Philosophy reformed & improved in four profound tractates.: The I. discovering the great and deep mysteries of nature: by that learned chymist & physitian Osw: Crollivs. The other III. discovering the wonderfull mysteries of the creation by Paracelsvs: being his philosophy to the Athenians. / Both made English by H. Pinnell, for the increase of learning and true knowledge.

CHAP. II. Where that True Physick is to be Found.

EVery thing that God created Good is ex∣treamly perfect and incorruptible, as the hea∣ven: but whatsoever is in these sublunary infe∣riour things hath a twofold Nature,* 1.1 a perfect and an imperfect, that is, a fift Essence and the dreggs may be separated one from the other by fire. Seing therefore the true medicine (or Phy∣sick) is wrapt up in rindes, barks, matrixes, re∣ceptacles, husks, garment and cottages, as Al∣monds and all kernells are covered with bark and rind (for Nature doth not bring forth the kernell of the Chestnut with a shell and prickly husk) it is of necessity that the same must be se∣perated from the impure Elements by the artifi∣ciall Anotomy of Chymists before we can come at the pure Medicine; For the bonds are loosed by art and industry, and the faculties of healing set at liberty.

Therefore in all orders of things that are che∣rished in the bosome of the Elements, to wit, in those three Families of Nature, the Vegetable, Animall, and Minerall (out of which are com∣monly

had medicines enough to preserve the health and cure all bodily diseases) there is con∣tained that True and specifix Physick of materi∣all distempers, which as hath been said, doth not consist in the four outward, naked, superficiary and Relollaceous qualities (as Theophrastus lear∣nedly discourseth) but it is a certaine specifix vertue concealed in the very Seeds, naturally proceeding without art, which the Creator, that great Workmaster of all things, in the be∣ginning of all the Creation planted in every growing thing by vertue of that omnipotent Word, whereby all things were brought out of darknesse into Light.

The faculties and vertue therefore wherewith mixt bodies are indued (like the soule in mans body from the beginning of the Creation) is not from without,* 1.2 nor infused into them by a mo∣momentaneous position of the Stars, nor made up of a fortuitous meeting of Atomes, it procee∣deth not from the body nor the mixture of the body or visible forme, for then it could not be separated without the destruction and corrupti∣on of the body and forme, as we see in Cinamon and Pepper, whose virtues being extracted either by art, or vanishing by age and long keeping. For as all Naturall actions proceed from Spirits and spirituall Tinctures, in which the mecanick sciences of the Three principles have their vi∣gour; so the actions of Cures proceed from the Spirits and vitall Tinctures of the spirits, not from the bodies or dead Relloceous quali∣ties.

And seeing it is granted by the Interpreters of Secret Nature, that there is nothing in the whole Universe, every particular whereof is not also in that Microcosm Man, as hath been said; yea and that the seeds of all things lye hid in him, as of the Stars, Meteors, Mineralls Vege∣tables, Animalls, Spirits, even of Daemoris, in respect of the Spirit of Man: upon diligent consideration of this Symmetricall concord and Physicall anagoge, it hath been the part of True Physitians to enquire, that if the internall Heart of the Microcosm or Man should be sick, how they might borrow strengthning remedies from his Parent or the externall Heart of the Micro∣cosm which is one like the other (if not in out∣ward, yet in inward figure and forme) which remedies are analogically represented,* 1.3 such as may many ways be got out of those three shops of Cures. For God created an inexhaustible sup∣ply of medicines, and distributed to every Coun∣try sufficient for it selfe.

Thus among Mineralls men may find Gold (which cheareth up the Spirits when a man hath enough of it in his purse) Antimony and the like, which are produced out of the Element of Water, as Gemms and precious stones in shells are generated of drops of water, as also all bo∣dies of Oysters, Musles, and shell fish, which by a specifick and Harmonicall vertue serve to cure and comfort the heart, &c. Thus also among Mineralls there Magicall and Hieroglyphicall Characters, which sage Antiquity hath without rashnesse or superstition attributed to them,

that doe sufficiently insinuate to Inlightned men, and Magically disclose their hidden vertue to those more secret Phylosophers that are in∣structed therein. Although the choycest things among them which are most exquifitely and la∣boriously prepared by Nature doe,* 1.4 by Natures just decree, with-hold their benigne and vitall Element from those that possesse them: And many there are who confound the Universall Lawes of Nature, and yet thinks to partake of her Banquet in the end. There is no question to be made but the Gold would discover most Di∣vine actions if it were rightly refined, and had its power reduced into act by a Naturall and due Resolution, that it might exercise its vertues,* 1.5 (for there is but one way to Resolve and to compound things, because Art and Nature, like mother and daughter, consent to each other) but few men have this gift of God bestowed on them, so as to make solid and massy Gold pota∣ble, that it may be drunk.

