but the consideration thereof wiâ—… afford you some Benefit LETTER IV. Of the Sense of Seeing SIR BY the Receipt of yours I find you have a great desire to have my Iudgement of that most Stupendious and Wonderful Sense of Seeing in Answer whereunto I shall according to my Talent endeavour to Explicate the Variousness Virtues and Powers of that most amazing and admirable Faculty NOW as that wonderful Eye of Heaven the Sun is the very Centre of Light of all the numberless numbers of Creatures being the Foundation and Well being of them all who by its illuminating Beams Communicates Life and Light to all the Host of Heaven and Earth without which all would be a dark Chaos of Misery and Confusion Words are too short to set forth the Uses and Excellencies of this Sun of God in which the Preserving and Divine Power is understood and manifested And as this high illuminating Spirit and Power is the Eye which doth enlighten and preserve every Member and Part of the Great World being its Soul or Centre The like is to be understood of the Sense of Seeing in us for as the Sun is the Eye of the Macrocosm so is the Sense of Seeing the Light of the Microcosm which doth enlighten every Member and Part thereof for Man is a compleat Image of God and his Handmaid Nature and doth contain the true Nature and Properties of the whole and therefore is called a Little World or an Extract from the Great and as this high and mighty Power the Sun doth enlighten direct and conduct all and by whose Power and illuminating Beams all this wonderful variety of Beings and Creatures are understood and distinguished And as the World would be a miserable Chaos if the glorious Eye of Heaven were withdrawn but one moment even so it would be with Man for this Sense of Seeing is both in the Great and the Little World the true Guide of all Action and Motion and in this Sense or Light is contained the Secret or Central Fire which by Motion and continual Circulation of contrary Qualities becomes manifest warming and preserving the whole being the Root and Original of Vegetation and the true Father of the Light for Fire and Light are inseparable they dwell eternally together for this cause where the Light is weak or but little there the Fire is as impotent as is most manifest in all the Northern parts of the World most part of the Year being terrible-Cold Frosty Weather the Elements being Congealed for want of Heat The contrary is to be understood in the Southern parts of the World where there is Light Heat is always at hand and in what thing soever the Central Fires are potent there the Light is also strong powerful and lasting there being always a proportionable Nature between the Light Fire or Central Heat of each thing both in Animals Vegetables and Minerals for this cause Children and all Young People have a clearer and more penetrating Sense of Seeing than those of Age because their Light burns clearer and all their Humours are clean vigorous and free from dull cloudy Vapours the Elements of Water and Fire being thin and more pure do rarify each other by which the Oil of Life or Salnitral Vertues are clean and free from gross obstructing Matter from whence the Fire hath its bright clear shining Quality so that in Youth all the Operations of the Elements are more brisk lively and powerful than in Age as appears not only in the Sight but in all the Actions of Life For as the Natural and Central Fires decay the Light equally grows weak some sooner some later according to the degrees of the Decay or Weakness sometimes this decrease of natural Heat is Universal and when this happens the whole Body doth quickly dwindle and fall into Death but very often this Decay of the Natural Heat happens in the Intelligible part the Head by some accident of Obstruction the Vessels or Optick Nerves becoming stiff or as it were glewy the Porous Parts or Vessels being narrowed or small which does prevent the free Ingress Egress and Regress of the fine thin rarified Spirits that are generated thro' the whole Body which every moment doth ascend by certain Circular Motions into the Head or most Intelligible Part which if at any time the whole Road or common Passage of those fine thin rarified Spirits be stopt or obstructed the Person so Afflicted immediately falls and nothing but Death follows and that in a moments time this being the Original occasion of sudden Death so that many Sound Healthy Persons by such like Obstructions fall into Death who otherwise might have Lived many Years as being free from Diseases For this cause Temperance and Cleanness both in Quality and Quantity of Meats and Drinks are as it were the Spring-head of Health and the Generater of fine clean nutriment good Blood pure Spirits noble Dispositions and Inclinations whatever Cormorants and unclean Belly-gods may Dream to the contrary Nature and God's Law is always true and cannot lie Every thing under the Government of the glorious Eye of Heaven doth arise proceed and follow its first Matter and carries in its Bosom or Centre a Key that can readily join and unlock all the secret Doors of Nature's Cabinet and finding out and incorporating with its Simile encreasing and strengthening the same which is the highest Joy and Solace of all Corporal and Incorporal Beings For this cause as any Persons Meat Drink Employment and Communications are either from the dark cloudy Root clean or unclean so the Humours Blood Dispositions Inclinations Words and Works all proceed and go on in a streight Line or Method therefore to be either too much in the Sun or Shade begets Complexions for Meats and Drinks are the Centre and Substance of our Lives and in them are contained the true Nature and Property of all Qualities Principles and Dispositions enduing the Eater with their Qualifications If this were not true Man could not Subsist or have his Life continued whatever the unthinking do or may imagine to the contrary every thing knows its own Voice and Cries after its own Dam or Mother and the Senses are the Officers Carriers or Conveyers of all things to the Central parts and Understanding so that all the hidden Powers and Qualities are awakened each Quality having its peculiar Appetite do direct and draw unto its self both Corporally and Spiritually not intermeddling with the Business of its Neighbour So this wonderful penetrating Sense is the only Guide of the Body and capable Power to present unto the Understanding and Judgement the Forms and Signatures of all things in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Worlds by which an enlightened Philosophical Mind can in some degree by the Form and Signature understand the Complexion of each and consequently their Uses It is this Sense that doth likewise present unto the Intellectual part of Man all delightful and pleasant Prospects serene Airs and agreeable clean
this great Sense of Life viz. the Feeling is universal and no part of the Body can subsist without it not so much as one moment and therefore when this Sense is Disordered or any Obstruction or Distemper invades it the whole becomes heavy dull and melancholy and Death quickly ensues so on the other side when it is in order the Motions and Circulations of the Body and Members are free from Obstructions then it is the true Pleasure of Life and all the other Senses are Subservient to this and rejoice in its Prosperity as being their Prince and King the Industry of all the others is to support and maintain this For if this Sense of Feeling sink none of the others are or can be well by the Innate Power of this Mankind and all Creatures viz. Animals distinguish between Joy and Sorrow Grief and Pain Sickness and Health Temperance and Gluttony also Hunger and Fullness Heat and Cold Weight or Lightness Hardness and Softness Fineness and Courseness Smoothness and Roughness Thickness and Thinness in a word in this Sense is apprehended and comprehended all Pleasures Touches and Embraces and as it were the very Centre of all natural Enjoyments both of the Body and Mind and therefore the great various and wonderful Powers of the whole Bows before it and with all endeavours each in its respective place to serve it with the highest diligence for the Life and Centre both of Joy Sorrow Pain and Pleasure is in this universal Sense Therefore all Powers yield their Obedience to it for this cause whensoever this Sense is Encountred or Invaded by any universal Disorder Intemperance or Uncleanness the Life of that part that suffers the Disorder immediately Perishes This the Learned call the Dead Palsy and several other Names they give this Disease which of all others is one of the most Dolorous and Melancholy which do attack and invade many Persons through disorderly Living and Intemperance Drinking and Eating both in Quantity and Quality such things that are too gross hard spirituous and of a strong fulsom Composition and Preparation from whence Juices of a proportionable Nature are Extracted which do infallibly generate thick gross Blood and impure Spirits which do as it were narrow stop and swell the Highways and natural Roads viz. The Porous Passages of the Body and the Nerves do by these thick Juices become stiff and Glewy so that the Blood and Spirits being touched with these Diseases and Infirmities cannot have their free Ingress Egress Regress and Circulation but are waylaied and stopt according to the degrees of these Obstructions the