must follow him that first offers her money without any choice on her part As soon as she hath lain with him and performed the Rites of the Goddess she returns home nor from thence forward can be allured by any price whatsoever Such as are handsome are the soonest dismist but the deformed are forced to stay longer before they can satisfy the Law sometimes it happens that they attend a whole year or two or three in expectation Hitherto Herodotus of which Custome some interpret the words of the Prophet Baruch concerning the Chaldaean Women The Women sit in the wayes guirded or rather surroundred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with rushes and burn straw and if one of them be drawn away and ly with such as come by she casteth her Neigbour in the teeth because she was not so worthily reputed nor her cord broken To these add Succoth benoth an Idol made by the Men of Babylon the signification of the word being the tents of the daughters Some conceive that hereby were meant those Tents or Partitions by Chords described by Herodotus in which the Women sate to perform the Rites of Veâ—us Mylitta Venus being as Mr. Selden is of opinion derived from Benoth but from the words of the Sacred Text it is manifest that by Succoth Benosh was meant rather an Idol than Temple or Tents The Rabbies fancy it to have been in form of a Hen and Chicken For as they called a Hen Succus that is covering so they called Hens Succoth as brooding and covering and Benosh they interpreted her Chickens which she useth to cover with her wings Whence Kircher expounds it of Venus Mylitta CHAP. VII Of the Other Stars NOr were the Planets only but the Signs and all the rest of the Stars esteemed Gods by the Chaldaeans for they burnt Incense to the Mazaloth and to all the rest of the Host of Heaven Mazal is a Star they called the Signs the twelve Mazaloth the Zodiack the Circle Mazaloth and sometimes changing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mazaroth the Septuagint renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Suidas interprets the Constellations called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Signs This agrees with what Diodorus reports of the Chaldaeans that they held the principal Gods to be twelve to each of which they attributed a Moneth and one of the Signs of the Zodiack That they worshipped the rest of the fixed Stars as Gods also is implied by the Sacred Text last cited which adds and to all the Host of Heaven and is more exprâ—sly asserted amongst others by Diodorus who in his account of their Doctrine affirms that as they called the Planets Interpreâ—ers so of the other Stars they called some the Iudges of all things others consiliary Gods as we shall shew more particularly when we come to speak of their Astrology Neither is it to be doubted but that as they owned some of the fix'd Stars by these common titles of dignity Iudges and Consellers so to the principal of them they attâ—ibuted particular names and Idols as well as to the Planets And since the Chaldaick polytheism was not like that of the Greeks founded upon an Imaginary Mythology though later Writers treat of it after the same manner but had reference to the Celestial Bodies which they Worshipped under several Names and Idols It is no less probable than consonant to the Chaldaick Doctrine that those other Assyrian Idols Ashim Nibhaz Tartak Adrammelek Anammelek Nisroch mention'd in the Scripture were of the same kind with the rest and belonged to several others of the Stars But this conjecture is not easily evinc'd in regard that there is little extant of those Idols more than the bare mention of their Names CHAP. VIII Of Fire THere are who reckon the Elements amongst the Gods which the Chaldaeans Worshipt That they had a particular devotion to the Fire is certain by it as some conceive they represented the supreme God as others the Sun the ground of which Analogy we delivered formerly Concerning this Pyrolatry of the Chaldaeans there is a memorable passage related by Ruffinus The Chaldaeans in the time of Constantine the Great travelled all over the Earth to shew all men that their God excell'd all other Gods for they destroyed all the Statues of other Gods by their Fire At length coming into Aegypt and making this challenge the Aegyptian Priests brought forth a large Statute of Nilus filling it for it was hollow with store of water and stopping up the holes it had which were many with wax so artificially that it kept in the water but could not hold out against the fire Suidas relates this something differently as performed by a Priest of Canopus who taking off the Head of an old Statue put it upon a water-pot which stopping the holes with wax he painted over and set up in the room of Canopus The Chaldaean began the contest with much rejoycing and put fire round about the Statue the wax melted the holes opened the water gushing forth put out the fire and the Chaldaeans were laugh'd at for their God CHAP. IX Of the Air and Earth OF the Air thus Iulius Firmicus The Assyrians ascribed the principality of the Elements to the Air the Image whereof they worshipped stiling it by the name Venus the Virgin whom the Quires of their Priests worshipped with effeminate voices and gestures their Skin smoothed and their Habit after the fashion of Women As for the Earth Macrobius saith They worshipped the superiour Hemispear of it in part whereof we dwell by the name of Venus the inferiour Hemisphear of the Earth they called Proserpina More of this Mythology rather Phoenician than Assyrian and perhaps more Graecian than either see in Macrobius Thus much concerning the Doctrine of the Chalâ—aeans THE SECOND BOOK Of the Persians BEyond Chaldaea to the South on one hand lies Persia on the other Arabia Philosophy or Learning was communicated to both these Countries by their neighbours the Chaldaeans Zoroaster saith Plutarch instituted Magi amongst the Chaldaeans in imitation of whom the Persians had theirs also Persia is the most considerable Kingdom of Asia bounded on the North by Media on the East by Cilicia on the West by Susiana on the South by part of the Persian Gulf. THE FIRST PART The Persian Philosophers their Sects and Institution SECT I. Of the Persian Philosophers CHAP. I. Of the Persian Zoroaster Institutor of Philosophy amongst the Persians THe Persian Learning is generally acknowledg'd to have been instituted by Zarades Zaradussit or Zoroaster but this name as we observ'd formerly seems to have been commonly attributed to such persons as were eminently Learned Who therefore this Zoroaster was or about what time he lived is uncertain Laertius stiles him a Persian Clemens Alexandrinus a Mede Suidas a Perso-Mede whence it may be argued that he was not of so great Antiquity as most Authors conceive For we
