Anima Magica Abscondita, part 2 of 3

You may remember how in my former discourse of the Nature of Man, I mention'd a certain triplicity of Elements according to their severall Complexions in the severall Regions of the world. I shall now speak of another triplicity much more obscure and mysticall, without which you can never attain to the former, for these three principles are the Clavis of all Magick, without whose perfect Knowledge you can never truely understand the least Idioms in Nature. The first Principle is One in One, and One from One. It is a pure, white Virgin, and next to that which is most pure, and simple. This is the first created vnity. By this all things were made, not actually, but Mediately, and without This Nothing can be made either Artificiall or Naturall. This is Uxor D[…]i, & stellarum. By mediation of this, there is a descent from One into Four, and an ascent from three by four to the invisible, supernaturall Monas. Who knows not This, can never attain to the Art, for He knows not what he is to look for. The second Principle differs not from the sirst in substance and dignity, but in Complexion and Order. This second was the first, and is so still Essentially, but by adhaesion to the Matter it contracted an impurity, and so fell from its first unity, wherefore the Magicians stile it Binarius. Separate therefore the Circumference from the Center per Lineam Diametralem, and there will appear unto thee the Philosophers Ternarius, which is the third Principle. This third is properly no principle, but a product of Art. It is a various Nature, Compounded in one sence, and Decompounded in another, consisting of Inferior and superior powers. This is the Magicians Fire, This is Mercurius Philosophorum, celeberrimus ille Microcosmus, & Adam. This is the Labyrinth and Wild of Magick where a world of students have lost themselves: a thing so confusedly and obscurely handled by such as knew it, that it is altogether impossible to find it in their Records. There is no late writer understands the full Latitude, and universality of this Principle, nor the genuine Metaphysicall use thereof. It moves here below in shades and Tiffanies, above in whites aethereall Vestures; neither is there any thing in Nature expos'd to such a publique prostitution as this is, for it passeth thorough all hands, and there is not any Creature but hath the use Thereof. This Ternarius, being reduc'd per Quaternarium ascends to the Magicall Decad, which is Monas Unitissima, in which state Quaecunque vult, potest; for it is united then per Aspectum to the first[…] eternall, spirituall unity. But of these Three, hear the Oracle of Magick, the great, and solemn Agrippa. Quatuor itaque quae diximus sunt Elementa, sine Quorum notitiâ perfectâ nullum in Magiâ producere possumus effectum: Sunt autem Singula Triplicia, ut sic Quaternarius com pleat Duodenarium: & per septenarium in Denarium progrediens ad supremam Unitatem, unde omnis Virtus, & mirabilis operatio dependet, fiat progressus. Primo igitu ordine Elementa pura sunt, Quae nec Componuntur, nec mutantur, nec patiuntur commixtionem, sed Incorruptibilia sunt, & non a quibus, sed per quae omnium naturalium rerum Virtutes producuntur in Effectum. Virtutes Illorum a Nullo explicari possunt, quia in omnia possunt omnia. Haec qui ignorat, ad nullam mitabilium Effectuum operationem pertingere potest. Secundi Ordinis Elementa Composita sunt, multiplicia, & Varia, & impura, reducibilia tamen per Artem ad puram simplicitatem, quibus tuno ad suam simplicitatem reversis virtus est super omnia complementum dans omnium operationum occultarum & operationum naturae: haec sunt fundamentum totius Magiae naturalis. Tertii ordinis Elementa, haec primò & per se non sunt Elementa, sed Decomposita varia multiplicia, & inter se invicem permutabilia: Ipsa sunt infallibile Medium, ideoque vocantur media Natura, sive Anima mcdiae naturae: paucissimi sunt, qui illorum profunda Mysteria intelligunt. In ipsis per certos Numeros, gradus, & ordines: est Consummatio omnis Effectus in quacunque re Naturali, Coelesti, & supercoelesti, miranda sunt[…] & plena mysteriis quae operari possunt in Magiâ tam Naturali, quam Divina: per