great Mysteries, which the Children of Men do no wayes regard, but are
despised by the greater number, to know what thou hast concealed in
Nature, which they see before their Eyes, and know it not; they have it
in their Hands, and comprehend it not; they deal with it, and know not
what they have, nor what they do, because the Internal is concealed. I
will yet reveal this unto thee in truth, and by the Love of God, that
the root of the Philosophical Sulphur, which is a Celestial Spirit, is
found with the root of the spiritual supernatural _Mercury_, as also the
beginning of the spiritual Salt, are in one, and found in one Matter,
out of which the Stone is made, which was before me, and not in many
things, though all Philosophers speak as if the _Mercury_, _Sulphur_,
and _Salt_ were each one a part by themselves and distinct, that the
_Mercury_ is found in one, the _Sulphur_ in another, and the _Salt_ in a
third; yet I tell you, this is only to be understood of their
superfluity, which is found to abound most in each, and may be used and
prepared divers ways particularly with profit, both for Physick and
transmutation of Metals; but the Universal, which is the supreamest
Treasure of Earthly Wisdom, and of all the three Principles, is one only
thing, and is founded and extracted out of one only thing, which can
make all Metals into one, it is the true Spirit of _Mercury_, and Soul
of _Sulphur_, together with the spiritual Salt, united together,
inclosed under one Heaven, and dwelling in one Body, it is the Dragon
and the Eagle, the King and the Lion, the Spirit and the Body, which
must tinge the Body of Gold to a Medicine, that it may gain power
plentifully to tinge his other Companions.
O thou blessed Medicine given by God thy Creator! O thou Celestial
Magnet of great attractive Love! O thou valid substance of Metals, how
great is thy power, how uninventive is thy virtue, how durable is thy
constancy? happy is that man on Earth who knows thy Light in truth,
which all the world takes no notice of; he shall not see poverty, no
Disease shall touch him, nor no sickness hurt him, till the appointed
time of death, and till the last hour predestinated for him by his
Heavenly King. It is impossible for all the tongues of Men to utter the
Wisdom which is laid in this Treasure of the Fountain, all Orators must
be silent and ashamed at it, yea terrified and not able to speak a word,
when they shall behold and discern this supernatural Glory, and I my
self am afraid when I consider that I have discovered too much. But I
hope to prevail with God by Prayer, that he will not charge it on me as
a deadly Sin, because I began the Work in his Fear, obtained it by his
Grace, and revealed it for his Glory.
O thou holy everlasting Trinity! I praise, honour, and magnifie thee
with Heart and Mouth, that thou hast revealed unto me the great wisdom
of this earthly World, next unto thy Divine Word, whereby I have known
thy Almighty Power, and supernatural Wonders, which Man will not
discern; I heartily beseech thee to give me more understanding and
wisdom, that I may bestow the use and profit thereof with a continual
Sacrifice of Praise before thee, unto the Christian-like Love of my
Neighbour, and to my own welfare both spiritual and corporal, in power
and virtue, that thy Name may be made glorious, honoured, and praised,
for all thy works in Heaven and Earth; and that my Enemies may know,
that thou art the Lord full of eternal Wonders, that they may repent and
be converted, and not be drowned in the falshood of Darkness. God the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost help me, and all of us, from his heavenly
Throne, exalted above all Glory, Might, and Majesty, whose Wisdom hath
neither beginning nor end, and before whom all Celestial, Earthly, and
Hellish Creatures must tremble with fear, to him be Glory forever,
_Amen_.
O _Seraphin_! O _Cherubin_! how great are thy Wonders and Actions, look
graciously upon thy servant, and be entreated to be pacified that he
hath manifested this.
