so that it feignes new formes of things namely by dividing or variously compounding things conceived And this is done with such quicknesse that upon every occasion we imagine any thing to our selves as vve find dreaming and waking and by how much the purer spirit any one hath he is so much the more prompt to think or imagine but dulnesse proceeds from a grosse spirit Observe this also That the animal spirit vvhen it speculates forward and drawes new images of things from the senses is said to learne vvhen backward resuming images from the memory it is said to remember When it is moved too and fro vvithin it self it is said to feigne somewhat Note also that from the evidence of sensation growes the degree of knowledge for if the sense perceive any thing a farre off or weakly and obscurely it is a generall conception If nearer distinctly and perspicuously it is a particular conception for example when I see something move a great vvay off I gather it to be a living creature vvhen I come near I know it to be a man and at length this or that man c. IX Memory remembrance is the imagination of a thing past arising from the sense of a thing present by reason of some likenesse For vve do not remember any thing otherwise then by a like object For example if I see a man that resembles my father in his face presently the memory of my father comes into my minde So by occasion of divers accidents as place time figure colour found c. divers things may come to minde where the like vvas seen heard c. vvhich occasion sometimes is so slight and suddain that it can scarce be marked for what is quicker then the spirit N. Now it may be demanded seeing that the animal spirit moveth it self so variously in the brain yea and other nevv spirit alwayes succeeding by nutrition how is it that the images of things do not perish but readily offer themselves to our remembrance Answ Look down from a bridge into the vvater gently gliding you shall see your face unvaried though the vvater passe away And vvhen you see any thing tossed vvith the vvind in a free aire the winde doth not carry away the image of the thing from thine eye What is the cause But that the impression of the image is not in the water nor in the aire but in the eye from the light reflected indeed from the water and penetrating the aire So then in like manner an inward impression is not really made in the brain but by a certaine resplendency in the spirit Which resplendency may be kindled again by any like object Otherwise if images vvere really imprinted in the brain we could not see any thing otherwise in our sleep then it had once imprinted it self in the brain being seen But being that they are variously changed it appears that notions are made not by reall impressions but by the bare motion of the spirit and the imagination of like by like X An affection is a motion of the minde comâ—ng from imaginations desiring good and shunning evill There are more affections and more vehement in a man For bruits scarce know shame envy and jealousie and are not so violently hurried into fury and despaire or again into excessive joyfulnesse thence laughter and weeping still belong to man only XI The minde of man is immediately from God For the Scripture saith That it was inspired by God Gen. 2. v. 7. and that after the death of the body it returnes to God that gave it Eccles. 2. v. 7. For it returnes to be judged for those things which it did in the body whether good or evill 2 Câ—r 5. v. 10. But we are not to thinke that the soul is inspired out of the essence of God as though it were any part of the deity For God is not divisible into parts neither can he enter into one essence with the creature And Moses vvords sound thus And God breathed into the face of Adam the breath of life and man became a living soule See he doth not say that that breath or inspiration became a living soule but man became a living soul Nor yet are we to think that the soul was created out of nothing as though it were a new entitie but only that a new perfection is put into the animall spirit in a man so that it becomes one degree superiour to the soul of a beast that appears out of Zach. 1â— v. 1. Where God testifies that he formes the spirit of man in the midst of him Behold he forms and not creates it It is the same vvord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jatzar vvhich is used of the body also Gen. 2. v. 7. As therefore the body is formed of the prae-existent matter so is the soul of the prae-existent spirit of the vvorld Aud by cousequent even as the earth vvater air and skie are all one matter of the world differing only in the degree of their density so the naturall vitall animall and this mentall spirit are all one spirit of the world differing only in the degree of their purity and perfection Therefore it is credible that the divine inspiration conferred no more upon man but this that he 1 refined the inmost part of his spirit that in subtility of actions he might come nearest to God of all visible creatures 2 Fixed it that it might subsist both in the body and out of the body Therefore the Scripture makes no other difference betwixt the spirit of a man and of a beast then that the one ascends upwards the other goes downwards that is the one flees out of the matter the other slides back into the matter Eccles. 3. v. 21. Hence also that question Whether the soul be propagated by generation may be determined The root of the soul which is the vitall and animall spirit is certainly by generation but the formation thereof that the inmost parts thereof should become the mentall spirit or the minde God attributes to himself Zach. 12. 1. Yet not concurring extraordinarily or miraculously but because he hath ordained that it shall be so in the nature of man It appears also why man is commonly said to consist of a body and a soule only namely because the rationall soule is of the spirit and in the spirit For as our body is made of a four-fold matter that is of the four Elements so our soule to speak generally and contradistinguish it from the body consists of a fourfold spirit Naturall Vitall Animall and Mentall XII There are three faculties of the mind of man the Understanding the Will and the Conscience These answer to the three functions of the animall spirit or to the inward senses out of which also they result For we have said that as the spirit useth the body for its Organ so the soule useth the spirit Therefore the three inward Senses Attention Judgement and Memory are instruments by which the soule useth the Understanding
by reason of a dark superficies Every of these colours hath under it diverse degrees and species according to the various temperature thereof with the others which we leave to the speculation of Opticks and Painters XXIV There remains a quality which is perceived by two senses touch and sight namely FIGURE whereby one body is round another long another square c. but the consideration of this is resigned to the Mathematicks Of an occult quality XXV An occult quality is a force of operating upon any otber body which notwithstanding is not â—iscovered but by its effâ—ct For examp that the loadstone draws iron that poisons assaile and go about to extinguish nothing but the spirit in bodies that antidotes again resist poison and fortifie the spirit against them that some herbs are peculiarly good for the brain others for the heart others for the liver and such like Such kind of occult qualities as these God hath dispersed throughout all nature and they yet lie hid for the better part of them but they come immediately from the peculiar spirit infused into every creature For even as one and the same matter of the world by reason of its diverse texture hath gotten as it were infinite figures in stones metals plants and living creatures so one and the same spirit of the world is drawn out as it were into infinite formes by various and speciall virtues known to God and from these occult qualities sympathies and antipathies of things do properly arise CHAP. V. Of the mutations of things generation corruption c. FRom the contrarieties of the qualities especially of cold and heat For these two qualities are most active those mutations have their rise to which all things in the world are subject which we shall now see I Mutation is an accident of a body whereby its essence is changed Namely whither a thing passe from not being to being or from being to not being or from being thus to being otherwise II All bodies are liable to mutations The reason because they are all compounded of matter spirit and fire which three are variously mixed among themselves perpetually For both the matter is a fluid and a slipperie thing and the spirit restlesse always agitating it self and heat raised every where by light and motion doth eat into rent and pluck asunder the matter of things From thence it is I say that nothing can long be permanent in the same state All things grow up increase decrease and perish again Hence also the Scriptures affirm that the heavens wax old as doth a garment Psal. 10â— v. 27. III The mutation of a thing is either essentiall or accident all IV Essentiall mutation is when a thing begins to be or ceases to be the first is called generation the other corruption For example snow when it is formed of water is said to be generated when it is resolved again into water to be corrupted V An accident all mutation of a thing is when it increases or decreases or is changed in its qualities the first is called augmentation the next diminution the last alteration which we are now to view severally how they are done Of the generation of things VI Generation is the production of a thing so that what was not begins to be Thus every year yea every day infinite things are generated through all nature VII To generation three things are required Seed a Matrix and Moderate Heat These three things are necessary in the generation of living creatures plants metals stones and lastly of meteors as shall be seen in their place VIII Seed is a small portion of the matter having the spirit of life included in it For seed is corporall and visible therefore materiate and it is no seed except it contein in it the spirit of the species whose seed it should be For what should it be formed by therefore seeds out of which the spirit is exhaled are unprofitable to generation IX The Matrix is a convenient place to lay the seed that it may put forth its vertue Nothing is without a place neither is any thing generated without a convenient place because the actions of nature are hindred Now that place is convenient for generation which affordeth the seed 1 a soft site 2 circumclusion least the spirit should