Section II, Book 3, member 2, chapters 1–3: The practice of antipathy; an apology; the conclusion

The Second Part or Member of this Book, which handleth the practice of Antipathy.

CHAP. I.

In this Chapter the Author expresseth, how by the self-same internall spirit in the creature, as wel Antipatheticall as Sympatheticall effects may be produced. Herein is also set down the reason, why a spirit, that is infected and corrupted with a poyson some cond[…]tion, is most venomous and contagious unto his kind.

AS it is certain, that like doth naturally affect his like; for Nature doth rejoyce at the presence of his nature, and nature doth correct and corroborate his nature, if it be sound, and full of vivifying and wholsome spirits: So also nature, if it be poysoned and infected by a venomous nature, will, by uniting it self unto a sound and wholsome nature, quickly corrupt and inquinate it, and so by such a kind of abortive and depraved union, antipathy is placed insteed of sympathy. Now how this is possible in nature, I will in few words relate unto you. As nature doth magnetically effect and allure unto it her like; so, if that like which it […]ucketh unto it be inquinated with corruption, the said attracting spirit, be it never so sound, will quickly taste of the bitter with the sweet, namely, of the poyson, and so will also be corrupt equally with that spirit, which is homogeneall unto it, in which the infection dwelleth, being forced unawares to entertain strife, dissention, and antipathy into his tabernacle unawares; even as we see a sound spirit in the Animal, which thirsting after his like spirituall celestiall food, which hovereth occultly in the aire, to be refreshed by it, doth unawares draw in an enemy with it, namely, a pestilent and corrupt fume, whereby it is oppressed and inflamed with a putredinous fire; so that it was not the appetite or desire of the sound spirit to draw in that poyson unto it, but the spirit like it self that was poysoned. And again, each spirit which is incumbered with any antipatheticall and unnaturall accident, desireth to shake off contentious antipathy, and to re-assume that peacefull sympathy which it enjoyed before; but finding it self unable, it is apt to cleave and adhere unto good and sound spirits for its relief, being that vis unita fortior; and if more sound spirits of his like were joyned unto it, then might it the easilier conquer and expell his antipatheticall adversary. So also we see, that one blear-ey'd person, by darting his infectious beams for relief at a reasonable distance, becommeth a flame, which setteth on fire the sound spirit unto the which it applieth: for spirituall poysons are like secret flames of malignant fire. Wherefore as spirits are by union joyned together and multiplyed, like oyle added unto oyle, so doth the infectious flame increase, and feed equally upon them both: For as the sound spirit desireth the society of his like, to comfort it, and the corrupted spirit so desired, doth also covet the sound spirit to assist it against his enemy. So corruption is sucked in by them both, and antipathy is forced to roust among them, and forsaketh them not, untill it hath penetrated and gnawed into even their bowells, and poysoned their very entralls. And we must note, that there is no poysoned spirit that doth sooner take hold of a spirit, then such as is specifick, and of a homogeneal nature: For that is the reason, that one Mans spirit being infected with the Plague, doth so multiply it in his kind chiefly; as also the Murren doth chiefly rage in the spirits of Sheep, and medles not with the spirits of Men. Do we not commonly see, that a like nature being altered by putrefaction, is most deadly unto his like? So worms avoided out of the body, and dried to pouder, do by inward administration kill the worms. Spitle that is avoided from the Pulmoniack, cureth after preparation, the P[…]isick. The Spleen of a Man prepared, is an enemy unto the swelling and vegetable Spleen. The stone of the Kidney or Bladder, by calcination cureth and dissolveth the Stone. The touch of a dead man's hand cureth the schirrous tumors. The Scorpion being bruised, or his body macerated in oyle, cureth the wounds of the Scorpion; and the oyle of the Viper; as also the trochises of his flesh, the bitings of the Adder or Viper; dead and congealed blood, and the salt excrescence out of man's bones, is antipatheticall unto the flowing blood: In conclusion, there is nothing that is more powerfull to check or correct an impediment in a spirit, then by applying of the same Specifick spirit, being altered from his nature by a contrariety; So also there is nothing that infecteth a sound nature sooner, than a nature homogeneal unto it self, which hath indued corruption; and that is the reason, that the infirm and corrupted Mummy of one man, is so apt to putrify and corrupt that of another, as we may not onely discern by these words of Paracelsus: Corrupta Mummia, corpus etiam sanum quod attingit, & cum quo unitur, corrumpit; ea autem sani corporis corruptio, est corporis alterus, ex quo Mummia sumpta est, valetudo & sanitas: The corrupted Mummy. doth also corrupt the sound body, that it layeth hold of, and is united unto; and the corruption of the sound body, is the health of the other body, out of which the corrupt Mummy was extracted. As for example: If a man be Leprous, and I extract, by the Microcosmicall Magnet, the Mummy out of him, and give it to a sound man, it will reduce the Leprous person unto his health again; but it will filthily infect the sound man that took it, with the same disease, as shall be told you hereafter more at large. But before we come unto the bulk of this business, it will be most fit, that I make an Apologeticall transgression, lest some persons, of more envy and indiscretion, than profundity in the true naturall Magia, may unworthily accuse me of Cacomagy, and that onely because they are altogether ignorant in the mysteries of those lawfull Acts in nature, which were taught unto Solomon, and revealed unto the wise men of this world, for the good and benefit of mankind, by the good Spirit of God; neither are they therefore to be eschewed, because that by evil men they may be converted unto evil effects, and so diverted from their true usages, for which God did ordain them; but rather a skilfull natural Magician, such as a true Physitian ought to be, should first know the good uses of such hidden mysteries in nature, that they might with the better effect imploy them, for the good of mankind, and then not be ignorant of those abuses, which may be produced by them, that they thereby may the better prevent, and put by, all such wicked effects, as naughty men would produce by them, unto the dammage and destruction of Gods creatures.

