with another And whereas the opposition which is made between the contrary Elements is apparent and manifest namely in respect of the fight or discord which is made betwixt dissonant qualities or natures as are cold and heat moisture and drouth So that in this case the Sympathy and Antipathy of Elements are well known to every one namely betwixt the water and fire and betwixt the earth and the aire We must know that there is yet a more latent and internall cause of Sympathy and Antipathy in things which by some is ascribed unto the occult natures of the Starrs but in verity it proceedeth from those Angelicall influences which do invisibly and after a most occult manner stream out of creatures that are born under a discordant Emanation which Reuchlin doth passingly well describe in these words Pholosophis Peripateticis id probatur quod câ—lum quodâ— bet Sphaericum praeter formam suam essentâ—alem habet assistenâ—em inte ligentiam orbis sui mâ—â—ricâ—m quae vocatur Angelus eò qâ—od ad hoc officium missa intelligens volens compleâ— jussa Creatoris tanquam inter Deum Naturam virtus media à qua fiunt operationes in rebus quas natura earum vel â—on faceret vel non sic faceret quas alii provenire dicunt a proprietate occulta aliâ— quia tale It is approved of the Peripatetick Philosophers that every Spherick heaven hath besides his essentiall form an assistent Intelligence which is the mover of his O be the which Intelligence is called an Angell bâ—cause iâ— being sent to peâ—fâ—rm that Office doth understandingly and willingly accomplish the Command of the Creator as a middle Virtue between God and naâ—ure by the which are effected operations in things which their nature either would not effect or would not do â—t after that faâ—hion the which are said by others to proceed from an occult property and others because it is so Whereby it appeareth that the hidden Sympathy and Antipathy in things as well celestiall as terrestiall proceed from the mysticall and arcane actions of Angelicall spirits or Intelligences who first receive that hidden property from a peculiar influence or irradiation which descendeth from some of the Divine influences which do inform and indue that Angelicall spirit with that Virtue But because it is not the Office of an Astrologian to penetrate thus pâ—ofoundly into these hidden Mysteries which belong unto the aeviall world forasmuch as his custom is to make the visible Starres the fountains of all those effects which by way of influence and irradiation do descend to operate as well by sympathy as antipathy in things below I will here after the Astrologicians manner make the well-spring of all sympathy and antipathy to arise from the manifold influence of the stars as shall more at large appear in the next Chapter CHAP. IV. The Astrologicall reason of Sympathy and Antipathy is herein expressed where also it is proved that being all inferiour spirits receive the influence of their nature from above and being that the elementall creatures are bâ—t the images of the celestiall so also it must consequently follow that as there are both Sympatheticall and Antipatheticall aspects or irradiations between two or more of the heavenly bodies and therefore there must of necessity happen that there is an emission of essentiall beams from one earthly body unto another which according unto the nature of the creature is either Sympatheticall or Antipatheticall I Will leave now a while to speak radically with the mysticall Hebrew and Cabalisticall Theologians and will open this mystery of occult radiation or streaming forth of hidden beams betwixt two creatures whether they be celestiall or terrestriall of a like and sympathising nature or un-like and antipathising condition after the manner of an Astrologian namely taking the visible organ for the invisible agent the externall creature for the internall angelicall vertue the starry influence for the hidden supercelestiall emanation which is poured out into the spirits or intelligences which inhabit and illuminate the stars and send it down again from them into the elementary world to animate the winds and by them the catholick element altered after a four-fold manner and by the element so altered to inform the meteorologick bodies diversly and by them the severall compounded creatures both in the sea and land We ought therefore to know speaking like the Astrologian that there is a manifest opposition and agreement not onely in respect of the manifest qualities of the elements which are observed to be as well in the fixt as erratick stars for the watry signes of the Zodiack are contrary unto the fiery the nocturn unto the diurn the orientall unto the occidentall the male unto the female but also in a more hidden regard For the best Astrologians have noted that as Jupiter Sol and Luna are friends unto Saturn so Mercury Mars and Venus are his enemies Againâ— all the Planets but Mars are friends unto Jupiter Moreover there is not any of the Planets that is Mars his friend but Venus onely and especially Sol and Mercury are his greatest foes Also Jupiter and Venus are friends unto the Sun as contrariwise his enemies are Mars Mercury and Luna All the Planets are said to love and favour Venus but Saturn Mercury's friends are Jupiter Venus and Saturn his enemies are Sol Luna and Mars The friends of the Moon are Venus Jupiter and Saturn her enemies are Mars and Mercury The friends unto the head of the Dragon are Jupiter