trueth consisting onely in God whome they knewe not and in his Christ the trueth it self whome Galene the prince of that phisicke in his workes hath blasphemed of set purpose and by expresse wordes And therefore he and the rest his folowers were sedused with the spirit of contradiction and error Yet their folowers thinke wee doe them great wrong in saying such haue not sayde nor written the trueth As though Artes and Sciences may be possessed and exercised by mans braynes and inuētions without God that made them This may well be called blasphemie Herein Plato may be sufficiēt witnesse against them saying that no man can rightly vnderstande and haue knowledge of things belonging to man if he be ignorant in things parteyning to God and doe not first know things diuine For seeing Christ is the way by the which we ought to begin proceede goe onward and to the ende in all our actions artes and Sciences we ought to walke in this way aswell to attaine knowledge health and life in this world as life in the world to come The heathen Phisitions not walking in this way must needes erre and stray not receiuing the key of wisdome which is science of GOD himselfe who giueth wisedome to the wise And seeing that all things which the Father hath be his sonnes Christes and seeing wisdome and science be the riches of God and all wisedome is of him and the power of God is wisdome and science and the working power of GOD is Christ and Christ is the trueth therefore hee that swarueth from Christ neither hath the treasures and riches of the wisdome and science of God neither is lead into the trueth by the trueth it selfe therefore hath not trueth And seeing Christ is life it selfe which is the power of life to himselfe and to al others by whome all things are made and moue and by whome life is in all things frō things celestiall to things in the heauens ayer water and earth and to all matter in the world which hath life and he is in the life and is the power of the seede of all things which become and proceede to be manifested and come to action of whom euery body brought forth by touching and coniunction doth grow and increase and by whome all thinges are one not as a heape of Corne or graine is one body onely by lying together but because all partes doe hang together and be as it were one chaine For God Christ the holy Ghost the soule Angels and all corporall things is as it were this chaine and the Father is the principall life and cause of life and al things in the world haue bèing and life of Christ the life it selfe which giueth them to all things and is in the life and all in all Who also is the light of the light that is of God which sitteth in the Center of all things that be from whence with his vniuersall eye that is with the light of his substance whereby he is their being and life doeth behold all things For from the Center all things are seene at once and alike Therfore all perswading speaches and fayre and plausible arguments hauing great shewe and colour of reason being deriued out of mans braines or corrupted or mingled with the leuen of mans inuētions swaruing from Christ or not resting in him or leauing nothing or very litle to him in whose power and gouernement all things are from whome health and life is deriued in whom all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hidde must needes be not onely confuse and vayne but also erronious foolish deceitfull false and counterfeit though they beare neuer so gay titles of Philosophie wisedome or phisicke Such is the Philosophie whereof S. Paule giueth vs warning Col. 3. saying beware lest there be any man that spoyle you through the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world and not after Christ for in him dwelleth al the fulnesse of the Godhed bodily Such Philosophie and phisicke hang not together in the chaine aforesaid nor yet bee illuminated from the right Center nor seene from the same but be founded vpon diuers Centers whereby their Circles doe cut one another or touch ech other therefore they doe not consist in vnion but are contrary to eche other Such Center is the Center of dualitie contrarietie and discord The originall thereof is worthely called Binari the author of diuersitie and contrarietie which alwayes maketh sedition and discord as vnitie is the band of concord For concord is the vnion of diuers appetites of those things that doe desire whereby they be of one minde Therefore euery thing in the worlde doth so long indure and abide as long as it is one but it dieth and is dissolued as soone as it sesseth and leaueth to be one Vnquietnesse beginneth in things where Meum tuum is become to be knowen in them whereof commeth griefe which is a sense or feeling that can not abide deuision or corruption Whereby it appeareth how desirous Anima which is medium inter corpus spiritum is of vnitie in his body which bendeth it selfe and striueth against that passion or griefe of his body by the which it greeueth him that his vnitie and integritie should be weakened Chapter second The originall causes of all diseases in the greate worlde and in the little worlde which is man GOD almightie the creator of al things did see the angels which he had created fall from vnitie and he made all the world to the image and similitude of vnitie wherein it did consist Also by his bountifull goodnesse and prouidence he created Microcosmum or little worlde vz. man his ternarium and last creature and substituted him in the place of his other creatures which were cast out of heauen From this one did God deriue all mankind And hee did not create the woman which should bee cowpled to man as he made him but out of him that al mankind should spring out of one to the commendation of vnitie and concord The worlde did persist in this vnion and did obserue the nature of vnitie vntill that wretched creature Binarius which fell from vnitie and made a dualitie contrarietie enuying the state of man that persisted in vnitie by captious sophisticall reason did perswade him to eate of the Apple forbidden whereby he brake vnitie and fell headlong into disobedience dualitie and contrarietie Then was he spoyled of perfection and of the health of his soule and body and purchased to himself all the filthinesse of vice infirmitie and sicknesse Also the Seedes of all things of the world which by vertue of the word of God at the beginning had receaued power of generatiō and multiplication were perfect and sound without corruption aud did persist in vnitie vntill such time as by the said counsel of Binarius man fell into disobedience and brake vnitie Whereupon by the curse of God impure Seedes were mingled with the perfect seedes and did cleaue fast
it is separated into treble nourishment that is of our Salt Sulphur and Mercury and into double excrement So that when these medicines be rightly considered and compared together there seemeth to bee as great diuersitie betweene the rawe and grosse medicines and those that be purged by fire as is betwixt the true doctrine of Christ and the Romish doctrine For as the doctrine of Christ for the health of the Soule is altogether spirituall and the holy Scriptures of God do instruct the soule of man and speake to it whereby the euill affections and the actions and filthy workes of the body be taken away and amendement of life foloweth So do these auncient medicines for the helth of the body consist in heauenly vertues which are to be ministred and ioyned with the liuely Spirits of mans body that they may therby be fortifyed and made strong or rectified brought to vnitie whereby foloweth the help and cure of the diseases of the body And as the Romish religioÌ„ is mixed with impurities staÌ„deth in outward ceremonies traditioÌ„s corporal exercises which be lets to the works of the spirite whylest it is occupied about them So these corrporall and grosse medicines which serue for the body consist in bodyly grosse and rawe substances whereby the worke of the heauenly vertues be let and hindered And these bodies doe resist digestion which is occupied about them by meanes whreof the weake and faint partes that desire reliefe can not drawe to them these vertues for their succour being bound and fast tyed to their grosse substance And euen as the Romish religion teacheth that in the Eucharist there is no substance of bread and wine but onely accidents and that our bodies be nourished with the accidents of the Sacrament euen so the Ethnicke Phisitions and their folowers doe teache that accidents vz. heate cold c. be causes of al diseaces And that by them diseases are cured and health restored whereby they attribute vim vitae to accidents dead qualities which are caused raised and stirred vp by other things bee them selues onely Simptomata morborum So that in curing those accidents and qualities they doe as if a man would goe about to stop the flame and smoke of the fire and leaue the hot coles burning Chapter seuen One cause why the Author did write this treatise I Was the last Parliament time before this that is now sommoned at the table of a reuerend Bishoppe of this land which was not vnskilfull in Phisicke in the companie of a Phisition which inueying against this auncient Phisicke by the name of Paracelsus his Phisicke ignorantly attributing to him the