Chapter 4

It is evident, that the Celestial Light of the Sun is of a fiery Quality and Essence, given unto it by a Celestial, fixt and permanent sulphurous Spirit, by the most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, to preserve its substance, form, and body; which Creature, by its swift motion and course, is enflamed and kindled by the Air through that swiftness in a continued manifestation of it; this inflammation can never be extinct, nor decay in any of its power, so long as its Course last, or this whole Created visible World shall remain and continue, because there is no combustible matter at hand which is given unto it, by whose consumption this great Light of Heaven should fall to decay.

Even so Gold is so digested, ripened, and made into such a fixt invincible Nature by the Superiours in its Essence, that nothing can hurt it in the least, because the superiour Stars have past through the inferiour, that the inferiour fix'd Stars by the influence and donation of the superiour, cannot in the least give place to its like, for the inferiour have obtained such a fixedness and permanency from the superiour; this you may well retain, observe, and take notice of as concerning the first Matter of Gold.

I must yet produce one comparison according to the Philosophical custom, of the great Light of Heaven, and of that little terrestrial fire here daily kindled, and made to burn before our Eyes; because that great Light hath a magnetick simulation and an attractive living power with the small fire here on earth, but yet it is unformal and incomprehensible, only it is found to be spiritual, invisible, insensible and intangible.

It is to be observed and remembred, as experience manifests, and is proved, that the great Light of heaven bears an especial sympathy, affection and inclination to the little earthly fire, by means of the spiritual Air, whereby they are both promoted and preserved from Mortality; for behold, when the Air receives into it a Coruption, by too great humidity attracted up by it, that Clouds are generated by Mists, and farther coagulations, which hinder the Sun-beams that they cannot have a reflection, nor get a right penetrating power. So likewise the small terrestrial fire doth not burn so lively in dusky, dark, rainy weather, nor manifests it self with joy in its operation, as it doth when there is a fair, pure, serene, unfalsified heavenly Air; the reason is, because the sympathy is bound and hindered by the obstruction of those Accidents and the waterish Air, so that the attractive power is grieved, that it cannot accomplish its compleat Love and Operation as it should, for this hinderance brings the aquosity to the contrary Element.

Now even as the Sun, the great Light of Heaven, hath a peculiar community and sympathy with the small terrestrial fire to attract unto it, after a Magnetical manner; So also the Sun and Gold have a peculiar understanding, and an attractive power and sympathy together; for the Sun hath wrought the Gold by the three Principles, which have their Magnets, being nearest related to the Sun, and hath gained the next degree to it, for that the three Principles are found to be most mighty and powerful therein, Gold immediately succeeds it in its corporal Form, being composed of the three principles, and hath its beginning and off-spring from the Celestial and Golden Magnet.

This is the supremest Wisdom of this world, a wisdom above all wisdom, yea a wisdom above all Natural Reason and Understanding; for by this wisdom is comprehended first of all Gods Creation, the heavenly Essence, the Firmamentary Workings, the spiritual Imagination, and the corporal Essence, it contains all qualities, and properties, and all whatsoever sustaines and preserves Mankind. In this Golden Magnet sticks and lies buried the resolution and opening of all Metals and Minerals, their domination, as also the first Matter of their generation, their power over health; and again, the coagulation and fixation of Metals, together with the operation of expelling all Diseases: Take notice of this Key, for it is Celestial, Sydereal and Elementary, out of which the terrestrial is generated, it is both Supernatural and Natural, and is generated Celestially of the Spirit of _Mercury_, Spiritually of the Spirit of _Sulphur_, and Corporally of the Spirit of _Salt_; this is all the way, the whole Essence, the beginning and end; for the Spirit and the Body are bound up together in one by the Soul, that they can never be separated, but produce a very perfect, durable Body, which nothing can hurt. Out of this spiritual Essence, and out of this spiritual Matter, out of which first of all Gold was made into a Body, and became corporal, out of it is made a more true and compleat _Aurum potabile_ than out of Gold it self, which must first of all be made spiritual, before a potable Gold can be prepared out of it.

