Lumen de Lumine, part 2 of 5

A Letter from the Brothers of R. C. Concerning the Invisible, Magicall MOUNTAINE, And the Treasure therein Contained.

UNusquisque naturâ desyderat esse Dux: habere Aureos & Argenteos Thesauros & magnus videri coram Mundo. Deus autem haec omnia Creavit, ut Homo iis utatur, Eorumque sit Dominus, & agnoscat in illis singularem ejus Bonitatem & Omnipotentiam, Ipsi gratias agat, Eum honoret, & lauder. Nemo autem vult haec omnia nisi otiosis diebus, & nullo labore, & periculo praecunte conquirere, neque ex loco eo consequi, in quo Deus illa posuerit: etiamque vult ut quaerantur, & Quaerentibus dabit. Nemo vero vult sedem sibi in illo loco quaerere, & propterea etiam non inveniuntur. Siquidem à longo tempore Via, & locus ad Haec incognitus est, & maximae parti absconditus. Etiamsi vero Locum & Viam difficile & laboriosum sit invenire, locus tamen est investigandus. Cum vero Deus coram snis nihil absconditum velit, ideo in hoc ultimo saeculo antequam Judicium extremum veniat, Dignis haec omnia sunt revelanda: uti (obscurè tamen satìs, nè manifesta fiant Indignis) in quodam loco inquit; Nihil est Absconditum, quod non reveletur. Nos igitur à Spiritu Dei acti, hanc Dei Voluntatem M[…]ndo annunciamus, uti etiam in Diversis linguis à Nobis factum, & publicatum est. Istam verò publicationem aut major pars calumniatur, aut contemnit, aut sine Deo promissa ejus penes nos quaerit existimans nos illos statim Docturos, quo modo Aurum Chimicum fit praeparandum, aut illis afferre magnos Thesauros, quibus possint coram mundo pomposè vivere, supetbire, Bella gerere, Lucra exercere, helluari, potare, incontinenter vivere, & in aliis peccatis vitam commaculare, Quae tamen omnia contraria sunt voluntati ipsius Dei. Hi exempla capere debebant à decem virginibus illis (quarum quinque Stolidae à prudentibus Oi[…]um pe[…]ebant) esse multùm aliam rationem, dum nimirum opus sit, ut quiliber proprio labore & studio in Deo id consequatur. Nos tamen illorum sociorum A[…]mos ex singulari Dei gratiâ & Revelatione, etiam ex ipsorum scriptis agnoscimus, aures nostras obturamus, & quasi nutibus nos obducimus, ne Ipsorum Boatus, & Ejulatus audiamus, qui in vanum aurum clamant. Atque hinc fit etiam quod multum Calumniarum & Convitiorum contra nos effundunt, quae non curamus, sed Deus suo tempore judicabit.

Postquam verò Nos Vestrum Duorum Diligentiam, & sedulitatem, quam in verâ Cognitione Dei, & Lectione sacrorum Bibliorum impenditis, jampridem (quamvis vobis inscientibus) bene scivimus, etiam ex vestro agnovimus scripto, Nos etiam vos prae multis aliis millibus responso aliquo dignari voluimus, & vobis hoc significare ex permissu Dei, & Spiritus Sancti Admonitione.

