EDWO- W. PARKER. LIT'LE ROCK ARK'S PAHKEP. ' n ^£5. BANKERS* J ^/c^^^y \f^i>h KEW THOUG'^T UlRAM ASSOCIATION y V( — i ■ ' "■ -^ A ■' 1| t ^. Disco VRSE FIRE and SALT, DISCOVERING Many fecrec Myfteries, ASWELL PHILOSOPHICALLY AS THEOLOGIGALL. ED'W, PARKER, ' Little Rock, Ark. London^ Printed by Richard Cotes , i^4p. 4 4» 4» »»»♦»»»»»»»»»»>» »»»»»»»»^»»»»»»^»»»»»|: '■> To his worthy friend Gaptainc Thomas Falconhridge. Have been informed of your zeal and forwardneffe in advancing Learning and Truth , two com- , mcndable venues , for a man of 'your merit and profeflion. And ' meeting with a fubjed compofed ^mt^z^y^'^m c-«^ by a French Authour,! prefent the Tranflation to your favourable acceptance : It h of forraign birth,though fwadled up m an Englifh habit . It hat^ done much good abroad, and I am confident itwiUdothc like here, iffupported with your appro- bation : It had not feen the Preffc here, had I not beea afTurcd of the candor and integrity of the Authour. 1 rcpofe confidence of acceptauon, becaufc the Tranl- laior hath been of your long acquaintance , and was lately fcnfiblc of your propenfity and affiftancc, when he came in your way : If this may find grace v/ith you yeu will engage him to make further inquifition mto this meft faercd and fccrct myftery, and to reft, * r0urmeji dffem»nMe friend EdyvardStjphbns. O IS EXCELLENT TREATISE FIRE ^""d SALT- Compofed by the Lord 'Blaife of VIGENEXE. The firfl part. I n ^ i TTHAGOKAS who of all Pagans was un- doubtedly, by common confenc and appro- bation^ held to have made more profound fearch, and with lefs incertainty penetrated into the fecrets as well of Divinity, as of Na- ture, having quaffed full draughts from the living fource ot^Mofaicall Traditions, amid'it his darke fentences, where, according to the Letter, he touched one thing, and myftically underftood and comprifed another^ (wherein he imitates the R^yftUns and Chaldeans ^ov rather,ihe •Hebrcmsy from whence all theirs proceeded) he here fets downe thefetwo ; Not to fpeakeofGod without Light j and to apply Salt in all his Sacrifices and Offerings ; which he borrowed word for word from Mojes^ as we (hall hereafter declare. For our intention is here to Treat of Fire and oiSalt. And that upon the p, of Saint Mark^^zer,^^, Every man J^all B he 2 An excellent Tr eat if(i be falted mth Fire, and evtry Sacrifice paJi be Jalted with Saltl Wherein fourc things come to be fpecified, Man, and S^Krifice, Fire, and Salt , which yet arc reduced to two, comprehending under them, the other two; Man and Sacrifice, Fire and Salt^in refpeft of the conformitie they beare each to other. Jji the begifmiftg God created Heave?j and Earth-^ this iaid ^ofes on the entrance iiponG^wt^/. Whereupon the Jew Arifiobului, and Tome Ethniques willing to (hew that Tythagor.'a and Tlato bad read Mofes bookes, and from thence drawne thcgreateft part of their mcft fecret Philofophy, alledged that which Mofes (hould have faid^that the heaven and the earth were fkil: created; Vhto in his Tim£m^ after, lirndsui hoc rie?i hid th^l God hrlt afTembled Fire and Earch, to build an univerfe thcreoFj (we will fhew it more fenllbly oiZobar in the Wcik of a Candle lighted, for all conlilh of light, being the firft of all Creatures.) Thefe PhilofophcrsprefuDpofing that the World confiQciQas indeed it doth) ofthe foui-e Elements, which are as well in hcaveuj and yet higher, as in the earth, and lower, but in a diverfe manner. The two higheft, Aire and Fire, being r.omprifed under the name of Heaven and of the i¥!thereall Region: for the word a/5w; comes from the verbe ^iSw to (hine, and to enfiame.the two pro- . prieties of thefe Elements. And under the word Earth, the two lower. Earth and Water, incorporated into one Globe. But although Mofes fet Heaven before Earth ; (and obf^rve here that in all Gemfij he toucheth at nothing but things fenfible, but not of intelligible things^ which is a point apart) for concerning this, there is no good agreement between Jewcs and ChrilH.ins; Saint Chryloftome inhis firftH(?wi/j. Obferve a little with what dignity the Divine Nature comes to (Line in his manner of pro- ceeding to the creation of things 5 ForGod contrary to Artifts in building his Edifice, ftretched out firft the heavens round a- bout, afterwards planted the earth below. Hee wrought firft: at the head, andafterwardscame tothe foundation. But it is the Hebrewes cuftome, that when they fpeake moft of a thing, they ordinarily put the laft in order, which they pretend to touch firft: And the fame is here pra^iiftd, where Heaven is alledged before Earth, which he comes to dif- cry immediately after. In the beginnirjg God created Heaven and Earthy and the I^jrth waf ef Fire And Salt. 3 TP^ythat ie to f*y,thls ^cnfible'WOrld; forevery body hath I know not what firmnefle and folidity, and all folidity is corporal; and as that which God propofed Co make,confiftcth of Body and ofSpirit,for this caufe it is written, that God firil made the Heaven, that is to fay, allfpirituallfub- ftance, upon which, as upon a certaine throne, hee repofeth himfelfe. The Firmament for our regard is the body, which Zohar calleth the Temple, and the Apoflle alfo. Tee are Gods 7emple^ 1 Cor. 5. 17. And the Heaven, which is fpirituall, is ourfoule, andthe inner man; the Firmamcntis thecxternall, that neither feeth, nor knoweth God but fenfibly. So that man is double, ananimall, and /pirituall body, the one Internall, Spiritual!, Invilible; that which Saint /t/j^^^ in this place de~ figneth for man; the other Extern all. Corporal!, Animal, which he denotes by the Sacrifice which comprehendeth not the things that are of the Spirit of God, Hut the Spiritual! difcerneth all; So that the exteriour man is an animal compared to brute beafts, whereout they tooke their offerings for Sacrifices: He is com- pared to foolifn Beafls, and is made like them ; for a man hath nomorethenaBeaft: wemuftunderftandthe Carnall, andA- nirnalljthatconfirtsof thisviiible body, that dyeth as well as Ecatts J are corrupt and returne to Earth .* Whence Piafo faid ^crywclljthatLwhichisfeeneofman, is not man properly . And ■'/;■" in ef Fire and Salt. 5 the firft o^Alclhiadej.ya more diftinftly.that Man is Iknownoc what clfc, then his body, namely his foule, asitfollowes after- wards. That which Cicsro borrowed out of Scipio'i dreame 5 But underftand it thus, that thou art not m or tall, but this body ; thou artnotthatj which this forme declares, but every mans niindeishimfelfe, not that figure which may be demonrtrated by thefiager: And the Philofcpher^w^jpc^rc^w^ while the Ty X3iivMtcocmn o{C)ffuS:,cmM him to be brayed in a great Mar- ble Morter, cried out wich a loud voiccj Stampi hardy bmije the barki of AnaxMcbufy for it is not blm that thofifijmpefi. But will it be permitted for me here, tcj bring fomething of MeiHbaks> All that is^ is either In viiible, or Vifible, Intelle- ftuall^or Senfible; Agentjand Patient^ Forme,and Matter^ Spi- rit, and Body 5 the Interiour and the Exteriour raan3 Fire, and Water; that which feeth^and that which is leen. .. But that which fecthis much more excsl'entand more worthy then that which is fccn, and there is nothing that feeth, but the invifiblcj where that which is feene^is as a blind thing 5 therefore Water is a proper and ferviceablefubjeftj over whom the Fire or Spirit mayout-itretchhisaftion. Alfo he hath elevated it for 'his habitation and refidence ; for by introducing itj he elevates it on high in the nature of Aire contiguous unto it: which inviGble Spirit (of the Lord was carryed on the waters^ or rather did fit over t^e waters) did fee the vifible? moved the immoveable, for water hath no motion of it (elfe ; thereis none but Aire, and Fire, that have, and fpeake by the Organs of one that is dumb , for as when by our winde and breath, filling a pipe or flute, we make it found though ne- • ver fo mute. This Body and Spirit, water and fire, are defigncd unto us by Cain and Abel^ the^firil Creatures of all others engendred of the feed ofman and woman, and by their Sacrifices, whence thofe ofCam ifluing from the fruits of the earth, ^ were by confequenC corporall, dcadj and inanimate, and together deftitute of taitb, whichdependeth of the Spirit, andare byFirediifolved intoa waterilh vapour, fo that to go to finde it in its fphere and habita- Pour h nsw don, forthenewes, we are to fuffer thereunder. But thofe of t^e^w* Abel were fpirituall,animate,full of life, that refides in the bIoud5 full of piety and devotion. . This alfo -/^^c« Eiara^zndthe author B3 of g ^An excellent TrMife oU\it^anifuU of Myrrh ^ call a fire defcending from one S bovc to regather them : which happened not to thofs of Cain^ ■which a Grange fire devoured 3 and from thence was declared the exterioiir man^ fenfuall, aniniallj that miift bee falted with Salt 5 But Abd the interiour, fpirituall, falted with Fire^ which is double, the materia)! and cfientialljthe aftuall and potential!, as it is in burnings. AH what is ienhble, andvifible, is purged by the aftuall, and thcjinvifible, and intelligible, by the fpiritual afid poteiuiall. Saint Arnhrofi^ on the Treatife of Ifaac and of the Soule. What is man^ the foule of him, or the fleQi, or the aircmblyofthofetwo^ for the clothing is one thing, and the thing clothed another. Indeed there are two men f I leave the Mijjihe apart) /Jjw was made and formed of God- inrefpeft ofthebodyjofadies, and of earth, but afterwards infpired in him the Spirit of Life; if hehadkept himfelfe frommifprili- on, he was like unto Angels, made participant ofetemall bea- titude, but his tranfgreflioii difpofltfled him- The other man IS he, which comes fucc.