In this Middle Age the Monarchy of all Arts is at length derived to me, Theophrastus Paracelsus, Prince of Philosophy and Medicine; for unto this am I chosen by GOD, that I may extinguish all Phantasies of devised, putatitious, and false Works, and presumptuous Words, whether they be the Placets of Aristotle, Galen, Avicen, Mesue, or any other Follower of them. And my Theory proceeding from the Light of Nature, shall never fail through its unconstancy, nor be changed, but begin to flourish in the 58th. year of the following Age. Then the Practice following, it shall be proved by admirable and incredible Signs, so as it shall be openly manifest to Mechanicks and the Common People, how constant and unmoved the Paracelsick Art stands against the Trifles of Sophisters; in the mean while that Sophistick Art hath need of Papal and Imperial Privileges, to strengthen and uphold its Impertinencies. But whereas I am by thee, O Sophister, accounted a Beggar and Vagabond, the Danube and the Rhine, I being silent, shall answer for me to thee. Often hath those impertinently-devised Calumnies of thine against me, displeased many Princes and Earls, also Imperial Cities, Noblemen, and Knights; for I have a Treasure in a certain City of Forum Julij, called Weiden, hid in the Hospital there, which neither thou Leo the Roman, nor thou Charles the German, with all your Substance, are able to purchase. Although a signate Star fell upon the Arcanum of your Names, yet it was known by none but the Sons of the Divine Spagyrick Art. Wherefore since, thou Verminous and Lowsie Sophister, judgest the Monarch of Secrets to be an ignorant Fool and prodigal Decocter, I will now, in the middle Age, openly discover (as an honourable prosecution of those things I have asserted) the Virtues and Preparation of that Tincture, for the profit and honour of the Lovers of Truth, and that the Contemners of true Arts may be reduced to Beggary. The latter Age will be illustrated and honoured with this Arcanum, as the Gift of GOD, and manifest Endowment of the true Spirit, so as from the Beginning of the World the like sprout of Understanding and Wisdom was scarcely ever heard of. In the mean while, Vice shall not be able to suppress the Just, nor the Riches or power of those that are evil, be any Damage to the Upright.
Of Philip Theophrastus Paracelsus
His Tincture of Natural Things, &c.
CHAP. I.
I Philip Theophrastus Paracelsus Bombast, say That (after the manifestation of Divine Grace) many waies to the Tincture of natural things, were found out, which did all finally tend to the same scope and end: For Hermes Trismegistus the Egyptian set about this Work, according to his own Reason. Orus the Grecian observed the same Process. Hali the Arabian persisted in his own order; but Albertus Magnus followed a Process very prolix. Every one of these proceeded in his own manner, yet they all attained to one and the same end at last, viz. to long Life, and an honest sustentation and Conservation of the same in this vale of miseries. At this time, I Theophrastus Paracelsus Bombast, Monarch of Secrets, am endowed with peculiar Gifts of GOD, viz. in such a manner, as every searcher of this high natural Work must needs imitate and follow me, whether he be an Italian, Polonian, French-man, German, or whatsoever he is, and whosoever he is. Hither must you all, Philosophers, Astronomers, and Spagyrists, how high soever you be, come after me. I by my own immense Labours, will shew and open to you, Alchymists and Doctors, that corporeal Regeneration. I will teach you that Tincture, Arcanum, or Quintessence, in which the Foundations of all Mysteries and Works are latent: For every man may and ought to give credit to another in those things only, which he hath experienced by Fire. If any one, otherwise than by this experience, offer any thing in Chymistry, he is not to be believed, because the true must be separated from the false by Experience in Fire. Assuredly the Light of Nature was created for this end, viz. that by it the trial or Proof of every thing should appear; yet to those only who walk in that Light. With this Light we shall be taught by the best demonstrations, That all those who ever before me entred this so difficult Province, with their proper phantasies and acute speculations, have made trial to their own hurt. Therefore, by my Foundation, many Rusticks have been made Noble-men; but on the contrary, by the putatitious and opinionative Art of those men, of Nobles, many have been transmuted into Rusticks; because they could bear golden Mountains in their Heads, before they had put their Hands into Coals. But first are to be learned Digestions, Destillations, Sublimations, Reverberations, Extractions, Solutions, Coagulations, Fermentations, Fixations, and every Instrument requisite for this Work, is to be known by use, as Glasses, Cucurbits, Circulatories, Vessels of Hermes, Earthen Vessels, Balneums, Wind-Furnaces, Reverberatories, and other such-like; as also a Marble, Mortars, and Coals; so may you at length proceed in Alchymy and Medicine.
But as long as you by Phantasie and Opinion adhere to your Fictitious Books, you will be apt for, and predestinated to none of these.