Est MONS situs in medio Terrae, vel Centro orbis, qui est parvus & magnus; est mollis, etiam supra modum durus & Saxosus; est unicuique propinquus, & longinquus, sed ex Consilio Dei Invisibilis. In eo sunt maximi Thesauri absconditi, quos Mundus numerare non potest; Qui mons ex Invidiâ Diaboli (qui omni tempore Dei Gloriam, & Faelicitatem Hominis impedit) multum trucibus Animalibus, & aliis Avibus rapacibus circumdatus est, quae viam Homini reddunt difficilem, & periculosam, & propterea huc u[…]que etiam (quia Tempus nondum est) ea via nec dum ab Omnibus quaeri potuit, aut inveniri. Nunc vero à Dignis (interim proprio cujusque labore) Via invenienda est. Ad hunc Montem ite Nocte quadam (cum ea sit) longissimâ, & obscurissimâ, & praeparate vosmetipsos per fideles precationes. Insistite in viam ubi Mons sit inveniendus, Quaerite autem ex Nemine ubi via sit invenienda, sed sequimini fideliter vestrum Ductorem, qui se vobis siftet, & in itinere vos offendet, vos verò illum non agnoscetis. Hic medià nocte, cum omnia tranquilla & obscura sunt, vos ad Montem adducet, sed necesse est ut vos praemuniatis animo magno & heroico, ne reformidetis ea, quae vobis occurrent & recedatis. Nullo gladio Corporali indigetis, nec aliis Armis, sed Deum solummodo invocate Syncerè, & ex Animo. Postquam vidistis Montem, primum Miraculum quod procedet, hoc est. Vehementissimus & maximus Ventus, qui Montem commovebit, & Rupes discutiet. Tunc vobis se offerent Leones & Dracones, & alia Terribilia Animalia, sed nihil haec reformidate; Estote stabiles, & cavete ne recedatis, Nam vester Conductor qui vos conduxit, non permittet ut aliquid Mali vobis fiat. Verum Thesaurus nondum est detectus, sed valde propinquus. Hunc Ventum sequitur Terraemotus, qui absolvet ea quae Ventus reliquit, & aequabit ea, Cavete tamen nè recedatis, Post Terraemotum sequetur Ignis maximus, qui omnem Terrestrem Materiam consumet, & Thesaurum deteget, vos vero eum videre nequitis. Verum post haec omnia, & fermè circa Tempus Matutinum erit Tranquillitas magna, & amica & videbitis stel am Matutinam ascendere, & Auroram assurgere, & magnum Thesaurum animadvertetis: penes quem praecipuum & exactissimum est summa quaedam Tinctura, quâ Mundus (si Deo placeret, & tantis donis dignus esset) posset tingi, & in summum Aurum Coverti.

Hac Tincturâ utentes utì vos docuerit vester Conductor, vos quamvis senes, reddet Juvenes, & in nullo membro animadvertetis ullum morbum. Penes hanc Tincturam invenietis, etiam Margaritas, quas nè quidem licet excogitare. Vos vero nihil […]pietis pro Autoritate vestrâ, sed s[…]is contenti cum eo quod vobis Conductor communicabit. Deo semper gratias agite pro Hoc, & summam curam intendite, nè coram mundo superbiatis, sed Dono hoc rectè utimini, & in ea impendite, quae Mundo sunt contraria, & ita possidete, quasi non haberetis. Ducite vitam Temperatam, & cavete ab omni genere peccati, alioqui hic vester Conductor à vobis se divertet, & privabimini hac faelicitate. Scitote enim hoc fideliter, Qui Tincturâ hac abutitur, & non vivit exemplariter, purè, & Syncerè coram Hominibus, Beneficium hoc amittet, & parùm spei restabit, quo iterum id Recipere possit, &c.

Thus have they described unto us the Mount of God, the mysticall Philosophicall Horeb: which is nothing else but the highest and purest part of the Earth. For the superior secret portion of this Element is Holy ground, aud Aristotle tels his Peripatetics, Locus quo Excelsior, eo Divinior. It is the Seed-plot of the Eternall Nature, the immediat Vessell, and Recipient of Heaven, where all Minerals and Vegetables have their Roots, and by which the Animal Monarchie is maintain'd. This Philosophicall, Black Saturn mortifies and coagulats the Invisible Mercury of the stars, and on the contrary the Mercury kils and dissolves the Saturn, and out of the Corruption of Both the Central and Circumferentiall Suns generat a new Body. Hence the Philosophers describing their stone, tell us it is Lapis niger, vilis, & faetens, & dicitur Origo Mundi, & oritur sicut Germinantia. As for the Epistle of the Fraternitie, I shall for satisfaction of the ordinary Reader, put it into English. I know some Doctors will think it no Advantage, but then they confesse their Ignorance: I can assure them, The Subject is no where so clearly discovered, and for the first abstruse preparation, there is no privat Author hath mention'd it but here wee have it intirely, and withall most faithfully described. I confesse indeed their Instruction wears a Mask, it speaks in Tropes, but very plaine and pervious, and the English of it is This.