and Venus the enemies are Saturn and Mars Lastly the enemies of the Tail of the Dragon are Jupiter Luna and Venus as contrariwise his friends are Saturn and Mars Besides all this we ought to note that there is another kind of friendship or enmity between the Planets namely when the one of them hath his exaltation or dignity in another's House In this case therefore the things subject unto the influence of the one will lovingly embrace the aspect of the other and contrariwise the depression or detriment of the one in the House of another maketh the spirit of the one creature who is born under that Planet which hath the detriment and is oppressed by a bad aspect of the other that is in his own house where the detriment is to aspect antipathetically a thing that is under the other by this means I say the presence of the thing born or springing forth under the Planet of that House will be ungratefull and odious unto the other person or thing whose detriment is in the said House Contrariwise we must note that two creatures will well sympathise and joyfully agree with one another where their Planets do consent together in nature quality essence and strength as are Mars and Venus for these sympathise by a naturall instinct So also Venus Jupiter Mercury and the Moon agree together and so likewise the unfortunate Planets do agree in the multiplying of misfortunes We ought also in like manner to know
vegetation multiplication and preservation and hath made his seat in the Center of the heavens that by one most perfect Consonant namely a spirituall Diapason he might illuminate the Angels above and the stars round about him and that by a more material Diapason he might penetrate into the Center of the elementary world to communicate his perfection to each creature thereof that they might be beautified by his bright presence and vivified by the penetrating beams of his essence and consequently that the imps or spirits of darkness may be debilitated by the appearance of his Glory as if one chord were extended betwixt the Fountain of Light and the abysse of darkness which being struck made an unison but being pressed down and divided directly in the middle of it each part will render being struck a double diapason unto that unison importing a double perfection proceeding from the bright catholick Emanation whereof the one respecteth the adorning of the lower waters with life and virtue and the other maketh an accord of friendship among the higher Now as the body of the Sun and substance of the Aether is of a middle or mean spirituall matter or consistence of the waters it is evident that it also is subject to be altered by passion as well Antipatheticall as Sympatheticall For else it would not be the immediate receptacle of those opposit and contrary Emanations which descend from the differing Attributes But by effect we find the contrarâ— For some starrs are friends and Sympathise in nature with some creatures below Some again do hate one another deadly and consequently send down into this lower world contrary influences which move contrary passions or impressions in the vitall spirits or souls of certain Elementary creatures Again we find that the life of the Animal doth consist of opposit actions namely of Systole and Diastole that is of contraction by the property of matter and dilatation by the Act of the formall Light So that the nature of matter is to draw by contraction from the Circumference unto the Center but the condition of the formall essence is quite contrary unto it For it doth dilate or emit his beams from the Center to â—he Circumference Also the Philosophers testify that in sleep and rest the spirits are contracted from the Circumference to the Center after the manner of the dark Chaos or cold North wind which bringeth by that contraction the agill and volatil spirit or aire of the lower world to rest and fixation by condensation But contrariwise in wachfulness or waking they conclude that there is an emission or emanation of spirits from the Center unto the Circumferentce which is an Argument of two contrary effects of the firmaments vivifying operation in the souls or spirits of the creatures below and yet by reason of the equality of each action and passion they have a compound-disposition according and agreeing in the naturall operation of life which descendeth from above Thus therefore you see that even from the starry heaven there descendeth Sympathy and Antipathy As for the Elementary world it aboundeth manifestly with the effects of these two contrarieties and therefore lest there should follow any continuall unnaturall perturbation which may deprave this great formall workman of his expectation which was to put concord and peace in the machine whiâ—h he had ordered and framed he divided each region in this lower world that there might be interposed an indifferent friend between two extream enemies which he effected by weight number and measure So that unto the weightiest portion of the lower waters is imparted the least proportion of form that by its grossnesse and weight it might fall unto the Center and remain fixt in it and it was called earth then unto another portion he bestowed a double measure of Light to make it reside in a higher region and thereby the matter which was next the earth became more thin light and movable And therefore this augmentation of Light melted the frozen waters a little and did make them fluxible and transparent So