Mr. Culpepper's Treatise of Aurum Potabile

Mr. Culpepper's TREATISE OF Aurum Potabile. BEING A Deſcription of the Three-fold WORLD, Viz. Elementary Celeſtial Intellectual CONTAINING The Knowledge neceſſary to the Study OF Hermetick Philoſophy. Faithfully written by him in his Life-time, and ſince his Death, publiſhed by his Wife.

London, Printed for George Everſden, at the Mayden-head in St. Pauls-Church yard, 1657.

TO THE READER.

Courteous Reader;

SO great are the Afflictions wherewith our heavenly Father hath been pleaſed to exerciſe me his poor handmaid, that I have not only lived to ſee my dear husband, the ſtay and ſolace of my life, taken from me: but it hath been my hard hap alſo to ſee his Reputation, and Memory (which will be dear to all Poſterity, for the Works he hath written for the common good of this Nation) blemiſhed, and eclipſed, by the covetous and unjuſt forgeries of one, who though he calls himſelfe Nathanael, is far from being an Iſraelite in whom there is no guile; who was not content to publiſh a hodge-podge of indigeſted Collections, and Obſervations of my dear huſband deceaſed, under the Title of Culpepper's laſt Legacy; but to make the deceit more taking, he ſteeled his forehead ſo far, and braiſed it ſo hard, as not to be aſhamed to forge two Epiſtles, one in mine, and the other in my huſbands name; of the penning of which, he nor I never ſo much as dream't: And yet he impudently affirmeth in my name, that my husband Layd a ſevere Injunction on me to publiſh them for the generall good, after his deceaſe; and that they are his laſt Experiences in Phyſick and Chyrurgery▪ And in the Title of his Book, he ſaith, They are the choycest and moſt profitable Secrets, reſolved never to be publiſhed till after his death. All which expreſſions in the Title and Epiſtles, are as falſe as the father of Lies; and every word in them forged and fained. And he knew well enough that no diſcreet honeſt man, that was a friend to my husband, or me, would ever have agreed to ſuch infamous and diſhoneſt practices; and therefore I deſire all Courteous Readers of the writings of my husband, to take notice of this Deceit, and to aſſure themſelves that it never entred into his head, to publiſh ſuch an undigeſted Gallimoffery, under the promiſing and ſolemne name of his Laſt Legacy, and that whereby he gained his reputation in the world, as the Impoſter makes him ſpeak in his forged Epiſtle. And I deſire any indifferent Reader, that hath obſerved my husbands lofty, and Maſculine manner of expreſſing himſelfe in his Prefaces, and Epiſtles Dedicatory, whether in caſe he had been minded or diſpoſed to take ſo ſolemne a farewell of the world, as the Forger makes him to doe; whether, I ſay, he would have done it in ſuch a whining faſhion, and ſo in the ſtile of a Ballade-maker, as to ſay, And now if it ſhall pleaſe Heaven to put a period to my life, and ſtudies, that I muſt bid all things under the Sun farewell: Farewell to my dear Wife and Child, farewell Arts and Sciences, farewell all worldly glories, adieu Readers. Certainly my husband would have been far more ſerious, and materiall, in ſuch a caſe, as any diſcreet man will judge. Neither can it be thought, that in ſuch a ſolemn valediction, he could poſſibly forget his wonted reſpects to the Colledge of Doctours, to whom he did ſo frequently addreſſe himſelfe, in divers of his Writings.

Courteous Readers, I ſhall ſay no more touching the abuſe of the Book-ſeller, only to prevent (as much as concerns me) thy being abuſed for the future, know, That my husband left * ſeventy-nine Books of his own making, or Tranſlating, in my hands, and I have depoſited them into the hands of his and my much Honoured Friend, Mr. Peter Cole, Book-ſeller, at the Printing Preſſe, near the Royal Exchange, (for the good of my Child) from whom thou mayeſt expect to receive in Print, ſuch of them as ſhall be thought fit to ſerve thee in due ſeaſon without any diſguiſes or forgeries, unto which I do hereby give my atteſtation. Alſo my husband left ſeventeen Books compleatly perfected, in the hands of the ſaid Mr. Cole, for which he paid my husband in his life-time.

In the mean time, to ſave thy longing, accept herewith of one of the choyceſt of his writings (as I am informed by a learned friend that ha's taken a view thereof) for ſublimity of matter, and ſtile, being (it ſhould ſeem) a Treatiſe touching Aurum Potabile, or rare Golden Liquor, the TRƲE LEGACY, which he left me, which Aurum Potabile, is a rare Cordiall, and Ʋniverſall Medicine, the perfection whereof was ſtudied out, and attained unto by the joynt endeavours of Dr. Freeman, and my husband: And as my husband ſould it in his life-time, ſo hath he left it to me, of whom any that pleaſe, may have it, at the dwelling-houſe of my deceaſed husband, where I yet remaine; the vertue whereof in his owne words Printed with the ſixth Edition of the London Diſpenſatory, are as followeth.

The Vertues, Ʋſe, and Varieties of Operations of the true and Philoſophicall Aurum Potabile. Now made and ſold by Dr. Freeman, and by the Widow of Dr. Culpepper, in Spittle-fields, on the Eaſt ſide, next door to the red LYON.

IT Cures all Agues, whether Quotidian, Tertian, or Quartain; alſo it cured divers people of that moſt horrid putrid Feaver, which ſo violently ſeized on mens bodies (both before and after Michaelmas, 1653.) to the great admiration of many. And when the parties diſeaſed, have been both ſenſleſſe and ſpeechleſſe, ſo that neither that, nor any other Medicine, or Panacea, though never ſo gentle, could ſafely be adminiſtred into the body, it hath beyond all hopes, by externall application on the ſtomack, revived them from death. It Cures the Gout, being fitly adminiſtrated, and the patient abſtaining from the cauſes. It prevents Miſcarriage in women ſubject thereunto, and being adminiſtred when their time is come, it cauſeth a ſpeedy and eaſie delivery.

It is an univerſall Remedy for all Diſeaſes, for its chief aime is to exhilarate the heart, and vitall ſpirits, which ſupply the Microcoſme, as the Sun doth the Macrocoſme: It binds and ſtops Fluxes, and yet purges; it provokes and ſtayes Vomiting: It cauſeth ſweat, yet Cures praternaturall ſweating, and performes all its operations as Nature her ſelf would have it, becauſe it only fortifies her in her Centre, and then ſhe is her ſelfe able to expell or correct and amend her enemy.

To conclude, It's an univerſall fortification for all Complexions, and Ages, againſt all ſorts and degrees of Peſtilentiall and Contagious infections, both preventing before their poſſeſſion, and extirpating of them after it.

I ſhall ſay no more at preſent, but refer you to a Treatiſe that ſhall ſhortly be publiſhed on this ſubject.

Jan. 1. 1653.

NIC: CULPEPPER.

And this is that Treatiſe (Courteous Readers) which ha's hung long in the birth, but never ſaw the light till now, and that thou mayeſt not delude thy ſelfe with thy owne imaginations, ſuffer me to tell thee before [〈◊〉] part, That thou mayeſt not expect [〈◊〉] this following Treatiſe, a plain deſcri[•]tion of my husbands Aurum Potabil[•] ſo that all the world reading this Boo[•] might make it: No, it had been in va[••] to leave me this Medicine as a Legac[•] and to make it common to every bod[•] His ſcope in this Sublime Treatiſe[•] to convince the Incredulous, from pri[•]ciples of Nature, That it is poſſib[••] to make ſuch a Medicine of ſuch ra[••] and generall Virtues: And witha[•] To give ſuch hints to the learned a[••] experienced Philoſopher, as mig[••] direct him in the ſearch of this exc[••]lent Secret. In a word, If thou ſh[•••] expect the Myſteries of Nature layd [•]pen after the method of Hermetic[••] Philoſophers, in a more diſtinct mann[••] then perhaps ha's ever been Printed [〈◊〉] the Engliſh tongue, peruſe this follo[•]ing Treatiſe, and (as a learned friend ha's aſſured me) thou ſhalt receive no ſmall ſatisfaction.

Neither let the Name offend any man, as if there were ſome deceit couched therein, or as if we would have the world believe that it conſists of nothing but Gold, reduced to a quinteſſentiall Liquor; no, we are ſure that it muſt then be ſold at a far higher rate then we now afford it. Let it ſuffice the ingenious Reader to know, That it is the moſt precious of all Medicines (as Gold is of Mettalls) and worth its weight in Gold, for the Excellency thereof: And that there is in it of the ſubſtance of Gold reduced into its principles, and made agreeable to mans conſtitution, by Art, therefore it is called Aurum Potabile. Such as it is (Courteous Readers) with all its excellent virtues, if you pleaſe to take the paines [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] to come, or ſend to my houſe, you m[••] have of it for your uſe, and there I ſha[••] be ready face to face, to aſſure any o[••] (that doubts) touching the truth [〈◊〉] what ha's been aſſerted in this Epiſtl[•] by your well-wiſhing Friend

Ready to ſerve you Alice Culpepper.

From my Houſe, next doore to the Red Lyon, in Spittle-fields, October 9. 1655.

Mris Alice Culpepper ſubſcribed this Epiſtle, the preſence of nine Witneſſes, who are ready to teſtifie the truth thereof, if n[•] require.

Mr. Culpepper's Treatiſe of Aurum Potabile.

The motives which firſt moved the ancient Philoſophers to this ſtudy. LIB. I.

THe ancient Philoſophers (however they have been traduced with the [•]ame of Heathens by new upſtarts) [•]oſt certainly had the wiſdome of God [•]anifeſted to them; they knew that God reated all things by his owne Almighty [•]ower, at firſt in a Chaos, which after[•]ards he ſeparated in a naturall way, [•]nd preſerves by Nature being ſo ſepa[•]ated; they knew there is nothing done in leaven, but what is managed by the adminiſtration of Angel; nor nothi[••] brought forth, or generated on or in [〈◊〉] Earth, but it is regulated by Natur[••] they knew that God made man an E[••]tome of all his works, and had giv[••] him ſuch a divine ſpirit of knowing wh[••] the high Creator was, by the things th[•] he had made, according to that of Dav[••] in Pſal. 8. When I conſider the heave[•] the work of thy hands, the Moon and [〈◊〉] Stars which thou haſt make; What is m[•] that thou art mindfull of him, and [〈◊〉] Son of man, that thou viſiteſt him? [〈◊〉] thou haſt made him a little lower then [〈◊〉] Angels, and haſt crowned him with gl[••] and honor. Thou haſt made him to h[••] dominion over the workds of thy han[•] thou haſt put all things under his feet. [〈◊〉] that it was the deſire of the knowledge God, and not covetouſneſſe to be ri[••] which firſt ſet them a ſtudying theſe m[•]ſteries; for God did never reveal th[••] yet, nor never will do we are confide[••] to any perſon whoſe converſation is [〈◊〉] Earth, and not in Heaven. This we c[••]ceive to be one great reaſon, if not [〈◊〉] onely reaſon, why Philoſophers ha[••] written of the Philoſophers ſtone to my[••]eriouſly, and as it were in riddles. We [••]ppoſe the eternall God ſuffers them to [••]rite no otherwiſe, leſt ſuch divine and [••]avenly myſteries ſhould be diſcovered [〈◊〉] ſuch unworthy Wretches, who ac[••]unt this World their Heaven, Mam[••]on their God, and Gain their Godli[•]eſſe. Truly we conſidering how myſte[•]ouſly God by his Spirit hath penned [••]e ſcripture to the ſons of men, that none [•]ut his owne choſe ones underſtand [•]e myſteries of it, have ceaſed to que[••]ion the integrity of Philoſophers in [•]enning ſuch riddles. That propheſie [〈◊〉]. Iſa. 6. which is ſo often repea ed in [••]e New Teſtament, muſt be verefied: [•]o unto this peole, and ſay, Hearing you [•]all hear, but not underſtand; and ſeeing [••]u ſhall ſee, but not perceive: for the heart [〈◊〉] this people is waxed groſſe; &c. But to [••]oceed, we conceive that which moved [•]hiloſophers firſt to this ſtudy, was:

1. Their thoughts reflected upon their [••]ter ends; they conſidered how ſhort a [••]me they had to live upon earth, which [••]ade them double their diligence in this knowledge, that ſo they might not [〈◊〉] like fools, but do ſomething for [〈◊〉] glory of God, and good of othe[•] whileſt they lived. It is noted by T[•]vellers, that the Birds in Norway, wh[•] the dayes be at the ſhorteſt (and th[•] they are not above four hours long) th[•] fly ſo much the ſwifter: So were the a[•]cient Philoſophers more ſtudious, up[••] conſideration of the ſhortneſſe of th[•] lives; this ſet them upon this ſubject, [〈◊〉] invent ſuch an Art which might preſe[•] their lives in health, even to the utm[•] period; for they knew well enough t[•] the eternall and onely wiſe God had [〈◊〉] dained that all things on earth ſhould [〈◊〉] made up with a compoſition of contries, and therefore muſt conſiſt of c[••]trary principles: If ſo, then the de[••] of one muſt needs be the life of the oth[••] and that which produceth one thi[••] muſt needs conſume another, and br[•••] forth a third more noble then the f[••]mer; for whatſoever was naturally co[••]pounded in time, they knew in time m[••] alſo naturally be ſeparated; where[•••] their ſtudies were bent how to lengt[••] [••]eir lives, and ſtrengthen their know[••]dge. But how to do this, requires ano[••]er Query.

2. It is not to be admired, for it is [•]ell known to them that follow their [••]udies in the fear of God, and follow [•]ot the biaſs of the world, but aim with [〈◊〉] ſingle eye at the glory of God, and [••]e good of their neighbors; that he [••]ernall God the great firſt Being of all [••]ings, doth by his Spirit inſpire wiſdom [〈◊〉] thoſe that ſeek him, and wait, and [••]ely upon him: And ſome conclude, he [••]id to theſe Philoſophers according to [•]hat gracious promiſe of his, Jam. 1.5. [•]f any man want wiſdome, let him ask it [•]f God (that giveth to all men liberally, [•]nd uphraideth not) and it ſhall be given [•]im. Therefore in the ſecond place they [•]ook'd back to their owne originall, and [•]onſidered the rock from whence they [•]ere hewed; and there they found that man was at the firſt created of perfect, [•]ure, and incorrupted Elements, equally [•]empered and proportioned in quality, the one not exceeding the other in any meaſure of inequality whatſoever, as they do in the world; as Ovid well [••]ſcribes,

— quia corpore in [〈◊〉]

Frigida pugnabant calidis, humentia ſi[•••]

Mollia cum duris, ſine pondere habe[•••] pondus.

— for in one body joy[•••]

The cold and hot, and dry and hu[•••] fight,

The ſoft and hard, the heavy with [〈◊〉] light.

Now then, if inequality be the ca[•••] of death, as we ſhewed you before, a[•••] all the world is framed by the four [••]ments, which are contrary the one [〈◊〉] the other, there muſt needs be ſome co[•]buſtion between them, ſometimes [〈◊〉] muſt overcome, ſometimes anoth[••] for as all likes agree with their likes, [〈◊〉] all diſlikes diſagree with their diſli[•]k[••] every Element cheriſhing his owne q[••]lity in the body of man; and hence co[••] diſeaſes, decaying, and death in the bo[••] of man: So man being created of p[•••] [•]lements, all oppoſition coming by rea[••]n of impurity; for all virtues in the [•]inde of man agree, its vices onely [••]ſagree, not onely with virtue, but [•]ith one another, We ſay, Man being [•]reated of pure Elements, equally pro[•]ortion muſt needs be created in an im[•]ortall condition, and ſo muſt have con[•]nued, had he not by his offence put [•]imſelf into a corruptible condition.

The knowledge of theſe things indu[•]ed them to reaſon out their Cauſes and Changes, they knowing how it once [•]ere, and how it now is, ſought to finde [•]he Corner-ſtone, and where ſhould they [•]oe for examples of their work, but [•]here Nature was acting? a Chaos were [•]ot to be found whence to begin anew, [•]n imitation of the Creation; neither were they ſo ſimple to go about it, ha[•]ing examples ſufficient from what was readily ſeparated or diſtinguiſhed is the Chaos. As,

Firſt, the generation, growth, preſervation, and deliverance of the Childe in, through, and out of the Mothers wombe.

Secondly, in very truth the Unive[•]ſality of all things produced into this h[•]bitable world, eſpecially of living cre[•]tures, whether by generation or co[•]ruption, plainly ſhews them, that [〈◊〉] they would be perfecting of Natu[••] they muſt begin where ſhe her ſelf do[••] This place will permit us to ſpeak [〈◊〉] more then others have done before [〈◊〉] as occaſion ſerves; aenigmatically we ſh[••] deliver it.

3. They know that the Garden [〈◊〉] Eden, as the Scripture calls it, in whic[•] Adam was created, and which he was ſ[••] to till, was created alſo of pure Eleme[••] uncorrupted, equally and harmonical[••] proportioned, even in the higheſt pe[•]fection, and that all the ſuſtenance the[••] whereupon man lived was pure, made [〈◊〉] pure Elements, not Elements elementate[•] as the reſt of the world was which th[•] Lord made for beaſts to live in. The[•] if there were no corruption in the Garden how could there be mortality? as ther[•] ſhall be no mortality after the reſurection becauſe there ſhall be no corruption. W[•] ſhall not go about here to define wha[•] this Paradiſe was, and what it is, onely it is probable to us it may be ſtill remaining, though the common tenent be, that it was deſtroyed by the flood. We read, Gen. 3. that the Lord turned man out of the Garden, leſt he ſhould eat of the tree of life, and live for ever; and he placed in the Garden Cherubims, and a flaming Sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of Life. We ſay, we ſhall not diſpute the point where the place is; yet theſe few things give us leave to lay down, as being very probable to us; in which notwithſtanding we ſhall ſubmit to better judgements.

1. That the place is ſtill probably remaining, as appears by the former Scripture; and that the bodies of Enoch and Elias may be there, it being no way probable to us that it was conſumed by the flood, for that were impoſſible:

Firſt, becauſe it was pure, and therefore no way ſubject to corruption.

Secondly, becauſe there were Angels ſet to keep it, which had been but a feeble guard, if they could not have kept out a little water.

2. That God created this Paradiſe fo[•] men onely, and not for beaſts; and thi[•] we conclude from Gen. 2.19. where it i[•] ſaid, that God brought every beaſt of th[•] field, and fowle of the air to Adam, tha[•] he might name them; which plainly ſhew[•] they were not there before; but Paradiſ[•] was a peculiar place, different from th[•] reſt of the earth. We quote this the rather[•] becauſe ſome have ſtood to prove a reſurrection of beaſts.

3. We conceive the reſurrection of Ma[•] may be proved from hence, even from Naturall Philoſophy.

Firſt, becauſe his body was at firſt made incorruptable.

