Book I, part 2, section 1: Chaldaick theology and physick, part 1 of 2

THE SECOND PART.

The Chaldaick Doctrine.

SECT. I.

Theology, and Physick.

THe Chaldaick Doctrine, in the first place considers all Beings, as well Divine, as Natural: the contemplation of the first, is Theology; of the latter, Physick.

Zoroaster divided all things into three kinds; the first Eternal; the second had a beginning in time, but shall have no end; the third Mortal: the two first belong to Theology. The Subject of Theology, (saith Eusebius, speaking doubtlesse of the followers of Zoroaster) They divided into four kinds; The first is God, the Father and King: next him, there followeth a multitude of other Gods; in the third place they rank Daemons; in the fourth Heroes, or, according to others, Angels, Daemons, and Souls.

The third, or mortal kind is the Subject of Physick; It comprehends all things material; which they divide into seven Worlds, one Empyreal, three Aetherial, three Corporeal.

CHAP. I.

Of the Eternal Being, God.

THe first kind of things (according to Zoroaster) is Eternal, the Supreme God. In the first place (saith Eusebius) they conceive that God the Father and King ought to be ranked. This the Delphian Oracle (cited by Porphyrius) confirms

Chaldes and Iews wise only, worshipping
Purely a self-bego[…]en God and King.

This is that principle of which the Author of the Chaldaick Summary saith, They conceive there is one principle of all things, and declares that it is one and good.

God (as Pythagoras learnt of the Magi, who term him Oromasdes) in his Body resembles Light, in his Soul Truth; That God (according to the Chaldaick opinion) is Light, besides the testimony of Eusebius, may be inferred from the Oracles of Zoroaster, wherein are frequently mentioned the light, beams, and splendor of the Father.

In the same sense they likewise termed God a Fire; for Ur in Chaldee signifying both Light and Fire, they took Light and Fire promiscuously (as amongst many others Plato doth when he saith that God began to compound the whole body of the World out of fire and earth: by which fire he afterwards professeth to mean the Sun whom he stiles the brightest and whitest of things, as if light and fire, brightness and whiteness were all one;) this is Manifest from the Zoroastraean Oracles also, wherein he is sometimes called simply fire, sometimes the paternal fire, the one fire, the first fire above.

Upon this ground (doubtlesse) was the worship of Fire instituted by the Antient Chaldaeans, and from them derived to the Persians; of which hereafter, when we shall come to speak of their Gods and Rel[…]gious Rites.

CHAP. II.

The emanation of Light or Fire from God.

GOd being (as we have shewn) an Intellectual Light or Fire did not (as the Oracle saith) shut up his own fire within his intellectual power, but communicated it to all Creatures; first and immediately to the first Mind (as the same Oracles assert) and to all other aeviternal and incorporeal Beings, (under which notion are comprehended a multitude of God's Angels good Daemons and the Souls of Men): The next emanation is the supramundane light an incorporeal infinite luminous space in which the Intellectual Beings reside; The supramundane light kindles the first corporeal World, the Empyreum or fiery Heaven, which being immed[…]ately beneath the incorporeal light, is the high[…]st bright[…]st and rarest of bod[…]es. The Empyreum diffuseth it self through the Ae[…]r which is the next body below it, a fire lesse refin'd than the Empyreum: But that it is fire, the more condens'd parts thereof, the Sun an[…] Star[…], su[…] ently evince; from the Aether this fire is transmitted to the material or sublunary world; for though the matter whereof it consist[…] be not light but darknesse, (as are also the material or bad Daemons) yet this vivificative fire actuates and gives life to all it's parts, insinuating, diffusing it self, and penetrating even to the very Center: passing from above (saith the Oracle) to the opposite part, through the Center of the Earth. We shall describe this more fully, when we treat of the particulars.

CHAP. III.

Of things aeviternal and incorporeal.

