like plush for it was very soft and purl'd all the way with Daysies and Primrose When we came out of our Arboret and Court of Bayes I could perceive a strange Clearnesse in the Ayr not like that of Day neither can I affirme it was night The stars indeed perched over us and stood glimmering as it were on the Tops of high Hills for we were in a most deep Bottome and the Earth overlook'd us so that I conceived we were neer the Center We had not walk'd very far when I discovered cerraine thick white Clouds for such they seemed to me which fill'd all that part of the Valley that was before us This indeed was an Error of mine but it continued not long for comming neerer I found them to be firm solid Rocks but shining and sparkling like Diamonds This rare and goodly sight did not a litttle incourage me and great desire I had to heare my Mistris speake for so I judged her now that if possible I might receive some Information How to bring this about I did not well know for she seem'd averse from Discourse but having resolv'd with my self to disturb her I â—sk'd her if she would favour me with her Name To this she replied very familiarly â—s if she had kown me long before Eugeâ—ius said she I have many Names but my best and dearest is Thalia for I am alwaies green and I shall never wither Thou doest â—here behold the mountains of the Moone and I will shew thee the Originall of Nilus for she springs from these Invisible Rocks Looke up and peruse the very Tops of these pillars and Clifts of Salt for they are the true Philosophicall Lunar Mountains Didst thou ever see such a Miraculous incredible thing This speech made me quickly look up to those glittering Turrets of Salt where I could see a stupendous Cataract or Waterfall The streame was more large than any River in her full Chanell but notwithstanding the Height and Violence of its Fall it descended without any Noyse The Waters were dash'd and their Current distracted by those Saltish Rocks but for all this they came down with a dead silence like the still soft Ayr Some of this Liquor for it ran by me I took up to see what strange wollen substance it was that did thus steale down like Snow When I had â—it in my hands it was no Common water but a certaine kind of Oile of a Waterie Complex on A viscous fat mineral nature it was bright like Pearls and transparent like Chrystall When I had viewd and search'd it well it appear'd somewhat spermatic and in very Truth it was obscene to the sight but much more to the Touch Hereupon Thalia told me it was the first Matter and the very Naturall true Sperm of the great World It is said she invisible and therefore few are they that find it but many believe it is not to be found They believe indeed that the world is a dead Figure like a Body which hath been sometimes made and fashion'd by that spirit which dwelt in it but retaines that very shape and fashion for some short time after that the Spirit hath forsaken it They should rather consider that every Frame when the Soule hath left it doth discompose and can no longer retaine its former figure for the Agent that held and kept the parts together is gone Most excellent then is that speech which I heard sometimes from one of my own Pupils Mundus hic ex tam diversis contrariisque partibus in unam formam minimè convenâ—sset nisi unus esset qui tam Diversa conjungeret Conjuncta vero Naturarum ipsa Diversitas invicem discors dissociaret atque divelleret nisi unus esset qui quod nexuit contineret Non tam vero certus naturae ordo procederet nec tam dispositosmotus Locis temporibus efficientiâ Qualitatibus explicaret nisi unus esset qui has Mutationum varietates manens ipse disponeret Hoc quicquid est quo Condita manent atque gubernantur usitato cunctis Vocabulo Deum nomino This world saith he of such divers and contrarie parts had never been made one thing Had not there been one who did joyn together such contrary things But being joyn'd together the very Diversitie of the Natures joyned fighting one with another had Discompos'd and separated them unlesse there had been one to hold and keep those parts together which he at first did joyn Verily the order of Nature could not proceed with such certaintie neither could she move so regularly in severall places times effects and qualities unlesse there were some one who dispos'd and order'd these Varieties of Motions This whatsoever it is by which the world is preserved and govern'd I call by that usuall name God Thou most therefore Eugenius said she understand that all Compositionsare made by an active intelligent life for what was done in the Composure of the great world in generall the same is perform'd in the Generation of every creature and its sperm in particular I suppose thou doest know that water cannot be contained but in some Vessell The naturall Vessell which God hath appointed for it is Earth In Earth water may be thickned and brought to a figure but of it self and without Earth it hath an indefinit flux and is subject to no certaine figure whatsoever Ayre also is a fleeting indeterminat substance but water is his Vessell for water being figured by means of Earth the Ayr also is thickned and figur'd in the Water To ascend higher the Ayr coagulats the liquid fire and fire incorporated involves and confines the thin Light These are the Means by which God unites and compounds the Elements into a Sperm for the Earth alters the Complexion of the water and makes it viscous and slimie Such a water must they look who would produce any Magicall extraordinary Effects for this Spermatic water coagulats with the least heat so that nature concocts and hardens it into metals Thou seest the whites of Egs will thicken assoon as they feel the fire for their moysture is temper'd with a pure subtill Earth and this subtill animated Earth is that which binds their water Take water then my Eugenius from the Mountains of the Moon which is water and no water Boyl it in the fire of Nature to a two fold Earth white and red then feed those Earths with Ayr of Fire and Fire of Ayr and thou hast the two Magicall Luminaries But because thou hast been a servant of mine for a long time and that thy patience hath manifested the Truth of thy Love I will bring thee to my Schoole and there will I shew thee what the world is not capable of This was no sooner spoken but she past by those Diamond-like rockie salts and brought me to a Rock of Adamant figur'd to a just intire Cube It was the Basis to a firie Pyramid a Trigon of pure Pyrope whose imprison'd flames did stretch and strive for Heaven
