Chyle then Blood Choler or Flegm c. Severinus is out when he saith there is blood in Balsom with spirit flesh bones ligaments and nerves and that these are seperated from it by help of the mechanick spirits There is in all sood somthing familiar to us that turns nourishment and may have divers forms as the parts are to which it comes call it Balsom or Mummy I am indifferent but I allow not that the things mentioned should be contained in them and be only made known and separated by the mechanick spirits Thus we should say with Anaxagoras that all things are in al things and there is no true generation But when chyle is made of bread blood of chyle bones membranes flesh of blood in every change there is a new form And every part hath force to turn its nourishment into its own nature which is the peculiar faculty of the vegetative soul what we have spoken of blood and humors is meant of alimentary humors that make blood We shall speak of excrementitious humors in the next Chapter in the Causes of Diseases Lastly They make two Anatomies the one local which they esteem little as the dissecting of bodies to see the shape figure and position and number of parts this they called a dead Anatomy for Butchers by which the Carcass is only seen but not the secrets of the nature of man The other they cal essential vital formal by by which every body is dissolved into its principles Paracel de orig morb ae tribus primis substantiis c. 6. alibi Severin c. 3. alibi passim he that wil try this must first know the nature of seeds and properties the offices of the elements and of the principles the roots of generation and transplantation the laws of Astronomy and the disposition not of the dead but of the whole living body Therefore they say the heart is wheresoever there is vital heat The Stomach is every cavity or place of concoction The womb is every place where there is seed of any fruit and they think the consideration of the great world is chiefly to be had in this Anatomy They say whatsoever is in the great world is also in man not according to a superficial likeness but indeed and according to the species and that man contains all things in himself though invisibly As to the local Anatomy they speak of they dishonor it for Anatomy is much beyond a Butchers work for by it all parts are artificially found out and their constitution and use Thus did Galen in his Book of the use of parts and others which if Paracelsus had read he had not written so absurdly They arrogate to themselves only the vital Anatomy but the Galenists had it as you may see in Galens Books of the faculties of nature of the Seed of the sorming of the Infant of Breathing temperaments Elements c. in which he speaks of the faculties of the soul which govern the body and of the instruments thereof in action Yet if the Chymists by their Principles can give it more light we wil accept of it thankfully But they here rather quible with words and with new terms they sell the opinions of the Ancients as their own and do little discover them or clear them up as when they say the heart is wheresoever there is vital heat It is the part of a wise Philosopher to call things by their own names and not so to quible with names as to confound things that are distinct Chap. 16. of Pathologie or Diseases THe Chymists seem also to enlarge the Pathological part of Physick Ideae Philos c. 13. when they suppose that the antecedent cause the Disease and the Symptom differ not in kind essence or specifical propreties but only in power and act Thus Severinus and that they differ no otherwise then a sleeping Physitian doth from the same being awake brimstone not burning from that which burneth salt not dissolved from that which is dissolved therefore he supposeth names are to be given from the roots as from the hidden roots of diseases in intermitting feavers when no heat is fired in the heart while the feaver lies close in the body and not from the antecedent cause But Galen doth better divide all things that are besides nature in mans body into three Cap. 12. that is the disease the cause and the symptom and there is no Discipline that makes no difference between the causes and the effects therfore it must be in Physick for the humors are the causes the diseases the effects and again the symptoms are effects of them both and all these differ in their whole essence and nature Therefore Severinus writes foolishly saying That which is most remote from producing of an effect is a genus that which is nearest to the individual is the species and the effect is the individual He makes the most general genus or kind to be the stony tartarous Mucilages in fruits and those in the stomach and guts to be the sudordinate genus But when they cause diseases and symptoms they are species and the last actions being hurt or hindered are the individuals But every true Philosopher may perceive this absurdity He writes like a fool when he saith he saw a feaver vomited forth for he saw the cause but not the feaver And more simply when he saies that matter so vomited up shaked for a time like an ague But either he read not or observed not what Galen and Galenists have written concerning the shaking of feavers But these Severinians are offended that the names of diseases are not given from the causes But they are unreasonable to think names must be given as they please and that fit names may be rejected Therefore it is not bad to define a feaver from its essence then let them enquire into the nature of the cause and whether the cause of a feaver may be called Choler or Sulphur Nor do the Galenists allows eye the disease alone but look often more at the cause much less do they only observe the symptoms for many of them come often from the same cause and one somtimes from divers causes and if these be not diligently disting dished he plaies the Emperick and will be deceived and if the Chymists will help us in curing we shall thank them As for the nature of a disease Paracelsus errs exceedingly when he saith a disease is a substance and that the disease is a whole man and hath an invisible body and this he shews by the Jaundies But every disease is nothing else but a quality in the body besides Nature Lib. 2. de morb podag by which the body is so disposed that it is unfit for its proper actions Now all error is from this that as plants come from their seeds so they think diseases do also and the true cure of a disease is nothing else but the taking away of those seeds and if they be not taken away by changing
opinions But let us examine whether those arrogant Titles that he and his Disciples attribute to themselves be due or not He brags that he was born of an ancient and Noble family in the Wilderness of Helvetia But Erastus saith that he heard that there were no such there that acknowledged themselves of his kindred not so much as an ignoble family and that there was a strange School-master that lived there who was born at a place called the High-nest and that he was called Paracelsus from thence Operine a Citizen of credit in Basil followed him two years of whom there are Writings by Jociscus in his Life of Operine where it is said That Paracelsus was drunk night and day and could not be found one hour sober especially after he left Basil and went to Alsatia and was adored as Aesculapius by the Nobles and Rusticks Operine adds further That he never heard him pray nor did he care for the Church but slighted the Gospel which was then begun to be preached Nor did Operine only write so but told it to others as Dr. Henry Bullinger that knew Paracelsus at Tigur witnesseth whose Letters Erastus citeth I could saith he find no Religion in his speeches Disp contra Paracel par 1. but much Magick of his own making If you had seen him you would have taken him for a Carter rather then a Physitian and loved the company of Carters with whom he eat and carroused so drunk somtimes that he would sleep upon any bench For conclusion he was a sordid nasty Fellow seldom went to Church and slighted Religion Erastus also saith that George Vetter a godly man learned 2. parte disp contra Para. that loved Paracelsus and followed him two years and three months in Austria and elswhere to learn Surgery which he onely perfected and honored