CHAP. II. Where that True Physick is to be Found.

EVery thing that God created Good is ex­treamly perfect and incorruptible, as the hea­ven: but whatsoever is in these sublunary infe­riour things hath a twofold Nature,Wheat doth norgrow with­out a place, nor can we have meale without bran, neither is ho­ny without a sting. Such Secrets are regenera­ted without a­ny complexion of qualities. a perfect and an imperfect, that is, a fift Essence and the dreggs may be separated one from the other by fire. Seing therefore the true medicine (or Phy­sick) is wrapt up in rindes, barks, matrixes, re­ceptacles, husks, garment and cottages, as Al­monds and all kernells are covered with bark and rind (for Nature doth not bring forth the kernell of the Chestnut with a shell and prickly husk) it is of necessity that the same must be se­perated from the impure Elements by the artifi­ciall Anotomy of Chymists before we can come at the pure Medicine; For the bonds are loosed by art and industry, and the faculties of healing set at liberty.

Therefore in all orders of things that are che­rished in the bosome of the Elements, to wit, in those three Families of Nature, the Vegetable, Animall, and Minerall (out of which are com­monly [Page 77]had medicines enough to preserve the health and cure all bodily diseases) there is con­tained that True and specifix Physick of materi­all distempers, which as hath been said, doth not consist in the four outward, naked, superficiary and Relollaceous qualities (as Theophrastus lear­nedly discourseth) but it is a certaine specifix vertue concealed in the very Seeds, naturally proceeding without art, which the Creator, that great Workmaster of all things, in the be­ginning of all the Creation planted in every growing thing by vertue of that omnipotent Word, whereby all things were brought out of darknesse into Light.

The faculties and vertue therefore wherewith mixt bodies are indued (like the soule in mans body from the beginning of the Creation) is not from without,Heaven is the framer of the externall edi­fices, not of the Secrets, Wonders and mysteries that dwell in them. nor infused into them by a mo­momentaneous position of the Stars, nor made up of a fortuitous meeting of Atomes, it procee­deth not from the body nor the mixture of the body or visible forme, for then it could not be separated without the destruction and corrupti­on of the body and forme, as we see in Cinamon and Pepper, whose virtues being extracted either by art, or vanishing by age and long keeping. For as all Naturall actions proceed from Spirits and spirituall Tinctures, in which the mecanick sciences of the Three principles have their vi­gour; so the actions of Cures proceed from the Spirits and vitall Tinctures of the spirits, not from the bodies or dead Relloceous quali­ties.

And seeing it is granted by the Interpreters of Secret Nature, that there is nothing in the whole Universe, every particular whereof is not also in that Microcosm Man, as hath been said; yea and that the seeds of all things lye hid in him, as of the Stars, Meteors, Mineralls Vege­tables, Animalls, Spirits, even of Daemoris, in respect of the Spirit of Man: upon diligent consideration of this Symmetricall concord and Physicall anagoge, it hath been the part of True Physitians to enquire, that if the internall Heart of the Microcosm or Man should be sick, how they might borrow strengthning remedies from his Parent or the externall Heart of the Micro­cosm which is one like the other (if not in out­ward, yet in inward figure and forme) which remedies are analogically represented,All the whole inferiour Na­ture is divided in­to three prin­cipall parts, i. e. Vegeta­ble, Animall, and Minerall. such as may many ways be got out of those three shops of Cures. For God created an inexhaustible sup­ply of medicines, and distributed to every Coun­try sufficient for it selfe.

Thus among Mineralls men may find Gold (which cheareth up the Spirits when a man hath enough of it in his purse) Antimony and the like, which are produced out of the Element of Water, as Gemms and precious stones in shells are generated of drops of water, as also all bo­dies of Oysters, Musles, and shell fish, which by a specifick and Harmonicall vertue serve to cure and comfort the heart, &c. Thus also among Mineralls there Magicall and Hieroglyphicall Characters, which sage Antiquity hath without rashnesse or superstition attributed to them, [Page 79]that doe sufficiently insinuate to Inlightned men, and Magically disclose their hidden vertue to those more secret Phylosophers that are in­structed therein. Although the choycest things among them which are most exquifitely and la­boriously prepared by Nature doe,As he that hath much Gold may know nothing of its medi­cinall vertue. by Natures just decree, with-hold their benigne and vitall Element from those that possesse them: And many there are who confound the Universall Lawes of Nature, and yet thinks to partake of her Banquet in the end. There is no question to be made but the Gold would discover most Di­vine actions if it were rightly refined, and had its power reduced into act by a Naturall and due Resolution, that it might exercise its vertues,Art imitateth Nature and supplyeth its defects; it correcteth, chastiseth, assi­steth and pro­moteth, yea it exceedeth Nature. (for there is but one way to Resolve and to compound things, because Art and Nature, like mother and daughter, consent to each other) but few men have this gift of God bestowed on them, so as to make solid and massy Gold pota­ble, that it may be drunk.

Amongst Vegetables there is Saffron, Rue, Balme, Scordium, Celandine, Mace, Ocymum, with six hundred of the like.

Amongst Animalls there is Hart's horn, Unicorns horn, the Bone in Staggs hearts, &c. All which being rightly prepared in due manner, doe cure the diseases of the Heart, not (as I have said) by their Externall superficiary qua­lities, but by an Internall, proper, specifick, har­monious, similer virtue; for all things whatsoever serve to our health, are all contained in the Spi­rits, which onely know how and where to find [Page 80]out the disease; the earthy part is altogether dead, husks and rinds beget nothing, the Spirits onely in the bodies of things doe all: The Formes in thee medicines or Astra's of the medi­caments separated by Alchymie from their bo­dies are the true Directoryes: not the body, but the Astrum or hidden Heaven gives all the direction: for the horse knoweth his manger, the birds their nest, the Eagle the carkas, and every medicine striveth to get to its place, and seeketh after that member that is like unto it by an [...]mbred magnetick vertue which may well be called the inexpressible property, [...]. like to like do­mestieks to domesticks naturally apply them­selves, as the true Phylosophicall Phisitians have diligently observed by long Experience the most undouted Rule of all. Wherefore Celsus the Roman Physitian confesseth of all Arts,Experiment, as also judge­ment, without knowledge is but fallacious difficult and fortuitous, but with Science it is true and infallible. where by many good old country women have gone beyond great learned Physitians. The same may be sayd of the other six principall members and parts of mans body: The exter­nal Macrocosmicall Braine is the Oyle of Silver, Water of the Sophire Emerold, Mosse, Vitrioll, &c. cherishing and strengthening the internall Braine of man. The flower or CHIBUR or Brimstone are a Balsam for the lungs and the whole breast.

There is no cause to com­plaine of the want of me­dicines but onely of our ignorance of them. There are two sorts of Physi­tians, one cure miracu­lously, the o­ther naturally by means. So there are two originalls of e­very disease, the one natu­rall, the other caelestiall; the Caelestiall is cured by the Word of the Lord, the Na­turall is reco­vered by na­turall means.After this manner not only ordinary diseases are cured by every Dunce, but also those Chroni­call, Astrall and fixed diseases which by many are accounted desperate by reason of their long con­tinuance, and the common sort of Physitians [Page 81]who know not the seat, seeds, nativities, roots, and centres of diseases judge to be incurable. For there is no disease, as it is a disease, but there is a medicine for it, unlesse such as pro­deth onely from the anger of the Divine Majesty by secret predestination, which cannot be found out by man; the cure whereof was never given to Physitians, but to the Apostles, who by true faith in Christ healed all Diseases: unlesse with Pliny we should belye Nature in its perfections as an unjust Step-mother, whereas indeed she is the benigne Parent of all Things; provident and wise Nature hath by naturall instinct bestowed upon poor bruite creatures the knowledge of their Remedies. It were therefore great folly and sottishnesse to think that the great Creator would hide these things from men; in vaine had he created these things, especially seeing he would make them known onely to such crea­tures as have no understanding.

Every Crea­ture knoweth his proper re­medy.The Stork having eaten a Serpent, is cured with Organy. The Sow stung with a Serpent, is cured by eating Turnsole, or Waterwort. The Bore with Ivy. The Crane with Bullrushes. The Tortuise and Snaile with Organy. The Toad when stung or poysoned with any other venomous creature, eateth Rue, Sage or Plan­tin, or rubs the wounded part therewith and is recovered, therefore it is not good to eat Sage before it be washed. The Weasill eateth Rue when it is to fight with the Basilisk. The Pye when sick carryeth a Bay-leafe into her nest and is well. The Lapwing sick with grapes is made [Page 82]well with Maidenhaire. The Bear eateth Pis­mires to expell the distemper of Mandrakes. Geese, Ducks, and other water fowle, are cured by Pel [...]itory of the wall: Pigeons by Vervin; Swallows with Celandine; Hawks with Sow­thistles. And other living creatures have found out other innumerable Hearbs.

No M [...]n therefore that is in his right wits will question that the Caelestial Father (as becoms the pious and sacred Parent of all things) would in this particular neglect his own children, which he created after his own Image, and prefer the Beasts before them, for whose sake all things were created; For he that gave us his Son, and commanded us to pray for his Holy Spirit, how much rather will he subject the whole Creature, both things visible and invisible?

The most High Author of Nature ath created Medicines out of the Earth,Eccl. 38. not defectives but perfect, he hath commanded the Physitians to search them out and seasonably administer them to every distemper being by due faith prepared and made up: It is also diligently to be obser­ved, that all medicines which are appled to mans body become efficacious and obtaine their wholesome effect, not of it selfe, but by the gift of God. For unlesse God be present and infuse virtue into the Hearbs what good can Dittany doe, or any other soveraigne medicine.

All these inferiour things, as living creatures, hearbs, stones, mettalls have their force by sub­ministration from the Heaven, and the Heaven from the Intelligences, and these from the great [Page 83]Worker, in whom all things praeexist in the greatest vertue. The Naturall life is from God the fountaine of the Universall life. For the Elements live by the Firmament, the Firma­ment from the Intelligible World, and this onely in God, or his Eternall Word; For he is all,In all the things of the God of Na­ture, not Na­ture but t [...]e Will of the Lord is ear­nestly to be implored. and the onely life of all, and in all, yet variously sprouting forth according to the sub­ject into which it flows. Wherefore if we in­tend to doe any good with hearbs, we must not trust so much to them as to God, and so we shall obtaine a desired and happy successe in recove­ring our health; otherwise all our endeavours will be to no purpose if we forget the Worker, and have no faith in him, from and by whom all our undertakings become prosperous.2 Chro. 16.12. Asa dyed because he trusted more to the Physitians then to God.

The Caelestiall Medicine onely, or the WORD of God (which is the Firmament of all Physick,Psal. 33. & 107.20. Eccl. 38.9, 10, 11, 12. without which no drug will doe good) is that which healeth all things, and by the efficacy of the WORD (in which lyeth hid, and from which proceedeth all force be­yond any naturall actions) all Medicines be­come powerfull: As the bark is not the kernell, so hearbs are not the medicines, but a signe one­ly of the Word signified.

Physick is two-fold in the Earth, Visible, which the Father hath created, & ought not to be administred before there be a separation of the pure from the impure; Invisible, from the Son by the Word, and is but one: the Physitian cu­reth [Page 84]by means which are the Hearbs in which the medicine is, the Hearb is not the medicine, for that is invisibly hid in God himselfe.

These things wisely and rightly considered, we shall not wonder that Almighty God could (and can) make men whole by the Prophets and True Cabalists with a word onely.Acts 3.6. God is a living God, the NAME also of the living God is lively, and so the Letters of the living Name are also lively: God liveth for himselfe, his Name liveth because of him, the Letters live by reason of the Name; as God hath life in himselfe, so hath he given to his Name to have life in it selfe, and the Name also to the Let­ters.

Great things have been affected by True Magicians (by whom I doe not mean Nicro­mancers or them of the Black Art) those accu­rate searchers out of Nature, by a Word written and Characters or Signes, Such Names are the Divine Power. framed at a certaine time according to the power of Heaven, far from all superstition, which ariseth onely from ignorance, without any prophanation or scan­dall of the Divine Majesty, or any wrong to Faith and Religion; otherwise it were better for us alwayes to be sick then to be cured with the dishonour of God: For Characters or constellated Names according to Agrippa, have no force from the Figureors Pronunciation, but by reason of the Vertue or Office which God or Nature hath ordained to such a Name or Cha­racter: There is no vertue or power either in Heaven or Earth which descendeth not from [Page 85]God, nor can it give or actually exercise any thing it hath but by his permission.

Medicines are visible bodies; Words are in­visible bodies: whether the Hearb or Word healeth, it is by God the Naturall Vertue there­of, to wit,Paracels. saith that Chara­cters are [...]e Compounds and Syrups of Spirits. by the Spirit of God made One with Nature by his Word FIAT. Concerning Characteristicalll Cure which affecteth Natu­rall operations by words pronounced, written, carved and hanged about the neck, by the caele­stiall properties of the Stars through a marvel­lous Influence agreeing with our bodies, if any desireth to be satisfied herein let him read Rog. Bacon of the wonderfull power of Art and Nature.

Physitians also have wrought great cures by the Created Word, or the incarnate Mercy: for all these things are done by the efficacy of the Triune and Divine Word onely, which healeth and preserveth all things,Luke 11.14. as we see in our Savi­our miracles, who when he restored the deafe and dumb (to whom the Pills and Syrups of all the Shops in the world could doe no good) he did it not by Nature, but by himselfe; he did it by One Word, and he is that Word, to wit, the increated Mercy of God,John 1.3. Not by bread alone, Mat. 4.4. Grace excee­deth Nature, and the thing signified ex­celleth the signe. by which are all crea­ted things, from which all simples flow, which also with the Father dayly worketh all in all. What vertue and operation soever there is in the Creatures, as well in the great as in the little world, all that for certaine is wrought of God incarnate in his explicit and manifest bond of one Spirit filling all things inseperably gathered [Page 86]into one, which Spirit therefore is the only fulnes of the whole world,Eccl. 24.8, 9, 10, 11. and may well be called The Fulnesse. Nothing is made out of God, for in him all things live, are moved and doe subsist.

This WORD of God, the First begotten of every Creature, is truly our Dayly Bread for which our Saviour commanded us to pray; it is the supercaelestiall Mummy, the supernaturall Balsome comforting poor Mortalls more then Mans own Mummy or naturall Balsom.Without this benediction the staffe of bread is bro­ken, a God threatned his people by his Prophets. It is of mere mercy and goodnesse not of justice that we have both the bread of nourishment and of hea­ling. The vertue in bread is the blessing of God, yea God himselfe: the Word in our Earthly food is the true Bread which is given to good and bad; Man liveth not by bread alone, but by that which is in Bread; So that our Food and Life are not of the Earth, but of God by his Word: If the Word were not, or of it selfe were not the onely Bread, then the Earth would be our God, but that may not be, therefore is it not of the Earth, but of God by his word.

This Word then is the true medicine that hea­leth all things, but is not known to every one, nor can every Scholler treat and write of it though plunged over head and eares in the dusty learning of School-Divinity: [...]. our friend Theo­phrastus Paracelsus a Disciple of the Mosaicall and Living Phylosophy hath written of the Se­crets of Nature and the Wonders of God, to wit, of the WORD of God INCAR­NATE which may be found in the Creatures,John 1.10. Heb. 11.3. Psal. 107.20. and is the Physick and Staffe of our Life; by this Word, FIAT, the seed of the whole [Page 87]world, were Heaven and Earth created, and this is that which is efficacious in all the Creatures, and to which the Creatures are justly in subje­ction as to their own soule.

Whatsoever therefore the Physitian doth effect Naturally or by HEARBS working successively by the space of time,The explica­tion of a com­mon saving (1) in Hearbs Stones and Words there are great ver­tues. that the MAGUS, the Wise man or Caelestiall Phy­sitian performeth suddenly and much sooner by Characters and Stones with a most powerfull impression, to wit, the Gamahaea of Influentiall Wedlock to the Terrestiall signe, by matrimo­niall combination of the Superiors and Inferiors ASTRALLY: For such is the mutuall tye and continuity of Nature, that like a stretched cord, all the Superiour vertue floweth through every inferiour thing even to the utmost, disper­sing its beams by a long and continued order and succession; on the other hand, the inferiour passe through all to their Superiours, because the working Vertue is one, and the participation of the species is diffused through all; Divine Matrimony; Hence is that wonderfull tye, con­tinuity, influence and simpathy between infe­riour & superiour Naturall things: many things may be done in Magick and Cabal by the inter­cession of the worlds marriage.

And the True Cabalist (whom Paracelsus calls the Naturall Divine, who is equall to the Prophets, and whose mind being united and coaequant to God doth whatsoever he will, for he willeth onely what God doth) he doth a­bove Nature, DEALLY or like God ac­complish [Page 88]complish in a moment by firme confidence and strong faith,Every Crea­ture feareth and reveren­ceth his Name that made it. the very GATE of miracles in that Only Divine Name ISHUH in which all things are reckoned up and contained, that is he doth performe it in the WONDERFULL WORD by the Mind, Faith and Prayer, to wit, prayers made in Spirit and in Truth. The New Birth is the Field of Caelestiall Physick which healeth with a word without Externall means: that one operation is in respect of God as the Artificer, and in respect of Man as the Instru­ment; every creature is at the beck and com­mand of their faith who are men innocent and taught in the Law of the Lord,Read the books of the Kings. 1 Kings 3.12. Wifd. 7. who are heard in all things whatsoever they pray for, witnesse Elias, Elisha, &c. By prayer in Faith we ob­taine all things, I mean (not a lazy, sluggish prayer, but) a constant asking, seeking, knock­ing: by faithfull Prayer we ascend in a straite and most sure way to the highest Wisdome of Divine and humane Things; For in these Three principall Poynts also consisteth the whole Foundation of the Magicall and Cabalisticall Art, as appeareth by Paracelsus in his third book of the Signature of Things.

We are not to ascribe our bodily health to the Physi­tian but to God. Mark this O ye Phy­sitians who slight and un­dervalue God like the Hea­then, where­as he onely healeth all our sicknesses: al­so ye regard not the ap­poynted time according to the Divine Will, but proudly and rashly promise a set and cer­taine time of recovery which is to be left to God onely.Honour and Praise and Glory therefore be­longeth to the Creator, who worketh all in all, for the desired successe of his Medicine or Word which he hath given. But to the Physitian who is the obedient Minister of God and Nature, there is no other reward due but that of his faithfull paines and Charity in that by his hand as an Instrument he hath duely administred the [Page 89]power which he received from God to misera­ble and needy mortalls, that so he may not usurp to himselfe those things that belong onely to God: For there is nothing at all of his own in it besides Art and right preparation, whose good will, not his help, is to be respected. God who alone is to be praised and blessed in all, and over all, will not give his Honour to another, and because he giveth all he also will have and take againe all unto himselfe.

Neverthelesse the true and sincere Physitian, who among all arts and faculties is most accep­ted of God, is to be honoured as the Scripture commandeth.

First, because God worketh and doth his own will by him as by his Minister, when he sleepeth and knoweth it not, by affording Phy­sick enough from the Earth, and his Word from above, without which nothing can be efficacious to our health, For without me, John 15. saith our Savi­our, ye can nothing.

Secondly, because (Health being the grea­test Good to men) he ought to excell all mor­talls in the search and knowledge of Nature and the Light thereof: Not in vaine therefore did Homer require a Physitian to be furnished with all knowledge in respect of those small cures which he is to doe. [...].

Thirdly, because he alone manifesteth to all, the wonderfull works of God both in the great and little world, so that through the Physi­tian the Praise and Glory of God may passing much be heightned and extolled, not onely by [Page 90]opening his mysteryes and hidden secrets, but also by curing the sick.

Therefore among all Sciences and Faculties, Physick is to be accounted the most excellent, wherein the greatest wonders of God are mi­raculously seen. It taketh its rise from Theolo­gy or the Light of Grace, and endeth in the Light of Nature.

CHAP. III. How the True Physick, which is covered bark and rind, is to be got out, and right­ly prepared by Fire.

The Physiti­an perfecteth the Creature of God by Fire.ALL things in respect of the first matter were created perfect, but the Chymist perfecteth the last matter by Fire, because no­thing in this lower world (which is subject to generation and corruption) is so noble but hath Poyson in it selfe and in respect of another very near the Essence or Physick. In all the chiefe works of God, where there is hurt there is also help, where there is venome there is vertue. Therefore nothing was created in vaine, but all things for some use. For so hath Nature ordai­ned, that Good and Evill,Eccl. 39.26, &c. which the sublunary Elements bring forth, should alwayes be joyned together in all things, to put us dayly in mind of the Fear of God.

As soon as the Omnipotent gave Power to Man, presently he raised up an enemy, least the [Page 92]Power growing lazy should loose its Nature [...] saith Firmianus. Nil ex omni propte be [...]um. So that as the Poet said, no­thing is in every respect happy; that man parta­ker of the Divine Nature, and Lord of all living creatures, should be vexed with Ghosts, and hurryed with Furies.

The severe Ju­stice of God is the disease & venome in all things: on the contrary, the Mercy of God is the Physick in Na­ture and in all things. Wisd. 18.15, 16. Eccl. 39. & 33.14, 15. Roger Bacon the English Phylosopher saith, that God who made Darknesse and Light, in the same place or thing where of his MERCY he appoynted plenty of Physick, even there also by the power of his incomprehensible Justice he substituted Poyson to guard it, Thistles and prickles of Roses the inseperable companions and avengers of transgressions. Good cannot be known but by evill, and the Enemy being discovered the danger may be avoyded.

Thus also Holy Hermes the most Ancient Divine (together with Ecclesiasticus) writeth in his Key that all sublunary things ought to con­sist of contraposition and contrariety; and this after another manner may be of things Impossi­ble in respect of the generation and corruption of things. [...] All things that are awlesse are also lawlesse: nor can Man any other way attaine to the highest pitch unlesse he resolve constantly to maintaine the good fight that is finished in faelicity.

Eccl. 3.14.7.15. Eccl. 42.25. The cause of Simpathy and Antipathy.For so God by his Wisdome hath or­dained that Sympathy and Antipathy should be alike good, by which spectacle of Nature he would stir up mortall men to contemplate and search out his secrets, that if one man hate ano­ther, he that is hated might cover and cure the [Page 93]defect of the malicious. For which cause Hera­clitus called Nature the daughter of War, and Homer called it Contention.

Man is his own enemy; the Cause of disso­lution and death in this our Kingdome divided in it selfe, the intestine duell; for in the little world, the body, there lurketh perpetuall strife, in it lyeth hid the preserver and destroyer of health; in which regard the Saints have called the mortall body Hell and Purgatory, wherein continuall war is to be made.Eccl. 38.15. Therefore seeing the Anotomy of Death findeth entertainment in the whole State of our Life, Nature hath commanded the Physitians to be ministers, and to seperate, not masters to compose. For our Remedies require preparations, separations and exaltations before they can impart their hidden and restrained vertues.

As all things are proved by Fire, so also the Tryall of the knowledge of Physick is to be made by Fire: Physick and Chymistry cannot be separated. For Chymistry (not that which Mountebanks use to paint Faces with to make them White and Red) doth make manifest, not onely the true Simples, Wonders, Secrets, Mysteries, Vertues, Forces respecting health, but also in imatation of the Archaeon Ven­tricle or Naturall In-bred Chymist, it teach­eth to segregate every mystery into into its own reservacle, and to free the medicines from those scurvy raggs wherein they were wrapt up by a due separation from the impurities and corruptible and filthy [Page 94]mixture of superficiall and externall Elements, that that pure and Christiline matter may be administred to our bodies. But to deliver this from prison and captivity, Hoc opus, hic labor est, is a hard task to performe.