first inuention thereof pleased himself and some of his audience in telling that the same Phisicke had no ground nor foundation neither any being Whereupon he tolde a tale that a man came to a Phisition and sayd to him that he was sicke but he could not tell where neither how he tooke his sicknesse nor how it held him The Phisition aunswered him that he had a Garden he could not tell where it was full of simples he could not tell their properties and that he would helpe him but he could not tell when And concluded that this Paracelsicall Phisicke as he called it was like in that it was vaine had no ground nor being I aunswered him with an other tale of a Poet which disdayning that Paynters and Poets were compared together and ioyned in one prouerbe pictoribus atque poetis quidlibeâ— addendi semper sunt equa potestas came to a â—uÌ„ning Painter and asked of him whether he could paint a man shooting at a birde sitting vppon the top of a tree with a Sunne and the bird therwith killed and falling downe yet the man should not be seene nor appeare The Paynter aunswered he could doe all that he required sauing the noyse of the Gunne and the smell of the powder which being excepted the price was agreed on the daye set for the deliuerie of the worke and for the payment of the money and bandes made of each side for performance of couenauntes on both sides The Poet at the day prefixed seeing and vewing the peece of Paynting could not finde the man with the Gunne but all the rest of the worke he found very artificially wrought whereupon he entereth the Paynters bande into the lawe He pleadeth performance of couenauntes the condition of the band being read and the paynting vewed the Gunner could not bee founde whereupon the action was like to passe against the Paynter Then sayd he it is parcell of the condition of y e band that the Gunner should not be seene But yet sayd he turne ouer the leafe which cunningly was couched in the peece of painting then appeared the Gunner very artificially paynted and also a greate sorte of the fables and tales of the Poets before his time very cunningly wrought And among them he had made very artificially a little Ant or Pisiner with a Poets hood about his necke creeping out of a Caue vnder a greate huge Mountaine I left the applying of the tale in both the poâ—utes thereof to him I do confesse that newe vayne confused and vnperfect doctrine without grounde is odiouse and a signe of râ—she wit and greate follie But seeing that both sides do clayme trueth perfection aunciantie and continuance on their sides their methoodes and opinions beeing somewhat briefly layd abroad to the indifferent Reader and after the originall progression and continuaunce of both these Phisickes likewise being set downe I doubt not but he wilbe able to iudge hetwixt them The chiefe pointes therefore be these Chapter eight Certaine differenses betweene the auncient Phisicke and the Phisicke of the Heathens THE Ethnick Philosophers lay the foundation of their Philosophie vppon Aristotle a Heathen and ignoraunt Mayster and teacher of the true knowledge of God and of his trueth The Chymicall Philosopher layeth the foundatioÌ„ of his Philosophie in Gods booke and alloweth none other principles of Philosophie but such as be there sounde or such as may bee deduced out of the same or bee not contrary to it 2 The Ethnicke Philosophers ascribe the efficient chiefe and principall cause of thinges vnto nature which is in them wherby they tye and bind God to the second cause and take away his prouidence ouer his creatures The Chymicall Philosophers affirme that all nature of things be onely instrumentall causes not working of them selues nor principally but depending wholly vpon the power and commaundement of God 3 The Ethnicke Phisitions doe seeke with mortall medicines that is to say such medicines as haue corruption ioyned with immortalitie whereof must needes followe dissolution whereof commeth death to cure and helpe the heauenly and Aethereall vertue in mans body And they seeke to cure the materiall body subiect to the worker and mouer and leaue the worker and mouer and his arte and cunning vnthought on and not prouided for because his arte and cunning is not to them knowne
some other place of his worke he him self doth better expound and declare and by such as be perfect and true principles of true Philosophy agreable with the puritie of Gods word contrarie to the rules of the Ethnickes Paracelsus boâ—â—eth the riddles parabels dark speches wherewith he shadowith and hireth this Arte and the matter whereof the vniuersall medecine is made and the operation and workyng thereof out of the Scriptures And because in suche writyng he must obserue the sence of the Scripturs and also therein comprehend the Doctrine he hath in hande therefore be thosâ— phrases sentences and speches darke and subiect to cauilation Therefore who so euer wil rightly vnderstand hym wher he writeth of our creation conception birth and also of Babtisme regeneration both kindes of death reserection c. Must know and vnderstand this auntient Chimical rule that the Chimicall worke in parte ex creatione hominis deriuatur Generally in other places where he doeth not purposly intreate of Diuinitie he that will vnderstand hym rightly must know and vnderstand that he teacheth Metaphisicall principles in naturall thyngs then shall he vnderstand how all thynges participate in nature whereby the nature of the thyng that is left perfect doeth desire and couite his perfection and the one is made perfect by an other by reason of their concordance and agrement whiche doe participate together in nature for Natura natura delectatur coniungi appetit which is y e cause of perfection Then shal he perceiue what doth ioyn the Elementes together in the worke of Nature beeyng so contrarie and wherewith they be quickened Then shall he perceiue howe God woorketh in his creatures and how all parts hang together as it were in one chaine Then shall the reader perceiue and find in his great Philosophie dedicated to the Athenians wherein Erastus doeth finde so many faults a treatise of the right true obseruing the Sabbaoth daie wherein he hath taught deliuered and set doun many good and wholesome preceptes for the keepyng of the Sabbaoth rightly in the plaine letter ther written yet couertly and darkely hath he hidden as many rules and preceptes of true naturall Philosophie in that treatise as of the kepyng the Sabbaoth though in the bare letter no suche thyng appeareth but filii scientiae maie vnderstand them Therefore gentle reader in readyng of hym and other Chimicall writers follow their owne counsell and warning that is search out their meanyng and cleeue not to the bare letter of their wordes sticke not in the barke and rinde but finde out the pithe haue not regarde to the bodie but to the soule and life of that which is written otherwise thou shalt doe the Author great wrong and thou shalt neuer vnderstand hym and if in one place the Author write darkly in some other place some particuler thyng maie bee found that ioyned with the other may explicate the meanyng for they disperse their meaning in seuerall places to the ende they would be vnderstode onely of the deligent and painfull reader and not of the vnworthie As concernyng his straunge wordes and phrases of speche in his medicines and practise they are to be learned by manuell experience and practise by the fire which is the Chimicall Phisitions Scholemaister so shall he vnderstand his straunge wordes and phrases of spech by his meanyng but he must not thynke to finde his meaning by his straunge words and phrases as for example he that would learne what this worde Alcool meaneth he must knowe what Contritio Philosophica is so shall he find that it doth not signifie a powder stamped and most finely serched though he did wash it in water and take the powder after the water be dried awaie Againe he that knoweth what Circulation meaneth doeth knowe that these figures 3000. do not signifie three thousand yeres Likewise he that can skill to resolue ech thyng into his three substancies and hath respect to the liuely vertues of thynges and not cleaue to the ded qualities maie finde what Sanguinea Cheri Anthos such like be in Paracelsus would not call his darke words Diabolicall as Erastus and others doe besids this he that knoweth that by diuerse operations by the fire one thyng maie bee made to woorke diuerse effects shal find the difference betwene Arcana Essentiae Misteria c. And shall finde this rule true that Medicus in secunda vita averit aâ—tem suam Likewise he that knoweth the worke and effect of Putrefactio Philosophica would not saie that medicines prepared by the fire do get a Corrosiue Nature or hurte by the fire though it be by Calcination yea the Chimicall Phisition knoweth by Fixation to take awaie all venenositie from thynges And to take awaye their sharpenesse by ablution and solution Besides this he that is instructed that it is against the grounds and principles of the Chimicall Phisicke to minister any Marchesitt or metall to any pacient inwardly before it bee made Volatile and Spirituall so that it can not bee reduced into Metall againe will not saie that Vitrum antimonii which purgethe and shaketh the bodie so