the existence of which is incurrent into our Senses Wherefore the Essences of these we may perfectly apprehend On the other side God is not known to us unless indistinctly and by his Attributes not by his Essentials My Answer to this is That our Knowledge of God is no less distinct evident and sensible I term it sensible because according to the Dogmatical Institutions of Aristotle the Root and Evidence of our Knowledge is and sloweth from our Senses than of Naturals and to speak truth we neither understand certainly the Essence of God nor of his Creatures only their Existences and other Accidents and Modes under which the Peripateticks imagine the Essentials of a Being to be latent So that only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth appear unto us Whence my Inference is that the Ratio Formalis of knowing immaterial and material Beings is the same whereby we know the Essences of both in an equal manner We doubt no less of the Being of God than of the Being of his Creatures because as we know these to have a Being and Essence by their sensible operations and effects For Omne quod est est propter operationem All which is or hath a being is or hath it for an Operation so we are also certain of the being and Essence of God by his Operation and Effects upon our Senses We know that a material Substance consisteth of Matter because we apprehend a trinal dimension of parts in it which is an Accident concomitant to Matter or rather Matter it self We are also sensible of a Form inhering in that Matter through its Qualities and distinct moving We gather from Experience that Nihil fit a seipso no material Essence receiveth a Being from it self but from an Efficient By which three Causes a Natural Being is generated and from them derives its Definition In like manner do our Senses declare to us that God's Nature is immaterial For we cannot perceive a trinal dimension of Parts in him only that he consisteth of a pute single and formal Being because we cannot but perceive his formal and spiritual Operations and Effects upon all material Beings Wherefore the Knowledge of God proveth no less evident to us and in the same degree and manner of Perfection then of Elementary and Created Substances IV. Knowledge in the forementioned Definition doth equally imply a Practick and Theoretick Knowledge the ground of which Division is founded upon the Matter and not the Form of Philosophy so that according to the same sense the understanding is called either Practick or Theoretick not formally as if the Understanding were twofold in man but because it apprehendeth an object according to its double Representation of being Practical or Theoretical V. Subjectum circa quod or Object of Philosophy are all Beings comprehending real and objective Beings Essences and their Modes which latter are not specifically distinct from the former but identificared and considered here as real notwithstanding partaking of a Modal Distinction wherefore it makes no Formal Distinction in this universal Knowledge In the like manner are the Phaenomena appearances in Astronomy supposed and taken for real and move the understanding as distinctly as if they were real Beings strictly so termed otherwise they could not be referred to a Science VI. The Subjectum inhaesionis or Subject wherein Philosophy is inherent is the Understanding The Understanding is either Divine Angelical Humane or Diabolical In God Philosophy is Archetypick in Angels and Men Ectypick in Devils neither they apprehending and discerning all things depravately and erroneously CHAP. III. Of Philosophers 1. What a Philosopher is Four Properties necessary in a Philosopher That nothing is more hateful and noysom than a man but half Learned 2. The first Universities The Rise and Number of Sects sprung from these Universities The Fame of Socrates 3. What Meanes Philosophers made use of to procure themselves a Repute and Fame I. A Philosopher or a Wise man is a great Artist and all-knowing He is an Artist in that he can direct all his Actions to a good and true end and All-knowing since there is nothing existent but which he may know definitely Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clear because a Philosopher understandeth all things clearly which condition makes up one of the three Proprieties of a Philosopher which are 1. To know all things 2. To have a capacity of teaching all which he knoweth 3. To teach and divulge his Knowledge liberally not for Loan which is mercenary and not suiting with the Dignity of a Philosopher and freely Scire tuum nihil est nisite scire hoc sciat alter Alas thy Knowledge is scarce worth a Pin If thou keep secret what thou hast within Hence slow these trite Sayings Libere Philosophandum Amicus Socrates Amicus Plato sed magis Amica Veritas Non est jurandum in verba Magistri We are to deliver Philosophy freely that is with a Socratick Liberty or without adhering strictly to Authorities of Wise men since that all men are subject to Errours and the contrary of many of their Assertions are found to be true we have cause enough to doubt of all which they have commended to our Studies and not to be tied as if by Oath and Slavery to believe our Masters words in every Tittle an Abuse equal to Popery enjoyning all men upon danger of their Soules perdition not to question the least Sillable of the Dictates of their Priests It is no less Errour to reject all which wise men have Published their Works testifying their immense Parts and Abilities So that our securest course is to walk in the middle Path and close with the Body of Philosophers in this Saying Socrates is my good Friend Plato is my good Friend but the Truth is my best Friend To which this doth also allude Plato is ancient but the Truth is more ancient To these three I will add a fourth Philosophandum est sed paucis We are to prove our selves Philosophers in short or in few words This was one of the Famous Precepts of Ennius whereby he reproved those disturbers of Learning who through the abundance of their futil Arguments aery words and tedious Probo tibi's might have raised anger in Socrates himself which disposition to nugation and pratling you cannot miss of in a man who is but half Learned who generally hath depravate Conceptions of most things which he meets withal Such are they who strive to defend and propagate most absurd and pseudodox Tenents many of which do secretly contain Atheism As Assertions of the Pre-existence of Souls Multiplicity of worlds the Souls being extraduce and infinite others which necessarily are Concomitants of these before-mentioned In a word Homine semidocto quid iniquius what is there more detestable and hateful than a man but half Learned Which Apothegm may be justly transferred to a Physitian Medico semiperito quid
Situation is 8. What Duration is I. QUantity is an Attribute of a Being whereby it hath Extension of Parts II. Quantity is either Formal and Immaterial which is the extension of the Form beyond which it is not and within which it acteth or Material which is the Extension of a material Being III. Quality is whereby a being doth act as from a Cause IV. Relation is whereby one being is referred to another V. Action is whereby one being acteth upon another as through a meanes VI. Passion is whereby one being receiveth an Act from another VII Situation is whereby a being is seated in a place A Place is which doth contain a Being VIII Duration is whereby a being continueth in its Essence CHAP. XXII Of Causes 1. What a Cause is That the Dectrine of Causes belongeth to Metaphysicks 2. Wherein a Cause and Principle differ 3. What an internal Cause is What Matter is 4. What a Form is and how it is divided 5. What an external cause is I. A Cause is whereby a Being is produced It doth appertain to Metaphysicks to treat of Causes for else it would be no Science which requires the unfolding of a being by its Causes Ramus did much mistake himself in denying a place to the Doctrine of Causes in this Science and referring it altogether to Logick 'T is true that the Doctrine of Causes may conveniently be handled in Logick as Arguments by which Proofes are inferred yet as they are real and move the understanding from without they may not for Logick is conversant in Notions only and not in Realities II. A Cause differeth from a Principle or is Synonimous to it according to its various acception In Physicks it is taken for that whose presence doth constitute a Being and in that sense it is the same with an internal cause to which a Cause in its late extent is a Genus and consequently is of a larger signification A Principle sometimes denotes that whence a being hath its Essence or Production or whence it is known In this sense did Aristotle take it in the 5th Book of his Met. Chapt. 1. Whereby he did intimate a threefold Principle to wit a Principle of Constitution Generation and of Knowledge or of being known A Principle as it is received in the forementioned sense is of a larger signification then a Cause It is usually taken for a word Synonimous to a Cause In this Acception is God said to be the Principle that is the Cause of all Beings III. A Cause is either Internal or External An Internal Cause is that which doth constitute a Being by its own Presence An Internal Cause is twofold 1. Matter 2. Form Matter is an internal cause out of which a being is constituted So earth is the Matter of man because a man is constituted out of Earth Matter is remote and mediate which is out of which the nearest and immediate matter was produced or constituted or nearest and immediate out of which a being is immediately constituted For example The nearest matter of Glass is Ashes the remote is Wood which was the Matter of Ashes But this Distinction doth more properly belong to Logick IV. A Form is a Cause from which a being hath its Essence A Form is remote or nearest A remote form is from which a being consisting of remote Matter had its Form The nearest Form is from which the nearest Matter hath its Essence The remote matter is either first or second The first is out of which the first being had its Essence The Second is out of which all other beings had their essence A Form is divisible into the same kinds The first Form was from which the first being had its essence The second from which all other beings have their essence These Divisions are rather Logical then Metaphysical V. An external Cause is by whose force or vertue a being is produced The force whereby a being is produced is from without for a being hath no force of it self before it is produced therefore that force whereby a being is produced is necessarily from without This Cause is only an efficient Cause Other Divisions of Causes I do wittingly omit because some are disagreeing with the Subject of this Treatise and belong to another Part of Philosophy as to treat of the first cause belongeth to Pneumatology of final Causes to Morals Others are very suspicious CHAP. XXIII Of the Kinds of Causes 1. The Number of real Causes That a final cause is no real Cause The Causality of Matter and Form 2. The Division of an Efficient 3. That an Efficient is erroneously divided in a procreating and conservating Cause 4. That the Division of a Cause into Social and Solitary is illegal 5. That the Division of an efficient Cause into Internal and External is absurd 6. That all Forms are Material 7. That there are no assistent Forms I. THere are only three real Causes of a Being a Material Formal and Efficient Cause Wherefore a Final cause is no real Cause I prove it A real Cause is which doth really effect or produce a Being But these are only three Ergo. 2. A Final Cause doth not cause any effect concurring to the constitution of a being as each of them three forementioned do for matter causeth an effect by giving her self out of which a being may be constituted A Form doth produce an effect by giving through her presence unity distinction from all others to Matter An efficient Cause effecteth by educing a Form out of the matter and uniting it to the Matter Which three causalities are only requisite to the production of a compleat being and they constituted in actu constitute a being at the same instant If so what effect doth a final Cause then produce Certainly not any contributing to the essential constitution of a being These three being only necessary any other would be frustaneous Possibly you will object that the final Cause moveth the efficient Suppose I grant that it doth not infer that it concurs to the real and essential production of a being The causality which it exerciseth is in contributing per accidens to the constitution of a being which if only so it doth not appertain to this place neither can it be equally treated of with Causes which do act per se. II. An End moveth the efficient An efficient is either Natural or Moral Natural efficients are moved necessarily or act e necessitate Naturae Hence we say a Cause being in actu to wit a Natural Cause its effect is likewise necessarily constituted in actu It is not so with a final Cause for that may exist without producing an effect All Natural Causes move for an end per accidens in that they answer the Ordination of the Creator who hath created all things for an end which accordingly act for the same out of Necessity of Nature Moral Efficients are moved by an end Yet it is not the end which produceth the effect but the efficient it self You
1 B. of the Parts of Liv. Creat C. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we ought to divide a being by them parts which are contained in its essence and not by its Accidents The division of Matter in Metaphysical and Physical may be rejected upon the same ground These divisions as they are objective appertain to Logick where only second notions are treated of and are very useful to the directing of Reason VI. Forms are divisible in material and immaterial If material is understood to be that which doth inhere in matter which is its most frequent and ordinary acception for most Philosophers take it in that sense then all worldly beings are material what being is there but which doth inhere in Matter You may say mans soul. The soul of man according to this acception is material But if you take immaterial for that which can or doth exist out of matter then there are immaterial forms Neither can this be naturally for a Natural Form is which giveth an actual specification and numerication to matter If so how can a form give an actual Specification and numerication to matter when it is not united to it I prove that the Form giveth an actual specification and numerication to matter Forma dat esse i. e. Specif Numer non posse esse materiae A Form giveth a being not a power of being to Matter For matter hath the power of being from it self and not from the Form This is true for most Peripateticks hold that Potentia is essential to matter The Soul of man when once freed from its tye to the body ceases to be a Form but therefore doth not cease to continue a being So that I conclude there are immaterial beings but no immaterial Forms It is ridiculous to doubt whether the Soul of man when separated hath an Appetite or Inclination to its Body or to that matter which it did once informate because the soul in its separated estate is a compleat and perfect being and doth not need a Body neither is the Soul a Form in that state Wherefore should it then have an Appetite to its Body Such an Appetite would be in vain You may answer that it wanteth a Subject to inhere or subsist in I grant it and therefore it subsisteth in God VII A Form is improperly divided in an assistent and informating Form because one being is satisfied with one Form for had it two forms it would be a double being 2. That which they intend by an assistent form is coincident with an Efficient Cause CHAP. XXIV Of the Theorems of Causes 1. That a Cause and its Effects are co-existent 2. That there are but three Causes of every Natural Being 3. That there is but one Cause of every Being 4. That all Beings are constituted by one or more Causes 5. That all Causes are really univocal 6. That all Natural Causes act necessarily 7. That the Soul of a Beast acteth necessarily 8. That all Matter hath a Form That Matter is capable of many Forms I. A Cause and its Effect are existent at one and the same time This Theorem is received among most Philosophers who render it thus Posita Causa ponitur Effectus The Cause being stated that is reduced into action its Effect is also stated or produced The Reason depends upon their relation one to the other to whose Relata it is proper to exist at one and the same time according to that trite Maxim Relata mutuo sese ponunt tollunt Relations do constitute and abolish one another II. There are three Causes of every Natural Being whereof one reduced to Action supposeth the others also to be reduced to action The Proof of this is demonstrated by the same Axiom by which the next forementioned was inferred III. There is but one Cause of all Beings A Cause here is taken in a strict sense for that which produceth an effect essentially and really distinct from it self In this Acception is an efficient the only cause of all Beings Matter and Form are no Causes according to this Interpretation but Principles because they do not constitute an effect essentially different from themselves A Cause sometime is taken in a strict sense for that which produceth an Effect different from it self modally and so there are two to wit Matter and Form Lastly A cause as it signifieth in a middle signification participating of each acception comprehends a triplicity of causes viz. An Efficient Matter and Form IV. All beings are constituted by one or more Causes God is of himself and not from any other as from an efficient cause and consisteth of one pure formal cause By formal Cause understand an immaterial being Angels are constituted by two Causes namely by an Efficient and a Form All other Beings are constituted by more V. All Causes are univocal This is to be understood of Efficients only Whatever Effect a Cause produceth it is like to its Form and is formal only For it cannot generate matter that being created Wherefore it cannot produce any thing else but what like to it self and consequently produceth alwaies the same effect whereas an equivocal cause should produce different effects You may demand why it hapneth that many effects are different as we observe in the Sun which by its heat doth produce Vegetables and Animals which are different I answer that the Difference doth result from the diversity of the Matter upon which it acteth and not from the causality that being ever one and the same The diversity of Effects is accidental to the Efficient and therefore not to be allowed of in Sciences VI. All Natural Causes act Necessarily Hence derives this Maxim Natura nunquam errat Nature doth never erre because she acts necessarily Against this Maxim may be objected that Nature erreth in generating a Monster This is no Errour of Nature It might rather be imputed an Errour if when it should produce a Monster it doth not That which acts after the same manner at all times doth not erre But Nature doth act in the same manner at all times Ergo she doth never erre I prove the Minor If she acts differently at any time it is in a Monster But she doth not act differently in a Monster as in the example forenamed of a Dog without Legs she doth through the Efficient cause educe a form out of the matter which she extendeth according to the extent of the subjected matter the matter therefore being deficient in quantity it is accidental to Nature if thereby a being is not brought to the likeness of its Species The Soul of man may be considered either 1. As a Natural Cause and so it acteth also necessarily in giving a Being and Life to the Body For as long as it abideth in the body it cannot but give Life to its Parts 2. As it is above a Natural Cause in that it hath a power of acting voluntarily without the Necessity or Impulse of Nature VII The Soul of a Beast doth act
circle whence we are to run to that blessed Meta of the other But how preposterous and rash is it for men to slip over this part and to cast themselves without a bottom into the very depth of divine Theology Alas their apprehension is immediately drowned in it their understanding amazed at those fathomless pits of reason in what different and monstrous acceptions do most Divines attach the genuine sense of Scripture through ignorance of its precedents scope dependance And more than this each invokes the Holy Ghost for a Witness for to attest those various Interpretations But what is this but their heavy dull imaginations hallucinating in the appearance of the Scriptures like several eyes in apparent objects of the Sky some framing this others that likeness of them I am not now to be confirmed in my belief that the worst of Atheism is latent in many supposed Divines their sinister ends cheats and vile secret passions of the flesh betraying their hypocrisie Certainly were I put to pick out of any Profession some that were to surmount all others in wickedness I should not need long time to ponder upon my Verdict The cause of this perversity I can state none but presumption in those who after a twelve-moneths dosing upon Ursin's Cat. or Ames Medul do apprehend they should know the whole drift and connection of the Fundamentals of Sacred Writings which to the same appearing upon a reflection dishering and strange in expressions have soon confounded their small relicts of natural faith into a detestable Atheism however cloathed with a dissembled time-holiness under their dark habits for to feed their covetousness out of their Benefices Had these but conferred with their innate Principles of Natural Theology and arrived to the habit therof before they had applied themselves to the top of inspired Learning beyond all surmising the Fundamentals of this latter would have been evidenced to them to be the alone absolute Wisdom plain Truth and most certain infallibility Notwithstanding so universal a neglect of this part yet I question not but many may be found so well principled in both that their undoubted Faith expressed in their most Holy Life and Actions will prove a great happiness to their Followers and Hearers in such Leaders and Teachers Next touching my Scope in the Metaphysicks which was principally the substitution of such Theorems in them as might be demonstrated by sense and had their sole dependance upon it in order to a confutation of those absurd Notions purely Logical although sold for real ones that Aristotle proposed in his Metaphysicks in the interpretation and ambiguities whereof Schollars do usually consume a whole age in vain reaping no better fruits thence than that after seven years study they are enabled to say Formaliter or Materialiter to every thing But lastly my chiefest design ever since the seventeenth year of my age when I had just finisht my course in Physick and taken my last degree consisted in elaborating such demonstrations in Natural Philosophy as might serve to unfold the natures of Beings in relation to the Art of Physick hitherto so uncertain blind and unfounded on Art that I dare confidently assert that the cure of many if not of most diseases is rather to be imputed to the strength of bodies than the application of vulgar Remedies as the precipitation of Patients to their extream Fate by the ordinary courses of Physick more than to the cruelty of their distempers setting aside those frequent mistakes in discovering them and their causes All which are so much subordinated to Natural Philosophy that whatever rare Invention in Practice or infallible distinction of any disease is deprehended in the Art of Medicine must be demonstrated by Principles of Physicks Difficulties of Nature that formerly seemed so uneasie to be explained I find very obvious and evident through them Many things that have hitherto lain hidden in the Bosome of Nature and such as no Philosophy could yet discover you will meet with here Besides these you are like to read the quotation of a Book of Souls or Psychelogia formerly intending its insertion in the Second Part of Philosophy But since I apprehend my self to be much scanted of my time and that this Volumn would swell up into too great a mole I am compelled to omit the publishing of it although it hath been long since ready for the Press Before I take my leave of my Reader I must not forget to crave your permission of using some kind of terms in my Books which although somewhat alienated from their proper signification yet can give you a reason of their figurative or tropical acception such are Catochization Grove besides many others I must also acquit my self to you of my default in such plain and unpolisht Lines which I have made use of Certainly whoever is acquainted with Philosophy will know that it is Philosophical so to write neither had I been ingaged in any other Subject could I have gratified your expectation herein since it was never my fortune to read two sheets of any English Book in my life or ever to have had the view of so much as the Title Leaf of an English Grammar I have also varied in the Orthography both of spelling and pointing from the ordinary and so the Printer hath varied from me My own part herein I can easily protect and so I may the Printers since his unacquaintedness with the matter and hand-writing and the dazling of his eyes which a pair of Spectacles might easily have mended in the smalness of my Letters hath set him upon the Lee shore of accurateness however you may prevent the danger of some mistakes although not of all since I have not the opportunity of so much as casting a superficial eye over half this Volumn by directing your self to the Errata which you will find set down at the end of each Book In fine not to detain you longer in preambles I shall only commend to you one of Grave Cato's Distichs thus inverted Non hos collaudes nec eos culpaveris ipse Hoc faciant stulti quos gloria vexat inanis Condemn thou none neither give them praise Let fools do so who love peoples gaze And advise you to suspend your Verdict upon these Writings untill you have perused them twice and then if disrelishing dishering false or contradicting to give your self the trouble of letting me know my errours in the sense of them which since my only scope is to promote Learning to be taught my self and to excite others to the study of things that are yet imprisoned in darkness I shall take for a very friendly office not valuing the hearing or acknowledging my mistakes although attended as usually with some reproof provided that at the same time I may be furnished with better Principles in lieu of mine or otherwise I shall think it much below me to take notice of such Scripts intended for nothing more than Libels Moreover that my further duty may
formally distinct from singulars p. 45. 3. Singulars are primum cognita p. 46. 4. Universals are notiora nobis ib. CHAP. XI Of the Extream Division of a Being 1. Another Division of a Being p. 48. 2. What the greatest or most universal is ib. 3. What the greater universal is ib. 4. What a less universal is ib. 5. What the least universal is ib. 6. How the fore-mentioned Members are otherwise called ib. CHAP. XII Of the Modes or Parts of a Being 1. What a Mode is Whence a Part is named a Part. Whence a Mode is termed a Mode The Scotch Proverb verified p. 49. 2. The Number and Kinds of Modes What an Essence or a whole being is p. 50. 3. That a Mode is the Summum Genus of all Beings and their Parts ib. 4. The vulgar Doctrine of Modes rejected ib. 5. That a Substance is a Mode of a Being p. 51. 6. That a Mode is an univocal Gender to a Substance and an Accident p. 52. 7. That a Substance is an Accident and all Accidents are Substances The difference between Subsistence and Substance ib. CHAP. XIII Of the Attributes of a Being 1. Why a property is so called p. 53. 2. The Difference which Authors hold between Passion and Attribute ib. 3. That Passion and Attribute as to their Names imply the same thing ib. 4. That Attributes are really the same with their Essence That all Attributes of a Being as they are united are the same with their Essence or Being p. 54. 5. That the Attributes are formally distinct from one another ib. 6. That that which we conceive beyond the Attributes of a Being is nothing ib. 7. What an Essence is ib. CHAP. XIV Of the Kinds and Number of the Attributes of a Being 1. Whence the Number of the Attributes of a Being is taken p. 55. 2. The Number of Attributes constituting a Being ib. 3. All Attributes are convertible one with the other and each of them and all of them in union with an Essence or Being ib. 4. That all the Attributes of a Being are equall in Dignity and Evidence ib. 5. That the Order of Doctrine concerning these Attributes is indifferent ib. CHAP. XV. Of Essence and Existence 1. That Essence and Existence are generally received for Principles p. 56. 2. That Essence is no Principle ib. 3. That Existence is no Principle ib. 4. That Existence is according to the opinion of the Author p 57. 5. That Existence is intentionally distinct from Essence ib. 6. That Essence is perfecter than Existence ib. 7. That Existence is formally distinct from Substance ib. CHAP. XVI Of Unity 1. That Unity superaddes nothing Positive to a Being p. 58. 2. What Unity is That Unity properly and per se implies a Positive accidently and improperly a Negative What is formally imported by Unity ib. 3. That Unity is illegally divided in unum per se and unum per accidens ib. CHAP. XVII Of Truth 1. Why Truth is called transcendent p. 59. 2. What Truth is ib. 3. An Objection against the definition of Truth That a Monster is a true being That God although he is the remote efficient Cause of a Monster neverthelesse cannot be said to be the Cause of evil p. 60. 4. Austin 's definition of Truth p. 61. 5. That Fashood is not definable How it may be described ib. CHAP. XVIII Of Goodness 1. What Goodness is The Improbation of several Definitions of Goodness p. 62. 2. The Difference between Goodness and perfection ib. 3. What evil is ib. 4. What the absolute active End of Goodness is ib. 5. That Goodness is improperly divided in Essential Accidental and Integral Goodness p. 63. 6. How Goodness is properly divided ib. 7. That the Division of Good in Honest Delectable c. doth belong to Ethicks ib. CHAP. XIX Of Distinction 1. The Authors description of Distinction That the privative sense of not being moved is a Note of Distinction whereby the understanding distinguishes a Non Ens from an Ens. That the Positive sense of being moved in another manner than another Ens moves the understanding is a Note of Distinction between one Being and another p. 63. 2. How Distinction is divided What a real Distinction is p. 64. 3. What a Modal difference is ib. 4. That the vulgar description of a real Distinction is erroneous ib. 5. That the terms of a Distinction between two or more real Beings are requisite both or more to exist p. 65. 6. That one term of Distinction although in Existence cannot be exally predicated of another not existent Oviedo and Hurtado reamined ib. 7. What a formal Distinction is à Parte actus and how otherwise called ib. 8. What a Distinctio Rationis is How otherwise called p. 67. CHAP. XX. Of Subsistence 1. What Subsistence is What it is to be through it self from it self and in it self p. 68. 2. That a Nature cannot be conservated by God without Subsistence That the Transubstantiation of Christs Body and Bloud into Bread and Wine according to the supposition of the Papists is impossible Oviedo 's Argument against this Position answered ib. 3. The kinds of Subsistences p. 69. 4. What Termination is ib. 5. What Perfection is ib. CHAP. XXI Of remaing modes of a Being 1. What Quantity is p. 70. 2. What the kinds of Quantity are ib. 3. What Quality is ib. 4. What Relation is ib. 5. What Action is ib. 6. What Paspon is ib. 7. What Situation is ib. 8. What Duration is ib. CHAP. XXII Of Causes 1. What a Cause is That the Doctrine of Causes belongeth to Metaphysicks p. 71. 2. Wherein a Cause and Principle differ ib. 3. What an internal Cause is What Matter is ib. 4. What a Form is and how it is divided p. 72. 5. What an external Cause is ib. CHAP. XXIII Of the Kinds of Causes 1. The Number of real Causes That a final Cause is no real Cause The Causality of Matter and Form p. 73. 2. The Division of an Efficient p. 74. 3. That an Efficient is erroneously divided in a procreating and conservating Cause ib. 4. That the Division of a Cause into Social and Solitary is illegal ib. 5. That the Division of an efficient Cause into Internal and External is absurd p. 75. 6. That all Forms are Material 77. 7. That there are no assistent Forms p. 78. CHAP. XXIV Of the Theorems of Causes 1. That a Cause and its Effects are co-existent p. 78. 2. That there are but three Causes of every Natural Being ib. 3. That there is but one Cause of every Being ib. 4. That all Beings are constituted by one or more Causes p. 79. 5. That all Causes are really univocal ib. 6. That all Natural Causes act necessarily ib. 7. That the Soul of a Beast acteth necessarily p. 80. 8. That all Matter hath a Form That Matter is capable of many Forms p. 81. The FIRST PART The Third Book CHAP. I. Of Powers according to the Peripateticks 1. THe Opinion of
VVhat an alteration or accidental change is That the differences of Temperament are as many as there are Minima's of the Elements excepting four p. 119. CHAP. XIX Of the Division of Temperaments 1. VVhat an equal and unequal Temperament is That there never was but one temperament ad pondus That Adams Body was not tempered ad pondus That neither Gold nor any Celestial bodies are tempered ad pondus p. 120. 2. That all temperaments ad Justiriam are constantly in changing That there are no two bodies in the world exactly agreeing to one another in temperature p. 121. 3. The Latitude of temperaments How the corruption of one body ever proves the generation of another p. 122. 4. That there is no such unequal temperament as is vulgarly imagined That there is an equal temperament is proved against the vulgar opinion That where Forms are equal their matters must also be equal p. 123 124. 5. VVhat a Distemper is That Galen intended by an unequal temperature p. 125. 6. VVhen a man may be termed temperate That bodies are said to be intemperate ib. 126 127. 7. The combination of the second Qualities of the Elements in a temperature Their Effects p. 128. CHAP. XX. Of Alteration Coction Decoction Generation Putrefaction and Corruption 1. VVhat Coction and Putrefaction is The Difference between Putrefaction and Corruption p. 130. 2. The Authors Definition of Alteration The effects of Alteration ib. 3. The Division of Alteration p. 131. 4. That the first Qualities of the Peripateticks are not intended by the acquisition of new Qualities without Matter Wherein Alteration differs from Mixtion or Temperament ib. 5. The Definition of Coction Why a man was changed much more in his youth than when come to maturity p. 132 133. 6. The Constitution of women Which are the best and worst Constitutions in men That heat is not the sole cause of Coction p. 134 135. 7. The kinds of Coction What Maturation Elixation and Assation are p. 136. 8. VVhat Decoction is and the manner of it p. 137. 9. The definition of Putrefaction 139 10. VVhat Generation imports in a large and strict acception Whether the Seed of a Plant or Animal is essentially distinguisht from a young Plant or new born Animal That heat is not the sole efficient in Generation p. 139. 11. VVhether the innate heat is not indued with a power of converting adventitious heat into its own nature Whether the innate heat be Celestial or Elementary p. 140 141 142. 12. The Definition of Corruption Why the innate heat becomes oft more vigorous after violent Feavers Whether Life may be prolonged to an eval duration What the Catochization of a Flame is By what means many pretend to prolong life That the production of life to an eval duration is impossible Whether our Dayes be determined The ambiguity of Corruption Whether Corruption be possible in the Elements p. 143 to 149. CHAP. XXI Of Light 1. VVhat Light is The manner of the production of a Flame p. 150. 2. The properties and effects of Light p. 151. 3. That Light is an effect or consequent of a Flame Whence it happens that our Eyes strike fire when we hit our Foreheads against any hard Body That Light is not a quality of fire alone That Light is not fire rarefied That where there is Light there is not alwayes heat near to it How Virginals and Organs are made to play by themselves p. 152 153. 4. That Light is a continuous obduction of the Ayr. That Light is diffused to a far extent in an instant and how Why the whole tract of Air is not enlightned at once p. 154 155. 5. The manner of the Lights working upon the Eye-sight That sight is actuated by reception and not by emission p. 156. 6. The reason of the difference between the extent of illumination and calefaction That Light cannot be precipitated ib. 7. That Light is not the mediate cause of all the Effects produced by the Stars That Light hath only a power of acting immediately and per se upon the optick spirits How the Air happens to burst through a sudden great light That a sudden great Light may blind kill or cast a man into an Apoplexy p. 157. 8. How Light renders all Objects visible Why a peice of Money cast into a Basin filled with water appears bigger than it is The causes of apparent Colours Why a great Object appears but small to one afar off The difference between lux and lumen What a Beam is What a Splendour is That the Lights begot by the Stars and other flames are not distinguished specie How the Coelum Empyreum is said to be Lucid p. 158 159. CHAP. XXII Of Colours 1. The Authors Definition of a Colour That Light is a Colour Aristotles Definition of colour examined p. 160 161 162. 2. Scaligers Absurdities touching Colours and Light p. 163. 3. What colour Light is of and why termed a single Colour That Light doth not efficienter render an Object visible How a mixt Colour worketh upon the sight and how it is conveyed to it ib. 164. 4. The Causes of the variations of Mercury in its colour through each several preparation p. 165. 5. That Colours are formally relations only to our sight That a mixt colour is not an intentional quality That besides the relation of colours there is an absolute foundation in their original Subjects How the same fundamental colours act p. 166. 6. That there are no apparent colours but all are true p. 167. 7. The Differences of colours What colour focal fire is of The fundamental colours of mixt bodies p. 168 169 170 171. 8. What reflection of light is What refraction of colours is Aristotles Definition of colour rejected The Effects of a double reflection The Reasons of the variations of Colour in Apples held over the water and Looking-glasses The variation of Illumination by various Glasses p. 172. 9. The Division of Glasses The cause of the variation of colour in a Prism ib. 173 174. 10. The Nature of Refraction Why colours are not refracted in the Eye p. 175 176. CHAP. XXIII Of Sounds 1. The Definition of a Sound That the Collision of two solid Bodies is not alwayes necessary for to raise a Sound p. 177. 2. Whether a Sound be inherent in the Air or in the body sounding The manner of Production of a Sound p. 178. 3. Whether a Sound is propagated through the water intentionally only That a Sound may be made and heard under water p. 179. 4. That a Sound is a real pluffing up of the Air. How a Sound is propagated through the Air and how far Why a small Sound raised at one end of a Mast or Beam may be easily heard at the other end Why the Noise of the treading of a Troop of Horse may be heard at a far distance p. 180 181 182. 5. The difference between a Sound and a Light or Colour That it is possible for a man to hear with his eyes
