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stone exanimated, and to nourish it with dew and spiritual milk, until
it shall attain unto perfect strength. In both these latter operations the
Dragon rageth against himself, and by devouring his tail, doth wholly
exhaust himself, and at length is turned into the Stone. Lastly, the
operation of the Fixation fixeth both the White and the Red Sulphurs
upon their fixed body, by the mediation of the spiritual tincture; it
decocteth the Leaven or Ferment by degrees ripeneth things unripe,
and sweeteneth the bitter. In fine by penetrating and tincturing the
flowing Elixir it generateth, perfecteth, and lastly, raiseth it up to the
height of sublimity.
64. The Means or demonstrative signs are Colours successively and
orderly affecting the matter and its affections and demonstrative
passions, whereof there are three special ones (as critical) to be noted;
to these some add a Fourth. The first is black, which is called the
Crow's head, because of its extreme blackness whose crepusculun?
sheweth the beginning of the action of the fire of nature and solution,
and the blackest midnight sheweth the perfection of liquefaction, and
confusion of the elements. Then the grain putrefies and is corrupted,
that it may be the more apt for generation. The white colour
succeedeth the black wherein is given the perfection of the first
degree, and of the White Sulphur. This is called the blessed stone; this
Earth is white and foliated, wherein Philosophers do sow their gold.
The third is Orange colour, which is produced in the passage of the
white to the red, as the middle and being mixed of both is as the dawn
with his saffron hair, a forerunner of the Sun. The fourth colour is
Ruddy and Sanguine, which is extracted from the white fire only.
Now because whiteness is easily altered by another colour before day
it quickly faileth of its candour. But the deep redness of the Sun
perfecteth the work of Sulphur, which is called the Sperm of the male,
the fire of the Stone, the King's Crown, and the Son of Sol, wherein
the first labour of the workman resteth.
65. Besides these decretory signs which firmly inhere in the matter,
and shew its essential mutations, almost infinite colours appear, and
shew themselves in vapours, as the Rainbow in the clouds, which
quickly pass away and are expelled by those that succeed, more
affecting the air than the earth: the operator must have a gentle care of
them, because they are not permanent, and proceed not from the
intrinsic disposition of the matter, but from the fire painting and
fashioning everything after its pleasure, or casually by heat in slight
moisture.
66. Of the strange colours, some appearing out of time, give an ill
omen to the work: such as the blackness renewed; for the Crow's
young ones having once left their nest are never to be suffered to
return. Too hasty Redness; for this once, and in the end only, gives a
certain hope of the harvest; if therefore the matter become red too
soon it is an argument of the greatest aridity, not without great danger,
which can only be averted by Heaven alone forthwith bestowing a
shower upon it.
67. The Stone is exalted by successive digestions, as by degrees, and
at length attaineth to perfection. Now four Digestions agreeable to the
four abovesaid Operations or Governments do complete the whole
work, the author whereof is the fire, which makes the difference
between them.
68. The first digestion operateth the solution of the Body, whereby
comes the first conjunction of male and female, the commixtion of
both seeds, putrefactium, the resolution of the elements into
homogeneous water, the eclipse of the Sun and Moon in the head of
the Dragon, and lastly it bringeth back the whole World into its
ancient Chaos, and dark abyss. This first digestion is as in the
stomach, of a melon colour and weak, more fit for corruption than
generation.
69. In the second digestion the Spirit of the Lord walketh upon the
waters; the light begins to appear, and a separation of waters from the
waters occurs; Sol and Luna are renewed; the elements are extracted
out of the chaos, that being perfectly mixed in Spirit they may
constitute a new world; a new Heaven and new Earth are made; and
lastly all bodies become spiritual. The Crow's young ones changing
their feathers begin to pass into Doves; the Eagle and Lion embrace
one another in an eternal League of amity. And this generation of the
World is made by the fiery Spirit descending in the form of Water,
and wiping away Original sin; for the Philosophers' Water is Fire,
which is moved by the exciting heat of a Bath. But see that the
separation of Waters be done in Weight and Measure, lest those things
that remain under Heaven be drowned under the Earth, or those things
that are snatched up above the Heaven, be too much destitute of
aridity.
