MAGIA ADAMICA: OR The Antiquitie of Magic, AND The Descent thereof from Adam downwards, proved.

Whereunto is added a perfect, and full Discoverie of the true Coelum Ter∣rae, or the Magician's Heavenly Chaos, and first Matter of all Things.

By Eugenius Philalethes.


Epict. in Enchirid.
LONDON, Printed by T. W. for H. B LUNDEN, at the Castle in Corn-hill, 1650.



To my Learned, and much Respected friend, Mr. MATHEW HARBERT.
SIR,

I Know you are not Great, there's a bet∣ter title, you are Good. I might have fix'd this Piece to a Pinnacle, made the Dedication high: but to what purpose? Great∣ness is a Thing I cannot

admire in others, because I desire it not in my self. It is a proud Follie, a pain∣ted ceremonious Raunt. There is nothing Neces∣sarie in it, for most men live without it, and I may not applie to that, which my Reason declines, as well as my Fortune. The Truth is, I know no use of Hog hens and Titulados, if they are in an humor to give, I am no Beggar to receive. I look not any


thing Sir, but what the Learned are inrich'd withall, Judgement, and Candor. You are a true friend to Both, and to my third self. This Discourse I shuffl'd up for your spare-houres, for it was born in a Vacation, when I did not so much labour, as play. I was indeed neces∣sitated to some Levity, for my Adversarie proved so impotent, I might not draw out all my forces, because I


knew not where to em∣ploy them. You have here a simple Bedlam correct∣ed, and whipt for his mad Tricks. A certain Master of Arts of Cambridge, & a Poet in the Loll & Trot of Spencer. It is suppos'd he is in Love with his Fairie-Queen, & this hath made him a very Elf in Philo∣sophie. He is indeed a scurvie, slabbie, snotty-snow∣ted thing. Hee is troubl'd with a certain Splenetic

loosnes, & hath such squirts of the Mouth, his Rea∣ders cannot distinguish his Breath from his Breech. He is a new kind of Py∣thonist, speakes no man knows what, & his Bulls have much of his Belly. But I have studied a Cure answerable to his Disease, I have bin somwhat Cor∣rosive, and in defiance to the old Phrase, I have wash'd a Moore clean. I have put his Hog-noddle


in pickle, & here I present him to the world, a Dish of Sous'd Non-sence. This is my Subject Sir, & now I must tell you, my Ad∣dress to your self hath som∣thing of Duty in it. I had no sooner left Milke for Meat, but my first Lear∣ning came from you. Bee pleas'd to accept this small Acknowledgement from

Some ten dayes after the Presse was deliverd of my Adversarie's MAURO. MANGO.

Your Pupill, & servant E. P.

From Heliopolis 1650.


TO The most Excellently ac∣complish'd, my best of Friends, Mr. THOMAS HENSHAW.
SIR,

IT was the Quaere of Solomon, and it argu∣ed the Supremacie of * his wisedom, What was best for Man to doe all the dayes of his Vanitie un∣der the Sun? If I wish my selfe so Wise, as to know this great Af∣faire


of Life, it is because you are fit to manage it. I will not advise you to pleasures, to build Houses, and plant Vine-yards: to inlarge your private Possessions, or to mul∣tiplie your Gold and Silver. These are old Errors, like Vitriol to the stone; So many false Receipts which Solomon hath tried before you, And behold all was vanitie, and*vexation of Spirit. I have some∣times seen Actions as various, as they were great, and my own sul∣len Fate hath forc'd me to severall Courses of life, but I finde not one hitherto, which ends not in Sur∣fets, or Satietie. Let us fansie a man as fortunate as this world can make


him; What doth hee doe but move from Bed to Boord, and pro∣vide for the Circumstances of those two Scenes? To day hee eates and drinkes, then sleeps, that hee may doe the like to morrow. A great Happinesse! to live by cloying Re∣petitions, and such as have more of Necessity, than of a free pleasure. This is Idem per Idem, and what is held for Absurditie in Reason, can not by the same reason be the true perfection of Life. I deny not but Temporall blessings con∣duce to a Temporall Life, and by Consequence are pleasing to the Body, but if we consider the Soule, shee is all this while upon the

wing, like that Dove sent out of the Ark, seeking a place to rest: shee is busied in a restless Inquisiti∣on, and though her Thoughts, for want of true Knowledge, differ not from Desires, yet they sufficiently prove she hath not found her Sa∣tisfaction. Shew me then but a practice wherein my Soule shall rest without any further Disquisition, for this is it, which Solomon calls Vexation of Spirit, and you shew mee, What is Best for Man to doe under the Sun. Surely, Sir, this is not the Philosophers stone, neither will I undertake to define it, but give me leave to speak to you in the Language of Zoroaster:


Quaere Tu Animae Canalem.
I have a better Confidence in your Opinion of mee, than to tell you, I love you: and for my present Boldness, you must thank your self, you taught me this Familiari∣tie. I here trouble you with a short Discourse, the Brokage and weake Remembrances of my former, and more intire studies; It is no la∣bour'd Peece, and indeed no fit Pre∣sent, but I beg your Acceptance as of a Caveat, that you may see, what unprofitable Affections you have Purchased. I propose it not for your Instruction, Nature hath already admitted you to her Schoole, and I would make you my Judge, not


my Pupill. If therefore amongst your serious and more deare Re∣tirements, you can allow this Tri∣fle but some few Minutes, and think them not lost, you will Per∣fect my Ambition. You will place mee Sir, at my full Height, and though it were like that of Stati∣us, amongst Gods and Stars, I shall quickly find the Earth again, and with the least Opportunitie present my self

Sir,

Your most humble Servant, E. P.


On the Author's Vindication, and Replie to the scurvie, scribling, scolding Alazonomastix
'T was well he did assault thee, or thy Foe
Could not have hit to thy Advantage so.
what he styles Ignorance, is Depth in Sense;
He thinks there is no skill, but Common Fense.
Had Bacon liv'd in this unknowing Age,
And seen Experience laugh'd at on the Stage,
What Tempests would have risen in his Bloud
To side an Art, which Nature hath made Good?
Do'st think that Knowledge comes to thee Innate,
As Preaching on a sudden to thy Pate?
No sure; thou art a simpler Brother; fie!
I must Allarum thee with Hue and Cry.
What art? from Whence? a Presbyterian sure,
An Academic Ratt, holy and pure.
But for thy Soule (and Plato tells thee so)
Thou hast spoil'd that, and plaister'd Plato too.
Just like I. T. thy Poet, who doth lend
Thee fansies in Cleveland from end to end,
And not one right apply'd; you doe mistake
The Stagyrit's Philosophie, and make
His Logic Magicall, what is unknown
Is Conjuration, frothie, and high-flown.
If Arguments arise, you streight grow hoarse,
Thou know st not what belongs to Topic Course.
Shall thou and I to Disputation come
Practic or Theorie, for the Totall summe?

What? is't not lawfull for my (learned) friend
T'improve his Reason to his greatest end?
Or shall wee envie him, 'cause hee hath more
Of Nature's favours set upon his Score?
Tell mee in earnest do'st thou think 'tis fit
To believe all that Aristotle writ?
Though he was blinded, yet Experience can
Sever the Clouds, and make a Clearer man.
If Digbie once but view thy rayling Ueine,
Hee'l think th'art Atoms, not yet form'd to braine;
Then to the Pot thou go'st: Oh there's the Losse!
There's no Elixir in Thee, th'art all Drosse.
Then sing another Song, thou that controules
Our Metempsychosis of Bodi'ed Soules:
Yet Platonist thou art, but canst not tell
Where these mysterious spirits have their Cell.
Thus Ambrose flung dark Persius on the ground,
A blind Contempt! because he was profound.
Look neerer man, can'st not distinguish yet
Betwixt the highest, and the lowest wit.
When Cynthia to the watrie Tethis hies
Wee know not there what Treasures she espies,
What Margarits in Chrystall streames; she sends
Onely to us her Influence, and lends
A kind, large Light. But thou poore, trapt Rattoon!
Like Scythian Dogs, do'st bark against the Moon.
Great, rare Eugenius! doe not thou delay
Thy Course, because his Dirt lyes in thy way.
Stain thy white skin for once, and bee thou not
Surpris'd like Ermins, by the dawbing Plot.
Mount to thy full Meridian, let thy Star
Create a Rubric to our Calendar,
And wee will offer Anthems to thy shrine
So long as Date can give a Name to Time.
P. B. A. M. Oxoniens.


To the Reader.
WEll-fare the Dode∣chedron! I have exa∣mined the Nativi∣tie of this Book by a Cast of Constellated Bones, and Deuz Ace tels me this Pa∣rable. Truth (sayd the witty Aleman) was cōmanded into Exile, and the La∣dy Lie was seated in her Throne. To per∣forme the Tenor of this Sentence, Truth went from amongst Men, but she went all alone, poore and naked. She had not travail'd very far, when standing on a high mountain, she perceiv'd a great Train to passe by: In the middest of it was a Chariot attended with Kings,


Princes and Governors, and in that a stately Donna, who like some Queen regent, commanded the rest of the Company. Poor Truth, shee stood still whiles this pompous Squadron past by, but when the Chariot came over a∣gainst her, the Lady Lie who was there seated, took notice of her, and causing her Pageants to stay, commanded her to come neerer. Here she was scornful∣ly examined, whence she came? whither she would goe? and what about? To these Questions she answered as the Custome of Truth is, very simply and plainly: Whereupon the Lady Lie commands her to wait upon her, and that in the Reare, and Tayle of all her Troop, for that was the known place of Truth. Thanks then not to the stars, but to the Configurations of the Dice! they have acquainted mee with my future fortunes, and what praeferment my Book is like to attain to. I am for my part contented, though the Conside∣ration


of this durty Reare be very nause∣ous, and able to spoile a stronger sto∣mach than mine. It hath been said of old, Non est Planta veritatis super ter∣ram, Trueth is an herb, that grows not here below: and can I expect that these few seeds, which I scatter thus in the storm and tempest, should thrive to their full eares, and Harvest? But Reader, let it not trouble thee to see the Truth come thus behind, it may be there is more of a Chase in it, than of Atten∣dance, and her Condition not altogether so bad, as her Station. If thou art one of those, who draw up to the Chariot, pause here a little in the Reare, and be∣fore thou dost addresse thy self to Ari∣stotel and his Lady Lie, think not thy Courtship lost, if thou doest kisse the lips of poor Truth. It is not my Inten∣tion to jest with thee, in what I shall write, wherefore read thou with a good Faith, what I will tell thee with a good Conscience. God, when hee first made

Man, planted in him a spirit of that Capacitie, that he might know All, ad∣ding thereto a most fervent Desire to know, lest that Capacitie should be use∣less. This Truth is evident in the Po∣steritie of Man: For little Children be∣fore ever they can speak, will stare up∣on any thing, that is strange to them; they will crie, and are restless till they get it into their hands, that they may feele it, and look upon it, that is to say, that they may know what it is in some Degree, and according to their Capaci∣tie. Now some ignorant Nurse will think they doe all this, out of a desire to play with what they see, but they themselves tell us the Contrarie; For when they are past Infants, and begin to make use of Language, if any New thing appeares, they will not desire to play with it, but they will ask you, what it is? for they desire to know; and this is plain out of their Actions; for if you put any Rattle into their hands,


they will view it, and studie it for some short Time, and when they can know no more, then they will play with it. It is well known, that if you hold a candle neer to a little Child, hee will (if you praevent him not) put his finger into the flame, for hee desires to know what it is, that shines so bright; but there is some thing more than all this, for even these Infants desire to improve their Knowledge. Thus when they look upon any thing, if the sight informes them not sufficiently, they will, if they can, get it into their hands, that they may feel it: but if the touch also doth not satisfie, they will put it into their Mouthes to taste it, as if they would ex∣amine Things by more senses than one. Now this Desire to know is born with them, and it is the Besi, and most my∣sterious part of their Nature. It is to be observed, that when men come to their full Age, and are serious in their Dis∣quisitions, they are ashamed to Erre,


because it is the proprietie of their Na∣ture, to Know. Thus wee see that a Philosopher being taken at a fault in his Discourse, will blush, as if he had com∣mitted something unworthy of himself, and truly the very Sense of this Dis∣grace prevailes so farre with some, they had rather persist in their Error, and de∣fend it against the Truth, than acknow∣ledge their Infirmities; in which respect I make no Question but many Peripa∣tetics are perversly ignorant. It may bee they will scarcely hear, what I speak, or if they hear, they will not un∣derstand: howsoever I advise them not wilfully to prevent, and hinder that glorious end and perfection, for which the very Author, and Father of Nature created them. It is a terrible thing to praefer Aristotel to AEelohim, and con∣demn the Truth of God, to justifie the Opinions of Man. Now for my part I dare not be so irreligious, as to think God so vain, and improvident in his

workes, that he should plant in Man a Desire to know, and yet deny him Know∣ledge it self. This in plain termes were to give me Eyes, and afterwards shutt mee up in Darkness, lest I should see with those eyes. This earnest Longing, and busie Inquisition wherein Men tyre themselves to attain to the Truth, made a certain Master of Truth speak in this fashion. Ergo liquidò apparet in hac Mundi structurâ, quam cernimus, a∣liquam triumphare Veritatem; quae to∣ties rationem nostram commovet, agitat, implicat, explicat; toties inquietam, to∣ties insomnem miris modis sollicitat, non fortuitis, aut aliunde adventitiis, sed suis & propiis, & originariis Na∣turae Illicibus; quae omnia cum non fiunt frustra, uti{que} contingit, ut Veritatem Eorum quae sunt, aliquo tandem opportu∣no tempore amplexemur. It is clear therefore (saith he) that in this Fabric of the world, which we behold, there is some Truth that rules; which Truth so


often stirrs up, puzzles, and helps our Reason; so often sollicites her when shee is restless, so often when shee is watchfull, and this by strange meanes, not casual and adventitious, but by ge∣nuine provocations and pleasures of na∣ture; All which Motions being not to no purpose, it falls out at last that in some good time wee attain to the true Knowledge of those things that are. But because I would not have you build your Philosophie on Coralls and whistles, which are the Objects of little Chil∣dren, of whom we have spoken former∣ly, I will speak som what of those Ele∣ments, in whose Contemplation a Man ought to employ himself, and this Dis∣course may serve as a Preface to our whole Philosophie. Man according to Trismegistus hath but two Elements in his power, namely Earth and Water: To which Doctrine I adde this, and I have it from a Greater than Hermes, That God hath made Man absolute

Lord of the first Matter, and from the first matter, and the Dispensation there∣of, all the fortunes of man both good and bad doe proceed. According to the Rule, and Measure of this Substance all the world are rich or poore, and hee that knows it truly, and withall the true use thereof, he can make his for∣tunes constant, but hee that knowes it not, though his Estate be never so great, stands on a slipperie Foundation. Look about thee then, and consider how thou art compassed with infinite Treasures, and miracles, but thou art so blind, thou doest not see them: nay, thou art so mad, thou doest think there is no use to be made of them, for thou doest believe that Knowledge is a meere Peripateticall Chatt, and that the Fruits of it are not Works, but words. If this were true, I would never advise thee to spend one Minute of thy life upon Learning, I would first be one of those should ru∣ine all Libraries and Vniversities in the world, which God forbid, any good

Christian should desire. Look up then to Heaven, and when thou seest the Coelestiall fires move in their swift and glorious Circles, think also there are here below some cold Natures, which they over-look, and about which they move incessantly to heat, and concoct them. Consider again, that the Mid∣dle spirit, I mean the Ayre, is interpos'd as a Refrigeratorie, to temper and quali∣fie that Heat, which otherwise might be too violent. If thou doest descend lower, and fix thy Thoughts where thy feet are, that thy wings may be like those of Mercurie, at thy Heeles; thou wilt find the Earth surrounded with the Wa∣ter, and that Water heated, and stirr'd by the Sun and his starrs, abstracts from the Earth the pure, subtil, saltish parts, by which means the water is thickened, and coagulated as with a Rennet: out of these two Nature generates all things. Gold and Silver, Pearles and Diamonds are nothing els but water, and salt of


the Earth concocted. Behold! I have in a few words discovered unto thee the whole system of Nature, and her Royal High-way of Generation. It is thy Du∣ty now to improve the Truth, and in my Booke thou mayst, if thou art wise, find thy Advantages. The foure Elements are the Objects, and implicitly the Sub∣jects of Man, but the Earth is invisible. I know the common Man will stare at this, and judge me not very sober, when I affirme the Earth, which of all sub∣stances is most gross and palpable, to be invisible. But on my soule it is so, and which is more, the Eye of Man never saw the Earth, nor can it be seen with∣out Art. To make this Element visi∣ble, is the greatest secret in Magic, for it is a miraculous Nature, and of all o∣thers the most holy, according to that Computation of Trismegistus, Coelum, AEther, Aer, & sacratissima Terra. As for this Faeculent, gross Body upon which we walk, it is a Compost, and no

Earth, but it hath Earth in it, and even that also is not our Magicall Earth. In a word all the Elements are visible but one, namely the Earth, and when thou hast attained to so much perfection, as to know why God hath placed the Earth in Obscondito, thou hast an Ex∣cellent Figure whereby to know God himself, and how he is visible, how in∣visible. Hermes affirmeth, that in the Beginning the Earth was a Quake∣mire, or quivering kind of Jelly, it be∣ing nothing els but water congealed by the Incubation, and heat of the Divine spirit; Cum adhuc (sayth hee) Terra tremula esset, Lucente sole compacta est. When as yet the Earth was a Quiver∣ing, shaking substance, the Sun after∣wards shining upon it, did compact it, or make it Solid. The same Author in∣troduceth God, speaking to the Earth, and impregnating her with all sorts of seeds in these words; Cum{que} manus a∣què validas implesset rebus, quae in Na∣turâ,

Ambiente{que} erant, & pugnos vali∣dè constringens; Sume (inquit) ô Sacra Terra, quae Genitrix omnium es futura, nè ullâ re egena videaris; & manus, quales oportet Deum habere, expandens, demisit Omnia ad rerum Constitutionem necessaria. When God (saith he) had filled his powerfull hands with those things which are in Nature, and in that which compasseth Nature, then shutting them close again, hee said; Receive from me O holy Earth! that art ordained to be the Mother of all, lest thou shouldst want any thing; when presently opening such hands as it be∣comes a God to have, hee powr'd down All that was Necessary to the Consti∣tution of things. Now the meaning of it is this; The Holy Spirit moving upon the Chaos, which Action some Divines compare to the Incubation of a Hen upon her Eggs, did together with his Heat communicat other ma∣nifold Influences to the Matter; For as


wee know the Sun doth not onely dis∣pense heat, but som other secret Influx; so did God also in the Creation, and from him the Sun and all the starrs re∣ceived what they have, for God himself is a supernaturall Sun, or fire, according to that Oracle of Zoroaster,

Factor, Qui per se operans fabrefecit Mundum,
Quaedam ignis Moles erat altera.
Hee did therefore hatch the Matter, and bring out the secret Essences, as a Chick is brought out of the shell, whence that other Position of the same Zoroaster,

Omnia sub uno Igne genita esse.
Neither did he onely generat 'em then, but he also preserves them now, with a perpetuall Efflux of heat and spirit; Hence hee is styl'd in the Oracles,

Pater Hominum{que} Deûm{que}
Affatim animans Ignem, Lucem, AEthera, Mundos.


This is Advertisement enough: And now Reader, I must tell thee, I have met with some late Attempts on my two former Discourses, but truth is Proof, and I am so far from being over∣come, that I am no where under∣stood. When I first ey'd the Libell, and its Addresse to Philalethes, I judg d the Author serious, and that his Design was not to abuse mee, but to informe Himselfe. This Conceit quickly va∣nish'd, for perusing his forepart, his Eares shot out of his skin, and presen∣ted him a perfect Asse. His Observati∣ons are one continued 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the Oyster-Whores read the same Philoso∣phie every day. 'Tis a Scurril, sense∣lesse Piece, and as he well stiles himself, a Chip of a Block-head.

His qualities indeed are transcendent abroad, but they are peers at home: his Malice is equall to his Ignorance. I laugh'd to see the fooles disease: A flux of Gale, which made him still at


the Chops, whiles another held the Presse for him like Porphyries Bason to Aristotles Well. There is somthing in him prodigious: his Excrements run the wrong way, for his mouth stooles, and hee is so farr from man, that hee is the Aggravation to a Beast. These are his parts, and for his person, I turn him over to the Dog-whippers, that hee may be well lash'd, a posterio∣ri, and bear the Errata of his front im∣printed in his Rere. I cannot yet find a fitter punishment: For since his Head could learn nothing but Non∣sense, by sequel of parts, his Tayle should be taught some sense.

This is all, at this time, and for my present Discourse, I wish it the common fortune of Truth and Hone∣stie, to deserve well, and hear ill. As for Applause, I fish not so much in the Ayre, as to catch it. It is a kind of Popularitie, which makes mee scorn


it, for I defie the Noyse of the Rout, because they observe not the Truth, but the success of it. I doe therefore com∣mit this peece to the world, without any protection but its own worth, and the AEstimat of that Soule that understands it. For the Rest, as I cannot force, so I will not beg their Approbation. I would not bee great by Imposts, nor rich by Briefes. They may be what they will, and I shall be what I am.

Eugen. Phila.


Page 1
Magia Adamica: Or, The Antiquitie of Magic, &c.
Coelum Terrae, &c.
THat I should professe Magic in this Discourse, and Justifie the Professors of it withall, is Impietie with Many, but Re∣ligion with Mee. It is a Consci∣ence I have learnt from Au∣thors greater than my Self, and Scriptures greater than Both. Magic is nothing els but the Wisdom of the Creator revealed and planted in the Creature. It is a Name (as A∣grippa saith) ipsi Evangelio non ingratum, not Distastefull to the very Gospel it self. Magici∣ans were the first Attendants our Saviour met withall in this world, and the onely Philoso∣phers,
Page 2

who acknowledged Him in the Flesh be∣fore that hee himself discovered it. I find God Conversant with Them, as Hee was formerly with the Patriarchs; He directs Them in their Travails with a Star, as hee did the I sraelites with a Pillar of Fire; Hee informes Them of future Dangers in their Dreams, that having first seen his Son, they might in the next place see his Salvation. This makes me believe They were Filii Prophetarum, as well as Filii Artis; Men that were acquainted with the very same Mysteries, by which the Prophets acted before them. To reconcile this Science, and the Ma∣sters of it to the world, is an Attempt more plausible, than possible, the prejudice being so great, that neither Reason, nor Authoritie can ballance it. If I were to persuade a Jew to my Principles, I could do it with two words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Hachamim, or Wisemen have spoken it. Give him but the Authoritie of his Fathers, and presently hee submits to the Seale. Verily our Primitive Galilaeans (I mean those Christians whose Lamps burnt neer the Crosse, and Funer all) were most Compendious in their Initiations. A Proselyt in those dayes was con∣firmed with a simple 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Believe, and no more. Nay, the solemnitie of this short Indu∣ction was such, that Julian made it the Topic to his Apostasie; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 you have
Page 3

(sayd he) nothing more than your Crede, to e∣stablish your Religion. Such was the simplicitie of those first Times, dum calebat cruor Christi, whiles his wounds were as yet in their Eyes, and his bloud warm at their Hearts. But A∣las! those holy Drops are frozen, our Salvation is translated from the Crosse to the Rack, and dismembred in the Inquisition-house of Ari∣stotle. Bee not angrie O Peripatetic! for what els shall I call thy Schooles, where by severall Sects and Factions Scripture is so seriously mur∣thered Pro & Con! A spleen first bred, and af∣terwards promoted by Disputes, whose dam∣nable Divisions and Distinctions have minc'd one Trueth into a Thousand haereticall whim∣zies. But the Breach is not considered: Divini∣tie still is but Chaff, if it be not sifted by the Engine, if it acts not by the Demonstrative Hobby-horse. Thus Zeale poysoned with Lo∣gic breathes out Contentious Calentures, and Faith quitting her wings and Perspective, leans on the Reed of a Sytlogism. Certainly I cannot yet conceive, how Reason may judge those Principles, Quorum Veritas pendet à solâ Re∣velant is authoritate, whose Certaintie wholly depends on God, and by Consequence is in∣demonstrable without the Spirit of God. But if I should grant that, which I will ever de∣ny: Verily, a True Faith consists not in Reason,
Page 4

but in Love; for I receive my Principles, and believe Them being received Solo erga Reve∣lantem amore; onely out of my Affection to Him that reveales them.

