Cabbalistical Dialogue - Colin's Hermetic Kabbalah Page

24 Pages·2014·0.34 MB·English

2021
Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont’s INTRODUCTION

C D In the years 1677, 1678, and 1684, Christian Knorr von
ABBALISTICAL IALOGUE
Rosenroth published the vast, two-volume Kabbala denudata
(KABBALAH UNVEILED, hereafter KD), which contains a range of
kabbalistic texts: sections of the Zohar, Pardes Rimmonim by Moses
An English translation of
Cordovero, Sha’ar ha-Shamayim and Beit Elohim by Abraham
Ad Fundamenta Cabbalae Aeto-Paedo-Melissaeae Dialogus
Kohen (or Cohen) de Herrera, Sefer ha-Gilgulim (a Lurianic writing
(TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF KABBALAH attributed to Hayyim Vital), and others, with commentaries by
EAGLE-BOY-BEE DIALOGUE) von Rosenroth and Henry More, plus some writings on Christian
namely, Cabala by Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont—all in Latin
translation.
van Helmont’s reply to Henry More’s

Fundamenta Philosophiae sive Cabbalae Aeto-Paedo-Melissaeae
Portions of KD have been translated into English:
(FUNDAMENTALS OF PHILOSOPHY OR THE KABBALAH
• texts from the Zohar: “The Book of Concealed Mystery,
OF THE EAGLE-BOY-BEE) The Greater Holy Assembly, and the Lesser Holy
Assembly” can be found in English as Samuel Liddell
to which is appended MacGregor Mathers’ Kabbalah Unveiled (London: George
Redway, 1887: rpt. New York/York Beach: Samuel
A Paraphrastical Exposition of the First Chapter of Genesis.
Weiser, 1968 and subsequently). Mathers’ versions of

these texts also appear at numerous sites on the Internet.

• Aesch Mezareph: a kabbalistic-alchemical tract found in
© Don Karr, 2007-2021
pieces through the first section of KD.

All rights reserved.
(1) An edition “Translated by a Lover of Philalethes,

License to Copy 1714,” appeared as volume IV of Collectanea Hermetica,
This publication is intend ed for personal use only. edited by William Wynn Westcott (1894), which
Paper copies may be made for personal use. (volume IV alone) was reprinted by Occult Research
With this exception, no part of this publication may be
Press (New York: 1956). Collectanea Hermetica, vols.
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic
I—VII was reprinted by Kessinger Publishing
or mechanical, including photocopy, without permission in writing
from the author. Company (Kila: n.d.). Collectanea Hermetica, vols. I—X,
was published by Samuel Weiser (1998); this “special
Reviewers may quote brief passages.
edition” includes Westcott’s version of Sepher Yetzirah,
which was not part of the original series.
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(2) Raphael Patai includes a translation of Aesch Mezareph While fairly well represented in library collections, van Helmont’s
in The Jewish Alchemists: A History and Source Book Cabbalistical Dialogue is far less accessible than the other items
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1994): listed above, having not been published since 1682. A short work,
Chapter Twenty-Six. “Esh M’saref: A Kabbalistic- (only 17 pages in English—a mere five pages in KD), A
Alchemical Treatise.” Cabbalistical Dialogue was printed along with the 13-page
Paraphrastical Exposition of the First Chapter of Genesis. Of course,
• sixteen diagrams from KD are reproduced and translated
these pieces are rather slight next to van Helmont’s other
in Christopher Atton and Stephen Dziklewicz’ Kabbalistic
“Cabbalistical” works:
Diagrams of Rosenroth, with an introduction by Adam
McLean [MAGNUM OPUS HERMETIC SOURCEWORKS, • Two Hundred Queries…Concerning the Doctrine of the Revolution of
Number 23] (London: The Hermetic Research Trust, Humane Souls, and Its Conformity to the Truths of Christianity
1987). (London: printed for Rob. Kettlewell, 1685) [166 pp.]
• van Helmont’s Adumbratio Kabbalæ Christianæ has been • Chapter 4 of The Paradoxal Discourses…Concerning the
published as Francis Mercury van Helmont’s ‘Sketch of Macrocosm and Microcosm, or the Greater and Lesser World, And
Christian Kabbalism’ translated and edited by Sheila Spector their Union (London: printed for Robert Kettlewel, 1685)
(Leiden – Boston: Brill, 2012). [Chapter 4 = pp. 105-161]
• van Helmont’s Cabbalistical Dialogue, which is a translation • Seder olam: or, the Order, Series, or Succession of All the Ages,
of Ad Fundamenta Cabbalæ Æto-Pædo-Melissææ Dialogus Periods, and Times of the Whole World… (London: printed for
([RESPONSE] TO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF KABBALAH Sarah Howkins, 1694) [236 pp.]
EAGLE-BOY-BEE DIALOGUE), namely, van Helmont’s • Adumbratio Kabbalæ Christianæ, which is appended to some
reply to Henry More’s Fundamenta Philosophiæ sive Cabbalæ
editions of Kabbala denudata. [70 pp.]
Æto-Pædo-Melissææ (FUNDAMENTALS OF PHILOSOPHY OR
THE KABBALAH OF THE EAGLE-BOY-BEE).
Of the works listed, the first three were published in English