Here let slight moisture leave a barren Soil.
70. The third digestion of the newly generated Earth drinketh up the
dewy Milk, and all the spiritual virtues of the quintessence, and
fasteneth the quickening Soul to the body by the Spirit's mediation.
Then the Earth layeth up a great Treasure in itself, and is made like
the coruscating Moon, afterwards like to the ruddy Sun; the former is
called the Earth of the Moon, the latter the Earth of the Sun; for both
of them are beget of the copulation of them both; neither of them any
longer feareth the pains of the Fire, because both want all spots; for
they have been often cleanseth from sin by fire, and have suffered
great Martyrdom, until all the Elements are turned downward.
71. The Fourth digestion consummateth all the Mysteries of the
World, and the Earth being turned into most excellent leaven, it
leaveneth all imperfect bodies because it hath before passed into the
heavenly nature of quintessence. The virtue thereof flowing from the
Spirit of the Universe is a present Panacea and universal medicine for
all the diseases of all creatures. The digestions of the first work being
repeated will open to thee the Philosophers secret Furnace. Be right in
thy works, that thou mayest find God favourable otherwise the
ploughing of the Earth will be in vain; Nor:-
Will the expected Harvest e'er requite
The greedy husbandman.
72. The whole Progress of the Philosophers' work is nothing but
Solution and Congelation; the Solution of the body, and Congelation
of the Spirit; nevertheless there is but one operation of both: the fixed
and volatile are perfectly mixed and united in the Spirit! which cannot
be done unless the fixed body be first made soluble and volatile. By
reduction is the volatile body fixed into a permanent body, and
volatile nature doth at last change into a fixed one, as the fixed nature
had before passed into volatile. Now so long as the Natures were
confused in the Spirit, that mixed spirit keeps a middle Nature
between Body and Spirit, Fixed and Volatile.
73. The generation of the Stone is made after the pattern of the
Creation of the World; for it is necessary, that it have its Chaos and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
stone exanimated, and to nourish it with dew and spiritual milk, until
it shall attain unto perfect strength. In both these latter operations the
Dragon rageth against himself, and by devouring his tail, doth wholly
exhaust himself, and at length is turned into the Stone. Lastly, the
operation of the Fixation fixeth both the White and the Red Sulphurs
upon their fixed body, by the mediation of the spiritual tincture; it
decocteth the Leaven or Ferment by degrees ripeneth things unripe,
and sweeteneth the bitter. In fine by penetrating and tincturing the
flowing Elixir it generateth, perfecteth, and lastly, raiseth it up to the
height of sublimity.
64. The Means or demonstrative signs are Colours successively and
orderly affecting the matter and its affections and demonstrative
passions, whereof there are three special ones (as critical) to be noted;
to these some add a Fourth. The first is black, which is called the
Crow's head, because of its extreme blackness whose crepusculun?
sheweth the beginning of the action of the fire of nature and solution,
and the blackest midnight sheweth the perfection of liquefaction, and
confusion of the elements. Then the grain putrefies and is corrupted,
that it may be the more apt for generation. The white colour
succeedeth the black wherein is given the perfection of the first
degree, and of the White Sulphur. This is called the blessed stone; this
Earth is white and foliated, wherein Philosophers do sow their gold.
The third is Orange colour, which is produced in the passage of the
white to the red, as the middle and being mixed of both is as the dawn
with his saffron hair, a forerunner of the Sun. The fourth colour is
Ruddy and Sanguine, which is extracted from the white fire only.
Now because whiteness is easily altered by another colour before day
it quickly faileth of its candour. But the deep redness of the Sun
perfecteth the work of Sulphur, which is called the Sperm of the male,
the fire of the Stone, the King's Crown, and the Son of Sol, wherein
the first labour of the workman resteth.
