THE Practice of Physick being various, (and in the Judgment of most very uncertain) be­cause the Galenists have one Theory, and Chymists another; I cannot per­ceive any thing herein more service­able to the Publick, than to distin­guish their Foundations, and what use I have made of them.

The Galenists have 4 Humors, 4 Complexions, and 4 Qualities, to raise [Page 2] their Structure on: And when either of these exceed their due Tempera­ment, they judg a Disease present; and to that apply their Remedies; never so much as thinking of a Mo­ver, or first Cause of these Disor­ders.

The Chymists, according to Para­celsus and Helmont, establish their Theory on the first disturbance given to Nature in her own Inns, and Acts; not so much respecting Effects as Cau­ses, nor the Matter disturbing, as the Spirit disturbed: and to this they ap­ply their Remedies.

This later Foundation, with me (under great trouble of Spirit) at last overcame all doubtings, and I readily adhered to these sublime Concepti­ons; having for their Basis such per­spicuity as the Light of Nature did really demonstrate, and Hippocrates, their allowed Patron, doth attest, say­ing; Nature is the Physician and Cu­rer of Diseases. Yet, upon Examina­tion of their Remedies against this Spiritual assault, or first being of [Page 3] Diseases, I perceived they depended not upon any particular known Me­dicines, but on universal Dispositions, drawn from Metals, Minerals, Salts, Animals, or Vegetables. Hence, I be­gan to despair of arriving at any cer­tainty to attain Remedies so gifted, as to be capable to reduce Nature to her Primitive Unity with and in the Faculties of the Body. For, I well knew, that all the known Remedies of these Times, were not the Medi­cines of our Famous Progenitors, nor capable to answer to those Ends; be­ing the Products and Off-springs ei­ther of unfound Hearts, or ignorant Heads, too much devoted to Gain and Applause; who, having forsook the Substance, embraced the Shadow; and gave Names to Remedies, as Para­celsick, which have as much difference from his in Disposition, as Light has from Darkness. All their Medicines were either endued with particular Faculties, and hostile Dispositions, (as Purging, and Vomiting, the Sound as well as the Sick) or else curtailed by [Page 4] Fire, and fiery Spirits, and so rendred Diaphoretical; under all which Con­siderations, they became wholly unfit to answer that great End of Nature, Curation.

I did not think those supream and general gifts were wanting in Nature; but (because I knew not the Artifice, by which they might be attain'd) they were to me as things of no value or concern: having therefore suspend­ed my thoughts, till I better under­stood them, I greatly bent my Mind to Animals, Salts, and Vegetables; and from them endeavoured (as far as in me lay) to separate their Ter­restreity, and by Mistion, their Specifi­cality; and having spiritualized them, I found they were not unfit to be ad­ministred in any Case, so far, as com­munication of Strength was needful: And so great a Blessing attended for some space of time, that they seemed to answer the utmost desires of Na­ture. Yet, my Mind being not idle I allways feared, that this Success might arise from the smallness of the [Page 5] Malignity, or the happy Genius that prompted me to these Endeavours: Nor was it long before my suspitions proved truths. For, when I found some Persons not cured, thô the Principal Parts were not perished; and that continual strife stirred up by Nature, ended in her own Conquest; I posi­tively concluded, that those Medicines, that were fit to stir up Action (if not also endued with a Vitality, to keep Nature in Union with and in her own Organs, to act unto the time of Death without loss of sensibility) were far short of what a true Physi­cian should endeavour to compass.

Now was I again bewildred, my Grief renewed, my Ignorance seemed greater then at first, and my Labours I undervalued as things of no Moment, Books could not help, and Counsel (at that time) among Men was not to be hoped for. Therefore I accused my self as rash in attempting that, which seemed impossible to be attain­ed; and even despaired thereof. But, considering in my self, that these my [Page 6] endeavours had not their Original in me by Education, nor by any Consi­deration of Profit or Honour, that might accrew from the pursuit of the same; but from a natural Propensity, strongly overweighing my other In­clinations, which (at that time) to my outward Man were pleasing e­nough, and not without great strife fully subdued; I resigned my self to the good Pleasure of the Highest, and endeavoured Stilness more then Un­derstanding.

Indeed I plainly viewed all things, but would not discuss them so far, as to raise any Foundation therefrom, or to bring thoughtfulness in my Self. For, I perceived a Disquisition of ought, that stood not in Unity with all things, would be particular, uncer­tain, and dangerous; yea, utterly un­fit to answer the ends of Nature: be­cause I found it wanting to the attain­ment of true Healing: and in this way of simplicity I was found of What I knew not how to search for: Na­ture, in stilness, brought forth that, [Page 7] which Reason (without Light) could never have acquired, even under its most acute Scrutiny; For, it not be­ing sensible, there was no ground for Reasoning.

In this opening, I saw, that every Universal Remedy had its Root in the first, or second Life of Minerals and Metals; the last Life of them being ei­ther over-compact, or venomous. This Aspect was grateful to me, and gave me strong hope, that Time and Stilness might produce more Evidence. Nor was I deceived: for the way of de­stroying the last Life of some Sub­jects (endued with an Universal Tendency) was in the Properties of Nature made manifest to me. Then did I see, as in a Glass, the wonderful Gifts implanted in Metals, Minerals, &c. by the Pleasure of the Most High, as a Relief to Mortals, in this latter Age of the World; wherein Diseases are increased and heightned by various Venoms (the Relicts of popular Distempers) and complica­ted through the Vices of Life, and [Page 8] want of an unspotted vitality in our original constitution. Besides, it ap­pears that the World it self waxeth old, the Powers thereof are much altered, all the external Virtues of its Superficies are declined; but Metals and Minerals, that have not known the force of the external Air (the great Propagator of Life and Corrup­tion) are less Partakers of the Uni­versal Debility, than those Things which exist chiefly by that Air. Not that they have not their Air also, but it is otherwise qualified; rather to for­ward their Compaction, and concen­trate their Virtues, than to corrupt them. By which means they seem to be appointed (since, as to our Air, they share an unspotted, un­changeable Life) as true Succours, to withstand the Impressions of our external Air, and the many Changes and Complications of Diseases, that reign amongst us. But Vegetables, by reason of a seeming decay of Vigour in the Elements, or the declining State of the External Virtues of the Worlds [Page 9] Superficies, (thô they have many Excellent and Peculiar Endowments, which wisely used may be sometimes serviceable in the Cure of the Sick; when freed from their Terrestreity and Grossness, that in their Reception, they put not Nature to too much trouble of Digestion) yet, if they be not so universalized by Vnition, that they no longer serve under their par­ticular Gifts, they indeed cannot con­tribute any thing to Nature in her most deplorable Cases: Whereas, Mi­neral and Metalick Virtues, being more concentrate, have more univer­sal Dispositions; and so are more fit to serve Nature, to all intents, than the other. For, Minerals and Metals are not specificated to this or that Person, or to this or that Disease; but to the Properties of Nature, in her first Operation in Bodies: by which indeed, as to the noble parts of principal Members, one Mineral or Metal may be more suitable, than another; but, as to Diseases and Persons, there they solely act according to Nature's de­ficiency [Page 10] and so become true Succours: because, when they are prepared as requisite, they are not transchanged in the Body, the Light and Vigour, or Ray of them being the Medicine. So that the Substance of them passeth away unalter'd as to weight; and therefore not being touched by our Ferments, bringeth less trouble to Nature, than one spoonful of Wine would do; And this is, because there is no reaction of Nature upon them, as in other Medicines: but if they be administred in so weak a state, as be­fore separation of the form they are cast out by the Draught, then they are altogether useless.