sore or the common Aurum potabile and such like be mediciens warranted by this Arte or by Paraselsus whiche so laborreth to teach the separation of the pure form the impure But he would perceiue that he is taught fustio spiritum non corporum but they would rather turne this accusation vpon the Ethnicke Phisitions and their folowers whiche sticke not to minister the scales of Iron and Brasse in powder inwardly Some sticke not to minister Quicksiluer raw some when it is burned into ashes So do thei minister gold in leaues pretious Stones brimstone vitriell also in powder Chapter 24. Of the Coelestiall medicynes of Paracelsus and matters touchyng his person and ignorance ERastus doth besids these things finde great falte with the celestiall medicine of Paracelsus saiyng they haue their strenthe and power of the deuilles and euell spirites and not af God nor by the ministerie of good Aungels this he would haue vs beleeue vppon his bare reporte but in truith Paracelsus excludeth from the true pure and auncient Magike and from his coelestiall medicine all Nigromancie Sorcery Ceremonies Coniurations and all maner of inuocations of deuilles Demones euill spirits And he giueth an especiall charge that this Arte be onely vsed to doe good and not to the preiudice nor hurte of any bodie and that it be done without Ceremonies Coniurations Inuocations Consecrations Blessinges and allmaner superstytion whereby it becometh vngodly He saieth that the diuell can not cure nor helpe an ague nor the toothe ache And that the diuell hymself with all his legions hath not so muche power nor authoritie that he is able to breake one poâ—t muche lesse is he able to make him also he saieth that euell spirites are Gods butchers and executioners which doe execute nothyng besides the commission of their magistrate that is to
neither doth a Sparrowe light vpon the ground without thy good will O almightie father And all the heires of our head be numbred thou câ—riâ—st all things by the word of thy power thou art the Lorde of all flesh thou art the Lord of all spirites thou workest all things according to the decree of thy will Therefore O God graunt we may cast our care vpon thee that thou may nourish vs take thou care ouer vs touch the apple of our eye be thou our shield and brasen wall Bee thou our helper and wee care not what man may doe to vs. Giue vs a newe heart and a newe spirite as thou hast giuen vs thy Commaundements so make vs to walke in them By these and such like testimonies of thy most sacred and holy worde O good God we learne thy diuine prouidence ouer man and all other thy creatures and that thou doest not leaue nor forsake them when thou haddest made them but doest of thy most tender goodnesse gouerne not only man but also whatsoeuer thou hast created whose infinite power worketh euery thing in euery thing And thy seruaunts doe acknowledge O God that a peculiar force and vertue was giuen to euery thing at the beginning by thy worde voyce and commaundemeÌ„t which yet are in continuall force but yet the same bee but onely seconde and instrumentall causes not working of themselues not principally but depend vpon thy power and commaundement without which thou workest the same effects when thou pleasest which thou art wont to do by meanes of the second causes And all thinges which are in this world and which are seene doe not onely take their beginning from thee to bee thinges but also to haue such power and vertue and to be such maner of thinges as they are Therefore is the worlde a looking glasse in which thy wisedome is perceiued If wee ascende into heauen thou are there If we descende into hell thou art present And though thâ—se vertues and powers haue in them great strength and eâ—fâ—â—acie and thou O God 〈…〉 often tymes worke by them as thou doest by thâ—â—e Angels thy ministers which doe thy will yet are they all but the second causes and instruments of thy diuine prouidence and can doe nothing vnlesse thou bee present to gouerne the things and helpe and bring forth the effect For thou O God doest not so giue force to thinges nor doest so send thy Angels thy ministers that thou art absent thy selfe for thou reachest and touchest from end to end mightely and disposest all thinges sweetely and profitable to thy glory Therefore art thou O most mightie God the first and efficicient cause of all things For thou O God almightie father art the resting and quiet fountaine of al things that be perfect of thy selfe needing none other Thou art the first action and workest inwardly thou art the true light Thou art not onely all in each seuerall thing but all in all spiritually in power and essence so thou art euery where thou art the being first cheefe and principall liuing and parent of life hauing quiet motion in thy self and mouing thy self inwardly being not moued by motion Thou art the being and beginning of all other things Thou art silence thou art quietnesse or resting abyding in thy selfe that is secret mouing or secret action Wherefore thou art sayd as it were to sit in the Center of all thinges that bee from whence with an vniuersall eye that is with the light of thy substance by the which each thing hath his being life and knowledge thou doest beholde them thy will is the still worde Thou O Father art the beginning of being of all substaunces which from thee that is the being it selfe doest giue being power of life and substaunce to all thinges according to the power and capacitie of the receiuer All thinges dwell in thee potencially thou art the parent of all things in power Thou art omnipotent thou art all in all in those thinges whereof thou art the originall and cause in vertue and power Thou fillest heauen and earth and thy spirite hath filled the whole world yet it is in secrete that is in power For there must bee a certaine might or power wherwith all things are quickened into liuely Spirits as it were from a liuely fountaine that they may liue of that and because they do liue they obteine their being For there must be an Actor before there be action the Agent bringeth fâ—orth action Therefore thou O Father which art the principall and first liuing doest bring forth life Thou O God the Sonne by whom all thinges were made and without whom nothing is made art the fâ—ood or riuer running from the Father the fountaine thou art the light of the worlde for by reason of thee all worldly things liue Thou art the Image of the Father the word the wisedome of the father and the vertue and power of operation and working Thou O God the Sonne art the apparent and manifest motion or mouing moued by motion the actiue motion or action and actiue worde for the manifesting of the power is action which action hauing all thinges that bee in power liuing and knowledge according to motion doth bring forth and make manifest all thinges not by locall motion neither by transferring into place but by a better and diuine motion such as belongeth to the Spirite which by his owne motion doth giue life and bringeth foorth vnderstanding 〈…〉 in it selfe and not cut from the first power in the operation Thou O Christ art life hauing life in thy self appearing outwardly in quickning And because thou art life therfore thou art motion quickning al that is quickened for life is cause of motion And because thou art manifest motion comming from secrete and inwarde motion and life taking life from liuing and the principall life and beginning therefore life is begotten of liuing or principall life and thou art the Sonne of the father and by thee all thinges are made Thou art life in al things seing thou art euery where all fulnesse doth inhabite in thee corporally that is in operation substantially And because the very life had no beginning being alwaies of it selfe to it selfe of the father therfore it neuer câ—asâ—th and it is alwaies infinite and there is no life which in so much that it is life doth not pertaine to the riuer of life it giueth life breath to all thinges and in all thinges from supercelestiall thinges to coelestiall and to heauenly bodies to â—â—yall waterie and earthly thinges and to all thinges that the earth doth bring forth and to all other thinges therefore euery matter whereof the worlde consisteth is indewed with life and Christ is in the life by whose power all things doe come forth and proceede into generation and consist according to their matters and substancies to the which thou giuest such propertie and vertue as they haue Thou art the vniuersal word remayning impassible and not turning yet life is before
