A Treatise Concerning The Animal-Stone: Or,

Of that Animal Matter or Subject which God ingrafted into Adam and Eve, as a Divine Portion or Patrimony in Paradise, and which he still retained after his Fall and Banishment out of Paradise, brought it with him thence, and after Death took it along with him to his Grave, or to the Earth from whence he was taken and made; What kind of Matter properly it is, and in what manner a true Universal Medicin may be made of it. Faithfully Translated out of the High-Dutch.

The PREFACE.

Curteous READER,

Having in some of my last Published Writings, and especially in my Fifth Century, treated of a certain Matter, called by the Ancient and Modern Philosophers, The Philosophers Stone, which Matter they say, God implanted in the first Man Adam, and which after his Fall and Banishment, he brought with him out of Paradise, and after his Death, took it along with him to his Grave, without revealing this Divine Patrimony and Portion to any of his Posterity; so that this great Treasure continued for some time hidden from the wicked World, until at length it pleased God to open the Eyes of some honest Men to know and discern this great Gift of God, which they also made known to others, though this communication of theirs was of little use to proud Worldlings, whose Eyes are only fixed upon outward Visibles, not minding the inward Invisibles. Wherefore none of them could believe, that so great a Treasure was hid in Sinful Man, as accounting nothing worthy their esteem, but Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones, and casting out upon the Dunghill as loathsom and contemptible what is far better than Gold or Silver.

And because some of my Enemies have slandered some of my Writings, as if they contained absurd and impossible things; to the end that none by their Lies and Slanders may be led aside from the way of truth, I am resolved to set the Truths I have written in a greater Light, and palpably to evidence before the whole World, that what I have taught, viz. that a Mineral Aurifying Virtue lies hid in Vegetables and Animals as well as in Metals, is no absurdity, but a great truth, to the shame and confusion of my envious Adversaries.

O thou Eternal Light, without the least mixture of darkness, Creator and Governor of Heaven and Earth, send down upon me thy holy Spirit, beam into my Soul a Ray of thy Heavenly Light, that it may enlighten my Heart, Brain, and Understanding, that I may write nothing but what may serve to thy Glory, the salvation of my Soul, and the enlightning of many thousands that wander in the darkness of Error. Amen.