Take the Sky-coloured Sulphur extracted out of Silver, rectified with Spirit of Wine, dissolve it according to its Quantity in the White Spirit of Vitriol, and in the sweet-sented Spirit of Mercury, coagulate them together by the fixation of the Fire, you have the White Tincture in your Hands with all its Medicines; but if you can get all their primum Mobile's, it is then needless, because you can perfect the Work at once.
Chap. VIII.
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.