under van Helmont’s supervision. The fourth, Adumbratio Kabbalæ
Henry More’s prefatory letter to Ad Clarissimum ac Eruditissimum
Christianæ, was published as an appendix to KD, tome I, in Latin.
Virum N. N. / De rebus in Amica sua Resposione contentis Ulterior
As noted above, Sheila Spector put this into English (2012).
Disquisitio [TO THE LUCID AND LEARNED HERO N.N. …WITH
FRIENDSHIP IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTENT OF THE PREVIOUS
DISQUISITION] appears in KD in its original rough English (pages For a thorough study of van Helmont and his circle—which
173-176). A transcription of this work is included in Knots & included not only von Rosenroth but also Leibniz, Henry More,
SpiralsII: “Some brief writings of Henry More,” at and Anne Conway—see Allison Coudert, The Impact of Kabbalah in
the Seventeenth Century: The Life and Thought of Francis Mercury van
http://www.digital-brilliance.com/contributed/Karr/KS/More.pdf
Helmont (1614-1698) (Leiden – Boston – Köln: Brill, 1999).

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NOTES ON THE TRANSCRIPTION BIBLIOGRAPHY
Spelling, punctuation, and italicization have all been preserved, Coudert Allison. The Impact of the Kabbalah in the Seventeenth Century:
though missing letters have been added. Parentheses ( ) and The Life and Thought of Francis Mercury van Helmont (1614-1698)
square brackets [ ] are given as they appear in the original text. [BRILL SERIES IN JEWISH STUDIES, 9], Leiden: Brill Academic
Publishers, 1999.
While the typeface I have used – Book Antiqua – is not quite
Helmont, Franciscus Mercurius van, 1614-1699. A cabbalistical
the same as the printed text, I have attempted to imitate the look
dialogue in answer to the opinion of a learned doctor in philosophy and
of the original via spacing, enlarging, italicizing, etc.
theology, that the world was made of nothing [microform] : as it is contained
in the second part of the Cabbala denudata & apparatus in Lib. Sohar, p.
308 &c. / printed in Latin at Sultsbach, anno 1677 ; to which is

subjoyned a rabbinical and paraphrastical exposition of Genesis I, written in

High-Dutch by the author of the foregoing dialogue, first done into Latin, but
now made English. London: Printed for Benjamin Clark ..., 1682.
Karr, Don. “Study of Christian Cabala in English,” §§

“Seventeenth-Century Printed Works on Christian Cabala in

English” and “The Contents of Kabbala denudata, with English
Sources,” pp. 98-116, at
• https://www.academia.edu/4881090/The_Study_of_Christian_

Cabala_in_English

• The Study of Christian Cabala in English (digital-brilliance.com)
Krabbenhoft, Kenneth. The Mystic Tradition. Abraham Cohen
Herrera and Platonic Theology. Ph.D. dissertation: New York: New

York University, 1982:

Chapter 2: §§ “Cabala,” “Christian Mysticism,” “Cabala and
Christian Mysticism: Similarities and Differences,” and
“Cabala and Conversos”

Scholem, Gershom. Kabbalah. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House,

1974: PART THREE, § 8. “Christian Knorr von Rosenroth”

Spector, Sheila. Jewish Mysticism: An Annotated Bibliography on
Kabbalah in English. New York – London: Garland Publishing,
1984: § O: “Non-Jewish Kabbalah,” pages 309-357.

