a sound Doctour teacheth and instructeth men as the Holy Spirit taught the Apostles in fiery tongues It is perfected and brought to light by practice not established by Humane but by the institution of God and Nature for it is not founded upon any Humane figments but upon Nature upon which God hath written with his own sacred finger in sublunary things but especially in perfect Mettalls God therefore is the true Foundation thereof Physick is a favour given of God whereof University books are not the Foundation but the invisible mercy of God and his speciall gift so are those things also which are written that depend upon the true foundation and experience This Physicall essence in Phisick is called Gold Physick is written in the book of Nature 1 in Heaven and Earth and may there be read found out by Chyromancy and phisiognomy through the miraculous illumination of God Wherefore Physick is nothing else but the created and incarnate Mercy of our Heavenly Father bestowed upon poor afflicted Mortalls that the sick Patient might sensibly perceive and have experience of the bountifull love mercifulnesse and assistance of his Creator towards him in his afflictions that so God may be glorified in all his wonderfull works Now this Medicine as naturall Mummy and kernell of Nature is contained in the vitall Sulphur as in the treasure of Nature and is founded in the Balsam of Vegetables Mineralls and Animalls from which every action in Nature hath its beginning By its onely power all diseases are cured if as shall be shewed anon it be rightly prepared and separated from all impurity and in a due order conveniently administred by a Godly skilfull Phisitian to the poor weak decayed Nature of Man The Foundation of this Physick is according to the agreement of the lesser World Man with the greater and externall world as we are sufficiently instructed by Astronomy and Philosophy which explaine those two Globes the superiour and inferiour Philosophy teatheth the force and properties of Earth and Wate as Astronomy doth of the Firmament and Aire Phylosophy and Astronomy make up an internall and perfect Phylosopher not onely in the great World but also in the lesser And therefore it is necessary to accommodate the disposition of the great World as of a parent to the little World as to the Son and duly compare the Anotomy of the World with the Anotomy of Man The outward World is a speculative Anotomy wherein we may see as in a glasse the lesser World Man for so much of his wonderfull and excellent fabrick and creation as is necessary for a Physitian to know cannot be understood from the man himselfe For they agree not in outward form or corporall substance What the Light of Nature is but in all their powers and vertues as is the great world so is the lesser in essence and internall form they are altogether one and the same thing Without the knowledge of Light of Nature or the great world no Physitian can have an exact knowledge of diseases in Man the outward form at least differenceth the World and Man This is most evident from the Light of Nature which is nothing else but a divine Analogy of this visible world with the body of man For whatsoever lyeth hid and unseen in Man is made manifest in the visible Anotomy of the whole Universe for the Microcosmicall Nature in Man is invisible and incomprehensible The great World is a speculation and glasse of the little World Man Therefore in the visible and comprehensible Anotomy of the great World all things are manifest as in their Parent Heaven and Earth are Man's Parents out of which Man last of all was created He that knowes the parents Man is the End of Phylosophy and Astronomy and can Anotomize them hath attained the true knowledge of their child Man the most perfect creature in all his properties because all things of the whole Universe meet in him as in the Centre and the Anotomy of him in his Nature is the Anotomy of the whole world The externall world is the figure of Man and Man is an hidden world because visible things in him are invisible and when they are made visible then they are diseases not health as truly as he is the little world and not the great one And this is the true knowledge that Man may Microcosmically be known visibly and invisibly or magically The knowledge of every sound and perfect Physitian proceedeth from the true and full Anotomy both of the great and little world unto which he may safely trust as to a most sure Anchor Considering then the originall of all diseases it will appear that the Nature as well of the Macrocosme as the Microcosme is its own medicine disease and Physitian A Physitian must spring out of Nature for in him and of him and from him is nothing but all of Nature onely Nature not man maketh a Physitian And because the Matter of Man is the Extract of the four Elements it is requisite that he have in himselfe a familiarity with all the Elements and their fruits inasmuch as without them he cannot live For what man can be without Aire Earth Water or Fire or their effects God created the Elements for their fruits sake that they might sustaine and preserve Man with food and Physick The knowledge of the 4 Elements doe shew every disease in man and its cure Therefore all the externall Elements represent unto us the whole Man which being known Man also is understood for they are alike and are the very Microcosm and in the foure Elements there is but one Anatomy essence and matter all the differenc being onely in the Form The knowledge of Physick in the outward world is to be fetched from the Limbovn and depends upon the knowledg of Man Thus in all things there is Fire Aire Earthy Water Againe there is Water Caelestiall Earth Likewise Terrene Fiery Airy Water Lastly Airy Fre Airy Water Airy Earth There are also four kinds of Mercury and four sorts of Mettalls a fourfold Snow four sorts of Ametheists and precious stones There are Foure of every thing one in the Firmament or Heavenly Element Every Element perfecteth its power and operation in all the four Elements another in the Aire a third in the Water a fourth in the Earth So there is a fourfold Man For God is far more wonderfull in his invisible works then in his visible Paracelsus faith that to avoyd an Emptiness in all the four Elements he created living creatures inanimate that is to say without an Intellectuall Soule which should be the four kind of Inhabitants of the Elements who differ from Men created after the Image of God in understanding wisdome arts operations and habitations To the Water there belong Nimphs Undens Melosyns whose Monsters or bastards are the Syrens that swim upon the water To the Earth doe belong Gnoms Lemurs Sylphs Montans Zonnets whose Monsters are the
suffered them perfectly to be seperated by any industry of Art Here also it is to be observed that some bodies have onely properties without Arcane or hidden secrets nor have they in them that Cherionium i. e. that wherein Nature cannot be changed but are onely barren Relollacaeous qualities i. e. qualities whose force is onely from the complexion in which there is no vertue for curing diseases Againe some bodies doe imitate the properties or qualities of Seeds and have the Tinctures in which though heat cold moysture and drinesse accord yet no actions proceed from them but onely for the present doe assist as it were the companions of the deputies in such bodies there may be a seperation made of the strong from the weak of the pure from the impure There are to us four Elementated Elements viz. Fire or the Firmament Aire Water Earth which conceive bring forth and againe receive or take into them all things they are the Fruit of the Seeds and the other Elements which by a constant and perpetuall flowing and watering doe serve unto generation from the three first are all compound bodies into which they are againe resolved these three are found in every matrix In living creatures the bones resemble the earth the flesh ayre the vitall spirit fire and the humors water and in every birth of every matrix The Soul in man is a Caelestiall Fiery Element the solid and Spermatick parts are the Earth the moyst parts as the Blood and other Humors are of the Element of Water the Aire is all that that is hollow without substance But these things as we have said are to be understood of Elementated Elements for the true Elements are Spirituall because all the least and smallest Seeds strive to imitate the oeconomy of the world and hold forth a dark resemblance of the Elements and Principles after this sort we acknowledge that the Elements are in all Things and that they are mingled with and preserved by the Balsam and Radicall Tincture Thus Water it selfe having the four Elements in it cherisheth its Seeds with a fruitfull nourishment and multiplication Thus much out of Severinus but least that which he hath said should seem obscure to the inconsiderate Reader we will now speak more clearly of the Elements He that is a true Phylosophicall Physitian and would know the four Elements or those four Pillars of the World shall understand himselfe and his own Originall From the Outward he finds the frame of the Inward viz. the true Anotomy of the great and little World Every Creature is formed out oâ— the Elements Living creaâ—â— es are assigned to the Aire Vegetables to the Earth Mineralls to the Water the Fire is that which gives life to all These are the wombs of all things The Earth as is said with the Water is the Centre the Aire circularly compasseth the Earth and Water the nine Sphaeres or Firmament with all the Stars are the Fire The true Elements with their proper Astra's are not visior sensible but as the Soul in the Body is insensible so also are the Elements in their bodies The body of the Element is a dead and dark thing the Spirit is the life and is divided into Astra's which out of themselves give their growth and fruit And as the Soule seperateth its body from it selfe and yet dwells in it so also these spirituall Elements in the seperation of all things have severed the visible bodies from themselves by seperation The potentiall Heat seperated the Stars from it selfe as in the Earth the hearbs seperate the flowers from themselves So Moysture the Aire Coldnesse the Water Drinesse the Earth that is from the Element of the Earth proceedeth an Earthy body from the Element of Water floweth a watry body from the Element of Aire an Aiery body breatheth forth is compact in its own Nature from the Element of Fire a body of Fire shines out viz. the visible Heaven and is compact in its own substance Every thing brought for anâ— grâ—wâ—â— is 〈…〉 generating matrix as the fish in the water From these bodies of the Elements things that grow doe proceed and come forth and out of these the fruit by the mediation and operation of the Astra's for no visible body is of it selfe and from it selfe but from its own invisible Element and Astrum The visible Astra's or Stars in the Firmament flame forth from the Fiery Body Of whatsoever any thing is begotten of the same also is iâ— nourished and preserved A Herring will not live out of the water therefore fire is the food and preservation of the Starrs Nostoch saith they feed on fire and at last sever it from themselves although in the lower part of the Aire it be turned into a Mucilaginous matter upon the Earth Mettalls Salts Mineralls grow out of the body of the Water From the body of the Earth spring Trees and Hearbs Our visible Elements are but the bodies and houses of others This Rule both Divines and Physicians make use of which hinder and withold their force and efficacy All things that are joyned together in a visible body choak and break the force power and operation of the inner Spirit The Earth of it self is dead yet is it the Element of an invisible and hidden life The Earth is twofold Externall or visible Internall or invisible The Externall is not the Element but the body of the Element and is the Sulphur Mercury Salt For the Element of the Earth is life and Spirit wherein lie the Astra's of the Earth which bring forth all growing things through the body of the Earth Though the Earth seem to be dead yet hath it in it selfe the seeds and seminall vertues of all things therefore it is said to be Animall Vegetable Minerall as it is made fruitfull by all other Elements it bringeth forth all things out of it selfe Thus trees hearbs grasse flowers mushromes and all growing things of the Earth are the bodies of the Astra's and fruit of the Earth out of the invisible Astra's they bring forth their fruits as flowers pears apples cherries and every one of these fruits is againe the Astrum and Seed Such is â—he vertue of the Element of water that spirituall regeneration cannot be without it as Chr. said to Nâ—c Our Fire is not the Element because like death it consumeth all things Heaven is the fourth and first Element concluding all things in it selfe as the shell doth the egge No one Element can be without another but there is alwayes found the commixture of the four Elements in the generation of all things Paracels in Pâ—ram de Entâ— There is also a twofold Water viz. the Body which is Mercury Sulphur and Salt but the Element is the life and Spirit in which the Astra's of the Water are contained which like a mother out of her Abysse bring forth all mineralls salts mettalls stones jewells sands and all the fruits of the Water which yet