^ffively to be borne of man and woman, who by his originall offence is made fubjeft to death, to paines, travails, and difeafes, therefore muft hee returne from whence he came. But touching the foule that came from God,it remains in its free will: if it will adhere toGod, it is capable to bee admitted into the rankeof his children, vpho an borne not of bloody Joh. T.I 3. nor of the n?HI ofthefiepi?ior of the mil of manj?Ht of God. Such was Adam before his firft tranfgrelTion. The foule then, which is theinner man, fpirit, and the very true man which liveth properly, for the body hath no life of ic . felfe, nor motion; and is nothing clfe but as ic were the barke and clothing of tl^e inner man, according to ZoW, alledging that out of the 10 of Job 11. Thou bafi clothed ma with jl^inne and fieJh'Micr^uBto that in the 6,o(SMafthetv feen}eth to agree, where to (hew us how much the foule ought to bee in greater recommendation then the body, as more worthy and pretious; our Saviour faith, Tak^ m care then hoivto cloth your body ^ h not your body better then raiment > and by confequent, the (bulc more then the body, fince the body is butas itwere theveftmcnt of the foule, which is fubjeft to perifhj'.and to ufe, Qall fl^aU wax old dtdeth agarment.) And the Apoftle in the i to the Corinthian f^ J he QldnunfaUiib arpay, but the inner man is remmd d^ly-t for it walheth of Fire m J Salt. m waflieth it felfe (according to lobar) ;by the fire^ as doth a Sala* min^er^ and the outward man by water, with Soaps and Lees that conliit of Salts. Of which two manners of repurgiog, it is thusfiid in the 31. o^Numb, v. 23. All that which Jhall fapport ikefircy Jhall be pureed there fy^ and that vphich cannot hart it^ [had he fan&ified hji the water of Fun ji: at ion :^ which was a figure of that which the Fore-runner fpike in the 3. o^Adatthtw^ It is true that 1 baptize jounp'itb water ipito repentance^ but be tkatcotnts after meey jball baptizeyoH ivith the Holy Ghoft^^ind mih fire. But behold how Zohai fpeakes more particularly. If it bee fo, Adsm what is he?itis nought but skin, andfiefh^ and bc-nes, and nervesj he muft not pafTe fo. Euc to fpeak truihjman is nothing clfeabuttheimmorcallfoule that is in him; and the skionf, flefii, bloLsdj boncs^, and nerveS; are the vefrments wherein it is wrapped, as a little creature newly borne within the beds and linncn of its Cradle: Thefe are but the utenfils,' and inftru- raents allotted to womens children, not to man or Adam • for when this Adam fo made, was elevated out of this world he is deveftedofthofeinftrum?nt!?, wherewith he had beene clothed and accommodated. Thisistheskinne wherewith the Son oF manisenvelopped with fiefh,bones,and nerves; and this con- fiileth in the fecret myftery o^ Sipience, according to that which Mofis taught in the Curtains or Vai^s of the Tabernacle, which are the inward veftment, and the Tabernacle the outward : To this purpofe, the Apoftlein the likh of the 2 to the Corimhiansy fa i til, IVeknow that if our earthly hiufeofth^ Tabernacle r^ere d/J* fohedy xve have an Edifice not built n;ith mans handy butcteraaUj per- manent in the high Heavens, For in this tire groane , earneftly de- firing to bei clothed upon , rvith onr houft which is from hea- ven y if fo be , ihit king clothed w,e f^alJ nn bet found nahid. So Adam in refpeft of his body^ is a repre fen tatlon of the i^n- fible world -^ where his skinne correfponJs with the Firma- mcntj extending heaven like aCiirtaine. For as the heaven covereth and enveloppeth all things,lb doth the skin every man; in which^are introduced and faftned its ifarres and (ignes^ that is to fay, the draughts and lineaments in the hands, the forehead, andvifage, iu which wife men know and rcveale, and makes them difcerne the inclination of its naturall, imprinted in the inward 5 And he that doth CQnjeaure from thence, is as he, to whom 8 ^Antxcellcnt Treat] f^ tvhom heaven being covered with Clouds, cannot perceive the conftellations that are there, orothervvife darkened from his iiP^hc. And although the fageft and moft expert in thefe things canfinde out fomething therein denoted by the draughts and lineaments of the palme ofthehand^ and fingers, or within them •, for by the outilde, (it is cafe a part) and fhew nothing, but the nailcs which are not a little (ccretand myitery, because by death they are obfuicate, but have a (hining luftre while they live, in thehaire, eyes, nofe, and lips, and all the reft of his perion. For as God hath made the Sunnc, Mooae,and Stars, thereby to declare to the great World , not only the day, night, and feafons. but the change of times, and many hgnes that muft appearc in the eai th. So hath he manifefted in the little world Man, certaine draughts and lineaments, holding place of lights and ftarres, whereby men may attaine to the knowledge of very great iccrcts, not common, nor knowne of ail.. Hence is i^thac the Intelligences of the luperiour world do diPtill and breath as it were, by fome channels their influences, whereby the effeds come to ftruggle and accomplifh their effects here below, as of things drawn with a rude and ftiong bow, will plant themfelves within a Butt, where they reft themfelves. >' But to retake the difcourfc of this double man, and the veft- nientofhim, the Apoftleinthe I Or. 15. faith. That thtre are bodies Cel^fihl^^nd bodies Terreftrial^^yet there is a glory both of the onsy and of the other. There is a naturally or animallbody^ and there is a hcdjjpiriiuall: hewillraifiup the fpirituall body incorritptihU j To this relates the Fire, to the corruptible Salt. From thefe veftments furthermore the occafion prefents itfelfe to a larger extcnfion, the better to declare who muft be feafoncd with Fire, and who with Salt 3 which is here exprefTcd by the offering, to whom the exteriour doth corre(pond, according to the Apoftle, Kom, 12, Ipray you hrethreny by the mercy of God ^ that you offer ufyour bodies a living Sacrifice^ hofy^ and accept able unio him^ n>hichisyourreafoffableferzice : which it could not make it ielfe the habitation of tbe Holy Choft, if it were not pure, neat, and incontaminate. /Know pu not that your Body is the Temple of the holy Spirit tfhich is in you\ Which in Sc.ipture is commonly defigned by fire, with which wee muft be (a I ted inwardly, that is to fayj prefcrved from corruption 5 and from what corrup- tion> 'tf Fire and Sdtf] p iion> from GnnetKatputrifies our foules. Orlgm in Wuj. hook againft Celfus fpeaking of its veftments^ fets downe, that being of it felfe incorporcall and invifible^in what corporall place foc- ver it findcs it felfe.it nmft have a body convcnable to the nature of the place where it rcfides. As then when it is in this Elemen- tary world, itmuft have alfo an elementary body^ which it tikes when it is incorporated in the belly of a womanj [to grow there, and there to live this bafelife with the body^ that it hath taken to the limited ternie ; which expired, it devefts it (elfe of this corruptible veilmentj although neccffary in the earth from whence it came (following that which Godfsidto Ad:im in the third oiGenefij^ Jhsu art du^^ andjhak nittrm to duft^) to be rcvefted with an incorruptible, whofe perpctuall abode is in Heaven . Fer thii corruptible mnfl put on ifi corrupt ios^ and this mortaU tnuji put 'on immortality. And fo the foul puttiUj-^ ofFits firft Terre- ftriall veftmcnt, takes another more excellent above in the iSthc- reall Region, Which is of tbe nature of Fire j hitherto Orig?fj^ to which nothing could be found more conformable, then that which Fjithagoroi puts towards the end of his golden verfes : Thus forfaking this raortajl bedy, thou paffeft into the free IE- thcrcall AirejyouQiali become an iramortall God, incorrupti- blej and no more fubjc^l to death : as if be would fay, that after this materiall corruptible body, (ball put off the Terreftriall and impure Yeftment, the perfe^ portion of it (hall (hake ofFthefe filthinefTes and imparities, and (hallpafJe aloft to heaven and adhere to God, which it could not doe, but being pure and neat- nor Q&dc this, but by fire, lobar fpeakes to the fame purpofe, when the Elements deftroy themfelves, an aethereall body fuc- ceeds in their place which doth recloath them ; or to fpeak bet- ter, the«thereall body which was rcclad with them, dcvcftsii (die-, and this is represented to as in the 5 of E/^^r, where it is (aid, thst ^n the third daj ihee tookeoff her clothes that fliee was wont to wcare, and put on her rojaU appartU to appears before the King, whicjbfigniies the holy Spirit, and E/fer the reafo- nablefoule, whofe vcftments are the garments of the kingdome of Heaven h of which he that Vaniel^, chap, was /aid to be like to the Son of God, that crowns the juft, and adornes them with royallapparelI,tobricigthcra into the prefence of the King of Kings, to the Paradifc of plcafure, clenfed with aire from above ^ C " which 10 A^ e^ceUeni Trmtfd which the holy Spirit breathed into it. Origen m his feconcf Homily upon the 3 5 Ffalme. It is the manner of holy Scripture to introduce two forts of men, that is to fay, the intcriour and theexterrour, e:tch of which, hath need as much as concerues him, of apparellj as well a« nourilhment 5 the external corporal man, maintaines himfelfe with meats corruptible, proper and familiar to himfclfe, having ever need of Salt, befidcs their ownconnaturall j but there is alfb meat for the inward, whereof it is fa id in the 8 QiVtuterommy^ Man dotb not live by bread omlyy Imby every vpord that proceedtfh out of iht mdUth 0} God, And for matter of drinke, the Apoftlc in the i Cer, 10. Onrfatherj did eat the fame fpirituall meat^ anddiddrink^ the fame JpiritHaU drinke ; fsr they did drink^ of that fpTritnaU roc^e that followed theWy and that rocke was Cbriji, Who fpeaking of this drinke in the ^. of Saint John^ faith, that bee it the fount aine of living rvater^ and rvhofo drin* ksth of the rpater that hefhaJl give them^ fiaU never thirfi. There are alfo two rayments in regard of the inner man. If he be a iinner^ it is faid Pfalme 1 Q<^.He bath put on maledi&ion at agarmint^ which muft be to him as bis appareU^ rvheremth be is covered^ and as a girdle rvhereppitbheisgirt. And on the contrary the Apoftle C(?/. 3. Lit not one to anotkr^ having caft off the old man rv'ith hisdceds^ and put on the fteWy but be clothed tpith mercy ^ benignity^ hHrniliiy^and meeknefj't of Spirit, Thefearc thev^ftments which Zo^^r ftid were tlie good works and the nuptiallaccouftrements of the foulc, which cannot bee wadied or clfcanfcd but by Fire , Every mans tvorh^fhall bit made manifefty for the da)i pall declare it ^ hecaufe it fball be revealed by fire ^ and the fire jha! I try every mans work^ of what fort it ps^ I Cor. 3« 1 3. wherein they {liall perlift withoat impairc, or consumption, but fhall be purified when thefoule Ihall therewith be clothed , from this unclcanc ^unime, whereip there may remaine fome fpots that the fire goes on to purge, confuming and defacing them. Sutwhatit this fire> It is it which is faid in the 4 and 9 of 'Demerommy^ our God is a confumingfire % which as Irenaus inter- prets, was to ftr ike feare and terror into the liraelites ; and this afterwards in the 12 to the Hebrewes^ 2%^2^, Let wfervt Cod acctptahlj with feare and reverence^ for our God is aconfttmihg fire* For they had fufficientiy underftood th at the world once peri- (hed by the univerfall deluge, and th^^ it may not incurre the like ef Fire md Salt. ■ it life accident^ but fufFcr its laft extermination by fire* Adde that in the 33. of the Mofaicall Law, it is called IkLaw offire, which is in the right hand oFthe Almighty^, because of its aufte- rityandrigourj all filled with menaces, with fearcs, with hor- ton ; as much as the Chriftian is , with fweetneflfe and mercy: in his right hand, there is a fiery Law t which tht Chaldean Para* phrafe interpreteth , for that it was given on Mount Horeb^ through the middeftoffire. according as it is faid in the 4. to the purpofe touching this feare. Th^ Lord/peak^ unto me f<^ji"gi^If^^' hie thipeoplt there belon?