matter infinite it is the spirits or essence of nature Chap. 82. An answer to an old question what becomes of the shape or figure or outward forms of the old figure when the nature takes a new form ALL Created or not created or created and dissolved again figures or forms lie in onely matter either in by parts or in the whole for the materials of every figure is but of one matter and the lump of all figures is the figure of eternal matter for the infinite particular of figures is the infinite form shape or figure of infinite and eternal matter and the creation disposals and dissolvings of figures are the several actions of that onely matter for infinite motions are the infinite life of the infinite and eternal life which life is as eternal matter being part of the matter it self and the manner of moving is but the several actions of life for it is not an absence of life when the figure dissolves but an alteration of life that is the matter ceaseth not from moving for every part hath life in it be the parts never so small or disperst amongst other parts and if life there must be consequently sense if sense knowledge then there can be no death if every part hath life in it so that which we call death is onely an alteration of such motions in such a figure in onely matter Chap. 83. Of Transmigrations TRansmigrations are not metamorphosed for to metamorphose is to change the shape and interior form but not the intellect which cannot be without a new creation nor then but so as partly the intellect changes with the shape and interior form but all bodies are in the way of transmigrations perpetually As for example the nourishing food that is received into the stomack transmigrated into Chylus Chylus into blood blood into flesh flesh into fat and some of the chylus migrated into humors as Choler Flegme and melancholy some into excrement which transmigrats through the body into dung dung into earth earth into Vegetables Vegetables into Animals again by the way of food and likewise Animals into Animals and Vegetables into Vegetables and so likewise the elements But indeed all creatures are created by the way of transmigration As for example hens or other fouls lay eggs and then sit on them from whence a nourishing heat is transmigrated from the hen into the eggs which transmigrates into a kinde of a Chylus then into blood blood into flesh flesh into sinews sinews into bones and some into veines arteries brains and the like For transmigration is onely the mixing sifting searching tempering faculty of innated matter which is self-motion and motion is the onely transmigrater otherwise infinite matter would lie idle eternally though I cannot well conceive how infinite can be without motion but howsoever we perceive so much as there are proper motions and mixtures of matter belonging to every particular figure and though figures doth produce figures yet figures do not order the creation for it is not the figures that create but creation that produceth by figures which creation is motion which motion is innated matter which matter creates and dissolves by the way of transmigrations all figures dissolving to create and creates to dissolve but dissolving and creation which is that we call life and death hath onely a reference to the figures but not of the nature of the matter Chap. 84. Of metamorphosing of Animals and Vegetables IT is impossible for Animals and vegetables to be metamorphosed without a creation as to transform a man into a tree or a tree into a man nor a man into the form of a beast as to turn mans-flesh into horse-flesh or horse-flesh into mans-flesh or one mans-flesh to turn into another mans-flesh or an Oak into a Cypres or a Cypres into an Oak and so the like in all Vegetables and Animals thus Transforming the interior forms or rather changing the interior form like garments putting one and another interior form upon one and the same intellect nature which is impossible by reason the interior forms and intellect natures are inseparable so that destroying the one destroyes the other and a change cannot be made of either without the dissolution of the whole no more then a man can change the whole building without pulling down the house for though they may make some alterations in the outward shape as to add something more or take away and make all lesse or thicker or thinner or higher or lower but cannot alter the interior form which is the foundations but if they pull it down the same materials may be put into another form or into the same form it was at first but it must first be new built again before it can have those forms and they must stay the time of building so for every Vegetable creature and Animal creature they cannot be metamorphosed by the reason metamorphosing is to change their forms without a new creation and they cannot change their forms without a dissolution and then created anew by reason the intellect and the interior form is as one body and not to be separated for the interior forms of these creatures and the intellects depend upon one another and without one the another cannot be The intellect and the interior form may be divided together into parts but not separated apart though the several sorts of one and the same kinde as Animal kinde may be mixed in their creations as to be some part a beast some part a dog or the like and part a man