THE difference between the ancient Physic, first taught by the godly forefathers, consisting in unity peace and concord: and the latter Physic proceeding from Idolaters, Ethnics, and Heathen: as Galen, and such other consisting in duality, discord, and contrariety.  
And wherein the natural Philosophy of Aristotle doth differ from the truth of God's word, and is injurious to Christianity and sound doctrine.  
Natura naturam continet & superat, & sua natura solùm latatur & emendatur, & eius propinquitatis res commisceri & coniungi facit.  
By R. B. Esquire.  
Imprinted at London for Robert Walley.  
1585.   

Ca 8. 
Certain differences, between the ancient Physic and the Physic of the Heathens.  Ca 9 
The causes why this Art is evil spoken of, and findeth few favourers.  Ca 10. 
The first Authors of the ancient Physic, and of the succession and progression thereof, to Hermes Trismegestus, and how he left writings thereof yet extant.  Ca 11. 
What was the Physic of Apollo, Aesculapius, Machaon, and Podalirius, and of the knowledge of Thales Milesius.  Ca 12. 
Of Pythagoras and his knowledge in this Art, and that he taught in Italy. And of his scholars and followers. And of the medicine of Empedocles. And of the 70. Books that Esdras was commanded to keep.  Ca 13. 
That the Physic which Hypocrates left in writing, was not descended from Aesculapius.  Ca 14. 
That Democritus Abderites a Thracian did write of this art, whose Books are yet extant: & of his teachers, scholars and followers: and of some of their works yet extant.  Ca 15. 
That in Plato his time, the Priests of Egypt, were very skilful in this art. And that Plato did find that fault with the Physicians of Greece, in his time, as the Chemical Physicians do now with the Ethnic Physicians, and their followers. And how Aristotle and Plato do differ in the natural causes of Effects.  Ca 16. 
Of divers Poetical Fables shadowing & hiding the secrets of this Art.  Ca 17. 
Of certain Physicians that used Chemical medicines. And of the three sects of Physicians, that were between the time of Hypocrates and Galen. And that the Chemical Physicians, ought rather to be called Rationales, than the Galenists. And that Galen following Hypocrates 600. years, did comment upon him against his meaning and words. And how Hypocrates agreeth with the Chemical Physicians.  Ca 18. 
Of the continuance of this Art in Egypt, until the time of Dyoclesian the Emperor: And a notable monument thereof in Italy. And the spreading of this Art into other Countries. And of divers writers of this Art between Galens' time and Paracelsus.  Ca 19 
That Theophrastus Paracelsus was not the inventor of this art, but the restorer thereof to his purity: And that he hath given more light thereunto, than any other before him. And the testimonies of great cures that he did by this Art. And of divers writers & learned Physicians, which since his time have written of this Art.  Ca 20. 
The true meaning of Paracelsus in dedicating his Book, entitled Philosophia magna to the Athenians: wherewith Erastus one of his adversaries is so grieved.  Ca 21. 
How materia prima and mysteriam magnam, was the beginning of all things, according to Paracelsus his meaning: And how all things created were at one time in the increate.  Ca 22. 
Of the separation of visible and material bodies.  Ca 23. 
Certain notes and cautions given, for the better understanding of this Chemical Physic.  Ca 24. 
Of the celestial medicine of Paracelsus: and matters toucking his person and ignorance.  Ca 25. 
The Conclusion of the Author.    

The Author's obtestation to almighty God.  
O GOD the father almighty, the true light O Christ, the light of the light, the wisdom, mystery, and virtue of GOD. O holy Ghost that knittest all things together in one, which sustainest, and quicken'st all things by this divine power, & givest strength to live and to move, and also to continue, and to be preserved and nourished. O the holy Trinity, three persons and one God, which of nothing, that is having no matter, preexisting, or going before, hast created all the world, that is, all things that are, to set forth thy glory, wisdom, power, & goodness: I beseech thee teach, aid, & assist thy servants against the heathenish and false Philosophy of Aristotle, which teacheth that the world had no beginning, neither shall have ending. And that of nothing, nothing can be made, whereby it maketh the world  
So likewise thy most excellent creature man was created to thy Image, in pure understanding, perfect memory, sincere will without any care, or without all fear of death or perrilles. But (O most just God) after his fall, death crept in as it were a leprosy, and the Image of God was darkened, blemished, and almost blotted out: Yet by thy merciful goodness O God, this Image is repaired by thy gospel, because we be renewed by faith into the hope of everlasting life, that we may live in God, and with GOD, and may be one with him. And whereas man after the eating of the Apple forbidden, had the knowledge of good and evil, yet the evil men do detain thy truth O God, in unrighteousness, and do refuse thy vocation and calling, which by thy truth dost continually call us unto thee, yet this thy truth naturally grafed in us continually doth endeavour as much as it may to appear in action, but it is let and hindered by concupiscence, which some say is in the neither part of the soul▪ others say it is in brutali spiritu or Anima, therefore thou hast given us, O God, that what we know, we study to make manifest & show forth, which if we do not we be reproved by our own judgement: for the better part of the Soul or Spiritus, which some call sinteresis, doth persuade to that is good. Hereby appeareth the wonderful power and strength of conscience: which in great offences cannot be perfectly quieted. Wherefore, it is written, the Gentiles which have not the law, by nature, do the works of the law, and do show the work of the law written in their hearts: their conscience bearing them witness: their thoughts either accusing or defending them. This property to persuade to do good, some call sinteresis, which thy word calleth conscience, which is a living law, which crieth, stirreth, and moveth to do good: for thou O God, art so merciful and good to us, that thou hast given this knowledge to our mind: which like a Schoolmaster doth instruct and teach us: so that conscience, is as it were a certain law in things subject to sense and reason. But (O good God) omnipotent, Aristotle his heathenish Philosophy, very absurdly teacheth, that all the Orbs, be bodies subject to no corruption, and that they and their motions be eternal: and he assigneth to certain minds, Intelligentis, or under strange natures and essenties, and separated their several and singular motions of the said Orbs: And he assigneth one Orb to the high God, which is moved by him. Whereby he maketh all those essenties separated, among whom those Orbs are distributed to be equal and like substance: but he alloweth that mind or essence which is the elder: that is, God to be only so much the more excellent than the rest, by how much the orb assigned to him, is more excellent than the other Orbs. That Philosophy also teacheth, that it is an absurd thing and against reason, to say that any thing eternal had any beginning: therefore because those Orbs be eternal they had no beginning. Likewise, it teacheth that God meddleth not under the Moon, and that he is not the maker nor the creator of any thing, but only the mover of the heaven: and it maketh God to be the final cause only of motions, and not of the nature of each several thing: neither doth his Philosophy teach any agent cause of those things which it affirmeth to be eternal. And by this doctrine it must needs follow, that because the world is eternal without beginning & ending, and incorruptible, therefore it needeth not thy providence, either that it should be, or continue, nor that it needeth thy help. And because it hath no other efficient cause of any other but of itself, therefore it needeth none other to provide for his being or well being. It also teacheth that thou O GOD meddlest not under the Moon, but that thou rulest under the Moon only with a common influence and usual course of second causes, though some do untruly go about to excuse this doctrine: in saying, that it accounteth Nature to be God, or at least God's Vicar or deputy: which neither needest any such, nor yet hast any deputy. O most mighty God, creator of all things, strengthen thy people against these and all such doctrines, tending to the derogation of thine honour, goodness, mercy and wisdom: and by reason it appeareth that no body of itself is immortal, because each body consisteth of his parts, therefore it may be dissolved: but the soul of man is immortal, and the body is made immortal at the last resurrection, by reason of the presence of the soul: But Aristotle maketh no mention of the immortality of the soul, neither doth he attribute any felicity to it after the death of man: whereby Alexander Aptrodisienses concludeth, that he denieth the immortality of the soul: Also reason teacheth, that many divers and contrary things can not be joined together by themselves, without the help of an other, and be not brought to one certain form, unless they be united together by the help of some other. The world therefore, consisting of so many divers and contrary parts: in which, cold, heat, dryness, and moisture, are joined together, and other things of contrary nature● and virtues, do agree together in one form. And the Orbs and celestial bodies of contrary motions from the East to the West, and from the West to the East, and in retrogradation and direction, and stationarij, their motions in the Epicycle, in the Aust. & oposito angis, do make no discord, but keep a regular order in all those contrarieties. Therefore, we must be compelled to confess, that there was and is one that hath coupled, united, and joined together, such and so divers contrary things: otherwise, such divers and contrary things and motions, by their own swing, course and moving, would be dissolved one from an other, unless they were preserved by some others. Can there be a table painted with divers colours and pictures, or pots of divers sorts and fashions, without a workmaster? Can any thing that lacketh a governor or ruler, be moved by itself continually in a regular or certain order? Therefore, by reason it appeareth, that the world is governed and ruled (O God) by thy divine providence: And thou (O God) that rulest all the universal world, dost also govern, rule, and provide for each part thereof: for he doth nothing well, that neglecteth the least part of that thing.  
Likewise, O almighty God, that heathenish Philosopher doth teach, that homo & Sol generant hominem, whereby (O good God) it must needs follow, that man and the Sun must be eternal and infinite. Though heat nourisheth and cherisheth our bodies, yet for all that it is not the cause of generation and begetting, but thy word, O merciful God, so commanding, that the blood of this or that man shallbe made male or female. Reason can not comprehend this word, therefore it must needs childishly trifle off the causes of such things. So the Physicians following the Philosophers, do refer the cause of generation (O God) to a convenient mixture of qualities, which do work in the matter ordained before, what colour soever reason doth bear herein: yet for all that, they do not attain to the first cause thereof. For, the holy Ghost (O God) doth lead us into a higher cause than to nature, then to qualities, and their temperature, when it setteth before us thy word, O omnipotent God, in which all things are created and conserved. Also, O most high God, this heathenish Philosophy doth not admit any Metaphysical principle in natural things, in which ascending by the doubtful care of natural things, being removed from divine, man's mind is turned from them. And surely such natural Philosophy is the next way to make men forget thee, O God, and to become Atheists: for it teacheth men to clean and stick fast unto the nature of things, not ascending nor considering the Creator: And so it tieth thee (O God) to the second causes, and doth not attribute to thee any actions, but according to that nature of things: whereby it doth bewitch men in such sort, and make their minds so mad, that they neither do ask neither look for any good thing at thy hand: for the event and success of each thing must of necessity be answerable to the natural cause. And by that doctrine thou (O God) dost follow the nature of things created: whereas contrariwise all things created must follow thee: so that it placeth the effected cause in the steed of efficient, and the instrumental cause for the agent. And further it teacheth, that matter and form is the first principle of natural things: which doctrine draweth thy people (O God) from true honouring of thee, for the creation and providence of thy creatures. It is not enough to confess that thou didst create all things, if it be said also that thou hast forsaken those things as soon as thou hast created them: as the Carpenter leaveth the house when he hath once made it: for so should the world soon perish and come to ruin: but thou, O most merciful God, dost direct all things that be or shallbe by thy understanding and knowledge to meet and convenient ends, such as pleaseth thee to thy honour and glory. For, in thee we live, move, and have our being: and all things be of thee, and in thee, and by thee. For, we can not move our tongue, which is the lytist part of our body, without thy providence: Man may prepare the heart, but thou (O God) rulest the tongue: neither doth a sparrow light upon the ground, without thy good will O almighty father: And all the heirs of our head be numbered, thou carriest all things by the word of thy power: thou art the Lord of all flesh: thou art the Lord of all spirits: thou workest all things according to the decree of thy will. Therefore, O God, grant we may cast our care upon thee, that thou may nourish us: take thou care over us: touch the apple of our eye: be thou our shield and brazen wall: Be thou our helper and we care not what man may do to us. Give us a new heart and a new spirit: as thou hast given us thy Commandments, so make us to walk in them. By these and such like testimonies of thy most sacred and holy word, O good God, we learn thy divine providence over man and all other thy creatures, and that thou dost not leave nor forsake them when thou hadst made them, but dost of thy most tender goodness govern not only man, but also whatsoever thou hast created: whose infinite power worketh every thing in every thing. And thy servants do acknowledge (O God) that a peculiar force and virtue was given to every thing at the beginning by thy word, voice, and commandment: which yet are in continual force: but yet the same be but only second and instrumental causes, not working of themselves, not principally, but depend upon thy power and commandment, without which thou workest the same effects when thou pleasest: which thou art wont to do by means of the second causes. And all things which are in this world, and which are seen, do not only take their beginning from thee to be things, but also to have such power and virtue, and to be such manner of things as they are. Therefore is the world a looking glass, in which thy wisdom is perceived: If we ascend into heaven, thou are there: If we descend into hell, thou art present. And though th●se virtues and powers have in them great strength and efficacy, and thou (O God) 〈…〉 often times work by them, as thou dost▪ by th●●e Angels thy ministers which do thy will: yet are they all but the second causes and instruments of thy divine providence, and can do nothing unless thou be present to govern the things, and help and bring forth the effect: For thou (O God) dost not so give force to things, nor dost so send thy Angels thy ministers, that thou art absent thyself: for thou reachest and touchest from end to end mightily, and disposest all things sweetly and profitable to thy glory. Therefore art thou (O most mighty God) the first and efficicient cause of all things. For, thou (O God almighty father) art the resting and quiet fountain of all things that be, perfect of thyself, needing none other: Thou art the first action, and workest inwardly: thou art the true light. Thou art not only all in each several thing, but all in all, spiritually in power and essence: so thou art every where: thou art the being, first, chief, and principal living and parent of life: having quiet motion in thyself, and moving thyself inwardly, being not moved by motion. Thou art the being and beginning of all other things: Thou art silence, thou art quietness, or resting, abiding in thyself: that is, secret moving, or secret action. Wherefore, thou art said (as it were) to sit in the Centre of all things that be, from whence with an universal eye: that is, with the light of thy substance, by the which each thing hath his being, life, and knowledge: thou dost behold them: thy will is the still word. Thou (O Father) art the beginning of being of all substances, which from thee that is the being itself, dost give (being power of life and substance) to all things according to the power and capacity of the receiver. All things dwell in thee, potencially: thou art the parent of all things in power. Thou art omnipotent: thou art all in all in those things: whereof thou art the original and cause in virtue and power. Thou fillest heaven and earth, and thy spirit hath filled the whole world yet it is in secret: that is, in power. For, there must be a certain might or power, wherewith all things are quickened into lively Spirits, as it were from a lively fountain, that they may live of that: and because they do live, they obtain their being. For there must be an Actor before there be action, the Agent bringeth forth action. Therefore, thou (O Father) which art the principal and first living, dost bring forth life.  
Thou (O God the Son) by whom all things were made, and without whom nothing is made, art the flood or river running from the Father the fountain: thou art the light of the world: for by reason of thee all worldly things live: Thou art the Image of the Father, the word, the wisdom of the father, and the virtue and power of operation and working. Thou (O God the Son) art the apparent and manifest motion or moving, moved by motion, the active motion or action, and active word: for the manifesting of the power is action: which action having all things that be in power living and knowledge according to motion, doth bring forth and make manifest all things: not by local motion, neither by transferring into place, but by a better and divine motion, such as belongeth to the Spirit▪ which by his own motion doth give life, and bringeth forth understanding 〈…〉 in itself, and not cut from the first power in the operation. Thou (O Christ) art life having life in thyself, appearing outwardly in quickening: And because thou art life, therefore thou art motion quickening all that is quickened▪ for life is cause of motion. And because thou art manifest motion, coming from secret and inward motion, and life taking life from living, and the principal life and beginning: therefore life is begotten of living or principal life, and thou art the Son of the father, and by thee all things are made. Thou art life in all things▪ seeing thou art every where: all fullness doth inhabit in thee corporally: that is, in operation substantially. And because the very life had no beginning, being always of itself, to itself, of the father: therefore it never c●as●th, and it is always infinite: and there is no life which in so much that it is life, doth not pertain to the river of life: it giveth life & breath to all things, and in all things, from supercelestial things to celestial and to heavenly bodies, to ●●yall, watery, and earthly things, and to all things that the earth doth bring forth, and to all other things: therefore, every matter whereof the world consisteth is endued with life, and Christ is in the life, by whose power all things do come forth and proceed into generation, and consist according to their matters and substancies, to the which thou givest such property and virtue as they have. Thou art the universal word remaining impassable and not turning: yet life is before the soul: for the life of the soul is of the power of living: Thou art the seed of all things that be in operation and made manifest: for nothing can come nor proceed from the Elements of parents nor of any seed, if thou (O Christ) work not: if thou withdraw thy working power from things, they perish immediately. Thou (O GOD the holy Ghost) art the springing knowledge and understanding, flowing and proceeding from the Father and the Son. Thou art the spiritual voice of the manifest voice or Son, as the Son is the voice of the voice in silence, therefore thou art of the Son and of the Father: yet but one voice, one word: that is, one active power agreeing together before it maketh any thing to be. Thou art the Spirit of God, the power of Christ: and the Spirit of God is God: therefore, all three of one substance: All things be in thee, as all things be by the Son, and of the Father. Thou (O God the holy Ghost) art (as it were) the ministery of God, and dost divide the graces and ministries in the operation of life: so that by thee the first seeds of things are nourished and sustained, and now also be continually moved: and first bring forth roots and blades: after stalks, ears▪ flowers, blossoms, s●edes, and fruit, of each thing in his degree, according to thy distribution and division of the gifts. As the Father is the cause of the operation▪ and the Son the manifest operation: so all three are one action and substance. Thou couplest and k●●●est the Father and the Son in one, and art coupled with them: and all other things thou joinest in unity and band of peace. And because in God to know, is as much to say, as to understand, and to know that one liveth, and to know himself is to live: therefore, to know or understand, and to live, is all one: And because they be one, and because to be, is all one with life and understanding: (for true being can not be without life and understanding: neither can life and understanding be without such being) therefore they be three, yet one substance and one God. So the soul of man, in that it is a soul hath his being, giving life and understanding, & is there in one. And as God the Father is a Spirit substantially, and the Son is a Spirit and motion moved, and working openly: so thou the holy Ghost art the secret spirit and motion: Thou implantest and givest strength to live and to move, and also sustaynest all things that they may exist and live, and also continue and be preserved. And because thou art God, thou art a Spirit: and because thou art that Spirit thou dost quicken: for it is the Spirit that quickeneth: and because thou quicken'st, thou hast power of life: (for the Spirit is life) therefore thou livest and art life, and substantially quickenest or givest li●e to all things, or makest life in all things. But this Spirit and life which is in thee (O God) is not that which is in man, beasts, Angels, or other things created: but all things of the world created whatsoever they be, and of what sort sooner they be, do receive life and live of that life, according to their kind of being, and as that life doth breath power and give power of lively virtue and strength to them, as the things be made able to receive it. For, there must be Agens before there be Actio: so in all things there is proper being, life and understanding or feeling, according to their several capacities, which they do receive of being life and understanding: which three be all one: that is, of the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, three persons & one God: in every one of which three, all these three, uz. being life and understanding are, by which all things are made. For, though certain things be attributed unto the several persons, to be proper to each of them in divine things: yet it is to be understanded, to be the inseparable and agreeing operation of the three or Trinity together: for there is but one beginning, and one cause of all things that be: and part of divine things always is the same that is the whole.  
By these (O merciful God) it may appear how injurious (and contrary to thine honour and glory, in creating of the world, and to thy providence over the creatures that thou hast made) is the heathenish Philosophy of Aristotle, which admitteth nothing, that cannot be demonstrated: And also how falsely that Philosophic maketh privation to be the third beginning of all natural things: and that it assigneth no Author nor propagator unto the essences or natures which a saith be eternal: and that, that Philosophy will not allow any cause of their being beside their motion: and that some things that be done are done without cause: as deliberation, etc. From these and such other blind and injurious doctrine taught in that Philosophy (good and merciful God) deliver thy people and servants. And (O most merciful God) because the heathenish Physic of Galen, doth depend upon that heathenish Philosophy of Aristotle, (for where the Philosopher endeth, there beginneth the Physician) therefore is that Physic as false and injurious to thine honour and glory, as is the Philosophy. For, that heathenish Physic (O God) doth not acknowledge the creation of man, whereby it doth not rightly know why he is Microcosmus, or little world: which is the cause why they neither know his diseases rightly, neither provide medicine for him aptly, nor prepare it fitly, neither minister it accordingly. This heathenish Philosophy and Physic, doth attribute thy works (O God) to heat, cold, and such causes, which it calleth falsely natural: So it teacheth, that natural heat doth change meat received into man's stomach into blood, flesh, bones, brains, sine●●es, veins, and arteries: And that the like meare received of a dog, horse, beast, or bird, etc. by heat of that beast or fowl, is turned into his flesh, blood, bones, etc. Much unlike unto that which is in man: which operation and transmutation, in truth cometh of thee, (O God) and not of any nature of heat: and whereby in seeking for like cure in such defects, their Physic must needs err, in not seeking help at thy hands, nor praying to thee, nor give thanks to thee: No more doth that heathenish Philosophy and Physic acknowledge, that all seeds did receive by thy divine word the power of multiplying, of transplantation, the essence and properties: of which, all Philosophy, Physic, and Alchemy doth consist: Therefore they must needs err, both in the cause & effects of things in the great world and in the little world.  
Likewise, because the heathenish Philosophy doth not know out of thy word, that thou (O God) hast made all things in weight, number, and measure, therefore that Physic doth not know the cause nor cure of those diseases that be either originally or inflicted into the invisible part of man Anima or Limbus, nor to help them: which error Plato reproved in the Greek Physicians long ago which Plato taught, that Anima curat corpus. And because the heathenish Philosophy doth attribute the cause of things to dead qualities, of heat, cold, etc. and not to the lively virtues and powers in things, therefore that heathenish Physic seeketh by like dead qualities, to cure lively and mechanical spirits: And because they understand not, that diseases do proceed of the mechanical spirits and tinctures of impure seeds joined to the pure by thy curse, O just God, therefore they seek not their medicines in the pure seeds. And because (O merciful God) the heathenish Physic and the heathenish Philosophy doth not acknowledge, that it is thy power and virtue that bringeth forth all things that grow, and that thy working power doth preserve and maintain all things: and that it is thy curing virtue that helpeth and cureth all diseases, greeses and infirmities, by such means as it pleaseth thee, or without means: therefore they cleave fast to their false imagined natural causes and means of help, forgetting thee: whereby many of them become Atheists. And because the heathenish Physic of Galen, doth not know how thou (O God) hast ordained all things in unity peace and concord, therefore it seeketh the cure in duality and contrariety. To be short, because (O most merciful God) the heathenish Physic doth not know that the purest, best, and medicinable part of each thing is in his Centre, therefore it neither doth seek, neither have his favourers learned, nor do know, how to find that pure part, nor to separate the pure from the impure: they cannot digest, nor make ripe that is raw: they cannot change sour into sweet: they cannot mitigate the loathsomeness of heats, tastes, smells, coagulations, etc. neither make any medicine volatile: For which cause, therefore do they not know the power of the mechanical spirits, by means of their subtlety, finesse, piercing, and moveablenesse: neither do they know the finesse and piercing, by means of separation of things mixed with them: neither the separaetion by means of digestion and circulation: wherefore, they do not know how the mechanical spirits of diseases do differ among themselves, and one from an other in power, piercing, moveablenesse, finesse, grossness, in easy or uneasy resolution and alteration, and such like tokens: whereby they are ignorant of the true causes of the pangs, fits, and passions of diseases: and how and in what manner, bodies and parts of bodies do differ one from an other, and among themselves. For, seeds do differ in parts of the body: and as the seeds do differ, so the bodies and parts of the bodies do differ one from an other, and their natures and properties: of which difference of the seeds cometh the difference of the mechanical spirits contained in them, in which the gifts and offices of the seeds do flourish. Likewise, might they know of the fits, pangs, and passions of diseases, the difference of the seeds, and of the fruits of the seeds being known, the seeds or roots of diseases are known: even as the Pear tree is by the Pear: because the fruits, uz. the pangs, fits, passions, and manner of the diseases, are brought forth like to the roots. Neither have they any skill to reject the Bynary, and to bring the Ternary, to the simplicity of unity, where by the medicines may be purged from their carcases and impediments: and the spirit Anima, be brought out of darkness into light: by means whereof, the corrupt body of man may be so purged, and purified, that the troubled mind and oppressed memory may be quickened and relieved, by thy gift (O God) and be made more able to use the talon by thee given ●t the beginning, and the more strongly to resist the wicked deceiver, and be better disposed to honest life and conversation, pleasing to thee O God.  
Because (O most merciful God) I do find these faults and such like in the heathenish Philosophy and heathenish Physic, I do know that by the favourers and followers of that Philosophy and Physic, I shallbe mocked, laughed at, had in derision, and my sayings and words shallbe wrested, racked, writhed, dismembered, pulled from their parts, and turned from their right sense and meaning. And the more unskilful the adversaries be in the true Philosophy and Physic, and withal wilful, the more busy (O God) will they be to reply with taunts, quips, scoffs, and gibes: but such deserve no place nor time of answer. Wherefore, O most wise God, author of all wisdom, I pray thee instruct thy people and servants in the true Philosophy and Physic: and open the eyes and mollify the hearts of the followers of the heathen, that they may see and follow the same for thine honour & glory▪ And from lying lips and deceitful tongue, deliver me O God.  
R. B.  
FINIS.   


