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
this great Sense of Life viz. the Feeling is universal and no part of the Body can subsist without it not so much as one moment and therefore when this Sense is Disordered or any Obstruction or Distemper invades it the whole becomes heavy dull and melancholy and Death quickly ensues so on the other side when it is in order the Motions and Circulations of the Body and Members are free from Obstructions then it is the true Pleasure of Life and all the other Senses are Subservient to this and rejoice in its Prosperity as being their Prince and King the Industry of all the others is to support and maintain this For if this Sense of Feeling sink none of the others are or can be well by the Innate Power of this Mankind and all Creatures viz. Animals distinguish between Joy and Sorrow Grief and Pain Sickness and Health Temperance and Gluttony also Hunger and Fullness Heat and Cold Weight or Lightness Hardness and Softness Fineness and Courseness Smoothness and Roughness Thickness and Thinness in a word in this Sense is apprehended and comprehended all Pleasures Touches and Embraces and as it were the very Centre of all natural Enjoyments both of the Body and Mind and therefore the great various and wonderful Powers of the whole Bows before it and with all endeavours each in its respective place to serve it with the highest diligence for the Life and Centre both of Joy Sorrow Pain and Pleasure is in this universal Sense Therefore all Powers yield their Obedience to it for this cause whensoever this Sense is Encountred or Invaded by any universal Disorder Intemperance or Uncleanness the Life of that part that suffers the Disorder immediately Perishes This the Learned call the Dead Palsy and several other Names they give this Disease which of all others is one of the most Dolorous and Melancholy which do attack and invade many Persons through disorderly Living and Intemperance Drinking and Eating both in Quantity and Quality such things that are too gross hard spirituous and of a strong fulsom Composition and Preparation from whence Juices of a proportionable Nature are Extracted which do infallibly generate thick gross Blood and impure Spirits which do as it were narrow stop and swell the Highways and natural Roads viz. The Porous Passages of the Body and the Nerves do by these thick Juices become stiff and Glewy so that the Blood and Spirits being touched with these Diseases and Infirmities cannot have their free Ingress Egress Regress and Circulation but are waylaied and stopt according to the degrees of these Obstructions the Diseases and the Distempers are more or less Now all Fumes and Vapours that many thousands of People especially Women are subject to as the Gout and all Obstructions Falling Sickness and several other cruel Maladies they are procured and likewise transferred from one Age to another for want of Wisdom Temperance and Cleanness in the Methods of Life for every Person does desire and incline to such and such Meats and Drinks Exercises and Communications according to the ruling Qualities and predominant Humours and their Equality and Inequality and the Nourishment Humours Blood Spirits and Dispositions are in proportion whence the Seed is Generated as being the Essence of all the natural Properties and Powers for this cause most or all the variety of new and old Diseases are transferred conveyed and intailed on their Posterity c. Therefore there is hardly found any Medicine capable to Câ—… them being so deeply rooted in the very Centre of Nature Now as these Diseases have encreased since Trade hath advanced so likewise have improper Compositions and Hetrogenial Preparations gotten great footing in the World bâ—… which every Age doth produce a new Off-spring of Diseases 〈◊〉 known or hardly heard of before as in this Nation since Stroâ—… Beer Ale and Wine became common Drinks and our comâ—… Foods compounded and mixed with Spices Sugar Spanish Fâ—… and several other Ingredients we say since this there aâ—… great number of cruel Distempers started up in Man's Body 〈◊〉 were not heard of before for every sort of Meat and Drâ—… hath the Key in its self to seek embrace and feel out its own likeness and hath an Innate Power in its Bosom or Centre to generate an Off-spring of its own Nature in proportion to the Nourishment such a thing affords as the Gout Stone Rhumatism Rickets and many Leprous or Scabby Diseases which within 70 80 100 or 200 years have been Midwifed into our Nation Now it is to be observed that all the other four Senses when they have gratified themselves and taken Pleasure even to the highest degree of Luxury Do slip their Necks out of the Collar as the Proverb has it leaving all their evil Works and Deeds of Darkness to this poor and most deplorable Sense of Feeling who is bound under the Iron Gates of various severe and intollerable Diseases all their malignant Influences the Taste Smell Hearing and Seeing shut their Gates and take their Rest but the Feeling is rarely ever quiet or easy Sleep and Rest gives them Resurrection and a new Life but the Feeling remains uneasy every Member and Joint akes and the whole Body is Indisposed Sleep being nothing else but a Transitory Death or an Occultation to a Renovation and therefore no Man nor other Creature can Subsist and Live except they Die near or altogether a third part of the time that is alotted them So that our Lives are a constant or continual Dying this being Matter of Fact why should Mankind be so fearful and timerous of Death seeing he that Lives 100 years is Dead more than 30 of it which time is an unaccountable to him as those that are really in Eternity where there is neither Time nor Place Near and Far off being altogether the same and no Man would be more concerned to Die than he is to Sleep if he had not broken the Law of his Maker by invading and bringing Desolation on all the Host of Heaven and Earth which is the Secret and Original of Mankinds Fear and the true cause of his Uneasiness and Perplexity for in this World there is no Creature that Lives without a continual Dying or becoming as it were Invisible Do not all the Herbs Fruits Seeds and Grains and whatever else appears in Bodies Shapes and Forms They we say do daily Die that they may be capable to reinvest themselves in new vigorous Bodies and do not all the Beasts of the Field every moment as it were enter into Death that they may be able to maintain a short Momentary Life though the Beasts do not enter so deeply into Death as Man Their Sleep being but a kind of waking in comparison of Mans for what Creature in the World is so drowsy and heavy as Man Nor is there any thing that sleeps so sound and deep or do require so much as he except some few that are called by the name of Sleepers whose Nature Original
Delight and in its stead is felt trouble and pain So that this Sense is not only the Center of both Joy and Sorrow but of all the other Senses and natural Powers and therefore whensoever any of the other Senses commit any evil or uncleanness the smart thereof falls on this Sense of Feeling Likewise when the Mind is by evil principles influenced or misled on which there do often follow great troubles or perplexitys This Sense by Natures Law must bear and endure all So on the other side this Sense doth enjoy all the pleasures of Temperance Cleanness Wisdom Innocency Charity Order and Union This is the House wherein all the good and evil influences do dwell and inhabit This Sense first felt the miserable Fall and Depravation of Mankind the Eating the forbidden Frâ—…it the Disâ—…ion within and amongst the intelligible Powers immediately puts the Body and the natural Powers and Spirits into Disorder and puts out the Divine Eye and then the invâ—…ding wilfull fierce wrathful Powers command all the great Guides and Councellors the Senses all the qualities and properties of the Body and Mind to obey and observe their Laws and Edicts which were all Created and Coined from the disunited forms and fountain Spirits who had obtained the chief government in the Heart and Soul then the eye of Unity Temperance Cleanness Order and prudent Conduct was blinded or as it were quite put out So that all the intellectual and also the outward Senses lose their Native Right viz. their distinguishing faculty so that most or all things are either done by Chance or ignorantly This was the original Fall and is the present state of Mankind at this day which most or all Men feel by woful experience and this lost state of Union and being divided from God cannot be again felt seen heard smelt and tasted but only by undoing all that our forefather Adam and we his Children did and daily do commit viz. by the turning the eye of Mankinds Will and powerful Desires into Temperance Cleanness Order Humility Charity Justice cleanness in Meats and Drinks Inclinations Dispositions Words and Works by which Holy Vertues Man may be again reinvested and render himself capable of knowing and distinguishing all the operations of the great and wonderful commanding powers of his own composition which is called and truly stiled the knowledge of a Mans self and then and no â—…before this great Power and Sense of Feeling will again obtain its primitive state of Purity true Pleasure and Unity 〈◊〉 likewise all the other four which will then be again installed in their proper stations and rule command and direct-accordingly The Innocence and true Harmony of Mankind did Originally and doth chiefly consist in the unity of this Sense called Feeling both Corporeal and Incorporeal The first false step that Adam made or any of his Posterity hath and doth at this day make the evil Influences are felt by the disharmony this Sense falls into and on the other side this is the Sense that all the sweet Influences and harmonical Operations of all the other Senses and great Powers both of the Body and Mind can center and there are no Passions committed either in Love Hope Fear or Hate but the Effects and Fruits thereof center and fall into this great Magazine and Store-house The Sense of Feeling and the chief business and work of all the other fourSenses is to raise up ripen and collect all its works and productions and fix them on this Sense that they may thereby obtain the Lost unity for in the divided operations of the Sensual Powers there can be no Pleasure for in this state one Form Sense Property or Power doth use the highest industry imaginable to strengthen it self and to invade all the Provinces of its neighbouring Princes which do perplex and break the Union of the whole And therefore many great Evils and Mischiefs fall on Mankind for want of true Wisdom and distinguishing Understanding for if Man hath lost the Knowledge and Divine Sight of himself then he cannot penetrate nor distinguish between the two roots from whence Pleasure Pain and Trouble take their original birth so that each Sense Form and Power both of the Mind and outward Senses do all things in a blind self-ful method and use all ways and means to obtain the unity in the use and practice of extreams and each particular Property doth imagine to be self-subsisting and compleat without being concerned with its Brethren or at least consulting them by way of Advice For if the great inward and outward Counsellors or Senses be blinded or corupted then all the Incorporeal Powers of the Soul and Mind are likewise misled into all Errors and gross Stupidity So then if any of the Senses represent any Object or material thing to these purblind intellectual Powers and blind Principles of the Soul and Mind which do draw or attract the use of them so Powerfully that the disunion of the Microcosm Man is more and more increased and by this means that which was intended by God's Law as a Blessing and if used as it ought would have been so has produced an Evil or Curse as Instance that noble and wonderful Sense the Sight beholds a curious Beautiful Creature or Object whose place and office is to represent the same to all the invisible intellectual Powers Principles and Qualities which by this glance or Ray of Light the Mind Will and desires are so kindled and as it were wounded with this Object that all the still sleeping Magick Powers are in a moment stirred up and awakened so that the disunion and disquietness of the Mind is encreased notwithstanding the Fruition of the desire be obtained The like is to be understood in all the Operations of the other Senses when they bring or present their Fruits to the unthinking blind Intellect or Mind which comes to pass by this means viz. all the inward and outward Guides and Powers of Life and Understanding as is mentioned before having left their Primitive Light and Unity each Property doth with the highest industry imaginable strive to obtain a particular fierce exalting power aiming at nothing else all this while butt hereby to obtain its lost Pleasure and Union which it misseth and instead thereof falls into a greater disunion and disturbance never considering this great truth that Concord cannot be accomplished but only by the Agreement of all the Principles and Qualities the thing or Creature is compounded of It is likewise observable that every small Passion or pleasuâ—… that doth in any degree exceed the limits and bounds of Tempâ—… rance Order and Innocence do produce and multiply a greâ—… deal of pain disorder trouble and perplexity so that whatsoever doth endeavour to encrease any of the Pleasures of thâ—… Senses by indulging and advancing any one of them doth at thâ—… same time augment and multiply displeasure perplexity paiâ—… and disorder even to an hundred degrees and according to thâ—… Proverb for a
momentary Pleasure the poor Sense of Feeling is compell'd to endure many of years pain here and eternally hereafter So that the four outward Senses and their passions and intemperances do not only add perplexity to the Body and Feeling Power but the five inward Senses of the Soul and Intellect do still suffer greater misfortunes viz. perpetual Discord and Anxiety and therefore there is no method nor way to obtain the true and natural Pleasure of this noble great and universal Sense and Power of Feeling but only by Temperance Order and cleanness of the other four Senses which method of Life will by degrees open an Intellectual Eye of distinguishing the Compounded Powers of a Mans self and the two grand Fountains of Eternity Love and Light Anger and Fierceness how to avoid the one and Embrace the other For Cleanness Humility Self-denial and Temperance do wonderfully advance and strengthen the Unity and Eye of Understanding and there is nothing does so much disperse and dissipate the thick Clouds of Darkness and depraved Understanding as Cleanness Innocence and the avoiding all oppositions and violences which was are and ever will be the forbidden Fruit the eating thereof became the Substance both of the Corporeal and Incorporeal Powers of Man which did immediately open the Gates of their own Principles and by degrees did Captivate all the innocent harmonical Powers and Properties and then the fierce wrathful invading and unclean Spirits and Principles obtained the Government This was and is called mans Fall or degeneration from Unity then and not before was this Sense perplexed with pain then Man was hid or Captivated in those fierce dark invading turbulent Principles and Powers and the Divine Principle or Eye of Wisdom or Distinguishing was hid from Man and he was aâ—… it were stript of all his Ornaments being left Naked he was forthwith invaded by all the disorders and evils both of the Body and Mind This was the depravation of Mankind and the Original of the opposition and contrary Will in Man which deplorable state and miserable condition cannot be cured but only by 〈◊〉 Medicine Compounded of Innocency Charity Humility Temperance Cleanness and Order in Meats and Drinks Communications and Imployments which are only capable to reinvest all the great and wonderful Senses and Councellors unto their Ancient or Primitive State of Pleasure and Unity where each Sense and intellectual Spiritual Power doth See Hear Smell Taste and Feel both in a Corporeal and incorporeal Consort of Love in Innocency and harmless operation each Principle and Power bringeth all its Works Fruits and productions into the Magazine or great Power of the Sense of Feeling in which all the united Powers of the Michrocosmical World rejoyce that they feel themselves Centered in the Blessed Fountain of God's Eternal Love and Light Which is according to God's Eternal Law every Principle and Quality does its own business and Eternally goes on in its own Method both in the Evil and in the Good For Time and Eternity are one notwithstanding the most Learned as they call them are of another opinion And therefore those that in the time the Soul dwells in the Body do enter with their Wills and Desires into this or the other thing or Principle must dwell in the same Quality to Eternity if it do not uncloath it self of all Stupidity Uncleanness Violence and Wrath for it is these evil Qualities that do Torment this great and wonderful Power of Feeling both in Time and Eternity the trouble and anxiety of the Soul being both the same in the Body as in the Invisible World whatever some may judge to the contrary and it doth suffer both Corporeally and Incorporeally And therefore all that would enjoy the true Pleasures both of Time and Eternity and know the Riches true Delight and Union of this universal Sense the Feeling must Redeem their Time and Cloath themselves with their Original Cleanness and Inocency and live in the simplicity of their Ancient Law not contenting themselves with a groundless hope as most men do some more some less for no Man hopes for what he enjoys or Lives in but for those things he is Ignorant of and is far from seeing or knowing whether the thing hoped for will ever come to pass Therefore he who hopes always fears for hope and fear are brethren dwelling in the House of Darkness and Death And though this be a hard Chapter for some to Read nevertheless it is Matter of Fact for had not Man broken the Law of his Maker then had he not lost his way and by Consequence had had no Cause or Reason to hope to find it nor to fear he should not for the true State of Mans Intellect and Mind is to Understand Distinguish and Enjoy And there is nothing more true than where Hope Fear Joy and Grief Dwells all the Intellectual Powers of the Mind are Ignorant Dark and Blind they being turbulent Passions of the Mind that come in with Mans Transgressions Hope is a Deluding Inticing Airy Thin Quality and if a Man catcheth or layeth hold on it he cannot hold it but it leapeth forth no Bounds nor Limits can Master it If a Man's hopes chance to come to pass it is so Volatile that it inclines the Mind to some other thing which the desire of obtaining doth mightily stir up all the Silent or Magick Powers of the Intellect thereby causing great disquietness of the Soul and hard Pain and Labour even to the hazard both of Health and sometimes of Life and if it be obtained the Diseases of the Body or Mind are no nearer the Cure or Satisfaction No this is a slippery Spark much like the Philosophers Mercury which is almost impossible to Fix which hath deluded many thousands who have been deceived in their Imaginations and fallen into many Calamities without any Satisfaction How many have been deceived by being well Stocked and Freighted with this Airy Notion Hope which is endued with such a Magick Spell or Power that few or none escape its Charms but it leads Mankind with great inclination out of one thing into another which tire the Body and perplex the Mind always running before standing at a distance but never out of sight enticeing Mankind with her Airy Baubles and Novelties that Man doth not need never arriving to a quiet and fixed Harbour And when a Man hath for many Years or perhaps all his Life thus been perplex'd and disquieted he is no nearer a Fixation or Satisfaction than at first but many times farther off and must pass into the Eternal Regions altogether unknown And therefore there is no greater Character or Mark of Man's Depravation or Fall than this night of Hope and various Desires after that which when Attained we are as far or farther from Union and Content than before Therefore he that would enjoy the Illuminating Truth with a clear Sight and distinguishing Understanding must neither possess himself with Hope nor Fear Joy nor Sorrow for they
which hath the nearest affinity to it Now if the truth of what we have said be considered understood and distiâ—…guished then such a one will know that Temperance Order and Cleanness are the Spring-head of all Virtues and as it were under God the Original not only of Health but of every good Work and Action so great so powerful and so wonderful are the Laws of God and the innocent Methods of Nature they Crown their Observers with the Blessings of Time and Eternity I do not doubt but when you have well considered of what I have already said as to your Distemper and what I shall say but that you will incline to observe the Methods I shall propose for the Cure of your ill Habit of Body and the Diseases attending you Now the Meats and Foods that are most suitable for the preventing your Fatness and other Evils are all such as are clean in their own Nature having no manifest quality too highly exalted for every sort of Food that is unequal doth increase your Maladie and leave a Wound behind it You may eat and probably with some success too Bread Butter Cheese Herbs Roots Fruits Gruels Chocolate Paps Milk-pottage and various sorts of other clean innocent Foods but it will be better for you not to spread your Table too large but confine your self to a less compass viz. to Bread Butter and Cheese Water-Gruel and Flour-Pap only with Salt and no Butter in it and let this be your Method viz. in the morning a Pint of thin Water-Gruel with a small piece of good well Baked Bread a little toasted bite your Bread and sup your Gruell the like when you eat Pap always drinking a quarter of a Pint of Water after it presently and forget not before or after you eat your Gruel to take a walk of a Mile or two in the most clean airy place you can or by running Rivers side for all Airs are much â—…ner by running Waters than else where for by the curious moist thin Spirituous Vapours that such Rivers do send or breathe forth incorporating or mixing with the common Air it both becomes rarifyed and thereby is made more transparent thin and Spirituous so that it easily penetrates into the very center of all parts of the Body opening all the passages and moving Obstructions causing the Circulations of all the Humors Blood and Spirits to pass more freely if this were not so People that walk by such Rivers sides and others that work on it would not have such pressing sharp Appetites even far greater than those that are exercised on the higher Grounds but if any Man Swim or go into such Rivers to wash themselves or do any other thing of that nature it will sharpen and increase the Appetite to a higher degree Now this comes to pass by the fineness of such Airs and the thin Spirituous Virtues that penetrate to the Body on all sides whichare sucked in by the Pores giving a certain recruit to all the natural Spirits in the Body It is likewise to be noted that such as travel or work in Windy Rainy Weather do thereby obtain a shâ—…rper and a stronger Appetite than by the like Exercises in dry Seasons and such a one will not so often want supplys of Drink because such seasons and places do afford them a much finer moisture and more agreeable to Nature You may take your walk before or after you have eaten your Gruel and Bread then Fast till Dinner about one or two of the Clock eat a small Sallad raw made of Parsley Spinage Sorrell and a few Onions with them and eat them with a little Salt and Vinegar no Oil but with Bread and Butter or Cheese and sometimes only with Bread drink with them fresh small Ale or good Water the last being Superior to the first then fast till Supper and about Seven of the Clock eat a Pint of Water-Gruell or Pap with a little piece of Bread toasted and once or twice a week take a walk of 5 6 7 8 or 10 Miles or more as you shall find your self able and as you grow stronger increase your walks to 20 30 or 40 Miles And you must always go till you be weary but not till you be Faint for Nature will not encrease her strength if you do not in a moderate degree exert her Faculties and put her to a little Hardship for it is an undeniable rule and it always holds true that Nature endeavours to strengthen and arm herself against all Affronts and invading Powers for this cause the more you Labour the more you may and the easier it becomes to you which most attribute to Custom which is true in a Sense but give me leave to tell you so soon as you put your self to any unusual Exercise or Labour Nature useth all her endeavours and powers not only to withstand such Labours but to overcome them that she may be a Conqueror with ease and therefore if any particular Member be more used in this Trade or other Employment whether it be a Leg or an Arm that Member or part in a little time grows more potent and strong than the other and for this cause after Tradesmen have done their common days Work most of them can walk and exercise themselves in many other things with delight and not feel half the dulness and weariness as they did at their Customary Employments or Labours which had worn out or dull'd the natural Spirits that supported those parts most employed and did undergo the greatest part of the labour of that Employment or Trade But all this while other Members and parts of the Body that were not so intent or employed in the said Labour remained as it were fresh lively and full of Spirits so that when such a one comes to another sort of Exercise or Labour wherein those Members or parts were not so much concerned as is said before then they do readily lend their Aid and Assistance by which a Man does exercise himself in another Employment for some time with ease and delight notwithstanding he was weary at his usual Trade or Employment The principal cause and reason of this is every part of the Body hath its particular Offices and the natural Spirits that support and supply it with strength and vigour which lyes as it were still and doth not exert its strength nor powers till that part or Member comes to be employed This being the original Cause that a Man after he is weary and dull at the long continuance of Labour in one thing and the whole Body seems to be tired yet at another Employ or Work he shall be as was said before fresh and lively which is by the supplies of the lively Spirits that centered in such Parts and Members whose supporting Strength and Powers were not called forth in the foregoing Labour For this Cause and Reason variety of Exercises and Employments are best and least burthensome to Nature being much easier performed and with more
equality or inequality of the Earth or Ground it is Sowed in and the Cultivation of the Husband-man whether managed with Prudence or the contrary And as it is with the Beasts and Vegetables even so it goes and the very same is to be understood in the Humane Ground a strong thing cannot arise and proceed from a weak one nor an equal from an unequal or a healthy from a sickly every Seed Fruit or Son carries in its central Bosome all the Qualifications Degrees and Temperaments of the original Stock or Father this being the very Ground and principal Cause why so many cruel Diseases that attend Mankind cannot be Cured neither by Medicines nor wholsome temperate Methods of Life Now if this Ground or true Foundation of Wisdom and Philosophy were well understood the Physician would be capable of giving good Advice and Precedents of Life and likewise others would be careful cautious and temperate both in the quality and quantity of their Meats and Drinks being sensible that from the Body and Spirits of each of them our Bodies and Spirits are continually Made Created and Generated and according to the degrees of Equality and Inequality Temperance or Intemperance such is the Humors such is the Blood such are the Spirits such Imaginations Dispositions Words and Works every thing according to its original Constitution and whatsoever Form hath obtained the Dominion in the central Fire always is generating and creating its own Species or Son who does in all particulars contain all the Properties Principles and Powers of the Father as is hinted before so that the Essences of each thing we Eat and Drink in order to support and continue our Bodies and Spirits do never depart but advance and confederate with their Similies and Likenesses and according to their goodness grossness cleanness and uncleanness such a Man is created generated or made This being the eternal and unalterable Law of the Great Father of all Powers and Creator of all Beings which no Man can withstand or obliterate therefore Equality Cleanness Order and Temperance are as it were the Originals of a Sound Healthy Body Harmonious Mind and a Pious Sober Clean temperate Off-spring For all things in the Good and Evil observe their Original Law every thing in its own way according to its Dignification in Evil or Good Equality or Inequality such a Child Son or Fruit it Brings or Widwifes into the World for this Cause Cleanness Temperance and Order have been so highly celebrated and commended by all the Seeing and Distinguishing Men both of former and latter Ages so that it is plain and manifest that most of those cruel and incurable Diseases that now reign in the Microcosmical World have been conveyed and entailed by their Progenitors or Parents and if Mankind should now take up and live on simple innocent Meats and harmless Drinks and free himself from Violence Uncleanness and Opression it would be two or three Ages before Man would be Healthy and Sound either in their Bodies or Minds so deeply are they wounded Which miserable and melancholy State or Error can never be mended neither in the Stock Branch Fruit nor Son till it be seen and known to be so and that the Eye of Wisdom be opened in Man's Mind by which he sees understands and distinguishes between the Intrinsick and Extrinsick Virtues Vices Cleanness and Uncleanness of their Food and Drink and all other things they join or communicate with Now as Fevers are more tolerable or violent according to the Form or Power that Operates Agitates or Invades the natural or central Fires for Fire is the root of motion and the true Strength and Pleasure of Life when it burns gently and calmly but when it is agitated or too violently awakened or stirred up then presently as with a rapid and turbulent motion it seizes the radical moisture and sweet Oil which is the true Life and Original being of the Fire but Burning too violently it consumes this Oily Body and violently attracts the thin Spirituous Airy Qualities or Powers unto it self for all heat or fire of what kind soever naturally and with great Ardency attracts or draws unto it self the Air it being its Life for without it it can neither burn nor subsist The Air thus drawn doth always carry in its Bosom the watry Spirit or Element which gives unto the Fire its bright clear shining Lustre but the Central Fires being thus agitated or awakened do in a moment destroy and consume both the radical Oily Body and also the Airy and Watry Spirits and Natural Powers which do presently as it were stagnate and prevent all the circular Motions and in a great measure stop the Vessels and Parts both Internally and Externally so that the Blood becomes thick gross hot and frothy and the Pores of the outward Members and Parts becomes hot narrow or stopt which doth prevent the Penetration Ingress Egress and Regress of the fine thin Spirituous Vapours of the Air from without So that if the fiery Spirit be violently awakened it breaks and destroys all the Circulations and Correspondence of the whole Body all the inward faculties being in an Agony or a tumultuous State and Operation and thereby the Life is sunk or destroyed as it were in a moment if some powerful Food or Medicine does not timely prevent by opening the doors and porous passages and to advance the Circulation of the Blood Spirits and all the Airy Motions and Faculties for should the healthiest and strongest Person 's External Pores be stopt but one Quarter of an Hour such a one would be seized with a Fever immediately For the fine thin Spirituous Vapours of the Air that do penetrate the Body on all sides and by the attractive qualities are sucked or drawn in by way of Pores which do refresh uphold increase and support all the natural Motions and Circulations of the Blood and Spirits and their fine thin Spirituous powers of the Air do never fail to carry and convey the transparent thin moist Vapours or Spirits of the Element of Water for as the Fire cannot burn nor subsist without the Airy Spirit so neither ean the Air continue its brisk lively motion without the support of the Fire which incorporates its self and dwells in the moist Vapour or Spirituous quality of the Water which Watry Spirit gives Life both to the Air and the bright shining light of the Fire one cannot subsist without the other For this cause if any Person is employed abroad in moist wet Weather and in or about Waters or Rivers sides such People have for the most part stronger and sharper Appetites than in dryer Seasons and Places for the Air being in moist Seasons provided there be not too much wet Weather filled or impregnated with the fine moist Spirits of the Water which doth give such a powerful life to the Air that both becomes rarified by which it more powerfully penetrates the whole Body through all parts and Members to the very