that he partly by reason of the continuity of his matter with that of the earth and partly because of its cold nature it is a temperate friend of the earth and taketh his place next unto him So that it is not so cold as the earth nor so moist as the aire For it is not enough subtiliated till the bright Agent of the world bestoweth on the dark watery abysse above the water three portions of his Light So that it converted part of the gross lower waters into a thinner and more light shape than was the watery Element and it was the aire which by reason of the triple proportion of formall light was hotter and more dilated then was the water wherefore as the water was cold but not so cold as the earth and moist but not so moist as the aire So the aire is hot but not so hot as the fire and moister then the water By reason therefore of his moisture this portion of the catholick Element is friendly to the water on the one side and on the other side unto the fire because of his heat Lastly that in-created Spirit of life did yet multiply a part of those waters by an other or higher degree of subtility and purity So that it became the most subtil and highest portion of the generall Elements and is consequently hot and dry wherefore by reason of its drouth it agreeth on the one side with the earth which in circulation is next unto him and on the other side with the aire in respect of his heat but it is hotter then the aire and not so dry as the earth Lo here you see the effect of that Sympathy which the Peace and Love of God did put among the discordant enemies of this world For thereby the water as a friend to both the aire and earth becometh a stickler and mediator of peace between them The aire as a friend unto the two enemies fire and water is made an indifferent judge betwixt them both So that the one contrary is kept from strugling and tugging with the other by the super-celestiall and golden tie of peace Thus you see that this Spirituall Christ doth as the Apostle saith bear and sustain all things by the word of his Virtue And as Hermes said the humid nature by the assistance of the world is ordered and disposed harmoniously into Elements So that by this Virtue all Sympatheticall action was effected in the Sublunary world of which the Wiseman speaketh thus In se Elementa dum convertebantur sicut in organo qualita is sonus immutatur omnia suum locum custodiunt But when this harmonicall ranck and Symphoniacall proportion is violated then the enemies come together and rage against one another unto the disturbance of the whole Sublunary fabrick For aire and earth do struggle against one another as also the water doth cruelly invade the limits of the fire and all will be
which allureth and draweth down magnetickly beams from above and holdeth them fast to multiply its own nature even like the fowler that maketh use of a captived bird to allure others of the same kind unto his netts But as for the female mineral nature because the body of it is more compacted and not corruptible it sucketh unto it for the self-same reason namely by the attractive virtue of his stiptick and attractive salt the essentiall beams of Iron as from a star of his own nature to solace and redeem his spirits and consequently with the spirit it sucketh also the masculine body forasmuch as the one cannot be well devided from the other and when it hath them it retaineth them partly for a consolation and corroboration and partly for a multiplication of his essence And therefore those Philosophers are deceived which averre that the Load-stone doth not secretly feed upon the formall spirits of Iron because though its force was preserved by immersing or burying of it in a bag of filings or scales of Iron yet because neither the Load-stone was augmented nor the Iron diminished in waight they conclude that it doth not nourish But they ought to know that the formall beams in the aire doth adde no more waight unto it then the light of a candle doth to the glass or water in which it shineth and yet it nourisheth formally that is it multiplieth in formall essence though not in materiall substance or quantity To conclude as the externall cold causeth the formall heat in the aire to contract it self in flying and retiring it self from the circumference unto the Center to eschew the assaults of his adversary so also the externall cold doth compact it into a more solid space by an antiperistaticall reverberation and contraction caused by the Northern cold's penetration But in the Load-stone the spirit is Saturnine and doth not otherwise suck in his like by the assistance also of a Saturnine body animated by the drouth of a Martial nature which also is by some ascribed unto the North But moreover it affecteth his like in the Iron and therefore by a sympatheticall desire is the more animated unto that business of Attraction And it should appear besides all this that there is an attractive property also in the body of the Iron which sucketh unto it the spirits of the Loadstone no otherwise than the male or Mars doth in his nature covet and affect Venus but because the female by reason of her coldness doth most affect and desire the company of the male the spirituall beams of her affection doth with the most fervency desire and covet and therefore draw and alluâ—e the beams of the male which is of a hotter and for that reason of a more perfect nature unto her and this is observed in the Iron which I take for the male for