from labour at length in a moment the Solution will fall in this is Revelation which you cannot receive unless you pray with great desire and labour using your utmost endeavour and yet you cannot perceive how from all those things of which you thought which were not the Solution of the Aenigma the Solution it self arose This unfolding of the Riddle opens to you the mystery of all great things and shews how available Prayer is for the obtainment of things Spiritual and Eternal as well as Corporal and perishing goods and when Prayer is made with a Heart not feigned but sincere you will see that there is nothing more fit for the acquiring of what you desire Let these suffice to be spoken of Prayer which Basilius and all Philosophers with him do not vainly require as an Introduction to Chymistry For Piety is profitable for all Works especially for all Great Undertakings 2. Next in order after Prayer is Contemplation by which I understand an accurate attention to the business it self under which will fall these considerations first to be noted As what are the Circumstances of any thing what the Matter what the Form whence its Operations proceed whence it is infused and implanted how generated by the Stars conformed by the Elements produced and perfected by the three Principles Also how the body of every thing may be dissolved that is resolved into the first Matter or first Essence of which I have already made mention in other of my writings viz. how the last Matter may be changed into the first and the first into the last * What are here set down touching the true Theory of Philosophy are Compendiums of those things which Philosophers have in so many Books writ about the same business revealed shall I say or concealed Attend to the words of the Authour and you will see that he perfectly knew that Spirit penetrating all things which presides or bears rule in all things yet is involved and absconded in matter and defilements on every side from which if once freed it returns to the purity of its own substance in which it produceth all things and is all in all To comment upon this would be a work no less than the produducing of all Books of Philosophers compiled with such accurate study and contending with so great contention about the Theory This Contemplation which absolves the second part of our Admonition is Celestial and to be understood with Spiritual Reason for the circumstances and depth of every thing cannot be perceived any other way then by the Spiritual cogitation of Man and this Contemplation is twofold One is called possible the other impossible The later consists in copious cogitations which never proceed to effects nor exhibit any form of a matter which falls under the Touch. As if any one should endeavour to comprehend the Eternity of the Most High which is vain and impossible yea a Sin against the Holy Spirit so arrogantly to pry into the Divinity it self which is Immense Infinite and Eternal and to subject the incomprehensive Counsel of the Secrets of GOD to humane Inquisition The other part of Contemplation which is possible is called the Theory This contemplates that which is perceived by Touch and Sight and hath a formed Nature in time this considers how that nature may be helped and perfected by Resolution of it self how every body may give forth from it self the good or evil Venome or Medicine latent in it how Destruction and Confraction are to be handled whereby under a just Title without Sophistical deceits the pure may be severed and separated from the impuâ—e This Separation is instituted and made by divers manual operations and various ways Some of which are vulgarly known by experience others remote from vulgar experience These are Calcination Sublimation Reverberation Circulation Putrefaction Digestion Distillation Cohobation Fixation and the like of these all the degrees of which are found in operating learned perceived and manifested by the same Whence clearly appears what is moveable what is fixed what is white red black blew or green viz. when the operation is rightly Instituted by the Artificer for possibly the Operator may err and turn aside from the right way but that Nature should err when rightly handled is not possible Therefore if you shall err so that Nature cannot be altogether free and released from the Body in which it is held Captive return again into your way learn the Theory more perfectly and enquire more accurately in the method of operating that you may find the foundation and certainty in Separation of all things Which is a matter of great concern And this is the second foundation of Philosophy which follows Prayer for in that the sum of the matter lies and is contained in these words Seek first the Kingdom of GOD and his Justice by Prayer and all other things which Man seeks in these Temporals and he hath need of either for the sustentation or health of his body shall be added to you 3. Next to the Theory which searcheth out the inmost properties of things follows Preparation which is performed by Operation of the hands that some real work may be produced From Preparation ariseth Knowledge viz. Such as opens all the fundamentals of Medicine Operation of the Hands requires a diligent application of it self but the praise of Science consists in experience but the difference of these Anatomy distinguisheth * Manual Operation is chiefly