Amongst Vegetables there is Saffron, Rue, Balme, Scordium, Celandine, Mace, Ocymum, with six hundred of the like.

Amongst Animalls there is Hart's horn, Unicorns horn, the Bone in Staggs hearts, &c. All which being rightly prepared in due manner, doe cure the diseases of the Heart, not (as I have said) by their Externall superficiary qua∣lities, but by an Internall, proper, specifick, har∣monious, similer virtue; for all things whatsoever serve to our health, are all contained in the Spi∣rits, which onely know how and where to find

out the disease; the earthy part is altogether dead, husks and rinds beget nothing, the Spirits onely in the bodies of things doe all: The Formes in thee medicines or Astra's of the medi∣caments separated by Alchymie from their bo∣dies are the true Directoryes: not the body, but the Astrum or hidden Heaven gives all the direction: for the horse knoweth his manger, the birds their nest, the Eagle the carkas, and every medicine striveth to get to its place, and seeketh after that member that is like unto it by an••mbred magnetick vertue which may well be called the inexpressible property,* 1.6 like to like do∣mestieks to domesticks naturally apply them∣selves, as the true Phylosophicall Phisitians have diligently observed by long Experience the most undouted Rule of all. Wherefore Celsus the Roman Physitian confesseth of all Arts,* 1.7 where by many good old country women have gone beyond great learned Physitians. The same may be sayd of the other six principall members and parts of mans body: The exter∣nal Macrocosmicall Braine is the Oyle of Silver, Water of the Sophire Emerold, Mosse, Vitrioll, &c. cherishing and strengthening the internall Braine of man. The flower or CHIBUR or Brimstone are a Balsam for the lungs and the whole breast.

* 1.8After this manner not only ordinary diseases are cured by every Dunce, but also those Chroni∣call, Astrall and fixed diseases which by many are accounted desperate by reason of their long con∣tinuance, and the common sort of Physitians

who know not the seat, seeds, nativities, roots, and centres of diseases judge to be incurable. For there is no disease, as it is a disease, but there is a medicine for it, unlesse such as pro∣deth onely from the anger of the Divine Majesty by secret predestination, which cannot be found out by man; the cure whereof was never given to Physitians, but to the Apostles, who by true faith in Christ healed all Diseases: unlesse with Pliny we should belye Nature in its perfections as an unjust Step-mother, whereas indeed she is the benigne Parent of all Things; provident and wise Nature hath by naturall instinct bestowed upon poor bruite creatures the knowledge of their Remedies. It were therefore great folly and sottishnesse to think that the great Creator would hide these things from men; in vaine had he created these things, especially seeing he would make them known onely to such crea∣tures as have no understanding.

* 1.9The Stork having eaten a Serpent, is cured with Organy. The Sow stung with a Serpent, is cured by eating Turnsole, or Waterwort. The Bore with Ivy. The Crane with Bullrushes. The Tortuise and Snaile with Organy. The Toad when stung or poysoned with any other venomous creature, eateth Rue, Sage or Plan∣tin, or rubs the wounded part therewith and is recovered, therefore it is not good to eat Sage before it be washed. The Weasill eateth Rue when it is to fight with the Basilisk. The Pye when sick carryeth a Bay-leafe into her nest and is well. The Lapwing sick with grapes is made

well with Maidenhaire. The Bear eateth Pis∣mires to expell the distemper of Mandrakes. Geese, Ducks, and other water fowle, are cured by Pel••itory of the wall: Pigeons by Vervin; Swallows with Celandine; Hawks with Sow∣thistles. And other living creatures have found out other innumerable Hearbs.

No M••n therefore that is in his right wits will question that the Caelestial Father (as becoms the pious and sacred Parent of all things) would in this particular neglect his own children, which he created after his own Image, and prefer the Beasts before them, for whose sake all things were created; For he that gave us his Son, and commanded us to pray for his Holy Spirit, how much rather will he subject the whole Creature, both things visible and invisible?