bright throughout the Soul is seated in the circumlucid region From thence this kind of Soul is often sent down to Earth upon several occasions either by reason of the flagging of its wings so they term the dâ—viation from its original perfection or in obedience to the will of the Father This Soul is alwayes coexistent with an Aetherial body as its Vehiculum which she by continual approximation maketh also immortal Neither is this her Vehiculum inanimate in it self but is it self animated with the other species of the Soul the Irrational which the Wise call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of the Rational Soul adorn'd with Phantasy and Sense which seeth and heareth it self whole through whole and is furnish'd with all the Senses and with all the rest of the Irrational facultâ—es of the Soul Thus by the principal faculty of this body Phantasy the Rational Soul is continually joyned to such a body and by such a body sometimes the Humane Soul is joyned with a Mortal body by a certain affinity of nature the whole being infolded in the whole enlivening Spirit of the Embryon this Vehiculum it self being of the nature of a Spirit The Image of the Soul viz. that part which being it self voyd of Irrational is joyned to the Rational part and depends upon the vehicle thereof hath a part in the circumlucid region for the Soul never layeth down the vehicle adherent to her The Soul being sent down from the mansion wholly-bright to serve the mortal body that is to operate therein for a certain time and to animate and adorn it to her power and being inabled according to her several Virtues do dwell in several Zones of the world if she perform her office well goes back to the same place but if not well she retires to the worst mansions according to the things she hath done in this life Thus the Chaldeans restore Souls to their first condition according to the measure of their several purifications in all the Regions of the World some also they conceive to be caried beyond the World CHAP. XI The Supramundane Light ALl these aeviternal and incorporeal Beings are seated in the Supramundane Light which it self also is incorporeal placed immediately above the highest Corporeal World and from thence extending upwards to infinite Proclus cited by Simplicius on this Oracle of Zoroaster Abundantly animating Light Fire Aether Worlds saith This Light is above all the seven Worlds as a Monad before or above the Triad of the Empyraeal Aetherial and Material Worlds adding that this primary Light is the Image of the Paternal Depth and is therefore supramundane because the Paternal Depth is supramundane And again this Light saith he being the supramundane Sun sends forth Fountains of Light and the Mystick Discourses tell us that it's generality is among supramundane Things for there is the Solar World and the Universal Light as the Chaldaick Oracles assert And again the Centers of the whole World as one seem to be fix'd in this for if the Oracles fixed the Centers of the material World above it self in the Aether proportionably ascending We shall affirm that the Centers of the highest of the Worlds are seated in this Light Is not this first Light the Image of the Paternal Depth and for that reason supramundane also because that is so CHAP. XII Of things Temporal or Corruptible and Corporeal THe third and last kind of things according to Zoroaster is Corruptible or Temporal which as it began in time so shall it likewise in time be dissolved The President over these is Arimanes Under this third kind are comprehended the Corporeal Worlds the Empyreal immediately below the Supramundane light the Aetherial next the Empyreal and the Material the lowest of all as the Oracle ranks them Abundantly animating Light Fire Aether Worlds These corporeal Worlds are seven Orac. For the Father formed seven firmaments of Worlds Including Heaven in a round figure He fixed a great company of inerratick stars He constituted a Heptad of Erratick animals Placing the Earth in the middle but the Water in the bosome of the Earth The Air above these Psellus explaining how they are seven saith They affirm that there are seven corporeal Worlds one Empyreal and first then three Aethereal and lastly three Material the fixed Circle the Erratick and the Sublunary Region But this enumeration seems to fall short for he mentions but two Aethereal Worlds the Orb of fixed Stars and the Planetary Orb and one Material the Sublunary Region as the Learned Patricius observes who therefore reckons the seaven thus One Empyreal three Aetherial the Fixed Orb the Planetary Orb the Orb of the Moon and three Elementary the Aërial the Watry and the Terrestrial But perhaps it will better suit with the Oracle which includes the Moon within the Planetary Orb and placeth the Water under the Earth as also with Psellus who calls the last three Worlds Material to dispose them thus Corporeal Worlds seven One Empyreal World Three Aetherial Worlds The Supreme Aether next the Empyreum The Sphear of fixed Stars The Planetary Orb Three Material Sublunary Worlds The Air The Earth The Water Neither can it seem strange that the three last only should be called Material for the Chaldaeans conceiving matter to be a dark substance or rather Darkness it self the Empyreal and Aetherial Worlds which as we shall shew consist only of Light or Fire cannot in their sense be said to be Material though Corporeal The Empyreal or First of these saith Psellus they attributed to the Mind the Aetherial to the Soul the Material to Nature CHAP. XIII The Empyreal World THe First of the Corporeal Worlds is the Empyreal by Empyreum the Chaldaeans understand not as the Christian Theologists the Seat of God and the Blessed Spirits which is rather analogous to the Supreme Light of the Chaldaeans but the outmost Sphear of the Corporeal World It is round in figure according to the Oracle Inclosing Heaven in a round figure It is also a solid Orb or Firmament for the same Oracles call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It consists of fire whence named the Empyreal or as the Oracles the fiery World which fire being immediately next the Incorporeal supramundane Light is the rarest and subtilest of Bodies and by reason of this Subtilty penetrates into the Aether which is the next World below it and by Mediation of the Aether through all the Material World This may be evinced more particularly saith Proclus from the Divine Tradition meaning the Zoroastrian Oracles for the Empyreum penetrates through the Aether and the Aether throâ—gh the Material World and though all the Intellectual â—etrads and Hebdomads have a Fountainous Order and consequently an Empyreal President nevertheless they are contained in the Worlds since the Empyreal passeth through all the Worlds Neverthelesse the Empyreum it self is fix'd and immoveable as Simplicius further explicating the Chaldaick Doctrine acknowledgeth by this
similitude Let us imagine to our selves saith he two Sphears one consisting of many Bodies these two to be of equal bigness but place one together with the Center and put the other into it you will see the whole World existing in place moved in immoveable Light which World according to it's whole self is immoveable that it may imitate Place but is moved as to it's parts that herein it may have less than Place CHAP. XIV The Aethereal Worlds AFter the Empyraeum the Oracle names the Aether Fire Aether Worlds confirm'd by Psellus and the Anonymous Summarist who assert that next the Empyraeum are the three Aetherial Worlds but of these three they mention only two and those misapplied to the Material Worlds The Sphear of fixed Stars and the Planetary Sphear The third perhaps implied though not exprest might be the Aether which is betwixt the Empyreum and the Sphear of fixed Stars The Aether is a fire as it 's name implies less subtile than the Empyreum for the Empyraeum penetrates through the Aether yet is the Aether it self so subtile that it penetrates through the material World The second Aetherial World is the Sphear of fixed Stars which are the more compacted or condensed parts of the Aetherial fire as Patricius ingeniously interprets this Oracle He compacted a great number of inerratick Stars Forcing or pressing fire to fire The third Aetherial World is that of the Planetary Orb which contains the Sun Moon and five Planets styled by the Oracles Erratick animals and Fire He constituted a heptad of Erratick animals and again He constituted them six the seventh was that of the Sun Mingling fire in them CHAP. XV. The