Secondly, becauſe he had an immortal Spirit breathed into him, according to th[••] Gen. 2.7. God ſpirited into his noſtril the ſpirit of life, and he became a livin[•] ſoul; which ſpirit cannot be corrupted, becauſe it is not nouriſhed by food, and experience teacheth us, that even in our own bodies it ſtill maintains a continuall enmity and combate againſt the vices of th[•] fleſh.

4. We conceive the ancient Philoſophers ſtudyed out the cauſe of this change, how man being immortall, came to put on mortality; which they found to be this: After man had ſinned, God drave him, or put him out of the Garden, to live amongſt the beaſts in the corruptible world, which was compoſed not of pure Elements, but of Elements elementated, unequally proportioned, in reſpect of heat, coldneſſe, dryneſſe and moyſture; and being there, ſeeing he could not live without nouriſhment, he was forced to take his nouriſhment from corrupt food, by which thoſe pure Elements of which he was made were infected, and by degrees (though very ſlowly) declined from incorruption to corruption, untill at laſt one quality exceeded another in his body, as it did in the food which he took for ſuſtenance: So his body became ſubject to corruption, after corruption to infirmity and ſickneſſe, and after ſickneſſe to death.

Beſides, we read Gen. 5.3. that Adam begat a Son in his owne likeneſſe; that is, as we underſtand, not of pure and temperate Elements, of which he wa[•] created, but of corrupted and mixe[•] Elements, and therefore mortall; fo[•] that which is procreated of corrupte[•] ſeed, ſuch as is bred of corrupted foo[•] and in corrupted Elements, cannot b[•] durable; and this is clear, if you do[•] but conſider that the children of weakl[•] and ſickly Parents ſeldome live long.

Here by the way (if we may digreſſe[•] little) we conceive the reaſons,

1. Why the Patriarchs in the prim[•]tive times lived ſo long; becauſe the[••] nature was corrupted by degrees, o[••] quality exceeded another by degrees, an[•] but very leiſurely; all Philoſophe[•] know that ſudden and haſty changes a[••] inconſiſtent with Nature, as appea[••] plainly by the declination of the S[••] when he is upon the tropicks; or to com[••] a little lower, by the ebbing and flowin[•] of the water at London-bridge.

2. We conceive the more temperate[••] men live, the longer their lives may b[••] preſerved, becauſe they take in the leſ[••] corruption, and by conſequence burde[••] Nature the leſſe.

3. We conceive that in proceſſe of [•]ime, conſidering mens lives grow ſhor[•]er and ſhorter, and their natures weaker and weaker, generation it ſelf muſt needs ceaſe, and ſo the world rationally come to an end.

4. All that we know can be objected againſt this is from the prayer of Moſes, Pſal. 90.10. Mans yeers are threeſcore and ten, and if he live fourſcore, it's but labour and travell; intimating, that men lived in Moſes his dayes no longer then now they do. But to that we anſwer thus:

1. We conceive that Moſes intended the yeers of his Manhood, not the yeers of his Life, for himſelf lived much longer.

2. The difference of the Climate muſt alſo be conſidered, which there was far hotter, therefore mens lives far ſhorter. We are informed that 40 yeers is a great age there now, which is but the one half mentioned by Moſes.

3. Hence we conceive the reaſon why not onely the Patriarchs of old, but alſo ancient Philoſophers were wiſer then now men are. We know the Animal ſpirit is formed of nothing elſe but a mixture of blood & air, ſo that men by breathing in a corrupted air, and that being mixed with corrupt blood, muſt need make a corrupt Animall ſpirit, and b[•] conſequence a corrupt Underſtanding, though we confeſſe a great part of ou[•] corruption of Underſtanding at preſen[•] comes by reaſon of a curſe, as we ſhall ſhew hereafter, which we hope ſhall ſpeedily be done away, becauſe we have [〈◊〉] promiſe, Dan. 12.4. That in the latter dayes many ſhall run to and fro, and knowledge ſhall be increaſed. To proceed,

5. The ancient Philoſophers finding that the cauſe of this ſhortneſſe of life proceeded from corrupt food, and the unequall temperature of the Elements; and knowing that where pure Elements are joyned together equally in their virtues, ſuch a ſubject muſt needs be incorrupted in it ſelf, and therefore preſerveth a man that uſeth it from corrupt on; therefore they bent their ſtudies about finding out ſuch a principle; in doing which, we conceive they took this courſe:

Firſt, they knew that the whole Crea[•]ion was naturall, and therefore they [•]ought up and down in the Book of Nature for it. They viewed the Creation, whether ſuch uncorrupted Elements might be found in it, or whether impure Elements might by Art be reduced to purity; and being ſo produced by ſeparation, whether thoſe pure Elements might be joyned together again. This was carryed in the Affirmative.

Secondly, they found this was not to be had in the Animall Kingdome, becauſe all creatures preſerve their lives by corrupted Elements; they live by corrupted food, and breath in corrupted air.

Thirdly, in the Vegetable Kingdome it was in vain to look for it, for all vegetables conſiſt of unequall temperaments, one quality exceeds another by far, as is well known to all Phyſicians, that one hearb is colder then another, another hotter, a third dryer, and a fourth moyſter.

Fourthly, they are reſolved to make tryall in the Minerall Kingdome, what poſſibility of Nature might be foun[•] there for ſuch a buſineſſe; there the mo[••] high God and Maker of all things r[•]vealed to them that there was ſuch a[•] equality to be found in Gold, that th[•] Elements were to be found equally p[•]ſed there, no one quality exceeding another, and no where elſe.

Fifthly, then they conſidered wh[•] was friendly to Gold, and what inim[•]call, that ſo they might embrace the on[•] and reject the other; they found that [〈◊〉] was impoſſible to preſerve, much mo[••] to exalt a Metal, unleſſe its enemies we[••] known; they found out that the chiefe[•] enemies of Gold were Lead, all ſhar[••] and corroding water, and indeed all corroſive things, Salts, Antimony, commo[•] Sulphur, and common Mercury: How ever, late Alchymiſts make uſe of man of theſe in making their Aurum Potabil[•] which we ſhall omit in this place t[•] ſpeak of the evill ſuch paltry ſtuff ma[•] do to the body of man, but reſerve it t[•] its proper place; howſoever, let it b[•] ſufficient that Nature teacheth Philoſophers to mix likes with likes, and no [••]ſlikes, ſo Nature produces all things [〈◊〉] the Creation; But our modern Al[•]ymiſts go as prepoſterouſly to work, as [••]ought a man ſhould attempt to get a [••]ilde by copulation with a Timber-log, [〈◊〉] to calcine metals out of Horſe-dung, [〈◊〉] diſtill wood out of a dog.

6. They conſidered whether it were [•]oſſible for man to attain to the know[••]dge of that; and this was carryed in the [•]ffirmative alſo, and upon good reaſon, [••]r Man is an Epitome of the whole [••]orld; nay, he was at firſt made of the [••]ery quinteſſence of it, that ſo he might [••]old forth the wonderful power and wiſ[•]ome of God, and glorifie and praiſe [•]od; therefore if whatſoever be in the Creation, be to be found alſo in the body [•]f man, he muſt needs be capable of [•]nowing whatſoever is in the Creation, [•]ecauſe he may finde it in his own body: [••]lence is the reaſon of the influence of [••]e ſtars upon the body of man, becauſe [••]e hath a Microcoſmical Sun, Moon, and [••]tars in his owne body.

7. Then to work they went, and con[••]dered in Gold (myſtically meant) how they might ſeparate the pure from [〈◊〉] impure; and by joyning pure to pu[••] they might by the help of fire form [〈◊〉] much more noble then it was at firſt; [〈◊〉] they knew well enough that all cor[••]ption was nothing elſe but a groſſe m[••]ter mixed with the pure, and that th[••] was no way to ſeparate this but by put[••] faction, and that this putrefaction w[••] to be performed by the mediation of fi[••] which we ſhall ſpeak of more anon.

8. They ſearched out where the great harmonies in the world conſiſted, a they found that it conſiſted between [〈◊〉] Sun and Gold, the Moon and Silve[•] (Philoſophically) Wine and Man; [〈◊〉] they conſidered, that the vitall hear[•] all things proceeded from the beams [〈◊〉] the Sun; and the radicall moyſture [〈◊〉] things, from the beams of the Moon, [〈◊〉] becauſe there was no harmony betw[••] theſe and man, without a medium, t[••] reſolved to ſpend their wits to unite [〈◊〉] terreſtriall Sun and Moon to the body [〈◊〉] Man, by the help of ſpirit of wine; t[•] put them into divers diſquiſitions, [〈◊〉] which God revealed unto them ma[••] divine ſecrets in Nature; as namely,

Firſt, Aurum vitae, which though it were the firſt thing we found out in this ſtudy, yet we ſhall be ſilent in the way of preparing it, it being the ſecret of one already in London, whom we ſhal not diſhearten in future ſtudies; only this commendation we will give of it, that it is a ſingular medicine, eſpecially in diſeaſes of moyſture, it being very probably the firſt matter of our Creation, and therefore a true medicine to reſtore and preſerve us.

2. Aurum Potabile, which we have at laſt through Gods aſſiſtance attained, and about which this Treatiſe is the Philoſophicall way of making, which we ſhal give you by and by; and no farther have we yet gone.

What Naturall Philoſophy is requiſite to a Student in this Art. LIB. II.

LEt him that intends to imploy his Naturall Philoſophy this way, namely, for the preſervation of life and health, go learn it of Nature her ſelfe, and not of Ariſtotle, leſt he beſhrew himſelf for his pains: Let him take notice, that the moſt high Creator of all things hath given commiſſion to Nature, to be Princeſſe both over the Coeleſtiall and Terreſtriall words (for as there is a Trinity in Unity in the Godhead, and a Unity in Trinity; ſo is there a triplicity alſo to be found in all his works) therefore conſider that God hath created a threefold world.

Firſt, Elementary; which is loweſt in dignity.

Secondly, Coeleſtiall; which is next above that.

Thirdly, Intellectuall; which is the higheſt of all; and thrice happy is he that attains unto it.

2. Conſider, that of theſe three worlds the eternall and onely wiſe God hath ſo ordered it, by his eternall and unſearchable decree, that every inferiour ſhould be governed by its ſuperiour, and receive its influence and virtue therefrom: For God the firſt Being, and chief Worker of all things, governs the Coeleſtiall world, namely, the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, and all the hoſte of heaven, by the Intellectuall world, namely, the Angels; and the Elementary world, and all Elementary bodies, namely, Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables, by the Coeleſtiall world, namely, the Stars.

3. As there is a Unity in the Godhead, ſo is there alſo one intire Unity in every one of theſe Worlds: For,

Firſt, in the Intellectuall world there [〈◊〉] one Arch-angel Michael, the ſupreme [〈◊〉] all the Angels.

Secondly, in the Coeleſtiall world ther[•] is one Sun, the giver of life, light, and motion to the Creation.

Thirdly, in the Elementary world ther[•] is one Philoſophers ſtone, the Epitome o[•] all Naturall virtues.

Fourthly, there are three Arts for t[•] finde out theſe three Unities, their myſteries and diviſions.

• 1. Naturall Philoſophy.
• 2. Aſtrology.
• 3. Divinity.

1. The Naturall Philoſophy ſeeks after the virtues of the Elementary world and the various mixtures of Natural things in Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables; (and here by the way take notice, that when at any time we mentio[•] Animals, we do not include Man, the ridiculous deſcription of whom was give[•] by Plato, Homo eſt animal bipes ſine plumis; A Man was an Animal withou[•] feathers, that went upon two feet; fo[•] which Apiſh definition he was ſufficiently laughed at by Diogenes, we account man to be of a far nobler nature;) the naturall Philoſopher moreover inquires into the cauſes, effects, times, places, faſhions, events; the whole, and every part of the whole in the Minerall, Animall, and Vegetable Kingdome; and how Nature produceth them by the Elements.

2. The Aſtrologer is, or at leaſtwiſe ought to be, very well verſed in every part of Naturall philoſophy, (or elſe he will hang betwixt heaven and earth (as the Papiſts ſay Eraſmus doth, between heaven and hell) being not able to reach the one, nor get ſure footing upon the other) from thence he enquires, and ſearcheth the motion and courſe of the Coeleſtiall bodies, and what effects ſuch motions muſt naturally produce upon Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables.

3. Then in comes the Divine, who being admirably skilled in both theſe Arts (elſe we conceive him unfit to be a Divine, and unfitter to receive tithes) and he teacheth what God is, what the ſpirit and ſoul of man, what an Angel is, and wh[••] Religion is, and how a man ſhould glorifie God in his life and converſation.

Here, by the way, you ſee the firſt reaſon of the inſtitution of Univerſities for the firſt inſtitution of moſt thing was good, corruption came in by time it was queſtionleſſe that people might b[•] ſtudious in theſe Arts, that ſo they migh[•] the better teach others.

Thus you have in generall what knowledge is requiſite for him that intends th[•] ſtudy of Hermetick Philoſophy, whic[•] that we may declare more cleerly, we ſha[••] branch it out into particulars, and ſhew how far an Hermeticall Philoſophe[•] ought to be skilled in the knowledge o[•] theſe three worlds; and let each ſtand in a Section by it ſelf.

Of the Elementary World. SECT. I.

HE that would attain to theſe Arts, muſt firſt begin at the lower end of the Ladder, and ſo climbe up to the top; but let him be ſure one foot be faſt before he remove the other, let him take heed of building his foundation upon falſehoods; let him not ſtick to the Letter what we or others write, but let him conſider whether it be poſſible in, or agreeable to Nature, or not; if not, there is ſome myſticall meaning in it, which he muſt diligently ſearch out.

Alſo, he that would attain the true knowledge of the Elements, muſt begin at generals, and afterwards come to particulars, and ſo ſhall we at this time: therefore conſider in the generall.

Firſt, that there are four Elements, viz. Fire, Earth, Water, and Air; by which all things in the Elementary world are generated, not by beating o[•] them together, as men beat clay, to mak[•] Tobacco-pipes, but after another moſ[•] ſecret manner, as we ſhall ſhew you by and by.

2. Conſider that pure Elements are inviſible, not ſubject to our ſight, that water which we ſee, and that fire which we ſee, is far enough off from being pure, but are more or leſſe mixed, and are often changed into one another by Nature; as the Fire is changed into Smoak, the Smoak into Air, the Air into Water, &c. as we ſhall ſhew you more anon: it is but the garment of an Element that is to be ſeen by a vulgar eye; pure Elements are onely to be ſeen by Philoſophers, and that by Art.

3. If we may make bold a little to deal with Aristotle, and his followers in folly; they held themſelves, and alſo taught others, that every Element had two ſpecifical qualities; as, the Fire was hot and dry, the Water cold and moyſt, the Air hot and moyſt, and the Earth cold and dry; ſo the Fire was inimicall to the Water, and the Air to the Earth; but if you are minded to finde the truth, you muſt look for it far another way, for theſe qualities are no way inherent in the Elements themſelves, but accidentall to Elementary bodies; for he that hath but half a grain of Philoſophy in him, muſt needs know that pure Elements are temperate, elſe how could they be pure?

4. We told you before there was a Trinity in the Deity, and if ſo, there muſt needs be a Trinity in all his works; and becauſe there is a Trinity in the Godhead, therefore is the number Three a moſt powerfull number, a number of perfection, all creatures both in the Vegetable and Minerall world, conſiſts of three principles, Sulphur, Mercury, and Sal; nay, Man himſelf, which is an Epitome of the Creation, and bears the image of the Creator, conſiſts of three eſſences, Spirit, Soul, and Body; as the Apoſtle Paul witneſſeth in theſe words, That your ſpirits, ſouls, and bodies may be kept blameleſſe at the coming of the Lord Jeſus Christ. Theſe three eſſence[•] in man, anſwers to the three worlds; th[•] Spirit of man to the Intellectuall worl[•] the Soul to the Coeleſtiall, and the Bod[•] to the Elementary; ſo alſo every Element conſiſteth of three qualities whic[•] are eſſentially in them, viz.

• 1. The Air hath motion, thinneſſe, an[•] darkneſſe.
• 2. The Fire, motion, brightneſſe, an[•] thinneſſe.
• 3. The Water, motion, darkneſſe, an[•] thickneſſe.
• 4. The Earth, darkneſſe, thickneſſe and quietneſſe.
• 5. We deſire you to take ſpeciall notice of this, that the Fire is twice mor[•] thin then the Air, thrice more movabl[•] and four times more bright.

The Air is twice more bright, thric[•] more thin, and four times more movab[••] then the Water.

The Water is twice more bright, thric[•] more thin, and four times more movabl[•] then the Earth; & vice verſa: as ther[•]fore the Fire is to the Air, ſo is the A[••] to the Water, and the Water to th[•] Earth; and on the contrary, as the Earth is to the Water, ſo is the Water to the Air, and the Air to the Fire.

6. Seeing then the Elements conſiſt of three qualities, we will take them all under a threefold conſideration.

Firſt, pure Elements, which are neither compounded nor changed, but are incorruptible, not of which, but by which the virtues of all naturall things are brought forth to act; no man is able to declare their virtues, becauſe they are able to do all things upon all things: He that is ignorant of theſe, will never be able to obtain either the Philoſophers ſtone, or Aurum Potabile.

Secondly, compounded Elements, changeable and impure, yet ſuch as may be reduced to their purity again by Art; by the virtue of ſuch, when they are thus reduced to their ſimplicity, is perfected all the common operations of Nature, and they are indeed the foundation of the whole work of Aurum Potabile, and perhaps of the Philoſophers ſtone alſo.

Thirdly, there are thoſe things wch a[•] called Elements, which indeed originalls of themſelves are not Elements, but a[•] twice compounded and commixed, various and interchangeable one with another.

7. Theſe things we thought good t[•] lay down in the generall, concerning th[•] Elements; we confeſſe theſe are dee[•] myſteries, which but few know; nay none but thoſe few that learned of Nature; (Tradition is a monſter, away with it;) yet never think to obtain A[•]rum Potabile, till thou knoweſt how to reduce theſe out of one order into another, impure into pure, compounded into ſimple, and underſtandeſt diſtinctly the nature, power, and virtue of them, i[•] number, degree, and order, without dividing the ſubſtance; and when thou doſ[•] ſo, there is nothing almoſt in the three worlds, but thou mayſt underſtand. Theſe things we thought good to premiſe concerning the Elements in generall, we come now to ſpeak of them in particular, and ſhall place each of them in a Chapter by it ſelf.

Of the Element of EARTH. CHAP. I.

BEfore we begin, give us leave,

• Firſt, to premiſe a Caution.
• Secondly, to anſwer an Objection.

For Caution, conſider that the ancient Philoſophers minded, followed, and regarded Nature her ſelf in all her wayes, and nothing elſe; they knew the ſteps of Nature were cleerly ſeen in the procreation and generation of Man, where ſhe obſerves her own law and rules; and they being contented with the plain way of Nature alone, attained to the utmoſt period of all their ſtudies and hopes alſo, and found out thoſe things wch the wi[••] of the modern Alchymiſts would not, no[•] could not reach to, for they neglecte[•] the plain way of Nature, and ran altogether upon intricacies; and were ſo bu[••] in Diſtilling, Calcining, Circulating Sublimating, and Precipitating, that Hermes himſelf (the Father of Philoſophers) were now alive, or Gober, or Ra[•]mundus Lullius, they would have bee[•] accounted Fools, and not Philoſopher amongſt them; for they neglect alway what they know, and either abuſe wha[•] they have already found, or elſe throw it by, like an old Almanack out of date & are ſtil ſeeking after ſtrange whimſies making Nature her ſelf ſubject to thei[•] addle brains, and idle fancies.