are digged out of the Earth For the Astrum of every Element brings forth and bayes its fruits in a strange region or matrix By a singular Providence all things seem to tend to the Earth and to further its fruitfulnesse Thus the fruits of the Firmament are perfected in the Aire and from hence imparted to the lower Globe as Snow which is bred of Fire is found in the Aire and Earth The fruits of the Aire proceed from the Centre to the Circumference and there attaine to coagulation and perfection The Seeds of the Water doe bring forth in the inner part of the Earth and from thence tend to the superfices or outside For the Earth wherein we live and flourish bringeth forth its fruits into this Circumference for the corne that grows in the Earth is reaped upon the Earth in the Aire so the procreations of all the Elements doe voluntarily and earnestly bend toward Man-kind as to their desired limit and by a liberall supply of moysture doe cherish all the parts of Nature So also we see that by an imutable decree of Eternall Law it comes to passe and is so ordered that the Water doth not bring forth more then the Earth can bring up Astrers saith that the Aire was created befoâ—e any Creature All mâ—yst things â—tâ—râ—cted by the Sun from the Eâ—â—â—h are consumed in the Aire whose fruits are the likeness of the Tereâ—iâ—biâ— or far of Manna the Aire cherish and the Fire consume The Aire also is twofold for it hath its Element as an Inhabitant in it selfe It is the Balsam of all created things and the life of the other three Elements nor is there any Element that God created more subtle or thin which liveth of it selfe and giveth life to all without which neither Firmament nor Water nor Earth can bring forth their fruits the Fire cannot so much as burne without the Aire much lesse can the coales of Heaven those Crescences of Fire shine The Element of Fire according to Paracis the Firmament of Heaven The Firmament or Fire is likewise is twofold and hath its own Element as an Inhabitant in it selfe which Element hath in it all Astra's and Seeds The Element of Fire or the Corporeall Firmament sends the bodies of the Stars Sun Moon and Planets out of it selfe For as hearbs flowers trees did grow out of the Earth and yet remaine in the Earth so at the Creation did the bodies of the Stars grow out of Heaven and yet abide in the Firmament or Heaven swiming in their Orbs as birds fly in the Aire The twelve Caelestiall Signes in the Zodiak with the other Stars of Heaven are the fruits of Fire and come from the invisible Astra's of Fire By how much the Firmament is more subtle or thin then the Earth by so much the fruits thereof are more subtle and operative then the fruits of the other three Elements Thus the seven Rulers of the world are nothing else but the fruits of Fire As the flowers in earth shew the Colours of the Stars so the constellations in Heaven shew the field or meadow of the Earth which fruits are separated from the Element of Fire and by separation doe increase as flowers and hearbs in the Earth onely the flowers of the Earth abide immovable in their place but the Stars doe not so in the Firmament for they move up and down in the Firmament and those Sphaericall bodies doe by the Providence of God swim in their Orbs as fish in the water or a feather in the Aire and are nourished by the Heaven These like all other created things are twofold we see their visible body as a shining light the invisible Astrum or Sydereall Spirit in the Stars we cannot see so that not the body of the Sun but the Spirit in the body is the Sun properly the like also may be said of Man Moreover the four Astra's of the said Elements are the Seeds in the four matrices or wombs and always two are together and in one to wit the Body and Astrum the invisible and visible The Bodily growes out of the Spirituall and abideth in it and so the invisible vertues Seeds and Astra's are propagated into many Millions through the corporeall Visible body as fire increaseth in wood or in convenient and fit matter one Fire alwayes proceedeth from another Angels cannot increase themselves because they want a body but Man may because he hath a one All things that grow as hearbs trees fishes birds living creatures may augment themselves by the help of the body after this manner for the Seed or Astrum can doe nothing without the body so soon as ever the Seed or Astrum dies and rots in its matrix or womb the Astrum goes forward into a new body and multiplyeth it selfe as Christ himselfe sets it forth by a similitude and example in a graine of Wheat John 12.24 and afterward bringeth forth much fruit or many grains which in time come to have the same power or virtue that the former had out of which they grew Putrefaction consumeth and separateth the old Nature and bringeth new fruit Therefore Eternall life cannot be in any but where the body is first dead because death is the cause of the glorifying of the body in eternall Life as Corruption is the cause of the new generation of a Divine substance 'T is necessary that the first life of hearbs and medicines should die that the second life by the Chymists help may be attained through Putrefaction and Regeneration wherein the Three First discover themselves with their hidden vertues which are necessary for a Phisitian to know for without Regeneration no hid Secret of Physick can be attained to which is without all complexion of qualities When the externall World is known the Phylosophicall Physitian doth also understand the Physicall body of Man which is nourished from the Earth and Sydereall body which liveth by the Firmament he sees that the Physicall body is nothing else but Sulphur Salt and Mercury for all bodily things are contained in these Three as hath been said a little before and that the things that grow doe not spring from the four visible Bodies nor from the four humors but out of the invisible Seed as an hearb or tree groweth out of its seed The Anotomy of the diseases of the body is to be fercâ—â—c from the internall Astra's or impressions which cause the diseases and is more necessary for a Physitian them that Locall Anot of Carkasses It is not the Locall Anotomy of a man and dead corpses but the Essentiated and Elemented Anotomy of the World and man that discovereth the disease and cure The Members or parts of the great world are the Remedies of the members and parts of man by an agreement between the externall and internall Anotomy not setling one degree against another As there is but one Anotomy of a man and a woman so the Anotomy of the diseases and of the medicines
was in his life and cost him nothing contrary to the determinate assertion of Physitians Aphorismes and shortly after he was marryed Likewise in the year 1606. at Prague a certaine Silesian to get mony did in the presence of many swallow six and forty white flints which he gathered at banck side weighing almost three Physick pounds the least of which was about the bignesse of a Pigeons egge all of them being almost four of my handfulls by this bold adventure without impairing his health he went up and down getting his living for many years together c. CHAP. V. The Duty of Natures Minister the Physitian ALL common Philosophy was not bound up in Aaistotle as P. Ramus hath soundly proved nor was the whole Light of Nature drawne into Galen and limited in him only witnesse Paracelsus No man ought to deprive another of the liberty of human ingenuity that Light of Nature the power to discern and judge as well as himselfe the Grecian Monarchy is at an end Therefore he that would be an Excellent Physitian he must be free from every kind of Sect. for no man can be said to be truly and throughly learned who is bound up to the rudiments of any one faculty only not to be tyed to the opinion of any one Author but to follow the naked Truth and subscribe to it alone alwayes remembring that of Horace Quo me cunque rapit tempestas deferor hospes-Nutlius addictus jurare in verba magistri I think and judge as cause I finde My rule is not anothers minde Not that other mens inventions are altogether to be slighted by stickling onely for one sect for all sects be they never so many may well be admitted because in every one of them there is some thing excellent which is not common to another as said that most noble and wise Picus Mirandula the Phaenix of Phylosophers the inimitable patterne of most profound ingenuity and variety of learning There is no book so base and bad but hath some good in it which the best Authors have somtimes let slip without taking notice of it This latter age saith Fabius hath endeavored to make the former more compleat and because knowledge thriveth as ingenuity is improved therefore many loathsome errours of the Heathen have been as by a second song All Secret are by divine Ordination to be discovered wip'd away by men of greater wisdome coming after them Doubtlesse there are more secrets yet concealed in the Treasures of Wisdome and Nature then we perceive which being ordained for Times and Nations by an immutable decree to the end of the world are to be sought out by wise-hearted men For Nature certainly being Circularly can hardly be wholly comprehended by any mortall man by reason of the shortnesse of his life The case so standing neither the Physick of the Ancients nor that of Theophrastus is totally to be rejected Many errours of the Ancients are discovered by dayly experience which yet hath not attained its end neither nor yet so to be imbraced but that if there be a better found out it also is to be received for one day teacheth another to morrow may be master to this day both should be compared together what is best in both let that be cetained For being but men they have their failings in some places they mistake in other they write one thing contrary to another and thwart each other sometimes they differ from themselves in many things they are deceived nor doth every man see all things The holy Spirit alone hath the plenary or full knowledge of all things who distributeth to every man according to his particular measure blowing where it listeth and reserving many things to himselfe that we might alway acknowledge him to be our only teacher A true Phisitian should be the minister not a master to Nature and a Philosopher skilfull to cure acording to the conclusion of Hippocrates Galen But since there are severall sects of Phylosophers some after the Vulgar manner will be looking below the Moon after the Elementary Nature of things others far more excellent and more truly deserving the name of Philosophers investigate the Arcana and more secret things of Nature they go into the very inner roomes and Sanctuary of Nature and have the true knowledge and Expeeience of Nature's Light which maketh a true Physitian indeed A Physitian is compleated by 3 things the Naturall innate vertue of things that grow of the Earth the Celestiall influence causing that vertue the uniting of it by Chymistry with the Constellation of the firmament the dexteriâ—y of the Phisitian mediating the same In Chirurgia magna But first as Paracelsus saith let him be the legetimate INTERPRETER of NATURE who alone searcheth out its oeconomy and the universall latitude thereof prying into all the Species and kinds of all the Creatures that may by themselves be known and then comes to consider and looke into man A true Phylosopher haâ—h the originall from the knowledge of Heaven and Earth whose Nature and quality he doth perfectly understand Phylosophy hath iâ—s Rise and Râ—â—t in Admiration Phylosophy teacheth the vertues and qualityes of the Earth and Water as Astronomy doth of the fire and Ayre Phylosophy and Astronomy make a perfect Phylosopher not onely in the great but also in the little world A Physitian should have the knowledge of Phylosophy and Astronomy Chyromancy Pyromancy and Geomancy are the Elements of Astronomy and Phylosophy Theophrasteans contemplate and admire the workmanship of Nature throughout this mighty frame of the whole Creation who give themselves to a vary examination and a wise inquisition into the qualities affections motions courses and recourses of the Heavens and fiery bodies as also into their rise fall antecessions consecutions progresses digressions stops and sudden passionate motions and lastly into the seeds principles dimensions and instincts of all sublunary bodies all which they doe with great observations and no lesse diligence by which industry and that perpetuall thirst which they have of meditation and cogitation By this meditation which is a frequent cogitation the manner cause reason of every manner of thing is found out together with their praâ—ers and earnest desires they doe at last attaine not onely to understand but also really to imitate the greatest mysteries and secrets of Nature and that which is more then all they can tell how to improve and imploy them When the Phylosopher comes to a stand in the Naturall Light of the Macrocosm then the Physitian begins to move and proceed in the Analogicall Concordance of the Naturall Light of the Microcosm with that of the great world Secondly a Physitian must be a good SPAGIRUS A Philosopher and Physitian spring one out of another are the root of each other the onely Spagyrick cook of all things Phylosophy is the mother of Physitians â—â—d the exâ—laiâ—er of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—eâ— theiâ—â—â—â—â—â—dyeâ— one that can seperate the pure
made in the Element of water For Lorind is the commotion of the change of that Element of water What Lorind is When this moveth it selfe in the Element of water yet then is the Element of earth moved too Lorind is like a comet or blazing star The monster of the sea may be considered as the errour of the Firmament So that a peculiar world with its mysterie to the end of the world may be found out in the water They have the same principle with the other Elements Their end is no other but as the rest of the Elements is The onely difference is of the forms essence and natures that happen to them with their signatures and Elements How there are four worlds Hence we may find four worlds according to the four Elements and primary habitations but there is but one Eternall in righteousnesse equally to be known in all four TEXT 10. From the Element of Earth we may learn very much that out of it we came Man was made of the earth Every like knoweth its like The knowledge of the other Elements floweth from Philosophy But this is a thing like us issuing from experience out of which afterward Philosophy groweth up But as the Element of Earth procreated a signature so likewise did all the rest As we have stones There are stoâ—es in every Element so have the other Elements as many Indeed those stones are not like ours but are made after their own proper form The rest of the Elements have their mineralls too as well as we The celestiall Firmament hath mineralls both of flowers and stones which we may ranck amongst the miracles A mistake about celestial mineraâ—ls Though here we may easily be deceived and quickly run our selves aground while we stickle so much to have the natural courses reckoned among prodies and that this or that hue of the Firmament fore-sheweth some singular thing thus we praesage like Prophets whereas we should rather conclude that such things come to passe according to the naturall course of the Firmament But if any such thing should at any time so fâ—ll out we should believe that such was our course and state Mean while if any thing of the Elements be faulty that same will enfeeble the rest For all things should run in a perfect and uninterrupted course And though the other three Elements serve to nourish us yet are they ready to serve the Firmament and the aire and the water too and those things that are in them One thing is nourished by another as many trees in an orchard And we may take notice of the slips and failings of the Firmament as well as the Firmament doth observe our defects The same may be said of all the rest TEXT 11. It is silly and vaine Philosophy to place all happinesse and eternity in our Element of earth Earthy men are not happy A foolish opinion it is to boast that we onely of all creatures are the most noble There are more worlds than one nor are there none besides us in our own But this ignorance is much more capitall that we know not those men who are of the same Element with us as the Nocturnales Gnomes c. What the Nocturnales and Gnomes are Who though they live not in the clear glory of heaven nor have any light of the Firmament but hate what we love and love what we hate and though they are not like us in form essence or sustentation yet is there no cause of wonder For they were made such in the great Mystery We are not all that were made there are many more whom we know not of Therefore we must conclude that there were more bodies than onely one simple body shut up in the great Mystery though in generall there was but eternall and mortall there But in what various shapes and sorts they brought forth no man can tell This doubt will be wholly removed when the eternity of all those things shall meet together Then certainly many unknown things shall be fully found out and made known many wayes not onely of those things which have the eternall in themselves but also of those things which have sustain'd and nourished that eternall There is a twofold eternall The eternall is twofold One of the kingdome and domination the other of ornament and honour