(for our soule being such, for more reason must hee be so, that made
it to his image and resemblance) hee cannot bee in this simple and
absolute nakednesse comprehended, nor apprehended by his Creatures,
but by certaine attributes which they give him, which are as many
vestments, which the _Caballists_ do particularize to ten _Zephirots_,
or numerations; 3 in the intelligible world; and 7 in the celestiall;
which come to terminate in the Moone, or _Malcut_, the last in
descending, and the first in mounting from the Elementary world
upwards, for it is a passage from here below to heaven. So that the
Pythagoreans call the Moone the Celestial earth; and the heaven
or terrestrial Star, all the nature here below in the elementary
world, being in regard of the celestiall, and the celestiall of the
intelligible; this _Zohar_ called feminine & passible, as from the
Moone towards the Sunne, from whom so much as she absents her selfe
till she comes to its opposition, by so much she increaseth in light
for our regard here below; where on the contrarry in her conjunction,
that shee remaines all darkened, the party upward is all illightned,
to shew us, that the more that our understanding doth abate to things
sensible, so much the more doth he disjoine or sever them from the
intelligible; and contrariwise, this was the cause that _Adam_ was
lodged in an earthly Paradise, to have more leisure to contemplate on
divine things; when he thought to turne after sensible and temporall
things, willing to taste of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of
good and evill, whereby hee departed from that of life, to assubject
himselfe to death, he was banished from thence and put out. To this
very purpose _Zohar_ doth yet adde, that two vestments come from heaven
to this temporall life; The one formall, white, and resplendent;
masculine, fatherly, and agent; for whatsoever is active takes place
from forme, of the male and from the father, and this very thing comes
to us from fire, and from the clearnesse of the stars to illustrate
our understanding. The other is red, maternall, fæminine; for the
soule, coming from the substance of heaven, which is more rare then
that of heavenly bodies. That of the understanding is lodged in the
braine, and the other of the soule, in the heart. The intellect or
understanding, is that part of the reasonable soule made and formed
after the image and semblance of its Creator, and the soule in it, the
animal faculty called _Nephesch_, the life, namely, that which resideth
in the bloud: and as the heaven containes the stars, this contains
the intellect, which to us is for the rest common with brute beasts.
But the intellect, or reasonable soule is proper and particular to
men, that which can merit or demerit; therefore it needs repurgation
and cleansing from the spots that it hath drawne and conceived from
the flesh wherein it was plunged, according to that in the 8. of
_Genesis_ 21. _The thought and imagination of mans heart, were inclined
to evill from his youth._ And sith it is a question, about cleansing
the vestment which is of a fiery nature, it must likewise be, that it
be done by meanes of fire; for wee see by experience, that one fire
chaseth away another, as it hath been said heretofore, so that if a
man bee burnt, there is no readier remedy, then to burne it againe
in the same place; enduring the heat of the fire as much as you can:
which drawes the inflammation to its selfe, out of the party, or else
tempering it with _Aqua vitæ_ wherein _Vitriol_ hath beene calcined,
from whence Chirurgeons have not found a more soveraigne remedy to take
away the fire of a musket shot, to heale inflammations and gangrenes;
and yet there are two fires joined together. But that which during this
life must repurge our soules, is that whereof Saint _Augustine_ in the
29. Sermon speakes thus out of the Apostles words, for there is another
afterwards: Kindle in your selves a sparkle of good and charitable
dilection, blow it, and kindle it, for when it shall grow to a great
flame, that will consume the hay, wood, and chaffe of all your carnall
concupiscences, but the matter wherewith this fire must bee continued,
are prayers, and good workes, which must alwayes burne on your altar,
for it is it whereof our Saviour said, _I am come to put fire in the
earth, and what will I if it bee already kindled?_ _Luke_ 12. 49.
