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A35570
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The angelical guide shewing men and women their lott or chance in this elementary life, in four books ... / by John Case.
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Case, John, fl. 1680-1700.
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1697
(1697)
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Wing C818; ESTC R24255
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115,139
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307
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2 sheweth the actual emanation of the increased Light out of the potential Unity at the presence whereof the humid Nature did appear out of the dark Abyss 10. in the shape of Waters so that the Light and Waters as active and passive are ranked next after Unities Unity thus â—‹ Light â—‹ Water 2. Then by the Firy Spirit of Eternal Love and Unity those two opposite Natures are joined together into the nature of Heaven by a spiritual Union or Composition which is termed by the Platonicks the Soul of the World which the Philosopher calls by the name of Quinta Essentia the Quintessence so also are the Heavens said to animate the Elements no otherwise than the Soul doth the Body so that this degree of Progression in the Creation standeth Thus â—‹ Light The last of the Worlds Creation is this â—‹ Fire â—‹ Air â—‹ Air â—‹ Water â—‹ Water 3 â—‹ Earth Which importeth the four-fold alteration of the Catholick Element by the four Winds which was and is effected by the Word the third day of the Creation and this was nothing else but the general sublunary or lower Waters This therefore was the State of the VVorlds Creation and in this very State say many will continue till it be Resined by the Firey Tryal This the wise Hermes according to Moses described unto us thus Erat umbra infinita in Abysso Aqua insuper Spiritus tenuis Intellectualis per divinam potentiam in Chaos inerant storuit autem Splendor Sanctus qui sub arena humida natura Elementa deducit cumque indistincta fuissent levia post Mundum in excelsam regionem provolarunt gravia sub arena humida residerunt distinctis libratisque rebus quae Igneo Spiritus vehebantur emicuit Coelum septem in Circulos c. An infinite Shadow of Darkness was in the Abyss moreover VVater and a subtil intellectual Spirit was by the divine Puissance in the Chaos and a holy Brightness or Splendor did flourish which did reduce the Elements under the Heaven and humid Nature and as they were undistinguished and afterwards that Portion which was Light did fly up into the highest Region The weightier part did reside and take its place under the Heaven These things being thus distinguished and ballanced were sustained by 〈◊〉 fiery Spirit the Heavens did shine forth in Seveâ— Circles as in the Table or Speculum on the other side In the first place Behold the Circles and the Motions of the seven Properties of Nature But as for the Angelical Circle and the work and nature of Angels the Throne and the Heavens of Glory which you see in the highest Circles I shall pass by and hasten on to my intended Business CHAP. III. The Centre and Circle of the Elementary Life of Man shewing what Power the Elements have over our Bodies BUT by the way it may not be amiss to consider what our Forefathers did call this Canopy or Heavens which has so neatly composed round us and left us as it were in a Box. Coelum potius Coelum Coelorum suprema Mundi pars à Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à concavitate the Heavens Firmament or Sky Now we will endeavour to prove out of Scripture and leave Philosophy that the ignorant may be satisfied in my intended Matter viz. Predictions The Heavens have been called by the Holy Ghost a Book then doubtless we may conclude that there are in this Book Letters or Characters which may be understood by some or other tâ— read them Now that it is called a Book appears out of Isaiah who speaks of the last Day wherein all things shall cease he saith Compliâ—cabuntur sicut Coeli where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caph in Hebrew which the Latins translate siâ—ut signifieth in the Original quia so that the Heavenâ— shall be rolled together and He at the same time gives the reason of it also because they are aâ— Book As for a more larger Definition of the Word I leave it to the Divines c. They may say as a Book To this it may be answered That it doth elsewhere fully decide this Controversy Seeing that we speak of the Heavens it makes mention of Lines and Letters which are Words that are most properly and essentially spoken of a Book and make no use of the word sicut which is an infallible Argument that those words in the Passages before cited Complicabuntur sicut Liber Coeli are not Expressions of Similitude Now that the Scripture speaking of the Heavens nameth expresly the word LETTER will appear out of the First of Genesis there the Hebrew Text runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bereshith bara Elâ—â—im Haschamaim that is to say In the Beginning God created the Letters or Characters of the Heavens for this is the meaning of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aat which is a Letter and as for the word Line we find in Psal 19. v. 4. In omnem terram exivit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kâ—vam Linea corum understanding it 's spoken of the Stars which are ranked in the Heavens after the manner of Letters in a Book or upon a Sheet of Parchment for God is said in the Holy Scriptures to have strâ—tchâ—d out the Heavens as a Skin calling this extension 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachia from whence the Greek might take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Skin or Hidâ— a Skin to be extended or stretched forth God disposed and rankt the Stars in the manner of Characters whereby as a Book Observe and read them Coeli enarrant gloriam Dei The Prophets of old called the Heavens a Sacred Book as among the Jews R Sâ—meon Ben Jarâ—hay in the Zohar on the Section Temâ—…ti Exodus Câ—fr 305. where he spâ—…s very â—earnedly of this Celestial Writing tho' very â—bscurely R. Abraham also in his Jetsira a Book of the Creation and many more Authors may be named to this purpose But this may â—atisfy the Reader that the Heavens are Books wherein all things are Registred of those under â—he Elements either their good or ill Actions Now in this particular we will endeavour to give you some account of the Primum Mobile â—r the moving Circles of the Elements which is â—y intended Business or material Subject how â—ur Bodies are captivated by the Elements and â—ave the Angâ—… Circle and the Glory of the â—ost High to the Divines and follow the lower â—egions You see the Primum Mobile a round â—ircle with 12 Characters called 12 Signs â—ow in our days and by those Signs thus characteriz'd divides the Heavens in 12 parts as every Sign into 30 dgrees also you see the 7 Planets in their Circles in another place You shall have a full demonstration by an Instrument But I am willing to inform you that in the beginning those Signs and Planets were put in form of Letters by the Hebrews and by the Jews and others in the form of Living
