his whole heart by humble Prayers and his hope shall not fail but he shall become worthy of the last Redemption Of this let none doubt or despair for he alone redeemeth Israel from all their enemies and will truly and faithfully perform the same to such as truly and humbly call upon his name So that the first Admonition cannot be more rightly and better practiced then by Prayers seeing it is an invoking of God but beware you do it not from an Hypocritical and Deceitful heart but cordially after the rule of the Capernaites with firmness of Faith and Hope as the Woman of Canaan thereby procuring her Daughters health and with a Christian Charity as the Samaritan poured in Wine and Oyl into the wounds of the poor man near Jericho and on his own cost took the care of him Whosoever useth this invocation and intends with a Christian charity the benefit of his Neighbor thereby without doubt shal obtain what he so earnestly seeks for viz. His wish'd for end and proposed hope of health and richness 2. Next to Prayer follows a Contemplation of all things that is before all other things chiefly consider their Circumstances Matter Form Original Virtues Influence Conjunction the secret force of the Stars the Elementary composure the Generation and Forming out of the three Principles the things that are Then also that every thing is reducible and may be brought back into its first Matter and first Essentiality which mention is made of in my writing that of the first Matter the last and out of the last the first may be made This consideration next to seeking of God is chief Celestial and Spiritually to be understood The understanding of the Condition and Quality of every thing is found out by the spiritual thoughts of man from an out-flowing speculation and this speculating is twofold Possible and Impossible 1. The Impossible consists in superfluous Cogitations of things without or beyond Natures limits wherein no form of Essentiality is manifest as if a man attempted to search out the Eternity of God which cannot be done But it is an absolute crazy wicked sin against the Holy Spirit to set upon the inquiry of his immeasureable infinite and eternal Deity and to examine the unfathomable Mysteries of his Counsel and Wisdome 2. Now the Possible Consideration admits the Theory of examining the nature of things visibLe manifest and having a created Form or Essence how by help of separation each Body may be understood that they may become profitable the good may be segregated from the bad and the Medicine from the lurking Poyson in an Anatomical manner by separation and rectification that the pure may be divided from the impure without deceit which separation may be accomplished sundry ways some whereof are known to the vulgar others not so common as are Calcination Sublimation Reverberation Circulation Putrefaction Digestion Cohobation Destillation Fixation and other ways all which degrees are in their order found out learned practiced and manifested by labor and by which appears what is fix what volatile white black or red and the like helping the Artificer to discern and walk rightly in his Art with mature consideration for consideration may trust too or lean on a false foundation and erre if the Kingly path be not attained too But contrarily Nature knows not how to erre if rightly governed by a faithful steward to whose care she is committed If thou therefore erre because thou hast not loosned Nature and freed her from the Body whereto she 's Captive learn the Theory better more accurately attend thy work that thou may'st be acquainted with the true fundamental knowledge of separating all things and this is a chief and the most principal thing So then the second Basis of Phylosophy is the speculating of all things and Essences and is called the consideration of nature for it s written First seek the kingdome of God and his righteousnes c. viz by calling on his name and the other things shall be added thereunto viz. the understanding of things temporall and enjoyment of necessaries for food and health Having circumspectly accomplished the consideration of all things which in the precedent we called the Theory followes in order a due preparation which is compleated by manuall Operation that some thing both profitable and active may be obtained by meanes of which preparation is purchased the Knowledge of medicinall virtues Now manuall operations must with diligence and paines be carefully prosecuted experienced Knowledge is praise worthy But Anatomy doth judge and demonstrate the difference both of the good and the bad and their virtues Handy Labour gives evidence that all things may be brought to the light and bee made visible The theorical knowledge of the virtues of any subject is a good fore-runner of practise and proves a truly solid foundation whereby one may become a tru practioner is nothing else than a confirmation of the good that is discovered by manual labour whereby the secrets of Nature may be educed for profitable ends For as in the reasonable soul the way is to bee prepared by the Lord so here an harmonious and legitimate path is to be