evaporate out of the seed being attenuated 3 veins of matter to flow from elsewhere N. W. And there are as many matrixes or laps as there are generations the aire is the matrix of meteors the earth of stones metals and plants the womb of living creatures X Heat is a motion raised in the seed which attenuating its matter makes it able to spread it self by swelling For the spirit beng stirred up by that occasion agitateth it self and as it were blowing asunder the attenuated parts of the matter disposeth them to the forme of its nature This is the perpetual processe of all generation and none other From whence hereafter under the doctrine of minerals living creatures plants many things will appear plainly of their own accord yet we must observe that some things grow without seed as grasse out of the earth and worms out of slime wood and flesh putrified yet that is done by the vertue of the spirit diffused through things which wheresoever it findeth fit matter as a matrix and is assisted by heat presently it attempts some new generation as it were the constitution of a new Kingdom But without heat whither it be of the sunne or of fire or the inward heatof a living creature it matters not so it be temperate there can be no generation because the matter cannot be prepared softned or dilated without heat Of the augmentation of things XI Everything that is generated increaseth and augmenteth it self as much as may be and that by attraction of matter and â—ssimilation of it to it self For wheresoever there is generation there is heat and where there is heat there is fire and where there is fire there is need and attraction of fewell For heat because it always attenuateth the parts of the matter which exhale seeks and attracts others wherewith it may sustein it self as we see it in a burning candle and a portion of matter being attracted and applyed to a body taketh its form by little and little and becomes like unto it and is made the same For by the force of heat of heterogeneous things become homogeneous the spirit of that body in the mean time attracting also to it self somewhat of the spirit of the universe and so multiplying it self also So stones minerals plants living creatures c. grow Of diminution XII Whatsoever hath increased doth at some time or other cease to increase and begin to decrease and that for and through the arefaction of the matter Namely for because the heat increased with the body increasing doth by little and little and little consume the thin and fat parts thereof and dry up the solid parts so that at last they are not able to
if it be true as it is most likely the reason is easie to be known 5 The Magneticall Medicine is very famous amongst Authours with which they do not cure the wound it selfe but the instrument wherewith he wound was given or the garment wood or earth besprinkled with the bloud of the wound is onely anointed and the wound closes and heals kindly Some deny that this is done naturally who do not sufficiently consider the secret strength of nature Yet examples shew that this kind of cure with an ointment made with most naturall things yea with nothing but the grease of the axeltree scraped off from a cart hath certain successe without using any superstition Wherefore it is credible that the spirit poured out of the body with the bloud that is shed adheres partly in the bloud partly to the instrument it self for it cannot abide without matter being forced thence with the fat that is applied returnes to its whole and supplies that and hereto perhaps that observation appertains concerning the venom of a snake viper or scorpion conveyed into a man with a bite For if the same beast or but the bloud or fat thereof be forthwith applied to the wound it sucks out the venom again because it returns to its own connaturall More of this kind might be observed by approved experiments 6 Last of all it is not unworthy of our observation that the animall spirit doth form living creatures of another kind rather then quite forsake the putrifying matter namely wormes and such like Now it is certain by experience that of living creatures that are dead and putrified those living creatures are especially bred on which they were wont to feed when they were alive For example of the flesh of storks serpents are bred of hens spiders of ducks frogs c. which that it will so come to passe if they be buried in dung John Poppus a distiller of Coburg hath taught after others It appears then that the animall spirit is every where and that very diligently busied about the animating of bodies CHAP. XI Of Man I A Man is a living creature endued with an immortall soule For the Creatour inspired a soul into him out of himselfe Gen. â— v. 7. which soul is called also the mind and reason in vvhich the image of God shineth II Therefore he is compounded of three things a body a spirit and a soule So the Apostle testifies 1 Thes. 5. 13. Let your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blamelesse And so 1 Cor 14. vers 14. He distinguisheth betwixt the spirit and the minde And indeed so it is vve have a body compounded of the Elements as vvell as bruits vve have a spirit from the spirit of the world as vvell as they but the soule or minde is from God The first vve bear about us mortall the second dissipable but the last enduring ever without the body as we are assured by faith Therefore when thou seest a man think that thou seest a King royally cloathed and sitting in his royall throne For the minde is a King his robe is the spirit his throne the body III The body is the Organ and habitation of the spirit but the spirit is the habitation and mansion of the soul. For as the spirit dwels in the body and guides it as the Pilot doth the ship so the soul dwels in the spirit and rules it And as body without a spirit neither moves it â—f nor hath any sense of any thing as it to be seen in a dead carcasse so the spirit vvithout the minde hath no reason nor understands any thing as we see in bruit beasts Therefore the soul useth the spirit for its chariot and instrument the spirit the body and the body the foresaid instruments IV As the spirit is affected by the body so is the minde by the spirit For as vvhen the body is diseased the spirit is presently sad or hindred from its action so vvhen the spirit is ill disposed the minde cannot performe its functions dextrously as vve may see in drunken melancholie mad-men c. Hence it is that the gifts of the minde follow the temperature of the body that one is more ingenious courteous chast courageous c then another Hence that fight within us which the Scripture so oft mentions and we our selves feel For the body and the soul being that they are extreams the one earthly the other heavenly the one bruit the other rational the one mortall the other immortall are alway contrary to one another in their inclinations Now the spirit which is placed betwixt them ought indeed to obey the superiour part and keep the lower part in order as its beck Yet neverthelesse it comes oft so to passe that is carried away of the flesh and becomes brutish V. Such a body was given to man as might fitly serve all the uses of his reasonable soule And therefore 1 Furnished with many Organs 2 Erect 3 Naked and unarmed that it might be free of it self and yet might be cloathed and armed any way as occasion required For the hand the instrument of instruments the most painful doer of all works vvas given to man only He only hath obteined an erect stature least he should live unmindful of his countrey Heaven Again he only was made naked and unarmed but both by the singular favours of God For living creatures whilest they always bear about them their garment haires feathers shels and their armes sharp prickles horns what do they bear about them but burdens and hindrances of divers actions The liberty granted to man and industry in providing fitting and laying up all things for his use and pleasure is something more divine VI. A more copious and pure spirit was given to man and therefore his inward operations are more excellent namely a quicker attention a stronger imagination a surer memory more vehement affections The first appears from the braine which is given in greater plenty to man then to any living creature considering the proportion of every ones body For all that round head and of so great capacity is filled up vvith brain to what end but that the spirit might have a more spacious vvorkhouse and palace The rest are known by experience as followeth VII Attention is a considerate receiving of the objects brought into the sensorie instruments We said in the former Chapter that it is commonly called the common sense This vvas given to man so much the quicker as it is destinated to more objects and more distinctly to be perceived VIII Imagination is the moving of things perceived by the sense within and an efformation of the like For the image of the thing seen heard or touched with attention presently gets into the brain which the spirit by contemplation judges of what it is and how it differs from this or that thing therefore it may well be called in this sense the judgment This imagination is stronger in a man then in any living creature