^ that they tn^ beare wj rpordsy and karne to feare me : Then cameyott neare to tbefiote that hurmd svetf tu heaven^ andlheLordfpjkeunto}'ouoiitofthemidjl^_of -pre. And Exodt*f 5, ibe burning bujh xvherein God appeared unto Mofes^ and rvas mi cdn- fumed. Ofthisconfumingfirej further fpeaketh Zo/^jr thus in conformity to that received Maximt in naturall Philoibphy, that a greatflamc doth dcvoure and quench a IcfTe : as wee may fenfibly f^erceive by a lighted Torch, which is extingulfhed by the Sunbeams, and by a kettle fet neare a great fire that fucks and drawes all out to it felfe : Hee faith then upon this Text of the 35. of Exod.Tdujhall kindle no fire throHghoHtjour habitations upon the Sabbath: To Xvhich purpofe, faid Rabbi Simeon^ was that ordained? and why was it not lawfull to kindle a fire on the fe- venth day > because that when men kindle fire, it goeth ever up- wards according to its naturall, and moving above every thing, following that of the 7. of Sapience, where it is compared to Sre. In Wifdomc is the fpirit of underftandingjholy, one only, manifold, fubtili, lively, cleare, undcfiled, plaine, moveable a- bove every thing, and overtops all by reafon of its purity. The Fire hath two propertics,to be moving, and pure, not partici- patingof any uncleannefle- and all motion,is a kinde of aftion and operation, forbidden exprefly on the Sabbath day. Fire then mounting aloft, caries with it the impurities defigned in the 10, o^ Leviticus by ftrangcfire, which is there devoured by that which proceeds from theprefence of the Lord. And (hould bee as much, as thereby to draw from it felfe a judgement of his offcncesthatmuftnot be renewed in the fanftificatlon of the Sabbath, for feare that the fire of Gods wrath do not devour and confume that of our iniquities, and osatonce, ifthi« our fire be not firft purged by a llrcngerfire, that confi^meth and devou- C2 rcth J 2 'AntxcelUnt Treatife I'cth the IcfTcr end more feeble; Zo&jr runs through all thaCj and upon the paflTagc of the forefaid fourth ofDeut, Thy God v a confitming fire ', he fpeakes furthor. There is a double fire^ the one iironger, that devoures the o- ther. Hethat will knowitjlefhim con Template the flame that parteth and mounteth from a kindled Fire, or from a Lampe or Torch J for it mounteth not, except it be incorporated to feme vilible fubftance, and united with theaire^whereuponitfeedeth. But in the flame that mounteth there are two lights, the one white, which fhineth andillightneth, having its root fomewhat blew ; rheother redjfaftnedfothewoodj or to the weik that itbnrnech. That which is white, mounteth direftly upwards, and underneath the red remainethfirme, and departs not from the matter, adminiftring wherewith to flame and fhinc to the other . but they come upon the point to joine and unite toge- ther,' the one burning, the other burned, till they bee converted into that which predominates and playcs the mafter, namely the white, alwayes the fame without variation and change, as the other doth ; which now growes blacke, after becomes red, ycl- low, peach coIour,sky colour,a2ure reinforced above and below, above with a white flame, below with the blacknede of the mat- ter, which furnifhethiti^yherewithall toburnc, and at the laft is therewith confumed./ For this azure, red, and yellow flame, the moregrofle and rn^teriall it is, endeavours a! way es to exter- minate and deltroy that which nourifhed and maintained it : as finnes do the conicience which harbours them, to the end to make them the perdition and rulneofali that which adheres to it here below, fo long, till at the laftitremaines cxtin8: 5 there where the light annexed thereunto, is not eternally extinguifh'ed but goes freely upward, and returnes to its proper place of a- bodc,or refidence ; having accomplifhed its aftion below, with- out changing its brightne^le into any other colour then white. In the Jike cafe is it of a tree, whofe roots arc faftncd within the earth, from whence it takes it nourifhment, as the weik takes his from the tallow,] waxe, or oyle, which makes it burne. The branch that drawes 'its juice or fap^ by the root, is the fame as the weik^ where the fire is maintained by the liquor which it 5rawc3 unto it, and the white flame, are the brancbc« and cf Fire dnJ Salt, 13 and boughcs, clad with leaves, the flowers and fr uits, ivhereun- to tends the finall end of a tree, are the white fiame when all Gomes to bee reduced : wherefore ^^ofej faid that thy God ii a con[Hmingfire^2iZ it is true , for the fire confunies and deyourcs all thatwhichisunderic, and upon which it cxsrcifeth its a^ion. And therefore very proper in the Hebrew text Elohenu, thy God^and not Anonmu^ thy Lord, becaufe the Prophet w.^sin this fuperiour white light, which neither devourcth, nor can be devoured. And the Ifraclites were the blew lights, who endea- vour to lift up themfelves, and unite to him under the law : for theordinaryofthis blew light, inclining rather to blacknefTe, then to whicencfTe; it is true that is conftituted asin themidft, and to ruine anddellroy all that it layes hold on^and whereunto it adheres. But if finners fubmit thereunto, then the white light (hall bee called AdmtnH^ our Lord, and not Etohfnff^ our God, for that it domineers and devours ic. And it is this blew flame defigned by the little and laft n He of the facrcd venerable foure lettered Jchovahy which aflTembles and unites with the three firft int Jthu the white light, which (hineth in a mofl: cleare fin}plidty Trin-onejhaving under it the blacki(h,ruddy, & azure colour of the little n H?,'which is the humane nature confining of the four Elements, for that it is fometimcs repre(ented by 4 ^, the fourth letter of the Alphabet, and which marketh the number of 4. You will fay I have brought you here a prolixe place ofZobar^ I do avow it, but it muft have a more ample explication, for there are great myfteries covered thereunder. This Kabbi fu- perlative to all others, endeavouring in his profound and ab- flrafted meditations which tranfcendall toelevate our fpirits by the fimiiitude of a light, to the knowledge of fpirituall things, which diflfcrs not from ou^ principall purpo(e, which is fire and its !efFe6ls». Of this white light, and of its collaterals 5 other KMins fpeake, as Kamban^ Gerunde^fij 5 That by the Caballe it appears unto us, that the Scripture was an obfcure and darke fire, upon the backe of white fire,and marvailoufly refplendent. It is the firc(ray they) of the holy Spirit, confuming our ini- quities, denoted by the red inflamed ardor, and the blew and azure flame, which is the :ilrange fire, as Saint Am-^ C 3 h'{ffi; 14 ^ exceUtnt trutift Iroft very well ei^pouncjs it in his fourth EpiHIe to Slm^ flicUn. Strange fire, is all the ardor of (lippery concupifcen ce, of ava- rice, hatred, rancour, and envy } And of this fire no man is pur- ged nor expiated, but well burned, which if men offer in [the prefenceofthe Lord, celeiiiall fire will devour, as it aid NaduB and Abibn ; and therefore, he that will purge his finne, he muft caft off from him this ftrange fire, and let him expiate there- from 3 \vhcreof it is faid in the 6 of Efay 6. Oae of the Seraphim j ■Rerv tome havwgalhe c9ak in hii hand^n^hicb he hadtaken with the Tongs from off ibi Altar ^ and toticbedrtfy lipJyja)ir?g^ Lo this hath touched thy lips^ and thine iniquity ii jaJ{taaWjy^ and thy finne purged. Having faid a httle before, that all the houfe was filled with fmoake, which is as an excrement and vapour of fire, bee it be- fore it be lighted, or inflamed, or after it be mortified, and ex- tinft; from whence it comes to procreate foot, then which, there is nothing more troubiefomc and hurtfull to thecies, ha- ving carrycd aivay with it a parcell of a duftible corruption • which adminiftred to the fire its nouriflimcnt and food. This niaybeefeeninthediftillation offoote, where there appcares a notable quantity of inflamable oyle, which caulcthityct to burne- and of this burning there will arife a ftnoake, which will againe'be concreted into a burning fmoake, asaforefaidj but not fo much. Thefe are the remnants of finne, whereof remained fome ftaines printed in the foule, untill at the lad, by a fiKcefli vc rc- piirgation of fire, it be reduced to a point of compleat purity 5 whereof it is fpoken in thej4. ohhcCantic/er^ Thou art faire my rvelhlovedythcre if nohkmfi inthee '^ which the white flame noti- fies, which is the iiighell degree of burning, Thofe alfo well know it that maintaine a fire,forwhen aFornace begins to bee hot, it waxeth blacke, then enforcing the fire, it becomes red, and at laft it waxeth white when it is in the fuprcame and high degree of heat, where it perfifteth in whitenefTe more and more. Such arc the actions of fire, but there arc great myfterics there- under, ever to declare further the advantage and pr^ccllencyj that the white colour hath above the red, as to [the Chriftian faith, defigncd by white water, ^poc,\^&6. & i'^.2. (^In tk middle oj the 7brom there vois a Sea ofGlaffe^ /i% unto Cryfiall^ ) far above tf Fire md Salt. ; ij above the Judaicall faith, red, heat with rigour, and feverity, dSgntAhy zpUar of fir e^ that inihe night feafn conduced the If- raelites ihrougl? tht Wilderneffe^ and iknhite deudby day^ Exod, 13. 2 1. In the Kcret Hebrew Theology, the red alwayes notes Gfe- i?