam (^ infpirationem & omnia : God needing not the ajfiflance of any , aiveth life Aidbreath, and all things unto ev.ry cre-ttttre. But each Philofopher cannot but ^ ' acknowledg, that Anima is nothing elfe, but that whichdoth animate or vivifiea , q^^ jj. body or fpirit : why then fliould not the catholick divine Spirit which filleth all, andoperatethall, and in all, be rearmed the fountain of the worlds life; by which itliveth, moverh, and hath its being, andconfequently the effentiall life, and Centrall or mental foul of the world, moving the created humid fpirit thereof, no ^j|y otherwife, then the fpirit which God breathed into ^.^^jw, did move and operate, Wifd.' it. i. in and by the Organ of the created aire ? What fhall the eternal] and vivifying Ecdus. i. Spirit of Wifdome, which is faid m///^//, and to be in every thing , which hath the nature of theuniverfall catholick and firll created Angell : (For EcclefiajlicHt hath Sap. 7. 12. it : prior omnium creata eft Sapientia : fVfdont was created before allthings , ) fhall it (being that it is as it were the catholick foul of the world, or life of all things ; for- afmuch as it is the emanation of the brightneffe of the Omnipotent, and the fplen- dorof theeternall Light, and the pure mirror of the Majelly of God , and the Image of hisgoodnefle, being one, ftmple, fubtil, permanent in it felf, and the moft piercing or movable of allthings. All which are the properties aifignedby St. Dlonysy unto an Angell , and by the learned Fathers before mentioned , unto a feparaied foul:) fhall it ( I fay) be in all things, and fill the heavenly fpirit of each world, I mean of the great world , and the little one, called Man? and fhall it not operate and aft the vivifying and multiplyingeffecl of his nature , but be idle, and vacant in the creature ? Did God fend forth bis operative Spirit to be (Vill, and not to aft ? Yea verily, the Father operates in it by his Vo'unty , and he ef- fefteth the Volunty of his Father in the creatures fpirit? whii.h it polfeffeth , ani- ^ ,. , mateth, and guideth, which way it pleafeth. And for thisreafonjKi^/f/j faich; Deo J""""- ^^' ferviat omnis creatura, cjuiadixifli, & faElafunt; mif^l fptritum tt4um , & cream ,^ funt. Sothat the great world may fay, and confefle , as well as man , that it was " '' made after the Image of the Archetype or God, and that in him itliveth, movsth, and exifleih. According to that of the Apoitle unco man , which is the little world. Thus you fee that the Cabalitt's ^/V«/r»» or Dmum D:i, whom they make the catholick intelleftuall Agent, is nothing elfe but that univerfall Spirit of Wifdome which God fenr out from this Throne ( ora«; the Text hath it) even out of his own mouth, as the greateft gift and token of his benignity unto each world, and the members thereof : to reduce them from deformity , and non-exi- ftence, into aft and formall being, and to endue them with lively feature , and to tender life, and being unto them explicitly, which before was but complicitly in- cluded, and comp'ehended, in the dark and gloomy fhadow of death, I mean out of the deformed Chaos, into a beautiful! fhape ; out of deadly deep and dark reft,
into
l^Z
MofaicaU Philofopby.
Book
into a lively aftion, and motion; out of obCcurity into Light : And this there- fore was tearmed rightly in the eies of wife men A'I'nattron or DoKum Del cathols- cum, which reduceth the univerfall Nothing into an univerfall Something.
But that I may the better exprelTe unto you by a Philofophicall Demonftration, the Anoelicall nature of this fupream inreUigence , called MttMtroi , and confe- quently of the foul of the world ; I would have you in the firrt place, to know the true manner how the Philofophers do demonilrate the harmony of the world , and his fpirit. ThePlatonick's Heptachord, the which he did invent, and adapt for rhedemonftratingof the foul of theworld , did confiR of feven firings, or pro- portions, partlyeven, and partly odd, namely 1,2,^,4, 8,9. 27. The which proportions, although Porfhyrie and Proclus have drawn forth in one line ; never- thelefs it appearethunto me, that Adrafi us zr\di CalcidiMs have more fitly ex- preffedj and adapted it unto the fides of a Pyramist or Triangle in this manner.
