Section II, Book 1, chapter 3: God, the soul of the world, and the spirits of all things

CHAP. III.

How that amiable and bright emanation of vivifying Love, shone forth from the Fountain of all goodness, and displaced Litigious and odious darknesse from the Throne of the obscure Chaos or dark Abysse: that thereby a World might be made of nothing that was actuall, and beautified by the formall presence thereof.

IT is a wondrous thing, and passing all humane understanding, that out of one Unity in essence and nature, two branches of such an opposite nature should arise and sprout forth, as are Darknesse (which is the seat of error, deformity, contention, privation, or death) and Light, which is the vehicle of truth, beauty, love, position, and life. It is not for nought, that the Sect of the Manichaeans did so stifly hold that there were two coeternall principles; whereof they made one to be God whom they termed the Prince of Light, and the beginner and Author of life, health, and all goodnesse: the other they attributed unto the Devill, whom thy entitled the Prince of Darknesse, and the originall and principle of opposition, death, sicknesse, and all evill. And they esteemed the Devill or Prince of Darkness therefore coeternall in being with God, because there can be no goodnesse which hath not relation unto his contrary, namely badnesse: For this reason they will have, forsooth, the God of evill and naughtinesse, to be of a coeternall existence with the God of goodnesse. By which means they would not onely exclude the Devill out of the list of creatures, but also banish Unity out of the bounds of nature and justle Diady or duality (which in verity is nothing else but a confusion of Unities) in its place. And verily this point did seem so ticklish and diffi[…]ult to be scanned and resolved, that there were some of the wiser sort of Poeticall Philosophers that did incline unto their part, as it appeareth by such mysticall and allegoricall expressions as they did aenigmatically rowl up or bewrap in their fabulous discourses. Amongst the rest, we find that the Poet Pronapis in his Pro o-cosmus, averreth that Demogorgon, (by which is meant the greatest of the Gods) was garded or incircled about with Eternity and Chaos. And that on a time whilst he was in his majesty, he did perceive a great tumult and troublesome motion to be stirred up in the bowells of the Chaos: Whereupon to help her in this her travels and ease her of her trouble, he put forth his hand, and performing the office of a Midwife, did suddenly deliver her of the foul and deformed Monster Litigium, or strife, the which after such time as it had moved great storms and troubles, and had ambitiously attempted to sore or fly upward, was forthwith by Demogorgon cast down into the deep. But when he yet perceived her to travell and be oppressed miserably with fervent sighs and dropping sweats, Demogorgon would not in these her agonies remove his hand from her, untill she was delivered of Pan, with his three Sisters, which were called the Parcae or Des[…]inyes, and when Demogorgon was much affected and taken with the beauty and excellent form of Pan, he made him the Ruler of all his familiar businesses in the world, and commanded his three Sisters, as his Hand-maids and Ministers, to obey his behests and will. It followeth, that Chaos being over burthened and oppressed, with the weight of so great a heap or Mass as she travelled with, and now being delivered and freed from it, did, at the perswasion of Demogorgon, place her Son Pan upon her Throne. This is the Parabolicall fable of Demogorgon, and Chaos, familiarly told by the Poets. Their Allegory importeth, that the generation and procreation of all things, did spring from the highest God or Creator, which they signify by the name of Demogorgon, unto whom Eternity is joyned, by an inviolable link in one essentiall society, because that he onely is truly to be called Eternall, who is, and ever was the beginning or primary cause of all things. And they fain also that Chaos made a third in that endlesse Society: forasmuch as she is, by Ovid's relation, the common mixed and confused matter or stuff of all things in the world, and therefore the Ancients did affirm her to be eternall with