the soule for the life of the soule is of the power of liuing Thou art the seede of all thinges that be in operation and made manifest for nothing can come nor proceede from the Elements of parents nor of any seede if thou O Christ worke not if thou withdrawe thy working power from things they perish immediatly Thou O GOD the holy Ghost art the springing knowledge and vnderstanding flowing and proceeding from the Father and the Sonne Thou art the spirituall voyce of the manifest voyce or Sonne as the Sonne is the voyce of the voyce in silence therefore thou art of the Sonne and of the Father yet but one voyce one word that is one actiue power agreeing together before it maketh any thing to bee Thou art the Spirit of God the power of Christ and the Spirite of God is God therefore all three of one substaunce All thinges be in thee as al things be by the Sonne and of the Father Thou O God the holy Ghost art as it were the ministerie of God and doest deuide the graces and ministeries in the operation of life so that by thee the first seedes of things are nourished and sustayned and now also be continually moued and first bring foorth rootes and blades after stalkes eares flowers blossomes sâ—edes and fruite of each thing in his degree according to thy distribution and diuision of the giftes As the Father is the cause of the operation and the Sonne the manifest operation so all three are one action and substaunce Thou couplest and kâ—â—â—est the Father and the Sonne in one and art coupled with them and all other thinges thou ioynest in vnitie and band of peace And because in God to knowe is as much to say as to vnderstande and to knowe that one liueth and to knowe himselfe is to liue therefore to knowe or vnderstande and to liue is all one And because they be one and because to bee is all one with life and vnderstanding for true being can not bee without life and vnderstanding neither can life and vnderstanding be without such being therefore they be three yet one substaunce and one God So the soule of man in that it is a soule hath his being giuing life and vnderstanding is there in one And as God the Father is a Spirite substancially and the Sonne is a Spirite and motion moued and working openly so thou the holy Ghost art the secrete spirite and motion Thou implantest and giuest strength to liue and to moue and also sustaynest all things that they may exist and liue and also continue and be preserued And because thou art God thou art a Spirite and because thou art that Spirite thou doest quicken for it is the Spirite that quickeneth and because thou quicknest thou hast power of life for the Spirite is life therfore thou liuest and art life and substancially quickenest or giuest liâ—e to all thinges or makest life in all thinges But this Spirite and life which is in thee O God is not that which is in man beastes Angels or other thinges created but all thinges of the worlde created whatsoeuer they bee and of what sorte souer they bee doe receiue life and liue of that life according to their kinde of being and as that life doth breathe power and giue power of liuely vertue and strength to theÌ„ as the thinges be made able to receiue it For there must be Agens before there be Actio so in all thinges there is proper being life and vnderstanding or feeling according to their seuerall capacities which they doe receiue of being life and vnderstanding which three be all one that is of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost three persons one God in euery one of which three all these three vz. being life and vnderstanding are by which all thinges are made For though certaine thinges be attributed vnto the seuerall persons to bee proper to each of them in diuine thinges yet it is to bee vnderstanded to be the inseperable and agreeing operation of the three or Trinitie together for there is but one beginning and one cause of all thinges that be and parte of diuine thinges alwaies is the same that is the whole By these O mercifull God it may appeare how iniurious and contrary to thine honour and glory in creating of the worlde and to thy prouidence ouer the creatures that thou hast made is the heathnish Philosophy of Aristotle which admitteth nothing that cannot be demonstrated And also how falsely that Philosophiâ— maketh priuation to bee the third beginning of all naturall thinges and that it assigneth no Author nor propagator vnto the essences or natures which a saith be eternall and that that Philosophie will not allowe any cause of their being besides their motion and that some thinges that bee done are done without cause as deliberation c. From these and such other blinde and iniurious doctrine taught in that Philosophie good and mercifull God deliuer thy people and seruaunts And O most mercifull God because the heathnish Phisicke of Galen doth depende vppon that heathnish Philosophie of Aristotle for where the Philosopher endeth there beginneth the Phisition therfore is that Phisicke as false and iniurious to thine honor and glory as is the Philosophie For that heathnish Phisicke O God doth not acknowledge the creation of man whereby it doth not rightly knowe why he is Microcosmus or little worlde which is the cause why they neither knowe his deseases rightly neither prouide medicine for him aptly nor prepare it fitly neither minister it accordingly This heathnish Philosophie and Phisicke doth attribute thy workes O God to heate colde and such causes which it calleth falsely naturall So it teacheth that natural heate doth chauÌ„ge meate receiued into mans stomacke into blood flesh bones braines sineâ—â—es vaines and artires And that the like meare receiued of a dogge horse beast or birde c. by heate of that beast or fowle is turned into his flesh blood bones c. Much vnlike vnto that which is in man which operation and transmutation in trueth commeth of thee O God and not of any nature of heate and whereby in seeking for like cure in such defects their Phisicke must needes erre in not seeking helpe at thy handes nor praying to thee nor giue thankes to thee No more doth that heathnish Philosophie and Phisicke acknowledge that all seedes did receiue by thy diuine worde the power of multiplying of transplantation the essence and properties of which all Philosophie Phisicke and Alchimie doth consist Therefore they must needes erre both in the cause effects of thinges in the great worlde and in the little world Likewise because the heathnish Philosophie doth not knowe out of thy worde that thou O God hast made all thinges in weight number and measure therefore that Phisicke doth not knowe the cause nor cure of those deseases that bee either originally or inflicted into the inuisible parte of man Anima or Limbus nor to helpe them which
to them and doe couer them as a garment and death was ioyned to life So imperfection and impuritie is ioyned to puritie and death to life sicknesse to health not onely in man but also in all liuing creatures Hearbes Plants Mynerals and in the fruites of the Firmament and ayer By this meanes the Mynerals haue their rust and canker which worke their destruction and ende The vegetables as hearbes trees and plantes haue their corruptions of diuers sorts ioyned with their pure balme seedes which in their time work their putrification withering cōsumption according to the Science and propertie of their impure seedes besides the alteration which they receiue by the nature of the soyle wherin they growe as may be tasted felt and perceiued by wheate sowen in some ground which will manifestly taste of Garlicke and be much like in propertie And some grounde will make transplantation of one seede into an other as from Wheate to Drake or Darnell or such like The beastes also Cattell and such liuing creatures because they liue and be nourished with the vegetables and minerall resolutions haue like impurities as they haue according to the nature of the soyle whereupon they feede of the water which they drinke As appeareth by the Meadowes neere the Riuer Potheus in y e Ile of Candie neere the Cittie Cortina wherein groweth such grasse and hearbes that the Cattell which be fedde therwith will haue no apparēt Spleene Some countreys soyle do infect the Liuer others the Lungs other places other parts of the Cattell which be there fed as experience teacheth Which partes of the Cattell our forefathers did diligently vewe and search before they layde the foundation of their houses townes or Cities and that they did oftentimes because they would knowe whether those parts were infected with sicknesse with their foode and by the often sight of them they iudged whether the Cattell fed there were holsome for their victuall and foode or no. And because man receiueth his nourishment out of all the rest therefore hee hath infinite sortes and kinds of diseases and therefore no other Creature hath so many meanes to bring it to sicknesse nor to his death But the foode and nourishments for mans body though they haue in them mingled venemous sickly or medicinable properties yet for all that by reason of that mixture with their good seedes as long as vnitie and concord is kept betweene them they be tempered seperated resolued and expelled out of mans body But if man doe take them out of measure or if the first stomake or the Stomake of any part of the body be faultie in attraction separation resolution digestion distributiō or expultiō the seedes of diseases do then take roote in mans body And that euery thing hath his impure seede ioyned with his pure and death to his life though it be neuer so holsome or pleasant to mans nature is manifested and made plaine to the eye touch and taste of them that haue skill to seperate the pure from the impure by his auncient Phisicke or Chymia They finde in Hony Sugar as veuemous impuritie as in Arsnicke and in Roses Violets Balme Betony gold Siluer c. there be impurities They also finde by this arte as there is nothing so good but it hath in it also some impure thing and vnholsom which they separate