required in this third Part without which every Operation like a Ship wanting Ballast floats and is uncertain It is difficult to express this with a Pen for more is learned by once seeing the work done then can be taught by the writing of many Pages yet if it be no offence to you to peruse these Commentaries together with Pasilius in this so necessary part will not a little help Operation shews how all things may be brought to light and exposed to sight visibly but knowledge shews the practice and that whence the true Practitioner is and is no other then confirmation because the operation of the hands manifests something that is good and draws the latent and hidden nature outwards and brings it to light for good For as in Spirituals the way of the Lord is to be prepared so also in these things the way is to be opened and prepared that no errour be from the right path and Process may be made without devious errours in the direct way to health 4. After Preparation and especially after separation of the good from the evil we are to proceed to the * By Use the Authour understands what others call Dose for what will a good Medicine profit you if you know not in what quantity to administer it that the same may rather heal then hurt or kill By experience only to learn this is a work full of perilous casualty yet the Discipline or knowledge of Doses was found out this way first and afterward easily taught by
all Things Here I admonish you whosoever you are who desire to be taught by my Writings and hope to obtain Riches and a true Medicine from Antimony that you would not carelesly peruse my Intention in which is no letter writ in vain and which hath not a certain singular signification for your Instruction Yea I here solemnly affirm that there are many words dispersed here and there in my Writings to which if the Reader give heed as he ought and know in what Fundamentals the principal Heads of the matter are sited and as it were buryed he will have no Cause to repent his often turning over the same Leaves but will esteem every word as much as a peice of Gold Coyn. For you know that although the Examples by me proposed sound harsh as delivered in a rude manner yet they contain in them somewhat that is excellent and of great Moment Yet I am not here ambitious to procure Authority or praise to my Writings which is not my Business nor would it become me for when the Operation of them shall be brought to Light they will acquire praise enough to themselves I purposely and willingly produce Examples so rude and common because the power of Antimony and the true Virtue thereof deeply and profoundly absconded in its inmost parts is to be searched out I was willing by these gross Examples to lead you by the hand and shew you the way that by them you might attain to the Thing it self and not at the very first err from the Gate for so doing you would long wander and never bring your Operation to the desired End For Antimony is like a Bird which is carryed through the Air and as the Wind drives it so it turns it self which way that wills here in this Case Man acts the Part of the Air or Wind and can drive and move Antimony at his pleasure and repose it in such a place as himself chooseth he can imbibe it with a yellow red white or black Colour according as he desires it should be and as he rules and governs the Fire because in Antimony as in Mercury all Colours are found which no Man should wonder at considering how many Things Nature bears absconded in her Bosom which neither you nor I are able to comprehend in many days If a Book happen to be given to a Man that is unlearned he knows not what is signifyed by that Writing or what that Scripture intends for it is hid from his Eyes and he stands amazed as a Cow at the sight of a new Door But if unto that unlearned Man any one suggest the Explication of the Book and teach him not only the matter contained therein but also the use of the same the Man no more admires it as an Art but by this means it becomes to him a Common Thing the Reason and Operation of which he understands and by his own Study he can learn conceive and comprehend the Utility so perfectly as now none of those Things which were contained in the Book are hid from him because he hath learned both to read and understand what is written therein Such a Book is Antimony to those who know not the Art of Reading therefore I faithfully admonish all who desire to be partakers of its Utilities to bend their mind to know and pronounce the letters thereof that so they may acquire the Art of Reading that Book and in such a manner that as in a School they may be removed from Form to Form when he who hath rightly gained Experience shall preside as Rector and judge of that which in Trial is most worthy for One is worthy to be preferred before another in the Possession of that But here what comes into my mind and ought in no wise to be passed over in Silence I think good to mention viz that at this Day many are found who exclaim and rashly pronounce Crucifige Crucifige against all those who prepare Venoms into Medicaments by which as they say many Mortals perish or if they escape with Life live miserably such are Mercury Arsenick Antimony c. and this Clamour is cheifly made by those who if it please the GODS are called Doctors * Basilius somewhat indulgeth his own Genius inveighing against