There are further two fires: one on the bad part, to wit, of carnall
concupisence; the other of the good, which is charity, which consumes
all the bad, leaving nothing but good, which exalts it selfe in a fume
of a sweet odour; for the heart of every one, is as an altar, either
of God or of the adversary: and therefore hee that is illuminated with
the torch of charity, which must more and more bee increased by good
works, that it may nourish in it selfe the ardour that our Saviour will
vouchsafe to kindle, whereby that is accomplished, which the Apostle
saith in the 5 to the _Ephes._ _That Jesus Christ hath appropriated
to himselfe a Church, not having spot or wrinckle, holy, and pure,
without blemish._ For that which the Church is in generall, and common
towards God, the conscience of every one of us, is in particular the
same, when it is sincerely prepared, as it is requisite; and that upon
the foundation thereof, men build Gold, Silver, pretious stones; that
is to say, a firme faith, and beleefe, accompanied with good works,
without which faith is dead and buried; all upon the model and pattern
of the heavenly _Jerusalem_ designed in the 21 of the _Apoc._ which is
the type of the Church; as is also the reasonable soule, where it must
burne alwaies with fire upon the Altar, and after the imitation of the
wise and prudent virgins, we may have our lamps ready, well lighted,
and garnished with what is needfull to maintaine light, attending the
Bridegrome: as our Saviour commanded it in Saint _Luke_ 12.
_Zohar_ furthermore makes this repurgation of the soule to bee double,
which is not farre disagreeing from our beleefe. One is whilest the
soule is yet in the body, hee cals that according to the mysticall
manner of speaking, the conjunction of the Moon with the Sunne, then,
when in regard of us here below it is not illuminated; for as long
as the soule is annexed within the body, it enjoyes very little of
its owne light, being all darkened thereby, as if it were imprisoned
in some darke obscure prison. And this repurgation doth consist in
repentance of its misdoings, satisfaction for them, and conversion to
a better life; in fastings, almes, prayers, and other such penitences,
which may be exercised in this world. The other is, after the
separation of soul and body, which is made in the purgative fire; which
neither Jewes, Mahometans, or Ethnicks, ever called in doubt.
_But when with supreame light life leaves us, yet all evill from
miserable men, nor yet all corporeall plagues do passe away, and the
punishment of old evils do weigh us, some are exposed to vaine windes;
to others under a vast gulfe their infected wickednesse is washed off,
or burnt with fire._
Where there are set forth three repurgative Elements, Aire, Water,
and Fire; But wee must not understand (saith Saint _Augustine_, on
his third Sermon upon such as are diseased) that by this transitory
fire grievous and mortall offences, and capitall sins are purged, if
they have not beene repented of in this temporall life; or to blot
out the expiation on the other side, where the rest is perfected in
the fire, as man-slayers, adulterers, false witnesses, concussions,
violences, rapines, injustices, infidelitie, erroneous obstinations,
and the like; which are directly opposite to Gods Divine precepts and
commandements: but the smaller faults onely, which they call veniall
sinnes, as eating and drinking to excesse, vaine words, foolish
desires, and depraved concupiscences, not brought to effect: not to
exercise the works of mercy, whither common charity, and commiseration
cals us, and such other frailties: of which if we repent not, in this
world, fire shall repurge us in another, and more sharply. To this
purpose the Hebrewes make a triple distinction of sins, _Chataoth_ are
those that wee mistake against our selves, without hurting any other,
but our selves, gourmandizings, inconstancies, lazines, idlenesse,
anger, spite. The _Avonoth_, are addressed to our neighbour, which
do not blot out and pardon, but by meanes of reparation: and the
_Peschaim_ the transgressions, prævarications, and impieties, directly
addressed against God: They draw this first out of the 34 of _Exodus_
7. pardoning iniquitie, rebellion, and offences; more in the 106
_Psal._ 6. _We have sinned, wee have committed iniquity, wee have done
foolishly_; and in the 9 of _Dan._ _Chatanu, Veavinu, Vehirsannu_;
there are sinnes saith _Zohar_, imprinted above, others below, and
others both in the one and in the other; above, against God; below,
against our neighbour; and in the one, and in the other against our
selves, bodies and goods, as well our neighbours as our owne; noting
that below, the soule; that above, made after the image and semblance
of God. If they bee blotted out below, they are so above. Jesus Christ
after his resurrection _breathed on his Disciples, and said unto them,
Receive the holy Ghost; To whom soever you pardon sinnes, they shall
bee pardoned; and whose sinnes soever yee retaine, they are retained_.