Every Man naturally desires a Superiority, to have Treasures of Gold and Silver, and to seeme Great in the Eys of the World. God indeed created all things for the use of Man, that he might rule over them, and acknowledge therein the singular Goodnesse, and Omnipotencie of God, give him Thanks for his Benefits, honour him and praise him. But there is no man looks after these Things, otherwise than by spending his dayes idely, they would injoy them without any previous labour, and Danger, neither doe they look them out of that place, where God hath treasur'd them […]p, who expects also that man should seek for […]hem there, and to those that seek, will he give them. But there is not any that labours […]or a possession in that place, and therfore these […]iehes are not found: For the way to this […]lace, and the place it self hath been unknown for […] long time, and it is hidden from the greatest […]art of the World. But notwithstanding it be […]ifficult, and laborious to find out this way and […]lace, yet the place should be sought after. But it […] not the will of God to conceale any thing from […]ose that are his, and therefore in this last Age, before the Finall Judgement comes, all […]ese things shall be manifested to those that […]e worthy: As hee Himselfe (though […]scurely, lest it should be manifested to the […]nworthy) hath spoken in a certaine place […]here is Nothing covered that shall not be […]ealed, and hidden that shall not be known. […]e therefore being moved by the spirit of God, […]e declare the will of God to the World, which […]e have also already performed, and pub[…]shed in severall Languages. But most men […]her revile, or contemne that our Manifesto; […]else waving the spirit of God, they expect the proposals thereof from us, supposing we will straightway teach them how to make Gold by Art, or furnish them with ample Treasures whereby they may live pompously in the fac[…] of the World, Swagger, and make Wars, tur[…] Vsurers, Gluttons, and Drunkards, live un[…] chastely, and defile their whole life with severall other sins, all which Things are contrar[…] to the Blessed will of God. These Men shoul[…] have learnt from those Ten Virgins (where[…] Five that were foolish demanded Oile for thei[…] Lamps, from those Five that were wise) ho[…] that the Case is much otherwise. It is expe[…] dient, that every man should labour for thi[…] Treasure by the Assistance of God, and […] own particular Search and Industry. But th[…] perverse Intentions of these Fellows we understand out of their own writings, by th[…] singular Grace and Revelation of God; w[…] doe stop our Ears, and wrap our selves as […] were in Clouds, to avoid the Bellowings an[…] Howlings of those men, who in vaine crie on[…] for Gold. And hence indeed it comes to pa[…] that they brand us with infinite Calumni[…] and Slanders, which notwithstanding we d[…] not resent, but God in his good Time will jud[…] them for it. But after that we had well kno[…] (though unknown to you) and perceived al[…] by your writing, how diligently you are to per[…] Holy Scripture, and seek the true knowledge of God: we have also above many Thousands, thought you worthy of some Answer. […]nd we signifie this much to you by the will of God, and the Admonition of the Holy […]host.

There is a Mountain situated in the Midst of the Earth, or Center of the world, which is […]oth small, and Great. It is soft, also above […]easure Hard and Stonie. It is far off, and […]eer at hand, but by the providence of God, […]visible. In it are hidden most ample Trea[…]res, which the world is not able to value. This Mountain by Envie of the Devill, who alwaies […]poseth the Glory of God, and the Happinesse […] Man, is compassed about with very cruell […]easts and other Ravenous Birds, which make […]e way thither both difficult, and dangerous: […]d therefore hitherto, because the Time is […] yet come, the way thither could not be sought […]fter, nor found out. But now at last the way to be found by those that are worthy, but notwithstanding by every man's self-labour, and […]ndeavours.

To this Mountaine you shall goe in a cer[…]ne Night (when it comes) most long, and […]ost dark, and see that you prepare your selves […] prayer. Insist upon the way that leads to […] Mountaine, but aske not of any man where the way lyes: only follow your Guide, who will offer himself to you, and will meet you in the way, but you shal not know him. This Guide wil[…] bring you to the Mountain at Midnight, when all things are silent and Dark. It is necessary that you arme your selves with a resolute heroic courage, least you feare those things that will happen, and so fall back. You need n[…] Sword, nor any other Bodily weapons, only cal[…] upon God sincerely, and heartily. When you have discovered the Mountaine, the first Miracle that will appeare, is this. A most ve[…] hement, and very great wind, that will shak[…] the Mountaine, and shatter the Rocks to peeces. Ton shall be incounter'd also by Lions and Dragons, and other Terrible Beasts, but fear[…] not any of these things. Be resolute, and tak[…] heed that you returne not, for your Guide wh[…] brought you thither, will not suffer any Evil[…] to befall you. As for the Treasure, it is n[…] yet discovered, but it is very neer. After thi[…] wind will come an Earthquake, that will overthrow those things, which the wind hat[…] left, and make all Flat. But be sure, that yo[…] fall not off. The Earthquake being past, ther[…] shall follow a Fire, that will consume the Earth[…] ly Rubbish, and discover the Treasure, b[…] as yet you cannot see it. After all these thing[…] and neer the Day-break, there shall be a gre[…] Calm, and you shall see the Day-star arise, and […]he Dawning will appeare, and you shall per[…]eive a great Treasure. The Chiefest thing in […]t, and the most perfect, is a certain exalted Tincture, with which the world (if it served God, and were worthy of such Gifts) might be […]inged, and turn'd into most pure Gold.

