a proportionable Body and doth agree with the original Spiritual Power that governed in Spirit For this cause all the Words Works and Actions of Mankind are in their Original nothing else but a Magick or Spiritual invisible transparent Power which doth move and work by several degrees of progressions circular motions and births All these Powers by the help and management of the Judge and five Grand Councellors are Midwifed into the World and become substantial so that all things are Created Made and most wonderfully Generated out of nothing its ground or original being a Magical or Spiritual Power which when understood and distinguished are all Wonderful and Amazing and therefore what Knowledge what Understanding and Distinguishing is so Noble so Great so Divine and Beneficial to Mankind as the true uses of his Senses in himself for so soon as this Divine Sight or Union is in any competent degree obtained then all the Magical and Corporal Spiritual Powers feel and gently touch each other in which consist the highest harmony and solace of the Mind which happy State or Condition of the Soul is called Regeneration or an obtaining some degrees of the first original State and Condition Man was Created in For the fall of Mankind was and is still Magical and Incorporeal viz. in the very Center of his Life for he did by and from the power of his Free Will and consent of the five Grand Councellors penetrate into stir up and awaken the sleeping poysonous fierce Original Qualities and dark Magical Fires which immediately occasioned unequal Motions and Operations whereby each form becomes discontented and invades each others right and so the union of the still quiet and Spiritual Powers became of a terrible selfish nature and being divided in their Government Domineer over each other and then was Man immediately hid from the Divine Vision and the Holy Union hid from him For so soon as these fierce invading forms and qualities had obtained the Government and broken the Simplicity and Innocency of the blessed Union each form did with the highest diligence Court and Covet all things both inwardly and outwardly that was agreeable to its own nature that it â—…ight throughly be increased and strengthened and these disunited Powers of Man's Soul would not nor could not be satisfâ—…ed but had and still have a longing strong desire after Corporality or to Cloath themselves with suitable matter or Bodies and these insulting Powers have gotten the Dominion in the Free Will which is the Primum Mobile or chief Governor of all that Microcosm Man then each Quality longed and lusted strongly and vigorously after proportionable Food that they might thereby be strengthened and increased and so become Corporeal for from this very Ground did always and doe at this day spring those voracious gross and unclean Desires and Inclinations in the Mind and Souls of Mankind for every Desire and earnest Inclination is a swift Spiritual Property or Power proceeding from the awakened Magia of evil or good according to the equality or inequality of the Forms and Powers And if this invisible Thought or Imagination be brought before the Judges and the five Councellors and not cut off or condemned to the Dark Cell of Oblivion but permitted to pass into the World viz. to be Coined into Words and from thence into Actions which do compleat the Birth and then this Desire bare Thought or incoporeal Inclination becomes substantial and Corporeal so that that which was a nothing is by the Husbandman's Management and Cultivation made substantial and becomes a gross Corporeal Body and if that bare Thought Inclination or Desire be evil in its Original Forms or Magick Powers and the Judge and Councellors do propagate it that it arrives to Actions or a compleat birth such go on in their own way and attract all evil and fierceness to its self as proper suitable Matter for every Spiritual Power or Quality when it hath Cloathed its self with a suitable body does still more violently carry on the government and innate nature of its Original and is endued with all the Qualifications and Inclinations that did arise in the first Magick Thought For all things both in the evil and likewise in the good do eternally go on in their Law if the Judge and Councellors do not prohibit the Birth and annihilate the first Thought or Intention which is in their Province to do but if they admit it to pass through all the degrees and properties of Nature and it obtains Corporality then the Law stamps its Soul or Signature on it and so it proves of great difficulty to obliterate and destroy it This was and is still the fall and depravation of Mankind from the Union of God and all united Vertues and good Powers The Magick dark Powers of his Mind and Soul he suffered to be violently awakened which as is before mentioned long after a proportionable Food that they might become Corporal Now the command that he should not eat of the Central fruit that grows in the dark Magick where each form is divided in its government having their Operations in inequalities and the Judge and Councellors concurring then the Senses agreed to the eating all gross unclean violent Foods and such that cannot be procured without Oppression Mans fall was first Magical before it could be Corporal and so is every evil or wicked Action that is done or committed and as the Fall and Man's passing out of the Union of and from God was done in the Mind and from the Central powers of the Wrath and unequal Operations of the Forms and Qualities even so and from the same Center must Regeneration begin its work And first the Eye of the Mind and all the intelligible Powers Councellors and Judges must have the distinguishing Powers made clear and manifest or else no Man can distinguish between the two grand fountains of good and evil And if this Glorious Sight be once obtained then it will be easy to reconcile the divided Forms and Magick Spiritual Powers of the Mind for as the original Disunion began in the Center of Life in that place where the Tragedy was committed must the Redemption and Reconciliation be effected The Fall of Man as was before mentioned was nothing else but breaking the Union of his own Composition when each form quality fountain and spirit advanced it self in domineering and self-will by which all the intelligible Fountains Spirits and Principles operated in Divisions and Tumultuousness so that the Body and Mind was and is filled with pain and horror And what was the first Man's Fall and Degeneration is still every Mans fall that lives in and under the divided forms and disunited powers of their Minds and where the intelligible forms and powers have lost their innate sight and distinguishing properties then the Heart akes and the whole Body and Mind becomes uneasy and in this state and condition the feeling Sense or Power loseth all its harmonical Union true Pleasure and
going to Church and the like which is often too true but this great perplexity of the Spiritual Powers and Soul is Man 's not living in any degree answerable to that great Law of God and innocent Method of Nature but instead thereof have contented themselves to live in the Observations Customs and Laws of Tyrannical Princes and Nations which have Originally sprung from and been Midwifed into the World by the divided powers of Nature Selfish Pride and Covetousness and all under pretence of Vertue and Religion which the poor ignorant miserable People receive believe and will dye in the defence of those wicked Laws and Customs they are Educated and Taught in which doth occasion the greatest number of Mankind violently to run into the greatest Errors and consequently into Discord and Disunity which is as I have said before the grand occasion of those Troubles and perplexing Agonies most Men experience on their Dying Beds for if Men Live in the practice of Violence Fierceness and Oppression be it either to their Kind or Creatures of inferior Ranks the Equality and Union of the Powers and Principles of God in a Mans Soul is thereby broken whence doth arise and proceed those unheard of troubles many Thousands endure when the Soul and Spiritual Powers must leave and be separated from their Habitations or Bodies and therefore we would have every one understand this grand and most necessary Truth viz. He that would Dye in Peace or in Unity must endeavour by all the ways and methods imaginable to transact his Life in Innocency and being obedient unto the Voice of Wisdom or Divine Principle â—…ch dwells in the Center of every Mans Soul which is the true and powerful Advocate and is not only willing but able to unite all the Sons and Daughters of Wisdom and Innocency unto the Blessed Fountain of Benignity Union with this great Original Being is the only one thing that all Creatures both Corporeal and Incorporeal ardently seek and groan after because nothing but that can or is able to give Peace and Satisfaction so great and wonderful precious and necessary is an harmless innocent Life it being the very Center of Peace and Eternal Tranquility the Understanding and Living in and under the good powers and principles of Innocency is both the pleasure of Time and the happiness of Eternity for Innocency wounds nothing nor nothing that Union being the Center not only of every Mans happiness and quiet but the highest satisfaction of all other Creatures which no Man can pretend to arrive at this Haven of Temporal and Eternal Bliss but only by observing and living in Gods Law in all the methods of Life viz. in Eating Drinking Speaking Wearing Buying and Selling avoiding all oppressions and violences both to Man and Beast for it is impossible that any Person should see the Blessed State of Unity whereas every day he greedily and exorbitantly sustains maintains and continues his Life by the effects and fruits of Disunity and Violencâ—… daily and hourly offered to his fellow Creatures many degrees more innocent and harmless than himself which miserable and melancholly condition of Man and his high and deep depravation can never be retrieved or redeemed so long as Mankind doth remain stupid and altogether blind as to the understanding of Gods Law in themselves and the particular Principles they are made and compounded of and their respective Operations for nothing is more true than he that doth not distinguish the birth of every Thought Word and Work and from what Fountains or Principles they proceed is compelled to do all things by chance Tradition and Custom they are his Projecters and Masters so that when Mankind comes to lye on a Dying Bed the Senses and all the Corporeal Powers become impotent and melancholly then most or all the actions of Life are as it were unaccountable unto the Soul and Spiritual Powers which Spirits do as it were with a rapid motion seek the cause of their Trouble and Disunion but being ignorant of Gods innocent Law they blame themselves for the neglect of some little or trivial matters many of which had they performed the Soul would have been as far from Satisfaction as otherwise and therefore to be ignorant of Gods Law in a Mans self is the greatest evil and brings on Mans Soul the greatest perplexity and trouble whatever some may think or imagine to the contrary for no Person hath any occasion to perplex and disquiet himself about what shall be his condition after Death if he spends this little part of Eternity in the observation of Gods innocent Laws for what can molest or disturb that Person that hath troubled nor hurt nothing but hath spent his few days in a calm innocent method of Life and Unity And as Blindness Depravity and Ignorance is the grand Inlet to all Violence Oppression and Disunity so it is the true Root of all fear suspicion and desparation in the Souls and Spirits of Mankind and likewise at this door comes in all wicked selfish mistaken Notions both in Religion and all other matters relating to the Soul for Mans Fall and deep degrees of Blindness and Depravation have divided and separated him from the true knowledge of his Maker and also from the knowledge of the Mysteries both of himself and all the uniform powers of Nature which stupidity and ignorance doth powerfully enclose and shut him up in the circle of Darkness having no certain knowledge neither of the things that shall be transacted in Time nor Eternity and it is well it is so seeing Mankind hath so violently and freely immersed his Will into this great Sea of Evil that he doth not know or understand future events and the sequel of things which the All Wise Father and ever Blessed Creatâ—… of all Beings hath wonderfully ordered for if Mankind were not limited as to the knowledge of future events of things he would be in a far worse condition and more miserable for should the Loving Mother foresee what Miseries and Calamities would befall her young and tender Child what a Melancholly condition would this fore-knowledge bring on the Parents whose affections is as their own Lives the Son runs into the Armies of Princes with a free undaunted Will rendring himself liable to all the Miseries of Life both in this World and that which is to come another Robs Breaks Houses Kills and Murders all that stands in his way or opposes his wicked practice and at last is Condemned and Hanged for his violent Crimes and furious Oppressions and an hundred other sorts and methods of Vice both the Sons and Daughters of Mankind immerse themselves into for according to what Principles govern in each Stock or Tree such is the Fruits according to the common Proverb for there is nothing more true than that Discord and Disunity begets and brings forth Children like themselves if the divided Forms and violent oppressive Customs and Principles have obtained the Government in the central Life of