Material Worlds THe last and lowest are the Material Worlds which Psellus and the other Summarist assert to be three meaning doubtless the Air Earth and Water for so the Oracle ranks them Placing the Earth in the middle but the Water in the bosom of the Earth The Air above them This is that last order of Worlds of which the Chaldaick summary saith It is called terrestrial and the hater of light it is the region beneath the Moon and comprehends within it self matter which they call the bottome By which words it appears upon what ground the Chaldaeans asserted only these Sublunary Worlds to consist of Matter but the Empyreal and Aetherial to be Immaterial though Corporeal for Matter they understand to be the hater of Light Darknesse and the Bottom of a nature quite different from the Empyreum and Aether whose very substance is Light it self yet it is actuated by their vivificative fire which penetrates quite through it even to the Center as we shewed formerly Concerning the Earth Diodorus Siculus saith they held Opinions peculiar to themselves asserting that it is in Figure like a Boat and hollow for which as likewise for other things concerning the World they abound with probable Arguments Psellus adds that they sometimes call this sublunary Region Hades CHAP. XVI Of Material Daemons OF Daemons as we said they asserted two kinds some good others ill the good light the ill dark The former are those whom Hostanes calls the Ministers and Messengers of God dwelling in his presence But these he describes as Terrestial wandring up and down and enemies of Mankind Of the First we have treated already of the Latter Psellus in his discourse upon this subject gives a large accompt from one Marcus of Mesopotamia who having been of this Religion and well acquainted with their Institutions was afterwards converted to Christianity what he relates as well from the Doctrine it self as from the place sufficiently appears to be of the Chaldaick Tradition It is to this effect These Daemons are of many kinds and various sorts both as to their Figures and Bodies insomuch that the Air is full of them as well that which is above us as that which is round about us The Earth likewise is full and the Sea and the most retired cavities and depths There are six general kinds of these Daemons The first named Leliurius which signifies Fiery This kind dwelleth in the Air that is above us for from the places next about the Moon as being Sacred all kinds of Daemons as being prophane are expelled The second kind is that which wandreth in the Air contiguous to us and is by many peculiarly called Aërial The third Terrestial The fourth Watery and Marine The fifth Subteraneous The sixt Lucifugous and hardly sensible All these kind of Daemors are haters of God and enemies of Man Moreover of these ill Daemons some are worse than others Aquatile and Subterranâ—ous and Lucifugous are extremely malicious and pernicions for these do not hurt Souls by phantasms and delusions but by assault like the most savage beasts accelerate the destruction of men The Watery drown those who are sailing upon the water The Subterraneous and Lucifugous insinuating into the entrails cause Epilepsies and Frenzy The Aërial and Terrestial circumvent Men by art and subtilty and deceive the minds of Men and draw them to absurd and illegal passions They effect these things not as having dominion over us and carrying us as their slaves whithersoever they please but by suggestion for applying themselves to the Fantastick spirit which is within us they themselves being spirits also they instill discourses of affections and plâ—asures not by voyce verberating the Air but by whisper insinuating their discourse Nor is it impâ—ssible that they should speak without voice if we consider that he who speaks being a far off is forced to use a greater sound being neer he speakes softly into the ear of the Hearer and if he could get into the spirit of the Soul he would not need any sound but what discourse soever he pleaseth would by a way without sound arrive there where it is to be received which they say is likewise in Souls when they are out of the body for they discourse with one another without noise After this manner the Daemons converse with us privately so as we are not sensible which way the war comes upon us Neither can this be doubted if we observe what happens to the Air. For when the Sun shineth it assumeth several colours and forms transmitting them to other things as we may see in Looking-glasses In like manner the Daemons assuming figures and colours and whatsoever forms they please transmit them into our animal Spirit and by that meanes afford us much businesse suggesting counsels representing figures resuscitating the remembrance of pleasures exciting the images of passions as well when we sleep as when we wake and sometimes titillating the genital parts inflame us with frantick and unlawful desires especially if they take co-operating with them the hot humidities which are in us The rest of the Daemons know nothing that is subtile nor how to breed disturbance yet are they hurtfull and abominable hurting in the same manner as the spirit or vapour in Charon's Cave For as that is reported to kill
them Whence if the Nerve be pressed or seized with cold or the like there arriseth pain from the emâ—ssion of one Spirit into another Spirit for it is impossible that a Compound Body should in itself be sensible of pain but in as much as it partaketh of Spirit and therefore being broken into pieces or dead it is absolutely insensible because it hath no Spirit In like manner a Daemon being all Spirit is of his own nature sensible in every part he immediately seeth and heareth he is obnoxious to suffering by touch being cut assunder he is pained like Solid bodies only hereindiffering from them that other things being cut assunder can by no means or very hardly be made whole again wâ—ereas the Daemon immediately commeth together again as Air or Water parted by some more Solid Body But though this Spirit joyns again in a moment neverthelesse at the very time in which the dissection is made it is pained Hitherto the Theologie and Physick of the Chaldaeans The Second SECTION ASTROLOGY and other Arts of DIVINATION THe Second part of the Chaldaick Learning consists in Arts of Divination The chief whereof was Astrology This as it is generally acknowledged to have been their proper invention so were they most particularly addicted to it for which Ptolomy gives a reason out of the Art it self because they are under Virgo and Mercury But Cicero one much better that the plainnesse and evennesse of the Country did invite them to contemplation of the Stars It consists of two parts one Meteorologick which considers the Motions of the Stars the other Apotelesmatick which regards Divination The first was known to the antient Graecians by the common names of Astronomy and Astrology untill the other being brought into Greece also they for dictinction called the former more particularly Astronomy the latter Astrology The excellent Ioseph Scaliger to advance the credâ—t of the Greek learning constantly averres that the Chaldaeans had only a grosse and general not exact Knowledge of Astronomy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tantum non etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the Greeks learned nothing therein of the Chaldaeans when as Aristotle ingenuously acknowledgeth the contrary the Aegytians and Babylonians saith he from whom we have many informations concerning each of the Stars Though doubtlesse they were far short of that height in this Art to which the Greeks who brought it out of the East improoved it for