THe Second or middle kind of Things (according to Zoroaster is that which) is begun in time but is without end (commonly termed aeviternal.) To this belong that multitude of Gods which Eusebius saith they asserted next after God the Father and King; and the Souls of Men; Psellus and the other Summarist of the Chaldaick Doctrine name them in this order, Intellig[…]bles; Intelligibles and Intellectuals; Intellectuals; Fountains; Hyperarchii or Principles; Unzoned Gods; Zoned Gods; Angels; Daemons; Souls. All these they conceive to be light, (except the ill Daemons which are dark.)

Over this middle kind Zoroaster held Mithra to preside, whom the Oracles (saith Psellus) call the Mind. This is emploied about secondary things.

CHAP. IV.

The First Order.

IN the first place are three Orders, one Intelligible, another Intelligible and Intellectual, the third Intellectual. The first order which is of Intelligibles, seems to be (as the Learned Pa[…]ricius conjectures; for Psellus gives only a bare account, not an exposition of these things) that which is only understood: This is the highest Order: The second or middle Order is of Intelligibles and Intellectuals, that is, those which are understood, and understand also, as Zoroaster.

There are Intelligibles and Intellectuals, which understanding are understood.

The third is of Intellectuals; which only understand: as being Intellect, either essentially or by participation. By which distinction, we may conceive that the highest Order is above Intellect, being understood by the middle sort of Minds. The middle Order participates of the Superiour, but consists of Minds which understand both the superiour and themselves also. The last Order seems to be of Minds, whose office is to understand not only themselves but superiours and inferiours also.

Of the first of which Orders, the Anonymus Author of the Summary of the Chaldaick Doctrine, thus: Then (viz. next the one & good) they worship a certain paternal Depth consisting of three Triads; each Triad hath a Father, a Power, and a Mind: Psellus, somewhat more fully; Next the One they assert the paternal Depth compleated by three Triads: each of the Triads having a Father first, then a Power middle, and a Mind the third amongst them: which (Mind) shutteth up the Triad within itself, these they call also Intelligibles.

This Triple Triad seems to be the same with the Triad mention'd in the Oracles of Zoroaster. What Psellus terms Father, he calls Father also.

The Father perfected all things, and Paternal Monad Where the Paternal Monad is.—

The second which Psellus calls Power, he terms also the power of the Father.

Neither did he shut up his own fire in his Intellectual power. and—The strength of the Father

And the Duad generated by the Monad and resident with him:

The Monad is enlarged which generates two.

And again,

The Duad resides with him.

This is also the first paternal Mind; for the third of this Triad, which Psellus terms the Mind, he saith is the second Mind.

The Father perfected all things, and delivered them over
To the second Mind, which all Man-kind calls the first.

And as Psellus saith, that this Mind shuts up the Triad and paternal Depth within it self; so Zoroaster

It is the Bound of the paternal Depth and Fountain of Intellectuals.

And again,

It proceded not further but remain'd in the paternal Depth.

CHAP. V.

The Second Order.

NExt these (saith Psellus) there is another Order, of Intelligibles and Intellectuals; This also is divided three-fold, into Iynges, Synoches, and Teletarchs. With him agrees the Anonymous Summarist, Then is the Intelligible Iynx; next which are the Synoches, the Empyreal, the Aetherial and the Material; after the Synoches, are the Teletarchs.

The first are Jynges, of vvhich the Oracle
Intelligent Iynges do themselves also understand from the Father
By unspeakable counsels being moved so as to understand;

Psellus saith, they are certain powers next to the paternal Depth consisting of three Triads (I vvould rather read, the paternal Dept[…] which consis[…]s of three Triads, for so it is described in theforegoing Chapter by the same Author) which, according to the Oracle, understand by the paternal Mind, which contains the cause of them singly within it self: Plet[…]o, They are Intellectual species conceived by the Father, they themselves being conceptive also and exciting conceptions or notions by unspeakable cou[…]sels; These seem to be the Ideas described by the Zoroastraean Oracle;

The Mind of the Father made a jarring noise, understanding by vigorous counsels
Omni-form Idea's, and flying out of one fountain
They sprung forth, for from the Father was the counsel and end;
But they were divided, being by Intellectual fire distributed
Into other Intellectuals, for the King did set before the multi-form World
An Intellectual incorruptible pattern, the print of whose form
He promoted through the World, and accordingly the World was framed
Beautified with all kind of Idea's of which there is one fountain,
Out of which came rushing forth others undistributed.
Being broken about the Bodies of the World which through the vast Recesses
Like swarms are carried round about every Way
Intellectual Notions from the paternal fountain cropping the flower of fire.
In the point of sleeplesse Time; of this
Primigenious Idaea the first self-budding fountain of the Father budded.

