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CHAP. XLVII.
Of the Cabalists.
HEre the words of Pliny come into my minde: There is, saith he, another Sect of Magicians, of which Moses and Latopea, Jews, were the first Authors; which words bring to my remembrance the Cabala of the Jews, which as the constant opinion among the Hebrews goes, was delivered by God to Moses, and thence, through succession of Ages, even to the times of Ezra, preserv'd by Tradition onely, without the help of writing. As of old the Doctrine of Pythagoras was delivered by Archippus and Lysiades, who kept School at Thebes in Greece, where the Scholars lear∣ning all their Masters Precepts by heart, made use onely of their Memories instead of Books. So cer∣tain Jews despising Letters, plac'd all their Learning in Memory, Observation, and verbal Tradition; whence it was call'd by the Hebrews, Cabala, that is to say, a re∣ceiving from one to another by the Ear: An Art, by report, very antient, though the name be but of later times known among the Christians. Now this Cabala they divide into three parts: the first contains the know∣ledge of Bresith, which they call also Cosmology, ex∣plaining and teaching the force and efficacie of things created, Natural or Celestial; expounding also the Laws and Mysteries of the Bible according to Philoso∣phical reasons, which for that cause differs little from Natural Magick, wherein they say K. Solomon excell'd. Therefore we finde in the Sacred Histories of the Jews, that he was wont to discourse from the Cedar of Li∣banon to the low Hyssop; as also of Cattle, Birds,
Page 122
Reptiles, and Fish, all which contain within themselves a certain kinde of Magical vertue. Moses also the Egyptian, in his Expositions upon the Pentateuch, and most of the Talmudists, have followed the Rules of this Art. The other part thereof contains the know∣ledge of more sublime things, as of Divine and An∣gelical Powers, the contemplation of Sacred Names and Characters; being a certain kinde of Symbolical Theology, wherein the Letters, Figures, Numbers, Names, Points, Lines, Accents, are esteemed to contain the significations of most profound things, and great Mysteries. This part again is twofold: Arithmantick, handling the nature of Angels, the Powers, Names, Characters of Spirits and Souls departed; and Theo∣mantick, which searches into the mysteries of the Di∣vine Majesty, his Emanations, his Names, and Pentacula, which he that attains to, they account endu'd with most admirable power. By vertue of this Art they say Mo∣ses wrought so many Miracles, changing his Rod into a Serpent, the Water into Blood, and plagu'd Egypt with Frogs, Flyes, Lice, Locusts, Emrodes, and Pesti∣lence, slaying the first-born of Man and Beast: By this Art he divided the Red-sea, caus'd Water to flow out of the Rock, brought the Qualls into the Wilderness, sweeten'd the bitter Waters, made Lightning by day, and a Pillar of Fire by night to lead the March of his people, call'd down the Voice of God among the peo∣ple. By this Art he punish'd the Arrogant with Fire, the Murmurers with Leprosie, Mutiners with sudden Destruction, causing the Earth to swallow them up; preserv'd the Clothes of the Israelites from wearing out, and gave them Victory over their Enemies. Lastly, by means of this Art, Josua commanded the Sun to stand still; Elias call'd down Fire from Heaven, and rais'd the dead Youth to life; Daniel muzzled the Li∣ons mouths, and the three Children sang in the middle
Page 123
of the fiery Furnace. Nay, the perfidious and unbe∣lieving Jews stick not to aver, that Christ himself wrought all his Miracles by vertue of this Art. So∣lomon, as they say, did excel in this Art, and that he discovered several secrets thereof, containing several Charms against Devils and their Possessings; as also against Diseases, as Josephus writes. As for my part, as I do not doubt but that God Revealed many things to Moses and the Prophets, which were contained un∣der the Covert of the words of the Law, which were not to be communicated to the prophane Vulgar: so for this Art which the Jews so much boast of, which I have with great Labour and diligence s•arch'd into, I must acknowledge it to be a meer Rhapsodie of su∣perstition, and nothing but a kind of Theurgick Magick before spoken of. For if, as the Jews contend, com∣ing from God, it did any way conduce to perfection of Life, Salvation of Men, Truth of Understanding; cer∣tainly that Spirit of Truth, which having forsaken