«rj-&5 Auftcrity; and the white Gk^«/^^, or Mercy; €ltah was tranfportcd, and by force carried into heaven, in a fiery Chari- ot, drawne with the like horfcs* But in the transfiguration of -Our Saviour, A .whence we may gather that there is potcntiall fire in all. Not without caufe then did Vythageras^ after Mofej^ ordaine nottofpeakeofGod, or divine things,without fire: for of all things fenfible, there is nothing' that fymbolizeth, or more cor- refponds with Divinity then Fire : Ariflotle writing to Alexander related unto him, that hee had learned of the Brachmanj, that there was a fife Element or Eflence, which is fire, wherein the Divinity rsfides : becaufeit is the nobieft, and pureif ol all the Elements, and that which purgeth all thmgs according to Z^- rsjfies : Vlutarch alledgerhthat this Divinity isafpirit ufacer- taine intelleftuallfirej that hath iiof )rme, buttranstormeis to it isili^ all that it toucheth, and tranfmutcs it felfc into alL as Tro- teus i':.tGmiiii of^^gypt was wont to fay, Omni J iransjormat feje in miracula remm. And according to Z^rc^j^e/ all things v^ereengendrcd of this fire. It is the light which dwelleth (this faith Ptfr;?^jri^j) in an -Slthcreal firc,for the elementary difllpates all: But more authen- tically , SaintPenif, in theS5. of the Celem^ll Hierarchy. Fire, forafmuchasitscflence isvoidofalhorme, aswellinco- lour, as in figure, hath beenc found the moft proper to rcpre- jg "An excellent Tredtt ft fent Divinity to our fcnfes, forafmuch as they an conceive and apprehend of the nature and divine Efeice. The very Scripture in many places, call God and Angels Fire, and doth not onely propofe unto us Chariot? and whceles of Firej but of igneall animals, of burning brookes and rivers , of coalcs and men all burned: All thefe celcllial bodies are but flaming lights, and thrones, and Seraphims all of fire • there is fo great affinity and agreement with Divini y ; for the fire that thefeeling and fmellh^g pei ceiveth, is feparated in refpeft of the fubftance from all others', that may bee joined and mingled therewith, except iv bre of the matter, tof;hich it is incorporated to burne. It fhin?s, itrpreadsitfelfefrom fide to^ fide, and gathering it felfe toitsfelfe, with its light it illuftrates all that is ncareit,;nor can it bee feene without the matter whereto it adheres, and exer- cifethits action no more then Divinity, but by its effe^lsj nor arreftjnorfaften^ normingle withanyVhing , nor change fo long as it liveth , there where it handleth all things, and draws them to its felfe, and to its nature. It renewes and rejoyceth all with vitallheat , it illuftrates and illuminates alljtendingalwaies upward, with agility and iixomparable fpeed. It cummuni- cates his motion to all, its lightj its heat, without any diminu- tion of its fubftance, what portion (bever it lends, but ever re- main es entire in it felfe. It comes fuddenly and returmth as faft, without mans knowledge whence it comes, or whither it goes ; V. ith i^any other rvorthy confiderations of this common fire, which brings us to theknowlcdgc of the divine fire, where- of this material), is but as a garment and coverture; and Salt the coverture of Fire, which is appealed in Salt, and a^reeth with its enemy. Water; as Eartli in Saltpeter doth wih its contra- oppofuc the Aire^ byreafonof the water that is be- tweenc them , for Ssitpeter participates of the nature of Brim- ftone, and r f Ftre. for that it burncs ^ and of Salt , for that itrefolvcsi: to water. For faich Heher^ it is the property of Salts, apf! A'i:nis, to bee difiTolvtd into water, fith they were made thereof. But of this more to the purpole h :reafter in it8 place. ' The meditations of the Covertures, and reveftments are of Rofma'l rniport:^nce, to mrmnt from things frnfible, to things intelligible, for they are all infolded one in another, as an Encj- elk t^fFtremdSath ip lUe or a fpirall Moone* Zchar makes tbcfe reve flments dcuMe, ^^^; ^^* theoneW5«s*fzj|anddcveftingitsrelfe, P«^ c^^^-e cU r/tati^ ^^^ ab\yL[\L ■put ontloi^new ' for no fpirituall thing defcending dowwwardsj r.jund. operates without a veftment , SHyee in JcrufaUm fiUynu h chd Eph. 4» 22, n^ith fovpcr from above ^ Luk^2^.^9. And in this cafe the b.'dy ^^^ envelopeth and reclothcth the fpirit, the fpirit the fouie, the foul theintelledj theintclIefttheTemplej the Temple the Throne, the Throne thcS^chhiah^ or the glory and prefence ofGod, which (hineth in the Tabernacle. In defcending, this glory is fhut out from the Throne^ and from the Arke of the Covenant, which is within the Tabernacle, or Intellect, the Tabernacle within the Temple^ivhich is our Soule; Tee an the Temp!: ofGody the Temple is in Jerufaiem^om vital fphk^Jerfif4lem in TaUftine^ our bodyj and Paleftm in the midft of the earth whence our body is compofed. God then being: a pure Spiritjflript of al corporeity and mat- ters (for our foulejbeing fuch, for more reafon mulHeebefo, that made it to his image and refemblance j hee cannot bee in this fimple and abfolute nakednefTe comprehended, nor appre- hended by his Creatures, but by certaine attributes which they give him, which are as many veflments, which the CabaUijis do particularize to ten Zephirots^ or numerations ; 3 in the intelli- gible worldj and 7 in the" celeftiall j which come to terminate in theMoone, or Malcui^i\[t lad in defcending, and the firflin mounting from the Elementary world upwards^ for it is a paf^ fage from here below to heaven. So that the Pythagoreans call the Moone the Celeftial earth, and the heaven or terreftrial Star, all the nature here below in the elementary world, being in re- gardoftheceleftiall, and the celeftiall of the intelligible; this Uar called feminine & pafTible^as from the Moone towards the Sunne, from whom fo much as (he abfents her felfe till (lie comes toitsoppofition, byfomuchfhe increafeth in light for our re- gard here below ; ^ where on the contrarry in hsr conjun- ^lon, that (hce remaines all darkened, the party upward is all illightncd, to (hew us, that the more Uiat ourundcrl'canding doth abate to things fcnfible, fo much the more doth he disjoinc or fever them from the intelligible 5 and contrariwiie, this was the caufe that ^4^^^ was lodged in an earthly Paradifc, to have XDorc leifure to contemplate on divine things 5 when bethought D 2 'to 20 \An exceUent Tremfe to turne after fenfible and tcmporall things, willing to tafte of the fruit of the tree oi knowledge of good and cvill, whereby hee departed from that of life, to aflubjc^^: hinifclfe to dcath^ he was banilhed fi cm thence and pat out. To this very purpofe Zehar dothyetaddcj that two veftnients come from heaven to this tcmporall life 5 The one formall, white, and rcfplendent; mafciiline^ fatherly, and agent 5 for whatfoever is aftive takes place from forme^of the male and from the father, and this ve- ry tliiag comes to us from fire, and from the ckarnefTe of the ftarsto illulirate our underllanding. The other is red, mater- nalljf^smininc; for the foule, coming from the fubftancc of heaven^which is more rare then that of heavenly bodies. That oftheunderftandingis lodged in thebrainc, and the other oi the foule, in t he heart. The intclleft or underftanding, is that part of the reafonable foule made and formed after the image and femblance of its Creator, and the (bale in it, the animal fa- culty called ATc^p/^^M, the life, namely, that which refideth in the bloud : and as the heaven containes the ftars, this contains the intellc£l, v,^hich to usis for the reft common with brute beads. But the intelleft, or reafonable foule is proper and par- ckular to men, that which can merit or demerit; therefore ic needs repurgation and cleanling from the (pots that it hath drawne and conceived from tlie fiefh wherein it was plunged, according to that in the S.oiGcnefu 2i,Tbe thouglyt and imagina- tion of mans hearty irere inclined to eviUfrom hisyoHtk, And fith it is a qaeftion, about cleanfing the veftment which is of a fiery na- ture, it muftlikewife be, thatic be done by m^anes of fire; for wee fee by experience, that one fire cha(eth away another, as it hath been faid heretofore, fo that if a man bee burnt, there is no readier remedy , thentoburne it againc in the fame placej enduring the heat ofthe fire as much as you can: which drawcs the inflanimation to its felfe, out of the party, or elfe tempering it with Aqnaviu wherein F^>rjW hath beene calcined, from whence Chirurgeons have not found a more Ibvcj aigne remedy to takeaway the fire ofamusketfhot, to heale inflamaii*tions andgangrenesj and yet there are two fires jointd together. But thn which during this life njuftrepurge our rouJes,is that whci c- of Sji t Augufiim in the 29. Sermon fpealws tiius out of the Apoliles wordsj for there 15 another afterwards : Kindle in your felvcs 0f Fiye^ndSah. , 2\ felvesafparkleof good and charitable dileftionj blow it, and kindle it, for when it (hall grow to a great fiimfj that will con- fume the hay^ woodj and chaffc of all your carnall concupi- fcencet, but the matter wherewith this fire mud bee continued^ are prayers, and good workes, which muir ahvayes burne on your altar, foritisit whereofour Saviour laid, I am come to put fire in tk earthy and what m H I if it bee already kjudkd'i Luki 1 2.49. There are further two fires : one on the bad part, to wit, of car- nall concupiience 5 the other of the good, which is chanty, which confumes all the bad, leaving nothing but good, which exalts it felfe in a fume of a fweet odour 5 for the heart of every one, is as an altar, either of God or of the ad verfary : and there- fore hee that is illuminated with the torch of charity, which muft more and more bee increafcdby good works, that it may nouriih in it felfe the ardour that our Saviour will vouchfafe to kindle, whereby that is accomplitlied, which the Apoftle faith in the 5 to the Epbef, That Jtfus Chrift bjith ap^ropriaied to hint' felfe a Churchy notbaving fpot or np-rinc^e^ holy^ and pure ^ rpitkont hkmip. For that which the Church is in generall, and com- mon towards God, the confcience of every one of us, is in par- ticular the fame, when it is (incerely prepared, as it is rcquiiite; and that upon the foundation thereof, men build Gold, Silver, pretious ftonesj that is to Tay, a firme faith, and belcefc, accom- panied with good works , without which faith is dead and buf riedj all upon the model and pattern of the heavenly Jerafakm defigned in the 21 of the Apoc. which is the type of the Church; as is alfo the reafonable foule, where it nuiFt burnealwaies with fire upon the Altar, and after the imitation of the wife and pru- dent virgins, we may have our lan:)ps ready, well lighted, and garniOicdwith whatisneedfull to maintaine light, attending the Bfidegrome : as our Saviour commanded it in Saint Luke 12. Z^/^*?r furthermore make* this repurgation of thefouleto bee double, which is not farre difagrcelng from our beleeFe. One is whileftthefouleisyet in chebody, hee cals that according to the myfticall raaiiu^ of lp:iking,the conjuncHon of the Moon with the Sunne, Laeii, when in regari of u5 her^ below it is not U!