Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	disease_n	nature_n	symptom_n	2,067	5	11.8165	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51447	Themis avrea the laws of the fraternity of the Rosie Crosse / written in Latin by Count Michael Maierus, and now in English for the information of those who seek after the knowledge of that honourable and mysterious society of wise and renowned philosophers ; whereto is annexed an epistle to the fraternity in Latine, from some here in England.; Themis aurea. English	Maier, Michael, 1568?-1622.	1656 (1656)	Wing M287; ESTC R21726	55,939	168

not so much as another yet all joyned together are perfect and compleat These things being laid down and confirmed we must confesse that the outward tangible body of any Simple that may be beaten cut sifted boiled mingled with any other to be the barke the carkasse and habitation of the Specifick Quality which is the pith the soul the housholder And now what shall we say of our common preparations in Apothecaries shops which have good and bad nay most corrupt in them would not all laugh him to scorne who being commanded to call a Master out of his house will needs have the house along too that cannot use the birds unlesse the nest be an Ingredient that cannot eat Oysters unlesse he may also devour the shels But the Apothecaries think this lawful enough because they can do no better these occult Qualities indeed are so subtile that they make an easiy escape unlesse they be narrowly watch'd and with a great skill housed or incorporated Camphire loseth its strength unlesse it be cherished with flaxe-seed Rubarb is preserved by waxe and the spirits of Wine the Salt of goats blood does evaporate if it be not close stopp'd in glasses What shall we then say of these Specifical Qualities separated from their bodies will not they return to their first principles for who can seperate the Qualitie of burning from the fire the qualitie of moistning from the water but if this be impossible in simple bodies how much more difficult is it in compound I could therefore wish that Medicines were used which were lawful possible and reasonable that laying aside ostentation and pride truth might flourish Perhaps we might allow of Syrups Juleps Conserves did not that great quantity of Sugar clog the natural operation of the Simple Perhaps we might approve of Electuaries Opiats Antidotes unlesse the multitude of simples confusedly put together did hinder if not totally extinguish the true vertue Perhaps Pills and all bitter sowre sharp stinking Medicines are good but yet they destroy appetite cause loathsomenesse that a Patient had better endure the disease then the remedy if bitternesse sowrnesse sharpnesse and an ill savour are the Specifical Qualities they should be rather checked then let loos● and indeed they are but handmaids to their Mistrisse but subservient to the specifical Quality and the true difference is discovered by Chymistry for it separates the impure parts from the pure if rightly used yet mistake not we say not that Chymical preparations are altogether spiritual and without any body but are more peircing and subtile more defecated then grosse bodies made more heavy by a great quantity of Sugar so that they are not free and at liberty to act and play their parts By this time you may see the folly and madnesse of those who hate Chymistry which ought to be used but with care and judgement for it is not the part of a Physitian to burn lance cauterize and to take away the cause of the disease by weakning the Patient and indangering his life but Symptomes must be aba●ed nature restored and comforted by safe Cordials One Archagatus was the first Chirurgian that came to Rome and was honourably received but coming to use lancing and burning he was thought rather an hangman and for the like cause at one time all the Physitians were banished Rome One Charmis a Physitian condemning the judgement of his Predecessors set up new inventions of his own and commanded his Patients in frost and snow to bath in cold water as Pliny reports who saith also that he hath seen old men set freezing them by his direction Acesias about to cure the Gout looked more to the disease then paine which by neglect encreased whence the Proverbe had its Original Acesias medicatus est as Erasmus hath it when the condition growes worse Acesias his Cure It is cleare enough from what hath been delivered that Nature is best satisfied when profitable and wholesome things are applied Asclepiades an intimate friend of Cn. Pompey first shewed the benefit of Wine to sicke persons recovering a man carried to his grave he taught to maintain health by a moderate use of meat and drink an exact care in excercise and much rubbing he invented delightful and pleasing potions he commanded bathing and for ease to his Patients invented hanging beds that sleep might surprize them in such a carelesse posture The same Pliny saith that Democritus was a Physitian who in the Cure of Confidia Daughter to Consul Sereilius did forbeare harsh means and by the long and continual use of Goats milk recovered her Agron as Coelius reports Lib. 13. cap. 22. was a Physitian at Athens who in a great Plague when many were infected did onely cause to be made great fires nigh to the place and thus did Hippocrates for which he was much honoured Whence we may learne that mild and gentle usage in a disease is more efficacious to the taking away of the cause and to healing the Symptomes then harsh and rugged dealing The Mariner doth pray for a full gale many times to force him into his d●sired Harbour neither doth the Traveller goe in a direct line yet both in the end attaine their hopes We read that Fabius by delay conquered his enemy so that it is a Masterpeice of prudence well and maturely to deliberate and then to execute yet the method of curing remaines and the Axioms are firme viz. If the cause be taken away the effect ceaseth if the disease is cured the Symptomes do vanish and weare away But Chymistry stores and supplies us with Medicines which are safe pleasant and soone performe that for which they were intended and others have abundantly set forth this in their writings and therefore it will not be requisite to stand longer upon it Now let us face about and view those who are meer Chymists these would be called young Theophrasts affecting like their Master a Divine Title which he neither had by his Father nor Mother but assumed it to himself as most Magnificent and glorious but without all doubt he was a man of eminent and admirable knowledge in the Art of Physick yet surely it would be worthily judged madnesse for his sake alone to forsake the Ancients and follow his new inventions It may seem an absurd thing for one to undertake to restore a very old man to his former strength because death it then approaching and every man as length must submit to his Scepter Is not the World now ancient and full of dayes and is it not folly to think of recovering and calling back its youth surely their new Medicine cannot revive the dying World it may weaken it and hasten its end yet stay I pray you do not imagine that I do at present censure the excellent and plainly divine Preparations of Chymistry but rather the persons who professe it who make it their businesse to destroy but endeavour not to build who trample on others to raise and exalt themselves as Thessalus of

