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CHAP. XLII.
Of Natural Magick.
NAtural Magick is taken to be nothing else, but the chief power of all the natural Sciences; which therefore they call the top and perfection of Natural Philosophy, and which is indeed the active part of the same; which by the assistance of natural force and fa∣culties, through their mutual & opportune application, performs those things that are above Humane Reason. The Aethiopians and Indians were the greatest admirers of Magick, where there was a great supply of variety of Stones and Herbs conducing thereto. Of this, some think that St. Jerome to Paulinus makes men∣tion, where he saith, That Apollonius Tyaneus was a Magician or Philosopher. Of the same sort were those Magi who bringing Gifts to Christ, did first adore him; which the Expositors of the Evangels call the Philosophers of the Caldaeans. Such were the Hiarchs among the Brachmans, Tespion among the Gymnoso∣phists, Budda among the Babylonians, Numa Pompilius among the Romans, Zamolxides among the Thracians, Abbas among the Hyperboreans, Hermes among the E∣gyptians, Zorastes the Son of Ormasus among the Persians. for the Indians, Aethiopians, and Persians always had the pre-eminence in Magick: wherein, as Plato in his Alcibiades testifies, the Children of the Persian Emperours were always instructed, that they might learn to govern the Kingdom by the Pattern of the Grand and Universal Order. And Cicero, in his Book of Divinations, asserts, That no Persian could enjoy the Scepter of that Empire, if he were not skill'd
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in Magick. Natural Magick therefore is that, which considering well the strength and force of Natural and Celestial beings, and with great curiosity labouring to discover their affections, produces into open Act the hidden and concealed powers of Nature; so cupoling inferiour with superior faculties, by a mutual applica∣tion thereof, that from thence many times great and marvelous Miracles have been effected: not so much by Art, as Nature, to whom Art onely shews her self a Hand-maid and Assistant in her operations. For Magicians, as the most accurate inquirers into Nature, taking along those things which are prepared by Nature, and applying Actives to Passives, oftentimes produce ef∣fects before the time ordained by Nature; which there∣fore the Vulgar take for Miracles, when they are not∣withstanding onely natural Operations: as if any person should in March produce Roses, ripe Figs, or Garden-beans; or should cause Parsly to spring from the Seed into a perfect Plant in few hours; and greater things than these, as to cause Thunder, Clouds, Rain, Ani∣mals of divers sorts; and several transmutations and transigurations of living beings, such as Roger Bacon is said to have done by pure natural Magick. Of these Operations sundry have written: as Zoroastes, Her∣mes, Evantes King of the Arabians, Zachary of Baby∣lon, Joseph the Jew, Bocus, Aaron, Zenotenus, Kiranni∣des, Almadal, Thedel, Alchindus, Abel, Ptolomy, Geber, Zahel, Nazaharub, Tebith Erith, Salomo, Astropho, Hipparchus, Alcmeon, Apollonius, Tryphon, and many others; of which Writings there are many whole and entire, some imperfect, which have come to my hands. Of Modern Writers, there have been but few who have treated of Natu••l Magick, nor have they left many Wri∣tings behinde them; that is to say, Albertus, Arnoldus de Villa nova, Raymund Lully, Bacon and Aponus, and the Author of the Book dedicated to Alphonsus, which
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mingles abundance of Superstition with Natural Ma∣gick, which many others have also done.
Of Natural Magick.
NAtural Magick is taken to be nothing else, but the chief power of all the natural Sciences; which therefore they call the top and perfection of Natural Philosophy, and which is indeed the active part of the same; which by the assistance of natural force and fa∣culties, through their mutual & opportune application, performs those things that are above Humane Reason. The Aethiopians and Indians were the greatest admirers of Magick, where there was a great supply of variety of Stones and Herbs conducing thereto. Of this, some think that St. Jerome to Paulinus makes men∣tion, where he saith, That Apollonius Tyaneus was a Magician or Philosopher. Of the same sort were those Magi who bringing Gifts to Christ, did first adore him; which the Expositors of the Evangels call the Philosophers of the Caldaeans. Such were the Hiarchs among the Brachmans, Tespion among the Gymnoso∣phists, Budda among the Babylonians, Numa Pompilius among the Romans, Zamolxides among the Thracians, Abbas among the Hyperboreans, Hermes among the E∣gyptians, Zorastes the Son of Ormasus among the Persians. for the Indians, Aethiopians, and Persians always had the pre-eminence in Magick: wherein, as Plato in his Alcibiades testifies, the Children of the Persian Emperours were always instructed, that they might learn to govern the Kingdom by the Pattern of the Grand and Universal Order. And Cicero, in his Book of Divinations, asserts, That no Persian could enjoy the Scepter of that Empire, if he were not skill'd
Page 111
in Magick. Natural Magick therefore is that, which considering well the strength and force of Natural and Celestial beings, and with great curiosity labouring to discover their affections, produces into open Act the hidden and concealed powers of Nature; so cupoling inferiour with superior faculties, by a mutual applica∣tion thereof, that from thence many times great and marvelous Miracles have been effected: not so much by Art, as Nature, to whom Art onely shews her self a Hand-maid and Assistant in her operations. For Magicians, as the most accurate inquirers into Nature, taking along those things which are prepared by Nature, and applying Actives to Passives, oftentimes produce ef∣fects before the time ordained by Nature; which there∣fore the Vulgar take for Miracles, when they are not∣withstanding onely natural Operations: as if any person should in March produce Roses, ripe Figs, or Garden-beans; or should cause Parsly to spring from the Seed into a perfect Plant in few hours; and greater things than these, as to cause Thunder, Clouds, Rain, Ani∣mals of divers sorts; and several transmutations and transigurations of living beings, such as Roger Bacon is said to have done by pure natural Magick. Of these Operations sundry have written: as Zoroastes, Her∣mes, Evantes King of the Arabians, Zachary of Baby∣lon, Joseph the Jew, Bocus, Aaron, Zenotenus, Kiranni∣des, Almadal, Thedel, Alchindus, Abel, Ptolomy, Geber, Zahel, Nazaharub, Tebith Erith, Salomo, Astropho, Hipparchus, Alcmeon, Apollonius, Tryphon, and many others; of which Writings there are many whole and entire, some imperfect, which have come to my hands. Of Modern Writers, there have been but few who have treated of Natu••l Magick, nor have they left many Wri∣tings behinde them; that is to say, Albertus, Arnoldus de Villa nova, Raymund Lully, Bacon and Aponus, and the Author of the Book dedicated to Alphonsus, which
Page 112
mingles abundance of Superstition with Natural Ma∣gick, which many others have also done.