eat them than they would Frogs Snails yea Snakes for they all have one and the same Original and are generated from a like matter These Creatures or rather Vermin for so I may call them are produced from Putrifaction gross and unclean matter and would be abominable to Humane Nature if they were known to be such besides the Diseases they cause they also defile the Spirits by awakning their Similies they prove frequently to be of Ill Consequence both to the Body and Mind These Fish that have no Scales are unclean and the Nourishment they afford are of a moist and slimy Nature But on the contrary those that have both Scales and Fins are wholsomer and are of a dryer Substance and easier of Concoction those that are bred in clear gravelly running Waters and Rivers are sweet pleasant and wholsom if taken in their proper Seasons Both the Seller and Buyer of Fishes are guilty of great mistakes about them the Fisher-man does commonly let them dye of themselves or by throwing one upon another causes one rather to suffocate another this way does a great deal of harm to the Fish as well as to other Creatures viz. Cows Sheep c. But the better way is to give them a wound so soon as you take them out of their proper Element rather than to suffocate them for by this the pure Essential Spirits and Balsamick Body suffers Violence There is a custom among some to keep Fish alive until they have a mind to eat them this is chiefly practised among the Dutch Though it be a very good Custom yet a great many commit Errors in this particular for they are oft-times kept in a small quantity of thick standing Water until they languish and grow weak fainty and poor But if you have a mind to keep them let them be put where there is plenty of good Water Do not put any great quantity together neither keep them too long before you use them CHAP. VIII Of the Mischief of Variety of Meats and Drinks and the Inconveniences of Improper Mixtures and on the other side what Foods are fit to be Compounded THE mixture of several things of disagreeing Natures is common in this wanton Age to most sorts of People except such as are constrained through pure Necessity to live on simple Meats and Drinks but in this adding of divers sorts of Food together so as to render them Wholsom or not very Prejudicial to the Health there is required a greater Understanding than ordinary House-wives are endued with or indeed the best Cooks for their business is to gratifie the Extravagant Fancies and Liquorish Pallates of those they belong to rather than to study to prepare what is agreeable to Nature For when you mix two three or four things together if the predominant Quality in each be of contrary Natures then such Food will produce a disagreeing Nourishment in the Stomach whence must arise an inward Strife and Contention for mastery so that oft-times the pure Vertues and Spirits suffer violence and become suffocated This is manifest in all sorts of Herbs Woods Earths and Drugs which Dyers and Painters use two of which being mixt produce a third of a kind and nature contrary to both and if you add a third Ingredient of a Nature contrary to those two it will become a fourth Species The same thing happens in Eatables As you alter the Taste of any simple Food by adding one or more Ingredients So you vary its Nature so that it becomes not only of another Taste but a quite different Operation for this cause there ought to be great Caution and Discretion used in Mixing of Food or else you bring all into Confusion We ought to understand the Nature of each Ingredient and what Iuices and Nourishment two or more things conjoyned will produce for each particular makes some Variation either for the better or the worse for all Tasts in Food have the very same Original as Colours and Cooks ought to be as skilful as Painters in their Mixtures which if well observed most People would be free from desiring such Compounded Dishes most Men through ignorance of the Nature and Operation of things imagining that the more both mean and rich Ingredients are mixed together the greater and better the Nourishment The contrary whereof is true for such things do generally produce a Nourishment of a contrary Nature to most of the Ingredients as is evident in Painting for Example take Indigo Ultramarine or any Blew and mix it with White and it makes a Skie to what degree you please but then put a third viz. mix a Pink Colour and makes a Green which is a fourth Colour of a contrary Nature to both the first second and third also mix Verdigrease and Pink and it makes a Green take Lake and Ultramarine and it gives a deep Purple mix Lake and White together and you have a Pink Colour and if you would have the deepest Black take the whitest Ivory you can get and burn it and the Ashes will perform your desire so likewise Copporas Gauls and Logwood dye a Black though none of them are so Furthermore it is to be noted that there are but Seven perfect Colours in the World which have their Original from the seven Constellations viz. Black Red Yellow Blew Lake Green and White each of which does contain the true Nature of all the seven but that Quality that predominates denominates the Colour and all the other lie as it were hid or captivated but when another or contrary Colour is mixt or incorporated therewith then both those Colours lose their right in Nature and thro' an inward strife and contention there is a Third awakned which before the mixture lay hid and captivated and this third is of a contrary Nature to both the first and so you may by continual Additions of other Colours alter it into a fourth a fifth a sixth and so on for from an apt Commixture of these seven Colours an ingenious Artist in Painting can imitate and represent the Colours of all things in the whole Universe The like is to be understood of Tastes and the nature of Food mixing of two things of contrary Qualities produces a third Iuice different from each of them and if you add a third Ingredient that is in nature contrary to both the first it will awaken another Nature which lay hid or captivated and so there arises a fourth thing and this it performs by Simile making that propriety in Nature strong which was weak and causing that to become manifest that before did disappear As in the before mentioned Instance of mixing Blew and White that produces a Sky-colour which is one degree of Variation but then mix Pink-colour with these two and it makes a Green which is quite contrary to both the first and second Now before the Pink was so added this same Green was essentially in both the Colours but not manifest till the Pink captivated both the first and second
should they be forced to Sleep as the Custom of some is but to go to sleep as Nature inclines them Also they must not sit or lie too long without Motion for 't is that gives Spirit and Life to all young Creatures It is to be noted also that Womens Distempers as to Windiness and many other Weaknesses are much encreased by their straight Garments and Lacings which do press and wound the strength of that part it being one main Reason of their shortness of Breath contracting the Passages and Vessels of the Stomach which causeth also Sickness with pricking pains in the sides and often sends Fumes into the Head nothing being more Injurious to them than those Bodice and Stays which are as stiff and hard as Boards which makes the Stomach Waste and Back so feeble that many when they leave them off they feel themselves so weak that they are forced to continue them neither can they hardly turn themselves in their Beds but seem as if they were unjoynted which causeth many other Inconveniences as growing deformed and makes Labour and Exercises burthensom If these Rules be followed and observed by any they will find great benefit thereby and be eas'd of much Trouble and prevent a great Number of Diseases and lay Foundations for an healthy sound Generation CHAP. XII The Cause of SURFEITS and how to prevent them and keep the Body in Health As also of large Drinking after Meals and of eating of Suppers WHen any one finds himself much wearied or very hot through some violent action or fainty through Labour or long fasting or any other Accidents of the like Nature which may have wasted the Radical Moisture and spent the pure Spirits whereby the whole Body becomes heavy dull and indisposed Then to recover Nature and the Spirits and yet at the same time prevent the Diseases called Surfeits these following Rules are absolutely necessary for every one to observe 1. Before eating or drinking you ought to rest by sitting still and silent or taking a small nap of sleep or if conveniency will permit go to Bed and keep your self warm for an hour or two or three according to the greatness of the occasion which will recover the Spirits and strengthen the natural Heat and sharpen the Appetite refreshing the whole Body and chearing all the Senses so that you shall not only eat and drink with tenfold more pleasure and delight but with much more safety as to Health For no Meats or Drinks though of the highest Preparation have such Power to recover and restore the Spirits and make the sweet Oyl in the Body burn clear as Rest hath for which cause a man can fast longer from Food and with less prejudice to his Health than from Rest or Sleep Nevertheless in some of these times of Weariness there is necessity of present eating or drinking but then it ought to be done sparingly and such Food as is easie of Digestion as thin brisk Gruels Pottages and the like and that in a small Quantity for when the Spirits are spent by any of the forementioned Accidents the natural Heat of the Stomach is so weakned that it cannot bear any great Quantity of Meats or Drinks nor such Foods as are too strong in Quality without manifest danger to the Health All Inequality in this state is very perilous for when the Radical Moisture is wasted the natural Spirits are dull and impure which cannot be restored but only by Rest for the quickness and sharpness of the Stomach and digestive Faculty does chiefly consist in the Goodness and Quantity of the Radical Moisture and pure Spirits And for this cause those that are tired with Labour a less Quantity of strong Drink or Food will overcome them Also those that are endued with strong Spirits and whose Radical Moistures are pure and free from Obstructions have good and sharp Appetites and can eat and drink greater Quantities without prejudice to their Health but on the contrary such as have but weak Heats and few Spirits have but little Stomachs and faint desires to eat their Stomachs being full before their Bellies and the same is to be understood when the Spirits and Natural Heat are impared and made impotent by Accidents Therefore Rest after any kind of Weariness be it what it will is a most safe means to preserve Health and prevent the generation of Diseases 2. It is to be noted that Surfeits and Obstructions are not as many suppose contracted at the first or second Inconveniency except the Accident or Disorder be very great but by degrees every Excess sows some seeds for Diseases which would be prevented if care were taken and Nature not overcharged especially at the forementioned times viz. when the Spirits are weakned or spent for then the sweet Oyl and Radical Moisture immediately turns sourish and then follows an unnatural Heat and Disorder through the whole Body with a dizziness in the Head for the Volatile Spirit is the true Life and Being of every thing Many lively Instances might be given to demonstrate this as we see in all the Vegetations of the Earth if the spirituous parts be any way destroyed or suffocated that Herb Seed or Grain decays and becomes of no use or vertue which is likewise manifest in all Spirituous Liquors as Beer Ale Syder Wine c. if by long keeping or other accidents the spirituous parts be wasted or evaporated immediately the sweet Quality as it were dieth and then the bitter sour astringent Properties predominate and appear in their own Forms which whilst the spirituous and sweet Qualities were strong and not violated did lie hid being therein incorporated So that were it possible for Man by any Art to retain the Volatile Spirit in any Liquors or other things then such things would continue firm and good in all their parts forever The same is to be conceived in the Humane Nature and therefore all People ought to consider the danger the Spirit is in on all Disorders and Superfluities for presently the Appetite is dulled and the Pallate cannot taste or distinguish the pure Relish of any sort of Food For where the Spirits are weak all the Properties of Nature become unequal in their operation and rise up with a kind of violence or hunger after the sweet Oyl with eagerness to devour it which is the true Life Pleasure and Moderator of all the other Properties and Qualities and therefore when once the same is wounded the whole System of Nature is disordered and all her Oeconomy disturbed And this is really the very Root of all Distemperatures both of the Body and Mind which if every one did understand and take care that Nature were not overcharged might easily be prevented But though Nature doth frequently complain sigh groan and languish under many such Inconveniences and burdens yet few there be that ever think or consider the cause from whence such Indispositions proceed but for the most part through Ignorance take wrong measures for if
comes to know somewhat of the operation of the Divine Principle he cannot be happy in this World nor in that which is to come This some of the Indian and Ethnick Philosophers seem to have been sensible of when they used all pains and diligence to bring those Savages from Cruelties and Inhumanities viz. from all Violence and killing the inferior Beasts of the Field and prohibiting them from eating their Flesh and Blood for Man being more highly graduated than any of the Beasts as being indued with divine and humane Wisdom and the Nature of all things viz. with the Treasures both of Time and Eternity ought not by any means enter with his Desires and Will into the savage Nature of wild Beasts neither should the depraved Property of Beasts be awakened in Man for whatsoever he joyns himself unto or communicates with whether it be Meats Drinks Employments or Communications that very thing be it what it will shall powerfully impose the true property of its Spirit on the Man by way of Simile Were not this so the wise Ancients would not have made such distinctions between clean and unclean Creatures neither would they so strictly have commanded that the Blood should be destroyed by Fire or buried in the Earth neither would the Apostle Paul have said That evil Communication corrupts good Manners that is evil Company or the evil Spirit in ill Men does awaken and strengthen its Likeness in the good Man and causes the divine Principle and Voice of Wisdom to withdraw or become captivated And it seems our Fore-Fathers even in this Nation have in some degree considered the great force and power of the wrathful savage Nature of the Beasts and that Men by accustomed violence towards them and their communication amongst slaughter'd Animals were rendered rash precipitate fierce and cruel and as it were destitute of Humanity and therefore by our ancient Laws and the immemorial Customs of this Realm Butchers and such People as are of Killing-Employments are not to be Iury men as being esteemed neither fit nor capable Judges of Life and Death And in the common Proverb if a man be fierce cruel and subjected to the Spirit of Violence we say Such a one is like a Butcher Nor can we but observe from daily experience that all sorts of People that are of rude robustick Employments and communicate much with fierce and strong Beasts as Bear-wards Hostlers Drovers and the like are generally headstrong rash fierce surly People and appear evidently to participate of the brutish Nature of those Animals with whom they converse And as the Sheep is one of the most innocent of Beasts so Shepherds have in all Ages been celebrated for the most harmless and best-humour'd of Men and therefore Governors both Temporal and Spiritual are recommended unto us under the Name of Pastors or Shepherds of the People 4. That killing and eating the Flesh and Blood of both clean and unclean Beasts was not in use from the beginning is clear from the Second Chapter of Genesis therefore we should consider when and by whom the same was introduced And first we must note That the first Beasts that were killed were not Cows and Sheep and the like useful Creatures whose Lives are far more profitable than their Deaths but wild savage Beasts and Birds of Prey the countenance of whose Lives was prejudicial unto Mankind and the rest of the Creatures nor were they hunted and slain to be eaten but to free Men and other Creatures from danger But after a little use and custom of Kiillng the Spirit of Wrath and Fierceness by the fierce Action in the Killer and the revengeful Spirits proceeding from the Creature killed both concurring was so powerfully stirred awakened and strengthened that Killing became as familiar as gathering of Fruit and the unclean brutish Nature encreasing they could not only kill without remorse but began to count it a delight and pleasure and then they could eat the Flesh and lap up the Blood of their Fellow-Creatures which they had slaughtered as freely and as greedily as Dogs and Lions or any other wild Beasts could do it for by continual use of Killing and Violence the very same savage wild Nature of those cruel Beasts of Prey were become predominant in Men so that now they could not only butcher and eat the Flesh of Beasts with pleasure and delight but they could also without remorse torture and slay those of their own kind and in some parts proceeded to eat them too as the Canibals who feed on Humane Flesh and will most savourly gnaw a Shoulder of a Man a Breast of a Woman or the Haunches of a Child and think it altogether as sweet and wholsome as my Lord does his Venison or my Lady her Partridge 5. It is to be noted That if Mankind had continued in its primitive State of Innocency and Unity there would have been no Hatred Strife Oppression Fighting or Killing one another no Slaughtering of Beasts Fish or Birds nor Eating their Flesh and Blood for that was not permitted until Man had immersed his Will into the warful savage unclean Nature of the worst of Beasts For there is no Creature in the World that has any desire to eat Flesh and Blood and tear the Creatures to pieces with violence except those in whom the fierce wrathful savage Nature does predominate And therefore after Man had awakened the Wrath and entred into the cruel Spirit of Killing the wise Prophets imposed special Commands not to eat the Flesh and Blood of such Creatures as Swine Dogs Bears Wolves c. But can we believe that Man was at first made like those savage unclean Beasts of Prey or indeed worse For so now he is and does exceed in Uncleanness and Cruelty the worst of Beasts as much as a Spar-Hawk exceeds a Titmouse for indeed Man is indued with all Properties and Qualities but the Wrath and evil unclean Nature ought not to have been manifested but the divine and humane Nature should have governed his Life but instead thereof the same are now as it were hid in Man and the cruel fierce Spirit does predominate which makes him so near affinity with all wild Beasts and Birds of Prey and to desire such Food as they do for that Nature that is chief in the government of any Creature 's Life be it either good or evil clean or unclean will stir up desires of Food suitable and correspondent therewith This is plain in several sorts of Beasts as those in whom the simple harmless clean Nature claims Dominion delight in a like clean and harmless Food and their Natures are satisfied therewith not but that there is an unclean Nature and fierce Quality in the cleanest and best of Beasts capable in some degree of being awakened for 't is not impossible by degrees and use to teach and bring Sheep Cows Horses and many other Creatures to eat Flesh and drink Wine and strong Drinks and after a little custom those
natural heat burns but dully 2. But if the Sweet Quality be joyned with this and hath an equal share of government then such People are of pleasant merry tempers apt to laugh of easy Faith and a small occasion will move them out of one thing into another not fixed nor of any depth search or understanding apt to speak much but not wise being like Children laugh and cry all in a breath very good to carry Tales and Stories from one to another 3. But if the Bitter Quality doth predominate equally with this and the Sweet weak or underneath then such People are bestial hard-hearted cruel inhuman Swearers Lyars and the like fit for all robustick dirty killing Imployments but they are of stronger Constitutions than the former and healthier and also of better and quicker Apprehensions but of very ill Tempers 4. But if the saltish or astringent quality doth predominate and have an equal share in government and the Sweet Quality weak then this sort of People are not so corpulent nor fleshy but taller and more slender of Stature of sour Countenances and Dispositions cunning in Words and Deeds apt to Dissemble and Lye they are also apt to bear Malice having two Faces the Diseases they are subject to are the Stone Wind-Colick Consumptions and many windy Diseases and Infirmities if Temperance be wanting many of this sort of People are also great drinkers 5. When this Sour Quality doth predominate in any Beast then such are of a dull heavy Disposition and Spirit apt to have great bellies and slow in motion If in Horses they are neither handsom nor free dull Eyes and great Heads If in Cows their Milk is not so good as others being thin If in Herbs or Fruit then their taste is some-what unpleasant harsh and sour and their Colour is of a dark Green Of the Astringent or Saltish Quality 1. When this Quality doth predominate in any Person they are of a tall Stature and for the most part slender but of a swarthy pale or muddy Complexion rather Lean than Fat generally of hardy strong Constitutions and also of good Apprehensions when this sort of People do apply themselves to the learning of any Art they attain to an excellent Understanding therein being fixed in those things they resolve on 2. But if the Bitter Quality doth equally govern in the Body and Senses and the Sweet Quality weak then such People are very sordid Lyars Swearers Gluttons Drunkards inclined to all kind of robustick Plays and Games as Ringing Bull-baitings Bear-baitings to follow Drums and Fencers and the like evil Communications having strong Bodies and fierce savage bestial Spirits and abusers of Women 3. But if the Sweet Quality doth interpose and the Bitter and Astringent weak then such Persons are more moderate in Words and Works ingenious apt to learn of good Understandings and of handsom healthy Bodies 4. But if the Sour be joyned in government with the Astringent then such People are more gross and Phlegmatick and not so quick of Apprehension slow of Motion and of sordid Dispositions 5. Also it is to be noted when this Astringent quality doth predominate in any Beast then they are large big boned strong and heady but not free of motion but cunning and sullen When in Herbs and Fruit they are tall but not handsom their taste is harsh hard and unpleasing they are good against the Diseases of the Phlegmatick and Sanguin Complexions if the Saturnine Venoms thereof be corrected This is a short Description of the four grand Qualities and their natural Operations But this I would have every one consider and be sensible that their Influences are not compelling on Men as they are on Beasts except Men live as Beasts viz. in the power and operation of the bestial Nature as many Thousands do and far worse whence proceed those violent and cruel disorders in the World But those who do turn the Eye of their Mind inward and search and find themselves and come to distinguish the secret workings of God and Nature and hearken unto the Voice of the Divine Principle which is the holy Oracle that will teach every one in all particulars what is right in the sight of the Lord and the contrary the fear of the Lord and the true knowledg of God in a mans self and thereby furnish every one with virtue strength and power to resist every evil Influence though it proceed from the most harsh and worst of Complexions it will also teach him to tune and bring all the four Qualities into an equal accord even as a skilful Musicianer composeth a harmonious consort in the variety of parts or as he by skill tunes his Instrument for the most skilful Musicianer in the World can make no harmony if his Instrument be not in tune all the various Notes and Tones of an Instrument most incorporate in each other or else no Harmony can be made even so it is with the Qualities in a Man it is as possible for him that hath learned himself to tune himself and compose all the properties of Nature and to play on them as a Musicianer doth on his Instrument so great is the power of Man if he cast his Will and Desire into the divine Principle and Love of God which is able to tincture and change the worst Complexion and convert it into its own Nature therefore let no man dare to say and complain that the Lord hath dealt hardly by him that he hath made him of the harsh wild Nature And though it be true that many men as their Natural Qualities are sordid and wild yet nevertheless they have the true Tincture that can transmute and change all sorts of Metals into the finest Gold even that very Word of the Lord that made and formed all things which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World and blessed are all those that are obedient and follow its Counsel of what Complexion soever they are the Blessing of the Lord is with them Thus having treated of the four grand Qualilies I shall now proceed to discover the four Complexions which proceed there from and to what Virtues Vices and Diseases each of them are most subject Of the Cholerick Complexion The Cholerick Complexion answereth to Fire and that sort of People which are dignified with it are of a strong Body and lively active Spirit quick both in doing and apprehending of any thing free in Speech and of all other action apt to Wrath and Passion quickly affronted but because the Fire in them burns fierce their Passions are quickly over not subject to retain Anger nor premeditate Revenge they are of a hardy strong Nature generally of good Apprehensions and Witty but more or less so according to the strength or weakness of the predominant Constellation at their Birth If People of this Complexion do observe the rules of Temperance and keep themselves within the bounds of Sobriety then they are some of the Healthiest of men But many
and Communication for they saw the inconveniences and dangers that all such things brought on man but in this Dark Gluttonous and Drunken Age there is no regard had to such things every man does imagin himself to have greater Understanding than the Ancients and Prophets so that there is little or no distinction made accounting all things as it were of a like nature and operation whence doth proceed innumerable Disorders and Diseases for the total Preservation of mans Health both of Body and Mind does consist in the Quantity and Qality of Meats Drinks Exercises Communications Customs and the good or ill Properties of Food all things have a secret Power in themselves to alter and change Nature either for better or worse or to Vertue or Vice according to the Natures and Degrees either of Evil or Good in each thing Of the Flesh of Fowls There are various sorts of Fowls most of which men eat some Wild others Tame of the two the Wild are the wholsomest for Food their Nature is more airy and cleaner and of a dryer substance affording a better and firmer Nourishment better Blood and purer Spirits than the Tame the cause of this is the Cleanness of their Food great Motion and their continual being in the open pure Air next in Goodness to these are those Fowls that have free Egress and Regress and are chiefly fed with Corn such do also afford a good clean Nourishment But all such Fowls that are kept up and fatted and crambed in Coops being hindred both from Action and Motion their Flesh is of a grosser substance than the former not so wholsom hard of Concoction of a stronger Taste and Smell generates a thick gross Nourishment as indeed all other Creatures that are fed or made fat after that manner are much the Unwholsomer not being so Healthy if frequently eaten as those Creatures that are at their own Liberty for Motion and Action are absolutely necessary for to preserve Nature from Diseases and other evils not only in Men but also in all other things for it Purges and cleanses the Body from all such superfluous matter which is contracted by Meats and Drinks and other Accidents that happen to most Creatures it causeth the Blood to have its free Circulation and generates pure brisk lively Spirits as daily Experience doth teach Therefore all such unnatural ways and inventions of fatting any Creature after such a manner ought not to be if People have regard to their Health For all sorts of Flesh is in its own nature not only more Unclean but it is of a grosser substance affording more matter for the generation of Diseases than either Herbs Fruits or Grains neither is there any Art found whereby to exhale or destroy the gross Phlegmatick part of Flesh as there is in Fruits and Grains Therefore Flesh will sooner fall into Putrifaction than other things whose Humidity is exhaled by the vertue and power of the Sun and Elements It being a general mistake for to imagine that those Fowls and other Creatures that are hastily fatted by being penned up close and having superfluity of Food should have the best and most Nourishment Indeed they are fuller of gross Juices and Matter but good Nonrishment and pure Spirits and Blood do not proceed from the gross Phlegmatick body in any Creature but from the lively spirituous Parts and the more gross and phlegmy any Body is the fewer and duller are the Spirits of that thing if this were not so then Horses fed with Grass would be stronger and livelier than those that are fed with Hay and Corn. Are not all Creatures when their Bodies are fraighted with much matter disabled thereby to go through with their Labour or Exercise their Spirits quickly evaporated or spent and soon out of Breath faint and weak Which comes to pass through the super-abounding phlegmy matter which suffocates the Spirits and stops the Passages weakening the natural Heat and Action of the Stomach Therefore both Men and all other Creatures that do feed on Food that is of a dry Nature and Substance the gross Phlegm being destroyed as in Corn Hay Fruits and many other things and are inclined rather to Leanness than fulness are not only stronger and abler to endure Labour but they have far greater and more Lively Spirits are of quicker Apprehensions and fitter for Exercises both of the Body and Mind which does also further appear in all such Flesh that is so fatted it is not so sweet nor will it so readily take Salt nor keep so long without falling into Putrifaction Likewise the fat of all such flesh when salted will in a little time waste and consume the phlegmy gross part which is so strong that the pure essential spirituous parts thereof are destroyed whereas the very same Creatures being fed with Corn or dry Food having their Egress and Regress in the open Air being killed in their season and Salted will continue much longer than the former being much wholsomer and more pleasant breeding good Nâ—urishment better Blood and Spirits CHAP. IV. The Proper and most Natural way of Boyling Roasting Frying Baking c. of Flesh and other Food THE proper and natural way to Boyl Flesh and other Food that the Spirits and Life of it may be preserved is fiirst To put your Flesh into a Pot or Vessel that is large and can hold good store of Water For this Element of Water being of it self sweet and pleasant does cleanse and sweeten all things especially Flesh which is full of gross matter but you are to note that your Flesh is not to be put into your Pot or Vessel unless it first Boyl for if it lie in the Water and receives Heat but Gradually it dulls and makes flat the spirituous part thereof Likewise when your Flesh is put into your Vessel let your fire be increased that it may not lie long in the Water before it boyl and as soon as it boyls you are to uncover your Vessel and to keep it boyling quick without intermission till it is ready for eating The Pot or Vessel is not to be Covered any time of the boyling for thereby the sweet and refreshing Influences of the Air are hindered that they cannot have their free Egress and Regress which does as it were suffocate and destroy the pure and Volatile Spirits in the food for the Air is the Life and preserver of the Spirit and the Spirit is also the Life and preserver of the Balsamick Body in every thing and in what thing soever the Spirits suffer violence the sweet Body and Oyl turneth Sower as is most manifest in all fermented Liquors if such Liquors be exposed to the open Air the Spirits will evaporate and then the sweet Body turneth Sower and becomes of a heavy dull Nature and Operation but in the preparation of all gross phlegmy Bodies the free Influences of the Air keep the Spirit Living till such Bodies are digested and the Spirits set at Liberty then if
the gross Body or phlegmy Matter in Food is in part digested then presently the spirituous parts appear externally which did not only lie hid but also the Body of the Phlegm before the preparation did keep the Spirits from Evaporation which all Corporeal Bodies do for the Body is the House of the Spirits Therefore great Care ought to be taken in all preparation of Food both for Man and Beast and this is to be understood that the pure Spirituous Parts and Balsamick Body cannot be preserved in the preparation of any Food neither for Man or Beast except that most friendly Element the Air hath its free Influences because it is the Life and gives the Power and Vertue to the Spirit Also this is to be minded that when your gross Body in the Food is by your preparation digested whether it be by the heat of the Sun or by the common Fire then ought you to proceed no further nor continue your Preparation no longer for when the pure Spirituous Part becomes Volatile the same Air which did keep and preserve the Spirit from Suffocation in the Preparation will now cause it to evaporate which every Country Husbandman knows in the making and preparing of his Hay which neither the House-wife does understand nor consider in her Preparations of her Food nor the Physitians in the Preparations of their Physick these things are of greater Consequence as to Health than most do imagine I do not desire any to give Credit to me but I would have them so Noble as to Try whether it be so or not Health being the best Treasure in this World and all those that want it do esteem and desire it more than any other thing tho' few do take Right Measures when they enjoy it to continue it Thus much for the Right and most Natural Way of preparing Food by Boyling and whosoever shall observe the afore mentioned Rules and Observations shall find great Benefit and Pleasure The very same Rules ought to be observed in the Preparation of All Pottages green Herbs and Pulses except dry-Pulses which will admit of a slower and more gentle Fire than the Green Of Roasting of Flesh. The Roasting of flesh is a good commendable way of Preparation and is rather sweeter than Boyling it affords a good dry firm Nourishment but it is some-what harder of Concoction but very sweet and pleasant by reason that the friendly influences of the Air hath its Free Egress and regress not being any ways inclosed so that the pure spirituous parts are kept living which do render it brisk and lively There are two things to be observed in the flesh you Roast 1st That you have your flesh if Beef as soon as it is throughly cold and then to give it some Salt and to keep it in a cool place a day or two for if you salt it much the Salt being of a fiery hot nature when the flesh comes to the fire it does as it were scorch or burn it destroys the Spirits and sweet Oyl insomuch that it becomes in its nature and operation hot and unpleasant causing great thirst in the Eater In Roasting it is also to be considered that you have a good clear strong and equal fire and that your flesh be placed at a convenient distance not too near because it will burn or scorch and so harden the out-side that the Heat shall not be able to penetrate into the middle thereof so that the out-side will be too much and the in side too little neither is your flesh to be too far off for then it flattens the Spirits such flesh loseth its pure sweetness with its colour and fragrant smell being dull on the Pallate and heavy on the Stomach in comparison of that which is placed at a convenient distance having a continued brisk fire The next thing that you ought to observe is That it be neither over nor under done but of the two it is better that it be under-done the point of time when the Preparation is at the hight is difficult and it can be no other way known but by its colour smell and taste which by a little Custom every House-Wife may understand for that Pallate that is used to eat and drink things well and properly prepared can presently distinguish the contrary and so on the other side those that do accustom themselves to either Foods of Drinks ill prepared cannot distinguish the good from the evil or the right from the wrong The same is in the sense of smelling as all such that do use to kill Beasts and to be much in Slaughter-Houses amongst the dead Carkasses the terrible Fumes and stupified Stinks are hardly smelled or perceived by them the same is to be understood of Tallow-Chandlers and other stinking Trades for every particular thing has power to strengthen and awaken its simile therefore there are but few that have their perfect Taste or Smell only those that do accustom themselves to the eating and drinking such things as are well prepared their Pallates are made the more perfect thereby But of all the ways of Preparing Flesh boyling is the easiest if the Rules be followed set down in the fore-going Paragraph Of the Baking of Flesh This Preparation is neither so wholsom nor healthful as either Boyling or Roasting for these following Reasons First Most sorts of Food that are baked are deprived both of the Element of Water and also of the Air which are not only the Purgers and Cleansers of all Food but the support and life of the Spirit 2dly The Air in Ovens becomes sulpherous and deadly by reason of the stopping of it that the reviving and refreshing Influences of this Element has not its free egress and regress so that the pure spirituous parts become as it were suffocated Nor can such flesh be supplied with convenient quantities of Water which in all preparations of flesh is a great cleanser and upholder of the Spirits so that it boyls in its own gross Humidity which all flesh does plentifully afford Also the heat of Ovens is fiercer and more sulpherous than the heat of other Fires where the Air has its Influences the Air also being confined is of a deadly poysonous nature and operation it also destroys the natural Colour Therefore flesh baked does no ways look like that which is boyl'd or roasted besides it is of a strong fulsom Taste in comparison of the former and a less quantity will cloy and fill the Stomach more especially if such flesh shall be eaten hot which renders it much more wholsom than cold for those sulpherous Fumes and Vapours that do proceed from baked Food are much more hurtful to the Health than that which is either boyl'd or roasted for there are but few Vessels in which Food is boyled that are or can be kept so close as Ovens This way of Preparation is chiefly followed in Summer especially in August September and October the Air in this season being sulpherous and fainty and the
Stomach and generates burdensom Humours in the Body because the pure Vertue and Friendly Quality in Food so Prepared is in part destroyed if this was understood People would not be in love with such Preparations for through frequent Use and continual Custom of eating Food badly prepared the Pallate is adulterated and altho such be strong and fulsom which always comes'to pass when the pure Spirits are wounded in the Preparation nevertheless the Pallate is not capable to distinguish Tastes for the senses are easily made friendly by use and custom to the greatest part of things Do not all stinking Trades which at first are unpleasant to the sense of Smeling become after a little use and custom easie to be endured and such cannot well distinguish the Air of Tallow-Chandlers and Butchers Shops from sweet pleasant Airs If this were not so it would be impossible for Nature to endure those Adulterations and unnatural Preparations of Food Therefore we see what a wonderful Power there is in every thing to awaken and strengthen its Likeness in the human Nature for this very cause the most illuminated Prophet Moses commanded the People of Israel that they should not only abstain from eating Unclean Creatures but that they should also separate themselves from every unclean thing for he was sensible that Man was capable to be wrought on by all things because he has a Simile with all There is more in this than many imagin which every one ought to consider not only in Preparations of Food but in all other things CHAP. V. The Seasons of the Year in which all sorts of Flesh are most unclean and aptest to contract and breed Diseases and also the danger of eating much green Food And the Reasons why so many are sick and die more at one time than another THE Seasons of the Year which are most dangerous to contract Diseases in are from the middle of Iune to the last of October For 1st This season is hot which openeth the Pores causeth Sweating and as it were a continual Evaporation of the Spirits which causeth a kind of fainty Indisposition to possess the whole Body for all heat which exceeds the Medium whether it proceeds from Seasons Meats Drinks or Exercises doth gradually waste and consume the Spirits and natural Heat and dulls the edge of the Attractive Digestive and Retentive Faculties of the Stomach therefore in all hot Countries and Seasons mens Appetites are not so vigorous and quick as in cold Countries For this reason all Superfluity and Intemperance are far more dangerous and men are apter to contract Distempers in the one than in the other as experience manifests we see that the Natives in all hot Climates are more temperate in Meats Drinks and Exercises than they are in cold which is one main cause why English People and others that travel into the East and West-Indies are so unhealthy and so many have died Experience hath taught them that the grand cause has been Intemperance not only continuing the same Disorders there which they had been addicted to in their own Country but rather increasing them saying The hotter the Weather the stronger and hotter the Drink ought to be this Custom hath been practised by some idle sottish People that understood Nature no more than Swine Whereas if such who travel did take right measures in Meats Drinks and Exercises they would be as healthy as in their own Countries 2dly In this Season People make use of variety of green Food as Beans Pease Cabages Colly-flowers Artichoaks c. All which things do contain great store of Phlegmy matter especially in cold Countries where the Sun which is the central Life of all things has not that Power to prepare such food as in hot Also the Bodies of most People being accustom'd all the remaining part of the year to strong hot Food and Drinks and then on a sudden without gradual Progression beginning such a kind of Diet as does beget Crudities and Obstructions is very prejudicial to them for Experience does shew that all such things are full of Phlegm and have but few Spirits and they very impure comparatively to what they were in the Spring Therefore they ought to be eaten moderately or else all such things do swell the Body and fill it with gross Phlegmatick Humours whence doth arise those heavy dull Indispositions which do generally attend People in this Season 3dly It is likewise to be observed that a great part of that green Food before-mentioned does often lie a considerable time before they are eaten viz. two or three days or more after such things are cut or gathered especially in great Cities and Towns some of them lie heating together a day or two before they are spent as Beans and Pease c. by which means they lose their pure brisk lively Taste and Smell their natural Colour is changed into a dull Green mixed with a dusky Black they are dull on the Pallate lie heavy on the Stomach nothing so quick of Concoction as those that are boyled Fresh these things presently lose their fresh lively Spirits and Tinctures whence doth proceed the pleasant Taste with the most fragrant Smell and natural Colour if your Pallate be not too much adulterated it will easily distinguish the one from the other 4thly At this time of the year the Air which is the Life of the Spirit in all Cities and great Towns is thick and sulpherous full of gross Humidity which has its source from many Uncleannesses such places do plentifully afford more especially in this season which is inamicable to the pure Spirits of all such Food for all green Food is naturally subject to Putrifaction by reason of their Phlegmatick Body this makes them more unhealthful and dangerous than otherwise they would be if fresh and lively These Summer Fruits when they have been gathered long and exposed to the corrupt Air of the Cities and Towns the pure spirituous Vertues and digestive Faculty is in a manner destroyed these Fruits viz. Gooseberries Currains Plums Cherries Pears Apples c. are endued with a very tender Spirit and Life and being full of Phlegm and gross matter they quickly corrupt and turn to Putrifaction which all the eaters thereof ought to consider Likewise it may be noted that many of these Fruits are eaten on a full Stomach both at Meals and immediately after which must needs be very pernicious to Health because they obstruct the Stomach and Passages generating many crude Windy Humours whereby they suffocate the pure Spirits and turn the sweet Oyl of Life sower whence doth proceed griping Pains in the Bowels Fluxes Fevers besides Pains in the Ioynts causing Trembling Distempers like Agues according to the Constitution of each Man and the matter which is awakened in the Root But on the contrary if such Fruits are ripe and fresh gathered and eaten in order when the Stomach is clean and free from being cloyed with other Food then they are very Profitable being