Paracelsus for teaching him affirmed That Paracelsus studied Magick and made him study it and he called his evil Spirit his Companion But I shall pass over this having shewed Paracelsus was a wicked Liver He learned no Physick in the Schools but had his knowledg from Chymical Books and operations For about that time and a little before Isaac Holland and Basilius Valentine wrote and practised Chymistry and others and it was wel known in Germany as Books written before Paracelsus do declare And he himself writes that he studied Negromancy in the end of his Books of occult Philosophy where it is thus written A Physitian cannot learn what he ought in the universities but must somtimes ask old Women Conjurers and Negromancers and old Mountebanks and the like and learn of them and speaking of Diseases from Witchcraft In praefatione paragrani he saith They have more knowledg of such things then all the Universities And let any men judg if he wrote wisely when he said that he had Letters sent out of Hell from Galen and disputed with Avicen at Hell-gates concerning his Potable Gold the Tincture of Physick Quintessences and the Philosophers Stone If any observe his Travels of which he writes in his Praeface to his great Surgery he may judge how ill they hang together and how unlike to be true Therefore it is more probable that he had no skill in Languages or Philosophy and therefore he travelled and consulted with Mountebanks and Negromancers In praefat admonit These being so I cannot consent to Crollius that none was above or equal to Paracelsus who had the absolute knowledg of all divine and humane Sciences Re 3. for we must believe the Scriptures that say of Solomon Behold I have granted thy request and given thee a wise and understanding heart that none before thee had nor after shal have the like Moreover if Paracelsus were so wise why led he no better life In labirinth Mâ—dâ—crrant He writes from the Apostle That he which lacks wisdom must ask it of God and that the beginning of his Physick is to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven But what I said shews whether he did or not That he had not an absolute knowledg of all divine and humane things appears by his absurd and wicked opinions In lib. meteor c. 3. for he writes that the Night is not the absence of the Sun but is from the arising of the nocturnal Stars which cause darkness And that some Stars are like Gourds and Glasses that hold Salt Sulphur and Mercury from whence by the operation of the airy fire the winds were sent as wind bred in mans body is sent out by the lower throat Many absurd things are in the same Book that shew his ignorance but his followers admire them not searching into the truth of them but admiring Paracelsus that wrote them and taking every absurdity for a Mystery Lib. 1. de generat rerum He wrote not only absurd but wicked things shewing how a little man may be made by Chymistry without a Father or Mother and saith it is not a great secret Lib. 1. de Saga Philoso and that in the new Ilands men are not from the true Adam parent of all but from another Adam in his Book Azoth or of the wood and line of life Chap. 2. He writes That Adam and Eve before the Fall had no Stones Reins or Womb but received them after the Fall From which and many other impieties you may see that Crollius wrote falsly that Paracelsus was the most knowing man in divine and humane things Querc in resp ad Aubertum Quercetan writes better saying I never intended to maintain Paracelsus his divinity Disp 1. contra Paracel p 244. aliquot seq nor to believe him in all things He that will know more of this let him read Erastus who condemns Paracelsus for seven horrible blasphemies Let us see what he did in Chymistry and Curing where his chief worth lay which so renowned him As for the transmutation of metals In Epist Citata I deny not but he did somthing therein for Operine writes thus He spent money prodigally and was somtimes so poor that he had not a half-penny to my knowledg yet he would shew the next day a purse full and I wondered whence he had it And Michael Neander saith he made Gold of Lead and Quick-silver In sua geogra and Franciscus in his Epistle which Andrew Labavius brings against Guibert in his defence for transmutation by Alchymy But how he did it and whether he made the medicine or had it from another it is not known Evaldus Vagelius a Dutch-man in his Preface to his Book of the Philosopher-stone writes thus of Paracelsus I dare affirm that Paracelsus never knew the Philolosopher-stone and that he understood neither Raymond Lully nor other Authors in that Art and besides certain reasons I was perswaded to this belief by an Epistle from a noble man whose Father knew Paracelsus very wel for he had had the Philosophers-stone could make it when he pleased he had not so railed at Philip
any Medicines to go or send to Mr. Ralph Clarke Apothecary at the sign of the three Crowns on Ludgate-Hill in London where they shall be sure to have such as are skilfully and honestly made Divinity Books Printed by Peter Cole c. Eighteen Several Books of Mr. Burroughs's viz. on Matth. 11. 1 Christs Call to all those that are weary and heavy laden to come to him for rest 2 Christ the great Teacher of Souls that come to him 3 Christ the Humble Teacher of those that come to him 4 The only easie way to Heaven 5 The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil times 6 Gospel Reconciliation 7 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment 8 Gospel-Worship 9 Gospel-Conversation 10 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness and of Heavenly Mindedness and Walking with God 11 An Exposition of the Prophesie of Hoseah 12 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding sinfulness of Sin 13 Of Precious Faith 14 Of Hope 15 Of Walking by Faith and not by Sight 16 The Christians living to Christ upon 2 Cor. 5.15 17 A Catechism 18 Moses Choice Dr. Hills WORKS VIZ. 1 The Beauty and Sweetness of an Olive Branch of Peace and Brotherly Accommodation Budding 2 Truth and Love happily married in the Church of Christ 3 The Spring of strengthening Grace in the Rock of Ages Christ Jesus 4 The strength of the Saints to make Jesus Christ their strength 5 The best and worst of Paul 6 Gods Eternal preparation for his Dying Saints Twenty one several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumes Viz. 1 Scripture light the most sure Light 2 Christ in Travel 3 A lifting up for the cast down 4 Of the Sin against the Holy Ghost 5 Of Sins of Infirmity 6 The false Apostle tried and discovered 7 The good and means of Establishment 8 The great things Faith can do 9 The great things Faith can suffer 10 The great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 11 Satans power to tempt and Christs Love to and Care of his People under Temptation 12 Thankfulness requiin every Condition 13 Grace for Grace 14 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Naturall Impossibilities 15 Evangelical Repentance 16 The Spiritual Life and In being of Christ in all Beleevers 17 The Woman of Canaan 18 The Saints Hiding place c. 19 Christ coming c. 20 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 21 Grace and Love beyond Gifts Four New Books of Mr. Sydrach Sympson VIZ. 1 Of Unbelief or the want of readiness to lay hold on the comfort given by Christ 2 Not going to Christ for Life and Salvation is an exceeding great sin yet pardonable 3 Of Faith Or That believing is receiving Christ and receiving Christ is believing 4 Of Coveteousness Mr. Hookers New Books in three Volumes One in Octavo and two in Quarto These Eleven New Books of Mr. Thomas Hooker made in New-England are attested in an Epistle by Mr. Thomas Goodwin and Mr. Philip Nye to be written with the Authors own hand None being written by himself before One Volume being a Comment upon Christ's last Prayer in the seventeenth of John Wherein is shewed 1 That the end why the Saints receive all Glorious Grace is That they may be one as the Father and Christ are one 2 That God the Father loveth the Faithful as he loveth Jesus Christ 3 That our Savior desireth to have the Faithful in Heaven with himself 4 That the Happiness of our being in Heaven is to see Christs Glory 5 That there is much wanting