Thus our Saviour would have the Jewes to believe Him first for his own sake, and when that fayled for His Workes sake; But some Divines believe onely for Aristotle's sake, if Logic ren∣ders the Tenet probable, then it is Creed, if not 'tis Alcoran. Nevertheless Aristotle himself, who was first Pedlar to this ware, and may for Sophistrie take place of Ignatius in his own Conclave, hath left us this Concession: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 That Reason is sub∣ject to Error, as well as Opinion. And Philo∣ponus expounding these words of his, aNon solùm scientiam, sed & Principium Scientiae esse aliquod duimus, Quo Terminos cognosci∣mus, hath this excellent and Christian obser∣vation. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Taking indeca (saith hee) the mind, to bee the Principle, or first Cause of Knowledge, not our own, but that of God, which is above us: but ta∣king the Termes to be Intellectual, and Divine Formes. Thus according to Aristotle (if you trust the Commem) the Divine mind is the first Cause of Knowledge: for if this Mind once un∣folds himself, and sheds his light upon us, wee
Page 5

shall apprehend the Intellectuall Formes, or Types of all things that are within him. These Formes hee very properly calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because they terminat, or end all Things: For by them the Creature is defined, and hath his Individua∣tion, or to speak with Scotus, his Haecceitie, by which he is This, and not That. This now is the Demonstration we should look after, name∣ly the Expansion, or opening of the Divine Mind, not a Syllogism, that runns perhaps on all Foure. If once wee be admitted to this Communion of Light, wee shall be able with the Apostle to give a Reason for our Faith, but never without it. Now you are to understand that God unfolds not himself, nisi magno Coelo priùs patefacto, unlesse the Heaven of Man bee first unfolded. Amovete ergo velamen Intel∣lectus*vestri, Cast of the veile that is before your faces, and you shall bee no more blind. God is not God a far off, but God at hand. Behold (saith he) I stand at the Doore, and knock: Open your selves then, for it is written, If any man opens, I will come in, and Sup with Him. This is the inward Mysticall, not the outward Typicall Supper, and this is the Spiri∣tuall Baptism with Fire, not that Elemental one with water. Truely I am much comforted, when I consider two Things; First, that Ma∣gic did afford the first Professors of Christianity,
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whose Knowledge and Devotion brought them from the East to Jerusalem. Secondly, that this Art should suffer as Religion doth, and for the very same Reason. The main Motives, which have occasion'd the present Rents, and Divisi∣ons of the Church, are the Ceremonies and Types used in it. For without Controversie the Apo∣stles instituted, and left behind them certaine Elements or Signes, as Water, Oile, Salt and Lights, by which they signisied unto us some great, and reverend Mysteries. But our Refor∣mers mistaking these things for superstitious, turn'd them all out of Doores. But verily it was ill done: for if the shadow of Saint Peter healed, shall not these shadowes of Christ doe much more? The Papist on the contrary knowing not the signification of these Types, did place a certain Inhaerent holiness in them, & so fell into a very dangerous Idolatrie. I omit many Things which he invented of his own, as Images, Holy Lambes, and Reliques, adding these dead Bones to the Primitive, and beaute∣ous Bodie of the Church. Now to draw up the Paralell: The Magicians, they also instituted certain Signes, as the Clavis to their Art, and these were the same with the former, Namely Water, Oile, Salt and Light, by which they tacitly discovered unto us their Three Princi∣ples, and the Light of Nature, which fills and
Page 7

actuats all Things. The common Man peru∣sing their Books, but not their Sense, took Can∣dles, Common Water, Oile, and Salt, and began to Consecrat, and exorcise them, to make up his damnable and Devilish Magic. The Ma∣gicians had a Maxim amongst themselves, Quod nulla vox operatur in Magiâ, nisi prius Dei voce formetur, That no word is efficaci∣ous in Magic, unless it be first animated with the word of God. Hence in their Books there was frequent mention made of Verbum, and Sermo, which the Common Man interpreting to his own Fansie, invented his Charmes, and Vocabula, by which he promised to do wonders. The Magicians in their writings did talk much of Triangles and Circles, by which they intimated unto us their more secret Triplicitie, with the Rotation of Nature from the Begin∣ning of her Week, to her Sabaoth. By this Circle also, or Rotation they affirmed that Spirits might be bound, meaning that the Soul might be uni∣ted to the Body. Presently upon this the Com∣mon Man fansied his Triangles and characters, with many strange Cobwebs or Figures, and a Circle to Conjure in; but knowing not what Spirit that was, which the Magicians did bind, he laboured, and studied to bind the Devill. Now if thou wilt question mee, who these Magicians were? I must tell thee, They were
Page 8
Kings, they were Priests, they were Prophets: Men that were acquainted with the Substanti∣al, Spiritual Mysteries of Religion, and did deal, or dispense the outward Typicall part of it to the People. Here then wee may see how Ma∣gic came to be out of Request; For the Lawyers and Common Divines, who knew not these Secrets, perusing the Ceremonial, Superstitious Trash of some Scriblers, who praetended to Magic, praescribed against the Art it self as Impious, and Antichristian, so that it was a Capital sin to professe it, and the Punishment no lesse than Death. In the Interim those few who were Masters of the Science, observing the first Monitories of it, buried all in a deep Si∣lence. But God having suffered his Truth to be obscured for a great time, did at last stirr up som resolute, and active spirits, who putting the Pen to paper, expell'd this Cloud, and in some measure discover'd the Light. The Leaders of this brave Body, were Cornelius Agrippa, Li∣banius Gallus, the Philosopher, Johannes Trite∣mius, Georgius Venetus, Johannes Reuclin, called in the Greek Capnion, with severall others in their severall Dayes. And after all These as an Vsher to the Traine, and one borne out of due time, Eugenius Philalethes.

Seeing then I have publickly undertaken a Province, which I might have governed pri∣vatly
Page 9

with much more Content and Advantage, I think it not enough to have discover'd the A∣buses and misfortunes this Science hath suffered, unless I indeavour withall to demonstrate the Antiquitie of it. For certainly it is with Arts, as it is with Men their Age and Continuance are good Arguments of their strength, and In∣tegritie. Most apposit then was that Check of the AEgyptian to Solon: O Solon, Solon! Vos Graeci semper pueriestis, nullam habentes an∣tiquam Opinionem, nullam Disciplinam tempo∣re canam; You Graecians (said hee) are ever childish, having no Ancient opinion, no Disci∣pline of any long standing. But as I confesse my self no Antiquarie, so I wish some Seldon would stand in this Breach, and make it up with those Fragments, which are so neer Dust, that Time may put them in his Glass. I know for my own part, it is an Enterprise I cannot sufficiently performe, but since my hand is alrea∣dy in the Bag, I will draw out those few Peb∣bles I have, and thus I sting them at the Mark.

This Art, or rather this Mysterie is to bee considered severall wayes, and that because of its severall Subjects. The Primitive, Original Existence of it is in God himself: for it is no∣thing els but the practice, or operation of the Divine Spirit working in the matter, uniting
Page 10
Principles into Compounds, and resolving those Compounds into their Principles. In this Sense wee seek not the Antiquity of it, for it is AE∣ternal, being a Notion of the Divine Wisdome, and Existent before all Time, or the Creation of it. Secondly, we are to Consider it in a Deri∣vative Sense, as it was imparted, and commu∣nicated to Man, and this properly was no Birth, or Beginning, but a Discoverie, or Revelation of the Art. From this Time of its Revelation, wee are to measure the Antiquity of it, where it shall be our Task to demonstrat upon what Motives God did reveale it, as also to whom, and when.

The Eye discovers not beyond that stage, wherein it is Conversant, but the Eare receives the Sound a great way off. To give an experi∣euc'd Testimonie of Actions more Ancient than our selves, is a thing impossible for us, unlesse wee could look into that Glass, where all Oc∣currences may bee seen, Past, Present, and to Come. I must therefore build my Discourse on the Traditions of those Men, to whom the Word, both Written and Mysticall was intru∣sted, and these were the Jewes in Generall, but more particularly their Cabalists. It is not my Intention to rest on these Rabbins as Fundamen∣tals, but I will iustifie their Assertions out of Scripture, and intertain my Reader with
Page 11
Proofes, both Divine and Humane. Finally, I will passe out of Judaea into AEgypt and Graece, where againe I shall meet with these Mysteries, and prove that this Science did stream (as the Chimists say, their Salt-Fountain doth) out of Jurie, and watered the whole Earth.

It is the constant Opinion of the Hebrewes, That before the Fall of Adam there was a more plentifull and large Communion between Heaven and Earth, God and the Elements, than there is now in our Days. But upon the Transgres∣sion of the first Man. Malcuth (say the Caba∣lists) was cut off from the Ilan, so that a Breach was made between both Worlds, and their Cha∣nel of Influences discontinued. Now Malcuth is the Invisible Archetypall Moone, by which our visible Caelestiall Moone is governed, and impraegnated: And truly it may be that upon this Retreate of the Divine Light from Infe riors, those Spots and Darknes, which we now see, succeeded in the Body of this Planet, and not in her alone, but about the Sun also, as it hath been discovered by the Telescope. Thus (say They) God to punish the Sin of Adam withdrew himself from the Creatures, so that they were not feasted with the same measure of Influences as formerly. For the Archetypall Moone which is placed in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Has∣chamaim, to receive, and convey downe the
Page 12
Influx of the six superior Invisible Planets, was (as the Jewes affirme) either separated from the Ilan, or her Broasts were so sealed up that she could not dispense her Milk to Inferiors in that happy and Primitive Abun∣dance. But because I would not dwell long on this point, let us heare the Cabalist himself state it in a clear, and apposit phrase. Initio*Creationis Mundi Divina Cohabitatio erat descendens in Inferiora, & cum esset Divina Cohabitatio inferiùs, reperti sunt Coeli & Ter∣ra uniti, & erant Fontes, & Canales activi in perfectione, & trahebantur à Superiore ad In∣ferius, & inveniebatur Deus complens supernè & Infernè. Venit Adam primus, & peccavit, & diruti sunt Descensus, & confracti sunt Canales, & desiit Aquae-ductus, & cessavit Divina Cohabitatio, & divisa est Societas.

That is: In the Beginning of the Creation of the world God did descend, and cohabitat with Things here below, and when the Di∣vine Habitation was here below, the Hea∣vens and the Earth were found to be uni∣ted, and the Vital Springs and Chanels were in their perfection, and did flow from the Superior to the Inferior World, and God was found to fill all Things both Above, and Beneath. Adam the first Man came, and sinned, whereupon the Descents from above
Page 13
were restrained, and their Chanels were bro∣ken, and the Water-Course was no more, and the Divine Cohabitation ceased, and the Societie was divided.
Thus far my Rabbi; Now because I have promised Scripture to my Cabalism, I will submit the Tradition. to Mo∣ses, and truly that Rabbi also is of my side, for thus I read in Genesis. And to Adam he said,*Because thou hast eaten of the Tree, whereof I commanded I hee saying, Thou shalt not eate of it: Cursed is the Ground for thy sake, in sor∣row shalt thou eate of it all the Dayes of thy Life, Thornes and Thistles shall it bring forth unto Thee, and Thou shalt eate the Herb of the Field. In the sweat of thy face shalt Thou eate Bread, untill thou returne unto the Ground, for out of it wast thou taken, for Dust Thou art, and to Dust shalt thou returne. This is the Curse, and Adam was so sensible of it, that he acquainted his posterity with it. For Lamech prophesying of his Son Noah, hath these words. This same shall comfort us, concerning our*work, and Toyle of our Hands, because of the Ground, which the Lord hath cursed. And this indeed was accomplished in some sense after the Floud, as the same Scripture tells us. And*the Lord said in his Heart, I will not Againe curse the Ground any more for Mans sake. Here now we are to consider two Things:
Page 14
First, The Curse it self, and next the Latitude of it. To manifest the Nature of the Curse, and what it was, you must know, that Good essentially is Light, and Evill is Darknes. The Evill properly is a Corruption that immediatly takes place upon the Removall of that which is Good. Thus God having removed his Candle∣stick and Light from the Elements, presently the Darknes and Cold of the Matter praevai∣led, so that the Earth was neerer her first De∣formitie, and by Consequence lesse fruitfull and Vitall. Heaven and Hell, that is Light and Darknes, are the two Extremes which Consummat Good and Evill. But there are some mean Blessings which are but, in ordine, or disposing to Heaven, which is their last per∣fection, and such were these Blessings, which God recalled upon the Transgression of the first Man. Againe there are some Evills, which are but 'Degrees conducing to their last Extremitie, or Hell, and such was this Curse or Evill, which succeeded the Transgression. Thus our Saviour under these Notions of Bles∣sed and Cursed comprehends the Inhabitants of Light and Darknes: Come you Blessed, and Goe you Cursed. In a word then, The Curse was Nothing else but an Act repealed, or a Restraint of those Blessings which God of his meer Goodnes, had formerly communicated to
Page 15
his Creatures: And thus I conceive there is a very faire and full Harmonie between Moses and the Cabalists. But to omit their Deposi∣tions, though great and high, we are not to seek in this point for the Testimonie of an Angel. For the Tutor of Esdras, amongst his other Mysterious Instructions, hath also this Do∣ctrine. *When Adam transgressed my Statutes, then was that decreed, which now is done. Then were the Entrances of this World made Nar∣row, full of sorrow, and Travell: They are but few and Evill, full of perils, and very painfull. But the Entrances of the Elder World, were wide and sure, and brought forth Immortal Fruit. Thus much for the Curse it self: Now for the Latitude of it, It is true that it was intended Chiefely for Man, who was the on∣ly Cause of it, but Extended to the Elements in Order to him, and for his sake. For if God had excluded him from Eden, and Continued the Earth in her Primitive Glories, he had but turned him out of one Paradise into Another, wherefore he fits the Dungeon to the Slave, and sends a Corruptible Man into a Corrup∣tible World. But in Truth it was not Man, nor the Earth alone that suffered in this Curse, but all other Creatures also; For saith God to the Serpent, Thou art Cursed above all Cat∣tel, and above every Beast of the Field, so that
Page 16
Cattel and Beasts also were cursed in some measure, but this Serpent above Them all. To this also agrees the Apostle in his Epistle to the* Romans, where he hath these words. For the Creature was made subject to Vanitie, not wil∣lingly, but by Reason of him, who hath sub∣jected the same in hope. Because the Creature it self also, shall be delivered from the Bondage of Corruption, into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God. Here by the Creature he understands not Man, but the inferior species, which he distinguisheth from the Children of God, though he allows them both the same Liberty. But this is more plaine out of the subsequent Texts, where he makes a clear Dif∣ference between Man, and the whole Creation. For we know (saith he) that the whole Creation groaneth, and travaileth together in paine un∣till now. And not only They, but our selves al∣so, which have the first fruits of the spirit, even we our selves groane within our selves, wai∣ting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of our Body. Here we see the first Fruits of the spirit, referred to Man, and why not some se∣cond subordinat fruits of it to the Creatures in General? for as they were cursed in the Fall of Man, for Man's sake, so it seems in his Re∣stitution they shall be also blessed for his sake. But of this enough. Let us now summe up and
Page 17
consider the several inconveniences our first Parent was Subject to, for they will be of some use with us hereafter. First of all, he was eje∣cted from the presence of God, and exposed to the Malice and Tentations of the Devill. He was altered from Good to Bad, from Incorrup∣tible to Corruptible: In the Day (saith the Scrip∣ture) Thou eatest thereof, Thou shalt dye the Death. He was excluded from a glorious Pa∣radyse, and confin'd to a base world, whose sickly infected Elements conspiring with his own Nature, did assist and hasten that Death, which already began to reign in his Body. Heaven did mourn over him, The Earth, and all her Generations about him. He look'd up∣on himself as a Felon, and a Murtherer, be∣ing guilty of that Curse and Corruption, which succeeded in the world because of his fall, as we have sufficiently proved out of the Mo∣saicall and Cabalisticall Traditions. He was Ignorant, and therefore hopeles of Life aeternal, and for this Temporal present Life, he was not acquainted with the Provisions of it. The E∣lements of Husbandrie were not as yet known, there was neither House nor Plow, nor any of those manuall Arts, which make up a worldly providence. He was exposed to the Violence of Rains and Winds, Frosts and Snows, and in a word deprived of all Comforts Spiritual,
Page 18
and Natural. What should I say more? He was a meer stranger in this World, could not distinguish Medicines from Poysons, neither was he skill'd in the ordinarie praeparations of Meate and Drink. He had no Victuals rea∣dy to his hands, but the crude unseasoned Her∣bage of the Earth, so that he must either starve, or feed as Nebuchadnezar did, with the Beasts of the Field. He heard indeed sometimes of a Tree of Life in Eden, but the Vegetables of this world for ought he knew might be so ma∣ny Trees of Death. I conclude therefore that he had some Instructor to initiat him in the wayes of Life, and to shew him the intricate and narrow paths of that wilderness. For with∣out question his outward Miseries, and his inward Despaire were Motives whereupon God did reveale a certaine Art unto Him, by which he might relieve his present Necessities, and imbrace a firme Hope of a future and glo∣rious Restitution. For God having ordained a second aeternal Adam, did by some mysterious Experience manifest the possibilitie of his com∣ming to the First, Who being now full of Despaire, and overcharged with the Guilt of his own sin was a very fit Patient for so Divine and mercifull a Physician. But omitting our own Reasons, which we might produce to this purpose, let us repayre to the Cabalists, who
Page 19
indeed are very high in the Point, and thus they deliver themselves. God (say they) having made fast the Doores of his Paradyse, and turn'd out Adam, sometimes the Dearest of his Creatures, did notwithstanding the Present Punishment, retaine his former Affection to∣wards him still. For God is said to love his Creatures not that there is any thing lovely in Them without their Creator, but in that hee desires their perfection: That is to say he would have them Conformable to himself, and fitt to receive his Image or Similitude, which is a spi∣ritual Impress of his Beauty. Now to restore this Similitude in Adam was impossible unlesse God should reassume that to himself which was now fallen from him. So transcendent, and almost incredible a Mercie had God trea∣sur'd up in his secret Will, being resolved to unite the Nature of Man to his Own, and so vindicat him from Death, by taking him into the Deitie, which is the true Fountain and Cen∣ter of Life. This Will (say the Cabalists) was first revealed to the Angels, and that by God himself in these words; Ecce Adam sicut unus*ex Nobis: Behold an Adam like one of us, knowing Good and Euill! This speech they call Orationem occultissimam à Creatore Mundi cum beatis Angelis in suae Divinitatis Pene∣tralibus habitam; A most secret Conference
Page 20
which God had with the blessed Angels in the Inner-Chambers of Heaven. Now that the same Scripture should speak one thing in the Letter, and another in the Mysterie, is not strange to mee, how difficult soever it may seem to another. For verily this Text may not concern the first Adam, who knowing Evill by Committing it, could not be like God in respect of that Knowledge, which made him sinfull, and altogether unlike him. For God (if I may so expresse it) knows the Evill onely speculatively, in asmuch as nothing can escape his Knowledge, and therefore is not guilty of Evill: For as Tritemius hath well observed, Scientia Mali non est Malum, sed usus; The knowledge of Evill is not Evill, but the practice of it. It remains then, that this Speech con∣cern'd the Second Adam, Christ Jesus, who knew the Evill, but did not commit it, and therefore was like one of us, that is like One of the Trinitie, knowing Good and Evill, and yet no way guiltie of the Evill. This primitive and Compendious Gospell was no sooner imparted to the Angels, but they became Ministers of it, the Law (as St. Paul saith) being ordained in their hands, till Christ should take it into his own and their Administration to Man took Beginning with this Oracle. Thus (say the Cabalists) Raziel the Angel was presently
Page 21
dispatch'd to communicat the Intelligence to Adam, and to acquaint him with the Mysteries of both world, AEternall, and Temporall. For as he could not obtain the Blessings of the AE∣ternall World, unless by a true faith hee appre∣hended the Three AEternall Principles of it, so neither could he fully injoy the benefits of this Temporall World, unless hee truly understood the Three Visible substances whereof it con∣sists. For there are Three above, and Three be∣neath, Three (as St. John saith) in Heaven, and Three on Earth; The Inferior bear witness of the Superior, and are their only proper Recepta∣cles. They are Signatures and Created Books, where wee may reade the Mysteries of the su∣pernaturall Trinitie. But to proceed in our former Discourse: The Cabalists doe not one∣ly attribute a Guardian to Adam, but to every one of the Patriarchs, allowing Them their Praesidents and Tutors both to assist and in∣struct Them in their wearisome and worldly Peregrinations. A Doctrine in my Opinion not more Religious than Necessary, how Prodigious soever it may seem to some Phantastic, insiped Theologicians. For Certainly it is impossible for us to find out Mysteries of our selves, wee must either have the Spirit of God, or the In∣struction of his Ministers, whereher they bee Men or Angels. And thus wee see out of the
Page 22
Traditions and Doctrine of the Jewes, how their Cabala, and our Magic came first into the world. I shall now examine the Scriptures, and consult with them: where (if I am not much mistaken) I shall find some Consequen∣ces, which must needs depend on these Princi∣ples, and thus I apply my self to the Task.
The first Harvest I read of, was that of Cain, and the first Flocks, those of Abel. A Shepheards life in those Early Dayes was no difficult Profession, it being an Imployment of more Care, than Art, but how the Earth was plow'd up before the sound of Tubal's Ham∣mers, is a piece of Husbandrie unknown in these Dayes. Howsoever it was a Labour per∣form'd, and not without Retribution. Cain hath his Sheaves, as well as Abel his Lambs: both of them receive, and both acknowledge the Benefit. I find established in these Two a certain Priesthood, they attend both to the Altar, and the first Bloud was shed by Sacri∣fice the Second by Murther.