The most High Author of Nature ath created Medicines out of the Earth,* 1.10 not defectives but perfect, he hath commanded the Physitians to search them out and seasonably administer them to every distemper being by due faith prepared and made up: It is also diligently to be obser∣ved, that all medicines which are appled to mans body become efficacious and obtaine their wholesome effect, not of it selfe, but by the gift of God. For unlesse God be present and infuse virtue into the Hearbs what good can Dittany doe, or any other soveraigne medicine.

All these inferiour things, as living creatures, hearbs, stones, mettalls have their force by sub∣ministration from the Heaven, and the Heaven from the Intelligences, and these from the great

Worker, in whom all things praeexist in the greatest vertue. The Naturall life is from God the fountaine of the Universall life. For the Elements live by the Firmament, the Firma∣ment from the Intelligible World, and this onely in God, or his Eternall Word; For he is all,* 1.11 and the onely life of all, and in all, yet variously sprouting forth according to the sub∣ject into which it flows. Wherefore if we in∣tend to doe any good with hearbs, we must not trust so much to them as to God, and so we shall obtaine a desired and happy successe in recove∣ring our health; otherwise all our endeavours will be to no purpose if we forget the Worker, and have no faith in him, from and by whom all our undertakings become prosperous.* 1.12 Asa dyed because he trusted more to the Physitians then to God.

The Caelestiall Medicine onely, or the WORD of God (which is the Firmament of all Physick,* 1.13 without which no drug will doe good) is that which healeth all things, and by the efficacy of the WORD (in which lyeth hid, and from which proceedeth all force be∣yond any naturall actions) all Medicines be∣come powerfull: As the bark is not the kernell, so hearbs are not the medicines, but a signe one∣ly of the Word signified.

Physick is two-fold in the Earth, Visible, which the Father hath created, & ought not to be administred before there be a separation of the pure from the impure; Invisible, from the Son by the Word, and is but one: the Physitian cu∣reth

by means which are the Hearbs in which the medicine is, the Hearb is not the medicine, for that is invisibly hid in God himselfe.

These things wisely and rightly considered, we shall not wonder that Almighty God could (and can) make men whole by the Prophets and True Cabalists with a word onely.* 1.14 God is a living God, the NAME also of the living God is lively, and so the Letters of the living Name are also lively: God liveth for himselfe, his Name liveth because of him, the Letters live by reason of the Name; as God hath life in himselfe, so hath he given to his Name to have life in it selfe, and the Name also to the Let∣ters.

Great things have been affected by True Magicians (by whom I doe not mean Nicro∣mancers or them of the Black Art) those accu∣rate searchers out of Nature, by a Word written and Characters or Signes,* 1.15 framed at a certaine time according to the power of Heaven, far from all superstition, which ariseth onely from ignorance, without any prophanation or scan∣dall of the Divine Majesty, or any wrong to Faith and Religion; otherwise it were better for us alwayes to be sick then to be cured with the dishonour of God: For Characters or constellated Names according to Agrippa, have no force from the Figureors Pronunciation, but by reason of the Vertue or Office which God or Nature hath ordained to such a Name or Cha∣racter: There is no vertue or power either in Heaven or Earth which descendeth not from

God, nor can it give or actually exercise any thing it hath but by his permission.

Medicines are visible bodies; Words are in∣visible bodies: whether the Hearb or Word healeth, it is by God the Naturall Vertue there∣of, to wit,* 1.16 by the Spirit of God made One with Nature by his Word FIAT. Concerning Characteristicalll Cure which affecteth Natu∣rall operations by words pronounced, written, carved and hanged about the neck, by the caele∣stiall properties of the Stars through a marvel∣lous Influence agreeing with our bodies, if any desireth to be satisfied herein let him read Rog. Bacon of the wonderfull power of Art and Nature.

Physitians also have wrought great cures by the Created Word, or the incarnate Mercy: for all these things are done by the efficacy of the Triune and Divine Word onely, which healeth and preserveth all things,* 1.17 as we see in our Savi∣our miracles, who when he restored the deafe and dumb (to whom the Pills and Syrups of all the Shops in the world could doe no good) he did it not by Nature, but by himselfe; he did it by One Word, and he is that Word, to wit, the increated Mercy of God,* 1.18 by which are all crea∣ted things, from which all simples flow, which also with the Father dayly worketh all in all. What vertue and operation soever there is in the Creatures, as well in the great as in the little world, all that for certaine is wrought of God incarnate in his explicit and manifest bond of one Spirit filling all things inseperably gathered

into one, which Spirit therefore is the only fulnes of the whole world,* 1.19 and may well be called The Fulnesse. Nothing is made out of God, for in him all things live, are moved and doe subsist.