and some creature partly a bird and partly a beast or partly a beast and partly a fish yet the intellect is mixt with the interior form and the exterior shape with the interior form The like in vegetables and if the interior forms and intellects of each sort nay of each creature cannot be changed much lesse of each kinde thus the intellect natures and interior forms of it can never be without a new creation and as for the exterior shapes of Animals may be altered but not changed for Animals of all other creatures have their shapes most unite to the interior form and 〈◊〉 intellect nature of any other creature in nature But I desire my readers not to mistake me for want of terms and words of Art For the interior or intellect nature I mean is such properties disposition constitution Capacity and the like that makes it such a creature The interior form is such a substance and such a sort as flesh or fish or wood or metal and not onely so but such a sort of flesh as mans-flesh horse-flesh dogs-flesh and the like So the wood of oak the wood of maple the wood of ash And the like so the gold metal the iron metal and the like For horse-flesh is not mans-flesh nor the wood of oak the wood of ash nor the metal of gold the metal of iron And as for the exterior form I mean the outward shape Chap. 85.
no otherw aies then if I should see a man but neither know his estate quality capacity or natural disposition thus upon my conscience is a truth not onely in these two Philosophers but all Philosophers and not onely Philosophers but all their learned men so that I am no otherwayes learned in writers works or other opinions then those that onely learned the tearms of arts and sciences but know no more The like they may say of Physitians as of Philosophers when they read my opinions of diseases it is true I have converst with Physitians more then any other learned profession yet not so much as to increase my understanding although more then was advantagious for my health indeed I have been the worst Physitian to my self besides wise learned men think it a discredit to discourse learnedly to ignorant women and many learned men speak most commonly to women as women do to children nonsense as thinking they understand not any thing or else like those that are of another Language speak such gibbrish to those they would have understood that they understand not themselves yet think those they speak to do conceive them as if ignorance was bound to understand nonsense that is not to be understood but I desire my Readers or censurers for some will censure that have not read or at least not understood me that I did never take nor steal any opinion or argument from any other as my own nor never will and if I hit or light upon the same it is meer chance T is true I have mentioned many opinions but not as my own opinions or arguments but rather 〈◊〉 civilly I have been opposite to those opinions I have heard of and I make no question but if my Readers will take the paines to compare my writings to others and throughly examine them they will I make no question finde great difference for though other Philosophy have treated of matter form and motion being the fundamental ground of all all natural Philosophical discourse yet I believe not my way nor I never read any book of diseases or medicines but Gerrards Herball which no question is a very rare book and cetainly discribes the tempers of herbs fruits and drugs very learnedly but I do verily 〈◊〉 the learning lies more in the tempers then in the applications for I beleeve where one is rightly applied forty are falsly applied and how shall it be otherwaies unlesse he had studied the motions and tempers of diseases for one and the same diseases may be of several tempers and motions wherefore one and the same simple will not cure one and the same kinde or rather sort of disease Wherefore I beseech my readers to be so charitable and just as not to bury my works in the monuments of other writers but if they will bury them let it be in their own dust or oblivion for I had rather be forgotten then scrape acquaintance or insinuate my self into others company or brag of received favours or take undeserved gifts or belie noble Benefactors or to steal although I were sure the theft would never be discovered and would make me live eternally But I have no acquaintance with old Authors nor no familiarity with the moderns I have received no instructions by learning and I never owned that which was not justly my own nor never stole that which was justly anothers neither have I retained but plain truth to defend and conscience towitnesse for me Besides I have heard that learning spoiles the natural wit and the fancies of others drive the fancies out of our own braines as enemies to the nature or at least troublesome guests that fill up all the rooms of the house This opinion or rather a known truth was a sufficient cause for me neither to read many Books or hear arguments or to dispute opinions had I ever been edicted to one or accustomed to the other by reason I found a naturall inclination or motion in my own brain to fancies and truly I am as all the world is partial although perchance or at least I hope not so much as many are yet enough to desire that my own fancies and opinions might live in the world rather then the fancies and opinions of other mens in my brain