matter of the world reduced into fluidity The nature of it is to be fluid and moistning VII The earth is the most grosse part of the matter as it were the dregs and setling gathered together at the bottom The nature of it is to be dry and immoveable VIII The elements therefore are all one matter of the world distinguished by degrees of density and rarity For where the light is wheeled about there the matter is most rarefied and pure below that more grosse then grosse and fluid at length in the bottome dregs and a thick setling Therefore this is a meer gradation For earth is nothing else but thickned and hardned water water nothing but thickned air air subtilized water water liquified earth But from this difference of density rarity there ariseth another difference of the same elements namely in regard of motion and rest heat and cold The water is moveable For it flows the air more yet for it transfuseth it self here and there the skie doth nothing but whirle about most swiftly that perpetually Also the heaven by reason of its perpetuall motion is hot yea burneth perpetually the earth by reason of its perpetual rest is cold perpetually except where it is warmed by the fire of heaven coming upon it or inclosed in it IX The elements are transmutable into one another That is because the heat raised in the matter may extend and condense it In the water and air we see that come daily to passe For who knoweth not that water doth evaporate and is turned into air that water is made again of vapour the rain teacheth us But we may also procure the same mutation in our hand or in vulgar Alembicks in which waters or wines are distilled Let theie be an Alembicks void of all matter filled onely with air To the long pipe of this that hangeth out apply some narrow mouthed glasse and stop the pipes mouth carefully that no air may any way get forth you shall see that when it cannot dilate it selse locally it will be coagulated into water in the utmost and coldest corner of it that is in the glasse You shall see I say that glasse sweat and distill drops into which the air heated and rarified in the Alembick contracted it selfe But remove away the fire you shall see those drops vanish by little and little and return into air X Aristotle thought that the Elements were in a tenfold proportion to one another but later men have found them near an hundred-fold That is that of one drop of earth is made by rarifaction ten drops of water and of one of water ten of air The truth of the latter assertion is easie to be demonstrated thus Let one take a bladder of an oxe or an hog and having cleansed it anoint it with oile to stop the pores that the air may not get out To the neck of this but having first crushed out all the air let him tie the neck of some little glasse with about an hundreth part of the water which the bladder might contein Let this instrument be set in the hot sun or in a very hot stove where the water is by the heat turned into air it will appear that the bladder will be full But bring the same bladder swelled with air into the cold you shall see it the vapour turning again into water fall again Note The same hundreth proportion or near upon is also observed among colours for one drop of ink or red will colour an hundred drops of water not on the contrary and that because blacknesse represents the earth in density whitenesse the heaven in rarity But this very proportion varies because the air is in it selfe somtimes thicker and grosser somtimes more rare and thin XI The matter of all the elements as it is made up of Atomes so it is turned again into Atomes by so much the more subtlely as it is the more subtle in its masse For example the earth and every dry and hard thing is brought into a dust almost indivisible which may be sifted through a sieve but cannot penetrate The water may both be strained and penetrate For example through vessels of earth and wood yea and of lead as chap. 4. aphorisme 13. We have set down an example Air and fire penetrate also through thicker bodies as heat through furnaces XII The elements are the four greatest bodies of the world of which others are generated That the lesser bodies of the world which are infinite in number and in forms are really compounded of the elements resolution shewes For when they are corrupted they return into the elements And sense teacheth For all things have some grossenesse from the earth some liquour from the water some spirituosity from the air some heat from heaven and because all things that live are nourished by these they are thence called Elementa quasi Alimenta as if you should say nourishment as in Bohemian ziwel or ziwent XIII The Elementary matter occupies a place in the world according to its degree of density and rarity For the earth resteth at the bottome the water swims upon that the air fleets above the water and lastly the skie is in the highest place you shall see the like spectacle if you pour clay water wine especially sublimated and oile into a glasse for every one of these will occupie a place accotding to its nature XIV Therefore the Elements make the four visible regions or sphears of the world For the earth is a globe which the water naturally encompasseth round the air it the skie the air after the same manner as in an egge the yelk is encompassed with the white and that with the skin and shell XV Of the Elements there are two extreams the skie and earth as many 〈◊〉 air and water They are called extream aad mean both in regard of their sites and of their accidents For the skie is in the highest place most thin and hot the earth in the lowest most thick and cold Skie the first moveable earth the first resting The air and water as they partake of the extreams so of their accidents being somtimes either lesse thick or thin moving or still hot or cold XVI But because the Elements were prepared not for an idle spectacle but for strong operation upon one another the Creatour did somewhat change that order and commanded two sorts of water to be made and two sorts of fire XVII For part of the water is placed above the highest part of the skie and on the contrary part of the fire is taken from the skie and shut up into the bowels of the earth Both these may seem paradoxes and therefore need demonstration And as touching the waters it is manifest by the testimony of Moses That God made the second day the Expansum of the heaven which might divide betwixt the waters which are under the Expansum the waters above the Expansum Gen. 1. 6 7 8. What can be more clear now whereas
some modern Divines interpret it of the waters of the clouds that is too cold They say that Jer. 10. 13. The rain waters are signified by the name of the water in heaven and therefore here also But I answer 1 That the waters in heaven are one thing and the waters above heaven another Rain might be called water in heaven because the air was by the Hebrews called the first heaven but it cannot be called the waters above heaven as these of which Moses speaks 2 That the waters of the clouds are not waters in act but vapours but Moses speaks of waters For he sayes expresly that in the first seven dayes there was no rain cap. 2. ver 5. but he sayes that those waters above the Expansum were presently made the second day therefore they are some thing else then rain water 3 He sayes that the waters were seperated from the waters but the waters of the clouds are not separated from the waters of the sea and of rivers For they are perpetually mingled vapours ascending rain descending 4 He sayes that the Expansum was in the middest betwixt the waters and the waters but how can that be said of the clouds which are below the Expansum and reach not to the thousandth part of its altitude Lastly Psalm 148 placeth the waters above the heaven next of all to the Heaven of Heavens v. 4. but reckons up clouds and rain afterwards among the creatures of the earth ver 8. what need we any other interpretation Reason perswades the same thing most strongly For setting down the principles of the world in that order wherein we see them set down by Moses it was necessary that the matter being scattered by the light rolling about should flie hither and thither and coagulate it selfe at the terms of the world on both fides that in the middle where the light went and goes yet there should be pure skie but that on both sides above and below the mathardning it self should grow thick We see it done here below why not above also especially God himself intimating it Let it be so because naturally it cannot be otherwise But that there is fire included in the earth 1 the eructations of fire in Aetra Vesuvius Hecla c. do shew 2 the springs of hot waters every where 3 the progeneration of metals even in cold countreys and other things which can come from nothing else but from fire which shall be looked into in that which follows 4 lastly there is a testimony extant in the book of Job chap. 28. v. 5. Bread commeth out of the earth and under it is turned up as it were fire Let the Reader see Thomas Lydiats disquisition concerning the originall of Fountains and there he shall see it disputed at large and very soundly XVIII The waters above the heaven are there placed for ends known to God but the use of fire under ground is well enough known to us also Yet we may say something of these waters by conjecture As namely that it was meet that there should be visible termes of the visible World and that the heat of the frame ever rolling had need of cooling on the other side also and the like But that of the fire under ground mountains and valleys and caves of the earth are produced and also stones metals and juyces generated and many other things we shall see in that which follows for without heat there is no generation because there is no motion Of the Skie in specie XIX The Skie is the highest Region of the most vast world the dwelling place of the stars XX The Skie is the most liquid part of the whole world and therefore transparent and most moveable For by the motion and heat of the Sun always present it is perpetually attenuated to an exceeding subtlety XXI The whole skie is moved about because that burning and ever flying light of the stars hurries it about with it That appears 1 by reason for if the starres were moved in the heaven immoveable after that manner that birds are carried in the air and fishes in the water that penetration of the heaven would not be without violence neither could it be performed with so great celerity nor with so aequable a course by reason of the resistance Therefore the starres are carried in heaven in all respects as clouds in the air that is with their charriot 2 by sense for we see that our fire carries away with it the matter which it hath caught and attenuated namely vapours smoaks flames why not the heavenly fire also which comets also shew to the eye of which we shall see more chap. 8. 3. The same is to be gathered out of Moses words accurately considered Gen. 1. v. 14. 17. Of the air XXII The air is the lowest Region of the Expansum the abode of the clouds and birds In Scripture it is signified by the name of the first heaven Yet it penetrates water and earth to fill up their cavities because there is no vacuum XXIII The air is of a middle nature betwixt the heaven and the water in respect of site and qualities Yet it is thicker where it joyns to the earth and water and thinner towards heaven Therefore in the highest tops of some mountains neither men can live nor trees grow because of the thinnesse of the air by reason of which it is neither sufficient for the breathing of living creatures nor for the growth of plants XXIV The air neer the earth in summer is hot by the vehement repercussion of the Suns verticall beams in winter by reason of the obliquity and obtuse reflexion of the beams it cannot be heated above it is always cold yet most in summer when it is pend in on both sides with the heat of the heaven and of the earth Of the water XXV Water is thickned air Washing and and moistning the earth the abode of fishes XXVI Water of its own nature is onely moist and fluid to the rest of the qualities indifferent Obs. 1. The fluidity of the water is such that if you give it never so little declivity it runs But the humidity is unequall according to the degree of rarity and density For a ship sinks not so deep in the sea as in a river because the sea water is thicker and drier Obs. 2 They adde commonly that water is naturally cold by a twofold argument 1 because it cooleth 2 because it extinguisheth fire but I answer it cools not by its coolnesse but by its crudity But it quencheth fire after the same manner as hot water and wine do though they be hot not because they are contrary to fire but because fire is nourished with the thinner parts of the wood but if abundance of water be cast on or any fluid thing even oyl the pores are stopped and the fire is quenched Otherwise fires are made of Bitumen which is not a porous matter that burn in the very water which we see done also in
lime Lastly great fires are nourished with water We see also that there is sometime hot sometime cold water not onely in rivers but also breaking out of fountains according as it is affected yet it may not be dissembled in the mean time that air is more prone to heat by reason of its rarity water to coldnesse by reason of its thicknesse XXVII The water at first covered the earth round about but on the third day of the creation it was gathered into certain channels which are called Seas Lakes Pooles Rivers c. That this was done at the command of of God Moses testifies in these words Let the waters be gathered together into one place that the dry land may appear Gen. 1. v. 9. but David relating the processe of the creation describes the manner also Ps. 1â—4 v 6 7 8 9. That thunders were raised by which the Mountains ascended the valleys descended but the waters were carried steep down into their channels and that in this sort a bound was set them that they might not return to cover the earth Whence it is very likely that that discovery of the surface of the earth was made by an earthquake but that the earthquake was produced by the fire sunk into the earth which giving battle to the cold there conglobated shook the earth and either caused it to swell variously or rent it asunder Whence those risings aâ—â— fallings in the surface of the earth that is mountains and valleys were made but within caves and many hollow places This done the waters of their own accord betook themselves from those swelling eminencies to thc low and hollow places This pious conjecture will stand so long as no more probable sense can be given of this Scripture And what need many words common sense testifies that mountains are certainly elevated valleys and plains depressed therefore of necessity that was sometime so ordered but not in the first foundation of the earth the second day for then the grosser parts of the matter flowing about poised themselves equally about the center therefore it was about the third day when the face of the earth appeared and the waters flowed into their channels But besides perhaps God doth therefore permit earthquakes yet to be sometimes and by them mountatains and valleys and rivers to be changed that we may not be without a pattern how it was done at the first XXVIII The water then is divided into Seas Lakes Rivers and Fountains XXIX The sea is an universall receptacle oâ—â—â—aters into which all the rivers of the earth unburthen themselves Which uery thing is an argument that the sea is lower then the earth for rivers run down not up again XXX The sea is one in it self because it insinuates it self into the Continent here and there as it were with strong arms it hath gotten severall names in severall places That great Sea encompassing the earth is called the Ocean those armes dividing the Continent Bayes or Gulfs For all those gulfes are joyned to the Ocean except the Caspian or Hyrcanian Sea in Asia yet that is thought to have channells within the earth whereby it joyned to the Ocean XXXI The Sea is cf unequall depth commonly srom an hundred to a thousand paces yet in some places they say that the bottome cannot be found Hence the sea is called an Abysse It is probable that the superficies of the earth covered with the water is as unequal as this of ours standing out of the water namely that in some places are most spacious plaines in other places valleys and depths and in other places mountains and hils which if they stand above the water are called Islands but if they be hidden under the water shelves XXXII The water of the Ocean faileth not because huge rivers and showres continually flow into it neither doth it cverflow becruse it doth always evaporrte upwards in so many parts of it Of the earth XXXIII The earth is the most dense bedy of the world as it were the dregs and setling of the whole matter And therefore gross opacous cold heavy XXXIV It hangeth in the middle of the universe encompassed with air on every-side For being that it is on every side encompassed with the heaven and is forced by the heat thereof on every side it hath not whither to go or where to rest but in the aequilibrium of the universe XXXV The earth is every way round For the forme which at the first it received from the light of heaven wheeling about it it yet retaineth except that in some places it is elevated into mountains and hils by the thunder which was sent into its bowels the third day in other places again it is pressed down into valleys and plains for the running down of the rivers but that doth not notably hinder the globosity thereof XXXVI The better part of the superficies of the earth is yet covered with water the lesser part stands out of the water where it is called dry land or continent or if it be a small portion an Island There are seven Continents of the earth Europe Asia Africa America Peruviana America Mexicana Magellanica or Terra Australis and Terra Borealis but there are Islands innumerable XXXVII The earth is in its outward face in some places plain in others mountainous but within in some places solid in others hollow That appears in Mountains and Mines of metal where is to be seen here stones or clay very close compact there dens and most deep caves and endlesse passages which must needs be thought to have been the work of the thunder sent into the earth the third day of the creation which penetrating and piercing its bowels so tore them Now there are in the earth not only spacious caves and holes but an infinite number of straighter veins and as it were pores which is plain enough by experience XXXVIII The cavities of the earth are full of water air fire For being that there are cavernes passages and pores they must needs be filled and that with a thin matter Of air no man will doubt But that there are waters in the cavernes under ground appeares in the mines of mettall and is proved by the testimony of the Scripture which in the history of the deluge saith that all the fountains of the great deep were broken up Gen. 7. v. 11. Lastly that there is fire under the earth we have already seen Aphorism 16. which it is credible is the relicks of the lightning raised within the bowels of the earth the third day of the Creation Psalm 1â—4 v. 7. left there for the working of minerals but nourished with sulphureous and bituminous matter spread through the bowels of the earth CHAP. VII Of Vapours IF the Light of Heaven had wrought nothing else upon the matter but melt it together into the formes of the Elements as it was variously rarified or densified the world had remained void of other living creatures But it ceaseth not passing through the
Elements themselves to scorch them and scorching them to attenuate them and attenuating them to resolve them into vapours of which condensed again many severall species of things are progenerated Now then the nature of vapours shall be laid open in the following Aphorismes I Vapour is an Element rarified mixed with another Element For example the vapour of water what is it but water rarified and scattered in the air smoak what is it but an exhalation of wood or other matter resolved II Vapour is generated of the grosser Elements earth water air as of all mixt bodies Of water the matter is evident For being set to the fire it evaporates visibly set in the sun it evaporates sensibly because even whole Pools Rivers Lakes are dried up by little and little by the heat of the sun That the earth exhales you may know by sense if you put a clot into a dish of earth or pewter and pour in water so oft upon it and let it evapourate with the heat till there is nothing left neither of the water nor of the clay For what is become of the clot it is sure enough turned into aire with the parts of the water The vapour of air is invisible yet it appears that there is some 1 In a living body where all acknowledge that there are evaporations through the skin and the hair For then the vapours that go out what are they but the vapours of the inward vapours far more subtle then the vapours of water 2 Fruits herbs spices c. dried yea very dry spread from them an odour now an odour what is it but an exhalation But not in this place a watery exhalation being that there is not any thing watery left in them therefore airy That mixt bodies do vapour is without doubt forasmuch as the Elements of which they do consist do vapour Understand not only soft bodies sulphur salt herbs flesh c. but the very hardest For how could a thunder-bolt be generated in the clouds if stony vapours did not ascend into the cloud and it is certain that stones exposed to the air for some ages as in high towers grow porous how but by evaporation and what is the melting of metals but a kind of vaporation for though the metall return to its consistency yet not in the same quantity because something is evaporated by putting to the heat III Heat is the efficient cause of vapour which withersoever it diffuseth it selfe attenuating the matter of bodies turns it into vapour For this is the perpetuall virtue of heat to rarifie attenuate and diffuse IV All is full of vapour throughout the world For heat the begetter of vapours is no where wanting so that the World is nothing else but a great Vaporarie or Stove For the earth doth alwayes nourish infinite store of vapours in its bowels and the sea boiles daily vvith inward vapours and the air is stuft full of them every vvhere And vve shall see hereafter that the skie is not altogether free from them But living bodies of Animals and Plants are noâ—hing but shops of vapours and as it vvere a kind of Alembecks perpetually vaporing as long as they have life or heat V Vapours are generated for the progenerating of other things For all things are made of the Elements as it is vvell known Stones Herbs Animals c. but because they cannot be made unlesse the Elements themselves be first founded they must of necessity be melted vvhich is done vvhen they are resolved into vapours and variously instilled into things to put on severall formes And hence it is that Moses testifies that the first seven days of the world when there was yet no rain a vapour went up from the earth to water the whole earth that is all things growing out of the earth Read with attention Gen. 2. ver 4 5 6. VI Vapours are the matter of all bodies For vvho knoweth not that vvaters and oiles are gathered out of the vapours of Alembicks vvho seeth not also that smoak in a chimney turns into soot that is black dust yea that soot gets into the wals of chimneys and turnes into a stony hardnesse After the same manner therefore that clouds rain hail stones herbs are made of the condensed vapours of the Elements and living creatures themselves and in them bloud flesh bones hairs are nothing but vapours concrete vvill appear more clear then the light at noon day VII Vapours then are coagulated some into liquid matter as water spittle flesh or pulp some into consistent matter as stones bones wood c. That appears because those liquid things may be turned into vapours and consistent things into smoke which they could not if they were not made of them for every thing may be resolved into that onely of which it is made VIII The motion of vapours with us is upwards because among the thicker elements they obtein the nature of thinner For certainly the vapour of water is thinner then water it self yea thinner then the very air which though it consist of smaller parts yet they are compacted And therefore vapor suffers it self to be prest neither by water nor air but frees it self still getting upwards hence it is that plants grow upwards because the vapour included spreading it self tends upwards IX One vapour is moist another dry one thin another thick one mild another sharp c. For those qualities which are afterwards in bodies are initially in their rudiments that is vapours which we may know by experience For dry smoak pains the eyes which a humid vapour doth not there you have sharpnesse smels also which are nothing but exhalations of things do not they sufficiently manifest sharpnesse sweetnesse c and Chymicks gather Sulphur salt and Mercury out of smoak Therefore all qualities are in vapours more or lesse whence the bodies afterwards made of them get such or such an habit or figure X Vapours gathered together and not coagulated cause wind in the air trouble in the sea earthquake in the earth Of winds XI Wind is a fluxe of the air ordained in nature for most profitable ends For winds are 1 the besomes of the world cleansing the elements and keeping them from putrefying 2 the fan of the spirit of life causing it to vegetate in plants and all growing things 3 the charriots of clouds rains smels yea of heat cold whether soever there is need that they should be conveyed 4 Lastly they bestow strong motions for the uses of men as grinding sailing XII The ordinary cause of wind is store of exhalations one where enforcing the air to flow elsewhere We may in our hand raise a kind of wind four manner of ways namely by forcing or compressing rarifying and densifying air which shall be shewed by examples by and by and so many wayes are winds raised in the world yet they are all referred to that first cause vapours as shall be seen by and by I said that wind may be raised by