adorned with that variety of Accidents it is probable that Nature hath bestowed them for Action say they and not for nought They do not only allow one power to a Substance which might suffice but a multitude yea as many as there are varieties of acts specifically differing from one another effected through a Substance This leaneth upon an Argument of theirs thus framed The Soul being indifferent to divers Acts there must be somthing superadded by which it is determined to produce certain Acts. Neither is this Opinion deficient in Authorities of Learned Philosophers Averrhoes Thomas Aq. Albertus magn Hervaeus Apollinaris and others consenting thereunto Dionysius also in his Book concerning divine Names teacheth that Celestial Spirits are divisible into their Essence Vertue or Power and Operation III. The said powers are not only affixt to the Souls Essence but are also formally and really distinct from it They are perswaded to a formal distinction because else we might justly be supposed to will when we understand and to understand when we will or to tall when we smell and so in all others They are moved to a real distinction by reason that all powers in a Substance are really distinct from its Matter and Form Weight and Lightness which are Powers inherent in the Elements whereby they encline to the Center or decline from it are not the Matter of Earth and Fire nor their forms and therefore they are really distinct from their Essence IV. These Powers are concreated with the soul and do immediately flow from her Essence An Argument whereby to prove this is set down by Thom. Aq. among his Quaest. Powers are accidentary forms or Accidents properly belonging to their Subject and concreated with it giving it also a kind of a being It is therefore necessary that they do arise as Concomitants of its Essence from that which giveth a substantial and first being to a Subject Zabarel de Facult an Lib. 1. Cap. 4. sheweth the dependance of the powers from the Soul to be as from their efficient cause from which they do immediately flow not by means of a transmutation or Physical Action which is alwaies produced by motion Others add that the Soul in respect to its faculties may be also counted a Material Cause because it containeth her faculties in her self and a final Cause the faculties being allotted to her as to their End V. Immaterial Powers are inherent in the Soul as in their agent or fountain Material Faculties as the Senses Nourishing Faculty and the like are inserted in the Matter yet so far only as it is animated Hence doth Aristotle call the latter Organical Powers from their inherence in the Organs VI. Powers are distinguisht through their Acts and Objects to which they tend and by which they are moved to act For example Any thing that is visible moveth the fight and is its proper Object which doth distinguish it from the other Senses and Powers which are moved by other Objects Thus far extends the Doctrine of Aristotle touching Powers which although consisting more in Subtilities and Appearances then Evidences and Realities notwithstanding I thought meet to expose to your view since most Modern Authors do persist in the same and thence to take occasion to examine the Contents thereof in these brief subsequent Positions By the way I must desire the Reader to remember that the distinction of Powers from their Subject is commonly treated of in the Doctrine of the Soul and solely applied to it there being not the least doubt made of it elsewhere Wherefore I have also proposed the same as appliable to the Soul but nevertheless shall make further enquiry into it so far as it doth concern all Matters in general CHAP. II. Of all the usual Acceptions of Power 1. The Etymology of Power The Synonima's of Power 2. The various Acceptions of Power 3. What a Passive Natural Power and a Supernatural Passive or Obediential Power is 4. Various Divisions of Power I. THe unfolding the name is an Introduction to the knowledge of the thing it self and therefore it will not be amiss to give you the Etymology of Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I can or have in my power So Potentia from Possum signifying the same Power in English hath its original from Pouvoir in French noting the like viz. to can or be able Power Vertue Might Strength and Faculty are Synonima's or words of one Interpretation Thus of â—ntimes we make enquiry what Vertue Strength Power or Faculty hath such or such an Herb that is what can it effect II. The Acception of the word Power is very ambiguous 1. Sometime it is understood passively for a disposition whereby a Substance is apt to receive the strength of an Agent 2. Actively for that through which a being can act 3. It s signification doth vary much according to the Subject which it doth respect as when we say a being in power that is a being which is not actually but yet may or can be So likewise a Cause in power is which doth not actually produce an effect but which can produce one Zabarel remarketh a double Acception of Power 1. Improperly it is taken for a Power which is joyned to its Act Thus we say of a man who actually walketh that he can walk 2. Properly it is attributed only to a Power which doth precede its Act Thus we say a man is a Logician when he can be one III. A Passive Power as it is capable to receive a Natural Act is called a disposition As it may receive a Supernatural Act that is an Act from a Supernatural Cause it is then named an Obediential Power The Power which was inherent in Lots Wife of receiving the Form of a Pillar of Salt was an Obediential Power IV. Again those Powers are either Natural Violent or Neutral A Natural Power is such which is agreeable to its Nature as the power in Fire of ascending is Natural to it A violent power is which is disagreeing to the Nature of its Subject as in fire there is a violent Power of moving downward A Neutral power is which is neither the one or the other but participates of both Such is the power in fire of moving circularly A Power may be understood either for a Logical power which is nothing else but a non-repugnance or for a Physical power which is the same with a Natural disposition or for a Moral Power which is nothing else but the Will Lastly in Metaphysicks it is that which is presupposed to be in an actus entitativus There is also mention made in Philosophy of an Objective Power which is not much different from a Non-repugnance or a Logical Power but expresly it is a Possibility of existing in a being which the understanding doth give it before its Existence Many more Additions of Power might be proffered as that a Power is either Created or Increated Accidental or Substantial
are causes of the constitution of others All things saith he are idle empty and dead without a vital principle Judge his absurdity What are all idle empty and dead things without a life but a materia prima Aristotelica For he himself affirms that there are but two principles Matter and a vital Principle yea those very words idle empty and dead square with these of Arist. Materia prima est nec quid nec quale nec quantum He allots only two causes Matter and her internal efficient to the generation of a being First as I have proved it is impossible for this internal efficient to be reduced in actum unless an extrinsick efficient be it the Sun or some other particular efficient excite it by contributing some of its own virtue to it Secondly Would not all Philosophers deride him for saying an intrinsick efficient since that all have consented to term an efficient extrinsick in contradistinction to intrinsick or internal which is ever a part of the being constituted by it whereas an efficient is named extrinsick because it doth not constitute a part of that being to whose production it was concurring Thirdly Wherein is his Archeus or internal efficient different from a form which he doth so much detest Is not this Archeus an effect also of its preceding cause Doth he not affirm that this internal efficient giveth life to its matter and what is a form but which giveth life or a being distinction and specification to its matter Here again he saith that Matter is a Co-agent and before he stated that she was idle and dead certainly idle and dead things do not use to act or to be agents or co-agents That matter is not a subject he asserts and before and afterwards he granted that she contained the Archeus What is a subject but that which doth contain a thing Here again he addes a Note of distinction to his Archeus which is to be per quod and is not this also an inseparable Attribute of a Form Dist. 23. Here again he delivers a new Foolosophy in stating water to be the sole material Principle although below he adjoynes earth to it the ferment to be the remote efficient and the semen to be the immediate efficient so then now there are three Principles yea four Water Earth and a double Archeus whereas before there were but two Besides here he vaunts out with a threefold matter a materia prima which is a co-agent with the fermentum or first Archeus a materia media a subject of the semen or second Archeus and a materia ultima quickned through life it self So now he is got beyond the number of the Peripateticks three distinct matters and three internal efficients make up just six Principles Surely the old man was climed up into one of his Raptures Well let us go on in making disquisition upon the 24 h. Dist. The Ferment is a created formal being Just now there were no forms and now the ferment or the prime Archeus is metamorphosed into a form Where was his Memory It is not a Substance or Accident saith he but neither in the manner of Light Fire c. How neither a Substance or Accident neither Spirit or Body neither quid quale or quantum Ergo it is nothing but a merum figmentum If it be in the manner of light or fire it is in the manner of a quality or substance Now I think I may let him run on in telling out his Tale. IV. Cartesius a great Proficient in the Mathematicks laboured much to reduce all Philosophical conclusions to demonstrations depending from certain Hypotheses but wherein they excelled the ordinary or Peripatetick ones either in truth certainty or evidence I have hitherto not yet learned If they may be comprehended within the limits of Demonstrations they must be a posteriori concluding only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things or their effects by improper and affinged Causes so that the causes remaining still under a cloud we cannot be satisfied in any such Science 'T is true did those forementioned suppositions appear to us as Phaenomena appearances like unto others in Astronomy there might thence some ground be afforded but they being mera figmenta and entiae rationis must necessarily prove very sandy for to build real truths thereon Neither do his suppositions cohere in all places he admitting many supposita non supponenda yea contradicentia to their number Besides to frame think or imagine that God like unto a Potter turning his Wheel round with a staffe and grinding the Clay thereon into many pieces figures and whirles should grind the materia prima into several pieces whirles figures and shapes is no small absurdity especially when Scripture doth so positively teach us the contrary Would a mans mind be carried forth to such Chimaera's furer and evidenter Principles might be proposed by the means of Numbers But tell me what satisfaction can any one expect from such Conclusions as long as their Premises are not granted but thought figments and falsities For it is not the effects we enquire into but into their real and adequate causes Doth he make any thing more plain or doth he thereby escape all falsities Certainly no for many of those Assertions that are thence deduced do manifestly partake of falsities and Errours as 1. That the nature of a body doth not consist in weight hardness colour or the like but alone in extension 2. He speakes a word or two only of rarefaction and condensation and so away I conceive the rest did surpass his Mathematical demonstrations 3. That a corporeal substance when it is distinguisht from its quantity is confusedly conceived as if it were incorporeal 4. He disproves a vacuum by an idem per idem thus there is no vacuum because the extension of all bodies is equal to their internal and external places The question is the same still viz. Whether all external places are filled up with extensions of internal places of bodies 5. He denies real Atomes 6. That motion taken properly is only to be referred to the contiguous bodies of that which is moved neither is it to be referred but to those contiguous bodies which seem to lie still A fundamental errour 7. That matter is infinite or divisible into infinite parts 8. That the world is of an indefinite quantity 9. That the second matter of Heaven and Earth is one and the same 10. That all matter is really single and obtaineth its diversity of Forms from local motion 11. That in one body innumerable motions are possible 12. That the Moon and the other Planets borrow their Light from the Sun 13. That the Earth is in nothing different from a Planet and consequently that the other Planets are inhabitable 14. That the Moon is illuminated by the Earth 15. He assumes most of the erroneous Opinions of Copernicus 16. That all the parts of the earth are light 17. That Water is convertible into Ayr. Neither are his Definitions
and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innate some taking them for one others limiting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heat that is only proper to living creatures and applying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heat that is common to all mixt bodies and is subjected to Putrefaction as if connate heat were not subjected to Putrefaction as well as the innate Doth not the connate heat of man suffer putrefaction in a Hectick Feaver You may further read of a fourfold difference of innate heat in Argenter his Treatise of the innate heat 1. I conclude that the connate heat is elementary and not astral I prove it There was connate heat before the Stars were created ergo its Original was not thence The Antecedence is plain from Scripture Gen. 1. for there it appeares that Herbs which questionless were actuated by connate heat were created the third day whereas the Stars were not created before the fourth day 2. Where the effects and operations are alike there the causes cannot be unlike but the effects and operations of Astral heat are no others then of Elementary ergo although I granted it to be Astral it must also be elementary 2. Innate heat is said to be a spirit because its rarest substance is adunited to the least bodies of the other Elements whereby it is fortified and becomes more potent and is constituted a most subtil moveable body The purest and most potent spirits are about the Center they next to them are not so subtil others yet more remote are grosser 3. The connate heat hath a power of converting influent heat into the same nature it self is of I prove it Hippocrates teacheth that the maternal bloud and the sperm are perfused with innate heat if then advenient bloud can be united to primogeneal bloud ergo influent heat may be united to the innate heat and converted into the same nature 2. Flesh contains a part of connate heat in it but cut off a piece of flesh and Nature will restore it again if restore it again then innate heat must be restored with it if so then this innate heat must be generated out of the bloud by the innate heat of the next adjacent parts 4. Childrens teeth are regenerable but teeth contain innate heat in them ergo innate heat is regenerable 5. That which the fore-quoted Opinion stated a putrefactible innate heat is a volatick and moveable heat which not being subtil enough to be united to the fixt or connate heat is protruded to the external parts and is subjected to putrefaction so that in the body of man the food that is daily ingested its subtilest part serveth to be converted into innate heat and to be substituted into the room of the last consumed innate heat The courser parts are converted into moving and external heats By Heats Calida understand hot Particles 6. How is it possible that so little innate heat as is contained within a Dram or two of Sperm should be sufficient to heat the body of a big man XII Corruption is the dissolution of a mixt body into the Elements or into other bodies more resembling the elements then it The Cause of Corruption as I said before is the greatest putrid alteration whereby the innate heat is violently dissolved In Putrefaction the moving heat alone is altered which is reducible but if it continues to a great putrefaction then the innate heat suffers danger and is yet likewise reducible but if the greatest putrefaction seizeth upon a body then the innate heat is strongly putrified and is rendered irreducible because through it the greatest part of the innate heat is corrupted which to expel the remaining innate heat finds it self too impotent But if only a less part be corrupted and the greater abide in power it may overcome the other and reduce it self Hence a reason may be given why many men having been oft seized upon by Feavers yet have been cured and their innate heat is become more vigorous then ever it was yea some live the longer for it The reason is because in most curable Feavers the moving spirits alone are affected neither doth the Alteration reach so deep as greatly to disturb the innate heat but oft times the body being foul and the bloud altered by peregrine humours the body is cleansed and by its fermenting and expelling heat the bloud is freed from these noxious humours after which the primogenious heat is less oppressed and acts more naturally then before through which life is prolonged Here we may answer fundamentally to that so frequently ventilated doubt whether life may be prolonged to an eval duration Paracelsus and many of his Sectators do maintain it affirmatively to whom three hundred years seemed but a slight and short age and in stead of it promising a Life of Nestor to those as would make use of his Arcana Mysterious Medicines yea a life to endure to the Resurrection But these are but Fables and Flashes for since that a man is unequally mixt and that one Element doth overtop the other questionless the predominant element will prove a necessary cause of the dissolution of that Mixtum but was a man tempered ad pondus equally and as Galen hath it tota per tota his Nature would become eval all the Elements being in him composed to an equal strength in an equal proportion If then otherwise the radical heat and moysture do sensibly diminish certainly old age or gray haires cannot be prevented Possibly you may imagine a Medicine the which having a vertue of retarding the motion of the vital heat must of necessity prolong its life in the same manner as I have read in some Author I cannot call to mind which a Candle hath been preserved burning for many years without the adding of Moysture to it by being placed in a close and cold Cave deep under ground Here if true a flame was retarded in its motion by the constringent cold of the earth and thereby the Tallow was saved by being but a very little dissipated through the motion of the fire I say then could the natural heat be retarded by such a constrictive medecine as to catochizate it and hinder its motion life might be protracted to some hundreds of yeares But again then a man could not be suffered to eat or drink in that case because that must necessarily stirre up the heat which excited if it were not then ventilated by the substracting the forementioned constrictive Medecine whereby it might dissipate the acceding moisture must incur into danger of extinction But this prolongation of life pretended by Theophrast Par. is attempted by hot Medecines such as they say do comfort and restore the natural Balsom of man which is so far from retarding old Age that it rather doth accelerate it for if the heat is augmented then certainly it must acquire a stronger force whereby it procures a swifter declination as hath been shewed Besides Experience confirms this to us Many having accustomed themselves to take a Dram
makes all bodies therein contained shew greater Besides water containing much air in her body suffereth also an obtension of that whereby bodies must necessarily appear bigger then they are The reason why a piece of Money in a Bason with water appears bigger then it is is because the water through impregnation with peregrine air proper thickness and continuity doth reflect and admit much obtended air or light which being altered by the colour of the money doth appear much bigger then if seen through thin air alone Light is diminisht because the air is condensed so that whatever doth condense the air must diminish its light and obduction Whatever body light appulses against it is thereby darkned because the body which it strikes against condenses the air According to this degree of condensation the light is gradually diminisht and darkned if it be terminated in a most dense earthy body then it appears black if against a body that hath less earth or density it appears brown that is to say at the point of reflection against an Object and so gradually in all other This change being wrought upon the terminating obtension by an objected body it is repercussed to a certain distance namely as far as the repercutient action of that object can reach which is as far as until the Air doth recover its proper station If we are far off from an Object it appears less then it is because its action doth diminish gradually like unto the streams of water which about the center of action are greater but the more remote they are the less they grow A Flame is called a Light Lux because it begets light The light begot in the Air is called Lumen an Illumination Wherefore these lights are not really distinguisht but ratione Neither is a flame to be called a light unless when it doth obduct the Air neither is the Air to be termed a light or illumination unless when it is obducted by a flame Radius a Beam is a diducted line of a flame tending directly from the Center to the Circumference A Splendor is the intention of light by a reflection or refraction upon a thick continuous smooth body The Lights begot by the Stars and other flames are not distinguisht specie because they depend upon the same causes namely upon Fire and Air. Their difference consists in consistency purity bigness c. The Coelum Empyreum or Heavens of the Angels are said to be lucid which may be understood tropically or properly If properly possibly it hath a vertue of obducting the air like unto a flame If tropically lucid is equipollent to glorious The Bodies of the risen Saints shall appear glorious and splendid possibly because they shall be more ayry and fiery that is flammy CHAP. XXII Of Colours 1. The Authors Definition of a Colour That Light is a Colour Aristotles Definition of colour examined 2. Scaligers Absurdities touching Colours and Light 3. What colour Light is of and why termed a single Colour That Light doth not efficienter render an Object visible How a mixt Colour worketh upon the sight and how it is conveyed to it 4. The Causes of the variations of Mercury in its colour through each several preparation 5. That Colours are formally relations only to our sight That a mixt colour is not an intentional quality That besides the relation of colours there is an absolute foundation in their original Subjects How the same fundamental colours act 6. That there are no apparent colours but all are true 7. The Differences of colours What colour focal fire is of The fundamental colours of mixt bodies 8. What reflection of light is What refraction of colours is Aristotles Definition of colour rejected The Effects of a double reflection The Reasons of the variations of Colour in Apples held over the water and Looking-glasses The variation of Illumination by various Glasses 9. The Division of Glasses The cause of the variation of colour in a Prism 10. The Nature of Refraction Why colours are not refracted in the Eye I. COlour is a Mode or Quality of a mixt being through which it moves the sight if so then certainly Light is a Colour For 1. It proceeds from a mixt body 2. It moves the sight primarly immediately and per se. I prove it We do distinguish light from darkness and a light body from a dark one by our sight ergo it moves the sight Probably you may deny my Definition of colour wherefore I shall for your further satisfaction compare it with that of Aristotle and prove it to be consentaneous to it differing only in Precision ours being less universal and nearer to sense then his Lumen which is equipollent to colour est actus perspicui quatenus perspicui Light or rather Illumination is the act of a perspicuous body quatenus perspicui is redundant By actus is implied an actuation or motion 2. By perspicuous is intended a body that is capable of receiving or rather of reflecting light And is not the sight capable of receiving or reflecting light and of being actuated by it Or if you will take colour for a quality following the temperament and mistion of the Elements the difference is not great this being a Definition of colour as it is considered in it-self a priori the other described a posteriori relatively and accidentally for it is per accidens to it to move the sight I cannot but reflect at Scaligers boldness who pretending to exceed Cardan in subtility so as he seemed to reprehend and correct him in every Distinction but with more absurdity then he supposed Cardan to be less subtil and particularly about Colours and light Exercit. CCCXXV d. 2. Here he infers a real and formal difference between an Accident and its Subject the contrary hath so plainly been demonstrated 2. That an Accident is constituted out of a Power and Act. The falsity of which is detected in my Disp. of Pow. These Assertions are not exempted from Absurdities 1. An Accident and a Substance being really and formally different and owing their production to one substantial efficient it follows that a Substance produceth effects differing from it self in specie 2. That a Substance is an efficient of a Power and Act. Power and Act being two positive contraries one substancial efficient is inferred to be an efficient secundum idem ad idem of two positive contraries for a power according to Aristotle is not a privation for then it were a non ens reale but a positive 3. Neither is Power or Substance the true matter of colour Not the power for that is like to the matter not the substance that being the sole whole substance Wherefore if neither power or substance be the true matter it cannot be any real thing because whatever is real consists of Matter and Form Wherefore saith he we should say that it hath a substance for its subject wherein it is inherent but in it self it hath a power and act out
which is the raising of a feeling It is moved by being diducted either by depression or weight or any other thick continuous diduction So that whatever is thin light or rare doth effuge the sense of the tact hence it is that the air thin vapours exhalations or spirits are not immediately felt That which doth gently stir quaver these tangent spirits is said to feel pleasing and delightful Hence it is that kissing seems to feel so pleasing to many because that hapning to a thin part being withal of an exquisite feeling where the spirits being gently stirred and quavered by the application of other lips doth cause a delightful feeling That this is so is testified by most who kiss for a delight in that they do at that instant of the application of lips feel a creeping quaking spirit in their lips The same delightful feeling happens also to a Dog applying his chops to a Bitches taile A soft object doth gently stir the tangent spirits of the extremities of the fingers and is perfectly pleasing and therefore many men love to handle and feel boys and girles cheeks That which doth so much diduct the tactile spirits as to divide and burst them doth subvert the tact and causes a pain As for the other differences of tangibles they are taken from the degree and property of raising feeling in tangibles so we say a thing feels heavy light hot cold moist dry fiery waterish earthy hard soft rough smooth c. the description of all which I do omit as having set them down above A gentle titillation is one of the delightful tangibles which gentleness if otherwise exceeding and inferring violence doth become painful as appears in the French scab or manginess Titillation sometimes insers violence not by dividing the tangent spirits through it self and immediately but by accident through gathering the spirits too much together through its light appulse to which they do accur in great quantity and oft do as it were thereby overstrain or overreatch themselves It seldom happens that ones proper feeling doth tickle any part of his body as his knee or palm of the hand But if another do gently touch it it tickles him the reason is because that which toucheth a part must be of a certain distant temperament from the part felt which is not in a mans own self but in every other man besides ones fansie adds much to it Natural Philosophy The SECOND PART The Second Book CHAP. I. Of the Commerce of the Earth with the other Elements 1. The Authors purpose touching his Method in the Preceding Book and a further Explication of some terms made use of there 2. That the Earth is the Center of the world Copernicus his Astronomy examined 3. The Earths Division into three Regions and their particular extent 4. What Bodies are generated in the third Region of the Earth and the manner of their Production That the Coldness of the Earth is the principal efficient of Stones and Metals How a Stone is generated in the Kidneyes and in the Bladder A rare Instance of a Stone takenout of the Bladder The generation of a Flint Marble Jaspis Cornelian Diamond Ruby Gold Copper Iron Mercury Silver The places of Mines 5. Of the transmutation of Metals Whether Silver be transmutable into Gold Whether Gold may be rendered potable The Effects of the supposed Aurum potabile and what it is 6. Of earthy saltish Juices The Generation of Common Salt Salt-Gemme Saltpeter Allom Salt-Armoniack and Vitriol and of their kinds 7. Of earthy unctious Juices viz. Sulphur Arsenick Amber Naptha Peteroyl Asphaltos Oyl of Earth Sea-coal and Jeatstone of their kinds and vertues 8. Of the mean Juyces of the Earth viz. Mercury Antimony Marcasita Cobaltum Chalcitis Misy and Sory Whether any of these mean Juices are to be stated Principles of Metals I. HItherto I have discoursed of the Elements their Production Forms Second and Third Single and Mixt Qualities with intention to have declared their Dissolution from the Chaos and separation from one another and therefore I did only mention so much touching their nature as might suffice to discover the reason and causes of their effects produced by them through their dissolution At that time and place I thought it unseasonable to demonstrate the causes of their only apparent contrary motions and effects whereby they return to one another and exercise a mutual commerce between each other and seem but really do not to change into one anothers Nature all which together with the particular relation of each Element as they are consisting at present of local motion in general and in particular of Attraction and Repuision and of Meteors I shall endeavour to propose to you by a sensible Demonstration Why I judged it unseasonable to treat of these Particulars above was because I would not oppress your Phansie with seeming contrary Notions but really agreeing to a hair and so might have endangered the Conception and Retention of the precedent ones which now I may with more safety attempt supposing you to have weighed the Reasons and to have narrowly searcht into their meaning Neither shall I repeat any thing of what hath been set down already but proceed where I left off only since now I may with security discover my meaning of these Expressions of moving from the Center to the Circumference and to the Center from the Circumference both which I have hitherto made use of for to perduce you to a true apprehension of the Chaos and its dissolution By moving from the Center to the Circumference was not intended a deserting of the proper Center of those Elements that were said so to move but 1. To move so from their Center as to tend and be diffused thence to the Circumference into the greatest tenuity or rarity but not to desert their proper Center for then they could not move at all because all motions are peracted upon an immoveable which must be a Center 2. To move from the circumference to the center is not to desert the circumference be reduced by penetration into a central point as Mathematicians do imagine but to be contracted to a Center from a circumference for to gain the greatest dense weight or weighty crassitude like others are diffused for to gain the greatest rarity or tenuity and that naturally for density or crassitude cannot be attained by any other manner then by a contraction to a Center and rarity and tenuity but by a diffusion from a Center 3. Intending by moving from a Center to a Circumference to signifie a tendency to the greatest contiguous rarity or continuous levity I do not exclude but that such light Elements in a confusion with opposite Elements as it happened in the Chaos may also tend from a Center of Magnitude because they are expelled by the overpowering weighty Elements expelling them from their Center and so in this signification I have sometimes intended by moving from the Center a deserting of the Center