cut out that a progress may be made for bodily health without doubtfulness and errour And this is Preparation 4. The Preparation or Separation of the hurtful profitable being by Resolution accomplished We come to the Use or Administration thereof and here beware lest thou either encrease or diminish the true Weight which in the operation thou must observe viz. Whether or no thy remedy bee weak or strong which a Physitian ought afore hand to know as whether it bee injurious and hurtful or beneficial lest by the detriment and death of his neighbour he exposeth his own soul to hazard 5. After that the Operation beginnes to bee dilated and diffused through the parts of the body searching for the disease for which it was administred The Profitablenesse or Benefit comes under consideration by which as the main End is discernable what Good the operation hath induced for it may happen that a Medicine may hurt and not help the diseased which may be contrary to or improper for the diseased and so is rather a Poyson than a Medicine for restoring health Let every one on this accompt warily heed and aim at the publique good that he may observe and them so observed commit to writing let them not perish by oblivion but be manifested for the use of others Moreover in the Vse as also in the Benefit of Medicine it is observable whether or no a disease be a solution of continuity or hath onely an internal seat for the Exteriour differ from the Interiour and so are their Remedies various Diseases therefore are to be distinguished whether or no they are curable by onely outward Remedies or to be expelled by inward Medicines On which account when the centre of a disease lodgeth inwardly and is to be throughly found out there ought to
are loaden and with child as it were of false Wisdome ye lean on a deceitfull Foundation ye fly in the ayry imaginations of your owne fancies and are altogether ignorant of the place of your rest I do therfore admonish you as you will give an account at the dreadfull day of Judgement to the Son of God that you seek and learn what things you must use that you may perform your duty leaving the remainder unto God who will blesse you and afford his help unto you O slow asses and drones who care not to make any progresse in Learning and fear to black your hands with coales be not hasty to judge neither give any farther occasion of pulling that Sentence upon your selves which your childrens children may write against you in a booke incorruptible Above all things let every Physitian be cautious that he prescribe nothing averse to Nature or to his cure least his hope of restoring Health deceive him As if spirit of Wine should be poured into the water of separation a great conflict and burning would suddenly follow because one nature cannot brook the other But he that knowes how to unite and conjoyne them Philosophically in distillation will be able by the help thereof to make things momentary So the Oyle or Liquor of Tartar and Vinegar cannot be united by reason of their mutuall hatred although they both sprang from the same Fountaine differing from each other as much as fire and water so then the Physitian in his undertaking a cure ought heedfully to inquire into all circumstances that respect his patient and having so examined let him consider and use such right Mediums as may remove the evill lest destruction ariseth from that which should have remedied the Disease As when a red hot iron is quenched in Aquafortis oyl of Tartar forthwith poured thereunto thou shalt scarce preserve thy glasse from breaking but those contrary Natures will cast out fire from themselves in the manner of Gunpowder concerning which our Doctor with his Gowne being ignorant is forc'd to hold his peace Ah wretched men unlearned Doctors unexperienced Physitians who write tedious Receipts in a long paper O ye Apothecaries that set over the fire great cauldrons sufficient to boil the meat of noble mens houses and to hold enough for an hundred persons how long will ye be blind anoint your eyes with a Collyrium and Balsom that the scales may be taken off and your Eyes may obtain a true sight which the Lord vouchsafe unto you that you may acknowledge his wonders and consider his works let Love and Charity to your Neighbour take root within you that you may be searchers after true Medicine which the King and Heavenly Prince of all hath formed by his own omnipotent arme and eternall Wisdome and freely given for the benefit of the most noble creature Man viz. For his help and health in the greatest necessity O deplorable putrid and stinking bag of Wormes ah poor little Worm and vilest of creatures what thinkest thou that thus feelest after the Husks and leavest the kernells nor ever thankest thy Creatour for them after whose image thou wert created nor ever givest praise unto him for all his wondrous works Return Return unto thy self delineate or paint thy self out and make a Resemblance of thy Effigies that it may shame thee of all thy ingratitude because thoâ— hast not hitherto sought that which Goâ— hath hidden in those good things he hatâ— granted unto us