the Rage and Fury of the Elements and violent fierce invading Powers of an Exorbitant or Adulterated Appetite Now it is likewise farther to be understood and considered that where the Sense of Seeing Feeling Hearing or the Sublime Sense of Smelling is short or not capable of discerning or judging the Innate Nature and Complexion of Animals by their Forms Shapes and Signatures This Sense of Tasting can readily open all the Doors and secret Gates of Nature's Cabinets and in a moments time find out and manifest all the hidden or central Mysteries of each thing This noble and great Sense is like Fire that has a Key in its self that can in a moments time unlock the hardest Coagulations of the Original Qualities and manifest what Principle or Property ruled in the Centre whether clean or unclean as is most manifest and clear in the Burning of various things Woollens Woods and the like the inward Power and Complexion thereof being very difficult to be understood and judged when such things remain entire This the Taste can do and therefore it may be justly stiled the Prince King or compleat Judge over Life and Death Wherefore the Creator and Preserver of all his Work hath placed this noble Officer in the principal Gate of the Microcosmical City viz. the Mouth that nothing might be suffered to pass into the Stomach or Nature's Magazin where all Foods and Drinks are promiscously Treasured up in order to sustain and support the whole Body besides the Creator hath ordained under the Conduct and Government of this Prince the Pallate several under-graduated Officers as Sentinels that are at all times ready to obey and execute the Orders and Commands of their Superior Prince viz. the Lips that can in a moment shut its Gates and withstand any thing that intrudes or is offensive the next is the Teeth which is a strong or powerful Officer or Centinel that can by its Innate power shut and keep out all the Enemies of the Body The next in order to the two former is the Attractive Power or mighty preserving Faculty of the Body for so soon as the Judge or Superior Power commands the Gates to be opened and the Teeth to macerate or break the Food to pieces but presently this third Officer the Attractive Faculty does with all power and vigour draw and Collect a fit and proper Menstruum or Moisture which doth render the Teeth Mouth and Tongue capable to Chew and Melt the Food into a soft pappy matter or substance fit for the Stomach and the better the Foods are Macerated or Chewed the easier they are of Digestion and the better Nourishment they afford unto the Body Likewise this Prince the Taste or Pallate hath another powerful Officer placed in this great Gate the Mouth or common Road that leads into the Metropolitan or Human City which is called the Expulsive Faculty by whose Innate power it can at the command of its Superiour Prince the Taste or Pallate immediately Expel or Spit forth and that with great vigour what Meat Drink or other thing is distasteful or unpleasing to the Pallate or Sense of Tasting so wonderfully hath our Creator guarded the Gate Road or common Passage that nothing might pass into the Body or Stomach but only what is proper and agreeable to sustain and preserve the Human Nature in a due regular Temperature and Union For if this Gate or common Passage be kept from being violated or forced upon by Adulterers and Thieves and that no unclean thing enters then all the whole Body and Mind is Sound Healthy and free from all cloudy Burthensom Diseases But on the other side if the Prince the Pallate or Superior Officer be adulterated and hath by intemperance and improper Meats and Drinks lost its intire and natural Taste or true distinguishing Power then presently all the under-graduated Officers and Centinels are thereby made heávy sleepy dull idle careless and impure and then this great or wonderful Gate or Road stands open to all Intruders and there is no Uncleanness nor Intemperance that is withstood but all Viciousness doth freely pass without any Examination of the said Officers or Centinels so that the Human City must needs be Defiled Wounded and Distempered For Meats and Drinks being the very Original and Substance both of the Body and Mind as we have largely discoursed elsewhere therefore the Lord hath placed so many powerful Officers and Watchmen in this Road or common Gate that thereby no unfit Meats nor Drinks might pass nor be admitted without a strict Examination of its Vertues Vices Cleanness or Uncleanness However all these Faculties and Officers must be Subservient to the higher Powers viz. the Will which is as we have said in some other Cases the Primum mobile of all the Actions of Life So that very often the Imaginative Powers being kindled or roused up by some Advice or Example either of Custom or the like that such and such things are good and profitable both for Heath and Physick whence arises and springs a potent Desire and strong Inclination and so commands the Pallate and all the Properties of the Mouth to send it into the Stomach and when it comes there your Will and Desire hath no power to call it back agree or disagree there it must abide till Nature can overcome and separate it and send the particular parts into all the Frontier Garrisons and Sally-ports where it oftentimes proves Oppressive And if the Power of the Expulsive Faculty did reside or any part of it in the Stomach as it doth in the Mouth many People would almost as frequently cast their Food up as they Eat it it being common for them to over-load their Stomachs with too large a quantity and of contrary qualities not but there is an Expulsive Faculty in the Stomach which doth as it were lye hid or sleeping and Nature doth very rarely call forth or rouse up this Property but only when she is sorely oppressed either with too great a quantity of Meats and Drinks or with things Hetrogenial or of contrary Qualities And whensoever this happens the Operations of the Stomach and all the Subservient Vessels thereof are in a meer Agonious or Tumultuous State and Condition by which it appears as clear as the Sun at Noon day that the Palate Taste and the Vessels or Servants thereunto belonging are the â—…roper and natural Judges of what is good and agreeable not only in quantity but also in quality If Order Temperance and Cleanness be observed in the use and custom of Simple Foods and natural Drinks otherwise the Taste or Palate is not a proper Judge For all the Senses and their under-graduated Officers are Servants to the Mind Will and Desire and to the Original Principles they arise and proceed from For this cause every Sense and other Quality and principle of the Body and also of the Judgment are subject to be adulterated and depraved And though there be many sorts of Meats and Drinks
was ordained viz. to an ill purpose and to their own damage to violate and oppress those of their own kind and all the innocent Inhabitants of the Earth breaking down all the Natural Laws and Bonds of Friendship between each other and destroying the Uniformity of all the under graduates This Sense is the greatest and most noble of all others for it makes the most hidden and mysterious things to appear and that which was and is inclosed in the very Centre of Darkness to become manifest that which was without motion to become Living that which was Cold to become Vigorous and full of Heat and Splendor by its peculiar power Mankind can as it were behold at once half the Globe Water and Earth with the wonderful Varieties and Mysteries therein contained In a word it is the Pleasure and Well-being of every Life and true Guide of all Actions The Eyes are the Gates through which the Spirits of life pass and repass having their ingress egress and regress through the whole Body on all sides by Pores but those that pass through the Eyes are more fine and transparent carrying with them a fiery powerful life and therefore if these two Gates are kept open too long the whole Body in a very little time becomes dull heavy and indisposed not being able to perform any Action or Exercise and this weight or heaviness will come on so strongly even like Death it self that all the powers of the Understanding and Mind cannot maintain the motion and vigour of the Body neither can the most choice Foods or Cordial Drinks but all become still and as it were benum'd For this cause persons may fast longer from Meats and Drinks than from Sleep therefore these Gates must be shut six or eight Hours in every twenty four or else Nature and our Bodies cannot subsist nor be able to go on with common business neither continue in a state of health so great is the necessity of Rest Therefore poor mean Meats and Drinks with a due proportion of Sleep will support and sustain Nature far bey ond the richest Foods and strongest Drinks with half the proportion of Sleep Wherefore all young People or Children ought to have their full time of Sleep and rest that making them strong lively and vigorous and fit for all Actions of Life Besides the Eye-lids are not only useful to preserve the fine thin pure Natural Spirits of Life from the usual motions by which all Actions and Exercises of life are performed but by their closing there is a kind of Cessation from their circular motions so that in this time of sleep the Spirits regain strength and vigour and thereby a new Life and Motion is Generated They likewise serve to many excellent uses in Nature so it defends this delicate tender Sight from all evils that may happen without in 50 60 or 70 years they are also of excellent use at all times or seasons to shut out the Light that the Evils Vanities Intemperances and Disorders lewd Sports and Plays that are daily Acted by Mankind to the great prejudice of himself and dishonour of God which all good Men ought to turn from and not so much as suffer this Glorious Light of Heaven to represent them to our understanding But above all to keep the Eye-lids of young People shut that they may not see the wickedness of this World at leastways as little as may be for vain things are the Pests and Distempers of every Age and whosoever avoids and shuns them as much as in him lies is the more happy And all Tutors and Parents instead of Tricking and Dressing their Children in Bravery and bringing them to Plays and Balls and Dancing Schools should represent to them all sorts of poor Tradesmen and Industrious People bringing them to places where they may see all sorts of poor indigent People who not only rise early but notwithstanding hard Labour and Pains fare very hard having ragged Cloaths and Shoes without Soles being all Dirty going about the Streets Cold and Hungry having no Food to Nourish them Also Weavers and Throwsters where great numbers of Boys and Girls are employed These and many others for want of Conduct and Education become barbarous in their Deportment Women as well as Men. These ought to be represented as Examples to those whose better circumstances will give them the advantage of Learning and Sobriety That it is not as some vainly imagine viz. Lost time to be well taught and skilled in several Arts and Sciences and that betimes too for Seeds Sown and Trees Planted in season bear the best Crop and brings forth the noblest Fruit and whatsoever thing you would not have your Children inclined to never let them see it for Children and young People use all Industry to imitate what they see Example and Precedent going beyond Precept The first is a compleat birth and substance the other but a Notion and no more than Air or Spirit without a Body which passes and repasses and is lost in an invisible breath or fume being quickly obliterated and forgot There are three degrees to be commenced before any thing in the mind of Man attains a compleat birth or come to be substantial the first degree is the Original thought or desire the second is this being modelled and banded to an fro by the five Councellors the inward Senses the Reason and Understanding being always at their Elbows to give necessary advice and this thought being represented to the Judgment to know whether it be fit or reasonable it should be Coyned into Words the next degree is putting these Words into Actions which does Crown the whole and makes the Birth substantial and compleat whether it be in the evil or in the good and can hardly ever be obliterated For instance if a Man think or imagine an evil thing and stop there he may easily repent and thereby annihilate it but if he bring this thought before the Judge by the Councellors and it is by them commanded to be Coyned into Words then if it be an evil thing it will be much harder repented of but if it proceed without Correction into Action then as is said before the case is much more difficult therefore Actions and Evil Precedents do Wound all People very deep more especially Children and young People therefore you ought not to let them see any thing that you would not have them practice as Soldiers in an Army Training fine Horses in their Furniture nor any sort of Shows or Games Fighting and Killing either of Man or Beast nor let them play with Dogs or such like Creatures for whatsoever is seen acted or practised takes deeper root than either that which is a Care Thought or Word every particular thing works on its likeness according to its power and whatsoever is done in the evil by Examples and Precedents the like is to be understood in the Vertuous and good courses of Life And were it possible to make Mankind intelligible
