doth change nature and quality, and that there are infinite sorts of
them? Not so many of Water, Air is most like unto it self: but if
there bee any changes or alteration therein it is by accident, as if
some maladies should fall thereupon: which doe more readily adhere
thereunto, because of its rarity of substance then to any others.
Fire is altogether exempt therefrom, being alwayes one, and in its al
like to his parts, which are like to themselves, except the matter to
which it doth adhere makes it vary. And this it is in which it comes
nearest to the Celestiall nature which is all Uniform in it self, and
so well regulated, that it hath nothing unlike: which maketh that the
fire is repurgative above the rest of his fellow Elements, to clear
them and put in evidence. In the 12. of St. _Luke_ our Saviour warneth
his Disciples to have their _Lampes burning in their hands, that their
light might come to shine amongst men, that their good workes may bee
seen, to glorifie their Father which is in heaven, for hee that doth
ill hates the light_, which _Job_ saith is worse to Malefactors, then
_the shadow of death_. It is the same also that _Moses_ would secretly
infer in the 3. of _Gen._ where hee makes God to walk _at noon_, which
is the clearest light of the day. And the Apostle in the 1. of _Tim._
6. 16. saith that _he dwells in light in accessible_, without which
all would be confusedly folded up in hideous darknesse. Let us then
take heed, that the light which hee hath pleased to put into our soul,
be not obfuscate and converted into black obscurity: and that on this
solid foundation which hee hath granted us of his knowledge, wee build
not hay, wood, and chaffe, all things of themselves obscure and dark:
in lieu of gold, silver, pretious stones, so clear, shining and bright.
Let us hear again that which _Zohar_ divinely discourseth of, about
fire and light, upon the Text of the 4. of _Levit._ _Thy Lord God is a
consuming fire._ That there is one fire which devoures another being
the stronger, as wee may see in some burning firebrand, or torch, that
which proceeds therefrom is of two sorts: the one blew, attached to a
black match, which retaineth it self there nourishing it self from
corruption. The other flame proceeding from the red inflamed Match is
white, and the blew is white in the highest, as to return to the first
originall: this _Homer_ was not ignorant of, when in the 6. of his
_Odysses_ hee attributed to the _Olympus_ a pure and bright splendor.
Nothing should better represent unto us the four worlds namely the
white which is supercelestial, the blew celestiall, the match fired,
the Elementary, and the burning darknesse, Hell: which abundantly shews
us the body. Rednes, the vitall spirits, resident in the bloud; the
blew, the soul; the white, the intellect, and the divine character
imprinted in the soul: and as the blew light doth quickly change into
yellow, quickly into white, the soul also can doe the same according as
it shall incline it self to good or to evill: or whether thee follows
the provocations of the flesh or the invitations and exhortations of
the intellect, following that which is written in the 4. _Gen._ 7. _If
thou doe well, shalt thou not bee accepted? and if thou dost not well,
sin lieth at the dore. And unto thee shall bee his desire, and thou
shalt rule over him._ The white flame is alwayes the same, without
variation or change, as doth the blew: So the fire in this respect is
fourfold. Black in the lower part of its weik, where the flame that
is fastened to it, is blew. Red in the top of the weik, and the flame
white. This which relates also, to the four Elements, black, materiall,
to the Earth: Blew more spirituall to the air, Red to fire, and white
to water. For heaven is composed of fire and water, which is above the
heavens. _Let the waters that are above the heavens praise the Lord._
Yet neverthelesse all this is but fire, as _Moses_ the son of _Maynon_
declares very well in the second Book of his _Mor._ chap. 31. where he
saith that under the name of Earth are comprised the four Elements,
and by darknesse was understood the first fire: for it is said in the
4. of _Deut._ _You have heard his words out of the midst of fire_, and
then he adds of a sodain, _You have heard his voice out of darknesse_:
This fire moreover, was called the first fire, because that is not
it which is shining and clear, but it is only, so transparent to the
sight, as is the Air: and could not comprehend it self therewith,
for if it were shining wee should in the night see all the air shine
as fire. And for that the darknesse, which was first named, denoted
fire, namely that whereof it is said, that _darknesse was upon the
face of the Abysse_: because the fire was under the three Elements;
comprised under this word _Abyssus_. There are other darknesses which
follow after: then when the separation of things was made, and the
Darknesses he called Night. All this, the foresaid _Rabbin_ put out.