Tfi Creations
In the fummity or top whereof , namely where borh lines meet in one point, the figure of i. is exprefled with Unity , becaufe it participates both on the fide with the materiall exiiknce , and on the other it hath a commerce wirh the formal emanation, it is apparent that this point or Unity from whence both thefe diffe- rent lines, orftreames do i{fue, in the fountain as well of matter as form, and therefore it is as well Synefms's. as other Theofophers opinion, ( not difagreeingin this point from Holy Scripture) That Deus fit omne quod eft- quippe a cjho, per quern, & in qtto flint omnia. Quod fit mas & faminA, vel, ut Mercurius Trifme Mtrir/fquafe.vih fecund Jflraus; quod fit potent! a, & dt.'is, q'lod fit forma & quod fiit materia. Imovere nihil eft quod ipfe m-nexiftit'. God {hy they ") is every thin ir that exifteth; being that, from him, hy him , and in him me all things. He is male and fe- male^ (as Synefim faith) or, as Mercurius Trifmegiftus will have it , He is mofl abun- dant in each fex : He is pHiJfance and aEl, and finally, he is form and he is matter. And verily they conclude, that there is nothing which he is not. All which feem not to differ from Holy Teliimony, which is, thuGodis all^ andin all, andabove all: ar\dtb fix Other figures which do correfpond unto one another, from the materiall fide unto the formall, namely the even numbers, that regard dire£lly the odd, namely the materiall number 2. regards the form.all ^; the 4. the 9; and the 8. the 27. do moll lively exprelTe the generall kinds of all creature?, with their har- mony.
Sed.i. MojaicdlPhilofofhy. kj
mony. And in the firft place, ic decipherech the Symphoniacall Degrees of the Soul of the wo rld,_ as fhall be cold hereafter : Forfirlt, after the example of the -(4r tyfeiiom i.iffued2- which is termed by the Pythagoreans, the confufion of Uni- ties, and therfore it is the radicall or incipient imp;rfe(5l number , which is in re- fpecl of his confufednefs and imperfection in the lame relation unto Unit y , from whenceit fprung, as the bright eternall Unity is unto the dark Chaos , whith is, rudi^ indigffiaq.ie mules, arudear confttfed and :ndigt fled heap: And it is riohtly rearmed Imperfeft, becaufe that th^ eternall emanation which is all perfedion, had not as yet made it perfect : and for this reafon alfo , the watery matter that iffued outofit, isof it felfimperfeft, nootherwife then the number of 2, isefleemed in regard of that of 3. becaufe all perfeition confifteth of j.tearmes, namely a beginning, a middle, andanend, Sothatif you takeoneof the Unitiesof 2. for thebeginning, and another for the middle, then there wanes an end. If you puE an Unii y for the beginning and an other for the end , then you have two extreams, but no mean or middle , and therefore it is this way alfo imperfeft : Or if you place one Unity for a mean and the other for an end, here alfo you have imperfe- ction, becaufe there wants a beginning. In like manner, if Unity had not emitted his aduall emanatiom as a bright Unity of life , the 2. or deformed matter of the Chaos had Hood in his duall, cont'ufed. or imperfed eltate; that is, without the form,orfhapeof anyperfedt thing, I mean a plain AT/ A;/ or AH^uidinfotentia & nonalltt : Something in fMtff'tirice and >iot in act. So that matter ( I fay ) before ic was informed by the Unity of Light (which maketh the third Unity) was racu- um& inane, Vacuity and inanity, becaufe it wanted theprefence of the informing Unity, or aduall emanation, toendueic with the title of goodnefle : for after the bright emanation was made, then vacuity was changed into plenitude ; puiflance into aft; darknefs into light; and a deformed matter, into well formed , and vivi- fied waters, and, in a word, imperfection into perfection. And thereupon it was faid, that God fawthat it was good, that is , it was replenifhcd with his virtuous EfTence, who was all good and onely goodnefle. By this reafon therefore, name- ly by the addition of the formall Unitv, the manner of confufion and of imper- fection, which is the materiall duality, tnat doth Symbolize with the Chaos, which is the mother of matter, perfection is brought into the world, which by anima- ting the