AN EPISTLE TO MY HONOURABLE READERS MOst Noble Reader let not partialitie or obstinacie weigh judgments scales but truth wherefore if you weigh my Philosophical and Physical opinions with the ancient Philosophers lay by the weaknesse and incapacity of our sex my unexperienced age my unpractised time my ignorant studies my faint knowledge and dim understanding to help to pair my discourse with theirs in which scale there are learned studies long experience practised time high arguments and School-disputations Besides they draw and make the large river of their discourse from many several springs mine onely flows in little Rivolets from the natural spring in my own brain AN EPISTLE TO THE Reader for my Book of Philosophy PErchance many that read this book will hardly understand it not but it may be as rational and as probable as any that have writ before but unlesse they be contemplary persons which are not many in our nation especially in the Protestant opinion which live not Monastical lives are not so curious nor so inquisitive after nature as to study that Science Besides they think it unprofitable bringing no advantage but they are much mistaken for that it is a great insight to the knowledge of all Vegetables Minerals and Animals their constitutions their sympathies and antipathies their extractions and applications which they apply for health and prolonging of life Besides the study in this Science brings them acquainted with the course of the stars and planets and the several tempers of the Climats and the nature of the several Soyls which is profitable in husbandry then it is advantagious for the art of Navigation and Plantations and many other things but above all this study is a great delight and pleases the curiosity of mens minds it carries their thoughts above vulgar and common Objects it elevates their spirits to an aspiring pitch It gives room for the untired appetites of man to walk or run in for so spatious it is that it is beyond the compasse of time besides it gives pleasure in varieties for infinite wayes are sirawed with infinite varieties neither doth it binde up man to those strickt rules as other Sciances do it gives them an honest liberty and proves temperance is the greatest pleasure in nature T is true moral Philosophy is an excellent study but the doctrine is too strict for the practise for it teaches more then can be followed and Theologie is a glorious study but the way is difficult and dangerous for though there are many pathes yet there is but one that leads to heaven and those that step awrie fall into the Gulph of damnation and the deep study in this many times blindes the eyes both of faith and reason and
instead of uniting mankind with love to live in peace it makes discords with controversies raises up faction to uphold each-side whose endlesse quarrels are followed with such hatred and fought with such malice and envie and the zeal spits so much blood as if not onely several parties would be rased out but the bulk of mankinde And to study Law is to study dissention to study Logick is to study deceit to make falshood appear like truth to study Rhetorick is to study words more then sense and many the like studies are more painful then useful more time lost then profit got more tedious then pleasant more sophistry then truth Indeed the Mathematicks brings both profit and pleasure to the life of man it gives just measure and equal weight it makes all odd reckonings even it sets all musical notes it brings concord out of discord it gives diminution and extention But as I said before few or none but Monastical men which live contemplary lives despising the vanities of the world next to the service of God seek to be acquainted with nature and to observe the course of her works yet in an humble and respectful manner as to admire her curiosity and to glorifie and adore the God of nature for the wonders they finde by her works and workings for this reason if I had been so learned I would have put my book into Latine which is a general language through all Europe and not have writ it in my native Language which goeth no further then the kingdom of England wherein I fear my book will finde but little applause because few therein study natural Philosophy and what they understand not they cannot judge of yet I beleeve all that read will take upon them to give a censure and what their weak braines is not capable to reach at their active tongues are capable to pull down so that I fear me my book will be lost in oblivion or condemned by ignorance unlesse some generous disposition which hath a genius in natural Philosophy and learned and eloquent in the Latine tongue will translate my work yet I had rather my book should die in Oblivion then to be divulged to disadvantage and instead of cloathing it in a new garment they will dismember the body of sense as to put out the natural eyes and put in glasse eyes in the place or to cut off the legs and then set the body upon wooden stumps but unlesse the Translator hath a genius sutable to the Author of the Original the Original will be disfigured with mistakes yet it is easier to translate prose then verse for rimes number and sense are hard to match in several Languages it is double labour and requires double capacitie for although Ovid and Dubartus were so happy as to meet a Sylvester and a Sands yet