The Water-Stone of the Wise Men, part 3 of 7

Or thus, more briefly.

SEek three in one, and again seek one in three.

Dissolve, and conclude [or congeal] and thou shalt be sure of the Art.

An Enigma, wherein also the Process is described.

THe Spirit it self is given to the body for a time [or in time] and that refreshing [or cheering] Spirit washeth the soul by Art.

That Spirit suddenly draws [or marries] the soul to it self, and then nothing can dis-joyn or separate it from it self.

Then do they consist of three, and yet abide in one seat, until the body be dissolved, ([which is] a noble work) and doth putrifie and die, and sepraate from them.

But [then] (after some time) the spirit and the soul do come together in the extream [or utmost and last] heat; and each possesseth its proper seat with constancy.

Then an intire sound state and perfection is at hand.

And the work is made renowned, and attended on with great joy.

Proverbs 23.

My Son, give me thy heart, and let my waies be delightful to thine eyes.

THE Third Part,

Eccles. 43. v. 31, 32, 33. Who can magnifie him as he is, and tell us how high he is? We see but the least of his works, and much greater things are hid from us, for the Lord made all that is, and makes them known to such as fear the Lord.

AS to this so oft-spoken of highest Art, or profoundly comprehensible Philosophers-stone, (provided it be brought to the desired end;) The Philosophers could never sufficiently write enough, nor worthily enough proclaim and celebrace its praise, vertue, efficacy and unspeakable benefit; for first of all, they esteemed it as the highest and greatest felicity in this earth, without the which none can arrive to perfection in this world; for Morien saith, he that hath this stone, hath every thing, nor needeth any other help; for there is in it all temporal felicity, bodily health, and all fortune [or] wealth and riches.

Moreover they have so commended that same stone [unto us] because the spirit and efficacy thereof (which lies therein hidden) is the spirit of the Q. Ess. which [spirit] is under the circle of the Lunar brightness, yea [they have called it] the supporter of the heaven, and the mover of the Sea; and besides, [have said] that it is a chosen or choice spirit above all the other spirits; that it is a most subtile, a most noble, and a most pure spirit; the which, all the other Spirits are obedient unto as to their King: and which (likewise) confers upon m[…]n all health and prosperity; heals all diseases, bestows upon the pious, temporal honour and long life; but as for the evil ones who misuse it, it subjects them to eternal Punishment.

Now in all those [aforesaid] things, tis found to be proved [or experienced] perfect and infallible. Upon which account, Hermes and Aristotle call it, viz. true without lies, certain, yea of all the most certain, the secret of all secrets, of a divine efficacy, concealed and hid from fools. Briefly, they bave termed it the very utmost and chiefest thing that can be seen under heaven, and the wonderful epilogue and conclusion of all Philosophical operations: Therefore some pious Philosophers are wholly of the opinion, that it was revealed from above to our first Parent, the first man Adam, and that it was sought for with a singular desire by all the holy Patriarcks: For 'tis said, that Noah the framer of the Ark, and Moses that made the Tabernacle and the Golden Vessels therein, and likewise Solomon that to the glory of God finisht the Temple, and many other curious works and ornaments of all kinds, and did many other mighty great acts, did from thence obtain their long life and great riches. Even (in like manner) the Philosophers will acknowledge the same, that (viz.) by it they found out the seven Liberal Sciences, and Arts, and that from thence they had their sustentation (or supply): furthermore, God bestowed this upon them (for their benefit and comfort) that so they might not (through poverty) hap to be impeded [or hindred] in their studies and search after wisdom; and also, that they might not be necessitated to flatter with the rich and wicked ones of this world for the sake of money, and to reveal their secret Arcanaes unto them; and so be despised and mocked, (together with their wisdom) because of their beggerliness.

