Observations upon Anthroposophia theomagica, and Anima magica abscondita by Alazonomastix Philalethes.

27 Pag.

Lin. 22. I am certain the world will wonder I should make use of Scripture to esta∣blish Philosophy, &c. Here, Philalethes, you seem self-condemned even from your own speech, being conscious to your self, that all the world will bee against you in this superstitious abuse of the Scripture. For are you wiser then all the world be∣side in this matter, because you have pray'd away all your Logick in St. Augustines

Letanie? What profane boldnesse is this to distort that high Majesty of the holy Scripture to such poor and pitifull services, as to decide the controversies of the World and of Nature? As well be∣coming it is, as to set pies and pasties into the oven with the sacred leaves of the bible? This is but a fetch of impe∣rious Melancholy and Hypocriticall su∣perstition, that under pretense of being more holy would prove more Tyranni∣call, and leave the understanding of man free in nothing at all, but bring in a philosophy too, Jure Divino! And I can further demonstrate to you (beside what I have intimated from the transcendency of the Scripture and high scope and aim thereof) that the Scripture teacheth no secret or principle of Philosophy, of which there is any doubt amongst men in their wits. For either (as where it seems to speak ex prefesso of any such things) it do's it so obscurely that men rather fa∣ther their own notions fetch'd from else∣where, upon the Scripture; or else if it speak more plainly and literally, yet it being allow'd by all sober men as well Jews as Christians, (as it is indeed un∣deniably evident from the passages them∣selves

in Scripture) that it speakes so ordinarily according to the rude and vul∣gar use and apprehension of men, there can bee no deciding collections in mat∣ters of Philosophy safely gathered out of it. Though I will not deny but that some Philosophick truths may have an happy and usefull illustration and coun∣tenance from passages in Scripture. And their industry is not to be vilified that take any pains therein. But I doe not beleeve that any man that has drove the proper use of the Scripture home to the most full and most genuine effect of it in himself, but will be so wise and so discreet, that hee will bee ashamed in good earnest to allow any such Philoso∣phick abuse of. But questionlesse the Scripture is the beginner, nourisher and emprover of that life and light which is better then all the Philosophy in the world. And he that stands in this light the firmer and fuller hee is possessed of it, he is the more able to judge both of Nature, Reason, and Scripture it self. But hee that will speak out of his own rash heat, must needs run the hazard of talking at randum, And this I make the bolder in charity to pronounce, be∣cause

I observe that the reverentiall ab∣use, and religious mis-application of the holy Writ to matters of Philosophy, for which it was not intended, do's in many well-meaning men eat out the use of their reason, for the exercise whereof Philosophy was intended. And hence so much spurious and phantastick knowledge multiplies now adayes, to the prejudice of mans understanding, and to the intang∣ling him in vain and groundlesse imagi∣nations, fortuitously sprung up from un∣circumspect Melancholy, dazled and stoun∣ded with the streamings and flashes of its own pertinacious phansie. Which some∣time is so powerfull as to over-master the Melancholist into a credulity, that these flarings of false light in his dark Spi∣rit are not from himself, but from a Divine Principle, the Holy Ghost. And then bidding a dieu to Reason, as ha∣ving got some Principle above it, mea∣snres all truth meerly by the greatnesse and powerfulnesse of the Stroke of the Phantasme. What ever fills the imagi∣nation fullest, must bee the truest. And thus a rabble of tumultuary and crasse representations must goe for so many Re∣velations, and every heaving up by an

Hypochondricall flatulency must bee con∣ceited a rapture of the Spirit; they professing themselves to receive things immediately from God, when they are but the casuall figurations of their anxious phansie, busily fluttering about the Text; which they alwayes eye (though they dis∣semble it) as Hauks and Buzzards, flye they never so high, have their sight bent upon on the Earth. And indeed if they should not forge their phansies into some tole∣rable suteablenesse with the letter of the Scripture, they would never be able to beleeve themselves, or at least to beget beleef in others, that they are inspired. And so that high conceit insinuated into them by that wonderfull yet ordinary imposterous power of Melancholy would fall to nothing, and they appear not so much as to themselves either Prophets or inspired. But this I have touched upon elsewhere. I will let it goe. One∣ly let me cast in thus much: that he that mis-beleeves and layes aside clear and cau∣tious reason in things that fall under the discussion of Reason, upon the pretence of hankering after some higher principle, (which a thousand to one proves but the infatuation of Me∣lancholy

and a superstitious hallueina∣tion) is as ridiculous as if hee would not use his naturall eyes about their proper object till the presence of some supernaturall light, or till hee had got a pair of Spectacles made of the Cry∣stalline Heaven, or of the Coelum Empyre∣um, to hang upon his Nose for him to look through. The truth is, hee that layes aside Reason, casts away one of the most Soveraign Remedies against all me∣lancholick impostures. For I conceive it would bee very hard for men either to bee deluded themselves, or to delude o∣thers by their conceited inspirations, if they would expect that every Revelation should bee made good either by sound Reason, or a palpable and conspicuous Miracle. Which things if they were de∣manded of the inspired people when they come to seduce, surely they would sneak away like the common Fidlers, being asked to play a Lesson on the Or∣gans, or on the Theorbo.