Upon which words Proclus, having cited them as an Oracle of the Gods, adds, Hereby the Gods declared as well where the subsistence of Idaea's is, as who that God is who contains the one fountain of them, as also, after what manner the multitude of them proceded out of this Fountain, and how the World was made according to them. And that they are movers of all the Systemes of the World, and that they are all Intellectual essentially: Others may find out many other profound things, by searching into these Divine Notions; but for the present let it suffice us, to know that the Gods themselves ratify the Contemplations of Plato, for as much as they term those Intellectual Causes Idaea's; and affirm that they gave pattern to the World, and that they are Conceptions of the Father: for they remain in the Intellections of the Father: and that they go forth to the making of the World, for [non-Latin script] implies their going forth: and that they are of all forms, as containing the Causes of all things divisible: and that from the fountaineous Idaea's there proceded others, which by several Parts framed the World, and are said to be like swarms (of Bees) because they beget the secundary Idaea's: thus Procl[…].

The second are the Synoches which are three, the Empyreal, the Aetherial, the Material: answerable to the several Worlds, which they govern: for they seem to be Minds, which receiving from Hecate the influence of that fire which dispenseth life, infuse it into the Empyreal, Aetherial, and Material Worlds, and support and govern those Worlds and give them vital Motion. The Oracle termeth them Anoches.

Each World hath intellectual Anoches inflexible, where Psellus interprets them the most excellent of Intelligible Species, and of those that are brought down by the Immortals in this Heaven, in the head of whom is conceived to be a God, the second from the Father.

The last of this Order are the Teletarchs, joyned with the Synoches by the Oracle.

The Teletarchs are comprehended with the Synoches.

This second Order or Triad, Proclus and Damascius often mention, styling it by the double name of Intelligent and Intellectual.

CHAP. VI.

The third Order.

THe last Order is of Intellectuals; Psellus, After the middle Order is the Intellectual having one paternal Triad, which consists of the once above, and of Hecate and of the twice above; And another (Triad) which consists of the Amilicti, which are three; And one, the Hypezocos. These are seven fountains. Anonymus summarist, After these are the fountainous Fathers called also Cosmagogues; the first of whom is called the once above, next whom is Hecate; then the twice above, next whom three Amilicti; and last, the Hypezocos.

Of the Cosmagogues Psellus interprets the Zoroastraean Oracle.

Oh how the world hath intellectual Guides, inflexible!

The Chaldaeans, saith he, assert Powers in the World, which they term Cosmagogi, (guides of the World) for that they guide the World by provident Motions. These Powers the Oracle calls [non-Latin script] Sustainers; as sustaining the whole World. The Oracle saith, they are immoveable, implying their setled Power; sustentive, denoting their Guardianship. These Powers they designe only by the Causes and immobility of the Worlds. Pletho interprets them the most excellent of Intelligible Species, and of those that are brought down by immortals in this Heaven. The Coryphaeus of whom, he conceives to be a God, the second from the Father.

The Amilicti also, and the Hypezocos are mentioned by the Oracle.

—for from him
Spring forth all the implacable (Amilicti) Thunders.
And the Recesses (suscipient of Presters) of the omni-lucent Strength.
Of Father-begotten Hecate, and Hypezocos the flower of fire.

The Amilicti [implacable] are Powers so termed, for that they are firm and not to be converted towards these inferiour things; and also cause that Souls be not allured by affections.

CHAP. VII.

Fountains, and Principles.

