The history of the Chaldaick philosophy by Thomas Stanley.

PSELLUS HIS EXPOSITION of the Oracles.

There is a room for the Image also in the Circumlucid place.]

IMages, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with the Philosophers, are those things which are connatural to things more Excellent then themselves, and are worse then they; as the Mind is connatural to God, and the ratio∣nal Soul to the Mind, and Nature to the rational Soul, and the Body to Nature, and Matter to the Body: The Image of God is the Mind; of the Mind, the rat••onal Soul; of the rational Soul, the Irrational; of the Irrational, Nature; of Nature, the Body; of the Body, Matter. Here the Chaldaick Oracle calleth the irra∣tional Soul the Image of the rational, for it is connatural to it in Man, and yet worse then it. It sayeth, moreover, that there is a part assigned to the Image in the circumlucid Region, that is to say, the irrational Soul, which is the Image of the rational Soul, being purified by Vertues in this Life, after the Dissolution of the human Life, ascends to the place above the Moon, and receives its Lot in the Circumlucid place, that is, which shineth on every side, and is splendid throughout; for the Place beneath the Moon is circum∣nebulous, that is, dark on every side: but the Lunary, partly Lucid, and partly Dark, that is, one half bright, the other half dark; but the place above the Moon is circumlucid or bright throughout. Now the Oracle saith, that the circumlucid Place, is not design'd only for the rational Soul, but for its Image also, or the irrational Soul is destin'd to the circumlucid place, when as it cometh out of the Body bright and pure, for the Graecian Doctrine asserting the irrational Soul to be immortal, also exalts it up to the Elements under the Moon: but the Chaldaick Oracle, it being pure and unani∣mous with the rational Soul, seats it in this circumlucid Region above the Moon. These are the Doctrines of the Chald••ans.

Le••ve not the Dregs of matter on a precipice.]

By the Dregs of Matter, the Oracle understands the Body of Man consisting of the four Elements, it speaks to the Disciple by way of Instruction and Exhortation, thus▪ Not only raise up thy Soul to God, and procure that it may rise above the Confusion of Life, but, if it be possible, leave not the Body wherewith thou art cloathed, (and which is dregs of Ma••ter, that is, a thing neglected and rejected, the sport of Matter) in the inferiour World: for this Place, the Oracle calls a Praecipice. Our Soul being dart••d down hither from Heaven, as from a sublime place. It exhorteth therefore, that we refine the Body (which he understands by the Dregs of Matter) by Divine fire, or that, being stripped, we raise it up to the Aether; or that we be Exalted by God to a place Immaterial and Incor∣poreal, or Corporeal but Aetherial or Caelestial, which Elias the This bite attained; and, before him, Enoch, being Translated from this Life into a more Divine Condition, not leaving the dregs of Matter, or their Body, in a precipice; the Precipice is, as we said, the Terrestrial Region.

Bring not forth, lest going forth she have some∣thing.]

This Oracle is recited by Plotinus in his Book of the Eduction of the irrational Soul; it is an Excellent and Transcendent Exhor∣tation. It adviseth, that a Man busie not himself about the going forth of the Soul, nor take care how it shall go out of the Body; but remit the Businesse of its dissolution to the Course of Nature; for, Anxiety and Solicitude about the Solution of the Body, and the Eduction of the Soul out of it, draws away the Soul from better Cogitations, and busieth it in such cares that the Soul cannot be perfectly purifyed; for if Death come upon us at such time as we are busied about this Dissolution, the Soul goeth forth not quite free, but retaining something of a passionate Life. Passion the Chaldaean defines, A Mans sollicitous thinking of Death; for we ought not to think of any thing, but of the more Excellent Illumi∣nations; neither concerning these ought we to be sollicitous, but resigning our selves to the Angelical and Diviner powers, which raise us up, and shutting up all the Organs of Sense in the Body and in the Soul also without Distractive cares and sollicitudes, We must follow God, who calls us.

Some interpret this Oracle more simply; Bring it not out lest it go forth, having something: that is, Anticipate not thy natural Death, although thou be wholly given up to Philosophy; for as yet thou hast not a compleat Expiation; So that if the Soul passe

out of the Body by that way of Educting, it will go forth retain∣ing something of mortal Life: for if we Men are ••n the Body, as in a Prison, (as Plato saith,) certainly no Man can kill himself, but must expect till God shall send a Necessity.