AN APOLOGY.

A short Apology for the usage of the Mysticall or Spirituall Mummy, and to prove that as well the Antipatheticall abuses, as Sympatheticall uses of it, and all other naturall things, are to be known and well understood, by the naturall Magician or wise Physitian, for preventions cause; though not alwaies put in execution, but onely where need requireth.

I Know that there will be many barking Cynicks, inveighing Criticks, and railing or Satyricall Momus's, whose onely delight is fostred with the fire of disdaine or malice; who, smothered as it were, with the blind and foggy smoak or fume of ignorance, will say, that if the Sympatheticall effects of the spirituall Mummy be allowable for a Physitian, yet are the Antipathetiacall properties thereof odious, and no way to be indured; nay they are Cacomagicall, because the divell doth instruct his ministers, about the abuses of this Microcosmicall kind of corruption; and therefore for this reason, the very knowledg of such a thing is not to be indured, &c. These objections, I know, will these sensless and unreasonable kind of bablers make, touching the knowledg of so mysticall a business. But if their saying should take place amongst the wise, what should become of Solomon's skil in naturall Logick? Or wherefore should he (who was esteemed the wisest among men) be so overseen, as to aspire unto the knowledg of all things whatsoever, and to understand as well the enemies as friends unto man's nature: For it is said of him, that he knew the natures of living creatures; the fier[…]ness of beasts; the cogitations of Men; the difference of Plants; the virtues of roots, and all things else that were occult and secret? Nay, why should he say, that Wisdom, the Work-Mistris of all things, taught it unto him? Are there not Plants, and Animals, and Minerals, that are stark poyson and venomous unto mans nature, as well as benigne and salutiferous? He knew (saith the Text) the natures of all living creatures or animals; and why so, if that were true, which those Scoffers mutter? Why should he know or look after the property of such things, which are poyson and harmfull unto mankind? Are not the Aspis, the Viper, Adder, and that putrifying or corrupting Worm, termed Seps in Latin, or Pur[…]isur in French, by reason of his rotting venom. The Serpent called Dipsas, which infecteth the spirit with an immensurable drouth, the Amphisbena, the Basilick, the Dragon, the Hollio: Among creeping creatures, the Spider, the Scorpion, the Toad, the Lizard, the Salamander, the Cantharides, and an infinite number of other, as well earthly as watery Animals, venomous and wonderfull pernicious unto mankind? He knew also the differences and virtues of Plants. But say these temerarious Judges, What reason had Wisdom to show and discover unto him the abominable effects of the herb called Aconite? which is so pernicious unto Man and Beast, that the Poets fained, that it grew alongst the shore of the venomous River Acheron, in hell. The Hemlock, which was the character of death among the Athenians; for with the juce thereof they poysoned the condemned persons. The Jusqu[…]ame or Hen-bane. The Poppy of whose juce the somniferous Opium is derived. The Toadstool, Scamony, Euphorbium, Colloquintida, Bears-foo[…], Tit[…]mal, or Spurge, Assera bacca, Grunsell, Flammula, and an infinity of such like vegetables. Also amongst the Mineralls, Antimony, Quick-silver, Arsenick, Rosalgar, Verde[…]rease, Lithurge, Cerusse, Vitriol, and an infinity of others? My answer is, That all these things, though in themselves they are venomous, yet being rightly handled and used by wise men, they are made passing medicinable. And I would have them know, that God created all things good; but it is the Divell and his instruments, who by ill imploying of them do make them odious, and detestable unto mans nature: For as by their right use and application, they may produce sympatheticall effects: so by their abuse they produce nothing else but antipatheticall actions, and rebellious conflicts with man's nature: God, I say, ordained them for a good use, namely for man's health; but the Divell doth apply them destructively, and malitiously, which also the foresaid wise naturall Magician, Solomon, confirmeth in these words: God created all things that they should exist and be; and he made all the Nations of the Earth sound and durable; so that there was not a destructive medicine in them. Also God created Man inexterminable; but it was by the malice of the Divell, that death entered into the world. And the wicked imitate him and are