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Physicall Remedies or Medicines, should both expell the disease, and strengthen natu〈…〉〈…〉.
HEnce came that infallible Rule of Physicians, Contraries are cured by their Contraries. For Con∣traries, by the consent of all Philo∣sophers, expell and drive out one an∣other,
therefore it is necessary, that those Medicines which take away the Disease, be repugnant and con∣trary to the Disease: and for the same reason▪ they must be auxilia∣ries and consentaneous to our na∣ture. Upon which very considera∣tion, that famous principle of the Hermetists is grounded: Every like is cured by its like. Therefore Medicines, as they respect, or look to the Hypostatical principles, ought al∣so to have some correspondence with the nature of the disease, but in their Energie and effect, they must be ad∣versant and quite opposite. Thus the stone which proceeds from Tartar, or coagulated Salt, is cured by Salt, but it must be Analyticalor resolvent salt. The Joynt-gout also which proceeds from Tartareous, sharp and corro∣sive Salts, is cured by lenitive and consolidating Salts. In like manner, sulphureous Diseases must be cured by their proper and specificall sul∣phurs:
but to inflammatory sulphur that causeth Feavers, we must op∣pose acid, Vitriolated sulphur, which is a most effectuall cooler, and will coagulate and allay those incensed sulphureous spirits. Whence followes this Consequence.
That some Medicines may be corro∣sive, without any danger or preju∣dice.
But with this Caution, that they be so qualified, as not to work upon the innate, radical Balsame, but on∣ly upon that Extrarious malignant matter, which is the conjoyn'd and apparent cause of the Disease.
It is requisite, that of Medicines, some be Spagyrically prepared, and some otherwise.
FOr Chymical remedies must not be used at all times, nor in all Causes, but onely then, when our in∣ternal natural Alchymist is insuffici∣ent of himselfe to separate the pure from the impure, and perfectly to extract out of compound Medicines, that noble Essence in which the force and virtue, or spirit of the medica∣ment, is chiefly resident: or when there is a necessity in fixed and root∣ed Diseases, to use minerall remedies, that confirmed and obstinate Mala∣dies may be set upon, and brought under by such powerfull and active Medicines that will not be baffled. It is otherwise a foolish and needlesse imployment, to separate that by Chymistry, which nature her selfe
will performe with more ease and dexterity. And Nature knowes bet∣ter what is most convenient for her, then any Physician: for she makes use of her own proper fire, and Mag∣net, which attracts both from Phy∣sick and food, that which is conge∣neous, and most like to her selfe: whereas an Artist on the contrary, doth not at all times use the like fire, nor exactly in the same degree to perform his operations. For which cause, the true Hermetical Physici∣ans, do not at all times administer Minerals; but most commonly when they exhibite Minerals, they make use also of Medicines extracted out of Vegetables, or to quicken the opera∣tion of these latter, they give a com∣petent and safe quantity of the for∣mer.
All Medicines must be specificall and a••propriated to the Disease.
THat is to say, they must have in them by the gift of God, such a virtue, that is peculiarly proper, and designed (as it were) to remove those diseases against which they are administred. Whether they be uni∣versally so gifted, or particularly for some one sort of disease. That bo∣dy, or subject in nature, which will be easily corrupted▪ cannot be medi∣cinall for all diseases: and this is the reason, that out of such bodies, the true Philosophers extract onely spe∣cifical Antidotes, whose power or virtue is effectual onely against some particular kind of disease. That thou maist have some knowledge of those materials or ingredients which are requisite and proper to make such sp••cifical Medicaments, thou must
diligently read the Bookes of the Hermetists, De signaturis rerum, That is to say, Of those impressions and Characters, which God hath communicated to, and marked (as I may say) all his Creatures with. These Bookes thou•• must carefully peruse and all others which teach us the true and solid practise of Phy∣sick. But if it would please God to blesse thee with the universal Medi∣cine, these studies, and all other cures whatsoever, might be safely pretermitted. This glorious univer∣sal Medicine (without all doubt) is to be extracted out of such a sub∣ject, whose innate Balsame preserves both it Selfe, and the Body in which it exists from all corruption. This body is so adequate, and tempera∣ted with such a just and even pro∣portion of all the foure Elements, that the qualities of no one of them, can ever possibly corrupt it. If thou conceivest it may be bad in another
kind of subject, thou dost but play the fool and deceive thy selfe. What ever Nature hath, that she can give us; what she hath not, she neither will, nor can afford. To the wise man one word is enough. I speake out of the true light of nature: My Studies also hitherto cannot find a∣ny other Fu••damental of an univer∣sal Medicine.