^min^ted ^ for as long as the foule is annexed within the bo- dy^iteiijoyes vay little of its owne light, being, all darkened D3 therebyp, 'si 'An excellent Trmlfe thercbyj as if it wickedneffe is nrafiedoffj or burnt withjiru Where there are fet forth three repurgative Elements, Aire, Water, and Fire ; But wee muft not underftand (faith Saint Augufline^on his third Sermon upon fuch as are di(€a(€d)that by this traniitory tire grievous and mortall offences, and capitall fins are purged, if they have not beene repented of in this tempo- rallliFej or to blot out the expiation on the other fide, where the reft is perfected in the fire, as man-flayers,^ adulterers , fal/e witne{re8,concuirions5 violences, rapines, iFi/uftices, inhdelitie, erroneous obftinations, and the like, which aredireftly oppo- ike to Gods Divine precepts and commandements : but the fmaller faults onely, which they call veniall finnes , as eating and drinking to exccflfe, vaine words, fooliOi defires, and depra- ved concupifccnccs, not brought to effed : not to exercife the works of mercy, whither common charity , and commiferati- on cals us, and fuch other frailties : of which if we repent not, in this world, fire (hall repurge us in another, and raorefharply. To this purpofe the Hcbrewes make a triple diftinftion of iin?, Cbataoih are thofe that wee miftakcagainft our felveSi without hurting any other, but our fclves, gourmandi«mgs, inconftan* cies, lazines, idleneffe, anger, fpitc. The Avomtb^ are addref- itd to our neighbour, which do not blot out and pardon, but by meancs of "reparation : and the Tejchatm the tranfgreflionsj prevarications, and impieties, direftly addrefled againft God : They draw this firft out of the 34 oiExoduf 7. pardoning ini- quitie, rebellion, and offences 5 more in the 106 PfaL6. f^e have finned^ wee have committed inii^Hity, wee have domfooHfhly • and in the 9 of I^an. Chatamt^ Viavirm^ Vehirfannu ; there are finnes ' faith ■cf Fire And Salt. 2j faith Zohar^ imprinted above, others below, and others both in theoneandintheother5 above^ againllGod^ below^againft our neighbour ; and in the one, and in the other againit our ftlves 5 bodies and goods, as weli cur neighbours as ourowne 5 noting that below, the foule 5 that above, made after the image andfemblance of God. 11^ they bee blotted out below, they are fo above. Jefus Chrift after his refurreftion breathed on his Di- Jcjplej ^and/aid unto thm^ Keaive ibeholy Glofl ; To Tffbomjoevef yoH pard(mfinnej^they(hjH heepardmed':, and rvh.^Je fi»nes feevcr yee re- tatne^ihey are retained. Johy2o.2^. that which you (hali binde on earth (hall be bound in heaven. But to returne to the recioathing,and to fay foniexhing there- of, the fup:riour is alwai s clad with the inferiour, the intelligi- ble world, with the celeiliall, which is but as ie wereafhadow thereof,and the celeftiall with the elementary : and notwich- flanding it would feeme cleane contrary by the figure ofHjpalljge as in the 18. FftL God hath put hU tabemack inthe Sunne^ which is to fay, hee hath put the Sunne in his Tabernacle, which is, heaven ; for God doth not redds in this World, but rather the World in God, who comprehends all, for in him wee live, rv:e morue^ and baveomr hieing. Alfo the intelligible world fhould be clothed with the celclHall, and the celeliiali with the elementary. But tliis to (hew that we cannot well comprehend heaven, being fo remote from us; but by that which is expounded to the know- ledge of our fenfes here below,nor of the f parated Intelligences, but by the ieniible. There was nothing (faid the Philofopher) in the intelle^:, that was not firft in 'he fenfe. And the Apoftle in the firlt to the Romanes^ that the in vifible things ofG^d^ anfeifie in theCrsation of the f^pcrld^ by ihofe that vcere made. This all con- formably unto Zobar^n thee (faid he; in the prayer of E//jf ad- drcfling himfelfe to God) therein no relemblance, nor any image interioufj or exteriours but further, thou halt created heaven and earth, aud produced out of thofe the Sunne.and the M jon, thcStarres andtheSignes of the Zodiack; and inearth Trees^ and Herbs, delights in Gardens, with Beads, Birds^ and FiHhes, and at laft Men^ that from thence things above might bee knowne. And of the fuperiourg, the inferiours together, iothat the one and the other may bee governed: Fhttarch al'eJgcth ia his Treacife of C^j/r^^ that in the C'ltyofSaii in Egypt, there wa« '^A An excellent 7rtMt[e was fuch an infcription ill the Temple oi Mimrv^i home out of J^tplte/j brairje , mnch is nothing djc hut thi j^fiena ef the Father, I am that which was, which is, and which (hall bee, and as yet there is none amongi^ mortall men, that hath yet difcovered my vaile: for Divinity is io wr. pped in darknefs, that you can- not Tec day through it. I fee him not, for hec is darkened with an over dark cloud, laid OrphtUf : and in the 17 PfaL which made dark^fJcjie hii hiding pl^ce. Further in the 4 oiVeutJou came to tbt f.iot cfa mount aine that burKed^evt^to heavcn^and therein VPas darkritfsy ihick^ clouds^ and objcurity ♦ tor in regard of God towards uejliahc and darknefle, aie but one thing.' as is his darkr. efTe , fuch is his light : And in the 16 of Ifaiah ^ Adal^ tlpy jhadoiv as the nighty in the midfl of thi noenediy. The very fame, as well the affirmative, as the negative 5 by which, that which is jequippollentunto darkneflejvve may better apprehend fomething of the Divine EfTence^but not by the affirmativejthat relates un'to light, as R^^^i ^1^^/^/ doth excellently well diipute itin his 57. chapcer of hi* fii Ll booke of More : For the Divine light, is inTupportable above all to all his Creatures, even to the mott perfe8:,following that which the Apoftlcfetsdownein the I of Tim. 6 . God divels in light inacccffihk:^ that so man can fee : So that it is to us in (lead of darkneflTc, asthcbiightnefleofthe Sua is to Moulds, Owles, and othernight birds: which darkncfTs are the reveft ments, and as the borders and cloifters of the ligkt; forreprcfenttoyourfelves fome Lanthorne placed on the top of a mouFitaine ; all round about it as from the Center to the Circumference , it Ihall Ipread iis light equally, asfctrre as it can extend it: fo thatatthelaft darkneffe will terminate it, /er^jrZ;- mfft ?V nothi^^g elfe^ but the ahjenct and privation of light ; Even the very fame, the exreriour man, carnall, animall, is the coverture; yeadarknede of the interiour fpirituall: after the manner or fafhion of fome Lanihorne of wood, or ftone, and other darke matter^ which keeps thatthelighttherefhut in, could not (hew foith its light, the Lanthorne fymbclizing to the body, and the light within to the loule. But if the body bee fubtiliated to an sethereall nature, from thence it comes topafle, as if the Lanthorne were of fome cleare<^ryftall, or 0} tcanfparent borne : for then the foult and itsfunftions, do (hiue therea- bout tf Fire dKd Salt, ^^ bout openty' without obilaclc. Sith then, to the one of thefc two, namely CO the inner man, isattributcd fire, that anfwcrs to the ronlc,and fait to the outward ruin, which is the body; as the facrigce or man animall is the revcrtment of the /piriti/all deljgncdby the Man^ and by Fire : The veftment of this Fire will bee Salt, in which, fire is potentially fhut in ; for all Salts areofthe nature of fire, as being {thereof begotten, Geher faith, that fait is made of every thing that is burned, and by confe- quent, participant of its prop:ieties,which are to purgajdry^hin- der corruption, and unboile 5 as wee may Tee in aJl faked things which arc as it were halfe boiled, and are kept longer uocorrunt then raw, alfo in potential! burning irons which burnc, and arc nothing tKc but Salt. Will it beslawtliilforus here to bring one entire paffagc of Khifij in a book of the Secret TripUdty'i for it is not common to all, and wee will ftrongly infift on this number by rcafon of the three Fires and three Salts , whereof wee pretend to Treat. So that there is a Myllery in this number of 3 that muft not bee j forgotten,for that it rcprefents the operation^whereof Fire is the Operator; for i, 3, 3, makes 6. the 6 day?s wherein God in the Creation of the world perfefted all his workes, and rcfted the fevcnth day. There arc (faith Rhafej^ three nature?, the firft whereof can- not bee knowne nor apprehended, but by a decpe elevated Me- diution: This is, that all-good God Almighty, Author, and thefirftCaufeofall things 5 The other is neither vifible, nor tangible, although men (hould bee all contrary^ that is to (ar* heaven in its rarity. The third is the Elementary World, com- prehending all that which is under the i^thereall Region, is perceived and known by our fenfes. Moreover God which was from all ^eternity, and with whom before the Creation of the world, there was nothing but his proper name knowne to him- felfc, and his Sapience ; that which hee created on the firft day, was the water wherein hee mingled earth, then came hee to proaeate after, that which had a beeing here below. And in thcfe two Elements, thickc and gro(re,perccptibIcCo our fenfe^y ' are comprehended the two other, morelubtill and rare. Aire, and Fire. Thcfe four bodies being, (ifwc muft call them bo-j dies) bound together withfuch a minglcmcnt, that they could E V no« ^5 -rf^ i^celUni Trmift lotpcrfcftly feparate. Two of them are fixed, namely3 Eanth ,4nd Fire, as being dry and folidj thcotha'two volatilj Water, and Aire, which arc raoift and liquid : fothat each Element is agre.'able to the other, two wherewith is bounded snd enclofed, and by the lame meaner, containes two in it felfe, the one cor- ruptible, the other not, the which participates of the Divine na- ture : and thercfoie there arc two fores of Waters, the one pure, (implcjand elementary 5 and the other common, which weufe in Lakes, Wels, Springs, and Rivers, raines and other imprcffi- ons of the Aire. There is likcwife a