This Spirit cures and heales the _Leprosie_ and the _French Pox_, as being an over-fix'd Mercurial Essence, dries up and consumes the _Dropsie_, and all running and open Sores, which have raged a long season, it strengthens the Heart and Brain, makes a good Memory, generates good Blood, brings Lust, Delight and Desires in humane incitation unto Natural Affections. If the Quintessence of Pearl be mixt with the Tincture of Coral, and be administred with an addition of an equal quantity of this Spiritual Essence of Gold, the Dose of two grains taken at once in a just observation, you may be bold & confident of the truth, that no disaster of any Natural Distemper can harm you, or happen to you, to the prejudice of your health, because the nature resides only in the Spirit of Gold, to alter, remove and amend all weaknesses, so that the Body shall be adjudged perfect and free from any Disease. The Quintessence of Pearl corroborates the Heart, and make a perfect Memory, of the five senses. The Tincture of Coral expels all poison, and evil Spirits which fly from the good. So can the Soul of Gold in a Water turn the spiritual Essence of the Pearl, and the Sulphur of the Coral united in one, perform such a thing which otherwise Nature could not be intrusted with, but seeing that Experience hath manifested it, and confirmed the undeniable Truth, therefore this Cordial in this temporal Life is, and ought in reason to precede all other Cordials with admiration and admirable Effects, be they called by what name soever. I am an Ecclesiastical person, obedient to the Ecclesiastical degree, related to the _Benedictine_ Order by a Spiritual and Divine Oath, by which Order with my internal Prayer, I obtain comfort and promises of Gods Word, a refreshment to my Soul, but in a corporal temptation of my weaknesses, and for my Brethren I have not found and used a better corroboration by Gods Blessing, than these three Compounds united: God give, bless, and increase this Virtue and Power unto the End of this temporal World, which Man must change together with Death. O thou golden power of thy Soul! O thou golden intellect of thy Spirit! O thou golden operation of thy Body! God the Creator keep thee, and grant unto all earthly Creatures, who love and honour him, the true understanding of all Gifts, that thy Will may be done in Heaven and on Earth: This is enough revealed at present concerning the Spirit of Gold, until the coming again of _Elias_.

_Hereunto I add a short process:_

Take a Spirit of Salt, therewith extract the Sulphur of Gold, separate the Oil of Salt from it, rectifie the Sulphur of Gold with Spirit of Wine, that it be pleasant without Corrosive; then take the true Oil of _Vitriol_, made of the _Vitriol_ of _Verdigreece_, therein dissolve _Mars_, thereof make a _Vitriol_ again, and again dissolve it into an Oil or Spirit, which rectifie in like manner as before with Spirit of Wine, conjoin them, and abstract the Spirit of Wine from it, resolve the Matter which remaines dry in Spirit of _Mercury_, according to a just weight, circulate and coagulate it when it is fix'd and permanent without Ascention, you have then a Medicine to tinge Man and Metals, if it be fermented with prepared Gold.

CHAP. VII.

_Of the Spirit of_ Silver.

[Transcriber's note: Original heading had Gold with a handwritten correction to Silver.]

The Tincture and spirit of Silver manifests its Colour of a Watchet or Sky-colour, otherwise it is a waterish Spirit, cold and moist, not so hot in its degree as that which is found in _Gold_, _Mars_, and _Venus_; for _Luna_ is more phlegmatick than fiery, though it be brought by the Fire out of its waterish Substance into a coagulation; and even as the Metals gain their tinging Spirits and Coagulation, in like manner do stones get their fixedness, and colour, as out of one Influence. A fix'd coagulated _Mercury_ is found in the _Diamond_, therefore it is fixeder and harder than the other stones, and cannot be so broken; so the tincture of _Mars_, or the Sulphur of Iron is found in the _Ruby_, the Sulphur of _Venus_ in the _Emerald_, the Soul of _Saturn_ in the _Granate_; in Tin the tincture which is found in the _Topaz_; and _Crystal_ is appropriated to common _Mercury_; in the _Saphire_ is found the Sulphur and Tincture of _Luna_, but each one according to a peculiar understanding, and according to its kind, and in Metals according to their form and gender; for when the blew Colour is taken and extracted out of the _Saphire_, its Rayment is gone, and its other Body is white as a _Diamond_, wanting only the hardness that is in a _Diamond_; even so when Gold hath lost its Soul, it yields a fix'd white Gold Body, which by searching Students and young Artists is called fix'd _Luna_.