though it of it self without the Load-stones assistance doth convert his poles by a naturall inclination unto the poles of the world yet we observe that it is more slowly and with the lesser appetite and therefore more formall than materiall I collect therefore upon that which is already said that two like things which are of the nature of the Aequinoctiall and temperate Zone do affect and embrace one another by a sympatheticall emission of beams from the center unto the circumference and such is the love of those creatures which live by the property of a positive emanation as are animals which are of a hot disposition be they dry or moist and therefore they do not sensibly draw one spirit unto another but work by the union which is made by a conjunction or concurrency together of lights after an emission of their formall beams And these have a reference unto the spirits property which issueth from the east and south winds whose natures are to dilate from the center and therefore not to contract from the circumference Contrariwise two like natures which embrace the property of the Poles and cold Zones do affect and hug one another by contraction namely by sucking and drawing of each nature from the circumference unto their center even as we see one Load-stone divided in the middle will draw and suck another unto it self till both parts of it be fitly joyned together in the very place or equinoctiall of their division and after this fashion also is that attractive affection made which is between the iron and the Loadstone which are creatures subject unto Saturn Vâ—rgo and the Pole-star From these Physicall and Astronomicall assertions of ours the Chimycall contemplation varieth not much for if in that kind of speculation we do observe the nature of the Load-stone we shall find it not to spring from any naturall but rather from a monstrous birth or generation forasmuch as it is noted to proceed from unequall and unlike parents as the Mule doth for if we observe well the manner of its composition we shall finde that his mother or passive corporeall masse is a common stony and earthly Mercury and that his father or active form is a metallick or sulphureous Martiall spirit And in conclusion we shall perceive that their mixtion is effected in this manner The Mercuriall liquor of a stony earthly or Saturnine nature being as yet in its first matter or shell as it were and being a near neighbour unto the Mercury of Mars for these two natures are most commonly found near and in company one of another did hereupon and for this cause acquire unto it self a light transmutation and so do appear to be joyned together by a streight contiguous and almost continued union so that the composition doth obtain a mean existence between the nature of a Martiall mettle and a Saturnine stone and may well be tearmed a Mercury metamorphosed by halves or a kind of a Hermophroditicall Saturnine Mercury into the which when the Sulphureous Martiall spirits as the metallick form do enter it receiveth those Martiall spirits and conserveth them in its womb as their proper passive and mother and by that means the mass is coagulated into a stony body Now since every spirit and consequently this of the Load-stone desireth to be nourished by that which is nearest and likest unto his own nature the which nature or spirit is onely found in Iron it happeneth for this reason that the inward martiall spirit of the Load-stone doth draw the body of Iron unto it and after an occult manner doth seem to suck his nourishment out of it I conceive therefore that the fixt salt in the Iron or Load-stone is partly of a hot and dry Martiall nature and consequently of a fiery earthly condition and partly of a cold and dry stiptick and Saturnine faculty which also it receiveth from its earth and therefore there concurreth two testimonies of strange attraction in the Load-stone And because Venus is said to be the female friend and companion unto Mars she doth add a strong concupiscible desire unto the attraction and bridleth the irascible
world for the good and benefit of mankind by the good Spirit of God neither are they therefore to be eschewed because that by evil men they may be converted unto evil effects and so diverted from their true usages for which God did ordain them but rather a skilfull natural Magician such as a true Physitian ought to be should first know the good uses of such hidden mysteries in nature that they might with the better effect imploy them for the good of mankind and then not be ignorant of those abuses which may be produced by them that they thereby may the better prevent and put by all such wicked effects as naughty men would produce by them unto the dammage and destruction of Gods creatures AN APOLOGY A short Apology for the usage of the Mysticall or Spirituall Mummy and to prove that as well the Antipatheticall abuses as Sympatheticall uses of it and all other naturall things are to be known and well understood by the naturall Magician or wise Physitian for preventions cause though not alwaies put in execution but onely where need requireth I Know that there will be many barking Cynicks inveighing Criticks and railing or Satyricall Momus's whose onely delight is fostred with the fire of disdaine or malice who smothered as it were with the blind and foggy smoak or fume of ignorance will say that if the Sympatheticall effects of the spirituall Mummy be allowable for a Physitian yet are