Anthroposophia Theomagica, part 1 of 4

ANTHROPOSOPHIA THEOMAGICA

WHEN I found out this Trueth, That Man in his Originall was a Branch planted in God and that there was a continuall Influxe from the Stock to the Sion, I was much troubl'd at his Corruptions, and wonder'd his Fruits were not correspondent to his Roote. But when I was told he had tasted of an other Tree, my admiration was quickly off, it being my chiefe care to reduce him to his first Simplicitie, and separate his Mixtures of Good and Evill. But his Fall had so bruised him in his best part. that his Soule had no knowledge left to study him a Cure, his Punishment presently followed his Trespasse: Velata sunt omnia, intravitq oblivio mater ignorantiae. This Lethe remained not, in his body, but passing together with his Nature, made his Posterity her Channell. Imperfection's an easy inheritance, but Vertue seldome finds any Heires. Man had at the first, and so have all Souls before their Intrance into the body, an Explicite methodicall knowledge, but they are no sooner Vessel'd but that Liberty is lost, and nothing remaines but a Vast confused Notion of the Creature, Thus had I only left a Capacity without Power, and a Will to doe that, which was far enough above me. In this perplexity I studied severall Arts, and ramel'd over all those Inventions which the folly of man call'd Sciences; But these endeavours sorting not to my purpose, I quitted this Booke-businesse, and thought it a better course to study Nature then Opinion. Hereupon I considered with my selfe, that man was not the Primitive immediate worke of God, but the World, out of which he was made. And to regulate my studies in point of Methode, I judg'd it convenient to examine his Principles first, and not him. But the World in generall being too large for Inquisition, I resolv'd to take Part for the Whole, and to give a guesse at the Frame by Proportion. To perfect this my Essay, I tooke to task the Fruits of one Spring: Here I observed a great many Vegetables fresh and beautious in their Time, but when I looked back on their Original, they were no such things as Vegetables. This Observation I apply'd to the World, and gained by it this Inference: That the World in the beginning was no such thing as it is, but some other seed or matter out of which that Fabrick which I now behold, did arise. But resting not here, I drove my Conclusion further; I conceav'd those seeds whereof Vegetables did spring, must be something else at first then Seeds, as having some praeexistent matter wherof they were made, but what that matter should be I could not guesse. Here was I forc'd to leave off Speculation, and come up to Experience. Whiles I sought the World, I went beyond it, and I was now in Quest of a Substance, which without Art I could not see. Nature wrapps this most strangly in her very bosome, neither doth she expose it to any thing but her own Vitall Caelestiall Breath. But in respect that God Almighty is the onely proper immediate. Agent which actuates this matter, as well in the work of Generation, as formerly in his Creation, it will not be amisse to speak something of Him, that we may know the Cause by his Creatures, and the Creatures by their Cause.

My God, my Life! whose Essence man
Is no way fit to Know, or Scan;
But should aproach thy Court a Guest
In Thoughts more low, then his Request.
When I consider, how I stray,
Methinks 'tis Pride in mee to Pray
How dare I speake to Heaven, nor feare
In all my Sinns to court thy Eare?
But as I looke on Moles that Lurke
In blind Intrenchments, and there worke
Their owne darke Prisons to repaire,
Heaving the Earth to take in Aire:
So view my fetterd Soule, that must
Struggle with this her Load of Dust
Meet her Addresse, and add one Ray
To this mew'd Parcell of thy Day
She would though here imprson'd, see
Through all her Dirt thy Throne and Thee.
Lord guide her out of this sad Night
And say once more,Let there be Light.