same efficient cause of its condensation For sometimes cold condenseth a vapour as in the head and pipe of an Alembick which must needs be cooled we see sometimes the very compression it selfe or conspissation as it is plain in the roof of baths and the cover of a boiling pot But neither of these causes is wanting to beget rain being that the middle region of the air is cold and the cloud being pressed together by the vapours alwayes ascending must of necessity be dissolved And this is the cause why the burning heat of the air is a fore-teller of rain because then it is certain that the air is thickned N. 2. That rain is better for fields and gardens then river water because it hath a kind of a fatnesse mixt with it from the evaporations of the earth minerals plants and Animals wherewith it gives the earth a most profitable tincture N. 3 Sometimes wormes small fishes frogs c. fall with the rain which as it is very likely are suddenly generated within the cloud of vapours gathered together of the same nature by virtue of a living spirit admixt therewith as in the beginning at the Command of God the waters brought forth creeping things and fishes in a moment XXIX Hail is rain congealed For when the Sun beams in the greatest heat of Summer have driven away all cold from the earth into the middle region of the air it comes to passe that that vehement cold doth violently harden the drops of rain passing through them and forces them to turn to ice and therefore haile cannot be procreated in Winter the cold abiding then near the earth not on high XXX Snow is a resolution of a cloud into most small drops and withall a thickning of them with a gentle cold N. 1 It falls only in Winter because the vapours are not elevated by the weak rayes of the Sun so far as the middle that is the cold region here then near the earth the resolution is made in a milder cold and withall the congelation is very mild 2 The whitenesse of the snow is from the conjunction of the parts of the water the same comes to passe in broken ice and in the froth of water XXXI Dew is a thin vapour or else the air it selfe attracted by the leaves of plants and with their coldnesse condensed into water For it is no where but upon plants and that in the heat of summer when the plants are colder then the air it selfe Now this turnes to the great benefit of the plants for by that means they are moistned at the very driest time of the year And therefore they are produced also in those countries which know no rain XXXII Frost is congealed dew Therfore there is none but in winter when cold reigns by reason of the suns absence Of fiery Meteors Fiery meteors are those which arise from fat fumes kindled in the air the principal kinds of which are seven a falling star a flying dragon lightning flying sparks ignis fatuus a torch and ignis lambens XXXIII A falling star is a fat and viscous fume kindled by an antiperistasis that is an obsistency of the cold round about at the upper end of it the flame whereof following its fuell is carried downward till it fail also and be extinguished For they are to be seen every clear night in winter more then in summer and you may see the like spectacle if you kindle the fat fume of a candle put out with another candle put to it above This falling star is made of a grosse vapour and by reason of its grossenesse hanging together like a cord Therefore it burns so violently that falling upon a man it burns through his garment Look which way it tends with its motion it foretels wind from that part XXXIV A flying dragon is a long thick fat fume elevated in all its parts for which cause being kindled it doth not dart it selfe downward bnt side-wayes like a dragon or sparkling beam This meteors is not so often seen and therefore they that are ignorant of the naturall causes think that the Divell flies XXXV Lightning is fire kindled within a cloud which flying from the contrary cold breaks out with an horrible noise and for the most part casts the flame as far as the earth The World is the Alembick of nature the air the cap of this Alembick the sun is the fire the earth the water minerals plants c. are the things which being softned with this fire exhale vapours upward perpetually So there ascend salt sulphury nitrous c. vapours which being wrapped up in clouds put forth various effects for example When sulphury exhalations are mixt with nitrous the first of a most hot nature the second most cold they endure one another so long as till the sulphur takes fire But as soon as that is done presently their followes the same effect as in gun-powder whose composition is the same of Sulphur and Nitre a fight a rapture a noise a violent casting forth of the matter For thence it is that a viscous flaming matter is cast forth which presently inflames whatsoever it touches that is apt to flame and smiting into the earth it turnes to a stone and being taken out after a time is called a thunder-bolt XXXVI Flying sparks are a sulphury fume scattered into many small parts and kindled It is seldome seen as likewise those that follow XXXVII Ignis fatuus is a fat and viscous fume which by reason of its grossenesse doth not elevate it selfe far from the earth and being kindled straggles here and there leading travellers sometimes out of their way and into danger XXXVIII A torch is a fume like it but thin and therefore elevated upwards which being kindled burnes a while like a candle or lamp XXXIX Ignis lambens is a fat exhalation coming from a living body heated with motion and kindled at its head or near about It sometimes befalls men and horses vehemently breathing after running that the ardent vapours sent forth are turned into flames Of appearing Meteors Appearing Meteors are the images of things in clouds variously expressed by the incident light of which sort there are observed seven Chasma Halo Parelius Paraselene Rods Colours the Rainbow XL Chasma a pit is the hollowness of a cloud making shew of a great hole It it by reason of a shadow in the midst of a cloud the extremities whereof are enlightned You may see the like almost in the night by a candle on a wall which hath any hollownesse in it though it be whitish XLI Halo a floor is a luminous circle when the vapours underneath the sun or moon are illustrated with the rayes of the luminary You may see the same by night in a bath or any other vaporous place about a burning candle It is oftest seen under the moon because the sun with his stronger rayes either penetrates or dissipates the cloud XLII Parelius a false sun is the representation of the
of a cat oâ— a wolfe given him to eat he partakes the phantasies of those living creatures c. X Nutriment must needs be assimilated that it may turn into the substance of a living creature For a thing is neither applied well no cohereth commodiously with that which is unlike to it much lesse that one should turn it into the other Therefore flesh 〈◊〉 bone is not immediately made of meat 〈◊〉 drink but by many gradations as it shaâ— appear XI Assimulation is made by the transmitation of the nourishment taken so oft iteratâ— till it come to the liknesse of the substance noâ—â—rished It is well known out of the Metaphysickâ— that all action tends to this that the Paâ—â—â—ent may become like to the Agent whicâ— is every where evident in naturall thingâ— but especially in the nourishment of bodies For whatsoever is taken in of whatsoever colour or quality is wrought soâ—â— length that it becomes like to that which is nourished and is applyed to its substance which should be diligently marked in that which follows XII The principall transmutation of the nourishment is by progeneration of the four vitall humours bloud flegme yellow choler and black For the nourishment received being that it is tempered together as all the bodies of the world are of the four elements is resolved in the body of a living creature into four again the fattest part of it is turned into bloud a part into spittle or flegme a part into yellow choler or choler a part into black choler or melancholy melancholy by its grossenesse represents the earth flegme water bloud air choler fire But they differ in colour and in savour for melancholy is black and bitter flegme white and without taste bloud red and sweet choler yellow and bitter Now it is to be noted that amongst these four bloud is most copiously generated because it conteins the very substance of the nourishment to which yellow choler addes onely a more easie penetrating through all but black choler fixeth it again and applieth it to the members Lastly flegme tempers the acrimony of them both lest they should corrode with penetrating and fixing and gently agglutinates the bloud to the members And hence it is that Physicians also with the vulgar speak oft of the blood as if it were the only food of life XIII The progeneration of vitall humours is done by concoction For concoction doth alter the matter by the force of heat XIV Concoction in a living creature is done after the same manner as distillation in Alembicks namely by heating of the matter and resolution of it into vapours and mixing the said vapours together and by a new coagulation of them again For every living body is a very alembick full of perpetuall heat and vapours For life is heat and heat cannot but boile the matter that is put in and by attenuation turn it into vapours XV Now in every concoction there is a separation of the profitable parts from the unprofitable the first are digested and assimilated the other are voided and streined forth So in Alembicks the more subtle and profitable parts that is the more fat and spirituous being resolved into vapour are gathered again into drops and into a thick substance but the more grosse and impure parts called the dregs and excrements sink down and are afterwards cast out XVI Every concoction leaves behind it unprofitable dregs which are called excrements and drosse Thus we see it come to passe in the decoction of metals Now we must note that plants make little or no excrement because they are nourished with a simple and uniform juice which goes all of it into their nature or if any thing remain it sweats forth in gum But living creatures because they consist of very dissimular parts have need of a compound nutriment that is solid and soft dry and moist hot and cold c. that so the more solid parts may have nutriment also whence by assimulation evey part draws that which will profit its selfe the rest must of necessity be streined out Another reason is because plants are susteined with a little spirit and that which doth not evaporate but living creatures are full of spirit for otherwise so grosse a frame could not be susteined and weilded and that is continually attenuated and spent Therefore they have need of more spirit then matter for their nutriment and when that is extracted out of the spirituous parts they void forth the rest XVII The principall concoction in a living creature is threefold Chylification Sanguification and Membrification The first is made in the stomack the second in the liver and the last in all the members XVIII Every one of these concoctions hath three sorts of vessels 1 of ingestion 2 of digestion 3 of egestion XIX The vessels of Chylification were 1 the mouth and the throat 2 the stomack or ventricle 3 the guts and the arse-hole For the food being received at the mouth is chewed with the teeth or jawes and passed through the throat It is boiled in the stomack as it were in a close Alembick for some houres And from thence by evaporation it passeth into the entrals for the mouth of the ventricle towards the throat is shut up and becometh Chylus that is a certain ferment like pap or white broth For it takes a white colour from the stomack by assimilation The more subtle parts of this Chyle are attracted to the liver as a matter fit for bloud but the excrements of this first concoction are thick dregs which are driven out by the guts and the back part not by the simple motion of Cession but by the motion of Antipathy for the naturall spirits placed in the fibres of the guts sucking forth that which is profitable but turning themselves away from that which is unprofitable and hatefull to them contract the nerves of the guts and thrust forward those burdens towards the passage XX The vessels of Sanguification are 1 the Mesenterie 2 the Liver 3 the Vreteres the spleen and the gall For the Mesenterie encompassing the entrals vvith its strings which they call the Mesaraicall veins sucks the best part of the Chylus out of the entrals and carries them to the liver by the Vena Porta Now the liver concocts and separates that liquour again for it assimilates the sweeter parts in colour to it selfe and turns them to bloud swelling with naturall spirit with which neverthelesse there is flegme and yellow choler and black mixt The excrement of this second concoction is urine namely a wheaie and salt humour which floweth from the liver by the ureteres to the bladder whence by the channell of the genitall member it is sent forth But because the 2 d. concoction ought to be far more subtile then the first it is not sufficient that the bloud is purged from its serosity But both kinds of choler and flegme must of necessity also be purged from redundancy the spleen therefore by sympathie attracts to
matter cherishes and rules it and produces every creature introducing into every one it s own form but being that this work-master had need of fire to soften and to prepare the matter variously for various uses God produced it For V God said let there be light and there was light ver 3. this is described as the third principle of the World meerly active whereby the matter was made visible and divisible into forms the light I say perfecting all things which are and are made in the World therefore it is added VI And God saw the light that it was good ver 4 that is he saw that all things would now proceed in order for that light being produced in a great masse began presently to display its threefold virtue of illuminating moving it selfe and heating and by turning about the World to heat and rarifie the matter and so to divide it for hence followed first of all from the brightnesse of that light the difference of nights and days VII He divided the light from darkness and called the light day and the darknesse he called night and the evening and morning were the first day ver â— that is that light when it had turn'd it self round compassed the World with that motion made day and night The second effect of light was from heat namely that which way soever it pass'd it rarified and purified the matter but it condensed it on both sides upward and downward whence came the division of the Elements this Moses expresses in these words VIII And God said let there be a Firmament that it may divide betwixt the waâ—er above and the waters below ver 6. God said that is he ordained how it should be let there be a Firmament that is let that light stretch forth the matter and let the thicker part of the matter melting and flying from the light thereof make waters on this side and on that above as they are the term of the visible World but below as they are a matter apt to produce other creatures under which the earth as thick dregs came together that was done the second day XI Therefore God said let the waters be gathered together under heaven into one place and let the dry land appear and it was so and God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of the waters he called seas and he saw that it was good ver 9 10. and so on the third day there came the foure greatest bodies of the World out of the matter already produced Aether that is the Firmament or Heaven Aire Water and Earth all as yet void of lesser creatures therefore said God X Let the earth bud forth the green herb and trees bearing seed or fruit every one according to his kinde ver 11. this was done the same third day when as now the heat of Coelestiall light having wrought more effectually began to beget fat vapours on the earth whereinto that living spirit of the World insinuating it self began to cause plants to grow up in various formes according as it pleased the Creator this is the truest original and manner of generation of plants hitherto that they are form'd by the spirit with the help of heat but as the heavens did not always equally effuse the same heat but according to the various form of the World one while more midly another while more strongly the fourth day God disposed that same light of heaven otherwise then hitherto it had been namely forming from that one great masse thereof divers lucid Globes greater and lesser which being called stars he placed here and there in the Firmament higher and lower with an unequall motion to distinguish the times and this Moses describes v. 14 15 c. thus XI And God said let there be light made in the Firmament of heaven that they may divide the day and the night and may be for signes and for seasons and for days and for years that they may shine in the Firmament and enlighten the earth therefore God made two great lights and the starres c. This done then after all the face of the World began to appear beautifull and the heat of heaven more temperate began to temper the matter of inferiour things together after a new manner so that the spirit of life now began to form more perfect creatures namely moving plants which we call animals of which Moses thus XII God said also let the waters bring forth creeping things having a soul of life and flying things upon the earth c. v. 20. the waters were first commanded to produce living creatures because it is a softer Element then earth first reptiles as earth-wormes and other worms c. because they are as it were the rudiment of nature also swiming things and flying things that is fishes and birds animals of a more light compaction that was done on the fift day with a most goodly spectacle to the Angels but on the sixth day God commanded earthly animals to come forth namely of a more solid structure which was presently done when the spirit of the World distributed it self variously through the matter of the clay for thus Moses XIII God said let the earth produce creatures having life according to their kind beasts and serpents and beasts of the field and it was sâ— v. 24. so now the heaven of heavens had for inhabitants the Angels the visible heaven the starres the air birds the water fishes the earth beasts there was yet a ruler wanting for these inferiour things namely a rationall creature or an Angel visibly clothed for whose sake those visible things were produced Therefore at the last when God was to produce him he is said by Moses to have taken counsel in these words XIV Then God said let us make man after our own image and likenesse who may rule over the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the air and beasts and all the earth c. Therefore he created man out of the dust of the earth and breathed in his face the breath of life c. v. 26. and cap. 2. v. 7. so man was made like to the other living creatures by a contemperation of matter spirit and light and to God and the Angels through the inspiration of the mind a most exquisite summarie of the world and thus the structure of the Universe ought to proceed so as to begin with the most simple creature and end in that which is most compound but both of them rationall that it might appear that God created these onely for himself but all the intermediate for these Lastly that all things are from God and for God flow out from him and reflow to him But that all these things might continue in their essence as they were disposed by the wisdome of God he put into every thing a virtue which they call Nature to conserve themselves in their effence yea to multiply whence the continuation of the creatures unto this very day and
