An Hermetic Work.

For all things live according to their kind , Their Life is Light , as therein you may find . Quantum qwiclq ; habet Luminis , tantum habet & Numinis , ( saith one ) Aud thus much for Form and Seed in general . KHOAV further now , That Metals in the Mineral Kingdom are thus produced . Their Sulhur unctuousCoagulatesand fixeth a fluent moisture mineral called Mercury , the

p , , Avhich is a dry humidity that flows , yet Avets not hands , its parts are so Homogeneal , that the very Five its self doth not easily separate them . It is of Avaters Progeny , yet far exceeds it in weight , and firm composure , Avhich properties come not by chance , but by Gods Decree ; Providence and PoAver . from its Specificq ; Seed , and its hidden inAvard Agent , Form , and Life , from Anima Mundi , Avhich the Water before had not ; neither yet hath it parts dissimular ( hand or foot , head or eye ) as Animals , or otherwise as

Vegitables : but is all homogeneal , and of most hrm parts and Koot . JNOAV Mercury hath most affinity Avith Gold , knoAvn by their equal weight , purity , firm composure , and easie mixture j next Avith Silver , then Jove , Saturn , Venus , and last and least Avith Mars , Avhich is a Secret to understand ancl though Mercury may be mixt and made amalgame , with all or any , yet it will not enter into any in the Root without fit preparation and great Art ; bat drive aAvay one from the other , in the Fire , which is another secretDOAV the reason isfor that it ancl they are Deador their Life hid

, , , , imprisoned , and Dormant Avithin their Bodies ( as is said ) and the Sulphur fixt , ancl sealed iu the perfect Metals , and earthly Fowl or Crude in the imperfect , which Mercury abhors and rejects , or cannot Cope Avith , being its self also in Fetters , bound to his good behaviour ; and if you separate the feeces of the latter , Avhich are imperfect , yet you have but a fluid Mercury from them like the common ; and a

Crude Sul phur , too remote to join Avith Gold , for Gold having passed its Enchantments and Crudities , scorns to be defiled thereAvith any more ; wherefore common Crude Sul phur , will easier join with other imperfect Mettals , then with Gold : but pure and fixt Sul phur , sooner ancl better with Gold then Avith the rest ; aud therefore if you would make use of the Sulphurs or Mercuries of the imperfect Metals , or the common . They must be each prepared and fitted with a living poAverand so acuate as to become

, a hery quickning Agent , before it can revncrnd & te , open , and enter the body of Sol , AA'hereb y its own Water may appear , and its fiery Seed ancl Spirit of Life issue forth , and be made active to work upon , and in the saicf Female living Mercury , it being Sols OAvn Essence , Flesh and Bone , and its proper matter , Earth and Matrix ( as is said ) Avherein Seed will quickly frnctifie ancl increase : for Sol though pure , perfect , and full of virtue in its self / bodilv ) must be Remcrudafce , Crucified , and die to Nature , that its

Virtue aud Tincture lockt up , and onely single iu its self Bodily , might become exalted with its body and , spiritually living , and fixt together in heavenly mansions , and so extend and communicate more largely its powerful Vir . tues , aud Tincture to imperfect Bodies , and Spirits to redeem them from Thraldom , Corruption , and Fire by imbracing one grain of his bounteous pure Spirit , and so be raised at last to him tor Eternity . For so Death ancl Destruction of outward Form , will be but as a Back-door to the &> . ul

ancl Sjiirits true Birth , and its Bodies eternal Life ancl Union , till it eome at last to the highest perfection , by its fulness of Tincture . Thus is the Philosophical Corner-stone , made a true Medicine , though rejected and scoffed at by many . And these are the effects hid from the voluptuous , Covetous , and Worldly-Avise-philosopkers , and revealed to Solitary , meek , humble Spirits , Avho forsake outAvard pomp and vanities , to embrace the fruits of Piety and Wisdom .

NOAV observe further , that every thing that is convertible into Gold , hath its Mercury and Sul phur , Avhich either is , or may be acuate , and made fiery and living for a Philosophical preparation of and AA'ith Sol , and so both the common and Metallick Mercury may be thus fitted and prepared to Aved with Sol . All which Mercuries ( as is said ) beforehand in themselves are dead ; for Mercuries preparation is thus , viz . By a mineral with sable silver Veins , which is the Dragon born in Satucns Deu , devouring Cadmus with his Earthly Men ,