Diodorus Siculus affirms that they alleged very weak reasons for the Eclipses of the Sun which Eclipses they neither durst foretel nor reduce to certain Periods But of the Apotelesmatick part they boasted themselves not only the Inventors but Masters insomuch that all the professors of it of what Country soever were as we formerly shewed called after them Chaldaeans CHAP. I. Of the Stars Fixed and Erratick and of their praesignification THey First lay down for a ground That Terrestials Sympathise with the Caelestials and that every one of those is renewed by the influence of these For every Man 's endued with such a mind As by the Sire of Gods and Men's assign'd Above all things they hold that our Act and Life is subjected to the Stars as well to the Erratick as the Fixed and that Mankind is governed by their various and multiplicious course That the Planets are of the kind of efficient causes in everything that happens in life and that the Signes of the Zodiack co-operate with them That they conferr all good and ill to the Nativities of Men and that by contemplation of their Natures may be known the chief things that happen to Men. They held the principal Gods to be twelve to each of which they attributed a Moneth and one of the Signes of the Zodiack Next the Zodiack they assert twenty fower Starrs whereof half they say are ranked in the Northern parts the other half in the Southern Of these they which are apparent they conceive to be deputed to the Living the inapparent congregated to the Dead These they call Iudges of all things But the greatest Observation and Theory they hold to be that concerning the Five Starrs termed Planets which they call the Interpreters because the rest of the Starrs being Fixed and having a settled Course these only having a peculiar course foretel things that shall come to passe interpreting and declaring to Men the Benevolence of the Gods for somethings say they they praesignify by their rising some things by their setting some things by their colour if observed sometimes they foretell great Winds sometimes extraordinary Raines or Drought Likewise the rising of Comets and Eclipses of the Sun and of the Mind and Earthquakes and in a Word all Alterations in the Air signify things advantagious or hurtful not only to Nations or Countries but even to Kings and private Persons Beneath the Course of these they hold that there are placed thirty Starrs which they call Consiliary Gods that half of these oversee the Places under the Earth the other half oversee the Earth and the Businesse of Men and what is done in the Heaven and that every ten daies one of these is sent to those below as a Messenger and in like manner one of the Stars under the Earth is sent to those above and that they have this certain Motion settled in an Aeternal revolution CHAP. II. Of Planets TThe greatest Theory they hold as we said to be that which concerns the Planets â—hese they call the Interpreters because whereas the rest of the Stars are Fixed and have one settled course these having their proper courses foretell what things shall come to passe Interpreting and declaring to Men the benevolence of the Gods Of the Seaven they hold the Sun and Moon to be the chief and that the other five have lesse power than they as to the causing events Of the five they affirm that there are three which agree with and are assistant to the Sun viz. Saturn Jupiter and Mercury these they call Diurnal because the Sun to whom they are assistant praedominates over the things that are done in the day As concerning the Powers of the Five some they say are Benevolent others Malevolent others Common the Benevolent are Jupiter and Venus the Malevolent Mars and Saturn the Common Mercury who is Benevolent with the Benevolent and Malevolent with the Malevolent CHAP. III. The Divisions of the Zodiack THe Chaldaeans having at first no certain rule of observation of the other Stars in as much as they contemplated not the Signes as within their proper circumscriptions but only together with their observation of the seven Planets it came at length into their minds to divide the whole Circle into twelve parts The manner they relate thus they say that the Antients having observed some one bright Star of those in Zodiack filled a vessel in which they bored a hole with water and let the water run into another
by certain stones or pulse or certain Voices or Figures which they call Characters invented by the Chaldaeans and Egyptians who first found out the proper dignoscitive sign of every Daemon Some few of these are mention'd in the Chaldaick Oracles as When thou seest the Terestial Daemon approach Sacrifize the Stone Mnizuris using invocation The Daemons saith Psellus that are neer the Earth are by Nature lying as being far off from the Divine Knowledge and filled with dark matter Now if you would have any true discourse from these prepare an Altar and Sacrifize the Stone Mnizuris This Stone hath the power of evocations the other greater Daemon who invisibly approacheth to the material Daemon will pronounce the true relation of demands which transmits to the demandant the Oracle the vocatine name with the Sacrificing of the Stone Another of these Rites mentioned by the same Oracles is that of the Hecatine Strophalus Labour about the Hecatine Strophalus The Hecatine Strophalus saith Psellus is a golden ball in the midst whereof is a Saphire they fold about it a Leather thong it is beset all over with Characters Thus whipping it about they made their Invocations These they use to call Iynges whether it be round or triangle or any other Figure and whilst they are doing thus they make insignificant or brutish cries and lash the Air with their whips The Oracle adviseth to the performance of these Rites or such a Motion of the Strophalus as having an expressible power It is called Hecatine as being dedicated to Hecate Hecate is a Goddesse amongst the Chaldaeans having at her right side the Fountain of Vertues No little Efficacy was attributed to certain words used in these Rites which the Chaldaick Oracles expresly forbid to be changed Never change Barbarous names There are certain names saith Psellus among all Nations delivered to them by God which have an unspeakable Power in Divine Rites change not these into the Greek Dialect As Seraphim and Cherubin and Michael and Gabriel These in the Hebrew Dialect have an unspeakable Efficacy in Divine Rites but changed into Greek names are ineffectual CHAP. VII Apparitions THe Apparitions procured by these rites are of two kinds The First is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Super-inspection in respect to the initiated person When he who orders the Divine Rites seeth a meer Apparition as for instance of light in some figure or form concerning which the Chaldaick Oracle adviseth that if anyone sees such a light he apply not his mind to it nor esteem the voyce proceeding from thence to be true Sometimes likewise to many initiated persons there appeares whilst they are sacrificing some Apparitions in the shape of Dogs and several other Figures These are apparitions of the passions of the Soul in performing Divine Rites meer appearances having no substance and therefore not signifying any thing true The Second is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self inspection this is when the initiated person seeth the Divine Light it self without any figure or form This the Oracle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacro-sanct for that it is seen with a beauty by Sacred Persons and glides up and down pleasantly and graciously through the Depths of the World This will not deceive the initiated person but whatsoever question