of his seed. Whereby it is plain, that it was the Divell, and naughty men, which are his instruments, and indeed true Divells incarnate, which do adapt that for a wicked use, which indeed is good and righteous in it self: What shall I say more? what? because that the Divell doth apply a good thing unto a bad use, must that thing for ever be abhorred and eschewed of wise men? And must for that reason the good use thereof be excommunicated out of man's society, and be for ever after reputed for Cacomagicall, damnable, and diabolicall? As for example: Because the Divell and his adherents, I mean the witches and Necromancers, do by the Divel's instructions, apply the Mummy of man as well corporall as spirituall, about their pernicious and destructive inventions: Therefore must all […]hey which use the same for a good and salutiferous intent be esteemed Cacomagicians? Is it a sign that the Physitian who cureth diseases by it, hath for that reason a commerce with the Divell? Or, must a Christian Physitian, because he is acquainted with the evill which the properties of naturall things may effect, by an unnaturall or antipatheticall adaptation, needs put that evill in execution unto the prejudice of mans health? Verily, if things are rightly considered, the knowledge of good and evill in the creatures, do well befit the science of a Physitian, for except he be acquainted with the evill as well as the good, how is it possible to cure the harms which are effected by the bad, being that except the cause be known, the effect wil hardly or never be cured. As for example, If the nature of the spirituall philtre which infecteth, be not discovered, how should the cure be performed, or the cause be extinguished or taken away? The true Magitian doth not intrude into the science of the Simples venomous nature, to do harm thereby, but to discern the counter-poyson which should prevent the mischief thereof, as the Scorpion cureth the Scorpions, the Viper the Vipers harms. Must every man that hath a sword needs kill, or do a mischief with it? May he not defend another from being killed or harmed? So also it followeth not, that he must therefore poyson his patient, because he knoweth the poyson, and the manner how to correct or amend his malice, which hath deprived his patient of his health. Except the poyson be known, the Alexipharmicon or counter poyson will hardly be had. If the Hermit of Aix (of whom I have spoken before) had not known the especiall antidote to cure those, which he had poysoned and infected with the pestilence, many of those which he afterwards cured would have died with the rest. If there be devills incarnate, whose d[…]light is to destroy, (as some men that wear swords delight in quarrelling and killing; and othersome that know the good use of fire employ it naughtily, as he did, who destroyed with it D[…]ana's temple of the Ephesians) God forbid that such natural creatures, as are fire, iron, and such like, should be abandoned, and not exercised in their right usage, because they do harm when they are abused. There are Saints as well as there are devills on the earth, who being acquainted with the impious inventions and devices of these devills, with their arch-master Satan, are able to challenge and combat them at their own weapons. Schollars learn of Aristotle the art of sophistry and fallacy, not that they should deceive, but that they should prevent deceipt and the honest, and most skilfull and faithfull Physitian, prieth into the mystery of the most spirituall poyson, not with an intent to poyson, or do any evill by it, but that he may with the greater assurance, and vigorous efficacy, attempt the cure, and take away the cause after it is known; for the nature of the poyson being well understood the cure will be the more certain. The venomous wound of the Viper (as I have said) is cured by the Theriacall antidote, into whose composition the flesh of Vipers doth enter; the oyle of Scorpions, or the Scorpion of it self being bruised, doth cure the sting of the Scorpion, and that by a magneticall attraction of his like. All which being so, why should not the wise Physitian look into the nature of spirituall venoms, as well as the spirituall counter-poysons that are in man. When we find, that the venom that woundeth, is, by reason of his homogeniety in nature, the perfectest Magnet to suck and draw unto it his like? If by the sound Mummy in man, I can cure or take away the corruption or venom, which his like nature hath accidentally imbibed, is it not a fit and convenient thing to know the one as well as the other.