in the Knowledg of Gods Love in the most able Saints 6 That the Lord Christ lends daily Direction according to the daily need of his Servants 7 That it is the desire and endeavor of our Savior that the dearest of Gods Love which was bestowed on himself should be given to his faithful Servants 8 That our Union and Communion with God in Christ is the top of our happiness in Heaven Ten Books of the Application of Redemption by the effectual Work of the Word and Spirit of Christ for the bringing home of lost sinners to God By Thomas Hooker of New-England In which besides many other seasonable and Soul-searching truths there is also largely shewed 1 Christ hath purchafed all spiritual good for HIS and puts them in possession thereof 2 The soul must be fitted for Christ before it can receive him and a powerful Ministry is the ordinary means to prepare the heart for Christ 3 The heart of a Natural man is wholly unwilling to submit to the Word that would sever him from his sins 4 God the Father by a holy kind of violence plucks His out of their corruptions and draws them to believe in Christ 5 Stubborn and bloody sinners may be made broken hearted 6 There must be true sight of sin before the heart can be broken for it 7 Application of special sins by the Ministry is a means to bring men to sight of and sorrow for them 8 Meditation of sin a special means to break the heart 9 The Lord sometimes makes the word prevail most when it 's most opposed 10 Sins unrepented of make way for piercing Terrors 11 Gross and scandalous sinners God usually exerciseth with heavy breakings of Heart before they be brought to Christ 12 They whose hearts are pierced by the Word are carried with love and respect to the Ministers of it And are busie to enquire and ready to submit to the mind of God 13 There is a secret hope wherewith the Lord supports the hearts of contrite Sinners 14 True contrition is accompanied with confenion of sin when God calis thereunto 15 The Soul that is pierced for sin is carried with a restless dislike against it The Kings Tryal at the High Court of Justice The wise Virgin Published by Mr. Thomas Weld of New-England Mr. Rogers on Naaman the Syrian his Disease and Cure discovering the Leprosie of Sin and Self love with the Gure viz. Self-denial and Faith A Godly and fruitful Exposition on the first Epistle of Peter By Mr. John Rogers Minister of the word of God at Dedham in Essex Mr. Rogers his Treatise of Marriage An Exposition on the Gospel of the Evangelist St. Mathew By Mr. Ward A BOOK Concerning the Agreement Disagreement Of the CHYMISTS With Aristotles and Galens Followers Chap. 1. Of the Nature of Chymistry WEE shall not stand much upon the Interpretation of the word Chymistry because it is disputable whether it be derived from the Greeks or from the Arabians or Egyptians Paracelsus other modern Physitians called it Spagery from the Greek words that signifies to pull in pieces or divide and also to unite or joyn together as being an Art to dissolve and Unite again any natural bodies Some proudly call this Art Philosophy and they who study the Philosophers-stone are called the only true Philosophers and Philosophers Sons of which see the Book called Turba Philosophorum It is called from Hermes or Mercury the
of the power of Spirits and of Chymical operations what force hath thunder upon Metals What force hath Aqua fortis and other Spirits Nor let any say that Chymical gold is not true gold but apparent for the forms of things being hid from us we know them by their proper accidents and proprieties but Chymical gold hath all the proprieties of gold therefore it must be acknowledged to be true gold The proprieties of gold are that it be yellow not ringing malleable so that one ounce beaten may cover ten acres of ground and the third part of a grain may be drawn into wyer of 134. foot long as Cardan writes Lib. de varietate rerum De vanit scient to be incorruptible in air and water and to endure all tests by the assay-men Some with Agrippa say that the Chymists draw a tincture of gold which they give to other Metals and make them gold but onely so much as that was from which the tincture was drawn and so there is no profit But experience shews the contrary for Edward Kelley an Englishman at Prague in the house of Thaddaeus Haggecius turned a pound of Quicksilver into gold with one drop of a very red liquor and it is stil to be seen and the sign of the liquor sticks like a Rubie upon the Quicksilver so turned to gold and as much more gold may be made of the same let this one experiment serve turn Yet though this art be true it is very difficult as appears by the lost labors of many and none can easily attain to it by reading or practise There are many cheaters But let none trust him that promiseth this art for money First let them make gold for themselves which they commonly want I shall recite some of their cheats First they carry gold or silver in a stick with which they stir their Metals Others dissolve gold or silver in Aqua fortis and mix with Ink and write upon paper in which they put the Metal they pretend to turn Or they use the pouder of gold or silver as sand upon a letter Others mix gold or silver dissolved within charcole Others have false bottoms to their crucibles into which they put gold Others have filled great coles with gold and laid them upon the crucible But the greatest cheat is when they have gotten some of the true tincture and done wonders till they have gotten money but can go no further being ignorant The other end of Chymistry is for Physitians for first the medicines Nature afford us have often parts of divers strength and force but by Chymistry they are ingeniously separated The Chymists imitate the industry of the Ancients in preparing of meats by boyling and other preparations to make them pleasant and wholsom And the Ancients when the patient wanted much nourishment and could not well concoct found out consummate broath or cullesses in which the unprofitable parts for nourishment were cast away and that which nourished best was preserved Thus are Chymical medicines made powerful pleasant and safe and the Physitian may cure by them safely quickly and pleasantly For when the thick earth and unprofitable parts are separated from the profitable and spirital the thinner parts sooner pierce into the whole body and exercise their force And being given in a small dose and freed from unpleasant qualities they are taken without loathing and so work the better And some medicines that are rank poyson are prepared by the Chymist and made safe Nature is the Chymists leader which makes us wholsom Spaw-waters from Minerals and Metals by which desperate diseases are cured But observe that we here only commend the true Chymistry but hate the false Chymists who when they can prepare a medicine or two promise golden mountains and scorn all the Galenists when they themselves are ignorant in all good Arts chiefly in Physick and Philosophy And will be called by no other name then Hermecial Physitians when they may be more truly called Haeretical Physitians Chap. 3. Of the Inventors and and Users of Chymistry CHymistry had been no worse if it had been found out later for that is old enough that is good enough and there is nothing which was not new at the first Some suppose that all the Chymical Books were written but three or four ages since but they are out for we have Greek Authors that treat of it Some shew that Chymistry may be proved ancient say that Adam invented it Gen. 4. but this they cannot prove But the Rudiments of Chymistry were more probably invented by Tubalcain the Master of Iron and Brass And if he shewed how to fashion Metals he must needs know how to find them out melt and separate them and purifie them The Scriptures commend him for an excellent Metal-man and his Successors were iudustrious in the same And if they knew how to work on Iron and Brass they questionless knew how to order Metals After the flood the invention or propagation of Chymistry was by many imputed to Hermes Trismegistus and from him it is at this day called the Hermetical Art the vessels and seals of Hermes are so called from him And he was called Tresmegistus or thrice great because he was the chief Priest Philosopher and