It is Gods own positive truth: In the Beginning That is, In that dead silence, In that horrible & empty Darknes when as yet nothing was fashioned, then (saith the lord) did I consider those things, and they all were made through me alone, and through non other, By me also shall they be ended and by none other. That Meditation forerunns every Solemne Worke, is a thing so well knowne to man, that he needs no further Demonstration of it then his owne Practice: That there is also in God something Analogicall to it from whence Man derived this Customary Notion of his; As it is most agreeable to Reason, so withall is it very sutable to Providence.Dij (saith I amblicus) concipiunt in se totum opus, antequam parturiunt. And the Spirit here to Esdras, Then did I consider these things, He consider'd them first and made them afterwards. God in his AEternall Idea, foresaw That whereof as yet there was no Materiall Copy: The goodnes and Beauty of the one, mov'd him to create the other, and truly the Image of this Prototype being imbosom'd in the Second made Him so much in love with his Creature, that when Sin had defac'd it, He restor'd it by the suffering of that Patterne by which at first it was made. Dyonisius the Areopagite, who liv'd in the Primitive Times, and received the Mysteries of Divinity immediately from the Apostles, stiles God the Father, sometimes Arcanum Divinitatis, somtimes Occultum illud Super substantiale and elsewhere he compares him to a Roote, whose Flowers are the Second and Third Person. This is true; For God the Father is the Basis or supernaturall Foundation of his Creatures. God the Son, is the Patterne in whose expresse Image they were made: And God the Holy Ghost is Spiritus Opifea, or the Agent, who fram'd the creature in a just symmetrie to his Type. This Consideration or type God hath since used in the performance of inferiour works. Thus in the Institution of his Temple he commands Moses to the Mount, where the Divine Spirit shews him the Idea of the future Fabrick; And let them make me a Sanctuary that I may dwell amongst them, according to all that I shew thee, after the patterne of the Tabernacle, & the pattern of all the Instruments thereof, even so shall you make it. Thus the Divine mind doth instruct us porrigendo Ideas quadam extensione fui extra se, and sometimes more particularly in dreames. To Nebuchadnezzar he presents a Tree strong and high, reaching to the Heavens and the sight thereof to the ends of the Earth. To Pharaoh he shews seven Ears of Corne. To Joseph he appears in sheafes, and then resembles the Sun, Moon and Stars. To conclude he may expresse himselfe by what he will, for in him are innumerable, eternall Prototypes, and he is the true Fountaine. and Treasure of Forms. But that we may come at last to the scope proposed: God the Father is the Metaphysicall, supercelestiall Sun, The second Person is the light, and the Third is Amor igneus, or a Divine heate proceeding from Both. Now without the presence of this Heate there is no Reception of the Light, and by Consequence no Influx from the Father of Lights. For this Amor is the Medium which unites the Lover to that which is beloved, & probably tis the Platonicks Daemon magnus, Qui con[…]ungit nos spirituum praefecturis. I could speak much more of the Offices of this Loving spirit, but these are Magnalia Dei, & Naturae, and require not our Discusse, so much as our reverence. Here also I might speak of that supernaturall Generation, whereof Trismegistus: Monas gignit Monaden, & in se suum reflectit Ardorem; But I leave this to the Almighty God as his own Essentiall, Centrall mystery. It is my onely Intention in this place to handle Exterior Actions, or the Processe of the Trinity from the Center to the Circumference: And that I may the better do it, you are to understand, that God before his work of Creation was wrapp'd up, and contracted in himself. In this state the Egyptians stile him Monas solitaria, and the Cabalists Aleph tenebrosum; But when the decreed Instant of Creation came, then appeared Aleph Lucidum, and the first Emanation was that of the holy Ghost into the bosom of the matter. Thus we read that Darknesse was upon the sace of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Here you are to observe that notwithstanding this processe of the third person, yet was there no Light, but darknesse on the face of the deep, Illumination properly being the Office of the second. wherefore God also, when the matter was prepared by Love for Light, gives out his Fiat Lux, which was no Creation as most think, but an Emanation of the Word, in whom was life, and that life is the light of Men. This is that light whereof Saint John speaks, that it shines in the darknesse, and the darknesse comprehended it not. But lest I seem to be singular in this point, I will give you more evidence. Pimandras informing Trismegistus in the work of the Creation tells him the self-same thing. Lumen illud Ego sum, Mens, Deus Tuus antiquior quam natura humida, quae ex umbra effulsit. And Georgius Venetus in his Book de Harmonia mundi: Omne quod vivit, propter inclusum calorem vivit, Indè colligitur Caloris naturam vim habere in se vitalem, in Mundo passim diffusam: imo omnia ex Igne facta esse testatur Zoroastres, dum ait, Omnia sub I gne uno genita sunt, I gne quippe illo, quem Deus Igneae essentiae Habitator, (ut Plato ait) messe jussit materiae Coeli, & Terrae jam creatae, rudi & informi: ut vitam praestaret, & formam, Hinc illis product is statim subintulit Opifex, sit Lux: pro quo Mendosae Traductio habet Fiat lux, Non enim facta est Lux, sed Rebus adhuc obscur is communicata, & insita: ut in suis Formis Clarae, & splendentes furent. But to proceed: No sooner had the Divine Light pierced the Bosom of the Matter, but the Idea, or Pattern of the whole Material World appeared in those primitive waters like an Image in a Glasse: by this Pattern it was that the Holy Ghost fram'd and modelled the Universal Structure. This Mystery or appearance of the Idea is excellently manifested in the Magicall Analysis of Bodies; (For he that knows how to imitate the Proto-Chymistrie of the Spirit by Separation of the Principles wherein the Life is Imprisoned, may see the Impresse of it Experimentally in the outward naturall vestiments. But lest you should think this my Invention, and no Practicall Trueth, I will give you another Mans testimony. Quid quaeso dicerent bi[…]tanti Philosophi, (saith one) is Plantam quasi: Momentonasci in vitreo vase viderent, cum suis ad Viuum Coloribus, & rursum interixe, & renasci, idque quoties, & quando luheret? Credo Daemonium Arte Magica inclusum dicerent illudere sensibus humanis. They are the words of Doctor Marci in his Defensio Idearum Operatricium. But you are to be admonished, there is a twofold Idea: Divine, and Naturall. The Naturall is a fiery, invisible, created Spirit, and properly a meer Inclosure, or vestiment of the true One. Hence the Platonicks called it Nimbus Numinis Descendentis. Zoroaster, and some other Philosophers think it is Anima Mundi, but by their leave they are mistaken, there is a wide difference betwixt Anima and Spiritus. But the Idea I speak of here, is the true primitive exemplar one, and a pure Influence of the Almighty. This Idea before the Coagulation of the seminall principles to a grosse, outward Fabrick, which is the End of Generation, impresseth in the Vitall Ethereall Principles a Modell, or Pattern after which the Body is to be framed, and this is the first inward production, or Draught of the Creature. This is it which the Divine Spirit intimates to us in that Scripture where he saith, That God Created every plant of the field before it was in the ground, and every herb of the field before it grew. But notwithstanding this presence of the Idea in the Matter, yet the Creation was not performed Extramittendo aliquid de Essentiâ Ideae, for it is God, that Comprehends his Creature, and not the Creature God.