This Tincture being used, as your Guide […]hall teach you, will make you young when your […]e old, and you shall perceive no Disease in […]ny part of your Bodies. By means of this Tincture also, you shall find pearls of that Excel[…]ency, which cannot be imagined. But doe not […]ou arrogat any thing to your selves because of […]our present power, but be contented with that […]hich your Guide shall communicat to you. Praise God perpetually for this his Gift, and […]ave a speciall care that you use it not for […]orldly pride, but imploy it in such workes, […]hich are contrary to the world. Use it right[…] and injoy it so, as if you had it not. Live a […]emperat life, and beware of all sin, otherwise […]ur Guide will for sake you, and you shall be de[…]ived of this Happinesse. For know this of a […]ruth, whosoever abuseth this Tincture, and […]ves not exemplarly, purely, and devoutly be[…]re men, he shall lose this Benefit, and scarce […]ry hope will there be left, ever to recover it […]terwards.

This much we have from these famous and most Christian Philosophers: Men que[…] stionlesse, that have suffer'd much by their own discreet silence, and Solitude. Every Sophiste[…] contemns them, because they appeare not t[…] the World, and concludes there is no such Societie, because hee is not a member of it[…] There is scarce a Reader so just, as to conside[…] upon what Grounds they conceale themselves and come not to the Stage, when every Fo[…] cries, Enter. No man looks after them but fo[…] worldly Ends, and truly if the Art it self di[…] not promise Gold, I am confident it would fin[…] but few followers. How many are there in th[…] world, that study Nature to know God? Certainly they study a Receit for their purses, no[…] for their souls, nor in any good sense for the[…] Bodies. It is fit then they should be left t[…] their Ignorance, as to their Cure: It may b[…] the Nullitie of their Expectations will reform them, but as long as they continue in th[…] Humor, neither God nor Good men will assist them.

The Inferior part of this Type presents […] Dark Circle, charg'd with many strange Ch[…] maera's, and Aristotle's [non-Latin script] that M[…] taphysicall Beast of the Schoolemen. It signifie the innumerous conceited Whimzies, and a[…] rie roving Imaginations of Man. For, befo[…] wee attain to the Truth, we are subject to a Thousand Fansies, Fictions, and Apprehensi[…]ns, which wee falsly suppose, and many Times […]ublickly propose for the Truth it self. This Phantastic Region is the true Originall Semi[…]arie of all Sects and their Dissentions. Hence […]ame the despayring Sceptic, the loose Epicure, […]he Hypocriticall Stoic, and the Atheous Peri[…]atetic. Hence also their severall Digladiati[…]ns about Nature: Whether the first Matter […]e Fire, Aire, Earth, or Water, or a Frie of […]maginarie Atoms, all which are false and […]abulous Suppositions. If wee look on Religi[…]n, and the Diversities thereof; whence pro[…]eeded the present Heresies and Schismes, but […]rom the Different, erroneous Apprehensions of Men? Indeed whiles wee follow our own […]ansies, and build on bottomless unsettl'd Imaginations, wee must needs Wander, and grope […]n the Dark, like those that are Blindfolded. On the Contrarie, if wee lay the Line to our Thoughts, and examine them by Experience, wee are in the way to bee Infallible, for wee […]ake hold of that Rule, which God hath pro[…]os'd for our Direction. In vain hath he made Nature if wee dwell on our own Conceptions, and make no use of her Principles. It were a happy Necessity, if our thoughts could not va[…] from her wayes: but Certainly for us to think, that we can find the Truth by meer Contemplation without Experience, is as great a madness, as if a Man should shutt his Eyes from the Sun, and then believe hee can travaile directly from London to Grand Cairo, by fansying himself in the right way, without the Assistance of the Light. It is true, that no man enters the Magicall Schoole, but hee wanders first in this Region of Chimaera's: for the Inquiries which we make before wee attain to Experimentall Truths, are most of them Erroneous. Howsoever wee should bee so rational, and patient in our Disquisitions, as not imperiously to obtrude and force them upon the world, before wee are able to Verifie them.

