which the Nature of one Element did not prevail over the rest, but they
were all equally mix'd, and a match one for the other; then one of them
would not abate the Force of the other, any more than its own Force is
abated by it, but they would work upon one another with equal Power, and
the Operation of any one of them would not be more conspicuous than that
of the rest; and this Body would be far from being like to any one of
the Elements, but would be as if it had nothing _contrary_ to its
_Form,_ and consequently the more dispos'd for Life; and the greater
this Equality of Temperature was, and by how much the more perfect, and
further distant from inclining oneway or other, by so much the farther
it is distant from having any contrary to it, and its Life is the more
perfect. Now since that Animal Spirit which is seated in the Heart is of
a most exact Temperature, as being finer than _Earth_ and _Water_, and
grosser than _Fire_ and _Air_, it has the Nature of a Mean between them
all, and which has no manifest Opposition to any of the Elements, and by
this means is fitted to become that Form which constitutes an Animal.
And he saw that it follow'd from hence, that those _Animal Spirits_
which were of the most even Temperature, were the best dispos'd for the
most perfect Life in this World, of Generation and Corruption, and that
this Spirit was very near having no opposite to its Forms, and did in
this respect resemble the Heavenly Bodies which have no opposite to
their Forms; and was therefore the Spirit of the Animal, because it was
a Mean between all the Elements, and had no absolute Tendency, either
upwards or downwards; but that, if it were possible it should be plac'd
in the middle Space, between the Center and the highest Bounds of the
Region of Fire, and not be destroy'd, it would continue in the same
place, and move neither upwards nor downwards; but if it should be
locally mov'd, it would move in a round, as the Heavenly Bodies do, and
if it mov'd in its place, it would be round its own Center, and that it
was impossible for it to be of any other Figure but Spherical, and for
that reason it is very much like to the Heavenly Bodies.
§ 71. And when he had consider'd the Properties of Animals, and could
not see any one among them, concerning which he could in the least
suspect that it had any Knowledge of this _necessarily self-existent
Being_; but he knew that his own Essence had the Knowledge of it: He
concluded from hence that he was an Animal, endu'd with a Spirit of an
equal Temperature, as all the Heavenly Bodies are, and that he was of a
distinct Species from the rest of Animals, and that he was created for
another end, and design'd for something greater than what they were
capable of. And this was enough to satisfie him of the Nobility of his
Nature; namely, that his viler Part, _i.e._ the Corporeal, was most like
of all to the Heavenly Substances, which are without this World of
Generation and Corruption, and free from all accidents that cause any
Defect, Change or Alteration: And that his noble Part, _viz._, that by
which he attain'd the Knowledge of the _necessarily self-existent
Being_, was something Heroical and Divine, not subject to Change or
Dissolution, nor capable of being describ'd by any of the Properties or
Attributes of Bodies: Not to be apprehended by any of the Senses, or by
the Imagination; nor to be known by the means of any other Instrument
but it self alone, and that it attains the Knowledge of it self by it
self, and was at once the Knower the Knowledge, and the Thing known, the
Faculty and the Object. Neither was there any difference between any of
these because _Diversity_ and _Separation_ are Properties and Adjuncts
of Bodies; but _Body_ was no way concern'd here, nor any Property or
Adjunct of _Body_.
§ 72. Having apprehended the manner by which the being like the Heavenly
Bodies, was peculiar to him above all other kinds of Animals whatever;
he perceiv'd that it was a Duty necessarily incumbent upon him to
resemble them, and imitate their Actions, and endeavour to the utmost to
become like them: He perceiv'd also that in respect: of his nobler Part,
by which he had attain'd the Knowledge of that _necessarily self
existent Being_, he did in some measure resemble it, because he was
separated from the Attributes of Bodies, as the _necessarily
self-existent Being_ is separated from them. He saw also that it was his
Duty to endeavour to make himself Master of the Properties of that Being
by all possible means, and put on his Qualities, and imitate his
Actions, and labour in the doing his Will, and resign himself wholly to
him, and submit to his Dispensations heartily and unfeignedly, so as to
rejoice in him, tho' he should lay Afflictions upon his Body, and hurt,
or totally destroy it.