ipsa enim omnium rerum ligationes, etiam solutiones, & Transmutationes, & Futurorum cognitio & praedictio, etiam Malorum Daemonum Exterminatio, & Bonorum Spirituum conciliatio ab Illis descendit. Sinc his igitur Triplicibus Elementis, eorundemque cognitione, nemo confidat se in occultis Magiae, & naturae scient[…]is quicquam posse operari. Quicunque aurem haec in illa, impura in pura, Multiplicia in Simplicia reducere noverit, Eorundemque Naturam, Virtutem, potestatem in Numero, gradibus, & ordine sine Divisione substantiae discernere sciverit: Is facile obtinebit omnium naturalium rerum & coelestium secretorum sclentiam, & ooperationem perfectam. This is He with the black Spaniell: or rather, This is he Qui ab ineunte aetate semper circa mirabilium Effectuum, & plenas Mysteriorum operationes Curiosus, in trepidusque extitit Explorator. Now for your further Instruction hear also the Dark Disciple of the more dark Libanius Gallus. Primum principium in uno consistit, non a quo, sed per Quod omnis mirandorum naturalium virtus producitur in Effectum: per Quod diximus, quia Purum ab uno procedens non componitur, neque mutatur. Ad ipsum a Ternario & quaternario fit ad Monadem progressus, ut compleatur Denarius: per, ipsum enim est Numeri regressus ad unum, simul descensus in quatuor, & Ascensus in Monadem. Impossibile est compleri Denarium, nisi per ipsum: Monas in Triade laeta convertitur. Omnes hoc principium post principium Monadis Ignorantes nil in Ternario proficiunt, nec ad sacrum quaternarium pertingunt. Nam etsi sapientum Libros omnes habeant, syderum cursus, virtutes, potestates, operationes, & proprietates perfecte cognoscant, ipsorumque imagines, Annulos, & Sigilla & secretissima quaeque ad plenum intelligant, nullum tamen mirandorum consequi possent in suis operationibus effectum, sine hujus principii a principio cognitione, in principium; unde omnes quotquot vidi in Magiâ Naturali Operantes aut nihil consecuti sunt, aut ad vana, frivola, & superstitiosa, post longas & inutiles operationes desperatione prolapsi sunt. Principium vero secundum ordine non Dignitate quidem a Primo separatum quod unum existens facit Ternarium, est quod operatur miranda per Binarium. In uno est enìm unum, & non est unum, est simplex, & in Quaternario componitur: Quo purificato per Ignem in sole Aqua pura egreditur & ipsum ad suam simplicitatem reversum, Complementum operanti monstrabit occultorum. Hic Centrum est totius Magiae naturalis, cujus circumferentia sibi unita circulum repraesentat inmensus ordo in infinitum: Virtus ejus super Omnia purificata, & simplex minor Omnibus, Quaternario super gradu composita. Quaternarius autem Pythagoricus numerus Ternario suffultus, si ordinem gradumque observat, purificatus purusque in uno, ad Binarium in Ternario miranda & occulta Naturae operari potest. Hic est Quaternarius in cujus mensurâ Ternarius Binario conjunctus in uno cuncta facit, quae mirabiliter facit. Ternarius ad unitatem reductus per aspectum omnia in se continet, & quae vult potest. Principium tertium per se non est principium, sed inter ipsum & Binarium est finis omnis scientiae & Artis mysticae, ac infallible Medii Centrum: in alio quam in ipso facilius non erratur, quoniam paucissimi vivunt in Terris qui profunda ejus intelligant: Varium est compofitum, & per septenarium in Ternarium octies multiplicatum consurgens, & manens fixum. In ipso est consummatio Numeri graduum, & ordinis: per hoc omnes Philosophi, occultorum naturae veri Inquisitores mirabiles effectus consecuti sunt; per ipsum ad simplex Elementum in Ternario reductum subito fiunt infirmitatum curae miraculosae, & naturaliter omnium aegritudinum: opusque in Magia Naturali & praeternaturali operantis consequitur Effectum per dispositionem quaternarii. Praedictio futurorum per ipsum verificatur, Occultorumque insinuatio, non aliunde quam per ipsum a Natura percipitur. Hoc unico Medio secretum Naturae a peritur Alchimistis, sine quo nec Intellectus Artis acquiritur, nec operationis Effectus invenitur. Errant, crede mihi, Errant omnes, qui sine istis Tribus Principiis quicquam operari in occultis Naturae Scientiis Se posse confidunt. Thus far Trithemius; where for thy better