invisible Power whose body is the Air This is the Sense by whose directions all the Beasts and Creatures who have kept Gods Law do distinguish and choose their Foods viz. what to eat and what to forbear this Sense penetrates to the very Center of each thing and doth distinguish the good and evil Qualities and presents them to the Judge and if good they embrace them if evil they refuse them this all the undergraduated Creatures do perform without touching oâ—… tasting which noble distinguishing Power Man hath least of anâ—… thereby the Sense of Feeling is wounded by receiving Meats and Drinks that produce Diseases and Pains for all the Disordeâ—…s Intemperances and Errours of the other four fall or centre oâ—… the Sense of Feeling whence springs such a multitude of Diseases in the Body and Mind This Sense is a faithful Centinel or Guard that presents all Comers and Goers to the distinguishing Powers and Judge which gives certain and true Judgment if it be not corrupted and blinded by degenerate Courses and unclean Methods of Life otherwise it is capable to determine by its Touchstone the Complexion of each thing if it be cold as a stone then it turns it by as unfit for communication because of his weight and hardness the Central fire being locked up in the cold Watry Coâ—…lation or strong Bond of the Saturnine property and thereâ—… it is only good for such uses as Building to withstand the wrath of the Elements and to shelter Man from their fierceness also if any thing be presented in which the strong fierce heat is kindled it puts that by and tells its various uses for which it is good and the contrary the Truth of this may be further demonstrated by several Arts Trades and Employments The judgment whereof chiefly depends on this Sense of Feeling for by handling it is known whether work be welldone and compleat It s smoothness closeness thickness thinness c. are represented to the Understanding and determined according to what it finds whether it be good or evil It is likewise farther to be noted that this Sense of Feeling is the ground or original to all Corporality for though the Mind or Soul do contain all Principles Forms and Powers which do all lie in the sleeping or silent Magia even as all forms and qualities of Nature do in the Earth which could never be known or become manifest if the Husbandman by Manuring and Cultivation did not stir up and awaken the innate Powers and Qualities which do as it were stir up and wrestle with each other from whence proceeds a lively brisk motion of heat and vigour which is called growing or vegitation and then the hidden or incorporeal Forms and Qualities become visible being manifested in corporeal and individual Bodies for none of the Magical Forms and Powers can be known before they become Cloathed with suitable Bodies For every Spiritual Power or Quality when it is stirred up or agitated by circular motions and the russling or rubbing together of contrary Principles which do generate and open the Gates of heat and moisture which lie hid under such Spiritual or Magical Power and Form and is capable to attract proper and agreeable matter for a Cloathing or Body and according to the Governing or Predominant quality in the Spirit or Magick fire whether it be the bitter sour salt or sweet such a Body Shape or Form that thing obtains and is accordingly Vitious or Vertuous For in all Corporal Beings the Flegm or Body is the House wherein the hidden or Spiritual Beings become manifest and therefore so soon as the Spiritual substance that is surrounded and skinned over hath obtained its highest limit then there is no longer a Progression or Vegitation but all falls into Retrogradation Now the Flegm or Body doth by degrees dye and the inward power strength vertue and spirit of the thing loseth its House or Cloathing and so sinks into its Original and becomes again mingled with the hidden Powers and Spiritual Beings of the Elements and so much difference and variety you see in the Shapes Forms and Colours in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Kingdoms which is beyond all human numeration The same variety there is in the Complexions of the Spiritual Powers and Qualities each Spiritual matter that hath the Government gives the Shape and Colour and as the Operations of the hidden Nature are in the Creating Generating and bringing to Manifestation the deep and wonderful Powers of the Vegitable and Mineral Kingdoms The very same is to be understood in the Animal Kingdom there being no difference but that the last is higher graduated The Body of Man is the human Ground or Earth which is as it were a Circle in which is contained all the Spiritual Powers Forms and Principles of Nature if this were not so Man could not nor ought not to be stiled or called the Image or Likeness of God so that in Man lyes hid all the wonderful Mysteries and Magick Powers of things even as they do in the Earth Now the Will is the Husbandman who can and doth by the assistance of the five great Powers and Councellors the Senses stir up and awaken the sleeping Magick Powers unto a sensible Feeling Tasting Seeing Smelling and Hearing of each other And this is Sensation or a stirring feeling Power For all the hidden inwardmost Principles and Powers of the Body are Magical Spiritual and Invisible the Body is but the Flegm or Cloathing of the said Powers as the gross body of Vegitables are the Cloathing or Covering of the Spiritual Sal-Nâ—…tral Virtues and Powers and keeps the said Virtues from evaporation For no Spiritual Power can be or ever is contented or satisfied when once it is awakened or stirred up out of its silent Magia or quiet Rest till it obtains a body without which it cannot become manifest to its self nor to the rest of the Corporal or Visible Powers for all the hidden Principles or Qualities are not satisfied till they are invested with proportionable bodies that thereby they may obtain an individual Being Therefore from Words each Man doth proceed to Actions or Works which doth compleat all the gradual proceedings and birth of Nature by which they become essential and substantial so that Principle Quality or Power that was in its first original ground a Naked or Magick thought is by the working moving Powers and contrary Qualities brought into a visible substance or Corporeal Body so that from the Nothing or invisible Spiritual Powers the Visible and Corporal Bodies and Substances of all things have taken their birth and therefore it was well and truly said by the ancient Seers and Wisemen that God made all things out of nothing For the original ground or unchangeable and incomprehensible Being is a Nothing in comparison to Corporality or Corporeal Bodies and therefore no Magick Powers or Spiritual Being can be manifest to its self or become individual as before mentioned till it Cloaths it self with
Thinking to you will be as prejudicial as hard â—…king will be to another In my Opinion the best Method 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 settle your Affairs limit your self to a convenient Compedâ—…y and spend your days in such Company as is most suitable 〈◊〉 your Humor and Disposition and as much as you can avoid 〈◊〉 being Agitated and Suspended between the Extreams of 〈◊〉 and Fear I mean as to the Affairs and Business of this World for when those Passions have got the Possession of Weak 〈◊〉 Crasy Natures they not only wound the Health continue 〈◊〉 advance Diseases but becloud and darken the Minds Intelâ—… Powers and pure Spirits for when the Human Properties 〈◊〉 Weak and Distempered the Natural Spirits are in proportiâ—… Weak and Languid This Sir with my best Respects be pleased to accept from Your assured Friend T. T. LETTER XIII Of Faith Hope and Charity SIR I Have yours of the 8th instant and shall Answer the Contents as well as I am aâ—…le your desire is to know the Original and True Ground of Faith Hope and Charity and which of the three is most Essential to Man and most like unto God Now Faith Hope and Charity have three Grounds or Originals froâ—… whence their variety doth proceed viz. From the grand Fountains or Principles in Mens Souls the first carries in iâ—… Power Courage Fierceness Violence Covetousness c. from the second arises Love Good-will Mercy Compassion c. aâ—… this has the Name and Nature of Goodness Virtue c. From the third proceeds Wordly-Mindedness Intemperance Disorde Vain-Games Laughing Jesting c. Now according to the Custom of each Country or Place and as these three have obtaâ—…ed the Government in the Soul from thence springs Faith Hope and Charity if the Inclinations of a Man be kindled in the first then such an one hopes to Kill Destroy and Oppress his Fellow Creatures but if the Divine Fountain of God's Love and Liâ—… obtains the Government then such do Hope Will and Deâ—… not only the Preservation of themselves but also the Peace aâ—… Well-being of the whole Creation but if the Soul be kindâ—… with the Spirit of this World and subjected to its Governmâ—… then a Man's Hopes are Worldly and Selfish from this Degâ—… racy of Man from the Unity of the Original Forms Principâ—… and Powers and his not distinguishing the Nature and Operaâ—…on of each doth not only arise the wonderful Varieties and Coâ—…fusions in Opinions but also the variety of Faith Hope aâ—… Charity each according to the Power of that Form that has â—…tained the Ascendant in the Soul together with the Custom 〈◊〉 Countries and the Dictates of their Priests and Teachers every Quality or Principle that has obtained the Government Labouring with its highest diligence to accomplish its own Work 〈◊〉 strengthen its Victory by violently Resisting and Opposing 〈◊〉 that is contrary to its self if it were not so how is it poâ—… for a Man to believe he doth God good Service and hope foâ—… Reward in this World and another for Killing those of his 〈◊〉 Kind and Oppressing all others and at the same time 〈◊〉 Death for a Vain Idle or empty Opinion Faith or Hope Igâ—…rance and Living under base Customs and divided Forms 〈◊〉 the Original of most Mens Faith and Hope they are Airy Principles and of evil Consequences if they have not their Birth from Love and Light Charity is an Essential Power oâ—… Divine Virtue Nothing does so much Resemble God and recommend Man to him for he gives freely to all his Off-spring without Respect of Person and receives nothing Charity is the only thing whereon our Eternal Happiness as well as Temporal depends as is clear by the Judgment pronounced on the Goats on his Left Hand by our Saviour Christ he doth not Condemn them because they had not Faith nor Hope or that they were Turks Iews Infidels Christians or distinguisht by any other Name or Modes of Religion but their Sentence was possitive for not having Charity not rightly and liberally disposing their Gifts the Lord had endued and entrusted them with and made them Stewards of I was an Hungry Naked and in Prison and you relieved me not c. Charity is Substantial the first and last true Step in Religion 'T is a cheap and easy Religion that consists in Faith Hope and a few good Words but Charity touches to the Quick and trys what Metal a Man is made of by this you shall know you are of God if you Love one another all the rest is but a Lip-service a vain â—…rivolous Dream and Shadow of Worship having no Agreement with God nor Foundation in Nature being Invisible Qualifications as St. Iames 〈◊〉 Faith and Hope are dead without Works Jesus Christ in the State of his Humiliation Taught nothing more than this Doâ—…ne as his whole Practice was doing Good so his Preaching 〈◊〉 a continual Inculcation of Love and Charity for in whomâ—…ver these Essential Virtues dwell and enjoy-their free Exerâ—…se and Vegitation no Question is to be made but such have 〈◊〉 sufficient Portion of those Invisible and Sublime Virtues of â—…th and Hope I am Sir Your Unfeigned Friend T. T. LETTER XIV Of GOD's Permission for the Eating of Flesh. SIR 〈◊〉 â—…m extreamly pleased that my Answer to your last met with 〈◊〉 so good a Reception which encourages me to hope you â—…ll find no less satisfaction in what I shall briefly observe concerning the Question you make how those Scriptures which intimate God to have commanded or permitted Beasts and under graduated Creaturs to be Killed and Eateâ—… are to be understood In Answer whereunto it is to be considered that Man had long before such Command or Permission Eaten of the Tâ—… of Knowledge the Tree of Good and Evil whereby he had separated and estranged himself from the Unity of God's Light and Love so that the Spirit of his Understanding became Blind and he grew an utter Stranger to himself and his own Composition which is called a Degeneracy or Fall which subjected him to the influence of the divided Powers or Forms and became totally Ignorant of the Primitive and Original state of Unity wherein he was Created by which means Wrath and Violence gained the Ascendant over Man's Will and Affections according to the Dignification and Power of each calling Good Evil and Evil Good subduing all the Desires and Faculties of the Soul 〈◊〉 the Tyranny and Obedience of the Wrathful Fiery Envious Powers and Forms where each Quality or Principle Industriously oppose and domineer over one another till the prevailing and superior Quality issues forth its Command which may in oâ—… Sense be called the Command or Permission of God given iâ—… Wrath and Fierceness as a Punishment for the Violation of his Pure and Primitive Law of Love and Light It is manifest thâ—… all the Cruelty and Barbarity we see daily Exercised in destroâ—…ing the Peace and Well-being of one another And Inferior Creatures who were Created for