King or as others say the chief King Priest and Prophet He lived in ancient time about the 2000d year of the World heard Noah preach and was as the Learned say the Master of Chamephis or Chusus The Grecians as well as the Aegyptians honored him for antiquity and learning and imputed the invention of all Arts and Sciences to him They say he wrote 25000. Books all set forth in his Name Mesue mentions another Hermes that succeeded him and mentions a Hiera of Hermes and Pills of Alhandal of Hermes and so do other Physitians but these vulgar medicines were not worth of the Name of Hermes Trismegistus There is also a Smaragd Table esteemed by all Chymists which was found in the Valley of Ebron after the flood but the Author of it is unknown Some say it was found in the Sepulcher of Trismegistus by a woman called Sarah it is the foundation of all Chymistry and I shal here mention it The Smaragd Table To speak plain truth without lying it is most true and certain that what is below is as that is which is above and that which is above is like that which is below to perpetuate the miracles of one thing And as all things were from one by the meditation and invention of one so all things are from this one thing by adaptation or proportion The Father of it is the Sun the mother the Moon the wind carried it in its belly The Earth is its Nurse This is the Father of all Talism in the world The vertue of it is compleat if it be turned into earth you shall separate the earth from the fire gently with much ingenuity and that which is subtile from that which is gross It ascends from earth to
heaven and descends again to the earth and takes the power of things above and beneath Thus you may have the glory of the whole world and so all obscurity shall flie from thee This is the great force of all fortitude because it will overcome every subtile thing and pierce through all solid bodies Thus was the world made And from hence you may make wonderful adaptations Therefore I am called Hermes Trismegistus because I have three parts of Philosophy of the whole world What I have said of the work of the Sun is compleat They deny this to be the Table of Trismegistus because it is not in his Works De metallis lib. 4. c. 6. all Chymists have hitherto thought the contrary and Albertus Magnus writes that Hermes is the Root that holds up all Philosophers Moses was next to Trismegistus who was skilled in all the Knowledg of the Aegyptians but it can scarce be proved clearly that he understood Chymistry Exod. I. 32. though they burnt the Calf that Aaron made and made it into pouder and cast it into the water Some say that Mary the Prophetess Sister of Moses was a Chymist because her Name is mentioned in some Books that teach the making of gold but it is an usual thing in Chymists to make their Books famous by setting the Names of great persons to them Some mention the Expedition of the Argonants for the antiquity of Chymistry Suidas reports that the Golden Fleece which Jason and the Argonants brought together Medea the Daughter of King Aaetes from Cholchis when they went into the Pontick Sea was not such a Fleece as the Poets seign but a Book written in Parchement for the making of gold But whatsoever others imagine there is no cause to reject the opinion of Suidas for all things agree unto it The watching Dragon is Mercury which is hard to be laid a sleep to this the gold which Phasis kept in Colchis was committed This matter is put into the Temper of Mars that is the Philosophers furnace The keepers thereof are the Bulls that breath out fire that is heat that increaseth by degrees The teeth of the Dragon that go to war and wound each other is the fighting of the matter in the vessel till it be brought to unity At length by Medeas art the Jason brings the Dragon to sleep That is fixeth that which would flie away and makes a good Medicine of that which was poyson Now this is probable because that exposition of a fable is best which agrees to truth either in Natural or Politick things Especially because the Names of Jason and Medea signifie a Physitian Also the fable of the Apples of Hesperides is spoken of Chymistry Metamorph 10. fab 14. And that fable of Atalanta and Hippomenes in Ovid And the other fable of the Dragon that Cadmus killed Solomon the wisest of all men wrote beyond all the Greeks and Arabians if his Books of natural things were extant and we may affirm without absurdity though not clearly prove that he was a Chymist It is ridiculous with some to fetch Chymistry out of the Canticles and to interpret the King which is the Bridgroom to be gold and the Queen to be silver because they embrace each other in Chymistry And when it is said I am black but comely to understand the Crows head which is black outwardly and inwardly very rich These are trifles and the Art of Chymistry is so plainly ancient that we need not bring these uncertainties and lies to defend it I like not that of Esdras Esdras c. 1 to prove the antiquity of it as if those golden Cups to be made of precious Brass better then common gold by the Art of Chymistry Since Christ Chymistry flourished in Aegypt so that they report all their treasure that they maintained themselves by against their enemies was artificial Hence Dioclesian commanded all the Chymical Books for making gold in Aegypt to be burnt lest they should grow rich thereby and rebel again Thus Suidas Julius Firmicus in the time of Constantine the Great in the year of Christ 320. mentions Chymists from the Astrologers Predictions Heliodore wrote in Greek of making of gold An. Dom. 383. and there is a notable argument for Chymistry in the History of Maximus Olibius concerning his Monument in Padua Pet. Appian in antiquitatibus in which a candle was found burning in the year 1500. In late ages Chymistry was famous among the Arabians as you may see in Mesue and others and Geber Avicen Rhasis Arnold de villa nova Raymund Lully John de Rupescissa Bonus Ferrariensis Hortulanus Isaac Holand Roger Bacchus Augurellus In exam sent Paris scholeo and others mentioned by Andreas Libavius have written much of it From whence it appears false which Nicolas Guibert wrote and others namely that the Chymical Books now extant were made lately by Impostors and Sophists He that wil know more of this Super lib. 12. de re metalli may read the Preface of George Agricola to Mauritius and Augustus Dukes of Saxony and Brothers and Andreas Libavius in his Defense of Alchymy against Nicolas Guibert Chap. 4. Concerning Paracelsus PHilip Theophrastus Paracelsus was born in Helvetia Ann. Domi. 1593. he had excellent Masters for Chymistry and began to raise a new Sect with a desire to throw down that of Hippocrates and Galen His chief Tutor was Peter Severinus from whom there is a new Sect at this day called Severians Therefore this Paracelsus when Chymistry was not vulgarly known in the Schools observing that Medicines might better be prepared that way began to reform Physick but he almost overthrew it together with all the Sciences He railed at Galen Avicen and all the Academicks called the Doctors of Paris Padua and Monpelior and all the Professors of Physick Professors of Lyes and said they were Lyars and not Doctors in his Writings He burnt the Canonical Volume of Avicen to shew his hatred to old Physick and to incense his Disciples with hatred against other Physitians Sometimes he seems to avoid being a Novelist and would be accounted a Galenist better then all the rest and to perswade the world that the Works of Galen and Avicen were not right but counterfeit Nor did he onely brag himself Pag. 7. suae praefationis but his Disciples cryed him up and Crollius wrote that none was like Paracelsus and made Hermes Trismegistus and Solomon inferiors to him in Natural Philosophy and Metaphysicks And his Disciples wrote high commendations on his Picture and Epitaph Hence it was Epist 137. that he was by many called the Prince of Chymists and none was counted a true Chymist that was not a Paracelsian but they are deceived as Crato shews learnedly And there is a difference between Chymistry and Paracelsian Physick for Chymistry was used before the time of Paracelsus And though he used it yet it is not necessary that all Chymists should be Paracelsians and embrace his