Subject not to thy Mind the vast measures of the Earth: For the plant of Truth is not upon the Earth. Nor measure the measures of the Sun, gathering together Canons: He is moved by the Eternal will of the Father, not for thy sake. Let alone the swift course of the Moon: she runs ever by the impulse of Necessity. The progression of the Stars was not brought forth for thy sake. The aetherial broad-footed Flight of Birds is not vera∣cious: And the Dissections of Entrails and Victims, all these are toyes, The supports of gainful Cheats. Fly thou those, If thou intend to open the sacred Paradise of piety, Where Virtue, Wisdome, and Equity are assembled.

The Chaldaean withdraws the Disciple from all Graecian Wis∣dome, and teacheth him to adhere only to God, Subject not (saith he) to thy Mind the vast Measures of the Earth; for the plant of Truth is not upon Earth; that is, Enquire not sollicitously the vast measures of the Earth, a Geographers use to do, measuring the Earth; for the seed of Truth is not in the Earth. Nor measure the Measures of the Sun, gathering together Canons; He is moved by the aeternal will of the Father, not for thy sake, That is, Busie not thy self about the Mo∣tion and Doctrine of the Stars, for they move not for thy sake, but are perp••tually moved according to the Will of God; Let alo••e the swift course of the Moon, she runs ever by the impulse of Necessity, That is, enquire not anxiously the rolling motion of the Moon, for she runs not for thy sake, but is impelled by a greater Nec••ssity. The Progression of the Stars was not brought forth for t••y sake; that is, the Leaders of the fixed Stars and the Planets received not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Essence for thy sake. The aetherial broad-footed flight of Birds is not veracious; that is, the Art concerning Birds flying in the Air, called Augury, observing their Flight, No••es, and P••a••ching, is not true.

By, broad-feet, he means the walking or pace of the Foot, in respect of the Extension of the Toes in the skin. And the Dissections o•• Entrails and Victims, all these are toyes: that is, the Art of Sacrificing, which enquireth after future Events, as well by Victims, as by in∣spection into the Entrails of sacrificed Beasts, are meerly toyes. The supports of gainfull cheats: fly thou those, that is, fraudulent Ac∣quisitions of gain. If thou intend to open the sacred Paradise of Piety, where Virtue, Wisdome, and Equity are assembled. Thou (saith he) who art under my Discipline, enquire not curiously after these things, if thou would'st that the sacred Paradise of piety be open to thee. The sacred Paradise of piety, according to the Chaldaeans, is not that which the Book of Moses describes, but the Meadow of sub∣limest Contemplations, in which there are several Trees of Virtues; and the Wood, (or Trunk) of Knowledge, of Good and Evil, that is, Dijudicative prudence which distinguisheth Good from Evil; likewise the Tree of Life, that is, the Plant of Divine Illumi∣nation, which bringeth forth to the Soul, the Fruit of a more holy and better Life; In this Paradise, therefore, grow Vertue, Wis∣dome, and Aequity; Vertue is one in General, but hath many Species; Wisdome comprehendeth within it self all the Vertues, which the Divine Mind pronounceth, as only unspeakable.

Seek thou the way of the Soul, whence or by what Or∣der Having served the Body, to the same order from which thou didst flow, Thou mayst rise up again: joyning Action to sacred speech.]

That is, seek the Origine of the Soul, from whence it was produced and served the Body, and how Men cherishing and raising it up by the Exercise of Divine Rites, may reduce it to the place whence it came. Uniting Action to sacred Reason, is to be understood thus. Sacred Reason (or Discourse) in us is the Intellectual Life, or rather the supreme faculty of the Soul, which the Oracle elsewhere styles the flower of the Mind; but this sacred Reason cannot by its own guidance aspire to the more sublime Institution, and to the compre∣hension of Divinity; the work of Piety leads it by the hand to God, by assistance of Illuminations from thence: but the Chaldaean, by the Telestick Science, perfects (or initiates) the Soul by the power of Materials here on Earth. To this sacred Reason, saith he, when thou hast united Action, that is, joyn'd the Work of Initiation to the sacred Reason, or better faculty of the Soul.