Union might be more properly termed a Principle than Privation p. 8. 2. The Principles of a Material Being stated by Pythagoras rejected p. 9. 3. That to treat of Matter and Form is more proper to Metaphysicks 10. 4. That the Materia Prima of Aristotle is a Non Ens. ib. 5. That the Chaos had a Form p. 11. 6. The Authors Materia Prima p. 12. 7. That it doth not appertain to Physicks to explain the nature of the first Matter ib. 8. What the first Form of all natural Beings is ib. 13. CHAP. IV. Of the Nature and Essence of the Elements 1. The nearest Definition of a Natural Being p. 15. 2. The Definition of an Element That all Physical Definitions ought to be sensible The proof of the Existence of the Elements and of their Number p. 16. 3. An Exposition of the Definition of an Element It s Etymology and Honomony p. 17. 4. What Distinction the Author makes between Principle Cause and Element p 18. 5. What a Natural Cause is That the Elements are no single real Beings That they are treated of separately and singly Ratione only ib. 6. That there are but three Natural Causes Their Necessity proved in particular ib. CHAP. V. Of New Philosophy and the Authors of it 1. Helmontius his arrogance and vainglory How and wherein he rejected the Peripatetick Philosophy His own Principles p. 19 20. 2. The Life and Death of the said Helmontius p. 21. 3. A Confutation of all his Physical Principles in particular p. 22. 4. Some few Arguments against Renè des Cartes his Principles in general p. 23 24 25. CHAP. VI. Of the Material Principle of Natural Beings 1. The Causes of the Elements p. 26. 2. That the Elements are really compounded natural beings ib. 3. That Matter and Quantity are really identificated ib. 4. What Quantity is What its Ratio formalis is p. 27. 5. That in rebus quantis there is a maximum and a minimum Definitum p. 28. 6. Experimental Instances proving that there are actual Minima's and that all natural beings do consist out of them p. 29. 7. The pursuit of the preceding Instances inferring a Continuum to be constituted out of actual Indivisibles Some Geometrical Objections answered p. 30. CHAP. VII Of the Natural Matter and Form of the Elements 1. That the Elements are constituted out of minima's That they were at first created a maximum divisible into minima's p. 31. 2. That supposing there were a materia prima Aristotelica yet it is absurd to essert her to have a Potentia Essentialis or Appetitus Formae p. 32. 3. That the Natural Form is not educed è Potentia Materiae ib. 4. That the Actus of Local Motion is the Form of the Elements ib. 5. The manner of knowing the first constitution of the Elements That there was a Chaos p. 33. 6. That there was conferred a distinct form upon every Element Whether a Form is a Substance 'T is proved that it is not ib. 34. CHAP. VIII Of the absolute and Respective Form of Earth Water Ayr and Fire 1. What Form it is the Author allots to Earth That driness is not the first quality of Earth p. 35. 2. The respective form of Earth 36. 3. That Coldness is not the first quality of Water That water is not moyst naturally neither doth it moysten What it is to moysten Why water acuated with spirits of Vitriol Sulphur or of Salt-peter doth moysten and abate thirst more than when it is single ib. 4. The form of Water What Gravity is and what Levity What Density is The form of water proved Why water disperseth it self into drops Why Sea-men cannot make Land upon the Cap-head when they may upon the Top-Mast-head Why the Stars do appear sooner to those in the East-Seas than to others in the west p. 37. 5. That water is thick but not dense Whence it is that water is smooth Why Ayr makes a bubble upon the water when it breaks forth That the least Atome of Ayr cannot break through the water without raising a bubble Why the same doth not happen to Earth p. 38. 6. That Moysture is not the first quality of Ayr neither doth the Ayr naturally moysten any body but to the contrary dryeth it p. 39. 7. The form of Ayr. What Tenuity is Why Feathers Cobwebs and other light Bodies do expand themselves when thrown through the Ayr. Why Grease Oyl Wax c. do make Splatches when poured upon the ground Why Gunpowder Smoak Breathes of living Creatures Vapours Exhalations Dust c. do diffuse themselves in that manner Whence it is that the least breath moves and shakes the Ayr. The relative form of ayr Why spirits of wine mix easier and sooner with water than one water with another p. 40 41. 8. The first quality of Fire What Rarity is Whence it is that a Torch or Candle spreads its Beams circularly as appears at a distance That Fire is rough the cause of it Fire's Relative nature A comparing of all the first qualities of the Elements one to the other p. 42 43. CHAP. IX Of the beginning of the World 1. Whence the world had its beginning What the Chaos is That the Chaos had a form A Scripture Objection answered That the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters did informate the Chaos p. 44. 2. That the Chaos consisted of the four Elements is proved by Scripture The Etymology of Heaven What Moses meant by Waters above the Waters The Derivation of the Firmament That the Ayr is comprehended under the Notion of waters in Gen. p. 45. 3. That the Elements were exactly mixt in the Chaos That all the Elements consist of an equal number of Minima's p 46. 4. That none but God alone can be rationally thought to be the Efficient of the Chaos How this Action is expressed in Scripture p 47. 5. What Creation is Thom. Aq. his Definition of Creation disproved Austins Observations of the Creation p. 48. 6. That God is the Authour of the Creation proved by the Testimonies of Scripture of Holy men and of Philosophers p. 49. 7. An Explanation of the Definition of Creation Whether Creation is an emanent or transient Action Creation is either mediate or immediate Scotus his Errour upon this point The difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherein mediate Creation differs from Generation p. 50 51. 8. Of the place magnitude tangible qualities colour temperament time figure extent in figure duration quantity and number of the Chaos p. 52 53 54. CHAP. X. Of the first Division of the Chaos 1. Why the Chaos was broken p. 55. 2. That the Chaos could never have wrought its own change through it self The Efficient of its mutation p. 56. 3. The several Changes which the Chaos underwent through its Disruption The manner of the said Disruption ib. 4. How Light was first produced out of the Chaos What a Flame is p. 58. 5. A perfect description
of the first knock or division of the Chaos By what means the Earth got the Center and how the waters Ayr and Fire got above it Why a Squib turnes into so many whirles in the Ayr. ib. 6. The qualifications of the first Light of the Creation A plain demonstration proving the circular motion of the Heavens or of the Element of fire to be natural and of an Eval Duration ib. 59 CHAP. XI Of the second Division of the Chaos 1. An Enarration of Effects befalling the Elements through the second knock The proportion of each of the Elements in their purity to the Peregrine Elements p. 60. 2. The ground of the forementioned proportion of the Elements 61 62. 3. That fire and ayr constitute the Firmament p. 63. 4. A grand Objection answered ib. 64. CHAP. XII Of the Third Division of the Chaos 1. The effects of the third knock Why earth is heavier than water Why water is more weighty near the top than towards the bottom Why a man when he is drowned doth not go down to the bottom of the Ocean Why a potch'd Egge doth commonly rest it self about the middle of the water in a Skillet Why the middle parts of Salt-water are more saltish than the upper parts p. 66 67. 2. Whence the earth hapned to be thrust out into great protuberancies How the earth arrived to be disposed to germination of Plants A vast Grove pressed into the earth p. 68. 3. The cause of the waters continual circular motion ib. 69. 4. The cause of the rise of such a variety of Plants p. 71. CHAP. XIII Of the Fourth Fifth Sixth and Seventh Division of the Chaos 1. An Enarration of the Effects of the fourth Division That Nature created the first bodies of every Species the greatest is instanced in Bees Fishes and Fowl That all Species are derived from one individuum That Adam was the greatest man that ever was since the Creation What those Glants were which the Poets faigned p. 72 73 74. 2. How the Sun and Moon were created That a Lioness is not more vigorous than a Lion p. 75. 3. How the Stars of the Firmament were created p. 76. 4. How the durable Clouds of the Ayr were created ib. 5. The Effects of the fifth Division ib. 6. The Effects of the sixth Division ib. 7. The Effects of the last Division ib. CHAP. XIV Of the Second and Third Absolute Qualities of the Elements 1. What is understood by Second Qualities p 78. 2. What the Second Quality of Earth is p. 79. 3. Aristotle's Definition of Density rejected ib. 4. The Opinions of Philosophers touching the Nature of Density p. 80. 5. The forementioned Opinions confuted p. 81. 6. The Description of Indivisibles according to Democritus disproved That all Figures are divisible excepting a Circular Minimum That Strength united proveth strongest in around Figure and why ib. 82 83. 7. What the Second Quality of Fire is Cardan Averrhoes Zimara Aristotle Tolet and Zabarel their Opinions touching the Nature of Rarity confuted p. 84 85 86 87. 8. The Second Quality of Water Aristotle Joh. Grammat Tolet Zabarel and Barthol their sence of Thickness and Thinness disproved p. 88. 9. What the Second Quality of Ayr is p. 89. 10. What is intended by third fourth or fifth Qualities An Enumeration of the said Qualities What Obtuseness Acuteness Asperity Levor Hardness Rigidity Softness Solidity Liquidity and Lentor are and their kinds ib. 90 91 92. CHAP. XV. Of the Respective Qualities of the Eements particularly of Fire Earth and Water 1. What is meant by the Respective Qualities of the Elements Why they are termed Second Qualities p. 93. 2. That heat is the second respective or accidental quality of fire That fire is not burning hot within its own Region That fire doth not burn unless it flames is proved by an Experiment through Aq. fort ib. 3. That heat in fire is violently produced The manner of the production of a Flame What it is which we call hot warm or burning How fire dissolves and consumes a body into ashes p. 94. 4. That Heat is nothing else but a Multiplication Condensation and Retention of the parts of fire The degrees of Heat in fire and how it cometh to be warm hot scorching hot blistering hot burning hot and consuming hot p. 95. 5. A way how to try the force of fire by Scales Why fire doth not alwayes feel hot in the Ayr. ib. 96. 6. Plato and Scaliger their Opinion touching heat p. 97. 7. The Parepatetick Description of Heat rejected How fire separateth Silver from Gold and Lead from Silver p. 98. 8. What the second respective quality of Earth is What Cold is The manner of operation of Cold upon our Tâ—â—ct p. 100. 9. The second respective quality of Water That Water cooles differently from Earth ib. 10. Aristotle and Zabarel their wavering Opinions touching Cold. That Earth is the primum frigidum ib. 101. CHAP. XVI Of the remaining Respective Qualilities of the Elements 1. The second Respective Quality of the Ayr. That water cannot be really and essentially attenuated The state of the Controversie 102 103. 2. That Ayr cannot be really and essentially incrassated Why a man whilest he is alive sinkes down into the water and is drowned and afterwards is cast up again That a woman is longer in sinking or drowning than a man The great errour committed in trying of witches by casting them into the water p. 104 105 106. 3. That a greater Condensation or Rarefaction is impossible in the Earth p. 107. 4. In what sense the Author understands and intends Rarefaction and Condensation throughout his Philosophy p. 108. 5. The third Respective Quality of Fire What Driness is The definition of Moysture The third Respective Qualities of water and Ayr. Aristotles description of Moysture That Water is the primum humidum In what sense Ayr is termed dry in what moyst p. 109. CHAP. XVII Of Mixtion 1. What Mixtion is Three conditions required in a Mixtion p 110. 2. Whether Mixtion and the generation of a mixt body differ really p. 111. 3. Aristotles definition of Mixtion examined Whether the Elements remain entire in mixt bodies 112. 4. That there is no such Intension or Remission of Qualities as the Peripateticks do apprehend The Authors sense of Remission and Intention p. 113. 5. That a Mixtion is erroneously divided into a perfect and imperfect Mixtion p. 114. CHAP. XVIII Of Temperament 1. That Temperament is the form of Mixtion That Temperament is a real and positive quality p. 115. 2. The definition of a Temperament Whether a Temperament is a single or manifold quality Whether a complexion of qualities may be called one compounded quality p. 116. 3. VVhether a Temperament be a fift quality A Contradiction among Physitians touching Temperament Whether the congress of the four qualities effects be one Temperament or more ib. 117. 4. That there is no such thing as a Distemper What a substantial Change is p. 118. 5.
The division of water p. 289. 3. VVhat a Lake is The strange vertues of some Lakes 290 291 292. 4. VVhat a Fountain is The wonderfull properties of some Fountains p. 293 to 295. 5. Of Physical Wells p. 296. Of Baths p. 297. 7. Of Rivers and their rare properties ib. 298. 8. Of the chief Straits of the Sea p. 299 230. CHAP. VII Of the Circulation of the Ocean 1. That the disburdening of the Eastern Rivers into the Ocean is not the cause of its Circulation neither are the Sunne or Moon the principal causes of this motion p. 301 302. 2. The periodical course of the Ocean The causes of the high and low waters of the Ocean p. 303 304 305. 3. How it is possible that the Ocean should move so swiftly as in 12 hours and somewhat more to slow about the terrestrial Globe p 306 307 308. 4. A further explanation of the causes of the intumescence and detumescence of the Ocean The causes of the anticipation of the floud of the Ocean 309 to 312. 5. That the Suns intense heat in the torrid Zone is a potent adjuvant cause of the Oceans circulation and likewise the minima's descening from the Moon and the Polar Regions p. 313 to 316. CHAP. VIII Of the course of the Sea towards the Polar Coasts 1. What the Libration of the Ocean is That the Tides are not occasioned by Libration The Navil of the World Whence the Seas move towards the North Polar Why the Ebb is stronger in the Narrow Seas than the Floud and why the Floud is stronger than the Ebb in the Ocean Why the Irish Seas are so rough p. 316 317 318. 2. VVhy the Baltick Sea is not subjected to Tides The rise of the East Sea or Sinus Codanus p. 319. 3. The cause of the bore in the River of Seyne p. 320. 4. The causes of the courses of the Mediterranean The rise of this Sea ib. 321. CHAP. IX Of Inundations 1. Of the rise of the great Gulphs of the Ocean The causes of Inundations That the Deluge mentioned in Genesis was not universal The explanation of the Text. p 422 323. 2. The manner of the Deluge That it was not occasioned through the overfilling of the Ocean p. 324. 3. That there hapned very great Deluges since when and where p. 325. 4. The effects of the first deluge ib. 5. Inland Inundations p. 327. CHAP. X. Of the causes of the before-formentioned properties of Lakes 1. Whence the Lake Asphaltites is so strong for sustaining of weighty bodies and why it breeds no Fish The cause of qualities contrary to these in other Lakes The cause of the effects of the Lake Lerna p. 328. 2. Whence the vertues of the Lake Eaug of Thrace Gerasa the Lake among the Troglodites Clitorius Laumond Vadimon and Benaco are derived ib. 3. Whence the properties of the Lake Larius Pilats Pool and the Lake of Laubach emanate p. 329. CHAP. XI Of the rise of Fountains Rivers and Hills 1. That Fountains are not supplied by rain p. 330. 2. Aristotles opinion touching the rise of Fountains examined p. 331. 3. The Authors assertion concerning the rise of Fountains The rise of many principal Fountains of the world ib 332. 4. Why Holland is not mountanous p. 333. 5. That the first deluge was not the cause of Hills ib. 334 6. Whence that great quantity of water contained within the bowels of the Earth is derived p. 335. 7. Whence it is that most shores are mountanous Why the Island Ferro is not irrigated with any Rivers Why the Earth is depressed under the torrid Zone and elevated towards the Polars The cause of the multitude of Hills in some Countries and scarcity in others ib. 336. 8. How it is possible for the Sea to penetrate into the bowels of the Earth p. 337. CHAP XII Of the causes of the effects produced by Fountains 1. Whence some Fountains are deleterious The cause of the effect of the Fountain Lethe of Cea Lincystis Arania The causes of foecundation and of rendring barren of other Fountains The causes of the properties of the Fountains of the Sun of the Eleusinian waters of the Fountains of Illyrium Epirus Cyreniaca Arcadia the Holy Cross Sibaris Lycos of the unctious Fountain of Rome and Jacobs Fountain p. 338 339. 2. The causes of the effects of Ipsum and Barnet Wells p. 340. 3. Whence the vertues of the Spaw waters are derived ib. 4. Of the formal causes of Baths 341. CHAP. XIII Of the various Tastes Smells Congelation and Choice of Water 1. Various tastes of several Lakes Fountain and River waters p. 342. 2. The divers sents of waters p. 343. 3. The causes of the said Tastes That the saltness of the Sea is not generated by the broyling heat of the Sun The Authors opinion ib. 4. The causes of the sents of wates p. 345. 5. What Ice is the cause of it and manner of its generation Why some Countries are less exposed to frosts than others that are nearer to the Line ib. 346. 6. The differences of frosts Why a frost doth usually begin and end with the change of the Moon p. 347. 7. The original or rise of frosty minims Why fresh waters are aptest to be frozen How it is possible for the Sea to be frozen p. 348. 8. What waters are the best and the worst the reasons of their excellency and badaess p 349 350. CHAP. XIV Of the commerce of the Ayr with the other Elements 1. How the Air moves downwards VVhat motions the Elements would exercise supposing they enjoyed their Center VVhy the Air doth not easily toss the terraqueous Globe out of its place How the Air is capable of two contrary motions 351 352. 2. That the Air moves continually from East through the South to West and thence back again to the East through the North. p. 353. 3. An Objection against the airs circular motion answered p. 354. 4. The Poles of the Air. ib. 5. The proportion of Air to Fire its distinction into three profundities p. 355 CHAP. XV. Of the production of Clouds 1. VVhat a Cloud is how generated its difference How a Rainbow is produced Whether there appeared any Rainbows before the Floud 356 2. The generation of Rain p. 357. 3. How Snow and Hail are engendred p. 358. 4. The manner of generation of winds ib. to 362. 5 The difference of winds Of Monzones Provincial winds general winds c. Of the kinds of storms and their causes What a mist and a dew are p. 362 to 370. CHAP. XVI Of Earthquakes together with their effects and some strange instances of them 1. VVhat an Earthquake is The manner of its generation The concomitants thereof p. 370. 2. The kinds and differences of Earthquakes ib. 371 372. 3. The proof of the generation of Earthquakes p. 373. 4. Their Effects upon the air p. 374. CHAP. XVII Of fiery Meteors in the Air. 1. Of the generation of a Fools fire a Licking fire Helens fire Pollux
parallel'd to any but to themselves have affected Philosophy and preferred its worth above the esteem of all others David and Solomon the greatest of Kings extolled the Pleasure and Contentment flowing from their Contemplations above them of Glory and Honour and other secular Pleasures which they enjoyed in greater measure than any before or since Ptolomy Philadelphus King of Africa having weighed Triumphs or the Glories following Conquests and Victories which in their splendor do overtop all other kinds of Glories and are reputed among the greatest of Contentments and Joyes judged them to be more troublesom than pleasing For he had observed them to have been attendants in their highest eminence to his late Predecessors Alexander the Great and Ptolomy Lagus his Father and that their Contentments and Joyes supposed to slow thence were subject to a continual Eclipse through their immoderate aspiring to greater and through every Alarum of an Enemy and through the daily News of their revolting Subjects although but lately vanquished discomposing their Spirits Wherefore he composed himself to a peace and applied his mind to the study of Philosophy which did so much cultivate his understanding and please his thoughts that he endeavoured to procure the helps of men most Renowned far and near by an universal Invitation VI. A man naked and unpolisht doth more resemble a Brute than himself What Proprieties are there in wild Beasts but which you may find in West-Indians I mean those which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Men-eaters They slay and devour one another the shadow of each of them is a terrour to the other nothing begetteth tameness in them unless it be the presence of a Male with a Female which the Instinct of Nature and not their Reason doth compel them unto Nothing different from these should we be were it not that Philosophy did rectifie and redintegrate our Understandings To this we owe our right Reasoning Morality and Knowledge of all Natural and Supernatural Beings and without that we are nothing else but Ignorance and Barbarism A Divine will hardly reach to Theologick Vertues unless he be first endowed with Morals Neither is he like to compass the Knowledge of God unless he first admireth him in his Creatures and natural beings Civilians those who really merit that name grow expert in composing Differences between others by regulating Contentions arising between their own Soul and Body A Physitian incurreth a suspition of being a Mountebank or Astrologick Impostor in case he be not more than ordinarily versed in Natural Philosophy and questionless will be frustrated in his Cures unless he be exactly skilful in knowing the proportion of Animal Mineral and Vegetable Natures to the Nature of man which is demonstratively treated of in Natural Philosophy To this doth the great Hippocrates in his Book of Elegance elegantly exhort his Auditors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore we ought to apply Wisdom to the Art of Physick and the Art of Physick again to Wisdom for a Physitian who is a Philosopher is like unto God CHAP. II. Of the Nature of Philosophy 1. Whether Philosophy can be defined 2. Various Definitions of Philosophy How Plato did define it The Definition of Damascen 3. The Authors Definition of it That the Essence of God is as sensibly apprehended as the Essence of his Creatures 4. What is implyed by Knowledge 5. The Subjectum circa quod or Object of Philosophy 6. The Subjectum Inhaesionis or Subject wherein Philosophy is inherent MAny perswade themselves that Philosophy doth not admit a Definition that requiring an Unity in the Definitum or thing Defined which is not inherent in the Nature of Philosophy but rather a Multiplicity wherefore it can only be described To the contrary all Beings have an Unity for Ens unum convertuntur a Being and One are identificated so that whatever hath no unity is no Being But they granting Philosophy to be a Being cannot deny it an Unity and if it hath an unity it is definible A Being may be materially manifold and yet formally one and of that nature is Philosophy Philosophy is a knowledge of Beings by their Causes which is the Modus considerandi or Ratio formalis of it to wit of Philosophy But this is one Beings as they are the Materia are many nevertheless their universal Form in Philosophy is but one which is to be known by their Causes II. The Definitions of Philosophy are variously propounded by several Authors who disagree more in terms and words than in the thing it self Others again who seeming to define the Essence of a thing rather describe it by its Properties and Effects some of which serving to illustrate its Nature I shall not think amiss to produce Among these that of Plato is most cried up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philosophy is a Meditation upon death This Meditation upon death is that which goeth under the notion of a Platonick Extasie which is nothing else but a qualification requisite in a Philosopher whereby he doth withdraw his thoughts from singular and material things applying them to universal and immaterial beings or whereby he inclineth his Reason to his Fancy and diverteth his Mind from his senses So that in this Rapture a Philosopher hath his eyes open and seeth not and may be environed with Noyse and hear not Another Definition the said Divine Philosopher recommends approaching somwhat nearer to its Essence Philosophy is a likeness to God in as much as it is possible for a man to be like to God God is a Pattern to man in his actions according to the greatest perfection of vertue and in speculation or knowledge of all natural and supernatural Beings the habitual imitation of which is the true Philosophy Damascen in his Dialect Chap. 3. states this following Definition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philosophy is the Art of Arts and the Science of Sciences and the beginning of all Arts all which amounts to this Philosophy is a comprehension of all Arts and Sciences III. Philosophy is the knowledge of all cognoscible Beings By Knowledge understand a Habit of knowing a thing by its Definition or Essence that is by its internal and external Causes namely Matter Form and Efficient By internal Cause I intend a Principle through which a Being is constituted Some beings having only a single internal Cause as God and Angels are constituted by their Forms without Matter and for that reason are nominated Immaterial Others are constituted through a double internal Principle and from an efficient Cause as all Natural Beings Some obtain a single internal Principle and one efficient Cause as Angels God only consisteth of a single internal Principle which is his Form which is that which he is Hence God declares himself I am who I am Here may be offered an Objection That God cannot be known by the same Ratio Formalis cognoscendi as Naturals are since that these are considered in a distinct manner in their Matter and Form
that they should really divide the Will from the understanding or Mind which of its own nature is formally indivisible So that the forementioned Objection doth not conclude any thing against my Assertion since it infers not the will and understanding to be distinguished formally but to differ only in matter from which our division is prescinded V. Practick Knowledge is divided in Logick Moral Philosophy and the Art of Nature whereby she is helped and may otherwise be called the Art of Physick in a large sence These tripartited Parts being less universal and less mediate are drawn from a triple end or effect of Philosophy determined by a triple Object 1. The Soul 2. The Body 3. The Manners The end of Philosophy upon the Soul is to help it in its Defect consisting in its subjection to Errours which constitutes Logick The effect of Philosophy upon the Body is to relieve its Defects consisting in nakedness want of Conveniences and subjection to Diseases To this the Art of Physick prescribes Remedies and Helps 3. The Effect of Philosophy upon the Manners which are actions produced by Soul and Body joyned in unity is to regulate them in their Extravagancies and Depravations which specifieth Moral Philosophy Note that Logick and Moral Philosophy are here taken in their largest signification Theoretick Knowledge is divided according to the universal formality I mean Formality in respect to one another of the subdivided Members and not to Philosophy it self to which these are only material Subdivisions of the speculative Object which is threefold 1. A Material Object inherent in material Essences which limits it to Natural Philosophy 2. An Immaterial Object depending from immaterial Beings which determines it to Pneumatology 3. An Object communicable to both or abstracted from each which is a Being in general as it is communicable to material and immaterial Objects which constitutes the Subject of Metaphysicks VI. All inferiour and less universal Knowledges must be comprehended in some one of the divided Members of Philosophy otherwise it would be an erroneous Distribution wherefore some of the Liberal Arts as Arithmetick Grammar Rhetorick are reduced to the Art of Logick as it is taken in a large sense implying a Habit of guiding Reason being defective in its Judgment and in Elocution or Utterance The Arts of Musick Geometry Astrology are comprehended in the Art of Nature as also the Art of Physick strictly so called and the servile Arts as the Art of Husbandry of Weaving of Warring c. Likewise are Oeconomicks and Politicks referred to Moral Philosophy Astronomy to Natural Philosophy VII The most universal parts of Philosophy namely Theoretick and Practick are treated of inclusively as far as their Inferior Parts do contain them So that thereby Authors save the labour of discoursing of them separately and of repeating the same Matters in vain Nevertheless was that Partition necessary because through it Philosophy is contracted to its less universal Parts VIII The common quadripartited distribution of Philosophy is too strict the subjected Members exceeding its extention for example to what part of Philosophy will you reduce the Art of Medicine possibly you may refer it to Natural Philosophy which may not be because the one is practick and the other speculative The like Question may be demanded concerning all the Servile and Liberal Arts Wherefore it was requisite to add the Art of Nature to the practick Knowledges Pneumatology hath been abusively treated of in Metaphysicks because its Object namely Spirits is more contracted then a Being in general If you answer that it is a part dividing a Being in general and therefore it ought to be reduced to its whole then by vertue of that Argument Natural Philosophy ought to be referred to the same Science because that is the other opposite dividing part for a Being in Metaphysicks is treated of as it is abstracted from a Material and Immaterial Substance CHAP. V. 1. What Method is requisite in the Ordering of the particular Treatises of the several Parts of Philosophy 2. What Order is observed in the Placing of the General Parts of Philosophy I. THe Method requisite in the Ordering of the particular Treatises of the several Parts of Philosophy is not indifferent most preferring a Synthetick in Theoretick and an Analytick Method in Practick Knowledges all excluding an Arbitrary Method in matters necessary and such are Philosophick II. The Order observed in the placing of the General Parts of Philosophy is drawn from their Dignity or primality of Existence If from their Dignity Pneumatology is the first because of its most excellent Object The next Metaphysicks because of its most general Object Moral Philosophy is the first in respect of time because our Will is the first Faculty we exercise next after our Production whose first act is to incline a Child to suck which being subject to be immoderate in it is learned by use and direction of its Nurse to be better regulated in its appetite and to know the Rule of Temperance Hence it is an universal saying Disciplinae fuerunt prius in usu quam in arte Disciplines were in use before they were in art The Will being the first which required the help of Prudence and Moral Philosophy was the only cause which moved Socrates to teach Morals first and not because the Science of Physicks were or seemed to be obscure and hard to be known for even in them he was more skilful and learned than any ever was among the Heathens The first in Nature and respect to Knowledge is Metaphysicks comprehending all the others in it self The first quoad nos is Logick which doth dispose our understanding for the Discipline of the other parts Each of these Parts obtain a distinct consideration Metaphysicks are considered as abstracted and Immaterial that is most remote from Singulars not properly immaterial as a Spirit but as inherent in its less universals and by contraction may be material Physicks are considered as a less universal and nearest to Singulars which by their common habit and Representation exhibit a common unity which constitutes a less universal wherefore whatever cannot be proved by experience that is by our Senses to be existent in Singulars makes an Opinion or Errour in the universals So that the proof of Pneumatology as well as of Natural Philosophy depends from our Senses and experience in Singulars Wherefore every Philosopher ought to make probation of all Assertions in whatever part of Philosophy it be by Arguments drawn either mediately or immediately from Singulars and especially in Natural Philosophy which way of Arguing produceth a Certainty and Evidence or Demonstration Metaphysicks The Second Book CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Metaphysicks 1. Of the Etymology and Synonima's of Metaphysicks 2. The Authors Definition of Metaphysicks That a Being is univocal to an objective and a real Being 3. The true formal and adequate Object of Metaphysicks 4. Wherein Metaphysicks differs from Philosophy IT will be needless to propound any thing
it self Neither is that first or immediate likeness of a real being properly a likeness but rather an Impression made by its presential action whereas a likeness is properly that which is abstracted from the Impression already made by a real being and in the absence of it that is when we are not employed in the understanding of a real being So that a proper likeness is between two beings formally different from one another I will illustrate this by an example Frame a Likeness upon an Impression of a real being as of a Dog as long as that Impression lasteth you cannot make a Likeness upon it for we can exercise but one act of the understanding faculty at once For one formal power exerciseth but one formal act It is then necessary that the Impression should be finished by the cessation of the alteration of that real being upon the Sensories which I call the absence of a real being a parte rei or the intermission of understanding a real being a parte actus Intellectus The Impression being finisht by the absence of that real being namely of the Dog the understanding by a reflexe and mediate Likeness upon that Impression may by another action relate that likeness abstracted from that Impression to that same Dog again which action is a distinct operation of the mind formally differing from that first action of receiving an Impression and so that Dog framed in the understanding is like to the first Impression of that real Dog again Where observe that this Likeness is not the same Impression which that Dog made upon the Sensories but a being abstracted in the passive understanding by the Active of the same likeness to that same Impression III. Another Argument to prove the formality of an Objective being to consist in a likeness to a real being is this As Beasts and Men are formally distinct in their Essence so also they are formally distinct in their formal Operations Hence I proceed thus The perceiving of a real being is proper to a Beast the perceiving of an objective being is only proper unto men Wherefore as them two operations are formally different so are their Acts which is the perceiving of a real being and of a formal being and consequently an Objective being doth differ from a real being These Operations being supposed to be formally different I say that that which makes them formally different is the Ratio formalis of each That which argues or makes a being to be real is its perception by the animal Senses This is evident because Beasts who do perceive and discern real beings for they discern Grass from water their own Stable from another which they cannot perceive but by their senses Ergo the perception by animal sense is the Ratio formalis of a real being That which makes an Objective being is that whereby a man is distinct from a Beast which is a power of framing likenesses by a reflexion upon the Animal perception or Impression and is an act whereby a man is formally distinct from a Beast For a Beast cannot frame any Likeness Ergo The Formality of an Objective being doth consist in a Likeness to a Real being You may Object that you can apprehend a being existing in your mind to be a real being Ergo Whatever is thought is not thought to be like to a real being but somthing may be thought to be a real being I Answer That that which you think to be a real being you think it to be like to a real being and because of that you say it is a real being For example Suppose you think the Pope to be a real man your thinking of him to be so is nothing else but your thinking him to be like to a man and therefore you say he is a man Moreover although an objective being consisteth in a likeness to a real being the Conclusion thence is not that that which is an objective being is no real being that is that hath no real being for its foundation for the definition doth imply it neither are you to conclude that an objective being is a contradictorily opposite to a real being that is that an objective being doth not respond to a real being because a real being doth not exist in that manner of conjunction as an objective being is somtime conceived viz. a Dog-cat is an Ens Rationis now the apprehending of these both together that is one a top the other doth not make them formally and essentially distinct from each other supposing them to be conceived distinctly for that is but accidental to them and in effect they are conceived distinctly in the same manner as I have declared in the Sixth Chapter This then being granted to be accidental to an Objective being we must necessarily suppose each of them singly viz. the Dog and the Cat existing at present only in the understanding to be an objective being What will you call them beings real beings which now are existent only in your understanding and cannot move your cognoscible faculty really from without at the same time when you know them from within Further supposing that each Component of a compounded ens rationis is an Ens Rationis as formally it is for how can a whole compounded ens rationis be said to be an whole Ens Rationis unless its parts are likewise Entia Rationis Nihil est in effectu quin prius suerit in causis there is nothing contained in the effect but what was before existent in its Causes and such as the effect is such must the Cause have been it is impossible that you can think or conceive any such components but which are respondable to a real being Neither is it proper to call that being which you have conceived in your mind to be like to a real being although that real being be before you a real being because now it is objective and existent in the active Intellect moving the passive Intellect actually But in case you leave that Objective being and reflect your senses to that same being which is before then that being which doth now move your sensual cognoscibility is said to be a real being But here you may say that an objective being is formally different from a real being wherefore an Objective being ought not so much as to have a power of existing really which according to this Discourse it hath and therefore the fore-stated Definition of an Objective is not to be allowed I Answer That an Objective being is formally different from a real being and is impossible ever to be formally a real being For in that I assert a being to be Objective I assert that it is not real neither can an Objective being quatenus objective be real quatenus real Lastly Is a Mule more or less an ens rationis because it is generated from different Species or constituted in unity by partâ— of a different Species Certainly no. So neither is a Hirco cervus Goat-stagge more or less an