I oppose it as Batterie to the Schoolemen if they will needs muster their Syllogisms I expect also they should confirme their Noyse by their Experience Within this Phantastic Circle stands a Lamp and it typifies the Light of Nature This is the secret Candle of God which hee hath tinn'd in the Elements it burns and is not seen for it shines in a dark place Every naturall Body is a kind of Black Lanthorne it carries this Candle within it but the Light appears not it is Ecclips'd with the Grossnesse of the matter The Effects of this Light are apparent in all things but the Light it self is denyed or else not followed The great world hath the Sun for his Life and Candle according to the Absence and presence of this Fire all things in the world flourish or wither We know by Experience and this in our own Bodies that as long as life lasts there is a continuall Coction a certain seething or Boyling within us This makes us sweat and expire in perpetuall Defluxions at the pores and if we lay our hands to our skin we can feel our own Heat which must needs proceed from an inclosed Fire or Light All Vegetables grow and augment themselves they put forth their fruits and Flowers which could not bee if some Heat did not stir up and alter the Matter we see moreover that in Vegetables this Light is sometimes discovered to the Eye as it appears in rotten wood where the star-fire shines after Night As for Minerals their first matter is coagulated by this firâ—e spirit and altered from one Complexion to Another To which may be added this Truth for Manifestation if the Minerall Principles be artificially dissolved that their fire and spirit may be at Liberty even Metals themselves may be made Vegetable This Fire or Light is no where to be found in such abundance and puritie as in that subject which the Arabians call Halicali from Hali summum and Calop Bonum but the Latine Authors corruptly write it Sal Alkali This substance is the Catholick Receptacle of spirits it is blessed and impregnated with Light from above and was therefore styl'd by the Magicians Domus signata plena Luminis Divinitatis But to procced in the Exposition of our Type not far from this Lamp you may observe the Angel or Genius of the place In one hand he bears a sword to keep off the Contentious and unworthy in the other a Clew of Thread to lead in the Humble and Harmlesse Under the Altar lyes the Green Dragon or the Magician's Mercury involving in it self a Treasure of Gold and Pearl This is neither Dreame nor Fansie but a known Demonstrable practicall Truth The Treasure is there to be found infinitely Rich and Reall Indeed we must confesse it is inchanted and that by the very Art and Magic of the Almightie God It can neither be seen nor felt but the Cabinet that holds it is every Day under our feet On this Treasure sits a â—ttle Child with this Inscription Non nisi Parvulis It tels us how they should bee â—ualified who desire to be admitted to this â—lace They must be Innocent and very Humâ—le not impudent proud Raunters nor Coâ—etous uncharitable Misers They must be â—ffable not Contentious They must love the â—ruth and to speak in a homely Phrase â—ey must also like Children and Fools tell the Truth In a word they must be as our Saviâ—r himself hath said Like one of these little This is the Summe of that Magicall Embleme which Thalia communicated to me in the Minerall Region More I cannot say of it for I was not trusted with more in Relation to a publick and popular use I will now proceed to a Discovery of some other Mysteries which I received from her and those such as are not commonly sought after The Basis of them all is the visible tangible Quintessence or the first created unity out of which the Physicall Tetractys did spring I shall speak of them not in a cast artificiall Discourse and Method but in their own Naturall Harmonicall Order and First of all of the First Matter The First Matter WHen I seriously consider the System or Fabric of this world I find iâ— to be a certaine Series a Link oâ— Chaine which is extended à non Gradu ad noâ— Gradum From that which is beneath all Apprehension to that which is above all Apprehension That which is Beneath all Degree of Sense is a certaine Horrible Inexpressible Darknesse The Magicians call it Tenebrâ— Activae and the Effect of it in Nature iâ— Cold c. For Darknesse is vultus Frigoris the Complexion Body and Matrix of Cold as Light is the Face Principle and Fountaine of Heat That which is above all Degree of Intelligence is a certaine Infinite Inaccessible Fire or Light Dionysius cals it Caligo Divina because it is Invisible and Incomprehensible The Jew styles it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ein that is Nihil or Nothing but in a Relative sense or as the Schoolmen expresse it Quo ad nos In plaine tearms it is Deitas nuda sine Indumento The middle Substances or Chaine between these