A philosophical treatise of the original and production of things writ in America in a time of solitudes by R. Franck.

A
Philosophical
TREATISE
OF THE
ORIGINAL
AND
PRODUCTION
OF
THINGS▪

Writ in AMERICA in a Time of
Solitudes.

By R. FRANCK.

LONDON,
Printed by Iohn Gain, and are to be sold by
S. Tidm•rsh at the King's Head in Corn-hill:
and S. Smith at the Prince's Arms
in St. Paul's Church-Yard. 1687.


WHereas several Literal Errors have pas∣sed
the Pr•ss: The Reader is d•sire• ei∣ther
to Correct, or put a favourable Censure
upon them.

TO THE SEDULOUS SONS OF Science.

Gentlemen,

THIS Epistle directs you a
Prospect of the Original,
and Production of things;
where, if in any thing I dev•at
from the truth of Philosophy, Na∣tures
Progeny, and Scriptural A•∣thority;
I stand at the bar of every
mans censure: but if otherwise, as
I'm conscious I have offered no vio∣lence;
let me hope and expect a ge∣nerous
Approbation. h'•• true, the
sublimest speculations I can raise, are
but faint, uncultivated, and unpr•∣fitable


endeavours, when presenting
them to the shrines of clearer judg∣ments.
For as ridling of water
through a serce or sieve, makes no de∣cisional
separation of the recrements,
and impurities, nor the holding up
a taper at the Sun's meridian, add
any lustre to his luminous brightness;
such peradventure some will inter∣pret
these •y Suggestions upon th•s
admirable subj•ct, when so slenderly
to approach, and attempt a survey
upon such sublime, and divine Disco∣veries:
and because not raising my
scenes high enough; they'l doom me
to encounter their uncharitable Opi∣nions,
when modestly, and piously, I
come to present th•m with my No∣tion•,
and Speculations of this im∣bellished
Creation.

H•aven is Gods Throne, and the


Earth h•s Foot-stool; from whence
I conclude, that the property and
quality of every individual devolves
in him that gave it a being: other∣wise,
how could the benignity and
bounty of the Donor so splendidly
shine in the Fabrick of the Creature?
and because to contribute a ray of
his Essence-Royal, Adam was dig∣nified
Vice-roy of the Creation. Let
no man therefore oppose himself to
the Divinest by sacriligious Oblat•∣ons,
and impious adorations; le•t he
prophane the Altar, and make void
the Offring, when to send up his O∣risons
to an unknown God.

Hermes in his Book of the Di∣vine
Pimander, has pointed out
unto us a prospect of Heaven. So
Rabbi Moses in the desarts of A∣rabia,
by divine inspiration, had a


vision of the Creation. Nor was
Job ignorant of Seraphick intelli∣gence,
when to range himself sub∣limly
above the most sedulous Ma∣thematicians;
who with an angelick
stile left unto us such Lectures,
whereby to read in the frontispiece
of H•aven. The Jews also, so did
the Talmudists by M•saical Or∣d•nation,
find the tracts to Jerusa∣lem;
whiles divine Paul, and the
Primitive Christians by spiritual
Revelation, became illuminated with
t•e Go•pel. But Nature all this
while by H•avens permission went
on in Operation, and the Sophi as
amazed stood gazing upon her, till
the Divinest in his Son discovered
himself, which struck amazement,
and astonishment amongst them; be∣cause
when to shine on them the Ma∣jesty


of himself in the glorious my∣stery
of the blessed Incarnation; the
sublime Divinity assuming Huma∣nity:
which in parallel lines directs
us to inspect this visible World so
miraculously drest up, the beautiful
outside of a more glorious inside.

This invited me to contemplate,
and seriously consider, how that eve∣ry
creature, and created being by a
fermental law radicated in Nature,
makes progress to the act of Germi∣nation,
and Vegetation. Nor can
the law of necessity (I speak of the
Creation) impose any other Doctrine
upon the Classes of Individuals, till
the final Exit, and the periods of
Time. This great World 'tis true
represents unto us a large and co∣pious
volumn of Intelligences, sprung
up in the beginning from the divine

Fiat. And because the Divinest
divin•ly 〈…〉 with such admirable
varieties as the Orbs, and Elements;
those beauteous, shining, luminous
bodies; for such are the Stars stuck
round to adorn it: it denotes unto
us every C•eature God has made, as
Animals, and •nan•mates to replenish
the Earth; was made to explain the
excellency of hims•lf, that so divine∣ly
dr•st up this stupendious Creation.

Thus Moses our Prophetick O∣racle,
in the first Chapter of Gene∣•••,
makes obvious unto us the Crea∣tion
in general; when in this Phi∣losophical
Treatise, if sedulous∣ly
examined, you'l find it parce••'d
out into many Particulars; yet not
so as to prophane, or diminish Holy
Writ, whereby to expose it to sale,
or sacriledge; but rather to eluci∣date,


and illustrate to every Man
the more glorious mysteries, and Se∣raphick
Discoveries of the sacred
Scriptures; pointed out unto us by
the Patriarchs, and the Prophets;
and imprest on us by a Divine im∣pression,
to legitimize us heirs of
the glorious Eternity, by the mys••∣cal
Vnion betwixt Christ and his
Church; and the admirable Effects
of his invincible Love, when to lay
down his Life for an Vnregenerate
Generation.

To contemplate therefore this im∣bellished
Creation, is to study the
tracts and the high way to hea∣ven:
and led on by such eminent and
convincing Authority as Moses,
the Patriarchs, the Prophets and
Apostles; confirms it beyond dispute
our Christian Duty devoutly to im∣plore,


and seriously admire the Crea∣tors
bounty and goodness in creating;
his infinite and superlative Wisdom
in preserving: but above all his
works, his unparalell'd love to in∣spire
Life and Vertue into the hu∣mane
Race of degenerate Mankind;
because when to restore him to a
more Regal •'state than Adam
our Protoplast enjoyed in Paradice.
From whence I conclude all visible
Beings that are made obvious, and
perceptible to us, were designed also
by the Maker intelligeable; how∣ever
the envious and malicious mis∣interpret,
and would every way if
possible mascarade the Truth, think∣ing
thereby to make things less dis∣coverable,
than they really and trully
are in themselves.

For were it as some Sciolists fi∣ctitiously


imagine, what benefit
could any man expect from his Stu∣dies,
more than the Knowledge of
Insects, and Animals; when omit∣ting
the superiour Dignity of Cele∣stials.
Such with their Admirers
only gaze upon them as the ignorant,
and the arrogant too frequently do,
that amuze themselves only with
foreign curiosities. Nor do I strain
my charity when to assert such Men
think the Ornaments of the Creation
an unprofitable Study: who by their
Arguments endeavour an Arrest
of judgment, since reputing them
dull, and insipid contemplations;
endeavouring thereby to disswade
the more ingenious simply to consider
them as impoverish'd Effects. But
God that made them, and still main∣tains
them; because willing that Man


above all created Beings should read
daily Lectures in their glorious fron∣tispiece,
inspired him to contemplate
their internal purity; which indu∣bitably
points some of them signa••y
out as Guides, and Land-marks to
light us up to his more sublime, and
superlative Habitation.

To consider things therefore as
they are in themselv•s, what matters
it if any Man oppose my Ass•rtions,
and call them it may be Imaginary
Presumptions; if wh•n because to
dive into the mysteries of the Crea∣tion:
Surely such Men have not well
considered that what God in his wis∣dom
has made legible to us, that
thing by his clemency was intented
intelligible. The superscription of a
Monarch any Man may read, but
none except of Councel dare examine


the contents. So God assignes it our
duty to study the Creation, since dis∣covering
things to us by invisible
Mediu••s; but not that we by a
foreign faith pay our Orisons and
our Adorations unto them: No, ra∣ther
as Christians, we must learn
God in them, and in knowing him
admire his Operations.

But our Prophet Moses seems
to some ambiguous, when undressing
the Hoil of this admirable Creation,
wherefore some spare not with their
Proselytes prophanely to decry him,
and such others as himself studious
in the Creation; who resolving a∣mong
them elves nev•r to labour due
m•asures of Knowledge whereby to
convince their own Incredulities,
makes them uncapable, and altoge∣ther
unserviceable, when attempt∣ing


to enform the Vnderstanding of
others. So that such Sciolists as
these do but darken the lustre of the
History of God in this stupendious
Creation, yet propound to themselves
to know the Divine Mysteries of
the Holy JESUS in the Mira∣culous
Incarnation, Glorious Cru∣cifixion,
and Divine Ascension:
which to mortal astonishment is the
Te•esm of Wisdom, and Miracle
of this World, lockt up in the Bo∣som
of GOD, and Eternity.

So that should this Generation
level Arguments against me, it will
little avail; for the Standard of
Truth will defend it self, and the
Authority of Scripture vindicate
my Assertions. If therefore you but
priviledge me farther to proceed, I
assume to intitle this imbellished

Creation the Almighty's Common place-Book,
wherein we may read h•s Divine
Operations; And si•ce he himself has made
things visible, as also leg•ble, and •ntelli∣gible
to our capac•ties; his s•cred Sancti∣ons,
and Divines Oracles, ought always
to be our daily Contemplation.

I also consider that Angels as Mess•n∣gers
are m•de Ministring Spirits, to ad∣minister
to us the Revelation, and Mani∣festati•n
of the Vision of Truth: that the
Sun, Moon, and Stars are the Or•inanc•s
of Heaven; that Elements and Prin••pl•s
are Marg•nal Notes; and the glorious
Prospect of this •ivie 〈◊〉: that the
Con•onants and Vowels of this Blessed
Creation are the particular Indiv•duals
contained therein. Otherwise how were it
p•ssible such a p•rpetual Harmony should
con•inue betwixt the great, and the ••sser
World; were th•re not a contiguity, and
continuity of par•s, whereby to c•ntract a
Correspondency betwixt them. For invi∣sible
things when clothed with Matter, be∣come
obvious, and perceptible to every one;
consequently visible. Every thing there∣fore


is most certainly governed by the Di∣vine
Wisdom of Him that made it; who
made Nature a so by his Praeordinate Coun∣c•l,
and adapted her Substitute to operate
in the Vniverse. But to Adam only, and
his Humane Race were committed the di∣stinct
Classes, and Families of the Crea∣tures;
as also the Dignity of a Vniver∣sal
Monarch.

This none will deny, yet perhaps some
will say my Suggestions are invaluable, and
confusedly mixt; so was the Chaos if to
consult the B•g•nning. It may also be
alledged that Im no Grammarian, how∣ever
from my Youth I venerated Learn∣ing;
yet the Scriptures I always prefer'd
before Grammar: but I'll struggle no
longer about Grammatical Preference,
since so learnedly controverted by Men in
most Ages. Give me leave therefore to
conclude my Epistle, and in the Conclu∣sion
assert, and affirm, that without for∣••l
hypocrisy, or a foreign Faith; I am,
and have been since truly to know Vertue,
devoted to subscribe my Name,

Philanthropus.

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.

FOrasmuch as Wisdom, and Di∣vine
Knowledg (preexisting
Time) had its Original from
God the Father of Light, and
immaculate Fountain of all pure Beings;
resplendent from the glorious Ray of him∣self,
that holds the Po•ze and Ballance
of the Periods of Life, and Death, by
a Soveraignty of Right to govern the
World. It becomes us therefore, and the
rather as Christians, to sollicite this admi∣rable
Corona of Wisdom, since woven in
the Web of the Eternity of Life; and
by how much it concerns us to acquire this

Secretum Naturae, by so much the rather
ought we to hope, and expect it, that offer
up our Orisons with the pious Adepti that
expose their Charity in this modorn Age.
Since many such are, and I doubt not were
in former Generations, as in this of ours;
tho modestly to conceal themselves, under
a pleasant taciturnity. Whose generous
protection of Hermetick Philosophy
has amuz'd, and astonish'd most part
of the World; since to breath forth in
this, as in former Ages, Mysterium
Magnum.

Rabbi Moses was a Student in this bles∣sed
Science; and so was his Sister, the
fair Mirian: Medea and Experience
tutilaged them both. And Moses we
read was morally educated in all the Skill
and Knowledg of the Egyptians; thank
Hermes for that, formerly King of E∣gypt,
and intituled by the Magi, Prince
of Philosophers. Who also laid the Ru∣diments,
and Foundation of Science, se∣veral
Generations before Moses was born,
and yet notwithstanding the Antiquity of
Hermes, Moses was inspired by a divine


permission, to talk with God in the Holy
Mount Horeb.

Job also that famous, and most accurate
Mathematician; whose Library was the
Firmament, and every Star an Author,
whereby he mentally inspected the Orbs;
consequently the Constellations, and Ma∣chine
of the Creation. And who personal∣ly
discoursed his Creator, as did Moses;
but confused, and astonished, as appears
by his Writings.

So Paul, that devout, and divine Apo∣stle,
taught only of God, and bred up by
Gamaliel; he exceeded in Rhetorical
Learning and Knowledg: Who also had
a Glance and a Vision of Heaven, as ap∣pears
by those elegant, and most excellent
Epistles, Exhortatory to the Romans;
when to the Corinthians, most profoundly
Philosophical.

And such were the Lives of the Holy
Men of God; which piously to trace, what
is it other than a heavenly Progress. And
the Soul that inhabits in this mortal Ta∣bernacle,
any other than the correspondent
God himself converseth; which in Clarity


displays such a beautious Brightness, from
the soveraign Beams of the Son of God,
that divinely shining in the inward parts,
influenceth the Altar, and beautifies the
Temple.

The Soul therefore, could she but con∣tent
her self with divine speculation of
Ideas only, what need she travel beyond the
Map? But as excellent Patterns commend
their own Mines, Nature because so fair
and beautiful in the Type, could not dis∣pence
with sluttishness in the Anagliph:
and who, whiles more strictly she examines
the Symetry; Models and Forms it in∣to
various Figures; whose Descent to de∣scribe,
promulges her Original: but the
frailty of matter, and because hovering
about her (and impendent on the Ele∣ments)
is excluded Eternity.

Ignorance therefore to delude the Vn∣wary,
intitles this Release by the Sirname of
Death; which more properly to describe
is the Magna Charta of Life; that has
several ways to break up House, but her
best, if duely considered, is without a Dis∣ease;
and, who when she takes air at this


Avenue or Port-hole, is much without de∣triment
or prejudice to her Tenement. Nor
does she only exerc•se her Royalty at the
Eye, as having some blind Iurisdiction in
the Pores: For this were to measure Ma∣gical
Positions by the Superficial Stri∣ctures
of common Philosophy. Whose
Assertors, too confident of the Principles
of Tradition, labour not to understand
what others speak; but to make others
speak what they themselves understand.
For it is in Nature as appears in Religi∣on;
some are still hammering and fa∣shioning
of old Elements, but seek not
the Eutopia that lies beyond them.

This Body therefore let's consider it
the Temple, and the Soul that's within
it the Sanctum Sanctorum, for the Ma∣jesty
to dwell in. Which if so, this
Earth must be rarified, to make a pure
Heaven; and Heaven must be purified,
before the Divinest will inhabit within it.
Great and Iust therefore is the Original
Good, whose Incomprehensible Beauty and
Divine Majesty, neither the Heavens,
nor the Earth, nor the Orbs, nor the

Ocean, nor the expatiated Abyss, can
any ways contain him: Which certainly
to know, is Speculum Sapientiae, scraw'd
out in the fair Frontespiece of the beau∣tiful
Creation; as also in that Divine
Manuscript of Holy Writ, where the
Patriarchs and the Prophets are Mar∣ginal
Notes; and the Holy Men of God,
with our pious Ancestors, the lively Re∣cords
and divine Remembrancers of
the Sacred Oracles of the Majesty of
Truth. Thus far the Ark of the Cove∣nant
travelled, and thus far the Tal∣mudists
transported themselves; but
some of the Cabalists went some degrees
farther, when they met with Christ and
his Twelve Apostles; yet could they not
see the great Messiah.

But Gabriel the Angel salutes the
Blessed Virgin with Hail Mary, full of
Grace; blessed art thou among the
Daughters of Women: For the Holy
of Holies shall overshadow thee with
Beauty, and thou shalt conceive, and
bear a Child, and he shall be called the
Son of God. John Baptist also he con∣firms


the Miracle; who, when Jesus with
him coming forth of the Water, the
Heavens themselves most gloriously open∣ed,
and the Holy Ghost divinely descend∣ing
(like a Dove) rested the Glory of
the Majesty upon him; and then was
there a Voice heard from the Divinest,
This is my Son, my beloved Son; let
the Nations hear him. Now to the
Jews this became a stumbling-block,
as to some of the Rabbies a Rock of
offence: but to the Gentiles that sat in
the Suburbs of Darkness, and, the
Scriptures tell us, in the Shadow of
Death, the most glorious Mystery of the
Revelation of God, and the everlasting
Gospel was preached unto them.

So that from these two eminent and
most sacred Primordials, the one of the
Law, and the other of the Gospel, Re∣ligion,
or something like it, took its na∣tive
Original: yet so strangely masque∣raded,
disfigured, and disguised, that were
not a Man well assured what it was, it
would be found difficult to resolve what to
call it. And thus the Sun, Heavens

major Luminary, when because at once
falling upon several Angles, represents
the Light in various forms: So Christi∣anity,
though a familiar Appellation, yet
admits it of such Variety in its progress,
and peregrination, because when to min∣gle
it self with all sorts of Professions,
that Professors themselves have been puz∣led
how to rate it; whiles the noble Be∣rean
searches the Scriptures, and as the
Scriptures manifestly testifie of Christ,
so Christ himself saith, they testifie of
him. The great Oracle therefore, and
the Miracle of Faith, is Christ himself;
and Christ is God: From whence the
Mystery of our Eternal Salvation, the
blessed Regeneration, and the spiritual
Birth, that internally breaths in every
pious Believer, is, Christ in us, the hope
of Glory; the Sovereign Revealer of
the Wisdom of God, whose Light is the
Beauty of the Majesty of Light, that en¦lightneth
every one coming into the
World; and is our saving and our san∣ctifying
Light, before Time had a Being,
God blessed for ever.



Thus in brief I present you with a
Sacred Summary of my pious Conceptions
of the Scriptures of Truth, divulg'd
to the World as a Treasure of Mysteries,
calculated for the Assiduous, and only such
whose Integrity and Fidelity internally
shine forth, as their Faces externally in a
Glass respond, and answer a due and ex∣act
Proportion. From whence I conclude
this Philosophical Axiom, As are the
Writings of Moses the Standard of
Truth, that God the Creator has by a
Royal Law imposed upon Nature eternally
to operate, the Vniversal Spirit therefore
is but One in all her Operations, (viz.)
in the Fire, to influence; in the Air, to
impregnate; in the Water, to germi∣nate;
and in the Earth, to vegetate.
Where note, The Elements, consequent∣ly
the Principles were divinely preor∣dained
by the Sovereign Power of him
that's Supream, who constituted Nature
to conserve the Creation; or solemnly I
declare, I understand it not.

Nor would I be thought either rash
or unreasonable, to reassume a Priviledge


in what I distribute: but as Words are
my own whiles yet in my Mouth, and eve∣ry
bodies else when unconfined; so let
them be, and have a charitable Recepti∣on,
when to run their Risque in the
Worlds great Lottery; because, when to
fall under various Conceptions, yet, if so
happy to meet with the Ingenious in Sci∣ence,
meaning such as dread and honour
their Creator, and imitate Nature in
her solitary Operations; which every ex∣pert
Artist, and experienced, will do, pro∣vided
his Inquisitions be after the Truth;
to such, and such only I dedicate my La∣bors,
together with my Endeavours to
Wisdoms elaborate Shrine, that with
vertuous Inclinations they may seek after
Discoveries, and the abstruse Tracts of
their Friend,

Philanthropus.

Page 1

RABBI MOSES.

IN the beginning God created the
Heaven and the Earth. Which
directs me to contemplate this
World is a great Machine, or an
Engine-royal, adapted for Motion by
the Power of Him that created the
Creation; that not so much as an
Atom can move or stir, save only by
a derivative Vertue from him that
thro Wisdom and Providence gave a
Being to the Whole; who knows all
the Parts and Particles of his Work.
How can he then be thought ignorant
of its Motion, or in any thing be defi∣cient?
when he that made the World,
knows how to influence the hidden
Page 2

Springs and Parts thereof; he knows
for what End and Duration he design'd
its Motion, and the time when all
things shall pass away: So that when
the Divinest withdraws the Springs
of Life, (viz.) his supporting Provi∣dence,
from any Creature in the Cre∣ation,
or from the Elements, or the
whole World it self, it must sink into
a state of Inactivity, consequently be∣come
a meer Annihilation.

Now, That Heaven and Earth are
Corelates, who doubts it?

That they sprung spontaneously
from one Principium, who disputes it?

And that they had in themselves (by
Divine Ordination) Ends and Begin∣nings
most properly adapted and insi∣nuated
into them, who so Impious and
Atheistical to suspect it?

That the World had a Beginning, is
manifest.

That Eternity preceded Time, is
most manifest.

And that every End terminates in its
own proper Beginnings, nothing more
manifest.

Page 3

Every End therefore, separable from
its native Principium, is subject to
Mortality: but Death is the Destructi∣on
of all Elemental compounded
Mixts: All Compounds therefore are
subject to Mortality; which Nature
endeavours with all her might to pre∣serve,
if possible, from the Periods of
Death, and whose Champions to pur∣chase
this heroick Victory, Fire and
Water are instituted and appointed
the most proper and immediate Agents
and Instruments; the last to discharge
by immersive Calcination, all exteriour
and superfluous Adustion, whiles the
first by Sublimation claims a Superio∣rity,
because when to separate by the
intense Action of Fire whatever Re∣crements
and Impurities adhere to the
Center.