pureft and fubtiler waters, doth unite the mentall Light with the heaven- ly Spirit, inan Angelicalleflence, which doth afterwards animate and inform all things And this formall Union is Symbolically expreflid, by the figure 3 . vvhich for this caufe is termed, the firit number of perfection, and the number of the Soul or the radicall number of form in the courfe ofnature: henceforth therefore it Cometh, that the Platonics and Pythagoreans do exprefle matter, vvhich is ira- perfeCt in it felf, by eaven or imperfeCt numbers, and according as in the Achety- picallvvorld,defignedby I, 2,3. in form of the facred Trinity, there appearerhto be three Ideall dimenfions in one divine nature, or eternall enence, whieh prefenc in their manner of progrelTion a Root, a Square, and a Cube, which import a fu' pre that thefe three feem tobe raifed out of one i. or Unity (for multiplying i. by the root I. doth produce i. and its felf whiv.h makes 2.or a fimple Ideal fquare, and mul- tiplying it again by i.there rifethbut2.and i. which make 3. or a Cube, which ar- gueth the perfection of the Ideal world, which was in God,if we take the two radical compounded numbers for roots, we fhall produce after this pattern the created or exemplar world, namely we fhall find out three dimcnhons; to wit, longitude, lati- tude, and profundity of the matter, by the inquiry or fearching out of the Root, Square, and Cube of marter, the root of matterthereforewas 2. for though the fupream unity had multiplied or dilated it felf in 2. arguing its firft-born iflue, yet becaufe the holy Spirit of illumination fhined not f">rth , all was dark ^noad no!-, wherefore we muff imagin, that the multiplication of matter in the world, is nothing but variety of penetration of formall light into the watery abyffe, or materiall multitude : For the thicker marter is , the nearer Qie appearerh unto her root 2. or the dark Chaos. Again, the thinner it ismadebythe opulency of the formall emanation's bright prefence, thenearer it appeareth untothe root of for- mall Unity This myftery (I fay) being rightly underftood , all fcience even in theabHrufeft Philofophy, mayeafily bedecyphered. Theroot of matter there- fore which is 2. imports the dark Chaos, theroot of form which is 3. imports that the root a. or the dark waters , is animated by the formall or bright emanati-
X on
^^^ MofaicallPbilofofby. Book k
on of Unity or i. and To the firll z. was accompliflied, snd the fcul of the world created, namely by the Ang-li all emanation. And thus was the Cabaliils Ai,- tanronoz -^n'tmar/tiiKdi firll producedj which, a cording unto their traditions, is faidtobethefirlt creature that was c:e.ited, agreeing with that of Eccleftapcus: Ecdef I. Prior owrnum creatasfl Sapontn, Deus C: eavic .ilum in Syirtttt Suucto: H^'ifdom tom created before ail tbiHgs.God crea-.edher tnthe Holy Spirit^&c.hVid in and by this An- gelical creation,all other Angels werealfo niade,and therefore it is iix&.ihriflas eji Colofl.i. 13 ■ Imacro Dei inv'fibilis^Primogenitus oninh ere a: lire in^:io edita fttnt Hn:v. - fA,fi cmlls'ii' tit tei ra vifihilla, & invijibtlia^five Throni,five Dorninationes, Jive Pottjta es, omnia per ipfumf & h: ipfo omnia ffint, & iffc anteomnei-) & omnia in ipjo conjia>^t, Chr.fi is the Im^.ge of the invifble God; being brought f^rth bsfore any creatttre, in whom all thinqs^ as n'cll vif'ble or DorrtifiatioKS ,or Potefiats,all are made bj h'.mytndiyi hirriyandhewas before any th'ina ^ and all cor. fi ft- it him. Loe here is evidently defcribed the true vivifying Spirit , which not onely made all, and is all that he made,bting that all are in hi n, doing the will of his Father in all that he hath made, whom the Hebrew Rabbies call Aiaat- tro/7^ ox Dontem D^/, and the Prophetj AlAgniconctUi Ar.gelum, the Av.fel of the arenc cou'iccll : Etvocalfitiir nomot ejus (faiih the Prophet ) magfiicor.c- i Angem '. •yr-, yindhi^s name Ita'l be cilled^The Angel of the great cou?jcel,&c. Thus by themulti-