That flowers should not be eternall is clean contrary to Philosophy Flowers have the eternal in them which though they wither and perish yet at last they shall appear in the generall meeting together of all things There is nothing created out of the great Mysterie but shall have an image without the Firmament TEXT 12. There ought to be neither more nor lesse than four mothers of all things as all procreations shew Not that the great Mysterie whereof we now treat can be found out by way of universal demonstration what manner of thing it is according to its properties in the beginning But the great Mysterie is rather known and understood by the last mysteries and by the procreations which did spring and proceed out of the first By what the great Mystery may be known T is not the beginning but the end that maketh a man a Master and Philosopher The knowledge of a thing according to its perfect nature is found out onely in the end of its being Possibly there might have been more Elements made than now there be There are but four Elements in all things But in the utmost knowledge of all things there are but four to be found And though we may suppose that it had been easie for God who created but four to have made them many more yet when we see that all mortall things consist but of four onely we may conclude that more than these could not well stand together And it is most likely that when the said four Elements perish that then others shall arise according to every essence unlike the former or that after the destruction of the creatures already made there shall be a new great mysterie the knowledge whereof will be greater and better than of the former But this we lay not here as a fundamentall yet he that would understand the beginning of the world must of necessity consider that it had its rise out of the Elements Four world for four Elements and as there are four Elements so there are four worlds and in every one a peculiar kind taught how to subsist in their necessities TEXT 13. But though all things subsist in the said four Elements All the Elements are not in all things we doe not mean that the four Elements are in althings or that the four Elements dwell in all The reason is because the world which is seperated and procreated of the element of fire hath no need of ayr water or earth So the world of ayre needeth none of the other three Which is true also of the earth and water Concerning the elements we
teach not that the world cannot be preserved without the four Elements but rather that every thing is preserved by that one element from whence it sprang And though I deny not but that the firmament doth nourish the world by its elementary virtues which doe wholly descend fiery on the earth How the Firmament nourisheth the earth yet that nourishment is not necessary Nor will the world perish of it selfe for it hath sufficient to sustaine it selfe as the other world maintaineth it selfe without the help of the earth As for example The waters earth contributeth nothing to its proper essence nor the earths water to it So is it with the aire But t is not sufficient that every world doth solitarily or of it selfe subsist in its Element What the light of heaven is but rather that the light from heaven is as a kind of extract of the four Elements most exellent in a full and perfect propriety But let none think that the Sun or Planets did receive their lustre or motion from the Element of fire but rather from the Mysterie The brightnesse of the Firmament that doth irradiat the world did not flow from the Element of fire but from the mysterie The earth bringeth Trone Tronus Turas Samies the water Ture the aire Samies These proceed not from the Element but from the Mysterie yet are in the Element Thus the four worlds that came out of the Mysteries doe agree to help each other to nourish and sustain one another Not from the nature of Elements for they themselves are Elements TEXT 14. Mans life fight c. whence it is It is not from the Elements that man doth live see hear c. but from the mysteries or rather from the monarchie And so all things else The Elementary thing is but an Inne and a repast Know also that whatsoever is eternall cometh from the Mysterie and is the same thing Doggs die but their mysterie doth not Man dyeth but his mysterie surviveth and much more his soul whereby he is by so many degrees more excellent then a dog The same may be said of all things that grow The mysterie of all things shall an last be manifest Hence is that mistake that all creatures that ever were shall not appear essentially as they doe now but mystically in the last great new mystery We say not that the mysterie is an essence like that which is immortall What a mysterie is but that it is perfectly a mysterie The Element of fire hath a mystery in it How myst the Elements differ from which the other three have their light lustre influence growth and not from the Element Those mysteries also may subsist without an Element as an Element may without a mysterie Observe further that the Element of aire hath a mysterie in it by which all the other three What the Elements be what kind of mysteries they have and it selfe too are nourished Not Elementarily of it selfe but mystically by the Element The Element of Earth hath in it a mystery of mansion and fixation by vertue whereof the other continue and increase that nothing perish The Element of water hath a mysterie of sustentation for all the rest and preserveth all that is in them from destruction In this respect there is difference between an Element and a mystery One is mortall and corruptible from the Elements the other is durable in the last great mysterie wherein all things shall be renewed but nothing made that was not before TEXT 15. The Elements are all alone We conclude then that all the Elements cannot be joyn'd together but that they be solitarily and unmixedly altogether either aiery or fiery or earthy or watry The elements nourish themselves We have also dispatch'd this that every Element maintaineth it selfe and that which doth come from it as its own world Therefore a medicine of the Element water will doe no good to those things that are of the Element of earth or of any other Element but onely to the Nymphs Syrenes Nymphs c. and such like So a medicine of the earth will not help the other three worlds but onely the living creatures of its own world And so of the aire There are diseases Physitians skilfull and unskilfull in the aire which have their peculiar motion there as in their own world The same may be said of fire The Nymphs gender with earthy things Now if it so chance that at any time the Nymphs couple with earthy things and beget children that is to be imputed to the faculty or power of ravishment So doe Melosines and Trifertes Aiery things as the Melosines may ravish earthy things The Trifertes are snacht out of the fire by earthy things If then those three forraigne worlds plant men in our world as we have said they are to be known in their whole essence as Gods in respect of us by reason of that huge distance and very strange essence which they have How Elements may be joyn'd But on the other hand if any of us be caught away by them there is a contrary rape from us to them Thus one Element hath no need of another one is but the cabinet or conceptacle of the other As water and earth seperate from each other so aire and fire have their peculiar lotts without any other contiguity but like walls and according to the inclination of the mysteries out of all the four TEXT 16. But if there shall be any such meeting or conjunction whereby althings return into their former essence then that will be a mystery according to the aspect and face of the Element For there no bodily thing by generation can appeare but the appearance and presentaneous exhibition shall fill that place wherein all creatures were contained and so every one shall know those things that were made either before or after him as if he had seen them before with his eyes yet neverthelesse here the sense of the last greate mystery is hidden Nor shall that be known by nature but by the knowledge of the causes of the last seperation of the Elements and all the creatures when every one shall give an account of his death this is the case of the mortall and of the living and of that which endureth to the end There is one Judge from eternity Whence the variety of Religions cometh There will be the only Judge that hath eternall power and who hath been the alone Judge in all ages This is the cause of all Religions and the originall of religious men worship the Gods all which custome is false and erroneous For there was never any other but one God who is the eternall Judge It is too blasphemous foolishness to worship a mortall frayle perishing rotten creature instead of the authour of all things and ruler of eternity Whatsoever is mortall hath no power to rule and reign There is then but one only way and Religion
the body but by the life TEXT 5. Again we are as well to understand how every thing receiveth its essence This cannot more fitly be compared to any thing than to fire which we strike out of a hard flint flaming and burning contrary to all naturall knowledge As that hidden fire breaks forth and burneth in the same manner and form is the essence brought into its nature Here consider that in the beginning there was but one thing without any inclination and form from which afterwards all things came forth An example from colours to explain the Great Mystery That rise or originall was no other but as a temperate colour suppose purple having no inclination in it to any other colour but plainly to be seen in its just temperature Yet in it are all colours The red green azure yellow white black colour cannot be separated from it And every one of these colours have many dark colours come from them yet every one throughly and rightly tinctured by it selfe And though various and contrary colours lie hid in them yet all are hid under one After the same manner every thing had its essence in the great mystery which afterward the supream workmaster separated Chrystall will strike fire not from a fiery nature Chrystal hath all the Elements in it but from solidity and hardnesse This also hath the other Elements in it not essentially but materially viz. the burning fire the breathing aire the moystning water And colour too the black and dry earth Besides all these it hath all colours but hidden in it in the mixture of their qualities as fire in steel which discovereth it selfe neither by burning nor shining nor casting any colour In this respect all colours and all the Elements are in every thing If any be desirous to know how allthings should thus come and penetrate into all things he must believe that all this came to passe and was exactly and accurately ordered by that onely one who is the former and Architect of all things TEXT 6. Invisible things are made visible by bodies Although nature as we have said be invisibly in bodies and substances that invisibility comes to a visibility by means of those bodies As is the essence of every so is it visibly seen in vertues and colours Invisible bodies have no other but this kind of bodily consideration Therefore observe that invisible things have all the Elements in them and do operate in every Element They can send the fire and vertue of their Element out of themselves they can send forth aire as a man doth his breath also water as a man doth urine they have the nature of earth too and came from the earth Take it thus the liquor or moysture of the earth doth boyle dayly and sendeth an high that subtill spirit which it had out of it selfe Hereby invisible things and the Firmament it selfe are nourished How the Firmament and things invisible are nonrished which without a vapour cannot be Things incorporeall can no more live without meat and drink than corporeall things Therefore stones grow out of the earth but from a spirit like their own nature Every stone draweth its own spirit to it selfe Whence fiery Dragons and Ghosts are From such like proceed Ghosts and fiery Dragons and many more If then invisible things as well as visible be conversant in their essence it is from the nature of the great mystery as wood is set on fire by a candle or taper which loseth or wasteth nothing thereby And though it be not corporeall yet it must have that which is corporeall to preserve it selfe alive Things invisible are sustained by visible things to wit wood Likewise all invisible things must be sustain'd nourished and increased by something visible With which also at last they shall perish and come to an end all alike yet neverthelesse still keeping their operation and activity in them without losse or damage of other things except there be an effusion of those corporeall and visible things Although that be done by the invisible and found out or known in the visible c. The rest for doubtlesse the Author wrote more are not to be found READER WHat I have done in the Version of these two singularly eminent men Paracelsus and Crollius hath been rather as a Translator than an Interpreter that the Authors sence more than mine might be searched out Although the translation be not so elegant and significant as the originall yet if my judgement faile not the matter is preserved intire and sound In both Tracts thou wilt meet with some uncouth and unusuall words which for thy better understanding who art not acquainted with such language I have here alphabetically explain'd as followeth A ADECH is our inward and invisible man which first shapeth those things in the mind that afterward are done with the hands Arcana secrets or mysteries Arcanum a secret or accordiâ—g to Parac the hidden incorporeall vertue in naturall things Archaltes the prop or pâ—â—lars of the earth Archeus the chiefe exalâ—â—d invisible spirit the occult virtue artificer Physitian of nature in every one Astra Stars also the force and virtue of things by preparations Bisemutum the palest or worst sort of lead it is Tin-glasse C Cabala that most secret knowledge which the Hebrew Rabbins say was given by God with the Law of Moses Caleruth a note or signe of the desire when a thing tendeth to its first matter and would returne whence it came Cobaltum a stone whereof matter is made behoofull to Medicine It is a Minerall D Derses a secret vapour of the earth whence wood groweth Diameae spirits living among stones and rocks Divertâ—ilum the generation that is from the Elements Dramae Duelech a kind of tartar in mans body a spongy stone very precious Durdales spirits that have bodies and live among trees E Enur the occult vapour of water from which stones are bred Evestrum is that perpetuall thing of the Firmament in the Elemementary world it is taken for a Propheticall spirit foretelling things to come by precedent signes and tokens to Evestrate is to speak by that spirit F Flagae spirits that know the secret and hidden things of men G Gabalum Gebalum a thing repair'd restor'd or curdled Gabalis homo such a man Gamahaea is when a living thing is affected or wrought upon by its figure as when a Pigeon is cast dead from the top of the house onely by thrusting a pin through the picture of it on paper Gnomes Gnomi are little men dwarfs or rather spirits with bodies living under the earth Pigmies scarce halfe a foot high Gonetick H Hilech astrum medicinae or the spirit hid in medicine I Iliaster the first matter of all things consisting of salt sulphur and mercury generally it is taken for the occult virtue of nature by which all things increase grow multiply and are nourished Vid. Lex Chym. L Leffa Leffas is the juyce of the earth newly drawn into the root of the vegetables by which they grow Lemores Lemures are the spirits of the element of water not the shapes and ghosts of dead men as the heathen imagined Limboan alias Lymbus is the first matter or seed of the world or all things in it Lorind is the moving of the waters with a musicall noyse and is a signe of some change at hand M Marcasita the raw or unripe matter of mettalls Mechili Melosinae despairing women now living in a phanstaticall bruitish body nourished by the Elements into which at last they shall be changed unles they chance to marry with a man Vid. Lex Chym. Montans N Nesder Neuferani spirits living in the aire P Penates spirits of heaven and the element of sire Pyrotechney the Art of preparing or working things by fire R Relollaceus Relolleum is the vertue from the complexion there is a three fold Relolleum of which see Lexicon Chymicum S Samies Spagyrick that separateth the false from the true the impure from the pure Stannar is the mother of mettalls a secret fume of which mettals aremade Sylphs are pigmies or dwarfs Sylvesters airy men airy spirits living in woods and groves Syrenes sea-monsters bred of the Nymphs T Talcum a bright clear matter of which oyle of Talk is made there are four sorts of Talck of which see Lex Chym. Trarames the actions of the spirits and ghosts of dead men heard but not seen Tronum caelestiall dew made of the aire Truphat the occult vertue of mineralls preferring every mettall Tura Turban an innumerable multitude of Stars in the firmament of heaven also a presage from all things which the fourfold inferiour world of the elements containeth V Vmbratiles bodies once rotted and after made visible againe by the Stars by a magicall vertue Vndenae airy men and earthly spirits W Woarchadumie Z Zonnets fantasticall bodies of the Gnomes Zundell somes in English tinder FINIS