very few or no other had the like good fortune in our Language for this reason I would have turned my Atomes out of verse into prose and joyned it to this book but I finding my brain would be like a river that is turned from its natural course which will neither run so smooth swift easie nor free when it is forced from its natural motion and course both which made me desist c. AN EPISTLE TO MY READERS I Must advertise my Readers that though I have writ difserent wayes of one and the same subject yet not to obstruct crosse or contradict but I have used the freedom or taken the liberty to draw several works upon one ground or like as to build several rooms upon one foundation likewise my desire was to expresse the several works that several motions make in printed figures that the sense of my opinions might be explained to the eye as well as to the ear or conceivements of my Readers but by reason the Painters and Cutters in this Country cannot speak nor understand English nor I any other Language which reason perswaded me to let my Book be Printed without them for though I might have had such an Interpreter that could expresse grosse material subjects yet none that were so learned in both Languages as to expresse and instruct them to expresse by their art the figures of the fine curious subtil and obscure motions in nature and to have them all done would have rather puzled my Readers and confounded the sense of my opinions then any wayes have advantaged the one or informed the other Wherefore I must intreat my Readers to take a little more paines and care in the reading and considering part AN EPISTLE TO MY READERS I Desire my Readers to give me the same priviledge to discourse in natural Philosophy as Scholers have in schooles which I have heard speak freely and boldly without being condemned for Atheisme for they speak as natural Philosophers not as Divines and since it is natural Philosophy and not Theologie I treat on pray account me not an Atheist but beleeve as I do in God Almighty A CONDEMNING TREATISE OF ATOMES I Cannot think that the substance of infinite matter is onely a body of dust such as small atoms and that there is no solidity but what they make nor no degrees but what they compose nor no change and variety but as they move as onely by fleeing about as dust and ashes that are blown about with winde which me thinks should make such uncertainties such disproportioned figures and confused creations as there would be an infinite and eternal disorder But surely such wandring and confused figures could never produce such infinite effects such rare compositions such various figures such several kindes such constant continuance of each kinde such exact rules such undissolvable Laws such fixt decrees such order such method such life such sense such faculties such reason such knowledge such power which makes me condemn the general opinions of atoms though not my particular opinions of the figures that the long atoms make air the round water the flat square earth also that all the other figures are partly severed from those also the measure and the weight of atoms of slime flame of burning of quenching of fire and of the several motions compositions and composers in their creating and dissolving of figures also their wars and peace their sympathies and antipathies and many the like but this opinion of mine is if the infinite and eternal matter are atoms but I have considered that if the onely matter were atoms and that every atome is of the same degree and the same quantity as well as of the same matter then every atom must be of a living substance that is innate matter for else they could not move but would be an infinite dull and immoving body for figures cannot make motion unlesse motion be in the matter and it cannot be a motion that sets them at work without substance for motion cannot be without substance or produced therefrom and if motion proceeds from substance that substance is moving innately but if motion is nothing then every several
and hath as much recourse to the heart as to the head and so to the other parts of the body for any thing I can perceive But that matter I call the rational and sensitive spirits which others call the animal and vital spirits perchance fools may think me extravagant for giving the matter other names but I was forced to take these names because they were more significant to the sense of my discourse besides perchance they may think when I speak of rational and sensitive spirits that they are hobgoblins ghosts or visions such as nurses fright their children with or superstitions or as the wiser sort doth to make credulous fools beleeve to keep them in awe knowing they are apt to disorders Chap. 182. Musick may cure mad folks THere is great reason why Musick should cure madnesse for this sort of madnesse is no other but the spirits that are in the brain and heart put out of their natural motion and the spirits having a natural sympathy with Musick may be composed into their right order but it must be such Musick as the number of the notes must goe in such order as the natural motion of the brain though every brain hath not one and the same motion but are set like notes to several tunes wherefore if it were possible to set notes to the natural motion of the heart or that brain that is distempered it might be perfectly cured