To which that would touch, which the _Alcoran_ carries in _Azoare._
65. _I will send you a clear and beautifull fire._ All this which
adheres then to the low black part, is therwith consumed & destroyed,
and holdeth place of death: after which, cometh true life: the blue
flame likewise if it therein degenerate, and lets it predominate;
but the white doth not endeavor but to uncover it self here below to
transport it self upwards: and not suffer it self to bee over mastered
by others. And doth not devoure nor destroy, nor is not thereby
devoured, nor his clear shining splendor altered, as are those of the
others: By reason whereof wee must adhere and let our selves be salted
with this white fire, and bee illuminated with this fair white light
that never varies, following that which is said in the 4. of _Deu._
_You which adhere to the Lord your God, you are all living also, as
at this day._ But if our blew light the soul, adhere to the black,
and to the red, which are our sensualities and concupiscences, the
strange fire will force it selfe into us, and will devoure and consume
us. This knowledge of the Elements, and of their colours, doth not
insist only in composed bodies, here below, but thereby wee may mount
as by _Jacobs_ Ladder, the height of this celestiall world, where the
Elements are also, yet of another sort, more simple and depured: and
from thence to passe beyond into the intelligible world, where they
are in their true essence; for all consists in the four Elements. Sons
of wisdome understand (saith _Hermes_ in his Tract of 7. chapters)
not only corporally, but also spiritually, the science of the four
Elements, whose secret apparition is in no wise signified, except
they bee first compounded, because of the Elements; there is nothing
made without their composition and Regiment. Will we dive more deeply
into the secrets of this Caball? This Composition and Regiment of
the Elements, is no other thing then the _Sacrosanct_ four-lettered
ineffable _Jehovah_: which comprehends all that which is, was, and
shall bee: where the little and finall ה notes the body and matter, or
other the like, where the Fire cleaveth or fasteneth unto: The ו _vou_
or cloud copulative which assembles the two ה the intelligible and the
sensible, are the spirits that join the Soul with the Body: the red
inflammation of the coal or weik, with the azure flame, doe signifie
the soul: and the Jod is the white unchangeable and permanent flame of
the intellect, where all at length comes to terminate, which whitenesse
is the seat of the true spirituall hidden light, which is not seen nor
known, but by it self: for indeed our nature to take it in it self,
is but a dark substance; right resembling the Moon, which hath no
light but what it receives from the Sun, which she is apt to receive,
as our soul is that of the intellectuall light: And there is not a
creature whatsoever, which is of it self a substantiall light; but
only a participation of the only true light, which shineth in all, and
through all, plainly and sensibly. It is the _Chasmall_ of _Ezechiel_
according to _Zohar_, whence proceeds fire or light assembled of two,
which are yet but one thing: the white light, namely which mounteth
and cleareth that, which no mortall eye could suffer, that of which is
written in 46. _Psal._ _Light is risen to the just, and gladnesse to
the upright in heart_: which corresponds to the intelligible world,
and the inward man. The other is a twinckling and flaming light, of a
red fiery colour, joined and united to a coal, or a weik, signifying
the sensible world, and the ontward corporall man. The soul is placed
in the middle, namely the blew light, part whereof, is fastened to the
weik, and part to the white flame; quickly adhering to one, and quickly
to another, whence according as shee applies it self it comes to bee
either burned or illuminated, following that which _Origen_ sets down
upon the 14. of _Jer._ _That God is a red burning fire, consuming and
destroying, as concerning sinners, and to holy and just persons, a
white rejoycing and vivifying light_: _Jamblicus_, that doth not soar
so high as _Zohar_, being not assisted but by the light and instinct of
nature, said very well, but afterwards the _Phœnician_ Theologie, that
al which we can perceive of goodnesse and contentment, in this sensible
world, comes from the light which is imparted to us from the Sun, and
Stars illustrated with it. And as the Sun imparts his light to the
Moon, to the Stars, and to the Heavens: so God (communicates his to the
intelligible world:) the lively Fountain of all others, to his blessed
Intelligences: So that, all what our souls can have of good, of joy, of
beatitude, be it whilest they are annexed to the bodies, or separated
therefrom, comes from this primordiall light, which shineth in them
by reflexion, as the Sun beams in a basin, a concave looking glasse,
or in water, or twhart a looking glass, according as St. _Denys_ sets
it down, in his 4 chapter of divine names: which proceeding from the
Soveraign good, carries therewith the same appellation. And _Rabbi