Our Theologist Gregory raiseth the Soul to the more Divine things by reason and Contemplation: by Reason which is in us the

best and most intellectual faculty; by Contemplation, which is an illumination comming from above: But Plato affirms, that we may comprehend the ••ngenerate Essence by reason and Intellect. But the Chaldaean saith, that there is no other Means for us to arrive at God, but by strengthning the Vehiculum of the Soul by material Rites; for it supposeth that the Soul is purifyed by Stones and Herbs and Charmes and is rendred expedit for Assent.

Stoop not down; for a precipice lies below on the Earth. Drawing through the Ladder which hath seaven steps, beneath which Is the throne of Necessity.]

The Oracle adviseth the Soul which is next to God, that she ad∣here onely to him with her whole mind, and bend not downwards; for there is a great Pr••cipice betwixt God and the Earth which draw∣eth Souls down the Ladder which hath seven Steps: The Ladder of seven steps signifies the Orbs of the seven Planets; if therefore the Soul decline, she is carried to the Earth through the seven Orbs: but that passage through the seven Circles leads her as by so many steps to the Throne of Necessity, whither when the Soul arriveth, she is necessitated to suffer the terrestial World.

Never change barbarous names.]

That is, There are certain Names amongst all Nations delivered to them by God, which have an unspeakable Power in Divine ••ites: change not these into the Greek Dial••ct; as Seraphim and Cherubin, and Michael and Gabriel: These in the Hebrew Dialect have an un∣speakable Efficacy in divine Rites; but changed into Greek Names, are in effectual.

The world hath intellectual guides inflexible,]

The Chaldaeans assert Powers in the World, and call them (Cosmogogi) guides of the World, for that they guide the World by provident Motions: These Powers the Oracles call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Sustainers, as sustaining the whole World. Unmoveable implies their settled Power; sustentive, their Gaurdianship; these Powers they design only by the Cause and Immobility of the Worlds: There are also other Powers (amilicte) unplacable as being firm and not to be con∣verted towards these inferiour things, and cause that Souls be never allured with Affections.

Labour about the Hecatine Strophalus.]

The Hecatine Strophalus is a golden Ball, in the midst whereof is a Saphire, they fold about it a leather Thong: it is beset all over with Characters: thus whipping it about, they made their Invo∣cations: these they use to call Iynges, whether it be round or Tri∣angular or any other Figure; and whilst they are doing thus they make insignificant or brutish Cries, and lash the Air with their whips. The Oracle adviseth to the performance of these Rites or such a Motion of the Strophalus, as having an expressible Power. It is called Hecatine, as being dedicated to Hecate: Hecate is a Goddesse amongst the Chaldaeans, having at her right side the Fountain of Vertues.

If thou speak often to me, thou shalt see absolutely that which is spoken. For then neither appears the Coelestial concave bulk, Nor do the Stars shine; the light of the Moon is co∣vered, The Earth stands not still, but all things appear Thun∣der.

The Lion is one of the twelf Signes of the Zodiack, and is called the House of the Sun, whose Fountain or the cause of his Lion-formed Constellation the Chaldaeans calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: now He saith, That amidst the Sacred Rites thou call this Fountain by its Name, thou shalt see nothing else in Heaven but the apparition of a Lion, neither will the Concave Bulk, or the Circumference of Heaven, appear to thee, neither shall the Stars shine, even the Moon herself shall be covered, and all things shall be shaken; but this Lion having Fountain takes not away the Essence of those, but their own praedominating Existence hides their view.

Every way to the unfashioned Soul, extend the reins of fire.]

The Oracle calls the Soul 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, without form and fi∣gure, or most simple, and most pure. Rains of fire of such a Soul are the expeditious activity of the Theurgick life, which raiseth up the fiery Mind to the Divine Light: therefore by stretching the rains of fire to the inform Soul, he means, endeavour that all the

faculties consisting both in the Intellect, Cogitat••on, & Opinion, may receive Divine illuminations sutable to themselves. This is the meaning of stretch the rains of fire; but Nature useth to fail, and busie it self in the second or worse life.

Oh Man, the Machine of boldest nature.