have on all the Faculties of Nature no Wise man will or can deny as is before sufficiently demonstrated besides there is still another Ground and deep Original for the conveyance and generation of a great multitude of Diseases but more especially this fiery Distemper viz. the Seed being the compleat Image or Epitome of all the Properties Forms and Powers both of the Body Soul and Spirit and for this cause Man is called the Son or Off-spring of God or his Image The same is to be understood of Man when he Generates a Child is he not his Son and doth he not bear the Image and true Signature of his Father is he not endued with all the principles and powers of Body Soul and Spirits and if the Seed did not contain the true Nature and Property of the whole Father then the Fathers power or part thereof would not have an Essential Being in the Son neither would the Son be his true Image this being true as no Wiseman can doubt Then by the same rule Virtues and Vices of all Kinds are Sowed in the Seed and according as the Father and Mother are qualified and tempered in their Order Sobriety Temperance or Intemperance in their Meats Drinks and Employments Communications Imaginations Inclinations Dispositions Words and Works such is the Seed and the Fruit that is Generated Begotten and brought forth and is in Body Soul and Spirit the very same in all the principles and powers This being true what Conduct Temperance and Order what Cleanness Self-denial and Wisdom ought Parents to be endued with seeing they entail all their Virtues and Vices on their Posterity Now Mankind hath so far estranged himself from all those fore-mentioned Virtues by his gross Evils Violences Oppressions and Uncleannesses that he is run into the deepest degree of Depravity Blindness and Ignorance so that most do live under and are governed by the divided powers and forms of their own Composition where every quality and principle are at Enmity with each other so that he is hunted out of one evil into another Fierceness Violence and Oppression being his chief Delight and as it were the Pleasure and Pastime of most Men viz. Great Men study how they may destroy ruin and kill those of their own Kind and Species and the lower Ranks in hunting oppressing and killing the inferior Graduates and all the innocent harmless Inhabitants of the four Worlds and in Conformity and Proportion to these rapacious Employments are the principal Foods of Man so that there is a Concatenation and Sympathetical Agreement and Concurrence of all sorts and kinds of wrathful fierce Violence contrived and managed by the inbred fierce encroaching spiteful envious Powers which have not only sullyed but as it were obliterated the Noble light of Understanding and hath sunk Man into the deepest and darkest ignorance of himself and all that is good so that he neither sees hears nor understands any thing as he ought and thereby becomes subject to and is acted and governed by the fore-mentioned tyrannical Spirits Now there is no way or means to prevent those violent Diseases and other Distempers but by the wholsom rules of Order Temperance and Cleanness in Meats Drinks Communications Employment Words and Works which doth oppose all the fore-mentioned Customs as much as Light doth Darkness or the Day the Night by which the Observers may obtain a better Seed which will produce a Healthy and Virtuous Off-spring viz. The Foods material and suitable for this purpose are as followeth Bread and all Foods made of the Flour of Corn have the first place both for Cleanness Virtue and good Nourishment as Bread and Water-gruel Flour-pap boil'd Wheat boil'd Barley Hasty-pudding boil'd Bread and several sorts made of the Flours of Seeds and Corn Next to these are Milk Butter Cheese Eggs and a great number of other Exhilerating Foods made thereof The principal Drink alotted and ordained by God and the Law of undefiled Nature is pure clean Water Next to these are Communications which have great power over the Imaginations Inclinations Dispositions Words and Works either to encrease or advance Virtue or Vice and these Employments are very material viz. All such as are Humane free from Oppression or Violence either to Man or Beasts likewise all sorts of Husbandry or any Business in the open Air more especially such as is on or near the Water and to Travel in rainy moist Seasons Thirdly Thin or moderate Cloathing airy clean sweet Houses and Beds observing a mean in all things for Temperance and to understand the proper Measure both in Quantity and Quality are the Sinews of Health both of Body and Mind which to distinguish and understand in a Man's self is the Spring-head of all Blessings for whatsoever may or can be understood of God and of his unalterable Law is compleatly and entirely contained in Man Therefore the greatest Calamity the most miserable melancholy and deplorable Condition in the World is for a Man to be Ignorant of himself not to understand and distinguish the Powers of God and his own Composition for want of this inward true Knowledge he Judgeth of all things as a Blind Man doth of Colours and a Deaf Man of Musick all is done by Chance Trade or Custom so great and so deep is the Depravation of Man SIR Yours to Command T. T. LETTER XXIII Of EDUCATION SIR I Réceived yours of the 20th instant wherein you desire me to give you an Essential Method of Educating and Bringing up your Children they being all Young and of tender Age by which they are rendred capable of being taught and moulded into any Form Method and Government First I referr you to our Book entituled A New Method of Educating Children which I desire you would Read However I shall endeavour to gratify your Desire with those Talents the Lord hath given me not doubting but they will be thereby improved by your Prudent Conduct therefore please to observe these following Rules and Methods 1. YOU ought to understand and endeavour to be sensible that our Creator hath made Man in his own Image and a compleat Epitome of all Principles Qualities and Powers both of the Corporial and Incorporial Worlds all things have an Essential Being in Man's Soul viz. Virtue true Light and Darkness Love and Hate and if Men once come to be sensible of their own Composition and to distinguish between Good and Evil Virtue and Vice and from what Principles each takes its Birth they would hate and lament their ill Conduct both of their own Methods of Life and the bringing up of their Children it is impossible any Man should be capable to avoid the Errors of Educating Children if he doth not distinguish the two Grand Fountains of Good and Evil in himself and how the various Powers Qualities and Inclinations which do all arise and proceed from these two Fountains are to be Qualified Allaied and United for all sorts and kinds of Knowledge and Learning though it
and desire to be made manifest that is to be known to its self which cannot be any other way but by being cloathed with a Corporeal Body for a Spirit or an Inâ—…e Power cannot become Individual if it be not cloathed with a suitable Body they being like a Circle in which all the Spiritual invisible Principles and Powers do act and become â—…nown to themselves and thereby be made capable of Joy Hoâ—… Fear and Sorrow It is likewise to be understood as was before mentioned that the Spirit of each Creature is before the Body and the Desire the Cause and Original thereof and as the Learned Apostle Paul saith the Body is Dead without the Spirit and 〈◊〉 Spirit is not nor cannot be known to its self nor Enjoy or Sâ—…fer without the Body and every particular Creature or Being is endued with all the Principles Properties and Qualities of the Eternal Father or Invisible Fountain of Unity and are all the true and natural Sons thereof and therefore each Sensitive Creature doth from an Innate Disposition and Spiritual Inclination desire to be like its Father that hath Begotten it for the Son doth contain the true Nature and Properties of the Father and therefore not only Man but all other inferiour Creatures are the Likeness and Image of him from whence they proceed and had their Birth each according to its Kind and Graduation and as the Original Forms and Powers were more equal or unequal inferior or superior whence proceed the great and wonderful variety of visible Creatures both in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Kingdoms in this World for accordiâ—… 〈◊〉 the degrees equality and inequality of the Spiritual Quaâ—… and Powers such were the Desires which did naturally 〈◊〉 vehemently attract a proportionable Matter out of all thiâ—… for a Covering our Body and that Sal Nitral or Spiritual Poâ—… and Virtue that did Predominate or had the Ascendant Sigâ—… the Body with a Character and the Inclinations Dispositioâ—… Shapes Figures and Forms were accordingly so that the â—…dation of the variety of Bodies and Complexions proceed 〈◊〉 the degrees of the Invisible or Spiritual Powers And for this Cause it is no wonder that every Creature 〈◊〉 hath obtained that high degree of Sensation and is thereby caâ—…le of enjoying or suffering either Pleasure or Pain 〈◊〉 with the highest diligence endeavour to avoid all Violence 〈◊〉 and Death and desire to Live for Ever seeing that 〈◊〉 sprung from the eternal and unsearchable Fountain of Unity for every Creatures Actions Inclinations and Desires are all â—…cording to the Composition of the Spiritual Properties and 〈◊〉 lities all which have an eternal Original whence the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desire in all Creatures do spring and arise of Living 〈◊〉 Ever and notwithstanding the Inferiors have no cause of Dread nor Sense on them of any World or being after this either Good or Evil nevertheless they fear and dread all kinds of â—…rt Violence Oppression and consequently shun and avoid â—…th with as much Cunning and Wisdom as Men and do 〈◊〉 the highest Diligence Industry and Prudence endeavour to â—…serve themselves and Off-spring nay they rather exceed 〈◊〉 besides they have not transgressed their natural Law and â—…fore they cannot be oppressed with any fear of Pain or Sorâ—… after this Life but the Original of all fear of Hurt Violence 〈◊〉 Death doth proceed from the Spirit or Spiritual Powers 〈◊〉 hath cloathed or incircled themselves in Matter or Corpoâ—… Bodies which the Spiritual Properties and Powers would preserve and keep as an Habitation for Ever for by means of 〈◊〉 Corporeal Body or Matter the variety of the Spiritual Proâ—…ties are encircled and so become a Self-subsisting Creature known to its self as was mentioned before and is thereby renâ—…ed capable both of Pain and Pleasure Joy or Sorrow for that which is Eternal doth naturally desire what is like it self 〈◊〉 therefore those Spiritual Beings and Powers that have the like motion and Sensation of all Creatures cannot by all the â—…ning Rhetorick in the World be perswaded on any account oâ—… be made willing to Die or be separated from their Bodies 〈◊〉 nothing is able to abliterate those Inclinations Dispositions and Qualifications of the Spiritual Powers cloathed with material Bodies they received from the Grand or Eternal Fountain the Father and Creator of all Beings so that the natural Disposition 〈◊〉 Desire of all Sensitive Creatures is to preserve their Bodies 〈◊〉 Ever which is like themselves and according to their Oriâ—…al Natures for no Spiritual Power can 〈◊〉 contrary to its 〈◊〉 and its Original Fountain or Father that Made or Created it And for this Cause the Under-graduates do all of them fear and dread Hurt Violence and Oppression or any thing that seems to tend to put a Period to their Lives as the like Actions 〈◊〉 Mankind and much more if it be possible for as they know 〈◊〉 Hurt nor do no Injury to their Knowledge but Live within the Limits of the Law their Creator prescribed them For this Cause all or most of the inferior Creatures do fear all kinds of Violence more than Mankind for the more harmless and innocent any Creature is the greater is the Opposition between the Species of Hurtfulness and Violence so that the Creaâ—… Fears and Calamities are thereby encreased and all Opâ—… is the harder to be undergone For this Cause the more innocent a Creature is the greater 〈◊〉 and Evil it is to Oppress that Creature and therefore Man's Violence Oppression and Killing the Beasts is an extraordinary Evil and Sin against God and his Law for Killing stands in eternal Opposition to the Creating Power of God which proceeds from Eternity to Eternity and this Eternal Spiritual preserving Power being the compleat Life and Essential Being of all Creatures whence proceeds and springs an eternal desire of Life or to Live for Ever according to its Innate Nature so that it is the greatest Sin that can be committed against that wonderful Mystery and Creating Power of God as being most opposite not only to the Creation but also to all the Eternal Spiritual Powers that are cloathed with material Bodies for the true Life Power Motion and Actions of all visible Bodies â—…esides in the Spirits which hath an eternal Original as was mentioned before and therefore not willing to be oppressed hurt oâ—… to have its Body any way destroyed for the Body is the Sâ—…rits natural Right and will not part with it unless necessity compeâ—…s And for these Reasons the highest Evil and Punishment that can be done to Mankind is to put a Period to Life and therefore the Laws of most Countries do not indict or compel Meâ—… to Die but only on the committing of great Evils The continuation of Life is strangelâ—… precious in the Central Qualities and Spiritual Powers of every Corporeal Creature and will not Man choose a miserable troubled laboâ—…ious Life of Vexation rather than a short and easy Death and this Desire and earnest
Stars and Configurations of the Heavens and yet all you say are of various Fortunes Shapes Figures Inclinations and Dispositions I answer now all that you take notice and affirm is a grand Truth and yet we must tell you that this doth not at all invalid or make void Judicial Astrology but that it is most evident that the Planets and Heavenly Bodies have an innate and powerful influence on all Suâ—…lunary Bodies or Things for it is most evident that by the circular Motions Configurations and Influences of those mighty Powers of God or Heavenly Bodies all material things are influenced altered and changed out of one thing or quality into another all the Elements bow before those great Powers and never fail to yield their Obedience and therefore as they retreat towards the Chambers of the South our fruitful Season ceases and the reviving Beams of the Great Eye of the World forsakes our Horrizon we are attended with cold Winds short Days long Nights Rainy Cloudy dark Weather with an intermixture of Frost and Snow which doth during the absence of the Sun and other ruling Constellations strip the Vegetable World of all its Ornaments so that Nature becomes like Old-Age and lies Bed-ridden till the return of this Glorious Body whose presence gives as it were a new Life Vigor and Strength unto all the Undergraduates and Off-spring of this World and for this cause no Man can or dare deny their influences conduct and power in and over visible things but as to the Forms Shapes Manners Strength Weakness Riches Poverty Honour Dishonour Healthiness and the contrary which variously do attend Persons in all Places and Countreys Born at one and the same time and under the same Stars and Constellations which as is said before doth not invalidate the Astrological Science or Influence of the Heavens on Mankind for the causes and reasons following viz. First every Seed produces or generates a Body and Spirit in some proportionable degree according to its Qualifications and Nature never failing to bring forth some new Essence that did not manifestly appear in the old Stock or Parents and although a thousand Persons should be Born at the rising of the same Constellation and under the same Elevation and Configuration of Heaven nevertheless each of these Persons will wonderfully and strangely vary both in their Shapes Forms Inclinations and Fortunes The reason is plain and as it were bare-fac'd for is there not a strange variety in the Foods Drinks Inclinations Dispositions Labours Communications Customs and Educations As for Example suppose that in one City or Town there are ten Persons have ten Sons Born at one and the same minute and they Educate and bring them up in ten several Arts and Trades every one of these Persons shall by the secret power of their Employment be influenced and subjected to the Method and Manners of those that are of the Employment Is not this clearly seen in all sorts of Business and the same is to be understood in Communication Now if those External Conversations as they may properly be termed are endued with such a mighty Energie and Power to seek out their Similies and thereby impose their propertys on the Humane Nature as in a great degree to encrease and change the Inclinations Dispositions Words and Works What then must Meats and Drinks do which are the very Essences and Substances of the Humane Nature every Son and Daughter is endued with all the Qualifications of their Parents and the Seed is made and generated from all the Qualifications of the Father and Mother First from the quality and quantity of their Meats and Drinks clean or unclean well or ill prepared proper or improper Mixtures Likewise it is influenced and as it were inspired by each Persons Employment Communication Words and Works for every Variation not only in Meats and Drinks but also in all other things or manners of Life do beget and produce variety of Shapes Forms Dispositions and Inclinations This is wonderfully manifested in the Husbandman's Art do not the mixtures of various Earths together alter and change the Vegetables for the better or worse stronger or weaker and every sort of Dung or Earth according to its quality and quantity is thereby rendred capable and do bring a newOff-spring of Vegetables called Weeds or Herbs that were never seen to appear in that spot of Land for the mixtures of Earths that are of differing qualities do alter and change the complexion of such Land or Earth by which secret power of Qualities that property that was strong becomes weak and that quality that was in the complexion weak and did as it were disappear becomes most powerful and manifest The very same is to be understood in the Art of Representation doth not a skilful Painter by an apt commixture of various Earths and Drugs most curiously represent all the wonderful variety of the Colours both of the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Worlds which is all done by the Sympathetical Power and Secret Operation of the mixtures and compounding the four grand qualities the Heavens and the Elements do continually sow and shower down Seeds of Varietys As for Example cast up Gravel or Clay that to all appearance is destitute of all the Sal Nitral or Seminary qualities of Vegetation nevertheless being for some time exposed to the Sun and common influences of the Elements such Gravel or Clay will become covered with various sorts of Herbage likewise it is farther to be observed that the Religion Customs and Manners of each Place or Countrey do powerfully alter and change the Complexions of Mankind either for the better or worse Virtue or Vice as suppose there should be a scrutiny made viz. a thousand Male Children of the most roughest fiercest cholerick Complexions should be sent to be Nursed and Educated in a Bannian Countrey where there is no Fighting Quarrelling not Killing either of Men or Beasts or of any Living Creature but all their Methods and Manners are sedate and calm where these young cholerick Sparks have nor do not see any other Precedent or Example but Clemency Mercy and an humble Deportment of their Elders to Men and Beasts esteeming it one of the greatest Sins or Crimes that Man is capable to commit against God and the whole Creation to oppress hurt or kill either Man or any Living Creature and let these Youths remain amongst them till they be 20 or 25 years of Age in which time they will be throughly grounded and fixed in their Religion and Customary Methods not letting them know from whence they came nor from what Parents they proceeded and then you may be assured that he that is fiercest by Complexion all the Rhetorick and profits or interest in the World will not be able to perswade such a one either to Kill Oppress be Drunk or go freely into the Armies of Princes to destroy those they never saw nor had no occasion of Quarrel The like is to be understood in all Religions can
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
Operation altogether contrary to the former and of but little Use and Virtue except in some particular Medicines But when any such Drinks are weak and the sweet Quality has but a small share or government in them they aâ—…ter they have attained to the highest Degree and Ripeness for drinking which they do in a shorter time than those Liquors wherein the sweet Quality is strong very frequently fall into a Flatness which is called dead Beer whereas where this great sweet Quality is prevalent the original Salts are in proportion and consequently the principle of Heat and Fire is powerful which appears as soon as the Bodies of such Fruits are opened or put into Motion by the Art of Fermentation But to confine my self as nigh as may be to the two main Things I mean Sugar and Brandies intended by this Letter give me leave to tell you Sir all sorts of Sugar are so highly graduated both by Nature and Art that the same is become the greatest Preserver and the best Cordial in the World there being nothing found that will so long preserve Crude or raw Fruits Herbs Liquors and many other things as Sugar more especially the first and second sort Sal Nitre or common Salt coming short thereof so that it seems to have obtained the Ascendenâ—… over all other things in the Vegetable Kingdom And as to its Sweetness or Operations in many sorts of Foods it is endued with many charming Properties whereby it mollifies and as it were unites all the unequal Motions and predominate Powers of the other three-domineering Qualities I mean the Asâ—…ringent or Saltish Bitter and Sour and melts them down unto a degree of Equality so that by the help hereof many Crude raw Fruits and others otherwise in a manner useless become beneficial of which there are made many brave wholsom exhileratings Foods and Liquors too tho' by the by I am to observe that such Foods wherein Sugar is mixed or compounded ought not to be frequently eaten more especially not by Children or young People since it never fails to operate and act like it self I mean to heat and warm the Blood generating many powerful brisk Sprits that for the most part prove of no small prejudice to them whereas on the contrary to most that are of advanced years the proper Mixture of Sugar in some part of their Food especially spoon Meat mightily inspires them with a chearing warming Quality giving as it were a youthful Life and Vigour to aged drooping Natures and heavy dull Spirits and are to be preferred before all spirituous Cordials and strong Drinks whatever which most aged People affect and which seldom fails to pinch and heat the Ureters to obstruct the Passages as also the free Circulation of the Blood by drying up and consuming the thin moist Vapours and dewy Qualities which old Age generally wants in a great proportion the Preservation and Support of which depends most upon spoon Meats which sweetned as already â—…entioned 〈◊〉 more suitable and homogeneal than any of those Liquors taken for that purpose And as Sugar used in Meats and Preserves is thus so very excellent the Spirits or Brandies made thereof are no 〈◊〉 so and must have the first place allowed it of all others in a manner upon all accounts tho' I must say all Brandies are useful and have as it were a kind of Operation which is an hot fiery warming restoring reviving and penetrating the whole Body with its powerful and rapid Motion which is the innate and unnatural Disposition thereof These Liquors being as it were spiritual Powers by Art divested from their natural Cloathing or crude phlegmy Bodies and therefore at the very first intermission of them into the Body penetrate to the very Center of all the Principles and Powers of Nature and joining and incorporating with the original Fire and natural Spirits makes the Person the same moment he drinks to feel a brisk lively Fire to kindle which upon some occasions proves of great Benefit as in fainting Fits Swoundding over Dulness of the natural Spirits also after hard Labour and so forth and here give me leave to note that those Brandies that are thin and less Cordial such as are distill'd from thin small Wines and old clean Cyder are more penetrating and digesting as proceeding from a meaner thinner and weaker Original and therefore their Operations are good and may be taken on Foulness and Surfeits to as good purpose as that made of Sugar but the Sugar or Treacle Brandy is more Substantial fuller and more Cordial and therefore the drinking thereof does not so soon wound and decay the Drinkers of it nor cause them to dwindle into Consumptions as the drinking of French Brandy does and this has been observed ever since both sorts have been become a common Drink for Enterment especially in the Sugar Islands and other Parts of the West Indies That when any one took to the drinking of French Brandy his Friends and Acquaintance condemned him to a short Life of Course whereas if any took to the drinking of that made of the Spirit of Molosses or Juices of Sugar-Cane they would cry he would hold out For tho' the common drinking of one or the other be a sin against God yet 't is certain the sipping of that made of Sugar does not so soon wound and destroy the radical Moisture and Digestion of the Stomach as the other does which comes from France whose thin hungry Leanness is manifested by putting a raw Piece of Flesh into it and another the like Piece into Sugar-Brandy where you will find the former as it were eaten to pieces and destroyed much sooner than that in the latter than which nothing can better set out the Eagerness Thinness and Acidity thereof For by how much the more eager thin and hungry any Liquor is the less Cordal Sweetness its Body possessed with the more it seeks after Matter breathing as it were violently with open Mouth to devour all Substances that come within its Circle or Province And further to illustrate this with an Example if you put Eggs or any other the like thing into Ale Beer Cyder Wine or Vinegar you will find that put into Ale to have the first place of keeping that of the Beer if mild next and so on so that that which is sharpest you see devours or eats up the thing first whereas the mildest fullest and most Corpial Body or that wherein the four Qualities are most equal will preserve the thing so put into it longest because all its parts are more equal But Sugar Treacle or Molosses are not useful only in the forementioned ways but also upon many other Accounts too long to be inserted And I hope Sir you are satisfyed by this time of their Natures Distinctions and different Operations and the preferrence due to Sugar both to Foods Drinks and otherwise whereunto Molosses cannot pretend to arrive For having passed thro' the several Fluxes and Operations of the Refiners 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
than that which they leave or reject Now the Stomach cannot make so easy a Digestion thereof as it can of Foods made of Vegetations if properly managed in the Preparation which is the reason why some have refrained Eating of Animals whereby they have obtained an higher degree of Health and Pleasure than they had before Now it is to be noted that as Fermentation in Vegetables breaks and destroys the Rest of that thing so Drinks that have passed thro' these fiery Operations are changed for the worse that is the original Unity by this Motion is disturbed and there is an unequal working struggling and dividing Power between tâ—…em each Quality endeavouring to be Lord over the other whereby the whole sinks into its original Form and all such Liquors in a short time become sharp harsh or flat so that both the Water and the Juices of the Fruits become divested of their natural Bodies which as long as any thing remains entire incircles all the spiritual Powers or original Principles and preserves them in the Unity wherein they were Created wherefore all Fermented Drinks and more especially those that are strong never fail to operate like themselves so that as the original Forms are by this Art divided in a self-ful domineering Operation the very same they do in the Stomach wherefore the common drinking of such Liquors are Experimentally found baneful to Mankind by the great number of cruel Diseases that more particularly of latter years have been introduc'd amongst us especially Gravel Stone Gout and the like Evils which the Natives of all such Countries who constantly drink Water know nothing of tho' it is not such Liquors alone that are thus destructive to Humane Nature for since sensible Creatures I mean Flesh and Fish are become our principal Food Mankind not only inherits all the Disorders and Diseases such Creatures as he Eats are subject to he having little or no regard to Cleanness Uncleanness Season of the year and of Generation but the worst of all is these cruel Distempers are convey'd down and entailed upon our Children and Posterity and therefore grow more and more upon us and there are no Medicines found out that will Cure them for the Stomach cannot draw any proper Aliment from things that have passed thro' the fierce unequal Operations of Fermentation because Inequality cannot administer Equality each thing operating like it self and for this cause if Mens Foods were to be managed after the manner of Drinks they would in a short time destroy Mens Health and sink the Body into Death and hence it is and I presume with very good reason too that I have given Water the Preheminence before all Liquors as in respect to Food I have done to Herbs Seeds Grains and Fruits whatever the unthinking World may imagine to the contrary and since we find there can be no greater Character of the Virtues of Meats and Drinks than their long keeping sound and good and that Fruits Grains and Seeds together with Water do so much longer than Flesh Fish or Fermented Liquors one should think there could be no difficulty made in the choice of them seeing the Almighty hath provided such amazing varieties of Vegetables for us and much easier to be got than either Fish or Flesh. But to return to the Art of Fermentation as to the Original thereof it was first found out and promoted by the Egyptians or Eastern Philosophers and Physicians for as soon as Man had depraved and separated himself from his Original state of Unity all the Original Qualities and Principles in him were terribly stirred up by his longing free Will after all Intemperances and Evils to which he was continually tossed to and fro so that many destructive dark Inventions have and do still take their rise from thence which did and ever since have filled the whole Earth with Violence and as such Inventions and evil Customs have been admitted and incouraged so have our Diseases proportionably encreased which has occasioned the more prudent and sober part of former Ages to think of and invent equivalent Medicines or Antidotes and so went to work raking as it were into the Center of all Elemental Things and Creatures and more especially into the three Grand Kingdoms of Nature viz. the Animal Vegetable and Mineral to find out an Universal Medicine that might be able to cope with or Cure Universal Distempers concluding there was no Vice so great but there was a Virtue as great which if obtained might be effectual to that end But herein the most Learned and Ingenuous of all Ages have found themselves grosly mistaken as experience witnesseth yet for all their continued Failures every Age and Country are still pestered with a great number of those Philosophical Heads that tell Lies in the face of the Sun and magnify what they can do in this kind especially on Minerals It s true they have been able by the power of their Calcinary Fires to Flux and Refine Metals into a much higher degree of purity and fineness which has proved very beneficial to Mankind as being thereby fitted for various profitable uses But all this while they found no such thing as the Seeds of Metals nor yet any Ferment that was capable to divide the Original Forms or to bring them into a working boyling active power or strifeful opposite motion which Qualifications and Operations do appear in all things that are capable of Fermentation as we see in Vegetables but instead of extracting or obtaining such Seed or Ferment they procured all the opposite qualities for their fierce Fires did in a moment destroy all the Seminary or Living powers of such Metals of what kind or nature soever they were and totally obliterated the Characters and Powers of Multiplication The very same thing happens in the Vegetative Kingdoms for if you offer any Seed or Grain to the heat of common Fires a little will kill all the Spermatick or Seminary Quality which that moment puts a final stop both to the progression and multiplication of the said Seed or Grain and no better can surely be expected from such fiery Tryals in the Animal Kingdom Will any Person of common understanding believe you should you tell him that by Killing of Beasts and refining their Flesh and Blood with harsh and strong Fires you can obtain the Seed and that by the virtue and efficacy thereof with the help of some Menstruum you can multiply the same Species of Creatures from Tenfold to Ten Thousand as some of the Learned in the Art of Refining are apt to talk and boast of But so far it is from being in Mans power to effect this that we see if two Beasts of different kinds couple together the Creature that proceeds from such is rendred uncapable of Generation so fruitless have most of our Spagyrick Philosophers in all Ages been mostly both in their fiery Operations on Minerals and Animals and all they have done has been but to draw a circle of Darkness
or Virtue but being aptly joined and compounded wonderful things are performed by them so that all Sciences Arts Employments and whatever else is performed and brought to pass by Mankind are effected by a constant Repetition of the above-mentioned Nine Figures Seven Notes Seven Colours and Four and Twenty Letters so but more especially all Words Rhetorical Discourses Lofty and Elegant Speeches are nothing else but a constant Repetition of the said Four and Twenty Letters whereas in themselves and alone they are of no more Use than one Figure in the Mathematicks one Note in Musick or one Colour in Painting The like is to be understood in all inferior Arts and Occupations to instance only in Architecture wherein the Free Mason and Carpenter are limited to such a number of Fundamental Principles let their Building or Structure be great or small or of what Fashion and Ornament it will that any one that does but understand and distinguish them aright can at first sight imitate any Form or Ornament in that kind and if it be the Interest of the Artist or that the same be required of him he can readily Invent both Fashion and Ornameâ—… too whereas otherwise nothing can be performed but is it were by chance and hence it is that any Person or Persons in all Sciences Arts and Trades become more or less excellent in proportion to their Capacities and Inspection into the Fundamentals of Arts or their respective Occupations This being a sure and constant Rule that the Son is the Off-spring of the Father and an Epitome in all Particulars there being nothing more clear than that every thing must bow to its original Law and imitate that from whence it took its Birth It is moreover worth remarking that as Sulphur Mercury and Salt or the four grand Qualities before-mentioned are Predominant or Graduated in any thing accordingly it becomes better or worse and the Figures Tastes and Complexions of Matters are in proportion thereunto so the like is performed by the Use of certain Humane Numbers as has been instanced in the nine Figures seven Notes of Musick and four and Twenty Letters as 't is also in the Principles of all inferior Arts and Trades which do arise and take their original Birth from the said grand Principle which is God's Eternal Law and Method there being but one Text in the Practise of all Sciences Arts and Mysteries of Trades insomuch that there is acertain Concatenativs Power and Agreement between the original Principles and natural Powers and their respective Operations for as there is no Humane Numeration can comprehend the Stupendious variety of Nature in respect to the Things or Creatures Forms Complexions Virtues or Vices contained in the four Worlds or Elements so on the other hand it has never been known that any Man has attained to the utmost limits or highest pitch of any Science Art or Trade and therefore the most Skilful and Learnedst Person that ever was in the World had much more to learn than he had attained to so that as all the Heavenly Bodies glorious Constellations and admirable variety of Luminaries do constantly move within their own Circles or Orbs keeping time and place to a moment both in their Risings Settings and Configurations and that none of those numerous and distinct Powers do at any time exceed their Circles oâ—… prescribed Boundaries so all Science is not only performed by a constant Repetition of the same things but is also incircled within such Bounds Limits or Numbers as is before-mentioned which it is not in the power of the Artist to break thro' at any time insomuch that it is manifest that all things have a certain Ground or fundamental Principle whereon all the Superstructures do depend But tho' it be true that the inward Mystery and Law of God is the same as the outward and that on the other side the outward Mystery is understood by the inward yet so it is that there are rarely found any Eyes so quick-sighted as to penetrate into both which to understand and distinguish is the greatest Blessing Humane Nature is capable of as to be ignorant of the same must be the greatest Defection and Misery for otherwise a Person must act and practise every thing by Chance Custom and Tradition living according to dark evil fierce and unequal Principles the Consequence or rather Effect whereof can be no other than Ignorance Stupidity and Degeneration which gave rise to the Restrictive or Coercive Laws of Magistracy and without which Civil Society could not be long Supported nor Maintained But without proceeding any farther this way if the Intelligent Reader do but consider and weigh what has been already said I do not doubt but he will clearly see the Repetitions that fall out now and then in some parts of this Book are not barely so but serve to advance same other Notion which could not have been done without for suppose now a Man were to describe the Genuine Nature Qualifications Complexions and Operation of an hundred sorts of Herbs Fruits Seeds Trees Minerals or Animals now to effect this great Work must he not first necessarily consider the respective Gradations of the four grand Qualities how they stand in their Government whether equal or the contrary and which of them have the Dominion and Ascendency These I say are the Texts whereby he must describe the Natures Virtues and Vices of them all and within the Limits and Operations of these four Qualities he is bound and incircled and he that has obtained this Spring-head of Blessing to know God himself and the Nature and Operation of things cannot fail at sight to describe any Animal Vegetable or the like and to show their inward Virtues Vices and Complexions according to his Gift Circle or Orb he moves in But notwithstanding the Objection made concerning the Repetitions that are dispersed here and there in these my Letters the reason and necessity whereof I have fully set forth in the Premisses which are sufficient to satisfy the Scruples of the understanding Reader and which is all I care for yet I am to take notice that there are a great many things contained therein that are perfectly Novel for tho' there is nothing new under the Sun and that most of the Subjects have at one time or another been handled after a sort yet I dare avow it has been quite after a different Method and Form and no such Super-structure erected from fundamental Principles are herein set down all along It cannot be expected and it will be too tedious to enter now upon Particulars they will best appear in the Perusal of the Work it self and therefore as I cannot see any thing farther to be Objected against me than that I have been Prolix and have not confined my self within the just Limits of an Epistolary Method all that I say is that upon my Resolution to publish them as aforesaid I found it necessary in the Revising them to alter some to enlarge and