with the Voices that it seemed but one Voice and when they lift up their Voices with the Trumpets and Cymbals and other Instruments of Musick the House of God was filled with a Cloud so that the Priests could not endure to minister by reason of the Cloud for the Majesty of the Lord filled the House Here the Mental Vocal and Instrumental Harmony of the People did by a secret attraction draw forth and incorporate its self with the inward and holy Harmony so that the Glory of the Lord appeared externally there was an inward Life Power and Agreement in the minds of the Musicians and whole Congregation all was done in the Unity of the Spirit and to the Glory of the Lord. But on the contrary as Amos has it Chap. 6. Those that sit on the Stool of Wilfulness and lie on the Beds of Ease and practise Wantonness upon their Couches and eat the best Lambs of the Flock and slaughter the fattest Calves of the Droves and that sing to the Lute and in playing on Instruments of Musick compare themselves to David and drink Wine in Bowls that is to superfluity and excess and anoint themselves Effeminately with Oyl and yet have no Bowels of Compassion nor Commiserate the Afflictions of Joseph that is the Miseries of their Brethren and fellow-Creatures but crucifie the Lord of Life that is the Divine Principle by their Discord Oppression and Intemperances shall be the first that shall be led away into Captivity For every Thought Word and Work follows the Principle from whence it proceeds and as every Man shall apply Musick or any other thing either to the glory of God or to his vain Glory Vanity or Lusts so it becomes either good or evil to him So that what is a Blessing to one Man proves a Curse to another and that which some honour the Lord withal others do dishonour him with And as in a well-tuned Instrument the Strings being struck or played upon will make the Strings of another Instrument tuned to the same Key to move shake or tremble The same and far greater Sympathy is to be understood in the humane Nature though in so secret and imperceptible a manner as to outward Sense that many Thousands are wounded or impressed with the Influences before they perceive or are aware of it He that has not the Fear of the Lord and the Knowledg of God in himself is liable to be hurt by most things not only in playing upon Instruments of Musick as Amos hath it but in and by all other things therefore as the Wise Man saith Even in Plowing of Land we ought not to make others Rules our Prescriptions so as to imitate them like Apes nor ought we to be froward and averse to it because many in former Ages or in the present have or may use Musick as a Companion of Debauchery or enticement to Evil to the dishonour of their Creator and the hurt of themselves But all men ought to be sober and use things to their right ends for which they were designed by God and Nature and then whatever they take in hand will prove good and profitable unto them Wherefore most convenient it is for every particular Man and Woman to search and examine themselves that they may come to understand what Spirit and Principle has dominion in and over them if it be the Divine Principle and Voice of Wisdom then it will lead them into the heavenly Harmony where all the various Properties and Qualities of Nature do in friendly manner embrace each other whence proceeds an eternal Peace and Consort But they that shall find the Spirit of Envy Strife Back-biting Jeering Scoffing Uncleanness Vanity Oppression Killing and the like to bear sway in their Minds and reign in their Hearts such cannot make any pleasant Harmony but altogether the contrary a most unpleasant Noise burthensome to themselves and the whole Creation But by the way it is to be further considered that there is no possibility that any should obtain that sublime State of Unity and Concord and to have Peace and Good-will for the whole Creation except there be a continual Self-denial no Observations or Medium tho they be agreeable seemingly to Scripture will do Men must not stand still in the Wilderness but press on towards Perfection in perseverance Many in this Age have been taught this by woful Experience At first when the Day did begin to dawn and the Star of God's Eternal Love to shine in them whereby they saw the Errors of their Ways whence did arise Self-denial and Scruples as to the Modes and Customs of Egypt and the vain Multitude If such had not stood still and fixed themselves in some outward Forms but followed like the Ancient Sages of the East the Conduct of that heavenly Star till they arrived at the place where the Child Iesus was born they might have travelled without stop or hindrance through the unequal ways of this World and the Heathenish Customs thereof and arrived at the Coelestial Canaan a Land flowing with Milk and Honey and entred into the ravishing Harmonies of the New Ierusalem But too many after a few Steps in this Holy Iourney having denied themselves the Superfluities and Vanities of the World as some would not eat Flesh because it could not be procured without breaking the Harmony and Unity of Nature and doing what one would not be done unto and refrained many sorts of Plays and Vain Exercises and Riding in Coaches and Chariots and unnecessarily on Horses for fear Pride should get the Dominion going on Foot being generally esteemed Poor and Base as tho the Creator had not given Man Feet and Legs for that use and also were wary of gratifying their sensual Appetites with various sorts of Meats and Drinks both in Quantity and Quality but because they did not persevere but looked back towards Sodom and AEgypt became Pillars of Salt and fell in the Wilderness And the Reason is they gave themselves liberty and so went back by degrees and before they were sensible were again ensnared and entangled in the Vanities of the World and so deprived of those blessed Talents which before they enjoyed A wise consciencious Scruple and Self-denial are always the fore-runners of true Wisdom if diligently pursued and improved being the ways by which the Spirit of God hath dealt with Man in all Ages thereby giving him a right Understanding and Distinction of what things are good wholsome and profitable and what not And this tenderness hath generally the greatest power and vigour in the beginning as all that have travelled in this way can witness but in process of time if there be not great Diligence used this Divine Seal becomes defaced and the Scruple grows less and less and a certain Freedom appears to the Understanding which is the only time of Trial and the hour of Temptation Most lose ground when they come to this state by purposing to themselves the using of those things moderately and
Paraphrase on the Apostle Peter's Vision Arise Peter kill and eat p. 273. The true Rise and Ground of Nobility as to Birth and Blood p. 284 c Who are truly Noble and Honourable p. 288. Why Flesh and Blood is so much desired p. 291 c. A short Comment on Gen. 4. concerning Cain and Abel p. 301 c. The cause of Wars p. 311. Of Abraham's eating flesh with the Angels p. 315. Concerning the Resurrection p. 328. The grand Objection answered viz. If all People should live on Herbs c. what should we do with the Beasts They would over-run us c. p. 331. Chap. XV. The Voice of the Dumb or the Complaints of the Creatures expostulating with Man touching the cruel Usages they suffer from him very naturally expressed in a pleasant and useful Allegory p. 367. Chap. XVI A Treatise of most sorts of English Herbs either Physical or fit for common use shewing 1st the apt times to gather them Astrologically when the Planet that governs them is strong and well aspected the same being here calculated for Nineteen Years 2dly How to preserve and keep them without losing their Virtues And 3dly The best way of using them in Posset-Drinks Decoctions and Cordials so as not to destroy the pure spirituous parts of them p. 382 c. The Ignorance Blindness and Deceitfulness of the Doctors made manifest p. 396. A Copy of a learned Doctors confused Latin Bill to an Apothecary and some Observations thereon p. 404. The most natural and proper way of making of Cordials with any kind of Herbs Seeds Flowers Spices and Drugs either simple or compound p. 411. The proper and natural way of making Physical Decoctions Posset-Drinks c. with Herbs Seeds and Drugs p. 414. How Men came first to know the Virtues of several Herbs p. 417. Who were the great Masters of Physick which our modern Doctors make the foundation of their skill and the Reasons why their Rules ought not to be ours p. 421. Chap. XVII Of Bugs and from what Matter and Aliment they do proceed and how to prevent their Generation Of the excellency of clean sweet Beds and perniciousness of old stinking Feather-beds Also several Receipts how to kill Bugs and Fleas p. 434. Chap. XVIII A short Discourse of the Pain in the Teeth shewing from what cause it does chiefly proceed and how to prevent it p. 447. Chap. XIX Of Marriage and the Inconveniences of unequal Matches p. 452. Chap. XX. How to cure Wounds Cuts Pricks of Thorns and other Accidents without Salves Oyntments or Plaisters Also if any part of the Body or Flesh be poysoned it is a certain Remedy p. 474. Chap. XXI Of Harmony and the Power thereof the several sorts of Musical Instruments and under what Planet and Sign each of them is p. 479. A Dialogue between an East-Indian-Brackmanny or Heathen Philosopher and a French Gentleman concerning the present Affiairs in Europe p. 1. THE INTRODUCTION To the Whole TREATISE CHAPTER I. A Description of the four Grand Qualities whence the four Complexions proceed How every Man may know his own Complexion KNOW THY SELF was one of the first Precepts which the Ancients dictated to the Students of Wisdom nor is there a greater Happiness attainable upon Earth than to have in a Sound Body a Sound Mind To direct my Fellow-Mortals towards this great Point of Felicity is the Scope and Intendment of our Pains in this Book The Foundation-Principle of Wisdom being to understand Nature which is the Art of God and thereby our own Frame Powers Faculties and Constitution so as to imbrace what is good wholsom and agreeable and to eschew all that is evil and harmful and the End and Consummation thereof is to know the Supream Being Author of created Nature and to love obey and enjoy him for ever In Order hereunto Temperance and Sobriety are sublime Gifts and to be regarded with the highest esteem not only for the delight and pleasure they afford the Body and Mind but as they fortifie those that observe them against many Vices and Temptations as well as preserve them from a thousand racking Pains and torturing Diseases and so furnish them with the best Treasures of this World viz. Health not only of the Body but also of the Mind for 't is that Health that sweetens all God's Blessings and is the prime good of this Life What advantage or pleasure is there in the highest prepared Food or choice compounded Dishes of the rarest Dainties in the richest or most Cordial Drinks the gayest Apparel or the most flattering Addresses of Honour to a Person rackt with the Stone or tortur'd with an Iliaca passio or half-drown'd with an overflowing Dropsie or burning within like Mount AEtna with the raging violence of a Fever What are Riches and Fame to a Body full of Pain Or who would accept of a Crown upon condition that his Head should thenceforth perpetually Ake Now if the Body be distemper'd thro' disorder and superfluity the Mind and all the Senses are presently afflicted if the Harmony of the one be interrupted or destroyed the other cannot continue For the Spirit is the original whence the Body proceded and is the Life of every visible Substance and as the Properties or Qualities are in their degrees in the Spirit either strong or weak so also they are in the Elements of the Body That quality that doth predominate in the Spirit at the Incarnation and Birth that very same property doth carry the upper Dominion in the Body which is manifested by the Inclination Shape and Form Behaviour Words and Works and this is call'd a Man's COMPLEXION of which there are commonly reckon'd four kinds viz. the Cholerick the Phlegmatick the Sanguine and the Melancholy and since the true understanding of each of these does mainly conduce to a mans knowing and right regulating of himself we shall therefore treat of them severally But in the first place we will lay down a short Description of the four grand Qualities viz. the Bitter Sweet Sour Astringent or Saltish from whence the four Complexions proceed Of the Bitter Quality 1. Those that are dignified with this Quality are for the most part of strong Bodies thick well set of middle Stature of hard fierce Countenances Visage rather round than Oval big Bones Hair curling of quick piercing Eyes bold Behaviours ready of Speech and Apprehension of strong powerful Spirits able to go thro' much Labour and Action if Intemperance do not impede which many of this sort of People are subject to quickly moved to Passion but their Fires burn too fierce to hold long of strong natural Heats great Appetites therefore they are apt to be Gluttons the Diseases they are most subject to are Acute Fevers Gout Pox both small and great Food good for this sort of People are all sorts of Gruels Herbs Fruit small Drinks and all Food made of Milk and every other sort that is Simple and Natural and the contrary they are to
avoid on peril of their Healths 2. It is to be noted when the Sweet Quality is strong and incorporateth with the Bitter and hath an equal share in the government of the Life then the fierceness of this Quality is allayed by the friendly Influences of the Sweet so that such Persons are of more human meek Dispositions and Inclinations tho' they have Fire enough and sometimes too much because such are apt to be troubled for their Passions more than the former and are generally of better evener Tempers and at times apt to be perswaded against their own Reason and Understanding more temperate Livers of excellent Apprehensions both in the doing and learning of any thing of healthy strong Constitutions as free from Diseases as any sort of People but they cannot endure Intemperances so well as the former also all sorts of strong Drinks compounded sugared spiced hot Food are injurious unto them But on the contrary all sorts of Food of a middle or mild Nature are very agreeable to them and make healthy strong brisk and airy fit both for the action of the Body and Mind This sort of People are of the Cholerick and Sanguin Complexion which is a commendable Temperature 3. But when it shall fall out that the Sour Quality is joyned in government with the Bitter and the Sweet Quality weak or underneath then such People are of harsh four envious Tempers being inclined to all kinds of rude robustick Exercises unmerciful to Men and Beasts of cruel fierce Inclinations being of quick Apprehensions but in general they are ill-governed People caring for nothing so much as Drinking Gluttony and vain Company very passionate in their love and hate great part of the rude Multitude are made up with this sort of People the Diseases they are subject to are Fevers Gout stoppage of the Breast Stone Convulsions Dropsies and the like according to what sort of Intemperances they give themselves unto being great lovers of their Bellies it being their chief Study and Philosophy how they may have wherewith to gratifie their Paunches often cutting off their Lives by heady Disorders and Superfluities this sort of People are of the Cholerick Phlegmatick Complexion But if they shall incline to fear the Lord and understand the principles of their own Nature being guided by the divine Voice of Wisdom which continually cries out against and condemns all the fore-mentioned Inordinances this divine Wisdom is sufficient to abate all kinds of Intemperances 4. But if the Astringent or Saltish Quality be joyned in the government of the Life with the Bitter and the Sweet impotent then all is poisoned such People being for the most part of hot-headed harsh cruel violent envious Dispositions their Looks are fierce angry and poisonous they often hurt and wound the Healths of such who are under their dominion by their Looks Wishes and Words great Swearers Liars Back-biters Deflowrers of Women Gluttons and Drunkards being often cut off by violent Deaths and by the sentence of the Judge if they do not adhere to the counsel of the love of God which being obeyed will regulate all the fore-mentioned Intemperances 5. All Beasts and Cattle as Horses Cows and the like if they shall be dignified with the Bitter Quality are strong well-set big boned hardy of great Spirits and fierce quick of motion but not very handsom fit for labour But if Cows happen to have this Quality predominant then they are dogged and mischievous not very free of Milk neither will they give much Milk But when this Quality doth predominate in any Herb or Vegetation then the Body is rather short than tall strong and full of knots and brushy the Leaves harsh cut or dented of an unpleasant Taste but hot and of a warming Quality good Herbs in Physical operations if the Physician hath skill to correct the Poysons of Mars and Saturn they being great openers and movers of Obstructions For the chief motion of Nature doth arise and proceed from the bitter Quality and if it be not too violent in a thing then it is the pleasure of every Life for when this Quality doth move with a gentle motion it shakes and makes the whole Body to tremble whence proceeds Laughter and all Mirth It is a most pleasant quality when the sweet quality doth incorporate it self with it and hath an equal share in the government of the Life But on the contrary when it doth predominate in any Creature it is a fierce furious raging Quality as is mentioned before viz. a proud lofty Spirit and Power endeavouring to bring all in subjection unto its self Of the Sweet Quality 1. In what Person soever this Quality doth predominate it indues them with a meek friendly Life and Disposition of a handsom tall slender Body of a smooth soft Skin the Complexion White and Red the Body not very strong Hair soft and fine of kind courteous Words and Behaviour their Fire burns but gently their Spirits will not endure much labour care nor trouble all kinds of Intemperances are apt to inflame them The Diseases they are subject to are Acute Fevers Quinsies fumes and vapours flying into the Head on every occasion of trouble or little Intemperance also several Distempers are caused through superfluity of Blood which is apt to abound in this sort of People also Boyls Scabby Pocky and Leperous Diseases which do proceed from the inflammation of the Sweet Quality This sort of People ought to observe the Rules of Temperance and Order in Meats Drinks Cares and Exercises their Food ought to be neither hot nor cold but of a middle Nature so also their Drink ought to be such as will suit the temperature of this sort of People which I shall say some-what of in the Description of the Sanguine Complection pag. 26 27 c. 2. But when the Bitter Quality is in equal strength then it doth as is mentioned before abate somewhat of the friendly Dispositions and Inclinations of this quality and such People are of stronger and harder Natures and of sharper Understandings 3. When this Sweet Quality doth predominate in any Beast then they are of a gentle mild Dispositition of a friendly Temper of a handsom well shap'd Body not very strong But when it doth predominate in any Herb or Tree then the Body or Stalk is tall slender smooth and handsom of white yellow ruddy Colours of a fragrant smell and full of Virtue such Herbs and Fruit may be eaten without further preparation and also they may be used Physically without any correction if gathered under their proper Constellations and ordered according to our directions in the Chapter of the preserving of Herbs Of the Sour Quality 1. Those that have this Quality predominant in them are of middle Stature rather short then tall large Visages fleshy and corpulent slow in motion of dull heavy Spirits not apt to learn great drinkers subject to gross phlegmatick Humors and dropsical Diseases not very strong nor healthy their Fire and
of them are much addicted to Superfluity and Inordinate living by reason of the strength of Nature and their strong Heats which do in many of them increase the desire to eat and drink beyond the power of the digestive faculty of the Stomach For in most People in whom the Fire doth predominate their attractive faculty and desire of eating and drinking is so very strong that it prolongs the pleasure of eating and drinking many degrees beyond the Necessity of the Stomach which does not only cause an heavy drowsy Indisposition to follow but sows Seed for many Diseases Therefore as this sort of People are generally the greatest Eaters by Inclination so ought they as much as in them lies restrain the Extravagancies of their Appetite and eat but sparingly especially of rich hot compounded spicy Food and strong Drinks as Wine Brandy Tobacco c. For they are all Enemies to this Complexion and very dangerous too if Temperance be wanting for every sort of Food hath its operation in the Body and on the Spirits by way of Simile Therefore all such Meats and Drinks in this sort of People if not sparingly taken do too powerfully awaken the Central Heat which ought not to be felt but when it is stirred up does sometimes cause either a Suffocation or Evaporation of the vital Spirits which will make all the external parts of the Body to burn like Fire whilst the Center becomes as it were chill and cold For when the pure Spirits are wounded by any violence done to them the Radical moisture consumed the Oyl of Life set on Fire which are Moderators and Qualifiers of the harsh Fires and Poysons in the Body what can be expected but Destruction For when the pure Spirits of Oyl are any way wounded by Intemperance then presently are awakened the fierce dark Fires in the Body the original of every Life which ought not to have been stirred for this Fire is of a churlish angry consuming Nature whence those terrible Fevers do proceed This Heat when it is kindled which is never done but when some great violence is offered to the pure Spirit and Oyl then the natural Life doth presently burn and is in danger to be destroyed for the heat of this Original Fire is like the heat of Charcoal whose pleasant Water and Moderator is destroyed in the making of it whence that pleasant gleam of Light and refreshing Quality in the Wood doth proceed so that in the Charcoal there does only remain the dark fierce Sulphurous Fire which does when burning send forth pernicious stupifying Fumes and Vapours of an ill scent burdensom to Nature for these Scents or Vapours do powerfully penetrate the Body by way of Simile and search out their likeness and incorporate therewith whence disorders arise especially in People of weak Nature and that have but few Spirits Even so it is in the Body if the pure Spirits and Radical Moisture be through superfluity or any other way disorder'd or weaken'd then presently the dark original Fire is kindled and manifesteth it self in its own form and burns fierce like Charcoal and then the Body falls into Distemperatures Not but this dark fierce Fire that doth so violently burn and discompose the Body and Mind did possess the body before for indeed it is the center of every Life but so long as the pure Spirits and Balsamick Body were strong and the Qualities of Nature had their operation in equality this fierce sulphurous fire lay hid or was captivated in the sweet Embraces of the Radical Moisture and pure Spirits and restrained by their virtue and power even as the pure Oyl and Balsamick Body in Wood doth moderate and qualifie the sulphurous Charcoal-heat so long as the Wood remains intire and no violence done to the sweet Oyl which is the true Life of the Wood but so soon as this sweet Oyl is wounded and becomes suffocated as is done in making of Charcoal then the fieree poysonous dark Fire of Saturn and Mars is awakened being of a furious devilish Nature and Operation The same is to be understood in every Vegetable Mineral and Animal be it what it will If the pure Radical Spirits and Oyl of Life be any ways hurt then the dark Wrath of Nature appears and if it be in the Human Nature then the Body falls into terrible distempers and cannot any way be recovered but by a powerful Medicine able to incorporate it self with the fading Oyl and pure Spirits and so reinforcing them with these foreign Auxiliaries enables them to withstand and qualifie the fierce poysonous operation of the awakened dark Fire and compel it to retreat to it s designed central obscurity This Cholerick Complexion ought in a most special manner to observe the Rules of Equality and Temperance for the Original Fire which we have been speaking of is very strong in them and most apt on any disorders to be kindled whence do proceed so many Violences done by this sort of People Also they generally love Arms and the Field and a little exercise and custom will make fighting and killing of Men as familiar to them as the killing of Sheep or Oxen is to Butchers Therefore they ought to be sober and accustom themselves to a mean in all things as Meats Drinks Exercises and especially in Communication or in their outward Converse in the World All sorts of Food and Drinks that are rather inclined to Coolness than Heat are most profitable to People of this Complexion and as in quality so also ought they to be careful that they do not exceed in quantity which they are apt to do more than any other Complexion as aforesaid Certainly Man being an Image of God and Nature in him containing the true nature of all things which the Ancients significantly called a Microcosm or little World 't is no absurdity to affirm that he hath power to change and alter his natural Complexion if he once come to know the Principles of himself and can but distinguish the Principles of his own Nature then may he preserve the pure essential Spirit from suffering violence and he can also by the same Eye of understanding preserve the essential Vertues of all other things according to that measure of Knowledge he hath of himself Likewise People that are dignified with this Cholerick Complexion are subject to acute Fevers their central Heat being great whence do proceed a powerful Life and abundance of Spirits For in all Creatures that have their central Heat strong the Balsamick Body and Radical Moisture is also powerful therefore such People can indure Labour beyond others The same is to be understood in Vegetables and other things according to their Natures where-ever the central Heat is powerful there also the Radical Moisture and sweet Oyl is strongest wherein the natural Life doth burn and shine An example we have in Wine and in all sweet Fruits especially in Sugar in which things the sweet Balsamick Body and pure Spirits are potent lively and
brisk and they do not only afford a greater quantity of Spirits when separated but much stronger and fiercer than any other Vegetables that are of a lean Hungry Nature Therefore People of this Complexion tho' they are strong and brisk yet if they commit Intemperances that are beyond the power of the natural heat to throw off then they are in far greater danger than those that are of a much weaker Nature and Complexion for the Reason before assigned which daily Examples do confirm as when such healthy People fall into Diseases what terrible sharp Fevers do attend most of them which destroy the Life in a few days Therefore the strongest natur'd People ought to be sober and not lay heavier Burthens than Nature can bear for he that hath the healthiest and strongest Constitution may easily oppress it neither is it safe to put too much Confidence in their strength nor to boast of it or commit such out-rages against their own Natures as many young People do in the way of Pride to out-do their Fellows and then glory in it For the strongest Castle will quickly yield by continual Batteries Of the Phlegmatick Complexion Those in whom this Complexion is predominant are not so quick and active either in the doing or apprehending of things as the Cholerick but more slow and of a fofter Nature their central Heats are but weak in comparison of the former and if they incline to inordinate living either in Meats or Drinks or Idleness they are apt to grow Fat and their Bodies swell with gross phlegmatick Humours because their natural heat is but weak and the digestive faculty of the Stomach cannot make so perfect a Concoction as the Cholerick Complexion so that great part of their Food is turned into gross Juices which fret the Body and make it heavy and dull All sorts of strong spirituous Drinks do agree better with this Complexion than with the Cholerick and if they do not exceed in quantity will not so soon precipitate them into Fevers but if they drink much it will swell their Bodies and Members to a wonderful bigness as we see some both Men and Women are which great drinking doth destroy the edge of the Appetite and increases their desire to drink for their natural Heats and Stomachs are not able to make any profitable Concoction nor separation of such quantities of Drink as they swallow down whence are generated abundance of raw Humors that do not only swell the Body as aforesaid but load the Joynts with windy and watry Diseases and also obstruct the passage of the Breast for all fat People have narrower passages than those that are lean and spare and fetch their Breath with more difficulty because the Vessels of the Stomach and Breast are contracted thro' the drinking of too much strong Drink and eating too little Food and what they do eat too rich in Quality Yet is it very easie for this Complexion and all others to prevent Fatness and heavy Dropsical Humors which many of this sort of People are subject to if Order and Temperance be but observed with regard to both quality and quantity of Meats and Drinks with proper exercise especially in the open Air and walking by River-sides and running Waters which do wonderfully open the Passages and beget and sharpen Appetite and cause good Digestion For tho' one Complexion is more apt to grow Fat than others yet Experience teaches that it is Idleness and Superfluity that is the grand cause thereof look amongst ordinary working-people in Country-Towns and you shall very rarely see any of the Husband-men or Field-workers very Fat though in such places are People of all Complexions but Cities and great Towns are the Nurseries of fat Punchinello's where there is good store of Strong Drink and Wine rich Food with ease and idleness I am not ignorant that fat People have an Apology for themselves viz. That they eat and drink less than many lean Folks This is true but lean spare rawbon'd People have for the most part great Heats which do digest and throw off all superfluous matter their Appetites are sharp and piercing also they are generally of active Spirits given to Labour and Action which destroys all matter for Fatness But most that are inclinable to the Phlegmatick Complexion are of contrary and colder Nature as aforesaid their Appetite not so sharp nor digestive faculty so strong and if discretion care and order with proper exercise be not observed great part of their Food and Drinks for want of heat is turned into gross raw Humours which cause an heaviness on the Spirit the Oyl from whence their Light of Life does shine becomes of a watrish Nature therefore such People ought to have understanding in the ordering of their Lives for want whereof many do by various sorts of Intemperances destroy their Healths Also many will take and follow the Paths and Examples of others which they ought not to do for what may be good Food for one may be the contrary for another therefore every one ought to learn the degrees and power of his own Nature For the differences of mens Constitutions are such and their Natures so contrary that 't is impossible to give any particular rule to fit every ones Conveniency so that there isa necessity for every one to see with his own Eyes and in this respect the Proverb is punctual truth Every man to himself is either a Fool or a Physician A man may speak somewhat that may be useful in a general way and helpful to many if minded but the power of doing is in a man's self and if one do but in any tolerable degree know his own composition and the power of his own nature he may very easily help himself for man's Will is free and if he be well informed and his Faith his own and he do not make the ways of the Multitude to be his Rule and their Faith his as many do then he may and hath power by wisdom to alter his Complexion for the better One of the chief causes why so many run themselves into Error and Diseases and Death it self is because they never look into themselves nor observe the operations of their own Nature but look what others do that do they and take the advice of every fool especially if he be a learned Fool without any examination whether it be proper or not Meats and Drinks good for this Complexion are all sorts of drying warming things as Bread eaten with Oyl let Butter be eaten sparingly Cheese is good not new but old also all Gruels and Pottage that are made with quick Fires and not too much boyled but thin brisk and lively for such things are easie to be concocted and quick on the Stomach likewise all spicy Herbs both boyled and raw in their Seasons that is betimes in the Spring and again after Michaelmas viz. in October and November but Flesh they ought to eat sparingly especially from Iune to the last of
For of all sorts of Food People ought to have the greatest care of FLESH not only in the well ordering it before it be killed but also in seasoning of it with Salt and in the preparing or dressing Flesh being more unclean in its own Nature than either Herbs Fruits or Grains which I suppose most People will confess and that they are far more agreeable and friendly to Nature and not so dangerous to Health nay give me leave to add that they are also more pleasant for its chiefly the continual custom of eating Flesh and the conceit of the great Nourishment it contains beyond other things that makes men so much desire it which Opinion is false most sorts of Flesh indeed are endued with much matter but great part thereof is of a gross Phlegmy nature which quickly will cause the whole to fall into Putrifaction if the strong sharp fierce power of the Salt be wanting And when it is salted the matter for Putrifaction is so great that the Salt cannot continue it long sweet but so soon as the pure Radical Spirits in the Flesh through time are either evaporated or suffocated then the Salt hath no longer power to preserve it from Corruption A man may as well say that green Corn or Grass breeds better nourishment in Cattle than either Hay or dry Corn for indeed it generateth and fills the body fuller of gross Phlegmatick matter and makes such Cattle heavy and dull and great Bellies apt to faintyness and Diseases but Hay and dry Corn generate a firmer Flesh and more brisker spirits makes them drink well appear with moderate Bellies but clean strong Limbs able to endure hard Labour without prejudice to their Health The very same is to be understood of Flesh if compar'd with Fruits Herbs and Grains and Food made of them which do as far transcend Flesh in virtue and good sound clean Nourishment and to preserve Health and Strength as Hay and dry Corn do exceed either green Corn or Grass in the preservation of Strength and Health in working Cattle All sorts of Food either for Man or Beast from which the Sun and Elements have exhaled or dryed away the gross phlegmatick Body are not only cleanner but fuller of Spirit and Life not subject to Corruptions but breed a firmer Nourishment as all Husband-men and Shep-herds will tell you Therefore Bread Butter Cheese and all sorts of Food made of Flour and dried Fruits are strong healthy Diet. Of the Melancholy Complexion People of this Complexion that have their Significator in their Radix weak are slow and of dull heavy Dispositions subject to be surprized with fear and suspicions apt to be froward full of mental Reserves seldom forgetting Injuries hollow hearted giving fair Words when their Thoughts are quite contrary addicted to Witchcraft or fore-speaking of things which sometimes do take place when they have low poor Spirits to deal with whose predominant Quality in Nature is weaker and under the Dominion of their Spirits otherwise not For the awaken'd Evil and dark Wrath in this sort of People viz. their vehement wishes or evilwords do carry the power of that Principle whence they were conceived and enter the same Principle in those to whom they are directed And if those wrathful Spirits be not either through the strength of the predominant Quality in the Complexion or through the power and virtue of the Holy Spirit and Faith in God withstood and overcome which often is done then these Evil Rapes viz. such Wishes and Words will take place whether it be in Man or Beast for this evil revengeful dark Spirit not being so withstood enters into the dark Centre and Poysons in the Body and by simile incorporates there-with awakening and strengthening them and then the Body and all the Senses fall into Distress and most terrible Diseases according to what Poysons and Salts were kindled This is called Witchcraft and indeed is one sort of it there is another which is not fit for this place and this sort of People are called Unlucky-Tongued But on the contrary if those People of the Melancholy Complexion be well dignified in their Radixes then the fore-mentioned evil significations are abated nevertheless they are ponderous and slow in learning and conceiving of any thing but when once obtain'd they make it their own and improve it they are capable of great Learning but they must have Time for this cause all You ths born under such Constellations are very dull in the beginning of their Studies but if continued under good Masters will in time exceed either Mercurial or Venerial Boys for they have greater and stronger Spirits both to retain whatever they learn and to endure more Pains and Labour to obtain any Science besides they are not so apt to run out of one thing into another being more fixt in the Root of their Natures They are generally slow of Speech and Action naturally pensive and covetous by reason that the Sanguine Nature which proceeds from Venus Sol and Mercury is in this Complexion as it were hid or lockt up under the harsh Forms of Saturn and Mars under whom such as are born are apt to be Hard-hearted full of Revenge Covetous c. not but that they are endued with the Sanguine Nature as well as those born under Venus Mercury or the Sun but the same is Captivated as aforesaid under the harsh Forms which is the chief cause People do so much differ in their Tempers But if you can unlock this Saturnine Cabinet and set the Spirit at Liberty as the Maulster does in his Saturnine Grain viz. Barley enfranchizing the pure Balsamick Spirits that sweeten the whole Body you will find it debonair and jovial and of a very agreeable Conversation The Truth is Strong Beer Ale Wine or any spirituous Drinks freely taken will melt down this sullen Saturnine Gravity into Mirth and Gaity for we daily see how free and merry such People will be if at any time they have tipled a little extraordinarily during the time of the Operation of their Liquor For strong Drinks make all sorts of People more free and to forget sorrow because they open the gross Body and cause the Spirits to have their free Operation the said Drinks being Spirituous incorporate with its simile viz. with the spirit and makes it for the present more powerful but when the Operation of such spirituous Liquors are over then both the Saturnine and other People return to their Natural Dispositions but with fewer Spirits which causeth a dull heaviness to attend most after such Drinkings because the Internal heat and spirits are too violently awakened and stirred up which caused them to evaporate and thence proceed Indispositions and Disorder Great Drinkings are injurious to the Health of most that use that Trade only this Saturnine People may sometimes drink a Cherping Glass or two without any danger to their Health especially when they come to forty years of Age for before all sorts of strong