It is an honorable Calling when the Physi­tians live long and are not idle in it, for without this Chymicall Phylosophy all Physick is but livelesse; Without Alchymicall skill there can be no Speculative or Practick Physick. He that rejecteth that knowledge being disheart­ned by the difficulty thereof shall never find where the disease lyeth. In this therefore our common sort of Physitians are not to be follow­ed, who patronize their sloth under other mens paines and study, and use to leave the prepara­tion of their medicines most commonly to some carelesse and covetous Apothecary to the great dammage of their Patients: I speake not against the conscientious Apothecaries who by their trusty diligence serve the Common Wealth as the Al­chymy of Vulcan. By this artificall resolution of bodyes the propertyes which before layd in the compositions of them are now brought to light. By it also as by a certaine kinde of artificiall Ty­nosure, or figures of stars the Chymists have not only made curtaines extending to all the borders of Nature, but also to the very admiration con­templation and perseption of the whole Crea­ture, and of every obstruce vertue thereof, and have attained to a noble knowledge in most things; and not without cause. Therefore a Physitian should be exercised much in this true [Page 95]Analysis and vitall Anatomy of bodies (as hath been said) because there is no constant quality of any body which is not to be found either in the Salt, or Mercury, or Sulphur of the same body.

Vegetables comprehend plants, trees, Zoophyts. A­nimalls are the beasts in their order, creeping swimming, fly­ing, four foo­ted creatures.But first all compound bodies of the inferi­our Globe are to be distributed into three or­ders or companies; into Animalls, Vegetables, and Mineralls: the individualls of all these, and the parts of the individualls are diligently to be examined; and so we shall find out the notable differences of the three First things (viz. Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury) in every particu­lar order: For in the shop of Nature there is Animall, Vegetable, Minerall Salt; Animall, vegetable, minerall Sulphur; vegetable, ani­mall, minerall Mercury.

The first face of Things was pure, sound, perfect without corruption and death: For the great and all working God for his infinite glo­ry sake, created all things good by his Will, that all things might glorifie him and live holily and incorruptably according to the prescribed order.

Man at first was created healthy, (sicknesse entred by the Woman, not by the Man) but when he came into the world he found out an entrance unto death, because there appeared two contraries, the externall corruptable, and the internall compleat, which could not long con­tinue in one without unavoydable corruption. Therefore after the transgression and fall from unity to alterity, by the curse of God new [Page 96]Tinctures came in (even infinite evills) by whose mixture with the miserable state of our life, [...] to­gether with that troublesome companion the world the beauty of the whole Creature was transplanted:The transplan­tation of the Creature is by the calamity and coming in of sicknesse upon it: since the Fall me carry in their own bosome their enemy both of crea­tion and pro­pagation, which causeth sicknesse and death by in­bred contra­riety and cor­ruption. Impurity was joyned to the pure roots, which was the predestination of diseases. For the roots of sicknesses in certaine individuall or species doe not consist apart by them­selves, but are implanted and mixt in the pure and first seeds of things: but the nourishments of Naturall things are the fruits of those seeds which spring up in the foure wombs or Ele­ments.

Nature therefore, as it is now, gives us no­thing that is pure in the world, but hath mixed all things with many impurities, that as by the spur of necessity, it might often put us in mind that we should begin to learn the knowledge of Chymistry from our cradles, that so long as we are shut out of Paradice into the subburbs of this world, we ought to till and manure the EARTH, to wit, the whole frame of the world by admiration, searching into, and know­ledge of both the Visible and Invisible (Limus) Earth, and that we should labour to get our bread, and other necessary things for this pre­sent life, as Natures Labourers, not lazily, but in the sweat of our browes, that by this means, by laying the Crosse upon us which we should bear with patience, it might stir up our industry in this LAND of LABOUR to attain the fruits of Terrene and Caelestiall Wisdome, least base and sluggish idlenesse make us wax leane [Page 97]and pine away, or (because we are more prone to all kind of sin and vice) by doing nothing we should learn to doe naughtily.

He that hath learned to know God & himselfe hath ordered the Earth with good husban­dry: by [...]oo much licenti­ousnesse men grow worse & become like bruite beasts, but idlenesse the pillow & cushion of the Devill is re­moved by la­bour and dili­gence.And this is the true end of Mans Creation, that in the fear of God and love of his neighbor he should manage the Earth, recovering what he hath lost, and not be idle, but walking i [...] the Light of Nature not after his own, but accord­ing to the will of his Creator, he should conti­nue the Instrument, Habitation and Taber­nacle of God, and that he should walk in the Wayes of the Lord for avoyding evill and idle thoughts, that he should through Nature search out the wonderfull works of God by considera­tion of Temporall and Caelestiall observations, thereby to make known the invisible works of God, celebrating the infinite Wisdome, Power, and perpetuall Goodnesse of the Creator in ad­miration of his marvellous works, wonders and mysteries which he hath revealed.

But to passe from Food let us come to Phy­sick, concerning which there is no man so sot­tish or stubborn (unlesse he had rather eate the husk and shells with the kernell, as the former and more rugged generations have done) who will dislike this Separatory art which teacheth rightly to discerne and seperate the Good from the Bad, the Profitable from the Unprofitable, the Stupefactive from Fire, the minerall Spirit from the Anthos or blossome, the Homoge­neans from the Heterogeneans, Poyson from healing Medicines and Balsoms, Light from Darknesse, Life from Death, Day from Night, [Page 98]Visible from Invisible,Putreficati­ons onely are the true Cor­rectives of all Physick. As Death se­parateth eter­nall and pe­rishing things, so doth Fire the good from the bad, the Quint-Es­sence from the body. that which is pure Cele­stiall, the kernall and Marrow, from that which is Terrestrial Impure, the Rinds, and Membranes, the Covers, Shells, Husks and dreggs, the Coate aed Cottage of Physick which are ene­myes to mans body from the Soul the Inhabi­tant thereof, the Super-elementall mystery the Quint-Essence, which is the true Internall, sutable, freindly and correspondent Balsom of our bodyes; that so at least that quickning es­sence may be got, whose faculty mounts more high and quick being loosed from its chaines, and brings forth far greater vertue and more effi­cacious to then before. All Venemous things have a Balsom agreeable to Mans Nature, and there is no poysonous Creature but hath in it an Antidote against its own poyson, and in its kind is good; though it be poyson to Man, yet many times is it common food to another Creature: Spiders are good for hens and Spar­rowes, Toads for Serpents, Serpents for Staggs and Storks; but these Formes of Physick work better when they are extracted, then whilst they are drowned in Matter, which alwayes hinde­reth and restraineth the power and operation of the Secret.

Even the Soule or Form of every kind of thing hath not onely more, but more excellent vertues and operations by far than either the ve­ry body, or the matter of the same thing; For as every thing hath its being from the Form, by how much the more it hath of the Form, by so much the more is there of the Entity. And this [Page 99]the very Enemyes of Chymistry are forced to confess, being compel'd by their own conscience, and convinced thereof by ocular demonstra­tion.

Hence many advantages follow.

Reasons why the Spagyrick Physick duely prepared is to be preferd be­fore other He­troclite mix­tures in the shops.First, Because many sick people will take it more easily and willingly, for many sometimes are so unwilling that they had rather dye then drink such a deale of those muddy and pudly potions, which spoyl the complexion of a mans body, and which the Physitian himselfe that prescribed it, and the Apothecary that mingled, would abhor and altogether refuse to drink in the like case.

Secondly, Though these medicines be often used, yet they hurt not the stomack, seeing no­thing hindereth but that they may doe their work and quickly both affect the body and be affected by it, for being separate in the stomack, they are by a naturall force carryed without hinderance to their known lodgings, that so the harsh and Earthy parts of them sticking to the inwards, might not ulcerate, nor make them sickly who take often, as it falls out with the common use of vulgar medicines.

Thirdly, Because all the hurtfull quality is altogether cast out of, or at least easily kept un­der in these Essences by the permixture of other most exquisite propertyes. And which cannot be denyed, this Spagyrick art is so necessary that he can be no safe Physitian who hath it not: For many times in one simple thinge there are different substances, somtimes of contrary qua­lityes, [Page 100]whereof one may be hurtfull, the rest healthfull, as we see in Opium and honey, which can no otherwise be knowne but by sepe­ration of the substances, which cannot be done without this Art. By this Art only the Gale­nists may make good their Axioms, who affirm that all bitter things are hot; whereas Opium though it be exceeding bitter yet the stupefa­ctive vertue is predominant, Roses also and Suc­cory though they be bitter, yet are they applyed as coolers. The knot of this Answer must be cut with an Anatomicall knife fire; for thus we come to understand the temperature of simples, by making a seperation of the substances, and so we finde that in Opium there is a sweet Nar­cotick Sulphur, and a bitter hot Salt penetrating by a subtile resolution and causing sweat with­out any stupefactive vertue.

Poyson redu­ced to its Ar­canum is not poyson, but a soveraign ne­dicine, thus the earthy [...]l­nets are hea­led of their Lepr [...]sie, and stinking smells by degestion are turned in­to sweet sa­vours.And which is much to be admired, though the poyson of mettalls is most pe [...]n [...]ious, yet may it be so corrected and amended by the help of this Art and of Fire, that it may be taken into the whole body without danger, as skilfull Phy­sitians well know, who can tell how to pick and cull the best things out of the worst; this is plaine by the example of Ars [...]eck, which being of an unruly malignity, yet it is tamed arti­ficially with Salt-Peter, by the assistance of Fire.

Mineralls whose spirits exceed ours in subtil­ty, and precious stones, ought to be accounted medicinable, which rightly prepared doe much excell all Vegetables in effecting cures.

First, Because so great vertue and strong o­perations cannot be stampt upon such soft mat­ter, as is that of Plants and living things, so as to retaine and hold such impression: Nor can it be that Vegetables which are obnoxious to corruption should so free Mans body from cor­ruption, as the Spirits of perfect mettalls doe, which are not subject to corruptions.

Secondly, It is clear that Miniralls and im­perfect mettalls are indowed with great medi­cinable vertues, as appeareth in Chyrurgical me­dicines, there being scarce any Oyntment prepa­red that is not made of an imperfect mettall or minerall: Therefore perfect things doubtlesse have received of the Omnipotent far greater force and vertues.

Thirdly, Because Nature, which desireth to bring forth living things and Plants fit not for any one action onely but for many vertues and performances, could by no means so contemper the mixture of those bodies that they should attaine to such admirable power and admit of the solid and stable Nature of a Balsom.

Fourthly. Because stones require a long time of generation, but perfect bodies are generated in a shorter space: Nature therefore by length of time can adorn precious stones and other me­tallary bodies with a greater faculty of working, for they are not distracted with the variety of sensible and movable offices.

Adde also. That precious stones are more to be commended then others for their excellent temper and splendor, which in the Bohemian [Page 102]Garnat is such that it can hardly be spoyled or corrupted by any force of Fire, and that onely because of the fixation of spirits that may be seen in it: in which respect it striveth to be as medicinable as Gold, and may well be preferd before the Orientall Rubie in Physick, which can scarce indure the Fire as many hours as the other can months.

Gemmes are Elementary Stars.This also by the way is to be observed, that precious stones have the Colour, Forme and Tincture more or lesse from Mettalls by forma­tion of the Stars, for they are transplanted Mer­talls. Rubies and Garnats have the Tincture of Gold, Saphirs and Turcoides of Silver, Eme­ralds and Chrysolites of Copper, the Jacint and Topaz of Iron, the Diamond of Tinne-Saturn addeth a gluish matter to the weight or heavinesse, as may be ocularly demonstrated from those factitious and fictitious gemms that are made of the powder of red lead and white flints proportionably mixed, receiving a mettal­lick Forme from Fire. And though they are no whit inferiour in splendor to those that are Naturall and genuine, yet the skilfull Stone-gravers can easily discerne the cheat and fraud by their softnesse and lightnesse.

See Theophrast. his Manuel. Minerals con­duce much to the health of Man: for since Man hath Physick for his body from the world because he is a world, therefore all Mineralls are for Mans good, & that which is contained in the Physi­call body is applyed to his minerall.If there be any who out of their simplicity shall say that mettalls are of no use in Physick, at least in the civill life, although they are the fruit of Elements as well as living things and Vegetables, and created, though not for Mans food yet for his Physick, or that there is no a­greement or likenesse especially of those perfect [Page 103]Mettalls with mans body, although man parta­keth of those Three first, let them know that the Animall, Vegetable and Minerall sperm or seed have but one rise or originall, and differ onely in Quality of Place and Receptacle.

Animall, Vegetable, and Minerall principles are one and the same in all things, but have va­rious Receptacles; for there is one of Vegeta­bles, another of Mineralls, for all these proceed from one most principall and generall principall kind (which is the generall seed of all things or subject of the first matter, and to be distributed into three principall kinds, Animall Vegetable, and Minerall) from which Nature hath the na­ture of Quick-silver to create every other Compound.

All things are from one Principle, and ten­deth to one: In Orpheus his Night and Hippo­crates his river Orcus all things are but One, like Anaxagoras his Pamsperm, which Aristotle unjustly condemned, [...]. because he did not well un­derstand it.Thus also the Spirit of life is u­nited through out the whole body of man, but is various according to parts of the body in which it is. But when that one onely Nature the Essence and Matter of all things came forth upon the Stage of this world, by the pleasure of God, which Nature is the Specifick of every Creature, it brought in with it various wonder­full bodies and of manifold distinction accor­ding to the disposition and variety of the Place and Receptacle, and according to the agitation and operation of the Universall spirit, here Ve­getables grow, there Mineralls are digged, in another place living creatures are generated, and one gives place alwayes for the nourish­ment [Page 104]of another. This is the set Order for the government of the sublunary Family, that Mi­neralls should nourish Vegetables, Vegetables feed beasts, and beasts men; which could not be if the nature of one thing did not by affinity par­take of the nature of another, and this by propin­quity and vicinity partake of the first kind from which all things proceed.

Rom. 8. See Paracelsus his Apocalyps of Herines. The Soule of the world is a kind of united life, filling, gathering and knitting toge­ther all things, that of the three sorts of C [...]catures, the Intellectuall. Ce [...]e [...], and Corrup [...]ible, it m [...]ght make up one Masse and frame of the whole world, by the vertue which it hath from the Idea's or pattern it ma­keth all things both naturall and artificial I to be fruitfull by infusing in­to them oc­cult qualities which are commonly called the Fift Effences. Nature the I­mage of Go [...] is the invisible Fire or fiery vigour by which all things are multiplyed-Nature many times makes it selfe merry with its magi­stery or ma­stership and rejoyceth in its master, and in its art and vertues.All things flow from one Fountaine, which after they have done their work and quitted the Stage of Vanity, are returned to their own places, Where they are blessed with unchangable Rest: That universall Spirit which liveth in and quick­neth this whole Masse, which worketh all in all, and filleth the whole world; that Power of God, which comprehendeth all the world in it, Agrippa calleth it the subject of all mirability, the Ens or Being that cannot be comprehended by sence; Avicen saith, it is the Soule of the world powred into all things, building on the authority of Plato, the Arabians and Caldeans; but this we must hearken to without any super­stition or Idolatrous worship, giving honour onely to One God, and ascribing to him his glory, which we will not give to another.

Nature, I say, is that medium which by an Harmonicall consent joyneth the lowest things to the highest and sometimes is called Animall, sometimes Vegetable, sometimes Minerall, ac­cording to the diversity of the subject or re­ceptacle, and doth often work even to amaze­ment in the three Families of Nature, as hath been manifested, among other things, by a [Page 105]memorable example in that Silesiac child in our age, which was born though not with a golden yet with a gilded tooth in the left and lower jaw, which I did both see and handle, when I was at Prague, in the Court of that most Illustrious and Famous Prince D. Peter Ʋrsin à Rosis.

Nor is this so strange to those who diligently seek out the Hermetick Phylosophy and the marvellous works of God, they that chase the secrets of hidden causes all throughout Nature, and would know all that is to be known (for it is not unlawfull to pry into those things which exceed even naturall order) these are not so much astonyed at the sports of Nature, because from the intimacy of more hid and secret Phy­losophy they know that that same Spirit and minerall Nature which produceth Gold in the bowells of the Earth is also in Man. That Spirit in Gold is the same with the generating spirit of all Creatures, and is the same and onely genera­tive Nature diffused through all things: This Spirit now hath assumed a Naturall body; It is that which first moveth and ruleth Nature in all naturall things, it preserveth all things, and all inferiour things by a kind of Harmonicall consent are governed by it.

Albertus Magnus writeth, that in his time there hath been Gold found in the bodyes and heads of some that were hanged; in his Book of Mineralls he saith that Gold may be found every where: There is not, saith he, that thing Elementated of the four Elements in which [Page 106]Gold Naturally may not be found in the last subtiliation thereof. And therefore the Phylo­sophers say that the matter of their Mystery may be had every where, because it consisteth in every Elementated thing.

In his Mine­ralls. Albertus also proveth, that the greatest Mi­nerall vertue is in every Man, but especially in the head among the teeth: and writeth that in his time in the graves of them that had been long buryed there was Gold found among the teeth in little small and long graines, which could not be if there were not a minerall vertue in Man, which minerall vertue is in the Elixer of Phylosophers.

Thus Morienes that excellent Phylosopher, the most skilfull and expert Chymiologer, when he answered King Calid who inquired after the matter of the Elixer; It is of thee O King, said he,Lullius was a divine & most compleat Phylosopher, whom Paracel. blamed with­out a cause. The matter of a stone is said to be in every thing in re­spect of the first mov [...]r in natural things, which is calld the Vegetall Spirit, by whom our matter of a stone goeth beyond the rest; this Spi­rit is in Ani­malls and Ve­gerables, as well as in Mineralls. and thou are in its Mine: Wherein he ne­ver a jot differed from Raymund Lully that fearcher into this Magistery (of which two I know not whether was the more diligent and studious) when he saith that he got his matter out of a mean and worthlesse thing.

Riplaeus à Portis agreeth with them both: Remember that Man is the most noble Creature of all, in whom there is the Naturall Mercuriality of the four Elements, which Nature hath pro­portioned, which is of little worth, and may be got out of its Mine by art.

Adde Rhasis to Riplaeus, as one that doth not altogether dissent from him: In his Book of Divinity, You may easily, saith he, perceive [Page 107]that the things of Nature are so coucht toge­ther by a subtle artifice, that in every thing there is every thing potentially, though it doth not actually appear.

But I forbear to cite more Authors, though I might produce a great heap of Phylosophers, who confirme these things, not by common and outside arguments, but by solyd reasons drawn from the inside of things, such as would be weighty witnesses and beyond the exceptions of any Sophisters. But these things are by the by.

Moreover, The Chymicall way of Subtili­ating Extracting, and Separating being imper­fect, was not much used in Galens dayes (for they knew not how to separate the bark and husk from the kernell) it was altogether un­known to him, which yet being ignorant of it, he very much desired, as may be gathered from his own words, when he saith,Lib. 1. cap. 19. Whey, Butter and Cheese are the three first things of milk, for all Terresterity is Salt. that he tryed all wayes and means to distinguish the facultyes of simple medicines, and discern the hot parts of vineger from the cold, if possible he might find out any devise to separate the contrary parts of vineger as well as of milk; who in this thing might have obtained his desire if he had been well skild in the Distillatory Art. Nor is it any disgrace to Hippocrates or Galen that they knew not these things: For God and Nature (which is the order and series of Gods works, and obey the power, word and command of God, and borroweth all its vertue and efficacy from him) who doe nothing in vaine, they doe not bestow [Page 108]upon mankind all things together and at once, but doe communicate particular gifts to severall ages, nor doe they inrish one man with all, but distribute to every one his particular gift. Hence it appeareth how contrary the judgement of many now is to the judgement of the Anci­ents, who if they knew not any thing which they heard was known to others, though in very far countryes, they would run all hazards of sea and land to find it out. Doubtlesse if Galen had lived when Paracelsus did, he would not have envyed, but reverenced his learning, nor would he have been ashamed of his Coals; but as he was desirous of learning, so would he gladly have served Theophraestus for nothing many years, if it had been for nothing else but to know how to separate the three first (qualities) in vineger, but especially to learn the preparations of those high Magisteryes and Elixirs, neither would he have refufed to blow the coals or temper his stuffe, or watch his work; he would have undergone any condition so that he might have gained this worthy science: nothing regarding the rage of Cole­rick and Melancolick Philerastian Physitians, who have not learned so much as their A. B. C. in the Spagyrick Physick, nor know any thing of the Creation and composition of the inter­nall Astrall Man, much lesse of the Mechanick Spirits of diseases; Yet they blush not rashly, and proudly, without any conscience of shame, purposely passing by meaner persons, to raile bitterly upon that never sufficiently commended [Page 109] Paracelsus, a thousand-fold more worthy then his adversaries, and the immortall glory of Germany, (who had the absolute knowledge of all Divine and Humane sciences, beyond what will be believed of him) whom these men fear not to call a circumforaneous or rambling ray­ler, one that was no Phylosopher at all, and malitiously, though with lost labour, to load him whom they understand not, to their own disgrace; with viperous hatred they accuse his course of life, aggravating his humane fraylties, and so very unadvisedly enact an unjust law a­gainst themselves: We have all our faylings, happy is he that hath least; they see not that part of the wallet which is behind them, as though they themselves were not men that are, or have been, or yet may be guilty of the same, if not greater vices, which so eagerly inveigh a­gainst; thus we quickly espie our brothers mote, but cannot see our own beams.

I wish the ambitious Physitians of that time, who robbed others of their due praise, who cast a Serpents eye upon Theophrastus, could (ac­cording to his command, who is the End of all Humane actions and Physick, viz. that we should love the Best and Greatest God, and all our neighbours as our selves) have indured that rising Sun without gazing on his clouds, & have spoken of him more soberly according to his dig­nity and desert: his human imperfections which none will excuse, they should have born with the like tendernes of compassion where with they par­don Galens impiety who scoffed at the doctrin of [Page 110] Moses & Christ:In his second Book of the difference of Pulses. Doubtles he would have more clearly have manifested to thankful posterity his Secrets which God disclosed to him, and written more plainly and perfectly of Preparations: nor would the present Spagyrick Profession to their great trouble and griefe, have had experience of the wicked and cursed ingratitude of some of his time, by being againe put to seek out the certainty and truth of that which Theophrastus discoursed and writ of, and to long for the true Preparations in the practicall proceeding. Thence it comes to passe,See Paracelsus in Paragr. that there are so few to be found who have the true medicines prepa­red according to Theophrastus his minde, of which he treateth at large in his Books: for they require solutions, mortifications, cohibiti­ons, resuscitations, &c. truly Phylosophycall, which cannot be understood without true Phy­sick,A Physitian must be an Astronomer, otherwise Pa­racelsus saith that his Phy­sick is but im­posture and a cheat. There­fore many with Icarus are drowned in a great Sea. Astronomy, and Chymistry; nor are they compleated in a short time, but with much te­diousnesse to Phylosophists who are impatient of delay.

But truly I think this wicked generation is not worthy of such medicines. For God usually in his just Judgement, for the sins of the world and the great ingratitude of it, with-holdeth his [...], his mighty and marvellous works from unworthy Men: He will never suffer those Secrets to be known, especially in these corrupt and perilous times, when Honour and basenesse, Vertue and vice. Truth and lyes are equally esteemed by the malicious world.

Besides, almost all men have a burning desire [Page 111]after making Gold,There are four Pillars of Phy­sick, Phylo­sophy, Alchy­mistry, Astro­nomy, and the Physicall ver­tue or medi­cine. but regard not the due pre­paration of their Medicines, the onely cause thereof is their not knowing the Metaphysicks of Paracelsus, the true Phylosophy, and not first reading diligently those large Books which Theophrastus directeth unto in his Labyrinth of Physitians, before they set upon the prepara­tions, separations and resolution of Naturall things.

I observe also that most Chymists betake themselves to Court, and are turned from the truth by the glitter of Court-service, deceived by vaine Courtly flattery, that they either neg­lect those great works of God, or rather are made incapable for such stupendious miracles of God, as for many years I have taken notice that many have begun well, but deluded with these toyes, have made an ill end.

By which means this Divine Spagyrie, the most wonderfull and approved Art (though for many ages suspected of greatest uncertainty, and most abominable deceit) hath been very much disparaged by the ruder sort (which oft befalls the best things) and cast aside as con­temptible, with other deeper sciences, even by those who intend the same businesse, underva­luing it as not fit to get a living by it: What is said of, or spoken against abuse, imposture, and wicked arts, is not that for which things other­wise good may or ought to be condemned; For what is that thing which will not turne to Mans hurt or ruine if it be abused? so that the bettter the thing is, the more destructive is the [Page 112]abuse of it. But who dares to oppose himselfe to the Athenian Thrasos who will have Light to be Darkenesse, and Darkenesse to be Light? They have almost all the whole filthy world standing in defence of their most vaine Vanities: For the world seeketh not the Truth but its own Honour: And therefore God giveth us up to a reprobate sence, to hate and envy one another, and that we our selves should be the cause of the imminent destruction of our own King­dome.