Chapter first. What the ancient Physic is. And what the physic of the ethnics or heathen is. And that there is no truth that is not derived from Christ the truth itself.  
THE true and ancient physic which consisteth in the searching out of the secrets of Nature, whose study & use doth flow out of the Fountains of Nature, and is collected out of the Mathematical and supernatural precepts, the exercise whereof is Mechanical, and to be accomplished with labour, is part of Cabala, and is called by ancient name, Ars sacra, or magna, & sacra scientia, or Chymia, or Chemeia, or Alchimia, & mystica, & by some of late, Spagirica ars. Which showeth forth the compositions of all manner bodies, and their dissolutions, their natures & properties by labour by the fire, following Nature diligently. So that Philosophy natural and supernatural, the Mathematicals Chimia and Medicina be so combined together, that one of them can not be without the other. I do mean the true and right use of Chymia, and not the abuse thereof, which promiseth golden mountains under the vain title of Philosophy and Wisdom, the wisdom whereof is consumed and wasted in smoke, by force of the fire. This ancient and true physic consisteth of Medicines of two sorts. The first is universalis or unarii. The second is ternarii or particularis. These two are founded upon the Centre of unity, concord and agreement, their scope and end is to bring the sick person to unity in himself, they do agree with the rule of God's word, they depend upon the fountain of truth. The Ethics or heathen have of their own brains devised a third kind of physic or Medicine which is binarii or vulgaris. This is most gross and worst, and is that physic which is most commonly used, and most stoutly maintained and defended. This physic is founded upon a contrary Centre to the other, therefore a false Centre. For it consisteth in duality, discord and contrariety. It maketh war and not peace in man's body. It is not founded upon the rule of God's word, but upon the authority of men reprobate of God, & such as were Idolaters and ignorant of the truth, consisting only in God (whom they knew not) and in his Christ the truth itself, whom Galene the prince of that physic, in his works hath blasphemed of set purpose and by express words. And therefore he and the rest his followers, were sedused with the spirit of contradiction and error. Yet their followers think we do them great wrong in saying, such have not said nor written the truth. As though Arts and Sciences may be possessed and exercised by man's brains and inventions without God that made them. This may well be called blasphemy. Herein Plato may be sufficient witness against them, saying that no man can rightly understand and have knowledge of things belonging to man, if he be ignorant in things pertaining to God: and do not first know things divine. For seeing Christ is the way by the which we ought to begin, proceed, go onward and to the end in all our actions, arts and Sciences, we ought to walk in this way, aswell to attain knowledge, health and life in this world, as life in the world to come. The heathen Physicians not walking in this way, must needs err and stray, not receiving the key of wisdom, which is science of GOD himself, who giveth wisdom to the wise. And seeing that all things which the Father hath, be his sons Christ's: and seeing wisdom and science be the riches of God, and all wisdom is of him, and the power of God is wisdom and science, and the working power of GOD is Christ, and Christ is the truth, therefore he that swerveth from Christ neither hath the treasures and riches of the wisdom and science of God, neither is lead into the truth by the truth itself, therefore hath not truth. And seeing Christ is life itself, which is the power of life to himself and to all others, by whom all things are made and move, and by whom life is in all things, from things celestial to things in the heavens, air, water and earth, and to all matter in the world which hath life, and he is in the life, and is the power of the seed of all things, which become and proceed to be manifested and come to action, of whom every body brought forth by touching, and conjunction doth grow and increase, and by whom all things are one, not as a heap of Corn or grain is one body, only by lying together, but because all parts do hang together, and be as it were one chain. For God, Christ, the holy Ghost, the soul, Angels and all corporal things is as it were this chain, and the Father is the principal life and cause of life, and all things in the world have bèing and life of Christ, the life itself which giveth them to all things, and is in the life, and all in all. Who also is the light of the light, that is of God which sitteth in the Centre of all things that be, from whence with his universal eye, that is with the light of his substance, whereby he is their being, and life, doth behold all things. For from the Centre all things are seen at once, and alike. Therefore all persuading speeches and fair and plausible arguments, having great show and colour of reason, being derived out of man's brains, or corrupted or mingled with the leaven of man's inventions, swerving from Christ or not resting in him, or leaving nothing or very little to him, in whose power and government all things are: from whom health and life is derived, in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid, must needs be not only confuse and vain, but also erroneous, foolish, deceitful, false and counterfeit, though they bear never so gay titles of Philosophy, wisdom or physic. Such is the Philosophy whereof S. Paul giveth us warning, Col. 3. saying, beware lest there be any man that spoil you through the tradition of men, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ: for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Such Philosophy and physic hang not together in the chain aforesaid, nor yet be illuminated from the right Centre, nor seen from the same, but be founded upon divers Centres, whereby their Circles do cut one another, or touch each other, therefore they do not consist in union, but are contrary to each other. Such Centre is the Centre of duality, contrariety and discord. The original thereof is worthily called Binari, the author of diversity and contrariety, which always maketh sedition and discord, as unity is the band of concord. For concord is the union of divers appetites of those things that do desire, whereby they be of one mind. Therefore every thing in the world doth so long endure and abide as long as it is one: but it dieth and is dissolved as soon as it sesseth and leaveth to be one. Unquietness beginneth in things, where Meum & tuum, is become to be known in them: whereof cometh grief, which is a sense or feeling that can not abide division or corruption. Whereby it appeareth how desirous Anima (which is medium inter corpus & spiritum) is of unity in his body, which bendeth itself and striveth against that passion or grief of his body, by the which it grieveth him, that his unity and integrity should be weakened.   

Chapter second. The original causes of all diseases in the great world, and in the little world, which is man.  
GOD almighty the creator of all things, did see the angels which he had created fall from unity, and he made all the world to the image and similitude of unity wherein it did consist. Also by his bountiful goodness and providence he created Microcosmum or little world, uz. man, his ternarium and last creature, and substituted him in the place of his other creatures which were cast out of heaven. From this one did God derive all mankind. And he did not create the woman which should be coupled to man, as he made him but out of him, that all mankind should spring out of one, to the commendation of unity and concord. The world did persist in this union, and did observe the nature of unity, until that wretched creature Binarius, which fell from unity, and made a duality & contrariety, envying the state of man, that persisted in unity, by captious sophistical reason did persuade him to eat of the Apple forbidden, whereby he broke unity, and fell headlong into disobedience, duality and contrariety. Then was he spoiled of perfection, and of the health of his soul and body, and purchased to himself all the filthiness of vice, infirmity and sickness. Also the Seeds of all things of the world, which by virtue of the word of God at the beginning, had received power of generation and multiplication, were perfect and sound without corruption, and did persist in unity, until such time as by the said counsel of Binarius, man fell into disobedience and brake unity. Whereupon by the curse of God impure Seeds were mingled with the perfect seeds, and did cleave fast to them, and do cover them as a garment: and death was joined to life. So imperfection and impurity, is joined to purity, and death to life, sickness to health, not only in man, but also in all living creatures, Herbs, Plants, Minerals: and in the fruits of the Firmament and air. By this means the Minerals have their rust and canker, which work their destruction and end. The vegetables, as herbs, trees and plants, have their corruptions of divers sorts, joined with their pure balm & seeds, which in their time work their putrification, withering & consumption, according to the Science and property of their impure seeds, besides the alteration which they receive by the nature of the soil wherein they grow, as may be tasted, felt and perceived, by wheat sown in some ground, which will manifestly taste of Garlic, and be much like in property. And some ground will make transplantation of one seed into an other, as from Wheat to Drake or darnel or such like. The beasts also, cattle and such living creatures, because they live and be nourished with the vegetables and mineral resolutions, have like impurities as they have, according to the nature of the soil whereupon they feed, & of the water which they drink. As appeareth by the Meadows near the River Potheus in the isle of Candie, near the City Cortina, wherein groweth such grass and herbs, that the cattle which be fed therewith will have no apparent Spleen. Some countries & soil do infect the Liver, others the Lungs, other places, other parts of the cattle which be there fed, as experience teacheth. Which parts of the cattle our forefathers did diligently view and search before they laid the foundation of their houses, towns or Cities, and that they did oftentimes, because they would know whether those parts were infected with sickness, with their food and by the often sight of them, they judged whether the cattle fed there were wholesome for their victual and food or no. And because man receiveth his nourishment out of all the rest, therefore he hath infinite sorts and kinds of diseases, and therefore no other Creature hath so many means to bring it to sickness, nor to his death. But the food and nourishments for man's body, though they have in them mingled, venomous, sickly or medicinable properties, yet for all that, by reason of that mixture with their good seeds, as long as unity and concord is kept between them, they be tempered, separated, resolved and expelled out of man's body. But if man do take them out of measure, or if the first stomach, or the Stomach of any part of the body be faulty in attraction, separation, resolution, digestion, distribution or expultion, the seeds of diseases do then take root in man's body. And that every thing hath his impure seed joined with his pure, and death to his life, though it be never so wholesome or pleasant to man's nature, is manifested and made plain to the eye, touch and taste of them that have skill to separate the pure from the impure, by his ancient Physic or Chymia. They find in Honey & Sugar, as vevemous impurity as in Arsenic, and in Roses, Violets, Balm, Betony, gold, Silver, etc. there be impurities. They also find by this art, as there is nothing so good, but it hath in it also some impure thing and unwholesome, which they separate from the pure, so also there is nothing so unwholesome, perilous nor venomous, but it hath in it also some good thing and pure which hath virtue and power to cure and help those diseases and hurts which be caused and procured by them and by others also. As out of Quicksilver is drawn medicine which can help diseases by him caused, and by other means also. They find in Arsenic excellent medicine for divers griefs. So Lead hath in it remedy for those diseases which be caused and bread in the Miners of Lead. Out of Tartar also is drawn excellent medicines for those diseases which come of the Tartar of Wine, and so forth of others. Therefore all diseases do proceed of their impure Seeds, which are endowed with science and knowledge of generation and transplantation of impure fruits, uz. of sickness and diseases, according and agreeable to their gift and science: Which do appear and proceed into action by separation, breach of unity, peace, concord and agreement, whereby they are enabled to strive for the superiority with nature & pure seeds in man's body. Seeing therefore that first original of diseases in man did proceed from the breach of unity, therefore it must needs be that all health must consist only in unity. And in and by this unity health is to be sought, and not in contrariety, as the ethnics do.   

Chapter third. Of the universal Medicine, And how the dark speeches of the writers thereof, did deceive covetous men, whereby the right use of this Physic was not understood, but by abuse it grew to be despised.  
THE first of the Medicines aforesaid of the ancient Physic which is the universal Medicine, is such, as by that only, all and all manner diseases of what sort and kind soever they be, are cured. It is so perfect, temperate, pure and incorruptible, that it is able to correct, amend and consume all corruptions in man's body, even as fire doth consume the impure part, and separateth it from the pure. It increaseth the vital spirits, and defendeth and preserveth the body from corruption, because it is separated from all corruptible substance, from all qualities of heat, cold, etc. It is not moist, could, dry nor hot, but it is ethereal, separated from the inferior Elements: and it is of an incorruptible nature in respect of the body from whom it is taken. And because it is agreeable with our Anima (the Medium aforesaid) it nourisheth, fortifieth and strengtheneth it, whereby it is made able to digest, consume and expel, all the corruption and impediments of man's body, wherewith it is overwhelmed and let, that it was not able to exercise, perform and accomplish his office, duty and actions. If this natural lively fire in man like to the ethereal fire, were not continually nourished, it would consume itself and also that is engendered of it. Therefore when nature in the stomach hath separated the pure from the impure, of meats which we eat, and of our drink, he doth expel the impure parts by their proper passages, but it retaineth and keepeth the fine and pure bodies, that be the carriers of the heavenly virtues, for nourishments of two sorts, the one is of all the members of the body, the which nourishment also is separated into the nourishment of the three substanties, whereon we consist. That is of our Salt, Sulphur and Mercury. The other which is the liquor of the heavenly Luna, is the nourishmeut of our natural fire or Anima. But if this be oppressed, stopped, or let of his operation or working by the corruption of our bodies, then is it to be nourished, helped & fortified with this Philosophical and ethereal medicine, in which is no grossness, impurity, nor any thing superfluous. And our Anima lively and natural fire doth take and receive to it this ethereal medicine, virtue, and heavenly power like to itself, Whereby it is helped, strengthened and made able to be delivered from his impediments and lets, and to consume and expel superfluitics of the body, whereby the body is compelled to agree and to be changed into the like nature, void and clean from corruption and superfluity. Because nature delighteth to be joined with her like, with peace rather than with war, with unity and concord, rather than with discord. And all natural bodies desire in their kinds to be perfected: which natural desire is the cause of all perfection. This Medicine Vnary, among the Philosophers and Chemical Physicians, is called by divers and many names, and covered under divers parables & dark kind of speeches, which brought the right use of this Art into oblivion, and deceived worldly men, and brought many from rich estate to extreme beggary. For whereas the Philosophers were lovers of wisdom and not of the world, nor of worldly riches, but desired to have ternam atque quaternam beatitudinem, uz. mentem sanam in corpore sano. Therefore they used this universal medicine, wherewith they digest and expel the corruptions out of their natural bodies, whereby the body was so prepared, that therein was made a perfect union between Corpus, Anima & Spiritus, and transitus ab extremo perfecto per medium ad imperfectum. Whereby the body was made subject to the soul, whereof seperatio mentis à corpore might ensue. This surely they accounted purest Gold and chiefest riches, as appeareth aswell by other Philosophers, as by them that writ of this art. But they that did write of this Medicine, did it so covertly, that men thought that those Philosophers promised in their writings mountains of Gold, and such a Stone or fixed matter that could convert and turn all other base metals into material Gold, wherein (I think) they were greatly deceived. For though some say that they do find by experience, how to take out of an ounce of Gold, a small quantity, wherewith they will turn an Dunce of Duick silver or Lead into perfect Gold, yet they get nothing thereby, for by this means they make no more Gold, than that weight of Gold was, from whence they took their medicine, because the medicine had no more goldish nature, then served only for an ounce, therefore could give no more to others, but may slightly colour more metal, but than it is no Gold. The probable and likely reasons of concockting, digesting, purging and separating of the raw and impure metals, and so to make them pure by art, as nature in the earth doth make perfect Gold and silver, by conquocting and purging of Sulphur and Mercury, because art is the follower of Nature, hath deceived and undone many men. But if there may be such transmutation made into gold, as men imagine and hope for, yet I would advise no man, to study this Art to that end, nor yet to assay or practise that way, lest he do repent to late, as others have done before. For in my opinion, the Philosopher's Gold is such a temperate medicine as I have declared, which in deed is Astrum separated from his impediments and gross substance, and brought to such puritic that it worketh in man's body, even as the virtue and power of the Stars work in any matter prepared therefore, by nature. For this cause the Philosophers called the Mineral diseases and instrmities of man's body, by the name of imperfect metals, as of Lead or Saturn, of Coper or Venus, of Iron or Mars, etc. like as the Astrologians do, aswell by reason of their place in man's body, as for their nature and properties. For there be double Excrements in man's body, the one proceeding of his Balm which is his Gold, the other proceeding of nourishment. The excrements coming of his Gold be called Myverall excrements, of the likeness of the dross which is about the Gold, before it be fined with Antimony. These Mints are as it were Stars or Seeds, therefore they make influences & bloming, which are the fruits of Stars and Seeds. Therefore they call bealth and sickness in man, Minerals, that is the fruits of man. Such diseases in man's Gold are called Mineral diseases, which be purged only with Mineral Medicines. For Mineral excrements are only purged with Mineral medicines, which consist in the universal medicine and in the tinctures of Gold, Mercury & Antimony, which purge man's Balm▪ and removeth it from all filth, which being purged, all other filth will easily be voided. But if these myneral excrements be not purged, than they hinder the operation and working of man's Gold or Balm, into the three Principia, of man's body aforesaid. Whereof followeth their corruption, and of the corruption of the Salts in man, follow boils, Ulcers, Impostumes & griefs not outwardly discerned, most painful, etc. So that when any man that had any of these infirmities, was brought to perfect temper by this universal medicine, than they said, that those imperfect metals were turned into Gold. And by this means, was this great treasure of medicine hidden, so that very few Physicians and professors of Philosophy did understand it, though the Philosophere themselves in their writings exhorted all men that did read their books, that they should not credit the bare letters of their writings, but should rather make an allegorical exposition thereof. This seeking of material gold by this Art, did bring it out of the right use of physic, and did (as I said) bring many rich folk to extreme beggary, whereby they grew to sophistication of metals, and so when they had wasted their own substance they proceeded to exercise deceit, lying and devices to bring others into like state & case unto themselves, which moved princes in their countries to make Laws against Multiplyers as they were termed.  
The ancient Chemical Philosophers and Physicians, did use such dark speeches and parables in their writings, because Secrets are to be revealed only to the Godly, and unto the children of doctrine and knowledge, and unto the wise, therefore they did write unto such, that the secrets might be hidden from the ungodly, foolish, slothful and unthankful hypocrites, whereby the wise and diligent with travail and labour might attain to the understanding thereof, as one of them said, it is not meet to provide for a man, a Pigeon, and to roast it for him and also to put it unto his mouth, or chaw it for him. The ancient Egyptians did use no letters in holy and secret matters, but pictures, figures and charects graven of things and beasts, lest the Secrets and mysteries should be profaned among the vulgar people. Such was the manner of the wise men of the oldest age, to deliver the profund and deep inquisition and search of wisdom, by allegogories of secret Letters, and by Mysteries. Therefore all the writings of the ancient Philosophers and Poets are full of Riddles, dark speeches and parables, to avoid the contempt of the common people. Such were the often teaching of our saviour Christ. So in the primative Church, those that were Catechymeni and Energymeni, and those that had penance enjoined them, might hear the Psalms and the reading of the holy Scriptures, but they might not be present at the ministration of the Sacraments, nor at the holy works which were done afterward, but they only were present which were thought worthy.  