virtue thereof becomes of an equal friendly Temperament both in Body and Mind notwithstanding his Complexion may incline him to the contrary it being the sweet pleasant Life in all Creatures And the pure Balsamick Virtue and healing Quality in all Vegetables and Minerals hath its Birth and Original from this good Principle nor can there be any central Rest or true Satisfaction in man if this Principle of divine Light be not in some degree predominant for by its pleasant and sweet Influences all the fiery dark fierce Inclinations which often do arise from the Complexion are qualified made more Friendly and Sanguine if its counsel be regarded All true Religion doing as one would be done unto Offices of Love and Acts of self-denyal all Friendly and Courteous Deportment and whatsoever hath the Name and Nature of Virtue do universally spring up from this holy Principle of divine Love All men seek it because no man can have satisfaction without it some in a right Way others in a wrong and whosoever have wasted or suffocated the sweet Influences of this pure Spirit and Love of God become thereby a Charcoal Spirit whose sweet Water is destroyed viz. Twice dead and pluckt up as it were by the Roots as the Apostle phraseth it they growing of a fierce terrible fiery Nature seared up in the harsh dark original as Lot's Wife was because she looked back viz. into the Original and salt Spirit the Pillar of Salt signifying the great strength and power of God's Wrath which was then kindled by reason of Transgression The very same is to be understood of all Beasts of the Field and other things not so indeed as it is in man but according to the Nature of each For those Creatures that did in the Creation arise from and were chiefly compounded of the fierce harsh forms of Nature whose predominant Quality stands in the Saturnine and Martial Fire have but small portions of the Virtue and Light of this World for the pleasant Virtue and friendly Qualities which the Principle of this visible World gives unto all her Children do all proceed from the Internal Spiritual World and this outward Principle is an Image and Likeness of the Internal the Invisible Spirit and Powers are the Root of the Visible and whatsoever is manifested in this World in Figures Shapes and Forms the very same hath the Internal Spiritual Principle in Power and Virtue And according to the degrees of the Spirit and what property of Nature was predominant in the Radix of each Creature such a Shape Form Inclination Complexion and Disposition the Creature is endued with be it either Animal or Vegetable for the Body was formed by the virtue and power of the Spirit and there is both the nearest Affinity and Resemblance between them as is manifest by all Creatures in whom the dark Wrath of Saturn and Mars was predominant in their Radixes they are not only of an unclean fierce terrible Spirit but their Figures and Shapes are unpleasant and fierce as Lyons Tygars Wolves Swine and many others both in the Elements of Earth Air and Water that are unclean Devourers and Creatures of prey killing and feeding upon their fellow Creatures and as such Creatures are unclean in their Radixes whence their Inclinations and Desires to unclean Food do proceed as bearing the nearest Affinity with their Natures so their Figures Shapes and Forms with their suitable Inclinatious do clearly manifest what matter they proceeded from in their Creation This Root the great and illuminated Prophet Moses understood by a divine manifestation whence his Law proceeded wherein he prohibits his People the Iews from eating of unclean Food both Flesh and Fish with many other Circumstances tending to Cleanness for that great Prophet saw by a divine and natural understanding into the Essences and Original Qualities of every Creature and that each thing hath a secret Power to incorporate with its Likeness and to make that Quality strong which in the Radix was weak and lay as it were hid And on the contrary to hide and make that property weak which in the Radix was strong so great is the power of Nature and this is not only done in the Evil but also in the Good Therefore all men have power more or less to alter and change their Inclinations and Complexions either for the better or the worse as they give their Wills up to practise either Good or Evil. But if People abandon themselves to their natural Inclinations and live under the power and dominion of their Complexions and by degrees give way to Intemperance and Evil Communications such do oftentimes become of far worse Inclinations and Dispositions than their Complexions naturally tended unto And on the contrary some there are who by the power of their Wills rigorously pursuing the Paths of Vertue and Understanding become more Friendly and of better Tempers than their Complexions promise For the natural Inclinations and Influences of the Stars have not power to captivate the Soul in Evils if the Will gives it self up to be guided by the Holy Spirit of Iesus Christ which will lead a man into all Vertue and all Truth CHAP. II. Of the Excellency of Temperance the Knowledg of a Mans self and the mighty Benefits of Abstinence and Sobriety TEmperance is a divine Gift and whosoever obtaineth the perfect Government and Knowledg of himself is endued with the springhead of all Virtues The fear of the Lord being the first step to all true Wisdom both Spiritual and Natural The Root of all Knowledg that man is capable of is in himself Therefore if any will understand any thing truly he must first turn the Eye of his Mind inward not outward as the custom of most is for Man is an Image and Likeness of all things both Spiritual and Natural in him is contained the true Nature of all things and he that doth know and understand himself and the Principles and Operations of his own Nature both in Body and Mind and what Properties in the seven-fold Nature of this World are predominant in him and to what his Inclinations are most naturally propensive both as to Virtue and Vice he may thereby not only shun many Inconveniencies but also so much as he knows of himself he also knows of his Creator and of all other things And so on the contrary he that doth not know and distinguish the Principles of God and Nature in himself does neither see nor know any other thing as he ought Therefore all such who are ignorant of themselves are subject to be changed and altered out of one Opinion into another always leaning hard on the Shoulders of Custom supporting their Ignorance with the truth of Tradition having one of their Eyes if not both amongst the Multitude But all true sight in divine and natural things does arise and proceed from the unalterable divine Principle or Gift of God for the natural man as he is wholly blind as to things divine so
neither does he see even into Natural things any otherwise than a Beast beholding the outward Substance but knowing nothing of the inward Power of the Spirit or if such do understand any thing further or more than Beasts it is either by Chance or Custom But when the Eye of a man's understanding is opened in the true Spirit he then seeth into his own Essence and Properties and by the same sight has a prospect into the Nature of all other things more especially if he be one that is born with a Nature adapted for the comprehension of such things For this reason it is said The spiritual man discerneth all things even the deep things of God but nothing hurts and hinders man more from obtaining the true Knowledg of God and Nature in himself than his looking abroad out of himself imagining that Wisdom and Understanding is to be found and learned in and from some other thing neither do many consider that worthy saying of the Apostle avouching That whatsoever may be known of God is manifest in man not without Man but within himself Man is that City the Wise man speaks of In whose Gates Wisdom cryes but if man will be gazing abroad and not regard the inward Voice in the Heart as most do not then he can never come to any true Judgment either in things Divine or Natural because the Foundation of all Wisdom and Right-knowledg is within a mans self Let us appeal to common Reason How is it possible if a man do not observe the particular principles and Operations of his own Nature that he should observe and understand those of other things whose Motions and various Operations he is more remote from and doth not feel Therefore if a man would know how to rule govern and preserve any Creature or thing this Wisdom and Knowledg must be first Essential in himself and to understand in particular what things are Extream in him and the contrary which will much help in the way of Temperance and Moderation with a due consideration had to the nature of the Food the Age Air Imployments c. And also the Quantities of all those things ought to be regarded and not to heap together too much this being a sure Rule of Health if a man finds himself as lightsom and brisk after Meats and Drinks or rather more than he was before For the intention of Food is to Refresh Nature and not to dull oppress and incommode her as most in this particular do especially those whose natural Heats are great and Appetites strong But full Meals and too frequent use of rich Food and strong Drinks do breed too much Nourishment which is the Original of many Diseases it furs and stops the Passages generates too much Blood and thick dull Spirits which makes the Body heavy and lumpish and by awakening the central Heat causes the external parts of the Body to glow with an unnatural Flame which obstructs the powers so that the pure thin sweet Vapours of the Air which are the Refreshing Zephiri of Nature cannot penetrate them as they are wont to do when the Elements of the Body are free from disorder for then they suck them in like Spunges which renders the Body full of Spirits brisk vigorous and sprightly as Virgins at a Wedding or Boys at a Festival But this pleasant Condition is never felt when the Body is over-fraight with Nourishment and like a Lamp ready to be extinguisht by superfluity of Oyl therefore solemn Feasts and set times for Meals and eating and drinking whether they have Appetites or no and other Circumstances that attend them are Friends to Gluttony but mortal Enemies both to Temperance and Health when People deluge down various sorts of rich Food and Cordial Drinks in a formal Method sitting perhaps two Hours inticing one another to Gormandize and Guzle not only beyond Necessity but even above the Power of Nature And yet not content after they have already exceeded all bounds of Temperance with strong Foods then with Wine various sorts of Fruits Tarts Sweet-meats and a thousand Kickshaws enricht with the East and West-Indies Ingredients of themselves more than sufficient for a sober and temperate Meal in the mean time few do consider the Injuries hereby done both to Body and Mind for this variety hath power to prolong the pleasure of the wanton Pallate beyond the need of Nature or ability of the Digestive faculty For every particular thing opening by Simile its like property in the Stomach it comes to pass when a Person has eaten to the full and to the satisfaction of the Pallate of one thing nevertheless when another of a contrary nature and taste comes the Appetite is awakened and he can with pleasure fall too again and so of several Varieties the Invention whereof at one Meal was meerly to gratifie Luxury by prolonging the pleasure of the Pallate which could not be done with simple Meats and Drinks Not but that a man may eat several sorts of Food and Drinks at one Meal without injury to Health but then they must be Homogenial that is agreeable to each other and also he that so eateth must as the Wise man adviseth Put a Knife to his Throat which very few in this Age do observe But of this we shall speak more hereafter As Abstinence and Sobriety does always fortifie the Observers thereof against many Evils so they make the Body pleasant healthful and fit to discharge all its Functions and prepare the mind to be the Temple of the Lord as St. Paul calls it Those that take Meats and Drinks only for the necessity of Nature and observe that the Food be not stronger than she but on the contrary she stronger than it such have for the most part great Spirits and but little Flesh whereas Gluttons have much Flesh and little Spirits Have not all the holy Prophets and renowned Law-givers from the beginning been Persons of a wonderous Sobriety and Temperance as Moses and Elias who fasted forty days and yet the Face of Moses shined and he could guide his Body as if it had been a Spirit And several other indeed all holy men endued with divine understandings have been remarkable for their Temperance For the Spirits of men are not Earthly things to receive their Nourishment through the Organs by the concoction of Meats and Drinks only but derive their purer Aliment like Spunges through the whole Body from the clear thin Vapours of the Air which do powerfully penetrate the Body on all sides but are hindred through superfluity of Meats and Drinks and so the Spirits in the Body for want of being found with these refreshing Gales become thick and as it were suffocated For this cause most that abandon themselves up to Gluttony and Epicurism seldom attain to Old Age or if by means of an extraordinary tough Constitution they do rub out 't is with Tortures and Misery their Bodies being as full of Diseases as an Hospital But on the
with the Body that it cannot discern things Coelestial but Sobriety and Purity of body and mind renders it the Temple of God wherein his blessed Spirit delights to dwell and communicate its Gifts and Graces Most men will in words confess that there is no blessing this World affords comparable to Health yet rarely do any of them value it as they ought to do till they feel the want of it To him that hath obtained this goodly Gift the meanest Food even Bread and Water is most pleasant and all sorts of Labour and Exercise delightful but the contrary makes all things nauseous and distasteful What are full-spread Tables Riches and Honours to him that is tormented with Distempers In such a condition men do desire nothing so much as Health but no sooner is that obtained but their thoughts are changed forgetting those solemn Promises and Resolutions they made to God and their own Souls going on in the old road of Gluttony taking little or no care to continue that which they so much desired when they were deprived of it Happy it were if men did but use the tenth part of that Care and Diligence to preserve their minds and bodies in Health as they do to procure Money and Riches which many never obtain and those that do it serves them chiefly to procure those Dainties and Superfluities which do generate Diseases and is the cause of committing many other Evils there being but few men that do know how to use Riches as they ought For there are not many of our wealthy Dons that ever consider that as little and mean Food and Drink will suffice and maintain a Lord in perfect Health as the poorest Peasant and render him more capable to enjoy the benefit of the Mind and pleasures of the Body far beyond all Dainties and Superfluities But alas the momentary Pleasures of the Throat Custom Vanity c. do insnare and intice most People to exceed the Bounds of Necessity or Convenience and many fail through a false Opinion or Mis-understanding of Nature childishly imagining that the richer the Food is and the more they can cram into their Bellies the more they shall be sterngthened thereby but experience shews to the contrary for are not such People as accustom themselves to the richest compounded Foods and most cordial Drinks generally the most Infirm and Diseased For all such things contain great store of Virtue and ought to be eaten between whiles according to Reason and Experience for when the Mouth of the Stomach is open the pleasant relish of such dainty Food does so intice and encrease the desire of eating and drinking beyond what is needful that a man may eat too much and yet give off with some little Appetite of which we may be sensible by that general dulness and Indisposition which we find in our selves for two or three Hours afterwards People are much mistaken in thinking That so long as the Appetite desires and the pleasure of eating continues strong they may eat on without damage to their Health But the truth is this is one of the chief Reasons why men are Gluttons and there is but little difficulty in Temperance save only in this particular it being somewhat hard for an healthy good stomach'd man to give off eating in the midst of the Pleasure he receives by it especially when Meats by Art are made on purpose not only to prolong the Pallate but also to delight it But to him that uses himself to simple Meats and Drinks the snare of provoking the Pallate beyond the necessity of Nature is removed for such cannot intice Nature out of her way nor awaken any other Properties or Appetites in the Stomach but its own Likeness whereas varieties of Food do stir up as many various Qualities in the Stomach so that there is still a fresh desire to each thing till Nature is over-cloy'd And therefore Varieties are always dangerous if great Care and Temperance be not observed But he that limits his Desire by Wisdom and has the understanding both of the Quality and Quantity may eat of sundry sorts of Food at one time but the ignorant and unwise very rarely do it without prejudice to their Health As the pleasure of Temperance and the many benefits that follow Sobriety cannot be imagined by those that live Riotous Lives so neither can the sweet influence thereof especially the first be enjoyed without some Trouble to Old Adam There must be Self-Denial in the case and a man must live in this World as if he were Alone for there is but little Company in the ways of Sobriety When a man comes once to espouse them in earnest presently most of his Friends and Acquaintance will suspect and condemn him as a Conceited Whimsical Capricious Fellow or a kind of Mad-man because he will not run with them to the same Excess and Riot For the Flesh and Spirit of this World have no Affinity with Sobriety and Temporance proceeding from Fountains whose Waters are of quite contrary Nature to others the one being clear and pure which purgeth and cleanseth preserving both the Body and Spirit in perfect Health the other being defiled with many Superfluities destroys the Health of both Therefore he that would enjoy the true Pleasures and flourish in the Virtues that attend Sobriety ought to be as strong as Sampson was in his innocent Life that he may be able to cut off all superfluity in the Bud For it is not that which goeth into a man as our Saviour Christ saith but that which proceeds out of him For all kinds of Intemperance are first conceived in the Heart and if such Imaginations are not cut off or overcome by Wisdom and Temperance then they grow strong and become as it were essential and when the Spirit and Understanding of a man is captivated then a man becomes a Tyrant to himself and a perfect Slave to Gluttony being defiled by every thing Meats Drinks Words and Works as the Wise man saith Even the plowing of the Land is Evil to the Wicked for all Uncleanness and Defilements that happen either to the Body or Soul do arise and proceed from Within And if such lewd Desires Opinions and Customs were cut off in the bud then neither Body nor Soul would be hurt by supurfluity of Meats Drinks or any other thing for every man that commits any Intemperance be it what it will acts it first Within and makes it substantial in the Spirit and then it becomes Corporeal for the Body is forced to obey the dictates of the Spirit whether good or evil for this cause Christ saith That nothing that went into a man defiled him for he pointed and had an Eye to the Root whence all Evils and Intemperances arise His Words are Spiritual and not otherwise to be understood for he makes no exception but saith NOTHING that goeth into a man defileth him Which words should they be taken in a Carnal ense then our dayly Experience shews the
most proper for your Constitution and least prejudicial to your Health Of Oxen and Cows their Nature and Complexion Oxen and Cows are dignified with a Sanguine Melancholy Nature a little inclinable to the Phlegmatick therefore much moisture is an Enemy to these Creatures in whom the four Humours are pretty well mixt yet the Sanguine does predominate As they are of an indifferent equal Temâ—erature so they are indued with harmless Propertiâ—â— and innocent Inclinations They are clean in their Radixes and therefore refuse all filthy Food and the same is likewise manifest by their sweet breathings and the Dung that proceeds from them whereas on the contrary those Beasts and Creatures that are unclean in their Root do always desire and most rapinously feed on a proportionable unclean Food as Swine Bears Dogs c. which is further demonstrated by their Shapes Tones or Cries frightful and displeasing as also in the fierceness of their Spirits and cruel wrathful Natures all such Creatures are highly gratified with unclean Food viz. Flesh Blood and the like But Cows and Oxen do afford many excellent sorts of Food no Creature being more useful or profitable unto Mankind not only in labouring and dressing the Earth by which it becomes fruitful but how many sorts of most excellent Food are made of Milk And so natural and proper no Fruit that proceeds from any Creature is of so great use Milk in its own nature being so simple and innocent and having no manifest Quality that does too violently predominate but is indued with equality and concord easie of Concoction especially Raw as it comes from the Cow it gently cleanseth and frees the Passages from Obstructions which strong Fat Food does generate it has a sympathetical Union with the Stomach and natural Heat it silently and without making any disturbance insinuates its Vertues and Nourishment into all parts of the Body Milk also being mixt with Flour does make some of the most healthy and wholsomest Food that can be eaten for all sorts of People and Ages especially Children it being heretofore their almost only Food boiled with some Flour and a little Water without any other Ingredients which then in the Country was called Pap but of late Years in and about the City they call that Pap which is made of Bread and Water which is nothing near so good and since the frequent use of Spanish Fruits and Spices the aforesaid simple wholsom Food has much been laid aside which is one cause why our Children in this Age are so much troubled with Distempers in the Ioynts viz. Rickets and the like hardly known in former times Milk likewise altered and Manufactur'd if I may call it so by the good House-Wives Art and Industry yields many other sorts of good Food as Cheese and Butter and many more innocent as Milk-Pottage which I especially recommend there being such an agreement in the Ingredients viz. Milk Water and Oatmeal being boiled together briskly and not too long as it not only affords a good Nourishment but opens the Passages and is of a cleansing healing Nature and therefore those that do frequently use it do seldom want a good Appetite Cheese is a wholsom healthy Food a great strengthener of the Stomach affording a strong firm Nourishment and such People as eat much Bread and Cheese and do not want good Beer or Ale are generally the strongest of men abler to endure Labour and Travel than those that feed on Flesh there is as much difference between the one and the other as there is between Horses that are fed with Corn and Hay and those that are fed with Grass Most men being mistaken in Nature do believe that Flesh of all other sorts of Food affords the greatest and strongest Nourishment because 't is full of matter and Iuices the very same may be supposed of Grass compared with Hay But the Husbandman will tell you that those Cattel that feed on Grass are weak and faintish in comparison of those that are fed with Hay and Corn for the Grass contains too much gross Moisture which causeth the Nourishment to be unfirm whence doth proceed dull heavy Spirits the Flesh and Fat being soft and greazy which in case of Labour will waste and such Cattel are apt to tire But those that are fed with dry Food whereby the gross Humidity and Phlegm is dryed away or exhaled by the Sun and Elements are strong and lively of great Spirits quick and active little Bellies and clean Limbs The very same is to be understood of the Food of Men and if men could be as well satisfied as to their Minds with eating Bread Cheese Butter flour'd Milk Gruels Pottages Herbs in their Seasons and the like they would find by Experience how wonderfully such things support Nature beyond all the Flesh in the World for most of that matter which People suppose to be Nourishment in Flesh is a gross Iuice which turns to Putrifaction as the gross phlegmy part of Grass does in Cattel Butter does afford a good Nourishment but it ought not to be eaten in too great quantity for then it generates Choler oyls and furs the Passages dulls the edg of Appetite but moderately taken is of good use and healthy especially to such as are accustomed to it Of the Flesh of Oxen and Cows The Flesh of Oxen is to be preferred before that of Cows it being naturally clean and wholsom if such Cattel be free from Diseases and Surfeits it generates a strong firm Nourishment having a greater affinity with mans Nature than with any other and therefore more People love it and will be longer before they are cloy'd therewith than with any one particular sort whatsoever yet it is somewhat hard of Concoction therefore ought to be eaten sparingly except by strong working People it fills the Stomach and for the most part gives better satisfaction than any other It ought not to be eaten until it be well seasoned with Salt or if eaten fresh there ought to be good store of Salt eaten with it and boiled in plenty of Water which will sweeten and cleanse it from its grossness it likewise ought to be salted as soon as 't is throughly cold after 't is killed for the longer the Flesh is kept the harder 't is to take Salt because by keeping the pure spirituous parts evaporate and then the Salt cannot incorporate it self with the Flesh for 't is with the pure Spirits that it delights to joyn it self and thereby preserves them from Evaporation and consequently keeps the Meat sweet and sound and therefore Meat so salted will eat much sweeter and keep longer and generate better Blood and Nourishment and is easier of Concoction If Cattel of any kind receive damage by driving or any kind of Sickness attend them and they be killed before they have time to recover such Injuries all such Flesh is not only unwholsom but it will not take Salt to keep as others will the Reason is this because if
of unfirm Nourishment and bad Blood for it too hastily slips out of the Stomach into the Bowels and has many evil Consequences causing Gripings and grievous Pains in the Bowels Few do imagin the Mischiefs that do arise from the frequent eating of bad Flesh. The Marks to know whether Flesh be good after its killed are first That the Flesh look with a brisk white colour and the lean of it with a lively bright Red not with a fading fainty whiteness nor with a dull dusky red for these last colours shew that the Creature was hurt and the Spirits wounded before it was killed or the flesh kept too long after 't was killed Another Mark to know whether the Mutton be perfectly good in every degree is when it s prepared either boyled or roasted viz. if when prepared it doth retain its perfect brisk lively colour both White and Red being plump or swelled and of a pure sweet delightful Taste as also by its sending forth a fragrant and inviting scent or smell which of all Flesh good Mutton yields the best These are essential Rules to know the goodness or badness of Flesh if the House-wife do perform her part in observing such Order as is both natural and proper to be used in the preparation of Flesh which I have sufficiently declared from the Root in another place Mutton is also made better or worse by the goodness or badness of the Ground it feeds on the best and sweetest is that of the smaller Sheep that are fed on high Hills and Pastures where the Grass is sweeter and freer from gross Juices than lower grounds and as Sheep delight most in dry places as best suiting to their Natures so they are there forced to labour viz. to continue feeding longer which motion does free the Body and pure Spirits from that gross matter which such as feed in low Pastures where Grass is more plentiful are subject to and also they are the longer before they be fat For these and the like Reasons those small Sheep if free from other disorders which they are not so subject to as great fat Sheep are do always eat much sweeter and pleasanter than great Mutton bred on low rich Grounds And therefore there is no reason why Citizens and the rich People should so much desire large great Mutton but only for Pride and State counting it a kind of Dishonour to have small Meat seen at their Table though the same is not only sweeter to the Pallate but more wholsom as being easier digested and generating better Blood and is far more healthy to all sorts of People especially for Children and People that live soft lives which for the most part eat the fattest and largest Mutton and other rich Food and cordial Drinks and for that very cause are more unhealthy than the meaner sort of People Of LAMB The Flesh of Lamb is much of the same Nature with Mutton being an Excellent Food generating a wholsom clean Nourishment as being easie of Concoction friendly to all Constitutions and Ages and much better than Veal if they be not killed too young 1st Because they are clean in their own Natures 2dly They have the advantage of sucking and running with their Dams not being altogether fed with Milk but also on Grass and Hay according to the season of the year which Calves for the most part are hindred from which renders their Flesh the more unwholsom There is no flesh either more healthy or grateful than Lamb if free from Surfeits and other disorders but their natures and spirits are so tender that they cannot endure driving or the like therefore Lambs that come from remote parts to great Cities are most of them in one degree or other surfeited or if they come thither free yet such is their bad usage between the Market and the Butchers Shop that 't is enough to spoil them and make their Flesh unwholsom Also when this sort of flesh is eaten the weather is for the most part Hot which does quickly wound their tender Spirits and cause a general faintness which renders their flesh soft and greasie generating a very unfirm Nourishment and filling the whole Body full of Venomous Juices that give a further occasion for Fluxes and Fevers to reign in August September and October in which time Lamb is much eaten But if these Creatures are killed off the Common without being prejudiced by driving or otherwise hurried it is not only the sweetest but may be eaten with as little danger as any Therefore there ought to be care and understanding used in managing them for if the Spirit in any thing be wounded or suffocated the Body presently becomes heavy dull flat and like a lump of Earth having neither its true natural sweetness smell nor taste but is dull on the Pallate heavy on the Stomach affording no proper Nourishment neither to the Body nor Spirits its venoms do by simile beget and awaken their Likenesses from whence proceeds Inequality and Discord which is the Root of most Diseases and even Death it self for every sort of Meat and Drink be it clean or unclean does by a natural and simpathetical operation incorporate its self with its likeness in the Body and powerfully strengthen it whence arise both concord and discord sickness and health as we see in Wine in which the Spirit is predominant does not the drinking of it presently awaken our Spirits and make them predominate over all other Qualities and changes the Inclinations Dispositions and Intentions during the time of its operation but afterwards it leaves a man with sowrer Spirits than it found him both because the Spirits of the Wine are not only evaporated but have caused the natural Spirits to evaporate also by its simpathetical awakening of them and as it were calling of them out of their several Centers the very same is to be understood in all sorts of Food of whatsoever Nature or Quality it is All which is worthy the consideration of all Understanding People Of the Flesh of Calves or Veal The Flesh of Veal is of a clean Nature easie of Concoction affording good Nourishment fit both for healthy and sick People if such may be allowed to eat flesh which to me seems somewhat improper especially when in their time of Health they made flesh their chief Food it being probable that the original of the Disease was occasioned by the eating of much flesh which is one reason why so many People in England when sick their Stomachs loath Flesh more than any other food for that food which a man does eat most of when in health that very same when sick he will loath especially when he feeds most on Flesh. But if this sort of flesh be eaten too young as too many do at twelve or eighteen days old then it is not so wholsom for it being of a soft slimy and phlegmatick Nature it generates an unfirm Nourishment and it quickly slips out of the Stomach into the Bowels and too
Weather hot the making of fire in their houses is troublesom therefore baking saves them the labour Now at these seasons of the year flesh is unwholesom and very apt to burden Nature and to bring Diseases as I have discoursed in another place the frequent use of baked flesh in this season with other evil circumstances which do then concur does beget divers Obstructions and generates an unfirm Nourishment because most sorts of flesh at this time are more subject to Putrifaction than any other whence so many Fevers Fluxes Gripings of the Bowels and other Diseases do very frequently reign for Flesh in its best Condition is full of gross Juices and matter for Putrifaction by reason of the great store of Phlegm and Humidity therefore it ought to be helpt as much as can be in the Preparation which never can be well done except there be plenty of the Element of Water and the free egress and regress of the Air for those Elements have a living Power in them by which they do qualifie and mix with it purging and cleanfing that raw phlegmy Juice or matter which all Flesh does afford Also where these two Elements have their free operation in the preparation of all sorts of Food they preserve not only the pure Spirits but also the sweet Balsamick Body from being suffocated or destroyed maintaining the natural Colour with the Smell and Taste which makes all such Food lively and brisk easie of Concoction generating a far better Nourishment than any kind of baked Meat Of Stewing of Flesh. This kind of Preparation of Flesh is much of the same nature with the former for it has neither benefit of the Air nor a convenient quantity of Water in this and all other Preparations of Food where these two Elements are hindered from having their free influences and operation as is mentioned before neither Fesh nor any other Food can be well prepared for the radical and pure Spirits where these two Elements are pen'd up from having their influences cannot subsist neither will the fire burn but presently the pure Spirits and Oyl in the Wood or other things becomes suffocated for the Water and Air are the true Life and Power of every Being whence it comes to pass in all Preparations both of Food and Physick where these two Elements have not their free influences and operations the pure Spirits become suffocated and the sweet Oyl is turned sower and becomes of a stinking Quality which is the cause all sorts of Food so prepared become strong in scent and also in Taste and it loseth its natural Colour if as I have said the pure Spirits and Balsamick Body be hurt then there follows presently an alteration and the original Quality of the dark Brimstone Spirit of Saturn and Mars gets the dominion which was as it were hid before but so soon as the true Life is wounded this Crude Fire becomes many degrees stronger than before as is seen in Charcoal and in many other things for these pure Spirits and Oily Body whence the true Light hath its bright shining Quality are the Qualifiers or Moderators of this dark fierce fire as I have elsewhere largely discoursed of touching the Nature of Brandy of this all House-Wives ought to take notice for if the pure Spirits and sweet Body be not preserved in the Preparations of Food such Food is rather a Death to the Body and also to the Spirits than Life The greatest Wisdom in all Preparations is to preserve the pure Spirits and sweet Body from being either suffocated or evaporated and yet at the same time to digest and open the Body for the Crude matter in all Food must be digested or else the pure Spirits cannot be set at Liberty or freed from the phlegmy matter which pure Spirits and sweet Body does tincture the Food as we see when any Food is properly prepared which comes to pass through the Preparation it digests the gross Crude parts and then presently the true Spirits appear in their friendly forms which before the Preparation were captivated or hid by the gross Phlegmy Body the same is done in Malt but in a higher degree Most certain it is that the pure Spirits and Balsamick Body cannot be supported and continued without the help of the Air and Water therefore it is a gross Mistake and Error amongst most House-Wives to think that by Covering the Vessels wherein Food is prepared to preserve the Spirituous parts thereby imagining that if such Vessels be open that the Spirits will evaporate which never happens till the gross Body in the Food be digested and the Food be sufficiently Prepared which does as is said before set the Spirituous parts at Liberty that they become Volatile and then if the Preparation be continued they will evaporate but not before for in the Preparation the Elements of Air and Water having their free Influences keep the Spirits and Oily Body living and if these two Elements be Prevented then the fiery sulpherous Fumes become so Raging that they seek out their Center and incorporate themseves with the gross humid part of the Food so that they greedily devour and suffocate the pure Life and sweet Oyl the very same is to be understood in all Physical Preparations The Observation and true Knowledg of these things are very material as to the preserving of Health but first they must be understood in a mans self for before a man can essentially know any thing the Cognoscible and the knowledg thereof must be manifested in himself or else it is impossible for any one to know any thing Truly Whatsoever may be known or understood of God and Nature is essentially in man or else he could not be called the Image of his Creator Therefore every one ought to turn the Eye of their Understanding inward and diligently search themselves which Study is Preferrable to all other things Of Fryed Flesh. The Frying of Flesh and other Food in Pans is a Preparation much in use in England but not so good or wholsom as either Boyling Roasting or Broyling The goodness of all Food does arise and proceed from the Essential Spirits and Balsamick Body which is the true Life and Vertue of every thing and if these essential Vertues do not suffer violence in the Preparation then such Food will have a most pleasant Smell a brisk lively Taste very delightful to the Palate also it retaineth its natural Colour according to that colour that was predominant in the Radix of that thing be it either White Green or whatsoever else which can no way be maintained in the Food but by the benefit and help of the Water and the pure influences of the Air Where the operation and influences of these two Elements are hindered the pure Spirits do suffer Violence which alters and changes both the colour smell and taste then it has a strong and odious scent and its taste is also more unpleasing than the former and the Stomach does not so eagerly
desire it Likewise its true Colour is lost or in some degree destroyed as is most manifest by all Fry'd Flesh it does send forth a strong fulsom smell in comparison of either Boyled or Roasted its Taste is stronger and its natural Colour is chang'd by reason the pure Spirits and sweet Body are as it were suffocated by that fiery harsh heat the Pan does contain this Heat is more poysonous than the common heat of fire which is caused by the Metal whether it be Brass or Iron for the Fire does not only awaken the poysonous Nature that such Metal does contain but the present Quality or oily Body in the Fire whence it hath its bright shining friendly Quality is suffocated therefore all such Heat that proceeds from Pans is of a harsh fierce nature and operation The truth of this is further manifested by those that shall be Burned or scalded by such Pans which is more poysonous and the Flesh is harder to be Cured than what is burned by common Fire and often proves more dangerous the very same matter does cause any kind of Food to have such a strong smell for in all Preparations that cause the smell to become strong it is a sure sign that some Violence is done to the pure Spirits and Balsamick Body which doth awaken the Center of the dark wrathful Nature The very same is to be understood in all other things and that is the reason why Fryed Baked and Stewed Food does send forth a stronger and fulsomer scent than other Preparations and all such Food will sooner cloy and dull both Pallate and Stomach except in some few whose Natures and Stomachs have a Simile with such Food It is also to be noted that the Fat which is used in Frying that lies or runs between the thing Fryed and the Pan is by this sulpherous Heat and the want of the free Influences of Air and the benefit of a convenient quantity of Water turn'd into a stinking Oyl which does neither retain its Colour Smell nor Taste but is of a contrary Nature to what it was when it was put into the Pan. For these Reasons all Fryed Food is of a stronger fulsomer Nature than either Boyled Roasted or Broyled Meat harder of Concoction and does cloy the Stomach Therefore all House-Wives and others that do prepare Food if they regard the Health of the Body and true pleasure of the Pallate ought to understand the possibility of Nature in all Preparations that they may digest the raw gross Body of Food without offering any violence to the pure Spirits and balsamick Body and then all such Food would be of a most pleasant Smell Colour and Taste for if the pure Spirits be kept free and not suffocated in the Preparation such Food becomes friendly to Nature affording good firm and wholsom Nourishment easie of Concoction the frequent eating of such Food makes a man Airy full of lively Spirits and of a good Complexion So on the contrary if they be suffocated then presently the sweet Oyl is turned sower or into a stinking Quality then such Food so Prepared will have as is mentioned before a strong Smell and Taste not retaining its natural Colour for in all sorts of Food in which the Spirituous Parts and Balsamick Body is strong their Smell Colour and Taste is Pleasant and Friendly Also it is to be noted that most Preparations of Food the quicker they are performed provided there be no violence done to the Spirit the better and more friendly such Food will prove for slow and intermitting Fires in either Boyling or other Preparations do flatten and dull the Spirituous Parts Therefore no Baker can preserve the pure white Colour in his fine small Bread if he be not quick about it for if any Preparation be continued too long the volatile Spirits become in a degree suffocated then Venus Sol and Iupiter grow weak and according to the length of time and degrees of heat so the natural Colours do alter and change for the Colours of all sorts of Food when Prepared do arise by degrees one after another gradually and when the gross Body is digested then the inward virtue which lay hid and captivated in the Body of Phlegm appears in its own friendly Form with a most lively and pleasant Colour Smell and Taste this is the point of Time all Preparers of Food ought to understand for if their Preparation be continued any longer the operation of Nature goes backward towards the center of the Original Fire then Saturn and Mars and their properties are presently awakened which do cause the Colour Smell and Taste of such Food to change The first degree the Colour alters to is a dusky Yellow and if the Preparation be continued by degrees it turns blackish till at last it will become Black or deep Red or of a mixed streaked Colour all according to the Property which does predominate in the Original or dark Fire also all such Food is of a gross and fulsom Smell and Taste unpleasant both to the Pallate and Stomach Preparing of Food is a greater Art and Mystery than many House-wives and others do think and if it be well and properly performed it adds much to the preservation of the Health both of Body and Mind for every thing has Power to awaken its Simile in the Body Therefore every one ought to use that care and understanding in the Preparations of all sorts of Food that the meek and most friendly Life be preserved from suffering violence Of Broyled Flesh. Broyled Flesh was much used in former Ages but now it is little in Fashion in comparison of the aforementioned Preparations Flesh dressed this way is much sweeter and fuller of Life and Spirit than Baked or Fry'd by reason it does not boyl in its own fat as the other two do also it is quickly Prepared and the gross Humidity in the flesh does freely purge and run into the Fire it has likewise the free Egress and Regress of the Air the Fire being full of lively brisk Spirits which in Ovens and Frying-Pans are destroyed by which means the heat becomes more gross and sulpherous like the heat of Charcoal which does suffocate the pure Spirits and then the Fat becomes of a heavy gross and Oily Quality with a strong Taste and Smell which gross matter in Boyled Flesh is destroyed therefore it does not only eat sweeter but breeds better Nourishment if the Fire be clear and done as it ought the Fire of Wood does prepare all sorts of Food sweeter and better than Cole and renders it much wholsomer for in all Preparations in which the Food does boyl in its own Fat or in Fat put to it if it hath not plenty of Water and the free influences of the Air the gross Humidity in the Fat does suffocate the pure Spirits and then the sweet Body which all Fat does afford great store of becomes gross and fulsom in Smell Taste and Operation which will quickly cloy the