O fountaine of Truth and Wisedome, consi­der our condition, and the hearts of those who with holy desires and ardent prayers strive night and day against this imminent and approaching change: But the mow High will also in his own time put an end to these things, and that of his goodnesse and mercy ere it be long, I hope; that God would stirr up the minds of some which may bring to light the Truth that is in sciences and Faculties) for as yet the Invention of Arts hath not attained the utmost end) that they may root out the Tares of sciences, and confute the delusions and errours of the school­men not with words, but deeds; not Syllogisti­cally, but Really and indeed: For when that which is perfect is come, the time of Revocation and Regeneration drawing nigh, every imper­fect thing will of necessity come to nought: For where Titles, Degrees and glistering Names make men proud, their is no humility, no life of Christ, no holy Spirit, as appeareth too manifestly in most, who suffer the Old man to [Page 113]be ruled by the Sydereall Spirit. Now then the Lord enlighten all the lovers of Truth with his Holy Spirit, and graciously deliver them from the chaines of Utter Darknesse and incessant janglings of Putatitious and conceited Schol­lers.

CHAP. IV. How, and with what Vertue, Physick worketh upon Mans body and cureth his Diseases.

THat which Physitians commonly dispute and contend for,In lib. de fla­tibus. is, Whether, according to Hippocrates his Maxim, that Contraryes are to be cured with CONTRARYES, or Like with LIKE, according to Paracelsus?

Note, that these Maxims may be both recei­ved in the Anatomy of Nature, though they seem thwart one the other. Thus many attaine not the Mind of Phylosophers, which to them seems to be at variance, because they cannot understand how to reconcile them by a seasona­ble and sutable interpretation. For Physick is nothing else but an opposition of those things that are desired, to wit, a refreshing of the strength and Balsom, and a removing of super­fluityes or impurities that cause diseases. Para­celsus therefore doth not find fault with Hippo­crates for saying, that hunger is to to be cured with meat, thirst with drink, fulnesse with eva­cuation, [Page 115]inanition with reflection, labour with rest, idlenesse with labour; and generally, that Contraries cure Contraryes: But he is poynt blanck against Galen, who applyed that Contrariety of Hippocrates chiefly to those bare and naked qualityes which Hippocrates utterly dis­claimed, for he by an unhappy mistake referred the first and principall Idaea's of Cures to Re­frigerations, Calefactions, Humectations, Ex­siccations, with their companions.

The onely and alone NATURES of Physicall medicines, as hath been said, or those Hippocraticall vertues are they which doe the cures, the Physitian is but the minister or ser­vant. And this very selfe same Nature, which is our Life and Balsom, or balsomicall Mummy, that preserveth the body from all corruption, by means of the Saline moysture, that is, of the inferiour Balsom springing up in the inferiour from the superiour, I say, this very Nature of ours (which sometimes worketh wonders, when the Physitians to their great disgrace and shame of their Profession could doe no good, but have left their Patient to their Prognisticks) is its own proper Physitian in Mans body, who asketh nothing of the outward Physitian but Instaura­tion, or as tis commonly called, fortification applyed to the diseased part by a most pure me­dicine when the like Nature is not at hand: And thus the Medicinall Balsom like a coadju­tour or privy counsellour assisteth the Vitall or Radicall and Naturall Balsom because of the simpathy and common agreement between [Page 116]them. Thus it recovereth the Naturall decayed strength,Nature cureth with like things. which being restored it is of it selfe able as an inward and unknown Antidote to chase all its enemies out of its Monarchy by the onely power of the Vitall facultyes.

To go about to cure a disease with contrary qualities, is to raise and stir up intrinsick com­motions to the utter overthrow of Nature, which is to much weakned and wasted already by intestine quarrells.

Besides, Contraryes will not willingly enter­tertaine each other: And if they close not one with the other, nor work one upon another, nor suffer any thing from each other, then where there is no true action and passion, there can follow no true Naturall effect.

Wherefore medicines should not be contrary to the grieved part, but very agreeable to it, and have the same Externall Nature (because of the Harmony between the great and little world) as the place affected hath the Inward, that the Internall Nature which stands in need of it may both be strengthned and succoured by the superabundance of that Externall Nature: Man is therefore called a Microcosm or little world, because the whole world preserveth, nou­risheth and cureth him. When the fruits of the Earth, Aire, Water and Fire of the Microcosm are sick, they must be restored by fruits like themselves of the Macrocosm. Thus Nature doth strengthen and help its own Nature: For Nature strengthened and assisted by its own Nature doth more forcibly drive out all its [Page 117]enemyes, seeing every Nature is Naturally the best preserver of it selfe. Thus Nature is not onely our companion, but our friend and ready helper, it alone being the genuine Physitian of all diseases, as Galen witnesseth in his 13 Book of Method. It is the First Mover of every cure, without whose strength and vigour all Physick is in vaine and to no purpose, Nature continued in its Temperature is in it selfe medicinable, and it selfe healeth its own infirmities by the innate Mummy; when that inward Nature is not the me­dicine all dise [...]ses prove mortal. Tis we [...] enough known that every thing by a kind of naturall instinct desireth to be perfected and preserved: On the contrary, it doth most vehemently abhorre the destruction of it selfe, and desireth as much as may be to be kept from it: dayly experience makes it plaine, as when any part of our body is wounded with a sword or other wea­pon: for those that are wounded perceive a pre­sentaneous succour from Nature as of one ha­stening to helpe, and so unwearyed that it will never be at quiet till it hath first cured the ugly wound and restord the wounded part to its for­mer soundnesse. And whereas some say that con­traryes are to be cured by Contraryes, they are not much mistaken if they have not respect to the qulaityes, but the vertues of a contrary Na­ture; For there are as many crosse and hurtfull vertues to nature as there be good and health­full for it; the goodnes of these is always busyed about, and consisteth in the preservation of Na­ture, as the continuall malice of the other is to [Page 118]the destruction of Nature: If they therefore would destroy, those are sent to succour strug­ling Nature that by their goodnesse they may preserve the twofold goodnesse of Nature, but chase out and overcome the malice of the o­ther: T [...]us the crosse and contrary vertues which are hurtfull to Natu [...]e are vanquisht and driven out by the adverse and contra [...]y vertues in Nature: but contrary qualityes, are not rooted out by contrary quallityes, but rather are irritated and provoked to strife by each o­ther; by which discord Nature is more weak­ned then strengthned, because Nature is not a quality but a vertue, and chooseth to be ass [...]sted rather by vertues then qualityes when it would succesfully prevaile and fight against its cruell e­nemy: for its not the Physitian that hunteth out the disease, but Nature her selfe (who is the Internall Mummy or inward Balsom) expelled all ill contrary to her selfe, when her own inward strength fayleth shee is to be supplyed with out­ward helpe by her servant the Physitian: Though sometimes it may be the best medicine not to use any medicine at all but to leave the o­operation to the sole Archaeus or Art of Nature,The Inward Physitian doth the work, when the Naturall Physitian fai­leth. for the Nature of the inward body cureth more diseases then the Physitian doth with all his me­dicines. Wherefore if any be preserved in a ra­ging pestilence by Opium which is most cold, it is not by the coldnesse of Opium, but but by the Specifick venemous vertue of the Opium which hath a greater degree of poyson then the occult venomous power of that Pestilence. [Page 119]Thus Nature destroyeth one poyson by another, it subdueth a weak evill by a stronger; and fighteth against her enemy both with healthfull and hurtfull weapons, that so shee may keep her own things in safety, and beat her enemy out of her posession by any meanes whatsoever: As winter doth not destroy summer, nor sum­mer winter, but one gives place to the other, so one quality doth not destroy another; for without vertue the quallity is dead and wholly accidentall, and consequently cannot afford any life or substance which the medicine must of ne­cessity do if it would succor Nature indeed. And here also it is worth the noting, that Roots of diseases in the body of Man are neither hot nor cold, but whereas nothing can be without heate therefore the disease also is said to be either hot or cold though those Accidents and Excrements are but the signes of the disease, and not the di­sease it selfe. For the most pernitious diseases and Traytors of the body do not spring out of the matter of the body, or out of the four Hu­mours, but from the Nature of the Seed or Astra's and Invisible mechanick Spirits of the Three principles, which Spirits also build their outward house and habitation with shells. These Forgers and Invisible Astra's of diseases were not knowne to the Ancients. Physick is a Spi­rit (not a body) which the Magician or wise man only can discerne: Therefore the body or Earth of Simples is to be cast away▪ and the vertue Heaven or Astrum of it only to be taken: For in the Microcosm & Medicine it is necessary [Page 120]that the life should worke upon the life, and the Spirit upon the Spirit by sepration of the im­pure body, as the intangible Sun Melteth Snow and causeth it to vanish away: Such is the Na­ture of all Secrets that they worke without the matter and body because the diseases also are not bodyes: This is the true and lively Anato­my. This Mechanick and Forger of diseases is to be subdued and destroyed in his Roote and ori­ginall,Paracelsus in the Tincture of medicines. as the whole Tree cannot be destroyd in the branch but in the Seed: thus the Mecha­nick Forger or principle of a Pear's generation hath his habitation in the Roote, not in the branch: So the grasse which groweth of its own accord is hindred from growing, not by e­vultion but corruption of the Earth:See the first Tract of the second book of great Sur­gery, Degrees and complexions are not consi­dered in di­seases. when the Centre, Root, and Seed of diseases are pluckt up and removed the worke is done: Not the smoak arising from fire, but the fire it selfe is to be quenched: That Physitian which cureth by complexion is like him that would ex­tinguish the hurtless flame and let alone the fire in the coals: That which springeth from the seed is not to be taken for the disease, but in doing the cure the Roote of the seed which containeth the vertues is to be taken in hand.In his Book of ancient Physick. When Para­celsus saith that like preserve their like, and are destroyed by their contraryes, he doth not meane the first nor second qualityes which he alwayes calleth Recollaceous and invalid ones, but the substance, [...]. at least the Cherionic, Hippo­craticall powers and vertues, as appears in the 18. Chap of [...]he first Tract of the second part [Page 121]of his great Chyrurgye, and in other places. Like things are said to be the Remedies of disea­ses because they are of the same Anatomy of Nature, and because they have the like Sig­natures, Qualities and Roots: But Contraryes cure because they piece up the defects and wants, because they appease the spirits and con­sentaneous impurities with a friendly saturity, and because they attempt resolutions, consump­tions and tacit ablations.

Diseases are cured by ap­plying that which is pro­per for them.That Like are to be preferved with their Like is thus to be understood, viz. that the Salt, Sulphur and Mercury of the Microcosm is pre­served by the Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury of the Macrocosm analogically agreeing together: And as in the Microcosm there are various Sul­phurs (one of the head, another of the heart, &c.) and various Mercuryes and Salts, so also in the great world answerable to these there will appear variety of Sulphur, Salt and Mercury in hearbs and Mineralls: The ministry of Fire dis­covereth their agreement, operation, and diffe­rence, and because he distributeth all materiall diseases according to those three substances of which our bodies are composed, and according to the excrementitious superfluities arising from meat and drink: Those diseases in Mans body which arise from the kindled and flaming Sul­phur (as Sulphur may be deprest or heightned four wayes, viz. by the four Elements) he called them Sulphurean diseases, such are all In­flamations and Feavers. Those that proceed from moysture he Mercuriall.

Mercury may three manner of wayes be ex­alted above the Naturall degree as by the heat of an Accidentall digestive Vertue, or by the heat of Exercise and labor, or by heat pro­ceeding from the Astra's: By the heat of di­gestion it is distild, and so causeth all sorts of Apoplexies; by the heat of Excercise it is sub­limed▪ whence follow madnesse and Phrensye: by the heat of the stars it is precipitated, and then causeth the Gout in hands and feet &c. from eating and drinking those things that have too much Tattar in them: those diseases that are bred of Salt, he calleh Saline and Nitrons. Salt destroyeth health 4 wayes, by Resolution, Calcination, (loosing its liquid and humid Tem­perament) Reverbertion. Alcalization, and so breed greivous diseases as Ulcers, Scabs, Tetters, Ringwormes, Itch and the like, all which are diseases arising from the Salt dissolved. Surfet­ting and gluttony which destroy the digestion is the cause of the Salts destruction: Excesse and Luxury dissolve and melt the Salt of man: The starrs also thrust the Salt out of its degree: Which Salt may be changed and turned into all sorts of Salts, and such as is the Transmutation such also is the disease. He saith therefore that the Sulphur kindled in mans body is to be quenched with the Sulphur of the great world, which harmonically agreeth with the other, but he that considereth to what end he spake it will find that such a remedy will be contrary to the disease, for to quench such burning Sulphur in Mans body (to wit, if the feverish fire be uni­versall [Page 123]and flow from the heart) his meaning is, that appropriate Sulphur should be used, such as whereof▪ there are many to be had in Natures Garden, and the Family of Hearbs and Mineralls, as Sulphur of Vitriol, Niter, common Salt, and such like.

Likewise he saith that Ulcers proceeding from Salts must be cured by Salts: but if we observe his drift, such Salts are contrary to that which was the cause of the disease, and quite opposite to the disease it selfe;All Terreste­rity is the Salt of Paracelsus. Cumfry cureth the corrosion of Salt. S [...]ffron resto­reth the disso­lution of Sul­phur. Gold thickneth the too much sub­limation of Mercury. Our Nature cureth all di­seases when he impedi­ments are ta­ken away: we are to assist Nature a­gainst these impediments which are the causes of di­seases. for they are incarnative and consolidative, as Frankencense, Mastick, Myrrhe, Aloes. Whence tis plaine, that some­time he calls that Salt whatever it be that will melt, and may be resolved into a watry moy­sture, and then dryed and hardened by Fire, such are the thickned sap and juyces of Trees and Hearbs.

As there are Three from which all Physick proceedeth, Mercury, Sulphur, Salt; so like­wise there are three sorts of diseases, Mercuriall, Sulphurean, Saline: All Ulcers are cured by incarnating Mercury; All mattery gluish sores by Salt; All Inflamations by Sulphur. This needs no Reasons to confirme it.

Medicament though they be contrary to the disease, yet they must of necessity be altogether courteous to Nature; for she seeks a sweet Peace in every controversie, and that onely by the help and assistance of her friends; if she sinck or miscary the Physitian can doe no good.

On the contrary, if she abide and be kept [Page 124]safe and sound she worketh incredible won­ders.

A stupendious and true Sto­ry.As was seen in the New City at Prague, Anno 1602. in a certaine rustick or country­man of Bohemia, whose name was Mathew, about 36 years of age; who for the space of two years by a strange and unheard of dexterity of throat would many times among his pot­companions hide an Iron knife of a good big­nesse in his huge and wide throat as in a sheath, thrusting the horny haft of it foremost in imita­tion of a Jugler, and under that name call for a good draught of Ale and drink off, after that at his pleasure he would by a singuler art pull it out againe by the poynt: But, I know not by what dismall and witlesse fool hardinesse, so it was that the morrow after Easter day, the same year that he swallowed it so far that it went down quite into his stomack, so that he could by no means get it up againe; after he had kept it there seven full weeks and two dayes as a man halfe dead from the apprehension of un­avoydable death, at last by application of draw­ing Plaisters made of the Load-stone and other things, the poynt of the knife began to force its passage, by a naturall impulse, near the mouth of the stomack, which when the man perceived he begg'd with much importunity (though ma­ny perswaded him to the contrary for fear he should dye whilst 'twas doing) that it might be cut out, which at last was granted, and by Gods blessing with many prayers for good successe in so doubtfull a case it was prosperously perfor­med [Page 125]by Florianis Mathis of Brandeburge chiefe Surgion of the Kingdome and City, upon thursday after Whitsunday at seven a clock in the morning: The knife was nine fingers breadth transverse in length, his stomack had changed the colour of it just as if it had laine so long in the fire, it is now laid up among the Emperors rarityes, and hath been shewed as an incredible Miracle to many both in Court and City: After a few weeks the Country man could eat and drinke and sleepe, as he told me, without any manner of paine or trouble after the Chyrurgion had applyed such things as he saw fit, and thus by Gods helpe and many mens liberallity to the poor fellow, he was made as sound as ever he was in his life and cost him nothing (contrary to the determinate assertion of Physitians Aphorismes) and shortly after he was marryed.

Likewise in the year 1606. at Prague a cer­taine Silesian to get mony did in the presence of many swallow six and forty white flints which he gathered at banck side, weighing almost three Physick pounds, the least of which was about the bignesse of a Pigeons egge, all of them being almost four of my handfulls: by this bold adventure, without impairing his health, he went up and down getting his living for many years together, &c.

CHAP. V. The Duty of Natures Minister, the Physitian.

ALL common Philosophy was not bound up in Aaistotle, as P. Ramus hath sound­ly proved; nor was the whole Light of Nature drawne into Galen and limited in him only, wit­nesse Paracelsus. No man ought to deprive a­nother of the liberty of human ingenuity, that Light of Nature, the power to discern and judge as well as himselfe; the Grecian Monarchy is at an end. Therefore he that would be an Excel­lent Physitian he must be free from every kind of Sect. (for no man can be said to be truly and throughly learned who is bound up to the rudi­ments of any one faculty only) & not to be tyed. to the opinion of any one Author, but to follow the naked Truth, and subscribe to it alone, al­wayes remembring that of Horace,

Not that other mens inventions are altoge­ther to be slighted, by stickling onely for one sect; for all sects, be they never so many, may well be admitted, because in every one of them there is some thing excellent which is not com­mon to another, as said that most noble and wise Picus Mirandula the Phaenix of Phyloso­phers, the inimitable patterne of most profound ingenuity, and variety of learning.

There is no book so base and bad but hath some good in it which the best Authors have somtimes let slip without taking notice of it. This latter age, saith Fabius, hath endea­vored to make the former more compleat, and because knowledge thriveth as ingenuity is improved, therefore many loathsome er­rours of the Heathen have been as by a second song,All Secret are by divine Or­dination to be discovered. wip'd away by men of greater wisdome coming after them.

Doubtlesse there are more secrets yet con­cealed in the Treasures of Wisdome and Na­ture then we perceive, which (being ordained for Times and Nations, by an immutable de­cree, to the end of the world) are to be sought out by wise-hearted men.

For Nature certainly, being Circularly, can hardly be wholly comprehended by any mortall man by reason of the shortnesse of his life.

The case so standing, neither the Physick of the Ancients, nor that of Theophrastus, is totally to be rejected;Many errours of the Anci­ents are disco­vered by day­ly experience, which yet hath not at­tained its end neither. nor yet so to be imbraced but that if there be a better found out it also is to be received, for one day teacheth another to morrow may be master to this day, both should be compared together, what is best in both let that be cetained. For being but men, they have their failings, in some places they mistake, in other they write one thing contrary to another, and thwart each other, sometimes they differ from themselves, in many things they are decei­ved, nor doth every man see all things. The holy Spirit alone hath the plenary or full know­ledge of all things, who distributeth to every man according to his particular measure, blow­ing where it listeth, and reserving many things to himselfe that we might alway acknowledge him to be our only teacher. A true Phisitian should be the minister, not a master to Nature, and a Philosopher skilfull to cure acording to the conclusion of Hippocrates & Galen: But since there are severall sects of Phylosophers, some af­ter the Vulgar manner will be looking below the Moon after the Elementary Nature of things, others far more excellent and more truly deserv­ing the name of Philosophers investigate the Ar­cana and more secret things of Nature, they go into the very inner roomes and Sanctuary of Nature, and have the true knowledge and Expe­eience of Nature's Light, which maketh a true Physitian indeed: A Physitian is compleated by 3 things, the Naturall innate vertue of things [Page 129]that grow of the Earth, the Celestiall influence causing that vertue, the uniting of it by Chy­mistry with the Constellation of the firmament, the dexteri [...]y of the Phisitian mediating the same.

In Chirurgia magna.But first, as Paracelsus saith, let him be the legetimate INTERPRETER of NA­TURE, who alone searcheth out its oecono­my, and the universall latitude thereof, prying into all the Species and kinds of all the Creatures that may by themselves be known, and then comes to consider and looke into man.

A true Phy­losopher ha [...]h the originall from the knowledge of Heaven and Earth, whose Nature and quality he doth perfectly understand. Phylosophy hath i [...]s Rise and R [...]t in Admiration.Phylosophy teacheth the vertues and quali­tyes of the Earth and Water, as Astronomy doth of the fire and Ayre: Phylosophy and Astronomy make a perfect Phylosopher, not onely in the great, but also in the little world. A Physitian should have the knowledge of Phylosophy and Astronomy; Chyromancy, Pyromancy and Geomancy are the Elements of Astronomy and Phylosophy.

Theophrasteans contemplate and admire the workmanship of Nature throughout this migh­ty frame of the whole Creation; who give themselves to a vary examination, and a wise inquisition into the qualities, affections, moti­ons, courses and recourses of the Heavens and fiery bodies; as also into their rise, fall, ante­cessions, consecutions, progresses, digressions, stops and sudden passionate motions; and last­ly into the seeds, principles, dimensions, and instincts of all sublunary bodies, all which they doe with great observations, and no lesse dili­gence: [Page 130]by which industry and that perpetuall thirst which they have of meditation and cogi­tation,By this medi­tation, which is a frequent cogitation, the manner, cause & rea­son of every manner of thing is found out. together with their pra [...]ers and earnest desires, they doe at last attaine not onely to un­derstand, but also really to imitate the greatest mysteries and secrets of Nature; and, that which is more then all, they can tell how to improve and imploy them.

When the Phylosopher comes to a stand in the Naturall Light of the Macrocosm, then the Physitian begins to move and proceed in the Analogicall Concordance of the Naturall Light of the Microcosm with that of the great world.

Secondly, a Physitian must be a good SPA­GIRUS,A Philosopher and Physitian spring one out of ano­ther, are the root of each other, the onely Spagy­rick cook of all things. Phylosophy is the mother of Physitians [...]d the ex­ [...]lai [...]er of [...] [...]e [...] & thei [...] [...]dye [...]. one that can seperate the pure from the impure, and restore his Patient to health by a wise Alchymicall preparation: As Gold is tryed seven times in the fire, so should a Physi­tian be p [...]oved by Chymistry, which sepereteth the good from the bad: also he must have somthing of his own Experience confirmed by a diligent inspection into Natures works: For Phylosophy is a practicall Physicke helping the Physitian to any medicine in a readynesse, and he it is who at length becomes a good Physitian, born of the Light of Nature, to whom Nature communicateth his Experience. But never was there any man that ever knew and publisht such hard and hidden secrets in all Phylosophy and Physicke (by Heavens undou [...]ted blessing) as to speak but truth, did that THEOPHRA­STƲS PARACELSƲS, a man [Page 131]and a Phylosopher most worthy of an Eternall Name and honor, whose skill no man ever yet attaind unto, much lesse exceeded, the true Mo­narch of Physicke, and first Physitian of man, who alone since Noe's time hath written of the Internall Astrall Man and the service which God created him for, as also of the originall both Naturall and Metaphysicall of great and incura­ble diseases, which none of the former Physi­tians did ever so much as dream of; much lesse our Students of Heathenish Phylosophy from whence all errour springeth, so that, as hath been said, they have taken no notice of that twofold unknown body of the Creatures, to wit, that Mortall, Elementated Physicall and visible Corporeall body of the Elements; and the Astrall Sydereal and invisible of the Firma­ment and the stars.

All Sciences are perfectly attained unto by the Fun­damentall of Faith and new Regene­ration or Ce­lestiall Trans­plantation.The Intellectuall Soul of Man, that divine Light flowing out of that spiracle of God and Divine springs pertaineth to the Invisible Phylo­sophy, whose foundation is CHRIST: Our study therefore and profession of Phylosophy should be Christian-like, not after the manner of the Heathen in hollow empty language and temporaneous Arts, preferring the mortall and perishing before that which is Eternall; Nor are we onely to know all Nature externally and internally, but we are also to make it our onely businesse, that according to the Fundamentall knowledge of the same by the supernall help of the Light of Grace we may together with Christ and all the Elect possesse that Eternall Life unto [Page 132]which God hath created us,A man can­not have bet­ter Phyloso­phy then f [...]om God in the Regenera­tion. this is true Theo­logicall Phylosophy: Wherefore the New Birth is first to be sought for, and then all other Naturall things will be added without much la­bour.