Two is That which we Commonly call Nature This is the Scala of the great Chaldee which doth reach à Tartaro ad primum Ignem from the Subternaturall Darknesse to the supernaturall Fire These Middle Natures came out of a certaine water which was the Sperm or First Matter of the Great world and now we will begin to describe it Capiat qui Capere potest It is in plaine Tearms {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Or rather it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an exceedingly soft moyst fusible â—flowing Earth An Earth of wax that is caâ—able of all Formes and Impressions It is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Terrae-Filius Aquâ mixtus and to speake as the Nature of the Thing requires {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The learned Arâ—chimist defines it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} It is a Divine animated Masse of Complexion somewhat like Silver the Union of Masculine and Feminine spirits The Quintessence of Four the Ternarie of Two and the Tetract of One These are his Generations Physicall and Metaphysicall The Thing it self is a world without Forme neither mcer power nor perfect Action but a weak virgin Substance a certain soft prolific Venus the very Love and Seed the Mixture and Moysture of Heaven and Earth This Moysture is the Mother of all â—hings in the world and the Masculine Sulphureous Fire of the Earth is their Father Now the Jews who without Controversie were the wisest of Nations when they discourse of the Generation of Metals tell us it is performed in this manner The Mercurie or Mineral liquor say they is altogether cold and passive and it lyes in certain earthy Subterraneous Caverns But when the Sun ascends in the
according to the Jerusalem Thargum In wisdome God made the water and the earth And the earth was without forme and void and there was Darknesse upon the Face of the Deep and the spirit of God moved upon the Face of the waters Here you should observe that God created two principles Earth and Water and of these two he compounded a third namely the Sperm or Chaos Upon the water or moyst part of this Sperm the spirit of God did move and saith the Scripture there was Darknesse upon the face of the Deep This is a very great secret neither is it lawfull to publish it expresly and as the Nature of the thing requires but in the Magicall work it is to be seen and I have been an eye witnesse of it my selfe To conclude Remember that our subject is no common water but a thick slimie fat earth This earth must be dissolved into water and that water must be coagulated again into earth This is done by a certaine Naturall Agent which the Philosophers call their secret fire for if you work with common fire it will drie your Sperm and bring it to an unprofitable red Dust of the Colour of wild poppie Their fire then is the Key of the Art for it is a Naturall Agent but acts not Naturally without the Sun I must confesse it is a knottie Mysterie but we shall make it plaine if you be not very Dim and Dull It requires indeed a quick clear Apprehension and therefore Readers Snuffe your Candles The Philosophicall Fire FIre notwithstanding the Diversities of it in this Sublunarie Kitchin of the Elements is but one Thing from one Root The Effects of it are various according to the Distance and Nature of the subject wherein it resides for that makes it Vital or Violent It sleeps in most things as in Flints where it is silent and Invisible It is a kind of perdue lys close like a Spider in the Cabinet of his Web to surprise all that comes within his lines He never appears without his prey in his Foot where he finds ought that 's Combustible there he discovers himself for if wee speak properly he is not generated but manifested Some Men are of Opinion that hee breeds nothing but devoures all things and is therefore call'd Ignis quasi Ingignens This is a Grammticall Whim for there is nothing in the world generated without Fire What a fine Philosopher then was Aristotle who tels us this Agent breeds nothing but his Pyrausta a certain Fly which he found in his Candle but could never be seen afterwards Indeed too much Heat burns and destroyes and if we descend to other Natures too much water drowns too much earth buries and choaks the seed that it cannot come up And verily at this Rate there is nothing in the world that generats What an Owle was he then that could not distinguish with all his Logic between Excesse and Measure between Violent and Vital Degrees of Heat but concluded the Fire did Breed nothing because it consumed something But let the Mule passe for so Plato call'd him and let us prosecute our secret fire This fire is at the Root and about the Root I mean about the Center of all things both Visible and Invisible It is in water earth and ayr It is in Minerals Herbs and Beasts It is in Men Stars and Angels but Originally it is in God himself for he is the Fountain of Heat and fire and from Him it is derived to the rest of the Creatures in a certaine streame or Sun-shine Now the Magicians affoord us but two Notions whereby we may know their fire it is as they describe it Moyst and Invisible Hence have they call'd it Venter Equi and Fimus Equinus but this only by way of Analogie for there is in Horse-dung a moyst Heat but no fire that is visible Now then let us compare the common Vulcan with this Philosophicall Vesta that we may see wherein they are different First of all then the Philosopher's fire is moyst and truly so is that of the Kitchin too We see that flames contract and extend themselves now they are short now they are long which cannot be without moysture to maintaine the flux and Continuitie of their parts I know