from the pure so also there is nothing so vnholsome perilous nor venemous but it hath in it also some good thing and pure which hath vertue and power to cure and helpe those diseases and hurtes which be caused and procured by them and by others also As out of Quicksiluer is drawen medicine which can helpe diseases by him caused and by other meanes also They finde in Arsenicke excellent medicine for diuers griefes So Lead hath in it remedie for those diseases which bee caused and bread in the Miners of Leade Out of Tartar also is drawen excellent medicines for those diseases which come of the Tartar of Wine and so forth of others Therefore all diseases do proceede of their impure Seedes which are indowed with science and knowledge of generation and transplantation of impure fruits vz. of sicknesse and diseases according and agreeable to their gift and science Which do appeare and proceede into action by separation breache of vnitie peace concord and agreement whereby they are inabled to striue for the superioritie w t nature pure seedes in mans body Seeing therefore y t first original of diseases in man did proceede frō the breach of vnitie therefore it must needes be that all health must consist only in vnitie And in and by this vnitie health is to be sought and not in contrarietie as the Ethnikes doe Chapter third Of the vniuersall Medicine And how the darke speaches of the writers thereof did deceaue couetous men wherby the right vse of this Phisicke was not vnderstoode but by abuse it grewe to bee despised THE first of the Medicines aforesayde of the auncient Phisicke which is the vniuersall Medicine is such as by that onely all and al maner diseases of what sort and kinde soeuer they be are cured It is so perfect temperat pure and incorruptible that it is able to correct amende aud consume all corruptions in mans body euen as fire doth consume the impure part and separateth it from the pure It increaseth the vitall spirites and defendeth and preserueth the body from corruption because it is separated from all corruptible substance from all qualities of heate colde c. It is not moyst could drie nor hotte but it is Aethereall separated from the inferiour Elements and it is of an incorruptible nature in respect of the bodie from whome it is taken And because it is agreeable with our Anima the Medium aforesayd it nourisheth fortifieth and strengtheneth it whereby it is made able to digest consume and expell all the corruption and impedimentes of mans body wherewith it is ouerwhelmed and let that it was not able to exercise performe and accomplish his office duetie and actions If this naturall liuely fire in man like to the Aethereal fire were not continually nourished it would consume it selfe and also that is ingendered of it Therefore when nature in the stomacke hath separated the pure from the impure of meates which we eate and of our drinke hee doth expell the impure partes by their proper passages but it reteineth and keepeth the fine and pure bodies that be the cariers of the heauenly vertues for nourishments of two sorts the one is of all the members of the body the which nourishment also is separated into the nourishment of the three substanties whereon we consist That is of our Salt Sulphur and Mercury The other which is the liquor of the heauenly Luna is the nourishmeut of our naturall fire or Anima But if this be oppressed stopped or let of his operation or working by the corruptiō of our bodies then is it to be nourished holpen fortified
good seede able to mayster the badd by seperating the bad seedes in vapors through the pores and transpirations in the tyme of sweating and with the sweate whereby the vnitie and concorde is restored in the body whilest nature and the good seedes bee made so strong that the badd doe not exalt themselues aboue the other Likewise al medicines ministred into the body ought to bee such as haue propertie to bring the sicke body to vnitie and concord therfore like is to be ministred to that which is like in our nature which order doth depende vpon the true Center of vnion And contrary thinges are not to be cured by their contraries vnlike to our nature which maner of proceeding is from the Center of discorde contrary to the Center of vnitie and therefore a false Center For seeing that all thinges doe hang together in one chayne as is aforesayd man is partell of that chaine and Mycrocosmus hauing in it the properties of the great world spiritually therefore there is in the greate worlde that which is agreeable to the nature of man in what parte soeuer it be weakened or not able to resist his enemy which because of the conueniency and agreement with our nature doth desire to be ioyned with it Wherefore it must be ministred in due order finesse and proportion it is able to fortifie comfort and strengthen nature and our naturall balme and it wilbe as it were a weapon for nature against the enemy or disease whereby nature by him self wil become and be his owne phisition Therefore the Phisition ought to minister such things which nature in the place afflicted doeth require for the cure that is like to it selfe and not contrary qualities such as will make peace in the body and not warres vnitie and not discord such as will helpe nature and not trouble it and will strengthen it and not weaken it Such medicines for the loue and liking they haue to our nature afflicted haue a desire to be ioyned and coupled together as a hongry and thirstie man desireth meate or drinke which nourish well And as one friend coueteth and desiereth the company of his deere frends long absent which natural loue is the cause of perfection Therefore his proper and ordinary medicine is to be ministred to eche thing So shall we not neede of the Ethnikes directories And such like are to be ioyned to their like in right Anotomie We ought not to seeke helpe in things contrarie and repugnant who findeth medicine for the Liuer in Gratian Agarick or Colocinthis or who findeth medicin for the Gall in Manna Hony Sugar or Polipody therefore like are to be ioyned with their like in right Anotomy Ministering of contraries perteyneth rather to diet then to medicin and they may serue to mittigate the payne but not to take away the roote of the disease Humors and qualities to the which the folowers of the Ethnikes doe so much cleane and in the whiche they spende their study and labour are but onely dead accidents without power of lyfe They be conditions signes tokens and as it were onely flowers and colours of diseases and not the very matter cause substance or nature of the disease they are caused and not the causes Wherefore when they go about to cure the humor or qualitie they fiatter the payne and griefe but they leaue the disease vncured For the signes of thyngs are not the matter or substance it selfe Therefore he that wil be a perfect Phisition must know eche disease by his right Anatomie that is to say by the matter property and nature of the true substance of the disease as which of the three substances haue broken vnitie and not by the signe of it Also he must haue the right Anatomie of all diseases and of all naturall thynge before his eyes so shall he apply to eche infirmitie his apt remedy For by the concordance and agreement of the Anatomy of the herbe or other naturall thyng for medicine and of the disease the Phisition knoweth what things haue affinity together and ought to be coupled and ioyned together in vnitie For the right Anatomy cōsisteth not in cutting of the body but in the knowledge of the Amitie concord and nature of all naturall externe things with man which doe agree imbrace and receaue eche other and cōcord together in mutuall agreement in vertue power propertie and essense to defend nature So that by the right concord of these two Anatomies vz. of the disease and of the medicine true cure doth proceede and growe whereby is declared that lyke are to be ioyned with ther like like are cured with their lyke and that all health consisteth in vnitie and agreement in which of necessitie health is to be sought for And that sickenesse can not be taken away from the third creature by Binarius the Author of discorde and contrarietie but by vnari ruling equally in three Chater 6. Of the medicin Binarii or Vulgaris howe iniurious it is to the body By these aforesayd it doeth appeare how the medicines of the auncient Phisicke doe disagree with those medicines which be commonly in vse which be conteined vnder the third kinde of Medicine called Binarii or vulgaris For these medicines do more agree with the body because bodyes are nourished with bodyes then with Anima wherein Fons vitae consisteth This medicine helpeth little to long life or to the reliefe of Anima if it be feeble or hindred in his worke Because these medicines bee ministred with their bodies the worke vertue and power in them that should do good is hindered so that it doth litle good especially in partes of the body a farre of frō the Stomache For all things that shoulde serue for medicine should be purged first from their grosse substance because whilest the heauenly vertues be wrapped hidden and clogged in the matter or substance of their bodies they abyde and cleaue fast to them can not easely be parted a sunder vnlesse nature haue help thereunto prepared by Arte which may separate the pure from the impure otherwise the working of that heauenly vertue is hindered For it is the vertue of eche thing that is medicinable and not the body So that seeing separation of the pure from the impure must needes be made in the stomache if it be not made before because euery thing hath his corruption ioyned with it and because the vertues of eche thing be small in quantitie tyed and clogged with the masse of his body as is aforesayd it is better this seperation be made before the medicine come neere to the stomache then after in the sicke mans Stomache which is to weake to make such sepation Besides this by such grosse and rawe medicine the patient receiueth rather nourishment then medicine centrarie to their owne rules Omne medicamentum quod transit in alimentum cessant esse medicamentum For when the medicine ministred with his body or substance commeth into the Stomach