a septenary gradation For we have understood that whatsoever there is besides God it is either an Element or a Vapour or a Concrete or a Plant or an Anâ—â—all or a Man or an Angell and that the whole multitude of creatures is ranked into these seven Classes or great Tribes In every of which there is some eminent virtue flowing from the essence of the Creatour yet every latter including the former For In Elements Being is eminent Vapours Motion Concretes Figure or Quality Plants Life Living creatures Sense Men Reason Angels Understanding See the house which Wisdome hath built her having hewn out her seven pillars Prov. 9. 1. See the seven Stairs which the King of Heaven hath placed in the entry of his inner house Ezek. 40. 22. The six first degrees are of visible creatures the seventh of invisible Angels After the same manner as there were nine dayes wherein God wrought and rested the seventh six Planets in heaven of inferiour light the seventh of extraordinary brightnesse the Sun six baser metals on earth The seventh exceeding all in perfection gold c. And as Salomons Throne had six inferiour steps to every of which there were six inferiour Leoncels adjoyned after all in the seventh place stood the Throne and by it two Lions 1 King 10. 19 20. So the King of eternity when he built him a visible throne of glory erected six visible degrees of corporeous creatures to every of which he added their Leoncels that is their virtues and their powers and last of all about the throne on high he placed the strongest of the creatures the Angels mighty in power Psal. 103. 19 20. But now what mean the seven planets in heaven what mean the seven continents on earth the seven kinds of meteors seven kinds of metalls seven kinds of stones c the seven combinations of tangible qualities the seven differences of taste the seven vitall members in man the seven tones in musick and other things which we meet with throughout all nature yea and in the Scripture the number of seven is every where very much celebrated and sacred For what do the seven dayes of the week point at what are the seven weeks betwixt the Passeover and Pentecost what the seventh year of rest what the seven times seventh of Jubilee what do all these portend I say but that it is the expresse Image of that God whose seven eyes passe through the whole earth Zach. 4. 10. and whose seven spirits are before his Throne Apoc. 1. 4. yea who doth himselfe make a mysticall eighth with every degree of his creatures For in him all things live aud move and have their being which live and move and have a being Acts 17. 28. and he worketh all in all 1 Cor. 12. 6. and all these are as it were him himselfe Eccles. 43. 27. and yet none of them is he himselfe Job 12. 9. 10. but because all these have some effigies of the divine essence and operate that which they operate by virtue thereof hence it is that he being above all without all and beneath all is the true mysticall eighth of all Of whom that Syracides may conclude our meditation though we say much we shall not yet attain thereto The sum of the doctrine is that he is all For what ability have we to praise him For he is greater then all his works The Lord is terrible and very great marvellous is his power Extol the Lord in praise as much as you can For yet he wil be greater then all praise Eecl 43. 30. c. Therefore let every spirit praise the Lord Hallelujah Psal. 150. And thou my soul praise the Lord Psal. 103. 1. Holy holy holy Lord of Hosts Heaven and earth are full of his glory Isai. 6. 3 Hallelujah A Short APPENDIX TO PHYSICKS Touching the Diseases of the Body Mind and Soul and their generall Remedies I. A Disease is the corruption of an Entity in some part thereof and a disposition of it to totall perishing that is death Therefore both the Body Mind and Soul hath its diseases II The diseases of the body are various scarce to be numbred and oft-times mâ—â—t A disease added to a disease is called a ymptome of a disease III A disease of the body is either by solution of that which is continued or by distemper of humours IV Solution of that which is continued is either by a rupture or a wound A rupture is prevented by bewaring falls and violent motion A wound is avoided by shunning of those things which can cleave cut prick rent tear or bruise or hurt anyway and both are to be cured by the Chirurgion N. W. The cure of a Wound is desperate if any vitall member be hurt as the heart the brain the liver the entrals c. For then the vitall actions are hindred and soon after cease 2 If any member be quite lost it cannot be set on again because the spirit hath not wherewithall to passe into the part that is severed V The distempers of the humours and the diseases that come from thence always proceed from some of these 6 causes namely either from 1 Crudity 2 Inflation 3 Distillation 4 Obstruction 5 Putrefaction 6 Inflammation VI Crudity in the body is nutriment not sufficiently concocted namely either Chyle or bloud which comes I from the quality of meat and drink when they are taken too raw flegmatick unwholesome which the concoctive faculty cannot well subdue 2 from the quantity when more meat and drink is put in then it is able to alter and assimilate unto the body For hence undigested and not assimilated humours burthen the body like strangers and not pertaining thereunto 3 For want of exercise when the naturall heat is not stirred up nor strengthened to perform its office lustily in the concoction of meats From such like crudities diverse inconveniences follow For 1 if the crudity be in the stomack it causes loathing of food for so long as the first food is not digested there can be no appetite to any other Again children have an appetite to eat earth chalk coales c. according as the crudities are turned into the likenesse of any matter For like desireth like 2 If there be a viscous crudity adhering in the ventricle or in the guts being warmed it takes spirit and is turned into wormes which gnawing the bowels stir up evill vapours by their motion whence also come phartasies very hurtfull to the head Lastly ctudity under the skin in the bloud and flesh begets palenesse and when it is collected and putrified scabs ulcers c. Crudity is prevented by a temperate diet as to Food Sleep and daily exercises and cured 1 by violent expurgation 2 by strong exercises 3 by the use of tart meats and drinks 4 by comforting the stomack with such things as heat both within and without VII Inflation is much and grosse vapour exhaling from the crudities that are gathered together and stretching the members And
matter cherishes and rules it and produces every creature introducing into every one it s own form but being that this work-master had need of fire to soften and to prepare the matter variously for various uses God produced it For V God said let there be light and there was light ver 3. this is described as the third principle of the World meerly active whereby the matter was made visible and divisible into forms the light I say perfecting all things which are and are made in the World therefore it is added VI And God saw the light that it was good ver 4 that is he saw that all things would now proceed in order for that light being produced in a great masse began presently to display its threefold virtue of illuminating moving it selfe and heating and by turning about the World to heat and rarifie the matter and so to divide it for hence followed first of all from the brightnesse of that light the difference of nights and days VII He divided the light from darkness and called the light day and the darknesse he called night and the evening and morning were the first day ver â— that is that light when it had turn'd it self round compassed the World with that motion made day and night The second effect of light was from heat namely that which way soever it pass'd it rarified and purified the matter but it condensed it on both sides upward and downward whence came the division of the Elements this Moses expresses in these words VIII And God said let there be a Firmament that it may divide betwixt the waâ—er above and the waters below ver 6. God said that is he ordained how it should be let there be a Firmament that is let that light stretch forth the matter and let the thicker part of the matter melting and flying from the light thereof make waters on this side and on that above as they are the term of the visible World but below as they are a matter apt to produce other creatures under which the earth as thick dregs came together that was done the second day XI Therefore God said let the waters be gathered together under heaven into one place and let the dry land appear and it was so and God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of the waters he called seas and he saw that it was good ver 9 10. and so on the third day there came the foure greatest bodies of the World out of the matter already produced Aether that is the Firmament or Heaven Aire Water and Earth all as yet void of lesser creatures therefore said God X Let the earth bud forth the green herb and trees bearing seed or fruit every one according to his kinde ver 11. this was done the same third day when as now the heat of Coelestiall light having wrought more effectually began to beget fat vapours on the earth whereinto that living spirit of the World insinuating it self began to cause plants to grow up in various formes according as it pleased the Creator this is the truest original and manner of generation of plants hitherto that they are form'd by the spirit with the help of heat but as the heavens did not always equally effuse the same heat but according to the various form of the World one while more midly another while more strongly the fourth day God disposed that same light of heaven otherwise then hitherto it had been namely forming from that one great masse thereof divers lucid Globes greater and lesser which being called stars he placed here and there in the Firmament higher and lower with an unequall motion to distinguish the times and this Moses describes v. 14 15 c. thus XI And God said let there be light made in the Firmament of heaven that they may divide the day and the night and may be for signes and for seasons and for days and for years that they may shine in the Firmament and enlighten the earth therefore God made two great lights and the starres c. This done then after all the face of the World began to appear beautifull and the heat of heaven more temperate began to temper the matter of inferiour things together after a new manner so that the spirit of life now began to form more perfect creatures namely moving plants which we call animals of which Moses thus XII God said also let the waters bring forth creeping things having a soul of life and flying things upon the earth c. v. 20. the waters were first commanded to produce living creatures because it is a softer Element then earth first reptiles as earth-wormes and other worms c. because they are as it were the rudiment of nature also swiming things and flying things that is fishes and birds animals of a more light compaction that was done on the fift day with a most goodly spectacle to the Angels but on the sixth day God commanded earthly animals to come forth namely of a more solid structure which was presently done when the spirit of the World distributed it self variously through the matter of the clay for thus Moses XIII God said let the earth produce creatures having life according to their kind beasts and serpents and beasts of the field and it was sâ— v. 24. so now the heaven of heavens had for inhabitants the Angels the visible heaven the starres the air birds the water fishes the earth beasts there was yet a ruler wanting for these inferiour things namely a rationall creature or an Angel visibly clothed for whose sake those visible things were produced Therefore at the last when God was to produce him he is said by Moses to have taken counsel in these words XIV Then God said let us make man after our own image and likenesse who may rule over the fishes of the sea and the fouls of the air and beasts and all the earth c. Therefore he created man out of the dust of the earth and breathed in his face the breath of life c. v. 26. and cap. 2. v. 7. so man was made like to the other living creatures by a contemperation of matter spirit and light and to God and the Angels through the inspiration of the mind a most exquisite summarie of the world and thus the structure of the Universe ought to proceed so as to begin with the most simple creature and end in that which is most compound but both of them rationall that it might appear that God created these onely for himself but all the intermediate for these Lastly that all things are from God and for God flow out from him and reflow to him But that all these things might continue in their essence as they were disposed by the wisdome of God he put into every thing a virtue which they call Nature to conserve themselves in their effence yea to multiply whence the continuation of the creatures unto this very day and