BEsides this last Order of Intellectuals, which Psellus styles seven fountains, and the Anonymus summarist fountainous fathers, the latter gives Acount of many other fountains, They reverence also (saith he) a fountainous Triad of Faith, Truth, and Love; they likewise assert a Principiative Son from the solar fountain, and Archangelical, and the fountain of Sense, and fountainous Iudgment, and the fountain of Perspectives, and the fountain of Characters which walketh on unknown Marks, and the fountainous Tops of Apollo, Osyris, Hermes, they assert material fountains of Centers and Elements, and a Zone of Dreams, and a fountainous Soul.

Next the fountains, saith Psellus, are the Hyperarchii; The Anonymus more fully, Next the fountains, they say, are the Principalities, for the fountains are more principle then the principles; Both these names of Fountains and Principles are used by Dionysius Areopagita, frequently; even in the third Triad, he puts the name of Principles, [non-Latin script] (or Principalities) after whom the Arch-angels.

Of the Animal-productive Principles, (continues the Anonymus) the top is called Hecate, the middle principiative Soul, the bottom princiative Virtue. This seems to be that Hecate, whom Psellus saith, they held to be the fountain of Angels, and of Daemons, and of Souls, and of Natures; The same which the Oracle means, saying,

On the left side of Hecate, is the fountain of virtue: for the Chaldaeans, (as Psellus saith) esteem Hecate a Goddesse, seated in the middle rank, and possessing as it were the Center of all the Powers; in her right parts they place the fountain of Souls, in her left the fountain of goods or of Virtues; Moreover they say, the fountain of Souls is prompt to propagations, but the fountain of Virtues continueth within the bounds of its own Essence, and is as a Virgin incorrupted; which setlednesse and immobility, it receives from the power of the Amilicti, and is guirt with a Virgin Zone. What Psellus here calls the fountain of Souls, and the fountain of Virtues, is the same which the Anonymus styles, principiative Soul, and principiative Virtue.

CHAP. VIII.

Unzoned Gods, and Zoned Gods.

NExt (the Hyperarchii, according to Psellus) are the Azoni, (Unzoned Gods) there are amongst them, (saith the Anonymus summarist) unzoned Hecates, as the Chaldaick, the Triecdotis, Comas, and Ecclustick: The unzoned Gods are Sarapis and Bacchus, and the Chain of Osyris and of Apollo, (continued series of Geniusses, connected in the manner of a chain) they are called unzoned, for that they use their power freely (without restriction) in the Zones, and are enthroned above the conspicuous Deities: These conspicuous Deities are the Heavens and the Planets, (perhaps of the same kind as the Intelligences, which the Peripateticks asserted Movers of the Sphears) and whereas he saith, they live in Power, [non-Latin script], it is the same Attribute which Dionysius gives the third of the second Hierarchy, [non-Latin script].

The Zoned Gods are next: These are they which have (confinement to) particular Zones, and are rouled freely about the Zones of Heaven, and have the Office of governing the World; for they hold, there is a Zoned kind of Deity, which inhabits the parts of the sensible World, and guirdeth (or circleth) the Regions about the material Place, acccording to several distributions. The same Office Dionysius seems to assigne to the second and third Hierarchies.

These Azoni, and Zonaei, are mentioned also by Damascius; Thi[…] (saith he) sendeth out of her self the fountain of all things, and the fountainous chain; but That, sendeth out of her self the fountainous chain) of particulars; and passeth on to Principles and Arch-angels, and Azoni, and Zonaei, as the Law is of the procession of the renownd particular Fountains. And by Proclus, The sacred names of the Gods delivered according to their mystical interpretation, as those which are celebrated by the Assyrians, Zonaei, and Azoni, and Fountains, and Amilicti, and Synoches, by which they interpret the Orders of the Gods.

CHAP. IX.

Angels and Immaterial Daemons.

NExt (the Zonaei) are the Angels. Arnobius saith of Hosthanes, (one of the Persian Magi, who received their Learning from the Chaldaeans) that he knew the Angels Ministers and Messengers of God (the true God) did wait on his Majesty, and tremble as afraid, at the Beck and Countenance of the Lord; the Zoroastrian Oracles mention reductive Angels, which reduce Souls to them, drawing them from several things.