I must confess, that there are fleshly devills upon earth, I mean, abhominable ministers and children of Satan, who being abandoned unto their master and head, commit (as I have told you before) many insolencies, and trecherous straragems, by the blood, hair, bones, skin, and corporall Mummy of mans body; but above all the rest, the wickedness of certain theeves, hangmen, and other of that Necromanticall faction, is abhominable before God and man, and worthy to be whipped out with iron, or wiped away with fire, out of every good Common-wealth, which by their diabolicall sleights, do make use of mans last breath in their expiration of life, to serve for their wicked employment, as spirits made obedient to their wills, and so do disturb the quiet rest of the dying man's spirit. Of which kind of wicked persons, Paracelsus speaketh thus, Per triplices hasce Mummias multa passim praestita & confecta sunt, ab iis cumprimis qui illas ipsimet preparârunt, ut sunt carnifices, lictores, latrones, &c. qui non solum vitam hominibus ademerun[…] & jugulatos ipsos Mummiam fecerunt, sed etiam jugulatorum spiritum, quem spiritum hominis vocaverunt, exceperunt; illumque sibi in extremo mortis momento subjecerunt, seu subjugaverunt, ac variis impositis oneribus exagitârunt. Hinc ars enata est Necromantiae, taliter ab ipsis vocatae. Vae autem huic arti, ac illis universis qui tam faede ill[…] abutuntur. N[…]cromantia quidem & ipsa est; sed diaboli, seu à diabolo instilla[…]a, docta, & tradita; ac ab ipsius instrumentis seu mancip[…]is in abusum tam grandem conversa: sunt enim illi homines nocentissimi, quibus praestaret lapidem molarem de collo suspendi, ac ita in profundum ma[…]e e[…]ici. By these three kinds of Mummies, there are many things done and effected, and that especially by such as have prepared them, as are the hangmen, the s[…]rgeants, and thieves, &c. who do not onely bereave men of their lives, but also they have received the spirit of those whose throats they have cut, or strangled, and do make them subject, or do subjugate it unto them. From hence springeth the art of Necromancy, so termed by them. Fie upon this art, and upon all such as are so filthily abused by it: Verily it is Necromancy, but of the devill; or it is instilled, taught, and delivered by the devill, and is by his instruments or slaves converted into so great an abuse; for these are wicked & harmful persons, about whose neck it were better that a milstone were hanged, & that they were with it cast into the bottom of the sea. I am advertised, that the hangmen of Germany are commonly artists in this devillish kind of trade, and by it can do wonders, the more is the pitty that they are suffered. Thus therefore each man may discern a manifest difference, between the true use, and the abhominable abuse of a good thing, and how (as I said before) there are devills incarnate, as well as Saints, or good and pious men upon the earth, whereof some do use Gods creatures to the benefit of man, and others unto his ruine and destruction: And consequently, that it is lawfull for a Physitian to be conversant in both extreams, though his onely practise ought to be imployed in doing good. I will now descend unto my subject.

