Wisdom of God; and signifying like wise a Being, from which all other Beings are deriv'd. It is referr'd to the Second Sephira, call'd Chochma, i.e. Wisdom; which is annex'd to the Order of Angels, call'd Ophanim, i.e. Wheels, which is the Order of Cherubims; who were deriv'd from the Power of God, through, and next after, the Intelligences above-mention'd; that is to say, the Seraphims; and, from them, descend (influentially) into the Terrestrial Beings. III. Gimel (Restoring, or Rewarding) denotes the Holy name Asch, signifying the Fire of Love, or the Holy Spirit, and is referr'd to the Third Sephira or Number, call'd Binah, i.e. Prudence; representing an Order of Angels, call'd Aralim, i.e. Great, Valiant, Angels of Might; who make up the Third Class of Intelligences, or intellectual Beings, flowing from the Divine Goodness; and who are illumin'd by the Power of God, through the Second Class, or Order (i.e. the Cherubims) and descend therewith (influentially) to the lowermost Beings. The Angels of this Order are taken to be the same with the Angels which are call'd Thrones. IV. Daleth (a Gate) denotes the Holy Name Ell; and is referr'd to the Fourth Sephira or Number, call'd Chesed, i.e. Grace, or Mercy; which is appropriated to the Maschemalim, an Order of Angels which is taken to be the same with That call'd Dominions; and which flows, from the Power of God, through the Third Order of Intelligences (i.e. the Aralim), and, with it, descends influentially on the Beings below. V. He (Behold) denotes the Holy Name Elohim, and the Fifth Sephira, call'd Pashad; which denotes Severity, Judgement, Awe, the Left Side, or the Sword of God. This Sephira is assign'd, by some Hebrews, to the Seraphims; but by others, more reasonably, to the Order of Angels call'd Gnaz (Strength) which flows from the Power of God, through the Fourth Class of Intelligences, and, with it, sends down its Influence to Inferiour Beings. VI. Vau (a Hook) denotes the Mysteries of the Holy Name Eloah; and is referr'd to the Fifth Sephira, which is call'd Tiphereth, denoting Beauty, Ornament, and the Upper Cœlestial Sun; and representing the Melachim, or Order of Angels call'd Powers; which are derived from the Power of God, through the Fifth Order of Intelligences, and send, with that Order, their Influence down to Inferiour Creatures. VII. Sajin (Armour) denotes the Name Zebaoth, i.e. the God of Hosts, and the Seventh Sephira, call'd Netsach, i.e. Conquering, answering to the Order of Angels call'd Elohim, or Principalities, which flow from the Power of God, through the Angels of the Sixth Order, and, with them, send their Influences down upon the Inferiour Creation. VIII. Heth denotes the Name of God, Elohe Zebaoth, and the Eighth Sephira, call'd Tehilim, ie. Praise, and appropriated to the Angels Benelohim, or the Sons of God; the same with the Arch Angels. And these flow from the Power of God, through the Angels of the Seventh Order; and descend, with them, influentially on Inferiour Beings. IX. Teth (Departing, or Escaping) denotes the Name of God, Sadai, and the Ninth Sephira, call'd Musad, i.e. Ground, or Foundation; and answering to the Cherubims; which flow from the Power of God, through the Angels of the Eighth Order; and send, in Conjunction with them, their Influence down on the Creation beneath them. X. Fod (Beginning) denotes the Name of God, Adonai Melech, i. e. The Lord is King; and is referr'd to the Tenth Sephira, call'd Malcut, i. e. Kingdom; and likewise Ischim, i. e. Strong Men; and is appropriated to the lowest of the Holy Orders (The Orders of Angel's); which Order is illumin'd by the Power of God, through the Ninth Order, and, with the Power of that Order, descends influentially on the Sense and Knowledge of Men, referr'd to Things uncommon. Such are the References of this Part of the HebrewAlphabet to the several Orders in the Angelic World. We now proceed to the Alphabetical References to the World of Rounds or Circles, or the Starry World. XI. Caph, Initial (the Palm or Hollow of the Hand) denotes the Escadai, i. e. the Primum Mobile, or First Mover; which is put in Motion immediately by the First Cause. The Intelligence of this First Mover is stiled Metraton Seraphanim, or the Prince of Countenance. 'Tis the Prime, Regular Mover, or Influencer of the Sensible World; flowing, through the Power of God, into all Things that have Motion, and endowing all the Lower Creation, by penetrating deep into the Forms thereof, with Life. XII. Caph, Final, denotes the Circle of the Fixed Stars; that is to say, Those which make up the Signs of the Zodiac, call'd, by the Hebrews, Galgal Hammaziloth, i. e. The Circle of Signs. This Circle hath for its Intelligence the Angel Raziel, Adam's Instructer or Familiar Spirit; and its Influence is, through the Power of God, by Means of the abovemention'd Intelligence, the Angel Metraten, diffus'd through the Lower Creation. XIII. Lamed denotes the Heaven or Circle of Saturn, the First and Principal Circle of the Planets, or Erratic Stars. Saturn the Hebrews call Schebtai, and his Intelligence, Schebtaiel; infus'd by the Power of God, and descending, by Means of the Intelligence Raziel, influentially upon Lower Beings. XIV. Mem, Initial, denotes the Heaven or Circle of Jupiter, call'd, by the Hebrews, Tsedeck; the Intelligence of which is Tsadkiel, the Protecting Angel, or Familiar Spirit, of