Man is called a Machine as being framed by God with unspeak∣able Art: the Oracle likewise calleth him audacious Nature, as being busied about excellent things, sometimes measuring the Course of the Starrs, sometimes enquiring into the Orders of the super∣natural Powers; contemplating also the things which are far above the Celestial Orb, and extending to discourse something of God. For these endeavours of the Mind in Disquisition proceed from an audacious Nature: he calls it boldness, not by Way of Reproach, but to express the forwardness of Nature.

In the side of the sinister Hecate is a fountain of much Vertue; which remains intire within, not emitting her Vir∣ginity.]

The Chaldaeans esteem Hecate a Goddess, seated in the middle rank, and possessing as it were the Center of all the Powers; in her right parts they place the Fountain of Souls, in her left, the Fountain of goods or of Vertues; and they say, that the Fountain of Souls is prompt to Propagations, but the Fountain of Vertues continues within the Bounds of it's own Essence, and is as a Virgin uncorrupted: this Settledness and Immobility it receives from the power of the Amilicti, the Implacables, is girt with a Virgin-Zone.

When thou seest a sacred fire without form Shining flashingly through the depths of the whole World, Hear the voice of fire.]

The Oracle speaks of a Divine Light, seen by many Men, and adviseth, That if any one see such a Light in some figure and form, he apply not his Mind to it, nor esteem the Voice proceeding from thence to be true; but if he see this without any figure or form he shall not be deceived: and whatsoever Question he shall propose, the Answer will be most true, he call this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sacrosanct, for that it is seen with a beauty by Sacred Persons; and glides up and down pleasantly and graciously through the Depths of the World.

Invoke not the self-conspicuous Image of Nature.]

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Self-i••spection, is, when the initiated person (or he who performs Divine Rites) seeth the Divine Lights: but if he who orders the Rites seeth an Apparition, this in respect of the ini∣tiated person is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ superinspection. The Image which is evo∣cated at Sacred Rites, must be intelligible and wholly separate from bodies: but the form or Image of Nature is not every way in∣telligible: for Nature is for the most part an Administrative faculty. Call not, saith he, in the Rites the self-conspicuous Image of Na∣ture; for it will bring thee nothing along with it but onely a crowd of the four Natural Elements.

Nature perswades that Daemons are pure. The bourgeons even of ill matter are profitable and good.

Not that Nature her self perswades this, but that being called be∣fore her presence there floweth in a great Company of Daemons, and many Daemonious forms of several shapes appear raised up out of all the Elements, compounded and shaped from all the parts of the Lunar Course, and many times appearing pleasant & gracious they make shew of an apparition of some good to the initiated person.

The Soul of Man will in a manner clasp God to her self▪ Having nothing mortal, she is wholly inebriated from God. For she boast•• harmony, in which the mortal body exists.]

He saith that the Soul forceth, for that is the meaning of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the divine fire into herself through immortality and purity, for then she is w••olly inebriated, that is, she is replenished with the more ex∣cellent Life and Illumination, and exists as it were out of herself: then the Oracle saith to her boast of Harmony; that is, Glory in the ob∣scure and intelligible Harmony by which thou art tied together in Arithmetical and Musical Proportions: for under this intelligible Harmony even the mortal and compounded Body is composed, having it's compositions derived from thence.

Let the immortal depth of the Soul be predominant, but all thy Eyes Extend upward.]

The depth of the Soul is her threefold powers; the intellectual, the intelligent, the opiniative. Her Eyes are the threefold cognos∣citive operations of these; for the Eye is the Symbol of Knowledg, as Life is of Appetite. Open therefore, saith he, the immortal Depth of the Soul, and extend thy cognoscitive Powers upwards, and even thy own self (to use our own Expression) transfer to the Lord.

Defile not the Spirit, nor deep not a Superficies.

The Chaldaeans cloath the Soul with two Garments: one they call Spiritual, woven for it by the sensible World; the other Luci∣form, tenuious and intangible, which is here termed Superficies: Defile not, saith he, the spiritual Garment of thy Soul with impu∣rity; neither cause it's Superficies to grow deep by certain material Additions: but preserve both in their own Natures, one pure, the other undipt.

Seek Paradise.]

