invisible Infinite the Truth it selfe the cause of every truth and of all things So the Light of Heaven is the splendour or rather the shaddow of Heaven visible Finite the cause of visible things For the whole Universe receiveth Light and Life from Heaven Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu and 70 of the Elders of Israel saw the God of Israel and under his Feete as it were a worke of Saphire-stone and as the very Heaven when it is cleare c. Exod. 24. 10. Whence we shall not speake Absurdly if we say that GOD shineth upon us by his Light from Heaven and the Sun as a Candle shineth through Glasse and Windowes made thereof otherwise we can hardly explaine this matter because of his Inscrutable Majesty That therefore the Celestiall Bodies are Animate is hence rightly concluded For it were absurd to deny a Life and Soule to be in Heaven and the Starres the which Inspire both Life and Soule even in the vilest of these Inferiour Bodies They give Life unto Plants which grow without naturall Seede as we see in the Mountaines and Places untill'd so likewise to the Earth For if a Lumpe be taken out of the Bowells thereof and for some time exposed to the Rayes of the Sun it yieldeth Grasse or some Herbes oftentimes the twiggs of Little Trees The Starres also bestow Life upon Animalls not generated by Copulation nor can we be so stupid as to imagine that Plants Trees c. are of a nobler Condition then the Celestiall Bodies This manifest perpetuall operation cannot come but from a Pure and Cleansed Body These things I suppose are sufficient to prove the World hath a Soule placed in Heaven as in the most noble Part thereof But perhaps you desire it may be further Proved that these Celestiall Soules are Rationall and participate of the Divine Mind The Matter is not obscure For if the World as Plato saith be the Best effect that could be of goodnesse it selfe That is of GOD for wee Germans so expresse it because Got sound nothing else with us then Gut if we rightly enquire the Reason of the Idiom it must certainly participate not onely of Life Sense and Reason but also of Intelligence The Soule is the Perfection of the Body And that Body most Perfect which hath the Perfectest Soule Wherefore if the Celestiall Bodies be most Perfect they must of necessity enjoy the most Perfect Soules The Heavens therefore doe Participate of the Intellect and Minde which very thing the Platoniques plainly approve by Musicall Concords For seeing that Musicall Concord is as it were Living Rationall and Efficacious what Resemblance hath it unto Life it selfe how Pleasing is it to the Mind and even Ravisheth the whole Man And which is more the Mind and all things else are made by the Soules by her they are preserved by her they are Moved And therefore Plato did not amisse when he Described the Soule to be shee that made Preserved and Moved all Naturall things especially by Musicall Numbers and Proportion constituted I say by numbers not Mathematicall as some Calumniate but by Ideall and Metaphysicall Proportions of Numbers This Harmony consisteth altogether in Motion because that by an Aerall Nature posited in Motion it moveth the Body by a Purifyed Aire it stirres up the Aereall Spirit the Chaine of Soule and Body By affect it at once disposeth the Sense and Affection By signification it operates upon the Mind Lastly through this Motion of the subtile Aire it penetrates vehemently It floweth sweetly through the Contemplation and by its conforme Quality powreth out it selfe with a wonderfull Pleasure By its Nature aswell spirituall as Materiall it at once Ravisheth and Claimeth all that is Man Wherefore let us seriously consider how the Sounds of most sweet Musique elevate and as it were double and treble our Minds And in like sort judge the Melody of the Celestiall Bodies who now by a slower but anon by a swifter Motion produce a tone that is Grave or Acute whereunto agree in these sublunaries Gravity and Levity Cold and Heat Moisture and Drynesse of Elements so likewise Matter and Forme in the Generation of things Meeknesse and Magnanimity Temperance and Fortitude in Humane Affaires Seeing therefore that Motion is every where Free in its own Nature it might easily prevaricate and wander unlesse it were Ruled by the Intellect and Minde the which wee cannot further enquire of in this Place according to the Exigence of the matter Besides it is absurd for us to have Reasons of our own workes for the Celestiall Soules and so the Soule of the Universe have no Reasons of theirs of whose spirit even wee our selves are generated and live continually If the Lesser World enjoy an Intelligent Soule such also enjoyes the greater But wee will cease to prosecute this any further concluding that the World is a Systeme of Celestiall and Terrestriall Bodies constant in Order Number and Measure but Living Animate Intellectuall Whence wee safely gather that the Soule of the World is a certaine singular Life filling all things vivifying all things producing and connecting all things that it may accomplish and preserve one Fabrique of the whole-World and be as a Monochord sounding out by the threefold kinds of Creatures Intellectuall Celestiall and Corruptible at one Blast one onely Life The Mystery of Unity is but known of a few Now can wee here passe by the Authority both of the Holy Scriptures and also of the most approved Philosophers Deut. 4. 19. Thou shalt not worship the Sun Moone and Starres which God hath Distributed to all Nations under Heaven Deut. 28. 12. God shall open unto thee his good Treasure the Heaven c. Deut. 33. 13. Concerning Joseph Thy blessing shall be of the Pretious things of the Sun and of the Pretious things of the Moone But above all let us consider those things which are in Levit. 26. 19. I will make saith God your Heaven as Iron and your Earth as Brasse The same is repeated Deut. 28. 23. and also in Osea 2. 21. And I will hear the Heavens and they shall heare the Earth and the Earth shall heare the Corne and the Wine and the Oyle and they shall heare Israel Therefore we hereby see that God doth set the Root of Worldly Benedictions in Heaven as it were in the Soule of the Universe so that the Beginning of Blessings is from Heaven as the Beginning of Motion from our Soule which are of themselves perspicuous enough To this also belongs that in Job 38. 33. Knowest thou the course of Heaven or canst thou dispose the Rule thereof in the Earth The Rule of Heaven proceeds through terrestriall and all inferiour things as the Rule of an Emperour or King throughout his Empire and Kingdome as therefore a King is the Soule of his Kingdome so the Heaven and the Starres are the Soule of the World Likewise that of Job 26. 13. His spirit hath Garnished the Heavens Psal. 33. 16. By the Word of the