The Reader must moreover know concerning the Generation of Copper, and
observe, that it is generated of much _Sulphur_, but its _Mercury_ and
Salt are in an equality, for there is found to be no more or less of the
one than of the other, seeing then that the _Sulphur_ in quantity excels
the _Mercury_ and the Salt, thence arises a great coloured redness,
which possesses the Metal, that the _Mercury_ cannot perform its
fixation, that a fixt Body should be generated thereof. Observe and
understand it so of Copper, that the form of _Venus_ Body is so stated
as that of a Tree, which abounds in Rosen, as the Larch Tree, the Firr,
the Pine, Deal Tree, and other sorts of Trees more, the Rosen of the
Tree is its _Sulphur_, which it evacuates at sometimes by reason of its
superfluity, for it cannot bear it all; such a Tree which is tinged with
abundance of fatness, by the digestion of Nature and the Elements, burns
quickly and freely, and is not ponderous, nor so durable as is the Oak,
or other hard wood which is close and compact, whose Pores are not so
open, as those sorts of light wood, and wherein the Sulphur doth not so
predominate, but the Oak hath therefore the more _Mercury_, and a better
Salt than the Pine, Firr, and Deal trees have, and such wood doth not
float so well above the water, as the Deal, being bound & closed up
compactly, so that the Air is easily prevented in bearing it up. So is
it to be observed of Metals, and especially of Gold, which by reason of
its abundant, fixt, digested and ripe _Mercury_, hath a very close, fast
and compact, fixt and invincible Body, which neither Fire nor Water,
Air, nor any Corruption of the Earth can prejudice, that the consuming
power of the Elements can do them no harm; this fixedness & close
compacted Conjunction gives evidence of its natural ponderosity, which
cannot be evidenced in other Metals, which is to be observed, not only
by weighing it in the scales, but likewise you will find it thus: if you
lay but a scruple of pure Gold upon a hundred weight of Quicksilver, it
immediately sinks to the bottom, whereas all other Metals being laid
upon Quicksilver in like manner, float on the top of it, and sink not to
the bottom, because they are more open, that the Air or Wind can
penetrate them and bear them up.
Now what further concerns the Spirit of _Venus_ or Copper in Physick,
you must last of all take notice and observe, that it is throughout in
its virtue and power discerned to be very wholsom and beneficial, not
only that Spirit which lies in the first _Ens_, but also that very
Spirit which is found in the last Matter, its virtue, power and
operation is, that it is preferred before all other Medicines in the
Rising of the _Matrix_: It's like is not yet found particularly against
the _Falling Sickness_. This Spirit hath also received an especial gift
to dry the _Dropsie_ up; it preserves the Bloud from putrefaction,
digests all which is adverse to the Stomach, breaks the Stone, of what
kind soever it be. Externally in Wounds, this Spirit lays a ground to
heal: _Noli me tangere_ and all other Sores cannot defend themselves,
nor their ill Qualities, but this Spirit doth assault them, and prepares
a good ground for their Cure; externally it mundifies and searches out
that whereby the Medicine may operate, fasten, and make a beginning of
the Cure. Internally this Spirit penetrates through & through, searching
out all that is evil in the Body; even as doth the noblest Vulnerary
potion; No Imposthume can withstand this Spirit, but is reformed by it.
I say briefly, observe the Spirit of _Venus_ very well, it will manifest
it self to admiration both internally and externally, that many will
esteem it to be incredible & supernatural. Last of all, you must
understand that this Spirit of _Copper_ is a fiery Spirit, penetrating,
searching and consuming all evil Humours, and superfluous Flegme in Man
and Metals, and may in reason be accounted the Crown of Medicines; it is
very fiery and sharp, incombustible, but spiritual and unformal, and
therefore as a Spirit it can particularly help to make unformal things
fiery, digest and ripen them; and if you are a true Naturalist, I
recommend this Spirit unto thee; it will not fail thee in the least, in
any necessity of Health or Wealth, in case you observe it rightly, and
execute according to Justice. I hope my Call and Request will at last
take place, and have a hearing with those who regard Nature, and have
an earnest and longing desire to search out, and learn, whereby they may
whet their Wits, open their Eyes, and let their Ears hear, and learn
such a thing out of my Advice, which was never taken notice of, or
learn'd before, and is to be found in this Spirit of Copper, internal
and external. He that doth not observe, or truly understand my Writings,
will not fathom many Secrets, nor search out to purpose and in truth,
nor learn to advantage without me, therefore no Man can direct me, as
concerning the Spirit of Copper, except he hath beforehand inverted and
turned the Copper inside outwards, and truly learned all the Mysteries
of its internal Virtues, as I have done, if he can find out any thing
better, which I know not, I earnestly desire him not to conceal any
thing, so shall his instruction be well rewarded, with a thousand-fold
advantage, and recommend you herewith to the Highest Creator.