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(TITLE PAGE)
[Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont, 1614-1699]

(1)

A Cabbalistical Dialogue in Answer to the
A
Opinion of a Learned Doctor in Philosophy
Cabbalistical
and Theology, That the World was made
of Nothing. To which is Subjoined a
DIALOGUE
Rabbinical and Paraphrastical Exposition of
IN the First Chapter of Genesis.
ANSWER
Compiler
To the Opinion of a Learned
T
HE Marts and Fairs drawing near, I
Doctor in Philosophy and Theology,
cannot possibly enquire of thee concerning
THAT THE
all those things which I once was
W O R L D
determined to enquire of : Only tell me
briefly for the present ; Are there the
WAS MADE OF
Fundamentals of the Cabbala, which are
NOTHING.
proposed in the Aeto-paedo-melissaean
As it is Contained in the Second Part of the Dream ?
Cabbal
Cabbala Denudata & Apparatus in Lib. Sohar, p. 308.&cc.
No, no ; But what answer shall I give to
Printed in Latin at Sultsbach, Anno 1677.
one that is in hast ; unless thou dost allow
To which is subjoyned
me to defer until another time those things,
A Rabbinical and Paraphrastical Exposition of Genesis I.
which are more amply to be added to those
written in High-Dutch by the Author of the foregoing
three Treatises, called A further Disquisition,
Dialogue, first done into Latin, but now made English.
the Exposition of the Mercava, and the
_______________________________________________________________________
Cabbalistical Catachism ?
LONDON,

Printed for Benjamin Clark in George-Yard in Lombard

Street, Bookseller, M DCL XXXII.

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(2) (3)
Compil. Creature, or on the contrary : As also to
Be it so. This is all I ask in the first place, Creation which is mediate, whether it be so
Whether dost thou deny all Creation, in regard of the Efficient, or in regard of the
properly so called ? Or what is Creation, Effect. And what absurdity is there in all
according to thy Hypothesis or doctrinal this ?
Supposition ?
Compil.

But why, in this definition, dost thou
Cabb.
omit that, which we call the formal reason
I will answer Paradoxes with Paradoxes;
of Creation, viz. that it is done out of
and because I perceive thou examinest all
Nothing?
things so strictly in the Ballance of Reason,

which for the most past is stark blind in Cabb
these more sublime matters; I shall answer Because the Particle [Ex] out of does only
problematically, so as ye may be able to denote or properly belong to matter ; nor
judge, whether our Cabbalistical terms do can it Properly belong to Spirit ; which yet
not also admit of another interpretation, is the most proper Subject of Creation.
according to the dictate of reason, than such Properly so called : and of this [Spirit] it can
a one as may be said to labour under an no wise be said, that it is, or is not [Ex] out
absurdity. But as for our Hypothesis itself, I of another, but only that it is [ab] or from
shall more freely expatiate on that another another : just as we say, not that an Idaea or
time. Now therefore to answer thy conception is made out of the Soul, or out of
question, I know one, who is of out the Mind, but from the Soul, or from the
number, who defineth Creation, properly so Mind : or that the beams or rays of a
call’d, to be the effection of an infinite efficient, Created Spirit are made out of its Centre
whereby a separable Being is constituted, or (unless peradventure with regard to place)
made. This definition of Active Creation, may but from the Centre : or that the Hands, or
also be easily applied to Passive Creation; or other formal Members of and Angel, when
to that which is Relative, that is, to that he appears, are made out of the Angel, but
respect which the Creator hath to the are made from him.

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(4) (5)
Compil. Comp.
But thus thou seemest to shut out matter After this rate , the Creature would be
from Creation. co-eternal, and co-existent with God.

Cabb. Cabb.
No, but only from such a Creation as is No otherwise, than as the beam or light
immediate. For these are our Positions. 1. is said to be co-existent with the Sun ; a
That the Creator first brings into being Conception, Idaea, or thought with the
spiritual Nature. 2. And that either mind; a Mode, Manner, or Accident of a
arbitrarily [when he pleased ;] or condition- Being is co-existent with its Being ; a thing
ally, as he continually understands, dependent with that on which it dependeth;
generates, &c. 3. That some of these Spirits, the effect with its positive actual efficient
for some certain cause of reason, are slipt cause; and many such like. For thus may
down from the state of knowing, of Unity be alwaies better conceived to be in
Penetrating, or of moving into a state of God, because thus he will alwaies have
impenetration. 4. That these Monades or Pluralities as his opposites In like manner
single Beings being now become spiritless will his Goodness be better thus conceived
or dull, did cling or come together after by reason of his incessant communications
various manners. 5. That this coalition or to his Creatures. Also that he is supream Act,
clinging together, so long as it remains because he will alwaies actuate other
such, is called matter. 6. That, out of this Beings. Also that he is the Beginning and the
matter, all things material do consist, which Cause, because he will alwaies influence his
yet shall in time return again to a more Creatures as their cause. Also that he is
loosned and free state. No contradiction is Subject, because he will alwaies have
involved in all these. Hence the Creator may Adjuncts Also that he is the Measure,
also be said to be the efficient cause of all because he will alwaies commensurate
things materiated or made material, although others. Also that he is Priority, because he
not immediately. will alwaies have all else to be Posterior to,
or after him. Also that he is Substance,