Aristotle makes the fire to be simply dry perhaps because the effects of it are so he did not indeed consider that in all Complexions there are other Qualities besides the praedominant one Sure then this drie stuffe is that element of his wherein he found his Pyrausta but if our naturall fire were simply drie the flames of it could not flow and diffuse themselves as they doe they would rather fall to Dust or turne like their fuell to ashes But that I may returne to my former Discourse I say the Common fire is excessively hot but moyst in a far inferior degree and therefore destructive for it preyes on the moysture of other things On the contrary the warmth and moysture of the Magicall Agent are equall the one temperates and satisfies the other it is a humid tepid fire or as we commonly expresse our selves Bloud-warme This is their first and greaeest Difference in Relation to our desired effect we will now consider their second The Kitchin fire as we all know is visible but the Philosophers fire is Invisible and therefore no Kitchin fire This Almadir expresly tels us in these words Solos radios Invisibiles ignis nostri sufficere Our work saith he can be performed by nothing but by the Invisible Beams of our fire And againe Ignis noster Corrosivus est Ignis qui supra nostrum vas Nubem obducit in quâ nube radii hujus ignis occulti sunt Our Fire is a Corrosive fire which brings a cloud about our glasse or vessell in which Cloud the Beams of our fire are hidden To be short the Philosophers call this Agent their Bath because it is moyst as Baths are but in very truth it is no kind of Bath neither Maris nor Roris but a most subtil fire and purely Naturall but the Excitation of it is Artificiall This Excitation or preparation as I have told thee in my Coelum Terrae is a very triviall slight ridiculous thing neverthelesse all the secrets of Corruption and Generation are therein contained Lastly I think it just to informe thee that many Authors have falfly described this fire and that of purpose to seduce their Readers For my ownpart I have neither added nor diminished thou hast here the true intire secret and in which all the Eastern sages agree Alfid Almadir Belen Gieberim Hali Salmanazar and Zadich with the three famous Jews Abraham Artefius and Kalid If thou doest not by this time apprehend it thou are past my Cure for I may tell thee no more of it I may only reach thee how to use it Take our two Serpents which are to bee found every where on the Face of the Earth They are a living Male and a living Female Tye them
East his Beams and Heat falling on this Hemisphere stir up and fortifie the inward Heat of the Earth Thus we see in winter weather that the outward Heat of the Sun excites the inward naturall Warmth of our Bodies and cheerisheth the Bloud when it is almost cold and frozen Now then the Central heat of the Earth being stâ—rr'd and seconded by the Circumferentiall Heat of the Sun works upon the Mercury and sublimes it in a thin vapour to the Top of it's Cell or Cavern But towards Night when the Sun sets in the West the Heat of the Earth because of the Absence of that great Luminarie grows weak and the Cold prevailes so that the vapours of the Mercury which were formerly sublim'd are now condens'd and distill in Drops to the Bottome of their Cavern But the Night being spent the Sun againe comes about to the East and Sublimes the Moysture as formerly This Sublimation and Condensation continue so long till the Mercury takes up the Subtill Sulphureous parts of the Earth and is incorporated therewith so that this sulphur coagulats the Mercury and sixeth him at last that he will not sublime but lyes still in a ponderous Lump and is concocted to a perfect Metall Take notice then that our Mercury cannot be coagulated without our Sulphur for Draco non moritur sine suo Compare it is water that dissolves and putrifies Earth and Earth that thickens and putrifies Water You must therefore take two principles to produce a Third Agent according to that dark Receit of Hali the Arabian Accipe Canem Masculum Corascenum Catellam Armeniae Conjunge parient tibi Catulum coloris Coeli Take saith he the Coraseeâ— Dog and the Bitch of Armenia put them both together and they will bring thee a skie colour'd Whelp This skie colour'd whelp is that Soveraign admir'd and famous Mercury known by the Name of the Philosophers Mercury Now for my part I advise thee to take two living Mercuries plant them in a purified Mineral Saturn wash them and feed them with water of Salt Vegetable and thou shalt see that speech of the Adeptus verified Pariet Mater Florem germinalem quem ubere suo viscoso nutriet se totam ei in Cibum vertâ—t fovente Patre But the Processe or Receit is no part of my Design wherefore I will return to the first Matter and I say it is no kind of water whatsoever Reader if it be thy Desire to attaine to the Truth rely upon my words for I speak the truth and I am no Deceiver The Mother or first Matter of Metals is a certaine watery Substance neither very water nor very Earth but a Third thing compounded of Both and retaining the Complexion of neither To this agrees the learned Valentine in his appoâ—t and genuine Description of our Sperm Materia Prima saith he est Aquosa Substantia Sicca reperta nulli Materiae comparabilis The first Matter is a waterish Substance found Drie or of such a Complexion that wets not the Hand and nothing like to any other Matter whatsoever Another excellent and well experienc'd Philosopher defines it thus Est Terrena Aqua Aquosa Terra in Terrae ventre Terrae commixta cum Quâ se commiscet Spiritus Caelestis Influxus It is saith he an Earthy water and a watery Earth mingl'd with Earth in the Belly of the Earth and