filthy 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 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 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 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 â—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 iâ— 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 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
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 vâ—ry near to the first and most perfect Being and that Cabalisticall unary number Paracelsus calleth it the perfect perpetuall Câ—tholâ—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 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 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 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 accordâ—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 waâ—â—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 Individualâ—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 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 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 â—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 t is 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 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 thatoâ—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 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
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 T is 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 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 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 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
that which is mortall According to what hath been said the mortall and eternall are joyn'd together Understand that which is mortal prepareth an essence in the stomack and upholdeth the default of the body The onely cause whereof is that that of man which is eternal might live for ever and that which is mortall might die according to its frailty Such as the body such is the eternall that comes from that body This is that which confounds all Philosophy that the mortall should domineer and as it were beare sway as it listeth over that which is eternall and that this also should depend on man Who thereby is made more a companion of that which is eternall than if his mortall and eternall both floweth from himselfe Whence we moy conclude that all creatures should live together the reasonable and unreasonable one being serviceable to another the eternall planted into the mortal and these two dwelling together Hence Philosophy teacheth Destruction is from contraries that all those things cannot be destroyed and confumed that live together without squabling and fighting without guile and deceit without good and evill Which otherwise would be if one should oppose another Those have no knowledge or judgement in whom the eternall dwelleth not But those things in whom the eternall is cannot be destitute of understanding When things so fell at odds as to clash one with another one eternall was forc'd to give an account and make satisfaction of wrongs to another And whereas recompence belongs to the eternall What things are subject to destruction it must not be repay'd by that which is mortall And though bodies may pacifie and bear with one another yet if any thing be left here that is eternall Therefore that onely is judged that is eternall in us And though one exact upon or judge another yet all mortall things which have the eternall in them must die whether they will or no so that the eternall onely shall stay behind here without company of the body Thus the judgement is finished For that onely is eternall nor is there any more of it to come in the last destruction of every mortall thing Now if those things that had the eternall in them have so perished nothing now remaineth but what was eternall of it selfe and did nourish and increase that which was mortall That which is good for nothing doth not tarry in the creature All other things are only for the sake of that which is eternall Hence also it is that which hath the erernall in it selfe and with it all things that maintain'd it may die and perish together That only remaineth that is eternall Whence the end of all bodily things is evident even nothing to which they all revolt For they are separated from their ownessence into nothing that is from something into nothing But man desireth a perfect separation i. e. of the eternall from the mortall Now is the judgement when the ficklenesse of all things under heaven is proclaimed If there were no reason why a thing should be fragill the creature should never die no death should be in it but all things would be eternall The onely reason whereof is this because we mortalls live not in righteousnesse we judge not right judgement among our selves one toward another nor have we received the power of the eternall to judge These things belong to the eternall Which seeing it ought to be so all we must of necessity be brought and come together Thus have we found the dissolution of all things TEXT 24. Seeing then all things were created and have their end also out of the first great mysterie as hath been said it is evident by consequence that there is some great mystery Which is no other than as if a house should be built by the command of a word Understand it thus that the mysterie it applyed it selfe to the sole supream so it is possible that a man may bring fire out of that which is not fire where no fire is A flint hath no fire in it selfe though fire come out of it Know therefore that all the first mysteries lay hid and did exist in the great mysterie in a threefold manner The dignity of the great mystery Three sorts out of the Mysterie in respect of things vegetable elementary sensible The vegetables were many hundreds many thousands Every thing had its own special kind in the great mysterie To the Elements did there but four belong for they had but 4 principles But men had six hundred The infinity of mysteries Crump-feeted men had one the Ciclopes another Gyants another the Mechili another So had they that dwell on the earth in the aire in the water and in the fire Things also that grow had every one it s own proper mysterie in the great mysterie whence came out many kinds of creatures So many trees so many men so many mysteries too But the eternall onely doth bear rule in man and in his whole mysterie and no more in one than in another In the great mysterie there was not any kind but might infinitly be formed and digested one different from another All which must perish What more might have been made from thence we forbear to mention But that there should be a New great mysterie is impossible unles that could be made more miraculous which by reason of its wonderfull nature we cannot sufficiently search out THE Second Book TEXT 1. The difference of the creating Gods SEing then there was something by which when it was separated all things were created first we must conclude that there is some difference of the Gods which it this Sith the things created are divided into eternall and mortall the reason whereof is because there was another creator of the mysteries besides the chiefest and most high For the most high Creator ought to be the Judge and corrector of all the creatures who should know how much was bestowed on them whereby they might do either good or evill though they had it not immediately from him Moreover the creatures are alway egged on and provoked rather to evill Mans inclination is to evill compeld thereto by the fates stars and by the infernall one which by no means could have bin if they had proceeded out of the most high himself that we should be forced into those properties of good and evill but should in all things have had free will without any such violent instigation yet neverthelesse the creature hath not so much wisdome as to know good or evill to understand the eternall and mortall For there are many fonles and mad men scarce a wise man of a thousand most are false Prophets Teachers of lies Masters of folly and ignorance who are accounted for the most eminent though they be nothing so And the reason is plaine for such creatures are we whose Masters teach us no perfect good but are rather seasoned by the mortall God who had some power in the