Diseases and the Distempers are more or less Now all Fumes and Vapours that many thousands of People especially Women are subject to as the Gout and all Obstructions Falling Sickness and several other cruel Maladies they are procured and likewise transferred from one Age to another for want of Wisdom Temperance and Cleanness in the Methods of Life for every Person does desire and incline to such and such Meats and Drinks Exercises and Communications according to the ruling Qualities and predominant Humours and their Equality and Inequality and the Nourishment Humours Blood Spirits and Dispositions are in proportion whence the Seed is Generated as being the Essence of all the natural Properties and Powers for this cause most or all the variety of new and old Diseases are transferred conveyed and intailed on their Posterity c. Therefore there is hardly found any Medicine capable to Câ—… them being so deeply rooted in the very Centre of Nature Now as these Diseases have encreased since Trade hath advanced so likewise have improper Compositions and Hetrogenial Preparations gotten great footing in the World bâ—… which every Age doth produce a new Off-spring of Diseases 〈◊〉 known or hardly heard of before as in this Nation since Stroâ—… Beer Ale and Wine became common Drinks and our comâ—… Foods compounded and mixed with Spices Sugar Spanish Fâ—… and several other Ingredients we say since this there aâ—… great number of cruel Distempers started up in Man's Body 〈◊〉 were not heard of before for every sort of Meat and Drâ—… hath the Key in its self to seek embrace and feel out its own likeness and hath an Innate Power in its Bosom or Centre to generate an Off-spring of its own Nature in proportion to the Nourishment such a thing affords as the Gout Stone Rhumatism Rickets and many Leprous or Scabby Diseases which within 70 80 100 or 200 years have been Midwifed into our Nation Now it is to be observed that all the other four Senses when they have gratified themselves and taken Pleasure even to the highest degree of Luxury Do slip their Necks out of the Collar as the Proverb has it leaving all their evil Works and Deeds of Darkness to this poor and most deplorable Sense of Feeling who is bound under the Iron Gates of various severe and intollerable Diseases all their malignant Influences the Taste Smell Hearing and Seeing shut their Gates and take their Rest but the Feeling is rarely ever quiet or easy Sleep and Rest gives them Resurrection and a new Life but the Feeling remains uneasy every Member and Joint akes and the whole Body is Indisposed Sleep being nothing else but a Transitory Death or an Occultation to a Renovation and therefore no Man nor other Creature can Subsist and Live except they Die near or altogether a third part of the time that is alotted them So that our Lives are a constant or continual Dying this being Matter of Fact why should Mankind be so fearful and timerous of Death seeing he that Lives 100 years is Dead more than 30 of it which time is an unaccountable to him as those that are really in Eternity where there is neither Time nor Place Near and Far off being altogether the same and no Man would be more concerned to Die than he is to Sleep if he had not broken the Law of his Maker by invading and bringing Desolation on all the Host of Heaven and Earth which is the Secret and Original of Mankinds Fear and the true cause of his Uneasiness and Perplexity for in this World there is no Creature that Lives without a continual Dying or becoming as it were Invisible Do not all the Herbs Fruits Seeds and Grains and whatever else appears in Bodies Shapes and Forms They we say do daily Die that they may be capable to reinvest themselves in new vigorous Bodies and do not all the Beasts of the Field every moment as it were enter into Death that they may be able to maintain a short Momentary Life though the Beasts do not enter so deeply into Death as Man Their Sleep being but a kind of waking in comparison of Mans for what Creature in the World is so drowsy and heavy as Man Nor is there any thing that sleeps so sound and deep or do require so much as he except some few that are called by the name of Sleepers whose Nature Original
was ordained viz. to an ill purpose and to their own damage to violate and oppress those of their own kind and all the innocent Inhabitants of the Earth breaking down all the Natural Laws and Bonds of Friendship between each other and destroying the Uniformity of all the under graduates This Sense is the greatest and most noble of all others for it makes the most hidden and mysterious things to appear and that which was and is inclosed in the very Centre of Darkness to become manifest that which was without motion to become Living that which was Cold to become Vigorous and full of Heat and Splendor by its peculiar power Mankind can as it were behold at once half the Globe Water and Earth with the wonderful Varieties and Mysteries therein contained In a word it is the Pleasure and Well-being of every Life and true Guide of all Actions The Eyes are the Gates through which the Spirits of life pass and repass having their ingress egress and regress through the whole Body on all sides by Pores but those that pass through the Eyes are more fine and transparent carrying with them a fiery powerful life and therefore if these two Gates are kept open too long the whole Body in a very little time becomes dull heavy and indisposed not being able to perform any Action or Exercise and this weight or heaviness will come on so strongly even like Death it self that all the powers of the Understanding and Mind cannot maintain the motion and vigour of the Body neither can the most choice Foods or Cordial Drinks but all become still and as it were benum'd For this cause persons may fast longer from Meats and Drinks than from Sleep therefore these Gates must be shut six or eight Hours in every twenty four or else Nature and our Bodies cannot subsist nor be able to go on with common business neither continue in a state of health so great is the necessity of Rest Therefore poor mean Meats and Drinks with a due proportion of Sleep will support and sustain Nature far bey ond the richest Foods and strongest Drinks with half the proportion of Sleep Wherefore all young People or Children ought to have their full time of Sleep and rest that making them strong lively and vigorous and fit for all Actions of Life Besides the Eye-lids are not only useful to preserve the fine thin pure Natural Spirits of Life from the usual motions by which all Actions and Exercises of life are performed but by their closing there is a kind of Cessation from their circular motions so that in this time of sleep the Spirits regain strength and vigour and thereby a new Life and Motion is Generated They likewise serve to many excellent uses in Nature so it defends this delicate tender Sight from all evils that may happen without in 50 60 or 70 years they are also of excellent use at all times or seasons to shut out the Light that the Evils Vanities Intemperances and Disorders lewd Sports and Plays that are daily Acted by Mankind to the great prejudice of himself and dishonour of God which all good Men ought to turn from and not so much as suffer this Glorious Light of Heaven to represent them to our understanding But above all to keep the Eye-lids of young People shut that they may not see the wickedness of this World at leastways as little as may be for vain things are the Pests and Distempers of every Age and whosoever avoids and shuns them as much as in him lies is the more happy And all Tutors and Parents instead of Tricking and Dressing their Children in Bravery and bringing them to Plays and Balls and Dancing Schools should represent to them all sorts of poor Tradesmen and Industrious People bringing them to places where they may see all sorts of poor indigent People who not only rise early but notwithstanding hard Labour and Pains fare very hard having ragged Cloaths and Shoes without Soles being all Dirty going about the Streets Cold and Hungry having no Food to Nourish them Also Weavers and Throwsters where great numbers of Boys and Girls are employed These and many others for want of Conduct and Education become barbarous in their Deportment Women as well as Men. These ought to be represented as Examples to those whose better circumstances will give them the advantage of Learning and Sobriety That it is not as some vainly imagine viz. Lost time to be well taught and skilled in several Arts and Sciences and that betimes too for Seeds Sown and Trees Planted in season bear the best Crop and brings forth the noblest Fruit and whatsoever thing you would not have your Children inclined to never let them see it for Children and young People use all Industry to imitate what they see Example and Precedent going beyond Precept The first is a compleat birth and substance the other but a Notion and no more than Air or Spirit without a Body which passes and repasses and is lost in an invisible breath or fume being quickly obliterated and forgot There are three degrees to be commenced before any thing in the mind of Man attains a compleat birth or come to be substantial the first degree is the Original thought or desire the second is this being modelled and banded to an fro by the five Councellors the inward Senses the Reason and Understanding being always at their