But let us return againe to Theophrastus. He was a man singularly well skild in Chymistry, though he were not the Auther of that Art: There have been abundance of Phylosophers who have made use of there ingenuity and me­mory instead of bookes,This kind of Phylosophy hath been in good esteem among many Nations. who were famous by that Art before Theophrastus was born, and from whom Paracelsus hath secretly borrowed many things; For that noble Pyronomicall Art hath been most ancient against which none but Dolts and Dunces have unworthyly cryed out which heretofore was known only to Kings Prin­ces, & some few of most diligent searchers out of Naturall Phylosophy, which of late hath not been a little improved by that Monarch of My­steryes Paracelsus: Who by the singular pro­vidence and impulse of God endeavoured to bring to light, restore and amplifie the Ancient doctrine, which by a fatall depravation and neg­lect of times and men, was lost and obliterated for many years, to wit, the True and Philoso­phicall Physick which none in his time assayed to restore; the great obscurity of which art he laboured also to evolve and illustrate,The Physitian that God ma­keth can doe all things. All power is from the Lord God without whom no Creature can do any thing; therefore all wonders, my­steries and se­crets are to be attributed to God onel [...] ▪ not to the De­vill, Creature, or Stars, James 1.17. and to purge it from the fucous guile and vizard of im­posture, yea even to recall the universall conso­nancy of the Sciences and Muses by a kind of di­vine copulation from the compasse of the whole [Page 133]circle unto the one only Centre: Behold therefore the Divil that perpetual enemy the inseperable & malicious companion of man, & the approaching & the appearing Truth, hath stirred up his Emissa­ries and catch-poles, whom he doth yet dayly egg and set on with a dogged hatred to keep others from the manger in which they cannot lye them­selves, and envy that singular Good which was ordained for mans necessityes.

I know not whether their impiety or blasphe­my be the greater, that whereas they ought with all humble and thankfull acknowledge­ment and due reverence to ascribe unto the Au­thor of Physick (from whom as from the Father of Lights is every good and perfect gift) those singular gifts for the curing of those accustomed and desperate diseases, which gifts were bestow­ed upon Theophrastus, who by peculiar influence was born a Physitian, they doe notwithstan­ding with an impious and sacrilegious boldnesse, yea also with a nefarious and inexpiable wicked­nesse attribute these gifts, according to the ve­nome of their heart against the truth, like the Pharisees of old, to the Devil himselfe, as though the wicked one were the worker of those cures, and thus they make the Devill stonger then the blessed and glorious God, though he be bound fast with the cord of the Omnipotent, and is kept deprived of the Light of Grace and Na­ture.

Those things are to be ascribed to God alone and to his Law, as to the Author of the whole Universe and of Nature, which they are not [Page 134]afraid to fasten on the Devill, who hath no power over the Will and Understanding of Man. And thus they worship Devills instead of God, blaspheming the Glory, Goodnesse, and Omnipotency of God, and by a malicious igno­rance obscuring his Wisdome or hidden Image in Man.

It doth not become our German Physitians to doe their own Country of Germany such wrong, and to contemn those Secrets which God hath granted to their Nature; they com­mend onely that which is none of their own, but rather greedily desire what is of strangers, and with an unworthy and base spirit suppresse and trample upon what is from among themselves, just as it befell Pet. Ramus from his malicious populer adversaries, because he stopt the cur­rent of youthfull studies in the silly, common, and corruptible Phylosophy; For as the Ari­stotelians unworthily rose up and set themselves against him, even so doe the mingle mangle Physitians against Theophrastus Paracelsus, whose learning is deservedly admired and won­dered at by Forrainen="*" For he hath written to than it is im­possible for a­ny to imitate him. See Paracels. de Fundamento Sa [...]ientia. and his Book cal­led Sa [...]s [...]m Corda. He that doth not carelesly read but in­wardly exa­mine his wri­tings will per­ceive as much. Nations.

And not content, in respect of his Physick, to thrust their sickle into another mans harvest,Divinity should dwe [...]l in Physick as the Soule in the body. they blush not also to wrangle against his Divi­nity, which they have neither seen nor read, nor by reason of their blockishnesse can they under­stand, inasmuch as he onely is able to judge of Truth who is inspired with Divine Wisdome; in which (his Divine writings) he hath successe­lesly endeavoured to make known to the in­gratefull [Page 135]gratefull and unworthy world that invincible united Fundamentall of Theologicall and Phylo­sophicall Truth and perfect Piety,Numen & Lu­men, Divine Power and Light, these two make a perfect Man. When the Light of Na­ture is well known, God or the Divine power of Grace is well known also. By medita­ting or con­templating we know, by knowing we are delighted, by delighting we adhere, by adhearing we possesse, by possessing we injoy the Truth which is the food of our soules. Read Div. Dionys. and Pic Mi [...]an [...]d. Cant. 1 8 taken out of the Book of Grace and Nature, that is, that our mind should be raised up to God, and our eyes lifted up to look after the Truth, and to a desire of future Blessednesse through the Rege­neration.

Without Phylosophy it is impossible to be absolutely godly; nor shall any man be ever able compleatly and Christianly to Phylosophize in either Light, who is not truely godly: The two Lights are well known, within which are all thing, without which is nothing, and no perfect knowledge of any thing. The Light of Grace, begetteth a true Theologer, yet not without Phylosophy: The Light of Nature, which is the Treasury of God confirmed in the Scrip­tures, maketh a true Phylosopher, yet not with­out Theoligie, which is the Foundation of true Wisdome. The works of God are bipactite; Philosophy comprehendeth the works or way of Nature; Theologie onely knoweth the works and way of Christ: In these two wayes we are to walk and spend our short time, that we may die in Peace and Joy. Hence it is plaine that every true Theologer is a Phylosopher, and every true Phylosopher is a Theologer.

After Paracelsus others attempted this study, following the same strait and compendious tract, most holy godly men of blessed and honourable memory and most sound both in innocence and learning, such as Paulus Brawn of Norimberge, [Page 136]Valentinus Weigelius, and Petrus Winzius, men educated and inlightned not in the sensuall school of fools, nor in the rationall school of Schollers, but in the third school of perfect Men, that Mentall or Intellectuall school of Pente­cost, in which the Prophets, and Apostles, and all truly learned men walking in the Life and steps of Christ, have been taught and learned without labour and toyle, these gave them­selves wholly thereunto as the manuscripts of their ingenuity and engraven monuments which they have left behind, are no lesse then divine witnesses thereof unto eternity, and by the fa­vour nf the most High will in their time come to Light, unlesse the indignity and ingra­titude of the world keep them back, that so ac­cording to the good pleasure of the Divine Will, the minds of those that read them▪ who yet are with-held in this hell of the body, under the yoak of misery, may by the assistance of divine Grace, after a serious knowledge and lamenta­tation of our Fall through frequent and daily contemplation of Heavenly things, and the annihilation, abnegation, immolation and mor­tification of themselves by Christ, casting all shadows behind them, and turning inward unto themselves into the Temple of the heart, that so, I say, they might by a daily practice of Piety fetch out that huge Talent and Treasury which is hid and shut up within themselvs; least like mi­serable mortall men who know not themselves, and consequently nothing else, lazily neglecting God within themselves, and in their blindnesse [Page 137]and ignorance going backward after the steps of his flocks,The more we seek after things with­out us, the more we for­get and loose our selves; what will it profit us to hunt through all things and neglect our selves? 1 John 2.20, 27. Psal. 98. Hab. 2.20. Psal. 58.84, 85. Phil. 3. Zech. 2.13. 1 Cor. 3.9. God is to be waited for with a quiet mind when the sences are laid asleep, who bestow­eth his bene­diction where in he findeth his own ves­sells. Christ is to be found in the Tem­ple of the Heart. should in vaine seek those things with­out them by many books, mortall masters, long journeys, with great and constant paines, study and wearinesse, which yet inwardly they might possesse abundantly within themselves, if they were indeed dead to themselves, even to the whole Animall Man, who is nothing but EARTH, and were supprest by the Sabbath and oblivion of Temporall things, and entred into themselves with David, Psal. 40 1. pati­ently waiting for God our master who dwelleth in his holy Temple, in the Abysse of the heart or inward parts of our Soule, Psal. 5.7. speak­ing in us by his spirit, and that they should not hinder him who is willing and desirous to in­lighten our mind, and to work all our works in us, which is the utmost happinesse and Blessed­nesse of Man, and the very determinate and ap­pointed End of the Cabala or secret wisdome. But, alasse for griefe! unhappy, foolish and miserable men had rather abide in themselves to their greatest damage and detriment of their right, then to be happy and wise in God, with God and alway in the presence of God.

The heart of a Regenerate man is Gods Eden or Garden of Pleasure, wherein he dwel­leth; For God made the World and Man that he might dwell in them as in his own proper house or Temple, though now he is not discer­ned by reason of the Dark Point of the Quater­nary: but at the end of this world which is to be Renewed by the Ternary of Man,Apoc. 21.23. the Rege­neration [Page 138]according to Soul, Spirit, and Body (the New Jerusalem, wherein the Unitrine Essence of God and the Holy and most Holy Trinity inseperably dwell) will sparkle and glit­ter out with a radiant fiery colour like a Rubie or Carbuncle thorow the clear, spotlesse, beau­tifull body. O, thrice happy is he and more, in whom as in a Bodily Angel God himselfe is the Man, in the Temple of whose incontanimate mind God is the Ghest, where Mans Left hand knoweth not what Gods Right hand doth.

Unto this God the one and onely scope and end of all mens eyes should look,The Creature is ju [...]ily ob­lidged to o­bey the Crea­tor, that our will may be one with God. Gen. 6.3. The Fall of Man and our great evill is to depart from Unity to Alterity. I never go a­broad among men but I come home lesse a man then when I went forth, Seneca. casting aside all impediments in the way, there being nothing in this world but Vanity of Vanities, all is vani­ty but to love God and cleave to him by ser­ving him alone, and so to be united to the true Being by an humble subjection, least through disobedience, a proud will, and selfe-love, neg­lecting the Nature and property of our Image, casting off God, we should slide into our selves or the Creatures as claiming to our selves the property both of them and of our selves, and so inevitably fall back into that vaine, wicked or our own Nothing.

If the Soule run back within it selfe and be converted into the Mind it draweth near to God, seeth all things, and hath no need of out­ward teaching, like the Angells, who-learn, hear and see all things from within: But when the Soule turneth into sence it is carried far off from God and departeth from God, the impure for­saketh the pure. The Academicall spirit can­not [Page 139]not understand this Mystery; for Holy and Devout Humility alone, the most noble of all vertues, is capable of Illumination.

O what pains doe they take to become sools, who once drown themselves in Humane wis­dome.But since this Truth cannot be comprehen­ded except our Understanding be kindled by the Word of the Lord, and our Reason receive the Divine Light through the Mind, nor may I in this unfit place openly speak more of these Mysteries, I returne againe to that Physitian Paracelsus from the digression unto which I had occasion to step aside.

It had been more becoming our Physitians to have extolld and huggd those great gifts of God in him, and rather have loved the man for his most ingenious art, then to hate him for some kind of behaviour and using such words which every one doth not understand; [...] facilius. quam [...]. tis easier to carp at him then to imitate him. The age wherein he wrote may excuse the harshnesse of his language, the malicious ingratitude of men may be the cause of the bewayled obscurity of his Commentators, the unusuall custome of Phylosophers plead for the strange novelties of names, for the Phylosophers have ever driven from their hives of most sacred Sciences those sluggish and lazy Drones who are good for no­thing but to devoure other mens industry, for as Plato saith,

A man may live any where, Lawes and Li­berties [Page 140]are alowed in every Dominion: But let any man look into himselfe and consider if he had that which Theophrastus knew, whe­ther he would tell it to every man; in so doing he would break the Oath of Hippocrates, who would not instruct every one in the Art of Phy­sick.

A Secret indeed is to be concealed, it belongs onely to God to reveale it; if it be disclosed, commonly it exposeth to death, or prison, or reproach, or at least to continuall fear and vo­luntary exilement from our friends into a far country for safety, unlesse we will brand our reputation with a perpetuall blur of lying and deceit to conceale the same; Lully; Arnold, Zachary of Paris, and others, are witnesses hereof, besides many examples of latter ages. The true Hermetick Phylosophers took an Oath that they would follow the footsteps of their fathers and masters, and not by any teine­rity defile the virginity of Nature, which hath been preserved from the begining of the world: yet have they bequeathed their secrets to their sworn disciples who are engag'd by perpetuall faith and gratitude and made worthy of such their precepts by Nature or Education,Without paines-taking none is fit to injoy that Art. which yet are with much sweat to be searched out.

Men of shallow judgement are ready to think if Paracelsus speak any thing against those that follow the rule of their Experience, or inveigh against Empericks who have no skill at all, that he approveth of no sort of Physitians, but that he would professe himselfe to be the sole and [Page 141]onely Physitian in all the world; whereas he only condemns the common rable of Physitians who are altogether ignorant both of Theory & Practice: Nor truely are they to be accounted Physitians, who Verbally and Syllogistically onely make a great flourish of Physick, but doe no cures at all, a true figne of a foolish ambition, boasting that they have the Method of Physick, a sort of men swoln with contempt and pride, and born to crush the truth of the Physicall Art. Some of them are so incensed against that Theophrastus (because he might and maine set himselfe against those proud and impenitent fel­lows) that they had rather let their Patients pe­rish then make use of his prescriptions; Many also for that cause dispise his medicines, least if they commonly use them and their wonderfull effect appear, it would be some blemish to their repute; and therefore the better they are, the more doe they undervalue them.

And though the Censurers of Theophrastus, those fallacious Medodists (who linger out the cure, and lengthen the disease by their compen­dium) falsly charge the genuine Chymists that they have lost the right method, thats as much as nothing, for tis plaine to those that have their understanding inlightned, that Para­celsus observed onely that method that was a­greeable to Reason and Experience. Nor should we be so addicted to any mans Authority, as not to prefer the Truth before it, for without the Truth all Authority is pernicious, and all wise men will sleight it as of no value with­out [Page 142]that: we are not so much to regard by whom, as what it is that is spoken; no man should be so wedded to another mans judge­ment, as altogether to be deprived of his own.

True Method consisteth in the knowledg of the Disease, and the Cure of it, viz: what food in reason with convenient Medicines driveth a­way sickness, and procureth health. Therefore Wimpeneus learnedly sheweth that greatest and most grievous Diseases now a dayes are in three respects cured by the Paracelsians.

First, Because the Diseases are more perfect­ly known, for heretofore when all were reduc'd to the four humours, those that sprang from Tartar cleaving to any part could not be cured, because it cannot be referred to any of those four humours. And since we are here fallen up­on Tartar I will speak a little more of it.

Every mem­ber hath its own proper digestion, se­peration, e­munctory, ex­crement in it selfe. The first digestion of the stomack is not digesti­on, but appa­ration for the digestions of the particular members.The first Ens or Being toward life, from whence the body hath it's nourishment & food ariseth out of the last matter of the Meat by the Archaeus, or digestion of the Stomack, it's sepa­ration, and generation of separation: 'Tis re­duc'd unto Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt, as is plain in the three chief Emunctories: the super­fluity of Salt is separated by the Urine, that of Sulphure is divided and purged through the En­trals. Mercury or the moisture of that which nourisheth; if there be too much of it passeth through the pores by sweat.

Whatsoever we eat and drink hath in it a mucilagenous, clayish, and sandy Tartar hurtful [Page 143]to our Health: Nature taketh nothing but that which is pure; the Stomack which is the instru­ment of Mans Archaeus, or the Internal, innate Chymist which God hath planted in Man, as soon as it taketh any thing into it self it sepera­teth that which is impure, dreggy, and Tartarous from the pure Nourishment; if the Stomack be strong in it's ful separative force, the pure pas­seth to the Members for nourishment, the im­pure goeth out by successe: If the Stomack be weak and feeble the impure also is sent through the Mesaraick veins to the Liver, and there sepa­rated and digested the second time: The Liver therefore of these two in their course, and by turne seperateth the pure from the impure, viz. the Rubie from the Chrystall: The Rubie is the nourishment of all the members, the heart, braine, &c. the Christall or that which is not the nourishment it sendeth to the reines,The first se­paration of Tartar, which is by the Li­ve [...]utneth in­to mosse, the second which is of the sto­mack into haile; the third of the kidneys and bladder into a little stone. Every Man hath mosse & haile, but not a stone in him. this is urine, which is nothing else but the Salt pressed out of the Mercurialls, forced into resolution by the violence of separation, which the Liver re­solveth into Water and then throws it out; If the Liver be weak and cannot well separate it sendeth it to the kidneys mucilaginous and sto­ny, there for want of good separation (that is, when the spirits of Salt, viz. of the flesh and of the urine are united) the Spirit of the Salt co­ming between by the power of predestination, it is coagulated into Sand or Tartar, either cloddy or mucilaginous.

Tartar therefore is the excrement of meat and drink, which by the spirit of Salt is coagu­lated [Page 144]in Man, except it be mixt together with the Excrements by the proper expulsive vertue and so cast our with them, whence otherwise would arise four kinds of Tartar, the stone of the bladder, the Sand of the Kidneys, the clods or gobbets, as also the Slime or lutous matter of the stomack, with many other diseases which the Ancients knew not.

Againe, Paracelsus distinguisheth Tartar into that which is strange or forraine proceed­ing from meat and drink, and that which is innate of the cruor or hereditary blood, which innate Tartarous disposition cannot be cured by the Physitian who knows not how to force Na­ture, but onely by the Quint-Essence of Gold which reneweth the whole body.

Tartar therefore or the Naturall superfluity (the mucilage of Salt) is the mother of almost all diseases of all coagulate bodies. For all kind of food,Paracels saith that the Mat­ter, viz. the Tartar of di­seases is two­fold; Bolous, such as in milk meats, fish, and flesh: and Viscous, Bituminous, mucilaginous such is the ex­crement of pulse, cole­worts, roots, fruits, &c. by Divine ordination, hath Poyson or a Tartarous Mucilaginous Impurity hard by or close unto the medicine or Physick thereof.

There are four sorts of Tartar, springing from the fourfold fruits of the Elements by which we are nourished.

The first sort ariseth from the use of those things which grow in the Earth, as Pulse of all sorts, Hearbs, &c. upon which we feed.

The second cometh from the nourishment which we have from the Water, as Fish, shell-Fish.

The third is in the Flesh of Beasts and Fowles.

The fourth from the Firmament, which is most like to the Spirit of wine in its subtilty, and hath the strongest impression of all; if the Aire be infected by the vapours of the Earth, and Water, and Firmament, afterward it affecteth us also, as we see in those acute and pernicious Astrall diseases, the Pleuresie, Plague. Prunells or raging burning diseases, which diseases pro­ceeding from the impressions of the Stars the universall medicine powerfull expelleth.

Those four kinds of Tartar shew themselves in the Urine, and are judged of by the art of se­paration, by which it appeareth from what kind of Tartar the disease proceedeth. He that know­eth what sort of food any one eateth, may also know his disease, or he that knoweth the disease may know what he eateth; The disease is cured by the same Element that was the cause of it. If Galen and his followers had had the true knowledge of these Excrements of meat and drink, which for the most part breed all our di­seases (which Paracelsus comprehendeth under the name of Poyson and Tartar) Choller and Melancholly had long since been rooted out of the Physitians Garden.

He that knoweth not this Tartarous matter of diseases which proceedeth from the excre­mentitious superfluities of meat and drink, can­not possibly understand how the Author of di­seases afflicteth us, by destroying the frame of the little world and taking away our life. If we know not the Tartar, we cannot tell what that is which infringeth the spirit of cogulation, and [Page 146]separateth the Tartar from the Nourishment, viz. our Naturall Heat, or the microcosmicall heat of the Sun and Moon that is in us, whereby the Nutriment is digested, like fire that burneth up the wood, and from which good blood is begotten, if it be not hindered by sicklinesse and weakning of the separative vertue of the sto­mack, Liver and Kidneys, and then it must be strengthned by its like, that is, by the macrocos­micall Heat of Sun and Moon, if it could be got, even the most simple matter which the most Great God generated of the spirit of the world (one and the same with the spirit of our body) for the restauration and conservation of Humane Nature, or with those things wherein the power of the Sun and Moon is,The Vitall spirit in Man and the Ele­mentall is but one spirit. and is deduced by art into act, viz. turned into such a simple spirit as is the spirit of our life, which is done by reso­lution and conjuction with the Nutriment. But if the Archaeus of our stomack, liver or kidneys, which separateth the pure from the impure be infected,Tartar diffe­reth accor­ding to the places of the bodies pores and passages, as of the mouth and bottome, of the stomack, of the inte­stines, liver, bladder, reins, flesh, blood, marrow. or their separative power be hindered by any externall accidents, then the excrements stay in the Chylus, and cause stomachall diseases in the stomack, Jecorall in the liver, Athriticall in the g [...]ew, sinewes, ligaments and joynts, and breed the Gout in the hands, feet, knees, from congelation of the glew by the spirit of Salt, besides those diseases of the Reines and Inte­stines: Therefore the Archaeus of the stomack must destroy the Tartar of the Elements least it be turned into the Tartar of Man, for the spirit of the Sun which is Lord and Master of coagula­tion [Page 147]in various subjects will breed the Stone if it finde matter resolv'd or separated from the nutriment and excrement. So much for Tar­tar.

Secondly, Because we have more perfect me­dicines now then heretofore, that is to say, of Mineralls, whose preparations and due admini­strations were discovered to those skilfull Chy­mists the Sons of Cadmus: A knotty piece must be cloven with hard wedges; Therefore Paracelsus would have a steely medicine ap­plied as proper for an iron disease, for extream diseases call for extream remedies.

Thirdly, Because now the Harmony between the great and little world is made so plaine, and so well understood, that it is easie to know a­mong those choyse and most excellent of them, what medicine is most familiar and friendly to this or that member, as Silver, Saphir, Vitrioll, Emeralds, for the braine; for the heart, Gold, Pearles, Saffron; for the lungs, Brimstone, &c.

Moreover, Whereas Paracelsus offendeth Galen, Galen did the same to others: Hippo­crates wrote many things, which most Galenists reject at this day; nor doe the stoutest of com­mon vulgar Physitians agree among themselves. How many things are controverted and conten­ded for with undecided discord about particular diseases, by those that differ in their most pug­nacious opinions, and that are ignorant Mecha­nick forgers of diseases?

As between Schekius and Fuchsius about the [Page 148]continent Cause of diseases.You may find more jarring in opinions in Agryppa de va­nit te Scientia­ [...]m. cap. de medicina. Between Argen­terius and Fernelius about Agues and Fevers. Between Galen and Rondeletius concerning the Palsie, Epilepsie and Stone. Between Franca­neianus, Rondelatius and Fallopius about the French Pox. Between Altomarus and Ferne­lius concerning the Gout.

How many millions, according to the disa­greeing and jarring method of these men, will still perish, before the genuine cause of the said diseases be determined in the Commencement of Physitians, their brawling disputations ended, and the Colledge of Physitians be of one mind? Here for brevity sake I willingly passe by the Herbarists, who commonly squabble and raile at one another with endlesse jangling about the Wool of Plants, tyring themselves with questi­ons and frivilous names from a proud contenti­ous spirit. It were idle here to recount those infinite and endlesse contentions and wrang­lings.

Therefore I exhort and admonish all Stu­dents of Hippocraticall and Galenicall Physick, in whom the Philosophicall veine is yet warme, who are not bitterly bent against the prepara­tions of medicines, and know that what our in­dustry hath found out should not shut the door against that of the Ancients, as if all the strength of Nature were hatched in us onely; I doe (I say) perswade them that they would forsake their Fathers faults and other mens errours, and be warned of their ill resolved purpose, that be­ing instructed by prudence they may timely be [Page 149]converted from a known errour, and that they would also spend some time in reading the works of this new Phylosopher and Physitian, not superficially and prefunctorily, but with greatest diligence and attention of mind. For in this kind of study we are to imitate the experi­ence and industry of the Bees, who suck and ga­ther their hony out of the most fragrant juice of the flowers, segregating the best from the worst and drawing out onely that which is for their turne.

