Of The Soul Or Tincture Of Tin
Good Jupiter possesses almost the mean or middle place between Metals,
it being not too hot, nor too cold, not too warm, nor too moist, it hath
no excess of Mercury, nor of Salt, and it hath the least of Sulphur in
it; it is found to be white in Colour, yet one exceeds the other in the
three Principles, as it is evidently found in its dissection, the right
and true discovery of Nature. It is generated of such a composition and
mixture of the three first Principles, being operated, coagulated into
a Metal, and brought to the ripeness of perfection. Jupiter is a God
of Peace, a Lord of Goodness, a Ruler and Possessor of the middle
Region; as concerning its State, Essence, Function, Virtue, Form and
Substance; for it holds the mean; no special Disease can happen, that
Jupiter should cause any remarkable damage, if its Medicine be used a
little at once, not too much in quantity; it is likewise thought
needless, where its Medicines are not required, that they should be
administred in strange cases with a just Call, but we should rather
abide by those, where the Body and its Disease have an equal temper with
the superiour Stars and their assistance, in vertue, power, and
operation, and so accord together in their juncture, that there is not
found the least contrariety in the Operation, nor in the Operative
Nature.
Jupiters Spirit is found not to be wanting in the least, in the
generation of Metals, as likewise no one Spirit of all the Metals can be
set backwards, because of necessity they accord together from the lowest
to the highest degree, and must agree together, as a Metal is perfect in
the great Earth, so should the transmutation & augmentation succeed in
the little world; understand it after this manner, that all the degrees
from the meanest to the highest Metal must be passed through in all
perfection, even as the Metals must finish their course, from Saturn
unto Gold, as concerning the permanency of Colour and Body,
notwithstanding that Saturn possesses the highest place in the
highest Region, wherein the stars reign and perform their Course.
The generation of Tin in and above the Earth, is brought to light even
as Man is and other Animals, which are originally nourished and fed by
the Mothers Milk; there is no Diet to be found on Earth more fit for the
nourishment of all men than Milk; for its best part is chiefly an Animal
Sulphur, which yields the Nourishment. Even in like manner Tin is
nourished by its Metallick Sulphur, which likewise feeds it with the
greatest acceptation, it assumes in and to it more heat than Saturn,
therefore is Jupiter more digested & broiled, whereby its Body
likewise is more fixt and permanent in the degree of Salt.
He causes in his Dominion and Reign, that good Rule be observed, and
Justice done to all men in his Court. The Spirit of Tin is a Preserver
from all Distempers & Accidents whereby the Liver is consumed or put
into malady; its Spirit is naturally to be compared unto Honey in Taste,
its Mercury being made volatile, gains a venomous quality; for it
purges violently, and penetrates through by force, therefore it is not
alwayes to be advised, that its opened Mercury should be used alone
and simply, but if a Correction precede, there may an excellent benefit
succeed, being used in those distempers and diseases, which are
immediately subject to its Influence, that is, when its venomous
volatility is taken away, and set in a better and fixeder state, which
resists the poison.
The Vulgar Physician cannot understand this Description; for this Art
and knowledge proceeds not from the bare Talking, but from Experience;
the common Physician hath the foundation and egress in speaking, but our
Preparation hath its Rise from speaking, and then its foundation first
of all out of a certain trial, which manifests it by Experience, and
this is firmed upon hard Rocks by manual Operations, but the other
stands upon moving Reeds & Sand; wherefore in reason that which is
strong and immoveable, made by Natures hand, ought to be prefer'd before
bare Speeches, which proceed only from an inconstant phantastical
speculation, because the Work alwayes will praise the Master.
