Section II, Book 2, member 2, chapter 5: The magneticall nature and the loadstone (part 3 of 3)

The distance betwixt the Pole star and the Load-stone is unknown, and yet the one doth operate in the other, by sending out their reciprocall beams upward and downward; therefore here can no certain limited sphear of activity be assigned unto their action. The Sun and the spirit in the grain of wheat do operate in like manner, by a continuation of one and the same nature. Lo here, is the limited sphear of activity also abolished, being no man can justly determine of the extension of the solar influence, of whose nature, the beam in the grain doth participate no otherwise, than one small Load-stone cut out of a great one, hath his parts, or poles and circles, in every respect corresponding with those of the great one. Man hath a most subtle influence, or vivifying spirit of life, sent down and infused into him by divine inspiration, in which is the property of the four winds, (as the Prophet Ezekiel telleth us) and consequently the Idea of every nature; but the essence of this spirit is indivisible, and therefore the vivifying spirit sent from it into man, hath all the properties of the spirit that infused it, no otherwise than a lesser Load-stone, cut out of the greater, hath in every respect the property of the greater. And consequently, the spirit of the one is no more divided from the other, […]han the Sun-beams can be divided from the Sun. But the Spirit of the Lord filleth all things, (as Solomon hath it) and maketh the dimension of his operation in man more or less, according unto his will; and therefore will admit no such phantasticall limited sphear of activity, as the wisdom of mans invention, I mean, the subject of the pagans Philosophy, which is folly before God, would inferr. For this reason therefore Hermes saith, Anima mente Deoque plena, intima mundi replet, complectitur extima; vitamque haec omnibus suggerit. The soul or vital[…] spirit being full of divinity, filleth the world, and embraceth externall things, and this giveth life unto all things without; it giveth life unto the great and perfect animal the world, and breathing unto each thing that liveth within it. And again elsewhere, Naturá incorpore[…] nihil est capacius, nihil velocius, nihil validius aut potentius. Sic iterum à te ipso incipiens meditare, atque animae tuae praecipito, quae citius quam praeciples evolabit. Jubeto (inquam) ut transeat in Oceanum, illa priusquam […]usseris ibi erit, indenbi nunc est nequaquam discedens. Jubeto iterum ut in coelrm volet, nullis pennis egebit, nihil ejus obstruet cursui, non solis incendium, non aetheris amp i[…]udo, non vertigo coelorum, non syderum antiquorum corpora, quin penetrans omnia ad supernum usque corpus transcendat. Quinetiam sivolueris Globos omnes transire coel[…]rum, quodque supe[…]ius est investigare, id quoque tibi licebit. Adverte, quanta sit animae […]uae potestas quantae celeritas: There is nothing more capable than the incorporeall or spirituall nature; nothing more swift, and quick or nimble; nothing more strong or powerfull. Again, Beginning thus with thy self, do thou meditate, and command thy soul, what thou pleasest, and it will flye sooner than thou commandest: Command it (I say) that it pass into the Ocean sea, and it will be there before thou bidst it. Again, command it that it flye into heaven, and it will want no wings; nothing will hinder her or stop her in her course, no not the heat of the Sun, nor the vast largeness of the heavenly or aethereall vault, nor the whee[…]ing about of the starry orbs, nor yet the bodies of the other starrs, but peircing all these, it passeth quite through, even unto the highest body. Moreover, and if thou wilt have her to pass […]ver the celestiall Globes, and to search out whatsoever is above, thou maist do it also. Mark therefore how great the power of the Soul is, and how swift and quick it is in its execution, &c. thus far the wise Hermes. By both which places we may observe, first, that the Soul in generall, and therefore in particular, is full of Divinity, and consequently that it is this Divine Essence, that worketh in this soul all in all, in the world, and every member thereof, as the Apostle saith, and therfore the said Philosopher in the place before: Anima m[…]nte Deoque p[…]ena, &c. Secondly, that this Divinity in the catholick created spirit filleth all things, in an Angelicall existence; that is, indueth the mantle of the vast world[…]s spirit. And this agreeth with Scripture, which saith, that Spiritus Dei implet omnia, The Spirit of the Lord f[…]lleth all things. Spiritus incorruptibilis inest omni rei: The incorruptibe Spirit is in all things. Deus vivificat omnia: God vivifieth all things, and consequently, is the essentiall act and life of the world, as I have proved fully in the first Book of this Treatise: wherefore Hermes in another place saith thus: Animae univers[…] per omnem mundum ab una mundi totius anima profluunt, tanquam d[…]stributae circumferentes: The universal souls throughout the whole world, do proceed as it were distributed