This WORD of God, the First begotten of every Creature, is truly our Dayly Bread for which our Saviour commanded us to pray; it is the supercaelestiall Mummy, the supernaturall Balsome comforting poor Mortalls more then Mans own Mummy or naturall Balsom.* 1.20 The vertue in bread is the blessing of God, yea God himselfe: the Word in our Earthly food is the true Bread which is given to good and bad; Man liveth not by bread alone, but by that which is in Bread; So that our Food and Life are not of the Earth, but of God by his Word: If the Word were not, or of it selfe were not the onely Bread, then the Earth would be our God, but that may not be, therefore is it not of the Earth, but of God by his word.

This Word then is the true medicine that hea∣leth all things, but is not known to every one, nor can every Scholler treat and write of it though plunged over head and eares in the dusty learning of School-Divinity:* 1.21 our friend Theo∣phrastus Paracelsus a Disciple of the Mosaicall and Living Phylosophy hath written of the Se∣crets of Nature and the Wonders of God, to wit, of the WORD of God INCAR∣NATE which may be found in the Creatures,* 1.22 and is the Physick and Staffe of our Life; by this Word, FIAT, the seed of the whole

world, were Heaven and Earth created, and this is that which is efficacious in all the Creatures, and to which the Creatures are justly in subje∣ction as to their own soule.

Whatsoever therefore the Physitian doth effect Naturally or by HEARBS working successively by the space of time,* 1.23 that the MAGUS, the Wise man or Caelestiall Phy∣sitian performeth suddenly and much sooner by Characters and Stones with a most powerfull impression, to wit, the Gamahaea of Influentiall Wedlock to the Terrestiall signe, by matrimo∣niall combination of the Superiors and Inferiors ASTRALLY: For such is the mutuall tye and continuity of Nature, that like a stretched cord, all the Superiour vertue floweth through every inferiour thing even to the utmost, disper∣sing its beams by a long and continued order and succession; on the other hand, the inferiour passe through all to their Superiours, because the working Vertue is one, and the participation of the species is diffused through all; Divine Matrimony; Hence is that wonderfull tye, con∣tinuity, influence and simpathy between infe∣riour & superiour Naturall things: many things may be done in Magick and Cabal by the inter∣cession of the worlds marriage.

And the True Cabalist (whom Paracelsus calls the Naturall Divine, who is equall to the Prophets, and whose mind being united and coaequant to God doth whatsoever he will, for he willeth onely what God doth) he doth a∣bove Nature, DEALLY or like God ac∣complish

complish in a moment by firme confidence and strong faith,* 1.24 the very GATE of miracles in that Only Divine Name ISHUH in which all things are reckoned up and contained, that is he doth performe it in the WONDERFULL WORD by the Mind, Faith and Prayer, to wit, prayers made in Spirit and in Truth. The New Birth is the Field of Caelestiall Physick which healeth with a word without Externall means: that one operation is in respect of God as the Artificer, and in respect of Man as the Instru∣ment; every creature is at the beck and com∣mand of their faith who are men innocent and taught in the Law of the Lord,* 1.25 who are heard in all things whatsoever they pray for, witnesse Elias, Elisha, &c. By prayer in Faith we ob∣taine all things, I mean (not a lazy, sluggish prayer, but) a constant asking, seeking, knock∣ing: by faithfull Prayer we ascend in a straite and most sure way to the highest Wisdome of Divine and humane Things; For in these Three principall Poynts also consisteth the whole Foundation of the Magicall and Cabalisticall Art, as appeareth by Paracelsus in his third book of the Signature of Things.

* 1.26Honour and Praise and Glory therefore be∣longeth to the Creator, who worketh all in all, for the desired successe of his Medicine or Word which he hath given. But to the Physitian who is the obedient Minister of God and Nature, there is no other reward due but that of his faithfull paines and Charity in that by his hand as an Instrument he hath duely administred the

power which he received from God to misera∣ble and needy mortalls, that so he may not usurp to himselfe those things that belong onely to God: For there is nothing at all of his own in it besides Art and right preparation, whose good will, not his help, is to be respected. God who alone is to be praised and blessed in all, and over all, will not give his Honour to another, and because he giveth all he also will have and take againe all unto himselfe.