and more and more and more purifying it from crudities III To keep the particular Ideas or forms of things For one the same spirit of the universe is afterwards diduced into many particularities by the comand of God so that there is one spirit of water another spirit of earth another of metals another of plants another of living creatures c. and then in every kind again severall species Now then that of the seed of wheat there springs not a bean much lesse a walnut or a bird c. is from the spirit of the wheat which being included in the seed formeth it self 〈◊〉 body according to its nature From the samâ— spirit is the custody of the bounds of nature for example that a horse grows not to the bignesse of a mountain nor stays at the smalnesse of a cat IV To form it self bodies for the use of future operations For example the spirit of a dog being included in its seed when it begins to form the young doth not form it wings or 〈◊〉 or hands c. because it needeth not those members but four feet and other members in such sort as they are fit for that use to which they are intended Because some dogs are for pleasure others to keep the house or flocks others for hunting and that either for hares or wild bores or water foul c. namely according as the Creator mingled the spirit of living creatures that they should have Sympathy or Antipathy one with another Every ones own spirit doth form it a body fit for its end whence from the sight of the creatures onely the use of every one may be gathered as the learned think because every creature heareth its signature about it Of the nature of light I THe first light was nothing else but brightnesse or a great flame sent into the dark matter to make it visible and divisible into form For in the primitive language light and fire are of the same name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence also comes the Latine word VRO and verily the light of heaven doth really both shine and burn or heat II God put into the light a threefold vertue 1 of spreading it self every way and illuminating all things 2 of moving the matter with it being taken hold of by burning and inflaming 3. of heating and thereby rarifying and attenuating the matter All these things our fire doth also because it is nothing else but light kindled in the inferiour matter III. But when as that light could not extend his motion upwards and downwards for it would have found a term forthwith it moved it self and doth still move in a round whence came the beginning of dayes IV And because the matter rarified above heat being raised by the motion of the light the grosser parâ—s of the matter were compelled to fall downward and to conglobate themselves in the middest of the Vniverse which was the beginning of the earth and water V The light therefore by this its threefold vertue light motion and heat introduced contrariety into the World For darknesse was opposite to light rest to motion cold to heat whence came other contraries besides moist and dry thin and thick heavy and light c. of which c. 4. VI From the light therefor is the disposition and adorning of the whole World For the light is the onely fountain both of visibility and of motion and of heat take light out of the World and all things will return into a Chaos For if all things lose their colours and their formes in the night when the Sun is absent and living creatures and plants die in winter by reason of the Suns operation being not strong enough and the earth and the water do nothing but freeze what do you think would be if the luminaries of heaven were quite extinguished Therefore all things in the visible World throughout are and are made of the matter in the spirit but by the fire or light CHAP. III. Of the motion of things THe principles of things being constituted we are to see the common accidents of things which are Motion Quality and Mutation For our of the congresse of the principles if the World came first motion out of motion came quality and out of quality again came various mutations of things which three are hitherto in all created things as it shall appear I Motion is an accident of a body whereby it is transferred from place to place The doctrine of naturall motions how many they are and how they are made is the key to the understanding of all naturall actions and therefore most diligently to be observed II Motion was given to things for generation action and time For generation for nothing could be â—gotten without composition nor composed without comming together nor come together without motion For actions because there could be none without motion For time that it might be the measure of the duration of things For take the Sun and the Starres out of the World nothing can be known what where when all things will be blind dumb deaf III Motion is either simple or compound IV Simple motion is either of spirit or of light or of matter V The motion of the spirit is called agitation whereby the spirit agitates if self in the matter seeking to inform it For the living spirit would not be living if it should cease to agitate it self and strive to subdue the matter in any sort whatsoever This motion is the beginning of the generation and corruption of things For the spirit in every thing in flesh an apple a grain wood c. doth by agitating it self soften the parts that it may either receive new life or it may fly out and the thing purrifie VI The motion of the light is called diffusion whereby the light and the heat diffuse themselves into all the parts For fire were not fire nor heat hear if it should cease to diffuse it self and liquifie the matter And from this motion of the fire all the motion of the matter draws its originall as the experience of the senses testifies For grosse and cold things as wood a stone ice c. want motion of themselves which notwithstanding when fire is put to them they forthwith obtein as it may be demonstrated to the eye let there be a kettle full of water put wood underneath it behold all is quiet but kindle the wood you shall presently see motion first in the wood flame smoak and starting asunder the coals by and by in the water first evaporating afterwards turning it self round at length boyling and galloping but remove away the fire again all the motion will cease again by little and little so in a living body an animall take away heat forthwith not onely motion but also mobility will cease the members waxing stiffe Furthermore although there be divers motions in things yet the Originall is every where the same heat or fire which being included in
a membrane a bone c. by the motion of Contraction lastly the air in breathing drawn in and let forth shews the motion of Continuity and Contiguity For when the lungs are distended the air enters in least their should be a vacuum but when the lungs contract themselves the air gives way the motion of Liberty will appear if you either presse down or draw up your skin for as soon as you take away your hand it will return to its situation lastly if you fall from any place there will be the motion of Aggregation for you will make toward the earth as being weight and earth your self XVI If motions be infolded they either increase or hinder one anothers force You have an example of the first if you cast a stone towards the earth for here the motion of Aggregation and Impulsion are joyned together Of the latter if you cast a stone towards heaven for here the motion of Impulsion striveth against the motion of Aggregation in which strife the stronger at length overcomes the weaker the naturall that which is but accessory XVII Compound motion is in living creatures when they doe of their own accord move themselves from place to place Namely birds by flying fishes by swimming beasts by running of which we shall see Chap. 10. how every one is performed Also naturall Philosophers call that a compound motion when a thing is wholly changed either to being or not being or to another kind of being though it continue in the same place but we call these mutations and they are to be handled in a pecuculiar Chapter the third from this CHAP. IV. Of the Qualities of things THe matter is variously mingled with the spirit light by these various motions and from this various mixture come various qualities so that this thing is called is such a thing that such a thing again another such or such a thing which we must now consider these talities or qualities are some of them generall common to all bodies others speciall proper to some creatures only the first are to be laid open here together for all once the other hereafter in their places I A quality is an accident of a body in regard of which every thing is said to be such or such II There are qualities in every body as well intangible spirituall and volatile as grosse tangible and fixed For a body is as we saw cap. 2. in the description of matter Aphor. 8. and of the spirit Aphor. 1. either Intangible or Nolatile which they also call spirituall as breath air Tangible namely water and all fluid things earth and all consistent things The qualities therefore which we will treat of shall be common to all these For it may be said both of a stone and of water and of air and of the spirit that is inclosed in a body that it is fat or raw hot or cold moist or dry thick or thin c. III The qualities are the grounds of all forms in bodies For the former causes a living creature to differ from a stone a stone from wood wood from ice and the forme consists of qualities Therefore the doctrine of qualities is exceeding profitable and as it were the basis of naturall science which because it hath been hitherto miserably handled the light of physicks hath been maimed and by that means obscure IV A quality is either intrinsecall and substantiall or extrinsecall and accidentall Of the substantiall qualities Sulphur Salt and Mercury V A substantiall quality arising from the first mixture of the principles is threefold Aquosity which the Chymicks call Mercury Oleosity Sulphur Consistency Salt N. 1 These flow immediately from the combination of the first principles Fire Sulphur Salt Spirit Matter Mercury For as in the beginning the spirit conjoyned with the matter produced the moving of the waters so Mercury is nothing but motion the first fluid thing which cannot be fixed nor conteined within alimit and salt is dry and hot and uncorruptible just as spirit and fire it is preserved by fire it is dissolved with water or Mercury but turns neither to flame nor smoak though it is a most spirituall creature and every way incorruptible And Sulphur what is it but matter mixt with fire for why doth it delight in flame but that it is of a like nature and in compound things it is the first thing combustible or apt to be inflamed N. 2. But beware that you understand not our vulgar minerall Salt Sulphur and Mercury or quicksilver For these are mixt bodies salt earth sulphurie earth Mercurial water that is matter wherein Salt Sulphur and Mercury are predominant yet with other things adjoyned for Salt hath parts apt to be inflamed and Sulphur some salt and some Mercury but the denomination is from the chiefest Those qualities cannot be seen as they are in themselves but by imagination but they are in all things as Chymicks demonstrate to the eye who extract crude and watery parts out of every wood stone c. and other fat and oily parts and that which remains is salt that is ashes so the thing it selfe speaks that some liquor is mercurious as vulgar water and flegme other sulphury as oil and spirit of wine other salt and tart as aqua fortis also we find by experience in the benummings and aches of the members that some vapours are crude others sharp VI God produced the qualities intrinsecally that the substance of every body might be formed For ☿ Sulphur salt giveth unto things fluidity coition crudity 〈◊〉 cleaving together fatnesse consistency hardness aptnesse to break and from thence incōbustibility inflammability incorruptibility That Mercury giveth fluidity and easie coition of the matter appears out of quicksilver which by reason of the predominancy of Mercury is most fluid so that it will not endure to be stoped or fixed It is also most crude so that it can neither be kindled nor burned but if you put fire to it flees away into air Now that the coagulation of bodies is from sulphur as it were glue appears from hence that there is more oil in dry solid and close bodies then in moist bodies also because ashes after that the Sulphur is cousumed with five if you power water on them clear not together in a lump but with oil or fat they cleave together Now Chymicks extract oil out of every stone leaving nothing but ashes no part cleaving one to another any longer And that salt gives consistency appears by the bones of living creatures out of which Chymicks extract meer salt also all dense things leave behind them much ashes that is salt God therefore with great counsel tempered these three qualities together in bodies for if Mercury were away the matter would not flow together to the generation of things if salt nothing would consist together or be fixed if sulphur the consistency would be forced and yet apt to be dissipated Lastly if there were not sulphur in wood and some other
matters we could have no fire but Solar on the earth for nothing would be kindled and then what great defects would the life of man endure Of the accidentary or extrinsecall qualities of bodies So much of the substantiall qualities the accidentary follow VII An accidentall quality is either manifest or occult VIII A manifest quality is that which may be perceived by sense and is therefore to be called sensible As heat cold softnesse roughnesse IX An occult quality is that which is known only by experience that is by its effect as the love of iron in the loadstone c. therefore it is called insensible N. The manifest qualities proceed from the diverse temperatures of the elements substantificall qualities the occult immeditely from the peculiar spirit of every thing X The sensible quality is five fold according to the number of the senses visible audible olfactile gustatile tangible that is colour sound odour savour tangour Let not the unusuall word tangor offend any it is feigned for doctrines sake and analogy admits it for if we say from Caleo Calor from Colo Color from sapio sapor from amo amor from fluo fluor from liquo liquor from clango clangor from ango angor why not also from tango tangor Of the tangible quality XI The tangible quality or tangor is such or such a positure of the parts of the matter in a body XII The copulations thereof are twelve for every body in respect of touch is 1 rare or dense 2 moist or dry 3 soft or hard 4 flexible or stiffe 5 smooth or rough 6 light or heavy 7 hot or cold Of every of which we are to consider accurately what and how they are XIII Rarity is an extension of the attenuated matter through greater spaces density on the contrary is a straighter pressing together of the matter into one For all earth water air and spirit is sometime more rare sometime more dense and we must note that there is not any body so dense but that it hath pores neverthelesse though insensible That appears in vessels of wood and earth which let forth liquors in manner of sweat also in a bottle of lead filled with water which if it be crushed together with hammers or with a presse sweats forth a water like a most delicate dew XIV Humidity or humour is the liquidnesse of the parts of the body and aptnesse to be penetrated by one another siccity on the contrary is a consistency and an impenetrability of the parts of the body So a clot hardned together either with heat or cold is dry earth but mire is moist earth water is a humid liquour but ice is dry water c. XV Softnesse is a constitution of the matter somewhat moist easily yeilding to the touch hardnesse is a drynesse of the matter not yeelding to the touch So a stone is either hard or soft also water spirit air c. XVI Flexibility is a compaction of the matter with a moist glue so that it will suffer it self to be bent stifnesse is a coagulation of the matter with dry glue that it will not bend but break So iron is stiffe steel flexible so some wood is flexible other stiffe but note that the flexible is also calld tough the stiffe brittle XVII Smooth is that which with the aequality of its parts doth pleasantly affect the touch rough is that which with the inequality of its parts doth distract and draw asunder the touch Note in liquid things the smooth is called mild the rough tart so marble unpolished is rough polished it is smooth Water is rough oile is mild a vehement and cold wind is rough and sharp a warm air is mild So in our body humours vapours spirits are said to be mild or sharp XVIII Lightnesse is the hasting upwards of a body by reason of its rarity and spirituosity heavinesse is the pronenesse of a dense body downwards as that appears in flame and every exhalation this in water and earth N. W. I how this motion is made upwards and downwards by a love of fellowship or of things of the same nature hath been said cap. 3. 2 The inaequality of heavinesse or ponderosity is from the unequall condensation of the matter For look how much the more matter there is in a body so much the more ponderous it is as a stone more then wood metals more then stones and amongst these gold quicksilver and lead most of al because they are the most compacted bodies 3 Amongst all heavy things gold is found to be of greatest weight spirit of wine or sublimated wine of least and the proportion of quantity betwixt these two is found not to exceed the proportion of 21 parts so that one drop of gold is not heavier than one and twenty drops of spirit of wine XIX Heat is a motion of the most minute parts of the matter reverberated against it self penetrating and rending the touch like a thousand sharp points but cold is a motion of the parts contracting themselves N. W. 1 It appears that heat and cold are motions and fixed qualities 1 because there is no body found amongst us perpetually hot or cold as there is rare and dense moist and drie c. but as a thing heats or cools the which is done by motion 2 because sense it self testifies that in scorching the skin and members are penetrated and drawn asunder but in cold they are stopped and bound therefore it is a motion 3 because whatsoever is often heated though it be metall is diminished both in bignesse and in weight till it be even consumed and whēce is that but that the heat casting forth a thousand atomes doth weare and consume away the matter Now it is called a motion of parts and that reverberated against it self for that which is moved in whole and directly not reflexedly doth not heat as wind a bird flying c. but that which is moved with reverberation or a quick alteration as it is is in the repercussion of light in the iterated collision of bodies in rubbing together friction c. 3 But we must distinguish betwixt Calidum Calefactivum and Calefactile Calidum or Calefactum is that which is actually hot and scorcheth the touch as flame red hot iron seething water or air which also receiveth amost violent heat c. N. W. among all things that are known to us fire is most hot wee have nothing that is most cold but ice which notwithstanding is farre off from being opposed in its degree of cold to the degree of heat in fire Calefactivum is that which may stirre up heat as motion and whatsoever may procure motion namely fire and pepper and all sharp and bitter things taken within the body for motion is from fire and fire from motion and heat from them both For as fire cannot but be moved else it presently goes out so motion cannot but take fire as it appears by striking a flint and rubbing wood something long
Therefore both are calefactive but fire is further said to be actually hot calefactive things are commonly called hot in potentiâ Calefactile is that which may easily be heated as air and after air fat things oile butter then wood then water For in these because the parts are somewhat rare they are the more easily moved to agitation stones and metals because they have their matter compacted do not easily admit of heat but retain it the longer after it is admitted because it cannot easily exhale by reason of the straight pores and this is the cause why all things consisting of small particles as feathers hairy skins and all rough things yea and all sorts of dust do either alwayes retein heat by a certain agitation of the aire inclosed or at least easily receive it by some transpiration raised only from a living body 4 We must also note that all these tactile qualities may be said of the same body in a diverse manner namely in respect of another body as water in respect of air is a dense and heavy body in respect of earth or a stone rare and light yea and by reason of the touch thus and thus disposed it seems to be on this or that manner for example warm water seems cold to a hot hand hot to a cold hand 5 The diverse effects of heat are to be considered also according to the diversity of the object The perpetuall effect of heat is attenuatiō but after different manners in a matter that is Liquid Sulphury which it kindleth turnes to flame and snatcheth upward Mercuriall which it rarifies and stretcheth forth as may be seen in the evaporation of water also in the desiccation or drying up of earth wood c. in which all the humour moisture that is turnes and evaporates into air Consistent which if it have parts that are Glutineus or Sulphury it forces them to melt as may be seen in suet wax metals Ashy or salt it forces them to be condensed by the drying up of the moisture and also to break if you force them the more as wood a clot a tile c. and so hardning is an effect of heat by accident Of tasts XX The gustatile quality is called savour or taste which is a tempering of the first qualities by heat and cold  Temperate Sulphur giveth Sweetnesse  Adult Bitternesse For Salt Of its own nature giveth Softnesse For the Mordaity of all these argues Salt Combust Sharpnesse Indifferently Sowernesse cooled Bitternesse Extreamly cooled Austerity It appears therefore whence herbs fruits parts of living creatures and minerals have their savours namely from salt and sulphur diffused every where whereof every creature sucketh in more or lesse according to its nature Mercury is of it selfe without taste as we note in flegme but the others are soaked thereby as also by the severall degrees of cold or heat so that they are more or lesse sweet bitter salt c. Of smels XXI The olfactile quality is called odour which is a most thin exhalation of the taste Yet sulphury things yield more smell then salt things and hot things more then others because heat attenuates and spreads into the air Hence gardens and ointment boxes are so much the sweeter by how much the hotter the air is yet by how much the sweeter they are so much the sooner they lose their smell that odiferous sulphureous quality being exhaled by little and little Of sounds XXII The audible quality is called sound which is a cleaving of the air sharply stricken flowing every way Every motion of the air doth not give a sound but that motion whereby the air is suddenly divided and parted Now a sound is either acute or obtuse pleasing or displeasing according as the body that smiteth the air is acute or obtuse smooth or rough The naturall kinds of sound are tinkling when the air blows through some sharp thing Murmur of running water ratling of thunder rustling of leaves bellowing or lowing of Oxen roaring of lions hissing of serpents and the voices of other living creatures Of colours XXIII The visible qualitie is called colour which is light diversly received in the superficies of bodies and tempered with the opposite darknesse as whitenesse blacknesse greennesse c. Obser. 1. That colour is nothing in it self but light diversly reflected from things appears 1 because as it is not seen without light so it is not found to be any thing by any other sense or by reason neither is it therefore 2 because colours as well as light diffuse themselves through the aire and are in the eyes of all beholders Now we saw before that the diffusive motion was proper to the light therefore colour is indeed nothing but light diversly tinct with the diverse superficies of things 3 because light being reflected after severall manners in the same matter produceth severall colours We see that for example sake in a cloud which is in it self like it self yet it appears to us sometimes whitish sometimes blackish sometimes ruddy according as it is opposed to the light In like manner we see in the Rainbow which is nothing else but the resolution of a cloud into most small drops of water yellow green flame and sky-colour as it appears also in Chrystall dust turned towards the light which shew plainly that colour is nothing else but a different tincture of light from the different incidencie thereof But there in the Rainbow and glasse the colours passe through because the matter it selfe is fluid and transparent in fixed bodies colours are also fixed but after a way known to God rather then to us Obser 2. That from the receptibility of colours a body is called Pellucid or Opacous Pellucid Transparent and Diaphanous is that which gives the light a passage through it and is therefore neither coloured nor seen as air and in part water glasse chrystall a diamond c. that air is not coloured that is tinct with light appears in a room close shut up on every side if you let in a beam of the sun at a hole for that will passe through the whole room and yet will appear no where but on the opposite wall or pavement or unlesse you interpose your hand or some other dense thing or the dust be raised and the atomes of it flie in that quantity as to reflect the light Opacous is that which doth not give the light a passage but reflects it and therefore it is coloured and seen as earth wood a stone gemme and waters coloured and this light reflected from an Opacous body is properly called colour of which there are six kinds white yellow green red skie-colour black White is light reflected with its own proper face Yellow is light tinct with a little darknesse Green is light in a middle and most pleasing temperature of light and darknesse Red is light more inclining to darknesse Skie-colour is light more then halfe dark Black last of all is the non-repercussion of the light