up and Teach the Lâ—…fulness of War and Fighting and not so much as contradict 〈◊〉 Practice of Eating the Flesh and Blood of Innocent Underâ—…ted Creatures by which means no Man is safe longer than the fear of Death and Sword of the Magistrate protects him or whilest the greater wrath Commands the lesser and keeps it in Subjection Now the only Method to cure this prevailing mischief is for every man to look down into himself and accurately to distinguish from what Principle all the Actions and Practice of Life do take their Birth for in our selves Colonel God has Essentially planted all the great Misteries of Nature and what is needful to be known the first Step to all Prudence Virtue and the Fear of God is Mercy Compassion Justice and Innocence all which Spring only from Gods Divine Kingdom of Love and Light and no man can approach and be United to the Fountain of Benignity but by the practice and Imitation of Gods Holy Law Which Consideration with others mentioned in this Epistle may I hope be sufficient to confirm you in the disgust you have taken against that Bloody and Violent profession Honoured Sir Your most Humble Servant T. T. LETTER XVI Of Employments arising from the Fountain of Darkness SIR I Haâ—…e considered the Contents of your kind and loving Letter and am glad to find your Curiosity Busied in such useful and necessary disquisitions as to be truly informed how every Man may come to understand and distinguish in himself the two Grand Fountains of Good and Evil or Gods Eternal Principle of Love as also that of Wrath. NOW you must Remember Man is a Compleat Image of all Fountains Principles Powers Qualities and Operations and altho' we have in several of our Writings already Answered this Question in the gross nevertheless as a Testimony of an hearty desire to have you fully instructed in all points that become a reasonable Creature I shall with all readiness give your thirsty Soul a more particular Account of Words Works Employments Meats Drinks Trades Arts Sciences c. from what Principle or Fountain each takes its Birth and Original in the manifested Word of God or the Principles of this Visible World which shall be presented as a Mirror or Looking-Glass for every Man to behold himself and his Actions in so that each may clearly discern the great danger he is in being prest and as it were hemm'd in on all sides with evil wholly under the power of divided forms and qualities which have their whole Operation in a Hostile way And to do our business effectually we shall first begin with Children and shew the fundemental mistakes and errors of their Education from whence all inclinations to all manner of Violence Oppression and Cruelty doth arise Mothers Nurses and those to whom generally the Care and Instruction of Children is committed do by their improper Methods and ill Conduct too often awaken and advance in the green and tender branch the three Grandsons of the Devil Gluttony Pride and Idleness continually forcing Meats and Drinks upon them neither agreeable in quality nor proportionable in quantity which general evil juices thicken and condensate the Blood and alarm the central Fires to the discomposure of the whole Body and the perpetual uneasiness of the tortur'd Child who fills the whole House with Outcries and Lamentations then no more suitable Remedy is found to quiet it but another Dose filling his Head with a deal of impertinent Tattle and Nonsense which has no better effect than adding Fewel to the Fire and augmenting the disturbance and which if it were not through folly neglect and inadvertency grown into a custom would be condemned and abhorred as sinful and abominable Then when they come to be about Three Quarters or a Year Old and begin to distinguish one thing from another the lesson of Pride is very formally and mischievously inculcated and prescribed to them by pointing and asking them where they are Fine making a great and silly noise and wonderment at new Shoes Stockings Petticoats c. till they are Seven Eight Nine or Ten Years of Age. All this while the Fathers Mothers Nuâ—…s Servants c. do not only teach countenance and cultivate the two former Vices Pride and Gluttony but double their industry to make them idle and wanton the Seeds whereof being too soon and early awakened make such deep and lasting impressions both in the outward and inward Practice insomuch that they become so fixt and central that all the tutoring and endeavouring of themselves or others can never be able to obliterate or remove them but remain as so many sealed Spells or Characters that can never be dissolved All or most Plays or Games Children in their Infancy are tolerated in with a thousand odd Postures Tricks Frolicks and impertinent Rhimes Words and insignificant and useless Inventions arising from the dark Kingdom and Fantasy Spirit of this World furnish them with fit and apt materials for Sports of an higher malignity proceeding from the Center of Wrath as Stage-plays Cudgels Ninepins Cards Dice Billiards Table Shuffleboard Racing Cock-fighting Bull-baiting Bear-baiting Dog-fighting c. whereby all sorts of enmity is taught and advanced Besides the frequent custom and practice of abusing and oppressing the Beasts and subordinate Creatures by over-working them suffering tâ—…m to want and the like doth mightily excite and strengthen the seeds of Envy Hatred and Cruelty c. Likewise all Jesting Bantering Jeering wanton Discourses and all other Essays of a little Wit and a large Impudence Passionate Railing bitter Invectives Calumnies Lying Swearing Nick-names and spending precious time in prating of things we are not concerned in or not at all edifying all formal Complements fawning Addresses Love Stories Plays and Romances be they of what kind soever do all proceed from the same Fountain and produce the same dire effects Also all Employments and Trades that bear the marks and signatures of Violence as Butchers and all Killers of Beasts Fish or Fowl Fishers Hunters Hawkers Nets Traps and Gins with abundance of other devices to betray the innocent and let the guilty go free and all that buy or sell Dead Bodies of Creatures for Funeral-Shows Embalmings c. are toucht with the like pernicious Evil All Carmen Horse-coursers Drivers Beastherds Swine-herds Seamen Miners Brick-makers and all slavish robust Employments border on the black Center which is evident from their Qualities most of them being surly rash cruel impudent Swearers and Drunkards nay even the fair Sex and most Sanguine natur'd Spirits will by the use of their gross and Saturnine Employments be quickly tainted with the Infection of the enâ—…s and spiteful Powers by reason of the latent image and resemblance of all things in the Humane Soul It is to be observed also that all Meats and Drinks proceeding from the dark Center ought to be avoided viz. Flesh and Fish which are not only gross and unclean but cannot be procured without death to the Creature
his Imaginations Words and Works for every Tree bears Fruits according to its Qualifications and Original Principles If Man would be so wise to stand still and give himself the leisure to consider these things then might he see into his own Essences and Qualitys and how every particular thing is supported by its Simile and that from hence springs such direful inclinations after these Bloody Bestial Meats and Foods Must it not be from the insulting Powers and divided Forms and Qualitys and proportionable Essences in the Central Powers for every Inclination and Desire doth proceed and arise from some Central Quality that wants Food to support it and according to the nature and quality of the Essences such a Mouth it hath and such Food it calls for Now if Men did in the least see into the Mysteries of themselves and understood any thing of this we should not need Arguments to convince them of the truth of what we have in several of our Writings endeavoured to make them sensible of viz. their deplorable State and Condition YOURS T. T. LETTER XX. Of the Right and Left Hands SIR I Have yours and also considered your Question viz. for what cause and reason Mankind in most Nations do teach their Off-spring not only to distinguish their Hands by the terms of Right and Left but all Parents as Fathers Mothers Nurses and Tutors do industriously accustom and teach them to use on all occasions one Hand more than the other that is the Right Hand which is a true Sign and Manifestation of mans Depravity and that he hath lost his way acting in the Dark without any true consideration sight or from Principles as we have more largely treated and shewed in our Writings For Nature nor Gods Law knows nothing of neither Right nor Left but they are words or terms by which the Antients distinguished good and evil Principles and not the Hands or Members of the Body as in the Cases of the Ninivites where it is said there were so many Thousands that did not know nor distinguish their Right Hands from their Left that is good from evil which to do is the greatest Blessing and highest degree of Illumination whatever some dull Souls may imagine to the contrary Now man is the only visible Creature that doth contain the true nature and property both of the visible and invisible World as being a compleat Image of God and of Nature being most wonderfully made and in him is contained all Mysteries both of Time and Eternity And so much as any Man doth truly know of himself and to that degree as he doth distinguish the Principle and in Words Powers and Operations of his own Composition so far he is capable to penetrate into and know of all Created Beings so that it is most clear and true that Man is compleat in all the Spiritual and Corporal Powers Principles and Properties there being nothing wanting to compleat Mans external and internal Happiness and Union but true Wisdom Sight and Understanding and to distinguish the use of the powers and principles he himself contains that is to understand the right from the wrong the evil from the good and how to compose unite and bring the great and most wonderful variety of his Nature into Unity or an equal Temperature this being wanting all his Actions and Methods of Life are done by chance or rather left-handedly that is from evil principles dulness and horrid Stupidity all the properties and qualifications of MansMind and the Members of his Body are equally useful when known and the Harmony neither of the one nor of the other cannot be made up or compleated if any property of the Mind or Member of the Body be wanting or defaced but all goes on in a right line or method are known distinguished and practised there being as is said before no Left-hand in Gods Law This Hand comes in at the Door of Ignorance where the Union of the parts are broken and divided where each Form Quality Inclination and Disposition becomes self-ful and sets up for Mastery which is the principle of the Mind and Spiritual Powers and also in the Members of the Body is rightly called the Left Hand as taking its Birth from Selfefulness or evil Principles being by Men so understood as when any Man does a thing badly that is termed Left-handedly and when a Man meets with Misfortunes in his Business such a one will be ready to say That he got over the Left Shoulder and this word is seldom used but when any thing is done irregular or when Losses and Misfortunes happen and if Man had not lost the Knowledge of God himself and of the Law of Nature the Operation of the Left Hand would not have had any Being in him but his Mind and Intellectual Powers being divided or stray'd from their Union or Harmony then they become Left-handed that is all the Out-goings Inclinations and Actions both of the Mind and Members of the Body have their Operations and Power of Action from Inequality that is from the Influences of the Evil Genius or Left Hand And as Mankind is fallen into the highest degree of Ignorance and Blindness in the Principles of his Mind and Understanding from whence the Power of all Actions in the Members proceed or take their Birth which is the Original Foundation not only of this Error in the Use of the Hands but likewise of all the other Members of the Body for where the Eye of the Mind is put out and where Ignorance possesseth there is no end of Error and Misfortune which can never be regulated till Men distinguish in themselves the Right Hand way from the Left that is Evil from Good Right from the Wrong Union from Disunion Discord from Concord and Equality from Inequality for from the Left Hand proceeds all disasterous and extream Operations and Methods both in the Mind and Members of the Body Nothing is done well that is done left-handedly that is from Ignorance and Blindness Is it not wonderfully strange and as it were miraculous too that in so many hundred Ages as have passed that Mankind should not know the right and proper Use of their principal Members of the Body by whose Actions the Life is preserved but when any Man is endued with a distinguishing Mind and doth thereby penetrate into the gross Ignorance and Degeneration of Mens Minds and Intellects then it will appear to be no wonder that Mankind does know no better for if the Mind be Dark and Ignorant all the Commands and Directions do issue forth and proceed in proportion for all Conduct both good and evil do proceed from within and therefore such as the Mind is suitable are the Actions and Methods of Life The Virtue and Vice of every Tree is discovered by its Fruit. In a word If your Understanding and Mind be left-handed all the Actions and Motions of your Members are in proportion and as the degrees of Wisdom or Ignorance all proceeds accordingly and