this Moses intimated adding touching animals XV And God said increase and multiply v. 22. by the virtue of which command and words let there be made let it produce let it put forth c. Things are made and endure hitherto and would remain if God would without end unto aeternity Gods omnipotency concurring no longer immediately unto particular things as before but nature it self always spreading forth her vertue through all things which thing derogates nothing from the Providence of God nay rather it renders his great power wisdome goodnes more illustrate for it comes from his great goodness that the greatest and the least things are so disposed to their ends that nothing can be or be made in vain from his wisdome that such an industry is put into nature to dispose all things to their eâ—ds so that it never happens to erre unlesse it be hindred lastly from his power that such an immutable durability can be put into the universe through such a changeable mutabilitie of particulars so that the World is as it were aeternall Therefore the veins of the strength artifice and order of this nature must be more throughly searched that those things which we have here in few words hinted out of Moses may be more illustrated by the constant testâ—mony of Scripture reason and senses and a way made to observe one thing out of another An Appendix to the first Chapter We have said that it may be gathered out of those words of Moses In the beginning God created the heaven that the invisible World was the beginning of the works of God that is the heaven of heavens with the Angels Now that by this heaven is to be understood the heaven of heavens and the Invisible or Angelicall World appeares plain I. Out of Scripture which 1 mentions the heaven of heavens every where but their production no where unlesse it be here 2 Moses testifies that the invisible heavens were stretched out the second day and the fourth day adorned with starres therefore another heaven must necessarily be understood in this place namely a heaven that was finished in the same moment for that the particle autem inferres hee created the heavens and the earth terra autem but the earth was without form c. III This reason evinces the same those things which are made by God are made in order now an orderly processe in operation is this that a progresse be made from more simple things to compound things therefore as the most compound creature man was last produced so the most simple and immateriall creatures Heaven and the Angels first of all III And what would we have more God himself testifies expresly that when he made the earth the Angels stood by him as spectators for so saith he to Job Where wast thou when I founded the earth when the morning starres sang together and all the sonnes of God shouted Job 38. 4 7. calling the Angels morning starres because they were a spirituall beam and that newly risen sonnes of God because they were made after the image of God therefore when we hear that the earth was founded the first day it must needs be that the Angels were produced before the earth And if the Angels then certainly the dwellings of the Angels the heaven of heavens and that in full perfection with all their hosts as it were in one moment aud this is the cause why Moses speaks no more of that heaven but descends to the forming of the earth that is the visible World how the Creator took unto himself six dayes to digest it as we will also now descend CHAP. II. Of the visible Principles of the World matter spirit and light WE have seene God shewing us how the World arose out of the Abysse of nihilitie let us now see how it standeth that so by seeing we may learn to see and by feeling to feel the very truth of things And here are three principles of visible things held out unto us matter spirit and light that they were produced the first day as three great but rude Masses and out of those variously wrought came forth various kinds of creatures therefore we must enquire further whether these three principles of all bodies have a true being and be yet existent least any errour be perhaps committed at the very entrance by any negligence whatsoever but now seeing that no more doubts of matter and light this onely comes to be prooved that by that spirit which hovered upon the face of the waters a certain universall spirit of the world is to be understood which puts life and vigour into all things created for the newnesse of this opinion in physicks and the interpretation of that place by Divines with one consent of the person of the holy spirit give occasion of doubting But Chryâ—ostome as Aslacus cites him and Danaeus acknowledgeth that in this place a created spirit which is as it were the soul of the world is more rightly to be understood and it is proved strongly I By Scripture which testifieth that a certain vertue was infused by God through the whole world susteining and quickening all things and operating all things in all things which he calleth both a spirit and a soul and sometimes the spirit of God sometimes the spirit of the creatures For example Psal. 104. v. 29. 30. David saith thus when thou receivest their spirit that is the spirit of living creatures and of plants they die and return to their dust but when thou sendest forth thy spirit that is the Spirit of God again they are recreated and the face of the earth is renewed but Job 27. 3. says thus as long as my soul shall be in me and the spirit of God in my nostrils see the soul of man and the spirit of God are put for the same which place compared with the saying of Elihu the spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Omnipotent hath put life into me c. 33. v. 4. opens the true meaning of Moses namely that the spirit of God stirring upon the waters produced the spirit or soul of the world which puts life into all living things Now that this is disposed through all things appears out of Ezechiel where God promising the spirit of life unto the dry bones Ezech. 17. v. 5 14. which he cals his Spirit bids it to come from the four Winds v. 9 therefore Augustine lib. imperf sup Gen. ad lit and Basil in Hexamero call this spirit the soule of the world And Aristotle as Sennertus testifies says that the spirit of life is a living and genitall essence diffused through all things but the testimony of Elihu is most observable who speaks thus Who hath placed the whole World If he namely God should set his heart upon it and should gather unto himself the spirit thereof and the breath thereof or his spirit and his breath For the Hebrew affix is rendred both ways all flesh would die together and man would
return unto dust Job 34. v. 13 14. So if God should take his spirit out of the World every living thing would die 2 By reason and sense it is certainly evident that herbs and animals spring out of a humide matter even without seed But whence had these life I pray you but from that diffused soul of the World wee finde by experience that bread wine and water yea aire are vitall to those that feed upon them but whence have they that vital force I pray you if not from this diffused soule but now if a certaine spirit be diffused in that manner through all things it follows necessarily that it was created in the begining in its whole masse even as the matter the light were first produced in that its great and undigested masse so that there was no need that any thing should be created afterwards but be compounded of those three and distinguished with forms which God intimated in Esay 42. v. 5. where declaring himself the Creator of all things he divides them into three parts namely into the heavens that is light the earth that is matter and a quickning spirit and just so in Zachary 12. v. 1. let us therefore hereafter beware so great an absurdity that I may not say blasphemy as to put the person of the Holy Ghost amongst the creatures Now there may three reasons of this thing be given why Moses called that quickning spirit produced in the beginning the Spirit of God Namely that it is taken in that sense wherein els-where it is spoken of â—he mountains of God Psal. 36. v. 7. and trees of God Psal. 104. v. 16. and Ninive was called a citie of God that is by reason of their greatness and dignity 2. Because it was produced immediatly by God not as now it is when that spirit passeth from one subject to another 3 Because it was a peculiar act of the holy Ghost For the Analogie of our Faith teacheth us to believe that the production of the matter out of nothing is a work of Gods Omnipotencie and is attributed to the Father that the production of light by which the World received splendour and order is a work of wisdome attributed to the Son John 1. v. 3 4. and lastly that the virtue infused into the creatures is a work of his goodnesse which is attributed to the Holy Ghost Psal. 143. v 10. and so must that place Psal. 33. v. 9 6. be altogether understood for it will not bear any other sense he spake and they were made he commanded and they came forth the heavens were established by the Word of God and all the virtue of them by the spirit of his mouth Also wee must note Gen. 1. v. 1 2 3. that three words are added to the three principles he created he said and he moved himself that they may be signs of his absolute Power of his Word and of his spirit Also we must note this that in both those places the Holy Ghost with his work is placed in the midst as also in Esay 40. v. 13. because he is the spirit the love and the mutuall bond of both but this we speak after the manner of men Let it stand therefore for certain that all the principles were created the first day every one in its masse and that all things were afterwards composed out of them which may be declared to children for their more full understanding by a similitude