Book III, chapters 33–36: The bonds of spirits; heroes and terrestrial gods; man made in the image of God

CHAP. XXXIII. Of the bonds of spirits, and of their adjurations, and castings out.

THe bonds by which spirits are bound, besought, or cast out, are three; Some of them are taken from the elementall world, as when we adjure a spirit by any inferiour and naturall things of affinity with or adverse to them, in as much as we would call upon or cast them out, as by flowers, and herbs, by animals, by snow, by ice, by hell, by fire, and such like, as these also are oftimes mixed with Divine praises, and blessings and consecrations, as appears in the song of the three Children, and in the Psalm, Praise ye the Lord from the heavens, and in the consecration and blessing of the Paschal taper. This bond doth work upon the spirits by an apprehensive vertue under the account of love, or hatred, in as much as the spirits are present with or favour, or abhor any thing that is naturall or against nature, as these things themselves love or hate one the other. Hence that of Proclus, As the Lion fears a cock, especially a white cock: so doth a spirit appearing in the form of a lion vanish away at the sight of a cock. The second bond is taken from the Celestial world, viz: when we adjure them by the heaven, by Stars, by their motions, rayes, light, beauty, clearness, excellency, fortitude, influence, and wonders, and such like: and this bond works upon spirits by way of admonition, and example. It hath also some Command, especially upon the ministring spirits, and those who are of the lowest orders. The third bond is from the Intellectual and divine world, which is perfected by religion, that is to say, when we swear by the sacraments, by the miracles, by the divine names, by the sacred Seals and other mysteries of Religion; wherefore this bond is the highest of all and the strongest, working upon the spirits by Command and power; But this is to be observed, that as after the universal providence, there is a particular one; and after the universal soul, particular soules; so in the first place we Invocate by the superior bonds, and by the names and powers which rule the things, then by the inferior, and the things themselves; We must know further, that by these bonds not only Spirits, but also all creatures are bound, as Tempests, burnings, flouds, plagues, diseases, force of armes, and every animal, by assuming them, either by the manner of Adjuration, or by the way of deprecation or benediction, as in the charming of Serpents, besides the naturall and celestial, by rehearsing out of the mysteries and Religion, the curse of the Serpent in terrestial Paradise, the lifting up of the Serpent in the wilderness; moreover by assuming that verse of the Psalm 91. Thou shalt walk upon the Aspe and the Basiliske, and shalt tread upon the Lion and Dragon: Superstition also very much prevaileth in these, by the translating of some Sacramental rites to that which we Intend to bind or hinder, as, of Excommunication, burial or exequies for the driving away of diseases, Serpents, Mice or Wormes, which thing we read to have bin thus done in diverse places, and it is wont to be done even as yet.

CHAP. XXXIIII. Of the Animasticall order, and the Heroes.