The objection we ſhall anſwer before we begin, is this:

What is the reaſon, ſeeing there is a Trinity in Unity in the Go head, and all the world conſiſt of a triplicity, that there are four Elements, how or which way came the fourth cre[•]ping i[•]?

To this we anſwer thus: The Deity which governs all things is a[•]tive, yea the Author of all action and motion; ſo [•]lſo is there but a triplicity of Elements which have motion, and are active; the [•]arth is fixed and paſſive, and onely [•]upplyes matter for the other to act upon; [•]or as nothing can be acted, but there muſt needs be matter ſubminiſtred to act [•]pon, man cannot build a Caſtle in the air with nothing; the Children of Iſrael (you know) could not burn bricks without ſtraw, therefore of neceſſity [•]here muſt be one Element to ſubminiſter matter for the reſt to act upon; for as [•]here could be no influence in the Heavens, unleſſe there were Elements, or Elementary bodies to receive this influence. Or, to come home a little neerer to the point, and uſe a compariſon a lit[•]le more familiar to the vulgar; as in [•]he procreation of children, the man only [•]cts, but it would be long enough cro[••] got a childe, were there not a woman [•]o ſupply matter to act upon; and then you know well enough that every active [•]rinciple muſt needs be in motion, elſe it cannot act, every paſſive principle muſt [•]eeds be fixed; for when a Carpenter hews a timber-log, the Carpenter m[•••] needs move, and the log muſt needs [〈◊〉] ſtill, for it is impoſſible his work ſhoul[•] go forward all the while he ſits ſti[••] upon it; or hew it, whileſt it is draw[•] about with horſes; and according as th[•] Carpenter is an Artiſt or not an Arti[••] in his Calling, ſo the timber-log is eith[••] well or ill hewed: Juſt ſo, for all th[•] world it is in this point we now diſcour[•] of, three of the Elements have motion and therefore are active; the other, vi[•] the Earth, is paſſive, and ſupplyes matt[••] for the other to act upon; and accordin[•] as the Elements acting are either pure impure, ſo they are either well or ill; lame man cannot run, neither can a blin[•] ſee; according as the Earth they act upon is either pure or impure, ſo is the concluſion of the work either good or bad for the wiſeſt Carpenter breathing cannot make a good timber-log of an o[•] rotten tree. And thus by the way yo[•] ſee the reaſons why ſo many have bee[•] ſtudying after the Philoſophers ſton[•] and ſo few found it, becauſe they eith[••] work upon impure principles, or elſe the work impurely upon pure principles.

Having premiſed this, we come now to treat of the Element it ſelf, viz. Earth, in which conſider,

1. That the Earth brings forth nothing of it ſelf, but is the Nurſe and matrix of all things, it receives whatſoever ſeed, ſperm, or commixtion the other three Elements diſtill or project into it; when the ſperm is good, it bringeth forth good things; when the ſperm is impure, it brings forth what it can, for it is ordained ſo to do.

2. When the Earth hath received the ſperm from the other Elements, it keeps what of it is to be kept, and what of it is to be brought to light, it brings to light.

3. It receives the Coeleſtial rays and influence of all the Stars, as being ordained of God to be the object, ſubject, and receptacle of them, whereby it doth not onely bring forth what is to be brought forth, but it multiplyes what it receives, and ſeparates the good from the bad, the pure from the impure.

4. In the Earth are contained the ſeeds and ſeminal virtues of all Elementary bodies, and it hath alſo a triplici[••] in it ſelf.

• 1. Minerall.
• 2. Animall.
• 3. Vegetable.

5. It is made fruitfull by the oth[••] Elements, as we told you before, as al[•] by the influence of the Heavens, a[••] therefore it receives the abundance of a[••] things, and is the fountain, foundation and mother from whence all thing[•] ſpring.

We ſhall a little ſatisfie thoſe that a[••] ſtudious in Philoſophy in the truth [〈◊〉] this, and ſo conclude this Chapter.

1. Take as much Earth as you will ſeparate it, waſh it, cleanſe it, purifie i[•] calcine it, bring it even to purity it ſel[•] if thou knoweſt how to do it, Philoſophers do; then take this Earth thus purified, and lay it in the open air, the othe[•] three Elements and heavenly influence of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, will in ſhort time impregnate it with ſuch virtues, that it ſhall bring forth plants, m[••]tals, ſtones, wormes, or whatſoever it fit to produce.

2. Take the aſhes of any hearb, be it what hearb ſoever, provided they be all hearbs of the ſame ſort, purifie the aſhes with fire and water, till you have brought them to pure Earth; then ſet this Earth thus purified into the open air, and the heavenly influences by mediation of the Elements will again impregnate it, and bring forth the ſame hearb again in its due ſeaſon; for indeed a plant though it be burned to aſhes, yet by a ſecret and wonderfull power of the Almighty, whereby he teaches wiſdome to the Sons of Wiſdome, it retains ſtill the ſame form it had before, though not viſibly to the eye of the vulgar.

3. We have read that this may be viſible to the eye by Art, and that a Phyſician of Crocaven, kept in glaſſes the aſhes of moſt known hearbs, which with a gentle heat he could reduce to their own proper forms; a Gentleman that came to him once for curioſity ſake, deſired to ſee a Roſe, he took down a glaſſe wherein the aſhes of a Roſe were kept, and held it over a lighted candle; the aſhes ſo ſoon as the heat came to them, began to move, and diſperſed themſelve[•] up and down the glaſſe, like a thick cloud, and at laſt by equall diviſion of themſelves, repreſented a Roſe ſo freſh and fair, as if it had been naturally growing on a tree; the learned Gentleman that ſaw it, practiſed himſelf to do the like, but without ſucceſſe, till a laſt accident gave him the ſight of what his Art could not, for having one time extracted ſalt out of certain Nettles he ſet the Lee of the aſhes abroad one Winter night, and in the morning he found it frozen, but to the admiration both of himſelf & all that ſaw it, the nettles preſented themſelves upon the Ice in ſuch perfect form and colour, that living Nettles could not ſurpaſſe them upon which he made theſe verſes thus tranſlated into Engliſh:

This ſecret proves, that though the body dye,

The form doth ſtill within its aſhes lye.

We conceive it probable, the reaſon why this Gentleman beſtowed this labour in vain about the triall of this rare experience, was, becauſe he did not draw the ſalt well out of the aſhes, for till that be all drawn away, it remains ſtill a compoſt; however, this will abſolutely prove a reſurrection of man, and if wiſely conſidered, gives no ſmal help to the attaining not onely of Aurum Potabile, but alſo of the Philoſophers ſtone.

And ſo much for this Chapter.

Of the Element of FIRE. CHAP. II.

WE told you in the laſt Chapter that the Elements could no[•] work unleſſe they had matter to worl[•] upon, which matter the Earth ſupplye[•] them with; in the next place we ought t[•] conſider by what Nature works, an[•] then how ſhe works, viz. by putrefactio[•] and generation.

As for the matter by which Natur[•] works, it's the other three Elements, on[•] of which, namely Fire, is the ſubject o[•] our preſent diſcourſe; for indeed Fir[•] both quickens all things, and deſtroy[•] all things: This was very elegantl[•] (though ſomething fabulouſly deſcribed by the Poets; (And here by the way, we deſire young ſtudents in Philoſophy to be very ſtudious in reading of them, for he ſhal finde excellent truths to be fained in th[•••] Fables, and that we conceive was the reaſon of the firſt learning of them in the Grammar Schools, which practiſe is ſtill followed, though few know a reaſon why:) the Poets ſay, that Prometheus having made curious Images, asked Pallas what he ſhould do to quicken them, ſhe took him up to heaven with her, and bid him take what he pleaſed there; and as he rode up and down in her chariot, he ſaw all things was quickened by Fire, whereupon he took his ferula and lighted it at the chariot of the Sun, and brought that fire down upon earth, and quickened his Images. I forbear to give the morall, it being very well known to all Philoſophers, and they know well enough by the help of Pallas or Wiſdome, how to fetch fire from the Sun to quicken their operations.

But that we may be plain in this E[••]ment, we ſhall conſider,

• 1. What it is.
• 2. What its effects and oper[•]tions are.

1. What it is. Conſider [〈◊〉] t[••] Fire is but one, though it center in [••]vers places; it is the moſt pure of a[•] the Elements, ſo hating all impurity that it diſſolves and ſeparates whatſo[•]ver compound comes aneer it.

2. It is in this work, though it be b[••] one, yet to be taken under a threefor[•] conſideration.

• 1. As it is in the Heavens.
• 2. As it is central in the Earth.
• 3. As it is common upon th[•] Earth, though we confeſſe this laſt conduceth not much to this operation, ſomething it doth.

1. As it is in the Heavens it is bound leſſe and inviſible, guarding and preſerving nature, enlivening all the Creation giving life and light to all the creature[•] and making them fruitfull. But of th[••] we ſhall ſpeak more when we come t[•] treat of the Sun.

2. As it is centrall in the Earth, it cauſeth that heat which is in the Earth and Fountains, and is not onely that that which makes Minerals, Metals, and Stones, by joyning it ſelf with the beams of the Coeleſtiall Sun and Moon, and cauſeth all Vegetables to ſpring and grow, but alſo it imparts part of it ſelf, whatſoever it brings forth; for whatſoever lives, lives by reaſon of its owne proper incloſed heat, which it receives from this centrall fire.

And here by the way give us leave to tell you what was the firſt originall of that notable fiction, that Hell fire was placed in the middle of the Earth. The Moderns knew by the Writings of ancient Philoſophers that there was a centrall fire in the Earth, and Divinity told them that there is or ſhould be ſuch a place as Hell; and they being ignorant of the whole courſe of Nature, how that there muſt needs be a centrall fire in the Earth, or elſe the Earth could not ſubſiſt it ſelf, nor yet bring forth its increaſe, imagined that to be Hell fire; a ſottiſh opinion, more beſeeming a Jackdaw then a Philoſopher, as thoug[•] the heat of Hell fire cauſed the Ear[•] to bring forth fruit for the benefit mankinde.

3. Fire is to be ſpoken of as it is upo[•] Earth, and ſo it is a compoſition ver[•] much commixed: This is that people u[••] to dreſſe meat withall, and ſometime to warm themſelves with, though exe[•]ciſe is a far better way, when it can b[•] uſed to procure heat, becauſe it quicken the vitall ſpirits, and equally diſtribute them through the body, and hears man by a principle within him, which proper to himſelf, and his owne; an[•] not by a principle without him, whic[•] is improper to himſelf, and not his own and that is the reaſon that that hea[•] which is acquired by exerciſe, remain[•] much longer then that which is procured in the Chimney corner. Beſides, experience will teach every man, that tha[•] heat which is procured by action, animates the ſpirits, and makes them active; that which is procured by ſitting by the fire, makes a man dull and ſleepy, unfit for all actions.

To proceed: This fire is burning, deſtroying, and conſuming, making head againſt, and oppoſing every thing that oppoſeth it, as you may plainly ſee, that the more it is blowed, the more it burns, it diſſolves and ſeparates whatſoever Nature hath conjoyned, it miſchiefs and unmakes whatſoever Nature hath made.

Thus having ſhewed you what Fire is, come we now in the next place to ſhew you what its opperations are; to which purpoſe conſider,

1. Fire is ſtirred up to opperation, either by Nature, or by the skilful Son of Nature; or if you will, naturally and artificially.

2. All impurities and pollutions are naturally purged by Fire, all compounded things are diſſolved, and made ſimple by it, if a wiſe man have but the handling of it.

3. We deſire you to conſider of this alſo, and conſider of it ſeriouſly, that as Water purgeth, cleanſeth, and diſſolveth all things that are not fixed, ſo Fire purgeth and perfecteth all things that are fixed; and as Water conjoy[•••] all things that are diſſolved, ſo Fir[••] ſeparates all things that are conjoyned.

4. Fire ſeparateth, cleanſeth, digeſtet[••] coloureth, and cauſeth all ſeeds to grow to ripen, and being ripe, it expels the[••] by the ſperm into ſeverall matrixes, [〈◊〉] (if you will, into divers places of th[•] Earth, for the Earth is the Mother an[•] wombe of all things, as we ſhewed yo[•] before) theſe places of the Earth, a[••] they are hotter or colder, dryer or moyſter, purer or impurer, ſo is the diverſity of things in the bowels of the Earth cauſed; for the eternall and onely wiſe God hath ordained that all things o[••] the Earth ſhould be contrary to on[•] another, that ſo the death of the on[•] ſhould be the life of the other, that that which produceth one thing, ſhould conſume another, and produce a third pure cleer then the former.

Thus have you the Philoſophicall cauſe or reaſon of the naturall death of all things, viz. becauſe they are made up with a[•]compoſition of contraries; yet this [•]s certain, that where pure Elements are joyned together equally in their virtues, ſuch a ſubject muſt needs be uncorrupted, becauſe in purity there is neither inequality, nor yet contrariety; and ſuch muſt the Philoſophers Stone be, and ſo in a great proportion is Aurum Potabile.

Of the Element of AIRE. CHAP. III.

THis is a moſt certain truth, d[••]nyed by no Philoſophers, th[••] all things are generated by putrefaction and that putrefaction is cauſed by continuall moyſt heat, or hot moyſture, which you will; for by mean of this all things are changed from on[•] colour to another colour, from on[•] ſmell to another ſmell, from one virtue to another virtue, from one property and quality to another property and quality: But here is that which will try the skill of a Philoſopher [•]nd which we deſire every one that [•]ntends this ſtudy, to be very carefull, [〈◊〉] that this change is made either into better or worſe divers wayes, ſo that if Philoſopher go not wiſely to work, [•]e will mend his operations, as ſowre A[•]e mends in Summer.

The reaſons of this we conceive to [•]e theſe:

• 1. Things are changed into better or worſe, according to the nature of the things changed; for it is impoſſible to [•]ake an Animall of Gold, or Aurum [••]otabile, of any excrementitious thing.
• 2. Things are changed into better or worſe, according to the temperature of [•]he Air changing; and this Philoſophers muſt be very carefull in, that the Air [•]either come ſhort of, nor yet exceed its [•]ue proportion.
• 3. Things are changed into better or worſe, according to the quality of the [•]ombe or matrix they are changed in; [•]or if that be foul, ſo will the matter [•]e; you know, if the pot be dirty, ſo will the porrage be.

We deſire Philoſophers to view th[••] with a heedfull eye, the exact kno[•]ledge of which is infinitely neceſſa[••] to the attainment both of Aurum Po[••]bile, and the Philoſophers Stone.

We come now to the matter it ſelf this Chapter, viz. the Air, in whi[••] conſider,

1. That it is a body volatile, [〈◊〉] ſuch as may by Art be fixed, and wh[••] it is fixed, it makes every body pe[••]trable.

2. It ſhews forth cleerly to the So[••] of men that God is ubiquitary, beca[•] if the Air which is but a creature fi[•] all places, much more muſt the Creat[•] do it.

3. It moveth, filleth, and give ſubſiſtence to all things. It is held [〈◊〉] divers Authors to be the chiefeſt E[•]ment, and that which gives ſubſiſtence all the reſt of the Elements; for they [〈◊〉] Fire is nothing elſe but inflamed A[••] and Water nothing but congealed A[••] and Earth nothing but congealed Wat[••] therefore the Hebrew Rabbies accou[••] it not an Element, but a certain Medium or Glew, which joyns together all things in the Creation.

4. It receives the influences of al the Coeleſtiall bodies, and communicates them being received to the other Elements, and to all mixt bodies.

5. It receives into it ſelf the ſpecies of all things, all Ideas, both natural and [•]rtificiall; it receives and retains all manner of ſpeeches, whether good or bad, both prayers and imprecations; and that's the reaſon ſome peoples ill wiſhes, eſpecially when they come from [〈◊〉] venemous minde, work ſuch bad effects, and many times do miſchief; for it makes impreſſion upon men and women breathing in this Air.

6. It many times cauſeth ſtrange and true Dreams to thoſe that are aſleep, and divinations and ſudden true apprehenſions even to thoſe that are awaked, according as it is ordered or diſpoſed either by the Spirit of God, or mediation of Angels; hence it comes [•]o paſſe, that a man paſſing by the place where a man was murdered, or a[••] great battle ſought, or the like, he[••] preſently ſurprized with fear and h[••]ror, together with trembling and ſh[••]king all over his body, becauſe the A[•••] is full of the dreadfull ſpecies of ma[••] ſlaughter and Ideas of blood, whi[••] being breathed in troubles the intern[••] ſpirit, with the like ſpecies which c[•]ſeth fear and aſtoniſhment; for [〈◊〉] very ſudden impreſſion aſtoniſheth N[•]ture.

Thus we have ſhewed you what [〈◊〉] operations of the Air are; now, [〈◊〉] we may come a little cloſer home the point, we ſhall treat of the [〈◊〉] properly as it is, and ſo it is to be co[•]dered as it is,

• 1. Pure.
• 2. Leſſe pure.
• 3. Groſſe.

Firſt, as the Air pure, or of its pureſt ſubſtance, are the vitall ſpirits of all living creatures made, and this is that which cauſeth them to breath, the word Spiritus coming from ſpiro, to breath: If the Etymologie of words were rightly conſidered, it would ſet a period to divers of ſcores, if not hundreds of errors, which are as frequent among [•]our Divines, as Butter-flyes in the Sun, they taking them up upon truſt without any examination.

Secondly, as it is leſſe pure, ſo it is [•]n its own proper ſphere; and this is that we breath in, and commonly call Air; it was in Paradie pure, and is indeed the food of the ſpirit, as meat is of the body: But in the habitable world in which we live, it is not pure, but author ſometimes of diſeaſes, and ſometimes of death.

Thirdly, the Air which is groſſe[•] compaſſed about with Water, as t[••] centrall Fire is with Earth, becauſe t[••] Water and the Air are friendly [〈◊〉] one another. It is the Air bei[••] mixed with Water in the body of t[••] Earth, which cauſeth Earth-quake and being mixed with the water [〈◊〉] the Sea, ſometimes makes the S[••] work extremely when there is no win[•] or but very little, as Sea-men know w[•] enough.

Fourthly, the Air lives in all thing and placeth a ſeed in the other E[••]ments, as Males do in Females, it n[••]riſheth them, makes them concei[•] and preſerves the conception, bei[••] conceived; for in this Element is [〈◊〉] ſeed of all things, which by Circu[••]tion it diſtributes into Matrixes [〈◊〉] Wombes, by the ſperm and menſtru[••] of the World, which we ſhal ſpeak m[••] of in the next Chapter.