¶ An example by an excellent particular Chemical Medicine, under the title, to convert ☽ into ☉  
TAke the green dragon and bathe him in warm liquor, so long until all his blood be come out of his veins, take out the purer part of this blood according to art, and distil it, then cohobate the same three time, take this liquor and distil it with the Liver of Mars, and keep it for a precious thing. For it will turn the Calces of Luna, into perfect Sol, that is to say, it will turn silver into Gold.  
But the true meaning hereof is, that this medicine will convert and turn those parts of man's body affected, which be subject or attributed to the moon into perfect health.    

Chapter 4. Of the Medicine Ternarij or perticularis.  
But because this universal medicine and knowledge thereof is granted of the almighty God but unto very few, and is rather to be wished and prayed for, then to be looked for, therefore the particular medicine called Ternarii, as is aforesaid, is diligently to be laboured for and searched out, which often times performeth and worketh the effet of the universal medicine, even in grievous diseases, in consuming the impure seeds of diseases, and in confirming and fortifying the power of our inward and natural Balm. This medicine of Ternarii consists in the three substanties, which are to be found in every body▪ that is to say in Sal, Sulphur and Mercuri. For as each body is compounded of these three, so they be causes of all diseases and not humours. In these three consisteth all man's health and sickness, as long as they do agree together, the body is in health, but as soon as they disagree, and unity is broken between them, and if any of them be exalted or break unity the body is sick. Therefore there be three general kinds of diseases, and each of them have their especial sorts of infirmities, as there be sundry sorts of Sal, Sulphur and Mercuri of divers and sundry natures. There be like wise three kinds of medicine required, and each kind of sundry nature to preserve or restore man's body to health. So that if any of these three be exalted to much and pass their mean, or break unity, he must be amended and reduced to perfect state by his own kind, and not by a contrary kind, by way of trasmutation. If the disease be mixed or compound of any of these (for there is no disease almost but is mixed by some means, yet it hath one of these three that is chief) then must such disease be holp with one or two of these taken out of some other fit body or substance. per proprium ad suum innatum, because nature coveteth his like nature, and desireth much to be coupled joined and changed into his like. This natural desire is cause of all perfection. As long therefore as the three substanties aforesaid, do abide in unity peace and concord in man's body, and in their own proper degrees, without pride doing their office, their body continueth in health. But because nothing is perpetual nor continueth in estate long, among creatures consisting of flesh, therefore by reason of the diversity of the gifts, virtue and power which be in them, and by reason of the impure seeds joined with our nourishment, they abide not long in their office, they abide not long in their degrees, they exalt themselves, they break unity peace and concord, the bad is separated from the obedience and mixture of the good: which breach of unity and separation doth show those sicknesses and diseases in man's body, which before by reason of the unity concord and obedient mixture could not break forth appear nor be made manifest. The which things as they come to pass in man, that is Mycrocosmus, so do they likewise in the great world. Which therefore is called Mycrocosmus or the little world, because after God had made all things in the great world of nothing, he made man in whom spiritually be contained all those things that is the properties of all those things which be really in the great world, as the ancient Philosophers have taught by these and like words, homo naturaliter habet naturam omnium tincturarum. Therefore that this Mycrocosmus may be inwardly known to the Physician, he had need to have lumen naturae, that is the knowledge of things in the great world, how all of them do grow increase be changed and die, whereby he may by the insight of his mind understand the inward and hidden nature of man. Wherefore he that would perfectly know what inward things be in man, he had need to compare the virtues and properties of the natural things in the great world with the inward things of man. As you may perceive by wine (for this purpose) which as long as his spirit doth abide in him mingled with the tart vinegar in unity and peace, the wine is sound pleasant and perfect, but as soon as the spirit of the wine is separated from the mixture of the sharp vinegar, than the vinegar doth appear is manifested and may be tasted. Likewise when the vinegar is separated from the tartar, them doth the tartar appear. So is it in all things when they grow to corruption putrefaction and dissolution, than the good that was in them is separated from the bad seeds, the bad do no longer abide in obedience of the good, but have broken peace, concord, unity and obedience, whereby things do grow to corruption & death. This ancient Chimnicall Physic doth teach such separation of the good from the bad out of all things, and to make them manifest to visible and palpable experience, which the Ethnic Physic hath nothing to do with, nor his followers hath any skill thereof, yet they bark and bite against this skill through their ignorance.   

Chapter fifth. How diseases ought to be cured by peace and not by discord in man's body.  
THerefore, as when the seed of the disease or corruption in man is separated from his temperature concord and unity of the body, or of the good seed in the body, than the body feeleth grief & sickness: so on the other side, to separate the impure seed that hath gotten the mastery from the pure that is mastered, is the way to get health, therefore sweat which is the separation of the unclean from the clean is wholesome, for it purgeth by the pores and transpirations, so it maketh the good seed able to master the bad, by separating the bad seeds in vapours, through the pores and transpirations in the time of sweeting, and with the sweat, whereby the unity and concord is restored in the body, whilst nature and the good seeds be made so strong that the bad do not exalt themselves above the other. Likewise all medicines ministered into the body, aught to be such as have property to bring the sick body to unity and concord: therefore like is to be ministered to that which is like in our nature, which order doth depend upon the true Centre of union. And contrary things are not to be cured by their contraries, unlike to our nature, which manner of proceeding is from the Centre of discord, contrary to the Centre of unity, and therefore a false Centre. For seeing that all things do hang together in one chain (as is aforesaid) & man is partell of that chain, and Mycrocosmus having in it the properties of the great world spiritually, therefore there is in the great world, that which is agreeable to the nature of man, in what part soever it be weakened, or not able to resist his enemy, which because of the conveniency and agreement with our nature, doth desire to be joined with it. Wherefore it must be ministered in due order, finesse and proportion, it is able to fortify, comfort and strengthen nature and our natural balm, and it willbe as it were a weapon for nature against the enemy or disease, whereby nature by himself will become and be his own physician. Therefore the Physician ought to minister such things, which nature in the place afflicted doth require for the cure that is like to itself, and not contrary qualities, such as will make peace in the body and not wars, unity and not discord, such as will help nature and not trouble it, and will strengthen it and not weaken it. Such medicines for the love and liking they have to our nature afflicted have a desire to be joined and coupled together, as a hungry and thirsty man desireth meat or drink, which nourish well. And as one friend coveteth and desireth the company of his dear friends long absent, which natural love is the cause of perfection. Therefore his proper and ordinary medicine, is to be ministered to each thing. So shall we not need of the ethnics directories. And such like are to be joined to their like in right Anatomy. We ought not to seek help in things contrary and repugnant: who findeth medicine for the Liver in Gratian, Agarick, or Colocinthis, or who findeth medicine for the Gall in, Manna, Honey, Sugar or polypody? therefore like are to be joined with their like in right Anatomy, Ministering of contraries pertaineth rather to diet then to medicine, and they may serve to mitigate the pain, but not to take away the root of the disease. Humours and qualities, to the which the followers of the ethnics do so much clean, and in the which they spend their study and labour, are but only dead accidents, without power of life. They be conditions, signs, tokens, and as it were only flowers and colours of diseases and not the very matter, cause, substance, or nature of the disease, they are caused and not the causes. Wherefore when they go about to cure the humour or quality, they fiatter the pain and grief, but they leave the disease uncured. For the signs of things are not the matter or substance itself. Therefore he that will be a perfect Physician, must know each disease by his right Anatomy, that is to say, by the matter, property and nature of the true substance of the disease, as which of the three substances have broken unity, and not by the sign of it. Also he must have the right Anatomy of all diseases, and of all natural thing before his eyes, so shall he apply to each infirmity his apt remedy. For by the concordance and agreement of the Anatomy of the herb or other natural thing for medicine, and of the disease, the Physician knoweth what things have affinity together, and aught to be coupled and joined together in unity. For the right Anatomy consists not in cutting of the body, but in the knowledge of the Amity, concord and nature of all natural extern things, with man, which do agree, embrace and receive each other, and concord together in mutual agreement, in virtue, power, property and essense, to defend nature. So that by the right concord of these two Anatomies, uz. of the disease and of the medicine, true cure doth proceed and grow, whereby is declared, that like are to be joined with their like, & like are cured with their like: and that all health consisteth in unity and agreement, in which of necessity health is to be sought for. And that sickness can not be taken away from the third creature by Binarius the Author of discord and contrariety, but by unari ruling equally in three.   

Chater 6. Of the medicine Binarii or Vulgaris, how injurious it is to the body.  
By these aforesaid it doth appear how the medicines of the ancient Physic do disagree with those medicines which be commonly in use, which be contained under the third kind of Medicine called Binarii or vulgaris, For these medicines do more agree with the body (because bodies are nourished with bodies) then with Anima wherein Fons vitae consisteth. This medicine helpeth little to long life, or to the relief of Anima, if it be feeble or hindered in his work. Because these medicines be ministered with their bodies, the work virtue and power in them that should do good is hindered: so that it doth little good, especially in parts of the body, a far of from the Stomach. For all things that should serve for medicine, should be purged first from their gross substance, because whilst the heavenly virtues be wrapped, hidden and clogged in the matter or substance of their bodies, they abide and cleave fast to them, & can not easily be parted a sunder, unless nature have help thereunto prepared by Art, which may separate the pure from the impure, otherwise the working of that heavenly virtue is hindered. For it is the virtue of each thing that is medicinable and not the body. So that seeing separation of the pure from the impure must needs be made in the stomach, if it be not made before, because every thing hath his corruption joined with it, and because the virtues of each thing be small in quantity, & tied and clogged with the mass of his body, (as is aforesaid) it is better this separation be made before the medicine come near to the stomach then after, in the sick man's Stomach which is to weak to make such sepation. Besides this, by such gross and raw medicine, the patiented receiveth rather nourishment than medicine, contrary to their own rules, Omne medicamentum quod transit in alimentum, cessant esse medicamentum. For when the medicine ministered with his body or substance, cometh into the Stomach, it is separated into triple nourishment, that is of our Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, and into double excrement. So that when these medicines be rightly considered and compared together, there seemeth to be as great diversity between the raw and gross medicines, and those that be purged by fire, as is betwixt the true doctrine of Christ and the Romish doctrine, For as the doctrine of Christ for the health of the Soul, is altogether spiritual, and the holy Scriptures of God do instruct the soul of man and speak to it, whereby the evil affections and the actions and filthy works of the body be taken away, and amendment of life followeth. So do these ancient medicines for the health of the body consist in heavenly virtues, which are to be ministered and joined with the lively Spirits of man's body, that they may thereby be fortified and made strong, or rectified & brought to unity, whereby followeth the help and cure of the diseases of the body. And as the Romish religion is mixed with impurities, & standeth in outward ceremonies & traditions, corporal exercises which be lets to the works of the spirit, whilst it is occupied about them. So these corrporall and gross medicines, which serve for the body, consist in bodily gross and raw substances, whereby the work of the heavenly virtues be let and hindered. And these bodies do resist digestion, which is occupied about them, by means whreof the weak and faint parts that desire relief, can not draw to them these virtues for their succour, being bound and fast tied to their gross substance. And even as the Romish religion teacheth that in the Eucharist, there is no substance of bread and wine, but only accidents, and that our bodies be nourished with the accidents of the Sacrament, even so the Ethnic Physicians and their followers do teach, that accidents, uz. heat, cold, etc. be causes of all diseaces. And that by them diseases are cured, and health restored, whereby they attribute vim vitae, to accidents & dead qualities which are caused, raised and stirred up, by other things, & be themselves only Simptomata morborum. So that in curing those accidents and qualities, they do as if a man would go about to stop the flame and smoke of the fire, and leave the hot coals burning.   

Chapter seven. One cause why the Author did write this treatise.  
I Was the last Parliament time before this that is now summoned at the table of a reverend Bishop of this land, which was not unskilful in Physic, in the company of a Physician, which inveighing against this ancient Physic, by the name of Paracelsus his Physic, ignorantly attributing to him the first▪ invention thereof, pleased himself and some of his audience, in telling that the same Physic, had no ground nor foundation, neither any being. Whereupon he told a tale that a man came to a Physician and said to him that he was sick, but he could not tell where, neither how he took his sickness, nor how it held him. The Physician answered him, that he▪ had a Garden he could not tell where, it was full of simples he could not tell their properties, and that he would help him but he could not tell when: And concluded that this Paracelsicall Physic (as he called it) was like, in that, it was vain, had no ground, nor being. I answered him with an other tale of a Poet, which disdaining that Painters and Poets were compared together and joined in one proverb, pictoribus atque poetis quidlibe● addendi semper sunt equa potestas, came to a ●unning Painter and asked of him whether he could paint a man, shooting at a bird sitting upon the top of a tree, with a Sun, and the bird therewith killed and falling down, yet the man should not be seen nor appear. The Painter answered he could do all that he required, saving the noise of the Gun and the smell of the powder: which being excepted, the price was agreed on, the day set for the delivery of the work and for the payment of the money, and bands made of each side for performance of covenants on both sides. The Poet at the day prefixed seeing and viewing the piece of Painting, could not find the man with the Gun, but all the rest of the work he found very artificially wrought: whereupon he entereth the Painters band into the law: He pleadeth performance of covenants: the condition of the band being read and the painting viewed, the Gunner could not be found: whereupon the action was like to pass against the Painter. Then said he, it is parcel of the condition of the band that the Gunner should not be seen: But yet said he, turn over the leaf, which cunningly was couched in the piece of painting: then appeared the Gunner very artificially painted, and also a great sort of the fables and tales of the Poets, before his time very cunningly wrought. And among them he had made very artificially a little Ant or Pisiner, with a Poet's hood about his neck, creeping out of a Cave under a great huge Mountain. I left the applying of the tale in both the po●utes thereof to him. I do confess that new vain confused and unperfect doctrine, without ground is odious and a sign of r●she wit and great folly. But seeing that both sides do claim truth, perfection, aunciantie and continuance, on their sides their methoodes and opinions being somewhat briefly laid abroad to the indifferent Reader, and after the original progression and continuance of both these Physics likewise being set down, I doubt not but he willbe able to judge hetwixt them. The chief points therefore be these.   

