L I B. I V. Of the Advancement of Learning. i:>^ 



of the imaginant, we have fpoken before). In this kind the fchool of 

 Paracelfus^ and the Difciples of pretended fV^/z/r^/yT/^^/V^, haVe been 

 fp intemperate, as they haveonly not equall'd the force and apprehen- faffl'.*"^"' 

 ^onoixhQ Imagination, with thePowtr of viiracle-tt^orkJKg fait/j. O- 

 thers, drawing nearer to the fimilitude of truth, when they had more ^'°f^ 

 intentively confidered the fecret energies and impreffions of things 3 ^"" 

 the Irradiations of the fenfes 3 the tranfmiffions of cogitations from Bo- 

 dy to Eody 3 the conveyances of Magnetick virtues •-, came to be of o- 

 pinion, that much more might fuch impreflions. Informations j and 

 Communications be made, from fpirit to fpirit , being that a fpirit of 

 all other things is more powerful and ftrong to work, and more foft and 

 penetrable to fuffer ; whence the conceits have grown, made almoft 

 popular, of the Maftering fpirit , of men ominous and unlucky 5 of the 

 ftrokes of love and envy j and of others of like Nature. Incident un- 

 to this, is the enquiry, Horp the Imagination may be intended and fortifi- 

 ed^ F^or if the Imagination fortified be of fuch great power, then it is 

 material to know by what ways it may be exalted, and made greater 

 than it felf ? And here comes in crookedly, and as dangeroufly a Palli- 

 ation and Defence of a great part of Ceremonial Magjck. For it may be 

 a Ipecious pretence, that Ceremonies, Charafters^ Charms 5 Gefticu- 

 lations 5 Amulets, and the like, do rvor^ not by any tacit or facramcn- 

 tal contraS ivitb evil fpirit s 5 butferve onlytojtrengthen and exalt thei- 

 tff agination of him that nfeth them 5 even as the nfe of Images in religion 

 hath pr^vail'dfor the fixing of mens minds in the Contemplation of things^ 

 and the raifing of the devotion of them that Pray. But for my own judg- 

 ment, if it be admitted, that the force of Imaginant ion is fo Potent, and 

 that Ceremonies exalt and fortifie that Power j and be it granted, that 

 Ceremonies are ufed fincerely to that intention, and as a Phylical Re- 

 medy, without the leafl: thought of inviting the affiftance of Spirits by 

 them j yet for all this, I ftiould hold them unlawful, becaufe they im- 

 pugn aud contradidt that divine Edidi pafs'd upon man for fin, Infw 

 dore vultus comedes panem tnum. For this kind of /T/j^/V^ propounds 

 thofe noble fruits, (which God hath fet forth to be bought at the price 

 of Labour) to be purchased by a few eafieand llothful obfervan- *"'^' 

 ces, 



III. There remain two knowledges, which refer fpecially to the Fa- 

 culties of the inferior or fenfible Soul, ,as thofe which do mod Communi- 

 cate with, corporal Organs , the one is of Voluntary Alotion, the other 

 of fe nfe and fenjibility. 



§ In the former of thefe the Inquiry hath been very fupefficial, and * 

 one entire part almoft quite left out. For concerning the office and apt ms'sp/* 

 fabrick of the Nervs and Mufcles, and of other parts requifite to this motu^^ 

 Motion, and which part of the Body refts whilft another is moved, and t°r^^'* 

 that the Governour and Chariot-driver, as it were, of this motion, is 

 the Imagination ; lb as difmiffing the Image to which the Motion was car- 

 ried, the Motion it felf is prefently intercepted and arrefted (as when 

 we walk, if another ferious and fixed thought come into our mind, we • 

 prefently ftand ftill) and many other fuch fubtilties not to be (lighted, 

 have now long ago come into Obfervation and Enquiry. Andhoiv Com-' 

 pi-ejjions, and Dilatations, and Agitations of the Spirit (which without 

 (jucftion is the fpring of /T/(?//tf», (hould incline, excite, and enforce 



she 



