Section I, Book 4, chapters 1–2: The divine spirit, condensation and rarefaction, generation and corruption

The fourth BOOK.

CHAP. I.

Herein first, the common or catholick subject of Condensation and Rarefaction is once again recited or repeated, as also the two essentiall opposite properties or vertues, which are derived from the eternall Principle, in his privative and positive nature, are proved to be the immediate causes of both those alterations, in the generall Element of Waters.

I Have made it (as I imagine) most plain and evident unto your understandings, as well by the testimony of the antique Philosophy, and infallible wisdom of holy Writ, as by ocular demonstration, that the common, or universall matter and subject of all things, was the Waters, which were inacted and created by the bright Spirit of the Lord, before all things: Which being so, and for that all Condensation and Rarefaction do regard a subject or materiall substance, wherein it should be performed or effected, it followeth therefore, that the onely matter which doth endure or suffer the act of either of them, must be water, or a humid and moist nature, being it is the onely substantiall stuff, which filleth all the vast cavity of the world, and consequently the materiall existence, of which both Heaven and Earth, and all things therein, are framed, and were originally shaped out. This is therefore that main subject of Condensation and Rarefaction, by the means whereof, all things in this world are made to differ from one another, and are disposed and ordered by God, according to weight, number, and measure, in their proper rancks and places; that is, they are placed in a higher or lower region, according unto that dignity, which the catholick or eternall Actor hath bestowed upon them in their creation. The common matter therefore of incrassation and subtiliation being thus made manifest, we are to finde out the universall actor or operator in this work. And I did signifie unto you before, that it was the sacred emanation of that divine splendour, which did operate from all beginnings, and doth at this present operate, and shall hereafter work all that which hereafter shall be effected, in the heavens above, and the earth beneath; which assertion of mine accordeth well with this axiom of the Apostle, oftentimes, and that not without a just occasion, repeated by me, Deus operatur omnia in omnibus, God worketh all in all. And David, In sapientia omnia fecisti, Thou hast made all things in thy wisdom. And Solomon, Sapientia operatur omnia, Wisdom worketh all things. And the Apostle in another place, Christus portat omnia verbo virtutis suae, Christ beareth all things by the word of his vertue. And St. Peter, The heavens were of old, and the earth of waters and by waters, consisting by the word. Again, St. Paul saith, that Christ is in all, and filleth all. And in another place, Christus omnia est, & in omnibus; Christ is all, and in all. Now this holy spirit of wisdom is said to be, omnibus mobilibus mobilior, more swift and movable than any movable thing. And therefore he must needs act all in all, according unto his will and pleasure. Again, when he is pleased to withdraw his actuall beams within himself, he seems to rest, and the act of the creature doth cease, and then death doth ensue, namely, cessation from the activity of life. Now being he is the most agil and moovable of all things, the vertue of heat doth evermore accompany the motions of his light, yea, and are essentially united unto the actor: even as we see in the Sun, (which Sydrach the wise-man compareth with Divinity, saying, that the body is likened unto the Father, the the beams or emanation unto the Sun, and the active heat which issueth from them both unto the Spirit) that the beam is continuate unto the body of the Sun, as the emanation from the divine fountain, is one individuall essence with the fountain of eternall light; and the virtue issuing from the Sun and his beams, is in like manner unseparable in essence from the other two; even as we find, that the holy Spirit which is emitted from Father and Son, is one in essence with them both. For this reason therefore, the divine Philosopher Hermes saith, Mens ab essentia Dei nequaquam divisa, sed illi potius eo modo connexa, quo solis corpori lumen; The mentall beam is not at all divided from the essence of God, but rather joyned and knit unto him after the same manner, that the light is continuated unto the Sun. Whereupon it is evident, that the vertue of heat is essentiall unto light, as the act of motion is never absent from the emanating brightnesse. I conclude therefore, that Rarefaction is nothing else, but the dilating of water by heat, which was first contracted by cold; and Condensation, on the other side, is a contraction, or sucking and drawing together of those watry parts, which were dilated or dispersed by heat: So that the subject of both these actions is water, and the fountain, as well of the privative as positive agent, is the Nolunty or Volunty, that is to say, the negative or affirmative will of that one eternall Unity, who is that all-informing and operating Spirit, which acteth and accomplisheth his pleasure in all and over all, by his divers organs, as well angelicall as celestiall and elementary: which, according unto their diversity in disposition, are moved by this internall act, to operate in this world the will of the Creator, both positively and privatively, as shall be told you in the Chapter following.

CHAP. II. How this Divine spirit or Ruach Elohim being but one in Essence, worketh both by his Angelicall, and Astrall organs in this sublunary world, after a four-fold manner.