may demand to what Science or Art it belongeth to treat of final Causes I answer That they are treated of in Logick and Moral Philosophy but in a different manner Logick discourseth of final Causes as Notions thereby to direct the understanding in enquiring into the truth of things and Ethicks treats of them as they are dirigible to Good and Happiness III. An Efficient Cause is erroneously divided in a procreating and conservating Cause A procreating cause is by whose force a being is produced A conservating cause is by whose vertue a being is conservated in its Essence I prove that this Division is not real but objective only The dividing Members of a real division must be really distinct from one another But these are not really distinct c. Ergo. The Major is undeniable I confirm the Minor All beings are conservated by the same Causes by which they were procreated Therefore really the same I prove the Antecedence Nutritive causes are conservant causes But Nutritive causes are the same with Procreative causes Ergo. The Minor is evidenced by a Maxim Iisdem nutrimur quibus constamus We are nourished by the same causes by which we do subsist or have our Essence Wherefore Nutritive or Conservant Causes are really for by Nutriture we are conservated or a parte rei the same differing only objectively a parte actus Here you may answer that these Instances are of material causes but not of Efficients To this I reply That no cause can be a conservative cause but a Material Cause As for an Efficient cause I prove it to be no conservating cause That which conservateth a being must conservate its essence namely Matter and Form but Matter and Form are conservated only internally by apposition of that which is like to what was dissipated or which is like to themselves Wherefore an Efficient can be no conservating cause because it acteth only externally or from without A being might be conservated externally if its impairment did befal it from without that is from an external Agent which is only accidental to it An efficient then may Logically be called a conservative cause per Accidens IV. An Efficient is likewise divided in solitary and social A solitary Efficient is which produceth an effect alone or without the assistance of another cause A social cause is which produceth an effect joyntly with another As two Watermen rowing in one Boat are social causes of the moving of the Boat through the water This Division is no less illegal then the other I prove it All beings act alone and in unity as far as they are Causes and although two or more concur to the effect of a being yet they two act formally but as one and their Ratio Agendi is one Ergo formally they are but one as far as they are Causes yet in the foresaid instance as they are men they are two which duplicity is accidental to a cause The same Argument may be urged against the division of a cause in a cause perse and a cause per Accidens in univocal and equivocal in universal and particular V. An Efficient is Internal or External An Internal Efficient is which produceth an effect in it self An external Efficient is which produceth an effect in another This division is stranger then any of the rest The strangeness consisteth in this that thereby a being is capable to act upon it self and consequently upon its like Which if so what can it effect but that which was before It cannot produce a distinct being because it doth not act distinctly but identificatively This granted infers That the Soul being the internal cause of its Faculties as they affirm cannot produce any thing but what is like to it self Consequently that the Faculties are identificated with the soul and thence that a Substance is an Accident and an Accident a Substance 2. A Substance acting upon it self that is upon its sibi simile like for what is more like to a Substance then it self produceth a distinct effect and not its like which is another absurdity following the forementioned Division Iâ— will also follow hence that a substance doth act immediately through it self which is against their own Dictates To remove this last Objection they answer that a Substance may or can and doth act immediately through it self by emanation but can or doth not act by transmutation They describe an emanative action to be whereby an effect is produced immediately without the intervent of an Accident This description doth not distinguish Transmutation from Emanation for transmutation is also whereby an effect is produced without the intervent of an Accident and so transmutation may be as immediate to its Agent as emanation If there is any difference it is this in that emanation is an action not terminating or influent upon any other being but in and upon it self Transmutation is the Termination of its Influence upon another being Pray tell me why emanation may not be as properly called transmutation as not for there is no effect but which is different from its cause and changed by its cause For if it is not changed it remaines the cause still Ergo Emanation is also a Transmutation The Faculties of the Soul are said to be emanative effects Ergo they must be its understanding Faculty only for this only doth not terminate in any other being but in it self As for the other Faculties to wit vital and sensitive they are effects of the soul terminated in other beings Ergo These are no emanative Actions as they affirm them to be That which hath the most probability of being an emanative action and distinct from transmutation is the understanding faculty of the Soul Neither is this action distinct from Transmutation That which doth change the soul is an Object but the soul of it self alone doth not act or cannot act upon it self unless it be changed by an Object for were there no Object the Souls Rational Faculty would be nothing and frustraneous wherefore it is generally held that Angels when created had also notions or species which are objects concreated with their understanding Ergo emanative actions are also transmutative All matter is transient Wherefore the division of matter in transient and immanent is erroneous Transient matter is out of which a being is constituted by transmutation so bloud is the transient matter of flesh Immanent matter is out of which a being is constituted without any transmutation as Wood is the immanent matter of a Ship Here one part of the division is referred to a Natural Production the other to artificial How is this then a regular distribution since its dividing Members ought to be of one Species or kind The same Improbation may be applied against the distribution of matter in sensible and intelligible which distinctions are accidental to matter and therefore may be justly omitted for we ought to insert nothing in a Science but what doth essentialy relate to its Subject Hence Aristotles Precept is in
a Material one but none Real XIII Besides all this there is an Absolute Power conferred upon Gods Creatures in general and upon man in particular I do not mean Absolute Simpliciter for that were Repugnant as I have proved in my Theol. but secundam quid I will further explain it to you The Power which all Creatures have of being and acting at that present Moment wherein they enjoy their being and do act is absolute because they cannot but enjoy that same being and act at that Moment wherein they have a Being and do act Ergo it is Absolute but not simpliciter for were it so then they would obtain that absolute power of being from and out of their own Nature which we know is dependent from Gods Power and according to this sense none consisteth of an absolute power but God alone because his Nature is alone independent It is then absolute secundum quid because God hath ordained that which is to be and that which ever hath been to have been and that which shall be to come to pass In short Absolute secundum quid I take for that which is unchangeable as all beings and their Actions are in that sense as I have proposed They are unchangeable because Gods Ordination in Creating Giving Forbearing and in all other Particulars is unchangeable This Distinction is of that use that many Points in Divinity cannot be resolved but by its being applied to them I shall content my self with the having named it since I have Treated of it at large in another Part of my Philosophy XIV The Absolute secundum quid powers which God hath conferred upon his Creatures are by Physitians otherwise termed Faculties Facultates which are derived from a faciendo doing that is they are actual dispositions whereby Effects are done Hence Galen Lib. 1. de Natur. Facult Par. 3. Prima euim actionis ipsius potentia causa est The first cause of an Action saith he is the power And in another place of the same Book he renders himself thus Facultatum quatuor naturalium essentia in partium singularum nutriendarum temperie est that is The Essence of the four Natural Faculties consisteth in the temperament of the parts that are to be nourished which is nothing different then if he had said the Faculties Facultates sunt temperamenta facientia are temperaments actually doing effects Now it is evident that Galen held the Temperament of bodies to be their Forms which if so then questionless his Opinion tended to assert that Powers and their Subjects were really identificated and that all powers were actual Moreover we shall find throughout all his Tomes that his sense touching powers and Faculties doth e Diametro agree with what I have set down in this present Treatise As for Hippocrates I cannot read a word throughout all his works but what tends against Aristotle in every Particular forasmuch as it relate to our Subject In the Conclusion I must remember you to observe that many Terms as Formal Substance Accident and divers others I have somtimes made use of in the same sense as I have proposed them in the Foregoing Chapters other times I have intended them in the same Acception which Philosophers vulgarly receive them in But herein the Sense of the Matter will easily direct you FINIS RELIGIO PHILOSOPHI OR Natural Theology The FIRST PART The fourth Book By Gedeon Harvey Doctor of Physick and Philosophy LONDON Printed by A. M. for Samuel Thomson at the Sign of the Bishops-head in St Paul's Church-yard 1663. TO HIS Most Honoured Mother ELIZABETH HARVEY Dear Mother AMong those serious Admonitions which from your singular Affection and Care you have so oft repeated to me This I remember hath been one of the most earnest of them that above all I should mind things of Eternity such as alone can make me eternally Happy Herein I cannot but acknowledge your greatest Love tending to invest me with the greatest Happinesse returning you all thanks that so great a Benefit is worthy of Moreover to shew my entire Obedience to so important a Command I have here drawn up a few Heads touching the Greatest Happinesse and the Means whereby to procure it which I do with all humility present unto you as a Debt due to your self in regard I have extracted the principal Rules from the Rudiments which your constant Practice and wholesome Precepts had in my younger years infus'd in me The cause and object which alone can afford us this infinite Happinesse is the Summum Bonum whereunto we are to direct all our aim which that we may with successe attain unto are the continual Prayers of Your most affectionate and obedient Sonne Gedeon Harvey RELIGIO PHILOSOPHI OR Natural Theology The FIRST PART The fourth Book CHAP. I. Of the Nature of Natural Theology 1. What Theology is 2. That Theosophy is a fitter name to signifie the same which is here intended by Theology That in knowing God we become Philosophers 3. What a Habit is 4. What it is to live happily That there is a mean or middle way of living which is neither living in happiness or living in misery 5. How Theology is divided 6. What Natural Theology is What Supernatural Theology is The first Doubts of a natural man 7. The Dignity of Theology I. THEOLOGY is a habit of enjoying the greatest Good and living in the greatest Happiness This practick Science might from the eminence and transcendence of its end and object crave a more excellent name for Theology signifieth only a discourse of God and expresseth a Theoretick Science and therefore is too strict to adequate the whole and full concept of what is generally intended by Theology This name is fitter to be imposed upon the Doctrine of God as he is theoretically discoursed of in Pneamatology The parts of which Doctrine might be aptly denoted by Theology Angelology and Psychelogy whereas this noble Science is better expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or wisdome of God because wisdome comprehendeth an universal collection of all practick and theoretick Sciences all which we know by knowing God and we know them to be in and from God For do we not know that all natural Beings are in and from God they are in God because God comprehendeth and conserveth them in and by his Power Is not God the Pattern of our Actions And do we not know that our actions are good or evil from knowing them to have some likeness to his Actions or to be altogether different from them Do we not know our selves in knowing God wherefore without knowing God we know Nothing In knowing God to be the first Cause and Creator of all natural Beings we know Natural Philosophy and become Natural Philosophers In discerning good from evil in our actions by comparing them to the most perfect actions of God we attain to Moral Philosophy In knowing him to be the Being of Beings we reach to the knowledge of supernatural Philosophy or Metaphysicks
moral or voluntary actions We need not augment the number of internal principles by adding Habits to them these being supposed to alter the forestated principles accidentally only and not essentially How Habits ' are acquired and how intended remitted and corrupted we have set down elswhere Neither are God or Angels properly said to be external principles since all principles strictly are required to be internal But God may be justly termed the coefficient of the actions of man since God worketh in us to will and to do Angels whether good or evil Wizards and Witches cannot concur efficiently to the effecting of humane actions to which an infinite power is onely sufficient whereas they consisting of a limited power are therefore render'd uncapable They may concurre to the specification of an act as persuasive causes in bending man's will to this or that act by changing the phansie in stirring up the humours and spirits of the brain whereby it may represent objects otherwise than they are or by presenting objects through a false image or representation or by changing the external sensories Whence we may observe that it is not in the Devils power to make or force us to doe a thing against our wils but that we may discover resist and refuse his deceitfull motions or otherwise we might be justly thought excusable wherefore if we do at any time commit evil through the perswasion of an evil spirit we must not onely accuse the wicked spirit but our selves also After our discourse upon the will there remains alone to appose a word or two touching humane actions II. Humane actions otherwise called moral and voluntary are such as are effected by man as farre as he is a man or are produced by his will or practick understanding Wherefore whatever man acteth with the fore-knowledge and fore-command of his practick understanding is humane and voluntary A voluntary action may be purely voluntary and free or mixt out of a Voluntas and Noluntas that is willed with a reluctancy The first acception of Voluntary Aristotle terms voluntary strictly so called the latter he denominates involuntary but improperly III. It is absurd to assert man to do a thing ignorantly since it is impossible for a man to do any thing which he doth not fore-know Wherefore it must be an errour in the Peripateticks to affirm that man can act an involuntarium quiddam ex ignorantia because he acteth nothing but what is consented unto partially or totally by his will which cannot will any thing as the Peripatetick definition holds forth without the foreknowledge of the understanding Hence I conclude that nothing is to be termed involuntary or mixtly voluntary unlesse a man is forced to it violently or by a cause acting from without IV. Here may be demanded Whether evils of omission of duties required by a Law committed by man when he is ignorant of the said Law are to be termed involuntary No certainly for they are voluntary in that the omission of an act is as much an act of the will as the effection of it But whether such omissions or commissions which a man doth will are to be termed evil in regard he willed them through ignorance which had he not been ignorant of he would not have willed is to be decided from the circumstances of such actions and not from the imputing such actions not to be the actions of man or not to be voluntary Moreover I answer That no kind of ignorance doth make an action neutral that is neither good or evil and excusable but an invincible ignorance What invincible ignorance and other kinds of ignorances are I do wittingly omit the inserting since they are vulgarly enough known As for such circumstances which are required to render humane actions good or evil I have set down in the latter end of this Book V. The action of the will is accidentally divided in fruition and intention Fruition is the continuated coveting and willing of an object already before coveted and now enjoyed Intention is a mediate coveting of means whereby to covet an object immediately or to arrive to the fruition of it Intention contains in it three inferiour actions 1. Election whereby the practick understanding doth by a preceding deliberation covet one or more objects for a means out of many 2. Consent which is a further coveting of that or them objects which it hath elected so as to be confirmed and pleased in that election 3. Usus or Usance otherwise called execution which is the application of the means now elected and consented unto to a further action CHAP. XIII Of Natural Faith 1. That Faith is the sole means through which we are to attain to our greatest good What Faith is The Definition confirmed by Arguments deduced from reason 2. The two-fold object of Faith A proof from reason that God is the Creator of man That God and Nature are one 3. An enquiry into the end of man's creation 4. That man doth know the summe of God's Law through the light of Nature A summary enumeration of the Law of God as it is imprinted upon every man's heart 5. Moral virtues compared with the moral Law A comprehension of all moral virtues I Have just now finisht my Discourse upon the subject of this Tract that which fals next under our consideration is the means through which we are to attain to our greatest Good and happinesse The sole means is Faith Faith is a certain knowledge of God and the Law and an assurance in and of God's mercy and goodnesse The genus proximum and differentia proxima are signals that their Definitum or thing defined is not an historical or temporary faith or saith of miracles onely but a justifying and glorifying faith necessarily comprehending in it self the three other kinds as degrees by which the soul doth gradually ascend to an exalting faith Among other School-Divines it goeth under the name of an explicite Faith Fides the same with the Definitum deriveth its denomination from fidere a word not in use among the later Latinists whose signification the verb confidere hath since supplied which is to rest contented and fully satisfied Wherefore assurance implying a certain practical knowledge freed from all doubts and causing this rest and satisfaction doth justly and properly deserve the place of the Genus in this Definition The certainty which Faith doth bring with it depends upon the certainty and necessity of its premises which being necessary and certain infers a certain and necessary conclusion If God is mercifull he will save them that beg mercy But God is mercifull and I do beg mercy Therefore God will save me This Conclusion as depending upon unchangeable and certain premises holds forth that Faith is an undoubted assurance of God's mercy and that he will save a zealous believer No wonder then if Faith doth create this quietnesse rest and satisfaction Austin de Civit. Dei lib. 19. cap. 18. tels us no lesse To the Acadamicks all things are
uncertain but the City of God doth quite detest such kind of doubting like madnesse having a most certain knowledge of them things which it comprehendeth in it's mind and reason II. The object about which Faith is conversant is double 1. God and the Law 2. God's infinite mercy and transcendent goodnesse This duplicity is necessary because first we must know our present state Secondly how to get out of that state into a better Our present state is made known unto us through knowing God and the Law The way whereby to change this state for a better is through an assurance in God's mercy and goodnesse A natural man after having made enquiry what he is and finding that he is a man a Rational living creature above all other creatures in the world and of a most excellent and admirable essence cannot but straight way admire and search from who or whence he had this noble being Certainly although if he hath never heard of God or attained to the knowledge of him yet his reason will direct him to observe daily experience which sheweth him that every man descends from his parents and they from their progenitours or that man is continuated by propagation By the same rule of experience he is also instructed that all things in the world are finite and have a beginning and ending If so then there must be one first cause from which all Beings derive their Essence This cause is an universal cause by reason that all things have received their being from it If all things are derived from this universal cause then certainly the race of man had its beginning also thence Some of the ruder sort may object that all things are by nature In answer to this I demand what they mean by nature they will reply an universal cause which acteth most uniformly and unchangeably Secondly I demand through what principle all things are continued They say through the same nature Nature say they acteth most wisely and most providently and hath so acted from all eternity This is so farre from an objection against us that it is an argument for us For by these very words they expresse God who is nature Natura naturans and the sole universal cause acting most uniformly unchangeably secundum volunt atem ordinatam most wisely providently from all eternity and continuating all things from the beginning untill the ending Let an Atheist therefore answer never so perversly concerning the first cause of all beings yet nolens volens he doth plainly confesse that there is a God although under another name of Nature III. Man knowing that God hath created him he cannot but wonder for what end For God thinks he acteth nothing in vain He is sure it is not for to eat drink and live for were it so God needed not to have conferred a reasoning or understanding faculty upon him because he could have eaten drunk and lived without an understanding The end therefore for which he was created must be that to what his understanding makes him capable His understanding is capable of knowing God and his Laws of praising serving obeying God and living according to his Commandments As for his Commandments he will find them written in his heart IV. 1. He may easily gather That there is but one true God because he is Almighty and can work all things If then there were more Gods than one it supposeth that they are not almighties but must work sociably one with the other or if they are almighties that as many as are more than one are in vain for one is Almighty and can do all things if he can do all things then there is nothing remaining for the others to do who must then be in vain But to imagine otherwise is absurd Ergo There is but one true God and all the others are false gods 2. God is a Spirit and therefore will only be worshipped in Spirit This was not unknown to the Heathens Si Deus est animus nobis ut carmina dicunt Hic tibi praecipue sit pura mento colendus If God a Spirit be as most of Poets say In purity of mind we must unto him pray What a vain thing is it for man to worship an Image as if God could not perceive or know our worship without that Image or as if we could not know God without an Image If we can truly make an Image of God then God is no Spirit but an old man as the Papists picture him 3. A Lord's servant seldom speaks of him without naming of him his Lordship or his Honour or tho Right Honourable and so doth reverence and homage his very name and no doubt but a Lord would conceive himself much provoked should his servant take his name in vain much more ought man who is the meanest servant of the Lord of Lords name his name with all reverence and humility for God is most highly provoked in hearing of his name taken in vain 4. There is an ordinary manner of serving God which ought to continue at all times in doing all things to his glory God doth permit man to do that which tends to his conservation neverthelesse at those times we ought to praise God for giving us strength and means whereby we are preserved There is also an extraordinary manner of serving God when we for bear from all temporal and corporeal actions and abide wholly in spiritual exercises for a day a week or a moneth Assuredly this is acceptable to God and therefore we ought to repeat it often These are the duties which a man may gather are to be performed to God But this is not all there are other duties remaining respecting to ones self and others Among others some are particularly related to us as our parents some in a common and general relation only as our neighbours 5. The Duty which we owe to our parents nature teacheth us as to honour love and obey them 6. The Duty to our selves and others is to do what we can to preservate our selves and our neighbours not to injure or kill our selves or others To do to others as we would have other do to us We must shun all envy anger and hatred 7. A man is not to defile himself or another Modesty unchast thoughts carnal desires wanton gestures are by the light of nature adjudged evil and sinfull 8. We ought to render to every one what is his We are not to wrong our neighbours in his goods houses cattel or corn c. We must detest cheating defrauding or crafty over-reaching of our neighbours whether by lies false measures else weights or moneys and usury c. 9. A false oath is unjust and injurious the like are slanderings lies and backbitings the harbouring of bad thoughts of others without a manifest cause 10. We are not so much as to have the least desire to what is not our own if it be to the wrong of another unlesse we desire withall to give full satisfaction and contentment
God By no means God is not pleased with any praises but of such as are like to him as for others they are an abomination to him Praising denotes a gladnesse or joy which cannot he in any one who is yet detained by his original misery We must therefore desire God to help us in striving and resisting against all bodily pleasures and passions I say strive for we must labour hard or else God will scarce help us And this was not unknown to the worst of Heathens as their common saying doth witnesse Dii laboribus omnia vendunt The gods sell all things for labour When now you begin to feel your misery to be lessened then praise God with all your heart and with all gladnesse for his Mercy and Goodnesse extended towards you and herein you are to abide for ever for as God's Mercy is without end even so must you continue in praises without end Lastly Beg of God to illuminate your understanding that you may understand all things more distinctly thereby to admire God the more And now you do begin somewhat to resemble the first man in all his mental operations and felicities But the body still remaining unclean it is necessary for the soul to leave it for a while that it may be purified through fire with the rest of the Elements and so be made a fit palace to receive the soul in again The soul needs no purification and therefore ascendeth directly to God's bosome So that I do much agree herein that there is a Purgatory for the body but none for the soul. XIII Hereupon enquiry may be made Whether the soul expiring out of the body and carried to God if Good or to the Devil if evil is to be an Angel or to live with God for ever without any office Or Whether she is to be re-united to the body when purified It is probable that the soul deserting the body is to be immediately an Angel and to continue in office untill such time that the compleat number of souls have likewise finisht their course I prove it It is improbable that the soul should desist from serving God and professing its duty because she was created for the same end Secondly Her condition would exceed that of Angels were she exempted from all duty these being also created for God's service for Spirits are called Angels from their Office which is to serve God The word is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoting a messenger which again from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I send The Office which the separated soul is capable of exercising is of taking care of souls yet in the body in helping and assisting them for as the Devil doth seduce us by depraving our appetites and fancies so to the contrary do Angels enlighten our understandings and suppress our immoderate appetites XIV This office they shall remain in untill the consummation of the world at which time every soul shall be re-united to its body now purified by fire and transformed into a splendid substance All the Elements shall then be sublimed into a pure nature and all other things else shall return to what they were at the time of the first man's innocency Beasts shall receive new natures their wild ones shall become tame and obedient to man as formerly The poisonous herbs shall be changed again into wholsome All flowers shall re-indue their primitive fragrancy Summarily all men that shall escape the terrour of that great day of judicature shall be placed in the same state and Paradice which the first man enjoyed and the same Law shall be imposed upon men as before Man shall abide eternally in Paradise he shall eat and drink but he shall not generate The great instrument and cause of man's redemption shall eternally reign over him Here I have described man's second Paradise there remains only the proof of its particulars 1. That the separated soul shall be re-united to its body is apparent because God created her at first with a natural propensity to the body and that she should be a perfection to it which propensity is yet remaining in her because God doth not recall any thing that he doth or hath done This propensity is a certain sign that God will raise up its body again otherways it would be in vain The body 't is likely will be the same Quoad formam accidentalem figuram according to its precedent form shape and figure because thereby the saved souls may know one another again when they meet in Paradise and rejoyce together alwayes praising God for his mercy and goodnesse XV. The soul being now returned to its body must be contained by a corporeal place This corporeal place must be a Paradise upon earth because God did first bestow it upon man as being agreeable to his integrity and perfection and of the other side as being consentaneous to God's infinite goodnesse through which he conferred a compleat and entire happinesse upon man The same now remaining to wit man's perfection and God's goodnesse it is certain that he will conferre the same happinesse upon man namely Paradise because God in his wisdom finding it to be suitable to man then will ordain the same again now his wisdom being the same If God then is pleased to conferre the same Paradise upon man it is evident that all the Elements shall be purified otherwayes how could it be a fit place for to imbrace so pure a substance The same Law 't is probable shall continue because the same obedience and duty will be required from man as before Beasts Herbs and Flowers the second Paradise shall abound with because God judged it convenient before and therefore his wisdome being unchangeable will judge the same then He shall eat and drink because otherwayes the fruits of Paradise and mans nutritive organs should be in vain He shall not generate because the number of men will be compleated The cause and instrument of our Redemption was an entirely righteous and effentially holy man yet more than a man for it was impossible for man alone to satisfie God's justice since then the chief instrument of our salvation was a man his body being of the same nature with others must require a corporeal place but of this little can be said since man through his reason cannot dive unto it neither is it revealed unlesse obscurely What shall I say more to you O that most splendid second Paradise abounding with innumerable springs of ineffable joys This is the Palace whither the victorious Soul shall be conducted by a number of glorious Angels to the greatest of Kings attended by myriads of Cherubims there in the sight of them all to receive the Laurel and to be installed into an everlasting dignity office and possession Thence she takes her place among those illustrious attendants and sings Hymns to the melodious ear of the chief Musician O hear their sweet noise ring Gloria Gloria Deo in excelsis Te Deum laudamus in
observe that nature is the Seal and Impression of Gods Will and Omnipotence upon every being through which they are that which they are Hence Nature is called the Hand of God Hence it is also called the Order and universal Government among all natural beings through which one being doth depend upon the other and is useful and necessary to the other This is evident in many moving living Creatures as most Cattel whose dependance and Preservation is from and through Vegetables as from Herbs their 's again is from the juyce of the earth and that from a mixture of all the Elements The same subordinate use and good is also observed among all other beings in the world Hence nature is called the strength and vertue of a being for their strength and vertue is nothing else but an actual disposition and propension in beings In this sense we say the nature of fire is to levitate of earth to gravitate IV. I did rather chuse to say a natural being then a natural body for to avoid an improperty of speech because a body is properly and ordinarily taken for matter and so we usually say that man consisteth of a Soul and body and that a natural being consisteth of a form and body or matter Neither is it a motive rather for to say a natural body then a natural being because a being is of too large an extent for a being is restricted from that Latitude of signification by adding natural V. After the exposition of this Definition of nature it will not be amiss to compare that of Aristotles to it Nature is the Principle of Motion and rest of a being wherein it is existent through it self and not by accident It was the Opinion of Aristotle that nature was a substance and nevertheless here he seemeth to make an Accident of it for that which acteth immediately through it self is not a substance but an Accident because according to his dictates a substance doth not act immediately through it self but through its accidents if then a natural being acteth through its nature that is its Matter and Form then nature must be an accident and consequently matter and form are also accidents which he did in no wise intend 2. Suppose that nature were a substance it would be absurd to assert that a natural being did act through a substance of rest and motion which doth inhere in it self for then there would be a penetration of bodies and an Identification of Subsistencies You may reply That nature is not a substance of motion and rest but a substantial Principle Pray what is a substantial Principle but a substance 3. It is plainly against the Principles of Aristotle to say that a Principle is no substance for Matter and Form are Principles but these he granteth to be substances 4. If again granted that these are substances and not vertues then it must necessarily follow that a Form being an active Principle doth act through it self and thence a Form is called active It must also follow that Matter which is another Principle of motion acteth efficiently withal because motion proceedeth from an Efficient or from a Form and wherefore is Matter then called a passive Principle Your Answer to this will be that Matter is not the Principle of Motion but of Rest. I take your Answer but what kind of rest do you mean Is it a rest from local Motion or a rest from Alteration or Augmentation It must be a rest from some of these three It cannot be a rest from local motion because all beings are not capable of a rest from local motion then it must be a rest from alteration or augmentation Neither can it be a rest from any of these For all beings are constantly and at all times in alteration and consequently are either augmented or diminished What rest can it then be It is no rest from Action for then matter could be no Principle or cause for all causes do act 5. How can Matter and Form which are Principles before their union be substances since that a substance is a perfect being which doth subsist in unity through it self and thereby is distinct from all other beings but matter or form can neither of them subsist through themselves or have any unity or distinction 6. A Form is not a Principle of rest in all natural bodies through it self but by accident for all bodies are through themselves continually in motion as will further appear in its proper place VI. Wherefore for to avoid all these Absurdities Contradictions and Improperties of Speech it is necessary to assert 1. That Nature is a Property of a natural being through which it acteth 2. That a Property is really Identificated with its subject and consequently that Natural is not really differing from a natural body This property denotes a propension or actual disposition through which the said body is rendred active By activeness I understand whereby all is constituted whatever is actually inherent in a being as Existence Subsistence and all its other Properties so that Nature or Natural in Physicks is a Property equivalent to the Modes or Attributes of Truth and Goodness in Metaphysicks VII Nature differeth from Art in that she acteth conformably to the Divine Idea or Intention but Art acteth conformably to the intellectual Idea Wherefore nature is infallibly immutable constant perpetual certain because it dependeth from an infallible immutable constant perpetual and certain Cause but Art is fallible changeable inconstant and uncertain because it dependeth from the humane Intellect which is fallible changeable inconstant and uncertain As man is uncapable of acting without God so is Art incapable of effecting any thing without Nature Nature is infinitely beyond Art What Art is there which can produce the great world or any thing comparable to the little world Whatever excellent piece a man doth practise through Art it is no further excellent then it is like unto Nature neither can he work any thing by Art but what hath nature for its Pattern What is it a Limner can draw worthy of a mans sight if natural beauties are set aside VIII Whatever nature acteth it is for an End and Use It is for an end in respect to God who created all things for an end it is for an use in respect to one another because all beings are useful to one another as I have formerly demonstrated but we cannot properly say that all things act for an end in respect to one another because that which doth act for an end is moved by that end and doth foreknow it but natural beings do not foreknow their ends neither are they moved by them IX Nature is either universal or singular An universal nature may be apprehended in a twofold sense 1. For the Universe or whole world containing all singular natures within it 2. For a nature which is in an universal being and so you are to take it here A Singular nature is which is inherent in every