§ 73. He also perceiv'd that he resembled the Beasts in his viler part,
which belong'd to this _Generable_ and _Corruptible_ World, _viz_. this
dark, gross Body, which sollicited him with the Desire of Variety of
sensible Objects, and excited him to eating, drinking, and Copulation;
and he knew that his Body was not created and join'd to him in vain, but
that he was oblig'd to preserve it and take care of it, which he saw
could not be done without some of those Actions which are common to the
rest of the Animals. Thus it was plain to him, that there were three
sorts of Actions which he was obliged to, _viz._ 1. Either those by
which he resembled the Irrational Animals. Or, 2. Those by which he
resembled the Heavenly Bodies. Or, 3. Those by which he resembled the
_necessarily self-existent Being_: And that he was oblig'd to the
_first_, as having a gross Body, consisting of several Parts, and
different Faculties, and variety of Motions. To the _second_, as having
an Animal Spirit, which had its Seat in the Heart, and was the first
beginning of the Body and all its Faculties. To the _third_, as he was
what he was, _viz_. as he was that Being, by which he knew the
_necessarily self-existent Being_. And he was very well assur'd before,
that his Happiness and Freedom from Misery, consisted in the perpetual
Vision of that _necessarily self-existent Being_, without being averted
from it so much as the twinkling of an Eye.
§ 74. Then he weigh'd with himself, by what means a Continuation of this
Vision might be attain'd, and the Result of his Contemplation was this,
_viz_. That he was obliged to keep himself constantly exercis'd in these
three kinds of Resemblance. Not that the first of them did any way
contribute to the helping him to the _Vision_(but was rather an
Impediment and Hindrance, because it was concern'd only in sensible
Objects, which are all of them a sort of Veil or Curtain interpos'd
between us and it;) but because it was necessary for the Preservation of
the Animal Spirit, whereby the second Resemblance, which he had with the
Heavenly Bodies was acquir'd, and was for this reason necessary, though
incumbred with Hindrances and Inconveniences. But as to the second
Conformity, he saw indeed that a great share of that continu'd Vision
was attain'd by it, but that it was not without Mixture; because,
whatsoever contemplates the Vision after this manner continually, does,
together with it, have regard to, and call a Look upon his own Essence,
as shall be shewn hereafter. But that the third Conformity was that by
which he obtain'd the pure and entire _Vision_, so as to be wholly taken
up with it, without being diverted from it one way or other, by any
means whatsoever, but being still intent upon that _necessarily
self-existent Being_; which whosoever enjoys, has no regard to any thing
else, and his own Essence is altogether neglected, and vanish'd out of
fight, and become as nothing; and so are all other Essences both great
and small, except only the Essence of that _One, True, Necessarily
Self-existent, High and Powerful Being_.
§ 75. Now when he was assur'd that the utmost Bound of all his Desires
consisted in this _third_ Conformity, and that it was not to be
attain'd, without being a long time exercis'd in _the second_; and that
there was no continuing so long as was necessary for that Purpose, but
by means of the _first_; (which, how necessary soever, he knew was an
Hindrance in itself, and an Help only by Accident.) He resolved to allow
himself no more of that first Conformity than needs must, which was only
just so much as would keep the Animal Spirit alive. Now, in order to
this, he found there were two Things necessary; The former, to help it
inwardly, and supply the Defect of that Nourishment which was wasted;
The latter, to preserve it from without, against the Extremities of Heat
and Cold, Rain and Sun, hurtful Animals, and such like; and he
perceiv'd, that if he should allow himself to use these things, though
necessary, unadvisedly and at Adventure, it might chance to expose him
to Excess, and by that means he might do 'himself an Injury unawares;
whereupon he concluded it the safest way to set Bounds to himself, which
he resolv'd not to pass; both as to the Kind of Meat which he was to
eat, and the Quantity and Quality of it, and the Times of returning to
it.