and infused into hiâ— creatures that a Sacrifice of Praise maâ— be returned unto him But I shall hold my peace and from bewailing this misery blindnesse and errour wherein the world is drowned I shall restainâ— my self left by the trickling down of tears my writings should receive defilement from which I can hardly abstaine I am an Ecclesiasticall man implanted into Church-order whereto I shall subject my self with my heart and mouth as long as my Soule lives in this miserable body I am on that account compelled to refrain nor dare I write any thing of my selfe unlesse it be suitable to my Order else I would lift up my voice like a Trumpet and were I but a Temporall Judge I would have audience at the hands of those contumacious men who as yet not knowing the truth but are ignorant do slanderously persecute it calumniate reproach and oppresse it with all their strength Most good God most high Lord of hosts that sittest in thy Glorious Throne governest the Heavens and the earth which thou hast created conservest the stars disposest the elements the firmament that they may run their course before whom all the World trembles the internall Spirits fear Look down for once upon the vanity of this unthankfull World Teach the Sons of men inwardly to acknowledge what thou hast outwardly set before their Eyes that thou maist be glorified in thy Throne truly known in thy power and worthily praised in thy infinite government rule Truly I wretched and worthlesse man do give all thanks to thy most glorious mjesty for those great miracles and blessings of health and riches which thou hast vouchsafed me I cannot give thee any more in this World which is but temporary and corruptible But now in my writing of Antimony I shall discover its beginning truly of what originall and how it obtaines superiority and government how it may be elevated into its perfect operation I will propound its root and its generation in the bowels of the Earth to what predominating star it is subject what Elements they are which have concocted it Let therefore the studious artist know that Antimony is nothing else but a fumâ— or minerall vapour produced above by the stars and then digested by the Elements into a coagulated forme Let all know that Antimony receives its Essence Virtue Faculty Operation and all qualities as to its initium oâ— birth and root as the Mercury of the Vulgar doth but with an harder coagulation Seeing that it is reduced to a more hard confirmation or coagulum then common running mercury which wants this induration and the reason is because it participates of a more thick salt out of the three principles although with respect to its three principies the salt obtains in it the smallest roome yet it hath more thereof then common mercury hath from which meanes it obtains its coagulation because t is salt that gives hardnesse in all things which hardnesse common Mercury wants because of its small portion of salt In which mercury a combustible sulphur is invisibly implanted alwaies keeping it in flux prohibiting its coagulation nor can it be coagulated without the addition of other metallick Spirits which in the matrix of Saturne are most potently effused and to be there had beyond all the other metals and otherwise it cannot be accomplished without the stone of the Wise men by which its three principles are made harmonious and threby it obtaines a fusil malleable soluble and conjugable body like to the other
of Wine eveÌ„ to transparency a Dose of which administred in a little Quantity is found to be very profitable To this Oyl may be added some Spirit of Salt and both projected on the Subtil Calx of Gold prepared by its own water extracted by an Alembeck which I have else where taught in my Writings and 't wil extract the Tincture of Gold only without seizing upon its body this Fermentation being made enough paper would not be procured to describe all the misteries which appear therein far beyond the thoughts of man But I advise the Physitian that he listen unto and mark my philosophicall proposals that he labour and bring the preparation unto use so shal he daily obtain honour and be throughly acquâ—inted with more Operations then any Physitian is able to prescribe unto him When thou hast proceeded with Antimony thus far and rightly obtained this processe wherein 't wil be expedient that thou behave thy self very discreetly and learn the things with diligent cogitations and try it by Labour and working thou maist boast of that magistery thus by thee obtained and discerne the vast ignorance wherein most men lye enthralled This Magistry mixt with a solution or Tincture of corals and given in drink with some comforting water operates even to admiration in dysenterian diseases and stops all infirmities proceeding of impure bloud makes glad the heart excites chastity and honesty and in a word makes a man quick and ready in all his undertakings For all which benefits let us ascribe most humble thanks to the creator and conservator of all things who hath bounteously vouchsafed unto us miserable in body and sick in Soul remedies for both diseases supplying us