Sal, lumen, & spiritus mundi philosophici, or, The dawning of the day discovered by the beams of light shewing the true salt and secret of the philosophers, the first and universal spirit of the world / written originally in French, afterwards turned into Latin by the illustrious doctor, Lodovicus Combachius ... and now transplanted into Albyons Garden by R.T. ...

CHAP. 9. Of the specification of the Univer∣sal Spirit to Bodies.

THe Soul of the World, and its Acti∣on and Vertue, is represented in all things in which it is: this bindes and conjoyns the superiour things with the inferiour: for as many Idea's as the Heaven contains, so many seminal causes it obtains; whence, by the Me∣diation of the Spirit, it forms so many species in the matter. When therefore it falls out, that any one of these spe∣cies degenerate, it may, by the Soul within it, and the mediation of the universal Spirit, be reformed, and re∣duced to its former state; for the Spirit is alwayes at hand, and ready for all motions. In the mean while, we must not imagine that the intellectual Idea is attracted; but rather, that the Soul is indued with such a vertue, and al∣lured

by the material forms: which cannot seem absurd to any one; for it prepares every one his meat and nutri∣ment, because it is transmutable into all things by which it is sollicited, and wil∣lingly remains and resides therein. Zo∣roaster calls the Agreement and Har∣mony of the Forms, with the Soul of the World, Allurements. Whence it ap∣pears, That all things and kindes draw their powers and faculties from the Soul of the World, not all totally, but such as respect the seed or propaga∣tion, and the like, whereby they germi∣nate or encrease. An example hereof we have in Man, who, feeding onely on Man's meat, acquires not the Nature of Birds, Fishes, or the like, which he eats. Many other Animals also feed upon the same victuals, and yet every one attracts that which is proper to his species: so that it is worthy our admi∣ration, that out of the same Meat, Man can attract what is proper to Man, and a Bird what is proper to a Bird. And this is not because there are many and diverse Aliments in one and the same dish, but because of the species nourish∣ed,

which attracts and changes the nu∣triment proper to, and convenient for it self; by mediation whereof, it gene∣rates its like, by vertue of this Soul and seed, which is in it according to its quality.

But we must not think, That in the Machine of the Worid, the Spirit, Soul and Body, are things separated: for these three are alwayes united and conjoyned, as is apparent; and by this union, the whole Spirit and corporal substance become vital.

The universal Soul then, feigns and imagines divers forms, which the Spi∣rit receiving into the bowels of the Elements, makes corporeal, and pro∣duces. Hence Animals generate onely Animals; Plants, Plants; and Mine∣rals, Minerals: though not all alike: for Minerals, as I said before, generate not their like after the same manner as Plants, because their Spirit is co∣hibited by too gross matter; which Spirit, if it could be conveniently ex∣tracted, and conjoyned with Mineral matter••, would generate its like, be∣cause by its exquisite penetration into

imperfect Bodies, through the subtili∣ation of Art, and artificious Gradua∣tion of Fire; it brings with it pro∣per and Mineral seeds onely, not ani∣mal, because repugnant to its Nature: yet I will not say, That it wants the action of other faculties; but that it doth not demonstrate them, but ac∣cording to the species whereto it is accommodated: for else every thing would produce its unlike: a Tree would generate a Man; a Plant, a Bull; a Me∣tal, an Herb: which I speak onely in respect of the diverse specifications of things.

For if we consider the most gene∣ral Genus, it produces in all things its like, because, being Mercury, it assumes the Nature of all things wherewith it is mixed. But humane Art cannot effect that that is solely granted to Nature, which alone can procreate a species: Art may dilate and multiply it, if it begin its opera∣tion at the root of the species, as prudent Philosophers do; who, extra∣cting the Spirit from Minerals specifi∣cated, decently purified, and reduced to

perfection, render it apt to perfect im∣perfect things.

And an expert and industrious Artist perpending these things aright, may easily institute admirable Adaptations.