Number and Measure but Living Animate Intellectuall The former Part of the Definition is cleare from the Holy Scriptures The latter is Proved of Plato and that by manifest Reasons Where we say A Living Systeme we intend a certaine Naturall Life diffused through the Bodies of the world extended and Movably Acting together with the Body of the World Where we call it An Animate Systeme we meane the substance of the Soule of the World whose Essence indeed is both Indivisible and Immutable like the Intellect yet it may in some sort be tearmed Divisible and Moveable because it is the Proper Fountaine of some Powers that are declining to Divisible and Moveable Vertue also and Action is partly Individuall and Immoveable so far forth as it agrees with Divine things steadfastly worketh and Partly Divisible in some Respects both because it is Manifold and also for that it Declineth to a Manifold and Divisible Body And Moveable because it worketh Temporally Where we tearme it Intellectuall we meane the Angelicall Intellects which are properly Perfect and Indivisible according to Place in their Government of the Spheres and Immutable in respect of time the Naturall Life and Forme Corporeall being Opposite thereunto Divisible and Mutable That even these Angelicall Intellects be in the Body of the World necessity requires it because the Body of the World is through Life made fit for the Intellect Therefore looke how it is in regard of Life and the like it is in respect of the Intellect And as it hath not onely a Naturall lying hid in the Matter of the World but an Animall also that is A Soule existing in it selfe So hath it not only an Intellectuall Quality infused the Soule but also an Intellectuall Substance therein remaining For certaine Qualities are every where reduced to certaine Substances As a Vitall Quality to a Vitall Substance so also an Intellectuall Quality to an Intellectuall Substance But as touching these things we shall explaine our selfe more at large The whole Body of the World is a certaine Body composed of all the Foure Elements the Members or Parts whereof are the Bodies of all Living Creatures For the small Body of every Animall is a Part of the Worlds Body Neither is it composed of the whole Element of Fire Aire Water or Earth but of some Parts of these Elements By how much therefore the Whole is more Perfect then a Part thereof by so much is the Body of the World more Perfect then the Body of any one Living Creature Hence were it absurd to thinke that an Imperfect Body should have a Soule But that it neither hath a Soule nor can live Perfect None will be so mad as to say the Part Liveth and not the Whole Therefore the whole Body of the World Liveth whilst the Bodies of the Animals therein Live which are the Parts thereof And now seeing there must needs be One Soule of the whole World we will in the next place enquire in what Part thereof this Soule may Reside whence she Distributes her Spirit through all things and preserves the same so Distributed Shee fixeth not her Seate and Pavilions in Bodies subject to variety of Change and Manifold Corruption as are the Elements and Elementary Bodies wherefore seeing that in Heaven there is no Corruption of Bodies there certainly is her Place of Residence And although those Elements also may be in Heaven but most Purely or Spiritually yet is it manifest that the Element of Fire hath therein Dominion Even as here in this Inferiour Part of the World where the Soveraignty of the Elements remaines in the Power of Fire And this we are sensible of in our owne Bodies But much more if we doe but consider how the Fire by no meanes Putrefieth nor is any way Corrupted notwithstanding it often Corrupteth other Bodies where it gets Preheminency Moreover Nature affords it Earth Water and Aire as a certaine Subject Matter whereon to Exercise its Power The Aire it selfe as also the Earth with the Water surrounding it whence we are Nourish'd and draw our Breath is indeed so Affected of the Fire about it that sometimes Heate doth therein predominate otherwhiles it is so Extenuated that for want of Heate it leaves its owne Quality and is forsaken of Cold In like manner we see such Impressions conveyed from the Fire above us upon the Earth and Water that sometimes the Nature and Quality thereof is capable of some Excesse otherwhiles of Defect the Celestiall Fire it selfe remaining Entire Wherefore seeing the Soule of the World hath its Residence in Heaven of Necessity it must live in a Fiery Substance For Heaven is a Fiery Essence but withall most Temperate Pure Lucid and Incorruptible Nor shall they Trouble us who deny the Fiery Heaven in regard the Motion of the Heavens is Circular the Fires Motion Perpendicular For because our Fire is Peregrine and Impure therefore it tends directly upwards and by a kind of Veneration Covets the Place of the Proper and Naturall Fire yet is it not to be supposed such a Fiery Hot Heaven as that 't is burning or Heating By how much lesse Fire is mingled with strange Matter by so much the lesse it Burneth The which is seen in the Flaming of the Purer sort of Oyle but especially of Oyle Artificiously Extracted from Gold the which True Alchemists doe Witnesse and as these Mâ—râ—all Eyes of mine have sometimes Tryed Therefore seeing there is not any matter in Heaven estranged from the Celestiall no Adustion no Heate is made there We see no Adustion in Comets running through the Celestiall Spheres but onely some Illustration for that doubtlesse the matter thereof much participateth of the Nature of the Celestiall Bodies But TYCHO BRAHE A Dane A Noble-Man An Astronomer and a most incomparable Philosopher of this Age shall anon more plainly unfold to us this matter farre different from the Madded Nursery of Peripatetiques and that not without the Infallible Curiosity both of Observations and Demonstrations Now because some Matter Opposed is Heated and Burnt by the Rayes of the Sun contracted by a Glasse that is a suddaine generation of Heat and Fire increasing by the Flagration of the Collected Rayes in the Glasse and applyed to Fit Matter which are of another Disputation Some will have the Matter of Heaven to be Aereall But for that Light is a Propertie of Fire enlightning even the Aire it selfe in my Judgment wee doe better in supposing it to consist of a Fiery Matter Besides Heaven is next to the Divine Seate and God himselfe yet not so as that God is not every where God is called The Father of Light with whom there is no Change by whom the Light may be Extinguished or Diminished neither an overshadowing of Change whereby sometimes he either is turn'd into Night or suffereth an Eclipse GOD is Light in which there is no Darkenesse that is Forme wherein there is nothing Informe Beauty in which there is nothing of Deformity As therefore GOD is Light