thus an Apothecary or Confectioner being to make odoriferous Balls takes Sugar in stead of matter Rose-water or Syrrup or some other sweet liquour for tincture or conditure last of all taking some of this lumpe thus made hee imprints certain shapes upon his work So also God first prepared his matter then tempered it with a living spirit then brought light into it which by its heat and motion might mix and temper both together and bring it to certain forms also even as a Mechanick must have matter and two hands to work withall the one hand to hold and the other to work with so in the framing of the world there was need first of matter then of a spirit to frame the matter and lastly of light or heat to inactuate the matter under the hand of the spirit and what need many words we see in every stone hearb and living creature first a certain quantity of matter secondly a certain inward virtue whereby it is generated it groweth it spreads abroad its savour and its odour and its healing virtue thirdly a form or a certain disposition of parts with divers changes which come from the heat working within For Matter is a principle meerly passive Light meerly active Spirit indifferent for in respect of the matter it is active in respect of the light passive The difinitions of the principles Matter is a corpulent substance of it self rude and dark constituting bodies Spirit is a subtile substance of it self living invisible and insensible dwelling and growing in bodies Light is a substance of it self visible and moveable lucid penetrating the matter and preparing it to receive the spirits and so forming out the bodies Therefore by how much the more Matter any thing hath it hath somuch y e more Dulnes obscurity immobility as the earth Vigour and durability as an Angell Form mobility as the Sun Spirit Light Note also that matter is the first entitie in the World ' Spirit the first living thing Light the first moving thing so that every body in the World is of the matter by the light in the spirit which he would have to be his image from whom by whom in whom are all things blessed for evermore Amen Rom. 11. v. 36. Of the nature of matter TRuly said one No diligence can be too much in searchingout the beginning of things for when the principles are rightly set down an infinite number of conclusions will follow of their own accord and the science wil encrease it self in infinitum which the creation of things doth also shew For God having produced the principles the first day and wrought them together with most excellent skil made afterward so great variety of things to proceed from them that both men and Angels may be astonished Therefore let us not thinke over much to frame our thoughts yet of all the principles of the World apart Let the following Aphorisms be of the matter I The first matter of the World was a vapour or a fume For what means that description of Moses else when he calls it earth waters the deep darkness a thing void and without form and it appears also by reason for seeing that the lesser bodies of the World Clouds Water Stones Metals and all things growing on the earth are made of vapours coagulated as shall appeare most evidently hereafter why not the whole World also certainly the matter of the whole can be nothing else but that which is found to be the matter of the parts II The first matter of the
World was a Chaos of dispersed Atomes cohering in no part thereof This is proved 1 by reason for if they had cohered in any sort they had had form but they had not for it was Tohu vabohu a thing without form and void 2 by sense which satisfies that the Elements are turned unto Atomes for what is dust but earth reduced into Atomes what is vapour but water resolved into more subtile parts the air it self what is it but a most small comminution of drops of water and unperceiveable by sense yea all bodies are found to consist of most extream small parts as trees barke flesh skins and membranes of most slender strings or threds but bones stones metals of smal dust made up together into which they may be resolved again And this shews also that those threds or haires are of Atomes as it were glued together that when they are dried they may be pouldred wherefore the whole World is nothing but dust coagulated with various glutinous matters into such or such a form 3 by Scripture for the aeternall Wisdom it self testifies that the beginning of the World was dust Prov. 8. v. 26. out of which foundation many places of Scripture wil be better understood as Gen. 3. v. 14. dust thou art and into dust thou shalt return For behold man was made of the mud of the earth yet God being angry for sin threatens something more then returning to dust namely utmost resolution into the very utmost dust of which the mud of the earth it self was made and wee see it to be truly so that a man is dissolved not onely into earth but into all the elements especially those that perish by fire and is at last scattered into very Atomes Read and understand what is said Job 4. v. 19. Item 19. v. 9. Esay 26. v. 19. Psal. 104. v. 29. therefore Democritus erred not altogether in making Atomes the matter of the World but hee erred in that hee believed 1 that they were aeternall 2 that they went together into forms by adventure 3 that they cohere of themselves by reason that he was ignorant of that which the Wisdom of God hath revealed unto us that the Atomes were conglutinated into a mass by the infusion of the Spirit of life and began to be distinguished into forms by the comming in of the light III God produced so great a mass of this matter as might sussice to fill the created Abysse For with the beginning of the heaven and the earth that vast space was presently produced wherein the heaven and the earth were to be placed which place Moses cals the Abysse which no creature can passe through by reason of its depth and vastness Now the Aphorism tels us that all this was filled up with that confused fume lest wee should imagine any vacuum IV The matter is of it self invisible and therefore dark For darkness is seen after the same manner when the eyes are shut as when they are open that is they are not seen at all and this is it which Moses says and darkness was upon the face of the Abysse V The matter is of it self without form yet it is apt to be extended contracted divided united and to receive every form and figure as wax is to receive every seal For we have shewed that all the bodies of the World are made of these Atomes and are resolved into them therefore they are nothing else but the matter clothed with severall forms which the Chymicks demonstrate to the eye reducing some dust one while into liquour another while into a vapour another while into a stone c. VI The matter is aeternall in its duration through all forms so that nothing of it can perish For in very deed from the making of the World untill now not so much as one crum of matter hath perished nor one increased for in that bodies are generated and do perish that is nothing else but a transmutation of forms in the same matter as when vapour is made of water of that vapour a cloud of the cloud rain and of the rain drunk in by the roots of plants an hearb c. VII The principall virtue of the matter of the world is are indissoluble cohaerence every where so that it can endure to be discontinued in no part and a vacant space to be left Notwithstanding perhaps this virtue is not from the matter but from the spirit affused of which in the Chapter following VII From this matter the whole World is materiall and corporeall and is so called For all the bodies of the World even the most subtle and the most lightsome are nothing but form partly coagulated partly refined Now after what manner it is coagulated or refined shall appear in that which follows Of the nature of the Spirit or soule of the World THe spirit of the World is life it self infused into the World to operate all things in all for whatsoever any treature doth or suffers it doth or suffers it by virtue of this spirit for it is given to it I To inhabite the matter For as in the beginning it moved it self upon the waters so yet it is not extant but in the matter especially in a liquid and subtile matter Whence in the body of a living creature those most subtile sanguine vapours and as it were flames which are the charriot of life are called spirits And Chymicks extracting a spirit out of herbs metals stones like a little water call it the Quintessence because it is a more subtile substance than all the four elements But not water it self as it is water but that living virtue of the creature out of which it is extracted inhabiting in it which being that it cannot be altogether separated from the matter is preserved in that subtile form of matter For how fast the spirit inhaeres in the matter shall be taught about the end hap 9. 10. II To move or agitate it self through the whole matter to preserve it Hence it is 1 that no vacuum can be in the world For all bodies even the most subtile as water air the skie being indued with this spirit delight in contiguity and continuity For as a living creature will not be cut so also water air yea the world it self by reason of that universall spirit uniting all things in it which also when a separation is made as in the wounds of living creatures in the cutting of the water in the parting of the air may be seen makes the matter close again 2. that every creature putrifies when that spirit is taken away as if you extract the spirit of wine out of wine or suffer the spirit to evaporate out of an hearb c. but is preserved yea made better if the spirit be preserved For example wine kept in any solid vessel under the earth or water though it be an 100 years grows still the richer the spirit stirring and moving it self in it and by that meanes still moulding the matter more