Wherefore I doe not so far perswade men that they should so adore every thing of Para­celsus (inasmuch as he himselfe hath recanted something of his over hasty writings) as if they were all Gospel-Oracles, as we see many who even worship the conclusions, and opinions of Hethen Authors, but because the diligent and accurate reading of him may give us greater light, and be no small advantage to us for the more intimate and right understanding of Hip­pocrates his works.

They are not to be praised who rashly con­demn all that Paracelsus hath written, when yet they have not read so much as his marginall notes, or if they have, yet truly they understand not fully the third part of them.

Here this ye Phylosopasters, who throw away the kernell and pick up onely the husks of Phy­losophers, pray to God, and seek to Books of Paper, for the spirit, that ye may understand the dead letter of Theophrastus, and the Phylo­sophers.

His works which were Printed for the publick good, by the incouragement and at the cost of that most Renowned and Reverend Ernestus Prince Elector of Coleine, have given occasion to his adversaries to charge him with implicite and evident contradiction, because to the un­skilfull and unlearned he wrote in a Magicall stile; not for the vulgar sort, but for himselfe and the understanding children of Wisdome trained up in the School of Magick; not for the Sophisticall Alchymists, such as are be­witch'd with a greedy desire of Gold; incensed with a righteous hatred against some most wretched, wicked, inhumane Physitians and Druggists of his time, who often lay in wait to poyson him to the shortning of his life. If he he had written more plainly, [...]hen those circum­foranceous and vulgar Alchymists would have surpassed all other Physitians, and prostituted the Art to the great wrong and injury of Na­ture.

He concealed his mysteries under vulgar and various names; therefore we must not take the similitudes for the truth it selfe, or that which is intended by them: For there are few that understand the Physicall Secrets, that is, the hid­den power of God, or the Magicall WORDS in Paracelsus; therefore they need and require a Delian swimmer, a most acute and sharp wit, a Magicall Understanding, even that purified eye of the Mind, which can pry into and search out their sentences and secret-mysteries. By Mag [...]ck every were I mean that which is True [Page 151]and lawfull (not the infamous and prophane [...] or wichcraft, which is fit for none but Vulcan, and deserveth to be burned, which Men of a wretched wit & studious of most obo­minable curiosity hunt and search after, but) the absolute perfection of the whole most noble Phylosophy, the chiefest Wisdome of Gods works and the plenary knowledge of occult Na­ture, which commonly worketh incredible won­ders, and doth things exceeding the usuall order of Nature, by a fit application of Agents and Patients, observing the consent and dissent of things.

The intelligent Readers will take notice that Paracelsus hath joyned the exercetation of ei­ther medicine together, as well that of Physick as of Chyrurgie, in imitation and after the ex­ample of Great Hippocrates: For he assigned or set down a twofold Medicine, Physicall or the knowledge of all diseases, and Chyrurgicall or the curing of the same, which like the Car­penters work cannot be done without hands: Nor can either without the other safely consist or be exercised but with great hurt and danger of the sick; Therefore it is necessary that every Surgeon should be a Physician, and every Phy­sitian a Chyrurgion, that there may be a sound Bridgroom for a sound Bride: The choice also of the Medicines must alway be considered, and their preparations and compositions made by the Physitian himselfe, and not carelesly left to others. He is truly a genuine Physitian, who can tell how (not onely by Reason, as mear [Page 152]Rationall Physitians doe, but) by their own hand to prepare the medicaments which they know, to seperate and purge them from their poyson and dreggs, to reduce them to their pure simplicity, and not leave them to an unskilfull cook: For the Bad and Good are mixt toge­ther, neither is Sugar free from faeculent impu­rity, nor is honey voyd of a venemous bitter­nesse: when they are prepar'd he must with true faith and acurate skill or judgement accom­modate them to mans necessities, that the root of the disease may be plucked up; by this means his honest and quick dispatch will prevent the patients complaints.

A Physitian therefore should have both the Theory and Practice, he must both know and prepare his medicines, for judgement without practice is altogether barren and fruitlesse. Phy­sick is learned by the labour of the hands and practicall working or making it up, when the Fire discovereth new and most pleasant Reme­dies continually, which Nature dayly more and more purgeth from their superfluities, and then delivereth them to her Servant to make them up: But the great Doctors of our time, who are grown gray in the vulgar art of Physick, will not become schollers and school-boyes againe, to dig they are ashamed: And as tis hard to re­move an old tree, or to bring an old dog to the collar and make him a good hunter, so these men will openly contradict the truth, and with a canine obstinate bawling bark at it, and bite it rather then endeavour to reform their errours, [Page 153]least they should not seem to be wise enough, or be thought to learn something better from others: But though they exclaime and cry out against the Chymists as if they were no Phy­sitians, though they be the most skilfull of any, but that they are the onely Physitians who in judgement and Reason (undervaluing Chymi­stry) know how to apply any Remedy to every disease, yet these Rationall Physitians when they come to the sick mans bed know not what to doe or which way to turne themselves, but stand wondering and as men amazed, speaking smoothly, and giving their patient a parcell of good words onely, being able to doe nothing toward his recovery, because they can prepare their medicines but onely with their Reason, not at all with their hand.

These Receits being lost by chance, all the Wisdome va­nisheth from them: Expe­rience, with­out Phyloso­phy the mo­ther of Expe­rience is un­certaine.Yet here I will by no means undertake to de­fend them, who reteining the works of Hippo­crates and of the Ancients, yet boast themselves to be the Schollers of Paracelsus, but neither acknowledge the minde of the Author in his Theory, nor doe any thing praise-worthy in Practice.

There are also false and lying Theophrasteans prophaning by their avarice and timerity that Divine Physick (which at this day is made the plough of many, who shamelesly endeavour to hold up a good opinion of themselves) to cou­zen and cheat with a brasen face, who under dis­guised names vaunt and vapour that they make use of Theophrastus his medicines, being altoge­ther ignorant not onely of Phylosophicall, but [Page 154]even of vulgar and common medicines, who disdaining the writings of the Ancients,These men get their knowledge piece-meale out of men, & gaine their ex­perience by the death of others, their skil fulnesse maketh them rich. thrust themselves into the profession of Physick with unwashen hands, I know not what Secrets and Experiences they trust to, yet with a foolish confidence without Reason and judgement, they presently undertake to cure any disease; Nay, they doubt not to attempt and take in hand the cure of greatest and most dangerous diseases be­fore they scarce know how to put fire into the furnace. With a covetous eye and Thrasonick boasting they brag that they can perfectly cure all diseases, they glory in it, and are not ashamed of this their lying, but when all comes to all, they cheat their Patients with sweet and sugared pro­mises, after they have fingered their larg fee, dril­ling them along indeed with a gratefull, but most false presage of their recovery, and many times betake them to their heels and leave the sick to shift for themselves, or else cure the party and his disease at once with a turse of the Church­yard.

But notwithstanding we may sometimes see in great and difficult diseases, when all the sub­tilties of the sences are benumm'd that all the Medicines both of the Arabians and Grecians, are desperate and without hope of doing any good, and so become laughing-stocks to the di­sease; and though all Judications and Analo­gisms may faile, so that many times the cure is left to the absurd Remedies of Old Wives and Empericks to the great dishonour and ignominy of Physitians: And though it be evident that [Page 155]these circumforaneous and adulterous Theophra­steans, with their unlawfully prepared Remedies,No rabble of Physitians in the City is more nume­rous then these. doe sometime exceed many Galenists in many great and perilous diseases; yet no conscienti­ous man will ever approve their uncertaine, bold, rash, dangerous, impious practice of Phy­sick, wherewith they put the sick in danger of death by doubtfull and uncertaine experi­ments.

We should al­way be im­ployed for the good of our ne [...]ghbour & avoyd idlenes because it is the Devils cu­shon, the mo­ther of vice & the step-mo­ther of virtue. Beginning with small things we should by lit­tle and little go on to grea­ter things. By the con­tempt of sci­ences we lose the good and get the evill.That this mischief may be prevented for time to come, and the brand of Physitians, by reason of the out-cry against their uncertaine art, be taken away, it would be wisely done and worth their labour if those who study Physick, who are the Priests and Ministers of the Muses, and are marryed to their study in a godly wedlock, in whom pride and envy have not yet taken root, and who prefer labour and sweat (for which God is engag'd to bestow all things) before idlenesse and sloth, which most men so much de­sire, because the Paracelsian Theory of Chymi­call Physick as yet is wrapt up in perplexities and some obscurities which are not easie to all, that therefore they would not be so shy to black their hands, but learn of Paracelsus and other Chymists to prepare and make up their Medi­cines, but to observe the method of Hippocrates in curing diseases, as it agreeth with their own Judications and Inventions: For by this means these two Schools of Old and New Physick may be reconcil'd without contradiction, and consist very well in a Physitian without any errour or notorious scandall, after that over-grown dam­nable [Page 156]Custome of our time is worn out, accor­ding to which men use indifferently to dislike and reject the good with the bad.

The best and chiefest Foun­dation of Phy­sick is faith in God, and love to our neigh­bour, if this be wanting all Art is nothing worth. Paracelsus would not have Physick be concealed.This also is diligently to be considered, an honest and able Physitian (in whom besides a fidutiall feare of God and Love to his sick neighbour, a singular Conscience and Experi­ence is also requisite) laying aside all pride and covetousnesse, if he administer any thing it is to be accounted of as the hand of God; but if he be a wretched Miscreant, and an Ignoramus, what he giveth is to be lookt upon as poyson. And though great part of Physitians, who cheat us of other mens good things, cannot indure that Physick with its preparations should pre­miscuously be imparted to all sorts of men, for fear if it should be made common, or as they say Prophaned, they should lose their gaines, for tis a foolish conceit of the frantick vulgar sort, who think that a Secret looseth its vertue when tis made known: Neverthelesse those greedy covetous gaine-getters will cease their murmuring and forbear to curse and wish my eyes out for my good will, when they consider that neither God nor Nature hath made every man a Physitian,Every one hath not the gift, not is he fit to be a Phy­sitian; and though all ex­periences are secrets, yet Novices know not the Dose and true quan­tity in which the vertue of Physick consi­steth: for if we take too much Saffron or Treacle it is poyson, if too little it will doe no good. Thus it will be the experience of the Physitian onely. though he may rightly admini­ster some known Physick to the Patient accor­ding to art and the methodicall and set propor­tion or quantity of the Dose (to say nothing of other circumstances requisite to a godly learned Physitian) as one saddle will not fit every horse, nor can a child handle his weapon like a fencer. That which is the proper duty of a sincere, true [Page 157]and expert Physitian onely, who is more religi­ously and holily instructed, in the exhibition of their medicines they will follow the steps of pi­ous and venerable antiquity; and imitate that most commendable and religious custome of the Hermetick Physitians, who always use to pray for a blessing upon their endeavours, striving to be equall to those who will not take in hand the smallest matter without Divine Invocation; Whosoever useth any Creature without cra­ving a blissing, God imputeth it to him for no o­ther than theft and rapine. Wee who professe CHRIST ought to administer in that Won­derfull Name of JESU: for so the Doctor of the Gentiles commandeth the Colossians, say­ing; Whatsoever yee do in word or deed, Col. 3.17. & 1 Cor. 10.31. do all in the NAME of the LORD JHSƲH Christ, giving thanks to him and to God by him. Gods blessing is to be obtain'd by prayer; Call upon me in the day of thy trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorifie me, saith our Crea­tor.

First, then before we give or take any Physick we are to pray to the good and great God that the Physick which he hath ordained as the meanes, may work Divine and healthfull effects, that his name may be glorified.

Secondly, after we have recovered and made them well, let us never cease to give him hearty thanks, in respect of gratitude, as it is to be con­sidered in it selfe as a duty, and for time to come to avoyd the heavy wrath of God against un­thankfull men.

These two poynts are scarce thought of by most Physitians, which is the chief cause of thier ill successe, and then all the blame must be laid upon the Art.

It is also to be observed, That, as for exam­ple, though a Cathartick medicine doth work equally effectually in a knave as it doth in an honest man (which God permitteth for his praise and glory, and to make his mercy known) yet the end in both may be far different and un­like, for it may be healthfull to the one, and hurtfull to the other: For what medicine so­ever it be that is administred and taken without imploring the Divine Grace,Ecel. 39.28. &c. doth become a greater inconvenience of a more grievous disease that will certainly befall the impenitent unbe­liever.

Here also it is to be considered, that some­times the sick person is not recovered by the best and fittest medicines that can be applyed, and that for these eight causes, Viz.

Paracels. lib. de resuscitatione naturalium, sol. 295. First, Because the Terme of Life approach­eth, which cannot be prolong'd by any art or help of Man. No Medicine can preserve the corruptible body from death, the wages and pu­nishment of sin; but there is one thing that hindereth corruption, reneweth youth, and pro­longeth the short life, as in the Patriarchs: But although, as we shall shew anon, the life may be shortned or lengthned, yet by the immutable decree of the Eternall Law, we must of necessity die at last in respect of the punishment of sin, least with Plato we conclude a recesse after such [Page 159]a time, for the conjunction of divers things ne­cessarily implies a dissolution;Our dome­stick enemy which we beat about usis the cause of our death. The Curse in the Creature is re­moved by death. Eccl. 10.11. & 14.18. & 41.5. And in this case the universall and chiefest medicine is of no effect, because no industry or skill of Artist or Nature can perpetuate the wedlock of life and death, which by an immutable necessity is de­stin'd to a divorce; for the Laws of Nature are inviolable: we are not therefore to desire, much lesse may we think to find any help beyond that utmost bound which God hath set us.

Secondly, Because through the ignorance of unskilfull Physitians, and their naughty medi­cines, the sick is brought to that passe, that the disease is corrupt, pernicious, and incurable, so that he cannot be repaired or recovered by good medicines: And to such commonly the Chymists are sent for, [...]. whom Plutarch calls Physitians of Trophilus, who said that he was a compleat Physitian who could judg what might be done, and what not; such never make use of their noble and undeserved Remedies, with a vaunting ostentation to their disgrace, when the sick is past all hope of mans help, for it be­comes a wise man to prevent (an errour) rather than repent of it: Let them take heed also they mix not their own medicines with others poy­son, least the miscarriage be ascribed to the good and the recovery to the bad, for it is a lamenta­ble thing to see the cursed hatred of some Phy­sitians, who rather than they will allow another his due honour, who is more able than them­selves, to maintaine their tottering credit, will utterly cast away the Patient, who might be [Page 160]recovered by anothers skill, such as these men commonly (and justly) call Honest Hang­men.

Thirdly, Because the Physitian is sent for too late, when Nature is overcome and the disease hath got the mastery: Otherwise if the Physi­tian had Seasonably cast fit leed of Physick into the sick mans body, resisting the disease at first, no doubt but by Gods blessing the expected fruit of health would have sprung up.

Fourthly, Because the sick doth not follow directions: For so it is many times, that the sick layes the fault on the Physick or Physitian when he himselfe committed it by his disorderly living contrary to the Golden law of the Lo­crians recorded by Aelianus.

Fifthly, Because some mens Natures or peculi­ar qualityes are not so easy to be cured; As we see some extraordinary hard knotty wood so much degenerate from its naturall softnesse that it can hardly be cloven and very often the Time or Season, together with the bad inclina­tion of the Astra's is very crosse and contrary to the health:In cures re­spect is to be had to the sea­son, for in summer one course is to be taken, in win­ter another, in Autumn another. For whatsoever is cured before the time is subject to a relaps tis a very instant of the Season or time of the harvest only that makes a sure and certaine cure: A ripe pear or apple will fall of its own accord, but before wee shake the tree in vaine to get it down. If those things be not considered, especially in the cure of Astrall diseases, all things are of no moment, and we goe about the work to no perpose Phy­sitians also should make it their care that they [Page 171]and their Physick do not more hurt than the di­sease it selfe, therefore let them never advise with that which tendeth to the destruction of soul and body, but make it their chiefe care that they doe no hurt when they can doe no good. So shall they keep a good conscience, which is the constant joy of the heart.

Sixthly, Because diseases are come to their appoynted period, and then by the Lawes of Nature there can be no recovery, as in perfect, absolute and compleat bituminous, Colar, stony and sandy coagulations: For of such like con­summated diseases their is no cure, as wee so in those that are born blind and deafe. For what Nature hath once taken away the Physitian can by no means restore,None can re­form the er­rours of Na­ture. if the substance of the body be mishapen, and the parts thereof mis­placed from the conception, there is no setting of them right againe.

Physitians should take nothing of the poor for their Physick; Cha­rity toward the sick should be their most eminent ver­tae. Seventhly, As the base nigardlynesse of the sick (though there is no money more honestly got, and more unwillingly parted with) make the Physitian negligent in his office; So also many times the sick parties doubt, distrust, and unbeliefe of the Physitians diligence and care, doth either retard the effect of the Physick, or altogether hinder the endeavor of the Physitian, to say nothing of those who dispise the Order of God, and will take no Physick in the greatest extremity, but think to be made well by God (though indeed he be the onely Physitian) without the use of Means by which he worketh. We ought not to resist the Ordinance of God:Ecclesiastic: 38. [Page 172]There is a twofold Physick; Visible or created, and Invisible even the WORD of GOD:The Physitian and the Phy­sick are the very true mer­cy of God. It is by the WORD of GOD therefore that any one whosoever is restored to his health, he that despiseth his WORD, despiseth Phy­sick, and so on the contrary; for he that saith Physick is worth nothing, doth upon the matter affirm that there is no God.

[...]merry heart is a continuall feast.Moreover, as hath been said, the Mind of the Patient being raised with much confidence doth take the Physick with a stronger desire: There­fore seeing sorrow is the venome of Life,Eccl. 38.19, 20. & 30.25. it was not without cause that Hippocrates in his Apho­rismes speaketh so much of the Confidence of the sick in the Physitian and his Physick.That Physiti­an doth most good of whom most [...]ve a good opinion. A firm Faith, undoubted Hope, Love and Confidence toward the Physitian and his Physick, doth ve­ry much conduce to health, yea sometimes more than the Physitian and his Physick too. Natu­rall Faith (I speak not of the Faith of Grace by Christ) inborn of God the Father in the first Creation, which is our IMAGINATION, is so powerfull that it can both cause and cure diseases, as is plaine in time of Pestilence, when out of his own proper Imagination, from fear and terrour it breedeth that Basilisk of Heaven, which intoxicateth the microcosmicall Firma­ment from his own superstition, even as the faith of the Patient assisteth thereto. The Naturall Plague becomes Firmamental and supernaturall, that is to say, when the Iliaster or Evestrum of the Sun, provoked by the sins of men to wrath and punishment, infecteth and punisheth mortall [Page 173]men through the influx of the Stars,The Stars are the rods of the Astra's. Paracels. tract. 2. depestili [...]a [...]e. by reason of their offences, because of the singular partici­parion it hath with the Evester of Man, nor is there any medicine so potent that can resist and help against it, for by its invenomed malignity and sinister aspect of the incendiary Stars it in­fecteth the Mummy and Sulphur of the micro­cosm, Man, who hiddenly possesseth all innate macrocosmicall poysons.

The Will and Imagination of Man is the mother of the plague; so that a Man by his Imagina­tion may in­fect a whole country with the Plague.Such is the force of the Sydereall spirit upon the body, that whithersoever it imagineth and dreameth it carryeth and leadeth the very body up and down with it, as we see in Noctambu­laters. All things are possible [...]o him that be­lieveth, because Faith certifieth all things that are uncertaine: God can no otherwayes be o­vercome but by Faith; whosoever believeth in God he worketh by God, and to God all things are possible, but how that comes to passe cannot be searched out. Faith is at least a work, I mean his work in whom we believe. The Cogitations surpasse and goe beyond the Operations of the Astra's and Elements; For when we think, and have faith in our cogitations, then faith doth the work, but without faith we can doe no­thing. Faith giveth the Imagination,Read Paracel of invisible diseases, and the efficacy of the faith of Nature, which by God can do all things Na­turally. the Ima­gination giveth a Sydus or Constellation, the Sydus, (by reason of the Matrimony with the Imagination) giveth the effect or work.

To mix Faith with the Physick is that which giveth spirit to the Physick, the spirit gives the knowledge of the Physick, the Physick gives health. Thence it followeth that a Physitian [Page 174]springeth out of Faith,The Imagina­tion is like pitch, it easily sticketh and quickly earch­e [...]h she. according to his Faith so doth the Spirit further and assist him, I mean the Spirit of Nature or the Sydus of the me­dicine. A man many times through the Faith of Imagination doth that which the best Physitians with their chiefest medicaments can­not do: Many times also that Faith or perswa­sion cureth more than the very efficary or ver­tue of the medicine which the Physitian admi­nistreth,Therefore [...]ai [...]h D [...]en, [...] b [...]veth to [...] p [...]int & prom [...]schealth in [...]nd to the sick and not to [...] off H [...]pe though he des [...]ire. as we saw some years since in that fa­mous Anwalding Panacaea, and may now see in that new medicinall Spring which brake out this yeare in the coasts of Misnia and Bohemia, unto which almost an incredible number of sick and weake people dayly resort: For which there can be no other reason given but the con­stant excessive affection of them that use it, which power is in the very soul of him that takes the medicine, when without any feare or sinister imaginations, it is carryed to some great excesse of its desire. For the rational soul rouzed up and inflamed with a vehement ima­gination overcometh even Nature it selfe, and by her strong affections renueth many things in her own body, and causeth sicknesse or health, not only in her own body, but in o­thers also: He that falls mad by the biting of a mad dogg will have the shape of doggs appearing in his urine: Thus the lust and long­ing of a pregnant woman worketh upon ano­ther body, when through oblivion of her selfe she imprints the marke of the thing longed for upon the child in her womb, as [Page 175]saffron coloureth water; For by her Imagina­tion she formeth the infant, as a Potter doth the clay. Fear, trembling, and appetite, are the chiefe cause of the fancy, estimation, and imagi­nation, of women with child: Therefore when she begins to imagine,There are im­pressions of the inferior [...] Astr [...]. then the Astra's of the microcosmicall Firmament, or the Astra's of the humane Mind are moved with the phant [...]cy, estimation, and imagination, just as the externall Astra's of the microcosmicall Firmament, where the Astra's ascend and descend every moment till the impression be made, in which impression the Astra's of the Imagination of the great bellied women doe print an Influence and impression upon the child, as Engravers mark their work with an iron stamp.

Therefore it is better the bo­dy be sick, than the soul: good words are the Physi­tians of a sick Soul. In lib. de Ani­ma. The body is corrupted by the passions of the Soul [...] & the mind is nor impassible of the [...] ­tions of the body. This Natura [...] Faith [...] the Wi [...] [...] the Creator, bestowed up­on th [...] Crea­ture tha [...] was made after his likenesse, al­though it can do all things; yet ought it to keep and ob­serve the pro­perty of the Image. All things are possible to him that believeth and is willing; All things are impossible to the un­believer and rebellious: as he thinketh and imagine [...]h the thing to be, so it must be. Unbeliefe is the greatest and most powerfull enemy of Faith: For the Imagination joyned with Faith can do all things. The Fares also make diseases incurable, when we perceive by the deny all of such help which we expected from the ministring of fi [...] medicines.Thus it is manifest that the affections of Mind when t [...]ey are most vehement are able to de­prive of Life, as in histories we read: And this is well known to every man, that many through overmuch joy or too much sorrow, by too much love or hatred, have dyed, and many times by the like passions have been cured of long disea­ses; because, as Avicen saith, Nature obey­eth the cogitations and vehement desires of the Soul, and when the spirit is affected, the body in which the spirit lies hid, is affected also.

Againe, the aforesaid Naturall Faith its effi­cacy manifested it selfe in the woman that had the bloody issue, and in the Centurion. Man who was created after the likenesse and image of God, and savouring as it were of a Celestiall Majesty, hath great things in his hands and [Page 176]power, Gen. 32.25, 26. It is well known to all what great matters a constant Credulity in an elevated or raised Mind can doe by a strong ima­gination, even so great, that in false intense opi­nions and operations, it worketh miracles But haesitation of Credulity and diffidence doe not onely shatter and break the vertue or force of the operating mind, which is the mean between both extreams, but do also weaken every work, as well in Superstition as in true Religion, and enervate the desired effect even of the most powerfull Experiments.