grofTc Earth, filthy and inffiftcdj and a Virgin Earth, cryftalline, cleare, and fhining, contained and ftut up in the Center of ail the compofcd Elemen- taries ; where it remaines revelled, and covered with many foldings one upon another. So that it is not eafie to arrive there, but by a cautelous and well graduated preparation by fire. There is alfo a fire which is maintained almoft of it felfe, and as itwereofnothing,fofmallis the nourifhment thatit needeth . whence it comes to bee more cleare and lucent, and another ob- rcure,darke, and burning, and confuming all that to which it is fixed, and it felfe at laft. And Aire on the other fide pure and cleane,with another corruptible full of legerity, for of all the Elements, there is none more eafie to be corrupted then the aire* all which fubftances ib contrary and repugnant, mingled with elementary bodies are the caufe of their deftru£tion:wherefore of neceility that which is pure and incorruptible, mull befeparatcd from its contrary, the corruptible and impure, which cannot be done but by fire, the feparator and purificator. But the three liquid Elements, Water; Aire, and Fire, areas infcparable one from the other, for if the Aire were diftrafted from the fire, the fire which hath therefrom one of its principall maintainments and food, would fuddenlyextinguifh, and if the water were fc- paratedfrom the Aire, all would bee in aflame. That if the Aire fhould be quite drawne from the water, for as much as by its legerity, it holds it fomewhat fufpcnded, all would be drow- ned. Likcwife ifFirefhould be feparated from the Water, all would bee reduced into a deluge. For three Elements never- thelefle may well bee disjoined from the Earth, but not wholly, there muftremainefomc part to give confiftenceto the Body : and render it cangiblej by the meanes of a m(^ ftbtilland thimie portiocL portion thereof, which they will elevate t^ith them, but of this grofi thicknefs that remaines below, as wee may (enfibly fee in glafs, which by an induftrious Artifice of 6re, is depured of the dhA.m^t that was in the afhes^to paflc from thence to a tranfpa- rcncclearneffe, which is of the nature of Fire and indiffoluble Silt, accompanied with a firme and folid thickncfle, having nei- ther trarifpiracion nor pores. But wherefore (hould wee not hereto file all in one traioc, thofe (b excellent Meditations of ZoW, fith all depends on the famepurpofe>r^6«//6>rr/i.^^ Adam of tht flimt cf the emh ^ or ac cording to tfie ^^hxt^^God formed man duft of the earth-, which word of forming belongfth properly to Potters, who fafhion of earth all that they thinkc good.yAnd touching the duft, this is but to abate our pride, with which wee may bee fwolne, when weeconfider the vile and corruptible matter, whereof wee are madejinrefpectof our bodies, which is nothing el(c but mire and dirt. /Coniider then three things (faith Isbdr) and thou (halt not fall into tranfgrelTion. Remember from whence thou art come, of fuch filthy and foule ftuffc, and whither thcu muft adaft returne, to duft, wormes, and rottenncCTe^ and before whom thou art to render an account, and reafon of all thy a- 6lions, and comportments 5 who is the foveraigne Judge, the King of all, who leaves nbtranfgreffionunpunifhed, nor good worke irrccompcnfcd. Adjm then and all his poftcrity were formed oftheduft of the earth, which had before beene moill- ned with the fountaine or vapour, which was highly elevated by the Sunnebeams to water and to foften the earth : For the Earth being of it felfe cold, and dry^, is altogether fterill and fruitleflc, if it be not impregned with moiftureand heat,whence proceed fecundity. So that ^dam was compofed of Earth and Water mingled together; Thefc two elements betoken a dou- ble faculty in him, and double formation, the one of the body, in regard of this age ; the other of the foule, in another world. Water (hewes the celeftiall Meditation whereto our fplrit may exalt it felfe ; and the earth of it felfe immoveable , and that can never budge from below , nor willingly mingle with the other three volatil elements, by reafon of its cxtreame dry- ncfTe, fo that it doth but grow hard by the action of fire, and makes it felfe more contrary and untraSable bythefpirit of E 2 contradi^ion 28 AHtxceUent Trmifc oontr«cli'^i- hard and refi a^lory from the fiefhjagainft the fpi- lit, fo that ihecfliould rejeft the water which men thought to puttheicIn^lFicwercnoc by meanes ofthefubtill Aire, inter- pofingaiid nilngling therewith, and penetrating into the fmal- ?elt parti : vvhkh Miig fuckt within the water, forces the earrh to feed on ic^ to inclofe it in her (elfe, as if (liee would dctaine it prlfoner, and by that meines rennines grcat^ as the female by am-lc ^or every iuiperiour thing in order and degree^ holds theplaceof male, to that which [is inftrioursndfubje^^ there- unto. 'i/*;V| / Novv if thc'Aire abfcnt it felfcj which aflociatcs and unites them togeiher, as being fuppeditated and br^niftiedj which is rnoift and hut^ from the extreame dryncfle and coldnefle 'of the carthj it will/orce it with all its power to reje£i!fhe water^ and foreduceitfcireto its firft drynelie j which we may perceive in Sand^ which 'will never receive ci^ater, except it be quickly fepa- rated.V Evcnfo the earth is alwaies rebellious and contumtci- OU5 of it felte to bee mollified, be it by water, by aire, by fire ; and after this manner there was a (pirlt of contradi^ion and difobe- dience introduced into Adamy by reafon of the earthy whereof he was formed : as his Companion and himfelfe do {hew, when by the fuggeftion of the Serpent, the moft tcrreftriall aninsall of all others, they fo eafily contradifted that extreame prohibi- tion which was given them of not tafting the fruit of the know- ledge ofg:;od and evil!: for the jpunilhment whereof, it was faid to the Serpent, thcu ^a!h eat earth aU the <6>'cj of tbi^ life : which Ifar-fh refumes in tf $ . chap. Vuft is thy bread : And to J» dam^thattbe earth fiouldprediicenoihhg bmthorms^ briars^ andthi' fiUfpby means whercof/if he would iivejhe muft culcivate it with thefweatofhisbroweSjtillhereturneto that/rom whence he was drawnc, for being duft hce muft returnc to duft. But water which notifies Divine fpeculations , difirous to mingle, and unite with all thing?, to whom it gave beginning, and made them grow and multiply, is as the carriage or veflment of the fpin't, following that which was faid in the beginning of the Creation, that the Spirit of God was flretched over the waters, or as the Hebrew word Mar achiphei caries it^hovering over them, fomenting and vivifying them, asaHennedoth her Chickens, withaconnaturallheati for this v^ord Elobim imports I know not of Fire dnd Salt. 29 notwhatjofheate and fire, ^y Water then the docill fpirit, obedient to the 'nvitatkms of tbc inteJIea/infinuated it felfe into Mjm-y 3iid by Earch the refraa:ory,and opiniallcrjthat fpurneth ag-.ifirt the pucker for £S the earth was ttie moft ignoble Ele- njent of all others, water rcj=;£lcth it^ and difdaineth it, and could agree with ic,biit as to a fee and excrement ; but if the pu'C and ncac fpirit remaincs within the water, v^herc it made choic^ofitsrelidence; for fromtheihree natures of earth, wa- ter at lead never joinss with the t\vo, (that is tofay) L\nd^ for its cxtreanie dryneflcthat caufeth a difcontinuation of piirts; and the dirt to be fatty and undl:ucas: theie is not any thing clfe, ArgiU^. butfilaie only, withvvrich fome food and mingling which may b€e thereof made, the water at lad lets itrclide below, and it iwimmes over : as being of a contrary nature, the one altogether immoveable, folid, andcompai!^; the other fiucnt, removingj andgliding as blond through theveinss^, wherein the (pirits re- fide? who can c^lily bee elevated to bee of a fiery quality, al- wayesforhTg upward : So that the water which notifies the ia- teriour fpirir, endeavours to deveft it felfe of this extern all coa- gulation ; for allcoaguUtion is a kinde of death and waterifh- neifc of life ; ai^d would never more alTociate therewith, nor re- veil it felfe by reafon of !ts contumacy; were it not that the fovej'aigne Mader, and Lord Adoaai by his providence , for the propagation of thingSj fas long as hee (hall please to niaintaine in bseing, this fairc worke of his hands ) conftraine the/e two> Earth and Water, to agree in a fort together, by its Angell or Minifrer that rules in the Aire. Man morcorer hath towardi himlclFe frank and free will in his full power and diipoiitlon: Iht appetite offu.m (lyall he undtr ibee^ andtbiti jr^alt haze domination ovir it^ Gem. 4. But if hee be adheering to the earth, (that is to ^"47' fay) to carnal! defires and concupifcences,v;hereunto he is rood inclinciblejhefnall do nothing bur evil!. And if to the fpirit, de- figncd by water, all that h?e dorh (hall goe well. The Reiver of God is filled with waters. And in the 44. of ipW;, 1 ivill pop^re QHt neater upon bim that is thirty ^ and foods upon the dry grmn^': 1 T^^iU poY^n out wy Spirit upon thy fad ^ andmy hLpngnpon thirn rff" fpring. So that as long as the v/ater doth fuller and remainc uni- ted with the earth, the gcod Spirit refteth with man, by wh;ich wee are admonifced by the wife man, Frov»'^,i 5 . to drlnk^ water f B3 ~ Cftt ^ An e^celUnt Trmi^t out afont Cifterne^& then cut of oar ovpn f^cl. But ^'hen the earth by its rcbdlious and repugnant drought, rcjecleth water^ there re- fleth nothing therein but its h?rd andrefra(f^ary obrtination,till that by meanes oftbeairejthefpintthatjoines and unites them together (which are holy infpirations) it bee newly remoiflncd and watered: By meanes whereof when wee have this good fphitoffalutary water, whereof it is written in the 15 ofEcck- fijfuciif^ IhoH fijh give him the vpdt&r of wijdomi to drink^ * ystc mulUakehecdofcaftingitaway, and tomakeour felves all dry earth and Tandy, \.