Lord the Heavens were made and by the spirit of his Mouth the whole Army thereof In whatsoever Body the Spirit of God dwelleth and shineth that Body without doubt shall be Animate and Intellectuall Psal. 19. God hath set his Tabernacle in the Sun One Day telleth another and one Night teacheth another knowledge there is no Speech nor Language in those Heavens yet understandeth he their voice Their Line is gone forth through all the Earth and their words into the ends of the World in them hath hee set a Tabernacle for the Sun Psal. 89. 5. O Lord even the Heavens shall confesse thy wonderfull Workes Iohn 3. Our Saviour saith to Nicodemus I have told you of Earth by things and you believe not how would you believe if I should tell you of heavenly things as if hee had said I now propound the Comparison of the Generation of Earthly things to spirituall which are obvious to you all and yet you believe not much lesse therefore would you believe if I should dispute of Heavenly things which are not so obvious to your senses Christ is called by the Prophet The Sonne of Righteousnesse how farre wee might hence Philosophize concerning the Sun and Celestiall Fires can hardly be expressed Very notable is that place of Gen. 37. in the Dreame of Ioseph who saw himselfe worshipped of the Sun the Moone and eleven Starrs therefore his Father Iacob expounding this Dreame Magickly saith Shall I and thy Mother and thy Brethren come and worship thee Therefore that holy Father knew that he had the Sun in stead of his Father the Moon in stead of his Mother in the World and Worldly Generations and 12. Starres for Ioseph was as the 12 Starre in that he was the 12. of the Brethren to stand in stead of the 12. begotten Sonnes You may understand by those 12. Starres of Heaven the twelve Signes constituting the 12. Moneths by 12 Conjunctions of the Sun and Moone in them by whose Congresses the Year is compleated and its Annuall Generations finished There are other things to be seen among the Cabalists notwithstanding wee have perspicuously enough enucleated the present matter We write not these things to vaine Men that is such as are Ignorant and Proud but to the truly Honest and Ingenious who constantly love the Knowledge of God and his Workes and such as have Learned That Divinity is True Philosophy and True Philosophy Divinity to wit mystically which is that we may yet be more plaine By the Workemanship of the Heavens and the Earth touching which all approved Philosophy teacheth and the inscrutable Systeme thereof to know God Himself as in a Glasse that he is the most Wise Ineffable and Eternall Goodnesse The other Authority is that of the Great Philosophers Plato Aristotle Pithagoras Orpheus Trismegistus Theophrastus Avicenne and the like But wee will here follow Plato especially a Philosopher most full of Piety and the knowledge of God and his Interpreter the never to be too much Praised Marsil Ficinus of Florence then whom whether Italy ever afforded a greater I shall not easily determine If any man doubt saith Theophrastus the Peripatetique whether the Heavens live or not let him not be accounted a Philosopher And he that denyes Heaven to be Animate so as that the Mover of it is not the Forme thereof destroyes the Foundations of Philosophie Neither are the most noble Poets to be Despised of us M. Manilius in his Proeme WHen every species of the glittering Sphere The Stars returning Ranked did appear In their own Seates and by the Fates Decree Each had restor'd its Formall Potency Experience framed Art by various use Example Guiding where it was Abstruse And though at a vast Distance plainly saw The Starres All-Ruling by a Tacit Law The whole World Mov'd by REASON Alternate The same Manilius Cap. 2. GOd and the vertue of the Divine Soule Doe by a Tacit Law and sacred Course Inspire Turn Round Guide Govern and controul This Immense structure of the Universe And all its Naturall Parts which Framed be In Different shapes of Aire Fire Earth and Sea Lucan Also HE that sustaines the earth Pois'd up with Air Is a Great Part of Jove And Boetius THou in consenting Parts disposed hast Th' All-moving Soul 'midst threefold Nature Plac'd Which cut in Parts that run a different Race Into it selfe returnes and doth embrace The Highest Mind and Heaven doth wheel about With like Proportion And Virgil not the last of the most Excellent Philosophers 6. Aen. By Mr. I. O. AT first the Heaven Earth the liquid plain The Moons Bright Globe and stars Titanian A spirit fed within spread through the whole And with the Huge heap mix'd infus'd a scrowle Hence Man Beasts Birds derive their strain And Monsters Floating in the Marbled Main These seeds have Fiery vigour and a Birth Of Heavenly Race but clogg'd with heavy Earth But enough of the Soule of the World And now seeing it is manifest the World hath a Soule it will be no lesse apparent That the same World shall consist also of a Spirit which is called the Spirit of the Universe Where the Soule is there also is the Spirit The Soule groanes in the Spirit the Intelligence in the Soule The Spirit also of the Universe is the vigour of Divine vertues dilated through all things whose continuall Excitation resides in the Soule of the World and the Celestiall Bodies Democritus Pythagoras Orpheus and such others called these vertues Gods Zoroasteâ— Divine Allurements Synecius Symbolicall Inticements But some called them Lives others also Soules Nor that indeed undeservedly For seeing the Soul is the Primum Mobile and truly of its own accord or by it selfe Moveable but the Body or Matter of it selfe Ineffectuall for Motion and much degenerating from the Soule Therefore we have need of some more Excellent Medium that is to say such a Medium that may be as it were not a Body but yet as if it were a Soule Or as no Soule and yet as it were a Body whereby the Soule may be united to the Body For such a Medium is the Spirit of the Universe it selfe which otherwise we call the Fifth Essence because it is not wholly subsisting of the Foure Elements but a certaine Fifth over and beside them Therefore such a Spirit is necessarily requisite as a Medium by whose Intervening the Celestiall Soule may be in a Grosser Body and this Spirit is of such a Forme in the Body of the World as is ours in the Humane Body because that as the Powers of our Soule are by the Spirit communicated to the Members So the vertue of the Soule of the World is dilated by that Fifth Essence throughout all things So that nothing can be found in the whole World which wants a vivifying sparke thereof Through this Spirit every occult Propriety is propagated unto Herbes Stones Metals and to all living Creatures by the Sun and Moone by the Planets and other