CHAP. III. How Sympathy may by accident or disorder be changed into Antipathy. Here also certain magnet[…]call Demonstrations, convenient to prove each Proposition concerning this subject, are expressed.

I Purpose in this Chapter, which toucheth the effects of Antipathy, to proceed after the self-same method, which I observed in my preced[…]nt discourse of Sympathy; and therefore in the first place I will propose unto you certain grounds, which I for that reason call Propositions; and then afterward I will demonstratively maintain them many waies.

1 Proposition.

As by sympathy in naturall spirits, each member may be corroborated and fortified; so by their antipathy, members may be debilitated, corrupted, and infected.

An experimentall Example or Demonstration.

If the spirituall Mummy extracted out of man, be mingled with venomous things, and so be suffered to rot, or else be mingled with the Mummies of infirm or infected persons, or with the poysonsome menstrues of a woman, and then a herb be planted, or the magnet so imbibed, and be conserved in a continuall vegetation, it may be a cause, that the disease should be of continuance. Also if one give the herb or fruit which savoureth of a sick man's Mummy, unto a beast that is of a stronger nature then the sick, then the beast will be infected with that disease, and the sick will be free. From this experiment, many egregious abuses may and would be effected by wicked men, if this manner of diverting the creatures vertue from good to bad, were known unto them; for by it, they may disseminate agues and the pestilence over a whole Country: for the plant will suck out the spirituall Mummy of such persons, as are infected with such venomous diseases, by reason of its vegetating activity. Also, if the spirituall Mummy be extracted by means of this microcosmicall Magnet, out of a body infected with the Leprosie, and be applyed, or any way administred inwardly unto another, that is healthfull and sound, it will infect the sound person, and free the infected, as it hath been proved by some.

2 Proposition.

The antipatheticall Mummy of the sick may be extracted, and infected or infused into another that is sound.

A demonstrative Example.

This is confirmed by the precedent proofs, and is further maintained thus.

If one do sow seeds or herbs pertaining unto the three principal members in the Mummy of a dead carcase, or in the Mummy extracted out of a sick or infected person, and the fruit of these vegetables be given or administred unto man or beast, then the disease will be transplanted upon the said man or beast. By this means also naughty men may infect and poyson. But because these mischiefs are horrible to a religious spirit, I dare not farther express the effects of antipathy in spirits, which may be brought to pass by the abusing of Gods blessings. I will therefore enter into another kind of antipatheticall practice, which shall rather tend unto the conservation of man, then the destruction of it.

3 Proposition.

If two lively fleshes that are wounded be applied to each other, they will sympathize and be united, assimilated, and made one continued flesh, so that as the one prospereth, the other will do the like also; conditionally, that the party from whom the added flesh is borrowed, continue in his lively and vegetable disposition; but if the animal tree from which the graff was taken, I mean, the body out of which the flesh was lent or cut, do wither or die, that is, doth leave to vegetate and act, then will that borrowed flesh also be at jarr and discord with the flesh of the borrower, that liveth and vegetateth; and consequently antipa hy will spring out from that union, which was sympatheticall before; so that except the dying flesh be amputated, or taken off from the lively flesh, upon the which it was grafted or transplanted, it will cause the living flesh also to gangrenate, and corrupt with it self.

An experiment to confirm this.

This is well proved and maintained, by that experiment in Italy before mentioned; for when a certain noble personage had lost his nose by a wound, and had by the Physitians advice made a wound in one of his slaves armes, and clapped it unto his wounded nose, and so the flesh of the one was bound fast unto the flesh of the other, continuing after that manner, untill by a sympatheticall agglutination and union, both fleshes became one flesh. Then a gobbit of the slave's flesh was cut out of the arm, and was framed into the shape of a nose on the Noble-man; and the slave was manumitted, with mony in his purse, for his paines. It befell, tha[…] on a certain time after, the slave did die, and though he departed this life being far distant from his master, yet the borrowed flesh on the masters nose withered and gangrenated, insomuch that the antipathy between these two fleshes, though united into one substance, became so great, that if immediately that dead flesh had not been cut off, it would have corrupted and destroyed the rest.