most of them of an opening and cleansinn Nature for they gently cleanse and purge the Passages and Bowels But all these Summer Fruits are best and safest Prepared being mixt with things of a drying and warming Quality or rather made into Drinks and when such Juices have passed through Fermentation the Phlegmy Body is digested and the spirituous Parts set at Liberty which do tincture the gross Body so that the Spirit and true Life is made thereby Predominant over the body of Phlegm such Drinks being drunk moderately prove very friendly to Nature especially to such as are Aged People which do most need spirituous Drinks Green Food is not capable either in Man or Beasts to generate so good Nourishment nor so firm as dry neither are the Spirits so brisk and lively the gross Juices of such Food do as it were suffocate the pure Spirits and turn the Balsamick Body sower as it farther appears by all sorts of Animals that live on green Food in this season are they not apt to faint and to be subject to many Diseases their Flesh and Fat being soft and greasy but those that live on dry Food their Bodies are freer from gross Phlegmatick matter their Fat and Flesh is of a firmer substance and their Spirits stronger and livelier and more capable they are to endure Labour without Prejudice to their Health it is also manifested by all Grains Seeds and other Fruits that are cut or gathered before the Sun and Elements have dryed away or exhaled the gross Phlegmy moisture all such things will presently Putrifie and Stink being loaded with so great store of Humidity but if they be gathered the Sun and Elements having dryed away the Humid Parts then all such things will keep sound and good for several Years for this cause all sorts of Food in which Phlegm does abound are very dangerous in this season if Temperance be wanting as our daily experience teaches 5thly In this Season the Sun also declines in strength and vigour which being the central Power and Life of all things they likewise do proportionably decline as appears in Herbage as for Example If you cut Grass in September which is then the Food of most sorts of Cattel the Hay made thereof is of a weak fading Nature and Vertue in comparison of that Hay which was made in Iune or Iuly which is of a lively brik strong substance and vertue for the Earth which is the Mother of all things in this Season is weak and impotent because she hath already put forth her strength and manifested her lively Vertues in the first spring or rising of the Sun for the Winter is the Rest and Sabbath of the Earth in which time she recovers strength-and vertue because she does then as it were cease from all her Labours and the Vegetative Quality stands as it were still and the more Frost and Snow and the drier the Winter is the more strength and vigour the Earth obtains such dry Weather cloaseth up the Pores by which the strength and vertue is prevented from having any Evacuations which is manifested by the goodness and great Increase of all Herbs Fruits and Grains being all filled with a Powerful Lively brisk Spirit and Vertue therefore in the first spring and rising of the Sun every thing rejoyceth and becomes very fragrant by vertue of the sweet Influences of this Coelestial Body and the Power of the Earth so that at this time all things seem to strive with a most lively motion to manifest their most inward Vertues this is the time for People to eat Herbs both Boyl'd and Raw Sallets and Pottages made thereof such Food at the Rising of the Sun are endued with a brisk lively Vertue and Strength and of an opening and cleansing Nature Purging the Blood and are good against all kind of Obstructions Also all sorts of Diseases are by vertue of Sobriety and Temperance and the use of good Medicines then easier cured than at any other of the Year it is also the Briskest and Healthiest Season and the same Intemperances and Disorders which may be the occasion of generating Diseases in the latter part of the Summer in this time will hardly be felt for now all things rejoyce and seem to concur for the Preservation of Nature 6thly In this Season viz. from the middle of Iune to the last of September most sorts of Cattel breed many Diseases First from the continual Heat and gross humid Air which in this season is more sulpherous the Pleasant Influences and Spirits of the Air are dull and thick which causes a dull and fainty Indisposition to possess the Bodies and Spirits of all Creatures Men themselves can witness the Truth of this Moreover all Creatures are more subject to sweat by which the Spirits do evaporate likewise the Food of most Creatures is Grass which is of a gross Phlegmatick Nature and generates not only an unfirm Nourishment but also fills the Body full of evil Juices the Fat and Flesh being of a soft greasy Nature having but few Spirits and those that are very impure the Blood of most Cattel being thick and gross which is the cause their Flesh will not take Salt as at other seasons also about this time most sorts of Cattel especially those that come from remote parts of great Cities are more or less Heated and Surfeited by Driving and other Accidents they being not formerly used to Driving the Weather being Hot and Fainty the Air thick and humid and they being loaded with much gross Flesh and Fat all these things concurring makes their Flesh unwholsom and subject to Corruption especially Sheep and Lambs whose Spirits and Lives are so tender that they cannot endure any kind of violent motion without manifest danger to their Health It is very rare that any Mutton or Lamb is good in this Season they not being free from the aforesaid Accidents you may easily distinguish by the Taste Smell and Colour of that which is killed off the Common without driving and other Accidents and that which is killed in London with driving the Bodies of all Creatures being in this season full of Phlegmy matter that every little Accident will wound the Spirit then presently the Body suffers many Inconveniencies and if such Cattel be kill'd before they have time to recover such Injuries their flesh is of a dull heavy Phlegmatick Nature the Spirits are few and those that are are impure for these reasons it will not take salt nor eat sweet as others will which are free from such Inconveniencies for salt has no Power to Preserve such Flesh from Putrifaction because as is mentioned before the Spirits are impure for those gross Bodies are Preserved by the Vertue and Power of the Spirit and in such flesh where the spirits are few and impure and the Flesh gross and full of Phlegmy matter the salt cannot incorporate therefore in this season use what Art you can in salting your Flesh it will not eat so sweet nor keep
so long without corrupting as at other times of the Year but on the contrary in other seasons and when the Flesh is free from the afore-mentioned Inconveniences their Blood being thin and well tempered with brisk and lively Spirits such Flesh being salted as soon as it is cold the Salt will greedily Penetrate it and incorporate it self with the well-tempered Blood and pure Supirits so that it does hold the corrupt Phlegmy part of the Flesh captive that the humidity thereof cannot turn to Putrifaction untill those brisk lively Spirits both in Flesh and Salt be through length of time wasted or suffocated which comes to pass in six eight or twelve Months more or less according to the goodness of it and well ordering and other Accidents and then it will fall into corruption and there is no recovery for it but if the Salt had cleansed and purged the Flesh from its gross humid parts as some say it does then such Flesh would have kept a longer time as all other gross Bodies will when the Sun and Elements have dryed away and exhaled the Phlegmy gross parts and left remaining the more firm and Spirituous which will continue sound and good many Years as many sorts of Corn Fruits and Hay which are altogether as subject to Corruption as Flesh when green and full of Phlegmy Juices but their Putrifaction is not so loathsom nor so offensive to Nature neither will such things generate such pernicious Vermin as Flesh will the matter in Flesh being grosser It was not without great Reason Wisdom that the Ancients commanded that Flesh should be eaten sparingly that there should be a particular care not only taken about the good state of the Bodies of such Cattel but also in the killing and preparing of it the dressing and preparing of all other sorts of Food being left to every ones discretion But the learned Prophet Moses was sensible that the common and frequent eating of Flesh was very dangerous as to the health of the Body and also of the Mind if care and understanding be not used in the Preparation thereof therefore he gave Laws and particular Directions for the ordering and preparing of Flesh but no mention made of other Food therefore Flesh in its best state and otherwise well ordered if much eaten is apt to load the Body with gross Humours and evil Juices but much more in the fore-mentioned seasons 7thly In this season all men do find themselves more subject to Indispositions the Spirits dull and heavy apt to faintness and sooner wearied with Labour than at any other time the Appetite not so quick and lively therefore all sorts of People ought to have double the care as to their Health at this time both in Meats Drinks and Labours also in Quality and Quantity for Intemperances are not so dangerous in the Winter or Spring Nature being then strong and able to bear with less Prejudice This is the time of the Year in which also most sorts of Cattel are subject to Sickness as Sheep to the Rot and other Cattel to Murrains And do not almost the double Number of People sicken and die in this season And is not the flesh of all sorts of Fowls in hot weather lean and poor altho they have more plenty of Food than in Winter But it lies not in the Quantity of Food but in the season of the Year and the Weather for all Heat when it does exceed the Medium evaporates and spends the Spirits and then Nature does presently Languish and the sweet Oyl in the Body turns as it were sower so that there is a general weakness and fainty Indisposition in all Creatures and their Flesh is rendered thereby the more unwholsom and apt to breed Diseases in the Eaters thereof If Sobriety and Temperance were observed and other Circumstances belonging to Health a little Physick would serve But in this Age men may speak and write of Temperance until they are weary for there is not one of an hundred that is willing to observe and conform to its safe and healthful Rules though it cannot be denied but that It is one of the Principal things which puts a delectable sweetness on all our other Enjoyments But few in Health consider these things most being rather of an approving and admiring than a Practising Temper especially of those things they are not in Possession of many men also slight and have no esteem for those things they do or may enjoy letting go the substance and eagerly Pursuing after shadows But seeing that in this Intemperate Age most Persons do live irregular Lives few or none being willing to observe the Rules of Health in their Meats Drinks and Exercises therefore it is convenient for the continuation of Health to take Proper Purgative Medicines both at Spring and Fall tho they are not sensible of any manifest Indisposition by which means they may easily prevent the generation of matter for when Sickness and Distempers have invaded the Body then it will be a difficult point to get such Medicines as are suitable to the Disease and can by their Vertue cure them when the Spirits are wounded and the Distempers and Obstructions in the Body have gotten great power over Nature in such cases the best Medicines do often fail most Diseases being generated gradually as the Intemperances are committed for Nature ever hides the Evil Matter whence Distempers do Proceed as long as she is able but when once the Diseases do manifest themselves with any kind of Violence then there is danger at hand most People being mistaken in Nature for they generally attribute the cause of their Diseases to the least Intemperance or taking Cold or the like never considering how many Disorders and Intemperances they have formerly committed every Act of Intemperance does in some degree obstruct Nature and by degrees sows the seeds of future Diseases not but that outward Colds and the like do hurt Nature and oft-times awaken the matter which lies in the inward Parts and bring it to manifestation but on the contrary when the in-side is clean and free from Obstructions and other Evils the body doth then very rarely receive any injury by such outward Accidents for Nature still endeavours to overcome and withstand the evil matter in the Body and makes several Essays to throw such Disorders off but if Irregularities in Meats Drinks and Labours be continued the Evil at last grows so great that then Nature must bow and Distempers take place This is always to be noted that if any Member or Part of the Body be weakened either by inward Obstructions or outward Accidents as Falls Bruises broken Bones c. and the Person be guilty of any Intemperance or disorderly Living the weak or hurted part first feels it according to the old Proverb The Weakest goes to the Wall It will be convenient if any upon particular occasions be excessive in Meats and Drinks to observe the following Rules which they 'l find to
be very profitable First After full Meals and excessive Draughts see that they fast longer than their usual time is this gives great advantage to the natural Heat by which the digestive Faculty of the Stomach does by its secret attractive Power draw unto it self all superfluity and evil Juices that have been bred through Intemperance digesting and throwing off all such matter which might otherwise occasion Diseases for the action and natural heat of the Stomach is never idle but has always its continual motion and secret attraction and Hunger is so powerful that it will draw the very Flesh off the Bones Therefore fasting after immoderate eating and drinking is a sure Remedy to prevent Diseases and Surfeits drinking good store of Water-Gruel made thin and boyl'd quick the following day without any Ingredients in it will cleanse the Stomach and help to carry off the gross matter and evil Juices which do proceed from Repletion If these Rules were observed by those that abound in Meats and Drinks there would not be so many afflicted with the Gout in the Joynts and Pains in the Limbs Swelling and Breaking-out with so many Mangy and Leprous Diseases which are chiefly occasioned through Intemperance and want of Exercises Likewise all Rich compounded Foods which are often of disagreeing Natures do not only destroy the Health but do dull the edge of the Appetite taking away the true Taste and Pleasure which good Stomachs and sharp Appetites enjoy It may be truly said That the Intemperate Person is deprived of all true and natural Pleasure for those that are continually accustomed to rich Compounded Foods and strong Cordial Drinks as Wine c. by the frequent use of them they become rather burdensom than pleasant the same is to be understood of those that live an idle soft Life their whole body is as it were indisposed their Members and Limbs often ake for want of Exercise because they are weak also their Passages are fur'd and stopped so that the Blood becomes thick and gross and the natural Spirits impure such People are on every occasion apt to sweat being also subject to internal Heats which do much disorder the whole Body but the ordinary sort of People who are constrained to live on mean simple Food and small Drink and to labour hard do imagine that the greatest happiness in this World is to live an idle Life and to have their Tables daily furnished with variety of rich Food and strong Drinks few of them considering that the true pleasure of eating and drinking is in having a perfect Appetite and that without Labour no man can be brisk and lively either in Body or Spirit which Superfluity of rich Food strong Drink and Idleness doth destroy because most of such things are unequal in their parts and so beget Inequality also they are endued with too great Vertue whence doth proceed too much Nourishment which is the Foundation of most Diseases for this cause mean and simple Meats and Drinks are not only most greateful to Nature but do best support the Body in perfect Health and Strength far beyond all the richest compounded Flesh Fish and strong Drinks though all such things are and may be very useful now and then being moderately used for â—he necessity of Nature as the Scripture saith all Gods Creatures are good being received with Thanks-giving Most Meats and Drinks in their own Nature are simple and innocent it is generally Compositions that make Meats and Drinks not only too Rich but also Improper CHAP. VI. Of Waters Ale Beer and Tobacco to which is added the consideration of Cloathing Houses and Beds and what great Benefits arise from Moderation and Temperance in those things THE Element of Water is not inferior to any other of the Elements neither is Nature wanting to work wonderfully thereby there is so great a Necessity of Water that without it no Animal can live nor any Herb or Plant bring forth for in it is the Seminary Vertue of all things especially of Animals whose Seed is manifestly Watrish The Seeds also of all Herbs and Plants although they are Earthy must notwithstanding be rooted in moisture before they can be fruitful The great and illuminated Prophet Moses tells us that before the Creation when the Earth was without Form the Spirit of the Lord moved on the Face of the Waters and in another place that the Plants did not grow because God had not caused it to Rain upon the Earth Nay so great is the Efficacy of this cleansing Element that the spiritual Regeneration cannot be performed without it as our Saviour Christ himself testified to Nicomedus and very great have the Vertues of it been in Religious Worship in former Ages among the Prophets and Wise Men in Expiations and Purifications Innumerable are the Benefits and so various the Uses thereof both in the Generation Nourishment and Increase of things that some of the Wise Men have concluded that Water was the beginning of all things and first of all Elements and the most Potent because it hath the mastery over all the rest for it swalloweth up the Earth extinguishes Flames ascends on high and by a most wonderful divine Hand and the stretching forth of the Clouds challengeth the Heavens for its Throne whence falling down in gentle Showers and refreshing Dews as from Natures choicest Limbeck impregnated with Coelestial Vertues it becomes the cause of all things that grow in the Earth Nor is there scarce any part of Nature more full of Wonders than these liquid Regions Iosephus tells us of a River near Sina which runneth with a full Channel all theS abbath-Day and then on a sudden it ceaseth as if the Spring were stopped and all the six days you may pass over it dry-shod but again on the seventh-day no Man knowing the reason of it the Waters return in abundance as before wherefore the Inhabitants therabouts call it the Sabbath-days River The Gospel testifies of a Sheep-Pool into which whosoever stepped first after the Waters were troubled by the Angel was made whole of whatsoever Disease he had Many secret and admirable Vertues the Creator hath endued this Element with as in all Ages hath been manifested for it being pure and clear in its own Nature it is the only and alone thing by which all external things are purified purged and cleansed But if it be adulterated or incorporated with any other Liquor or Juice then it becomes less pure and will not so well perform its Office yet it may make them better and more useful Though it be a vulgar Proverb As weak as Water Yet I must tell you Water is more strong and sublime than most imagine for it contains a most ravishing and excellent Spirituous Balsamick Vertue whence proceeds that pure sweet refreshing Quality whereby it hath Power by its innate Vertue to digest and purifie all sorts of Food Also in all Preparations it is so Innocent and Friendly that it dissipates the gross phlegmy Bodies
of Vermin and Insects which is caused through the Contraction of gross thick fulsom Matter for want of Motion all which running Waters are not subject to But although Water be Natures common drink for Man as well as Beasts yet since now a-days Men generally betake themselves to other Liquors we shall briefly treat of them likewise Of Ale and its Nature and Operation as also of Beer Ale hath the first place of all Drinks made with Malt and is of greatest Antiquity That Ale is best that is made after this manner 1st That the Liquor or Water that you put to your Malt be made boiling-hot but not boyl and then put it into your Mash-Tub or Vessel and let it stand a little while before you put your Malt to it which will somewhat moderate the fierce heat of the Water thereby rendring it more capable to receive the Vertues and sweet Quality of the Malt which violent hot Water will not do so well for it doth not only hurt the pure Spirituous Parts of the Malt but will six or harden the Malt so that the Sweetness and good Vertues will not so easily give it self forth into the Water also if you put the Malt into the Water very hot then it will Tinge or cause the Wort to become of a red Martial Colour but on the contrary the cooler the Water is when you put in the Malt the Paler or more Venerial will the Colour of your Wort be which is the best Colour of the two for all Ale that does look Clear and White is to be preferred before that which hath a high Martial Red Colour And in some parts of England there is such Ale made which is much liked but this commendable White Colour depends also upon the well making of the Malt viz. in the Fewel and degrees of the Fire they dry or fix it with for if the Heat be too strong or fierce or if the egress or regress of the Air be hindred or any other Accident happen of the like nature then such Malt will make Ale and Beer to look of a Reddish Martial Colour which is not to be commended though some ignorantly cry it up For the predominant Quality in all sorts of Corn stands in the White and all the pure Water and sweet Body of it proceeds from the predominant Quality of Venus therefore the more gentle mild and natural the Preparation is from the beginning to the end the more wholsom and Balsamick will the Ale be If the Malt be dryed with too hot or fierce a Fire whence the Colour happens to the Ale it shews Violence done to the essential Spirits which also happens in Brewing when the Malt is put to the Water too hot or by overmuch boyling of the Wort which is not commendable in Ale for good Ale may be made with little or no boyling and indeed there is not much reason for the much boyling of any sort of Drink made of Malt except you design to keep it a great while For the boyling of Ale doth cause a too great Evaporation of the Volatile Spirit and Balsamick Vertues which will not endure the harsh Fire for this cause strong Wort will wast and evaporate as much in quantity in one Hour as Small shall in three and more Besides boyling these Liquors destroys their mild gentle cleansing Qualities and fixes them making them hotter and fiercer in Operation for the more you evaporate or destroy the sweet Body of any thing the stronger and fiercer the Original Qualities become and appear more external but so long as the pure Volatile Spirit and sweet Balsamick Body predominates the strong fiery Original Spirit of Saturn and Mars lies as it were hid and seeing all the friendly and wholsom Vertues of Ale reside in the sweet Body you ought not to destroy That by over-much boyling Nay I will add that the best and most wholsom Ale may be made and not boyled at all as some in this Nation do which does but wast it in Quantity and make it worse in Quality so that it becomes hotter in Operation and a friend to the generation of the Stone Every one knows or may know by experience that Beer heats the Body more than Ale the reason is the Balsamick Vertues in Beer are in part destroyed by boyling so that it becomes more like a Spirit and therefore it will keep longer and because of its lasting most People imagin it the best which is a great mistake for they might as well say that the best Sack drawn off by Distillation into a Spirit is better to drink than the Sack was whereas I think the contrary is known to every body of common sense The nearer you bring any thing to its Original by destroying the balsamick Vertues and middle Qualities or vegetative Vertue the longer that thing will keep sound this is manifest in all Spirits drawn from any Wines or other balsamick Liquors for this reason Beer that is boyled most will longest keep from turning sour or flat but still this is no Argument that it is therefore the best and wholsomest for the predominant Quality in all strong Beer especially if it be kept to be â—tale is of a fierce harsh Martial and Saturnine Heat of a hard greedy Nature which infects the blood with fretting eating Humours very prejudicial to Health also it generates the Stone not so much from the Hops which many accuse as the chief cause but for that the pure sweet body is in so great a measure destroyed in the boyling it to such an height that it might keep not but that the Hops do help to heat the body and cause the Stone and other Diseases but not purely and meerly as they are Hops but this comes to pass from the Preparation For Hops in their own Nature have no such operation to cause the Stone but altogether the contrary for Hops are of an opening cleansing Nature and they powerfully purge by Urine and make excellent Medicines against the Stone Dropsical Diseases but all their natural medicinal Vertues are destroyed in their being boyled in the Beer and then there remains in them chiefly the Martial harsh fiery Property which helps to preserve the Beer from growing flat or eager but it augments its heat and makes it of a harsher operation And as the boyling of Ale destroys the sweet cleansing purging Quality and causes it to evaporate just so it does by Hops and so much the more because in them the volatile Spirit stands as it were external for the Sun and Elements have exhaled the gross Phlegmy substance and thereby sets the spirituous at liberty only being close stuffed into bags preserves them from evaporating whilst there they continue but as soon as they come into the fierce boyling Liquor or Wort these essential Vertues and good Qualities are destroyed and flee away but still there remains the original strong bitter Quality which cannot be destroyed by boyling except they be annhilated for it is
ill Customs willingly deprive themselves of its singular benefits therefore those that regard their Healths ought not to make strong Bulwarks and Fences from the free visits of so good a friend but rather court its Familiarity by motion in the open Fields airy Houses c. I know it is a Custom in many places of the Country to plant Trees before their Houses but I am of opinion that they are not convenient nor profitable in respect of Health for it hinders the fresh breezing Gales of Wind to enter into and sweeten their Houses also Trees Woody places and Vallies do by simile attract the Clouds and moist Vapours which are injurious to some Constitutions of men It is likewise convenient that all sorts of People do not accustom themselves to sit by Fires especially those made of Cole or any other of the like Nature because they do as it were by a natural simile dry up a Radical Moisture exhale and suffocate the Spirits and with too great violence open the Pores of the whole Body and as it were chill the whole-Body making it thereby incapable to endure the Air without trouble and danger of taking cold it also dulls the edge of the Appetite and sends dark thick Fumes into the Head weakens the Eyes and causes a general indisposition through the whole body Besides that heat and warmth which is procured by Fires heavy Clothes c. is very troublesom in comparison of that pleasant natural Heat that is awakened by Motion and Action in airy and open places and there is as much difference both in the Appetite and the whole state of the Body and Spirits between the one and the other as there is between Light and Darkness the one being lightsom airy pleasant strong and lively with a sharp and perfect Appetite the other being unpleasant cold on one side and hot on the other dull and heavy of little Appetite and that not good and so the body being feeble and tender the man knows not what to eat nor what to drink nor what to wear he finds every Room too cold for him he is indisposed therefore he must have this and the other dainty Bit and this and the other Cordial Drink but all to little purpose so long as they drive their old Trade of Superfluities in the above mentioned things A Cup of cold Water or small Drink and a piece of brown Bread to a well-prepared Stomach is above all Dainties Therefore it is a very uncomfortable thing for a man to be ignorant of himself for such never use things that are friendly to Nature and the good Health both of Body and Mind but on the contrary are diligent to procure such things as are inimical and hurtful to it Wisdom which is certainly great Riches teaches a man to put an high Estimation upon mean and simple Things and to use them all with a thankful Heart to the Glory of God Of particular Trades and particularly of Seamen The last Consideration of the great Benefit of the open Air leads us to observe what Callings and Imployments may be esteemed the most wholsom or best accommodated for the preservation of Health touching which we are in the first place to note that all sorts of Trades that work in Wood as Carpenters Ioyners and other Trades of the like Nature are all of them wholsom Imployments as well because their Labour consists of sundry motions of the Body as for that the various sorts of Woods they work in send forth most pleasant and fragrant Smells which must needs be very refreshing to Nature and if those men were Temperate and Careful of themselves not to lift pieces of Timber beyond their strength c. they might enjoy their Health and Strength even to a good old Age. Also those Trades and Imployments that belong to the Water such as Sea-men and Barge-men Skullers c. are healthful Imployments for the pleasant and wholsom Vapours which the Water always sends forth being mixed with the friendly and gentle Breezes of the sweet Air does powerfully penetrate all the parts of the Body and cleanses all the passages of the Breast makes the Lungs sound sharpens the Stomach giving it a good Appetite and an easie Concoction it makes men lively and hardy and the Bones and Nerves strong for they being still in the fresh Air it is no wonder that they find such good Effects of it I know no Imployment men could spend their time about with more Vigour Health and Pleasure than This if the Rules of Sobriety were strictly observed But they are a fort of People whom no bounds of Sobriety can limit such as use no Medium or Equality in their Meats Drinks and Exercises for the greater part they are excessive drinkers of strong Drinks such as Brandy and other adulterated Spirits which not only weaken the Natural Heat but awaken the Original Fires and fierce Poysons in Nature which does cause fiery Passions and Head-strong Humors in the Mind and indeed they living on salt Flesh and Fish can hardly be free from doing Violence to Nature because the Spirituous Parts and Balsamick Body is almost destroyed in that kind of Food and the Quality which is predominant is of a hot sharp and fierce Nature and this Nourishment being commonly taken does heat and dry up the Radical Moisture and cools the refreshing Vapours which proceed from the Elements of Air and Water from whence also proceeds unnatural Droughts and the Generation of the Disease called the Scurvy and innumerable other Distempers But these friendly Elements the Water and the Air give them often great Relief for otherwise they could not as they do eat and drink to such an Excess Many men of this imploy ruin their Health by indulging too much their Appetites for they eating and drinking beyond measure and without exception when they come into hot Climates viz. the East and West-Indies where the Beams of the Sun are so powerful that their Pores are opened and they sweat continually and their pure Spirits and Radical Moisture so much exhaled and evaporated that they presently feel an inward Weakness and a Decay in the Natural Heat and in the Stomach accompanied with cloudy Fumes in the Head causing an Indisposition and Weariness through the whole Body and rendring Nature incapable to bear such a burthen of Intemperances as they lay upon her without manifest Prejudice Their eating I say of salt Flesh and Fish and their drinking of hot and inflaming Liquors and observing of no fit Season nor due proportion of time for taking of Rest which in hot Countries should be from twelve of the Clock to three in the Afternoon These and other Extravagances bring upon them Fluxes griping Pains of the Bowels and Acute Fevers their drinking of that Liquor called Punch is also very Inimical to Health For the Lime-Iuice which is one of the Ingredients they commonly use in it is in its Nature fierce sharp and Astringent apt to create griping Pains
Oates which opens unstops and cleanses the Passages from all kind of Obstructions This is further confirmed if we look into the Country where the Peasant that has no better than course Bread and other hard and mean fare is healthier stronger and more agile and sprightful than the City-Cormorant whose bruitish Appetite cannot be satisfied with any other thing than the costliest and richest Varieties that Nature can afford These latter sort of People accustoming themselves to the highest and finest Preparations of Food and Cordial Drinks are certainly the most unhealthful Men in the World because this sort of Food being in its own nature too Spirituous does prey upon the natural Heat causing either a suffocation or evaporation of the Spirits and contracting the Vessels of the Stomach whereby the whole body seems to languish Every sort of Food has its various operations upon the body and spirit of a Man and that by way of simile Therefore all Meats and Drinks ought to be equally compounded of a body and spirit as most things are in themselves before the Artist makes the separation the Food as the Man should be compounded both of body and spirit And to conclude I know of no separation that should be made of the one from the other but what is done inwardly by the act of the Stomach and natural Heat Of Pease and Beans Beans and Pease are Mars's Grains being drier and courser than the former Pease of the two are the finest and easiest of Concoction they are both of a Windy Quality yet being eaten when they are dryed are not only wholsomer than the Green but also afford a better and finer Nourishment not so apt to generate Crudities in the Body when they are boyled in plenty of Water the Winter-season is the most proper time for eating of them for then the natural Heat being more central the Stomach is much the stronger they are a good Food for young healthy People But Green-Pease and Beans are indued with a gross Phlegmatick Nature and being frequently eaten generate many gross raw Humours in the Body but in the declining part of the year when the Sun and Elements have consumed and dryed away the gross humid parts they thereby become firmer and wholsomer Food and will continue good and sound for several years but if they be cut down before the Sun has acted its part in extracting the gross Juices they will presently corrupt Therefore the frequent eating of such green Pease is of evil Consequence and detrimental to the Health they afford not only unfirm Nourishment but also cause Obstructions Fevers and Pains in the Bowels with Fluxes and a great many other Maladies That this kind of Nourishment is not good will further appear by giving you an Example from Cattle which when they are fed with green Food as Grass or the like their flesh and fat is soft greasy and full of phlegmy gross Matter neither will it take Salt nor keep half the time as that which is fed with Hay Corn and the like nay they are fainter and weaker and more apt to tire in their Labour and to take Surfeits than those that feed with Hay c. I do not say but green Pease may be eaten now and then for they are in their Nature opening and slippery which is caused by the great Quantity of Phlegmy Matter that is in them Yet these Rules should be observed in the dressing of them boyl them in good store of River-Water let your Fire be quick and your Pot open all the time of their boyling and they are to be put in when the Water begins to seeth and not before By this way of Preparation they are made wholsomer than otherwise they would be There is a sort of Bean called by the French English Bean but we commonly call them Kidney or French Beans they run upon sticks like Hops these are mostly eaten when Green they are of an opening and cleansing Nature purge by Urine and help Concoction the usual way of dressing them is to boyl them in the Shells and to eat them together They far exceed and are much better than other Pulses that are eaten green being in their nature and operation more mild and gentle Of Herbs Raw and Boyled The best raw Sallets are made of Spinage Parsley Sorrel Sage Pepper-grass with a small quantity of the Tops of Penny-Royal and Mint for all these have a chearing and warming Quality but Lettice and Onions should be sparingly put in because they are endowed with a gross thick Juice and are of a poysonous Nature sending Fumes into the Head whence proceeds a dull kind of Drowsiness and propensity to sleep which is offensive to the Eyes and Brain There are other Herbs made use of in Raw Sallets but the fore-mentioned are the best and most material Ingredients The proper season for eating them is from the beginning of February to the middle of Iune the earlier in the Spring so much the better and the more frequently they are eaten at this season so much the wholsomer for they are opening and cleansing powerfully the Blood is purified the natural Heat is tempered and encreased the Spirits are made brisk and lively the Appetite is quickned and Concoction facilitated Raw Herbs are a sublime kind of Food and are to be preferred before that which is boyled for the pure Volatile Spirit in the Herbs whence the Animals fragrancy proceeds cannot endure the violence of the fire but in boyling a great part of it is evaporated for this cause boyled Herbs lie heavier and colder in the Stomach than Raw which is scarcely credited by any for they that love boyled Herbs do generally eat much Flesh with them and so cannot discern the operation they have The strength and comforting Quality of every thing consists principally in the spirituous parts which are lost in the boyling and so they become just of another Nature that lively Tincture and spirituous part which it had whilst raw can never be retriv'd by all the Ingredients Nature or Ar 〈…〉 can afford Do not all Creatures eat their Herbs raw and are they not sustained by them to admiration They are powerful Preservers of Life and Health far beyond all the contriv'd Preparations of other Food In most Countries of this World the Inhabitants thereof do eat England excepted their Herbs Raw both in hot and cold Climates This kind of Food is preferrable to the great Quantities of Flesh Butter Cheese c. which are too often eaten among us these latter not only affording too great store of Nourishment but being naturally hot they over-heat the Blood and are heavy to be digested by reason of the oyly fat matter all such things do plentifully contain they dull the Appetite and obstruct and as it were fur the Passages Besides the Vertues we have ascribed to Raw Herbs God Almighty has created them for the use of Man and they were the first Food which was allotted him after the Fall where he
fine and many of their Creatures have hardly any Wool or Hair on them The wonderful and wise Creator hath endued every Country and Climate with such a permanent Nature even in the beginning as brings forth Herbs Fruits and Grains which are proper and most agreeable to the Natures and Constitutions of the People born in that place And as the cold Countries produce abundance of Cloth and Furs so on the contrary hot Climates afford Silks and find Calicoes and the like which are not proper nor useful for us neither are ours for them How contrary to Reason and Nature it is for men in cold Countries to cloath themselves with Silk and fine Calico And so on the contrary for those in hot Countries to cloath themselves with our strong thick Woolen Cloth and Furs But mens Health is not so much endangered by outward Garments as by too great an Indulgence of Nature in the use of Meats and Drinks the one being External and the other Internal It is known by Experience that the mixing of the East and West-Indian and Spanish Fruits with our Food and Drinks have encreased Diseases and made the People more sickly than in former Ages with many new Distempers which had not any existence among us for most or all those things that are brought from those Countries are not proper for Food and are also endued with contrary Natures to the Fruits and Grains our own Country produceth as all sorts of Spices Nutmegs Cloves Mace Cinnamon Pepper and Ginger they are all extream hot and dry and are not proper to be used but in a Physical way and indeed we do not need them in that way neither for we have Herbs and Roots that grow in our own Climate more proper for that use though the Physicians have been as willing to deceive the People as the Merchants by telling them the many excellent Vertues contained in them Yet it cannot be denied but that those Spices are Excellent in their Nature and Operation though not proper for our Constitutions nor to be mixed among our Food and Drinks for that Food in which such things are mixed does by degrees destroy the Natural Heat of the Stomach drying up the Radical Moisture and those cool Vapours which would otherwise refresh the whole Body keeping of it pleasant making the Spirits brisk and full of Life this pleasant Quality is destroyed by Eating and Drinking such things in which Spices Sugars and Spanish Fruits are mixed it makes the Blood also of a hot sharp keen quality and causes thick hot Fumes to ascend into the Head making the Head Hands and Feet and all the external parts to glow with an unnatural Heat it deadens and dulls the Action of the Stomach and takes away the sharpness of the Appetite this may be known to every one if they would observe the operation of such things for they are unequal in their parts the heat bearing a predominacy in them they do by Similes cause all sorts of Foods and Drinks with which the are mixed to become like themselves viz. Unequal if great care be not taken And the worst of all is after our Stomachs are accustomed to such things we cannot be well satisfied without them for they are in some degree like Wine whereof if a man drink frequently he cannot without a great deal of Trouble and some Hazard as to his Health refrain from it the like is true in drinking of Brandy and taking of Tobacco which Customs are far more dangerous than the former For every sort of Food and Drink in which Nature is in its Properties Unequal does powerfully stir up and beget its likeness in the Stomach causeth Nature to be unequal in her Operations for no sorts of Meats or Drinks do more destroy the Health and Welfare of Nature than those that contain too much Nourishment and whose predominant quality is too hot which generally is the effects of all such Foods and Drinks in which the above-mentioned Ingredients are mixed When I consider the strange and unnatural mixture and the variety of Meats and Drinks that are too commonly used I cannot admire the Unhealthiness of our Age And certainly if this Nation do continue and encrease their eating and drinking the improper Fruits Spices Wines and other things that are the Products and Growths of other Countries as has been done for these forty or fifty years last past we shall be corrupted in our Radixes as too many are already all those things being now commonly used which have greatly encouraged other Nations to make such quantities of them as that they are become so Cheap that it is scarcely worth the Merchants while to bring them over for where there was one pound of Sugar spent forty or fity years ago now there is a Thousand and where there was then one quart of Wine drunk there is now Ten Thousand The use of Tobacco and Brandy a hundred years since was hardly known nay the use of our Ale and Beer has hardly been above two hundred years which now we account most Natural there is somewhat may be said against Beer but because it is made of our own Grain I shall not say any thing here of its Nature or Operation having treated of it in another place Great hath been the Increase of those Foreign Ingredients of late years insomuch that they are esteemed good to be mixed among common Food and Drinks as also to be taken Physically for you may hear many say that Tobacco is good to prevent Fumes and Vapours from flying into the Head and so make it their constant practice to take it Now if this had any such operation as they say the constant use of it would destroy its Vertues the same may be alledged of Brandy Wine Spices c. It is to be noted and pitied that Aged People do not only eat and drink such things as are hurtful but they mix Spices Sugars and Fruits among all their Childrens Food and between whiles give them Wine and strong Drink which must be very Injurious to their Health for all Children are tender both as to their Spirits and Bodies and because they are growing their Nature requires great store of moisture which can be no otherways maintained but by a simple and mean Food and Drink If you mix their Food with Sugars Wine Spices and Spanish Fruits they will certainly over-heat the Body stop the Pores dry up the Radical Moisture hinder the pure moist Vapours of the Air that they cannot penetrate the Body These destroy the Stomach blunt the edg of the Appetite contracting the Vessels of their Stomachs making them lean or Consumptive and in others breed abundance of gross Phlegmatick Humors all according to the Nature of each Child's Constitution It causeth likewise all their external parts to burn and glow with unnatural Heat generating many Windy and Watery Diseases and Evil Juices in their Joynts All these Maladies are much augmented by other indulgent ways Women use towards