the Father and Mother the Son or Fruit cannot but must partake and bear a Simile of its Parents whence it proceeded for if the Foundation of any Creature be Evil the end must centre in the same for most of the great Out-rages Evils and Calamities that fall on and attend Mankind do arise and proceed from his acting and living under the Government of the disunited and self-ful Principles and Powers of his own Composition as was hinted before Therefore that Man should have the Knowledge of future Events either of this World or of that which is to come it would be a great addition of Evil and Misery to him seeing he transacts the Affairs of his Life under the conduct of such violent evil Principles and mischievous Methods Traditions and Customs But if Mankind had but one grain of true Wisdom and did see ever so little into themselves or own Magia then a Man would easily guess what Events such violent oppressive Methods of Life would produce and bring to pass both in the Evil and also in the Good for Nature and God's Law is always one and the same and true for ever for every Principle and governing Quality begets and brings forth Children like it self and endues them with all the Qualifications of the Father both in Body and Mind Soul and Spirit and where he is willing to presage or promise unto himself or Posterity any Good he must Live first and transact all the Methods of his Life in harmlessness and innocency avoiding Violence and all sorts and kinds of Oppression either to Man or Beast using all the Creatures to a good end and purpose and above all not to do or enter on any Action of Life without applying ourselves and taking the Advice of that Divine Power Principle and Advocate that dwells in the Centre of every Man's Soul whose Rule and Prescriptions if obeyed will render our present Momentary Lives comfortable and Dying-Beds easy and our future State most Happy My Dear Friend I doubt not when we shall meet in the Heavenly Regions but that we shall have a most undoubted Confirmation and Illustration of those Truths and wonderful Mysteries we have discoursed of in our Writings which the Ages to come will have cause to Praise God for who is the Giver of Gifts and the Revealer of Secrets to the Sons and Daughters of Wisdom from whom this Knowledge hath proceeded which undoubtedly in future Times will draw many into the innocent Method of God's Law which if Mankind Lived in would quickly ease the Soul of that great dread and fear of what shall happen after Death for nothing can hurt or perplex that Soul that hath lived a harmless Life neither in Time nor Eternity all Dread Fear and Srrrow comes in at the Door of Violence and Hurtfulness as also our not governing our selves nor the Creatures according to the Right of Nature and the one only Original Law and this great violent tormenting Monster doth first take its Birth in Man's Meats Drinks Exercises and Employments Words and Works are the Fruits that are generated from the central Powers and natural Spirits so that those evil Principles and Qualities are conveyed from one Generation to another the Children being Essentially endued with all the Principles Dispositions and Qualifications of the Father and that which makes another considerable addition to those Grand Fountains of Evil Violence and the breaking of God's Holy Union is the evil and preposterous Education of our Children and the wicked Examples and Precedents of Fathers Mothers and all concerned in Bringing them up so that what evil Qualifications are wanting in the Seed are made up and compleated in their Education which hath and doth take such deep root that every Generation are more and more Wicked notwithstanding the continual Preaching Teaching and Admonishing of the Clergy of all sorts and their threatning the Evil-doers with eternal Damnation and Happiness to those that do well and the Severity of the Magistrates too nevertheless all will not do because Precedents Examples and the continual practise of all Violence and Wickedness do take deeper root and make far greater Impression than Words and Precepts What great matter can be expected for Men to hear two or three hours Discourse of the excellency of Virtue and at the same time both Teachers as well as the Hearers do practise Evil and Violence all the Week Now when these things are understood and well considered how is it possible that Mankind can arrive at the Haven or Port of Rest or what satisfaction can that Soul have whose Methods of Life hath been in opposition to true Innocency and Virtue having lived and acted by and under all selfish violent and tyranical Spirits and Customs and though many of them be tolerated by Religion Laws and Tradition as those supream and highest Evils are viz. The Oppression and Killing those of our own kind and all the rest of the innocent Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth and Eating their Flesh too those violent Practises of Life the poor Soul can never excuse it self of or get over at the hour of Death when all the Natural or Spiritual Powers must be separated and the Soul left Naked to its Works which attracts a new Body to cloath it self with there can be no true satisfaction or content in that Soul that hath lived in Oppression and whose daily Practise hath been to break the Union both in himself and in all other things The Customs of Nations Laws of Princes and Ignorance will not obliterate those Evils that diametrically oppose God's eternal Law both of the Creation and his Divine Providence of Preservation whence do arise in Mens Minds and Souls in Sickness and at the hour of Death great Horror Trouble and Anxiety and through Blindness and Ignorance do place the cause of their dissatisfaction on some inferior Evil which they are guilty of too as was mentioned before Therefore he that would Live well and Die in Peace must first know God his Law and himself secondly do no Hurt thirdly do all the Good he can fourthly Live and Sustain his Life with harmless and innocent Meats and Drinks fifthly practise all innocent Employments sixthly observe the Rules of Justice Mercy and Clemency seventhly to Educate their Children in all Submission Honesty and Innocency and give them no Examples of Evil Violence or Oppression for in their tender Age the true and lasting Foundation of Unity true Virtue and innocent Methods of Government and Life are laid it being impossible for Mankind or any particular Person to act in a true and regular Method in Inclinations Words Works and Employments if he be ignorant of God's central Law planted in himself and the Qualities and Principles he is made and compounded of If this great and necessary Knowledge be wanting and not distinguished this Secret and wonderful Mystery of our selves being not known all Thoughts Inclinations Words and Works of Life are either done by chance or proceed
from selfish Evil morose and wicked Principles as every days woful Experience doth confirm as for Example As Men and Women pass in the Street or elsewhere if any Accidents of hurt be it little or much from one to another though unawares or against their wills nevertheless they send forth fierce wrathful Words all tending to promote Violence as if the Centre of Hell was open which evil Speeches do with a rapid motion join Forces and raise up by Simile the like Properties in them to whom they are directed by this and the like a Man may see without a Prospective Glass what Principles most or all Men live in and are govern'd by viz. Disunity and Deformity are most or all of our Children and Young People Educated under and such like wicked Methods are their Precedents and Examples and these evil Seeds being Sown so early they take such deep root that in most Constitutions these evil Dispositions and voracious Inclinations can never be obliterated by all the Precepts in the World For this Cause the People in general of most or all Nations continue as Wicked and as void of true Knowledge Temperance Sobriety and Piety as ever nay every Age makes an addition of new and as it were unheard of Violences Oppressions and Blasphemies 〈◊〉 the former notwithstanding the Laws of Magistrates to correct evil Manners and the Admonition and Preaching of the Gospel the Truth of this all Historys for many hundred years past confirm therefore this Degeneration of Man into all kinds of Evil cannot be remedied or cured by any of the Ways or Methods formerly or at this day practised but by another Method of Life viz. We must begin at the Root that is with that which makes Men or is the Substance and Essentials of our Bodies and Spirits clean innocent Foods and harmless Drinks that our Children may proceed from an innocent Root and be brought up in all harmless and innocent Methods of Life and above all that they see nor communicate with nothing that is unclean or contrary to Virtue Sobriety and Unity which will not only preserve Mankind from those gross Violences and Oppressions but will lay a true and lasting Foundation for their Posterity for Virtue Temperance Order and Innocency as also the Knowledge of God which are like Arts Trades and Sciences best and surest planted in the young and tender Age of Children that may easily be done then which cannot be at riper years as we have largely demonstrated in our Book entitled A New Method of Educating of Children therefore in the Eastern Countries the great Zealous Pilgrims and as it were unheard of Votaries in Religion as well in false as true Notions are all taught and impressed in Child-hood and by the constant Precedents and Examples of their Elders together with the Traditions of their Fore-fathers and Custom of the Country they live in Now upon the whole Matter it doth appear as clear as the Sun at Noon-day that most of the Methods and Actions of our Lives do diametrically oppose the eternal creating and preserving Power of our Great Creator and his Law of Innocency and Unity this being Matter of Fact how then is it possible for Mankind to be contented or satisfied on a Dying-bed when the Soul must be separated not only from its Habitation but also from all Coverings Shelters and all that is near and dear to it besides there are several other great Evils that do mightily encrease the Anxiety and Trouble of a Dying Man more especially to all sober Persons one of the most principal is that they are obliged to leave their loving Wives and young tender Children and Relations to be exposed to the infinite Hazzards Calamities and Miseries of the wicked ungodly unthinking blind and ignorant World and that their Posterity must plunge themselves into the bâ—…se gross unclean fierce oppressive Customs Traditions Methods and depraved Ways and Principles Mankind hath immersed himself into The consideration of this to any Thinking or Pious Person must needs make a considerable Figure of Trouble not only to a Dying Person but also to those that enjoy perfect Health if a Man doth take a view of their particular Actions and Methods of Life and then divide them into ten parts there will certainly be found nine of them most miserable in this World in one degree or another whose mischievious intemperate unclean violent Life doth also threaten them with eternal Trouble and Disquietness it is that â—…me when they read they may at first sight marvel that we talk or discourse after this manner but if they will but give themselves leasure to think consider and look and examine all the various Actions Methods Practises and Employments Mankind subjects himself unto then he will find it true first consider the great numbers that follow Drums and Trumpets in the Wars of Princes and the violent Employments that depends thereon and this great number are aâ—… it were the Heart of a Nation viz. The Youth in the Prime or fâ—…l Strength next to these the Sons of Violence and Oppression are the Mobb or common People which are as great in number as wicked and hardly one degree lower graduated in all Acts of Intemperance Uncleanness Violence and Discord than the former they want no Furniture to compleat them in the Acts of Mischief but in the Word of Command or Power as is clearly manifested when Changes or Accidents in the Government of Cities Nations and Countries are not the great Multitâ—…e in a moment fitted and prepared for all â—…apin and Spoil as though they had been trained up and taught the Arts of Violence from their Childhood which doth sufficiently demonstrate what Principles and Methods of Life they are Educated in and what Matter Seed and Ground they proceed from the next sort are the middle People and how many of them are of violent oppressive Principles Unjust and Unmerciful without true natural Affection and Pitty horridly Covetous Unclean and Intemperate loadeâ—… with procured Distempers and various other great Evils Likewise considerable numbers of this Rank do fall into Poverty by Extravagancy and want of Conduct in Trading and other Misfortunes fourthly the next to these are such as are called Gentlemen which are of various Degrees and Ranks the greatest numbers of these are endued with these following Talents viz. Their chief Care and Industry is to Educate their Children in all or most of the Grand Evils which do oppose and contradict God's eternal Law of Unity and his preserving Power and that there may be no degree of Evil and Depravation â—…ing they first very industrously teach and educate them in Gluttony Pride and Idleness next the vain Compliments and use of Aâ—…ms even in their young and tender years as the Killing Hunting and Oppressing all the innocent Inhabitants of Heaven and Earth next to these Feats of Arms or Martial Discipline that they may be endued with the high and domineering Spirit of Violence which doth not only
