But come what will come, I have once more spoken for the Truth, and shall for Conclusion speak this much Again. I have elsewhere call'd this Subject, Limus coelestis, and the middle Nature: The Philosophers call it the Venerable Nature, but amongst all the Praetenders I have not yet found one, that could tell me why. Hear me then, that whensoever thou doest attempt this work, it may be with reverence, not like some proud, ignorant Doctor but with lesse Confidence & more Care. This Chaos hath in it the foure Elements, which of themselves are contrarie Natures, but the wisdome of God hath so placed them that their very order reconciles them. For Example, Ayre and Earth are Adversaries, for one is hot and moyst, the other cold and drie. Now to reconcile these two, God placed the Water between them, which is a middle Nature, or of a mean Complexion between both Extremes. For she is cold and moyst, and as shee is cold, shee partakes of the Nature of the Earth, which is cold and drie, but as shee is moyst, she partakes in the Nature of the Ayre, which is hot and moyst. Hence it is, that Ayre and Earth which are Contraries

in Themselves, agree and imbrace one another in the water, as in a middle Nature which is proportionate to them both, and tempers their Extremities. But verely this Salvo makes not up the Breach, for though the water reconciles two Elements like a friendly Third, yet shee her self fights with a Fourth, namely with the Fire: For the Tire is hot and drie, but the water is cold and moyst, which are clear Contraries. To prevent the Distempers of these two, God placed the Ayre between them, which is a Substance hot and moyst; and as it is hot, it agrees with the fire, which is hot and drie; but as it is moyst, it agrees with the water, which is cold and moyst; so that by mediation of the Ayre, the other two Extremes, namely fire and water are made friends, and reconciled. Thus you see, as I told you at first, that Contrarie Elements are united by that Order and Texture wherein the Wise God hath placed them. You must now give me leave to tell you that this Agreement or friendship is but partil, a very weak love, cold and skittish: for whereas these Principles agree in one qualitie, they differ in two, as your selves may easily compute. Much need therefore have they of a more strong and able Mediator to confirme and preserve their weak Unitie, for upon it depends the very æternitie, and Incorruption of the Creature. This blessed

Caement, and Balsam, is the Spirit of the living God, which some ignorant Scriblers have call'd a Quintessence, for this very Spirit is in the Chaos, and to speak plainly, the fire is his Thrrne, for in the Fire he is Seated, as wee have sufficiently told you elsewhere. This was the Reason, why the Magi call'd the first Matter their Venerable Nature, and their blessed stone, and in good earnest what think you, is it not so? This blessed Spirit fortifies, and perfects that weak Disposition which the Elements already have to Union and Peace, (for God works with Nature, not against her,) and brings them at last to a beauteous specificall Fabric. Now if you will aske me, where is the Soul, or as the Schoole-men abuse her the Form, all this while? what doth shee doe? To this I answer, that shee is, as all Instrumentals ought to be, subject and obedient to the will of God, expecting the perfection of her Body: for it is God that unites her to the Body, and the body to her. Soule and Body are the work of God, the one as well as the other: the Soul is not the Artificer of her house, for that which can make a Body, can also repayre it, and hinder death; but the Soule cannot doe this, it is the Power, and Wisdome of God. In a word, to say that the Soule form'd the Body, because shee is in the Body, is to say that the Jewell made the Cabinet, because the

Anthroposoph.

Jewell is in the Cabinet, or that the Sun made the world, because the Sun is in the world, and cherisheth every part thereof. Learn therefore to distinguish between Agents and their Instruments, for if you attribute that to the Creature, which belongs to the Creator, you bring your selves in Danger of hell-fire, for God is a jealous God, and will not give his glorie to Another. I advise my Doctors therefore, both Divines and Physicians, not to bee too rash in their Censures, nor so Magisterial in their Discourse, as I have known some Professors of Physic to be: who would correct and undervalue the rest of their Brethren, when in Truth they Themselves were most shamefully ignorant. It is not ten, or twelve years Experience in Druggs and Sopps can acquaint a man with the Mysteries of God's Creation. Take this, and make a world: Take I know not what, and make a Pill or Clyster, are different Recepts. Wee should therefore consult with our Judgements, before wee venture our Tongues, and never speake, but when wee are sure wee understand. I knew a Gentleman, who meeting with a Philosopher Adept, and receiving so much Courtesie as to be admitted to Discourse, attended his first Instructions passing well. But when this Magician quitted my friends known Roade, and began to touch, and drive round the

great Wheele of Nature, presently my Gentleman takes up the Cudgells, and urging all the Authorities, which in his vain judgement made for him, opprest this noble Philosopher with a most clamorous, insipid Ribaldrie. A goodly sight it was, and worthy our Imitation, to see with what an admirable Patience the other received him. But this Errant concluded at last, That Lead or Quick-silver must be the Subject, and that Nature work'd upon one of both. To this the Adeptus replied, Sir, it may bee so at this time, but if hereafter I find Nature in those old Elements, where I have sometimes seen her very Busie, I shall at our next meeting confute your Opinion. This was all hee said, and it was something more than hee did. Their next meeting was referr'd to the Greek Calends, for he could never be seen afterwards, notwithstanding a thousand Sollicitations. Such Talkative babling people as this Gentleman was, who run to every Doctor for his Opinion, and follow like a Spaniell every Bird they spring, are not fit to receive these Secrets, they must be serious, silent men, faithfull to the Art, and most faithfull to their Teachers. Wee should alwayes remember that Dotrine of Zeno: Nature (said hee) gave us one Tongue, but two Eares, that wee might heare much, and speak little. Let not any man therefore

be ready to vomit forth his own shame and ignorance: Let him first examine his knowledge, and especially his practice, lest upon the Experience of a few violent Knacks, hee presume to judge Nature in her very Sobrieties. To make an end; If thou doest know the first Matter, know also for certain, thou hast discovered the Sanctuarie of Nature; There is nothing between thee and her Treasures, but the Doore: that indeed must be opened. Now if thy Desire leads thee on to the Practice, consider well with thy self what manner of man thou art, and what it is that thou would'st do, for it is no small matter. Thou hast resolved with thy self to be a Cooperator with the Spirit of the living God, and to minister to him in his worke of generation. Have a Care therefore that thou doest not hinder his work: for if thy heat exceeds the Naturall Proportion, thou hast stirr'd the wrath of the moyst Natures, and they will stand up against the Central fire, and the Central fire against them, and there will be a terrible Division in the Chaos: but the sweet Spirit of Peace, the true eternal Quintessence will depart from the Elements, leaving both them and Thee to Confusion; neither will hee apply himself to that Matter, as long as it is in thy violent, destroying hands. Take heed therefore, lest thou turn Partner with the Devill,

for it is the Devil's designe from the Beginning of the world, to set Nature at Variance with her self, that he may totally corrupt, and destroy her. Nè tu augeas fatum, doe not thou further his Designes. I make no question but many men will laugh at this, but on my Soule I speak nothing But what I have known by very good Experience, therefore believe mee. For my own part it was ever my desire to bury these Things in silence, or to paint them out in shadowes, but I have spoken thus clearly, and openly, out of the Affection I bear to some, who have deserved much more at my hands. True it is, I intended sometimes to expose a greater work to the world, which I promised in my Anthroposophia, but I have been since acquainted with that World, and I found it base, and unworthie: wherefore I shall keep in my first happy Solitudes, for Noyse is Nothing to mee, I seek not any man's Applause. If it be the will of my God to call me forth, and that it may make for the Honour of his Name, in that respect I may write again, for I feare not the Judgement of Man, but in the interim here shall be and End.

FINIS.