_Joh,_ 20. 23. that which you shall binde on earth shall be bound in
heaven.
But to returne to the recloathing, and to say something thereof, the
superiour is alwaies clad with the inferiour, the intelligible world,
with the celestiall, which is but as it were a shadow thereof, and the
celestiall with the elementary: and notwithstanding it would seeme
cleane contrary by the figure of _Hypallage_ as in the 18. _Psal._ _God
hath put his Tabernacle in the Sunne_, which is to say, hee hath put
the Sunne in his Tabernacle, which is, heaven; for God doth not reside
in this World, but rather the World in God, who comprehends all, _for
in him wee live, wee move, and have our beeing_. Also the intelligible
world should be clothed with the celestiall, and the celestiall with
the elementary. But this to shew that we cannot well comprehend
heaven, being so remote from us; but by that which is expounded to the
knowledge of our senses here below, nor of the separated Intelligences,
but by the sensible. There was nothing (said the Philosopher) in the
intellect, that was not first in the sense. And the Apostle in the
first to the _Romanes_, that _the invisible things of God, are seene
in the Creation of the world, by those that were made_. This all
conformably unto _Zohar_, In thee (said he; in the prayer of _Elias_
addressing himselfe to God) there is no resemblance, nor any image
interiour, or exteriour; but further, thou hast created heaven and
earth, and produced out of those the Sunne, and the Moon, the Starres
and the Signes of the Zodiack; and in earth Trees, and Herbs, delights
in Gardens, with Beasts, Birds, and Fishes, and at last Men; that
from thence things above might bee knowne. And of the superiours, the
inferiours together, so that the one and the other may bee governed:
_Plutarch_ alledgeth in his Treatise of _Osiris_, that in the City of
_Sais_ in _Ægypt_, there was such an inscription in the Temple of
_Minerva_, _borne out of Jupiters braine, which is nothing else but the
sapience of the Father_.
I am that which was, which is, and which shall bee, and as yet there
is none amongst mortall men, that hath yet discovered my vaile: for
Divinity is so wrapped in darkness, that you cannot see day through
it. I see him not, for hee is darkened with an over dark cloud,
said _Orpheus_: and in the 17 _Psal._ _which made darkenesse his
hiding place_. Further in the 4 of _Deut._ _You came to the foot of
a mountaine that burned, even to heaven, and therein was darkness,
thick clouds, and obscurity_: for in regard of God towards us, light
and darknesse, are but one thing: as is his darknesse, such is his
light: And in the 16 of _Isaiah_, _Make thy shadow as the night, in the
midst of the noone day_. The very same, as well the affirmative, as
the negative; by which, that which is æquippollent unto darknesse, we
may better apprehend something of the Divine Essence, but not by the
affirmative, that relates unto light, as _Rabbi Moses_ doth excellently
well dispute it in his 57. chapter of his first booke of _More_: For
the Divine light, is insupportable above all to all his Creatures, even
to the most perfect, following that which the Apostle sets downe in
the 1 of _Tim._ 6. _God dwels in light inaccessible, that no man can
see_: So that it is to us in stead of darknesse, as the brightnesse of
the Sun is to Moulds, Owles, and other night birds: which darknesses
are the revestments, and as the borders and cloisters of the light;
for represent to your selves some Lanthorne placed on the top of a
mountaine: all round about it as from the Center to the Circumference,
it shall spread its light equally, as farre as it can extend it: so
that at the last darknesse will terminate it, _for darknesse is nothing
else, but the absence and privation of light_: Even the very same,
the exteriour man, carnall, animall, is the coverture; yea darknesse
of the interiour spirituall: after the manner or fashion of some
Lanthorne of wood, or stone, and other darke matter, which keeps that
the light there shut in, could not shew forth its light, the Lanthorne
symbolizing to the body, and the light within to the soule. But if
the body bee subtiliated to an æthereall nature, from thence it comes
to passe, as if the Lanthorne were of some cleare Crystall, or of
transparent horne: for then the soule and its functions, do shine there
about openly without obstacle. Sith then, to the one of these two,
namely to the inner man, is attributed fire, that answers to the soule,
and salt to the outward man, which is the body: as the sacrifice or man
animall is the revestment of the spirituall designed by the Man, and
by Fire: The vestment of this Fire will bee Salt, in which, fire is
potentially shut in; for all Salts are of the nature of fire, as being
thereof begotten. _Geber_ saith, that salt is made of every thing that
is burned, and by consequent, participant of its proprieties, which are
to purge, dry, hinder corruption, and unboile; as wee may see in all
salted things which are as it were halfe boiled, and are kept longer
uncorrupt then raw, also in potentiall burning irons which burne, and
are nothing else but Salt.