with the Tongues of Angells and had all Faith so that he could Remove Mountaines out of their Places although he had all Sciences and knew all Mysteries though he should give his Body to be Burnt and were full of Prophesie GOD is CHARITY we were Created and Redeemed of Charity in Charity and by Charity Charity Preserves in us the Command of GOD Charity is the Bond of Perfection Col. 3. Charity is Long suffering and Bountifull she Envieth not she maketh no Tumults she is not puft up she doth nothing whereof she is ashamed she seeketh not her owne she Provoketh not she thinketh no Evill she rejoyceth not at Iniquity but the Truth she beareth all things she believeth all things she hopeth and sustaineth all things Charity Buildeth up knowledge puffeth up Charity is greater then Prophesies Sciences Tongues Prophesies shall be abolished Tongues shall be Silent Sciences Perish Charity remaineth for ever He that remaineth in Charity remaineth in GOD and GOD in him Now we must know there is a Two-fold Man One Astrall Externall or Carnall which is called Animall nor perceiveth he the things which are of the Vivifying Spirit The other Spirituall or Internall busied in Renuing the Corrupted Image of God Rom. 7. In like manner there shall be a Two-fold Wisdome One Worldly or Astrall the Wisdom of Arts Sciences Dignities Possessions and of Corruptible things wherein the Gentiles are alone Busied Mat. 6. The other Celestiall consisting in the knowledge of GOD in the consideration of his Ineffable Mercy in the Desire of Eternall Happinesse This Wisdome acknowledges no other Governour then the Holy Spirit operating by the word of GOD That the Heavens and Celestiall Influences Both which may be Joyned in a Man that Pleaseth GOD But in whom the Celestiall Wisdome Raigneth that other is onely a Hand-maid she seeks for nothing at all but the Glory of GOD and the welfare of her Neighbour which indeed is as much as is granted in this Life to the Elect or those whom the Father hath given unto Christ Now where the Astrall raigneth suppose that alone There are Dogs and Swine unto whom we are forbidden to cast Pearles or that which is Holy Lastly where the Celestiall and Astrall doe Conjunctly Rule that is when we indeavour to serve Two Masters There is True Hypocrisie very displeasing unto GOD No Man can serve Two Masters such were the Pharisees in the time of Christ whose Righteousnesse if ours exceed not we shall not enter into the Kingdome of God Christ himselfe hath spoken it It was but requisite that we a little touched upon those things lest Ignorant Detractors who are either far out of the way or abhorre this True manner of Philosophizing should take occasion to mingle Holy things with Profane or Profane with Holy whilst perhaps they might take upon them to Disprove these Realities Furthermore 〈◊〉 hitherto we have Treated of the Soule and Spirit of the Universe and of the Syderiall Governour in Man So now we may possibly be informed concerning Foure Senses in the Universe accommodating themselves to the Four-fold Vertue or Power of the Soule of the World There are Foure Elements which contribute Matter to the Body of the World and there are also Foure Powers in the Soule of the World The first is the Intellect of it selfe Immovable the Mover or Governour of the Sphere instituted by the Author of all things Governing the Spheres The second is the Soule of the Sphere A Mover indeed that is Moveable yet so of it selfe The third a Certaine Intelligence excellently placed in this Soule by GOD and the superiour Intellect The fourth is Nature that is to say A Seminary and Vitall vertue every way infus'd into the Matter by the Soule The Intellect and Soule are indeed Substances But the Intelligence and Nature are Qualities Those of the Soule these of the Matter The Foure Images of these are the Foure Elements For Fire resembles the Intellect Earth the Water Aire the Intelligence And lastly Water the Soule And as there are three things Proper to Fire three things also opposite to Earth and that the Mediums agree with Mediums by a certaine Proportion so there are three things proper to the Intellect and their Opposites are proper to Nature The Mediums also to the Mediums For the Intellect is Individuall Uniforme Eternall Nature Dividuall Multiforme Temporall The Soule amongst these Mediums looks indeed through the Intelligence more participating of the Intellect it selfe then of Nature But through the Animall Power the rather agrees with Nature then the Intellect Wherefore it is called Partly Individuall partly Dividuall Partly also Uniforme and partly Multiforme Againe partly Eternall and partly Temporall From Substance Vertue Action Fire Subtile Acute Moveable Aire Subtile Obtuse Moveable Water Grosse Obtuse Moveable Earth Grosse Obtuse Immovable The Intellect Individuall Uniforme Eternall Intelligence Individuall Vniforme Eternall Animall Power Dividuall Multiforme Temporall By Nature Dividuall Multiforme Temporall Hence also are the Foure Lives Delivered and Beleeved of Plato The life of Saturne admireing in the Intellect Heaven the Father thereof that is God the Father of Heaven The Ioviall in the Intelligence declining to Action yet Moveable The Venereall in the Animall Vertue yet Affecting Matter And the Dionysiacall as if Drunk in Nature that is of a Drench'd or Drown'd Matter And by a like Reason there are Foure Senses in the Universe The First in the Soule of the World Commune I say and one Sense that is a certaine Imaginary Vertue so accompanying its Intelligence and touching the Particular Formes of things as the Intelligence doth the Universall Touching I say Intrinsecally and therefore it wants no Instruments neither proceeds or suffers it anywhere without The Second is in the Soules of the Spheres and Stars Commune indeed and Impatible also but proceeding without The third in Particular Soules distributed through all the Instruments beyond Common strength and spreading it selfe without but ending in the Judgement The Fourth and last Sense is according to the Pythagoreans allow'd to Plants yea a certaine Image of Sense and that indeed Stupid having no Judgement of Quality but Posited onely in the Passion of some Pleasure or Griefe The First Sense represents the Intellect The Second the Intelligence The third the Animall Vertue and the Fourth the Naturall wherein we must remember that the Matter of the World doth not otherwise enter the Soule then by Nature nor otherwise the Intelligence then by the Soule nor otherwise the Intellect then by the Intelligence Even as it receiveth Water by the Earth by the Water Aire and by the Aire Fire But at length to come to our Matter we must know that the Lines of the Hands are not otherwise produced giving GOD in the first place His Due then from the Imagination of the Greater World thus or so Affected in the Generation of Man yet performing its Authority Office by the Stars It is hardly perceptible to our Humane Wit how such