Elbows to give necessary advice and this thought being represented to the Judgment to know whether it be fit or reasonable it should be Coyned into Words the next degree is putting these Words into Actions which does Crown the whole and makes the Birth substantial and compleat whether it be in the evil or in the good and can hardly ever be obliterated For instance if a Man think or imagine an evil thing and stop there he may easily repent and thereby annihilate it but if he bring this thought before the Judge by the Councellors and it is by them commanded to be Coyned into Words then if it be an evil thing it will be much harder repented of but if it proceed without Correction into Action then as is said before the case is much more difficult therefore Actions and Evil Precedents do Wound all People very deep more especially Children and young People therefore you ought not to let them see any thing that you would not have them practice as Soldiers in an Army Training fine Horses in their Furniture nor any sort of Shows or Games Fighting and Killing either of Man or Beast nor let them play with Dogs or such like Creatures for whatsoever is seen acted or practised takes deeper root than either that which is a Care Thought or Word every particular thing works on its likeness according to its power and whatsoever is done in the evil by Examples and Precedents the like is to be understood in the Vertuous and good courses of Life And were it possible to make Mankind intelligible
going to Church and the like which is often too true but this great perplexity of the Spiritual Powers and Soul is Man 's not living in any degree answerable to that great Law of God and innocent Method of Nature but instead thereof have contented themselves to live in the Observations Customs and Laws of Tyrannical Princes and Nations which have Originally sprung from and been Midwifed into the World by the divided powers of Nature Selfish Pride and Covetousness and all under pretence of Vertue and Religion which the poor ignorant miserable People receive believe and will dye in the defence of those wicked Laws and Customs they are Educated and Taught in which doth occasion the greatest number of Mankind violently to run into the greatest Errors and consequently into Discord and Disunity which is as I have said before the grand occasion of those Troubles and perplexing Agonies most Men experience on their Dying Beds for if Men Live in the practice of Violence Fierceness and Oppression be it either to their Kind or Creatures of inferior Ranks the Equality and Union of the Powers and Principles of God in a Mans Soul is thereby broken whence doth arise and proceed those unheard of troubles many Thousands endure when the Soul and Spiritual Powers must leave and be separated from their Habitations or Bodies and therefore we would have every one understand this grand and most necessary Truth viz. He that would Dye in Peace or in Unity must endeavour by all the ways and methods imaginable to transact his Life in Innocency and being obedient unto the Voice of Wisdom or Divine Principle â—…ch dwells in the Center of every Mans Soul which is the true and powerful Advocate and is not only willing but able to unite all the Sons and Daughters of Wisdom and Innocency unto the Blessed Fountain of Benignity Union with this great Original Being is the only one thing that all Creatures both Corporeal and Incorporeal ardently seek and groan after because nothing but that can or is able to give Peace and Satisfaction so great and wonderful precious and necessary is an harmless innocent Life it being the very Center of Peace and Eternal Tranquility the Understanding and Living in and under the good powers and principles of Innocency is both the pleasure of Time and the happiness of Eternity for Innocency wounds nothing nor nothing that Union being the Center not only of every Mans happiness and quiet but the highest satisfaction of all other Creatures which no Man can pretend to arrive at this Haven of Temporal and Eternal Bliss but only by observing and living in Gods Law in all the methods of Life viz. in Eating Drinking Speaking Wearing Buying and Selling avoiding all oppressions and violences both to Man and Beast for it is impossible that any Person should see the Blessed State of Unity whereas every day he greedily and exorbitantly sustains maintains and continues his Life by the effects and fruits of Disunity and Violencâ—… daily and hourly offered to his fellow Creatures many degrees more innocent and harmless than himself which miserable and melancholly condition of Man and his high and deep depravation can never be retrieved or redeemed so long as Mankind doth remain stupid and altogether blind as to the understanding of Gods Law in themselves and the particular Principles they are made and compounded of and their respective Operations for nothing is more true than he that doth not distinguish the birth of every Thought Word and Work and from what Fountains or Principles they proceed is compelled to do all things by chance Tradition and Custom they are his Projecters and Masters so that when Mankind comes to lye on a Dying Bed the Senses and all the Corporeal Powers become impotent and melancholly then most or all the actions of Life are as it were unaccountable unto the Soul and Spiritual Powers which Spirits do as it were with a rapid motion seek the cause of their Trouble and Disunion but being ignorant of Gods innocent Law they blame themselves for the neglect of some little or trivial matters many of which had they performed the Soul would have been as far from Satisfaction as otherwise and therefore to be ignorant of Gods Law in a Mans self is the greatest evil and brings on Mans Soul the greatest perplexity and trouble whatever some may think or imagine to the contrary for no Person hath any occasion to perplex and disquiet himself about what shall be his condition after Death if he spends this little part of Eternity in the observation of Gods innocent Laws for what can molest or disturb that Person that hath troubled nor hurt nothing but hath spent his few days in a calm innocent method of Life and Unity And as Blindness Depravity and Ignorance is the grand Inlet to all Violence Oppression and Disunity so it is the true Root of all fear suspicion and desparation in the Souls and Spirits of Mankind and likewise at this door comes in all wicked selfish mistaken Notions both in Religion and all other matters relating to the Soul for Mans Fall and deep degrees of Blindness and Depravation have divided and separated him from the true knowledge of his Maker and also from the knowledge of the Mysteries both of himself and all the uniform powers of Nature which stupidity and ignorance doth powerfully enclose and shut him up in the circle of Darkness having no certain knowledge neither of the things that shall be transacted in Time nor Eternity and it is well it is so seeing Mankind hath so violently and freely immersed his Will into this great Sea of Evil that he doth not know or understand future events and the sequel of things which the All Wise Father and ever Blessed Creatâ—… of all Beings hath wonderfully ordered for if Mankind were not limited as to the knowledge of future events of things he would be in a far worse condition and more miserable for should the Loving Mother foresee what Miseries and Calamities would befall her young and tender Child what a Melancholly condition would this fore-knowledge bring on the Parents whose affections is as their own Lives the Son runs into the Armies of Princes with a free undaunted Will rendring himself liable to all the Miseries of Life both in this World and that which is to come another Robs Breaks Houses Kills and Murders all that stands in his way or opposes his wicked practice and at last is Condemned and Hanged for his violent Crimes and furious Oppressions and an hundred other sorts and methods of Vice both the Sons and Daughters of Mankind immerse themselves into for according to what Principles govern in each Stock or Tree such is the Fruits according to the common Proverb for there is nothing more true than that Discord and Disunity begets and brings forth Children like themselves if the divided Forms and violent oppressive Customs and Principles have obtained the Government in the central Life of