These, and no other, are the lineal
Tracts that Nature has trod in since
the nonage of the Universe; whose
Seeds, void of Form, and confusedly
mix'd in a Hoil or Chaos, were dis∣solved
in Water, but rarified and sub∣limed
Page 4

by pure Argument of Fire. Cal∣cination
and Sublimation therefore
were purposely invented to purge and
separate the Pure from the Impure;
as is Solution and Distillation the more
terrestrial Dregs that stiffly adhere to
the Parts extraneous.

Now whatever remains without
any beginning, that Subject is altoge∣ther
uncapable of end: But all Be∣ginnings
sprung up from Eternity, as
is Eternity the Ray of the Majesty.
Eternity therefore is the Parent of
Time, from whence Generation line∣ally
descended; and Generation, be∣cause
the Infant and the Child of Time,
has its Periods lock'd up in the Prisons
of Death: and doom'd and predesti∣nated
by the Law of Sin: the Apostle
tells us, is Death in the abstract; yet
improperly the End of any thing save
Elements, whereby to remonstrate
their true Beginnings but now to
bud, and to blossom forth, because di∣recting
towards an eternal State;
which I call the new Breathings from
Page 5

a State of Corruption, precedent to
Putrefaction; the immature Offspring
and imperfect Birth of infirm Ance∣stors
and Elementary Principles.

For the Body no sooner dismantles
it self of the exteriour Form, and Ele∣mentary
Faetor, when the indivisibili∣ty
of the more purer Parts begin at
once to display themselves: for the
Treasures of Life are most strictly
lock'd up, and which also begins to
perspire and breath forth by the glo∣rious
Ray of God's Soveraign Power;
whose refulgent Beam illuminates the
World, and stirs up the hidden Life
therein, which before seem'd to sleep
passively perdue in the silent Sepulcher
of Divine Contemplation.

If therefore debasing our selves by
Sin, be Argument of Death, and God's
eternal Displeasure; a Regenerate state
implies the Sanctity of Renovation,
which is a clear Demonstration of a
real Conversion. Otherwise, how
comes it to pass, that the unbelieving
Wife is sanctified by the believing Hus∣band?
Page 6

Now if Husband and Wife are
constipated one Flesh by the Conjugal
Celebration and Law of Matrimony;
why not Heaven and Earth under the
like Divine Ordinance, since by a Su∣pream
Law from the Sovereign Legis∣lator
(whose powerful Edicts are for
ever irrevocable) made and established
Synonima Regalia.

Thus th• Celestial Sun in the clari∣fied
Firmament influenceth and im∣pregnates
this embellish'd Creation;
as do's the Supercelestial Son of the
Majesty of God most illustriously shine
in every Believers Soul, and is the true
Light that illuminates the Universe,
and every Man that cometh into the
World. So that in this short and com∣pendious
Paragraph you may read the
Divine Progeny of the whole Creati∣on;
the Exaltation and Dignity of the
Micro, as the Macrocosm; the great
End why the World and Man was
made; the Reason also why the Di∣vinest
made Man, and drest up so beau∣tifully
this stupendious Creation: All
Page 7

which was only but to see himself and
Sovereign Majesty by way of Reflecti∣on;
wherefore he built up a Taber∣nacle
in Man for his Divine Residence,
and Man's Redemption.

Now Adam was made this Supream
Monarch, whom his Maker dignified
with such eminent Qualifications, as
not only to see, because having the fa∣culty
of Sense; but to inspeculate and
admire the Majesty of his Maker that
hung up aloft in the Firmament of Hea∣ven,
so many Luminous and Beauti∣ous
Bodies, impregnating every one
with the Blessings of Vegetation: but
Moral Reason (and barren Apprehen∣sion)
because uncapable to exalt it self
to these eminent, sublime, and super∣lative
Elevations, of necessity sinks un∣der
them.

And here Moses tells you, That in the
beginning, the Divinest created both the
Heavens and the Earth: Now creating
or making, what implies it more than
manifesting Invisibles by Visibles; or
discovering such things as lay hid in
Page 8

the Chaos, occultly concealed from oc∣cular
view; which in time appeared,
but not until such time as the Waters,
by the Fiat, were separated from the
Waters, and then the purer matter as∣cended
upwards, because disintangled
from its impure Fecula; which Cele∣stial,
Clarified, and Pure Crystalline
Body, is by the Scriptures interpreted
the Firmament?

And Hermes tells you in his Sma∣ragdine
Table, That the likeness of that
which is placed above, is also beneath,
coinhabiting below, to work the My∣racle
of one single thing. There must
therefore of necessity be some assimila∣tion
in Earth, Soveraignly qualified
with the same existence of Celestials;
otherwise, pray tell me, where's the
harmony betwixt them? And why
should God select the little World, cal∣led
Man, for his Divine and Glorious
Reception, rejecting, as I may so say,
the more copious or great one, as the
more commaculate and impure habi∣tation;
had not he divinely dignified
Page 9

the less by Soveraign Wisdom for his
Royal Entertainment?

There is therefore not only the like∣ness
of Superiours; but the same Ver∣tue,
Beauty, and Excellency also in In∣feriours:
Christ in you the hope of Glory.
This is that Magnet of Vertue and Swa∣vity,
whose illustrious Ray attracts
the Soul to those transcendent Mansi∣ons
of Beatitude and Immortallity;
For the Kings Daughter is all glorious
within, because made glorious by the
King of Heaven; where note, by way
of Digression, when to admit of a
faint comparison; the Anima, or Sul∣phur
of Sols beauteous inside, when
duely examined by a sedulous Adept,
a Celestial Corporiety displays it self,
whose glorious appearance gratifies
the solicitous with Wisdom's Oracle,
and the Treasures of Art, by every one
acquirable, and by most admired.

But the Hoil or Chaos presents un∣to
us a subject matter as yet indigest∣ed,
when macerated, mingled, or jum∣bled
together; and such we are to con∣sider
Page 10

it in the Act of Fermentation;
when nothing but darkness had its Re∣gion
in the Deep, nor did any thing
appear upon the Face of the Waters,
until Darkness by the Divinest was ut∣terly
separated by the glorious Beam of
the Majesty of Light; for till then the
Stars roll'd not in their Orbs, nor did
the Fluctuating Ocean move its Vital
Pulse, till actuated by the Law of its
Soveraign Maker, which daily remon∣strates
the Flux of the Ocean. Nor till
then did the Earth, nor the Barren
Mountains know any thing of the Law
of Life, and Vegetation. Nor was
there any Prolifick Vertue, or propa∣gating
Quality hitherto as yet incor∣porated
into them; when at once the
Fountains of the great Deeps broke up,
out of whose exuberant and miraculous
Womb, not only those innumerable
and inexhaustible Treasures, as the
Principles, and Elements, but also
whatever besides them was made vi∣sible,
was by Wisdom drawn forth
out of this immense Deep: And to
Page 11

whatever had Sense by Life and Mo∣tion,
Nature by Ordination gave it a
beginning; but Light and Life she had
not power to give; for that sprung
spontaneously from the Divine Fiat;
which great work with the great Crea∣tor
took up but seven days, tho seven
times seven is adjudged too little; nay,
had I said Months, are supposed little
enough, if when attempting to com∣pleat
a Philosophick Operation.

So that now the Darkness because
disappearing, the glorious and beauti∣ful
Ray of Light suddenly and at once
invades all the Universe; for after Se∣paration
by Divine Ordination, every
individual as to Vertue and Purity in
its innate Quality arose up from obscu∣rity:
And because relinquishing its
Earthy fecula, elevated it self according
to Dignity, correspondent also with
the Purity of Matter. The Sun there∣fore
with the Moon, and the Stars ex∣alted
themselves; and surmounting
the Aether, were supreamly ranged in
a Divine Order. The Elements also
Page 12

they separated themselves into four
Divisions, or distinct Classes, whereby
to illustrate this imbellish'd Creation;
and the Principles because lock'd up
in every individual, whereby to make
permanent by the Law of Perfection,
began to ferment, which the Vulgar un∣derstand
not; for should they be sepa∣rated,
purified, and reconjoyned, a
new Creation would inevitably ensue
in the Microcosm, or the little World;
as by Divine Appointment it never
ceases daily to influence and operate
in the Macrocosm.

From whence all Celestials appear
immortal; most fiery, luminous, subtile
and bright; and by the Divinest made
distant, and remote, were separated
from all impure and immund dregs:
and because excavated into Rotundity,
they elevated themselves, and flew up
at once; for which cause also Nature
of her self desires a round form for
things Eternal, as being most perfect,
permanent, and indeficient.

On the contrary, it follows, that
Page 13

Terrestial things are subject to corrup∣tion,
mutation and death; because
contrarieties are joyned in their ele∣mentary
Composition; and where∣with
the dreggs, and impurities of
matter were mixed, as at first with
what was impure; otherwise the
produce that had proceeded from
them, would have been beyond dis∣pute
Subjects immortal. Nor could
there ever have been any Generation;
for without contrariety of qualities in
Elements, there had never been alte∣ration,
nor mutation of form; and all
would have had but one Face without
distinction, remaining equally in pu∣rity
and subtilty: And tho cloathed
with its own Ornament of Beauty and
Swavity; yet wanting matter where∣on
to impress formation, would be∣come
deficient, indigent, and destitute
of Creation.

It was necessary therefore to mix
subtilty of substance with the gross
and impure faecula of matter; for
where nothing but Clarity and Purity
Page 14

remains, there of necessity can be no
Action; and where no Action is,
there can be no Patient, seeing what is
pure wants act of Power over that
also which is as pure; and this End
and Operation is Natures Work of Se∣paration
for preservation of its Essence,
and Vital Encrease; For if the Earth
and her Fruits were as pure as the Hea∣vens,
all Animals would live as long
as Celestial Incholasts.

But Nature by the Divinest has or∣dained
a Law, that whatever partakes
of Matter, or Corporiety, should dwell
about that which is also Corporial;
and that which is most corruptible and
inquinate, about that which is also likest
unto it: but the Earth, as subordinate,
is the most precipitant of Bodies; con∣sequently
most gross, and of all things
most corruptible: nothing therefore
can proceed, or be deducible from it,
but what is naturally most agreeable
unto it; wherefore its Corruption, Sor∣dities
and Impurities must also be rari∣fied
by progress of Separation. When
Page 15

therefore its more pure Substance is ex∣tracted,
and exalted by a true and
Magnetick Philosophical Medium; Na∣ture
of necessity begins there all her
Actions, and in separation all is found.

And the Spirit of God moving upon the
Face of the Waters, was by Incubati∣on
(or supream Act of Power) by the
determinate Wisdom and Counsel of
God, the immediate and proper cause
of Separation; for here you may read,
that the Spirit of God divinely moved
upon the Face of the Waters: And
here also you may consider, and deli∣berately
understand, that the Spirit of
God inspired them with Vegetation;
otherwise of themselves how could
they bring forth? For the Chaos had a
Passive, but no Active Spirit in it, till
God by Wisdom roused up the Ferch,
or the hidden Life therein concealed;
and illuminating or kindling the Com∣massated
Matter, by the Ray and Ma∣jesty
of his Divine Spirit that separated
the pure from that that's impure,
which could be no otherwise, since no
Page 16

impure thing can enter, nor center
where the whole is pure.

And thus the Angel Gabriel salutes
the Blessed Virgin with Hail Mary, full
of Grace, God is with thee, the glory of
Females. Now this Virgin was a Na∣tive
and true Israelite, and had not hi∣therto
known her Husband; which
Virgin conceives by the Holy Ghost,
and was a Miraculous and a Spiritual
Birth; so that we may consider, there's
nothing impossible with God the Crea∣tor
that made the World; when in
love to incarnate himself to redeem it.

And Moses he tells you, That when
God had breathed into Adam, our Pro∣toplast,
the breath of Life, he then be∣came
a living Soul; not that Adam was
destitute of a Natural Soul, but of a Di∣vine
and Spiritual Life, which also
implies a supernatural state; in
which excellent state our Protoplast
stood, when God had transformed his
Earth into Heaven; and in which
pure state he for ever had stood, had
he stood in simplicity, and the Will of
Page 17

his Maker; for what we sow, that shall
we reap; and nothing is quickned except it
die. Mortification therefore precedes
Regeneration; we must all die to Sin,
to live to Righteousness.

But the Spirit of God moved upon the
Waters; which Act of Power was no
sooner performed, but the Waters of
themselves incessantly brought forth;
and every created thing that God had
made by a Divine and Soveraign Act
of Power, began to Operate, Vegetate,
and Fructuate; who surrounded the
Constellations with a Crystalline Fir∣mament;
and cloathing the Principles
which stood naked before him, with a
Body suitable to their necessity, gave
Laws and Ordinances to Nature, as
Substitute, immediately to let loose the
Universal Spirit, whereby to vegetate,
encrease, and multiply; to form also,
to animate, and impregnate Bodies;
but Nature of her self, because bound∣ed
with periods, admits Death inevi∣tably
to invade all Compounds; for
were it otherwise, there needed no Se∣paration;
Page 18

and Nature, preadventure,
would become sloathful, and idle:
Consequently the Fabrick of the whole
Creation would again redact, and re∣sult
in a Chaos.

Separation therefore is of absolute
necessity, whereby to distinguish the
pure from the impure; the fair and
immaculate from the most pollute and
unclean; which after Purgation to
rectify and conjoyn, and then advance,
if it could be, to a plusquam perfection,
whereby to imitate Nature, as she
by president imitates the Creator;
what admirable thing would the Ope∣rator
bring forth?

Wherefore the Apostle he bids you
be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is
also perfect: And what can advance to
a state of Perfection, but that which
separates from Sin and Impurity? Thus
the Heavens are pure, and infinitely
clarified; yet much more pure is he
that created them; which state to
know, is never to know Death. Where∣fore
as by imitation some Bodies are
Page 19

made always to live in the Phyloso∣phick
World, which the Adeptest in∣titles
and superscribes Transmutation;
but the Theologist in the Super-celestial,
that of Regeneration. And as one is
the period of Principles and Elements;
such also is the other of Corporification,
leading Death into Captivity, and
transforming every impure Being into
a Celestial Clarity and Purity; and
the Souls of Righteous Men into end∣less
Glory; but this Operation is per∣formable
only by the Heavenly Arca∣num,
or Medicament of Life: which Sa∣cred,
Soveraign, and Divine Elixir, is
the Christ of God, the Wisdom of the
Father: to whom devoutly be ever∣lasting
Praises.

And as Christ is called the Light of the
World, &c. Light may properly there∣fore
be asserted the Manifestation of
God, and the Oracle of his Truth; for
if what visible Light is, or appears unto
the Bodily Eye; the same, but infi∣nitely
more glorious, is the invisible
Light that illuminates the Understand∣ing
Page 20

in the Eye of the Mind: The want
of Light, it's true, makes Man deplo∣rable;
so is Ignorance of the Mind
to be lamented: And as Generation
that sprang out from Corruption of
those things which were esteemed the
best, so the Light that shines in Man
when it becomes eclipst by the shades
of Sin, how dreadful and dismal is that
Darkness? As Light therefore of all
things is accounted most desirable, the
want of it to the Mind makes the Man
most miserable: So of all Ignorance,
that Ignorance is the worst which hath
reference to the most Noble and Subli∣mest
Object, and by how much the
subject of Knowledge is better, by so
much is the deprivation of that Know∣ledge
intollerable: As any one there∣fore,
by putting out a Mans Eyes,
whereby to intercept him the injoy∣ment
of Light, is reputed cruel; so
he that prevents the means of Know∣ledge,
is no less, if not infinitely more
(by a Scriptural Authority) adjudged
condemnable.

Page 21

Light therefore, because exalted a∣bove
all Created Beings, it confirms it
the Standard of Wonder and Admirati∣on,
whose beauteous Beam displays it
self, the uncreated Being before the
Creation, consequently superexcelling
all the rest in Dignity; but the created
luminous Ray of the Sun, that strikes
the Poles from East to West, nay far∣ther
its possible, could we apprehend
it; is sacredly held forth as the Al∣mighties
Taper, whereby to illustrate
the Visible World, as do's the Light of
his Sovereign, All-glorious Son invisi∣bly
shine in the Souls of Saints, to con∣vince
the World of Sin and Unbelief:
And tho Laban usher Leah unto Iacob's
Bed, by introducing her instead of his
beautiful Rachel; so every designing
Imaginarist do's, when describing on∣ly
exteriour things, but states nothing
essentially. Such I may say dwell meer∣ly
in the Face, or at the best, on the
superficial parts of the Body; never
aspiring after the fulness of Beatitude,
which Philosophy in my Opinion looks
Page 22

like to a Church that's drest up with
Discipline, when wanting sound Do∣ctrine.

So that if when to consider the exte∣riour
form of complicated mixts shall
melt away, probably we arrive at the
fiery principium, whose Elevations lead
on to a state Immortal, co-uniting us
to that invisible Nature, that admits
not of any thing save Purity intense,
by the continued ardency of a Pious
Devotion. As in Operation it's evi∣dent,
and egregiously true, that the
Elements themselves assume all Co∣lours
before the Beauty of those colours
egrede; wherefore they begin with
Blackness first, because the Anteces∣sour
and Parent of Putrefaction; after
it passes thro other middle Colours, till
at length it arrives at a Celestial
Whiteness, which then is Air, from
whence it ascends to a fiery Complexi∣on,
in which the Power of Art, and
Dominion of Fire, when to speak Ae∣nigmatically,
is compleatly termina∣ted,
and beyond which, in my Opinion,
there's no natural progress.

Page 23

And God no sooner divinely said,
Let there be Light; but immediately
there was Light, so that his Commands
were in a moment answered; for
how soon did the Light spontaneously
spring up, and amounting aloft, fill
the Universe with Splendor? So that
now the Creation became altogether
visible, and every concealed Treasure
that lay hid therein, exposed it self un∣to
occular view; whereby to discover
the Chaos commaserated, and Water
and Earth by previous digestion (with∣out
contention, or strong ebullitions)
began of themselves distinctly to sepa∣rate;
and the Earth as rejected to pre∣cipitate
downwards, by reason of its
Gravity, and solid Ponderosity; so
that these two Elements were only
made visible, but the Fire and the Air,
they fled our sight, which by reason
of Purity became also invisible; whose
Sublime Bodies by the Creators Will,
elevated themselves to influence the
Earth, whereby to impregnate it with
Prolifick Vertue.

Page 24

This was, and is that beautiful Or∣der,
wherein the Divinest so divinely
placed things, when the Earth as an
Embrio lay hid, and concealed in the
Exuberant Womb of the unweildy
Waters: And this is that great and
stupendious work of Separation,
which Act or Operation was fit only
for God, who separated the Light from
the mists of Darkness; which glorious
Operation the Prophet Moses points at,
as a thing principally to be minded and
considered, if provided any one would
imitate the Creator, when in the be∣ginning
he created the Universe; but
the end of the Creation stands still in
the Ternary, of which, more at large
in its proper place.

Christ therefore is our Soveraign
and our Saving Light, that compre∣hends
the Darkness, yet the Darkness
knows him not, whose beauteous
brightness illuminates the World, and
is that Glory and Majesty of Light that
was from God, that never had begin∣ning,
which Incomprehensible Light
Page 25

shined before the beginning to illumi∣nate
the Throne of the Majesty of God,
and is the true Essential Word of God,
and the Word is God, the Wisdom of
the Father, as is manifested to us by
Moses and the Prophets.

But the created Luminaries, as Sun,
Moon, and Stars, these are but Ele∣mentary,
subject therefore to corrup∣tion,
when God shall please to extin∣guish
their Light, by withdrawing the
Beauteous Ray of himself; and as the
Light of the Sun is the Beauty of the
Creation, how much more beautiful
is the Son of God, the All-glorious
Beauty of the Majesty of God? The
Created World therefore was made to
discover visible Objects, and things
Corporeal; but the Increated and most
Sovereign Being, to make obvious to
us things Invisible; the Natural, to in∣spect
both Elements and Principles;
but the Supernatural, to reveal the Glo∣ry
of the Father, in the Face and Ful∣ness
of Jesus Christ.

And God saw the Light, and behold it
Page 26

was good; the consequence follows,
for God he made it, and God divided the
Light from the Darkness, as by his Wis∣dom
the Day from the Night: Sepa∣ration
therefore from adust impurity,
makes it Sublime, Immaculate, and
Pure: So Divine out of a Moral, and a
Celestial out of a Terrestrial State, is a
transmutation by the Grace of God;
for if nothing that's impure can sub∣sist
in his presence, whatever comes
there must be spiritually pure: and
such are Invisibles separated from Ele∣ments,
the Waters above the Firma∣ment
of a pure Nature, existent with
Life, but the Waters beneath, Elemen∣tary
and Fluctuating: The Univer∣sal
Spirit therefore inspiring Life and
Motion, the whole Creation began to
breath, and bud forth.

And God after separation of the
Light from the Darkness, of the pure
and sublime from that that's inquinate,
of Heaven from Earth, of the Waters
from the Waters, of the Translucid
and Diaphanous Bodies from Corrupti∣ble
Page 27

Recrements, and Sordid Impuri∣ties:
Then was there a Noble and Di∣vine
Separation, because when to raise
an immortal Seed out of the Principles
and Rudiments of Elements. And
such also is the Regenerate state in Man,
when born of the Royal Seed from
Heaven; for Flesh and Blood, because
Transient and Elementary, are in∣consistent
with the Eternity of God,
uncapable therefore to inherit the
Kingdom: This is that Divine and
Heavenly Transmutation, by which
Christ Jesus, the Wisdom of the Fa∣ther,
with one regal grain transmutes
our Nature, and our Mortal Bodies, in∣to
an Immortal State; and is that Elixir
of Life and Vertue that defends it for
ever from torture and destruction, and
eternally delivers it from the periods
of Death.