motion bodies were to be framed which might performe a free motion and these are called Animalia or Animantia living creatures from the soul which powerfully evidences life in them 2 Therefore mobility is in all living creatures but after divers manners For some move only by opening and shutting not stirring out of their place as oisters and cockles Others creep by little and little as snailes earth-wormes and other wormes some have a long body which creeps with winding it selfe about as snakes some have feet given them as lizards beasts birds but these last have wings also to flie through the air Which fishes do imitate in the water performing their motion by swimming III The moving principle in a living creature is the vitall soul which is nothing else but the spirit of life thick and strong mightily filling and powerfully governing the bodies which it inhabiteth IV Now because a voluntary and a light motion cannot be performed but in a subtle matter living creatures have bodies given them far more tender then plants but far more compound For they consist of spirit flesh blood membranes veins nerves gristles and lastly bones as it were props and pillars lest the frame should fall Understand this in perfect living creatures For more imperfect living creatures in which we contemplate onely the rudiments of nature have neither bones nor flesh nor bloud nor veins but onely a white humour covered with a skin or crust as it were with a sheath which the spirit included doth stir or move as it appears in worms snails oisters c. But to perfect living creatures 1 That they might have a more subtle spirit bloud and brains were given 2 And that these might not be dissipated they had vessels and channels given them veines arteries nerves 3 That a living creature might be erected bones were given him 4 And left the bones as also the veins arteries nerves should easily be hurt all was covered either with fat or flesh 5 And that the members might move tendons and muscles were interwoven throughout 6 And least in moving the bone the bones should wear one against another cause pain in the living creature a gristle which is a softer substance being as it were halfe flesh was put between the joints 7 And lastly that the frame might hang firmly together in its composure it was compassed with a hide or skin as also all the members with their membranes Therefore a living creature consists of more similar parts then a plant but of far more dissimular parts or members of which it followes V The bodies of living creatures were furnished with many members as with diverse organs for diverse actions The head indeed is the principall member of a living creature wherein the whole spirit hath its residence and shews all its force but because a living creature was intended for divers actions it had need of besides 1 Vivifying organs supplying the living creature with heat life and motion that is brains and heart 2 Moving organs that is feet wings feathers c. 3 And left one thing should run against another or fall into precipices it was necessary to furnish them with sight also with a quick hearing and touch Lastly because the earth was not to supply nutriment immediately to a living creature as to a plant fixed in the earth but it was left them to seek there was need of smelling and tasting that they might know what was convenient to their nature Hence eyes ears nostrils c. 4 Now because a living creature was not to be fixed in the ground with a root because of his free motion more perfect organs of nutrition were requisite for that cause there was given him a mouth teeth a stomack a liver a heart veins c. 5 And because they were not to spring out of the earth as plants by reason of the same motion to and fro Divers Sexes were given them to multiply themselves and distinct genitall members 6 And because living creatures were to be alwayes conversant with others of their own or of a divers kind they had need of some mutuall token even in the dark they had a tongue given them to form sounds 7 Lastly because it could not be but that a living creature should sometimes meet with contraries they had as it were shields and armes given them Hares bristles scales shels feathers likewise horns clawes teeth hoofs c. VI Therefore the whole treatise concerning a living creature is finished in the explication I Of the nutritive faculty II Of the vitall III Of the sensitive IV Of the loco-motive V Of the enuntiative VI Of the defensive VII And lastly of the generative For he that knoweth these seven knowes the whole mysterie of nature in living creatnres For whatsoever is in the body of a living creature serveth those faculties if it do not serve them it is in vain and maketh a monster It is to be observed also that the first three faculties are governed by so many spirits The nutritive faculty by the naturall spirit the vitall by the spirit of life the sensitive by the animall spirit the other four by those three spirits joyntly Of the nutritive Faculty VII Every living creature standeth in need of daily food to repair that which perisheth of the substance every day For life consists in heat And heat being that it is fire wants fuell which is moist spirituous and fat matter Heat in a living creature being destitute of this sets upon the solid parts and feeds on them And hence it is that a living creature as well as a plant without nourishment pines away and dies But if it be sparingly fed it therefore falls away because the heat feeds upon the very substance of the flesh VIII That nourishment is convenient for a living creature which supplies it with a spirit like its own spirit For seeing that life is from the spirit the matter of it selfe doth not nourish life but a spirituous matter And indeed the spirit of the nourishment must needs be like the spirit of the living creature Therefore we are not nourished with the elements as plants are for as much as they have only a naturall not a vitall spirit but we are nourished with plants or with the flesh of other â—iving creatures because those afford a vitall spirit Nay further there is a particular proportion of spirits by reason of which a â—orse chuseth oates a swine barley a wolfe flesh c. Nay an hog hath an appetite to mans excrements also because it yet findeth parts convenient for it IX Nourishment turneth into the substance â—f that which is nourished That appears 1 because he that feeds on dry meats is dry of complexion he that feeds on moist is flegmatick c. 2 because for the most part a man reteins the qualities of those living creatures on whose flesh he feeds as he that feeds on beefe is strong he that feeds on venison is nimble c. If any one have the brains
also the whole animall spirit is there progenerated XXXIII The animall spirits are begotten in the brain that is in bloud and vitall spirit 2 purified with the fanning of respiration 3 communicated to the whole body by Nerves The excrements of the brain are cast forth by the nostrils eares and eyes that is by flegme and â—ears For the strings of the veins and arteries running forth into the brains instill bloud and vitall spirit into them And the bloud that turns into the substance of the brains by assimilation but the vitall spirit being condensed by the coldnesse of the brain is turned into the Animall spirit which the air drawn in by inspiration and getting into the brain through the hollownesse of the nostrils and of the palate doth so purifie with fanning every moment that though it be something cold yet it is most moveable and runs through the nerves with inexplicable celerity Now the Nerves are branches or channels descending from the brain through the body For the marrow of the back bone is extended from the brain all along the back of every living creature and from thence divers little branches run forth conveying the animall spirit the architect of sense and motion to all the members in the whole body XXXIV To know the nature of the senses three things are pertinent 1 the things requisite 2 the manner 3 the effect XXXV The things requisite are 1 an object 2 an organ 3 a medium to conjoyn them Or Sensile Sensorium and the Copula XXXVI Objects are sensible qualities inhering in bodies Colour Sound Savour Tangor For nothing is seen touched c. of it selfe but by accidents wherewith it is clothed And if we would be accurate Philosophers N. W. of the three principles of things only light or fire is preceptible For matter and spirit are of themselves insensible the light then tempered with darknesse makes the matter visible Motion which is from light makes a sound but heat which is from motion stirs up and temperates the rest of the qualities odours savours tangors XXXVII The organs of the senses are parts of the body in which the animall spirit receives the objects that present themselves namely the eye the eare the nostrils the tongue and all that is nervie Nothing in all nature acts without organs therefore the animall spirit cannot do it neither XXXVIII The medium of conjoyning them is that which brings the object into the organ in sight the light in hearing the air moved with breaking in smels the air vapouring in taste the water melting in touch the quality it selfe inhering in the matter XXXIX The manner of sensation is the contact of the Organ with the object passion and action There is but one sense to speak generally and that 's the Touch. For nothing can be perceived but what toucheth us either at hand or at a distance There is no sense at all of things absent XL Therefore in every sensation the Animall spirit suffers by the thing sensible That there is no sensation but by passion is too evident For we do not perceive heat or cold unlesse we be hot or cold nor sweet and bitter unlesse we become sweet or bitter nor colour unlesse we be coloured therewith Our spirit I say residing in the organs is touched and affected Therefore those things which are like us are not perceived as heat like our heat doth not affect us But we must observe that the Organs that they may perceive any qualities of the objects want qualities of themselves as the apple of the eye colour the tongue savour c. XLI Yet in every sensation the animall spirit doth reach upon the thing sensible namely in receiving speculating laying up its species For the Animall spirit resident in the brain what ever sensorie it perceives to be affected conveys it selfe thither in a moment to know what it is and having perceived it returns forth with and carries back the image of that thing with it to the center of its work-house and there contemplates it what it is and of what sort and afterward layes it up for future uses hence the Ancients made three inward senses 1 The common sense or attention 2 The Phantasie or imagination 3 The memory or recordation But these are not really distinct but onely three distinct internall operations of the same spirit Now that those inward senses are in brutes it appears 1 Because if they do not give heed many things may and do usually slip by their ears eyes and nostrils 2 Because they are endued with the faculty of imagining or judging For doth not a dog barking at a stranger distinguish betwixt those whom he knowes and strangers yea sometimes a dog or a horse c. starts also out of his sleep which cannot be but by reason of some dream And what is a dream but an imagination 3 Because they remember also for a dog that hath been once beaten with a cudgell fears the like at the sight of every staffe or gesture c. And therefore it is certain that every living creature even flies