^hich is not fatisfied with water^and therefore produceth nothing. But all this is more clearly expreffed in the GofpelJ, where by the meanes of this fruftifying water, cur Saviour which is a Fountaine that is never dry, the holy Spirit commcth to put in- to our hearts that which moiftncih the hardnelTe of the earth, wac^^rcth it, and drefleth it, to produce the ripe fruits of good and charitable works. Ihtvpatcr which IwiU give pit f faith he, Ji'b,^.i^.)jJ^a!J he a Fountaine oflivjngwater^jynnging up into iter- valllifi, Ofthis waterthe Prophets have clearely fpoken , as Vavicl in the 36. Pfjl- for voith thee then is a Fnuntatneofli/c^ and inthy light rvee foallfe light. See how he joinea water with light, which is fii-c 5 fothat this digrelHon fecmes to bee lefTe impertinent; and in the 12. of E/^ 3. TeufiaHdrariP watermtb joyoHtofthewelj of fahaiion. More Jtrem.2. They hive forfak^n "me^ that am the Fount aint oflivivg water ^and have diggedto ihmfelvcf Ciftemef^ hroktn Cijierna that will hold no water. In this of Zohar (as above) are comprifed the principal] fecrcts and anions of Fire, and of its contrary, the Patient, which is^ Water: for the a^s of Aftives are in the difpofition of the Patient, (faidthePhilofopher 5) forthe effefts cannot better be difcerned then where they a^. Fire then hath three propri- eties : but in this refpcft , wee muil argue the thing more deeply. As then, all that whichis, are divided into 5, called Worlds, orHeavens,Otmuftnot be thought ftrange, ifweerepcatcthc fame more then once, for from thence proceed all thefecret fciences,^ that is to fay, the elementary here below, fubjeft to perpetuall alteration, and viciffitude of life, and of death 5 the Celeftiall aloft, above the Circle of the Moone, iacorruptible in rcfpea of Fire md Salt. ^i' refpcft of it felfe, as well for its purity, and uniformity of fub- (lanccj as for its continual! and cquall motion 5 nothing there- in pi sedominating the one or the ether; which two conftitute the Scnfible world. There is afterward the Intelligib'e, abftra- acd from all corporeity and matter, which the Apoftle cals the third World, where hee was ravifhed, this ffaid hee) rtphether in the body or out of the ^odj^ God knorref^ 2 Cor. 12.3. for not one- ly the World and the Heaven, are put one for the orher, but yet the Heaven for Man? The htavtns declare the glory of God^ accor-' ding to which,moft part of the Fathers interpret itj and Man re- ciprocally for Heavcn.As Origin fets it forth,upon the ?sTreaci(e of Saint Mattbexp. Mans heart is properly called Heaven, and theThrone not already of the Glory ofGodjas is theTemple,buC of God properly. For the Temple of the glory of God, is that wherein, as hi a Glafic, wee fee ourfelves by JEnigma, But H;;aven that is above the Temple of God, where his Throne is, is CO fee him wholly as it Were face to face; which hee hath al- moft tranfcribed word for word cut of the booke Abahir to Zo- ^^r, and other ancient C^i^j^i/^/j whereof he Goniifteth for the nioft part. Moreover fome fay that the Heavens are fomctimes put for God himfelfe, as in the 3 2 of ^<«/. HeareO Heaven the words I fpeak^: and in the 8 chapter of the 1 o^Kwgs^ according to the Hebrew verityjin the prayer of King, Sglomon at the dedicitioii of the Temple; Heare Heaven. In this third Heaven or World, whereofthe Apoftle (pake, although God bee every where, yet the feate of his Divinity is there more efpecially e(hbli(hcd,then clfewherejwith his feparated Intelligences that alfift him to exe- cute his command?. Bltjfe the L9rd}ce Angsb^ mighty in pon^er^ dnng that ryhich he ordaineth^ hearing the voice of hit rporai : where- fore Theologians called it the Angelicall world, without all place and time; which Plato in his Ph^d. faidthatno mortal! men ever yeth ad fufficiently celebrated it, according to its ex- cellency and dignity,bcing all of light j who from thence ftret- ched o ut her fclfe, and derives it fo, asoutofan inexhauftible Fountaine, toall forts of Creatures, even according as the an- cieatP/^^ew/iiijwTheoIogiecarrycd which the Emperour Julian Parahates allcdged in his prayer to the Sunnc That Corporeal Light proceeded from an Incorporeal Nature, TheCeleftial world J 2 ^^ excellent trtMift world participates of darkenefle, and of light, whence proceed allthe faculties and powers that itbringsit. And the cJcincn- tary all of darknelTe^ dcfigned for the reafon of its inftability by water. The Intelligible by Fire, bccaufe of its purity and light, and the Ccleftialby the Aire^wherefireand water come to joinc; the Earth by this reckoning, (hould remaine for Hell ; as in truth this earthly habitacion i? nothing but a tru2 Hel : But by Heaven /'t/o/^/undcrUood the Intelligible World, and by earth the Scnfible, attributing the two higher elevated Elements^ Aire and Fire, to Meaven, bcciufc they alwayes tend upwards^ and Water and Eirthj which for their gravity tend downward: but all that, by him was yet more myftically (hado vved, as Zd^ar {hewcthit5by the admirable conltruftion ofhisTabernaclCjthen which, there is nothing more fpirituall. Gold, Silver, and prct'ous Stones, repreienting the Scniible world, and Bczahtl^ that wastheConduftorof the work^s the Intelligible, and the Woikman filled with a Divine Spirit, with Sapience, Intelli- geace, Knowledge, and all the moft accomplifht learning, as aimoft every word carriei it, woven with Bezd^ ihc fhadoWjand ei God. The prophane Poets have divided the Senfible World into g, for they never tooke much paines to penetrate into the Intel- ligible : And affigned the fupcriour pare thereof, from the circ 1« of the Moone upwards to Jtipikr^ the low Terrcftriall to ?/»/(?, and the middlemoft, which is from the Earth to the Moonc, to Jsltfium: which the Platonifts ChiII the Generative Vertue, br- caufc of the humidity, impregncd with Salt, which provokcth rauch to generation, according as the word Salacitat defigncs it, as P/«^^^^*^ puts itinthe4QueftionofNaturall Caufes, and in his Treaty of Ofini : wherefore the faid Poets attri- bute more fecundity to the faid Neptttne , then to all ;thc other Gods. Eachofthelc $ worlds furthermore, hath particularly its fci- cnce, which is double ; the one common and triviall, the othff myfticall andfecret. The Intelligible world to our Theologir, and the Caballe theCelertial to Aftrologic and Magie 5 and the elementary, to the Phyliologie and Alchymie, which rcvea- leth by the refolations, and feparations of Fire, all the more hidden, and dartc fecretsof natures, in three kindes of the com- pofcd: cf Fire and Sdlt, ^. pofed : for no man can know the compoftion of a thing that is ignorant ofitsdeftru^lion, faith G^i'tT. But thefe three divine fciences have becne by the depravation ofignorant and evill ipi- rks turned afide to a crying downe^that men durfi faicdy fpeak thereof, butmuft prefently incurrcthe brnite of beingan Atheift Witchj or a falfe money-coyner. We fay then, after Empcdocks and Arjaxjgoroi j All thiscurreafon difputea by a Journey of Gompolition and refolution^ going this way and that way, up anddowne. That all the Elementary fcience confifteth in the mixtion and feparation of the Elements, which 1$ perfe^led by fire, to which Alchy my turnes all : As Avicm declareth very o* penly in his Treaty oiMlmabad^ or Divifion of Sciences. And Hgrne/in that of his 7 chapters, LInderlland yeefonnes of the wife, the Science of the four Elements, whofe fecrec apparition is no where fignified, except they bee divided and compounded, beeauG out ofthe Elements nothing is made profitable without fuch a Regiment 5 for where Nature ends her operations, there Art begins. Take fuch a compofed Elementary, what you will herbe, wood, or other the lilre, upon which, fire may exercifcits aaion,and put it in an Alembic or Cornue 5 firft let them fepa- Cnr^u, rate the water, and afterwards the oyle, if the fire bee moderate if more prelTed and reinforced^ both together : but the oyle will fwimme above the water, which may eafilybeefeparated by a fonnel ofGlafiTe. This water is called LMercury^ which of it felfeispurcandcleane; and oyle,the fulphur, aduftibleand in- fea, thatcorrupts every compounded thing : In the botcome of the veflel will reft the Afhes, of which by a forme of lee, with water the Salt will bee extrafted, and after you have withdrawn the water with Bilmum Man£^^s men call it : for the oily un^u- ofities do not mount by this degree of fire, no more doth the Salt, but much lelTe; and the indilToluble Earths ftript of all their humidities proper to vitrifie : for faith Gtber^ every private thing by itsowne humidity doth performe none butavicrifi- catoryfufioa.> So there are two volatill Elements, namely the liquid. Water and Aire, which is Oyle, forallliquid fubftances naturally Qiunne the fire, which elevates the one, and burnes the other. But not tbofe two which arc dry and folid • which are Salt, whercm is contained Fire, and pure Earth, which is Gla^ ; over whom the fire hath no power but to melt and re- F fine 24 ^ Ah i^ctHeni TrUtlfe fine them. See there the four Elements redoubled, as Hermei calsthenij znd KajmundLuUiw the great Elements ; forascte- ry Element confuU of two qualities, tiiefe great Elements redou- bled, McrcHty^ Sulphur^ Salty and C.ajf/tj participate of the two fimple Elements, (to fay better j of all four; according to the more, or the leffe, of the one, or of the other 5 i^ierc/zr^ hol- ding more of the Aire^ to which it is attributed ; Oyle or .W- f^Kr, of the Aire ; ^j//, of Fire 5 and (jAjj(/^, of the Earth, who tindesitfelfepureandcleanein the Center of all the compofed Elementaries, andis thelaftto reveale ic felfe exempt from o- tbers. Of this fort by the Artifice and operation of Fire, and of its tffe6ts,we depure all infe6^ions and filth, even to reduce them to a purity of incorruptible fubftance from this time forward- by thefeparation of their inflamable, and terreilriall impuri- ties; for (faith Ge^rr) the whole intention of the Operator, is verfed in rhis, that the grofler parts being call away, the worke may bee perfefted with the lighter 5 which is to mount from the corruptions here below, to a purity of the Celeftial world, where the Elements are more pure and clTential, fire there pre- dominating which is the chief of all others. Hitherto touching Akhymie^ and wherein (bee is verfed. Magkk for the Celeflial world, was in times paft, a holy and venerable Science, which TlatQ in his Charmis cals the true Medi- cine of the foule '■> and in the firft, Alcihiades 'puts it, that it was wont to {hew the Elders of the great ;Kings of Per/^j, to teacli them to reverence God, to forme their temporall domination according to the patterne of the order and policy of the Uni- verfe. But it is nothing elie properly fas OrpbeM faith) but a forme of marriage of the ftarry heavenwiththe earth, whither face darts his influences, by which fhee impregnes comming from the Intelligences who afTift therein ; and an application