Abraham; diffus'd through the Power of God, by Means of the Intelligence Schebtaiel, throughout the Lower Creation. XV. Mem, Final, denotes the Heaven of Mars, call'd, by the Cabalists, Maadaim. His Intelligence is Camaël; so call'd from the Heat of Mars. And this Intelligence flows, in the same Course and through the same Power with the Intelligences above-mention'd, influentially upon all Things beneath it. XVII. Nun, Final, denotes the Circle of Venus, call'd, by the Hebrews, Nogu. Her Intelligence is Haniel, i.e. Reconciler of Mercy; infus'd by the power of God, through the Intelligence Raphael, and diffus'd, by the same Means, upon all Terrestrial Beings. XVIII. Samech denotes the Heaven of Mercury, call'd Cochab, i.e. Star. His Intelligence is Michael, derived from the Power of God, by Means of the Intelligence Raphaël; and, by Means of the same Intelligence, descending influentially upon all Things below. XIX. Hajim denotes the Heaven of the Moon, call'd Jareach, The Left Eye of the World. Her Intelligence is Gabriel, infus'd by the. Power of God, through the Intelligence Michael; and descending, as the 'foremention'd, influentially upon all the Terrestrial Creation. Such is the Cabalistical Account of the References of these Letters of the Hebrew-Alphabet to the World of Circles or Stars. And to these may be added the References of the Three Letters following. XX. Pe, Initial, denotes the Reasonable Soul; which, in the Opinion of the Hebrews, is govern'd by various Intelligences. XXI. Pe, Final, denotes all Spirits of the Animal Nature: which, through the Power and Command of God, are govern'd, or influenc'd, by the Intelligences above. XXII. Tzade, Initial, is referr'd to the Intelligible cœlestial Matter, and to the sensible Elements, or the Elements of Sense, in all compound or mixt Bodies; which Matter and Elements are, through the Power of God, govern'd by different Intelligences, according to their different Natures and Forms. We now come to the Alphabetical References the Cabalists make to their Elementary World. XXIII. Tzade, Final, is referr'd to XVI. Nun, Initial, denotes the the Four Elements of Matter; namely, Heaven of the Sun, call'd, by the He-, Fire, Air, Water, and Earth; which brews, Schemsch. His Intelligence is are govern'd, through the Power of the Angel Raphaël, the Instructer of God, by certain cœlestial Powers and Isaac; flowing through the Power of Angels; as is the Prima Materia, or God, by Means of the Intelligence First Matter, which is the grand Foun Camaël, upon all Things below. tain or Origin of all the Elements. XXIV. Koph is referr'd to inanimate or insensitive Bodies; as Minerals, &c. whether simple or compound. These Bodies are, through the Power of God, governed by the Coelestial Beings, and their respective Intelligences. XXV. Resch is referr'd to all the Productions in the Vegetable World; as Trees, Herbs, Roots, &c. and to the Coelestial Influences that are derived upon them. There is not, say the Cabalists, an Herb upon Earth that hath not its Intelligence, or Influence, which saith to it, Encrease and multiply thy self. the Influences of the Stars, and likewise by Guardian-Angels, which attend him, and which, in Hebrew, are call'd Ischim, i.e. Strong Men; who are said to have been the Last of the Angelic Creation, as Man was the Last of This. Such are the References of the Letters of the Hebrew-Alphabet, towards the Accomplishment of the Mysteries of the Cabala, extracted, not without great Labour, from the Writings of Rabbi Akkiva, who was, it seems, a most profound Cabalist, and who hath been already frequently__mention'd_in the Course of these Papers. They pass, from God, down to all the Stages of the known Creation; the Letter Aleph, the First in the Hebrew-Alphabet, being referr'd to God, who is XXVI. Schin is referr'd to all the Species of the Animal Nature; as Quadrupeds, Birds, Fish, and Insects, and every Thing, beneath the Rational Nature, that hath Life and Motion. the First Cause of all Things, and These receive, through the Power of God, the Influences of the Coelestial Bodies, and of their respective Intelli who, through his unsearchable Power and Judgment, comprehends, directs, and governs all Things; working by, and diffusing his Power upon, Second Causes; and, from them, deriving his Power upon Third Causes, &c. Which Causes are the Sacred Hosts and Principalities; who have their different Degrees of Influence; rising gradually, one Class above another, to different Stages of Power and Perfection. INDE X OF NAMES AND PLACES IN TEXT OR NOTES. Abati, family. INF. xxxii. 106. Par. xvi. Æneas. INF. ii. 32; iv. 122; xxvi. 93. 109. Abbagliato. INF. xxix. 132. PURG. xviii. 137. PAR. vi. 3; xv. 27. Abbey of San Benedetto. INF. xvi. 100. Æolus. PURG. xxviii. 21. Abel. INF. iv. 56. Abraham. INF. iv. 58. Absalom. INF. xxvii. 137. Abydos. PURG. xxviii. 74. Acheron. INF. iii. 78; xiv. 116. PURG. ii. 105. Achilles. INF. v. 65; xii. 71; xxvi. 62; Acquacheta. INF. xvi. 97. Adam. INF. iii. 115; iv. 55. PURG. ix. 10; ix. 44. Adimari, family. PAR. xvi. 115. Ægina. INF. xxix. 59. Egypt. PURG. ii. 46. PAR XXV. 55. Æsop. INF. xxiii. 4. Æthiop. PURG. xxvi. 21. PAR. xix. 109 Ethiopians. INF. xxxiv. 44. Ætna or Mongibello. PAR. viii. 67. Alagna, or Anagni. PURG, xx. 86. PAR. Alardo. INF. xxviii. 18. Albert of Austria. PURG. vi. 97. Par. xix. 115. Albert of Siena, INF. xxix. 110. |