The Chymicall Phisition teacheth for the perfect Philosophicall medicine to seperate the gift of nature the life the Science cunning and arte â—â— the worker mouer which he calleth immortall and the artificer worker and mouer in a metaphisicall body from the corruptible materiall body subiect to the worker into which it moueth and worketh therewith â—o cure and helpe the Aethereall and heauenly vertue power in man which is the subiect wherein life consisteth and shineth by whose power and vertue the body subiect to the mouer is preserued and maintayned and by it restored when the corruption thereof doth oppresse let and hinder his operation So that it appeareth that the followers of the Ethnicke Phisitions in ministring of their medicines do as if they would go about to restore a fire where is remayning a fewe sparkles vnder greene wood by heaping on more greene wood thinking therby to make the sparkles to kindle and burne but they will not put more fire to the sparkles nor yet vse any meanes to blowe then to make them burne And as if they would minister medicines to a sicke mans house wherein he dwelleth and not to the man that is sicke 4 The Etnick Phisitions lay their foundation vpon the false Center of Binarii and dualitie which is the Roote of contrarietie discorde and dissention therefore most commonly they teache that contrary things are to be cured by their contraries The Chimicall Phisition layeth his foundation vpon the true Center of Vnarii or vnion which is the roote of concord and vnitie So that when any contrarietie in mans body that is to say any infirmitie or weakenesse of nature must be remooued or ameÌ„ded which did rise beginne and growe by reason of the contrarietie and inwarde dissention of the three substanties of Sal Sulphur and Mercury whereon mans body consisteth which haue broken vnity and concord among them selues or exaited themselues one aboue an other it must be done with peace and concord and not with dissention discord One disease may not be added to another And the Monarchie of mans body must be preserued by harmony consent and agreement and not by Monoâ—nachie Therefore the Medicine ought to be such as may bring the sicke body to vnitie which can not be done by Binarii the author of discord and contrarietieâ— but by vnarii ruling equally in three But this doctrine the folowers of the Ethnikes can not digest because they knowe not the three substanties aforesayd though by arte they may be made manifest out of eche thing to the eye and touche neither doe they knowe the concordance and agreement of the three in one nor their exaltation 5 The followers of the Ethnicke Phisitions be ruled by the doctrine and principles of Galen Auicen and such other The Chymicall Phisition in his phisicke first and principally respecteth the worde of of God and acknowlegeth it to be his gifte next he is ruled by experience that is to say by the knowledge of three substanties whereof eche thing in the great world and man also consisteth that is to say by their seuerall Sal Sulphur and Mercury by their seueral properties vertues and natures by palpable and visible experience And when he knoweth the three substanties and all their properties in the great worlde then after shall he knowe them in man For man is Microcosmus for this cause that hee might haue the good and bad sicknesse health of the great world The right way to come to this knowled is to trie all things by the fire for the fire teacheth the science and arte of Phisicke It is the Phisitions maister it teacheth the Phisition experience by digesting fixing exalting resoluing reducing compounding and such like By this experience shall he find out the three substanties of all creatures in the worlde of what nature facultie propertie and condition they be of So shall he knowe all things by visible and palpable experience so that the true proofe and tryal shal appeare to his eyes touched with his hands So shall he haue y e three Principia ech of them separated froÌ„ the other in such sort y t he may see them touch them in their efficacie and strength then shal he haue eyes where with the phisition ought to looke and reade with al. Then shal he haue that he may taste and not before For theÌ„ shall he know not by his owne braines nor by reading or by reporte or hearesay of others but by experience by dissolution of Nature and by examyuing and search of the causes beginnings and foundations of the properties and vertues of thinges which he shall finde out not to be attributed to colde or heate but to the properties of the three substanties of each thing and his Arcanum Then may he vse Lumen Naturae and by meanes of that vse his eyes in those thinges that hee to bee seene This is the sure way as one of their owne coate sayth it is in vayne to leaue the vse and helpe of sences for reasons sake And an other of the same stamp sayth Experience is the maysteries of thinges 6 The followers of the Ethnickes in the nature of Simples as Hearbes Plantes Rootes c. father themselues vpon Gallen Mesue dioscorides c. and say it is written that in their Bookes So that who is learned in their Bookes may proceeve Doctor of their Phisicke The Chymicall Phisition trieth all thinges by fire whereby the vertue nature and propertie of each thing appeareth to the palpable and visible experience By this is fouÌ„d in Honey a venomous tartisâ—nesse and much filthinesse in Surgar And in Arsenicke excellent good medicine wholesome and frendly for manâ— body when the impuritie is seperated and cast away By this meanes bee found especiali thinges euen of one kinde only to differ from an other of the same kind As the Rosine of one Countrey is not of that nature as the Rosine of an other Countrey Wheate that groweth vpon some grounde hath the propertie of Garlicke or some other propertie according to the nature of the soyle or grounde either wholesome or vnwholesome And the things growing vpon Mountaines doe differ from their like or from thinges of the same kind growing on the plaine And generally ech Countrey most commonly hath his proper desease besides them that be caused of Influencies by reason of y e foode which wee receiue for nourishment either of the vegetables which receiue their nourishment of the resolued spirites of the Myneralles or of the Animals which be nourished of the vegetables in the soyle wherupon they feede Whereby it commeth to passe that if a Phisition do follow the opinion of Writers of other Nations or be cunning onely in his owne Countrey and Region he shal erre in his medicine So that Nature made manifest by fire and the right applying it to medicine maketh a Phisition according to this Arte. He that listeth to leane to Bookes let him learne of those Bookes which
of true Physicke because as Plato sayth he that is ignorant in diuine thinges cannot haue right vnderstanding in prophane learning As Apollo and Aesculapius all the Grecians at that time were without the true knowledge of GOD and were Idolaters and both they were honored as Gods and ech of them had a temple dedicated to him But it should seeme by that Plato hath written and Plinie also that their Physicke was altogether Surgery Wherevnto Cicero doth seeme to coÌ„sent in his third Booke de Natura deorum ascribing to Aesculapius the first inuention of bynding and healing of woundes Sabellicus also Strabo do write that the old Physicke was rude and their medicines were such onely as were found out by chaunce to haue holpen any bodie and such they did minister vnto those that were sicke of like deseases Aesculapius did not meddle with bodies infected with inward sicknesses but onely prescribed to such a dyet about meate and drinke as one did to Euripilus that was wounded at the siege of Troy in the presence of his two sonnes Machaon and Podalirius and as they two did to Menataus whom Pandar wouÌ„ded there because they thought deseases did commonly come to man either by externall hurtes as by pricking cutting or brusing or els did chaunce to him by euill dyet lacke of exercise and euill order of his liuing therfore they thought it necessary to helpe them that were so hurt But they thought as long as men vsed good dyet exercise and good order of life they coÌ„tinued in health and prolonged their life at ease Therefore Phocilides vsed to say that the liuely vertue and power of the