us by forcing compressing rarifying or densifying that may be shewn to children by ocular experiments for if you drive the air with a fan doth it not give a blast if you presse it when it is drawn into the bellows doth it not breath through the pipe if you lay an apple or an egge into the fire doth not the rarified humour break forth with a blast but this last will be better seen in a bowle of brasse which hath but one hole put to the fire especially if you drop in some drops of water For the air shut in with the water when they feel the heat will presently evaporate and thrust themselves out with a violent blast Which may be also seen if you put a burning wax candle into a pot well stopped having a small hole left at the side c. The fourth way is by condensation of air if for example you lay the foresaid bowle of brasse very hot upon ice and force the thin air included to be condensed again with cold you shall perceive it to draw it again from without to fill up the hollownesse of the bowle Therefore so many ways winds are made under heaven either because the air is rarified with the heat of the Sun and spreads it self or because it contracts it self with being cold and attracts from elsewhere to fill up the spaces or because a cloud scattered or falling downward or else blasts somewhere breaking out of the earth compresse the air and make it diffuse or lastly because one part of the air being moved drives others before it for here you must remember what was said before 1 that a drop of water turned into air requires an hundred times more space 2 that the air is a very liquid and moveable element and therefore being but lightly pushed gives back a long way but yet it is plain that all those motions of the air take their first rise from vapours Now because the world is a great globe it affordeth great store of blasts also both the heat of the sun above and the parching of the fire under ground begetting various vapours Hence it is understood why after a great fire there arises a wind presently even in the still air namely because much solid matter wood and stone c. is resolved into vapours and the air round about is attenuated by the heat of the fire that it must of necessity spread it self and seek a larger room XIII Winds in some countreys are certain comming at a certain time of the year and from a certain coast others are free comming from any place Note they call these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much to say as annuall which are caused either by the mountainousnesse of the tract neer adjoyning wherein the snows are then dissolved or to be sure some other causes by reason of which vapours are then progenerated there in great abundance But you must note that those etesian winds are for the most part weak and gentle and yield to the free winds Note 2 There is also another kind of set wind common to the whole world namely a perpetuall fluxe of the whole air from the east to the west For that there is such a wind 1 they that sail about the aequator testifie 2 in the seas of Europe when a particular wind ceaseth they say also that a certain gentle gale is perceived from the east 3 and therefore Marriners are constantly of opinion that the navigation from east to west is speediliest performed 4 lastly with us in a clear and still skie the highest clouds are seene for the most part to be carried from East to West therefore wee need not doubt of this generall wind if so be any one will call it a wind For it proceeds not from exhalations but from the heaven which by its wheeling round carries the air perpetually about swiftly above here nigh the earth where the clouds are almost insensibly yet under the aequator as being in a greater Circle very notably Whence this Probleme may be profitably noted why the East wind dries but the West moistens namely because that being carried along with the air attenuates it the more but this striving against the air condenseth it XIV A gentle wind is called aura a gale a vehement wind overthrowing all it meets with procella a tempest if winded into it self turbo a whirlewind It is plain that sundry vvinds may arise in sundry places together according as matter of exhalations is afforded here and there and occasion to turn it self hither or thither Therefore if they flovv both one vvay the wind doubled is the stronger if sideways or obliquely the stronger carries away the weaker with it and there is a change of the wind which we see done often yea daily but when they come opposite to one another and fall one against another they make a storme or tempest vvhich is a fight of the vvinds till the strongest overcome and is carried vvith a horrible violence bearing dovvn all before it But contrary vvinds of aequall strength make a vvhirlvvind vvhen neither vvill give sidevvay but both vvhirl upvvards vvith a violent gyration Of the sea-tide XV The sea-tide is the daily fluxe of the sea to the shore and refluxe back again The sea hath its fluxes lesse unconstant then the air for it flows onely to the shores and back again the same vvay and tvvice a a day it flowes up and twice it ebbs again The end thereof vvithout doubt is to keepe the vvaters of the Sea from putrefying by that continuall motion But the efficient cause thereof heretofore accounted amongst the secrets of nature comes novv to be searched out of the truest grounds of naturall Philosophy and more accurate observations XVI The cause of the sea-tide are vapours within wherewith the sea swelling diffuseth it self and falling settles down again For this tide is like to the boiling of vvater seething at the fire vvhich is nothing but the stirring of the vapours raised in the vvaters by the force of the heat For it is impossible that the vvater should not be resolved into vapours by the heat impossible that the vapours should not seek a passage upvvards to their connaturals yet impossible that they should have an easie passage out of the vvater being that the superficies of the vvater yea the vvhole masse thereof being a diffused liquor like liquid glasse hath fewer pores than the earth or wood or a stone therefore it is impossible that the water should not swel rise up dash it self against the sides of the kettle and at length break in a thousand openings and give the heat dancing evapourating a passage out by reason of the vapour raised multiplied vvithin and striving upvvard all vvhich vve see in a boiling pot â—n the same manner the sea svvels by reason of the vapour that is multiplyed in the bottome of its gulfes and lifts up it self into a tumour of necessity spreads it self to the
sun upon a bright cloud placed by its side After the same manner if you stand upon the opposite bank of a river you shall see two suns the one the true one in heaven the other reflected in the water There are sometimes three suns seen if two of those clouds are at once opposed to the sun and our sight XLIII Paraselene a false moon is the image of the moon expressed after the same manner upon a collaterall cloud XLIV Rods are beams of the sun covered with a cloud yet shining through the thin cloud stretched towards the earth like rods XLV Colours are they that appear divers in a cloud according as it is after severall manners turned toward the sun and us so that the cloud seems somtimes yellow somtimes red fiery XLVI Lastly the Rainbow is an Halo opsite to the sun or moon in a dewy cloud reprepresenting a bow of divers colours For there are Lunar rainbows also Now that the Rainbow is an appearing Meteor is plain if it be but from hence that it comes and goes backwards and forwards with the eye of the beholder and so it appears to be in severall places to those that behold it from severall places even as the image or brightness of the sun to those that walk up and down on the shore I say that it is a Meteor like to an Halo because it is alike circular And as in the Halo the center of the luminary the center of the lightsome circle and the center of our eye are in one right line so in a Rainbow onely that in the first the luminary and the eye are the extreams the Halo in the middest here the luminary and the bow are the extreams and the eye in the middest Now there doth not appear a whole circle in the rainbow because the center of it to us fals upon the earth and so the upper halfe of the circle only appears If any one could elevate himselfe into the cloud or above the cloud without doubt he would see the whole circle of the Rainbow Hence also the reason is evident why at the suns rising or setting there appears a whole semicircle elevated right up towards heaven but when the sun is high it appeares low Lastly why there can be none at all when the sun is verticall The Lunar Rainbowes are onely pale as an Halo the Solar shewes forth most fair clouds from a stronger light diversly reflected from a thousand thousand drops of the melting cloud the colours being coordinate as is to be seen in a Chrystalline Prisme and certainly the Rainbow was given even for this that we might learn to contemplate the nature of colours There is also a contrairis namely when the rainbow reflects again upon another cloud underneath and therefore it is lesse and of a weaker colour and the order of the colours inverted so that the highest is lowest as in a glasse the right side answers to the left side c. but of Meteors enough Of watery oncretes XLVII Watery concretes are a bubble foame ice and severall appearances in the water also the saltnesse of the sea spring waters and medicinall waters XLVIII A bubble is a thin watery skin filled with air It is made when a small portion of air thrust down below the water is carried upwards which the water being somwhat fatter in its superficies suffers not presently to flie out but covers it with a thin skin like a little bladder By how much the more oily the water is by so much the longer the bubbles hold as it is to be seen in those ludicrous round bubbles which boyes are wont to blow out of water and sope which flie a great while through the air unbroken From the bubble we learn to what a subtilty water may be brought For the skin of a bubble is a thousand times thinner then the thinnest paper XLIX Foame is a company of very small bubbles raised by the sudden falling of water into water The beating of the water into small parts causes whitenesse in the foam even as ice waxe pitch and other things are whitish when they are beaten The durability also of the foam is more in an oily liquour as in beer c. L Ice is water hardened together with cold LI Watery impressions are images of clouds of birds flying over of men of trees and of any things objected It is known that water is the first mirrour receiving the images of all things which is by reason of the evennesse of its superficies For light coloured with things falling upon the water cannot as it comes to passe in another body of a rough superficies be dispersed but by reason of its exceeding evennesse is intirely reflected and presents it selfe whole with that image to the eye of the beholder This is the ground of all mirrours But let us come to reall concretions in the water LII The saltnesse of the sea is from the subterrane fire which heating a bituminous matter spreadeth salt exhalations through the sea Saltnesse something bitter with a kind of oleosity was given to the sea 1 That the waters might not putrifie 2 For the more convenient nutriment of fishes 3 For strength to bear the burdens of ships Now the sea is salt not as Aristotle thought by reason of the sun beams extracting the thinner parts of the waters and scorching the rest For our fire would do the same and the sun in lakes and pooles neither of which is done yea by how much the more salt water is heated with our fire the salter it is but fresh water is so much the fresher but by reason of the heat included within the bowels of the earth and of the deep which when it cannot exhale it scorcheth sharply the humour that there is so that it turnes to urine The very same we see done in our own body and all living creatures For urine and sweat are alike salt LIII Spring waters are made of vapours condensed in the cavernes of the earth after the same manner as drops are gathered together upon the covers of pots It is certain that under the earth there lies a great deep Gen. 7. 11. That is a mighty masse of waters diffused through the hollows of the earth which that it joynes with certain gulfes of the Ocean this is an argument that the depth of the sea in some places is altogether insearchable Therefore as vapours ascend out of the open sea into the air which being resolved into drops distill rain so the subterrane waters being attenuated by the subterrane heat send forth vapours which being gathered together in the hollowes of the earth and collected into drops flow out which way passage is given them And this is it which the Scripture saith All rivers enter into the sea and the sea runneth not over unto the place from whence the rivers come they returne that they may flow again Eccles. 1. v. 7. Whence it is understood why springs yield fresh water though they come from
those bitter and salt waters of the sea namely because they come by distillation to the spring head For they say that the sea water being distilled that is resolved first into vapours then into drops in an Alembick looseth its saltnesse by the same reason then the deep under ground evaporating salt waters sendeth them fresh out of fountains neverthelesse And what need words For clouds gathered of the vapours of the sea send down fresh showers Sâ— how excellently the truth of things agree with it selfe still LIV Medicinall waters are made of the various tinctures of the metals and juices of the earth from which they receive the virtue 〈◊〉 healing and savour For example hot waters or baths aâ— made of bitumen burning within Therefore they exhale sulphur manifestly bâ—â— sharpish waters relish of iron coper vitrioâ—allom c. of which earthly concretes it wilâ— be now time to speak Of earthly concretes which are called Minerals LV Minerals are earthly concretes begotten of subterrane vapours as clods concret juicesî metals and stones These are called minerals from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if you shonld say from the earth They call them also Fossiles because they are digged that all these are begotten of subterrane vapours and subterrane fire appears by the example of our body wherein bloud choler flegme melanlancholy urine spittle fat flesh veins nerves membranes gristles bone c. yea the stone and gravell are made of the vapours of food concocted and digested as shal be seen hereafter Now as these parts of ours are formed within the body by the heat included so minerals are generated in the bowels of the earth not elsewhere For the earth with its most deep passages and veins winding every way where infinite vapours are generated and perpetually distilled in a thousand fashions is that great work-house of God wherein for the space of so many ages such things are wrought as neither art can imitate nor wit well find out LVI Clods are digged earths infected only with fatnesse or some colour and apt to be soaked as 1 Clay 2 Marle 3 Chalk 4 Red earth 5 Paintings or painters colours as lake vermilion oker azure or blew verdigrease 6 Fullers earth in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7 Medicinall earth as sealed earth Lemnian Armenian Samian c. These colours seem to be nothing else but the soot of the subterrane fumes variously distilled and those earths nothing else but a various mixture of liquors distilled also variously and brought to such or such a quality LVII Concrete juices are fossiles indued with a savour or some sharp virtue apt to be dissolved or kindled as sulphur niter salt allome vitriol arsenick which painters call orpiment antimonie or stibium such like N. Those juices seem to be nothing else but the cream of subterrane liquors variously distilled LVIII Metals are watery fossiles apt to be melted cast and hammered as gold silver brasse or copper iron tin lead quick-silver N. 1. That they are progenerated of fire this is enough to testifie that they are oft times taken hot out of the veines so that the touch will not endure them For in winter when all herbs are white with frost those which grow over the veins admit of no frost because of the hot exhalation within hindering concretion so also trees by the blewnesse of their leaves shew the veines of metals 2 Now that metals are made of vapours this is an argument that they are wont also to be procreated in the very clouds For examples are not unknown even in our age of bodies of brasse or iron of no small weight falling from heaven 3 That metals are made of watery vapours their liquabilitie shews now they are coagulated by virtue of salt Therefore the drosse of iron is salt and bitter 4 Quicksilver alone is alwayes liquid never consistent as a perpetuall witnesse of the watery nature of metals Other metals swim upon it because it hath the most compacted substance of all gold only excepted which therefore it receives only into it selfe 5 Whether metals differ in their species or only in degree of purity and hardnesse and in heat we leave now in suspense LIX Stones are earthly fossiles hardly compacted apt only to be broken in pieces That stones are earth coagulated with water and fire bricks and pots teach us for here art imitates nature Yet the severall formes of stones shew that they are not earth simply concrete but a masse concrete of divers most grosse earthly vapours with a various temperature of humours LX Stones are either vulgar or precious LXI A vulgar stone is earth most hardly compacted the principall kinds of which are seven The gravell stone the milstone the pumice-stone the flint to which I refer the Smiris wherewith glasse is cut and iron polished the whetstone and the touch stone or Lapis lydius the marble and the loadstone N. Every kind have their differences again 2 A great stone is called saxum or a rock a little one gravell and sand 3 Most mountains are stony and yield metals because the subterrane fire on the third day of the creation swelling the earth here made it self many channels and passages breathing through which it doth variously exhale melt mix and boile the matter which is not done so copiously under plains LXII Pretious stones are are called gems because they are the gums of stones sweating in the bowels of the earth Hence comes their clearnesse and brightnesse that is to say from their most thinâ— and accurate straining even more then in the gums of trees for wood hath looseâ— pores then stones LXIII All gems are transparent and pellucid but some onely transparant as these three the Diamond the Chrystall the Beryllâ— Others coloured with all and thoseâ— according to the diversity of their colours of sveâ—â— sorts 1 Bright and burning the Carbuncle the Chalcedon the Chrysolite 2 Yellow the Jacinth and Topaze 3 Green the Emerald and the Turquois 4 Red or purple the Rubie and the Granate but the Carnelous and the Onyx are more pale 5 Skie-coloured the Saphir and the Amethyst 6 Black the Morion 7 Changeable as the Jasper the Agat the Chrysoprase N. 1. That Chrystall is never found unlesse it be Hexagonall which is the miracle of nature And that it is growes in arched cels under ground dry and closed where the wind enters not for some years hath been experienced at Kings Itradeck in Bohemia Anno 1618. For elegant chrystals were found hanging from the stones of the arches like Isicles of an exact Hexagonall forme but in the silver mines of Catteberge there are found far more Of other gems we have nothing to say in particular N. 2. Stones that are wont to grow in some living creatures are usually reckoned amongst precious stones as the pearl in sea shell fishes the Bezoar the Chelidonius the Alectorius the Bufonites c. also Corall and Amber But these two are to be