Chapter eight. Certain differenses, between the ancient Physic and the Physic of the Heathens.  
THE Ethnic Philosophers lay the foundation of their Philosophy upon Aristotle a Heathen and ignorant Master and teacher of the true knowledge of God and of his truth.  
The Chemical Philosopher layeth the foundation of his Philosophy in God's book, and alloweth none other principles of Philosophy, but such as be there sound, or such as may be deduced out of the same, or be not contrary to it.  
2 The Ethnic Philosophers ascribe the efficient chief and principal cause of things unto nature, which is in them, whereby they tie and bind God to the second cause, and take away his providence over his creatures.  
The Chemical Philosophers affirm, that all nature of things be only instrumental causes, not working of themselves nor principally, but depending wholly upon the power and commandment of God.  
3 The Ethnic Physicians do seek with mortal medicines (that is to say) such medicines as have corruption joined with immortality, whereof must needs follow dissolution, whereof cometh death, to cure and help the heavenly and ethereal virtue in man's body. And they seek to cure the material body subject to the worker and mover, and leave the worker and mover and his art and cunning unthought on, and not provided for, because his art and cunning is not to them known.  
The Chemical Physician teacheth for the perfect Philosophical medicine, to separate the gift of nature, the life, the Science, cunning and art ●● the worker & mover, (which he calleth immortal) and the artificer worker and mover, in a metaphysical body, from the corruptible material body, subject to the worker, into which it moveth and worketh therewith ●o cure and help the ethereal and heavenly virtue & power in man, which is the subject wherein life consisteth and shineth, by whose power and virtue the body subject to the mover is preserved and maintained, and by it restored, when the corruption thereof doth oppress, let, and hinder his operation. So that it appeareth that the followers of the Ethnic Physicians in ministering of their medicines, do as if they would go about to restore a fire, where is remaining a few sparkles, under green wood, by heaping on more green wood, thinking thereby to make the sparkles to kindle and burn, but they will not put more fire to the sparkles, nor yet use any means to blow then▪ to make them burn. And as if they would minister medicines to a sick man's house wherein he dwelleth, and not to the man that is sick.  
4 The Etnick Physicians lay their foundation upon the false Centre of Binarii and duality, which is the Root of contrariety discord and dissension, therefore most commonly they teach that contrary things are to be cured by their contraries.  
The Chemical Physician layeth his foundation upon the true Centre of Vnarii or union, which is the root of concord and unity. So that when any contrariety in man's body that is to say, any infirmity or weakness of nature must be removed or amended, which did rise, begin and grow by reason of the contrariety and inward dissension of the three substanties of Sal, Sulphur, and Mercury, whereon man's body consisteth, which have broken unity and concord among themselves, or exaited themselves one above an other, it must be done with peace and concord, and not with dissension & discord. One disease may not be added to another. And the Monarchy of man's body must be preserved by harmony, consent and agreement, and not by Mono●nachie. Therefore the Medicine ought to be such as may bring the sick body to unity, which can not be done by Binarii the author of discord and contrarieties, but by unarii ruling equally in three. But this doctrine the followers of the ethnics can not digest, because they know not the three substanties aforesaid, though by art they may be made manifest out of each thing to the eye and touch: neither do they know the concordance and agreement of the three in one, nor their exaltation.  
5 The followers of the Ethnic Physicians, be ruled by the doctrine and principles of Galen, Avicen, and such other.  
The Chemical Physician in his physic first and principally respecteth the word of of God, and acknowledgeth it to be his gift, next he is ruled by experience, that is to say, by the knowledge of three substanties, whereof each thing in the great world and man also consisteth, that is to say, by their several Sal, Sulphur and Mercury, & by their several properties, virtues and natures, by palpable and visible experience. And when he knoweth the three substanties and all their properties in the great world, then after shall he know them in man. For man is Microcosmus for this cause, that he might have the good and bad sickness & health of the great world. The right way to come to this knowled is to try all things by the fire: for the fire teacheth the science and art of Physic. It is the physicians master: it teacheth the Physician experience, by digesting, fixing, exalting, resolving, reducing, compounding, and such like. By this experience shall he find out the three substanties of all creatures in the world, of what nature, faculty, property and condition they be of. So shall he know all things by visible and palpable experience, so that the true proof and trial shall appear to his eyes & touched with his hands. So shall he have the three Principia, each of them separated from▪ the other, in such sort, that he may see them, & touch them in their efficacy and strength, then shall he have eyes, where with the physician ought to look and read with al. Then shall he have that he may taste and not before. For then shall he know, not by his own brains, nor by reading, or by report, or hearsay of others, but by experience, by dissolution of Nature, and by examyving and search of the causes, beginnings and foundations of the properties and virtues of things, which he shall find out not to be attributed to cold or heat, but to the properties of the three substanties of each thing and his Arcanum. Then may he use Lumen Naturae, and by means of that use his eyes in those things that he to be seen. This is the sure way as one of their own coat saith, it is in vain to leave the use and help of senses for reasons sake. And an other of the same stamp, saith: Experience is the masteries of things.  
6 The followers of the Ethnics in the nature of Simples, as Herbs, plants, roots, etc. father themselves upon Galen, Mesue, dioscorides, etc. and say it is written that in their Books. So that who is learned in their Books may proceeve Doctor of their Physic.  
The Chemical Physician trieth all things by fire, whereby the virtue, nature, and property of each thing appeareth to the palpable and visible experience. By this is found in Honey a venomous tartis●nesse, and much filthiness in Surgar. And in Arsenic excellent good medicine, wholesome and friendly for man● body, when the impurity is separated and cast away. By this means be found especiali things even of one kind only to differ from an other of the same kind. As the Rosine of one Country is not of that nature as the Rosine of an other Country. Wheat that groweth upon some ground hath the property of Garlic, or some other property according to the nature of the soil or ground either wholesome or unwholesome. And the things growing upon Mountains do differ from their like, or from things of the same kind growing on the plain. And generally each Country most commonly hath his proper disease (besides them that be caused of Influences) by reason of the food which we receive for nourishment, either of the vegetables which receive their nourishment of the resolved spirits of the minerals, or of the Animals which be nourished of the vegetables, in the soil whereupon they feed. Whereby it cometh to pass, that if a Physician do follow the opinion of Writers of other Nations, or be cunning only in his own Country and Region, he shall err in his medicine. So that Nature made manifest by fire and the right applying it to medicine, maketh a Physician according to this Arte. He that listeth to lean to Books, let him learn of those Books which Paracelsus hath most Godly and learnedly expressed in his Labyrinth. In comparison of which all other Authorities in those matters are small or none. Ars Signata also hath his place to give evidence of the properties of things.  
7 The Ethnics themselves that writ of Simples, etc. measure (as the plough man doth) the nature of them by their outward tastes and accidents, which perish in digestion, so few outward things keep their degrees, which the Hearbals describe, for the middle body doth blind the physician.  
The Chemical Physician in trial of the nature of things, first spoileth them of all their outward forms, qualities, impurities, and accidents, which be coverts and clothes of the virtues and garments, or ornaments of nature, because superfluities, impurities, etc. do come to bodies accidentally and not borne in them, in their first nature, nor be in them radically, therefore they are fugitine, by reason whereof it is possible to spoil them of their accidents, and by the fire artificial to purge and cleanse them, and to take away all their superfluities and extern things, meet for the ploughman to judge upon, leaving only their Arcana, inward and secret things remaining for the physician to judge upon. For mortification is the beginning of dissolution and separation of good from evil. Whereby the inward Nature and arcana thereof doth remain free from his accidents which then do show the very properties and nature of things. Aron called in english Coccowpint, hath a very hot taste in the leaves and root. Wormewod hath a bitter taste, yet by light digestion, preparation and separation of their virtues and properties from their bodies, they vanish away and be lost. It is otherwise in Ginger, because his heat is stable, lively and founded in his natural seed, virtue or property, and cleaveth to it steadfast. The Vitrum of Antimony is without any taste, yet for all that is vehement Purgation. Led like wise hath no taste, yet notwithstanding, a pleasant sweet Sugar willbe drawn out of it, comfortable or purging medicines, or such as cause sleep, can never be found out by their taste of heat or cold. The practisers in this art do find by experience by help of the fire, that each thing hath two natures, that is occultum and manifestum, and that manifestum is commonly contrary to occultum. By this means of the fire, they find Quicsiluer in manifesto is cold and moist. and within his occultum, is hot and dry, And farther that in each thing is good and bad: of the bad do diseases rise, by the good being separated from the bad, the same diseases are cured & helped. This good thing is Arcanun of that thing, and is in the inner part of the thing in occulto, and is not tasted before separation, as in Arsenic and poisons. And diseases caused by Quicksilver, Led, or any other thing be cured by Arcana taken out of them. Hony and Sugar have good in manifesto, but in occulto they have sharp poison, which can not be tasted before separation, Glass is hidden in ashes & Glue in leather, Therefore the outward tastes of the inward body of any thing doth not, nor can try the inward nature, virtue or property of any thing, which should serve for medicine. Even as the Stomach doth prepare all things put into it, and dissolveth, separateth, and breaketh all the accidents of heat, cold, etc. and searcheth out all their Arcana and ver●nes of the meat, because all other things die in the stomach: even so the Herb▪ Plant, etc. must putrify and die in putrefaction, and be borne again before it be a medicine. But the s●cend life which is after putrefaction is profitable for medicine. For a Grain doth not bring forth fruit unless it be first cast into the ground, and suffer putrefaction: so the stomach leaveth nothing whole or unputrified, but separateth, digesteth, and putrefieth all things put into it, but if they die not and putrify in the stomach they doc no good: but it is a sign of weakness thereof. So what soever of the Herbs, plants, etc. dieth or goeth away with the life thereof (as the outward ornaments do) whatsoever doth not remain after putrefaction, nor doth pass in regeneration that is not subject to the Physician. Therefore those things that let putrefaction let health. And unless all the outward things be spoiled there can be no knowledge of their natures. And unless all the old nature of things do pass into regeneration, there will be no right medicine. Therefore all the physicians labour and endeavour ought to be bend about the separation of the pure from the impure, and about regeneration. For from thence ●●●w Tynctur●s, Arcana, Quintum esse, in which be reposed and hidden all mysteries, the whole foundation true labour and care of the Physician.  
8 The Heathen Physicians and their followers say there be four humours in man, and according to those humours they attribute to man four complexions.  
The Chemical Physician saith, each member hath his proper humour not like to any of the four, but according to the c●●itution of the members, and their effect, each member possesseth his own humour. and that each disease consisteth upon one quality, and not upon two or many. And that there is but one heat, one cold, one moisture, and one dryness: because it cannot be proved that there is a double or triple cold, substance, hot, moist, or dry substance. Neither do those humours receive any anatony, nor yet can they be showed as the three principia can. And humours are dead things without life or power of life.  
9 The Heathen Physicians and their followers take upon them to discern the diseases in man, by the complexions, humours, and qualities.  
The Chemical Physician teacheth, if the Physician covet or desire to know the nature of man, with all his diseases, he must first know the diseases of all things which nature suffereth in the great world, by reducing those bodies into their three substanties: So then shall he see one disease in this kind of thing, in that kind an other disease, but in man he shall see them all. For by the Anatomy of the three substanties, the Seeds, Roots, foundations, causes, similitudes, and likenesses of the effects, pangs, griefs, and fits, which appear in diseases & sicknesses are known and espied. If he join these things together, he shall be endowed with the knowledge of all diseases. And the knowledge of the nature and effect of diseases of the great world pertaineth to the Philosopher. Thereby therefore shall he be a perfect Philosopher. And where the Philosopher endeth, there beginneth the Physician. And he that can know the nature of man and his diseases, and the efficient causes of them, as the Philosopher knoweth the causes of diseases of extern things (for that which hurteth Herbs and plants, etc. that causeth the like in man) and can bring nature to that point and pass, that it may be made fit and apt to help and cure the disease by extracting out of things in the great world that which is wholesome and fit, and by casting away that which is unprofitable, and knoweth the efficacy, strength and virtue thereof, and doth so apply and minister the same, that it cureth the disease, such an one is to be accompced a Chemical or spagyrical Philosopher and Physician. For Chymia and Medicina may not be separated asunder, no more than can preparation or separation from knowledge or science.  
10 The Heathen Physicians and their followers, attribute the causes of all diseases to dead accidents, uz. to the first and second qualities, etc. So they make no difference betwixt fire and smoke, betwixt seeds and their fruits, between substanties and their accidents, between the thing itself and his excrements.  
The Chemical Physician proveth, that there be spiritual Seeds of all manner diseases, endowed with lively power, which bring forth those qualities, & all other fruits of diseases, and their sundry kinds of griefs in our bodies, as the earth bringeth forth fruit by means of seeds in it. And that those qualities be only signs, colours and Symptomata of diseases. And though each disease be either hot or cold, etc. yet they be but signs and conditions of the disease, and not the disease itself. But all diseases are in the three substanties of Sal, Sulphur, and Mercury. For the spirits or spiritual essent●es being kindled, resolved, sublimed, and brought to action, do ascribe the cause of their operations and actions to those principia. Yet it is to be understanded, that some greeses do come to man which be not properly diseases but lesiones or hurts.  
11 The Heathen likewise measure their medicines according to those accidental qualities aforesaid.  
The Chemical Physicians in their medicines consider the essential virtues and actions of the medicines not the qualities accidental. But the followers of the Ethnics themselves in taking one hot thing before an other, as Pepper before Camamil, etc. and one cold thing before an other, do testify sufficiently that they seek not heat nor cold, but Arcana which they think to be degrees. Therefore the Chemical Physicians consider the nature of things, and not the humours or qualities, their seeds and the effects of their Mechanical spirits: As whether they be Attractiva, Anodymae, Abstergentia, Aperitiva Constringentia contrahentes. Quale membrum principale respicientia: or in carne cartilagine ossibus sanguine Synovia, etc. operantia condensantia, conglutinantia, Corrosiva confortantia, coagulantia digestiva diuretica, dyaphoretica, dormire facientia discussiva expulsiva eracuantia, extenuantia, famen morentia gravedinem morentia, horrorem morentia, renovantia incidentia, incrassantia, inflamantia, incarnativa mundificativa mollificativa maturantia, mortificativa, morbos quosdam respicientia Martialia Narcotica Nitrosulphureae nutritiva oppilantia purgativa penetrativa, retentiva regenerantia repellantia repercussiva resoluentia trahentia ulcerativa venenum repugnantia vomitum morentia and such like. Some curing of a wound they take things that have property to bring or engender flesh, without consideration of heat or cold. And for the Dropsy those things are to be taken which do expel Sal resolutum without consideration of heat or cold. And in Purgations Colocynthis doth purge without respect of the qualities. So in all Purgations the Ethnics themselves are driven away from their qualities accidental. Hereby appeareth the cause, why the followers of the Heathen often times, yea after their consultations, either know not what to do, or else determine often the worst rather than good for their patient: as when in a Mineral disease the toe or foot is growing towards mortification, because Balsamun humanum that should keep unity between the three principia, in that part is oppressed with impediments, as Gold in his Mine, and faileth there and is not mingled with that part, wherefore it cannot pres●rue it from putrefaction: whereby that part groweth first to a s●n●●l●sse Adustion: ●nd after if an unnatural heat do come to it, than it groweth to Gangreva: for cure whereof the natural Balm inwardly aught to be cleansed, and outwardly preseruantia, as Mumy or Balm taken out of other fit matter ought to be applied to it. Then regenerantia and renovantia, & not that painful cutting and mangling of that part of the body. Likewise in Caukrose and corrosive Ulcers they pur●e and evacuate moisture out of the body which should mitigate the corrosivenesse of the Salt, and so increase the disease. Also when any corroding Salt in the blood exalted hath fret through some vain within the body, whereby sometime the patiented avoideth pure blood downwardly they use Purgations, the next way to make an end of them, or else that shipman's hose and suprema aucora of the diet, the profitablest thing that ever they could devise for their purses, and not always for their patients, whereas sanguinem renovantia, dulcedines out of apt things rightly extracted, and potiones vulnerariae and consolidantia ought to be used. Finally, all things have their power and virtue, not of the qualities but of their nature which excelleth in them. Wherefore all virtue of things are their Arcana, that they may heal the diseases after that manner as they be caused.  
12 The ethnics doctrines standeth upon contemplation, Sophistry argument, opinion and probability of reason without proof, and commonly fight against experience.  
The Chemical doctrine standeth and founded upon experience joined with knowledge of the property, virtue and nature of every thing, and not upon the knowledge only of his operation and working, nor upon contemplation only but in action, not upon reason only, but upon experience, whereby his works be made perfect and truth tried. Thereby he learneth what man is, what the medicine is, how they agree in right Anatomy. For medicine consisteth in nature, so that nature is medicine, which ought to be learned in nature: and nature hath brought forth medicine by experience, so that by fire and labour the physician maketh nature manifest, wherefore without the doctrine of fire, there is none other school, by the which we may learn physic. So that experience and practice ought not to proceed of speculation, but speculation ought to be derived out of practice. This practice and experience teacheth that a medicine prepared by the heat of the Sun, hath an other power than that which is prepared by the fire Coles and dung, and that the heat of water and sand do work diversly, though they be outward heats: and that one medicine or simple, by preparation may be made to work divers operations, and made fit for divers purposes, as appeareth by experience. So that probability of reason only against true and perfect proof, found out by practice and experience, maketh the followers of the ethnics to say, that all medycins prepared by this Art, do get a fretting corrosive and hurtful property by the fire. For it by the fire the medicine doth get at the first any evil corrosivenesse, yet by operation and by degrees of working (to the skilful known) it shall not only lose that & have it clean taken away, but also it may be brought to the highest degree of operation and working, and made most perfect like to the ethereal fire, which nourisheth and quickeneth man's body, whose property is to consume all corruptions, caused by the elemental fire, and with his batefulnesse to restore the natural moisture which was consumed by the Elemental Fire. In these things labour and diligence is required which the followers of the Ethnics for the ease sake love not to hear of. Yet God which hath created medicine, would that the Physician should prepare it by his labour and diligence. For he selleth all things to us for the price of our labour: & he willeth us we should eat our bread in the labour and sweat of our face. There like probabitie of reason without knowledge of the working by this Art, maketh them to inveigh against medicines taken out of Metals, because they know not that before they be medicine, they are not reducible into metal again, but be volatill spirits: and they themselves being ignorant to get out such their nature, virtue and property by Art, are glad to seethe Gold, and steal in Drink or broth, and to give Gold beaten into five leaves in medicine, and to use Pearls and Precious stones (which be Minerals also) in power (which is their body) for medicine and sometimes the very bodies of some Metals: which is contrary to the Rules of this ancient Chymycall Physic, and think they do much good therewith.  
13 The followers of the ethnics do call the names of diseases only the humours, heat, cold, etc. which be only the signs of the diseases, not the matter or cause of them. So is the ague by them called and Agewe without any foundation in reason. For this name is derived of his heat, which is only the sign of the disease.  
The Chemical Physician taketh the names of the diseases of the matter, property and nature of the true substance (for all diseases are in the three substanties aforesaid) therefore the Agewes ought to be called the disease of Sulphur, of salt peter kindled, for this cause divers diseases are called tartareall diseases, because of the likeness of the property, that those diseases have unto the Salt of Tartar, which is most sharp: but the followers of the ethnics not knowing that Salt, are sore grieved for that name, and because the Chemical Physicians do lay tartar to be the cause of divers diseases. Or else the name is to be taken of the Medicine that healeth & cureth the disease: so by this means every disease hath his right name, and is rightly understanded.  
14 In the medicines of the followers of the Etnickes, no Anatomy is observed, but fantasy, for qualities accidental receive no Anatomy.  
In the Chymycall Medicines the Anatomy of the disease and medicine do agree and join together. He considereeh the amity, concord and agreement of nature of extern and outward things with man, and how they do receive and embrace each other, so is he cunning and skilful of the Anatomy: and of the concordance of the two Anatomies the Physician doth grow: so man is taught of the great world and not of man. This Anatomy maketh a perfect Physician when he knoweth the great world, & of that knoweth the disease in man, by the disease of extern things: and the▪ Medicine by the medicine, by the help of the Anatomy.  
15 The Medicines of the Ethnics and their followèrs do consist in gross and raw substancies, in which the virtues of the medicine be fast tied, bound and encumbered with hurtful baggage, and therefore hard to be separated in the stomach, and commonly they provoke the patient to vomit, or at least his stomach abhorreth them.  
The Chymycall Medicines for the most part be purified and purged by the fire, and the impure separated from the pure. And the virtue and pure part only ministered, and therefore may be received without offence: and that in small quantity, (because the virtue of each thing is small in quantity) but he ministereth not the substance and gross quantity or bodies as the other do, unless it be in some Alimentary diseases.  
16 The followers of the Ethnics in disccening diseases, & the original of them are marvelously troubled with the causes antecedent and conseqnent, and with signs repugnant, and agreeing, and such other very doubtful causes, tokens and signs. And so likewise in curing, they proceed without respect of the right difference betwixt diseases, vehement, long, circulated, rooted, and in places hard to be removed, and their contraries, with medicines gross, gross, gross, and sickly, even in such rooted diseases and in such places.  
The Cimycall Physician teacheth that the right causes signs and tokens of diseases, be founded in the properties of nature: their originals be by them rightly discerned. And that some diseases be Caelestes, other some be Terrestres, by reason of the lower and upper globe in man's body. And they that be in the upper globe are made mighty and vehement, and harder to be removed then those that be in the lower globe. Wherefore those Alimentary diseases of the lower Globe, may be cured with Arcana of vegetables, but if they be in the upper Globe, they require medicines of higher degrees of preparation. Likewise if the cause of the disease proceed of the Minerals or metals, they must be cured with Arcana of Minerals, because such will not yield to Arcana of vegetables, that is of herbs and roots, etc. But if the disease be caused by influences of the heavens, neither of the other Arcana will serve, but they are to be cured by Astronomy and influences. But those Diseases and griefs that come by supernatural means, will not be helped by any means aforesaid, but by supernatural means. Likewise the agreement of the Medicine with the disease in one degree, is thus by those Physicians considered, that the Midicine that hath the pure only separated from the impair, may agree in one degree, with the diseases of the lowest degree, of least danger, and in places of least apparel, and of least continuance. And Medicines that have that pure body sublimed, and a purer thereby separated from it, may agree with diseases more stubborn, of longer continuance, & in place more perilous. And medicines so sublimed, after distilled in the Sun, may agree in degree with diseases, most stubborn, and of longest continuance. For unless the Mecicine do agree with the disease in one degree, he can not prevail, because the weaker can not draw, consume, nor expel the stronger. In this sort doth the Chimycall Physician proceed from medicines fine and pure, to purer, finer, and most excellent, and maketh choice of his medicines as occasion serveth, by the reason of the cause, place, vehemency and continuance of the disease. Such medicines do not mould and putrify, but will continue in the virtue, a man's life. Furthermore, by operation and working according to this Art, you shall see with your eye, and perceive the reason, why one disease is vehementer than an other, why in one place it is more painefuller than in an other, why in continuance of time the disease is harder to be removed then at the first: why some diseases be vehement and yet continue long: why some be suddenly vehement and seone gone: Why other be long in growing: why some be extreme: why some be not, why in some places of the bady they he more easily removed, then in an other, whereby you shallbe led into the knowledge of that part of the body wherein the root of the disease lurketh.  
17 The followers of the ethnics in judgement of Vrin. (most of them) take upon them to pronounce of all diseases in any part of man's body, by looking on the water. Other some of them confess, that they be able to judge of those diseases only, which be in those parts of the body, through the which the Urine passeth. And some of them affirm that the Urinal is Meretrix and deceitful, yet all of them are contented to make gain of the looking upon the Urin.  
The Chemical Physician affirmeth that such judgement of urine is monstrous, and that the right judgement is to be had after due separation thereof be made by fire: so shall he see the matter of each disease and his medicine and touch it with his hand, whereby he shallbe able to give a perfect judgement if he be able to judge as becometh a Philosopher and a Physician. By this means shall he find the urine not to be Meretrix nor liar.  
18 The followers of the Ethnics, to purge spiritual tyncturs of diseases, do minister raw and indigested medicines, which draw from the stomach and other parts things necessary for them, aswell as excrements: And also such Purgations do withal purge humidum radical, and thereby do shake the body and weaken it, and leave behind them much venenosity, for lack of due separation. But in such diseases grievous and deeply rooted, or in places principal, or parts where diseases are hard to be removed, such Purgations do vex and torment the bowels (which have not deserved it) in vain, without any help or ease, because the stronger is not drawn of the weaker.  
The Chemical Physician knowing, that only the superficial and gross impurities, in primis officinis alimentorum will yield to Purgations, and be expelled by siege and stool, therefore to purge spiritual tyncturs of diseases, and also against diseases in places far distant from the first receptacles of our meats, or in principal parts of the body, he useth spiritual tyncturs for Purgations, which do purge radicitoes, within and without: that is to say, they take away not only, the superficial impurities by siege and stool, but also the deep rooted spiritual tyncturs, of long continuance and fine circulation, either by absolute and perfect consuming of them, without any sensible avoiding or expulsion, or else by mundifying and cleansing of Balsamum, and the Spirits and Elements of man, and renewing of blood, or else by dissolving, cleansing & sending abroad, the rooted spiritual tyncturs of diseases by urine, sweat and insensible transpirations.  
19 The followers of the Ethnics in their medicines, credit Recipe of Galen Avicen, and such other, though in these days the bodies of men be not so strong as they were in their time. And though diseases in nature do daily alter, and new are bred, which were not in their time known. And if they do not follow those old receits of their Authors, but make new medicines of themselves, yet they have none other skill, but to try them, and make their experiment upon men.  
Thè Chemical Physician calleth such receits, decipe, and willeth their followers to leave such receits, and to provide that the medicine do agree with the diseases in one degree. For if it fail in degree it faileth in cure. And as in manual operation he willeth his followers not to work before they know the nature of the work which they intend. So in ministering of medicines, he willeth them not to minister, before they know the cause and nature of the disease, and what and how much it wanteth of his proper nature, and what and how much it hath gotten of an other nature. For incognita causa, à casu procedit cura, to the knowledge whereof we ought to come, as the Alkimistes do come to the knowledge of the body that is to them unknown, and not by trying of the medicine in man. For, We his qui nesciunt experiri nisi in hominibus, as that worthy Chemical Philosopher and Physician Roger Bacon saith, and per effectus facta, & signa, causa tuenda est.   