Fifthly, in and by this Element, not onely Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables live, but alſo all the other Elements.

For proof of which conſider,

• 1. Water, if it be kept from the Air, putrefies.
• 2. Fire, if it be kept from the Air, is extinguiſhed, and quickly goes out, though it were never ſo hot before; thoſe that are practitioners in the Art of Alchimy, know how by adding more or leſſe Air to their Fire, to make it burn more or leſſe fiercely; according to the quantity of Air it receives, ſo is the quantity of the heat it gives.
• 3. To wind up all briefly, the whole ſtructure and fabrick of the World is preſerved and upheld by Air, which cleerly appears, in that all Animals, yea man himſelf dies, if you take A[••] from him; for as we told you befo[••] the ſpirit was made of pure Ai[•] ſo is it preſerved by breathing in th[•] Air.
• 6. In this Element, by virtue of t[••] Fire; is contained that imagined ſe[••] which conſtringeth the menſtruum [〈◊〉] the World, as is cleerly ſeen in t[••] growth of Trees and Hearbs; f[••] there goeth forth a ſperm through t[••] pores of the Earth, by reaſon of t[••] perpetuall acting of the centrall F[••] which the Air by an equall proportio[•] according as it is decrced by the G[••] of Nature, and acted and perform[••] by Nature, conſtringeth and congeale[•] by drops, ſo that Trees grow [〈◊〉] degrees, day after day, drop aft[••] drop, till at laſt they come to great.
• 7. We told you before, that in th[•] Element was the ſeed of all thing we ſhall now ſhew you how it make uſe of this ſeed, and ſo conclude this Chapter.

Preſently after the Creation, there was included in this Element a magnetick virtue, by the great Creator of all things, which if it had not, it could not attract nouriſhment, and if it did not attract nouriſhment, the ſeed could not increaſe nor multiply. It is conceived by no wiſe man we are confident, but that when God bid all things multiply and increaſe in the beginning, he gave them ſome naturall meanes whereby they might increaſe or multiply (this we confeſſe few ſtudy after, the more is the pity, a little knowledge will ſerve their turn, ſo they can but get money) then we conceive he placed this magnetick virtue in the Air, that ſo as the Load-ſtone draws Iron, ſo the Air draws to it ſelfe the nouriſhment of the menſtruum of the World, viZ. Water, for it is the Leader of the Water, and the hidden virtue of it is included in all ſeed, tha[•] ſo it may attract to it radicall moyſture, to make it fruitfull.

Of the Element of WATER. CHAP. IV.

BEfore we come to the matter it ſelf, give us leave to premiſe a few things which are very neceſſary to be underſtood of all that intend this Philoſophicall ſtudy.

Firſt, that the Seed of a thing is one thing, and the Sperm another.

Secondly, that the Earth receives the Sperm of things, and the Water receives the Seed in like manner.

Thirdly, that the Air diſtills into the Water by means of Fire, and the Water conveys the very ſame into the Earth.

Fourthly, that there is alwayes ple[••] of Sperm, but not alwayes Seed anſw[•]rable: This cauſeth many defects i[•] the operation of Nature. We ſha[••] lay them down in a generall way, a[••] leave every Philoſopher to apply th[••] every one to his own particular oper[•]tions.

I. Sometimes the Seed comes in to ſparingly, or not ſo plentifully as [〈◊〉] expected, and this is cauſed by wa[••] of a ſufficient heat to digeſt it; an[•] this muſt needs hinder many goo[•] things which nature would have prod[•]ced, had ſhe had a ſufficiency of heat, fo[•] where the Sperm enters without ſeed, [〈◊〉] goes out again as it comes in, and bring forth no fruit.

II. Sometimes the Sperm enters in to the Matrix with a ſufficiency of Seed but the Wombe of the World is fou[•] and not fit for conception, as being burdened with groſſe, foul, ſulphurous and flegmatick vapors, ſo that [〈◊〉] brings forth either Abortives or Monſters.

Have a ſpeciall care of this in your operations, or elſe you will never get Aurum Potabile while your eyes are open.

We come now to a particular diſquiſition of the Element in hand, in which we ſhall obſerve the ſame method we did in the former, and ſhew you,

• 1. What it is.
• 2. What its operations be.

1. What it is.

It is the Menſtruum of the World, the heavyeſt of the Elements, full of unctious flegm, cold and moyſt, and well tempered with Air.

Secondly, it is divided into

• 1. Pure.
• 2. Leſſe pure.
• 3. Groſſe.

1. The moſt pure Water is Coeleſtiall, yea above the heavens, as w[•] ſhall ſhew you more at large in th[•] third Section.

2. The leſſe pure Water remains i[•] the Air, being diſſolved or diſtille[•] into Air, by the heat of the centra[•] Sun.

3. The plain and groſſe Water remains in its ſphere, and makes one glob[•] with the body of the Earth, and according to the will of God, by th[•] operation of Nature, preſerves an[•] keeps every thing that is ſubtil the particular way. How it doth it, we ſha[•] ſhew you in the third Section.

Having thus ſhewed you what Wate[•] is, we come now to ſhew you wha[•] its operations are, and therefore conſider,

1. That it is the Menſtruum of th[•] World, which penetrating the Air, b[•] reaſon of the continual diſtillation of th[•] central Fire, draws along with it a war[•] vapor, which cauſeth a naturall generation of thoſe things which the Earth as a Matrix is impregnated with; for he that is well skilled in the generation of Man, cannot be unskilled in the way how Nature generates all things elſe, it is impoſſible he ſhould; becauſe himſelf is an Epitome of them all; for when the Earth as a Matrix receives a due proportion of Seed, mixed proportionally with Sperm (be the Seed of what kinde ſoever, it matters not) Nature preſently begins the conception, and proceeds without intermiſſion, till ſhe hath brought it to perfection, and when ſhe hath brought it to perfection, ſhe nouriſheth it, and cheriſheth it, even to its utmoſt period.

2. The remaining moiſture or ſperm which is not fit for any generation that is excellent, Nature expells to the ſides or ſuperficies of the Earth, where the heat of the centrall Fire putrefies it, and by that putrefaction is generated ſmall vermine and worms.

3. We deſire you would diligently heed this, that the Earth is eaſily diſſolved and purified in the Water; ever one that hath but the leaſt skill in A[••] chymie knows how to do it; but th[•] Air is congealed in it, and radicall[•] joyned with it, but how this is done, onl[•] Philoſophers know.

4. He that is a reall ſtudent in Philoſophy, may eaſily ſee divers wonder of Nature in this Element, as it were i[•] Sperm; but it is the beſt and ſafe[••] courſe to take that Sperm in whic[•] the Aſtrall Seed by the influence [〈◊〉] the Stars is already proportioned, b[•] cauſe Nature produceth pure things b[•] the firſt putrefaction, but far mo[••] pure and noble by the ſecond.

Theſe things we thought good [〈◊〉] inform you of concerning the Elementary world, wherein you may ſee,

Firſt, that the Fire preſerves th[•] Earth, that it be not drowned and di[•]ſolved.

Secondly, the Air preſerves the Fir[•] that it be not extinguiſhed.

Thirdly, the Water preſerves the Earth that it be not burnt.

And thus much for this Section.

OF THE CELESTIALL WORLD. SECT. II.

Proemium

BEfore we begin, we deſire to premiſe theſe few things to all ſuch as are ſtudious in Philoſophy, and indeed they ſhall finde them very neceſſary.

1. That theſe inferiour Elemen[•] which we have treated of in the former Section, have a mutuall ſympath[•] with the Coeleſtiall bodies, viz. th[•] Sun, Moon, and Stars, and muſt need have, becauſe they are all made out [〈◊〉] one and the ſame Chaos.

2. That they are governed by th[•] ſuperiour as the more worthy, and th[•] we prove by this argument, becau[••] this thing which we call obedience is to be found onely in the Elementa[•] world.

3. We deſire you to conſider ſer[•]ouſly, that motion is the cauſe of a change, both of growing and with[•]ring, both of being born and dying and although the action of movin[•] ſhall continue in the generall, yet ev[•]ry particular motion begins and en[•] in its proper time.

4. We alſo finde out, and it is a truth, that time it ſelfe is meaſured out by motion, and that the originall of all motion is in the Heavens, and particularly in the Sun; by which motion in the Heavens, the conſtant change and converſion of all things out of one thing into another proceeds; he hath not lived a Philoſopher a Summer and a Winter, nay indeed not a day and a night, which ignorant of this.

5. Conſider alſo that there is no way from the beginning to the end without a mean; for there is no paſſage from Spring to Autumne but by Summer, nor from Winter to Summer but by Spring; and if you heed it by the eye of reaſon, you ſhall finde that all changes follow theſe converſions of time and yeers; theſe converſions of times increaſe heat and dryneſſe, coldneſſe and moyſture, and both life and death, generation and corruption increaſe and decreaſe of living creatures, comes by reaſon of heat, cold neſſe, dryneſſe and moyſture.

6. If you conſider it well, you ſha[••] finde that the Coeleſtiall bodies tal[•] them, quatenus bodies, are not change[•] nor capable of change till the fina[•] diſſolution, but theſe Elementary b[•]dies are alwayes changing continually either increaſe or decreaſe, and neve[•] ſtand at a ſtay; and if ſo, as is mo[••] certain, then of neceſſity the Coeleſti[•••] bodies are by nature active, and the[••] Elementary bodies by nature paſſive[••] and it is that which is active whi[••] cauſeth or produceth alterations in th[••] which is paſſive; then it will follo[••] the Coeleſtiall bodies give the form [〈◊〉] all things, the Elementary world ſu[•••] miniſters matter for this form.

7. The truth of this will appear [〈◊〉] we may make ſuch a compariſon) [〈◊〉] all Handy craſt Trades; in a Carpe[•]ter in building houſes, a Brick-mak[•] in making bricks, a Tailor in ſtitching garments; the Carpenter by his motion hews the timber-log into its proper form, the log ſubminiſters matter for the Carpenter to work upon; the Brick-maker makes the clay into the form of a brick, the clay ſubminiſters matter to this form; the Tailor cuts out and ſows the cloth into the form of a garment, the cloth adminiſters matter to this form: Juſt ſo for all the world it is between the Coeleſtiall and Elementary bodies, and can be denyed by none, unleſſe any be ſo frantick to deny that to be in the Heavens, which is conſpicuous upon the Earth; or that to be higher in dignity, which God hath made higher in place. We cannot but admire to ſee any ſhould be ſo ſottiſh to deny it, as ever ſaw it rain, or knew that the rain which comes from above made the Earth fruitfull.

8. All things are moved by the Sun, who by moving his owne body, moves the Creation, and thence comes a continual acting and procreating faculty from thence comes that inbred he[•••] both in Animals and Seeds, and cauſe[••] them to produce their like; which production is either good or bad, pure o[••] impure, ſmall or great, according [〈◊〉] the Luminaries receive good or bad[•] friendly or inimicall Aſpects or Raye[•] from the five Planets; for as a Key [〈◊〉] formed either well or ill by a Smith according to the meaſure of heat, magnitude, number, and manner of th[••] ſtrokes and fi[•]ings, viz. according to the quan[•]ity of motion and skill o[••] him that moveth, and the goodneſſe o[•] the thing moved: Juſt ſo for all th[•] world is the operation of the Coeleſtia[••] world upon the Elementary world; the[••] Sun and Moon form things either good or bad, perfect or imperfect, according as they receive pure or impur[•] Rayes from the five Planets, and accor[•]ing as they finde fit matter in the Elem[•]nts to work upon.

9. Conſider, that as in the generation of Man; (for we confeſſe ingenuouſly we have much bettered our knowledge by the due conſideration of that)

The firſt principle of Mans generation, is the firſt kindling of the Microcoſmicall Sun in the midſt of the Seed, even as the Sun is in the midſt of the Creation, (of which we ſhall ſpeak more in the next Section) and this Microcoſmicall Sun procreateth and diſpoſeth the reſt of the parts of the body, according to his owne inward force and power, according as he is ſupplyed with radicall myſture from the Microcoſmall Moon, and fit matter from the Parents: ſo the Coeleſtiall Sun, which is the centrall Fire of the Creation, according as he is affected by the Moon and the five Planets moves and diſpoſeth theſe inferiour and obedient bodies, whoſe [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] office is to ſubminiſter matter for him and the Moon to work upon.

10. Here by the way, you ſee the errors of almoſt all Writers in Anatomy; ſome hold the heart of man is firſt formed, and that forms all the reſt of the parts; others hold, the Liver is firſt formed, and performs the ſame office; when indeed the one is as true as the other, yet both of them falſe, for it is the Microcoſmical Sun is firſt formed in the body; and doth all.

Again; ſome hold the Heart moves the body of man; others hold, the Brain moves the Body and Heart alſo; a third holds, it is a force of the vitall Blood in the Arteries: But if you let Reaſon be Judge, and that will quickly tell you, that if it be the Coeleſtiall Sun that moves the Macrocoſme, it muſt of neceſſity be the Microcoſimicall Sun which moves the Microcoſme.

11. To conclude, for we hate tediouſneſſe; We conceive the influence of the Heavens to conduce to the procreation of all things here below after this manner.

1. The Elementary world is the wombe of all living creatures, both Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables; (we deſire you once more to take notice, that we never include Man under the name of Animall, for we hold him to be a more noble creature, and made for another end and purpoſe, being an Epitome both of the Intellectuall, Coeleſtiall, and Elementary world, and therefore capable of the knowledge of either) it conceiveth them, nouriſheth and cheriſheth them being conce[•]ved.

2. This Wombe is alwayes full of matter and uſefull menſtrues, fit for the forming, increaſing, and conſerving bodies of all ſorts, whether they be Animals, Minerals, or Vegetables.

3. The Coeleſtiall Sun gives a vital Seed, and ſtirs up all to motion and action, dryeth, cheriſheth, quickeneth, defendeth, and preſerveth what it hath quickened, neither ſuffers he that which dyes, everlaſtingly to dye, nor that which is killed, never to live again.

4. The Moon ſubminiſters moyſture to perfect and finiſh all this, and this is that which is called radicall moyſture in the body of man, viz. the Microcoſmicall Moon. We confeſſe many have talked and written of radicall moyſture, but few underſtand what it is; this preſerveth the Elements and Elementary bodies from the ſcorching heat which motion cauſeth, and ſo temperateth the beams of the Sun, that they may not be extreme, that they may ſerve for conſervation, and not for deſtruction.

5. Becauſe the beams of the Coeleſtiall Sun and Moon, cannot paſſe to the Elementary world, but by a Medium, viz. the Air, that's the reaſon Animals muſt needs breath, and all Vegetables and Minerals have an Aeriall ſpirit in them.

6. For as this Nature of ours makes uſe of the Microcoſmicall Sun, to cheriſh, and quicken, and move the whole body; and of the Microcoſmicall Moon, to feed the body, and all parts of the body, with radicall moyſture, that ſo they may be conſerved and not burnt up; ſo the Coeleſtiall Nature quickeneth and cheriſheth things by the Coeleſtiall Sun, moyſtens them by the Moon, and preſerves them by both.

7. Then conſider, that as the Microcoſmicall Sun and Moon make uſe of other parts of the body to aſſiſt them in their office, as the ventricles of the Brain to apprehend, judge, and remember things; the Spleen to help the retentive faculty, the Liver to make blood, and the Gall to clarifie it, being made; the Teſticles, inſtruments of generation, and ſeminall veſſels for procreation, &c. So the Macrocoſmicall Sun and Moon make uſe of the five Planets for the effecting and varying things below, and tempering them divers wayes, which is performed by their divers and various motions, elſe all the things that are generated in the world, would be of one nature and quality, and then the World could not ſubſiſt, nor Man neither; for he having all qualities in himſelf, cannot ſubſiſt without any one of them.

Thus much ſhall ſuffice to have been ſpoken in generall, concerning what knowledge of the Coeleſtiall world is requiſite to a Philoſopher that ſtudies this Art.

We come now to ſhew particularly what the office of the Sun, and Moon, and five Planets is; and we ſhall afford each of them a Chapter by it ſelf.

OF THE SUN. CHAP. I.

IT would make a man admire, when he conſiders how plain the courſe of Nature is in all the actions of Nature, which are eſpecially diſcovered to the Sons of men in the birth and conception of man himſelf: What the reaſon ſhould be of ſo many prepoſterous opinions now converſant in the brains of the Sons of men, we knowing that Admiration was the daughter of Ignorance, laboured in the firſt place to find out their ignorance; we knew well enough Nature would make all men happy, according to that ancient Proverb,

— Natura beatis

Omnibus eſſe dedit, ſi quis cognoverit uti,

She hath enough, if men knew how to uſe it,

To make them happy: Pray doe not abuſe it.

The moſt probable cauſe of the Brain-ſickneſſes of our age, we ſhall ſhew you in the next Book; however, we conſulted together which was the beſt way to obtain that knowledge which hath now been a long time almoſt loſt in the world; and that we might proceed methodically in this, wee propounded two wayes to our ſelves, whereby we might come to finde out the truth; thoſe that account themſelves learned, call the firſt an Argument à priore, and the ſecond an Argument à poſteriore.

I. We went to School to Nature, to ſee which way things were made in a Naturall way, and guided being made; and we ſuppoſed, that way we might come to know their Natures, by knowing of what matter, and by what means they were made.

II. We viewed the ſignatures in things that were made, we ſearched if that we might finde their Natures thereby; we perceived work enough in this for a man to buſie his head about all the dayes of his life, and yet learn ſomething every day.

We have heard of ſome that will undertake (and they ſay, perform what they undertake) to tell a man what his diſeaſes be, by the view of his countenance. We confeſſe our ſelves either through want of age, or experience, or ſomething elſe, are not able alwayes to do it, yet we really beleeve it may be done; becauſe,

1. We have read of a Phyſician that knew a young Prince was in love with his Mother in Law, becauſe his pulſe alwayes moved ſwifter when ſhe was in his preſence. It ſeems all Creatures have their proper beams as the Stars of heaven have.

2. We have read in Alkindus in his Treatiſe de Radiis, where he affirms, that every thing in the Elementary world contains its ſpecies in it ſelfe; for it is manifeſt, that every thing in this world, whether it be a Subſtance, or whether it be an Accident, caſteth out its beams as the Stars do, or elſe it had not the figure of the Starry world in it ſelfe. The Fire (as it is moſt manifeſt) caſteth out its beams to a certain diſtance. The Earth ſends out its beams of cold, of health, and of medicine; and medicines taken into the body, or outwardly applyed to the body, diffuſe their beams through the whole body of him that receives them; and every coloured body ſendeth out its beams, by which it is perceived of what colour it is; whence it appears to be an apparent truth, that every thing which hath actuall exiſtence in the Elementary world ſends forth its beams, which fill the Elementary world after their own manner; and every place of this world contains the beams of all things, which are actually exiſtent in every place; and as every thing differeth from another, ſo the beams of every thing differ in effect, and nature from the beams of all other things; by which it comes to paſſe that the operation of the beams is divers in all divers things.