with refreshment and help or succour in all our necessities I wil also in few words deliver an arcanum of Antimony Take Antimony and salt Armoniack subtilly ground or beaten of each equal parts mingle them and distil them by a Retort dulcorate that which comes over with distilled Raine Water heated and put upon it which being abstracted and together with it viz. the Water all the acrimony and tast of the Salt the Glasse of Antimony will remaine in the bottome like white shining small feathers which subtilly dry in a very gentle heat this done put them into a Pelican or circulatory glasse whereto pour the best rectified Spirit of white Vitriol both which let be circulated untill they shall be well united distill them and being distilled poure Spirit of Wine upon them which circulate as before and so will there be a separation and some Feces will stay in the bottome but the Arcanum remaines united to the Spirits of Wine and Vitriol Which Arcanum if it be yet once more rectified one drop thereof drunk with a litle Rose-water operates more potently then a whole kettlefull of their boyled pottage It quickens the Appetite corrects the Stomack drives out Melancholly generates good Moud helps Concoction and is the best Treasure for allaying the Risings of the Matrix and for the Collick that can be Which most Laudable Arcanum cannot be bought for and valued by any silver Having spoken of the Arcanum of Antimony I shall now speak of its Elixir which is thus made Take with the Help of God of Antimony ground or beaten two parts of Salt Armoniack one part sublime them that which it sublimed drive over by a Retort into a Recipient three times every time separating the Faeces then by dulcoration evaporate the Sal Armoniack which matter of Antimony being well shut in a vessell reverberate at a gentle Fire by little and little untill it becomes like to the Minerall of Cinaber then poure upon it distilled Vinegar and extract its rednesse separate the Vinegar and poure upon the powder the Spirit of Wine which extract in B. M. and this Extraction will be most pure some Feces being left in the bottome put now this Spirit of Wine or this Extraction into a bolt head poure thereon a little Quintessence of Rhubarb and Coralls three or foure drops whereof being given to a man do gently provoke to Stoole and purgeth without any Gripings if thou hast rightly prepared it it lightens the Bloud and is a most profitable and pleasant Remedy for those who desire gentle purges But perhaps some Physitian or other will wonder how t is possible that this Medicine can purge so mildly seeing that Antimony is of it selfe most exceedingly penetrative and is here commixt with Rhubarb which of it self is likewise a purgative Medicine But desist from wondring for Antimony is by this meanes destroyed that his poisonous and purging Quality cannot operate upon any thing as long as t is mixt with another simple purging Medicine for this simple hath only a Naturall opening power But prepared Antimony by this meanes fleed from it's Labour of the Expulsion of any thing from the Ventâ—iâ—le can leasurely finde out some other way whereby to operate and performe that Office for which it was appointed Beleeve me for I have no Reason to falsifie or to lye this Elixir thus prepared can in the same manner-purge and penetrate the body as Antimony purgeth Gold and if I were to account and number up all its Virtues I suppose it necessary to entreat at the hands of God a longer life that so I might more plentifully understand and try the wonders of his divine Majesty and having experienced them communicate them to others that they together with me acknowledging and observing those wondrous things may give all prayse and thanks to God their Creatour But that I may goe through with my purposed intention which is so far to describe the virtues of Antimony as I have experimentally Learned I shall be silent as to things hidden from and not composed by me nor would it be handsome for me to judge of other mens actions and things unknown unto my experience but leave them to another judge who hath by his own industry made tryal it being impossible for one man fundamentally to learn all because of the shortnesse of life and the new accidents that daily happen in operations about the said Antimony Moreover be it known to all that Antimony doth not onely purge Gold and separate all extraneous additions therefrom but performs the same operation in the bodyes of men and other living creatures which I shall prove by an homely example If a householder intends to fatten a beast but especially an hog let him give him in his meat three dayes before he shuts him up halfe a dragme of crude Antimony by which means his appetite to his meat will be whetted and stird up within him and heel soone grow fat and if he hath any hurtful quality or disease in his liver or be leaprous he shall be healed This example will seem somewhat grosse to the ears of delicate men but I intended it for illiterate men or country people in whose brains the more subtile Philosophy is a meer stranger that they may discerne that experimentally