Book III, chapters 46–51: The four frenzies, rapture and ecstasy, and prophetical dreams

CHAP. XLVI. Of the first kind of phrensie from the Muses.

PHrensie is an illustration of the soul coming from the Gods, or Demons. Whence this verse of Ovid,

God is in us, Commerces of the throne
Of God, that spirit from above came down.

Plato defines this by alienation, and binding; for he abstracts from those by which the corporeal senses are stirred up, and being estranged from an animal man, adheres to a diety from whom it receives those things which it cannot search into by its own power; for when the minde is free, and at liberty, the reines of the body being loosed, and going forth as out of a close prison, transcends the bonds of the members, and nothing hindring of it, being stirred up by its own instigations, and instigated by a divine spirit, comprehends all things, and foretells future things. Now there are four kinds of divine phrensie proceeding from several dieties, viz. from the Muses, from Dionysius, from Apollo, and from Venus. The first phrensie therefore proceeding from the Muses, stirs up and tempers the mind, and makes it divine by drawing superior things to inferior things by things natural. Now Muses are the souls of the celestial spheres, according to which there are found several degrees, by which there is an attraction of superior things to inferior. The inferior of these resembling the sphear of the Moon, possesseth those things which are from vegetables, as plants, fruits of trees, roots, and those which are from harder matters, as Stones, Metals, their alligations, and suspensions. So it is said that the stone Selenites i. e. Moon-Stone, and the stone of the Civet-cat cause divination; also Vervain, and the Hearb Theangelis cause soothsaying, as hath been above said. The second degree resembling Mercury, possesseth those things which are from animals, and which are compounded of the mixtion of divers natural things together, as Cups, and Meats; upon this account the heart of a Mole, if any one shall eat it whilest it is warm, and panting, conduceth, as it is said, to the foretelling of future events. And Rabbi Moses in his commentaries upon Leviticus tells, that there is an animal called [non-Latin script] Jedua, having a humane shape, in the midle of whose navel comes forth a string, by which it is fastned to the ground like a gourd, and as far as the length of that string reacheth, it devours and consumes all that is green about it, and deceiving the sight, cannot be taken, unless that string be cut off by the stroke of a dart, which being cut off, it presently dies. Now the bones of this animal being after a certain manner laid upon the mouth, presently he whose mouth they are laid on, is taken with a phrensie, and soothsaying. The third degree answers to the sphear of Venus; This possesseth subtile powders, vapours, and odours, and oyntments, and suffumigations, which are made of these of which we have spoke above. The fourth degree belongs to the sphear of the Sun; this possesseth voyces, words, singings, and harmonical sounds, by the sweet consonancy whereof it drives forth of the minde any troublesomeness therein, and chears it up. Whence Hermes, Pythagoras, Plato, advise us to compose a discontented minde, and chear it up by singing and harmony. So Timotheus is said to have with sounds stirred up King Alexander to a phrensie: so the Priest Calame (Aurelius Augustus being witness) was wont at his pleasure by a certain shrill harmony to call himself forth out of his body into a rapture, and extasie; of these also we have before spoken. The first degree is answerable to Mars: this possesseth vehement imaginations, and affections of the minde, conceits also, and motions thereof, of all which before. The sixth degree answers to Jupiter: this possesseth the discourses of reason, deliberations, consultations, and moral purgations: of these we have spoken in part above, and further we shall speak afterwards; It possesseth also admirations, and venerations, at the astonishment of which, the phantasie, and reason are sometimes so restrained, that they suddenly let pass all their own actions: whence then the minde it self being free, and exposed to a diety only, whether to any God, or Demon doth receive supernal, and divine influencies, viz. those concerning which it did deliberate before. So we read that the Sybils, and the Priests of Pythia were wont to receive oracles in the caves of Jupiter, and Apollo. The seventh degree resembles Saturn: this possesseth the more secret intelligencies, and quiet contemplations of the minde. I call here, the contemplation, the free perspicacity of the minde, suspended with admiration upon the beholding of wisdom. For that excogitation which is made by riddles, and images, is a certain kind of speculation, or discourse belonging to Jupiter, and not a contemplation. The eighth degree resembles the starry heaven; this observes the situation, motion, raies, and light of the celestial bodies: it possesseth also images, rings, and such like, which are made after the rule of celestials, as we have above spoken. The ninth degree answers to the primum mobile, viz. the ninth sphear, as the very universe: this possesseth things more formal, as Numbers, Figures, Characters, and observes the occult influencies of the intelligences of the heaven, and other mysteries, which because they bear the effigies of celestial dieties, and invocated spirits, easily allures them, and compelleth them being forced by a certain necessity of conformity to come to one, and detains them, that they shall not easily go back, of which we read in the Oracles in Porphyrie.