grow Neverthelesse the fruits of those Astra's or Caelestiall Ayry Earthy Watry seeds doe indeavour and bend to one generall Good as Citizens of the same Anotmy and therefore doe mutually cherish and succour one another by a sweet felloship and vicissitude of actions Plato's Rings and Homers Chaines are nothing but a Divine Series and Order serving Providence a graduall and concatenate Sympathy of things This visible and invisible fellowship of Nature is that golden chaine so much commended this is the marriage of heaven and riches these are Plato's rings this is that dark and close Phylosophy so hard to be known in the most inward and secret parts of Natare for the gaining whereof Democritus Pythagoras Plato Apollonius c. have travelled to the Brachmans and Gymnosophists in the Indies and to Hermes his Pillars in Aegypt This was that which the most ancient Phylosophers studied which by the Light of Nature that singular inspiration of God they also obtained wherein the wonderfull and infinite power the incomprehensible Wisdome of our Creator so shineth that we canot sufficiently admire and extoll his inestimable goodnesse in the Creatures and the unutterable infinitnesse of his Mysteryes It is also to be considered that there are THREE Principles of all things which are found in every compound body For it is most certaine that those things into which every naturall body is resolved had their being from the beginning of their composition and also those parts of which they did consist No body compos'd by Nature can by any dissolving skill be parted into more or lesse then Three viz. Into Mercury or liquor Sulphur or Oyle and Salt every created thing is generated and preserved in these three For the Holy Triunity when it spake that Triune word FIAT created all things Triune as in a Spagiricall resolution is plainly to be seen i. e. A seperation of purity from impurity or truth from falshood By the word FIAT or Let there be God produced the first matter which is threefold in respect of the three Principles contained in the first and afterward these three Species are seperated into four divers bodies or Elements just as if a skillfull Artist should out of lead make red lead white lead Glasse and the Spirit of lead So the world with all created bodies in it is nothing else but a fume or smoak coagulated or curded together of the three substances Sulphur Salt Mercury which three are the matter out of which all bodily things are created The Spagyricks can make this plaine by visible experience and uncontroulable certainty In green wood also there are three kinds of moystures the first watry like fugitive Mercury or Quicksilver which preserveth the wood from burning Another very fat and oyly making it like brimstone to flame and burne these two are consumed by the fire The third viz. the Salt is unctuous very little thin and lasting and remains in the ashes Thus also the Earth as it is indued with that threefold substance of Salt Mercury and Sulphur is the cause of the materiall body of man The Salt by coagulation gives Solidity Colour and Tast to all bodies The Sulphur by a pleasant mixture tempereth the coagulation of the Salt and gives the Body Substance and Transmutation Mercury which like the Elixir giveth the vertues When the Salt or Mummy is spent things brâ—â—ed nothing but wormes Operations and Secrets by a diligent and constant supply of the vital and vegetative moysture doth cherish the two former which by frequent action continually grow dry and old making every mixture easily by a fluid and slippery substance These three Principles which are in all bodies are altogether distinct in use and properties by reason of the mixture of the vertue or operation although to sence they present but one simular substance of bodies Some Theophrastaeans who have more narrowly and exactly searched out the causes of hidden things doe add a Fourth The Spirit of God upon the face of the waters which they call the Spirit which though it may be got out of Mineralls and Vegetables yet in Animalls by reason of its subtility it is subjected unto nor can it be extracted or seperated by the skill of Art and therefore cannot be had thus Sulphur or brimstone may answer to Fire Salt to the earth Mercury to Water Spirit to Aire And seeing we have entred into a Discourse of the Elements we shall add a few things concerning them out of that short Treatise of Severinus The true and purely spirituall Elements are the keepers nurses places Mines wombs and receptacles of the whole Creation yea the very essence existence life and act of all Beings Places are not without Things but are filled with their properties which administer life and nourishment to the things that are in them to wit to the Seeds that they may produce out of themselves the things that were secretly treasured up in them These places are divided into two Globes viz. the superiour Fire or the Firmament and Aire much like the shell and white of an egge the inferiour Water and the Earth like the yolk of an egge In these four incorporeall empty voyd Natures the Creatour by vertue of the Word opening the united multitude Gen. 1. and of the Spirit moving upon the face of the Waters did plant the Light and Seminall causes of all things which he once filled by his heavenly Benediction and shall ever be supplyed by an incomprehensible Magick out of the Eternall Treasures of Divine Wisdome knitting the Principles of bodies together wherewith they might be covered as with a house or garment and which are to last as long as this worldly frame The Seeds and Astra's those bonds of things lay hid in the invisible Treasures of the Elements from the beginning of the Creation as in a great deep springing up in their appointed times joyning visible things to invisible the highest to the lowest by whose advantage the Elements conspire and agree and the whole sympathy of Nature is preserved by their help the World is governed indeavoring to imitate Eternity by a continuall addition of fresh supply The knowledge of the Elements cannot be attained unto without these Seeds because they declare or open the use and services of the Elements and as the seeds are to the Elements so the Principles of bodies are to them which Principles being the inseperable companions of the Seeds cleaves to them as intermingled by an indissoluble tye and are furnisht with incomprehensible variety of gifts for the service of Generations For the Seeds and Principles of Things receive strength of Generation and Multiplication from the authority of His Word whose command all things obey Hippocr in lib. de Antiqua medic But as the Seeds and Elements can hardly be seperated one from the other by the sharpest wit All things proceeds from their powers so neither can the Elements and Principles of bodies the lawes of Nature scarce ever
whom they proceeded He is the Centre in that all things flow from him and because the Essence of all things pierceth also through all things God the Centre and Circle of all things He is the Circle because like an all-capacious Tabernacle he concludeth and comprehendeth all things Within God are all things and at the worlds end nothing shall be without him either of what was before or what hath been since the Creation what was either before it was brought forth or since it was brought forth So is Man Thus Man in imitation of his Creator is the Centre of the Creatures and the Circle of them all It was Gods pleasure that all things which he made should honour him by Man For all things in the world doe not onely look to him as their Guide and Governour for whom also they were all created but likewise on him all the Sphaeres bestow their beams operations reflections and influences and on him all the Creatures poure their vertues and effects as upon a middle Point and Retinacle or that by which they are stayed and supported As the Earth is a Receptive body of all seeds so also is Man Man is said to be the Circle in that he containeth all things in himselfe and with himselfe leadeth back all things that gushed out of that Summum Bonum or chiefest good unto the fountaine of Eternity from which they did originally spring and flow The world was the first figure or image of God Man is the image of the World the Animall or living creature is the image of Man the Zoophite or sensible hearb is the image of the Animall the Plant is the image of the Zoophite Mettalls are the image of the Plant stones represent the likenesse and images of Mettalls The great world is in every thing one with the little world as the child with its parent the prudent Ancients wilsely called Man a Microcosm or little World which few now a dayes understand that the great visible World was made Man As the great world is bipartite consisting of two parts visible and invisible so also the little world man is twofold visible in respect of his Body invisible in respect of his Spirit There are two Spirits in Man The first Spirit is from the Limbus or greater world the second from the word Fiat one a syderiall Spirit from the Firmament the other from the breath of life which is the Intellectuall Soul inspired from God and the mouth of the most High Man hath three parts a mortall Body with a Syderiall Spirit and an immortall Soule which is the cottage of the Image of God or of the holy Spirit in Man There is a two fâ—ld wisdom in Man Angelicall according to which he is to live and Animall which is not to be regarded Regeneration overcometh a bad birth If a man live sensually by his own proper and proud Will according to flesh and blood onely he is but a Brute or Beast and is known whether according to those Epithites in Scripture he be a Dog Fox Wolfe Sheep Sow or generation of Vipers of which I shall discourse more at large in my Treatise of Signatures and therefore shall forbear to speak more thereof at this time If he live Rationally then he is a Man The invisible or immortall body of Man from the breath of God is not subject to Stars or Astronomers and hath dominion over the living Creatures in his body But if he live according to the God-like Spirit upon the Tree of Life observing the property of the Image of God if I say he live according to the Talent and Treasure laid up in his Earthen Vessell and committed to him then hath he dominion over the Stars and all things else Man comprehends and carryeth all things about in himselfe whereof he is made that beareth he in himselfe He was made of the world he beareth the world about in him and is borne of the world Againe as the first matter which was a kind of ineffigiate confused Essence which Phylosophers call the Chaos and Hylen or Mother of the world was the seed of the great world so the great world is the seed of Adam or Man As the world was hid in the invisible Waters upon the Abysse or great deep Water is the Matrix of the world upon which the Spirit of God moved Gen. 1. The Earth plung'd or swam up out of the Water 2 Pet. 3.5 so Man Adam lay hid in the world The first matter was made a world and the great World was made Man As a Tree groweth from the seed the seed is the beginning of the Tree and the seed also is the end of the Tree for in every graine or seed of the Tree there lies hid another Tree So the First Matter which Paracelsus calleth the Limbus whose Earth was the WORD of the Lord was the seed of all things that were to be created As a Câ—rver and Potter out of word and clay can make a hundred severall shapes at pleasure so God extracted every creature out of the first matter and Man was the last of all as the perfect seed which againe is able out of himselfe to beget another Man like himself And though Man be not a seed as other seed is yet hath he power to cast seed out of himselfe whereby is begotten another Man like himselfe As Adam or Man carryeth the world and every creature in himselfe and is preserved by the world so every one that is borne of him bears about him that which he did viz. the whole world and is born and preserved by it as Adam was Man isâ— that Earth or field which hath all seeds in it self As the Son is not lesser then his Father so Man is not lesser then the World all men are but one man of flesh blood and spirit Therefore the knowledge of Man is to be taken from both Lights as the Son cannot be known from himselfe alone but from his Father Man hath two Fathers an Eternall whose Image he beareth and a Mortall one which is the whole world with all the creatures that is that Limus Terrae that slime of the earth or hidden Secret thing None can know the image unlesse he first know him whose image he is Hermes calleth Man an earthly God Gen. 2.7 and the most precious Esse or Being of all creatures which all Phylosophers Physitians Astronomers and Divines are to consider and diligently inquire into In the lesser world Man there is no member or part that doth not answer to some Element some Planet some Intelligence or other and to some measure and number in the Archetype or first pattern Man hath a visible body from the Elements as a fit garment and sutable cottage for the Soul From the Heaven or Firmament he hath an invisible Syderiall The perfection and dignity of Man Aetheriall and Astrall Body or chariot and vehicle of the Soule wherein the