A Problematicall Demonstration from the Load-stone.

One Load-stone doth draw another in his naturall position, but being unnaturally ordered, it driveth away or resisteth the other.

The demonstration of this Problem hath been expressed, as well by a Load-stone divided in Boats, as by two Irons swimming on corks.

2 Problem.

If a plant be cut off (as, for example, a willow-wand) and if it be regularly planted or grafted on the same stick, it will grow; but if irregularly, it will die.

For the proof of this Problem, look the 2 Proposition of the 5 Chapter, in the Application unto the Vegetable.

The Application.

So if the spirits of the two fleshes be unnaturally disposed unto one another, and turned from their sympatheticall union, unto an antipatheticall duality or disunion, or discord in natures; then will it, after unequall jars, follow a generall corruption: for, (as is said before) Corruptum corrumpentis naturam facillime induit.

4 Prob[…]em.

If a spiritual Mummy be corrupted by some alien, or strange infectious nature, yet in respect of the naturall Mummy of the sound and wholsom body which is so infected, the sound and wholsom Mummy of a body not infected, will magnetically attact it, though not so affectionately, but more slowly; by reason of the union or adhering of the strange venom unto it, which causeth a mixtion of antipathy with that of sympathy; and the reason of that slowness in the repelling of the antipatheticall insult, is, because the sound and homogeniall Mummy doth partly, by his concupiscible act, attract unto it his sympatheticall like, and partly expell his contaminating unlike, by his irascible property: But for that this antipatheticall unlike cleaveth so fast unto his infected like, therefore it happeneth, that the expulsive resistance is but slow; and so the sound spirituall Mummy becommeth as well corrupted and infected as the other, and by that means Sympathy is turned into Antipathy.

An Experiment to confirm this.

There are many proofs to maintain this, for when a corrupted spirituall Mummy is carried in the aire, from one infected with a pestilent Feavour, or small Pox, the Mummy so infected doth unite it self, being homogeniall unto the sound man's spirit, and in that regard the one embraceth the other; but the sound Mummiall spirit, perceiving and tasting of the heterogeniall, or infected nature, which adhereth unto his like, doth slowly expell or resist it, by reason that it doth covet his like, and therefore sympathetically attracteth; and again, hateth his unlike, and therefore antipathetically expelleth, which is, for that reason, but slowly performed; and this is the cause, that the expulsive crisis is not made suddenly, after the poysonsome infection is received; neither will sweats, or fluxes, or eruption of blood out of the nose, which are arguments of the resistance and expulsive faculty of contagious antipathy, suddenly appear: and this is effected sometimes by the sound spirits conquest, and sometimes by the vain attempt thereof.

1. A Problematicall Demonstration derived from the Load-stone.

When a small piece of Iron is put into a small Boat, with materialls of another loading, to float upon the water, and a Load-stone be placed in another vessell on the same water, near one another, the coition which will be made betwixt these two magneticall bodies will be depraved, weak, and unnaturall, because the Magnet affecteth and draweth unto it most strongly his like, or best-beloved, when she is not laded or mixed with materialls of a contrary nature, and consequently not agreeing in sympathy with it.

An Application.

To conclude, A Mummy which hath an antipatheticall infection joyned unto it, and applieth in conjunction unto a sound or strong and wholsome Mummy, is like as if a portion of the stone called Theamides, (which is antipatheticall unto that of the Magnet, fo[…] it […]pelleth Iron or the Magnet it self, as the Magnet doth attract them unto it) were joyned in a little bark unto the Magnet, or a piece of Iron also placed in it, and that bark or boat so burthened were applyed unto a stronger Magnet in another bark in a bason of water; the strong Magnet or Load-stone would partly attract his like, namely, the Magnet or Iron, and partly resist and expell his enemy, and so by reason of his attraction, his expulsion would be the flower. Therefore also the magneticall Philosophers hold this for a Maxim.

2 Problem.

The coition or union betwixt two magneticall bodies is more quick and nimble, than the flight or divorce from one another; for experience teacheth, that magneticall bodies are more sluggishly repelled then they are allured or drawn unto one another; and the reason is, because there is some antipatheticall invasion which causeth that hatred, and maketh that irascible resistance between the homogeneall spirit of the Mummy, and the heterogeniall poyson or infection in it: for we ought to consider, that magnetick bodies do covet sympatheticall union.

