saical Philosophy, as the boldness and superstition of some has adventured to do for want of a right Literal Cabbala to guide them, is as much as in them lies, to hazard the making not only of Moses, but of Religion itself contemptible and ridiculous.

Whence it is apparent enough, I think, to what good purpose it is thus carefully to distinguish betwixt the Literal and Philosophick Cabbala, and so plainly and fully to set out the sense of either, apart by themselves, that there may hereafter be no confusion or mistake. For beside that the discovering of these weighty Truths, and high, but irrefutable Paradoxes, in Moses his Text, does assert Religion, and vindicate her from that vile imputation of ignorance in Philosophy and the knowledge of things, so does it also justify those more noble results of free Reason and Philosophy from that vulgar suspicion of Impiety and Irreligion.

A horizontal row of sixteen decorative printer's ornaments, resembling fleur-de-lis or stylized crosses, marks the transition from the preface to the main text.

THE LITERAL

CABBALA.

CHAP. I.

2 The Earth at first a deep miry abyss, covered over with waters, over which was a fierce wind, and through all darkness. 3 Day made at first without a Sun. 6 The Earth a floor, the Heavens a transparent Canopy, or strong Tent over it, to keep off the upper waters or blue conspicuous Sea from drowning the world. 8 Why this Tent or Canopy was not said to be good. 9 The lower waters commanded into one place. 11 Herbs, flowers, and fruits of Trees, before either Sun or seasons of the year to ripen them. 14 The Sun created and added to the day, as a peculiar ornament thereof, as the Moon and Stars to the night. 20 The Creation of fish and fowl. 24 The Creation of beasts and creeping things. 27 Man created in the very shape and figure of God, but yet so, that there were made females as well as males. 28 How man came to be Lord over the rest of living creatures. 30 How it came to pass that man feeds on the better sort of the fruits of the Earth, and the beasts on the worse.

WE are to recount to you in this Book the Generations and Genealogies of the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to Joseph, and to continue the