TRYON's LETTERS UPON Several Occasions Viz. 1. Of Hearing 2. Of Smelling 3. Of Tasting 4. Of Seeing 5. Of Feeling 6. Of the Making of Coal-Fires 7. Of the Making of Bricks Tyles c. 8. Of Religion 9. Of Dropsies 10. Of various Opinions in Religion 11. Of the Humanity of Christ. 12. Of an Afflicted Mind 13. Of Faith Hope and Charity 14. Of God's Permission for Killing and Eating of Beasts 15. Of a Soldier 's Life 16. Of the Fountain of Darkness 17. Of the Fountain of Love and Light 18. Of Cleanness 19. Of Flesh-Broaths c. 20. Of the Right and Left Hands 21. Of the Corpulency of the Body 22. Of Fevers 23. Of Education 24. Of Smells 25. Of Predestination 26. Of Death 27. Of Judicial Astrology 28. Of Perpetual Motion 29. Of Musick 30. Of Languages 31. Of Times for Eating 32. To a Planter of Sugar 33. To a Gentleman in Barbadoes 34. To a Planter about the Manufactury of Cotton 35. Of the Making of Sugar 36. Of the Burial of Birds 37. Of Fermentation By THO. TRYON Author of the Way to Health Long Life and Happiness LONDON Printed for Geo. Conyers at the Ring and Eliz. Harris at the Harrow both in Little Britain 1700 TO THE READER THESE following Letters which were occasionally Written both at the Request of divers Friends and Country-men at home as well as of some Strangers from abroad their various Questions then readily answered according to that Capacity and Talent the Giver of all Gifts hath endued me withall in conformity to that grand and important Commandment of our Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ that we should not hide our Light under a Bushel but expose it on the House-top are now contrary to my original Intention in Writing exposed to publick View the Consideration of their being loose Papers and so subject by Time and other Casualties to be lost of my having the number Seventy in my view and daily expecting to be called to Inherit that Land which Adam the Great Father of Mortality hath entailed upon all his Posterity as also that the Publication of them might prove of some moment and advantage not only to private Persons but even to the publick in the present and future Ages together with the Auxilary Influences of some of my Friends and Acquaintance powerfully disposing of me thereunto tho' at the same time I cannot but expect to meet with some Readers who will alledge our Performance in this kind to be unnecessary seeing many of those Subjects here treated of have been already handled in some of my former Wriings and not only so but that in some of the said Letters themselves the same things seem to be repeated and insisted on again and again which even in the softest Language can be represented no otherwise than Tautology in us But to this it may be easily answered that Necessary and practical Truths cannot be too often taught and repeated till they are well understood learned and distinguished neither were the great Mysteries of Time and Eternity by any other Way or Method manifested or brought to light but only by a constant Repetition according to the Saying of the Great Apostle of the Gentiles that the visible things that appear and are constantly repeated shew the great and invisible Power of God And indeed it is impossible for any Mortal to speak or treat aright of God or Nature or to display the wonderful Operations of things and their respective Complexions without knowing and distinguishing the original Principles I mean the four grand Qualities which some of the ancient Philosophers called Sulphur Mercury and Salt but are since better and more familiarly understood by our common Names of Saltish Bitter and Sweet Qualities which are the said first Principles both in the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms and according to their respective Degrees or Gradations in each Creature or Thing such not only is the Form Nature and Name thereof but he that can distinguish the Signature and which of these four hath the Ascending or Ruling Power in any Animal Herb Seed Tree or Mineral together with the Strength or Debility of the other three Qualities in their several degrees such an one according to his proportion of Knowledge and distinguishing Faculty is thereby rendred capable to judge of the Constituent parts of the said Thing or Creature and therefore no Man can pretend to know or prescribe the Nature Virtues or Vices of any Created Being without this Knowledge for you are to understand that all visible Beings or Creatures do arise and deduce their Birth from Number Weight and Measure that is from certain original Principles which the Great and Wonderful Creator hath limited them to or incircled in which are as so many Eternal Fountains from whence all the Great Noble and Beneficial Sciences Arts Trades and Employments in the World take their Birth and undoubtedly the nearer any one comes to or imitates Nature and God's Law that is his Original the more curious and excellent such a Person becomes thereby But for a more clear Illustration of this grand Truth even to meaner Capacities Are not the original Foundations and Principles of all Sciences Arts Trades and curious Inventions bounded and incircled within the compass of such and such Numbers and whatever curious Notion or Thing is brought to light must be done by a constant Repetition of those original Numbers and more particularly in the wonderful and demonstrative Science the Mathematicks whereby so many useful and excellent things are effected for the Preservation and Benefit of Mankind Is not all done and perfected by a constant and perpetual Repetition of Nine Figures And are not the Seven Notes the very Centre and Basis of all Musical Harmony both Vocal and Instrumental no Lesson Division Song or Tune being to be made or composed without the perpetual Repetition of them The like is to be understood of the most ingenious and admirable Art of Representation or Painting wherein by the apt mixtures of the Seven Colours for the original ones which are called perfect Colours do not exceed that number a Skilful Artist can represent the various Colours of Animals Vegetables Minerals c. The same may be farther demonstrated in Words and Speech and that too in a most wonderful manner it being a grand breach of the Mathematicks tho' few consider and apprehend it and what a strange thing is it that the vast and amazing varieties of things in the almost infinite Distributions of them together with their Productions Terms and Utensils for all Sciences Arts Occupations and curious Employments should be all moved distinguished and understood by the Composition of the Four and Twenty Letters without which no Man can understand or distinguish one thing from another which said Letters are but so many Notes or Figures that while each stands alone and is not joined to any other does not distinguish or express any thing that is intelligible and therefore are then of no Force Use
Inclination to continue a miserable Life doth not only proceed and arise from the sense Men have of Sin and the breaking of God's Law for which eternal Punishment is threatned though this seems to be sufficient cause to be the Root of each Man's fear of Death which doth not consist in his Transgressions but from that eternal Life and invisible Spiritual Power that supports and dwells in the Body which in all Creatures doth with the highest diligence imitate that Fountain from whence it proceeds 〈◊〉 it is not to be doubted that if a number of Men should be Educated and 〈◊〉 up and under Custom and Methâ—… that did not teach 〈◊〉 believe the Immortality of the Soâ—… 〈◊〉 Rewards for Virtuâ—… nor Punishments for Vice neverthelâ—… the fear and dread of all Violence Oppression and Death would be the same as now it iâ—… and with other Creatures for God's eternal Laws in Nature are the same yesterday to day and for ever or from Eternity to Eternity and Man makes Laws and imitates Customs that are varied and changed out of Evil into Good and out of Good into Evil but God's Law and 〈◊〉 in all the Operations of the Spiritual Powers are in a consâ—… fix'd Method and it is clear that the greatest Evil and 〈◊〉 thing that can be done to Man or any other sensible Creature is to put a Period to the Life before it hath obtained its highest Limit and this sort of Violence doth in all its Circumstances Diametrically oppose the Creating and likewise the Preserving Power of God and the greatest breach of Unity Now that which will make Death and the Thoughts thereof easiest is a clean harmless sober temperate and innocent Life Living within the Compass and Bounds of God's Law that is to do unto the whole Creation and Creatures as a Man would be done unto and if this was done nevertheless every one would Live eternally in this World if they could because the Spirit which is the Life of the Body hath an eternal Original and would be cloathed with a proportionable Body for no Spirit nor Spiritual Power can be known to it self or be a Self-subsisting Individual Creature or be capable of Joy or Sorrow neither in this World nor in that which is to come if it be not comprehended within the Circle of a Body and therefore the Philosophical Apostle Paul tells us that if the Dead rise not or if there be no Resurrection that is new Bodies they were the most miserable of all Creatures which is as if he had said that if after the Death of these Mortal Bodies if the Eternal Spirit or Immortal Soul did not obtain or cloath it self with a suitable Body that is an Immortal one then their Works and good Deeds could not follow them neither could the Holy Men and Saints be capable of enjoying those eternal Blessings promised to all those that observe the Laws of their Creator and keep his Commandments for if there be no new Bodies then the Soul and all the Spiritual Powers that circled and dwelt in this gross Body must of necessity at Death mingle themselves into and with the eternal Fountain and thereby be eternally Annihilated â—…s to Individuality or of being known to it self and consequently not capable either of Joy or Sorrow And note that according to the Disposition and Complexion of the Spiritual Powers such Bodies they are cloathed with and therefore it is not to be doubted but that every Man in the World to come shall be cloathed or obtain a suitable Body proportionable to the Spirit and Soul and such as in the time of the Body did freely immerse and enter into all kinds of Fierceness and Violence Killing those of their own