any further to propose the Opinions of others concerning the first Principles Elements and Constitution of natural Bodies Baptista van Helmont impropriating the knowledge of true Philosophy and Physick to himself alone cals Hippocrates Galen Aristotle and all other wise men Fooles and terms their Dictates figments but withal propounds new foundations of Philosophy and Physick threatning a great danger to those who did obstinately adhere to their Tenents and promising an infinite treasure to such as should receive his Wherefore I shall first contractly relate his Philosophick Principles then examine them Fol. 33. of his Ort. Med. Dist. 3. He reproves the heathens for falsly teaching the Number of Elements to be four as also for asserting three Principles to wit Matter Form and Privation All things saith he are idle empty and dead and therefore stand only in need of a vital and seminal Principle which besides life have also an order in them He denieth the four Genders of Causes the first matter the causality of a form receiving it for an effect alone Further he states only two causes namely Matter and her internal Agent Efficient or Archeus In the same place he terms Matter a co-agent not a subject which he saith was improperly attributed to her by Philosophers And in Dist. 21. he denieth the congress of the four Elements yea not of two of them to concur to the constitution of mixt bodies His two Causes or Principles he cals bodies in one place in another as you may read below he detracts it from the latter The first of the said Principles is called ex quo out of which the latter per quod through which Dist. 23. he concludes water to be a beginning out of which initium ex quo and the Ferment to be the seminal beginning through which that is Disposing whence the Semen Seed is immediately produced in the matter which it having acquired becometh through it life or the media materia the middle matter of that being extending to the period of the thing it self or to the last matter Dist. 24. The Ferment is a created formal being which is neither a Substance or Accident but neither in the manner of light fire magnal forms c. created from the beginning of the world in the places of their Monarchy for to prepare and excite the semina seeds and to precede them I consider the ferments to be truly and actually existing and to be individually distinguisht through Species kinds Wherefore the ferments are Gifts and Roots establisht from the Lord the Creator to all ages being sufficient and durable through their continual propagation that they might raise and make seeds proper to themselves out of the water to wit wherein he gave the earth a virtue of germinating he gave it as many ferments as there are expectations of fruits Wherefore the ferments produce their own seeds and not others That is each according to its Nature and Properties as the Poet saith For nature is underneath the earth Neither doth all ground bring forth all things For in all places there is a certain order placed from God a certain manner and unchangeable root of producing some determinate effects or fruits not only of Vegetables but also of Minerals and Insects For the bottomes of the earth and its Properties differ and that for some cause which is connatural and coeval to that earth This I do attribute namely to the formal ferment that is created therein Whence consequently several fruits bud forth and break out of themselves in several places whose seeds we see being carried over to other places come forth more weakly like to an undercast child That which I have said concerning the ferment cast into the earth the same you shall also find in the Ayr and the Water The difference which there is between the ferment and efficient is that the former is the remote Principle of Generation and produceth the latter which is the semen which is the immediate active Principle of a thing Here you have a Synopsis of his Philosophy which in the progress throughout his Book he repeats ad nauseam usque II. When I first took a view of the Title of his Volume which was The Rise of Medicine that is The unheard of Beginnings of Physick A new Progress of Medicine to a long Life for the revenge of Diseases by the Author John Babtista van Helmont Governour in Merode Royenlorch Oorschot Pellines c. He might be Governour of himself in those places but not of c. I wonder what those places signified since the people of Brussel admired upon what his Heir liveth This old man in his life-time was strangely melancholy and by Fits transported into Phanatick Extasies questionless had he been of a Religious House he would much have added by help of these Raptures to the incredible Bulk of the Golden Legends but his Daemon turned them to Physick He had a great Design in Christening his Son Mercurius to have made another Trismegistus of him and not unlikely for wherever he is he is all-knowing I was much abused by the Title of his Tract hoping to have found a new sound Archologia and lighting upon ignorance of Terms abuse of words but a most exact Orthography limiting almost every second word with a Comma or a stop as being measured by his asâ—matick breathing The Fame which he deserved from his Countrey-folkes was equal to a famous Mountebank The Church-yard was the surer Register of his Patients His Arrogance and Boastings were Symptomes of his depravate conceptions His Cruelty fell it last upon his own bowels through which he lost his Life for the neglect of very ordinary means This is the account I had at Brussels of his Life and Transactions which I thought was not unworthy of my insertion in this place thereby to disadvise some from a rash belief to his vain words that so they might avoid the same Dangers and Cruelties upon their own and other mens Lives III. But in reference to his Dictates He rejects the number of four Elements without proposing any Argument for Confutation He denieth the existence of a first matter also without giving proof for the contrary Both which we have already demonstrated The form is an effect saith he and not a cause this argueth his misseapprehension of a cause and effect for most Authors agree that a cause in a large sense is whatever produceth an effect now the form produceth an effect in giving a specification to the whole It seems he intends nothing for a cause unless it be really distinct from its effect which in a strict and proper sense may be allowed but if granted nevertheless he is in an Errour for asserting Matter and the Archeus to be causes neither of which are really distinct from the being constituted by them Further it is no reason that because the form is an effect therefore it can be no cause for all beings in respect to their own production are effects and yet
of water proved Why water disperseth it self into Drops Why Sea-men cannot make Land upon the Cap-head when they may upon the Top Mast-head Why the Stars do appear sooner to those in the East-Seas then to others in the West 5. That water is thick but not dense Whence it is that water is smooth Why Ayr makes a Bubble upon the water when it breaks forth That the least Atoms of Ayr cannot break through the water without raising a Bubble Why the same doth not happen to Earth 6. That Moysture is not the first quality of Ayr neither doth the Ayr naturally moysten any body but to the contrary dryeth it 7. The form of Ayr. What Tenuity is Why Feathers Cobwebs and other light Bodies do expand themselves when thrown through the Ayr. Why Grease Oyl Wax c. do make Splatches when poured upon the ground Why Gunpowder Smoak Breathes of living creatures Vapours Exhalations Dust c. do diffuse themselves in that manner Whence it is that the least breath moves and shakes the Ayr. The relative form of Ayr. Why Spirits of Wine mix easier and sooner with water then one water with another 8. The first quality of fire What Rarity is Whence it is that a Torch or Candle spreads its Beames circularly as appears at a distance That Fire is roof the cause of it Fire's Relative nature A comparing of all the first qualities of the Elements one to the other 1. THe Form lately mentioned may justly be surnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perfection because it confers a Perfection upon matter But to return where I left After sufficient evidence that each of the Elements are actuated by a distinct form I begin first with the Earth whose form and first quality is weight pondus with density 1. Because through it it performeth all its Operations and Effects 2. The form or first quality of a body is unremoveable but dense weight is unremoveable from earth ergo it is its form and first quality whereas dryness which is brought in competition with it by all Peripateticks is removeable for earth may be moystened with water This is an Herculean Argument if well weighed 3. A Privation cannot be the first quality of earth because it is accidental to it but dryness is only a privation of moysture and consequently accidental I confirm the Minor had there never been any moysture who could ever have thought of dryness Again in the ordinary Ideom of speech we say such a thing is dry because we feel no dampness in it for first we feel and gather it together to try whether we can feel any moysture but perceiving no moysture or dampness we say it is dry Ergo because of the privation of moysture Further moysture and dryness are privative opposites because the one being removed the other also vanishes For take away sight and you take away blindness it being improper to say a thing is blind unless in opposition to sight The same is appliable to dryness and moysture take away moysture and then it will be improper to say dryness Lastly the Peripatetick description of dryness proves no less Dryness is whose subject is easily contained within its own bounds but difficultly within anothers Now unless there were water within whose bounds it could not be contained there could be no dryness since that dryness is whose subject cannot be contained unless difficultly within the bounds of water or Ayr either II. All elements and each of them are actuated by a respective or relative form that is their being and conservation consisteth in a relation of a dependence from each other for instance the earth is inconsistent of it self for through its incomprehensible gravity it would move to an infinitum which is repugnant to its truth so that through its pondus it inclineth to the fire which again through its lightness bendeth to it and so meeting one another they embrace and constitute each other in their being Well may Authors term their close and entire union a discors amicitia or amica discordia since their motion to each other is so fierce and eager that it doth as it were appear a fighting or discord but it tending to so mutual a good and benefit proves the greatest friendship But should coldness and heat be stated to be the form or first qualities of the Elements they could not subsist one moment because they are the greatest contraries and therefore would not cease from their most incenst hostility before each were expelled from their common subject as we see plainly in water and fire III. This makes way to free water from coldness to which it is neither but a privation of heat For suppose there were a dish of water placed without the sphear of the elements it would be improper to say it were either hot or cold Neither is Moysture the first quality of water for water of it self per se doth not moysten any thing absolutely that is freed from all mixture I prove it To moysten is nothing else but to be thinly covered or dasht over with water or its vapours but water when it is in its absolute state is of so thick parts that it is unapt to adhere to any thing We observe that Quick-silver or rather quick Lead for so it is in effect and melted Lead although liquid yet they do not moysten because their parts are thick By thickness I do not intend a depth of quantity or of matter only but such a depth of quantity that is not porous or a crassitude whose parts are diducted and drawn out into a continuity and that throughout all its dimensions and therefore through defect of tenuity doth not adhere to whatever is immerst in it even so it is with water which supposed in its absolute or separated state doth by far exceed quick-Lead in thickness and consequently is unapt for humectation but in the state wherein it now is which is mixed and attenuated with much fire and ayr it doth easily adhere to whatever body that is dipt in it This is the reason why water in hot Countries doth sooner quench thirst then in cold or wine sooner then water because the watery parts are more subtilized by the indivisibilities of fire that are dispersed through them Now water abates drought but little because of its crassitude Experience tels us that one little measure of water acuated with Spirits of Vitriol of Sulphur or of Salt-Peter doth moysten the body and abate thirst in a Feaver more then a Pint of water single because the water is subtilized by the forementioned Ingredients But Physitians vulgarly adscribe this effect to the penetrability of the admixtures A blind reason because water doth penetrate to the internals therefore it moystens the more this is not all for suppose that water did penetrate yet it would not moysten because it doth not adhere to the parts which it doth touch wherefore it is only to be imputed to its subtilization All which demonstrates that water in its
contradict him 2. He did mistake the nature of Essence and Existence as further apppears out of my Metaphysicks 3. It infers an absurd Definition of Creation to wit that it is the mutation of a being a non esse accidentali ad esse accidentale consequently an accident only is produced de novo and not a Substance 4. That the essences of things are eternal a great absurdity I grant they are from all eternity that is from an eternal being 5. Did God contain the essences of things in himself it followes that he also contained their matter in himself a great Blasphemy A mediate Creation is the production of a being a nihilo termini vel formae sed ex aliquo materiae a nihilo formae supple ultima This kind of Creation is expressed by two different words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or making is whereby God created a being ex aliquo materiae sed a nihilo formae ulterioris In this sense did God create the Fishes and Fowl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an artificial formation is whereby God formed man also a nihilo formae ulterioris Mediate Creation differs from Generation through that thereby a form is introduced in an instant hereby successively by a preceding alteration 2. Thereby a being is constituted a nihilo formae ulterioris hereby ab aliquo formae ultimae tanquam a termino a quo That is effected by the immediate causality of God this by a mediate one VIII The Chaos being so equally mixed and balanced abided in one place The place which did contain it was not corporeal because it would have been needless since its own balance did sufficiently preserve it in its own internal place It s magnitude was equal to the present magnitude of the world For although through its expansion and opening the fire and ayt were heaved up yet they were heaved up no further then the weighty Elements descended so that what space was left by the one was taken up by the other but had there been a vacuum left by any of their egressions then indeed it must have possessed a larger place As for the tangible quality which it had it must needs have been soft because it being temperated ad pondus could acquire no other then a temperate one and such is soft Colour it had none ex accidenti because there was no light to discern it nevertheless that doth not hinder but that it had a fundamental colour in it self which must have been red that being the only colour issuing out of a temperamentum ad pondus Tast is also detracted from it ex accidenti but in it self it must have been sweet for the same reason We cannot edscribe any smell to it per se because being close shut or not yet opened none can grant that it could have affected any supposed smell since it could not have emitted any Exhalations from it That it had a finite time Scripture testifieth Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning c. but the beginning is a distinction and Note of finite time Ergo. Reason proves no less That which was finite in all its other modes could not be capable of one single infinite mode But such was the Chaos and such is the world now Ergo. Whose parts are subject to a beginning and ending its whole must also have been subject to the same But our daily experience confirms to us that all things are subjected to a beginning and ending Ergo. It s figure is round we know from the form of the Elements Besides rotundity is a figure of the greatest equallest and perfectest extension but such is most sutable to the greatest equallest and perfectest body Ergo. The Chaos was also finite in its globosity and extent of parts I prove it The compleated world being finite in its globosity and extent of parts doth necessarily infer the finiteness of the Chaos in the same particular because the compleated world was framed out of it Now that the world is terminated in magnitude the circumvolutation of the Aplane and the Planets in a finite time to wit in 24 hours doth certainly demonstrate for were the world infinite in magnitude they must then also require an infinite time to rowl round about it the contrary of which is doubted by none Here that trite Axiom may be objected qualis causa taelis effectus Such as the cause is such also is its Effect But God is an infinite cause ergo his effect namely the world must also be infinite I answer That this Maxim holds only in univocis and naturalibus but not in their opposites 2. It is a Character of Gods infiniteness that he can act finitely and infinitely for could he act only infinitely then might he be supposed to act necessarily which is a note of finiteness and limitation in a cause 3. The action whereby he effected this finite work is infinite as I have observed before wherefore in this he acteth both finitely and infinitely And since I am about answering Objections it will not be amiss to insert some objected by Bodinus in Theatr. Nat. and Cajetan against the pre-existence of the Chaos before the compleated world 1. Eccles. 18. 1. Where God is said to have created all things at once Ergo there was no pre-existent Chaos I answer that Creation here doth imply an immediate creation through which God created the matter of all things at once 2. They resume the words of Austin asserting that to God there is nothing before or after another no past or future time but that all things are like as it were in one moment filling that which hath a most perfect being Wherefore say they Moses did distinguish the Creation into several sections and divisions to accomodate things created in an instant to our capacity I answer That had Moses writ that God had created all things in a moment we could have understood him as plainly as he hath writ otherwise for we know that Scripture containes many harder sayings then this would have been So that it is a great levity in them to retort the genuine sense of sacred words to their oblique brow As for that of Austin it hinders not but that all things past present and future are as in an instant to God and yet to us may be past present and future The Chaos is not only finite in duration and continuated quantity but also in discrete as they term it quantity or number It s quantity is the least and the greatest it is the least in discrete quantity for there was but one Chaos 2. But the greatest in continued quantity The proof of these depends reciprocally from one another The Chaos is but one because it is the greatest were there then more then one Chaos but two three or more or infinite it could not be the greatest but part of the greatest and so the whole must be greater then the part on the other side it is the greatest because
the Furnace and beating against the Roof of it doth not reverberate into it self but reflects to the sides and so moves along circularly about the sides of the wall which doth more evidently appear in a globous Furnace Fornax reverberatoria The same is also manifested by the fire of kindled Gunpowder in a Squib which thickneth the ayr by impelling the Vapours and Exhalations therein contained one upon the other and augmenting them by its own fumes is almost every way resisted and beaten back whence therefore we observe it betakes it self to a circular motion The reason is because through a circular motion it is less resisted for one part of it preceding the other doth not stop the following parts but rather one part draweth another after it or bears another before it and moving alwaies round it never meets with any other resistance for the one part is gone before the other can overtake it or what should resist it It is just like un to two horses going both one pace round in a Mill the one can never be a stop to the other but rather the one draweth the other after him because they move both one way Was this motion any other but circular it would meet with resistance This motion is as it were natural to the fire and therefore is also of an eval duration for its nature is ever to move from the Center which it doth in moving circularly not primarily but secondarily it moving first directly to the Circumference and thence reflecting to the sides it creeps as it were all about the surface of the ayr one part drawing the other after it or pushing and thrusting it before it or both waies Did not the fire continue in motion it would soon lose its flame for the flame is continued by being united that which unites it is besides its own motion the crassitude of the ayr which the fire impelling one part upon the other renders thicker and so unites it self the more So that in all Particulars this motion is natural to the fire necessarily of an eval duration because the said motion preserves it in its being and is its proper nature Now were this motion the effect of heat it must be violent and consequently of no long duration for what is violent destroyes the essence of a being It would he violent because heat is produced by a violent cause from without namely the opposition of the ayr 2. We read of no burning heat in the Mosaick Philosophy but only of a moving spirit which is that I call fire or at least an effect impressed upon part of the Chaos by which it moved to the surface for you read that this moving vertue was upon the face of the waters before there was light that is it was drawn out from the Chaos before it could raise a flame to give light What can be more plain Lastly it was necessary that the Elements should be of an eval duration for they were created to exist the same duration which Adam had he abided in his primitive state of Innocency would have existed By all which it appeares that there is no other Principle whence its eval duration is deducible but from hence CHAP. XI Of the second Division of the Chaos 1. An Enarration of Effects befalling the Elements through the second Knock. The proportion of each of the Elements in their purity to the Peregrine Elements 2. The ground of the forementioned proportion of the Elements 3. That fire and ayr constitute the Firmament 4. A grand Objection answered I. LEt us pass to the second Division and speculate the effects of that Through this vibration did the earth yet more concentrate and the waters gulped also upwards equally from all parts for as I said the Chaos was equally mixt otherwise how could the waters equally cover the earth as they did the waters being got atop the ayr got loose in a far greater measure then it did before which being expanded constituted this great tract of the air which now we breath into This breach although in a manner agreeable to the absolute propension of fire and ayr could not since they were soexactly mixed with the weighty elements but give occasion of conveighing a greater proportion of both with them Neither was that little remaining bowl of the great mole whereon we now tread destitute of all her former adherents there still being immerst in her the same proportion of the light Elements to the weighty as there is a proportion of weighty elements attending the separated light ones Consider now the proportion of each to it self 1. Although the earth doth harbour some of the other Elements in her yet she is triumphant over them in the fourth degree that is there are three parts pure earth to one part of the others and amongst these others that constitute a fourth part in her own bowels it is to be conceived that water doth transcend the ayre and so the ayre the fire Supposing then the earth to-consist of 64 parts 48 thereof are pure earth 6 1 â— pure water 5 1 â— pure ayr and 4 1 â— fire Hence from its predominance it is called earth and so the like of water ayr and fire to wit water reserves 48 parts of pure water 5 1 â— of ayr 5 1 â— of earth 5 of fire Ayr is called ayr also from its greater predominance over the other elements not from its purity as if it should be all pure ayr that is impossible It s purity appropriates 48. water and fire each 5 â— â— earth 5. Fire is pure in 48. ayr in 6 1 â— water in 5 1 â— earth in 4 1 â— The proportion of these forementioned elements take thus 64 parts is the whole three fourths of it which are 48 denote the proportion of each element in its purity Then there remains 16 which is the last fourth signifying the proportion of the admisted elements to the principal element as it is considered to be in its purity Again there is another proportion observable among the perigrine elements as they are sharers of the last fourth which is 16. Wherefore in earth 6 parts and a third is taken up by water one less to wit 5 1 â— by ayr and also one less namely 4 1 â— by the fire In water five and a half is equally attributed to earth and air one less that is the overplus fraction of each compleat number of earth and air makes socially one more to fire The last fourth or 16 of the air is supplied in five and a half by each of the ingress of fire and water In five by fire Fire is tied to 6 1 â— of ayr 5 1 â— of water to 4 1 â— of earth II. The ground and reason of this proportion is 1. That the least predominance whereby an element may acquire its name must be triple that is thrice as many times more in quantity then the elements affixed to it for did an element in its purity
yet be one fourth less and likewise fire and ayr would in their supposed purity possess a place yet one fourth larger the reason is because the fourth part of the admisted Elements to each pure Element doth so much the more augment or diminish its quantity which being prescinded must necessarily either enlarge or lessen their places Wherefore you see that it doth not hinder but that the minima's of the earth and water may be equal in number activity to the minima's of the others Neither doth it hinder but that the earth and water being expanded by the support of the light elements as appears in the Chaos might have constituted so great a mole as the Chaos was notwithstanding it appeares so small now for every natural point of water was almost half as much diducted violently as it were by the thin levity of the ayr as such a proportion of ayr is now naturally through its absolute form expanded So likewise was the air then half as much cohibited and incrassated through its relative form by the water as the water is now incrassated The like conceive of fire and earth Through these abstractions did all the temperate qualities of the Chaos cease each element did arrive almost to its absolute nature The greatest commerce which they then exercised was with each their nearest adjacent as the fire with ayr ayr with water and fire water with earth and ayr earth with water and fire with ayr In this Scheme you may see the apparition of the second Division which was the third act of Creation The fire moves circulatly by reason of the ayr the ayr is cast equally over the water the water over the earth both pursuing a circular course The Representation of the Chaos after its second Division CHAP. XII Of the Third Division of the Chaos 1. The effects of the Third Knock. Why earth is heavier then water Why water is more weighty near the top then towards the bottom Why a man when he is drowned doth not go down to the bottom of the Ocean Why a potch'd Egge doth commonly rest it self about the middle of the water in a Skillet Why the middle parts of Salt-water are more saltish then the upper parts 2. Whence the earth hapned to be thrust out into great protuberancies How the earth arrived to be disposed to germination of Plants A vast Grove pressed into the earth 3. The cause of the waters continual circular motion 4. The cause of the rise of such a variety of Plants 1. THe third Division or the fourth act of Creation was whereby the most universal Nature naturans did yet more purifie and as it were clarifie the Elements in abstracting each element from its nearer and congregating it to a proper place of its own These several acts of purification and exaltation are not unlike to the operations of an Alchymist in purifying a Mineral 1. He reduceth it to a powder and mixeth it exactly and so it was with the Chaos 2. Then it is either put into a Retort Alembick or a Sublimatory whereby the light parts are separated and abstracted from the heavy ones this hapned also in the first Division 3. He rectifieth the light parts in repeating the former operation and exalts it to a more sublime and pure nature and so separates the lightest parts from the light ones even so it was here God did yet more separate the fire from the ayr Touching the caput mortuum as the earthy parts that he dissolves in water and afterwards to purifie it he coagulates the earth and so separates it from the water in the same manner did God here coagulate the earth and parted it from the waters Further how this is effected I shall in brief explain to you The water through her gravity with crassitude doth obtain a vertue in her of squeezing which is performed by a body that is weighty and continuous for by its weight it presseth downwards to the center and through its continuity it impedes the body which it presseth from entring into its own substance and so forceth it to give way which is the manner of squeezing Now was this body weighty and contiguous only then it would be uncapable of squeezing but would rather press another substance into its own Pores Through this squeezing vertue is water rendred capable of collecting her own parts by making Groves into the earth especially being thereunto impelled by the divine Architect But possibly you may object that water cannot squeeze or press the earth because the earth is weightier then it I answer that earth is weightier then water caeter is paribus supposing that neither is obstructed or violently as it were detained for instance imagining that the mass of earth and of water were each of them placed in Scales no doubt but earth would be heavier and its parts make a greater impulse to the Center because they are single in every minimum and not continuated one to the other and therefore one part doth not hinder the force of the other but rather helpeth it As for water her impulse is lesser because her parts are continuated one to the other and so are a mutual hinderance to one another This I prove take an hour-glass and fill it with water never a drop shall pass through the center-hole the reason is evident because although its parts are weighty yet their continuity hinders them from stilling through and so one part naturally cleaving to the other doth preclude the way but sand you see easily passeth because it being weighty and contiguous only the one part giveth way to the other and impels the same through Wherefore I conclude that all conditions being equal earth is heavier then water But the one being violently detained may prove weightier then the other and so water is detained by earth for water is impeded from concentrating through the protuberance of the mass of earth which therefore causeth a more forcible innixe in water upon the superficial parts of the earth I prove it water weigheth heavier upon the top of high mountains then in the lowermost Region of the Ayr because there it is remoter from its center 2. Water presseth more atop then underneath because it is more remote from the center this is apparent by mens experience in the water for if they suffer themselves to sink down they feel the greatest force to press them from the supream parts of the water but the lower they descend to the bottom the less force they perceive Also there are many things as an Egge dropt out of the shell into the water in a Skillet and others go no deeper then half way to the bottom the reason is because the superficial parts being most remote from the center press more forcible then the parts under them Men when they are drowned in the Sea do not descend so low as to reach the ground but so far only as the superficial parts of the Sea thrusteth them besides there is reason