KEIPOMANTIA OR THE ART OF DIVINING BY The LINES and SIGNATURES Engraven in the HAND of MAN By the HAND of NATVRE Theorically Practically Wherein you have the Secret Concordance and Harmony betwixt It and Astrology made evident in 19. GENITURES Together with A Learned Philosophicall Discourse of the Soule of the World and the Vniversall Spirit thereof A Matchlesse Piece Written originally in Latine by Io Rothmanne D. in Phisique and now Faithfully Englished By GEO WHARTON Esq. Manus membrum Hominis loquacissimum LONDON Printed by J. G. For NATHANIEL BROOKE at the Angell in Corne-Hill 1652. TO THE TRVLY NOBLE AND Universally LEARNED My much Honoured Friend ELIAL ASHMOLE Esquire WORTHY SIR WEre it not that in Common Civility I am Bound upon this Occasion as to acknowledge my Infinite Obligations to you that being the best Quality of a Bad Debtor and even All a Chrstian Creditor should expect where the Meanes of a juster Requitall is wanting so to give you an Account of the present Worke unto which you First incited Me Yet Sir the Rarity of the Subject and the Gypsylike Esteeme it hath amongst the vulgar would have necessarily enforced Me to shelter in under the Wings of none but an Absolute Mercurialist That you are no lesse The Ingenious Workes you have already Publish'd The Succinct and Learned Annotations you have made upon some Part of those to omit what I know you have in Designe your Exquisite knowledge in Arithmetique Geometry Astrology Naturall Magique and Physick and in those other Inferiour Objects of your Delight viz. Limming Engraving Painting and Musique may and doe abundantly manifest I shall not I need not Expatiate To instance the particular knowledge you have in Chiromancy were but Actum agere in that Astrology before Mentioned comprehends the same as here it is Apply'd and your selfe Them both Nor could I glory at All in the Name of a Greater Personage to Patronize this Piece it is not the Blustring Noise of an Empty Title or the Fraile Support of a Signall Birth Only that can be a Fit Champion for this or the like Mysterious Sciences Learning is best Fortress'd of those by whom she is most understood I confesse her Admirers may wish her Happinesse yet they commonly faile her in Extremity And herein I follow the Example of mine Authour who made choise of the best Deserving in his Countrey unto whom he Dâ—dicated this Worke in the Originall that is unto such as were sober and skilfull Not to Men that were Mighty and Ignorant or Learned and Malitious Nor yet have these any just cause to complaine unlesse for the want of Ingenuity whereby they are Doom'd to an Absolute Depravation of that whereby Wise Men daily Ascend even to the Presence of God and his Angells I meane the Knowledge of his Works For it is not sufficient we heare a story of God in the Scriptures unlesse also we read or see him in the large Volume of his Creatures neither doe we Read Him by a Bare Gazing upon the outward Forme thereof but by a narrow Enquiry and search made into their hidden Nature and Disposition For In the Beginning saith my Author God adorned All things Created with Signatures that so the Minde of an Ingenious Man might delight it selfe by a Diligent searching into the Nature and Disposition thereof and thence boldly acknowledging the wonderfull Workes of God and converting them to a Right use be cheerfully constrained to the Love of God himselfe and to worship him with all his heart for his Infinite Wisdome and Goodnesse Let us therefore Behold the Heaven the Starres and Celestiall Signes the Animalls Plants Roots Stones Metalls c. in and upon the Earth and consider how wonderfully their various Signatures every where present themselves unto us and by a Tacite Language proffer us their Nature and Disposition How exceedingly the Seven wandering-Starres vulgarly called Planets doe Differ not onely in Magnitude and Motion but also in the Brightnesse and Beauty of their Light How variable an Influence is in each what a Lively Lasting Spirit diversly disposing Moving Animating Producing Signing and Sustaining these Inferiours according to their different Position in the Heavens and the sundry Complications and Mixtures of Beames accurring from other Starres The Philosophers of old have acknowledg'd and we shall willingly the same Et infâ—mis Suprema in Supremis infima There are in Heaven Earthly things in respect of the Causes and by a Celestiall manner and Celestiall things in Earthly but by a Terrestiall manner whence indeed it is That the Sun the Moone and other Starres are considered in the Earth but that in regard of a Terrene Quality so also Plants Stones Metalls c. in the Heavens but this in respect of a Heavenly Nature indued with Life-Intellectuall And this was the Reason why Heaven it selfe was Depainted with sundry Images by the Ancient and Holy Fathers and that he who had through his Ingenuity attained these Holy Mysteries of the World was by the Hebrewes truly named Rabbi by the Latines Magister and by almost all other Nations Magus Neverthelesse this Name is now so much suspected and hated that some had rather for-goe the Gospell it selfe then receive it againe into Favour so willfully Obstinate Blind and Stupid are the Masters this Age hath produced But let us Instance a few Examples and First of the Celestiall Bodies you know that the Image of the Serpent hath the Nature of a Serpent that is it causeth Death by Poyson so oft as the Lord of the Geniture or the Moone is therewith unhappily Posited at the Birth The like of the Scorpion For even the same Images drive away and kill Serpents and Scorpions Spiders and Flyes they expell Poyson and the Plague being deduced from Heaven upon the Terrestriall Chaos at an observed time Leo makes Men Bold Virgo Docile Taurus Robust Aquila procures Honours Lyra instills the love of Musique and the study of Poesy Sagittary addicteth to Hunting and much more of that Nature marked with their proper Signatures Next let us contemplate the Animalls of the Earth how every one Beareth its owne Nature and how wee know the same in most of them by their Effigies viz. by their Countenance Voyce Gesture Habit. often by their Colour The Horse by his Gesture bewrayes his Pride The Asse his Slownesse The Lyon by the Face and Gesture his Courage The Beare his Fircenesse The Cock his Cheerfulnesse The like are every where obvious in other Creatures unto any but such as regard the knowledge of nothing Now by observing the outward Formes of Beasts ariseth Phisiognomy in Man For looke what Beasts a Man resembles most either in Face or Proportion hee is truly said to possesse the Disposition and Nature thereof If now we descend to Plants and Roots wee shall there enter a Theatre of Signatures worthy our Contemplation For Example Solatrum vesicatorium barbarously termed Alkakenge shutts up its Huskes so soone as the vessells thereof are Filled
