Part 6

Then she inquired, Whether there was no mystery in Numbers? No other mystery, answered the Spirits, but reckoning or counting; for Numbers are onely marks of remembrance. But what do you think of the Number of Four, said she, which Cabbalists make such ado withal, and of the Number of Ten, when they say that Ten is all, and that all Numbers are virtually comprehended in Four? We think, answered they, that Cabbalists have nothing else to do but to trouble their heads with such useless Fancies; for naturally there is no such thing as prime or all in Numbers; nor is there any other mystery in Numbers, but what Man's fancy makes; but what Men call Prime, or All, we do not know, because they do not agree in the number of their opinion. Then the Empress asked, Whether the number of six was a symbole of Matrimony, as being made up of Male and Femal, for two into three is six. If any number can be a symbole of Matrimony, answered the Spirits, it is not Six, but Two; if two may be allowed to be a Number: for the act of Matrimony is made up of two joined in one. she asked again, What they said to the number of Seven? whether it was not an Embleme of God, because Cabbalists say, That it is neither begotten, nor begets any other Number? There can be no Embleme of God, answered the Spirits; for if we do not know what God is, how can we make an Embleme of him? Nor is there any Number in God, for God is the perfection Himself; but Numbers are imperfect; and as for the begetting of numbers, it is done by Multiplication and Addition; but Substraction is as a kind of death to Numbers. If there be no mystery in Numbers, replied the Empress then it is in vain to refer to the Creation of the World to certain Numbers, as Cabbalists do. The onely mystery of Numbers, answered they, concerning the Creation of the World, is, that as Numbers do multiply, so does the World. The Empress asked, how far Numbers did multiply? The Spirits answered, to Infinite. Why, said she, Infinite cannot be reckoned, nor numbred. No more, answered they, can the parts of the Universe; for God's Creation, being an Infinite action, as proceeding from an Infinite Power, could not rest upon a finite Number of Creatures, were it never so great. But leaving the mystery of Numbers, proceeded the Empress, Let me now desire you to inform me, Whether the Suns and Planets were generated by the Heavens, or Æthereal Matter? The Spirits answered, That the Stars and Planets were of the same matter which the Heavens, the Æther, and all other Natural Creatures did consist of; but whether they were generated by the Heavens or Æther, they could not tell: if they be, said they, they are not like their Parents; for the Sun, Stars, and Planets, are more splendorous then the Æther, as also more solid and constant in their motions: But put the case, the Stars and Planets were generated by the Heavens, and the Æthereal Matter; the question then would be, Out of what these are generated or produced? If these be created out of nothing, and not generated out of something, then it is probable the Sun, Stars and Planets are so too; nay, it is more probable of the Stars, and Planets, then of the Heavens, or the fluid Æther, by reason the Stars and Planets seem to be further off from Mortality, then the particular parts of the Æther; for no doubt but the parts of the Æthereal Matter, alter into several forms, which we do not perceive of the Stars and Planets. The Empress asked further, Whether they could give her information of the three principles of Man, according to the doctrine of the Platonists; as first of the Intellect, Spirit, or Divine Light. 2. Of the Soul of Man her self: and 3. Of the Image of the Soul, that is, her vital operation on the body? The Spirits answered, That they did not understand these three distinctions, but that they seem'd to corporeal sense and reason, as if they were three several bodies, or three several corporeal actions; however, said they, they are intricate conceptions of irregular Fancies. If you do not understand them, replied the Empress, how shall human Creatures do then? Many, both of your modern and ancient Philosophers, answered the Spirits, endeavour to go beyond Sense and Reason, which makes them commit absurdities; for no corporeal Creature can go beyond Sense and Reason; no not we Spirits, as long as we are in our corporeal Vehicles. Then the Empress asked them, Whether there were any Atheists in the World? The Spirits answered, That there were no more Atheists then what Cabbalists make. she asked them further, Whether Spirits were of a globous or round Figure? They answered, That Figure belonged to body, but they being immaterial, had no Figure. she asked again, Whether Spirits were not like Water or Fire? They answered, that Water and Fire was material, were it the purest and most refined that ever could be; nay, were it above the Heavens: But we are no more like Water or Fire, said they, then we are like Earth; but our Vehicles are of several forms, figures and degrees of substances. Then she desired to know, Whether their Vehicles were made of Air? Yes, answered the Spirits, some of our Vehicles are of