Dedication to the Brothers R. C.; the author to the reader

Illustrissimis, & vere Renatis Fratribus R. C. [non-Latin script] Eclesiae in tumultuoso hoc Saeculo Apostolis Pacificis, Salutem â Centro Saluris.

QUum in summum Altare summo tanrum Pontifici Jus sit, audens nimis hoc Libum, nec sine sacrilegio Vobis obtrudi videatur; habet & pietas suos Cancellos: Qui accedit injussus, Adaciae, non Obsequii reus est. Allusit Istis olim Poetarum illa gigantomachia, quae Coelum etiam expugnare moliebatur. Nec desunt hac nostra AEtate fatui quidam, & palustres Igniculi, qui Stellas se somniant, & soli a latere creduntur. Absit Engenio fastus iste, & Climax ambitionis! Hoc est,

—imponere Pelion Ossae.

Ego, Fratres Nobilissimi, in Sacrarii vestibulo, nec ad Aram Ear hoc meum, Sed in Limine modestius expono. Vellem (si mihi in Censum accedissent) Talia vobis offerre,

—Quae saecula Posterique possint Arpinis quoque comparare Chartis.

Sed non est quod desperem. Prodeant forsan in Novissimis, Qui faculam hanc meam praferent vel Solibus tusculanis. At que hac quidem ratione Marci Tullii Collega sum, quod in eandem Immortatem tendit noster Consulatus. Peragravi Ego, Quod Apes factitant, (non illo Quintiliani in Area venenata) Floscuculos Coelestes libaturus, & Qui suavia sua ex Aromatum Montibus attraxerunt. Si quid mihi Mellisicii est, Ego vobis Favum hunc, & alveare Solent tamen Rosae in aliquorum sinu sordescere: sordescet forsan & hic noster Manipulus, quoniam meae Messis est. Fateor, Errata Eugenii sunt, Caetera Veritatis. Sed quorsum hoc Veritati Testimonium, Vobis etiam astantibus, Quibus in propatulo est triplex illud Spiritus, Aquae, & sanguinis Martyrium? Supervacanea est haec, non auxiliaris Vocula: Qui silet ad Coelum, sapit. Accipite ergo (F. Illustrissimi) Quadrantem hunc meum non Qualem Vobis offerre Debui, sed Qualem potui. Mens mihi pro Munere est. Hoc etiam praefari voluit paupertas, Nolite Rem ipsam expendere, sed Obsequium

Oxonii 48. Oratoris Vestri E. P.

The Author to the Reader.