But some will object, What Body is
this? And Paul solves the Doubt by a
Scriptural Explanation, telling us, its
a Body increate and incorruptible,
consequently uncapable of any mutati∣on,
Page 28

and because impregnated, and a∣nimated
with Life, is under protection,
divinely blessed, absolved, and ac∣quitted
the assaults of Death. What
Body then, some will say, must it be?
and he tells you, It's a Body as it pleas∣eth
God. But this you'll object is also
insufficient. To speak more plainly
then, it's a Regenerate Body, born from
the Spirit, and not from Elements,
but of a pure and immaculate nature,
that never knew nor consented to Sin:
Such a Birth will triumph over Death,
because it can never be made to die,
nor subject it self to the periods of
Death, since bound up in the Volume
of the Infinite Eternity.

But Darkness is the Vmbra, or pro∣miscuous
shadow of the beautiful and
amiable Glory of Light: And because
separated from the Beam of Light,
and gathered to its self, is the Repre∣sentation
of Death. Where note, we
may call it the Mantle or Covering of
some solid Substance, or some mate∣rial
thing; and such is the Night by
Page 29

Earth's Interposition, retirements of
Light, or the Suns bright absence:
Corpulences also are Stellat Ecclipses,
because from Globical Bodies interme∣diating;
for Night is only the Suns
bright absence, when deprived the
beautiful Beam of his Light; and the
Day (as I may so say) the Infant of
Light, because it sprung up from
Light Original. The created Light
therefore pray tell me what is it, if
not the beautiful Aurora of Eternity,
as is Eternity the Ray of the Majesty?
Thus the Light, as appears, shines still
in Darkness, and yet the Darkness
comprehends it not.

Now what is this Darkness but the
shades of Death? and what is Death
but a separation from Life, and Life it
self the amiable Infant, that sprung
from Eternity, as Generation from
Time? But Darkness abhors the lustre
of Light, lest peradventure fearing the
Light should inspire it. Gold there∣fore,
like the Salamander, lives eter∣nally
in Fire, without detriment, de∣struction,
Page 30

or diminution of parts;
whiles imperfect Metals, when exami∣ned
by the test, evaporate and vanish,
so become imperceptible which dis∣plays
some impurity in their natural
Composition; for were they of a re∣gal
stamp and condition, no force of
Fire would be Argument strong
enough to make in them the least sepa∣ration;
so Darkness, when made pure
by the Beam of Light, it then becomes
a natural brightness; and Mortality,
transchanged by the Grace of God, be∣comes
Immortal by Divine Transmuta∣tion.

The Day therefore sprung natively
from Light, as a Legitimate Heir from
the Loins of his Parents; nor could it do
otherwise, because by the Divinest desti∣nated
and determinated to such an end
by the Counsel of God. And thus the
Beam, or Ray of the Sun, as its Integer
Light, can be no otherwise, because the
proper Effect from that efficient Cause;
for the Celestial Sun, if sedately to con∣sider
it, was kindled by a virtual spark
Page 31

of invisible Light: And this invisible
Light, the Son of God, is the Essence,
Wisdom, and the Beauty of the Father,
and is that Soveraign and Saving Light
of the Divinity and Majesty of God
himself.

As pure Religion therefore is such in
it self as it pleads Precedency long be∣fore
Error; consequently it's a bright
and most illustrious Taper that directs
to the standard of Divine Truth, in
whose Frontispiece Devotion displays
Christianity, and which truly is the
most Eminent, and Divine Encomi∣um
that ever was attributed to Men,
as Mortals, and is in a Scriptural sense
the new way of Conquering, because
through Christ we are more than Con∣querours,
and fight in this Field with∣out
Carnal Weapons; for no Gladiators
arm here to Combat, nor is there any
Banner but the Cross of Christ, and
whose Enemies are Abaddon, and the
Hierarchy of Hell; and whose Engins
are Sin, and the Toils of Death, endea∣vouring
therewith to obstruct our pas∣sage,
Page 32

when attempting the triumphant
Joys of Heaven.

But a Nominal Christian (with grief
I speak it) which signifies no more than
a formal Professor, if when wanting
the Vital Power of the living Act of
Faith, such a profession makes no
Man a Christian any more than read∣ing
the Alcharon compleats a Saint;
nor is every Professor a true Minister
of God, except of God ordain'd to
preach: For the Gospel is free, and the
love of God free, and it was the free
Act of Christ to give himself freely for
the Sins of the World. Christs Re∣demption
therefore was a free Act of
Grace, to blot out Sin, and usher in
Repentance; and all that's required
for so great a suffering, is only confor∣mity
to a Holy Life, and sanctified O∣bedience
to that Living Power, in
whom the fulness of the Godhead
dwells: He therefore that prays, and
pays not his Orisons to this great Ora∣cle
the Wisdom of the Father, stands
still indebted for his Life and Freedom,
Page 33

and proclaims himself an Alien to the
Court of Sion, as also a Stranger to the
New Ierusalem.

Now in opposition to Light stands
this formidable Darkness, a Figure of
a Creature that was found folded up
after the Divine Act and force of Sepa∣ration;
not improper therefore to in∣title
it Darkness, since separabel from
the beauteous Beam of Light: and
such is Sin, and such also is Death,
since by Adam's Transgression, who
consenting to Sin, violated Gods Di∣vine
and Regal Command, so wounded
himself with his own Sting. Death
and Sin therefore, Van Helmont calls
Accidents, or some impious malignity
that lurk'd about the matter, whereby
to lessen Light, and abscond or ecclipse
its beautiful Lustre; which when re∣moved
by the Divine Grace of God,
the Body then seems to appear Celesti∣al:
Nor can it be otherwise, since if
when to consider there's no difference,
nor distinction betwixt Heaven and
Earth, save Clarity of the one, and Im∣purity
Page 34

of the other: and this is a State
we daily discourse of, nay, we hourly
wish for't, and long to enjoy it; yet so
great is our Zeal to these ambiguous
uncertainties, that we dare not trust
our selves to entertain it.

And because so adhering to the
World, and its allurements (kind an∣swering
kind) whose Luscious Breast
seems sweet and pleasant, and whose
surprizing Charms luxuriously satia∣ting,
we gulp down Avarice, and
drink down Oppression: so like Diana
with the Ephesians, cry, Gain is sweet;
thus tainting our selves, become infecti∣ous
to others; for a stinking Breath,
tho loathsome to the Company, yet is
it to it self a natural perfume; so Sin
and Impiety in its habitual dress, tho
ugly, seems amiable; and tho faetid,
smells fragrant, and knows no impedi∣ment.
Thus Paul by Faith fought
with Beasts at Ephesus; and Philan∣thropus
with Monsters in the Desarts of
America.

'Tis true, and as true as the Sun's
Page 35

the great Luminary, whose luminous
Body illustrates the Creation; yet is
not the Sun that Soveraign Light that
adorned the Throne before the Creati∣on,
when the Divinest said, Let there
be Light, and immediately the Light of
it self sprung up; which Light by his
Wisdom he called Day, and dignified
it also with the Title of Good; nor
could it be otherwise than good in the
Abstract, since the Divinest had called
it Good, and because proceeding from
the Fountain of Good, its Original can
be no less than God.

Now the Day had its Original, as
has the Sun its Aurora; and the Sun,
tho the Major Luminary of the Uni∣verse,
whose refulgent Ray illustrates
the Creation, by Rapidity Circulating
and Patrolling about it; yet is it by
Wisdom and the Guidance of God ano∣ther
Aurora of the increated Light,
which never ceaseth invisibly to shine,
when the Sun withdraws from our oc∣cular
view, as imaginarily supposed to∣wards
the Western Fountains, whiles
Page 36

this pure Light never ceaseth to shine
in the Heart of Man, and the Throne
of the Majesty, tho to the World and
ignorant it appear invisible: and be∣cause
too sublime for the weak Vision
of Sight, whereby a dimness seems to
overshadow it, as gazing too much at
the natural Sun, in some measure a∣stonisheth
the Purlue of Sight; so the
Soveraignty of the Glory of the Son of
God, whose excessive brightness seems
to cause a blindness, when as indeed it's
the Purity and Soveraignty of Light,
we are therefore to reduce it under this
consideration, that nothing that's im∣pure
can behold what's pure, nor Car∣nality
partake of what is Spirituous.

There is therefore this difference be∣twixt
Natural and Supernatural; as
also betwixt Celestial and Terrestrial
things; that all Spirituous Bodies can
pass the Purgatory of Fire without any
detriment, or diminution of parts;
when as Corporeals, if but to touch
the Flames, are at once in a Moment
destroy'd and consumed. Purification
Page 37

of Bodies must therefore necessarily
precede, whereby to dignifie and
make them Celestial. Natural things
therefore are in one distinct state, but
Spiritual things are found in another:
and by how much our Nature is made
more spirituous, by so much are we
nearer to the Nature of God. And as
the Sun shines naturally more bright
and distinctly, more pure than our Cu∣linary
Fires; how infinitely brighter,
and much more pure is the Majesty of
that Light that invisibly shines from
the Son of God: But our new Philoso∣phers
(or Erra Paters) are much of
the Cast with Figure-flingers, that pre∣sume
to step into the Prerogative of
Prophets, and antedate events in Con∣figurations,
which is a Consequence I
perswade my self of as much Reason,
and for ought I know, to as great Sa∣tisfaction,
as to see the Auxiliaries draw
out and exercise, and the Spectators to
read their designs by their postures.

But I proceed to discourse the Firma∣ment
of Heaven, the Fluctuating O∣cean
Page 38

also, and the Waters in the Crea∣tion,
which presents to our considera∣tion
matter of Admiration, conse∣quently
a suitable Subject for every
Philosopher, if sedately to contem∣plate
their admirable separation, when
God divided the Waters from the Wa∣ters,
and the Firmament of Heaven
stood stationary between them; which
denotes those rarified and invisible
Waters Moses points at above us, are
an Act of Faith, because of Invisibili∣ty,
whilst these below us are demon∣strable
to us: which Argument as for∣merly
confirms our Philosophy, that
the likeness of that which is remotely
above, is also beneath, co-inhabi∣ting
below, to work the Miracle of
one single thing, so that the same Act
of Power and Providence that made
them separable, made them also invisi∣ble,
as by the Law of demonstration
these are made visible to us.

But what are these Waters, these in∣visible
Waters, that surmounting the
Aether, and because above us perpe∣tually
Page 39

fly our sight, what are they, and
what were they in the Fiat of the Crea∣tion,
more than the pure and spiritu∣ous
part, separated from impurity
and all aquosity, whiles the pinguous
moist faecula, and indigested Vapours
stifly adhere to the visible form, which
by reason of inconcocted crudities and
indigestions, when celebrated to
warmth, lie fermenting in themselves,
and are the daily cause of Natural Pro∣duction,
animating and exerting the
Earth to Vegetation.

These Invisible Waters therefore a∣bove
the Firmament, must of necessity
be a Rarefaction of Air; and the Fir∣mament,
because intermediating be∣twixt
them, remonstrates it Celestial,
and a clarified Earth. For if to consult
the Creation and created Beings, we
are to consider them in a two fold Ca∣pacity;
the Visibility of the one, and
the Invisibility of the other; Elemen∣tary
Bodies, and Bodies Celestial;
where note, sublunar things are influ∣enced
by Celestials, as are Celestials
Page 40

governed by super Celestials. As the
Sun in his progress, because ruling
the Day, is by Divine appointment
the Parent of Vegetation. So has the
Moon her Nocturnal Government,
whereby she also operates the Ocean,
influencing Fluidity and the Female
Sex: Nor are the Stars and Constella∣tions
deficient or destitute, whereby
not to effect and influence Inferiors;
so that a perpetual motion is continu∣ally
maintained, and a constant rotati∣on
perpetually continued, otherwise
the Compound would admit of decay,
and a defect in any one part of the
Creation would inevitably draw on an
inconveniency upon the whole.

Thus the great Frame and Fabrick of
the Creation was ranged into a most
excellent and beautiful order, which
the Creator foresaw in the Idea or pro∣spect;
nor rested he there until the
final Complement of his Divine Coun∣sel
and Determinate Purpose: And
then it was that Adam was made, which
the Divinest created no less than a Mo∣narch,
Page 41

and intrusted by the Creator
with the Creatures in the Creation,
inraged Lucifer, that infernal Prince
to emulate the Dignity of this new Fa∣vorite,
who reflecti•g on his Ambiti∣ons
that so lately dethron'd him, which
obliged him to forfeit his Regal Pos∣session,
he therefore undermines to
blow up this Favourite, who tainting
our Protoplast, infects his Posterity.

And thus the bright and beautiful
Morning is sometimes sullied with a
louring Sky: For did not the Sun's ear∣ly
blazing smiles shine upon Sodom, and
her accurst Inhabitants that soon after
ended in a fatal Tragedy: what must
we call this if not a dismal Eclipse? nay,
altogether a deprivation of life, save
only to Lot, and his preserved Family,
on purpose kept alive by the meanes of
Miracle, when all the rest were made
most miserable Morts. Whiles there∣fore
we live here in this Natural State,
we only reap supplies of Aliment from
Elements: but when we shall be dis∣charged
the Manicles of Sin, and re∣least
Page 42

from the horrour and amaze∣ments
of Death; we shall then appear
under a more spirituous form, and
where we shall see things as they really
are in themselves; by which we may
know till then we knew nothing: Nor
are these Moral Beings, or Natural Ap∣prehensions
any other than signitures
or the deliniated Figure of that super-excellent
Beauty we shall see here∣after.

And God by Wisdom divided the
Waters from the Waters, the Celesti∣al
from the Terrestrial, Heaven from
Earth, the Invisible from Visible things,
and so disposed them by the Law of
Providence, appointing to every one
Dominion and Operation, in order to
bring about his determinated Creation.
And who knows but that these eleva∣ted
and invisible Waters, are the Wa∣ters
Moses speaks of that Bathe the
Banks of the New Ierusalem; and that
the spangled Firmament is the Pave∣ment
of Heaven, or the solid part
thereof, if not improper to say so; nor
Page 43

is't impertinent to think so, when
Invisibles are pointed at by Visible
Objects, otherwise I understand not
the design in the Text, which suppo∣sing
I do, I am unwilling to be refuted,
if when only to hear another Mans con∣tradiction.

But that there was, and still is a
Division or an Interposition betwixt Su∣periours
and Inferiours is past dispute;
Moses asserts it, and the Text affirms it;
where note as a Christian it concerns
me to enquire, and as a Philosopher
as gladly desire to be advised, and in∣formed
the Nature and the Quality of
these divisional Waters; the Vertue
and the Office of that that's Elementa∣ry,
as the Dignity and Operation of
that that's invisible: the first, because
Elementary we daily converse with,
and frequently apply it unto servile
uses; but the latter, since invisible we
assign that to Moses, except other∣wise
the Divinest by Oracle from Hea∣ven
be pleased to inspireus as the Pro∣phet
was inspired.

Page 44

Faith therefore is the evidence of
things invisible, as is demonstration
of visible things. The Waters above
the Firmament we have supposed them
Celestial, because of Sublimity, Puri∣ty,
and Rarification, which in the
great and admirable work of this stu∣pendious
Separation, the Chaos no
sooner felt the Examen of Heat, but
Water began immediately to operate,
and presently became convertible into
Air, and this I call Aetherial Rarifica∣tion,
by reason its not only separated
from Aquasity, but apparently be∣comes
to the World invisible.

Why not then by the same Argu∣ment
all the Fountains and Aquoducts
(nay the Ocean it self by the Law of
Necessity evaporate into Air, since
minutely it operates without inter∣mission,
(this is obvious to every one)
but the Sours of the Sea you'll object is
so deep; her Springs and Supplies so
manifestly numerous, that it's almost
impossible to exhaust her Treasures,
whereby to render her barren or im∣poverish'd;
Page 45

to that I answer, God has
placed such a Magnet in the very Bow∣el
and Center of the Waters, of that
attractive and magnetick Vertue, that
were not the Waters bounded by the
Law of Limitation, the Earth perad∣venture
would soften and melt; con∣sequently
become convertible into
Water, and for ought I know, resolve
at last into a moist, and a soft thin
Air.

But God the Creator has placed such
a Bar betwixt the Visible and Invisible
Waters: He, I say, it is, that by Wisdom
and Providence hung up a Spangled
Vail or Covering betwixt them, and
calls it the Firmament, which intersects,
or divides betwixt Celestials and Terres∣tials;
yet so, that a sympathy and con∣tinued
harmony is by the Divinest cor∣respondent
betwixt them; and the Text
tells us, that Heaven it self forbears not
to sigh, if at any time the Sinner be
sadned to mourn; but is filled with A∣lacrity
and Heavenly Joy, even at the
Conversion of one single Penitent:
Page 46

Nay so great is the triumph among the
Saints and Angels when a Sinner be∣comes
victor over Sin and Impeniten∣cy;
that all our Faculties as if Divine∣ly
exirted, muster up themselves in o∣pen
Hostility, to oppose the Invador of
our everlasting Tranquility: but I in∣tend
not to common place upon this
Divine Subject, otherwise than to elu∣cidate
the Mysteries of the Creation:
And where Rabbi Moses has drawn the
Curtain, I shall modestly by permissi∣on
endeavour to withdraw it (provi∣ded
it be thought neither Sacriledge
nor Impiety) since to confider behind
this Mystical Interposition the Magi
have concealed the Sanctum Sanctorum,
nor Prophane I, when to say, The
Beauty of Holiness.

So that we may read, and begin to
understand the Firmament by Inter∣pretation
is called Heaven, which
certainly is the Basis and Celestial Su∣perstructure
of this most admirable
and stupendindious Creation; tho to
us and our Ancestors seemingly invisi∣ble:
Page 47

wherefore let us resort to Hea∣vens
great School, where Christ him∣self
is Dictator and Pilate to conduct
us, and chief Rabbi to instruct us, for
the Divinest himself will become our
Interpreter; so that God in due time
will certainly manage us to that Sera∣phick
Society of Saints and Angels,
where we shall Daily be Divinely
taught, and by Jesus Christ the Son of
God made so Prophetical and Evangel∣lically
Intelligeable, that the Alphabet
of Heaven will be the Christ-Cross-Row,
whiles about these Sublunar
Orbs, our Modern Didacticks and
Learned Academicks are hourly so im∣pinged
that they sore no higher than
Custom, and President of Profest Arts;
and if without offence I may freely
speak it, rather of Litteral than Libe∣ral
Science.

Where note, some Anti-Scripturist's
have been lately so Prophane as to ima∣gine
God like to a Country Mechanick
that builds up with Stone, and finishes
with Timber, without any Infusion of
Page 48

Life and Motion; as if the whole
Creation was a Creature inanimate,
when the voluminous World which is
Gods great Library, is filled full of
Life, Activity, and Motion, which
Life is Spirit, and the cause of Multi∣plication,
and the natural Production
of all created things, that by Copula∣tion
are engendred, or otherwise by Pu∣trefaction
have received a new State
through Fermentation; all which Pro∣ductions
are manifest Arguments of
Life and Spirit, as also of Vegetati∣on.

The Texture therefore of this great
World clearly discovers, and demon∣strates
its animation; where the Visibi∣lity
of Earth manifestly represents the
Impure, Gross, and Natural Basis; and
the Elemental Waters because circula∣ting
about it, assimilates also the Ve∣nal
Blood, actuating and fermenting in
every Body, where the vital Pulse al∣so
operates as is seen in the admirable
Flux and Reflux of the Ocean; and the
Air of necessity the Vehickle for Spirits,
Page 49

wherein this vast Creature (meaning
the Creation) breath's invisibly; tho
peradventure not altogether, nor in
any part insensibly, and the Interstel∣lar
Skies, and Aetherial Waters, the
Vital Parts; whiles the Sun, Moon,
and Stars are the animating Spirits,
and supersensual Fires that warm the
Creation.

But this kind of Philosophy will
puzle the Putationer, as the Primitive
Truth of the Apostles confounded the
Romans. So Moses's Philosophy in the
Rudiments of the Creation, will be as
little understood as the Tracts of Her∣mes,
the T••mudist's, Cabalist's, Calde∣ans,
Egyptians, aud Arabians, if when
to consider the possibility of Nature,
which is impossible without superna∣tural
discoveries; and should we o∣therwise
conclude than by Divine Au∣thority,
we lick up the Froth of every
sottish Generation, so usher to posteri∣ty
that Atheistical Opinion calculated
by Imaginarist's, that the Creator
slept whiles the Chaos of it self with∣out
Page 50

Divine direction fell into this beau∣tiful
Order, as we now behold it; which,
if but to think so is a Sin of Impiety,
and an Error so enormous never enough
to be lamented.