Neverthelesse the true and sincere Physitian, who among all arts and faculties is most accep∣ted of God, is to be honoured as the Scripture commandeth.

First, because God worketh and doth his own will by him as by his Minister, when he sleepeth and knoweth it not, by affording Phy∣sick enough from the Earth, and his Word from above, without which nothing can be efficacious to our health, For without me,* 1.27 saith our Savi∣our, ye can nothing.

Secondly, because (Health being the grea∣test Good to men) he ought to excell all mor∣talls in the search and knowledge of Nature and the Light thereof: Not in vaine therefore did Homer require a Physitian to be furnished with all knowledge in respect of those small cures which he is to doe.* 1.28

Thirdly, because he alone manifesteth to all, the wonderfull works of God both in the great and little world, so that through the Physi∣tian the Praise and Glory of God may passing much be heightned and extolled, not onely by

opening his mysteryes and hidden secrets, but also by curing the sick.

Therefore among all Sciences and Faculties, Physick is to be accounted the most excellent, wherein the greatest wonders of God are mi∣raculously seen. It taketh its rise from Theolo∣gy or the Light of Grace, and endeth in the Light of Nature.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Wheat doth norgrow with∣out a place, nor can we have meale without bran, neither is ho∣ny without a sting. Such Secrets are regenera∣ted without a∣ny complexion of qualities.
• * 1.2

  Heaven is the framer of the externall edi∣fices, not of the Secrets, Wonders and mysteries that dwell in them.
• * 1.3

  All the whole inferiour Na∣ture is divided in∣to three prin∣cipall parts, i. e. Vegeta∣ble, Animall, and Minerall.
• * 1.4

  As he that hath much Gold may know nothing of its medi∣cinall vertue.
• * 1.5

  Art imitateth Nature and supplyeth its defects; it correcteth, chastiseth, assi∣steth and pro∣moteth, yea it exceedeth Nature.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.7

  Experiment, as also judge∣ment, without knowledge is but fallacious difficult and fortuitous, but with Science it is true and infallible.
• * 1.8

  There is no cause to com∣plaine of the want of me∣dicines but onely of our ignorance of them. There are two sorts of Physi∣tians, one cure miracu∣lously, the o∣ther naturally by means. So there are two originalls of e∣very disease, the one natu∣rall, the other caelestiall; the Caelestiall is cured by the Word of the Lord, the Na∣turall is reco∣vered by na∣turall means.
• * 1.9

  Every Crea∣ture knoweth his proper re∣medy.
• * 1.10

  Eccl. 38.
• * 1.11

  In all the things of the God of Na∣ture, not Na∣ture but t••e Will of the Lord is ear∣nestly to be implored.
• * 1.12

  2 Chro. 16.12.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 33. & 107.20. Eccl. 38.9, 10, 11, 12.
• * 1.14

  Acts 3.6.
• * 1.15

  Such Names are the Divine Power.
• * 1.16

  Paracels. saith that Chara∣cters are ••••e Compounds and Syrups of Spirits.
• * 1.17

  Luke 11.14.
• * 1.18

  John 1.3. Not by bread alone, Mat. 4.4. Grace excee∣deth Nature, and the thing signified ex∣celleth the signe.
• * 1.19

  Eccl. 24.8, 9, 10, 11.
• * 1.20

  Without this benediction the staffe of bread is bro∣ken, a God threatned his people by his Prophets. It is of mere mercy and goodnesse not of justice that we have both the bread of nourishment and of hea∣ling.
• * 1.21

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.22

  John 1.10. Heb. 11.3. Psal. 107.20.
• * 1.23

  The explica∣tion of a com∣mon saving (1) in Hearbs Stones and Words there are great ver∣tues.
• * 1.24

  Every Crea∣ture feareth and reveren∣ceth his Name that made it.
• * 1.25

  Read the books of the Kings. 1 Kings 3.12. Wifd. 7.
• * 1.26

  We are not to ascribe our bodily health to the Physi∣tian but to God. Mark this O ye Phy∣sitians who slight and un∣dervalue God like the Hea∣then, where∣as he onely healeth all our sicknesses: al∣so ye regard not the ap∣poynted time according to the Divine Will, but proudly and rashly promise a set and cer∣taine time of recovery which is to be left to God onely.
• * 1.27

  John 15.
• * 1.28

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.