The Hiflory of Life andDeath. 



excited, it iflueth not forth* Patrefaflion is a mixed work of the Spirits, and of the 

 , Grofler parts : For the Spirit ( which before retrained and bridled the parts of the 

 i thing) being partly iffued forth, and partly enfeebled ; All things in the body do dif- 

 jfojve and return to their Homogeneities , or ( if you will ) to their Elements ; That 

 j which was fpiritinit, is congregated toitfelf, whereby things Putrified begin to 

 j have an ill favour .• ThcOjlj parts to themfelvs, whereby things putrified have that 

 jSlipperinelTe and Unftuofuy : The watry parts alfo to themfelves : The Dregs to 

 j themfelves; Whence foiloweth that Confufion in Bodies Purified. But Generation, or 



Vivificatim is a Work alfo mixed of the Spirit and Grofler "parts , but in a far diffe- 

 j rent manner : or the Spirit is totally detained, but it fwelleth and moveth locally j 

 i And the Grofler parts are not diffblved , but follow the motion of the Spirit, and are, 



as it were, blown out by it; and extruded into divers figures; From whence com* 

 j meth that Generation jind Organization* And therefore Vivificatton is alwaies done in <i 

 (Matter Tenacious, and Clammy ; And again, Yeelding and Soft, that there maybe 

 j both a Detention of the Spirit, and alfo a gentle Ceflion of the pur* : according as the 

 fpirit forms them. And this is feen in the Matter, as well of all Vegetable?, as of Li- 

 ving Creatures; whether they be engendred of Putrefa&ion, or of Sperm: Forir? 

 all thefe things there is rnanife ftly (een a matter, hard to break thorow, eafie to yeeld. 



Canon iV* 



N all living Creatures there are two kjnd* ef Spirits, liveleffe Spirits, fuchas (ire in 

 bodies Inanimate; And a Vital Spirit faperaAded* 



The Explication. 



Twas faid before, that to procure Long Life, the Body ofManmuftbeconfidered; 

 Firft, as Inanimate , and not R paired by Nounfliment . Secondly, as Animate, and 

 Repaired by Nourifhmen' • For the former Confideration gives Laws touching Con* 

 [umfiion j The latter, touching Reparation* Therefore we rand know, that there are 

 in Humane Fkfti, Bones . Membrane*, Organs ; Finally in all the parts, fuch fpirits dif* 

 fed in the fubftance of them , while they are alive , as there are in the fame things 

 ( Flefh , Bone*, Membranes, and the reft) Separated and Dead; Such as alfo remain in 

 a Czrk^ ft : But the P 'ital Spirit, although it ruleth them, and hath fomeconfent with 

 them, yet it is far differing from them ; Being integral, and lubfifting by it felf. 

 Now there are two efpecial Differences betwixt the I viufs Spirit ^aridihe Vital 

 Spirits: The one that the Li velefs Spirits are not continued to themfelves, but are, 

 ?s it were, cutoff, and enco.npofed with a Groffe body, which intercepts them ; As 

 Air U mixt with SwoWc, or Froth-. But the Vital Spirit is all continued to it felf, by cer- 

 tain Conduit Pipes, thorow which it p<ffeth , and is not totally intercepted* And 

 thi. Spirit is twofold alIo;The one branched,only pafiing through frnall pipes,and,as it 

 were, firings : The other hath a Cell alfo ; foas it i&notonlv continued to it felf , 

 btKaifo congregated in an hollow (pace, inreafonable good Quantity, according to 

 the Analogy of the Body ; And in that Cell is the Fountain of the Rivules , which 

 branch from thence. That Cell is chiefly in the Ventricles of the Brain , which in 

 the Ignobler fort of Creatures are but narrow; Infomuch that the Spintsin ihemfeem 

 ; featured over their whole body , rather than Celled : As maybe feen in Serpents^ 

 Betes, and Flyes, whereof every of their parts move long alter they are cut afunder* 

 Birds alfo leap a good while after their heads are pulled off, becaufe they have little 

 Heads, and little Cells : But the Nobler fort of Creatures have thofe Ventricles larger: 

 And Mm the largeft of alL The other difference betwixt the Spirits , is , That the 

 Vitall fpirit hath a kind of enkindling and is like a Wind or Breath Compounded 

 of F'ame and Aire, as the Juyces of Living Crfatutes have both 0] I and Water* 

 And this enkindling miniftreth peculiar Mo ions and Faculties : For the ^moke which 

 is inflammible, even before the Flame conceived, isHot,Thin, and M»veable, and 

 yet it is quite another thing , after it is become Flame : But the enkindling oftheVi* 

 tal fpirits is by rainy Degrees gentler than the fofteft Flame : As of Spirit of Wine, 

 or other wife: And befides it is in great pirt mixed with an ^rw/fubfrance ; That it 

 ihould be a Myflery or Miracle, both of a FUmmsous, and Aereont Nature. 



Canon V. 



TB? Natural Anions are proper te the feveral Parts ; Bat it is tht Vital Spirit that 

 excites and (htrpertsthem. 