But all such Inquietudes we remit
them to their destiny, since to carry
such, and so many Furies in their
own Bosoms whereby to hurry and tor∣ment
themselves; whose unwholsome
Principles, because nautious to them∣selves
would stamp their impression
on those that suck them in; so that one
would think such Souls mingled with
Clay, and because in the limit and cir∣cumstance
of Time are i• some mea∣sure
confin'd to Earth's sublunar mixts,
and by the World so severely intangled,
that like Birds in Limetwigs, the more
they flutter the faster they find them∣selves
intangled; in such a state I per∣swade
my self there's no Divine Specu∣lation,
nor Visional Faith whereby to
see the invisible state of things as they
stand nakedly, simply, and purely in
themselves, of which these Visible Ob∣jects
Page 51

are but Natural Representatives.
This perswasion directs to me an unre∣generate
state, because when not to
partake of a Supernatural Birth: the
Soul therefore that's immerged with
Sin, Darkness conducts it to a dismal
destiny, deeply shadowed under the
decays of Elements, and impossible
without a Miracle to make a flight a∣bove
the World, since by innate inhe∣rency
its partaker of the World.

But the Stars if when to consider
them the Almighty's Library, where
every Star is the Volumn of a World,
and every World a sumptuous Globe,
divinely held in the Hand of its Maker,
for such they were, and such they are;
not that these sublime and eminent E∣levations
were only made for Mortals
confusedly to gaze at; no, I'me per∣swaded
rather to excite and stir up ad∣miration,
whereby to elevate and
quicken our Devotion above our selves,
when to behold such Majesty fixt in
the Creation; for are not these Lumi∣nous
and Illustrious Bodies (which
Page 52

we behold hung up in that great Vor∣trice
of Heaven) Celestial Lamps, to
illuminate the Universe; and not on∣ly
to illuminate, but animate and ve∣getate,
so in conclusion, influence and
impregnate the Creation.

'Tis true, that Heaven is a Paradise
for Souls, and a Divine Reception for
the Divinity it self; but not that I
prophane to term it a Habitation,
when alluding that Heaven contains
the Divinest, since Heaven is every
where where ever God is, whose Ho∣ly
Presence institutes it Immutable, Im∣measurable,
and Eternal like himself:
whose Nature transmutes it into his
own likeness, and puts it into such a
Divine Capacity, that for ever its un∣capable
of the periods of Death.
Heaven therefore is the Divine Habita∣tion
of God, and the Light of Heaven
the Divinity of God; the blessed Socie∣ty
there, Saints and Angels; and
there it is that the Prophets and Pro∣phetesses,
with Apostles and Evange∣lists
daily Prophesie; for there every
Page 53

Day is a daily Sabboth, and Elohim be∣twixt
the Cherubs is the Lord Ieho∣vah.

But the Evening and the Morning
were the second Day, so that twenty
four Hours, nor more nor less, do but
compleat a Natural Day; when as the
whole Tract of Time in its Natural
Progress, appears to me but one Day
Super-natural, of which our Ance∣stors,
as also our selves from Sacred
Authority had these Divine Speculati∣ons:
so that if to consider that two
Days natural could operate such a
change in the great Creation; we
may rationally conclude, and as mo∣destly
determine the residue an Argu∣ment
to evince the Generations: For
could I but seriously point out to the
Creature the Blessed Creators mystical
Operation (which is altogether impos∣sible)
I might then peradventure
prove an Instrument to some whereby
to moderate and disintangle Passion,
pursuant only after perishing Objects,
and for ought I know, blot out the
Page 54

Prejudice and Animosity of others,
meaning such as seditiously sow Discen∣tion
among the Brethren, endeavou∣ring
thereby to reap the fruits of their
own conjectural Imaginations; which
to do, but undoes one another, by vio∣lating
the Sacred Laws of God, as that
also of Nature, and of true Religion,
since the Scriptures by a Divine Autho∣rity
require that every one examine
himself, and seriously and sedately stu∣dy
a Reformation.

Then were the Waters beneath the
Heaven by Divine Appointment ga∣thered
together; and those Invisible
Waters above the Heavens rallied
themselves, and separated apart;
which admirable and wonderful Act
or Operation occasioned a trepidation
all over the Chaos; for till then the
Waters intermingled with the Waters,
and the Elements as Inmates spread
themselves among them, till God in
his Wisdom stirred up the Magnet, and
then the Waters immediately attract∣ed,
so by Collision broke the Bond of
Page 55

Unity; for when so great a change
happned in the whole, of necessity eve∣ry
individual separated apart.

In which admirable progress every
one had its station, yet was it by ap∣pointment,
and the Providence of
God; so that the more sublime the
matter was, by so much the higher
it ranged it self, removing more re∣motely
from its own Faecula: when on
the contrary, to admiration, the more
Gravity it had, by so much the closer
it adhered to its Recrement; and in
this Operation the Fire claim'd the Pre∣cedency;
but next the Fire the Air
pleaded Succession; so that these two
Elements become as it were invisible,
and which also by reason of a Spiritual∣lity,
administred only to the Vital parts:
But Water and Earth, when to con∣sider
their Corporiety, their Gravity,
their Unity, and more Consubstantial
Parts; and because also Synonimous
with the Creature, it cloathed and fed
it with Prolifick Vertue: for whatever
any thing is of it self, of the same like∣ness
Page 56

it naturally produceth; and such
as are the constitution of Elements and
Principles, such also are our Native
and Corporial Constitutions.

To consider things therefore as they
are in themselves, we need not to bor∣row
Spectacles from others: for if
when to consider the Sun universally
shines, notwithstanding the Blind
Man he seeth it not: and so of Eclipses,
tho some have seen them; what then,
their natural Reason and Understand∣ing
can't reach them, however Credit
go's a great way in the case. The
Blind-man perhaps he swallows a Fly,
and if he do and feel it not, what pre∣judice
is there in it, when a Fly in the
Glass to him that hath Eyes, is not on∣ly
disturb'd, but in some measure ter∣rified,
because fearing to surfeit if not
to suffocate. Circumspection there∣fore,
and the Vertue of Temperance
circumscribe to us the Mediums for
long Life, when excess of any thing o∣verthrows
the whole, and would even
do so to this stupendious Creation,
Page 57

should it in any thing exceed with in∣temperance.

The Vertue therefore, and the Of∣fice
of Water is to cleanse, to moisten,
to mollific, and dissolve; to wash also
and purific the the outside. And this
peradventure was Iohn Baptists Ordi∣nance,
when only to blot out the Cha∣racter
of Circumcision, which indeed
was then prevalent among the Iews
till the Baptism of Jesus, of more Ener∣gy
and Vertue took place to purge out
Sin by Internal Purification, and which
also is that Baptism of the Holy Ghost
which Iohn proclain'd was the Bap∣tism
of Fire; so that these two Ordi∣nances
and Divine Operations were
vastly different, and distinct from
one another, for the one only washes,
but the other purifies; the first to
brush off the outward defilements;
but the latter to blot out Internal Pol∣lution.
Consider it therefore, you
Christian Professors, and live not by
Profession, but the life of Christiani∣ty.

Page 58

And the Divinest said, Let the dry
Land appear; which was no sooner
said but it immediately appeared.
Now dry Land which is the solid and
fix'd part of the Creation: all Inter∣preters
agree that its literally Earth;
and properly is such, and generally so
received, as is by Expositors and others
concluded. And this dry Earth I have
also considered was that only which
was left after separation of the Ele∣ments:
to which also was added the
dignity of an Element; and because
ranged and superscribed in the fourth
Clasis of the Macrocosm, is confirm'd
the most solid, and most fix'd part of
the whole, concentring it self upon its
own proper Basis, and impending on
nothing by a Divine Ordination, but
its own equal Poize and the Will of
God; so that neither upwards nor
downwards, Extension nor Demension
can any ways remove, displace, or un∣lodge
it; because God through Wis∣dom
has inspired into it the Magnet of
Fixation, Gravity, and Station which
Page 59

confirms it a central and fixt residence,
and the Waters to rowl perpetually a∣bout
it. The Air also to incircle and
surround it; and the Fire above all to
surmount above it, yet every of them
is restricted by Providence, within the
Circular Globe or Firmament of Hea∣ven.
But where are we now, got a∣bove
the Elements? no probably, but
as far as our Eyes will carry us; no
mortal sees farther.

Our Basis I perceive then will be un∣derstood
the Earth, and Earth and
Water compleat but one Globe; so
that of the whole, and visible appea∣rance,
here seems to remain but one
moity left: and the rather to confirm
it, it's obvious to every one, that the
Firmament of Heaven intersects be∣twixt
them; for the Elements of Fire
and Air disappearing, they become in∣visible;
so that what remains now save
only Earth and Water, which are Sub∣jects
most solid and visible to us: Not
that I impose this Doctrine upon any
Page 60

Man, nor do I offer it as a noval of my
own: since therefore of it self it is so
demonstrable, let it carry its evidence
in the Frontispiece of Time.

Earth therefore and Water are con∣stipated
Corelates, as hitherto we have
observed them visible Elements; and
the difference betwixt them is easily
reconcileable, when to consider the
Gravity of the one and Fluidity of the
other; yet both impregnated with Vi∣tal
Faculties, and to each is super ad∣ded
a Prolifick Vertue: and because
daily influenced by Stars and Planets,
are by the Divinest inspired with Life
and Vegetation. But Earth is the
Nurse and Supply of Elements, as is Wa∣ter
the Sister and the Mother of Earth:
and because both filled with Vertual
Production, they fail not to send forth
their daily encrease; whose Prolifick
Breasts minutely sprung up, naturally
replenished to supply the Universe.
But I must caution my self what I say
now, least peradventure there are
Page 61

some will decry any Hypothesis; and
what if they do, I matter not much,
since to leave behind me Proselites e∣nough
after my Death to assert and
maintain,

That the World had a beginning,
this is undeniable.

That Time sprung from Eternity,
this is also indisputable.

That Generation succeeded Time,
this is beyond all dispute unquestiona∣ble.

And that Generation terminates in
Death, is altogether infallible.

That the Elements and Principles
were lodg'd in the great Mass of the
Chaos, is true.

That Fire because of its Dignity su∣perceeded
the rest, is most true.

Page 62

And that Air because of its purity
climb'd up after the Fire, is certainly
as true: leaving the Waters rolling
too and fro, fluctuating, incircling,
and inspiring the Earth; and the
Earth as Central to all the rest, by
Wisdom and Providence was concen∣trate
on its Basis. Now tell me (if
you please) what false Doctrine's
here? and I'll tell you, that our Mo∣dern
Philosophers will allow it Ortho∣dox,
as the precedent Generations and
Philosophers before them, so govern'd
themselves as to assert and vindicate it.
So that as I design no Captivity by my
Discourse, nor intend I any Conquest
or Triumph over others; only the ex∣ercise
of every Man's Reason, compel∣ling
no Man to the dictates of my con∣clusions:
Give me leave therefore,
such to advise as converse with Scrip∣ture,
or correspond with Reason, and
the possibility of Nature; such I mean
as profligate those Fictious Notions of
Heathens, and Infidels, and Atheisti∣cal
Antiseripturists, whose suggestions
Page 63

are only of an imaginary Being of that
Superlative Being, whose real Essence
is existent in himself, pre-existing
Time, and is the God of Nature. God
blessed for ever.

And the Earth brought forth Grass;
Here's Natural Production, and this
Natural Product spreading it self a∣broad,
in a very short progress run in∣to
multiplication; and because the
Creator destinated it to the Creatures
use, it became Nutritious and Salubri∣ous
to them; consequently agreeable
and convertible to their Nature. But
the Apostle tells us, That all Flesh is
Grass; and as the Grass fadeth and
withereth away, so Flesh and Blood,
our daily Morts, prognosticate them al∣so
in a state of Corruption; and in
process of time to admit of Solution:
Every thing therefore that is in a ca∣pacity
of being dissolved, that thing
most certainly becomes invisible; and
such a posture stands the whole Crea∣tion
in, since daily to admit of Trans∣mutation.

Page 64
And the Herb yielded Seed, and the
Fruit-tree his Seed, and the Roots and
Fruits also, after their kind, which are
radicated and impregnated in every
individual; nor are they found in a∣nother
Specie. And Sandivogius tells
us before the separation of Elements,
that every individual had then in it
self Vertuality but one single primor∣dial
Seed, yet denies not that this pri∣mordial
Seed had the Specimen Ver∣tue
of all the rest, vertually and pri∣marily
radicated in it. However there
be some that will oppose this Doctrine,
and lead by a perverse Biass, would
gladly refute it; but blessed is he that
receives and believes it; for it is a se∣cret,
and the gift of God sealed up
from ignorant and obstinate Men;
not only in this, but in every Genera∣tion.

Nor can any Man, I perswade my
self, know God in the Abstract, except
otherwise by the Work of God in the
Creation; which Commissions me al∣so
to say in the Creature as Paul says,
Page 65
Christ in you the hope of Glory. If
therefore another Man's knowledge
profit me nothing except he enforms
me the Measures he knows; he but
exposes my Faith to a rambling search,
to find out the truth by a dubious Exa∣mine:
How miserable therefore, and
much to be lamented is that implicit
Putationer, whose Zeal truckles un∣der
every form of Religion, and bows
his Knee to every new model of Con∣formity.

Let us therefore but examine this
stupendious Creation, wherein God
has made himself obvious to the Crea∣ture,
and which ought to be the Study
of every Enquirer, when because to
read Lectures in the Stars and Ele∣ments:
The copious Volumns, and
visible Folio's of God the Creator, that
gave then a Being, and are his Ora∣cles,
that by Divine Interpretation are
made visible, conspicuous, and in∣telligible
to us: For here we may read,
that Generation it self presents unto
us the Marginal Notes; and Genus
Page 66

and Species, the Vowels and Conso∣nants,
the Magi of old learnt us to
spell by; so that the Letters and Sylla∣bles
of this blessed Alphabet, points
out unto us the Manuscript of the Uni∣verse;
over which great School, God
himself is chief Rabbi; whose Stu∣dents
and Prosolites are Nature and
Religion; and their daily Lectures,
and solemn Declamations, the Visibi∣lity
and invisibility of this Voluminous
Creation, wherein God makes mani∣fest
himself in the Creature, which
teacheth us to live by the Vertual Act
of Faith, whereby we may hope,
what at present we cannot enjoy; so
labour to find out the hidden Mystery
of Truth, and the unfrequented Tracts
of Wisdom and Experience; which is,
or ought to be the study of every Man
born into the World; more especially
to Christians: For truly to know God
is to know Life Eternal; for he that
knows him but as he is told, I can hardly
perswade my self he knows him at all.
Search well within therefore, perad∣venture
Page 67

thou wilt find him; and if
thou look without, there is he also to
be found. So that in every thing, and
in every place, is his Mercy, or his
Justice: where his Power is also, and
the Majesty of his Presence; for no∣thing
is, nor can subsist without him.

Is not this enough to enamour the
Creature, whose dependance is whol∣ly
upon the Creator; for if when to
inspect Heaven by Divine speculation,
with confidence we may assure our
selves, his habitation is there: and if
we dive into the Center of the Earth;
there also is his Instrument, by which
Nature operates. The Superficial parts
also, and the Soil of Earth; visibly,
and manifestly declare his Vegetation:
and the celestial Incholists, as Planets,
and Constellations, do not they influ∣ence
this blessed Creation. So that
the whole, and every part thereof de∣clare
him admirable; therefore to be
admired, till led by admiration to the
Corona of Beatitude, which to the Reli∣gious
seems a pleasant short Stage;
Page 68

since the Life of Man is measured but
a Span. Earth therefore must to Earth,
and Elements to Elements; and all
compounded mixts submit themselves
to solution; which properly termi∣nates
in the periods of Death; but
Eternity, stands for ever in the pre∣sence
of God; and is therefore most
permanent, durable, and everlasting.

But the Earth budded forth, because
fill'd with Vegetation; and every
Tree, from the Cedar, to the Shrub;
so the Oak, the Asp, the Poplar, and
the Ash, had its Seed radicated, and
inated in its self; Plants and Herbs al∣so
in due time producted, and vari∣ously
multiplied to adorn the Creation
and not so only to the praise of him
that made them; but to sustain, re∣fresh,
and gratifie the Creature: the
mighty God, the Lord Iehovah, his
mighty Arm has wrought this Crea∣tion;
and who shall compensate for so
Divine a Work, if when to consider
that we are but Earth, and our earthy
Ornament but the blossom of Vegeta∣tion;
Page 69

and Vegetation it self, what is it
more, than the antecessor, or forerun∣ner
of Mortification; and Mortificati∣on
what is it but the prospect of pu∣trefuction,
which leads on directly to
the prisons of Death.

Every thing therefore that is natu∣rally
produced; results, and termi∣nates
in its native beginnings: For
whatever thing is Elemental, or had
inicience from thence; falls under the
same predicament, and destinated to
die; whose ends because fliding into
the periods of inactivity, partake of
the common destiny of all compound∣ed
mixts. For such are the Elements,
and all Elementary Beings, ever since
they had a Being, and Birth in the Crea∣tion:
But here to Philosophize, when
duely separated, and afterwards co∣united,
and re-conjoyned again; it
represents the invisibility visible to us;
which then resulting in an Astrum, or
Quintessentia, is in a capacity to dignifie
other Bodies, and make them glorious,
as it self is transcedent.

Page 70

But who has considered this great
Conservator, besides him that reads
daily lectures in the Orbs, and makes
it his business to consult the Creation:
that makes the Host of Heaven his dai∣ly
Common-place-book, and he that
made Heaven, his hourly Contempla∣tion:
which priviledges me to say,
he that made Man, made not Man for
himself, but to admire his Maker: till
then we shall never be truely devoted,
nor know what God is, nor what is his
truth, notwithstanding so often by o∣thers
reminded: but like to the World,
and pratling Parots, talk to others
those things we understand not our
selves. In this kind of Zeal I was
morally Educated, and suckt my Re∣ligion
in with my Learning, too co∣pious
Theams to be taught in one Aca∣demy,
when the Universe it self is
too compendious for a University. I
grant its true, that the Press made a
noise, but you must grant me the Pul∣pit
made a greater, till to me there
seem'd a defect in both: the first be∣cause
Page 71

I found in a great measure im∣practible;
and the latter peradventure
as unexperiental.

This conducted me to search after
the wisdome of him that alone is the
Divine Miracle of wonder; and my
daily Speculations were animated with
discovery, when every Signature un∣folded
it self; and every Classis brought
forth a Clavis, wherewith to unlock
the Meanders of Nature. Diana in
this Vision seem'd almost unvailed;
and every thing naked, in its native
simplicity: This represents somewhat
an Admical state, but unsatisfied in
mind as to these discoveries, I was led
to contemplate the Mysteries of the
Incarnation; how the Divinity when
cloathed with Humanity, took not on∣ly
our Nature, but our Infirmities up∣on
him; and was a bright and shi∣ning
Light, illuminating the World,
and every thing therein, and is that
Light which saveth the World; that
shines in darkness, yet the darkness
knows it not: a Light of that Beauty
Page 72

that illustrates Eternity, and regene∣rates
us Plants in the Paradice of God,
to legitimize us Heirs of the New Ie∣rusalem:
which if duely considered,
here's a prospect of Life; when at a
distance stands hovering the issues of
Death: So that Good, and Evil seem
to stand in a Poiz' till Earth be found
lite by the counterpoiz of Heaven;
and here it was also I see my self naked,
waiting for a change, for God is all.

This leads me on to a farther consi∣sideration,
if when to contemplate
what's more visible than Earth; and
Earth, and Water to compleat but one
Globe; whilst the Air is drest up with
the blessings of Vegetation, whereby
to inrich and impregnate the Earth:
As may be seen in the very front and
surface of the Soil, since dekt, and a∣dorn'd
with such beautiful Greens; as
Ornaments of Superiours, illustrating
inferiours: So that the Earth was spread
with prolifick Vertue, and production
from thence immediately ensued, by
discovering the prodigious plenty of
Page 73

Grass; a word large enough to express
it universal, had not some laboured tho'
to little purpose, because when to shroud
it under the denomination of Herbage.

Grass therefore admits of a large ex∣tension,
when because to comprehend
both Animals and Vegetables: and is
peradventure the Original word, not∣withstanding
the various interpretation
of Expositors, because directing it self
to the level Paul speaks of, as two inter∣secting
Angles direct to the Centre of
one and the same single gnomen. So
that we need not to cavil about the
word Grass, where the property of the
thing is so well understood. Herbage
therefore is Grass, and Paul tells us,
Flesh is Grass: and Grass by interpreta∣tion
is the most universal Vegetable.

Trees and Plants also are of the same
Linage, save only from a larger size of
more maturated Grass. Stones, and
concressions also what must we call
them, if not coagulated, and petrefied
Grass. So that Grass in one respect is
every thing that Earth vegetates, tho
Page 74

modified after various Formations, and
Figures; differently drest up by the
hand of Nature. And because have∣ing
respect to time, and place; by
supplement of Air, and moist sove∣raign
Vapours, causeth it to grow, and
spreading It self on the Superficies of
Earth, spires out into Grass. Which
when otherwise concealed in subter∣ranean
Cavities, grows up into Metals,
and the race of Minerals. As for Ex∣ample,
have not all Trees their Roots
in the Earth, when their loaden Boughs
hang burdned with Fruit. And are
not all Metalline Roots radicated in
the Air, when the Centre of the Earth
is burdened with their Fruits; what's
more intelligible.

Now there is but one universal Spi∣rit
in Nature, from whence things O∣riginally
have all their supplies; and
the three Clauses also of Animals, Ve∣getables,
and Minerals; are they not
so many Marks, Sigels, and Characters,
which the Creator has imprinted, and
stampt upon them, whereby the Crea∣ture
Page 75

might read, and know them. But
Man above all, because Lord of the
Creation, is made most intelligible,
whereby to understand them: where∣fore
he calls them by Names, for di∣stinction;
when as the rest of the Crea∣tures
know them only by instinct. And
this vegetating Spirit has its Seed in its
self, and the Air is plentifully reple∣nished
with it; which Seeds scatter'd,
and spread about the Vniverse, furnisheth
the Creatures in all parts of the Creation.