The Chaldaick Paradise is the whole Chorus of Divine powers about the Father, and the fiery Beauties of the creative fountains: The opening thereof by piety is the Participation of the Goods: The flaming Sword is the implacable power which withs••ands those that approach it unworthily; to such persons it is shut, for they are not capable of it's felicity. To the Pious it is open: to this place tend all the Theurgick Vertues.

This Vessel the Beasts of the Earth shall inhabit.]

The Vessel is the compounded mixture of the Soul, the Beasts of the Earth are the Daemons which rove about the Earth: our life therefore being ful of passions shall be inhabited by such Bea••s; for such kinds are essentiated in passions, and have a material Seat and Order. Wherefore such as are addicted to passions are glued to them by assimulation, for they attract what is like them, having a motive-faculty from the passions.

If thou extend the fiery mind to the work of Piety,

Thou shalt preserve the fluxible Body.]

That is, If thou extend thy illuminated Mind upwards, and the Work of fire to the Works of Piety, (the Works of Piety, with the Chaldaeans, are the Methods of rites), thou shalt not only render the Soul unvanquishable by Passions, but shalt also preserve thy Body ••he more healthfull; for this Ordinarily is the effect of Divine illu∣minations, viz. to consume the matter of the Body, and to es••ablish health, that it be not seized either by passion or diseases.

Certainly, out of the cavities of the Earth spring terre∣strial Dogs, Which shew no true signe to mortal Man▪]

The speech is of material Daemons: These he calls Dogs, for that they are Executioners of souls; Terrestrial, for that they fall from Heaven, and are rolled about the Earth. These, saith he, being removed far from the Beatitude of Divine Life, and destitute of Intellectual Contemplation, cannot praesignifie Futures; whence all that they say or show is false, and not solid: for they know Be∣ings 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by their Out-sides; but, that which knoweth figures 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, particularly, useth Notions indivisible and not figured.

For the Father perfected all things, and delivered them over to the second Mind, which all Nations of men call the first.]

The first Father of the Triad, having made the Universal Frame, deliver'd it over to the Mind; which Mind the whole Race of Man∣kind (being Ignorant of the Paternal Excellency) call the first God: but our Doctrine holds the contrary, viz. that the first Mind, the Son of the Great Father, made and perfected every Creature; for the Father, in the Book of Moses, declareth to the Son the Idaea of the Production of Creatures, but the Son himself is the Maker of the Work.

The furies are Stranglers of Men.]

(〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) The reductive Angels reduce Souls to them, drawing them from general things; but the Furies (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) being the Tormentors of the Natures which are dispersed, and envious of human Souls, entangle them in material Passions; and as it were strangle them; and not only Torture such as are full of passions, but even those that are converted towards the immaterial Essence,

for these also coming into matter and into generation, stand in need of such purification: for we see many Persons even of those who live holily and purely, fall into unexpected Miseries.

The Paternal mind hath implanted Symbols in Souls.]

As the Mosaick Book saith, that Man was formed after the Image of God; so the Chaldaean saith, that the Maker and Father of the World sowed Symbols of his Essence in the Souls thereof. For out of the paternal Seed, not only Souls, but all superiour Orders sprung. But in Incorporeal substances, there is one kind of signs, viz. Incorporeal, and Individual; In the World, there are other signs and Symbols, the unspeakable properties of God, which are far more Excellent then the Vertues themselves.

The Souls of those who quit the Body violently are most pure.

Whosoever shall take this saying rightly, will find that it con∣tradicts not our Doctrine; for the Crowned Martyrs who in time of persecution leave their Bodies by a violent End, purifie and perfect their Souls: but this is not that which the Chaldaean means. He praiseth all violent Death, because the Soul, which leaveth the Body with trouble, abhorrs this Life, and hateth conversation with the Body, and, rejoycing, flyeth up to the things above: but those Souls which forsake this Life, their Bodies being naturally dissolved by sicknesse, do regret it's propension and inclination to the Body.

Because the Soul being a bright fire by the power of the Father Remains immortal, and is Mistresse of Life, And possesseth many Completions of the cavities of the World.]