property that governs the Creature so that as soon as the Body of any thing is opened it may thereby be distinguished what Form or Principle ruled in the Center of Life and he that has the true Use of this Faculty may easily discern the Complexion of any Creature It is an invisible Power it s Body is the Air which in a very short time will convey the Scent to a considerable distance and is received into our Bodies by the Assistance and Mediation of the Air which is a thin Spiritual Body penetrating into all parts doing good or harm according to the respective Qualities that have the Ascendant incorporating with great Vigour with every thing it finds like its self upon which account gross stinking Foggs Scents and Vapours are unclean and extreamly hurtful to the Mind and Body being continually drawn into the Central parts and Wound the Health 〈◊〉 a Spiritual and Invisible manner The contrary is to be understood of good Smells and clean thin sweet Airs c. Now every Scent or Smell whether good or bad clean or unclean does by custom and continual communication beget and strengthen its Simile by which the grossest and most impure Airs become easie and familiar otherwise several stinking Trades and Employments would not be tolerable nor in any degree Healthful for as Gods Love is one and the same in all things so is his Handmaid Nature which uses all possible Endeavours to provide and Arm her self against the Assaults of her common Enemies Custom and Habit begetting their own properties and rendring those things easie which would otherwise never be endured Moreover such troublesom gross Smells are naturally more agreeable to some People than to others as being endued by their Constitutions with greater talents of suitable matter whereby they live as healthy as those who are accustomed to clean and finer Airs Nay some Mens Natures and Complexions are so agreeable to these gross Scents and thick Vapours that they find themselves Disordered when they come into more pure and subtile Airs as is evident in such who Live and are Born in Cities and great Towns A Consideration is also to be had to the Meats and Drinks any Person feeds on which prepare the Body to a better bearing of Scents or Smells whether clean or unclean for Food is the substance of each Mans Body and Spirit and for this cause London and some great Cities are as healthy and as few Dye in them as in the Country in proportion to the number of People notwithstanding the cleanness and goodness of the Air Besides the Foods in many Countries of England are grosser and worse prepared than in great Cities great part of them living on Hogs Flesh ill Ordered and Cooked eaten fresh or very little Salted also penning them up in close Sties during the time of their Fatning is very prejudicial to the Flesh which subjects the Eaters to a great number of unclean Diseases in their Bodies as Mangy Scabs Sores and Boils these things ought to be well considered because they do very much Affect the Body in order to the manner of its receiving the impressions of Airs Scents and Smells Again there is not the same likeness and affinity between the Countryman's Food and Air that he lives in as there is between the Citizens the Country Air being fine and full of Brisk Lively Spirits and the Cities the contrary neither is there the same Agreements in the Methods of living whereby the fineness of the Air is rendred of little value or benefit to them for what the one Builds up the other Destroys Now the Sense we are discoursing of is the common Officer that communicates these Airs and Scents to the whole Body whether they be good or evil and the Body nor the Mind cannot be hurt with them if this Sense will powerfully withstand and oppose them and not suffer them to enter for each Sense hath a Gate which it can open or shut as it pleases and therefore when any Person is among gross and unclean Smells he can hold his Nose But the best way is if he is forced to stay there any considerable time to draw the Air into his Mouth and expell it again the same way by keeping it open by this means a Man may in a great measure avoid the Injury which such Smells would otherwise do for neither the Taste Sight Hearing nor Feeling can be Afflicted with any evil or good Smell not communicate the evil of the bad nor the vertues of the good to the Central parts of the Body nor Affect the natural Spirits each must do its own Business they cannot Act for one another Nevertheless there are some Scents and Smells so highly graduated in the dark direful nature of sullen Saturn and fiery Mars which neither the Temper nor Constitution of Man or other Animals are able to sustain or endure They are of such a vehement subtle and resistless operation that they surprize and destroy all the Faculties and Powers of Life in a Moment Their Motion is so quick as admits no Guard or Prevention There are no Antidotes against their force neither in Foresight nor Physick Italy and Spain can give many fatal Demonstrations of this Truth who are so exquisite in the mixing preparing and compounding of Scents that they have dominion over the very Air to what Extent or Limit they please Nay they will force the Air to Conspire with their Black Designs and retain the Infection till their Mischiefs are Compleated Likewise there are several sorts of Minerals and Metals that in the Melting Refining and Separating send up such Mortal and Inimical Vapours that no Use or Custom in the World can ever render familiar and healthful the more crude and foul any Metal is the more gross and poysonous are its fumes when it passes the fluxes of the Fire as Quick-silver Lead and many other Metals On the other side the higher any Metal is in its Nature Refined and Purged the finer sweeter and more pleasant are the fumes it sends up from the Fire when Melted and Refined and consequently more healthy and agreeable to the Workman The very same is to be understood of the Fat of Beasts or other Animals 't is better or worse clean or unclean according to the Graduation or Birth of the Creature which is declared by their Shapes Forms and Figures to the distinguishing Eye also the Cries and Tones they send forth Likewise when the Flesh oâ—… Fat is Burned and the Centre of the Body opened the fume oâ—… smell informs you what property of Nature had the Principle Government in the Creature the scent of the Dung or Ordure of most Creatures will afford a manifest Discovery of their originaâ—… Qualities whether clean or unclean c. This is apparently evident let a Hog eat the same Grass Corn or Food as Sheep Oxen Cows c. yet the Swines Breath Urine and Dung will never have the same Scent or Smell with the other so that
their Post and Defend the Microcosmical City from her Enemies For the use and office of the Palate is to distinguish whether our Meats and Drinks be equal or unequal that is whether the Bitter the Sweet the Saltish Astringent or Sour and which of these have the Governing or Predominancy in the said Foods and Drinks For these four Qualities are the very Centre and original foundation of all the wonderful and amazing Varieties not only of Tastes but of the Complexion of every individual thing or Creature both in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Worlds or Kingdoms and according to the degrees of their Government such a Form Shape and Signature Qualification and Nature they are of either good or bad vertuous or vicious from which foundation and ruling power each Creature obtains the name either of good or evil Therefore no Man can pretend to know or understand the general nor particular Nature Effects and Operation of any thing or Creature if he be Blind and Dumb as to the Signature and distinguishing these four Grand Qualities or Mighty Powers that are as it were the very Centre and Composition of all things for if the Musician do not understand the wonderful Power and Energy of the Seven Notes which are the Basis and Central powers of Equality and Concord nor the Mathematician the true uses of the Nine Figures the first can make no Harmony nor the last cannot penetrate into the Secrets of that wonderful and demonstrative Science by which so many Wonders and Useful Trades Callings and Employments have been Midwifed into the World to the great benefit of Mankind For he that does not understand the Proportion nor the Qualities and Parts things are made and compounded of cannot have any true or certain knowledge neither of himself nor of any other thing but do speak and judge by chance and not from any intelligable or Central Knowledge or Understanding The five outward Senses are the Materials Man is Compounded of as to the Elements of the Body and which are the true House and Corporality of the five inward Mental Senses or Spiritual Powers the outward being as so many Kings and Princes who have under their Command many Officers and Centinels that have several Posts by whose Vigilancy and Diligence all the common Roads and Passages might be kept safe and free from Tumults and Disorders for the outward Senses are the Carriers or Presenters of all Objects and things to the sleeping Magick Powers of the Mind or inward Senses and therefore it is of great and infinite moment for every one to regulate and keep the five outward Senses in due order viz That they be not defiled nor adulterated by Intemperance Uncleanness and Disorders neither in Meats Drinks Employments nor Communications And therefore this great and Noble Sense the Taste or distinguisher of all Qualities Forms and Complexions is wonderfully and aptly placed in the Mouth or grand Gate or inlet that leads into the very Center of the Microcosmical City which Gate or Passage is double Guarded as is mentioned before that it may be able to bolt or shut out whatsoever shall be offered that is not profitable nor good either for the Support or Substance of the Body or Mind But if this Sense of Tasting be sâ—…llyed and most are rendred incapable of distinguishing Vertue from Vice or natural Preparations from Hetrogenials to judge better of the Nature and true Operations of Foods and Drinks than Blind Men can of Colours or Deaf Men of Musick for having lost the true use of this Noble Faculty and Precious Jewel a Man is left destitute of all conduct and there remains but one thing by which he is rendred in any degree able to resist the great Enemies of Nature Gluttony Uncleanness and Disorder viz the will and desires can by its innate Power command the Gates the Teeth and Lips to be shut and barred up to defend and keep out all Invading and Incroaching Powers that continually attempts to storm the Health and Preservation of Man Therefore it is a Vertue of great Value to command the Mouth to be shut and to deny himself the Tasting of improper Meats and Drinks and to keep the Mouth shut against the beloved Apple for by Eating Mankind is preserved both in the Harmony of his Body and Mind and by Eating he is likewise sunk into the deepest Misery and Depravity as Witness our first Parents Eating is a great Misery which few or none understand if they did there would be more Care and Caution in it then there is It was not without great Reason and inspired Thought that the Learned Moses tells us that our first Parents Fell and Degeneration came on them by eating of the Forbidden Fruit what that was we will not undertake to decide however it is not to be doubted but that it did arise and proceed from the evil Powers and divided Forms that is from the disunion of the Principles and Qualities of their own Composition for whosoever doth Eat and Drink without the Eye of Wisdom and distinguishing of God and of Nature in themselves must of necessity Eat the Forbidden Fruit for in whomsoever the Powers of the violent wrathful Spirits are stirred up and awakened the Mouth of the same black Principle is opened and with its highest diligence desires and seeks out a suitable Food this was the dark or gloomy Door that all the great â—…wils and Cruelties came in at for when the Central Blood-Hounds have gotten the Scent and tasted Blood and Wounds then all the noble Faculties the Senses especially that of the Taste becomes depraved and the Will and Desires arises and are continually Generated from the dark Magia then there is no distinction between Cleanness and Uncleanness Violence and Vertue that Form that is awakened in the sullen Magia forms the Thoughts Desires and Wills which Rules and Commands over all the Inferior Officers and Powers and Nature bows before this violent fierce and fiery Spirit as Iacob did before Esau. Now Meats and Drinks are of the same Lump and in them are contained the compleat Nature and true Property of Man be they of what kind soever every sort and particular hath its own Complexion and its whole Business and Inclination is to advance that Property which is strongest in it and doth use all Industry to subject all Forms and Powers to its Government be it either Good or Evil Violence or Patience Anger or Love for so soon as Mankind loses his Way and distinguishing Faculties then immediately a crowd of Usurpers throng in upon him in a hostile way and call for their Similes or Assistance for every sort of Food and Drink when it comes into the Stomach is presently turned to Blood Spirits Dispositions and Inclinations and if the Forms be divided and Disunion begotten then Wrath Fierceness and Violence obtains the Government and then all Meats and Drinks are changed and Converted into their own Nature and Property whether they be clean or
unclean for every specifick Body or Thing is endued with its own Magnet and its Innate Power doth draw forth such Matter Juice or Nourishment that is proper to sustain and support its own Body and at the same time the other Forms and Qualities lie as it were hid sleeping in the Magia as for Example In one Field or Pasture there are several sorts of Animals viz. Cows Sheep Horses and Swine and they all Eat one sort of Herbage or Grass which do Nourish and Sustain them notwithstanding they are of several Species or Kinds as is mentioned before the Swine Transmutes the Juices of the Grass into its own Nature viz. into gross unclean Flesh and a foul stinking Excrement very burthensome and a meer loathing to Nature the Horse to a lively strong brisk Nourishment the Dung or Excrement not at all offensive the Cow from the same Food doth Extract good clean Nutriment and a considerable quantity of Milk whose pleasant Colours do declare its Excellency and the Flesh is much finer and cleaner also the Dung is of a good Smell and some do esteem it a good Perfume thâ—… like is to be understood in all Husbandry each Grain of Seed doâ—… by a secret Power and Sympathetical Inclination attract a suitâ—…ble Matter out of the Earth to support and nourish its own Body so Curious so Mysterious so Wonderful and so Amazinâ—… are the Works of the Great Creator and Eternal Preserver of 〈◊〉 his Off-spring The very same is to be understood of the Operations in thâ—… Human Nature for since Man hath immersed his Will and Dâ—…sires into the blackest and deepest degrees of Bestiality and Depravation and Lives in and under the Lyonish Bearish and Doâ—… gish Spirits and died with the deepest Colour of Violence anâ—… Fierceness then these Rapacious Beasts and all those evil Properties and Qualities have obtained the Ascendant and Rule 〈◊〉 the Will and Desires so by the Power and Operation of theâ—… ruling Qualities a suitable Nourishment is Extracted from 〈◊〉 Meats and Drinks be they of what Nature soever clean or unclean the Commanding and Transmuting Powers standing 〈◊〉 the wrath and fierceness of the divided Forms and disunity 〈◊〉 the Natural Powers which do presently awaken and stir up a moâ—… violent Spirit in the Eaters and Communicaters of such thing for so soon as Mankind Tasted Blood together with the Flesh presently awakened and rouzed up all the dark morose uncleâ—… Spirits and dark Properties of the sullen Magia and Incorpoâ—… ted with and strengthened their Similies which did quick prepare him to do the like by his own kind viz. To Kill 〈◊〉 Slaughter and to have no more Mercy nor Compassion than had of the Beasts being both done from the same Principle Violence Eating and Tasting has a wonderful Power and Energie it bâ—…ing the very Substance of a Man's Life this Sense being an â—…ticing Faculty and when it is depraved and the Will kindlâ—… in Violence and Debauchery then it destroys many thousands poor Ignorant Mortals and sends them into the next Woâ—… therefore Temperance and Simplicity in Meats and Drinks 〈◊〉 to keep this noble Sense simple and entire is highly commenâ—…ble and as it were the Fountain of all Wisdom Many more Excellencies and Vertues the Holy Creator 〈◊〉 endued this great and noble Sense the Tasting with and 〈◊〉 cularly that of Pleasure and Delight which seems to surpass all others what Pastime Pleasure and Delight is there in the World that can be compared to a sharp entire well prepared Appetite doth it not at once compleatly Indulge and Gratify the whole For though this Sense doth not represent the curious Forms and Figures Odoriferous Smells or Scents Melodious Sounds and Harmonies yet it doth entirely afford the highest degrees of Pleasure though it must be confess'd it is short yet livelier than the other as to the Tasting part but at the same time with the help and assistance of the under-graduated Officers viz. the Teeth Liquor and Menstruum it conveys all the Substance into the Stomach the common Magazine or Store-house of Man and then its Subservient Vessels or Officers separates those Meats and Drinks and conveys or carries the finer part thereof to every Part or Member of the whole which doth refresh and strengthen every particular so that there is a melodious Agreement and lovely Consort between that great variety of all the Forms Qualities and Senses at once which does exceed all other Pleasures or Delights in the little World For what Person is there in the World that hath a well-prepared Appetite and sharp Stomach that will not leave or separate himself from all other Pleasures be they of what nature soever for a good Meals Meat and Drink when exceeding Thirst and Drought invades him Here the Senses of Life are concerned and the Support of all the parts of Nature are touched at once and there all the Parts and Members together with the Power of the Senses that do inspire and reinforce the Will and Desires insomuch that they become so very Strong and Potent that they command the Hands and Feet and all the other Parts to provide Materials for the maintaining the great Pleasure of the Palate and to furnish the Stomach or Magazine with such Matter or Food that they may sustain the whole and therefore in cases of necessity some of the Antients have counted it Lawful to Steal or Plunder for so much Food and Drink as will sustain and preserve Life So that there is a greater necessity to support and maintain the Pleasure of the Pallate than any other belonging to the Body There are three things that are for the Support of Mankind and that he cannot Live without viz. Food Houses and Cloths Now Food hath the first place Houses the second and Cloths the third And as this great and noble Sense doth afford unto Mankind the most ample and compleatest Pleasure of all others and is of the most necessity so on the other side if it be over indulged and cloyed so that it becomes depraved by an intemperate unclean Life then most or all the forementioned Delights and Pleasures are abated for the more excellent any thing is in its own Nature the greater are the Evils whenabased Therefore the Foolish and such as give themselves to Intemperance Gluttony and Drunkenness finding the natural and excelling Pleasures of this Sense they have in most Ages used all endeavours with great Labour Care and Hazard both to the Body and Mind with a thousand Inventions and unnatural or disagreeing Compositions Childishly imagining thereby to gratify the more and continue the long Pleasure and Delight of this Sense but being ignorant and mistaken in the Operations of Nature which are all Simple and Innocent most of them have Experienced the quite contrary Effects and instead of true Pleasure and Delight they have dulled cloyed or blunted the Edge of their Appetites and Palates by their often addresses they make to it Eating too much
in quantity and of disagreeing Qualities foolishly compounding many brave noble rich Ingredients together of disagreeing Qualities and Natures which do as it were at once take away and deface all the true Relish and Taste of those fine Things and Dainties which perhaps many hundreds have lost their Lives to fetch and procure besides these are not half the Evils that attend those Preposterous Inventions and Methods of Compositions and Mankind endeavouring to prolong and gratify this Sense viz. How many hundreds of cruel Diseases hath Man brought on himself and worst of all hath intailed them on his Posterity by which he hath not only destroyed and obliterated all the entire Delight and Pleasures of Life and of this noble Sense but of them all Pray tell me what Pleasure can any Person have in the hearing of curious and melodious Consorts and Airs of Musick that lies crying out with the Gout Or who can take Pleasure in brave noble and delicate Prospects or in fine Shapes Forms and rare Painting whose Body and Members are full of Diseases and hardly any part free from Pain Or what Delight and Pleasure can curious odorifirous Smells or Scents afford unto him who is Sick of a Burning Feaver or in a down-right Consumption Doth not the Scent or Smell offend such an one And what Delight can any Person have in the best and choicest Meats and Drinks when his whole Body is Indisposed or invaded by various Diseases Or what Pleasure or Delight can any one take it the Embraces and Touch of the fairest Sex and finest Objects when his Body and all his Members doth languish under various Diseases and Indispositions So that this great and important Sense the Tasting being kept entire and perfect by Order Temperance and Cleanness is as it were the compleat Delight of all the Senses and Powers of Nature and that faithful Officer and Conveyer of all Materials tâ—… the Center of Life by which the Body and Spirits are continually supplied and maintained and so long as it is in its Perfection and Simplicity it is the Original of all other natural Delights and Pleasures but being as is mentioned before sullied and adulterated by surpluss of Meats and Drinks both in quantity and quality which do not only at once destroy its own Nature Gust and Pleasure but likewise of all the other Senses and Powers both of the Body and Mind So that all the Delights of Life the Pleasure of Time and the Intellectual Speculation of the Wonders of God his Law and universal Nature is sunk which Mankind hath foolishly depraved himself of Intemperance Uncleanness Violence and Oppression which has so blunted and sullied all the noble Faculties and Functions of Nature that he hath lost that great Gift and distinguishing Power so that he hath not any true use of his natural Senses neither does he See Hear Feel Taste nor Smell the Intrinsick Vertues nor Vices of himself nor the Things he Communicates with Now this is his Fall viz. to be ignorant of those Officers and Powers he every moment Uses and Converses with and cannot do one thing without them be it of what Nature and Quality it will The deep degrees of Man's Fall is such that he is now Acted and Operated by all those great Powers no otherwise than the Beasts what he hath obtained more is a Cunning Violent Oppressive Circumventing Sense of Pollicy so Miserable Wicked and Ignorant is Mankind become notwithstanding his Creator hath dressed and endued him with so many noble and worthy Faculties What a brave Serene Quiet Delightful World would there be if Man would but turn the Eye of his Mind inwardly and Search Feell Taste See Hear Know and Find himself for to know a Man's Self is to understand all the great Mysteries and Wonders of God both Corporally and Incorporally when this Blessing attends any Person then he doth not only contemplate the Mysteries and Wonders of himself and the amazing varieties of occult Powers Forms and Principles but he is thereby inspired and the eye of each Power is so clearly open that he Sees Hears Tasts Feells Smells and Distinguishes the Magick Birth of all things in this visible World and when he looks on or beholds any Individual Form Figure or Shape he Sees and Penetrates into the Center of that thing and distinguishes the inward Nature and Complexion and what Form or Quality has the Government and Signature by which Knowledge and true Sight he can put it to that use that God and his Handmaid Nature ordained it Likewise when such an one shall hear any Discourses Words Voices Tones and Cries both of Men and Beasts he can distinguish from what Center each Sound Discourse Word Voice Tone or Cry doth arise and proceed from and what Principles oâ—… Qualities do carry the uppermost Dominion in them and the Character of that Form they are signed with and whether each did proceed from Equality or Inequality Harmony or Discord by which he is armed and fitted to Embrace that which is good and agreeable to Harmony Unity and Vertue and to resist and refuse what is evil and hurtful Also when he Tastes any particular Food or other thing he can distinguish whether it be good and proper to be Eaten how prepared mixed and compounded or simple and what are the Qualifications of it and the Form that hath the chief Ascendant in it distinguishing by the Taste for what it is good and the contrary and so be able to Embrace the Good and withstand the Evil. The like is to be understood in the other two noble Senses or Powers the Smelling and the Feeling Now this is some part of the Knowledge of a Man's Self for by the distinguishing these five great and wonderful Powers called Senses the inward Eye of the Mind is opened so that he can through those inspired Qualities See and Penetrate into the Centre of himself into the five Inward or Intellectual Senses which in all degrees answer to the five Senses before treated of which there is a large Account of in our Treatise of Dreams and Visions Now as Man hath lost the true Intrinsick Uses of these great and noble Powers the Senses by Intemperance Uncleanness and his rapacious Living on such Meats and Drinks that was not suitable unto Uniformity and his Original Innocent State so on the other side there is no method nor way to reinvest and obtain his first Condition of Unity and the understanding of himself and the Signatures of his own Composition but Temperance Cleanness and to abandon all Violence and Oppression both to Man and Beast by which the Divine Union is to be understood and enjoyed which can never be accomplished except Mankind keep God's Law which we shall farther demonstrate in our Answer to your Letter wherein you desire our Judgement touching the Operation of the five Senses in the Beasts In the intreim we send you this which please to accept as an Answer to your Question not doubting
but the consideration thereof wiâ—… afford you some Benefit LETTER IV. Of the Sense of Seeing SIR BY the Receipt of yours I find you have a great desire to have my Iudgement of that most Stupendious and Wonderful Sense of Seeing in Answer whereunto I shall according to my Talent endeavour to Explicate the Variousness Virtues and Powers of that most amazing and admirable Faculty NOW as that wonderful Eye of Heaven the Sun is the very Centre of Light of all the numberless numbers of Creatures being the Foundation and Well being of them all who by its illuminating Beams Communicates Life and Light to all the Host of Heaven and Earth without which all would be a dark Chaos of Misery and Confusion Words are too short to set forth the Uses and Excellencies of this Sun of God in which the Preserving and Divine Power is understood and manifested And as this high illuminating Spirit and Power is the Eye which doth enlighten and preserve every Member and Part of the Great World being its Soul or Centre The like is to be understood of the Sense of Seeing in us for as the Sun is the Eye of the Macrocosm so is the Sense of Seeing the Light of the Microcosm which doth enlighten every Member and Part thereof for Man is a compleat Image of God and his Handmaid Nature and doth contain the true Nature and Properties of the whole and therefore is called a Little World or an Extract from the Great and as this high and mighty Power the Sun doth enlighten direct and conduct all and by whose Power and illuminating Beams all this wonderful variety of Beings and Creatures are understood and distinguished And as the World would be a miserable Chaos if the glorious Eye of Heaven were withdrawn but one moment even so it would be with Man for this Sense of Seeing is both in the Great and the Little World the true Guide of all Action and Motion and in this Sense or Light is contained the Secret or Central Fire which by Motion and continual Circulation of contrary Qualities becomes manifest warming and preserving the whole being the Root and Original of Vegetation and the true Father of the Light for Fire and Light are inseparable they dwell eternally together for this cause where the Light is weak or but little there the Fire is as impotent as is most manifest in all the Northern parts of the World most part of the Year being terrible-Cold Frosty Weather the Elements being Congealed for want of Heat The contrary is to be understood in the Southern parts of the World where there is Light Heat is always at hand and in what thing soever the Central Fires are potent there the Light is also strong powerful and lasting there being always a proportionable Nature between the Light Fire or Central Heat of each thing both in Animals Vegetables and Minerals for this cause Children and all Young People have a clearer and more penetrating Sense of Seeing than those of Age because their Light burns clearer and all their Humours are clean vigorous and free from dull cloudy Vapours the Elements of Water and Fire being thin and more pure do rarify each other by which the Oil of Life or Salnitral Vertues are clean and free from gross obstructing Matter from whence the Fire hath its bright clear shining Quality so that in Youth all the Operations of the Elements are more brisk lively and powerful than in Age as appears not only in the Sight but in all the Actions of Life For as the Natural and Central Fires decay the Light equally grows weak some sooner some later according to the degrees of the Decay or Weakness sometimes this decrease of natural Heat is Universal and when this happens the whole Body doth quickly dwindle and fall into Death but very often this Decay of the Natural Heat happens in the Intelligible part the Head by some accident of Obstruction the Vessels or Optick Nerves becoming stiff or as it were glewy the Porous Parts or Vessels being narrowed or small which does prevent the free Ingress Egress and Regress of the fine thin rarified Spirits that are generated thro' the whole Body which every moment doth ascend by certain Circular Motions into the Head or most Intelligible Part which if at any time the whole Road or common Passage of those fine thin rarified Spirits be stopt or obstructed the Person so Afflicted immediately falls and nothing but Death follows and that in a moments time this being the Original occasion of sudden Death so that many Sound Healthy Persons by such like Obstructions fall into Death who otherwise might have Lived many Years as being free from Diseases For this cause Temperance and Cleanness both in Quality and Quantity of Meats and Drinks are as it were the Spring-head of Health and the Generater of fine clean nutriment good Blood pure Spirits noble Dispositions and Inclinations whatever Cormorants and unclean Belly-gods may Dream to the contrary Nature and God's Law is always true and cannot lie Every thing under the Government of the glorious Eye of Heaven doth arise proceed and follow its first Matter and carries in its Bosom or Centre a Key that can readily join and unlock all the secret Doors of Nature's Cabinet and finding out and incorporating with its Simile encreasing and strengthening the same which is the highest Joy and Solace of all Corporal and Incorporal Beings For this cause as any Persons Meat Drink Employment and Communications are either from the dark cloudy Root clean or unclean so the Humours Blood Dispositions Inclinations Words and Works all proceed and go on in a streight Line or Method therefore to be either too much in the Sun or Shade begets Complexions for Meats and Drinks are the Centre and Substance of our Lives and in them are contained the true Nature and Property of all Qualities Principles and Dispositions enduing the Eater with their Qualifications If this were not true Man could not Subsist or have his Life continued whatever the unthinking do or may imagine to the contrary every thing knows its own Voice and Cries after its own Dam or Mother and the Senses are the Officers Carriers or Conveyers of all things to the Central parts and Understanding so that all the hidden Powers and Qualities are awakened each Quality having its peculiar Appetite do direct and draw unto its self both Corporally and Spiritually not intermeddling with the Business of its Neighbour So this wonderful penetrating Sense is the only Guide of the Body and capable Power to present unto the Understanding and Judgement the Forms and Signatures of all things in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Worlds by which an enlightened Philosophical Mind can in some degree by the Form and Signature understand the Complexion of each and consequently their Uses It is this Sense that doth likewise present unto the Intellectual part of Man all delightful and pleasant Prospects serene Airs and agreeable clean
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