the Synagogue, is now come to teach us all Truth, had never concealed it all this while from the Church, which certainly knows all those things that are of God; whose Grace, Baptism, and other Sacraments of Sal∣vation, are perfectly Reveal'd to all Languages. For every Language is alike, so that there be the same Piety; neither is there any other Name in Heaven or on Earth, by which we can be Sav'd, but only the Name of Jesus. Wherefore the Jews most skilful in Divine Names, after the coming of Christ were able to do nothing, in comparison of their Forefathers. But by that which we have common Experience of, we see, that oft-times wonderful Sentences of very great My∣steries are wrested from the Sacred Text; that is, no∣thing but a certain playing with Allegories, which some slothful Persons imploy'd only in the considera∣tion of particular Points, Letters, or Figures, which
Page 124
this Language and manner of Writing easily admit of, take occasion to fancy; which many times make a noise as if they were very great Mysteries, but are able to prove or evince nothing; but that according to the words of St. Gregory, they may be contemned with the same easiness, as they are Asserted. Rabanus the Monk has invented several of these, but in Latine Characters and Verses, inserting sundry Pictures, which being to be read which way soever you turn the Let∣ters, declare some Sacred Mysterie representing the Painted History; which no man denies; but that they may be extorted out of prophane Authors, no person is ignorant, especially he that hath read the Centones upon Christ, compos'd out of Virgil, by Valeria Proba: all which things, and all of this Nature, are but the spe∣culations of Idle People. But as to what pertains to the working of Miracles, surely there is no man can be so stupid, as to believe there is any force in this Art to accomplish any such thing. The Cabala of the Jews therefore is nothing else, but a most pernicious Superstition, the which by Collecting, Dividing, and Changing several Words, Names and Letters disper∣sed up and down in the Bible, at their own good will and pleasure, and making one thing out of another, they dissolve the Members of Truth, raysing up sen∣tences, Inductions, and Parables of their own, apply thereto the Oracles of Divine Scripture to them, defa∣ming the Scriptures, and affirming their Figments to consist of them, Blaspheme the Word of God by their wrested suppositions of Words, Syllables, Letters and Numbers; endeavouring to prop up their Villanous Inventions, by Arguments drawn from their own Delusions. And being blown and puft up with these Trifles, boast themselves to have found out, and to know those ineffable Mysteries of God which are not Re∣veal'd in Scripture; by means whereof, they are able
Page 125
to Prophesie, Work Miracles; all which they blush not with confidence to aver. But it happens to them, as it did to Aesops Dog, who leaving the substance, and catching after the shadow, lost his Food; who being alwayes busied in the shadows of the Scripture, and laborious in the study of their own Fictions, their Superstitious Cabala, snatching at they know not what, they loose the Bread of Eternal Life; and feeding up∣on empty Notions, loose the Word of Truth. From this Judaical ferment of Cabalistical Superstition, I verily believe the Ophites, Gnosticks, and Valentinians came, Hereticks that with the help of their Disciples invented a Cabala, corrupting the Mysteries of the Chri∣stian Faith; and by a Heretical Artifice, drawing and patching together the Greek Letters and Numbers, and framing out of them a thing, which they call, The Body of Truth; they teach, that without the help of those Letters and Numbers, the Truth of the Gospel cannot be found out, being so various and repugnant one to another, and full of Parables; written so, that those that have Eyes should not see, and those that have Ears should not hear, but propounded to the Blind, and wandring according to their weak capacities; so that the hidden Truth is not to be understood by Writing, but by successive Tradition, delivered Viva Voce, which, they say, was that Alphabetary and Arith∣mantick Theology secretly delivered to his Apostles by Christ himself, and which St. Paul saith, He only speaks among those that are perfect. For these being most high Mysteries, therefore they are not written, nor to be written; but to be kept in silence among the Wise Men, who are to reserve them in the most secret parts of their Hearts.