which Aristotle would have to be the four Elements the Syagyricks Salt Sulfur and ☿ Nay more that by this means a gate is opened in a new kinde of way not onely to the understanding of Arts and humane inventions but also to multiply them which could never be unless the foundations of truth were found Perhaps I speak more then the Reader will think he finds in my Writings But if he saw but the streams the delineation of that Pansophia Christiana which wee have in hand that are derived from this fountain as also from that of our Didacticks and Metaphysicks hee would not hold it vainly spoken But because those are not yet brought to light I set down this as a law for these that are If any thing be not sufficiently deduced from Sense Reason and Scripture If any thing cohere not harmoniously enough with the rest If any thing be not evident enough with its own perspicuity let it be taken as not said at all Which law standing in force it may be lawful for my self all others both to doubt always and every where whether every thing be so as it is delivered to be and also to enquire why it is as it is found to be by which two courses that the lowest foundations of truth will in time be discovered no body needs to doubt Therefore let none of vs seeke after any thing else but how the truth may best be maintained on all hands which if it happen not to be on our side and that we are deceived with appearances of truth as it is very usuall in humane affaires I beseech all those that are more sharp-sighted for the love of truth courteously to shew us our way which we have lost and where our demonstrations come not together But if these savour of truth something neer that then they would not disdain to joyn their endevours with ours for the illustration thereof that all of us being the children of truth may compose and sing Hymnes of prayse together to God the Father of Truth Thou therefore O Christ the Fathers glory bright Of this great World the onely light On us some beams of light bestow That are thy servants thee to know Amen Lord make me to see here indeed thy externall light shining upon and internall informing thy creatures but there in in heaven aeternall and uncreated Amen Amen And so Christian Readers farewel J. A. C. March the 12th 1650. Imprimatur John Downame A Table of the Heads of this BOOK Prolegomena of the nature and use of Physick I AN Idea of the World to be created and created pag. 9 II Of the principles of the World Matter Spirit and Light 20 III Of the motion of things 38 IV Of the qualities of things 49 V Of the mutation of things 69 VI Of the Elements 78 VII Of Vapours 96 VIII Of Concretes 114 IX Of Plants 148 X Of living creatures 159 XI Of Man 210 XII Of Angels 228 An Appendix to Physicks of the diseases of the Body Mind and Soul aad their remedies 243 Errata Page 53. for softness read saltness p. 63. for softness r. saltness p. 247. line 12. for run r. noisome p. 250. l. 4. for veins r. reins ibid. l. 28 dele by PROLEGOMENA Touching the nature foundation and use of Physick I Physick is the Scientiall Knowledge of naturall things II That thing is naturall which is by Nature not by Art FOr whatsoever this visible World hath comes all either from Nature or from Art those things are from Nature which God brought forth in the beginning or w ch are to this very time begotten by a virtue implanted in things as the Heavens the Earth the Sea Rivers Mountains Stones Metals Hearbs living Creatures c. those things are from art which men have shaped by putting a new form upon natural things as Cities Houses Ponds Channels Statues Coines Garments Books c. that is by the work of mans ingenuity and hands Physicks have nothing to do with these things these are put over to the arts Now seeing that nature is before art ye that art imitates nothing but nature for as much as it doth nothing but by the strength of nature it necessarily follows that nature is to be laid for a foundation to arts and that nature must first be knowne by those that are studious of arts what things and by what vertue it operates every where for when this is known the secrets of all arts open of their own accord without this in arts and prudentials all wil be blinde dumbe and maimed therefore Physick is so necessary to be premised before the Mathematical and Logical and also the prudentiall Arts that they who do otherwise may be thought to build castles in the air III The nature of things is the law of being born and of dying of operating and of ceasing which God the Workmaster hath laid upon all things that are For all things are born and die all things operate somewhat and all things cease again in an order and manner proper to every creature which order and manner being that it is with most excellent reason could not be disposed but by the supream wisdome inasmuch as it is found constantly to be imposed by way of a law upon things now it took the name of nature from the first degree of mutation of every thing which is to be borne IV The knowledge of nature is to be obtein'd by searching into Nature it self By searching I say For no one should spend his time in Physicks to that end that he might have his mind taken up with anothers conceits but that he may put forward himself to the through and intimate knowledg of things otherwise the intellect will not be illustrated with the nature of things but obumbrated with the speculation of phantasms in naturall things therefore we are to seek for guides who may make us scholers not of themselves but of nature and exhibite unto us not their own fond reasons but nature V To search Nature is to contemplate how and wherefore every thing in nature is done To contemplate I say For as we do not see the Sun but by looking on the Sun so we do not learn nature but by looking into nature which is that the Scripture counsels us Ask the beasts and they shall teach thee and the fouls of the aire and they shall tell thee or talk with the earth and it shall answer thee and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee Job 12. 7. therefore the learners of naturall Philosophy cannot be more happily and easily instructed then if they be taught by ocular demonstration wheresoever it is to be had I say to contemplate every thing that so we may sift out the reasons and causes of all things every where For it is certain that nature doth nothing in vain even in things of least moment yea sometimes in the very least things much wisdome lies stored up And which is more we cannot attain to
return unto dust Job 34. v. 13 14. So if God should take his spirit out of the World every living thing would die 2 By reason and sense it is certainly evident that herbs and animals spring out of a humide matter even without seed But whence had these life I pray you but from that diffused soul of the World wee finde by experience that bread wine and water yea aire are vitall to those that feed upon them but whence have they that vital force I pray you if not from this diffused soule but now if a certaine spirit be diffused in that manner through all things it follows necessarily that it was created in the begining in its whole masse even as the matter the light were first produced in that its great and undigested masse so that there was no need that any thing should be created afterwards but be compounded of those three and distinguished with forms which God intimated in Esay 42. v. 5. where declaring himself the Creator of all things he divides them into three parts namely into the heavens that is light the earth that is matter and a quickning spirit and just so in Zachary 12. v. 1. let us therefore hereafter beware so great an absurdity that I may not say blasphemy as to put the person of the Holy Ghost amongst the creatures Now there may three reasons of this thing be given why Moses called that quickning spirit produced in the beginning the Spirit of God Namely that it is taken in that sense wherein els-where it is spoken of â—he mountains of God Psal. 36. v. 7. and trees of God Psal. 104. v. 16. and Ninive was called a citie of God that is by reason of their greatness and dignity 2. Because it was produced immediatly by God not as now it is when that spirit passeth from one subject to another 3 Because it was a peculiar act of the holy Ghost For the Analogie of our Faith teacheth us to believe that the production of the matter out of nothing is a work of Gods Omnipotencie and is attributed to the Father that the production of light by which the World received splendour and order is a work of wisdome attributed to the Son John 1. v. 3 4. and lastly that the virtue infused into the creatures is a work of his goodnesse which is attributed to the Holy Ghost Psal. 143. v 10. and so must that place Psal. 33. v. 9 6. be altogether understood for it will not bear any other sense he spake and they were made he commanded and they came forth the heavens were established by the Word of God and all the virtue of them by the spirit of his mouth Also wee must note Gen. 1. v. 1 2 3. that three words are added to the three principles he created he said and he moved himself that they may be signs of his absolute Power of his Word and of his spirit Also we must note this that in both those places the Holy Ghost with his work is placed in the midst as also in Esay 40. v. 13. because he is the spirit the love and the mutuall bond of both but this we speak after the manner of men Let it stand therefore for certain that all the principles were created the first day every one in its masse and that all things were afterwards composed out of them which may be declared to children for their more full understanding by a similitude thus an Apothecary or Confectioner being to make odoriferous Balls takes Sugar in stead of matter Rose-water or Syrrup or some other sweet liquour for tincture or conditure last of all taking some of this lumpe thus made hee imprints certain shapes upon his work So also God first prepared his matter then tempered it with a living spirit then brought light into it which by its heat and motion might mix and temper both together and bring it to certain forms also even as a Mechanick must have matter and two hands to work withall the one hand to hold and the other to work with so in the framing of the world there was need first of matter then of a spirit to frame the matter and lastly of light or heat to inactuate the matter under the hand of the spirit and what need many words we see in every stone hearb and living creature first a certain quantity of matter secondly a certain inward virtue whereby it is generated it groweth it spreads abroad its savour and its odour and its healing virtue thirdly a form or a certain disposition of parts with divers changes which come from the heat working within For Matter is a principle meerly passive Light meerly active Spirit indifferent for in respect of the matter it is active in respect of the light passive The difinitions of the principles Matter is a corpulent substance of it self rude and dark constituting bodies Spirit is a subtile substance of it self living invisible and insensible dwelling and growing in bodies Light is a substance of it self visible and moveable lucid penetrating the matter and preparing it to receive the spirits and so forming out the bodies Therefore by how much the more Matter any thing hath it hath somuch y e more Dulnes obscurity immobility as the earth Vigour and durability as an Angell Form mobility as the Sun Spirit Light Note also that matter is the first entitie in the World ' Spirit the first living thing Light the first moving thing so that every body in the World is of the matter by the light in the spirit which he would have to be his image from whom by whom in whom are all things blessed for evermore Amen Rom. 11. v. 36. Of the nature of matter TRuly said one No diligence can be too much in searchingout the beginning of things for when the principles are rightly set down an infinite number of conclusions will follow of their own accord and the science wil encrease it self in infinitum which the creation of things doth also shew For God having produced the principles the first day and wrought them together with most excellent skil made afterward so great variety of things to proceed from them that both men and Angels may be astonished Therefore let us not thinke over much to frame our thoughts yet of all the principles of the World apart Let the following Aphorisms be of the matter I The first matter of the World was a vapour or a fume For what means that description of Moses else when he calls it earth waters the deep darkness a thing void and without form and it appears also by reason for seeing that the lesser bodies of the World Clouds Water Stones Metals and all things growing on the earth are made of vapours coagulated as shall appeare most evidently hereafter why not the whole World also certainly the matter of the whole can be nothing else but that which is found to be the matter of the parts II The first matter of the
World was a Chaos of dispersed Atomes cohering in no part thereof This is proved 1 by reason for if they had cohered in any sort they had had form but they had not for it was Tohu vabohu a thing without form and void 2 by sense which satisfies that the Elements are turned unto Atomes for what is dust but earth reduced into Atomes what is vapour but water resolved into more subtile parts the air it self what is it but a most small comminution of drops of water and unperceiveable by sense yea all bodies are found to consist of most extream small parts as trees barke flesh skins and membranes of most slender strings or threds but bones stones metals of smal dust made up together into which they may be resolved again And this shews also that those threds or haires are of Atomes as it were glued together that when they are dried they may be pouldred wherefore the whole World is nothing but dust coagulated with various glutinous matters into such or such a form 3 by Scripture for the aeternall Wisdom it self testifies that the beginning of the World was dust Prov. 8. v. 26. out of which foundation many places of Scripture wil be better understood as Gen. 3. v. 14. dust thou art and into dust thou shalt return For behold man was made of the mud of the earth yet God being angry for sin threatens something more then returning to dust namely utmost resolution into the very utmost dust of which the mud of the earth it self was made and wee see it to be truly so that a man is dissolved not onely into earth but into all the elements especially those that perish by fire and is at last scattered into very Atomes Read and understand what is said Job 4. v. 19. Item 19. v. 9. Esay 26. v. 19. Psal. 104. v. 29. therefore Democritus erred not altogether in making Atomes the matter of the World but hee erred in that hee believed 1 that they were aeternall 2 that they went together into forms by adventure 3 that they cohere of themselves by reason that he was ignorant of that which the Wisdom of God hath revealed unto us that the Atomes were conglutinated into a mass by the infusion of the Spirit of life and began to be distinguished into forms by the comming in of the light III God produced so great a mass of this matter as might sussice to fill the created Abysse For with the beginning of the heaven and the earth that vast space was presently produced wherein the heaven and the earth were to be placed which place Moses cals the Abysse which no creature can passe through by reason of its depth and vastness Now the Aphorism tels us that all this was filled up with that confused fume lest wee should imagine any vacuum IV The matter is of it self invisible and therefore dark For darkness is seen after the same manner when the eyes are shut as when they are open that is they are not seen at all and this is it which Moses says and darkness was upon the face of the Abysse V The matter is of it self without form yet it is apt to be extended contracted divided united and to receive every form and figure as wax is to receive every seal For we have shewed that all the bodies of the World are made of these Atomes and are resolved into them therefore they are nothing else but the matter clothed with severall forms which the Chymicks demonstrate to the eye reducing some dust one while into liquour another while into a vapour another while into a stone c. VI The matter is aeternall in its duration through all forms so that nothing of it can perish For in very deed from the making of the World untill now not so much as one crum of matter hath perished nor one increased for in that bodies are generated and do perish that is nothing else but a transmutation of forms in the same matter as when vapour is made of water of that vapour a cloud of the cloud rain and of the rain drunk in by the roots of plants an hearb c. VII The principall virtue of the matter of the world is are indissoluble cohaerence every where so that it can endure to be discontinued in no part and a vacant space to be left Notwithstanding perhaps this virtue is not from the matter but from the spirit affused of which in the Chapter following VII From this matter the whole World is materiall and corporeall and is so called For all the bodies of the World even the most subtle and the most lightsome are nothing but form partly coagulated partly refined Now after what manner it is coagulated or refined shall appear in that which follows Of the nature of the Spirit or soule of the World THe spirit of the World is life it self infused into the World to operate all things in all for whatsoever any treature doth or suffers it doth or suffers it by virtue of this spirit for it is given to it I To inhabite the matter For as in the beginning it moved it self upon the waters so yet it is not extant but in the matter especially in a liquid and subtile matter Whence in the body of a living creature those most subtile sanguine vapours and as it were flames which are the charriot of life are called spirits And Chymicks extracting a spirit out of herbs metals stones like a little water call it the Quintessence because it is a more subtile substance than all the four elements But not water it self as it is water but that living virtue of the creature out of which it is extracted inhabiting in it which being that it cannot be altogether separated from the matter is preserved in that subtile form of matter For how fast the spirit inhaeres in the matter shall be taught about the end hap 9. 10. II To move or agitate it self through the whole matter to preserve it Hence it is 1 that no vacuum can be in the world For all bodies even the most subtile as water air the skie being indued with this spirit delight in contiguity and continuity For as a living creature will not be cut so also water air yea the world it self by reason of that universall spirit uniting all things in it which also when a separation is made as in the wounds of living creatures in the cutting of the water in the parting of the air may be seen makes the matter close again 2. that every creature putrifies when that spirit is taken away as if you extract the spirit of wine out of wine or suffer the spirit to evaporate out of an hearb c. but is preserved yea made better if the spirit be preserved For example wine kept in any solid vessel under the earth or water though it be an 100 years grows still the richer the spirit stirring and moving it self in it and by that meanes still moulding the matter more
by reason of a dark superficies Every of these colours hath under it diverse degrees and species according to the various temperature thereof with the others which we leave to the speculation of Opticks and Painters XXIV There remains a quality which is perceived by two senses touch and sight namely FIGURE whereby one body is round another long another square c. but the consideration of this is resigned to the Mathematicks Of an occult quality XXV An occult quality is a force of operating upon any otber body which notwithstanding is not â—iscovered but by its effâ—ct For examp that the loadstone draws iron that poisons assaile and go about to extinguish nothing but the spirit in bodies that antidotes again resist poison and fortifie the spirit against them that some herbs are peculiarly good for the brain others for the heart others for the liver and such like Such kind of occult qualities as these God hath dispersed throughout all nature and they yet lie hid for the better part of them but they come immediately from the peculiar spirit infused into every creature For even as one and the same matter of the world by reason of its diverse texture hath gotten as it were infinite figures in stones metals plants and living creatures so one and the same spirit of the world is drawn out as it were into infinite formes by various and speciall virtues known to God and from these occult qualities sympathies and antipathies of things do properly arise CHAP. V. Of the mutations of things generation corruption c. FRom the contrarieties of the qualities especially of cold and heat For these two qualities are most active those mutations have their rise to which all things in the world are subject which we shall now see I Mutation is an accident of a body whereby its essence is changed Namely whither a thing passe from not being to being or from being to not being or from being thus to being otherwise II All bodies are liable to mutations The reason because they are all compounded of matter spirit and fire which three are variously mixed among themselves perpetually For both the matter is a fluid and a slipperie thing and the spirit restlesse always agitating it self and heat raised every where by light and motion doth eat into rent and pluck asunder the matter of things From thence it is I say that nothing can long be permanent in the same state All things grow up increase decrease and perish again Hence also the Scriptures affirm that the heavens wax old as doth a garment Psal. 10â— v. 27. III The mutation of a thing is either essentiall or accident all IV Essentiall mutation is when a thing begins to be or ceases to be the first is called generation the other corruption For example snow when it is formed of water is said to be generated when it is resolved again into water to be corrupted V An accident all mutation of a thing is when it increases or decreases or is changed in its qualities the first is called augmentation the next diminution the last alteration which we are now to view severally how they are done Of the generation of things VI Generation is the production of a thing so that what was not begins to be Thus every year yea every day infinite things are generated through all nature VII To generation three things are required Seed a Matrix and Moderate Heat These three things are necessary in the generation of living creatures plants metals stones and lastly of meteors as shall be seen in their place VIII Seed is a small portion of the matter having the spirit of life included in it For seed is corporall and visible therefore materiate and it is no seed except it contein in it the spirit of the species whose seed it should be For what should it be formed by therefore seeds out of which the spirit is exhaled are unprofitable to generation IX The Matrix is a convenient place to lay the seed that it may put forth its vertue Nothing is without a place neither is any thing generated without a convenient place because the actions of nature are hindred Now that place is convenient for generation which affordeth the seed 1 a soft site 2 circumclusion least the spirit should evaporate out of the seed being attenuated 3 veins of matter to flow from elsewhere N. W. And there are as many matrixes or laps as there are generations the aire is the matrix of meteors the earth of stones metals and plants the womb of living creatures X Heat is a motion raised in the seed which attenuating its matter makes it able to spread it self by swelling For the spirit beng stirred up by that occasion agitateth it self and as it were blowing asunder the attenuated parts of the matter disposeth them to the forme of its nature This is the perpetual processe of all generation and none other From whence hereafter under the doctrine of minerals living creatures plants many things will appear plainly of their own accord yet we must observe that some things grow without seed as grasse out of the earth and worms out of slime wood and flesh putrified yet that is done by the vertue of the spirit diffused through things which wheresoever it findeth fit matter as a matrix and is assisted by heat presently it attempts some new generation as it were the constitution of a new Kingdom But without heat whither it be of the sunne or of fire or the inward heatof a living creature it matters not so it be temperate there can be no generation because the matter cannot be prepared softned or dilated without heat Of the augmentation of things XI Everything that is generated increaseth and augmenteth it self as much as may be and that by attraction of matter and â—ssimilation of it to it self For wheresoever there is generation there is heat and where there is heat there is fire and where there is fire there is need and attraction of fewell For heat because it always attenuateth the parts of the matter which exhale seeks and attracts others wherewith it may sustein it self as we see it in a burning candle and a portion of matter being attracted and applyed to a body taketh its form by little and little and becomes like unto it and is made the same For by the force of heat of heterogeneous things become homogeneous the spirit of that body in the mean time attracting also to it self somewhat of the spirit of the universe and so multiplying it self also So stones minerals plants living creatures c. grow Of diminution XII Whatsoever hath increased doth at some time or other cease to increase and begin to decrease and that for and through the arefaction of the matter Namely for because the heat increased with the body increasing doth by little and little and little consume the thin and fat parts thereof and dry up the solid parts so that at last they are not able to