send his Angells to them from his throne and dwelling place to declare such things but those things are fore-known and understood from the great Turban The great Turban worshipped as God which many Pagans and Jewes darkened in the true sence and understanding have worshipped as a God TEXT 21. What the Umbrate Evester signifieth Sith that the shadowed Evester beginneth and springeth up with every creature we must know that the fortune and life of that thing where the Evester is may be prognosticated by it For example When a child is born at the same time the Evester is born with him continually manifest in him that it presageth from the cradle to the very hour of death and can shew what will become of that infant So when one is ready to die death seizeth not on him till the Evester hath first past sentence either by blow bruise or fall or some such other kind of example by which if a man perceive the Evester he may see a signe of his approaching death The Evester is united to the eternall The Evester abideth in the world after death For a mans Evester remaineth in the earth after his death and hinteth in its kind whether the man be in blisse or misery Nor ought we to say that it is the spirit or soul of a man as simple people speak or that it is the dead man that walketh But it is the dead mans Evester which departeth not hence till the last minute when all things shall come together This Evester worketh strange things The Saints wrought miracles by their Evester Holy men wrought miracles by their Evester onely As the Sun by his shining gives forth his heat nature and essence so is it with the divining and Propheticall Evesters in us to which we should give credit These rule and moderate sleep fond dreams prefigurations of things to come the natures of things reason concupiscences and thoughts TEXT 22. Whereas things to come may thus be known before in the Elements by that wherein the Evesters dwell some Evesters will be in the water some in looking glasses some in crystalls some in polished muskles some will be known by the commotions of waters some by songs and by the mind For all these can as I speak Evestrate The mysterious Evester of God The most great and blessed God hath a mysteriall Evester in which his essence and property is beheld Every good and every inlightned thing is known by the mysterious Evester On the contrary What the Evester of the damned is the damned hath his Evester in the world by which the evill is known and all whatsoever violateth and breaketh the law of nature Although those two may Evestrate yet doe they nothing belong to our life For we shall not know our selves but by our own Evester All creatures have Evesters Every thing hath an Evester all which likewise are Prophets either reasonable or unreasonable sensible or insensible The Evester is a spirit What an Evester is which teacheth Astronomy Not that it is learned by nativities and prognostications from the Stars but its esse as I may so say is from the Evesters its Ens or being is in these as an image in a glass or as á shade in water or the earth As growing things are increased and diminished just so it is with the Stars Not that their course is such of their own nature and that moyst and cold rise out of the earth but onely because the essence of the earth is such It is shadowed in heaven but by parts yet as an Evester but not as a power TEXT 23. Such kind of Evesters also will be corrupted yet shall they not perish without something eternall Nor shall the Evesters themselves be so much regarded for they shall fully and wholly dwell with or in those things to whom they belong Hence let every man now advise with himselfe that above all things he admonish and learn to know himselfe The infinite number of Evesters The nature and number of the Evesters is infinite These lead men about in their sleep fore-shew good and evill search out the thoughts perform work and do business without bodily motion So wonderfull a thing is the Evester A commendation of the Evester the mother of all things in the Prophets Astronomers and Physitians If the understanding come not from the Evester there can be no knowledge of nature As theft poynteth to the gallowes and the clouds to rain and urine to the disease so the Evester sheweth all things without exception The Sibylls and Prophets spake by the Evester From it the Sybills and Prophets spake but as it were drowsily and dreamingly After this manner are the Evesters in the four worlds one being alwayes a presage to another communicateth an image and a miracle which by there disolution and regeneration will be much more to be admired Nor shall we forbeare to say that the Evester is an Eternall relict the support of religions and the operation of the Celestialls Nothing but felicity blessednesse the cheifest good and the last judgment move and stir us up to seek and search more narrowly and exactly after the difference between those two things or Evesters that is between the true and false which is to be considered and known not spiritually but naturally THE Third Book TEXT 1. Nothing is without a body EVery thing that hath a Being must nf necessity have a body The manner and reason thereof is that we may know it is like a smoakie spirit that hath neither substance nor bodie nor can be felt And though it be neither of these yet both bodyes and substances may proceed out of it Thus may we conceive of fuming Arsnicke that after the generation of a body there is no more of the fume of the spirit to be seen no more then if all were turned into a body Which yet is not so for it still remaineth most subtle in that place of generation And so both the visible invisible are brought forth together by seperation After this way and manner all things are propagated How al things are imbodied Wood hath still a surviving spirit from which it is seperated So have stones and all things else none excepted For their Essence still remaineth just as it was seperated from them What man is how made Man likewise is nothing but a relique and the remainder of smoak seperated But yet note that he was a kind of spirit before Of this drosse was man made and is a thing most subtill in spirit Yea he is that very spirit that is A twofold eternall a discovery or sign of a twofold Eternall one of Caleruthum the other of Meritorium Caleruthum what it is Caleruth is a note or discovery in the first Eternall This seeketh or desireth the other that is God The cause therof is naturall Like