Will it bee lawfull for us here to bring one entire passage of _Rhases_
in a book of the _Secret Triplicity_? for it is not common to all, and
wee will strongly insist on this number by reason of the three Fires
and three Salts, whereof wee pretend to Treat. So that there is a
Mystery in this number of 3 that must not bee forgotten, for that it
represents the operation, whereof Fire is the Operator; for 1, 2, 3,
makes 6, the 6 dayes wherein God in the Creation of the world perfected
all his workes, and rested the seventh day.
There are (saith _Rhases_) three natures, the first whereof cannot
bee knowne nor apprehended, but by a deepe elevated Meditation: This
is, that all-good God Almighty, Author, and the first Cause of all
things. The other is neither visible, nor tangible, although men should
_bee all contrary_; that is to say heaven in its rarity. The third
is the Elementary World, comprehending all that which is under the
Æthereall Region, is perceived and known by our senses. Moreover God
which was from all æternity, and with whom before the Creation of the
world, there was nothing but his proper name knowne to himselfe, and
his Sapience; that which hee created on the first day, was the water
wherein hee mingled earth, then came hee to procreate after, that
which had a beeing here below. And in these two Elements, thicke and
grosse, perceptible to our senses, are comprehended the two other, more
subtill and rare, Aire, and Fire. These four bodies being, (if we must
call them bodies) bound together with such a minglement, that they
could not perfectly separate. Two of them are fixed, namely, Earth and
Fire, as being dry and solid; the other two volatile, Water, and Aire,
which are moist and liquid: so that each Element is agreeable to the
other, two wherewith is bounded and enclosed, and by the same meanes,
containes two in it selfe, the one corruptible, the other not, the
which participates of the Divine nature: and therefore there are two
sorts of Waters, the one pure, simple, and elementary; and the other
common, which we use in Lakes, Wels, Springs, and Rivers, raines and
other impressions of the Aire. There is likewise a grosse Earth, filthy
and infected; and a Virgin Earth, crystalline, cleare, and shining,
contained and shut up in the Center of all the composed Elementaries;
where it remaines revested, and covered with many foldings one upon
another. So that it is not easie to arrive there, but by a cautelous
and well graduated preparation by fire. There is also a fire which is
maintained almost of it selfe, and as it were of nothing, so small is
the nourishment that it needeth; whence it comes to bee more cleare and
lucent, and another obscure, darke, and burning, and consuming all that
to which it is fixed, and it selfe at last. And Aire on the other side
pure and cleane, with another corruptible full of legerity, for of all
the Elements, there is none more easie to be corrupted then the aire;
all which substances so contrary and repugnant, mingled with elementary
bodies are the cause of their destruction: wherefore of necessity that
which is pure and incorruptible, must be separated from its contrary,
the corruptible and impure, which cannot be done but by fire, the
separator and purificator. But the three liquid Elements, Water, Aire,
and Fire, are as inseparable one from the other, for if the Aire were
distracted from the fire, the fire which hath therefrom one of its
principall maintainments and food, would suddenly extinguish, and if
the water were separated from the Aire, all would bee in a flame. That
if the Aire should be quite drawne from the water, for as much as by
its legerity, it holds it somewhat suspended, all would be drowned.