Minerals and Metals have their Gifts from GOD, not from Man's Art: For Art doth not confer Virtue, but by separating the Shell discovers the Kernel: And their implanted Vir­tues are for our benefit; posited there and not to be concealed, neglected or slighted, as things not to be used; be­cause Envy and Ignorance have con­demned them: for, by that means, the [Page 11] End of their Creation would be fru­strated; which will seem to the Ratio­nal an evil conceit. Shall Wheat be contemned as unfit for nourishment, because it hath husks? or Almonds for their hard Shells?

I write not of the external Proper­ties of Minerals and Metals, but of their inward Parts, in which is con­centred a more vital Air than in other things, by which they famously ma­nifest their Universal Disposition. Air, we see, above all things visible, re­fresheth Man; Now, the Air inclosed in them is of an unsearchable power, purity, and penetration, beyond what is in any single Concrete; more friend­ly than ours, wherein we breath; for though it be lyable to it's Laws for transchangement, yet its Virtues in order to Sanity are thereby not dimi­nished. But, the external Parts of Minerals and Metals are indeed ve­nomous, and may justly be censured as altogether unfit to be relyed on, for Succour in Diseases; because they com­pel Nature to Expulsion, and are not [Page 12] subservient to her, in exciting natural Vigour, except against their own poy­sonous hostility. Therefore, what hath been, or shall be writ, concern­ing this, must not be understood of the Exterior Parts of Metals or Mi­nerals, or of the Medicines made thereof, which are commonly known; but of such Medicines, as truly per­form what I have specified, by assist­ing Nature, and are so vastly different from those of Common Use, that their subsequent Operation can never be declared, before they are taken: to day they have one Action, to morrow another, and the third Day another, as the Diseases happen to be changed by their Virtues. As for Instance;

In all Acute Diseases, if much ma­terial, Vomits, Stools, or Vrine are largely provoked; and then after­wards, Sweats; but after the Feavers are extinguished, then Stools again, till the Relicts are removed. But in acute Diseases, where there is more depression of Spirit, and less Matter, there Sweats arise at first, and conti­nue [Page 13] dayly till the Evil be overcome; and then Stools for a Day or two, ac­cording to the Relict, and so they cease acting. And all this is effected by the same Medicines; which, if continued from the Beginning to the End of Distempers, will clearly mani­fest these Properties.

Now, can any One imagin, that this variety of Actions, in one and the same Medicine, in the same Body, and in the same Disease, is any thing else, than the Action of Nature? seeing it is evident, that Vomiting and Purging Medicines never become Sweaters or Binders, except Nature, through In­capacity of expelling them (falling under the Burthen of their Venome) sends forth Sweats, as Signs of an evil Guest.

Whatsoever therefore doth so di­rectly fortify Nature, as to make her act every way suitable to her own Necessities, cannot be any other than Virtue; and seeing it hath pleased GOD to implant such Virtues and Powers, in Minerals and Metals, no [Page 14] unbyass'd person will say 'tis unfit they should be inquir'd into.

Medicines thus endowed are more safe than others, as never performing ought that can be injurious, seeing Nature only manageth them, and they Purge not when they should pro­voke Sweat; nor do they Vomit, when purging by Vrine or Perspiration is required; they leave no Relicts in the Body, for they are clean, having all unnatural Impurities removed. The Child new born, the Woman new layd, the most aged and most weak safely take them, without any the least dam­mage ensuing therefrom.

I write not this conjecturally, but from the Experience of more than Twenty Years. For, these Remedies, having an universal Tendency (not working by Vomit, Stool, or Sweat upon the sound) do only in the Sick Operate, as Nature findeth most con­venient, and so are only her Servants: but other Medicines, that have not so universal a Disposition, thô in former Ages (when Diseases were more sim­ple, [Page 15] and had rarely any thing extra­ordinary in them) they might be ve­ry profitable, yet now they cannot be used without Danger. For, where Na­ture her self is undetermined, a Remedy, that hath not a Gift to reach the Life, and strengthen her to compose those Confusions, that cause so great a Com­plication, and indetermination, may indeed by its particular act alter the Scene, but not the Tragedy; and change the Seat of a Disease from one Bowel to another; but if any do impartially observe the Event, they will soon perceive; that the change of Place hath rendred the Disease (before easi­ly cured) not curable, unless with great difficulty; and not at all, but by General, Remedies. Yet, let no Man mistake me so far, as to think these Medicines (I mention) to be very easily obtained: No, the Com­mon Preparations have no such Endow­ments; Nor can the converting of a Vomitive and Purging Medicine, into a Diaphoretick, render its Gifts more splendid: nay, rather, what before in [Page 16] it self had an universal Disposition, is now become only a particular Be­medy, being no otherwise serviceable, than where Sweats are needful. And it is clear to every skilful Labourer in the way of natural Medicines, that every universal Being, tormented by Fire or fiery Spirits, is not bettered thô changed: For every direct Change is a diminishing of the Natural Gift; And whosoever spends his time this way to alter General Medicines, will injure both himself and his Neighbour, and shall never arrive to any certainty in the true Matter of Medicine.

The outward Life of Metals or Mi­nerals is poyson, which unless over­come, with Conservation of the Spe­cies of them, they cannot exhibit their natural Gifts. For Mineral Vir­tues are like Lillies among Thorns: if a Man remove not these, he will be wounded with their Prickles, before he can attain the Sweetness of those. The outward life of Minerals must dye and be annihilated; their middle [Page 17] Life is Medicine, Antidote against Poyson, an Exhilirator and Server of Nature, without any determinate Action; a great Light, impressed with a Divine Seal, capable to extirpate the Characters of diseasy Images, or at least to subvert their Acts; having a natural faculty to remove every oc­casional Matter, by Nature's own Power; not compelling but exciting Her, as hath been sensibly experimen­ted. This proved to me the Truth of Helmont's Theory, which thô be­lieved, yet without this Testimonial Act, I might (with the generality of Searchers) have ruined my Self, by adhering to what was visible, and sup­posing what I enjoyed not, as impos­sible to be attained. For every true Natural Medicine worketh not by its own Power (which is ever inimical to Nature) to Vomit, Purge, Sweat, pro­voke Urine, &c. but by Nature's di­spose; being such as never operates on Bodies well and in health, althô taken in a six-fold quantity; nor on the diseased and sick, but in the way [Page 18] Nature finds most conducent to health. Because Nature is the Physicianess, and all that is ministred to her, ought to be at her Dispose. And that she knoweth how to use Medicines of an universal Disposition, appeareth, in that she doth by them Purge, Vomit or Sweat, where occasion is; and that as forcibly and sensibly, as the strong­est direct Medicines can do; yet with so different Success, that Sweats, thô endured for many daies, do not wea­ken so much as others (thô only for some hours) excited by a forcible Dia­phoretick; Nay, the Patients▪ each day grow stronger and stronger, than the first Day of taking them. So like­wise, in Vomiting and Purging, there is no debility of Nature, thô they work many Weeks together, in such a measure, that the gentlest of direct Purgers (if used so long, and wrought after the same manner) would bring to Death's dore, if not totally extin­guish Life: but these separate the oc­casional Matter only, and weaken not. Besides these Properties mentioned, [Page 19] that prove their Subserviency, (which is but the dark part of Vniversal Re­medies) there are other more vital Separations, which manifest their En­dowments; insomuch, that the very same Medicines that did provoke, do also stay Vomiting, repress unnatural Sweats, stop Fluxes, cure the Dysen­tery and Gripings of the Guts, as also all Fluxes of the Womb, white or red; stay the Menses if inordinate, and bring them down when stopped; hinder Abortion, further the Birth when ripe; prevent the After-pains, yet cleanse more securely, than any Spe­cifick whatsoever; dissolve or ripen Imposthumes, transmit seemingly fixed Tumors from one part to another, so as sensible Tumors of the Womb, have by the use of them become Im­posthumes of the Abdomen: an Action, if well noted, of no small Advantage to the Sick, and of great Comfort to an honest Ingenious Physician. I have also known Urine (in a great Obstru­ction thereof, contrary to the Com­mon course of Nature, yet naturally) [Page 20] vented through the fleshy parts about the Kidneys; and that in such a Quan­tity, as was not inconsiderable, had it been voided the usual way: thô this continued no longer, than the Ob­struction was separating; for then Nature assumed her usual Passages. And for a Crown to the Reality of Vniversal Medicines, I shall add; They more powerfully excite Nature by in­sensible Transpiration, than by all the usual Passages; which Operation (If Physicians be not stark blind) is of more service a Thousand fold, espe­cially in our days, than Purging, Vo­miting, Sweating, &c. were it not the grand unhappiness of Mankind, to measure the offices of their Living Spirits, by the Effects and Consequen­ces of their intemperate Lives. For these Remedies of an universal Ten­dency, exciting Nature to Insensible Transpiration, perform that part of Medicine, which is least minded, thô of greatest Concernment; and althô of late years it hath been conceded to, as true, because sensibly experimented; [Page 21] yet the Medium, by which it is per­formed, is a mystery to the greater part of Physicians.