light and rare parts to it I wonder what accidental change it is he means it must be either to quantity and then it is the same with augmentation and diminution or to quality and then it is an alteration or a locomotive quality but he mentions none Supposing it to be a quality the question is whether this doth arise in that subject with the adherence to its primitive matter of the extrinsick Agent or whether it doth migrate out of its own subject into another It is not the latter for I have proved in my Dispute of Powers that an Accident doth not migrate out of one Subject into another If the first then it is by the entring of another body between the parts that are separated and what body is that but fire It is that which through its contiguous lightness doth render a dense body rare and so condensation is by expelling the light parts or admitting more parts of a dense body as of earth which doth condensate through its contiguous gravity Wherefore we are not forced to grant a vacuum in Rarefaction because a body is rarefied through the supplying of the supposed voyd spaces by the presence of fire Neither need we to assert a penetration of bodies in Condensation since that those parts which are supposed to be penetrated into the substance of others are expelled It is not then as Tolet writes that rarefaction is become great out of little without the apposition or detraction of a new Substance for were it so then of a necessity there must be allowed a penetration of bodies in condensation and a vacuum in Rarefaction wherefore Scaliger saith well in his 4th Exerc. That there can be no addensation or rarefaction although Rarity and Density are really in them in any single body Ergo dum inter unum minimum naturale ignis puri minima continua circumsita nullum medium corpus intercedat quonam igitur modo queunt esse propius ant longinquius sine intervallo mutuave cor porum penetratione Wherefore since between one natural minimum of pure fire the surrounding continuated minima's which are the minima's of the ayr there is no middle body interposed how then can they be nearer or further without an interval or mutual penetration of bodies The reason as I said before is because without the adjunction of another body to a single one there is no rarefaction or condensation Observe by the way that many of the Parepateticks make a two-fold rarity in bodies The one they confound with a thinness as you may read in Arist. Lab. 2. de part Anim. Cap. 1. And Grammat Lib. 2. de ortu inter Context 8. This they refer to the Category of Quality and doth consecute heat The other which is the more frequent and proper acception of Rarity as they say is which doth not consist in a Tenuity of a substance but in the distance of parts between one another and so they call a sponge rare because it hath parts distant from one another through an interposed space not really void which containes no body but is filled with another thin and insensible body as in a Sponge whose parts are called void wherein notwithstanding ayr is contained This kind of Rarity they refer to the Category of Situs I take them in this last Acception and demand whether it is not the ayr which causes that situation and distance of parts For the Sponge is condensed through expressing the ayr by compression of the Sponge If so then it is not a single quality educed out of the power of matter but the entring of the ayr into its pores which doth rarifie as they term it the Sponge Zabarel Lib. de Calore Coelest Cap. 3. attributes Rarity to the causality of heat and density to Coldness But before he had proposed an Objection which was that heat is produced by rarefaction and attrition To this he strives to answer below but finding he could not go through with it recants and states That in the Elements as they are simple their heat doth produce Rarity and so doth Rarity reciprocally produce heat An absurdity to affirm the effect to be the cause of its cause and the cause to be the effect of it self 2. Heat is not the cause of Rarity because fire is the rarest of all in its own Region and yet as they confess fire is not hot in its own Seat VIII The first quality of water is gravity with continuity the second emanating thence is Crassitude which is a thick consistence exporrected through all its dimensions You will grant me that Crassitude proceeds from an arct and near union of parts or from a close compression of the said parts This compression and union derives from gravity this gravity being continuous doth necessarily cause a crassitude for were it contiguous it would effect a density There is nothing unless it be water or waterish bodies that is thick as Oyles Gums Rozzens fat Tallow are all waterish so far at they are thick yet not without the admistion of most Ayr Ice Chrystal Diamonds and most Precious stones are waterish and therefore thick Choler Pepper the Stars c. are rare because they are fiery that is participate more of fire then of any other Element Flies Cobwebs Clouds c. are thin because they are ayery All earthy bodies are dense as Minerals Stones c. Now as it is necessary that all the Elements should meet in every body so it is necessary that there should concomitate Rarity Density Tenuity and Crassitude in each mixt body Wherefore do not think it strange that thinness and thickness should be in one body although they are counted contraries among Authors I cannot but admire that all Philosopers to this very day should have confounded the signification of these words thick dense thin rare naming thick bodies dense thin ones rare and so reciprocally as if they were one whereas there is a great distinction between them Aristotle Johan Grammat Tolet Zabarel and many others take thinness and rarity to be the same as also thickness and density whereas you may now evidently know that they are altogether distinct and wherein they are so It is erroneous to say that water is dense or fire thick ayr rare c. but water is alone thick ayr thin earth dense and fire rare Bartholin Lib. 1. Phys. Cap. 5. defines Thickness by an adulterine cause Thickness saith he is thought to derive from coldness and density And a little before he described Density to be derived from coldness and thickness Mark his thick dulness in asserting thickness to be the cause of density and density of thickness The cause must be prior causato natura saltem but here neither is prior He makes a difference in their names but in re he concludes them to be one IX The first quality of Ayr is Levity with Continuity its second is Tenuity which is a thin consistence of a substance wherefore Thinness and Thickness are
a more convenient position of your hands So water when it is violently detained is intended in its gravity because its expansion which is a more convenient position doth intend its motion and yet the same strength and force of gravity was latent in the water when it was in its natural position Water doth alwaies affect and covet a globous figure now through this globosity the water is rendered disadvantageous to exert its weight because all its parts cannot joyn together in opposing the body which it is to depress but being in a Globe the undermost parts of that Globe do partly sustain the force of the uppermost and centrical parts and the same undermost parts being interposed between the other body and the other parts cause that the others parts cannot come at the body That this is so the trial of this Experiment will soon certifie you weigh some long pieces of Iron or Wood in a payr of Scales and observe the weight of them then divide them into less pieces so as they may lie closer and weigh them again you will find that the last shall be much lighter then the first besides I have tried it many other waies This Reason will also serve to illustrate the manner of intention of weight in earth when it is violently detained Ayr moveth stronger upwards when its parts are more divided and expanded for then every particle of the ayr contributes its motion and so in fire Nevertheless the same force was actually in the ayr and fire below In this sense it is I have made use of Intention of Qualities above in the Precedent Chapter Wherefore it appeares hence that there is no such refraction or intention of qualities as the Peripateticks imagine to themselves V. A mixt body is usually divided into a body perfectly mixed and a body imperfectly mixed and as usually received among the Vulgar but whether this Division be lawful is doubted by few An imperfectly mixed body they describe to be a body whose mixture is constituted only by two or three elements a great errour there being no body in the world excepting the elements themselves but their mistion consisteth of four Ingredients This I have proved before Others think to mend the matter by saying that an imperfect mixed body consists of Ingredients but a little alterated and therefore its form is not different from the element which predominates in it To the contrary the Ingredients in imperfectly mixed bodies are as much alterated as there is vertue in them to alterate one another and who will not assert the form of a Comet to be different from the form of fire or Snow from the form of water c. There is no mixed body but it is perfectly mixed for if it be imperfectly mixed it will not constitute a mixt body 'T is true some mixt bodies contain a fuller proportion of Elements then others and therefore are more durable and may be of a more perfect proportion yet the mixture of a body which lasteth but a moment is as much a mistion as that which lasteth an age and consequently as perfect in reference to mixture CHAP. XVIII Of Temperament 1. That Temperament is the form of Mixtion That Temperament is a real and positive quality 2. The Definition of a Temperament Whether a Temperament is a single or manifold quality VVhether a complexion of qualities may be called one compounded quality 3. VVhether a Temperament be a fifth quality A Contradiction among Physitians touching Temperament Whether the congress of the four qualities effects but one Temperament or more 4. That there is no such thing as a Distemper What a substantial Change is 5. What an Altsration or accidental change is That the Differences of Temperament are as many as there are Minima's of the Elements excepting four 1. THe Form of Mistion is Temperament I prove it That must be the Form of Mistion which doth immediately result out of or with the union of the elements but a temperament doth immediately result out of or with union of the Elements Ergo. 2. Since there is no deperdition or refraction of the absolute forms of the Elements that must needs be the form of Misture which the union of those absolute forms doth immediately constitute but that can be nothing else but a Temperament Ergo. 3. That is the form of Mistion which chiefly causeth all the operations and effects produced by a mixt body but the chief cause of all the operations and effects of a mixt body is the temperament ergo The Minor is asserted by all ingenious Physitians Hence we may safely infer that a temperament is not a relative only but a positive and real quality for were it only a relation its essence would wholly depend from the mind and be little different from an Ens Rationis II. A Temperament is the union of the forms of the Elements By union apprehend the forms of the Elements united into one quality The name of temperament soundeth a temperating or mixing yet not primarily of Matters but principally of Forms for none doubteth of its being a quality or formal power Kyper in his Medic. contract Lib. 1. Cap. 3. alledgeth this doubt whether a temperament be a simple or manifold quality but before I apply my self to the solution of it observe that simple may either have respect to the Matter materia ex qua out of which a temperament is constituted which are the four first qualities or forms of the Elements or to the form of a temperament which is one quality resulting out of the union of its materials Wherefore if simple be taken in the former respect doubtless a temperament is a manifold quality if in the latter it is simple I prove it simple in the latter respect is equipollent to unity but a temperament is but one quality and not manifold although out of many yet united into one ergo a temperament is a simple quality 2. Were a temperament formally a manifold quality its effects would be equivocal and manifold but to the contrary the effects per se of a temperament are univocal and simple the one not differing in specie from the other The said Kyper proposes the very words of my Solution for a doubt in the next Paragraph whether complexion of qualities may be called one compounded quality which he determines very well In Metaphysicks saith he there is not only allowed of an unity of simplicity but also of an unity of composition wherefore it is not repugnant that there should be an unum compositum of qualities since there is an unum compositum of substances III. This puts me in remembrance of another controversie which I have formerly read in Mercat his works Lib. 1. Part 2. de Elem. Class 2. Quaest. 39. whether a temperament be a fifth quality or rather a Concord or Harmony of the four Elements Avicen defines it a fifth quality to which the said Author subscribes but Fr. Vallesius Lib. 1. Cap. 6. contra Med.
be possible in the Elements I. IN the precedent Chapter I have spoke at large concerning Temperaments in general and their Divisions to which ought to be annext the distinctions of Intemperatures An Intemperature moves either to an equal temperament and generation of a mixt body or from a temperature to corruption and dissolution of a mixt body The former motion is called Coction the latter Putrefaction the end of the former is an equal and durable temperament and the generation of a mixt body the end or rather terminus ad quem of the latter is a most unequal temperature that is when a mixt body returnes to its first elements now when its several ingredients are dissolved into their several elements then they become most unequal because every element in its own region superates the peregrine elements in three fourths and yet there remains a temperature because a fourth part of the alien elements is united to each of them and corruption of a mixt body The difference then between Putrefaction and Corruption is that the one is a motion to dissolution and the other is an entire dissolution it self The same difference is observable between Coction and the generation of a mixt body Alteration is a Genus to them all for Coction and putrefaction are Alterations in a lower degree but Generation and Corruption are alterations in the highest degree II. Alteration is a motion of the Elements through which they move unto into through and from one another in a mixt body The motion unto one another I have formerly called their mutual embracement the manner of which you have read before They move from one another accidentally and secondarily after they have embraced one another so close that the contiguous Elements break through the continuous ones I say Alteration is a motion the same is attested by Galen in his 7 Tom. of his works fol. 14. 4. By motion understand a local motion for the Elements change their places in alteration and therefore a local motion So that Alteration is a Species of local motion Through this local motion the Elements do divide and penetrate one another which Division through local motion doth fully comprehend the nature of Alteration Abra de Raconis in Disput. de Corp. mixt sect secund asserts that Alteration doth not terminate into qualities of the first Spec. to wit Habit and Disposition because neither of them are acquired by motion 2. He states That Alteration doth not extend to natural faculties and powers because these are produced in an instant 3. There is no Alteration concurrent to the production of figure and form because these emanate from Matter To the contrary Alteration constitutes Habits and Dispositions Natural Faculties Form and Figure because all these are produced by the forms of the Elements acting through Alteration upon one another But to Answer to his Reason I deny the first for habits and dispositions are acquired through motion 2. I dislike his second Reason also for they are produced in many Instants 3. Figure and Form are in or out of Matter but not from Matter III. Alteration is either successive or instantaneous It is called successive because it is made up by many instantaneous alterations like as successive time is said to be successive because it is constituted out of many instantaneous times following one another and nevertheless an instant is no less properly time then successive time for time is nothing else but the measure of one motion by another Even so is an instantaneous alteration no less an alteration then a successive alteration because a successive alteration is made up by many instantaneous ones An Alteration is called instantaneous because it happens in the least time which is called an Instant Or an instantaneous alteration is the least alteration whereby one Element altereth that is divides the other in one minimum Now since the beginning of action is from a minim or the least substance the action it self must be also the least which among the Elements specifieth an instantaneous alteration Alteration is to be termed continuous when a continuous Element altereth a contiguous one and contiguous when a contiguous Element altereth a continuous one IV. Fr. Eustach in Tract de Elem. Quest. 11. makes a query how the Elementary contrary qualities are intended and remitted through a successive alteration 1. He states it for a truth that Heat Cold c. do acquire new qualities in their Subject 2. That these new Qualities are entitative perfections whereby heat moysture c. are intended 3. The doubt is now how this entitative perfection is possible to any of these forementioned qualities his Opinion is that it is through addition of new degrees of heat cold c. to the former degrees of the same quality which are procreated out of the same Subject 1. I deny that the forementioned qualities do acquire any other quality but what they are mixe water with wine and the mixture will have something of the qualities of water and something of the wine but no new quality that should be neither 2. I reject his second Position as false 3. It is erroneous that other degrees should be superadded out of the subject for if they are superadded they are superadded either from the foregoing quality or an extrinsick efficient they cannot be superadded through themselves for then a thing would be supposed to generate it self which is absurd because a seipso nihil fit nothing is made by it self They cannot be superadded by another unless it be by the same qualities by reason the cause must be of the same nature which the effect is of qualis causatalis effectus if by the same qualities then the same again would generate it self ergo they cannot be superadded or if superadded from without it is no new quality but agreeing with that which is intended Alteration is different from Mistion or a Temperament in general because it is an action which disposes and prepares the Elements their Forms for mistion and temperature The union of the Elements and Forms thus altered or disposed is a mistion and temperament Wherefore Aristotle defines the nature of Mistion very well Mistion is the union of Miscibles alterated Authors usually divide alteration in perfective and corruptive which are equivalent to Coction and Putrefaction V. Coction is an alteration tending to a temperament ad justitiam Suppose at the first confusion of the Elements in order to a mixtion and temperament the fire and ayr to be unequally mixt with the others about the remote parts but to be equally mixt with the central parts Now Coction is nothing else but the promotion of the light Elements which are yet latent about the Center to an equal mixture secundum partes sed non secundum totum with the heavy ones and although at present they are not so equally mixt yet through alteration that is by dividing or embracing one another the earth dividing the fire the water the ayr the
spirits How the Air happens to burst through a sudden great light That a sudden great Light may blind kill or cast a man into an Apoplexy 8. How Light renders all Objects visible Why a piece of Money cast into a Basin filled with water appears bigger than it is The causes of apparent Colours Why a great Object appears but small to one afar off The difference between lux and lumen What a Beam is What a Splendour is That the Lights begot by the Stars and other flames are not distinguished specie How the Coelum Empyreum is said to be Lucid. I. VVE are now to ennumerate and unfold the remaining qualities risen from the mixture of the Elements such are Light Colours Sounds Odors and Sapors We will first begin with Light as being the excellentest among them Light is a quality emanating from flaming fire A flame is nothing else but incrassated Air expanded and deducted in rotundity by condensed fire which is detained and imprisoned within the foresaid qualified Air. The difficulties requiring illustration are 1. How the fire comes to be condensed 2. How imprisoned 3. Why the Air doth immediately surround it 4. How light is propagated and the manner of its action As to the first Fire I have told you will not burn unless it be condensed for being naturally rare it penetrates through the incrassated Air with ease but being condensed it doth not because it is adjoyned to a heavy gross body namely the minima's of the Earth and Water which doth put a stop to its pass but nevertheless the force of fire is stronger by reason of those adjoyned heavy minima's For fire being violently detained by them is grown stronger 2. Fire being to divide another thick body makes use of the compressing accuteness of Earth to divide it which it effects by protruding those dense parts before it for through its single rarity it could not 2. Fire flying out and being expulsed out of a mixt body if it doth not meet with incrassated Air to retain it will pass and vanish but hitting against incrassated Air it strives to pass the Air again being continuous doth maintain her continuity with all her force and thirdly the fire moving circularly makes a circular dent into the mass of the said thickned Ayr which it beats against the advenient Ayr also striving from all parts to recover its situation and therefore necessarily surrounding the fire The Ayr again is also become stronger because of its violent detention notwithstanding the fire being the more potent doth diduct it into an oval or round Figure in the same manner as Wind striving to pass the water doth blow it up into a bubble Fire being thus condensed imprisoned and surrounded with thick ayr and diducting the same ayr into an oval or round Figure is called a flame II. The properties of a flame are 1. to be burning hot 2. to be an lux illuminans illuminating light The burning proceeds from the particles of condensed fire violently striking through the moisture of a mixt body whereby it divides it into ashes or a black crust tending to ashes Before I shew the manner of emanation of Light let us first examine what it is we call Light Light is that which is visible and renders all things about it visible Wherefore you do mark that Light is nothing but that which affects and moves the eye-sight If then I make it appear to you whereby it is that fire doth affect the Eye-sight therein I shew you the manner of emanation or operation of Light You must apprehend the optick spirits to be a thin continuous body equally interwoven through all its parts with a proportion of thin yet a little condensed fire for were it not a little dense it could not heat so that it is very like to the ambient ayr in substance and its other qualities 2. Supposing it to be an ayr we must conceive it to be continuous with the ambient ayr when the eyes are open This premitted I infer light to be nothing else but a continuous obduction of the Ayr caused by a flaming fire But let me here intreat your serious intention upon what I shall discover concerning the nature of Light it being one of the difficultest mysteries of all Philosophy and although its effects are luminous to the Eye yet its nature is obscure to the Understanding The search of this moved Plato to leave Athens and set saile for Sicily to speculate those flames of the mount AEtna Empedocles the Philosopher hazarded himself so far for to make a discovery of the nature of a flame and its light that he left his body in the Mongibell fire for an experiment although much beyond his purpose It is almost known to all how that the Learned Pliny took shipping from the promontory Misenas to be traversed to the Mount Pomponianus whither curiosity had driven him to fathom the depths of the Vesuvian flames but before he could feel the heat the smoak smothered him III. First then I prove that Light is an effect of a flame There is no flame but it causeth light and by the light we know it is a flame Ergo Light is an inseparable accident and a propriety quartimodi of a flame the Antecedence is undoubted Doth not a Candle a Torch a focall flame cause lights Or did you ever see light and doubted of the flame of it What is the reason when we hit our fore-heads against any hard thing we say there strikes a light out of our eyes It is because the violence of the stroke did discontinuate the optick ayr through which the condensed fire did unite and diduct the intrinsick ayr which was incrassated through the same stroke and so made a flame or rather a flash which is a sudden flame that is quickly lighted and quickly laid Secondly Light is not a single quality inhering in fire alone for were it so then where ever fire is there should be light but to the contrary we find that there is fire inherent in the ayr and many other bodies yet the ayr remains dark after the descent of the Planets 2. Were fire naturally light we could never be in darkness because the vast Region of fire is so large that it could not but illuminate thrice the extent of the ayr Thirdly Light is not fire rarefied and exporrected throughout all the dimensions of the ayr for who could ever imagine that a Candle being so small a flame should serve to be drawn out through the ayr and fill it with light to the extent of six or eight Leagues for a Candle may be seen at Sea in a clear dark night six or eight Leagues off or further so that it is absurd to imagine this and unworthy of a Philosophers maintaining it 2. It is impossible that fire could be so exactly mixt with ayr in an instant for so large an extent 3. There is never a particle of illuminated ayr but it is light to the full extent
only obducted in its extent according to the force of the flame and when it is so stretcht as it were through the fires obduction it receives the force of the flame partly only because it is contracted by expelling the extrinsick bodies contained within it so yields to the fires obduction The clearer the ayr is the greater light it makes because it containing no extraneous bodies cannot contract it self from the obtension of the fire by expelling such bodies but being totally continuous it is obtended so far as the said ayr is continuous and according to the force of the fire The reason then why a light is terminated is through the contraction of the ayr and oft times through the density of an intermediate body as of thick vapours and exhalations According to the diminution of the flame the ayr relaxes and so the light diminisheth V. The cause why a dense body is uncapable of generating a light is by reason it is contiguous and cannot be obducted or stretcht as it were I have said That that is light which moves our eye-sight even hence I wil sensibly prove to you that light is nothing but a continuous obduction of ayr Suppose that the optick spirits are for the greatest part an ayr to which the external ayr when the Eye-lids are open is joyned in continuity and becomes one continuous body with the optick ayr in a manner as when one float of water toucheth another they become continuately one Wherefore then when the ayr is continuously obducted as far as where it is continuated to our optick ayr it must necessarily also obduct and stretch the same optick ayr because it is continuous to it That light moves the sight by stretching the optick ayr is evident in that when we look against the light although its origin is far off we feel a stretching in our eyes 2. VVhen we have wearied our selves by seeing we complain that we feel a stretching in our eyes In case the ayr is not obducted so far as to reach our eyes then we do not see it as when a thing is out of sight the reason why we cannot see it although nothing is interposed to hinder is because its stretching doth not reach as far as our Eyes Hence you may observe that visus non fit emittendo sed recipiendo motum flammae sight is not actuated through the emission of beams from our sight but through the receiving of the motion of a flame and more through suffering patiendo non agendo than acting VI. The fire of a Flame is to some extent dispersed through the Ayr and so far it heats the Ayr nevertheless its enlightning is much further extended The Sun which is the greatest Flame its heat in the Summer reaches to us in a very intense quality its light would reach a hundred or more times further then it were the tract of the Ayr extended to a larger quantity but because it is not therefore its heat in the torrid Zone and in the temperate ones in the Summer reaches as far as its light which although it doth is not therefore to be accounted the essence of Light as some have simply imagined So that it was no less Mistake to believe that the Sun's light could be precipitated in a Glass and some to have collected of it no less then two Ounces and half a day The vertue of this Precipitate is described to penetrate into the substance of the hardest Metal I do believe that it is very possible to precipitate such small bodies constituted out of the fiery emissions of the Sun whose vertue cannot but be very penetrative through the predominance of fire in them but nevertheless it is not the light which is precipitated but fiery substances neither is fire the light it self but the cause of it Light is a property following the union of a flame with the Ayr wherefore the Ayr is rather to be taken for the principal Subject VII Light is not the primar cause of all the effects produced by the Stars but their temperament and exsuperating heat Accidentally or privatively their remoteness and remission of heat may be a cause of coldness and incrassation of the Ayr and consequently of its obscurity The light of the Sun doth not comfort the vital Spirits neither doth it act immediately upon them at all although through its heat it may help and excite the vital heat of some frigid temperatures The light hath only a power of acting immediately and per se upon the Optick spirits and through altering them may prove a mediate cause of Vital and Animal Alterations I prove it If you go forth out of the dark into the light you feel a distention or rather an obtension of your visive spirits return again out of the light into the dark and you will first perceive a relaxation and afterwards a contraction of your sight The mediated effect of light is a quickning of the Vital and Animal Spirits which are moved by continuation from the obtension of the Optick Ayr. A sudden great light causes a bursting of the Air which happens when the Air is so much obtended that it can stretch no more and then of a necessity it must burst A bursting is a sudden breaking of a body throughout all its dimensions and parts as it were The air is bursted through a great lightning or a flash before a thunder which if the same bursting do reach diametrically to the optick air of an open eye it will certainly blind yea sometime kill a man because the same bursting is continued unto and upon the optick spirits and sometimes is also further continuated that it bursteth the whole Treasure of the Animal spirits which necessarily must effect an Apoplexy A man coming forth suddenly out of the dark into a great light is often struck blind because his optick Spirits are bursted through the sudden and strong obtention or if it obtends the optick Air to the next lower degree so as it may not cause a bursting it then produceth a dazling of the sight that is an over-stretching of the optick spirits VIII How light renders all things visible is a matter worthy of Enquiry The air being thus obtended and made visible through light is terminated every where about by the surfaces of terminated bodies These terminated surfaces resist the obtended air and according to their several degrees of mixture or of fundamental light and darkness do attenuate refract diminish contract or condensate the obtension If the surface of the resisting object is continuous and weighty it attenuates and refracts or reflects the light of the air and of that nature is water for water being adunited to air in continuity doth not only sustain the obtension of the air but also through its reflexion obtends the obtended air yet more and so the obtension upon the water must be greater by reason it stops the obducted air more then any thing else wherefore its light is thinner but withal greater
Iron Sory is a Mineral hard and thick like to a Stone glistering with yellowish Sparks These three are of a causting quality thereby burning Scars and Crusts into the Flesh besides they are somewhat adstringent Misy is the strongest and Sory is the next to it in strength Antimony is a Mineral of a blewish colour shining throughout its Body like Streeks of Silver its mixture is out of course earth and dense fire yet less dense then any of the foregoing It s vertue is internally vomitive and purgative externally it is discutient detergent and adstringent All these are natural recrements of Metals yet not recrements alone as I said before Bombast and his Sectators analyze all Metals and Minerals into Sal Sulphur and Mercury as if they were all generated out of these as their first Principles for say they our Art instructs us to reduce every Metal or Mineral into each of those foresaid Principles Either this is to be understood that it is possible to reduce all Minerals really into Sal Sulphur Mercury or into some certain more concected beings analogal to them Generally they seem to pretend to educe real Mercury out of all Minerals but as for the others they are only analogal Why should they more expect to extract real Mercury then real Salt or Sulphur Wherefore it will be more consisting with Reason to conclude them all equally analogal that is like in consistency to ordinary Mercury Sal and Sulphur but not in effects It is a Madness for any one to imagine that Gold is constituted by the same Mercury but more concocted that is usually digged out of Mines and that Mercury is convertible into Gold if thereunto intended by a strong concocting preparation They might as well say that Gut-Excrements were convertible into Flesh and that flesh consisted out of the said real Excrements The Case is thus Mercury is by them accounted to be an Excrement of Metals wherefore as an Excrement is a Body really different from those bodies from which it is rejected and in no wise convertible unless it be some of the purest parts of it that have escaped natures Diligence so neither is Mercury any part of Metals nor convertible into them unless it be the smallest purest parts which had fled the earths Metalliferous quality Possibly you will Object that Gold feeds upon Mercury and Mercury upon it wherefore they are convertible into one anothers Nature I deny the Antecedence for Gold is dissolved and destroyed by it as appears in Amalgamation or dissolving Gold by the fume of Mercury ergo it is not fed by it Mercury effects no less in the Body of man for it dissolves his humid parts yea his solid parts too as Mercurial Salivations testifie All which is a sufficient Argument to induce us to forbear from explaining the Causes of Natural Beings by Sal Sulphur Mercury Probably you reply That this is not the meaning of Bombast who intended these Names only to be analogal to those things vulgarly so called Wherefore by Mercury is understood a thin pure liquor by Sulphur a subtil Spirit by Salt the gross substance of a Body I Answer Either you must take these for first Principles or for mixt bodies they cannot be the first because his Mercury is constituted out of water reduced from its greatest hardness into a subtil fluor through admixture of Air and Fire His Sulphur consists of fire condensed by Earth and of Air ergo they must be mixt Bodies if so they are no first Principles of Metals because even these are reducible into more simple bodies viz. his Mercury into thick water a thin air and a rare fire Sulphur into air fire c. This I will grant them that all Metals are dissolveable into such kinds of analogal Substances which are not bodies less mixt but only changed into bodies of several consistencies viz. thick and thin course and fine CHAP. II. Of Stones and Earths 1. A Description of the most Precious Stones 2. A Description of the less Precious Stones that are engendred within Living Creatures 3. A Description of the less Precious Stones that are engendred without the Bodies of Living Creatures 4. An Enumeration of common stones 5. A Disquisition upon the vertues of the forementioned stones An Observation on the Effects of Powders composed out of Precious stones Whether the Tincture of an Emerald is so admirable in a bloudy Flux 6. A particular Examination of the vertues of a Bezoar stone Piedra de Puerco Pearles c. 7. The Kinds of Earth and their Vertues I. OUr Method hath led us to propose the Demonstration of universal Natures before that of particulars and that of Metals before the other of imperfect Minerals and Stones as being more excellent through their perfection of mixture wherefore we have next allotted this Chapter for the treatise of the particular natures of Stones Stones are either known under the name of most Precious less Precious or Common The most Precious Stones are ordinarily called Jewels being 18 in number 1. An Agathe 2. An Amethist 3. An Asterites 4. A Beril 5. A Carbuncle 6. A Chalcedonie 7. A Chrysolite 8. A Diamond 9. An Emerald 10. A Jaspis 11. An Jacinth 12. An Onyx 13. A Ruby 14. A Sarda 15. A Saphir 16 A Sardonix 17. A Topaze 18. A Turcois An Agathe is a stone of divers mixt colours and in no wise transparent An Asterites is a stone somewhat resembling Crystal and within the Moon when she is at full An Amethist is a stone of a Violet colour A Beril is of a Sea-green colour and sometimes is found to have other colours mixt with it A Prase is not unlike to it only that it is not of so deep a green neither so hard for it wears away by much usage A Carbuncle is esteemed for the most precious of all Stones and is of a Gold or Flaming colour It is said that there is a kind of a Carbuncle called a Pyrope to be found in the East-Indies which shines as bright in the Night as the Sun doth in the Day A Chalcedonie is a stone of a Purple colour A Chrysolite is of a Golden colour hard and transparent A Chrysoprase is hard and of a greenish colour A Diamond is thought to be the hardest of all Stones An Emerald is hard and of a perfect green colour A Jaspis is of a greenish colour sported here and there with bloudy Spots An Jacinth is of a Gold or flaming colour Some of them decline from a Yellow to a deep Saffron red or sometimes to a blewish colour They are neither perspicuous or opake but between both An Onyx is of a brownish white but of a dull transparency An Opale stone is by Pliny Lib. 37. c. 6 accounted for the best and rarest of Stones as participating of the rarest Colours of the rarest Stones its fire is more subtil then of a Carbuncle shining with a Purple of an Amethist greenish like to the Sea-green of an