kind and all under-graduated Creatures their new Bodies shall obtain a Figure or Form in proportion And therefore the Scripture doth say and speak of the Heavenly City and Angelical Powers without the Gates are Bears and Dogs for the Spirit is the Original of the Body and not the Body of the Spirit and according to the Equality or Ineâ—…ality of the Spirit or Spiritual Powers such a Figure or Form that obtains for the great and wonderful variety of Forms of Bodies and Figures of things do arise and proceed from the variety of the Spirits and Spiritual Powers which could not have been manifested but only by means of the Body nor be known to themselves It is likewise further to be noted that Death doth at once obliterate and put a period to the five great Princes or Councellors called Senses in which by and through whom the living Powers and Spirits of Eternity do manage and transact all material things in this Visible World or Corporeal Body and at the same time Buries them in the great Abyssal Mystery separating the loving Husband from the affectionate and tender Wife and all other visible things that are near and dear to the Senses and innate Affections and all that claims an interest to the outward Corporality the sensitive Body and Spirit of this World have a right unto and are necessitated to plunge or leap into the grand Mystery of Eternity and that which doth increase and multiply the fear and dread thereof and makes it so exceeding timerous to pass through or over this Sea into Eternity is First Mens living and acting contrary to Gods innocent Laws of Nature and the embracing of evil Customs and Traditions most of which do diametrically oppose all the innocent uniform Powers and Laws of Concord the ignorances thereof being the greatest evil in this World for it is almost impossible for any Person to obtain the Unity if he doth not distinguish the Power of God in himself and the Principles of his own Nature and Composition and for this cause many of the Justest and best of Men that have noâ—… only been soberly and religiously inclined but have as it were transacted all their Affairs with softness and equity according to the settled Religion and Custom of the Nation and Place they are Educated in nevertheless those great and unnatural Evils Violences and Oppressions most or all Nations commit against God and his Holy innocent Law do so strong and powerfully spring and boil up in the center of Mans Soul so soon as the Eternal Spiritual Powers do see and feel that their body or circle of Corporality shall be taken away or they separated from them 〈◊〉 there is a great and wonderful Consternation or Tumult all the Centers Powers and Principles being awakened and as it were grating or rubbing one against another occasioning great Disorders and Agonys between the Nature Spiritual Powers and Principles all being unwilling to shift or quit their Body or natural â—…tation and be put to seek a new one and being as is mentioned before altogether ignorant of then doth arise in the Center of the Soul various Accusations of their not doing this or the other thing or of some mis-spent time or neglect of the â—…mon Duty of
fit them to be Butchers and â—…ill Men with ease and without trouble or the least regret as Butchers Kill Beasts but to be â—…ble of being Commanders over the Sons of â—…ceness and Oppression viz. Soldiers also another part of 〈◊〉 Mâ—…n of Honour and Title are of High â—…roud Lofty Tempers 〈◊〉 Oppressors of the Poor being Gluttons Druâ—…ds general Waâ—…ters of God's Creatures which doth not only draw on them a multitude of cruel tormenting Diseases but disturbed Minds uneasy Beds and guilty Consciences too Now when these things are considered and the true Nature and Principles of them and whence those great and numerous Croud of Calamities proceed then such an one will not â—…rvel that most Mens Dying-beds are so burthensome and anxious both to the Body and Mind more especially when we consider the 〈◊〉 part or greatest number are cut off in their younger Age or Strength which makes our Separation from the material things of this World many degrees more burthensome â—…rrible and frighâ—…ful to all sorts and degrees of People Now this cutting off the Life so early even in Childhood and in Youth or Strength of our Yâ—…s is undoubtedly occasioned by the Intemperances Uncleannesses and Disorders of our Fore-fâ—…thers with the addition this present Age makes doth cut off the greatest number of Maâ—…ind which doth mâ—…re cleâ—…ly appear when we consider the amazing variety and 〈◊〉 â—…fspring of the four Woâ—…ds or Elements viz. The underâ—…duated Creatures do not things in the Mineral Kingdom arrive to Maturity as Metals Stones and any other things belonging to the Element of Earth and do not Vegetables do the same whose variety in Nature are beyond Humane Number great part whereof doth sustain the Life of Man The like is to be understood of the inferior Animals or Beasts do not the greatest number live to old Age or the highest Limit of their Circle or Law except some who are subject to the Drudgery and Tyranny of Man as Horses and the like for should these great numbers and variety of Creatures be liable and subject to but half the Disorders Intemperances Uncleanness Depravity and Diseases Mankind is what an addition of Misery would it multiply on Man or how could he Subsist or be Supported and his Life preserved by them for should the greatest part of Fruits Grains and Herbage be Cut off or Blasted in the Bud or the Off-spring or Young ones of Cows Horses and other inferiour Ranks of Creatures be Cut off or subject to Distempers what a great Perplexity would it be on the Humane Race for nothing has kept them from being invaded by various Casualties and Sicknesses and preserving them in living to their highest Limits but only their continuation within the Circle of their Law that God and Nature have subjected them to and under which if they had at any time disobeyed or broken then the very same Flood-gate of Evil and Misery would immediately have fallen on them 〈◊〉 it hath done on Man Therefore it is most evident that the great numbers of unclean cruel Diseases short Lives and immature Deaths and 〈◊〉 thousand other Evils come in upon him as soon as he disobeyed his Creator and the undefiled Law of Nature the obeying and living within the Limits thereof is the â—…ond and Preservation of all the Under-graduates and the contrary is the melancholy House of Death and Misery as appears by the many Troubles and Perplexities that 〈◊〉 the Humane Race for should Mankind be divided 〈◊〉 Ten parts more than Nine of them Dies and are Cut off either 〈◊〉 Childhood or in the Prime of their Strength and Age many do thereby leave poor helpless miserable Wives and Children behind them who are exposed to all kinds of Violences Oppressions and Wants and are under no better Circumstances than a Ship without either Pilot or Rudder Now my Friend I do not doubt but when you have considered the fore-mentioned Particulars you will be satisfied wherefore Mankind are so deeply concerned in and do so much fear and dread Death Likewise there are several material causes in the common meâ—… of Mens Lives that â—…ing melancholly imaginations and troubles to the Dying Person besides what we have before mentioned viz. in Parents giving precedents and educating their Off-spring in all or most of the grand Vices our Great Prophet â—…sus Christ hath strictly forbidden on peril of his high Displeasure The first thing they teach their Children is the 3 grand Vices Gluttony Pride and Idleness which are the common roads and inlets to all other Evils as Passion Violence and Uncleanness which do diametrically oppose Justice Mercy and that great and Universal Sacrament Charity for which Holy Vertue Our Lord and Saviour justified and saved the Sheep on his Right Hand commanding them to enter in and inherit the Eternal Paradice whose Gates alway stands open to the Children of Wisdom and Obedience Is not Fighting and Oppression become the honourablest Employment and are not our Children trained up in the use of Arms and Violence to kill and oppress not only those of our Kind but spread their Venom also over all the undergraduated Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth who all become Victims to their fierceness and cruelties being altogether as it were dispossessed of common Humanity for which Practises all the Goats on the Left Hand were Condemned for â—…he Salvation and Preservation both in Time and Eternity is intailed not only on Christians but also on all other Nations and Religions on no other condition than to observe and live in the â—…ower and practice oâ—… Gods Commands the particulars of which our Divine Patron and Principles of Wisdom do command and enjoyn all his Disciples unto and all that act contrary thereto â—…doubtedly 〈◊〉 his displeasure Do not most Men that are endued with plentiful Talents and Blessings of this World live â—…th themselves and Off-spring in one degree of Luxury or other and is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for â—…ple of all sortâ—… and Religions to break that great and important Coâ—…dment that is to 〈◊〉 and give the beâ—… and câ—…oicest 〈◊〉 and Drinks to 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 in no need 〈◊〉 kind of 〈◊〉 and that are able to 〈◊〉 and Feastâ—… 〈◊〉 whiâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ly one of the greatest Eâ—…ls but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inconâ—… to each Party preventing them from doing such deeds oâ—… Charity which otherwise they would be capable of How willing are thousands to Treat themselves and Friends â—…th Bottleâ—… of Wine and with costly Dishes of Meat and at the same time are unwilling to give one Shilling to relieve their necessitous and wanting Neighbour and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other things and agreeable practiâ—…es to this most that have wherewithall do subject themseâ—… 〈◊〉 and as to 〈◊〉 Talkative or Discouâ—… part it producâ—… that great and 〈◊〉 effect of Folly Laughter which the Tutoâ—… of such 〈◊〉 Methods call pleasure and a sort of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—… 〈◊〉 Mankind could not 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than exposing it to Sale as it were by Inch