Now so dull am I, and so short of Syllogismes, those strange Pumps, and Hydragogues, which lave the Truthex Puteo, like Water, that all my Reason cannot make these Men Levits without Revelation. For I desire to know how came they first to Sacrifise, and by whom were they initiated? If you will say, by Adam:
Page 23

The Question indeed is deferr'd, but not satisfi∣ed For I would know further In what Schoole was Adam instructed? Now that it was im∣possible for him to invent these Shadowes and Sacraments of himself, I will undertake to De∣monstrate and that by invincible Reason, which no Adversarie shall dare to contradict.

It is most certain that the Hope and Expe∣ctation of Man in Matters of Sacrifices, consist in the Thing signisied, and not in the Signe it self. For the Material Corruptible shadow is not the Object of Faith but the Spiritual, aeter∣nall Prototype, which answers to it, and makes the dead figure Effectual. The Sacrifices of the Old Testament, and the Elements of the New, can be no way acceptable with God, but inaf∣much as they have a Relation to Christ Jesus, who is the great, perfect Sacrifice offered up once for all. It is plain then that Sacrifices were first instituted upon supernatural grounds, for in Nature there is no reason to be found, why God should be pleased with the Death of his Creatures. Nay the very Contrary is written in that Book, for Death both Natural and Violent proceeds not from the pleasure, but from the displeasure of the Creator. I know the learned Alkind builds the efficacie of Sa∣crifices on a Sympathie of parts with the great world; for there is in every Animal a portion
Page 24

of the star-fire; which fire upon the Dissoluti∣on of the Compound is united to the General fire from whence it first came, and produceth a sense, or Motion in the Limbus to which it is united. This indeed is true, but that Motion causeth no Joy there, and by Consequence no Reward to the Sacrificer: for I shall make it to appeare elsewhere that the Astral Mother doth mourn, and not rejoyce at the Death of her Children. Now if wee look back on these two first Sacrificers, we shall find Abel and his Ob∣lation accepted, which could not be, had he not offerr'd it up as a Symbol, or Figure of his Savi∣our. To drive home my Argument then, I say, that this knowledge of the Type, in whom all offerings were acceptable, could not bee obtai∣ned by any humane Industrie, but by sole Re∣velation. For the Passion of Christ Jesus was an Ordinance wrapt up in the secret will of God, and he that would know it, must of Ne∣cessitie bee of his Councell. Hence it is called in Scripture the Hidden Mysterie, for the Truth and Certainty of it, was not to bee received from any, but onely from him, who had both the Will, and the Power to ordain it. But if you will tell mee (like the Author of the Praedicables) that men sacrifised at first by the Instinct of Nature, and without any Re∣spect* to the Type, I shal indeed thank you for my
Page 25

mirth, whensoever you give mee so just a Rea∣son to laugh. It remains then a most firme in∣fallible Foundation that Adam was first in∣structed concerning the Passion, and in order to that, he was taught further, to Sacrifise, and offer up the Blouds of Beasts as Types and Pro∣droms of the Bloud of Christ Jesus, the Altars of the Law being but steps to the Cross of the Gospell. Now if it be objected that severall Nations have sacrifised, who did not know God at all, much less the Son of God, who is the Prototype and perfection of all Oblations: To this I answer, that the Custome of Sacri∣ficing was communicated to Heathens by Tra∣dition from the first Man: who having instru∣cted his own Children, they also delivered it to their Posteritie, so that this Vizard of Religion remained, thought the Substance and true Do∣ctrine of it was lost. And thus in my Opinion it sufficiently appears, that the first men did sa∣crifise, not by Nature as Prophrrius that Enc∣mie of our Religion would have it, but some by Revelation, others by Custome and Tradition. But now I think upon it, I have Scripture to confirme me concerning this Primitive Reve∣lation, for Salomon numbring those serverall Blessings which the Divine Wisdome imparted to the Ancient Fathers, amongst the rest speci∣fies her Indulgence to Adam. Shee praeserved
Page 26

(saith hee) the first formed Father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his Fall. Here I find Adam in some measure restored, and how could that bee, but by discovering unto him the Great Restorative Christ Jesus, the second Adam in whom he was to believe? for without Faith he could not have been brought out of his Fall, and without Christ revealed, and preached unto him, hee could have no Faith, for hee knew not what to believe. It remaines then that hee was instru∣cted, for as in these last dayes wee are taught by the Son of God, and his Apostles; so in those first times they were taught by the Spirit of God and his ministring Angels. These were their Tutors, for of them they heard the Word, and verily wee are told that faith comes by hearing.

It is now (as I think) sufficiently proved, that Adam had his Metaphysics from Above: our next Service (and perhaps somewhat diffi∣cult) is, to give some probable. if not Demon∣strative reasons, that they came not alone but had their Physics also to attend them. I know the Scriptures are not positive in this point, and hence the Sects will lug their Consequence of Reprobation. Truly for my part. I desire not * their Hum but their patience: I have though against the Praecept for many years attended
Page 27

their Philosophie, and if they spend a few hours on my Spermalogie it may cost them some part * of their Justice, but none of their Favours. But that we may come to the thing in hand; I hold it very Necessarie to distinguish Arts, for I have not yet seen any Author, who hath fully considered their difference. The Art I speak of, is truly Physicall in Subject, Method, and Ef∣fect But as for Arts publickly professed, and to the Disadvantage of Truth allowed, not one of them is so qualified: for they are meer Knacks and Bables of the Hand, or Braine, having no firm Fundamentals in Nature. These in my opinion S•l••o• numbers amongst his Vanities, when hee speakes in a certaine * place, That God had made man upright, but hee had sought out many Inventions. Of these In∣ventions we have a short Catalogue in Genesis, where Moses separates the Corn from the Chaff, the Works of God, from the Whymzies of Man. Thus wee read that Jabal was the * Father of such as dwell in Tents, his brother Jubal the father of all such as handle the Harp and Organ, and Tubal-Cain an Instructer of every Artificer in Brasse and Iron. What mis∣chiefes have succeeded this Brasse-and-Iron Cy∣clops, I need not tell you: if you know not the fates of former Times, you may studie the A∣ctions of your owne, you live in an Age that
Page 28

can instruct you. Verily, it is worth our ob∣servation that these Arts, and their tooles, pro∣ceeded not from the Posterity of Seth, in whose Line our Saviour stands, for as wee shall make it appeare hereafter questionlesse they had a better knowledge; But they proceeded from the Seed of Cain, who in Action was a Murtherer, and in the Circumstance of it a fratricide.

To be short, there is no Vanity to the Vani∣tie of Sciences, I mean those Inventions, and their Professors, which produce nothing true and Natural, but Effects either false, or in their Ends corrupt and Violent. But 'tis no Conquest to tread on Ruines, Cornelius Agrippa, hath al∣ready * layd these Rodomontados in the Dirt, and that so handsomely, they were never since of a general Reputation. Give me an Art then, that is a perfect intire Map of the Creation, that can lead me directly to the Knowledge of the true God, by which I can discover those Univer∣sal invisible Essences which are subordinat to him; An Art that is no way subject to Evill, and by which I can attain to all the Secrets and Mysteries in Nature. This is the Art where∣in the Physics of Adam, and the Patriarchs consisted, and that this Art was revealed to him, I will undertake to demonstrat by Scriptures, and the Practice of his Posteritie.

This Truth, I am certain, will seem difficult,
Page 29

if not incredible to most men, the Providence of God being praejudic'd in this point, for they will not allow him to instruct us in Naturall things, but onely in Supernaturals, such as may concerne our Souls, and their Salvation. As for our Bodies he must not praescribe for their Necessities, by teaching us the true Physic, and discovering the Lawes of his Creation; for though he made Nature, yet hee may not tu∣tor us in Natural Sciences: by no means, A∣ristotle and his Syllogism can doe it much bet∣ter. Certainly this Opinion is nothing different from that of the Epicure, Deum ad Coeli Car∣dines obambulare, & nullâ tangi Mortalium curâ, That God takes the Aire I know not in what walkes and Quarters of his Heaven, but thinks not of us Mortals, who are here under his feet. Questionlesse, a most eminent Impie∣tie, to make God as Iertullian said of old, Oti∣osum,*& inexercitum Neminem in rebus Hu∣manis, An idle, unprofitable No body in this * World, having nothing to doe with our A∣faires, as they are Natural, and Humane. Sure these Men are afraid lest his Mercy should diminish his Majestie, they suffer him to trade onely with our immortal parts, not with Corruptible bodies that have most need of his Assistance, they are base Subjects, which he hath turned over to Galen, and the Apotheca∣ries.
Page 30

Not so my friend: he hath created Phy∣sic, and brings it out of the Earth, but the Ga∣lenist knowes it not; Hee it is, that pitties our afflictions, he is the good Samaritane that doth not pass by us in our miseries, but poures Oile and Wine into our wounds; This I know very well and I will prove it out of his own Mouth. Did not hee instruct Noah to build an Ark, to pitch it within and without, and this to save life in a Time, when hee himselfe was resolved to destroy it? In a time when the world was ac∣quainted with no Mechanics, but a little Husbandrie, and a few Knacks of Tubal-Cain, and his brethren? But even those Inven∣tions also proceeded from that light which hee planted in man: an Essence perpetually busie, and whose Ambition it is to performe won∣ders, yet hee seldome produceth any thing of his owne, but what is fantastic, and monstrous. Did he not put his spirit in Bezaleel the son of *Uri, and in Aholiab the son of Ahisamach? Did hee not teach them to devise cunning Workes, to work in Gold, in Silver, in Brasse, in Cutting of stones, in setting of them, in Car∣ving of Timber, and in all manner of Work∣manship? But to come neerer to our purpose: did hee not informe Moses in the Composition of the Oile, and the Perfume? Did hee not teach him the Symptoms of the Leprosie, and the
Page 31
Cure thereof? Did he not praescribe a Plaster of Figs for Hezekiah, and to use your owne Term; an Ophthalmic for Tobit? Did not Je∣sus Christ himself in the Dayes of his Flesh, work most of his Miracles on our bodies, though his great Cure was that of our Soules? Is hee not the same then to day as yester∣day? Nay was hee not the same then from the Be∣ginning? Did he care for our Bodies then, and doth he neglect them now? or being seated on the right hand of the Majestic on high, is hee become lass good, because more glorious? God forbid to think so were a sin in Superlatives. Let us then take him for our Praesident, for he * is not (saith St. Paul) such an one which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our Infirmities, but hee is indeed one that looks to our present estate aswell as to our future and is as sensi∣ble of our Insirmitie. as hee is Carefull of our Immortaletie. When hee was on Earth, with the Dust of that Earth hee made the Blind to *see, and of meer Water he made Wine. These were the visible Elements of his Physic, or ra∣ther (so the Notion doth not offend you) of his Magic. But shall I shew you his Librarie, and in that his Three-fold Philosophie? Ob∣serve then first, and censure afterwards. Have Salt in your selves, and again, you are the salt of the Earth, and in a third place, salt is good.
Page 32

This is his mineral Doctrine, will you know his Vegetable? It is in two little Books, a Mu∣stard-seed, and a Lillis. Lastly, he hath his A∣nimal Magic, and truly that's a Scrowle Seal'd up, I know not who may open it. Hee needed*not that any should beare witnesse of man, for he knew what was in man. And what of all this Blasphemie sayes some splenetic Sophister? Behold I will instruct thee. First of all have Salt in thy self, for it will season thy soule that is infected, and praeserve thy Braines that are putrified with the Dirt of Aristotle. In the second place learn what the Salt of the Earth is, to which the Disciples are compared, and that by a regular, solid speculation. Third∣ly come up to Experience, and by a Physicall legitimat practice know in what sense Salt is most good. Fourthly, examine the Lilies by Fire, and the Water of Fire, that thou mayst see their miraculous invisible Treasures, and where∣in that speech of Truth is verified, That Salo∣mon in all his Royaltie was not cloathed like one of them. If thou wilt attempt a higher Magic, thou mayst being first seasoned. but in this place it is not my designe to lead Thee to it. Animal and Vegetable Mysteries thou canst never per∣fectly obtain without the Knowledge of the first mineral secret, namely the Salt of the Earth, which is Salt and no Salt, and the Prae∣paration
Page 33

thereof. This Discourse I confesse, is somewhat remote from that I first intended, namely that Philosophie was revealed to A∣dam, as well as Divinitie, but some Pates are Blocks in their own wayes, and as I told you formerly, will not believe that God dispenseth with any Naturall secrets; This made mee produce these few Instances out of Scripture, as Praeparatives to the Proposition it self, and if hee be any thing ingenious, to the Reader. His Compliance to my Principles I expect not, nay I am so far from it, hee may suspend his Charitie. Let him bee as rigid as Justice can make him, for I wish not to praevaile in any thing but the Truth, and in the Name of Truth, thus I begin.

You have been told formerly, that Cain and Abel were instructed in Matters of Sacrifice by their father Adam, but Cain having mur∣thered his brother Abel, his Priesthood descen∣ded to Seth, and this is confirm'd by those Fa∣culties which attended his Posteritie, for Enoch, Lamech, and Noah, were (all of them) Pro∣phets. It troubles you perhaps that I attribute a Priesthood to Abel but I have besides his own practice, Christs Testimonie for it, who ac∣counts * the Bloud of Abel amongst that of the persecuted Prophets and Wisemen. Now to conclude that these men had no Knowledge
Page 34

in Philosophie, because the Seripture doth not mention any use they made of it, is an Argu∣ment that denies something, but proves nothing. To shew the vanitie of this Inference, I will give you an Example out of Moses himself. Wee know very well there are no Prophecies of Abraham extant, neither doe wee read any where, that ever hee did Prophesie, but notwith∣standing he was a Prophet. For God reproving Abimelech King of Gerar, who had taken Sa∣rah from him supposing she had been his Si∣ster, hath these words; Now therefore restore * the Man his Wife, for hee is a Prophet, and hee shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live. Hence wee may learn, that the holy Ghost doth not al∣wayes mention the secret perfections of the Soul, in the public Character of the Person. Truly I should not be so impudent, as to expect your assent to this Doctrine, if the Scriptures were silent in every Text, if I did not find there some infallible steps of Magic, such as may lead me without a Lanthorn to the Archives of the Art it self. I know the Troup, and Tu∣mult of other Affaires are both the Many, and the Maine in the Historie of Moses. But in the whole Current, I meet with some Acts which may not be numbred amongst the for∣tunes of the Patriarchs, but are performances extraordinarie, and speak their Causes not Com∣mon.
Page 35
I have ever admir'd that Discipline of Eliezer the steward of Abraham, who when*he prayed at the Well in Mesopotamia, could make his Camels also kneele. I must not be∣lieve there was any Hocas in this, or that the spirit of Banks, may be the spirit of Prayer. Jacob makes a Covenant with Laban, that all the spotted and brown Cattell in his Flocks should be assigned to him for his wages. The Bargain is no sooner made, but he finds an Art to Multiplie his own Colours, and sends his Fa∣ther-in-law almost a Woolgathering. And Jacob took him Rods of green Poplar, and of the Hasel, * & Chesnut-tree, & pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods; And hee set the rods, which he had pilled, before the Flocks in the Gutters, in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink: And the Flocks conceived before the Rods, and brought forth Cattel ring straked, speckled and spotted. As for that which the Scripture tells us elsewhere, namely that Jacob saw in a dream, and behold * the Rams that leaped on the Cattell were ring∣straked speckled, and grisled, This doth no way impaire our Assertion, or prove this generation miraculous, and supernatural: For no man, I believe is so mad as to think those Appea∣rances, or Ramms of the dream, did leap, and
Page 36
supplie the natural males of the Flock: God using this Apparition onely to signifie the Truth of that Ar• Jacob acted by, and to tell him that his hopes were effected. But I shall not insist long on any particular, and therefore I will paste from this Dream to another. Joseph being seventeen years old, an Age of some Dis∣cretion, propounds a Vision to his Father, not loosly and to no purpose, as wee tell one an∣other of our dreams, but expecting, I be∣lieve, an Interpretation, as knowing that his Father had the skill to expound it. The wise Patriarch being not ignorant of the Secrets of the two Luminaries, attributes Males to the Sun, and Females to the Moon, then allowes a third Signification to the minor starrs, and last∣ly answers his sonne with a Question: What is this Dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I, and thy Mother, and thy Brethren indeed come to bow down our selves to thee, to the Earth?

Now, I think no man will deny but the In∣terpretation of Dreams belongs to Magic. and hath been ever sought after as a piece of secret Learning. True it is, when the Interpre∣ter receives his knowledge immediatly from God, as Daniel did, then it falls not within the Limits of a Naturall Science; but I speak of a Physicall Exposition as this was, which de∣pends on certain abstruse Similitudes, for hee
Page 37

that knowes the Analogie of parts to parts in this great body, which wee call the World, may know what every Signe signifies, and by Conse∣quence may prove a good Interpreter of dreames. As for Jacob's first practice, which wee have formerly mention'd, namely the Pro∣pagation of his speckled Flocks, it is an effect so purely Magicall that our most obstinat Ad∣versaries dare not Question it. I could cite one place more, which referrs to this Patriarch, and points at the Fundamentals of Magic, but being annex'd to this discourse, it would disco∣ver too much, I shall therefore leave it to the Search of those, who are Considerable Profici∣ents, if not Masters in the Art. The summ of all is this: Man of himself could not attain to true Knowledge it was God in meer mercie did instruct him. To confirm this, I shall desire the Reader to Consider his own Experience. Wee have in these our dayes many Magicall Books extant, wherein the Art is discovered both truly, and plainly. Wee have also an infi∣nite Number of Men, who studie those books, but after the Indeavours of a long life not one in Ten Thousand understands them. Now if wee with all these Advantages cannot attain to the Secrets of Nature, shall we think those first fathers did, who had none of our Libra∣ries to assist them, nor any learned man upon
Page 38

Earth to instruct them? Could they doe that without means, which wee cannot doe with means, and those too very considerable? The Peripaterties perhaps will tell me their Syllo∣gism is the Engine that can perform all this. Let 'em then in Barbara or Baroco demon∣strate the first matter of the Philosopher's stone. But they will tell mee there is no such thing. Behold I tell them again, and assure them too on my Salvation, there is, but in Truth their Logic will never find it out. It is clear then, that God at first instructed Adam from him his Children received it, and by their Tradition it descended to the Patriarchs, every Father be∣queathing these Secrets to his Child, as his best and most lasting Legacie. I have now atten∣ded *Jacob, the Israel of God, both in his Pil∣grimage at Padan-aram, and in his Typicall Inheritance, the Earnest of the Land of Canaan. But two Removalls perfect not the wandrings of a Patriarch; God calls him from the Ha∣bitation of his Fathers to the Prison of his Posteritie, and provides him a plac of Freedom in the house of Bondage. I must follow him where his Fortune leads, from I saac's Hebron, to the Goshen of Phaaroh then back again to the Cave and Dust of Machpelah. As for his sons and their Traine, who attended his Mo∣tion thither, I find not any Particular Remem∣brance
Page 39

of them onely Moses tells me of a ge∣nerall*Exit: Joseph died, and all his brethren and all that Generation. I must now then to prove the Continuance and Succission of this Art addresse m• self to the Court, where I shall find the Son of Levi newly translated from his Ark, and Bulrushes. Yet, there is somthing may be sayd of Joseph, and verily it proves how Common Magic was in those dayes, and the effects of it no newes to the Sons of Jacob; for having conveyed his Cup into the Sack of Benjamin, and by that policie detain'd his Brethren, hee asks them: What Deed is this*that you have done? Knew yee not that such a man as I can certainly divine?

In this Speech he makes his Brethren no stran∣gers to the performances of Art, but rather makes their familiarity therewith an Argu∣ment against them: Knew you not? but the fol∣lowing words are very effectuall, and tell us what qualified persons the ancient Magi were. They were indeed (as hee speaks of himself) such as Joseph was, Princes, and Rulers of the People, not beggarly Gypsies, and Mountebanks, as our Doctors are now. It was the Ambition of the Great in those Dayes to bee Good, and as these Secrets proceeded from God, so were they also entertained by the Gods, I mean by Kings: For saith the Scripture, I have said yee are
Page 40
Gods: a name Communicated to them, because they had the power to doe wonders, for in this Magical sense the true God speaks to Moses: See, I have made thee a God to Phaaroh, and*thy Brother Aaron shall bee thy Prophet. And verily this true Knowledge. and this Title that belongs to it, did that false Serpent prae∣tend to our first Parents; Eritis sicut Dii, You*shall be as Gods knowing good and evill. But 'tis not this subtill Dragon, but Bonus ille Ser∣peats, that good, Crucified Serpent, that can give us both this Knowledge, and this Title:*for by him all things were made, and without him not any thing was made, that is made; If hee made them then, hee can teach us also how they were made. I must now refer my self to Moses who at his first Acquaintance with God, saw many Transmutations: One in his own Flesh, another of the Rod in his hand, with a third promised, and afterwards performed upon Water. It is written of him, that he was skill'd in all the learning of the Egyptians: but for my part I doe much question what kind of learn∣ing that was, the Scripture assuring mee, and * that by the Pen of Moses, their Wonders were effected by Inchantments. This is certain, their Learning was Ancient, for I find Magicians in AEgypt, four hundred and thirty years and up∣wards, before Jamnes and Jambres. This is
Page 41

Confirmed by Phaaroh's Dreame, which his own Sorcerers, and Wizards could not interpret, * but Joseph alone expounded it. Verily it can∣not be denyed, but some Branches of this Art, though extremely corrupted, were dispers'd a∣mong all Nations by Tradition from the first man, and this appeares by more Testimonies than one. For in the Land of Canaan, before ever Israel possest it, Debir, which Athniel the son of Kenaz conquered, was an Universitie, at least had in it a famous Librarie, wherefore the Jewes call'd it Kiriath-Sepharim. I might speak in this place of the Universalitie of Reli∣gion: for never yet was there a people, but had some confused Notion of a Deitie, though ac∣companied with Lamentable Ceremonies, and Super stitions. Besides, the Religious of all Na∣tions have alwaies praetended to Powers Extra∣ordinarie, even to the performance of Mira∣cles, and the healing of all Diseases, and this by some secret meanes, not known to the common Man: and verily if wee examine all Religions, whether false, or true, wee shall not find one, but it praetends to something, that is Mysticall. Certainly if men be not resolved against Reason, they must grant, these Obliqui∣ties in matters of Faith proceeded from the Corruption of some Principles received, (as we see that Heretics are but so many false Inter∣preters)
Page 42

but not withstanding in those very Er∣rors there remained some Marks and Imitati∣ons of the first Truth. Hence comes it to passe, that all parties agree in the Action, but not in the Object. For Example: Israel did Sacrifise, and the Heathen did Sacrifise, but the One to God, the other to his Idol; Neither were they onely Conformable in some Rites, and Solemni∣ties of Divinitie, but the Heathens also had some Hints left of the Secret Learning, and Philosophie of the Patriarchs, as wee may see in their false Magic, which consisted for the most part in Astrologicall Observations, I∣mages, Charmes, and Characters. But it is my Designe to keep in the Rode, not to follow these Deviations, and misfortunes of the Art, which notwithstanding want not the weight of Argument, the Existence of Things being proved as well by their Miscariage, as by their Successe. To proceed then, I say, that during the Pilgrimage of the Patriarchs, this Know∣ledge was delivered by tradition from the Fa∣ther to his Child, and indeed it could be no otherwise, for what was Israel in those Dayes, but a privat Familie? Notwithstanding when God appointed them their Possession, and that this private house was multiplied to a Nation, then these secrets remained with the Elders of the Tribes, as they did formerly with the Father
Page 43

of the Familie. These Elders, no doubt, were the Moysaicall Septuagint, who made up the Sanhedrim, God having Selected some from the rest, to be the stewards, and Dispensers of his Mysteries. Now that Moses was acquain∣ted with all the abstruse Operations, and Prin∣ciples of Nature, is a Truth I suppose which no man will resist. That the Sanhedrim also par∣ticipated of the same Instruction and Know∣ledge with him is plain out of Scripture, where wee read, That God took of the spirit that*was in Moses, and gave it to the Seventy.