Eliezer_ in his chapters sets down, that the heavens were created
with the light of the Creators vestment, grounding himself upon the
Psalmist, 204. 2. _Clad with light as with a vestment, and the Earth
with snow, which was under the throne of his glory._ All Rabinique
Allegories, may men say, but where doe the great mysteries consist,
from which St. _Denys_ doth not straddle far in the place alledged? for
even as this fair great and clear shining Sun, that hath in it self
such a manifest representation and image of Soveraign good, extends
its light throughout the Univers, and doth communicate it to all
that are capable to receive it. So that there is nothing, which doth
not participate of his light, and vivifying heat: there is nothing,
that can hide it self from the heat thereof. In the same manner this
Eternall supercelestiall light, illustrates, vivifies, and perfects
all that which hath being, and banisheth darknesses and all softning
hoarinesse, that may bee brought thereinto, lightning our souls with a
desire alwayes to participate more and more of this light: for when she
comes to prove it by little and little, and by degrees that helps it
and conducts to the joy and fruition of a Soveraign good, which is the
light of the Soul, namely the Intellect that clears it, to be able to
apprehend the living spring from whence it came; for light is not seen,
but by her self: the most worthy and excellent property of fire, with
which it hath this in particular and proper, that shee makes her self
to see, as it doth, and by her means manifesteth all that which our
sight may apprehend. Yet there is nothing harder to comprehend, then
that which is either of the one or of the other, for in shewing us, and
revealing us all it is then, when shee hides her self most from us,
even to blinde us and to reduce our brightnesse into darknesse; As is
his darknesse, so is his light.
Wee must then not speak of God without light, because he is the true
light because, O Lord, thou art my Lantern: which doth enlighten us,
by thy word, _Thy word is a Lantern to my feet_, the splendor of the
Father, and the living fountain of life: as holy St. _Augustine_ after
St. _John_. _In him was life, and the life was the light of men, and
light shined in darknesse, and the darknesse comprehended it not._ So
that from this light, wee have double commodity: the one, that life,
by which wee live, the other the light by which wee see, that which
enlightens us. The spirituall man, the true man enjoyes the one and
the other: the Carnall man, life onely: for touching the rest, _hee is
in darknesse, because they have been rebells to light_, saith _Job_,
_because they have not her wayes_. Even as if one should inclose a
torch within a Lantern of cut-stone, or the like obscure and dark
matter, where its light would remain as quenched and buried, without
ability to extend it self abroad for the obstacle that hinders it.
And if we want light (saith St. _Ambrose_) there would bee no more
comelinesse, beauty, or pleasure in our house: for it is it which
makes all seem agreeable: which he borrowed from _Homer_ according
to what was attributed in _Suidas_, who through an unseasonable time
of cold, and rain having been received into an Inne, where they made
him a fire, hee sodainly made verses containing in substance, that
children were the ornament and Crown of the Father; Towers, of walls;
horses, of the fields; ships, of the Sea; Magistrates, of the places
of the Assembly, where they administred justice to the people; and a
fair burning and lighted fire, the comelinesse and rejoicing of an
house, which renders it so much the more honorable. To see a burning
fire in an old house. Some attribute them to, _Hesiod_: _Trismegistus_
amongst the rest cals light the father of all, who hath procreated man
like unto it, participant of light, and of life depending thereon: and
life was the light of men. The Father is as the Sun in his Essence:
from whence comes splendor and heat, which three are not separated one
from another, but remain united together, although they are distinct:
in this fire then our souls are warmed in the Love and fear of God,
and lightened in his knowledge. Whereupon Pope _Innocent_ the 3. in
a Sermon upon the Holy Spirit sets down, that hee was sent to the
Disciples in shape of fire, to make them shine by wisdome, and to warm
them by charity, that which regulates and forms life, and wisdom forms
doctrine, and as this fire hath life, and heat by which it purifieth
and cleanseth: so the Holy Ghost by its light illuminates the spirit
of man by wisdome, and repurgeth it by its ardent charity. This is the
fire with which the inner man, should be salted, for to salt, bake, and
burn, doe communicate their appellations and significations, by their
consemblable proprieties and effects: because that Salt boils in the
tastes by reason of its acrimony, and fire the sense when it burnes,
and a thing salted is half boiled, as is before said: as well to make
it of more easie digestion, as to conserve it longer, which are the
proprieties and effects of fire.