AFter the Quires of the blessed spirits, the Animastic al order is the next, which the Hebrew Theologians call Issim, that is, strong and mighty men; the Magicians of the Gentiles, call Heroes and Demi-gods, or gods half men: whom Fulgentius, an Author not to be contemned, supposeth were so called, either because that for the meanness of their desert they are not judged worthy of Heaven, nor yet are accounted Terrestrical for the reverence of Grace; of this kind in old time were Priapus, Hippo, Vertumnus; or because they being eminent in this life for divine vertues, and benefits for mankinde, after this mortal man put off, are translated into the quire of the blessed gods; alwayes providing for mortal men the same vertues and benefits which they long since had in this life: or because they were procreated from the secret seed of the superiors, whom they think were begotten by the mixture of Gods or Angels with men, & therefore obtaining a certain middle nature, so as they are neither Angels nor men: which opinion Lactantius also followeth; and there are even at this time who have commerce and conjugall mixture with spirits; and all now believe that Merline, a British Prophet, was the son of a Spirit, and born of a virgin: and also they imagined, that Plato the Prince of wisdome was born of a virgin, impregnated by a phantasme of Apollo. And it is delivered in Histories, that certain women of the Gothes (which they call Alrumnae) eminent both for beauty and ingenuity, long since at Filimire, or (as others say) at Idanthresie, going forth out of the tents of the King of the Gothes, wandred in the desarts of Scythia in Asia beyond the Marshes of Meotis, and there being Impregnated by Fanni and Satyres, brought forth the first Hunni; more over Psellus is the Author, that Spirits sometimes cast forth seed, from the which certain little creatures arise: Therefore these Heroes have no less, power in disposing and ruling these inferior things, than the Gods and angels, and have both their offices and their dignities distributed to them: and therefore to them no otherwise than to the Gods themselves were Temples, Images, Altars, Sacrifices, Vows, and other mysteries of religion dedicated. And their names invocated had divine and magical vertues for the accomplishing of some miracles: which thing Eusebius declareth that many tried by the invocation of the name of Apollonius of Tyana; and more of this kinde we read of, both in the Poets, and also in the Historians and Philosophers, concerning Hercules, Atlas, Aesculapius and the other Heroes of the Gentiles; but these are the follies of the Gentiles; but as concerning our holy Heroes we beleve that they excel in divine power, and that the soul of the Meschihae doth rule over them (as the Theologians of the Jews also testify) that is Jesus Christ, who by divers of his Saints, as it were by members fitted for this purpose, doth administer and distribute divers gifts of his grace in these inferior parts, and every one of the Saints do enjoy a peculiar gift of working. Whence they being implored by us with divers prayers and supplications according to the manifold distribution of graces, every one doth most freely bestow their gifts, benefits, and graces on us much more readily, truly, & also more abundantly than the Angelical powers, by how much they are nigher to us, and more allyed to our natures, as they who in times past were both men, and suffered humane affections and infirmities; and their names, degrees and offices are more known unto us; Therefore out of the number of these almost Infinite, there are twelve chief, viz. the twelve Apostles of Christ, who (as the evangelical truth saith (sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, who in the Revelations are distributed upon twelve foundations, at the twelve gates of the heavenly City, who rule the twelve Signs, and are sealed in the twelve pretious Stones, and the whole world is distributed to them; but their true names are these; the first [non-Latin script] Symehon Hacephi this is Peter. The second [non-Latin script] Alousi, whom we call Andrew The third [non-Latin script] Jahacobah, this is James the greater. The fourth [non-Latin script] Polipos whom we call Philip. The fift [non-Latin script] Barachiah, this is Bartholomew. The sixt [non-Latin script] Johanah, whom we name John. The seventh is [non-Latin script] Thamni, whom we call Thomas. The eighth is called [non-Latin script] Medon, for whom we say Matthew. The ninth is [non-Latin script] Jahacob, this is James the less. The tenth is [non-Latin script], Catepha, this is Thadeus, the eleventh [non-Latin script] Samam, who is Simon the Canaanite. The twelfth [non-Latin script] Matattiah, who is called Matthias. After these are the seventy two disciples of Christ, who also themselves do rule so many Quinaries of Heaven, & Tribes, People, Nations and Tongues. After whom is an Innnumerable multitude of Saints, who also themselves have received divers Offices, Places, Nations and People into their protection and patronage, whose most apparent miracles at the faithfull prayers of those that Invocate them, we plainly see and confess.

CHAP. XXXV. Of the Mortall and Terrestrial Gods.