give assimulation to the matter flowing in and that for want of gluten and therefore the body fadeth and withereth and at length perisheth Of the alteration of things XIII No body doth always retein the same qualities but changeth them variously For example wood when it grows is thin and soft afterward it is condensed hardned especially being dried fruit on the contrary as it ripens grows rare and soft changing its colour savour and smell For it is the law of the universe to be subject to vicissitudes as also to corruption of which it here follows Of the corruption of things XIV Every body is liable to corruption Because compounded of a decaying matter and an agitable spirit which may be disposed according to the mutation of the heat Therefore seing that alterations cannot be hindred neither can perishing And hence perhaps every materiall thing is called CORPVS as it were corrupus because it is subject to corruption XV All corruption is done either by arefaction or putrefaction For we speak not here of violent corruption which is done by the solution of some continued thing as when any thing is broken rent bruised burnt c. but of naturall corruption which brings destruction to things from within iâ— it is manifest that this can be done no way but by arefaction or putrefaction XVI Arefaction is when afflux of matter is denied to a body and the heat included having consumed its proper humour dries and hardens the rest of the parts and at length forsakes them So Hearbs Trees and living creatures c. wither XVII Putrefaction is when the spirit is exhaled from a body and the parts of the matter are dissolved and return into their hetâ—rogâ—neous parts For then the watery parts are gathered to themselves therefore putrefied things give an evill sent the oily parts to themselves whence putrefied things have always some unctuosity the dregs to themselves whence that confusion in putrified things and unpleasant tast c. and hence it is easie to finde the reason why cold salt and drying hinder putrefaction namely because cold stops the pores of a body that the spirituall parts cannot go out and exhale but dryed things are exhausted of thâ—se thin parts which might be putrefied salt last of all bindeth the parts of the matter within and as it were holds them with bands that they cannot gape let forth the spirit Again it may easily be gathered from hence why hard and oily things are durable namely because hard things have much salt which hindereth putrefaction but they are destitute of humidity the provocation of putrefaction And oily things because they do not easily let go their spirit by reason of their well nourishing and gentle usage of it suet and fat putrifie because they have loose pores and some aquosity N. W. We must neverthelesse observe that not onely soft things herbs fruits flesh putrifie but also the hardest bodies namely stones and metals For the rust of these is nothing else but the rottennesse of the inward parts spreading it self abroad through the pores XVIII Out of that which hath been said it may be gathered that the world is eternall potentially For seing that not any one crum of matter can perish nor the spirit be suffocated nor the light be extinguished nor any of them fly forth out of the world and must of necessity be together and passe through one another mutually and act upon one another it is impossible but that one thing should be born of another even without end For that old Axiome of Philosophers is most true the corruption of one is the generation of another the Architect of the World in that manner expressing his aeternity CHAP. VI. Of the Elements Skie Air Water Earth WE have hitherto contemplated the generall parts of the world namely the principles with the common accidents thereof now follow the species of things which are derived from the said principles by divers degrees Where first elements come to be considered as which being framed of the first congresse of the principles are as it were the bases and hinges of the whole order of the world I An element is the first and greatest body in the world of a simple nature A body or a substance for though we called matter spirit and light substances also cap. 2. because they are not accidents yet because none of them existeth of it self and apart but do joyntly make up other substances the elements and the creatures that follow may with better right be so called Now an element is said to be of a simple nature in respect of the substances following which have compound natures as it shall appear II The constitution of the elements is made by light For light being sent into the world by its motion and heat began to rouse up the Chaos of the matter of the world and when it turned it selfe round as yet it turnes it purified part of the matter and made it more subtile the rest of the matter of necessity setling and gathering it selfe into density elsewhere III There are foure Elements Skie Air Water Earth That is there are four faces of the matter of the world reduced into formes for at the first it was without form differing especially in the degree of rarity and density Note The Peripateticks put the sublunary fire for skie and call the skie a Quintessence But that same sublunary fire is a meer figment the heaven it selfe furnished with fiery light is the highest element of the world as after the Scripture the senses themselves demonstrate He that is not satisfied with these of ours but seeks more subtile demonstrations let him see Campanella Verulamius and Thomas Lydiat of the nature of heaven c. and he will acknowledge the vanity of this Aristotelicall figment IV The skie is the most pure part of the matter of the world spread over the highest spaces of the world It is vulgarly called the visible and starry heaven and by an errour of the Greeks who thinking that it was of a solid substance like Chrystal called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Firmament but little agreeably to the truth More conveniently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is light and fire Quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fire above and so from burning as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn For it burneth with an inextinguable light of the stars whereby it is also purified The notation of the Hebrew word favours this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fire and water The nature of the heaven is to be liquid in the highest degree volatile and hot V Air is a part of the matter indifferently pure spread over the lower spaces of the world The nature of it is to be breathable and passable every way VI Water is a grosser part of the
side neither doth it make any thing against this that the vvater of the sea boiling is not so hot as the water of a boiling pot For here the vast quantity doth not admit of so great heat over such deep gulfes For the water of a kettle heats at the bottome bu the superficies begin to swell and turn about before they heat XVII Vapours within the sea are chiefly generated by by the fire under ground They referre it commonly to the caelestiall fire the Sun and the Moon But that is likely to be as true as that we see a pot of water to boile set in the sun though never so hot For who ever saw that the Sun may lick the superficies of the water and so consume it by little and little and turn it into vapour but nothing can make it boil at the bottome but fire put under it Therefore the cause of the vapours within the sea must of necessity be placed underneath namely that fire under ground which the whole nature of inferiour things demonstrate to be shut up there XVIII The vapours and tides of the sea are provoked by the heat of heaven the Sun A labouring man or a traveller sweats easily enough by his inward heat stirred up by the motion of his body but a great deal more easily in the heat of Summer then in Winter and all of us sooner in a bath then else-where the outward heat provoking the inward In like manner the sea vapours and boiles vvithin but yet after the harmony of the superiour fire which is from the stars Which harmony is seen also in yielding us vvater from the clouds and fountains For in rainy vveather fountains flow more abundantly in dry vveather they dry something both which God intimated Gen. 7. v. 11. and Deut. 28. v. 23. Now the cause is the harmony of fire to fire of the caelestiall to the subterraneous c. as it shall elsewhere appear XIX The Sea flowes twice a day according as the Sun comes and goes For the Sun ascending to the Meridian attracts the vapours of the sea and causes the waters to be elevated and diffused descending to the West it suffers them to fall again Now that the waters swell again at the Sun setting and fall as he hastens to the East the cause is the same which in boyling pots where the hot water is seen to boile and to be elevated not only in that part which is toward the fire but also on the contrary but to fall again on the sides both wayes So the Sea is a caldron which the Sun the worlds fire encompassing makes to swell up on both the opposite parts but to fall in the intermediate parts so that this sea-tide following the Sun goes circularly after a perpetuall law XX The fluxe and refluxe of the sea is varied according to the motion of the Sun and Moon and the site of places For 1 in Winter it is almost insensible the Sun but weakly raising the subterrane vapours 2 When the Moon is in conjunction or opposition to the Sun the seas swell extraordinarily the force of both luminaries being joyned together to affect the inferiour things either joyntly or else oppositely Also the Moon encreasing the flowings are something retarded decreasing they are anticipated which gave occasion to the ancients to think that it was caused by the Moon alone 3 Those sea fluxes and refluxes vary also according to the divers turnings and windings of Countries and Promontories and the shorter or longer coherence of inlets with the Ocean which causeth them to be perceived in some places sooner in others later But enough of the sea tide the earthquake followes XXI An earthquake is the shaking of the superficies of the earth in any countrey arising from subterrane exhalations gathered together in great abundance and seeking a passage out Therefore it ceaseth not till the said exhalations are either scattered through the cavities of the earth or else break forth XXII Earthquakes are sometimes so horrible that they subvert Cities Mountaines Islands with an hideous bellowing howling and crashing Which formidable effects cause us to suspect that those vapours are then mixt like to those by which thunders are caused in a cloud and that not simply by the blast of the exhalations but by their burning so that they are a kinde of subterrane lightnings yet I thought good to make mention of it here together CHAP. VIII Of concrete substances namely Stars Meteors and Minerals I A Concrete thing is a vapour coagulated endued with some form For example soot clouds snow c. Note that this name of concrete and concreture is new yet fit to expresse this degree of creatures which confers nothing but coagulation and figure II The primary cause of concretion of vapours is cold which wheresoever it findeth a vapour condenseth and coagulateth it That appears in Alembicks where the vapour raised by heat and carried into the highest region of it where it is cold resolves it selfe again into water and to that end Distillours now and then wash the uppermost cap of the Alembick with cold water and make the pipes through which the concrete liquour distils to passe through a vessell of water Yet heat helps the concretion of things consuming the thinner part of the concrete and compelling the rest to harden which we see done in the generation of metals III Some concretes are Aethereall others aereall others watery others earthly Namely because some are made in the skie as stars others in the air as clouds c. others in water as a bubble c. others in the earth as stones c. every one of which come to be considered apart IV Aethereal concretes are stars and comets V Stars are fiery globes full of light and heat with which the skie glitters on every side Both the ornament of the world required this that hanging lamps should not be wanting in so lofty a palace as also the necessity of the inferiour world concerning which is the following Aphorisme Now we reckon stars in the rank of concretes because it is certain that they are made of matter and light Stars were produced in so great number upon very great necessity Namely 1 To heat the earth with a various temperature 2 To make the various harmony of times 3 To inspire a various form into the creatures For so great variety could not be induced into the lower world without such variety in coelestiall things VII God placed the greatest number of stars in the highest heaven round about that they might irradiate the earth on every side and carry about their sphear with a rapid motion of heat On which starry sphear take these following Aphorismes 1 That the motion of this sphear is finished in the space of twenty four hours 2 And because that motion is circular it is said to be made upon two hinges or immoveable points in Greek poles of vvhich the one is called the Northern or Artick pole the other the
Southern or Antartick Betwixt these two poles the heaven is turned vvith its exact globosity describing a circle in the midst betwixt the two poles vvhich they call the Aequator Now that tract vvhere the stars arise above the earth is called the East or the Sun-rising the opposite to it vvhere they set is called the West or Sun-setting and these four angles of the World are called the four quarters of the World and the four Cardinal Points 3 That the stars of the highest sphear commonly called the fixed stars are globes of vvondrous greatnesse in themselves the greatest of them exceeding the globe of the earth an hundred and seven times and the least of them exceeding the same globe eighteen times 4 That the numerable stars are found by us one thousand tvventy tvvo but God knovves the number of the innumerable For the Galaxias or milky way it is the whitest tract of heaven is found by accurate perspectives to be a company of very smaâ— stars and there are some other like tracts observed in heaven though lesse and of these the vvords of God Gen. 15. v. 5. are to be understood 5 That the visible stars reduced into certain figures vvhich they call coelestiall signs in number 69 12 vvhereof about the Aequator are by a peculiar name called the Zodiaque But this Zodiaque declines with one half of it toward the North with the other part towards the south the signes are comprehended in this distick 1 2 3 4 5 Sunt Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo 6 Virgo 7 8 9 10 11 Libraque Scorpius Arcitenens Caper Hydria 12 Pisces 1 2 3 The Ram the Bull and Twins to th' Spring belong 4 6 5 To Summer Crab and Maid and Lion strong 7 8 9 Autumne hath Scales and Scorpion the Bow 10 11 12 Goat Water-tanckard Fishes Winter show 6 That the distance of this starry sphear from the earth is found above two hundred thousand semidiameters of the earth and a semidiameter of the earth contains 3600 of our miles VIII A very great portion of most ardent light is conglobated in the sun so that it may seem the onely fountain of light and heat For were it not for the sun we should have perpetuall night for all the rest of the stars forasmuch as at high noon we are in darkenesse presently if the sun be but covered Now touching the sun these following Axiomes are to be noted 1 That it was made so great as might suffice both to illustrate the whole world and to heat and vaporate the whole earth that is 160 times greater than the earth 2 That it is such a distance elevated from the earth as might serve so as neither to burn it nor leave it destitute Psal. 19. v. 7 for it is placed almost in the middle space betwixt the starry sphear and the earth 3 That it is carried with a flower motion then the stars in their highest sphear For whereas it seems to be turned about equally as the starrie sphear is yet it is every day left behind almost a degree of which the whole circuit of the sphear hath 360 whence it comes to passe that in 365 dayes it compasseth the whole spear as it were going back and after so many dayes returns to the same star again And this we call the time of an year or a solar year 4 And that it may serve all sides of the earth with its light and heat to wit by turns that retardation is not made simply though the middest of the world under the Aequator But under the Zodiack bending to the North on this side to the South on that side Whence comes the division of the year into four parts Spring Summer Autumn and Winter and the inequality of dayes to those that inhabite without the equinoctiall For when it declines to those on the North it makes summer with them and the longest days and so on the contrary And by how much it is the more verticall to any part of the earth it heats it so much the more by reason of the direct incidence and repercussion of the rayes IX And because it was not convenient that the sunne and stars should always operate after one and the same manner for variety is both pleasing and profitable to all nature there were six other wandring starres added over and besides which running under the same Zodiaque and by certain turns entring into conjunction one with another and with the sunne might variously temper his operation upon inferiour things These wandring starres are called Planets of which there are seven reckoning the sun for one X The Planets therefore are the suns coadjutors in governing the world which differ in site course magnitude and light XI Three of the Planets Saturn ♄ Jupiter ♃ Mars ♂ are above the sun Venus ♀ Mercury ☿ and the Moon ☽ below so in a most decent manner as it were compassing about the sides of their King It is probable that the stars are carried higher or lower in heaveÌ„ for the same reason as clouds in the air or wood in water that is according to their different degrees of density or rarity For as thick wood swims under the water either with all or with half of its body covered but light wood swims on the top and watry clouds ascend not far from the earth but dry and barren clouds very high so the globes of the stars are carried some higher than others according to the thicknesse of their matter and light XII The upper Planeâ—s are bigger then the earth but the lower are lesser For it is found that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth equall 91 Globes of the earth ♄ 95 ♃ 2 ♂ 160 ☉ doth coÌ„tein the 28 part of the earth ♀ 105 ☿ 39 XIII By how much the higher any Planet is and neerer to the highest sphear so much the swifter it moveth by how much the lower and neerer to the earth so much the flower For Saturn because he is next to the eighth sphear is rolled about almost equally with it yet he also fals back by little and little so that he runs through the Zodiaque moving backward in the space of almost thirty years Jupiter in twelve years Mars in almost two the Sun as was said in a year Venus encompasseth the Sun in five hundred eighty three dayes Mercury in one hundred and fifteen dayes the Moon because she is slowest of all remaining behind every day 13 deg measures the Zodiaque in 27â…“ dayes XIV The higher Planets do so observe the sun that approaching nigh unto him they betake themselves into the highest place going from the sunne they sinke lower towards the earth And for this cause both their magnitude and their motion vary in our eyes for when they are neerer to the earth they seem greater but more remote lesser Again the higher they are the slower they move and then they are called direct the lower they descend the swifter so that they seem either stationary