but as some notes do compose the brain by a sympathy to the natural motion so others do make a discord or antipathy and discompose it putting the natural motions out of tune Thus much for the sensitive Maladies Chap. 183. Of the fundamental diseases first of fevours THere are many several sorts or manners of fevors but I will onely treat of the fundamental fevours which are three from which three all other fevors are partly derived the first is a malignant fevor the second the hective fevor and the third the ordinary burning fevours the first is catching and often deadly the second is never catching but alwayes deadly the third is neither catching and seldom deadly the first proceeds from violent disordered motions and distempered matter and humour The second from swift motions which distemper and make waste of the matter which matter I mean the substance of the body The third is too violent motions on well tempered matter And these three sorts of fevours are often mixt as it were a part of all mixt into one but a high malignant fevor is a sudden usurpation for the disordered motions joyned with a mistempered matter which is corrupt humours surprise the body and destroy the life therein as we shall see in great plagues the body is well sick and dead in a moment these or the like diseases are caused after three manner of wayes as being taken from outward infection or bred by an evil habit in the body or by taking some disagreeing matter therein which causeth a war of sicknesse for upon the disorder which the disagreeing matter makes the natural motions belonging to the body grow factious and like a common rout arise in an uproar which strives onely to do mischief stopping some passages that should be kept open and opening some passages that should be kept shut hindring all regular motions from working after that natural manner forcing those they can over power to turn rebels to the life of the body For it is against the nature of the innated matter to be idle wherefore it works rather irregularly then not work at all but as long as a body lies sick the power is divided one part of the innated matter working irregularly the other according to the natural constitution which by the regularity they strive to maintain the chief forts of life which are the vital parts especially the heart and disordered motions striving to take or pull them down making their strongest assaults thereon for the disordered innated matter makes out-works of corrupted matter stopping as many passages as their power will give leave so striving either to starve the vital parts or to oppresse them with corruption or to burn them by their unnatural heat they make in the body or to drown them with watrish humor which is caused by the distemper of ill disgestions and obstructions the regular innated matter strives to break down those works and to cast and expel that filth out of the body and according as each party gets the better the body is better or worse and according as the siege continues the body is sick and according as the victory is lost or won is life or death Chap. 185. Of the infections of animals Vegetables and elements Such motions as corrupt animal bodies corrupt vegetable bodies and as corrupt and malignant air is infectious to animals so likwise to vegetables and as malignant diseases are catching and infectious to those that comes neer them so oftentimes vegetables are infectious to animals as herbs and fruits which cause some yeers such dangerous sicknesse and killing diseases to those that eat thereof likewise those bodies that are infected do infect sound and nourishing food when once it is eaten causeth that which is good also malignant when once in the body Chap. 186. Of burning fevros ALL burning fevours for the most part are produced from the vital spirits as when they move irregularly they corrupt the natural humours which cause a distemper of heat in the body moving towards expulsions which are dilation and when they move with supernatural quicknesse after an extenuating maner they inflame the body in either causes emptying the body and quenching the fire is to be put in execution for the emptier the body is the lesse humours there will be Ltkewise lesse motion as having lesse matter for in matter motion lives likewise the lesse cumbustible matter there is the sooner the unnatural fire will be quenched unlesse that the fire be in the arteries then it is like a colepit set on fire wherein there is no quenching it unlesse you drown the coles so when the unnatural heat is in the arteries you must drown the life of the body like the colein the pit before you can quench the fire but a 〈◊〉 may be eased somwhat prolonged with cooling brothes and quenching julips for though they cannot enter the arteries yet they may keep the outward parts cold and moist which may cast cold damps quite through the body but in this case all evacuations are dangerous for the more empty the body is of humour the sooner the body is consumed for the humours serve as oyl and though they flame yet they keep in the light of life in all other fevours evacuations of all sorts are good for if it be some melancholy pitch humours that are set on fire in the body or some oylie cholerick humours it is but quenching it with cooling julips without any hurt to the body and if it be a brandy blood set on fire it is