all their Innate Influences and Commands so that it is most clear and manifest that if the Governor of any People or Prince of this or the other Nation have a mind or desire to make War or to spoil his Neighbouring Countries he can presently command his People or Subjects into Warlike postures and cause them to march into the Field where Twenty or Thirty Thousand are Slain in a Moment so that every one is subject to the good and ill Fate and Destiny of that Star or Constellation he has made his Governor and unto whose Laws he hath subjected himself This is farther demonstrated by all the under-graduated Creatures called Beasts viz. If any Person becomes Master of a Thousand Sheep Cows Horses or any other Creatures has not our Laws and Customs made him Lord over them and doth not their good and ill Fate depend only on him being unaccountable for all his Actions towards them whether good or Evil Life or Death are in and under his Power and Influence and cannot he dispose of those innocent Creatures several ways at his pleasure one part or number to the Hang-man or Butcher to be Slain all in one hour and another number to be preserved for some years and yet for all this those Creatures are Midwifed into this World not only at several times but under as various Ascendants and governing Constellations of Heaven as Mankind is so that it is clear let any Person be Born under what Ascendant or Constellation soever nevertheless he shall be compelled by the Laws of his Sublunary Gods Customs and Traditions of the Place or Country he lives in to submit and obey them For so soon as Mankind broke himself off from the innocent Influences and Government of the Law of God and the sweet Influences of the Heavenly Powers he immediately became subject to a Foreign or Tyrannical Power so that he is become altogether ignorant of all the great Mysteries Qualities and Principles his Creator hath endued him with the Eye of his Understanding and all the wonderful Faculties and Intellectual magick Powers become encircled with a dark Cloud of Ignorance so that he is now like a Ship that has neither Pilot nor Rudder tossed to and fro by the fierce invading Waves of the Sea that has no Harbour nor Centre but he is continually drawn by the dark ignorant insulting earthy Constellations Customs and Powers out of one Evil into another seeking Content and Rest in all his Undâ—…kings Enterprizes and Methods but rarely finds any Satisfation which cannot be obtained by any other way or method but only by Virtue and the Power of Regeneration that is to return and observe the Laws of God and Nature for Mankind cannot be a Subject of Heaven till he obeys and lives in and under the Laws and Influences thereof as our great Prophet and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Divine Eye or Principle hath told us His Servants ye are whom ye Obey Accept this in Answer to yours for the present from your Friend and Servant T. T. LETTER XXVIII Of the perpetual MOTION SIR I Have received yours of the 26th of May 1699 filled with complaints of the various Indispositions and Diseases that have lately invaded the Health both of your Body and Mind and the worst of all is these Intestine Enemies have not only beset you on all sides but they are numerous and powerful so that all the helps and succours that Nature with the aid and assistance either of Meats Drinks Exercises Airs or Medicines seem too short and feeble to restore you to your former Health However we shall freely give you our Advice which will be easie to be observed and practised if you will but stem the Tide of Custom and give your Mind to it viz. First We referr you to our Writings in which we have largely discoursed of the Preservation of Health also of the qualities and quantities of Meats and Drinks also of Exercises Airs and Communications where you will find both general and particular rules for Health Secondly The Foods that may be most valuable to recover and maintain your lost Health are several sorts of Pottages or Spoon-meats as Water-gruel Milk-pottage Pap made of Water and Flour or with Milk and Water Possets Bread and Milk as it comes from the Cow several sorts of Caudle made of Oat-meal Water Ale Wine or with Eggs Chocoalate all eaten with some Bread these are the principal Foods you ought to apply your self unto being easie of Digestion and are to be preferr'd before hard strong salt fat things for the Juices and Virtues are easie Distilling their Nutritive qualities in a silent Method making no noise nor give no Disturbance from whose innocent power and sweet vertues the Blood and all the motions of the Body becomes advanced into a better state of Health Thirdly Your Drink ought to be good Water or at least ways small Ale Wine allayed with Water c. Fourthly Exercise your self in open airy places and by running Rivers sides and you must above all refrain and withdraw your self from all Sedentary Business more especially that tedious and ineffectual Study of the perpetual Motion a thing that seems altogether impossible to be obtained because it doth Diametrically oppose all Gods Methods and Laws in this Visible World which you and others ought to have considered before such a Labour had been entered upon do but survey and contemplate all visible Beings and Off-springs of God and his great Powers called Stars Constellations and Elements as Earth Air Fire and Water by whom the Great Creator works all wonderful things are not their Productions and Created Beings limited in their Motions and all their Methods of Life or can any Creature break their Circle in which Gods Law hath bounded it and if the Sons and Daughters of the Elements have their set bounds and limits and cannot pass their several Periods of Time how then is it possible that we by a certain Art or Science should out-do our selves for Art and Science is but a third Birth from the Original and consequently but Grand Children now that which is endued with a perpetual Motion Old Age never overtakes them but they are as it were always Youthful and Vigorous and therefore may have the Character of Immortal and if the Off-spring and Children of the great Immortal Being be Mortal what then must the Arts and Sciences be that are produced or flowes from them as a third Birth or can that Creature which is Mortal produce that which is Immortal or Perpetual which is one and the same There is no Creature or Being in this Sublunary World that hath an Eternal Motion but only the Original or Grand Powers of God viz. the Sun Moon and innumerable Company of Stars and Constellations together with the ever teeming Elements viz. the Fire Water Earth and Air whose generating creating and preserving Motions are perpetual but their Progenies or Off-spring whose variety and number are beyond Humane Arithmetick which
times and tho' they are the swiftest of any others in Motion yet none of them can hold out so long for most certain it is that the swifter and quicker the motion of any Creature is the sooner the same is tired and wants rest Wherefore it 's a weak Imagination in any to suppose that several of our Birds that are not seen in the Winter fly into Foreign Countries beyond the Seas of which Sea-faring Men and Travellers know nothing at all not but that there are various sorts of Fowls and Birds seen 500 or it may be 1000 Leagues off at Sea but then they are such whose Constitutions are more or as much Watry as Earthy and Airy and that cannot only rest on the Water but also get great part of their Food from that Element being much of the Nature of our Ducks Swans and the like so that upon the whole 't is no ways probable that our Summer Birds do remove themselves into Transmarine Countries to Winter nor to make their Exits in but rather according to their Airy Original Die in places more agreeable to their Natures as I before noted so that the wonderful and most amazing Wisdom of the Great and ever Blessed Creator appears in through and over all his Works in that every particular specifick Body and sensible Creature is made compleat and wants nothing that can render it more Happy provided it keep within the bounds of its own Circle and Law and no additions then can contribute to its farther Blessing and tho' the degrees are wonderful and various as to Virtue and the contrary and that each from their own Qualifications have obtained their Names which originally distinguished their Natures according to the Meliority of them or otherwise