concurrent[…] from one soul of the whole world; which is all one with that which we have said before, namely that all Souls in this world, are certain beamy streams, proceeding from that catholick Emanation, which issued from the eternall Fountain of the illuminating act, to some more copiously, and to some more sp[…]ingly; and therefore Man […]s said to be in dign[…]ty little less then the Angells, by reason of the large portion of Light bestowed upon him: Spiritus Dei fecit me (saith Job): sed inspiratio Omnipotentis fecit me […]mel[…]igere. Thirdly, That in the very twinckling of an eye, it is able to penetrate quite through all things, and that at what distance it pleaseth, and consequently will not be limitted by any imaginary Sphere of activity. But Mr. Foster and his complices will reply, that the spirit which should operate in the blood, and from the bl[…]od, to the Ointment, is a naturall spirit, and not this Divine Spirit. This Objection maketh me to smile: As who should say, that this act of vivifying, yea, and of every other faculty belonging unto man's spirit, doth not move from one and the same Divine Fountain when the Apostle saith, In him we move, we live, and have our being. Again, it is said, that in the blood is the soul or spirit of life. And St. John saith, In Verbo erat vita, in the Word was life. I will tell you therefore what a true Philosopher saith, touching this point, Anima (saith he) ad similitudinem totius sapientiae facta, omnem in se gerit similitudinem, est que spiritus intellectualis, semper vivens, semper in motu, & secundum su[…] operis officium, variis nunc[…]pa[…]ur n[…]m[…]nibus. Dicitur vita dum vegetat; spiritus dum contemplatur; sensus dum senti; animus dum sapit; mens dum intelligit; ratio dum discernit; memoria dum recordatu[…]; dum vult voluntas: & ista omnia non sunt nisi una anima proprietate diversa sed essentia unica: The soul of Man framed after the similitude of all wisdom, doth beare in it self the likness of all things; and it is an intellectuall spirit, ever living, and ever in motion, and it is termed by divers names and appellations, according unto the office of the work which it effecteth: For when it vegetateth or causeth to grow and multiply, it is called life; when it contemplateth, it is termed a spirit; it is called sense, when it is conversant about the function, which belongeth unto the externall sense; it is termed the mind, when it is versed about wisdom; it is called Mens or the mentall beam, when it understandeth; it is termed reason, when it discerneth between good or bad; it is called memory, when it remembreth; it is styled Volunty when it willeth; and yet all these are but onely one soul, divers properties, I say, but one onely essence. So that it is the same essentiall act, which causeth life, and contemplation; which maketh sense and intellect; which effecteth memory and reason; and, to conclude, that willeth or nilleth. Which being thus, Is it not a sinfull thing in ignorant persons, to make the occult actions of this abstruce spirit, by which they live, move, understand, discern between good and evill, remember, see, feel, hear, touch, and […]ast, the effects of the devill; and consequently to rob their bright soul of her honour, instead of giving her thanks for her assistance, by ascribing her arcane operations most irreligiously and falsly, unto the devill? And why I pray? Why, because they cannot dive into the depth of her activity, by whom they themselves do live, move, and have their being. Yea, and to limit her activity with bounds, according unto their pleasure, who (though they know not so much) have their life and volunty from her, which limiteth them according as she pleaseth, who is infinite in her being; for so much as she is a portion, not divided from that Divine Emanation which is infinite in his extention. It is evident therefore, that this vivifying Spirit can send forth its action unto any mark in the world, from any specifick nature, but especially from the Microcosmicall creature; and the rather, if the mark be of the same specifick condition, and the vehicle of the spirit, namely the effused blood, measuring first the distance between the wound and the Ointment. Moreover, we shall find this confirmed by other of her operations, effected in the same Microcosmicall Mine, from whence it emitteth its beams, at an unlimited distance. As for example: It is found by experience, and that by naturall means, without any suspition of Cacomagicall devices or superstitious artifices, that if a persons urine that hath the Yellow Jaundis, be conveied at the distance of a hundred miles (as by an honourable Person of no small rank, and entire in Religion, I am informed, who hath often times made the tryall hereof) unto a place where a composition shall be made of the urine, and ashes of a certain tree, commonly known and had in this Kingdom, with certaine blades of Saffron, (as hath been told you in my Book, entitled The Squeezing of Parson Foster's Sponge) it often-times cureth that disease, when the best of Physicall experiments have failed; and this