GOD and Nature make nothing in vain

The Eternal City of all things (there’s an Eternal place in all things) without time, without beginning, and without end, is every where essentially. It operates in that wherein is no hopes, and that which is accounted impossible, unexpected, incredible, and plainly deplorable, will be true even to admiration.

Glaub.] Paracelsus having finished his Seven Rules of the Properties of Metals, begins after a sort, to repeat and illustrate his sentiment or opinion, comforting the Operator, lest happily he should be discouraged, if his affairs do not presently meet with good success; but let him ingeniously proceed, because Nature makes nothing in vain; that which is least of all believed, comes most of all to pass; his words are clear enough of themselves.

Item. Note now some things on Argent Vive.

Whatsoever whitens is of the Nature of Life, and of the Property and Virtue of Light, which causeth and makes Life. The Fire with its heat gives birth to this motion. And whatsoever blackens, is of the Nature of Death, of the Property and Virtue of Darkness, (having the efficacy and force thereof) which causeth Death; to the which hardening or induration the Earth with its Cold is the coagulation and fixation. The House is alwaies dead, but the Inhabitant is a living Fire: If thou hast found out the true Use of Examples, thou hast overcome.

Glaub.] Paracelsus speaking here of Mercury, mentions Fire, which by its heat is the cause of Light and Life, but that which blackens, is the cause of Death; where making as it were a pause or stand, he adds these pregnant words.

Sacrifice the fat Vervein (or Sulphur). ℞ eight lots of Salt Nitre, four lots of Sulphur, two lots of Tartar, mix them, and let them flow.

Glaub.] Here begin the Complaints of the Alchymists, because Paracelsus writing of so good a matter, doth so suddenly break off, adding such a Receipt, as in their judgment hath no affinity with Mercury, but is to him as a thorn in a man’s eye. This powder indeed is a good fusile powder, for the reduction of such metals as are otherwise hard to melt; but in this place ’tis meerly vain and needless, because ☿ by his innate fiery power and heat, doth alwaies flow; wherefore we want not this Flux for him. Had he written in this place, how he (viz. ☿) is to be coagulated and fixed, we would most willingly have heard him, and as willingly have been content that he had kept his fluxing powder to himself.

Such as these ought to blame themselves and not Paracelsus, that wish’d well unto them. The words which went just before, may excuse him; for he said, that GOD and Nature made nothing in vain; whereby he intimates, that this powder is not so strangely to be look’d on, as if it did not pertain to ☿, who is more than enough fusile already, and wants it not. Nor was this mentioned to vex the Alchymist; no, Paracelsus knew this nimble fusile powder, and its operations upon the metals, better than he that complains thereof, (’tis of incredible benefit in the metals, did any one know how to use it) and he placed it here, that we might perfectly learn its highest force and efficacy upon the metals; the which thing his foregoing words do also admonish us of: It operates beyond hope, that which is judged impossible is unexpected, incredible, and desperate, will prove true to admiration. Wherefore, think you, would he have added this fire had it not been needful in this place? doubtless he knew how to burn the wings of ☿, and thereby to stay his flight. And although I know not how to fix ☿ herewith, yet have I experienced wonderous things as well in the metals as ☿, for if the metals, especially ☿, be Philosophically joined herewith, sublimed and destilled, they afford wonderful Menstruums.

It’s also here said, Sacrifice the fat Vervein (or Sulphur). ’Tis full well known, that the superfluous Sulphur in metals that are imperfect, is the cause of their baseness, and this fire is able to burn it up, but ’tis impossible that all should know it; there’s need of use and diligence, if you desire Icarus, flying with his Father Dædalus, and approaching too nigh the Sun (whereby his wings being burnt, he tumbled down into the Sea) should be drowned in the waters. The which let suffice, for there’s enough spoken unto a wise man; let us therefore proceed.

What is to be determined concerning the Coagulation of ☿.