V_ain Reason cannot alwayes apprehend_
E_ach matter which_ Venus _can bring to an end:_
N_o man can find it presently in sence,_
V_ain Reason banns it far away from thence;_
S_uch a Spirit only can all things speed,_
_So that_ Mercury _be joyn'd with it indeed._
CHAP. V.
_Of the Spirit and Tincture of_ Mars.
_Mars_ and _Venus_ have a Spirit and Tincture as well as Gold and other
Metals, be that Spirit which is in each Metal never so mean and little.
It is undeniable and known to all, that many men have many minds, though
all men originally are of one first Matter, born and produced from one
Seed; yet have they divers different Minds, because the Stars have so
operated them, and not without cause; for the influences of the great
World operates the next to it in the little World; for all Opinions,
Natures and Thoughts, together with the whole complection of Man proceed
alone from one Influence of the Stars, manifesting themselves according
to the Course of the Planets and Stars, so that nothing can prevent, nor
can such Influences hinder it, when the Birth hath attained to the end
of its perfection.
As a man is naturally inclined to study; one delights in Divinity,
another in the study of the Laws, a third in Physick, a fourth will be a
Philosopher; moreover there are many Wits who are naturally inclined to
the Mechanicks; as the one is a Painter, another a Goldsmith; the one a
Shoomaker, the other a Taylor, a Carver, and so forth, divers and
innumerable; all this happens by the Stars influence, whereby the
Imagination is supernaturally founded & fortified, and whereupon it is
resolved to rest; as it is found, that what a man hath once conceived in
his Mind, and framed a foundation thereof, none can divert him from a
constant resolution and relying thereon, except Death, which at last
concludes all. So is it to be understood of _Alchymists_, who are set
upon the search of Natures Secrets, they intend not to cease, till they
have discover'd Nature, absolved it quite, and brought all to an end,
which cannot well be done.
Even so is it to be understood of Metals, according as the Influence and
Imagination is from above, so is the Form; and although the Metals be
called Metals in general, and are such, yet you have understood by the
various minds of men, which yet proceed from one Matter, that there may
be manifold and divers Metals, one hot and dry, another cold and moist,
a third assuming a mixt Nature and Complection to it self. Therefore the
Metal of _Mars_ being ordained in its degree by a gross Salt before
others in the greatest quantity, is found to have the hardest, ungentle,
strongest, and grossest Body, which Nature appropriated and granted to
it, it hath the least portion of _Mercury_, but more of _Sulphur_, and
most of _Salt_, hence, and from such a mixture or composition is its
corporal essence descended, and born into the world by help of the
Elements. Its Spirit is like to the other Spirits in operation, but if
you can know the right and true Spirit of _Mars_, I tell you truly, and
in true Wisdom, that one grain of its Spirit or Quintessence drunk with
the Spirit of Wine, strengthens the Heart, Courage, and Senses, so that
you shall fear no Foes; it raises up in him the Courage of a Lion, and
provokes a desire to hunt and fight at _Venus_ sports. When the
Conjunction of _Mars_ and _Venus_ are rightly placed in a certain
Constellation, they bring Fortune and Victory in Love and Affection, in
Battel and joy, remaining in unity though the whole World should be
against them: But because I am an Ecclesiastick under Church Government,
and dedicated my Soul to God, without provocation of humane desires, and
lusts of the Flesh, for they lead a direct way to Hell without leave;
but Gods Commands, Fear, and a rejection of Mans Will, which are
tollerated by his Commands, prepare a way to Heaven, if they continue in
the true calling upon, and in the true and right Faith of the only
Throne of Grace, Mediator and Patron _Jesus Christ_ our Saviour. All
Martial Diseases are expell'd, cured, and healed in an admirable manner
by this Spirit; such as are the _Bloody Flux_, the Disease or Menstruous
_Fluxes_ of Women, both white and red, and all other _Fluxes_ of the
Belly, and open _Sores_ in the Legs, or any part of the Body, together
