Enthusiasmus triumphatus, or, A discourse of the nature, causes, kinds, and cure, of enthusiasme; written by Philophilus Parresiastes, and prefixed to Alazonomastix his observations and reply: whereunto is added a letter of his to a private friend, wherein certain passages in his reply are vindicated, and severall matters relating to enthusiasme more fully cleared.

To the Reader.

Reader,

THou maist very well marvell what may be the meaning that I should publish the Writings of another, the Authour being yet alive and at leisure to do it himself: But I can inform thee, though it perhaps may seem a Riddle to thee, that he is alive and not alive. For when I treated with him concerning this matter, I found him quite dead to all such kind of busi∣nesses. His Constitution is grown so unex∣pectedly and astonishingly grave or sower, I know not whether to call it, that there is now, as I told him, some small hopes that he may be brought off in time, to put on a pair of Sat∣tin eares, or wear a silk cap with as many seams as there be streaks in the back of a Lute, as himself expresses it, in the Preface to his Reply, Assuredly, said I, Mastix, thou hast an ambiti∣on of being one of those venerable Idols, or stalking peices of Gravity, to whom little boyes smack the top of their fingers so loudly, making long legges; and young girls and wo∣men drop so demure courtsies to as they passe by in the street. How strongly is my friend Mastix metamorphosed within this space of three or four yeares.

But Parresiastes, said he, is I perceive, the same man still, as merry and unluckie as ever: and for my self I am not so much changed or sunk into thy present temper, but that I can with the same patience bear with thy frolicks, as I could with others sullennesse in the dayes of my jollitie. But I know by certain and ap∣proved experience, that there is nothing so safe and permanently pleasant, as a staid mind and composed spirit; not easily loosned into pro∣fuse mirth. For such Jocantrie, while we are in these earthly Tabernacles, is but like the dan∣cing of men and women in an unswept room, it does but raise a dust and offend the eyes even of the Revellers themselves, what ever it does to the Spectatours. Wherefore what a vain thing were it in me, to ruffle the calme compo∣sure of my own Spirit, by perusing and repub∣lishing of that which proved so great an ag∣grievance to one, to whom I never did, nor yet do, bear the least enmity.

I seeing Mastix so seriously set against Mirth, presently conjectured, for all his smooth speeches, that it might happily fare with him after the usuall manner of other mortalls, who commonly do not wholly quit themselves of their passions, but change them; and there∣fore did not much mistrust, but that though I could not melt him into a merry temper, yet I might heat him into a fit of Indignation and

naturall sense of Revenge. And to this purpose I set before his eyes the high Insolencies of Eu∣genius against the Universities, his unpardonable Incivilities to that Miracle of Ages the noble Des-Cartes, besides his outragious Barbaritics up∣on Mastix his own self; where I exhibited to his view a whole Catalogue of those honourable Titles he so liberally bestows upon him through∣out his writings, being so many and so uncouth, that they might stuff out a whole Dictionary with terms of scurrility. These I spread before him, like the bloud of Mulberries before•• Ele∣phants in battel, to provoke his Irascible. But to my amazement he seemed to me not at all mo∣ved, but in a carelesse manner made this Answer, The grosser these Revilements are, the Greater Christianity not to be incensed. Besides, if either he or any others by his defamations think worse of me then I deserve, the injury is theirs, not mine; as when one conceives a true Proposition to be false, the Proposition, saith Epictetus, is not hurt, but he that is mistaken in it.