Cease now at length, spare words, to life give rest,
Dissolve, and leave old shapes (I thee request)
Dishape the members, and the winding-sheet
Unloose—

And in an other place in the same book.

Ye Garlands loose the feet, with water clean
Let them be sprinkled, and the Laurel green
Be taken off from th' hands, and every line
And Character be blotted out—

Of these we have sufficiently treated already, and shall afterwards treat further of them.

CAAP. XLVII. Of the second kinde from Dionysius.

NOw the second phrensie proceeds from Dionysius: this doth by expiations exterior, and interior, and by conjurations, by mysteries, by solemnities, rites, temples, and observations divert the soul into the mind, the supream part of it self, and makes it a fit and pure temple of the Gods, in which the divine spirits may dwell, which the soul then possessing as the associate of life, is filled by them with felicity, wisdom, and oracles, not in signs, and marks, or conjectures, but in a certain concitation of the mind, and free motion: So Bacchus did soothsay to the Beotians, and Epimenides to the people of Cous, and the Sybil Erithea to the Tro[…]ns. Sometimes this phrensie happens through a clear vision, sometimes by an express voyce: So Socrates was governed by his Demon, whose counsel he did diligently obey, whose voyce he did often hear with his ears, to whom also the shape of a Demon did often appear. Many prophecying spirits also were wont to shew themselves, and be associats with the souls of them that were purified; examples of which there are many in sacred Writ, as in Abraham, and his bond m[…]d Hagar, in Jacob, Gideon, Elias, Tobias, Daniel, and many more. So Adam had familiarity with the Angel Raziel. Shem the son of […] with Jophiel; Abraham with Zadkiel: Isaac and Jacob with Peliel; Joseph, Joshua and Daniel with Gabriel; Moses with Metattron; Elias with Malhiel, Tobias the yonger with Raphal; David with Cerniel; Mannoah with Phadael; Cenez with Cerrel; Ezekiel with Hasmael; Esdras with Uriel; Solomon with Michael. Sometimes the spirits by vertue of the souls enter into, and seise upon organical bodies, whether of […] or men, and using the souls thereof as the basis, utter voyces through organical instruments, as is manifest in Baalams Asse, and in Saul, on whom the spirit of the Lord fell, and Prophecyed. Of these Apollo in his answers in Porphyry thus;

Phebean fulgor charmed, did from on high
Come down, and through pure air was silently
Conveyed; came into souls well purified
With a sonorous breath, a voyce uttered
Through a mortal throat—

CHAP. XLVIII. Of the third kind of phrensie from Apollo.