with all those Diseases, both internal and external, howsoever they are
called, which bloody _Mars_ hath caused, which I omit to nominate
particularly, being well known unto the discreet Physician what Diseases
are subject to the jurisdiction of _Mars_. If the Spirit of Iron be
truly known, it hath a secret affinity with the Spirit of _Venus_, so
that both may be conjoined in one, both becoming one only matter, of a
like operation, form, substance and being, healing and expelling the
self-same Diseases, as also to bring the particulars of the Metals into
a change with profit, praise, and excess. But properly _Mars_ must be
observed thus with its virtues, that in his Corporal form he only hath
an earthly Body, which may be used in many things, for to stanch Bloud,
externally in Wounds, to graduate _Luna_, internally to stop or bind the
Body, which yet is not good at all times, and may be used both
internally & externally in mans Body, as likewise in Metallick affairs;
because without the true known means, which Nature hath in her secret
Closet, much profit cannot be gotten _per se_.
One thing more I must at present propose, that the Magnet and true Iron
perform almost a like benefit in Corporal Distempers, having almost one
kind of Nature in and with them, as it is with it in the Celestial,
spiritual, and Elementary Intellect, between the Body, Soul, and the
Chaos, out of which the Soul and Spirit went, the Body at last was found
out of the Composition.
How shall we now do? the gross dull-witted Lads will not apprehend it,
the middle sort of Wits will take no notice of what I write, and the
supernatural wits will descant too much upon it; I must find out a
remedy, and would willingly preserve all these over-wise-people to be
my Friends still. I will now teach, instruct, and presently inform you,
seeing that the Argument it self declares and pronounces its definitive
sentence, therefore the resolution lies open, and can be declared and
resolved, reserved nor directed to any other sentence of the
understanding, further than for it self.
Last of all, reserve this hereupon in this Chapter, that there can be no
House kept to stand in unity between the Married Couple, if the one of
them turn his Coach and drive to the East, and the other towards the
West, for they are not equal, so that they cannot draw the Coach
together in an equal weight, whereby there arises a great dissention and
hinderance, in obtaining that which was intended: but if true Married
People will carry on their House-keeping with a right subsistance, they
must be of one spirit, mind, judgment and virtue, to accomplish all
whatsoever is in their heart and mind, and that the one operate into the
other, if their Love and Truth shall be permanent; for want of one of
these things, the three principles cannot be truly together; for the
_Mercury_ is banisht, and too little by reason of the firmness and
constancy; the _Sulphur_ is too little, it cannot warm the Body of Love,
because it is very much extinct; the _Salt_ likewise hath not its right,
convenient, natural kind, but is too hard and too much, seeing it makes
a hard coagulation, is sharp and biting, because it doth not manifest it
self in truth and constancy. Even so it goes now in the World, which
goes astray, and is pregnant with such Vices, for the constancy is but
small, the Love little, and Truth as little.
I hope you will take this Philosophical Example in good part, because
_Syrach_ doth both praise and dispraise the goodness, truth, and
wickedness of a false Woman, and both after a different manner; and
herewith I bid _Mars_ Farewell, saying, that no man knows how to
distinguish the Sentence of one, much less of all things, but he who
hath in this point taken notice of them, learned and experimented their
Nature and Properties, and truly known and discovered them. God our
Heavenly Father, the Everlasting Power, proceeding from all beginning,
separate us so in the Form, that the terrestrial corruptible Body may
again attain unto, contain, and receive the Celestial, Spiritual and
Incorruptible Revelation. _Amen._
M_aist thou not know me alone indeed,_
A_nd procure a pure help for me in need;_
R_esolve then, and hear what I do speak or say,_
S_o shalt thou find what I can do for aye._
CHAP. VI.