Moreover, they have even yet other great and hidden mysteries of divine wonders, and from thence also knew and learned the great riches of that glory, [or his glory.] And therein their hearts have been so stirred up and inflamed by God, that they have been led and guided on to a further knowledge of him: For they sought not (by that treasure) after great riches, and worldly temporal voluptuousness and pride, but rather conceived much pleasure, and [took] their [delight] rejoycing at the miraculous seeing and knowing the creatures; the which most excellent workmanship, and creatures of the omnipotent God they did verily far otherwise consider of and behold, then (the more's the pitty) is wont at present to be done by the world at this day, who look upon them but little otherwise then as heifers or calves do; and do (moreover) seek after and covet the Learning of this most noble Art for Avarice, Luxury, Pride, and Temporal honour and pleasure, and do herein (in such intentions and thoughts) widely err from the true scope; for God doth not communicate such gifts to the wicked ones, and to the contemners of his Word, but to the godly only, such as lead an honest and quiet life in this evil and unclean world, and do honestly sustain themselves, and reach forth their helping hands to their needy neighbours. According to the verses of the Poet, viz.

God gives the Art to th' honest men alone,
Which all the worlds Gold cannot procure;
Tis not fit that the vulgar know it, for its
Wickedness; It doth in vain therefore seek for this stone:
He that in secret possesseth it, resides in any place he lists,
And fears neither mischance nor evil.
Few are there to be found to whom are given these sacred gifts.
Tis in Gods hands, and he bestows it on whom he pleaseth.

And although there are various writings published by others concerning the operation, vertue, and utility of this Art, viz. how this Stone being prepared and made more then perfect, is the highest of all Medicines, wherewith not only all diseases, as the Gout and Leapry, are cured; but also being used by such as are decrepid, it makes them to become young again, and restores unto them their lost strength and former vigour; and doth refresh and revive again such as are half dead: yet nevertheless I shall omit to speak of that in this place, and in this my Treatise, because I am no Physitian, that so (by such an high extolling and commendation thereof) I may not seem to prescribe any thing here to their faculty or Profession: But whoever (by the grace of God) hath it, and knows how to use it commodiously, to him I say who enjoys it, I shall remit [or send] to his home, both respect and glory: As to the other qualities and profitable Use, such as daily experience doth subject to the sight (part of which I my self have through the Divine grace been made a partaker of) I shall here add a few things.

First of all: As to what belongs to the knowledge of God, as also those miracles of nature which have been manifested by the benefit of that Art, I cannot sufficiently enough describe or declare it, according to its supream dignity. For in this a man shall be able most elegantly to see, as if 'twere painted in a glass, the Image of the most holy Trinity, in one Divine indissoluble Essence, and how it differs, and is (notwithstanding) but one only God; and withall in the second person of the Deity, as concerning his Assumption of Humane Flesh, his Nativity, Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Likewise in his exaltation, and that eternal happiness merited by his death for us men, his Creatures. Moreover also, [may be seen] as to the Purification of Original Sin by obtained med[…]ums, without which the Counsels and Actions of all men, and all their Works are in vain and nothing [worth.] Briefly, all the Articles of the Christian Faith, and the whole process that a man must necessarily pass, through various streights and tribulations, untill he (at length) doth again arrive or rise up to a new Life, is likewise neatly represented hereby, concerning which we shall speak more in the Fourth Part.

Secondly, As to what concerns the Corporal and Natural Utility that ariseth from the having thereof; how by its Tincture it changeth all the imperfect Mettals into clear and pure gold: I shall here likewise for the satisfaction sake of my promise, briefly Demonstrate.

So thereofore, for to bring now the said Stone or Elixir to shew its efficacy, and moreover to cause it to serve for the now spoken of use, and to tinge, tis necessary that it be further Fermented, and augmented; otherwise there can hardly be obtained any profitable projection with its Tincture (by reason of its great subtilty) upon the other imperfect Mettals and bodies.