But to proceed to more sensible, and less disputable Actions, (what hath been already specified being most cer­tain, because so often known by my Self) Nothing, below an Universal Tendency, is capable of such different Operations, nor can it be so disposed, as Nature may be capable by the same, to extravert the introversate, and that without Damage to the Parts or Organs, since it is not given to Nature to create Gifts, but to use them.

For every particular Remedy, thô most pure, cannot be extended beyond its Gift: As for Instance; The pu­rest Stomachical, that hath Gifts to fortifie, to cleanse and separate the Impurities of that Part, not being in­dowed with an Universal Disposition to strengthen Nature (to war against those dark Images she hath conceived, and by that means impressed on an­other Digestion) and also a Capacity of removing occasional Causes; it [Page 22] shall indeed corroborate the part for the present, but at the same time shall separate the Impurity thereof to other Digestions, and so rather render the Party worse: because, the Root of the Disease being in the Archeus, and that Specifick is uncapable of com­municating ought thereunto (except what concerned that particular Bowel) the Disease it self must neces­sarily be increased in the place to which it is transferr'd, and never be subdued, until the Darkness, over­whelming the Spirit, shall be driven away; or the occasional Matter (in which those Idea's are impressed) nul­lify'd.

Whence it is clear in the Light of Nature, That Remedies of an Univer­sal Disposition are essential to true healing. Not that I judge Specificks altogether useless; because I certainly know, that the great Art of Physicians consisteth in finding out and fitly ap­plying the same: yet with this Pro­viso, Viz. That thay suit to Parts and the Operations thereof, and be univer­salized [Page 23] as to Persons, so, that the sad, the merry, the cold, and hot Consti­tutions may thence reap a like Bene­fit; which is no such hard matter to accomplish: For, if a Specifick be fer­mented with an Vniversal, by this means it is made more general, and mindeth not Constitutions, but the of­fended Part, in the Operations thereof. Yet these Remedies must be used with great Judgment; because all Speci­ficks have a direct Action, (whether they be Acidums or Alkalies, Aperi­tives, Diureticks, Diaphoreticks, Vo­miting, Purging, Resolving, Separating, Contracting or Coagulating Medicines) and if unduly or unseasonably apply­ed, are direct Evils. For, whosoever giveth a Diaphoretick in the begin­ing of a Feaver, before any Digestion happens in the Febrile Matter, doth by the same indeed produce Sweats, but to the great disadvantage of the Sick: because that Action of the Me­dicine, contrary to the disposition of Nature, carrieth the more subtile parts of the occasional Cause into the [Page 24] Blood. And besides, the Sweating Remedy, because not gifted to streng­then Nature, and incline her to her own Acts, leaves the more gross and oft-times uncoctable diseasy Matter in the Stomach; which proves fatal to the Patient; or at least renders the Disease difficult to be healed. There­fore Specificks, thô never so pure or certain, and having an universal Fer­ment, but not having thereby univer­sal Gifts, cannot be used generally without apparent danger: thô, in de­fects of Parts and Faculties, where Nature indicates her own Wants, they act more swiftly and certainly than Remedies more general. Yet it hath been obvious to me by manifold Ob­servations, that direct working Medi­cines, given in the beginning of Disea­ses, have generally injured the Persons afflicted; by removing the offensive Matter to places, where Nature (with­out that force) would never have done.

Let any One but observe the Pro­gress of Malignant Feavers, Small [Page 25] Pox, Plague, &c. and he must necessa­rily discern, that any Purging Remedy, thô but a Clyster, (because Nature endeavours to make separation an­other way by the Skin) doth notably hinder the then needful and necessary Expulsion; and, by attracting inward, brings Death, or a very great danger thereof. Now, althô in these Acute Diseases, by reason of their swift Mo­tion and sudden determination, Errors are more obvious; yet are they as cer­tainly committed in the Chronical and more slow Distempers, and attend­ed with the same Consequences, thô longer before they be manifested. For, whensoever, by direct Remedies, the Diseasy-Matter is transmitted from one Digestion to another, must it not unavoidably be rendred worse? and what was Originally an Evil in the Stomach or Spleen, if carried to the Gaul or Liver, (and there hurting the Actions and Parts of the same) shall it not be more difficult to cure, seing those Bowels are remote from the Stomach, and have a different [Page 26] Digestion, and are not so easily reach­ed by Physick? For, as Mustiness in a Barrel affects Wine, Beer, or Vinegar, with the same Odour; so doth it in like manner affect any urinous Li­quor. How much more shall diseasy Ferments, if by separation, without being overcome (which no Purgative Remedy can do) they be carried to the Duodenum, necessarily infect the adjacent Parts? Also, if I understand any thing in Nature, the original of all Chronical Diseases, that are not seminal, proceeds rather from the Errors of Physicians, or the unruliness of Patients, than from the Weakness of Nature, or strength of increasing Diseases. For, it is almost daily seen, that one Disease is changed into an­other; not as progressing naturally thereto, but through irregular Pra­ctice, by Purging, Bleeding, Sweating, and other direct Actions; whereby acute Diseases become Chronical, and Chronical Acute; by the one making the Life miserable, and by the other inferring sudden Death. Which may [Page 27] easily be demonstrated, and I intend something thereof, when I shall treat of the Progress of Diseases.

Moreover, it is very manifest, that particular Medicines (how prevalent soever to any particular Part, and the Disease thereof) where a Complicati­on of Diseases is present, act rather against than with Nature; because they cannot be imployed by Her a­gainst the Complication, or the Ori­ginal of the defective Part, for such Remedies, acting particularly, and not generally, by cleansing the Part ren­der it more fit for Reception of the Complicating Evil. So that, by such irregular Practices, Diseases of the first Digestion consequently become Dis­tempers of the second or third, &c. And this is, because Diseases of the first Digestion, not being there sub­dued, but carried thence to the se­cond or third, put on another Nature; and sometimes become complicated, thô simple before, through a natural disposedness to receive all depending Evils of the Place the diseased live in, [Page 28] or of the time or season of the Year, or of the Parts they possess. For, when Diseases once degenerate, they are ex­cited (Nature growing weaker) by every adjacent Evil: whereas in their first assault, one Digestion alone being concerned, Nature can much more easily overcome them.