the spirit and Influences of Heaven commix themselves therewith Indeed it cannot bee denied but some Authors have nam'd this Substance by the names of all ordinary waters not to deceive the simple but to hide it from the Ranting ill-disposed Crew On the contrary some have expresly and faithfully Informed us it is no Common water and especially the reverend Turba Ignari saith Agadmon cum audiunt nomen Aquae putant Aquam Nubis esse quod si libros nostros intelligerent scirent esse Aquam permanentem quae absque suo Compari cum quo facta est unum permanens esse non possit The ignorant saith he when they heare us name water think it is water of the Clouds but if they understood our Books they should know it to be a permanent or fix'd water which without its Sulphur to which it hath been united cannot be permanent The noble and knowing Sendivogius tels us the very same Thing Aqua nostra est Aqua Coelestis non madefaciens minus non vulgi sed fere pluvialis Our water is a heavenly water which wets not the hand not that of the common Man but almost or as it were Pluvial We must therefore consider the severall Analogies and similitudes of Things or we shall never be able to understand the Philosophers This Water then wets not the Hand which is notion enough to perswade us it can be no common water It is a Mâ—talline bitter Saltish liquor It hath a true minerall Complexion Habet saith Raymund Lullie speciem solis Lunae in tali Aquâ— nobis apparuit non in Aquá Fontis aut pluviae But in an other place he describes it more fully Est Aqua sicca saith he non aqua Nubis aut phlegmatica sed aqua Cholerica igne Calidior It is a drie water not water of the Clouds or phlegmatic water but a Choleric water more hot than Fire It is moreover Greenish to the sight and the same Lullie tels you so habet colorem lacertae Viridis it looks saith he like a green lizard But the most prevalent Colour in it is a certain inexpressible Azure like the Body of Heaven in a clear Day It â—ooks in Truth like the Belly of a Snake especially neer the Neck where the Scales have a deep Blew Tincture and this is the reason why the Philosophers call'd it their serpent and their Dragon The predominant Element in it is a certaine Fierie subtill Earth and from this prevalent part the Best Philosophers have denominated the whole Compound Paracelsus names it openly but in one place and he cals it Viscum Terrae The Slime or Viscous part of the Earth Raymund Lullie describeth the Crisis or Constitution of it in these words Substantia lapidis nostri est tota pinguis Igne impregnata The Substance of our stone saith he is altogether fat or viscous and impregnated with fire In which respect he cals it elsewhere not water but Earth Capias Terram nostram saith he impregnatam à Sole quia lapis est honoratus repertus in Hospitus desertis est intus inclusum velut magnum Secretum Thesaurus incantatus Take our Earth which is impregnated or with Child by the Sun for it is our precious stone which is found in desolat Houses and there is shut up in it a great secret and a Treasure inchanted And againe in a certaine place he delivers himself thus Prima materiae Fili est Terra subtilis sulphurea haec nobilis Terra dictum est Subjectum Mercuriale My son saith he the
not of any man where the way lyes only follow your Guide who will offer himself to you and will meet you in the way but you shal not know him This Guide wilâ— bring you to the Mountain at Midnight when all things are silent and Dark It is necessary that you arme your selves with a resolute heroic courage least you feare those things that will happen and so fall back You need nâ— Sword nor any other Bodily weapons only calâ— upon God sincerely and heartily When you have discovered the Mountaine the first Miracle that will appeare is this A most veâ—â—hement and very great wind that will shakâ— the Mountaine and shatter the Rocks to peeces Ton shall be incounter'd also by Lions and Dragons and other Terrible Beasts but fearâ— not any of these things Be resolute and takâ— heed that you returne not for your Guide whâ— brought you thither will not suffer any Evilâ— to befall you As for the Treasure it is nâ—â— yet discovered but it is very neer After thiâ—wind will come an Earthquake that will overthrow those things which the wind hatâ— left and make all Flat But be sure that yoâ— fall not off The Earthquake being past therâ— shall follow a Fire that will consume the Earthâ—â—ly Rubbish and discover the Treasure bâ— as yet you cannot see it After all these thingâ— and neer the Day-break there shall be a greâ—â— Calm and you shall see the Day-star arise and â—â—he Dawning will appeare and you shall perâ—eive a great Treasure The Chiefest thing in â—t and the most perfect is a certain exalted Tincture with which the world if it served God and were worthy of such Gifts might be â—inged and turn'd into most pure Gold This Tincture being used as your Guideâ—hall teach you will make you young when your â—e old and you shall perceive no Disease in â—ny part of your Bodies By means of this Tincture also you shall find pearls of that Excelâ—ency which cannot be imagined But doe not â—ou arrogat any thing to your selves because of â—our present power but be contented with that â—hich your Guide shall communicat to you Praise God perpetually for this his Gift and â—â—ave a speciall care that you use it not for â—orldly pride but imploy it in such workes â—hich are contrary to the world Use it rightâ—â— and injoy it so as if you had it not Live a â—emperat life and beware of all sin otherwise â—ur Guide will for sake you and you shall be deâ—ived of this Happinesse For know this of a â—ruth whosoever abuseth this Tincture and â—ves not exemplarly