Of the Cabalists.
HEre the words of Pliny come into my minde: There is, saith he, another Sect of Magicians, of which Moses and Latopea, Jews, were the first Authors; which words bring to my remembrance the Cabala of the Jews, which as the constant opinion among the Hebrews goes, was delivered by God to Moses, and thence, through succession of Ages, even to the times of Ezra, preserv'd by Tradition onely, without the help of writing. As of old the Doctrine of Pythagoras was delivered by Archippus and Lysiades, who kept School at Thebes in Greece, where the Scholars lear∣ning all their Masters Precepts by heart, made use onely of their Memories instead of Books. So cer∣tain Jews despising Letters, plac'd all their Learning in Memory, Observation, and verbal Tradition; whence it was call'd by the Hebrews, Cabala, that is to say, a re∣ceiving from one to another by the Ear: An Art, by report, very antient, though the name be but of later times known among the Christians. Now this Cabala they divide into three parts: the first contains the know∣ledge of Bresith, which they call also Cosmology, ex∣plaining and teaching the force and efficacie of things created, Natural or Celestial; expounding also the Laws and Mysteries of the Bible according to Philoso∣phical reasons, which for that cause differs little from Natural Magick, wherein they say K. Solomon excell'd. Therefore we finde in the Sacred Histories of the Jews, that he was wont to discourse from the Cedar of Li∣banon to the low Hyssop; as also of Cattle, Birds,
Page 122
Reptiles, and Fish, all which contain within themselves a certain kinde of Magical vertue. Moses also the Egyptian, in his Expositions upon the Pentateuch, and most of the Talmudists, have followed the Rules of this Art. The other part thereof contains the know∣ledge of more sublime things, as of Divine and An∣gelical Powers, the contemplation of Sacred Names and Characters; being a certain kinde of Symbolical Theology, wherein the Letters, Figures, Numbers, Names, Points, Lines, Accents, are esteemed to contain the significations of most profound things, and great Mysteries. This part again is twofold: Arithmantick, handling the nature of Angels, the Powers, Names, Characters of Spirits and Souls departed; and Theo∣mantick, which searches into the mysteries of the Di∣vine Majesty, his Emanations, his Names, and Pentacula, which he that attains to, they account endu'd with most admirable power. By vertue of this Art they say Mo∣ses wrought so many Miracles, changing his Rod into a Serpent, the Water into Blood, and plagu'd Egypt with Frogs, Flyes, Lice, Locusts, Emrodes, and Pesti∣lence, slaying the first-born of Man and Beast: By this Art he divided the Red-sea, caus'd Water to flow out of the Rock, brought the Qualls into the Wilderness, sweeten'd the bitter Waters, made Lightning by day, and a Pillar of Fire by night to lead the March of his people, call'd down the Voice of God among the peo∣ple. By this Art he punish'd the Arrogant with Fire, the Murmurers with Leprosie, Mutiners with sudden Destruction, causing the Earth to swallow them up; preserv'd the Clothes of the Israelites from wearing out, and gave them Victory over their Enemies. Lastly, by means of this Art, Josua commanded the Sun to stand still; Elias call'd down Fire from Heaven, and rais'd the dead Youth to life; Daniel muzzled the Li∣ons mouths, and the three Children sang in the middle
Page 123
of the fiery Furnace. Nay, the perfidious and unbe∣lieving Jews stick not to aver, that Christ himself wrought all his Miracles by vertue of this Art. So∣lomon, as they say, did excel in this Art, and that he discovered several secrets thereof, containing several Charms against Devils and their Possessings; as also against Diseases, as Josephus writes. As for my part, as I do not doubt but that God Revealed many things to Moses and the Prophets, which were contained un∣der the Covert of the words of the Law, which were not to be communicated to the prophane Vulgar: so for this Art which the Jews so much boast of, which I have with great Labour and diligence s•arch'd into, I must acknowledge it to be a meer Rhapsodie of su∣perstition, and nothing but a kind of Theurgick Magick before spoken of. For if, as the Jews contend, com∣ing from God, it did any way conduce to perfection of Life, Salvation of Men, Truth of Understanding; cer∣tainly that Spirit of Truth, which having forsaken the Synagogue, is now come to teach