But lest any Man should deny that, which wee take for granted. namely the Philosophie of Moses, I shall demonstrate out of his own Books, both by reason, as also by his practice, that hee was a Natural Magician.

First of all then it is most absurd, and there∣fore improbable, that hee should write of the Creation, who was no way skill'd in the Secrets of God and Nature, both which must of neces∣sitie be known before wee should undertake to write of the Creation. But Moses did write of it, Ergo. Now I desire to know what hee hath written, Truth or a Lie; if Truth, how dare you denie his Knowledge? if a Lie (which God forbid) why will you believe him? You will tell mee perhaps he hath done it onely in gene∣ral Termes: and I could tell you that Aristotle
Page 44

hath done no otherwise: but think you in good earnest that hee knew no more, than what hee did write? There is nothing you can say in this point, but wee can disprove it, for in Genesis he hath discovered many particulars, and especial∣ly those Secrets which have most Relation to this Art. For Instance; hee hath Discovered the Minera of Man, or that Substance out of which Man, and all his fellow-Creatures were made. This is the first matter of the Philoso∣phers stone: Moses calls it sometimes Water, sometimes Earth; for in a certain place I read. thus; And God said, Let the waters bring*forth abundantly the moving. Creature that hath life, and Fowle that may fly above the Earth in the open Firmament. But elsewhere wee read otherwise: And out of the Ground*the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowle of the Aire. In this la∣ter Text hee tels us that God made every fowle of the Ayre out of the Ground, but in the for∣mer it is written, hee made them out of the Wa∣ter. Certainly Aristotle and his Organ can ne∣ver reconcile these two places, but a little skill in Magic will mak them kisse, and be friends without a Philtre. This substance then is both Earth and Water, yet neither of them in their Common Complexions, but it is a thick water, and a subtil Earth. In plain termes it is a
Page 45
slimie, spermatic, viscous Masse, impraegnated with all powers Coelestiall, and terrestriall. The Philosophers call it Water and no Water, Earth and no Earth: and why may not Moses speak as they doe? or why may not they write, as Moses did? This is the true Damascen Earth, out of which God made man: you then that would be Chimists, seem not to be wiser than God, but use that subiect in your Art. which God himself makes use of in Nature. He is the best workman, and knowes what matter is most fit for his work, hee that will imitate him in the Effect, must first imitate him in the Subject. Talk not then of Flint-stones and Antimonie, they are the Poets Pin-dust, and Egshells; Seek this Earth, this Water. But this is not all that Moses hath written to this purpose, I could cite many more Magicall and mysticall places, but in so doing I should be too open. where∣fore I must forbeare. I shall now speak of his Practice, and truly this is it which no Distin∣ction, nor any other Logicall Quibble can wave, nothing but Experience can refell this Argument, and thus it runs. And Moses took the Calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and grinded it to powder, and strew∣ed it vpon the water, and made the Children of Israel drink of it. Certainly here was a strange kind of Spice, and an Art as strange as the
Page 46
Spice it self. This Calf was pure gold, the Is∣raelites having contributed their Eare-rings to the Fabric. Now would I gladly know by what meanes so solid and heavie a Body as Gold, may bee brought to such a light powder, that it may bee sprinkl'd on the face of the water, and afterwards drunk up. I am sure here was Aurum potabile, and Moses could never have brought the Calf to this passe had he not plowed with our Heyfer. But of this enough: if any man think hee did it by common fire, let him also doe the like, and when he hath perfor∣med, hee may sell his powder to the Apotheca∣ries. If I should insist in this place on the Moy∣saicall Ceremoniall Law with its severall Re∣verend shadows and their Significations; I might lose my self in a Wilderness of Mysteries both Divine and Naturall; For verily that whole System is but one vast Skreen, or a cer∣tain Majestic Umbrage drawne over two Worlds, Visible, and Invisible. But these are things of a higher speculation than the Scope of our present Discourse will admit of. I onely informe the Reader that the Law hath both a shell, and a Kernell, it is the Letter speaks, but the spirit in: erprets. To this agrees Gregorie*Nazianzen, who makes a twosold Law, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: one literal, ano∣ther spirituall. And elsewhere hee menti∣ons,
Page 47
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the hidden, and the manifest part of the Law; the manifest part (saith he) being appointed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for many men, and such whose thoughts were fixed here below but the hidden,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for few onely, whose Mindes a∣spired upwards to heavenly Things. Now that the Law being given, might benefit the people in both parts, spiritual and literal, therefore did the Law-giver institute the Sanhedrim, a Councell of Seventy Elders, upon whom hee had poured his Spirit, that they might discerne (as Esdras did) the Deep Things of the Night, in plain Termes, the hidden things of his Law. From these Elders the Cabala (I believe) had its Originall: for they imparted their Knowledge by word of Mouth to their Successors, and hence it came to passe, that the Science it self, was styl'd Cabala, that is, a Reception. This con∣tinued so long as Israel held together; but when their Frame began to discompose, and the Dilapidations of that House proved desperat, then Esdras a Prophet Incomparable (notwith∣standing the brand of Apocrypha) writ that Law in Tables of Box, which God himself had sometimes written in Tables of stone. As for the more secret, and mysterious part thereof, it was written at the same time in Seventy Secret Bookes, according to the Number of the Elders,
Page 48

in whose hearts it had been sometimes written.

And this was the very first time the Spirit married the Letter; for these Sacraments were not trusted formerly to Corruptible Volumes, but to the aeternall Tables of the Soul. But it may bee there is a blind Generation, who will believe nothing but what they see at hand, and therefore will deny that Esdras compos'd any such Bookes; To these Owles (though an unae∣qual Match) I shall oppose the Honour of Pi∣cus, who himself affirmes, that in his time hee met with the Secret Bookes of Esdras, and bought them with a great Price; Nor was this all, for Eugenius Bishop of Rome order'd their Translation, but hee dying, the Translators al∣so fell asleep. It is true indeed, something may be objected to mee in this place concern∣ing the Cabala, An Art which I no way ap∣prove of, neither doe I condemne it as our Ad∣versaries condemne Magic, before I under∣stand it; for I have spent some yeares in the S̄earch, and Contemplation thereof. But why then should I propose that for a Truth to o∣thers, which I accompt for an Error my self? To this I answer, that I condemne not the true Cabala, but the Inventions of some dispersed wandring Rabbies, whose braines had more of Distraction, than their fortunes; of this thirteenth Tribe I understand the Satyrist,
Page 49

when hee promiseth so largely.

Qualiacun{que} voles, Judaei Somnia vendunt. These I say have produc'd a certain up-start, bastard Cabala, which consists altogether in Alphabeticall knacks. ends alwayes in the Let∣ter where it begins, and the Vanities of it are grown Voluminous. As for the more Ancient, and Physicall Traditions of the Cabala, I em∣brace them for so many Sacred Truths, but ve∣rily those Truths were unknown to most of those Rabbins whom I have seen, even to Ram∣bam himself, I mean Rabbi Moses AEgyptius, whom the Jewes have so magnified with their famous Hyperbole: A Mose ad Mosen non surrexit sicut Moses.

But to deale ingenuously with my Readers, I say the Cabala I admit of consists of two parts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Name, and Thing. The former part is meerly Typicall in reference to the later, Serving only as the shadow to the substance. I will give you some instances. The Literal Cabala, which is but a Veile cast over the Secrets of the Physicall, hath Three Principles, commonly styl'd Tres Matres, or the Three Mothers: In the Masculine Com∣plexion the Jewes call them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Emes, in the Foeminine 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Asam, and they are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 aleph, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mem, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 schin. Now I will shew you how the Physical Cabala expounds the
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Literall. Tres Matres〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Emes (saith the great Abraham, or as some think Rabbi Aki∣ba) id est, Aer, Aqua, & I gnis; Aqua Qui∣eta, I gnis sibilans, Aer spiritus medius. That is, the Three Mothers Emes, or Aleph, Mem and Schin, are Aire, Water, and Fire; a still Water, (mark that) a hissing Fire, and Aire the middle Spirit. Again sayth the same Rabbi, Tres Matres〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Emes in Mundo, Aer, Aqua, & Ignis. Coeli ex Igne Creati sunt, Terra ex Aquá, Aer egressus est ex spiri∣tu, qui stat medius. The Three Mother Emes in this world are, Ayre, Water and Fire. The Heavens were made of the Fire, The Earth was made of the Water, (mark well this Cabalism) and the Ayre proceeded from a middle spirit. Now when the Cabalist speaks of the Genera∣tion of the Three Mothers, he brings in Ten secret Principles, which I think ten men have not understood since the Sanhedrim, such Non∣sence doe I find in most Authors, when they undertake to discourse of them. The first Prin∣ciple is a Spirit, which sits in Retrocessu suo fon∣tano, in his primitive, Incomprehensible Re∣treats, like Water in its Subterraneous Chanel, before it springs. The Second Principle is the Voice of that first Spirit, this breaks forth like a Well-spring, where the Water flowes out of the Earth, and is discovered to the eye, They call
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it Spiritus ex Spiritu. The third Principle is Spiritus ex Spiritibus, a Spirit which proceeds both from the first Spirit, and from his Voice. The Fourth Principle is Aqua de Spiritu, a Certain Water which proceeded from the Third Spirit, and out of that Water went Aire and Fire. But God forbid that I should speak any more of them publickly, it is enough that wee Know the Original of the Creature, and to whom wee ought to ascribe it. The Cabalist when hee would tell us what God did with the Three Mothers, useth no other phrase than this, Ponderavit Aleph cum omnibus, & om∣nia cum Aleph, & sic de Singulis, He weigh∣ed (saith he) Aleph with All, and All with Aleph, and so he did with the other Mothers. This is very plain, if you consider the various mixtures of the Elements, and their Secret Pro∣portions. And so much for the Physicall part of the Cabala, I will now shew you the Me∣taphysicall. It is strange to Consider what Uni∣tie of Spirit, and Doctrine, there is amongst all the Children of Wisdom. This proves infalli∣bly that there is an Universall Schoole-master, who is Present with all Flesh, and whose Prin∣ciples are ever Uniforme, namely the Spirit of God. The Cabalists agree with all the world of Magicians, That Man in spirituall Myste∣ries is both Agent and Patient. This is plain:
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For Jacobs Ladder is the greatest Mysterie in the Cabala. Here wee find two Extreams: Ja∣cob is one, at the Foot of the Ladder, and God is the other, who stands above it, immittens (saith the Jew) Formas, & Influxus in Jacob, sive Subjectum Hominem, shedding some secret Influx of Spirit upon Jacob, who in this place Typifies Man in general. The Rounds, or steps in the Ladder signifie the middle Na∣tures, by which Jacob is united to God, Inferiors united to Superiors. As for the Angels of whom it is sayd, that they ascended & Descended by the Ladder, their Motion proves they were not of the superior Hierarchie, but some other secret Essences, for they Ascended first, and Descended afterwards: but if they had been from above, they had Descended first, which is Contrarie to the Text. And here Reader, I would have thee studie. Now to return to Jacob, it is writ∣ten of him, that he was asleep, but this is a My∣sticall Speech, for it signifies Death, namely that Death which the Cabalist calls Mors Os∣culi, or the Death of the Kiss, of which I must not speake one Syllable. To bee short, they agree with us in Arcano Theologiae: That no word is efficacious in Magic, unlesse it be first quickened by the Word of God. This appears out of their Semhamaphores; for they hold not the names of Angls effectuall, un∣lesse
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some name of God, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be united to them then (say they) in the power and ver∣tue of those names they may worke. An Exam∣ple hereof wee have in all Extracted names, as Vehu-Iah, Elem-Iah, Jeli-El, Sita-El. Now this Practice in the Letter was a most subtil Adumbration of the Conjunction of the Sub∣stantiall Word or Spirit with the Water; See that you understand me rightly, for I meane with the Elements and so much for the Truth. To Conclude, I would have the Reader ob∣serve, that the false Grammaticall Cabala con∣sists onely in R•••••tions of the Alphabet, and a Metathesis of Letters in the Text, by which means the Scripture hath suffered many Racks, and Excoriations. As for the true Cabala, it useth the Letter onely for Artifice, whereby to obscure, and hide her P••••sicall Secrets, as the Egyptians heretofore did use their Hierogly∣phics. In this Sense the Primitive Professors of this Art, had a literal Cabala. as it ap∣peares by that wonderfull, and most ancient Inscription in the Rock in Mount Horeb. It conteines a Prophecie of the Virgin Mother, and her Son Christ Jesus. ingraven in Hiero∣glyphic fram'd by Combination of the Hebrew letters, but by whom God onely knows, it may be by Moses or Eli•ah. This is most certain, it is to be seen there this day. and wee have for
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it the Testimonies of Thomas Obecinus, a most learned Franciscan, and Petrus a Valle, a Gen∣tleman, who travailed both of them into those parts. Now that the learning of the Jewes, I mean their Cabala, was Chimicall, and ended in true Physicall performances, cannot be bet∣ter proved than by the Booke of Abraham the Jew, wherein hee layd down the Secrets of this Art in Indifferent plaine Termes and Figures, and that for the Benefit of his unhappy Coun∣try-men, when by the wrath of God they were scattered over all the World. This Book was accidentally found by Nicholas Flammel a French-man, and with the help of it hee at∣tained at last to that miraculous Medicine, which Men call the Philosophers stone. But let us hear the Monsieur himself describe it.

There fell into my hands (saith he) for the Summ of two Florens, a gilded Book, very old, and large; It was not of Paper, nor Parch∣ment, as other books bee, but it was made of de∣licate rindes (as it seemed to mee) of Tender young Trees: The Cover of it was of Brasse, well bound, all ingraven with Letters, or strange figures, and for my part, I think they might well bee Greek Characters, or some such an∣cient language. Sure I am, I could not read them, and I know well they were not Notes, nor
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Letters of the Latine, nor of the Gaule, for of them I understood a little. As for that which was within it, the Bark leaves were in∣graven, and with admirable diligence written, with a point of Jron in faire and neat Latin letters coloured. It contained thrice Seven leaves for so were the leaves counted at the top and alwayes every Seventh leafe was with∣out any writing, but instead thereof upon the first seventh leaf there was painted a Virgin, and Serpents swallowing her up; In the Se∣cond Seventh a Crosse where a Serpent was Crucified; and in the last Seventh there were painted Deserts, or Wildernesses, in the middest whereof ran many faire Fountains from whence there issued forth a Number of Ser∣pents, which ran up and down here and there. Upon the first of the Leaves was written in great Capitall letters of gold ABRAHAM THE JEW, PRINCE PRIEST LEVIT, ASTROLOGER, AND PHILOSO∣PHER, TO THE NATION OF THE JEWES, BY THE WRATH OF GOD DISPERSED AMONG THE GAULES SENDETH HEALTH.

After this it was filled with great Exe∣crations, and Curses (with this word Ma∣ranatha, which was often repeated there) a∣gainst
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every person that should cast his eyes upon it, if hee were not Sacrificer or Scribe. Hee that sold me this Booke, knew not what it was worth, no more than I, when I bought it. I believe it had been stolne or taken by violence from the miserable Jewes, or found hid in some part of the Ancient place of their Habitation. Within the Booke, in the Second leafe hee comforted his Nation, counselling them to fly Vices, and above all Idolatrie, at∣tending with sweet patience the Comming of the Messiah, who should vanquish all the Kings of the Earth, and should reigne with his people in glorie aeternally. Without doubt this had been some wise, and understand∣ing Man. In the third leafe, and in all the other writings that followed to help his Cap∣tive Nation to pay their Tributes to the Ro∣man Emperours, and to doe other things, which I will not speak of, hee taught them in Com∣mon words the Transmutation of Mettals; hee painted the Vessels by the sides and hee in∣formed them of the Colours, and of all the rest, except the first Agent of the which he spake not a word but onely (as he said) in the fourth and fifth leaves he had iutirely painted it, and figured it with very great Cunning and Work∣manship: for though it was well, and Intelligi∣bly
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figured and painted yet no man could ever have been able to understand it, without being well skill'd in their Cabala, which goeth by Tradition and without having well studied their Bookes. The Fourth and fifth leafe there∣fore was without any writing all full of faire Figures inlightned or as it were inlightned, for the work was very Exquisit. First hee painted a young man, with wings at his An∣cles having in his hand a Caducean Rod wri∣then about with two Serpents, wherewith hee strooke upon a Helmet which covered his head; hee seemed to my small judgement to be Mer∣curie the Pagan Gad. Against him there came running, and flying with open wings, a great old man, who upon his head had an Houre-glasse fastned, and in his hands a Hooke or Sithe like Death, with the which in terrible and furicus Maner, he would have cut off the feet of Mercurie. On the other side of the fourth Leafe, hee painted a faire Flower on the top of a very high Mountaine, which was sore shaken with the North wind; it had the Root blew the Flowers white and red, the leaves shining like fine Gold; And round about it the Dragons and Grisfons of the North made their nests. On the Fifth leafe shere was a faire Rose tree flowred in the mid∣dest
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of a Sweet Garden, climbing up against a hollow Oake, at the foot whereof boyled a foun∣tain of most white water, which ran headlong down into the Depths, notwithstanding it pas∣sed first among the hands of infinite people, who digged in the Earth, seeking for it; but because they were blind, none of them knew it, except here and there One, which considered the weight. On the last side of the fife leafe, was painted a King, with a great Faucheon, who caused to bee kill'd in his presence by some Souldiours a great Multitude of little Infants, whose Mothers wept at the Feet of the merci∣lesse Souldiours. The Bloud of these Infants was afterwards gathered up by other Souldi∣ours, and put in a great vessell, whereto the Sun and the Moone came to bathe themselves. And thus you see that which was in the first five leaves; I will not represent unto you that which was writien in good and Intelligible La∣tin in all the other written leaves, for God would punish mee because I should commit a greater wickednesse than he, who (as it is sayd) wished that all the men of thn world had but one head, that hee might cut it off at one Blow. Thus farre Nicholas Flammel.

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I could now passe from Moses to Christ, from the Old Testament to the New: not that I would interpret there, but request the Sense or the Illuminated. I desire to know what my Sa∣viour means by the Key of Knowledge, which * the Lawyers (as he tells mee and them too) had taken away. Questionlesse it cannot signifie the Law it self, for that was not taken away being read in the Synagogue every Sabaoth. But to let go this: I am certain, and I could prove it all along from his Birth to his Passion, that the Doctrine of Christ Jesus is not onely agree∣able to the Laws of Nature, but is verified and established thereby. When I speak of the Laws of Nature, I mind not her Excessive irregular Appetites and Inclinations, to which shee hath bin subject since her Corruption, for even Galen looked on those obliquities as Diseases, but stu∣died Nature her self, as their Cure. We know by experience that too much of any thing wea∣kens, and destroyes our Nature, but if wee live Temperately, and according to Law, wee are well, because our Course of life accords with Nature. Hence Diet is a prime Rule in Physic, far better indeed than the Pharmacopaea, for those sluttish Recepts doe but oppresse the sto∣mach, being no fit fuell for a Coelestiall fire. Believe it then, these excessive bestiall Appetites proceeded from our Fall, for Nature of her
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self is no lavish insatiable Glut, but a most nice delicat essence. This appears by those fits, and pangs she is subject to whensoever she is overcharg'd. In common, customarie Exces∣ses there is not any, but knows this Truth by Experience, indeed in spiritual sins, the Body is not immediatly troubled, but the Conscience is terrified, and surely the body cannot be very well, when the soule it self is sick. We see then that Corruption, and sin do not so much agree with us, as they doe disturb us, for in what sense can our Enemies be our friends, or those things that destroy Nature, be agreeable to Nature? How then shall we judge of the Gospel? Shall we say that the praeservation of Man is contrarie to Man, and that the Do∣ctrine of Life agrees not with Life it self? God forbid: The Laws of the Resurrection are founded upon those of the Creation, and those of Regeneration upon those of Generati∣on, for in all these God works upon one, and the same Matter, by one and the same spirit. Now that it is so, I meane that there is a Har∣monie between Nature and the Gospel, I will prove out of the Sinic Monument of Kim Cim priest of Judaea. In the yeare of Redemption 1625. there was digg'd up in a Village of China call'd Sanxuen, a square stone, being neer Ten measures of an hand-breadth long,
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five broad, In the uppermost part of this stone was figur'd a Crosse, and underneath it an Inscription in Sinic Characters, being the Ti∣tle to the Monument, which I find thus ren∣der'd in the Latine.