thin Air. Then I suppose, replied the Empress, That those airy Vehicles, are your corporeal Summer-suits. she asked further, Whether the Spirits had not ascending and descending-motions, as well as other Creatures? They answered, That properly there was no ascension or descension in Infinite Nature, but onely in relation to particular parts; and as for us Spirits, said they, We can neither ascend nor descend without corporeal Vehicles; nor can our Vehicles ascend or descend, but according to their several shapes and figures, for there can be no motion without body. The Empress asked them further, Whether there was not a World of Spirits, as well as there is of Material Creatures? No, answered they; for the word World implies a quantity or multitude of corporeal Creatures, but we being Immaterial, can make no World of Spirits. Then she desired to be informed when Spirits were made? We do not know, answered they, how and when we were made, nor are we much inquisitive after it; nay, if we did, it would be no benefit, neither for us, nor for you Mortals to know it. The Empress replied, That Cabbalists and Divine Philosophers said, Mens rational Souls were Immaterial, and stood as much in need of corporeal Vehicles, as Spirits did. If this be so, answered the Spirits, then you are Hermaphrodites of Nature; but your Cabbalists are mistaken, for they take the purest and subtilest parts of Matter, for Immaterial Spirits. Then the Empress asked, When the Souls of Mortals went out of their Bodies, whether they went to Heaven or Hell; or whether, they remained in airy Vehicles? God's Justice and Mercy, answered they, is perfect, and not imperfect; but if you Mortals will have Vehicles for your Souls, and a place that is between Heaven and Hell, it must be Purgatory, which is a place of Purification, for which action Fire is more proper then Air; and so the Vehicles of those Souls that are in Purgatory, cannot be airy, but fiery; and after this rate there can be but four places for human Souls to be in, viz. Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and this World; but as for Vehicles, they are but fancies, not real truths. Then the Empress asked them, Where Heaven and Hell was? Your Saviour Christ, answered the Spirits, has informed you, that there is Heaven and Hell, but he did not tell you what, nor where they are; wherefore it is too great a presumption for you Mortals to inquire after it: If you do but strive to get into Heaven, it is enough, though you do not know where or what it is; for it is beyond your knowledg and understanding. I am satisfied, replied the Empress; and asked further, Whether there were any Figures or Characters in the Soul? They answered, Where there was no Body, there could be no Figure. Then she asked them, Whether Spirits could be naked? and whether they were of a dark, or a light colour? As for our Nakedness, it is a very odd question, answered the Spirits; and we do not know what you mean by a Naked Spirit; for you judg of us as of corporeal Creatures; and as for Colour, said they, it is according to our Vehicles; for Colour belongs to Body, and as there is no Body that is colourless, so there is no Colour that is bodiless. Then the Empress desired to be informed, Whether all Souls were made at the first Creation of the World? We know no more, answered the Spirits, of the origin of humane Souls, then we know of our Selves. she asked further, Whether humane bodies were not burthensome to humane Souls? They answered, That Bodies, made Souls active, as giving them motion; and if action was troublesome to Souls, then Bodies were so too. she asked again, Whether Souls did chuse Bodies? They answered, That Platonicks believed, the Souls of Lovers lived in the Bodies of their Beloved, but surely, said they, if there be a multitude of Souls in a World of Matter, they cannot miss Bodies; for as soon as a Soul is parted from one Body, it enters into another; and Souls having no motion of themselves, must of necessity be clothed or imbodied with the next parts of Matter. If this be so, replied the Empress, then I pray inform me, Whether all matter be soulified? The Spirits answered, They could not exactly tell that; but if it was true, that Matter had no other motion but what came from a spiritual power, and that all matter was moving, then no soul could quit a Body, but she must, of necessity enter into another soulified Body, and then there would be two immaterial substances in one Body. The Empress asked, Whether it was not possible that there could be two Souls in one Body? As for Immaterial Souls, answered the Spirits, it is impossible; for there cannot be two Immaterials in one Inanimate Body, by reason they want parts, and place, being bodiless; but there may be numerous material Souls in one composed Body, by reason every material part has a material natural Soul; for Nature is but one Infinite self-moving, living and self-knowing body, consisting of the three degrees of inanimate, sensitive and rational Matter, so intermixt together, that no part of Nature, were it an Atom, can be without any of these three Degrees; the sensitive is the Life, the rational the