Much more Alkindus ſpeaks, which for brevity ſake we ſhall omit; yet the truth of this we conceive can be denyable to no man that doth but conſider that he may ſmell many things when he ſeeth them not; and then we intreat you but ſoberly to conſider, that if the beams and ſignatures of Hearbs and Plants, &c. have their ſignifications, muſt not the beams of the Sun, Moon, and Stars have much more, ſeeing they cauſe the variety and changes of the other, as Spring and Summer, Autumne and Winter evidently declare.

We have been very long upon generalls, yet nothing is tedious which is rationall.

We come now to ſpeak of the Sun particularly, therefore we intreat you to conſider,

1. That the Sun gives vitall heat to the whole Univerſe, to all and every part of the Creation.

By the Coeleſtial Sun was the Centrall Sun in the Earth kindled, and alſo the Microcoſmicall Sun in the Body of Man.

2. This Sun by his vitall heat quickens moyſture, heat and moyſture ſo quickened is the cauſe of the generation of all things are bred by heat and moyſture.

3. Though it be true, that radical moiſture comes from the Moon, as we ſhall cleerly prove in the next Chapter; yet it is as true that it comes principally from her when ſhe receives the full beams of the Sunne, as is palpably and apparently ſeen not onely in all ſhell-fiſhes, but alſo in the marrow both of men and beaſts.

4. For as the Sun when he is up enlightens all the Hemiſphere, and this light departs again when he is down; ſo our life remains ſo long as the Coeleſtiall Sun quickens the Microcoſmicall Sun; but when either the Coeleſtiall Sun fails in that office, or elſe the veſſell that holds the Microcoſmicall Sun is broken, life departs, and man dyes.

5. And this alſo is very agreeable to reaſon, that the Coeleſtiall Fire ſhould have ſome center, from whence it ſhould quicken, cheriſh, inſpire, and move the Creation; it muſt have its place where he may keep his Court like a King, that ſo the Sons of Wiſdome, reall Philoſophers, ſuch as preferre a drachm of knowledge before the riches of the whole world, may be inſtructed where to goe, and how, and which way by Art to help Nature in her operations; therefore the Eternall God, in mere mercy to mankinde, fixed its center in the Sun, that ſo his creatures which fear him, and hate covetouſneſſe, when they want vitall heat to quicken either themſelves or their operations, they may know where to fetch it, if they know but how; and that they may eaſily know, if they doe but know themſelves; it was not for nothing that wiſe Greek ſo often exhorted men to know themſelves.

5. We ſhall be yet a little plainer with you, doe but ſeriouſly take notice of the common operations of the Sun, viz. how in Winter he prepares the Earth for Spring; in Spring, how he prepares it for Summer; in Summer, how he prepares it for Autumn; and in Autumn, how he prepares it for Winter: Nay, do but note how dayes-labour prepares a man for night-ſleep, and night-ſleep for dayes-labour: Heed but this with the eye of Reaſon, for plainer then this thou ſhalt never be taught.

7. Take notice that all operations are perfected by the Sun, not upon a ſudden, but by degrees, and require time and patie ce.

You ſee the Sun makes it day by degrees, and changes the ſeaſons of the yeers by degrees, and that's the the reaſon all ſudden changes are averſe to Nature.

8. The Coeleſtiall Sun cauſeth the Heliocentricall motion of the Earth, and all the Planets. The motion of the Earth upon her owne Axis, is cauſed by the Terreſtriall Sun.

9. Both Coeleſtial and Terreſtrial Sun joyn in the generation of things upon Earth, neither can there be any generation without both.

This will appear cleer to you, if you do but conſider, that the vitall ſpirit of all ſeeds proceeds from the Coeleſtiall Sun; but yet they muſt be ſet in the Earth, that ſo they may take the influence of the Terreſtriall Sun, that ſo they may grow, and bring forth their increaſe.

Laſtly, the Coeleſtiall Sun is in the Creation like a mighty Prince in a Kingdome, onely he is neither tyrannicall nor covetous, nor yet will he be flattered; for as a Prince diſtributeth offices to people, both great and ſmall offices, according as their capacity is to perform them; ſome things he acts himſelfe, ſome he permits others to act, and ſome he commands; he preſcribes one adminiſtration to one man, another office to another man, and a third to a third: Even ſo doth the Sun in the Creation; for,

1. He gives light to the whole Creation.

2. He gives motion to it, whence proceeds that heat which quickens all things.

3. This motion heats and clarifies the Air, from whence men and boaſts come to breath, and therefore the Latins derive Spiritus from ſpiro.

4. According as this ſpirit is retent or remiſſe, vehement or not vehement, benevolent or malevolent, according to the adminiſtration of other Planets, ſo is the qualities and appetites of things below, either acute or dull, vehement or moderate.

5. The truth of this is cleerly ſeen in Vegetables; for Leeks and Onyons are hot, by the adminiſtration of Mars; Lettice and Purſlance cold, by the adminiſtration of the Moon; Hemlock, and Henbane ſtupefying, by the adminiſtration of Saturn.

Heed this well in all your Philoſophicall operations.

6. As in a Kingdome it lies in the power of a Prince, to redreſſe what wrongs his Officers or Admiſtrators commit upon his Subjects; ſo alſo in the Univerſe, it lies in the power of the Sun to rectifie the evil influence of the reſt of the Planets, and he will doe it to ſuch Philoſophers as know him.

And ſo much ſhall ſuffice to have been ſpoken concerning the Sun, we ſhall be a little briefer in the reſt.

OF THE MOON. CHAP. II.

AS concerning the Moon, we deſire you to conſider,

I. That by her generation is perfected in all things here below, and with out her nothing can be perfected, no more then a Man could beget a Child without the help of a Woman; for though the Sun give vitall heat to the Creation, yet this vitall heat will conſume, and not preſerve, were there not radicall moyſture; for the Moon adds that moyſture to the heat of the Sun, without which the Sun could generate nothing in the World: So alſo Philoſophers have their owne peculiar Suns and Moons, wherewith they perfect their operations; as alſo their Saturns, and their Mercuries.

And here let us give you warning once more, that when Philoſophers ſpeak of their Sun, or their Moon, or their Saturne, or their Mercury, they intend not the vulgar or common Sun and Moon, but things far different, things which are in all things, and to be found every where, but no where to be bought for money.

We dare write no plainer, ſearch them out in your ſelves, there you may ſooneſt finde them.

2. In the Habitable world ſhe anſwers to the Menſtruum of the world, and concocts it, giving concocted moyſture to all Creatures, both Minerall, Animall, and Vegetable; for as the Sun quickens them, and gives vitall heat to them, ſo the Moon ſubminiſters radicall moyſture to them.

3. Philoſophers know how to fetch radicall moyſture in their operations from their owne Philoſophicall Moon, when they can but finde her in the Philoſophicall Sea, for ſhe is not alwayes to be found there; for though the tree of the Moon alwayes grow upon the bank, yet is not the fruit at all times to be gathered.

The Poets layed downe this in ſome places very truly, though very fabulouſly. We confeſſe we cannot much blame them in ſo doing, ſince God hath opened the eyes of our underſtanding to conceive of ſome of the deep myſteries that are layed downe in ſcripture; for God hath laid down his will and meaning in the Scripture to the Sons of men in deep myſteries, and though moſt men underſtand the Letter, yet few underſtand the myſtery, which is the cauſe of all thoſe errors in judgement now amongſt us; and of all that fighting both of tongues and hands, whereby ſo many men have loſt their lives, and yet the truth more obſcured; and the ancient Philoſophers couched their truths under Riddles, that ſo none might underſtand them but ſuch to whom God pleaſed to reveal them, which are thoſe who live above this preſent world. So the ancient Poets delivered excellent truths under fables, of which this of Virgil was one.

Munere quinetiam lanae (ſi credere dignum eſt)

Pan Deus Arcadia captam, te Luna, fefellit,

Per nemora alta vocans, nec tu aſpernata vocantem.

By help of Wool (if it you will believe)

Pan the Arcadian god, did once deceive,

And caught the Moon; when to her he did cry

Out of the Wood; nor did ſhe once deny.

4. What the operation of the Moon is in the Elementary world (and Philoſophers muſt make uſe of their Philoſophicall Moon in like manner, elſe they will bring their Hogs to a fair Market) may be cleerly ſeen, if we look no farther then the generation of Man, in which thou mayeſt ſee a lively Epitome both of the operations of the Sun and her.

5. In the generation of all things in the Elementary world, as the Sun gives heat, ſo the Moon gives moyſture, and that's the reaſon that the generation and growth of all things is performed by heat and moyſture.

6. The truth of this is more cleerly ſhewn no where then in the Conception of Man; for the ſeed of both ſexes being mixed, the Mother furniſheth the conception with excrementitious blood, called Menstruis, which ſhe receives by means of what food ſhe eats or drinks; which the Microcoſmicall Sun in the Embryon by his heat compels into a maſs, ferments it by concoction, and forms into the ſhape of a Man.

7. Juſt ſo for all the world the Moon doth in the Macrocoſme; for by her ſwift circulation about the Earth, ſhe receives the virtue of the Sun and the five Planets, from which like a Mother ſhe gives nouriſhment and growth to things below, in the Elementary world.

8. The Earth like a Wombe receives the vitall heat of the Coeleſtiall Sun, and the radicall moyſture of the Coeleſtiall Moon, which the Centrall Sun in the bowels of the Earth concocts (as the ſtomach concocts food) and makes it fit nouriſhment for the ſeverall Ideas in the Elementary world.

9. Thus are all things in the Elementary world, both Minerals, Animals, and Vegetables, firſt formed in the Earth, till at laſt they live, and being alive, they grow to perfection, being nouriſhed by the ſame breaſts of the Sun and Moon. Heed this carefully in all Philoſophicall preparations; if you do not forget it in the ſtudy of Aurum Potabile, you cannot do amiſſe.

10. Some Philoſophers hold that the Microcoſmicall Moon keeps her Court in the brain of Man, and that we conceive might probably give the firſt riſe of that fooliſh opinion of Ar[•]ſtotle's, viz. that the brain was cold and moyſt, and tempered and allayed the heat of the Heart; whereas there proceeds nothing from the Brain to the Heart, but onely one ſmall Nerve, and the leaſt childe in Anatomy knows well enough that it is not the office of the Nerves to convey coldneſſe and moyſture to the Body.

You ſee what low principles thoſe which our Dons account famous men, were guided by, and that they underſtood the letter, and not the meaning of Philoſophy.

Alſo, becauſe they held the Microcoſmicall Moon kept her Court in the Brain, that we conceive was the reaſon why ſuch as are afflicted in the Brain, are commonly ſaid to be Lunatick.

11. Onely take notice of thus much, and ſo we ſhall conclude this Chapter. That ſeeing the Moon ſo variouſly applyes, ſometimes to this Star, and ſometimes to that, ſeeing ſhe is alwayes inconſtant, alwayes varying; this is the reaſon of thoſe inconſtancies in all things here below, which the eternall and onely wiſe God hath cauſed to be, that ſo his people ſeeing no conſtancy in this world, ſhould look for it in another world hereafter, when this ſhall be no more.

And thus much for this Chapter.

CHAP. III. OF SATURN.

THoſe things which the Vulgar call Elements, are indeed and in truth nothing leſſe but compounds mightily commixed, and that appears in that they are convertable the one into another, and are daily changed into one another; he that knowes not how to doe that, will never get Aurum Potabile; and according to the meaſure of this converſion proceeds all the varieties of things below in the Elementary world: for the Planets operate upon things below very variouſly, of which we come now to ſpeak: And firſt we begin with Saturn, concerning whom

1 All know what an ill name he hath gotten amongſt the Sons of men. He is called an infortune, nay, the greateſt of infortunes, malevolent, [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] [〈1 page duplicate〉] and a deſtroyer of Nature, and what not? If all the reſt of the Planets had hired men to have ſpoken againſt him, they could not have given him worſe language: yet as bad as they make of him, Nature can produce nothing in the Elementary world without his aſſiſtance; neither can Philoſophers either make Aurum Potabile, or the Philoſophers Stone, without his helpe.

2 It is confeſſed he is cold and dry, and therefore inimicall to both the Luminaries: To the heat of the Sun by his coldneſſe to the moiſture of the Moon by his dryneſſe; but if you pleaſe to look a little further, you may ſee, eſpecially if you put on your ſpectacles.

1 There muſt of neceſſity be ſomething to counterpoiſe or ballance the heat of the Sun, and moiſture of the Moon, or elſe there could not poſſible be any Generation: All things upon the earth, muſt needs be as the earth her ſelfe is, Ponderibus librata ſuis.

2 The compoſition of the earth it ſelfe is made up of contraries, elſe it could not be a ſutable place for the things in it: And if it be compoſed by contraries, it muſt needs be alſo maintain'd by contraries, which could not be, unleſſe the influence of Saturn, or ſome other Planet, were contrary to the influence of the Luminaries.

3 It is impoſſible that either the heat of the Sun, or moiſture of the Moon could be fixed, if there were not a Planet of a contrary nature to them both: And he is yet to goe to School to Philoſophy, that knowes not that without fixation there cannot be Generation.

4 That there may be a harmony in the Creation, that ſo the Creation may ſtand and not fall by a compoſition of contraries, conſider, that there is a ſimpathy as well as an antipathy between Saturn and the Luminaries; for he agrees with the Sun in drineſſe, and with the Moon incoldneſſe.

3 The Nature and diſpoſition of Saturn was a little more wiſely and excellently deſcribed by one in the Verſes.

Nigra ſemi facies, tardus gradus, horrida barbar,

Et cani crines, & membra aeffeta ſenect â:

Ingenio tamen ipſe bonus, nec inutile pectus

Conſilijs, conſtanſque animi, prudenſque futuri.

Black face, ſlow pace, with hoary beard and hair

Stooping with age, old Saturn doth appear,

But yet he wanteth not a ſpeciall braine,

Nor conſtant ſoule; good counſell doth remaine

Within his breſt, he wiſely can preſage

What is to happen in the worlds laſt Age.

4 Saturn chiefly Rules over the Earth by reaſon of his coldneſſe and dryneſſe, and therefore he cheriſheth its qualities, and helps it forward toward Generation: For,

1 He ſtops and ſtayes the beams of the Celeſtial Sun and Moon. You know Joyners make faſt their boards before they can plaine them; for nothing can be wrought upon unleſſe it be fixed, neither can any thing be produced by the beams of the Sun and Moon in the Elementary world, unleſs they be fixed.

2 His inimicallneſſe to the Sun and Moon by reaſon of contrariety of influences, conduceth ſomething to the putrifaction of things, and without putrifaction there can be no Generation, it being an old and true adage, Corruptio unius eſt Generatio alterius.

3 He ſtands the world in the ſame ſteed that the bones (over which he rules) doe the body of man; for he fixeth, ſetleth, upholdeth, and helpeth to maintaine all things.

Thus you ſee that Saturn, as much as they cry out againſt him for a deſtroyer of Nature, yet he is a helper of Nature in all her actions.

5 The Spleen anſwers to him in the body of man, and ſo doth Lead amongſt Minerals. We have ſpoken as much as is needfull to a Philoſopher.

6 Becauſe Omne nimium virtitur in vitium, we will not deny but Saturn hath his vices (and ſo hath Jupiter alſo, as we ſhall ſhew in the next Chapter) which that you may avoid in your Hermeticall works, we ſhall lay them downe here Phyſically; any Philoſopher may apply ſo many as are needfull Philoſophically.

1 He afflicts the body of man with coldneſſe and dryneſſe, ſtirs up pernicious humours which have been long bred in the bodies of men, eſpecially of old men: He ſtirres up madneſſe, melancholly and paine in the joynts, paines and ſwellings of the Spleen, Ruptures, Foractures, and Dilocations, Feavers, Peſtilence and Quartane Agues, Drowning and Shipwrack, Tooth-ach, Strangling, Poyſoning and Witchcraft, Impurites in the act of Copulation, Barrenneſſe and Widowhood, Captivity and Beggery, theſe proceed from the malignity of the Star: And if he threaten death in a Nativity, he effects it one of theſe wayes, according as he is poſited or joyned with other Starres; and by ſome of theſe means he may (if not prevented) ſpoyle Philoſophicall preparations.

2 By his cold and dry quality he infects the very minde of man with Covetouſneſſe (and then he may well be called the greateſt infortunate) Envy, Solitarineſſe, Auſterity, Diſſimulation, Sadneſſe, Grief, Deceit, and Sloathfulneſſe.

Thus much for Saturn, and alſo of this Chapter.

CHAP. IV. OF JUPITER.

IT is well knowne to all that have ſtudied Aſtrology, the Houſes of Saturn are oppoſite to the Houſes of the Luminaries, but the reaſon of this few know, viz. why Capricorn and Aquary are the Houſes of Saturn. We ſhall clear this in the firſt place, that ſo we might make way for that which followes.

1. You may remember we told you in the former Chapter, that Saturn fixes the influences both of the Sun and Moon, and ſtops the unbridled motion of their beames; for though the Sun and Moon be the authors of all Generation, and growth, in that ſence that the father and the mother are Authors of a Child; yet ſuch is the unequall diſpoſition of man, that unleſſe their beams were qualified by the other Planets, they would be found to be little better then venomous, nay, perhaps the ſtrongeſt poyſon in the world. We intreat you not to miſtake us, neither the Aſtrologers whom we honour, think we ſlander the Sun and Moon in the leaſt. That is properly poyſon which is inimicall to a particular individuall. For example, a Toad is poyſon to a man, yet is it very good nouriſhment to a Duck, and a Duck fed with nothing but Toads and water, proves very good nouriſhment to a man. If you will not believe this, aſke the next Muſitian you meet, whether one concord will not ſweeten two diſcords, and make them harmony.

2 As great a prevarication as there is between a concord and a diſcord in Muſick, is there between Saturn and the Luminaries, therefore the Ancients, not without cauſe, place his manſions oppoſite to the Houſes of the Luminaries.

3 We told you before that all things were fixed by coldneſſe and dryneſs; the next peece of Ice you ſee will prove what we ſay is truth; therefore Capricorn a cold and dry Signe, is alotted for one of his Manſions.

4 But becauſe there muſt be putrifaction of the one, before there can be production of the other, therefore Aquary the other houſe of Saturn, being hot and moiſt, makes them the fitter for putrifaction.

5 Pray to God to open the eyes of your underſtanding. Hagar could not ſee the Well before God opened her eyes: Neither could Eliſha's man ſee the Angels which compaſſed him round about. We ſhall deliver you the whole truth briefly.

6 Saturn in Capricorn, and Aquary, fixes the beams of the Luminaries, Jupiter in Piſces putrifies them, Mars in Aries calcines them, Venus in Taurus makes them fruitfull, Mercury in Gemini indues them with a ſpirit; Is it poſſible an Aſtrologer ſhould live halfe a year, and not give the Moral to this Fable?