Gnomes Sylvesters and Lemâ—res Sylvestres and Lemures of which some are alotted to the mountains some to the woods some onely to the night But the Giants were parted into a third separation There are great distributed essences too as also strange miracles amongst men cattle and all things that grow which is a hard matter for any Phylosopher to find out and therefore t is thought they were made besides the order and measure of nature TEXT 16. How the complexions were brought forth After the four Elements were from the beginning separated from each other out of the onely matter as hath been said in which matter notwithstanding their complexion and essence was nâ—t the Complexions and natures issued out by that separation The hot and dry went into the heavens and firmament each cleaving apart into its own property The hot and moyst went into the aire by which the hot and moyst are invisibly separated The cold and moyst turned into the Sea and the parts adjoyning The cold and dry degenerated into the earth and all earthy things And even contraries arose from the separation of the Elements which have no likenesse at all to their Elements Of this sort is lime Lime comeeh out of the fire yet is not of a fiery nature which in respect of its own nature is not fire though it ariseth out of the fire The cause whereof is this because the dissolution went too far off from the fiery nature in the separation of the Element for the fire hath both cold and moyst in it The fire of lour sorts There is a fourfold fire Therefore the colours that are from the fire are not alwayes like unto it One fire causeth a white and azure colour The dry fire maketh a red and green The moyst fire maketh an ashie and black The moyst fire casteth a colour like saffron and red For this reason one procreation is hotter then another because one fire is more or lesse in degree than another Nor is there but one simple and onely fire and no more but there are some hundreds of fires Divers degrees of fire yet never a one of the same degree with another The procreation therefore of every of them is from its own subject as a kind of mysterie so ordained TEXT 17. Nor did the water obtaine one kind of complexion onely Various complexions of water For there were infinite waters in that Element which yet were all truly waters The Phylosopher cannot understand that the Element of water is onely cold and moyst of it selfe It is an hundred times more cold and not more moyst and yet is it not to be refer'd as well to the hotnesse as the coldnesse Nor doth the Element of water live and flourish onely in cold and moyst of one degree no neither is it fully and wholly of one degree Some waters are fountaines The differences of waters which are of many sorts Some are Seas which also are many and divers Other are streams and rivers none of which is like another Some watry Elements were disposed of into stones as the Berill Chrystall Calcedony Amethist Some into plants as Corall c. Some into juyce as the liquor of life Many into the earth as the moysture of the ground These are the Elements of water but in a manifold sort For that which groweth out of the earth from the seed that was sown that also belongs to the Element of water Nymphs So what was fleshy as the Nymphs belong also to the Element of water Though in this case we may conceive that the Element of water was changed into another complexion yet doth it never put off or passe from that very nature of the Element from which it proceeded Whatsoever is of the water turneth againe into water that which is of fire into fire that of earth into earth and that of aire into aire TEXT 18. In like manner must we think of the Element of the earth that all things that are out of the earth do retaine the nature thereof What the minerall moystures are Why brimstone burneth And though the minerall liquors may be taken for fire yet are they not fire Brimstone doth not therefore burn because it is of a fiery Element For that which is cold will burn as well as that which is hot That which burneth to ashes is not the Element of fire but the fire of the earth And that fire is not to be taken for the very Element Nor is it the Element but onely the wasting of the earth or of its substance Water may be made burn Water may burne and flame as well as any thing else and if it burn then is it watry fire Againe whereas the fire of earth will burn and blaze it is not therefore to be accounted fiery Whence a Philosopher should denominate things though it be somewhat like to fire He is but a silly and sensuall Philosopher that calleth the element according to that which he perceiveth Thus rather should he think that the Element it selfe is far another thing then such a fire as this And for what cause All that moystneth is not the Element of water Even the Element of Earth may be brought into water Earth may be reduc'd into water yet it remaineth earth still Whatsoever likewise is in the earth is of the Element of earth For it is and is known by the property of that our of which it proceeded and to which it is like A man may strike fire out of a flint and calcedony A flint and calcedony give fire That is not elementall fire but a strong expression out of great hardnesse TEXT 19. The Element of the aire hath many procreations in it all which are yet meer aire Every Philosopher should well understand this that no Element can begat another thing out of it selfe but that which it is of it selfe Like ever begetteth its like Like to like So then seeing the aire is invisible it can bring nothing visible out of it selfe And whereas it is impalpable it can produce nothing that may be touch'd Therefore as I may so say it doth melosinate And though that be from the aire yea be the very aire and nothing else What Melosinie is yet the conjunction is made in another Element which is the Earth For here may a conjunction be made from the aire to a man as it cometh to passe by Spirits in all witchcrafts and inchantments The same may be said here as was of the Nymphs who though they live in the Element of water What the Nymphs are and are nothing but water yet have they freedome to converse with things on the Earth and to generate with them The like compaction also is there from the aire which may be seen and felt yet as a procreation of the first separation but onely as a consequence For as a beetle is bred of dung so may a monster of the airy Element
great mystery yet n = * or They were ordain'd from the beginning are they ordained by the Eternall for judgement both to themselves and us TEXT 2. Now if it were necessary that all things that were made should consist of and proceed from four only The four Elements are the mothers of all things as by the seperation we know it was those four only must be the matrixes of all the creatnres which we call the Elements And though evere creature be yet an Element or may have some share of the Element yet it is not like the Element but like the Spirit of the Element Nothing can subsist without an Element Nor can the Elements themselves stand together There is not any thing that consisteth either in four three or two Elements but one Element standeth by it selfe apart and every creature hath but own element They are altogether blind who take that which is Moyst for the Element of Water or that which burneth for the Element of fire We must not limit an Element to a body substance or quality What an Element is That which we see is only the snbject or receptacle The Element is a Spirit of lives and grows in those things as the soul in the body This is the first matter of the Elements that can neither be seen nor felt and yet is in all things What the first matter of an Element is The sttst matter of the Elements is nothing else but that life which the creatures have If any dye that subsisteth no more in any Element but in the ultimate matter wherein is no tast force or vertue TEXT 3. All things consist of the four Elements Whereas althings that could be created were made of foure mothers viz. the four Elements Take notice further that those four Elements were fufficient for al things that were to be created nor was it requisite that there should be more or lesse In things mortall there can no more but four natures subsist But in things immortall the temperaments may subsist though the Elements cannot Whatever is as I call it an elementure that may be dissolved Wherein the Element differeth from the temperament But on the contrary the temperature cannot be dissolved For such is the condition thereof that nothing can be added thereto or taken from it nothing thereof can putrifie or perish And seing that condition is mortal as hath been said we must know that all things do subsist in four natures and that every nature retains the name of its Element As the Element of fire is hot The names of the four Elements the Element of earth cold the Element of water is moyst the element of aire dry Where we must as well consider that every of the said natures is peculiarly such a one by it selfe apart For fire is onely hot and not dry nor moyst The earth is onely cold not dry nor moyst The water is onely moyst not hot nor cold The aire is onely dry not hot nor cold And therefore are they called Elements The nature of the Elements is simple having onely one simple not a double nature But their manifestation through all the creatures must be understood as an Element that may subsist with a substance and body and can there work The highest knowledge concerning the Elements is this that every one of them hath but one onely simple nature either moyst or dry or cold or hot Which is from the condition of spirits For every Spirit hath a simple The elements and simple Spirits not a double nature and so have the Elements too TEXT 4. Though we mortalls have compounds in us as hot and moyst yet far otherwise then the Ancients imagined The Colick whence it is For the Colick is of the Element of fire yet not compounded of hornesse and drynesse but is onely hot And so the other complexions Therefore if we find any disease mixt with heat and drought we may suppose that two Elements are there one in the liver another in the spleen and so in the other members There are not two Elements in one member For certaine it is that every member hath a peculiar element which we leave to Physitians to define But this cannot well be affirmed that two elements should consist both together or that one and the same element should be both hot and moyst Nor can there be any such compound There are no compounded Elements for the reason before given Where there is heat there is neither cold nor drought nor moysture So where there is coldnesse there is none of all the rest The same may be said of moysture and drynesse Every Element is simple and solitary by it selfe The Elements are not mixt not mixt in composition The possibility which Philosophers talk of concerning a conjuction of the Elements is as much as comes to nothing For no Element of water hath any heat in it Nor can there be any heat in moysture Every Element is alone by it self So also cold cannot of it self indure driness It subsisteth pure by it self And thus much be spoken to be understood of the proper essence of the Elements All drynesse is a dissolution of cold As moysture and dryness cannot be mixt so much lesse can coldnesse and dryness or moysture or heat and drynesse close or consist together For as heat and cold are contrary things so heat and cold have a contrariety against moyst and dry TEXT 5. Because all things are constituted of the four Elements therefore to goe about to prove that those Elements must necessarily be mixt together is very erroneous For every mixture is a composition Therefore they cannot be a Mysterie because they are compounded Every mysterie is simple and one onely Element Now the difference betwixt the elements and compounds is this How an Element compounds differ An element and so may a mysterie too can generate n = * Divertallum something else out of it A compound can generate nothing but what is like it selfe as men beget men But a mysterie doth not produce a mysterie like it selfe but a contrary thing as a divertallum The element of fire is the generatrix of the Stars What fire is and doth Planets and the whole Firmament yet neither of them is mede and form'd like this The element of water made water which is altogether contrary to the Element of water for that of it selfe is not so moyst as the element of water The Element of water soâ—tneth mettalls and stones The very element it selfe of water hath such moysture that will soften stones and hard mettalls The substantiall water taketh away that excellent vertue of mollifying that its power is not perfect The element of aire is so dry that it can dry up all waters in a moment The Element of aire dryeth most scorchingly But that force is taken away and broken by the substantiall aire The element of earth is so cold that it would
bring all things to the ultimate matter The Element of earth cooleth most vehemently as water into Chrystall and * into Duelech living creatures into marble trees into gyants The fundamental of the elements that may be known is this to understand that they are of such an excellent and quick activity or efficacy that nothing besides can be found or imagined like them The things wherein those are be attracted and assum'd by them as fate that may become corporall yet hath not one whit of vertue without them TEXT 6. That we may more fully understand what an Element is we must know that an Element is nothing but a soul Not as though it were of the same essence with a soul but that it hath something like to it The difference between the soul of an Element and the eternall soul is this A comparison between fire and the soul The soul of the Elements is the life of all creatures The fire that burneth is not the Element of fire as we see What fire is but its soul which we cannot see is the Element and life of fire Now the element of fire may be no lesse in a green stick than it is in the fire But the very life is not alike there as it is in fire This then is the difference between the soul and the life If fire live it burneth But if it be in the soul that is in its Element then it cannot burn Nor doth it follow that a cold thing must needs proceed from a cold Element for oft times it is from a hot one And many cold things come from the Element of fire Whatsoever doth grow What are the properties of all the Elements is from the Element of fire but in another form Whatever is fixt is from the Element of earth That which nourisheth is from the Element of aire And that which consumeth is of the Element of water To grow is the property onely of fire When that faileth or goeth out there is no increase Were it not for the Element of earth there would be no end of growth T is that that fixeth that is it limiteth the Element of sire So were it not for the Element of aire there could be no nourishment For all things are nourished by the aire onely Also nothing could be dissolved or consumed were it not for the Element of water by which all things are mortifyed and brought to nothing TEXT 7. The true Elements are insensible But though the Elements are thus hid and do altogether exist invisible and insenfible in other things yet have they power to bring forth their mysteries Thus the Element of fire sent forth the Firmament not in respect of the bodies but in respect of the elementar essence The Sun hath another body besides what it had from the Element of fire Yet this is