The Americans can tell you that
Trees grew naturally where the Native
Indians never had a being; and were
it not for Europes agriculture, and in∣dustry;
her florid Fields, and flourish∣ing
Pastures, would soon feel the fatal
stroke of disorder; so become Forrests,
and barren Desarts, fit only for beastial,
and salvage inhabitants. For God ne∣ver
made nor sent any thing into the
World that was either indigent, de∣fective,
or imperfect; every Creature,
nay, the Plants themselves were fur∣nished
with prolifick, and seminal qua∣lifications;
Page 76

sterility was a thing utter∣ly
unknown, till disobedience disinheri∣ted
our royal Protoplast; which had for
ever so remained to the periods of time,
had not the Cross obliterated the Curse.

Our Ancestours oft laboured to strike
out the Eyesore, which the succeed∣ing
Generations have thought no im∣pediment,
because to study new Modes
of Sinning, whereby to improve impie∣ty
by consent; which has rarely ceas∣ed
to follow every Generation, as na∣turally
(in my opinion) as Rust attends
Copper; fretting, and corroding the
natural Body, till time, and other co∣modes
blot out its Character; so per∣mits
the compound to slide into A∣tomes,
and yield it self Captive to the
Prisons of Death; waiting from the
Artist a Resurrection. But such Bodies
as these we call imperfect, because of
a Leprosie impendent on them; when
as indeed there are other dignified Bo∣dies,
that fear not to die, because unca∣pable
of Death: whose peluced anima
like Stars in the Firmament, make glad
Page 77

the Adepti, and solicitous in Art.

In the next place, I purpose to speak
something of Light; and since Light
by the Text is the Oracle of God, it
was by his Wisdome apparently made
manifest, when undressing the Hoil
of this beauteous Creation; which
Light also leapt out of the bosome of
Eternity into the Vision, and per∣spective
of Time; and because expa∣tiating
it self in the Chaos was the
Cause of this admirable Separation of
the Waters, when by Divine Ordina∣tion
they divided themselves; and then
it was that dry Land appeared: Nor
could it be otherwise because then
the purer parts immediately began to
feel the force of Separation, so let the
recrements subside to the bottome, be∣cause
of their feculent and impure
Centre, and thus by the Fiat were all
impurities Separated, from that which
of it self was altogether pure; and
this Act of Separation we attribute to
God, who substituted Nature daily to o∣perate:
For should there happen but the
Page 78

least Cessation, the whole Compound
would annihilate, so become invisible.

But every Separation of separable
Things creates the Unity, and perpe∣tuates
the Harmony; since the Life of
one Element is dependent on another;
nor lives the one without the breath∣ings
of the other. The Waters perpe∣petually
moistening the Earth, whiles
the Earth inspires, and ferments the
Water; but the soft sweetnings, and
breathings of Air impregnates both;
as do the Stars in their station, and
Celestial Rotation, actually influence,
and penetrate the whole. From whence
we morrally and rationally conclude
that Earth made dissoluble converts
into Water; and Water by heat is ra∣•ified
into Air. Air consequently by
circulation is convertible into Fire,
and this I call Motion, and the perpe∣tual
rotation of this admirable and
imbellished Creation, notwithstand∣ing
Copernicus asserts the Contrary,
when to tell us that the Earth of it
self has a motion: however, I know
Page 79

none, except that of Vegatation.

And now the great Creator that
made the Light commands that Lights
appear in the 〈◊〉 Number; and di∣vinely
ranging them in the Frontispiece
of Heaven, it denot•s unto us the afore∣said
Separation of that which is pure
from that that's im•ure. Fo•〈◊〉 Firma∣ment
at once 〈…〉 with 〈◊〉 whose
Bodies were innumerable, 〈◊〉, and
luminous, and 〈◊〉 made to shine all
over the Universe••hey also illuminate
and impregnate the Creation▪ and that
to admiration, he hung the•••word in his
sublime Sanctuary, to discrim•〈◊〉 Day
from the obscurities of 〈◊〉 and to
mark out the Winter 〈◊〉 Sum∣mer
Season: For they 〈◊〉 made
Signs, and Expositors of Seasons to re∣monstrate
days, 〈◊〉•imes to prog∣nosticate:
Thus we ••ad, and as con∣stantly
we observe the Heavens adorn∣ed
with these beautiful Bodies, so that
their operations we feel, and some∣times
their effects; but their ends as
hitherto are not generally understood,
Page 80

tho frequently th••ght 〈◊〉 and des∣canted
by putatio••rs; who fancy it
Sacriligious when to mediate on them,
or if but to enqui•• into the order of
the Creation; supposing the Creator
like thems••ves but nigardly, when to
conceal such an excellent and admira∣ble
〈…〉; least peradventure eve∣ry
〈◊〉 should p•• into the Model,
so 〈…〉 Maker by the Mediums
of Art•

But Gods divin• Oracles surpasseth
mans reason, 〈◊〉 wisdome instructs
us the ••••ods of the Creation; nor
was 〈◊〉 ignorant of these Celestial
〈◊〉 who pointed out to us the
Divin•〈◊〉 of Stars, how some of
them 〈◊〉, and how some move
themselves: who cites to us the mo∣tion
of 〈…〉 Constellations;
the forms, and ••nfigurations also of
the Signs of the Zodiack; with the
blazing. Meteo•s, and formidable Ap∣paritions;
the beauty of Orion, and the
splend•ur of the Pliades: the lustre of
Bootes •ubulus, or Arctophylax: the
Page 81

celerity of Mercury, and the Rotation of
Ursa Major, incircling Ursa Minor, in
opposition to the Crosiers, Directors to
Artick, and the Antartick Poles. But what
edifies all this to an illiterate Person,
any more than a Clerum at the Com∣mencement
in Cambridge: ignorance I
must confess is an o'rgrown Infant,
and the greatest Enemy and Opposer
of Art, which ought to be shun'd as a
Monster in nature; and above all things
abhor'd as some mortal Contagion; or
thing worse, could worse be supposed:
For ignorance, and impudence they
poison our Faith, and of future hope
would have us to suspect the enjoy∣ment
of the excellency of those di∣vine
things whereof now we know lit∣tle
more than part.

For to read in the beautiful face of
the Firmament, we discover the invisi∣billity
of things made visible, which
manifests to us the end of the Creation:
So that I prophane not, nor would I be
thought erronious, when if only to
assert that the Stars made visible are
Page 82

Angels only explicated (and the Saints
shall shine as the Stars in Glory) con∣sequently
that Angels are Stars com∣plicated;
and as the Star Hesper is the
Suns Aurora, so the day Star of Rege∣neration
is the Son of God, to light us
up to his glorious habitation: it is true,
that as the Night is opposite to the
Day, so Sin interposeth betwixt God,
and the Creature; we must carry the
Cross to purchase the Crown, and di∣vide
the Day from obscurities of the
Night: which without a Metaphor is
the Light from Darkness, Sin from
Sanctity, Death from Life; and which
indeed are sublime operations, fit only
for him that divinely operates.

The frontispiece therefore or visibi∣lity
of the Firmament, God noted out
to us for Signs, and for Seasons; so for
Days, and for Years; whereby to pro∣phesie
of those fatal Events, frequently
impendent ore impenitent people: but
the Seasons declaratively make demon∣strative
of heat, so do they of cold; as
at other times of rain, and •lso of fair
Page 83

weather; because visibly read in the
face of the Stars, Exhalations, Corrusca∣tions,
and Embodied Clouds. The days
also numerate the date of the Crea∣tion,
and the Nights direct us to read
Lectures in the Heavens. Thus we see
that we see nothing, except we see and
understand by the Wisdome of God,
the excellency and beauty of those
sublime things, pointed out to us in the
mysteries of the Creation, viz. how
the Ray of Light profligates Darkness;
and the Glory of the Majesty mortifies
Death; the consideration whereof
sweeteens all difficulties; but the
blessed fruition ravishes the Soul, and
makes it infinitely more pleasant and
dilectable, than temporal sweets affect
the sence.

And God the Creator made two
great Lights, the Sun and the Moon;
whose different progress directs unto
us a different appointment: the Sun as
abovesaid, to rule the Day, but the
Moon by reflection to govern the
Night. So that the Sun by Divine or∣dination,
Page 84

and the Providence of God
superceeds the Moon; but the Moon
by a peculiar virtue influenceth the
Ocean, and adorns the Universe:
The Majesty of the Sun is admired by
the Persians, so is that of the Moon a∣dored
by the Indians. Now the Suns
warm body moderates the Earth, and
would peradventure in some measure
callifie it, did not the moist Air gene∣rously
intermediate. And the Moon
perhaps would frigidate the Ocean,
did not the Suns soveraign warm Beams
mildly, and sweetly by influence nou∣rish
it. What illuminates the Orbs, and
what inspires the Ocean, if not Sun,
and Moon by the Providence of God▪
that vegetates, and impregnates the
Creatures in Creation.

So that if when to consider the Ma∣jesty
of the Sun, that incessantly moves
without intermission, in the Central
Orbs, and every Angle of the Uni∣verse;
whose defused Ray spreads up∣wards,
and downwards; and every
way to influence with heat and mo∣tion:
Page 85

and because enricht, and adorn∣ed
with such eminent qualifications, as
the majesty of Light, and the excellen∣cy
of Beauty; it might probably in∣vite
Sandivogius the Philosopher to su∣perscribe
him the Vehic•lum, or Taber∣nacle
for God: which Hypothesis is re∣futed
by Basil Valentine, and contradict∣ed
by Scriptural Authority. For I will
build my Tabernacle, and dwell among
men; and the Saints they shall shine as the
Stars in Glory. But the Sun beyond
dispute is the most glorious Creature
that God has Created in this stupen∣dious
Creation, because of its purity,
and superlative Clarity; since totally
separated from all its dregs: whose
inside and outside we made Synoni∣mous,
formd out of pure Principles of
Life and Heat; whose rapid motion
gives action to the Orbs, and cloaths
all the Stars with his Lustre, and Splen∣dour;
making them shew beauteous by
the lustre of his brightness: and because
by the Divinest deckt, and adorn'd
with Glory; he lives without com∣peer,
Page 86

nor has he any Corival; where
note he's a Monarch, and the Parent of
Vegetation.

And such is the Moon, tho a faint flat∣tering
Ray (if when compared with the
Sun) yet she illustrates unto us from the
same Original: and because adapted
from adequate primordials, in her oc∣cidental
Cressant she naturally displays
a Lunar clarity; when in her Oriental
purity an incomparable brightness:
and tho' by reason of distance She
wants a natural warmth, yet in her
Progress she spreads forth of splendour,
whereby she sends Beauty to the ends of
the Ocean. The Tides themselves also
are a Lunar flux, and such is the frail im∣bicility
of Females: For the Moon has a
Monarchy within her self, yet directs
She by the generous Beam of her So∣veraign,
who by Wisdome and Pro∣vidence
of the Supreamest Good that
governs the whole, and also the parts;
is made to nourish, and refresh the
Creation: so that to make things
plain, by explaining my self, perad∣venture,
Page 87

may bring my Discourse into
suspition, were the Vulgar my Judges;
who, I fancy by this have already
doomed, and brought me under the
calamity of a Lunatick.

The residue of the Stars, the Di∣vinest
also he placed them in order by
particular classes, and gave to every
one by a grant from Heaven, a pecu∣liar
vertue, and different operation:
one to dignifie Earth into the purest
Gold, another to make Silver shine in
the Mines: a third to scatter Iron
Stone, underneath the Surface; a fourth
to discover Quick•silver fluid; a fift
lays open the Mines of Tin: and a sixth
the beauteous Mettalline Copper: but
the seventh creates the Earth into Oar,
which by smelting at the Mills, is con∣vertible
into Lead: but there are O∣ther,
and various coagulations, besides
these seaven; as allowed by Philoso∣phers,
the product and progeny of
Erratick Stars: and such is Cat-silver,
Mine Oars, and Minerals; mixt Metals
also, with various complications. Then
Page 88

their's Talk, and Realgar; with Zink,
Bismuth, and Cobolt; and the regal Ce∣ments
of Hal, and Malk, besides Mar∣kasites,
and Pierites; with innumerable
concressions of opacous Bodies, enough
to astonish the Reader, if to name
them.

Precious Stones also are of the same
progeny, and legitimate heirs of Stars
and Constellations: and tho' some
coagulations out-lustre one another, as
the Cristal, because having a polite and
shining face; so has the Crisolite a Dia∣phinous-body:
but the Saphir, the Hia∣cinth,
the Smaragdine and Emerald, to∣gether
with the Amethist, Diamond,
Ruby, and the Carbuncle, are all glori∣ously
tinged with a Mettalline Tin∣cture:
but there are other, and Opa∣cous
Bodies, directing to the Topax,
beside the Turchas; and such is the
Onix, and admired Granat; with the
Cornelian, needless to nominate, in re∣gard
by the Mobile so generally un∣derstood.
All which have their Offi∣cine,
and Shops in the Earth, where Il∣liastes,
Page 89

and Archeus, are Rector, and O∣perator;
the one to find stuff and the
other labour: but Demogorgan assists
both by the help of Vulcan. Thus in
brief I have given you a short view of
Celestials, and how they are adapted
Parents of Terrestials.

Now these glorious and luminous
Lamps, the Stars, were kindled by the
Divinest to illuminate the World: and
God lifted them up, and set them in
the Firmament as Oracles, and Orna∣ments
to adorn the Universe: whose
signature and impressions are perpe∣tually
imprest upon Earths soft Table,
to influence and impregnate it with
prolifick vertue: For the Sun and
Moon, shews us Heaven and Earth in
a lesser Character than most men
dream of: and because having a mag∣netick
vertue, and principle in them∣selves;
the first fills the World with
heat, and activity, but the latter because
immerg'd with passive qualifications,
influenceth fluidity, and the race of
Females. The Sun therefore we super∣scribe
Page 90

him Masculine, but the Moon
every one intitles Feminine: where
note, as these Luminaries are made to
move, consequently so moves the
Wheels of Generation and corrupti∣on,
which mutually dissolves all com∣pounded
Bodies.

But the Moon most properly is the
Organ of Transmutation, as is the Sun
the Parent of Generation: and these
two Luminaries multiply and fructifie
every individual as to generation, and
multiplication; for what compound
ever was, or is there to be found in
whole nature that holds not in it self
some proportion of the Sun, and so of
the Moon, whereby to confirm it with
life, and motion; so that what Offices
soever are performable by these two
Luminaries, either for preservation of
the whole, or conservation of part;
as is the performance for one, such also
and after the same manner is the like
office for all. Since therefore such
Vertue shines from Celestials, what
may be expected from Super-Celestials
Page 91

is not Christ the Wisdome, the Beauty,
and the Glory of the Majesty, whose
admirable amazi•g and astonishing
brightness shines in the Tracts to the
new Ierusalem.

The holy men of God in former
Ages read daily Lectures in this Di∣vine
Manuscript; and the same Starry
Folio since the beginning of the Crea∣tion,
has lain unfolded to this very
Generation: So that wanting Solomons
wisdome, and Iobs inspection; very
few, or none do read in it now. Sure∣ly
our Rabbies have lost the Clavis.
Hermes its true, and the Egyptians be∣fore
him understood, and stiled God,
Minos Solitaria; but our great Pro∣phet
Moses; Iehovah, and Elohim; so
the Cabalists intitled him Aleph Tenebro∣sum,
from whence some conjecture the
Delphians in their inscriptions direct
their Orisons to the unknown God.
But the Arabs—their Orisons: but the
Arabs and the Caldeans marks him out
Aleph Lucidum. So that doubtingly
the Key of Knowledge in some mea∣sure
Page 92

may be lost, otherwise the Alphabet
would not seem so unintelligeable; un∣less
we have made new Heavens of our
own, so study them only, and forget the
old one. But the Creation of Harmo∣ny
who can forget, and not forget him
that adorns the Universe: so fill up his
Lamp with Foetid Oyl, whose stinking
Empyruma instead of Aroma's, infects
the Altar, and offends the Omnipotent.

But man by the Divinest was Creat∣ed
twofold, Visible, and invisible: Cor∣poreal,
and Celestial: his Elementary
Body, or visible part of a pure fixt
Earth; or a deep red Clay: but his
Soul or Invisibility of an Essence Roy∣al,
not to be found in the Texture of
the great World, more intellectual
therefore, and more supernatural;
from whence Montanus that great Pan∣theologist,
calls Man a small or little In∣carnation,
in which work God was
pleased to multiply himself.

Nor was Man the primitive Work in
this blessed Creation, but the great
World was, out of which Man was
Page 93

made: whose Principles, and Practice
ought to be well examined; should
we resolve to take part for the whole;
so guess at the frame by a regular pro∣portion.
And as Man was taken out of
this copious World, so was the Woman
also taken out of Man. For God in his
Eternal Idea foresaw that whereof as
yet there was no material Copy. The
Goodness and Beauty of which invit∣ed
him to Create Man like unto him∣self;
and beholding that divine and
lively Image of his own, inwardly to
shine in the Tabernacle of Man; he
became therewith enamoured with
divine Ardency; and so loved the
Creature, that when Sin had defaced it;
he again restored it by the suffering of
that Power by which Man at first was
made and created.

But the Sun and the Moon were
made to operate, and man in a sence was
made to imitate; whose Masterpice is
Invention, and whose Study should be
that to repair which Nature because
interrupted left somewhat imperfect:
Page 94

but not that Nature cannot perfect her
Operations; rather we are to consider
all scientifical Artists but dull Opera∣tors,
and Imitaters of Nature, who
works by her own Copy, slighting all
Artifice, and artificial Presidents; since
such seem useless, and altogether im∣proper
to her, that of her self, can per∣fect
the whole.

Health craves no method for Phi∣sick,
nor Diet; 'tis Disease only that
claims the priviledge of Medicine:
then why so preposterous to seek sick∣ness
in health, and daily enquire the
state of new Worlds, when the old
one by Providence is still so good, and
upheld by his Power can never die.
The wise Creator has put therein such a
renovating faculty, that of it self by
attraction and repercussion, it receives
what's suitable, and agreeable to its
nature, rejecting whatever is unagree∣able
to its resentments, as a thing that's
loathed by a disdainful appetite: let
every student therefore study the
knowledge of that which God in his
Page 95

Wisdome has already made; since
Man with all his Art can make nothing
like it.

And now since the Stars are com∣missioned
to Rule, Saturn as Superiour,
and Lord of the Universe, assumes the
precedency: and who because of his
ancient and paternal Dignity, claims a
prerogative above all the Planets; ex∣alting
himself in the supreamest Orb:
whose Wife by allusion of Poetical
Fixion was surnamed Ops, the Daugh∣ter
of Caelas; of whom is begot the
fair Androginas, as also the beautiful
and the Florid Vesta: to whom the Vo∣taries,
and the Vestal Nimphs in the
days of Numa Pompilius, offered up
their Orisons. Of Metals, therefore
Saturn is Lead; of Minerals Antimony,
but of Stones the Granate.

Next unto Saturn's Superiour Orb,
benevolent Iupiter assumes the Throne;
who sways the Scepter in a peaceable
Dominion, and himself as his Govern∣ment
is also peaceable: a Monarch
that's surrounded with Senators and
Page 96

Statesmen; made happy in his choice
when celebrated to Iuno, had not his
Royal Consort been wounded with jea∣lousie.
Now this fair Goddess as the
Poets have conceived sprung from the
loins of Saturn, and Ops: whose Me∣tallick
progeny was only Tin: and of
Minerals Zink, but of Stones the Iacinth.

Now Trinus Magnus or Valorous
Mars, he mounts the Chariot; who by
Poetical Fixion is the Son of Iuno.
This great Martialist and Champion of
the Gods, ascends his triumphant
Throne next unto Iupiter, and Rules by
the Sword: whose Law as is asserted,
is the force of Arms: however the
Poets have prescribed him no Wife, but
inamoured with Venus, some suppose
her his Paramour: rich in no Child
but Iron, and Vitriol, save only the
Soveraign and Medicianal Heliatrope:
whose Markasite is Bismuth, and whose
Minera is the Magnet.

Most illustriously adorned, Sol him∣self
advanceth: whose dazling Ray
•ills all the World with Lustre: but his
Page 97

Consort is known by the name of Lune,
whose fair beauty some say equalizeth
his brightness; yet no Child he had but
Gold, and the Carbuncle; excepting the
Ruby, and Lapis Luzuli, with some Mi∣nerals,
and Markasites tinged with his
Lustre: otherwise of themselves they
could never shine.

But Venus succeeds, and because the
Queen of Heaven, She's reputed the
Speculation of all the Philosophers.
Who was thought as by Fiction the fair
Daughter of Caelus but her Mother the
Ancients have prescribed the Ocean: if
so, this fair Goddess she sprung from
the Sea, and was the supposed Wife of
Vulcan, Master of the Cyclops: she had
no Child indeed excepting Copper, yet
is she rich to excess in Vitriol, wherein
lies her Treasure: whose nativity of
Stones is the beautiful Emerald; but
her Markasite is Cobolt.

Mercury next to Venus he ranges
himself, and among the Planets is stiled
Intelligencer: a universal lover of Me∣tals,
and Minerals; principally all those
Page 98

of a regal condition; we read of no
Wife that ever he had, because an He∣maphrodite,
and compleat in both
Sexes; whose progeny is Quick-silver,
and the sparkling Diamond.