Marquess of Banden for ingratitude in not paying his bargain As for Chymical Medicines he brought many to light but not without envy and he communicated not faithful such as he found out for contemning all the ancient Chymists besides himself he is to be suspected I wil not here accuse him least I seem partial But Bernard Penot learned in Chymistry writes thus of him In fine lib de denario med If the Works of John Isaac Holland were extant the Works of Paracelsus would be of no worth This is he of whom Paracelsus prophesied saying Elias the Artist shall come after me who shall reveal hidden things Penot hath much more which though I believe not yet are not contemptible And John Crato writes to Erastus That the Remedies he used were not his own for I saw a Book written 200. years since by a Monk at Ulme in which are the same Medicines which Paracelus hath here and there in his Works Tom. 2. pag. 651. Andernachus the great Chymist writes That there was one Paracelsus a famous Master in Chymistry but he wrote many vain and false things and so dark that few can benefit by reading him His Epitaph shews what diseases he cured as the Leprosie the Gout and other incurable maladies in the body by a wonderful art And Oporine saith that he had an excellent activity and success in composing of remedies against all diseases and that he wrought miracles in curing of all sorts of desparate ulcers without any prescribed or observed course of diet but he drank nights and daies with his patients and cured them upon a full stomach and diet He mentions the Medicines he used Lib. de trinit Philos c. 2. as the Philosophical Tincture for curing the French pox Leprosie Dropsie Colick Apoplexy Estiomene Cancer Fistulaes and all inward Maladies but let them believe it that please Oporine witnesseth that he used Praecipitate Treacle or Mithridate or juyce of Cherries in pills in all kind of diseases for a purge He often bragged he raised the dead to life by his Laudanum only A certain learned Chymical Physitian to distinguish the truth of this matter and after he had read the Chyrurgery of Paracelsus he concluded that he cured all diseases onely with Mercury sublimated and calcined and give it divers names that it might not be discovered Many consess that he cured the most stubborn ulcers but say that he did not perform what the Vulgar say he did in the cure of the Dropsie Gout Leprosie Epilepsie and the like and prove by plain arguments that he did not cure all diseases And some doubt it because he used such diversity of remedies against the Epilepsie Somtimes he saith it is to be cured onely by black Hellebore somtimes by Antimony somtimes by the liquor of Gold somtimes by the Tincture of Coral somtimes by Vitriol or by Mans blood prepared or by Mans skull And they think that he wrote down certain Medicines promiscuosly for his memory that in time when occasion was offered he might make tryal of them all and knew not which was best And the diet of Paracelsus himself seems to confirm this which was such that he could not have such knowledge in the cure of so many desparate diseases Nor could he cure himself who was not only long afore his death in a convulsion but lived not above 47. years when he had promised long life unto others when the Universal medicine if he had had it would have preserved and freed him from all contagion Hence any may judge that Paracelsus had a good wit and if he had been endowed accordingly with the knowledg of Languages and solid Hippocratical and Galenical Philosophy and could have used it in Chymistry he had advanced Physick and had been famous among Physitians and Philosophers For the want of which he divulged so many absurdities in Divinity Philosophy and Physick without any reason but sate like a Dictator or Emperor in Learning and wrote many things so soolish and confused that his Writings are not methodical so that he is blind with the love of Paracelsus that shall approve of his mad Doctrine His dissolute life shewed that he was not a fit Reformer of Physick much less a man absolute in the knowledg of Divine and Humane things Chap. 5. Of the new Names and Principles by which Paracelsians are to be known IT is proper to this Sect to deceive by Names and Titles and to get the opinion of being wise thereby witness the Titles of Paracelsus his Books as Paragranum Paramirum and these words Ens Pagoicum Castagricum Iliastrum Achaeus Relloleum Cherionium Ylech Trarames Turban Leffas and six hundered other words never heard in any age and none of the followers of Paracelsus hath shewed their original or to what language they belong and when they use other they give another sense and use parables But the goodness of every thing consists in that for whose cause it was made Speech is a great gift of God given to men that one might declare their meaning to another and that which doth not so is not worthy the name of a speech for the knowledg of things follows the knowledg of their Names Peter Severinus is to be blamed for this whom the Paracelsians follow at this day as Paracelsus himself he useth the word Anatomy often according to nature and constitution of things and somtimes he useth the same word for the resolution and dissolving of things Somtimes for the place as when he saith The seed is anatomized to the stones that is flows to them Also he useth the word Tincture to signifie the propriety from whence the force of acting proceedeth and repeats improperly almost in every leaf the Tincture of the Pleurisie meaning the cause of the plourisie and the invalid Tincture of diseases that is the beginning of diseases So Paracelsus from whom Severinus had this trick calls ancient things by new Names but improperly For the Hippocratical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Cheirionia of Paracelsus are the same Rorollaceum is the same with that which is weak and without power Archaeus is the same with the natural spirit among Physitians and Philosophers as if Paracelsus and Severinus were such as they ought to leave the usual words and use new unheard of expressions Nor is Chymistry a new thing or first found out by Paracelsus so that he was bound to give new names unto things when he might well have used the language and words of the old Chymists very properly There is darkness sufficient in Nature so that he needed not to have increased it with monstrous words It may be they spake so that they might not be understood and to get the Name of being wise among the ignorant and that they might not easily be confuted by any The conclusion is as Galen saith That Speech is the Character of the mind and a monstrous speech is the sign of a monstrous mind And therefore it is intolerable to insinuate
words into an ancient Discipline and to change the custom of an art and to desire to bind up the art to such terms rather let the words be retained which use hath approved which is to judg of the force and form of speaking Let us come to the new way of teaching and knowing which they propound Hitherto reason and experience were the original of all knowledg and whatsoever agreed with them was accounted true and what differed from them was rejected And therefore the Works of Hippocrates Aristotle and Galen are highly esteemed But Paracelsus and his followers propound all their opinions without foundation and begin a new way of knowing In Praef. admonit p. 3. of which Crollius speaks at large A Physitian saith he must have the light of Nature and grace from the internal and visible Man an internal Angel and light of Nature And if you ask what this light of Nature is he saith It is the Firmament that gives man all things naturally If it be asked again Why they who teach in the Universities have not the light of Nature alike He answers nothing clearly but flies to the light of grace and speaks of Paracelsus That he was undoubtedly by the favour of Heaven made the Prince and Monarch of all Physick but shews not how Therefore false Chymistry hath its peculiar Religion for because they think they have reformed or perfected all Philosophy Physick they stay not there but proceed to Divinity and mix prophane and holy things together and so they bring in any absurdity and dispute wonderfully of the Kingdom of the Blessed