In such a kind of manner doth the nature of men become apparent, when they are reduced to the extreamest of difficulties. A godly man, whose thoughts are in this life time always upon God, will constantly adhere unto him in his Agony, and being upon dying will betake himself to him for his refuge, in whom he hath at all times built his hope, and waiting or looking for help from thence, from whence he hath always hoped for it.
But the ungodly Man who hath never in his life time feared God, nor set him before his eyes, but hath always yielded himself with his thoughts unto the will of Satan, he will very hardly implore (in his greatest anguish) the help of any other than of him, to whom he hath (in this life time) adhered in all his thoughts and actions.
LXXV. The preparation of good medicaments out of venemous vegetables, by the con-centrated spirits of salts.
We have hitherto taught, that our moist fires of salts do indeed destroy all things, but do not burn up, or force away ought of such things as the common fires are wont to do. That this is true, even the vegetables themselves bear witness, which being put into our moist fires are therein dissolved, and pass into a water. But their oil which is in them is separated, and swimmeth at the top, and so may be separated thencefrom, as we have mentioned above concerning the May-worms. After the same manner the essence of the herb may be severed from the spirits of the salts, as we have there declared. The oyls which by this operation are drawn out of the herbs and other vegetables, do obtain great and peculiar virtues, because they are excellently well corrected by the efficacy of the moist fires, and are amended, which correction, and bettering they do not at all attain by their being distilled and expressed.
LXXVI. The correction of the too vehemently purging subjects by the moist fires, whereby they may be safely made use of.
Diagridium or Scammony, Hellebor, Cataputia, Gambogia and other vehemently purging subjects may be dispoiled of their venemous faculty, by the aforementioned way, and be rendred more sweet and milder.
LXXVII. The correction of the too vehemently operative Diureticks, whereby they may be of safe use in the cure of the Stone.
Dissolve Cantharides, May-worms, Earth-worms, Millipides or Pig-lice, in our con-centrated fires, and follow those ways of operation which we have afore prescribed, and you shall acquire an excellent and safe medicament, having a faculty of healing the Stone of the Bladder and Reins.
LXXVIII. The amending of narcotick and somniferous subjects by our moist fires, that so they may perform or shew their virtues without hurt or danger.
Take Opium, Henbane seed, Mandrake, or the like subject that provokes to sleep, pour on it the con-centrated spirit of salt, and it will melt [or dissolve] therein; if there be in it any oilyness, as in the Henbane seed is usual, it will separate it self, and swim on the top of the liquor, the which is to be severed from the liquor, and to be warily kept; because it being onely anointed on the Temples will presently cause sleep. The liquor is to be used internally, as we have prescribed in the precedent preparations.