yet the meanest and lowest degrees of Created Beings even the Reptiles of the Earth are altogether as compleat and happy in themselves as those that are in Nature and Composition many degrees higher Graduated so that the meanest have no Inclination to change Conditions with the highest nor the highest with the lowest every individual Species being content to dwell with in its own bounds wherein its Happiness consists and upon this ground there is no sensible Creature in the World that is miserable but only such as have broken the Bounds and natural Limits of their and others that are forc'd to break it so that upon the whole Man must be the only miserable Creature under Heaven both in respect to the Depravation of his own Nature and his having by Fraud and Cunning spread his Malignity and evil Influences thro' and over all the Under-graduates of Animals forcing many of them to act and yield Obedience to his violent Hands contrary to the Law wherein God had Circumscribed and their own natural Instinct Sir If I have made any undue Excursions in this my endeavouring to answer your desire I hope you will excuse me and attribute it to the barrenness of the Subject and not to any other design in me than to serve you as becomes SIR Your Friend and Servant T. T. LETTER XXXVII Of FERMENTATION SIR T IS much more out of Complaisance to your Desires than any real Opinion I have of my own Ability I shall attempt to answer the Abstruce Questions you were pleased to propose unto me in your Letter of the 26th of September concerning the wonderful Power of Fermentation together with the Reasons why the Fat Flesh and Blood of Animals cannot be fermented nor separated as all Vegetations can be nor one Quality Changed nor Transmuted into another AND first I am to observe to you that the Animal Ferment of the Stomach is not only higher Graduated as appears by its Virtue in Turning or Transmuting the Insensible into Sensible Creatures but by not dividing or separating the Original Forms and Qualities from their natural Operations or Phlegmy gross Bodies as common Fermentation does or according to that way and manner as Artists Ferment the Juices of Herbs Fruits and Grains whereby the gross Body is destroyed or sunk into 〈◊〉 stinking Liquor that invests the Original fiery Principles of their natural or gentle Methods but only by a fiery turbulent rendring thunder-like Motion and before which all those unbounded Powers and Principles were still and quiet being incircled in the Embraces of the sweet Quality and phlegmy Body as tho' no such fierce invading Fires or Principles had been there Now this comes to pass because Fermentation opposes all the regular Motions of Nature and the Eternal Law of the Creator as being a Death and total Destruction to Multiplication and Progression and not unlike unto the Deaths of Animals which cannot be effected without terrible fierce Agonies and indeed the dividing the Spirit from the Body without such a fierce turbulent and irresistible Motion is not to be done as is clearly evinced in all sweet Liquors or Juice whatever who when their sleeping silent Powers or original Properties are disturbed as they are in a full or strong Ferment all the Art in the World cannot incircle or tame them But the Fermentation of Food in our Stomachs as well as of all Beasts is performed after another manner imperceptible to the Creature wherein all is quiet and silent provided the Meats and Drinks be of a suitable Quality and not too great in Quantity And these sweeter Juices or Spirits that Nature draws or extracts for her Support are not divested of or separated from their natural Cloathing or Bodies neither are the sweet Qualities of such Foods Transmuted into fiery Spirits or first Principles for in such Cases the Body and Life could not be supported and continued but instead thereof the Nutriment is divided and distils its Virtues into Body and Spirits that is into Blood from whence are made and generated Flesh Bones Fat Spirits Inclinations Dispositions Words and all Actions of Life and for this reason the more equal our Meats and Drinks are the better is the Nutriment and consequently all the Off-springs proceeding from thence hence it is that the frequent Eating and Drinking unequal Foods never fail to beget and lay open the fierce Gates and invading Powers of Inequality called Sickness and particularly the Drinking of strong Spirits or Brandy does always prove baneful except in a Medicinal way because the original Principles are divested of their Body and Transmuted into a fiery Circle out of which there is no deliverance or progression so that you see the Stomach or Chymical Furnace does that in a silent Method which the outward Fermentation performs in a tumultuous Manner for in the first Elaboratory Natures Fires are so mild and friendly thâ—…t they do not disinherit the original Principles and Forms of their native Right or Propriety nor divide them into self-ful Desire or Transmute their beloved Spouse I mean the sweet and most aimable Quality into original Fires as the other does no no the original fierce Principles of all Food put into the Stomach do still notwithstanding the digesting melting
than that which they leave or reject Now the Stomach cannot make so easy a Digestion thereof as it can of Foods made of Vegetations if properly managed in the Preparation which is the reason why some have refrained Eating of Animals whereby they have obtained an higher degree of Health and Pleasure than they had before Now it is to be noted that as Fermentation in Vegetables breaks and destroys the Rest of that thing so Drinks that have passed thro' these fiery Operations are changed for the worse that is the original Unity by this Motion is disturbed and there is an unequal working struggling and dividing Power between tâ—…em each Quality endeavouring to be Lord over the other whereby the whole sinks into its original Form and all such Liquors in a short time become sharp harsh or flat so that both the Water and the Juices of the Fruits become divested of their natural Bodies which as long as any thing remains entire incircles all the spiritual Powers or original Principles and preserves them in the Unity wherein they were Created wherefore all Fermented Drinks and more especially those that are strong never fail to operate like themselves so that as the original Forms are by this Art divided in a self-ful domineering Operation the very same they do in the Stomach wherefore the common drinking of such Liquors are Experimentally found baneful to Mankind by the great number of cruel Diseases that more particularly of latter years have been introduc'd amongst us especially Gravel Stone Gout and the like Evils which the Natives of all such Countries who constantly drink Water know nothing of tho' it is not such Liquors alone that are thus destructive to Humane Nature for since sensible Creatures I mean Flesh and Fish are become our principal Food Mankind not only inherits all the Disorders and Diseases such Creatures as he Eats are subject to he having little or no regard to Cleanness Uncleanness Season of the year and of Generation but the worst of all is these cruel Distempers are convey'd down and entailed upon our Children and Posterity and therefore grow more and more upon us and there are no Medicines found out that will Cure them for the Stomach cannot draw any proper Aliment from things that have passed thro' the fierce unequal Operations of Fermentation because Inequality cannot administer Equality each thing operating like it self and for this cause if Mens Foods were to be managed after the manner of Drinks they would in a short time destroy Mens Health and sink the Body into Death and hence it is and I presume with very good reason too that I have given Water the Preheminence before all Liquors as in respect to Food I have done to Herbs Seeds Grains and Fruits whatever the unthinking World may imagine to the contrary and since we find there can be no greater Character of the Virtues of Meats and Drinks than their long keeping sound and good and that Fruits Grains and Seeds together with Water do so much longer than Flesh Fish or Fermented Liquors one should think there could be no difficulty made in the choice of them seeing the Almighty hath provided such amazing varieties of Vegetables for us and much easier to be got than either Fish or Flesh. But to return to the Art of Fermentation as to the Original thereof it was first found out and promoted by the Egyptians or Eastern Philosophers and Physicians for as soon as Man had depraved and separated himself from his Original state of Unity all the Original Qualities and Principles in him were terribly stirred up by his longing free Will after all Intemperances and Evils to which he was continually tossed to and fro so that many destructive dark Inventions have and do still take their rise from thence which did and ever since have filled the whole Earth with Violence and as such Inventions and evil Customs have been admitted and incouraged so have our Diseases proportionably encreased which has occasioned the more prudent and sober part of former Ages to think of and invent equivalent Medicines or Antidotes and so went to work raking as it were into the Center of all Elemental Things and Creatures and more especially into the three Grand Kingdoms of Nature viz. the Animal Vegetable