plyingof 5 in it felt, we h we the created formall fquare , which imports the nine Orders ofche Angels, which vary according tothe multiplicity of properties : by which the effluxion or emanation , that is lent out from this infinite fountain of light, doth operate diverfly in the world , according unco the wiU -f the Father of lights, which fent it forth. And the formall Iquare 9 , being joyn^c with the mate- riall fquare 4 , doth animate the heavens, which by infpi(rati')n o: mulri plication aremadccorporallor cubicall ; fo that all bodies are made of thofe thin fubftinces, by multiplying of each fquare in his root,whereupon the cubicall form wil be 27, andthat of matter 8, which argueevery elementated or compound matter: and as the more the matter is multiplied in it felf, the darker and thicker will ir be; fo the morethat light is multiplied in it, the lighter, thinner, and morofpirituall will the creature be. Infomuchthat the formall root, and fquare, and cube import the effence and fouls of creatures, as well fuper-celeftiall, as cclcliiall and elementall, which are more or lefs dignified with form ; for according unto thefe multiplica- tions in form, the more will the creatures be exalted in excellency. You fee now howfar, andby what proportions, as wellfpirituall as materiall, the Platonick harmony of the world extends it felf, and may obferve, that where this harmoni- ous proportion between form and matter is not , there muft needs be as well fpi- ' rituall as corporall dilTention,or difcord,andconfequently antipathy. We fee alfn, that the root of life is fixed in the angelical! compotition, which is of iiniple,li5ht, & pure fpiritual matter,fo that the eternal fapi;nce,or effential foul,i5 the aA of the Angels; the a:vial angelicall fpirit is the aft or effential life of the {hrrs,or heavenly 'influence; andtheftarry influence is the foul andlifeof the winds, the fpirituall. emanation from the wind? do fourfoldly inform the catholick fublun.iry element , or lower waters 5 the element doth animate the meteorologi'"all impre'TTions , and of thefe are the compound creatures compared , which draw from the divine foun- tain of them all, being one fpirit in effence, but multiform in regard of the variety of oFgan God animated immediately iheEmperiall heaven,ortheintelleftuall fpirit, which is the feat of Angells, and rbis we compare to the root ; theemperiall heaven ani- mates the llais, or stheriall region , which we refer to the fquare ; and the (farry heaven i'^, as ic were , the male, or multiplyerand vivifier of theelementary regi- on, and his creature- , which we compare unto the cube. Verily, not onely the abRrufe Cabalitirs, but alfo the profounds!! Philofophers , have made an everla- iiing memory of this perfect and formall root , or ternary number, with his triple dimenfion; I mean not tliar which is taken for a mercatory number, or fuch an one as the vulgar Arithmeticians do ufe in their Algorifm, but as k isafpirituall and eflTenriall charafter of numeration , proceeding from a certain circular revolution and fquare , and cubick mulriplirarion : And therefore the Learned have founded on this fubieft theirformall and myllicall ylrithmet c!^ and Geometry, which are not exercifed about common and vulgar fubjefts, but wholly employed about the pro- found m^dirations of the truz( ab^le , nirurall A/'^^^/V^ . andeffenriall '^/cA/'/w^, Vv'hichbecaufctheignorant vulgar people do rafhly condemn undet thofeDitles ,
are
Seft. 2.' Mofaicall Philofopb/i jj^
are othervvife tearmed by the myllii.all , with the name of the fciepce, EIem:nt4ry, Ce!ejiitill, and .Supermundane , as well becaule icentreateth of feparaced Inrelli^en- cesand fub(bnces,(asfome doltyl;-. them) as alfobecaufeic i^ thevvorthiefl of all ethers tobeunderllood, as being convcrfanc about the knowledge of the Creator; forthegreateft perfedion in which man may molt- glory , is, to attain unco rh.