If I thought what is here expressed were not sufficient to prove the Truth of this Matter, I could easily demon­strate the same, by the Practice, ei­ther of Patients not timely using Re­medies, or of Physicians using things improper. For, I do not find Chro­nical Diseases (in their beginnings) to have took Root in Us, except from the above specified Errors. And althô some seminal Dispositions derived from Parents (labouring under the same Affects) may beget diseasy Inclina­tions; yet they, not being able to act without Matter, may well be sub­dued, or at least kept from further In­crease, if General Means be timely used; unless some principal Vessel be naturally deficient.

[Page 29] Every seminal Disposition is incor­poreal, till Matter (through debility of Nature) be conjoyned with it; for then it becomes active and a Disease: but if the Matter, which is the occa­sional Evil, be removed, the Action ceaseth. Now, this Matter at the first is easily expelled in a short time; because, every such occasional Matter is first manifested in the Stomach. But when the seminal Disposition and that Matter have moved each with other any time, strange F [...]rments are begot­ten, and the Actions of divers Parts injured thereby. Then indeed Medi­cines, thô never so speedy in the be­ginning, cannot do much, but require length of time, by reason of the Com­plication, which happens through the many Digestions damnified. For, in the first Motion thereof, the first Di­gestion is but begun to be defiled therewith, and strives against it: then Universal Medicines can easily contest with the Matter, and in small time overcome; because the Disease is yet undeterminate and floating; no Dis­ease [Page 30] of any denomination having Ex­istence in the Body (except where some Vessel or Part is hurt) till the first Digestion submitteth to it, as an admitted Guest, and ceasing to strive against it, sends Superfluities (as Nou­rishment) thereunto. This is apparent in every true Gout; Before the Pa­roxysm begins, Loathing at the Sto­mach, and a restless Disposition is per­ceived for a Day or two, and the Pain never approacheth, till the Burthen be thence removed; thô indeed, the Torture which happens afterward, doth many times cause, as it were, a Loathing: Yet that is rather the Ef­fect of Anguish, than of Matter. For, whereas at the first, these Universal Remedies work upon the Matter, by Vomits, Sweats, Stools, or Urine, and when the Pains exist in the Joynts, have no action at all; yet when the Dolours are removed, then they ope­rate the same way again. And this is a sufficient proof of the possibility of keeping even Hereditary Diseases, from growing, or increasing to any [Page 31] great height, by General Medicines, if seasonably applyed.

These General Dispositions of Me­dicines here treated of, are singularly useful, to keep Physicians from Error; because Medicines of an Universal Tendency do manifest the Distempers of particular Parts; and (as with the Finger) point at the Seats of Diseases, beyond the Imagination of Any, that have not proved them: for they most sensibly act on the diseased Part. And, where such Medicines are first admi­nistred, there particular Remedies, that are specifick to Parts, have afterwards the greater efficacy: because Nature being assisted in General, doth readily dispose of the Particular, according to its Gift also. For, althô they cannot cure every Disease, yet their clearing the first Digestion, by strengthen­ing and removing the Evil thereof, cause the particular Medicine to act, without any stop, upon the affected part. And by this method it is, that Distempers accounted uncurable, have often been cured.

[Page 32] But the great Occasions of Errors committed in the Medicinal Faculty, are:

1. Ignorance of Nature, what she is able to do.

2. Want of Knowledg of the possi­bility of Remedies to be so universal in their nature, as to do, or leave un­done, as it most conduceth to Nature's help.

3. The grand mistake of Practitio­ners, touching the Causes of Diseases; judging all Distempers to have their Original from Humorous filths, and in the mean while never thinking of Venoms arising through Ferments▪ much less of the Spirit that makes the Assault. For, althô they hourly see the Effects of Anger, Sorrow, Envy, Fear, &c. yet, when they apply Re­medies, the first obvious Cause, that turns the whole frame of Man, is not consider'd by them; and only what they produce is the Subject against which their Medicines are directed.

As for Example: When Rage kind­leth Choler, they seek to allay Choler, [Page 33] that is only the product of Rage. Cho­ler maketh not Men angry, but Anger conceived maketh that sensible; For Nothing liveth, but hath enough of that Juice (so called) to be in Rage sufficiently, yet unless the Spirit be de­filed by a wrathful Image, there is no sense of it apparent.

So also, when our thoughts are greatly exercised with a strong desire to attain what is unknown, the Con­stringing Fiat presently ferments the Chyle with so great a sharpness, through the Contraction of the Spirit in that Exercise, that it is manifest in the Gust, or sensible Tast, and is in Nature the Cause of what is called Melancho­ly; but, if persevered in so long till Separation happen, without great helps, a certain distraction is produ­ced, or some violence that is worse.

Envy and Malice have not much different Effects, for the former cause, when they are conjoyned with a strong desire, except that Madness hence does more rarely happen; yet [Page 34] in that Cold dark harsh fire they im­pregnate the Chyle, and induce great Leaness on the Body, harshness and darkness in the Skin and Hair, and are not curable any more than the other, by any Means applied to the Humour: For, althô that be altered by the force of Physick to day, and wholly separated; yet if the Spirit strenuously persist in the same Design, the Disease (in the twinkling of an Eye) is gene­rated again: because, what is once done, may be done a second time, and needs not any intervening Agent. Al­thô 'tis true, that Matter once gene­rated, augments the Evil, and increa­seth the Darkness so largely, that the Spirit is thereby more materiated, more exasperated, and in greater An­guish.

Fear stagnizes the Blood, brings Coldness, Sighing, intermittent Pulses, Convulsions, and (if strongly persist­ed in) sudden Death, or great Stupi­dity. Now, it is true, that in case the occasion of Fear be removed, it [Page 35] is no hard matter to conquer the Ef­fects; And so, it is consequently true in other Idea's: but if continued in, thô but in a mere dejection, or sink­ing of the Life, they are rendred more difficult to cure, than the more evil and active Passions.

Sorrow is accompanied with debi­lity of Faculties, a pining away of the Body, and a wasting of the Spirits; and is a Causer of Pains in peculiar Vessels, through the alteration of Chyle, (the Parent of manifold Evils) yet if once overcome, the Effects are not long in expelling, thô they have altered almost all the Constitution.

Now, in as much as 'tis evident, that Disturbance of the Spirit is the Generator of defects in the Body; can it be thought, that real Venomes (whe­ther Epidemical, Endemical, or Arti­ficial) shall less distast then the afore­mentioned Conceptions; since they absolutely assault the Spirit, and en­deavour the Extirpation of Vital Light? the former arise as well from feigned [Page 36] as real Objects; the later only from real, active, and (after a sort) living Essences: therefore in reason more perceptible, and causes of greater Wrath, Fear, Stupor, Sorrow, or irre­gular Action in our Nature; unless we think every thing is agitated by Necessity, as Sparks fly upward, and that there is no living Understanding and Election in Us. But, if we bring these things to a sensible Test, it can­not be denyed, but that we feel the force of Anger, Fear, &c. in our Bodies; which, if the Spirit in Us were not the Ruler, could never be so.

