A cabbalistical dialogue in answer to the opinion of a learned doctor in philosophy and theology, that the world was made of nothing as it is contained in the second part of the Cabbala denudata & apparatus in Lib. Sohar, p. 308 &c. / printed in Latin at Sultsbach, anno 1677 ; to which is subjoyned a rabbinical and paraphrastical exposition of Genesis I, written in High-Dutch by the author of the foregoing dialogue, first done into Latin, but now made English.

A PARAPHRASTICAL EXPOSITION Of the First Chapter of GENESIS, WRITTEN In High-Duth by the Author of the fore∣going Dialogue; first done into Latin, but now made English.

Verse 1. IN or by the Beginning of the Creatures [or Creation] of God, as in Rev. 3.14. Col. 1.15, 16. John 1.3.1 Cor 8.6. Eph. 3 9. Heb. 1.2. viz. by the Soul of the Messiah, which was already conjoyned with the Divi∣nity: God or Elohim [or the dijudicating, or judging Divinity, with which the Soul of the Messiah had conjoyned it self, and re∣mained

together therewith in an insepara∣ble conjunction] Created or manifested, or presented Celestial Beings, or the Heaven, viz. Spirits who remained in a sta e of moti∣on, as Job 38.7. Col. 1.16. to which sort or kind, Souls also are referred, or do be∣long: Also Terrestrial Beings, or the Earth, viz. those Spirits who laid down or put off the State of motion, and are vulgarly called Matter, as Rom. 8.20. now these two sorts or kinds of Spirits, even before this formati∣on and preparation, did all flow forth from God.

Vers. 2 And this Terrestrial Being, or the Earth, viz. Matter, was a plainly unmoved Mass, inasmuch as it was gross thick Matter, and partly was capable of motion, but alto∣gether without form and void. And Dark∣ness, that is, Spirits, who had departed from the Union of the Light, Luke 22.53 2 Cor. 6.14, 15. Eph. 6.12. Col 1.13.2 Pet 2.4. Jude vers. 6. were extended upon and in the parts of the Abyss, or upon the face of the Deep, Gen. 1.2. that is, they were present in, and adherent to those places which were most re∣mote from the manifestation of the Original, Luke 8.31. Rev. 20.3. But the Spirit of God

or Elohim indeed, or of the dijudicating or judging Divinity, that is, the good Spirit moved it self, and distributed its motion, or moved upon or in the parts, or face of the Wa∣ters, which encompassed round, or all over the Abyss or Deep.

Vers. 3. And Elohim or God, or the dijudi∣cating or judging Divinity, said, (that is, suf∣fered the Word or Soul of the Messiah to ope∣rate, or Work, John 1.1, 2, &c) Let the Light appear (or let there be Light) that is, let the Spirit of Nature give a most strong motion to the most subtil Matter, and the Light did appear (or there was Light) from this impressed motion, viz. that which the Son of God, by the Soul of the Messiah brought into the Spirit of Nature, and into this most thin, fine Matter.

Vers. 4. And Elohim or God, or the dijudi∣cating or judging Divinity, saw the Idaea (or measure, or Notion) of the Light, viz not only beheld the extension it self of the most subtil matter, but also that the most Noble of the Spirits and Souls began to cloath them∣selves with this Light, which was good, not on∣ly because it was fit to make such Vestments, but for other holy uses and services also. And

Elohim or the dijudicating or judging Divini∣ty, or God made a separation, or divided be∣tween the Light, together with the Spirits and Souls invested therewith, and between or from the Darkness, or Spirits of darkness

Verse 5. And Elohim, or the dijudicating or judging Divinity, or God, called the Light, together with the Spirits and Souls invested therewith, the Idaea or measure of the Day, as in Rom. 13.12, 13. 1 Thes. 5.5, 8. 2 Pet. 1.19. and the Darkness, viz. of such Spirits who dwelt and liv'd in the darkness, and in the Abyss he called the Idaea or measure of the Night, 1 Thes. 5.1. And it was the Even∣ing, that is, a certain Essence mixed with more gross thick Matter, and which was next un∣to darkness whilst, viz. the gloomy dark Spi∣rits do also mix themselves with some sort of such matter; and it was Morning, that is, there were also such Natures which only did incline to the Idaea or measure of the day, to which also the Matter of the second Element is to be referred: and this was the first Day, that is, the first Class, Order, or sort of Creatures.