Constitution and Disposition compels them to it But most Beasts Birds and Fish their Rest and Sleep is nothing but a continual waking in comparison of Man's deep and dead Sleep The principal cause why the Creatures are not so drowned in this drowsy Death is they have not broken God's Law but live more intire and according to their Original their Meats and Drinks being more suitable to their Original Natures whether they be clean or unclean for to Unclean Creatures unclean Food is suitable and agreeable to its Qualifications and to the Clean clean Foods are in proportion suitable and therefore all the Beasts are not only more wakeful and less subject to the Sleep of Death than Man having all their Senses more ready lively brisk and at all times more at command for they rarely gratify the four Head Senses to disturb and torment the Sense of Feeling and therefore are not so terribly pestered with such a number of cruel Diseases as Man therefore it is most clear that all the great Powers called Senses are dull heavy and as it were half Dead when sleeping but when waking are brisk and lively all according to the Meats Drinks Employments Communications and Exercises for Mankind by rapacious unclean Meats and Drinks makes himself of another Complexion and his Constitution is another thing than originally it was nothing being so deplorable and so great an Evil as to act and live in a contrary Method to its own Creation and this is the greatest Curse that can fall upon any Creature this is Man's greatest Fall and Misfortune which can never be cured except he again enter into Resignation or Self-denial viz. Into Equality or Union that is into Temperance and Cleanness and live according to his Original State and Constitution But so long as he oppresses the Creatures and violates their Well-being and Quiet he can never have reason to expect to be freed from far greater than the inferiours and therefore this Feeling Power is rarely free from Trouble and Perplexity as being subject to all kinds of irregular Courses both of the Body and Mind there is no Disorder or Intemperance but does fall on it as all our Labour Care Love Hate Hope Fear Hunger Cold Heat evil Communications and all Words and Works this Sense is the Centre or House both of Joy and Sorrow both in Time and Eternity For this cause Mankind ought to be on his Guard at all times and Seasons being beset on all sides both within and without with a great number of Temptations and evil Customs the Degeneration of Man is such that all things he meddles with is a Share to him being deprived of the true use of the Powers Qualities and Principles of himself and being in the Dark he uses all his Senses to a wrong purpose so that all those high and noble Intelligences are sullyed and made subject to the gross inferiour unclean Powers which doth continually load and lay as it were intollerable Burthens on this universal Sense every Action and Motion of Life Inclination and Disposition doth influence that it being the Touch-stone which doth demonstrate from what Principle or Root each Action and Motion of Life doth proceed and take their Birth whether from the Evil or Good Now this Sense is the Judge both of the Body and all its Actions and also of the Desires and Inclinations so that Man hath no occasion to look abroad for Councellors or for a Judge they all dwell in himself he is the Thing viz. The great Mystery wherein all the Treasures both of Time and Eternity are to be understood and therefore the Apostles might well say that whatsoever could be understood or known of our Great Creator and of his great Powers in Nature was manifested in Man and as clear to be seen as the Sun at Noon but who can see the Sun if he be Blind Is it not a most miserable and deplorable Condition Mankind hath fallen and sunk himself into that he hath lost the Understanding and distinguishing Power of his own Composition and of his own Senses and that he hath not the use of them to that degree as the Beasts have as we shall demonstrate when we treat of the Common Animals for it is not possible for any Man to understand the whole if the parts of the Things or Qualities it is compounded of be not distinguished this is most clear and manifest in all Sciences Arts and Trades which do all arise and take their Birth from Man and the Mystery contained in his Microcosm for if all Sciences Arts and Trades yea a thousand Mysteries and rare Inventions that have are and will be found out and brought to light had not been originally Essential in the very Centre of Man then it had been impossible to have brought them to light What great Pity and Lamentation is it that Man who is endued with so many great noble and worthy Faculties and in whom is contained all the great Mysteries of Time and Eternity and made to live in and under the Operation of the United and Illuminated Powers of God's Law should suffer his Will and Desires to enter into the dark Magick of Discord Fierceness Wrath Violence Intemperance Uncleanness and Oppression of all the innocent Inhabitants of the Earth and at the same time to plague and to torment himself for the Groaning of those Creatures that suffer Pain never fail to procure Misery to the Actors thereof It is farther to be noted that that thing which is Pleasure to the Sense of Tasting and a Delight to the Sense of Seeing doth often prove a torment to the Sense of Feeling as in Gluttony and Drunkenness which do frequently distemper the Body and perplex the Mind The like the Sense of Seeing doth bring on this Sense by presenting curious Objects to the Intellects whicâ—… puts Man on the Rack till he hath obtained his desires and wheâ—… that is done there is no more satisfaction than before for iâ—… Wisdom be obliterated then there is nothing can give satisfaction for such do all things by Custom Tradition and President asking no question Now if Mankind hath lost the use of those grosser Powers how can he then be capable of the more Intellectual and Divine Operations of Gods eternal Law and Holy Light The first foundation of this Stupidity Blindness and Erroâ—… was gross Eating Drinking and Uncleanness for nothing hath so much Power and Authority on the Body and Mind 〈◊〉 Meats and Drinks which do sustain and support both Body aâ—… Spirits and according to their respective Virtues or Vices they nourish and incline to this or the other thing so that nothinâ—… hath so great power to preserve the intrinsick Vertues and gooâ—… Properties in Man as Sobriety Temperance and Cleanness and on the other side nothing doth so much fully the worthy and iâ—… telligible Faculties as Intemperance Disorder and Uncleanness This is clearly manifest in that noble Sense the Smelling whicâ—… is as we have said an
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
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
are all Passions and the chief Discoverers of Ignorance Blindness and Disunity but must quietly submit to God's Divine Hand that is never wanting to all such that Live within the Bounds and Limits of his Eternal and Unalterable Law All such will feel and enjoy the Pleasant Fruit of Paradice both in Time and Eternity but when the Eye of the Mind and Intellectual Powers are Dark and Ignorant and when the opposite Powers to all Cleanness Virtue and Temperance are awakened then all the Desires and Hopes do Proceed and are Generated from those Ruling Fierce Invading Violent Unclean Spirits and Powers which stir up and forces the Husband to leave his Loving Wife and Tender Children exposing-them to all kind of Ruin and Misery the Son to leave his Father and Loving Mother and open his Breast to Guns and Swords and to all manner of Cruelty and Hardship others to Rob Plunder and Steal some to undertake long hard and hazardous Voyages and a thousand difficult Enterprizes which no Man would ever do if he did not hope to escape the danger and come off well Who would be a Soldier if he were sure to be killed and had no Hopes or what Person would break open a House if he did not hope to do it and not to be taken none of these wickednesses and violences would be done if that Gentleman called Hope did not flatter them and entice them to it So that it 's most manifest that Men do hope against Reason Wisdom Understanding and all known Virtues who are all sure to Feel the Smart sooner or later LETTER VI. Of FIRES SIR I Have received yours wherein you desire to be informed the best Method of making Grates and Coal-Fires in Kitchens and Chambers the which I shall endeavour to Answer 1. TAKE two Fire-stones about 14 or 16 Inches high from the Hearth which you may fix to a Back of Bricks in Depth about 7 8 9 or 10 Inches the wideness in the Front 12 or 14 Inches in proportion to the Depth that is to say if the Depth be 7 Inches then the Front 14 Inches wide between which Stones you are to place a Grate made much in the nature of a Gridiron viz. It must stand moveable upon 4 Legs not exceeding 3 4 or 5 Inches at most from the Hearth the last of which will serve for the greatest Kitchin-Fires and the first for Chambers with 2 3 or 4 small Bars made round about the bigness of your little Finger and about 3 or 4 Inches distant from each other the uppermost Bar to be the strongest all fastned in 2 sides of Iron ascending from the 2 front Legs as high as the top of the Fire-stones which will be all flat on the top in the front the bottom Bars to lie flat and not edgeways a little distance from each other Note that the Stones at the sides and the back behind must be both made upright without any shelving as the usual Custom is and between the Grate and the 2 Stones at the sides and the back of Bricks behind you must leave the same distance as you make between the Bars at the Bottom of your Grate so your Grate will go in and come out easily which will powerfully draw the Air on all sides and behind and make the Fire Burn strong and clear so that you will have no occasion to use any Bellows to blow it the reason whereof is it being as deep or of the same compass at the bottom as on the top and the Grate not standing close either to the sides or to the back the Air freely circulates on all sides so that your Fire burns many degrees stronger than the Customary sloping Grates which are high from the bottom of the Hearth and sloping which prevents Attraction and Circulation of the Air whereas the low standing of this Grate together with the depth and upright standing of the sides and back as is mentioned before makes it burn so clear and strong that it will Heat Iron fit for Forging and Boil and Prepare any sort of Food not only in less than half the time but much sweeter and cleaner The best way of kindling this Fire is with a few small Sticks Shavings or Splinters upon which put your Cinders and a few fresh Coals then you may light it with a Candle and it will burn without blowing with Bellows for blowing weakens and destroys the Sulphur or Sal niter in the Coals for this cause Fires that are blown will not Cake or Coagulate and consequently will not burn near so strong as those that are not blown Besides this Fire will burn quicker or in a shorter time and sooner fit for use and not so apt to smoak the House nor the Foods that are prepared by it If you have not Fire-stones for the sides Bricks will perform the same and are more lasting The Charge of the Grate Stones or Bricks are much less thâ—… the common Grates and their Appurtenances the whole of the smaller sort will not cost above 12 or 14 s. the larger not exceeding 20 or 26 s. Moreover the low standing of this Grate does prevent the Chimney drawing up the heat whereby the Room is maâ—…e much warmer and the Hearth made so hot that you may Bake small things thereon provided that you place Backs to reflect the heat as is used in Roasting of Meat and warms the Legs of those that sit by them which other Fires seldom do These Fires will Boil any thing in your Pots without having Hangâ—… to them placing only 2 small moving Bars of Iron which wâ—… reach from one side to the other of the Brick-work which mâ—… all be flat and even on the top for your Pot or Vessel to stâ—… upon LETTER VII Of Bricks and various sorts of Earth SIR YOurs I have received and shall endeavour to answer your Request viz. The best and most natural way of making Bricks Tiles Mortar Plaister and Flooering Of Bricks 1. DIG up your Earth between Michaelmas and Christmas that it may have sufficient time to mellow ferment or digest which will render it more apt and fit to Temper and about March or April it will be fit to Tread or Temper which ought to be done more than doubly what is usual for the goodness of the Bricks wholly depend upon the well performance of its first Preparation for the Earth in its self before it is wrought is generally brittle and dusty and as it were without Band or Stability but by adding small quantities of Water by degrees to it and working and incorporating of it together does open the body by which the Astringent Sal nitral Power of nature does appear and tinge the whole with a tough Glewy strong Band or Substance which without these reiterated Stroaks Beatings or Temperings could not have been manifested for this Saturnine Tough Constringent Band or Oily Substance is hid and captivated in the innermost Centre even as the sweetness in Barley is not nor cannot
be manifest to our Senses till it has past through the several Fermentations and Operations of being made into Malt which manifests the hidden sweet Quality which was so central and captivated by the Martial and Saturnine Forms that without this Operation would still have lain hid or disappeared The like is to be understood in the Temperament of most sorts of Earth This is farther manifest in the Housewifes Art of making good Bread when there is a due quantity of Water put to the Meal and well wrought up together such Bread becomes not only smooth and firm without having either eyes or being subject to crumbling but it Eats sweeter and mellower and becomes easier of Concoction affording far better Nourishment than such as is over watered and not sufficiently Tempered provided the other Operations which belong to the making of good Bread be performed viz. Baking c. as we have formerly written in several of our Writings It is farther to be noted that the common Method of over watering both in the Tempering of Bricks Mortar Flooring c. proves baneful and destroys the end for which they are designed for the Labourers generally Temper their Mortar with great quantities of Water to make it easy in Working and greater dispatch in fitting it presently for use but this Method does not open the body so that the Astringent Sal nitral Powers of Nature lie hid as before in which consists the tough glewy binding Quality therefore such Mortar becoming dry is almost as brittle â—…s the Earth of which it was made and is the ruin of many noble Structures for the Labourers instead of putting on much Water at once ought to lay it on by degrees and mix and incorporate the Lime Sand and Water well together by continual Stroaks or Workings which will open their bodies and manifest the hidden sal nitral Virtues and glewy Qualities that make it tough smooth and binding for much Working makes and melts it into a soft smooth Consistency fit for Use with half the Water and raises a dewy Moisture out of its own body which knits and binds and when dry becomes as hard and as durable as the best of Stones Bricks thus Tempered become solid smooth hard and durable and one Brick thus made takes up near as much as a Brick and a half made the common way which are light full of cracks and spungy occasioned by the want of due Working and Management and the mixing of Ashes and light sandy Earth to make them work easy and with greater dispatch as also to save Culm or Coals in the Burning of them The excellency of Bricks consist chiefly in the first and last Operation for Bricks made of good Earth and well Tempered become solid and ponderous and therefore will take up a longer time in Drying and Burning than our common Bricks need Note that the well Drying of Bricks before they are Burned prevents cracking and crumbling in their Burning for when the Bricks are too wet they are then extreams which doth never well together The best way of ordering your Fire is to make it gentle at first and encrease it by degrees as your Bricks grow harder It is also to be noted that in what Earth or thing soever the sal nitral oily Virtues are weak hid or unmanifested that thing is not only dusty and brittle but consequently subject to decay as is most clear and manifest in Stones which tho' they are hard yet are very brittle and more subject to decay than the Lime made thereof for the fierceness of the Fire or Martial Violence doth loosen and open the strong cold Contraction of the Saturnine Quality which Contraction in the original arises from the Element of Water which hath as it were set the Sal nitral Virtues at liberty which were before captivated under the cold Coagulation of the original Forms so that adding a small quantity of Water to those Burned Stones or unslacked Lime will melt them down into a dusty or mealy Substance which being put into a quantity of Water will as readily impart or give forth its Virtues into the said Water as ground Malt will yield and give its sweet Virtues to the warm Liquor in the Mash Tub and leaves the Grains without Strength or Virtue The like is to be understood in slack'd Lime put into a quantity of Water which will draw forth and imbibe the Sal nitral and Oily Virtues of the Lime which will have no more Strength or Virtue than the aforesaid Grains for if you take this Lime thus Infused and join it with Sand or other Earth altho' you Temper it to a high degree yet it will never make a binding or lasting Mortar whence it appears that where the Central Powers or Sal nitral Virtues are hid or captivated or where they are drawn forth by any Art or destroyed by Accident they are of little or no Use for that thing for which they are designed If this were not so why should not Stones beaten into Powder make Mortar or Barley when broken and not Malted yield forth its Virtues into the Water Note that Water draws forth the sweet Virtues of the Barley Malted which makes various Exhilerating Liquors The like is to be understood of Water which hath imbib'd the Sal nitral Virtues and Astringent Qualities of slack'd Lime which renders it fit for many Uses both in Food and Physick viz. It is the only Ingredient that Sugar-Bakers use in the Making and Refining of Sugar for no Sugar can be made without it or its Equivalent viz. Pot-Ashes which are too Dear with us in England for without this Lime-water no Sugar could be Boiled up to a Body or Grain but would still remain a Syrup Sugar in its own Nature is an Extream viz. A compleat Sweet in which the other Qualities are wanting and for that cause cannot be raised to a Consistency and fit for Use without this or a like addition for the Sal nitral Virtues in Lime have their Original from the strong Astringent Band and might of the Fire which is wanting in the Juice of the Sugar Canes which being joined to it gives Life and Vigour to this heavy flat sweet Body and raises it to a hard sparkling Grain shining like Christial and renders it much more useful for Eating and all other Operations than otherwise Lime-water is also good taken inwardly against all inward Bleedings or Ulcerations as also outwardly to wash all Itchy and Leprous Sores and Humors a Poultice made thus viz. Take a quart of Lime-water and make it boiling hot infuse therein some Rosemary for a quarter of an hour keeping it hot but not boiling then add as much Bread to the Water and Roseâ—…ary as will make it thick with two Ounces of Refined Sugar stir it and incorporate it well together spread it on a Cloth and apply it every two or three hours and in a short time it will allay and take away any Swellings or Pains in the Head Neck
or other parts of the Body It is likewise to be noted that the more powerful the Original Forms in any Body are the stronger is the Coagulation and that Body or Thing produces a more powerful Salniter for this cause Chalk will not make so good Lime as hard Stones or Flints for a weak thing cannot produce a strong which appears fatal to many fine Structures in London Built with Lime made of Chalk for the Original Forms viz. The Astringency which is from Saturn that gives a Shell Skin or Covering to all Bodies both in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Kingdoms and is as it were the House where the other Forms dwell and is the Original of all Coagulating Attracting or Indrawing Powers which preserves and keeps the Volatile Salnitral Spirits from Evaporation If it were not so no Creature or Thing could obtain its highest Limit or Perfection and therefore whensoever this hard tart or severe Astringency is broken or wounded the Salnitral Oils or Sweet Virtues suffer Violence and sink into Death without an application of a powerful Medicine or agreeable Remedy Now Chalk doth manifest by its colour and its soft mealy weakness that the forms and principles of Saturn and Martial Fires aâ—…e weak and impotent and that Venus and Mercury have the Dominion or Government thereof who always produce more Nice and Weak Sal Nitral Virtues The powers of Venus are further manifested by its white colour which in its own nature is innocent and yielding and as it were wanting of toughness and fire which the Saturnine and Martial quality always endues their Children with and according as the degrees of those original Forms are placed and qualified in each thing or Body so that thing or Body is harder softer bigger lesser stronger or weaker and their Virtues and Use are accordingly for this cause all Herbs that are harsh astringent hot or bitter afford not only greater Quantities of Sal Niter but more powerful sharp and penetrating as Wormwood and others that are under the Regiment of Saturn and Mars The like is to be understood of all sorts of Earth and Stones for where the Original or Saturnine quality is strong in the Sal Niter such Stones are contracted and drawn into the most compleat consistency or hardness when in Earth then such Earth is of a glewey sticking nature as Clay and all Earth that has Affinity therewith the Sal Nitral Virtues thereof in such Earth lies so hid in the tough Saturnine Body that it will not bring forth Vegitation without being Manured by Earth that has passed through a Ferment or some Digestion wherein the Martial Salt and Venereal propertys are strong from whence such Bodies have their brittle mealy or yeilding quality as Lime Chalk Ashes and Dung for in this sort of Earth the Martial Fires from whence bitterness has its Original are as it were wholly captivated in the Astringent Chamber of Saturn It is also to be noted that this Earth wants the assisting Qualities of Sol Iupiter and Venus for in what thing soever any one Original Form is powerful the Unity thereof is thereby destroyed and that thing may be good for particular Uses but for general it cannot As for Example If the Saturnine Power have the chief Government in any Thing or Creature that Thing or Creature becomes Hard Cold Constringent Melancholy and Pensive as is farther manifested in all Earths wherein Mars hath the chief Government and Dominion such Earths are endued with great Heat are Short Gravelly and Sandy full of small Stones so that in all hot dry Seasons the Vegitations proceeding therefrom are subject to Scorching and Withering It is likewise to be noted that this Martial or bitter Quality is strong in Trees and such Trees are Hard full of Knots and not tall in Stature but when the Taciturn or Astringent Form of Saturn is joined in any Tree or other thing with the Martial or bitter Quality then such Trees or Bodies are tall smooth hard and very dâ—…rable as Oaks and the like in which those Forms are powerful But if Sol or Venus or the sweet Quality have the chief Government in any Earth or other thing such Earth is mellow easy to be wrought and worked up especially if the Form of Iupiter be joined in Government then it is more deep mellow fit for Herbage Tillage and the best of Corn its colour is yellowish and very good for Wheat and not so apt to be Blasted by unseasonable Weather as other Herbage and Grain are where extream Qualities Govern for the nearer the Union the four grand Qualities stand in any Thing or Ceature the more useful and beneficial that thing becomes and its Shape and Form is the more beautiful for every Original principal Quality and Form is endued with peculiar Sal nitral Virtues which is the Original ground from whence arises the great variety of Complexions Forms and Figures Usefulness and the contrary though this be a Digression I don't doubt but it will be useful to the Understanding Reader Note The same Method that has been described about making of Bricks will do for Tyles Note A Wall or House may be made with unburned Bricks first let your Earth be high and well Tempered smooth and well Moulded as is mentioned before this must be done in the hottest Season then dried and turned after the manâ—…er of Brickmâ—…king only it must be longer exposed to the Sun and Elements till they become hard and tough with these Bricks you may make firm substantial Walls for a House after this manner Take Loam or a Brick Earth and mix therewith some good Lime Temper them very high till they become tough smooth and glewey let the Wall of your House be two Bricks or two Bricks and a half thick your unburn'd Bricks being laid in this well Tempered Mortar they will cement and become one hard solid body as if the whole were but one Brick or Stone when you have raised your Wall 4 or 5 Foot high from the Foundation then let it dry 2 or 3 days before you proceed farther then Build thereon 4 or 5 Foot more making the like pause as before and so proceed till your Wall is finished then Temper some of the same Earth the Wall was made of with a little more Lime than you used for the Wall which you must be sure to Temper very well and with this Mortar Plaster all your Wall well on the outside which will keep off the Weather for nothing injures this Wall but wet and moisture which this Coat will defend and if you would have it more beautiful it is only putting more Lime to it and less Loam and when this is dry you may Colour and Paint it with Red Blue or any other Colour that pleases you best Floors the best of them are made thus Take two thirds of Lime and one third of Coal-Ashes well sifted with a small quantity of Loamy Clay mix the whole quantity that you intend to use
be an error c. Hence it is clear that true Religion and the constant practice of Virtue doth chiefly consist in the true understanding and distinguishing the principles and Powers of God first in Man's self and next in other things for the great Eternal Fountain of God's Love Light and Mercy of which a very large Portion did not only dwell in the Human Body of Jesus Christ from whose Virtue and Holy Power did proceed and flow all those wonderful things he did but the very same united Fountain has been an Inhabitant amongst the Sons of Men even from the beginning and is the Eternal Son of the Great Creator by whom all things were made and by whose Power and Virtue they are preserved and as Christ himself said Except I be in you that is Except this Eternal Light and sweet Love of God reign in your Hearts You are Reprobates It is the Holy Eternal Principle and Fountain of God's Love and Power that Essentially dwells in the very Centre of all Mens Hearts and who give up their Wills and Desires to be Guided and Conducted by its Council It never failed to Reconcile and Unite their Souls to their Creator This Central and Holy Preserving Power in the Human Body of the World is in every Specifick Body or Thing respectively according to the Graduation of each Being or Creature and as each Creature is more or less dignified with a larger or lesser proportion of this Holy Virtue this Eternal Divine Power that Creature or Thing is accordingly better or worse This whole Visible World is nothing else but the Great Body of God which was made by his Eternal Love and Power and is ever sustained by the same and as God preserves the Macrocosm by his everlasting Fountain of Light and Love in the very same manner he doth the Microcosm Man or little World which contains all the true Properties of the Great so that the Power of the Eternal Son of God and Fountain of all Beings is not limited to any Specifick Body but is Incomprehensible and Unfathomable filling Heaven Inhabiting the Centre of all Bodies giving Virtue Light and Love to all according to the Graduation and Capacity of each It is therefore of great and unspeakable Advantage and Use to Mankind to know Christ or the Divine Fountain of God's Eternal Word manifested in the Human Nature that is to arrive at the true Knowledge of God in our selves for the Manifestation of Christ or the Son's Power in the Flesh is the right Distinction every Man makes in himself of God's Eternal Voice of Wisdom Love and Mercy c. that directs us in the Paths of true Virtue and secures us from the Spirit of Error Violence and Oppression Pray tell me what will it avail any Man that the Holy Divine Power of God did in an extraordinary degree and fulness dwell in the Human Body of Christ by which he performed many excellent and wonderful things and at the same time knew nothing of the Divine Manifestation of God's Eternal Love in his own Human Nature If that remains a Mystery unmanifested in and to himself he will be but little benefitted by the Divine Power and Love of God manifested in the Human Body of Christ It matters not what Names Men are pleased to distinguish themselves by God knows no Names 〈◊〉 Natures This is the true Use we are to make of the right Understanding of Jesus Christ's Humanity which it hath pleased God to manifest to many who have been willing to submit to and 〈◊〉 guided by the Voice or Principle of Divine Light which dwâ—… in the Centre of every Man's Life And certainly it is the greatest Blessing both here and hereafter to know Christ Jesus 〈◊〉 the Divine Fountain of God's Eternal Love manifested and distinguished in our Human Natures for from this Power of the Son our Gracious Lovely Fountain doth proceed Justice Merâ—… Love Compassion Cleanness Temperance Order and in 〈◊〉 doing unto all Creatures as we would be done unto it is the Eye of the Soul whereby Men are enabled to distinguish in themselves from what Principles and Fountains every Thought Word and Work doth arise and exert its self in the Humâ—… Ground or Nature Hence it is fully evident that the Knowledge of Christ or the Son of God manifested in our Flesh and Human Nature teachâ—… and powerfully inclines every one that obtains this Spring-heâ—… of Blessings to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth to 〈◊〉 his Neighbour nay his Enemies and behave himself as a 〈◊〉 and Faithful Steward in the Management of all things put undâ—… his Government to one who has the witness of this Truth 〈◊〉 fested in his Soul all Controversies Disputes and Contentâ—… cease having a firmer and better certainty in himself than 〈◊〉 can be drawn from partial and wrangling Debates It is Coâ—… ence bears him Testimony with St. Paul that all that can 〈◊〉 known of God is manifest and known in a Man's self Aâ—… this be true as undoubtedly it is wherefore do Men so fooâ—…ly enquire elsewhere and look abroad for what they may 〈◊〉 little Application readily find in themselves Therefore my Friend turn the Eyes of your Soul inward and 〈◊〉 shall find the Son 's Blessed and Amiable Power in the Centre of 〈◊〉 Life to which you must compel your Will and Affections to be 〈◊〉 and Obedient 'T is this Self-Study I recommend to your daily Prâ—… all other things are Foreign to your Interest but this Knowledge 〈◊〉 stand you in everlasting Stead and administer Infinite Comfort 〈◊〉 Satisfaction when all outward Assistances shall fail and desert yoâ—… Your truly Loving Friend T. T. LETTER XII Of an Afflicted MIND SIR I am now Reading your kind 〈◊〉 and am sensibly concerned you meet with such a heap of Troubles in your Affairs espeâ—…lly the Loss of your two Brothers which must of necessity 〈◊〉 sensibly invade your Peace and Quiet and if given way to multiply Afflictions in your Mind and Body there is no shelter 〈◊〉 such Cases but an humble and intire Submission to the Divine â—…ill and Providence which will in time afford you the best Reâ—…dy especially if you can perswade your self to lead a Philosoâ—…al and Pythagorian Life in Meats Drinks Exercises and Communications the last of these if duly observed will add â—…ndantly to the Health of your Body and the Content of your â—…ind I could heartily wish it were in my power to join with 〈◊〉 in so noble a Design nothing in the World could be more 〈◊〉 my good liking As to your Indisposition I cannot at preâ—…nt give you better Advice than I have already done when I â—…coursed you in London however I would have you if possiâ—… to exalt your Mind that your present Afflictions and Cirâ—…stances may not get Dominion over you for neither your 〈◊〉 Natural Spirits nor Body are able to endure such Fatigues â—…ations and Troubles as others who are of more sturdy Conâ—…tions Much
and awakening the Center of Wrath and Violence Also all Spirituous and strong Liquors as is manifest by the Drinkers thereof in their preposterous Discourses and Actions also all poysonous and crude Fruits Herâ—… and Seeds ought carefully to be abstained from Moreover the Beasts over whom this dark Fountain hath gain'd the Ascendant are the Lyon Bear Crocodil Wolf c. too tedious here to be enumerated with Dogs Cats Hogs and the like whose Shapes Figures Tones and Cries do sufficiently declare from what Fountain they proceed and by what Principle they are Governed And the Weather that this evil Center produces when it has got the dominion in the Elements are turbulent fierce Storms violent Winds Rain Snow and Hail and all other unkind and unseasonable Weather Now it ought to be Man's daily study and consideration that he has these contending Enemies in himself that he is beset within without and on all sides that he cannot defend himself from the forementioned Calamities if he doth not truly distinguish between the good and the evil from this it appears of what necessity it is for Man to know and understand from what Principles each Thought Inclination Word and Work have their Birth and Original from the want of this Central Knowledge doth proceed the original mischiefs in the Education of Children and all the other evils that attend them through the whole course of their Lives for without this all things are unaccountable and done either by the direction of the envious Powers or by meer casualty and chance so miserable is Mankind and so degenerated from the Union and true knowledge of himself and of God his Holy Creator Therefore my Friend turn your Contemplations inward and find God in his eternal Love and Light in your self and then you will certainly know and find him in all things else Again all Cunning Policies Stratagems and pretended fair Speeches of States-men and others with a design to impose upon Man's Credulity making People believe one thing and at the same time intending another deceiving the Ignorant to bring their own base Ends and Devices to pass proceed from the same dark Stygian Lake or Fountain as also the Practises and Methods of Informers Suborners and Trapanners whose Business is to Ensnare and Betray their Neighbour out of their Lives Livelihoods or Reputation for Money these are the Sons of the Reigning Evil and deserve the blackest Character to whom is that accursed Denunciation Woe woe woe for Ever All unwholsome Airs stinking gross sulphurous Smoaks of Cities Towns Slaughter-houses Markets c. are of a Saturnine and Martial Nâ—…ture proving very often Pernicious to Mankind by Infecting the common Air with terrible Pestilences and Distempers for as we said before every Form or Quality will ever Incorporate and Unite with its Simile wherever it finds it The Eastern Sages in former times seem to have been abunâ—…ntly more sensible of these things than the most Learned of the latter Ages of the World of which Philosophy the Bannians and some few others retain still a great many evident Foot-steps and Characters their Principles generally led them to Mercy and Compassion not to Kill Strike Oppress or Eat the Flesh of any Beast Fowl or Fish not to Quarrel or Fight with their Brethren the Education of their Children is remarkable bringing them up in all Softness and Humility usinâ—… angry Words nor passionate Blows for Offences but Correct them by calmes Ways and Methods discoursing and talking with them as if they were Senators and not Children by which means they mildly opened the Centre of Virtue and disarmed the fierce wrathful Powers and Principles of their Force and Energy which doth so powerfully incline the Soul to clean and humble Methods of Living that they are never known to deviate or swerve from the Laws of their Ancestors in the least degree The Parents never fearing that their Sons should grow Intemperate Drink Swear or Rob List themselves into the Service of Princes Marry into strange Tribes or leave their Religion to embrace another The like is to be understood of their Daughters and though in those Oriental Countries and Government all Persons are at the Command and Will of their King 's Princes or Soveraigns yet the Constancy Charity and Innocent Principle of their Religion which doth separate them even from those they Converse with preserves them entirely from all Assaults or Violations of what kind soever whilst all the other Inhabitants are subjected to the Arbitrary Will and Lust of their Commanders so true it is that Innocence hurts nothing and nothing can hurt that when it has Centrally obtained the Ascendant in the Soul by Virtue of good Education Precedents and Religion It stands obstinate against all the Temptations of Preferment Riches and Greatness no Power being able to Corrupt or Destroy the Seed so seasonably and timely Sowed and so wisely Cultivated It would be well for Europeans and Christians if they would observe the like prudent Methods in the Education and Tuition of their Children timely Sowing in them the Seeds of Virtue Patience Mercy and Justice and be particularly exact and careful in the choice of Trades Arts Sciences and Employments wherein they are to be Instructed for upon these things in a great measure all their future Welfare Peace and Happiness depends It must by no means be omitted that even in the Worship and Service of God there are many Superstitious Errors and Mistakes crept in arising from this Principle and Fountain as Sacrifices Victims magnificent Buildings adorn'd Altars Carving Painting Statues Bowing Cringing Ceremonies of all kinds Antique Postures and Vestures Musick Vocal and Instrumental and many other silly Inventions of Priests on purpose to Amuse and Deceive the Ignorant and get their Money It is farther to be observed that all far-fetcht Rarities and needless Superfluities which are procured with hazard and great danger are very Instrumental in the Service of Pride Avarice Ambition and Intemperance as all Trading Countries great and populous Cities Towns c. have found by woful Experience These imported Trifles having been in a great measure the chief Promoters of Violence Oppression and all kinds of Debauchery I would if possible have Mankind very sensible of this Grand Truth that all things that are procured by Violence or any kind of Oppression must be retaliated for every Tree brings forth Fruit of its own Nature and every like begets and advances its self which is the Eternal Law of God and Nature The Estate gotten by Injury or Injustice to Man or Beast cannot long continue in that Family without great Disturbances Losses or Troubles till Restitution be made Thus Sir I have largely Painted out to you the Grounds of Humane Frailty and Misery and shewed you how greatly Man is depraved and sunk deeply into the very Abyss of Hell insomuch that he has utterly lost his Understanding and the distinguishing Faculty or Spirit of Wisdom to Blunder on in Blindness Violence and