essentially in it with heat Nor is the heat thereof by motion and rotation but it is from it selfe The Sun warm as well as shine if it stood still and did never move at all The Sun is hot though it stood still Chrystall made the Sun of the element of fire though this hath no other body but what it had from the Element of fire Thence as I may so speak are the bodied Elements Whence the Elements had their bodies The Moon and other Stars also had their beginning from the Element of fire but onely of a red colour in which is no heat or burning but hath onely a kind of deadish lustre cleaving to it And though various signes in respect of form and shape appear in heaven of which we will not now speak yet such a form is such a form is meant as we have here on earth And not one onely but divers some whereof we know others we doe not For when the mysterie of the Element of fire was separated every thing came forth such as we now see it The Stars are the children of fire The Stars then are the daughters of the Element of fire and heaven is nothing but a chaos that is a vapour breathing out of the Firmament but so hot as cannot be exprest That fervour or burning heat is the cause of lightnings glooms and appearances In that region is the pure Element of fire of which more largely in its place TEXT 8. As the fire brought forth various shapes and essences in the same manner also did the Element of aire produce the like Elementary things differ from one another Though the four Elements differ somewhat in those things that are gendred out of themselves For every of them gendred some one thing in speciall and peculiar to it selfe The Firmament is like none of the other three Fate is from the aire yet is it not like any of the three rest Those that belong to the earth are not in the least like any of the other three So likewise is it with Sea-monsters in relation to other things Every creature begat both reasonable and unreasonable creatures in it selfe Heaven There are rationall and irrationall creatures in every Element as well as the Element of earth hath rational creatures in the Firmaments In like manner the fate of the aire is distinguished in its signature by reason and bruitishnesse The same also is true of the earth and water Now who is he that can tell us what the truth is which within the four sealed Elements who are they to whom the true faith and right way of salvation is committed and intrusted or who alone are they that shall inherit eternity which we will now passe by Men live in all the Elements It must needs be that men live in all four as if they did but in one Element to wit the earth As touching destiny we are to understand How saâ—e is generated that its generation out of the Element is manifold yet without any body and substance according to the property of the aire which is not corporeall and its habitation Some are corporeall others cannot be touched as we know TEXT 9. Most manifest it is that out of one seed the root sprouteth into many sprigs then into the stalk afterwards the boughs shoot out lastly the flower fruit and seed put forth Just so is it in the various procreations out of the four Elements The various procreations of the Elements All which procreations that are from one Element cleave close to each other as an hearb groweth from one seed Though they be not all permiscuously alike to their seed The creatures which are made of the water are partly men partly living creatures and partly the food of both One Element clearly discovereth its own signature want and sustentation as also hinteth its course and coming which may easily be known by the stars not as though the stars doe guide and govern us but they keep pace with us and imitate the inward motion of our body Whatever is made in the Element of earth is also
the most part false because their Phylosophy and other abilities were polluted and corrupt In vaine therefore it is to seek knowledge from them who have spent all their life in looking after it and have wasted all their time and study to no purpose not finding out any truth though many of them were seduced by ignorance rather then malice the Light of Truth not yet risen to them nor the Light of Nature as yet kindled by the holy Spirit Divinity is the Fountaine of Naturall and Supernaturall knowledge All true Phylosophy should be grounded on the Scriptures and so return into God that so the Regenerate Christians might reap and receive the full increase of that seed which among the Gentiles was choaked for want of the Sun like that among the thorns No Art can be perfected without Regeneration Christians should not be ruled by Heathen Phylosophy True Phylosophy must be grounded on Christ the corner stone We ought therefore to be most wary that we suffer not the Philosophicall errours of the Heathen to beare down or dominiere over the rules of Christian Phylosophy Christians onely in whom the Truth is planted who have their seed from God by the means of Regeneration which the Heathen have not doe truly know to use or teach Phylosophy without mistake or errour and how to manage aright all other faculties Believers shall be taught of God when the Holy Spirit is powred forth To be short the knowledge of God is the Treasury of the whole world wherein all things are laid up so that without this knowledge no man can come to eternall life For Faith Hope and Love follow knowledge Adhaesion or cleaving to followeth Love Union follows Adhaesion in Union is Blessednesse and Wisdome This Regeneration that holy man Hermes and others of clean hearts and godly lives before the Word was incarnate being enlightned by the holy Spirit though they concealed it among other Secrets they knew it better then many of us who call our selves Christians and had rather seem to know God then love him O great miracle 1 John 4. Wâ—sd 1. John 17. Man whose mind by Christ is united to God possesseth the true wisdome of all things and the most absolute knowledge of all Secrets Furthermore he that knoweth himselfe doth know all things Fundamentally in himselfe and being set between Time and Eternity above him he sees God eternall his Creator The soul is the off-spring and image of God Apoc. 22. after whose image and likenesse he was with other Angells created by an unsearchable love besides or about him he knows the immortall Angells his fellows and companions from whom he differeth onely in body and the Judgement to come Under him he sees the visible World whereof he is a pattern and all the Creatures with whom he hath a likenesse even his parent of whom he was born as to the externall and mortall body Man who is a true Proteus of a fickle wavering disposition received a flexible mind from Nature Eccl. 15.14 that being set in the midst of the Paradice of this world by the assistance of Divine Grace raising himselfe upward he might be regenerated into a quiet Angell or the Forger of his fortune winding and creeping downward degenerate into a restlesse Bruite But the free Râ—asonable Creature neglecting the fatherly admonition and his due obedience Gen 2. turning from the mean to the extreame himselfe dispising his Creator He that seeks to himself that which is anothers unâ—voydably â—uâ—â— himseâ—fe into two â—nconveniences i. e. theft and robbery of himselfe and death The Fâ—â—l waâ— aâ—swering from Uâ—iâ—y to Alteâ—iâ—y learned by experience what his own proper Evill and Nothing was to his voluntary damage and perdition like a Thief and Robber And thus abusing the bounty of his most indulgent Father he made choise of death rather then of life and like Lucifer not content with his lot ambitiously desiring higher things he set himselfe in opposition against God at last by an unexpected change was cast out of the Garden of pleasures into this dolefull and darksome valley of Misery and Ignorance The first man was left in the hand of his own counsell Eccl. 15.14 and of his own accord turned from the strait path into the crooked way of Misery greedily desired the possession of good and evill to his own destruction as Herms and Moses sufficieâ—tly demonstrate God created man that the number and losse of the rebellious Angells might be made up in the kingdome of Heavâ—n Man the bond or buckle of the world the last wonderfull and honourable living creature was upon the sixt day after all other things drawn or taken è limo terrae out of the slime of the Earth or visible frame of the whole consisting of Heaven or Heavenly Sphaeres and the Earth viz. out of the most thin or pure substance of the whole frame of the world concentred into one body fashioned by the great Spacyrus into a bodily shape made to supply the place of the fallen Angells Man was formed of the most excellent Compound and purest Extract of the whole Word out of the Center of all Circles Therefore Nazianzen speaking of the workmanship of Man saith God made Man last that in him as in a short and briefe way he might set out or expresse all that before he had made at large viz. all the members or parts of the whole world As an Oration is made up of letters and sillables so the Microcosm or Limus Terrae Man is compacted of all bodies and created things The great God eternal and Creator of all things took the Quintessence out of all things created and thereof fashioned and composed Man as the Prince and End of all these and congratulated him as his Son holding or possessing the honourable place of the high Divinity on Earth In respect of the Body or corruptible Nature he bears the Image of the great sensible and temporall World In respect of his soul or immor-Nature he bears the Image of the Archetype or originall copy and patterne of the world that is of the immortall Wisdome of God himselfe So that all the properties of Animalls Vegetables and Mineralls entred into him and withalla living Soul inspired into him God is all things of himselfe Man is made all things of God and was therefore created last that by him the compleatnesse and perfection of all the Creatures might be signified Man is the tye bond knot joynt Psal 8. Thou hast put all things under his â—eer Paraceâ—s excepteth the Spirits and inhabitant of the â—â—ur Elements packet or bundle of all the Creatures All things created were disposed of to him and they respect and honour him as Gods steward set over the Orchard or Garden of this world God is the Center and Circle of all things that he brought out of himselfe for all the works of the Divine goodnesse are circular and perfect sphaerically wheeled about to him from
filthy mixture of superficiall and externall Elements that that pure and Christiline matter may be administred to our bodies But to deliver this from prison and captivity Hoc opus hic labor est is a hard task to performe It is an honorable Calling when the Physitians live long and are not idle in it for without this Chymicall Phylosophy all Physick is but livelesse Without Alchymicall skill there can be no Speculative or Practick Physick He that rejecteth that knowledge being disheartned by the difficulty thereof shall never find where the disease lyeth In this therefore our common sort of Physitians are not to be followed who patronize their sloth under other mens paines and study and use to leave the preparation of their medicines most commonly to some carelesse and covetous Apothecary to the great dammage of their Patients I speake not against the conscientious Apothecaries who by their trusty diligence serve the Common Wealth as the Alchymy of Vulcan By this artificall resolution of bodyes the propertyes which before layd in the compositions of them are now brought to light By it also as by a certaine kinde of artificiall Tynosure or figures of stars the Chymists have not only made curtaines extending to all the borders of Nature but also to the very admiration contemplation and perseption of the whole Creature and of every obstruce vertue thereof and have attained to a noble knowledge in most things and not without cause Therefore a Physitian should be exercised much in this true Analysis and vitall Anatomy of bodies as hath been said because there is no constant quality of any body which is not to be found either in the Salt or Mercury or Sulphur of the same body Vegetables comprehend plants trees Zoophyts Animalls are the beasts in their order creeping swimming flying four footed creatures But first all compound bodies of the inferiour Globe are to be distributed into three orders or companies into Animalls Vegetables and Mineralls the individualls of all these and the parts of the individualls are diligently to be examined and so we shall find out the notable differences of the three First things viz. Salt Sulphur and Mercury in every particular order For in the shop of Nature there is Animall Vegetable Minerall Salt Animall vegetable minerall Sulphur vegetable animall minerall Mercury The first face of Things was pure sound perfect without corruption and death For the great and all working God for his infinite glory sake created all things good by his Will that all things might glorifie him and live holily and incorruptably according to the prescribed order Man at first was created healthy sicknesse entred by the Woman not by the Man but when he came into the world he found out an entrance unto death because there appeared two contraries the externall corruptable and the internall compleat which could not long continue in one without unavoydable corruption Therefore after the transgression and fall from unity to alterity by the curse of God new Tinctures came in even infinite evills by whose mixture with the miserable state of our life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 together with that troublesome companion the world the beauty of the whole Creature was transplanted The transplantation of the Creature is by the calamity and coming in of sicknesse upon it since the Fall me carry in their own bosome their enemy both of creation and propagation which causeth sicknesse and death by inbred contrariety and corruption Impurity was joyned to the pure roots which was the predestination of diseases For the roots of sicknesses in certaine individuall or species doe not consist apart by themselves but are implanted and mixt in the pure and first seeds of things but the nourishments of Naturall things are the fruits of those seeds which spring up in the foure wombs or Elements Nature therefore as it is now gives us nothing that is pure in the world but hath mixed all things with many impurities that as by the spur of necessity it might often put us in mind that we should begin to learn the knowledge of Chymistry from our cradles that so long as we are shut out of Paradice into the subburbs of this world we ought to till and manure the EARTH to wit the whole frame of the world by admiration searching into and knowledge of both the Visible and Invisible Limus Earth and that we should labour to get our bread and other necessary things for this present life as Natures Labourers not lazily but in the sweat of our browes that by this means by laying the Crosse upon us which we should bear with patience it might stir up our industry in this LAND of LABOUR to attain the fruits of Terrene and Caelestiall Wisdome least base and sluggish idlenesse make us wax leane and pine away or because we are more prone to all kind of sin and vice by doing nothing we should learn to doe naughtily He that hath learned to know God himselfe hath ordered the Earth with good husbandry by â—oo much licentiousnesse men grow worse become like bruite beasts but idlenesse the pillow cushion of the Devill is removed by labour and diligence And this is the true end of Mans Creation that in the fear of God and love of his neighbor he should manage the Earth recovering what he hath lost and not be idle but walking iâ— the Light of Nature not after his own but according to the will of his Creator he should continue the Instrument Habitation and Tabernacle of God and that he should walk in the Wayes of the Lord for avoyding evill and idle thoughts that he should through Nature search out the wonderfull works of God by consideration of Temporall and Caelestiall observations thereby to make known the invisible works of God celebrating the infinite Wisdome Power and perpetuall Goodnesse of the Creator in admiration of his marvellous works wonders and mysteries which he hath revealed But to passe from Food let us come to Physick concerning which there is no man so sottish or stubborn unlesse he had rather eate the husk and shells with the kernell as the former and more rugged generations have done who will dislike this Separatory art which teacheth rightly to discerne and seperate the Good from the Bad the Profitable from the Unprofitable the Stupefactive from Fire the minerall Spirit from the Anthos or blossome the Homogeneans from the Heterogeneans Poyson from healing Medicines and Balsoms Light from Darknesse Life from Death Day from Night Visible from Invisible Putrefications onely are the true Correctives of all Physick As Death separateth eternall and perishing things so doth Fire the good from the bad the Quint-Essence from the body that which is pure Celestiall the kernall and Marrow from that which is Terrestrial Impure the Rinds and Membranes the Covers Shells Husks and dreggs the Coate aed Cottage of Physick which are enemyes to mans body from the Soul the Inhabitant thereof the Super-elementall