The next are Daemons; Of these the Chaldaeans hold some to be good, others bad. The good, they conceive to b[…] Light; the bad Darknesse. That there are good Daemons, natural reason tells us; Oracle:

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

Nature, or natural reason, saith Pletho, perswades, that the Daemons are holy, and that all things proceeding from God, who is good in himself, are beneficial: if the bloomings of ill matter (viz. of last substances) are good, much more are the Daemons such, who are in a more excellent rank, as partaking of Rational nature, and being mixed with Mortal nature.

CHAP. X.

Souls.

NExt to Daemons, Psellus (in his Epitome of the Chaldaick Doctrine) placeth Souls, the last of eviternal beings.

Of Forms, the Magi, (and from them the Pythagoreans and Platonists) assert three kinds; One wholly separate from matter, the supercel[…]stial Intelligences; An other inseparable from matter, having a substance not subsisting by it self, but dependent on matter, together with which matter, which is sometimes dissolved by reason of it's nature subject to mutation, this kind of Soul is dissolved also, and perisheth. This they hold to be wholly Irrational.

Betwixt these, they place a middle kind, a Rational Soul, differing from the Supercelestial Intelligences, for that it alwayes coexists with matter; and from the Irrational kind, for that it is not dependent on matter, but on the contrary matter is dependent on it; and it hath a proper substance potentially subsistent by it self. It is also indivisible, as well as the Supercelestial Intelligences, & performing some works in some manner ally'd to theirs, being it self also busied in the knowledge and contemplation of Beings, even unto the supreme God, and for this reason is Incorruptible.

This Soul is an Immaterial and Incorporeal Fire, exempt from all compounds, and from the material body; it is consequently Immortal: for nothing material or dark is commixed with her, neither is she compounded so as that she may be resolved into those things of which she consists.

This Soul hath a self-generate and self-animate essence; for it is not moved by another: for if according to the Oracle, it is a portion of the Divine fire, and a Lucid fire, and Paternal notion, is is an immaterial and self-subsistent form, for such is every Divine Nature, and the Soul is part thereof.

Of humane Souls they allege two fountainous causes, the Paternal Mind, and the Fountainous Soul: the particular Soul, according to them, proceeds from the Fountainous, by the will of the Father.

Now whereas there are several mansions, one wholly bright, another wholly dark, others betwixt both, partly br[…]ght, partly dark, the place beneath the Moon is circumnebulous, da[…]k on every side; the Lunary, partly lucid, and partly dark, one half bright, the other dark; the place above the Moon circumlucid, or bright throughout; the Soul is seated in the circumlucid region.

From thence this kind of Soul is often sent down to Earth, upon several occasions, either by reason of the flagging of its wings, (so they term the d[…]viation from its original perfection) or in obedience to the will of the Father.

This Soul is alwayes coexistent with an Aetherial body as its Vehiculum, which she by continual approximation maketh also immortal. Neither is this her Vehiculum inanimate in it self, but is it self animated with the other species of the Soul, the Irrational (which the Wise call ([non-Latin script]) the Image of the Rational Soul) adorn'd with Phantasy and Sense, which seeth and heareth it self whole through whole, and is furnish'd with all the Senses, and with all the rest of the Irrational facult[…]es of the Soul.

Thus by the principal faculty of this body Phantasy, the Rational Soul is continually joyned to such a body, and by such a body sometimes the Humane Soul is joyned with a Mortal body, by a certain affinity of nature, the whole being infolded in the whole enlivening Spirit of the Embryon, this Vehiculum it self being of the nature of a Spirit.

The Image of the Soul, viz. that part which being it self voyd of Irrational is joyned to the Rational part, and depends upon the vehicle thereof, hath a part in the circumlucid region; for the Soul never layeth down the vehicle adherent to her.

The Soul being sent down from the mansion wholly-bright, to serve the mortal body, that is, to operate therein for a certain time, and to animate and adorn it to her power, and being inabled according to her several Virtues do dwell in several Zones of the world, if she perform her office well, goes back to the same place, but if not well, she retires to the worst mansions, according to the things she hath done in this life. Thus (the Chaldeans) restore Souls to their first condition, according to the measure of their several purifications, in all the Regions of the World; some also they conceive to be caried beyond the World.