Oppression being continually hurried along with the Impetuous Current of vile Affections and the dark and spiteful Powers which have miserably blurr'd and defac'd his Noble and Divine Image This I hope may serve for a full Resolution and Answer to your Question and a farther assurance of the Love and Friendship of SIR Your Obliged Servant T. T. LETTER XVII Of Employment arising from the Fountain of Light SIR IN my last I gave you an Account of the Thoughts Words Works Actions Inclinations and Employments that spring from the Eternal Kingdom or Principle of Darkness Violence and Wrath whereby Man may clearly comprehend the great Hazard and Danger he is in both in Time and Eternity Now I shall in this discover and distinguish the Divine Fountain of God's Love and Eternal Light which does continually Oppose and make War against the Assaults of the Devil and the Kingdom of Wrath and Fierceness in Mankind with a distinct Account of the Nature of this Fountain of Benignity and what Thoughts Inclinations Words Works c. do arise and take their Original from this Holy Light and Love and as in our former so here we shall begin with Children Good Education is the Sinews of all Virtue and good Government Mankind being an Image of God and consequently of the whole Nature of things A Child is to be made any thing that his Father Mother or Tutor pleases to have him every thing is alike to a Child Good or Evil are all one because every thing both in the Evil and in the Good has a Key in its self which is the reason that evil Communication corrupts good Manners All soft and pleasant Imaginations Inclinations Courteous Language and free Speeches without Reservation or secret Meaning have their Birth from the Divine Kingdom of Eternal Light and Love Justice Patience Compassion and Charity to Man and Beast All mature Thoughts Considerations and distinguishing the Evil from the Good Temperance in Meats Drinks and Exercises proceed from the same Fountain such as are Harmless and Innocent and can be procured without Injustice Hazard or Cruelty and such as are not attended with the Dying Groans of our Fellow Creatures viz. Herbs Seeds Grain Fruits c. which have a kind and harmless Birth free from Corruption and are as it were Divine and Angelical in Comparison of Fish Flesh c. For all the Beasts of the Field are in one Sense our Brethren and the Great Creator of all Beings hath ordained the same Way and Method for their Generation Decay and Corruption as he hath to Man there being no difference in the Grand Point besides they are endued with all the sensible Powers and Faculties as Men are being equally sensible of Hunger Thirst Cold Heat Pain Weariness and an infinite train of Distempers and therefore all Violence Oppression and Injustice done to them in Kiiling and Eating their Flesh appears Barbarous and Unnatural in the sight of the Divine Principle of God's Eternal Love in Mens Hearts and Souls which is the Son or Holy Power of the Father and Great Creator of all things All sorts of soft clear sweet pleasant Waters were Primitively ordained as the only Drink for Man and Beast the Spring-head of all Liquid Nourishment taking their Birth from the simple Uniform Powers of God being temperately drunk and used doth Support Sustain and Preserve all the Drinkers thereof far beyond all other invented Liquors or Juices which do all border on the black and dark Fountain of Wrath and never fail to awaken and strengthen their Simile to the great Dishonour of God and utter Ruin and Prejudice of Mankind from whence it is most manifest that whosoever desires to Worship and Serve God in Truth and Sincerity and advance the Kingdom of Unity and be good Precedents and Examples to their Neighbours ought to drink Water All Employments Trades Arts and Sciences that have an innocent Birth and use Materials not proceeding from Oppression or Violence in the making and procuring them as all sorts of Husbandry Tilling and Cultivating the Earth keeping and preserving of Cattel and useful Beasts Makers of Garments Builders of Houses to preserve Mankind from the Inclemency of the Seasons and Injuries of the Elements in fine all Honest Employments that tend to the Maintenance and Good of the Creation and are harmless in themselves do advance Unity which is the highest Perfection of all Religion and Well-doing Learning of Letters Rhetorick Oratory or well Speaking Writing and Understanding Numbers their various and manifold Use and Service in the Mathematicks also Musick which is the most wonderful and exalted Science and the only true Epitome of the Incorporate and Heavenly Harmony there being nothing that more fully clearly and substantially demonstrates the excellent Unity and Agreement of all the various Forms Principles Powers and Qualities and though the Use thereof is not of such necessity as Tilling and Dressing the Ground and many other Arts and Trades which are founded in Man's Degeneracy and falling from the Unity in his own Soul yet it is manifest beyond Contradiction that Musick is the most highly graduated of all the Sciences and of unspeakable Use to the sober innocent and humble Minded it being an undeniable Maxim that Unity begets Concord and that Discord is the inseparable Attendant of Disunion ever teaching a Man this necessary and important Lesson that he should in all his Circumstances and Conversation act and move Uniformly and keep his Instrument viz. His Mind in Tune which to be able in any competent degree to obtain is the chiefest Blessing of this Life and that which is to come All Communication Discourse and Reading of Books that prescribe Innocency of Life Temperance Order and Method in Eating and Drinking how to prevent the Bodies falling into Discord to keep the various Forms and Powers in Agreement have their Original from and mightily tend to advance and promote the Effects of the Holy and Divine Principle of Light and Love in the Hearts and Lives of Men therefore we ought to be very careful what we write and speak for there is nothing truer than that where the Discourses Words or Writings doth proceed from the Divine Fountain they do always carry the power of the Principle along with them awakening and strengthening the same The like is to be understood of Evil there being nothing more natural than fâ—…r every like to encrease and beget its self All kinds of useful tame and tractable Beasts and several sorts of Fowl take their Birth and Original from the more uniform Powers and Qualities and their Forms and Shapes are accordingly and the Fruits and Service they afford to Mankind very beneficial as Sheep for their Wooll and Cows for their Milk which have been so valued by some Eastern Nations that they have provided Laws against the Killing of them though in reference to other Creatures they have been as Barbarous as their Neighbours also the Horse and several kinds of Birds that give their
Service for the Use and Benefit of Man likewise all delicate Flowers of various and delightful Colours and fragrant Smells streight tall smooth clean Trees open Plains and Meadows also the Unity of the Elements as clean serene Airs c. do issue from the Divine Fountain from whom all Virtue and Goodness flows and according as each Thing or Creature is more or less Dignified with this Blessed Principle so they become better or worse useful or the contrary All Creatures stand in the Eternal Law and act according to their first Composition and as the Forms Principles and Qualities were seated in the first Creation so they stand fixed in all for ever except in Man who has power by the freedom of his Will and the Faculty of distinguishing between Good and Evil of Changing Encreasing or Decreasing Principles Forms and Qualities where the Principle of Light and Wisdom is weak and glimmering in the Birth he can by due Management and Cultivation augment and strengthen it Man is so wonderfully made and endued with such mighty Gifts as excel the highest Attainments of all the Creatures so that if the Eye of his Mind be open and his Will kindled in the Divine Magia his Soul has power to meliorate encrease and unite all the Forms and Qualities of his Composition into the blessed Harmony then all Works of Oppression Violence and Malignity cease all Controversies and Disputes in Religion submit and yield themselves Prisoners to his Judgment which is able now to discern the difference between Right and Wrong Truth and Falsehood then the Kingdom of Christ or the Divine Fountain commences its Reign with the Practise of all the Holy Virtues acknowledging God's good Hand of Providence in all his Dispensations Justice to himself and others Temperance in Diet Humility Charity Mercy Self-denial and in short the whole Circle of Moral and Divine Accomplishments which that you may be truly sensible of and fully endued with is the constant and hearty desire of Your Affectionate Friend T. T. LETTER XVIII Of CLEANNESS SIR I Have received yours of the 26th of August and must acquaint you that I have several times and in several Writings given a full Account of the substance of your Question yet when I consider the importunity of your desires I have prevailed upon my self to say something more to the Point in hand withal considering how difficult it is for Mankind to be perswaded of the truth of those things which they have not been sufficiently accustomed to examine and enquire into they are indeed Truths of unconceivable importance to all whose Eyes shall be enlightned to understand the Mysteries of Nature Cleanness in Foods being a thing of greater moment and value than the World usually imagins for they are the very Being Substance and as it were the Original of the Microcosm Man and in them are contained all the true Properties of him having a Simile in all Particulars with the Qualities Principles and Fountain-Spirits and being taken into our Bodies they are separated in our Stomachs by the curious and cunning Chimistry of Nature whereby they afford Support and Nourishment This wonderful Elaboration Digestion and Separation by refining purging and cleansing the Spirituous Virtues of our Food advances them to a higher pitch and degree from whence Imaginations Inclinations Dispositions Complexions Words and Works have their Birth Every thing in this Visible World doth contain the Nature and Qualities of the two Grand Fountains of Good and Evil in their very Original they are endued with an Influential Vertue or Vice according as each Form stands nearest to Unity or Discord as is apparent in their Forms Shapes and Signatures c. Now when things come to be eaten drunk or joined to any other body then every particular Quality Virtue or Vice is stirred up and awakened by a certain Secret Simpathy or Antipathy for the Original of all Motions doth proceed from the joining of contrary Qualities Principles and Powers Now if this be not throughly understood and distinguished no Man will be able to make a proper and advantagious choise in Food or any other thing The want of this Key is the back Door or Inlet of Darkness Ignorance and all the Evils attending Mankind From this Ground arise all our inordinate desires and longing after unclean and unequal Meats and Drinks for all Imaginations or Appetites are clean or unclean equal or unequal according to the degrees of Concord or Discord in each Person 's Complexion Nothing doth more demonstrate the Depravation of Mankind the depth of Darkness and Error into which he hath Ingulphed himself than a voracious desire after unclean Food especially such as cannot be procured without Violence and Injustice in destroying the Unity of God's Creatures who bear the Image of their Creator in a great measure as well as our selves This distempered Appetite of Man in coveting unclean Foods had never exerted its bloody Effects if Man had not been first Polluted in himself for no Commands of Violence Inequality and Uncleanness can spring from Equality Simplicity and Concord Desires have always proportionable Nature and Conformity with that Power from whence they are derived If this Ground of true Wisdom and Philosophy were rightly apprehended and believed how cautious and careful should we be in the choice of our Meats and Drinks What wonderful satisfaction and pleasure should we take in using clean and innocent Foods and how mightily would Concord Simplicity and Unity be generated and advanced Now if Man were not sunk down to the lowest degree of Depravation he would not only separate himself from the grosser Uncleannesses and Impurities in Eating Flesh but also from the Fruits of the Animals too though it must be confess'd they are abundantly preferrable to Flesh nevertheless they do carry with them and contain all the true Natures and Properties of the Stock or Creature from whence they proceed However seeing they are the Fruits they can spare Mankind with no great damage to themselves without any manifest Pain Trouble Injury or Oppression may be Eaten with less Harm and Prejudice than the other yet this is to be remembred that the too frequent use of Butter Eggs Milk Cheese c. do insensibly awaken and beget Bestial Inclinations and Dispositions No Man can pretend to avoid the natural Effects of God's Eternal Law No Armor is proof against the Influential Powers even of the least of Nature's Works for which reason it is highly necessary that Man should distinguish the Intrinsical Virtues and Vices of things viz. to obtain a true knowledge of their Natures Complexions and Operations for he that has gained the Blessed sight of whatsoever he looks on out of himself the same shall he find in himself in all its qualifications so that there is a Simpathetical Concatination of all things By virtue of this Divine Light and Understanding Mankind is rendred capable of discerning and applying all things that tend to the advancement of the Heavenly Kingdom
of Unity whereby the Virgin Birth is obtained Let this serve to whet your Appetite after the improvement of Wisdom and Knowledge and remain a Memorial of the unfeigned friendship of Your Humble Servant T. T. LETTER XIX Of Flesh-BROTHS SIR I Have received yours wherein you desire my judgment of Flesh-Broths or Pottages their Nature Operation and Nourishment and likewise Pottages and Gruels made of Vegetables as Fruits and Herbs without Flesh and which of the two doth afford the best finest cleanest and healthiest Aliment to the Body and Mind This Question we have answered in several of our Writings nevertheless shall endeavour to gratifie your curious Philosophical Mind and longing desire after Wisdom And first shall give you an account of Pottages made with Flesh and of the Fat Gravy and Blood of Animals THe flesh of all Animals and Beasts is gross succulent and full freighted with many impurities and uncleannesses as we have demonstrated in our Book Entituled The Way to Health c. And to say nothing of the Bestial and revengeful passion of their Mind which after Deaths painful stroke centers in the Blood and Spirits and those violent incroaching Spirits do never fail to incorporate with their Similies in the Eaters it being the natural Law of God and the way of Nature which no Art can prevent For as Man is the compleat Image and Likeness of all things Creatures and Powers on the other side all Created Powers are an Epitome and likeness of Man so that in one Degree or another Man answâ—…s to all things and all things to him and as all Meats and Drinks are made and compounded both of Body and Spirits even as Man so from our Foods our Bodies and Spirits are continued made and sustained all according to the goodness badness cleanness or uncleanness of our Meats and Drinks for from the body of the said Foods Mans Body always is Created and made and from the Spirits Mans Spirits are from time to time generated and supported and so Nature still goes on for from the Spirits are made and do proceed Inclinations Dispositions Words and Works and they better or worse clean or unclean according as the Meats and Drinks and their respective Natures and Originals are Qualities always maintain and generate their like for the Children cannot but partake and be endued with the Principles Forms and Dispositions of the Father that begot them and from whence they proceeded and though they may alter as to the degrees some stronger some weaker yet are they the compleat Image of the Father which is the eternal and unalterable Law of our great Creator So that there is nothing more clear and manifest than that all Meats and Drinks are endued with an influential Vertue and Power to generate strengthen and maintain their own form and quality having in their own Bosom a Key to open all the secret Doors and Cabinets of Nature and there to incorporate joyn and reinforce all such forms principles and powers as are most agreeable to themselves So that it is the highest degree of Blindness Ignorance and Depravation for Man to imagine and think that there is little or no difference in the Nature and Operation of Meats and Drinks and that one thing is as good as another which deplorable and miserable Estate and Condition of Mankind is much to be lamented and highly pityed for so long as this Blindness and deepest Stupidity overwhelms People there can be no inclination to true Vertue Innocency and Regeneration viz. to be made better for all things both in Body and Spirit are better or worse vitious or vertuous according to the materials of which they are made and compounded To this all Men agree that a clean thing cannot be generated or proceed from an unclean nor a strong thing from a weak This is generally understood by every Man in his own Science Art Trade and Employment and in particular this is wonderfully demonstrative in Husbandry Painting and Manuring the Earth Yet this great and valuable Truth is not understood nor at all regarden in the Cultivation and Manuring their own Earth viz. their Bodies Souls and Spirits What a strange and unheard of Paradox is it that he who preâ—…nds to have Skill and Judgment and to manage and govern the World and all things therein should be so ignorant and know so little of himself or of the powers and principles of his own Composition Will not the Husbandman tell you that such and such Land or Earth will bring forth and bear such and such Grains Seeds Herbs Trees and Fruits better than others And will not the Lime-makers and such as are Skill'd in Mortar and Building tell you that strong Lime cannot be made of Chalk and that a strong thing cannot proceed and be made of a weak one but strong binding Lime must have a strong firm Original that is hard strong Stones wherein the Sal Nitral qualities of Saturn and Mars or the original Forms are powerful And will not the Husbandman tell you that if you will have your Cattel or Horses endued with the greatest strength and agility then you must give them the finest and cleanest Foods and such as by the Sun and Elements are purged from their gross flatulent juices for in such Foods the Spirits are clean free prompt and ready not being overwhelmed and drowned in gross matter and of all such Corn hath the first place And will not Drivers and Keepers of Horses tell you that dry clean Foods will enable them to go through more Labour without damage and hurt than Grass And do not Butchers and Tallow-Chandlers agree that Cattel fed with Corn and Hay their Flesh will take Salt better and keep longer and the Candles made of such Fat will not only burn best but also endure longer and are harder and more firm The like is to be understood in all other things every particular Species carries along even through all things its original Seeds both of vertue and vice strength and weakness always enduing their Children or Off-spring with their own original qualifications so constant so true are the ways and methods of Gods Law in Nature and who dares deny these Grand Truths Now my Friend if you understand and distinguish what here we have hinted at then you will easily make a judgment between Flesh-Pottages and those made of Herbs Fruits and Grains However for your satisfaction I shall give you a more particular account of them Flesh-Broths or Pottages are various better or worse according to the sorts they are made of and the season of the Year and the Food the Creature is fed with which our Writings give a particular account of as touching that Therefore I shall not enlarge The Fat Blood Gravy or Juices of all Beasts are exceedingly crude full of gross matter and dull heavy purblind Spirits with contaminated dolorous Species and when it comes into Boyling Water the Water immediately penetrates the whole substance and naturally draws forth
and imbibes all the flatulent gross juices and bloody matter and as it were incorporates it into its self so that it becomes one Body and the less water such flesh is Boiled in the more impure gross and fulsom the Pottage is the more water the better it is both for the Flesh and Pottage too Now this cleansing liquid Element doth by an innate disposition purge cleanse and draw forth as is said before all the frothy slimy evil juices of the flesh and leaves it more clean and the Broth is thereby endued with all the malignant qualitys and the more such Pottages are Boiled the worse and more stagnated gross and heavy they become for Fat 's cannot be altered changed or purged from their original impurities as Vegetables can The Oily Sal Nitral qualitys are so knit together that there is no art can alter or change their forms or purge them from their grossness Besides Fat 's or Oils will not admit of Boiling for the longer they are Boiled the stronger grosser and heavier they become as the Tallow-Chandlers and Melters of Fat observe and therefore they Boil it as little as possible but run it off as it melts and rises in the Copper and that which rises up first is the cleanest and finest and the Candles made thereof are better and Sold for more than the other that comes up last and for this cause they Boil as little as they can only as much as will dissolve the matter for if they should not try and separate the watry crude grosser parts the Candles would not burn clear and the Light would not only be dim but they would run and sputter And if you would be farther satisfied what vertues and vices Flesh-Pottages do contain then look into the bottom of Tallow-Chandlers Melting Coppers and take notice of the black contaminated sulphurous substance called Greaves which many buy to give their Dogs with the very same all your Fat 's and Flesh you eat is as plentifully furnished as the Tallow and some of it much more for Candles for the most part are made of the cleanest of the Fat viz. that which is called Suet great quantitys thereof being eaten in Pudding Now there are several parts of the Creature where the flesh is much more unclean and foul than Tallow or Suet as the Neck Sticking-piece and the Head that contains great quantities of black Blood and glandulous Matter which many People make Pottages of such Broth doth never fail of conveying all those stinking bloody voracious unclean qualifications to the Eaters which generates Nourishment of a heavy slow dull melancholly nature and operation the Spirits proceeding therefrom are impure glimmering morose and churlish the Complexion and all the Inclinations and Dispositions are followed and endued with a proportionable Nature Also all Pottages made of Flesh are the very Channel Sink and Common-shoar that dreans and draws forth or attracts all the unclean dregs or bloody stinking matter which the flesh is endued with or subjected to For this cause all Flesh-Pottages do prove unhealthy to all People but more especially to the Sick and therefore the Eastern Physicians forbid the Diseased all Flesh-Broths or Pottages and eating of Flesh. And it is not to be doubted but in all places where most of Peoples Food is Flesh that the Diseases for the most part take their birth from their gross unclean juices so that there can be no greater evil than to eat those fulsom dregs and lumpish Pottages which cannot but by simile increase and encourage the Disease by augmenting the offending matter and all this is done for want of understanding and distinguishing the Principles Fountain-spirits cleanness and uncleanness of things and their respective Operations both in the Macrocosm and Microcosm and the concatenation of things how every thing works and joins forces with its likeness which is the highest joy and satisfaction of all Beings Nor can any Man make an happy choise of things till he can distinguish betwixt the intrinsick and extrinsick vertues and vices of our selves and all other things and no sooner is the Divine Eye opened but immediately Man sees that Meats and Drinks are the very substance of our Bodies Souls and Spirits and that all the Dispositions spring from thence Now on the other side there are a great number of clean Pottages made of Grains Seeds Fruits and Herbs which are all noble and fragrant viz. Water-gruel Rice Conju Wheat Chocolate and various sorts of Candles made of Wine Ale Beer Cyder Oatmeal and Sugar likewise divers Spoon-meats made of Milk and Water and such as these may have Butter mixed with them viz. Gruels and Paps which is many degrees finer than the Fat of flesh not only as it is the noblest Fruit the Creature affords to Mankind without any manifest pain violence or oppression to them but it is also far cleaner than other Fat and will endure and keep longer and will likewise bear more Boiling than other Fat 's that is such as we Eat and make Candles of The Sal Nitral Vertues or oily Body in Vegetables is not only more clean sweet and fragrant but much easier separated in the Stomach and doth administer both dry and moist Nutriment in a clean and easie Method begetting their Similies and doth with the highest diligence withstand all the encroaching Powers or Humors for such as is the Food such is the Body Soul and Spirits Cleanness and Equality begets Children like themselves And the more simple and equal your Meats and Drinks are the more equal are your Humors also the calmer and purer is your Blood which is the Source whence the Spirits are Generated and from the Spirits as we said before arises Dispositions Imaginations Inclinations Words and Works both equal or unequal according to the foundation or first matter This being granted what great care ought Mankind to have in all the methods of Life for Meats and Drinks being the radix of all Nourishment both dry and moist are by the curious Art and Chymistry of Nature higher graduated from whence all the nobler faculties take their Birth wherefore we urge the grand necessity of Prudence in the choice of our Foods because hence are the Generation of all Essences Forms Dispositions and Temperaments and thence the Seed in Man doth arise proceed and take its Birth and Generation And this Seed contains the true Nature and Properties of the whole and so becomes a compleat Image and Epitome of all Forms and Powers and as the Qualitys Forms and Powers are in the Father either equal or unequal so they are in the Seed and as they are in the Seed so they are in the Son For this cause Unclean and Bestial Bloody Gored Foods and such as are procured by violence do contaminate and sully the very Original of Man so that the unclean violent evil Essences are conveyed from Generation to Generation and therefore it is no wonder Mankind grows worse and more violent and unclean in
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
Mankind may assure himself that he is not more mistaken in any one thing than in this viz. To give such unnatural and almost monstrous Directions to his Off-spring or Children from one Generation to another to deny them the proper and true Use of their principal Members the Hands from whose Use proceeds most or all the principal Actions and Curiosities that Support not only the Life but Pleasure and Beauty too This selfish Ignorance of Teaching and Whipping Children principally to the Use of that which they are pleased to call the Right Hand doth at the same time disable the other Hand wrongfully called or rather nick-named the Left so that it doth not only dwindle and become weak but as it were useless in comparison what it would be if it were equally used with the other for each Member doth grow strong or weak more or less useful as they are Exercised in Action which is the Root of Strength and Agility for Nature is neâ—…r forgetful of Supporting and Supplying her Children with what is needful and proper for their Preservation and this is evident in all her Operations and Methods Are not all sorts of Cattel and Creatures that are used and accustomed to moderate Labour do not they grow strong and fit for the Labour or Exercise that they are put to as Horses is not their Strength encreased in general through their whole Bodies and also in particular Members if any one part be put to bear more Labour or Hardship than another doth not that Member or Part if not too much oppress'd grow in some proportion strong and thereby the abler to bear it The like is to be understood in all the Parts and Members of a Man he that uses any Labour wherein the Back is chiefly concerned in the performance thereof that Part grows thereby stronger than otherwise it would and he that uses to Digg as Gardeners Brick-makers and the like are not their Legs and Arms much stronger than other Mens and that Leg or Arm that is most used or that the Labour lyes hardest on provided it be not too great that grows strongest and the other seems to dwindle and becomes weak or impotent Now one Member Arm Hand or Leg is not made more strong or apt for the doing and performing any kind of Labour Art or Science than the other but it is only Use and Custom that makes all that for each Part or Member of Man's Body doth contain and is endued with the true Nature Properties and Humors of the whole and is thereby rendred capable when Assaulted or Oppressed with Labour to send for Aid and extract Virtue and Power from all the adjacent Members and Parts of the whole Body and according to the nature of the Labour or Employment Strength is by this means Communicated Every particular Thing or created Being is an Image and Likeness of the whole with only this difference the Qualities and Principles are in one thing strong and in another weak following each other in degrees which is the Original of that wonderful and amazing variety of Complexions the Members of the Body are like the various Seeds Sowed in the Earth each being compleat that is endued with the nature of the whole only the four Grand Qualities differ in their degrees of Strength Weakness and Government so that every Seed is thereby made capable to attract Virtue and a suitable Juice or Nourishment to strengthen and support its self against all unequal Operations and fierce Invasions of the Elements This secret or mystical Method the most wonderful Creator hath centrally given to all created Beings according to the degrees and nature of each Thing or Creature for this cause the unequal Use of the Members be it in what kind it will proves detrimental to the Body in general but more especially to particular Parts 〈◊〉 that Part or Member that is most used doth become strong by drawing Virtue and Strength from its neighbouring Part or Partner and so render one Part more useful and the other less which is nothing else but an addition of Inequality which takes its Original Birth from Ignorance and the Inequality of the Mind â—…nd Intellects which doth mightily hurt Mankind rendring him much more unapt in his Trade or Employment the Arms and Hands being the chief and principal Members that are employed in most or all Arts Trades and Employments How awkard is it for Ship-carpenters or others of that Trade to perform any part of their Work with the Left Hand though it lies never so fair for that Hand and as contrary to the Right so that not having an equal Use of the one as well as the other Men are pâ—…t to a Shift and are not only longer about it but perplexed too so that most or all Men are as it were Fetter'd by being accustomed to improper and unnatural Methods for nothing can make a Man's Business so easy and familiar as the equal Use of their Hands and Arms they being the head Springs and principal Engins in all or most Business Trades and Employments whatsoever Why is our Left Hand as we use it more weak and unskilful in the performance of every Action than the Right it is for no other reason than that it hath â—…ot been used properly or rather rightly God and his Handmaid Nature have endued them with a like or proportionable Strength and Parts there being no difference but what the Mother and Nurse have made whose whole Business is to make one Lame and the other Strong so that the Right may be thereby capable to do and perform the Business of both which Method doth diametrically oppose not only Nature but render half our Members useless and of little value and as Children are equally capable of learning and speaking of one Tongue or Language as well and readily as another by hearing it spoke even so they are in the Use of their Hands both in Writing and all other Arts and Employments The Errors that arise from this and other ill Managements are almost beyond number for as is said before the too much use of one Hand or Member and the too little of another doth powerfully strengthen the one and weaken the other for as is mentioned before that which is most used doth attract Strength and draw Vertue from the whole but more especially from its Partner or Brother Member by which many young People especially of the Female Sex grow Deformed whereas if they did use their Members equally such things for the most part would be prevented more especially if the other Methods taught in our Books were observed What an unthinking untoward unknowing unskilful unmindful unregenerate unfaithful Creature Man is become as blind and dark as Hell much to be Pitied knowing little or nothing of those Principles he is compounded of or operated by neither of his Body nor Mind though he do continually communicate with both but what can be said or who is able to mend this dark Age so