God, as being a rude Mass or dark abysse, out of which Demogorgon, as an universall Father and Work-master, did according unto his will procreate and fashion out all things, and therfore they esteem this catholick Substance or matter of all things, to be the generall Mother, on which, and out of which, the universall Father did beget and frame out every thing; for the which cause they concluded, that there were two generall Parents of things, from endless antiquity; whereof the one was the Father and the other the Mother: But they consented that God was their chiefest cause, and they would have the Chaos serve onely as his passive companion to engender on. And although it may appear, that the wise and divine Plato doth seem in some sort to verify that the Chaos was God's companion from all antiquity; yet he doth intimate to us well, as many other of the like profundity; that though she be termed a companion with God in the Creation, yet did she issue from him by a certain eternall generation or production, and that God did afterward frame all things out of Chaos: For which cause they conclude, that it did spring from God and is never divided from him; as also it serveth God as a female companion, for procreation and generation, no otherwise then Eve, being framed out of Adam, was called a companion unto Adam. This is the opinion of both the Heathen Philosophers and mysticall Cabalists. But to proceed in this Allegorie's exposition. The hand of Demogorgon importeth the Divine Puissance. The first-born of Chaos, namely Litigium, with a foul shape, signifieth the true Prince of Darkness, the Author of opposition, the Father of discord; and therefore for his presumptuous attempt, against the Prince of Light, and the Lord of Life, he was cast down into the abysse. By the Second birth of Chaos, namely Pan, they point at the universall nature of the world, and the peaceablenesse and accord of contrary Elements, arguing thereby, that after that great discord which was in the first opening of Chaos her womb, concord did follow in the second place, which was as beautifull and acceptable unto God in the later birth, as deformed discord was foul and odious in his sight in the first. Thus you see how in the first beginning of the world, all the Elements were at strife in the bowels of the Chaos: The three Parcae or Sisters of Destiny, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, which were born with Pan, do signify the three orders of time, namely the time present, the time past, and the time to come. Clotho hath the care of the present time, and her office is to twist the thread of life: Lachesis is the superintendrix of the time to come, and looketh to the flax or hemp which is not yet spunne nor twisted: And Atropos doth import the time past, which is irrevocable, and therefore she doth finish and cut off the thread now spun. I infer upon this parabolicall relation, that though the Chaos or dark abysse be with God before the world's creation, yet did the infinite and sole eternall Unity or radicall Essence create it, and produce it out of its self: For that Eternall Unity saith: Ego Dominus & non est alter, sormans lucem, & creans tenebras, faciens pacem, & creans malum: I am the Lord, and there is no other, who do inform light, and create darkness, making peace and creating evill: As if he had said, I am the Father of Light or of the bright Spirit of Wisdome, and I created the dark Chaos, out of which I framed the world, and out of her I produced as well the concord and discord of the Elements in the world; that is to say, Litigium and Pan; so that we may discern still, that there is but one Eternall Unity, which in it self is male and female, and all that can be imagined, which of himself, and in himself produceth all things, no otherwise then Adam contained in himself Eve, which was the Mother of the little world, or man after Adam: and therefore Hermes saith, Mens autem Deus utriusque sexús foecunditate plenissimus, vita & lux cum verbo sic alteram mentem peperit: God being full of the fertility of both sexes, and being life and light, brought forth another Divine Spirit by his Word. And Scriptures seem to intimate thus much in this sense: Qui caeteris generationem tribuo, an sterilis ero?

