The works of the highly experienced and famous chymist, John Rudolph Glauber

by Johann Rudolf Glauber

23. All Spirits act according to their nature and property either good or ill, as the Bodies are good or evil from whence they are taken.

24. The Spirit quickens, the Body or Flesh profits nothing, saith Christ, John 6.

25. These words are ill interpreted, when understood by some, as if Spirits onely were of use, and Bodies not at all, which is a great mistake, as it is applied by some.

26. Indeed in Metals, Vegetables and all Animals without the use of reason, who grow, move, and live, by the driving of their in-born Spirit, it does hold true, for when their Spirits are by Art separated from their Bodies, the said Bodies are thenceforward of no use, as being upon the separation of their Spirit, dead and without all virtue.

27. But the case is different with Man, who being created in the Image of God, and endowed besides his Animal Spirit, with an immortal Soul, which latter onely and immediately derives from God, and not from nature, as the mortal Spirits of Animals do.

28. Wherefore Pythagoras was much mistaken, in believing that the immortal Souls of Men, when departed from their Bodies did immediately enter into those of Beasts.

29. Which mistake of his seems to have been occasioned hence, because he knew how by Art to take away the Soul, i. e. Tincture from Sol, and transfer the same to an imperfect metal, thereby making the same in all things like to true natural Sol.

30. Certain it is that this may be done by art, for the fixt Body of Sol may be destroyed, its Soul extracted, and by being joyn’d to another metal make it good Sol.

31. When this disanimation of Sol is duely performed, the Body is left wholly dead, and is in all things like a volatile unmalleable mineral, and cannot endure the test, but fumes away like Arsenick with a little Fire.

32. But in case this disanimating of Sol be not rightly done, so that the Body continues as white as Lune, and malleable (which is a sign that some life is still left in it) then his Colour may be restored again by means of imperfect minerals, as well as his former fixedness in the Fire.