The practise of chymicall, and hermeticall physicke, for the preseruation of health. Written in Latin by Iosephus Quersitanus, Doctor of Phisicke. And translated into English, by Thomas Timme, minister

CHAP. III.

HAuing spoken sufficiently of the first and second beginning, that is to say of God & vniuersal Nature: God the first cause vsing that generall Nature as his hand∣maid: it resteth that somewhat be spoken of nature natured, that is to say, of that which is particular. To make an apt and conuenient definition whereof, let vs knowe that it is no o∣ther thing, than euery naturall body consisting of forme and matter. For of these two causes, and not onely of the causes, but also of the parts of the whole compound, all nature, that is to say, euery naturall body consisteth. For the Peripateticks do thinke, that whatsoeuer is the beginning of generation, ought to be called nature by a certaine peculiar right. And A∣ristotle saith, that the same, from whence any thing is made at the first, and whereof it hath the first motion, mutation is the very beginning.* 1.1 I say the beginning, from whence the es∣sence of all natural things ariseth. The which nature Aristo∣tle in another place defineth to be the beginning substantiall and the cause of motion, and of the rest thereof,* 1.2 in the which it is at the first, and not by Accidents: the explication of which definition he hath comprehended in eight bookes. And Aristo∣tle doth rightly call Nature, the cause and the beginning of internall motion. For those things which are made by Nature, and are therefore called naturall, haue a certaine beginning of motion, whereby they are moued of their owne accord, not by force. Whereby plainly appeareth the dif∣ference betweene those things which are naturall, and which

are endued with an effectuall spirit; and with power to worke by it selfe: and those things which are made by Arte, which haue no force nor power of doing, but are dead, and deuoided of all sense and motion.

By these things it appeareth, that things natural are called properly naturall existences or beings, and such as haue na∣ture. And they are saide to haue nature, which possesse in them∣selues the beginning of their motion, and of their rest: the which beginning of motion of euery thing, is either the forme or the matter, wherof we haue spoken. Forme, which is whol∣ly spiritual, hath all her motion likewise spiritual. So the soule is of this same nature in a liuing creature, the motions and sences plainely celestiall, spirituall, and a light beginning. Whereas the Matter is terrestriall, ponderous, and corporal, the other beginning of naturall motion. By whose waight and grossenesse, the body tendeth downeward, so as this kind of motion procéedeth not from the soule, or spirituall forme, but from the corporall matter, which is terrestriall and heauy by his owne nature. Hereof it commeth, that the name of nature, is giuen as well to Matter as to Forme: but more aptly and conueniently to Forme: because Forme doth manifestly giue to a thing his being, actually: whereas Matter alone can∣not performe that.

For not euery liuing creature, hath sense and motion from that body which is solid, terrestriall and ponderous: but onely from the spiritual forme: that is to say, the soule mouing the body, and informing it with the vitall vertues. As for example.

A horse is in act, and in truth a horse, when he neither mo∣ueth, leapeth, nor runneth: but these motions which are spiri∣tual, are the effects & operations of the soule or forme, where∣as otherwise the body hauing nothing but the lineaments, and visible forme, whereby it séemeth a horse is meere terrestriall, heauie and deade. Howbeit, neither the soule alone of the horse, can bée saide to bée a horse, except it be coupled with the body.

For both being ioyned and coupled together make a horse.

Knowe therefore that the Forme is far more noble and excellent then the Matter: and that Nature as touching her effects and operations, is of that power that it generateth, and giueth being to all things, it putteth matter on the formes, it beautifieth, and suffereth nothing to bee corrupted, but preserueth all things in their estate. Th••se her vertues, fa∣culties and powers, she very apparantly sheweth, when as she worketh and causeth all sorts of beings out of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and out of the seedes and beginning of all things, Salt, Sul∣phur, and Mercurie: and informeth with great variety of impressions of the vitall spirits, colours and taste, and with the properties of such kinde of powers and faculties, that it giueth to euery thing so much as concerneth the of∣fice and dignity thereof, in all sufficiencie. The which building and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of things, so apt•••• and conueniently formed in order, in number, and measure, wee may w••ll call diuine, not terrestriall and corporall 〈…〉〈…〉 same be naturall, according to the power which God hath giuen vnto Nature.

And yet wée must not thinke that God hath so forsaken the frame of this wor••d, that he sitteth idle, as hauing giuen such admirable and potent ••ffects to nature onely, according to the opinion of An••xagoras, Protagoras, and many o∣ther Athe••••••i all Philosophers, which acknowledge no other God but Name, as also did the Epicures. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it they be to be accused and condemned for so wicked an opinion, then do they deserue no small reprehension, which denie nature her partes and offices in working.

For the offices pecu••••ar both of her first and second cause, are to be attributed to either, according to 〈…〉〈…〉. Neither are these places of Scripture any thing repugnant. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 is God which worketh all in all. And againe: in him wee liue, moue, and haue our beeing. For albeit this is true, yet God hath appointed Nature as a meanes to fulfill his will, the which Nature hee hauing 〈◊〉〈◊〉

with the vertues of working, he by the same beginneth, fur∣thereth, and perfiteth all things. Therefore the second cause, is called Nature, because by the same, as by a vital instrument, God, who is the first cause worketh all things. For thus God féedeth men with bread, the which he hath indued with a na∣tural faculty of nourishing, that the nature of bread may be said to féede and nourish, whereto he hath predestinated the same, by the forme of natural bread.

Thus therefore these things are to be reconciled, that we acknowledge God to bee the first cause of working in all o∣ther causes, because hée hath made the causes, and hath gi∣uen power of working, and doth himselfe worke together with them, and that we belieue that hée stirreth vppe, prouo∣keth, directeth and moderateth Nature, by the power, force, and vnitie which hée hath giuen to her, to doe all things by her proper motions. So that we must séeke the cause and forme of all natural actions in Nature, which God hath made potent with spiritual vertues, by which it acteth and worketh in the matter: for that nothing can procéede from the matter it selfe being dead, which is Vital, or indued with the faculties of working.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Metaph. 5.
• * 1.2

  Cap. 1.