understanding of him I must inform thee there is a twofold Binarius, Lucis, & Confusionis: but peruse Agrippa seriously de scalis Numerorum, and thou mayst apprehend all, for our Abbot borrowed this Language from Him, the perusall of whose Books he had, before he publish'd any thing in this Nature of his own. Now for thy further Instruction go along with me, not to Athens or stagyra, but to that Secretary and Pen-Man of God Almighty, who stood in a Cleft of the Rock when he made all his Goodnes to passe before him. I am certain the world will wonder I should make use of Scripture to establish Physiologie, but I would have them know that all secrets Physicall and Spirituall, all the close Connexions, and that mysterious Kisse of God and Nature is clearly and punctually discovered there. Consider that mercifull mystery of the Incarnation wherein the fullnesse of the Godhead was incorporated, and the Divine Light united to the Matter in a far greater measure then at the sirst Creation. Consider it I say, and thou shalt finde, that no Philosophie hath perfectly united God to his Creature, but the Christian, wherefore also it is the onely true Philosophie, and the onely true Religion: for without this union there can be neither a naturall Temporall, nor a Spiritual aeternall Life. Moses tells us that in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth, that is the Virgin Mercurie, and the virgin Sulphur. Now let me advice you not to trouble your selves with this Mercurie, unlesse you have a true friend to instruct you, or an Expresse Illumination from the first Author of it, for it is a Thing attain'd Arte mirabili. Observe then what I shall now tell you. There is in every star, and in this Elementall world a certain principle which is Uxor solis. These two in their Coition do emittere semen, which seed is carried in the womb of Nature: But the ejection of it, is perform'd invisibly, and in a Sacred silence: for this is the conjugall mystery of Heaven and Earth, their Act of Generation, a thing done in private between particular Males and Females, but how much more think you, between the Two universall Natures? Know therefore that it is impossible for you to extract, or receive any seed from the Sun, without this Faminine Principle, which is the Wife of the Sun. Now then my small Sophisters of the stone, you that consume your time and substance in making waters and Oyles with a durty Caput Mortuum: You that deal in Gold and Quick-silver being infatuated with the Legends of some late and former Mountebanks: Consider the last end of such men. Did they obtain any thing by it but diseases & Poverty? Did they not in their old age Inveterat[…] dierum malorum, fall to Clipping and Counterfeiting of Coyne? and for a Period to their Memory did they not die in Despair, which is the Childe of Ignorance? Know then for certain That the Magicians Sun and Moon are two universall Peeres: Male and Female, a King and Queen Regents, alwayes young, and never old. These two are Adaequate to the whole world, and coextended thorough the universe. The one is not without the other, God having united them in his work of Creation in a solemn Sacramentall union. It will then be a hard and difficult Enterprise to rob the Husband of his wife, to put those asunder, whom God himself hath put together: for they sleep both in the same Bed, and he that discovers the one must needes see the other. The Love betwixt these two is so great, That if you use this Virgin kindly, shee will fetch back her Cupid, after he hath ascended from her in wings of Fire. Observe moreover that Materiall Principles can be multiplyed but materially, that is by addition of parts, as you see in the Augmentation of Bodies, which is perform'd by a Continuall Assumption of Nutriment into the stomack, but it is not the Body that transmutes the Nutriment into flesh and bloud, but that spirit which is the life and light of the Body. Materiall Principles are passive, and can neither alter nor purifie, but well may they be altered, and purified: neither can they communicate themselves to another substance beyond their own extension which is finite and determinate. Trust not those Impostors then who