NExt after these are the mortall Gods, whom in like manner also we call Heroes, and Terrestrial gods, or Companions of the superiour Gods: viz. Kings, Princes, and Priests, by whom this world is governed, and disposed by their Laws, whom therefore as Gods we receive, worship and reverence, because God himself hath suffered his name to be communicated to them, and by a proper denomination hath confirmed it to them, calling them gods, even as he spake to Moses, saying, I have made thee a God to Pharoah; and elsewhere he hath commanded concerning them saying, Thou shalt not detract from the gods; and again, if Theft shall lie hid, the Master of the House shall apply himself to the Gods; and the Psalmist saith, The princes of the people were gathered together with the God […] Abraham: because that the mighty gods of the Earth are vehemently lifted up; and elsewhere God stood in the counsels of the gods, but in the midst he Judgeth the gods; and a little after, I have said ye are all gods, and sons of the most high; moreover he hath commanded concerning the worshipping and reverencing of them, decreeing tithes and first fruits for them, and giving them the power of the sword, and forbidding any to curse them, and commanding obedience to be yielded to them, though wicked. Hence all Antiquity called their princes gods, and worshipped them as divine powers, as Janus testifieth in Ovid, in his first book of Fasti saying.,

When th' earth of th' Gods was potent, I did raign
And dieties mix'd were with seats humane.

And Divine Plato in his third book de Republica appointed that princes both alive and dead should be celebrated with divine honors, which Institution hath ben received amongst all Nations, even from the first age, viz. to deify their princes with divine honours, and to consecrate them with eternall memory; Hence they did impose their never dying names on Cities, Provinces, Mountains, Rivers, Lakes, Ilands and Seas; And dedicated to them with great pomp, Piramides, Colosses, triumphal Arches, Trophies, Statues, Temples, Plays, Feasts; and also called the Heavens, Stars, Dyaes and Months by their names. Hence January from Janus, July from Julius, August from Augustus; so dies Mercurii from Mercury Trismegist Dies Jovis from Jupiter, which custome we read was observed not only by the Aegyptians Greeks and Romans, but also by the extream barbarous people, as Gothes, Danes and Teutones. Hence Saxo Grammaticus being witness, what day the former call Dies Mercurii, these do call Othines day: what day the former name from Jupiter, these call Thors day, from Othin and Thor in times past Kings of Gotland and Denmark; neither are they for any other reason called Gothes, then that they callin their language their cheifest god Got. Hence also the Dutch are thus called, because they named the god Mars, whom they worshipped, Teutan; by which name the Gaules also called Mercury. Therefore are Kings and Priests (if they be Just) companions of the gods, and endowed with the like power. Hence they cure diseases by their touch and word and sometimes command the times and the Heavens, as Virgil, sang of Augustus,

It rains all night, i'th' morn the raies return;
Caesar with Jove divided hath the throne.

And the Scripture testifieth of Joshuah, who fighting in Gibeon, commanded the Sun and Moon, saying, Sun stand still in Gibeon, and thou Moon in the Valley of Ajalon; and the Sun and the Moon stood still at his command, neither did the Sun set in the space of one day, untill he had revenged himself of his Enemies, and the Lord obeyed the voyce of man; Also Moses divided the red Sea, and Joshua Jordan, and led the people over dry shod; The like did Alexander the Macedonian, leading forth his Army; Sometimes also they are endowed with a prophetick spirit, as we read of Chaiaphas in the holy Scripture, that he prophesied, for that he was High Priest that year: Seeing therefore it is so that the Lord of the Earth would that Kings and Priests be called gods by communication of name and power, surely we ought also to deserve well of them, and to prefer their Judgments before ours, and simply to obey, supplicate and adore, and worship with all kinde of worship and reverence the most high God in them.

CHAP. XXXVI. Of Man, how he was created after the Image of God.