Thus farre have I handl'd this primitive supernaturall part of the Creation. I must confesse it is but short in respect of that which may be spoken but I am confident it is more then formerly hath been discovered: Some Authors having not searched so deeply into the Centre of Nature & others not willing to publish such Spiritual mysteries. I am now come to the gross work or mechanicks of the Spirit, namely the separation of severall substances from the same Masse: but in the first place I shal examine that Lymbus or Huddle of Matter wherein all things were so strangely contained. It is the opinion of some men. and those learned, That this sluggish empty Rudement of the Creature was noe created thing. I must confesse the Point is obscure as the thing it selfe, and to state it with Sobriety except a man were illuminated with the same Light that this Chaos was at first, is altogether impossible, For how can wee judge of a Nature differrent from our owne, whose Species also was so remote from any thing now existent, that it is impossible for Fancy to apprehend, much more for Reason to define it. If it be created, I conceive it the Effect of the Divine imagination acting beyond it selfe in Contemplation of that which was to come, and producing this Passive darkenesse for a Subject to worke upon in the Circumference. Trismegistus having first exprest his Vision of Light, describes the Matter in its primitive state thus Et paulo post (saith he) Tenebrae deor sum ferebantur, partim trepidandae, ac tristes effectae tortuosae terminatae: ut maginarer me vidisse commutatas Tenebras in humidam quandam Naturam ultra quam dici potest agitatam, & velut ab igne fumum evomere, ac sonum aliquem edere inenunciabilem, & lugubrem. Certainly these Tenebrae he speakes of or Fuliginous spawne of Nature, were the first created Matter, for that Water we read of in Genesis was a Product or secondary. Substance. Here also he seemes to agree further with the Mosaicall Tradition; For this Fumus which ascended after the Transmutation can be nothing else but that Darknesse which was upon the Face of the Deepe; But to expresse the particular Mode or way of the Creation, you are to understand that in the Matter there was a horrible confused Qualme, or stupifying spirit of Moysture, Cold and Darknesse; In the opposite Principle of Light there was Heate and the Effect of it Siccitie; For these two are noe Elementall qualities as the Galenists and my Peripateticks suppose: But they are (if I may say so) the Hands of the divine Spirit by which He did worke upon the Matter, applying every Agent to his proper Patient. These two are Active and Masculine, Those of Moysture and Cold are Passive and Faeminine, Now assoone as the holy Ghost and the Word (for it was not the one nor the other, but both, Mens opifex una cum Verbo, as Trismegistus hath it; I omit that Speech, Let us make man, which effectually prooves their Union in the Worke) had applyed themselves to the Matter, there was extracted from the Bosome of it a thinne Spiritualt Caelestiall substance, which receiving a Tincture of Heat and Light proceeding from the Divine Treasuries, became a pure sincere innoxious Fire. Of this the Bodyes of Angells consist, as also the Empyraeall Heaven, where Intellectuall Essences have their Residence. This was primum Matrimonium Dei, & Naturae, the First and best of Compositions. This Extract being thus soiled above, and separated from the Masse, retaind in it a vast portion of Light, and made the first Day without a Sun. But the Splendour of the Word, expelling the Darkenes downwards it became more setl'd, and compact towards the Centre, and made a Horrible thick Night. Thus God (as the Hebrew hath it) was betweene the Light and the Darknesse, for the Spirit remained still on the Face of the Inferior portion to extract more from it. In the second separation was educed Aer agilis, as Trismegistus calls it a Spirit not so refined as the former, but vitall, and in the next degree to it. This was extracted in such abundance that it fill'd all the space from the Masse to the Empyraeall heaven, under which it was condens'd to a water, but of a different constitution from the Elementall, and this is the Body of the Inter-stellar skie. But my Peripatericks following the Principles of Aristotle and Ptolomie, have imagin'd so many wheeles there with their smal diminutive Epicycles that they have turn'd that regular Fabrick to a rumbling Confused Labyrinth. The Inferior portion of this second Extract from the Moon to the Earth remained Air still, partly to divide the inferior and superior waters, but chiefly for the Respiration, and Nourishment of the Creatures. This is that which is properly called the Firmament, as it is plain out of Esdras; On the Second Day thou diddst create the Spirit of the Firmament: for it is Ligamentum totius Naturae, and in the outward Geometricall Composure it answers to Natura media, for, it is spread through all Things, hinders Vacuity, and keeps all the parts of nature in a firm, invincible union.