separated by our weak heat if Aq. Regia is too inferiour to separate their spirits from their earth much less our mild Ferment But supposing an impossibility to be possible viz. that by length of time this might be effected yet it cannot answer to the cause of so immediate an effect neither must we fly to that worn out Sanctuary of ignorance Ocoult Qualities for it is denied to these also to act at a distance But to keep you nolonger in suspence the truth of the matter is this the Heart the Brain and the Liver do alwaies sympathize with the Stomack the one through commonness of Membranes and Nerves of the sixth pair the other through the Branches of the Coeliacal Artery the last through the Mesenterical and other Branches of the Vena Portae especially in extream weaknesses This is evident Drink but a Glass of Wine and immediately your vital spirits will pulsate more vigorously your Animal motion will be rendered stronger and your Veins will swell upon it Wherefore the Stomach being much relaxed in most weaknesses and filled with Damps and Vapours and sometimes partaking of a Malignancy doth through the same Relaxation by continuation relaxe the Arteries Nerves and Veines inserted into her body whence their spirits are necessarily rendered feeble and moist Now then the Stomack being somewhat cleared of these moist evaporations doth recover a little strength which in like manner the foresaid Channels and Spirits do immediately grow sensible of which if so the case is plain to wit that the benefit which the noble parts receive doth derive from the depression of these damps through the weight of those precious Powders the same sinking to the bottom to conglomerate and contract the stomach by which contraction they expel the aforesaid Vapours Exhibite any weighty Powders as of Coral Crystal Bole Armen c. they will refocillate the Spirits and prove as suddenly cordial although ex accidenti as others of the most precious Carbuncles or Magistery of Pearl which is an undoubted sign that it is nothing else but their dense weight whereby they operate those Effects Neither must you infer hence that I assert that all weighty bodies are cordial no but only such as are densely weighty and have no noxious quality accompanying of them provided also their weight be not so excessive as to overpress the stomach By all this it appears how far Jewels may be said to be Cordial as for any other effects that are adscribed to them they are fictitious and deceitful You may Object that the Tincture or rather Magistery of Emeralds is commended for its miraculous vertue of stopping a Looseness I Answer That it is not the Emerald which is the sole cause of this Effect but its being impregnated with Spirits and volatil Salt of Urine which being very detergent and almost as adstringent as Alume do principally work that Miracle as you call it for digest its Powder with any other Menstruum and its Operation will vary Or abstract the Tinctures of any other Stone or Mineral Earth provided they partake of no noxious quality with the same Menstruum of Spir of Urin and you will assuredly find the vertue to be the same Thus much touching their Intrinsick vertue As for their External Effects they are more certain and evident 1. They do clarifie the sight through their Lustre and splendor by obtending the optick air They do cheer the visive spirits by moving them gently and as it were quavering upon them through their flashes and glisterings of Light This is very true for when you look suddenly upon a great Jewel the sparkling of it will immediately quicken your eye-spirits and as it were by consent cheer you The same effect we do plainly perceive in our selves when wecome suddenly out of a dark Room into the Sun-shiny Light wherefore I say the production of stones are ordained by God for to remain entire and to please the eye by being lookt upon and not to be broken into pieces and spoiled when they are become scarce worth a Bodel whereas before their value was of a great price Before I leave this Subject I will only insert a word touching the cause of their glistering and splendor A Carbuncle and particularly a Pyrope is alone said to shine in the dark although Sennert in his Phys. doth ignorantly deny it The cause of its actual light in the dark is an actual flame kindled within the body of the stone and there remaining Catochizated whose Light is further intended by a Reflection upon the thick waterish parts of the stone and glisters through its refraction by angles adherent to the matter and dividing the intrinsick Light The same to wit reflection and refraction is also the cause of the shining and glistering light of the other most precious stones VI. Among the less precious stones the Bezoar or as the Persians call it Pa Zahar a word compounded out of Pa against and Zahar Venom that is a stone against all kinds of Venom or Poysons But we here in these parts have a way of commending a thing far above what it is esteemed beyond Sea and Quack-like of extolling it against all putrid and malignant Feavers the Plague Small Pox Measles malignant Dysenteries and what not There are many of these Goat-Stags in Persia which are fed in Fields near a place called Stabanon two or three daies journey from Laza a great City of that Countrey These Fields protrude a great quantity of an Herb very like to Saffron or Hermodactyls whereon those Beasts do feed out of the subsidence and faeces of whose juyce remaining in the stomach the foresaid stone concreaseth which doth very miserably torment their bodies But if the same beasts seed upon other mountainous herbs this stone doth happen to dissolve and comes away from them in small pieces Now that a stone engendred out of an unwholsom and poysonous herb should work such Miracles doth by far exceed the Extent of my Belief Moreover Physitians are very conscientious in dispensing the dose of it imagining that 5 or 6 Graines must be sufficient to expel all Malignancy out of the humoral Vessels through a great sweat but I have taken a whole Scruple of it my self to try its vertues and found it only to lye heavy at my stomach and that was all Besides I have several times prescribed it to Patients in whom I never could observe the least Effect of it Supposing this stone were exalted to such faculties there is scarce one amongst a hundred is right for those Mahometical Cheats have a Trick of adulterating them and so thrusting two or three one after another down a Goats throat they soon after kill him and take the same stones out before witness who shall swear they are true ones for they saw them taken out The Tair of a Stagge doth expel sweat extreamly and may be used against poysons and all contagious Diseases Horstius commends it besides to facilitate hard Labour in Women
hold of their Iron Pins II. Before we apply our selves to the enumeration of the properties of the Loadstone let us in the first place search into its internal principles The Loadstone is as it were imperfect Iron but not so neer resembling it as Iron resembles Steel It is between a Stone and a Metal and therefore in a manner is not perfectly concocted It s material principle is a loose earth rarefied by dense fire and incrassated air being unequally mixt and tempered It s forma ultima is sometimes a compleat Metal like to Iron other times like to a hard reddish blew stone Both these have been found by many not knowing what to make of them which in all probability were concocted Loadstones That they were Loadstones is evidenced by the remaining vertues although but very weak of attracting Iron It s body being throughout porous that is loose and not very solid its intrinsick parts must of necessity partake of a certain figure as all porous bodies do although in some more in others less Iron it self as also a Lyzzard stone consists of intrinsick parts Cuspidally or Pyramidally formed that is with streaks transcurring as it were into Pyramidal points In Alume likewise we see its parts are Hexagonal in Crystal the same and so in all bodies although it is not alwaies visible however appearing in our present subject The cause you know is from the manner of exhalation proruption of the ayry and fiery parts that have left it and minutely do still leave it Between these triangular pointings we do imagine insensible cavities or pores through which those emanations do continually pass and by whose figure they are directed to their passages outward those I say are continuous and very potent III. Now we have declared enough to demonstrate most of its properties which I shall instantly enumerate They are either Mechanical Nautical Medicinal or fabulous It s Mechanical property is of attracting Iron Nautical of inclining or moving towards the North Pole and thereby of directing Mariners in steering their course of which more anon Medicinal of adstriction and strenching blood AEtius lib. 2. tetrabl cap. 25. gives us this account of its medicinal vertues The Magnete or Herculean stone hath the same vertues which a blood stone hath They say that it doth asswage the pains of the Gout in the feet and in the wrist if held in the hand This is fabulous but if applied being mixt with other ingredients in a plaster it doth really give ease in some kinds of Gouts Serapio lib. de simpl part 2. cap. 384. commends the Magnete for curing wounds befaln by a venomous weapon it is to be powdered and mixt with other Oyntments and applied to the part affected besides the Patient is for some daies to take a Dose of it internally untill the venom is purged away by stool Parey lib. 7. Chir. cap. 15 attributes a very memorable cure of a bursted belly to it Fabr. Hildan Cent. 5. Observ. Chir. 31. obs rehearses a famous cure luckily done by it by the advice of his Wife at a dead lift I suppose upon a Merchant who was tormented with a miserable pain in one of his eyes caused by a little piece of steel that was accidentally peirced into it All kind of Anonynes were applied but to no purpose at last the Loadstone was thought upon which he caused to be held near to the eye whereby it was soon drawn out The fabulous properties of this stone are of losing its attractive vertue by the apposition of a Diamond of curing wounds at a distance for which purpose it is added to Bombasts sympathetical oyntment and of preserving youth for which end they say the King of Zeylan causes his victuals to be dressed in Magnete Dishes I return to its Mechanical property about which Authors are very various some as Nicander Pliny Anton. Mercat lib. 2. de occult prop. cap. 1. Matthiol in Dios. lib. 5. cap. 105. Encel. de re Metal lib. 3. cap. 8. fabr Hildan in the late quoted observ asserting it to attract Iron at one end and to repel it at another Others affirming the contrary viz. That it attracts Iron from all parts but by several impulses as it were moving in several Figures some being direct others oblique It is true in an oblique motion the Steel at the first impulse seems to recede because of its changing its position towards the Loadstone besides this change the Steel also varies according to its diverse position towards the stone we need not confirm the truth of this by arguments the experiment it self viz. placing small pieces of filings of Steel round about the stone will gâ—ve you a further proof of it Wherefore these forementioned Authors imagining the North part of this stone to be alone properly the Loadstone accused Pliny of an errour for affirming the Theamede stone to reject Iron which they affirmed was no other but the South part of the Magnete Whether the Theamedes doth repel Iron or no I know not only thus much I know that the description of it is altogether differing from that of the Loadstone neither can I believe that Pliny being so well versed in stones should so easily mistake in this Letting this pass it is certain 1. That in the North hemisphere it doth attract Iron most at its North part and more directly at the other sides its attractive vertue upon Iron is less potent and draws more oblique 2. One Loadstone doth not draw the other unless the one be more concocted than the other and then it doth 3. That a Loadstone capped with Steel attracts more vigorously than when naked 4. That it draweth Iron stronger at some places than at others at some seasons than at others 5. That it attracts Steel more potently than Iron 6. That it doth also attract Copper although but weakly 7. That its Mechanick and nautical vertue is communicable to Iron 8. That the Magnete loseth its vertue by rust by lying open in the air by moisture by lying near to hot Spices as the Indian Mariners who transport Pepper and other Spices do testifie by fire by being touched with the juyce of Garlick or Onions That in length of time its vertue doth intirely exhale leaving only a course rusty stone behind it 9. That a Loadstone being intersected by a section almost perpendicularly incident upon the supposed axeltree of the said stone and its pieces placed one against the other so that the faces of each section may constitute a side of an acute angle terminated by a common point of their South or North Pole doth attract Iron more potently by far than otherwise IV. I should now begin to demonstrate the first effect of the Loadstone through its proper cause but before I can arrive to its solution it will be requisite for you to know what is ordinarily meant by its North part The said Part is otherwise by Authors termed the North Pole of the Loadstone because it doth look or
the cause and a false one too by the effect A notion by far inferiour to those of the wanderers and that which adds to this absurdity is to imagine that these streaks should retain their shape notwithstanding their continual and long grinding against the air in their descent and not change their shape a hundred times over Doth not a cloud which must be supposed to be of a firmer consistency than those particles make choice of a new shape every moment But how much the more these small tender bodies And that which is most absurd is to propose that such a vast number or troops of these particles should arrive hither into our North Hemisphere from the South so obliquely without changing their shape further he supposeth them to come bearing down directly through the Earth and through the Magnete which is impossible unless it be in a right sphaere whereas we here are situated in a very oblique sphere and consequently the Magnet is also obliquely seated here wherefore it is requisite that these streakes should alwaies beat against the Magnet in these Regions obliquely and change their shape very oft But how monstrous is it to maintain these particles to flie through the Diameter of the Earth and water being bodies most dense close thick in many places shutting out fire and air being substances by a Million of degrees exceeding Des-Cartes in subtility or how is it possible they should pass the most Icy and deep thick body of water well and yet through all this difficulty they should retain their shape this is an absurdum absurdissimorum absurdissimum The earth is pervious in such a manner as to fit the shape of the Coelestial streakes and were it so certainly it moving about the Sun according to his assent must change its passages and so thwart the entrance of the Coelestial subtilities As for the passages of the Magnete we grant them to be numerously seminated through its body but their shape is quite different My time doth even weary me in making disquisition upon so dishering and monstrous a Chimera I should easier give credit to Rablais his Pantagruel or the Fables of AEsope than to so obtuse a phantasm XIII There remains yet a word or two touching the fabulous property of this Stone which you have described by Famianus de Strada Libavius and others viz. that two Loadstones although at a great distance do so sympathize with one another that they move at one anothers passive impulsion and that towards the same place as for two friends residing in different Countries and intending to signifie their meaning or desires to each other they are only to make use of two steel needles of an equal size to rub them both against the same side of the Magnete and afterwards to place them in a Compass Box and so turning either of the Needles to any Point of the Compass the other is thought to obey to the same motion whereby they come to know one anothers meaning as having mutually at their last meeting agreed to impose a certain signification upon each point of the said Compass Hence they deduce a Magnetical or like to it sympathy in curing of wounds a sympathy in the affinity of bloud a sympathy between the guts and their excrements between superlunary sublunary bodies between men and men men and beasts men and parts of beasts men and plants beasts and beasts beasts and plants some natural bodies and others So that whereas formerly Philosophers used to excuse their ignorance by occult qualities now having worn them out they accur to Magnetical sympathies There is not a Surgeon or Apothecary so ignorant but he will as cunningly find out a cause whereby to explain the most abstruse effect of nature and instantly tell you such or such an effect happens through a Magnetical sympathy as the most learned Mr. Doctor But is this the great advancement of Learning and Philosophy which our Age doth so much boast of Is it not rather a grand piece of impudence to propose such absurdities and much more to give credit to them If Loadstones are subjected to such a necessary sympathy then one Magnet being retracted to a certain point of the Compass all must yield to the same point But the consequence is ridiculous ergo the Antecedence is no less 2. This sympathy is either communicable through means of the air or through it self without any intermediate body and consequently a natural action must agere in distans not the first for it is impossible that its steames should be conveighed to such a distance in their full vigour not the second that sounding absurd in the ears of all Naturalists The other kind of sympathies I intend to treat of elsewhere CHAP. IV. Of Life and living Bodies 1. What Life is 2. The Form of Life Why Vegetables are generated no where but near to the Surface of the Earth 3. The properties of a Vital Form 4. The definiton of Nutrition and the manner of it Whether food is required to be like to the dissipated parts 5. What Accretion is and the manner of it 6. The manner of the generation of a Plant. 7. The manner of the germination of a Plant. A delineation of all the parts of a Plant. 8. What the Propagation of a Plant is and the manner of it 1. HItherto we have proposed to you the nature of Earths Minerals and Stones which are the lowest degree of natural bodies and therefore do most of all resemble their predominating Element in nature and properties the next degree to this is wherein Vegetables or Plants are constituted and through whose prerogative a more noble Essence and dignities are allotted to them consisting in Life Accretion and Propagation The life of a Plant is its singular nature through which it is nourished and accreased and doth propagate As Generation and Corruption in a strict sense are only appropriated to in animated naturals so are Life and Death restrained to animated ones namely to Plants Animals and Men. Peripateticks seem to observe a twofold difference of life viz. Substantial and Accidental The former is taken for the principle of the vital operations The latter for the actions of life as Nutrition Accretion and Propagation We here intend neither abstractly but define the life of a Plant concretely that is a living body substance or plant to be a being composed out of a Physical matter specified by a distinct form from pure naturals and through its Essence to be qualified to nourish it self accrease and to generate Wherefore Aristotles Followers do justly condemn Cardan lib. 7. de subtil and Cornel. Valer. Cap. 44. instit Phys. for maintaining life it self to be an action that is a quality or property really distinct from its subject But withall stumble into no small an inconvenience in defining it to be an Actus which is no otherwise distinguished from an action than a concrete from an abstract So that in inserting actus they must mean an
moisture as may force them through their intumescence to raise a womb where they meet where being arrived they are immediately cherished and further actuated united and condensed by the close and cold temperature of the womb This actuation conceives a flame because through it the fire happens to be united and thence dilated by the incrassated air whose immediate effect is a flame now being come to a flame they attract nutriment out from their matrix in the same manner as was set down before The spiritous parts of this advening nutriment is united to the central parts of the flame which it doth increase it s other parts that are more humorous and less defecated are concreased by the lesser heat of the extreme parts or a heat lessened through the greater force of the extrinsick cold That which is worthy of inquiry here is Why the heat or vital flame strives to maintain the central parts moreover this seems to thwart what I have inserted before viz. That it is the nature of fire to be diffused from the center 2. Whence it is occasioned that the weighty parts as the dense and humoral ones are expelled to the Circumference For solution of the first you are to call to mind that the Elements in that stare wherein they are at present do war one against the other for the Center which if each did possess this motion would cease in them the fire then being now in possession of the Center contracts it self and strives to maintain its place nevertheless it doth not forbear diffusing its parts circularly to the circumference because through its natural rarity it is obliged to extend it self to a certain sphere The reason of the second is Because the igneous and ayry parts being united into a flame and into a greater force do over-power the other Elements and impell them to the Periphery where they being strengthned by the ambient coldness of the Matrix are stayed and do concrease into a thick skin by this also the internal flame is prevented from dissipating its life and the better fitted to elaborate its design which is to work it self into shapes of small bodies of several Figures and of various Properties and in those shapes to diffuse each within a proportion of other Elements likewise variously tempered And so you have in brief a perfect delineation of the Earths conception and formation of Seeds whose spirits being now beset with thick dense parts are catochizated that is the flame is maintained in such a posture which it had when it had just accomplisht the plasis of the internal organical parts or in some the flame may be extinguisht through the near oppression by heavy parts which afterwards being stirred and fortified by an extrinsick heat relaxing its parts returns to a flame Whence it happens that seeds may be kept several months yea years without protruding their parts but being committed to the ground especially where the mild heat of the heavens doth penetrate perfused also with a moderate moysture do soon after come to a germination The same may be effected by any other mild heat like we see that many seeds are perduced to a growth before the spring of the year in warm chests or in dunged ground Eggs are frequently harched by the heat of an Athanor or by being placed between two Cushions stuft with hot dungs Silk-worms Eggs are likewise brought to life by childrens heat being carried for two or three weeks between their shirts and wascoats all which instances testifie that the heat of the Sun is no more then Elementary since other Elementary heats agree with it in its noblest efficience which is of actuating and exciting life within the genitures of living bodies possibly it may somewhat exceed them as being more universal equal less opposed and consequently more vigorous and subtil The time when the Earth is most marked with Matrices is in the Spring and Fall because the astral heat is then so tempered that it doth gently attract great quantity of exhalations and humours neither is it long after before they conceive the influences of the Stars being then pregnant in subtilizing and raising seminal matter The cause of the variety of Seeds and Plants thence resulting I have set down above and withall why it is that Non omnis fert omnia tellus every kind of Earth doth not produce all kinds of herbs but why herbs of the hottest nature are sometime conceived within the body of water might be further examined In order to the solution of this Probleme you must note that the seeds of such herbs as do bud forth out of the water were not first conceived within the water as water but where it was somewhat condensed by Earth as usually it is towards the sides where those Plants do most shew themselves for water in other places where it is fluid is uncapable of receiving the impression of a womb excepting only where it is rendred tenacious and consistent through its qualification with glutinous or clayish earth And this shall serve for a reason to shew that herbs germinate out of water although they are not conceived within it The ground why the hottest herbs as Brooklime Watercresses Water crowfoot c. are generated in the water is in that the spirits informating those Plants are subtil and rare easily escaping their detention by any terrestrial matrix as not being close enough by reason of its contiguity of parts but water be the spirits never so subtil or rare is sufficient to retain stay congregate and impell them to a more dense union whence it is that such substances prove very acre and igneous to the pallat by reason of its continuous weight Next let us enumerate the properties of a vegetable Seed 1. Is to be an abridgment of a greater body or in a small quantity to comprehend the rudiments of a greater substance so that there is no similar or organical part of a germinated plant but which was rudimentally contained within its seed 2. To be included within one or more pellicles 3. To lye as it were dead for a certain time 4. To need an efficient for the kindling of its life whence it is that the Earth was uncapable of protruding any plants before the Heavens were separated from the Earth through whose efficiency to wit their heat living substances were produced 5. To need an internal matrix for its production and germination which is not alwaies necessary for the seeds of animals as appears in the Eggs of Fowl and Silk-worms 6. Only to be qualified with a nutritive accretive and propagative vertue 7. To consist intrinsecally of a farinaceous matter VII The germination of a plant is its motion out of the Seed to the same compleat constitution of a Being or Essence which it hath at its perfection Motion in this definition comprehends the same kinds of motion which Accretion was said to do and withall is specified by its terminus a quo the seed and a
under water over the bottom of the Sea along with the course of the Ocean from any noted point that the same part of the Ocean or Bowl shall in the space of 15 natural daies arrive to the same point and exactly at the same time begin its next periodical course thence when it departed from that term the month before Nevertheless the Ocean doth not omit its single course in fluctuating about the Earth in somewhat more than twelve hours but then it doth not dayly arrive to the supposed point of a compounded periodical course at the same minute when the latter viz. the compounded begins its progress Expresly the great Ocean through its diurnal course flows the length of 348 degrees about from East to West performing also the same circuit through its nocturnal course That is every twelve AEquinoctial hours it absolves 348 degrees of the terrestrial AEquator Wherefore for to flow 360 degrees it requires 24 24 2â— minutes of an hour above the foresaid twelve hours that is the Ocean flows about the terrestrial AEquator in twelve hours and 24 14 2â— minutes absolving every hour 29 degrees How this swiftness is possible to the Ocean we shall make further declaration of it anon Besides a single diurnal and a periodical compounded monthly motion another must also be added which I call an augmentative motion through which the Ocean doth gradually accrease every high water to some certain cubits of which more fully hereafter Since that time is nothing but a measure of motion and that one time is made known to us by another it is thence occasioned that we come to know the time of the Ocean by comparing it with the time of the Moon and of the Sun as being general marks whereby to calculate the seasons of the Ocean This premised it states a ground reason of the measure of this great Sea viz. That it is usually high water in the Ocean under the AEquinoctial and Ecliptick as also upon the shores of the same at six in the morning and evening when the Moon is in opposition to or conjunction with the Sun and at the same hours about the Moons quarters the waters there are at their lowest On the other side it is as common among Mariners to measure the motion of the Sun and Moon by the Tides or motions of the Seas they being exquisitely skill'd in discerning the hour of the day and night or the season of the several aspects of the Moon by the said tides Wherefore it may be thought as equal a consequence that the Moon in her motion depends upon the course of the Ocean as pressing the air through her tumefaction which again doth impel the Moon forward as that the Moon should tumefie the air and thereby impel the waters forward But I pass by this as ridiculous Although the Ocean keeps so constant and exact a rule and measure in its course as likewise the Sun and Moon yet we must not therefore conceive the one to depend upon the other because two great marks of their time that is one of either viz. The greatest height of waters and the greatest aspect of the Moon are concurring in one day that rather happening because the Ocean began its course at that instant when the Moon after her creation being placed in opposition to the Sun began hers But possibly you will propose this instance to evince that the highest water doth depend upon the greatest compression of the Moon because when she is at her Full she may cause some compression and commotion of air and water she then being in her greatest strength and situated in Perigaeo of her eccentrical Aspect and therefore nearest to the water and so may add somewhat to the enhightning of its stream I answer That it is a mistake to apprehend the Moon to be nearest at the Full most Astronomers asserting her rather to be remotest then and to be nearest when she is in her quarters Ergo according to that rule the highest waters should happen at the Moons quarters and the lowest at the Full of the Moon Or otherwise how can the Moon further the said motion when she is upon the extremity of her decrease her rayes drowned by those of the Sun and she in Apogaeo deferentis Certainly none can be so obtuse as to maintain her in that capacity to have a power of compressing the air when she being most remote the air doth most enjoy its freedom yet nevertheless some are so obstinate to assert that the greatest altitude of the Sea because it hapneth then doth likewise depend upon the compression of the Moon What is more constant certain periodical and equal than the course of the Sea Whereas the Moon is vulgarly maintained to be subjected to anomalies then in this part of the Heavens then in another now in Apogaeo perigaeo concentrical excentrical then swift slow c. if so then a constant and equal effect cannot consecute the efficience of an unequal cause III. Against our discourse touching the diurnal course of the Ocean might be objected That it seems very improbable that the Sea should move so swift as in a little more than 12 hours to overflow the whole terrestrial Globe whereas a ship through the advantage of her sails and a prosperous wind and weather being supposed to out-run the Tide can scarce accomplish that course in a Twelvemonth Hereunto I reply that the water takes the beginning of her motion from underneath for as I have formerly proved that the formal cause of the waters perennal motion is her gravity which bearing down upon the Earth for to gaine the Center is resisted by her and nevertheless continuing in its motion is necessarily shoven there to the side and so the same hapning to the succeeding parts are all impelled through a natural principle of gravity sidewards like unto an Arrow being shot against a stone wall and there resisted is shoven down the side VVhence it is apparent that the waters take beginning of their motion underneath not far from the ground where being pressed by the great weight of many hundred fathoms of water lying upon them must needs cause a very swift course of waters removing underneath and withdrawing from that of the Surface which is prevented of a swift motion because it sinks down to that place whence the subjected parts do withdraw themselves which gives us a reason why the superficial parts of the Sea do not flow by many degrees so swift as the subjected ones Nevertheless some small motion is visible upon the Surface which may accelerate or retardate the course of a ship but not comparable to the waters in the deep This instance will further certifie you touching the truth of the matter before said a flat-bottomed Kettel filled up with water having a hole at the bottom near to the side of the said Kettel doth emit the water underneath spouting out with a very great swiftness through the hole whereas the