§ 76. And first he consider'd the several Kinds of those things which
were fit to eat; and found that there were three sorts, _viz_. either
such Plants as were not yet come to their full Growth, nor attained to
Perfection, such as are several sorts of green Herbs which are fit to
eat: Or _secondly,_ the Fruits of Trees which were fully ripe, and had
Seed fit for the Production of more of the same Kind (and such were the
kinds of Fruits that were newly gathered and dry): Or _lastly_, Living
Creatures, both Fish and Flesh. Now he knew very well, that all these
things were created by that _necessarily self-existent Being_, in
approaching to whom he was assur'd that his Happiness did consist, and
in desiring to resemble him. Now the eating of these things must needs
hinder their attaining to their Perfection, and deprive them of that End
for which they were design'd; and this would be an Opposition to the
working of the Supream Agent, and such an Opposition would hinder that
Nearness and Conformity to him, which he so much desir'd. Upon this he
thought it the best way to abstain from eating altogether, if possible;
but when he saw that this would not do, and that such an Abstinence
tended to the Dissolution of his Body, which was so much a greater
Opposition to the _Agent_ than the former, by how much he was of a more
excellent Nature than those things, whose Destruction was the Cause of
his Preservation: Of two Evils he resolved to chuse the least, and do
that which contain'd in it the least Opposition to the Creator; and
resolved to partake of any of these sorts, if those he had most mind to
were not at hand, in such quantity as he should conclude upon hereafter;
and if it so happen'd that he had them all at hand, then he would
consider with himself, and chuse that, in the partaking of which there
would be the least Opposition to the Work of the Creator: Such as the
pulp of those Fruits which were full ripe, and had Seeds in them fit to
produce others of the like kind, always taking care to preserve the
Seeds, and neither cut them, nor spoil them, nor throw them in such
places as were not fit for Plants to grow in, as smooth Stones, salt
Earth, and the like. And if such pulpy Fruits, as Apples, Pears, Plumbs,
&c. could not easily be come at, he would then take such as had nothing
in them fit to eat but only the Seed, as Almonds and Chesnuts, or such
green Herbs as were young and tender; always observing this Rule, that
let him take of which sort he would, he still chose those that there was
greatest Plenty of, and which increased fastest, but so as to pull up
nothing by the Roots, nor spoil the Seed: And if none of these things
could be had, he would then take some living Creature, or eat Eggs; but
when he took any Animal, he chose that sort of which there was the
greatest Plenty, so as not totally to destroy any Species.
§ 77. These were the Rules which he prescrib'd to himself, as to the
Kinds of his Provision; as to the Quantity, his Rule was to eat no more
than just what would satisfie his Hunger; and as for the time of his
Meals, he design'd, when he was once satisfied, not to eat any more till
he found some Disability in himself which hindred his Exercise in the
_second Conformity,_ (of which we are now going to speak;) and as for
those things which necessity requir'd of him towards the Conservation of
his Animal Spirit, in regard of defending it from external Injuries, he
was not much troubled about them, for he was cloath'd with Skins, and
had a House sufficient to secure him from those Inconveniences from
without, which was enough for him; and he thought it superfluous to take
any further Care about those things; and as for his Diet, he observ'd
those Rules which he had prescrib'd to himself, namely, those which we
have just now set down.
§ 78. After this he apply'd himself to the second Operation, _viz._ the
Imitation of the Heavenly Bodies, and expressing their proper Qualities
in himself; which when he had consider'd, he found to be of three sorts.
The _first_ were such as had relation to those inferior Bodies, which,
are plac'd in this World of Generation and Corruption, as Heat, which
they impart to those of their own Nature, and Cold by accident,
Illumination, Rarefaction, and Condensation, and all those other things,
by which they influence these inferior Bodies, whereby they are dispos'd
for the Reception of Spiritual Forms from the _necessarily self-existent
Agent_. The _second_ sort of Properties which they had, were such as
concern'd their own Being, as that they were clear, bright and pure,
free from all manner of feculent Matter, and whatsoever kinds of
Impurity: That their Motion was circular, some of them moving round
their own Center, and some again round the Center of other Planets. The
_third_ kind of their Properties, were such as had relation to the
necessarily self-existent Agent, as their continually beholding him
without any Interruption, and having a Desire towards him, being busied
in his Service, and moving agreeable to his Will, and not otherwise, but
as he pleased, and by his Power. So he began to resemble them in every
one of these three kinds, to the utmost of his Power.
§ 79. And as for his first Conformity, his Imitation of them consisted
in removing all things that were hurtful, either from Animals or Plants
if they could be remov'd: So that if he saw any Plant which was depriv'd
of the Benefit of the Sun, by the Interposition of any other Body; or
that its growth was hindred by its being twisted with, or standing too
near any other Plant, he would remove that which hindred it if possible,
yet so as not to hurt either; or if it was in danger of dying for want
of Moisture, he took what care he could to water it constantly. Or if he
saw any Creature pursu'd by any wild Beast, or entangled in a Snare, or
prick'd with Thorns, or that had gotten any thing hurtful fallen into
its Eyes or Ears, or was hungry or thirsty, he took all possible care to
relieve it. And when he saw any Water-course stopp'd by any Stone, or
any thing brought down by the Stream, so that any Plant or Animal was
hindred of it, he took care to remove it. And thus he continu'd in this
_first_ kind of Imitation of the Heavenly Bodies, till he had attain'd
it to the very heighth of Perfection.