Chapter. 9 The causes why this Art is evil spoken of, and findeth few favourers.  
BY these controversies thou mayst see gentle Reader, that most of the matters wherein the Chemical Physician doth differ from the Ethnics, and their followers be such as do not consist in opinion or dunsicall wrangling and arguing, as those of the Ethnics do, but in palpable sensible and visible experience, which is the masteries of Arts and Sciences, of which manner of experiences and operations the followers of the Ethnics are utterly ignorant: wherefore it is no marvel that they inveigh so vehemently against this Arte. For therein they verify the old saying, Ars non habet inimicum preter ignorantem. It is an unjust dealing for any man to reprove, hate, and with despiteful words to inveigh against that whereof he is ignorant. For love and hatred ought to proceed of knowledge, whether the thing deserveth to be loved or not, and not of chance. But when a man knoweth not whether the thing be worthy to be loved or hated, how can he give a ●ust reason of hate thereof, especially when the thing whereof he is ignorant may be good. Therefore it is great reason that a man should know what the thing is whereunto it leaneth, and appertaineth, before he hate it, or if he be ignorant thereof than not to hate it. Which of them knoweth what way to begin to separate the Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, from Herbs, Plants, and all other things as it ought to be artificially, according and agreeable to the properties and several natures of each Herb, Root etc. For divers and several Herbs require several manner of separations. plants have their peculiar separations: Mynerale theirs: Marchesies theirs. etc. Which of them doth know the several manners of Calcination, Reverberation, Cementation, Inceration, Imbybytion, Pa●tation, Liquefaction, Ablution, Sublymation, Exaltation, Contrition, Resolution. Putrefaction, Circulation, Inhumation, Distillation, ascension, Fixation, Lavation, Coagulation, Assation, Congelation, Fermentation, etc. And the natures and properties of these several works and operations, whereby Regeneration, Tuncturs, Arcana, Magisteria, Quintum esse, and Elixirs be had and gotten. Which of them can tell what transmutation of Elements meaneth: Eau any of them make ripe, the raw medicine, separate the pure from the impure, turn bitter into sweet, mittigat corrosions, heats, tastes, smells, Coagulations, etc. of medicines, and make them volatill and spiritual, to help and cure spiritual and long circulated diseases? For this cause Erastus and others not conceiving a right the meaning of Paracelsus, do imagine a construction of their own heads and brains of that they read in him, which is not agreeable with his meaning: and upon such an absurdity of their own devise, they make long discourses, and go about to disprove that, which is not affirmed, or that which they can not skill of. I would such followers of the Ethnics did in this follow their Prince & Captain Galen, as they do in the rest of his doctrine, which being demanded at any time of any Sect (being himself addicted to nove) whether it were sound or good or no, used to say, that he could not make any answer there unto, unless he had first learned all their decrees and determinations perfectly, and had gotten a brief method to judge them, for no man sayeth he can judge of things to him unknown. But alas, herein the cause of this Chemical physic consisteth in a desperate state, for though this Art be showed by work and experience: and experiences which do agree with nature, and do bring forth like actions, by the cause of all certainty, yet it may not come to that trial: for in the schools nothing may be received nor allowed that savoureth not of Aristotle, Galen, Avicen, and other Ethnics, whereby the young beginners are either not acquainted with this doctrine, or else it is brought into hatred with them. And abroad like wise the Galenists be so armed and defended by the protection, privileges and authority of Princes, that nothing can be allowed that they disallow, and nothing may be received that agreeth not with their pleasures and doctrine: & whatsoever is ministered to any person according to their rules and Canons, although it be to the destrunction of the patiented, must be reputed, accepted, ratified, allowed and accounted learnedly well and rightly done, and they are excused and discharged of their fact, by the law called Lex Aquilia. But as long as the uns kilfull and fluggish Physician may enjoy that immanity and freedom, and as long as it shallbe allowed in the Schools to be heresy and foul ignorance to speak against any partof Aristotle, Galen, Avicen, or other like heathens doetrine: as long as the Galenists may shroud themselves under the Wings and protection of Princes, Privileges and Charters, the cause of the Chimycall Physician must needs lie in a desperate state. And no man almost shallbe able to attain to the perfection in true Physic. As long as Scotus or Thomas Aquinas, and such other were so privileged in the schools, that no interpretation of God's word was allowed, but such as was brought out of them, or agreed with them, the cause of true Religion, and serving of God was in desperate state, and it lay oppressed and hidden. And as long as those that were nuzzled in such puddle, were maintained, defended and privileged by princes and potentates, it was hard for truth to show his face abroad openly. Wherefore if the Chemical doctrine agreeing with God's word, experience and nature may come into the Schools and Cities in stead of Aristotle, Galen, and other heathen and their followers. And if it were lawful I and commendable for every honest student to labour in the Philosophical searching out of the truth, by the fire or otherwise, and thereby either confirm and make manifest the truth by this Art taught, cather to add new things well tried to the old that be good, and then to reject the other vastard, adulterate, sophisticat stuff, and so join words and deeds together, then should there be no time spent in vain, and vain glorious babble and sophistical disputations, without due trial by labour and work of fire, and other requisite experiments, than should it easily be seen whether Galen and other heathen or the Chimests were most to be followed and allowed. And whose writings and travails were more available for man's health, either conserving or restoring, & who seeketh more painfully, faithfully, sincerely, charitably and Christianlike, for the certain help of his neighbour, and not for lucre or vein glory and pomp, the ancient Chemical Physician or Galen and his followers. Then as Galen the prince of their Physic sayeth, if men would not be sworn to the words of any master or teacher, they would choose out of each thing that were best, and would not be slaves to follow or name themselves either of Hypocrates, Praxagoras, or of any other man.   

Chater 10. The first authors of the ancient Physic, and the Succession and Progression thereof, to Hermes Trismegestus, and how the rest writing thereof yet extant.  
FOR the Authros, Inventors, original succession and progression of this ancient Chimycall Physic, whose study and use doth flow out of the fountains of nature, and is collected out of the Mathematical, natural, and supernatural precepts (as is aforesaid in the beginning hereof) it is to be understanded, that Adam by divine revelation, or by art given to him of God, did foretell of the universal destruction of the world, one by water, the other by fire. And no doubt he was endowed with singular knowledge, wisdom and light of nature, that assoon as he did behold any beast, he by & by did so exactly know all their natures, powers, properties and virtues, that he gave them names, apt, meet and agreeable to their natures and properties, whereby it appeareth he knew the natures and properties of things better than we, when we have spent all our life time in searching out their natures, which was a singular gift of God & pleased him mightily. The sons of Seth which were his Nephews, receiving wisdom & knowledge from the hands and delivery of their Auncitors, lest that the Mathematicals and that knowledge they had so learned should perish with the flood, did erect two Pillars, in which they did ●ngraue their learning, knowledge and inventions, out of the which they that should be preserved from the fluddde, might learn those knowledges, cunning and Art, ss josepus writeth in his first book Chap. 13. of Antiquities, which did see one of the Pillars that was of stone in his time standing in Syria as he writeth.  
Abraham the Prince of faith was borne in that Country, where those Mathematicals and other knowledges & learning was thus preserved, and continued 292. years after the Flood, in the year of the world 1949. This Abraham having knowledge in the mathematicals, which in his Country were preserved as is aforesaid, by the wonderful harmony of the world did ascend to the knowledge of the one only God, as some say. But rather, thereby he did see and perceive, the invisible things of GOD, that is, his eternal power and Godhead, by the creation of the world. And he being the mighty and renowned father of the elect nation, no doubt was a great Divine, as he was excellent in the mathematicals and other learning. But because the Chaldeans, Mesapotamians and Assyrians were moved and s●●rred against him, for Religion's sake, he left his Country and kinsfolks by the Command ement of God, and went to sojourn in the land of Canaan. From whence shortly after through great Famine, he was constrained to go in to Egypt. He there as josephus writeth, declared God to be the Creator of all things, teaching them the Sciences and mathematicals. By this means was the true knowledge of God and of the Mathematicals and Sciences brought into Egypt, the which knowledges the Priests of Egypt, successively, did after that profess. And they had divided among them portions of land, by Pharaoh's appointment, for their maintenance and stipend, as appeareth Gene. cap. 47. After that Abraham returned into the land of Canaan, where the Godly fathers did successively profess these Arts and knowledges. After this in the year of the world 2355. Moses that was so acceptable unto God was borne in Egypt, and was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, as S. Luke writeth in the Acts of the Apostles Cap. 70. And he doth there set down and make mention of that his learning for his excellent praise and honours sake. Saint Augustine saith in his Book, de Civitate dei lib. 18. cap. 39 that the wisdom of the Egyptians wherein Moses was instructed was Astronomy, Geometry, and Arithmetic, and surely it was that which before they had learned of Abraham. And although some of the Egyptians, as some of the Chaldeans did wander and stray aside in many foolish vain and superstitious speculations, yet some were contented, with the simple order of Nature, profitable to be learned and praise worthy, which is to be considered and marked in the wonderful work of God, not only in the places of the Stars, and in so goodly and beautiful distinguished variety of them, but also in their motions, powers, and secret offices and operations: whereof it is like that Moses made choice, abandoning and forsaking the other superstitious and vain doctrine, not deserving the name of wisdom. After these lived Hermes, or Mercurius Trismegestus in Egypt not long after Moses: For alas the great Astronomer lived in Moses his time, & was grandfather on the mother's side to Mercury the great, whose Nephews son was this Hermes Trismegestus, as S. Augustine writeth in his Book, de Civitate dei lib. 8. Cap. 26. and lib. 18. Cap. 39 In his time saith Saint Augustine, in Egypt the study of Philosophy, which did promise to teach that, whereby m●n might be made blessed or happy did ●he●●ly flourish. This Hermes or Mercurius was called Trismegestus, as some say, because he was the greatest Philosopher, the greatest King, and the greatest Priest. But Guydas saith, that he was called Trismegestus, because he held opinion of God near agreeable with the right doctrine of the Trinity. He did write divers works, as one Dialogue in which Asclapeus is brought in to think that one only God is the maker of all things, and confesseth the errors of them which found out the superstition of Idols, & doth prophesy in that Book that they shall perish. And in his Book dedicated tion among the Egyptians at that time. Now concerning his knowledge in profane Sciences, & in this Art which we have in hand, for his excellency in Philosophy (as is afore said) he had one of his titles after Maximus. For in his time did the study of Philosophy chief flourish, as writeth Volateran, lib. 15. Also in his first Book of 15. entitled libri Hermeicorum, he bringeth in a Priest saying thus. Dost thou not hear that our Hermes hath divided Egypt into his bounde●, and lotted each man's ground asunder, that he measured with a cord, and divided dikes for to water the grounds, and that he hath ordained, laws and rules, and that he hath named governors out of those statutes and ordinances, and hath appointed changes of buying and selling, and hath sat down the brief doctrine of the course of the Stars, and hath divided the Herbs. And that he hath invented, found out and taught with numbers or Arithmetic and Geometry. Also all Astronomy, Astrology, Music and Grammar. Others writ of him that he attained at the full, to all the parts of Philosophy. Bradeus in primo Epigrammatum saith, that Mercurius found out th●s● four, that is, Letters, Music, Geometry, and  
Wrestling. Dioderus saith, that this Mercury found out Physic among the Egyptians. This Hermes did also write divers other Books, as one entitled Pymander, of the power and wisdom of God. And other things in jamblicus proctus, and prophirius. Also an other Book entitled, Latromathematica, that is to say, meditations applied to Astrology, and divers fragments and little pieces be by him written, which be alleged and cited by other Writers, which be not extant. But among others his excellent work entitled, Tabula Smaragdina, or Sermo veredicus Hermetis, or Mercurii Trismegesti patris vere metaphycices doth sufficiently declare his excellent skill and knowledge in this Art, which is extant hitherto thou hast heard gentle Reader how the true knowledge of God and the Science of Chymia (from which medicina may not be separated) have been derived from Abraham the renowned father of faith, under the title and names of the Mathematical sciences, whisedome and Philosophy, unto the Priests of Egypt, and from them, unto Mercurius or Hermes, Trismegestus the Egyptian, which as hath been said, was called three times great, whereof two of those titles sleep with Apollo his golden Harp, that is by equal sweet and temperate motion in the said fire. By this means doth the Chemical Physician dissolve, make thin, elevate, and convert natures, and make perfect medicines: It should seem therefore that the Physic of Apollo was exercise of the natural virtue and power in man like to the ethereal fire, or else that it was not the gross Physic of the followers of the Ethnics now in use, but some pure medicine like to the ethereal fire, or a very simple fine and pure medicine, whereof the Binarii Physicians have no skill. And then surely it was not of his own invention or devise, but he had learned the same in some other Countries and brought it into Greece, and there practised it: wherefore it was accounted his invention there, or else he learned it of some that had been in some other Countries. For Eusebius and others do testify that Greece was barren and bare of all good Arts and doctrine before the time of Pythagoras, which lived about the year of the world ●4●6. And whatsoever good learning and knowledge they had, they got it from other Nations. As Pythagoras, Plato, and others did travail out of Greece, for to get learning and knowledge into Syria, judia, Egypt, Persia, and other Nations, which the Grecians do call Barbarians. And surely if his Physic was of his own and not proceeding from the Children of God, then was it not worthy the name of true Physic: because as Plato saith, he that is ignorant in divine things, cannot have right understanding in profane learning. As Apollo and Aesculapius, & all the Grecians at that time were without the true knowledge of GOD, and were Idolaters, and both they were honoured as Gods, and each of them had a temple dedicated to him. But it should seem by that Plato hath written, and Pliny also, that their Physic was altogether Surgery. Whereunto Cicero doth seem to consent in his third Book de Natura deorum, ascribing to Aesculapius the first invention of binding and healing of wounds. Sabellicus also & Strabo, do write that the old Physic was rude, and their medicines were such only as were found out by chance, to have helped any body, and such they did minister unto those that were sick of like diseases. Aesculapius did not meddle with bodies infected with inward sicknesses, but only prescribed to such a diet about meat and drink: as one did to Euripilus that was wounded at the siege of Troy, in the presence of his two sons Machaon and Podalirius: and as they two did to Menataus whom Pandarus wounded there, because they thought diseases did commonly come to man, either by external hurts, as by pricking, cutting, or bruising, or else did chance to him by evil diet, lack of exercise, and evil order of his living: therefore they thought it necessary to help them that were so hurt. But they thought as long as men used good diet, exercise, and good order of life, they continued in health, and prolonged their life at ease. Therefore Phocilides used to say, that the lively virtue and power of the body must be exercised whilst we be able. But Plato saith, that Aesculapius and others were of this opinion, that he which would not live in the appointed and accustomed rule and order of life, but by incontinency of living, did fall into diseases, was not profitable for himself nor for others, and that the Art of Physic had nothing to do with such, nor served for them: and that such ought not to be cured, though they were richer than Midas. And that it was against reason to think that men should need Physic for Rheums, Distillations, and for the griefs of the swellings of the inward spirits, which come through delicacy of living and sloth, and lack of good order in living, and therefore proveth that those diseases were not known to Mahaon and Podalirius, at the siege of Troy. Asclepyades also the Physician said, that health consisteth in abstinence of meat and drink, and in riding, walking, and running. Then resteth to consider what manner medicines they used in Surgery. I do read in Plato in the 31. Book and 3. Dialogue de justo, that when Pandarus had wounded Menelaus at the siege of Troy, after Mahon and Podalirius had dried up the blood of his wounds with their hands, they did anoint the wound with mitigating Balms or Ointments, and prescribed him a certain order and form of diet in his meat and drink. Whereby it appeareth, that the manner of their Surgery, was like unto that of the Chemical Surgeons, whose manner is with Oils and Balms to pacify nature, and to keep the wound defended from accidents, and to leave the cure to nature which is able then to be his own Surgeon. And more plainly to prove their doctrine, one Petrus Hasardus is sufficient witness, who in his French Epistle before the great Surgery of Paracelsus, writeth that as he travailed through the Country of Lyvonia, he arrived in a certain Monastery there, where he tarried two days in perusing the library, and there he found two pieces of the works of the same Mahacon and Podalirius, which entreated fully that Chemical form and manner of doctrine. About the time of Apollo, that is the year of the world 2697. lived Orpheus the Thracyan, and was the first that is remembered to have written of Herbs (as some say) exactly, and he found out remedies for many diseases. After him followed one Musaeus, his Scholar. After them lived Hesiodus in the year of the world 3111. After him lived Pronopis the Master of Homer, which likewise had knowledge of Herbs in the year of the world ●258. Thales Milesius lived in the year of the world 3379. and before Christ 584. He travailed into Egypt, and brought into Greece great knowledge in the mathematicals. Ameristus or Mamercus succeeded him. Before this time was one Sisyphus, otherwise called Theosophos, a famous Physician.   