the Angels Miracles Faith and the Resurrection But to come to our purpose natural all knowledge is so far true as it agrees with things for things measure our knowledg but not on the cōtrary nor are things so because we think the so but because they are so we think them to be so when we know rightly and this being not naturally in us must come from without Before the Fall Adam had that knowledg but none hath it since Therefore whatsoever men know is either immediately revealed from God by revelation or learned another way Since therfore the words of Paracelsus cannot challeng to themselves a peculiar illumination nor can we grant it they must needs learn as other men did and do and learn knowledg from things There is a twofold faculty of knowing in man sense and understanding Things are presented by the external senses to the fancy and by that to the understanding And the soul while it is in the body understands not without a phantasm and the beginning of knowledg is from the senses and we make principles from those things that senses have comprehended without error From principles we go to things unknown which may be concluded from them This is the ordinary way of knowing and learning by which the unlearned learn from the wise and are instructed either by speech or books Thus were all the Paracelsians taught for this cause Paracelsus took such long journies Crollius writes that he got his Chymistry by long travel pains and watchings and observations This may be spoken of others of that gang Chap. 6. Of the Analogie of the great and little World THe whole Philosophy of Paracelsus is built upon the Analogie of the great and little World which they extend largely And they of Marpurg write the opinion of the Chymists thus The Chymists call Man a little World Disp 8. not from a superficial likeness but because he comprehends indeed and according to the species though invisibly all things in himself that are contained in a visible form in the three Kingdoms Vegetal Animal and Mineral and in the whole World This is gathered from divers places in Paracelsus his Works Crollius in his Preface writes thus A man is a circle that contains in it all creatures Man carries all things about him the whole Firmament and all the Stars and Planets Man hath the parts of all the world and there is nothing in it that is not really in him He communicates with God in his mind with Angels in his reasonable soul and his invisible star-like body and with the Stars with the same invisible body and with the Elements by his visible earthly body They say there are two bodies in every man the one physical elementary visible and to be touched made of earth which the first man had from the earth Another invisible insensible from the Stars Crollius pag. 36. calls this the Genius Houshold God shadow of Man the little Man that the wise knew Evester and I know not what Severinus speaks warier of this and dissents not from it On the contrary the Aristotelians and the Galenists use the same words with a divers meaning Disp 3. contra Paracel And though man be called often a Microcosm yet they render another reason why he is so called as saith Erastus He hath a visible Elementary body a Heavenly soul that hath power to grow and nourish as in Plants sensible as in Brutes and the mind is Angelical Also he is like the World in the position of his members and rise of them For there are three parts of the great World The Elementary Coelestial and Supercaelestial To these three man answers by the head breast and belly the last Religion answers the Elementary in which there is perpetual generation and corruption By the breast in which the fountain of vital heat he answers to the Heavens in which is the Sun the original of heat to the world In his head where the mind abides and from which all senses come he is not only like the Coelestial and Angelical world but in that particular the image of God Hence we may gather that the Analogie of the great and little World In labyrin med errant is extended too large by the Chymists because they make not an Analogie but an identity or the same thing For Paracelsus requires in a true Physitian that he say this is a Saphire in man this is Quicksilver this Cypress this a Walflower but no Paracelsian ever shewed this In this great world not only are the Heavens and Elements Metals and Minerals but Plants and Beasts Therefore Paracelsus and Severinus are out saying There is no flegm choler or melancholy in the great World therefore not in Man for humors are found in Beasts as in Men. Also I grant there are many hidden properties in man that agree with many natural things not only in general but with their species or kinds and also with their individuals and dissent also from them wonderfully Hence comes the Sympathy and Antipathy of many things with mans body The Astrologers affirm that peculiar Stars have agreement with the peculiar parts of our bodies But the sublunary things are better known Piony hung about the neck cures the Epilepsie Cantharides hurt the bladder and no other part the Saphire agrees with the heart also Bezoar and Pearl but the causes of this
s tronomy Chymistry and their properties First for his Chymistry whence he would have his Physick called Paracelsian we say no more but by this he cannot now be accounted a good Physitian that is ignorant of Chymistry Paracelsus makes the second foundation of Physick to be Magick and its parts He shews In labyr med err c. 9. That the Magick Art is the Anatomy of Physick and the Teacher and Doctoress to cure diseases We shall not here say what Magick is Natural and what is Diabolical read Picus Mirandula and Peucer We shall shew what Paracelsas saies of it but speak all he hath written of it in his Labyrinth C. 9. in his Error of Physitians he saith Magick is the Art of Arts and the Inventor of all hidden things and we must learn from it and not from Galen and Avicen And he saith De pestitit tract 2. A Physitian must learn Magick and Astronomy Pyromancy Chyromancy Hydromancy and he saith that St. John the Evangelist and all the Prophets were Magicians And in the end of his Book of occult Philosophy he saith that Magick is a hidden Art and the chiefest knowledg of supernatural things And there was no Divine that without Magick ever cast out a Devil and the like blasphemies And to conclude 5 De morbis invsibil his whole foundation of Magick he writes thus It is the safety from our enemies and keeps us from the hands of them that hate us and he concludes That the effects of Magick depend upon the Heavens or from Spirits good or evil That Heaven or the Stars and Spirits are subordinate to man and the force of the Heavens and Stars may be brought into Characters that words and wax and other things and the Spirits themselves may be constrained to serve man so he thinks Magick to be very lawful and to be as that of the Wisemen and that a true Magician doth that by faith and imagination that a Witch doth by conjuration Read Paracelsus of wise Philosophy Archidox and of occult Philosophy and his Labyrinth of erring Physitians He makes six kinds of Magick The first is Lib 1. philos sagac c. 4. the Interpretation of preternatural signs such was the Interpretation of the Star that brought the Magician or Wisemen from the East to Judaea and to this belongs the Interpretation of the Prophets and the Revelation The second kind is the Transformation of Living creatures as was in the time of Moses and Pharaoh By the third are made words which have all strength and whatsoever a Physitian can do by Medicines may be done by words This kind of Magick he calls Characteral By the fourth he shews how to make Hamachyes that is Images and Sculptures upon which the strength of the Heavens is impressed and which do all things which instruments made of Natural things can perform as a key opens a lock or a sword wounds The fifth sort is when images are made like the people for whom they are and whatsoever is done to them they suffer whose pictures they are and he saith that in an image of wax any may be roasted made blind wounded or have a Palsie The last kind he saith is Cabalistical now the Cabal among the Ancients was a kind of Mystical Symbolical and Aenigmatical Divinity and the Cabalists did believe the Tradition of their Ancestors and examined no opinions This was threefold The first was that by which Adam delivered the Knowledg he had from God to his Children The second was that by which God explained the Law to Moses in Mount Sinai when he was with him forty daies and by which he again taught Joshua The third was invented by the Rabbies who turned the letters and syllables into numbers and brought hidden meanings out of them But Paracelsus speaks not of this Cabal who calls the Jews stupid Asses Ciâ—â— libro Philos sagaâ— But the Cabal of Paracelsus shews the way how wonders are wrought by Characters Seals Figures and Words By this a voice may be heard from beyond Sea and one dwelling in the West may talk with him that dwells in the East And a Horse may do that in one day which by Natural strength cannot be done in a month that the Wise-men of the East had such Horses and they came to Bethlehem by Magick not Natural force Lib. 1. de vit longa c 9. And Trithemus fetch his Supper out of France or Italy saying this word Affer that is Bring to me Crollius consents with what is said saying In praefact pag. 36. 