Medicine misseth seldom, where the disease is curable. And now I will relate a true story, which befell this last yeare 1630, upon a Chirurgion's wife, who dwelled not far from the Tower of London: She fell desperately sick of the Yellow Jaundis, and had sick gripings, and shou[…]ings withall, about her Stomack; my self after many others was called unto her, but prevailed but little by our Physicall means over the disease; wherefore she hearing me tell of the many cures which this Noble Earl I spake of, did perform in having the Parties water, she sent her man unto me with her water, to request me to make some means unto the Noble Man for her. The fellow was sent by me with a letter four miles into the country, and when he came unto the house, he found two that were there to give thanks for their recovery: For by that means they were cured. The urine was received for my sake, and the fellow sent away: But mark the consequence; so soon as the fellow was parted with the urine, the sick woman was tatled unto by demure Gossips, and told that it was done by witch-craft and the devill, and therefore dangerous for her soul, which made her rage and cry-out upon witch-craft, and was much discontented; which when I heard, I came no more unto her, esteeming her ungratefull, and sent suddenly to the Earl, to request him to undo the business, and break the clods; which he sent me word he would do, but told me it was to late: For (said he) it will work the effect howsoever. Indeed the woman mended immediatly after it, and no doubt did ascribe the cure unto some other inefficacious Physicall trash, applied per chance unto her by some Mountebank. All this I spake to my knowledg; and I am not ignorant of the manner of the cure: For it pleased the Noble Personage to impart unto me the manner; yea, and the Ladies his daughters have cured many of this disease; aswell rich as poore, who have made some means unto them for this cure. And this worthy Lord did assure me, that he had cured at an hundred mile's distance. I cannot chose but make you acquainted with another cure, which he effected upon a noble Lady that was my patient. She had extreamly the Jaundis, and though I did in some sort remove them for a while, yet it returned again. I then requested the Noble Knight her husband to send her water unto the foresaid Honourable Personage, and promised him to write my letter by him. All was done as I counselled, and the Countess her self took it into her care to dispose of the water; and the rather, because the Lady that was sick, was of a Noble Parentage. Somewhat i wrought with the disease, but not to our purpose: Whereupon I did visite this Noble Man, and told him of the small success that his Medicine had. He willed me to send her water once more; and told me, that a Lady was with him in the foresaid noble patients behalf, the day before. I sent again her water, and from that time forward she mended apa[…]e, and was perfectly cured. There are a hundred who can justifie this to be true. Neither can it be alledged, that it might be done by some medicine used in […]he mean time. To […]ut off this objection, she was prohibited for all that season to take any medicine, but bare food onely. Now the reason of this cure is no otherwise effected, then that of the weapon-salve; for the spirit of the blood in the infected person, hath a continuated relation unto his salt, yea, and its habitation is in the aereall salt of the blood, which being a subtle earth, in the center whereof is the spirit contracted, and being partly dispersed in the urine, which is the whey of the blood, it sucketh and draweth unto it his like from the infected body, whereby it being, as it were, resuscitated, and newly revived, it emitteth new beams to meet, comfort, and correct the infected beams, emitted out of the sick body. And again, the infecting spirit of the i[…]te[…]itious humour is, by vertue of the salt in the ashes, and saffron, conquered and tam[…]d; so that as it dieth, the insulting humour, and his venomous spirit, decayeth and fadeth by little and little in his strength, till it be finally quite extinguished. Whereby it is evident, that by one and the same medicine, the spirit in the urin's salt, and that in the sick-man's blood, are both sympathetically refreshed and purified, and the flame of the evill infecting spirit of the disease as well as in the urine as sick body, is antipathetically quenched and annihilated. In this respect therefore, we compare the composition of urine, ashes, and saffron in this cure, unto the weapon-salve, in the consolidating of wounds; and the urine carried from the sick unto the mass so compounded, unto the blood or spirit on and in the weapon; and the exsuscitating of the congealed spirit in the salt of the urine, unto the revivifying and exagitating of the spirit in the dead blood, or sucked up by the po[…]y substance of the weapon; so that we see here all one consent: For as the dead blood came from the lively fountain of blood, so the urine was the whey or serous substance of the same well-spring, not left destitute of the bloody spirits.