Lapis in Laudem & memoriam aeternam Legis Lucis, & veritatis portatae de Judaea, & in China promulgatae, Erectus.
That is: A stone erected to the praise, and aeternal Remembrance of the Law of Light, and Truth, brought out of Judaea, and published in China. After this followed the body of the Monument, being a Relation, how the Gospel of Christ Jesus was brought by one Olo puen out of Judaea, and afterwards by the assistance of God planted in China. This happened in the yeare of our Lord six hundred, and thirtie six. Kim Cim, the Author of this Historie, in the very beginning of it, speaks mysteriously of the Creation; Then he mentions three hun∣dred sixty five sorts of Sectaries, who succeeded one another, all of them striving who should get most Proselyts. Some of their vaine Opi∣nions he recites, which indeed are very suitable with the Rudiments, and Vagari's of the Hea∣then
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Philosophers. Lastly he describes the pro∣fessors of Christianitie, with their Habit of Life, and the Excellencie of their Law. Dif∣ficile (saith he) est ei Nomen Congruum reperire, cum ejus effectus sit Illuminare, & omnia Claritate perfundere; unde Neces∣sarium fuit eam appellare; Kim ki ao, h. e. Legem claram & magnam. That is: It is a hard matter to find a fit name for their Law, seeing the effect of it is to illuminat, and fill all with Knowledge; It was necessarie therefore to call it Kim ki ao, that is, the great Law of Light. To be short, Olo puen was admitted to the Court by Tai cum veu huamti King of China, here his Doctrine was thoroughly sear∣ched, examin'd, and sifted by the King himself, who having found it most true and solid, caus'd it to be proclam'd thorough his Domi∣nions. Now upon what this Doctrine was founded, and what aestimat the King had both of it, and it's professor, we may easily gather from the words of his Proclamation. First then, where he mentions Olo puen, he calls him Magnae virtutis Hominem, a man of great virtue or power; it seems he did something more than prate and preach, could confirme his Doctrine, as the Apostles did theirs, not with words only, but with works. Secondly the Proclamation speaking of his Doctrine,
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runs thus, Cujus intentum docendi nos a Fun∣damentis examinantes, invenimus Doctrinam ejus admodum excellentem, & sine strepitu ex∣teriori, fundatam principaliter in Creatione Mundi: That is, The Drift of whose tea∣ching we have examin'd from the very Fun∣damentals, we find his Doctrine very excel∣lent, without any worldly noyse, and principal∣ly grounded on the Creation of the world. And againe in the same place, Doctrina ejus non est multorum verborum, nec supersicie te∣nus suam fundat Veritatem: His Doctrine is but of few words, not full of noyse and notions, neither doth he build his Truth on superficial probabilities. Thus we see, the Incarnation, and Birth of Christ Jesus (which to the Com∣mon Philosopher are fables and Impossibilities, but in the Booke of Nature plaine evident Truths) were proved, and demonstrated by the Primitive Apostles and Teachers out of the Creation of the world. But instead of such Teachers, we have in These our Dayes two E∣pidemical Goblins, a Schoole-Man, and a Saint forsooth. The one swells with a Syllo∣gistial pride, the other wears a broad face of Revelation. The first cannot tell me why Grasse is Green: The second with all his Devotion knows not A. BC. yet praetends he to that In∣finit Spirit which knows all in all; and truly
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of them Both, this last is the worst. Surely the Devill hath been very busie, to put out the Candle, for had all written Truths been extant, this false learning and Hypocrisie could never have praevailed. Kim ••m mentions seven and Twenty Books which Christ Jesus left on Earth to further the Conversion of the world. It may be we have not one of them: for though the Books of the new Testament are just so many, yet being all written, at least some of them a long Time after Christ, they may not well passe for those Scriptures which this Au∣thor attributes to our Saviour, even at the time of his Ascension. What should I speake of Those many Books cited in the old Testa∣ment, but no where to be found, which if they were now extant, no doubt but they would prove so many reverend, Invincible patrons of Magic. But Ink and paper will perish, for the hand of Man hath made nothing aeternall: The Truth only is Incorruptible, and when the Letter fails, she shifts that Body, and lives in the spirit.

I have not without some labour, now traced this Science from the very Fall of Man to the Day of his Redepmtion; Along and solitary Pil∣grimage, the paths being unfrequented because of the Briars, and scruples of Antiquitie, and in some places overgrown with the Poppie of Obli∣vion.
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I will not deny but in the shades and Ivie of this Wildernesse, there are some Birds of Night, Owles and Bats, of a different Feather from our Phoenix; I meane some Conjurers, whose dark indirect Affection to the Name of Magic, made them invent Traditions more prodigious than their Practices. These I have purposely avoyded lest they should Wormwood my stream, and I seduce the Reader thorough all these Groves and Solitud•s to the Waters of Marah. The next Stage I must move to, is that whence I came out at first with the Israelites, namely AEgypt; here if Bookes faile me, the stones will cry out; Magic having been so inthron'd in this place, it seems shee would bee buried here also: So many Monuments did shee hide in this Earth, which have been since digged up; and serve now to prove that shee was some∣times above Ground. To begin then, I will first speak of the AEgyptian Theologie, that you may see how far they have advanc'd, having no Leader, but the Light of Nature. Trismegi∣stus is so Orthodox and plain in the Mysterie of the Trinitie, the Scripture it self exceeds him not; but hee being a particular Author, and one perhaps that knew more than those of his order in Generall, I shall at this time dispense with his Authoritie. Their Catholic Doctrine, and wherein I find them all to agree, is This.
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Emepht, whereby they expresse their Supreme God, and verily they mind the true One, signi∣fies properly an Intelligence, or Spirit convert∣ing all things into himself, and himself into all Things. This is very sound Divinitie and Phi∣losophie, if it be rightly understood. Now (say they) Emepht produc'd an Egg out of his mouth, which Tradition Kircher expounds im∣perfectly, and withall Erroneously. In the Pro∣duction of this Egg was manifested another Deitie, which they call Phtha, and out of some other Natures and Substances inclos'd in the Egg, this Phtha formed all Things. But to deale a little more openly, wee will describe unto you their Hieroglyphic, wherein they have very handsomely, but obscurely discovered most of their Mysteries. First of all then, they draw a Circle, in the Circle a Serpent, not folded, but Diameter-wise, and at length; her head resembles that of a Hawke, the Tayle is tyed in a Small Knot, and a little below the head her wings are Volant. The Cirele points at Emepht, or God the Father being Infinite, without Beginning, without End. Moreover it comprehends, or Conteines in it self the Second Deitie Phtha, and the Egg, or Chaos, out of which all Things were made. The Hawke in the AEgyptian Symbols signifies Light, and Spirit; his head annexed here to the Serpent
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represents Phtha, or the Second Person, who is the first Light, as wee have told you in our Anthroposophia. Hee is said to forme all Things out of the Egg, because in him, as it were in a Glasse, are certain Types or Images, namely the Distinct Conceptions of the Paternall Deitie, according to which by Cooperation of the Spi∣rit, namely the Holy Ghost, the Creatures are formed. The Inferiour part of this Figure sig∣nifies the Matter or Chaos, which they call the Egg of Emepht. That you may the better know it, wee will teach you something not Common. The Body of the Serpent tells you it is a fierie Substance, for a Serpent is full of heat and fire, which made the Egyptians esteem him Divine: This appears by his quick motion without feet or finns, much like that of the Pulse, for his impetuous hot spirit shootes him on like a Squib. There is also another Analo∣gie, for the Serpent renewes his youth so strong is his natural heat, and casts off his old skin. Truely the Matter is a very Serpent, for shee renews her self a thousand wayes, and is nèver a perpetuall Tenant to the same Forme. The wings tell you this Subject or Chaos is Volatile, and in the outward Complexion Arrie, and Wa∣terie. But to teach you the most Secret Resem∣blance of this Hieroglyphic. The Chaos is a cer∣tain Creeping Substance, for it moves like a
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Serpent sine pedibus, and truly Moses calls it not Water, but Serpitura Aquae, The Creeping of Water, or a water that creepes. Lastly, the Knott on the Tayle, Tells you this matter is of a most strong Composition, and that the Ele∣ments are fast bound in it, all which the Philo∣phers know to be true by Experience. As for the Assinitie of Inferiors with Superiors, and their private Active Love, which consists in cer∣tain Secret Mixtures of Heaven with the Matter, their Opinion stands thus. In the Vital fire of all Things here below. The Sun (say they) is King. In their Secret Water the Moon is Queen. In their pure Aire the five lesser Planets rule; and in their Central, Hypostati∣call Earth, the fixed starrs. For these Inferiors according to their Doctrine, are Provinces, or Thrones of those Superiors, where they sit Re∣gent, and Paramont. To speak plainly, Hea∣ven it self was originally extracted from Infe∣riors, yet not so intirely, but some portion of the Heavenly Natures remained still below, and are the very same in Essence and Substance with the separated starrs and skies. Heaven here below differs not from that above but in her Captivitie, and that above differs not from this below but in her Libertie. The one is impriso∣ned in the Matter, the other is freed from the grossness and impurities of it, but they are both
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of one and thē same Nature, so that they easi∣ly unite; and hence it is that the Superior de∣scends to the Inferior to visit, and comfort her in this sickly inf•ctious Habitation. I could speak much more, but I am in haste, and though I were at leisure, you cannot in Reason expect I should tell you all. I will therefore decline these generall Principles to tell you something that makes for the AEgyptian Practice, and proves them Philosophers adepted. The first Monument I reade of to this purpose, is that of Synesius, a very learned intelligent man. Hee found in the Temple of Memphis〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Bookes of stone, and in those hard leaves these Difficult Instructions.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
That is, One Nature delights in another; One Nature overcomes another; One Nature over-rules another. These short lessons. but of no small Consequence. are fathered on the great Hostanes. The S•cond Monument is that admirable, and most Magicall one mentioned by Barachias Abenesi the Arabian. This also was a stone erected neere Memphis, and on it this profound Scripture.

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〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
That is,

Heaven Above, Heaven Beneath;
Starres Above, Starres Beneath;
All that is Above, is also Beneath;
Understand this, and bee Happy.
Under this were figur'd certain apposit Hie∣roglyphics, and for a Close to all, this Dedicato∣rie Subscription (I find it onely in the Coptic Character, but our Founts wanting that Let∣ter, I must give it you in the Greeke.)

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Isias the High Priest erected this, to the Re∣sident Gods in AEgypt.
And now, though I formerly suspended the Authoritie of Irismegistus, I might like the Italian, produce his weapons Sfodrato; but I love no Velitations, and Truth is so brave, it needs no Feather. Quod est Superiùs (sayd Hermes) est sicut id quod est Inferiùs, &
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quod est Inferiùs, est sicut id quod est superiùs. This is his Mysterie, and 'tis great: The Be∣nefit that attends the Purchase, is no losse: habebis Gloriam totius Mundi, All the Pomp, and Splendor of the World shall bee Thine. To this Language, the Dialect of I sias doth so Echo, these two, like Euphorbus and Pythago∣ras, might passe for Ono.

Coelum sursùm, (sayd he) Coelum deorsum;
Astra sursùm, Astra Deorsùm:
Omne quod sursùm, omne id deorsum.
And then follows a reward for the Intelli∣gent, Haec cape, & faelicitare, understand this, and thou art fortunate, Thou hast made thy self very happy. This is enough to prove that Magic sometimes flourished in Egypt, and no doubt but they received the Truth of it from the Hebrewes, who lived amongst them to the terme of four hundred and thirtie years. This is plain; for their own Native Learning was meere Sorcerie and Witcheraft, and this ap∣pears by the Testimonie of Moses, who tells us their Magicians produc'd their Miracles by Inohantments. And why I beseech you should this Instruction seem impossible? For Joseph being married to Asenath, daughter of Poti∣pherah Priest of On, some of the AEgyptian Priests, and those likely of his own alliance,
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might for that very Relation receive a better Doctrine from him. But this is not all 〈…〉d say of this Nation, and their Secret 〈…〉ing, if I were dispos'd to bee their Mercurie. There is not any I believe who praetend to Antiquitie or Philosophie, but have seen that famous Monument, which Paul the Third bestow'd on his Cardinal Petrus Bombus, and was ever since called the Bembixe Table. No doubt but the Hieroglyphics therein contained, were they all reduced into Letters, would make a Volume as ample, as Mysterious. But 'tis not my Designe to comment on Mcmphis, that were to make Brick, and look out the straw withall, AEgypt having no compleat Table but the World, over which her Monuments are Scatter'd. This place then was the Pitcher to the Fountain, for they received their Mysteries immediatly from the Hebrewes, but their Do∣ctrine, like their Nilus, swelling above its pri∣vate Chanel, did at last over-run the Universe. Jamblicus the Divine, in that excellent Dis∣course of his de Mysterus, tells us that Pytha∣goras and Plato had all their learning ex Co∣lumnis Mercurii out of the Pillars, or Hiero∣glyphicall Monuments of Trisinegistus. But the Ancient orpheus in his Poem de Verbo Sa∣cro. where hee speakes of God, hath these words.

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Nemo Illū, nisi Chaldao de Sanguine Quiddam Progenitus vidit.
None (saith he) hath ever seen God, but a certaine Man descended of the Chaldaean Bloud. Now this was Moses, of whom it is written, That he spake with God face to face, as one Man speaks with another. After This he gives us a short Character or Description of the Deitie, not in the Recesse, and Abstract, but in reference to the Incubation of his spirit upon Nature. Lastly he acquaints us with the Originall of his Doctrine, from whence it first came, and verily he derives it from the Well∣head.

Priscorum nos haec docuerunt Omnia Vates,
Quae Binis Tabulis Deus olim tradidit Illis.
The Priests (saith he) (or Prophets) of the Ancient Fathers taught us all These things, which God delivered to them heretofore in two Tables. Thanks be to that God, who made a Heathen speak so plainly. I need not tell you to whom these Tables were delivered, Cavallero De epistola can informe you. I cited this place, that it might appeare, though the Philosophie of Greece came generally out of AEgypt, yet some Graecians have been disciplined by the Jews, and this is proved by
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no contemptible Testimonies. Aristobulus, who lived in the Dayes of the Machabies, and was himself a Jew, writes to Ptolomie Philometor King of AEgypt, and affirmes that the Pentateuch, or five Books of Moses, were translated into Greek before the Time of A∣lexander the Great, and that they came to the hands of Pythagoras and Plato. Indeed Nu∣menius the Pythagorean cals Plato, Mosen Atticâ linguâ loquentem, Moses speaking in the Greek Dialect; by which he minded not a similitude of style, but a Conformitie of prin∣ciples. There is a storie of Clearchus the Pe∣ripatetic in his first de somno, how true I know not, but the Substance of it is this. He brings in his Master Aristotle relating, how he met with a very reverend and learned Jew, with whom he had much Discourse about Things Natural and Divine, but his special Confes∣sion is, That he was much rectified by him in his Opinion of the Deitie. This perhaps night be, but certainly it was after he writ the Or∣ganon, and his other lame Discourses, that move by the Logical Crutch. Now if you will aske me, what Greek did ever prosesse any Magicall Principles? To this I answer, that if you bate Aristotle and his Ushers, who are borne like the Insecta, ex putredine, out of their Masters Corruptions; Greece yeelded
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not a Philosopher, who was not in some Po∣sitions, Magicall. If any man will challenge my Demonstration herein, I doe now promise him my performance. To give you some par∣ticular Instances, Hippocrates was altogether Chemicall, and this I could prove out of his owne Mouth, but at this Time his works are not by me. Democritus who lived in the same Age with him, writ his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that is, Physicall and Mysticall Things, in plaine English, Naturall Secrets. To this mysticall peece Synesius added the Light of his Com∣ments, and dedicated them to Dioscorus Priest of Serapis. Of this Democritus Seneca reports in his Epistles, That he knew a secret Coction of Pebles, by which be turned them into Eme∣ralds. Theophrastus, a most ancient Greek Au∣thor in his Book de lapidibus mentions another mineral work of his own, wherein he had writ∣ten something of Metals. True indeed, that Discourse of his is lost, but notwithstanding his opinion is upon Record, namely that he re∣ferred the Originall of metalls to water. This is confirm'd by his owne words, (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) as I find them cited by Picus in his Book De auro. But that the Art of Transmutation was in Request in. his Dayes, and no late Invention or Imposture, as some think, appears by the Attempts and
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practice of that Age out of the same Theo∣phrastus; For he mentions one Callias an Atheman, who indeavouring to make gold, brought his Materials into Cinnabar. It were an endles labour for me to recite all the Par∣ticulars, that Greece can affoord in order to my present Designe, I will Therefore close up all in this short Summarie. There is no wis∣dome in Nature, but what proceeded from God, for he made Nature, he first found out, and afterwards ordained the very wayes, and method how to corrupt, and how to generate. This his own wisdome and Knowledge, he communicated in some Measure to the first Man, from him his Children received it, and they taught it their postcritie; but the Jewes having the spiritual Birthright, This Myste∣rie was their Inheritance, and they possest it intirely, being the Annointed Nation, vpon whom God had powred forth his spirit. By Tradition of the Jewes, The AEgyptians came to be instructed, From the AEgyptians these secrets descended to the Graecians, and from the Graecians (as we all know) the Romanes received their Learning, and amongst other common Arts, this Magicall mysterious one; This is confirm'd by some proper, genuine Ef∣fects and Monuments thereof, namely that flexible malleable Glasse, produced in the
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dayes of Tiberius, and the miraculous Olybian Lamp. But these Times wherein I am now, and those thorough which I have past, are like some Tempestuous Day, they have more clouds, than Light. I will therefore enter Christen∣dome, and here I shall find the Art in her In∣fancie: True indeed, The Cradle is but in some private hands, few know where, and many believe there is no such Thing. The Schoole-men are high in point of Noyse, and condemne all, but what Themselves professe: It is Aristotet's Almodena, they expose his Errors to the sale, and this continnes for a long time. But every Thing (as the Spa∣niard saith) hath its Quando; Many years are past over, and now the Child begins to lisp, and peeps abroad in the fustian of Arnold, and Lullie. I need not tell you how he hath thrived since, doe but look upon his Traine, for at this Day who praetends not to Magic, and that so magisterially, as if the Regalos of the Art were in his powers? I know not any Re∣fragans, except some sickly Galenists, whose pale tallow faces speak more Disease, than Physic. These indeed complaine their Lives are too short, Philosophie too taedious, and so fill their Mouths with Ars longa, Vita bre∣vis. This is true (saith the Spanish Picaro) for they cure either late, or never, which makes
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their Art long: but they kill quickly, which makes life short, and so the Riddle is ex∣pounded.

I have now, Reader, performed my promise, and according to my Posse proved the Anti∣quitie of Magic. I am not so much a foole as to expect a generall subscription to my en∣deavours, every man's Placet is not the same with mine; but Jacta est Alea, I have done this much, and he that will overthrow it, must know in the first place, it is his Task to do more. There is one point, I can justly bind an Adver∣sarie too, That he shall not oppose Man to God, Heathen Romances to Divine Scriptures: He that would foyle me, must use such weapons as I doe, for I have not fed my Readers with straw, neither will I be confuted with stubble. In the next place it is my Designe to speake something of the Art it self, and this I shall doe in rationall termes, a Forme different from the Ancients, for I will not stuffe my Dis∣course like a Wilderness with Lions and Dra∣gons. To Common Philosophers that fault is very proper, which Quintilian observed in some Orators: Operum fastigia spectantur, latent fundamenta; The spires of their Babel are in the Clouds, its Fundamentals no where, they talk indeed of fine Things, but tell us not upon what grounds. To avoid these Flights, I shall
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in this my Olla (for I care not much what I shall call it) observe this Composition. First, I shall speake of that One only Thing, which is the Subject of this Art, and the Mother of all Things. Secondly, I will discourse of that most admirable, and more than naturall Me∣dicine, which is generated out of this one Thing. Lastly, though with some disorder. I will discover the means how, and by which this Art works upon the Subject; but these being the Keyes which lead to the very Estrado of Na∣ture. where she sits in full Solemnitie, and re∣ceives the Visits of the Philosophers, I must scatter them in severall parts of the Discourse. This is all, and here thou must not consider how long, or short I shall be, but how full the Discoverie: and truly it shall be such, and so much, that Thou canst not in modestie expect more. Now then you that would be what the Ancient Physicians were, Manus Deorum salutares, not Quacks and Salvos of the Pip∣kin; you that would performe what you pub∣lickly professe, and make your Callings honest and Conscionable, attend to the Truth with∣out spleen. Remember that Praejudice is no Religion, and by Consequence hath no Re∣ward. If this Art were damnable, you might safely studie it notwithstanding for you have a praecept to prove all Things, but to hold fast
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that which is Good. It is your Duty not to bee wanting to your selves, and for my part, that I may be wanting to noae, thus I begin.

Said the Cabalist, Domus Sanctuarii, quae est hìc inferiùs; disponitur Secundum Domum Sanctuarii, quae est Superiùs, The Build∣ing of the Sanctuarie, which is here below, is framed according to that of the Sanctuarie, which is above. Here wee have two worlds Visible and Invisible, and two universall Na∣tures Visible and Invisible out of which both those Worlds proceeded. The Passive Univer∣sall Nature, was made in the Image of the Active Universall one, and the Conformitie of Both Worlds, or Sanctuaries, consist in the Ori∣ginall Conformitie of their Principles. There are many Platonics, (and this last Centurie hath afforded them some apish Disciples) who discourse very boldly of the Similitudes of In∣feriors and Superiors, but if wee throughly search their Trash, it is a pack of small Conspi∣racies; namely of the Heliotrope and the Sun, Iron and the Load-stone, the Wound and the Weapon. It is excellent sport to hear how they crow being roosted on these pittiful Particulars, as if they knew the Universal Magnet, which binds this great Frame, and moves all the Members of it to a Mutuall Compassion,
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This is an Humor much like that of Don Quixote, who knew Dulcinea, but never saw her. Those students then, who would be better instructed, must first know. There is an Univer∣sall Agent, who when hee was dispos'd to Create, had no other Patterne or Exemplar whereby to frame and mould his Creatures, but himself, but having infinite inward Idea's, or Conceptions in himself as hee conceived so hee created, that is to say, hee created an outward forme answerable to the inward Concep ion, or sigure of his Mind. In the second place they ought to know, there is an Universall Patient, and this Passive Nature was created by the Universall Agent. This generall Patient, is the immediat Catholic Character of God himself in his Unitie, and Trinitie. In plain Termes, it is that Substance which wee commonly call the first Matter. But verily it is to no purpose to know this Notion, Matter, unlesse we know the Thing it self, to which the Notion relates; wee must see it, handle it, and by experimentall ocular Demonstrations know the very Ce•tral Invisible Essences, and Propriecies of it. But of these things heare the most excellent Cap∣nion, who informes his Jew, and his Epicure of two Catholic Natures Material and Spiritual: Alteram (saith he) quae videri oculis, & at∣tingi manu possit, propè ad omne Momentum
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alterabilem. Detur enim venia (ut ait Ma∣daurensis) Novitati Verborum, rerum obscuri∣tatibus inservienti. Haec ipsa cum eadem & una persistere nequeat, nihilominus à tali Vir∣tute animi hospitio suscipitur, pro modo rectiùs quo est, quam quo non est, qualis in veritate res est, id est, mutabilis. Alteram autem substan∣tiarum Naturam incorruptam, immutabilem, constantem, eandem{que} ac sempèr Existentem. The English of it speaks thus One Nature is such, it may be seen with the eyes, and felt with the hands, and it is subject to Alteration al∣most in every Moment. You must Pardon (as Apuleius saith) this strange Expression, be∣cause it makes for the Obscuritie of the Thing. This very Nature, since shee may not continue one, and the same, is notwithstanding appre∣hended of the mind under her such Qualificati∣on, more rightly as shee is, than as shee is not, namely as the Thing it self is in Truth, that is to say, Changeable. The other Nature, or Prin∣ciple of Substances, is incorruptible, immuta∣ble, constant, One and the same for ever, and alwayes existent Thus hee. Now this Change∣able Nature whereof he speaks is the first Vi∣sible, Tangible Substance that ever God made; it is white in Appearance, and 'Paracelsus gives you the Reason why: Omnia (saith he) in Dei Manu alba sunt, is ea tingit, ut vult: All
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things when they first proceed from God, are white, but hee colours them afterwards, accord∣ing to his pleasure. An Example wee have in this very matter, which the Philosophers call sometimes their red Magnesia, sometimes their white, by which Descriptions they have de∣ceived many men; for in the first praeparation the Chaos is Bloud-red, because the Central Sulphur is stirr'd up, and discovered by the Phi∣losophicall Fire. In the Second it is exceeding white and transparent like the Heavens. It is in Truth somewhat like Common Quicksilver, but of a Coelestiall transcendent brightnesse, for there is nothing upon Earth like it. This fine substance is the Child of the Elements, and it is a most pure, sweet Virgin; for nothing as yet hath been generated out of her: but if at any time shee breeds, it is by the fire of Nature, for that is her husband. Shee is no Animal, no Vegetable, no Mineral, neither is shee extra∣cted out of Animals, Vegetables, or Minerals, but shee is praeexistent to them all, for shee is the Mother of them. Yet one thing I must say, shee is not much short of Life, for shee is almost Animal. Her Composition is miracu∣lous and different from all other Compounds whatsoever. Gold is not so compact, but every Sophister concludes it is no Simple; but shee is so much One, that no man believes she is more.
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Shee yeelds to nothing but Love, for her End is Generation, and that was never yet perform'd by Violence. Hee that knows how to wanton, and toy with her. the same shall receive all her Treasures. First, shee shedds at her Nipples a thick heavy water, but white as any snow; The Philosophers call it Virgin-milk. Secondly, she gives him Bloud from her very heart; it is a quick heavenly fire, some impioperly call it their sulphur. Thirdly and lastly shee presents him with a secret Chrystall, of more worth and lustie than the white Rock, and all her Rosials. This is shee, and these are her Favours: Catch her, if you can.