THe most abundant God (as Trismegistus saith) hath framed two Images like himself, viz. the world and man, that in one of these he might sport himself with certain wonderfull operations: but in the other, that he might enjoy his delights, who seeing he is one, hath created the world one, seeing that he is infinite, hath created the world round seeing he is eternall, he hath created the world incorruptible and everlasting: seeing he is Immense, he hath created the world the greatest of all things; seeing he is the chiefest life, he hath adorned the world with vitall seeds, begetting all things out of himself; and seeing he is omnipotent, by his will alone, not by any necessity of nature, he hath created the world, not out of any foregoing matter, but out of nothing; and seeing he is the chief goodness, embracing his word, which is the first Idea of allthings, with his choisest will, and essentiall love, he hath fabricated this externall world after the example of the Internall, viz. Ideall world, yet sending forth nothing of the essence of the Idea, but created of nothing that which he had from eternity by the Idea: God also created man after his Image; for as the world is the Image of God, so man is the Image of the world. Hence some think that it is spoken, that man is not created simply the Image of God, but after the Image, or the Image of the Image; therefore he is called Microcosme, that is the lesser world; The world is a Rationall creature, Immortall'; man in like manner is rationall but mortal, that is, dissolvable; for (as Hermes saith) seeing the world it self is immortall, it is Impossible that any part of it can perish. Therefore to dye, is a vain name, and even as Vacuum is no where, so also Death; Therefore we say a man dieth, when his Soul and body are separated, not that any thing of them perisheth or is turned into nothing. Notwithstanding the true Image of God is his word. The wisdome, life, light and Truth existing by himself, of which Image mans soul is the Image, in regard of which we are said to be made after the Image of God, not after the Image of the world, or of the creatures; for as God cannot be touched, nor perceived by the ears, nor seen with the eyes; so the soul of man can neither bee seen, heard nor touched. And as God himself is infinite, and cannot be compelled by any, so also the minde of man is free, and cannot be enforced or bounded. Further, as God comprehendeth this whole world, and whatsoever is in it in his minde alone; so mans minde comprehendeth it even in thought; and that which is peculiar to him alone with God, as God moveth and governeth all this world by his beck alone, so mans minde ruleth and governeth his body Therefore it was necessary, that the minde of man thus sealed by the word of God, should put on also the corporeall man, after the most compleat example of the world: Therefore man is called the other world, and the other Image of God, because he hath in himself All that is contained in the greater world, so that there remaineth nothing which is not found even truly and really in man himself, and all these things do perform the same duties in him, as in the great world: There are in him the four Elements, with the most true proprieties of their nature, and in him an ethereal body, the Chariot of the soul in proportion corresponding to the Heaven: There are in him the vegetative life of Plants, the senses of animals, of celestial spirits, the Angelical reason, and the Divine understanding, and the true conjunction, and divine possession of all these things flowing together into one. Hence in sacred Letters man is called every creature, and not onely man being made another world doth comprehend all the parts thereof in himself but also doth receive and contain even God himself. Hence Xystus the Pythagorian, saith, that the soul of man is the temple of God: which thing Paul also more clearly expressed, saying, ye are the Temple of God; & the same the sacred Scripture testifieth in many places: Therefore man is the most express Image of God, seing man conteineth in himself all things which are in God: but God by a certain eminency contemeth all things through his power, & simply, as the cause and beginning of all things; but he hath given this power to man that he should in like manner contein all things, but by a certain act & composition, as the knot, tye, and bond of all things: Therefore man only rejoyceth in this honor, that he hath a similitude with all, operation with all and conversation with all: He Symbolizeth with the matter in a proper subject; with the Elements in a fourfold body; with Plants in a vegetative vertue; with animals in a sensitive faculty; with the Heavens in an Etherial spirit, and influx of the superior parts on the inferiour: with the Angels in understanding and wisdome; with God, in conteining all things: He is preserved with God, and the Intelligences, by faith and wisdome: with the heavens and heavenly things, by reason and discourse: with all Inferiour things, by sense and Dominion: and acteth with all, and hath power on all, even on God himself, by knowing and loving him; and as God knoweth all things, so also man can know all things Intelligible, seeing