and worms do imagine But of the inward senses more at large and more distinctly in the Chapter following XLII The effect of sensation is pleasure or grief Pleasure if the sense be affected gently and easily with a thing agreeable thereto with titillation griefe if with a thing that is contrary to it or suddenly with hurt to the Organ XLIII And that the Animall spirit alwayes occupied in the actions of sense may somtimes rest and be refresbed sleep was given to a living creature which is a gathering together of the animall spirits to the center of the brain and a stopping of the Organs in the mean time with the vapours ascending out of the ventricle Hence it appears 1 Why sleep most usually comes upon a man after meat or else after wearinesse when the members being chafed do exhale vapours 2 Why carefull thoughts disturb sleep that is because that when the spirit is stirred to and fro it cannot be gathered together and sit still 3 What it is to watch and how it is done namely when the spirit being strengthened in it selfe scatters the little cloud of vapours already attenuated and betakes it selfe to its Organs 4 Why too much watching is hurtfull because the sprits are too much wearied weakened consumed c. Thus much of the Senses in general somthing is to be said also of every one in particular XLIV The touch hath for its instrument the nervous skin as also all the nervous and membr anaceous parts of the body Therefore haires nailes bones do not feel c. though you cut or burn them because they have no nerves running through them Yet they feel in that part where they adjoyn to the flesh because they have a nervie substance for their gluten Hence the pain under the nailes and membranes of the bones is most acute Now being that the skin of the body is most glutinous and altogether nervie
things are by a speciall name called insects as flies wormes c. They are called insects from the incisions whereby their bodies are cut off round as it were These may be divided after the same manner For wormes are Reptile Lice Fleas Punies Spiders c. Gressile the water-spider and the horse-leech c. Natatile Flies and Gnats c. Volatile and all those with infinite differences so that here also there is not wanting a most clear glasse of the admirable wisdome of the Creatour and a schoole to man to learn virtues and forget vices of both which there are an expresse image in living creatures which the Scripture oft inculcates An Apendix Of the tenacious inherencie of the animall spirits in its matter WE shewed toward the end of the ninth Chap how fast the naturall and vitall spirit inhereth in its matter we are now to give notice of the like in the animall spirit how firmly it also abideth in its matter that is the bloud the understanding of which thing will also adde much light to those places of Scripture where it is said that the soule of every living creature is in the bloud thereof yea that the bloud of all flesh is the life thereof as Gen. 9. v. 4. Levit. 17. v. 11. and 14. Deut. 12. v. 23. And to certain secrets of nature which they are astonished at who are ignorant of the manner and reason of them I First then it is certain that the animall as well as the vitall spirit may be bound into its seed with the cold so as that for a time it cannot exercise its operation For as grains of corn kept all winter either in a garner or in the earth do bud neverthelesse so the eggs of fishes frogs pismires beetles scattered either upon the earth or waters do bring forth young the year following II In bodies already formed the same spirit compelled sometimes by some force forsakes the members and ceaseth from all operation yet conglobates it selfe to the center of the body and coucheth so close that for many dayes moneths years it lies as it were asleep yet at length it awakens again and diffuseth it self through the members and proceeds to execute vitall operations as it did before We find it so to be in Flies Spiders Frogs Swallowes c. which in winter lie as though they were dead in the chinks of wals or chaps of the earth or under the water yet when the Spring comes in they are alive again So flies choaked in water come to life again in warm cinders like as it is certain that men strangled have been brought to life again after some hours And besides there is an example commonly known of a boy killed with cold and found four dayes after and raised again with foments Trances continued for some dayes are ordinarily known hence some ready to be buried as though they had been dead indeed yea and buried too yet have lived again Some Geographers have written how that in the farthest parts of Moscovia men are frozen every year with extream cold and yet live again like swallows which notwithstanding as a thing uncertain we leave to its place III The third and the most strange is this that the spirit flowes out with the bloud that is shed and yet gives not over to maintain its consent with the spirit remaining within the body whither the greater part thereof remain or only the relicks which is most evidently gathered from divers sympathies and antipathies I will illustrate it with five examples 1 Whence is it I pray you that an oxe quakes and is madded and runs away at the presence of the butcher is it not because he smels the garments the hand the very breath of the butcher stained with the bloud and spirit of cattle of his own kind which is also most clear from the irreconcilable antipathy which is found to be betwixt dogs and dog-killers 2 Whence is it that the body of a slain man bleeds at the presence of the murderer and that after some dayes or months yea and years For it is manifest by a thousand trialls that it is so and at Itzenhow in Denmark Simeon Gulartius relates that the hand of a dead man cut off and hung up and dried in prison discovered the murderer full ten years after by bleeding as a thing confirmed by great witnesses and those of the Kings Counsell and certainly we are not to flie to miracles where nature it selfe by constant observation shewes her lawes It is very likely that the spirit of the man ready to be slain provoked with the injury when it is shed forth with the bloud pouring out it selfe as it were in revenge leaps upon the murderer and that after the same sort as we see a dog a wild beast or oxe when he is killed run furiously upon him that striketh him For if the spirit do so yet abiding in the body why not parted from it Therefore it is to be supposed that it leaps upon the murderer and seises on him Whence it comes to passe that when he comes near the body especially if he be commanded to touch it or look upon it look how much spirit is left in the body it hasteth to meet with its spirit with its chariot the bloud namely by sympathie Hence that Antipathie which more subtle natures find in themselves against murderers though unknown For they tremble at the very presence of murderers and nauseat if they do but eat or drink with them c. 3. The cunning of a most excellent Chirurgeon in Italy is well known who helpt one that had lost his nose carving him another out of his arme cut and bound to his face for the space of a moneth and the ridiculous chance that happened thereupon a little after is also known A certain Noble man having also had his nose cut off in a duell desired his help but being delicate and not willing to have his arme cut hired a poor countrey fellow who suffered himselfe to be bound to him and his arme to be made use of to repair his nose The cure succeeded but when as about some six years after or thereabouts the country man died the Noble mans nose rotted too and fell off What could be the cause of it I pray you but that the spirit and that locally separated doth maintain its spirituall unity Therefore when the spirit went out of the countrey mans carcasse as it rotted part of it also went out that the Noble mans nose and his nose by reason of the Noble mans spirit succeeded not into the place of it as being into the lump of anothers flesh rotted also and fell off 4 It is accounted amongst the secrets of nature that if friends about to part drink part one of anothers bloud and so addes a part of his spirit to his own it will come to passe that when one is sick or ill at ease though very far asunder the other also will find himselfe sad which
the Reins Venus the Lungs Mercury c. Lastly certain creatures shew forth their virtues in certaine parts of the body For example some herbs cure the Lungs some the Liver c. which shews a certain analogy of the Microcosme to the Macrocosme though not well known to us XXII Also Man is not absurdly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the all because 1 He hath his body from the Elements his spirit from Heaven his mind from God and so in himselfe alone he represents the visible and the invisible world 2 Man is all because he is apt to be all that is either most excellent or very base For if he give himselfe to earthly things he becomes brutish and falls back again to nothing if to heavenly things he is in a manner deified and gets above all creatures CHAP. XII Of Angels WE joyn the treatise concerning Angels with the Physicks because they also are a part of the created World and in the scale of creatures next to man by whose nature the nature of Angels is the easier to be explained Therefore we will conclude it in some few Aphorismes I There are Angels Divine testimonies and apparitions testifiè that and also a three-fold reason 1 Vapours concretes plants living creatures are mixt of water and spirit Now there is matter without spirit the pure Element therefore there is spirit also without matter 2 As the matter of the world is divided into four kinds the four Elements so we see already the spirit of the world to be distinguished into the naturall vitall animall and mentall spirit Now the lowest degree is to be found alone as in concretes Therefore the highest may be found alone to wit in the Angels 3 Every creature is compounded of Entitie and Nihility For they were nothing before the creation but now they are something because the Cretour hath bestowed on them of his Entitie more or lesse by degrees By how much the more entitie any thing hath so much the further it is from nihility and on the contrary Seeing then then that there is the first degree from nihility that is a Chaos the rudiment of an Entitie without doubt there is the last also which comes nearest to a pure Entitie But man is not such because having matter admixt he partakes much of nihility Therefore of necessity there is a creature with which materiality being taken away all other perfections remain And that is an Angell II An Angell is an incorporeall man An Angell may be called a