Soul, and the inanimate part, the Body of Infinite Nature. The Empress was very well satisfied with this answer, and asked further, Whether souls did not give life to bodies? No, answered they; but Spirits and Divine Souls have a life of their own, which is not to be divided, being purer then a natural life; for Spirits are incorporeal, and consequently indivisible. But when the Soul is in its Vehicle, said the Empress, then methinks she is like the Sun, and the Vehicle like the Moon. No, answered they; but the Vehicle is like the Sun, and the Soul like the Moon; for the Soul hath motion from the Body, as the Moon has light from the Sun. Then the Empress asked the Spirits, Whether it was an evil Spirit that tempted Eve, and brought all the mischiefs upon Mankind: or, Whether it was the Serpent? They answered, That Spirits could not commit actual evils. The Empress said, they might do it by perswasions. They answered, That Perswasions were actions; But the Empress not being contented with this answer, asked, Whether there was not a supernatural Evil? The Spirits answered, That there was a Supernatural Good, which was God; but they knew of no Supernatural Evil, that was equal to God. Then she desired to know, Whether Evil Spirits were reckoned amongst the Beasts of the Field? They answer'd, That many Beasts of the field were harmless Creatures, and very serviceable for Man's use; and though some were accounted fierce and cruel, yet did they exercise their cruelty upon other Creatures, for the most part, to no other end, but to get themselves food, and to satisfie their natural appetite; but certainly, said they, you Men are more cruel to one another, then evil Spirits are to you; and as for their habitations in desolate places, we having no communion with them, can give you no certain account thereof. But what do you think, said the Empress, of good Spirits? may not they be compared to the Fowls of the Air? They answered, There were many cruel and ravenous Fowls as well in the Air, as there were fierce and cruel Beasts on Earth; so that the good are always mixt with the bad. she asked further, Whether the fiery Vehicles were a Heaven, or a Hell, or at least a Purgatory to the Souls? They answered, That if the Souls were immaterial, they could not burn, and then fire would do them no harm; and though Hell was believed to be an undecaying and unquenchable fire, yet Heaven was no fire. The Empress replied, That Heaven was a Light. Yes, said they, but not a fiery Light. Then she asked, Whether the different shapes and sorts of Vehicles, made the Souls and other Immaterial Spirits, miserable, or blessed? The Vehicles, answered they, make them neither better, nor worse; for though some Vehicles sometimes may have power over others, yet these by turns may get some power again over them, according to the several advantages and disadvantages of particular Natural parts. The Empress asked further, Whether Animal life came out of the spiritual World, and did return thither again? The Spirits answered, They could not exactly tell; but if it were so, then certainly Animal lives must leave their bodies behind them, otherwise the bodies would make the spiritual World a mixt World, that is, partly material, and partly immaterial; but the Truth is, said they, Spirits being immaterial, cannot properly make a World; for a World belongs to material, not to immaterial Creatures. If this be so, replied the Empress, then certainly there can be no world of Lives and Forms without Matter? No, answered the Spirits; nor a world of Matter without Lives and Forms; for Natural Lives and Forms cannot be immaterial, no more then Matter can be immovable. And therefore natural lives, forms and matter, are inseparable. Then the Empress asked, Whether the first Man did feed on the best sorts of the Fruits of the Earth, and the Beasts on the worst? The Spirits answered, That unless the Beasts of the field were barred out of manured fields and gardens, they would pick and chuse the best Fruits as well as Men; and you may plainly observe it, said they, in Squirrels and Monkies, how they are the best Chusers of Nuts and Apples; and how Birds do pick and feed in the most delicious fruits, and Worms on the best roots, and most savoury herbs; by which you may see, that those Creatures live and feed better then men do, except you will say, that artificial Cookery is better and more wholsome then the natural. Again, the Empress asked, Whether the first Man gave Names to all the several sorts of Fishes in the Sea, and fresh Waters? No, answered the Spirits, for he was an Earthly, and not a Watery Creature; and therefore could not know the several sorts of Fishes. Why, replied the Empress, he was no more an Airy Creature then he was a Watery one, and yet he gave Names to the several sorts of Fowls and Birds of the Air. Fowls, answered they, are partly Airy, and partly Earthly Creatures, not onely because they resemble Beasts and Men in their flesh, but because their rest and dwelling places are on Earth; for they build their Nests, lay their Eggs, and hatch their Young, not in the Air, but on the Earth. Then she asked, Whether the