- true knowledge: of God, v\hich alio the Prophet dorhteilihe in thefe words. Lit Kottheivife g ory in h:S it ifdon;^ tto ti.efiroi'g nuni :>t hij Jfrength ^ nvr the rich m.in in his r.ches; but let h m that will ^^l rf ^ ta:4;n and glo'^y , in ihai he knoweth Md "^' ^' underftandeihme. And verily thele are the three mytlicall fcicnccs , which are by wife men appropriated unco the knowledge of the three worlds ; I mean,rhe Inrel- ligible, the Celelllal!,and Hlemenrary,reprefented, according unto theCabaliils by rhefe three Letters ofthe namemiJi Jd.,m. Alloihethreep.vtsof nanjrermedthe little world, to wit, the Intellect, the Soul, and Body, whi, his fubjeCl to altera - tion and corruption, as alio the elementary part. Upon ihis foundation alfoj the ^^^^; Z^'Jr faid , That there are three thingswhi.h correfpond unco one another in this ternary dinienlion, fo'aOpuch as they are framed or formed afte" the pattern of the Archetype, and radicall Idea, namely, the Tabernacle of God whi.h fJMofes erefted, the Temple ofiVWww, and mans Body, according unco rhethree manner ofnumbers which were applyed unto them, namely, the vocall or operative, whichis the extrad ofthe meafure unco the elementary world; the formall, which is extraft from the vocall unto the celeftiall ; and rTie racionall or divine , whi^h is extrafled out of the formall unto the intellettuall. I will make all this plain by thereall defcrtprion ofthe Tabernacle : This Tabernacle did fymbolize with the three worlds in his parts, for the former of them was uncovered , and wa; expofed unto the winde, rain, hail, fnow, and all other impreffions , which areingendered in the fublunary world, with perpctuall alterations and changes; and unco chis part , the common fort of people , as alfo the bealls, in an airiduall vicidirude of life and death, did refort , by reafon ofthe continual! facrifices which were flain and offe- red in this place. And therefore this region importing the cube of matter, is rightly referred unto the elementary world, which iscompofed ofthe groffer wa- ters, as of a fubiiance fluid and unliable; andfor this reafon it improperly called , the worJd of darknefs, wherefore the Evangelirt in one place (lyleth f he devil! , the Prince of darkneffe; and inanother place, thePrince of this world. This region al- fo hath his relation unto the body of man,
The fecond part ofthe Tabernacle , which vva'^ burnillied over with gold, and il- luminated with a Candleliick of feven li?,hrs, doth decypher out thei^arry heaven, and his fevenerratick lights o; Planets ; and this heaven, as it is in the middle be- twixt two extrcams , namely, bet \veenrheb-ight fountain ofthe formall or em- penall heaven, and the obfcure and dark abyfTe of matter, or elementary world ; fo alfo it doth participate ofthe two extreams, namely, of water and fire : Andfor this reafon the heaven is called ofthe Hebrewes D'^nUl'fci , -^ ■ c-malim^ of 'vDt4 e^ch^ _/?'■*, and D''D»»*r>w, w^f?'^; in Greek ix£/?^>', ^najt igneus aer. But the watry body or matter of it is therefore inco'rup'.ible, becaufe her appetite islo fulfilled by the affluence of the formall neclar from above, rhat itdefireth not any alterarion ; and touching her adlivicy and motion , it hath it from that eternall emanation , which -is faid by 5o.'e»wa loh^the ntoft nwvab eofallth-nrrs; and, in verity , it is the firC: Wlfd. 7. catholick mover, who is faid to be thePrefident of the p ■»»■ i.V, at whofe ad J allthe inferiour intelligences do move about their routing and twinckling fires, nootherwife than at the motion ofacericrall wheel, many excern.ill wheels do move and have their life. Thui we may fee, firit, why this region ofthe world is tearmed Heaven , or fphear of equality , namely, by reilbn of his mixtion in e- quall proportions, of form and matter} alfo, why it is called the fphear of the foul ofthe world, by reafon rhat it is compofed ofthe pure fpirit ofthe witters j which is female and paif-ve, and the bright fire or act ofeteiniry ; for the mental! divinity doth by and through this humid natu-e, which is his vehicle , act and iTiew forth his vivifying and emanating property, in and by this fpirituall organ; and rheref ore doth all life confift\ ex cali.oelftntinli, & humidor adic ah ; ofeJfe>tiallheat, as the wafcuii-.e or a^Jivc; andradcallmoWHre, us the female or paj/ive. This region there- fore is referred unto the vitall foul in man , and hath relation unro thefquare , as well of form as mtrre-, which is in themidlt between the cube and the root.
The third pirt ofthe Tabernacle was the Sa>i'Tumf.i:.Ei}yn/n , and doth reprefenc the fuper-celeftiall, or intelligible foul, or emperiall fpirit , fofafmuch ashisfub-
X 2 fiance
K(5 Mofaicall Thilofojby. BooL i.