Chapter 12. Of Pythagoras and his knowledge in this Art, and that he taught in Italy, and of his Scholars and followers: And of the medicine of Empedocles. And of 70 Books that Esdras was commanded to keep.  
ABout the year of the world 3434. lived Pythagoras, a Grecian famous for his wisdom and divine knowledge, and for his learning in the Metaphysics and Mathematicals, he labor●● much in Arithmetic, he brought Geometry to perfection as Laertius writeth. He lest divers rules of Astrological proguoslic●tion, and of this art some what, he found out Music in the stars, and derived the same to mitigate the affections of the mind: he did write of the effect of herbs. He travailed into Persia, Arabia, Aethiopia and Egypt for learning and knowledge: he was conversant with the Priests of the Jews, after he had once professed their Religion. After his return he taught in Italy. He was a great Cabalist. Some say that one Phericides was his teacher, which did first write de Natura. After Pythagoras in this learning & knowledge succeeded as his scholars and followers Telanges his son, after him Xenophanes, Archilas, Philolaus, Lisias, Parmenides, Leno, Eleates, Anaxagoras, Leucippus, Democritus, Nausiphales', Naucides, Epicharmus, Alchmeon, Epimenides. For Aeliames lib. 9 writeth that all the pythagoreans were studious in Physic, and many ancient kings and others before the time of Pythagoras were studious in physic which I do omit, putting you first in remembrance of Empedocles a singular Philosopher and notable Physician, about the year of the world 3308. Suidas writeth of a medicine that he used to minister, called Apnus, which was of that nature, that it would preserve a man's body 30. days without meat, that was speechless and ready to give up the Ghost, for so doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify. I think the Physicians the followers of the Ethnics will confess that it is no part of their profession to make such a Medicine, and that their gross medicines can have no such virtue, because the knowledge of such medicines doth depend upon Metaphysic and supernatural principles, which Empedocles, Pythagoras, Democritus, Plato, and divers others do maintain in natural things, contrary to the gross Physic. About the year of the world 3503 lived Esdras, to whom the most high gave understanding and commandment to write, and to whom the most high spoke thus. The first books that thou hast written publish openly, that the worthy and unworthy may read. But the last seventy books keep, that thou mayst give them to the wise among the people. For in them is the vein of understanding, and the Fountain of wisdom, and the river of knowledge, in which 70. books as some think, be contained the understanding of this art, out of the which the worthy from time to time have received the vain of understanding of this Arte.   

Chapter 17. That Physic which Hypocrates left in writing was not descended from Aesculapius.  
Now are we come to the time of of Hipocrates of Cous in Greece which lived at the time of the wars of Peloponensus which began about the year of the world 3536. Gesnerus and Andreas Lacuna for credit of their Physic, say that he was descended from Aesculapius, and that Apollo taught Aesculapius' Physic, which likewise did teach his sons which were called Asclepiades after their father Aesculapius, and so Physic by inheritance successively did descend from the Parents to the Children unto Hypocrates. And that it was not lawful for them to communicate the same to any man that was not borne of that family or kindred, therefore they that were cunning in that art, were called the sons of Physicians. And though his ancestors & kindred before him did detain their art in their families, & did not communicate the same to others, yet he reduced it into method, and did commit it to writing, that it might be common to all men. And therefore he is said to be author of method and princeps naturalis medicine, and the first that did write of Physic.  
That Hypocrates was descended from Aesculapius, I will not contend, because it should seem by ancient writers to be so, or else for reputations' sake they did term him of that progeny. But that the Physic which Hypocrates did leave in writing, was in all points the self same which Aesculapius did learn of Apollo his father, and which he did teach to Machon and Podalirius, and was delivered successively by tradition down the right line from them, to Hypocrates by the space of 800 years (for so long time was between Aesculapius and Hypocrates) is hard to be proved, because tradition of doctrine without writing, not cos●sting upon natural practice, nor continuing in one place certain, but at large, is no faithful preserver of the truth thereof, so many years, neither is it like that the issue of Aesculapius line could be known, and did not fail in 800 years, nor cease nor degenerate from the steps and studious love of that art of their Ancestors, neither is it like that Hypocrates would have broken his oath if it were true that goeth under the name of iusiurandum medicorum Asclepiadarun, or Hipocraticum iusiurandum, and would make that common which should have been kept so secret. But if the Physic of Apollo & Aesculapius was any other than exercise of Surgery, (as is aforesaid) than no doubt was their medicines simple, pure, and like to the ethereal fire, and therefore altogether unlike unto gross medicines that be now stoutly defended, (as is before declared) And that it may appear, that the physic which Hypocrates had learned, was not so precious, nor kept so secret in one kindred, line and family, as we are borne in hand, thou must understand gentle Reader, that Pliny in his 29 book, cap. 1. and Strabo in his 8. book do write, that from the time of Aesculapius, Physic lay hidden and covered in most thick darkness, until the time of Hypocrates, which did bring it to light by this means. For whereas it was the manner and fashion of those that were cured and delivered from any sickness, to write in the Temple of Aesculapius which was in Cous, the manner & form of their remedy, and cure thereof, to the end, that the like diseases might be by them cured, Hypocrates did write out these Medicines, and out of them began Physic. Here thou seest, gentle Reader, that the Physic of Aesculapius was not known at Cous, at the time of Hypocrates, but he out of the experiments of old wives, men and women of the Country and City, which were not kept secret, but by custom and usage were written and fastened to the wall of Aesculapius, his Temple openly to be seen, he derived his Physic: He wrote out those experienses of men and women of all sorts, he brought them into order. Out of the which afterward he drew Aphorisms and brief Rules of Physic. Besides this, it hath been said of some, that Hypocrates for envy that he bore to Aesculapius, did set a fire his temple, and so consumed the writings of the ancient Physicians. And besides them that be followers with them, it appeareth by Sudas and other writers, that before Hypocrates, divers did write of Physic, though we have not their works extant among us, as Democritus the Son of Caliphon, which was Aesculapius his Priest. Nichomachus the Son of Machaon, did write six books of physic and one of Philosophy. Also Hypocrates the first of the seven, which Suidas speaketh of, did write of Physic, Orpheus also did write of herbs, and so did Pythagoras and divers others, whereby it appeareth, that Physic was not kept so secret in one family, but it was at liberty for every man to see their writings. But this is true, that they which did write of the right, true ancient physic Chemical, did write darkly and in figurative kind of speeches, to the intent they would only be understood of the children of their Science. And therefore they did write filiis scienty. So they which were cunning in that Art, might well be called the Sons of Physicians, as is before declared. But to what purpose should any man writ darkly of that Physic, which is so gross? whose medicines be so common to old wives, and men and women of all sorts. And why should any man be called the Son of a Physician, for such Medicines, rather than the man or woman of the Country, which had done the like good with such a medicine as the professor of Physic did.   

Chapter. 10. That Democritus Abderites a Thacian did write of this art, whose books are yet extant, and of his teachers, Scholars and followers, and of some of their works yet extant.  
DEmocritus Abderites of Thracia, was in the time of this Hypocrates: He was old when Hypocrates was young, Anaxagoras and Lacippus were his teachers. Also he travailed into Caldea, Egypt, and Persia, for to learn their knowing and knowledge. He had a notable Scholar called Metrodorus, whose Scholar was Anaxarchus: He did write two Books, one called Magnus diacosmus, that is to say, of the government and distinction of the nature of things: and one other de natura mundi. He was skilful in all kind of Philosophy natural, moral Mathematics, Metaphysics, and Logic. He also did write one excellent work, entitled, Democritus de Arte Chimica, vel de Arte sacra, sive de rebus naturalibus & misticis, entreating of this Art, in effect like unto that of Hermes Trismegestus aforesaid, which is yet extant among us. Sinesius Pelagius, Stephanus, Alexandrinus, and Olympiodorus, four famous chemists and Philosophers, did write Commentaries and Expositions upon that work of his. After him of this Art did write Blemida Zosimus, and Archelaus.   

Chapter 15. That in Plato his time, the Priests of Acgypt were very skilful in this art. And that Plato did find that fault with the Physicians of Greece, in his time, as the Chemical Physicians do now with the Ethnic Physicians and their followers. And how Aristotle and Plato do differ in the natural causes of Effects.  
AFter these about the year of the world 3586. followed Plato in the mathematicals, Philosophy, wisdom, knowledge, virtue, and Eloquence, far exceeding all others in his time: He was borne at Athens, he did not only hear the famous Philosophers & Geometricians in Greece, but also went into Italy, Africa and Egypt, to learn the mystical Sciences. Strabo writeth that the Priests of Egypt, were so much esteemed and reverenced in the old time, for their wisdom and knowledge, that the most famous, and best Philosophers of Greece, did travail to them for learnings sake. They excelled in secret Seyences, which they called Cabalisticae, and did communicate the same to others, that were desirous to learn. All the Priests of the Egyptians, were Physicians, as Homer and Plato do testify. Plato himself when he travailed to them, with his companion Euripides, was taken with sickness, and was cured by those Priests. The opinion of Plato was this, that the Phi●tions of Greece, had no knowledge nor understanding of many diseases in man's body, because they were altogether and wholly ignorant in that which they ought chiefly to cure: the which if it be not well at ease, it is not possible for any part of the body to be in health. For all things either good or bad, be derived and do flow from Anima, (before declared) into the body and to every part of man, as they do from the head into the eyes. And as a man cannot cure the eyes, without that he first do cure the head, nor the head before the body be cured, even so the body can not be cured without you begin with Anima. For Anima corpus curate, is his doctrine in divers places. This he learned out of Greece by his travail. The lack of knowledge hereof, was in his time the cause of error of the Physicians of Greece, and so hath hitherto continued. This is the doctrine of the Chemical Physicians, which the followers of the Greeks and Ethnics, have no skill of, and therefore so much impugn it.  
Aristotle was in the time of Plato, and was his ungrate and unkind scholar. Wherefore Plato used to call him a Moil, whose property is when he hath filled his belly with his dams milk, then to kick at her with his heels. He did not only kick at Plato, but he omitted no man whom he did not taunt, reprove, or find fault with: thinking to gain and derive to himself so much glory, as he had taken from others, although he were more high and more excellent than others, and could see farther than any man else. Aristotle contrary to his Master Plato, referreth natural causes of effects, only to certain Elimentall qualities, and so vainly he doth attribute the power of life to dead things, and resteth in such a beginning and ending, in which ascending, by the doubtful care of natural things being removed from divine, man's mind is turned from them, which is the right way to Atheism. But Plato useth his natural knowledge in descent and not in ascent: for he doth demonstrate and show the natural beginnings in descent by the divine causes of natural things.   

Chapter 16. Of divers Poetical Fables shadowing and hiding the secrets of this Arte.  
divers Poets before the time of Plato, and also after his time did wrapp and hide this Art in Riddles, dark speeches and fables. As by the fable of the golden Fleece brought from Colchos by Argonautae, the companions of jason, in the year of the world 2694. by their perilous navigation, by the place where it was kept, which was the field called Martius, or dedicated to Mars, by the ploughing of it with Oxen, that breathed & blowed out fire at their nosethrills, by the ground which should be sown with the teeth of the Dragon that watched and kept the golden Fleece, by the bringing the Dragon a sleep, and obtaining the golden Fleece, they signified the practice of this Art, dangers and perils in this work, the purging and preparing of the matters and substance of the medicine, in the furnaces that breath out fire at the venteholes continually in equal quantity: the Quicksilver and Mercury sublimed, which should be sown in Mars his field like seed, which by often sublimation, doth so rise out of the matter contained in the Alembeck, into the helm or head, and in it maketh divers forms, figures and fashions, as if men were fight, and one killing an other. By these finally they signify the medicine obtained by labour, wherewith Medea restored Aeason the father of jason to his youth again. The Poetical Fables and dark tales of the Stones which Pyrra & Dewcalion did cast from them, which were converted into women and men. The Fable of Gorgon, which turned all things that he did see into stones. The Fable of  whom jupiter did turn into an Eagle and carried him up to heaven. The Fable of Dedalus, and his son Icarus, enclosed in Labyrinth, and the wings which were made for them of feathers fastened together with wax to fly out of the Labyrinth. The golden Bow which Virgil doth speak of, which being cut of, an other like to it did immediately rise in his place. The Fable also that jupiter being angry with his father Saturn, did cut of his prime members with a sharp Cycle, of the blood of which when it was fallen into the Sea, Venus was begotten. The Fable that jupiter did shake his head, whereby Minerva leapt out of his brain. The tale how Minerva escaped from Vulcan, taken with the love of Minerva, when he followed her hastily. The tale how Io (whom jupiter loved) was compassed with a gross and dark Cloud, whereby she was stayed when she was running from jupiter. The black sails of Theseus, which his father did see, for sorrow whereof he drowned himself in the Sea. The Serpent also that was engendered after the great Flood, whom Apollo did kill with an Arrow. The Fable of the Gardens of Hesperides, out of the which Hercules took the golden Apples, which were kept by a Dragon. And the Fable of Cadmus the son of Agenor, which killed the Dragon that devoured his companions, whose teeth he did pull out and sowed them, of which men did rise, which did immediately kill each other. And his building of Thebes in Boetia, after the manner of Thebes in Egypt where he was borne (as some say) with money which he got by this Art: whereby it is signified that this Art did still flourish in Egypt. All these and such other Poetical Fables, dark speeches and coloured tales, do secretly hide and cover this whole Art, taught by the Poets in Method and wrapped in Riddles: namely after Plato by the Poets Ovid and Virgil, which lived in the year of the world 3959. and four years before Christ was borne, which did chief excel in this Art, and did hide the same in secret speeches and dark tales.   

Chapter 17. Of certain Physicians that used Chemical Medicines: and of the three sects of phitions that were between the time of Hypocrates & Galen. And that the Chemical Physicians ought rather to be called Rationales, than the Galenists. And that Galen following Hypocrates 600. years did comment upon him against his meaning and words. And how Hypocrates agreeth with the Chemical Physicians.  
A Echines of Athens did use to help & cure the disease called the Qwinscie, the kernels grow in the mouth, and the inflammation that cometh by the same, and the Canker in the mouth, with the Ashes of a brunt man. This medicine he called Botrion, as Plini writeth, lib. 28. ca 4. Artemon also did help the falling sickness with the Ashes of the Skull or brain pan of one that was killed, and burned in the fire, by giving the same to the patient in water, in the night time as Pliny writeth, lib. 28. cap. 1. Aeschrion did help them that were bitten with a mad dog, with the Ashes of S●acrab●. These and such other experiments depending upon the foundation and principles of this Chemical Physic, do prove that the same hath had his continuance, until Christ's time and after. For this Aeschrion was Empericus and Galen'S master, who lived in the year of the world, 4139. which was after the incarnation of Christ 178. years, and after the time of Hypocrates about 600. ye●res. In which space of time between Hypocrates and Galen, our new Physicians say were three kinds & sects of Physicians, that is, Rationales the Prince and chief whereof they would have Hypocrates to be. The second sort be the sect of Emperici. The difference between these two sects they say is this, that Rationales do use both reason and experience, to s●nd remedy for diseases agreeable to them, but the other are only contented with the use of those things, which by often observation, they have found to do good. Although any man would enterprise first to make medicine, unless he were before thereunto moved by some reason, that the experiment thereof would take success. The third sort were Methodici, which as the new Physicians say, do refuse to search out the secret causes, nor yet do allow of particular experiments which Emperici do clean unto. But they reduce all particalar affects, unto two general, that is to say, to Astructum and Laxum: and they do affirm that all manner cure doth consist in binding the lose, & in losing that is bound. Yet these ought not to be condemned to have taught this without some reason, joined with some experience, before they established their doctrine. Therefore the Galenists do very presumptuously challenge to themselves only the name of Rationales, whose foundation doth depend upon a false Centre of duality and contrariety, contrary to the true Centre of unity, and upon the false and uncertain judgement by the superficial and outward taste and smell of things, whereby they take upon them to judge of the nature of them, leaving the inward and hidden nature of the thing unsearched, and not reached unto, they search, consideration, and knowledge whereof, doth only make a reasonable Physician, whereof they are unterly ignorant as is aforesaid. Therefore the Chemical Physicians to whom this search and knowledge doth appertain, ought rather to be called Rationales medici, than their adversaries: and their physic ought to be accounted vain, false, and uncertain, and not this Galen following Hypocrates 600 years as is aforesaid, took upon him to Comment upon Hypocrates, and contrary to his master's doctrine, set down in his book, de antiqua medicina, he attributeth the causes of diseases & their cures, to bare dead qualities of heat could, etc. which be caused and not causes. And so our later Physicians, following their Prince and Captain Galen that heathen and professed enemy of Christ, in stead of Physicians and healers or curers of sicknesses and griefs, are become warmer's, or coolers and bathers, whereas Hypocrates teacheth plainly and expressly that diseases are not caused nor cured by the bare dead qualities of heat and cold, etc. but by such things that have power to work, which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Wherein he agreeth with the ancient and true physic of the Chemists, which teacheth that diseases are caused, and all natural actions are performed by lively and spiritual vapours and Essenties, which they call by the name of stars & divers other names. And that they are to be cured by such as they are themselves, in finesse, power and strength, according to this Chemical rule. Necesse est ut astra fiant medicamenta, & astris ipsis, que morbos creant accommodentur.   

Chapter. 18. Of the continuance of this art in Egypt until the time of Dyoclesian the Emperor, and a notable monument thereof in Italy: and the spreading of this art into other countries: and of divers writers of this art between Galens' time and Paracelsus.  
AS you have heard of the continuance of this Art in Egypt until Plato his time, and from thence how it hath been derived into Greece and into other places: so also you shall understand, that it flourished mightily in Egypt, in the time of Dioclesian the Emperor of Rome, which lived in the year of the world 4252. and after the Nativity of Christ 292. as Swydas & others do write. And as this Art was brought into Italy by Pythagoras, and there continued by his Scholars and followers, so no doubt as the Romans did get and gather the use of the best laws of those Countries which they conquered, so did they also the best Arts Sciences, learning & knowledge out of all parts of the world, which they subdued to their dominion: as appeareth by the skill that Ovid and Virgil had in this Art, and divers others after them. And also by that most ancient Monument and wonderful proof of this Art of Chymia, that was found at Padway or Pavia in Italy, that is in an earthen pot, wherein were these verses written.  

Plutoni sacrum munus ne attingite fures,  
Ignotum est vobis hoc quod in urna latet,  
Namque elementa gravi clausit digesta labore  
Vase in hoc modico Maximus Olibius:  
Adsit foecundo custos sibi copia cornu,  
Ne pretium tanti depereat laticis.   
another little pot of earth was within this, mulierum, and Ludus puerorum, Rosarius▪ and divers works entitled, de Alchymia, and de magni lapidis compositione. The names of their Authors be unknown, and many others aswell in Print as in written hand.   

Chapter 19 That Theophrastus Paracelsus, was not the inventor of this Art, but the restorer thereof to his purity: and that he hath given more light thereunto then any other before him: and the testimonies of great cures that he did by this Art: and of divers writers and learned Physicians, which since his time have written of this Arte.  
AFter all these followed that famous and worthy Philosophical Chemist Theophrastus Paracelsus, whose pains were intolerable in searching out the secrets of Nature, and in setting forth and amplifying this Art, and in practice wonderful.  
He was not the author and inventor of this art as the followers of the Ethnics physic do imagine, as by the former writers may appear, no more than Wicklife, Luther, Oecolampadius, Swinglius, Calvin, etc. were the Author and inventors of the Gospel and religion in Christ's Church, when they restored it to his purity, according to God's word, and disclosed, opened and expelled the Clouds of the Romish religion, which long time had shadowed and darkened the truth of the word of God. And no more than Nicholaus Copernicus, which lived at the time of this Paracelsus, and restored to us the place of the stars according to the truth, as experience & true observation doth teach is to be called the author and inventor of the motions of the stars, which long before were taught by Ptolomeus Rules Astronomical, and Tables for Motions and Places of the stars and by others, whose Tables of motions of the stars by long excess of time grew to be unperfect (which imperfections by Copernicus his observations were disclosed, opened and brought to the former purity, nor yet is the law of nature in the starry motions, now though newly and lately we have the old tables reform, and truth lively restored. Neither was any Country or people at any time tied and fast bound to one kind of Salve, Oyutment or Medicine, but it was lawful and needful for men to search and find out, and to add better to that was in use, and to alter the same, though it were unlike and contrary to that was before used. So that latter ages have always added somewhat to the former and new diseases require new Medicines. And so much the rather, for that by the Ethnics physic, old and common diseases have not their certain remedies, as the Gout, the Leprosy, the Dropsy, the falling sickness, nay now and then the Quarteyne and black Jaundice, yea, what ado sometime doth the silly toatheach make among them to cure it, nay what disputations and mutes are to be maintained about the cause of it by their doctrine. Therefore true search and true proof by him made and revived, and true principles by him restored, are and aught most joyfully of others to be embraced & followed. But after the truth is found and established, then to seek or go about to alter, that is to seek after lacsings.  
His most enemies can not deny, but in Surgery and also in Physic he did great cures: and had great skill in preparation of Medecins. Erastus' his greatest enemy, in the Preface of his first volume to the Reader, hath these words. Studium & diligentian, quam in preparatione medicamentorum certorum adhibuit, nequaquam reprehendimus, sed vehementer commendamus. Again he saith. laud eum sua frustratum non velimus, dum artem preparandi & destillandi, quasi revocare ad usum conatus fuit. Such like commendatios I find in him, and in other of his enemies, though in truth this is no commendation of Paracelsus, in Erastus his mouth which can no skill of preparations of Medicines, according to this Chemical art. But in this that his most enemy is compelled to confess the truth of preparation of his Medicines, by reason of the success that followed in the ministering of them to his Patients. This epitaph graven in a Marble stone, reared against the outside of the Church wall of S. Sebastian at Salsburge, at the foot of a pair of Stairs, going down unto the Churchyard, there yet to be seen, doth show and prove what opinion they had of him which knew him, concerning his knowledge in Physic, which is as followeth.  