purely and devoutly beâ—re men he shall lose this Benefit and scarce â—ry hope will there be left ever to recover it â—terwards This much we have from these famous and most Christian Philosophers Men queâ—stionlesse that have suffer'd much by their own discreet silence and Solitude Every Sophisteâ— contemns them because they appeare not tâ— the World and concludes there is no such Societie because hee is not a member of itâ— There is scarce a Reader so just as to consideâ— upon what Grounds they conceale themselves and come not to the Stage when every Foâ— cries Enter No man looks after them but foâ—worldly Ends and truly if the Art it self diâ— not promise Gold I am confident it would finâ— but few followers How many are there in the world that study Nature to know God Certainly they study a Receit for their purses noâ— for their souls nor in any good sense for theâ—Bodies It is fit then they should be left tâ— their Ignorance as to their Cure It may bâ— the Nullitie of their Expectations will reform them but as long as they continue in thâ—Humor neither God nor Good men will assist them The Inferior part of this Type presents â—Dark Circle charg'd with many strange Châ—maera's and Aristotle's {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that Mâ—â—taphysicall Beast of the Schoolemen It signifie the innumerous conceited Whimzies and aâ— rie roving Imaginations of Man For befoâ— wee attain to the Truth we are subject to a Thousand Fansies Fictions and Apprehensiâ—ns which wee falsly suppose and many Times â—ublickly propose for the Truth it self This Phantastic Region is the true Originall Semiâ—arie of all Sects and their Dissentions Hence â—ame the despayring Sceptic the loose Epicure the Hypocriticall Stoic and the Atheous Periâ—atetic Hence also their severall Digladiatiâ—ns about Nature Whether the first Matter â—e Fire Aire Earth or Water or a Frie of â—maginarie Atoms all which are false and â—abulous Suppositions If wee look on Religiâ—n and the Diversities thereof whence proâ—eeded the present Heresies and Schismes but â—rom the Different erroneous Apprehensions of Men Indeed whiles wee follow our own â—ansies and build on bottomless unsettl'd Imaginations wee must needs Wander and gropeâ—n the Dark like those that are Blindfolded On the Contrarie if wee lay the Line to our Thoughts and examine them by Experience wee are in the way to bee Infallible for wee â—ake hold of that Rule which God hath proâ—os'd for our Direction In vain hath he made Nature if wee dwell on our own Conceptions and make no use of her Principles It were a happy Necessity if our thoughts could not vaâ—â— from her wayes but Certainly for us to think that we can find the Truth by meer Contemplation without Experience is as great a madness as if a Man should shutt his Eyes from the Sun and then believe hee can travaile directly from London to Grand Cairo by fansying himself in the right way without the Assistance of the Light It is true that no man enters the Magicall Schoole but hee wanders first in this Region of Chimaera's for the Inquiries which we make before wee attain to Experimentall Truths are most of them Erroneous Howsoever wee should bee so rational and patient in our Disquisitions as not imperiously to obtrude and force them upon the world before wee are able to Verifie them I ever approved that regular and solid speech of Basil Valentine Disce igitur Disputator mi inquire primum Fundamentum ipsis oculis mann quod Natura secum fert absconditum Sic demum prudenter cum judicio de Rebus disserere supra inexpugnaâ—â—lem Petrum aedificare poteris Sine hoc aâ—tem vanus phantasticus Nugator manebis cujus Sermones absque ullâ Experientiâ supra Arenam solum fundati sunt Qui autem sermocinationibus suis Nugis me aliquid docere vult is me verbis tantum nudis non pascat sed Experientiae factum Documentum simul sit praestò oportet sine quo non teneor Verbis locum dare fidemquè its adhibere And in another place Nugatorem haud moror saith he qui non per Experientiam propriam loquitur Nam ejus Sermones perinde fundati sunt ac Caeci Judicum de Coloribus Questionlesse all this was the Breath of a true Philosopher one that studied not the Names but the Natures of Things
Both in a Love-knot and shut them up in the Arabian CARAHA This is thy first labour but thy next is more difficult Thou must incamp against them with the fire of Nature and be sure thou doest bring thy Line round about Circle them in and stop all Avenues that they find no Reliefe Continue this siege patiently and they will turne to an ugly flabbie venemous black Toad which will be transform'd to a horrible devowring Dragon creeping and weltring in the Bottome of her Cave without wings Touch her not by any means not so much as with thy Hands for there is not upon earth such a violent transcendent poyson As hast begun so proceed and this Dragon will turne to a Swan but more white than the hovering Virgin Snow when it is not yet sullied with the Earth Henceforth I will allow thee to fortifie thy fire till the Phaenix appears It is a red Bird of a most deep Colour with a shining Fiery Hue Feed this Bird with the Fire of his Father and the AEther of his Mother for the first is meat the second is Drink and without this last he attains not to his full Glory Be sure to understand this secret for fire feeds not well unlesse it bee first fed It is of it self drie and Choleric but a proper moysture tempers it gives it a heavenly Complexion and brings it to the Desired Exaltation Feed thy Bird then as I have told thee and he will move in his Nest and rise like a star of the Firmament Doe this and thou hast placed Nature in Horizonte AEternitatis Thou hast performed that Command of