all their Innate Influences and Commands so that it is most clear and manifest that if the Governor of any People or Prince of this or the other Nation have a mind or desire to make War or to spoil his Neighbouring Countries he can presently command his People or Subjects into Warlike postures and cause them to march into the Field where Twenty or Thirty Thousand are Slain in a Moment so that every one is subject to the good and ill Fate and Destiny of that Star or Constellation he has made his Governor and unto whose Laws he hath subjected himself This is farther demonstrated by all the under-graduated Creatures called Beasts viz. If any Person becomes Master of a Thousand Sheep Cows Horses or any other Creatures has not our Laws and Customs made him Lord over them and doth not their good and ill Fate depend only on him being unaccountable for all his Actions towards them whether good or Evil Life or Death are in and under his Power and Influence and cannot he dispose of those innocent Creatures several ways at his pleasure one part or number to the Hang-man or Butcher to be Slain all in one hour and another number to be preserved for some years and yet for all this those Creatures are Midwifed into this World not only at several times but under as various Ascendants and governing Constellations of Heaven as Mankind is so that it is clear let any Person be Born under what Ascendant or Constellation soever nevertheless he shall be compelled by the Laws of his Sublunary Gods Customs and Traditions of the Place or Country he lives in to submit and obey them For so soon as Mankind broke himself off from the innocent Influences and Government of the Law of God and the sweet Influences of the Heavenly Powers he immediately became subject to a Foreign or Tyrannical Power so that he is become altogether ignorant of all the great Mysteries Qualities and Principles his Creator hath endued him with the Eye of his Understanding and all the wonderful Faculties and Intellectual magick Powers become encircled with a dark Cloud of Ignorance so that he is now like a Ship that has neither Pilot nor Rudder tossed to and fro by the fierce invading Waves of the Sea that has no Harbour nor Centre but he is continually drawn by the dark ignorant insulting earthy Constellations Customs and Powers out of one Evil into another seeking Content and Rest in all his Undâ—…kings Enterprizes and Methods but rarely finds any Satisfation which cannot be obtained by any other way or method but only by Virtue and the Power of Regeneration that is to return and observe the Laws of God and Nature for Mankind cannot be a Subject of Heaven till he obeys and lives in and under the Laws and Influences thereof as our great Prophet and Saviour Jesus Christ or the Divine Eye or Principle hath told us His Servants ye are whom ye Obey Accept this in Answer to yours for the present from your Friend and Servant T. T. LETTER XXVIII Of the perpetual MOTION SIR I Have received yours of the 26th of May 1699 filled with complaints of the various Indispositions and Diseases that have lately invaded the Health both of your Body and Mind and the worst of all is these Intestine Enemies have not only beset you on all sides but they are numerous and powerful so that all the helps and succours that Nature with the aid and assistance either of Meats Drinks Exercises Airs or Medicines seem too short and feeble to restore you to your former Health However we shall freely give you our Advice which will be easie to be observed and practised if you will but stem the Tide of Custom and give your Mind to it viz. First We referr you to our Writings in which we have largely discoursed of the Preservation of Health also of the qualities and quantities of Meats and Drinks also of Exercises Airs and Communications where you will find both general and particular rules for Health Secondly The Foods that may be most valuable to recover and maintain your lost Health are several sorts of Pottages or Spoon-meats as Water-gruel Milk-pottage Pap made of Water and Flour or with Milk and Water Possets Bread and Milk as it comes from the Cow several sorts of Caudle made of Oat-meal Water Ale Wine or with Eggs Chocoalate all eaten with some Bread these are the principal Foods you ought to apply your self unto being easie of Digestion and are to be preferr'd before hard strong salt fat things for the Juices and Virtues are easie Distilling their Nutritive qualities in a silent Method making no noise nor give no Disturbance from whose innocent power and sweet vertues the Blood and all the motions of the Body becomes advanced into a better state of Health Thirdly Your Drink ought to be good Water or at least ways small Ale Wine allayed with Water c. Fourthly Exercise your self in open airy places and by running Rivers sides and you must above all refrain and withdraw your self from all Sedentary Business more especially that tedious and ineffectual Study of the perpetual Motion a thing that seems altogether impossible to be obtained because it doth Diametrically oppose all Gods Methods and Laws in this Visible World which you and others ought to have considered before such a Labour had been entered upon do but survey and contemplate all visible Beings and Off-springs of God and his great Powers called Stars Constellations and Elements as Earth Air Fire and Water by whom the Great Creator works all wonderful things are not their Productions and Created Beings limited in their Motions and all their Methods of Life or can any Creature break their Circle in which Gods Law hath bounded it and if the Sons and Daughters of the Elements have their set bounds and limits and cannot pass their several Periods of Time how then is it possible that we by a certain Art or Science should out-do our selves for Art and Science is but a third Birth from the Original and consequently but Grand Children now that which is endued with a perpetual Motion Old Age never overtakes them but they are as it were always Youthful and Vigorous and therefore may have the Character of Immortal and if the Off-spring and Children of the great Immortal Being be Mortal what then must the Arts and Sciences be that are produced or flowes from them as a third Birth or can that Creature which is Mortal produce that which is Immortal or Perpetual which is one and the same There is no Creature or Being in this Sublunary World that hath an Eternal Motion but only the Original or Grand Powers of God viz. the Sun Moon and innumerable Company of Stars and Constellations together with the ever teeming Elements viz. the Fire Water Earth and Air whose generating creating and preserving Motions are perpetual but their Progenies or Off-spring whose variety and number are beyond Humane Arithmetick which
little contributed in as much as what from the one and the other cause we do experimentally find there is not one of Thirty or Forty that ever attains to any competency of knowledge in this Art or to perform a Part at Sight so that their Time Labour and Money spent therein is much worse and redounds more to their damage than if so much had been given clearly away for the Tree is not only lost but even the Season for Planting and Sowing also Wherefore upon the whole matter it must necessarily follow that if shorter easier and quicker Methods be not gone upon for the obtaining a competent stock of Knowledge and assurance in it than is now generally taught it will be the part of every considerate Person to desist from the pursuit of it and to engage and advise others as much as he can to the contrary But Sir your longing and earnest desire after Wisdom and true Knowledge having penetrated into the very Center of my Magia or Magick Powers as I may call them has generated many thoughts and true Mathematical Notions in my Head concerning thisScience ofMusick which I shall make bold toMidwife into the World in due Season whether with or without the leave of our Musical Gentlemen but first communicate them unto you for your approbation and satisfaction and having premised that I have already shewed in my Book Entituled A way to Health the Excellency of Musick in General and particularly the principles and Birth as Sounds and Harmony to which I referr you I shall endeavour in this place to lay down a short and easy way and method for Learners to obtain a competent Knowledge of this noble Science The first thing then that you are to teach your Children whom you design for Musick is to read and know the proper Names and the Notes and the Gamut and to distinguish them in their several places and distances Secondly you are to teach them the time and length of each Note by expressing them with the Voice and motion of the Foot if it be Instrumentals but if Vocal then with the motion of the Hand and this any Musical Child will readily learn and perform in less than four Months if they be kept to the practice thereof but two or three hours in a day When that is done then teach them to strike the Notes with the Bow or Finger according to what Musick it is and be sure to make them keep and constantly beat the time of each Note with the foot and never suffer them to neglect the motion of it or of the Hand and as soon as they can strike the Strings any thing clear and firm then proceed to some easy Lesson not to strike one Note or Bar without measuring of them with the motion of the foot and Voice too and tho' the Child cannot Sing them yet in Speaking of them in time together with the fore-mentioned motion of the foot will not only confirm them in the dividing of the time but also beget a natural motion and habit both in the Members of the Body and Intellect or Mind too Or else you may teach Children to strike the Strings then make them to do it in time always using the motion of the Foot or Hand and so proceed never suffering them to neglect the said motion of the Foot and Speaking or Voice which is a double confirmation and will give the Learner assurance making them to understand the dividing of time much sooner Now by either of these Methods you may learn any Child of Six Seven or Eight years of Age to play any indifferent Lesson Base or Division at sight within the space of one year which I caused one to do in less than Ten Months and when he could do that learned to Sing and take out all indifferent Songs without a Master in four Months space for the greatest difficulty in learning of this noble Science consists chiefly in understanding of the Time since by the wonderful and secret Art of dividing it all Musical Harmony is performed and without it there is none either in Man or Birds but only a Voice Tone or Noise undistinguishable and therefore Musical Harmony is nothing else but a proper and most natural method of Talking in Tune or a kind of a Simpathetical agreement between Words Tones and Sounds divided into longer or shorter Sentences which can never be nicely or properly performed either in Vocal or Instrumental Musick but only by the motion of the Members of the Body as well as the Intellectual part of Man For all Arts Sciences and Trades whatsoever are learnt by a three-fold Method or Birth the first whereof is done by opening the hidden or Magick powers in us vulgarly called Thoughts or Imaginations the second is when those Thoughts or Desires are formed into Words or Sentences and the third Birth is the putting of these two into Motion and Action whereby Thoughts and Words become in a kind Essential Substantial or Material which so long as the Art or Science remains in the Magia only could never obtain Essentiality but continued as an Ideal power and as it were unknown easily cut off lost or forgot But when the Thoughts or Magick Powers are formed into Words they then become more External and do thereby obtain as I may say a Sidaereal or Airy Body which is much more difficult to be obliterated than that which is retained in the Thoughts or Magia of the Mind but still Words being no more than a composition of the Airy Powers can by no means become really substantial but only by being put into Action which is clearly demonstrated and understood in the learning of all Arts Sciences Trades and Employments not but that the Five Senses may be made capable of great Distinguishings and Understandings by being accustomed to hear Musical Harmony but they can never perform or do any thing except such do midwife the Magick Powers of Hearing into Words Motion and Action which Crowns the whole with Essentiallity and gives it an existence and therefore it s almost impossible for any Person to be a compleat Artist in any common Trade Art or Science by the use of the Sense only except such things be performed by the Motions and Actions of the Body and Members thereof for while any Art remains in the Magia only of Thoughts or Words it can never be performed from that very reason or constitution of such Bodies if I may call them so which are invisible and as it were Aethereal and cannot be incircled or made Essential so that our Thoughts and Imaginations pass and repass leaving no Precedent or Foot-steps behind them that any thing can be learned thereby and tho' Words may be said to approach nearer unto a Corporiety than Thoughts yet they being too slender and their Airy Bodies invisible they cannot make such a deep impression nor become so substantial and significant as the Motions or the Members of the Body and for this cause