Therefore in the first place, take one part of the so oft spoken of Medicine, and to that one Part, add three other parts of the [same] weight, of the best and choicest Gold, that hath been well purged and putrified by Antimony, and then afterwards reduced into as thin Leaves as possibly can be, put them together into a melting Pot, and place it in the Fire, that so the matter may melt and flow well; according as the preparation thereof is well known to every Artificer.

This done, the Composition thus put in, will be also transmuted into a pure and effectual Tincture, insomuch that one part thereof will be capable of transmuting and tinging a thousand parts of the simple Mettals into pure Gold.

But yet you must here note, that by how much neerer the Mettals are to the matter, and by how much the purer they are, so much the more easie is the admittance and reception, and the multiplication will also be the higher and more commodious; for whatsoever impurity or improperness is found to be in them, is separated, and is wholly cast away as the drossy fece of the Mettals: Thus then may a transmutation be made with the imperfect Mettals, and with unsound or faulty precious Stones; and Crystal may be [also] so tinged therewith, that it may be well compared with the most noble and most precious Stones; and moreover there are many other things that may be done thereby, which are not at all to be revealed to the wicked world; But yet the aforementioned Philosophers, and all such true Christians as at this day are endued, and gifted by the most great and blessed God, with this Art and Science, did accompt of those and such like other most excellent things of that kind, as the meanest and least [excellency] in this Magistry; for verily those [things] in comparison of the most excellent knowledge of things Celestial, and being compared [I say] therewithall, was wholly accompted as a thing of nought, and disesteemed.

For verily, know of a truth, that he to whom the most High hath graciously vouchsafed to bestow this Gift, doth esteem of all the money and riches in this earth (in comparison of the Celestial good) no better then of the dirt in the Streets; for his heart and all his desire tends to this only, viz. that he may behold in a heavenly manner, and may also in reality enjoy that in life eternal, which he hath seen here figured out (as 'twere) in an earthly manner only; according to the testimony also of that wisest of Kings, King Solomon, in his Book of Wisdom, chap. 5. where he saith, I esteemed wisdom at a greater price then Kingdoms and principalities, it was dearer to me then riches; all gold in respect of her is as sand, and silver as dirt before her. Such therefore as seek after this Art for no other end, but for temporal honour, pleasure, and the sake of riches, are to be reckoned of as more foolish then Fools, for verily they will never attain it: notwithstanding all their great costs, labour and trouble, and their miserably tormenting their hearts, minde, and all their cogitations. On which account the Philosophers esteemed of temporal riches (for the most base abuse of them,) (not that in themselves they be evil; for in Gen. 2. they are highly commended by Moses, and likewise in many other places of Scripture, as a precious thing, and a great gift of God) very disdainfully, and as destructive, because it is such a thing, as instead of leading men to God, doth rather cast a remora [and hindrance] upon men, from arriving to a right and true good, and doth convert likewise all that which is […]ight in this world, into a perverse confusion: even as that most famous Marcellus Palingenius Stellatus in his Poem, which he hath called the Zodiack of life, hath under the Sign of ♐︎ elegantly described it, and curiously pointed out detestable Covetousness, to whom we shall at present refer the wel-minded Reader.

Out of which it may be seen and collected, how viz. That most excellent man as truly hath this Art (as is to be perceived and understood in his Zodiack of Nature) doth esteem of those temporal goods of gold and silver, as a thing of nought, and as a thing contemptible in respect of vertue.

