If therefore all the Metals were at first a Sulphur (for no Metal is there wherein it may not be found, and besides too, it is known to be in all the Vegetables) by what means possibly can it be, but that being by the help of a Sulphur, Salt, and apt Fire, reduced to fixity, it (viz. any Metal) should yield good ☉ seeing that it (viz. Gold) is nothing else but a fixt pure Sulphur. But for as much as Sulphur (as being of the Masculine kind) cannot produce any Metal alone, but that there must necessarily be ☿ thereto adjoined, (as being of the Feminine kind); every one is bound to seek after an apt or suitable ☿ (as being the Female) for his Sulphur (as being the Male) and to join that ☿ to this Sulphur, and let these two celebrate their Nuptials in Hell, where Vulcan is President.
Now then, when the Agent hath acted on the Patient, and perfected the operation, whether by the moist or by the dry way, it shews it self to be a pure product, and so much the purer too, by how much the Agent and Patient were more or less pure.
When we sow fruitful Seed in a fat Soil, good Fruits do thence-from proceed. Now then let Sulphur be the seed there, and ☿ the field it self, yet so as that your Sulphur (or seed) be pure, and that the ☿ (or ground) have no Tares in it; but let it be duely endued (or dungd) with Salt, and so let it have the fruition of the solar beams, and patiently wait for the thence proceeding fruits. Now if you meet with such a subject as hath both Sulphur and ☿ already joined together by nature; you are there only to begin the operation where nature left off, and so by the help of Fire and Salt, bring it unto its due perfection, which nature was constrained nolens volens to leave imperfect, by reason of the defect of Salt and fire.
I could here present the Student of Hermetick medicine, with such a foundation, as out of which abundance of commodious conveniencies might be expected; but the ingratitude of the men of this Age, prohibits the divulging such things.
Therefore do I herein follow Paracelsus, who saith, We could verily lay open most mighty Arcana in a very few words, if it seemed good unto God to grant unto all men the same (equity of) Riches.
Turn over and over his Writings, Reader; and thou wilt easily attain the foundation of the truth; but especially, view well such writings as he hath left us concerning Sulphur and Vitriol, which we will here rehearse in this place (because of the affinity of the matter) for thy sake and benefit, which writings of his if any one can make nothing of, verily neither will he understand those things which we shall add.
And now are all things (requisite) sufficiently laid open to such, to whom God vouchsafes his blessing; and contrariwise, the same will always remain hidden and unknown to the impious.
Thus much I add (viz.) That neither can any Tincture be obtained without Sulphur, nor any Sulphur fixt without Salt; both these now are found conjoined in Vitriol, from which the noxious superfluity is to be separated, and the pure is to be made fixt.
Now follow Paracelsus his words, concerning SULPHUR and VITRIOL.
I will present unto you, as one well skill’d, my experience in all respects concerning Sulphur, viz. what is contained in Sulphur, both as to Medicine and Alchimy, and to other things, and unless God be against it and hinder, the operations of Sulphur are so stupendious and admirable, that the natural Light in man cannot enough admire them. Now if God himself doth not hinder, then the defect is in the workmen, that so handles the Sulphur as that the operation answers not to the implanted Virtue.