you shall propose the answer will be most true When thou seest saith the Oracle a Sacred fire without Form shining flashingly through the depths of the whole World Hear the voice of Fire When thou beholdest the divine Fire void of Figure brightly gliding up and down the World and graciously smiling listen to this voice as bringing a most perfect Praescience But these things which appear to initiated persons as Thunder Lightning and all else whatsoever are only Symbols or Signes not the Nature of God CHAP. VIII Material Daemons how to be repuls'd AS it is one property of Theurgy to evocate and procure a conversation with good Daemons so is it another to repulse and chase away the Material Daemons which as they conceive may be effected several wayes either by words or actions By Words For as Marcus delivers the Chaldaick opinion these Material Daemons fearing to be sent to Abysses and Subterraneal places and standing in awe of the Angels who send them thither If a Man threaten to send them thither and pronounce the names of those Angels whose office that is it is hardly to be expressed how much they will be affrighted and troubled so great will their astonishment be as that they are not able to discern the person that menaces them and though it be some old Woman or a little old Man that threatens them yet so great is their fear that commonly they depart as if he that menaces were able to kill them By actions For the Bodies of Daemons saith the same Author are capable of being struck and are pained thereby Sense is not the property of Compounds but of Spirits That thing in a Man which feeleth is neither the Bone nor the Nerve but the Spirit which is in them whence if the Nerve be press'd or seized with cold or the like there ariseth pain from the Emission of one Spirit into another Spirit for it is impossible that a compound Body should in it self be sensible of pain but in as much as it partaketh of Spirit and therfore being cut into pieces or dead it is absolutely insensible because it hath no Spirit In like manner a Daemon being all Spirit is of his own Nature sensible in every part hee immediately seeth and he heareth he is obnoxious to suffering by touch being cut assunder he is pained like Solid Bodies only herein differing from them that other things being cut assunder can by no meanes or very hardly be made whole again whereas the Daemon immediately commeth together again as Air or Water parted by some more solid Body But though this Spirit joyns again in a moment neverthelesse at the very time in which the dissection is made it is pained for this reason they are much affraid of swords which they who chase them away knowing stick up pointed Irons or swords in those places where they would not have them come chasing them away by things Antipathetical to them as they allure them by things Sympathetical From these Material Daemons upon those that worship them descend certain Fiery irradiations like those we call falling Stars gliding up and down which those mad persons term apparitions of God but there is nothing true firm or certain in them but cheats like those of Iuglers which the common people term wonders because they deceive the eye for being removed far from the beatitude of Divine life and destitute of Intellectual contemplation they cannot praesignify futures but all that they say or shew is false and not solid for they know beings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by their outsides but that which knoweth futures particularly useth Notions indivisible and not figured
reckon the Gods of the Persians thus Iupiter the Sun the Moon Venus the Fire the Earth the Winds the Water Laertius not so fully the Fire the Earth and the Water By Iupiter as Herodotus and Strabo affirm they understood the whole Circuit of Heaven Agathius adds that they worshipped Iupiter under the name of Bel which sufficiently argues they derived this God from the Chaldaens To the Sun as both Herodotus and Strabo witness they sacrifised Strabo adds that they called him Mithra This was the greatest of their Gods as Cyrus introduced by Xenophon acknowledgeth swearing by him Hâ—sychius likewise affirms it was the greatest of their Gods and that the greatest Oath which the King himself took was by Mithra They represented him with the face of a Lion in a Persian habit with a Tiara holding with both hands a Bull by the horns which seemed to strive to get from him signifying that the Moon begins to receive her light from him when she leaves him Zoroaster first amongst the Persians as Eubulus affirms who wrote many Volumes of the History of Mithra did consecrate a natural Cave in the Mountains next Persia in honour of Mithra the King and Father of all signifying by this Cave the World framed by Mithra by the other things disposed within it in fit distances the Elements and Quarters of the World The Cave of Mythra is mentioned by many others In the Mythraean Rites for so Lampridius terms them Celsus cited by Origen saith the twofold motion of the Stars fixt and erratick was represented and the passage of the Soul through them in sign whereof there was set up a high pair of stairs having seven gates the first of Lead the second of Tin the third of Brass the fourth of Iron the fift of Leather the sixt of Silver the seventh of Gold The first belongs to Saturn the Lead signifying the slowness of that Planet the second to Venus to whom they compare Tin for its brightness and softness the third to Jupiter as being most solid with brasen steps the fourth to Mercury for they hold him to be the stoutest undertaker of all businesse cunning and eloquent The fift to Mars in regard of its unequal and various commixture the sixth to the Moon of Silver the seventh to the Sun whose colour as also that of the Stars resembles Gold He who was initiated into these Rites proceeded as Suidas relates through several degrees of contumely Nonnus upon Gregory Nazianzen saith twelve and of pain as burning blows and the like by which trial he was to give testimony of his sanctity and of his being void of passion Of the Rites of the Moon there is nothing said in particular Concerning those of Venus Herodotus saith They sacrifise also to Urania which they learnt of the Assyrians and Arabians the Assyrians call Venus Militta the Arabians Alilat the Persians Metra And as Milidtha in Syriack signifieth generative prolifick Venus genetrix so mader or mater with the Persians signifies as Raphelengius observes a mother This perhaps was that Mother of the Gods whichm Cicero affirms to have been worshipt by the Persians Syrians and all the Kings of Europe and Asia with great devotion The Fire Iulius Firmicus saith they preferred before all the other Elements o Agathias affirms they learnt to worship it of the Chaldaeans Strabo relates that in Cappadocia there was a great number of Magi called Pyrethi and many Temples of the Persian Gods they kill not the victime with a kniâ—e but strike it down with a club Here also there are Pyretheia Chapels in the midst of which is an Altar covered with great store of ashes where the Magi preserve a fire that never goes out and coming in every day sing almost the space of an hour holding a bundle of rods before the fire with which as Mr Selden observes they stirred it up whilst they sung Their heads are covered with woollen Tiaras which being tied on both sides hide their lips and cheeks Thus Strabo an eye-witness These Pyratheia or as Suidas terms them Pyreia were those sempiternal fires of the Magi mentioned by Ammianus Marcellinus Neither in Temples only did they use thâ—se Rites but in private Caves where Iulius Firmicus reports they worshipped the Fire with