It is evident therefore, that out of one and the same radicall Unity, existing before all antiquity, both the matter and form of all things do proceed, and that they appear in regard of their being or births but aeviall, that is, having a beginning but no end, though in their essentiall Root, they are Eternall in God, the abstruse Monady or Unity of all things: So that as the dark Chaos, and the bright informing Spirit, are two principles opposite and contrary to one another, in nature and property, (for from the dark principle, discord, evill, cold, congelation, rest, death, privation, negation or Nolunty, do proceed; but from the other which is the type of beauty, and grace, namely the bright beginning, light, concord, goodness, heat, resolution, motion, life, and position, or Volunty, are poured out into the nature of the world, to cause it to exist and live:) so also both these are but main branches, arising from one and the same essentiall Unity, which when they cannnot pass or exceed the limits of their infinite fountain, are in him light and darkness, and no way differing in essence from their Root, which is all in all, because that as the Psalmist doth say, Tenebrae sunt ei, sicut ipsa lux: Darkness is unto him as ligh[…]: For all is one in him, who is onely one and the same in himself, In whom, by whom, and therefore from whom are all things: For his Volunty and Nolunty, is but all one in him that is one simple Identity, and what is his Volunty, that is as well his affirmation as his negation, which is all but one good in him that is all goodness. And yet in regard of the creature, when his negation hath the supremacy, he hides the light of his loving countenance, and all is dark, and then he operateth in regard of his privation. For where he hideth his face, all is deformed, and, as it were, void of essence and goodness. Lo here is his Volunty, negative or privative, which may rightly be termed his Nolunty. If his affirmation hath dominion, he emitteth the beauty of his benignity, and the creatures expecting spirit is enlightned by his presence, and consequently replenished with goodnes[…]. Lo here is also his Volunty affirmative or positive, called his Volunty in the right sense. But least any man should think this strange, let him but observe the mentall beam, which is assigned by God unto man, to inform him with reason, and adorn him with understanding. We know that man hath but one Divine nature, which giveth him intellect: Spiritus est in homine (saith Job) sed inspiratio omnipotentis facit eum intelligere: And yet this Unity in essence, which is the Image of God, operateth in generall by two contrary properties: Whereof the one is apt to affirm, give, and grant a petition by an affable emanation, (Lo here is the Act of position, scored out in mans spirituall Unity;) or else to deny, take away, or be against the demand of him that craveth by a privative ablation of the wished rewards, (Lo here is the effect of negation deciphered, for the mentall beam shineth not out unto the Petitioner, but is reserved or contracted in it self.) In these two actions, we may observe but onely one effect wich is laudable, in this one simple and absolute unity unto the petitioner; for though I grant, by the friendly and pitifull emanation or emission of my mentall beam, so that it is according unto the petitioners wish; or though I deny his demand, contrary unto his desire, and so it appeareth to be a great evill or mischief unto the demander; yet unto my mentall spirit, both the affirmation or negation appeareth good, and are founded upon good reason, and therefore are indeed but one thing, though they seem divers to the demander. In like manner, in the eternall and archetypicall mentall unity, whose type or similitude, the beam of our understanding is, as well the act of Volunty as Nolunty, is all one, and that is goodnesse; for he that is all goodnesse, hath in it self no contrariety, although in the creature, which is subject unto the effects, either of his privative or positive will; his privative or dark action is esteemed for evill, as contrariwise his positive and light emanation, that is full of love and benignity, is received for good, and therefore embraced with joy. For, doth not the holy Text tell us, Bonum & malum, vita & mors, à Deo sunt? Good and evill, life and death, are from God? And doth it not tell us in another place, Quod Deo abscondente faciem suam a creaturis conturbantur, recipiente spiritum eorum exspirant, emittente spiritum suum recreantur bono? God hiding his face from the creatures, they are troubled and sick; taking his bright vivifying Spirit from them they dye, and sending it forth again they are recreated with goodnesse, health, and life. And again, Visitatio tua (saith David) praeservat spiritum meum, Thy visitation doth preserve my spirit. Attol[…]e faciem tuam & emitte lucem supra nos, & efficiet ut videamus lucem, & splendentes efficiat tenebras nostras: Send out the light of thy countenance, and it will cause us to see light, and it will make our darknesse bright and shining. And again, Tenebras ponam iis in lucem, I will put darknesse in them in stead of light. Tenebras in diem incurrent astuti & quasi in nocte sic palpabunt in meridie. Crafty men shall in the day-time run into darknesse, and they shall grope at noon-day as if it were in the night. In tenebris est, & in tenebris ambulat, qui odit fratrem: He is in darknesse, and walketh in darkness, that hateth his brother. And the Prophet saith, Tenebrae persequentur inimicos Dei, Darknesse shall persecute the enemies of God. Abscondit faciem suam ab iis ut obtingant iis multa mala & angustiae: He hideth his face from them, that evill and misery may befall them. And yet there is neither of these two properties in this one essentiall unity, but is good absolutely, though the latte be privative, passive, odious, disturbing, and deadly unto the creature that end […]reth the effect. Is it not written, that he hath the power of life and death, and doth […]ad down unto the mouth of the grave, and can bring back again to life when he pleaseth. And yet all this is but according to his double property of Volunty and Nolunty, that is, of his granting or positive emanation, and privative or negative condition, which are (as I have said) both good in him, who is nothing but pure goodnesse in his simple and absolute nature, and therefore are one in him, who is sincere unity in himself. Whereupon the wise Philosopher, not disagreeing in this from Scriptures, saith, Non est […]n monade divinâ nisi unum & bonum, ab ipso enim factore nihil malum nihilque turpe: In the divine essence there is not any thing but unity and goodnesse, for from the Creator there is neither evill nor filthinesse. And for this cause, when Job saw that God did strike him, as it seemed to him, without a cause, forasmuch as he was a just man, and (as the Text saith) according unto Gods heart; he being egged forward, notwithstanding all his pains, with a pious zeal towards his Creator, though he knew that his affliction proceeded from the hiding of his Maker's countenance from him, did break forth into these terms, Et tamen absit à Deo impietas, & ab Omnipotente iniquitas: And yet for all that, far be it from me, that I should deem any impiety to be in God, or that iniquity should proceed from the Almighty. It is most apparent unto the sleightest Philosopher, that God is conversant in the created nature, as well about corruption and privation, as generation and position; and yet no good Christian can be ignorant, but that either of these opposite properties, so familiar in one sincere essence, is absolutely good, in that it is compleatly excellent in goodness in it self, although nothing is more terrible, fearfull, abominable, and wicked to the creature, than is his own death and corruption. If we Christians deny the property in the Ideal unity, namely, as well to deprive the creature of his life, by withdrawing his act of life from it into it self, we may justly imagine our selves to be inferiou[…] in judgment, unto the Infidell Poets and Philosophers, who do verifie this fore-mentioned axiom of the wise-man, Bonum & malum, vita & mors, honestas & paupertas, à Deo sunt: Good and evi[…]l, life and death, riches and poverty, are all from God. Whereby he intimateth, that this one essentiall divinity operateth oppositely in the created world, by a two-fold differing property. Their Allegoricall story is this, Proclus foll[…]wing the antient Theology of Orpheus, Ilesiode, Euripides, and Eschylus, (which personages have inveloped in their fabulous Counts or Stories, such hidden secrets as they had learned of divine persons, and such as were profoundly seen in the mysteries of God) doth decipher the properties of the supream and archetypicall Son, under the shadow of the visible and typicall Sun, in this manner, expressing thereby, that one and the same eternall essence doth operate all in all, as well privati[…]ly as po[…]tivly. These Poets tearm it by the name of Apollo in the day-time, because they pretend, that in his position and benigne nature, which is manifested by the vivifying property of the Sun, he composeth the creature of seven parts, fo[…]he quaternary number, the Pythagoreans did signifie matter which is […]amed of the Elements; for it is the square o[…] 2, which is an unperfect number and therefore doth de[…]ipher matter: and by the ternary, which is the number of perfection, they express the form of things; so that these two numbers united, do make up the septenary number, whi[…]h doth in[…]lude the perfect complement of the creature. Again, they intitle it Dionysius in the night time, namely, in his dark and privative disposition, saying, that under this name he useth to tear and divide that creature into seven pieces, which under the title of Apollo, or in his positive property, or solar and divine nature, it had composed. So that they seem to argue, that the self-same unity in essence is the author, as well of destruction and corruption, as of the generation and vivification of the creature; but they therefore tearm it according unto the variety of his property by a differing name, no otherwise than the Cabalist calls it in his hidden and privative property, Aleph tenebrosum, or dar[…] Aleph, namely, when he keepeth in his beams of life in himself, or withdraweth his face from the creature; and Aleph lucidum, or light Aleph, when he shineth forth unto it, and extendeth his beams of life upon it. By this therefore we Christian; may see, that the very Pagans did grant or acknowledge, that which the Scriptures do testifie, though it be by an allegoricall way, concluding with them, that it is onely in the power of one and the same radicall unity, to save or destroy, to give life or take it away, to will or to nill, and, in conclusion, to operate all, and in all, and that according unto its pleasure. Thus have we confirmed, that the two members of an opposite condition or disposition do spring out of one eternall root, and that they operate in this world by clean contrary effects, and consequently, that since the mass of waters, whereof (as St Peter doth testifie) the heavens and the earth were made of old, did come out of the dark chaos, and was, as it were, her second birth, which the Poets feigne to be