Yet, to come nearer to our Selves: Do not trivial Errors, even of Meats and Drinks, Heats and Colds, prima­rily affect the Spirit? Who is there, whom fulness of Meats and Drinks doth not affect with Dulness and Hea­viness? Do not Heats, when over­much, cause Faintings and Languish­ments; and doth not the Supplement of Cordials (actual or potential) sup­ply that defect? Likewise, is it not apparent, that Cold (when offensive) [Page 37] stagnizeth the Bloud, giveth Cause for dolour in the external Parts to Imposthumous Humors; or stirs up Disorders internally, through the let of vital Separations; and is usually the Begetter (if the Spirit be not help­ed to perform its natural Separations) of Vomitings, Fluxes, Feavers, Coughs, and what not, through the obstruct­ing of the vital Spirit? Yet how­ever, this can be no more than the Occasional Cause; the Efficient must be the Spirit erring in its own Acts, that must constitute this formal part of distemperature, and bring it to a Disease. And doth any thing sooner restore Nature to her wonted Action, than such things as fortifie her, and help forward Transpiration, which the Cold letted? Also, it is very clear, that if any one, upon the first Sense of a Distemper, doth but use such Univer­sal Means, as can keep Nature to act without disturbance; he will certain­ly find, that all these Distempers (so generally afflicting) are driven away almost as soon as they came. For, by the [Page 38] first Assault, the Archeus is only con­fused, and hath not throughly im­pressed the obstructed Matter with a diseasy Character. And this my Pa­tients do generally find true, inso­much that for many years, few of them know ought of a compleat Dis­ease, unless they neglect their Reme­dies in the beginning.

For every Medicine of an Univer­sal Tendency is gifted from above, to withstand the Formation of Diseases (if the Internal Spirit hath not given to them a Seminal Being) inasmuch as it addeth Power and Activity to Nature, through the Light and Life that is in it, to Act regularly. There­fore, of how great Concern is the knowledg of Medicines strengthening, exhilarating, and pacifying Nature; since she is the only Actor, as well as Curer of her self? How chary then ought a Physician to be of what he gives to his Patients, that he may not compel Nature by the Crudeness, Con­trariety, or Poysonous Property of Medicines (which qualities all direct [Page 39] Purgers and Vomiters have) to ex­haust her strength, by opposing one Evil with another?

If Physicians have not Remedies more general, pure and friendly, than those that are usually given (I mean such, as can excite Nature to Action, give her strength, be imployed by her to this or that Operation, with­out leaving Reliques Offensive, nay sometimes more troublesome, than the Disease it self) the want of such can be no excuse to them: For GOD hath not left Mortals deprived of Reme­dies, of a more friendly and benign Nature and Condition, did not Pride, Covetousness and an overweaning Conceit, accompanied with Negli­gence, attend some Book-Doctors, keeping them from searching into the Mystery of true Practice. These Men conclude, if they administer accord­ing to a written Rule, set out by any they esteem able (let the success be what it will) 'tis justifiable, because answearable to what was directed; they themselves being Judges; thô it [Page 40] be contrary to Nature in all Respects. But, were Nature more minded, and the Receipts of Doctors less, we should see an happier effect on diseased Per­sons. And were the errors they com­mit, writ on their Foreheads; or the means, by which they have attained their Grandeur among the People, duly examined; they would be asha­med of the one, and abhor the o­ther.

Nature is that we ought to observe, to strengthen her where she is weak, to enlighten her where dark, to pacify her when inraged; that Fear may vanish, Rage may cease, and Amaze­ment be expelled. Whosoever can ac­complish this, shall find the most stub­born, and accounted uncurable Dis­eases, to fly before him. But, Dili­gence, a sound and unbyassed Under­standing, accompanied with Patience, Love and Zeal, are Essential to open these Deeps, and to discover such Me­dicines, as are fit to extirpate those Ex­orbitances. Alas! those that have trod this Path, have been very few [Page 41] (or they have concealed themselves) and what they have written rather stirs up desire, than satisfies. The Famous Medicines of Paracelsus and Helmont, notwithstanding their Volu­minous Writings, and frequent Cita­tions of them, contribute little to us, only, that they incite us to follow Nature: but the Remedies themselves, either dyed with them, or are very secret: No general Rule is extant, whereby such Medicines may be ob­tained. What shall we do? Where shall we seek? unless we can find the Path of Nature is general, we shall not be able by Art to answer her de­ficiency in particular. The Pious and Learned Silurist, in his Silex Scintil­lans, hath something fitted to this purpose, where he saith:

What is most natural is most fit to be exemplary, and will seldom fail those that follow it. But, to rake the Volumes of the Dead (when their Sense is buryed with them) to find Understanding, is as irrational as for the Blind to endeavour to discern Co­lours. Besides, it is a great underva­luing of Mans own Capacity, Natures Bounty, and God's Blessing, to judg what hath been once done may not be done again. For, altho their Medi­cines be dead with them, or obscu­red; yet Nature is still in being, and her Lord (the Dispenser of every Virtue) lives for evermore, loves his Creatures, created Medicines for them, and never faileth to impar [...] Gifts to the Sons of Men, according as they stand capacitated to receive them. But, if we think the old Metho [...] [Page 43] of the Ancients (set the natural Part thereof aside, which is the least Particle thereof) which is already known, and found to be uncertain, to be sufficient for Diseases which were not then in being, it is as much as to fit one Hat to every Head, and one Shoo to every Foot.

Let it be inquired how Remedies came first to be known, seing we know Man is born into the World, with the least Capacity to help him­self; and then Knowledg must either arise by instinct, or by being acquired by Experience; or be attained to by Education, or by Something beyond all. Assuredly, Education cannot right­fully assume to it self the principal Place; for it is most certain, that that Knowledg which is real, must either be taught from Natural Instinct, or be acquired from Observation. And if from either of these, whensoever new Diseases happen, must not the Cures of the same naturally arise from one of them two? because there is no Rule, nor can be any for what was [Page 44] not in being before. If no Rule, then certainly natural Instinct, or Expe­rience acquired by Observation, must be the only available and truly preva­lent Medium, by which the most cer­tain and proper Remedies of such new Evils can be known. Education in these Cases cannot help; For, 'tis ap­parently manifest, that all Education ariseth from certain received Prin­ciples, of supposed Conveniency or Inconveniency: and as the Principles are, true or false, particular or gene­ral, so do they enlarge or diminish the Understanding. What takes be­ing from Experience is true (if they, who possess the same, have a true sen­timent of the experiment, and well understood the Causes) being sensible; yet, as it hath being from Effects, it is not always presidential for the future: But, what ariseth naturally, and hath the inborn Principles in Man for its Guide, is the true Patron of all Gene­ral and Particular Knowledg; I call to witness the Testimony of all Ages, and ask:

[Page 45] Who instructed the first Authors of Physick, when there were neither Books, nor Precedents? Who taught Hippocrates so many Ages since, to distinguish something Divine in cer­tain Diseases, and to have a Cure for a popular Plague, never known or heard of before? Whence was it, that the same Man (in that Age of the World, wherein Diseases and their Remedies were neither known nor distinguished in any measure) did ob­tain a most clear Light, not only to distinguish, but also to cure Diseases with proper Medicines? How was Basilius a Monk instructed, who in his days became a most knowing Physi­cian? Did not Paracelsus and Hel­mont, neglecting the Traditions of their Predecessors, obtain Medicines of greater Efficacy, than all that went before them? Paracelsus, thô bred up in Schools, chosen Professor of Phy­sick in Basil, raised not his Knowledg from what he had read, but from the Light of Nature operating in him; as sufficiently appears by his dissenting [Page 46] from every known Rule; and by his effectual Cures; as also, by his own declaration, That he had not read any Book of Philosophy or Physick in Ten Years time together. And Helmont acknowledged, That he found out more certainty, when Discourse and Phansy, or Imagination was subdued, than by all his Readings or Concep­tions: To the Truth of which, some now in being can bear their testimony. And is it not daily manifest, that the Indians, which have no Books, by Na­tural Instinct only find out the Vir­tues of Plants, so that they rarely want a Medicine for their Common Distempers? Do we not our selves often see Sick Persons (given over by Physicians) to be cured by their own natural Impulse? One Person is cu­red after one sort, Another after an­other, altogetehr contrary to a known Method; which we ignorantly call Chance, but it is so only to Us: For, without doubt, this is Nature, that naturally excites Man to his Cure; as the Dog, to Quitchgrass; the Cat, [Page 47] to Nep; the Swallow, to Celandine, &c.