But to mount from fire here below to the Celestiall, which is the
Sunne, the eye and heart of the sensible world, and the visible Image
of the invisible God. Saint _Denis_ cals it an all-apparent and cleare
Statue of God; and _Iamblichus_ the Image of Divine intelligence, the
father of life, the Image and portraict of the Prince, and Soveraigne
Dominator of all the universe, the light of the one, and the other
world, the Celestiall and Elementary. But may we not here alledge at
once this brave authority of _Plutarch_ on the interpretation of the
word _El_, where after he had turned it, and returned it about a pot
by many discourses, which at last concluding nothing, vanished away
in smoak: he concludes that this word, as indeed it is, would say
nothing else, but thou art? which hath been drawn from the two first
letters of the holy four lettered word _JEHOVAH_, transposed the one
before the other, in the Greek _E.L._ which sheweth that they have
all drunke of this Caballine or Mosaicall fountaine. And at last come
to say, We worship God in his essence, by our thoughts, and reverence
the Sun, which is its Image, for the vertue which it hath given it, to
produce things here below: only representing by its splendor, which he
communicates to all, I know not what appearance, or rather shadow of
beatitude and mercy, so much as it is possible for a visible Nature to
represent an Intelligible, and a moving to that which is immoveable
and stable. We see the Sunne, as wel as fire, but not so neare, to
be able so exactly to marke it, we shall very well conjecture in our
spirit of that which we may well apprehend by sight, that this must
be the most admirable peece of worke of all visible Creatures. For
although it appears unto us little bigger then a dish or platter, in
regard of the great distance betwixt us and it, so that I tremble to
conceive it, after the very demonstrations Mathematicall, which are
certaine and infallible, yet it is many times greater then the Globe
of the Earth and Water joined together, which containeth more then
6000 miles about, an apparent witnesse of the wisdome and greatnesse
of its Architect. Of which _Ecclesiasticus_ in the 43. chapter makes
this fine Epiphonema, Who is he that can ever satisfie himself to
contemplate the glory of the Creator? the Firmament in its height which
comprehends all things under it, so pure and cleare? and the forme of
this vast and immense hollow of Heaven so faire and admirable to the
sight? Is not this an apparent vision of his glorious and triumphant
Majesty? The Sunne at his rising shewing the light of the day (an
admirable vessell) arrived in the middle of his dayly Carreer, it
burns and rosteth the earth, and who is it that can subsist before
its extreame heat? It burneth thrice double the mountains, more then
the fiery furnaces the pottery which they put to scum off, exhaling
from it selfe flaming vapors, and a splendor which darkens the most
strong assured sight. Surely the Lord which hath made and formed it
of nothing so fair, so great, and admirable, may well say it to be
greater then his owne worke, and which hasteth it so speedily, as to
measure this incomprehensible space in 24 hours. With the surplus of
this discourse, which refers it selfe, and is as a Paraphrase upon the
19. _Psal._ where in few termes, there are touched three principall
points of the Sunne: Its beauty compared to a spouse comming out of his
bed chamber, and he as a Bridegroome comming out of his chamber, his
force and impetuosity as a Giant to runne his course: nor is there any
thing that can hide himselfe from the heat thereof. And its extream
celerity, his going forth is from the end of the Heaven, and his
circuit to the ends of it. So that as Saint _Augustine_ in his third
Sermon upon Advent, there are three things in the Sunne, its course,
its splendor, and its heat; the heat dries, the splendor illuminates,
and its course runs through the universe. And as in man, which is the
little world, the heart is the chiefe seat of life, first living, and
last dying: So the Sunne in the great man, which is the World, is the
spring, the light and heat which vivifieth all things which imparteth
to the Starres and to the Moone the light by which they shine; even
as Christ, which is the Sunne of Righteousnesse, and the light of our
Souls, which without it, would remaine buryed in a blinde obscurity.