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(6) (7)
because he will alwaies bear up all things. Compiler.
Also that he is the Crown, because he will But how, I pray, after this manner, will
encompass or comprehend all others. And the Effect be posterior to, or after its cause ?
so of all the Rest of his Names and Numbers, Cabbal.
and therefore also belongeth to him the In the order of Nature, though not in the
Notion of a Kingdom , because he will order of Time.
alwaies have Subjects.
Compil.

But at this rate, Spiritual Natures will
Comp.
differ little from the very Creator himself ;
Why thus it will follow that God did
and because it is supported that matter is
Create be intrinsical necessity.
from their stupefaction or Dispiritedness, it
Cabb. will follow that the Divine Essence is, as it
There will be no absurdity in that, if were, a kind of bodily Spirit.
Creation be understood to be immediate in
Cabb.
regard of its Subject : and therefore to be
In the first place indeed, some of the
only of a spiritual nature, which in a certain
Ancients seem to have asserted, That the
respect is immanent, or working within its
Soul is a Particle of the Divine Air, or Breath,
own self, just as motion is from Fire,
and that men are called the Off-spring of
Cogitation or thinking from the Soul,
God, (Acts 17. 28.) Yet is this warily and
Volition or Willing proceeding from God :
wisely to be understood: that the Air or
whence also Creation is very little different
Breath of God doth at least differ from God
from Conservation, according to the
himself, as the thing principiated or
Sentiments of our People. But in that
principled differs from its principle : now
Creation that is Mediate or Transient, or
for things to agree generically or in kind,
working ad ext a without himself, he acteth
doth not infer or allow that they are the
freely, so that, for Example, he, one day,
same in Essence, or do agree essentially.
creates out of Chaos or confused mass, the
Whence none do assert the Divine Essence
Heavens ; another day, the Earth; another
to be Bodily-spiritual, but those
the Stars.
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(8) (9)
who deny all nature of Spirits ; tho’ perhaps yet is fundamentally and radically such, and
it may be more truly said that there is that will sometime hereafter be such again
in God (if I may so say) which may be formally, as it is said (Rom 8. 19, 20, 21, 22,
called κλισιπάθεια , or an affect, or moving 23. Eph 1. 10 I Cor. 15, 28.) Examples
(as it were) sufferingly to Create, rather hereof may be a Man Living, and a Man
than in Spiits an ΰλοπάθεια , or an affect or Dead; a thin Vapour, and Ice, &c.
moving sufferingly to become Matter
However from this Hypothesis, or doctrinal Comp.
supposition, the Nature of God is Dost thou therefore conclude positively,
established to be much more Spiritual, than that out of nothing, nothing can be Created ?
from the Vulgar Hypothesis ; because by this Cabb.
Vulgar one, Matter, as such, is not allowed Indeed having positively determined
to be so much as a Substance, but to be only that Matter is made by a Coalition or
a certain extrinsical and accidental Clinging together of Spiritual degenerate
Modification of a Spiritual Substance, from dull Monades or single Beings, and that this
which God is most vastly distant; Coalition is called Creation, I should not
insomuch, as he is the most wise and chief speak accurately if I should say that Matter
Mover of all things. is made out of Nothing. But I should assert
Comp. that a Spirit is produced neither out of
But however the Material World will be nothing, nor out of something; because the
thus, after a sort, determined to be a Spirit. very Particle Ex (out of) respects a material
Cabb. cause, which is by no means admitted to be
Matter as such, is not a Spirit; but only in Spirits. But the Inferences with which
that very Substance it self, which appeareth the first Axiom is loaded, do not touch my
under the form of Matter, viz. in its Hypothesis. But these Absurdities, and
blindness or darkness, to wit, in that its dull Incongruities do flow from the vulgar
rest, and privation of its former happiness, Opinion, viz. 1. That from a Being
that was in sometimes past a Spirit, and as supreamly perfect, supreamly