’Tis not at all expedient to kill ☿, to coagulate him, and then reduce him into ☽, and to weary him with many sublimations and other things, for this is but the destruction of the Sun and Moon that is in him. There’s another more compendious way, whereby ☿ is made ☽, of small cost and charge, without any labour of coagulation: Every man reads in the Writings of the Alchymists, such Arts as are mean and vile, and easily preparable, whereby in a short time he might make abundance of ☉ and ☽, and are tired and vexed with the Writings of such as do not teach them clearly and plainly, and would willingly hear this, viz. Do so and so, and thou shalt have good ☽ and ☉ to inrich thee.

But good Sir stay a while, and wait till the Secret be plainly opened to thee in positive words without any labour; so as to enable thee (in as ’twere a moment of time) to take ♄, ☿, and ♃, and make Sol and Luna thereof. The Art will never be so easily known, how short and facile soever it be in it self.

Glaub.] Paracelsus goes on, and saith, That ’tis not needful to coagulate ☿, that ☉ and ☽ may be thence made, and that it is to be done with a most easie labour, and therefore few words are best. And here Paracelsus is to be compared to that Rich man, who having heard that many perished with famine, ’tis said that he should answer, That before he would be tormented with hunger, he would rather feed on rusty Bacon and Pease, believing that all abounded with this fare; the which they despising by reason of their daintiness, deservedly perished. In like manner the good Paracelsus believed, that all Chymists were his equals, as to the knowledge of Metals, not dreaming of the many poor Colliers that torment ☿ by their solutions, precipitations, sublimations, resuscitations, fixations, and other labours; when as they are ignorant of what it is, what abounds or is wanting therein, and so for want of knowledge, toil and labour to no purpose: ☿ is a subject of wonder, and is frequently wont to deceive the Alchymists, whom (viz. ☿) if you would on the other side deceive, when you pursue him, give him a little breathing (because by force he’s not to be compell’d) that he may a little wander about, but trust him not too much, lest flying away, he leaves behind him an empty Nest. For which Work the first Furnace, with its many Glasses, very well fitted and united, will serve excellently well. But in few words, ’Tis a subject of an inexhaustible wonder, the which I alwaies found the most stubborn of all the metals, that I have bestowed grievous pains about; but yet do believe, that he that knows rightly to deal with him, will reap a benefit from him not to be contemned. But who is there that discovers the Way? Wonders must alwaies remain unknown unto us, and albeit we know not all things, yet let us acknowledge the great Mercy of GOD, and give Thanks to Him for that which we do know.

The Receipts of Alchymy.

What shall we say of the many Receipts and the various Vessels, such as are the Furnaces, Glasses, Tests, Waters, Oils, Salts, Sulphurs, Antimonia, Magnesia, Salt Nitre, Alume, Vitriol, Tartar, Borax, Atramentum or Copperas, Orpiment, Spume of Glass, Arsenick, Calaminaris, Bole-Armoniack, Vermilion, Calx, Pitch, Wax, Lute of Wisdom, Powder’d Glass, Verdigrease, Salt Armoniack, Soot, Rosin of the Pitch-tree, Chalk, Mans-fat, Hairs, Egg-shells, Lac Virginis, Ceruse, Minium, Cinnabar, Vinegar, Aqua-fortis, Crocus Martis, Elixir, Lazure, (ultro-Marine) Soap, Tutia, Havergold, Crystals. What likewise shall we say to their preparations, putrefactions, digestions, probations, sublimations, calcinations, solutions, cementations, fixations, reverberations, coagulations, graduations, rectifications, amalgamations, and purgations. Most Books are fully stufft with these Alchymical things, as also what things are to be done by the benefit of Herbs, Roots, Seeds, Woods, Stones, Animals, Worms, Bone-Ashes, Cockle-shells, Muscles, &c.

