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. IIII

THis word (Beginning) extendeth very farre. For as Artes and Sciences, so also all other things haue their proper and set beginnings. Plato intreating of Beginnings, one while appointeth three: namely, God, Patterne, and Matter: another while he appointeth two onely, that is to say, that which is infinite, and that which is termi∣nable, and to be limited. By the word Infinite, he meaneth Matter: and by the word Terminable, he meaneth Forme, as bringing a thing within a certaine compasse, and restraining a matter excurrent within bondes and limits.

Aristotle varyed not much from the opinion and sentence of his Maister, albeit he declared the same in other wordes, calling that Forme which Plato named Terminable. And that which Plato called Infinite; Aristotle nameth, Matter: appointing Priuation, by it selfe, for a third beginning.

Let it not therefore séeme absurde to any, that we appoint thrée beginnings of all things, Salt, Sulphur, and Mercurie, as if it were thereby intended to ouerthrowe, by our consti∣tution, the beginnings of the ancient Phylosophers, whereas we ioyne and agrée with them. For if wée grant to Aristotle, his beginnings, what difference will there be betwéene him and vs. Wée admit (if you please) the distinction, by which he diuideth his beginnings, namely, into the first matter, into the simple matter, and into that which is remote, enduring all alterations of formes, or wherein there is power to bée made subiect to all formes, and in two contraryes, to wit, Forme, and Priuation: the which habilitie of taking forme, is in the subiect.

Wée graunt that these beginnings, of all other, are the more parciptible in vnderstanding than in sense. As therefore our beginnings, which we appoint out of which al mixt things are compounded and be, cannot by the Aristotelian Philo∣sophers be ouerthrowen: so in like Aristotelian beginnings cannot by ours, be destroyed. For all this whole world is di∣uided into two Globes, to wit, into the inferior Heauen, which is Aetheriall, and Airie: and into the inferior Globe, which comprehendeth Water and Earth. The superior, which is Aetheriall hath in it Fire, lightning, and bright∣nesse: and this firery Heauen, is a formall and essentiall E∣lement.

What things soeuer are comprehended in these foure bo∣dyes, which are the Elements and receptacles of all things, are eyther simple things, or bodyes, mixed and compounded of them.

They are simple which are without mixture, existing a∣part

and seuerall by themselues: of the which all things are made, and into the which all things are resolued. They are compound or corporeat, which both are made of simples, and into simples.

And simples may be distinguished into those things which are simple formes, and into those which are simple matters: or into those things which are simply formals, and into those which are simply materials. So bodyes are diuided into ma∣teriall bodyes, and into bodyes formall.

Those things which are simply formall are astrall and spirituall: the Elements are formall: Seedes are formall: and the three beginnings are formall: that is to say, so spiritu∣all, that they come not within the compasse of our 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

But the formal Elements (whereof we speak••) are they in w••ose closet the astral séedes o•• things, and the formal be∣ginnings, are defused and layd vp, as in their proper rec••••••••∣cles: in the which simple and spiritual Elements of seedes, and spiritual beginnings, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and quickening Scien∣ces, properties, and rootes of propagating 〈◊〉〈◊〉 increase of al things, lye hid, wherein also all habites, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and figures, qualities, quantities and dimentions, sauours, ••dours and coolours are included, which doe budde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and florish out of their bosome in their due time, by opertune ma∣turitie. And these simple Elements or beginnings, doe im∣brace the spiritual seedes, with so great simphathy and friend∣ship, and doe render to the Elements and beginnings, mutu∣al reciprocation of loue, that being brought by the parents in∣to some particular kinde, or forme, they neuer make an ende, (by the recordation of their vnion with the simple Elements) but that at the last againe, the predestination and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the natural bodies being consummated, they returne backe a∣gaine to their graundfathers, and great graundfathers, and doe rest there: euen as the floods passing and issuing out of their Element of the sea, & running in their course hither and thither, leauing at the length euery where behinde them their generation (or their wombe e••o••erated) they returne to their

beginning againe: wherupon by mutuall copulation they re∣ceiue new force and strength to increase their issue.