He that followes me shall not walke in darknesse, but shall have the
light of life, which conserves it self for the good, and extinguisheth
it selfe against the wicked witnesse, _Job_ 18. _The light of the
wicked shall be put out_. Where light is such, that sometimes the
evill Angels transform themselves to deceive us; for in as little as
we can blow it backe behinde us, it growes dead and dissipates. But
the true and right light doth illighten us without variation as well
in the knowledge of God, in this which dependeth on our Salvation, as
of things sensible and naturall; whereunto the clearnesse of the Sunne
and of Fire, and their effects do guide us more then any other thing,
to apprehend some sparkle of this soveraigne Wisdome, wherewith God
built this great All by his Word. For every science to which we may
attaine by our ratiocination and discourse, proceeds from the knowledge
of sensible things, (for there is nothing in the intellect, but was
first in the sense) but incertaine and variable, to be in continuall
variation and vicissitude. So that the knowledge that comes from the
light of Nature, is very weake, and full of doubts, and incertitudes,
if it bee not illustrated by Divine Revelation, which makes us see all
as it is in its true and reall essence, as the light of the Sunne doth
all things corporall. So that the most part of heathen Philosophers,
after they have alembeck’t their spirit to the perquisition of naturall
causes, they finde themselves so confounded, that they are forced
to avow that by the only way of ratiocination you cannot draw truth
therefrom. As _Aristotle_ discourseth thereupon well at large, in the
4. of the _Metaphysicks_. _Ptolomie_ also, that we must not ground and
rule our conceptions for regard of corporall things above spirituall;
for they are farre distant each from other, and there is much disparity
and disproportion between them. But yet lesse between intelligible
above sensible; although they serve us herein as a ladder, following
that which the Apostle saith, That the invisible things of God are
seen by the Creation of the world, by things made, also his eternall
power and divinity. We must therefore run back to this spiritual light,
which holdeth the highest & soveraign place in the knowledge of the
understanding; So that light is more properly of things spiritual,
then corporal, and more certain and true are the invisible then the
visible; for as much as God only is a true light in his essence from
whence he derives into our spirit all the knowledg wherewith it can be
illustrated, as the potentiall light of our eye is from the brightness
of the Sun, or of something artificial, traversing the transparence of
the air, the place of which eye the soul holds in spiritualty, as the
divine Intelligence maketh that of the Sun, which is a representation
and image thereof.
By reason whereof, so long as our understanding shall leave it selfe to
be cleansed by the fire of Divine love, he will ever keep its living
and luminous brightnesse. But if it suffer it selfe foolishly to go
after exterior light, it shall be also obscured and extinguished with
the interiour which domineers over it, even as a small candle or wax
taper with the twinckling beames of a cleare shining Summer Sunne. Sith
then this sensible light, saith Saint _Thomas_ upon the 36. of _Job_,
by the absolute Omnipotency of God, who disposeth it as he pleaseth, it
is sometimes hid to mortals, sometimes communicated; from whence we may
gather that there is another light more perfect and excellent, namely
the spiritual, which God reserves for a recompence of good works,
following that which _Job_ sets downe, God covereth the light in his
hands, and ordaineth it that it should returne againe and manifest it
self. He sheweth it to those he loveth, that they may well mount unto
it. Whereto that of _Zoroastres_ word for word was conformable. You
must mount up to the true light and to the bright beams of your father,
from whom the soul was sent you, revested with much intellect. Behold
the relations of these Sunnes the sensible and intelligible, and of the
two lights that proceed therefrom. For as that of the Sunne obtains the
first place in corporall things, saith Saint _Augustine_ in his book of
freewill, and that by means thereof, the interiour communicate with the
superiour, the same doth the light of the spirituall Sun in regard of
intelligibles.