And therefore they all preferred Wisdom and the knowledge of heavenly things far before the earthy and fading things (as we advised afore) and had in all their life time, and consequently in all their Actions, an eye to the event and end alone, that they might be able [or fit] to reap therefrom an immortal name and perpetual praise; the which even that most wise Solomon doth also teach in the sixteenth chapter of his Proverbs, ver. 16. saying, Entertain or accept wisdom, for it is better then gold, and understanding is more precious then silver: And also in Chap. 22. he saith, A good name, and [a good] report is more precious then great riches, and the Art [or knowledge] is better then gold or silver. So also Syrach's Son that Wise man in [his] 24. chapter doth exhort men, saying, See that thou retainest a good name, for its continuance is more certain then a thousand treasures of gold. For these, and such other kind of vertues, that flow forth from that Philosophy of the Stone, the Philosophers could never sufficiently enough praise and celebrate that so oft named stone. And therefore their whole care and study, and all their Labour in their writings was for this end, that that Art might be further enlarged, wisdom embraced, and the life rendred conformable thereunto. But all [their Writing] is, as to the unwise, obscure, dark and hard to be understood, even as Solomon in his Proverbs, from the beginning thereof, even to ch. 6. doth exceedingly complain of, and bewail, and doth to his utmost perswade men to the following of that Wisdom, and in the 3. chap. of Ecclesiasticus: he saith thus, My Son, be content with a low estate; for better is it then all that which the world covets after: By how much the greater thou art, so much the more must thou humble thy self, and then the Lord will bless thee; for the most High God doth do even great things by the humble.

THE Fourth Part,

Psal. 78. and Matth. 13. 35. I will open my mouth in Parables, and utter things hidden from the beginning of the world.

WHen the Omnipotent GOD was minded to reveal by his Divine voice any hard and singular thing to Mankinde, of his wonderfull, high, and Celestial Mysteries, it pleased him to do it for the most part Parabolically, the which notable Parables in this earthly Life are daily obvious to our eyes, and are as 'twere painted out unto, and set before us; for examples sake, when God (in Genesis 3.) intended to shew to Adam in Paradise after his Fall, his punishment, viz. Mortality and Corporal death, it pleased him to signifie it in the following manner; that whereas the earth hath not by it self any life at all; and whereas he was taken and framed out of the earth; therefore also must he be made like the earth again: So in the 15. and 23. chapter of Genesis, when God would discover to Abraham the encrease of his Seed and Family, he bad him to behold the Stars in the Heaven, the Sand in the Sea, and the dust of the earth, as a Type. Such like various, very pleasant, and sweet Typical Prefigurations God commanded his Prophets to propose and demonstrate to his People Israel, when he would denounce [or declare] any singular thing unto them. This Christ himself likewise, who is the mouth & foundation of truth, did do in his Testament, and proposed all things in Parables, that so his Doctrine might be the better understood; as for example, when he would hint unto us the highest happiness, his Divine Word and Gospel, then doth he use (for a type) the good and evil seed, or tares, which the enemy sowed in the ground; likewise [he useth typically] the hidden treasure, and pearl, the grain of wheat, the grain of mustard-seed, leaven, &c. as in Luke 18. Mat. 13. & 23. Luke 19. & Mat. 20.

Moreover, when he prefigurates to us the Kingdom of heaven, he proposeth to us the parable of the great Supper, and the wedding of the King; Even as also he compares the whole Christian-Church, and the state thereof, with a Vineyard, and a King requiring an account from his Servants. Likewise also he useth a similitude of a noble Lord, who committed his goods to his servants; and of a lost sheep, and Ox, and of a lost Son; and other such like Parables.

See Mat. 18. Luke 16. Mat. 25. Luke 18. Mark 12. Luke 10.

Seeing therefore that such like examples and similitudes were solely and alone given for this end, that that which is Celestial, and consequently difficult to comprehend by reason of humane frailty, might be the easier understood and better conceived of by us; How much rather therefore [seemeth it expedient] that the eternal God should propose unto us by some corporal figure, the highest good, [viz.] His Son and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who by his obedience and merit, freed all mankind from eternal death, and restored the Kingdom of heaven [again unto them] For verily that most high mysterie of God Almighty, is most difficultly comprehended by mankind, Ephes. 3. Colos. 1. Esay 45. verse 8. Let the heavens send down dew, and the clouds rain [on the just] Let the earth open it self and wax green, and bring forth a Saviour. And although that this hath been signified unto us (in the Old Testament, and elswhere in other types, as in the sacrifice of Isaac, in Jacobs Ladder, and in the selling and wonderful state of Joseph, and in the brazen Serpent, in Sampson, David and Jonas, &c. Yet nevertheless, the Omnipotent God hath shewed [or taught] and clearly discovered to us men in the great Book of Nature, this high and Celestial good, by another certain wonderful and secret thing, and that very abundantly; that so we may be able to have likewise by this means [or on this account] even a certain corporeal, visible, and apprehensible idea of those Celestial goods and benefits.