False-Physitians whose ignorance in his time was so very great as they contemned every sublime Preparation of Medicine which he himself and Chymists with him did profess prescribing the same as unprofitable perillous and hurtful against whom it is not strange if the Chymists on the other hand rose up with some small vehemency and endeavour couragiously by assistance of their Knowledge and Conscience to break through that Rout of unskilful Men but the best Things are not allways the most prosperous Chymists overcame by the Justice of their Cause but were overcome by Number yet having verity and goodness on their side they fought with so great Confidence as they were certainly assured they should bear away the Victory which our Author here shews and Parâ—celsus prophesying of the Coming of Elias the Artist did presage would be And certainly unto me seriously considering how greatly Chymisis have in these improved their Knowledge the Dawning of that Day hath opened it self since I behold so many Rays of the approaching Sun of Medicine yet indeed understand not what the difference is between Venom and Medicine but are wholly ignorant how Venom may be prepared so as to pass into a salutary Medicament and instead of its malignity put on a better Nature Against these I do in a special manner exclaim and protest against these I say who ignorant of Preparation exhibit Poyson to Men for Mercury Auripigment Antimony and such like are venoms in their Substance and unless rightly prepared remain Venoms Yet after a Legitimate Preparation all their Venenosity is broke extinguished and expelled so that no part of them remains but what is Medicine which resists all internal Venoms although most deeply rooted and radically destroys the same For Venom being in such a manner prepared as it can no longer hurt resists all Poyson which is not as yet prepared and so very well prepares and subjugates it as it is compelled with the same to put off its own venomous Nature Here I shall raise a great Contention among the Learned for I know they will doubt what these my Words should signify as whether what I affirm and write be possible to be done or no and they will be divided into several Opinions thereabout Some will judge it is in no wise possible that from those Things of which we treat the venenosity should be wholly taken away nor do I wonder that they persist in that Opinion since the Doctrine of like Preparations is absolutely unknown to them who have not the least thought of that which leads to the Knowledge of these more profound Mysteries Yet a small part of these Men will with me be constrained to acknowledge it is possible a vile Thing may be
Sal-Armoniack together with the Antimony may be distilled and sublimed such an Instrument as this I but shew you describing all its Parts may be made Here place the Figure in the 82 Page A. is the Fornace B. the Retort C. the Recipient D. the Aperture with a Pipe of a Moderate bigness on which may be set the Alembeck E. The other Fornace is F which containing a moderate Fire sublimes what falls into the receiving Vessel up into the Alembeck E. And so the Matter which is distilled from the Retort B by the Fire of the Fornace F is presently sublimed Which may not only be useful in this Case but also in every Sublimation of other Matters and upon that which comes forth in the Distillation pour common distilled Rain-water but let it first be made hot and so by edulcorating remove all the Salt that no Acrimony may remain and the Antimony will appear like pure white shining Feathers Dry them with subtle Heat and having put them in a Glass circulatory or Pelican pour on them good and perfectly rectified Spirit of Vitriol and Circulate the Mixture till both be well conjoyned * This Union must be so firm as in distilling one may not be separated from the other otherwise you will lose your Labour and Cost Of how great moment this Union is in Chymistry they best know who only by confounding two things together think they shall effect Wonders but afterwards their Experience failing them they learn how great difference there is between Union and Confusion for Things confounded receive no Virtue that was not in them before but by Union I know not what Spirit is ingested which performs such things as the Mind of man could never perceive to have their being thence Hence consider in the Generation of Animals who would believe it how from the Union of Elements is generated Sight Tast Touching and so many Powers of Animals which are insited in none of the Elements and yet arise from them united Whensoever it happens that any Tincture seems to have united it self with its Menstruum and afterward may be separated therefrom that therefore is because Matrimony is not legitimately Celebrated nor the Union in a due manner perfect Which you shall more than once see to happen in the Tincture of Sol and Antimony The Instrument by which I conjoyn my Tinctures and am wont to copulate them in an undissolvible Copulation you shall find described hereafter in this â—very Book That in Spirit of Wine is to be noted which happens not in other Menstruums because it is most easily united to Things and again with a slight artifice separated from the same and united then distill the whole and pour on Spirit of Wine circulate again then let separation be made and remove the Feces setling to the