All these things are the Labyrinths of Alchymy, and are great and but vain Labours. Moreover, although ☉ and ☽ might be made by the means of these things, yet by reason of the multitudes of them, the Work is rather hindred than advanced; and therefore it cannot be truly learned from the aforesaid things, how to make ☉ and ☽. But all such things are to be omitted, as operate not with the five imperfect Metals, for the production of ☉ and ☽.

What therefore is the true Way, and the short Path void of all difficulties, that leads to the speedy making of good Sol and Luna? How long will it be ere thou revealest it? I believe that thou understandest nothing of this matter, may somebody say, but dost only mock us with these Riddles. For answer: It hath been already spoken of, and is evidently enough discovered in the Seven Rules; He that understands not, let him blame himself. Besides, let no body be so mad, as to perswade himself, that the Art is most easie to be understood, and to be perfectly known by the vulgar; that is neither so, nor must it so be; but it will be better understood in an occult and hidden Sence.

This is the Art, viz. If you make the Heaven or Sphere of ♄ to flow with life in the Earth, put in all the Planets, or which you please of them, but let there be of Luna least of all; let it flow so long, until the Heaven of ♄ doth wholly disappear, and the Planets remain alone dead with their own corruptible Bodies, and have assumed a new, perfect, uncorruptible body, that body is the Spirit of Heaven, by which the Planets become again corporeal and alive; as afore, Take out that new Body from the Life, and out of the Earth, and keep it, for it is Sol and Luna. And thus hast thou the Art plainly uncovered and intire; if thou dost not yet understand and apprehend it, ’tis well, for so it must be; nor must it be publickly divulged.

Glaub.] In this Chapter Paracelsus teacheth, That there’s no need of so many ridiculous species, for the transmutation of Metals, but that there’s virtue enough in the metals to operate upon, and to better one another, if they are rightly conjoined amongst themselves; yet in some Labours we cannot be without Salts and Minerals, because they are useful to mollifie hard Metals, and to dispose them to assume a melioration. But ’tis to be observed, that Corrosives are to be omitted, and such Salts only to be used as are friendly to Metals. Likewise other Minerals and Fossiles may be fruitfully used in fusion, (Seigerungh) separation, and other metalline Operations, as additaments (als Susans). The which thing Paracelsus denies not, but only rejects, and that deservedly, those ridiculous Compositions of the unskilful Alchymists, which they making in their use Sol. He dehorts the studious Artist, and endeavours to bring him into the right way.

Furthermore, he teacheth but in an occult sence, how good Sol and Luna, such as will endure all trials, is to be extracted out of imperfect Metals; but ’tis so obscurely done, that no body can thereby understand the thing; and such only as aforehand know somewhat, and have had the like Labours under their hands, are able to understand his meaning.

Doubtless this Process hath found many an one work enough, who have at last attained to nothing; but yet some have by chance lighted thereon, and so perceived the Truth of his Words, most of which Inventions do casually happen; and whilst that one thing is sought after, and by accident lost, something is oftentimes found more excellent than that which was intended.