the Antipathetiacall properties thereof odious and no way to be indured nay they are Cacomagicall because the divell doth instruct his ministers about the abuses of this Microcosmicall kind of corruption and therefore for this reason the very knowledg of such a thing is not to be indured c. These objections I know will these sensless and unreasonable kind of bablers make touching the knowledg of so mysticall a business But if their saying should take place amongst the wise what should become of Solomon's skil in naturall Logick Or wherefore should he who was esteemed the wisest among men be so overseen as to aspire unto the knowledg of all things whatsoever and to understand as well the enemies as friends unto man's nature For it is said of him that he knew the natures of living creatures the fierâ—ness of beasts the cogitations of Men the difference of Plants the virtues of roots and all things else that were occult and secret Nay why should he say that Wisdom the Work-Mistris of all things taught it unto him Are there not Plants and Animals and Minerals that are stark poyson and venomous unto mans nature as well as benigne and salutiferous He knew saith the Text the natures of all living creatures or animals and why so if that were true which those Scoffers mutter Why should he know or look after the property of such things which are poyson and harmfull unto mankind Are not the Aspis the Viper Adder and that putrifying or corrupting Worm termed Seps in Latin or Purâ—isur in French by reason of his rotting venom The Serpent called Dipsas which infecteth the spirit with an immensurable drouth the Amphisbena the Basilick the Dragon the Hollio Among creeping creatures the Spider the Scorpion the Toad the Lizard the Salamander the Cantharides and an infinite number of other as well earthly as watery Animals venomous and wonderfull pernicious unto mankind He knew also the differences and virtues of Plants But say these temerarious Judges What reason had Wisdom to show and discover unto him the abominable effects of the herb called Aconite which is so pernicious unto Man and Beast that the Poets fained that it grew alongst the shore of the venomous River Acheron in hell The Hemlock which was the character of death among the Athenians for with the juce thereof they poysoned the condemned persons The Jusquâ—ame or Hen-bane The Poppy of whose juce the somniferous Opium is derived The Toad-stool Scamony Euphorbium Colloquintida Bears-fooâ— Titâ—mal or Spurge Assera bacca Grunsell Flammula and an infinity of such like vegetables Also amongst the Mineralls Antimony Quick-silver Arsenick Rosalgar Verdeâ—rease Lithurge Cerusse Vitriol and an infinity of others My answer is That all these things though in themselves they are venomous yet being rightly handled and used by wise men they are made passing medicinable And I would have them know that God created all things good but it is the Divell and his instruments who by ill imploying of them do make them odious and detestable unto mans nature For as by their right use and application they may produce sympatheticall effects so by their abuse they produce nothing else but antipatheticall actions and rebellious conflicts with man's nature God I say ordained them for a good use namely for man's health but the Divell doth apply them destructively and malitiously which also the foresaid wise naturall Magician Solomon confirmeth in these words God created all things that they should exist and be and he made all the Nations of the Earth sound and durable so that there was not a destructive medicine in them Also God created Man inexterminable but it was by the malice of the Divell that death entered into the world And the wicked imitate him and are of his seed Whereby it is plain that it was the Divell and naughty men which are his instruments and indeed true Divells incarnate which do adapt that for a wicked use which indeed is good and righteous in it self What shall I say more what because that the Divell doth apply a good thing unto a bad use must that thing for ever be abhorred and eschewed of wise men And must for that reason the good use thereof be excommunicated out of man's society and be for ever after reputed for Cacomagicall damnable and diabolicall As for example Because the Divell and his adherents I mean the witches and Necromancers do by the Divel's instructions apply the Mummy of man as well corporall as spirituall about their pernicious and destructive inventions Therefore must all â—hey which use the same for a good and salutiferous intent be esteemed Cacomagicians Is it a sign that the Physitian who cureth diseases by it hath for that reason a commerce with the Divell Or must a Christian Physitian because he is acquainted with the evill which the properties of naturall things may effect by an unnaturall or antipatheticall adaptation needs put that evill in execution unto the prejudice of mans health Verily if things are rightly considered the knowledge of good and evill in the creatures do well befit the science of a Physitian for except he be acquainted with the evill as well as the good how is it possible to cure the harms which are effected by the bad being that except the cause be known the effect wil hardly or never be cured As for example If the nature of the spirituall philtre which infecteth be not discovered how should the cure be performed or the cause be extinguished or taken away The true Magitian doth