NOw the third kind of phrensie proceeds from Apollo, viz. from the mind of the world. This doth by certain sacred mysteries, vows, sacrifices, adorations, invocations, & certain sacred arts, or certain secret confections, by which the spirits of their God did infuse vertue, make the soul rise above the mind, by joyning it with dieties, and Demons: so we read concerning the Ephod, which being applied, they did presently prophecie: so we read in the books of the Senats in the chapters of Eleazar, that Rabbi Israel made certain cakes, writ upon with certain divine and angel call names, and so consecrated, which they that did eat with faith, hope, and charitie, did presently break forth with a spirit of prophecie. We read in the same place that Rabbi Johena the son of Jochahaed did after that manner enlighten a certain rude countryman, called Eleazar, being altogether illiterate, that being compassed about with a sudden brightness, did unexpectedly preach such high mysteries of the Law to an assembly of wise men, that he did even astonish all that were neer him. And it is reported of a certain man called Herviscus an Aegyptian, that he was endowed with such a divine nature, that at the very sight of images that had any diety in them, he was forthwith stirred up with a kind of a divine phrensie. We read also in the scripture, that when Saul was amongst the Prophets, the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he prophecied, and when he went forth from the assembly of the Prophets, he ceased to prophesie; the same happened to those officers which Saul sent to catch David: who when they saw the company of the Prophets, and Samuel standing in the midst of them, received the spirit of the Lord on them, and prophesied also. So great is the abounding of divine light oftentimes in the prophets, taken with a divine phrensie, that it also seiseth on them that are neer them, and makes them have the same spirit of phrensie: It is not therefore incredible, that an ignorant man should presently be made wise, and again that a wise man become ignorant: for there is a certain art (known but to few) of informing, adorning, & illustrating a pure mind, so that it should presently be recovered out of the darkness of ignorance, and brought to the light of wisdom: and on the contrary, there is a way by certain hid secrets, to make them that have unclean, and unbelieving minds to become ignorant again, although for the present they are learned and wise. Mans mind also, especially that which is simple, and pure, may (Apuleius being witness) by some sacred, and mysterious recreation, and appeasing, be so brought into a sleep, and astonied, that it may forget things present so utterly, as to be brought into its divine nature, and so be enlightned with the divine light, and inspired with a divine phrensie that it may foretell things to come, and withall receive the vertue of some wonderfull effects. Whence Jamblicus saith, when the prophets are inspired with a diety, they fear nothing, for they go through wayes unpassable, and are carried into the fire without any hurt, and passe over rivers. So we read of certain caves as of Apollo, Trophonius, the three footed stools, dens, fountains, lakes, and such like, that were consecrated to the gods after this manner, or made by that mysterie, that from thence the priests might draw the spirit of prophecying, as Jamblicus in Porphyrie: The Sybill (saith he) in Delphi was wont to receive God after two wayes: either by a subtill spirit, and fire, which did break forth somewhere out of the mouth of the cave, where she sitting in the entrance upon a brazen three footed stool dedicated to a diety, was divinely inspired, and did utter prophecyings; or a great fire flying out of the cave did cirround this prophetess, stirring her up, being filled with a diety, to prohhesie, which inspiration also she received as she sate upon a consecrated seat, breaking forth presently into predictions. Moreover there was a prophetess in Branchi which sate upon an extree, and either held a wand in her hand given to her by some diety, or washed her feet, and sometimes the hem of her garment in the waters, or drew the vapour of fire from the waters. By all these she was filled with divine splendour, and did unfold many Oracles. We also read that in the country of Thracia there was a certain passage consecrated to Bacchus, from whence predictions, and Oracles were wont to be given: the Priors of whose temples having drank wine abundantly did do strange things. Amongst the Clarians also, where the temple of Clarius Apollo was, to whom it was given to utter divine things, they having drank much wine did strange things. There was also a propheticall fountain of Father Achaia, constituted before the temple of Ceres, where they that did enquire of the event of the sick did let down a glass by degrees tied to a small cord, to the top of the water, and certain supplications and fumes being made, the event of the thing did appear in the glass. There was also not far from Epidaurus a City of Laconia a deep Fe[…], which was called the water of Juno, into which cakes of corn being cast, answers were given, fortunate, if the waters did quietly retain what was cast in; but unhappy, if they did as it were, scorning of them, cast them back. The like they say do the caves of A[…]n[…]a, into which money or sacrifices did shew the same pre[…]age of good or ill, by being retained, or rejected. The like things reports Dion in his Romane History, in a place which they call the Nymphs: where Frankincense being cast into the flames, Oracles were received concerning all those things which he did desire to know, especially concerning death, and those things which belonged to marriages. Wonderfull also is that which Aristotle relates of a certain fountain of the Paliscans of Sicilia, to which they that did take an oath did go, and whatsoever they did affirm upon oath writ it upon tables, which they cast into the fountain. If those things were true, the tables would swim; if false, sink; then fire coming suddenly forth burned him that was perjured into ashes. There was also in the City Dodona an Oak, which assoon as any one entered in to receive an answer, did forthwith move, and make a sound; there was also a statue holding a wand, which did strike a bason, whereby the bason made answer by moderated strokes. Whence it is read in the Epistle of Ausinus to Paulinus,

Answers did give the Dodonean brass,
With moderated strokes; so docile t'was.

CHAP. XLIX. Of the fourth kinde of Phrensie, from Venus.

