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I. OUR Dissolution then of Bodies, which is made such in this first Wa∣ter, is nothing else, but a destroying or overcoming of the moist with the dry, for the moist is coagulated with the dry.
II. For the moisture is contained under, termina∣ted with, and coagulated in the dry Body, to wit, in that which is Earthy.
III. Let therefore the hard and the dry Bodies be put into our first Water in a Vessel, which close well, and there let them abide till they be dissolved, and as∣cend to the top; then may they be called a new Body, the white Gold made by Art, the white Stone, the white Sulphur, not inflam∣able, the Paradisical Stone, viz. the Stone Transmuting imperfect Metals, into fine white Silver.
IV. Then have we also the Body, Soul, and Spirit altogether; of which Spirit and Soul it is said, That they cannot be extracted from the perfect Bodies, but by the help or conjunction of our dissolving Water.
V. Because it is certain, That the thing fixed cannot be lifted up, or made to as∣cend, but by the conjuncti∣on or help of that which is volatile.
VI. The Spirit therefore by the help of the Water and the Soul, is drawn forth
from the Bodies themselves, and the Body thereby is made Spiritual; for that at the same instant of time, the Spirit, with the Soul of the Bodies, ascend on high to the superiour part, which is the perfection of the Stone, and is called Sublimation.
VII. This Sublimation, saith Florentius Cathalanus, is made by things Acid, Spi∣ritual, Volatile, and which are in their own nature Sul∣phurous and Viscous, which dissolve Bodies, and make them to ascend, and be changed into Air and Spirit.
VIII. And in this Subli∣mation a certain part of our said first Water ascends with the Bodies, joyning it self with them, ascending and subliming into one neutral or complex Substance, which contains the nature of the two, viz. the nature of the two Bodies, and of the Wa∣ter.
IX. And therefore it is called the Corporeal and Spiritual 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Cor jufle, Cambar, Ethelia, Zan∣darith,
Dueneck, the Good; but properly it is called the permanent or fixed Water only, because it flies not in the Fire.
X. But it perpetually ad∣heres to the commixed or compounded Bodies, that is, to Sol and Luna, and com∣municates to them the Li∣ving Tincture, incombusti∣ble and most fixed, much more noble and precious than the former which those Bodies had.
XI. Because from hence∣forth this Tincture runs like Oil, running through, and penetrating the Bodies, and giving to them its wonder∣ful Fixity; and this Tincture is the Spirit, and the Spirit is the Soul, and the Soul is the Body.
XII. For in this operation the Body is made a Spirit, of a most subtile nature; and again, the Spirit is cor∣porified and changed into the nature of the Body, with the Bodies, whereby our Stone consists of a Body, a Soul, and a Spirit.
XIII. O God, how thro' Nature dost thou change a Body into a Spirit! Which could not be done, if the Spirit were not incorpora∣ted with the Bodies, and the Bodies made volatile with the Spirit, and after∣wards permanent or fixed.
XIV. For this Cause sake, they have passed over into one another, and by the Influence of Wisdom are converted the one into the other. O Wisdom! How thou makest the most fix'd Gold to be volatile and fu∣gitive, yea, though by na∣ture it is the most fixed of all things in the World!
XV. It is necessary there fore to dissolve and liquifie these Bodies by our Water, and to make them a perma∣nent or fixed Water, a pure golden Water, leaving in the bottom the gross, earthy, superfluous and dry Matter.
XVI. And in this Subli∣ming, making thin and pure, the Fire ought to be gentle; but if in this Sublimation
with a soft Fire, the Bodies be not purified, and the grofs or earthy parts there∣of, [note this well,] be not separated from teh impuri∣ties of the Dead, you shall not be able to perfect the Work.
XVII. For thou needest nothing but that thin and subtil part of the dissolved Bodies, which our Water will give thee, if thou pro∣ceedest with a slow or gen∣tle Fire, by separating the things heterogene, from the things homogene.