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intelligent, supreamly free, having motion unlike unto it self. 2. And yet this Subject
in and felt by itself in the highest degree, so vile and void, which is by us deservedly
supreamly penetrating, supreamly said to occupy the least part of the
immutable, supreamly positive, supreamly Universe, is, notwithstanding in this vulgar
living, &c. should be produced a Being Hypothesis, concluded to be co-extended,
most absolutely imperfect, in the highest yea, co-existing, and co-ordinate with God,
degree void of all Science, Understanding and therefore is lifted up into so high an
and Knowledge; under the highest estimation, that all the doctrine in the whole
necessity and force imaginable, bound in Pagan Philosophy is exhausted or drawn
the highest degree to the Laws of Passive from this Subject alone : which also is
Motion, and by consequence destitute established the measure of all Theorums,
altogether of all liberty and willing, wanting Maxims, and Conclusions concerning Spirits,
in it self in the utmost degree all motion , or concerning God ; (which they call a
and subjected only to the motions and Demonstration a posteriori, that is, from
impressions of others, and therefore of and effects, or posterior Considerations) whence it
in it self in the highest degree quiet and becomes an accursed Materialism, and
immovable, wanting in it self all consequently Atheism. 3. As. To be, and
penetration as well active as passive; most not to be, done imply a contradiction, so it
highly mutable, most highly privative, and is a consequent of this contradiction, out of
despoiled of all happiness, and the Not-being, to be ; if we should speak
possession of all real good, and therefore accurately, and according to the Laws of the
most highly dull, sluggish and dead, and by Essential Descriptions of Causes. 4. After
consequence enjoying nothing at all of those the same manner, God must be said to have
things which are contained in the cause; Created Death, Sin, Shadows or Darkness,
whence also many have said that nature is Monsters, Evils, &c. which are privations, as
plainly contrary unto God : whereas an Matter is the privation of spiritual nature,
efficient cause as it cannot produce any inasmuch as in whose definition, not one
thing that is altogether like unto it self : so only positive term ought truly and
neither can it produce any thing altogether
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(12) (13)
rightly to be made an ingredient; because its spiritual nature in it, it at length plainly
neither is discerpibility or divisibleness, or becomes a material thing as it were, which
separableness to be allowed to it in the God forbid !
abstract, and as considered in the Atome or
Compil.
indivisible Being. 5. The Creation of matter
Dost thou therefore assert that matter
out of nothing, doth directly and perfectly
cannot be Created ?
oppose, or is repugnant to the Wisdom of

God : inasmuch as in the case thus stated,
Cabb.
when he might have done that which was
Not immediately; Nut after that a Spirit
best, as for Example, he might have made
is immediately Created, it doth for certain
every Creature a Spirit, yet some and so many
assignable Causes, and which are elsewhere
he would make to be no Spirit, and not the
to be remembered, descend into that state
best. 6. It is contrary to His Goodness,
of Death, that it admitteth of the Qualities
because he would Create something without
and name of matter, being now a natural
any Communication at all of most of His good
Monade or single Being, and a very Atome :
things. 7. It is contrary to His Beauty;
then out of these a further mediate Creation
because Matter is quite opposite directly
may be made and done, even as out of a
contrary to and distant from the first Fair
Dead Sinner, a New Creature is made by and
One. Yea, 8. Hereby would be a progress or
through the Messiah. Therefore as to the
passage from one extream to another
Third, Fourth and Fifth Axiomes, I answer,
immediately Whence, 9. it would be
that matter as such, or as it is considered
absurd, for the avoiding of certain
formally, doth not only not exist by and of it
absurdities, which flow not necessarily from
self, but in truth doth not so much as exist
Hypothesis, to admit of many more other
positively, but privatively only, just as doth
absurdities, which are highly hurtful to the
shadow, or rest, &c. And whatever is, is a
nature of the Soul and Kingdom of the
Spirit, whether it be only fundamentally so
Messiah, and are such as plunge the Mind so
as a dead man is a man, or whether it be
into material dirty Gulphs, that by reason
also formally and really so, as is a Soul, an
of utter blotting out of
Angel, God.

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