If Nature be (as indeed she is) the Exciter of these Animals, to their pro­per Remedies, without any Concep­tion, Fore-thought, or Reasoning of their own; how much more is she of Man, in whom is latent a Capacity of knowing things in their Roots, so, that some Men, void of much discourse or Reasoning, when the internal Man in them is touched or excited, utter wonderful things; yet, are uncapable of Reasoning how, or why they utter them? Even so, Arts appear more polite, where Nature bringeth them forth in Man, without the Consult of his Reason. For as the Strength of the Lion, and Fierceness of the Tiger, the Courage of an Horse in time of Bat­tel, and the Fearfulness of the Hare, are not the Consults of their Strengths or Weaknesses, or the Effect of Edu­cation, but ingenited Properties; so we see some apted to Musick, to Poe­try, to Limning, to Arithmetick, the Mathematick Science, and Mechanick [Page 48] Arts, in so high a measure, that they evidently outstrip all others that have been educated therein. Who did ever exceed Appelles? When did ever Art make a Poet come near Homer, for exactness of Phansy? Nay, 'tis gene­rally taken for granted, that Poets are born, not made. Our own days produced a Child, capable of solving most solvable Questions in Arithme­tick, without a Teacher, or known Rule. The Merchants, that Trade to the Gold-Coasts, have told me, that the Negroes, upon their Fingers, soon­er account the value of Commodi­ties, thô in broken Numbers, than our acutest Merchants can with their Pen. How many have we seen ex­cellent Artists in Mechanick Works, that never learned them of Masters by Education skilled therein? But to conclude all, of whom did Archi­medes learn his admirable (and as yet unparallell'd) Inventions of Mecha­nick Engins, by which he so long withstood the Roman Army, both by Sea and Land; using his single Arti­fice [Page 49] only, without the help of other Weapons? insomuch, that Marcellus, General of that Army, speaking in Mockery to the Engineers of his own Camp (as Plutarch writeth) said: What? shall we never cease to make War with this Briarean Engineer, and Geometrician here? who, sitting still at his Ease, in sporting manner, hath with shame overthrown our Navy, and exceeded all the fabulous hundred Hands of the Giants, discharging at one instant so many Shot amongst us? Whence, I say, had these Men their Instruction, while we, who have had their Books and Experiments (or at least an indubitate Relation of them) yet attain not to their Perfection, thô so many hundred Years be past, and so many Hands and Heads have been imployed since their time? Surely Nothing hath been a greater Cause of this deficiency in Us, than our sup­posing Things declared to be a better Rule to be gone by, than the Prin­ciples they began upon, who declared them. And were it not for that, I [Page 50] cannot but, think, that we had been long ago so enlarged in our Under­standings, as these Lines need not have been written at this time. But then, I would also be understood to suppose, that the Foundation, in and by which these famous Men attained to the Perfection of their Arts, be not neglected by Us: For they, not re­garding (perhaps not having, or not using) the frail and uncertain help of Books, not trusting to the written Experiments of others, suffered them­selves in great Simplicity (as the Child above mentioned) to be taught by Nature. This way they obtained a more certain knowledg, than wa [...] possible to be attained by any other way.

Wherefore, to be unlearned in the Art of Physick, is not to want the benefit of Languages; for a due Ob­servation of, and living up to the Rules of Nature in that Case provided, are the chief Things necessary to that Science, which is more easily at­tain'd by a sound Judgment, than by [Page 51] reading the most Book-Learned Wits. For, since Nature is the Guide of the Universe, and of each thing therein, it is not to be doubted, but that as she brings forth Medicine, so she doth the Physician also to administer the same, whether it be considered gene­rally or particularly, as to those Re­medies, the Gifts of which (in all Ages, Times and Seasons, to all Per­sons and all Diseases) are alwayes the same: or to such Remedies as are more specifick, or particular, which are produced by her in one place only, at one time, and for some Per­sons; as Medicines fit for fome certain personal, or local Diseases; and in another Place and Time, for other Persons and Diseases.

And it is clearly manifest, that the knowledg of the Virtues of Roots, Herbs or Plants, hath been nothing advanced since the Days of Theophra­ [...]tus (a Man naturally experienced [...]herein, and the Divulger thereof) [...]xcept what hath been discovered by Observation from Beasts, Birds, Old [Page 52] Women, Clowns, Indians, or some such way unexpectedly. Not, that Nature hath been all this time ignorant, or uncapable of succouring her own Off-spring, especially since Diseases have multiplyed; but those that pretend themselves Physicians, have not been gifted by her, but have opposed and hindred her proper Endeavours; they, being bent and resolved to be wiser than she, and to compel her by Re­medies: a Practice their Fore-fathers never knew: thinking that Man, who was made in the Image of GOD, hath no Light or Guide in himself, sufficient to direct Him to his own help, or the help of his Neighbour.

O great Blindness! What Man? the Summary of all created things, that hath an immortal Soul, shall not that in him, which descended from above, be capable to distinguish what is fit for his help? Shall Birds and Beasts have the priviledge to know the fitness of Remedies, and Man be judged uncapable thereof? Shall barbarous Indians, and rude Shepherds [Page 53] Husbandmen or Old Women do grea­ter Cures, than the Learned Doctors of our Age? O Shame! For, to be ignorant of what illiterate Persons know, is a great reproach to the Learned; if they, pretending great knowledg perform little, (even in the Faculty, of which they call themselves Masters) and the other, pretending little, are able to do much more than they. But, this is, because the One is excited by natural Instinct, and the Other only by credulous reading.

Althô, at present, these things may sound harsh to the Ears of some, yet being true, and having Nature for their Foundation, they will, perhaps, out-live the Enemies of the same; and (in this latter Age) be as gene­rally received as heretofore (in times of Apostacy) they have been de­nyed.

Our Ancestors in Art (though vul­garly reverenc'd under the notion of Antiquity) were really but the Infan­cy of the World; 'tis our Age which, by following long after theirs, is in­deed [Page 54] the true Antiquity: Why then should we dote wholly upon their Childhood-inventions; and not ra­ther, having the advantage of Ex­ample (which the Beginners must needs have wanted) proceed and grow old in Understanding, as well as in Time? a Pigmey set upon a Giant's shoulders, may be able to see farther than Him.

A Person is then properly said to be Sick, when some Part, at least, cannot perform its due Action; and whatever produceth that Infirmity, is styled the Cause; and that Disability of the Part to do its proper Office or Function, is call'd a Disease: of which some are Simple, some are Complicated.