tell you of a Sulphur Tingens, and I know not what Fables; who pin also that new and narrow name of Chemia, on a science both Ancient and Infinite. It is the light onely that can be truely multiplied, for this ascends to, and descends from the first Fountain of Multiplication, and Generation. This Light applied to any Body whatsoever exalts & perfects it in suo genere. If to Animals, it exalts Animals, if to Vegetables, Vegetables, if to Minerals, it refines Minerals, and translates them from the worst to the best Condition. Where note by the way, that every Body hath passive principles in it self, for this light to work upon, and therefore needs not borrow any from Gold, or silver. Consider then what it is you search for, you that hunt after the Philosophers stone, for Eiusdem est Transmutare, cujus est Creare: you seek for that which is most high, but you look on that which is most Low. Two things there are which every good Christian may, and ought to look after, Verum, & Necessarium. Trueth is the Arcanum, the Mystery & Essence of all Things: for every secret is trueth, and every substantiall trueth is a secret. I speak not here of outward Historicall trueths, which are but Relatives to Actions, but I speak of an inward Essentiall Trueth which is Light, for Light is the Trueth, and it discovers Falshood which is Darknesse. By this trueth all that which is necessary may be compass'd, but never without it. I preferred wisdom (said the wise King) before Sceptors and Thrones, and esteemed Riches nothing in comparison of her. Neither compared I unto her any precious stone, because all Gold in respect of her is as a little sand, and silver shall be counted as Clay before her. I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light, for the light that commeth from her never goeth out. All good things came to me together with her, and Innumerable Riches in her Hands. And I rejoyced in them all, because wisedom goeth before them, and I knew not that she was the Mother of them. If Riches be a Possession to be desired in this Life, what is Richer then Wisedom that worketh all things? For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his works. God hath granted me to speak as I would, and to concerve as is meet for the things that are given me: because it is he that leadeth unto Wisdom, and directeth the wise, For in his hand are both we and our words, all wisdom also, and knowledge of workmanship. For he hath given me certain knowledge of the things that are, namely to know how the world was made, and the Operation of the Elements. The beginning, ending, and middest of the Times, the alterations of the turning of the Sun, and the Change of seasons. The Circuit of yeeres, and the position of stars. The Natures of living Creatures, and the furies of wild Beasts, the violence of windes, and the reasoning of Men: the Diversities of Plants, and the vertues of rootes. And all such things as are either secret or manifest, them I know. For wisdom which is the worker of all things taught me. For in her is an understanding spirit, holy, onely begotten, manifold, subtil, lively, clear, undefiled, plain, not subject to hurt, loving the thing that is good, quick, which cannot be letted, ready to do good, Kind to Man, stedfast, free from Care, having all power, overseeing all things, and going thorough all understanding, pure, and most subtill Spirits. For wisdom is more moving then any motion, she passeth, and goeth thorow all Things by reason of her purenesse. For she is the Breath of the power of God, and a pure Influence flowing from the Glory of the Almighty, therefore can no defiled thing fall into her. For she is the brightnesse of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodnesse. And being but One she can do all things, and remayning in her self she maketh all things new: and in all Ages entring into Holy Souls, she maketh them friends of God, and Prophets. For God loveth none but Him that dwelleth with wisdom. For she is more beautifull then the Sun, and above all the Order of stars, being compared with the Light, she is found before it. For after this commeth Night, but Vice shall not prevail against Wisdom. Thus Solomon, and