65. Besides these decretory signs which firmly inhere in the matter,
and shew its essential mutations, almost infinite colours appear, and
shew themselves in vapours, as the Rainbow in the clouds, which
quickly pass away and are expelled by those that succeed, more
affecting the air than the earth: the operator must have a gentle care of
them, because they are not permanent, and proceed not from the
intrinsic disposition of the matter, but from the fire painting and
fashioning everything after its pleasure, or casually by heat in slight
moisture.
66. Of the strange colours, some appearing out of time, give an ill
omen to the work: such as the blackness renewed; for the Crow's
young ones having once left their nest are never to be suffered to
return. Too hasty Redness; for this once, and in the end only, gives a
certain hope of the harvest; if therefore the matter become red too
soon it is an argument of the greatest aridity, not without great danger,
which can only be averted by Heaven alone forthwith bestowing a
shower upon it.
67. The Stone is exalted by successive digestions, as by degrees, and
at length attaineth to perfection. Now four Digestions agreeable to the
four abovesaid Operations or Governments do complete the whole
work, the author whereof is the fire, which makes the difference
between them.
68. The first digestion operateth the solution of the Body, whereby
comes the first conjunction of male and female, the commixtion of
both seeds, putrefactium, the resolution of the elements into
homogeneous water, the eclipse of the Sun and Moon in the head of
the Dragon, and lastly it bringeth back the whole World into its
ancient Chaos, and dark abyss. This first digestion is as in the
stomach, of a melon colour and weak, more fit for corruption than
generation.
69. In the second digestion the Spirit of the Lord walketh upon the
waters; the light begins to appear, and a separation of waters from the
waters occurs; Sol and Luna are renewed; the elements are extracted
out of the chaos, that being perfectly mixed in Spirit they may
constitute a new world; a new Heaven and new Earth are made; and
lastly all bodies become spiritual. The Crow's young ones changing
their feathers begin to pass into Doves; the Eagle and Lion embrace
one another in an eternal League of amity. And this generation of the
World is made by the fiery Spirit descending in the form of Water,
and wiping away Original sin; for the Philosophers' Water is Fire,
which is moved by the exciting heat of a Bath. But see that the
separation of Waters be done in Weight and Measure, lest those things
that remain under Heaven be drowned under the Earth, or those things
that are snatched up above the Heaven, be too much destitute of
aridity.
Here let slight moisture leave a barren Soil.
70. The third digestion of the newly generated Earth drinketh up the
dewy Milk, and all the spiritual virtues of the quintessence, and
fasteneth the quickening Soul to the body by the Spirit's mediation.
Then the Earth layeth up a great Treasure in itself, and is made like
the coruscating Moon, afterwards like to the ruddy Sun; the former is
called the Earth of the Moon, the latter the Earth of the Sun; for both
of them are beget of the copulation of them both; neither of them any
longer feareth the pains of the Fire, because both want all spots; for
they have been often cleanseth from sin by fire, and have suffered
great Martyrdom, until all the Elements are turned downward.
71. The Fourth digestion consummateth all the Mysteries of the
World, and the Earth being turned into most excellent leaven, it
leaveneth all imperfect bodies because it hath before passed into the
heavenly nature of quintessence. The virtue thereof flowing from the
Spirit of the Universe is a present Panacea and universal medicine for
all the diseases of all creatures. The digestions of the first work being
repeated will open to thee the Philosophers secret Furnace. Be right in
thy works, that thou mayest find God favourable otherwise the
ploughing of the Earth will be in vain; Nor:-
Will the expected Harvest e'er requite
The greedy husbandman.
72. The whole Progress of the Philosophers' work is nothing but
Solution and Congelation; the Solution of the body, and Congelation
of the Spirit; nevertheless there is but one operation of both: the fixed
and volatile are perfectly mixed and united in the Spirit! which cannot
be done unless the fixed body be first made soluble and volatile. By
reduction is the volatile body fixed into a permanent body, and
volatile nature doth at last change into a fixed one, as the fixed nature
had before passed into volatile. Now so long as the Natures were
confused in the Spirit, that mixed spirit keeps a middle Nature
between Body and Spirit, Fixed and Volatile.
73. The generation of the Stone is made after the pattern of the
Creation of the World; for it is necessary, that it have its Chaos and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]