the Cabalist Fige finem in Principio sicut Flammam prunae Conjunctam quia Dominus SUPERLATIVE unus non tenet secundum Unite the End to the Beginning like a Flame to a Coale for God saith hee is superlatively one and hee hath no second Consider then what you seek you seek an Indissoluble miraculous transmuting uniting union but such a tye cannot be without the first unitie Creare enim saith one atque intrinsecùs transmutare absque violentiâ Munus est proprium duntaxat Primae Potentiae Primae sapientiae Primi amoris To Create and Transmute essentially and naturally or without any violence is the only proper office of the first power the first Wisdome and the first love Without this love the Elements will never be maried they will never inwardly and essentially unite which is the end and perfection of Magic Study then to understand this and when thou hast perform'd I will allow thee that Test of the Mekkubalim Intellexisti in sapientiâ sapuisti in Intelligentia statuisti Rem super Puritates suas Creatorem in Throno suo collocasti For a Close to this Section I say it is impossible to generat in the patient without a vitall generating Agent This Agent is the Philosophical fire a certain moyst heavenly invisible Heat but let us heare Raymund Lullie describe it Quando dicimus saith hee quod lapis per ignem generatur non vident alium ignem nec alium ignem credunt nisi ignem communem nec aliud Sulphur nec aliud argentum vivum nisi sit vulgare Ideo manent decepti per corum caecas estimationes inferentes quod causa sumus suae Deceptionis quod dedimus illis intelligere rem unam pro aliâ Sed non est verum salvâ eorum pace sicut probabimus per illa quae Philosophi posuerunt in scriptis Solem enim appellamus ignem vicarium suum vocamus Calorem naturalem Nam illud quod agit Calor Solis in Mineris Metallorunt per mille annos â—pse Calor naturalis facit in unâ horâ supra Terram Nos vero multi alii vocamus â—â—um Filium solis nam primo per solis influentiam fuit generatus per naturam sine adjuâ—orio Scientiae velartis When wee say the stone ìs generated by fire Men neither see neither doe they believe there is any other fire but the common fire nor any other Sulphurâ—or â—â—Mercury but the common Sulphur and â—â—Mercury Thus are they deceived by their own opinions saying that we are the Cause of their Error having made them to mistake â—nc thing for another But by their leave it is not so as we shall prove by the Doctrine of the Philosophers For wee call the Sun a fire and the natural Heat we call his Substitute â—or Deputy for that which the heat of the Sun performes in a thousand years in the Mines the Heat of Nature performes it above the earth in one houre But wee and many other Philosophers have call'd this Heat the Child of the Sun for at first it was generated naturally by the influence of the Sun without the Help of our Art or Knowledge Thus Luilie But one thing I must tell thee and bee sure Reader thou doest remember it This very naturall Heat must bee applied in the just Degree and not too much fortified for the Sun it self doth not generat but burne and scorch where it is too hot Si cum igne magno operatus fueris saith the same Lullie proprietas nostri spiritus quae inter vitam mortem participiat separabit se Anima recedet in Regionem sphaerae suae If thou shalt work with too strong a fire the proprietie of our spirit which is indifferent as yet to life or death will separate it self from the Body and the Soule will depart to the Region of her own sphere Take therefore along with thee this short but wholesome advise of the same Author Facias ergo Fili quod in loco Generationis aut Conversionis sit talis potentia Caelestis quae possio transformare Humidum ex natura terrestris in formam speciem transparentem finissimam My Son saith hee let the Heavenly power or Agent be such in the place of Generation or Mutation that it may alter the spermatic Humiditie from its Earthly Complexion to a most fine transparent forme or species See here now the solution of the slimie fat Earth to a transparent glorious Mercury This Mercury Gentlemen is the water which we look after but not any common water whatsoever There is nothing now behind but that which the Philosophers call secretum Artis a thing that was never published and without which you will never performe though you know both Fire and Matter An Instance hereof wee have in Flammel who knew the Matter well enough and had both fire and Furnace painted to him by Abraham the Jew but notwithstanding he err'd for three years because hee knew not the third secret Henry Madathan a most noble Philosopher practic'd upon the subject for five years together but knew not the right method and therefore found nothing at last saith hee Post sextum annum Clavis Potentiae per arcanam Revelationem ab omnipotente Deo mihi concreditaest After the sixth year I was intrusted with the Key of