I ever approved that regular and solid speech of Basil Valentine: Disce igitur Disputator mi, & inquire primum Fundamentum ipsis oculis & mann, quod Natura secum fert absconditum: Sic demum prudenter, & cum judicio de Rebus disserere, & supra inexpugna[…]lem Petrum aedificare poteris. Sine hoc a[…] tem vanus & phantasticus Nugator manebis, cujus Sermones abs q; ullâ Experientiâ supra Arenam solum fundati sunt. Qui autem sermocinationibus suis & Nugis me aliquid docere vult, is me verbis tantum nudis non pascat, sed Experientiae factum Documentum simul sit praestò oportet, sine quo non teneor Verbis locum dare, fidemquè its adhibere. And in another place, Nugatorem haud moror (saith he) qui non per Experientiam propriam loquitur: Nam ejus Sermones perinde fundati sunt, ac Caeci Judicum de Coloribus. Questionlesse all this was the Breath of a true Philosopher, one that studied not the Names, but the Natures of Things. I oppose it as Batterie to the Schoolemen, if they will needs muster their Syllogisms, I expect also they should confirme their Noyse by their Experience.

Within this Phantastic Circle stands a Lamp, and it typifies the Light of Nature. This is the secret Candle of God, which hee hath tinn'd in the Elements, it burns and is not seen, for it shines in a dark place. Every naturall Body is a kind of Black Lanthorne, it carries this Candle within it, but the Light appears not, it is Ecclips'd with the Grossnesse of the matter. The Effects of this Light are apparent in all things, but the Light it self is denyed, or else not followed. The great world hath the Sun for his Life and Candle; according to the Absence and presence of this Fire, all things in the world flourish or wither. We know by Experience, and this in our own Bodies, that as long as life lasts, there is a continuall Coction, a certain seething or Boyling within us. This makes us sweat, and expire in perpetuall Defluxions at the pores, and if we lay our hands to our skin, we can feel our own Heat, which must needs proceed from an inclosed Fire, or Light. All Vegetables grow, and augment themselves, they put forth their fruits and Flowers, which could not bee, if some Heat did not stir up and alter the Matter; we see moreover that in Vegetables, this Light is sometimes discovered to the Eye, as it appears in rotten wood, where the star-fire shines after Night. As for Minerals, their first matter is coagulated by this fir[…]e spirit, and altered from one Complexion to Another. To which may be added this Truth for Manifestation: if the Minerall Principles be artificially dissolved, that their fire and spirit may be at Liberty, even Metals themselves may be made Vegetable. This Fire or Light is no where to be found in such abundance and puritie, as in that subject, which the Arabians call Halicali, from Hali summum, and Calop Bonum: but the Latine Authors corruptly write it Sal Alkali. This substance is the Catholick Receptacle of spirits, it is blessed and impregnated with Light from above, and was therefore styl'd by the Magicians, Domus signata, plena Luminis & Divinitatis.

But to procced in the Exposition of our Type; not far from this Lamp you may observe the Angel or Genius of the place. In one hand he bears a sword, to keep off the Contentious and unworthy: in the other a Clew of Thread to lead in the Humble, and Harmlesse. Under the Altar lyes the Green Dragon, or the Magician's Mercury, involving in it self a Treasure of Gold and Pearl. This is neither Dreame nor Fansie, but a known, Demonstrable, practicall Truth. The Treasure is there to be found, infinitely Rich and Reall: Indeed we must confesse it is inchanted, and that by the very Art and Magic of the Almightie God. It can neither be seen nor felt, but the Cabinet that holds it, is every Day under our Fect. On this Treasure sits a […]ttle Child, with this Inscription, Non nisi Parvulis. It tels us, how they should bee […]ualified who desire to be admitted to this […]lace. They must be Innocent, and very Hum[…]le: not impudent proud Raunters, nor Co[…]etous uncharitable Misers. They must be […]ffable, not Contentious: They must love the […]ruth, and (to speak in a homely Phrase) […]ey must also like Children and Fools tell the Truth. In a word, they must be as our Savi[…]r himself hath said, Like one of these little.

This is the Summe of that Magicall Embleme which Thalia communicated to me in the Minerall Region. More I cannot say of it, for I was not trusted with more in Relation to a publick and popular use. I will now proceed to a Discovery of some other Mysteries, which I received from her, and those such, as are not commonly sought after. The Basis of them all, is the visible, tangible Quintessence, or the first created unity, out of which the Physicall Tetractys did spring. I shall speak of them not in a cast artificiall Discourse and Method, but in their own Naturall Harmonicall Order, and First of all of the First Matter.