body must be exercised whilest wee bee able But Plato sayth that Aesculapius and others were of this opinion that he which would not liue in the appointed and accustomed rule and order of life but by incontinencie of liuing did fall into deseases was not profitable for himselfe nor for others and that the Arte of Physicke had nothing to doe with such nor serued for them and that such ought not to bee cured though they were richer then Midas And that it was against reason to thinke that men should neede Physicke for Rewmes Distillations and for the griefes of the swellings of the inwarde spirites which come through delicacy of liuing and slouth and lacke of good order in liuing and therefore proueth that those deseases were not knowne to Mahaon and Podalirius at the siege of Troye Asclepyades also the Physition sayd that health consisteth in abstinence of meate and drinke and in ryding walking and running Then resteth to consider what maner medicines they vsed in Surgery I doe reade in Plato in the 31. Booke and 3. Dialogue de iusto that when Pandarus had wouÌ„ded Menalaus at the siege of Troye after Mahon and Podalirius had dried vp the blood of his woundes with their handes they did anoynt the wouÌ„d with mitigating Balmes or Oyntments and prescribed him a certayne order and forme of dyet in his meate and drinke Wherby it appeareth that the maner of their Surgery was like vnto that of the Chymicall Surgions whose maner is with Oyles and Balmes to pacifie nature and to keepe the wounde defended from accidents and to leaue the cure to nature which is able then to be his owne Surgion And more playnly to proue their doctrine one Petrus Hasardus is sufficient witnesse who in his French Epistle before the great Surgery of Paracelsus writeth that as he trauailed through the Countrey of Lyuonia he ariued in a certaine Monastery there where he taried two daies in perusing the Lybrarie and there he found two peeces of the workes of the same Mahacon and Podalirius which intreated fully that Chymical forme and maner of doctrine About the tyme of Apollo that is the yeare of the world 2697. liued Orpheus the Thracyan and was the first that is remembred to haue written of Hearbes as some say exactly and he founde out remedies for many deseases After hym followed one Musaeus his Scholler After them liued Hesiodus in the yere of the world 3111. After him liued Pronopis the Master of Homer which likewise had knowledge of Hearbes in the yere of the worlde â—258 Thales Milesius liued in the yeare of the worlde 3379. and before Christ 584. He trauayled into Aegipt and brought into Greece greate knowledge in the Mathematicalls Ameristus or Mamercus succeeded him Before this tyme was one Sisiphus otherwise called Theosophos a famous Physition Chapter 12. Of Pythagoras and his knowledge in this Arte and that he taught in Italy and of his Schollers and folowers And of the medicin of Empedocles And of 70 Bookes that Esdras was commaunded to keepe ABout the yeere of the worlde 3434. liued Pythagoras a Grecian famous for his wisedome and diuine knowledge and for his learning in the Metaphisickes and Mathematicals he laborâ—â— much in Arithmetick he brought Geometrie to perfection as Laertius writeth He lest diuers rules of Astrologicall proguoslicâ—tion and of this arte some what he found out Musicke in the starres and deriued the same to mittigate the affections of the mynde he did write of the effect of herbes He trauayled into Persia Arabia Aethiopia and Aegypt for learning and knowledge he was conuersant with the Priestes of the Jewes after he had once professed their Religion After his returne hee taught in Italy Hee was a great Cabalist Some say that one Phericides was his teacher which did first write de Natura After Pythagoras in this learning knowledge succeeded as his scholers and folowers Telanges his sonne after hym Xenophanes Archilas Philolaus Lisias Parmenides Leno Eleates Anaxagoras Leucippus Democritus Nausiphales Naucides Epicharmus Alchmeon Epimenides For Aeliames lib. 9. writeth that all the Pithagoreans were studious in Phisicke and many auncient kings and others before the time of Pythagoras were studious in phisicke which I doe omit putting you first in remembrance of Empedocles a singuler Philosopher and notable Phisition about the yere of the world 3308. Suidas writeth of a medicin that hee vsed to minister called Apnus which was of that nature y t it would preserue a mans body 30. dayes without meat that was speachlesse and ready to giue vp the Ghost for so doeth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie I thinke the Phisitions the folowers of the Ethnickes wil confesse that it is no part of their profession to make such a Medicine and that their grosse medicins can haue no such vertue because the knowledge of such medicins doth depend vpon Metaphisicke and supernaturall principles which Empedocles Pithagoras Democritus Plato and diuers others doe maintaine in naturall things contrarie to the grosse Phisicke About the yere of the worlde 3503 liued Esdras to whome the most high gaue vnderstanding and commaundement to write and to whom the most high spake thus The first bookes that thou hast written publish openly that the worthy and vnworthy may reade But the last seuentie bookes kepe that thou mayst giue them
nothyng And that which lacketh to be some what doeth not hold and kepe his being so that truely it maie by no meanes be saied to haue being for quies bringeth forth nothing but motus agendio operatio doth frame to it felf that thing which is or in what sort it is And seing Vita is motus quidam hereof commeth beyng and that whiche is exstant and the substance Hereof it folowith that the liuely might â—â—â— and power flowyng from the worde which is life that is to say from the Sonne doeth cause the materiall thynges to be seene to haue their beyng and guieth to this beyng in eache thyng that which belongeth and is proper to it Furthermore all thynges that bee begotten or made bee made or begotten ex motu but motus ipse quo motus before it be moued is quies for it is a rule that contrarius ortus contrariorum fit ita vt contrario ortu contrariorum vnde hoc ortum est pereat as death folowith life and of deathe life riseth and of esse commeth non esse and of non esse riseth esse likewise of quies risethe motus and of motus quies Uppon this reason semeth to bee grounded that opinion whiche some doe hold that those things which seme here to dye doe passe or goe ad non eus But the trueth is that the thynges whiche seeme to dye haue their beyng For seeyng life is to haue beyng whereof riseth death death also hath his beeyng if life risethe of death likewise if of that which is is made that whiche is not of necessity that whiche is must not bee if that which is rise therof in like maner if there be ceasing or leauing of or quiet of necessatie ther must be ceasing of mouing if mouing be engeÌ„dered This semeth to be a strong argument totheÌ„ which haue not tasted true Philosophie For hereby it semeth y t by rising of the contraries the contrary doeth either dye or els is to bee thoughe not to haue beeyng but in truthe it is not so but cleare contrary For they bothe doe abide neither doe they dye concernyng their eternall vertue For in thinges vizible and materiall if there be any death it is the death of the bodie But yet to come nerer to the truth neither is there death of y e bodies in that they be materiall but there is made a dissolution in that figure and forme whiche is now by a certain departure therfore only the fashion forme of the body is dissolued But those thyngs doe remaine haue their beeyng whereof those thinges whiche shall liue â—e repaired renewed and rise For seeyng the first and principall liuyug by his omnipotencie is the cause that all thynges that be or can be haue their life beeyng and mouyng according to the capacitie of the thyngs ond substancies as they bee parted and deuioed for euery one hath his proper beeyng his owne life his proper mouing from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Viuere Vita what can death preuaile against close vertues and powers which flowe and are deriued from that fountaine and line Therefore seeyng they be eternall whilest they â—e in the matter or substance if death doeth onely loose the composition of them and separate them asonder nothyng dieth and perisheth vtterly Wherefore it is well saied that of life commeth death because there is a dissoluyng of that bodie from the power abilitie of liuyng And likewise there is a repairyng and a renuyng from death by those guides into an other composition and thynges that is newly raised and sprong For God doeth create when by his worde he calleth things into beeyng So the Father worketh euen vntill this tyme as our sauiour saieth But the gentle reader must knowe that I doe not here speake of man that his soule after the dissolution of it from the bodie doeth passe in to another bodie For his soule is created by God therfore those thyngs can by no meanes be vnderstanded of it Chapter 21 Haw materia prima and misceria magna was the beginnyng of all things according to Paracelsus his meanyng and how al create were at one time in the increate ONe other great falt doeth Erastus finde with Paracelsus for