NOw the fourth kind of Phrensie proceeds from Venus, and it doth by a servent love convert, and transmute the mind to God, and makes it altogether like to God, as it were the proper image of God; Whence Hermes saith, O Aselepius! Man is a great miracle, an animal to be honoured and adored; for he passeth into the nature of God, whereby he becomes God: He knows the rise of Demons, and he knows himself to have his originall with them, despising the part of his humane nature in himself, having a sure confidence of the divinity of the other; The soul therefore being converted, and made like to God, is so formed of God, that it doth above all intellect, know all things by a certain essential contract of Divinity: therefore Orpheus describes love to be without eyes, because it is above the intellect. Now then the soul being so converted into God by love, and sublimated above the intellectuall spear, doth beside that it hath by its integrity obtain'd the spirit of prophecie, sometimes work wonderfull things, and greater then the nature of the world can do, which works are called miracles. For as the heaven by its image, light, and heat, doth those things, which the force of the fire cannot do by its naturall quality (which in Alchymie is most known by experience) so also doth God by the image and light of himself do those things, which the world cannot do by its innate vertue. Now the image of God is man, at least such a man that by a phrensie from Venus is made like to God, and lives by the mind only, and receives God into himself. Yet the soul of man according to the Hebrew Doctors and Cabalists, is defined to be the light of God, and Created after the image of the word, the cause of causes, the first example, and the substance of God, figured by a seal whose Character is the eternall word. Which Mercurius Trismegistus considering, saith, that such a man is more excellent then they that are in heaven, or at least equall to them.

CHAP. L. Of rapture, and extasie, and soothsayings, which happen to them which are taken with the falling sickness, or with a swoune, or to them in an agonie.

ARapture is an abstraction, and alienation, and an illustration of the soul proceeding from God, by which God doth again retract the soul being fallen from above to hell, from hell to heaven. The cause of this is in us a continuall contemplation of sublime things, which as far as it conjoyns with a most profound intension of the mind, the soul to incorporeal wisdom, doth so far recall it self with its vehement agitations from things sensible and the body, and (as Plato saith) in such a manner sometimes, that it even flieth out of the body, and seemeth as it were dissolved: even as Aurelius Austin reporteth concerning a Priest of Calamia; (of whom we have made mention before) he lay (saith he) most like unto a dead man, without breath; and when he was burnt with fire and wounded, he felt it not; so great therefore is the command of the soul: viz. when it hath obtained its own nature, and is not oppressed by the allurements of the senses, that by its own power it suddenly ascendeth, not onely remaining in the body, but even sometimes loosed from its fetters, and flyeth forth of the body to the supercelestiall habitations, where now it being most nigh, and most like to God, and made the receptable of divine things, it is filled with the divine Light and Oracles. Whence Zoroastes saith, thou must ascend to the light it self, and to the beams of the Father, whence thy soul was sent thee, clothed with very much mind; and Trismegistus saith, it is necessary that thou ascend above the heavens, and be far from the quire of spirits: and Pythagoras saith, if thou by leaving the body shalt pass into the spacious heavens, thou shalt be an immortall god. So we read that Hermes, Socrates, Xenocrates, Plato, Plotine, Heraclitus, Pythagoras and Zoroastes, were wont to abstract themselves by rapture, and so to learn the knowledge of many things: also we read in Herodotus, that there was in Proconnesus a Philosopher of wonderfull knowledge, called Atheus, whose soul sometimes went out of the body, and after the visitation of places far remote, returned again into the body more learned: Pliny reporteth the same thing, that the soul of Harman Clazomenius was wont to wander abroad, his body being left, and to bring true tidings of things very far off; and there are even to this day in Norway and Lapland very many who can abstract themselves three whole dayes from their body, and being returned declare many things which are afar off; and in the mean time it is necessary to keep them, that not any living creature come upon them or touch them; otherwise they report that they cannot return into their body. Therefore we must know, that (according to the doctrine of the Aegyptians,) seeing the soul is a certain spirituall light, when it is loosed from the body, it comprehendeth every place and time, in such a manner as a light inclosed in a Lanthern, which being open, diffuseth it self every where, and faileth not any where, for it is every where, and continually; and Cicero in his book of Divination saith, neither doth the soul of man at any time divine, when it is so loosed that it hath indeed little or nothing to do with the body; when therefore it shall attain to that state, which is the supream degree of contemplative perfection, then it is rapt from all created species, and understandeth not by acquired species, but by the inspection of the Ideas, and it knoweth all things by the light of the Ideas: of which light Plato saith few men are partakers in this life; but in the hands of the gods, all: also they who are troubled with the syncope and falling sickness, do in some manner imitate a rapture, and in these sicknesses sometimes as in a rapture do bring forth prophesie, in which kind of prophesying we read that Hercules and many Arabians were very excellent, and there are certain kinds of soothsayings, which are a middle betwixt the confines of naturall predictions, and supernaturall Oracles, viz. which declare things to come from some excess of passion, as too much love, sorrow, or amongst frequent sights, or in the agony of death, as in Statius, of the mother of Achilles;