of agent vertues upon the paflivej and that without the cooperati- on of Dieraons the moft part, evil], falfe, and deceptive, yet fome more then others 5 with which it is thought that the three wife Kings ^ Magi^ that came fo farre to adore Jefas Chrift , were willing to have fome acquaintance Jand coni- aicrcc. The third is that which men caW Cai^aBc:, or reception, be- saufe men left it there vcrballyj and by mouth from hand to hand, f ofTirerndSdli. , 55 hand, from one to another. It is divided into two, the one of Benfithy that is to fay, of the Creation, thar confifteth in the Senfiblc world, where Mofej ftaid^without fpeaking of the Intcl- Ifgible, or of feparated fubftances. The other is of Mercavab^ or of the Throne of God, which Ezekid principally treats of^whofevifionisalmoft alloffirc. So much is this fJement throughout the whole holy Scripture appropriated to Divinity, asoneofthernoft perfect and neare fymboles and markes in things (enfible ; by meanes whereof wee arefo elevated, that by Jacobs Ladder,or Homers golden Chaine,we coifie to the know- ledge of things fpirituall and intelligible ; for the snvifibk things of God from the Creation of the World ^ are clear dj feene , ^ei»g under f^Bod rhy the things that ars m ide , tvin his eternaU ponder and Godhead* For the world with the Creatiires be" ing there,they are a portrai£l of God ; for the Creator is under- ftood by the Creature; faith Saint Angtiftim-^ for God hath made two things to his image and re(eniblance, according to Trefmegiftuf : the world, therein to rejoice,and pleafe oar fclres with the infinite brave pieces of worke; and Man, wherein hee fct his moft fingular delight and pleafure, which Mofes hath tacitelycxpreflcdinG.'ff. i.e^?. where when there was quefti- onofcreating the world. Heaven, Earth, Vegetables, Minerals, Animals, Sunne, Moone, Starres^ and all the reft, hee did no more but command by his word, for hecfaid, and they were done; hee commanded and they were created. But in Mans formation, hee infifted much further therein then in all the reft, faith he , Let ttf mak^ mm after our Image and Similitptde^ heecrea" ted him male and ftntak^ and formed h\m dufi of the earthy afterward breathed in hii face thefpritoflife^ and hee was m^de a living foide. In which are touched 4 or 5 particularities. So GyriU obicrves it. After the fame manner then, as the Image of God is the world, fo the image ofthc world, is man: therein there is fuch a relation of God with his creatures, that they cannot bee well comprehended, but reciprocally one by the other; for all the Senfible nature, (as Z«W hath it) in regard of the intelligible, isasthatofthe Moonc,towards the Sunne, who thereinto re- vcr berates its light : or as the light of a Lampe or torch, which parteth the flasic faftned to the weik, which is therein nourifecd byagcoffeinattcr,vifcou$,aduftibk, without which this fplcn- F 2 dour dor and light could not communicate it felfetoQur fighe, nor our fi^ht comprehend it : And likcvvife the £;lory and effencc of God, which the Hebrewes call Sequinah.^ could noc appeare biic in the matter of this Senfible worlds which is an image or pat- terne thereof. And it is that, which God faid to Mofij^ Exod, 5 3 . ToujJjjH not fee my face^ youfhall fee my hinder pjrtj. The fcice ofGodishistrue ElTence in the intelligible world, which no Rian ever faw, except the Mgfjlhe^ Ididftthe Lord alivjyej he fire mce, Ffj/. 1 6 8. And his potleriour parts are his effeds in the Seniible woriJ. The foule like wife cannot bee difcerned and knowne^ but by the funftions it exercifeth in the body whilil it is annexed thereunto : By which Plato rvss moved to th'mki that Joh'cs could not confiji rvithoHt bodies^ no mere then fire without n>ater. So that after long revolutions of timts, they (hould come agaire to inc^rpor^ite them felves here below: whereunto adheres chat in the 6 oiFirgih Mneadt, AUthefe jvhen they have turmd for many year esy Godcals them to the floud of Leihe^ by i^reat troopej^ Biing forget full th^ they mufi review the upper convexe^ And begin againe to bee vfiUing to returne into bodies* But thisfavours a little of new-birth, and Pythagerean chan- ^ings of foules into bodics,in which Orige« was likewise out of the way, as may be feene in his bookc of Princes, and in S.dnt Jeromes Epiltle to Avitw. But more fincercly Forphyritt^^ al- though in the reft an impious adverfary, a Calumniator of Chrifti.mifme j that for the perfect beatitude of fouleSjthey mull fhui'ine and fly all bodies. Sothat, when the foule [hall bee re- pui^ged from all corporal affections, and when it fhall rcturnc to its Creator, in its firftfimplicity, ic hath no great defirc to fall againeinto the hands and calamities of this age, when the op- tion (hould be left unto it free. From the Intelligible world then, it runnes downe into the Celeftial, and from thence to the Elementary, all that which thefpirit of mancanattainefrom il^ knowledge of the admira- ble cffefts of Nature, which Art intimates, in what fhee can^ whence by the revelation ofthcferare fccrets, by the aftion of fire, the mod part is magnifid, the glory and magnificence of him who is thefirfl motor and author thereof^ for mans un- dcrftanding according to Hemej^iu^ a Glaffe where wecome to. 0f Fire ^nd Salt. 37 tofhaveofF,andtoabate tbecleare and luminous raycs of the Divinity, reprefcnted to ourfenfes by the Sunne above, and the fire his correfpondent here below 5 which inflame the foule with an ardent dtfire of the knowledge and veneration of his Creatcurjandbyconfequentofhislave, for men love nothing but what they know, Soeachofchefe three worlds, which have their particular fciences, hath alfo its fire, and its fait apart: both which doin- forme us namely of/WiTy'eJ his fire in the heaven. And the Salt for its tirmcccnliftcnce and folidity to the earthy What is this * Salt ? askeone ofyour Chymicall Philofophersya fcorchcd and burnedearthjandcongealed water, by the hdtof fire, poten- tially enclofcd therein, r^^loreover Fire is the operatour here below, in the workes uf^iVrt, as the Sunne and CelelKall Fire^ is inthemofthitnatuc; and in the intelligible, the holy Spirit by the Hfebrewes called Bi«^/^3 or Intelligence^ which the Scrip- ture d Jignes ordinarily by fire, and this fpirituall fire, or igneal fpirit, with the Chomah the verba, where the Sapience attributes to the Sonne , Wifdome,the Artift of all things,taught mee, are the fathers operators. By the word of the Lord were the hea- vens firmed, and all thdr beauty by thefpirit of his mouthjfroin whence that maxime of the Peripateticks differs not much,Eve- ry worke of Nature is a worke of Intelligence, Behold the three fires, whereof we pretend to fpeake, of which there is none more common among^ us then the elementary herebelow.groffe, compofcd, and njateriall ; thatis to iay,al- • wayes fanned to matter- nor on the the other part lefle known. That which is of him, from whence he came, and whither hee goes, reducing in an inftanC all to nothing: afToone as his nourifhment failcs him ; without which be cannot confiR a mo- ment, but goes as hee comes, beingaliin theleaft of his parts r Sothathecaninleflie then nothing, multiply to infinity, and inleflethen nothing empty it felfe"* for one little waxe light will at p!e<^fureenlctndrethegreateft fires we can imagine, with^ out any lofle or diminution oi its fubftancc; Though they tal^a thottfand^yet noihhig perifieth: And in the third of Saint j^^»?e/. Beheld hfliv great a matter a Utile fire h^ndhth ; yea one onely fmall fparkle of fire,would pre^s in the twinckling of an eye, all the immenfe hollow of the Uni- F3^ verfe,, J 8 '^n e>cceRent Trmlfe vcrfe^ifit were filled with Gun-powder orNaptheandVr'ercntl3f after will vanifh away^o that of all bodies, there is nothing tha e doth approach ncarlr to the foulc then fire, faid Plotifi.f And Jrifidtle in his fourth booke o^ Metaphyfick^j^ fcts downe/that e- ven to his time the moft part of Philofophers had not well knowne fire, nor yet Aire to bee perceivable to our fight and feeling. Butmenmay fay the fan;e3 that neither Arljiotle^ nor other Grecians of his time knew fo well the fire and its cffefts, at leaft wife not (o exaftly as did (fo long while after ) the Ara- bians^ by Alch)mie^\Qn which all the knowledge of firede pendcth. The JEgyptlatis faidjthat it was a ravifhing and infatiable Ani- mal, that devoures that which taketh birth and increafe, andac laft it felfe j after it is therewith well feddc and gorged : when there is no more to feed or nourifh it; for that having heat and motion, he cannot pafTe from food and aire to breath therein 5 if for want hereof, itremaines at laftextinft, with that where- with it was fed ; All things proper to animate fubftanccs, and which have life, for life is ever accompanied with heat and mo- tion,which prcc eds from heate, rather then heatefrom moti- on-although they be reciprocalls,for one cannot be without the Other. But Suidas thereupon formed fuch a contradiction, that nQtonely animal8,butall that which take nourifliment and cn- creafctcnd to a certaine butt, whither being come,it ftaycs with- out paSng any fur ther,w here neither nouriflitncnc nor increase of fire are limited nor determined 5 forthcmoreis adminifired> - fo much the more it would have, and grow every day greater: for neither the one nor the other can be limited, as do thefe ani- mals. Then by confequentit muft not be put in their rankcj So that the motion of fire fliould rather be called generation, then nourifiiment or growth h for there is but that one element, that nourifticth and increafcth it.In the others,that which fuper- abounds therein is by appofition,is if you would Joine water to water, or earth to earth ; you (hall never do the fame to fire, to thinkc to make it greater by joining thereunto other fire, bufi by the appofition of matter, upon which it may bite and exercifc it8aftion,a8 wood and other like things, which perforce mult turne into its nature, and fo it augments it felfe. The Pocti- eall fiftions relate that fromnhtus went into Heaven to ileale it to accommodate mortals j for which he was fo gricvoufly pu- nilhcd ^ of Fin An J Salt I jp nifhcdby thcGodsjastorcmaine 3o.yearcs bound to a Rocke in Mount Caotcafus^ whcreaVulter dayly eate up his entrails which didgrowagaine in courfe. But it is to bee bcleeved that Aurore/? the Godj that are fo watchfullj and To aflFe