7 But we muſt recall our thoughts to Jupiter, who preſently ſteps in and begins to putrifie what Saturn hath fixed, and that's the reaſon Sagitarius and Piſces were alotted for his Manſions, becauſe they are contignous to the houſes of Saturn in each ſide, and they caſt Trine to the houſes of each Luminary, whereby they aſſiſting Jupiter, and Jupiter them, a putrifaction cannot chuſe but be made, and being made, be turned to a very good uſe.

8 We care not greatly now if we tell you why Jupiter is called a fortune, he is a Star hot and moiſt in quality; or to ſpeak more like Philoſophers, his Radij hot and moiſt; for one Star is as hot and as cold as another: And becauſe he agrees with the Sun in heat, and the Moon in moiſture

9 Be but pleaſed to conſider that the whole Heavens are divided into two Semi-circles, the one of which begins at the beginning of Leo, and ends at the latter end of Capricorn, or beginning of Aquary, which you will, and is called the Solar ſemi-circle; the other begins at the latter end of Cancer, and makes a Retrograde motion to the beginning of Aquary, for women uſe to fall backwards, and is called the Lunar ſemi-circle.

10. Then doe but ſo much as conſider, that in the Solar ſemi-circle, the houſe of Saturn is Capricorn, cold, and therefore contrary to the Sun, who quickens by his heat; but Aquary in the Lunar ſemi-circle is hot, contrary to the diſpoſition of the Moone; wherefore Saturn ſtops and fixeth both their beams, and cauſeth them to putrifie.

11 We can teach men no better way what the wonderfull works of God in the Creation are, then by bringing them home to their owne bodies; and this was the reaſon that wiſe man, whom our Prieſts call a Heathen, we mean Solon, ſaid, The firſt step to knowledge was for a man to know himſelfe. The meat being taken down into the ſtomack, Saturn fixeth it there, and putrifies it by meditation of the Spleen, and turns it into ſuch a naſty, loathſome, and venomous quality, as would turne the ſtrongeſt ſtomack to ſmell to; this loathſome ſtuffe Jupiter takes and concocts againe, and by mediation of the Liver turns it into moſt pure blood, which afterwards Mars calcines, as we ſhall ſhew by and by.

12 We told you before that all things were generated by the Sun and Moon, then which nothing is truer; yet are not the other Planets uſeleſſe, as we ſhall explain a little, becauſe upon this depends the key of the whole work, as in the body of man; for a plainer and more familiar example cannot be; it is the Microcoſmicall Sun and Moon which beget their like, and cheriſh it being begotten; yet they make uſe of certaine veſſels to ferment the ſeed of others to concoct it, of a third ſort to keep it being concocted, and of a fourth to caſt it out, juſt ſo for all the world doth the Celeſtiall Sun and Moon in generating things here below, and ſo muſt Philoſophers alſo in their operations, or elſe they will make nine pences, and when they expect the harveſt of all their paines and care, they will ſet downe and ſcratch their heads with a paire of fools nailes: We dare preſume the way will ſcarce ever be taught plainer; when you want any thing in your operation, look for it in your ſelves, you may ſooner find a thing in the Epitomy, then in the Text.

13 Thus you ſee that whatſoever rayes the Luminaries let fall upon the earth; after Saturn hath fixed and putrified them, Jupiter by his friendly and temperate beams concocts them, and from being venemous makes them wholſome and healthfull.

14 Indeed Jupiter performs the ſame office in the M[•]crocoſm, that the ſenſe of feeling doth in the Microcoſme, by which ſenſe all the reſt of the ſenſes ſubſiſt; and when that leaves any part of the body, the part of the body ſo left is dead: Now feeling conſiſts of heat, coldneſſe, dryneſſe, and moyſture equally ballanced; and this plainly appears, that it is only acceſſe in ſome of the firſt qualities, which are the objects of this ſenſe; you cannot feele the weight of a feather, becauſe it hath no exceſſe in weight; neither if heat and cold be equally tempered in any ſubject, are they diſcerned by feeling; juſt ſo Jupiter by his equall temper, preſerves the ſame harmony in the Creation. This is enough to a Philoſopher.

15 But Jupiter, as great a fortune as they make of him, hath his infirmities alſo as well as Saturn, and thoſe ſhrewd ones alſo, ſuch as will as ſoon, if not ſooner, ſpoyle your Hermetical operations, as thoſe of Saturn: We ſhall give you them in a Phyſical way, as we did the former (Nam nobis nudis non datur venia promere verbis) or at leaſt-wiſe ſo many of them as may be applyed to our Philoſophicall intents.

• 1 He cauſeth all diſeaſes of the Blood, eſpecially inflammations, as Pleuriſies, Quinſeyes, Inflammation of the Lungs, &c.
• 2 He cauſeth wind in the body, eſpecially ſuch as proceeds from too much air mixed with the blood.
• 3. He cauſeth blaſtings with lightning, that's the reaſon the Poets attributed thunder, and lightning to him.
• 4 He cauſes all diſeaſes of heat and moyſture.
• 5 He cauſeth hypocriſie and diſſimulation, a couple of bad qualities in a Philoſopher.
• 6 He cauſeth inordinate luſt.
• 7 By ſtimulating matters to Generation before the due time or before they are ſufficiently cleanſed and purified, he often produceth monſtrous conceptions, and as monſtrous births, both in the Microcoſm, and in the Macrocoſm.

And let this ſuffice to have ſpoken of Jupiter.

CHAP. V. OF MARS.

MArs though he be commonly called an infortune, yet if his opperations be heedfully viewed, you ſhall find him as helpfull to Nature, and by conſequence to all hermetique preparations (of which Aurum potabile is one of the greateſt, neither ſhall it yeeld in dignity to any, the Philoſophers ſtone excepted,) as any of the reſt of the planets, and indeed if we ſhould ſpeak the truth, we muſt tell you really we do not know that the influence of one planet is more neceſſary then the influence of another, but to come home to Mars, who elſe would be angry, we deſire you to conſider.

1 After Saturn hath fixed and purified things in Nature, and Jupiter layed the foundation of their Vegetable growth, Mars comes in and blowes the Bellowes hard, that ſo he may increaſe the heat, and this doth a Philoſopher two notable good turnes.

1 It calcines his matter, that ſo by a ſecond production in may be made better th[•]n it was at the firſt. An Alchymiſt will tell how much calcin'd Vitriol is ſtronger then crude; and a Sope-boyler can tell you how much calcin'd Aſhes are ſtronger then others.

2 It urgeth on all things to motion, and by Philoſophicall motion Philoſophicall time is found out, even as the time of the day is found out by the ſeeming motion of the Sun; This you will confeſſe to be a truth, if you doe but conſider, that when you are angry, your thoughts are ſwifter and quicker by half, then they are when you are pleaſed. But to proceed.

2 Mars clarifies that putrifaction which Jupiter cauſeth in his digeſtion, and makes all things fluid in the body of man. There is ſcarce a Phyſitian breathing, though he be never ſo great a Dunce, but he knowes this well enough, that the blood in our bodies is clarified and made fluid by Chollor; and if he doe ſo in the Microcoſm, Philoſophy will teach any one that knowes what it is, that it muſt of neceſſity doe the ſame in the Macrocoſm.

3 By his heat he is aſſiſtant in diſtributing vital heat to the Creation, and urgeth forward the motion of the rayes of the Sun; this we ſuppoſe to be the reaſon why Aſtrologers ſay, He is the Suns Captaine Generall, and why the Sun is exalted in his houſe; It is pity Aſtrologers ſtudy Philoſophy no more, that they might the better be able to give a reaſon for their own Principles.

4 Becauſe he is hot and dry, he is Diametricall oppoſite to the operation of the Moone, and therefore he calcines and clarifies the radicall moyſture both in the Macrocoſm, and in the Microcoſm; he alſo cauſeth it to keep its Center, that ſo it may not diſſipate it ſelfe too much, or in plain tearms, exhauſt it ſelfe all in ſeed; nay more then that, that which will ſeem ſtranger, it fortifies radicall moiſture, by oppoſing it, for indeed, without oppoſition the world could not ſubſiſt, becauſe it conſiſts of contrarieties; and therefore the one muſt needs ſtrengthen the other, and cauſeth it to make head againſt what oppoſeth it; and this need be doubtfull to none that ever ſate ſtill and blowed the fire.

5 As all things are bred and generated by heat and moyſture, as they are fixed by coldneſſe and dryneſſe, as we told you before: So in the vegetable Generation in man, there muſt needs be ſome exſuperance or abounding, this Mars by his heat exhales, and converts into excrements, that ſo they may be caſt out from the pure.

6 He heats and quickens the powers of the other Planets, and ſtirs them up to action; he is amongſt the Planets like a Criminall Magiſtrate in a Common-wealth, he puniſheth their ſlackneſſe, and ſeeth they be not idle.

7 We care not greatly if we give a reaſon why at the firſt Mars came to be called an infortune, or at leaſt-wiſe what we conceive to be the reaſon, what is this, Becauſe by his congruity with the Sun he either increaſeth the vitall ſpirit in quantity, or maketh it too hot in quality; a ſtrange poſition; let us ſee if we can make it good. To effect which, conſider,

1 That there might be no confuſion in thoſe active cauſes, the firſt Principles, becauſe they are contrary the one to the other, and therefore knowne Enemies; but that all things may flow from one head, as God is one, therefore God drew all the force of working, and virtue of begetting into one narrow round compaſſe, and this is that which we call the Sun.

2 This he placed in the Centre of the Creation, that from thence his virtue might be ſent out, ſpread, and beſtowed equally about the world, to make one generall heat, light, life, nature, and cauſe of all things.

3 God caſt in the knowne foure fighting enemies, viz. The Elements, and ſet all the reſt of the Creation in a reſtleſſe race too and fro, this way and that way, that ſo by their various influences upon contrary qualities, there might be a continuall change of things here below, that ſo man ſhould Centre in nothing but in God himſelfe, when he ſees all other things are ſubject to change.

4 After God had done ſo, he created man after his owne Image, and infuſed a ſpirit into him, cloathed with a fine windy coat of the cleaneſt ſuper-celeſtial Aire, from that place which Philoſophers call Aether, if you will from the third Heavens.

5 In the Generation of man, when our life in the luſting parts thereof, is by the bellowes of thought ſtirred up and moved to action; it ſends forth out of every part of the body the hot naturall ſpirit, or breath of begetting cloathed with a Garment of ſeed, which is cut out from the dewy part of our meat, ready to be turned into our own like, if not already turning.

6 Give us leave here a little by the way, to have one word or two with Aristotle, who is not aſhamed to aver That the ſeed of man is an excrement, whereas if it were our buſineſſe in hand, we could eaſily prove that it is the beſt juyce in all our body, and the fineſt workmanſhip which is made of all our food, and that's the reaſon the immoderate uſe of Venery weakens Nature ſo much. But to proceed.

7 This fine Oyle or food of life after it hath remained forty dayes in the double naturall heat of the begetting ſpirit and the womb, is formed and faſhioned into the ſhape of a man.

8 Now is radicall moyſture at its full growth and perfection, and daily decreaſes, even to the time of diſſolution, for the Child in the womb is put over by Nature for the reſt of its nouriſhment, to the Menſtru's of the mother, and ſhe can add nothing to the food of life, if ſhe could, a man might live for ever, ſhe onely adds to the increaſe of the body.

9 As mans body lives by food, ſo doth the ſpirit alſo, and conſumes the radicall moyſture, which is indeed its proper food, and when it hath conſumed that, ſometimes it conſumes the body alſo, as is evidently ſeene in Hectique Feavers.

10 To make this evident by an example; No longer then you add combuſtible matter to the fire, no longer will that burn, but goes immediately out, ſo ſoon as that is conſumed, even ſo the fine Aetheriall ſpirit of man feeds upon that fine fatneſſe which is indeed its food, and in truth his tye to the body of man, which is commonly called radicall moyſture; and when he hath conſumed it, away flies he as faſt as be came, and leaves his old Hoſt at ſix and ſeavens.

11 Then we intreat you to conſider, and ſo we have done, that if the vitall ſpirit be not great, a little radicall moyſture will ſerve the turne, for its food, and out of the ſlack working of them, ſmall ſtore of refuſe breath and ſmoke ariſeth, to make any great need of freſh and open aire to cleanſe [••]d feed them, as it appears in Flyes, which live all the winter without aire; but if the vitall heat be great and lively, great ſtore of radicall moyſture is required to feed it.

12 Thus you have the reaſon, as we conceive, why Mars was at the firſt accounted a malignant, becauſe he increaſeth the violence of the vitall heat, and thereby the ſooner conſumeth radicall moyſture, to which he is inimicall, and ſo cauſeth death. But to proceed.

8 Mars hath alſo his faults in all Philoſophicall preparations, and thoſe not a few; we ſhall give them Phiſically, as we did the former, and leave every man to be his own Interpreter; and we ſhall be pretty large in them, becauſe they are more ſubject to Philoſophicall operations, or at leaſt Philoſophicall operations are more ſubject to them, then to the faults of all the reſt of the Planets, for by his intemperate heat and torrid dryneſſe, he cauſeth many vices both to the body and mind of man, as alſo to Hermeticall operation, which you may eaſily perceive by what followes.

• 1 Warres.
• 2 Brawling.
• 3 Contention.
• 4 Violence.
• 5 Enmity.
• 6 Diſgrace.
• 7 Baniſhment.
• 8 Loſſe of Virginity.
• 9 Adultery.
• 10 Sodomy.
• 11 Inceſt.
• 12 Abortion.
• 13 Perfidionſneſſe.
• 14 Anger.
• 15 Raſh actions.
• 16 Breaking of Veſſells.
• 17 Over heat.
• 18 Impatience.
• 19 Theſt.
• 20 Perjury.
• 21 Wounds.
• 22 Mutilation.
• 23 Slaughter.
• 24 Rapine.
• 25 Barrenneſſe.
• 26 Torments.
• 27 Feavers.
• 28 Wounds.
• 29 Ʋlcers.
• 30 Burnings.
• 31 Danger by
  • Fire.
  • Iron.
  • Pride.
  • Prating.
• 32 Sentence of the Judge.
• 33 Precipitations.
• 34 Hurt by foure footed Beasts.

If you doe but conſider, That Mars can operate no otherwiſe in the Microcoſm, then he doth in the Macrocoſm, the meaning is eaſily underſtood.

CHAP. VI. OF VENUS.

THe chief operation of Mars in the Common-wealth of Nature, is by his heat to prepare and calcine matter for ſeed, which Venus comes afterwards, which by her kind moiſture makes fruitfull; and this is the Morall of thoſe Poeticall Fables of the adultery of Mars and Venus, becauſe they are both ſo infinite neceſſary, both for the making of ſeed, and Generation of man; for as Mars by his exceeding heat and dryneſs tends but little to Generation, but burnes rather than cheriſheth, calcines rather then quickens, ſo Venus being cold and moiſt, tends not at all to Generation, without the help of Mars; for all Generation is performed by heat and moiſture.

Let us now ſee a little Philoſophically how we can make Mars and Venus agree in Philoſophicall preparations, and we will give it you onely by a parallel taken from our own bodies, therefore be pleaſed to conſider,

1 All the quoile and fighting in a mans body which cauſeth him ſometimes to be merrie, ſometimes ſad, ſometimes loving, ſometimes hating, ſomtimes joyous, ſomtimes grievous, ſometimes angry, ſometimes pleaſed, ſometimes ſick, and ſometimes in health, together with all the other changes in a mans life, proceeds from the fighting and quarrelling of thoſe foure firſt knowne enemies within him, viz. Heat, Coldneſſe, Drineſſe, and Moiſture, and he that knowes how this comes to paſſe in man, who is a perfect and compleat Microcoſm, may eaſily know how this comes to paſſe in the world, and what the reaſon is that men fall out, and fight, and kill one another; whereas nature teacheth men to love & preſerve one another; and he that knowes it in the Microcoſm, or Macrocoſm, and knoweth it not in Philoſophy, is not like to be taught by us.

2 Theſe foure firſt Principles, or noted Enemies, which you will, which can never be reconciled if the ſtrength of one of them be never ſo little greater then the ſtrength of his fellowes, he ſubdues, digeſteth, and turneth them into his owne Nature, he eats them up, and is ſtrengthned by them.

3 But if his unlikes and contraries be equall in power with him, and ſo prove his matches, then neither devoureth each other, but both ſtand amazed and dulled; and this is that they call an equall mixture of the foure firſt Principles, and by this equall mixture our life and health is maintained.

4 For example; Fire which is very hot, and ſomething dry withall, and water which is very cold, and moiſt withall, if both theſe be in equall power in mans body, they dull the violence of one another, but neither of both can be loſt or deſtroyed, but if this water by heat of the fire (it being too ſtrong for it) be turned into aire, then it is partly like the fire, and if it be not friendly to it, yet at leaſt-wiſe it is its weaker foe, and ſo yields to it, and ſtrengthens the nature of the fire, for all Alchymiſts know, that the more aire you give the fire, the more fairer it burns; but if this aire gets more watery moiſture and coldneſſe, as is clearly ſeen in miſty and foggy weather, it will eaſily overcome the fire, and eat him up, and that's the reaſon foggy weather makes men cough, by breathing in a moiſt aire.

5 Now the harmony of the world conſiſts by a conſent or dulling of the foure firſt famous Enemies, even as Muſick is a harmony made by conſent of concords, and diſcords; for when this harmony between the foure firſt Principles, is in the leaſt broken, they begin to ſtir and fight and ſtrive for ſuperiority, till at laſt one conquers the reſt; this is that which in our bodies we call paine and diſeaſe.

6 At laſt when one firſt Principle gets the Lordſhip and dominion over all the reſt, he turns them all into his own nature, and then the old conſent and knot of life is broken, loſt, and ſpoyled, and ſtill goes downward till man return to the earth from whence he came.

7 To give you an example of this in a dead man.

1 When the breath is out of the body, the naturall fire waxeth lukewarm preſently, and in a ſhort time is devoured by aire.

2 The aire preſently waxeth thick, cold, and watriſh, putrifies, and by putrifaction breeds a Generation of Vermine, and preſently vaniſheth in a watry filth.

3 The water waxeth dry and heavie, and ſtill dryer and dryer, till it be all devoured by earth, from whence man ſet forth at beginning.

We have now ſhewed, and we hope ſufficiently too, the Reaſons of the oppoſite qualities of Venus and Mars, ſeeing unleſſe they were oppoſite, and equally oppoſite in the acting and generating of things here below, the world could not multiply. Come we now particularly to ſhow you what the Office of Venus is in this our Hermeticall medicine.

1. We deſire you to take notice, that you here have the reaſon why Venus, being a cold planet, ſhould be the A[••]hor of g[•]ne[•]ation ſeeing all generation i[•] cauſed by heat and moiſtu[••]. The heat of Mars fitteth the Elementary world for her cold and moiſt influence, that ſo the ſecond production of things, by nature might be better then the firſt.

2. As the Celeſtiall Sun makes uſe of the heat of Mars to calcine things and fit[•] them for procreation, ſo the Celeſtiall moon in like manner makes uſe of Venus to moiſten them, that ſo they may be fitt to generate and thats the reaſon the Poets faigned V[•]nus to be born in the Sea, becauſe the Ancients held the Centrall or Terreſtiall Moon to be there.