are of the Ens of God are unsearchable here the cure must be sought in Faith not in Nature as also in the cure of Deal diseases that are of the Ens of God or in the deificall or faithfull cure the predestinate Terme or period according to the Divine pleasure is to be observed CHAP. VI. Of that one onely chiefe Medicine of the most Ancient Phylosophers This occult Minerva of Phylosophy this only most precious Jewell is inestimable FUrthermore I shall here supply what yet pertaineth to that chief and universal Phylosophical Phisick than which a greater gift of wisdom we never read that divine bounty bestowed on man Not excepting so much as the very Reasonable Soul which next unto God in Heaven and Earth cannot consider or find out any thing under Heaven bestowed upon Man more admirable more sublime more noble or excellent than this most secret Secret of secret Secrets by which even wonders yea all things may be done both as to the Plannets of inferior Astronomy whose imperfection and drosse it causeth to vanish by piercing them with its most powerfull impressions for it segregateth all extraneous Sulphureity and impure Terrestreity from metallick and Humane bodies as also to the recovering covering and preserving of the languishing and lost health of the Human body by its fiery vigour besides infinite other things to say nothing now of the Magicall and super Celestial use when the Gonetick influence of the beames of the Sun and Moon and the fourth revolution is finisht upon its native Earth See the Moâ—ade of John Dee of London and Roger Bacon it is endowed absolutly with all created Influentiall power as well in the Elementall world as in the Celestiall or super celestiall it is the most wonderfull of all wonders for as God is wonderfull in all his works so doth he usually hide his wonderfull Gifts in wonderfull men All antiquity also all Verity of all Nations and Languages in the tradition of this doctrine the consent of all those most learned men who in every age have lived with the greatest admiration and prayse of many do bear witnesse that this is so Moreover besides the ocular inspectation and certification of many of our time it is easie to determine this from their writings which are woven of so many Hieroglyphicall Magicall and Mathematicall Coverings in so great and certaine a series of Phylosophicall Truth Who then would not admire and embrace so great a Gift of the greatest GOD the immortall price of his study paines and vertue which to the Pious and holy Phylosophers dignified by Nature and Education doth warrant and assure a removall of old age and renewing of youth perpetuall health and honest food and rayment without hinderance to our neighbor not by usury and fraud nor cheating wares nor by oppression of the poor as most of our rich men are now inriched but by industry of work and labour of the hands God forbid therefore that sleighting the example of the Ancients I should either deny such precious Wonders of GOD and darken the wonderfull powers of Nature for he that despiseth knowledge him the glorious and high God despiseth for rejecting this most true Art or which is worse to revile them as the most doe as if they were but the speculations of idle men or the empty dreams and fictions of a sottish and doting mind who yet among wise men doe but betray the weaknesse of their judgement and openly call witnesse of their folly Those therefore that revile and are ignorant of these divine Banquets whom the Phylosophers call fools are not to be admitted to them those also that dote in their Phantasticall dreams are utterly to be excluded Here some are listning whether trusting to my own ingenuity I dare boast also of the preparation hereof in this place or whether fot ostentation sake I ambitiously arrogate to my selfe the absolute knowledge of this Art Here I would be taken as an Index or as one standing at the door to direct others the way they should goe whom I may profit more then my self or as a whetstone to incourage them on as those covètous Mountebanks and greedy Phylosophists use to doe But because I promised the Courteous Reader a little before that I would set down at least those things which I had made tryall of I was unwilling in this place openly and most wickedly which is not the part of a wise man but of cheaters to falsifie any thing concerning the undoubted certainty of this matter For this Sacred and Divine Art and Science not of Sophisters but Phylosophers which the ignorant basely and wretchedly condemn of falshood for doubtlesse among all Arts as well Liberall as Mechanick none aboundeth with so many Imposters as this doth deserve to be reverenced for the wonderfull Secrets that are in it and to be preferred before all other earthly Sciences by those that are true Physitians who being inlightned with the Spirit of Divine Wisdome content and furnished with honest food and rayment for it cannot be that a poor or covetous man should spend his time in the study of Phylosophy doe with religious veneration pray unto God after the example of Solomon not for wealth but wisdome that he would open to them the Magazine of Divine knowledge And who measure their happinesse at least by Heaven and the Love of God the giver of every good thing Who also are moved and spurred on to search it out by the love of Secrets and of Nature according to the Divine Grace And who through a desire of getting knowledge without any foolish hope of gaine or affectation of vaine glory By Wisdome the heart is made constant doe in the fear of God refuse no honest constant and possible labor of the hands And lastly who without any malignant intention neglecting the spring of dry humane thirst doe most humbly with fear and trembling desire to use such great gifts to that End which belongs to the Master of Nature to wit the Praise and Honour of God and the good of his needy neighbor in a constant Taciturnity without pride which provoketh the envy of all men They that carry about their Treasure and use it publickly Job 22.25 By â—hese I say among the Children of the golden doctrine whose gold is the Omnipotent God that most rare Good which is to be prefer'd before all riches is justly and of right to be searched out for the health sake of men who quitting all other businesse and imployment and leaving the mettalls to those who with an impious hunger and a thirsty and insatiable desire of being rich making no difference between right and wrong do horribly vex and torment themselves night and day to the great hazard both of body and soul A Phylosopher must covet Nothing but Wisdome which is conversant about Divine things therefore a true Phylosopher never sought after nor desired riches but is rather delighted with the Mysteries of Nature
continually burning and never wasting And all that is of the Virtues and pure Truth and Nature of the Elements which feare not the Fire of Heaven shall remaine like a pure cleare incorruptible and fixed Essence in a serene resplendent Chrystalin Earth and be for ever at rest with the happy saved Ones carryed upward like an Eagle or as Smoak excited by the Fire For when God shall change all things by making them new according to his will and shall make them all like Christall then the motions of the Supernaturall Nature shall abide in those things without corruption I wish the Great Ones of our time who are sufficiently enriched with Gold and Silver from the revenues of their subjects would bestow some part of their wealth upon men piously and consciensciously learned and skilfull in Chymistry and that they would set every man his task as he is fit for it and as he shall desire it to find out one out of those Three Families of Nature that out of the same things in which all Physick is founded viz. Animalls Vegetables and Mineralls they might fetch out the most choyse Physicall Mysteries All beauty corporeal and incorporeall is nothing else but the splendor of the Divine countenance and Light set in created things glittering sparkling out through faire bodies and making all that love it to be amazed at it like the Image of God For so much Light as a King hath in him so much Majesty hath he Quantum Luminis tantum Numinis separating them by Fire into their Three First things The Phylosophicall Conclave of any Prince furnished with such most precious and wholesome a Treasure might compare even with the riches of Pactolus for questionlesse it would delight and like a Loadstone attract the eyes of the spectators to contemplate the open riches of secret Nature From the beholding of whose pleasant and insatiable beauty what recreation I pray of the eyes and what admirable elevation of the mind would it cause to the Creator himselfe To behold here the most choyse and select store of the Vegetables answering to the members of our body by an Harmonicall Anatomy discovered in a wonderfull and most acceptable variety in their Three First principles with their garments put off made naked and visible There to see the like of Animalls yonder to behold the same of Mineralls and Mettalls viz. the TRIUNE naked DIANA shining with so many colours of variety and alwayes with a Triple Form in every classis or distribution a most limpid or clear MERCURIAL a most garnished SULPHUREAN or oyly and a most bright pure SALINE form who otherwise covereth her selfe from the dishonest looks of mortalls and desireth not to come into the company of men in this worldly scene with her veile A work truly becoming a great King and Prince Francis the First King of France the greatest Favorer of Phylosophers and learned men intended to go about one of the Three but was prevented by death And the sole fountaine being reserved to it selfe for its own uses but by drawing forth spare streams is it not a work of Humanity and Liberality and the duty of an Almoner in this great Hospitall of Piety most worthy of all praise and eternall memory to do good to God with this Talent in our poor neighbour and his members By the Light of God secret and hidden things are revealed and made manifest For without him no good and perfect thing can be attained Psal 145.19 Prov. 10.24 Without question the Father of Lights from onely as from the Efficient Principall and Finall Cause of all Creatures and Operations every good Gift upon amendment of Life is by asking seeking and knocking to be obtained would load this pious and laudable purpose heap upon heap with far greater and perhaps unlookt for blessings for he performeth the will of them that Fear him to them that proceed this way in the Fear of God and love of their neighbour For this onely is the Kings high-way not onely to come all the desired Secrets of Nature but that which is the chiefest thing of all it leadeth even to the very workmaster of the universe Divine confidence never left any without help to do good He that knows One knows All things he that Earneth many things learneth nothing Eccl. 34.12 13 14. Blessednesse consisteth in the apprehension of the chiefest good God is the Immutable Rest after which every Creature doth gaspe and groan with all its endeavor Levit. 25. Tob. 12.13 Eccl. 2.5 Prov 17.3 We cannot get the Victory and Crown of Patience without striving fighting Per Angusta iâ—uâ— ad Angusta by which ONE infinite OCEAN of all Divine GOODNES through Regeneration alterity being swallowed up of unity in the Sabath of Sabbaths or when the eternal Jubile is come for which we were created we do by consent of divine Clemency attaine the scope and true mark in the full fruition whereof we shall hereafter be delighted just like a miserable Exile and pilgrim tossed up and down through various hazards hardships streights and miserable sufferings restord againe to his rightful Country for he deserveth not sweet who hath not tasted of bitter things There is no recovering or returning to what we have lost but by the Crosse and Death Nor will God have mortall Man who now is wandring from him that he should come to immortall blessednesse and glory in a delicate journey but through the Fire of Temptation and Tribulation with a sad and sharpe death because the Coronation and wiping away of all teares is after the victory when we have overcome all our enemies eternall Life will recompence greater wars and wrestlings But to returne to the supream though crosse fortune hath not onely hindred me who have alway been desirous of the honest and most sincere Truth many times though in vaine aspiring and earnestly desiring to enter into the inner rooms of that supream Phylosophicall Oratory not to the end that I might make Gold and Silver for truely they are rich enough who are content with a little and make it not their businesse to get much but with an exceeding love to find out the True Physick and upright desire of the wonderfull works of God but I know not by what sinister and most unhappy destiny of mine it so fell out that with how much the more fervent endeavor of mind I have followed those most secret Studies by so much the more bitterly have I been worryed hitherto by the slanderous Envy of malevolent men and waves or fruits of of Fortune the necessity of equity enforceth that though I cannot proceed further as yet I comfort my selfe with the cogitation onely and thinking upon so great a Thing God himselfe knoweth what to whom when and how is fit whose Name be glorified and blessed for ever who many times turneth away those things which happily might do us hurt because he is good Num. 11.33 Psal 78.30 31 104. 105.