Wherefore you must now understand and observe, that even as I have declared unto you concerning the _Saphire_, for your apprehension, even so on the other side, you must learn to what purpose my Speech is intended, for your Instruction concerning Metals.

For this blew Spirit is the Sulphur and the Soul, whence the Silver receiveth its Life, both in and above the Earth, by Art, and the white Tincture of the Silver upon white stands in the Magnetick form of an everlasting thing, or Creature, wherein is likewise found the first _Ens_ of Gold.

O ye high qualified Orators! where is your voice in this case to explain this Mystery? And you conceited Naturalists, where is your Writings and Advice of Reason? And you Physicians, Whither is your Opinion flown, to fetch somewhat afar off over the Seas for to cure the _Dropsie_, and all _Lunary_ Distempers? You will say, that this my speech is too dark for you; is it so? then kindle the terrestrial Light, seek, and be not ashamed to make acquaintance with _Vulcan_; and let nothing be irksome unto you, so will you find by the assistance of the Eternal God, that the Spirit of _Silver_ contains in it to cure and expel the _Dropsie_ quite alone, as the Spirit of _Gold_, and as that of _Mercury_ can expel the _Consumption_ radically, or in the root, even so that the Center of those Diseases cannot be found any more. But that _Luna_ in the veins of the Earth is not furnished with such a hot substance or quality in its degree, but is subjected to a Waterish Nature; this fault lies upon that great Light of Heaven, which by reason of its Waterish influence, hath implanted such qualities in the other Creatures, and Planets of the Earth, than it hath in _Silver_. And albeit that _Silver_ contains a fix'd _Mercury_, which is generated in it, yet it wants a hot, fix'd _Sulphur_, truly to dry up and consume its Phlegme, whereby it hath not obtained a compact Body, unless it be done afterwards by the art of the Little World. And seeing that its Body is not compact by reason of the abounding watery substance, its Pores therefore are not rightly defended, nor closed to undergo the weight and endure a Battel with the Enemies; all which Virtues are to be found in _Gold_, if it shall overcome all Enemies, and endure all trials without defect.

All things are difficult in the beginning, but when they are brought to an end they are easie to be understood and apprehended. If you do truly observe the Spirit and the Soul of _Luna_, and learn to know it truly, you may quickly compass the midst of the Work, how it shall afford the end with profit; wherefore I will now propose to you an Example, and instruct you by a Countrey-Rule, that you may apprehend it, and consider of it, as Childrens Play, in a high and weighty Matter, that you may search it out with advantage; as followeth:

A common Peasant casts forth (or sows) his Seed in a Field well dunged and prepared, this Seed after putrefaction, sprouts forth of the Earth by the operation and furtherance of the Elements, and sets before our Eyes the Matter of Flax together with its Seed which it brings with it augmented; this Flax is pluck'd up, and separated from its Seed; but this Flax cannot be used and prepared for any work profitably, except it be first putrefied and rotted in water, whereby the Body is opened, and gains an ingress of its doing good; after this putrefaction and opening, it is again dried in the Air and Sun, and by this coagulation it is again brought into a Formal Being, that it may do future service. This prepared Flax is afterwards buck'd, beaten, broken, peel'd, and last of all dress'd, that the pure may be separated from the impure, the clean from the filth, and the fine from the course; which otherwise could not be done at all, or brought to pass without the preceding preparation; this done, they spin Yarn of it, which they boil in water over the Fire, or else with Ashes set in a warm place, whereby it is purified afresh, whereby the filth and superfluities are fully separated from it, and after a due washing the Yarn is dried again, delivered to the Workmen, and Cloth weaved of it; this Cloth is purified or whitened by a frequent casting of water upon it, cut in pieces by Taylors, and other people, so converted to future services in houshold affairs, and when this Linnen is quite worn out, and torn, the old Rags are gathered together, and sent to the Paper-Mills, whereof they make Paper, which is put unto divers uses.

