Chapter VI, Section 1b

Josephus also makes relation of the wonderful nature of a certain river betwixt Arcea and Raphanea, cities of Syria, which runs with a full channel all the Sabbath day and then on a sudden ceaseth, as if the springs were stopped, and all the six days you may pass over it dry shod; but again, on the seventh day (no man knowing the reason of it), the Waters return again in abundance as before. Wherefore the inhabitants thereabout called it the Sabbath-day river, because of the Seventh day, which was holy to the Jews. The Gospel also testifies to a sheep-pool, into which whosoever stepped first, after the Water was troubled by the Angel, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. The same virtue and efficacy we read was in a spring of the Jonian Nymphs, which was in the territories belonging to the town of Elis, at a village called Heraclea, near the river Citheron which whosoever stepped into, being diseased, came forth whole and cured of all his diseases. Pausanias also reports that in Lyceus, a mountain of Arcadia, there was a spring called Agria, to which, as often as the dryness of the region threatened the destruction of fruits, Jupiter's priest of Lyceus went, and after the offering of sacrifices, devoutly praying to the Waters of the Spring, holding a Bough of an Oak in his hand, put it down to the bottom of the hallowed Spring. Then the Waters, being troubled, Vapor ascending from thence into the Air was blown into clouds with which, being joined together, the whole Heaven was overspread; which being a little after dissolved into rain, watered all the country most wholesomely. Moreover, Ruffus, a physician of Ephesus, besides many other authors, wrote strange things concerning the wonders of Waters, which for ought I know, are found in no other author. It remains that I speak of the Air. This is a vital spirit, passing through all beings, giving life and subsistence to all things, binding, moving and filling all things. Hence it is that the Hebrew doctors reckon it not amongst the Elements, but count it as a Medium or glue, joining things together, and as the resounding spirit of the World's instrument. It immediately receives into itself the influences of all celestial bodies and then communicates them to the other Elements, as also to all mixed bodies. Also it receives into itself, as it were a divine looking-glass, the species of all things, as well natural as artificial, as also of all manner of speeches, and retains them; and carrying them with it, and entering into the bodies of men, and other animals, through their pores, makes an impression upon them, as well when they sleep as when they be awake, and affords matter for divers strange Dreams and Divinations . Hence they say it is, that a man passing by a place where a man was slain, or the carcass newly hid, is moved with fear and dread; because the Air in that place, being full of the dreadful species of manslaughter, doth being breathed in, move and trouble the spirit of the man with the like species, whence it is that he comes to be afraid. For everything that makes a sudden impression, astonisheth nature. Whence it is, that many philosophers were of opinion that Air is the cause of dreams, and of many other impressions of the mind, through the prolonging of Images, or similitudes, or species (which are fallen from things and speeches, multiplied in the very Air) until they come to the senses, and then to the phantasy, and soul of him that receives them, which being freed from cares and no way hindered, expecting to meet such kind of species, is informed by them.