5 Proposition.

Two Mummies of divers bodies, whereof the one is sound, and the other infected, though in their first coition they seem to agree, by reason of that homogeniall respect which is between them, being in their purity but of one and the same essence; yet, for that the one is infected, and for that cause hath endued a heterogeniall disposition, contrary unto the essence of them both; for that reason (I say) the second Mummy endeavoureth to be divorced from them both. And this is proved thus by this problematicall Demonstration, drawn out of the Load-stone's property.

3 Problem.

If you shall set two small wiers on the poles of a Load-stone, these wiers will be observed to adhere at the lower ends together, upon the point of the pole, but at their tops they will be at discord, and averse unto one another at their upper ends, so that they will be observed to make a fork, as if one end did eschew and fly from the company and society of the other.

THE CONCLUSION.

I Could (judicious Reader) have made a whole Volume of experimentall Propositions, with their problematicall proofs, touching the infinite abyss of Sym[…]heticall and Antipatheticall effects in the three Kingdoms, namely, Animal, […]getable, and Mineral, both mutually between each species or kind, as from the […]dividualls of one kind unto another: But it is not my intention to express my […]ore bold and setled opinions touching the true Philosophy and his appendixes, […] a larger English phrase, considering the roughness and harshnesse of my pen, […] reason of my defect, and the insufficiency in the polished nature thereof. Again, know, that filed words and phrases are but superficiall flashes, and flying sha[…]owes of a wealthy and rich subject, the which, as they are, Proteus-like, changable […]nto an infinity of colours, so also are mens fancies and judgments as variable, be[…]ng the Proverb is, So many men, so many minds. I do imagine, and my minde giveth […]e, that although I be never so curious in my inditing, or laborious in the phrase […]f mine expression; yet will my best endeavours appear faulty in the curious eye[…]ght of some men, though perchance acceptable enough unto others. I esteem it […]ufficient therefore, that I dare be hardy and bold in the fundamentall subject of the essentiall Philosophy, being that it hath Truth it self to maintain and defend it, without any adornation made by the gilded tresses of superficiall speeches, or verball explication; and therefore as veritas non quaerit angulos, so also she needeth not the expression of eloquent words, and refined sentences or phrases to illustrate it, and make it more perspicuous in the eyes of wise and learned men, being that it is not unknown unto them, that she doth conquer all, for she is the bright splendour or emanation, which springeth from the omnipotent and eternall fountain; she enlighteneth all, she acteth essentially in all, and over all, and revealeth her self in effect to all; and therefore she is so manifest in all her works, that she needeth not any golden-tongued Oratour, nor smooth and methodicall Rhetorician, or lip-learned Philosopher, to do her honour, in the expression of her excellency, and recording the perfection of her graces, revealed unto all the world, though the unworthy worldlings will not acknowledge or receive her with reverence, as they ought to do, but rather hide her perpetually, by their best endeavours, with the vail of obscure ignorance, and thereby do not desist to persecute and crucifie daily that spirituall Christ, which is the onely verity, true wisdom, corner-stone, and essentiall subject of the true Philosophy, whose Name be blessed for ever and ever; who onely hath made the heavens and the earth, and every thing therein, and sustaineth and preserveth them by the vivification of his Spirit; which operateth all in all, and reigneth in power and glory with the Father, for ever and ever: Who will defend his servants from the oppression of evill-minded men, and stand as a shield of defence, to preserve the proclaimer of his truth from the Serpentine tongues of malitious back-biters, and the venomous carpings of the Cynicall and Satyricall Momus. It is he that saith unto the adorer of his truth, Ego dabo vobis os & sapientiam cui non poterant resistere & contradicere omnes adversarii vestri. And therefore I will say as the Prophet David did, In alarum tuarum umbra canam; I will sing the truth under the shadow of thy wings. O Lord, in thee do I put my trust; keep and preserve me from mine enemies, for thy mercie's sake, AMEN.

FINIS.