long as Ignorance Blindness Selfâ—…ood Pride Vain-glory Covetousness Envy Fierceness Violence Tradition and Customs govern Mankind Nothing better can be expected Sir This being what offers from Your ready Friend to command T. T. LETTER XXI Of CORPULENCY SIR I Have yours of September the 20th 1696 and take notice that you are troubled with and subject to Corpulency or Fatness and other Concomitant Diseases and that you would have a proper Medicine to give you some Relief and Ease You likewise say you have had the Advice of the most Learned in your parts and that all Prescriptions and Medicines have proved ineffectual and that your Disease encreaseth upon you I have no inclination to be dabbling with youâ—… Purse but shall give you a plain wholsom method of Life in Meats Drinks and Exercises which if you observe will with the Blessing of God make your Life tolerable if not wholly Cure you NO Fatness can be Cured except such Persons do withdraw the Fuel and forbear such things both in Meats Drinks and Exercises that maintain and support it being a Disease that seldom goes alone but is attended with a black train of other evils their natural heat is seldom potent enough to support and digest their Foods besides the Liquor or Menstruum of the Stomach is rarely free from Crudities so that great part of their Foods and Drinks are turned into gross impure Juices which for want of warm brisk and lively Spirits and thin Blood great store of Flegmy Fat is generated in all the Members and likewise in the Vessels and Passages so that the whole Body becomes glewy and as it were stagnated which prevents the thin Juices and Humors from their free passage and circulation for all the inwardmost or central parts of Mans Body are like Spunges or fine Strainers by which the fine Humors or Spirituous Vertues of our Food and Drink pass and repass which is called a free circulation of all the Juices that serve for Nourishment for there are no large Pipes or Currents for conveyance of Nutriment as some do imagine but all the parts are like Glass that lets in the Light by reason of its transparency The like is to be understood of the passing repassing and circulation of the Nutrimental Humors Juices Blood and Spirits through the whole Body the Bladder being as it were the Sink or Bag to receive all the thin Juices or Urine which a natural motion and secret attraction Drains viz. the Superfluous or Excrementitious moisture from all parts of the Body and notwithstanding the great quantities that fall into this Bag or Sink there is no Pipe Vessel or any thing like it that conveys or carries this Liquor or Urine but all is done in a Mystical or Wonderful Method viz. by the attractive Power of that part as being its Disposition and Office to draw the thin moisture from all parts of the Body and the Bladder being Spungious the Urine penetrates through all parts of it as by way of Pores much like Sweat that is occasioned by Labour and many other ways which by motion and agitation of the Natural heat do easily penetrate through all the parts and such as Sweat much do make so much the less Urine provided the Liquors taken into the Body be in proportion The like is to be understood of most of the conveyance of all Humors and Juices from one Member or part of the Body to another so that whensoever any Member or other part becomes as it were fixed and the porousness of any of them be stopt that the fine thin Juices Blood and Spirits cannot penetrate or freely repass then presently is felt a pain or some disorder and if the Obstruction be much then that Member or part swells and is full of pain or the Distemper called the Dead Palsie falls on that part or Member but more often this sort of Obstruction proves the Gout for the Airy Windy quality in the Body which does continually penetrate and with a quick and powerful circulation run through the whole as being the central Life of the Blood which if wounded penn'd up or its circular swift motion any way hindred or obstructed then great pain or swelling attends that Member The Obstructions of this thin light airy Spirit or Quality in the Body is the Original of a great number of cruel Diseases And it is farther to be understood that all salt strong hard gross Foods that generate thick or tough Juices thick Blood and impure Spirits do mightily stop the glassy transparent or porous Vessels which do not only occasion gross Flatulent Humors and Crude Juices to lodge in several remote Members and parts but penns up and stops the circulation of this Airy quality from whence springs the Gout and all other evil windy and gross Distempers which rarely any Medicine Cures Likewise it is to be noted that the Diseases arising from those evil Obstructions are various and of as different Kinds and Natures as Complexions and Constitutions are in one it gives the Gout in another the Stone and Gravel in another a gross Flegmatick Humor and Fatness all according to the Original Humors in each Man Also these Obstructions do in many People occasion Fumes and Vapours to fly into the Head and to perplex other parts of the Body likewise some others there be that from the ill Habits of their Constitutions even from their Birth as it were Born with Obstructed Natures which they derive from their Parents ill Habits Obstructed Natures and Ill Livings for no Man of Understanding doubts but that the Seed is a compleat Image of and doth contain the true Nature and Properties of Man so the Seed becomes better or worse all according to the good or ill Habits Temperance or Intemperance Order or Disorder of the Parents so that Wisdom Understanding Temperance and Order are not only the Spring-head of Blessings to Mankind but likewise to all their Children and Posterity which is of great moment and ought to be considered by all People that pretend to fear God and keep his Laws Now the Original of those hard tough Humors and mortiferous Diseases take their Birth from the Disorders Intemperanâ—…es Gross Heavy Unclean Foods and Strong Drinks for such as the Spirits and Juices of each thing are such Humors such Blood such Spirits such Flesh such Dispositions such Inclinations such Words and Works they Generate and Maintain together with the Airs they live in and Employments and Exercises they follow Therefore such as have a mind and would be Healthy Cured or lessen the Distempers that have already invaded them must observe an orderly regular Diet and the nature of the Food they eat whether gross clean or unclean simple innocent and the like as to their Employments and Airs or else none can obtain their lost Health or make their Lives in any degree easie for every thing tends to its Original and never sails to exert its own power on all occasions and considerations with that
pleasure If this were not little weak Children could never go through a days Play with such might and vigor as they do for they are not conducted by Reason nor Interest for the obtaining a days Wages or greater Gain but follow Nature and so soon as they are dull and weary at one Sport or Pastime they presently fall to another never reasoning the Cause or studying the Point but go out of one thing into another so that when night comes they have tired all their Members and Parts of their Bodies and have left no Spirit uncalled It is therefore a grand Mistake in all Parents and Tutors of Children being a wrong Notion viz. To let their Children Play to refresh and make themselves more agil and lively whereas the very contrary is to be understood for nothing does so much unfit dull and becloud their brisk lively sporting Spirits as such various Sports which unfits and renders them uncapable for all sorts of Learning Whereas they ought to be Methodiz'd by their Tutors and Parents that is to be appointed several sorts of Learning for the day not exceeding one hour at a time for one sort of Art and though the same sort might come in the afternoon as in the morning yet they should spend but one hour at a time by which they might learn six several sorts of Arts and Sciences in one day viz. Language Writing Singing or other sorts of Muâ—…ick some useful parts of the Mathematicks and Gardening â—…itting or Sowing the meaner Arts to spend the less time in by which the whole day would be nothing but a Play or Diyersion Of all Exercises Walking or Going is one of the most strong and healthy for as we have demonstrated most Employments Trades or Arts when a Man hath Laboured all day at any of them yet he leaves some Member or Part of the Body as it were unwearied so that a Man may as it were with some kind of Delight and Pleasure exercise himself in another but Going or Walking hard does at once tire and weary all the Parts of the Body and though some are more weary and tired than others because more exercised or more weak yet all will be wearied or tired after hard Walking So that if a Man after such Going doth exercise or labour at any other thing he will presently find himself disabled and no Member or Part can supply him with fresh and lively Spirits which doth shew and clearly manifest that Walking or Going is one of the best and most natural as well as equal Exercises and for that very reason it begets the best Stomach and Appetite and is the principal Employment for Health and the encrease of good Blood strong clean Spirits and vigorous Nerves and particularly for all fat gross phlegâ—…tick People and such as are apt to be so And the more such use Going the more they may and the greater the Journeys are the better provided they come to it by degrees there being no Trade or Employment so beneficial natural and healthful though all Exercises are beneficial and good for most or all People And if going on foot were esteem'd genteel and customary many would receive great Advantages thereby and notwithstanding it is so natural so healthy and gives the Practisers thereof such strength and pleasure of Appetite nevertheless few there are that chuse it for their own sakes or the Benefits it endues the Practisers withal Riding is a good Exercise and of much motion and passing through various Airs begets good Appetites and is healthful but not to be compared with Going on foot as not being so natural nor employing the Members and Parts of the Body so equally and genteel so that Riding cannot encrease and beget such Strength nor so many powerful Spirits Indeed it is an Employment or Exercise of great motion but very unlike Nature being the motion of the Horse and not of the Man which is altogether contrary to the natural habits and motion of Going and all other Motions that Men are subject to or ever practise and as this Riding Jolting Turbulent Horse-motion is altogether contrary to any Motion or Gesture that belongs to Men or that they are subject to so it cannot be made easy but by custom and such as do not accustom them selves to Riding when Young can hardly ever make it easy in Age the greatest Use of it is that it is expeditious and genteel and Going on foot seems Poor Beggarly and Despicable even as almost all the usefullest and most innocent things in the World are a Horse is a high lofty proud Creature and may in some measure influence his Rider with such Dispositions but Going on foot is innocent simple natural and contemplative free from care having but one to take care for the fewer we have in Family the less is our Trouble Your Friend T. T. LETTER XXII Of FEVERS SIR BY yours I am inform'd of your present ill state of Health and that you are very subject to a Fever or much Indisposed by Heat which attacks you on every side and upon every small Disorder of Meats Drinks and Exercises and that you desire my Iudgment of the Original of those hot Humors and by what Method to prevent them which I shall readily do the Gifts and Talents God hath bestowed on me are all at the Service of true Seekers of Wisdom that being the end for which they were given FEvers are as various in their degrees as they are in their Natures all according to the Meats Drinks Employments Venus and Airs together with the Intemperance of the Stock or Parents this last is the most dangerous and deepest rooted of all others and hardest to be Eradicated for every Fruit is better or worse according to the temperance equality or inequality of the original Forms of that Thing or Creature both in the Animal Vegitable and Mineral Worlds or Kingdoms for the Fruit of each thing is the compleat Son or Image of all the Principles Qualities and Powers of the Father that Generated or Begot it so that all the Intemperances or unequal Methods of Life be it Meats Drinks or any other thing do centre in the Seed which contains all the Species and Essences of the Disorders both of Body and Mind and do rarely fail to engraft and entail those incroaching Properties and unequal Powers Many of these Diseases thus procured lie hid during the time of Youth or so long as Nature is vigorous and strong but so soon as Age comes or any other concurring Accident or Intemperance they start up and appear in their own Forms for which there is hardly any Medicine found that can make them tolerable Is not this most clear and manifest in all the Beaâ—…ts and Vegetables of the Earth and are not all the Young ones or Off-spring of this wonderful and amazing variety of Beings better or worse sound or unsound healthy or unhealthy strong or weak according to the temperaments and goodness of the Seed and the
Center which by a Sympathetical Agreement reinforces all the material Motions causing a powerful and lively Circulation both of the Blood Spirits and all the Aliments from whence doth arise and proceed a lively brisk Motion Strength Agility and strong sharp Appetite for the more free and open the Trade and Commerce is between the outward and inward Elements or between the Microcosm and Macrocosm the better is the state and condition of Health both of the Body and Mind For this cause the oftner and more any Person doth expose his Body to the open Air and Elements the stronger the Appetite and Digestive Faculties of the Stomach are and such Persons are more strong and lively likewise they are more hardy and more free from Colds and Obstructions which are nothing else but a Condensation or a stoppage of the porous Passages from whence cruel Colds and a thousand Diseases proceed therefore it is not good to Cloath the Body too Warm but of the two Cold is to be preferred to heat provided it be not too much and that it be born with pleasure or without pain For the inward Virtues of the Elements of Air and Water are curious living Powers which do sustain and preserve all the wonderful Beings in this great World but in what Creature or Thing soever these living Powers and the thin penetrating moist Spirits and Vapours become stagnated or thickened then that Creature or Thing becomes dull heavy and full of Indispositions and Crudities Now when in any Creature the fore-mentioned central Fires Burn too violently attracting and drawing all the moist Spirituous Vapours both of the Air and Water consuming and destroying as is before mentioned then immediately the Pores are in a manner stopt and the Forms and Properties do press and as it were rub against each other by which the Fire Burns more intense and fierce like two sticks rubbed hard against each other the Internal central heat is thereby stirred up and awakened and so fiercely kindled that this Fire which lay hid and captivated in the very Center doth by this agitation and fierce motion burn up and destroy the whole Body in a moments time the Fire being the Original of Motion and the true pleasure of all the other Elements when it burns easie or gentle but when it loses its power in any Creature or Thing all becomes cold dull heavy congealed and as it were frozen in that Creature or Thing in which the Fire is impotent and that thing stands near the House of Death and the Melancholly Regions And though this Noble Element the Fire be as it were the Life and Original of all lively Motion and the Well-being of every Creature and when it incorporates or equally mixes with the other Elements burning gently notwithstanding its Excellency wonderful and various uses yet most of the Distempers of the publick State and also the Diseases incident to Mankind are as it were Originally occasioned by this Element and also most of the Outrages that are committed in the great World from Man to Man and likewise the greater part of the Diseases that so terribly torment and afflict Mankind which if Man observe with a clear Eye and Understanding he will then see and find that this great Evil hath fallen upon him for his great and deep Degeneration and Separation from the Unity of Gods Holy Powers and his not knowing and distinguishing the Powers and Principles of God in himself Now Man having lost his way and being sunk into Darkness and Ignorance he takes hold and uses the gross fiery sulphurous and Brimstone Spirit which Governs in Man as he stands in Self-fulness and separated from the Divine Fountain of Benignity or Holy Union not being mixed incorporated or allayed with the sweet Water of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ. This Spirit or Fire before mentioned as it stands divided from the Union is a high lofty exalted Power the Original of all Pride and a domineering Spirit and in what Creature soever it obtains the Government that Creature becomes proud and of an insulting Nature Now the chief and principal cause or reason is that this proud fiery domineering and as it were consuming Spirit of Fire hath obtained and gotten such an Ascendant in the Hearts and very Souls of Mankind and also that the exalted and predominating power in most Diseases is this fiery brimstone or sulphurous quality of Fire Now as any Form or Property obtains the chief Government in the Heart immediately this very quality doth Sign or Stamp its Character and as it were lay its Commands on the imaginative Power and so Signs the Inclinations Dispositions Words and Works from the Government of this lofty fiery Power and Spirit from whence proceeds all Vain-Glory Pride high and lofty Imaginatioâ—… Inclinations and Desires after base slavish violent oppressive Employments as also ardent and longing Desires after unclean gross Foods and high lofty strong Drinks for every Mouth will be fed with agreeable Food the Attraction Desires and Inclinations do always arise and proceed from the ruling Quality and Man being divided from the Union of God and his own Composition into Disunion the fiery envious spiteful Powers exalting themselves cause a direful Appetite in Man And from these very Qualities the violent oppressive Trade of Killing one another and Eating the flesh of the Undergraduates or Beasts having taken their Original Birth for every Spirit Principle and Power doth desire and is supported and maintained by its Similie so that it is most clear nothing being more manifest than from those high exalted fiery Spirits and Powers in Man have sprung such violent and direful Appetites and strong Inclinations after the Blood of their own Kind and to eat the Flesh and Blood of the Beasts likewise to drink hot fiery exalted Liquors so that there is a Concatenation between the Imaginations Inclinations Natural Spirits Dispositions Words and Works Communications Employments and the Diseases Man is most subject unto Now as all the fore-mentioned qualifications do arise and proceed from a fiery ground which do with great power and strong vigour attract proportionable Foods and Drinks therefore most of our Diseases cannot but be Signed with the Character of Fire for every Principle Form or Quality whensoever it hath gotten or attained the Ascendant in any Man it goes on in a streight regular constant Method to do its own Work viz. to nourish support and encrease its own Spirit and Power whether it be in the Good or in the Evil. Hence it is no wonder that Mankind is so frequently seized wounded and destroyed by so many sorts of fiery Diseases viz. Fevers when any thinking Person considers what Powers Principles and Qualities rule and govern in his Heart and Soul there being a Sympathetical Agreement and Inclination between the governing qualities in Mens Minds and their Meats and Drinks and likewise their Diseases all follow one another in a direct Method or Line Now the power and influence Meats and Drinks
carries the fairest and most plausible Face yet if it do not arise and proceed from the Light of a Man 's own Life and have a Centre in himself and distinguished from what Ground and Principle it proceeds it is of no value but all Fantastick and Uncertain This is most manifest and true in this Visible World and likewise in all Sciences Arts and Trades no Man is rendred capable of giving any true Account or to Judge rightly of any particular Science Art or Trade and the inward Mystery thereof but only such who have Judgment or can distinguish the principal Qualities and Parts of that piece of Art or Workmanâ—…ip therefore it hath by the more Wise and Understanding Men of all Ages been owned that the Knowledge of a Man's self hath been the Spring-head of Wisdom because no Man can possibly know God who knows not his Works all which are a compleat Image of himself and he that doth not understand nor distinguish the Signature of his own Composition cannot do it in any Specifick Body or Thing be it ever so small and inferiour Now the want of this Self-knowledge and distinguishing our own Principles Qualities and Powers is the Grand In-let to all Evil and Error in this World both in particular and publick Governments For this Cause no Man can be a true Politician or Governor in this World if he doth not distinguish the Powers and Principles of Good and Evil in himself for where this central Knowledge is wanting there is nothing but Error Pride Self-Arrogance Covetousness Envy and Domineering their Imaginations being kindled not only in those Evil Qualities but also in the fantastick Regions of this World so that if any Good comes under such Kings or Princes Government it is all as it were by chance therefore my Friend the first true step for obtaining the Wisdom is to seek and know God and the Operation of his Powers in your self which to understand and distinguish is not only the greatest Blessing but it likewise furnishes you with all sorts of Materials for the Mamaegment and Government both of your self and all that God hath put under your Government and Conduct First Your Wife or whosoever Nurses or Brings up your Children must refrain and not use that most idle and pernicious Customs of fantastick foolish Talking to their young tender Infants which doth make such great and deep Impressions even from one Quarter of a year Old which takes such Essential root by way of Simile and so obtains such a Power and strengthens the fantastick Principle that it is not to be wholly rooted out or obliterated Secondly They ought likewise to Cloath their Children in modest plain Garments and by no means to point shew or endeavour to make them sensible where they are Fine This is frequent amongst all sorts of People as well those that esteem themselves Sober and Religious as others which doth mightily infinuate raise and awaken the high lofty Property of Pride and lay sure and lasting Foundations of Self-esteem and by degrees strengthen most evil Qualities by which Means and Methods they put an Esteem and Value on themselves and at the samâ—… time disregard and undervalue all their Inferiors this doth 〈◊〉 deeply wound and lay such sure and lasting Methods of Pride that many thousands of poor distressed Mortals are never heâ—…ed That Mothers and Nurses ought to refrain from the practise of that evil Custom of Slabbering and Kissing their Children asking and teaching the Children to do the same and though this seems to be an innocent Custom at first and likewise their talking of Baudy nevertheless this doth so early open the Gates of Venus and lays sure and lasting Foundations for Wantonness and Uncleanness so that many thousands can never free themselves from those invading turbulent Motions and Inclinations after Women Thirdly Mothers and Nurses should as much as is possible refrain and forbear much Talking especially impertinent Discourse and teach them by a sedate silence and shewing their dislikes in a few words and those as grave and sober as if they were talking with Senators Fourthly They ought not to shew or speak in the hearing of their Children any thing wherein Passion is expressed for whensoever this is practised the Children are thereby Precipitated into the same Principle of Wrath and Violence which from time to time is so mightily strengthened by which early planting Wrath and fierce Passion obtaineth the Ascendant in the Soul which can never be destroyed or overcome but let the Correction of your Children be done by some silent wise sober Methods sometimes by fasting standing silent alone and the like such Corrections will penetrate deeper into their Souls and make them more sensible than Whipping and Beating which doth chiefly serve to advance the Principle of Bitterness Envy and self-ful Power for by the Eternal Law of God every like begets and strengthens its Simile Fifthly Use your Children to a constant hour of going to Bed and Rising viz. Go to Bed at eight and Rise at six or seven according to the Season of the Year Custom makes their Sleep more sound and certain which is a great Conveniency both to Mothers and Nurses Sixthly So soon as your Children can go about teach them several little but useful things both within doors as in the House and also without in the Air viz. To know their Letters which they are capable to learn before they can Speak Sowing Knitting picking up of Sticks or small Stones carrying from and bringing to you several little things also learning to Write Cast Accompts Musick and Drawing in order to Painting and when you are minded they should stand still from those little Affairs then command them to stand silently by you looking on you and what you are doing which still makes a deep Impression on their Minds by which they will not know what that Vanity is called Play there being nothing more pernicious nor promotes Idleness and Vanity more than Childrens Playing promiscuously one amongst another it is certainly one of the Grand Original Banes and destruction of Mankind for it is so timely planted and awakens all sorts of Passions fantastick Spirits and Qualities so that as they by degrees grow stronger and stronger they Degenerate into all sorts and kinds of Wickednesses therefore all Parents Fathers and Mothers ought to employ their Children or else they will employ themselves and spend all their brisk sporting Spirits in Play and Vanity also keep them from the sight of those Children that are suffered to Play also from all Plays and Games and the ill Usage of any of the inferior Creatures for all those Evils are like Pestilential Airs they Influence all their Beholders and leave their fatal Strokes and Wounds behind them Suffer not your Children to speak much likewise be careful that you do not Laugh or make a Jest of any of their Actions for such things prove of evil Consequence to them Seventhly Keep not your Children too long at
any sort of Business or Employment one hour for some sorts and two hours for others and as near as you can make all their small Affairs Arts or other things they learn delightful and let them not be put on Business when they are sleepy or otherwise Indifposed Eighthly Above all observe the Rules of Temperance and Moderation both in the Quality and Quantity of their Foods also Times and Seasons for Eating viz. At eight in the morning some sorts of Spoon-meats again at twelve or one and at five or six in the evening the smallest Meal ought to be in the middle of the day let all your Meats and Drinks be simple and of a harmless Nature and Operation made of Vegetables and Fruits and Water for Drink let them eat nothing that cannot be procured without the Dying or Destruction of one of your fellow Creatures consider all things and what great Power and secret Energy Mercy Compassion and Innocency do carry with them and with what excellent Virtues they endue all those that live in and under their Government for in them is comprehended all the Good that Man is capable to obtain both in Time and Eternity I could say much more but having sometime since published a small Book called The New Method of Education to which I referr yâ—… where you will find some unvulgar Directions for the Bringing up of Children which please to Peruse Thus with my Love and Respects I remain Your Faithful Friend and Servant T. T. LETTER XXIV Of the Nature of SMELLS SIR I Have received yours of the 20th of July 1697 and shall endeavour to give you some satisfaction and likewise an account what Smells or Scents are good wholsom healthy and the contrary and in order thereunto we must first give you an account of the Five Senses and of their government and power in the Corporial and Visible World being the five Centinels that keep the Gates of the Microcosmical City so that no intelligence neither of good nor evil pass into the City but only by the Leave and License of these Centinels or Guards each having its peculiar Office viz. THe Sight is that noble and great Sense that lets in or conveys all Bodily Forms Figures and Species of all Corporial Objects to the invisible Mind or Intellectual of Man both in good and evil either to his Preservation or Destruction The like is to be understood of all the other Senses they do not Act one for another but each doth its own work appointed by the All-wise Creator as for Example no Objects Bodies Figures or Forms hurt or insnare the Mind or intellectual powers of Mankind if he doth not behold or see them The Smelling Tasting Hearing and Feeling have no power to convey the Objects or Forms of things to the Central Powers or invisible Man but only the Sight in whose Province it consists and stands The very same is to be understood in all the other Senses each is confined by the Eternal Law of the Creator to keep within the bounds of its own Circle and in all particulars to do its own work so wonderful and miraculous are all things made and compounded so that it is most clear and manifest that nothing hath power to wound or hurt the Mind and Soul of Mankind but only those things that these great Powers or Senses admit or suffer to enter in and through one or more of these five Gates and by the permission of those Centinels which doth verifie that old Proverb that is what the Eye never sees the Heart never â—…es which we have treated of more at large where we discourse of the Five Senses and their Uses therefore shall proceed to Particulars viz. Scents or Smells disagreeable and unhealthy are as followeth First all such as proceed from the putrifaction of Animals as Bloody Slaughter-houses Butchers-shops and all other places where are Sold the Dead Corps of the Creatures likewise Fish-Markets and Shops Tanners Yards Hog-styes and the like places Next to these are Houses of Easement close Chambers or Rooms where the Air hath not its free influences the Airs of such places are very pernicious and haueful also the Airs of Cities and great Towns where there is a Composition of evil Scents or Smells proceeding from Slaughter-houses Shambles Tallow Chandlers-shops and Melting-houses the breathings and fumes of all sorts of Flesh and Fish Cooks-shops and the Dressing or Cooking of all such things the reliques or putrifaction thereof running through the Streets which fumes and breathings do incorporate with the common Air all being mixed or compounded with the Smoaks proceeding from numerous Chimneys which doth stagnate and becloud the fine Spirits of the Air so that it becomes of a heavy dull Nature and Operation and is most injurious to young People and Children by reason of their tender fine Spirits which are much more hurt or wounded than those of greater Ages and Strength and likewise to such as are subject to Obstructed Natures The Cures for such are fine sweet pleasant Airs and clean thin Foods and small Drinks It is likewise to be noted that there is nothing more hurtful to all Peoples Healths but more especially to some than the Air of Houses both Publick and Private where many People are Congregated or met together where the refreshing Briezes of the common Air are prevented and where the variety of breathing from Distempered Natures are compounded and mixed with the Air and so is drawn into the Body again and again which ought to be remedyed on peril of your Health For the Air being the Life and consisting of a thin Spirituous substance it penetrates to the very Center of all Bodies and therefore when it is mixed or compounded with the putrifaction that ariseth from the Animal Kingdom and from things where the fine Spirits and sweet Vertues are destroyed and the Original Forms of Saturn and Mars do govern all such Forms do mightily infect and spoil the common Air with a violent poysonous Property or Disposition which doth powerfully beget their Similies every thing hath a Key in its self that can open all the secret doors of Natures Cabinets and wheresoever it finds its likeness there it confederates and exerts its own form and property so that Complexions are begotten and by degrees appear and become strong which in the Original were weak and impotent and on the other side that property that is powerful in any Persons Complexions may by degrees be made weak and faint by the use custom and practice of the other qualities if Nature and the varietys of Properties were not capable of being encreased and diminished evil Scents and pernicious offending Fumes could never be made familiar nor evil Company draw Men to Vitiousness it being the chief pastime delight and pleasure of all the wonderful variety of qualities and principles of Nature to encrease and confederate with that which in all things is most suitable and agreeable unto its Temper and Complexion And these