_Of the Spirit of_ Gold.
The Clearness of Heaven hath now commanded me to govern my Pen, to
reveal a matter of valour and of permanency; for the Sun is a burning
and consuming Fire, hot and dry, wherein is concealed the right and true
virtue of all Natural things; this virtue of the Sun worketh
Understanding, Riches, and Health. My Mind is very much grieved, and my
Spirit is terrified within it self to discover it publickly, which was
not publish'd in common before, and to make it vocal, which was
concealed in the deep with great secresie. But if I consider in my
self, and enter into my Conscience, I could find no alteration, nor
catch at any thing to disturb my mind, or bring it to another
resolution, which might cause many Obstructions: Yet will I speak with
discretion, and write understanding, that no evil with may follow, but
rather that I may gain a grateful profit, which I have pourtrayed after
the manner and occasion, as the Philosophers before me have done.
Mark now, give your Mind perfect Thoughts, refrain all strange matters,
which are not serviceable to your speculation of Philosophy, but rather
cause a ruine of that benefit, which you pursued with so much diligence;
and know if you have a hearty desire and strong affection to gain the
Golden Magnet, that in the first place your prayer be truly directed to
God, in true Knowledge, Sorrow, Repentance, and true Humility, to know
and learn the three distinct Worlds which are subject to Humane Reason;
as, there is the Super-celestial World, wherein the right immortal Soul
hath its seat and residence, together with its first coming, and is
according to Gods Creation the first moveable Sense, or the first moving
sensible Soul, which hath operated the Natural Life from a Supernatural
Essence; this Soul and Spirit is at first the Root and Fountain, the
first Creature which arose to a Life, and the first Mover, whereof there
hath been so much Disputing among the Learned.
Now take notice of the second Celestial World, and observe it
diligently, for therein the Planets rule, and all the Stars of Heaven
have their course, virtue and power in this Heaven, performing that
Service therein whereunto they are by God ordained, and in this service
they operate the Minerals and Metals by their Spirit.
Go now out of these 2 distinct Worlds into the third, wherein is
contained and found what the other two have wrought, to wit, the
Super-celestial and the Celestial worlds; out of the Super-celestial
arises the Fountain of Life, and of the Soul; out of the other Celestial
world the light of the Spirit; and out of the third or Elementary world,
the invincible Celestial Fire, which yet may be felt, out of which, that
which is tangible is digested; these three Matters and Substances
produce and generate the Form of Metals, among all which Gold hath the
pre-eminence, because the Sidereal & Elementary Operation hath digested
and ripened the _Mercury_ in this Metal the more perfectly to a
sufficient ripeness.
And even as the Male-Seed is injected into the Womb, and touches the
_Menstruum_, which is its Earth, but the Seed which goes out of the Male
into the Female, is operated in both by the Sydereal and Elementary,
that they be united, and nourished by the Earth unto the Birth.
Even so understand it likewise, that the Soul of Metals which is formed
and conceived out of the _Chaos_ by an intangible, invisible,
incomprehensible, concealed, and supernatural, Celestial Composition of
Water and Air; afterwards it is further concocted by the Celestial
Elementary Light and Fire of the Sun; whereby the Stars move the Powers,
when its heat is perceived in the inward parts of the Earth, as in the
Womb, for the Earth is opened by the warm operating property of the
upper Stars, that their infused Spirit yield a nourishment unto the
Earth, that it may bring forth somewhat, as Metals, Herbs, Trees and
Animals; where each one in particular brings its Seed with it for its
farther augmentation and encrease: And as hath been mentioned, even as
Man is begotten spiritually and heavenly, Soul and Spirit, and by the
nourishment of the Earth in the Body of the Mother is formally brought
up to perfection; even so, and in like manner, is to be observed and
understood of the Metals and Minerals in all points.
But this is the true mystery of Gold, which I will make good to you by
an Example and Parable to certifie you, whereby the possibility of
Nature, and its Mystery is to be found after this manner.
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.