If you lay Paper upon a Metal or Glass, kindle and burn it, the vegetable _Mercury_ comes forth and flies away into the Air, the Salt remaines in the ashes and the combustible _Sulphur_ which is not so quickly consumed in the burning, dissolves to an Oil, which is a good Medicine for dim and defective Eyes. This Oil hath in it a great fatness, which is the Matter of the Paper, contained originally in the Seed of the Flax; so that the last Matter of the Flax which is Paper, must again be dissolved into the first Matter, which is the fat Sulphurous Oyliness of the Flax-seed, together with the separation of its _Mercury_ and _Salt_, that so the first may be made of the last, and the ground-work revealed, so the Virtues and Operations known by the first.

And though this Discourse be gross and not subtil, yet you may learn thereby to know what is subtile and secret; for that which is subtile must be infused into the ignorant by course Examples, that thereby they may be taught to reject the gross, and to embrace that which is subtile.

In like manner understand, that the first Matter of Metals must be observed, known, and found out by the revelation of their last Matter, which last Matter, as there are the perfect Metals, must be separated and divided asunder, that it may plainly appear singly before the Eyes of men. Out of which separation may be judged and learnt what the first Matter was at the beginning, out of which the last was made. Accept of this Advice concerning _Luna_ at present. I could have said more, but I must desist at this time until another opportunity; and intreat you heartily, admonishing you by your Conscience, that you observe all that which I have revealed unto you, of all those Letters which are contained in the middle between _Alpha_ & _Omega_, & that you keep all the Speeches & Writings, that you may not undergo a denial of pardon for your Sins, & a continued perpetual Vengeance for Eternity; which I at last reveal unto you thus:

Take the Sky-coloured Sulphur extracted out of _Silver_, rectified with Spirit of Wine, dissolve it according to its Quantity in the White Spirit of _Vitriol_, and in the sweet-sented Spirit of _Mercury_, coagulate them together by the fixation of the Fire, you have the White Tincture in your Hands with all its Medicines; but if you can get all their _primum Mobile's_, it is then needless, because you can perfect the Work at once.

CHAP. VIII.

_Of the Soul or Tincture of_ Tin.

Good _Jupiter_ possesses almost the mean or middle place between Metals, it being not too hot, nor too cold, not too warm, nor too moist, it hath no excess of _Mercury_, nor of Salt, and it hath the least of Sulphur in it; it is found to be white in Colour, yet one exceeds the other in the three Principles, as it is evidently found in its dissection, the right and true discovery of Nature. It is generated of such a composition and mixture of the three first Principles, being operated, coagulated into a Metal, and brought to the ripeness of perfection. _Jupiter_ is a God of Peace, a Lord of Goodness, a Ruler and Possessor of the middle Region; as concerning its State, Essence, Function, Virtue, Form and Substance; for it holds the mean; no special Disease can happen, that _Jupiter_ should cause any remarkable damage, if its Medicine be used a little at once, not too much in quantity; it is likewise thought needless, where its Medicines are not required, that they should be administred in strange cases with a just Call, but we should rather abide by those, where the Body and its Disease have an equal temper with the superiour Stars and their assistance, in vertue, power, and operation, and so accord together in their juncture, that there is not found the least contrariety in the Operation, nor in the Operative Nature.

_Jupiters_ Spirit is found not to be wanting in the least, in the generation of Metals, as likewise no one Spirit of all the Metals can be set backwards, because of necessity they accord together from the lowest to the highest degree, and must agree together, as a Metal is perfect in the great Earth, so should the transmutation & augmentation succeed in the little world; understand it after this manner, that all the degrees from the meanest to the highest Metal must be passed through in all perfection, even as the Metals must finish their course, from _Saturn_ unto _Gold_, as concerning the permanency of Colour and Body, notwithstanding that _Saturn_ possesses the highest place in the highest Region, wherein the stars reign and perform their Course.