as may not recede from the Number of Universalls yet when yee can or would pick out the Decrees of all the most Scrupulous Incisures there may be oft-times above An hundred Portents to be considered which is Impossible to be done Therefore our knowledge hardly reaches to the one halfe of this Science In which respect the Sgnifications of all Particular signes are not Injuriously deemed Inscrutable 2. Another Reason is for that the Position of these Lines very much differs in all Mens Hands For although you should observe A thousand yet could you not finde any Two exactly agree in every Particular positure of their Lines And this Diversity proceeds from no other thing Then The Soule of the World She it is that by her Spirit frō houre to houre variously Disposeth Moveth Animateth Produceth Signeth Sustaineth all things of this Inferior World This is it that Communicates to every Man a certaine Sydereall Spirit from the seven Planets and Twelve signes by whose Rule and Instinct every thing that is it selfe exceedingly Profits the Liberty of Will remaining The Ancient Philosophers called it The Good Spirit or Proper Genius of every one wherefore if the finding out of these Signatures were not to all Men almost Inscrutable every one might easily find and know his own Genius and what were needfull for him to doe But touching the Soule of the World and the Spirit thereof I shall annex some things at the end of this Worke 3. Lastly the Structure of the Hand it self is admirable in regard of the Proportion it beareth to the Face and certaine Parts thereof Which is this 1. The whole Hand is of Equall length with the Face 2. The Greater Ioynt of the Fore-finger which adjoynes upon the Tuberculum of Iupiter Equalls the Height of the Fore-head 3. The other Two to the Extremity of the Nayle are the just Length of the Nose viz. from the Intercilia or place betwixt the Eye-browes to the Tip of the Nostrills 4. The First and Greater Ioynt of the Midle-Finger is so long as it is betwixt the bottome of the Chin and the Top of the Under Lip 5. But the Third Ioynt of the same Finger is of equall length with the distance that is betwixt the Mouth and the lower parts of the Nostrills 6. The Greater Ioynt of the Thumbe gives the Widenesse of the Mouth 7. The Distance betwixt the Bottome of the Chin and the Top of the Lower-lip the same 8. The Lesser Ioynt of the Thumbe is equall to the Distance betwixt the Top of the under-Lip and the Lower part of the Nostrills The Nayles obtaine the just halfe of their respective uppermost Ioynts which they call Onychios Now I suppose it well enough understood what consideration is requisite to the knowledge of the Hand the Parts and Signatures thereof which yet is supposed but a small Particle of the Humane Body But the cause of the aforesaid Proportion who can tell verily therefore Man is the worke of GOD as the Hebrew translation hath it Ad verbum in the aforesaid Place of Job The third Example proposed by Job is concerning Beasts that seeke their Denns and leave them at their pleasure not otherwise then as if some-body had taught them it Whence it is manifest Beasts doe live indeed by sense yet not wholy destitute of some Reason which very thing is proved also by other Documents But we may more Rightly attribute unto them an Image or Proportion of Humane Reason Now the rest I leave Nor yet have I here said thus much as if without it this our Chiromancy could not stand Let those to whom it is acceptable approve thereof otherwise let him it pleases not abound in his own sense Example IV. One Borne upon the River Rhene A. C. 1546. Ianuary 6. Hor. 1. Min. 20. in the Afternoone the Pole Elevated almost 52. Degrees The things considerable in this Example are 1. A Token of the Gowt under the Finger of Saturne whereof hee was sick by Turnes for some years notwithstanding that Disease could not be fore-told In specie from any Characters Mars Posited at the Geniture in Sagittary and in the 6. House brings infallibly the Gowt of which Positure we have also known other Examples The Girdle of Venus whole yet Twice Intersected is a palpable signe of Intemperance and of Beastly Behaviour in venereall Actions not without some staine both in Name and Repute which he found by the Event Consider I beseech you Saturne in the 7th House joyned to Venus in a Quartile of the Moon 2. For such a Conjunction produces Minds that be Impure unlesse Iupiter interposeth He likewise denyes Issue and oft-times takes away the Children given or maketh such as are to be borne Infortunate 3. The Triangle perfect the Cephalica extended by a Continued tract to the place of Mercury and the Saturnia rightly touching the Naturall Means the Place of Iupiter Mercury and Venus And lastly the via Lactea not foolishly formed argue A fortunate Man In the Geniture you may behold Saturne and Iupiter disposing of the 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th and 12th not without Reception of Houses In which places you find all the Planets Mars onely excepted this Native therefore was most Fortunate in such things as are subject to Venus Mercury and Iupiter 4. The two Parallel Lines conveniently drawn in the forme of a Ladder from the Region of Saturne and the Sun to the Moons place denote a prosperous and constant fortune in forraigne Countreys 5. The Mons Lunae well and fairely depicted with convenient Incisures premonstrates Iourneys 6. The Mensal Cutting the Mount of Iupiter denotes Men that are full of wrath And so they are wont to be for the most part in whose Nativities Mars resideth in the 6. 7. The same Dissected under the Finger of Saturne by a short and thick Line threatens a Grievous Disease in the lower part of the Belly and that in his Old-age 8. The vitall broken towards the end thereof by a double Incisure bodes Diseases about the 52. or 54. yeare of his Age At that time the Horoscope comes by Direction to the 6. degree of Leo the Terms of Saturne very Ominous c. 9. The Via Lactea adhering to the Dragons Tayle another Crosse accurring speakes his Old-age to be full of Tranquillity 10. The Crosse in the Mensa under the Solar Finger designeth Honours and the Favour of Great Men It is not requisite to describe all that is signifyed by the Geniture because in the Disposition of the Planets shewed you before all things are comprehended which Sydereall Face and Position very seldome happeneth Example V. One Borne in the yeare 1586. Decemb. 9. New Style Ho. 8. Min. 40. Before noone in the upper Lusatia AS you see but a simple Concurse of Lines in the Hand so the Places of the Planets in the Geniture are sufficiently dejected 1. 'T is true Iupiter is accounted Angular and in his Exaltation yet is he Retrograde and by Calculation not