Likewise if Fire should be separated from the Water, all would bee
reduced into a deluge. For three Elements neverthelesse may well bee
disjoined from the Earth, but not wholly, there must remaine some
part to give consistence to the Body: and render it tangible, by the
meanes of a most subtill and thinne portion thereof, which they will
elevate with them, out of this gross thickness that remaines below,
as wee may sensibly see in glass, which by an industrious Artifice of
fire, is depured of the darknesse that was in the ashes, to passe from
thence to a transparent clearnesse, which is of the nature of Fire
and indissoluble Salt, accompanied with a firme and solid thicknesse,
having neither transpiration nor pores.
But wherefore should wee not hereto file all in one traine, those
so excellent Meditations of _Zohar_, sith all depends on the same
purpose? _God formed Adam of the slime of the earth_, or according
to the Hebrew, _God formed man dust of the earth_; which word of
forming belongeth properly to Potters, who fashion of earth all that
they thinke good. And touching the dust, this is but to abate our
pride, with which wee may bee swolne, when wee consider the vile and
corruptible matter, whereof wee are made, in respect of our bodies,
which is nothing else but mire and dirt. Consider then three things
(saith _Zohar_) and thou shalt not fall into transgression. Remember
from whence thou art come, of such filthy and foule stuffe, and whither
thou must at last returne, to dust, wormes, and rottennesse; and before
whom thou art to render an account, and reason of all thy actions, and
comportments; who is the soveraigne Judge, the King of all, who leaves
no transgression unpunished, nor good worke irrecompensed. _Adam_ then
and all his posterity were formed of the dust of the earth, which
had before beene moistned with the fountaine or vapour, which was
highly elevated by the Sunnebeams to water and to soften the earth:
For the Earth being of it selfe cold, and dry, is altogether sterill
and fruitlesse, if it be not impregned with moisture and heat, whence
proceed fecundity. So that _Adam_ was composed of Earth and Water
mingled together: These two elements betoken a double faculty in him,
and double formation, the one of the body, in regard of this age; the
other of the soule, in another world. Water shewes the celestiall
Meditation whereto our spirit may exalt it selfe; and the earth of it
selfe immoveable, and that can never budge from below, nor willingly
mingle with the other three volatil elements, by reason of its extreame
drynesse, so that it doth but grow hard by the action of fire, and
makes it selfe more contrary and untractable by the spirit of
contradiction hard and refractory from the flesh, against the spirit,
so that shee should reject the water which men thought to put therein,
if it were not by meanes of the subtill Aire, interposing and mingling
therewith, and penetrating into the smallest parts: which being suckt
within the water, forces the earth to feed on it, to inclose it in
her selfe, as if shee would detaine it prisoner, and by that meanes
remaines great; as the female by a male; for every superiour thing in
order and degree, holds the place of male, to that which is inferiour
and subject thereunto.
[Sidenote: _Argilla._]
[Sidenote: Gen. 4. 7.]
Now if the Aire absent it selfe, which associates and unites them
together, as being suppeditated and banished, which is moist and hot,
from the extreame drynesse and coldnesse of the earth, it will force
it with all its power to reject the water, and so reduce it selfe to
its first drynesse; which we may perceive in Sand, which will never
receive water, except it be quickly separated. Even so the earth is
alwaies rebellious and contumacious of it selfe to bee mollified, be it
by water, by aire, by fire; and after this manner there was a spirit of
contradiction and disobedience introduced into _Adam_, by reason of the
earth, whereof he was formed: as his Companion and himselfe do shew,
when by the suggestion of the Serpent, the most terrestriall animall
of all others, they so easily contradicted that extreame prohibition
which was given them of not tasting the fruit of the knowledge of good
and evill: for the punishment whereof, it was said to the Serpent,
_thou shallt eat earth all the dayes of thy life_: which _Isaiah_
resumes in 65. chap. _Dust is thy bread_: And to _Adam_, that _the
earth should produce nothing but thornes, briars, and thistles_, by
means whereof, if he would live, he must cultivate it with the sweat
of his browes, till returne to that from whence he was drawne, for
being dust hee must returne to dust. But water which notifies Divine