first Man did give Names to all the various sorts of Creatures that live on the Earth? Yes, answered they, to all those that were presented to him, or he had knowledg of, that is, to all the prime sorts; but not to every particular: for of Mankind, said they, there were but two at first; and as they did encrease, so did their Names. But, said the Empress, who gave the Names to the several sorts of Fish? The posterity of Mankind, answered they. Then she enquired, Whether there were no more kinds of Creatures now, then at the first Creation? They answered, That there were no more nor fewer kinds of Creatures then there are now; but there are, without question, more particular sorts of Creatures now, then there were then. she asked again, Whether all those Creatures that were in Paradise, were also in Noah's Ark? They answered, That the principal kinds had been there, but not all the particulars. Then she would fain know, how it came, that both Spirits and Men did fall from a blessed into so miserable a state and condition as they are now in. The Spirits answered, By disobedience. The Empress asked, Whence this disobedient sin did proceed? But the Spirits desired the Empress not to ask them any such questions, because they went beyond their knowledg. Then she begg'd the Spirits to pardon her presumption; for, said she, It is the nature of Mankind to be inquisitive. Natural desire of knowledg, answered the Spirits, is not blameable, so you do not go beyond what your Natural Reason can comprehend. Then I'le ask no more, said the Empress, for fear I should commit some error; but one thing I cannot but acquaint you withal: What is that, said the Spirits? I have a great desire, answered the Empress, to make a Cabbala. What kind of Cabbala asked the Spirits? The Empress answered, The Jews Cabbala. No sooner had the Empress declared her Mind, but the Spirits immediately disappeared out of her sight; which startled the Empress so much, that she fell into a Trance, wherein she lay for some while; at last being come to her self again, she grew very studious, and considering with her self what might be the cause of this strange dysaster, conceived at first, that perhaps the Spirits were tired with hearing and giving answers to her Questions; but thinking by her self, That Spirits could not be tired, she imagined that this was not the true cause of their disappearing, till, after divers debates with her own thoughts, she did verily believe that the Spirits had committed some fault in their answers, and that for their punishment they were condemned to the lowest and darkest Vehicles. This belief was so fixt in her mind, that it put her into a very Melancholick humor; and then she sent both for her Fly-men and Worm-men, and declared to them the cause of her sadness. 'Tis not so much, said she, the vanishing of those Spirits that makes me Melancholick, but that I should be the cause of their miserable condition, and that those harmless Spirits should, for my sake, sink down into the black and dark abyss of the Earth. The Worm-men comforted the Empress, telling her, That the Earth was not so horrid a Dwelling, as she did imagine; for, said they, not onely all Minerals and Vegetables, but several sorts of Animals can witness, that the Earth is a warm, fruitful, quiet, safe, and happy habitation; and though they want the light of the Sun, yet are they not in the dark, but there is light even within the Earth, by which those Creatures do see that dwell therein. This relation setled her Majesties mind a little; but yet she being desirous to know the Truth, where, and in what condition those Spirits were, commanded both the Fly- and Worm-men to use all labour and industry to find them out; whereupon the Worm-men straight descended into the Earth, and the Fly-men ascended into the Air. After some short time, the Worm-men returned, and told the Empress, that when they went into the Earth, they inquired of all the Creatures they met withal, Whether none of them had perceived such or such Spirits; until at last coming to the very Center of the Earth, they were truly informed, that those Spirits had stayed some time there, but at last were gone to the Antipodes on the other side of the Terrestrial Globe, diametrically opposite to theirs. The Fly-men seconded the Wormmen, assuring her Majesty, that their relation was very true; for, said they, We have rounded the Earth, and just when we came to the Antipodes, we met those Spirits in a very good condition, and acquainted them that your Majesty was very much troubled at their sudden departure, and fear'd they should be buried in the darkness of the Earth: whereupon the Spirits answered us, That they were sorry for having occasioned such sadness and trouble in your Majesty; and desired us to tell your Majesty, that they feared no darkness; for their Vehicles were of such a sort of substance as Cats eyes, Glow-worms tails, and rotten Wood, carrying their light along with them; and that they were ready to do your Majesty what service they could, in making your Cabbala. At which Relation the Empress was exceedingly glad, and rewarded both her Fly- and Worm-men bountifully.