The Soul being an immaterial and incorporeal fire, exempt from all compounds, and from the material Body, is immortal: for nothing material or dark is commixed with her, neither is she compounded, ••o as that she may be resolved into those things of which she con∣sists; but she is the Mistresse of Life, enlightning the Dead with Life, she hath the Complements of many Recesses, that is, suscep∣tive of the Government of Matter, for she is enab••ed according to her different Vertues to dwell in different Zones of the World.

The Father infuseth not fear, but instead of perswa∣sion]

That is, the Divine Nature is not stern and full of indignation, but sweet and calm; whence it doth not cause fear in the Natures subjected to it, but attracts all things by perswasion and graciousnesse; for if it were formidable and minacious, every Order of Beings would have been dissolved; None of them being able to endure his Power. And this Doctrine, is in part esteemed true amongst us; for God is a Light, and a fire consuming the Wicked: The Mena∣ces and affrightings of God are the Intermission of the Divine Goodnesse towards us, by reason of our ill management of our Affairs.

The Father hath snatched away himself: Neither hath he shut up his own fire in his Intellectual fire.]

The meaning of which Oracle, is this, The God of all things, who is also termed Father, hath made himself incomprehensible, not only to the first and second Natures, and to our Souls, but even to his own Power; for the Father, saith he, hath snatch'd himself away from every Nature: But this Doctrine is not Orthodox; for with us the Father is known in the Son, as the Son in the Father, and the Son is the Definition of the Father, and the Divine supernatural World.

For the Intelligible is something, which it behooves thee to comprehend with the flower of the Mind.]

The Soul hath a power correspondent to every thing that is con∣ceivable by the Mind; As to sensibles, Sense; to cogitables, Cogi∣tation; to intelligibles, Mind. Now the Chaldaean saith, that, although God is an Intelligible, yet he is not Comprehensible by the Mind, but only by the flower of the Mind. The flower of the Mind is the (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) singular power of the Soul; Since, therefore, God is properly One, endeavour not to comprehend him by the Mind, but by the singular power: for that which is first One, can only be apprehended by that which is one in us, and not either by cogitation or Mind.

The unguirders of the Soul which give her breathing are easie to be loosed.]

Lest any One should say, I would free my Soul from my Body, but I cannot; the Oracle tells us, that the powers, which thrust the Soul out of the natural Body, and give her breathing, as it were, from the toyle and trouble of the Body, are easily loosed; that is, these faculties are free, and not restrained by any Nature, and able to set the Body at Liberty, generously from corporeal Bonds.

It behooves thee to hasten to the Light, and to the beams of the Father, From whence was sent to thee a Soul cloathed with much Mind.]

Seeing that the Soul hath not it's Being from Seed, neither consists of corporeal mixtures, but had its Essence from God above; there∣fore she ought to turn towards Him, and to make her return to the Divine Light: for she came down cloathed with much Mind; that is, she was furnished by the Maker and Father with many Remem∣brances of the Divine sayings, when she came hither, whence she should endeavour to return by the same Remembrances.

All things are produced out of one Fire▪]

This is a true Doctrine, conformable to our Religion; for all Beings, as well intelligible, as sensible, received their Essence from God above, and are converted to God alone; those which have being only, Essentially; those which have being and Life, Essen∣tially and Vitally; those which have being and Life and Mind, Essentially and Vitally and Intellectually. From One therefore all things came, and to One is their return: This Oracle is not to be con∣demned, but is full of our Doctrine.

What the Mind speaks, it speaks by Intellection.]

When (saith he) thou shalt hear an articulate Voice, Thun∣dering from above out of Heaven, think not that the Angel or God who sends forth that Voice, did articulate it after our manner enun∣ciatively; but that He, according to his own Nature, conceived it only inarticulately: but thou, according to thy own Impotence, hea∣rest the Not on syllabically and enuntiatively. For as God heareth

our Voice not vocally, so Man receiveth the Notions of God vo∣cally, every one according to the operation of his Nature.

These the Earth bewails even to their Children.]

It is meant of Atheists, that God extends his Vengeance even to their Posterity: for the Oracle, to express the torments which they shall receive under the Earth, saith, It howles beneath for them: that is, the Place under the Earth bellows to them, and roareth like a Lion. Whence Proclus also saith, The Composition of Souls that are of Af∣finity with one another, is of like Nature; and those which are not yet loosed from the Bands of Nature, are entangled and detained by like passions. These therefore must fulfil all punishments, and since by natural Affinity they are infected with Pollutions, must again be cleansed from them.