38. Whatsoever we see in the greater World may be produced in the imaginary World so all herbs and things that grow and Metals may be produced by imagination and the true Cabal Crollius calls this kind of Magick Gabalistical from the Gabal or internal Heavenly or Starry Man who by the affinity of Magnetick vertues can attract to himself all the strength of the Stars and apprehend by his Starlick spirit the knowledge of all things He saith this Cabalistical Magick stands upon three pillars the first upon the prayer in spirit and truth when there is Union with God in the Holy of Holies and the created Spirit where God is worshiped by a sacred silence The second is Faith not saving but natural as he calls it which is that wisdom which is equally given to all men at the first Creation which is common to men and Devils Lib. de peste 1. de origin morb invis this he calls enchanting Faith The third is the Imagination strongly lifted up of which Crollius speaks Ernestus Burgravius saies the same in his Book called Achilles Revived And he promiseth his lamp of life and death in which as in a fatal light the fortune diseases and death of every man may be seen See more of this in Burgrave and Roger Bacon his Book of the wonderful power of Art and Nature and Paracelsus in his Books of Archidox Magick and others Now Andreas Libavius in short mentions whatsoever the Paracelsians promise by Magick Lib contra Crollacus pag. 55. And if they be wel examined they are almost all ungodly and blasphemous And though Paracelsus seems to condemn that infamous Magick which is from the Devil and to commend that which is natural and lawful yet you may know by what hath been said alleadged and from his Writings what he followed Lib. principio seu de myste Especially by his upholding that infamous Conjurer Judaeus Techel and there was scarce any Magician in any age but he commends him He saith the Magicians of Pharaoh had their Art from God and is offended that the Scripture gives them such harsh language From whence and from many other arguments it is manifest that his Magick was from the Devil And he makes only this difference between lawful and unlawful Magick that one doth flatter the Devil by Incantations ceremonies And the other by force commands his Arts and makes him serve by faith
Salt is not to be denied but is not only Salt for in us it stinks often which the Chymists say is from Sulphur nor is sweat a dissolved Salt coming from the substance of the body we sometimes allow it to Diaphoretick sweats but not to others But the serous matter is the sweat and that sweat and urin have the same matter And if sweat were thus made feavers would not be gone with sweating which we see It is as absurd when he brings Cachexy and Dropsie from resolved Salt for the Dropsie is otherwise caused as in Lib. 3. Pract. Cap. 1. you may see Nor had Paracelsus or Severine any cause to bring the Dropsie from the resolution of parts or their Salts for there is water and Salt enough in our meats and drinks which if it be not well separated it breeds a Dropsie by degrees Nor doth a Scirrhus of the liver or spleen alwaies follow a Dropsie and never go before it for experience shews the contrary To what he faies of Tartar I grant that many difeases come from Tartar and Salt or being mixed with slimy humors But he errs saying that such Salt is the nourishment of the body and the meat and drink of the Gods and when it doth not its duty it breeds cartarous diseases This Tartar is rather an excrement unfit to nourish the body Lib. de veteri Medici as Hippocrates saith and wine which hath little Tartar is best As for his reverberated Salt I commend him for bringing the Itch Scab Scurse and Teter and Ulcers that creep from Salt and the Galenists say that salt humors cause them but I see not what he doth more then others For these diseases differ in their causes cure very much and the kind of Salt or salt humor is different in a Cancer and a Teter or Scab and if he had explained them he had sound favor from all Philosophers For there is great difference of diseases from salt humors and the French pox the Scurvey Cancer and Carbuncle differ not only in respect of the part affected and the greater or lesser heat of the salt Spirits or the kinds of Salts which the best Chymists confess and therfore they apply divers medicines to divers diseases that arise from Salts nor do I believe that Scheuneman cured the Leprosie French pox Cancer Teter Scurvey and all corroding Ulcers with one only Salt What he speaks besides is not considerable and I should loose time to treat concerning it Chap. 17. Of that part of Physick which is called Semiotick or of Signs PAracelsus varied in his Doctrine of Signs Part. 3. disp contra Para. as Eraslus shews sometimes he allows them somtimes he rejects them But when he saies we must not regard Signs and Symptoms he there erreth for Signs and Symptoms are considered of Physitians not for themselves but that they may bring us to the knowledg of hidden diseases and causes Nor can we commend the Paracelsians for slighting them for there is no curing of that disease which is unknown He speaks nothing in general of Signs let us consider what he saies in particular and first of the Pulse The modern Physitians think that he was well skilled in pulses as appears in his Book of the Plague Tract 1. where he saith The pulse is the measure of the temper of the body according to the propriety of the six places which the Planets possess c. And wrote more of pulses Lib. 2. de urina Iudi. as you may see And he saith the pulse continues till death and somtimes a quarter of an hour after If he had no more to say of pulses he had but little and what could be more simple then to write that the gall reins liver have their peculiar pulses and the feet and other members to attribute anger to the pulse And that is most simple when he saies A pulse may beat a quarter of an hour after death for how can there be vital actions when the soul is gone He was larger concerning urin which he desines thus It is a salt separated from the nourishment and some of the three first Principles neglected by Nature namely the stomach liver and reins send forth the urin He is not to be despised for referring urin to salt Institut lib. 1. c. 9. which is not in things by adustion only for the volatile salt of urin is without any adustion and in that part which it first comes forth of which we spake elswhere He divides the urin into the external internal and mixed The first he will have to come from the Elements and to shew no more then what belongs to the stomach reins and liver And saith it is of Tartar which shews that the separation from the pure and the impure is made in the three chief parts the stomach liver and reins and in this urin Salt Sulphur and Mercury may be known The internal urin which is of blood comes not from the nourishment but from the excrements of all parts and the Minerals that are in Nature He calls that a mixed urin which is compounded of the internal and external But Paracelsus did not much regard this distinction as appears in the Life of Oporinus who