secret and wonderful Operations cannot be performed any other way but only by the five great Princes or compleat Governors called Senses the Creator hath appointed each of them its province and government who are always ready and on their Guard to defend the Tree of Life that is that nothing should be communicated to the Central parts of Nature that should be injurious or hurtful for no evil can be conveyed unto the Mind of Man but only by the admittance of one of these Governors or Senses as we have treated else where and therefore it is advisable not to keep bad Company nor Communicate with any thing wherein the wrathful powers and grosser putrifactions have obtained the Ascendant for no Person can withstand the secret Conveyances and Operations of Nature every particular principle and quality goes constantly on in its own way and doth its own work and meddles not with its Neighbour each Sense judges of all things under and belonging to its own province and is only capable of communicating them to the Microcosmical World It is likewise farther to be considered that all or most of those Scents or sweet Smells that proceed from the Animals are for the most part hurtful to the fine Spirits in Man more especially when they are too near as the Civet Cat a rapacious Creature and fiery by Kind therefore that substance or matter called Musk is nothing else but an Excrementitious matter or the â—…ume or froth proceeding from a fierce fiery violent Natured Creature And for this cause it is very offensive to all fine tender Spirited Persons Use and Custom makes it familiar to most there being no other reason to be given for its Vertues but only that it is the dearest of Stinks and if Hogs Dung were as scarce its probable it might be as much in esteem for the Creature is much fiercer than a Hog and the Houses where they are kept are many degrees more offensive and we are not mistaken if we should affirm that Hogs Dung is a better perfume and less offensive to Nature It is likewise to be considered that the evil Scents and Smells that doth arise and proceed from each particular Creatures Excrements or Putrifaction are more offensive to themselves than the evil Smells and Scents proceeding from Animals of another Kind that is evil Smells or Scents that arises from the Dung of Horses and putrified matter in close Stables is not only offensive but takes off their Stomachs from their Meat and infects them with sundry Difeases The like is to be understood of Sheep For Example if they are Folded or Penn'd up too close for several nights in a place the Scent or Smell of their Excrement being conveyed by that great Governor the Sense of Smelling to the Central parts doth infect the Blood and all the Humors with a hot Mangy Disease called by the Learned Shepherds the Scab or Mange Now notwithstanding these Folds lye open and exposed to the Heavenly Dews and Influences of the Air nevertheless the Scent or Smell of their own Excrements are so prejudicial to them Now if Sheep were to be Folded or Penn'd up where Cows or Horses had been put their Excrements or Dung would not have had any such operation or influence on their Humors The very same is to be understood of all other Animals and more particularly in the Human Nature the Scents and Smells that do arise and proceed from our own Excrements or any other Uncleannesses are much more offensive and prejudicial to the Health both of the Body and Mind than such as proceed from the Excrements of other Animals or Things This is evident by all Mens Experience and therefore the Great Creator and preserving Power of the Lord hath endued most or all under-graduated Creatures with an innate Wisdom and self preserving Cleanness far exceeding Mankind which is very wonderful and doth manifest the great Wisdom of the All-wise Creator Therefore it doth plainly appear that all kinds of Uncleanness contradicts the whole course of Nature and in the highest degree opposeth Gods Law and is a true Signal of Mans Degeneration from the Holy Unity he was made to live in and under for all evil Smells proceed from Uncleanness and from the same Root doth arise all Plagues and Epidemical Distempers and for this cause when any Person shall happen to be in places where evil Smells and Scents are or where Epidemical Diseases reign not to suffer the Air in whose Body those poysonous qualities dwell called gross or foul Smells to touch that curious part called the Sense of Smelling which Governor or Prince keeps his Court of Guard between the Nose and Brain but by opening your Mouth and sending it out the same way any Person may in a great degree avoid the evils that come by gross Scents and Smells for the magick inward or secret powers and properties of Nature cannot be roused up awakened or penetrated into nor the Vices nor Virtues of things conveyed to them but only by the five grand Councellors or Governors the Senses each cayrying and communicating all things belonging to its Province so that the evil Air Smell or Scent that doth not touch the Sense of Smelling but passes in and out without the license and admittance of the Smelling is not capable to do so much injury as otherwise for none of the other four Senses can open the Gates either of Virtueor Vice or of any thing but what belongs to its own Province as is mentioned before so that it is clear that evil Scents and Smells are less hurtful that are breathed in and sent out by way of the Mouth without or unknown to the Sense of Smelling whichâ—… method doth free the Brain from many great evils and inconveniences which a little custom will make very easie and familiar so that any Person may pass through or be in stinking places as it were unhurt and at the same time avoid the displeasure of an evil Scent or Smell which doth not as is mentioned before hurt the Health but when such Airs are conveyed to the Sense of Smelling then it hath its evil influences on the Spirits And therefore all Persons that are accustomed to stinking places and are of Trades that communicate with the putrifactions that proceed from fierceness and violence exercised by Mankind on their Fellow Animals or Creatures become dull foul and gross and this curious and as it were Divine Sense loseth its distinguishing property and such Persons are by these and the like Communications made and altered in their very Radix so that most of them appear in another Form and Complexion If this were not so a Tallow-Chandlers Melting-house and Butchers Slaughter-houses and the dark gross stinking Smells and the thick dreadful Fumes thereof could never be made familiar Every Spiritual Power carries in its Bosom a natural Key that can with the greatest facility imaginable open all the secret Doors and Passages of its own Principle and Quality by which Secret
or as it were unknown Operation Mankind is changed either for the better or for the worse all according to the nature and ruling Property or Complexion of those things they work in or communicate with so that most or all Men immerse or plunge themselves into many great Troubles Vexations and Miseries and all for want of Understanding and distinguishing the variety of those Forms and Principles they are made and compounded of which is the highest degree of Depravation and a Calamity much to be Lamented for what evil is greater than for any person to lessen the true use and to be ignorant of himself and consequently is blind and ignorant of all other things for true understanding and distinguishing takes its Birth within his own Circle he being an Epitome of the whole Creation and of the variety of all the wonderful Beings therein contained that is the Original and Grand Principles and Fountain-spirits are Essentially in him and he is the very Thing or else Man could not contain the true Nature and Property of all visible and invisible Powers or obtain the name of being truly stiled or called the Likeness and Image of the Great Creator who is All in and through All. Now Scents and Smells that do advance Health and preserve the finer Spirits both Externally and Internally are as followeth viz. Of all Scents and Smells clean sweet Airs such as are free from the Commuâ—… the crouds of Men and more particularly those by running Rivers and hilly dry Fields that lies or joins to them where Flowers Trees and various sorts of fragrant Herbs send forth their most pleasant and oderiferous Scents and Smells which do incorporate with the fine Spirits of the Air and by the thinner Fumes proceeding from the Powers of the Element of Water impregnate or endue such Airs with a powerful and penetrating Virtue which Persons do find by Experiencing a lively Briskness and sharp Appetite The like is to be understood in all moist Seasons provided there be not too much Rain but moderate which when the moisture is temperate doth with its natural Key gently and softly open the inward and secret Gates of each thing freeing the finer Spirits so that they are thereby on the Wing rendring them capable to incorporate with the common Air impregnating it with its fine refreshing Virtues the truth of this all Persons do find when Exercised in the open Air in such Seasons and therefore all such as are troubled with or subject to any kind of Obstructions of the Breast or to Languishing Consumptive Diseases may be relieved and the Diseases in a great degree remedied by a constant Exercise of Walking and the like by River-sides or in such Seasons or whether the Air being the most sublimest of Elements and as it were the true Original of Life and therefore the finener and more free it is from Defilements the greater are the administring Virtues and Powers both to the Health of the Body and Mind the Magick Spirits and invisible Powers are the true and original Life of all Bodies according to the fineness thinness and unity of the Spirit And so on the contrary such is its Body and it hath its Form Figures and Qualifications from thence and the Element of Air being the finenest and thinest of all others as was mentioned before so the inward Virtue and Spiritual Powers thereof are in proportion more especially when it is defiled by Uncleanness chiefly such as proceed from the Putrifaction of the Animal Kingdom which is the grossest and more pernicious than any that proceed from the Vegetables more particularly from Slaughtered Beasts likewise the Airs of Gardens and Fields where Flowers and Herbs of various kinds grow are filled with the sweet odoriferous Virtues and Fumes of them and such places are thereby made very pleasant healthy and wholsome Now the best Perfumes and Sweets are such that grow in our own Climate and under the Elevation and Influences of our own Stars and Elements all being most agreeable to our Constitutitutions some being more suitable having a nearer Affinity to one Person than to another even as it is in Eatables or Foods the Complexions of Smells or Scents are as various and there is as great a variety in them as there is in Complexions Forms and Inclinations of Mankind by which means all Scents and Smells are agreeable to one or another and disagreeable to others all according to the degrees of the Sal Nitral Virtues or Magick Spirits so that what is a pleasant delightful Smell to one is a distasteful unpleasant Scent to another which is only to be understood in the Vegetable World and not in the Animal all is gross there and it is very rare that their Slaughtered Limbs do send forth Scents that are pleasant except to such as have their Senses depraved by the Use and Communication of gross things for the Scent or Smell of the best Flesh or Fish when prepared by Fire which opens all the Body and sends forth the inward Virtues as one may call it are strong and fulsome except to those as was mentioned before who are used to the eating of them whose Spirits and Bodies are daily made subsist and are continued by them but to others who do Live on cleaner Foods their Smells and Scents are no better than a strong stinking Fume or Vapour more especially when the Housewife or Cook hath not Judgement or doth not distinguish the Operation of things and the Method of preserving the Spirits and the contrary which is very rarely done by Preparers of Foods And it is to be noted that as all or most of the Animals and the Foods made thereof do naturally send forth gross loathsom Smells Scents and Fumes so on the contrary all or most of the Vegetables do as naturally breath forth sweet pleasant delightful Smells more especially all Eatables and many other of most delicate and fragrant Scents therefore they have been called by the Honourable Name of Angelical Food not only from their Fragrancy but Innocency of Birth and harmless Operation both on the Body and Spirits Cleanness and Fragrancy being two of the most valuable Virtues which Uncleanness and Depravity have almost Banished out of the World now Herbs that are pleasant and their Smells or Fumes most healthy are these viz. Southern-wood Hysop Tyme and Mother of Tyme Winter-savory Mint Penny-royal Sage Bawm and several other Sweets but these are the principal the next Sweets are Flowers some of the material are as followeth Pinks Gilly-flowers of several sorts Carnations Jessemy c. likewise a great number of Field Flowers which are less sweet but more Virtuous as to the Fumes sent forth into the Air as the Blossoms of several sorts of Grains and Fruit-trees which do fill or impregnate the Air with odoriferous Fumes There are likewise several other sorts of Herbs whose Smells and Scents are very delightful to some and healthful to all as Tansy Worm-wood Featherfew and all other bitter
Herbs that grow in Gardens and also in the Fields and Commons their Fumes and Scents are sharp strong and penetrating amongst whom Rosemary is one of the most valuable for its noble and lively Virtues the Fumes of those Herbs do naturally move all kinds of Obstructions for the bitter Quality is the Root of all Motion and in what Creature or Herb soever it is temperate then it is the true moving boiling Power and the pleasure of Life and cause of Joy For this Cause Bitter Herbs are of great Use in Medicines and their Scents and Fumes are in proportion This bitter Quality is the only and principal Friend to the Sweets for the Bitter or Mars doth so mightily love Venus that wheresoever the Bitter Quality meets with the Sweet it hugs it close and keeps it from turning Sharp or Acid for this Cause bitter Herbs as Hops c. are added and put into Beer that the Sweet or Spiritual Virtues might not too quickly turn sour or sharp Physicians have likewise prescribed Potions made of bitter Herbs to moderate or check the Acidity or Sharp Humor in the Stomach occasioned by the eating of so great quantities of Fat sweet Foods and strong Drinks for there is nothing known in Nature that doth allay and as it were captivate the fierce hot Fumes of Mars as the sweet Balsamick Water of Venus or the sweet Quality For this Cause bitter things are mixed or compounded with our Foods more especially with the sweet or oily Body and it is for those Reasons that the Cacao-nut being made into a Food proves so universally grateful and agreeable to most Stomachs which doth chiefly proceed from the Sal Nitral Oils and bitter Quality which Qualifications do render it in the Stomach of easy Separation and Concoction far exceeding all the Oils of other Nuts and likewise of Olives and Almonds besides the Oil of Cacao-nuts is so equally mixed and graduated with the bitter Quality that thereby it becomes dissolvable and will by the heat of Fire melt into a mass or pappy Substance and not become rank as the Oil of all other Nuts and Things will just as though God and his Hand maid Nature had endued this noted Plant and Fruit with all the united Virtues of the Vegetable Kingdom and though this Spoon-meat called Chocolate will not agree with some Stomachs the occasion thereof is not in the Nut but either in the Depravity or Foulness of the Stomach or in the things it is compounded of viz. Sugar Spice Milk and Eggs there being hardly any Spoon-meat or Pottage excepting our thin Water-gruel that will so soon collect and beget so strong and sharp an Appetite as Chocolate made without any thing compounded with it but only made with the entire Nut and Water it being one of the most easiest and cleanfing Spoon-meats that is or can be procured it is not only easy of Digestion of its self but a small Dish after any sort of Food or temperate Meal will not only advance the Concoction but make all easy and lightsome which doth declare the excellency of its Nature and equality of its parts and we do affirm from good Grounds and sufficient Reasons in Nature that there is hardly any Foreign Fruit or Ingredients that come into England or any of the European Countries that is so Homogenial as this Nut though this Nation hath no necessity either for this or any other our own Climate and Country furnishing us with all things necessary both for Food and Physick Praised be the Great Creator of all Beings Now it is likewise farther to be noted that strong Scents or Smells of all fragrant Herbs Flowers Seeds and Grains or Drugs and Spices do best supply and furnish Nature with their Virtues and Excellencies at some convenient distance for this noble Sense of Smelling is so Sublime that near and strong Scents are apt to overcome and as it were glut it that it becomes rather a displeasure and hurtful than a pleasure to Nature all the Senses are liable to be overcome and glutted as well as the Palate and Stomach though the Gluttony of the other four Senses doth rarely prove so hurtful or injurious as that of Tasting or the Palate Sir I could enlarge upon this Subject but have here inserted what is needful at present from Your assured Friend to Command T. T. LETTER XXV Of PREDESTINATION SIR IAm very much concern'd at the Intelligence your last kind Letter gives me in reference to your great disorder about the Consideration of that much Controverted Point of Predestination which hath doth and will occasion great Troubles as well as Disunion among the Christians the end of which never can be expected till Men arrive to a better Understanding THAT Blindness in this Point hath done unspeakable Mischiefs to Mankind will evidently appear by what follows but by God's Blessing a Medicine may be administred that may in some measure if not totally satisfy your longing Desires after Truth in this Case You must therefore know that God without Nature and Creature is an Incomprehensible Unfathomable Eternal Being and therefore the Learned Moses saith that God made all material Things of Nothing and this Nothing is the Eternal Unity and the highest Good even that very Power that preserveth all material Being Now this Unfathomable Eternal Being could neither doth design any thing unlike himself because he is the All in Time and Eternity being the Father of all Creatures whither Corporeal or Incorporeal the everlasting Power and Mind the one only Eternal Will which willeth nothing but Good And when this Unity or Eternal Power had a mind to cloath the various Spiritual Powers with Corporeal Matter or Forms then the invisible Powers Principles and Qualities by the Energy of the one only Eternal Father attracked proportionate Matter for their Body or Cloathing and as the Salnitral Spiritual Powers of the Lord stood in their degrees such were their Forms and Figures Dispositions and Inclinations and hence all the varieties of visible Beings arise and it is as was said before impossible for the only Creator of all things to will any thing contrary to himself being All in All from Eternity to Eternity and it 's for this Reason that all things do so vehemently long after God their Original all Creatures being the Image of him that made them But the nearer any Creature arives to the Unity the highest Good the more Virtuous Beautiful and Happy is that Creature exceeding all those Creatures standing more at a distance and obtains a Name accordingly All things are in pain seeking and groaning with the highest Desire to obtain the Eternal Unity not being capable of Rest till they are swallowed up in it And all the Spiritual Powers by which every Creature is preserved and sustained have an Eternal Original and are so many Branches of the Incomprehensible Unity which is the Cause that all Creatures that are Sensitive desire to Live for ever and the regard every one
hath to preserve his Body though intolerable Pains are always about it is a sufficient Evidence of this Truth The same thing is Essential to Brutes who dread the Shock of Violence and tremble at the Instruments of their Dissolution which proceeds from the Spirits and not from the Body and Desire of Life Wherefore it must be the highest Will to violate the Unity by puting a Period to the Lives either of ones own kind or the other Creatures being the most spiteful Opposition to the Laws of God Nature and Eternity But what can be said or who can convince the great Ignorance and Blindness of Mankind This Evil is the effect of Man's Fall in the abuse of that noble Faculty the free unbounded Will of Man given him alone by his Creator which he should have used to the Glory of God the Preservation of himself and the whole Creation But he forthwith introduced this Will into Self-hood broke the Unity and destroyed the Concord of his own Composition which was the true Image of God and an Epitome of the whole Creation Here came in that Noxious Opinion of Predestination that never could have found a room in Man but by his falling from the Unity into Discord the Operations of the divided Forms Qualities and Principles which is the true Birth of Reprobation and Predestination as is now held and maintained by some among us But 't is evident that God hath given Man a free Will or his Reason by which he surmounts Brutes had been of no use to him 't is this noble Faculty by which he is capable of knowing God and all his Greatures and preserve it from Error God hath given his Law in Nature and revealed Will whereby he is made capable of discerning whenever his Desires and Powers may exceed their Limits Had God before the Creation absolutely Predestinated Mankind he could not have varied from it but have stood in that Law even as the Beasts and all other under-Graduates do for they cannot break that Law as is very plain for did they know their Powers it were impossible for Man to Rule and Guide them and much less being so Impotent for him to Oppress and Destroy them so many ways as he doth Hence it is evident that Man is Free Will by which he Transcends all other Visible Creatures is become his greatest Curse having thereby broke the Unity and defaced the beautiful Image of the Great God by suffering his Will to enter into Discord and his Election depends on himself being accountable for all his Evils and Misfortunes For the Eternal Father of all things is always ready with open Arms to receive all that are willing to hear and observe the Laws and Dictates of the Voice of Wisdom Are not all the Works of the Creator like himself and we his Children endued with Principles Qualifications and Dispositions from himself We indeed vary by and through the Self-hood but God is eternally equal in all his Methods causing the Glorious Eye of the World the Sun and all the Fructifying Dews of Heaven with the sweet Influence of the Caelestial Bodies to fall proportionately on all One Man's Field is not Predestinated to the continual scorching Beams of the Sun and at the same time his Neighbour's to be Drown'd with Floods and Inundations of Water No the Eternal Fountain of Beings hands forth his Spiritual and Temporal Blessings without respect of Persons having equal regard to the meanest and most Noble of his Creatures none having any Character or defending Power beyond another to protect him from the wrath of the Elements Sickness or Death which made the Wise King Solomon say that one Event happened to the Wise man and the Fool. Now had the Almighty Being like some unequal Tyrant or unrighteous Prince made and appointed some of his Sons and Daughters to Eternal Misery after this Life and others to all imaginable Happiness he would never have given Laws whereby Man might govern his Will and all Preaching and Teaching had been vain and as ineffectual as to Beasts who live in their limits that is set them and as they do not particularly call any thing their property so they freely possess and use what Nature sets before them Nothing is more impious and contradictory to God than this Opinion and wicked Imagination making the most Merciful Righteous and Just God the Maker and Preserver of all things the Original cause of Evil. Every Man becomes predestinated to good or evil in this World and the World to come as he introduceth his Will or Desires into good or evil it being in the power of each Principle and Quality to predestinate and lead all those that are entred into it according to its power either into good or evil For Instance the Son Disobeys his Father and Mother takes to the High-way to Kill Rob c. and continuing in this Method the wrathful fierce Principle and Quality rules over him anâ—… will most assuredly predestinate him to Destruction Therefore my Friend turn the Eye of your Understanding inwards all the Wonders and Mysteries of God's Nature are within you you are the Thing your Self and if with Fervor and Devotion you wait at Wisdoms Altar you will quickly feel the Grace and Holy Power the Glorious Light of the Son of God arising in you and teaching you such harmless innocent Methods of Life and Love that will lead you into the Unity and convince you that as God is One and undivided having equal respect to all the Sons and Daughters of Men and whensoever the Harmony is broken it proceeds from our selves and not from God's Predestinating us and this take to be a sufficient Answer and I hope it may be as aparent to you as it is evident to Your Faithful Friend T. T. LETTER XXVI Of DEATH SIR 〈◊〉 â—…ceived yours and take notice of the Contents and in particulâ—… 〈◊〉 of your unvulgar Philosophical Question viz. You desire to know 〈◊〉 Original Cause and Grand Reason wherefore every Sensitive 〈◊〉 under Heaven doth with great earnestness desire to Live for Ever 〈◊〉 on the other side fear and dread nothing so much as any kind of 〈◊〉 or Violence that may tend towards the putting a Period to the â—…fe MY Friend all the wonderful and amazing varieties of created Beings and Creatures in this Visible World which are beyond all Humane Numbers have all proceeded and sprung from an Eternal Original and are an Epitome or Image of the 〈◊〉 and Incorporeal Worlds and Principles and these manifested Powers do contain the true Nature and Property of the Internal Worlds oâ—… Spiritual Beings for every particular or speâ—… Body or Thing doth in its Signature and Complexion carry that Eternal Stamp or Character it was Sealed with from Eternity or before it was separated from the Great Fountain of 〈◊〉 Unity Now it is to be noted and considered that the great and 〈◊〉 Powers and variety of the invisible Spiritual Beings did do and ever will long
Inclination to continue a miserable Life doth not only proceed and arise from the sense Men have of Sin and the breaking of God's Law for which eternal Punishment is threatned though this seems to be sufficient cause to be the Root of each Man's fear of Death which doth not consist in his Transgressions but from that eternal Life and invisible Spiritual Power that supports and dwells in the Body which in all Creatures doth with the highest diligence imitate that Fountain from whence it proceeds 〈◊〉 it is not to be doubted that if a number of Men should be Educated and 〈◊〉 up and under Custom and Methâ—… that did not teach 〈◊〉 believe the Immortality of the Soâ—… 〈◊〉 Rewards for Virtuâ—… nor Punishments for Vice neverthelâ—… the fear and dread of all Violence Oppression and Death would be the same as now it iâ—… and with other Creatures for God's eternal Laws in Nature are the same yesterday to day and for ever or from Eternity to Eternity and Man makes Laws and imitates Customs that are varied and changed out of Evil into Good and out of Good into Evil but God's Law and 〈◊〉 in all the Operations of the Spiritual Powers are in a consâ—… fix'd Method and it is clear that the greatest Evil and 〈◊〉 thing that can be done to Man or any other sensible Creature is to put a Period to the Life before it hath obtained its highest Limit and this sort of Violence doth in all its Circumstances Diametrically oppose the Creating and likewise the Preserving Power of God and the greatest breach of Unity Now that which will make Death and the Thoughts thereof easiest is a clean harmless sober temperate and innocent Life Living within the Compass and Bounds of God's Law that is to do unto the whole Creation and Creatures as a Man would be done unto and if this was done nevertheless every one would Live eternally in this World if they could because the Spirit which is the Life of the Body hath an eternal Original and would be cloathed with a proportionable Body for no Spirit nor Spiritual Power can be known to it self or be a Self-subsisting Individual Creature or be capable of Joy or Sorrow neither in this World nor in that which is to come if it be not comprehended within the Circle of a Body and therefore the Philosophical Apostle Paul tells us that if the Dead rise not or if there be no Resurrection that is new Bodies they were the most miserable of all Creatures which is as if he had said that if after the Death of these Mortal Bodies if the Eternal Spirit or Immortal Soul did not obtain or cloath it self with a suitable Body that is an Immortal one then their Works and good Deeds could not follow them neither could the Holy Men and Saints be capable of enjoying those eternal Blessings promised to all those that observe the Laws of their Creator and keep his Commandments for if there be no new Bodies then the Soul and all the Spiritual Powers that circled and dwelt in this gross Body must of necessity at Death mingle themselves into and with the eternal Fountain and thereby be eternally Annihilated â—…s to Individuality or of being known to it self and consequently not capable either of Joy or Sorrow And note that according to the Disposition and Complexion of the Spiritual Powers such Bodies they are cloathed with and therefore it is not to be doubted but that every Man in the World to come shall be cloathed or obtain a suitable Body proportionable to the Spirit and Soul and such as in the time of the Body did freely immerse and enter into all kinds of Fierceness and Violence Killing those of their own kind and all under-graduated Creatures their new Bodies shall obtain a Figure or Form in proportion And therefore the Scripture doth say and speak of the Heavenly City and Angelical Powers without the Gates are Bears and Dogs for the Spirit is the Original of the Body and not the Body of the Spirit and according to the Equality or Ineâ—…ality of the Spirit or Spiritual Powers such a Figure or Form that obtains for the great and wonderful variety of Forms of Bodies and Figures of things do arise and proceed from the variety of the Spirits and Spiritual Powers which could not have been manifested but only by means of the Body nor be known to themselves It is likewise further to be noted that Death doth at once obliterate and put a period to the five great Princes or Councellors called Senses in which by and through whom the living Powers and Spirits of Eternity do manage and transact all material things in this Visible World or Corporeal Body and at the same time Buries them in the great Abyssal Mystery separating the loving Husband from the affectionate and tender Wife and all other visible things that are near and dear to the Senses and innate Affections and all that claims an interest to the outward Corporality the sensitive Body and Spirit of this World have a right unto and are necessitated to plunge or leap into the grand Mystery of Eternity and that which doth increase and multiply the fear and dread thereof and makes it so exceeding timerous to pass through or over this Sea into Eternity is First Mens living and acting contrary to Gods innocent Laws of Nature and the embracing of evil Customs and Traditions most of which do diametrically oppose all the innocent uniform Powers and Laws of Concord the ignorances thereof being the greatest evil in this World for it is almost impossible for any Person to obtain the Unity if he doth not distinguish the Power of God in himself and the Principles of his own Nature and Composition and for this cause many of the Justest and best of Men that have noâ—… only been soberly and religiously inclined but have as it were transacted all their Affairs with softness and equity according to the settled Religion and Custom of the Nation and Place they are Educated in nevertheless those great and unnatural Evils Violences and Oppressions most or all Nations commit against God and his Holy innocent Law do so strong and powerfully spring and boil up in the center of Mans Soul so soon as the Eternal Spiritual Powers do see and feel that their body or circle of Corporality shall be taken away or they separated from them 〈◊〉 there is a great and wonderful Consternation or Tumult all the Centers Powers and Principles being awakened and as it were grating or rubbing one against another occasioning great Disorders and Agonys between the Nature Spiritual Powers and Principles all being unwilling to shift or quit their Body or natural â—…tation and be put to seek a new one and being as is mentioned before altogether ignorant of then doth arise in the Center of the Soul various Accusations of their not doing this or the other thing or of some mis-spent time or neglect of the â—…mon Duty of
any perswade a Turk to become a Christian after 20 years of Age Or on the other side a Christian to be a Turk and so of all others by which this great Truth doth appear over all that Customs Examples and Living Precedents have far greater power and influence over Mankind than the Constellation any Person is Born under Besides the wonderful and amazing Varieties both of the Animal Vegetable and Mineral Kingdoms are such that the Births of all Created Beings are in one degree or other manifestly unlike many Men have been curious in this matter but no Man could ever find two things in all Circumstances alike or of one dimention or complexion And the original cause of this Wonder is hid from the Eyes and Understanding of the greatest number of Men the blindness ignorance and wickedness of Mankind is so great that the Sons of Wisdom are forbid discovering of this secret Wisdom for the Unlearned would not only trample Pearls under foot but also make an ill use of them no Man doubts but according to the old Maxim of Wisemen and Naturalists that Man in Soul Body and Spirit is a compleat Epitome or Image of the Great Immense Creator and Father of all Beings and therefore in him is contained the true nature and property of all material Things or Elements and he may be fitly and properly likened or compared with the Earth in which are the Seminary Seeds and powers of all Herbs Grains Fruits and Trees of which there is amazing variety even beyond Humane number only this difference is to be understood the Sal Nitral forms and four grand qualities stand in their several respective degrees in some things one form and quality is strong another weak which doth occasion the great difference of Earths which by the understanding Husbandman and his Cultivation can be made capable to bring forth all kinds of Herbage Corn Seeds Fruits and Trees by his encreasing and decreasing of qualitys which by his Dressing Dunging and Manuring he changeth the complexion of the Ground by his apt mixtures making weak qualities strong and strong properties weaker Now can any understanding Man imagine but that there will be the like great difference in the Humane Nature for Mens Employments together with their Communications are able to vary their Complexions abating and lessening their sanguine tractable Tempers and advancing their fierce invading Tempers which before their conversing with things of the like nature could hardly be seen or known so that there is nothing more true than that every particular Trade Employment or Practice doth incircle all such that enter into such Business having a Key that opens all the secret Doors and Gates and the Complexion or Nature of that thing is never satisfied till it hath found out its Similie which in a little time and practice doth strengthen and advance by which weak Dispositions and fainty Inclinations become strong and powerful and on the other side strong Inclinations and Dispositions are mightily weakned and grow languid and drooping as if they had a Consumption Now if every Man and Woman did not contain the true nature and property of the whole then this could not be done for every particular thing must have a Friend or a Confederate in the Humane Nature or else it could have no power to encrease decrease strengthen or weaken Forms Principles and Qualitys and mould them into their Natures by impressing their Dispositions and Inclinations in a great degree alter and chang them Now if this be true of Exercises and Employments which are but External and managed with the motion of the Members of the Body then what power and influence must Meats and Drinks have on the Soul Spirit and Body which are as it were the Original or Seminary Seeds and Substance of the Humane Nature whose Operations are all Internal from which are generated Blood Spirits Inclinations Words and Works either clean or unclean better or worse all according to the nature of the Foods If Mankind and those skill'd in the Astrological Science did understand and had Wisdom to distinguish these things they would be far more afraid of the malignant influences of the Stars and Constellations that rule in that part of the Globe called the Earth that is evil Education unclean Meats Drinks Exercises Trades Employments Communication Tradition wicked Customs and Examples than from the Male Configuration of the Heavenly Bodies not but Men do by their Uncleanness and Sinful Methods most powerfully attract and draw the venemous Nature and Dispositions out of all the Stars Elements and all Undergraduated things for as is mentioned before Man is like all things and all things like him and so he is rendred capable to influence all things and all things have power to influence him either for better or worse So wonderful hath our Blessed Creator made all Creatures and Beings enduing them with an influential Power and Energie and more particularly the Humane Nature for it is not to be doubted but that Mankind is endued with an innate Power and thereby is not only rendred as capable to move and influence the Starry Coelestial and all the powers of the Elements as they are to move and influence him to that or the other thing whether it be Virtue or the contrary for the Princes Governors Magistrates of all kinds together with the Priests Prophets and Advocates are the great Stars Planets and Constellations that Govern and under whose influence all Men and other Creatures and Things are subjected to in this Sublunary World there being nothing more true and manifest that they are the Lordâ—… of every Mans Ascendant for by the power and vertue of their Commands Laws Customs and Traditions they make all bow before them let them be of what Constitution Nature or under what Constellation soever all Configurations both good or ill must yield Obedience to their Methods as we have before shewed by the Memorials Laws Customs Traditions and Religions of all Nations for this cause that which is esteemed true Virtue and Religion in one Country is Evil or Vice in another Now can any Person that wears Eyes in his Head be so ignorant as to think or believe that the powers and influences of the Coelestial Bodies are the prime Cause and Promoters of those vast Variety and Difference there is in the Religions and Manners of Mankind no no the true Original of all this amazing variety of Sentiments and Methods are the Orâ—…cles Prophets and Gods each Country doth Observe Adore and Worship be they either good or evil all both the Wise and the Simple fall Victims to their power Would not Swearing as is mentioned before and all other evil Words be they of what nature soever be as unknown and altogether as hard and impossible as for Children to learn Hebrew Greek or any other Language they never heard any speak no the Coelestial Stars and great illuminated Bodies whose Orbs or Circles they move by our demonstrative Guesser The