Pan, or the universall nature, it is easie to be considered by the wise Philosopher, that this passive portion of the world is by a naturall instinct inclined to darkness, and unto all the privative conditions thereof; so that if it were not for the formall portion of the world, which proceeded from that bright spirit of wisdom, (which Solomon calleth, The vapour of the vertue of God, and the sincere emanation of the brightnesse of the omnipotent, and the splendour of the divine li[…]ht, and the mirrour, without all spot, of his goodnesse; that divided the waters into distinct orbes or sphears, and gave a proportionall weight unto the aire, and tyed or hanged up the waters in the thick clowds by measure, and gave orders unto the rain, and made a passage for the lightnings of the thunders) if it were not (I say) for the act of this Spirit, all things would be alike. It is this Spirit that said, Ab ore altissimi prodij & retunditatem coelorum circumivi solus in profundo ab[…]ssi ambulavi: I came out from the mouth of IEHOVA, and compassed about the heavens, I walked in the profundity of the abysse, &c. It was the bright wisdom which IEHOVA did possesse in the beginning of his waies, before his works, before all time, before the world was made, when there was not any abysse, before there was any fountain, before the mountains were raised, or the earth created. When he made the heavens it was there, when he did fortify the superiour waters it was there, when the limits of the sea were framed, lest the waters should passe their bounds. When he gave the earth her foundation it was there with him, as a helper to compose all things. To conclude, by it all was formally made, and without it was nothing made and preserved. So that if it were not for the present action of this formall spirit, the watry matter of the world would return unto the deformed estate of her mother Chaos; for being in this world, it is inclined unto the disposition of her mother, being that it is passive, feminine, and serveth in place of the mother of all things; and in another respect, the vivifying and bright emanation of the eternal Unity, is become the masculine actor or father of all things, being that it doth vivify every thing in this world, as the Apostle teacheth us, and as the before-said Poets do seem to intimate unto us, under the name of Apollo, or the father of light.

This therefore being well observed, we may by the detection of these two abstruce and mysticall principles, I mean, of Light and Darknesse, attain unto the radicall knowledge and originall of the true sympathy and antipathy, being that it is evident, that the first proceedeth from that concording and vivifying love, which ariseth from the benigne emanation of the Creator, which desireth to be joyned with his like, and seeketh to preserve his like by union; and the other issueth from that discording, privative, and hatefull affection, which darknesse and deformity doth afford unto the children of light and life, and to all the beautious offsprings thereof. By this therefore it appeareth, that as before the separation of these different properties, or effects of one unity, namely, of light from darknesse, which was brought to passe by the divine word, all things were one and the same without distinction and difference, and that unity or one was no way to be numbered among those things which were created, so that light was darknesse, and darknesse light, and neither of these discernable; nothing was really distinguished, but all were one in the first matter of all things, which was in the eternall unity: So that then there was neither light nor darkness, nor day nor night, nor heaven nor earth, nor spirit nor body, nor good nor evill, nor pure nor impure, nor generable nor corruptible, nor this nor that; and yet nevertheless all these, as well spirituall as corporall, proceeded from that potentiall subject, which remained complicitely in that infinite Unity, which both was, and is, and ever shall be, all in all, and over or without all. O admirable wisdom of God in all his works! All things (I say) proceeded from one matter, the which nevertheless was nothing of these things which were made. All things were abstrucely hidden and in secret, but, according unto our Saviours words, nothing was so occult and obscure, but was to be revealed, and made to appear unto sighr, by the penetrating operation of the admirable word Fiat, by whose divine spagericall action or vertue, that one thing was divided into two contraries; upon the which, names, well befitting their natures, were imposed; for the one, as I have told you, was called Light, and the other Darkness; the first also was tearmed Day, the last Night; and thus was the pure separated from the impure. Hence therefore it commeth, that all the world was originally divided into two contrary Kingdoms, that correspond unto these two radicall branches of one unity, by the which relation it is easie to express, what in verity is light and darkness, what day and night, what goodness and what badness, what is heaven and what is hell, what is truth and what is falshood, what is humility and what is pride, what justice and what injustice, what is gladnesse and what is sorrow, what is sweet and what is bitter, what is action and what passion, what is life and what is death, what is generation and what corruption, what is pure, and what impure, what is wholsom and what pernicious, what is a medicine and what a poison, and, to conclude, what is amiable and what is odious, what is concord and what is discord, and, by consequence, what is sympathy and what antipathy, in an infinity of creatures in this world.