To this Character and Discoverie of my owne. I shall adde some more Descriptions, as I find her •imm'd and drest by her other Lo∣vers. Some few (but such as knew her very well) have written that shee is not onely One and Tirce, but withall Foure and Five, and this Truth is Essentiall. The Titles they have bestowed upon her, are divers. They call her their Catholic Magnesia. and the Sperme of the World. out of which all Naturall things are generated. Her Birth (say they) is Singular, and not without a miracle; her Complexion heavenly, and different from her Parents. Her Body also in some sense is Incorruptible, and the Common Elements cannot destroy it, neither
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will shee mix with them Essentially. In the out∣ward shape, or figure, shee resembles a stone, and yet is no stone, for they call her their white Gum, and Water of their Sea, water of Life most pure, and most blessed water, and yet they minde not water of the Clouds, or Rain-water. nor water of the Wel, nor Dew: but a certain thick permanent, saltish water, a water that is drie, and wetts not the hand, a viscous, slimie water generated out of the saltish fatnesse of the Earth. They call her also their twofold Mercurie, and Azoth begotten by the Influences of two Globes, Coele∣stiall, and Terrestriall. Moreover, they affirme her to bee of that Nature, that no fire can de∣stroy her, which of all other Descriptions is most true, for shee is fire her self, having in her a porti∣on of the universall fire of Nature, and a se∣cret Coelestiall spirit, which spirit is animated, and quickened by God himself, wherefore also they call her their most blessed stone. Lastly, they say shee is a middle nature between thick and thin, neither altogether Earthy, nor alto∣gether Firie, but a mean aereall substance to bee found every where, and every time of the year.

This is enough: but that I may speak some∣thing my self in plain Termes, I say shee is a very salt, but extreme soft, and somewhat thin and fluid, not so hard, not so thick as
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common extracted Salts, for shee is none of them, nor any kind of Salt whatsoever that man can make. Shee is a sperme that Nature her self drawes out of the Elements, without the help of Art: man may find it, where Na∣ture leaves it, it is not of his office to make the sperme, nor to extract it, it is already made, and wants nothing but a Matrix, and heat conve∣nient for Generation. Now should you consi∣der with your selves where Nature leaves the seed, and yet many are so dull, they know not how to work, when they are told what they must doe. Wee see in Animal Generations, the sperme parts not from both the Parents, for it remaines with the Female, where it is perfected. In the great world though all the Elements contribute to the Composure of the sperme, yet the sperme parts not from all the Elements, but remaines with the Earth, or with the Water, though more immediatly with the one, than with the other. Let not your Thoughts feed now on the Phlegmatic, indigested Vomits of Aristotle, look on the green youthfull, and flowrie Bosome of the Earth; Consider what a vast Universall Receptacle this Element is. The Starrs and Plarets over-look her, and though they may not descend hither themselves, they shed down their golden Locks, like so many Bracolets, and Tokens of their Love. The Sun is
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perpetually busie, brings his Fire round about her, as if he would sublime something from her bosom, and rob her of some secret, inclosed Jewell. Is there any thing lost since the Creati∣on? Would'st thou know his very bed, and his pillow? It is Earth. How many Cities dost thou think have perished by the Sword? how many by Earth-quakes? and how many by the Deluge? Thou doest perhaps desire to know where they are at this present: believe it they have one common Sepulcher, what was once their Mother, is now their Tombe; All things return to that place from whence they came, and that very place is Earth. If thou hast but leasure, run over the Alphabet of Nature, exa∣mine every Letter, I mean every particular Creature, in her Booke. What becomes of her Grasse, her Corne, her Herbs, her Flowers? True it is, both Man and beast doe use them, but this onely by the way, for they rest not till they come to Earth again. In this Element they had their first, and in this will they have their last station. Think (if other Vanities will give thee leave,) on all those Generations that went be∣fore thee, and anticipate all those that shall come after thee. Where are those Beauties, the Times past have produced, and what will be∣come of those that shall appear in future A∣ges? They will all to the same 'Dust, they have
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one Common house, and there is no Familie so numerous, as that of the Grave. Doe but look on the Daily sports of Nature, her Clouds and mists, the Scaeue, and Pageantrie of the Aire, Even these Momentary Things retreat to the Closet of the Earth. If the Sun makes her drie, shee can drink as fast, what gets up in Cloudes, comes down in Water, the Earth swal∣lows up ail, and like that Philosophicall Dra∣gon eats her own Tayle. The wise Poets saw this, and in their mysticall language call'd the Earth Saturne, telling us withall, shee did feed on her own Children. Verily there is more Truth in their stately Verse, than in Aristotle's dull Prose, for hee was a blinde beast, and Malice made him so. But to proceed a little further with you, I wish you to concoct what you reade, to dwell a little upon Earth, not to fly up pre∣sently, and admire the Meteors of your own Braines. The Earth you know in the Winter time is a dull, dark, dead Thing. a contemptible frozen phlegmatick Lump. But towards the Spring, and Fomentation. of the Sun, what rare Pearles are there in this Dung-hill? what glo∣rious Colours, and tinctures doth she discover? a pure eternall green overspreads her, and this attended with innumerable other Beauties; Roses red and white, golden Lilies, Azure Vio∣lets, the Bleeding Hyacinths, with their severall
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coelestiall odours, and Spices. If you will be ad∣vised by me, Learn from whence the Earth hath these invisible Treasures. This Annuall Flora, which appears not without the Complements of the Sun. Behold I will tell you as plainly as I may. There are in the world two Ex∣tremes, Matter and Spirit: one of these I can assure you is earth. The Influences of the spirit animate and quicken the matter, and in the Material Extreme the seed of the spirit is to be found. In middle Natures, as Fire, Aire, and Water, this Seed stayes not, for they are but Dispenseros, or Media, which convey it from one extreme to the other, from the Spirit to the Matter, that is to the Earth. But stay my friend, this Intelligence hath somewhat stirr'd you. and now you come on so furiously, as if you would rifle the Cabinet. Give me leave to put you back. I mind not this Common, faecu∣lent, impure Earth, that falls not within my Discourse, but as it makes for your Manudu∣ction. That which I speak of is a Mysterie, it is Coelum Terrae, and Terra Coeli, not this dirt, and dust, but a most Secret, Coelestiall, In∣visible Earth.

Raymund Lullie in his Compendium of Al∣chimie, calls the Principles of Art Magic, Spiritus fugitivos in Aere condensatos, in for∣ma Monstrorum Diversorum, & Animalium,
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etiam Hominum, qui vadunt sicut Nubes, modo hùc, modo illùc, Certain fugitive spirits con∣densed in the Ayre. in the shape of Divers Mon∣sters. Beasta and Men, which move like Cloudes hither and thither. As for the Sense of our Spa∣niard, I refer it to his Readers, let them make the most of it.

This is true; As the Ayre, and all the Vola∣tile Substances in it, are restlesse, even so it is with the first Matter. The eye of Man never saw her twice under one and the same shape but as Cloudes driven by the winde are forced to this, and that figure, but cannot possibly retain one constant forme, so is shee persecuted by the fire of Nature; for this fire, and this water are like two Lovers, they no sooner meet, but pre∣sently they play and toy, and this Game will not over till some new Babee is generated. I have oftentimes admired their subtil perpetual Mo∣tion, for at all Times, and in all places these two are busie, which occasioned that Notable sen∣tence of Trismegistus, That Action was the Life of God. But most excellent, and Magiste∣rial is that Oracle of Marcus Antoninus, who in his Discourse to himself, speaks indeed things worthy of himself, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Na∣ture (saith he) of the Universe delights not in any Thing so much, as to alter all Things, and
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then to make the like again. This is her Tick Tack, shee playes one Game, to begin another. The matter is placed before her like a peece of Wax, and shee shapes it to all formes, and fi∣gures. Now shee makes a Bird, now a Beast, now a Flowre, then a Frog and shee is pleas'd with her own Magicall performances, as men are with their own fansies. Hence shee is call'd of Orpheus,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Mother that makes many Things, and ordaines strange shapes, or figures. Neither doth shee, as some sinfull Parents doe, who having their pleasure, care not for their Child; shee loves them still after shee hath made them, hath an eye over them all, and provides even for her Sparrowes. IT is strange to consider that shee workes as well privatly as publicly, not onely in Gardens where Ladyes may smell her perfumes, but in remote Solitudes and Deserts. The Truth is, shee seeks not to please others so much as her self, wherefore many of her works, and those the Choysest, never come to Light. Wee see little Children, who are newly come from under her hand, will be dabling in 'Dirt and Water, and other idle sports affected by none but Themselves. The Reason is, they are not as yet Captivated, which makes them seek their own pleasures; But when they come to Age, then Love or Profit makes them square
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their Actions according to other mens Desires. Some Cockney claps his Revenues on his backe, but his Galantrie is spoil'd, if his Mistris doth not observe it. Another fights, but his Victory is lost, if it be not Printed, it is the world must heare of his Valour. Now Nature is a free spirit, that seeks no Applause, shee observes none more than her self, but is pleased with her own Magic, as Philosophers are with their Secret Philosophie. Hence it is that wee find her busie, not onely in the Potts of the Balco∣nies, but in Wildernesses, and ruinous places, where no eyes observe her, but the Starrs and Planets. In a word, wheresoever the fire of nature finds the Virgin Mercurie, there hath he found his Love, and there will they both fall to their Husbandrie, a pleasure not subject to Surfets, for it still Presents new Varieties. It is reported of Marc Antonie, a famous, but unfortunate Romane, how he sent his Agent over the world to Copie all the handsome faces, that amongst so many excellent features, hee might select for himself the most pleasing peece. Truly Nature is much of this straine, for shee hath infinite beauteous patternes in her self, and all these shee would gladly see beyond her self, which shee cannot doe without the mat∣ter, for that is her Glasse. This makes her gene∣rate perpetually, and imprint her conceptions in
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the matter, communicating life to it, and figu∣ring it according to her Imagination. By this Practice shee placeth her Fansie, or Idea, be∣yond her self, or as the Peripatetics say, extra Intellectum, beyond the divine Mind, namely in the Matter; but the Idea's being innumera∣ble, and withall different, the pleasures of the Agent are maintain'd by their Varietie, or to speak more properly by his own fruitfulnesse, for amongst all the Beauties the world affords, there are not two, that are altogether the same. Much might bee spoken in this place concern∣ing Beautio, what it is, from whence it came, and how it may be defaced, not onely in the outward figure, but in the inward Idea, and lost for ever in both worlds. But these pretty shuttles I am no way acquainted with, I have no Mistris but Nature, wherefore I shall leave the fine Ladies to fine Lads, and speak of my simple AElia Laelia.

It was scarce Day, when all alone
I saw Hyanthe and her Throne.
In fresh, green Damascs she was drest,
And o're a Saphir Globe did rest.
This slipperie Sphaere when I did see,
Fortune, I thought it had been Thee.
But when I saw shee did present
A Majestie more Permanent,
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I thought my Cares not lost, if I
Should finish my Discoverie.
Sleepie shee look'd to my first sight,
As if shee had Watch'd all the Night,
And underneath, her hand was spread,
The White Supporter of her head.
But at my Second, studied View,
I could perceive a silent Dew
Steale down her Cheeks; lest it should Stayne
Those Cheeks where onely Smiles should reigne.
The Tears stream'd down for haste, and all
In Chaines of liquid Pearle did fall.
Faire Sorrows; and more dear than Joyes,
Which are but emptie Ayres and Noyse,
Your Drops present a richer Prize,
For they are Something like her Eyes.
Pretty, white Foole! why hast thou been
Sulli'd with Teares, and not with Sin?
'Tis true: thy Teares, like Polish'd Skies,
Are the Bright Rosials of thy Eyes,
But such strange Fates doe them attend,
As if thy Woes would never end.
From Drops to Sighes they turn, and then
Those sighes return to Drops agen:
But whiles the Silver Torrent seeks
Those Flowr's that watch it in thy Cheeks,
The White and Red Hyanthe weares,
Turn to Rose-water all her Teares.
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Have you beheld a Flame, that springs
From Incense, when sweet, curled, Rings
Of smoke attend her last, weak Fires,
And Shee all in Perfumes expires?
So dy'd Hyanthe. Here (said shee)
Let not this Vial part from Thee.
It holds my Heart, though now 'tis Spill'd,
And into Waters all distill'd.
'Tis constant still: Trust not false Smiles,
Who smiles, and weeps not shee beguiles.
Nay trust not Teares: false are the few,
Those Teares are Many, that are True.
Trust Mee, and take the better Choyce,
Who hath my Teares, can want no Joyes.
I know some Sophisters of the Heptarchie, I mean those, whose Learning is all Noyse, in which Sense even Py-annets, and Paraquitoes are Philosophicall, will conclude this, all Bayt and Poetrie, that wee are Pleasing not Positive, and cheat even the Readers Discretion. To prevent such impotent Calumnies, and to spend a little more of our secret Light upon the well∣disposed Student, I shall in this place produce the Testimonies of some able Philosophers concerning the first Matter it self, as it is natu∣rally found, before any alteration by Art; and here verily the Reader may discover the Mark, it is most easily done, if he will but eye
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the Flights of my Verse, or follow the more grave pace of their Prose. The first I shall cite is Arnoldus de Villâ novâ, an absolute perfect Master of the Art, hee describes the Philo∣sophicall Chaos, in these plain termes. Lapis est, & non lapis, Spiritus, Anima, & Corpus; Quem si dissolvis, dissolvitur, & si coagules, coagula∣tur, & si volare facis, volat; Est enim Volat i∣lis, ulbus ut lacryma oculi: postea efficitur citri∣nus, salsus, pilis carens: quem nemo suâ linguâ tangere potest. Ecce ipsum jam suâ demonstravi descriptione, non tamen nominavi. Modo volo ipsum nominare, & dico, quod si dixeris eum Aquam esse, verum dicis; & si dixeris eum A∣quam non esse, mentiris. Ne igitur decipiaris pluribus descriptionibus, & operationibus, unum enim quid est, cui nihil alieni infertur. It is (saith hee) a stone and no stone Spirit, Soule, and Bodie; which if thou dissolvest, it will bee dissolved, and if thou doest coagulat it, it will be coagulated, and if thou doest make it fly, it will fly; for it is Volatil, or flying, and cleare as a teare; afterwards it is made citrine then sal∣tish, but without shoots. or Chrystals, and no man may touch it with his Tongue. Behold I have described it truly to thee, but I have not named it. Now I will name it, and I say, that if thou sayest it is Water, thou doest say the Truth, and if thou sayest it is not water, thou
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doest lie. Bee not therefore deceived with ma∣nifold Descriptions and Operations, for it is but one Thing, to which nothing Extraneous may be added. Thus Arnoldus; and he borrowed this from the Turba. Let us now heare his Dis∣ciple Raymund Lullie, who speaking very en∣viously and obscurely of Seven Metallic Prin∣ciples, describes the Third wherein foure of the seven are included in these words; Tertium (saith hee) est Aqua clara Composita, & illa est res Argento vivo magis propingua, quae qui∣dem reperitur supra Terram currens & fluens. Et istud argentum vivum in omni Corpore Ele∣mentato à materia aeris est proprie generatum, & ideo ipsius humidit as est valde ponderosa. That is: The third Principle, is a Cleare Com∣pounded water, and it is the next substance in Complexion to Quick-Silver, it is found run∣ning, and flowing upon the Earth. This Quick∣silver is generated in every Compound out of the Substance of the Aire, and therefore the moysture of it is extreme heavy. To these I will adde Albertus Magnus, whose Suffrage in this kind of Learning is like the Stylanx to Gold, for hee had thoroughly search'd it, and knew very well what part of it would abide the Test. Mercurius Sapientum (saith hee) est Elementum Aqueum frigidum, & humi∣dum, Aqua permanens, spiritus Corporis, vapor
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unctuosus, Aqua Benedicta, Aqua virtuosa, A∣qua Sapientum, Acetum Philosophorum, Aqua Mineralis, Ros coelestis gratiae, Lac Virginis, Mercurius Corporalis, & aliis infinitis Nomi∣nibus in Philosophorum libris nominatur, quae quidem Nomina quamvis varia sunt, sempor tamen unam & eandem rem significant, utpote Solum Mercurium sapientum. Ex ipso solo elicitur omnis virtus Artis Alckimiae, & suo modo Tinctura alba & rubea. In plain English thus; The Mercurie of the Wisemen is a wate∣rie Element, Cold and moyst. This is their Per∣manent water, the spirit of the Bodie, the an∣ctuous vapour, the Blessed water, the virtuous water, the water of the Wisemen, the Philoso∣phers Vinacre, the Mineral Water the D•w of heavenly Grace the Virgins Milk. the Bodily Mercurie and with other numberlesse names is it named in the Bookes of the Philosophers, which names truly though they are divers not∣withstanding alwayes signifie one and the same thing, namely the Mercurie of the Wisemen. Out of this Mercurie alone all the Virtue of the Art is extracted and according to its Nature the Tincture both Red and White. To this a∣grees R〈…〉 the Persian; Sperma Lapidis (saith hee) est frigidum & humidum in Ma∣nifesto, & in Occulto calidum & siccum. The Sperme, or first matter of the stone is outward∣ly
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cold and moyst but inwardly Hot and Drie. All which is confirmed by Rhodian, another In∣structor (it seemes) of Kanid King of Persia; his words are these; Sperma est album & liqui∣dum, postea rubeum. Sperma istud est lapis fu∣gitivus & est Aereum & Volatile, & est fri∣gidum & humidum, & cali•um & siccum. The Sperm (saith hee) is white and Liquid, af∣terwards red. This Sperm is the flying stone, and it is aereal, and volatil, cold and moyst, hot and drie. To these subscribes the Author of that excellent Tract intituled Liber trium Verborum. Hic est Liber (saith hee) Trium verborum, Liber Lapidis preciosi, qui est Cor∣pus aereum & volatile, frigidum & humidum, aquosum & adustivum, & in eo est Calidit as & siccitas, frigiditas & humiditas, alia vir∣tus in occulto, alia in Manifesto. This is the Book of Three words, meaning thereby Three Principles, The Book of the Precions stone, which is a Body aereal and volatil cold and moyst, watrie and adustive, and in it is Heat and Drought, Coldnesse and Moysture, one vir∣tue inwardly, the other outwardly. Belus the Philosopher in that famous and most Classic Synod of Arisleus, inverts the order, to con∣ceale the practice, but if rightly understood, he speaks to the purpose. Excelsum (sayth hee) est hoc apud Philosophos magnos Lapidem non
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esse lapidem, apud I diotas vile & Incredibile. Quis enim credet Lapidem Aquam, & Aquam Lapidem fieri, cum nihil sit diver sius? Attamen revera it a est. Lapis enim est haec ipsaper manens Aqua, & dum Aqua est lapis non est. Amongst all great Philosophers it is Magisterial that our stone is no stone, but amongst Ignorants it is ri∣diculous and incredible. For who will believe that water can be made a stone, and a stone water, nothing being more different than these two? And yet in very truth it is so. For this ve∣ry permanent water is the stone, but whiles it is water, it is no stone. But in this sense the An∣cient Hermes abounds, and almost disvocers too much. Scitote Filii Sapientum, quod pri∣scorum Philosophorum aquae est Divisio, quae dividit ipsam in Alia quatuor. Know (saith hee) you that are the Children of the wise, the Separation of the ancient Philosophers was per∣formed upon water, which Separation divides the water into other foure Substances. There is extant a very learned Author, who hath writ∣ten something to this purpose, and that more openly than any, whom we have formerly ci∣ted. Sicuti Mundus Originem debet Aquae, cui Spiritus Domini incubabat, rebus tàm Coe∣lestibus, quàm Terrestribus omnibus indè pro∣deuntibus; ita Limbus hic emergit ex Aquâ non vnlgari, ne{que} ex Rore Coelesti, aut ex aere
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Condensato in Cavernis Terrae, vel in Recipien∣te ipso, non ex Abysso Maris, fontibus, puteis, fluminibusvè hausto, sed ex Aquâ quadam perpessâ, omnibus obviâ, paucissimis cognitâ, Quae in se habet, quaecun{que}, ad totius operis Com∣plementum sunt necessaria, omni amoto Extrin∣sico. As the world (saith hee) was generated out of that Water, upon which the Spirit of God did move, all things proceeding thence, both Coelestiall and Terrestriall So this Chaos is generated out of a certain Water that is not common, not out of Dew, nor Ayre condensed in the Caverns of the Earth, or Artificially in the Receiver; not out of water drawn out of the Sea, Fountains, Pitts, or Rivers, but out of a certain tortured water, that hath suffered some Alteration, obvious it is to All, but known to very few. This water hath all in it, that is necessarie to the perfection of the work, without any Extrinsecal Addition. I could pro∣duce a Thousand Authors more, but that were tedious; I shall conclude with one of the Rosie Brothers, whose Testimonie is AEquivalent to the Best of These but his Instruction far more Excellent. His Discourse of the first Matter is somewhat large, and to avoyd prolixitie, I shall forbeare the Latin, but I will give thee his Sense in punctuall plaine Eng∣lish.