est concepta erat cum nondum erant Abyssi did possess Wisdom in the beginning of his ways before he made any thing from Eternity was she ordained she was conceived where there was no Abyss Sapientia à Deo profecta est prior omnium Created Wisdom comes from God and was the first that Created all things I do imagine and my mind gives me that altho ' I be never so curious in my Indeavouring or Labour in this matter of my Expression yet will my best Endeavours appear faulty in the curious Eye-sight of some Men tho' perchance acceptable enough to others 1. In the Beginning the Word of the Eternal Spirit created the Heavens and the Earth 2. And the Earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Eternal Spirit moved upon the face of the Waters 3. The Word said Let there be Light and there was Light 4. The Word saw that the Light was good and the Word separated the Light from the Darkness 5. The Word called the Light Day and the Darkness he called Night 6. And the VVord said Let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters and divide the Waters from the Waters And the Firmament was called Heaven And the VVord said Let the Waters under the Heaven be gathered together and let the dry Land appear Seeing this Great Work of the Creation is not a matter of Faith I leave the literal Sence of the Book of Genesis and give you liberty to conjecture of mine of the Creation or the great Spagyrick VVork In Contemplating on the first of Genesis and then from the VVords of God himself I have a strong fancy that God made that wonderful Fabrick viz. the Whole Universe by a powerful Command or Word in a moment of time and not as Moses says in six days mind Job 38. v. 4. Ubinam eras quum fundarem Terram indica si novisti Intelligentiam Quum canerent simul Stellae Matutinae cum vociferati sunt omnes filii Dei ver 7. For what may we hence conjecture but that the Angels Coche Boker Stars of the Morning and Beni Elohim the Sons of God beholding so great a Miraculous Wonder together with their own as wonderful formerly commanded at such an instant into a glorious Being gave Shouts of Praise and Acclamations of Joy in Admiration of the great Creator's Omniporency And we find the Voice of God descending or delivering the Story of his incomprehensible Wonders with such a lofty Brevity that we may well believe he performed those Wonders with the same swiftness that he spake them Reason I. It is an absurdity to say That God created the World with distance of Time first for then the Act it self could not be properly said creare but facere to make If we do but consider that Creation is not only to raise a thing out of nothing but to make it also without time which is an infinite Omnipotency only to be attributed to God who acteth alâ— things in a Moment and cannot be bound to Time Reason II. It is an absurdity to assert that Time should be before Time it self for Time is the Measure of Motion begun but with the Motion of the Sun Moon and Stars Now according to the litteral sence in Genesis the Firmament which God called Heaven was created the second Day but the Sun Moon and Stars were not created till the fourth Day Now then could there be Days and Nights which are nothing but Time before Time it self Observation I. Philo Judeus upon this Point says It 's a simplicity too gross and rustick to believe that the World was created in six Days or in a certain time and what think you of the two places in Genesis First it 's said In the Beginning God created Heaven and the Earth Then in the second place it 's said That the Heavens were not created till the second Day and the Earth till the third Day Observation II. 'T is strange incoherence in the two verses concerning the Creation of Light there seem to have been two Days spent which is an Indecorum to imagin that after the Word it self had commanded Let there be Light do you not believe That that VVord or Command had not been sufficient to create Light c. Reason III. Seeing that Faith doth not bind us to believe otherwise it 's the most rational Conjecture that by the first Light was meant the Light of the Sun Moon and Stars c. Reason IV. Observe the Text it self which says In the beginning of the Work God created the Heavens and the Earth that is to say in giving Form to the dark Abyss or Lump and created the Light and in verse 3. it tells us That the Light was created before either Reason V. VVhich is from the contrariety of the litteral Description which allows four Days for the Creation of the Light the Heavens the Earth and Luminaries And in the next Chapter we have these words These are the Generations of the Heavens and the Earth when they were created in the day that the Lord God made the Heavens and the Earth Now you see it 's but one Day and before it 's said to be four days Reason VI. It 's said That the World shall have an end in a moment and in the twinkling of an Eye So sudden should be our Changes from the sleep of Death to Immortality there is the same likelyhood and the same probability that it was created in a moment Since it is created and its End depends both upon the same Cause which is God who still acts without circumstance or distinction of Time Observation VII Man was created in a moment with the rest c. but on the contrary by the Prophet Ezekiel speaking to the King of Tyrus Thou hast been in Eden says he in the Garden of God And now observe speedily after The Workmanship of thy Drums and thy Flutes was prepared in thee in the day that thou was created This may give you a strong belief that Man and the Creatures which were made for his sake were all created the same Day Then much more in compliance with our Belief than with the litteral Description of the first Chapter of Genesis Now I have a Question to answer and that is What is the meaning or reason that the first Chapter of Genesis is so expressed I shall in this point give you the opinion of Procopius he says That Author might accomodate himself to the feebleness and rudeness of humane Understanding which is so incapable of the Mystery of Generation being so high and difficult that the Hebrews antiâ—ntly would not permit it to be read but by aged Persons or such as were of a good Understanding and this same premeditated compliance of the Writer with means of human Capacity c. So we may conclude That the whole was no more than a conjectural Moral compiled by Moses or the Lawgiver the more deeper to