Enlarge not thy Destiny.]

The wisest of the Greeks call Nature or rather the Completion of the Illuminat••ons which the Nature of Beings receiveth (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Fate. Providence is an Immediate Beneficence from God. But Fate is that which governs all our Affairs, by the concatena∣tion of Beings. We are subjects to Providence, when we act In∣tellectually; to Fate, when corporeally. Encrease not therefore, saith he, thy Fate, no•• endeavour to surmount it, but commit thy self wholly to the Government of God.

For nothing proceeds from the paternal principality im∣perfect.]

The Father (saith he) produceth all things perfect and self-sufficient according to their Order, but the Imbecillity and Remis∣sion of the things produced sometimes causeth a Defect and Im∣perfection, but the Father calleth back again that Defect to Per∣fection; and converts it to it Self-sufficience. Like this, is that which Iames the Brother of our Lord pronounceth in the beginning of his Epistle, Every perfect guift cometh down from above from the Father of Lights. For nothing proceeds Imperfect from the Perfect, and especially when we chance to be ready to receive that which is pri∣marily distilled from him.

But the Paternal Mind accepts her not untill she come forth.

The Paternal Mind doth not admit the Impulsions of the desires

of the Soul, before she hath excluded the forgetfulness of the riches which she received from the most bountiful Father, and called back to her Memory the sacred Watch-words which she re∣ceived from him, and pronounce the good speech imprinting in her remembrance the Symbols of the Father who begot her. For the Soul consists of sacred Words and divine Symbols, of which those proceed from the sacred Species, these from the di∣vine Monads; and We are (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Images of the sacred Essences, but (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Statues of the unknown Symbols. Moreover we must know that every Soul differs from another Soul specifi∣cally, and that there are as several species of Souls as there are Souls.

When thou seest the terrestrial Daemon approach, sacrifice the stone Mnizuris, using invocation.]

The Daemons that are near the Earth are by nature lying, as being farre off from the Divine knowledge, and filled with dark matter. Now if you would have any true discourse from these, prepare an Altar, and sacrifice the stone Mnisuris: this stone hath the power of evocating the other greater Daemon, who, invisibly approaching to the material Daemon, will pronounce the true so∣lution of demands, which he transmits to the demandant. The Oracle joyneth the evocative Name with the sacrificing of the stone. The Chaldaean asserts some Daemons good, others ill; but our Religion defines them to be all ill, as having by a pre∣medi••ated defection exchanged good for ill.

Learn the Intelligible, forasmuch as it exists beyond the Mind.]

For though all things are comprehended by the Mind, yet God the first intelligible exists without or beyond the Mind. This with∣out you must not understand distantially, nor according to intelle∣ctual alterity, but according to the intelligible Excess alone, and the propriety of the existence, it being without or beyond all Mind, whereby the superessential is manifested. For the first in∣telligible Mind is Essence, beyond which is the self-intelligible. Besides these is God, who is beyond the intelligible, and self-intelligible: for We assert the Divinity to be neither intelligible nor self-intelligible, it being more excellent then all Speech and Notion, so as that it is wholly unintelligible, and unexpressible, and more to be honoured by Silence, then reverenc'd by won∣derful Expressions. For it is more sublime then to be reverenced, spoken, and conceived.

Intelligent Iynges doe themselves also understand from the Father, By unspeakable Counsels being moved so as to understand.]

Iynges are certain (Vertues or) Powers, next the paternal Depth, consisting of three Triads. These understand according to the paternal Mind, which containeth their Cause solely in himself. Now the Counsels of the Father, in regard of their in∣telligible sublimity, are not vocal; but the intellectual Marks of abstract things, though understood by secondaries (or inferiours) are understood as without speaking, and as it were abstracted from intelligible Prolations. For as the conceptions of Souls, they understand intellectual orders, yet understand them as immu∣table: So the Acts of the Intellectuals understanding the intel∣lectual signs, understand them as not a vocal subsisting in un∣known Existences.