Bottom but keep the Arcanum which remains mixt with the Spirit of Wine and Vitriol Now when you again rectifie this Arcanum one drop of it exhibited with Rose water is more available than a Pot full of the Decoction of Herbs for it causeth a good Appetite corrects the Stomach and concocts all malignity in it drives away Sadness and Melancholy makes good Blood and a good Digestion in the Suffocation of the Matrix and Cholick Passion both which it wonderfully appeaseth it is instead of a Treasure of inestimable price and deserves Commendation not easily expressible by Words After the Arcanum of Antimony next in order follows the Elixir * This Process as it is easie to perform so it may by us be easily passed over lest we should seem to take Pen in hand rather from an itching desire of Writing then for illaminating Things obscure of the same which you may prepare in this manner Take in the name of the Lord good Minera of Antimony grind it subtlely and sublime it with half so much Sal-Armoniack Whatsoever shall be sublimed put into a Glass Retort and thrice distil it separating the Feces every time Afterward remove from it the Sal-Armoniack by edulcoration and reverberate the Matter of Antimony in a Vessel well closed with moderate Fire not forcing too much until it become like the Earth of Cinnabar This being done pour on it strong distilled Wine Vinegar and extract its Redness afterward abstract the Vinegar until a Powder remain This Abstraction must be made in Balnco Then extract this Powder with Spirit of Wine that the Feces may be separated and you will have a pure and clear Extraction Having finished this Operation put this Spirit of Wine together with the Extraction into a Cucurbit and add thereto a little of the Tincture of Corals and of the Quintessence oâ— Rubarb and then administer the Dose of three or four Grains It causeth gentle Stools and purgeth without Gripings of the Belly and indeed if you have proceeded well in preparing it renders the Blood agilâ— and is a Medicine apt for those who desire Gentle Purgations Here perhaps some Physician may wonder how 't is possible that this Medicine should cause moderate and easie Purgations when as Antimony is a Matter vehement and forcible and to it is joyned Rubarb which of it self also hath a Purging Property But let him cease his admiration and know that the venomous purging power of Antimony is by this Preparation so mortified as it can apprehend or expel nothing but as soon as some purging Simple is adjoyned to it it then according to the powers of its own Nature performs the Office of opening and purging But Antimony prepared hath no action upon the * Note here very seriously that Galenick Catharticks have power of expelling but not of Correcting Humors but Chymical Purgers are endued with either Faculty and certainly it should not be minded how much is expelled but how much is healed which the occult power of Medicaments prepared Chymically doth much better effect than that common and publick violence of purging forcibly Stomach thence to expel its impurities but by the purging Medicine its adjunct acquires a more open Field and therein can operate without Impediment any other way and discern yea search on t the way of Effecting that better to which it was ordained and prepared without hindrance I would have all men to credit these my words since I have no necessity to write other than the Truth This Elixir in such manner prepared as I have taught penetrates and purgeth the Body as Antimony purgeth Gold and frees it from all Impurity So that if I would at large commemorate all the powers and virtues thereof I must put up my Supplications to the GOD of Heaven and intreat him to vouchsafe me a longer Life that I might laud his wonderful Works and search out further and according to Verity communicate to others what I have found thac they with me excited to admiration may publickly render thanks to their Creator for his so great Blessings But to proceed in my purpose having once begun I here describe the Virtues of Antimony
bespattered other innocent Persons with their Censure I do not here speak of those Writers who sharply reprehend certain Vagabond Sophisters that covering their own Wickedness under the Pretext of a most noble Art do by a great Name impose great Frauds upon the People For this kind of men are not only worthy of severe Reprehension but also of due Punishment But what Evil do they deserve if under their Denomination the Good be abused Why is the most certain and so salutary and profitable an Art proscribed Because there are men found which use not the Art it self but the Name and Shadow of this Art Yet I am unwilling to prolong this Apology lest Envy which hath been the greatest Cause of Calumny fall upon me in this manner lamenting whilst I hear Basilius encouraging his and have reason to applaud our own Times in which some part of that most thick Cloud which cast out so many Thunders is already vanished In Shops they now sell Medicaments Chymically prepared as they say and those very Persons who are willing mostly to be esteemed Hippocratick Disciples scarcely dare to condemn Chymistry and since they call into use what are made by the Chymical Art they cannot deny it Are not those Times at hand in which Elias the Artist the Revealer of greater Mysteries is to come Of whose Coming Paracelsus so clearly