In like manner, most things unsought after have happened to me; and also my Labours have manifested to me the greatest part of Paracelsus’s Arts, and not his Writings. And who will certainly and plainly teach what lies under that Covering? Many Archers there are, but few hit the mark. Neither seems it so necessary to take nothing else but the aforesaid Metals; the which thing Paracelsus also in his forementioned Process doth hint at, saying, When thou makest the Heaven, or Sphere of ♄, to flow with Life in the Earth, sow in all the Planets, or such as you please of them; but let not the Moons part be biggest, but let it be the least of all. By which words ’tis easily conjectured, that the greatest part must be of Saturn, whereby the other metals are to be washed and purified, and the least part of the Moon. But some body may ask, What reason is there for the Moon being here, she being already pure, for the washing of whom there’s no need? Why this hath been already elsewhere answered thus, viz. That she may attract, defend, and make corporeal, the washed, purified, and tender Sun, which would otherwise remain in the Scoria: Notwithstanding this separation may be made without the Luna, but then ’tis not so gainful. Neither also is it necessary to conjoin the Metals, and so make but one work in washing them with Saturn; each of them may be taken apart, and so cleansed, unless a man knew how to contrive the composition, then indeed the Work would be facilitated, and more Sol gotten; the which is to be well observed, if either none, or very little Luna be taken. But if you take not ☽, then ♀ is to be added, as being of nearest affinity to ☉ and ☽, in its malleability, and so that will attract the volatile and immature ☉ out of the imperfect Metals, and defend it in the fire, but much weaker than ☽. Tin and Iron being most impure and sharp metals, may be washed with Lead, but with much difficulty, and may be deprived of their spiritual and occult ☉, but with far greater charges and cost, than if you took in ☽, or at least wise ♀. Now knowing this, Why do we not give to every one its proper additament, for the expedition and enriching of the Operation? ’Tis worth the while to be able to make a good mixtion of Metals, and with profit to wash them with ♄, in which mixture none believes how much there’s placed, nor my self neither, had I not with Loss learned the same. For, when in former years I sought after somewhat in this kind of operation, as washing and separation, and had sometimes found out a good Proba; I have gone to repeat the same labour again, and have egregiously erred. And although I have for many years wrought hard in this kind of labour, and spent much (which I repent not of) yet I dare not boast of catching the best prey, but am content with a piece of Bread, but yet I do not dispair, Good things come slowly on, and the thorny prickly Budds spring forth before the Roses come. Now, if thou learnest the weights the Work will be safe, and thou needest not to doubt of doing the same in a great quantity. Paracelsus goes on, and bids you to let the Planets which you have put in, to flow so long with the Heaven of ♄, until the Heaven of ♄ vanish, the Planets will remain, having received a new body, which is to be taken out of the Life and the Earth, which will be ☉ and ☽. And these words are variously interpreted by sundry men, especially what the Heaven of ♄ is, and are perswaded, that if that were known, the residue of the Process they could state well enough. Many understand hereby the common separation made by a peculiar ♄, taking the Regulus Stellate of ♁, which is stampt with a Cœlestial Star, the which they blow on and melt with the Life, (which they interpret to be the fire) in the Earth (a Cupel or Test treibscherben) the bodies being left upon the Test, like mortified Metals, the which reducing by a fusing addition, and melting with Lead, (angesotten) and promising themselves Gold and Silver, they find themselves to be in an errour, and accuse Paracelsus of Sophistry and Deceit, because they can’t make good quantities of ☉ and ☽, by means of his Writings.