Simple Diseases are either Natural, Preternatural, or Contranatural: Par­don the Coinage of the last Word, be­cause it seems as analogical, as the Terms, Supernatural, Vnnatural, Con­natural, and the like.

[Page 56] Of the first Sort are all Hereditary Diseases transferr'd from Parents to Children, and may be considered un­der the deficiency of Parts, transmit­ted Idea's, or corporeal Venoms; some­times singly, as when any weakness of Parts in Parents (not labouring under any other Disease) is conveyed to their Off-spring, who have those deficiencies during Life, in one measure or other; yet are not at all thereby the more lyable to greater Diseases, but to the trouble of Nature's exercise, where that deficiency is; except, Nature failing in her own endeavour, admit Retents of things to her further Di­sturbance; which yet may easily be prevented, by the help of Remedies specifick to the Parts. But, if to the weakness of a Part, a material Evil be added, then indeed the Persons (if not quickly cleared of that Disease) through the weakness of their inward Parts, do either soon die, or live a mi­serable Life. Nevertheless, even in the conveyance of such Morbifick Idea's, if the Parts be sound, and no [Page 57] accidental thing happen to give vi­gour thereunto, they perceive no­thing thereof for a long time, as is observable in the Derivative Gout, which a Child (thô begotten by Pa­rents strongly possessed therewith) feeleth many times nothing▪ thereof, till 40, or 50 years of Age: For, it is absolutely necessary and essential to every Ideal Disease, (except Mental Evils) to have material filths for the Idea to work upon. For instance I have observed, that those, who have contracted the poyson of the Lues mummially, and have otherwise been of sound Parts, have had no tokens, nor appearance thereof in several Years themselves, (and perhaps never may) yet some of the Children pro­ceeding from the same Bodies, have been naturally infected therewith. And likewise I have known other Pa­rents Ideally defiled, to have had Issues that appeared sound and free (because Seeds admit not of ought but Idea's) for 7, 10, or 12 Years; and afterwards that Ideal Disease, by occasional Mat­ter, [Page 58] hath manifested it self apparent­ly as an hereditary Communication. Besides, it is observed generally, that those who are contaminated with that Disease, by a seminal Contact, have never any Sense thereof for several Months; and Others, on whom the Disease (so acquired) breaks out at any time, are conscious of some dis­orderly Acts, that have introduced Superfluities, for captivating the Spi­rits; without which that Malady, when seminally induced, is not made manifest. But, if the Lues be mate­rially contracted, then the soundest Body, and the clearest Spirit, escape not free from the sense thereof for ma­ny hours, or at the most not for above 3 days: because it materially affects the Parts, discovers its proper Signs, and manifesteth it self to be material; and the Archeus, striving against it, produceth Sores and Fluxes in the Parts infected, thereby to center the Evil in the Part, to prevent its further progress in the Body: by which means, Gororrhea's newly gotten are quick­ly [Page 59] healed, all the internal Parts being sound; nor do they ever arise to the Lues, except Means be wanting to keep them from further spreading. For, Material Diseases, (thô very ve­nomous, by reason of their corporeity) are easier overcome, than the spiritual or Ideal; because they aseend not to so great an height, as to captivate Nature, so as to make her nourish the Evil without resistance, except great Errors are committed: whereas the Ideal do at first darken the Spirits, and then make them subservient (through insensibleness of the unma­teriated Venom) to prepare Matter for the existence and nourishment of that spiritual Evil, and then is the Disease formed.

Now, for corporeal Evils that are derived from Parents, having their original from maternal Nourishments, they manifest their cruelty so soon as the Child is born, by one Sign or other evident to the Sense, as by Vo­mitings, Loosness, Restlessness, Thrush, or Convulsions; sometimes by Acri­monies [Page 60] external or otherwise, by which their Lives are quickly cut off, if they be not helped with Remedies that can fortify the natural powers to re­sist those Evils. And that general Opinion (grounded upon the defe­ctiveness of common Remedies) that Physick is not fit for Children, hath in all probability cast away many, that might have been preserved: for ma­terial Evils, how great soever they seem, are seldom mortal, if the inter­nal Powers are strengthened by na­tural Medicines; because the Spirit in them is not so vitiated, as to nourish the Evil: thô indeed a diseasy. Idea, imprinted upon the Archeus of a Child, striveth to bring the Disease into act, upon the advantage of every occasional disorder.

Preternatural Diseases (so called, because they have no Root naturally from Parents, or from diseasy Seeds; but are accidentally begot by variety of Distempers, as the Spirit or Part is more or less vitiated) are such as arise [Page 61] through the Errors of Digestion; by Fulness, Emptiness, Colds, Heats, Sor­row, Anger, Fear, Hatred, &c. things transmuted, transmitted or retained; or when one Disease is changed into another through misapplication of Physick, or the irregularity of the Patient. Under Fulness, is compre­hended Gluttony, Drunkenness, or any Excess beyond the ability of Nature to digest: for the disagreements like­wise of Foods (which, thô taken in small Quantities, may notwithstand­ing offend) are to be numbred among Excesses; because, by reason of their Properties disagreeing with Constitu­tions, through want of use; their dif­ficulty to be digested in their being over solid, their tendency to corrup­tion, their fermental Dispositions, or their hostile Venomes to particular Natures (by their Antipathy there­unto) may prove equally burthen­some, as the over-charging of the Stomach with agreeable Meats and Drinks: Either of these are the Foun­dations of Surfets, which beget Lan­guishings [Page 62] in the Body, Vomitings, Headaches, and Loosnesses, through disability of the Pylorus; and if not conquer'd or healed in their primitive Root and Seat, then the Jaundies (black or yellow) Iliac or Cholic Pas­sion, Diarrhoea; Quotidian and Tertian Feavers, Dysentery, Lientery, Impost­humes, and Obstructions in the Spleen, Mesentery, and Reins, have their exi­stences: whence Dropsies, Consumpti­ons, Hysterical Passions, Cachexies, Falsies, Vertigoes, Apoplexies, and Epilepsies, have their original. For, when Evils are not subdued in the Stomach, but vitiously slide into other Bowels, to defile and beget strange Ferments in them; then the Spleen and Stomach conspire to the mainte­nance thereof; their own Government being characterically blemished with the foregoing disorders. Emptiness, if too much, makes a depression of the Spirits, languishing of the Vi­tal Powers, and an indisposition of the Parts of assimilate Nourish­ment. The only Remedies of this, [Page 63] are Foods of a nourishing and more spiritual Operation. Colds and Heats, in too great a Degree, congeal or re­solve the natural Spirits to an ex­tream, and obstruct, or expend the same.

Contranatural Diseases are all Epi­demics, Endemics; and every Poyson, yea, all such Maladies as derive not their original from the Parent's Seed; nor take beginning from preterna­tural Excesses in Meats and Drinks, Errors in Digestion, or the like; but immediately from without assault the life. Of this kind are the Pestilence, and all annual (commonly Autumnal) Distempers, by us called New Diseases, which arise from the putridness of the external Air, by which our internal Air or Aether, being primarily defiled, sud­denly contaminates the Spirit of Life, so as to beget Diseases correspondent to the Calamity the Spirit is oppressed with, under the predominating Powers of Stupor, Rage, or Fear.