Conditur hic Philippus Theophrastus insignis medicine doctor, qui dira illa vulnera, Lepram, Podagram, Hidropisin, aliaque insanabilia corporis contagia mirifica arte sustulit, ac bona sua in pauperes distribuenda collocandaque ordinavit. Anno Domini 1541. die Septembris 24. Vitam cum morte mutavit.  
Pax vivis requies aeterna sepultis.   

He in his life time was had in such reverence, (as it is written of him) that some called him Rabbi Moses: Some called him Hypocrates: some Esculapius: some Monarcham perpetuum. Othersome called his doctrine a natural Gospel, the storehouse of truth. Othersome did not stick to affirm that the world had not his like. It is credibly wri●ten of him that he healed twelve Leapors at Norymberge openly brought to him. Cyriacus jacobus Typographus, in an Epistle dedicatory to the mighty Prince Otto, Countipalatine of Rhine, and Duke of Bayerland, writeth this, if his Latm be Englished: They which have the things yet in fresh remembrance, do report that not long ago there was one Theophrastus of Transsiluania, who having knowledge in the secret mysteries of this art, found out a matter (which without doubt the old and ancient Philosophers, the searchers out of nature, hiding by dark parrables, and covert speeches: would signify and give the world warning of) and in applying & ministering the same to man's body he hath performed wouderful, & almost divive things: for he doubted not by the means of that thing, to cure those three most grievous dezeses (that is to say) the Gout, Leprosy, & falling sickness, besides all other dezeses, wherein he did wonderful cures. There be a great number of learned Philosophers and Physicians, as well such as wear Galenists, as others, which at this day do embrace, follow, and practise, the doctrine, methods and ways of curing of this Chemical Physic. As D. Petrus Severinus in Denmarcke Philosopher, and Physician to the King of Denmorke now reigning. An other is D. Albertus Wimpineus a Physician also and Philosopher, whose patron is that noble Prince Albert Paltzegrave of Rhine, Duke of high and low Bavaria. He in his Epistle dedicatory before Archidopa of Paracelsus by him published in Dutch, doth reprehend the followers of the Ethnics, whom he calleth weening great Doctors, because they give so much praise to Aristotle Hipocrates Galen, etc. for their labour and travails, only to Theophrasus Paracelsus, they are not only vuthankesull, but withal they speak ill of him, and revile him, although he hath exercised himself more than any of the Philosophers or Physicians in the hid secrets of Nature, searched them out, known them & published them for the preservation and furdering of the long life of man, which their doing he judgeth rather worthy to be accounted wilful blindness, than judgement agreeable to knowledge and manhood. And he giveth this farther reason of their doings: For they perceive (saith he) when soever this Trismegestus Physic shall win credit and furderauce, that their authority shall fall to the ground: For they are ashamed after their doctershipp, and long exercised weening practice to learn any more of Paracelsus and his followers, not withstanding in grievous deceases, they have no knowledge, either to council or to help: Against all which dezeases Theophrastus hath left to his followers, true and approved remedies. After his Epistle he hath placed Paracelsus his picture, and his own by it, having Sentensis in latin adjoined. In the right hand of his picture he holdeth a Serpent by the breast the rest of his body writhing about his arms and hands: Over the picture, is the latin of this english placed. Questions framed upon thy principles (speaking as it were to Paracelsus) taken out of the pith of nature, we will in the light of Nature (being from God illuminated) resolve expound and we will establish the verities. Under this picture is this sentence. Sophister's always writhing, trembling and shoving to hear the voices of them which wisely charm them, neither are we afraid of, nor make any account of you, nor yet with their unlearned railing, are we any thing moved, standing on the rock of verity: others there be many like whereof I will name some as Adam Bodesten, Gerardus Doru, Michael Toxites, johannes Huerius, Leonardus Turneihisserus, josephus Quercetanus, johannes Chrysippus, Michael Neanger, Theodorus Suingerus, Theodorus Brickmanus, D. Rochefort and Lieband, johannes Gwinterus Andernacus: And a number of others favourers and followers of this Art, aswell of them that have written thereof as have not written sense the time of Paraselsus.    

Chapter 20. The true meaning of Paracelsus in dedicating his book entitled Philosophia magna to the Athenians, wherewith Erastus one of his adversaries is so grieved.  
BEcause the followers of the heathnishe Physicians do seek to de●ace this ancient t● Chemical Physic, by slandering Paracelsus (to whom the ignorant do attribute the first invention thereof) objecting against him, aswell heresy conjurations, lack of learning, as also hurt and danger of mineral medicines and obscurity in writing, I will briefly explicate some objections that be made against him, such as may give some light to the better understanding of him: And also set down some causes why he is not understood, by reasen whereof his adversaries run at large, when upon matters not by him thought nor meant, they persecute only his shadow and not him. One great fault is found with him for that he dedicated his book entitled Philosophia magna unto the Athenians, whichr Erastus sayeth be barberusse Tnrckes and Mahumetans. His meaning herein was that all Arts and Philosophy ought of necessity to have their foundation in light of the holy Scriptures as expressly in the 119. leaf of that book and in the 38. leaf and in the 45. leaf, and in the 48. & 84, leaf of the same book, he plainly teacheth and expresseth. And to be short in his book de Vermibus cap 5. he hath these words: In divinity especially in the books of Solomon, Prophets, and in the new testament all Arts both natural and supernatural be contained, out of them we may learn them. For in them is hidden the high treasure of the whole world though it be hidden from the simple men: And because the original & cause of all creatures doth proceed only from God, therefore God only is to be sought for, in him only Art doth consist, he only is to be considered, of him and his word all Art is to be learned. Wherefore Paracelsus considering that the blindness among us Christians, in the true foundation of Philosophy (which seek it of the Heathen which be only gessers at the truth being not taught by God's word) is as great, as the ignorance of the Athenians was in the time of Saint Paul, in the true worshipping of God, therefore be calleth us Athenians: And therefore he layeth the foundation of Philosophy in the light of the holy Scripture. The effect of that doctrine which Saint Paul did preach to the Athenians Acts 17. was that God made the world and all things therein etc. seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things: And hath made of one blood all mankind to dwell in all the face of the earth and hath assigned the times which wear ordained before, and the bands of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if so be they might have groped after him, and found him, though doubtless he be not far from every one of us: for in him we live, move and have our being, as also certain of your own Poets have said etc. how the doctrine of Paracelsus doth agree with that of Saint Paul, appeareth by that followeth: For in the same book, the first words of the same treatise be these, All things are of God, therefore the power & virtue of herbs be of God. The bringing forth of the Herbs is natural, but the bringing forth of his virtue is not natural: For as God is not natural, neither be the virtues natural. All power and virtue is increate, because God is without beginning increate. For all virtues and power wear in God of heaven and earth, when the spirit of God was carried upon the waters, even so likewise when the heaven and earth shall perish, all virtues shall return to God again, because they had no beginning, but the visible matter of each thing is increat for they were not in the beginning with God, for he created them of nothing, & endued them with life and virtue.  
Saint Augustine in his third book De trinitate, hath the like doctrine, saying, virtus dei in terius operatur ista creanda, againt, he saith, Deus interius creans & formaus. Also the first words of the prologue of the same book, be these. There be two sorts of influences of things, one is of the creatures, as of Heaven. Spirits etc. the other proceedeth & cometh to us emediately from God, which is the true influence. The first is Nature itself, and whatsoever God hath put in it. Also in his book de occulta Philosophia, he saiteh: The virtue & power of God is the cause and original of all creatures, and governeth all things: therefore we ought not to attribute and/ give the power of God to cratures, as the heathen do and, their followers. And in the said book dedicated to the Athenians, fol. 13. he saith the virtue and power of Stars, Herbs etc. be of God, yea, the virtue & power is given only of God to all things, wherefore he calleth Annimam and the secrets of Nature which be in Misteriis, whereby a man is healed and such like Magnalia dei, because they proceed only from God. And the influen●is of God his gifts and virtues be in Arcanis, and the influence and seed together bring forth all things by the grace of God. All virtues and power of things be of God only, The work of stars is like to the work of the fire which doth seeth the flesh in the pot, and giveth no virtue to the flesh, it doth only seethe and prepare that which is in it: even as the Carpenter which buildeth the house to be dwelled in, but he maketh not the dweler, he fashoneth only the form, and the outward house with his signs, by the which each thing may be known according to his form and fashion. By these and such like testimonies which in many places, yea, every where almost in his works be found he showeth that the Philosophy which he teacheth is agreeable to that which S. Paul teacheth the Athenians, that God dwelleth not far from every one of us: so sayeth the psalmist, thou art near us O God, and all thy commandiments are truth. The Prophet likewise saienh, I am God near at hand, and not God a far of, sateth the Lord. Yet the great●elle of the d●●me power is not straightened in spaces or limits, but is every where, as the invisible and incorporal soul is diffused and dispersed into all the members & parts of the body, and is not absent from amny several part, although it have one private and principal seat in the whole body, yet it is diffused and dispersed into the veins, fingers and other parts: And if any member of the body be corrupt, and need to be cut of, because that member being dead by defect, hath not his proper use, that furshe which is rotten and▪ corrupt is cut of, without any detriment of the Soul, even so the invisible, incorpe● all and immeasurable God, we do understand to be in this corporal & cu●●mscriptible world, and suf●erith no detriment, by the death or rather dissolution of any thing therein: he pass the through all things and ail things are full of him: Therefore both heaven earth show forth his glory: how is heaven that seat of God, & the earth his footstool, as the Psalmist saith: But that both in heaven and in earth his virtue might & power replenisheth all things. So therefore is God the parent of all things, repleneshing all the world, in the fullness of his virtue. This kind of Philosophy certain of the Poets before Saint Paul's time have confessed, as Saint Paul sayeth, for their great god jupeter or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they cawhed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying by this word that we live by him, for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much to say as to live: Aratus also the Poet said the ways, markets, gates and all things are iovis Plena, so said Democritus omnia plena diis sunt, all things are full of gods. Therefore Christians ought not to attribute the virtues power and work of God to Nature or other creatures, or to 
Origenes contra Celsum. lib. 4. ●o. 2. Fol. 84●.  dead qualities, nor yet the office of life to dead things: For this cause Selsus the heretic is worthily reprehended for attributing the creation and generation of one thing out of an other, as Bees out of one Ox, Wasps out of a Horse etc. to the temperature of qualities of heat, cold, moisture, and dryness etc. and not to the works of God: For to give life or to quicken belongeth to no creature, but only to the Divine nature, only God quickeneth all things, and the spirit of God giveth life to all things. For first there must be, quod est Vivere afterward Vita, because that Vivere is the cause of life, and life is the effect of living: for Vivere bringeth forth life by force of Nature there must be Actor, before there be Actio, for Agens begetteth Actionem, we must therefore confess that there is a certain might and power, whereby all things do live,, and as it were with a living spring, be watered and erected into life, to the end that they may live: And because they do live they obtained their being. God the Father which is principal Vivere, and Potentia vivendi, and that Son which is Vita, is that might and your and cause of all life, the fountain and original of living things, the which from him that is, Esse, doth give Esse and being to other things according to the power of that which receiveth, and that moderateth the power of living and substance accordingly. But this cause of life doth never forsake life: for his invisible things uz. his virtue, power, and providence, doth govern things visible, living and created, otherwise without that eternal and invisible virtue, nothing can abide nor continue steadfastly in his essence being & life: for when that virtue of God is taken away that governeth and quickened the thing visible, than it liveth nor moveth any longer, then hath it no being longer, then is it subject to corruption: therefore to give life, to live and to maintain life belong to the divine nature, so then they be eternal. For this cause the nature of the Elements, have not of themselves: that they can avoid corruption, neither do they consist of themselves, but by the words and spirit of God: If to live and to give life and to maintain life be immortal and eternal of their own nature, than were they not created neither can they suffer corruption: And if at their creation things be inspired with life (for life is the cause that things have their being) and creation he the work and virtue of the highest nature, and of the only God of all things: for immittit spiritum & creantur then it seemeth to be chiefly against the divine glory, to say that God hath given to nature or to any thing created and subject to corruption the office of creating and giving life and to bring forth things that were not: Likewise the secret operation and working of God giveth increase and nourishment to all things, and the inner power of the creator, which filleth both heaven & earth, giveth form, figure and moving to all things, yea, all those thnigs which we call natures of things which do work in this sort or that fashion, do not proceed outwardly nor are the working of creatures, but are the works of the high God whose seecrete power pierceth all things and causeth to be what soever is by any means. For unless he make it to be such, or in such sort, it should be nothing: Therefore it is not lawful to say that those things that be proper to the divine and unspeakable Nature, can naturally be in any thing made by him, or to attribute the power of God, to creatures, or dead accidents: unless you will understand, naturally to be the working of summa natura in his creatures, for this cause saith Paracelsus the virtues of things be not natural: And not only in that we are begotten and live but also in that we move, we have it of the might and power of God, so saith the Psalmist thou hast put thy hand upon me, that is thou governest, conteinest, makest, orderest, and bearest me. And if things live not and have not motum vitulem, or stuendi refluendi naturam, they be nothing: And that which lacketh to be some what, doth not hold and keep his being so that truly it may by no means be said to have being: for quies, bringeth forth nothing but motus, & agendio operatio doth frame to it self, that thing which is, or in what sort it is: And seeing Vita is motus quidam, hereof cometh being, and that which is exstant, and the substance. Hereof it followeth that the lively might ●●● and power flowing from the word, which is life that is to say from the Son, doth cause the material things to be seen, to have their being, and guieth to this being, in each thing, that which belongeth and is proper to it. Furthermore all things that be begotten or made, be made or begotten ex motu, but motus ipse, quo motus, before it be moved, is quies for it is a rule that contrarius ortus contrariorum fit, ita ut contrario ortu contrariorum, unde hoc ortum est pereat: as death followeth life, and of death, life riseth, and of esse cometh non esse, and of non esse riseth esse likewise of quies risethe motus, and of motus, quies. Upon this reason seemeth to be grounded that opinion which some do hold, that those things which seem here to die. do pass or go, ad non eus: But the truth is that the things which seem to die have their being: For seeing life is to have being, whereof riseth death, death also hath his being, if life risethe of death, likewise, if of that which is, is made that which is not, of necessity that which is, must not be, if that which is rise thereof, in like manner if there be ceasing, or leaving of, or quiet, of necessity there must be ceasing of moving, if moving be engendered This seemeth to be a strong argument, tothen which have not tasted true Philosophy: For hereby it seemeth, that by rising of the contraries, the contrary doth either die or else is to be though not to have being: but in truth it is not so, but clear contrary: For they both do abide, neither do they die concerning their eternal virtue: For in things vizible and material, if there be any death, it is the death of the body. But yet to come nearer to the truth, neither is there death of the bodies, in that they be material, but there is made a dissolution in that figure and form which is now, by a certain departure: therefore only the fashion & form of the body is dissolved. But those things do remain & have their being whereof those things which shall live, ●e repaired renewed and rise. For seeing the first and principal livyug, by his omnipotency is the cause that all things, that be or can be, have their life being and moving according to the capacity of the things and substancies, as they be parted and devioed, for every one hath his proper being, his own life▪ his proper moving from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: from Vivere & Vita, what can death prevail against close virtues and powers which flow and are derived from that fountain and line: Therefore seeing they be eternal, whilst they ●e in the matter or substance, if death doth only lose the composition of them, and separate them asunder, nothing dieth and perisheth utterly. Wherefore it is well said that of life cometh death, because there is a dissolving of that body from the power & ability of living: And likewise there is a repairing and a renewing from death by those guides into an other composition and things that is newly raised and sprung: For God doth create, when by his word, he calleth things into being. So the Father worketh even until this time, as our saviour saith: But the gentle reader must 
john 5.  know that I do not here speak of man, that his soul after the dissolution of it from the body doth pass in to another body: For his soul is created by God, therefore those things can by no means be understanded of it.   

Chapter. 21, Haw materia prima and misceria magna was the beginning of all things according to Paracelsus his meaning: and how all create were at one time in the increate.  
ONe other great fault doth Erastus find with Paracelsus, for that he sayeth that Prima materia and Misterium magnum was the beginning of all things by separation. And this mystery he saith to be increate hereof doth Erastus conclude, that according to Paracelsus creation, is nothing but separation. Though in this place and many other places of the same book ad Athenienses he doth entreat of the influences which proceed from God (as in the first entry of the same book he plainly confesseth) and of inward generations, & fruits, and of inward separations (for deep and secret purpose) yet if Erastus had dealt indifferently with him, he might easily perceive his meaning in other of his works, and also in this, where he findeth this horrible herecie, concerning the creation of vizible bodies to be according to God's word. For in his book entitled Paramirum lil. 1. cap. 2. he confesseth according to God's holy word that Prima materia mundi was Fiat: And in the same book to the Athenians he saith that Materia prima can net be perceined by senses: Also in that book Lib. 1. cap. primo he plainly affirmeth that the vizible matter of each thing was create, for they were not with God at the beginning: For God created them of nothing, and inspired into them life and virtue etc. So are we taught by God's word that in the beginning after God had created the heavens and earth, the earth was rude, void and empty, that is to say, it was imperfect and unfruitful, it brought for the no Herbs, Trees, nor Flowers, of divers colours ●or sweet smells, nor yet any other thing, which afterward did grow or spring in it. The heaven also at the first lacked his ornaments, and so did the water. The earth continued barren until God by virtue of the word had commanded it to be fruitful, whereby it brought forth Herbs, Trees, and plants, which have seeds each of them in themselves according to their kind. The firmament was empty until such time God the creator of all things had by his word made the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and appointed them their office, duty, and property. The water also was barren until the same word had made it fruitful, of living creatures in their kinds and made likewise fowls in their kinds, and blessed them, and gave them commandment to increase and multiply. Also God created and made cattles, beasts and all creeping things of the earth according to their kinds, and likewise gave them property to increase and multiply. For as Saint Augustine saith, if we consider the nature of things properly without Allegerye, this word increase and multiply doth belong to all things which do grow and come of seeds. These leeds saith Paracelsus have received by the divine word the power of mutliplying and transplant action their essence and properties. As Saint basil saith, nothing is in any herb or plant, which is not planted by the commandment of the Almighty. Of these Semina Essentiae of their natures, virtues, & properties, & their separations doth he here entreat. The virtues of things, saith he, were in God, when the 
Tract. 1. Folly 10.  Spirit of God was carried upon the waters. And they be of God and are not natural but God sendeth forth his influences, even as the sun doth his beams, which be divided in to diverse and wonderful virtues. And God replenisheth all things with his virtues: And God did inspire life and virtues into those things which he created of nothing. By these places and others to the like effect, it appeareth that he teacheth, that in the beginning the virtues of vizible things were united in their fountain, neither were they separated in diversity and multitude of offices: but after that by the virtue of the spirit, which was carried upon the waters, they were commanded to do their offices in the worldly ministration, they were separated and divided in offices, life, essenties, and beyngs: We need not here to imagine that these did proceed of Chaos, but out of the treasures of the divine wisdom: but even as the invisible virtue in a carnel hath a might, science, and power, able to work and bring forth diverse and sundry effects, which in winter do not appear but lie quiet, and in appointed and due time, bringeth forth the root, body, pith, bark, and bow, twig, leaf, fruit, and all these things, belonging to the Tree, and divideth and separateth them in just and true order, proportion, form, figure, and quality,: So in the beginning were all the virtues united in God, their fountain, until such time as by the virtue of the word, they were commanded to do their several offices in the worldly ministery. And as a man holding his peace doth secretly reason with himself, and doth comprehend in his reason all those words which after he uttereth and speaketh particularly in divers several sentences, words, and syllables, which words be received of divers hearers: So in the beginning all the might, virtue, and power, of things were in God, until the word proceeded from God, whereby they were distributed to each as seemed best to the divine wisdom. But these virtues and power of God are not invisible things, as the heart is in a beast, or as it is part of a beast, but they be in things, as the beams of the Sun be in those whereupon it shineth, yet the substance of the Sun is not in them, neither is God in part any where but in singulis totus and in onibus omnis. And as the soul dispersed through the whole body, is wholly in every member, and yet doth not give to each member his gifts, of his office work and ministery, but to the eye he giveth only the office of laying, and not to here, to the ear he giveth hearing and not to see, and to other members likewise: so god being Diffusus in singulis, replenisheth all things essentially, both above and beneath, within and without, and round about, and doth separate & distribute, to every thing, as it pleaseth him: As to a tree he giveth life to grow, & not to feel, to beasts he giveth feeling & not to discern: to Angels & to the soul he giveth to deserve, & if God do withdraw any of these things from any thing, immediately it shall be come unprofitable in the universal body, even as the member of the body will be unprofitable, & without use, from which God hath withdrawn his gift & virtue: Likewise God hath separated perated & parted the virtues of herbs & plants among them elves, giving to some vertus styptic, to others virtues laxative etc. And 
Peri A●chō Lib 2. Cap. 1. Fol. ●74. T● 1. Psalm 102. De cognition verz vitae Cap. 23. To. 9  so i● Minerals, A●●nailes and at things vizible, b● they divided in ●●ueralvertues one from an other: so saith old Father Origen God the parent of all things, for the health of all his creatures hath divided and separated to each thing here, ineffabilem rationem of his word and wisdom: And the Psalmist saith all his virtues be his ministers and workers doing his will. Therefore saith Saint Augustine, every creature doth feel God to be in it by somewhat. And because Paracelsus attributeth the beginning of things, as● ell to Materia prima, which as is aforesaid, is fiat, which I judge to be the divine will, & the first council of the spiritual motion, as to Misterium magnum, which he meaneth to be Christ according to these old verses.  

