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. XXVII. The manner of Fixation of the Spirit, Deco∣ction, Trituration, and Washing.

I. WHen the Body is mingled with moisture, and that the heat of the fire meets therewith, the moisture is converted into the Body, and dissolves it, and then the Spirit can∣not go forth, because it is imbibed with the Fire.

II. The Spirits are fugi∣tive, so long as the Bodies are mixed with them, and strive to resist the fire, its heat and flame, and there∣fore these parts can scarcely agree without a good and continual Operation, and a steadfast, permanent, and natural heat.

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III. For the nature of the Soul is to ascend upwards, where its Center is; and he that is not able to joyn two or more divers things together, whose Centers are divers, knows nothing of this Work.

IV. But this must be done after the conversion of their Natures, and change of their Substances, and mat∣ter, from their natural Pro∣perties, which is difficult to find out.

V. Whoever therefore can convert or change the Soul into the Body, and the Body into the Soul, and therewith mingle the subtil and volatile Spirits, they shall be able to tinge any Body.

VI. You must also un∣derstand, that Decoction, Contrition, Cribation, Mu∣nidification, and Ablution, with Sweet Water, are most necessary, to the Secret of our Magistery.

VII. And if you bestow pains herein, you may cleanse it purely; for you must clear it from its black∣ness and darkness, which appear in the Operation.

VIII. And you must sub∣tilize the Body to the high∣est point of Volatility and Subtility; and then mix therewith the Souls dissol∣ved, and the Spirits clean∣sed, and so digest and de∣coct, to the perfection of the matter.