and Mineral to find out an Universal Medicine that might be able to cope with or Cure Universal Distempers concluding there was no Vice so great but there was a Virtue as great which if obtained might be effectual to that end But herein the most Learned and Ingenuous of all Ages have found themselves grosly mistaken as experience witnesseth yet for all their continued Failures every Age and Country are still pestered with a great number of those Philosophical Heads that tell Lies in the face of the Sun and magnify what they can do in this kind especially on Minerals It s true they have been able by the power of their Calcinary Fires to Flux and Refine Metals into a much higher degree of purity and fineness which has proved very beneficial to Mankind as being thereby fitted for various profitable uses But all this while they found no such thing as the Seeds of Metals nor yet any Ferment that was capable to divide the Original Forms or to bring them into a working boyling active power or strifeful opposite motion which Qualifications and Operations do appear in all things that are capable of Fermentation as we see in Vegetables but instead of extracting or obtaining such Seed or Ferment they procured all the opposite qualities for their fierce Fires did in a moment destroy all the Seminary or Living powers of such Metals of what kind or nature soever they were and totally obliterated the Characters and Powers of Multiplication The very same thing happens in the Vegetative Kingdoms for if you offer any Seed or Grain to the heat of common Fires a little will kill all the Spermatick or Seminary Quality which that moment puts a final stop both to the progression and multiplication of the said Seed or Grain and no better can surely be expected from such fiery Tryals in the Animal Kingdom Will any Person of common understanding believe you should you tell him that by Killing of Beasts and refining their Flesh and Blood with harsh and strong Fires you can obtain the Seed and that by the virtue and efficacy thereof with the help of some Menstruum you can multiply the same Species of Creatures from Tenfold to Ten Thousand as some of the Learned in the Art of Refining are apt to talk and boast of But so far it is from being in Mans power to effect this that we see if two Beasts of different kinds couple together the Creature that proceeds from such is rendred uncapable of Generation so fruitless have most of our Spagyrick Philosophers in all Ages been mostly both in their fiery Operations on Minerals and Animals and all they have done has been but to draw a circle of Darkness
and to distinguish between the two Grand Fountains of good and evil in themselves and to know from what root each Thought Word and Action takes its Birth and from whence each Invention Employment Art and Trade doth proceed and are Midwifed into the World then would this discourse be valuable unto the Sons of Men and they would without invitation repent themselves of their mistaken Conduct both in themselves and in the Education of their Children but if Men Act and Teach without either sight or true knowledge what can be expected nothing that proceeds from them can be more certain than the Judgment of Blind and Deaf Men in the distinction of Colours and delicate Airs of Musick as is mentioned before Seeing is a most wonderful Sense and the only power by which all the various Forms Figures and Shapes of things are represented and communicated to the intellectual or imaginative faculties and Man being an Epitome the whole Nature and forms of things by which there is a secret conveyance and each thing hath power to communicate and awaken the hidden or sleeping Magia of Nature by its own Key that can unlock all Gates and raise up awaken and strengthen its own property which by continual management of the strong Will and Desires such and such a form or quality comes by degrees to obtain the Ascendant getting the Government in the Mind which does in a short time betray the Judgment and becloud the Understanding and then all appears to be rational and though the Customs bâ—… ever so Inimical and Prejudicial to Nature and doth Diametrically oppose the Health and Well-being both of the Body and Mind nevertheless all goes down and many are so blinded with false Opinion and Tradition that no Pains Cost Labour or Trouble shall Deter them from being in the Fashion or to do what they see others do what a great charge and pains do too many Thousands take to maintain their Fantastical Dresses how frequently do they put themselves upon the Rack both of their Bodies Minds and Purses in a word what would not young People do that they may appear in the Fashion or be equal with those that are in the highest Mode will not they use all Wicked Methods of Life as Whoreing Robbing Stealing nay Murder it self and indeed what Wickedness is there that Youth and Children will not practice to get Money to consume on their Lusts and Invading Passions Now if Fathers Mothers and others did in any degree consider these things they would not so readily Teach Nourish and Permit these Devilish Spiteful Powers and Qualitys as they do neither would they be so easie and give Money to Dancing and Fencing-Masters nor would they suffer them to see Poppets and other foolish Plays and Games no no they would be as far from these things as the East from the West People never so much as once think of the evil that may ensue when their Children Servants and others go to Shows Fairs and playing in the Streets and at Neighbours Houses which doth wonderfully pollute them nay is it not frequent for many of our modest Dames both in Country and City to spend some part of their time when they are at Worship and Church in gazing looking and noting those Persons or Gallants that are most in the Mode or have gotten the newest Fashion or finest piece of Lace Point bravest or richest Silks Now seeing these fine things hath so deeply and so centrally awakened the imaginative and secret powers of the Mind that they can hardly eat their Dinner before they have informed their Husbands and Companions of the richness of such a Neighbours Gown and Head-dress of the newest Mode often undervaluing the Station Income or Estate of those Sparkish Madams The like is among the Proud young Sons and Daughters telling their Parents how brave rich and fashionable such and such a Neighbours Children are endeavouring to imitate and exceed them shewing their Discontents if they are not satisfied which frequently occasions great Disturbances in private Familys For Parents and Guardians foreseeing the Inconveniences that attend such things though it be too late in the day Therefore many do use all endeavours to Plant and Sow good Seed but the ground or humane earth is not capable to receive it being as it were choaked or over-run with pestiferous Weeds which the Parents have so early Planted that neither the Fear of God nor the Instructions and Threats of Fathers and Mothers can obliterate or root out having taken such deep footing in the imaginative and intellectual faculties of Nature the very Beauty of the Mind being so early sullyed by ill Methods and Managements And yet most People would have their Children Vertuous Sober Temperate and Modest fearing God whereas they have Sowed in their tender years the Seeds of Luxury Pride and Idleness which are the three Sons of the evil Daemons so that there is much more Mischief than Thousands imagine in the wrong use of this Sense But did your Offspring behold the beauty of Order Temperance Form proper Preparations of Meats and Drinks Cleanness Industry Silence good methods of Learning and Speaking or any other vertuous course of Life Children and young People would as readily imitate observe follow and practise theâ—… as now they do all kind of Viciousness and Evil the Divine Principle Holy Light and Love of God in Jesus Christ is as near to Mankind as the Evil Principles and the one is as ready to exert its power as the other as each is and shall be encouraged by the Primum Mobile the Will for into whatsoever the Will and Desires of Mankind do enter whether it be good or evil that power or principle is awakened and strengthened in the very Center of Life and will quickly obtain the Ascendant provided a contrary Will do not timely intervene so that many Thousands of ignorant People are deceived before they think or know any thing of it These are some of the Thoughts relating to your Question which at present occurr to Memory hoping that what is herein Inserted may give you satisfaction and be acceptable From your ready Friend T. T. LETTER V. Of the Sense of Feeling SIR IN Answer to yours touching that most wonderful Sense of Feeling I shall endeavour according to my Abilities to satisfy your earnest desire First Therefore you may observe that it is the Centre of Life and of all the other Senses for if this be wanting in the whole or in any particular Member the Melancholy House of Death immediately seizes but any of the other four may be lost or wanting and oftentimes two of them nay three and yet the Life continued in vigour Therefore the All-wise Creator hath placed them in particular Cells or Apartments in the Head that if any one two or three of them should be hurt distempered or lost the whole might not be in danger of sinking into Death though Nature is not compleat if any one be Lost or Disordered but