Minerals but they having a true knowledge of the secret and occult operation of things know what will be most effectual for their purpose They have their Panchresta their Polychresta their Manus Christi and other great titles their Narcoticas and Alexipharmaca of which Galen and others do much boast thinking them a present help at a dead lift and to colour their cheats strictly command that none shall either prescribe or give them without a large fee as if the price added vertue to them and the effect did much depend upon the cost The Brethren also have variety of Medicines some called Kings some Princes some Nobles and others Knights each one being denominated according to its excellency and worth But we must take notice that they prescribe not according to the purse but the infirmity of the Patient neither do they desire a reward before hand they likewise fit not a childes shoe to an old man because a due proportion ought to be carefully observed a dram is sufficient for the one and an ounce of the same Medicine for the other Who would not think it absurd to apply the same Plaister to the hardned and brawny hand of a Plowman and to the delicate and neat hand of a Schollar or Gentleman He that practiseth Physick aright doth consider the different temper of persons in the same disease as a learned Judge doth not alwayes give the same judgement in the same cause which circumstances may very much alter The Brethren look chiefly to the constitution of the Patient and do accordingly prescribe They have in all things experience to confirme their knowledge they use very choice Vegetables which they gather when they are impregnated with heavenly influences not deluded with common idle Astrological notions but certainly knowing at what time they have received a signature effectual to such an end and they apply these Vegetables to such diseases for which they were intended It is a most irrational thing when nature hath afforded us simple Medicines to correct and amend its deficiences that we should mixe and compound with qualities hot cold moist and dry so that one Specifick being perhaps secretly of a contrary operation to another ingredient the proper vertues of both if not lost yet are much diminished The Galenists say that the first Qualities do alter that the second do either thicken or attenuate and so foolishly and ignorantly of the rest Whereas each Vegetable hath in it vertue essentially to chase away that disease to which it may rightly be applied It is here in Medicine as in an Army if each Souldier falls out with the other or they mutiny against their Commander the enemy gets strength and makes use of their weapons to slay them Some may ask what is here meant by Specifice I answer that I intend that which the illiterate Galenists calls an occult Quality because it is neither hot cold moist nor dry because indeed true profound knowledge was above their reach or understanding Valescus de Taranta lib. 7. cap. 12. defines or describes the Galenical occult Quality A question is started how a Locust hanged about the neck doth cure a Quartane To which they answer that if these Empirical Medicines have any such vertue they have it from their occult Quality which contains the Specifick form of the distemper conjoined with the influence of the Stars but then we may ask what that totall propriety is Averrboes calls it a Complexion others say that it is the substantial form of a compound body some will have it to be the whole mixture viz. The Form the Matter and Complexion which Avicenna names the whole substance when he said that a body hath neither operation from the Matter nor Quality but the whole Substance or Composition But to speak truely and clearly as it becomes Philosophers we hold that there is a natural vertue and certain predestination flowing from the influence of heavenly bodies so particularly disposing the Form to be introduced that it is as it were determined to its proper object whereby after due preparation of the matter and conjunction of the form the whole Substance or mixed body necessarily produces a proportionable effect And Avicenna perhaps meant thus much whence Arnoldus in his Book De Caus. Sterilitatis saith that the peculiar propriety of a thing is its nature which proceeds from the right disposition of the parts to be mixed and this is called an occult Quality to most men unknown because of its difficulty Hence it is that Nature is stiled a Complexion not because it is so properly and found out by reason its secrets being onely discovered by experiment and practice by this the understanding knows that experience is above reason because there are so many experiments of which we can give no rational account nor finde out any method to satisfie our selves concerning them By what hath hitherto been spoken it plainly appears that the whole propriety of any thing is not the Complexion for if it were so all things which have the same propriety would consequently have the same complexion which is false for Rubarb and Tamarinds from their whole propriety do attract and draw choler and yet are not of the same complexion Thus Valescus It is therefore evident that the true propriety of Medicinal things is onely known by experiment and not by the false Galenical rules of Art which do not give us light into the nature of any simple For instance consider the Rose it sends forth a most pleasant perfume and is of a ruddy lovely colour not in respect of the Quality cold and dry but of that proper vertue essentially in it neither can there be any deduction from those Qualities being not subject to Tast to Feeling to Hearing and consequently none at all because Specificks have another original How are the first Qualities observed not from their essence and nature but as sense discovers them whence reason draws a conclusion But we see not how reason can determine concerning the Qualities of a Rose whether it is hot cold moist and dry unlesse it hath been informed by the senses as by the colour sent taste or touch But these Rules are altogether uncertain and fallacious and there are more experiments to overthrow then to confirme them for who dare affirm that all cold things have no sent that all hot things have sent that all sented thing● are hot that all that have no sent are cold or that white things are cold or hot that red things are hotter then white or contrarily that bitter things are hot narcotick cold c. for Opium the spirit of wine the Rose and more things will confute such an opinion so that the Qualities do depend upon such uncertainties in respect of every simple that it is far better to trust to experience to search into the secrets of Nature then vainly to trif●le away time in gathering the second Qualities from the first and the third from the second or to gain