THe Eternall spirit of wisdome, who is the initiall principle of all things; and in whom and by whom, (as the Apostle teacheth us) the Angels, Thrones, potestates and dominations were Created, doth operate by his Angelicall Organs of a contrary fortitude, in the Catholick Element of the lower waters; both the effect of Condensation, and that of Rarefaction. And to verifie this out of the holy Bible's, testimony, we read first, that this one spirit is the arch- Lord and Prince of the 4. winds, or else the Prophet by the commandement of God would not have said; Come O spirit from the 4. winds and make these dead Carcasses to live againe. Now that this one spirit worketh in, and by spirituall and Angelicall Organs, in the execution which is effected by the property of the 4. winds, it is proved out of the Apocalyps, where we find these words: I saw 4. Angels stand on the 4. Corners of the Earth holding the 4. winds of the Earth, that they should not blow on the Earth neither on the Sea, &c. By which it is evident that these Angelicall Presidents over the 4. winds were the Ministers and Organs by and in the which the spirits or blasts of the winds were emitted or retained according unto the will of that eternall spirit, which guideth them when and where he list: But we find by daily observation that the essentiall vertue in the Northern spirit is cold, and therefore contractive or attractive from the circumference unto the centre, and by consequence a causer of congelation and condensation. By this kind of Angelicall vertue, the divine spirit doth work his privative effects, and acts of Inspissation and fixation in the sublunary Element, causing terrestriall and earthly effects. But contrariwise, we find that by and in the Southerne and Easterly Angelicall spirits, the all-Creating and operating power doth cause Rarefaction and Subtiliation in the said inferiour waters, through their essentiall action which is heat. And for this cause the said hot winds do undoe by rarefaction all that which the cold Northern winds did effect by congelation. Hence therefore it commeth, that of this potent Angell (who is said by the wise Cabalists to be the President and Governour of the Celestiall Sun, which some terme Michael quasi Quis sicut Deus, of whom we will speak hereafter, also touching his Angelicall organs in the 4. Corners of the earth, by which he useth to do his will) it is sayed, The sonne of man will send out his Angels from the four winds of heaven: and moreover, we shall find in the place before mentioned, that this imperiall Angell did rise from the Easterly angle of the world, and did command the foresaid fowr Angels which had dominion over the four winds, as vassals unto his will. For the Text hath it; And I saw another Angell come up from the East, and cryed with a loud voice unto the 4. Angels unto whom power was given, &c. Hurt not the earth, neither the seas, nor the trees till I have sealed, &c. Whereby it is apparent that the 4. Governours of the winds are subject unto that great Angell, who is the powerfull and potent Intelligence which moveth and ruleth not only the Sun but sustaineth all things by vertue of this word; and this Almighty Angell is esteemed by some to be the same mentioned in the first Chapter of the Apocal. Who said, I am Alpha and Omega. Now that the Sun by vertue of this omnipotent Spirit, whose immediate angelicall organ or instrument the Angell Michael is, doth govern the airy spirit, both of the lower and upper world, the wise Solomon doth seem to acknowledge, where he saith, Sol lustrans cuncta, in circuitu pergit spiritus; The sun illustrating all things, the aire or spirit moveth about. For this reason also, the Philosophers have called the winds Titanei filii, the sons of Titan, or of the celestiall Sun. It appeareth therefore, that the increated spirit, which supereminently moveth in the angelicall creature, Michael, (and therefore El, or Deus fortis is annexed unto it) is that selfsame Princely Spirit specified by the Prophet Ezekiel, (as is already proved) who dwelleth in the great Angel, who rising up from the East, commanded the 4. governours of the winds, with their legions: whereby it is manifest, that they have all their act and power from it, and are ordained to be employed onely at his will, either to effect privation or position, and consequently to produce condensation or rarefaction in the world, at his pleasure; namely, position and information by his light; and heat, and privation or deformation by his dark and cold property. And hereupon the kingly Prophet speaketh thus, Angeli Dei validissimi robore, efficientes verbum ejus, auscultantes voci ejus, ministri ejus facientes placitum. The strong Angels of God which do execute his word, and hearken unto his voice, are his m[…]nisters to perform his will. And again, Qui facis angelos tuos ventos, et ministros tuos ignem urentem; Who makest thy angels winds or spirits, (for [non-Latin script] Ruach signifieth, Ventus, Spiritus, Flatus) and thy ministers flames of fire. Whereby it is evident, that the eternall Breath is that which animateth the Angels; the Angels give life and vigour, first, unto the stars, and then unto the winds; the winds first informe the elements, or rather alter the catholick sublunary element into divers natures, which are tearmed Elements; and then by the mixtion of divers windy forms in that one element, they do produce meteorologicall compositions, of divers natures, according unto the diversity of the windy forms which alter it. But that I may the more pertinently discourse upon these businesses, and withall discusse many difficulties and scruples, which have not a little troubled the Philosophers and Theosophers of our age, touching the principle tabernacle of this all-acting and creating Spirit in the world; Before I passe any further in this my story of Condensation and Rarefaction, I will expresse mine opinion touching that point at large: because the enucleation of it will be very pertinent and necessary, for the opening of this main businesse, forasmuch as in it, not onely the world's creation, but also the emperiall government of the worlds Spirit, and the formall manner of production of Meteors, doth consist.