their Children as keeping them over-warm especially at night and feeding of them too often and too plentifully insomuch that their Stomachs are always fouled and furred with gross and Phlegmy Matter their Food being too much in Quantity and too rich in Quality which makes the Children uneasie apt to cry and froward and puts their Nurses to abundance of trouble which would be in a great measure prevented if Temperance was observed and Women would be content to give their Children that kind of Food that were proper for their Ages and Constitutions and which does grow under and by the Vertue of our own Constellations for every Country or Climate does furnish the Natives thereof with all things both for Food and Physick proper to preserve Nature having more agreement and unity with our Constitutions Is there any sort of thing brought from the West or East-Indies from Spain or any other Country that is to be compared to our Bread Cheese or Butter Have we not a great multitude of excellent Herbs and Roots which make good wholsom Food And have we not also excellent Water which is not only the best of Drinks it self but by the help of our own Grains and Fruits makes various sorts of Drinks as strong as Wine And do we not make excellent Drink of Apples more proper for our Bodies and more suitable to our Nature than any of the Spanish Wines What is it that English People want either for the Belly or the Back if Wantonness or superfluity was set aside Are not all the sorts of Food that are of our own Growth more suitable and friendly to our Natures than those that come from other Countries Are not those that live in the most remote parts of England and far from Cities and Sea-Ports where Mony is scarce and such things dear that the common People cannot buy them most healthful and freest from Diseases But now those Out-landish Ingredients begin to be so much admired that the good Dame viz. the Farmers Wife will sell her Eggs Butter Cheese and Wheat to buy Sugar Spice and Tobacco which stand them in no stead only to increase Intemperance and Distempers The very Plough-men and Shepherds defile their most pleasant Air with the fulsom Fumes of Tobacco Likewise the common use of these things have made way for various Trades and Employments so that a great part of the People are imployed to bring them over and to distribute them here so that there is small hopes of leaving off these Superfluities they are become as it were Essential to the Nature of the Users but the chief Happiness of English People is that their own Country does abound with all things that are needful for the support and preservation of Nature and that every one is left to his free choice Therefore a Wise Man may in the midst of those various Superfluities live soberly and temperately to his own comfort and the praise of his Creator 2. It is to be observed that most of the Fruits and Spices that come from those hot Countries are not only disagreeable to our Natures but even the Natives of those places do very moderately and sparingly use them esteeming them not fit to mix with their common Food the same is likewise true of their Moderation in the use of Wines for they do not drink it as we do in that abundance but sparingly and mixed with Water besides the frequent use of the fore-mentioned Ingredients do make English men too Effeminate and do in no wise agree with their Constitutions for cold Countries do make hardy strong and Martial People as also Food of that Nature does by its simile maintain and preserve the Health of the Body and Mind far beyond what is brought from those hot Climates But if the Natives of those Countries should eat and drink those Spices and Wines in that Quantity as we do it would as it were destroy the very Radix of Health which is one main cause why our English are so unhealthy when they travel and live in such hot Countries for they continuing the same Intemperances which they accustom'd themselves unto in their own Countries which those places will not admit of their Bodies and Natures do much alter and change when they alter the Climate and not only our Bodies but also our Dispositions and Inclinations are thereby much changed Therefore all People ought strictly to observe such degrees of Temperance in such places as are most suitable and profitable to preserve Health for not only all sorts of their Fruits and Food but their Drinks also do much differ from ours the predominant Quality whereof standing chiefly in the Nature of Sol and Venus and if such Fruits and Wines be not taken sparingly they will quickly awaken their Centers and Natures in the Body and cause the pure subtle Spirits to evaporate as most do find after drinking plentifully of Wine or strong Drink and eating Food in which those Rich Fruits are compounded how indisposed will Nature be how heavy and dull the senses and as it were stupified And this is caused not only by overcharging of Nature with the Quantity but with the Quality also of the Food which doth so violently open the Solar and Venerial Properties of the Body by a sympathetical operation and does evaporate the pure Spirits and consumes the sweet Oyl whence the pleasant Life burns after such Intemperance in eating and drinking you find great alterations in the state of your Body Some think That the stronger the Liquor and the Richer their Food is the more Vertue and Strength is in it but the contrary is too apparent for nothing is more hurtful to Nature than that which contains much Nourishment for this cause many People are out of order their natural strength decaying by degrees and occasioning many Diseases to reign which had no being in former Ages when the use of such things were not known In remote parts where such Fruits and Wines cannot be procured they are happily freed from many grievous Distempers with which we are afflicted But all that I can say will not convince such as are Wise in their own Conceits nor prevent them from boyling two Quarts of Ale to one with good store of Oatmealand Spice and then sweetning it well with Sugar give two or three Quarts a day hot to Child-bed-Women Of Fish Fish generally are cold and moist of them some are easie others hard of Digestion The frequent and plentiful eating of this begets Phlegm and a kind of cold moist matter in the Body likewise we are to account some of them unclean and unwholsom others clean and wholsom the first sort are such that are bred in muddy stinking Waters as Ponds c. where the Water has no motion or in Rivers which receive the Excrements of Cities or Towns such Fish produce bad Nourishment corrupt the Blood and cause Obstructions Scabs Leprous Diseases c. If People were sensible of the hurt they do they would no more
boyled 4. Bread and Butter Bread and Cheese 5. Milk and ripe Fruits as Milk and Apples c. 6. Butter and several kinds of Pulses boyled 7. Bread with all sorts of Flesh fit to be eaten 8. Herbs and Flesh. 9. Roots and Flesh. 10. Bread and Eggs but Butter is but an improper Ingredient with Eggs. 11. Bread and Fish 12. Oyl and Fish for Butter is not so good Also Fish is wholsomer boyled in Water than prepared any other way I could nominate many more Mixtures but these are the most natural and agreeable to each other and most of them have mutual and friendly Aspects from their Radixes so that what variation these Ingredients do make 't is for the better they advancing each others Vertues If People could be perswaded to be moderate in Quantity and prefer such simple Viands and proper Mixtures in their food and drink and observe to prepare their Meat according to the Rules before specified most of those cruel Diseases now reigning and raging would be prevented There is abundance more in the observation of these things than the generality of People understand or imagin All that I desire of the Reader is that he would be so friendly to himself to make Tryal for no man can be truly sensible of the Evil of any thing except he separate himself from his Errors and tries the contrary Butchers Tallow-Chandlors Poulterers and many other offensive Trades perceive not those filthy Stinks and Fumes which Slaughter-houses Melting-houses c. send forth except they separate themselves for a while into a more pure and cleaner Air and then they become capable of distinguishing one from the other For the like Reason those that have accustomed themselves to unnatural and improper mixtures of Food or bad Preparations their Pallates and Stomachs are become One with such things and they can as little distinguish the pure natural Taste and Scents of Food from the contrary as the Trades-men afore-said can the noisom fumes of their own Shops and Work-houses There are many Thousands of brave finical Dames in this Nation that are so curious in their Houses and in whitening their Linnen that they themselves can hardly tell what will please them and yet after all they lie on Beds that do really stink worse than Common Houses of Office tho being used to them they do not smell it neither can they so great is the power of the Evil Nature and Custom And in these stinking Dunghills these delicate Madams spend two Thirds of their time and surely then 't is no marvel if they are afflicted with so many Diseases and Weaknesses for if they did commit no other Disorders or Intemperances this alone were sufficient to destroy their Health as I have at large demonstrated in my Discourse of the Generation of that pernicious Vermin called Buggs CHAP. IX The Reasons in Nature why Cities and great Towns are subject to the Pestilence and other Diseases more than Country-Villages The Excellency of Solitude and Advantages of a retir'd Country-Life THe Reasons are 1. That the Air which is the Essential Life of all material Beings is defiled by the Congregating of such Troops of People together whose very Breath is enough to make the Air thick hot and sulpherous 2. The Closeness of the Streets and Houses whereby the pleasant Influences and Salutiferous Breezes of Wind are obstructed which does condense the Air and render it thick and humid 3. The abundance of Smoke that the multitude of Chimnies send forth which is of a keen sharp sulpherous Quality that incorporating it self with the Air encreases its dullness and fills it more full of gross Humidity whence proceeds Stoppages and many Obstructions and Diseases of the Breast and the Blood becomes tainted with a sharp salt Humour that causes the Scurvey and a wearisom Indisposition throughout the whole Body 4. The great Number of Houses of Easement that breath and send forth their putrid Smells and Scents into the Air together with the various Uncleannesses that otherwise proceed from both Healthy and Diseased People together with the Washings and Cleansings of Houses and the fulsom Liquors Flesh and Fish have been boyled in mixed with other loathsom and filthy Excrements all which are continually exposed in the open Air and do wonderfully defile it not forgetting the Smoke Dust and Ashes of Sea-Coal where the same is used which is of a pernicious Nature 5. The vast Number of various sorts of Beasts and other Creatures that are by Droves daily slaughtered and no care taken but their Blood is exposed to the open Air and runs through the Kennels as if it were clean Water and no more notice taken of it whereas the same does not only send forth deadly Smells and pernicious Vapours but fills the Air with Revengeful Spirits which are inhal'd into the Bodies of Men and there stir up Smilies Add to this the great Numbers of stinking Trades which are in such places as Tallow-Chandlers Tanners Dressers of Leather Soap-Boylers c. All these gross Scents Fumes and evil Vapours that Cities are subject to especially great Cities and populous such as Lodon Paris c. their Nature being Saturnine and Martial proceeding from the gross fierce wrathful matter as deriv'd from things wherein the pure Spirituous parts and Balsamick Vertues are destroyed and totally suffocated so that there does remain nothing but the gross phlegmatick Body and poysonous Spirits whose Fumes incorporate themselves with their Similies in the Air and all the Elements and Stars where by a secret and sympathetical power they awaken by degrees the wrathful and poysonous Properties for every particular Quality in Nature has a Key in its self to open the Gates of its own Principle whence proceed Pestilential Airs according to the degree of the awakened Poysons and Wrath there being a certain sympathy between the Terrestrial Bodies and the Coelestial for all things both in Heaven and in Earth have but one only ground and flow from the two grand Principles viz. Good and Evil. For this cause when the original Poysons in Nature and wrathful Spirits are by the occasions before mentioned or any others stirred up that they overcome the pure Vertues they powerfully penetrate all Elements and Bodies and wheresoever they find matter capable or disposed to receive them incorporate themselves and with highest diligence endeavour to destroy the good Vertues and thence arise evil Airs and various Diseases which suddenly seize the Bodies of Men. And this Nature doth not only in the Evil but also in the Good but not in a sensible way but in a Natural by Likenesses where things agree in Number Weight and Measure there they powerfully incorporate and rejoyce and cast out their Contraries A pregnant Example of this we have in Sounds if two Instruments of one sort be turned to an equal pitch strike one of the Strings and the same String on the other Instrument will shake or tremble this I have done my self and also seen it
in Men to awaken and attract their good or evil Nature as well as there is in the Coelestials to alter or change Mens Bodies and Minds This many of the Philosophical Ancients have consented to and most Astrologers are of the same Opinion The Calculators of Nativities find by their daily Experience that Vitiousness and Intemperance in the Natives Life not only cause a very malignant Configuration of the Coelestial Bodies to take place and have its Effects but also he that lives Intemperately is always in danger and subject to the male Aspects of the Superiors Whereas on the contrary it is most true that a Wise Man that is temperate just and circumspect may rule his own Stars But when Persons give themselves to Inordinate Living near or about such times as the Heavens threaten them with evil Aspects Transits or Directions then such disastrous Influences powerfully take place For this very reason Men are often insnared and drawn away to many Inconveniences before they are sensible of it for the wrathful unclean Nature having been by degrees awakened and strengthened by its simile either in Meats Drinks Imployments or Communications for every Property must have such Food as hath affinity therewith or else it cannot increase nor be brought into Manifestation but without it it languishes and becomes impotent in its Operation the Person so offending is thereby subjected to all the malignant Configurations of the Coelestial and Terrestrial Bodies Yet if such an one shall turn to the Lord by Prayer and abstain from the Evil Courses of this Life he presently destroys and weakens that threatning Malignity and this sober and temperate Life will by simpathy strengthen the Spirit of Wisdom and Undestanding If this were well understood there would be more Care and Diligence used both in particular and general as to outward and inward Cleanness than there is For in great Cities and Towns especially there are many Superfluities and Uncleannesses committed against God and Nature and therefore such places above others do suffer many Inconveniences The unclean Vapours and evil Spirits that do arise from Blood and other Excrements do not only awaken the Wrath in the Elements and Stars and draw down their evil Influences but incorporate with the common Air and defile it which being so corrupted nothing is more Injurious and Pernicious to the health of the Body and also to the Mind for outward Uncleannesses do naturally and powerfully attract the evil Power both Externally and Internally because all such pernicious Scents and Smells do arise and proceed from the poysonous Root and so bear a near affinity to the evil Angels and Spirits and do naturally attract them So when the Elements are disturbed by malignant Configurations and Aspects as in great Tempests of Thunder and Lightning and the like the evil Spirits and Angels are very busie and appear almost externally for by those malignant Configurations the Wrath in the outward Nature is violently excited and the same being predominant in the evil Angels they at such times become more apt and powerful to do mischief External Uncleanness does not only pollute the Body and Senses but also the Soul and Spirits for which cause some of the wise Ancients would not wear any Woolen Garments because they are made of the Excrements of Beasts And indeed all Hair and Wool does contain a gross fulsom impure Nature but it lies so hidden that it cannot be perceived unless it be set on Fire and then it manifests it self by its filthy offensive scent For the same Reason some of the Philosophers lived retired nay many of the Holy Men and Prophets of Old as the Scriptures testifie when the Spirit of the Lord was in a more than ordinary degree upon them and pleased to give them Visions and make known his Will unto them did with-draw themselves from Towns and Cities and from the Multitudes of People into the open clear Air in Fields Woods Mountains or by the most pleasant Rivers and Fountain of Water And our blessed Saviour Christ himself did often practise such Retreats when he made his earnest Supplication and Prayers to the Father Few do understand or imagin the manifold Benefits unfrequented places and clean pure Airs afford both to Body and Mind the Senses and Intellectuals of well disposed Men being free from those Uncleannesses Cities and Towns are subject to both External and Internal for in those loansom places the common Air is pure thin and clear free from those fulsom Vapours Scents and gross Smells which Cities are subject to and free from those varieties of Cursing Swearing and Multitudes of vain and impious Discourses which all places are liable unto where Rabbles reside and which wonderfully awakens the Internal Wrath and gives many Advantages to the evil Angels and Spirits to work their vile Purposes But on the contrary in open serene Airs as in Fields Mountains and by River-sides and Woods there is no such Tumults no stabbing of Heaven with dreadful Oathes horrid Curses and frightful Execrations no banishing of Temperance with drunken Healths and roaring Huzza's no fulsom fumes of Tobacco nor viler Steams of detestable Brothel-houses to infect the chaste Air no Plays or vain Games no Mistressing nor Revelling to spend precious time no clattering of Coaches Drums Fools Fidlers c. that make such a continual Din that a Man can hardly call his Ears his own But on the contrary all is sedate and serene still as the voice of good Spirits and quiet as the Birth of Flowers no noise to be heard but the ravishing Harmony of the Wood-Musitians and the innocent Lowings of Cows and Neighings of Horses and Bleating of the pretty Lambs or the like natural Tones wherein there is nothing of disturbance or danger because nothing of Evil but every thing praising the Creator according to the Capacity and Nature of each Here it was in these and the like places that the good Angels of the Lord appeared unto the Sons of Wisdom and taught them the true Knowledge of God and the Nature of things and shewed them what should come to pass in future times And whoever will obtain the true apprehension of God of Nature and of himself must be separated and chuse sometimes to sequester himself from the Tumults Confusions and Distractions of the publick World and Crowds of the chaffering and busling Rabble Besides all this Cities for the Reasons aforesaid are more liable to contagious Diseases And because the Nature of Infection and how it is spread and how to be avoided is very little or scarce at all understood we shall in the next place address our selves to discourse thereof CHAP. X. Of Infection or catching Diseases and how they are transferred from one to another and that all Diseases are Catching THE learned Moses whom the Lord inspired with divine and humane Wisdom commanded that none should sit on the Saddles lie on the Bed nor wear the Cloathes of the distempered which if any did they should
the latter are in the external parts of the Body as the Flesh or at deepest in the Blood as all Itchy and Leprous Distempers are such as catch them have them in the same parts But on the contrary when the Diseases are inward and hid in the Body it frequently happens that such as are infected therewith find not the ill effects in the very same parts but elsewhere yet arising from the same cause Nor do Diseases thus transferred use to make People sick in the beginning but steal on by degrees so that there are very rarely any Remedies applyed till it be too late And as strong Constitutions many times keep off the Assaults of contagious Diseases so neither are all weak-spirited People liable to receive Injuries and Diseases this way for there are many who have naturally weak impotent Spirits and consequently feeble Bodies who yet are as free from catching Diseases as any others because they are clean and sound so that the Rays and pernicious Vapours and bad Airs have no power to seize on them wanting a Friend or Confederate Traytor within to let them in nor can they incorporate themselves by reason of the antipathy of Nature For as every thing or Spirit is received by its Simile so on the contrary it is withstood and resisted by its opposite for this cause one is in danger of receiving Injuries this way and another not and contagious Airs are not fatal to all but in the greatest Sicknesses or Epidemical Pestilences many all the while continue sound and well and these as well weakly People as those that are strong and healthy nay many weakly People continue sound whilst those that are much more strong and healthy are seized and die For the Air being unclean and corrupted by the humid poysonous Vapours and Species penetrates all parts of the Body and where-ever it finds matter of its own kind or capable to receive its Influences then it powerfully stirs and awakens the inward or central Poysons of Nature which before lay hid or captivated in the Embraces of the sweet Oyl and thence presently follow violent burning Fevers which in few days cut off the thred of Life For every Life in its Root stands in the highest Persons so that there is matter in every man if it be kindled able to destroy the Life in a moment And therefore we often see by experience a man sound and well one day and the next near the Grave or the whole Mass of Blood corrupted as in the Small-Pox or the like For when the inward central Poysons are awakned they are so strong that they can and do often convert the whole Body and Flux of Humors into their own Property viz. into a Poysonous and Leprous Matter 'T is vulgarly believed that Distempers do oft-times seize the Body thro' Fear which is true in a Sense but first it is to be noted That the Spirit was wounded by some Gleam or Ray and the poysons awakned before-hand for all fear and dread doth arise from the Spirits which are often wounded before a man can be sensible hence arises that which we call a Pannick Fear that is a Dread Consternation or Astonishment which we can give no Reason for also the Spirits are often hurt by a Voice or hearing a Word spoken from the Mouth of another The very Air conveys the Speeches of diseased People more especially if there be fit and prepared matter for Diseases for then 't is done in a moments time insensibly for as soon as those dreadful Vapours incorporate with and awaken the Poysons in the Body presently the Phantasie and imaginative Faculty of Nature is filled with fear and dread more or less according to the degrees of those Poysons and strength or weakness of the Natural Spirits and Radical Moisture It is further to be considered that sometimes the state of the Body is such and the Spirit so weak that every small Intemperance Uncleanness ill Air c. will easily seize the Spirits and wound the Health the true Causes of which are known but to few as when Coelestial and Terrestrial Influences do concur then every little Accident indangers Nature For there are many secret Reasons why Diseases are more apt to seize the Body and Spirits at one time than at another and on the contrary a man may commit extream Outrages and Intemperance at some times of his Life and yet continue his Health tho' every Intemperance sows some Seeds of Diseases if Abstinence and Cleanness duly observed afterwards do not root them out for these if followed will cleanse and purifie Nature and digest all such Superfluities as disorders have contracted For these Reasons a man ought never to be over-confident or think himself secure from Sickness which often surprizes us when least we expect it which happens for want of the presence of and being governed by the good Genius for though Distempers for the most part proceed from irregular Lives and other Accidents of the like Nature yet it must be acknowledged that many cruel Diseases are occasioned by Rays Gleams Surprizes Fears Ioy Sorrow c. which seize the pure Spirits and cause a suffocation of them so that in a Moments time the Radical Moisture and Balsamick Vertues turn eager a loathing and weariness ensues and Nature having lost her way the Stomach grows sick and indisposed and its Action ceaseth because the same chiefly depends on the strength and goodness of the Volatile Spirits and Radical Moisture then also the Pallat forfeits its property of distinguishing whence most sick People complain they cannot taste the natural Sweetness of Meats and Drinks If this were not so People would not be able to live ten twenty or thirty days in Fevers and other Sicknesses with such small quantities of Sustenance But what they take in such Sicknesses affords but little Nourishment and that which it does is very impure for Nature is then in strife and contends with her Enemy using her utmost effects to vanquish him At this time a skillful Physitian is very useful and of as great an advantage to Nature as Auxiliary Recruits coming in to the Relief of an Army engaged in a doubtful Battle It is most manifest that what Food is agreeable to one is not to another and so of all other things and therefore 't is sottish Ignorance to argue that because one man does not receive harm by lying in or with such a Bed or Person therefore another shall not For this is no Rule as we have sufficiently demonstrated and shewed the Reasons thereof Nor must you forget that all soft warm Feather-Beds do not only help to transfer Diseases from one to another but also they are Unwholsom and Unhealthy in themselves as is before-mentioned And indeed next to Temperance in Food nothing is more Healthy than sweet hard Beds and to lie single or not more than Two at most in a Bed especially young People for lying alone cools the Body and keeps it in an equal
Temperature and procures quieter Rest and makes People more lively and brisk preventing many Diseases and burthensom Inconveniencies But here I must be silent lest the Ladies be offended However if good Council may procure my Pardon I doubt not but to recover their good Opinion as soon as they shall have read over the following Chapter CHAP. XI Of WOMEN their Natures Complexions and Intemperatures as also of their Children Together with an account of the Generation of all Windy Diseases THe Nature and Complexion of Women doth differ and vary even as Mens some being more Sanguin others more Cholerick c. But generally they are more Sanguin than Men of weaker Heats and fewer Spirits therefore cannot endure any Inequality or Intemperances without great danger to their Health whether it be in Meats Drinks Exercises or Passions of the Mind Their predominant Quality doth stand in and proceed from the Element of Water therefore are of a finer softer yielding Temper than Men and their Love doth exceed that of the other Sex and indeed all kind of Passions do both sooner and deeper wound their Spirits Therefore all sudden surprizes of Love or Hate Ioy or Sorrow are apter to destroy the Health of Women and suffocate their Spirits stopping the Circulation of the Blood and causing the Body to swell and then abundance of Wind is generated which stops all the Passages so that People in this condition can hardly breathe Now the Original of all such Diseases which are called Vapours or Wind come thro' the weakness of the natural Heat and because the Spirits of most Women are so Volatile that every sudden Accident or Inequality doth either evaporate or suffocate them during which time the whole Operation and Circulation both of the Blood and Spirits is hindered and so the Life seems to be in danger which causeth a Commotion of the inward parts as if they did arise out of their natural places which is nothing else but certain Stoppages and Swellings of the Vessels that the Breath or Air cannot pass and then the Body is in a kind of Agony and trembles during the Fit which is never long for if it were the Life could not continue But thro' this agonous condition and strugling strife of the Properties of Nature the Element of Fire is awakned which is of a quick powerful active Quality and doth penetrate all parts of the Body and breaks open all the Passages which sets Nature into a great Heat throughout all the Body like a Fever and then this taciturn Contraction and suffocation of the Spirits does begin to cease but great dry Ardors do remain a considerable time after and by their violence do awaken the Element of Water which causes a breathing Sweat to succeed that is very beneficial to Nature and gives ease and so the worst seems to be over for the present Now all those Diseases that cause Nature to shake and tremble as Agues Vapours and the like are caused thro' the suffocation of the Spirits which does first awaken the Original Quality viz. the astringent taciturn twitching Property that does forcibly draw and contract all the inward parts and particularly the Vessels of the Stomach and in a moment stops all the Passages which Nature cannot endure and live and therefore uses her utmost efforts to get rid of those Chains by which contention the bitter Quality is awakned for that Quality above all others cannot brook Confinement but breaks open all the barricado'd Passages with its fiery and rapid Motion and awakens the hot Property which presently sets Nature into such a Flame as should it continue would soon consume her but these Heats do so violently hunger after and draw the Airy Quality as its true Life that it rouzes the Watry Element and thereby quenches that Combustion whereby Nature receives Relief and Refreshment But the Original Cause of all at the first is the wounding the Volatile Spirit which in Women is quickly done but Men are very rarely troubled with this Distemper of Vapours and the like because their Nature stands in and proceeds from the Root of the Fire and the Properties of Saturn and Mars are more predominant in them and therefore their natural or central Heats are greater and stronger than Womens and consequently are of better Judgments and Abilities both for the doing and the governing of all things For Man was made first and hath in himself the strong might and tincture of the Fire which is furious and forth driving very desirous to manifest it self But the Tincture of the Female is from the Water viz. from Venus Therefore the Males of all sorts of Creatures are far hotter and of stronger and greater Spirits and more desirous of Copulation or more unchast than the Females not subject to those Uncleannesses but fit for Generation at all Times and Seasons which Women are not And hence it is and always was accounted a greater Sin and Shame for a Woman to be unchaste than for a Man though it is not excusable in either And for the same Reason Women were never allowed those Priviledges of Polygamy as Men among the Ancients For the unchastity of Women destroys the Generation of Mankind in the Root and brings Confusion and Desolation to Families so that Wantonness in Women is a Sin against God and against Nature For the Creator in the beginning hath implanted Modesty and given the Bridg of Chastity unto Women and indeed unto the Females of all Creatures by enduing them with a cold meek Temper derived from the Element of Water which doth allay and cool them and therefore they are naturally more moderate and not so hot and desirous of Copulation as Men and when once they have Conceived are satisfied till such time as they have brought forth setting aside the Consequences proceeding from a debauched Imagination or the wanton Provocations that happen between Men and Women which force and strain Nature but as for pure natural Inclinations they cease and are as free from them as Sheep or the Females of any other Creatures These are the wonderful Works of the great Creator for if it were not so all Generation would be destroyed and corrupted even in the very Root as sometimes it comes to pass among Lascivious and Petulent Men and Women through various sorts of Uncleannesses which are against God's Law and the Right of Nature Do not all the Beasts of the Field observe their Times and Seasons And after Conception do they not strictly withstand their Males and not suffer them to touch them till after they have brought forth and also brought up their young Ones and made them capable to shift for themselves All which time they remain without Inclination because the end of Nature is answered and this is according to the first Law of God which all Creatures have kept especially the Females unviolated EXCEPT WOMEN But though I said that Womans natural Inclinations to the Sports of Venus do cease after Conception yet it
weak that they are not able to make a perfect Concoction or Separation for such Food is apt to fur the Passages and breed abundance of evil Juices which fills the whole with gross Phlegmatick Humours that makes it dull heavy and indisposed 5. Women ought not to drink Wine or strong Drink which are bad for Men but an hundred fold worse for Women especially Brandy and all distilled Liquors and Spirits for all such Drinks do not only destroy the natural Heat causing the Stomach to become cold and attended with a sick qualmishness but also send Fumes into the Head weaken the whole Body and giveoccasion for the Generation of Windy Diseases and Vapours and indeed all strong Drinks if not very sparingly taken destroy the Health of the Female Sex being contrary to their Tempers for their Heats being weak in comparison of Mens and their Spirits few therefore every inequality is harmful to them and their Children Besides they are subject to various Diseases which cannot happen to Men and of all these strong Liquor is an especial promoter and therefore the Philosophical Ancients alotted only Water for Womens drink And if our Women were but sensible of the ill Consequences of their frequent Sipping of strong Drinks they would be as far from doing it as those in other Countries there being hardly any Women in the known World that are such great Drinkers and lovers of strong Liquors as the English neither are any so turbulent fiery and Masculine Spirited as accordingly they are troubled with various Diseases to which the Women in other Countries are strangers Furthermore strong Drinks if not sparingly taken heat the Blood causing sharp salt Humours to possess it which also makes their Milk hot and windy very prejudicial to Children for whatever Inconveniences the Mother suffers the Child partakes thereof both in the time of Pregnancy or breeding and whilst it sucks Therefore Moderation and Temperance both in quantity and quality is highly necessary for them because the whole preservation of mankind does in an especial manner depend on their prudent living 6. If Women have regard to their own Health and the Preservation of their Children they ought not to eat any Food hotter than their Blood but after their Food is prepared let it stand open that the fiery sulpherous Vapours may freely pass and fly away for those Steems are very prejudicial to all Peoples Heath but more especially to the Females And this ought to be observed in Flesh above all other Food and also in Puddings and the like things that are of a gross strong Quality and so have the greater power to retain those fiery Steams which are of an hot griping windy Nature and causing a Mank or Scurvy in the Blood and makes the Milk windy and sharp which violently gripes the poor young tender Babe that sucks it 'T is true Use not only Familiarizes the most unnatural things but renders them as it were Natural and in some respects almost Necessary witness Tobacco-smoaking to such as are besotted to it so that often times the leaving off those ill Habits do prove very hard and difficult nay sometimes the abrupt leaving them is as dangerous as the Evils that flow from the constant use of them so easily is Nature depraved and turn'd out of her simple way Thus such as have long used themselves to hot Foods if at any time they miss them and are forc'd to make shift with cold then their Stomach seems empty and unsatisfied only because 't is depraved and for want of a little Custom of eating cold Hence many believe that there is good Nourishment and Vertue in hot Food viz. better than in the same Food cold or as warm as the Blood nay many are so fond of this fiery sulpherous Steam or pernicious Vapour that the good Dame will be angry with her Maid if by any neglect she let this precious Steam fly away calling all the Family to come quickly lest the Meat be cold and as she calls it gâ—â—d for nothing Whereas in truth it will be then much the more wholsom for those pernicious sulpherous Fumes ought to be separated from the Meat before it be received into the Body And a little use of eating cold Food would remove all such ill Habits and make cold Meats and Drinks more friendly and satisfactory to Nature and help to prevent the Generation of all windy Diseases Furthermore as cold Food does sharpen the Appetite so neither will the same quantity thereof swell the Body or indispose Nature so much as the like quantity of hot Victuals will and the Body will feel it self more airy and lightsomer 'T is true hot Food will heat the Body especially all the external parts but then it is an unnatural heat which is more burthensom than pleasant for the fiery sulpherous Steems that remain in Food after 't is prepared are of the very same Nature and Operation as the heat of Charcoal and so Experience will teach you that 't is very unwholsom to hold ones Head over the Steems that proceed either from boyld or baked Foods or over Furnaces or Pots or which proceed from Ovens for they take away the Complexion and make People look Pale and Weakly now if their Operations externally have such a visible ill effect how much more Prejudicial will they be when internally received and with the Food swallowed into the Body Possibly in some strong Constitutions those Inconveniences may not be felt till Age comes on but few then are free from them tho insensibly from what causes they proceed Also it is to be noted that this fiery heat Food does retain after 't is prepared is contrary unto the natural Heat both of the Food and the Stomach too and will no longer remain than whilst 't is forced by the constant heat of the Fire and then of its own accord will separate and fly away as soon as 't is removed from the Fire in an humid Vapour which Fumes if they be stopt by covering such Foods so that they cannot separate and fly away then they will re-enter and â—â—use the Meat to eat strong and fulsom In a word 't is nothing but Custom that makes hot Foods easie and agreeable but all the Custom in the World can never make them so natural and friendly as Cold after a little use 7. They ought to accustom themselves to moderate Exercises in open Airs which is profitable for all People but especially for those of the fair Sex for it hardens and strengthens Nature begets a good Appetite prevents Obstructions breeds good Blood and pure Spirits which renders the whole Body lightsom and pleasant nothing next Temperance in Meats and Drinks being more profitable than moderate Motion and Airy Houses and Rooms and not to pen up themselves as many do in close hot Rooms with great Fires which prevents the most pleasant and friendly Element the Air that it cannot have its free Influencies and so what Air does remain in