us all Truth, had never concealed it all this while from the Church, which certainly knows all those things that are of God; whose Grace, Baptism, and other Sacraments of Sal∣vation, are perfectly Reveal'd to all Languages. For every Language is alike, so that there be the same Piety; neither is there any other Name in Heaven or on Earth, by which we can be Sav'd, but only the Name of Jesus. Wherefore the Jews most skilful in Divine Names, after the coming of Christ were able to do nothing, in comparison of their Forefathers. But by that which we have common Experience of, we see, that oft-times wonderful Sentences of very great My∣steries are wrested from the Sacred Text; that is, no∣thing but a certain playing with Allegories, which some slothful Persons imploy'd only in the considera∣tion of particular Points, Letters, or Figures, which
Page 124
this Language and manner of Writing easily admit of, take occasion to fancy; which many times make a noise as if they were very great Mysteries, but are able to prove or evince nothing; but that according to the words of St. Gregory, they may be contemned with the same easiness, as they are Asserted. Rabanus the Monk has invented several of these, but in Latine Characters and Verses, inserting sundry Pictures, which being to be read which way soever you turn the Let∣ters, declare some Sacred Mysterie representing the Painted History; which no man denies; but that they may be extorted out of prophane Authors, no person is ignorant, especially he that hath read the Centones upon Christ, compos'd out of Virgil, by Valeria Proba: all which things, and all of this Nature, are but the spe∣culations of Idle People. But as to what pertains to the working of Miracles, surely there is no man can be so stupid, as to believe there is any force in this Art to accomplish any such thing. The Cabala of the Jews therefore is nothing else, but a most pernicious Superstition, the which by Collecting, Dividing, and Changing several Words, Names and Letters disper∣sed up and down in the Bible, at their own good will and pleasure, and making one thing out of another, they dissolve the Members of Truth, raysing up sen∣tences, Inductions, and Parables of their own, apply thereto the Oracles of Divine Scripture to them, defa∣ming the Scriptures, and affirming their Figments to consist of them, Blaspheme the Word of God by their wrested suppositions of Words, Syllables, Letters and Numbers; endeavouring to prop up their Villanous Inventions, by Arguments drawn from their own Delusions. And being blown and puft up with these Trifles, boast themselves to have found out, and to know those ineffable Mysteries of God which are not Re∣veal'd in Scripture; by means whereof, they are able
Page 125
to Prophesie, Work Miracles; all which they blush not with confidence to aver. But it happens to them, as it did to Aesops Dog, who leaving the substance, and catching after the shadow, lost his Food; who being alwayes busied in the shadows of the Scripture, and laborious in the study of their own Fictions, their Superstitious Cabala, snatching at they know not what, they loose the Bread of Eternal Life; and feeding up∣on empty Notions, loose the Word of Truth. From this Judaical ferment of Cabalistical Superstition, I verily believe the Ophites, Gnosticks, and Valentinians came, Hereticks that with the help of their Disciples invented a Cabala, corrupting the Mysteries of the Chri∣stian Faith; and by a Heretical Artifice, drawing and patching together the Greek Letters and Numbers, and framing out of them a thing, which they call, The Body of Truth; they teach, that without the help of those Letters and Numbers, the Truth of the Gospel cannot be found out, being so various and repugnant one to another, and full of Parables; written so, that those that have Eyes should not see, and those that have Ears should not hear, but propounded to the Blind, and wandring according to their weak capacities; so that the hidden Truth is not to be understood by Writing, but by successive Tradition, delivered Viva Voce, which, they say, was that Alphabetary and Arith∣mantick Theology secretly delivered to his Apostles by Christ himself, and which St. Paul saith, He only speaks among those that are perfect. For these being most high Mysteries, therefore they are not written, nor to be written; but to be kept in silence among the Wise Men, who are to reserve them in the most secret parts of their Hearts.