Next to Mercury the Empress of
the Orbs Lune's Silver Horns they
polish the Sky. But we have told you
already whose Wife she is, tho' some
among the Philosophers superscribe
her Masculine: whose native Child is
the burnisht Silver, and the beautiful
Saphir: but her Artificial, as hinted by
Basil Valentine; is the first born Daugh∣ter
of all the Philosophers.

But the Stars, I have considered,
ought not to be thus discourst, nor
ought we to discipher them after this
manner; nor was it indeed my primi∣tive
intention; however since so blunt∣ly
to blab it out: let it serve only
therefore to commode the ingenious,
and direct the Sons of Science into the
Tracts of Philosophy; making the E∣lements
Natures Common-place-book;
in whose legible Index if well examin∣ed,
Page 99

you may there find all that ever
she did, or for the future intends to do.
And in this thin tiffeny she wraps up
her Principles before she embark them
into coagulation: and which also re∣tains
the Species of things, and is the
immediate receptacle of Spirits after
solution of their natural Bodies: from
whence, and through which the good
ones pass to a Superiour Limbus, or Em∣peroeal
Heaven; where all pure Essen∣ces
have their eternal Residence.

And thus we have determined by a
Philosophical Liberty to liken Nature
to a beautiful Lady, shaded sometimes
under a Cyprus Vail; metaphorically
interpreted a thick Mettallick Mantle:
or rather a complication of Elements,
and Principles: which when it shall
please the Divinest to unvail, and draw
it off from before the Creation; we
shall not only see Nature really naked;
but the very beauty of things them∣selves,
whereof these we now behold
are but representatives: when on the
contrary should ignorance invade us;
Page 100

how an outward dimness, and an in∣ward
darkness would presently ensue:
from which we pray, Libera nos Domine.
But all complicated Bodies are Elemen∣tal,
and Spiritual; which by medium
of Celestials become magnettically u∣nited:
and is the true, and the only cause
of Production, and also Vegetation:
Natures Fundamentals, and the Philo∣sophers
Speculation.

And the Evening and the Morning were
the fourth Day, but every day since the
beginning of Time is Gods Day only,
and properly his; and so will remain
the whole progress of Time; and will
be so when Time is no more. But the
Divine harmony of things in the Crea∣tion
were manifest in Time, in which
all ends and beginnings have their
natural period. The beginning there∣fore
was in creating; and creating was
an act of making things manifest.
The periods also, or results of which,
are manifestly discovered, by solution
of parts. Thus the World and all
therein had a beginning in Time, when
Page 101

the Divinest undrest the Hoil or Chaos;
and then invisible things were made
visible to us: which by Reason of an
Elementary composition, are in time
lockt up in the periods of death. This
is all the Philosophy hitherto I have
known; or it may be shall ever be
known by another.

In the next place we discourse the
Element of Water, imagined by some
a solution of Earth, or a moist coagulum
of ambient Air, made fluid only by an
internal flux; which surrounding the
Earth compleats but one Globe: and
which aquous fluidity separates only the
impurities from the more extraneous
and superficial parts; but cannot reach
to the Core, or Centre, whereby to ex∣amine
the internal impurities; which
an intence Fire naturally purgeth forth,
by reason of its ardent activity (and
not improper to say its vulcanick na∣ture)
where the Waters of themselves
can never reach.

Two Elements therefore are desti∣nated
to putrification; and as the mat∣ter
Page 102

to be purified is visible, or invisible;
consequently such are the Agents for
purification. Since the Fire therefore
is an invisible Agent, and that other of
Water most obvious and visible; the
visible and invisible parts of things are
therefore so mended, and cleansed by
subtile Operation; whereby they se∣separate
the more inquinate impurity,
that stifly adheres to the immaculate
nature, and prestine state of Virgin pu∣rity.

But as the Soul within the Body is
not bett'red by the Corporiety of all,
or any of the natural composition (or
impendent matter hovering about it)
but is rather stained, poluted, and in∣fected
with noxious Sapors arising
thence from: So you are to consider
that the Vessel has its honour from
the dignity of the Arcanum (or glory
of the Subject matter) therein contain∣ed.
And as the Scripture instructs us,
that Gods surprizing Light illuminates
every pious act of the Creature; it ob∣ligeth
us to consider that the Goodness
Page 103

of God is as great to forgive; as by his
Clemency and Bounty he is just to par∣don.
Where note we observe God
made things proportionable, and in all
respects, suitable to himself. The
great World he made therefore to con∣tain
the less, but the lesser World he
made to contain himself that contains
the greater. And thus you have the
Mystery of the Creation, the Majesty
of Reason, the Divinity of Scripture,
and authority of Philosophy.

But the Waters brought forth every
moving Creature, because in them was
the Spirit of Life: For the Spirit of
Life by Divine incubation made ingress
into them, filling them with a prolifick
vertue: and the first form'd Creature
that the Waters brought forth, was the
great and unweildy body of Earth;
most recluse, and solitary, because in∣wardly
concealed; which till then ne∣ver
felt the operative fo•ce of Fire.
Nor did the luminous Ray of the Sun,
nor the vertual influence of Stars,
nor the Divine order of Constellations,
Page 104

nor the treasures of Hail and Rain, of
Lightning and Thunder; nor the Sea∣sons
of Heat and Cold, Frost and Snow
(besides innumerable living Creatures
to whom Heavens plentiful Breast daily
administred) till then none of them
knew the potency of Life, nor the force
and energy of the universal Spirit
which God by Wisdome inspired into
them.

But some will object, and peradven∣ture
say, how, and after what manner
does the Earth vegetate. Shew us al∣so
the rationallity and probability
whereby the Earth and the Water be∣come
living Creatures: to which I
readily and briefly answer; the Soul of
the Divine World is God himself; but
that of the Created the universal spi∣rit
of Nature: and this Soul lives by
vertue of the Divine World, but acts
by imagination only in the Created,
whereby the Earth conceives, vegetates,
and buds up; so does the Waters pro∣trude,
and bring forth even to the pe∣riod
and perfection of its predestinated
Page 105

end. Nor can they otherwise do; be∣cause
the Law of Providence and Ne∣cessity
is by Divine ordination imposed
upon them. And that which enriches
them are the sublime treasures of Ele∣ments,
and Principles. For wanted
they those active, and ingressive in∣struments,
they were of all things in
Nature most imper•ect; and would
be altogether void, and unprofitable;
so become as it were a meer annihila∣tion;
and not improper should I call it,
a Caput Mortuum.

For it were impossible that any
Created Being, if when wanting the
Vital Faculty of Life, could be any
ways at any time in a capacity to live;
consequently to move, vegetate, and
protrude. But the great and the lesser
World is fill'd with animation, where∣by
it daily and hourly buds forth: All
which are signal and demonstrable to∣kens
of the Spirit of Life that animates,
and actuates in every Creature. Life
therefore is that active and universal
Spirit of Nature wherewith she infus∣seth,
Page 106

the whole Creation, impregnat∣ing
every individual therewith;
whereby the Character of Life is no
sooner stampt, infus'd or imprest up∣on
any material Subject, but it inward∣ly
lives, as does the invisible World;
which no sooner appears to move for∣ward
into act, but the model and frame
of the Subject matter at once admits of
exteriour Motion.

Life therefore as it is the Radix of e∣very
thing, so it acts demonstratively
in every Body. The motion of the
Sun we daily observe is necessarily oc∣casioned
by this active spirit of Life.
And such is the vital pulse in Man, as
also that large and greater pulse of the
Ocean. Earth vegetates only from this
operating Spirit, and the Air is reple∣nished,
and fill'd full of it: Every thing
that is, lives not without it; nor can any
thing subsist deficient of it. O won∣derful
Nature the Miracle of the Crea∣tor,
how intelligeable art thou in all
thy Operations; and tho' so simple,
naked and demonstratively plain, yet
Page 107

how difficult is it for the Artist to find
out.

So that were we minded to imitate
Nature in her solitary Operations, and
Fermentation of Elements; we ought
first to consider in order to what Na∣ture
in her daily progress points out un∣to
us, whereby to manidge and intro∣duct
us: whose mediums because pri∣marily
separation, and solution of parts;
therefore from thence begins manual
Operation. Let solution therefore be
the first step, since in separation all is
found. Then proceed to Filtration,
Evaporation, Congealation, Cristali∣zation,
Distillation, Digestion, Putre∣faction,
Ceration, Albification, Rubifi∣cation,
and Fixation. Then will Diana
appear from under her Vail, which
none but the Eyes of a true Philoso∣pher,
since the beginning ever yet
saw.

But now I suspect I'me beyond the
Paraphrase of the Text, when only
designed to discourse the Creation; so
of Elements and Principles, Natures
Page 108

own Rudiments. How that Elements
subsist not without previous Fermenta∣tion
of their complicated com•xture
of invisible Parts; so that a compleat
separation is no where found whereby
to unlock, and disintangle the unity of
Bodies, without a Philosophical Clavis
to display their Principles; which o∣therwise
are limited, and by Nature
confined to submit to the law of co∣agulation.
Of all which I cease far∣ther
to disclose; lest peradventure this
secret be already too manifest, when
because to devulge it to the root of in∣gratitudes:
so we leave that Subject to
discourse the Leviathan.

And, God made great Whales, &c. Iob
calls him Leviathan, who after his
Creation by the permission of God,
rolls to• and fro the fluctuating Ocean:
Whose unctuous Scales pollish the Sea,
that •o amaz•ment it shines like a Pot
of Oyntment; and whose magnitude
amazes his fellow Creatures. Whose
Empire is the spacious and bottomless
Ocean, but himself a Monarch over
Page 109

all in the deeps, whose Subjects are
the several Clases of Natatiles, that
pay tribute to him with the loss of
their Lives. So that what to say of this
prodigious Creature, I know not; nor
is any Pen capable to discourse his con∣cealments,
or fathom the unfathomed
depths that conceal him. Is not he
one of the wonderful Mysteries of the
ways of God? Whose shining paths
discover his ways, and whose motion
terrifies the eyes of his beholders; •
Creature he is that lives void of fear,
and is as Iob says, a King over all the
Children of Pride.

Leviathan therefore if thought re∣quisite
to describe him, I shall rally him
under three several distinctions; and
the rather because to make him yet
more obvious, give me leave to ru∣midge
the Ocean, and dress up my
method whereby to illustrate him in
the following order. First, then by
Tradition we entitle him Grampus,
when because to consider him in his
prestine Minority; but successively in
Page 110

his Peregrination he assumes to himself
that dignity and magnitude, that some
call him Iubartas. When in process
of time, and becoming yet more for∣midable,
some are pleased to super∣scribe
him the Whale or Leviathan;
whose motion upon the slippery
tracts of the Ocean, represents him as
it were a floating Island. And whose
excessive bulk, and incredible bigness is
enough to astonish every beholder:
when otherwise to consider him on
the silty Owse, his own weight perad∣venture
hazards to sink him; where∣by
he becomes a prey to the Merchant,
or otherwise must lie till death release
him.

But of this admirable and eminent
Subject, there are some so precipitant
to preconjecture Iob too copious;
whiles othersome of a contrary opi∣nion
have determined him too brief,
and altogether concise, when because
as to their apprehension not to enlarge
enough upon him: wherefore to re∣concile
them which is not without
Page 111

difficulty; the ignorant and unlearned
think he has said too much, when by
reason of their ignorance they cannot
understand him: but to the Wise and
more Judicious he has said too little,
and the rather in regard they'r desirous
of knowledge; for Wisdome is always
known of her Children.

But Iob that humane Oracle of
Learning and Eloquence; and as learn∣ned
as any man in the study of Astro∣nomy,
has given such eminent and con∣vincing
Encomiums, with such solid
Arguments of this admirable Crea∣ture;
that every description save that
of his own strikes a Discord in the Rea∣ders
ear: whose Mute I confess my self
to be, and am unwilling therefore to
attempt to encounter what neither my
Language nor Experience can boast of,
otherwise, than that I have seen this
formidable Creature sporting himself
in the vast wide Ocean; yet this wont
priviledge, but rather precaution me
(with reverend submission) to a sedate
taciturnity, and to affix no more Ar∣guments
Page 112

upon this invincible Subject:
But rather with my Author lay my
hand on my mouth, and remembring
the battle, do so no more.

Since therefore to consult him with∣out
any compeer, and a Monarch of
such a magnitude, and vast Domini∣ons;
should we rumidge all the Ele∣ments
for a Mate to match him, none
but his own is found to contain him.
Wherefore we represent him the Ma∣jesty
of Mortals, whose search we re∣linquish
to correspond with inferiours;
such are the Porpus, the Bottle-Nose, and
the Shark, the Selk, Boneto, and the Albi∣core,
the Moura or Sea Serpent, with the
Conger, Bass, Remora Torpedo, and the
American Snite. There is also the Tur∣bet,
Scate, Dolphin, Grooper, and Cavalla;
besides the Sturgeon, Salmon, Trout, Lu∣cit,
Mullet, Umbar, Barble, Tenche, &c.
and thousands more in Salts and Freshes.
Moreover there are Shell-fish, as the
Turtle or Tortoise, Conct, Lobsters,
Oysters, Crabs Cockles, Mussels, Craw∣fish,
Prawns, and Shrimps; but these
Page 113

are arm'd all over. Another Brigade
are Alegators, Crocadiles, Guianas, Be∣vers,
Otters, and Manitees, with many
other, but such are Amphibious, whom
I care not to converse with.

Living Creatures therefore, and
such as move, and have their motion
by the mediums of Water, are our
Subject matter. And that God creat∣ed
every invidual, made it to live, and
gave it motion, is the strength of my
Assertion; And that the Waters were
the cause of their Life and Motion, is the
Argument of the Text: but that God
gave Life and Motion to the Waters
that gave Life and Motion to the Crea∣tures
therein, is my positive and final
Conclusion. Life then as naturally
attends the Creation as the Ray
of Light follows the Sun. Nor can
any Life issue but what flows from
Light, as Light it self flows from the
Divine Fiat; which immaculate Light
sprung up from Eternity, as Eternity it
self shines from the Majesty.

But since the determinate and origi∣nal
Page 114

end of Water was not generally
understood, its nature and office but
imperfectly considered, its wonderful
Vertue and Operation intelligeable
only to such whom Wisdome and Na∣ture
have duly Educated in God's
great School, where nothing is taught
without wonder and astonishment;
so that all I can offer relating to this
admirable Subject, is little more than to
say nothing, since if I speak any thing,
I say too much; and silence peradven∣ture
would better become me, rather
than so publickly declame, and devulge
to the World these my Notions, and it
may be by some thought barren ap∣prehensions,
that like a Chase in Arra's
figurates only the design, but wants
real power of Life to prompt forward
into Motion. Which implies, such Phae∣nonima's
discover nothing where the
genuine truth of any thing admits of a
doubt; and who will be so presump∣tous
to determine possitives by his own
own hesitant and imperfect Conclu∣sions.

Page 115

But the Sea as one great and copious
Body is acted only by the spirit of Life,
that in the beginning inspired the Crea∣tion:
and all the Rivers and Rivulets
that fluctuate in Islands, consequently
all those that spread themselves on the
Continent, what are they but such and
so many Meanders running up and
down in every Angle, representing the
Arms, Boughs, and Branches of this
prodigious and Miraculous Creation;
whose Trunck or Bole is the Ocean it
self: whose Radix or Root in the Non∣age
of Time lay conceal'd among the
admirable Mysteries of the Creator. So
that after what manner the Fountains
and the Rivers, with the Springs and
Rivulets became incipid, whiles the
Ocean it self is impregnated with Salt;
is another Mystery, till serioussy to con∣sider
the Quellem or Sand, and the mul∣tiform
variety of Soils in the Earth, as
also to examine the Bottles of Heaven,
the burdned and impregnated Clouds
that fall, and daily distil to replenish
the Earth, with Aerial Spirits, and Pro∣lifick
Page 116

Vertue. These also were once
one Saline substance; when in the
great Mass or Volumn of the Ocean;
whose Texture was alienated in the act
of Separation because rarified and
purified by Mediums of Air; which
more properly admits of an explana∣tion,
directing to a ra•efaction and
transposition of Elements: whiles we
direct our intention to the Progress of
multiplication, by Divine grant and
praeordinate Council.

And now the Heavens shine a bles∣sing
upon the Creation, as also upon
all Elementary Constitutions; for God
himself looked down upon the Ocean,
not only to bless it, but all her Inhabi∣tants.
Thus were they blest, and all that
was in them were also blest, when God
bid them fructifie, grow up, and encrease.
Now how can they otherwise than pro∣pagate
and multiply, since his Divine
Word has already commanded it. We
therefore conclude the Creation blest,
and the Creatures in the Creation, be∣cause
being blest, become a blessing to
Page 117

every partaker. For the Bounty of
the Creator can know no limit, tho'
the Creation it self is bounded with li∣mitation.
He therefore that made it
had power to confine it, but being
himself eternally unmade, neither Art,
nor Power, nor can any thing confine
him.

Where's Peters objection now to
raise a scruple, because when to eat
what's common or unclean, since what
God has cleansed is undoubtedly clean:
but this was a Trope or Type of Reli∣gion,
whereby to denote God no re∣specter
of persons; nor relates it to
any thing if I Calculate right than
variety and distinction of judgements
and opinion: For probably Peter
thought none but the Iews were wor∣thy
the dignity and honour of Chri∣stianity,
when God thought otherwise;
because having chosen the Gentiles as a
people approved more worthy than the
Iews; who not only betrayed the Lord
of Life, but barbarously and inhuman∣ly
they murdered their Messiah.

Page 118
Be fruitful, says the Word, encrease,
and multiply; here's a Commission large
and great enough, Sealed and Signed
under Heavens great Charter: So that
now the Rivers, the Lakes, and the Ri∣vulets,
nay the Ocean it self is fill'd
with variety. And every Classis strives
to exile sterility, and obliterate if possi∣ble
the fate of barrenness. Can any
Element in the Creation excepting the
Ocean proclaim such multitudes as
there are of Fish, which surpasseth the
Art of Arithmetick to number them.
For who has not seen that the Belly of
one Female was enough of it self to
accommodate a River, and has not also
considered that if every individual had
the Ray of Life shine in it, and com∣mon
Providence attend it for its natural
preservation; to admiration so great
would be the encrease, that the Waters
themselves would even suffocate.

But as there is a magnetick quality,
and a sympathetick harmony in the
Creation; so is there a natural antipa∣thy
in the Ocean, as there is the like in
Page 119

other Elements. The Falcon in the Air,
the Shark in the Ocean, and the Angler
to bait with a Fish, when design'd to
catch a Fish (but such we call Troling)
so some sets Fellons to •rapan Thieves.
Its usual for the great ones to prey upon
the little ones, as the Grampus upon the
Surai, the Shark upon the Boneto, the
Sturgeon upon the Shad, the Porpus upon
the Salmon, the Pike upon the Dace, and
the Pearch upon the Minue, &c. This I
call Antipathy; but Simpathy if I mi∣stake
not is the mutual Concordance,
and Harmony among the Creatures.

I have read in Helmont of a prodigi∣ous
Pike, that lived as he says to an a∣mazing
bigness, and not then to have
died a natural death; when if to consi∣der
the whole progress of Life, what
tribute would such a Smelter (supposing
this to be such) bring to the Waters.
But lest I fall into a Piscatorian Error
(which vanity since my youth I can
hardly withstand) let me therefore
commend you to my Contemplative
Angler, where at large you may read
Page 120

the Historical part of Angling. For
in the high Sea there's no soundings,
what Art then must be used to catch
Fish? And so profound is this Subject
that I plough but the Surface, whiles
others more Mathematical measure out
the Circumference, and dive into Na∣tures
more hidden Mysteries by a secret
and pious profound Speculation, the
Eye of Faith and Reason introducting.

But we shall put ashore now, to
tread on Terra Firma. And God said let
the Earth bring forth the living Creature
after his kind; Cattle, and creeping things;
and the Beast of the Earth after his kind.
Then the Earth brought forth in great
abundance, since by the Divine grant of
Wisdome and Providence it had now
in it self the three distinct Clases of Ve∣getables,
and Minerals; besides innu∣merable
and various forms of Insects,
and Animals, surpassing the Art of Nu∣meration.
Every Cave now was fill'd
with Concressions, and the Surface of
the Soil was covered with Herbage.
The Florid Meadows also were per∣form'd
Page 121

with Odorates, and the flourish∣ing
Fields were scattered with Corn.
The Banks also that bounded the mur∣muring
Streams, were strewed with
Arbories. The Mountains with Mines,
the Valleys with Herds, the Plains
with Flocks, and the Pastures with
Cattle; but the moist and more boggy
Swamps in Vallies, were crouded and
covered with Amphibious Creatures:
besides innumerable Fowl of all sorts,
and kinds hovering in the Air, under
the Canopy of Heaven. Fish also they
floated in the brinish Streams, whiles
some others contented themselves with
freshes; so that every place, and every
thing was fill'd with plenty whereby
to enrich this stupendious Creation.
Nor was any part of Earth, as well
as the Ocean, exempt or denied those
primary blessings from her great Bene∣factor
that had blessed every thing:
who not only made her, but such pro∣vision
for her, that to the periods of
time she can know no want: Who
commissioned Nature also by an eter∣nal
Page 122

decree, as a Supream Governess
not only to govern; but also to labour
the Elements accommodation.