3. Conſidering what an antipathy there is between Mars and Venus, and yet what a ſimpathy they hold one with another in generation, you may eaſily find out the reaſon of that ſimpathy and antipathy of things generated.

4. If you take notice how all things are bettered by a ſecond Generation, and that ſo palpably (or elſe what need a woman boyl water and Oat-meale to make Pottage) what need any man queſtion but that Aurum Potabile, yea and the Phyloſophers Stone alſo is attainable.

5. As there is one ſort of heat wich cheriſheth, and another ſort or meaſure whch burneth, ſo there is one certaine meaſure of moiſture alſo to be obſerved both in generating and nouriſhing; for too much moiture in hermeticall preparations will ſpoile all, for Omne nimium vertitur in vitium, this juſt and certaine meaof moiſture, Venus by moſt held to give to the world, and therefore ſhe obtained the name of a fortune.

6. But as great a fortune as ſhe is held to be, ſhe may doe miſcheifs enough, if not heedfully looked too; for ſhe makes mens bodyes very voluptuous, cowardly, immode[••] ▪ much given to women, and alwayes averſe to ſtudy, unleſs it be in ſuch bookes as are in ſheet[•].

7▪ If ſhe muſt be a fortune becauſe ſhe furthereth Generation, then is Mars a fortune as well as ſhe; for he adds heat, as well as ſ[•]e adds moiſture, he tempers her moiſture, as well as ſhe tempers his heat.

8. However, this is true enough, that as Magiſtrates in a Commonwealth leave inferiour buſineſſes to be acted by their Subſtitutes, of which they have divers in Authority under them; ſo in matters of procreation, and increaſe, the Sun leaves the matter of heat to Mars, and in matter of moiſture the Moon leaves it to Venus. He that is a Philoſopher knowes well enough how by the Sun and Moon to rectifie the errors or neglects of either Subſtitute, and can goe boldly to the Sun and Moon at any time for redreſſe, and ſhall never be [•]enyed Juſtice.

9 And here by the way you may ſee in what an equal ballance Nature governs things; and from thence you may ſore a little higher, and know what Government is beſt pleaſing to the God of Nature: If Kings and Magiſtrates would Governe ſo, what gallant lives might men live upon Earth? But the contrary appearing, bids the Sons of wiſedome expect and hope for Heaven, where all ſhall be amended.

To proceed.

10 As the Sun gives vitall heat to the Creation, which ſtirres up to action in Generation, and the Moon moiſtens the rayes of the Sun, leaſt he ſhould burne rather then comfort; end again the Sun heats the rayes of the Moon, leaſt they ſhould conjeale rather then moiſten: Juſt ſo for all the world it is betwixt Mars and Venus, in reſpect of multiplication; for juſt as the Sun and Moon generate, ſo Mars and Venus multiply, and that Mars and Venus have this multiplying quality, appeares in this, in that their bodies are neareſt the Earth, amongſt the other Planets.

And thus much may ſuffice for this Chapter.

CHAP. VII. OF MERCURY.

WEE are now come to treat of Mercury, and having looked up [•]nd downe for him, we could not find him, which made us think at firſt he was run away from us, as he did from the Alchymiſt; but after we had made a little more diligent ſearch after him, we quickly diſcovered him, and then we found he was every where.

• 1 We found him in Gold, and then he was [•]ure Sol.
• 2 We found him in Luna, and there he was pure Silver.
• 3 We found him in Lead, and then he was pure Saturn.
• 4 We found him in Jupiter, and then he was pure Tyn, &c.

Whilſt we were admiring at his verſattill Nature, and how volattill he was, and yet we had read long agoe in the works of many Aſtrologers, that Mercury aſſumed the nature of every Planet he was joyned wi[•]h, or aſpected to, and we underſtood the letter of it well before, but never the myſticall meaning till now, which made us conceit that many Hiſtories had Philoſophicall myſteries in them. But whilſt we were deeply conſidering this, in came a company of Philoſophers, and their buſineſſe was to ſeek Mercury, as we did, and becauſe he was ſo volattile and unconſtant, making fooles of ſuch as are fooles; but alwayes obedient to the Sons of wiſedome, we reſolved to take diligent notice how they caught him, and what they did with him after they had caught him.

And here we ſaw moſt wonderfull ſtrange, and myſterious things, ſuch as it is not lawfull to ſpeak plainly, at leaſtwiſe till ſuch times as plaine dealingcomes again to be in faſhion: Yet we ſhall relate very truly what we ſaw, if they ſeem Riddles, look after the meaning of them, as we did, you have the ſame means we had, and if you are no idler in Hermeticall ſtudies th[•]n we have been, there is no queſtion but you may as eaſily catch him as we have done.

But let us return again to the Philoſophers whom we ſaw ſearching for Mercury.

1 We ſaw them ſearch for him in the fire, and there they found him and calcin'd him with his like, and fixed him, neither did he once offer to fly away, but followed read[•]ly, and did▪ whatſoever they comm[•]nded him, becauſe they went to work with him in a naturall way.

2 We ſaw them ſearch after him in the aire, and there alſo they found him, and mixed him with his like, in equall weight and proportion, there alſo they fixed him with eaſe, and without any relunctancy, and put him in their pockets, and did what they pleaſed with him.

3 Wee ſee them ſearch for him in the water, and there they found him, and by mixing him with his like, they fixed [•]im with eaſe and pleaſure, and made him their ſervant, neither did he once gainſay.

4 We ſaw ſome other moſt wonderfull things almoſt incredible, yet moſt true.

• 1 We ſaw them calcine fire.
  • 1 Into aire.
  • 2 Into no aire.
• 2 We ſay them boyle aire.
  • 1 Into water.
  • 2 Into no water.

We had alſo the happineſſe to ſ[•]e how they did this, and how they made Aurum Potabile when they had done it, but in plainer tearms it muſt not be revealed, nor upon our credits never will.

We have now ſhewed you what the Nature of Mercury is, amongſt the Elements, and Elementary body, and how Philoſophers deale with him: We ſhall now in a few words declare to you what he is in the Heavens, and leave you to buſie your brains about the harmony between them, and ſo we ſhall conclude this Section.

1 He is changed into ſo many qualities, as he meets with Stars, yet becauſe naturally he rules over reaſon, he makes their influence rationall to the Sons of men, indeed he cauſes that harmony which is between the motions of the heavens, and mans body; therefore the Poets called him, The Meſſenger of the Gods, and ſay, that he brought down the will and command of the Gods to the Sons of men, which if you will conſtrue Philoſophically, and without prejudice, it is no more then thus.

• 1 The Sun gives vitall heat to the Creation.
• 2 The Moon gives radicall moiſture.
• 3 Saturn fixeth this, and putrifies it.
• 4 Jupiter turnes it into nouriſhment.
• 5 Mars calcines it.
• 6 Venus makes it fruitfull.
• 7 Mercury makes it rationall.

A word or two to prove the laſt would not doe amiſſe, and in ſo doing we will not exceed the dimenſions of mans body: Therefore conſider,

1 If you caſt an eye upon your owne bodies, you ſhall find that Mercury cauſeth ſuch a penetrating and acute humour, which ſtirres up the mind of man to contemplation, and inquiry after the Reaſons of things, and this is that cauſes that imbred deſire of knowledge which is in the Sons of men. And this appeares plainly to be a truth, if we doe but conſider, that the ſtronger Mercury is at the Nativity of any, the more thirſting deſire they have after Knowledge.

2 He ſtirres up all the ſpirits to action and motion, which cauſeth thoſe various fancies in the body of man, the variety of which ſeeks after the variety of knowledge of things, and finds them being ſought for, the which Saturn fixeth, being found, and that's the reaſon Aſtrologers ſay Saturn and Mercury are ſuch friends.

3 The Excellencies which Mercury beſtowes upon the World we have ſhewed:

We ſhall onely ſpeak a word or two of what inconveniences he bringeth to the body of man, and if you can find them readily in the Epitomy, you may eaſily find them in the Book.

1 In the body he cauſeth

• Madneſſe,
• Doting,

And all Diſeaſes of the brain, which diſturb reaſon, all diſeaſes of mind. In the body

• Coughs,
• Falling Sickneſſe,
• Appoplexy &c.

2 To the mind he gives

• Folly,
• Lying,
• Unſettledneſſe,
• Unfaithfullneſſe,
• Evill thoughts,

And as bad actions; from whence many times ariſe many Calamities.

So much for the Second Section.

SECT. III. OF THE INTELLECTUALL OR, AETHERIALL WORLD.

WEE told you in the beginning, That God had Created a Three-fold world, Elementary, Celeſtiall, and Intellectual, which laſt is the higheſt in dignity, and thrice happy is he that attaines to the right knowledge of it. This he whoever intends to attaine the Divine Myſteries in Philoſophy, muſt not be ignorent of; for,

1 Of theſe three worlds every inferiour is Governed by its ſuperiour, and receives all its power and virtue from the influence and rayes thereof; for God the great firſt being, and chief worker of all things, governs the Celeſtiall world by the Intellectuall or Aetheriall: The Stars keep their conſtancy in motion by the mediation of the Angels; and he governs the Elementary world by the Celeſtiall Elementary bodies, whether vegetable, animall, or minerall, are governed by the Stars. One ſummer and no more winters, are ſufficient to teſtifie the truth of it.

2 Conſider, that the vertue and knowledge of all Elementary things comes to us from God by degrees, by many and equall ſteps which we ſuppoſe God did in mercy to man, that ſo by the ſame progreſſion we might climb up to the knowledge both of our God, and our ſelves; for the virtue of all things comes from God to the Angels, from the Angels to the Stars, from the Stars to the Elements, and Elementary bodies.

3 The ready way for man to climb up to the top of this knowledge, is by the ſame ſteps and degrees this knowledge comes downe unto us, beginning at the lower end of the ladder, viz. the Elements, and climbing up by ſteps to the top, viz. the Intellectuall or Aetheriall world: But withall have a care one foot be faſt before you remove the other; we mean, take heed of building upon rotten foundations, believe nothing becauſe we or others write it, but examine it firſt, whether it be poſſible in nature or not, if not, there is ſome myſticall meaning in it, ſearch that out diligently. And now you ſee the reaſon of this our method.

4 As there is a unity in God, ſo is there one en[•]ire unity alſo in every one of theſe three worlds; for as in Divinity, all points are tryed by a Trinity in unity, and a unity in Trinity, in a Divine way, (we confeſſe we are miſtaken, we ſhould have written, they ſhould be tryed, indeed they are tryed by generall Counſells and Synods, and Committees for Plundred Miniſters, the more is the pity.) So in Philoſophy, all things are tryed by a Trinity in unity, and a unity in Trinity in a naturall way: The unities in the three worlds are theſe.

1 In the Intellectuall or Aetheriall world, is on ſupream intelligence, the very Ani[••]a mu[•]d[•], the firſt Creature and fountain[•] of all [•]ines, Michael the Arch-Agel, whoſe name in the Scripture hath ſo often p[••]zled our dull-headed Prieſts.

2 In the Ce[•]eſtiall world there is one Sun, the Author of Generation and preſervations in the Elementary world, the giver of life, light, and motion to the Creation.

3 In the Elementary world there is one Philoſophers Stone, the inſtrument of all Naturall virtues, having the quinteſcence of the virtues of all Elementary bodies compacted in it ſelfe.

5 There are three Arts to find out theſe three unities, their myſteries, and diviſions.

• 1 Naturall Philoſophy.
• 2 Aſtrology.
• 3 Divinity.

1 The Naturall Philoſopher ſeeks after the virtues of the Elementary world, and the various mixtures of naturall things, enquires into their cauſes, effects, times, places, faſhions, events, the whole, and every part of the whole, and how they are produced by the Elements.

2 The Aſtrologer is well verſed in every part of Naturall Philoſophy, and from thence ſearcheth out the motions and courſe of the Celeſtiall bodies, and what their effects of their influence is upon the Elements, and Elementary body.

3 Then comes the Divine, or at leaſt-wiſe he ſhould come, and from both the former Arts, being admirably skill'd in them both, teacheth what God is, what the Spirit and Soule of man is (for the one of them is Aetheriall, and above the Celeſtiall world,) what an Angel is, and what Religion is, and how a man ſhould glorifie God in all.

6 The laſt of theſe is our preſent Taſk in this SECTION, in which, that we may be methodicall, be pleaſed to Conſider, That before you attaine to the Heavenly Knowledge of making Aurum Potabile, here are belonging to this Intellectuall or Aetheriall world.

• 1 Some things to be known.
• 2 Some things to be practiced.

Of both which, ſo much as is neceſſary for theſe our preſent occaſiſions, we ſhall lay downe, and aford each of them a Chapter by it ſelfe.

CHAP. I. OF Intellectuall or Aetheriall Knowledge.

THat God doth ſome things extraordinary, over now in this declining Age of the world, is a truth ſo manifeſt, that we ſuppoſe no Clergi-man now living, be he Epiſcopall, Preſbyterian, or Independant, we ſuppoſe will once offer to deny: As alſo, that God out of grace and love to thoſe that fear him, beſtowes many influences or beames of Heavenly knowledge upon ſuch, more then upon others; which made a great Philoſopher ſay, The Judgements of the Lord are a great depth, yea, I have infinitely admired at Divine providence, in my greateſt misfortunes; for I alwayes had the protection of our great Creator at hand, and the Angel of the Lord of this Treaſury have been alwayes my keeper. And a little after he ſaith, So great bleſſings have I received from the moſt high God our Creator, that it is impoſſible not onely for my pen, but alſo for my mind to comprehend. God ſcarce ever conferred to any mortall man greater things then he hath done upon me. And a little after that, he ſaith, Thou that deſirest to attaine this Art, in the firſt place put thy whole truſt in God thy Creator, for it is a vaine thing to truſt in Princes, they are but men, ſeeke God by prayer, and then aſſuredly believe that he will not forſake thee; for when God knoweth that thy heart is ſincere, and thy whole truſt is put in him, he will by one means or another, ſhew thee a way, and aſſiſt thee in it, that thou ſhalt obtaine thy deſire. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſedome. And truly this we can ſay by experience, that had it not been for Divine providence in inſtructing us in a ſpeciall way, but in what manner we know not, we had never attained to it our ſelves: We wiſh that we had ſo much wiſedome and affection, that we could render due thanks to him.

This is ſufficient to prove that there is an Aetheriall or Intellectuall knowledge requiſite to ſuch as intend the ſtudy of this deep Myſtery. We are not writing Divinity, as we told you, but Philoſophy, therefore expect not that we ſhould teach you what God is, nor of what materialls the body of Angel conſiſteth, &c. we ſhall onely meddle with Divinity ſo far forth as it is of neceſſity to be knowne and acknowledged of ſuch as intend the ſtudy of Aurum Potabile, in which ſtudies thou muſt diligently weigh:

1 That there is one God, a unity in the Godhead, and a Trinity in that unity; for in the right knowledge of this depends all the knowledge of the Saints, both in this world or that to come. This is the key of all knowledge, which alone muſt let thee in to the ſecret Chambers of wiſedome and knowledge here, and eternall glory hereafter. We confeſſe we have heard much talk, both in Pulpits and out of them, of a Trinity, but all the reall knowledge we had of it, we had it from God himſelfe: Yet in this let us give you a Caution or two, if it be three, it makes no great matter.

1 Take heed of making Riddles of the Trinity, in thinking of it ſome ſtrange and unheard of thing that never was known nor never can be; for if thou art a Saint thou art united to the father by the perſon of the Son, and the Spirit dwelleth within thee; therefore God who is goodneſſe it ſelfe, will not deny thee the knowledg of himſelfe; For this is eternall life, to know him the onely true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent; and the way how to come by this knowledge, thou haſt, Jam. 1.5. If any of you lack wiſedome, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it ſhall be given him.

2 Do not make non ſenſe of the Trinity, by conceiting the Trinity to be 3 ſeverall perſons, as we are, as the Papiſts doe, who faigned God to be an old man ſitting in Heaven, with long armes that can reach all about the world, and Jeſus Chriſt a little boy ſitting at his right hand, and the Holy Ghoſt a Dove ſitting between them. It is very like Athanaſius was of this opinion, when he made that non ſenſicall thing which he called his Creed.

3 Above [〈◊〉] [••••]s beware you deny not a Trin[•••] [〈…〉] [•••]y, and a unity in Trinity, [〈…〉] [•]verthrowes the foundations of [〈…〉] [•]ſophical operations wh[••] [〈…〉] if every hearb conſiſt of [〈…〉] and Mercury, and you be [〈…〉], is not there an Embie[••] [〈…〉] [••]inity in unity? And before [〈…〉] [•]ow how to joyne and ſeparate theſe, you can never attain the making of Aurum Potabile.

This was delivered by a gallant Philoſopher, who wro[••••] like himſelfe, in theſe tearms, There is one God, of this one God the Son is begotten, one produceth two, two have produced one Holy Spirit, proceeding from both; thus was the world made, and ſo ſhall be the end of it. This is the firſt Principle in Divinity thou muſt not be ignorant of.

2 Although the true underſtanding of the firſt Chapter of Geneſis be the radix and ground-work of all the knowledge in the world, and the deep myſteries of it underſtood by few, if by any, yet ſomething of it muſt be known by him who intends the effecting of this Medicine: We deſire of God to direct us in this ſo hard a taſk, that we may wright with ſuch diſcretion, thoſe men which can uſe it, and are worthy of it, may ſee the truth, and the reſt may be blinded. The wiſeſt way we can direct you in, is this, Compare what we wright, with what the Spirit of God did indite in that firſt Chapter of Geneſis, and ſee how they agree.

The firſt beginning of all things which the Scripture tells you, was without form, and voyd, which Authors call Chaos, or confuſion, was a Divine work of the Trinity, performed in a moſt wonderfull and unconceiveable manner, before there was any ſuch thing as Nature created, the diſtribution of this into this preſent glorious form in which now it is, was acted by the Spirit of God in ſuch a way as we conceive God hath in no wiſe hid from the Children of men, neither is it out of their capacity, as the former was, therefore we conceive

1 In the beginning the onely great and wiſe God exalted the Quinteſſence or purity out of the Chaos, and having circled it round made it the outmoſt bounds of all things: This being pure, can indure no impurity, and therefore keeps all impure things within it ſelfe, and in its proper bounds; this is that Ariſtotle, as we ſuppoſe, and from him our Divines call Calum Empyreum, which they ſay is the ſeat of the bleſſed ſoules, if a man were ſo mad as to believe them. It is a ſtrange thing men of that Coat ſhould ſay Aristotle was a Heathen, and yet teach ſuch notions for pure Divinity.

We ſhall onely relate one ſtory which one of us heard from a Prieſts mouth in a Pulpit, who taking occaſion to ſpeak of the Imperiall Heavens, affirmed, That they were ſquare, and therefore he ſaid a ſquare form was the exacteſt. We wonder how he came by that notion, conſidering a round form is the firſt in forms. Is the Preaching of ſuch notions the way to convert ſoules? Or doth it deſerve Tithes think you?