speculations, disirous to mingle, and unite with all things, to whom it
gave beginning, and made them grow and multiply, is as the carriage or
vestment of the spirit, following that which was said in the beginning
of the Creation, that the Spirit of God was stretched over the waters,
or as the Hebrew word _Marachephet_ caries it, hovering over them,
fomenting and vivifying them, as a Henne doth her Chickens, with a
connaturall heat; for this word _Elohim_ imports I know not what,
of heate and fire. By Water then the docill spirit, obedient to the
invitations of the intellect, insinuated it selfe into _Adam_; and by
Earth the refractory, and opiniaster, that spurneth against the pricke;
for as the earth was the most ignoble Element of all others, water
rejecteth it, and disdaineth it, and could agree with it, but as to
a lee and excrement; but if the pure and neat spirit remaines within
the water, where it made choice of its residence; for from the three
natures of earth, water at least never joines with the two, (that is to
say) sand, for its extreame drynesse that causeth a discontinuation of
parts: and the dirt to be fatty and unctuous: there is not any thing
else, but slime only, with which some food and mingling which may bee
thereof made, the water at last lets it reside below, and it swimmes
over: as being of a contrary nature, the one altogether immoveable,
solid, and compact; the other fluent, removing, and gliding as bloud
through the veines, wherein the spirits reside; who can easily bee
elevated to bee of a fiery quality, alwayes soring upward: So that the
water which notifies the interiour spirit, endeavours to devest it
selfe of this externall coagulation; for all coagulation is a kinde
of death and waterishnesse of life; and would never more associate
therewith, nor revest it selfe by reason of its contumacy; were it not
that the soveraigne Master, and Lord _Adonai_ by his providence, for
the propagation of things, (as long as hee shall please to maintaine
in beeing, this faire worke of his hands) constraine these two, Earth
and Water, to agree in a sort together, by its Angell or Minister
that rules in the Aire. Man moreover hath towards himselfe frank and
free will in his full power and disposition: _The appetite of sinne
shall be under thee, and thou shalt have domination over it_, _Gen._
4. But if hee be adheering to the earth, (that is to say) to carnall
desires and concupiscences, whereunto he is most inclinable, he shall
do nothing but evill. And if to the spirit, designed by water, all
that hee doth shall goe well. The River of God is filled with waters.
And in the 44. of _Isaiah_, _I will powre out water upon him that is
thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will powre out my Spirit
upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring_. So that as long
as the water doth suffer and remaine united with the earth, the good
Spirit resteth with man, by which wee are admonished by the wise man,
_Prov._ 5.15, _to drinke waters out of our Cisterne, & rivers out
of our own Wel_. But when the earth by its rebellious and repugnant
drought, rejecteth water, there resteth nothing therein but its hard
and refractary obstination, till that by meanes of the aire, the spirit
that joines and unites them together (which are holy inspirations)
it bee newly remoistned and watered: By meanes whereof when wee have
this good spirit of salutary water, whereof it is written in the 15 of
_Ecclesiasticus_, _Thou shalt give him the water of wisdome to drinke_:
wee must take heed of casting it away, and to make our selves all dry
earth and sandy, which is not satisfied with water, and therefore
produceth nothing.
[Sidenote: Psal. 36. 6.]
But all this is more clearly expressed in the Gospell, where by the
meanes of this fructifying water, our Saviour which is a Fountaine
that is never dry, the holy Spirit commeth to put into our hearts that
which moistneth the hardnesse of the earth, watereth it, and dresseth
it, to produce the ripe fruits of good and charitable works. _The water
which I will give you_ (saith he, _Joh._ 4. 14.) _shall be a Fountaine
of living water, springing up into eternall life._ Of this water the
Prophets have clearely spoken, as _David_ in the 36. _Psal._ _For with
thee there is a Fountaine of life, and in thy light wee shall see
light._ See how he joines water with light, which is fire; so that this
digression seemes to bee lesse impertinent; and in the 12. of _Esay_
3. _You shall draw water with joy out of the wels of salvation._ More
_Jerem._ 2. _They have forsaken me, that am the Fountaine of living
water, and have digged to themselves Cisternes, broken Cisternes that
will hold no water._