Medicina practica, or, Practical physick shewing the method of curing the most usual diseases happening to humane bodies ... : to which is added, the philosophick works of Hermes Trismegistus, Kalid Persicus, Geber Arabs, Artesius Longævus, Nicholas Flammel, Roger Bachon and George Ripley : all translated out of the best Latin editions into English ... : together with a singular comment upon the first book of Hermes, the most ancient of philosophers : the whole compleated in three books / by William Salmon ...

CHAP. XXV. Of the Nature of Things appertaining to this Work: Of Decoction, and its Effects.

I. KNow then that the Philosophers have called them by divers names: Sometimes they call them Minerals, sometimes Animals, sometimes Vege∣tables, sometimes Natures, for that they are things na∣tural: and others have cal∣led them by other names at their Pleasures, or as they liked best.

II. But their Medicines are near to Natures, as the Philosophers have taught in their Books; for that Nature comes nigh to Na∣ture, and Nature is like to Nature, Nature is joyned to Nature, Nature is drowned in Nature, Nature makes Nature white, and Nature makes Nature red.

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III. And Corruption is in conjunction with Generati∣on, Generation is retained with Generation, and Ge∣neration conquereth with Generation.

IV. Now for the perfor∣mance of these things, the Philosophers have in their Books taught us how to de∣coct, and how decoction is to be made in the matter of our Magistery: This is that which generates, and chan∣ges them from their Sub∣stances and Colours, into other Substances and Co∣lours.

V. If you err not in the begining you may happily attain the end: But you ought to consider the seed of the Farth whereon we live, how the heat of the Sun works in it, till the Seed is impregnated with its in∣fluences and Virtues, and made to spring, till it grows up to ripeness: This is the first change or transmuta∣tion.

VI. After this, Men and other Creatures feed upon it; and Nature, by the heat that is innate in Man, chan∣ges it again, into Flesh, Blood, and Bones.

VII. Now like to this is the Operation or Work of our Magistery, the Seed whereof, (as the Philoso∣phers say) is such, that its progress and perfection con∣sifts in the fire, which is the cause of its Life and Death.

VIII. Nor is there any thing which comes between the Body and the Spirit, but the fire; nor is there a∣ny thing mingled there∣with, but the fire which brings the Magistery to its perfection; this is the truth which I have told you, and I have both seen and done it.