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I am a Goddesse (saith hee, speaking in the person of Nature) for Beauty and Extra∣ction famous, born out of our own proper Sea, which compasseth the whole Earth, and is ever restlesse. Out of my Breasts I poure forth Milk and Bloud; Boyle these two, till they are turned into Silver and Gold. O most excellent Subject! out of which all things in this world are generated, though at the first sight thou art Poyson, adorn'd with the name of the flying Ea∣gle. Thou art the first Matter, the seed of Divine Benediction, in whose Body there is Heat and Rain, which notwithstanding are hidden from the wicked, because of thy Habit, and vir∣gin vestures which is scatter'd over all the world. Thy Parents are the Sun and Moone, in Thee there is Water and Wine, Gold also and Silver upon Earth, that mortall man may re∣joyce. After this manner God sends us his Blessing and Wisdome with Raine, and the Beams of the Sun, to the eternall Glory of his Name. But consider ô Man, what Things God bestows upon thee by this means. Torture the Eagle till shee weeps, and the Lion bee weake∣ned, and bleed to death. The Bloud of this Lion incorporated with the Teares of the Eagle, is the Treasure of the Earth. These Creatures use to devoure and kill one another, but notwithstand∣ing their love is mutuall, and they put on the
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Proprietie, and Nature of a Salamander, which, if it remains in the fire without any detriment it cures all the Diseases of Men, Beasts and Metals. After that the Ancient Philosophers had perfectly understood this Subject, they diligently sought in this Mysterie for the Center of the Middlemost Tree in the Terrestrial Paradyse, entring in by Five liti∣gious Gates. The first Gate was the Know∣ledge of the true Matter, and here arose the first, and that a most bitter Conflict. The se∣cond was the Praeparation by which this mat∣ter was to bee praepared, that they might obtain the Embers of the Eagle, and the Bloud of the Lyon. At this Gate there is a most sharp fight, for it produceth water and bloud, and a Spirituall bright Body. The Third Gate is the Fire, which conduceth to the Maturitie of the Medicine. The Fourth Gate is that of Multiplication and Augmentation in which Proportions and Weights are Necessarie. The fifth and last Gate is Projection. But most glorious, full rich, and high is hee who attains to the fourth Gate, for hee hath got an Uni∣versall Medicine for all Diseases. This is that great Character of the Book of Nature, out of which her whole Alphabet doth arise.
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The fifth gate serves onely for Metals. This Mysterie existing from the Foundation of the World, and the Creation of Adam is of all others the most ancient, a knowledge which God Almighty by his Word breathed into Na∣ture, a miraculous power, the blessed fire of Life, the Transparent Carbuncle, and red Gold of the Wise men, and the Divine Benediction of this life. But this mysterie, because of the Ma∣lice and wickednesse of men, is given onely to few, notwithstanding it lives, and moves every day in the sight of the whole world, as it ap∣pears by the following parable. I am a poyso∣nous Dragon, present every where, and to bee had for nothing. My water and my fire dis∣solve and Compound; out of my body thou shalt draw the Green, and the Red Lyon: but if thou doest not exactly know mee, thou wilt with my Fire destroy thy five Senses. A most perniei∣ous quick poyson comes out of my Nostrils, which hath been the Destruction of many. Separate therefore the Thick from the Thin artificially, unlesse thou dost delight in extreme Povertie. I give thee faculties both Male and Female and the Powers both of Heaven and Earth. The Mysteries of my Art are to bee performed magnanimously, and with great
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Courage, if thou wouldest have mee overcome the Violence of the Fire, in which Attempt many have lost both their Labour and their Substance. I am the Egg of Nature known onely to the Wise, such as are pious and mo∣dest, who make of mee a little world. Ordain'd I was by the All-mighty God for men, but (though many desire mee) I am given onely to few that they may relieve the poore with my Treasures, and not set their mindes on Gold that perisheth. I am call'd of the Phi∣losophers Mercurie: my husband is Gold (Philosophicall.) I am the old Dragon that is present every where on the face of the Earth; I am Father and Mother; Youth∣full and Ancient; weak and yet most strong; Life and Death; Visible and Invisible; Hard and Soft; Descending to the Earth and As∣cending to the Heavens; most high and most low; light and heavy; In mee the Order of Nature is oftentimes inverted, in Colour, Number, Weight and Measure. I have in mee the light of Nature, I am dark and bright, I spring from the Earth, and I come out of Heaven, I am well known, and yet a meer Nothing, all Colours shine in mee, and all Metals by the Beams of the Sun. I am
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the Carbuncle of the Sun, a most noble clari∣fied Earth by which thou mayest turne Copper, Iron, Tin, and Lead into most pure Gold.

Now Gentlemen you may see which way the Philosophers move, they commend their Secret water, and I admire the Teares of Hyanthe. There is something in the Fansie besides Poetrie, for my Mistris is very Philosophicall, and in her Love a pure Plato∣nio. But now I think upon't, how many Rivals shall I procure by this Discourse? Every Reader will fall to, and some fine Thing may break her heart with Non-sense. This Love indeed were meer Luck, but for my part I dare trust her, and •est any man should mistake her for some things former∣ly named, I will tell you truly what shee is; She is not any known water whatsoever, but a Secret Spormatic Moysture, or rather the Venus that yeelds that moysture. Therefore doe not you Imagine that shee is any crude, phlegmatic, thin water, or shee is a fatt, thick, heavie, slimie humiditie; But lest you should think I am grown jealous, and would not trust you with my Mistris, Arnoldus de vil∣lanova shall speak for me, hear him. Am∣pliùs
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tibi dico, quod nullo modo invenire potui∣mus, nec similiter invenire potuerunt Philoso∣phi, aliquam rem perseverantem in igne, nisi solam unctuosam Humiditatem. Aqueam hu∣miditatem videmus de facili evapor are, Arida remanet, & ideo separantur, quia non sunt Na∣turales. Si autem eas humiditates consydere∣remus, quae difficulter separantur ab his quae sunt Naturales, non invenimus aliquas nisi un∣ctuosas, & viscosas. I tell thee further (saith hee) that wee could not possibly find, neither could the Philosophers find before us, any thing that would persist in the fire, but onely the Unctnous Humiditie. A waterie HUmiditie, we see, will easily vapour away, and the Earth re∣mains behind and the parts are therefore sepa∣rated because their Composition is not natural. But if wee consider those humidities, which are hardly separated from those parts which are naturall to them, wee find not any such but the unctuous, viscous Humidities. It will be expe∣cted perhaps by some Flint, and Antimonie-Doctors, who make their Philosophicall Contri∣tion with a Hammer, that I should discover this Thing out-right and not suffer this strange Bird-lime to hold their pride by the Plumes. To these, I say, it is water of Silver, which some have called water of the Moon, but 'tis Mercurie of the Sun, and partly of Saturn,
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for it is extracted from these three metalls, and without them it can never bee made. Now they may unriddle, and tell me what it is, for it is Truth, if they can understand it.

To the Ingenuous and modest Reader, I have something else to replie, and I believe it will sufficiently excuse mee. Raimund Lullie, a man who had been in the Center of Nature, and without all Question understood a great part of the Divine Will, gives me a most ter∣rible Charge not to prostitute these Principles. Juro Tibi (saith hee) supra animam meam,*quod si ea reveles, damnatus es. Nam a Deo omne procedit bonum, & ei soli debetur. Quare servabis, & Secretum tenebis illud, quod ei de∣betur revelandum, & affirmabis quam per re∣ctam proprietatem subtrahis, quae eius honori debentur. Quiae si revelares brevibus verbis illud quod longinquo tempore formavit, in die magni Judicii condemnareris, tanquam qui per∣petrator existens contra Majestatem die laesam, nec tibi remitteretur Casus Laesae Majestatis. Talium enim Revelatio ad Deum, & non ad Alterum spectat. That is; I swear to thee upon my soule, that thou art damn'd, if thou shouldest reveale these Things. For every good thing proceeds from God and to him onely it is due. Wherefore thou shalt reserve, and keep that Secret, which God onely should reveale,
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and thou shalt affirme thou doest justly keep back those things, whose Revelation belongs to his honour. For if thou shouldest reveale that in a few words, which God hath been forming a long time, thou shouldest be condemned in the great day of Judgement, as a Traytor to the Majestie of God, neither should thy Trea∣son bee forgiven Thee. For the Revelation of such Things belong to God, and not to Man. So sayd the wise Raymond.

Now for my part I have alwayes honou∣red the Magicians, their Philosophie being both rational, and Majestic, dwelling not upon Notions, but Effects, and those such as confirme both the Wisdome and the power of the Creator. When I was a meer Errant in their Books, and understood them not, I did be∣lieve them. Time rewarded my Faith, and payd my Credulitie with Knowledge. In the Interim I suffer'd many bitter Calumnies, and this by some envious Adversaries, who had no∣thing of a Scholar, but their Gownes, and a little Language for Vent to their Non-sense. But these could not remove mee, with a Spar∣tan patience I concocted my Injuries, and found at last that Nature was Magicall, not Peripateticall. I have no Reason then to di∣strust them in Spirituall Things, whom I have found so orthodox and faithfull even in Natu∣rall
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Mysteries. I doe believe Raymund, and in order to that Faith, I provide for my Salvation. I will not discover, that I may not be condemn'd. But if this will not satisfie Thee, who ever thou art let me whisper thee a word in the ear, and afterwards doe thou proclaime it on the house∣topps. Doest thou know from whom, and how that Sperme or Se•• which men for want of a better name call the first matter, proceeded? A certain Illumina•ce and in his daies a mem∣ber of that Societie, which some painted Buz∣zards use to laugh at, writes thus; Deus opti∣mus Maximus ex Nikilo aliquid creavit, illud Aliquid vero fiebat unum aliquod, in Quo Omnia. Creaturae Coelestes & I errestres. God * (sayth hee) incomparable good and Great, out of nothing created something, but that Some∣thing was made one Thing, in which all Things were contained Creatures both Coelesliall and Terrestriall. This first Something was a cer∣tain kind of Cloud, or Darknesse, which was condensed into water. and this water is that One Thing in which all Things were contained. But my Question is, what was that Nothing, out of which the first Cloudy Chaos, or Some∣thing was made? Canst thou tell mee? It may bee thou doest think it is a meere Nothing. It is indeed Nihil quò ad Nos. Nothing that wee perfectly know. It is Nothing as Dionysius saith,
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Nihil eorum quae sunt, & Nihil eorum quae non sunt. It is nothing that was created, or of those things that are: and nothing of that which thou doest call nothing that is of those Things that are not, in thy empty destructive sense. But by your leave, it is the True Thing, of whom wee can affirme nothing: it is that transcendent Essence, whose Theologie is Negative, and was * known to the Primitive Church, but is lost in These our Dayes. This is that Nothing of Cor∣nelius Agrippa, and in this nothing, when hee was tyr'd with humane Things, I mean humane Sciences, hee did at last rest: Nihil Scire, (sayd hee) est vita felilcissima, to know No∣thing is the happiest Life; true indeed, for to know this Nothing, is Life Eternall. Learne then to understand that Magicall Axiom, Ex Invisibili factum est Visibile, for all Visibles came out of the Invisible God, for hee is the Well-spring from whence all things flow, and the Creation was a certain stupendious Meta∣physicall Birth, or Deliverie. This fine Virgin∣water, or Chaos, was the second Nature from God himself, and if I may say so, the Child of the Blessed Trinitie. What Doctor then is hee, whose hands are fit to touch that Subject, upon which God himself when he workes, layes his own Spirit, for verely so we reade, The Spirit of*God moved upon the face of the water? And
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can it bee expected then, that I should prosti∣tute this Mysterie to all hands whatsoever, that I should proclame it, and crie it, as they cry Oysters? Verily these Considerations, with some other which I will not for all the world put to Papyr have made mee almost displease my dearest friends, to whom notwithstanding I owe a better Satisfaction. Had it been my fortune barely to know this Matter, as most men doe, I had perhaps been lesse carefull of it, but I have been instructed in all the Secret Cir∣cumstances thereof, which few upon Earth un∣derstand. I speak not for any Ostentation, but I speak a Truth which my Conscience knowes very well. Let me then Reader, request thy Patience, for I shall leave this Discoverie to God, who if it bee his blessed will can call un∣to Thee, and say: Here it is, and thus I worke it. I had not spoken all this in my own De∣fence, had I not been assaulted (as it were) in this very point, and told to my face I was bound to discover all that I knew, for this Age looks for Dreames and Revelations, as the Traine to their invisible Righteousnesse. I have now sufficiently discours'd of the Matter, and if it be not thy fortune to find it by what is here written, yet thou canst not bee deceived by what I have sayd, for I have purposely a voyded all those Termes, which might make thee mi∣stake
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any Common Salts, Stones, or Minerals for it. I advise thee withall to beware of all Vegetables, and Animals: avoyd them, and every part of them whatsoever. I speak this because some ignorant, Sluttish Broylers, are of Opinion, that mans Bioud is the True Subject. But Alas! is mans Bloud in the Bowels of the Earth, that Metals should bee generated out of it? or was the world, and all that is there∣in, made of man's Bloud, as of their first Mat∣ter? Surely no such Thing. The first Matter was existent before Man, and all other Crea∣tures whatsoever, for shee is the Mother of them all; They were made of the first Matter, and not the first Matter of them. Take heed then, Let not any man deceive thee. It is total∣ly impossible to reduce any particular to the first Matter, or to a Sperm, without our Mer∣curie, and being so reduc'd, it is not Universall, but the Particular Sperm of its own Species, and works not any Effects but what are agree∣able to the Nature of that Species, for God hath seal'd it with a particular Idea.

Let them alone then who practise upon man's bloud in their Chemicall stoves, and A∣thanors, or as Sendivow hath it, in Fornaculis mirabilibus; they will deplore their Error at last, and sit without Sackcloth, in the Ashes of their Compositions.

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But I have done I will now speak some∣thing of Generation, and the wayes of it, that the Process of the Philosophers upon this Mat∣ter, may be the better understood. You must know that Nature hath two Extremes, and be∣tween * them a Middle Substance, which else∣where wee have call'd the Middle Nature. Example enough wee have in the Creation. The first Extreme was that Cloud or Darkness whereof we have spoken formerly; some call it the Remote Matter, and the Invisible Chaos, but very improperly, for it was not invisible. This is the Jewish Ensoph outwardly, and it is the same with that Orphic Night;

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
O Night! thou black nurse of the golden stars.
Out of this Darkness all things that are in this world came as out of their Fountain or Matrix: hence that Position of all famous Poets and Philosophers, Omniaex Nocte Prodiisse. The middle Substance is the Water, into which that Night or Darkness was condensed, and the Creatures fram'd out of the Water make up the other Extreme. But the Magicians when they speak strictly. will not allow of this last Extreme, because Nature doth not stay here, wherefore their Philosophie runs thus; Man (say they) in his natural state, is in the meane Creation, from which hee must recede to one of
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wo Extremes; either to Corruption, as com∣monly all men doe for they die, and moulder away in their graves: or else to a spirituall, glorified Condition, like Enooh and Elijah, who were translated, and this (say they) is a true Extreme, for after it there is no Alteration. Now the Magicians reasoning with them∣selves, why the meane Creation should be sub∣ject to Corruption, concluded the Cause and O∣riginal of this disease to be in the Chaos it self, for even that was corrupted, and cursed upon the Fall of Man. But examining Things fur∣ther, they found that Nature in her Generati∣ons did onely concoct the Chaos with a gentle heat, shee did not separate the parts, and purifie each of them by it self, but the purities and im∣purities of the Sperme remained together in all her Productions, and this Domestic enemie prevayling at last, occasion'd the Death of the Compound. Hence they wisely gathered, that to minister Vegetables, Animals, or Minerals for Physic, was a meer madness, for even these also had their own Impurities and Diseases, and required some Medicine to cleanse them. Upon this Adviso, they resolved (God with∣out all Question being their Guide) to practise on the Chaos it self, they opened it, purified it, united what they had formerly separated, and fed it with a twofold Fire, Thick, and Thin,
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till they brought it to the immortal Extreme, and made it a spirituall heavenly Body. This was their Physic, this was their Magic. In this performance they saw the Image of that face, which Zoroaster calls Triadis Vultus ante Essentiam, &c. They perfectly knew the Se∣cundea, which contains all things in her natu∣rally, as God contains all things in himself spiritually. They saw that the Life of all things here below, was a Thick Fire, or fire impri∣soned and incorporated in a certaine incom∣bustible Aereall moysture. They found more∣over that this fire was originally derived from Heaven, and in this sense Heaven is styl'd in the Oracles,

Ignis, Ignis Derivatio, & Ignis Penu.
In a word, they saw with their Eyes, that Nature was Male and Female; Ignis ruber super Dorsum Ignis Candidi, as the Cabalists expresse it: A certain Fire of a most deep red Colour, working on a most white, heavy, sala∣cious Water, which Water also is Fire inwardly, but outwardly very cold. By this practice it was manifested unto them that God himself was Fire according to that of Eximidius in Turba: Omnium rerum Initium esse Natu∣ram quandam, eam{que} perpetuam, infinitam, om∣nia foventem, Coquentem{que}. The Beginning of all things (sayth he) is a Certain Nature, and
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that eternall, and infinite, cherishing and heat∣ing all Things. The truth is Life which is nothing else but Light, and heat proceeded ori∣ginally from God, and did apply to the Chaos, which is elegantly call'd by Zoroaster, Fons fontium, & fontium cunctorum, Matrix con∣tinens cuncta. The Fountain of fountains, and of all fountains The Matrix containing all Things. Wee see by Experience that all Indi∣viduals live not onely by their own heat, but they are preserved by the outward universal heat, which is the life of the great world. Even so truly the great world it self lives not alto∣gether by that heat which God hath inclosed in the parts thereof, but it is praeserved by the cir∣cumfused influent heat of the Deitie; For above the Heavens God is manifested like an infinite burning world of Light and Fire, so that hee overlooks all that he hath made, and the whole. Fabric stands in his heat and Light, as a man stands here on Earth in the Sun-shine. I say then that the God of Nature employes himself in a perpetuall Coction, and this not onely to generate, but to preserve that which hath been generated: for his spirit and heat coagulat that which is Thin, rarifie that which is too grosse, quicken the dead parts, and cherish the cold. There is indeed one operation of heat, whose method is vitall, and far more mysterious
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than the rest, they that have use for it, must stu∣die it. I have for my part spoken all that I in∣tend to speak, and though my Book may prove fruitless to many, because not understood, yet some few may be of that Spirit as to compre∣hend it: Amplae mentis ampla flamma, sayd the great Chaldaean. But because I will not leave thee without some Satisfaction, I advise thee to take the Moone of the firmament, which is a middle nature, and place her so that every part of her may be in two Elements at one and the same time, these Elements also must equally at∣tend her Body, not one further off, not one nee∣rer than the other. In the regulating of these two, there is a twofold Geometrie to be obser∣ved, Natural, and A•t•ficial. But I may speak no more. The true Furnace is a little simple shell, thou mayst easily carry it in one of thy hands. The Glasse is one, and no more, but some Philosophers have used two, and so mayst thou. As for the work it self. it is no way trou∣blesome a Lady may reade the Arcadia, and at the same time attend this Philosophie with∣out disturbing her fansie. For my part I think women are fitter for it than men, for in such things they are more neat and patient, being u∣sed to a small Chimistrie of Sack-possets, and other finicall sugar-sops. Concerning the Ef∣fects of this Medicine, I shall not speak any
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thing at this time, hee that desires to know them, let him reade the Revelation of Paracel∣sus, a Discourse altogether incomparable, and in very truth miraculous. And here without any partialitie, I shall give my Judgement of honest Hohenheim. I find in the rest of his workes, and especially where hee falls on the stone, a great many false Processes, but his Do∣ctrine of it in Generall is very sound. The truth is, hee had some Pride to the Justice of his Spleen, and in many places hee hath err'd of purpose, not caring what Bones hee threw be∣fore the Schoole-men; for hee was a Pylot of Guadalcana, and sayl'd sometimes in his Rio de la recriation. But I had almost forgot to tell thee that. which is all in all, and it is the grea∣test Difficultie in all the Art, namely the fire. It is a close, ayrie, circular, bright fire; the Philosophers call it their Sun, and the glasse must stand in the shade. It makes not the mat∣ter to vapour, no not so much as to sweat, it digests onely with a still, piercing, vitall heat. It is continuall, and therefore at last alters the Chaos, and corrupts it; The Proportion and Regiment of it is very Scrupulous, but the best rule to know it by, is that of the Synod: facite ne Easianus volet ante Insequentem; Let not the Bird fly before the Fowler: make it sit whiles you give fire, and then you are sure of
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your Prey. For a Cloze, I must tell thee, the Philosophers call'd this Fire their Balneum, but it is Balneum Naturae. a Naturall Bath, not an Artificiall one, for it is not any kind of Water, but a certain subtill temperate moysture which compasseth the Glasse, and feeds their Sun, or Fire. In a word without this Bath nothing in the world is generated. Now that thou mayst the better understand what Degree of fire is requisit for the work, consider the Generation of Man, or any other Creature whatsoever. It is not Kitchin fire, nor feaver that works upon the Sperm in the Womb but a most temperate, moyst, natural heat, which proceeds from the very life of the Mother. It is just so here; Our Matter is a most delicate Substance, and tender like the Animal sperme, for it is almost a living thing, nay in very truth it hath some small portion of life, for Nature doth produce some Animals out of it. For this very reason the least violence destroyes it, and prevents all generation, for if it be over-heated but for some few minutes, the white, and red Sulphurs will never essentially unite, and coagulat. On the Contrary, if it takes cold but for half an hour, the work being once well begun, it will never sort to any good purpose. I speak out of my own Experience, for I have (as they phrase it) given my self a Box on the Eare, and that twice
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or thrice, out of a certain confident Negligence, Expecting that, which I knew well enough, could never bee. Nature moves not by the Theorie of men, but by their practice, and sure∣ly Wit and Reason can performe no Miracles, unlesse the hands supplie them. Bee sure then to know this fire in the first place, and accordingly bee sure to make use of it. But for thy better Securitie, I will describe it to thee once more. It is a drie, vaporous humid fire; it goes round about the Glasse, and is both equall and Conti∣nuall. It is restlesse, and some have call'd it the white philosophicall Coale. It is in it self natu∣rall, but the praeparation of it is Artificiall, it is a heat of the Dead wherefore some call it their unnatural, Necromantic fire. It is no part of the Matter, neither is it taken out of it, but it is an external fire, and serves onely to stirr up, and strengthen the inward oppressed fire of the Chaos. But let us hear Nature her self, for thus shee speaks in the Serious Romance of Mehung. Post putrefactionem sit ipsa Ge∣neratio, id{que} per internum incomburibilem Ca∣lorem ad Argenti vivi frigiditatem calefaci∣endam, quod tantum equidem patitur, ut tan∣dem cum sulphure suo uniatur. Omne illud uno in Vase complexum est, I gnis, aer, & Aqua videlicet, quae in Terreno suo vase accipio, ea∣dem{que} uno in Alembico relinquo; & tum coquo,
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dissolvo, & sublimo, abs{que} Malleo, forcipe, vel lima, sine Carbonibus, vapore, Igne aut Ma∣riae-Balneo, & Sophistarum Alembicis: Coele∣stem nam{que} meum ignem habeo, qui Elementa∣lem, prout Materia idoneam decentem{que} for∣mam habere desyderat, excitat. That is: After Putrefaction succeeds Generation, and that be∣cause of the inward incombustible Sulphur, that heats, or thickens the Coldness, and Crudities of the Quicksilver which suffers so much thereby, that at last it is united to the Sulphur, and made one Body therewith. All this namely (Fire, Ayre, and Water) is contained in one Vessell; in their earthly Vessel that is in their grosse Bo∣dy, or Composition I take them and then I leave them in one Alembic, where I concoct, dissolve, and sublime them without the help of Hammer, Tongs, or File; without Coales, Smoake, Fire, or Bath, or the Alembics of the Sophisters. For I have my heavenly fire, which excites, or stirs up the Elementall one, accord∣ing as the matter desires a becomming, agreea∣ble forme. Now Nature every where is one and the same, wherefore shee reades the same lesson to Madathan, who thinking in his Ignorance to make the stone without dissolution, receives from her this Check. An tu nunc Cochleas, vel Cancros cum Test is devorare niteris? An non priùs à vetussissimo Planetarum Coquo matu∣rari,
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& praeparari illos oportet? Doest thou think (sayes hee) to eat Oysters shells and all? ought they not first to bee opened, and prepar'd by the most Ancient Cooke of the Planets? With these agrees the excellent Flammel, who speaking of the Solar, and Lunar Mercurie, and the Plantation of the one in the other, hath these words. Sumantur ita{que}, & noctu, inter∣diu{que} assiduè supra ignem in Alembico fovean∣tur. Non autem ignis Carbonarius, vel è ligno confectus sed clarus pellucidus{que} ignis sit, non secus ac Sol ipse, qui nunquam plus justo calidus ardens{que} sed omni tempore ejusdem caloris esse debet. Take them therefore (sayth hee) and cherish them over a fire in thy Alembic: But it must not be a fire of Coales, nor of any wood, but a bright shining fire, like the Sun it self, whose heat must never be excessive but alwayes of one and the same Degree. This is enough, and too much, for the Secret in it self is not great, but the Consequences of it are so, which made the Philosophers hide it. Thus Reader thou hast the outward Agent most fully and faithfully described. It is in Truth a very sim∣ple mysterie, and if I should tell it openly, ridi∣culous. Howsoever by this, and not without it, did the Magicians unlock the Chaos, and cer∣tainly it is no newes that an Iron-key should open a Treasurie of Gold. In this Universall
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Subject they found the Natures of all particu∣lars, and this is signified to us by that Maxim: Qui Proteam non novit, adeat Pana. This Pan is their Chaos, or Mercurie, which expounds Proteus. namely the Particular Creatures, commonly call'd Individualls, For Pan transformes himself into a Proteus, that is, in∣to all varieties of Species, into Animals, Ve∣getables, and Minerals; for out of the Univer∣sall Nature, or first matter, all these are made, and Pan hath their Propri•ties in himself. Hence it is that Mercurie is call'd the Inter∣preter, or Expositor of Inferiors and Superiors, under which Notion the Ancient Orpheus in∣vokes him.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Hear me ô Mercurie, thou messenger of Jove, and son of Maia, the Expositor of all Things.
Now for the Birth of this Mercurie, and the Place of it, I find but few Philosophers that mention it. Zoroaster points at it, and that very obscurely, where he speaks of his Jyn∣ges or the I dea's in these words;