all Men cannot but be sensible that no Thoughts or Words are so valuable or so substantial as Actions seeing Motion and Action may be called the Royal Bodies wherein all the Intellectual and Magical Powers are incircled and thereby become known and through the same Circle the said Powers Thoughts and Words become substantial and real so that upon the whole its manifest that all the curious Arts Sciences Trades and Occupations that have or ever will have a Being in this World must be midwifed in thro' Motion and Action according to the Great Apostle of the Gentiles who says the visible things do shew and declare the invisible Powers of the Great Creator Hence it is all Men agree that Practice is the Life in Learning of all Sciences as it brings forth and manifests the hidden Magical Thoughts and Powers unto us making them substantial which could never have appeared or had a Being any other way Now Sir upon your understanding aright what we have herein Demonstrated it s not to be doubted but you will be of my Opinion that the Masters of Musick ought to teach their Scholars the dividing of Time by certain movements or motions of the Body before they suffer the Sounds of the Instruments to enter into their Ears and Intellects or at least to teach them to divide their Time by the motion of the Body at the same time but the first Method is the best and soonest Learned for the Sounds of all Instruments and Voices are invisible and being Cloathed with a thin Aaereal Body they easily penetrate into the very Center of our Intellectual Powers as it were by an assimulating quality whereby an Airy Body or Habit is quickly begotten which Habit is as it were Incorporeal Unfixed moving to and fro with a rapid or unbounded Motion so that if the Musician teaches his Scholar long by Ear without the motion and action of the Members of the Body then that habit of Hearing and of the Incorporeal Powers will grow so strong and the Airy Fancy so moveable quick and as it were unbounded that it will be a difficult piece of work and require much time to bring such a one to Play Time or to have any assurance the motion and action of the Members of the Body being not easily to be brought to move in any degree of Uniformity with the motions of the said prevalent unbounded Fancy whereas all Motions ought in Musical Harmony and dividing of Time to keep an equal pace with each other and the reason thereof is because the motions of the Intellect and Airy Roving Fancy cannot be any way fixed or brought into an equal motion but only by being made Corporeal that is by being put into action or motion of the Members of our Bodies which in the beginning of any Persons Learning is easily performed because the motion of the Body or Members thereof correct those flying unbounded ones of the Aerial Fancy and Imaginative Powers and at the same time the Airy or Intellectual motions of the Fancy inspire the heavy dull melancholly Corporeal motions of the Body so that there is by a little custom and practice a concatenation or agreement between both so they keep equal and go Hand in Hand together and the Person so Learning is as it were unperceived by himself made capable to do more in one year and to better purpose than generally is done the common way within the compass of Seven so horrid and mischievous are Unnatural Methods in the Learning of any Trades Arts or Sciences All Songs Lessons and Divisions are hard troublesom laborious and intricate to all that cannot divide or play the Time with assurance and though there be many that by beginning in their Youth and force of practice attain to great and swift Hands yet its observable if they give over practising but for a little while they quickly forget and 't is certain that their want of Time and assurance to play off Hand at sight as they call it makes them often when the Eyes of Parents and Tutors leave them give it quite off and indeed there is a great deal of reason for their so doing seeing in every new Lesson Division or Song they must not only puzzle their Fancies and Intellectuals but still be under the Tutorage of a Master which is tedious and burdensom to the most industrious besides the Learning and Playing the same Lesson over and over again tires and dulls the Ears and all the Airy Intellectual Powers belonging to that noble Sense of Hearing But altogether the contrary is to be understood on the other side with the Person that has obtained the assurance of Time who can readily Play at sight and consequently in Consorr which is the highest Pleasure and the Fancy and airy Motions of the Mind are always united and pleased and such a Person never can forget by neglect but whensoever he pleases all his Powers and Faculties are ready and a small practise will bring him in again so great are the advantages of a proper and right Method of learning this noble Science Now the proper Age or Time for sowing the Seeds of Arts and Sciences and of all Trades also except such as are hard and robustick and so of this Science in particular is early while the Plants are young green and tender of which God and his Hand-maid Nature gives us a Precedent in all Vegetables and therefore such as would have their Children to be excellent Proficients in any Art or Science let them begin early with them And for all such as are fitted by Nature for Musical Harmony the best time for them to begin is at four or five years of Age their Youthfulness giving them great command of Hand and they will draw forth curious mellow graceful Sounds far beyond such as begin at ten or twelve years of Age And the like is to be understood of several other Branches of the Mathematicks as Writing Drawing and Reading the last whereof we have set forth in several of our Tracts so that it is possible by such a proper Method and constant Practice to advance Musical Harmony still to a far higher degree than it is at this day tho' I must confess there are great things done in this Science but being the numbers are but small that clips the Wings of its higher flight for no Sciences Arts Trades or Employments do in any Place or Country arrive to their pitch or utmost bounds of Perfection but in such alone where they have not only numerous Practisers but also necessitous ones too Necessity according to the verity of the Proverb being the Mother of Invention but as long as our Masters of Musick or such as pretend to the teaching of that Science go on in their own common blind selfish and ignorant Road or Method I 'll engage they never will have occasion to Petition the Parliament for a Charter to Prohibit such as are not qualified from Teaching for their Methods of Learning do
silent only giving the Tutor an account of what he shall discourse and act and within the limits of the fore-mentioned time of a year or two the Learner shall be able to Speak properly easily and readily with a true Accent or Pronunciation as tho' he had been bred up in that Country whose Language he learns Thus briefly and with my wonted freedom I have given you my Thoughts of this Matter but how far they may concur with your Judgment and Inclination is wholly to your self only I desire you to believe they are sincerely intended for your Benefit by him who is SIR Your affectionate Friend and very humble Servant T. T. LETTER XXXI Of Times for EATING SIR YOurs of the 18th of August is before me and am heartily glad of you and your Familys good Health and Welfare and in particular take notice of your Question which when you was in London we had some discourse about viz. The best and properest times of the day for Eating our common Meats and the Natural and Physical Reasons thereof which you desire more fully This Question we have in our Way to Health and some other of our Writings given an account of to which we referr you however the Talents the ever Blessed Creator and Preserver of all Beings hath given me are always Devoted both to the Publick and Private which please to take as followeth THE goodness or badness of Concoction of Foods doth cheifly consist in the strength or weakness of the natural Spirits and according to their Degrees and Powers so is each Person 's Digestion better or worse quicker or slower the Root and Centre of a strong Stomach stands in the Fire therefore all such as are dignified with strong heats such are likewise endued with brisk lively Spirits and consequently with their respective Virtues and Vices cleanness or the contrary so is each Person in Health Strength Sickness and Weakness likewise the times of the day for Eating and Drinking do also add or diminish to each Person 's Health Strength Briskness or dull cloudy Heaviness for this cause we have in several of our Writings given Direction for the times that is to Eat about 8 of the Clock in the Morning and about 3 or 4 in the Afternoon Now the natural Reasons for it is First The length of time between 4 in the Afternoon and 7 or 8 in the Morning is considerable and more hours than half the Day and Night by which the Digestion of the Meats and Drinks are compleatly Concocted and the Stomach freed and as it were cleansed from all superfluous Matter and thereby is rendred fit and capable to receive proper Meats and Drinks and though the Appetite so early in the morning be not so sharp and craving as it is in the day after Labour and Motion in the open Air occasioned by the heat of the Bed and Stilness or gentle Motion but this kind of Dulness that most have so early proves a Benefit rather than the contrary for both craving or sharpness of Appetite doth frequently centre in a kind of Gluttony from whence the old Proverb did take its Birth Too long Fasting and too sharp an Appetite makes a gluttonous Meal and the like is to be understood in too great Drought both being a kind of Distemper and never passes off without leaving behind some signal Evil or at leastwise sowing Seeds and laying sure Foundations for Diseases But the indifferency and cleanness of the Stomach and Appetite in the morning prevents this sort of Gluttony and yet at the same time the Meats and Drinks find a well-prepared Stomach and a Ware-house where there is sufficient place and room to stow the Foods without prejudice to Nature whereas great hunger and strong or too sharp Appetites is in many Persons apt to continue the pleasure of the Palate in Eating and Drinking much longer than the conveniency or necessity of the Stomach and therefore most after such Meals do Experience a heavy hot cloudy Indisposition Secondly Sleep and Rest from action and motion are the principles from which the natural Spirits take their Birth and are hereby continually recovered and sustained and on the other side Motion Exercise and Action are means and methods that waste spend and weaken Now it is clear that in a Morning every Persons Experience doth witness a more brisk lightsomness and that the Body and Mind are more able and fitter to perform all actions of the Body and likewise to exert the Functions of the Mind far exceeding what they are in the Afternoon or latter part of each day and as each Person is more capable and better prepared for all the Actions of Life in the first part of the Day or Morning The like is to be understood of the Actions of the Stomach because all the power of Concoction and Digestion consists in the strength weakness goodness and badness of the natural Spirits for this cause it always proves an evil for any Person to consume or waste the natural Spirits too much either by Labour Fasting or any other Motion or Exercise before Eating because Meats and Drinks do require as strong Spirits and many for the Concoction and Digestion of Foods as Labour Motion and the brisk actions of Life do or rather more as most can or may experience for the cloudy heavy hot weariness and unnatural Disposition that follows after such great Meals of Food and strong Liquors which do overfill and stock the Stomach or Natures Magazin with too great quantities and of contrary qualities proves far harder to bear and of more dangerous consequence than either hard Labour motion or action of the Body for this cause every Person ought to Eat and Drink before the brisk lively natural Spirits are too far spent either by motion labour or too long Fasting by which they are preserved so that such a one shall be capable to go through the fatigue and business of the day with ease and pleasure and thereby free Nature from various Indispositions and from Sowing of Seeds for future Diseases for these reasons all Persons will find by experience after a little use and custom that an early Breakfast as we call it of some sort of Pottages within half or one hour at the most after they rise always Drinking a Draught of Small Ale or Beer before they eat that is so soon as they are up will prove of far more advantage both for Health Pleasure and performing all the actions of Life and Business than a Breakfast about 9 or 10 of the Clock and a Dinner about 12 1 or 2 as the Custom is which doth for the most part prove burthensom all the last part of the day and prejudicial to Nature For this is to be noted that the Meats or Foods after they come into the Stomach do not afford nor distribute their nutritive Vertues under the length or time of 5 or 6 hours or at leastwise that a Person can be sensible or feel a refreshment proceeding