he hath for an adequate Object, Ens in general, or (as others say) Truth it self; neither is there any thing found in man, nor any disposition, in which something of divinity may not shine forth; neither is there any thing in God, which may not also be represented in man: Whosoever therefore shall know himself, shall know all things in himself; especially he shall know God, according to whose Image he was made; he shall know the world, the resemblance of which he beareth; he shall know all creatures, with which he Symbolizeth; and what comfort he can have and obtain, from Stones, Plants, Animals, Elements, Heavens, from Spirits, Angels, and every thing, and how all things may be fitted for all things, in their time, place, order, measure, proportion and Harmony, and can draw and bring to himself, even as a Loadstone Iron; And Geber in his summ of Alchimy teacheth, that no man can come to the perfection of this art, who shall not know the principles of it in himself; but by how much the more every one shall know himself, by so much he obtaineth the greater power of attracting it, and by so much operateth greater and more wonderfull things, and will ascend to so great perfection, that he is made the Son of God, and is transformed into that Image which is God, and is united with him, which is not graunted to Angels, the world, or any creature, but to man only, viz. to have power to be made the Son of God, and to be united to him: but man being united to God, all things which are in man, are united, especially his minde, then his spirits and animal powers, and vegetative faculty, and the Elements are to the matter, drawing with it self even the body, whose form it hath been, leading it forth into a better condition, and an heavenly nature, even untill it be glorified into Immortality. And this which we have spoken is the peculiar gift of man, to whom this dignity of the divine image is proper, and common to no other creature: But there are some Theologians, who make those powers of mans memory, understanding, will, the image of the Divine trinity; and there are who going further, do place this image not only in these three faculties which they call first acts, but also in the second acts; And as the memory representeth the father, the understanding the son, the will the Holy Ghost; So also the word produced from our understanding, and love flowing from our will, and the understanding it self having a present object and producing it, do set forth the son, spirit and father; and the more mysterious Theologians teach that moreover all our members do represent something in God whose image they bear; and that even in our passions we represent God, but by a certain Analogy: for in the holy word we read of the wrath, fury, repentance, complacency, love, hatred, pleasure, delectation, delight, indignation of God, and such like, and we have above spoken something of the members of God, which may be congruent here; Also Mercurius Trismegistus confessing the divine Trinity, describeth it understanding, life and brightness, which elsewhere he calleth the word, the minde and the spirit, and saith that man made after the image of God, doth represent the same Trinity; for there is in him an understanding minde, a verifying word, and a spirit, as it were a Divine brightness diffusing it self on every side, replenishing all things, moving and knitting them together: but this is not to be understood of the naturall spirit which is the middle by the which the soul is united with the flesh and the body, by the which the body liveth and acteth, and one member worketh on another, of the which spirit we have spoken in the first book. But we here speak of the naturall spirit, which yet in some sort is also corporeall, notwithstanding it hath not agrosse body, tangible and visible, but a most subtile body and easie to be united with the mind viz. that superiour and Divine one which is in us; neither let any one wonder, if we say that the rationall soul is that spirit, and a corporeall thing, or that it either hath or savoureth something of corporiety while it is in the body and useth it as an instrument, if so be that ye shall understand, what, amongst the Platonists, that Etheriall body of the soul, and chariot of the same may be; therefore Plotine and all the Platonists, after Trismegist, in like manner, place three things in man, which they call the Supreme, lowest and middle: The Supreme is that Divine thing which they call the mind, or superiour portion, or illuminated intellect. Moses in Genesis calleth it the breath of life, viz. breath from God or his spirit inspired into us; The lowest is the Sensitive soul which they also call an Image: Paul the Apostle nameth it the Animall man. The middle is the reasonable spirit knitting and tying together both extreams, viz. the Animal soul with the mind savouring of the nature of both extreams: yet it differeth from that Supream which is called the illuminated intellect, the mind, light and supream portion; it differeth also from the Animall soul, from the which, the Apostle teacheth us, that we ought to separate it, by the power of the word of God, saying, the word of God is lively and powerfull, more penetrating