2 But to proced. After this, God lifted up the pureſt ſubſtance of fire (for one fire is purer then another, as we ſhall ſhew by and by) above all things, and placed it next unto the pure quinteſſence, above deſcribed.

3 God kindled a fire in the midſt of the Chaos, in the very Centre of it, and this is that we commonly call the Sun, which diſtilled up thoſe moſt pure waters which were next to the former pure fire deſcribed; this we conceive to be that which is commonly called the Chriſtalline Heavens; for the true meaning of ancient Philoſophers being not underſtood, and Ariſtotle muſt do ſomthing to get him a name, having all the ſtudies of Philoſophers, ſo far as the Conqueſt of Alexander the Tyrant extended, delivered to him, and he reading as much in an houre, as would coſt a wiſe man two year to underſtand, invented this name of Chriſtalline Heavens, which is now quoted as a piece of Divinity.

4 The dry Land began now to appear, and becauſe there is alwayes an inimicalneſſe in contraries, each firſt Principle retired cloſe to it ſelfe, from thence, as alſo from the influence of the Sun, were the Centrall fires kindled in the worlds. We hope we may uſe the name worlds in the Plurall number without offence, becauſe the Scripture doth it, as may appear if you read, Heb. 1.2. & 11.3.

5 Becauſe the moſt pure fire hath obtained the uppermoſt part in the Firmament, the moſt pure waters are condenſed and made thick under it, and that they may be ſtrongly ſetled and fixed there, there is a Celeſtiall fire more corrupt then the former, which was Aetheriall exalted, which keeps them from falling downe, ſo that they are ſhut up betwixt two fires and the Heavens.

6 The Centrall fire in the worlds never ceaſeth working, but is ſtill diſtilling water into aire, which becauſe it cannot exceed its bounds, is turned agen into water, and this is that which cauſeth rain, ſo that there is a perpetuall circulation in the Elementary world.

Thus you ſee

• 1 The fire preſerves the Earth that it be not drowned nor diſſolved by continuall flux of water upon it.
• 2 The aire preſerves the fire that it be not extinguiſhed.
• 3 The water preſerves the Earth that it be not burnt.

We ſhall only propound two things more, and ſo conclude this ſecond point of Aetherial Knowledge.

1 Give us leave to anſwer one frollick of Van-Helmont, who goes about to prove vacuity in the aire, which if there were, all the waters upon earth would have been diſtilled and reſolved into aire; but the ſpheare of the aire is full, and alwayes filled with the diſtilling of water by the Centrall fire, which when it is over-burdened returns back again upon the earth by raine, ſo that the reſt of the waters being kept downe by the aire, are rolled about the earth. This is a wonderfull myſtery we ſhould not leave you ignorant of, for

• 1 The Centrall fire in the Earth is alwayes kept vigorous by a univerſall motion.
• 2 Being thus kindled alwayes warmes the waters.
• 3 The waters being warmed are reſolved into aire.
• 4 The aire compreſſeth and keepeth downe the reſidue of the waters, and alſo the Earth; ſo that according to reaſon, it is impoſſible that the earth, as heavy a body as it is, ſhould move out of its place. And thus is the world maintained in a naturall way, by the infinite power and wiſedome of an Almighty God.

2 The ſecond thing we thought good to give you notice of, is this, That from the way and manner of the firſt diſtribution of the Elements, and according to that example all Philoſophicall diſtillations whatſoever have been invented. What we have written is that which gave being to their Rules.

And let this ſuffice for the ſecond Point.

3 The knowledge of that imbred corruption which is in man, as alſo the cauſe of it, ought to be known. The firſt cauſe of it is manifeſtly Originall ſin, whereby the whole bodies of men are depraved, but not their ſoules and ſpirits, as we ſhall plainly ſhew in the next Book. 'Tis not our preſent taſk to declare what the firſt ſin of Eve was, it was ſomething elſe far different from eating Apples, 'twas ſuch a thing as muſt of neceſſity according to the Rules of Nature corrupt her, her huſband, and all her poſterity.

4 The reſtitution of man, and his being united to the God-head, by the perſon of Jeſus Chriſt, who took part both of God and man, muſt not be forgotten, for thereby is man brought into an Eſtate far above the Angels. God hath made the Angels miniſtring ſpirits to the Saints, and there is no man will deny but the Maſter is above the Servant; hold faſt this as an Article of Faith, and this will beget hope, yea, ſuch a hope as will never make thee aſhamed: Such a hope as will arme thee with patience in all thy operations, according to that Scripture, 1 Theſſ. 1.3. And patience of hope in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

And let this ſuffice for this Chapter.

CHAP. II. What Points in Divinity muſt be Practiced by ſuch as intend the attainment of Aurum Potabile.

1 THe heart muſt be unwedded from this preſent world, from the things of the earth whatſoever they be, the beauty, glory, pomp, profit, pleaſure, and honour of this world, from whatſoever tends not to, and ends not in the great firſt being of all things; The Scripture ſeems to ſpeak ſo much, Ro[•]t. 12.2. Be not conformed to this world, bu[•] [•]he transformed in the renewing of your [•••]d that you may prove what is that good that acceptable and perfect will of God. Were we writing Divinity, we could eaſily given paraphraſe upon the Text. This we conceive to be the reaſon why Philoſophers of old ſhun the very baits of, and intiſements to riches: One of which, if Hiſtories be true, having a large ſum of money given him, gave it all away, receiving onely ſo much to be paid him again workly as would buy him food and r[•]yment. Another took his money and threw it in the Sea, ſaying, Be gone you filthy riches, for unleſſe you periſh, I ſhould: And Dingenes preferred his T[•]o before Alexanders Court.

Let us not be miſtaken herein, we doe not ſay Riches are a ſin; we know a competent eſtate is neceſſary, but we know as well that riches when they exceed a competency are a ſnare, yea, perhaps the greateſt ſnare in the world; for as far as the Heavens are above the Earth, ſo far is the knowledge of A[••]um from a covetous man. Though our Treatiſe be not concerning Divinity, yet give us leave to give you a few admonitions concerning this particular: We know not but that in your reading of them the Lord may ſpeak to your hearts.

1 Doe not account Riches the greateſt things, neither let them take up the beſt and choiceſt of thy thoughts. When Solomon was put to his choice what he would deſire, he deſired knowledge, and not Riches, God gave it him, and Riches to boot, and he is the ſame God ſtill.

2 There is a mighty uncertainty in Riches, but there is none at all in Knowledge. Look upon this Nation at this preſent, and you may ſee the truth of it through a paire of ſpectacles glaſſed with an inch board.

3 It's the fooliſheſt thing in the world for a man to ſpend the ſtrength of an immortall ſpirit in gathering earth together, it transformes a man into a Hogge, as the Poets ſay, Cerse did Ʋlyſſes his Companions.

One of us heard lately of a Lady that had a vaſt Eſtate that was ſo beſotted with folly, that ſhe would get up into the Coach box, and drive the Horſes, and the Coach-man rode in the Coach: This was a madneſs you will ſay, yet is the madneſſe as far greater, and ſurpaſſeth it as much as eternall life doth this, for a man whom God hath united unto himſelf to make himſelf a ſlave to the world.

4 Thou beſtowes that upon the world which is ten thouſand times more worth then the whole world is; if thy endeavours which thou ſpendeſt upon the world had been rightly imployed, they would have carried thee through the Heavens, yea, above the Heavens, and taught thee what the Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity is, thou mighteſt have reached even to Eternity it ſelf, and the great firſt being of all things.

5 Did you never heare that God ſent Jeſus Chriſt to dye for man, and unite him to the God-head, then certainly man was made for ſomething elſe then to mind the earth▪ and eat, and drink, and grow rich, this might have been purchaſed for him at a cheaper rate by odds.

6 That Riches is ſufficient for any man that will carry him but through this world with comfort; a man that goes a journey, carries no more▪ with him then is ſufficient for his journey. A godly Miniſter, who in his life-time Preached near London, brings a pretty Simile to this purpoſe, If you ſhould ſee a man, ſaith he, that is going a journey, carry a great bundle of staves upon his ſhoulder, and if you ſhould aske him. why he did ſo, he ſhould tell you, he did not know but he might have need enough of them before he came to his journeyes end, for he could not walke without a ſtaffe, when one ſtaffe would ſerve his turne very well, would it not ſeem ridiculous in your eyes? A little will ſerve your turn to carry you to Heaven, all the reſt is ſuperfluous and burdenſome, and when you dye you muſt lay it downe, and leave it, you know not to whom, nor, as Solomon ſaith, whether they will be wiſe men, or fooles. 'Tis a common Proverb, Nature is content with little, 'tis Appetite which is like the daughter of the Horſe-leach and doth nothing elſe but cry Give, Give.

7 God hath promiſed to take care for thoſe that truſt in him. Caſt your care upon him, and he will eaſe you of the burden, he cloatheth the Lillies, and feeds the Sparrowes: Are not two Sparrowes ſold for a farthing, yet not one of them falleth to the ground without your father. If God take care for Sparrowes, one of which is worth but halfe a farthing, will he not much more take care of the Saints? We ſhall conclude this firſt practicall admonition with that Scripture, and deſire you often to meditate upon it, Col. 3.1, 2. If yee be riſen with Chriſt, ſeeke thoſe things which are above, where Chriſt ſitteeh on the right hand of God: Set your affections on things above, and not on things on earth.

2 Labour to have Communion with the God of Heaven. 'Tis eaſier done to have communion with the God of Heaven, then it is to ſpeak with the Committee, for it will coſt no bribes.

Plutarch reports, that Anaxagoras a Philoſopher, who was a deſpiſer of riches, being demanded wherefore he lived, he ſaid, He was borne to contemplate the Heavens, and ſaw ſuch a beauty in heavenly knowledge, which he thought ſufficient for the whole man. We can eaſily deſcribe to you what a Philoſopher ought to be that intends theſe ſtudies, He ought to be guided by heavenly Principles in all his wayes, to love and fear God above all: God is all in all to them, and all their ſtudy is to know the wonderfull works of God in the Book of the Scripture, and Book of the Creatures, to admire at his glory and excellency, and to doe good to their Neighbours for Gods ſake. Theſe be the Principles that move them to work, and not to grow great and rich in this world. In ſhort, they are guided by heavenly and not by earthly Principles, and this is the cauſe that

• 1 They have fellowſhip with the God of heaven.
• 2 God communicates his ſecrets to them.

Give us leave to enlarge our ſelves a little upon this, and but a little.

1 This brings much joy to a man, indeed it is the joyfulleſt life in the world, we know it by experience; they that have their converſations in heaven, know they are riſen from the earth with Chriſt.

2 All the changes and chances in this world move them not; they can be as comfortable and as joyfull in the loſſe of all, as in the enjoyment of it. The reproaches and ſcandalls of the men of this world, which are but the Embrions of the idle braines of time, are great comforts to them, they eſteem of them as badges of their Chriſtianity, becauſe they are ſo uſed as Chriſt and his Apoſtles were at his birth.

3 The joyes of Heaven are alway preſent before their eyes, ſo that they fear not death.

It was a moſt excellent ſpeech of a Philoſopher, and a great one in his time, Believe me, ſaith he, if I were not a man of that ranke and condition as I am, nothing would be more pleaſant to me then a ſolitary life, or with Diogenes to lye hid under a Tub, for I ſee all things to be but vanity, and that deceit and covetouſneſſe are altogether in uſe, where all things are to be bought and ſold, and that vice doth excell virtue; I ſee the better things of the life to come, before mine eyes, and rejoyce in theſe. And now I wonder not, as before I did, why Philoſophers have not cared to have their dayes ſhortned, becauſe every Philoſopher hath a life to come ſo clearly ſet before his eyes, as thy face is in a glaſſe. And ſo give us leave to conclude this ſecond point, with this ſacred and Divine ſpeech of a noble Lord now deceaſed, whoſe name we are forbidden in his writings to manifeſt.

3 There remaines but one more, and that is this, Labour to be contented in your preſent conditions. Diſcontent makes a good condition bad, content makes a bad condition good. Doe not onely ſeem to be contented, but be ſo really; be not ſo by conſtraint, but willingly; and give us leave to tell you

1 There is an emptineſſe in the Creature, yea, ſuch an emptineſſe as is uncapable to ſatisfie the better part of man, neither is it any way ſuitable to it. The ſpirit of man is Aetheriall,☞ and the ſoule of man Celeſtiall, and this world Elementary, therefore that part of this world which ſatisfies a man, muſt firſt be brought by Philoſophicall Art to a Celeſtiall, and then to an Etheriall conſtitution, before it can ſatisfie the better part of man.

I have read of one covetous Prince who imployed all his ſubjects in digging up Gold Mines, inſomuch that he left not ſufficient to till the earth; on a time when he went to dinner, his wife furniſhed his table all with gold, the poor man being hungry calls for victuals, his wife told him ſhe had no other Victualls but gold, and withall, if he did not ſuffer his ſubjects to till the earth, he muſt in a very ſhort time either eat gold or ſtarve. Alſo a godly Miniſter, now dead, upon the ſame occaſion, brings this Simely, Suppoſe a man is hungry, and to ſatisfie his craving ſtomach, ſhould gape with his mouth to take in aire, and think he is not ſatisfied becauſe he hath not aire enough, when indeed the reaſon is becauſe it is not ſutable to his ſtomach; and yet as ſutable as the things of this world are to the ſoul or ſpirit of man.

2 This content muſt of neceſſity make things worſe, but it is impoſſible it ſhould make them one jot better. If a Maſter of a Ship when he is at Sea in a ſtorm, ſhould walk up and down in a diſcontented mood, fretting, and fuming, and ſcratching his head, and not give order to regulate the Ship, were not his danger much greater? And ſo truly it is with diſcontented people, they make the matter worſe, but cannot make it better.

3 The whole world is governed by viciſſitude and change of times; there is a winter as well as a ſummer; a night as well as a day in the Creation, why therefore ſhould not we expect adverſity, as well as proſperity?

'Twas an excellent ſpeech of a Philoſopher; ſaith he, If thou wouldeſt ſubject all things to thy ſelfe, firſt ſubject thy ſelfe to reaſon. And Theodotius who once had been a King, and afterwards diſpoſſeſſed of his Kingdome, and living in a mean eſtate, one aſkt him what he had gotten by all his Philoſophy which he had gotten, ſeeing he could not keep his Kingdome by it, I have gotten this, ſaith he, I can live as contentedly without my Kingdome, as with it.

4 Take but a little notice what a baſe thing diſcontent is, how diſhonourable it is to a man, much more to a Saint.

Plutarch mentions a certain people, who to manifeſt their diſdaine they bore to ſuch as were dejected in ſpirit, for outward loſſes, they forced them to goe in a certaine time in womens Apparrell, in token of diſdaine, becauſe they have ſo unman'd themſelves to be diſcontented.

5 Diſcontent makes a man more like an Antick, then like a man: Look but upon a diſcontented ſoul the next time you ſee him, and you ſhall ſee what a behaviour, what an unſeemly carriage, inſomuch that they are burdenſome to our beſt friends.

6 And laſtly, It is a great hinderance to the enjoyment of Gods mercies, of which we account this we treat of, none of the leaſt. You will not give your Children any thing whilſt they cry, neither will God you.

It was an excellent ſpeech of a Miniſter now living, The Spirit of God, ſaith he, never reſteth upon an angry, or a diſcontented ſoule.

And thus much for this Second Book.

THE Concluſion.

YOU have, Courteous Reader, heard a Diſcourſe of the three Worlds, and foure Elements, and that to no other end then to let you know, You muſt be ſeen in them before you undertake ſo ſublime a buſineſſe in hand: To let you know that particulars are included under the univerſalls.

That in and to the Proceſſe of the Aur: Potabile is required a ſerious contemplative and active ſpirit.

And to let you know, though not ſo much what is, yet what is not to be uſed, but ſhunned and avoided.

In the proceſſe of which, truly we wiſh you Happy Arrivall too.

And to let you know, That it's a Univerſall Worke that's begun when ever you begin it, and a worke whoſe attainment lyes in the way to a higher ſcrutiny, and further proceedings.

It is not every precipitating coriſive thing that will doe it; not every thing that reduces the Philoſophers living gold to a ſoluble ſubſtance: Not a deſtructive fire, but ſuch a fire as Pontanus deſcribes, though in our Judgements his Deſcription of the fire is the moſt Enigmatically deſcribed of any Philoſopher that writes. Such a radicall Humidity and Menſtrum muſt be had whereof Gold had its Originall: I mean in reſpect of Tincture, not of Baſis, which received but of Tincture which were given by Natures Adminiſtrator.

But here ſome may object, and ſay,

That You tell us no more then what Ancient Philoſophers have long agoe wrote, ſo that wee are no neerer then wee were.

To which we Anſwer, That though at the firſt ſight we doe not, therefore for a helpe to that, we uſe not ſo many Riddles and Aenigma's in the whole, as many others have done.

Beſides, let us tell you, that he whoever it is that once attaines the right Proceſſe, can write no otherwiſe then others have done before him, unleſſe it may be in ſome one word or two; for which cauſe Philoſophers ſayings are diligently and ſeriouſly to be enquired into, and in that word or two a diligent mind may attaine the whole proceſſe.

Wee confeſſe it's an old ſaying, That better is the good the more common it is.

To which we Anſwer, That if this Jewell fall into ſuch hands, by that means of community as may and will doe hurt, but cannot doe good, the Queſtion is already anſwered.

For the greateſt bleſſings ever turne the greateſt curſes, if not well and warily uſed.

To conclude, We have not much to ſay, but onely to crave every mans gentle acceptance of what we have ſaid, and more eſpecially what we ſhall now ſay, We exhort every one that hath a Philoſophicall faith (and no other man) to read the writings of Philoſophers, and meaſure them all according to Natures univerſall and generall courſe of Creation, Preſervation, Deſtruction, and Reſtitution of things Naturall; and not to truſt one word of their ſayings unleſſe he can find ſome fundamentall Maxime of Nature to ſecond it. Let him have a pure contemplative mind, and truſt in the Eternall Eſſence of all things, and take this one thing along, and that's worth all that hath been yet ſaid, That unleſſe the Art be revealed him by a friend, he ſhall not attaine it by that manner of Knowledge and Reaſon with which he firſt began the ſtudy.

But this is not to dehort any man from its ſtudy, but to him that truly underſtands it's the greateſt of all Comforts and Encouragements; for while by his contemplation and earneſt ſtudy he finds himſelfe to be below, and unable, and unworthy of what he ſeekes: Behold the Angel of this Treaſury of God Eternall reveales it.

Gentle Reader,

This is but a Theory, but know well that it muſt be gained before the Praxis, which will ſhortly be diſcovered, with many other things needfull and uſefull to the wiſe, to the fooliſh a ſnare; yea, ſuch things as may reduce all labour to an end: This is no Prophecy.

FINIS.