he speak and he will shew you things to come He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you All things that the Father hath are mine Therefore said I that he shall take of mine Here wee plainly see there is a certaine subsequent order or Method in the operations of the blessed Trinity for Christ tels us that he receives from his Father and the Holy Ghost receives from Him Againe that all things are conceived Ideally or as we commonly expresse it created by the second person is confirmed by the word of God The World was made by him saith the Scripture and the world knew him not He came unto his own and his own received him not This may suffice for such as Love the Truth and as for that which the Cabalist speaks of the fourth and fifth Dayes it suits not with my present designe and therefore I must wave it It is clear then that Terra viventium or the Eternall fire-Fire-Earth buds and sprouts hath her fierie spirituall Flowers which we call soules as this natural Earth hath her natural Vegetables In this mysterious sense is the Prester defin'd in the Oracles {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Flower of thin Fire But that we may come at last to the thing intended I think it not amisse to instruct you by this Manuduction You know that no Artificer can build but the Earth must be the Foundation to his Building for without this Ground-work his Brick and Mortar cannot stand In the Creation when God did build there was no such place to build upon I aske then where did he rest his Matter and upon what Certainly he built and founded Nature upon his own Supernaturall Center He is in her and thorough her and with his eternall spirit doth he support Heaven and Earth as our bodies are supported with our spirits This is confirmed by that oracle of the Apostle Omnia portat verbo virtutis suae He bears up all things with the word of his power from this power is he justly styl'd {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The infinitly powerfull and the All-powerfull power-making power I say then that Fire and spirit are the Pillars of Nature the props on which her whole Fabric rests and without which it could not stand one minute This Fire or Prester is the Throne of the Quintessentiall Light from whence he dilates himself to Generation as we see in the effussion of the Sun-beams in the great world In this Dilatation of the Light consists the joy or pleasure of the passive spirit and in its Contraction his Melancholie or sorrow We see in the great Body of Nature that in Turbulent weather when the Sun is shut up and clouded the Aire is thick and dull and our own spirits by secret Compassion with the spirit of the Aire are dull too On the contrary in clear strong Sun-shines the Aire is Quick and Thin and the spirits of all Animals are of the same rarified active Temper It is plaine then that our joyes and sorrows proceed from the Dilatation and Contraction of our inward Quintessentiall Light This is apparent in despayring Lovers who are subject to a certain violent extraordinary panting of the Heart a timorous trembling pulse which proceeds from the Apprehension and Feare of the spirit in relation to his Miscarriage Notwithstanding he desires to be dilated as it appears by his pulse or Sallie wherein he doth discharge himself but his Despaire checks him againe and brings him to a suddain Retreat or Contraction Hence it comes to passe that we are subject to sighs which are occasion'd by the suddain pause of the spirit for when hee stops the Breath stops but when he looseth himself to an outward Motion we deliver two or three Breaths that have been formerly omitted in one long Eâ—piration and this we call a sigh This â—â—sion hath carried many brave men to very â—â—â— Extremities It is originally occasion'dâ—â— the spirit of the Mistris or affected â—irty for her spirit ferments or leavens the â—â—â—t of the Lover so that it desires an unionâ—â— far as Nature will permit This makes us â—â—sent even smiles and frowns like Fortunesâ—nd Misfortunes Our Thoughts are never â—t Home according to that well-grounded Observation Anima est ubi amat non ubi â—â—â—â—â—t the soule dwels not where she lives out where she loves We are imploy'd in a â—erpetuall Contemplation of the absent Beauâ—â— Our very Joyes and Woes are in her power â—he can set us to what Humor she will as â—ampian was alter'd by the Music of his Mistris When to her Luâ—e Corinna sings Her Voice inlives the Leaden strings But when of sorrows she doth speak Even with her sighes the strings doe break And as her Lure doth Live or Die Lea'd by her Passions So doe I. This and many more miraculous sympaâ—hies proceed from the Attractive nature of the Prester it is a spirit that can wonders and now let us see if there bee any possibility to come at him Suppose then wee should dilapidat or discompose some Artificiall Building stone by stone There is no question but we should come at last to the Earth whereupon it is founded It is just so in Magic if we open any Natural Body and separat all the parts thereof one from another we shall come at last to the Prester which is the Candle and secret Light of God Wee shall know the hidden Intelligence and see that inexpressible Face which gives the outward Figure to the Body This is the Sâ—â—lagism we should look after for he that â—ath once past the Aquaster enters the Fire-world and sees what is both Invisible and Incredible to the common Man He shall discover to the Eye the miraculous Conspiracy that is between the Prester and the Sun Hee shall know the secret Love of Heaven and Earth and the sense of that deep Cabalism Non est planta hic inferiùs cui non est stella in Firmamento superiùs ferit eam stella dicit ei Cresce There is not an Herb here below but he hath a star in Heaven above and the star strikes him with her Beame and sayes to him Grow He shall know how the Fire-spirit hath his Root in the Spirituall Fire-Earth and receives from it a secret Influx upon which he feeds as Herbs feed on that Juice and Liquor which they receive at their Roots from this Common Earth This is it which our Saviour tels us Man lives not by Bread alone but by every word that comes out of the Mouth of God He meant not by Inke and Pâ—pyr or the dead Letter it is a Mystery and St. Paul hath partly expounded it He tels the Athenians that God made Man to the end That he should seek the Lord if happily he might feel after him and find him Here is a strange Expression you will say that a Man should feel after God or seek Him with his Hands But