Multae quidem hae scandunt lucidos Mundos,
Insilentes: Quarum Summitates sunt Tres.
Subjectum est Ipsis Principale pratum.
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This Pratum, or Meadow of the Idea's, a place well known to the Philosophers, (Flam∣mel calls it their Garden, and the Mountain of the seven Metals, see his Summarie, where hee describes it most learnedly for hee was instru∣cted by a Jew) is a certain secret, but Univer∣sall Region: one calls it Regio Lucis, the Regi∣on of Light, but to the Cabalist it is Nox Cor∣poris, a Terme extremely apposit, and signifi∣cant. It is in few words the Rendezvous of all Spirits, for in this place the I dea's when they descend from the Bright world to the Dark one, are incorporated. For thy Better Intelligence thou must know that Spirits whiles they move in Heaven, which is the Fire-world, contract no impurities at all, according to that of Stel∣latus;

Omne quod est supra Lunam, aeternum{que} bo∣num{que}
Esse scias, nec triste aliquid Coelestia tan∣git.
All (sayth hee) that is above the Moon, is eternall and good, and there is no Corruption of Heavenly Things. On the contrary, when Spirits descend to the Elementall Matrix, and reside in her Kingdom, they are blurr'd with the Original Leprosie of the Matter, for here the Curse raves and rules, but in Heaven it is not Praedominant. To put an end to this point,
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let us hear the admirable Agrippa state it; This is hee, between whose lipps the Truth did breathe, and knew no other Oracle. Coelestium*vires, dum in se existunt, & à Datore Lu∣minum per sanct as Intelligentias, & Coelos in∣fluuntur, quous{que} ad Lunam pervenerint: ea∣rum Influentia bona est, tanquam in primo gra∣du; deinde autem quando in Subjecto viliori suscipitur, ipsa etiam vilescit. That is; The Heavenly powers, or spirituall Essences whiles they are in themselves, or before they are united to the Matter, and are shower'd down from the Father of Lights thorough the holy Intelligen∣ces and the Heavens, untill they come to the Moone: Their Influence is good, as in the first degree; But when it is received in a corrupt Subject, the Influence also is corrupted. Thus He. Now the A stronomers pretend to a strange familiaritie with the starrs, the Natural Phi∣losophers talk as much: and truly an Ignorant man might well think they had been in heaven, and conversed, like Lucians Menippus, with Jove himself. But in good Earnest these Men are no more Eagles than Sancho, their fansies are like his flights in the Blanket, and every way as short of the Skies. Ask them but where the Influences are received, and how; bid them by faire Experience prove they are present in the Elements, and you have undone them; if
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you will trust the foure Corners of a Figure, or the three Legs of a Syllogism, you may; this is all their Evidence. Well fare the Magicians then, whose Art can demonstrate these Things, and put the very Influences in our hands. Let it be thy studie to know their Region of Light, and to enter into the Treasures thereof, for then thou mayst converse with Spirits, and un∣derstand the Nature of invisible Things. Then will appear unto thee the Universal Subject, and the two minerall Spermes, White, and Red, of which I must speak somewhat, before I make an end.

In the Pythagoricall Synod, which consisted of Threescore and Ten Philosophers, all Ma∣sters of the Art, it is thus written. I gnis Spis∣sum in Aera cadit; Aeris vero Spissum, & quod ex igne Spisso congregatur, in Aquam in∣cidit; Aquae quo{que} Spissum, & quod ex I gnis & Aeris Spisso coadunatur, in Terrâ quiescit. Ita istorum Trium spissuudo in Terrâ guiescit, in{que} eâ conjuncta sunt. Ipsa ergo Terra omnibus caeteris Elementis spissior est, uti Palam appa∣ret, & videre est. That is, The Thicknesse, or Sperm of the Fire falls into the Ayre; The Thickness or Spermatic part of the Ayre. and in it the Sperm of the Fire, falls into the Water; The Thickness or spermatic Substance of the Water, and in it the two Spermes of Fire and
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Ayre fall into the Earth, and there they rest, and are conjoyned. Therefore the Earth it self is thicker than the other Elements as it openly appears, and to the eye is manifest. Remem∣ber now what I have told thee formerly con∣cerning the Earth; what a generall Hospitall it is, how it receives all things, not onely Beasts and Vegetables, but proud and glorious Man: when Death hath ruin'd him, his courser parts stay here, and know no other Home. This Earth to Earth, is just the Doctrine of the Ma∣gi; Metalls (say they) and all things may bee reduc'd into that whereof they were made. They speak the very Truth, it is God's own Principle, and he first taught it Ad. m. Dust*thou art, and to Dust shalt thou return. But lest any man should be Deceived by us, I think it just to informe you, there are two reductions; One is Violent and Destructive, reducing Bo∣dies to their Extremes, and properly it is Death, or the Calcination of the common Chi∣mist. The other is Vital, and Generative, resol∣ving Bodies into their Sperm, or middle Sub∣stance out of which Nature made them, for Nature makes not Bodies immediatly of the Elements but of a Sperm, which shee drawes out of the Elements. I shall explain my self to you by Example. An Egg is the Sperm, or mid∣dle Substance out of which a Chick is ingen∣dred,
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and the moysture of it is viscous, and sli∣mie, a water and no water, for such a Sperme ought to bee. Suppose Dr. Coale, I mean some Broyler, had a minde to generat something out of this Egg: Questionlesse he would first distill it, and that with a fire able to roast the Hen that layd it, then would hee calcine the Caput mortuum, and finally produce his Nothing. Here you are to observe that Bodies are nothing els but Sperm coagulated, and he that Destroyes the Body, by consequence destroyes the Sperm. Now to reduce Bodies into Elements of earth and water, as wee have instanc'd in the Egg, is to reduce them into Extremes beyond their Sperm, for Elements are not the Sperm, but the Sperm is a Compound made of the Elements, and containing in it self all that is requisit to the frame of the Body. Wherefore be well advis'd before you distill, and Quarter any particular Bodies, for having once separated their Ele∣ments, you may never generat, unless you can make a Sperm of those Elements, but that is impossible for man to doe, it is the Power of God, and Nature. Labour then you that would be accounted wise, to find out our Mercurie, so shall you reduce things to their mean spermati∣call Chaos, but avoyd the broyling Destructi∣on. This Doctrine will spare you the vain Task of Distillations, if you will but remember this
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Truth: That Sp•rmes are not made by Sepa∣ration but by Composition of Elements, and to bring a Body into Sperm, is not to distill it, but to reduce the whole into one thick water, keep∣ing all the parts thereof in their first naturall union. But that I may return at last to my for∣mer Citation of the Synod All those Influences of the Elements being united in one Mass, make our Sperm or our Earth, which is Earth and no Earth. Take it if thou doest know it, and divide the Essences thereof, not by violence, but by naturall putrefaction, such as may occa∣sion a genuine Dissolution of the Compound. Here thou shalt find a miraculous white Water, an Influence of the Moone, which is the Mother of our Chaos; It rules in two Elements Earth and Water. After this appears the Sperm or influx of the Sun, which is the father of it. It is a quick, Coelestiall fire, incorporated in a thin, oleous, Aereall Moysture. It is incombustible, for it is fire it self, and feeds upon fire, and the longer it stayes in the fire, the more glorious it growes. These are the two mineral Spermes Masculine. and Foeminine: if thou doest place them both on their Chrystalline Basis, thou hast the Philosopher's flying Fire-drake, which at the first sight of the Sun breathes such a poy∣son, that nothing can stand before him. I know not what to tell thee more, unlesse in the Vogue
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of some Authors, I should give thee a flegmatic Description of the whole process and that I can dispatch in two words. It is nothing els but a continual Coction the Volatil Essences ascending and descending till at last they are fix'd, accord∣ing to that excellent Prosopopaeia of the stone.

Non ego continuò morior, dum spiritus exit,
Nam redit assiduè, quamvis & soepe recedat,
Et mihi nunc magna est Animae, nunc nulla fa∣
(cultas.
Plus ego sustinui, quam Corpus debuit unum;
Tres Animas habui, quas omnes intus habebam,
Discessere duae, sed Tertia poenè secuta est.
I am not dead, although my spirit's gon,
For it returns, and is both off, and on,
Now I have life enough, now I have non.
I suffer'd more, than one could justly doe;
Three soules I had, and all my own but Two
Are fled: the Third had almost left mee too.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉I have written, what I*have written- And now give me leave to look about mee. Is there no Powder-Plott, or pra∣ctice? What's become of Aristotel, and Ga∣len? Where is the Scribe and Pharisee, the Dis∣puters of this world? If they suffer all this,
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and believe it too, I shall think the General Conversion is come about, and I may sing,

Jam redit & Virgo, redeunt Saturnia Regna.
But come what will come, I have once more spoken for the Truth, and shall for Conclusion speak this much Again. I have elsewhere call'd this Subject, Limus coelestis, and the middle Nature: The Philosophers call it the Venera∣ble Nature, but amongst all the Praetenders I have not yet found one, that could tell me why. Hear me then, that whensoever thou doest at∣tempt this work, it may be with reverence, not like some proud, ignorant Doctor but with lesse Confidence & more Care. This Chaos hath in it the foure Elements, which of themselves are contrarie Natures, but the wisdome of God hath so placed them that their very order re∣conciles them. For Example, Ayre and Earth are Adversaries, for one is hot and moyst, the other cold and drie. Now to reconcile these two, God placed the Water between them, which is a middle Nature, or of a mean Complexion between both Extremes. For she is cold and moyst, and as shee is cold, shee partakes of the Nature of the Earth, which is cold and drie, but as shee is moyst, she partakes in the Nature of the Ayre, which is hot and moyst. Hence it is, that Ayre and Earth which are Contraries
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in Themselves, agree and imbrace one another in the water, as in a middle Nature which is proportionate to them both, and tempers their Extremities. But verely this Salvo makes not up the Breach, for though the water reconciles two Elements like a friendly Third, yet shee her self fights with a Fourth, namely with the Fire: For the Tire is hot and drie, but the water is cold and moyst, which are clear Contraries. To prevent the Distempers of these two, God pla∣ced the Ayre between them, which is a Sub∣stance hot and moyst; and as it is hot, it agrees with the fire, which is hot and drie; but as it is moyst, it agrees with the water, which is cold and moyst; so that by mediation of the Ayre, the other two Extremes, namely fire and water are made friends, and reconciled. Thus you see, as I told you at first, that Contrarie Elements are united by that Order and Textare where∣in the Wise God hath placed them. You must now give me leave to tell you that this Agree∣ment or friendship is but par•il, a very weak love, cold and ski•tish: for whereas these Prin∣ciples agree in one qualitie, they differ in two, as your selves may easily compute. Much need therefore have they of a more strong and able Mediator to confirme and preserve their weak Unitie, for upon it depends the very aternitie, and Incorruption of the Creature. This blessed
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Caement, and Balsam, is the Spirit of the living God, which some ignorant Scriblers have call'd a Quintessence, for this very Spirit is in the Chaos, and to speak plainly, the fire is his Thrrne, for in the Fire he is Sèated, as wee have sufficiently told you elsewhere. This was the Reason, why * the Magi call'd the first Matter their Vene∣rable Nature, and their blessed stone, and in good earnest what think you, is it not so? This blessed Spirit fortifies, and perfects that weak Disposition which the Elements already have to Union and Peace, (for God works with Nature, not against her,) and brings them at last to a beauteous specificall Fabric. Now īf you will aske me, where is the Soul, or as the Schoole-men abuse hwer the Form, all this while? what doth shee doe? To this I answer, that shee is, as all Instrumentals ought to be, subject and obedient to the will of God, expecting the per∣section of her Body: for it is God that unites her to the Body, and the body to her. Soule and Body are the work of God, the one as well as the other: the Soul is not the Artificer of her house, for that which can make a Body, can also repayre it, and hinder death; but the Soule can∣not doe this, it is the Power, and Wisdome of God. In a word, to say that the Soule form'd the Body, because shee is in the Body, is to say that the Jowell made the Cabinet, because the
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Jewell is in the Cabinet, or that the Sun made the world, because the Sun is in the world, and cherisheth every part thereof. Learn therefore to distinguish between Agents and their Instru∣ments, for if you attribute that to the Creature, which belongs to the Creator, you bring your sleves in Danger of hell-fire, for God is a jea∣lous God, and will not give his glorie to Ano∣ther. I advise my Doctors therefore, both Di∣vines and Physicians, not to bee too rash in their Censures, nor so Magisterial in their Discourse, as I have known some Professors of Physic to be: who would correct and under∣value the rest of their Brethren, when in Truth they Themselves were most shamefully igno∣rant. It is not ten, or twelve years Experience in Druggs and Sopps can acquaint a man with the Mysteries of God's Creation. Take this, and make a world: Take I know not what, and make a Pill or Clyster, are different Recepts. Wee should therefore consult with our Judge∣ments, before wee venture our Tongues, and ne∣ver speake, but when wee are sure wee under∣stand. I knew a Gentleman, who meeting with a Philosopher Adept, and receiving so much Courtesie as to be admitted to Discourse, attended his first Instructions passing well. But when this Magician quitted my friends known Roade, and began to touch, and drive round the
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great Wheele of Nature, presently my Gentle∣man takes up the Cudgells, and urging all the Authorities, which in his vain judgement made for him, opprest this noble Philosopher with a most clamorous, insipid Ribaldrie. A goodly sight it was, and worthy our Imitation, to see with what an admirable Patience the other re∣ceived him. But this Errant concluded at last, That Lead or Quick-silver must be the Sub∣ject, and that Nature work'd upon one of both. To this the Adeptus replied, Sir, it may bee so at this time, but if hereafter I find Nature in those old Elements, where I have sometimes seen her very Busie, I shall at our next meeting confute your Opinion. This was all hee said, and it was something more than hee did. Their next meeting was referr'd to the Greek Calends, for he could never be seen after∣wards, notwithstanding a thousand Sollicitati∣ons. Such Talkative babling people as this Gentleman was, who run to every Doctor for his Opinion, and follow like a Spaniell every Bird they spring, are not fit to receive these Se∣crets, they must be serious, silent men, faithfull to the Art, and most faithfull to their Teach∣ers. Wee should alwayes remember that Do∣trine of Zeno: Nature (said hee) gave us one Tongue, but two Eares, that wee might heare much, and speak little. Let not any man there∣fore
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be ready to vomit forth his own shame and ignorance: Let him first examine his know∣ledge, and especially his practice, lest upon the Experience of a few violent Knacks, hee pre∣sume to judge Nature in her very Sobrieties. To make an end; If thou doest know the first Matter, know also for certain, thou hast disco∣vered the Sanctuarie of Nature; There is no∣thing between thee and her Treasures, but the Doore: that indeed must be opened. Now if thy Desire leads thee on to the Practice, consi∣der well with thy self what manner of man thou art, and what it is that thou would'st do, for it is no small matter. Thou hast resolved with thy self to be a Cooperator with the Spirit of the living God, and to minister to him in his worke of generation. Have a Care therefore that thou doest not hinder his work: for if thy heat exceeds the Naturall Proportion, thou hast stirr'd the wrath of the moyst Natures, and they will stand up against the Central fire, and the Central fire against them, and there will be a terrible Division in the Chaos: but the sweet Spirit of Peace, the true eternal Quintessence will depart from the Elements, leaving both them and Thee to Confusion; neither will hee apply himself to that Matter, as long as it is in thy violent, destroying hands. Take heed there∣fore, lest thou turn Partner with the Devill,
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for it is the Devil's designe from the Beginning of the world, to set Nature at Variance with her self, that he may totally corrupt, and de∣stroy her. Nè tu augeas fatum, doe not thou further his Designes. I make no question but many men will laugh at this, but on my Soule I speak nothing But what I have known by ve∣ry good Experience, therefore believe mee. For my own part it was ever my desire to bury these Things in silence, or to paint them out in sha∣dowes, but I have spoken thus clearly, and o∣penly, out of the Affection I bear to some, who have deserved much more at my hands. True it is, I intended sometimes to expose a greater work to the world, which I promised in my Anthroposophia, but I have been since acquain∣ted with that World, and I found it base, and unworthie: wherefore I shall keep in my first happy Solitudes, for Noyse is Nothing to mee, I seek not any man's Applause. If it be the will of my God to call me forth, and that it may make for the Honour of his Name, in that respect I may write again, for I feare not the Judgement of Man, but in the interim here shall be and End.

FINIS.
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ANd now my Book, let it not stop thy Flight,
That thy just Author, is not Lord, or Knight.
I can desine my self: and have the Art
Still to present one face, and still one Heart.
But for nine years some Great ones cannot see
What they have been, nor know they what to bee.
What though I have no Rattles to my name,
Do'st hold a simple Honestie no Fame?
Or art thou such a stranger to the Times,
Thou canst not know my Fortunes frō my Crimes.
Goe forth, and fear not: some will gladly bee
Thy learned friends, whom I did never see.
Nor shouldst thou fear thy welcom: thy small
Cannot undo'em, though they pay Excise. (Price
Thy Bulk's not great: it will not much distresse
Their emptie Pockets, but their Studies lesse.
Th'art no Galeon, as Books of Burthen bee,
Which can not ride but in a Librarie.
Th'art a fine Thing and little: it may Chance
Ladies will buy thee for a new Romance.
Oh how I'le envy Thee! when thou art spread
In the bright Sun-shine of their Eyes, and read
With Breath of Amber, Lips of Rose, that lend
Perfumes vnto thy Leaves, shal never spend:
When from their white hands they shall let thee fall
Into their Bosomes, which I may not call
Ought of Misfortune, Thou do'st drop to rest
In a more pleasing place, ând art more blest.
Page 140
There in some silken, soft Fold thou shalt lye
Hid like their Love, or thy own Mysterie.
Nor shouldst thou grieve thy Language is not fine,
For it is not my Best, though it be Thine.
I could have voye'd thee forth in such a Dresse,
The Spring had been a Slut to thy Expresse;
Such as might file the rude, unpolish'd Age,
And fix the Readers Soule to ev'ry Page:
But I have us'd a course, and homely strain,
Because it suits with Truth, which should be plain.
Last, my dear Book, if any looke on Thee
As on Three Suns, or some great Prodigie,
And swear to a full point, I do deride
All other Sects, to publish my own pride;
Tell such they lie, and since they love not Thee,
Bid them goe learn some High-shoe heresie.
Nature is not so simple, but shee can
Procure a solid Reverence from man;
Nor is my Pen so lightly Plum'd that I
Should serve Ambition with her Majestie.
'Tis Truth makes me come forth, & having writ
This her short Scaene, I would not stifle it:
For I have call'd it Childe, and J had rather
See't torn by them, than strangl'd by the Father.
Soli Deo Gloria.

Amen.


Faults escaped in Magia Adamica, Page 70. line 4. for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 read 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. p. 106. l. 23. for or, r. for. p. 126. l. 26. for doctrine, r. dictrine.

Faults escaped in the Man-Mouse. PAge 15. line 2. for fires, read fires. p. 49. l. 24. f. the, r. that. p. 82. l. 23. f. he, r. she.