assume a bodily shape with airy words thoughts and deeds by a mixture with that which is earthy Neverthelesse such kind of miracles and consequences doe at last decay againe into the aire as Nymphs turn into water just as a man by rotting is consumed and turned to earth because he came from thence TEXT 20. And thus the procreations proceeded one out of another by the great separation From those procreations arose other generations which have their mysteries in those procreations not in like manner as the separation of the things aforesaid but as a mistake or abortion or excesse Whence thunder is Thunder comes from the proceations of the Firmament because that consisteth of the Element of fire Thunder is as it were the harvest of the Stars at that very instant of time when it was ready to work according to its nature Magicall tempests rise out of the aire and there end not as if the Element of aire begot them but rather the spirit of the aire The fire conceives some things bodily as the Earth doth the Gnomes Likewise ordure comes from men and beasts not from the earth Whence Lorind is Lorind riseth from the originall of water yet it is not of the water Many other things also proceed out of the store either through mistake or in due time Crooked men â—orms plague famine Deformed men wormes and many more such like generations proceed from the impressions The infection of countries the plague famine is from the fatall stormes Beetles cankers Dalni Beetles cankers dalnes breed in dung By Lorind is found out the Prophesie of that country What Lorind for esheweth which is a kind of presage or guessing at strange wonderfull and unheard of things to come TEXT 21. What the fourth separâ—tion is As we have seen a threefold separation made out of the mysterie into three sorts of formes it remaines now that we consider the fourth and last separation of all after which there shall be no more for then all the other shall perish and be no longer a mysterie After the fourth all things shall be reduced into their first principle and that onely remaine which was before the great mysterie and is eternall Which is not so to be understood as if I could be turned into any thing or as though any thing could be made of me after the last separation unlesse by death for I shall be brought to nothing as in respect of my beginning I came out of nothing How alâ—â—hings are reduc'd into their principle Now we must know how it comes to passe that all things are brought againe into their originall When they are turned into nothing then doe they consist in their first Being Frst of all then we must look after that which is the first of all And what that is that goeth iâ—to nothing is no lesse than a mysterie My soule in me was made of something therefore doth it not become nothing because it was formed of something But of nothing nothing is made nothing is generated A picture drawn on a table as it is a picture The difference between a man and an image was doubtless made of something But we were not so made of something as an image in the aire And why so but because we came out of the great not out of the procreated mysterie Therefore are we brought to n = * He means as to the body nothing If you wipe off a picture with a spunge so that nothing thereof remaine the table is as it was before Thus all creatures shall be reduced to their first state to wit to nothing That we may know wherefore all bodies must return into nothing it is because of that which is eternall in the bodies rationall The last matter is most wonderfull The last separation of this kind is the ultimate matter Then will there many procreations mixtures conversions alterations transmutations and such like things be done all which are past mans finding out TEXT 22. Againe by Philosophy it is manifest that whatever is for the succour and preservation of any frail mortall thing is therewith also equally mortall nor can that be joyn'd againe that is divided as milk once turned into curds becomes milk no more Milk once turned into curds is no more milk thus may we reason also that the great mysterie returneth not into that out of whâ—ch it came Whence we may conclude that all creatures are the picture of the highest mysterie The creatures are the pictures of the great Secret and so nothing else but as a painted colour is to the wall Such is our life under heaven that one thing as well as another may be destroyed and turn'd into nothing For as the table or frame of a picture may be destroyed and burnt so also may the great mysterie and we with it And as all the things of the creatures are wip'd away minished and do perish with the mystery as a forrest which the fire burns into a little heap of ashes out of which ashes but a little glasse is made and that glasse is brought into a small-beryll which beryll vanisheth into wind in like manner we also shall be consumed still passing from one thing into another til there be nothing of us left Such as the beginning such is the end of the creatures The Cypres grows from a small graine If the Cypres tree can spring out of a little graine surely it may be brought into as small a quantity as that little kernell was at first A grain and the beryll are alike As it begins in a grain A graine is the begining a beryâ—â— the and of things so it ends in a beryll Now when the separation is thus made and every thing reduc'd to its nature or first principle to wit into nothing then is there nothing within the skie but is endlesse and eternall For that by which it is for ever will there flourish much more largly than it did before the creation it having no frailty or mortality in it As no creature can consume glasse so neither can that eternall essence be brought to nothing by that which is eternall TEXT 23. The last separation being the dissolution of all creatures and one thing consuming and perishing after another thereby the time of all those things is known What mortal things are eternall When the creatures once were they had no utter ruine in them for a new seed still supplyeth the room of the old decayed thing Thus there is somewhat eternall not subject to ruine in the things that are mortall by renovation of another seed which thing the Philosopher knoweth not No seed doth admit or constitute that which is eternall Yet doth it admit putrefaction when that which is eternall is taken into the eternal Man is a companion of the eternall In this respect man onely among all the rest of the creatures hath that which is eternall in himselfe joyned with
Pigmyes In the Aire or our airy world there are Umbratils Silveâ—ters Satyrs whose Monsters are the Gyants To the Fire or the Firmament doe belong the Vulcanals Pennats Salamanders Superi whose Monsters are Zundell Besides those Flagae which Theophrastus in his works affirmeth are in many thousands of severall forts incorporated to the Soul of the World Thus also there is a fourfold Medicine For example the fiery airy watry earthy Heart of the Macrocosm in all things agreeable to the Heart of the Microcosm Man For all things are of one operation in Man So also are we to understand of the rest of the members of the body for the Microcosm the child ought always to answer to the fourfold members of the Macrocosm its parent Thus we shall find that every malady and medicine is of the same Physiognomy Chyromancy and Anotomy He that knows not this Fundamentall cannot be a good Phisitian Thus also we find out of ancient Records that Astrologers and Chymiologers were very near of kin for the Caelestiall Astronomy is as it were the Parent and Mistresse of the inseriour for as much as both have their own Heaven their own Sun their own Moon their Planets and their own proper Stars yet so as that the Astrology of superiour things hath to doe with the Chymiology of things inferiour Those Chymists who by the assistance of divine Grace have attained the Mind and rightly know how to accommodate the properties of those bodies in the superiour Globe which are seen in the Astra's and bodies of the inferiour Globe these can easily and truly unfold all Phylosophicall difficulties that have been wrapt up in aenigmaticall obscurity and will confesse that henceforth they need not travell to India or America to get the knowledge of Phylosophy For by the providence and goodnesse of the Creator it is so ordered that the invisible Astra's of the other Elements should be represented by a visible appearance in the supream Element and that they should clearly discover their motions and seasons although there be nothing in the whole course of the inferiour Nature which by the inbred Astra's is not able to justifie the lawfull use of Astronomy In his Idaea of Phylosophical Phifick They that are troubled with the gout have a foresence of the sudden change of seasons their paine many times makes them Prophets and Astrologers against their will So many sick folk perceive before hand the change of weatherin the four Elements The Internall Elements of man have a foresence of the change of Externall As Reason rules the outward Astra's so Physick rules the inward The Astrum of Man and Heaven is but one Thus as P. Severinus the Dane doth learnedly observe the Sidus constellation of Summer Winter Spring Autumn are contained in the Earth Water Aire which unlesse they did conspire with the Astra's of the Firmament to which onely many of the common Phylosophers by a great mistake have ascribed all Astronomy we should blame the impressions of the Heavenly Astra's as barren in the time of dearth There is a twofold Heaven Externall as all the bodies of the Astra's in the Heaven of the Firmament and Internall which is the Astrum or invisible and insensible body in all the Stars of Heaven That invisible and insensible body of the Astra's is the Spirit of the World or Nature as Paracelsus calls it the Hylech spread abroad through all the Astra's or rather it is all the Astra's it selfe And as that Hylech in a particular manner containes all the Astra's in the great World so also the internall Heaven of Man which is the Olimpick spirit doth particularly comprehend all the Astra's And thus the invisible Man is not onely all the Astra's but is altogether one and the same thing with the Spirit of the world as whitenesse is with snow As all things spring and proceed from within from things hidden and invisible so also the visible corporall substances proceed from incorporall spirituall things out of the Astra's and are the bodies of the Astra's and remaine in the Astra's one in the other Hence it followes that not onely all living things but also all growing things even stones and mettalls The Formation of things is in the Astra'â— as iron in the imagination of the Smith Hence also Nativities are to be cast See Pâ—racel in Paramiro de eme Astroâ—um and whatever are in the Universall Nature of things are indued with a syderiall spirit which is called Heaven or the Astrum the secret Forger from which every Formation Figure and Colour of things proceedeth From this proper and internall Astrum viz. The Sun of the Microcosm which Paracelsus calls the Ens or Being of the seed and virtue or power is Man also generated produced figured formed and governed But when we say that all the form of things proceedeth from the astra's it is not meant of the visible coales of Heaven nor of the invisible body of the Astra's in the Firmament but of every things own proper Astrum so that the superior doth not power forth its vertues hidden secrets into the inferiour spectificate Firmament as the false Philosophers thinke that the stars of the Firmament do infuse virtue into herbs and trees no in no wise every growing and living thing carry its proper heaven and Astrum with it selfe and in it selfe the superiour stars in their course through the Zodiak excite and stir up the growth of inferiour things they provide for them by dew raine seasons but do not infuse the internall Astrum into things that grow neither smell nor colour nor forme but all things proceed from the inner Astrum or secret forger and not from without the externall stars do neither incline nor necessitate Man Man governeth the Stars and not the Stars him but Man rather inclines the Stars and by his Magicall imagination infecteth them and causeth those deadly impressions For we receive not our conditions properties and manners from the Ascendant nor from the Constellation of the Planets but from the hand of God through the breathing in of the breath of life Read the eight Psalme So that Mans Reason ought to rule the externall Stars For if we that are the children of Adam did not provoke our Father with our sins we should alwayes find him meek and gentle towards us Vid. Paracels see Paracels in Paramiro lib. 2. de origine morbor cap. 7. The course of the externall Firmament is free with its constellations and is governed by none So the course of the Firmament and Stars in Man is free with their Constellations and not at all governed by the outward Firmament which course is not finished materially but in the spirits of bodies For as the Aire or Sun cannot set an apple or pear upon the tree which must rather grow ouâ— of its own internall Astrum or inward Heaven from the Centre to the Circumference much lesse can the externall superiour Heaven infuse any vertue into the things that