§ 80. The _second_ sort of Imitation consisted in his continually
obliging himself to keep himself clean from all manner of Dirt and
Nastiness, and washing himself often, keeping his Nails and his Teeth
clean, and the secret Parts of his Body, which he used to rub sometimes
with sweet Herbs and Perfume with Odors. He used frequently to make
clean his Cloaths; and perfume them, so that he was all over extreamly
clean and fragrant. Besides this, he us'd a great many sorts of Circular
Motion[21], sometimes walking round the Island, compassing the Shore,
and going round the utmost Bounds of it; sometimes walking or running a
great many times round about his House or some Stone, at other times
turning himself round so often that he was dizzy.
§ 81. His Imitation of the _third_ sort of Attributes, consisted in
confining his Thoughts to the Contemplation of the necessarily
self-existent Being. And in order to this, he remov'd all his Affections
from sensible Things, shut his Eyes, stopp'd his Ears, and refrain'd
himself as much as possible from following his Imagination, endeavouring
to the utmost to think of nothing besides him; nor to admit together
with him any other Object of Contemplation. And he us'd to help himself
in this by violently turning himself round, in which when he was very
violently exercis'd, all manner of sensible Objects vanish'd out of his
sight, and the Imagination, and all the other Faculties which make any
use of the Organs of the Body grew Weak; and on the other side, the
Operations of his Essence, which depended not on the Body, grew strong,
so that at sometimes his Meditation was pure and free from any Mixture,
and he beheld by it the necessarily self-existent Being: But then again
the Corporeal Faculties would return upon him, and spoil his
Contemplation, and bring him down to the lowest Degree where he was
before. Now, when he had any Infirmity upon him which interrupted his
Design, he took some kind of Meat, but still according to the
aforemention'd Rules; and then remov'd again to that State of Imitation
of the Heavenly Bodies, in these three Respects which we have mention'd;
and thus he continued for some time opposing his Corporeal Faculties,
and they opposing him, and mutually struggling one against another, and
at such times as he got the better of them; and his Thoughts were free
from Mixture; he did apprehend something of the Condition of those, who
have attained to the _third_ Resemblance.
§ 82. Then he began to seek after this _third_ Assimulation, and took
pains in the attaining it. And first he consider'd the Attributes of the
_necessarily self-existent Being_. Now it had appear'd to him, during
the time of his Theoretical Speculation, before he enter'd upon the
Practical Part; that there were two Sorts of them, _viz_. Affirmative,
as Knowledge, Power and Wisdom &c. and Negative, as Immateriality; not
only such as consisted in the not being _Body_; but in being altogether
remov'd from any thing that had the least Relation to _Body_, though at
never so great a Distance. And that this was a Condition, not only
requir'd in the Negative Attributes, but in the Affirmative too, _viz_.
that they should be free from all Properties of Body, of which,
_Multiplicity_ is one. Now the Divine Essence is not multiplied by these
Affirmative Attributes, but all of 'em together are one and the same
thing, _viz._ his real Essence. Then he began to consider how he might
imitate him in both these Kinds; and as for the Affirmative Attributes,
when he consider'd that they were nothing else but his real Essence, and
that by no means it could be said of them that they are _many_(because
Multiplicity is a Property of Body) and that the Knowledge of his own
Essence was not a Notion superadded to his Essence, but that his Essence
was the Knowledge of his Essence; and so _vice versa_, it appear'd to
him, that if he would know his Being, this Knowledge, by which he knew
his Being would not be a Notion superadded to his Being, but be the very
Being itself. And he perceived that his way to make himself like to him,
as to what concern'd his Affirmative Attributes, would be to know him
alone, abstracted wholly from all Properties of Body.
§ 83. This he apply'd himself to; and as for the Negative Attributes,
they all consisted in Separation from Bodily Things. He began therefore
to strip himself of all Bodily Properties, which he had made some
Progress in before, during the time of the former Exercise, when he was
employ'd in the Imitation of the Heavenly Bodies; but there still
remained a great many Relicks, as his Circular Motion (Motion being one
of the more proper Attributes of Body), and his care of Animals and
Plants, Compassion upon them, and Industry in removing whatever
inconvenienc'd them. Now all these things belong to Corporeal
Attributes, for he could not see these things at first, but by Corporeal
Faculties; and he was oblig'd to make use of the same Faculties in
preserving them. Therefore he began to reject and remove all those
things from himself, as being in no wise consistent with that State
which he was now in search of. So he continu'd, confining himself to
rest in the Bottom of his Cave, with his Head bow'd down, and his Eyes
shut, and turning himself altogether from all sensible Things and the
Corporeal Faculties, and bending all his Thoughts and Meditations upon
the _necessarily self-existent Being_, without admitting any thing else
besides him; and if any other Object presented itself to his
Imagination, he rejected it with his utmost Force; and exercis'd himself
in this, and persisted in it to that Degree, that sometimes he did
neither eat nor stir for a great many Days together. And whilst he was
thus earnestly taken up in Contemplation, sometimes all manner of Beings
whatsoever would be quite out of his Mind and Thoughts, except his own
Being only.