keeping pace for some weeks with the same fixed stars or else retrograde sometimes outstripping them in their course XV Venus and Mercury depart not from the sun unlesse it be to the sides both ways Venus 47 degrees Mercury 23 degrees So that sometimes they go before the sun sometimes they follow him sometimes they lie hid under his rayes Note Venus when she is the morning star and goes before the Sun is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lucifer when she is the evening star she is called Hesperus XVI As for their light Mars is very fiery and calefactive ♄ is pale and very frigifactive ♃ and ♀ are of a benigne light ☿ changeably sparckling ☽ shines with a borrowed light onely of which more by and by Note That the stars and planets do not sparkle by reason of their greater distance for then ♄ should sparkle more then Mercury vvhereas we find the contrary but by reason of their flaming For fire or light cannot rest therefore the polar stars because they are least stirred with the common motion twinckle most XVII Because the Moon is near to the earth and placed in a grosse air she moves most slowly and also her body is grosse and obscure like a globous cloud For it is not distant from the earth above 60 semidiameters of the earth The Moon by reason of her opacity doth not shine of her selfe or else very weakly but on that side that she is illuminated by the Sun on that side she shines like a looking glasse the other halfe being obscure Note Because the Moon was to rule the night a weak light and that but borrowed was given her and because she was appointed to shew lesser times Months a motion different from the Sun was given her that by her departure from the Sun and by her returning she might designe the progresse of the moneths and that it might be done more evidently she was placed below the sun that she might appear to us with her face enlightned after divers manners For vvhen she runs with the Sun in the same signe of the Zodiack she doth not appear to us because her enlightned face is turned toward the Sun but her obscure face to us But when she is opposite to the Sun we beholding her on the same side which looketh toward the Sun see all her luminous face Lastly in the intermediate places we see her encreasing or decreasing in light according as she turns her enlightned face to us or turns it from us by reason of the diversity of her position in respect of the Sun and us XIX When the Moon at the change comes directly under the Sun she obscures him as to us when at the full she is directly opposite to the Sun she enters into the shadow of the earth and is her selfe obscured and this they call the Eclipses of the Luminaries Hence it appears that the Sun is not obscured after the same manner that the Moon is For the Moon is really obscured that is deprived of light as being fallen into the shadow but the Sun is not deprived of light but is only covered from us that it cannot as then enlighten the earth with his rayes therefore the earth is then more truly eclipsed then the Sun Now God ordained Eclipses 1 That we might understand that all our light is from the Sun 2 That the magnitude of the Luminaries and of the earth might be found out 3 To finde the true longitude of countries but that belongs to Astronomers this last to Geographers Of Comets XX Comets are accessory stars which somtimes shine and go out again for the most part with tayles or busbes of hair We reckon them to the heaven and stars not to the air and meteors because they are not generated in sublunary places as Aristotle thought but in the highest Heaven even above the Sun which 1 Their motion swifter always then the Moon it selfe 2 Their parallax lesse then the Moons somtimes none at all do shew XXI Comets are not vapours kindled but a reflexion of the Suns light in vapours so far elevated The first is easily proved For if a Comet were a vapour kindled it could not last halfe an hour For nothing can be kindled but a sulphury matter but that is consumed in a moment as it appears in Gun-powder Lightning a Chasme a falling star c. but histories relate that comets have lasted three years The second is shewed because comets 1 Cast a taile from the Sun as the Moon doth a shadow for those dry vapours are not an opacous body like to the Moon but semidiaphanous 2 They are eclipsed as Campanella testifies by the shadow of the earth as well as the Moon which vvould not be if they burned with their own fire N. W. That which is reported of a fulphureous matter or stone which fell from a burning comet if it be true it is to be thought that it was made of some fiery meteors not of a comet XXII The ends of comets are that it may appear 1 That the whole heaven moves not the stars only 2 That it is liquid and transmeable not hard like Chrystall 3 That vapours ascend so high and that there are mutations every where in this visible world Vapours I say whether exhaling from this our inferiour world or from the supercelestiall waters For there is nothing to the contrary why we should not hold that they also exhale and are spread abroad into the thinner region of the stars Of aëriall Concrets that is Meteors XXIII By reason of the perpetuall confluxe of exhalations in the air from all the Elements many things are daily there concreted but of small continuance For the air is full of exhalations even when it seemeth clear For it cannot be so pure here near the earth but it will have something watery oily or salt alwayes admixt with it Things concrete of these were anciently called Meteors because they are made on high for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies high XXIV Of humid exhalations are made watery meteors fiery of dry XXV Watery meteors are mists clouds rain hail snow dew frost We must see them every one apart how they are made XXVI A mist is a watery exhalation half concrete which being that by reason of its density it cannot elevate it selfe creeps on the ground XXVII A cloud is a gathering together of thin vapours and elevated upward in the highest of the air They are gathered together most of all over the sea and standing waters because there most exhalations are made and from thence they are driven through divers parts of the world by the windes and increased with exhalations arising elsewhere Hence in every region rain comes most often from that part which lies nearest to the sea as with us from the West XXVIII Rain is the resolution of a cloud into water and the falling of it by drops N. 1 That resolution is alwayes made by the condensation of the vapour but there is not alwayes the
referred rather to the following chapter LXIV The virtue which is in minerals is called their naturall spirit of which there are so many formes as there are species of minerals For there is one spirit of salt another of vitrioll loadstone and iron c. which distillers know how to extract CHAP. IX Of Plants THus much of Concretes here follow Plants which beside their figure have life 1 A plant is a vitall concrete growing out of the earth as a tree and an herb Some concretes stars meteors minerals want life and lie or tarry where they were concrete but plants endued with an inward vigour break out of the earth and spread themselves in plano whence also they were called plants II Plants are generated both to be an ornament to the earth and to yield nourishment medicine and other uses to living creatures For what a sad face the earth would have if it were not cloathed every year with those diverse coloured tapistries of herbs we have sufficient experience in Winter and whence should living creatures have food medicines and pleasures if we were destitute of the roots leaves seeds and fruits of plants not to speak of the commodity of shade and of the infinite uses of wood III The essentiall parts of a plant are the root the trunk or stalk and the branches or leaves N. W. The Elements vapours concrete things consisted only of similar parts for every part and particle of water earth vapour a cloud iron c. is called and is water earth vapour a cloud iron c. But more perfect bodies of plants and living creatures do consist of dissimular parts that is members every one of which hath both its office and its name differing from the rest For example In a plant the root is the part sticking in the ground and sucking in the juice of the earth the truk or stalks attracting the juice concocting it and sending it to the upper parts the boughes and branches are twigs distributing the juice yet better concocted to make seed and fruit the leaves are the coverings of the fruits and boughes IV The Spirit of a plant is called a vegetable or vitall spirit which puts forth its virtue three manner of wayes in nutrition augmentation and generation For here that universall spirit the spirit of life begins more manifestly to put forth its virtue preparing a portion of matter so softly to its turn that it may have it tractable to perform the offices of life and is therefore called vitall in plants namely because of its more manifest tokens and effects of life They call it also the vegetative soul V Nutrition is an inbred virtue in a plant whereby sucking in juice fit for it changeth it into its own substance For because the encompassing air dries up every body and the heat included in a living body doth also feed upon the inward moisture it were impossible that a plant should not presently fade away unlesse new matter and vigour were continually supplyed with fresh nourishment to make up that which is lost and to this end every plant hath a body either hollow or else pithy and porous that the nourishing vapour may passe through and irrigate all the parts yea whatsoever is in a plant even the very haire or downe is hollow and porous Therefore in a man the head is eased when the haire is cut because the fuliginous vapours of the braine or the superfluities under the skin do the more easily evaporate For the same cause every plant rests upon its root that sucking the moisture of the earth through the strings thereof it may be nourished therefore it perisheth when it is pluckt up the humour then or fat juice of the earth is a fit nourishment for plants not dry earth because it cannot passe through the strings and pores of a plant nor water alone because it cannot be concrete into a solid body Therefore the moisture of the earth which is a mixture of Mercury sulphur and salt nourisheth plants VI Augmentation is a virtue of a plant whereby it increaseth also by nourishing it self which we call by a common terme growing It is pleasant to contemplate what it is to grow and how it is done Now it is easily found out by the doctrine of motions already delivered For first when the spirit included in the seed begins to diffuse it self and to swell by reason of the heat that is raised the thin shell of the seed must of necessity break by the motion of cession and because every body is moved towards a greater company of its connaturals that vapour comming forth when the seed is warmed tends towards heaven but because the matter of the seed is fat and glutinous the vapour being infolded therein carries it upwards with it and brings it forth out of the earth and this is the originall of the stump and boughs now because that the outside of the plant hindereth the vapours ascending there is a strife and heat is raised whereby the superficies of the small body is by little and little mollified that it may yield and rise up and this is done every day when the Sun is hot but the tender parts which grow up are condensed and made solid with the cold of the night by which successions of day and night the plants take increase all spring and summer long Now look how much moisture is every day elevated upward by the stump so much again succeeds it by the motion of continuitie least there should be a vacuum but because every body loves an aquilibrium and plants own their center in the joynt of the stump and root it comes to passe by the motion of libration that as much as the boughs spread themselves upwards so much the roots spread downwards or side-wayes Now there is a question why when a leafe or a bough is pluckt off yea when the stock is cut asunder the spirit doth not exhalâ— but containes it self und growes stills Answer 1 Because the spirit hath its proper seat fixed in the root which it doth not forsake though a passage be open through a wound received nay more fearing discontinuity it gathers and conglobates it self when it perceives an opening and danger of dissipation 2 Because the wound is presently overspread with the moisture of the plant which being hardened with the outward cold covers the wound as it were with a crust and prohibits a total expiration VII Generation is a virtue of a plant whereby it gathers together and conglobates its spirit into a certain place of it and makes a seed or kernell from which the like plant may afterwards grow The spirit of the plant foreseeing as it were that it shall not always have matter at command which it may vegetate turns but a part of it self into the nourishment of the plant and gathers together the rest into a certain place usually in the tops of plants and makes a seed or kernell Now the seed kernell or graine is nothing
else but the image of the whole plant gathered together into a very small part of the matter from whence if need be the same plant may be produced again as we see done N. W. That herbs are bread neverthelesse without seed by virtue of the spirit infused into the elements 1 The command of God proves Gen. 1. v. 11. Let the earth bring forth c. which is yet in force 2 Experience For if you uncover the earth beneath all roots and seeds yet in the years following vvhen it hath been somewhat oft watered vvith rain vvater you shall see it bud forth vvhich is a notable argument of the spirits being diffused every where but especially descending with the Sun and raine VIII The outer and inner bark leaves shells downe flowres prickles c. are integrating parts of plants serving to defend them and preserve their seeds from the injurie of heat and cold IX The kernels are for the most part encompassed with a pulp for their thinner nourishment and to defend them from injury but yet this pulp when it is come to ripenesse serves for food to living creatures as it is to be seen in Apples Peares Cherries Plummes c. X. The proprieties of plants are varietie heat and tenacity of their spirit XI The variety of plants is so great that the number can scarce be counted by any means The natural spirit in meteors and minerals makes certain species and those easie to be counted as we see but the vitall spirit doth so diffuse it self that the industrie of no man is yet sufficient to collect the the species of herbs and trees XII The cheif kinds of plants are herbs trees shrubs XIII An herb is that which growes and dies every year XIV A tree is that which rising up on high growes to wood and continues many years XV. A shrub is of a middle nature as the alder the vine N. W. 1. Some trees live for many ages to wit such as have a compacted and glutinous substance as the oak the pine c. vvatery and thin plants do soon grow and soon vvither as the sallow c. 2 Some lose their leaves every year namely those that have a vvatery juice others keep them as trees of a rozenous nature 3 Trees are either fruitful or barren the first bear either Apples or Nuts or fruit like unto Pine Apples or Berries 4 Porositie and airynesse is given to the vvood of trees by reason of which they do not sinke and that 1 That they might take fire 2 That they might the more easily be transported any vvhither through rivers 3 That ships might be made of them Also clamminesse or indissipability vvas given them that they might serve for the building of houses for vvhich end also their talnesse serves Other differences of plants may be seen else vvhere XVI All plants are hot by nature but in proportion to our heat some are called cold For generation is not done but by heat but that vvhich is below the degree of our heat seemes cold to us As for Hemlock Opium c. they do not kill vvith cold but vvith the viscosity of their vapours vvhich fill up the cavities of the brains stop the Nerves and so suffocate the spirit the same may be said of all poisonous things XVII Vitall spirit as also naturall holds so fast to its matter that it scarce ever forsakes it This is demonstrated besides that we see the spirit every year to be driven by the cold of winter out of the stocks and to be hidden in the root and to put forth it selfe again at the beginning of the spring by four examples 1 That how ever the matter of fruits or herbs be vexed yet the spirit conteins it selfe as it is to be seen in things smoaked tosted roasted soaked pulverized c. which retein their virtue 2 That being driven out of the better part of the matter by the force of fire yet it sticks in the portion that is left and there it is congregated and inspissated so that it suffers it selfe to be thrust together into a drop or a little poulder rather then forsake the matter as it appears in distilled waters which therefore they call spirits 3 That when its matter is somewhat oft distilled and transfused into divers formes through divers Alembicks yet it doth uot fly away For example when a goat or a cow eats a purging herb and the nurse drinks her milk or the whey of her milk it comes so to pass that the infant that sucks her will be purged 4 And which is more it doth not onely retein a virtue of operating but also of augmenting it selfe and forming a creature of its kind which may be shewn by two examples Sennertus relates that Hieremy Cornarius caused a water to be distilled in June Anno 1608. and that in the moneth of November a little plant of that kind was found at the bottome of the glasse in all points perfect But Quercetanus writes that he knew A Polonian Physician that knew how to pulverise plants so artificially that the poulder as oft as he listed would produce the plant For if any one desired to have a rose or a poppy shewed him he held the poulder of a rose or a poppy inclosed in a glasse over the candle that it might grow hot at the bottome which done the poulder by little little raised it self up into the shape of that plant and grew represented the shape of the plant so that one would have thought that it had been corporeall but when the vessell was cold sunk again into poulder Who sees not here that the spirits are the formers of plants who sees not that they inhere so fast in their matter that they can as it were raise it again after it is dead who sees not that the spirit of a minerall or a plant is really preserved in the forme of a little water oile or poulder Thus the eternall truth of that saying is mainteined And the Spirit of God moved it selfe upon the waters As for the spirit of a living creature whither it may be preserved after that manner and raised up to inform a new body we leave it to be thought of purposing neverthelesse to speak something of it towards the end of the next Chapter CHAP. X. Of living creatures THus much of plants here follow living creatures I A living creature is a moving plant endued with sense as a worm a fish a bird a beast For if a stone or an oak could move it self freely or had sence it would be a living creature also II The principall difference betwixt a living creature and a plant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a free moving of it selfe to and fro For the better to expresse the power of the spirit of life Gods Vicar in creatures it was needfull that such bodies should be produced which that spirit inhabiting might have obedient unto all actions Now seeing that the ground of action is
things are by a speciall name called insects as flies wormes c. They are called insects from the incisions whereby their bodies are cut off round as it were These may be divided after the same manner For wormes are Reptile Lice Fleas Punies Spiders c. Gressile the water-spider and the horse-leech c. Natatile Flies and Gnats c. Volatile and all those with infinite differences so that here also there is not wanting a most clear glasse of the admirable wisdome of the Creatour and a schoole to man to learn virtues and forget vices of both which there are an expresse image in living creatures which the Scripture oft inculcates An Apendix Of the tenacious inherencie of the animall spirits in its matter WE shewed toward the end of the ninth Chap how fast the naturall and vitall spirit inhereth in its matter we are now to give notice of the like in the animall spirit how firmly it also abideth in its matter that is the bloud the understanding of which thing will also adde much light to those places of Scripture where it is said that the soule of every living creature is in the bloud thereof yea that the bloud of all flesh is the life thereof as Gen. 9. v. 4. Levit. 17. v. 11. and 14. Deut. 12. v. 23. And to certain secrets of nature which they are astonished at who are ignorant of the manner and reason of them I First then it is certain that the animall as well as the vitall spirit may be bound into its seed with the cold so as that for a time it cannot exercise its operation For as grains of corn kept all winter either in a garner or in the earth do bud neverthelesse so the eggs of fishes frogs pismires beetles scattered either upon the earth or waters do bring forth young the year following II In bodies already formed the same spirit compelled sometimes by some force forsakes the members and ceaseth from all operation yet conglobates it selfe to the center of the body and coucheth so close that for many dayes moneths years it lies as it were asleep yet at length it awakens again and diffuseth it self through the members and proceeds to execute vitall operations as it did before We find it so to be in Flies Spiders Frogs Swallowes c. which in winter lie as though they were dead in the chinks of wals or chaps of the earth or under the water yet when the Spring comes in they are alive again So flies choaked in water come to life again in warm cinders like as it is certain that men strangled have been brought to life again after some hours And besides there is an example commonly known of a boy killed with cold and found four dayes after and raised again with foments Trances continued for some dayes are ordinarily known hence some ready to be buried as though they had been dead indeed yea and buried too yet have lived again Some Geographers have written how that in the farthest parts of Moscovia men are frozen every year with extream cold and yet live again like swallows which notwithstanding as a thing uncertain we leave to its place III The third and the most strange is this that the spirit flowes out with the bloud that is shed and yet gives not over to maintain its consent with the spirit remaining within the body whither the greater part thereof remain or only the relicks which is most evidently gathered from divers sympathies and antipathies I will illustrate it with five examples 1 Whence is it I pray you that an oxe quakes and is madded and runs away at the presence of the butcher is it not because he smels the garments the hand the very breath of the butcher stained with the bloud and spirit of cattle of his own kind which is also most clear from the irreconcilable antipathy which is found to be betwixt dogs and dog-killers 2 Whence is it that the body of a slain man bleeds at the presence of the murderer and that after some dayes or months yea and years For it is manifest by a thousand trialls that it is so and at Itzenhow in Denmark Simeon Gulartius relates that the hand of a dead man cut off and hung up and dried in prison discovered the murderer full ten years after by bleeding as a thing confirmed by great witnesses and those of the Kings Counsell and certainly we are not to flie to miracles where nature it selfe by constant observation shewes her lawes It is very likely that the spirit of the man ready to be slain provoked with the injury when it is shed forth with the bloud pouring out it selfe as it were in revenge leaps upon the murderer and that after the same sort as we see a dog a wild beast or oxe when he is killed run furiously upon him that striketh him For if the spirit do so yet abiding in the body why not parted from it Therefore it is to be supposed that it leaps upon the murderer and seises on him Whence it comes to passe that when he comes near the body especially if he be commanded to touch it or look upon it look how much spirit is left in the body it hasteth to meet with its spirit with its chariot the bloud namely by sympathie Hence that Antipathie which more subtle natures find in themselves against murderers though unknown For they tremble at the very presence of murderers and nauseat if they do but eat or drink with them c. 3. The cunning of a most excellent Chirurgeon in Italy is well known who helpt one that had lost his nose carving him another out of his arme cut and bound to his face for the space of a moneth and the ridiculous chance that happened thereupon a little after is also known A certain Noble man having also had his nose cut off in a duell desired his help but being delicate and not willing to have his arme cut hired a poor countrey fellow who suffered himselfe to be bound to him and his arme to be made use of to repair his nose The cure succeeded but when as about some six years after or thereabouts the country man died the Noble mans nose rotted too and fell off What could be the cause of it I pray you but that the spirit and that locally separated doth maintain its spirituall unity Therefore when the spirit went out of the countrey mans carcasse as it rotted part of it also went out that the Noble mans nose and his nose by reason of the Noble mans spirit succeeded not into the place of it as being into the lump of anothers flesh rotted also and fell off 4 It is accounted amongst the secrets of nature that if friends about to part drink part one of anothers bloud and so addes a part of his spirit to his own it will come to passe that when one is sick or ill at ease though very far asunder the other also will find himselfe sad which