When I saw these Engines levelled at his af∣fections could make no breach upon him, at last I betook me to more subtil weapons. Well said I, Mastix, it should seem you are grown a man of strange Master-dome over your Passions, or at least you are willing to appear so for the pre∣sent; but you have been as great a professor of Reason heretofore. I pray you let me ask you one question; whether do not you think your

Observations and Reply very serviceable for that purpose you intended them, viz. for the dis∣countenancing and quelling of vain Fantastry and Enthusiasme. Here he putting upon himself a ctosse and unexpected garb of Modesty, told me that it was unfit for him to speak any thing that may seem to tend to the commendation of his own Writings; but smilingly asked me what my opinion was thereof. I professe, said I, I cannot but think them very serviceable for that end, nor can imagine how that Fanatick spirit can be bet∣ter met withall, then by slighting and deriding it, there being alwayes so much Pride at the root from whence these Follies and Vanities bloom. For Fantasticks and Enthusiasts seek nothing more then the admiration of men, wherefore there is no such soveraign Remedy as scorn and neglect, to make them sober. But anxiously to contend in a drie way of Reason with them that professe themselves above it, is indeed to conde∣scend below a mans self, and use his sword there where he ought to have shown his whip, wh••ch was the mistake of the Scythians when they fought against their slaves; and therefore it being not so rational to prefer a private humor before a pub∣lick good, you ought not to be so shie in the mat∣ter I propound. I know not what you mean said Mastix, Your late laudable intentions, said I, have been as well against Enthusiasme as Atheisme, what pretence then have you that those two Pam∣phlets against Enthusiasme may not march in one

body, I mean, be bound up in one Volume with the rest of your Treatises, for they would be then more in view, and consequently do more service. It may be so, said Mastix, if they would do any at all. But you do not in the mean time con∣sider what disservice they may do to the rest of my Writings, which are so grave and serious, and how they may cause the Reader, through in∣cogitancy, to think me in good earnest no where having once found me so much in jest.

Now certainly, Mastix, said I, it is not Gravi∣ty but Melancholy that makes such a prudent fool of thee. Do not even the godliest and severest men that are, without either sin or scruple, laugh heartily at dinner and tell merry tales, though they begin and end their meal wi••h more then ordinary seriousnesse and devotion? Besides, the promiscuous jumbling of those divine Raptures, in your Reply, with your usuall merriment there, seems in my judgement far more harsh then the joyning both your Observations and it with the rest of your Discourses.

This struck Mastix home, as I thought, who a little changing his countenance, after some pause returned this answer. The truth is, said he, that confusion of so great seriousnesse with so humoursome mirth, is the very worst thing in all that book. Which my spirits so ill relish now I am more cool, that I would gladly, if opportu∣nity were offered, have my Reply distinguished into Sections with Arguments before every Secti∣on,

that there may be a due time of Interspirati∣on betwixt the ending of the serious and the entring into the merry passages, as well as there was in my writing of them. But this may be done, though these two Pamphlets be still kept apart from the rest in a lesser volume. That's true, said I, but you do not observe that you en∣deavour the declining of that which is unavoid∣able. For as sure as your Books will to the Press again after your death, these two, which you would keep out, will croud in with the rest.

Here Mastix began to scratch his head, and se••med utterly at a losse what to say. But at last recovering himself, what reason, said he, have I to take Philophilus for a Prophet, or admit of his Presage as probable, that my wr••tings should be so much in ••equest hereafter, unlesse it be be∣cause they are in so little now, Writers having the same fate that Fashions, they all coming up by their turns and then going down again. But suppose your presage true, what then Philophi∣lus? I•• plainly then follows, said I, that you are to republish your two Pamphlets, & joyn them with the rest of your Writings, especially ha∣ving opportunity thereby to cast your Reply in∣to Sections, and make what corrections else you think fit in either of them. It does not at all follow, sayes he. It follows indeed, that it is fit the thing should be done, but it does not neces∣sarily follow that I do ••t my self. Friend Ma∣stix how captious are you, said I, My main drift

was to demonstrate that the thing was fit to be done, not questioning but that that being proved, you would not stick to do it your self. Well, said he, my friend Philophilus, it is acknowledged then on both sides, that it is fit and requisite to be done, but my self refusing of it, will any body else think you do it? Not any body, said I: Whe∣ther can you do it or no, said Mastix to me.