And now, what this Sphere of Saturn is, may be variously explained: It may not unfitly be taken for common ♄, because being fused, it shines, and is turned round: or it may be taken for its Glass, which being melted in the fire, shines like the Sun: or it may be the Stellar Regulus of ♁, because its Stria represents Stars when ’tis broken. But what benefit is it to know the Heaven of ♄ and to be ignorant of the true requisite Life, and the reduction of the dead and reducible bodies. Common Fire is not the Life that Paracelsus mentions, but it may be stirred up thereby; and so he saith; The fire with its heat, is the Nativity to this motion: If by the Elemental Fire he should mean the Life, and by the separation of ♄, or blowing of the Regulus of ♁, (the flowing which Paracelsus mentions) then it must necessarily follow, that the destroyed bodies which remain, should be made more perfect, and the Spirit of Heaven should yet remain with them; for thus he writes, viz. The Planets by it do become corporeal and living, as they were before; but in these kind of separation, scorification, or blowing off, it is not found so to be; but in these Operations their Bodies remain like Scoria, in which is neither spirit or life, much less ☉ and ☽ to be found, though never so diligently sought after. Paracelsus saith expressly, viz. That Body (viz., of the slain or kill’d bodies) is the Spirit of Heaven, by which the Planets do again become corporeal and alive as before; from whence ’tis to be understood, that those bodies are spiritual, & not only corporeal and resuscitated, but such as may give life even to slain or destroyed bodies, the which can’t be said of them, for a spirit must be penetrative and vivifying, and they are not such. For if (according to Paracelsus’s mind) the dead bodies ought to be reduced to Corporality and Life, ’tis necessary that they have some hidden power; (which every one knows not) whereby they may demonstrate most speedily their embodying and vivification in a spiritual manner, without the addition of any peregrine Flux, or else they are deservedly to be rejected. But if any one should now imagine, that metals being by the red fire deprived of life, made spiritual and again corporeal and living, should forthwith be all ☉ and ☽; he promiseth more to himself than is right, and is deceived (for Paracelsus saith, that That new body is to be taken out of the Life and Earth and kept, for ’tis ☉ and ☽) for ’tis impossible even for the Philosophers Stone, to convert the whole bodies of Metals into ☉ and ☽, for out of nothing, nothing can be made, as the Philosophers say; and Experience testifies, none but God only made any thing out of nothing; but that thing which is, may by Art be reduced into nothing, and that again reduced into something. Seeing therefore that the greatest part of metal is an unprofitable, combustible noxious Sulphur, which never was a metal, but adhering only outwardly unto them, and being combust, reduceth their humidium Radicale into Scoria; which Humidum Radicale only (after its destruction) and not the whole mass of Metal or superfluous Sulphur, is reduced by the spirit of the Saturnine Heaven, out of nothing unto something, viz. a Body and Life; the Sulphur which before the corruption was nothing, remains still a Nothing; and if thou throughly observe the thing, the Case stands clearly thus; viz. If in this operation there must be a separation of the imperfect metals, and a gathering together of the more pure, and a dispersing of the more impure parts; these separated parts must therefore necessarily be much unlike one another; and by how much ☉ and ☽ is more pure, if compared with imperfect metals, from which ’tis separated: And these separated parts are not of the same Goodness and Nature; as if ten duckets were divided into two parts, each part would have 5 of the same goodness and weight. Now, if from one of these halfs you take two or three parts, and put them to the other half, it only makes the one bigger, and the other less: And if there be nine parts on the one side, and but one left on the other side, yet cannot the major part boast of its excelling the other in quality, but only in quantity: As to Goodness, they are both equal. But now, if you take a Mineral or Metal commixt with stones, and by measure divide it into two equal parts, and then pound them, and by pouring water thereon, separate the lighter parts after the accustomed manner, and the heavy Metal will settle to the bottom: Now the dross and metal will fill the former measure, but will very much differ in their goodness.

Or if any one take two measures of Wine, and by the heat of Fire, separate the more excellent Spirit by destilling in a Glass Alembick, and leave the other measure in the Cucurbit: These two parts, though equal in quantity, yet they do much differ in goodness; the one part will be more noble than Wine, and the other worser; and as the other residence is no more Wine, being deprived of Spirit, Life, Soul, and Strength, and is thereby unable to defend it self from death, but tends to putrefaction; so on the other hand, the Spirit is not subject to putrefaction, but preserves other things therefrom.

The like is to be understood of this metalline separation, for the remainder, from which ☉ is separated, can no more be made Tin, Copper, or Iron, but is a gross earthy Sulphur, by the reason of the ☉ taken thence; whereas before it was ♃, ♀, ♂, or ♄. And by how much the Spirit of Wine is more excellent than common Wine, and ☉ than an imperfect Metal, by so much also will the Spirit of Wine and ☉ excel, if they are again separated, and new fæces segregated therefrom. But this is not so necessary in this place; ’tis sufficient to have declared the way and reason of this metalline separation, about which we have even now treated, viz. That the whole metal, nor the ½ or ¼ part thereof, will become Sol, and the rest remain a metal; but the separation of the pure is very small in quantity, in comparison of the much impurity whence ’tis separated. Nor let any one think he hath not attained the Art, and so will not rest here, if all things become not ☉; ’tis sufficient if there be some gotten, and that all the Labour is not bestowed in vain.