The Preface.
rubentibus jam Flammis emicans, in multa ſtatim colorum Myriadas tranſit, vivitque portentorum ſemper Effector, ac Magus, iſto nequaquam fatiſcens labore, ſed vigore ac viribus indies adoloſcens. Thus he: And now Reader I muſt tell thee, that all theſe Miracles grow out of a certain Earth, a ſoft red Clay, which is to be found every where. It may be thou art much troubled at theſe Appearances which I have mentioned, but what wilt thou ſay to Jamblichus, who tells us ſeriouſly, that this Earth will attract Angels, I mean good Spirits? for ſo did he. But let us hear this Author of Anebo, for thus he writes from Ægypt to Porphyrius. Omnium prima (ſaith he) & Antiquiſſima Entia, in Ultimis quoque ſubrutilant, Immaterialiaque principia materialibus adſunt. Nemo itaque miretur, ſi quam materiam eſſe dicimus puram, atque Divinam. Nam ipſa quoque materia, quum ab Opifice, Patreque Omnium facta ſit, merito perfectionem ſui quandam acquiſivit, aptam ad Deos ſuſcipiendos. Quinetiam quum nihil prohibet ſupe-