Here I began to fumble, but I could not but confesse that I could do it. The whole businesse, said Mastix, lies then betwixt you and me. As for my own part I am resolved I will not meddle with it, it being utterly against the present tem∣per of spirit I am in. And a thing so fit to be done in your own judgement, which you can do if you will, and will not be done unlesse by you, must lie at your door as a neglected duty if you refuse it. I marry, said I, friend Mastix this is rare indeed, I perceive though you can forego your wonted mirth, you have parted with little of your wit, that you can thus finely catch me in a noose of mine own making. Well, I will not be unwilling to think it my duty for this once, since it can be no otherwise. And I have Rea∣der outdone his desire in the prosecuting there∣of.

For I have not onely cast his Reply, but his Ob∣servations also into Sections, prefixing before each Section the Argument thereof, in which I might almost equalize my pains to his that first com∣piled the Books, at least I might the fruits of

them; being well assured that they will prove ten times more plain and consequently more pleasant then they were before, especially if thou takest notice of what Instructions I shall impart to thee in reference to their perusall.

Know therefore that in every Argument of the Sections of his Observations, there is exhibited to thee the Matter that Mastix speaks to in each Ob∣servation, & that so fully and faithfully, that if the Discourse he writes against lay open before thine eyes, it would not make him more intelligible. Now his Observations being so punctually num∣bred and fully understood, it will follow that his Reply will be as easie, the same numbring of the Observations being kept there also, so that if thou beest not satisfied in the sense, it is but ha∣ving recourse to the Observation, the number does direct thee to in the foregoing Pamphlet, and then all will be clear. The chief light there∣fore for understanding both, being the right framing of the Arguments of the Sections of his Observations, which were so plainly to propose to thy view the Matter that is first spoke to, it made me very carefull in contriving thereof. But I was lesse curious in the Arguments of the Sections of his Reply, they being not so much to tell what is spoke to, as what is spoke in every par∣ticular Section.

Besides this dividing his two Pamphlets into Sections, I have also prefixed A Brief Discourse concerning the Nature, Causes, Kindes, and Cure of

Enthusiasme, where though my pains seem more entirely my own, then in the following Books, yet to confesse ingenuously, they are here farre lesse, I having had more easie and frequent ac∣cesse to Mastix in this so serious and weighty a Matter. After the whole compilement whereof it being reduced to that form thou seest it, desi∣rous to leave out nothing, in so important a sub∣ject, that was of consequence to be put in; I ask∣ed him if it seemed not somthing maimed in the enumeration of the Causes of Enthusiasme, be∣cause there is nothing set down there concerning the Devil, nor the wilfull wickednesse of the mind of man; but all is resolved into Complexion or the present Temper or Distemper of the body, arising from naturall causes that necessarily act thereupon. For thus this Discourse, said I, may seem as well an Excuse for, as a Discovery of this disease of Enthusiasme. Why, said Mastix, I hope it is not your designe, I am sure it is not mine, to incense the mindes of any against En∣thusiasts as to persecute them: all that I aim at, is onely this, that no man may follow them. And your Discourse already, I think, is effectuall e∣nough for that purpose, it so plainly discovering that what seems so strange and taking in them, is not from God, but a meer Constitution of body, the fanaticall workings whereof, though they may be much heightned by some peculiar Vitio∣sity of the mind or subtile insinuations of the Devil, yet because it is not alwayes so, and that it does

very seldome plainly appear that there is any thing more of either Devil or Vitiosity in the Enthusiast then in others, saving what his meer Complexion leads him to, I think it is, said he, more safe to leave those Considerations out, their causality being more lax and generall then to be appropriated to Enthusiasme, and it being farre more laudable in my judgement and allow∣able to let the guilty go free, especially in mat∣ters of this nature, then to endanger the inno∣cent.

Thus, Reader, thou seest how thou art be∣holden to Mastix, as well for what is judiciously left out, as what is fitly and usefully taken in to the following Discourse. For I must confesse, that in the unridling of this Riddle of Enthusi∣asme, I have wholly plowed with his Heifer, which having told thee, I shall now dismisse thee, being unwilling any longer to detain thee from the reaping of the harvest of my Labours.

Philophilus Parresiastes.