The generation of Tin in and above the Earth, is brought to light even as Man is and other Animals, which are originally nourished and fed by the Mothers Milk; there is no Diet to be found on Earth more fit for the nourishment of all men than Milk; for its best part is chiefly an Animal _Sulphur_, which yields the Nourishment. Even in like manner _Tin_ is nourished by its Metallick _Sulphur_, which likewise feeds it with the greatest acceptation, it assumes in and to it more heat than _Saturn_, therefore is _Jupiter_ more digested & broiled, whereby its Body likewise is more fixt and permanent in the degree of Salt.

He causes in his Dominion and Reign, that good Rule be observed, and Justice done to all men in his Court. The Spirit of Tin is a Preserver from all Distempers & Accidents whereby the Liver is consumed or put into malady; its Spirit is naturally to be compared unto Honey in Taste, its _Mercury_ being made volatile, gains a venomous quality; for it purges violently, and penetrates through by force, therefore it is not alwayes to be advised, that its opened _Mercury_ should be used alone and simply, but if a Correction precede, there may an excellent benefit succeed, being used in those distempers and diseases, which are immediately subject to its Influence, that is, when its venomous volatility is taken away, and set in a better and fixeder state, which resists the poison.

The Vulgar Physician cannot understand this Description; for this Art and knowledge proceeds not from the bare Talking, but from Experience; the common Physician hath the foundation and egress in speaking, but our Preparation hath its Rise from speaking, and then its foundation first of all out of a certain trial, which manifests it by Experience, and this is firmed upon hard Rocks by manual Operations, but the other stands upon moving Reeds & Sand; wherefore in reason that which is strong and immoveable, made by Natures hand, ought to be prefer'd before bare Speeches, which proceed only from an inconstant phantastical speculation, because the Work alwayes will praise the Master.

At present I do not indeed speak according to my own Poetical manner, nor after such a way as I directed my stile, when I treated of the wonderful generation of the seven Planets in my occult Philosophy, nor after a Magical or Cabalistical manner and custom; much less do I observe the method which teaches, and diligently marks the Mystical, Secret and Supernatural Arts, to wit, of _Hydromancy_, _AEromancy_, _Geomancy_, _Pyromancy_, _Nigromancy_, and the like: But my present purpose and intent is directed to reveal Natures Secrets, that all the Lovers of Art, and the Children which seek and desire wisdom, may by Gods Grace, Blessing, and Permission, easily understand, observe, mark, and likewise after diligent observation learn, & retain something that is beneficial; this concerns the generation of Metals in two parts, in the great and in the little World, as likewise what is the true Medicine contained in the inward part of those Metallick and Mineral Forms, which must be apprehended and made moveable by their dissection that their first beginning may be made notoriously visible in three distinct things; Then is Nature stript, and her secret parts discovered by laying off her temporal Cloathing, and all the secret Virtues, Powers, and, Operations revealed for Mans Health. My Persecutors, and, indiscreet Physicians will now tell me, thou talkest much of Geese, and knowest not a Duck; who knows whether all what thou writest be true? I will stick where I am, and remain by what I have tried, and bears the sway among all my Associates and Physitians; so shall I not be deceived, and am assured that I shall not need to take paines to learn any new Matter. He that is of such a resolution, may remain with the Ducks; for he is not worthy of a roasted Goose, nor to learn what is concealed in Nature.

But this in truth I acknowledge, and confess it before the Supreme Trinity, speaking it to the hazzard of that most Noble Ecclesiastical Jewel, that all what I have wrote, and yet shall write in this point, is all true, and shall be found to be no otherwise in truth: But that every ignorant, or vulgar person, which are haters and persecutors of this Mystery, do not well, fully, and clearly understand my Writings at first; alas! that cannot I help; pray unto God for his Grace, and ye Persecutors for pardon, labour without repining, read with understanding, then will no Mystery be withheld from you, but will be very easie for you to find out. I moreover admonish, that the finder of this gift of God, above all things give thanks unto God day and night without ceasing, with all reverence and due obedience, from the bottom of his heart; because no Creature can yield sufficient praise which may recompense so great a benefit; but Diligence is known by a right and true industry according to our capacity. I have done my part, which I hope to justifie before God and the World; for what my Eyes have seen, my Hands felt, and apprehended by an undeceived Judgment, that shall no man take from me in this Life; only Death, which is the determiner of all things.