Mathematicians do tell us that the Orb or Circle of each Planet is far greater than the whole Globe of Earth and Water which hitherto no Man in the general hath doubted what they have found true by the Observations of the most Learned and Ingenious of all Ages for some thousands of years and if so what morâ—…l Man can guess the wonderful Creatures and Inhabitants that may possibly dwell and inhabit those Spacious Airy Plains for so they seem to us and who can tell but that the Globe of Earth and Water may appear to the Creatures of those Worlds as they do to us and consequently that the Mathematicians and Astrologers of those unknown Worlds may make as great ado about the influences of our Planets Stars and Constellations as we do of theirs and give us the same Titles and Names as we do them but we have never ravelled in their Regions nor conversed with the People and World of the Moon and therefore shall submit and be silent in this guessing Philosophy It is further to be considered that the good and evil Successes or Fortunes to the Ascendants Planets and Significators that as Astrologers say are showered down upon Mankind by the benevolent and malignant influences of those great Luminaries and Coelestial Bodies which are various and strange if all be true as Philosophers say Now the Evils and Misfortunes are as it were beyond Humane number in comparison of the Good and whatsoever Misfortune or Evil doth happen or befall Mankind is by many of those cunning Men attributed to the Configurations and Directions of Planets and Significators or some one of them to Saturn they say when ill lignified he powerfully inclines his Sons and Daughters to Oppression Violence Killing Covetousness Back-biting Envy Strife and all kinds of evil Words and Works And the like is to be understood of the other Six Planets whereas it is as clear as the Sun Beams at Noon-day that all the Intemperances Evils and Outrages Mankind doth commit against God and his Neighbour are generated and midwifed into the World by Customs Presidents evil Communications and Examples as appears by the foregoing and if this be true how angry then will those great Illuminated Powers of Heaven be with Man for laying the Cause and Foundation of those great Evils upon them as when the fair Sex are vain proud wanton and foolish to say that Venus that great and wonderful Illuminated Body and Queen of Love is the cause that inclines them to such Wickedness or when a young Man is ingenious sharp and witty and turns all into Cheating to attribute it to Mercury and when any Person is vain wanton and unconstant to lay the cause on the Moon and her Influences or when a Man is fierce devilish hard-hearted cruel and subject to Wrath Passion and Violence to lay the cause on Mars and when false in Religion to attribute it to an unfortunate Iupiter and when proud and subject to Vain-glory and boasting to fix it on the Sun when in Truth the Original cause of most or all Evils and Sins take their first birth in the center of a Mans self and the People he Lives amongst and communicates with so that Mankind doth mightily add to his evil Course of Life by laying the cause where he should not and belying those innocent Powers which wicked Trade he hath followed ever since he transgressed Gods Holy Law and Commandment putting the evil from himself and laying the cause on some other thing of which its said that our Mother Eve was the first Precedent or Example Now what Mankind have to say for themselves when they shall be brought to the Test I cannot imagine for it seems impossible for Astrologers that they should pass their Accompt without making retalliation or satisfaction so that the Wisemen have made but poor work of their Studies It is likewise further to be Noted that no Creatures or Sublunary Bodies are subject or compelled to obey the Influences of the Heavenly Bodies but only such as have kept and Lived under the Law of God and observed and not broken the limits of their Natural Orbe or Circle in which each specifick Body or Creature was Originally Created and brought forth as we have hinted before for all the wonderful and most amazing of the Heavenly Luminaries called Stars Planets and Signs and though their number be far beyond all Humane Numeration nevertheless each of them doth keep within the limits and bounds of their Orbs and Original Circles and doth alway move with an exact and regular motion keeping and obeying the Voice and great Law of their Creator And for this cause all Corporeal Beings that live and move within the Limits of their first Law and have not at any time broken nor in any degree exceeded its bounds are all subject to the Laws Orders and Methods of Heaven and to all the Influences of those great Powers vulgarly called Stars Planets and Constellations and they do with the highest diligence endeavour to observe and imitate their Superior Powers every Creature observing both time and season so that all things are done and brought forth in an exact and wonderful Method and Order which is strangely amazing and surprizing to any considerate Person Do not all the numerous Off-springs of the Earth obey the Motions Influences and Voice of the Heavenly Bodi or Constellations And are not the Children or Fruits of our Mother Earth better or worse strong or weak vertuous or the contrary all according to the Benevolent or Malevolent Influences or Configurations of the Stars Constellations and Elements The like is to be understood of the Sensitive Creatures called Beasts of which there is an unaccountable variety nevertheless each doth in a most wonderful manner and curious method observe and constantly obey the Original Law God stamped on them and their Young Ones or Children learn and observe the same without the invading fierce Rods of School-Masters or Tutors and as the Heavenly Bodies and Governing Powers of the Great Creator do all work move and govern in a most exact and regular Order and Method The like is to be understood of all the Children or Off-spring of the Elements who keep their first Law and therefore they do all as exactly keep and observe their times and seasons alway moving within the compass and bounds of their own Circles or Orbs they were Created in and their whole business both of Motion Inclination and all the Actions of Life is to imitate and observe the Laws and Commands of their Superiors viz. the Heavenly Bodies But the contrary is to be understood of the Humane Race who have defaced their noble Image by breaking the Law of their Creator and thereby have destroyed the Orbs and Limits of their own Circle so that they are as it were blind and know little or nothing of the wonderful Operations of their own Heaven nor are they in any degree sensible of their own Natures or the Principles they are compounded
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
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
ripe then nine Pounds or a Gallon of Juice makes but three quarters of a Pound of Muscovado Sugar and the like quantity of Molosses and this very frequently comes to pass For if the Canes be planted too thick which intercepts the Heat from penetrating thro them to the Roots or if the Season be too wet then some are ripe and some are not and in such a case the Sugar is neither so much in Quantity nor so good in Quality and there is as much difference between that made hereof and of the ripe Canes as there is between Cyder made of Apples growing on the Top and the outside of the Trees and of those that grow under the shady Boughs where the Sun cannot influence them with his warming Beams therefore it must be a grand Error to plant Canes so thick especially in moist or wet Seasons Now the Scums Dregs and excrementitious Parts which are separated from the finer and more essential Parts in making of Sugar are of some value for from the same being fermented and distilled is extracted a strong Spirit which they call Rumm so that you see Sir that the Juice of the Cane by Art and extream Labour is made into three considerable Commodities viz. Sugar Treacle and Rumm beside which the Servants and Negroes make a very good Drink with Molosses Water and some Ginger worked up all together the Strength being in proportion to the Quantity of Molosses put in as our Beer or Ale is stronger or smaller according to the Quantity of Malt and this Drink is called by the Indian name of Coow woow the same being altogether as wholsom as our Ale and rather stronger than the common sort and tho' there are many other sorts of Drinks made of Molosses Sugar and the Juices of Fruits yet this is one of the best and wholsomest if it be not kept till it be too stale but it being the cheapest and most common is a sufficient Reason with most that have wherewithal to make more chargeable Liquors to reject it But to leave this and come to the principal Ingredient used in making of Sugar in all parts of the World of which all eat but so very few know the manner and difficulty of the Preparation I am to acquaint you it 's the Sal Nitre of Stones I mean Lime slacked and infused in common Water which does as readily imbibe the Salt of the Lime as hot Water does the Sweetness of Malt in Brewing now the Boiler makes his Liquor stronger or weaker according to the Goodness of the Canes and there is never any brown nor white Sugar made nor can be made without this Lime-water or its Equivalent viz. Pot-Ashes which yet is very rarely used the same being neither so good nor so reasonably cheap whereas the other is experimentally found to be the best for bringing of Sugar to its highest Perfection Now Muscovado or Brown Sugar is made sometimes with stronger Lime-water than our Sugar-Bakers or Refiners do use in Refining white Sugar for the Juice of the Canes could never be made into Sugar that is into a firm substantial Body nor obtain a sparkling Grain without the Help and Assistance of this Lime-water but the same would remain forever a dull glewy fat Substance or Syrup of an heavy gross Nature and Operation neither wholsom nor pleasant For as the Juice of the Cane is a compleat Sweet wherein the saltish Astringent bitter and sharp Qualities are weak and impotent therefore with out the Assistance of the other three it cannot obtain a Body especially without an Astringent Quality of which Stones are endued with an ample Share from whence proceeds the strong hard Body or Coagulation in them and the harder they are the stronger and more powerful are the salnitral Vertues of Lime made thereof as all Builders and Workers in Mortar experimentally find seeing good Lime by the Assistance of Water and good management in tempering will obtain as hard and strong a Consistency or Coagulation as the Stone had or be rather harder than before it was turned into Lime For the fire you must know in the burning of Lime does not at all weaken the salnitral Astringency but breaks and melts down the cold gross Coagulation opening the hard Body and frees the more essential Parts and Vertues of Nature setting them at liberty which while such stones remained entire were not useful for any such purposes For this Sal Nitre or original Salt is encircled in the innermost Center of all things both in the Animal Vegetative and Mineral Kingdoms and each specifick Thing is cloathed with a suitable Body according to the Power Strength and Nature of the Sal Nitre or astringent part thereof therefore in what Man Beast Vegetable or Mineral the Salnitral forms are weak so the Body is alwâ—… in proportion Now this Salt of Stones is of great Use and the principal thing that brings Sugar as I have already said to perfection and as the Artist cannot perform the first part of the Operation without the Assistance of this Lime-water so the brown Sugar made or refined into white Sugar must also be boiled up with a proper Quantity thereof stronger or weaker according to the Strength Goodness or Badness of the Muscovado or brown Sugar for that Body and lively sparkling Grain which the brown sugar received from the Lime-water in the first preparation is in great part lost when it comes to the Refiners Pans or Coppers and melts down into a Syrup and therefore it must again be supplied with fresh Lime-water to reduce it to a firm Grain or Consistency or else it will remain a Syrup for ever And now pray give me leave to tell you is it not strange that the Brains of the Learned and others should condemn this wholsom and beneficial Ingredient by whose Assistance alone the Juices of the Sugar-Cane you see is brought to the highest Perfection and rendred useful to Mankind and without which it could be but of very little Advantage and whereas many thousands do suppose that the dusty stony quality of the Lime remains in white and other Sugars and for that reason several of our nice Madams Learned Physicians and Apothecaries will rather eat brown dirty or clayed Sugar than Refiners white Sugar It 's a grand mistake in them not but that such Sugars are good in their kind but not to be compared with our white refined Sugars this being a general and a sure Rule that the whiter any Sugar is the cleaner finer and wholsomer it is and the more it is purged from all Grossness and Impurity when on the other side the blacker duller and moister any Sugar is the fouler and grosser it must be and consequently the more unwholsom and unhealthy For the most if not all the Operations of boyling scumming clarifying and straining performed in making the gross crude Juices of the Sugar-Cane into Muscovado Sugar is done by the Refiners even to an higher degree and with great Charge
of several Things as that of â—…t Beer or Ale also of Grounds and Bottoms and the like Materials together with unskilful and unexperienced Workmen So that being inferiour both in respect to the goodness of the Ingredients and Skill of the Operators to that made in France which by the way was was not then near so good neither as 't is now it grew more despisable Not that I would intimate thereby that the French are better Workmen than we for certainly there are no better Artificers or Improvers of curious Arts in the World than the English It will be needless to multiply Instances but I only say that tho' as we are young in the making and managing of Sugars and yet out-do all Mankind therein witness our incomparable double and treble refined Sugars so our Skill we attained to in the Art of Distillation according to our Materials is not to be parallel'd But to return to the next sort of Spirits or Brandy distilled amongst us it 's that from new Ale made of Malt which is many degrees preferrable to the other and in proportion to its Original but as this Ale is full of gross thick Lees and raw heavy dull unclean and earthy Matter so the Brandy made thereof partakes of its Nature and therefore is not so clean as some Brandy made of our own Fruits The third better sort is that made of Cyder whereof there is two kinds the best distilled from good sound Cyder half a year or a year old being free from all Sharpness and Acidity and being also clear fine and well setled which is the best of any Braudy made of our own Growth and comes but one degree behind the French Brandy or Spirits drawn from the Juices of the Grape but the other is meaner made of new Cyder and nohing so good as the former the Matter or Juice being not so well cleansed or purged from the thick Lees and gross Substance as the other and therefore the Brandy made thereof is of a proportionable Goodness The next to this is Brandy distill'd from Molosses that comes from our Sugar Plantations which is a very lofty noble clean Brandy far exceeding all the former both in Cleanness and Goodness Another is made of our Refiners Treacle which is drained and purged from white Sugar which is somewhat better than that from brown the next superiour to this is Brandy being made of brown Sugar which is every degree finer and better than the former Another is Brandy which may be made of white Sugar that is still finer according to the Materia from whence it is extracted and indeed this last does as many degrees exceed all other Brandies or Spirits as Light does Darkness being the Highest and Noblest Cordial that can be made of the Juices of any Fruit or Vegetable Moreover there are several Spirits or Brandies made of Honey and Spanish Fruits which are better or worse according to the goodness or badness of the Fruit and newness or oldnest of the Honey as also of the Herbs and Flowers the Bees extract it from Now Honey makes very good Brandy or Spirits but it is foul for if Honey were to pass thro' the Art of Refining there would not be above one part in five or six so clean as Sugar or the Syrup of Sugar but the best Honey comes from Alicant where the Bees extract it from Rosemary-Flowers and other Blossoms of a proportionable Fragrancy and Virtue the Climate of the Country whether hot cold or temperate has also an Influence thereon Now Honey next to Sugar makes the greatest quantity of Spirits because 't is higher graduated in the sweet quality of Nature than any of the Fruits Herbs Seeds and Grains from whence Brandy or Spirits are extracted or distill'd for by how much a compleater and more entire Sweet any thing is endued with so much Brandy or proof Spirits may be drawn from the thing or very near if it be handled by a skilful Artist Now the heat of the Season or Climate does mightily advance or quicken Fermentation for which reason all sorts of Juices that are intended for common Drinks in hot Countries will ferment much quicker and stronger and the Drink will precipitate it self into Fineness Clearness and Raciness and be better for Use in five or six days than any of the like Ingredients will be in cold Climates in eight or nine weeks therefore hot Countries do as it were forbid the drinking of fermented Liquors and Drinks and Custom hath done the same they having found by many years Experience that such Drinks proved extreamly prejudicial to the Healths of the Natives Strong and spirituous hard Drinks have the same Operation and produce the like Effects in colder Climates tho' not to the same degree hence it is and upon no other Account that the Torturing Gout and Cruel Pains of the Stone have not spread their Venoms amongst the Natives that constantly keep to the drinking of Water and the eating Food of a proportionable Nature of which I have elsewhere written more at large For all Liquors or Juices that have passed thro' any degree of Fermentation do thereby divide themselves that is the four Grand Qualities from their still Rest or sleeping Magia by which Motion or Fermentation there arises a moving boiling Strife and as it were a justling or wrestling with each other for the Mastery whereby they render themselves capable of being separated one from the other and of being changed and transmuted out of one form into another so that by the powerful Operations of the two great Elements of Fire and Water and the Assistance of the Artist the separate powers of these four great Qualities are brought into their original or central Circle from whence neither Nature nor the Assistance of Art can promote or advance a further Motion or Progression but the same must remain in their fiery Circle or Region for ever It 's further to be observed that fermented Liquors which by the forementioned Motion open so powerfully the Bodies of the said Qualities and by a concatenative Power tend towards a spiritual Kingdom and so by degrees move towards their original Principles and become finer and racier and fit for drinking But when any fermented Liquor be it what it will arrives at this pitch of goodness it can neither by Art nor Ingredients be commanded to stand still but on it goes and the Motion continues either quicker or slower being never contented nor satisfied till it obtains its Center but phlegmy gross watry Qualities are so strong in most or all such Drinks that they cannot obtain a clean fiery Body without the Assistance of the spagirick or fiery Art of Distillation but they run and transmute themselves into a Sharpness or Vinegar Quality and in such a Case all the Skill and Art of the ablest Distillers can never bring back or make a Cordial Spirit of such Liquors saving that call'd the Spirit of Vinegar which yet is of another nature and
or separating Quality of the Stomach hide themselves and continue in the Arms and sweet Embraces of the uniting sweet Quality so that there is no such Division or Transmuting the Body and sweet Virtues into a fiery Principle as is done in Fermentation and Distilling therefore if the Meats and Drinks be temperate and equal in their Qualities the Nutritive Juices are the same thro' the whole Body and the Volatile Salt of such Foods influences the whole with its pleasant Virtues whence proceeds a brisâ—… lightsome Temper which is the highest pitch of Health not but that the equallest and best Meats and Drinks have the same fiery Principles hid in them as a Mystery which are not known nor perceived by the nicest and most curious Palates so long as is already hinted the Thing or Food remains entire But still they are there for they are the Father as we call it being the original of those things I mean the first and the last as is more apparent by the Excrements of all Animals and also by their Bodies when they fall into Putrefaction wherein there is a considerable quantity of Sal Petre or Nitre contained and in some more than others according as the Constitution of the Creature is hotter or colder but the hottest affords the most which being refin'd by Water and the help of Fire is separated from the phlegmy gross Parts of which Gun-powder is made that with the addition of other Sulphurs viz. Brimstone and Charcoal being the head Principle of that cruel fierce Fire which excâ—…eds all others as proceeding from grosser darker and more Excrementitious Matter and as it were generated in the very Abyss of evil Qualities wherein the Light and uniting good Qualities of Nature are wholly extinguished and as in the Art of Fermentation and Distillation all the sweet Virtues of the Vegetable Kingdom are Changed or Transmuted into a burning fiery Spirit the like Putrefaction does in the Bodies and Excrements of Animals and as this last is more heavy gross stinking and baneful so is the Production thereof And here give me leave to observe to you that there is no other way found out to separate or incircle the fiery Sal Nitral original Principles of Animals from their sweet Virtues than by Putrefaction all the Art and Skill of Man being not able to touch or unlock their Sulphur or Oily Bodies so strongly are their sweet Properties incircled by the Animal Digestion which does every moment advance and transmute Insensible into Sensible things and Inanimate into Animation by which wonderful Method and secret Operations of Nature Vegetables become higher Graduated and attain to the farthest pitch any Created thing can attain to which is a Sensitive Life and about which such a powerful and natural Circle is drawn as will admit of no farther Progression or Advance So that now it clearly follows that those things that have passed thro' the Animal Kingdom or Digestion of any sensitive Creature will not produce so clean a Nutriment and fine Spirits as Vegetables do each Production or Thing being mild or fierce and turbulent clean or the contrary according to the original from whence it proceeded and therefore I say farther 't is past the Skill of the most Ingenious Spagyricks to Extract any Cordial sweet Virtues from those original Sal Nitral Powers that all putrified Excrements or Bodies of Animals are endued with nor to cloath or reinvest them in their former Estate Beauty Virtue and Splendor that is to incircle them in the Royal Bodies of Phlegm wherein all the united Powers and four grand Qualities were contained before such Vegetations or Things had passed thro' the digesting Powers and Faculties of the Animal Kingdom that is the Stomach and all the circular Motions of Nature But this must be performed by the Progression and Hand-maid of God by whose circular Motions and Operations 't is effected For Example take some Compost or putrified Bodies or Excrements of Animals wherein is contained a considerable quantity of Sal Nitre or Salt Petre more or less according to the Disposition of the Creature for the original Salts from whence they proceed are of proportionable Complexions and therefore the Experienc'd Husband-man manages his Land accordingly some Dung being better for one sort than for anotâ—…r now lay these Excrements or putrified Matter upon poor Land wherein the Sal Nitral Qualities are weak and impotent and they do as it were in a moment by the assistance of Heat and Moisture together with the sweet Influences of the Sun and Elements mix and confederate with the fading Sal Nitral Properties of such Land whereby it brings forth considerable Crops of all sorts of Herbage Seeds Grains Trees and the like and this no Art is capable to imitate Now this degree of Equality that Vegetations have obtain'd by a gradual Progression and mystical Operation of Nature Fermentation does as it were in a moment disunite whereby the original Forms become tumultuous each Form with a rapid invading Motion laying as I may say violent Hands on the Child of Love which is the sweet Quality so that by this friction boiling and fierce Motion the whole Liquor or Thing becomes sharpned or racy which while the original Principles remain'd united to the sweet Quality all was silent and as it were asleep without Motion or Action and this is evident in the Art both of Brewing and Distilling and this turbulent Motion or Ferment is stronger or weaker according to the degrees and strength of the sweet Quality and heat of the Season Now Fermentation is an opposite and contrary Motion to Nature and so threatens the total Destruction of the whole being as it were a Death to the united Powers and uniform Principles and a prevention of all farther Progression and therefore whatever is done by Art this way can never be retrieved or the Forms and Properties of Nature united but only by the fore-mentioned way The same is to be understood in the Animal Kingdom for as soon as the four grand Qualities be awaken'd or rouz'd up then great Agonies are immediately felt according to the degrees of Fermentation and here by the way I am to observe that all Spagyrical Fermentations of Animals as aforesaid is Diametrically opposed and forbid by the Laws of God and Nature and indeed if that did not stand in Mankind's way it 's not to be doubted but he would long since have Extracted lofty high Drinks from the Blood Flesh and Fat of Animals as also from the Flesh of Fish seeing he loves such Liquors so well and consequently would have been Drunk with the Blood of his Fellow Creature and indeed there has been no Art wanting in Man to Extract the more Essential parts from the meaner that is to get the Blood and Gravey as they call it but instead of obtaining the finer cleaner Juices they have an addition of contrary Qualities that is heavy gross dull unclean Matter that is more subject to an hasty Putrefaction
sort of Bread which is generally made for Sea is some of the sweetest And now Sir methinks I hear it objected and said that strong Fermented Liquors as Beer Ale Brandy Wine and the like are brave exhilerating Cordials and that therefore the Drinking of them must be highly Beneficial to Nature I grant it is true they are so if used as they ought to be but the contrary is practised as daily experience witnesseth for ever since Mans deep degree of Depravation and since all kinds of Intemperances and Disorders have obtained the Ascendency in his Mind and Heart he hath with all application and cunning inventions studied inequality and attracted to himself and violently desired all Meats and Drinks that have a proportionable Disposition and Similie with himself and consequently Inequality and Disorder hath been increased both in his Body and Mind beyond all due Bounds and Limits of Sobriety and Temperance for which reason it must be really conducive to his happiness to have all such strong heady Things and Liquors totally prohibited more especially since it has never yet been doubted that I know of by any Man but that Water was and is the only Drink ordained by the All-wise Creator both for Man and Beast which having no unequal nor turbulent motion therein begets none but its Operations and Influences are like it self and they that Drink it shall never want nor desire any other Drink this being the only Digesting Liquor keeping the Stomach or Subservient Vessels clean and causing a sharp and strong Appetite far beyond all Fermented Liquors who heat the Blood and are the causes of many Distempers as already noted Nay doth not experience tell us that the Natives oâ—… all those Countries that constantly Drink Water are not only Healthier but much stronger than others as in Guinea Turkey c. where their Labouring People will Travel and carry much heavier Burdens than our strong Beer Drinkers it being a commonthing for a Porter in Turkey to take upon his Shoulders one oâ—… our Pigs of Lead to the weight of 250 l. and sometimes more without any help and to carry it a good way which will make two of our Porters stagger and blow to carry it between them at a Poles end Nay it is usual for the Turkish Porters or Labourers to lift and carry Four or Five Hundred Weight and yet their Drink is all Water and Food very mean according to our estimation of it that is Bread and Grapes Bread and Herbs other Fruits they eating but a very small quantity of Flesh or Fishâ—… so that from hence it is manifest that strong Drinks and gross heavy Foods do as it were but cramp Nature in the very Bud and therefore it is that there are not near so many Die of immature Deaths in any Countries where the Natives Drink Water as in those where strong Drinks are in use and for this cause also the Natives in England Four Hundred Years ago were not only much Healthier and longer Liv'd bâ—…t much larger of Stature too so that upon the whole the use of strong Fermented Liquors is pernicious and destructive to Mankind and more particularly to those of the Female Sex to which without naming any more the terrible Vapours they themselves are subject to and the dreadful Convulsions in their Children are their Original and if there be any so temperate as to Drink little or none of these Liquors which is exceeding rare indeed yet if either of their Parents Father or Mother did frequently use them then it is Twenty to one but these Distempers are thereby conveyed and entailed on them and their Posterity Sir I could say much more upon this occasion did I think it proper for me or convenient for you but thinking there is no farther occasion for it I shall conclude with my humble Respects to you hoping you will so far oblige me as to let me have the result of your thoughts hereupon as opportunity shall offer and that you will do me the justice to believe the sincerity of my Sentiments and Intentions herein and that I am Sir Your very humble Servant T. T. POSTSCRIPT SIR I Desire you would give me leave to add a word more in this place upon the Subject matter of Fermentation as it comes just into my Head and that is the assimulation as I may say there is between all fierce and unequal Passions of the Mind and it for whether they be of Love or Hatred or the like I can conceive them to be nothing else but a stirring up the original Fires or a strong Fermented motion of the first Principles and a violation of their Law of Equity or Union and the quicker or fiercer this Ferment or turbulent Fiery motion is the more malignant are its influences and therefore in what Creature soever such a Fire is stirred up or awakened from its silent Magia or separated from the incorporating and sweet Embraces of the beloved Spouse called the Radical Humour whether the Disease be Corporal or Mental the Life is presently in danger for all such unequal motions and the continuance of them will sink Nature down to Death which is manifested in the case of Agues to go no farther wherein if the Cold Fit should continue it would quickly put a period to Life so would the Hot Fit do likewise nay the continuance of the very Sweating would do it Infallibly I might also subjoin the sad influences Fermented Liquors have to Ferment Mens Minds to the unspeakable Detriment of Human Race But to leave that I shall only farther add that what is said in Agues the like may be understood in Feavers as when a Feaver is constant and without Intermission the Life is then quickly in danger and there are rarely any Medicines found out that are capable to cure it the most Skilful Physitians then Administer at great Uncertainty but when intermitting the Danger is not so great nor the Physick so uncertain of giving Assistance The same may be also farther manifested by all the Operations of Nature and particularly in the Elements themselves whereof if any of them obtains the Ascendent the other three suffer Violence and the mischiefs are more or less according to the length of time it governs as when the Fire gets uppermost then all is Burnt up and Destroyed if the Watery part prevails the Body is Deluged and so of the other two according to their respective Natures and Properties And indeed if the Great and Adorable Creator had not set bounds and limited them by his Eternal and unalterable Law of Creation the whole System of Nature must very soon have sunk into its original Chaos or first Principles again But God hath Confined all Celestial Bodies Powers and Elements yea and the off-spring or various productions of them so as that they shall not by their fierce self-full operations and invading turbulent powers violate the Creative and Generative Method of his Law for so it is that in what thing or creature soever the Unity or Seminary Qualities are Wounded whether the same be done by the unequal operations of the Elements or by the Art and curious Fancies of Chymists or any other ways that thing is presently made uncapable to Generate or Multiply for the verity whereof the whole Creation and amazing varieties of Creatures therein are manifest Testimonies And could Mankind but understand this aright he should find upon the whole matter that the principal Business is so to Regulate the Actions of his Life that he may keep within the Bounds of Equality Unity and Concord or as near thereunto as possibly he can without which there can be neither Health of Body nor Mind in this World nor any true pleasure had in Time or Eternity Unity being the Eternal Bond of Peace in all Enjoyments Sir I Beg your Pardon heartily for my prolixity in the Postscript as well as Epistle and desire you to Believe that I am once more Your Humble Servant T. T. FINIS