I Look on this life as the Progresse of an Essence Royall: The Soul but quits her court to see the countrey. Heaven hath in it a Scaene of Earth; and had she bin contented with Ideas, she had not travelled beyond the Map. But excellent patterns commend their Mimes: Nature that was so fair in the type, could not be a slut in the Annglyph. This makes her ramble hither to examine the Medall by the Flask, but whiles she scanns their Symmetrie, she formes it. Thus her descent speaks her Original: God in love with his own beauty frames a Glasse to view it by reflection; but the frailety of the matter excluding Eternity, the composure was subject to dissolution. Ignorance gave this release the Name of Death, but properly it is the Soules Birth, and a Charter that makes for her Liberty; she hath severall wayes to break up house, but her best is without a disease. This is her mysticall walk, an Exit only to return. When she takes air at this door, it is without prejudice to her tenement. The Magicians tell me, Anima unius Entis egreditur, & aliud ingreditur. Some have examin'd this, and state it an Expence of Influences, as if the Soul exercised her Royalty at the eye, or had some blinde Jurisdiction in the pores. But this is to measure Magicall Positions by the slight, superficial strictures of the common Philosophy. It is an age of Intellectuall slaveries; If they meet any thing extraordinary, they prune it commonly with distinctions, or dawb it with false Glosses, till it looks like the Traditions of Aristotle. His followers are so confident of his principles they seek not to understand what others speak, but to make others speak what they understand. It is in Nature, as it is in Religion; we are still hammering of old elements, but seek not the America that lyes beyond them. The Apostle tells us of leaving the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ, and going on to perfection: Not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God; of the Doctrine of Baptism, and laying on of Hands, of Resurrection, and the eternall Judgement; Then he speaks of Illumination, of Tasting of the Heavenly gift, of being partakers of the Holy Ghost, of Tasting of the good word of God, and tho powers of the world to come. Now if I should question any Sect (for there is no Communion in Christendom) whither these later Intimations drive? They can but return me to the first Rudiments, or produce some emptie pretence of spirit. Our Naturall Philosophers are much of a Cast with those that step into the prerogative of Prophets, and Antedate events in configurations, and motions. This is a consequence of as much reason, as if I saw the Suede exercising, and would finde his Designes in his postures. Friar Bacon walk'd in Oxford between two steeples, but he that would have discovered his Thoughts, by his steps, had been more his Fool, then his Fellow. The Peripateticks when they define the Soul, or some Inferior Principle, describe it onely by outward circumstances, which every childe can do, but they state nothing Essentially. Thus they dwel altogether in the Face, their Indeavours are meer Titillations, & their Acquaintance with Nature is not at the heart. Notwithstanding I acknowledge the Schoolmen ingenious: They conceive their Principles irregular, and prescribe rules for Method, though they want Matter. Their Philosophie is like a Church, that is all discipline, and no Doctrine: For, bate me their prolegomena, their form of Arguing, their Reciting of Different Opinions, with severall other digressions, and the substance of these Tostati will scarce amount to a Mercury. Besides, their Aristotle is a Poet in text, his principles are but Fancies, and they stand more on our Concessions, then his Bottom. Hence it is that his followers, notwithstanding the Assistance of so many Ages, can fetch nothing out of him but Notions: And these indeed they use, as He sayeth Lycophron did his Epithets, Non ist Condimentis, sed ut Cibis; Their Compositions are a meer Tympanie of Termes. It is better then a Fight in Quixot, to observe what Duels, and Digladiations they have about Him. one will make him speak Sense, another Non-sense, and a third both, Aquinas palps him gently, Scotus makes him winch, and he is taught like an Ape to shew severall tricks. If we look on his adversaries, the least amongst them hath foyld him, but Telesius knock'd him in the head, and Campanella hath quite discomposed him. But as that bald haunter of the circus had his scull so steel'd with use, it shiver'd all the tyles were thrown at it, so this Aristotle thrives by scuffles, and the world cryes him up, when trueth cryes him down. The Peripatetickes look on God, as they do on Carpenters, who build with stone and Timber, without any infusion of life. But the world, which is Gods building, is full of Spirit, quick, and living. This Spirit is the cause of multiplication, of severall perpetuall productions of minerals, vegetables, and creatures ingendred by putrefaction: All which are manifest, infallible Arguments of life. Besides, the Texture of the universe clearly discovers its animation. The arth which is the visible natural Basis of it, represents the gross, carnal parts. The Element of Water answers to the Bloud, for in it the pulse of the Great World beates; this most men call the Flux and Reflux, but they know not the true Cause of it. The air is the outward refreshing Spirit, where this vast creature breathes, though invisibly, yet not all together insensibly. The Interstellar skies are his vital, aethereall waters, and the stars his animal, sensuall fire. Thou wilt tell me perhaps, This is new Philosophy, and that of Aristotle is old. It is indeed, but in the same sense as Religion is at Rome. It is not the primitive Trueth of the Creation, not the Ancient, reall Theosophie of the Hebrews and Egyptians, but a certain preternaturall upstart, a Vomit of Aristotle, which his followers with so much diligence lick up, and swallow. I present thee not here with any Clamorous opposition of their Patrone, but a positive Expresse of principles as I finde them in Nature. I may say of Them as Moses said of the Fiat: These are the Generations of the Heavens, and of the Earth, in the Day that the Lord God made the Heavens, and the Earth. They are things extra Intellectum, sensible practicall Trueths, not meer Vagaries, and Rambles of the Braine. I would not have thee look on my Indeavours as a designe of Captivity: Intend not the Conquest, but the exercise of thy Reason, not that thou shouldest swear Allegeance to my Dictats, but compare my Conclusions with Nature, and examine their Correspondency. Be pleased to consider, that Obstinacy inslaves the Soule, and clips the wings which God gave her for flight, and Discovery. If thou wilt not quit thy Aristotle, let not any prejudice hinder thy further search; Great is their Number who perhaps had attain'd to perfection, had they not already thought themselves perfect. This is my Advice, but how wellcome to Thee I know not. If thou wilt kick and fling, I shall say with the Cardinall, Etiam Asinus meus recalcitrat: for I value no Mans Censure. It is an Age wherein truth is neer a Miscarriage, and it is enough for me that I have appeared thus far for it, in a Day of Necessity.

E. S.