And that which is here diligently to be ob­served,Mar. 13.58. Marke 6.5. [...]. our Saviour, as Holy Writ saith, was not able to work miracles in Capernaum, be­cause they believed not, but with their incredu­lity and false faith resisted him. For as man can done nothing without God,Mat. 9.1, 2. so likewise God will doe nothing without Man, as his Organ or Instument, God and the Creature both toge­ther, neither without the other. Therefore no Man ought to will without God, because no Man can Be without God, in whom we are, and live, and are moved.

Eightly, Least the sick party recovering should commit greater sins against God, his neighbor and himselfe to the losse of his Soul, [Page 177]for every sicknesse is as it were an expiation or propitiatory of sacrifice, either the just Judge by this Divine innate revenge, pennance and scourge doth call him to amendment of life for the time to come, or that by this Fatherly visi­tation and imposition of the crosse which he ought patiently to indure, he may be a pattern to himsefe and his neighbour for the more fer­vent Fear and Worship of God, for God many times permitteth some men to fall into many and great sicknesses, whose minds have been greivou­sly infected & distempered by the gladsome and pleasant health of the flesh, together with the continuation of their sins, to the losse of their Eternall health: For health is nothing worth, seeing it is but condemnation to us, if our sins be not forgiven. Moreover, sins weaken the powers of the Soul, and make it impotent to the Naturall Government of the body: Therefore the powers of the body are enfeebled and hasten to death.Job 33.19, 20 Or else the sick is held under this yoke and bridle of infirmity, as by a wholsome Pur­gatory (though few are reformed by their sick­nesse) to the duty of Piety at least, whilst that loose licentiousness of sinning is lopt and cut off, which he would abuse if he should live and be well any longer.

In these diseases that arise from the resisting Astrall, impression, and wrath of God,A Physitian beginneth in appeasing Gods wrath. Job 33.26. no Cor­porall medicine (because God hath shut the doors of Nature) can do any good, but onely Celestiall and spirituall, viz. by serious repen­tance, heartily to bewaile the sins that we have [Page 178]committed, to allay the provoked wrath of God by Amendment of life and Reconciliation to our neighbor, to be reconciled to God through our Saviour the Celestiall Physitian of our Soules, and to submit our Will to the most righteous pleasure of the Divine Will, devoutly, patiently and humbly in all things, with a most assured perticipation of Divine Mercy. Paracelsus cal­leth them Deal diseases, which are from the Ens of God, who inflicteth all such diseases, and who alone worketh by good and bad men; the Cure, saith he, is by Faith, or when the purging is per­fected the Physitian may then try his skill. The Causes of those diseases that are of the Ens of God are unsearchable, here the cure must be sought in Faith, not in Nature; as also in the cure of Deal diseases, that are of the Ens of God, or in the deificall or faithfull cure, the pre­destinate Terme or period according to the Di­vine pleasure is to be observed.

CHAP. VI. Of that one onely chiefe Medicine of the most Ancient Phylosophers.

This occult Minerva of Phylosophy & this only most precious Jew­ell is inesti­mable.FUrthermore I shall here supply what yet pertaineth to that chief and universal Phylo­sophical Phisick, than which a greater gift of wis­dom we never read that divine bounty bestowed on man; Not excepting so much as the very Rea­sonable Soul, which, next unto God in Heaven and Earth, cannot consider or find out any thing under Heaven bestowed upon Man more admirable, more sublime, more noble or excel­lent than this most secret Secret of secret Secrets, by which even wonders, yea all things may be done, both as to the Plannets of inferior Astro­nomy, whose imperfection and drosse it causeth to vanish by piercing them with its most power­full impressions (for it segregateth all extrane­ous Sulphureity and impure Terrestreity from metallick and Humane bodies) as also to the re­covering covering and preserving of the languishing and lost health of the Human body, by its fiery vi­gour, besides infinite other things; to say no­thing [Page 180]now of the Magicall and super Celestial use when the Gonetick influence of the beames of the Sun and Moon and the fourth revolution is finisht upon its native Earth,See the Mo­ [...]ade of John Dee of London, and Roger Ba­con. it is endowed absolutly with all created Influentiall power as well in the Elementall world, as in the Celesti­all or super celestiall it is the most wonderfull of all wonders, for as God is wonderfull in all his works, so doth he usually hide his wonderfull Gifts in wonderfull men. All antiquity, also all Verity of all Nations and Languages in the tra­dition of this doctrine, the consent of all those most learned men who in every age have lived with the greatest admiration and prayse of ma­ny, do bear witnesse that this is so: Moreover, besides the ocular inspectation and certification of many of our time, it is easie to determine this from their writings, which are woven of so many Hieroglyphicall, Magicall, and Mathematicall Coverings in so great and certaine a series of Phylosophicall Truth.

Who then would not admire and embrace so great a Gift of the greatest GOD, the im­mortall price of his study, paines and vertue, which to the Pious and holy Phylosophers dig­nified by Nature and Education, doth warrant and assure a removall of old age and renewing of youth, perpetuall health, and honest food and rayment, without hinderance to our neighbor, not by usury and fraud, nor cheating wares, nor by oppression of the poor (as most of our rich men are now inriched) but by industry of work and labour of the hands?

God forbid therefore, that, sleighting the example of the Ancients, I should either deny such precious Wonders of GOD, and darken the wonderfull powers of Nature (for he that despiseth knowledge, him the glorious and high God despiseth for rejecting this most true Art) or which is worse, to revile them as the most doe, as if they were but the speculations of idle men, or the empty dreams and fictions of a sot­tish and doting mind, who yet among wise men doe but betray the weaknesse of their judge­ment and openly call witnesse of their folly: Those therefore that revile and are ignorant of these divine Banquets, whom the Phylosophers call fools, are not to be admitted to them, those also that dote in their Phantasticall dreams are utterly to be excluded.

Here some are listning, whether trusting to my own ingenuity I dare boast also of the pre­paration hereof in this place, or whether fot ostentation sake I ambitiously arrogate to my selfe the absolute knowledge of this Art,Here I would be taken as an Index, or as one standing at the door to direct others the way they should goe, whom I may profit more then my self; or as a whet­stone to in­courage them on. as those covètous Mountebanks and greedy Phy­losophists use to doe.

But because I promised the Courteous Rea­der a little before, that I would set down at least those things which I had made tryall of, I was unwilling in this place openly and most wicked­ly (which is not the part of a wise man, but of cheaters) to falsifie any thing concerning the undoubted certainty of this matter.

For this Sacred and Divine Art and Science, not of Sophisters, but Phylosophers, which the [Page 182]ignorant basely and wretchedly condemn of falshood (for doubtlesse among all Arts, as well Liberall as Mechanick, none aboundeth with so many Imposters as this) doth deserve to be reverenced for the wonderfull Secrets that are in it, and to be preferred before all other earthly Sciences by those that are true Physi­tians, who being inlightned with the Spirit of Divine Wisdome, content and furnished with honest food and rayment (for it cannot be that a poor or covetous man should spend his time in the study of Phylosophy) doe with religious veneration pray unto God after the example of Solomon, not for wealth, but wisdome, that he would open to them the Magazine of Divine knowledge.

And who measure their happinesse at least by Heaven, and the Love of God the giver of every good thing.

Who also are moved and spurred on to search it out by the love of Secrets and of Nature, ac­cording to the Divine Grace.

And who through a desire of getting know­ledge, without any foolish hope of gaine or affectation of vaine glory,By Wisdome the heart is made con­stant. doe in the fear of God refuse no honest, constant and possible la­bor of the hands.

And lastly, who without any malignant in­tention, neglecting the spring of dry humane thirst, doe most humbly with fear and trembling desire to use such great gifts to that End which belongs to the Master of Nature, to wit, the Praise and Honour of God, and the good of his [Page 183]needy neighbor, in a constant Taciturnity, with­out pride, which provoketh the envy of all men.

They that car­ry about their Treasure and use it publick­ly. Job 22.25.By [...]hese, I say, among the Children of the golden doctrine (whose gold is the Omnipotent God) that most rare Good, which is to be pre­fer'd before all riches, is justly and of right to be searched out for the health sake of men, who quitting all other businesse and imployment, and leaving the mettalls to those who with an impious hunger, and a thirsty and insatiable de­sire of being rich, making no difference between right and wrong, do horribly vex and torment themselves night and day, to the great hazard both of body and soul.

A Phylosopher must covet Nothing but Wisdome, which is conversant about Divine things; therefore a true Phylosopher never sought after nor desired riches, but is rather de­lighted with the Mysteries of Nature, for verily he that is adept or hath attained the same may carry about with him in his purse, not the worth of one Kingdom only, but the wealth almost of the whole World, and in God & with God po­sesse as a Lord all things of the whole World, and in the Fear and service of God command the whole Creation. But that gift is acquired, neither by wrath nor forced violence, but either by the immediate inspiration of the most High, or by the expert ocular demonstration of a wise Master in this Art.

That without all controversie this is so, no man that doth apply himselfe to Phylosophy [Page 184]will deny. But who among many thousands is it, who while he seeketh this very knowledge by a certaine and subduing judgement and due means, to whom the Stars are so benign, that he can by anothers diligence and endeavor passe thorow the porch and gate of the Heavens into the Oratory or Chappell of Apollo, and get to the top of the mount of Chymistry?

But where is that Aegyptian Bird to be found, that we may com­mend such a Phaenix? See Paracel. in his fragments of Physick, which are to be refer'd to the 4 Tome fol. 311. No man hath entrance hereunto bu [...] by Divine revela­tion, or by word of month from h [...]m that hath the Secret, & teacheth it while he liveth. There is no perfection of things without the help of Divinity, and its demonstration.For who durst lend a hand to another herein, except he hat for a long time, and by much ex­perience known him to be singularly eminent in the Feare of god, Holinesse of life, pure and Harpocraticall Faith?

He that desireth this Art, must not be a slave to other mens judgment, nor live upon their purse, and must retire himselfe, For

For certainly that morose inhability even of our companion, the arrogant loquacity, the per­tinacious incredulity, the envy and detestable infidelity and an Epicurean indignity, doth hin­der and much disturb the effect in any operati­on. Reverend antiquity, with one consent ac­knowledgeth that never any from the first man [Page 185]to the last could find ont the Divine secreu of that Art by [...] even Natural ingenuity, accor­ding to Nat [...]ll Reason only, nor according to Experience, se [...]ng it is somthing Divine and hid, and that which is above Reason, even as the perpetuall and tedious paines especially of those who have labored and toyled to find out this knowledg by dayly reading and com­paring of Authors, do witnesse; But that the glorious God and most blessed bestower of all graces hath reavealed and made it plaine to his faithfull wise ones,Ecclesiastic. 38. to such as feare and honor him, that they might understand, meditate upon and love his omnipotent goodnesse, and by glorifying him in his wonders and all his power and virtues, serving him without any blemish, vice or sin in his holinesse, and true Righteousnesse, they might see how much he hath done for men of good will: And so final­ly they that are inflamed with a most fervent love of piety and Gratitude might find him that is worthy of infinite thanks, who is infinite in mercy, whose most holy and Fearful name be blessed for ever and ever.

The one only and true way to all Secrets is to have re­course to God the author of all good, ac­cording to our Saviours com­mand.These things seriously considered, no man will wonder if (when men seek the Kingdome of God, and study to finde out the Celestiall Stone in the last place) among so many thousands that seek, there is not one to whom the doors of Nature are unlockt, and that hath the Divine bolt removed, the Will no doubt of the Omni­potent God resisting the same, who tryeth the Hearts and Reines of men, who giveth his gifts [Page 186]to whom he will, and withdraweth them from whom be pleaseth. For this W [...] is not in the power of him that willeth, but in [...]e will of God that sheweth mercy, who knoweth that it is not expedient for all to their salvation, that they should have Honors & riches with their health.

And though happily some one or other may get the key of the Phylosophicall Garden (as I know some that have) yet because the Gate was bolted, that is, the Divine Grace and Bene­diction was denyed and did resist; they could never open, much lesse enter, and gather those desired fruits of the Hermetick Tree, and eate the most sweet kernells of this mystery. Thus some Impostors in our age who right or wrong by unlawfull means having got the most true Phylosophycall Ferment or Leaven (but pre­par'd by others) have not been able to improve or multiply it any further by reason of the igno­rance of the principle or beginning, for verily this most holy science never admitted any such unskilfull Thraso's into its inner rooms.

This is that work that is hid under the robe of the Phylosophicall Virgin, which even one bro­ther would not teach another; and therefore it is to no purpose to tempt an Adept Phyloso­pher with promises of rewards, favour, or any other kind of respects that can be imagined, to part with it.

This is that Secret laid up and buryed in the most secret Treasury of the Mind and Memory, concerning which the genuine and more occult Phylosophers (who fearing the malediction of [Page 187]God, and execration of those Sophe's or wise men which they leave to their posterity,God would not manifest this knowledg to all, to a­voyd offence. doe study and strive to be harsh and rugged, least they should disclose their more abstruse or dark sence to any, and expose the most noble Gemm of this Science to hogs and swine) have in a wise and ingenious craft covenanted and sworn they would never write it plainly in any Book: Nor hath any of them who kept this knowledge in the secret of their heart, made it known to any but such who had an understanding allegori­cally. For doubtlesse that liberty is granted to the Phylosophers, that because they are made Lords of Things, they should also have power to dispence or give Names at their pleasure,This is not believed, but being proved with the gain of labor, toyl and hazard, it is made plain toward the end which proveth the work. On this the hinge of the whole busines turneth, as Gold ani­mated by the Salt of Ni­ture is made the chief sub­ject of the Phyloso­phers metal­lick Physicks and cloath their children as they listed. Though True Phylosophers exactly & with greatest ingenuity, have mutually ingag'd and set themselves upon one and the same thing; they that till the field have ever observed it, for certainly in their pre­cepts, as in a glasse, it hath been sufficiently made known to men of a wise understanding, who are chosen of God to such mysteries, worthy men, and sworn in this Art. But they have attributed it to the glorious God, who according to his good pleasure may inspire whom he will, and deny it to whom he please: Neverthelesse re­ligously affirming, that none can attaine the de­sired end (though they sleight all particulars, which naturally doe altogether want the virtue of tincturing, unlesse they proceed from the first fountaine) before the fat or blood of the Sun and the Dew of the Lunary, be joyned into [Page 188]one body by the circular wheel of the Elements with the help of Art and Nature in the form of an Hexagon,Read Gen. 1.27, 28. Hermes his Table, Morie­nes, Alan. Ro­dargir. Mo­nad. T [...]evisan. Lull. which can never be done except the most High God please, who alone of his speciall mercy graciously bestoweth this singu­lar gift of the Holy Spirit, and impreciable price, both to whom and when he seeth good. And to whom he will not bestow any of his Treasures, let that man use what Arts soever he can, yet shall he never get any thing against the Will of God; for the Spirit proceedeth from Grace, who inspireth whom he will.

Seeing therefore all mans endeavor is but vaine except God prosper it (unlesse any with the losse of this most undoubted Truth,Levit. 26.20. will deny that God is the moderator of the universe, and will set himselfe in opposition to the Will of his gain-saying Creator with a rash gigantick, sacrilegious boldnesse, and with manifest dan­ger incur the indignation of the Divine Majesty) I cannot wonder enough, that in our age many great men,Great men commit great errours. Psal. 25.14. Prov. 3.32. Wisd. 1.4. Eccl. 43.32, 33. wasting their time and estates, should suffer themselves to be cheated and deceived, with the greedy world by the golden promises of circumforaneous, vitious, and most lying Im­postors, against their own conscience, not con­sidering that without the liberall and right no­ble arts (of which those Phylosophists and Im­posters are altogether destitute, having not ta­sted so much as a drop of the Springs of Nature) no perfect perception of Mysteries can be attai­ned to.

Those Gymnosophists with their Fantasticall [Page 189]and Frantick inventions, inrich the eares of cre­dulous men that they may make their pockets poor, they promise great matters and faine that they can doe all things, but their unwary disci­ples get nothing from them, but after three or four cheats, to be againe deceived by fresh and most subtile juggling, deceit and fraud; whose company we should avoyd even as the most ra­ging torments of hell.

And that which is the chiefest thing of all, the Wisdome of the Lord, whose mysterie is onely with them that Fear him,Great gaine is the scope of sophisticall craft, because Dust & Ashes is the end of such smock-sellers. entreth not in­to such wicked and unworthy souls who have spent the whole course of their life in searching out Vanities and Deceits, and of set purpose ma­liciously have deceived almost all the world, with their guilfull devices of painting white and red, and pargetting womens faces.

Thus these men playing away and losing the story of Pandora, at length nothing else falls to their share but what Alphidius foretold should happen to them, that when their braines grow giddy, instead of the Tincture they should find only the colour, instead of the Hermetick Stone a pibble or glasse, and instead of great Treasure and riches nothing but coals and ashes.

Piety is the most necessa­ry key to the knowledge of all Secrets. See Rodargi­rus BRITTO SARMATUS his verse in Zodi [...]co Pisciū [...] against those sacrilegious souldiers who threatningly and malepert­ly rush into the Vestry of Phyloso­phy. It is not ex­pedient to re­veal it to any carnall man, because thou wilt be accui­sed for making known so great a Se­cret. He that publisheth this Art, let him die an evill death, saith Lully, because it is a secret to be given and re­vealed by God alone who hath created Nature, and no other, for he will reveal it to whom he will, and to whom it doth belong to be revealed, and not to others, because it is the Gift of God and not of any mortal Man. Job 34.11. Prov. 24.12. Apoc. 2.23. & 22.12. Es. 3.10, 11 Jer. 17.10. & 32.19. Ezek. 33.20.And who would not admire this efficacious transmutatory virtue of these Impostors, which makes wise men fools, strong men weak, rich men poor, and poor bankrupt men desperate and vagabond beggers?

But as the envy of Phylosophers is not against the Children of Art and Science, who seek not [Page 190]their own but Gods glory, and who have lived to the praise and honor of GOD, the good of their Neighbour, and the Salvation of their own soule: so he that is an Adept and compleat Phylosopher, a keeper of Gods Secrets, and is conformed to the dignification of his work, af­ter he by the Blessing of God hath happily la­bored like Hermes more then twenty years, fea­ring to offend the Divine Majesty, will be lesse afraid to die an hundred most cruell deaths, and indure all manner of miseries and punishment, rather then by any means, whether through wrath or what force soever shall be used, to pub­lish to the wicked enemies of the Children of Art and Science, or to such as are unworthy of it, this greatest and richest Terrene Treasure, the Perfect Benefit or good gift of GOD, de­scending from the Father of Lights (as a King­dom that will suffer no Com-peer) from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that terrible and fearfull avenger of every unrighteous person, who hath intrusted him onely to keep it, which Secret would by evill men, with the ruine of the whole world, be abused to judgement or con­demnation of an Eternal curse, because he know­eth most certainly that he shall be most grie­vously punished with the damnation of his soul, and losse of eternall salvation, by the Holy Tri­nity, and Christ the just and severe Judge of quick and dead, except he can give a good ac­count of his Stewardship and the Talent com­mitted to him, at the formidable and terrible Tribunal, before which we shall all stand, even of [Page 191]that Greatest and Eternall Judge (whose Terri­ble and Ineffable Majesty all mortall men ought to stand in fear of) who at the great Judgement day will examine our deserts, who will justifie the works of none that hath done evill, and deprive none that hath done well, of his reward.

When, I say, in that Terrible day he shall hold the exeltrees of the poles from turning a­bout any longer, and the motion of the Ele­ments shall cease, then all things shall run to ruine, and the heat of the Centre united to the heat of Sun shall set all corruption of the Ele­ments on fire, when every evill and impure thing shall be cast like lead with the damned into Hell,Apoc. 20.10. The end of the world is by fire. There is a Sea of glass ming­led with fire. Apoc. 15.2. The property of fire is to seperate the impurity of the Elements. Read Isa. Ho­land in opere minerali. Rom. 8.19, 23. where all things shall be tormented for ever, yet not consumed, with unquenchable brimston like molten glasse, continually burning and never wasting.

And all that is of the Virtues and pure Truth and Nature of the Elements, which feare not the Fire of Heaven shall remaine like a pure, cleare, incorruptible and fixed Essence in a se­rene resplendent Chrystalin Earth, and be for ever at rest with the happy saved Ones, car­ryed upward like an Eagle, or as Smoak excited by the Fire: For when God shall change all things by making them new according to his will, and shall make them all like Christall, then the motions of the Supernaturall Nature shall abide in those things without corrup­tion.

I wish the Great Ones of our time who are [Page 192]sufficiently enriched with Gold and Silver from the revenues of their subjects, would bestow some part of their wealth upon men piously and consciensciously learned and skilfull in Chy­mistry, and that they would set every man his task, as he is fit for it, and as he shall desire it, to find out one out of those Three Families of Nature, that out of the same things in which all Physick is founded, viz. Animalls, Vegetables, and Mineralls, they might fetch out the most choyse Physicall Mysteries,All beauty, corporeal and incorporeall is nothing else but the splen­dor of the Di­vine counte­nance and Light set in created things, glitte­ring & spark­ling out through faire bodies, and making all that love it to be amazed at it like the I­mage of God. For so much Light as a King hath in him, so much Majesty hath he. Quantum Lu­minis, tantum Numinis. separating them by Fire into their Three First (things.)

The Phylosophicall Conclave of any Prince furnished with such most precious and whole­some a Treasure, might compare even with the riches of Pactolus, for questionlesse it would delight, and, like a Loadstone, attract the eyes of the spectators to contemplate the open riches of secret Nature: From the beholding of whose pleasant and insatiable beauty, what recreation I pray of the eyes, and what admirable elevation of the mind would it cause to the Creator him­selfe? To behold here the most choyse and se­lect store of the Vegetables answering to the members of our body by an Harmonicall Ana­tomy, discovered in a wonderfull and most ac­ceptable variety in their Three First (principles) with their garments put off; made naked and visible: There (to see the like) of Animalls; yonder (to behold the same) of Mineralls and Mettalls, viz. the TRIUNE naked DIANA shining with so many colours of variety and al­wayes with a Triple Form in every classis or [Page 193]distribution, a most limpid or clear MERCU­RIAL, a most garnished SULPHUREAN or oyly, and a most bright pure SALINE form, who otherwise covereth her selfe from the dishonest looks of mortalls, and desireth not to come into the company of men in this world­ly scene with her veile: A work truly becoming a great King and Prince.

Francis the First King of France, the grea­test Favorer of Phylosophers and learned men, intended to go about one of the Three, but was prevented by death.

And (the sole fountaine being reserved to it selfe for its own uses, but by drawing forth spare streams) is it not a work of Humanity and Liberality, and the duty of an Almoner in this great Hospitall of Piety most worthy of all praise and eternall memory, to do good to God, with this Talent, in our poor neighbour and his members?

By the Light of God, secret and hidden things are re­vealed and made mani­fest. For with­out him no good and per­fect thing can be attained. Psal. 145.19. Prov. 10.24.Without question the Father of Lights (from onely as from the Efficient, Principall, and Fi­nall Cause of all Creatures and Operations, every good Gift upon amendment of Life is by asking, seeking, and knocking, to be obtained) would load this pious and laudable purpose heap upon heap with far greater and perhaps unlookt for blessings (for he performeth the will of them that Fear him) to them that proceed this way in the Fear of God, and love of their neighbour.