§ 84. But he found that his own Being was not excluded by his Thoughts,
no not at such times when he was most deeply immers'd in the
Contemplation of the _first, true, necessarily self-existent Being_.
Which concern'd him very much, for he knew that even this was a Mixture
in this simple Vision, and the Admission of an extraneous Object in that
Contemplation. Upon which he endeavour'd to disappear from himself, and
be wholly taken up in the Vision of that _true Being_; till at last he
attain'd it; and then both the Heavens and the Earth, and whatsoever is
between them, and all Spiritual Forms, and Corporeal Faculties; and all
those Powers which are separate from Matter, and are those Beings which
know the _necessarily self-existent Being_, all disappear'd and
vanish'd, and were as if they had never been, and amongst these his own
Being disappear'd too, and there remain'd nothing but this ONE, TRUE,
Perpetually Self-existent Being, who spoke thus in that Saying of his
(which is not a Notion superadded to his Essence.) _To whom now belongs
the Kingdom? To this One, Almighty God_.[22] Which Words of his _Hai Ebn
Yokdhan_ understood, and heard his Voice; nor was his being unacquainted
with Words, and not being able to speak, any Hindrance at all to the
understanding him. Wherefore he deeply immers'd himself into this State,
and witness'd that which neither Eye hath seen, nor Ear heard; nor hath
it ever enter'd into the Heart of Man to conceive.
§ 85. And now, don't expect that I should give thee a Description of
that, which the Heart of Man cannot conceive. For if a great many of
thole things which we do conceive are nevertheless hard to be explain'd,
how much more difficult must those be which cannot be conceiv'd by the
Heart, nor are circumscrib'd in the Limits of that World in which it
converses. Now, when I say the Heart, I don't mean the Substance of it,
nor that Spirit which is contain'd in the Cavity of it; but I mean by
it, the Form of that Spirit which is diffus'd by its Faculties through
the whole Body of Man. Now every one of these three is sometimes call'd
the Heart, but 'tis impossible that this thing which I mean should be
comprehended by any of these three, neither can we express any thing by
Words, which is not first conceiv'd in the Heart. And whosoever asks to
have it explain'd, asks an Impossibility; for 'tis just as if a Man
should have a mind to taste Colours, _quatenas_ Colours, and desire,
that _black_ should be either _sweet_ or _sowre._ However, I shall not
dismiss you without some Limits, whereby I shall point out to you in
some Measure, what wonderful things he saw when in this Condition, but
all figuratively, and by way of Parable; not pretending to give a
literal Description of that, which is impossible to be known, but by
coming thither. Attend therefore with the Ears of thy Heart, and look
sharply with the Eyes of thy Understanding, upon that which I shall shew
thee; it may be thou may'st find so much in it, as may serve to lead
thee into the right way. But I make this Bargain, that thou shalt not at
present require any further Explication of it by Word of Mouth; but rest
thy self contented with what I shall commit to these Papers. For 'tis a
narrow Field, and 'tis dangerous to attempt the explaining of that with
Words, the Nature of which admits no Explication.
§ 86. I say then, when he had abstracted himself from his own and all
other Essences, and beheld nothing in Nature, but only that _One, Living
and Permanent Being_: When he saw what he saw, and then afterwards
return'd to the beholding of other Things: Upon his Coming to himself
from that State (which was like Drunkenness) he began to think that his
own Essence did not at all differ from the Essence of that _TRUE Being_,
but that they were both one and the same thing; and that the thing which
he had taken before for his own Essence, distinct from that _true_
Essence was in reality nothing at all, and that there was nothing in him
but this _true Essence_. And that this was like the Light of the Sun,
which, when it falls upon solid Bodies, shines there; and though it be
attributed, or may seem to belong to that Body upon which it appears,
yet it is nothing else in reality, but the Light of the Sun. And if that
Body be remov'd, its Light also is remov'd; but the Light of the Sun
remains still after the same manner, and is neither increas'd by the
Presence of that Body, nor diminish'd by its Absence. Now when there
happens to be a Body which is fitted for such a Reception of Light, it
receives it; if such a Body be absent, then there is no such Reception,
and it signifies nothing at all.