The Lion and the Lioness roar'd then
in the Desart; and the Ass with the
Mule bray'd in the Common; but the
Hart with the Hind bellowed in the
Forrest: and the Leopard with the Pan∣ther,
besides the Wolf and the Tigre
were heard to howl in the barren Wil∣derness.
But the Grey or Badger he
yelpt in the Earth, whiles the subtle
Fox in his obscure Den lay Barking
conceal'd in cavities under ground:
The Horse he neighed in the open Field,
and the Cattle lay lowing in the Florid
Meadows: But the Sheep and the
Lambs, true patterns of Innocency
(poor Animals) they lay bleating in
every Pasture. Chantecleer in those
times he rose with the day, and the ear∣ly
Lark took Wing with the Morning;
who admiring the beauty of the rising
Sun, mounts the fair Welkin to partake
of his splendour; whiles the Black-Bird
and Thrush, with the Winters in∣telligencer
Page 123

(little Robin-red-breast)
mannage the Consort till almost even∣ing;
and then pritty Philomel or the
Summer Oracle, closes up day with
sweet Epithalamiums.

Thus the Creation in a perpetual har∣mony
melted the Air with melodious
Consorts of unterrified Quires of inno∣cent
Birds, that as well as they could,
exprest their gratitude, for the bounty
and generosity of their great Benefa∣ctor;
who gave them a being, and the
blessings of accommodation; the Earth
to nourish, and gave them food; but the
Windows of Heaven were set open, to
refresh and gratifie their thirsty appetite.
And thus the Creation was unacquaint∣ed
with fear, whiles our Ancestor stood
in a state of Innocency; and had for e∣ver
so remain'd without contradiction
(by authority of the Text) had not Sin
struck out the Character of simplicity.

The timerous Hare fled not then for
fear, nor did the Cunney shelter her self
in the burrough. The Hind calv'd na∣turally
without corruscations; claps of
Page 124

thunder were then no help to disbur∣den
her. Nor did the Bear lick her
Cubs into shape or form, for in the be∣ginning
was no deformity. The Pelli∣can
in those days I perswade my self
pickt not those wounds in her tender
breast infeebling her self to relieve her
young ones. Nor did the Ostridge
conceal her Eggs, dreading or fearing
the crush of the Elephant. Nor can I
hardly perswade my self in these halci∣on
days that the Swan as now sang a la∣crimy
to her Funeral; nor the Phenix
fire her Vrn to generate her Species. A∣ligators
surely in the minority of time
were not so ravenous as to prey upon
Passengers. Nor did the Crocadile dis∣semble
his tears to moisten the Funerals
of his fellow Creature. The Plover I
discover flew then with the Tassel; and
the Pheasant I fancy kept flight with
the Falcon. Nor did the Partridge
know Engin, nor Noosie-thread; nor
dreaded nor feared he the flight of the
Goshawk. Nor can I think otherwise
than to say in those days the Lark
Page 125

was any time dared with the Hobby

Surely Nature in those days was di∣vinely
exercised to preserve in Unity,
and unite in Harmony the Creatures
God had blest, in this blessed Creation;
because then to know no other Law
but that of Sympathy, which is natu∣rally
of kind: but so alienated now,
and in a sense so degenerated as if no
other Law was ever established. Now
the Generations past, and our worthy
Ancestors; as the vertuous in this Age
will labour to abolish this unnatural
antipathy, if when mutually to streng∣then
one another in the doctrine of
Christianity, which ought to be the
standard among the pious in profession;
lest peradventure we relinquish our so∣veraign
health, so draw on our heads
the Curse of Disease: For to fly from
Sanity to seek a cure in Sickness; is to
run head-long into the Water to pre∣serve
our selves from drowning.

In the beginnings of time (as it was
of old) no noise of oppression allarm'd
the Land, nor dreaded any man the
Page 126

sence of invasion. Then it was that
priviledges were as sacred as life, and
the whole Creation seem'd all in com∣mon.
Ianus I fancy liv'd not in those
days when the inside was made legible
and intelligible by the outside. Modesty
and innocency were then alamode, and
simplicity with piety the newest dress.
For Heaven was pleas'd then to dwell
upon Earth, but Earth must now be rari∣fied
into Heaven. God then immediately
converst the Creature, as by Mediation
Christ interceeds the Father. And were
it not that Christ is our Saviour and
Advocate, we should be left without a
Plea, and Sentence denounc'd beyond
dispute against us. But Christ is risen,
in whom we hope to rise; and lost Adam
is restor'd by the Redeemer of the
World: So that what Adam lost on the
one hand in Paradise: Christ our Me∣diator
has redeemed on the other.

Thus was the Beast and the Cattle
made; and thus every Creature made
after its kind, knew no other Law than
the Law of kind: for instinct of kind
Page 127

was naturally inated and ingrafted in∣to
all, as into one: and if so, it were
impossible for the Creature to degene∣rate,
where a command as hitherto was
never violated. Then it was that the
Divinity of the Majesty of God most
splended and gloriously shin'd on the
Creation; for how could it be otherwise
when the beauty of the Creator like a
new risen Star reflected on the Creature

In Edens fair Field no Brambles grew,
nor was sterility known in her borders:
The Trees then lookt big because bur∣d'ned
with Fruit, and their blushing
heads bowed down themselves to the
courteous hand that endeavoured to
reach them. The Earth knew nothing
but fulness and plenty, since every thing
was supplied with prolifick Vertue;
and nourish'd in it self by the primar
cause, Nature directs the ends of Ger∣mination.
No Cankers nor Caterpillars bred
out of putrefaction, nor were Northern
blasts injurious to any thing; nor was
there any fatal stroke of Diseas, for eve∣ry
thing stood in its primitive purity;
Page 128

and Death was out-lawed, and Sin an
Exile, or at leastwise a rerrour un∣known,
or unthought of; nor do I err
when to say at that time uncreated.

O blessed Creation, because God had
blest it from the beauteous Ray and
Beam of Himself. Whose radient
Morning could scarce raise a blush be∣fore
Titan was ready to unvail his face.
Whose pleasures were boundless because
then unlimited, for excess and intempe∣rance
were strangers in her Courts.
And whose Garden full frought with
Flowers and Aroma's, flourish'd with
encrease since hitherto the Serpent had
not tainted the Fruit. And the Earth
of it self brought forth in abundance,
whose Womb was the Storehouse, and
Factory of Treasures. Gold grew in
Ophir as naturally in those days, as Lead
is drawn up in the Peek of Derby-shire.
And Cattle by kind were raised and en∣creased,
as putrefactive Excrements
convert into Insects. But I cease not to
wonder since thy Works are so won∣derful
and to admire thy ways because
so miraculous.

Page 129

Thus Heaven and Earth were seem∣ingly
united; and the Creation bend∣ed
no Knee to any Government, save
that of its Soveraign Lord and Maker.
Nor was any thing made that knew any
Lord, excepting the Lord of Heaven and
Earth. Nor had the Creator as yet made
man a King or Vice-Roy of the Crea∣tures
in the Creation. All the World all
this while was but one Common-Weal,
and the Tree of Life in the midst of the
Garden: and nothing as hitherto that
God had created, had tasted the bitter
effects of Death. Oblessed and sacred
Government upon Earth, when Go∣verned
by the Royal Law of Heaven;
which certainly had remained in that
blessed State, had not Sin by consent
eclips't and defac'd it, almost to extin∣guish
this beautiful Aurora.

But let's tack about now, and begin
to examine the genuine nature and com∣plication
of Animals; together with
the natural composition of Man, whom
we find at this day complicated of Ele∣ments;
of all which he consists if when
Page 130

to consider his material parts. And as
Adam was abstracted from the Womb
of the great World; so was Wo∣man
her self an abstract from him:
whose Soul as an Astrum, or an Essence
Royal is no where to be found in the
Texture of the Universe. Wherefore
we have considered Adam super-natu∣ral,
whose Creation to me seems a small
incarnation (as Montanus says) as if
God in this Work had multiplied Him∣self.
And tho' Adams Original keep
not time with the Creation; however
we are Children of Adams Generation.

But the World because daily fill'd
with revolution ever since the fatal Act
of Sinning; and that every Man because
subject to Sin, and the slavish Law of
his lustful Appetite, becomes captivated
by the man of Sin; so yields himself cap∣tive
to the Prisons of Death: whose out∣ward
progression is actually moved by
irregular motion of the desires inward.

But the Heavens we see, and the Ce∣lestial
Incolists, how they never since
the Creation consented to Sin: and as
Page 131

they were, so are they still carried about
with a rapid motion. The reason
whereof must necessarily spring from an
internal cause, and intrinsick principle
(since intelligences are so ambigious)
and what is this principle if not the
Soul of the World; or the Universal
Spirit God has put into Nature, where∣by
as a Magnet it retains the matter;
which labouring to re-assume its former
liberty, frames to her self a habitation
in the Centre: and branching into the
several Members of the Body makes
more room to act, and bestir her facul∣ties.
No wonder therefore that na∣tures
are compounded, since nothing but
the Almighty is without composition.

Nor is it the great or the lesser World
that which transmutes nutrition into
blood; but the active Spirit of Life,
and transmutation is that which is in∣deed
the Life of the Body. Since ma∣terial
principles therefore are only pas∣sive,
and can neither alter, nor purifie
the parts; we find them in a state to be
altered, and purified; tho not to com∣municate
Page 132

or dispose themselves to ano∣ther
substance beyond their native in∣tention.
Wherefore we have consider∣ed
them altogether finite, and therefore
have concluded them also determinate.
Now if this be a secret, you may call it
so; but, as truth needs no voucher its a
substantial truth. Wherefore to con∣clude
this philosophick Hypothesis; let
us throw away if possible those two
celebrated crutches of pretended mo∣dern
sanctity, and the solemnity of Ce∣remony:
and what results but primi∣tive
purity, which since the Creation has
known no deformity.

And God said (in the Text) let us now
make Man; in our own Image let us make
him, and after our likeness: and let them
have dominion over the Fish in the Sea,
the Fowl in the Air, (over the Cattle also)
and over all the Earth; and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the
Earth. By this the Creation seem'd to
want a Head, and less than a Prince is
too little to govern it. Adam must
therefore be a Universal Monarch, and
Page 133

sway the Throne, and the Regal Scep∣ter.
And Adam must not only wear
Heavens Livery; but personate the King
of Heaven himself. Here the Divinest
seems to Summons a Councel, and God
said in himself let us now make Man, not
like to any thing already made; but let us
make him in likeness like our self: in our
own similitude and likeness let us make
him; and enlarge his Empire by giving
him dominion over all the Fish that swim
in the Sea, and over all the Fowl that fly
in the Air, over the Cattle also that move
on the Earth, and over every living crea∣ture
that creepeth and moveth; the Wis∣dome
of God so divinely ordered.

This was a large and copious Com∣mission
that God intrusted a single Sub∣ject
withal; yet such was the good o∣pinion
the Creator had of the Creature,
that God intrusts Adam with the Stock
of the Creation, and all the Creatures,
and every complicated Being that was
made, comprehended, and contained in
it. And Adam drew all his supplies from
above, since enricht with the Stock and
Page 134

the Treasures of Heaven; nor converst
he with any inferiour Subject, nor any
thing in any respect unsuitable to him∣self;
whereby he might indignifie or di∣minish
his Authority. In the cool of
the Evening he walked with God, and
in the heat of the day the Aquaducts
refresht him. Aurora sent him Sum∣mons
of approach of Day: but the
Night, nor was darkness dreadful to
him. The Celestial Sun was his daily
Tapour, and the Catalogue of Stars his
hourly Contemplation; but the Son of
God his perpetual Lamp. So that his
outside was bettered by his inside, and
because richly adorned and divinely
beautified, he saw no darkness, nor the
shadow of Death; whiles he stood in
this innocent State of Perfection.

For God in the Idea beholding a
shape, or as I may so say a representati∣on
of himself, became therewith ina∣mour'd;
and extreamly loving it, would
cohabit with it: when immediately up∣on
the resolution the operation ensued;
and then was this great Image the beau∣tiful
Page 135

World (or rather the representa∣tive
of his Maker) brought forth, and
created. And God said to himself (or
the holy Word) increase in increasing,
and multiply in multitudes. But to Man
only because Lord of the Creation, I
have endowed him with mind, and
made him immortal. So that if he die,
the cause of death must necessarily
proceed from excess of the body, and
inequallity of Elements; and pray tell
me what death is? if not a cold icy
touch, or a dismal darkness of the com∣pounded
moist nature, adhering only to
the sensible World.

Let no Man wonder therefore that
the light of God which illuminates the
World is unlike the Beam or Ray of the
Sun, that by reason of its fiery, and ex∣cessive
brightness, immediately and at
once strikes the eye with blindness: but
rather to the contrary, Heavens brigh∣ter
Glory never at any time dazles the
mind, since the mind is the Souls ingres∣sive
eye, that soars up aloft to those ele∣vated
Mansions, where that light shines
Page 136

that enlightneth every Man, already
come, or to come into the World: and
is the beauty and glory of light, and
our saving health, that influenceth, illu∣minates,
and beautifieth the Creation;
and every Creature, and created Being.
But Man above all, because made a Mo∣narch;
and capable to receive this bles∣sed
influence proceeding from God, the
Majesty of Light, and superexcellent
brightness, that diefies the Soul whiles
yet in the Body: its he that's only
blest to contemplate this divine beauty;
and live up to the Vertue of Piety, and
Holiness. So that Adam in a state of in∣nocency
represents (as Montanus says) a
Mortal God; and our Heavenly Re∣deemer
an immortal Man, if when to
consider the blessed Incarnation.

And thus the things that are, were
made manifest in time; but the things
that are, and not yet made manifest;
lie hid, and conceal'd in the Divinest
himself; who is all things in all, yet
subsists without them: manifest only
in the mind of Man, but invisible to
Page 137

the World, and the visible eye, except
in the act of creating only. And as the
eminency of all appearing beauties are
in the Essence much more pure; so great
and greater is the disproportion of beau∣ty
betwixt this of Earth and the Beauty
of Heaven. All things therefore subject
to the Eye, represent to us only things
subject to sence! or more fully to ex∣plain
it, visible operation; whiles the
Fabrick of the Body needs and requires
those similar things that it cannot with
conveniency live well without them.
But the Beauty, and Majesty of invisible
Beings, are inspected only by intelle∣ctual
Converse: since the Angles of
God are made ministring Spirits; and
the Spirit of God the Divine Comforter
that leads us spiritually into the Vision
of Glory.

And Adam was the favourite God
only converst with, in whom the Divi∣nity
divinely shin'd, when our Proto∣plast
stood in a State of Innocency;
then it was that no impure thing could
approach unto him, because then in the
Page 138

favour, and presence of the Majesty, our
Progenitor, in Paradise was admitted to
stand. For Adam was constituted with
a Divine Soul, like to the likeness of
him that infus'd it; which was the
likeness of God himself, whose glori∣ous
Aspect shin'd then on the Creature;
otherwise the Creatures had never con∣tributed
so great humility, and venera∣tion
to Adam; when flocking about
him as some sacred thing, whereby to
honour and give them protection: so
that to what place Adam was pleased to
direct, his Life-guard of the Creatures
continually went with him.

But Adam too remiss in this great
concern, becomes negligent and care∣less
to examine his affair, notwithstand∣ing
Emulation follows at the heels of
Prosperity; for can favourites be with∣out
the peoples frowns, tho' under the
umbrage of their Princes smiles? No
surely, the Hierarchy of relapsed Angels
had an ambitious Emulation against his
present State; that if not counterplot∣ed
by the Wisdome of his Maker, they'l
Page 139

conspire his ruine, and perpetual over∣throw.
For revenge against the Will
of God carries a kind of sweetness with
it (solamen miseris) and thus sorrows
seem to extenuate sorrow, when o∣thers
as our selves are in a suffering state.
It is true that Adam was adorned with
more inward Lustre than the outward
beauty of the whole Creation. For in
his Temple the bodily Fabrick, the Ho∣ly
of Holies inhabited therein. For it
is the residence of the Divinest himself,
in whom alone dwells the Beauty of
Holiness. Let us stand in this station,
we shall see our Salvation: for he that
made us, knows how to deliver us.
Then shall we find a holy Guide to direct
us the Tracts to the Paradice of God.

The Soul therefore whiles yet in the
Body, represents a Candle conceal'd in a
Lanthorn; or a glance of Fire in a
manner stifled, when because wanting
the benefit of Air. Who in extremity
strugles with her Elemental Chains, yet
spans the World with a single thought;
and enjoys that inwardly she's dismist
Page 140

of outwardly: that in a moment flies
to the uttermost parts of the Earth, and
what ever is absent she at once makes
present; and dead things by imagina∣tion
she restores to life: nothing can
conceal or hide any thing from her,
who in an instant surmounts the Stars.

Thus Adam by his Maker was made a
Monarch, and one of the Creators holy
Senators; who read Lectures in the
Heavens, the Almighties Common∣place-book;
and conducted the Crea∣tures
created in the Creation: to whom
God gave Voice, and the ornament of
Speech, but above all the glorious in∣tellect
of Mind; which Angellical State
our Protoplast stood in so long as he
stood in opposition to Sin: which gift
was ungiven to the rest of the Creati∣on;
yet none of them denied the bene∣fit
of Sence, lapt up only in this thin
Tiffeny Web of Mortality; for Sin is
but a bulk of emptiness, and impiety;
that like a Pageant does nothing it self,
but hinders others from doing good;
seducing by the lust and pleasures of the
Page 141

Body, whiles the Soul is meerly starv'd
with penury.

Innocency was then the best guard
of our Ancestor, when he stood in the
presence of his God in simplicity; for
the more pure that any thing is, the
more sublime is that thing also. Where∣fore
we consider Adam in an Angelical
State, when cloathed with Piety, and
adorned with Purity; then he stood his
ground like a Heavenly Champion, for
God had made his Earth Celestial.
This answers something to the Doctrine
of Hermes, that God inhabits in the
Mind of Man; the Mind in the Soul, and
the Soul in the Body: and that he is all
things in All, both Act and Power;
for he is God. From the matter there∣fore
the subtilest part is Air; of the
Air the Soul; of the Soul Mind; of
the Mind God. And the Soul of Eter∣nity
is God himself; but the Soul of the
World is Eternity; and Heaven as he
saith is the Soul of the Earth: So that
nothing, nor part is deficient of Soul;
nor is the Soul deficient of God.

Page 142

Thus in innocency and simplicity o•
Protoplast stood, in this Divine posture
without sensual guards, when his Ma∣ker
selected him a representative at the
great Assembly of the blessed Creation;
where all the Creatures were convoca∣ted
together. Then it was that Adam
like a Magestrate; and a Legislator (for
such then he was) gave forth his Edicts
unto all the Creatures his natural Sub∣jects.
The Golden Rule was kept then
amongst them, when every one did ju∣stice
by kind; and not that the dread of
punishment compell'd them. For the
Ray of Justice was so generally distri∣buted,
that it naturally shined in every
individual.

The Earth in those days was un∣burdned
with Tillage, nor do we read
it was wounded with Culture: the
Creatures in the Creation liv'd purely
by instinct; not making their Bodies
Sepulchres to bury dead Carcasses in.
There was no Temple in those days to
prophane; but now we have Temples,
nor want we Prophaners. Wherefore
Page 143

let's consider the glorious Work of the
Creation, that by the hand of God was
no sooner made, but by the will of Man
was endeavoured to be unmade. Crea∣tion
is not therefore Generation, nor
have we considered Generation is Life,
but by way of allusion it may be called
sence. Nor is Change Death, though
commonly so asserted; but rather a for∣getfulness,
or obliteration of Elements.
Generation therefore is improperly cal∣led
a Creation; but rather a producti∣on
of things only to sence, in time
made manifest: nor is Change Death,
but an occultation or hiding of that, that
in it self seemed once to live.

Here methinks I see both Sexes in our
Ancestor shine through the lustre and
beauty of Adam; for Male and Female
God created them, so that both Sexes
liv'd under one Species; and Adam in
appearance was then Hermaphrodite,
because having both Natures and Simi∣litudes
in himself. And whatever Adam
listed should then be done, was accom∣plished
before the desire could grow in∣to
Page 144

act: in so great subjection was every
thing to him, that obedience was held
more Sacred than Sacrifice. All the
Beasts in the Field came to him for
Names, so did the Fish, and the Fowl of
Heaven; and whatever he called them,
that was their Name. God gave him
Wisdome, and he wisely improv'd it; till
the Tempter by a temptation leudly de∣prav'd
him: so that whiles he steer'd
both Sexes in one bottome, his success
in every thing was more than miracu∣lous;
but to Pilot the Helm of two di∣stinct
Vessels, and both at once in a
storm under Sail; surpasses the skill and
methods of Navigation.

And God blessed them with blessings
in bidding them be fruitful; which bles∣sing
was doubled by multiplication: this
was a token of Love to the Creation,
when God daily renewed his blessings
upon the Creature. For the blessing
upon Adam was by divine appointment
transferred to succession upon Adam's
Generation: which afterwards in time
perverted through corruption, by a
Page 145

passive neglect in Adams Posterity.
Now as every good thing is the Gift
of God, and since whatever God gives
is certainly good; the Fruit of Para∣dice
could be no otherwise than good,
because the Gift of God that gave it: and
the Fish in the Sea, and the Fowl in
the Air which God gave unto Adam, were
supreamly good. So that every thing
in the Creation, and created being, had
the tincture and sweetness proceeding
from God; who through Wisdome or∣dain'd
it, and by Providence maintains
it; the consequence therefore must
needs be good. Yet above all the bles∣sings
that ever God gave us, was in giv∣ing
unto us himself in his Son; the glo∣rious
Mystery, and Revelation of God;
which Gift of God was greater than the
World, and was the Gift of him that
gave himself for the World.