again a greater then Solomon; First seek you the Kingdom of God, and all these Things shall be given you. For of a trueth Temporall blessings are but ushers to the Spirituall, or to speak more plainly, when once we begin to love the Spirit, then he sends us these things as Tokens and pledges of his Love. For Promotion comes neither from the East nor from the West, but from God that giveth it. Verum (saith One) est esse, a quo nihil abesse cuiq[…] nil adesse multo q; minus obesse potest. Necessariū id omne, quo carere nō possumus. Veritas ita q; sūma virtus est, ac inexpugnabile Castrum paucissimis inhaerentibus Amicis, at innumeris obsessum inimicis, paulo minus quam toti mundo nunc invisum, sed insuperabile Pignus iis qui possident illud. Hac in Arce verus & indubitatus Philosophorum Lapis, & Thesaurus continetur, qui non erosus a tineis, nec perfossus a furibus, manet in aeternum caeteris dissolutis omnibus, multis in Ruinam positus, aliis ad salutem. Haec est res vulgo vilissima, spreta plurimum, & exosa, non tamen odibilis, at amabilis, & preciosa supra Philosophis, supra Gemmas, & aurum obrizon: Omnium amatrix, omnibus ferme inimica, ubique reperibilis, & a paucissimis, quasi nullis, inventa per vicos acclamans omnibus, Venite ad me omnes qui quaeritis, & Ego vos ducam in veram semitam. Haec est res illa tautum a veris praedicata Philosophis, quae vincit omnia, nec ab ulla re vincitur, Corpus, & Cor omne durum & solidum penetrans, ac omne molle consolidans, & ab omni duro resistendum confirmans. Nobis omnibus se facit obviam, & non videmus eam, vociferans, & alta voce dicens, Ego sum via veritatis, transite per me: quia non est alius ad vitant transitus, & nolumus eam audire. Odorem sua vitatis emittit, sed non percipimus eum. Dapibus sese nobis liberaliter in sua vitatem offert indies & non degustamus eam[…] Blande nos ad salutem trahit, & ejus tractui resistentes, sentire nolumus. Quoniam facti sumus sicut lapides, oculos habentes & non videntes, aures habentes & non audientes, nares non olfacientes habentes, ore linguaque muniti non degustantes, neque loquentes manibus & pedibus nil operantes, nec ambulantes. O miserum tale genus Hominum, quod lapidibus non est praestantius, imò longe inferius eo, quod hoc, non Illi rationem daturi sunt operationum suarum! Transmutemini (inquit) transmutemini de lapidibus mortuis in Lapides vivos philosophicos. Ego sum vera Medicina, corrigens & transmutans id quod non est amplius, in id quod fuit ante Corruptionem, ac in Melius, ac id quod non est, in id quod esse debet. Ecce prae foribus conscientiae vestrae sum Noctes ac Dies pulsans, & non aperitis mihi, t[…]men expecto mitis, nec a vobis irata recedo, sed patiens injurias sustineo vestras, cupiens per patientiam ad eam exhortando vos ducere. Venite iterum, atque saepius iterum venite, Qui sapientiam quaeritis & emite gratis, non auro nec Argento, minus laboribas propriis, quod vobis offertur ultro. Sonora vox, suavis & grata Philosophantium auribus. O Fons divitiarum Inexhaustibilis veritatem & Justitiam sitientibus! O Desolatorum Imperfectioni solatium! Quid ultra quaeritis Mortales anxii? Cur infinitis animos vestros curis exagiratis Miseri? Quae vestra vos excaecat Dementia, quaeso? Cum in vobis, non ex Vobis sit omne quod extra vos, non apud vos quaeritis. Proprium hoc solet esse vulgi vitium, ut Propria contemnens, aliena quae sunt, semper appetat. Proprium hic pro nobis appropriati sumimus, nam ex nobis ipsis nihil habemus Boni, sed si quid habere Boni possumus, ab eo qui solus est Bonus, ferimus acceptum: è Contra quod habemus Mali, nobis ipsi nos appropria vimus, ex alieno malo per inobedientiam. Proprium ergo nihil Homini est ex suo praeterquam Malū quod possidet: Quod ex Bono Bonum habet, non ex seipso, sed contribute proprium habet, ex Bono cum recipit tamen. Lucet in nobis (licet obscure) Vita Lux hominum tanquam in Tenebris, quae non ex nobis est, sed ab eo cujus est. Hic Illam planta vit in Nobis, ut in ejus Lumine, qui lucem inhabitat inaccessibilem, videremus Lumen, & hoc Caeteras ejus praecelleremus Creaturas: Illi similes hac ratione facti, quod semtillam sui luminis dederit nobis. Est igitur veritas non in