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CHAP. LXVIII. I proceed unto the Knowledge of Diseases.
1. Medicine is the most occult or intricate of Sciences. 2. Therefore the ignorances of past ages are excusable. 3. In what thing Diseases may inhabit. 4. The rise or original of Diseases. 5. Whence a Disease began. 6. Why a Disease is imme∣diately in the Being of the first Motions. 7. Why the essence of Diseases hath been unknown. 8. A Disease hath married a vital Being. 9. After what man∣ner all seeds do issue from the invisible World. 10. The rise of Efficient Causes, and the property of seminal Idea's. 11. All the seminal Beginnings of things, are from an invisible Idea. 12. How a seminal beginning receives its compleating. 13. The Ideal power of seeds is declared by their ranks. 14. Al∣though Death and a Disease began from the same Beginning; yet they differ, in that a Disease hath Idea's, but a Death not. 15. The Schooles will laugh at Idea's; But the Author carps at the ignorance of the Schooles. 16. He proveth their ignorance, at least by one Example.
I Have already oftentimes, nor in vain asserted, that Arts and Sciences have hastened unto a pitch; but that the art of healing alone, if it hath not gone backwards, at least∣wise, [unspec 1] to have stood at a stay, and to have whirled round about the same deceitful point. Hence also I have conjectured, that the knowledge of Diseases, and a Medicine depend∣ing thereon, was to Man most difficult; On which, so many flourishing wits have for so many ages, vainly bestowed their endeavours: and that thing I do not hereby conjecture to be from a contingency, or events alone; to wit, because the knowledge of Diseases hath even hitherto stood neglected: But because, in respect of the Causes, it is wholly invisible and unpassable. Wherefore although I tax the ignorance of the Schooles, I will not have that to be done by me, for a little vain glories sake, as neither from an intent of reproaching the whole Body of the faculty: Because it is that which hath not transgressed against me; but only from a desire of teaching Mortals: Not indeed that I perswade my self, that the goodness of God doth envy this doctrine for the health of Man, while as even from the beginning of the World, he hath dispersed his gift, by some, throughout the ages of the World; the holy Scripture also do most greatly commend the Physitian: But that most, through a sluggishness of diligent searching, and a readiness of credulity, have stifled in themselves that endowed or gifted Light: And so the Devil being the builder, it hath alwayes been super-structed on the false Principles of the Hea∣thens.
Therefore Medicine, the most difficult of Sciences, by reason of the invisibility of Diseases, and deceit much increased by Heathenish Theorems, hath not been penetra∣ble [unspec 2] by any acuteness of Wits; which difficulties, the invention and knowledge of so ma∣ny Simples, and preparations, appropriations, and applications of remedies, fetcht from thence according to the varieties and speedinesses of sliding occasions, hath increased; in every of which, they are on both sides, the invisible actors of their own tragedy: The which Diseases unless any one shall perfectly know, or hath obtained a super-excelling re∣medy, truly he shall spend his weapons at the effects, but not at the roots themselves. Therefore the gate of healing, hath even from the Cradles or non-age of the World, re∣mained shut, which my Talent received, hath commanded me to open (for of boasting hereof, it hath notably shamed me, God is witness) wherefore, I ought first to free the Hinges, and Bars from rust, that I might set open the Doores to those that are willing to