This is Cribrum Naturae, as one, wittily calls it, a thing appointed for most secret and mysterious offices, but we shall speake further of it, when we come to handle the Elements particularly. Nothing now remained but the Two inferior principles, as we commonly cal them, Earth and water. The Earth was an impure, Sulphureous subsidence, or Caput mortuum of the Creation. The water also was Phlegmatick, crude, and raco, not so vitall as the former Extractions But the Divine Spirit to make his work perfect, moving also upon These, imparted to them Life, and Heate, and made them fit for future Productions. The Earth was so overcast, and Mantl'd with the Water, that no part thereof was to be seen: But that it might be the more immediatly exposed to the Coelestiall Influences, which are the Cause of Vegetation, the Spirit orders a Retreat of the Waters, breaks up for them his decreed place, and sets them Bars and Doors. The Light as yet was not confined, but reteining his vast Flux, and primitive liberty, equally possest the whole Creature. On the Fourth Day it was collected to a Sun, and taught to know his Fountain. The darknesse, whence proceed the Corruptions, and consequently the death of the Creature, was imprisoned in the Centre, but breaks out still when the Day gives it Leave, and like a baffl'd Gyant thrusts his head out of doors in the Absence of his Adversary. Thus Nature is a Lady whose face is beauteous, but not without a Black-bag. Howsoever when it shall please God more perfectly to refine his Creatures, this Tincture shall be expelled quite beyond them, and then it will be an Outward darknesse from which Good Lord deliver us?

Thus have I given you a Cursorie, and short Expresse of the Creation in generall: I shall now descend to a more particular Examination of Nature and especially her Inferior, Elementall parts, through which Man passeth daily, and from which he cannot be separated. I was about to desist in this place to prevent all future Acclamations; for when a Peripatetick findes here but Three, nay but two genuine Elements Earth, and Water, for the Air is something more: will he not cry out I have committed Sacrilege against Nature, and stole the fire from her Altar? This is Noise indeed: but till They take Coach in a Cloud, and discover that Idol they prefer next to the Moon, I am resolved to continue in my Heresie. I am not onely of Opinion, but I am sure there is no such principle in Nature, The Fire which she useth, is Horizon Corporeorum, & Incorporeorum, Nexus utrinsque Mundi, & Sigillum Spiritus sancti. It is no Chymaera, Commentitious Quirck like that of the School-men. I shall therefore Request my Friends the Peripateticks to return their fourth Element to Aristole, that he may present it to Alexander the Great as the first part of a new world, for there is no such Thing in the Old.

To proceed then: The Earth (as you were told before) being the Subsidence, or Remaines of that Primitive Masse, which God formed out of Darknesse, must needs be a faeculent impure Body: for the Extractions which the Divine Spirit made, were pure, oleous, aethereall substances: but the Crude, phlegmatick, indigested humors settled like Lees towards the Centre. The Earth is spungie, porous, and magneticall, of Composition loose, the better to take in the severall Influences of Heat, Rains, and Dewes for the Nurture, and Conservation of her Products. In her is the Principall Residence of that Matrix, which attracts, and receives the sperm from the Masculine part of the world. she is Natures AEtna: here Vulcan doth exercise himself, not that limping, Poeticall one which halted, after his Fall, but a pure, Coelestiall, plastick Fire. we have Astonomy here under our feet, the stars are resident with us, and abundance of Jewels and Pantauras, she is the Nurse and Receptacle of all Things, for the Superior Natures ingulph themselves into her; what she receives this Age, she discovers to the next, and like a faithfull Treasurer conceales no part of her Accounts, Her proper, Congeneall Quality is Cold.