Adesto lumen rerum, pater omnipatens deus  
Adesto lumen luminis, misterium et Virtus dei  
Adesto sanct● spiritus, patris & filii copula   
It is manifest by these words, he meaneth God the father, and the son whom he confesseth to be the creator of all things visible, and from whom all Mysteries did proceed. For it is not to be understanded that God the father, did create all things without the wisdom, word, and virtue, that is to say, without the only begotten or God our Lord Jesus Christ. For so God said of the person, of the wisdom, vz I was with him making all things, sei moan eius coeli confirmati sunt, & spiritu eius omnes vires eorum: For the works of the son be the works of the father: and the father worketh in the son for so he saith, the father which is in me o●●h his work: and again I do the works of the father: So the father worketh only, working in him and by him whom he hath begotten. In this sort Christ that great mystery was the beginning of all things. And because all those virtues wherewith God hath inspired, things visible and material, do proceed and are derived from that fountain and line vz from the great Mystery, he calleth them likewise Misteria saying, that great Mystery, hath given, separated, and divided, to all things their general Mysteries. And sometimes he calleth the seeds, the receptacles of the virtues, by the name of Misteria like wise: But Erastus falsely & corruptly saith, that he affirmeth that all things did proceed out of Misterium magnum, whereas his words be, that all mysteries did proceed out of Misterium magnum: And that great Mystery doth give to all things their general Mysteries etc. And that which is eternal, is the cause of all things visible and material. God created visible things, and inspired into them life and virtues: so all things be of God, aswell things material and vizible, as also the virtues power and might of things, which he often calleth Misteria.  
Fordermore, whereas Paracelsus saith all things created were together at one time in the increate, as butter and cheese be in the milk and worms in the cheese, which after grow in it, and as the Image is in the wood before the carver hath made it. Erastus saith that this must needs be the Chaos of Anaxagoras. The true meaning of Paracelsus herein is, that every creature may justly be said to be in God, because without God there is nothing: but yet they be not so in God, that they be of his substance, or part of him: For it followith not, that the thing that is in an other, is that thing in which it is: For wine is in the bottle, yet the wine is not the bottle: The sun is in the glass and the glass in the sound, 
De cognition verz vitae Cap. 25. 10. 9  yet neither of them is that the other is. Saint Augustine teacheth by express words, that every creature is in the creator, and God is in every creature: for saith he even as if a man were at Rome, if he do think upon the whole City, and comprehended, and included all the City, with all the people thereof in his mind by imagination, it may very well be said, that Rome is in his mind, and his mind is in Rome: so is it truly affirmed, that God is in every creature, and every creature is in God: But to go a little nearer to the matter even as in a little corn or grain, all things be invisible at one time, which in process of time do appear in the stalk and ear, as the root, stalk, knots or joints, blade ear, blossom, chaff, brissels, and corn, and nothing riseth, cometh or is in the stalk or ear which is not derived, or descended from the secret treasure of the corn or grain: For all those things were first in the grain not in the hu●ge quaintitie, but by virtue and power which causeth all those things, and hath the coming to work all those several forms, figures, and things, belonging to the stalk and ear, in just and true order and proportion, by dew separation and divizion: as in the same grain all things were invisible which in time did grow in to the stalk and ear, so is it to be thought, in the beginning when God created all things of nothing, he had all things together in him which were made.   

Chapter 22. Of the separation of vizible and material bodies.  
AS concerning the separation of material and vizible bodies Paraselsus in his book de meteoricis axpressionibus saith, that in the beginning God created the iiii. Elements of nothing by his word, fiat: and that nothing was made somewhat by him, and was made into one substance and one body, so that all things were included in that one vz materia prima. After that he separated each of them out of that as pleased him, wherefore God did work six days, until he had drawn out, separated and form, out of Materia prima materiàs ultimas, that is to say all creatures, and had put in each of them peculiarly his proper nature condition and state, and placed and ordained him in his place and mansion, so that after that he ceased from creating: and all places were replenished with the number of creatures of all kinds and their Essentiis: Even as the Potter hath his earth or clay before him, in which be contained divers forms of vessels and instruments, for he may out of one lump of clay frame and fashion a thousand and more sundry fashions of pots and vessels: Likewise the Carpenter and image maker may form out of one piece of timber what he list, so that he know how to separate from it, that which is superfluous and not meet for the Image, so God did draw and separate all creatures out of one lump and matter which he made of nothing: And as the earth in the winter is bare rude and barren, without beauty, but yet hath in it all colours, as green, blue, white, with all other fine and noble colours and all other things, which in the spring and sommet do appear and come forth, which a man would not believe to be in it unless he did see than, even so all the diversity of bodies did proceed out of materia prima: This doctrine doth seem to agree with that place of the holy Scriptures which sayeth God made the world de materia infromi vel invisa. And with Saint basil and others which affirm that there was some what before this vizible world: And it avoideth certain objections, which certain heretics did make against God's holy word, and did ask from whom the water was, upon which the spirit of God was carried: for it was not written before that God made the waters and such like questions: for the water is not so called in this place that we should think it to be such as we can now see and touch, neither was the earth which is there called void and invisible, such as this which may be seen and handled, but where it is said in the beginning God made heaven and earth, under the name of heaven and earth, all creatures are signified, which God made and created out of it afterward: For prima materia was made, confused, and without form, out of the which all things were made, which were severally form: And therefore it is rightly believed that God made all things of nothing: For though all things were made of that prima materia, yet that was made of nothing: and that prima materia which God made of nothing was call Co●lum & terra, as it is said in the beginning God made heaven and earth not because it was so presently, but because it was so potentia for it is written that God made heaven after: Even as we may say of a kernel of an apple, that in it be the root, body, bows, leaves, and fruits, not 
Sapient. ●●. In hexam●. ho●●il. ●.  because they be so presently, but because they willbe so after. So it was said in the beginning God made heaven and earth, as it were the seed of heaven and earth, whilst the matter of heaven and earth was therein confusedly. And because it was certain, that the heaven and earth should thereof be made, therefore the same matter was called the heaven and earth. This is the opinion of Saint Augustine in divers places of his works: and in his xii. book Confessionum he saith God made this world de materia informi which he made of nothing out of which he made all things which be in this world: And an ancient Chemist likewise sayeth de simplici substantia, primordialis cuiuslibet elementii elementa que sunt materia naturae, fuerant pure creata cum divina separatione.   

Chapter 23. Certain notes and cautions given for the better understanding of this Chemical Peisicke.  
THus I have given thee gentle reader a taste of the dealing of Erastus against Paracelsus, he hath stuffed five volummes with the ●●ke stuff, for such matters in●einyg against him as either he is ignorant and unskilful in, and which he doth not understand, or such as he hath mistaken and for such as by him be falsely gathered, or perversely re●eited or craftily handled, and maliciously mangled, having either something cut from them, or some more added, or racked out of their place, or wrested to a wrong meaning which the place giveth not, or else which in some other place of his work he himself doth better expound and declare, and by such as be perfect and true principles of true Philosophy agreeable with the purity of God's word, contrary to the rules of the Ethnics, Paracelsus bo●●eth the riddles, parabels, & dark speeches wherewith he shadowith and hireth this Art, and the matter whereof the universal medicine is made, and the operation and working thereof out of the Scriptures: And because in such writing he must observe the sense of the Scriptures, and also therein comprehend the Doctrine he hath in hand, therefore be thos● phrases, sentences, and speeches, dark and subject to cavillation. Therefore who so ever will rightly understand him where he writeth of our creation, conception▪ & birth and also of Baptism, regeneration, both kinds of death, reserection etc. Must know and understand this ancient Chemical rule, that the Chemical work in part, ex creatione hominis derivatur: Generally in other places. where he doth not purposely entreat of Divinity he that will understand him rightly, must know and understand that he teacheth Metaphysical principles in natural things, then shall he understand how all things participate in nature, whereby the nature of the thing that is left perfect, doth desire and covite his perfection, and the one is made perfect by an other by reason of their concordance and agreement, which do participate together in nature for Natura, natura delectatur & coniungi appetit which is the cause of perfection. Then shall he perceive what doth join the Elements together in the work of Nature being so contrary, and wherewith they be quickened. Then shall he perceive how God worketh in his creatures, and how all parts hang together as it were in one chain. Then shall the reader perceive and find in his great Philosophy dedicated to the Athenians (wherein Erastus doth find so many faults) a treatise of the right & true observing the Sabbaoth day, wherein he hath taught delivered, and set down many good and wholesome precepts for the keeping of the Sabbaoth rightly in the plain letter there written: yet covertly and darkly, hath he hidden as many rules and precepts of true natural Philosophy in that treatise, as of the keeping the Sabbaoth, though in the bare letter no such thing appeareth, but filii scientiae may understand them: Therefore gentle reader in reading of him and other Chemical writers follow their own counsel and warning, that is search out their meaning and cleave not to the bare letter of their words, stick not in the bark and rind, but find out the pith, have not regard to the body, but to the soul and life of that which is written, otherwise thou shalt do the Author great wrong and thou shalt never understand him: and if in one place the Author writ darkly, in some other place some particular thing may be found that joined with the other may explicate the meaning, for they disperse their meaning in several places, to the end they would be understood only of the deligent and painful reader and not of the unworthy. As concerning his strange words and phrases of speech in his medicines and practice, they are to be learned, by manuel experience and practise by the fire, which is the Chemical physicians Schoolmaster, so shall he understand his strange words and phrases of speech by his meaning, but he must not think to find his meaning by his strange words and phrases: as for example he that would learn what this word Alcool meaneth, he must know what Contritio Philosophica is, so shall he find that it doth not signify a powder stamped and most finely searched, though he did wash it in water, and take the powder after the water be dried away. Again he that knoweth what Circulation meaneth doth know that these figures 3000. do not signify three thousand years: Likewise he that can skill to resolve each thing into his three substancies, and hath respect to the lively virtues of things and not cleave to the ded qualities, may find what Sanguinea, Cheri, Anthos, & such like be in Paracelsus▪ & would not call his dark words Diabolical as Erastus and others do, besides this he that knoweth that by diverse operations by the fire one thing may be made to work diverse effects, shall find the difference between Arcana, Essentiae Misteria etc. And shall find this rule true that Medicus in secunda vita averit a●tem suam. Likewise he that knoweth the work and effect of Putrefactio Philosophica, would not say that medicines prepared by the fire do get a Corrosive Nature or hurt by the fire, though it be by Calcination, yea the Chemical Physician knoweth by Fixation to take away all venenosity from things: And to take away their sharpness, by ablution, and solution. Besides this he that is instructed, that it is against the grounds and principles of the Chemical Physic to minister any Marchesitt or metal, to any patient inwardly, before it be made Volatile and Spiritual, so that it can not be reduced into Metal again, will not say that Vitrum antimonii (which purgethe and shaketh the body so sore, or the common Aurum potabile and such like) be mediciens warranted by this Art, or by Paraselsus, which so laborreth to teach the separation of the pure form the impure. But he would perceive that he is taught fustio spiritum & non corporum, but they would rather turn this accusation upon the Ethnic Physicians and their followers which stick not to minister the scales of Iron and Brass in powder inwardly, 
Aetius Lib. 14. Ma●heolus in dioscoe Lib. 5. Rondolerius  Some stick not to minister Quicksilver raw, some when it is burned into ashes: So do they minister gold in leaves, & precious Stones, brimstone & vitriell also in powder.   

Chapter. 24. Of the Celestial medicines of Paracelsus: and matters touching his person and ignorance.  
Erastus' doth besides these things find great salt with the celestial medicine of Paracelsus, saying they have their strength and power of the devils and evil spirits, and not of God nor by the ministery of good Angels, this he would have us believe upon his bare report, but in truth Paracelsus excludeth from the true, pure, and ancient Magic, and from his celestial medicine, all Necromancy, Sorcery, Ceremonies, Conjurations, and all manner of invocations of devils, Demons & evil spirits: And he giveth an especial charge that this Art be only used to do good, and not to the prejudice nor hurt of any body: and that it be done without Ceremonies, Conjurations, Invocations, Consecrations, Blessings, and allmaner superstition whereby it becometh ungodly. He saith that the devil can not cure nor help an ague, nor the tooth 
Philosophia magna tr●c 3. O●cul●a▪ Philoso. Cap. 2.  ache: And that the devil himself with all his legions hath not so much power nor authority, that he is able to break one po●t, much less is he able to make him: also he saith that evil spirits are Gods butchers and executioners, which do execute nothing besides the commission of their magistrate, that is to say, of the divine majesty, therefore he concludeth, that all conjurations be against God's word, the divine law and light of Nature, whether they be used to Spirits, Roots, Herbs, Stones, or any thing else: And that Nigromantiers, and Conturers, are like to thieves, living in woods, which rob and kill so long as God permitteth them, and no longer, but when the time is come when their wickedness shall be made manifest, and the hour of their punishment is at hand, then by one means or other, they come into the hangman's hands, which giveth them the reward of their work, so is it with the nigromantier and conjuror which receive justly their reward both in this world, and in the world to come: besides this he saith the devil is the poorest of all creatures, and most miserable, 
Occulta Philoso. Cap. ●.  and that he hath no money, neither hath he any power over money, therefore can not give that he hath not, nor hath power over: to this purpose I could allege out of him a number of testimonies, but you shall understand that the cause why he sometime useth medicines drawn out of Vegetables, and sometime out of Minerals, and sometime these heavenly medicines is this: It the deceases have light originals, or beginnyngs, of meat and drink, or other fruits of the earth, those may be cured by such medicines drawn out of herbs, or rather with their Arcana: and in such deceases if they be not long circulated nor in the remote parts but in primis officinis ciborum the gross medicines of the heathens may prevail or at least they may flatter some diceases: But if the decease be caused by Minerals, Metals, or Markesits, in the principal parts of the body, or in the Balsamum of man, than they must be cured by medicine drawn out of Metals, or Markesits, because such deceases will not yield to medicines drawn out of herbs or roots, etc. Because the roots of those deceases are not so soon resolved as the other: therefore they need pure spirits, for pascimur nutrimur, curamur natura Mercurii id est spiritu, saith an ancient Chemist. Likewise if disceases be caused by influences of stars, they are to be helped by influencie: And causes of invisible deceases in the invisible part of man: and those griefs and pains which be caused by supernatural means, will not be helped by any means aforesaid, but they must be remedied by such means as they were caused, that is by such manner of cure as hath power to work in to the invisible part of man. If Paracelsus some time would be drunk after his Country manner I can not excuse him no more than I can excuse in some nation's glottenie, in other pride, and contempt of all others in comparison of themselves, in others breach of promise and fidelity, in others dissimulation, trifling and much babbling: but let the doctrine be tried by the work and success, not by their faults in their lives.  
As for lack of method in his works, I say his books entitled Paramirum, his books de vita longa, lack no method. But if in any other of his works he did not observe method, he did it because he would disperse his mind in several parts, to the end he would be understood only of the Children of the Arte. The ignorance in the latin tongue is untruly objected against him: as appeareth by his books the Tartarus written in latten, and his epistles written to Erasmus in latten and by diverse his lectures: and by his commentaries upon Hipocrates etc.   

Chapter 25. The conclution of the Author.  
THus thou hast hard gentle reader, how this Ancient Chemical Physic, had his beginning from Abraham, or at least from Hermes Trismegestus, and after in the Egyptian priests which were kings, or of the kings blood, it had his continuance. From whom it hath been derived amongst the godliest and best learned Philosophers, in to diverse parts of the world, which have shadowed and hidden it in parables, and dark speeches to avoid contempt among the foolish and unworthy readers, and yet so that it should not be hidden from those which were meet to hear and understand such secreets and mysteries: Also thou haste hard how the new Physic of the heathen had his beginning of late years, in comparisonne of the other from the heathen and idolaters which were without the true knowledge of God. Thou hast hard also the difference between these two Phisiks, whereby thou mayest be able to judge, whether this ancient Physic be vain without beginning, as it hath been objected. Thou hast hard the explanation of certain objections laid against Paracelsus, whereby thou mayst the better judge of the rest, wherewith he is charged. Now I do crave of thee gentle reader as I have taken this in hand to do thee good, so thou wilt interpret my meaning to the best, if any thing mislike thee, do not pick at every syllable and word, but consider whilst mine eye was bend to the matter, which I did follow and entreat of, words may easily escape and be misplaced, especially with him which lacketh eloquence, & useth not to write. If thou understand not somewhat that is here written, do not therefore condemn it, but keep silence, as Pythagoras his scholars did, and be quiet, or else learn of others. If any thing herein shall seem to be absurd & contrary to thy mind, because it is contrary to Aristotle Galen Avicen etc. do not therefore reject it, but way it with an indifferent judgement, and take not all things for Oracles which the heathen have taught. And if any thing herein be amiss (for no man's writings can be warranted in all,) do not give judgement and pronounce definite sentence against the whole, by reason of some one particular. And if thou perceive my meaning to be Godly and sound, do not condemn me of error by reason of words, not rightly placed, nor aptly used, for error consisteth in sense and meaning, and not in sound of words. And though I writ not to the latter Physicians the followers of the heathens, that be practisioners, and wilfully bend against this Chemical Physic, because they be like knotty and bursae wood, not fit for framing timber, but will gnaw the line wherewith they be led, and grin err and show their angry teeth at their leaders, and will not now become scholars: Yet because this my writing can not escape their hands, neither can they well digest it, therefore I do admonish them that if they take in hand to answer it, that they answer each part thereof, and do not dismember it, nor put any thing to it, nor take any thing from it, and that they do not answer with railing scoffs, quips, mocks, taunts, and lies, as some ignorant use in their talk against this Art: And as Erastus useth in his writing: And as Bernar does Dess●ius a Doctor of Physic of Colen, useth against one Fedro a Chemist, after he was ded, which by his writing as seemeth may teach a school of scolding and railing: For such manner eloquence may not pass for proof among the indifferent readers, neither is it worthy to be answered, neither may the bare authority of Aristotle, Galen, Avicen, and such like serve for answer against the Scriptures of God, nor against the lively artificial proof by fire, following Nature, but with charitable words, and sound arguments depending upon God's word, the true touchstone that can not err, and upon unfallible experience by the fire, the physicians master, let the matter be tried: then no doubt some good may come by this contention to the sick, and deceased, which hath need of the Physician: and the doctrine of Physic, will exalt and lift up his head, and the truth of itself will appear, as fire doth by knocking of two flintes together: which the most high God of whom cometh all healing, and which hath created the Physician because of necessity, grant for his dear son Jesus Christ his sake, which is the life and truth.   
Amen valet 1585.