For this onely is the Kings high-way, not onely to come all the desired Secrets of Nature, [Page 194]but that which is the chiefest thing of all it lead­eth even to the very workmaster of the universe,Divine confi­dence never left any with­out help to do good. He that knows One knows All things, he that Earneth ma­ny things learneth no­thing Eccl. 34.12, 13, 14. Blessednesse consisteth in the apprehen­sion of the chiefest good. God is the Immutable Rest, after which every Creature doth gaspe and groan with all its endeavor. Levit. 25. Tob. 12.13. Eccl. 2.5. Prov 17.3. We cannot get the Victo­ry and Crown of Patience without stri­ving & fight­ing. Per Angusta i­ [...]u [...] ad Angusta by which ONE infinite OCEAN of all Divine GOODNES through Regeneration (alteri­ty being swallowed up of unity) in the Sabath of Sabbaths or when the eternal Jubile is come for which we were created, we do by consent of divine Clemency, attaine the scope and true mark in the full fruition whereof we shall hereafter be delighted, just like a miserable Exile and pilgrim (tossed up and down through various hazards, hardships, streights, and miserable sufferings) restord againe to his rightful Country: for he deserveth not sweet, who hath not tasted of bitter things: There is no recovering or retur­ning to what we have lost but by the Crosse and Death: Nor will God have mortall Man who now is wandring from him that he should come to immortall blessednesse and glory in a delicate journey, but through the Fire of Temp­tation and Tribulation, with a sad and sharpe death, because the Coronation and wiping a­way of all teares is after the victory, when we have overcome all our enemies, eternall Life will recompence greater wars and wrestlings.

But, to returne to the supream, though crosse fortune hath not onely hindred me who have alway been desirous of the honest and most sin­cere Truth, many times though in vaine aspiring and earnestly desiring to enter into the inner rooms of that supream Phylosophicall Oratory, (not to the end that I might make Gold and Silver, for truely they are rich enough who are [Page 195]content with a little and make it not their busi­nesse to get much, but with an exceeding love to find out the True Physick and upright desire of the wonderfull works of God) but I know not by what sinister and most unhappy destiny of mine it so fell out, that with how much the more fervent endeavor of mind I have followed those most secret Studies, by so much the more bitterly have I been worryed hitherto by the slanderous Envy of malevolent men, and waves or fruits of of Fortune; the necessity of equity enforceth, that though I cannot proceed fur­ther as yet, I comfort my selfe with the cogita­tion onely, and thinking upon so great a Thing. God himselfe knoweth what, to whom, when and how is fit, whose Name be glorified and blessed for ever: who many times turneth a­way those things which happily might do us hurt, because he is good:Num. 11.33. Psal. 78.30, 31, & 104. & 105. Tob. 12.7. nor doe I thinke their miserable life is to be desired whose feli­city is their ruine, and who loose by that that should advantage them: and who in the height of fortune do yet desire fortune for the chains and fetters sake, even when the indulgents of Fools could scarce add any greater happinesse: and on whom God bestoweth somethings as a punishment when he is angry, which he denies as a blessing when he is pleased.

Yet since the works of God are to be pub­lished and celebrated, and that by this monu­ment here left it may hereafter appear that that Divine Benificence hath not been denyed to men of our age also who did not begrudge [Page 196]posterity their felicity, I cannot but in attesta­tion and confirmation of the Truth here re­member that singular Divine Clemency to me, which, not without the clear favour of God, was shewed to me as an eye-witnesse in my travells, which was denyed to many others who earnest­ly desired it, that I should see and taste it, at some Great mans house, Cui in aeternum bene sIt, & Cumprimis egregium Helioch Antharum bor EaLem, nunc in Christo quiescentem: cu­juSmodi lENtis DenIque consueVerunt lati­tare tempOrum currIcVlis. Which I forbear to English.

The Physo­phycall Basi­lisk like Lightning suddenly and unawares bur­neth up any imperfect mettall what­soever, and on a sudden Pro­duceth ano­ther new forme. Therefore the searching it out is most to be commen­ded to all that are studious of the Truth.Whence being a long time astonished and amazed at the greatest miracle of Nature wrought by Art, among the various and mani­fold metamorphosis of the Inferior Astronomy made in the cold (the Moyst way of the Anci­ents not as yet intensly exalted to the eye of the Basilisk) this one prodigie, passing the admi­ration of all wonders, seemed strange and most worthy to be seen, that by giving one onely drop of that Latex or liquor (in which as in a storehouse the dispersed vertues of all Celestiall and Terrestriall bodies were by a wonderfull artifice invisibly gathered together in an heap, nay, in which the whole world was centred) a man desperately sick and at the point of death was recovered by its Fiery, Astrall, and Celesti­all Invisible Nature conveying to the Heart a beam of the Naturall Life, and renewing the organs of Life, and repairing Nature, which (by an accidentall sicknesse causing a remotion) was [Page 197]spent and wasted, restoring him to firme and perfect health in one night: For this Kingly medicine, and the Empresse of all other, causeth Humane Bodies immediately and as it were mi­raculously to rise againe from what desperate diseases soever,There is no Physitian can cure death, but Christ. if God hath not otherwise de­creed, for many diseases are a Divine innate pu­nishment, for which there is no cure in Nature. For surely this whole new regenerate world is able by vertue of its Regeneration to renew the little old corruptible world Man, to restore whatsoever is amisse in Mans body, to consume what is superfluous, to mend what is defective, and reduce the whole Microcosm into a true Temperament, and preserve it therein till the ap­pointed Terme of death imposed on mortalls for their sin.

Imperfect and impure mettalls are cleansed from their infirmities and accidents by the same spirit of the world, by the same Heat of Sun and Moon as mens bodies are, they are restored to their True Health, which is aureity or goldness, without a new motion of generation and cor­ruption, by way of alteration onely, and remo­tion of accidents which are the cause of the sick­nesse and distemper, for mettals doe not differ in specie but onely in accidents.

This incredu­lous doubt­fulnesse will fall out to the gaine rather than to the losse, as here­tofore to our ancestors so hereafter to all posterity, because there are few that believe that this Art is true, and with [...] stedfast con­fidence are perswaded of it: for upon that account God provi­deth for the security of those that give themselves truly to the study of Phy­losophy. Exod. 32.20. Job 14.19.No marvell if this secret, by reason of the proclaimed uncertainty of so great mysteries, shall seem incredible, and justly not to be made known (though it be truer then true) to our Vulgar sort, though Athenians of a clean nose, as being ignorant because they never heard any [Page 198]thing in all their life of the Heat of the Sun and Moon, who know not these Vulcanean meta­morphoses and this Power of GOD joyned to Nature, but admire the Heathenish Physick, who to excuse their own ignorance doe (foo­lishly enough) account the sayings of Prudent men but as fables and fictions, no marvell I say, when the understanding of the intelligent, clou­ded with no precepts or traditions of foolish men, can hardly apprehend it; much lesse that the Element of EARTH should by the help of Mechanick Magick swim upon the water.

To know this Phylosophicall Secret truly is principally necessary to an Astrall Physitian, none of which Physitians can come to any ope­ration or knowledge of wonderfull effects, nor be certaine in his Art, except he cleave to this Science, especially in the cure of desperate di­seases in our body, to wit, the four Monarchs of all diseases, the Epilepsie, Gout, Dropsie, Le­prosie. These four chiefest kinds of Diseases, Paracelsus, It is not Chri­stian-like to ascribe to the Devill a grea­ter possibility and power, than to the Infinite divine Wisdome & omnipotence. The chiefe Foundation & Scope of true Physitians, be­cause it is not the first but second birth that produ­ceth it. through the help of Christ, not of the Devill, cured by a wonderfull Art, proving in some of his works that God taught him the medicine, for he did it not by our common or­dinary medicines, but by Restoring or regenera­ting ones, which are known to very few, by which Nature being renewed afterward of her own accord she expelleth all things that offend her, as his Epitaph at Salisburg doth truly and sufficiently witnesse to posterity.

All diseases proceeding from the corruption of humors, how great and desperate soever their [Page 199]cures be, are healed by this universall medicine, as a Carpenter that squareth all kind of timber, except the party be at the utmost Terme ap­pointed him by the supream Being; or the di­sease be inflicted by God, besides Nature, as a punishment and speciall affliction.

But no man, as hath been said, can make use of this peculiar and celestiall Gift, but he on whom God himselfe hath bestowed it, who onely both inlightneth the obscurity, and dark­neth the clearnesse of these mysteries, so that none can understand the plainest things, except he enlighten them, nor be ignorant of the dar­kest if he illustrate them; for so great a faculty is there given by the rich and peculiar Grace of the most high Creator.

Therefore Lullius that Divine and most per­fect Phylosopher, rightly concluded, that be­tween the Artist and God the first cause, there ought to be an agreement without contrariety, that the first mover, as the principall Forme should move the Intelligence or Soule of the Artist to a true Understanding, that he may open to him what is hid in the magistery of this Art. Blessed will he be to whom the Lord God shall be pleased to inspire the Gifts of his Grace: For it is the Lord of Heaven who knoweth the heart of those in whom he would use the form & mea­sure. Notwithstanding we see men somtimes of­fend not onely against God by their ingratitude, but also against their undeserving neighbour by strange devices not becoming an Aedpt Phylo­sopher: with which some eminent men here­tofore [Page 200]and two publick Phylosophers of divers Nations in our time abusing the Gifts of God against those most horrid Anathema's of Phy­losophers, afterward (as doubtlesse every man according to his dexterity which the sydereall spirit causeth and exciteth is the forger of his own fortune) they came to dolefull and lamen­table end, to the perpetuall reproach of their Name answerable to the unworthy publishing of this most True Phylosophicall Art, miserably wasted and restrained by the Wrath of GOD the Righteous Revenger, as well for their arro­gant pride, punishment and repentance accom­panying their provoking loquacity, as also for their cheating Impostures of the first Hapocrati­call silence,The originall of the Philo­sophicall Ma­gistery. Most doe o­therwise now, who make thir boast among others that they have the clear know­ledge of it, when it is on­ly but imagi­nary, and so hinder them­selves by their credulity and perswasion, so that they can­not profit or proceed to learn any more. which they did by turns to cloak the matter for their safety.

Those more ancient and skilfull Phyloso­phers who were born in a happy signe, the chil­dren of Hermes who first found out the science, among whom nothing was more ancient than Truth, nothing more filthy and abominable than falshood and deceit, and who have even judged it a thing more safely worth their labor to have it indeed without the witnesse of a sot­tish ignorant multitude, then seeme or be sup­posed onely to have it: who also have endea­voured to leave behind them an unspotted me­mory to posterity, not as many too credulous imagine, that being deceived with their own vaine imaginations they would deceive others in like manner, which is not the property of an honest man.

In the first age of the world God made it known by the Light of Na­ture.I say, these private not publick Secretaries of Nature, who have, in the Naturall Light fresh and flourishing in them, followed Reason the best guide, according to the ability God gave them, all of them with greatest attention both of body and mind pressing chiefly to one and the same end and scope of Virtue, accounting nothing more glorious than that they might peaceably rejoyce prudently and in Quiet Si­lence, with a Mind truly Sound in a Sound Body according to the Fear of God and Love of their Neighbour.

This is Phylosophy Adept, which Paracelsus in the Tincture of Physicks explaineth them to be Long Life and free from all infirmity, even till the Naturall death, and an honest support of that long life in this vale of miseries, that we might serve God without poverty and prejudice of our Neighbour.

Though there may be many hunting after this happinesse with a kind of great and conti­nued greedinesse of mind, yet have been per­swaded that they should never attaine the same, either by other means or any Arts, but by a wonderfull and most abstruse comprehending of all the vertues of the whole Creation flowing and running together in one certaine masse, in this Rode or Kings Highway and Phylosophical Reason is to be accomplished.

The defect of Nature must be supplyed by the indu­stry of Art▪ seeing Nature with her off­spring alway tendeth unto, laboureth & breatheth af­ter their per­fection. Prov. 3.16.All these spirituall virtues and active qualities being by great help of ingenuity and Art like the lesser world heaped up together and concen­tred into one masse (as united force is stronger [Page 202]dispersed) besides a kind of sweetest and admi­rable illustration of the Mind (for the Light of Nature is glittering in the Darknesse of the world) as also the knowledge of all Naturall things and Heavenly seerets, and a perfect ope­ration, yea, they have even miraculously use of this choycest and admirable Magisterie, toge­ther with a flowing plenty and Abundance of all Things.

Of which the Phylosophers our predecessors that have been train'd up in Hermes school,They durst not under paine of Ana­thema to speak of it, but in a picture of Aenigmaticall words, be­cause the Ma­ster of Nature gave them not leave lest they should indan­ger them­selves, and give an occa­sion to others of a wicked & hurtfull study or practice, Prov. 10.10. It exciteth motion in our bodies and re­viveth the E­lements, now the Elements are excited unto their acting; for the Naturall life is nothing else but the actings of the Elements. though they have been altogether dumb in kee­ping close the secret of the Art by a constant Taciturnity (knowing to what dangers the sear­chers out of difficult Arts and the publick Secre­taries of Nature are obnoxious, that, full of de­spaire concerning their safety and peace, they have been compelled to deny the same) yet u­sually give this Reason: because the greatest Medicine, being artificially prepared with the help of wise Nature the Mistresse of Science, should be (or is) the Life and inlightning Light and that which quickneth or maketh alive our Balsom, that is, the spirit or celestiall▪ not visi­ble vapour of life; it may be the Essence of our Life: the Fift Essence compounded of the four Elements, in which are all the Elements actu­ally, and all their arts, with greatest agreement made equall with true equation according to all possibility of Nature, and bound together with a golden chaine without any contrariety; But all things are aggregated in so subtile a Matter [Page 203]and a Form so subtile, and so near to simplicity in a respective manner in the curing of diseases and the metamorphosis of Mettalls, like as in Lightning and the eye of a Basilisk, as is manifest by Experience: This is so in respect of the four qualities of the body as the Heaven is incorrup­tible in respect of the four Elements.

The most High created this Fift Essence as the root of life in Nature for the preservation of the four qualities of the Humane body,The life of natural things is the Union of the Ideall Light, as also with the Ide­all of Heaven and Earth. as he did the Heaven for the preservation of the universe. The celestiall Fire that burneth not, is the soul and life of all Creatures; the subject in which besides the force and operations of the Elements, even all the celestiall virtues of the Firmament, as well of the Fixed Stars as of the Planets, are infused and imprinted after an in­visible manner, for the Influences of all celestiall bodies which are communicated to the sublu­nary to every one in particular, these are con­centred in this one: The Theater of the secrets of all Natur's Light;By this Art the knowledge of almost all things, and in this Stone the universal Na­ture of things shineth forth. The Tincture is the Fife Essence of the Microcosm and comes v [...]ry near to the first and most perfect Being and that Cabalisticall unary number. Paracelsus calleth it the perfect, perpetuall, & C [...]thol [...]ck Balsom of Physi­tians or Phylosophers; the Defensive of old age, the Universall medicament, which like the in­visible Fire consumeth all diseases. the Glasse of God's Mysteries, and the Miracle of universall Nature; the Fift Essence of the whole frame of the world, and the whole world Regenerated, wherein the Treasure of all Nature lyeth; Subject and Instrument of all Naturall and Transnaturall Virtues; the Son of the Sun and Moon, who by his as­cending [Page 204]into Heaven and descending into the Earth hath obtained all power of superior and inferior things; the Habitation of all metallick, minerall, and vegetable Forms, which God cre­ated under the Globe of the Moon; yea that it is truly the spirit of Life which pierceth through all other spirits,Those Anci­ents who had most perfect knowledge of Things have called this Fist Essence the middle nature of Soules. and is altogether one and the same with the spirit of our body, the bond between the Body and Soul, wherewith that super-celestiall thing is delighted and retai­ned that it fly not from its bodily prison, for that peace may be made between those enemies the Soul and Body, there is need of the Balsom of life as a means to be sought from Externalls, by which the internall is restored to retaine or sustaine the Fire of a long life, without which fuell it goeth out of the body as a flame from the lamp-wick for want of oyle; it is the most simple Matter which the Best and Greatest Lord generated out of the spirit of this world for the restauration and preservation of Humane Na­ture, which hath been altogether unknown to the Physitians of our time: For it never came into their Schools who goe not into the Temple of Apollo through the right door, but break through the Roofe, and sit in his seat, as the Scribes and Pharisees heretofore in Moses chair. And while they hold the keys of Sciences in un­righteous captivity, they bring to passe nothing with their decrees, and ordinances but like false Teachers, they themselves enter not into the Academy of Nature, and others who desire to enter in a right way they hinder in their lauda­ble [Page 205]course by their pernicious dehortations, so that they never come to the knowledge of the Truth, and are forced to be ignorant where it may be.

But because the true originall of all corporall diseases, in the judgement of the best Physitians, is the enormity of the Naturall proportion of the Three First (or as common Physitians say, the disorder and ill disposition of the four Ele­ments or Humors) of which the Humane com­pounded body is sick or well: this foresaid Medicine, which is in it selfe the matter of our Creation may be congeneous and uniform to the substance, consisting in equality,When the purified Ele­ments are re­duced to a pure and e­quall simplici­ty then is got the Medicine that prolong­eth life, be­cause thus the Elements are equall; for the inequality and dominion of one over another is it that breedeth diseases. the most subtile Soul, separate from dregs, and as it were the simple substance of the Elements, the Fift Essence or Fift Virtue resulting from the purer Essence of the four Elements, purified, incor­ruptible is compared to Heaven, nor doth it admit any malignant spirit, but they all fly from it; And because it is obnoxious as little as little may be to a Tempred corruption or putrefacti­on, therefore it expelleth as much as is possible by Nature all accidentall corruptibility from which any sicknesse or weaknesse may arise, and restoreth the inward vigour throughout all the members, and by reconciliation cureth againe the diseases that hapned by the exaltation of the Three Principles.

Mans health consisteth in the agreement and union of the Three First Substances;Health consi­steth in a Temperate body. but when they are exalted and set on fire by the Stars, the intestine wars follow: And because the Three [Page 206]First Substances of diseases are valitile,Let it not seem strange to any that the sole act of one Thing should be va­riously diver­sified, not as to it selfe, but accord [...]ng to the Nature of that which re­ceiveth it, as the celestiall Sun hardneth the Clay and softneth the Wax. they give place to the Essence of Fire which consu­meth the disease and separateth the pure from the impure.

Moreover, that Fift Essence of the Human Body bindeth the Elements or Humors in Peace and Harmonicall league, and reduceth to the true Temperament by making equall the une­quall, and strengthneth the naturall heat and substantificall moysture, it keepeth the oyle and spark of Life in an equality by its celestiall vigor (for so long as the Radicall Humor, the Vitall Balsom and most precious Nectar of our Life abideth in its quantity, we are not sensible of any disease, for the strengthning power of the Human body and of Animalls proceedeth from the spirit of Life) and restoreth the sick to health and a good temper, it holdeth its Nature in her Being, and preserveth the Nectar of our Life in a good and laudable Temperament, and so will keep the predisposed or fore-qualified Man safe and sound from sicknesse, with the comelinesse of youth for the time of his conti­nuance (which is the age of Beauty and Human Fortitude) even to his Naturall death, that is to that Terme of Life which the Omnipotent God hath appointed to Man for disobedience as well that of every one, as that of our first Pa­rent; I say, such a man who shall use it pru­dently and seasonably with a devout calling up­on the Name of the Lord, if the constitution of the body and its complexion be not extreamly wa [...]ed.

Therefore in this Fift Essence and Spirituall Medicine, which hath the Nature and Heat of Heaven (not of our mortall and corruptible) it is possible to find out the True Fonntaine of Physick, the Conservation of Life, the Restitu­tion of health, the Renovation of lost youth, and the desired clear health; and to speak Na­turally, there is no Balsamick Medicine in all the world better than this true Triacle of Phy­losophers, which like the Elixir of life is the su­perlative and last consolation of Mans body, pre­serving all activities in the Humane Nature, and restoring the diminished power through the de­fect of Nature: For in every kind there is a certaine One that holdeth the first degree in that kind, therefore because this Medicine is made of the more incorruptible and efficacious Matter that can be under Heaven, that is, the Soule or Spirit of the world, which hath in it the force of all Celestiall and Terrestriall things,The Heat of the Sun and Moon is that Naturall Heat whereby every thing is dige­sted for the sustentation and multipli­cation of In­dividual [...]s. The Spirit is the life and Balsom of all Naturall things. therefore it ought to hold the first degree in the order of Physick, and the Man that useth it with the moderation of other meat, may live as long as the ancient Fathers.

From those two fountaines the SUN and MOON, as Suchtenius learnedly discourseth, springeth the Naturall and Vitall Spirit of the world, which runneth thorow all Beings, giving life and consistance to all things, by which as a mediator every occult quality, all vertue, all life is propagated into the inferior bodies, into hearbs, mettalls, stones, animalls; so that there can be nothing in all the world that may or can [Page 208]be without a spark of this Spirit.The Life of Man is the Astral Balsom. the Balsamick Impression, the Celestiall and Invisible Fire, the Aire shut up, and the Tincturing Spirit of Salt. This Celestiall Spirit which is one and the same with our Natu­rall spirit, when its breathing in our body is not lesned or hindred by outward things, is that Na­turall Heat of ours, whereby every thing is di­gested for the sustentation and multiplication of every particular; It digesteth the nourishment that Man taketh, and breeds good blood in all the members: so long as the blood is pure, it continueth, and is the strong vitall, pure and sound spirit of the Heart, so that the whole bo­dy liveth orderly and well; But if it be hinde­red by sicknesse that it cannot so well doe its office, the nourishment is not well concocted; and that breeds bad blood by which the vitall spirit of the Heart is weakned. Whence comes Old age, that house of oblivion, at last follow­eth a full extinction, consumption and dissipa­tion of that spirit, which is the Naturall Death; that the consumption and dissiapation of the said spirit may be prevented, (as much as by Nature may be) that spirit and Naturall Heat in Humane bodies so weakned and hindred must be increased and strengthned, that it may be the better able to do its duty.

But seeing every agent when it begins to act, doth not move toward any thing below it selfe, but to that which is equall like and sutable to it; Therefore this strengthning also must be by its like, that is, by that Celestiall Heat of the Sun and Moon, and the other Planets, or with those things in which the Virtue of the SUN and MOON is most potent and doth most abound, [Page 209]or is lesse restrain'd by matter:The Celestiall or that Spirit of the world and the Natu­rall Spirit of our body is one and the same Spirit; and therefore the Heat of the Sun and Moon genera­ted of the ve­ry stroke of the spirit is a [...]bing more concoct and by conse­quence more perfect. For these things work more quick and perfectly, and doe more readily beget their like: and, what is more easie, the spirit or that supernall Fire is got out of them by art; to which the Heat that bur­neth not like the Elementall, but that which ma­keth all things fruitfull, and Light giving life to all things, are proper. But burning Heat, con­suming all things, and darknesse, making all things barren, are proper to the Elementall and Inferior Fire.

That same (Heat) therefore is excluded, as also with it all divers and contrary things, such as are all the inferior Elements. For this and all things else that include a Naturall composition in them (so far as they are yet drowned in a thick grosse matter, and as yet not separate from it) are subject to corruption and transmutation. But Medicines ought to be preserving and very durable, and remote from corruption: For whereas they should preserve the Human body from corruption, they ought first to be of a long and lasting nature, otherwise they would corrupt rather then preserve.

Besides, tis but in vaine to think to preserve a corruptible body by a putrid and corruptible thing, to cure the weak by a feeble thing, to form a Thing by a thing subject to deformity. Every corruptible weak and feeble thing added to its like, augmenteth it,One Like ad­ded to its like maketh it more Like. and so that corrupti­bility is increased, not diminished, as we see some and truly too many Physitians of our time who labor in vaine to cure Men of their maladies [Page 210]by their grosse and corporall compositions of Medicines; but a higher speculation is here re­quired;The vitall spi­rit in Man & the Elemental is one spirit. For whereas diseases are not corporall, but spirituall and lurking in the spirits, they also call for spirituall medicines.

They therefore that would preserve that vitall spirit (which is the Radicall Moysture and Heat,The Innate Heat and Ra­dical Moysture of the Micro­cosm are su­stained by the MacrocoMacrocosmi­call Heat and Moysture of the Sun and Moon, as be­ing thato [...]e & the same Ce­lestial and Na­turall spirit of ours. the innate Mummy, and hath its seat in the midst of Mans heart, as the sustentacle of all our life) in young men, and repaire it languishing in old men, and, as much as may be, make them young againe, and so bring Mans life into the greatest health, they must seek after not the Ele­mentall, but that Celestiall Heat of the Sun and Moon that dwelleth in the more incorruptible substance that is to be found under the Globe of the Moon, to make this like our heart or spirit, which is done, when it is prepared and made up into a medicine and most pleasant meat, so that being taken by the mouth, it may presently pierce and passe throughout the human body, keep every thing incorrupt, especially the flesh that is united to it, nourish the power and spirit of life, increase and restore, digest every raw thing, lop and prune all excesse of every quali­ty, make the Naturall moysture abound, and strengthen, inflame and augment the weak Na­turall Heat or Fire. This is the duty of a true Physitian, and of the more sound Phyloso­pher.