{lance is altnoft light and fire, and it is thought to be the feat of the Angells, which are the minifters of their great Prince the Lord of light : And this isargu;dby the prefence o\ the two Cherubins , or fiery Angells , which with their wings do Qia- dow the propitiatory. This heaven hath his relation unto th; intellect in man, which the Hebrews call AV,;/;i«»>/:', and the Greeks N^uj, the Latins yl mentallbeam, which hath the dominion in mans loul. So that we may difcern , that in the great world, the angelicall heaven b>;ing moil formall and fiery , is as ic were the foul of the xtheriall heaven , for by it, and from ir, this region receiver h his life's motion and being ; as alfo by the like proportion the celelliall or itheriall heaven is the foul or agent of the elementary region. For by means of the Sun, Moon, and Starrs, whichdart down their beams and influences upon the earth , as arrowesagainll a butt , the ^arth, and water, and all things therein, do ad , and live, and generate, and multiply ; fo that the heavens are eileemed by all Philofo- - pherstobethe Male, and the earth and other elements the Females , between the which, all generations are made in and upon the earth, and in the fea; for the earthly body cannot operate without a heavenly touch, yea, even man himfelf re- quirethfor his generation the heavenly ad and aid: and therefore Ariflotle conclu- deth, that/i'/ G" homo general homiuem, the fun aid m.^n aoth ino^ender a m.m. Again, all Philofophers in generall agree in this, namely , t\\2.x. p.feriora Agunt in infer. ora^ more m.irts infoeniifianf^ the fufcnor badies do operaie upon ihe inferiors, 'm the man upon the womm. And the Maxim of all fuch Cabalilts , as are converfant in the myRicall Keuch W. 3. Thdology, averr, th^l omnes res Inferiores fintriprifentativ^fuper/orum- & f cut fit De arte Cab, laferhis, fie agitur fuperms^ yillinferiotir thinas are reprefeniottrs or images cf the fit- ferionrsi and fuch as the tfiferiottrs arc,ffch a.fo are the fftper tours. Ana in verity, a notable pcrfon,and well feen in this aUlruce learning, doth aver,rhat the seviall or angelicall heaven, is framed after the pattern of the eternall and ideall world, and the temporall elementary heaven or region , is the image of the celefliall or • aetheriall; fo that the images and the adions of the darker world, have their ideall fhapes in and from the lighter and flarry world ; and the Harry world's fliapes and adions were firli delineated in the intelleduall or angelicall one , and they again proceed originally from the radicall pattern without beginning in the Archetype. I conclude therefore, that both Theology and the myliicall Philofophy do con- fent,thatGodis well pleafed with the holy ternary , whichis the hrit odd num- ber in the Arithmeticall progreffion ; for we Chriftians honour a Trinity ofPer- fons in one Deity ; and>4ny?«/fffa!th. That we are intruded byanaturall kind of inllind or habit, to honour God afterthenumber of three; andhefpeaketh in this but reafon, being that in the ideall world there wa> three properties extraded out of one unity, after whofe examplethe reall world was afterward made; fo that the Trinity in Divinity was the root of all the worlds formall compofition. For by the roor 5, the intelleduall or angelicall world was deciphered ; by the fquare 9, theceleftiall world ; and by the cube 17, the elementary, as by the Platonick lear- ning we may gather. But as for the Cabalifticall Rabbies, they confider the quan- titative proportions of this Ternary after another manner; for as the cube of three confilis of three 9,fo they take thefe three 9, & order them in this ternary pofition, 999, which makes nine hundred ninety and nine. So that after the rule of Algo- rifojthe firlf 9 towards the right hand is a fimple digital number, which becaufe of • itsfimplicitVjformality, andefl'entiality , is attributed by them unto thenine or- ders of Angells, which belong unto the intelligible world. The middle 9, impor- ting fo many Tens, doth feem to partake one way of form or fimplicity, and on the other hand of matter , andthcrefore they allot it unto the nine orbes or fphears of the ftarry heaven. The third 9, which is the place of Hundreds , importerh a dee- per andmore materiall compofition, belonging unto the elementary world, all which do at the lail terminate in Man , who is as it were a paffage after the fisure of uniry from themnntocclefiiall things , and from thence untointelleduaU. To conclude, unity, in whom the Philofopher L«/c/p^r did place the foveraign good andhappineffe, being added, unto the three novenaries, will make a compleac thoufandjWhich is the cube often , and th: end of all numbers , according to the Hebraick calculation. Alfo the fquare of 3 , which is 9, by addition oiAleth, which is I , producerh a Denary, or the number of 10 , beyond the which, as ^W- /?«/eaverreth, no man bath ever found any number. After rhe forefaid ryp; rhere- foreor image, the antient Law did make a partition of the fruits and goods pro- ceeding from the carth,ordaining the centenary number,as being more material and