so that it feignes new formes of things namely by dividing or variously compounding things conceived And this is done with such quicknesse that upon every occasion we imagine any thing to our selves as vve find dreaming and waking and by how much the purer spirit any one hath he is so much the more prompt to think or imagine but dulnesse proceeds from a grosse spirit Observe this also That the animal spirit vvhen it speculates forward and drawes new images of things from the senses is said to learne vvhen backward resuming images from the memory it is said to remember When it is moved too and fro vvithin it self it is said to feigne somewhat Note also that from the evidence of sensation growes the degree of knowledge for if the sense perceive any thing a farre off or weakly and obscurely it is a generall conception If nearer distinctly and perspicuously it is a particular conception for example when I see something move a great vvay off I gather it to be a living creature vvhen I come near I know it to be a man and at length this or that man c. IX Memory remembrance is the imagination of a thing past arising from the sense of a thing present by reason of some likenesse For vve do not remember any thing otherwise then by a like object For example if I see a man that resembles my father in his face presently the memory of my father comes into my minde So by occasion of divers accidents as place time figure colour found c. divers things may come to minde where the like vvas seen heard c. vvhich occasion sometimes is so slight and suddain that it can scarce be marked for what is quicker then the spirit N. Now it may be demanded seeing that the animal spirit moveth it self so variously in the brain yea and other nevv spirit alwayes succeeding by nutrition how is it that the images of things do not perish but readily offer themselves to our remembrance Answ Look down from a bridge into the vvater gently gliding you shall see your face unvaried though the vvater passe away And vvhen you see any thing tossed vvith the vvind in a free aire the winde doth not carry away the image of the thing from thine eye What is the cause But that the impression of the image is not in the water nor in the aire but in the eye from the light reflected indeed from the water and penetrating the aire So then in like manner an inward impression is not really made in the brain but by a certaine resplendency in the spirit Which resplendency may be kindled again by any like object Otherwise if images vvere really imprinted in the brain we could not see any thing otherwise in our sleep then it had once imprinted it self in the brain being seen But being that they are variously changed it appears that notions are made not by reall impressions but by the bare motion of the spirit and the imagination of like by like X An affection is a motion of the minde comâ—ng from imaginations desiring good and shunning evill There are more affections and more vehement in a man For bruits scarce know shame envy and jealousie and are not so violently hurried into fury and despaire or again into excessive joyfulnesse thence laughter and weeping still belong to man only XI The minde of man is immediately from God For the Scripture saith That it was inspired by God Gen. 2. v. 7. and that after the death of the body it returnes to God that gave it Eccles. 2. v. 7. For it returnes to be judged for those things which it did in the body whether good or evill 2 Câ—r 5. v. 10. But we are not to thinke that the soul is inspired out of the essence of God as though it were any part of the deity For God is not divisible into parts neither can he enter into one essence with the creature And Moses vvords sound thus And God breathed into the face of Adam the breath of life and man became a living soule See he doth not say that that breath or inspiration became a living soule but man became a living soul Nor yet are we to think that the soul was created out of nothing as though it were a new entitie but only that a new perfection is put into the animall spirit in a man so that it becomes one degree superiour to the soul of a beast that appears out of Zach. 1â— v. 1. Where God testifies that he formes the spirit of man in the midst of him Behold he forms and not creates it It is the same vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jatzar vvhich is used of the body also Gen. 2. v. 7. As therefore the body is formed of the prae-existent matter so is the soul of the prae-existent spirit of the vvorld Aud by cousequent even as the earth vvater air and skie are all one matter of the world differing only in the degree of their density so the naturall vitall animall and this mentall spirit are all one spirit of the world differing only in the degree of their purity and perfection Therefore it is credible that the divine inspiration conferred no more upon man but this that he 1 refined the inmost part of his spirit that in subtility of actions he might come nearest to God of all visible creatures 2 Fixed it that it might subsist both in the body and out of the body Therefore the Scripture makes no other difference betwixt the spirit of a man and of a beast then that the one ascends upwards the other goes downwards that is the one flees out of the matter the other slides back into the matter Eccles. 3. v. 21. Hence also that question Whether the soul be propagated by generation may be determined The root of the soul which is the vitall and animall spirit is certainly by generation but the formation thereof that the inmost parts thereof should become the mentall spirit or the minde God attributes to himself Zach. 12. 1. Yet not concurring extraordinarily or miraculously but because he hath ordained that it shall be so in the nature of man It appears also why man is commonly said to consist of a body and a soule only namely because the rationall soule is of the spirit and in the spirit For as our body is made of a four-fold matter that is of the four Elements so our soule to speak generally and contradistinguish it from the body consists of a fourfold spirit Naturall Vitall Animall and Mentall XII There are three faculties of the mind of man the Understanding the Will and the Conscience These answer to the three functions of the animall spirit or to the inward senses out of which also they result For we have said that as the spirit useth the body for its Organ so the soule useth the spirit Therefore the three inward Senses Attention Judgement and Memory are instruments by which the soule useth the Understanding
Wil◠and Conscience For by diligent attention it begets understanding of things by imagination or judging choise that is to will or nill by remembrance conscience XIII The understanding is a faculty of the reasonable soule gathering things unknown out of things known and out of things uncertain compared together drawing things certain by reasoning XIV To reason is to enquire the reasons and causes why any thing is or is not by thinking thereon For the mind or reason doth from the experiments of the senses gathered together first form to it selfe certain generall notions as when it seeth that the fire scorcheth all things it formes to it selfe this rule as it were All fire burneth c. Such kind of experimentall notions they call principles from which the understanding as occasion is offered frames discourse For example if gold melt with fire then it is hot also and burns when it is melted Whence follows this conclusion therefore if the Workman pour gold into his hand he is burnt therewith See here is understanding and that of a thing never seen to which a bruite cannot attain For they do not reason but stay simply upon experiments As if a dog be beaten with a staffe he runs away afterward at the sight of a staffe because his late suffering comes into his memory but that he should reason for example a staffe is hard and pain was caused me with a staffe therefore every hard thing struck against the body causeth pain this he cannot do therefore intelligere to understand is inter legere that is amongst many things to chuse and determine what is truly and what is not XV When ratiocination doth cohere with it selfe every way it begets verity if it gape any where errour XVI Promptnesse of reasoning is called Ingenuity solidity Judgement defect Dulnesse For he is Ingenious who perceives and discourseth readily he Judicious that with a certain naturall celerity giveth heed whether the reasoning cohere sufficiently every way He is dull that hath neither of them The two first are from the temperature of bloud and melancholy the last comes from abundance of flegme For melancholy understand not grosse and full of dregs but pure tempered with much bloud giveth a nimble wit but moistned with lesse a piercing and constant judgement which is made plaine by this similitude A glasse receiving and rendring shapes excellently is compounded of three exceedings exceeding hardnesse exceeding smoothnesse exceeding blacknesse for the smoothnesse receives shapes hardnesse reteins them the blacknesse underneath clears them Hence the best sort of glasses are of steel those of silver worse and of glasse better by reason of their greater smoothnesse and hardnesse under which some black thing is put or cast that it may adhere immediately For instance lead If it could be iron or steel it is certain that the images would be the brighter for blackness So the animall spirits receiving agility from pure bloud strength and constancy from Melancholy make men ingenious and when the prevailing melancholy clarifies the imagination Judicious too much flegme overflowing both makes men stupid Yellow choler conferreth nothing but mobility to the affections whence it is not without cause called the whetstone of wits XVII The understanding begins with universals but ends in singulars We have observed the same touching the senses upon the eighth Aphorisme For there is a like reason for both in as much as the intellect considering any object first knows that it is something and afterwards enquires by discoursing what it is and how it differs from other things and that alwayes more and more subtilely For universals are confused singulars distinct Therefore the understanding of God is most perfect because he knowes all singularities by most speciall differences Therefore he alone truly knoweth all things But a man by how many the more particulars he knows and sees how they depend upon their generals by so much the wiser he is Therefore Aristotle said not rightly That sense is of singulars but understanding of universals XVIII The will is a faculty of the reasonable soul inclining it to good fore-known and turning it away from evill fore-seen For the soule works that whereunto the will enclines and the will enclines whither the understanding leads it It follows this for its guides every where and erres not unlesse it erre As when a Christian chuseth drunkennesse rather then sobriety though he be taught otherwise he doth it because the intellect deceived by the sense judgeth it better to please the palate then to be tormented with thirst though perverse Therefore we must have a speciall care least the intellect should erre or be carried away with the inferiour appetite It appears also from thence that if all men understood alike they would also will and nill alike but the diversity of wils argues a diversity of understanding XIX If the will prudently follow things that are truly good and prudently avoid things that are truly bad it begets virtue if it do the contrary vice For virtue is nothing else but a prudent and constant and ardent shunning of evill and embracing of good vice on the contrary is nothing but a neglecting of good and embracing of evill XX The conscience of man is an intellectuall memory of those things which reason dictates either to be done or avoided and what the will hath done or not done according to this rule and what God hath denounced to those that doe them or doe them not Therefore the function of it in the soule is three-fold to warn testifie and judge of all things that are done or to be done See by the Wisdome of God an inward Monitor Witnesse and Judge and always standing by given to man woe be to him that neglects this Monitor contemnes this Witnesse throwes off the reverence of this Judge XXI It appears out of that which hath been said that man is well termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little world Because 1 He is compounded of the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the great World is matter spirit light 2 He resembles the universe in the site of his members for as that is divided into three parts the Elementary the Coelestiall and the Supercoelestiall so a man hath three ventres or bellies the lowest which serves for nutrition the middle-most or the breast wherein is the work-house of life and the fountain of heat the highest or the head in which the animall spirits and in them reason the image of God inhabits 3 There is an analogy betwixt the parts of the world and the parts of the body For example Flesh represents the Earth Bones the Stones Bloud and other humours Waters Vapours of which the body is full the air the vitall spirit the Heaven and Stars the Haires Plants but the seven Planets are the seven vitall Members in our body for the Heart is in the place of the Sun the Brain of the Moon the Spleen of Saturn the Liver of Jupiter the Bag of Gall Mars
the Reins Venus the Lungs Mercury c. Lastly certain creatures shew forth their virtues in certaine parts of the body For example some herbs cure the Lungs some the Liver c. which shews a certain analogy of the Microcosme to the Macrocosme though not well known to us XXII Also Man is not absurdly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the all because 1 He hath his body from the Elements his spirit from Heaven his mind from God and so in himselfe alone he represents the visible and the invisible world 2 Man is all because he is apt to be all that is either most excellent or very base For if he give himselfe to earthly things he becomes brutish and falls back again to nothing if to heavenly things he is in a manner deified and gets above all creatures CHAP. XII Of Angels WE joyn the treatise concerning Angels with the Physicks because they also are a part of the created World and in the scale of creatures next to man by whose nature the nature of Angels is the easier to be explained Therefore we will conclude it in some few Aphorismes I There are Angels Divine testimonies and apparitions testifiè that and also a three-fold reason 1 Vapours concretes plants living creatures are mixt of water and spirit Now there is matter without spirit the pure Element therefore there is spirit also without matter 2 As the matter of the world is divided into four kinds the four Elements so we see already the spirit of the world to be distinguished into the naturall vitall animall and mentall spirit Now the lowest degree is to be found alone as in concretes Therefore the highest may be found alone to wit in the Angels 3 Every creature is compounded of Entitie and Nihility For they were nothing before the creation but now they are something because the Cretour hath bestowed on them of his Entitie more or lesse by degrees By how much the more entitie any thing hath so much the further it is from nihility and on the contrary Seeing then then that there is the first degree from nihility that is a Chaos the rudiment of an Entitie without doubt there is the last also which comes nearest to a pure Entitie But man is not such because having matter admixt he partakes much of nihility Therefore of necessity there is a creature with which materiality being taken away all other perfections remain And that is an Angell II An Angell is an incorporeall man An Angell may be called a man in the same sense that man himselfe is called an animall and an animall a plant and a plant a concrete c. as we have set down in their definitions that is by reason of the forme of the precedent included with a new perfection only super-added For a man is a rationall creature made after the Image of God immortall so is an Angel but for more perfections sake free from a body Therefore an Angel is nothing but a man without a body A man is nothing but an Angel clothed with a body But that Angels are incorporous appears 1 Because although they be present they are not discerned neither by the sight or any other sense 2 Because they assume to themselves earthly watery aery fiery or mixt bodies as need requires and put them off again which they could not do if they had bodies of their own as we have Yet ordinarily they appear in an humane forme by reason of the likenesse of their natures as we have said III Angels were created before all visible things That was shewed in the Apendix of the first Chapter you may see it again if need be And Moses words are clear In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was void See the earth was in that first production emptie and void Therefore heaven was not void then it was filled with its host the Angels IV The Angels were created out of the Spirit of the world As Moses seems to comprehend the production of Angels under the name of Heaven so also the universall Spirit For he â—oth not say that this was created with the earth but he pronounceth abruptly after the creation of the earth that the Spirit of God moved it selfe upon the waters intimating thus much that it was in being before We conclude therefore that the Angels were formed out of that Spirit so that part of that spirit was left in the invisible heaven and shaped into meer spirituall substances Angels and part sent down into the materiall world below After the same manner as the fire was afterward partly left in the Skie and fashioned into shining Globes and partly sunk into the bowels of the earth for the working of minerals and other uses That which follows makes this opinion probable if not demonstrable 1 Principles should not be multiplied without cause Seeing therefore that the Scripture doth not say that they were created out of nothing nor yet names any other principle why should we not be satisfied with those principles that Moses hath set down 2 Angels govern the bodies which they assume like as our spirit inhabiting the matter doth Therefore they are like to it 3 There is in Angels a sense of things as well as in our spirits For they see hear touch c. though they themselves be invisible and intangible Also they have a sense of pleasure and griefe for as much as joyes are said to be prepared for the Angels and fire for the divells into which wicked men are also to be cast Although therefore they perceive without Organs yet we must needs hold that they are not unlike to our spirit which perceiveth by organs V The Angels were created perfect That is finished in the same moment so that nothing is added to their essence by adventitious encrease For being that they are immateriall they are also free from the law of materiality that is when a thing tends to perfection to be condensed fixed to encrease and so to be augmented and become solid by certain accessions VI Angels are not begotten Men Animals and Plants are generated because the spirit included in the matter diffuseth it selfe with the matter and essayes to make new Entities But an Angel being that it is without matter and its essence cannot be dissipated hath not whether to transfuse it selfe Hence Christ saith that in Heaven we shall be as the Angels without generation or desire of generation Mat. 22. 30. VII Angels die not The spirit of Animals and of Plants perisheth because when the matter that is its chariot is dissipated it also is dissipated But an Angell having his essence compacted by it selfe without matter cannot be dissipated and therefore endures VIII The number of Angels is in a manner infinite See Job 25. v. 2 3. yet Daniel names thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads Dan. 7. 10. as also John Apoc. 5. 11. IX The habitation of the Angels is the Heaven of Heavens Mat. 18. v.