many extraordinary Ceremonies as amongst other things using to pronounce these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor did this worship extend to fire only but to all things that resembled it as Dionysius reports whereof Strabo instanceth the Pyropus w Iulius Firmicus addes that they called the fire Mithra by which as also by their worshipping it in Caves it is manifest that sometimes at least they took it for the Sun their greatest Deity Concerning the worship of the Earth and Winds nothing particular is delivered That of the Water was performed in this manner They go to a Lake River or Spring where they make a trench and kill a victime taking care that none of the blood come at the water then laying Myrtle and Lawrel upon it they burn it with rods and making some prayers sprinkle oil mixed with milk and honey not in the fire or water but on the earth Other Gods the Persians had though not reckoned amongst these whether as lesse principal or of later date of thâ—se are mentioned by the same Author Strabo and by others Anaitis Venus Amandatus Sacaea Sandes and Naâ—naea Diana Hitherto of the Doctrine of the Persians THE THIRD BOOK Of the Sabaeans ARabia the noblest Peninsula if we may so term it of Asia is terminated by the Persian the Indian and the Red Sea except that on one side it is conterminous to Syria by which vicinity was occasioned so neer a correspondence betwixt those Nations that as the Chaldaean Learning overspreading all Mesopotamia Syria and Assyria did on one side extend to their Neighbours the Persians so on the other it â—eached to the Arabians From which neernesse perhaps it was not only of Situation but Religion and opinions that Pliny useth their names promiscuously calling a great part of Mesopotamia Arabia and the Arabians themselves Syrians And the later Eastern Writers especially the Arabians under the appellation of Chasdim or Chaldanin Chaldaeans comprehended not only the Babylonians but the Nabathaeans Charaneans and Sabaeans as amongst others Muhamed Isacides takes Chasdanin and Nabathaea to be synonimous and Ahmedus to his Book concerning the Religion of the Sabaeans gives this Title Of the Rites of the Charanean Chaldaeans commonly known by the name of Sabaeans he adds commonly known by the name of Sabaeans because the Sabaeans being the most considerable of these they likewise under the appellation of Sabaeans included all the rest even the Chaldaeans of Mesopotamia using the terms of Chaldaea and Sabaea no less promiscuously than Pliny those of Arabia Mesopotamia and Syria for which R. Maimonides who doth so throughout all his Writings gives this reason
Gerundensis confirms the same story but R. Chain relates it otherwise Abraham saith he met with a Woman holding a Dish in her hand and the Woman asking him whether he would offer any thing to the Gods he took a staff and broke the Images which the Woman had and threw away the staff his Father coming thither at the same time demanded what was the matter Abraham answer'd that she had asked him whether he would make an offering and that upon his answering that he would first eat something there arose a dispute betwixt them but his Father urged that the businesse was otherwise and that he was heard to say many reproachful things of Nimrod The Controversy was brought before Nimrod the King of Babel he commanded Abraham to worship the Fire that was set before him Abraham answered If so then adore you the Water Water which quencheth Fire Nimrod said to him VVorship the Water Abraham answered If so worship the Clouds which distil the Water Nimrod said Then worship the Clouds whereupon Abraham If it be so then the Wind is to be worshipped which agitates and scatters the Clouds Again Nimrod VVorship the Wind but Abraham if so then is Man much more to be worshipped who understands the Wind. At length Nimrod growing angry You talk saith he idlely I worship none but the Fire into the midst of which I will cast thee Let the God whom thou worshipest come and free thee by his right hand Aran stood by and talked they asked of which opinion he was he answer'd If Abraham get the better I will be for him if Nimrod for Nimrod After Abraham had gone into the fiery Furnace and was freed they said to Aran of which side art thou he said of Abraham's then they took him and cast him into the fire and all his Bowels were burned and he was taken out dead in the presence of his Father Thus R. Chain but Cedrenus affirms that Abraham throwing his Fathers Idols into the fire his Brother Aran endeavouring to rescue them was burned The Arabians who imitate the Jews in Relations of this kind and fancy superstructures of their own upon fables of the Rabbies give a further accompt of what happened unto Abraham after his departure from Nimrod as appears by a fragment of a Mahometan Writer of which I shall cite only so much as most particularly concerns the Sabaeans Edris on whom be peace was the first who after Enoch the son of Seth the son of Adam on whom peace wrote with a pen. This thing afterwards Edris taught his sons and said to them O sons know that you are Sabaeans learn therefore to read Books in your youth Now Sabaeans are Writers of whom the High he means Mahomed said Alk. Sur. 2. The Sabaeans and the Nazarenes The Author adds that they ceased not to possess the Books of Sâ—th and Edris by hereditary right among themselves until the times of Noah and of Abraham after that the High God aided him against Nimrod on whom be malediction But in that day wherein Abraham went out of the land of Irack and would go into Syria into tâ—e laâ—d of his Fore-fathers he went to the land of Charan and Ghesira and there he found a people of the Zabaeans who read old Books and believed such things as were contained in them But Abraham said O my God I did not think that besides my self and those that are with me there had been any of the Faithful who believed thee to be one and God breathed to Abraham this Answer O Abraham the Earth is never destitute but that there are some in it that dispute for God But God commanded him to call them to his Religion and he called them but they would not saying How shall we believe thee when thou readest not a Book and God sent among them a forgetfulness of these things whicb they knew of Sciences and Books for they conceived the Books which they used to be from God and some of them believed others not Afterwards the Zabaeans were divided and some of them believed viz. the Barhameans who did not separate themselves from Abraham of blessed memory but the rest followed their own Religion very eagerly viz. those who are in the land of Charan who went not with Abraham into Syria and said we follow the Religion of Seth Edris and Noah Thus according to Kissaeus the Religion of the Sabaeans was the same with that of the Haranaeans or Mesopotamians What he relates of Abraham ' s being sent to the Sabaeans is all borrow'd from the Rabbinical Traditions But that there were antiently Learned Persons in Arabia skilful in Natural Philosophy Astronomy and other Sciences is manifest from testimonies far more authentick as particularly from the discourses betwixt Iob and his Friends of the Arabian Philosophers is it understood that Salomon's Wisdom is said to have excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the East Tacitus describing Iudaea the land and bounds to the East are terminated by Arabia And that the Jews called Arabia the East Country is evident from several places in Scripture as Gen. 10. 30. and 25. 6. 18. Iob 1. 3. Iudg. 6. 3. 