—Nor she without parents dear
Under the glassie gulf the oars did fear.

For there is in our minds a certain perspicuous power, and, capable of all things, but encumbred and hindred by the darkness of the body and mortality, but after death it having acquired immortality, and being freed from the body it hath a full and perfect knowledge. Hence it cometh to pass, that they who are nigh to death, and weakened by old age, have sometimes somewhat of an unaccustomed light, because the soul being less hindred by the senses, understandeth very acutely, and being now as it were a little relaxed from its bands, is not altogether subject to the body, and being as it were nigher to the place, to the which it is about to go, it easily perceiveth revelations, which being mixed with its agonies, are then offered to it; whence Ambrose in his book of the belief of the resurrection, saith, Which being free in the aerial motion, knoweth not whither it goeth, and whence it cometh; yet we know that it superviveth the body, and that it being freed, the chains of its senses being cast off, freely discerneth those things which it saw not before, being in the body, which we may estimate by the example of those who sleep, whose mind being quiet, their bodies being as it were buried, do elevate themselves to higher things, and do declare to the body the visions of things absent, yea even of celestial things.

CHAP. LI. Of Prophetical Dreams.

NOw I call that a dream, which proceedeth either from the spirit of the phantasie and intellect united together, or by the illustration of the Agent intellect above our souls, or by the true revelation of some divine power in a quiet and purified mind; for by this our soul receiveth true oracles, and abundantly yieldeth prophesies to us: for in dreams we seem both to Ask questions, and learn to read and find them out; also many doubtfull things, many Policies, many things unknown, and unwished for, nor ever attempted by our minds, are manifested to us in Dreams: also the representations of unknown places appear, and the Images of men both alive and dead, and of things to come are foretold; and also things which at any times have happened, are revealed, which we knew not by any report; and these dreams need not any art of interpretation, as those of which we have spoken in the first book, which belong to divination, not fore-knowledge; and it commeth to pass that they who see these dreams, for the most part understand them not; for (as Abdala the Arabian saith) as to see dreams, is from the strength of imagination, so to understand them, is from the strength of understanding; whose intellect therefore, being overwhelmed by the too much commerce of the flesh, is in a dead sleep, or its imaginative or phantastick spirit is too dull and unpolished, that it cannot receive the species and representations which flow from the superior intellect, and retain them when received, this man is altogether unfit for the scothsaying by dreams. Therefore it is necessary, that he who would receive true drams, should keep a pure, undisturbed, and an undisquieted imaginative spirit, and so compose it, that it may be made worthy of the knowledge and government by the mind and understanding: for such a spirit is most fit for prophesying, and (as Sinesius saith) is a most clear glass of all the Images which flow every where from all things: when therefore we are sound in body, not disturbed in mind, not dulled by meat or drink, nor sad through poverty, nor provoked by any vice of lust or wrath, but chastly going to bed, fall asleep, then our pure and divine soul being loosed from all hurtfull thoughts, and now freed by dreaming, is endowed with this divine spirit as an instrument, and doth receive those beams and representations, which are darted down, and shine forth from the divine minde into it self; and as it were in a deifving glass, it doth far more certainly, clearly, and efficaciously behold all things, then by the Vulgar enquiry of the intellect, and by the discourse of reason; the divine power instructing the soul, being invited to their society by the oportunity of the nocturnal so litariness; neither further will that deity be wanting to him when he is awaked, which ruleth all his actions: whosoever therefore doth, by quiet and religious meditation, and by a diet temperate and moderated according to nature, preserve his spirit pure, doth very much prepare himself, that by this means he may become divine, and knowing all things; but whosoever, on the contrary, doth languish with a phantastick spirit, receiveth not perspicuous and distinct visions, but even as the divine sight, by reason of its weakness, Judgeth confusedly and indistinctly; and also when we are overcome with wine and drunkenness, then our spirit being oppressed with noxious vapours (as a troubled water is wont to appear in divers forms) is deceived, & waxeth dull; for which cause Amphiarus the Prophet (as we read in Philostratus) commanded those, who would receive Oracles, to abstain one whole day from meat, and three days from wine that the soul could not rightly prophefie unless it were free from wine, and meat; for to sober and religious minds, attending on the divine worship, the Gods are wont to give Oracles; whence Orpheus cryeth out,