What shall we say unto the admirable effects, in the transplantation of the bloody spirits in man, into other animals or vegetables? Ve[…]ily, it is a thing well known unto such, as are well seen in the mysteries of naturall, micro[…]os[…]i[…]all, and macro[…]os[…]icall Magick, that the spirituall Mummy, whose se[…]t is in the microcosmicall blood, may be su[…]ked or drawn out of mans […]ody by a Magne[…], extracted out of the same subject, and transplanted into a beast, tree, o[…] herb; so that the disease also of the sick man may be conveyed from the sick person into them, by means of this microcosmicall Magnes, the practise whereof shall be expressed more at large in the next Book. Also Johannes R[…]melius Pharamund[…]s doth profess, that he hath cured divers of the Gout, by cutting off the haires of the feet and thighes, and paring off the nailes, and thrusting of them into a hole which he bored unto the very pith of an Oke, and closing or ramming up the ho[…]e again with a peg or pin, made of the same tree, and afterward daubing it up, and covering it over with cow-dung. Then, saith he, if the Gowte come not again within the space of three months, the Oke will be sufficient to draw magnetically unto it the disease; but if the Gowt come again within three months space, it noteth the insufficiency of the Okes magneticall vertue. Wherefore then he proceedeth after this manner: He boreth a hole in another Oke as before, and keepeth those pieces which in the boring came out of the Oke, and bruiseth them, and quilts or stitcheth them up in a bag, and applyeth them to the member grieved; and this he doth just three daies before the new Moon: Then in the very hour of the new Moon, he taketh away the bag, and taketh out the bruised wood, and putteth it into the hole of the tree, and rammeth it in with a peg or pin of the same Oke. And if for all this the Gowt shall be perceived within three three months after, then he cutteth off the hair and nails of the feet, and tyeth them unto the back of a Crab-fish, and casteth it into the running water, and the gowty person will be cured. This Doctor of Physick doth professe in a certain Book of his, set forth by him in the German Tongue, that he hath cured many by the first experiment, and many other by the first and second, one after another; and lastly, many desperate ones by the first, second, and third. And he saith, that this manner of cure is commonly found certain in those Gowts, which happen of a sulphureous cause; but in those Gowts which rise from a Mercuriall and salt nature, it often faileth. And therefore leaving this magnetick manner of cure, he betaketh himself unto a more externall kind of remedy.

I have (also in my, Squeezing of Mr. Foster's Spunge) related unto you, the strange sympathy which is betwixt the Vegetable, called Rosa-solis, and the matrix of a woman, and how it being laid in Plantain water, it closeth it self, and if a part of that water be drunk by a woman that is in Travell, and the herb in the water be removed into another house, yet at that very instant that the woman is upon delivery, the flower or herb will by little and little open it self, even as the matrix of the woman doth: An evident argument, that those beams which issue from these two, do sympathize with one another. To conclude, it is most evident, that seeing the spirituall Astralicall vertues, in each inferiour creature, do descend from celestiall stars, and are of one continued nature with them, as the Sun-beams which are here below, are not divided or separated from their fountain of light, it followeth, that they emit their beamy influences unto one another, even as the two stars do in heaven, from whence they are animated: so that if the two stars in heaven be friends, they both do sympathize in the occurrences of their emanations with one another; but if they be enemies to one another in heaven, they will, in their applications of beams, antipathize and decline from one another. And as touching the distance which they observe in their mutuall action with one another, we must imagine it to extend it self so far, as their beams are able to apply to one another. And I would have such men, as are onely conversant about sens[…]ble affairs, know, that the action of these creatures by aspect unto one another, do operate occultly, though the effect doth nor alwaies manifest it self unto ou[…] sense; but withall they ought to conceive, that the nearer in naturall affinity the stars in heaven, and consequently the things beneath, which are subject unto those spirits, are unto one another, the more efficacious will the sympathising effects prove, by reason, that then their beams will meet directly, that is, without any swerving or declination.