1. c. Pliny also mentions the Magi of Arabia of whom he instanceth Hippocus Ptolomy the Gulf of the Magi in Arabia and Porphyrius citing Diogenes relates that Pythagoras amongst other Countries to which he travelled for Learning went also to Arabia and liv'd with the King there CHAP. III. Their Writings THe Sabaeans pretended as was lately shew'd out of Kisseus to have had the Books of Seth and Edris and not only those but some also written by Adam for the same Author continuing the story of Abraham ' s coming amongst the Sabaeans adds that afterwards Abraham opened the Chest of Adam and behold in it were the Books of Adam likewise the Books of Seth and of Edris as also the names of all the Prophets that were to be sent after Abraham But Abraham said Happy indeed are the loins out of which all tbese Prophets shall come and God breathed to him this answer Thou O Abraham art the Father of them all and they thy Children and for this reason Abraham deserv'd to be called the Father of the Prophets upon whom be peace Of the same allay Maimonides conceives the Book of Healings to have been which was hid by Ezekiel The same Maimonides cites many other Books of the Sabaeans translated into Arabick of which the chiefest is entituled of the Agriculture of the c Nabateans translated by Aben Vachaschijah full of Idololatrical extravagancies it treats of the making of Tsilmenaias of the descent of familiar spirits of conjurations of Daemons of Devils of such as dwell in Deserts as Satyrs were thought to do many other things it contained very ridiculous by which nevertheless they conceived that they could confute the manifest miracles of Moses and the Prophets Another entituled the Worship or of the worship of the Nabateans out of which Maimonides
something Intelligible which it behooves thee to understand with the flower of the Mind For if thou enclinest thy Mind thou shalt understand this also Yet understanding something of it thou shalt not understand this wholly for it is a Power Of Circumlucid Strength glittering with Intellectual Sections Raies But it behooves not to consider this Intelligible with Vehemence of Intellection But with the ample flame of the ample Mind which measureth all things Except this Intelligible but it behooves to understand this For if thou enclinest thy Mind thou shalt understand this also Not fixedly but having a pure turning Eye thou must Extend the empty Mind of thy Soul towards the Intelligible That thou mayst learn the Intelligible for it exists beyond the Mind But every Mind understands this God for the Mind is not Without the Intelligible neither is the Intelligible without the Mind To the Intellectual Presters of the Intellectual fire all things By yielding are subservient to the perswasive Counsel of the Father And to understand and alwayes to remain in a restlesse Whirling Fountains and Principles to turn and alwayes to remain in a restlesse Whirling But insinuating into Worlds the Venerable Name in a sleeplesse Whirling By reason of the terrible menace of the Father Under two Minds the Life-generating fountain of Souls is contained And the Maker who self-operating framed the World Who sprung first out of the Mind Cloathing fire with fire binding them together to mingle The fountainous Craters preserves the flower of his own fire He glittereth with Intellectual Sections and filled all things with Love Like swarms they are carried being broken About the Bodies of the World That things unfashioned may be fashioned What the Mind speaks it speaks by understanding Power is with them Mind is from Her JYNGES IDAEA'S PRINCIPLES THese being many ascend into the lucid Worlds Springing into them and in which there are three Tops Beneath them lies the chief of Immaterialls Principles which have understood the intelligible Works of the Father Disclosed them in sensible Works as in Bodies Being as it were the Ferry-men betwixt the Father and Matter And producing manifest Images of unmanifest things And inscribing unmanifest things in the manifest frame of the World The Mind of the Father made a jarring Noise understanding by Vigorous Counsel Omniform Idaea's and flying out of one fountain They sprung forth for from the Father was the Counsel and End By which they are connected to the Father by alternate Life from several Vehicles But they were divided being by intellectual fire distributed Into other Intellectuals for the King did set before the multiform World An Intellectual incorruptible Pattern this Print through the World he promoting of whose form According to which the World appeared Beautified with all kind of Idaea's of which there is one fountain Out of which come rushing forth others undistributed Being broken about the Bodies of the World which through the vast Recesses Like swarms are carried round about every Way Intellectual Notions from the paternal fountain cropping the flower of fire In the Point of sleeplesse time of this primigenious Idea The first self-budding fountain of the Father budded Intelligent Jynges do themselves also understand from the father By unspeakable Councels being moved so as to understand HECATE SYNOCHES TELETARCHS FOr out of Him spring all Implacable Thunders and the Prester-receiving cavities Of the Intirely-lucid strength of Father-begotten Hecate And He who beguirds viz. the flower of fire and the strong Spirit of the Poles fiery above He gave to his Presters that they should guard the Tops Mingling the power of his own strength in the Synoches Oh how the World hath Intellectual guides inflexible Because she is the Operatrix because she is the Dispensatrix of Life-giving fire Because also it fills the Life producing bosome of Hecate And instills in the Synoches the enliving strength Of potent fire But they are Gardians of the Works of the Father For he disguises himself possessing To be cloathed with the Print of the Images The Teletarchs are comprehended with the Synoches To these Intellectual Presters of Intellectual fire All things are subservient But as many as serve the Material Synoches Having put on the compleatly-armed Vigour of resounding Light With triple strength fortifying the Soul and the Mind To put into the Mind the Symbol of Variety And not to walk dispersedly on the Empyraeal Channels But stiffely These frame indivisibles and sensibles And Corporiformes and things destin'd to matter SOUL NATURE FOr the Soule being a bright fire by the power of the Father Remaines Immortall and is Mistris of Life And possesseth many Complections of the Cavities of the World For it is in Imitation of the Mind but that which is born hath something of the Body The Channels being intermix'd she performs the Works of incorruptible Fire Next the paternal Conceptions I the Soul dwell Warm heating all things for he did put The Mind in the Soul the Soul in the dull Body Of us the Father of Gods and Men imposed Abundantly animating Light Fire Aether Worlds For natural Works co-exist with the Intellectual Light of the Father for the Soul which adorn'd the great Heaven and adorning with the Father But her Horns are fixed above But about the shoulders of the Goddesse immense Nature is exalted Again indefatigable Nature commands the Worlds and Works That Heaven drawing an Eternal Course may run And the swift Sun might come about the Center as he useth Look not into the fatal Name of this Nature THE WORLD THe Maker who Operating by himself framed the World And there was another Bulk of fire By it self operating all things that the Body of the World might be perfected That the World might be manifest and not seem Membranous The whole World of Fire and Water and Earth And all-nourishing Aether The unexpressible and expressible Watch-words of the World One Life by another from the distributed Channels Passing from above to the opposite Part Through the Center of the Earth and another fifth Middle Fiery Channel where it descends to the material Channels Life-bringing fire Stirring himself up with the goad of resounding Light Another fountainous which guides the Empyraeal World The Center from which all Lines which way soever are equal For the paternal Mind sowed Symbols through the World For the Center of every one is carried betwixt the Fathers For it is in Imitation of the Mind but that which is born hath something of the Body HEAVEN FOr the Father congregated seven Firmaments of the World Circumscribing Heaven in a round figure He fixed a great Company of inerratick Stars And he constituted a Septenary of erratick Animals Placing Earth in the middle and the Water in the middle of the Earth The Air above these He fixed a great Company of inerratick Stars To be carried not by laborious and troublesome Tension But by a settlement which hath not Error He fixed a great Company of inerratick Stars