such places like standing Water in a Pond in the heat of Summer corrupts and becomes thick and humid which dulls the edg of the Appetite weakens the natural Heat and the Functions of the Stomach besides much sitting by Fires and in hot Rooms draws forth and destroys the pure thin moist Vapours and Volatile Spirits opens the Pores and makes all the Body tender so that such People do not only become uneasie and indisposed but subject to the Inconveniencies of catching Colds if they do but step into the open Air. Likewise moderate Cloathing is very commendable as to Health for much or thick Cloaths are apt to heat and tire Nature and either hinder Exercises or make them burthensom put the external parts into an unpleasant Heat and hinder the cool refreshing Vapours from penetrating into and relieving the Body Therefore those that use themselves to a mean in Cloathing have better Appetites and longer Breath'd stronger and not so apt to recieve Injuries by every small accident as those that inure themselves to very warm Cloathes hot Houses an idle soft Life and the like Effeminacies 8. Women ought not to lie too long in Bed as most of them that are of any Quality or Ability do their Beds being for the most part of Feathers which are soft hot and sulpherous with Curtains drawn close before the Windows and about the Bed whereby the imprisoned Air hindred from its free Circulation stagnates or corrupts and this too is very Prejudicial to their young Children whose Heats are weak and Spirits tender often causing Fevers and Convulsions especially when other Intemperances concur Besides this soaking so long in your Bed weakens all the Members especially the Back which is a principal part and the Body being kept hot and lying long without Motion hinders the Actions of the Stomach impairing so much its due Heat that Nature wants Fire for Kitchinwork I mean is not able to make a profitable concoction or separation of the Food so that great part of it turns to gross phlegmatick Juices for which very cause many Women are stupid weak feeble and presently tired and out of Breath if they do but use any kind of Exercises and hereby their Travel in Child-bearing is ten-fold more burthensom than otherwise it would be witness many ordinary Country People who have nothing the trouble at such times as our fine lazy sluggabed-Dames Besides as I have already observed elsewhere Feather-Beds are ponderous close Substances in their own Nature unclean and lying several Years in Corners or the closest parts of Rooms seldom exposed to the open Air they contract abundance of gross humidity and the various diseased People which lie and sometimes dye on them leave behind contagious Effluviums and venomous Particles lurking perhaps for an Age and not drawn forth till a Person happens to lie on them whose Similes awaken them For Beds are continued from Generation to Generation and not throughly cleansed once in twenty or thirty Years and so become very prejudicial to all sorts of People but especially to Women who spend two thirds of their time in them and also to their Children whose Natures are weak and tender and consequently apt to receive every evil Scent and Vapour which such Beds do plentifully send forth which in many Constitutions by way of the Fores penetrate all parts and wound the Spirits and by degrees weaken and destroy the Health If Women were sensible of the Mischiefs attending their indulging themselves thus in their stinking Nests every day almost till Noon they would surely be ashamed of and detest their own Sloth and Folly therein 9. Women in time of their Month or Lying-in are for the most part through hard Travail and many natural Weaknesses and other Diseases brought very low and their Spirits weak and but few Now in this low condition their Nurses do as it were force such great quantities of sweet strong Suppings on them even against Nature or more than Nature can bear for the Nurse and Mistress do both foolishly imagin that there is no other way for Nature to be restored but by great quantities of strong virtuous Food never remembring the Rule That Nature ought always to be stronger than the Food and not the Food stronger than Nature Also they make them drink and eat such Foods as hot as possible they can crying Mistress if you do not eat it whilst 't is hot 't will be worth nothing When in truth she gives it her so hot that 't is worse than nothing Also many of them will boyl Ale or Beer with Oat-meal and Spice till it becomes thick and then add store of Sugar which ought not to be because no fermented Liquor will endure a second preparation without a total destruction to the pure Spirits and balsamick Vertues as I have demonstrated at large in another place Therefore the Oat-meal and Water ought to be boyled first and briskly not too long and then add a like quantity of Beer Ale or Wine as you please and set it on the Fire and let it be made boyling-hot but not boyl and then take it off the Fire and scum the gross phlegmy part off which swims on the top and let it stand till it be about as warm as your Blood and then you may drink it with safety but always remember that the quantity be not too great nor the quality too strong for Nature your best time to put in your Spice is with your Ale Beer or Wine but let it be bruised and make but a little at a time so that you may have it fresh and fresh for heating such Foods and most others a second or third time does destroy the brisk lively spirituous parts and renders them dull heavy hard of Concoction and not so pleasant to the Pallat. 10. Most Women that have where-withal do inrich their Food and Drinks with so many forreign Ingredients as do not only make them too rich and consequently generate too much Nourishment but also intice the Pallat to receive more than is needful whereby the natural Heat and Stomach is over-charged and the Vessels stretcht beyond their proper and natural Proportions so the Body swells and becomes uneasie and Wind in abundance generated Nor do such after eating and drinking find themselves Refreshed which is the Intention of Food but on the contrary are more disordered through fullness than they were before with hunger Therefore it concerns all especially such as have but weak Spirits and Heats not to exceed either in quantity or quality but administer proportionable Food that the natural Heat and Stomach be not put to any difficulty to digest and concoct it so the pure Spirits shall thereby be preserved free from Oppressions For all Health and Joy consist in the goodness of the natural Spirits it being a grand Mistake in most who think to recover lost strength by over-rich Food strong Cordial Drinks and great quantities for they but add a second charge and inconveniency to
any find themselves weak fainty weary and the like they presently think to supply this defect of Nature by giving her good store of rich Food and Cordial Drinks which for the most part do but add a second burthen to her and proves of a more hazardous consequence to the Health than the first Disorder since these Indispositions generally come not for want of Nourishment but rather the contrary and for want of due Rest after too violent Actions or over-long continuance at them and for lack of giving Nature proportionable Meats and Drinks whereby the Spirits and Radical Moisture are wasted as aforesaid tho' it must be confessed That Health and Strength cannot be maintained but by a constant supply of Meats and Drinks yet the main thing is in the due and proper Timing thereof Therefore weak-natur'd People at all times and others whenever by Labour Travel or Fasting they are brought into a weak and fainty state should then be more than ordinarily careful that their Meats and Drinks be not too strong nor too much in quantity nor of a contrary quality but proportionable to the present strength of their Natural Heat 3. Great drinking of Wine and strong Drinks after full Meals of Flesh and Fish most of them being of disagreeing Natures one to the other do often wound the health and that constitution is rarely known that they do not prove of evil and dangerous consequence unto which many of the richest sort of People in this Nation might know by woful experience especially in London who do yearly spend many hundreds I think I may say thousands of Pounds on their ungodly Paunches Many of whom may save themselves that charge and trouble they are usually at in learning of Monsieur Nimble heels the Dancing-Master how to go upright for their Bellies are swelled up to their Chins which forces them to behold the Skie but not for Contemplation-sake you may be sure but out of pure necessity and without any more Impressions of Reverence towards the Almighty All-wise Creator than their Fellow Bruits for their Brains are sunk into their Bellies Injection and Ejection is the business of their Life and all their precious hours are spent between the Platter and the Glass and the Close-stool and Piss-pot Are not these fine Fellows to call themselves Christians and Right Worshipfuls The natural Heat being overcharg'd by too great a Quantity of rich Food that contains overmuch Nourishment stops the Passages arrests the Spirits and makes the Stomach violently attract unto it self from all parts of the Body the pleasant moist Vapours to help and assist her to overcome and digest that load of Victuals which they have ingorged that often puts Nature very hard to it in her internal Laboratory causing a kind of suffocation of the pure Spirits drying and consuming the Radical Moisture and thin refreshing Vapours Therefore after such Epicurean Meals there is always an Indisposition through the whole Body with dulling Fumes in the Head and drouziness that generally continues four five or six hours more or less according to the strength of each mans Constitution and the quantity of Food During which time the Passages of the Spirits are obstructed the Pores stopt so that the thin pleasant Vapours of the Air from without cannot penetrate and thence the Blood is heated and its Circulation hindred and all this by gross phlegmatick Juices arising from Superfluities which impede the Passages and free Course of Nature But after some hours when Nature hath strugled with these Besiegers and flung off their Chains and overcome her Enemy and forced her way and made a separation then the Road of the Spirits is again laid open and the Pores are unlockt to let in the refreshing Breezes and the Man grows brisk and lively and fit for business And so indeed he might have been all this while if to pamper a liquorish Pallate and gratifie an extravagant Humour and Custom he had not wilfully Ingurgitated so much Food as thus oppressed Nature for the present and tho' he think now all 's over and is ready the very next day to attack her again with a like Debauch yet he shall shortly find the Dregs remain there is a Morbifick matter left and continually encreased which at length being ripened into Act by some proper Aspect of the Heavens or similary Accident on Earth breaks forth into a most grievous Surfeit or violent Fever and the Man is all on sire and sighs and languishes and dies And who shall pity him since if he would in time have hearkened to the Voice of Reason or Experience either of them would have told him That the sole Intention of Nature in eating and drinking is purely to support and refresh her and not burden her and therefore he ought to have chosen simple Food and the quantity not too great for the natural Heat and then he should have found after such eating and drinking a certain pleasant and refreshing and chearing Joy spread through the whole Body from the Center to the Circumference being more brisk lively active and useful than before But still many there are that be not content to Overcram Nature with too great a quantity of Food but they will needs drown her too with a deluge of Drink pouring in such vast Quantities of Wine and strong Liquors into their foolish Hogsheads as if they designed to make their Souls immediately swim out of their Bodies This second Charge especially when it comes immediately upon or soon after the first wounds Dame Nature to the very Heart and sets her on fire consuming the sweet Oyl and Radical Moisture by whole-sale suffocates the purer Spirits and puts the Blood their limpid and natural Habitation all into a combustion and the first and greatest Sufferer in this Hurliburly is the pure Volatile Spirit Balsamick Body and pure Oyl which is of a friendly Nature so meek and gentle that it cannot without manifest danger to the Health endure any such harsh Fires or churlish Motions And whenever Violence is offered to this benign quality Nature falls into a languishing which makes the Functions of the Stomach to cease and the Salt's spirit looseth its savour if the Disorder happen near the Center of Life But if only the pure Spirits and sweet Oyl of any Member be hurt then it often falls out that the Evil and Defect remains only in that Member and the Stomach and Center continue well and in such cases the Life is seldom in danger But many Physitians mistaken in Nature do conclude That the cause of such Defects proceed from some ill-habit or vitiated Tone of the Stomach and more Central parts and therefore they will give strong Potions of harsh Medicines both Purging and Vomiting which for the most part hurt Nature weaken the Center help to weaken and destroy the Balsamick Vertues and the Limb or Member afflicted grows worse for when in any Member the wrathful Saturnal and Mercurial Poysons and sulpherous Heats of Mars
Medicines have such Power either to prevent or remedy these Disorders in the Body as Temperance Cleanness and good Order for they have an inward Power and certain Efficacy for that purpose and if Temperance be continued it will augment the Radical Moisture and pure Spirits and by degrees strengthens the natural Heat of the Stomach which only hath the Power to draw all such windy gross sharp matter from all parts of the body and so cast it out if thro' length of time it be not become too central for the natural Heat hath a magnetick Vertue that forcibly attracts all such matter as burdens Natures even from the most inward Cavities and furthest Ciroumference unto it self and there digests and throws it off both upwards downwards if a proper degree of Temperance be observed both in quantity quality fresh supplies of Food Drink come not too often For so powerful is this attractive Faculty of the Stomach that it will draw the very Flesh off the Bones as is most manifest both by men beasts if the Stomach be not supplied with convenient quantities of Meats and Drinks for this Heat which serves for concoction separation is never idle but always continues its motion action so long as the Spirits are lively that there doth remain any Oyl in the Lamp For this cause moderate Fasting hath been commended by all wise men a clean well prepared Diet hath great Power not only to prevent Diseases both of the Body Mind but also to root them out especially when the cause of such Diseases as generally it happens have arisen from over-charging of Nature with too great quantities of Flesh Fish the more because People make no distinction between Clean Unclean nor of the Seasons of the Year of the Surfeits or Diseases the Cattle are subject unto whose Flesh they eat nor regard the improper Mixtures of such Food c. 2. The second cause of Windy Diseases I assign to be the frequent eating and drinking of Hot Foods I do not mean such as are hot in their own nature operation but such as having been prepared by Fire are eaten before those fiery sulpherous Steems are evaporated for they are of a very pernicions venomous quality and altogether of a contrary Nature to the genuine Heat of Nature particularly of the Stomach also for this fiery heat will no longer incorporate it self with such Foods Broths c. than it is forced by the constant heat of the fire for as soon as they are taken from thence this sulpherous Steem or humid Vapour will hastily separate of its own accord which does manifest that this Heat is an Alien that Nature casts it out as an Enemy for indeed it contains three venomous qualities that are absolutely pernicious to Health viz. 1st The first is an harsh Fire of a Saturnine Martial Nature of a keen sharp fretting operation which dulls the pure Spirits infects the Blood with a Maingy itching Humour 2dly It contains a gross deadly poysonous Water or humid quality that does incorporate it self with the grossest parts of the Air fly away in a steem or vapour if Food be eaten before those fiery evil vapours be separated evaporated it swells the body hurts the natural Heat of the Stomach insensibly but certainly generates both Windy Watery Diseases filling the inward Vessels of the Body with evil venomous Juices sending Fumes into the Head disordering the whole body this more especially in Women Children who as we have shewed you before are by Nature much more liable to Windy Diseases than men 3dly If this furious Steem be by any Vessel that covers the Meat after 't is taken out of the Pot or off from the Spit so that it cannot fly away but is stopt turned back or confined to stay with such Food after 't is prepared then will it re enter into it and make it flat and heavy alter the Taste of it so that it will be strong gross on the Pallat heavy on the Stomach It is also to be noted that the common eating of Hot Foods does possess the Blood with a salt sharp fretting Humour like a Mainge if Children were not accustomed to such things from their Mothers Breast it would more sensibly break out upon them in that kind For this very Reason in Dogs and many other Creatures if such hot Broths or Food be given them it will cause the Mainge in their Blood the very same it occcasions in the human Nature but not externally so manifest because rendered more familiar by use 3. The Third Cause not only of Windy Diseases but of many others is Peoples eating and drinking too often Nothing more burdens Nature or generates more crude sharp Humors for when fresh Food is thrust into the Stomach before the former is digested it mixeth with the half-concocted Food which does surprize Nature and disturb her Work and fouls the Stomach causeth sower Belchings makes the Vessels to swell and in some Constitutions is attended with griping Pains and Indispositions through the whole Body c. for the natural heat is so oppressed with these continual supplies of Food before it calls or is ready for them that it cannot make any perfect Separation which is a main cause of Windy Diseases filling the Vessels with unconcocted Juices which powerfully obstruct the due Functions of Nature and hinders the Circulation of the Blood and Spirits which is the reason that when such People do travel or labour and oft-times only upon the Change of Weather they are indisposed and presently tired and out of Breath and troubled with an inward heat and drought continually calling for Supplies of Drink which does but promote Disorder and swell the Body and make the Exercise more burthensom For indeed drinking between Meals is very injurious to all sorts of People except to those that labour hard and sweat much for such may drink but very moderately or else they may quickly out-do Nature but for others that live easie Lives and do not sweat to be sipping or rather pouring down strong Drink and Wine between Meals does prove of very evil Consequence for it destroys the edge of the Appetite and makes the Stomach disordered always seeming as if it wanted something and in some Constitutions an hot heavy dulness for all strong Drinks received in a greater quantity than the Stomach can conveniently master leave a sowr heavy stinking Matter behind them in the Body which furrs the Passages with a slimy Substance and which causeth loss of Appetite shortness of Breath Rheums with sharp tickling Matter that first ascends into the Head and offends it and then falls back again into the Breast and upon the Lungs whence Coughs and Consumptions proceed Also in some People it begets a kind of unnatural hunger or craving in the Stomach or a sharp gnawing Pain which causeth many to eat
but they are never the better satisfied nor eased but rather increase the Pain thereby I am confident abundance of People can witness this to be true from their own Experience and yet will not consider or regard the true Reason or Causes of it For it is a gross Mistake when any shall feel their Stomachs gnaw or gripe in this manner to run presently to the Cupbord and think thereby to cure that defect which for the most part does but increase it and no longer gives ease than the Food or Drink is in the Mouth for this evil habit of the Stomach does not proceed from want of Food or Nourishment but through sharp crude superfluous Matter which dulls and disables the Natural Heat that it cannot perform its due Office of Digestion for where Food is thus too frequently cramm'd in the digestive Faculty has not power to make separation which does as it were suffocate the pure Spirits and then presently the sweet Oyl or Juices of such Food turns either of a keen sowr or bitter Quality according to the disorder or nature of each man's Stomach and Constitution which depraved Juices disperse themselves into several parts of the Body enfeebling the Joynts and Members wounding the Spirits and making room for outward Colds and the like Accidents to take place for Colds do rarely seize any part of the Body provided the Accident be not too extream except first there be some inward defect or weakness as may appear by those that are troubled with stoppages of the Breast whom every petty Accident nay even the alteration of the Air shall sensibly afflict But as Nature abhors all Extreams so on the other side over-long Fasting does help to generate windy Diseases especially in infirm People whose natural Heats are weak and Spirits few for they will soon grow fainty and Fumes and Vapors will be apt to fly up into their Heads and when they come to eat a small matter makes them sick for too long fasting does spend and evaporate the Spirits and waste the Radical Moisture and hurt the digestive Faculty so that after eating and drinking the Senses seem to be stupified and the whole Body sleepy and indisposed and besides after such long Fasting People are apt to strain Nature by taking more Meat and Drink than she can bear Therefore a Mean is safest in all things for if any refrain from Food too long the Action of the Stomach is so vigorous and its attractive Faculty so powerful that it preys on the natural Spirits and radical Moisture so that you shall then find a very imperfect Appetite whence comes that common Saying I have out-fasted my self or My Stomach is gone For the strength and perfection of the Palate and Stomach consists in the strength and vigor of the Spirits and radical Moisture therefore both superfluous eating and drinking and also immoderate fasting do generate Diseases and cause Indispositions both in the Body and Mind Therefore it is not so commendable nor so healthy to make but one Meal in twenty four hours as to make two moderate Meals in that space for otherwise there is apt to be too great an Emptiness and too eager an Hunger which makes People give themselves such a freedom of eating as thereby the Vessels aâ—e stretched by the great quantities of Food which makes such have great Bellies and prove fat and gross But though they will eat but once a day yet many of them that are able to come by it do give themselves the liberty of drinking lusty Evening-draughts which do so stupifie the Senses and heat the Blood and furr the Passages so that it is no wonder that they are not prepared for a Breakfast In a word there is nothing so safe nothing so pleafant as Temperance and to observe proper times and feasons for eating and drinking and keeping within the bounds of what is necessary both in quantity and quality And this we must aver That as the world goes few there are that hurt their Health with Fasting in comparison of those Multitudes that destroy themselves by Superfluities nor is it so dangerous a consequence if any competent care be taken It is also to be observed That all kinds of Food ill prepared is hurtful and apt to forward those Windy Distempers for any Food that is too much or too little drest or under or over-prepared is prejudicial to the Health but over-prepared is the more hurtful of the two unless where it is very much too little done for over-preparation be it of what you will does in a great measure destroy the brisk lively Spirits which renders such Food of a heavy dull gross Nature and Operation so that it cannot administer such proper Nourishment nor can the natural heat of the Stomach draw such pure Spirits from it as otherwise it would yield for it cannot give what it has not 'T is therefore a great Error as to Health to overprepare Food as the custom of some is viz. to boil Flesh so long till 't is ready to fall to pieces which many do because the Broth should draw forth all the strength and vertue also they boil it in but small quantity of Water with the Pot or Vessel covered by which means the Broth loseth its proper and natural Complexion and becomes of a dull reddish Colour mixt with black which is very pernicious both to those that are in health and such as are already sickly but especially for weak consumptive people whom Physicians generally order to eat of such Pottages for their natural Heats being weak and Spirits low these unnatural Preparations gross Foods do further the growth of their Distempers for all such Pottages have lost their pure spirituous parts and volatile vertues in the preparation and are loathsom to Nature especially to weak people because by the small quantity of Water long boiling and the grosness of such Flesh the lively Vertues and Tiuctures are destroyed and therefore such Goods lose their natural Colour and fragrant Sent and become strong and fulsome for no preparation ought to be continued any longer than the crude body be opened and the gross matter digested for if it be continued longer then the pure spirituous parts will evaporate The Intention of kinds of Preparation is to digest the phlegmatick gross Parts that thereby the spiritual Vertues may he set at liberty but then if the Preparation be continued your Fire will serve you as the Celestial Fire viz. the Sun and Elements do the Husband-man when he makes his Hay or the Malster his Malt for first the Sun exhales the gross Body and phlegmatick Parts of the Grass or Herbs and sets the Spirit at liberty which perfumes the whole Field with most delectable Odors but if this Hay be continued too long in the Sun and open Air its spirituous Quality will also be exhaled and then it will become like Salt that hath lost its savour good for little but the Dunghil The very same is to be
unclean fierce Qualities will grow so powerful that they will not only eat and drink such things but also desire them for all Creatures have one only foundation and each Particular contains the true Nature of the whole only the Qualities and Properties of Nature do differ so in one one Quality is strong in another the contrary which makes that great Variation which we see and admire amongst the Creatures as to their Dispositions Shapes Forms Tones Sounds c. And hence proceeds the possibility of altering changing strengthening and awakening of Dispositions Inclinations and Qualities in each Creature This was the grand cause in the beginning why Man was prohibited the eating of Flesh and Killing and why Moses in the Wilderness did not permit the Children of Israel to kill and eat Flesh during their forty years Travel for the Wilderness represents this World which all must pass through and deny themselves the Vanities oppression and Violences thereof or else they cannot enter the Holy Land but must fall in the Wilderness for those that have through the divine Power of the Lord escaped the hands of the Egyptians and are got clear of the Land of Bondage and have left Pharaoh and his Host swallowed up in the Red Sea ought not to long or lust after the Violences and Flesh Pots of the Land of Vanity but to continue in the Spirit of Meekness Love Humanity Self-denial and to do unto all Creatures as a man would be done unto himself which is the true Path of the New Life that leads into the right-hand-way and goes to the heavenly City For those wise Philosophical Seers into the divine and humane Mysteries were sensible of the manifold Evils that attended Mankind by his joyning himself with the unclean Beasts and by killing and eating their Flesh which did so powerfully-awaken and strengthen the inhumane Properties in Man that he by degrees became delighted in all kind of violent cruel bloody Actions not only to the inferiour Creatures but also to those of his own kind whence Cruelties and Murthers have been so mightily encouraged that scarce any have been counted of Noble Birth and Blood but such as have been famous Man slayers and destroyed many of their own Species Some of the Eastern-Sages from a true understanding of the Law of God in Nature declared against these Inhumanities and sanguinary Customs as Pythagoras and his Followers to this day in some Parts of the East-Indies who by their good Examples and innocent Lives do draw off many of the Savage People from the same to a more pure and peaceable course of Life For First They taught them the ill Consequences of Oppression Violences Killing and Eating the Flesh of their Inferiours and making themselves the Sepulchres of the dead Bodies of Beasts And when they had done this then it followed that they would not strike harm oppress or kill those of their own kind for he that does scruple to use violence unto or kill a Sheep or Cow will to be sure be far from hurting or murthering a Man And thus for many Ages have they led peaceable and harmless Lives in Unity and Amity with the whole Creation shewing all kind of Friendship and Equality not only to those of their own Species but to all other Creatures hurting or enslaving none but allowing them all those Privileges and Freedoms that the Creator had given to all the Inhabitants of the World nor cutting off the Thred of their Lives before their appointed time And it has been observed that these Men sinde their time of Love and Clemency to the Creatures have not only been bless'd with the Goods of this World and Dew of Heaven far above their wild savage Neighbours but also were never known to contend oppress fight kill or commit Man slaughter but have lived these many hundred Years in Peace and Concord with all the Creation whereas before they were convinced that it was an Evil to destroy and eat the Flesh and Blood of Beasts they made no more of killing and oppressing Men than a Wolf doth of devouing a Sheep or one of our Butchers of knocking down a Cow The very same and far greater Advantages would come to pass amongst Christians if they would cease from Contention Oppression and what tends and disposes them thereunto the killing of Beasts and eating their Flesh and Blood and in a short time humane murthers and devilish seuds and cruelties among each other would abate and perhaps scarce have a being amongst them For Separation has greater power than most imagine whether it be from evil or good for whatsoever any man separates himself from that Property in him is presently weakned As suppose a man separate himself from any kind of Intemperance Violence or Uncleanness and joyn himself to Vertue then presently the wrathful unclean Nature is weakned and grows faint for want of its proper Food but on the contrary the humane and divine Principle grows strong Likewise Separation does wonderfully dispel the dark Clouds of Ignorance and makes the Understanding able to distinguish between the good and evil Principles first in himself and then in all other things proportionably but so long as men live under the power of all kind of Uncleanness Violence and Oppression they cannot see any Evil therein because the humane and divine Principles are so weak feeble and as it were dead because their Counsels are continually disobey'd and instead thereof the Spirit of Errour is followed For this cause those that do not separate themselves from Uncleanness Oppression and the like Evils but are contented to follow the Multitude in the Left-hand way and resolve to continue the Religion of their Forefathers though thereby they do but mean Custom the greatest of Tyrants 'T is I say impossible for such People ever to understand or know any thing truly either of divine or humane Mysteries nor can any man penetrate thereinto except he first separate himself from all evil and unclean Ways of the Multitude and their Customs for 't is the departing from Evil and the practice of Good that crowns a Man with Wisdom Vertue and Understanding and renders him capable to put the right intrinsick Value upon things and reckon them at their true price for it is generally acknowledged amongst men the highest Folly to judge of those things which they have never known nor been experienced in Who would ask an honest Tarpawlin-Seaman's Advice in a Law-Case expect a Plough man should relish the Delicacies of an excellent Lesson of Musick or think a Cobler fit to value some curious Master-piece of Vandike or Lilly's Painting So improbable it is that men should have judgment in any Science Art or common Trade if they had not separated themselves from other Matters and applied themselves some time to such Crafts or Sciences And yet so vain are most men as to suppose themselves capable to judge of divine and humane Mysteries tho' they are still hurried with the Violences and wallow in
how the thing is in it self they themselves are as blind as Bats and the Reason is they are like the Old Hagg that Seneca somewhere mentions who never put her Eyes into her Head but when she went abroad Thus some of our silly Travellers will tell you forty Stories of France Spain and Italy but of the Rarities the Commodities the Manufactures the Laws and Privileges of England their Native Country they are utterly ignorant What a Madness is it for me with toil and hazard to ramble to the Ends of the Earth to dig in the Mines of Potosi or pick up the glittering Dirt of Guinea when God hath furnish'd me at home with a Soil that yields me precious Oar much more noble and useful Now that these Hear-say-Men or Book-Philosophers called The Learned are as ignorant as any nay commonly more than any others of the true knowledge of God in themselves appears undeniably by their walking contrary to the Ways of Vertue by their compelling and forcing others to their Self-invented Belly-Forms that are utterly destitute of the Life of Truth who do commit the greatest Outrages against God and against his People but chiefly the Learned It is they that set the Rabble on to torment the innocent and simple-hearted and all such as are of contraÌ„ry Forms to themselves All which are the Effects of the awakened fierce Wrath and does declare that the Devil and Hellish Powers do predominate in their hearts and that Love Mercy Meckness and doing as a Man would be done unto have no being in them and it will be so as long as Men prefer Vanity Tradition and their Belly before the Man that told the Woman of Samaria all things that ever she did which is Iesus Christ the true Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World It was not therefore without deep Understanding that the more prudent in all Ages did esteem the knowledge of themselves before all other Attainments and recommended it as a thing principally necessary to every Man for all that do know the Power of God in themselves and are guided by the Voice of Wisdom and live in the friendly Love of God have abandoned and utterly exiled all Hatred Pride Malice Back-biting Fighting Killing Violence and Oppression whatsoever either of Man or Beast and in them meek innocent Dispositions and Inclinations do reign using and doing unto all Creatures as one would be used and done unto for Violence and all kind of Cruelty and Oppression is as contrary to such Natures as Darkness to Light And we may affirm That never any Men have harmed oppressed killed or used any kind of violence to any innocent Creature from the excitement or power of this Divine Principle Therefore let every one consider this they that find Hatred Envy the Spirit of Oppression and Violence to dwell in them may certainly conclude themselves in the fierce wrath of God for all such Dispositions and Inclinations do proceed from that dark Root of Bitterness which is all contrary to the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Great is the whole Mystery of Godliness but especially Christ manifest in the Flesh viz. That the eternal Love and Light of God should dwell essentially in man for after Man suffered his Will and Desires to enter into Vanity and Bestiality the Lord said It is not good nor safe for Man to be alone but promised him the Seed of the Woman the holy Principle of divine Light and Love which will bruise the head of the Serpent in all that adhere to and follow its Counsel that is it will destroy the works of the Devil and then all Violence and Oppression departs from that Man and that Saying is fulfilled The Lord is my Strength my Safeguard and Portion And every Man thus qualified is taught of God Iehovah is his Tutor and his Guide the mighty Counsellor so that he will no longer run after other Gods nor contend for any thing but Truth and Righteousness and to live a sober harmless innocent Life in the sight of God and Man and doing unto all as he would be done unto And such purified Souls amidst all the Hurries the Storms and Agitations of the World round about them do securely ride at Anchor in a blissful Calm and are satisfied with their Portions and know their Centre and to them all Contention ceaseth and there is Peace on Earth as in Heaven 9. There is no necessity for Mankind to oppress burry and kill the Beasts and eat their Flesh and Blood as many ignorantly affiâ—m crying out What shall we do with them They will over run us and eat us up if we do not kill and eat them But I answer That there is no sort of Cattel but is otherwise of use besides to be eaten and Horses are not eaten and yet what Nation complains of having too many of them But some will say Many of them are killed by Violence and Oppression which is confessed But if there were no Horses destroyed that way but used moderately and gently yet there would be no fear of having too many of them the like may be said of other innocent Creatures 10. The eating of Flesh and killing of Creatures for that purpose was never begun nor is now continued for want or necessity or for the Maintenance of Health but chiefly because the high lofty Spirit of Wrath and Sensuality had gotten the Dominion in Man over the meek Love and innocent harmless Nature and being so rampant could not be satisfied except it had a proportionable Food and of all others Flesh has the greatest affinity as is mentioned before And if all Men would refrain eating of Flesh there would be no cause for them to complain for want of Food for the Almighty has in all particulars been gracious and bountiful unto all Creatures but more especially unto Mankind for whom he hath spread a plentiful Table furnishing the whole Earth with a great multitude of variety of Herbs Fruits Grains and Seeds fit for Food which do afford a Nourishment of a most excellent Substance and far beyond Flesh as it doth appear by all that have applied themselves to such harmless innocent Foods especially in decayed Natures and sick as all with one voice consent as well the Learned as they call them as the Simple For when People are ill and Nature weakned with Distempers they all advise them to Pottages Grewels and various sorts of Foods made of Herbs Fruits and Grains but no Flesh must come near them during their Weakness Now if these Vegetables and Fruits do afford such an excellent nourishment and have such a natural and secret Power to help and recover Nature and restore lost Health and Srength how much more then shall they maintain and preserve it when it is restored But Flesh was never desired because Men found any defect in the nourishment of Vegetables and the like but because it hath a Simile with that unclean Nature and fierce Wrath that now became predominant
Blood so let forth was to be buried in the ground or burned and so the bestial Spirits prevented from Evaporations or incorporating themselves with the Air and consequently from entring into and infecting the humane Nature with their wrathful Effluviums and dreadful Species that the Blood of all Creatures are full of when killed in their health and perfect strength The greatest Excellency and common Virtue of men's eating much Flesh and Fish is that it makes them surly robustick sordid and of cruel inhumane Dispositions and Inclinations it being the most proper for Soldiers Hunters Moss-Troopers and all such as would have the bestial savage Nature strengthened and encreased and have a mind to be Lions and Devils not only to their own kind but all other Creatures and so long as People give their Wills up unto the fierce proud wrathful poysonous Nature we may not expect any other Trade to be driven amongst us whence we sind that the meek friendly Principle is trodden under foot Compassion has little or no place in Man farther than it is a Custom and he seems wholly given up to Rapine Oppression and Wickedness Whereas on the contrary Herbs Fruits Grains and many other the like innocent sorts of Food are more pleasant to the Eye of a better Scent and Smell afford a more grateful Taste to the Palate Nourishment finer and of better Substance to the Stomach they are of an easier Concoction breed better Blood are much more readily procured the Creation groans not or sighs there 's no Pain Violence or Cruelty committed in the Use of them they generate purer Spirits and make the Body lightsome and pleasant free the Mind from Dulness Care and Heaviness quicken all the Senses make a good Understanding preserve Innocency increase Compassion Love Humility and Charity give the Spirit of distinction between Good and Evil Clean and Unclean and help us with many opportunities for the study of all true Wisdom both of God Nature and our selves In a word the Virtues both Divine and Natural that follow Abstinence and Cleanness are not to be numbred many of them I know by experience through the mercy and good favour of the Lord It makes a man hate all rude vain talkative Company and the many Inconveniences that attend such a course of Life it also makes the observers thereof capable at all Seasons to speak the Words of Wisdom either divine or humane being but like large Glass-Windows to an House it lets in the pleasant light Air by giving opportunities to all the noble Faculties of man's Soul to exercise their Functions it tunes the Properties of Nature whence proceeds most excellent Harmony and whoever shall try it shall certainly find much more satisfaction and advantages than is here related or indeed than can be expressed in Words 15. It is farther to be noted that all kind of Inventions and Arts that encourage Violence and Oppression have proceeded from the fierce harsh wrath of God and the uneven properties of Saturn and Mars as Gun-powder Guns Drums and all Warlike Instruments of Musick There is nothing that does more manifest this than Gun-powder where the pure spirituous Parts and balsamick Vertues in all the Ingredients are suffocated and destroyed so that it becomes a meer composition of Wrath and Fierceness for every Property of Nature becomes fierce and terrible or strong fulsome and poysonous if the virtue and light thereofbe destroyed or separated from it for every particular Creature or Substance both Vegetable Mineral and Animal does consist of Fire and Light Love and Anger Ioy and Sorrow Good and Evil These are the Radixes of each Subject throughout all the three Kingdoms of Nature and if in any thing you violate the lovely light part then the angry Properties appear in their own Forms an Instance whereof we have before mentioned in Charcoal which is one Ingredient towards Gun-powder and all the rest are alike being of a terrible rending tearing devilish fierce nature and in it is a true Figure of the Wrath of God in the outward nature So likewise the sound of Drums and all Weapons of War and Violence proceed from the same Root of Wrath and accordingly the use of all such things do much encourage and strengthen the wrathful Properties in Mankind who if they had not or did not suffer their Wills and Desires to enter into the Wrath and fierce Properties of Nature in themselves and were not acted and influenced by it there would never have been any of those Hellish Inventions as Swords Guns Powder Drums Bows Arrows and other murthering Engines nor any thoughts of Killing Oppressing and Destroying those of their own Kind nor any other Creatures but Man should have kept that Dominion over the Creatures wherewith the Creator invested him in the beginning and no Creature should have had power to have influenced him or imposed their Properties upon him Hence then touching all Fighting Oppressing and Killing let it be little or much and the pretence what it will we affirm from a true light and ground That the same do arise and proceed from the fierce wrath of God and from that devilish hellish nature in Man which is as contrary to the friendly Love and Light of God in Jesus Christ as the Night is to the Day for if in man or any other Creature the evil Property do predominate and is most manifest there the good Qualities and friendly Light is overcome and so on the contrary For every Property and Principle does manifest and bring forth its own fruit as our Saviour Christ says Every Tree is known by its Fruits a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit nor an evil Tree good Fruit. According to what Property does rule in the Heart of any Man such are his Thoughts Words and Actions where the divine Principle of God's eternal Love and Light doth predominate such Persons bring forth those good and precious Fruits of Love Mercy Compassion courteous Speeches Works of Charity and doing unto all men as they would be done unto but those in whom the hellish Principle bears sway their Fruits are worse than Briars and Thorns such as Back-biting Hatred Oppression Killing not only inferiour Creatures but even those of their own Kind and working all sorts of Impiety with greediness Therefore 't is of unspeakable moment to be able to distinguish in our selves the Two Principles and their respective Fruits and to be careful to deny and root out the Evil and cherish and follow the Counsel of the holy Light which if obeyed is sufficient to destroy all the mischievous Works of Self-hood and the Devil for as the more men habituate themselves to Cruelty Oppression Unmercifulness Killing and the like the stronger the hellish Principle of Wrath does grow and the worse and more cruel they become So in the practice of Vertue every Property and Principle grows strong by Use and Exercise and he that enters into the narrow Path of Regeneration and Self-denial ought always