And this is the perpetuall circulation, by which the heauen is marryed to the Earth, and the inferior Elements doe con∣ioyne with the superior. For the continuall vapours arising from the center of the earth, being expulsed into waters, and being caryed from waters into ayre, by the attraction of the Coelestiall Starres: and also by the force and appetite of the inferior Elements to bring forth issue, and to conceiue from heauen, the séedes passing too and againe, at the last the Ele∣ments returne to their parents full and impregnated with Ce∣lestiall formes, and doe there nourish their séedes, vntill at the length they bring foorth in due season, and doe exclude their generation. The which impregnation commeth from no other, than from those astrall séedes, and those thrée seuerall beginnings, Mercurie, Sulphur, and Salt, furnished and fulfilled with all science, properties, ver∣tues, and tinctures; and doe borrowe and fitte to them∣selues, out of their spirituall body, a materiall, and doe animate and adorne it with their properties. For it be∣longeth vnto Mercurie to giue life vnto the partes: to Sulphur, to giue increase of body: and to Salt, to compact those two together, and to conioyne them into one firme body.

GOD the Creator of all things, made the world after his owne Image, which may plainely appeare in this, that albeit the whole world is one, yet it ioyeth in the number of thrée, being framed in order, number, and measure, in whose bosome these thrée simple bodyes were included, Salt, Sul∣phur, and Mercurie.

Therefore let vs compare the workes of God a little with the similitude of the Trinitie. The worlde is di∣uided into these thrée partes, Intellectuall, Coelestiall, and Elementall. The Elementall (to let the other two alone, as lesse known vnto vs) consisteth of Minerals, Vegetables, and animals: beside the which, there is nothing to bée found in

this world. Of Minerals, there are thrée differences, Stones, Metals, and meane Minerals. In like maner among Ve∣gitables, there are thrée sorts: Herbes, Trees, and Plants.

Also of Animals there are thrée orders, créeping things, swimming things, and flying things. If we should prosecute euery particular at large, wée shall finde this Teruarie euery where and in all the parts thereof. But we will consider of man onely in this point.

Man consisteth of Spirit, Soule, and body: as holy Writ testifieth. The Spirit saith, Hermes is represented by Mer∣curie: the Soule is represented by Sulphur: and the Body, by Salt. The Spirit consisteth of minde, reason, and phanta∣sie. The Soule hath thrée factulties, naturall, vitall and Ani∣mall. The Body is cut into thrée partes in Anatomie: to wit, into head, belly, and members. These haue thrée prin∣cipall members, wherunto others are subiect: the braine, the heart, and the lyuer. The braine hath thrée helpes to purge by, the mouth, the nostrils, and the eares. The purgers and re∣ceiuers of vncleannesse from the heart, are, the Midry••e, the Lungs, and the great Arteries. The purgers of the Lyuer, are the Milt, the bladder of the Gaule, and the Reines. So there are thrée principall vessels which doe serue the whole body, namely, the Arteries, the Sinewes, and the Veines. Further if we consider the head againe, it hath thrée skinnes. The braine hath thrée bellyes, two soft before, and one hard behinde. There are thrée principall instruments of voyce, the throate, the pallate, and the kernels. To conclude this point, if all these should bée disseuered and separated into their beginnings, they might be resolued into Mercurie, Sulphur, and Salt, whereof they consist.

Therefore these thrée formall beginnings, which we haue described by their offices and propertions, albeit they are more spirituall than corporall, yet being ioyned with simple Ele∣ments, they make a materiall body mixt and compound, they increase and nourish it, and preserue it in his estate vnto the predestinated ende.