from thence but rather the contrary and therefore most do from the 1st 2d or 3d hour after Eating find a kind of dulness or heaviness more especially if the Foods were hard of Concoction or if they exceeded in quantity And this common method of Eating about 12 1 or 2 of the Clock proves the more prejudicial in hot Seasons and Climates for first the Mornings Labour or Exercise spends great part of those brisk or winged Spirits which by rest were at the rising up powerful are weakned and then the Breakfast together with the motions and exercises between that and Dinner do set going great part of what remains as also the Sun or great Vital heat of the World being in or near the Meridian or full South which doth make a considerable addition for the Evaporation or spending and weakning of the natural Spirits so that it is no wonder most People after Dinner are so hot indisposed and drowsy and that which doth mightily encrease this great Inconveniency is that the Dinners are Foods for the most part compounded of strong gross suckulent things of hard Concoction so that it lies as it were frying or boiling in the Stomach 4 5 or 6 hours calling for Liquor to quench the unnatural Heats and Fires it awakens through the whole Body and no Member is free from those burthensom Inconveniencies whereas altogether the contrary is to be understood and experienced by an early Breakfast of some sort of substantial Pottage and drinking a good quantity of small Liquor as before hinted for the morning Labour Motions or Exercises are performed by the lively strong natural Spirits that have been not only recovered but Generated by the true Concoction of the late Dinner or Supper and Rest and these Spirits are all the morning supply'd by fine Spirits of the Pottage for all such Foods do more easily concoct and steal or Insinuate their Virtues than hard gross Foods so that there is a Support all along and for this very cause from 11 of the Clock to 3 or 4 when most People are hot weary and indisposed those Persons that Breakfast early are cool lightsome and pleasant and in a word free from these burthensome Indispositions for that Food and Drink affords the best Nourishment and adds the greatest Strength that is the least felt in the time of Concoction or Separation and that causes no Heat Indisposition nor calls for the aid of the liquid Regions therefore those Foods are the most agreeable in which the four Elements are most equally mix'd or compounded that is where the Fire or natural Heat doth not over ballance the Element of Water the Equality and Inequality of those Elements in Foods are always felt in the time of the Concoction for heat after eating is occasion'd by Inequality which Physicians and every other Person ought to understand in the compounding of each thing for that Person that is quickly droughty and that his Appetite calls for Liquor is a true and sure Indication that the Qualifications of the Foods were unequal therefore upon the whole Matter our most natural and kindly Pottages are the most friendly they being properly compounded and prepared do as it were at once answer all the ends of Food and gratify Nature far beyond all strong hard salt high prepar'd or relish'd Foods leaving behind them no droughty or hot burthensome Indispositions and if you or any other Person would know the Verity and Truth of what we have here and also in several of our Writings endeavoured to make Mankind sensible of each Person must fall into the Practice for there is no other way or method to make it Essential for so long as Mens Knowledge and Philosophy remains in the Magia Notions and Words such Wisdom as they call it is altogether uncertain and unbounded passing and repassing through the aâ—…y Fancies unlimited and therefore all or most such Notions become altogether obliterated and changed into other Notions of differing Qualities and Natures never fix'd neither indeed can they be because they were not founded on the Principles of Nature nor by Practice made material And for this cause all Imaginations and Knowledge that reside in the Fancy or in Notions are Incorporeal or Invisible Powers and consequently not demonstrated and they do remain almost as unknown to them that talk of them or others that would understand them as the invisible Powers Imaginations and Thoughts of one Man is unknown to another and therefore every one that would understand and know the Truth must retire and go home and practice and then every Notion becomes as it were Mathematical that is demonstrable and without these material motions of the Body no Knowledge Notion nor Imagination can be made a Man's own nor become Essential to him so great is the necessity of good Methods and a prudent Practice of Life to which I referr you for true Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding cannot be obtained but only by a proper Method viz. The same way that Arts and Sciences are that is by Labour and a continual Practice which by degrees opens and unlocks all the secret Doors and inward Cabinets of the Intellect and thereby the invisible Powers become manifest and visible which is strangely and as it were wonderfully done and perform'd in all Sciences Arts and Trades so that by and through the Motions and Actions of the Body and Members the Magical Births of the Imaginative Faculties and Thoughts become manifest and material and so that which was Incorporeal becomes Corporeal and therefore Motion Action and Practice is endued with a most wonderful Power and Energy it commands the unbounded Fancy and encircles the wandring imaginative Power fixing and limitting those high lofty Spirits that lead most Men into Delusions and Errors and all this and a thousand more Calamities and great Miseries attend Mankind for want of a true Method and Practical Life and the true fixing all things on their Basis and Principles from whence true distinguishing Knowledge of the Signature of each thing arises and proceeds which we recommend to you and to all Mankind with our hearty wish of yours and Familys Well-fare desiring a Line or two the next Ship that is bound for England In the interim I Subscribe Your Friend and Servant T. T. LETTER XXXII To a Planter of SUGAR SIR IN our foregoing we have laid down some Methods how you may preserve your selves and Posterity to which I shall add something more which if put into practice will not only advance and encourage your Plantations but render the Inhabitants extreamly happy both in the present and future Ages and stem the Current of Groans Sighs Melancholly Lamentations and Turmoil of your Servants into a pleasant calm serene Life of happy Employments and the Masters of each Family shall enjoy many degrees more quiet and be freed from those continual troubles and cares they now labour under and do and will unavoidably encrease upon your selves and Posterity if some other more easy and
times and tho' they are the swiftest of any others in Motion yet none of them can hold out so long for most certain it is that the swifter and quicker the motion of any Creature is the sooner the same is tired and wants rest Wherefore it 's a weak Imagination in any to suppose that several of our Birds that are not seen in the Winter fly into Foreign Countries beyond the Seas of which Sea-faring Men and Travellers know nothing at all not but that there are various sorts of Fowls and Birds seen 500 or it may be 1000 Leagues off at Sea but then they are such whose Constitutions are more or as much Watry as Earthy and Airy and that cannot only rest on the Water but also get great part of their Food from that Element being much of the Nature of our Ducks Swans and the like so that upon the whole 't is no ways probable that our Summer Birds do remove themselves into Transmarine Countries to Winter nor to make their Exits in but rather according to their Airy Original Die in places more agreeable to their Natures as I before noted so that the wonderful and most amazing Wisdom of the Great and ever Blessed Creator appears in through and over all his Works in that every particular specifick Body and sensible Creature is made compleat and wants nothing that can render it more Happy provided it keep within the bounds of its own Circle and Law and no additions then can contribute to its farther Blessing and tho' the degrees are wonderful and various as to Virtue and the contrary and that each from their own Qualifications have obtained their Names which originally distinguished their Natures according to the Meliority of them or otherwise yet the meanest and lowest degrees of Created Beings even the Reptiles of the Earth are altogether as compleat and happy in themselves as those that are in Nature and Composition many degrees higher Graduated so that the meanest have no Inclination to change Conditions with the highest nor the highest with the lowest every individual Species being content to dwell with in its own bounds wherein its Happiness consists and upon this ground there is no sensible Creature in the World that is miserable but only such as have broken the Bounds and natural Limits of their and others that are forc'd to break it so that upon the whole Man must be the only miserable Creature under Heaven both in respect to the Depravation of his own Nature and his having by Fraud and Cunning spread his Malignity and evil Influences thro' and over all the Under-graduates of Animals forcing many of them to act and yield Obedience to his violent Hands contrary to the Law wherein God had Circumscribed and their own natural Instinct Sir If I have made any undue Excursions in this my endeavouring to answer your desire I hope you will excuse me and attribute it to the barrenness of the Subject and not to any other design in me than to serve you as becomes SIR Your Friend and Servant T. T. LETTER XXXVII Of FERMENTATION SIR T IS much more out of Complaisance to your Desires than any real Opinion I have of my own Ability I shall attempt to answer the Abstruce Questions you were pleased to propose unto me in your Letter of the 26th of September concerning the wonderful Power of Fermentation together with the Reasons why the Fat Flesh and Blood of Animals cannot be fermented nor separated as all Vegetations can be nor one Quality Changed nor Transmuted into another AND first I am to observe to you that the Animal Ferment of the Stomach is not only higher Graduated as appears by its Virtue in Turning or Transmuting the Insensible into Sensible Creatures but by not dividing or separating the Original Forms and Qualities from their natural Operations or Phlegmy gross Bodies as common Fermentation does or according to that way and manner as Artists Ferment the Juices of Herbs Fruits and Grains whereby the gross Body is destroyed or sunk into 〈◊〉 stinking Liquor that invests the Original fiery Principles of their natural or gentle Methods but only by a fiery turbulent rendring thunder-like Motion and before which all those unbounded Powers and Principles were still and quiet being incircled in the Embraces of the sweet Quality and phlegmy Body as tho' no such fierce invading Fires or Principles had been there Now this comes to pass because Fermentation opposes all the regular Motions of Nature and the Eternal Law of the Creator as being a Death and total Destruction to Multiplication and Progression and not unlike unto the Deaths of Animals which cannot be effected without terrible fierce Agonies and indeed the dividing the Spirit from the Body without such a fierce turbulent and irresistible Motion is not to be done as is clearly evinced in all sweet Liquors or Juice whatever who when their sleeping silent Powers or original Properties are disturbed as they are in a full or strong Ferment all the Art in the World cannot incircle or tame them But the Fermentation of Food in our Stomachs as well as of all Beasts is performed after another manner imperceptible to the Creature wherein all is quiet and silent provided the Meats and Drinks be of a suitable Quality and not too great in Quantity And these sweeter Juices or Spirits that Nature draws or extracts for her Support are not divested of or separated from their natural Cloathing or Bodies neither are the sweet Qualities of such Foods Transmuted into fiery Spirits or first Principles for in such Cases the Body and Life could not be supported and continued but instead thereof the Nutriment is divided and distils its Virtues into Body and Spirits that is into Blood from whence are made and generated Flesh Bones Fat Spirits Inclinations Dispositions Words and all Actions of Life and for this reason the more equal our Meats and Drinks are the better is the Nutriment and consequently all the Off-springs proceeding from thence hence it is that the frequent Eating and Drinking unequal Foods never fail to beget and lay open the fierce Gates and invading Powers of Inequality called Sickness and particularly the Drinking of strong Spirits or Brandy does always prove baneful except in a Medicinal way because the original Principles are divested of their Body and Transmuted into a fiery Circle out of which there is no deliverance or progression so that you see the Stomach or Chymical Furnace does that in a silent Method which the outward Fermentation performs in a tumultuous Manner for in the first Elaboratory Natures Fires are so mild and friendly thâ—…t they do not disinherit the original Principles and Forms of their native Right or Propriety nor divide them into self-ful Desire or Transmute their beloved Spouse I mean the sweet and most aimable Quality into original Fires as the other does no no the original fierce Principles of all Food put into the Stomach do still notwithstanding the digesting melting