prophesied in various places of his Writings Perhaps it will be worth our while for the Solace of the oppressed Disciples of Basilius to quote certain places in which he predicts the coming of Elias not then born which if any One cammodiously interpret as all other Sayings of that man are to be taken he will find nothing of absurdity in them unless he resolve to discover his own absurd Stupidity or wicked Envy In the Book of Minerals Chap. 8. Paracelsus thus writes What is most vile GOD suffers to be discovered but what is of greater moment is yet hid from the Vulgar until the coming of Elias the Artist others read until the Art of Elias when he comes And again in his Book of Minerals Treatise the first It is indeed true saith he that many things lie hid in the Earth which I as well as others am ignorant of For this I know GOD in time to come will manifest his Wonders and bring to light many more of them then unto this Day have been known by us Also this is true there is nothing absconded which shall not he revealed therefore there cometh One whose Magnale lives not yet who shall reveal many Things Therefore be comforted be comforted O Lover of Chymistry and prepare the way of that Elias who brings happy times and will reveal more Secrets than our Ancestors by reason of Envy and the Iniquity of their Days durst discover Whosoever thou art conversing in this Art confer some small matter to this felicity and let us give the World that Medicine which by reason of evil Humors predominant it cannot take all at once by degrees that it may gradually recover of its Disease and the Times of Elias come for Arts also as well as is understood of other things have their Elias saith Theophrastus where it will be lawful for us to speak freely of these things and openly to do good to our Neighbours without persecution of the Impious Read understand and comfort your self with these of men neither can discourse of nor answer to these because they have not learned the Processes of such Operations but the least part viz. the Disciples Apostles and Followers of the Spagyrick Art will more esteem my Writings more diligently read them and more prudently give Judgement of the same But my Disciple and Follower if you will imitate me my advice is that you take up your Cross at first and suffer as I have suffered learn to bear Persecution as I have already born it labour as all our Predecessors with me have done with continual Prayers seek unto the Lord GOD and be thou patient and laborious without weariness and then the Most High who hath mercifully heard me will not forsake Thee for this Cause I every hour give thanks to GOD as my Eyes filled with Tears can and do witness Now to proceed in my Instruction touching the Flowers of Antimony it is to be understood that the true Flores of Antimony may be prepared not one but various ways as is known to every Spagyrist There are some who drive them mix'd with Sal-Armoniack over by Retort then they edulcorate them by washing away the Sal-Armoniack and these they greatly esteem for these Flowers are of a fair and white Colour Others have peculiar Instruments for this Work prepared with windy Caverns through which the Antimony may receive the Air and be sublimed Others setting three Alembecks one upon another sublime them with strong Fire and with one and the same labour make white yellow and Red Flores all which ways I have tried and found no Error in them But the Process by which I make Flowers of Antimony most profitable for Medicine and more efficacious in their Operations is this I mixed the red Flowers of Antimony with Colcothar of Vitriol and sublimed them together thrice So the Essence of Vitriol ascends with them and the Flores are more strong which being done I extract the same Flowers with Spirit of Wine The Fâ—ces settle to the bottom and separate themselves from the Spirit These the Artificer lays aside and distils off the Spirit of Wine in B. M. until the Powder remains dry These are my prepared Flowers of Antimony which I administred to my Brethren and others who in there Necessities required help of me for their Souls spiritual in respect of my Ecclesiastical State for their Bodies temporal by reason of the Trust they reposed in my Art These Flores purge gently without frequent or excessive Stools have cured many Tertian Quartan Fevers also very many other Diseases so that I purposed by the help of our Saviour Jesus and his most Holy Mother Mary to ordain in my Testament a perpetual Monument upon my Altar of all the Cures which I have performed by his grace that I might so doing not only give thanks to GOD but also make my Gratitude known to Posterity that they likewise may acknowledge the wonderful works of the Most High which I by my diligence have extracted from the Bowels of Nature and which he himself had hid and absconded in her profound and most secret Recesses But touching the Sublimations of Antimony which are afterward called Flowers let the Reader further observe viz. that they are like Waters which break out in high Mountains Now of the difference of waters which arise in the highest Mountains yea in higher than they if such can be found for even unto them would the waters ascend since it is known that in the tops of the highest Mountains Springs do very often issue it and of other waters which are found by digging deep in the Earth