Verse 6. And Elohim, or the dijudicating Divinity or God said (see more about it at v. 3.)

Let there arise up a thin and extended Es∣sence or let there be a Firmament) of the Air and of Heaven, in the midst of, or between the Waters, that the middle Spirits may have wherewith to invest themselves, and let it make a separation, or divide between the in∣feriour Waters, and between or from the su∣periour Waters, which are sometimes found in Clouds above, and other times under the form of Vapours.

Verse 7. And Elohim or God, or the dijudi∣cating divinity made or spread abroad out of the Matter of the third kind or sort (for as the word [Create] [or to be Created] be∣longs to Spirits, so the term of [making or of being made] belongs to Matter) a thin and extended Essence of Heaven, and of the Air or the Firmament, viz. not only of the grosser Aerial Atoms, which may be compres∣sed and extended like a sheet of Paper (or a Bow; but also of the Aethereal Globules con∣tained in the Cells or Pores of those Atoms, as also the most subtil Matter which is found in their Pores, together with Salt-watry Va∣pours: And this he made the dictinction, or divided between the waters which were beneath the extension, or under the Firmament (and

which afterwards were distributed into Seas and Ri∣vers, which were above or on the surface of the Earth, and very much also within the very Bowels thereof) and between, or from those waters placed above the extension, or which were above the Firmament, out of which afterwards did arise Clouds, and other Aereal Meteors, and it remained so or it was so.

V.8. And Elohim, or the dijudicating divinity, or God called the extension, or the Firmament, or Air, Heaven, which name is elsewhere commonly used for the Air, as Gen 1.20, 26, 28. Gen. 2.19, 20 Gen. 7.11. Gen. 8.2. and by it properly is understood the† 1.1 Atmosphere, which en∣compasseth round the Globe of the Earth: and it was the Evening; by which is meant a middle Nature betwixt Air and Water, coming near to the likeness of Wa∣ter: and it was the Morning, that is a middle nature of a most subtil Essence, which was the Second Day, or the second Class, Order or sort of Creatures.

Verse 9. And Elohim, or the dijudicating and com∣bining divinity, or God said, Let the waters which are under the Heaven (or the Air) be gathered together (for at that time, they as yet quite covered over all the whole Earth) by the means of certain deeply hollowed Gulphs, and of highly exalted Mountains, congregate themselves into one place, tho' in divers distinct Regions, or Countries, and let the dry Land

appear, that from thence a third sort or kind of Spirits may get their vestments, & dwelling places, & it was so.

Ver. 10. And Elohim or the dijudicating divinity, or God called the dry-land, Earth, according to its divers Scituations, such also as are Continents, Isthme, Islands, and Peninsules or almost Islands: and the ga∣thering together of the waters, called be Seas, such as also are standing Pools according to all their divers sorts; as are Oceans, Creeks, Arms of the Sea, and Lakes or standing Waters: and Elohim, or the diju∣cating Divinity, or God saw, or judged that it was good, to transplant into it divers living Souls.

Vers 11. And Elohim, or the dijudicating Divinity, or God said, Let the Earth bring forth divers Plants, or grass, which commonly proceed to a further growth, and in which, even as in all Plants, the inferiour Souls or Psyches (vulgarly termed vegetable) do obtain their springing forth and their encrease: to which Class, Order, or sort also are referred all Mettals in their under-ground places, which, according to the Chaldeans, are nothing else but Portal; or Entries of Vegetables; and the Herb yielding seed, and the Fruit tree yielding Fruit after his kind, whose seed is in it self upon the Earth, and it was so.

Vers. 12. And the Earth brought forth various Plants, or grass (and Vegetables) both within and without its Bowels, or Womb, and Herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in its self after his kind; And Elohim, or the dijudicating di∣vinity,

or God saw that it was good, viz. for to be a va∣riety of food for the Creatures which were to come afterwards.

Vers. 13. And the Evening was, that is, there existed divers sorts or kinds of intermediate inanimate bodys Terrestrial, and Metallick; And the Morning was, that is, various intermediate kinds of Beings, which de∣clined towards Sense, such as are the Zoophytes, or half Herbs, half Animals, viz. the third day, or the third Classis, Order, or sort of Creatures.