then a twoedged sword, peircing even to the dividing of the soul and spirit: for as that supream portion never sinneth, never consenteth to evil, and alwayes resisteth errour and exhorteth to the best things; so that inferior portion and Animall soul is alwayes overwhelmed in evil, in sin and concupiscence, and draweth to the worst things, of the which Paul saith, I see another Law in my members, leading me captive to the law of sin: The minde therefore the supream portion is never damned; but when its companions are to be punished, goeth away unhurt into its Originall: But the spirit, which by Plotinus is called the reasonable soul, seeing it is by its nature, free, and can according to his pleasure adhere to either of them, if it constantly adhere to the superiour portion, is at length united and beautified with it, untill it be assumed into God: if it adhere unto the inferior soul, it is depraved, and becomes vitious, untill it be made a wicked spirit. But thus much concerning the mind and spirit: now let us see concerning the speech or word. Mercurius thinketh this of the same value for immortality: for speech or word is that without which nothing is done or can be done; for it is the expression of the expressor and of the thing expressed; and the speaking of the speaker, and that which speaketh, is speech or word: and the conception of the conceiver and that which conceiveth, is the word: and the writing of the writer and that which writeth, is the word: and the forming of the former and that which formeth, is the word; and the creation of the Creator, and that which createth is the word: and the doing of the doer, and that which is done is the word: and the knowledge of him that knoweth and the thing knowen is the word; and every thing that can be spoken is but a word, and its called equality: for it carrieth it self equally towards all; seeing that it is not one thing more then another, equally bestowing on all, that they may be, that which they are, neither more nor lesse; and it self being sensible, doth make it self and all things sensible, as light maketh it self & all things visible; therefore the word is called by Mercurius the bright son of the mind; for the conception by the which the mind conceiveth it self, is the intrinsecall word generated from the mind viz. the knowledge of it self: But the extrinsecall and vocall word, is the of-spring and manifestation of that word, and a spirit proceeding out of the mouth with sound and voice, signifying something: but every voice of ours, speech and word unlesse it be formed by the voice of God, is mingled with the air and vanisheth; but the spirit and word of the Lord remaineth, life and sense accompanying it. Therefore all our speech, words, spirit and voice have no power in Magick, unless they be formed by the divine word: & Aristotle himself in his Meteors, and in the end of his Ethicks confesseth, that there is not any vertue either natural or morall, unless through God; & in his secret tenents, he affirmeth that our understanding being good and sound can do very much on the secrets of nature if so be that the influence of the Divine power be present, otherwise nothing at all: So also our words can do very many miracles, if they be formed by the word of God, in which also our universall generation is perfected, as Isay saith, by thy countenance O Lord we have conceived, as women rightly conceive by the countenance of their husbands, and have brought forth spirit. Hither in some sort belongeth that which is delivered by the Gymnosophists of the Indians, viz. that Budda a prince of this opinion, brought forth a virgin out of his side; and amongst the Mahumetans there is a constant opinion, that many, whom in their tongues they call Nefesohli, are born by a certain occult manner of Divine dispensation without carnall copulation, whose life is therefore wonderfull and impassible and as it were Angelical and all together supernaturall; but these triffles we leave; only the King Messias, the word of the father, made flesh, Christ Jesus hath revealed this secret, and will further manifest it at a certain fulness of time: therefore a mind very like to himself (as Lazarillus sang in Crater of Hermes.)

God gave man reason that like dieties
He might bring forth gods with capacity.
O happy he that knows his worth, and how
He equall is unto the gods above!
They represse dangers, make diseases flie,
They give presages, and from misery
Deliver men, reward the good, and ill
Chastise, and so the will of God fulfill;
These are Disciples, and the sons of God
Most High—

Who are not born of the will of flesh, or of man, or of a menstruous woman, but of God: but it is an universall generation in which the Son is like the Father in all manner of similitude, and in the which, that which is begot is the same in specie with the begetter; and this is the power of the word formed by the mind, and received into a subject rightly disposed, as seed into the matrix for the generation; but I say disposed & rightly received; because that all are not partakers of the word after the same manner, but others otherwise; and these are the most hidden secrets of nature which ought not to be further published.