The which terrestrial and corporeal thing, he himself hath so proposed [or published] in his Word, where he speaks thus by his Prophet Isaiah, in Ch. 28. viz. Behold I lay in Sion a Corner stone, a tryed and well-founded stone; he that believes makes not haste. Likewise also the Kingly Prophet David speaks thus by the Spirit of God, in the 118. Psalm, viz. The stone which the builders refused, is become the Corner-stone. This is the Lords doing, and is wonderful in our eyes; This prefiguration or representation, also the now-spoken-of Corner-stone, Christ himself doth in Mat. 21. derive [or convert] unto himself, saying, Did you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders refused is become the Corner-stone? this is the Lords doing, and is wonderful in our eyes; he that falls against it shall be broken; but he upon whom it shall fall, shall be ground to powder: This likewise Saint Peter in Acts 4. and in his Epistle; So also Paul in Rom. 9. doth repeat and describe this in almost the self-same words.

Now all the chief Fathers and holy Patriarcks, as also all their successors, illuminated by God, did (ever since the beginning of the world) expect (with great desire) that proved, blessed and Celestial Stone, Jesus Christ, Luke 10. v. 23, 24. and earnestly endeavoured by their utmost and chiefest prayers, that it would please God to communicate unto them, (according to his promises) the beholding of Christ even in a bodily and visible shape. Rom. 10. v. 12, 13. and therefore having rightly known and obtained him in the Spirit, they were then delighted with him all their life time, and consequently did (in all dangers) even to the end of their lives, trust upon that invisible prop and support.

But although that that heavenly and blessed stone was given by God to all mankind, without exceptions of rich or poor, and that without any merit, viz. freely, as Mat. 11. v. 6. yet nevertheless there have been but a very few in this world, even from the beginning to this very day, that could find it, and apprehend or comprehend it; but rather hath it been at all times hidden from the greatest part of men, and hath alwaies been a grievous offence and scandal, or stumbling to them; as Isaiah in the eighth Chapter prophesied thereof, saying, It shall be a stone of offence, and a rock of stumbling. Also, a pit and a gin where many shall stumble, fall and be broken, and took and ensnared. The which [heavenly stone] old Father Simeon saw in the Spirit, in Luke 2. v. 34. where he saith to Mary the Mother of that Celestial Corner-stone, viz. Behold, behold this [stone] is set for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against. The like doth S. Paul also testifie in Rom. 9. v. 32. saying, They stumbled at the stumbling stone, and at th[…] rock of offence, but he who believeth in him shall not be confounded. So likewise Sain[…] Peter in his first Epistle, Chap. 2. v. 7, 8. &c. This stone is precious to those tha[…] believe; but to the unbelieving, a stone o[…] offence, and of stumbling, and a rock o[…] scandal, [even to them] which stumbl[…] at the Word, and believe not on him, i[…] [or by] whom they are placed [o[…] built up] Eccles. 43. So therefore, shall now shew here fundamentally, how the now mentioned precious, blessed an[…] heavenly stone, doth artificially [or harmoniously] agree with this so-oft-mentioned terrestrial, Corporeal, Philosophical stone, I will shew both their descriptions, and the comparison of the one with the other: Whereby it shall be known and seen (even invincibly) viz. how the terrestrial Philosophical stone may be accounted as a true type of the true, spiritual, and heavenly stone, Jesus Christ, [and how] he is herein set before us, and discovered (as 'twere) in a visible shape by God, even in a Corporeal manner.