Vers. 14. And Elohim, or the dijudicating Divinity, or God said, now at last after the production of Vege∣tables, lest that men prone to Idolatry, should ascribe the Creation of them to the Stars; Let Lights arise out of, or let there be Lights in that thin Essence, or in the fir∣mament of the Heaven, the most subtil Matter being thickned or thrust close together into a constant place, which afterwards may cast forth their beams to a great distance, to make distinction, or to divide between the day, in which shineth one only sort of light, and which is proper only to lucid natures: and between or from the Night, in which the greater Light is absent, and the dark Natures are strengthened; and let them be for Signs concerning divers natural accidents, such as are Droughts, Frosts, and various seasons; and for cer∣tain times or seasons of the year, of Festival Days, and of Months, and for Days and Years.

Vers. 15. And let them be for burning Torches, (or Lights) in that same thin Essence, or in the firmament

of Heaven to give light upon the Earth, and it was so.

Vers. 16. And Elohim, or the dijudicating divinity, or God made two great Lights, so called and vulgarly esteemed, which, viz. to men in this Earth seem grea∣ter than the others, and have greater operation in their round motions: and one of them the greater light, with his greater circumvolution to rule the day, and the other lesser light, with his lesser compass, rowling it self about the Earth to rule the night, as well in respect of its light it self, as of its influence upon moist humours, he made the stars also, which afterwards partly disappeared, & were transmuted into Comets & Planets, or wandring Stars.

Vers. 17. And Elohim, or the dijudicating divinity, or God set them into that same thin Essence, or Firmament of the Heavens, to give light upon the Earth.

Vers. 18. And to rule over the day, and over the night, and to constitute a difference between, or to divide the light from the darkness, which are found no where more than in the shaddows of the grosser bodies. And Elohim, or the dijudicating divinity, or God saw that for this end and purpose it was good

Vers. 19 And the evening was, that is, these were mid∣dle natures to which belong both fiery. Meteors, and Aereal Spheres: and the morning was, that is, these are those middle Natures, to which are referred blazing Stars and the lesser Planets; this was the fourth days, or the fourth Class, Order or sort of Creatures.

Vers. 20. And Elohim, or the dijudicating-Divinity, or God said, let the waters bring forth by Troops, or

abundantly divers Animals moving themselves, or the moving Creature, as are those of the water-kind, those that live both on Land and in the water, those that creep, and those that have wings, in whom there is a Psyche, or a living Soul, or that hath life, together with an intermediate Soul or Spirit: and the Fowls that may fly (about) above the Earth, in the midst of that thin Essence, or in the open Firmament of Heaven.

Vers. 21. And Elohim, or the dijudicating Divinity, or God Created, that is, transplaced Souls into the seve∣ral Terrestrial Animals following, viz. divers of the greater Serpents, such as are Dragons, great Whales, Monsters, the larger Snakes, Crocodile, Sea-Buffalloes, and all Psyches, or inferiour Souls of living Creatures creeping with feet or every living Creature, that moveth, which the waters brought forth by Troops, or abundant∣ly after their kind, and every winged Fowl after his kind, and God saw that it was good, for divers sorts of food, viz. for Man and Beast.

Vers. 22. And Elohim, or the dijudicating Divini∣ty, or God blessed them, and gave unto them an influ∣ential capacity, that those of them, which were created in pairs, were able to propagate and enlarge their kind, and he said [the World or Soul of the Messiah co-operating] couple together, be fruitful and mul∣tiply, and fill the waters in the Seas, and let Fowl multiply in the Earth.

Vers. 23. And it was the Evening, these were those in∣termediate Natures, which tend unto the nature of

Fishes: and it was the morning, these were the mid∣dle Natures which became flying Creatures, and this was the fifth day, or the fifth Class, Order, or sort of Creatures.

Vers. 24 And Elohim, or the dijudicating divini∣ty, or God said, let the Earth bring forth various Psyches or the living Creature after his kind, viz Cattle and Flocks, and Worms, or creeping things, and wild Beasts, or beast of the Eath after his kind: and it was so, or so done.