—Thou spirit great of prophecy
Dost go to souls that sleep full quietly,
And them inspire with knowledge of the Gods,
And makest them soothsay—

Hence it was a custome amongst the ancients, that they who should receive Answers, certain sacred expiations and sacrifices being first celebrated, and divine worship ended, did religiously ly down even in a consecrated chamber, or at least on the skins of the sacrifices; of which Ceremony Virgil makes mention in these verses,

—Hence they sought
Answers to doubts; when gifts the priests had brought,
Here he reposed on skins of slaughtred sheep,
And under silent night prepares to sleep.

And a little after he singeth,

—But now
Here King Latinus Oracles to know,
They did a hundred choyce sheep sacrifice,
And on their skins, and spreading fleeces lyes—

And the rulers of the Lacedemonians (as Cicero saith) were wont to lye down in the Temple at Pasiphae, that they might dream. The same was done in the Temple of Aesculapius, from whom true dreams were thought to be sent forth. And the Calabrians consulting Podalyrius the son of Aesculapius, did sleep neer his Sepulchre in lambes skins; for so doing they were told in their dreams whatsoever they desired to know; for the most usuall time for dreams is the night, when the senses are freed from wandring objects, and meridian errours, and vain affections; neither doth fear strike the minde, nor the thoughts tremble, and the minde being most quiet, doth stedfastly adhere to the Deity; for there are, (as Rabbi-Johenan in his book of Senatours saith) four kinds of true dreams: the first Matutine, which is made betwixt sleep and awaking: the second, which one seeth concerning another: the third, whose interpretation is shewen to the same dreamer in the nocturnall vision: the fourth, which is repeated to the same dreamer, according to that which Joseph saith to Pharoah, But that thou hast seen the dream belonging to the same thing the second time, it is a sign of confirmation; but that dream is most sure, which is concerning those things which one did meditate on, and revolve in his minde, when he goeth to bed, as it is written, Thou O King didst think upon thy bed, what should become of these things; but it is necessary, that he which interpreteth other mens dreams, hath the knowledge by the which he can distinguish and discern the similitude; of all things, and know the customes of all nations, according to the laws which they have received from God and his Angels; farther this must be known, that there is scarce any dream without some vanity, as no grain of corn without his chaffe, which thing even the dream of Joseph the Patriard manifesteth; which his father Jacob interpreted, saying; what meaneth this dream, that thou hast seen? what shall I, and thy mother, and thy brethren fall down and worship thee? which effect concerning his mother, who shortly after died, followed not. Also Rabbi Johenan in the forecited book, saith these things; and also Rabbi Levi affirmeth, that no prophetical dream can bee kept back from his effect longer than twenty two years; so Joseph dreamed in the seventeenth year of his age, which was accomplished in the thirty ninth year of his age; therefore whosoever would receive divine dreams, let him be well disposed in body, his brain free from vapours, and his mind from perturbations, and let him that day abstain from supper, neither let him drink that which will inebriate, let him have a clean and neat chamber, also exorcized and consecrated: in the which, a perfume being made, his temples anoynted, things causing dreams being put on his fingers, and the representation of the heavens being put under his head, and paper being consecrated, his prayers being said, let him go to bed, earnestly meditating or that thing he desireth to know: So he shall see most true and certain dreams with the true illumination of his intellect: whosoever therefore shall know to joyn together those things which here and there we have delivered concerning this matter in these books, he shall easily obtain the gift of oracles and dreams.