to my apprehension all that Country must necessarily be subjected to such deluges since it swims upon the water Touching Inland Inundations as that which befell Friesland in the year 1218 where near 100000 persons were buried in the water and that of Holland and Zealand in the Reign of Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany in the year 1531. and several times since as that of the last year when a great part of the Country all about Gorcum was seized upon by Inland waters Their causes are to be attributed to torrents streaming down out of the melted snow as also to the swelling of the Inland waters through receiving a great quantity of frosty minima's pouring down from the North in a cold Winter The River of Nile proves yearly extravagant in AEgypt for two months and ten daies because being situated very low it is obliged to receive the superfluity of water falling from above out of severall great Rivers and Lakes as the Lakes Zembre Saslan Nuba and the Rivers Cabella Tagazi Ancona Coror and many others besides the water which it draweth from the hills and other grounds These Rivers and Lakes do constantly swell every year by reason of the great rains that fall there at certain times of the year Besides the heat of the Sun exercising its power very vigorously near the latter end of May doth very much subtilize and rarefie those waters whereby they are rendred more fluid penetrating and copious and lastly the Sun conversing in the northern declination doth impell the Ocean stronger against the Northern shores whereby the waters are also much increased Hence it is that the waters of the Nile are so subtill that they deceive the air in carrying of them up in vapours viz. because they are so subtilly strained No wonder then if they prove so healthy The same causes are appliâ—ble to the excessive increase of the Rivers Ganges Padus Arrius Danow Tiber and Athesis CHAP. X. Of the causes of the before-mentioned properties of Lakes 1. Whence the Lake Asphaltites is so strong for sustaining of weighty bodies and why it breeds no Fish The cause of qualities contrary to these in other Lakes The cause of the effects of the Lake Lerna 2. Whence the vertues of the Lake Eaug of Thrace Gerasa the Lake among the Troglodites Clitorius Laumond Vadimon and Benaco are derived 3. Whence the properties of the Lake Larius Pilats Pool and the Lake of Laubach emanate I. VVHat the cause of those effects of the Lake Asphaltites should be the name seems to contain viz. The water glued together by an incrassated air and condensed fire constituting the body of a certain Bitumen called Asphaltos whence the said Lake doth also derive its name It is uncapable of breeding fish because through its sulphureous thickness it suffocates all vitall flames On the contrary the Lakes Avernum although deep 360 fathom and that of AEthiopia are so much subtilized through the passing of rarefied air that they are uncapable of sustaining the least weight Touching their pernicious quality to fowl it must be attributed to the venomous spirits permixt with that rarefied air infecting the whole Element of air as far as it covers them The Lake Lorna and the other in Portugal cause their effects through the permixture of a quantity of crude nitrous bodies which prove very depressing That Lake of AEthiopia is unctious through the admixture of incrassated air II. The Lake Eaug in Ireland acquires a sideropoetick vertue under water from the imbibition of crude Aluminous juyces by means of their indurating and constrictive vertue changing wood sticking in the mud into an Iron-like substance that part which is under water into a stone-like substance because of the diminution of the said Aluminous Juyces which through their weight are more copious in the mud the part of the wood that sticks out of the water remains wood as being beyond the reach of the said heavy juyces The Lakes of Thrace and Gerasa prove pernicious through admixture of crude arsenical exhalations The Lake among the Troglodites being Mercurial is infestuous to the brain The Lake Clitorius through its nitrosity disturbs the stomach and attracts a great quantity of moisture to it and infecting it with an offensive quality causes a loathing of all Liquors The sudden tempests befalling the Lake Laumond and Vadimon are caused through winds breaking out of the earth through the water Lakes resist induration by frost through igneous expirations pervading them The Lake Benacus shews its fury when its internal winds are excited by external ones causing a Concussion and a Rage in the water like unto an aguish body which is disposed to a shaking fit by every sharp wind raising the sharp winds within III. The River Abda passeth freely through the Lake Larius without any commotion of its body because the waters of the Lake through their extream crassitude are depressed downwards and so are constituted atop in a rigid posture whereas the River is impelled forwards and very little downwards But were it to flow through a shallow water whose quantity doth not bear any proportion to receive the pressure of the air downwards against the earth they would soon communicate in streams 2. The waters of a Lake differ much in crassitude and density from those of a River and therefore do exclude its streams The Lake Haneygaban doth not visibly disburden it self of those waters but thrusting Caverns underneath into the earth raises all those hills through the intumescence of the said waters that are near to her out of which some Rivers do take their rice Pilats Pool is stirred into a vehement fermentation by flinging any pressing body into it because thereby those heterogeneous mineral juyces viz. Vitriolat and Sulphureous substances are raised mixt together and brought to a fermentation and working Through this fermentation the water swells and exceeds its borders but the water being clarified the commotion ceaseth Neither needs any one wonder that so small a matter should be the cause of so great an exestuation since one part of the water doth stir up the other and so successively the whole pool comes to be stirred Pools owe their rice to great rains or torrents which sometime do slow visibly over the meadows or through Rivers causing inundations Sometimes through Caverns of the Earth as that near Laubach CHAP. XI Of the rice of Fountains Rivers and Hills 1. That Fountains are not supplied by rain 2. Aristotles opinion touching the rice of Fountains examined 3. The Authors assertion concerning the rice of Fountains The rice of many principal Fountains of the world 4. Why Holland is not mountainous 5. That the first deluge was not the cause of Hills 6. Whence that great quantity of water contained within the bowels of the Earth is derived 7. Whence it is that most shores are Mountainous Why the Island Ferro is not irrigated with any Rivers Why the earth is depressed under the torrid Zone and elevated towards the polars The
ground into whose room a great depth of water is succeeded undermining it all about The Island Ferro is not irrigated atop with any fluent moisture as Lake River or Springs except only with the abundant droppings of a tree drawing moisture from a great depth or by collecting the dew of the air which sufficeth to quench the thirst of all the Inhabitants and their Cattel because consisting throughout of high Mountains their sand lying very close deep and heavy doth detain the water underneath them The earth is much more depressed under the torrid Zone and as much more raised towards the Poles because the Ocean being gathered into a vast body under the forementioned Zone depresseth all the land under it and near to it with one collected and united force of weight towards the Poles which doth undoubtedly assure me that under both Poles Artick and Antartick the firm land doth stick out far above the waters And questionless Greenland is protracted quite throughout the Northern polar Region The Mountain Serra Leona in AEthiopia bearing up to the height of the clouds wherewith the top is alwaies beset although raised within the torrid Zone is suffulted by a great gulph collected through the meeting of two or more parts of the Sea under ground And whole Africa seems to be inflated into high mountains from the limits of AEgypt until the farthest part of the Atlantick mountain through communication of Lakes which again arise out of the concourse of waters propelled from the Mediterranean Eruthrean AEthiopian and Atlantick Seas Arabia is likewise lofty through hills vaunting upon waters immitted from the Persian and Arabian Gulphs Muscovia and Lithuania are for the greater part Champian Countries because their soil is too much soakt for to be raised up into hills 2. By reason of the multiplicity of Lakes and Rivers through which the subterraneous waters are vented Sweden Norway Scania are very abundantly watered with Lakes and Rivers the Sea upon those Coasts exceeds in depth the length of Ships Cables The reason is because those waters are very much intended in their pressure downwards through the vast number of cold and frosty minima's raining down from the North Pole VIII Before I digress from the subject of this Chapter I am only to shew you the possibility of Marin waters their pressure out from the depth of the Ocean in to the innermost parts of the earth This I shall easily accomplish in mentioning that the force of fresh waters within the land have moulded through the ground the length of many Leagues if so the same is much more possible to salt water The River Niger bores through a heavy dense and deep ground the length of 60 miles before it evacuates it self into the Lake Borno The River Nuba doth likewise force a Cavern many miles long into the earth The Spaniards vaunt excessively of a long Bridge whereon ten thousand Goats and Sheep reap their pasture and is nothing else but the passing of the River Anas alias Guadiana the dimension of 8 or 9 Leagues underground beginning to disappear near Medelina The Tigris runs her self under ground on one side of the mount Taurus and comes up again on the other side and beyond the Lake Thorpes hides it self again within the earth 18 miles further Camden in his Britannia makes observation of the River Mole in Surrey diving under ground near white hill and appearing again a mile or two thence near Letherhed bridge Historians tell us that the Alphaeus floats secretly under ground as far as Sicily where with its appearance makes choice of a new name viz. Arethusa famous for gulping up of offals that had been cast into the Alphaeus at the Olimpick Games usual every fifth year The Danow runs some miles under ground before it flows into the Sava Upon the top of the mount Stella is a certain Lake near 12 Leagues distant from the Sea which oft vomits up wracks of Ships that were cast away at Sea CHAP. XII Of the causes of the effects produced by Fountains 1. Whence some Fountains are deleterious The cause of the effect of the Fountain Lethe of Cea Lincystis Arania The causes of foecundation and of rendring barren of other Fountains The causes of the properties of the Fountain of the Sun of the Eleusinian waters of the Fountains of Illyrium Epyrus Cyreniaca Arcadia the Holy Cross Sibaris Lycos of the unctious Fountain of Rome and Jacobs Fountain 2. The causes of the effects of Ipsum and Barnet Wells 3. Whence the vertues of the Spaw waters are derived 4. Of the formal causes of Baths 1. THe Fountains of Thrace Arcadia Sarmatia Armenia Lydia and Sicilia are deleterious through the permixtion of crude arsernical juyces transpiring out of the earth The same causes operate the same effects in the Founts of Wolchenstein Valentia Berosus c. The Lethe of Boeotia owes its effects to crude Mercurial vapours immixt within its substance Another in the same Countrey produceth a contrary effect through a succinous exhalation The Fountains of Cea and Susae differ little in causality from the Lethe The Lincystis inebriates the brain through repletion by sulphurous exhalations The Fountain of Arania makes use of crude nitrous juyces for the accomplishing of its effects The Fountain which Solinus affirms to conduce to foecundity must be a thorowly attenuated and well concocted water like to that of the Nile The other opposite to this in operation must be very Saturnal A sulphureous Nitre or a mixture of Sulphur and Nitre into one close juyce dispersed through the waters of the Fountain of the Sun among the Garamantes renders them very cold in the day time because the Nitre then predominating condenseth and incrassates the waters the more because its sulphureous parts which do otherwise rarefie them are through the Suns beams extracted disunited and dispersed Whereas in the night season the sulphureous parts benâ—g united through the condensing cold of the night and condensation of the nitrous particles turn into an internal flame causing that fervent heat The Eleusinian waters are irritated to a fermentation of heterogeneous mineral juyces through the percussion of the air by a sharp musical string whereby through continuation the waters are likewise percussed and its contenta stirred In the same manner is the next related fountain cast into an exestuation through the shrill acute vibrating and penetrating percussion of the air by the lips whereas the walking about stirring the air but obtusely cannot effect such a penetrative or acute motion The Fountain of Illyrium contains secret Vitriolat sulphureous flames within its substance whereby it proves so consuming The Fountains of Epyrus and Cyreniaca vary in heat by reason of the greater or lesser dispersing and rarefying or uniting and condensing of their sulphureous flames Springs remain cool in the Summer through the rarefaction of their fiery spirits exhaling and passing out of the ground in the Summer they produce a small warmth through the condensation of their igneous
particles in the Winter That Fountain of Arcadia exerciseth such a penetrable concentrating force upon Gold and Silver through the quantity and strength of its nitrous spirits which are only obtused by a Mules hoof through the Lentor and obtuseness of its body and therefore may easily be contained in it The Fountain of the Holy Cross appears red through the admixture of red bole The overflowing of Fountains for a certain space depends upon the pressure of a greater quantity of water thither which in the Summer time may prove more copious through the attenuation of the water and rarefaction of the earth The reason of their detumescence after their repletion is the waters further impression towards other parts or repression thither whence they came through the expiration of the air flatuosities out the mouths of the Fount whence the earths gravity depresseth them back again Those that increase and decrease with the course of the Moon or rather of the Ocean vary through the change of the universal Tides of which hath been sufficiently treated above Touching the Lithopoetick vertue of waters it is much agreeing with that of the earth of which above The Sibaris causeth sneezing through its acre and vitriolat spirits Some waters are apt to change the temperament of the body into a cold or phlegmatick disposition causing the hair of Cattel to be protruded with a faire colour others into a cholerick habit causing the hair to be of a reddish colour The Fountain Lycos is unctious and therefore serveth to burn in a Lamp Whether to adscribe the egurgitation of that oyly Spring discovered near the Incarnation of our Saviour to the collection of unctious exhalations permisted with water or to a miracle both being possible I leave to the inclination of your belief But the disclosing of a false swearer if there be a Fountain of that vertue is an extraordinary impression of God upon the waters Jacobs Fountain changeth in colour and motion through the fermentation of various heteregeneous bodies contained within it II. Wells are distinguished from Fountains in that the former do oft appear in a plain or valley as the foot of a hill are subject to fill up and after to be dried up again Neither do they spout out water with a force like unto Fountains Ipsum and Barnet Wells operate their effects through a thick Chalchantous or Vitriolat juyce which through its sulphureous particles irritates the belly to excretion and through its subtiller spirits to urine By the way you must not imagine that their admixture is right and true Vitriol for in distillation by the colour of the subsidence it doth appear otherwise Neither is the taste a perfect vitriolat taste or their operation so nauseous as Vitriol dissolved in water Besides those juyces are indisposed to concretion into Vitriol since these are more sulphureous and less digested Nevertheless they are somwhat like to Vitriol in taste operation and grayness of colour as being nearest to green Although the main effect is adscribed to a Vitriolat like juyce it hinders not but that some Ferrugineous and Aluminous juyces may be commixt with them Tunbridge waters are impregnated with a thin chalchantous spirit wherby they are usually pierced through with the urine except in some delicate fine bodies whose bellies partake likewise of their effect III. Among the Spaw waters as Pouhont and Savenier agree in vertue with those of Tunbridge so likewise in their causes And Geronster with Ipsum Nevertheless Hendricus van Heer doth not forbear lib. de Acid. Spadan cap. 5. imputing their effects to red Chalck which he found together with some Oker and a little Vitriol upon the bottom of the body of the Still after distillation of the waters I wonder how he guessed those substances so readily which had nothing in them like to the said bodies but their colour Besides the red chalck he named the mother of Iron A wise saying In effect those subsidences were nothing else but the caput mortuum of the forementioned chalchantous juyces whose subtiller parts being abstracted and exhaled left the courser insipid like to what the caput mortuum of Vitriol useth to be But pray who ever knew â—ed Chalck or Oket to be eccoprotick or diuretick Particularly he found Geronster to leave dregs which being cast upon a red hot Iron would not yield to liquefaction Ergo it must be steel he concluded Neither would his Oker or Chalk have melted presently because they were deprived of their Sulphur But will the infusion of Steel purge by stool and urine like those waters Certainly no. Ergo their purgative ingredient must have been a crude chalchantous juyce Fallopius beyond him attests to have found Alume Salt green Vitriol Plaister Marble and chalk in those waters which they cal Physical waters a meer guess these partaking in nothing but colour and scarce that with the forenamed Minerals Doubtless nature had never intended them for such bodies Touching the commistions of these juyces with the waters they do immediately mix with them as soon as they are exhaled out of the earth which had they been intended for those pretended kind of Minerals nature would have lockt them up in a matrix IV. Baths derive their natures from the actual hidden flames of a thick and dense sulphureous and chalky matter the proportion of which do cause a greater or lesser ebullition The waters of the Rivers descending out of the Alpes breed such congestions under the throat through a permixture of coagulating and incrassating particles to wit of nitrous juyces Touching the other properties of Rivers we have already treated of them and therefore judge their repetition needless CHAP. XIII Of the various Tastes Smells Congelation and Choice of Water 1. Various tastes of several Lakes Fountain and River waters 2. The divers sents of waters 3. The causes of the said tastes That the saltness of the Sea is not generated by the broyling heat of the Sun The Authors opinion 4. The causes of the sents of Waters 5. What Ice is the cause of it and manner of its generation Why some Countries are less exposed to frosts than others that are nearer to the Line 6. The differences of frosts Why a frost doth usually begin and end with the change of the Moon 7. The original or rice of frosty minims Why fresh waters are aptest to be frozen How it is possible for the Sea to be frozen 8. What waters are the best and the worst the reasons of their excellency and badness I. VVAter besides its own natural taste of which we have spoken above is distinguished by the variety of adventicious tasts viz. some are sharp and sowre as the Savenier Tunbridge waters and those near Gopingen in Suevia and others near Lyncestus in Macedonia Others are of a sweet taste as the water of the River Himera in Sicily Those of the River Liparis have a fat taste Some waters in the Isles Andros Naxos and Paphlagonia do taste like wine The
the water or vapours into small or narrow lanes obtending the air between them Now if the water or clouds are equally pliable all about it it appears hairy all about its Circumference if the fore-part of the cloud be somewhat dense and thence indisposed to give way but resists and only the back-part be pliable it formes streaks backwards seeming like a tail and so according to the pliableness of the air it flashes out in figures If you are free to understand by a Comet any new appearing Star descending from its former seat or lately generated I must agree with you that these are only seated in the lower fiery Region some below or above the Moon and in this acception I have made use of the name of Comets in some of the preceding Chapters Authors in treating of Comets seldom forget the inserting their predictions which are 1. Storms 2. Great drinesses 3. Tempestuous Seas 4. Earthquakes 5. Great alterations to befall a Country by the death of their King or Prince All the former are no more frequently consequents of Comets than of all other fiery Meteors because with those great stores of vapours and exhalations there cannot but be a great proportion of slatuosities attracted whose bursting out proves the efficient of the now mentioned effects But as for the last there can little reason be given for it saving only that such a constitution of air causeth commotions of humours and thence may cause diseases in general but why it should light more upon such great personages than others is beyond all guess therefore the truth of it is suspicious Likewise the fabulous presages of other fiery Meteors may be placed in the same rank of dubiousness CHAP. XVIII Of the term Antiperistasis and a Vacuum 1. Whether there be such a thing as an Antiperistasis 2. Whether a Vacuum be impossible and why 3. Experiments inferring a Vacuum answered 4. Whether a Vacuum can be effected by an Angelical or by the Divine Power 5. Whether Local Motion be possible in a Vacuum A threefold sense of the doubt proposed In what sense Local Motion is possible in a Vacuum in what not 1. I Could not conveniently without interruption of my Subject insist before upon the examining that term of the Schools so oft assumed by them to expound the manner of generation of the fiery Meteors viz. Antiperistasis being described to be the intension of heat or cold in bodies caused through the cohibition repulsion or reflection of their own vertues by their contraries without the addition of any new formal parts or retention of their steams Thus many Wells are cool in the Summer and warm in the Winter and exhalations grow hotter in the cold region of the air because of the Antiperistasis of the ambient cold against their heat and of their heat again against the external cold in effect it is nothing but the condensation if such a term may be improperly used or rather union of the qualities of the Elements by the resistance and collecting of their vertues by their opposites But since the collection or uniting these qualities depends upon the condensation or incrassation of their substances there is no need of introducing another frustraneous notion But suppose an Antiperistasis or intension of qualities without the condensation of their substances were granted how do fiery Meteors become flames Never a word of this And when flames why do they cause a disruption of the air in a Thunder Because say they of avoiding a penetration of bodies A good one what fear is there of a penetration of bodies when there is only an intension of qualities through an Antiperistasis without an augmentation of bodies Possibly they will take their refuge to a contrary assertion and tell me that the foresaid disruption happens because of avoiding a Vacuum This is just like them to run from one extremity to another But how a Vacuum Because the flame pent close within consumes or hath consumed or expelled its ambient air which done there must needs follow a Vacuum if Nature did not prevent it by causing the extrinsick air to break in or the internal to break out for anguish This is improbable for the Vacuum may be filled up by the concentration of the ambient clouds Since I am accidentally here fallen into the discourse of a Vacuum I will think it worth my labour to inquire whether such a thing be naturally possible within the Circumference of the Universe I do not mean an imaginary Vacuum without the heavens neither a space void of any gross body although filled up only with air but a place or external Surface freed from air or any other body For answer I assert a Vacuum to be repugnant to nature because the nature of the Elements is to move towards one another with the greatest force imaginable through their respective forms because of their own preservation Hence the Elements would sooner change into a confusion than be debarred from one minimum without having its space filled up with another Wherefore it is not enough to assert as usually they do that there is no Vacuum possible in Nature because she doth so much abhor it as if Nature was an Animal sensible of any hurt and why doth she abhor that they know not However some state the cause of her abhorrence to be Natures providence in ordering that sublunar bodies through mediation of interposed bodies should be disposed to receive the Celestial influences which a Vacuum would otherwise eclipse from them How frivilous As if a moments partial vacuity which could through its being violent not prove lasting should hinder a communication of the Elements or as if the said influences could not be transmitted to sublunars by mediation of bodies that limit the said supposed vacuity Arriaga holds it to be for to prevent a penetration of bodies That is idem per idem for one might as well demand why Nature doth so much abhor a penetration of bodies and be answered because of avoiding a Vacuum Vasquez a Jesuit is of opinion that Nature can never attain to a Vacuum because every body is impowered with an attractive vertue attracting the next body that is contiguous to it in such a manner that no body can be stirred except it attracts its next adherent with it Oh how grosly Doth fire attract water or earth air They all apprehend attraction to be violent and notwithstanding they affirm Nature to abhor a Vacuum naturally and how can this hang together III. Arguments for the proof of a Vacuum many are offered but none of any strength however for your satisfaction I will propose some few 1. A Bason filled up with ashes contains as much water poured into it as if the same Vessel were void ergo there must either be allowed a penetration of bodies or a pre-existent Vacuum But so antiquity hath found the Antecedence Ergo the consequence must be admitted I must needs assert this ancient experiment to be an ancient falshood for
likewise free to defend a penetration of bodies IV. We find a very dense contest among Philosophers about the manner of condensation and rarefaction 1. Scotus in 4. Distinct 22. Quaest. 4. opiniates that there are new parts of quantity produced in rarefaction and other old ones corrupted 2. Marsilius in his Metaph. Quest. 9. Art 2. asserteth that in rarefaction and condensation the whole or entire old quantity is corrupted 3. Others to salve their Doctrine of Condensation and Rarefaction are constrained to affirm a penetration of quantity which they say may naturally happen provided it be not of all but of some parts only 4. Hurtado Phys. Disput. 15. Sect. 5. Subject 4. laies down a Principle invented by his Master which according to his Judgment proveth an Expedient to expound the nature of Rarity and Density There are saith he certain indivisibles contained in bodies through the inflation or puffing up of which bodies do acquire a greater or less place But to avoid all inconveniences they allow these indivisible points not to be formally only but virtually also divisible and extensible according to place and force impelled upon them To this Opinion doth Arriaga also subscribe Disp. 16. Sect. 9. 5. The Jâ—suits of Conimbrica Lib. 1. Cap. 5. q. 17. Art 1. state that Rarity and Density are consistent in a certain quality inherent in quantity through which that quantity is contracted or extended to a greater or less space In fine after a long sweat they are forced to confess ingenuously with Hurtado that this difficulty is not to be cleared V. The subtil Doctor runs far beyond his Byas in admitting a natural corruption in parts and that happening almost every moment wherefore he is rejected by all in this particular What the Assertors of the third Opinion have stiffely affirmed in their whole Philosophy that they are now reduced to deny and exposed to a probation of a penetration of quantity which if a quantity is consistent of potential parts only and indivisible into indivisibilities then no question but it will go for them for then it remains indisputable that in a Line the points do all penetrate one another and consequently must consist out of infinite potential parts Hurtado and Arriaga do now yield to actual formal indivisibles but yet virtually divisible How an indivisible can be inflated they do omit the illustration This is most certain that contiguous indivisibles are inextensible and therefore may not be inflated 2. This Inflation is violent but there are many bodies naturally dense as the earth and therefore inflation being violent is not a means tending to addensation Besides they pass by to express their meaning of Indivisibles whether such as Zeno and Democritus teached or others VI. If they side with Democritus they fall into a greater Errour for his Indivisibles were 1. Infinite 2. Fluctuating in a void place 3. Of various Figures All three most notorious contradictions For can a thing be infinite and yet be terminated with Figures a plain Contradiction 2. Can finite bodies be produced out of infinite material Causes If material causes are infinite the body constituted by them must also be infinite Wherefore another Contradiction 3. There is no real vacuum but an imaginary one 4. Can a thing be indivisible and yet be under various figures There is no figure indivisible but a round Minimum because all its parts are fallen equally so close to the Center that they escape a real division thereby although not a mental one but other figures as Triangles must of necessity be devisible because all figures are made out of a Circle or Rotundity for take away the Angles of a Triangle Quadrangle c. and there remaines a Circle The reason why a round Minimum escapes division is because there is nothing sticking out whereupon an extrinsick Agent can take hold because its extream imaginary parts are strongest in being equally united to the Center and therefore one imaginary part is so strengthned by the other fastened to the other that any real division is impossible upon them but a triangular or any other angular figure is divisible because its real parts are unequally allied to the Center whence there ariseth a strong opposition in one respect and yet a small resistance in another for the angles do receive the force of an extrinsick Agent but a round minimum shoves it off and so makes but little resistance and yet a great opposition we see that a small round Bullet shall pass where a great angular body shall not although impelled with the same force and do consist of the same matter the reason is because in a round figure there is less resistance and the opposition is the greater because of the union of parts I have oft thought upon the intention of that ordinary Saying Vis unita est fortior Strength united is made stronger This holds good only in a round figure for therein force is most united for all its parts are equally allied to the Center and every part helpeth the other and makes no resistance but great opposition This appears in your round short-arst Fellowes who shall carry a greater burden then the biggest and tallest men I do remember that I have seen at a Sea-Village called Scheeveling in the Low-Countries a dozen men or fewer remove and carry a Pink of no very small burden upon their backs from the shore into the Sea Their strength was very improportionable to move so great a body but the placing of themselves in a round Figure did soon square their force to the Bulk Three of them were placed before at one side of the bowes three on the other side three more on each side of the Ship and so those twelve moved with their backs one against the other circularly not thrusting the Ship forward or from them for then they could not have done it but every man moved circularly to the Center and against the force of his Diametrical opposite and so lifted the fore parts of the Ship up upon their backs which being a little raised from the ground fell or moved forward through her own declining weight Touching the men themselves each of them put himself into a circular posture applying his back against the Ship resting his hands and arms upon his Knee and inclining his Head and Neck towards his Breast But this by the way The Conimbricenses endeavour to help the matter by shifting it off to a quality inherent in quantity Indeed I had alwaies apprehended a quality according to the Peripateticks to have inhered in a substance and not in quantity for it is absurd to assert in their Philosophy that one Accident inheres in the other Nevertheless they intend Matter by Quantity wherefore by the way you may observe that nolentes volentes they cannot apprehend any thing by Matter but quantity as I have proved before Further to patch the cause of Density upon Quality is a blind shifting for Quality is so remote a name
and there are so many qualities that unless they indigitate to a particular sensible quality they effect little Their vain Groapings Guessings and Ignorances depend upon the Cloud which they leave upon the nature of Density and Rarity for did they but study the true Definition of either it would not a little contribute to their Information In the first place They imagine Density to be a violent quality whereas you see it is natural 2. They make no distinction between Density Thickness for Thickness doth in the same sense although improperly contain much matter in little Dimensions notwithstanding they are different so doth Thinness contain little matter under great Dimensions as improperly as Rarity Wherein is Rarity then distinct from Thinness nevertheless do Authors affirm that many thin bodies are dense The same is attested by Cardan How then can the above-given Definition stand good A thing shall then contain at once much matter in small dimensions and little matter in great dimensions ergo a thing is thin and thick rare and dense at once No question it is also an erroneous Assertion that some thin bodies are essentially dense or that any thick bodies are essentially rare neither is Tenuity or Crassitude the cause of Density as Scaliger doth well infer in his 283 Exerc. but a contiguous Gravity VII The first power or Form of Fire is Levity with Contiguity The Second next slowing thence is Rarity which is an expansion or diduction of a body that is light with Contiguity This followeth Levity with Contiguity because a thing which is contiguously light cannot but be diducted Scaliger doth justly except against Cardan in Exerc. 4. You say that the reason or manner of a rare and dense body is taken from the multitude or paucity of matter Moreover it is not the multitude or paucity of Matter makes Density or Rarity neither doth Density cause the multitude of matter or Rarity the paucity of it The Demonstration is the same for both because the same body may be rarified or condensed without the encrease or decrease of Matter Averrhoes Lib. 4. Phys. Comment 84. doth hesitate very much in this Particular as appeares by his contradictory affirmations for in that place he asserts that Rarity and Density are contraries in quantity Again in the next following Comment he saith that Rarity and Density are not of the essence of quantity In Lib. 7. Phys. Com. 15. he affirms Rarity and Density to be qualities but in Lib. 1. Metaph. Com. 15. he refers them to the Predicament of Situs and Lib. 8. Phys. Com. 77. he saith that Rarefaction and Condensation are Local Motions Zimara doth labour to draw all these various Dictates of Averrhoes to a good sense When he seemed to place them in the Category of Situs saith he his intention was only to relate the Opinion of other men In saying that Rarefaction and Condensation were in the Predicament of quantity he meant that quantity did consecute them but not formally for a greater quantity doth follow Rarity and thence the possession of a greater place wherefore Rarefaction is primarily and essentially an alteration and a motion to quality but secondarily and by consequence it is to a greater quantity and a larger place Tolet. Lib. 4. Phys. Cap. 9. Text 84. tels us the Opinion of Aristotle upon this intricate Point He expounds his Judgment upon Rarefaction which in short implies Rarity and Density to be two contrary qualities educed out of the power of matter as others also are for when a thing is condensed or rarified that doth not happen properly because something is expelled or something doth enter or because the parts are conjoyned among themselves or are separated by reason of a vacuum voidness but because such a quality Rarity or Density is educed out of the power of matter so as that its Subject should be changed as when it is made hot or cold for the Ancients said that no part of a thing was changed in Rarefaction or Addensation but that its parts came only somewhat nearer or were removed from between themselves However Aristotles Dictates contain nothing of this but when a thing is rarefied or condensed the whole and the parts too are changed by an accidental mutation in receiving a quality educed out of the power of matter which is apparent because in a rare body every part is rare which if Rarity hapned only through the separation of parts among themselves the parts doubtless would remain dense which is false as appeares in things that are rare and most in the Elements A great deal ado about nothing That which through it self is most obvious they involve into obstruseness through their Cavils Whether Averrhoes intended his words in that meaning as Zimara comments or not which is more probable because he doth not give the least hint of an indirect sense of his words and therefore they are to be understood in their direct intention As for Zimara his reconciliation that alledging no reason and since the same might be guessed of his words although he had purposed them for a contrary signification it doth not merit any acceptance is not material either promising no truth or evidence Tolet. rejects the Judgment of the Ancients upon this Particular but hath not the ingenuity to add Reasons to consute them only from an inbred School-bending to Aristotle saith as he is told He declares then with the Philosopher that in Rarefaction and Addensation the whole and parts are changed by an accidental mutation in receiving a quality educed out of matter because in a rare body every part is rare In the first place his Reason is weak for in a rare body every part is not rare as appeares in the ayr which they term to be rare wherein many dense parts as black Clouds are contained nevertheless the whole Body is called Ayr a majori 2. Supposing that every part of the whole is rare he infers nothing but that every part or the whole is rare which is idem per idem 2. If Rarity saith he were caused through separation of parts among themselves the parts would remain dense It seems by Rarity and Density he apprehends nothing else but the diminution or augmentation of quantity for in the same Comment he writes thus You must note that to be made little out of great is to be condensed and out of little great to be rarified Here he contradicts himself before he stated them qualities now they are changed into quantities But to his Reason 'T is true as he saith if Rarity were caused through separation of parts in a mean body among themselves the parts would remain dense supposing that the light parts were separated from it But supposing the dense parts of a mean that is equally consistent of dense and rare parts body the remaining parts would be rare 2. A dense body is not rarefied through any separation of its parts or inflation of its minima's but by the adjoyning of