And séeing the properties, Impressions, and faculties are inset and included in those beginnings, and haue those vitall qualities of tastes, odours, and colours hidden in them, how materiall soeuer those séedes be: yet notwithstanding they ra∣ther contende to come néere to Forme, than to Matter: but the Elements doe more cleaue and inclyne to Matter than to Forme. And therefore the Phylosophers call them properly simple beginnings formall, because they are more principall, adorned and inriched with the first and chiefe faculties of astral séedes. But the Elements, they call beginnings, mate∣riall simple. To the one, they attribute actuall qualities, and to the other passiue. And so of them both, as it were seconda∣rily and so neere as may be, all mixt bodyes are compounded and doe consist.

If therefore we shall throughly discusse and ransacke e∣uery particular indiuidiall in his kinde, and their generation, we shall finde that which is said to be true: namely, that some simple beginnings are formall and spirituall: others materiall, corporall, and visible. And that the Inuisibles are the Elements simple, formall, the astral séedes, and spirituall beginnings. Also that the visibles are all one and the same, but yet couered with a materiall body. The which two bo∣dyes, spiritual and material, inuisible and visible, are contai∣ned in euery Indiuiduall, albeit, that which is spiritual, cannot be discerned, but by reason of motion of life, and of functions, and yet is within it.

These visible and material bodyes are of thrée sortes.

• Séedes.
• Beginnings.
• Elements.

Of these 3. some are

• Actiue, as Séeds, and Beginnings.
• Passiue, as are the Elements.

The Actiue bodies of visi∣ble Séeds, wherein there is any vertue, are

• The séedes of liuing creatures, put forth by Venus.
• The séedes of herbes & trées, in their seueral cases & trunkes.
• The séeds of Mines, ouerwhel∣med w^t a great heape of impedi∣ments.

All which lye hidden in themselues haue Spirits.

The Actiue bodies of beginnings, haue

• Two moyst,
  • Mercurie.
  • Sulphur.
• One drie: Salt.

Mercurie is a sharpe liquor, passable, and penetrable, and a most pure & Aethereall substantiall body: a substance ayrie, most subtill, quickning, and ful of Spirit, the foode of life, and the Essence, or terme, the next instrument.

Sulphur is that moyst, swéet, oyly, clammy, original, which giueth substance to it selfe: the nourishment of fire, or of na∣tural heat, endued with the force of mollifying, and of giuing together.

Salt, is that dry body, saltish, méerely earththy, represen∣ting the nature of Salt, endued with wonderfull vertues of dissoluing, congealing, clensing, emptying, and with other in∣finite faculties, which it exerciseth in the Indiuiduals, and se∣perated in other bodyes, from their indiuiduals.

These thrée beginnings, were by Hermes the most anci∣ent Philosopher, called Spirit, Soule, and Body. Mercurie the Spirit, Sulphur the Soule, Salt y^e Body, as is already said.

The body is ioyned with the spirit, by the bond of Sul∣phur: the soule, for that it hath affinitie with both the ex∣treames, as a meane coupling them together. For Mercury is liquid, thinne, flexible. Sulphur is a soft oyle passable; salt is dry, thicke, and stable. The which notwithstanding are so proportionate together, or tempered equally the one with the other, that a manifest signe, and great analogie or conuenience is found in this contrarietie of beginnings. For Sulphur, or that oyly moysture, is (as I haue said) a meane, which with his humidity, softnesse, and fluidity or passablenes, ioyneth the two extreames, that is to say, fixed salt, and flying Mercurie: that is to say, the drynes of salt, and the moystnes of Mercu∣rie, with his viscus and clammy humiditie: the thicknesse of salt, and the subtiltie of Mercurie (vtterly contrary) with his fluiditie: which holdeth the meane betwéene stable, and flying. Moreouer Sulphur, by reason of his excéeding swéet∣nesse,

doth contemper the sharpnesse or sowernes of Mercu∣rie, and the bitternesse of salt: and by his clammynes, doth conioyne the subtill flying of Mercurie, with the firmnesse and fastnesse of salt.

Notes

• 1. Thes. 5. 23.
• Heb. 4. 12.