The Tincture doth so cleanse the Balsom, that our chil­dren in the tenth genera­tion may see the effect of it living so long, Paracels.For thus he might preserve our body from corruption, retard old age, keep youth flourish­ing in its vigour to the very poynt of death, and [Page 211]were it not for the wages of sin, withstand death, preserve (our body) in perpetuall health and defend it from destruction.

Paracelsus calleth it the Element of FIRE, which like the Sun of the Terrene or inferiour Firmament may be the greatest Secret for the removing all diseases, and refreshing the cold benummed members, for that Essentiall Fire worketh in the body, as the Flame and Nettle doth without the body. Whose meaning was (that of right he may here be vindicated from the unjust calumny wherewith he was branded) where he treateth of the vertues of this perfect Fire of Life, that the Balsom of Nature,The Humors of life do nou­rish the spirit of life. See Paracel. in the sift Tome among his Physicall frag­ments, sol. 162. Cease there­fore hence­forth to blame Paracelsus in that he pro­misedlong life to others, but scarce came to full age him­selfe. Many more such devices they devise & revile out of their malicious ignorance which Para­celsus never thought of. the Balsamick Mummy, the Vitall Body, the liquor of Life, the Native or Radicall Humor which the Spirit of Life moveth or acteth, may be re­stor'd, strengthned and preserved as in corrupt even to the very utmost consumption of it, that is, to the last gasp of Life without any sicknesse, paine and griefe, which thing though he perfor­med in curing the most desperate and dangerous diseases of other men, yet was he stopt from continuing so doing any longer, being Poysoned in his body by his malicious and inhuman adver­saries, who had often attempted the same before they could effect it, (for he came to the Natu­rall Terme of his Life by an untimely and vio­lent death of a draught of Poyson) and not as many maliciously scoffe in their strange fictions, that he by this his medicine would presumptously prepare himselfe an entrance and way to the im­mortall health of his body, which the dead [Page 212]Phylosophers his Ancestors in this wicked world and true vale of miseries, of which they as stran­gers and Pilgrims of this world never so much as dreamed.

God is to be seen beyond the horrizon of Eternity & [...] the other side the wall of Para­dise, which is the proper place of those that contem­plate him. He that conti­nueth united with God in Christ doth like God and the Angels ne­ver wax old. In vaine will those husks & scraps of Para­celsus rise up that use to do, who exclaime that this in­terpretation is forced and far setch'd.GOD is the Centre of all Creatures, by how much the more any draw near to him, by so much the more blessed, and lesse variable, and mutable is he; But the farther any thing de­parteth from that Centre or One, to wit, the immutable will of God, to the circumference, variety and plurality of the Creatures, the more unhappy, imperfect and mutable is it: Blessed­nesse is in unity, not in the circumference; in Christ, not in the world, is Peace and the Rest of Soules.

He therefore that by the immense Goodnesse of God which runs before us without intermissi­on, shall forget all Things and leave sensible and Temporall things behind him, which are to be used but onely in our passage, and shall be united to that one Centre, he waxeth young rather than old: And this is the true Long Life of the Cabalists, and of Paracelsus, which he so often and so earnestly begg'd for by Prayer and holy hope in his Hymns and Soliloquies, the true Enochean Life.

As on the contrary, he that is not united to this most united Fountain-like and only Unity by adhaesion, must of necessity perish for ever, and be separated from the Light and Life by the second death, and be cast into the utter Dark­nesse of the Caliginous world, which deprivation and want of the sight of God is the most bitter of all punishments.

To know GOD himselfe the maker of all things, and passe into him with a full image of his likenesse, as with a kind of essentiall touch without a bond, whereby thou mayest be trans­form'd, and made (as it were) a God, this at last will prove the True and sollid Phylosophy.

The MIND therefore of Adept Phyloso­phers, whose [...] or conversation is in Heaven,Phil. 3.20. The Mystery of Divine Ma­trimony with Man. they having enough of the Terrene Life, to whom one is All in all, and All are one in One: and who alwayes look upon these transitory things with the left eye, but on Hea­ven with the right.

The MIND, I say,By the access of this beam, ray, or celesti­all Stone all drosse is puri­fied, and the darknesse of ignorance is driven away. Eccl. 18.9, 10. Psal. 90.10. Rom. 8. of these Adept Phylo­sophers hath ever been far off and estranged from the Cavill above mentioned. For when through Divine Grace cooperating, they have by a quiet and religious meditation been raised up out of the sepulchre of their body or out of the dead Works of Darknesse, the world that lyeth in the malignant one being cast behind their back, they could open the Eyes of their Heart, and be turned to God in the Sabbath of their Heart by a separation of the Minde from Terrene obsticles in them­selves, and see all things in one by a most Blessed Spectacle, to wit,Whatsoever is not God, is Nothing, and ought to be esteemed as nothing. one simple (intuitive vision or) sight from within, a kind of an Essentiall touch of the Divinity, and to contem­plate the beauty of the Chiefest Good in the Light of GOD as in the glasse of Eternity, which beauty is incomprehensible to the Old Creature,INFOR­TUNIUM. they have esteemed it the Ʋnhappines [Page 214]to stay so long in this Vale of miseries and igno­rance: For our heart is not at Rest till we have cast behind us the most beautifull Nothing (that is, the shadow and region of Darknesse and Death) and returned to the BEING of BEINGS (from whom we are wandred) as to the prefixed scope of all our desires and will, towards whom every Creature panteth and breatheth. Therefore being stript and forsaken of every Crreature, they leave themselves, and totally go out from themselves contemning all things corporeall and incorporeall, in sighing and earnest desire they hasten from the imper­fect to that which is one and perfect, the know­lege and contemplation whereof (that which the most wise Hermes and most pious Phyloso­pher of reverend antiquity the Antesignan of Naturall Phylosophers and first Prophet,Lactantias mentioneth Hermes not so much among the Naturall Phylosophers, as among the Sybylis and Prophets, as the true Or­pheus. doth also acknowledge in his Monade) is a sacred, Heavenly, and hid silence, the quiet or Rest of the sences and all things, when at length after the task of miseries, labors, and peregrinations is ended, all minds, by an unanimous friendship, after an unutterable manner, shall be altoge­ther but one thing, in one MIND which is above every MIND.All things are seen and lookt into with one presentiall glance. It is the intimate vision of GOD, and the Intuitive knowledge of GOD, which also hapneth by the Light of Grace to the separate Soul even in this world, if any man set himselfe about it now, and be sub­ject to God. Thus many holy men by vertue of the Deifick Spirit have tasted the First fruits of the Resurrection in this life, and have had a [Page 215]fore-taste of the Celestiall Country. I mean that spirituall Death of the Saints (which the Jewes call the kisse of Death) which is precious in the sight of God,Exod. 33. Es. 6. 2 Cor. 11. Psal. 116.15. if the fulnesse of Life may be cal­led death; We must die to the World, Flesh, Blood, and the whole Animall Man, who would faine have got into those Inmost secrets, and en­tred into Paradise by the excesse or going out of the MIND: the Man that liveth in nothing but the Mind, is as an Angel, & (as I may so say) conceiveth and apprehendeth God after a sort in his whole breast. The scope and mark unto which all the most dear, beloved, holy, and in­timate Friends of God, who live after the Image or inspiration of the most High, and not after the Limus Terrae the Eearthy Mind, doe bend, who from Divine Love willingly cast themselves headlong into the fountaine of the Abysse and into the Sea of Nihilitude or Nothingnesse, and enter into the Holies of Holies by the Life of Christ, that in the Sabbath they may live with God in Rest and Blessednesse, and so drink of the everlasting Ambrosian Nectar of Eternity. By the Soul abiding and standing stedfast, em­bracing its Image of Divinity or MIND uni­ted to GOD by Christ, we enjoy actuall Blessednesse.

Tis possible to extend a long life far­ther: There­fore Porta re­ject the opi­nion of those that cast mens fortune from the day or houre of their nativity pre­fixing the bounds of life, affirming that he that is wa­ry of his infir­mities and a­voydeth those things that are hurtfull may live a longer life. Parac. chap. 7. of the Laby­rinth of Phy­sitians.Though it may go for the discourse of Vaine men that the life may be lengthned, yet it is re­pugnant neither to Nature nor Reason that a Man may prolong his life beyond the common ordinary age of Men, even to a long time, and that for two Reasons.

First, Because in NATURALS there is no certaine appointed Terme apparent what day we shall die, but it is in our own hand and power to put an end to our life if we will, and to prolong it without offence to GOD if so be we may, and have wisdome so to do: I speak here Phylosophically of the Naturall death, which is onely the wasting of the Naturall Moy­sture and Heat, as may be seen in a burning lamp, not Theologically of the Fatall death and utmost Terme which God hath prefixt to every one, by which we are inforc'd not onely to pay the debt of Nature, but are compel'd also to undergoe the punishment for sin. Death is the Bound which we cannot passe, nor is there any day or hour, for by the Grace of God we live the Terme without houres. As God hath numbred our hairs, so also doth he reckon our years, leaving them in our power: And because it was the good pleasure of God that Man should live for ever, thence it is easie to discerne that for the lawfull matrimoniall propagation and augmentation of Mankind, a long and last­ing life of Man in this world is not displeasing to him, especially if it be spent in the Fear and Service of his Creator, yet alwayes short of that utmost and fixed Terme or determined poynt of DIVINE PREDESTINATION which is unknown to mortalls,See Paracelsus of long life. imposed on our first Parents and their heires, for their Fall from Originall Righteousnesse, beyond which Bound no man can goe.See Paracelsus in lib. 8. As Man many wayes may not attaine to the appointed Terme of life, it being [Page 217]compassed about with diseases,Archid. of the Elixirs. It is the con­servation of the Human body from all accidentall corruption. Death Gods minister ex­pecteth our intestine war. There is a two fold death, from the Iliad or first princi­ple, and from the Ens or Being. The Soule of perpetuity or the Spirit of Light joyned to Nature with the light is perpetuall, and will not suffer such a conjunction and such a life to be short. and so his time may be shortned; so may he prolong his life by removing these impediments, so that at last he may attaine to the appointed Terme of the Nature of life.

Secondly, Because God hath created the a­foresaid Medicine for the preservation of life, which may preserve our body as well from the corruption of our Parents, as from the defect of our own government, cure its infirmities, and repaire what is wasted; yea, chase away from us all diseases which cause the naturall death, untill ultimate death the most Terrible of all Terrible things (which is the destruction of the Mummy) which God the most high Creator hath ordai­ned as the wages of sinners. Therefore Para­celsus saith that the death which is from the re­solution of the Iliad may be hindred by the in­dustry of the Physitian, but that which is from the Ens or Being cannot: as we may preserve a little fire by laying on more wood; so also may our life be prolonged by administring such Remedies and secrets as are derived from the fountaine of Gods gifts, with which the Rayes or little beams the weaknesse of the Moysture and innate heat is nourished and cherished as the Fire with wood: This at least is desired in us, because we being destitute of wisdome know not that wood wherewith our life might be che­rished and prolonged. Adam who was full of wisdome and the perfect knowledge of all Na­turall things, and many more of his time, who li­ved a more frugall life than we, did attaine to so [Page 218]many ages, not by Nature and property of Time, for then all had been Long-liv'd, but by the help of Secrets and by Wisdome which was revealed but to few, and by speciall knowledge which God gave them in this particular, where­by they lengthned out their life to so many years beyond the ordinary time that men lived. Many holy men used this universall Medicine before the flood, which Adam also had in his Family, as Lactantius witnesseth, which strengthneth the Internall Balsom, and like Fire congregateth Homogeneous things, and segregateth Hetero­geneous, which are of a contrary nature. Nor are we to relie upon their judgements, who be­ing ignorant of the Mysteries of the Element of Water, dream that the Deluge washed away the efficacy of fruits & of growing things, or that the power and strength of mens bodies was spoyled by the Water: For all things that grow by the benefit of Water do yet sprout and spring forth in the same vigour and with the same efficacy as they did in Adams time.When men multiplyed in the world, wise men lived to­gether in the Centre reser­ving wisdome among them­selves, but ba­nished those that had it not into the cir­cumference. Paracels. Wherefore we want nothing but the knowledge of Secrets, and their use. And thus the Flood did not wast the things that grow, but wash'd away our wisdome of knowing them. These most secret of secrets have ever been hid from the common sort of them that professe Phylosophy, and especially since­men began to abuse Wisdome, using it to an ill end, which God bestow'd upon them for their health and advantage.

But as few reach the Naturall Terme, so also few have known the reason of prolonging the [Page 219]life: And hereof there are many Causes. For the life is broken off, or shortned, two manner of wayes.

MENS & ENS abrum­punt nobis vi­tam.First, Either by the MIND, whence arise mentall diseases which are invisible, and affect us in our Mind, as Inchantment, Imagination, Estimation, Influence; Superstition, all which proceed from a spirituall affection: No corpo­rall guard or shelter availeth any thing against such like violences, but onely Faith which is able to resist them▪ or some other Magicall means is requisite against witchcrafts and to cure those that are bewitched, and though the cure be diffi­cult, yet is it possible.Notwithstan­ding what may be said, i. e. that the act of the ima­gination is im­manent, and that one mans body cannot be altered by another mans imagination. And these diseases which only Adept Physitians know, are healed without the help of Natural Physick. For in the minds of men there is a kind of a hidden Virtue, of chan­ging, attracting, and binding that which it de­sireth either to attract, or change, or bind, or hinder, especially if it be set against it with the greatest excesse of the Imagination of the Mind, and of the Will: This is no strange thing to them that know the operations, those wonderfull ver­tues in the Nature of the Antipathicall Load­stone, which doth (as it were) bewitch spiritually and invisibly. But least our spirit should be suf­focated with these five supernatural mischiefs,i. e. Inchant­ment, Imagi­nation, Esti­mation, Influ­ence, Super­stition. or left the life should utterly be destroyed by them, their malignant Astra's must be averted by a su­pernaturall cure and magicall help into some­thing else, without any prophanation of Gods Name: Thus those diseases that proceed from the Mind require a mentall cure, of which see [Page 220]more in Paracels. his Philosophia Sagaci: God­linesse is the chiefest remedy, guard, and preser­vation against such like evills, for certainly the auxiliary hands of God are the best preservative in all diseases.

Or Secondly, The life is shortned PER EN­TEM▪ by the Being, as by Entall or Corporall diseases: [...] & [...]. For many who live to eate onely, and prefer a voluptuous superfluity before the Natu­rall necessity which is content and satisfied with a little, have surfeted themselves to death, and found death in the pot: Health is preserved by fastings, and a moderate Diet is the best Gover­nance to prolong the life. And this cure of the harmes of the Naturall members which come from the Ens or Being, is to be sought from Na­tural causes and means, to wit, from the Elements and hidden Secrets: For all diseases require their own proper cure, and reject any other remedy: Corporall medicines doe no good to mentall or supernaturall distempers, nor can mentall medi­cines be profitable to bodily diseases. This also is to be considered, that many times weare corrup­ted in our mothers womb, sometimes in the birth and education, and by many various accidents may we be hindred and kept from attaining to the Naturall Term of life, as Theophrastus in his Books very often observeth.

But not to forget what we intended, and wan­der wider then the bounds of a Preface, I shall now draw to a conclusion.

Whatsoever advantage therefore I have made by my labors, watchings, studies, and peregrina­tions, [Page 221]which may as well illustrate Physick and Phylosophy, as make manifest the Light of GRACE and NATURE, (though divine Miste­ries are far greater than to be set forth by the splendor of mans words) so far as divine Minerva hath given leave, I have inserted in their proper places in this Prolix and Admonitory Preface, and so far as was lawfull, and so much as was al­lowable by God, have I imparted candidly from the intimate and inmost Armory or Treasury of my Heart,Read them o­ver and over, & over again, and againe; I hope it shall not repent thee of thy paines. to the Children of Learning and Heirs of Wisdome, who with second thoughts which are the wisest, shall clearly and with a conside­rate judgement passe thorow these things with a pure Mind and tongue, reading them over in the light of God, without any superfluity or diminu­tion, by often reiterated and evident speculati­ons: For surely it is not enough to know,We ought not to prefer our private profit before the publick good. that thou mayst know, but it concerns the publick good to make known also in publick writing what belongs to the publick, not out of pride or vaine glory, but moved with a desire of doing good, that posterity may be instructed, and the great bounty of God spread abroad and reveren­ced; both because at this time I see it taught in publick Schools for the most part rather for the glory of Education, than the good and profit of the Auditors: as also, because every one is not so happy as to desire to learn and improve his time, whether he be rich or poor,The School of Physick is not covered with tile, but with the Fir­mament: which yet by peculiar assistance of the divine Majesty fell to my lot, in that I lived freely to the great advan­tage of my studies above ten years in two of the [Page 222]very best and most honourable Families,Therefore that Physitian that walketh according to the mind of Paracelsus is onely able to open the Book of Na­ture. in that of ESNE at Lyons in France, and in that of BAPPENHEIMIE in the Segniory of Mareschall: It fell out, that when I instructed the Noble Prosapia committed to my trust and diligence, that in my various and most profitable peregrinations (especially while I was with the Illustrious and Noble MAXIMILIAN sol­licitous of his Fathers liberty, that gallant Heroe Conradus of Ancient Repute and Virtue, now at rest with Christ, then unhappily a prisoner in Mareschal) when I had special and private con­verse with learned men, a thing most long'd for by a Physitian that desireth chiefly to turn over the BOOK of NATURE (in which every re­gion is a leaf) not profunctorily & superficially, but practically and experimentally, to which learned men I should hardly have been admit­ted, but for the Relation I was then in. Besides, I had this chiefe and speciall help, in asmuch as that most Illustrious, the most worthy of perpe­tuall respect from all learned men, and Heroick Prince CHRISTIAN ANHALTIN, with his more then singular favor and laudable patronage toward the more secret Studies, sup­plyed me with necessary expences, who was alto­gether unable to bear and undergoe so great a burden as all these Medicins come to, which must be prepar'd and try'd by Fire. By which singular care toward the whole Spagyrick state, and most deserving pattern (which I here set down for o­ther great Peeres and Noble men to imitate) his most Illustrious Highnesse will deservedly and of [Page 223]right purchase to himself not only an eternal good Report and honour of his Name next to the happy reward of his expences, but will also for ever to all posterity be thanked by forraign Nations. Moreo­ver in respect of what concerns the order and Dis­position of medicaments, I have proposed and set down this to my selfe (every man having the free­dome of his own sence) according to the measure and fansie of my Genius and skill: It will be safe for every man to add hereunto the further Experi­ences of his own, and dispose it otherwise accord­ing to his discretion for his private use when he hath inlarg'd it; And so I doubt not but that this har­vest of Chymicall Corn, and the First fruits of my increase, and this Spagyrick present of my difficult and laborious diligence (than which I suppose I could not leave behind me a better to my Country and Common-wealth) will be most acceptable to godly learned men (for I regard not Hogs & Dogs that have no grace nor goodnes at all, those Beetles which I leave to their own dunghil) but of all espe­cially to them who have wasted their youth with infinite paines to follow after and get Knowledge, and who have been train'd up in the Spagyrick and Hermetick School of Vulcan, being not yet depri­ved of the Light of understanding, and have been well instructed by approved Authors in the general rules of Physitians before observed, as well touch­ing the causes of diseases, as the methodical way of curing them.I have not spoken of so many things, but there yet more left to be spa­ken. These things are writen for them who by aprospi­cocious & happy wit have their mind in­lightned by God & their Soul seasoned with the salt of Wis­dome. A few things or words are sufficient for him that under­standeth. I have not handled all things here in this place, to avoyd prolixity; I know there are not a few doubts left unresolved; and no wonder, for they that are ignorant of many Things must needs [Page 224]doubt of Many things: It is provided for by the Phi­losophical law that some tedious things should be left obscure to young Schollers and for intelligent & wise men to find out; for thereby their wits are tri­ed, and made fit for the School of Phylosophers. He that can receive it let him receive it; and he that doth not understand, let him either learn or hold his peace and be silent: Neverthelesse the young Pupil that is a diligent Searcher out of the Ancient First & Sacred Phylosophy, who in the Fear of God hath given holy attention, laid aside his Phantasie, & hath had his Reason well disposed with a subtile wit and profound understanding, he may apprehend & con­jecture the signification of MANY things by a Few in this open market of Nature, not by a vulgar sharpsightednes but by the assistance of the Almigh­ty: He that can endure the Truth lay aside rancor, and read those things with a sincere mind, and shall inwardly & more thorowly examine all things with a diligent and considerate judgement of the MIND not depraved by his affections, shall at last with great thankfulnes acknowledge that the doors and Inner rooms are unlockt to him by the favorable virtue of the most high Creator, and from all these things rightly understood, through PRAYER & PAINS, shall reap much more fruit than he expected. If hap­pily there be any of a contrary opinion, ignorant of the Truth & Men of a testy & wayward nature, who in their rash ignorance shall account this courtesie for an injury, unthankful for what I have endeavo­red, & think they have no need of this publik worth, which from the hand of God I have sincerely com­municated to a State that stands in need of it, to the [Page 225]glory of God and furtherance of my neighbors wel­fare, let them not vex and trouble without cause the laborious diligence of undoubted experience, and other mens pains and sweat, with those their proud and rash censures like Aesop's Crow, or reproaching them for a patch'd and mixt hodg podg of good & bad together (to get the corn from the chaffe, and separate true from false, is sometime a most tedious and difficult task, let them judge who have toyled and sweat in the like case) nor let them with Timon that Man-hater seeing a dogged churlish spirit or disposition ratify it to posterity, or publish to all the world their cruel and detestable inhumanity or most unrightous hatred which they have against the Truth by rising up against it, unlesse (quite excluded the company of learned men instead of an answer) they would be called stubborn enemies of man-kind, and adversaries of publick safety, who (as already before) are justly to be casheer'd: And let them not a fright those that are studious of the truth, who take those our labors and faithful diligence kindly and in good part: or if they can discourage any, let them open their own fountains, having an occasion given them hereby of publishing their Observations, let them take their lited candle from under the bushel, lest the curse of the figtree befall them,Mat. 21.19 and letting passe all idle contentions of words and Scholastick questions and fruitless disputations (for it is that which a cun­ning & contentious Sceptick Phylosopher is inclin'd unto, whose purpose is not to find out that which is True but to wrangle about it, & with brawling words to prove and maintain any thing, and to put by or a­way what he pleaseth) let them be spurd on & pro­voked [Page 226]by my example, as becometh good & sincere citizens of the Physicall & Spagyrick State and pro­fession, to bring forth better things than these out of their own experience,For who can find out the end of Physick. (for surely Physick is not yet come to the Limit of perfection, but many things re­main to be discovered to future ages) and to succor poor Lazarus, not w^th Sylogistical or Levitical Words, but with a Samaritan Help & Ayd. This if they shall do, and cast away the Signatures of cursed Sloth, of Drones, in their hollow cracks and clamors which at least make a terrible noyse, they may become Bees, and after that in a grateful agreement, godly love & mutual duty conspire together with us into an union and Spagyrick mellifice divorcing the multitude and abstaining from all fornication, and Really & indeed may maintain & defend the Excellency of Chymistry against all that reproach it, and with their ingenuity and learning, without envy & evill speaking, endea­vor to render this our good endeavor better then the work it self: No doubt but after other secret Sciences which yet lie in the dark, that Ancient, True, & Phi­losophical Medicin, which by reason of the long con­tinuance and injury of time, as also the unworthines of our age (mens sins doubtles so meeting together) is not yet fully known, may in a shorttime by the hea­venly assistance, be restored to its lost lustre & ancient splendor, to the most healthful advantage of all man kind & the due honor of Spagyrick Phisitians, whose endeavor & pains that immense sea of divine Mercy would be pleased to make use of as an Instrument & Pen to accomplish so healthful and saving a work.

Which that holy Triunity grant, whose unspeakable Name be blessed for ever and ever,