groffe
Sed.iJ MojakdlThilofofby. i^y
groffe,uncothe Laicksand profane perfonsjthe tenths it ordained & allotted to the Church-men, Prieits or Levites; but the unity or denary ic relerved for Gods por- tion, who (as is proved before) being all, is neverthelefs but one ; even as from the trunckof a Tree doill'uemany bunches, and from thofe branches again many fprigs , and yet are all concinuated and undevided from that one trunck, from which they have their life and being; or as from one body of the Sun, an infinity of beams do fpring, not feparated from the eifence of that Sun. But to return unto our purpofe. The faid Cabalilts have adapred and fitted the name of their great An- gell, which they take for the foul of the world, unto this very triple ternary, or formall proportion, namely, 999. arguing thereby his radicall, his fquare, and his cubical I extention, or emilfion ofhis divine form unto the profundity of matter, andconfequently that heis ^7>/jrfand Owf^ all, and through all : For the Letters ot the name Mhattron far hapanim^ which fig- nifieth thePrince oi Faces, which is taken for the foul of the world , after the cal- culation of the Hebrewes amount unto 999. and therefore this name, with Let- ters befitting, do import this number , and yet neverthelefle with this confidera- lion, that the etymology of the word by interpretation may import donum De/, or the gift of God; for what greatergift Could God impart unto his potentiall crea- tures, and in generall unto the great world , then his eternall Spirit of wifdom ,or his onely Begotten, to make them of fomewhat nothing , and to take away all de- formity and nullity from the water, and to fhapeout ofthcm a Heaven and an Earth, and to figure out in them all the creatures thereof, and topreferve them in cxillence, elTence, and lively being ? This was therefore indeed the true catholick donum Dei, o'cgiftofGod, whofe incorruptible nature is in all things , and fiUeth .-, all things; and as it is themoftmovableofallthings,foit operatethallin all, ac- v/'r/l** '' cordingtothe will of him that fent him. And therefore in regard of the office, and as he was an emiflive Spirit , fo was be nor unworthily named by them, the great or catholick Angell,had not Scriptures in plain tearms feemed to intimate fo much.
I could alfo demonltrate, that the world, and his foul, or life, was fhaped after the image of the Archetype in this manner : From i, which was all light, in whom is no darknefle , did a iffue, which was9«M called, becaufe unity did not as yet fhine forth to inform them. Betwixt thefe two extreamsis? interpofed, as a peaceable or charitable unity , between meet light and darknefle, or the Spirit of divine love , who reftingin the midit between thefe two principles, unirech the divine formall fire with the humid materiall nature , or fpirit of darkneffe, making a union of two oppofite natures , fo that both natures do remain in one fympatheticall concordance; and therefore this formall ternary is called, hi gamer) turn elementorura [item (^ amicitiam conco ■■diit vine fills conne^ens; The ligament of the elements, tying together hatred and love rvjth the b.t/ids of concord. I ex- preffe them thus.
Dens 1 Lux.
Caelum 3 Spharaaqualitatis,
Terra 2 Tenebr£.
This excellent harmony of the foul of the world , is elfe-where moft fitly ex- preffedbyme, by twoequallPitaniidicall (hapes, whereof the one is formally the other materiall ; the bafis of the formall is the immediate ad of God , or the infi- nite and onely bright Unity , anditimporteth the emanation of the creating and informing Spirit, fo that his Cone doth penetrate unto the very center of the dark earth or abyffe: And contrariwife, the bafis of the materiall or watry Pyramis, is in theearth or center of darkneffe , and the Cone afcendeth unto the center of the bafis of the formal Pyramis, in this manner.
Now
>?8
Mefmcall Philofofby.