To all the Creatures in the Creation,
God bid them be fruitful, and in multiply∣ing
multiply, and replenish the Earth.
But in Adam peculiarly as in a Divine
Garden-Plot, God sowed there the Seed
Page 146

of Everlasting Life; from whence by
cultivation, and the Goodness of God,
he might expect to reap an ever-living
Crop; for the Seed was the Seed of E∣ternal
Life, and not the effects of Sin,
and Dead Works. No Brambles grew
up in this heavenly Vintage, whereof
God himself was the Vine-roon. This
is the new and the holy Ierusalem,
wherein Paul may Plant, and Apollo
Water; yet if the Sons of Adam be
barren Sciens, how can they produce
this soveraign Fruit, without the hea∣venly
Dews of the Son of God. Adam
may multiply, and replenish the Earth;
yet if wanting the blessing of God his
Benefactor, what profits it. To be
good therefore is to be like unto God,
and likeness in every thing creats love;
since every thing naturally loves its like:
and this love in Man is the abstract of
God, in as much as God is Love origi∣nal.
Whatever goodness therefore
shines in Man, is really a derivative from
God himself.

So that should we trace the dimensions
Page 147

of Adam with the extent of his Monar∣chy;
how large his Commission runs,
over the Earth and the Ocean; it would
be endless; for his limitation was bound∣less:
the Fowl of Heaven knew no Lord
but Adam; and the Fish in the Sea no So∣veraign
but himself: and every created
thing that had breath, and moved; and
every moving thing that breathed, and
was created; had no Supream, nor Su∣perintendent
but Adam. For Adam as
a Star shin'd then upon Earth, and made
great by him thats all goodness, and
greatness; was blest in his Posterity,
and glorious Nativity, or heavenly
Birth; since two Divine Natures shin'd
splendidly in him: For God had im∣planted
both himself, and his Son, to
make Adam beautiful, as himself is
glorious: the nature of the one was to
live and never die; but the nature of
the other was to die to live. This seems
a Paradox, I'll therefore explain it.

That Power that lives and never
dies, is the Divinity of the Majesty of
God; when the Almighty before the
Page 148

Creation divinely calculated the Nati∣vity
of Life; for God said in himself, let
us now make man, like unto our self; in
our similitude let us make him: which
likeness or similitude was uncapable of
death, consequently of diminution, or
division of parts; because the simili∣tude
of God himself; for God breathed
into Adam the breath of Life, and he be∣came
a living soul: who therefore so
vain, precipitant, and idle as to ima∣gine
the Breath of God can extin∣guish.
Time shall wear out, and Ge∣rations
walk off, and Death it self be∣come
an Exile; and all things termi∣nate,
and drop into decay: but the
Breath of God which is that illuminat∣ing
light that enlightens the World, and
the Soul of Man; when that glorious
light shall co-unite with darkness, which
is altogether improbable, and utterly
impossible: then shall that hidden life
God breathed into Adam be capable of
death, and not before.

So that two Lives liv'd at once in our
Ancestor; a created Life, and a Life re∣generate:
Page 149

a created Life, as from a hea∣venly
Birth; which sprung Originally
from the Womb of Eternity; and be∣cause
made like to the likeness of his
Maker, it gave him Victory to triumph
over Sin; putting into his custody the
secrets of Life, and placing in his hands
the Keys of Death: So that he knew
nothing but absolute freedome; and un∣prohibited
the use of the whole Creati∣on,
one Tree only by the Divinest ex∣cepted;
in which God had placed a pe∣culiar
property, fit only for himself in
wisdome to know: God therefore im∣posed
his commands upon Adam, not to
taste thereof, lest peradventure he die.

The other Life was that of Regenera∣tion,
which is Christ incarnate, God in
the Creature; this Life liv'd invisibly
before the Creation, and is that hidden
Life in Christ (manifest by the Apostle)
Christ in you the hope of Glory. Which
remains a mystery to this very day, as in
former Ages a secret to our Ancestors:
which Life is the Power of God to
Salvation; and was in the beginning
Page 150

with God himself: and it was God, and
was made Flesh, and by the Will of God
dwelt among men.

This is that Word that spake in the
beginning, and moved in the Patriarchs
our Ancestors to speak; that liv'd im∣maculately
in the blessed Virgin, that
was made Flesh, and dwelt among
men; that bore our infirmities, and was
Crucified at Ierusalem; that in spight
of Death took captivity captive, and
in despite of Hell captivated Death:
and which also is that Eternal Word
that now is, ever was, and for ever
shall be to convince the World of Sin,
Impenitency, Incredulity, and Ingrati∣tude;
which Monster of a Sin is worse
than Witchcraft: and tho' a Witch be
superscrib'd a Rebel in Physicks; yet
reversing the Point, a Rebel is a Witch
in Politicks. The one because acting
against the Law of Nature; but the o∣ther
because striving against Order, and
Government.

But God gave unto Adam a Charter
Royal, that was sign'd and seal'd with
Page 151

those glorious Characters of Sun,
Moon, and Stars; and all the Host of
Heaven to witness to it. This was that
great and superlative Grant that God
gave unto Adam when he placed him
in Paradice: and wherewith to refresh
him, he gave him every Herb, and of e∣very
Tree that was burd'ned with Fruit;
whereof he might eat, and live before
him. These Royal Priviledges God gave
unto Adam, and Heavens Benefactor con∣firm'd
them unto him.

Now Adam may freely eat and live,
or he may eat, and assuredly die; for
Life and Death stand as it were in a
poiz; and because to our Protoplast
seemingly mingled, they seemingly pre∣sented
one single Existence, as if Pro∣perty
and Quality were intirely one:
'tis true one Mantle overshadowed both,
till God out of compassion made more
visible discoveries. And as light shin'd
forth by reason of purity, unmasking
or unveiling the scenes of darkness, that
lay hudled up in the hoil of obscurity;
light as a thing strangely surprized,
Page 152

seem'd suddenly to startle, because then
not to know such a horrid deformity, as
this we call darkness, was in the begin∣ning
co-inhabitant with it; or conceal'd
beneath it: for the light of it self was
most pure and immaculate, in as much
as it never entred into unity, nor into
any association with obscurity or dark∣ness.

But darkness represents the solitary
shadow of some Elementary thing, or
something substantial; wherefore we
shall want some solid substance where∣by
to form our darkness out of; and
what is more solid than the fixity of
Earth, or more copious than the bulk of
the great Creation; when as yet in
the Hoil or confused Chaos, it lay inter∣mingled,
and blended together. Light
must necessarily therefore appear a most
glorious Creature, which by Divine Act
operated in the Separation: For God no
sooner said Let there be Light, and obe∣dient
to the Command it immediatly
sprung up; which by reason of its purity,
and sublime clarity, exalted it self, and
Page 153

fill'd all the Universe; so made visible
discovery of things that lay conceal'd in
the commassated mixture, or Mass of
Elements.

And this miraculous Work was ac∣complisht
for Man that he might ad∣mire
the excellency of his Maker, and
raise his speculations to such a divine
pitch, that by visibles he might conclude
since such ornaments of beauty and swa∣vity
hung about them, that greater ex∣cellencies,
and diviner curiosities of ne∣cessity
must adorn the more invisible
part; by reason what's circumferated
and made visible to us, is only the sha∣dow
of that more glorious invisibility▪
visible only to Seraphins, and Cherubims;
Arch-Angels and Angels; together
with the Saints, and the Sons of God.

Farther yet to comfirm these Royal
Priviledges, Adams prerogative seems
infinitely enlarged; for all the Beasts
on the Earth, with the Fowl of the Air,
and the Fish in the Sea, were given him
for Food, by a Royal Grant from Hea∣ven,
to eat of; but not to riot, so disho∣nour
Page 154

his Creator: and every Vegetable,
besides the Race of Animals, were not
only allotted him; but given for nu∣trition.
So that in effect the whole
Creation, consequently every individual
production, by Commission from the
Divinest, was given him for sustentati∣on.
And so great a favourite was Adam
in Paradise, and such great kindness had
his Creator for him, that he made him
Lord over all the Creation; and every
thing that was, was made serviceable to
him; nay in such veneration he stood
with the Creatures, that all the Crea∣tion
doubled their obedience.

Here I fancy the innocent Lamb (be∣cause
then not knowing the terrours
of death) proffered his Throat to the
Shrines of the Altar; and the fatted
Calf was so far from fear, that he dread∣ed
not the formidable stroke of Sepa∣ration:
the Kids with the Flock sport∣ed
then with the Wolf, and ran about
the Bear sometimes for diversion. Thus
the Creatures made sport and pastime
with danger, as if Death and Destructi∣on
Page 155

were sanctuary to them; so natu∣rally
was Innocency implanted in Eden
(or the Suburbs of Heaven) that no∣thing
knew its enemy, because no ene∣my
to know. Unity and Harmony
were inseparable Companions; and e∣very
individual knew no Argument but
Love; whose Law was alike forcible to
others, as the Law of Harmony was
united in it self.

The Mallard in those days soar'd with
the Falcon, and the timerous Hare lay
down with the Hound: The Leopard, and
the Tigre sported with the Herds; and
the Herren with the Shad swam without
dread of the Porpus: the Dove and the
Lark took flight with the Tassel, nor was
any thing of Emulation known then
in the Creation: Innocency shin'd natu∣rally
in every thing, and its excellency
in the beginning knew no limitation:
for nothing could sorrow, nor any thing
grieve; in as much as there was no
real cause of suffering: Nor could any
thing languish, nor be sensible of smart;
Page 156

because as hitherto pain was uncreated.
Fear was a thing altogether unexperi∣mented,
and Death and the Grave such
eminent strangers, as never to be ap∣prehended.
What a pure State the
Creation then stood in, worthy our con∣templation,
and the admiration of all
Men.

But Adam too niggardly he consults the
Elements; and Elements because having
periods of their own (by praedestinated
Ordination) are lockt up in death. Adam
therefore mixing simplicity with impu∣rity,
which of it self stood in the limit
of disobedience, cojoyned himself with
finite adherences, so drew down upon
himself the shortness of Life, and on
the succeeding Generations the issues
of Death; which in time diminished,
so by degrees extinguished the beau∣teous
and luminous Ray of Life, that
shined gloriously within him, and was
sanctuary without him; and would e∣ver
have gloriously shined in his Poste∣rity,
had not •e remisly by one single
Page 157

consent, complyed with his Consort so
vainly to extinguish it.

Now when God had made a survey
of the Creation, the Workmanship of
his hands, and divinely blessed it; he
placed therein the likeness of himself,
the single identity of his Divine Good∣ness;
which could not go forth, be∣cause
the everlasting Arms of the Ma∣jesty
of God so sacredly limited, and
so sweetly confined it; that in this
Divine, and Cristalline Coagulum, the
Majesty of Heaven beheld himself:
who viewing the several Classes of the
Creatures, which by Wisdome he di∣vinely
had foreseen in the Idea; it so
greatly renewed the ardency of his
Love, which continued and augment∣ed
the blessing upon them: for Love
has that singularity to shine in it self,
and in its operation always to reno∣vate.
Thus God so loved the World
he had made, that he gave us Him∣self
in giving us his Son; that whoso∣ever
believed and persevered in him,
Page 158

should never die, but have Life ever∣lasting.

Thus God made the World to pro∣trude,
and vegetate; and because it
should conceive, and daily bring forth;
he placed an appetite, and an immortal
Soul therein; and fill'd it as Hermes
says, with Divine imagination; so that
the Sun, and Celestials fell in Love
with the Harmony; and because it was
beautiful, they married with it: and
this great Solemnity was Celebrated at
first, when God laid his Ordinance of
Multiplication upon it. Which Divine
Institution has been punctually observ∣ed,
and kept inviolable ever since the
beginning; and will undoubtedly so
long remain, and so long continue,
till Generation and Time shall be no
more.

And now the Deeps began to break
up, when the Rivers and Rivulets
with murmuring Streams silently in∣vaded
the florid Plains. The Moun∣tains,
and the Hills also look'd big
Page 159

with Flocks, whiles the Valleys and
Savannas, with the fragrant Mea∣dows
were abundantly crowded with
Herds of Cattle. All the Birds in
the Air now turn'd Serenades; and
every Flower, and flourishing Blos∣som
perfum'd the Air with delicious
Aroma's. The lofty Cedar then lift∣ed
up his head, and the Martial-Oak,
and the Ash stood by him; so did
the Poplar, and the spreading Elme;
but the trembling Asp shak'd his
Palsie Head. The Vine in those days
embraced the Olive, and the Eglan∣tine
intangled himself with the Rose.
Thus every thing whilst naturally in∣amoured
with its like, the Woodbine
or Hony Succle tied knots about the
Hedges.

The Bee return'd home with load∣en
Thighs, and the Flocks of Sheep
laid down their Fleece. The Oestridge
deplum'd his feathery Crest, and the
Stork retaliated kindness with grati∣tude.
The Horse in those days spurn'd
Page 160

not at this Rider, nor did the Lion
know the Tyranny of Invasion. A∣legators
in the beginning were not de∣vourers;
no• were there known any
Birds of Prey. The Vulture, and the
Tigre liv'd not then upon Vermine,
for Morts were altogether unknown;
nor was any thing infectious that
might nautiate the Elements: every
thing God had made stood in the
beauty of Harmony: and whatever
was made, and by wisdome created;
that thing beyond dispute was most
certainly good.

Adam was invited to this great
Solemnity, which was then of it self
but one single Family: nor had he
any compeer, nor was there any to
controul him except the Divinest,
that great Oracle of Heaven that
breath'd Life into him. And every
Act that Adam made, was registred
by the Creatures in this blessed Crea∣tion;
and most sacredly and inviola∣bly
kept in Paradice, till Sin, and
Page 161

Impiety spoil'd his Principallity: And
then it was this great Parliament
broke up, and the Members discon∣tented
began to withdraw; so by
degrees refused his Protection: And
Adam considering himself neglected,
and uncapable any longer to main∣tain
his Prerogative; folicits new fa∣vourites,
but they forsook him,
or rahter Adam forsook himself,
but did not know it; for Sin had so
strangely disfigured and disguised
him, that none of his Subjects could
remember to know him, or think,
or believe him their natural Prince;
suspecting him rather some forreign
Invader, previously insinuated to di∣vest
them of Community; and sup∣plant
them of those supernatant Pri∣viledges,
granted them in the begin∣ning
from their Soveraign Donor. So
that the Creatures at once desert
him, and not him only, but his
Government also; which look'd
but little now, when formerly so
great, that all the Creatures in the
Page 162

Creation paid servillity unto him.

Thus Adam amaz'd to find him∣self
forsaken, makes a League with
the Elements to reinforce his Authori∣ty;
but they when examin'd could
not cement the breach, nor in whole
nor in part re-establish, enthrone,
and eternize his grandure; because
having ends, and periods of their
own: he therefore complies to
walk the shades of Death; and
Deaths frigid Zone, and cold Icy
touch no sooner approaches, but in∣vades
the Elements, so lets the com∣pound
crumble into dust; which is
the ultimate period of all Elementary
mixts that ever was, that at present
is, or ever shall be in the progress of
time.

Thus the Heaven and the Earth
were finished, and all the Host of
them; and on the seventh day God
ended his Work, the Work which he
had made; and rested on the seventh
day from all his Work which he had
made; and blessed, and sanctified it.
Page 163

So that now the great Work of the
great Creator, was by the word Fiat
determined, and finished; when the
beauteous Earth most sumptuously a∣dorned
with Celestial Ornaments, like
the Queen of Honour came splendidly
forth with Virgin purity to celebrate
her Espousals; whose Bride-maids
were Nature, and the Celestial Incho∣lists:
but the Spectators, and Relati∣ons
were the various sorts of Ani∣mals;
together with the multiform
generation of individuals, that with
general applause, and unanimous con∣sent,
gave an approbation suitable to
the present occasion.

Here might be seen all the Beasts in
the Forrest, hand in hand as it were
coupled together (if not improper to
say so) and ranging themselves into
an excellent order, came forth to illu∣strate
this great Solemnity. And here
also all the Fish that swam in the O∣cean,
embodied themselves as if they
were but one Fin; and with the Fowl
Page 164

of the Air, so exactly moved; and
with such a reserv'dness so equal was
their order; as if all of them had
but one single Wing to accilerate,
and celeritate their admirable mo∣tion.

In this excellent posture all the
Creation stood, when attending the
approach of this admirable Union.
At length the Sun appears, her amia∣ble
beloved; who came cloathed
with Lustre, and excessive Beauty;
and all the Host of Heaven his illu∣strious
Convoy: Whose Harmony
was the Spheres; and every thing
that had Life exirted it self to move
by measure; as if all the Creation
by gradual motion, with a reserv'd
gravity mov'd the Orbs at once.
Thus the Creation was compleatly
finished; and Heaven and Earth be∣came
Husband and Wife; and God
himself Divinely blessing them, bid
them go forth, encrease and mul∣tiply.

Page 165

And on the Seventh Day when
God had ended his Work; He con∣stituted
a Sabbaoth, or a day of Rest,
exempt from Labour, and other Ser∣vilities:
but upon the Elements were
no such imposition, nor were they
under any breach of Command, as
legibly construed by this Divine In∣junction.
Read Rabbi Moses in Sa∣cred
Writ, and you'l find it extends
to Man, and Beast only; if when to
consider the Minority of Time, with
the Earths inhabitants that knew no
Servility; but Agriculture, and Graz∣ing.
Wherefore to look back on
the Nativity of Affairs, you'l meet
Cain, and Abel intrencht in this toil;
when as the residue of the Creation
knew no Limitation: but stood in∣tirely
as hitherto unconcern'd; as if
all days were but one day, or the
Almigty's great Holy-Day; wherein
every Creature, nay all the Creation
with humility rejoyced, and with
elevated Praises exprest their thank∣fulness
to the great Creator.

Page 166

It was then by Proclamation, and
a Royal Command from Heaven, that
Man and Beast only should Rest from
Labour. For did not the Sun continue
his course, and all the Stars move in
their proper station. Did not the Orbs,
the Elements, and the Heavens turn
round with a Rapid Motion then as
now; and were they not then, as
they now are in a perpetual, and cir∣cular
Rotation. Did the Tides seem
to stop their natural Flux, or the
sullen Waves lay down their brinish
Heads. Had the Fountains no issue,
did the Winds cease to hover in
the ambient Air, and grow remiss
in transporting embodied Clouds.
Did the Pulse of the great World
neglect to beat, Sea-Monsters to roar,
Hurecanes to invade, Earth, Hail,
and Rain, Thunder and Lightning,
did they associate together, and pro∣clame
a Sabbaoth, or a Universal Ces∣sation.
None of these things we
read of hapned since the Creation;
Page 167

and what's the reason? God in his
Wisdom governs the Creation, but
unreasonable Man was to Pilot the
Creature. We therefore consider that
this most sacred Ordinance relates
more peculiarly to Man, and Beast▪
and that the residue of the Crea∣tures
in this stupendious Creation
stand intirely exempted, and acquitted
from it.

And God blessed the Seventh Day
as a Day of Sanctity, who through
Wisdome and Providence divinely
hallowed it; which to consider, is a
manifest Proof to confirm the excel∣lency
of a Sabbaoth unto us. For
God by Ordination appointed six days
for Labour; but the Seventh he set
apart for Man and Beast to Rest in.
The Mind and the Body therefore
seem under different exercises, by
which I conclude ought to have dif∣ferent
entertainments; the last if we
consider solicites temporals, but the
first if well observed she contemplates
Page 168

Eternals: Where note the one re∣lates
to our present State, but the o∣ther
if I mistake not to our future
Felicity: wherever therefore the trea∣sure
is, the desire of the Soul will also
be there.

But Heaven contents it self with a
small allowance: is one day in Seven
such a great exaction? What a slen∣der
Service is required of us Mortals
for so great kindness from so good a
God; how shall, or dare we detract
from our selves, whereby to violate
the Commands of Him that so sweet∣ly
by his Wisdome puts a Divine
force upon us: and because unwilling
to do our selves good, the Divinest
is pleased to do good unto us. It's
true at the best we are but formal Pe∣nitents,
that slash our own sides to
raise a pity in others; so wounding
our selves make the Spectators cry.
O where's the Vision of Piety, and
the Mediums of Charity; when to
run and embrace a veneal Polution, as
Page 169

if so sweet and luscious were the sence
of Sin, that we'l choose to die, rather
than live without it: so sacrifice our
selves to the fury of Flames, fancying
thereby we burn the World, when as
indeed, we but scorch our selves in the
fiery Trial of a self-will Devotion.

And God rested from his Work of
finishing the Creation, which he made,
and adorn'd for the good of the Crea∣ture;
which points out to us the Alpha
and Omega, the beginnings of Time,
and the end of the Creature. For
when to say the Creator rested, it im∣plies
that Nature began then to Ope∣perate;
after the Divinest had put
bounds and periods to every Creature,
and created Being. To the Stars,
and Constellations; so to Elements,
and Principles; the Sea exceeds not
her natural Course, nor does her swel∣ling
Flux prevail. Nor the luminous
Sun tho' incircling the Heaven with a
rapid Motion, what does he more than
illustrate, vegetate, and illuminate the
Page 170

Universe: and the Stars which by
Wisdome he made to shine, what do
they but inspire, and influence the
Earth? And did not he also impreg∣nate
the Air, with the conceal'd trea∣sures
of Rain, and Hail? whereby
the Earth as the Air is fill'd with Life,
consequently the Ocean, as the Earth
with Vegetation. What can I say
more? Nor indeed offer less; where∣ever
therefore God is said to be, of
necessity Heaven must also be there:
And the Apostle tells us, God is All in
All, and the fulness of all dwells abun∣dantly
in him; to whom for ever be e∣verlasting
Praises. Amen.

FINIS.