this Benevolent Starrs beholding the Degree of a Dangerous Direction by the Mediety of their Orbes doe Refraene the Malignity thereof and make the Cure of the Disease Easie Therefore the Trine of Iupiter herein Benignely Irradiating the Directionall degrees of the Horoscope sufficeth But let not Humane Prudence be wanting the which if it doe not totally avert an Imminent Evill yet so much it Declines it that it proves neither so grievous nor yet so hurtfull as otherwise He that is knowing may Divert many Effects of the Starrs if he know but their Natures Ptolom Centiloq Aphorisme 5. Let such Medicines be applyed before-hand as may both purge the Body from all Filthy Humours and likewise comfort the Principall Members strengthen the Vitall Spirit and Native Heate which are of another Quality The Scorpion as also the Serpent deduced from Heaven I speak with Virgill preserves him safe that carries it about him from Fevers Poison and Pestilence These are Secrets In the same yeare of your Age the Mid-Heaven coming to the Trine Sinister of Saturne presages Goods to ensue by meanes of the Dead Ancient Possessions the Gift of some Aged Man The 42. and 43. yeare of your Age will be Honourable and Prosperous because the Mid-Heaven comes to the Virgins Spike and Venus her selfe to the Body of Iupiter By this meanes they bring some Notable good in the Encrease of Dignities and Wealth that by the occasion of a certaine Great Personage You shall observe the 14. day of Iuly An. 602. and then the 11. and 16. of August Also the 3. of September In the following yeare 1603. the 22. and 23. of Ianuary the 7. and 8. of Iune Here the Profection of the Sun succeeds the Trine Sinister of Iupiter There the Mid-Heaven shall come to Venus herselfe In the 45. yeare of your Age the Mid-Heaven coming to the Opposition of Iupiter will Intercept or subvert the Friendship of some Great Lord at which time take heed how you Mannage your Affaires with Noblemen c. In the same yeare upon the Sun's receding to the Trine of Mars you shall fall into the Friendship of some Martially disposed Person not without some Advantage Use his Benevolence and Friendlinesse prosperously In the 48. yeare of your Age An. 1608. The Horoscope coming to the Trine Dexter of Iupiter gives you a most Thriving Constitution of the Body and makes you Conversant with Great Men whereby Great Good is to be Expected Of the same Nature is the subsequent Direction to wit the Sun to a Proper Sextile in the Termes of Venus falling out in the 49. yeare of your Age in the year of Christ 1609. In this yeare the Part of Fortune coming to the Antiscia of Mars will adde unto your Expences occasioned by the meanes of Kindred and Journeyes Beware also of some Theeveries of your Servants or Messengers In the 45. yeare of your Age Ann. 1614. The Sun coming to the Sextile Sinister of Mercury and the Dexter of Saturne shall enlarge your Authority and Esteeme with or by the Learned For seeing you are unweariedly carried by a certaine Naturall Violence both to the Sciences of Mighty things and also to the knowledge of Hidden Secrets I easily foresee What a one how great a one you shall suddainly be Goe on Couragiously that you may Act things Answerable to your Ingenuity that you may advance and further your Fortune The 57. and 59. yeares of your Age will be very Honourable and the most Acceptable of any you shall therein finde a Signall Increase of your Possessions Renowne Dignities and Authority For then Venus will come to Her Proper Sextile The Mid-Heaven to the Trine Dexter of Venus And the Sun to the Body of Iupiter The Profection of the Mid-Heaven to the Sextile of Venus falls out in the yeare of Christ 1617. the 14. and 15. of Ianuary Old Style But the Profection of the Sun to the Trine of Mercury and the Body of Saturne will happen about the Vernall Equinox There are also Fortunate Profections in the yeare 1618. about the Winter Solstice Also Ian. 21. c. Saturne in is the second Degree of Gemini Adverse the Mid-Heaven whereby he shall in some sort indeavour to protract an Event by the meanes of some Mans Death In the 6. year of your Age An. 1620. The Horoscope coming to the 26. Degree of Sagitary the Contiguous Terms of Saturne and Mars shall occasion a Feaverish Disease which will easily be removed by the help of a Physitian Or if the yearly Medicines and Evacuations were not as is requisite for borne contrary to Custome it could hardly be that any Disease should trouble you The Profectino of the Horoscope and the Sun are removed from the Society of the Malevolent Planets The Transite of Mars in Taurus by the Point opposed unto the Horoscope shall happen the 15. of Aprill then in Leo by the Point in Square thereunto the 22. 23. and 24. of August which are more to be observed In the 61. yeare of your Age An. 1621. The Progresse of the Part of Fortune to the Body of the Sun shall multiply your Treasure by the Rewards of Kings and some other Great Personages The like for your Honours In the 63. yeare the Mid-Heaven coming to the Southerne Lance of Libra favours you with no meane Dignities In the 64. yeare the Horoscope arriving at the End of Sagittary threatens you with a Disease attended especially with Lascitudes of the Body Filthinesse of Defluxions and with Paines in the Feete above all other parts c. Ptolomy Affirmes That the Termes of the Signes are Iuterficient the which I have oftentimes found to be true But because that here Venus most powerfully beholds this Place by an approaching Sextile Aspect I boldly Affirme Humane Providence assisting You shall not Dye this yeare In the 65. yeare of your Age An. 1625. The Part of Fortune coming to the Body of Mercury and the Trine of Saturne confers upon you a Large Inheritance Or Faire Possessions by the meanes of some Deceased For Saturne being so Fortunate it is Impossible this Direction should be Fruitlesse So in the yeare 1627. The Sun coming to the Trine of the Mid-Heaven will againe occasion all manner of Good to befall you In the 70. yeare of your Age An. 1630. The Sun coming to the Sextile Sinister of Venus The Horoscope also to the Sextile Dexter of Venus point out a most Honourable time in Dignities Possessions and Renown in all manner of Benefits The same almost is discern'd by the Progression of the Part of Fortune to the Sextile Dexter of Iupiter falling out in the 72. yeare of your Life for that also Presages Kingly Rewards from Forraigne Countreys But enough and more then enough concerning this your most Fortunate Geniture Farewell In the yeare 1593. A Briefe DISCOURSE OF The Soule of the VVORLD AND The Universall Spirit thereof THe World is a Systeme of Celestiall and Terrestriall Bodies constant in Order
