Part V.

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187
rare always into the region of the folid, whence nothing is left vacuous, nothing void of Body. The inequality which .remaineth amongtf them cauieth Convulfion, for matter is agita¬ ted amonglt them and they reciprocally by matter.
CHAP. XIV.
Of the Soul of the Wbrlf the Sphears Stars.'
and
From Bodies he alloweth that we collefl the powers of the Soul., for feeing that we difcern all things by the Soul, he juftly placed the principles of all things therein, thatwhat- foever Ihould occur, we might contemplate it by that which is of Kin and Neighbour un¬ to it, and attribute an Eflence thereunto con- fonant to the funftions. Then therefore he .called one lubftance intelligible and indivifible ; he placed another divifible amongft Bodies, to fignifie that the knowledge as well of the one as of the other may be had by Intellefl, And knowing that in things intelligible and fenli- ble, there is identity and diverfity, he fitly compofed th« Soul out of all thefe. For, either the like is known by the like, as the Pytha¬ goreans hold, or as Heraclitus the Naturalijl., unlike always unlike.
That he would that the World Ihould be ge~ fieraie., we muft not fo underftand as if there ihall beany time wherein the World is not, but in as much as it always perilheth in Generation, and declareth, that there isfome more excel¬ lent and principal caufe of its eflence.
The Soul of the World which was from all Eternity, was not made by God, but only adorned by him, in which relpefl he is Ibme- times faid to have made it, for that he exciteth at, and converteth the Mind thereof, as out of a profound Sleep unto himfelf, that behold; ing his intelligibles, and affeQing his notions, it Ihould firom thence receive Species and Form ; whence it is manifeft, that the W^orld was en¬ dued by God, both with a Soul and Mind. For, intending it to be the beft, he muft have made it animate and intelligent , fince an ani¬ mate thing is more excellent than an inani¬ mate, and an intelligent than an unintelligent 5 perhaps the Mind alfo could not fubfift with¬ out a Soul.
This Soul, being diffuled from the Centre of the World to the extreams, comprehendeth the whole body of the World, fo as it is extended throughout the tlniverle, and in that manner joyneth and conlerveth the whole. The ex ternal prefide over the internal, for they are not divided, but thefe are divided into feven Circles -, ftom the firft diftributed according to duple and triple Intervals. That which is com-' prehendedby the indivifible Spheaj:,is correlpon- dent to it, that which is divided to the other. For the motion of Heaven which comprehend¬ eth all things, being not uncertain, is one and or¬ dinate, but that of tlie things within it , is changeable, varied by rifing and fetting , whence called Planetaiy. The outermoft Sphear moveth to the Right-Hand from Eaf
to the innermoft contrariwife, to the WorM^*^^ meeting the
God framed alfo the Stars and Conftellationsj lomQpxed for the ornament of Heaven and might, very many in number. The Erraticlc are leven, lerying for number and time, and the illumination of all things 5 for time is an interval of the motion of the World, as an I- mage of Eternity, which isthemealhre of the ftate of the Eternal World. The Planets are not of equal Power, the Sun is the leader of all who illuminateth, and fheweth all things to the Eye. Next the Aicon , which in relpetf of her Power hath the fecond place. The reft of the Planets each according to their leveral Proportions. The Moon maketh the mea- fere of 3. Month., in that fpace compleating its Circle, and overtaking the Sun. The Sun rneafureth the lea?'., for running through the circle of the Zodiack., he compleateth the Sea- Ions of the Year. Of the other Stars each hath Its proper revolution, with which all Men are ^^^^CQUsinted, but only the Learned. By all thofe revolutions the abfolute nu)nher of time is compleated, when coming all to the fame point, they are in fuch order, as if we fliould imagine a right line to be drawn from the Sphear of fixed Stars to the Earth , the Cen¬ ters all would be feen in that line.