man in the same sense that man himselfe is called an animall and an animall a plant and a plant a concrete c. as we have set down in their definitions that is by reason of the forme of the precedent included with a new perfection only super-added For a man is a rationall creature made after the Image of God immortall so is an Angel but for more perfections sake free from a body Therefore an Angel is nothing but a man without a body A man is nothing but an Angel clothed with a body But that Angels are incorporous appears 1 Because although they be present they are not discerned neither by the sight or any other sense 2 Because they assume to themselves earthly watery aery fiery or mixt bodies as need requires and put them off again which they could not do if they had bodies of their own as we have Yet ordinarily they appear in an humane forme by reason of the likenesse of their natures as we have said III Angels were created before all visible things That was shewed in the Apendix of the first Chapter you may see it again if need be And Moses words are clear In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was void See the earth was in that first production emptie and void Therefore heaven was not void then it was filled with its host the Angels IV The Angels were created out of the Spirit of the world As Moses seems to comprehend the production of Angels under the name of Heaven so also the universall Spirit For he â—oth not say that this was created with the earth but he pronounceth abruptly after the creation of the earth that the Spirit of God moved it selfe upon the waters intimating thus much that it was in being before We conclude therefore that the Angels were formed out of that Spirit so that part of that spirit was left in the invisible heaven and shaped into meer spirituall substances Angels and part sent down into the materiall world below After the same manner as the fire was afterward partly left in the Skie and fashioned into shining Globes and partly sunk into the bowels of the earth for the working of minerals and other uses That which follows makes this opinion probable if not demonstrable 1 Principles should not be multiplied without cause Seeing therefore that the Scripture doth not say that they were created out of nothing nor yet names any other principle why should we not be satisfied with those principles that Moses hath set down 2 Angels govern the bodies which they assume like as our spirit inhabiting the matter doth Therefore they are like to it 3 There is in Angels a sense of things as well as in our spirits For they see hear touch c. though they themselves be invisible and intangible Also they have a sense of pleasure and griefe for as much as joyes are said to be prepared for the Angels and fire for the divells into which wicked men are also to be cast Although therefore they perceive without Organs yet we must needs hold that they are not unlike to our spirit which perceiveth by organs V The Angels were created perfect That is finished in the same moment so that nothing is added to their essence by adventitious encrease For being that they are immateriall they are also free from the law of materiality that is when a thing tends to perfection to be condensed fixed to encrease and so to be augmented and become solid by certain accessions VI Angels are not begotten Men Animals and Plants are generated because the spirit included in the matter diffuseth it selfe with the matter and essayes to make new Entities But an Angel being that it is without matter and its essence cannot be dissipated hath not whether to transfuse it selfe Hence Christ saith that in Heaven we shall be as the Angels without generation or desire of generation Mat. 22. 30. VII Angels die not The spirit of Animals and of Plants perisheth because when the matter that is its chariot is dissipated it also is dissipated But an Angell having his essence compacted by it selfe without matter cannot be dissipated and therefore endures VIII The number of Angels is in a manner infinite See Job 25. v. 2 3. yet Daniel names thousands of thousands and myriads of myriads Dan. 7. 10. as also John Apoc. 5. 11. IX The habitation of the Angels is the Heaven of Heavens Mat. 18. v.
else but the image of the whole plant gathered together into a very small part of the matter from whence if need be the same plant may be produced again as we see done N. W. That herbs are bread neverthelesse without seed by virtue of the spirit infused into the elements 1 The command of God proves Gen. 1. v. 11. Let the earth bring forth c. which is yet in force 2 Experience For if you uncover the earth beneath all roots and seeds yet in the years following vvhen it hath been somewhat oft watered vvith rain vvater you shall see it bud forth vvhich is a notable argument of the spirits being diffused every where but especially descending with the Sun and raine VIII The outer and inner bark leaves shells downe flowres prickles c. are integrating parts of plants serving to defend them and preserve their seeds from the injurie of heat and cold IX The kernels are for the most part encompassed with a pulp for their thinner nourishment and to defend them from injury but yet this pulp when it is come to ripenesse serves for food to living creatures as it is to be seen in Apples Peares Cherries Plummes c. X. The proprieties of plants are varietie heat and tenacity of their spirit XI The variety of plants is so great that the number can scarce be counted by any means The natural spirit in meteors and minerals makes certain species and those easie to be counted as we see but the vitall spirit doth so diffuse it self that the industrie of no man is yet sufficient to collect the the species of herbs and trees XII The cheif kinds of plants are herbs trees shrubs XIII An herb is that which growes and dies every year XIV A tree is that which rising up on high growes to wood and continues many years XV. A shrub is of a middle nature as the alder the vine N. W. 1. Some trees live for many ages to wit such as have a compacted and glutinous substance as the oak the pine c. vvatery and thin plants do soon grow and soon vvither as the sallow c. 2 Some lose their leaves every year namely those that have a vvatery juice others keep them as trees of a rozenous nature 3 Trees are either fruitful or barren the first bear either Apples or Nuts or fruit like unto Pine Apples or Berries 4 Porositie and airynesse is given to the vvood of trees by reason of which they do not sinke and that 1 That they might take fire 2 That they might the more easily be transported any vvhither through rivers 3 That ships might be made of them Also clamminesse or indissipability vvas given them that they might serve for the building of houses for vvhich end also their talnesse serves Other differences of plants may be seen else vvhere XVI All plants are hot by nature but in proportion to our heat some are called cold For generation is not done but by heat but that vvhich is below the degree of our heat seemes cold to us As for Hemlock Opium c. they do not kill vvith cold but vvith the viscosity of their vapours vvhich fill up the cavities of the brains stop the Nerves and so suffocate the spirit the same may be said of all poisonous things XVII Vitall spirit as also naturall holds so fast to its matter that it scarce ever forsakes it This is demonstrated besides that we see the spirit every year to be driven by the cold of winter out of the stocks and to be hidden in the root and to put forth it selfe again at the beginning of the spring by four examples 1 That how ever the matter of fruits or herbs be vexed yet the spirit conteins it selfe as it is to be seen in things smoaked tosted roasted soaked pulverized c. which retein their virtue 2 That being driven out of the better part of the matter by the force of fire yet it sticks in the portion that is left and there it is congregated and inspissated so that it suffers it selfe to be thrust together into a drop or a little poulder rather then forsake the matter as it appears in distilled waters which therefore they call spirits 3 That when its matter is somewhat oft distilled and transfused into divers formes through divers Alembicks yet it doth uot fly away For example when a goat or a cow eats a purging herb and the nurse drinks her milk or the whey of her milk it comes so to pass that the infant that sucks her will be purged 4 And which is more it doth not onely retein a virtue of operating but also of augmenting it selfe and forming a creature of its kind which may be shewn by two examples Sennertus relates that Hieremy Cornarius caused a water to be distilled in June Anno 1608. and that in the moneth of November a little plant of that kind was found at the bottome of the glasse in all points perfect But Quercetanus writes that he knew A Polonian Physician that knew how to pulverise plants so artificially that the poulder as oft as he listed would produce the plant For if any one desired to have a rose or a poppy shewed him he held the poulder of a rose or a poppy inclosed in a glasse over the candle that it might grow hot at the bottome which done the poulder by little little raised it self up into the shape of that plant and grew represented the shape of the plant so that one would have thought that it had been corporeall but when the vessell was cold sunk again into poulder Who sees not here that the spirits are the formers of plants who sees not that they inhere so fast in their matter that they can as it were raise it again after it is dead who sees not that the spirit of a minerall or a plant is really preserved in the forme of a little water oile or poulder Thus the eternall truth of that saying is mainteined And the Spirit of God moved it selfe upon the waters As for the spirit of a living creature whither it may be preserved after that manner and raised up to inform a new body we leave it to be thought of purposing neverthelesse to speak something of it towards the end of the next Chapter CHAP. X. Of living creatures THus much of plants here follow living creatures I A living creature is a moving plant endued with sense as a worm a fish a bird a beast For if a stone or an oak could move it self freely or had sence it would be a living creature also II The principall difference betwixt a living creature and a plant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a free moving of it selfe to and fro For the better to expresse the power of the spirit of life Gods Vicar in creatures it was needfull that such bodies should be produced which that spirit inhabiting might have obedient unto all actions Now seeing that the ground of action is