At present I do not indeed speak according to my own Poetical manner,
nor after such a way as I directed my stile, when I treated of the
wonderful generation of the seven Planets in my occult Philosophy, nor
after a Magical or Cabalistical manner and custom; much less do I
observe the method which teaches, and diligently marks the Mystical,
Secret and Supernatural Arts, to wit, of Hydromancy, AEromancy,
Geomancy, Pyromancy, Nigromancy, and the like: But my present
purpose and intent is directed to reveal Natures Secrets, that all the
Lovers of Art, and the Children which seek and desire wisdom, may by
Gods Grace, Blessing, and Permission, easily understand, observe, mark,
and likewise after diligent observation learn, & retain something that
is beneficial; this concerns the generation of Metals in two parts, in
the great and in the little World, as likewise what is the true Medicine
contained in the inward part of those Metallick and Mineral Forms, which
must be apprehended and made moveable by their dissection that their
first beginning may be made notoriously visible in three distinct
things; Then is Nature stript, and her secret parts discovered by laying
off her temporal Cloathing, and all the secret Virtues, Powers, and,
Operations revealed for Mans Health. My Persecutors, and, indiscreet
Physicians will now tell me, thou talkest much of Geese, and knowest not
a Duck; who knows whether all what thou writest be true? I will stick
where I am, and remain by what I have tried, and bears the sway among
all my Associates and Physitians; so shall I not be deceived, and am
assured that I shall not need to take paines to learn any new Matter. He
that is of such a resolution, may remain with the Ducks; for he is not
worthy of a roasted Goose, nor to learn what is concealed in Nature.
But this in truth I acknowledge, and confess it before the Supreme
Trinity, speaking it to the hazzard of that most Noble Ecclesiastical
Jewel, that all what I have wrote, and yet shall write in this point, is
all true, and shall be found to be no otherwise in truth: But that every
ignorant, or vulgar person, which are haters and persecutors of this
Mystery, do not well, fully, and clearly understand my Writings at
first; alas! that cannot I help; pray unto God for his Grace, and ye
Persecutors for pardon, labour without repining, read with
understanding, then will no Mystery be withheld from you, but will be
very easie for you to find out. I moreover admonish, that the finder of
this gift of God, above all things give thanks unto God day and night
without ceasing, with all reverence and due obedience, from the bottom
of his heart; because no Creature can yield sufficient praise which may
recompense so great a benefit; but Diligence is known by a right and
true industry according to our capacity. I have done my part, which I
hope to justifie before God and the World; for what my Eyes have seen,
my Hands felt, and apprehended by an undeceived Judgment, that shall no
man take from me in this Life; only Death, which is the determiner of
all things.
This my Speech hath indeed had no force to poure forth from it what is
written by me herein; but what I have done is not out of curiosity, nor
out of a desire of vain and transitory Glory; but I have been induced
thereunto by the Command of Christ the Lord, that his Glory and Goodness
in eternal and temporal Matters, should not be concealed from any man,
but to the praise, honour, and glory of his holy everlasting Name, that
it might be exalted, acknowledged, and revealed in his Majesty by reason
of his Highness and Almightiness, through the confirmation of his
wonderful Deeds! And secondly, I have been led thereunto by Love and
Charity towards my Neighbour, for his good as for my own, and to heap
burning Coals on my Enemies heads. And last of all, that all Opposers
may know, what erroneous waies others have gone against me, and whether
I am most of all to be condemned, or they adjudged most just in what
hath been written most truly of the concealments of Nature; & likewise
that the supremest Mystery may not quite be suffocated in darkness, nor
be drowned in overflowing waters, but be delivered out of the deep and
filthy mire of the Ideotish Crew by the right appearance of the true
Light, and obtain many witnesses by the spreading abroad of a sure,
true, and right Confession, who may follow me in the Writings of Truth.
In my Nativity of the twelve Signes in the Zodiack, Sagitary and
Pisces were allotted unto me; I was born under Pisces, for I was in
Waterishness before my Life, but Sagitary set an Arrow to my Heart,
whereby I lost my Waterishness, and by the heat I became worthy of the
dry Earth; and although at the first the Earth was turned by the Water
into a soft substance, yet you must understand that the Water was
consumed by the heat of the drying Air, so that all the soft Matter of
the Earth went away, and by this drying up was dignified with a
Hardness; whereby thou Learner, and much Understander should carefully
observe and take good notice, that Tin is subject to all the four
Elements, as also to the other principal Planets; which Elements
received their Center from above, and are generated as others.
To conclude, I let you know, and give you to understand, that if thou
extract out of Benevolent Jupiter its Salt and Sulphur, and lettest
Saturn flux well with it, Saturn assumes a fixt body unto it, purges
it self, and becomes clear thereby, there being a full change and real
transmutation of Lead into good Tin, which may be found to the height by
a durable infallible proof. And though you may think this to be false,
yet you must take notice, that seeing the Salt of Jupiter only by its
Sulphur is made more corporal, yet likewise it hath obtained an efficacy
and power to penetrate Saturn, the basest and most volatile Metal, and
bring it to a melioration of its Equals, as you will find it in
reality.