Vers. 25 And Elohim, or the dijudicating divini∣ty, or God made divers wild Beasts, or the Beast of the Earth after his kind, and divers Herds of Cattel after his kind, and divers Worms cre••ping with feet on the Earth, or every thing that creepeth upon the Earth after his kind: and Elohim, or the dijudicating divinity, or God saw that it was good, and that every thing had its uses.

Verse 26. And Elohim, or God said to the Soul of the Messiah, Let us make Man-kind, that is, let us transplace the superiour human Soul into a certain Matter destinated for it, in our Image, after our like∣ness, that as there is a communion betwixt us, or our selves, so also betwixt them and this same subtil Mat∣ter let somewhat arise, or spring forth, our of which afterwards may follow like effects; and let them, viz. these Souls which are called Men, have dominion over the Fish of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Air, or of Heaven, and over the Cattel, or Flocks, and over all the

Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth, or over all wild Beasts, and over all Worms which creep with feet upon the Earth.

Vers 27. And so Elohim, or the dijudicating divini∣ty, or God Created, and changed the state of the Soul that from thence might be made man-kind in his own Image, in the Image of God or Elohim, or the dijudi∣cating divinity created he him, or it, Male in the fore∣part, and Female in the hinder-part, created he them, viz. all and every one of the Souls which do at pre∣sent exist in the whole Universality of Mankind, he transplaced into a certain subtil Matter, and co-ordain∣ed, or put them into an order under the person of Adam the Protoplast, or the first Parent, as a Regi∣ment of Souldiers, under their Colonel, or General.

Vers. 28 And Elohim, or the dijudicating divinity, or God blessed them, and gave unto them the faculty or capacity of turning their faces to one another: and Elohim, or God said unto them, apply your selves that you may be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth, or fill the Terrestrial, or the material Being in all the parts thereof; and subdue it to your selves, that your bodys may take thence their nourishment, and have Dominion over the Fish of the Sea, and over the Fowl of the Heaven, or of the Air, and over eve∣ry living thing that moveth, or creepeth with feet up∣on the Earth.

Vers 29. And Elohim, or God said, I have given you every Herb, in their Superiour and Inferiour

qualities, bearing, seed which is upon the face of all the Earth, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Trees, of every Tree which beareth Fruit, or in the which is the Fruit of a Tree yielding seed, or his seed, all these shall be for food, or to you 〈◊〉〈◊〉 shall be for Meat, to repair the decaies of you bodies.

Verse 30. And to every Beast of the Earth, or wild Beast, and to every Fowl of the Air, or of Heaven, and to every thing that creepeth, or that goeth with feet upon the Earth, wherein there is life, or a living Psych•…•… or Soul, I have given every green Herb, or all Plants and Herbs, fon Meat, and it was so.

Verse 31. And Elohim, or God saw all, or every thing that he had made in the matter, and behold it was very and supereminently; (Deut 6.5.) good. And the Evening was, that is, the middle Natures descending down to the brute Animals: and the morning was, that is, there were al∣so middle Natures which were exalted above humane condition; and this was the sixth day, or the sixth Class, Order; or sort of Creatures.

Chap. II.

Verse 1. THus the Heavens and the Earth were (together with the Air) brought to perfection, and finished, and all the Host (or Troops) of them, viz. in the Heavens multitudes of Thrones and of Angels; and in the Earth, multitudes of well ordered sublu∣nary Creatures.

Verse 2. And Elohim, or the dijudicating Divinity, or God on the se∣venth day ended his Work which he had made; and he rested, or ceased from further creating, on the seventh day from all his Work which he had made.

Verse 3. And Elohim, or God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it: even as, and for which cause the seventh number is said to be holy and pure, because that amongst the first numbers none is formed out of it, nor is it formed out of any of them, as if it did hint that the happiness of the Creatures did consist only in it, not being mixed with any other Creatures, they were at quiet in God: Because that in it (in that day) he rested from all his Work; which Elohim, or God had created therein all kinds of Spirits and Souls, so that from thence he had made something in a material representation, manifestation, or appearance, by and thorough which, other Spirits were presented it this or the other matter, &c.

FINIS.

Notes

• † 1.1

  The Atmosphere is that part of or in the Air, which be∣ing alwaies opposite to the Sun, reacheth up as far as the shadow or darkness of the Earth reach∣eth.