to fear to oppress or do unto any Creature that which he would not have done unto himself for Oppression Killing wrathful Words and Works do belong to the Egyptians and not to those that travel towards the Land of Canaan An Instance of which we have in St. Iude who said That when Michael the Arch-Angel disputed about the Body of Moses with the Devil he did not dare to bring any railing Accusation not but that the good Angel might as to Justice have done it but he did not dare do it because he must first have entred with his Will into the wrathful fierce Principle or hellish nature and awakened it in himself therefore he only said The Lord rebuke thee And for the same Reason our Saviour Christ commands Men not to be angry nor call their Brethren Racha or Fools that is any Name of Wrath Malice or Contempt If this were rightly understood and regarded Men would not dare to abandon themselves to such Heats Passions and Furies as every day we behold they would not make it a Trade a Sport a Pastime to kill murther and use all kind of Violence We read in Genesis of Lot's Wife that she looked back towards Sodom for which she was turned into a Pillar of Salt she entred into the fierce Anger and Wrath of God and Nature which she was forewarned of so that she was precipitated into and comprehended in the grand Fountain of Wrath that is the original Forms of Nature of which Salt is one and therefore the Prophets and all those whom the Lord enlightned with divine and humane Understanding and whose chief business was to reclaim men from the Snares and Evils of Oppression and Violence and teach them the Ways of Mercy Clemency and Love often threatned them with the same Judgment which befel Lot's Wife it being the portion of all that live and die in the Spirit of Oppression Nay was not that great Man Moses prevented from entring into the Holy Land because he was wrath with the Children of Israel when they murmured and complained for want of Water saying Ye Rebels must we fetch Water out of this Rock for you Whereupon saith the Lord to him and his Brother Aaron Because ye believed me not to sanctifie me in the Eyes of the Children of Israel therefore shall you not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them Here Moses and Aaron had suffered their Desires and Wills to enter into the Wrathful Centre and Self-hood whence the Word Rebel was formed for the very Sound thereof demonstrates from what Principle it does proceed And hence probably it may be that the evil Angel did so dispute about or claim a property to the Body of Moses This therefore is a principal Point in Religion for every one to understand and distinguish in himself from what Principle every Thought and Word does proceed for otherwise Men may and do precipitate themselves into the wrath and fierce original of the hellish Nature which if once it get to reign in the Heart it quickly blisters out its Venom at the Tongue in such leud Words as Rebels Rogue Dog Devil and horrid Oaths Curses and Execrations the very sound of which is enough to declare whence they proceed whereas from the divine and truly humane Nature do arise and slow Words of Comfort and Consolation those soft Answers that turn away Wrath and all those delightful sociable obliging Charms of friendly Conversation wherein consists one of the greatest Felicities of this mortal Life and which for ought I know will be one main occasion to our Happiness in Heaven And wheresoever such Words are entertained they strengthen and increase their own Principle both in those that speak them and in those that hear them Of that great Man King David who is sometimes stiled A Man after God's own Heart the Scripture saith That the Lord did not admit him to build the outward Temple which was a true Figure of the internal and spiritual Temple And what was the Reason Because he had been a Man of Violence and Blood which had so awakened the Principle of Wrath and Fierceness as did very much impede the divine work And this it will do not only in David but all others in whom it is kindled No Man can do the Work of Wrath and not awaken and strengthen the Principle which leads to such Acts as is farther manifested by all those that are of violent Trades and killing Employments although such People do not kill the Beasts in Anger or in a way of Revenge for any Injuries pretended formerly to be done but do it meerly as it is their Occupation whereby to get a Livelihood yet nevertheless insensibly and unknown to their Reason and Intention they do by degrees irritate and corroborate the fierce Properties of Nature and become rash fierce hot and cruel No wonder then if most of the holy Men and Prophets who by a divine Eye and Understanding did pry into the hidden Mysteries of God and Nature were strict Abstainers and separated themselves from the Uncleannesses Oppressions and Violences that the superfluous worldly Belly gods do subject themselves unto whose chief care is to procure such Meats and Drinks as will gratifie their Palates and Appetites for pleasing of which they regard not whom they oppress be they Men or Beasts some of them spending as much in one day as an hundred Men can get by their hard Labour and all to please the wanton Lust and momentary Pleasure of the Throat they having but only the meer Forms and Shapes of Men and being really void both of Humanity and Christianity From this ground doth proceed all violent Courses and Contentions both publick and private which Evils will never be remedied except Men take up the Cross and deny themselves and follow the Counsel of the divine Principle and hearken unto the Voice of Wisdom which continually cries in the Gate of every Man's City and happy is he that hearkens unto her for she is a sufficient Guide to lead every one into the pure simple Way of Truth and teach us from what we ought to separate our selves whereby we may acquire Health to the Soul and Body and the Treasures both of Time and Eternity But none are or can be sensible of those Advantages but such alone as are got through thé Red Sea and the Howling Wilderness and have entred into the Land of Canaan for it seems too mean a thing and the Ways that lead to those holy Virtues are too plain for the great People of this World But our Lord and Saviour Christ saith My Kingdom is not of this World and therefore when Peter in the most just and pious Cause that can be imagined viz. to preserve his innocent Master from unjust violence drew his Sword our Lord calmly bid him put it up for the Sword cannot be drawn but by and through the Power of God's Wrath which does predominate in most Men's Hearts and this Christ
in them and without them the fierce Wrath of God and Nature as the Blood of innocent Abel did cry awaken the Lord whence Cain's Judgment proceeded And withal we are to remember that the Offerings of such as live the in power and operation of the Spirit of Cain are not accepted of the Lord because they are tainted with the Spirit of Violence and Oppression for every Principle is moved by a sympathetical operation and therefore when Men live and act in the power of God's Love and Light in Jesus Christ the Offerings of such are most grateful and powerfully attract the sweet Influences of God and Nature but where the wrathful Principle reigns without the Love and Light of God it is a meer Devil and does attract Venom and Poyson out of every thing to the encreasing and strengthening of it self The holy Ancients have in many other places of the Scriptures deciphered and endeavoured to describe these two grand Fountains or Principles under the Allegory or Figure of two Brothers But it is to be noted that the younger always obtained the Blessing as the case of Iacob Esau and Isaac and Ishmael which doth contain many great Mysteries for Ishmael is the Son of the Bond-woman where the Forms and Properties of Nature are at strife and contention the same is said of Esau that he was a rough man and a Hunter which Names in the Radix do signifie strong men in the Wrath and Principle of the wild Nature into which most men are fallen nor doth any Religion or Form of Godliness bring profit to the Soul but that only that is void of violence and therefore the Offerings of Cain Ishmael and Esau and many others were not accepted of by the Lord for the fierce Wrath and violent Spirit did reign in them and thence their Offerings proceeded and so could not awaken or open any other Principle but only what was like and from the same Root and Centre If this were well considered so many persons would not content themselves in Religious Forms and giving God long Prayers whilst all this while their hearts are full of Envy Back-biting Contention Oppression Hurrying and Killing Men and Beasts most of them counting it their Right to domineer over the meek humble Spirit of Abel but the Blood of Abel doth cry unto the Lord for Vengeance for this is the great Law of God in Nature that there can be no Evil Violence or unjust Action done be it either to the superiour or inferiour Creatures but there must be retaliation made for the Groans of the oppressed have a natural Force and powerful Inclination to open the Gate of God's Wrath and draw down the Judgments of the Lord because all things were made by one therefore they have but one only Root and Foundation proceeding from that one Lord and Creator they all live and move in him and by his Power and Spirit and are all sustained by his divine hand of Providence which does not respect one and neglect another there being in him no variation or shadow of Change or Passion but equally distributes his Blessings to all his according to the Nature of each one having given every thing it s well being in its self and allotted thereto a certain number of days and ordained proper Food for every Creature therefore whensoever Men shall violate these Laws of God in Nature and work contrary unto them by oppressing the Creatures then the Wrath of the Creator is kindled for every Creature when it is in danger of being hurt or pursued for its Life does as naturally and powerfully cry to the Creator for help in their own natural Language as Men do and tend and fly to that Fountain of Being and Protection for their Lives are as sweet and their Desires to continue it are as strong as Man's 17. Here 't is like I shall be complained of and condemned by the wise Men of this World who count it their right in Nature as Cain did to domineer and Lord it over all Creatures who will say The Creator hath no respect or regard to the preservation or well-being of inferiour Animals but only unto Men and that his Will is that Men should destroy and live upon them and use them as they please Were they not made for that purpose and if we should not destroy them they would destroy us c. Thus they object but the Truth tells every one That there are no Creatures that will hurt or be injurious unto Mankind but only Dogs Bears Foxes and other of the like Nature who are Beasts of Prey and fierce by kind few or none of which are eaten But this Allegation I shall more particularly consider in its proper place Others more materially will urge the Authority of the holy Scriptures to prove that killing and eating of Flesh was according to the Will of God which is true in a certain Sense but from the beginning it was not so but only after Man had disobeyed the Lord his Maker and broken his pure Law and imbarked his corrupt Will and tainted Desires in the fierce Spirit of Oppression and suffered the bestial savage Nature to predominate in him over the divine Principle of God's Love and holy Light as the Scripture doth testifie Gen. 6. The Lord looked down from Heaven and behold every imagination of Man's Heart was evil altogether evil and that continually Also the Lord said The Earth is filled with violence it repenteth me that I have made Man and the Earth was corrupt before God and filled with violence for all Flesh had corrupted his way upon the Earth c Here it appears Man had with his Will and Desires entred into the violent Spirit which had corrupted the Earth and all things therein whence the desire of killing and eating of Flesh and Blood of Beasts did proceed and for this reason the Lord was so provoked to Anger that he said My Spirit shall not always strive with Man for that he is Flesh yet his days shall be an Hundred and Twenty Here the Lord shortned the Days of Mankind as David saith in another place The Wicked shall not live out half his days If Man had not thus entred into the violent Spirit of wrath the Lord had not destroyed Mankind but being thus incensed he commanded Noah to build an Ark which signifies a place of Safety Peace and Mercy and to take the clean Beasts by Sevens which is a holy Number in Nature comprehending all Mysteries but the unclean by Pairs or Two's which is a Number of Contention as being the first that separates from Unity He was likewise required to take all sorts of Food both for himself and for the Beasts but there was no mention made of Flesh and all the Creatures both clean and unclean that he took with him into the Ark he delivered out again after the wrath of God was assuaged there was no Oppression Violence nor Killing in all that time for if there
had then would the wrath have been again awakened and Noah with the Creatures would have been comprehended in the same Judgment with those without the Ark For the Ark does truly signifie the heavenly Principle of God's eternal Love in which he has established his Covenant with Mankind and all Men that safeguard their desires and wills in this holy Ark denying themselves and abandoning all kinds of Violence but taking with them all kinds of Food that do bear a Simile with this friendly Principle shall be preserved from that deluge of Wickedness and Misery wherein the rest of the World is overwhelmed Now after this Deluge the Lord did permit Man to eat Flesh but not without distinction not with the Blood for Man would not be obedient nor keep himself within the Bounds and Limits of the holy Ark of God but turned their Wills into the wild bestial Nature and so longed after the Essences and Qualities of the Beasts whence arises the desire of killing and devouring of Flesh. This the Lord did well know and also his Prophets viz. That if Man did not obey the Voice of Wisdom and abstain front eating of the Fruit that grows in the midst of the Garden viz. in his Heart which is the wrathful violent Spirit of Oppression he should die which Spirit should not have been manifested nor have had any Government in Man As for the Tree that grows in the midst of the Garden 't is called the Tree of Life but not without a great Mystery for the Centre of Life stands in the Wrath's Property or fierce Fire whence proceeds the Sensibility and knowing Part in Man and therefore he was forbidden to eat thereof that is he should not have awakened it by his Imaginations and Desires but have continued in Resignation and Self-denial and then the Evil would not have been manifested in him nor have overcome him but as it came to pass well might the Prophets call it The Tree of Death For when Man did eat of the Fruit thereof be died unto the divine Life and lived in the Power of the fiery Spirit of wrath which has corrupted all Flesh even the very Earth and all things therein 'T was after this was come to pass when Man had by his Longing and Lusts precipitated himself into the fierce Spirit and wild Nature that the Lord permitted him to kill and eat the Flesh of the Beasts but it must be understood that this License or Permission of killing or eating of Flesh proceeded from the wrath of God in Nature as the Scripture saith in another place Such as the People are such is their God For the Lord appears to every one according to what Spirit and Property they live in whether it be in his Love or his Anger If they live in the divine Principle of his eternal Love then he appears to them in the same Principle as a loving Father and the God of all Consolation And on the contrary when men introduce their Wills and Desires into the fierce wrath then the Lord appears to them in the same Spirit dreadful and Terrible As the Scripture saith in another place Unto those that fear my Name and obey my Commandments I will be merciful and gracious but to those that despise my Commandments I will be an angry jealous God and a consuming Fire Or as the Apostle saith To one a savour of Life unto Life to the other of Death unto Death Thus all shall glorifie God either in his Love or Anger and remain Monuments of his Mercy or Trophies of his Justice Thus it happened to the Men of old whom the Lord permitted to kill their fellow-Creatures and eat their Flesh their Cruelties and Oppressions soon awakened the Wrath of the Lord even as the Blood of innocent Abel did therefore the Lord said He would go down and see if it were so Which Expression of God's coming down does intimate the kindling and awakening of his Wrath in the external Element as it came to pass in the ensuing Deluge when the Element of Water was enraged from this very Property of the awakened Wrath did the permission proceed for killing and eating of Flesh as also all the Commands for Fighting and the like for if the Lord's People in former Ages had continued their Obedience and lived in his fear there had never been any cause or foundation for Wars nor Oppression for as our Saviour saith The Tempter cometh but findeth nothing in me that is he findeth no Wrath nor Violence awakened in him and therefore he could have no ground to work on nor matter to entertain him or that would suit his Principle The like is to be understood of all Men that do live in the Power of God's Love and Light for whensoever the Lord suffers any to sight or engage in War with his People the original cause thereof hath been Sin in that they have forsaken the ways of Truth and Righteousness and entred into Oppression Pride and Cruelty which awaken the evil Principle and cry for vengeance and strengthen the common Enemy of Mankind and then the Lord suffers Wrath to take place Now whereas Men say It is lawful in the sight of God to fight kill and destroy one another and oppress and kill all other Creatures 't is true if it be understood as it ought to be viz. in the sight of the Principle of his Wrath as he is a consuming Fire and a jealous God but not as he is a God of everlasting Love and Mercy in Jesus Christ for in that respect all Fighting and other Violences are as contrary to him as Light is to Larkness Therefore in the Revelations to the Souls that were under the Altar crying to God to avenge their Cause being slain for the Testimony of Jesus it is answered Rest for a season which was as much as to say Be still do not awaken the Powers of Wrath for no Man can call for Vengeance but from the Power of that Principle and therefore White Garments were given unto them that is they were more replenished with the blessed Power and Vertue of the Love of God in Jesus Christ. Some may say If we should not fight and be ready to withstand our Enemies and neighbouring Nations we should quickly be brought into subjection This is very true if Men should leave off fighting and yet live such wicked ungodly Lives as they do but if any Nation would repent of the Evil of their Ways and enter with one mind into Unity and live in the power and operation of the Love of God c. they then should have no occasion to fear or dread any outward Enemies having so perfectly subdued those within they should rest secure This the Children of Israel did often witness when they did fear the Lord and refrain from Idols that is when they did not set their Hearts and Affections upon the Creatures nor live in Wantonness c. Then their Enemies were bowed before them and the very
the heavy fierce Fires of Saturn and Mars do carry the upper dominion in them But if the Gravity of Iupiter and Sweetness of Venus do interpose then all is made delightfully pleasant But as it is impossible for any Man to make good Harmony that has never learned Musick nor knows how to tune his Instrument because one String will be several Notes too high and others as many too flat or low from which can proceed no Melody but a rumbling jarring Noise of Discords So impossible it is that any Man should attain to the holy Harmony of God in the Kingdom of his Love and Light or to live in the power of Unity except he be born again and hath learned himself for the true knowledge of God in a Man's self is absolutely necessary for if a Man do not understand the Treasures and holy Virtues the Vices and Evils he always carries about him in his own Vessel how is he like to distinguish the Natures Properties and Operations of those things which he shall daily meet withal within him 20. This degeneration of the humane Nature is apparent from the Words of our Saviour Christ who saw into the very Roots of their Hearts and Spirits and yet made no scruple to call them Foxes Sons of Belial c. For such inwardly they were as appear'd by their Works But it had not been so from the beginning for if it had Man would not have been cloathed with such a compleat Angelical form and shape as he is for when the Creator moved himself by the production of all things each was cloathed with an external Body suitable to its Spirit and according to the degrees and nature of each Spirit such form it attained for each spiritual Substance had power to attract out of all things such corporeal Matter for a Covering or Body as had a Simile with its own Nature as appears most manifestly by the Shapes Forms Inclinations and Dispositions of each Creature And as the internal Property and Disposition of each Creature did vary so their outward Form and Shape did vary Thus where the fierce Wrath did predominate there sprung up wild Beasts and Birds of Prey but where the Qualities of Nature were more equally mixed there were formed more benign and friendly Creatures as Beasts and Birds humane tame and tractable called by the wise Men clean Beasts and Birds and where the Spirit was more noble and great so the Body and Form was accordingly And as Man was in the Spirit and primitive Properties and Qualities greater and more noble than any other of the Creatures visible so the Lord gave him a proportionable Body above all the rest of the lower Creation for we never read that any of the Holy Angels of the Lord appeared in any other than Humane Form But when God has at any time permitted evil Angels to assume Shapes and Forms they have always been hideous monstrous and frightful as Dragons Lions Cats Swine and the like which may demonstrate what Principle and Kingdom they belong unto and which would have been Man's Condition had he not fallen into the humane Nature which has not only been the chief Means to preserve Man's Angelical Form but to raise him to a Supernatural Dignity by the Lord Christ's assuming an humane Body and making all them Sons and Coheirs that believe in him and are incorporated with him For though Man through Sin and Transgression hath lost his Heavenly Angelical Understanding and Wisdom which yet shall be again restored to all those that obey the Counsel of the holy Seed and divine Light yet he did not bereave himself of his first Shape or Angelical Form because he fell into the Humane Nature where every Body has the Seed in it self to produce its like Species in all respects But as for the Spirits or Souls of most Men they have through the desire of Vanity Oppression Violence Killing both Men and Beasts wanton Superfluity Pride Vain-glory c. precipitated themselves into the divided Forms and harsh fierce Wrath of God and into Bestiality and the savage Nature so that they have lost the humane Property are grown hard-hearted cruel and sordid having no Compassion Fellow-feeling or Mercy and all that do live and die in this savage brutish state shall in the Resurrection when every Soul shall be re-invested with a new Body attract such Matter out of all things as their Spirits are capable of and have a Simile with and so appear in Forms hideous frightful and loathsome as their Natures require for such Seed as Men do sow such a Body may be expected for so the illuminate Apostle speaks of the Resurrection God giveth to every Seed it s own Body and therefore if Men sow hellish Seeds in their Lives no wonder if they be cloathed with suitable shapes in the next World But on the contrary those that in their earthly Pilgrimage have retained Humanity and introduced their Wills and Desires into the divine Principle of eternal Light and Love and been guided by the counsel thereof shall in that day arise in a more perfect beautiful and glorious humane Shape and Form of whom Christ Jesus was the first for after his Resurrection he appeared in the same Shape Form and Body as he had before his Death 21. Consider how unpleasing it would be to most People to behold the dead Carkasses of Beasts cut into pieces and mangled and all over bloody And how nauseous and frightful a thing it would be to think of putting those begored Gobbits into our Mouths and feeding our selves thereon did not continual Use and Custom make it familiar And how difficult a Task would it be for many People who do for the most part live under the power and operation of the tender compassionate Principle of God's Love to kill the Beasts for their own Food until a little Action of that kind and custom hardens them therein How quickly also will the dead Carkasses putrefie and stink defiling the Elements both Earth and Air How offensive are the Places where Flesh is killed and sold How rude cruel fierce and violent are most of those who are employed therein In a word there is nothing that is pleasant or friendly in the whole business nor any one Circumstance that is grateful to the innocent Principle in Man nay the Taste of most sorts of Flesh is strong fulsome and smells of the original Cruelty to all those that have for any time separated themselves from the eating thereof or having communication with it And indeed none are or can be sensible how it is nor be competent Judges of what is said here but only such as have made Trial. Is there any comparison to be made between an Herb-Market and a Flesh-Market In one there is a thousand pieces of the dead Carkasses of various Creatures lie stinking the Chanels running with Blood and all the Places full of Excrements Ordure Garbage Grease and Filthiness sending forth dismal poysonous Scents enough
simple-hearted as not to hurry kill and destroy those of our kind and others of the like nature then all Wars and Contention between those of his own kind would cease but so long as that terrible fierce wrathful Spirit predominates in Mankind there will be continual Wars Rumors of Wars Plots Conspiracies and horrid Murthers and Assassinations amongst themselves nor can we hope to escape their bloody hands but our Lives must be subject to all kind of Miseries and we must be contented to be led not only to the Shearer but also to the Slaughter-house in silence as well as Innocence and shall not lift up our Voice to repine or complain to them any more since they served that great and most holy Shepherd in the same manner even the Saviour of the World that was so far from Killing that he laid down his Life for his Sheep The Horses Complaint against their Masters Has not the Creator of all Beings endued us with great Spirits and strong Bodies excellent Shapes and delicate Forms not only pleasant to behold but of great use to Mankind bringing to them by our Labours a thousand daily Benefits By our Strength we tear and plow up the stubborn Earth and harrow her obdurate Clods We carry them through Dirt and Mire swim with them through the Waters and bear them over dangerous places and often hazard our Lives with willingness to save theirs We with great Toil and Labour draw their Luggage in Carts and Wains and their fat lazy Paunches in Chariots and Coaches In Cases of Expedition they ride us Post and by our help remove themselves above an hundred Miles in a very few Hours All this we do and are contented to do but what is reasonable and agreeable to our Natures will not satisfie the unreasonable Desires and Lusts of our Masters but through many Abuses and cruel Strains and immoderate Labours which they force us to even beyond the power and strength of our Nature they have so wounded our Spirits and destroyed our Natural Heat that although our Creator hath endued us with great Spirits and Bodies strong and healthful beyond most of our Fellow-Creatures yet we are now become liable to as many Diseases almost as our intemperate Masters are themselves To enumerate all the Grievances we suffer would be endless Some of our Tyrants will gallop us many Miles till we are all over in a Foam and Sweat and then tie us at an Ale-house-door in the cold Dirt whilst they are Carouzing and Huzzaing like mad Devils with their roaring Companions and never regard us who in the mean time become founder'd or catch the Fashions or some other Disease that perhaps hangs upon us as long as we live and when at Midnight they have finish'd their Revels up they get again on our Backs and switch and spur through Thick and Thin over Hedge and Ditch ready to break both our Necks and their own at every step as if the Devil drove them Others lead us with excessive Burthens and if we go not as fast as they would have us then they plow our Sides with their armed Heels and beat us without any Reason or Humanity Nay some of our Drivers are so possessed with a devilish violent Spirit that for getting the value of Six Pence they will whip and beat us like Furies and make us draw or carry such excessive Burthens that we strain our Eyes out of our Heads and break our very Backs and if we complain as oft-times we do by our unwillingness to go then they will not only belabour us with their Whips and their Cudgels but curse us with a thousand horrid Execrations and many devilish Wishes which sometimes do awaken the very Wrath of Nature in us and makes us sullen cross and stubborn and then they abuse us yet more Others make use of us to hunt our Fellow Creatures and riding us excessively destroy many of us in that Sport as they wickedly call it There are another sort of things called Idle Men or Gentlemen but nothing gentle do we find from them who finding some of us endued by God with great Celerity and Swiftness of Foot they put us upon Running of Races one with another for to gratifie their foolish Vanity Pride and Covetousness Likewise when Ambition Malice Revenge or some other wrathful Passions set Princes and Nations at variance or when Insurrections and Rebellions are raised and Wars are waged though we have neither hand in the Quarrel nor are like to get any share of Honour or Spoil by the Victory yet we are forced to do a great part of the Service and with the hazard of our Lives rush into the Battel and by being used to the Martial Sounds of Trumpets Drums and Guns we become as mad and outrageous as our Riders and seem to take delight in those Violences and Confusions and yet after all our Services sometimes our Riders in hard Sieges will kill and eat us And many times when we grow old we are knock'd on the Head and made Dogs-meat our Days shortned without any Consideration of our past Merits and our murther'd Carcases given to feed a Company of ravenous Hounds Is it not hard that we should be thus dealt with and be made to undergo such terrible Slavery as sometimes when former unreasonable Labours have drawn out our Eyes yet even then no Rest no Compassion is extended to us but blind as we are we are put into the Mill and there forced to drudge out the Remainder of our Life in a Circle of Misery Have we not just Reason to complain of such cruel Usage seeing we are the Delight and Pleasure of most Men and the Companions of Princes And if we that are their Favourites endure such Hardships from them what can other Creatures expect Nay for all they pretend to admire and love us yet they treat us worse than other Creatures The Sheep and the Cows live at ease and Sheepherds are much more compassionate tender-spirited People than those that have the Government of us for when their Lords are pleased to prepare them for the Slaughter they put them into a goodly Pasture where they have Rest and Plenty and when they are grown fat though they kill them yet they afford them an honourable Burial interring their Carcases in their own Paunches and mixing their dead Flesh with good Liquor and the precious Juice of the Grape and fragrant Spices But when we have spent all our youthful Days in over-hard Labour and continual Travel and suffered so many Inconveniences from Man and for his sake contracted many Diseases then to make us amends when we are almost ready to starve without ever cherishing us up they knock us on the Head an fling our Corps to the worst of Dogs viz. filthy ravenous bawling Hounds This is our Reward amongst the Sons of Men. But let Man know this for a certain Truth That the Groaning of that Creature that suffereth Wrong is the beginning of Pain and
he knows that Hay so dried and made would starve his Cattel and that that proves the best Hay which is made when the Sun shines clear and in a fresh gale of Wind For'tis the pure thin Spirituous Vapours of the Air that penetrate all Bodies and keep the Spirits of each thing living in all Preparations A Man would think it almost impossible for those that make it their whole business to prepare Medicines to be so sottishly Ignorant of the Nature of things and the Knowledg of themselves What a clutter do they keep with their vast Volumes of Pharmacy and musty old Rules And yet when all is done one may modestly avow that an ordinary Husband-man has abundantly more understanding in the proper and natural way of preparing the Food for his Cattel than these Worshipful Rabbies have either in the Preparations of their own or Patients Food or Physick and the Common People seeing what these Men of reputed Learning do follow them like Apes never questioning whether it be good or bad so verifying the Proverb where The Blind leads the Blind c. Tell me I pray what Virtue or true Life hath Carduus Wormwood Centaury Winter-Cherries and many other sorts of Physical Herbs when dried in the Saturnine Shades and then exposed to the dull thick Airs of Shops Cellars Garrets and Herb-womens Stalls and other close sulpherous Places more fit for the Generation of Vermin and Insects than any thing else 'T is confessed a Man may use some of the before-mentioned Martial Herbs as coursly as he will nevertheless they will retain the strong fulsom bitter Taste and Qualities of Mars and Saturn because it is the Original and very Center of their Life and therefore cannot be destroyed except such Herbs be annihilated but the pure Essential Virtues and Balsamick Body are wholly destroyed Therefore Medicines made of any Herbs prepared as most Physitians and Apothecaries do are loathsome to Nature and the Stomach and they have no power to assist Nature or cure those Diseases which the wise Anclents have appropriated them unto Now if Physicians and Apothecaries do not understand these things that are so plain and evident to every Shepherd and Husband-man they may well be suspected in their Compositions for if the first Preparation be wrong and the true and living Virtues destroyed let the wisest of them all use what Art they will they can never obtain the lost Virtue nor make a good Medicine thereof indeed such Herbs and Things may serve their turn to make up their confused Compositions which do consist of as many Ingredients as there are Weeks in the Year most of which are of as disagreeing Natures as Light to Darkness or Summer to Winter for this cause most of their Medicines prove ineffectual for the Physical Virtues of most of the Simples are destroyed for want of Care and Understanding either whilst they remain intire or else by such an undue Composition where things of quite different Natures confound each other For if two things of contrary Natures he added together they make a degree of Variation and produce a Juice or Virtue of a third Nature but then if you add a third Ingredient whose predominant Quality is contrary both to the first and second then such a Composition or Medicine does make three degrees of variation and produceth a Juice or Vertue of a contrary Nature and Operation to both the first and second Ingredients which I have particularly demonstrated from the Arts of Dying and Painting in the Chapter Of mixtures of Food so that when ten or twenty several things are added together they make such a Confusion and as it were strife in Nature that such Physick or Food has not the true Nature nor Operation of any one of them and being unnatural the Stomach and whole Nature of Man doth loath them for in such Mixtures things not Homogenial or agreeable to each other being jumbled together there thence ariseth an inward and secret strife for Mastery and so that Quality becomes strong which before their incorporating was weak and so contra making that Property appear which lay hid and hides that which before was most manifest so great is the power of the Sympathy and Antipathy of things For this Cause the Ancients did forbid those Varieties of Mixtures both in Food and Physick for they saw from an inward eye of understanding the great danger of compounded Dishes or Medicines and that the common use of them did generate compounded Diseases which no Medicine hath Power or any Physician Skill to Cure Therefore the generality of Men in former Ages and also those in this who live on simple Meats and Drinks and observe the Rules of Sobriety are free from those torturing Diseases that the Superfluous and Intemperate are subject unto such as use due Labour and Exercises and live on Bread Butter and ordinary Cheese Milk-Pottage Gruels and the like and drink small Beer and observe the Rules of Chastity and lie on hard Beds few of this sort of People are troubled with the Gout Dropsy Stone Palsy Consumption windy Diseases or the like nothing being a greater Evil to Nature than those improper and unnatural Mixtures both of Food and Physick the first being the very Radix of Diseases and the second does increase and prolong them Physicians may pretend and boast as much as they will of the Excellency of their Dispensatory-Ware 't is certain that such Diseases as are generated by degrees by the frequent use and eating of compounded Foods which generally consist of disagreeing Ingredients as aforesaid and made meerly to prolong the pleasure of the Throat are not to be routed by all their Regiments of Compounded Recompounded Decompounded and Surrecompounded Medicines as daily Experience shews Therefore let no Man have Faith or repose Confidence in such adulterated confused Nauseities but fear the Lord and learn to know the Power of Temperance before it be too late for when once Diseases have invaded the Body and wasted the Spirits then 't is a difficult matter to root out such Disorders either by Temperance or Medicine but still the first has the greater Power to give Relief there being far greater Danger in rich compounded Foods and Cordial Drinks and compounded Potions of Physick than most imagine or can be sensible of except they separate and enter into Self-denial and observe both Quality and Quantity of Meats and Drinks and then their Eyes will be opened and see the Errors of those things which formerly they practiced It is not for nothing that Mankind is so miserably afflicted with such a number of Torturing Diseases nor is it through any Natural Defect as some vainly suppose for Mankind in his Radix is the most compleat soundest and healthiest of all Creatures endued with the greatest and strongest natural Spirits and had he not depraved himself by Disorders and Superfluities would have exceeded all other Animals as to health Do we ever read of any of the Prophets or
Chymical Liquors are at the end of Nature and therefore they will not admit of another Motion Hence it follows that all sorts of Spirits as of Scurvey-Grass of Salt and many others of like Nature that are prepared by Fire whereby the Radical Moisture or sweet Balsamick Quality the Volatile Spirit and Vegitative Vertue or middle Quality are alâ— destroyed have no such physical Virtues 〈◊〉 their Authors appropriate unto them And we do affirm that such as have the Disease called the Scurvey in their Blood shall be as soon and as well cured by taking every morning so many Drops of strong Spirit of Wine as they shall by taking this sort of Spirit of Scurvey-Grass and so of the Spirit of Salt and others For the harsh sulpherous Fires in Stills where the friendly Element of Air is hindred from having its Influence does totally destroy the pure Virtues and opening cleansing Qualities and there does run off only a fierce keen harsh fiery astringent bitter furious Spirit which is very pernicious to Nature and to all the friendly Virtues in the Body nor was it ever known that any such Spirits have given help or cured any of those Diseases which the Lying Authors do so much boast of You may try whether this be true if you take any opening cleansing or purging Herbs Seeds or the like and put them into any kind of Liquor viz. Water Beer Ale Wine or Brandy the last of which those great Physicians and Masters of Art do use to draw their Spirits of Scurvey-grass in when you have put your Ingredients into your Liquor let them lie in it two or three days more or less as you please then put the Herbs and Seeds with the Liquor into your Still or Limbeck and draw it off and you shall only have an harsh strong fiery tart Spirit void of all the Purging Opening and Cleansing Qualities such Herbs or Seeds were naturally endued withal The very same or other as great Evils are in many other of the Physicians and Apothecaries Preparations which ought to be considered and their blind Traditionary senseless Ways and Methods to be abandoned as destructive to the Health and Well-being of Nature It is further to be noted that none ought to apply themselves to the â—â—actice of Physick but such only as the Lord hath in their Radixes endued with proper Gifts and natural Parts for 't is not sufficient for them to read other mens Works and vapour with their Receipts like the proud Iack-daw in the Fable with the fine Feathers stolen from other Birds but they ought to know the true Principles Nature and Operation of every Herb Plant Animal or Mineral that they make use of and for what it is good and the contrary in themselves and also what Simples are proper to be Compounded and what not For he that has no true Knowledge in himself of the Nature of things but follows Tradition blind-fold and trusts to other peoples Say-so's must needs make strange work and instead of Curing often-times Kill and when he does Cure 't is by meer chance Whereas Physicians ought not to administer any Medicine without true Knowledge both of his Patients Disease and what he gives to remove it all things especially where mens Lives are concerned ought to be done with sight and judgment and not without Faith and Prayer to God the Creator of all things who is the inward Virtue Power and Life of every thing For Faith and Prayer do Wonders opening the inward Virtue and Centre of every mean and simple Medicine or thing even Clay and Spittle with it shall cure the Blind this all Physicians ought to be inwardly sensible of and not put so much trust in their Authors for many of them have been very vain and extravagant in their Writings telling us that such and such Herbs and other things were indued with such wonderful Virtues and would cure such Diseases when in truth there were no such things and also invented many improper Compositions even any thing they fancied and most of their Sayings are meer Stories and as contrary to Truth as Light to Darkness Now on such a tottering Foundation what Structure of safety can be expected to be built Our Modern Physicians are much like our Lawyers if a man is like to lose part of his Estate and will vindicate his Cause by Law 't is twenty to one but he spends the other partto secure that and after abundance of charge and trouble loseth the whole Just so if a man through Disorder and Intemperance hath in part destroyed his Health he may be sure to destroy the other part also if he keep close and follow the Physicians Prescriptions and take good store of their adulterated Medicines We must also note that every Patient ought to turn the Eyes of his Mind inward and wait at the Altar of the Lord for an answer and not to do or take any Medicines without some Assurance or Faith in the Lord of his Blessing nor ought any to think himself too mean or simple because he is unlearned for do but read the Scriptures and you may be satisfied that the Lord in all Ages has plentifully given his Gifts and Graces both Divine and Natural to the Simple and Unlearned And as to the Learning of this World did not our Lord Christ himself give his Father the Author of all Beings thanks That he had hid the Mysteries of Salvation both of Soul and Body from the Wise and Letter-learned of this World and revealed them unto Babes poor mean and unlearned People Peter the Fisher-man Paul the Tent-maker c. For indeed the Rich and Learned have shut and double-bar'd the Windows of their Souls against the simple Light of Truth they have cloathed themselves with Vanity and Self-hood being contented with Tradition and a Worldly puffing-up Knowledge which serves them to swagger with but not to do any good with either to themselves or others so that there is no room for the operation of the friendly Love and Light of God they are so full of swelling proud Spirits and noise and boasting Hence it comes to pass that these Admirers of Tradition and Pocket-Learning and the ways of the Multitude are always apt to despise the Simplicity of the Divine Power and Voice of Wisdom not only in themselves but all others and therefore the Lord chuseth to unfold his holy and natural Mysteries unto the Poor and Needy and such who are not wise in their own Eyes and whose Eye-lids are not lifted up For nothing obstructs the Work of the Lord and the Revelations of his Holy Spirit in men more than Inward-Riches Self-conceitedness and the Babylonical-Learning of the Schools of this World which like a too Luxuriant and not well Cultivated Soil produce such abundance of Rank-weeds as overtop and choak the good Seed that it cannot attain to any maturity in the Government of a mans Life the same is to be understood of all outward Fulness and Intemperances