that he saiethe that Prima materia and Misterium magnum was the beginnig of al thinges by separation Aud this misterie he saieth to be increate hereof doeth Erastus conclude that accordyng to Paracelsus creation is nothyng but seperation Though in this place and many other places of the same booke ad Athenienses he doth intreate of the influencies which proceed from God as in the first entery of the same booke he plainly confesseth and of inwarde generations fruits and of inward seperations for deepe and secrete purpose yet if Erastus had delte indifferently with hym he myght easely perceiue his meanyng in other of his workes and also in this where he findeth this horible herecie concernyng the creation of vizible bodies to bee accordyng to Gods worde For in his booke intituled Paramirum lil 1. cap. 2. he confesseth accordyng to Gods holy worde that Prima materia mundi was Fiat Aud in the same booke to the Athenians he saieth that Materia prima can net be perceined by senses Also in that booke Lib. 1. cap. primo he plainely affirmeth that the vizible matter of ech thing was create for thei were not with God at the beginning For God created them of nothing and inspired into them life and vertue c. So are we taught by Gods worde that in the beginnyng after God had created the heauens and earth the earth was rude voide and emptie that is to saie it was imperfect and vnfruitfull it brought for the no Herbes Trees nor Flowers of diuers collours â—or sweete smelles nor yet any other thyng whiche afterwarde did growe or spryng in it The heauen also at the first lacked his ornaments and so did the water The earth continued baren vntill God by vertue of the word had commaunded it to be fruitfull whereby it brought forth Herbes Trees and Plantes which haue seeds eche of them in themselues accordyng to ther kynd The firmament was emptie vntill suche tyme God the creator of al thynges had by his word made the Sunne Moone and Stars and appointed them their office duetie and propertie The water also was baren vntill the same worde had made it fruitfull of liuyng creatures in their kindes and made likewise foules in their kyndes and blessed them and gaue them commaundemeÌ„t to increase and multiplie Also God created and made catell beasts and all creping things of the earthe accordyng to their kyndes and likewise gaue them propertie to increase and multiplie For as Sainct Augustine saieth if wee consider the nature of thinges properly without Allegerye this worde increase and multiplie doethe belong to all thynges which doe grow and come of seeds These leeds saith Paracelsus haue receiued by the diuine worde
the power of multipliyng and transplant action their essence and properties As Sainct Basill saieth nothyng is in any herbe or plante which is not planted by the commaundement of the Almightie Of these Semina Essentiae of their naturs vertues properties their seperations doth he here intreat The vertues of thinges saieth he were in God when the Spirite of God was caried vpon the waters And they be of God and are not naturall but God sendeth forth his influences euen as the sunne doeth his beames whiche be deuided in to diuerse and wonderfull vertues And God replenisheth all thyngs with his vertues And God did inspire life and vertues into those thinges whiche he created of nothyng By these places and others to the like effect it appeareth that he teacheth that in the beginning the vertues of vizible thynges were vnited in their fountaine neither were they seperated in diuersity and multitude of offices but after that by the vertue of the spirite whiche was caryed vpon the waters they were commauÌ„ded to doe their offices in the worldly ministration they were seperated and deuided in offices life essenties and beyngs We neede not here to imagine that these did proceede of Chaos but out of the treasures of the diuine wisedome but euen as the inuizible vertue in a carnell hath a might science and power able to worke and bryng forth diuerse and sundrie effectes which in winter doe not appere but lye quiet and in appointed and due tyme bringeth forth the roote bodie pith barke and bowe twige leafe fruite and all these things belongyng to the Tree and deuideth and seperateth them in iust and true order proportion forme sigure and qualitie So in the beginnyng were all the vertues vnited in God their fountaine vntill such tyme as by the vertue of the word they were commauÌ„ded to doe their seuerall officies in the worldly ministerie And as a man holdyng his peace doeth secretely reason with hymselfe and doeth comprehende in his reason all those wordes which after he vttereth and speaketh perticulerly in diuers seueral sentences words and sillables which wordes be receiued of diuers hearers So in the begynnyng all the might vertue and power of thyngs were in God vntill the word proceeded from God wherby they were distributed to ech as seemed best to the diuine wisedome But these vertues and power of God are not inuizible thynges as the harte is in a beast or as it is parte of a beast but they be in thynges as the beames of the Sunne be in those wherevppon it shineth yet the substance of the Sunne is not in them neither is God in part any where but in singulis totus and in onibus omnis And as the soule dispersed through the whole bodie is wholy in euery member and yet doeth not giue to eche member his giftes of his office worke and ministerie but to the eye he giueth onely the office of leyng and not to heere to the eare he giueth heeryng and not to see and to other members likewise so god beeyng Diffusus in singulis replenisheth all thynges essencially both aboue and benethe within and without and round about and doeth seperate distribute to euery thing as it pleaseth hym As to a tree he giueth life to growe not to feele to beasts he giueth feeling not to discerne to Aungels to y e soule he giueth to deserne if God do withdraw any of these things froÌ„ any thing immediately it shall be come vnprofitable in the vniuersall body euen as y e member of the body wil be vnprofitable without vse from which God hath withdrawen his gifte vertue Likewise God hath seperated perated parted the vertues of herbs plants among them elues gyuyng to some vertus stipticke to others vertues laxâ—â—iue c. And so iâ— Mineralleâ— Aâ—â—nailes and at thyngs vizible bâ— they deuided in â—â—ueralvertues one from an other so saieth olde Father Origen God the parent of all things for the health of al his creatures hath deuided and seperated to eche thing here ineffabilem rationem of his word and wisedome And the Psalmist saieth all his vertues be his ministers and workers doyng his will Therefore saieth Sainct Augustine every creature doth feele God to be in it by somewhat And because Paracelsus attributeth the beginning of thyngs asâ— ell to Materia prima which as is aforesaid is fiat which I iudge to be the diuine will the first councell of the spirituall motioÌ„ as to Misterium magnum which he meaneth to be Christ accordyng to these old verses Adesto lumen rerum pater omnipatens deus Adesto lumen luminis misterium et Virtus dei Adesto sanctâ— spiritus patris filij copula It is manifest by these words he meaneth God the father and the sonne whome he confesseth to be the creator of all thynges visible and from whom all Misteries did proceede For it is not to be vnderstanded that God the father did create all thynges without the wisdome word and vertue that is to saie without the onely begotten or God our Lorde Jesus Christ For so God saied of the person of the wisedome vz I was with hym making all thinges sei mone eius coeli confirmati sunt spiritu eius omnes vires eorum For the workes of the sonne be the workes of the father and the father worketh in the sonne for so he saieth the father which is in me oâ—â—h his worke and againe I doe the workes of the father So the father worketh onely workyng in hym and by hym whome he hath begotten In this sorte Christ that great mistery was the beginnyng of all thynges And because all those vertues wherewith God hath inspired thyngs visible and materiall do proceed and are deriued from that fountaine and line vz from the great Misterie he calleth them likewise Misteria saiyng that greate Misterie hath giuen seperated and deuided to all thynges their generall Misteries And sometymes he calleth the seedes the receptacles of the vertues by the name of Misteria like wise But Erastus fasly corruptly saieth that he affirmeth that all thynges did proceed out of Misterium magnum whereas his words be that all misteries did proceede out of Misterium magnum And that great Mistery doth giue to al things their general Misteries c. And that whiche is eternall is the cause of all thyngs visible and materiall God created visible thyngs and inspired into them life and vertues so all thynges be of God aswell thynges materiall and vizible as also the vertues power and might of thynges which he often calleth Misteria Fordermore whereas Paracelsus saieth all thyngs created were together at one time in the increate as butter and chese be in the milke and wormes in the chese whiche after growe in it and as the Image is in the wood before the Keruer hath made it Erastus saieth that this must needes be the Chaos of Anaxagoras The true meanyng of