In Stupor, the Disease having ener­vated the Efficacy of the Spirits dis­crimination, [Page 64] finisheth the Tragedy without resistance: and when 'tis finished, Nature her self gives testi­mony of her own Vanquishment, by that small refuscitation of her proper Powers, which plainly shews her In­capacity to strive against the prevail­ing Evil; because, while sensible of the Assault, she willingly yields to Death, without Strife: as was suffi­ciently manifest to me in those, that (in the Year 1665,) had the Plague; in whom, Nature, so soon as she was sensible of her own Inability of over­coming, voluntarily submitted to the prevailing Evil. And, thô Sense was perfect, yet, when the Tokens appear­ed, each Person so concerned, thô seemingly well (Weakness excepted) as at any other usual time, seldom fayled of dying in 12, or 24 hours▪ Under this manifestation of the pre­vailing Disease, the Pulses are equal▪ thô slow, the Vrine thin, and nothing visibly different from an healthful State: nevertheless in these, there are Twitchings of the Nerves, Tenden­cies [Page 65] to Convulsions, which (except Re­medies be applyed of so benigne a Na­ture, as to be capable and able to enliven the Spirit to act against the Disease, and resist its Venome) always end in Death.

In Rage, Nature being sensible of the Evil, acts violently against it, moves in and by the Fire of Nature, stirs up Vomitings, Headaches, Phren­sies, and Vehement Burnings, Blanes, Buboes, Carbuncles, Pustles, &c. fer­ments the Bloud sometimes to eva­cuation by the Nostrils, Bowels and Vrine. But, if Remedies be used, that can resist the Venome and appease the Rage, Sweats following, all those in­ordinate Acts cease; Blanes, Car­buncles, and Pustles ripen; Buboes dis­solve, and the Disease is by little and little overcome.

Fear betrayes the Succours of Na­ture, and renders all endeavours use­less; because (through that) she rea­dily receives the Venome, sinks under [Page 66] it, and rather endeavours to nourish, than strives against the Enemy. The Signs of which are Faintings, Languish­ings of the Spirits, Palpitations of the Heart, Tremblings of the Pulse, and rarely ever any other Testimony of the Disease, than the Tokens: and if such Persons have (as sometimes happens) Blanes, Pustles, Carbuncles, or Buboes, they neither ripen, nor dissolve. In this Case (thô so desperate) if high Cordials be at first administred and continued, with those Medicines, that resist malignity, then sometimes the Sick are happily cured, otherwise they certainly perish.

The Distinctions of Diseases, Natu­ral, Preternatural, and Contranatu­ral, being premised; it is now to be understood, That the Change of one of them into another, or the Mixtion of them each with other, beget a Complication; as the two General Evils, the Lues and Scurvy (in their progress, from their first beginnings in Us, to the Exit of our Lives) do [Page 67] clearly demonstrate. Touching the Lues, a Distemper too well known, I forbear to speak; but generally in the Scurvy, a Disease by me long obser­ved, I find the power of Contraction (or Congelation) and Resolution. For Scurvys present themselves to our consideration, as arising either from too great Constringency, whereby the Effervency of the Bloud is stayed; or from an over-great Tartness, or Reso­lution of the Chyle into an abounding Fermentation. In the one Case, the Bo­dies of People afflicted are always (or for the most part) chilly, sleepy, num­ned, stiff, and indisposed to Motion; in [...]he other, they labour under Faintings, [...]alpitations of the Heart, involuntary [...]weats▪ and Heats, and as soon troubled with Cold again. For, in the Assault [...]om without, are inferred Numnesses, [...]ontractions of the Nerves, extream [...]oldnesses and Lamenesses. And when [...]ature (by the Assault perverted) er [...] ­neously strives against them, hor­ [...]ble Pains ensue, and produce Rheu­ [...]atisms, and Scorbutick Gouts, (the [Page 68] Effects of Tartness) known by Dolors in the Nerves, as well as in the Joynts and, when the Assault is more in­ward, then arise Palsies, Convulsions, Vertigoes, and all other capital Disea­ses, that have their Original from Congelations in the Nerves. On the other hand, when Resolution is pre­sent (for Congelations and Resolution [...] are too frequent in every part of the Body; and, as Paracelsus well obser­ved, are the Sources or Originals o [...] all Diseases) there sometimes happen [...] a Resolution of the Members, by Fer­mentations in the Bloud, Erysipela's all open Sores, Cancers, and the like also inordinate Bleedings, preternatu­ral Fluxes of Bloud, Bloudy Vomit­ings, vehement Burnings, Loosnesse of all kinds, and the like. For, th [...] Diarrhea, Lientery, Dysentery, Ca­tarrhs, Hectick Feavers, Solution o [...] the Joynts, &c. are properly calle [...] Diseases of Resolution.

I should now subjoyn a discour [...] touching the Forms and Operation [Page 69] of [...]enomes, foremention'd in this Theory, but because they rarely come in play, I had rather supersede that Treatise, until the Doctors vouchsafe to allow them an Existence; Where­fore I shall here put a short end to the General Nature of Diseases, whose universal Work it is to put such an end to Ours.

NOw, I proceed to a direct Ex­planation of my Practice in Cure of Diseases, consonant to the Theory above given. But, because I have elsewhere spoken of Cures, by me performed in the same Method, from the Year, 1657, to the Year 1665; I will discourse only of those Distem­pers, that since that Time (thô of the Progress and Determination of the Plague alone then raging, I could write a large Volume) have fallen under my Care, and been Cured without the [Page 71] help of any of the Compositions of the Shops, or commonly known Chy­mical Remedies; both which kinds of Medicines, I do, in a manner, tacitly disclaim, as unfit to serve the extream Necessities of Nature; yet, have I so far allowed of them, as they may in some sort or degree be of use in Cases less difficult: well knowing, that 'tis only the Prudence of Physicians, in a due application of Remedies specifick to Parts or Juyces, which renders them serviceable to the End, for which they were made. Nevertheless, for brevity sake, and because in my Theory to this present Practice of Physick, I have at large discoursed about this matter, I shall say no more of them; but go on, by the Practice it self, to prove the Use of General Medicines to be rational, and true, certain in Nature, and confirmed by Experi­ence.

In order to which, I begin with the Plague in the Year 1665, and the Diseases of the following Years; wherein popular Distempers (the Re­licts [Page 72] of the preceding Plague) did suf­ficiently manifest themselves in their Vigour, and reigned long, to the Asto­nishment of those Doctors, who (the Year before) conscious to themselves of the Deficiency of their own Medi­cines, fit to resist that Malignity, for­sook their Patients in a time, when their Skill (had it been worth Esteem) would have been of greatest Ser­vice.

Having affirmed, Diseases to be ei­ther Simple, or Complicated, Resolved or Congealed, as I must (with Para­celsus) acknowledg all Diseases are, it is now time to speak of their Cures; first particularly, and afterwards, gene­rally.

In order to which, for order sake, I intend to give a short hint of Cures, both particular and general (in dis­coursing of which, I shall be exceed­ing brief) afterward, by many Ex­amples produced from my own Expe­rience, of more than Eighteen Years since the last Plague, confirm the Truth of this my Theory, by my [Page 73] proper Practice in a larger man­ner.

Therefore first, I thus say: In Con­gealed Distempers, Remedies further­ing Transpiration, by resolving those acrid Powers, that hinder the same, are most conducent to the Cure of them. But, in Resolution of the Pow­ers, where Faintings, and Palpitations are predominant; there Constringents are most serviceable.

Yet open Tinctures, by which Na­ture may (as in a Glass) see her own Deficiency, perform both the one and the other, more strongly or more re­missly, according to the Excellency of them.