There being feven Orbs in the Planetary Sphear, the maker of the World, framed in them feven confpicuous bodies of matter for the molt part fiery, and inferred them into the ^hears belonging to the other Erratick Circle. The Moon he placed in that Circle which is next the Earth, the Sun in the fecond, the Morning-Star., and the Sacred ^X3iioi Mercury., in that Orb which is equal in fwiftneis wdth the Sun. The reft higher, each in its proper Sphear. That of Saturn the floweft of all, he placed in that Orb which is next to the fixed Stars. Second to this is that which they call the Sphear of Jupiter., next that of Mars ^ the eigth, thQ Supream Power, inclu-
deth all.Thefe are all living intelligent Creatures, and Gods endued with a Spherical Figure.
C H A- P. XV.
Of Daemons and Eletnents.
THere are other Damons alfo which we may call intelligent Gods, in each of the Ele¬ ments partly vifible, partly invifible,inthe ather,^ Fire, Air and Water, that there be not any part of the World void of Soul, or of an animate Crea¬ ture more excellent than humane Nature.Below thefe are all Earthly fublunary things •, God is -'maker of the World, of all Gods and Da~ mons. This Univerfe by his Divine Will fhalL notrbe dilTolved. Over the reft his Sons prefide, who by his Command and Example order whatfoever they do.. By thefe Dots, JKoSiur- nal Vlfions, Dreams, Oracles, and .whatfoever Men refer to divination, is artificially wrought.
Aa
The
PLAT 0.
i88
The Earth is fixed in the midft of all, round about the Axle-tree, which pafieth through the midft of the World. It is the obferver of Night and Day, the moil ancient of all Gods in Heaven. Next the Soul of the World it affordeth us moft Nutriture j about it the \ Heavens move, and it Mf is a kind of Star .- It reraaineth in its proper place, which by reafon of its even weight is the Centre *, the -^ther exteriour is divided into the Sphear of fixed Stars, and that of Planets. Next to thefe is the Air j in the midft the Earth with its Humi¬ dity.
CHAP. XVJ.
Of the Toungcr Gods tnakers of Men.
AFter that all thefe were framed, there re¬ mained three kinds of living Creatures which were to be Mortal, Volatile.^ Aquatile^ and Terrefrial-, the generation whereof he committed to his tS^?;7,left if he himfelf had be¬ gotten them,they fhould have been Immortal as well as the reft. They borrowing fome little parts from firft matter fora certain time, formed mortal living Creatures, and becaule of Man¬ kind, as being next to the Gods, both the Fa¬ ther of all things, and his Sons likewife have a particular care, the Maker of all things lent down himfelf their Souls into the Earth equal in number to the Stars, and having impofed each one his proper Star, as a Vehiculum, like a Law-jgiver, he pronounced decrees unto them, that heT himfelf might be inculpable, which was that there ftiould arfte Mortal afte£tions from the Body, firft Senles, next Pleafure, then Grief,and Fear, and Anger, which thole Souls that fhould overcome, and not fuffer themfelves to be tran- Iported by them, lliould juftly be accounted Vi£lors, andatthelaft return to their proper Stair, though they which fhould be tranlport- ed by Injuttice, fhould in the fecond Genera¬ tion undergo the lives of Women, wherein if they ceafed not from their Wickednefs, they fhould at laft tranfmigrate into the nature of Brute Beafts, the ei^d of thefe Labours fhall then be, when they nave overcome the innate affeflions of the Body, and then return to their proper Habit.
CHAP. XVII.
Of the Body, andparti of ' Man, and Bowers oj the Sou/; ” -
f ■ i *
TH E ' Gods firft formed Man of Earth, Fire, Air, and Watdr, borrowing feme parts from matter (tb be reftored in theif due time) which they fo connefted to One another by fecret ties, as that of all thefe they framed one Body. The moft excellent part of the Soul that was fent down froniv Heaven, they pla¬ ced in xhtHead, for which* as a manured Field they prepared the Braj)t; About the Face “they difpoled Organs proper for Senfc T row they made of Imooth ftraight Triangles,, OT which the Elements were formed, that it fhould be the Origin of proltfick Seed. Bones