brought an urin to him and desired the Doctors opinion but he brake the glass against the wall and called him fool He errs in making the internal urin of blood not from nourishment but from the excrements of parts and Minerals in mans Nature for in a part constituted there are no Minerals that send forth a peculiar excrement John Rhenavus mentions other differences of urin from Paracelsus in his Vrocriterium Chymiatricum where you may see strange opinions of urin but let every man beware of them Some Chymists have spoken well of troubled urins but not they alone nor are they the first for in a troubled urin many things may be known which are not to be seen in a clear chiefly in feavers for in some somthing sticks so to the glass that it is hard to be scoured off In others though it stand long there is none This is easily known when the urinal lies on one side therefore in such diseases I suppose from experience that you may judge as well from troubled as clear urin Some Chymasts in Epidemick diseases distinguish urins from Arsenick Orpiment and Mercury They say Arsenick is like unslaked Lime and cleaves to the urinal and corrodes it that Orpiment is like Okar in colour and sticks fast also but doth not corrode the glass so much that Mercury is sky-coloured and is first seen in the circle Others teach that you may judg of diseases by distilling the urin but Paracelsus tried it not Gerhardus Doraeus de urin dest I suppose but this is my opinion in great diseases if any will distil it I am not against it that they may know better what is in it as you do in Spaw-waters Whatsoever he saies more of the part affected the disease and
good against wounds That plants that have slimy and glutinous juyce and have gums and rosin heal wounds those that are spotted and scaly leaved cure the scab and all defilements of the skin Those like Serpents and other venemous beasts are good against their bitings and stings Questot lib. designat externis Crol lib. de signat exter See Baptista Porta Quercetan and Crollius All these are not to be rejected nor do I think with Libavius that it is by chance that things answer to their external forms For experience witnesseth the external figures are the signs of the internal vertue And let Signature have its place among the rest for finding out the faculties of Medicines and diseases The Galenists have long approved that Medicines are proper to such parts as they resemble as Piony and Poppy are good for the head and brain but we must not trust only signature though it is the chiefest and let experience be yeilded unto Nor is it to be contemned that every plant is under a peculiar Planet because Heaven by experience acteth not upon things below only by heat and light but by an occult influence But this was not the Chymists Invention but the Astrologers of old Here 's a question Lib. 1. philos sagacis lib. de occulta Philoso Whether there be any force in Words and Characters in Physick Paracelsus caused it when he said Characters would cure diseases otherwise uncurable and he saith it is lawful to fetch remedies from the Devil if they will cure a man We answer as for words they signifie from a compact and convention of men For thoughts are the same in all men but the words or notes by which they are expressed are divers and the same words signifie divers things in divers Nations Lib 1. philoso saga c 6. Therefore words do only declare the sense of the mind and work no further for all principle of operation by which bodies are changed is a quality and a natural power and things have their efficacy by their qualities Paracelsus saith that words have an hidden forâ—e and vertue as Roots and Plants but because he proves it not we ought not to believe it The Devils in old time shewed their worshippers by what words signs and images they would be worshipped and called upon and so from a Covenant they are of power Hence it happens that they which read such words and conjurations though they understand them not yet do raise the Devil Martin Delrio hath an example of this Disquis magic lib. 2. q. 29. sect 1. There is great abuse in holy words which the Devils and Conjurers use often to delude the simple There is the same reason for Characters and Seals nor did Paracelsus and the Chymists first give power to them Lib. 30. nat histo c. 1. Lib. 9. de simpl me dic facult c. de lapidib but the Astrologers and Physitians and the Magicians chiefly as Pliny writes It is an ancient trick to grave a Dragon upon a Jasper-stone and put it in a ring Paracelsus propounds many Characters out of Galen in his Book of Archidox Magick and in that of occult Philosophy he prefers two before all Sigus and Characters the one in which the word Adonai is written in a figure the other in which the word Tetragrammaton is written as if it were the Name of God he writes these are good against Devils and diseases from Incantation nor is the Name of God profaned so because it is used for mans good and against diseases of incantation but evil is not to be done that good may come thereof But neither Paracelsus nor others that allow Power to Characters and Seals agree in giving a cause of the effects they produce Some bring their strength from Heaven Differ 101 as the Conciliator out of that of Ptolomy The countenance of sublunary things is subject to the heavenly countenances so that the coelestial Scorpion governs the inferior which being granted what doth it concern a Scorpion graven upon a Jewel nor are they under the same kind Others say there is a force instilled into them from Heaven and the Stars Others say that Individuals beginning to be under a determinate constellation receive an admirable faculty to work or suffer besides what they have from their species But a Jewel or Metal doth not then begin to be when it is graven but it was before Others think otherwise but none could yet bring any probabilities for the vertue of them much less have any of them power to get favor to men or knowledg wit memory or love of a King or Victory in War and Law or good success in hunting or merchandize or make faithful friends or raise a man to honor and the like Two things are in Seals the Matter and the Character to neither of which can this force be ascribed not to the Matter which is from nature nor hath it that strength as they confess and if it had it would have it without a figure or Character as a Loadstone under what figure soever hath pover to draw iron without a Character The Characters are from the Artificer and from the Idea in his mind which cannot work upon external things therefore cannot have force from themselves or from the Artificer of themselves they are nothing but figures but a figure is not active being but a quality of the quantity nor do artificial things act upon natural and change them or affect them as being such but they act upon them as they have natural matter and on the contrary natural things do not alter nor affect articificial as such but as they are of a natural matter Therefore images or names graven upon Matter can do nothing of themselves Nor can they take their strength from Heaven for if the matter of which they are made can receive any strength from Heaven it may receive it as well without Characters nor have they yet proved the contrary therefore if any efficacy be found in these it must be ascribed either to imagination which is of great force or to the Devil who by secret signs is invited by such characters by way of compact made of old with his worshippers For these came from the Gentils that were subject to Superstition and Idolatry and the Devils gave these Characters from a bargain either explicite or implicite by which only they prevail from the Devil who made a covenant with him that first learned them Nor is it sufficient what they say that such things are without the invocation of the Devil or adjuration or any unlawful way but work naturally For first they must prove that there is such a peculiar vertue in such Seals which Metals and Gemms have not of themselves for though it be not an explicite bargain or conjuration yet it may be implicite and the Devil knows the dice he gave his worshippers before Therefore the Primitive Church ordered the converted Gentils to abstain from things consecrated