Therefore let none think themselves unworthy because they have not the Learning of Babel or because they are simple for such as are unlearned and empty if they come to the Lord in Humility and Faith he will abundantly teach them and plentifully fill them with all good things The most natural and proper way of making of Cordials with any kind of Herbs Seeds Flowers Spices and Drugs either simple or compound Take any sort of Herbs Seeds Flowers Spices or Drugs either simple or compound but the first is to be preferred before the latter the Drugs and Seeds are to be bruised or cut what Quantity you think convenient infuse them in Ale Beer Cyder Wine or Spirit of Wine but remember that they do not continue above one hour in your Liquor but if the Quantity of Seeds Herbs Drugs or Flowers be great and but little Liquor then half an hour will be a sufficient time for you to continue your Infusion the same is to be understood if your Herbs or ingredients be of a strong bitter Quality as Wormwood Featherfew Tansie and the like your Vessel ought to be close stopt all the time of your Infusion then strain out your Liquor putting it into Bottles and when 't is setled sweeten it to what degree you think fit with Refined-Sugar which is to be preferred before any kind of Syrups for they are broken flat Bodies like any sort of Food that is prepared twice and therefore when mixed with any kind of Liquor or Drink they give it a sickish fainty Taste being dull heavy and unpleasing to the Stomach Which of you that prefer the use of Syrups so much if you were to have your Drink sweetned when you are in health would chuse Syrups to do it with I believe scarce one man of an hundred but rather White-Sugar with which when you have sweetened your Infusion or Liquor prepared as aforesaid you have a Cordial far more friendly to Nature and more impregnated with the real and natural Virtues of the Herbs Seeds Drugs c. which you have made choice of to use than any that is or can be drawn by Distillation for the Reasons beforementioned But if you let your Ingredients lie soaking two three four five Days or a Week more or less as is usual for most people to do then the pure Volatile balsamick Virtues and Tinctures will become either suffocated or evaporated for all sorts of Menstrums or Liquors do first extract or receive the pure subtle spirituous Qualities especially of all such Herbs Seeds Grains or Flowers as have already passed through any kind of Digestion or Fermentation as all dry Herbs have that are prepared according to our Rules and also all green Herbs that are Spicy and Aromatick do the same therefore if continued too long in such Liquors the pure Virtues and sweet spirituous parts become suffocated by degrees and then presently appears the strong gross bitter sower and astringent Qualities which poysonous Properties do prey upon and devour the sweet Body and pure Spirits for which cause all such Infusions or Cordials have a strong fulsome smell and taste and equally unpleasant to the Nose the Pallate and the Stomach Many Examples I could instance to demonstrate this but I shall only name one which is very plain familiar and material viz. in Brewing Alc and Beer First you make your Liquor boiling hot then put the Mault to it and stir it letting it stand together one hour or thereabouts and then you let that Liquor run off and so have a brave friendly Sweet Wort. But should you have done as most Physicians Apothecaries and others do viz. have let your Mault and Liquor stood infusing five or six Hours a Day a Week or the like I appeal to your selves if your Wort would not have turned sower sharp keen and of no use or virtue except for Stilling whereby 't is evident that all Infusions that are continued beyond their proper time do lose all their good Virtues more especially if they be such things as have already passed through any kind of Fermentation or Digestion the gross Bodies of all such things being in a Degree opened whereby the Balsamick Virtues become as it were volatile which before lay hid or captivated in the Body of Phlegm as is most manifest in all Grass or Herbage Take an handful of Grass and smell to it does it not send forth a gross fulsome earthy smell and scent but if you expose the same Grass two or three Days to the Sun and open Air which will exhale and destroy the fulsome phlegmy parts and more earthy substance opening the Body and then the Spirituous parts become so volatile that it will perfume the whole Field And if this Preparation be not discontinued the same Sun and Elements will exhale and destroy the good Virtues also and for this cause I told you that dryed Herbs Seeds and Grains are to be preferred before Green except some Spicy Herbs whose pure Virtues stand a degree more external than others and such are best to be used Green But others when infused green impart their gross phlegmy Substance to the Liquor Dryed Herbs Seeds Grains and the like when committed to any proper Liquor do more freely give forth their good Virtues than the Green for the Spirituous Qualities and sweet Body is more ready to infuse it self than other the astringent bitter or sower Qualities but they follow close at the heels of the good Virtues and if the Infusion or Preparation be not rightly timed then these fierce original strong Qualities will suffocate the Supple spirits and in a moment the sweet Body turns sower eager and astringent and the use of all such things proves very destructive to the Health of the Body and are very unpleasant to the Pallate and Stofor as there is a most pleasant sweet friendly Power and Virtue in all Herbs Seeds and Grains so on the contrary there is a strong gross poysonous fulsom Quality there being nothing so good but it hath an evil in it nor any thing so evil but there is an essential good in it therefore there is required Wisdom and Understanding in all Preparations whether for Food or Physick The Proper Natural way of making Physical Decoctions Posset-Drink c. with Herbs and Seeds so as they may not lose their Virtues The most essential way to make Decoctions of either Herbs or Seeds is after this manner First Take what Quantity of good River-water you shall think fit making it boyling hot or you may boyl it a little but the former is best viz. to make it as hot as good House-wives and Brewers make their Liquor into which they put their Mault for the much boyling of Water does not only evaporate the spirituous Qualities thereof but it fixeth it so that it hath not that power to draw or extract the Virtue and good Properties of such Ingredients as shall be added for which cause few Brewers will suffer their Liquor to boyl or
their Mault to be put in too hot when your Water is thus hot then take it off the Fire and put what Herbs Seeds or other Ingredients you please and let them lie in it about an hour and then strain your Liquor from the Herbs c. and let it stand until it be throughly cold then add to it either Ale Beer White or Rhenish-wine or any other Wine you shall think most convenient for your particular use so as to make it either strong or weak as you please and then sweeten it with good Sugar but if you would sweeten it with Spanish Fruits then you are to add the Fruit bruised at the same time as you put the Herbs into the Liquor and let them infuse together and it will do very well and when it is strained and cold add your Wine as aforesaid and put it into Bottles for your use and it will keep 2 3 4 5 6 7 or 8 weeks or more as you make it in strength and drink very pleasant and delightful being endued with all the good Virtues of the Ingredients Physical Decoctions made after this manner will be as welcome to the Pallates and Stomachs of the Sick as good Wine Beer or Ale for there will be no sick fainty gross strong taste nor smell in them as there always is in those made after the common way for all sorts of Beer Ale and Wines have already passed through Fermentation and Digestions which have opened the gross Body of Phlegm whereby the spirituous parts are set at liberty or become Volatile and External so that such Liquors or fermented Drinks will not admit of any other or further Preparation especially by Fire for so soon as they approach it the said Volatile Spirits become either evaporated or suffocated and then presently the sweet Balsamick Body dieth and turneth of an evil sower heavy taste and smell and of a dead heavy Nature and Operation having in it neither true Virtue nor Power therefore the Learned have no reason to oppose me in this Particular for let us both appeal to Experience Take you the best Beer Ale or Wine and warm or boyl it and let it stand till 't is cold and then tell me what 't is good for Verily for as much as Salt is when it hath lost its Savour Nay will not the very standing of such fermental Liquors open to the Air cause the spirituous parts to evaporate and the sweet Body to die and become sower and eager It is therefore no Paradox but a Natural Truth that the boyling of Herbs Seeds c. in Beer Ale or Wine does totally destroy both their Natural and Physical Vertues and such Decoctions are a meer loathing to Nature a Death instead of Life In making of Posset-drink you are to observe when your Milk boyls to turn it with Ale Beer or Wine then strain it and set it again upon the Fire and make it boyling hot but let it not boyl then take it off and add what Herbs Seeds or Flowers you please but if Seeds they must be bruised and let them infuse half a quarter of an hour or thereabouts and then strain it and your Posset-drink will taste and smell and retain the pure essential Virtues and lively Tinctures which the Herbs Seeds or other Ingredients were endued with and be an hundred times more pleasant to the Pallate and agreeable to the Stomach and also much more beneficial against the Disease such Ingredients are appropriated unto than those commonly made wherein the Ingredients are boyled Try and then judge It is to be noted That all sorts of Cordials that are compounded with various sorts of Distilled-waters and Syrups or with Strong-Water as that they call Epidemick-water are an abomination to Nature even in perfect Health when the Pallate and Stomach are strong sharp and powerful and what are they then to weak sick People and Languishing Natures For first the Natural Physical Vertues are destroyed by ill management and unnatural Preparation of each Ingredient before they are mixt And secondly the jumbling together such various things most of which are of contrary and disagreeing Natures is sufficient to destroy the good Virtues of the best of things and therefore 't is certain such Medicines and Cordials have not power to help or cure the least of Distempers not but many thousands after taking great quantities of their Slops may recover and then many people slander the Doctor with a Cure and ascribe to his Medicines mighty Virtues whereof indeed neither the one nor the other was ever guilty They have just cause rather to acknowledge the divine hand of God and his Hand-maid Nature and thereunto attribute the Recovery of their Health and not to those sick fainty Medicaments which generally do abundance more hurt than good Likewise their Epidemick-water is in its own Nature of a fierce hot Quality and Operation and tho it be made of the best of Wine viz. Sack yet the Limbeck does totally destroy its pure volatile spirits and balsamick virtues and also the Opening Cleansing Quality of all the Herbs or Drugs that are distilled with such Liquors or Wine so that there does remain or run off only a strong sulpherous brandish Spirit that has no other Operation than Common-Brandy or Spirit of Wine 'T is true they do allay this hot fiery Nature and Quality by adding to it Sugar or the like which renders it more tolerable to the Pallate and Stomach but the Operation is the very same as Brandy sweetned or any other Spirits If a strong healthy person should be confined to the Cordials Iulips daubing Electuaries and great number of sick Potions boyled Drinks and variety of sweet Slops and nothing more hurts and obstructs the Stomach than sweet things to the close Rooms lusty Fires drawn Curtains and other torturing Circumstances wherewith Doctors and Nurses torment those whose Nature is already wounded and languishing it would no doubt in a very short time destroy the Health of the strongest of men Therefore I would have every Intelligible Person consider the same and the Reasons of things and not be led away by Ignorant Sots who are meer Pretenders and not Physicians for Physicians ought 1st to be born with a Natural Genius and suitable Gifts rendring them capable of understanding natural things 2ly They ought to apply themselves to the Knowledge of God Nature and Themselves 3ly They ought to apply themselves to the Oracle of God in themselves to be taught by the Voice of Wisdom which crys in the Gates of every mans City For he that has not Eyes of his own and Understanding of his own tho he be the greatest of Scholars in outward Learning can never distinguish between Good and Evil but is always uncertain and all his Administrations as vain and presumptuous as a blind mans Judgment is of Colours 4ly They ought to have the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom always before their Eyes and not make Money and
but the Inventions of proud Man are generally obscure scarce intricate and difficult That which I advise is only this As soon as you have cut or prickt your self or perceive any of the before-mentioned Accidents to trouble you and that your Flesh is envenomed suck it with your Mouth and spurt out what you draw from it and continue so to suck ever now and then the more constantly you do it the sooner the Cure will be effected But if the Hurt be great or dangerous then for the more speedy and certain Cure you ought to put Milk or Milk and Sugar in your Mouth and so suck the part afflicted and then spurt it out and repeat it several times and then let it rest a while and afterwards do the same again and if your Wound be great or the Flesh raw or some Flesh cut off then when you have done sucking of it one time in the interim till you come to suck it again lay a Poultice of Bread and Milk on the place and next time you have suckt it lay fresh on again This is a certain Cure if you continue it and it will perform the work in a shorter time than any Plaisters Oyntments or any such things But sometimes the Venoms of such Sores are so great that it will require a proportionate time and in such cases it will be requisite to suck it the oftner and you need not despair of healing it to admiration The same is to be understood of Wens and Moles For the Attractive Faculty of the Mouth and Stomach is so strong that it does by a secret power and virtue draw away the inward poyson that is kindled or awakened by such Accidents and prevents the Flux of Humors for when any part of the Body is hurt or wounded the Violence does certainly stir up or awaken the Mercurial Poysons of that part which do not only cause the Flesh to burn and heat but those Original Poysons do so violently attract matter unto themselves that the Wound or Hurt will quickly swell or putrifie for the Attractive Faculty of Nature stands in and hath its power from the Poysons of Saturn and Mercury Now these Venomous Spirits that are so violently awakened by the Wound the constant sucking with the Mouth does in a secret and most hidden but real and certain way draw forth from the part afflicted which does not only cool it but hinders and totally prevents the flowing of the Humors from the adjoyning part also dislodges the poysonous matter from that very part so that by this way of Sucking the Member or part where the Wound happens is rather made less than bigger for that which causeth any Wound to swell and putrifie is a certain Spirituous Poyson which this attractive Faculty of the Mouth does draw forth and spits it away so that then the Flesh will not heat swell nor putrifie For the same Reasons Dogs and some other Creatures do certainly cure any Wound they receive or other Accident of like Nature by their continual Licking of their Hurts for when those hot Venoms are removed Nature needs no other Remedy but can help her self by her innate power Therefore in managing of the Cure of all Hurts or Wounds the Artist's chief work should be to allay or draw forth those original Poysonous hot Sulpherous Spirits that are so violent in their Operation that they cause that part to burn swell and rage with great extremity of Pain For when in any part of the Body the pure essential Spirits and Balsamick Virtues are wounded or hurt by any kind of Violence presently the Original or fierce Brimstony Spirits are awakened and then they appear in their own Form which so long as the pure Spirits and Balsamick Oyl remained entire were hid or rather moderated and burned gently and friendly and gave life and motion to Nature but as soon as the pure Oyl and Spirits are wounded the aforesaid latent fierce Spirits break forth and shew themselves and become of a furious Nature and Operation The very same is to be understood in the Vegetable Kingdom if you destroy the pure Spirits and sweet Oyl or Balsamick Virtues in any thing then the original Forms of Saturn and Mars appear as is manifest in Charcoal and Brandy For all things both Vegetables Animals and Minerals have but one only ground and foundation and he that understands one by the same Spirit may see into the Grounds and Reasons of them all Nay the chief Cause and Foundation of all Diseases and Distempers in the Body is from the same Ground for when by Accidents or Intemperance the pure Natural Spirits and sweet Oyl in the Body suffers Violence be it in what part of the Body it will then presently the Poysons in that part are stirred up and then there is pain felt there and thence follow those terrible Feavers and Diseases that destroy Life in a moment The Mouth and Attractive Faculty of the Stomach does not only draw forth of the Wound Bruise or Sore green or old the poysonful Spirits which cause Pain and Swelling but by a secret Balsamick Virtue heal such Hurts But where the Hurt is full of Matter and subject to putrifie then it will be convenient to put the Juice of Limes Lemmons or some such keen sharp Juice into your Mouth and so suck your Wound and spurt it out and then take more into your Mouth several times for several days together and not be weary in a day as some are for Nature cannot destroy those kindled Poysons in an instant but it will certainly do it in a shorter time than either Salves Plaisters or Oyntments viz. in two three or four Days most ordinary Hurts will be cured if you apply your Mouth to the sucking of it often both in the Night and the Day And therefore I commend this way of Cure especially to the Country-people who often fall into such ill Accidents as Cuts Pricks Thorns Splinters Bruises and the like which often cost them dear viz. the loss of an Hand or a Leg Nay many times in small Hurts in the Flesh having no Understanding to help themselves but relying upon other Unskilful People many have not only lost their Limbs but their Lives But such as shall use the Means before-mentioned shall by God's Blessing prevent all such Dangers If the Wound or Hurt happen in a place where you cannot come at it with your own Mouth you may get some Body else to do it Also it is convenient that all Wounds Prieks or Cuts when first made should be made to bleed as much as may be without prejudice to the Body for in the Blood the fiery wrathful poysonous Spirits pass away and then the Cure is effected much the soonner But such as do not bleed nor can be made bleed are more dangerous and not soon or easily healed Besides it is to be understood when the Wound bleeds freely there is not any suffocation of the pure Volatile Spirits or at least
of Stars and the various Species in the four Worlds or what doth more ravishingly declare the Greatness Goodness and eternal Wisdom of the immense Creator This is a Book we study in which the grand Charter of Nature and the Holy Mysteries of God are recorded and we think we do not err in preferring it before the endless and contentious thwarting Volumes of the Talkative Philosophers and Wrangling Schoolmen French-man I have been told and you seem to own it That you will not Kill any of the inferior Creatures nor eat their Flesh but I pray hath not Man power to do as he pleaseth with those Creatures and were not they made for that very purpose Heathen God hath made all Creatures inferior to Man who hath freedom to use and do unto them all as he pleaseth having free will to chuse either Good or Evil but he that follows the better and leaveth the worse chuseth the better part and is made God's Friend and in Amity with all the Creation for man is a likeness of all things and contains their true Natures and Properties and therefore whatever he giveth himself unto the same becomes strong in him be it Virtue or Vice For which cause our well-advised Fathers commanded us our Wives and Children to abstain from all kinds of Violence and Oppression especially to those of our own Species that thereby our Souls might be preserved from being precipitated into wrath and so retain Humanity and the more noble Faculties of our Souls unspotted as well as our Bodies rendred wholsome clean and fit to be Temples for the Divine Spirit esteeming Abstinence Cleanness and Separation to be the true paths that lead to all external and eternal bliss it being in our opinion an unfit and altogether unworthy thing that the great noble and immortal Soul of man should so much degenerate from its high and illustrious Birth as to joyn or suffer it self to be incorporated with the low and savage Nature of Beasts Nor do we think it lawful for us to heat our Veins and distemper our blood with Wine since Water more kindly quencheth our Thirst the innocent and fragrant Herbs and Fruits of our Gardens afford us ample satisfaction and we should be ashamed to make our Bodies the Graves of the Inferiour Creatures And tho our Princes are sometimes harsh and severe to us yet we pacifie them with meek submissive and humble Behaviour And since as little as possibly we can we hurt not any thing therefore nothing hurts us but we live in perfect Unity and Amity with all the numberless Inhabitants of the four Worlds doing by them as we would be done unto whereby we dis-arm their Rage and their Fury finds no place against us French-man But pray tell me how long you have led this kind of Life and whether your Sons and Daughters do follow your Religion and Example for amongst the Europeans nothing is more common than for Youth to degenerate and wander after the Multitude and abandon their Fathers Rules especially if they should be but half so singular as you are Heathen As for the Antiquity of our Course of Life I think for the greater part I may date it from the World 's Original Your own Doctors teach that Adam the first Man was placed in a Garden and that the green Herb. and Tree bearing Fruit was to be to him for Meat and do generally agree that afterwards at least during the Old World viz. to the time of the Flood which was in the Year of the World 1656. eating of Flesh was not allowed or practised and though afterwards it was practised yet 't is probable it did not obtain with all But there is reason to believe that still the better and more reserved sort did abstain For about the Year of the World 3300. near the time that your holy Records mention Ierusalem to be besieged by Nebuchadnezzar we find the famous Philosopher Pythagoras flourishing who expresly taught his Followers which by reason of his Parts and Virtues were not a few not to eat any Flesh but content themselves altogether with Vegetables and this great Man travelling for the acquest and diffusion of Knowledge into divers parts left not our India unvisited and there planted this wholsome Doctrine which ever since hath not wanted Observers derived down by a continual Succession to our Times 'T is true our Ancestors have obliged us to some things which may seem frivolous and vain as not to kill any kind of Vermin which are very offensive to the Life of Man But indeed these Prohibitions well regarded shew their more deep Wisdom and Fore-sight for they did consider that their Philosophy would not only be embraced by Wise Men but also by a great number of Fools as the most part of all Men are in one thing or other and if they should have permitted them to have killed any kind of Creatures the Foolish would have concluded they might by the same Rule as well kill others and so by degrees come to kill men as most other Nations do Besides not only our cleanly regular temperate Lives free us from many of those Vermin wherewith others are troubled but we take it for a Rule that such as would live an abstemious separated Life from Evil and Violence must refrain from some things that are lawful as well as from those that are unlawful as one of your Prophets says excellently All things are lawful but not expedient Touching our Sons and Daughters they all constantly follow our Foot-steps and it hath very rarely been known that any of them have forsaken the Percepts of their Fathers being descended from a Root of Temperance and Equality they are naturally Sober and Temperate for they use not Tippling-Houses nor spend their Patrimony in drinking Wine Gaming Debauchery and Gluttony so that the more Children we have the Richer we esteem our selves they proving no more chargeable to us than Lambs do to Sheep They all marry Wives of our own Tribe and Religion and there is no Dispute about either Portion or Joynture Their greatest Pleasure and chief Recreation is to contemplate the Heavens and their glorious Furniture the Sun Moon and Stars in their Various Motions and Configurations as also the pleasant Gardens Groves and Fountains and to free the Inhabitants thereof from the Tyranny and Bondage of men as much as in them lies And so through the whole course of our Lives abstaining from all that tendeth to Evil and promoting what we can the good of the whole Creation we endeavour to imitate the adorable Maker and Conserver of the Universe whose Off-spring we are and in whom we live and move and have our Beeing French-man You have not only gratified my Curiosity but in several things informed my Understanding And I heartily wish that your Virtue and Morality were crowned with true Christianity and our Christianity embellish'd with the real practice of your Virtue Temperance and Moderation And so bid you Farewell To shew that the recommending Abstinence from Flesh is no new Upstart Conceit I shall here add those notable Verses of the ingenious Poet Ovid written above 1600 Years ago in his Metamorphosis as I find them translated by Sandys where he brings in the famous Philosopher Pythagoras from whom the Indian Bannians derive their Doctrine thus discoursing FOrbear your selves O Mortals to Pollute With wicked Food Corn is the generous Fruit. Apples oppress their Boughs plump Grapes the Vine Thousand sweet Herbs and savoury Roots combine With beauteous Flowers of most fragrant scent Your nice and liquorish Pallates to content The prodigal Earth abounds with gentle Food Affording Conquest without Death or Blood But Beasts with Flesh their ravenous Hunger cloy And yet not all Horses in Pastures joy So Flocks and Herds But those whom Nature hath Endu'd with Cruelty and savage Wrath Wolves Bears Armenian Tygers Lyons in Hot Blood delight How horrible a Sin That Intrails bleeding Intrails should Entomb That greedy Flesh with Flesh should fat become Whilst by the Livers Death the Living Lives Of all which Earth our bounteous Mother gives Can nothing please except thy Teeth in Blood And Wounds and Stygian Fury be imbrew'd Nought satiate the wild variety Of thy rude Paunch unless another dye That good Old Age that Innocent Estate Which we the Golden call was fortunate In Herbs and Fruits her Lips with Blood undy'd Then Fowls through th' Air their Wings in safety ply'd The Hare then fearless wandred o're the Plain Nor Fish by their Credulity were slain Nor taught was Man that fawning Treachery All liv'd secure till he that did Envy What Daemon e're it was those harmless Cates And cramb'd his Guts with Flesh set ope the Gates To cruel Crimes But first these slaughtering harms A fire of Zeal at Holy Altars warms Enjoyning Sacrifices with the Blood Of Savage Beasts which made our Lives their Food Thus the Wild Boar for rooting up the Corn And leaving painful Plough-mens hopes forlorn Was thought to merit Death Vine-brouzing Goats Do next to angry Bacchus yield their Throats What harm have poor Sheep done whose Udders swell And yield of Nectar a perpetual Well Supplying Man with their soft Wooll and are Alive than Dead more profitable far Or what the Ox a Creature without Guile Inur'd to Patience and continual Toil He most ungrateful is deserving ill The gift of Corn that can Unyoke then Kill The Husband-man that Neck with Ax to wound Is too severe that plow'd his stubborn Ground So oft till'd so many Crops brought in Yet not content therewith ascribes the Sin To guiltless Gods as if the Powers on high In Death of labouring Innocence could joy Whence springs so dire an Appetite in Man To interdicted Food O Mortals can Or dare you feed on Flesh Henceforth forbear I you intreat and to my words give ear When Limbs of slaughtered Beasts become your Meat Then think and know that you your Servants Eat FINIS Numb 11. 4 18 22.
or awakened above and beyond its proper degree if any quantity be drunk during the time of its operation but afterwards it leaves Nature with fewer Spirits than it found in her for all Meats and Drinks and whatsoever else goes into the Body that is unequal in its parts does too violently awaken or kindle the Central Heats and raise them from their several Centers and brings Nature into an unequal Operation consumes the Radical Moisture and as it were burns up the sweet Oyl and evaporates the pure Spirits for this cause after the operation of such unequal things most People are possest with an heavy Dulness and Indisposition Fumes and Vapours besieging the Crown the Senses stupified or disorder'd the Stomach and Appetite furr'd and dull'd By which effects all Men may be sensible that Nature does perfectly hate all Extreams and Inequality But on the contrary if Meats or Drinks be of a simple or middle Nature and there be in them no manifest Quality predominant then they gently insinuate their Vertues into all parts of the Body administring both dry and moist Nourishment and with silence and concord support the Body in Health The Vertue of Tobacco taken in Pipes is extracted from the Smoke thereof now Smoke is unusual to Nature and a fulsom Steem or Vapour full of dark Sulpherous Saturnal Excrements which the Fire and Light casts forth as an abomination being void of all real Vertue it contains a gross Humidity and a fierce keen Quality very pernicious to the pure Spirits For Smoke proceeds from the poysonous Juices and Liquor which the Fire and Air separates and casts forth it being a thing that all People endeavour to avoid and how inimical it is to Nature is further manifested by that black sutty Substance which it leaves behind it and by its destroying Vegetation for it contains two poysonous Qualities a strong Bitter one from Mars and a fulsom Astringent one from Saturn its black Colour shews that its predominant Quality is from the venomous Center of Saturn and hence when Tobacco is burned it sends forth a strong fulsom scent or smell offensive to most that are not used to it nay do not the very Breaths of those that take Tobacco perfectly stink And does not the smoking of it so defile the common Air that a Man may know where one hath been that takes Tobacco they leave such a fetid Vapour behind them Do not all or most of our English Herbs when burned send forth a far better Scent or Fume than Tobacco does And I am sure many of them would not only be less offensive but produce better effects as to the Cure of Diseases When any Herb Wood or other thing is set on fire you may presently perceive by the scent what Quality was therein predominant for the Fire powerfully awakens all the hidden Qualities which could not be perceived whilst the thing remained intire If the chief quality of the Herb or thing burnt stand in the friendly Nature then it sends forth and is manifested by two Qualities viz. a most pleasant sweet Smell or Vapour chearing and delightful to the Senses and also it sends forth a burthensom Fume or Vapour which incorporates it self with the Air and flies away in a Smoke or Steem which is from the poysonous Root the Original of every Life But on the contrary if you burn any Herb or other thing the predominant Quality whereof stands in the Martial or Saturnine Poysons then all such things send forth also two Qualities viz. a very unpleasant Scent or Fume offensive and burthensom to Nature dulling the pure Spirits and as it were suffocating the pleasant thin Vapours of the Air and also it sends forth a gross humid poysonous matter that incorporates it self with the thickest part of the Air and evaporates in a Saturnine Smoke for if there lie hid any Verrue or Vice in any thing Fire will unlock all the Gates and discover it and if there be any Aromatick or Balsamick Vertue in the Herbs of Vegetables so burnt it will appear by sending forth odoriferous and pleasant Smells As on the contrary ill Smells are an evident Testimony of Saturnine and Martial Poysons being predominant which is the very Nature of Tobacco and therefore not to be so wantonly used as commonly it is Lastly I would not have People imagin that there is the more Vertue in Tobacco because the Fumes and Smoke of it will open the Body and loosen the Belly for it is the nature of all Smoke to open being of a fierce keen penetrating quality that arises from the Original Poysons in Nature whence it has also a sharp fierce humid quality that is exceeding offensive to the Eyes like the Fumes that Onions send forth when cut And we must likewise note that when Tobacco was first brought into England it was ten-fold more offensive to the Takers thereof than it is now because their Fore-Fathers were not acquainted with the use of it so that they could not entail any desire of it on their Posterity For the Children that are begot by Persons that have accustomed themselves to the common use of these unnatural things contract a kind of unsensible Affinity with such things as proceeding from the like matter and Essences so that thereby there are Foundations laid for Inclinations towards the use of them The same is to be understood in other things as those whose Parents live much on Flesh or Fish do lay such Foundations for an Inclination thereunto in the very Radix of their Children that it would prove a very difficult thing for them to refrain there-from So that every succeeding Age doth more easily and familiarly and with the less difficulty receive these evil Customs and Habits till in time they become almost Natural and thence humane Nature in general becomes weaker and decayed and Diseases come into the World with Children as part of their Essence and Scurveys and other Diseases grow almost Universal and all this for want of Temperance and Discretion in their Progenitors A sad Inheritance to leave our Off-spring when we bequeath them our Follies and intail upon them Miseries that are but the just Punishments and natural Consequences of them Of Clothing Bedding c. As Moderation and a frugal Restraint free from Superfluity or Delicacy in Clothes Bedding c. does much conduce to the Health of the Body as well as of the Mind which is observed but by a few so all over-warm Cloathing soft Feather-Beds and close Houses render Nature so nicely tender that upon every small Accident the Body is subject to various Injuries First such usage makes all the external parts so obnoxious that every little Cold penetrates and seizes the Body which being by these means obstructed there follows Coughs Wheesings Shortness of Breath and innumerable other Inconveniencies 2dly It opens the Pores by which there is an evaporation of the heat and spirits causing a hot faintness to attend the whole Body it hurts also
the digestive Faculty of the Stomach dulls the edg and sharpness of the Appetite causes Sweating and a general weariness in the whole Body and disables it to perform all its Labours and Exercises The cause of so great Inconveniencies proceeds from warm Clothes c. which hinder the most friendly Element of the Air from penetrating the body whereby the Spirits become weak and fainty For as nothing hurts the Body more than hot sulpherous Airs so there can be nothing that does more cheer and refresh the Spirits than cold pleasant Airs which is known by every mans Experience 3dly Warm and close Houses c. are attended with these evil Effects the Air which is the Life of the Spirit is hindred from having its free egress and regress by the close drawing of the Window-Shutters Hangings and Curtains which suffocates the pure volatile spirit of the Air benums and stupifies the Senses and causes an Indisposition from external heat to possess the whole Body besides it is pernicious to the vital Spirits dulls the Appetite weakens the Stomach and depraves the senses of Tasting and the digestive Faculty 4thly Soft and Warm Beds with Curtains drawn before the Windows and about the Beds produce these following bad Consequences both to the body and mind the Air being as it were pen'd up becomes hot and sulpherous because the pure thin vapours and spirits thereof are suffocated and so consequently must needs be very injurous to them that lie thus in their Beds Moreover the Air cannot penetrate the Body and so being destitute of Motion the Stomach and natural Heat is deprived of its free operation and this is the Reason that Suppers are not so well digested but oftimes become Noxious causing an unnatural kind of Sleep creating an Aptitude in the external parts to glow with a burning and unnatural kind of Heat this ill custom is too frequently used by those who are sick but especially those that lie in Child-bed to whom often the consequence is more dangerous The Chambers of most sick People are kept so very close that it will disorder a Healthy Person to continue there three or four hours and if so what detriment then do you think must of necessity attend the sick by reason of such hot sulpherous Airs And indeed considering how low and weak their Spirits are nothing can be more hurtful to them than this is under these Circumstances For these pure thin vapours and spirits being destroyed by those sulpherous ones the poysonous and deadly Vapours are stirred up which have a powerful influence upon the Body by way of simile and wound the pure Spirits in the Body causing an unnatural Heat in all the external parts with a fainty kind of weakness This becomes as offensive as the Heat and Air which proceeds from Charcoal and is of the same nature and operation for in the making of Charcoal the pure Spirits in the Wood which is its true Life or that sweet Water or Oyl whence the Light hath its bright shining Quality is suffocated and in a manner destroyed for the Spirits are the Life of the Oyl and the Oyl is the house and pleasant habitation of the Spirits and in all Preparations where the one is destroyed the other dieth as in this of making of Wood into Charcoal where both the pleasant Qualities are destroyed the free Influences of the Air being hindered the Spirits and Oyl which are of a friendly nature and operation become thereby suffocated The fire that Wood sends forth has a bright shining Light its heat is friendly and refreshing but Charcoal tho it has the same Foundation and is Wood in the original yet these two friendly Qualities being destroyed and suffocated in the making thereof it comes to be of another nature and operation as if it had not been Wood. For these Reasons Charcoal will not flame nor give a bright light but its flames are of a sulpherous Colour for having lost its Moderator or friendly Life the original Poysons take place and its Fire becomes much stronger than that of Wood and the heat and fumes thereof burdensom to the pure Spirits of those that are near such Fires the dark wrathful Vapours do awaken their simile in the Body If this were rightly understood by a delicate sort of People in the World I am perswaded they would not fear every small blast of wind neither would they deprive themselves of the most pleasant and benign Influences of the Air which keeps the essential Spirits living in every Creature and is indeed the excellent support of the whole nature of all Beings giving to them Life and Vigour And therefore you dainty Dames that are so nice that you will not endure this pleasant Element to blow upon you unless it be in a hot and sulpherous day in which it has not half that power and vertue that it has in cooler Weather you I say who are so Curious do but consider a little seriously what is said and your own experience may convince you that there is nothing better than pure and clear Airs to cheer and comfort Nature and to make the Spirits brisk and lively Are there any more healthy than those whose Imployments and Exercises are in the open Air Are there any who can endure Labour with less Prejudice Are there any who are generally more Robust Any that have better and sharper Appetites than they Likewise those that use the Country-Air much enjoy in a great measure the abovementioned advantages It will be very convenient then to use a Medium in reference to Clothes Houses and Beds and of the two Coolness is much safer from ones Birth to the Grave than Heat both inwardly and outwardly Pleasant and gentle Airs shut the Pores that the Radical Moisture and Spirits cannot evaporate they strengthen Nature give an edg to the Appetite the thinner and meaner a man's Clothes are the stronger and brisker he is and his natural Heat and digestive faculty is also the stronger besides thin Clothing except in cold Weather makes People fitter for Labour and less burdensome preserves the natural Heat and keeps it more Central Therefore it is that all Creatures that are born and bred in cold Climates are stronger and better able to endure Hardship and toilsom Labour than those that live in hot Climates and are greater Eaters and Drinkers of Strong Food and Drinks for this cause most People in cold Countries are inclined to the Intemperances of Gluttony and Drunkenness more than in hot so great is the power and operation of open cold Air it does wonderfully strengthen Nature and nothing can be a greater injury to Health than for People to accustom themselves to Tenderness the more they do wear the more they may so that at last they may have need to carry their Beds on their backs for by degrees it weakens the Body and causes so great a tenderness that they find it very troublesom to have the fresh cool Air to blow upon