That the whole world, and every creature thereof, is composed of these two contrarieties, or opposite natures, we find it justified as well by the sacred authority, as testimony of Ethnick Philosophy; for the son of Syrach saith, in the place before specified, Gemina sunt omnia quorum alterum contrarium est alteri, nec quicquam factum est quod mancum est: All things are of a two-fold nature, whereof the one is contrary unto the other, and yet there is not any thing which is defective. And thereupon the Philosopher Heraclitus concludeth, that all things in the world are made by strife and concord; and Empedocles will have the soul to be composed of the elements, and of friendship and enmity. To conclude, lest some scrupulous Reader should condemn me for making so long a discourse upon these two contrary principles, proceeding from one Root, I thought it most fit to certifie each judicious person, that the true knowledg thereof is of an especiall importance, because that the two foresaid principles are observed to be the reall and onely foundation, both of universall Philosophy and Theology. For that the root and bases of them both, doth consist on the true understanding of these two contrarieties: And therefore if they be not first of all well opened and conceived, how is it possible afterwards that they should be rightly handled either in true Philosophy or understood in those places of Holy-Writ, wherein they are so often mentioned? Touching the explication of this most profound Sphyngian Ridd[…]e or abstruse question, namely Why God in his secret sense or mentall intent did raise up and ordain out of the informed matter or Ideally delineated in himself, these two contrarieties, to cause thereby that all things in the world, should be put into a mutuall dissonance, or fight and conflict with one another, so that there is found nothing which participateth of goodness, which hath not his contrary; that is to say, which doth not communicate with badness (insomuch that God himself is not without an adversary) verily it is too occult a Caball to be explained by mortall capacity, being that it may well be esteemed the profoundest secret of all the divine mysteries: wherefore there is required a mentall aspect, well purged and mundified from each misty cloud of ignorance and error, to search into the bowells of this question, and therefore it is impossible to be revealed unto any, but to such as God doth immediatly bestow his grace and holy Spirit, which is the searcher out of all mysteries, the which Spirit is in us, and breatheth and blows, when and where it listeth, and it is called in Scriptures the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Sanctification, the Spirit of Illumination, the Spirit of Revelation, which is the best interpreter of the Divine Secrets, mentioned in holy-Writ: neither verily doth it become us of our selves to enquire why God made this or that, or thus or after this fashion. But it behoveth the zealous to refer all this unto the time when these secrets shall be discovered, which will come to pass, when the seventh Seal shall be opened: for then that high mystery, which is the finall cause, why and for what end Gods Providence will by these two opposits reveal it self, and clean extinguish all enmity out of the world, shall be discovered. As touching nevertheless the end of this dissonancy, the Apostle saith, that it will be, when the Son hath delivered the Kingdom unto God the Father, and when he hath evacuated every Principality and Potentate, and Virtue, he must raign untill he hath made his enemies his foot-stool, and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death. So that as two contrarieties or discords, proceeded from one Unity or unison, namely Light and Darkness from one Divine Essence; So also these two dissonant branches or confusion of Unities, will at the last be reduced or return again into one harmonious Unity, in which there will be found no dissonancy, namely when these words of the Revelation are accomplished: Ecce omnia nova facio: vetera enim transurunt: Behold I make all things new: for the old heaven and earth have passed away. But leaving this allaterall discourse, we will proceed directly in our Sympatheticall and Antipatheticall Argument or inqui[…]ition: into the which that we may penetrate with the greater celerity and facility, and dive the deeper into the research of their actions; it will be fit that we should describe in the first place, the manner how the world doth live, by the participation of these two, namely of the Light and Darkness, and that I will expresse unto you in few words, what the Ancient Philosophers have determined about the soul of the world; and lastly I will shew that their Opinions do not erre or vary much from the Testimony of the sacred Bible.