Forcing fire to fire To be carried by a Settlement which hath not Error He constituted them six casting into the midd'st The fire of the Sun Suspending their Disorder in well-ordered Lones For the Goddesse brings forth the great Sun and the bright Moon O Aether Son Spirit Guides of the Moon and of the Air And of the solar Circles and of the Monethly clashings And of the Aerial Recesses The Melody of the Aether and of the Passages of the Sun and Moon and of the Air And the wide Air and the Lunar Course and the Pole of the Sun Collecting it and receiving the Melody of the Aether And of the Sun and of the Moon and of all that are contained in the Air. Fire the Derivation of fire and the Dispenser of fire His Hair pointed is seen by his native Light Hence comes Saturn The Sun Assessor beholding the pure Pole And the Aetherial Course and the vast Motion of the Moon And the Aerial fluxions And the great Sun and the bright Moon TIME THe Mundane God Aeternal Infinite Young and Old of a Spiral form And another fountainous who guides the Empyraeal Heaven SOUL BODY MAN IT behooves thee to hasten to the light and to the beams of the Father From whence was sent to Thee a Soul cloathed with much Mind These things the Father conceived and so the mortal was animated For the paternal mind sowed Symbols in souls Replenishing the Soul with profound Love For the Father of Gods and Men placed the Mind in the Soul And in the Body he established You. For all Divine things are Incorporeal But bodies are bound in them for your sakes Incorporeals not being able to contain the bodies By reason of the Corporeal Nature in which you are concentrated And they are in God attracting strong flames Descending from the Father from which descending the Soul Crops of Empyreal fruits the soul-nourishing flower And therefore conceiving the Words of the Father They avoid the audacious wing of fatal Destiny And though you see this Soul manumitted Yet the Father sends another to make up the Number Certainly these are superlatively blessed above all Souls they are sent forth from Heaven to Earth And those rich Souls which have unexpressible fates As many of them O King as proceed from shining Thee or from Jove Himself under the strong power of his thread Let the Immortal Depth of thy Soul be predominant but all thy eyes Extend upward Stoop not down to the dark World Beneath which continually lies a faithlesse Depth and Hades Dark all over squallid delighting in Images unintelligible Praecipitious Craggy a Depth alwayes Rolling Alwayes espousing an Opacous idle breathlesse Body And the Light-hating World and the winding currents By which many things are swallowed up Seek Paradise Seek thou the way of the Soul whence or by what Order Having served the Body to the same place from which thou didst flow Thou mayst rise up again joyâ—ing Action to sacred speech Stoop not down for a precipice lies below on the Earth Drawing through the Ladder which hath seven steps beneath which Is the Throne of Necessity Enlarge not thou thy Destiny The soul of Men will in a manner clasp God to her self Having nothing mortal she is wholly inebriated from God For she boasts Harmony in which the mortal Body exists If thou extend the fiery Mind To the work of piety thou shalt preserve the fluxible body There is a room for the Image also in the Circumlucid place Every way to the unfashioned Soul stretch the rains of fire The fire-glowing Cogitation hath the first rank For the Mortal approaching to the fire shall have Light from God For to the slow Mortal the Gods are swift The Furies are stranglers of Men. The bourgeons even of ill matter are profitable and good Let hope nourish thee in the fiery Angelical Region But the paternal Mind accepts not her will Untill she go out of Oblivion and pronounce a Word Inserting the remembrance of the pure paternal Symbol To these he gave the docible Character of Life to be comprehended Those that were asleep he made fruitful by his own strength Defile not the Spirit nor deepen a Superficies Leave not the Drosse of matter on a Praecipice Bring her not forth lest going forth she have something The souls of those who quit the Body violently are most pure The unguirders of the Soul which give her breathing are easie to be loosed In the side of sinister Hecate there is a fountain of Virtue Which remains entire within not omitting her Virginity O Man the machine of boldest Nature Subject not to thy Mind the vast measures of the Earth For the plant of Truth is not upon Earth Nor measure the Measures of the Sun gathering together Canons He is moved by the Eternal Will of the Father not for thy sake Let alone the swift course of the Moon she runs ever by the impulse of Necessity The Progression of the Stars was not brought forth for thy sake The aetherial wide flight of Birds is not veracious And the Dissections of Entrails and Victims all these are toyes The supports of gainfull cheats fly thou these If thou intend to open the sacred Paradise of Piety Where Virtue Wisdome and Aequity are assembled For thy Vessel the Beasts of the Earth shall inhabit These the Earth bewails even to their Children DAEMONS RITES NAture perswades that there are pure Daemons The bourgeons even of ill matter are profitable and good But these things I revolve in the recluse Temples of my mind Extending the like fire sparklingly into the spacious Air Or fire unfigured a voice issuing forth Or fire abundant whizzing and winding about the Earth But also to see a Horse more glittering than Light Or a Boy on thy shoulders riding on a Horse Fiery or adorned with Gold or devested Or shooting and standing on thy shoulders If thou speak often to me thou shalt see absolutely that which is spoken For then neither appears the Coelestial concave Bulk Nor do the Stars shine the Light of the Moon is cover'd The Earth stands not still but all things appear Thunder Invoke not the self-conspicuous Image of Nature For thou must not behold these before thy Body be initiated When soothing souls they alwayes seduce them from these Mysteries Certainly out of the cavities of the Earth spring Terrestrial Dogs Which show no true signe to mortal Man Labour about the Hecatick Strophalus Never change barbarous Names For there are Names in every Nation given from God Which have an unspeakable power in Rites When thou seest a sacred fire without form Shining flashingly through the Depths of the World Hear the voice of Fire PLETHO HIS EXPOSITION Of the more obscure passages in these Oracles Seek thou the way of the Soul whence or by what Order Having served the body to the same order from which thou didst flow Thou mayst rise up againe joyning action to sacred speech THe Magi that are followers of