Starres of the Eight Orbe And those things that containe a more plentifull and excellent Spirit of that Nature shall perfect a more manifest and swifter Operation in our Bodies if so be it be duly seperated from the Body and Feces for the Feces profit nothing yea they plainly Impede and oppresse the Penetrating vertue of the Spirit And indeed all Physitians should have a speciall Regard that they Artificially segregate the Medicinall vertues of things from the Body and the Elementated Impurities thereof and not so Foolishly hasten to their Patients the Medicines and Feces together But the most part either wholly omit that Labour or account it in a manner Dishonest Leaving that separating Art to the Diseased Body Neverthelesse these Men make too huge a Progresse in Philosophy they shall often dispute against Astronomy it selfe not knowing indeed that they can nothing say or Dispute without that Syderiall Spirit communicated to them as also to every Man yet more or lesse from above by the Heavens and the Starres Truly the Lote which shutteth its Leaves before Sun Rise but when he Ascendeth openeth them by degrees will be accounted more Just and Charitable towards the Celestiall Princes then these so Rationall Men And so we believe shall the Cock who applauds the Rising Sun as it were with a Hymne from his Inferiour Rousts But these are from the matter We formerly told you There can nothing be found in this Lower World that wanâ—s a vivifying Sparke of this Spirit but yet to know under what Starre and in which signe of the Zodiaque every thing Perceiveth its Spirit This is the Worke here the Labour is Neverthelesse there hath so much of this nature bin Manifested to us by sedulous and skilfull Men as is sufficient for Humane Ingenuity and Paines to find out greater things Gold hath in it the Spirit of the Sun and therefore is in value the most pretious of all Metalls It also nourisheth every Spirit of all things Growing So that the Sun possesseth the vertues of all the Starres No marvell then the Spirit of Gold skilfully extracted or seperated from the elementated or Metallique Body should extirpate all Diseases of the Body The reason is manifest by Astronomy it selfe But that there is Gold of the Solar Spirit to omit other Reasons the purifyed signe thereof sufficiently testifies where you shall finde Incense Burning with perpetuall Fire which thing true Alchemists know very well and there yet remaines such a thing to be found in some Sepulchers that hath continued its Ardour and Fire for more then 100. yeares Even as the Sun enjoys Perpetuall Light The same Metall is not unfitly called the Terrene Chaos because if the Spirit of the Universe residing in it should at a set time be reduced to a competent Forme with the Body plainly produces the same or even greater things then that Essence of the Sun so earnestly sought for by Covetous Persons So also to other Metalls there is a Proper and Perpetuall Seed-plot in Heaven The like for Trees Plants Stones c. If therefore any thing growing nourisheth in it an Astrall Spirit wee account the Incensive matter of the Generative and Seminary vertue much more such and indeed more Perfect in Man himselfe Those Philosophers who know not any such thing in Man can pronounce nothing certaine as touching the Ingenuity of Man his Inclinations Antipathy Sympathy of the Magnetique vertue and operation and such other things as are hitherto appertaining Whence it is they so Foolishly and Filthily heape up Reasons of Philosophizing which are no better then volatile Aire We must not forget that there is a twofold Spirit in Man One infused from the Heavens and Starres at the time of Generation the other Inspired by GOD This was the breathing-hole of Life in Adam and that indeed Perfect but afterwards Lost The First Man was made of the Slime of the Earth that is of the Greater World of the Sydereall Creatures and Elements whence he received a certaine Astrall Soule resembling the Soule of the World The Object whereof is The Universall World and the things contained therein that is Worldly Wisdome generally comprehending all manner of Arts and Sciences within it selfe some such thing was Anciently called in Man the Proper Genius or Demon of every one Hee is not wholly Ignorant of the Naturall Law that is of the Divine Will commanding and approving the Good but abhominating and Condemning the Evill done unto us because the World was the First Image of God and Man himselfe the next Example of any thing Possessing the Reason of the Word And although Man have Free-will yet so it is in him that what a one soever the Predestination of the Mundane Soule made him such a one also every Man would and desireth to Die by a naturall instinct Thus we more plainly conceive how Man is subject to the Starres Hence likewise we will not deny but that very many Diseases and consequently the terme of Life proceed especially in a flourishing Age from the Starres touching which we have elsewhere produced manifest Reasons and a manifest Experience in Examples Hereunto belongs the whole Genethliaque Part of Astrology Theophrastus Paracelsus hath most Plentifully and Learnedly explained the Foundations of this very Matter in his Volumne of Wise Philosophy There was another Breathing Hole placed by God in Adam beyond this Rationall Spirit and operating Soule deducing its Originall and Branches from the Starres which was the Breathing Hole of Life in which regard he was said to be the Image of GOD the Beauty of this Image was lost by the Fall of our First Parents a very small spark thereof surviving in us But may be reduced to its pristine Condition by a Regeneration in Christ This Sparke Christ being Mediator shall grow into a Flame of Celestiall Wisdome It is the proper spirit of those that Believe in Christ Joh. 7. Rejecting Despising Deriding all those Worldly things not as that they are the Workes of GOD for they testifie of GOD what he is but in that they are Corruptible unstable and draw a Man from the presence of GOD and from Eternall Joy in Him This Wisdome is that sorrow with the Flesh and its Concupiscences at last overcoming Christ being Conquerour Of this is that vulgar saying Sapiens Dominabitur Astris A wise Man shall Rule the Starres By this very Rule we are led from the Love of Corruptible things and brought into the Love of Eternall By this we take the Crosse of Christ upon our Shoulders and Follow him that is we shall hereby Purge out the Old Leven crucifying our Flesh with Evill Affections and Concupiscences studying to learne abundantly the Fruits of a Christian Spirit without Hypocrisy as Charity Faith Peace Joy Liberality Meeknesse Temperance Gal. 5. In a word This Celestiall Spirit is no other thing then Faith triumphing through Charity without which none shall Prevaile before GOD although as it is in 1 Cor. 13. He should speake