nobis quaerenda, sed in imagine Dei, quae in Nobis est. This is He to whom the Brothers of R. C. gave the Title of Sapiens, and from whose writings they borrowed most of their Instructions ad Candidatum quendam Germaniae. But that you may the better understand how to come by this stone, hear what he speaks in another place. Non prius incipit vera Cognitio, quam perennium & Labilium, cum vitae, tum Intetitus oblatâ comparatione, selegat anima cum animo jungi, deleetatione majori tracto hujus, quam Corporis. Ex eâ […]ognitione Mons oritur, & Corporis voluntaria separatio sumit exordium, cum anima respiciens ex unâ Corporis faeditatem & interitum, ex alterâ parte praesta[…]itiam & foelicitatem animi perpetuam, cum isto (divino sic disponente statu) connecti cupit, altero penitus neglecto, ut hoc solum appetat, quod a Deo conclusum esse videt in salutem & Gloriam: Corpus in amborum jam unitotum unionem condescendere cogitur. Haec est admirabilis illa Philosophorum transmutatio Corporis in Spiritum & hujus in corpus, de quâ Dictum nobis relinquitur a Sapientibus: Fac Fixū Volatile & volatile fac Fixū, ut habeas magisterium nostrum: (intellige) fac de pertinaci copore Tractabile, quod animi praestantià cum anima conveniente constantissimum fiat corpus ad omnia sustinendum examina. Probatur enim aurum igne, quo reprobatur omne quod aurum non est. O praestantissimum Philosophorum aurum, quo ditantur sapientiae filii, non Illo quod cuditur: Adeste qui Thesaurum Philosophorum tam vario Conatu quaeritis, reprobatum a vobis Lapidem cognoscite, prius quis ille sit antequam quaeratur. Mirum est super omne miraculum, quod quispiam appetat ignotum sibi: fatuum certè videtur id ab hominibus quaeri, cujus Veritatem non norunt investigantes, quia nihil in eo spei relinquitur. Suadeo quibusvis ergo perquirentibus, ut cognoscant prius ejus quod quaerunt, veram existentiam, antequam quaerant: sic eos laboribus frustrari non continget. Sapiens quaerit quod amat, nec amare potest quod non cognoscit, alioquin Insipiens esset; Ex cognitione igitur natus est amor omnium Veritas, quae sola viget in omnibus veris Philosophis. Thus He, and again: Frustra laboratis omnes abditorum Naturae secretorum Indagatores, cum aliam ingressi viam, Terrenorum virtutes per Terrena detegere conamini. Discite igitur Coelum per Coelum, non per Terram, sed hujus per illius virtutes cognoscere. Nemo enim ascendit in Coelum quod quaeritis, nisi qui de Coelo (quod non quaeritis descendit, prius illuminet eum. Incorruptibilem quaeritis medicinam, quae Corpora nedum a Corruptione transmutet in verum Temperamentum, sed etiam temperata diutissime conservet: talem alibi quam in Caelo reperire non poteritis unquam. Coelum virtute suâ per invisibiles radios in Terrae Centrum undique concurrentes, omnia penetrat Elementa, & Elementata generat, fovetque Nemo in seipso, sed in sui simili, quod etiam ex ipso sit, generare potest. Foetus etiam promiscuus utriusque parentis in se Naturam ita retinet, ut in eo parens uterque potentia & actu sit reperibilis. Quis haerebit amplius nisi lapis in Generatione Philosophicâ? Disce ex Teipso, quicquid est in Coelo, & in Terrà cognoscere, ut sapiens fias in omnibus Ignoras Coelum & Elementa prius Unum suisse, Divino quoque ab invicem artificio separata, ut & Te, & omnia generare possent? si hoc nosti, reliquum & Te fugere non potest, aut Ingenio cares omni. Rursus in omni generatione talis separatio est necessaria, qualem de te supra dixi fiendam, antequam ad verae Philosophiae studia velum applices. Ex aliis nunquam unum facies, quod quaeris, nisi prius ex Teipso fiat unum quod audisti. Nam talis est voluntas Dei, ut pii pium consequantur Opus quod quaerunt, & perfecti perficiant aliud cui fuerint intenti. Malae voluntatis Hominibus nihil praeter quod seminaverint, datur metere: imo quod magis est, persaepe bonum eorum semen in Lolium, propter eorum Malitiam convertitur. Fac igitur ut Talis evadas, quale tuum esse vis. quod quaesieris opus. This is now the true Essential mystery of Regeneration, or the Spiritual Death. This is, and ever was the onely scope, and upshot of Magick. But for your further Instruction ruminate this his other mysticall speech.