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BƲt yet again Two times turn about thy Wheel, &c. The Stone being by con∣stant and long Decoction brought to this pass; he who thinketh the race quite run, reckons without his Host, and must reckon again: It is Medicine of the first Order, and must be brought to the third Order by Imbibitions and Cibation, which is a second turning round the Wheel; and by
Fermentation, which is a third turning round the Wheel, and brings the Medi∣cine to the third Order, and makes it then fit for Projection, which at first it is not; For till the Medicine will flow like Wax, it cannot enter Mercury before its flight; but the Powder as it is made at first, is like Grains or Atoms, and is congealed in a far greater heat, then will make ☿ to fume, yet it abides in its from of Dust or Powder, which must be otherwise before it be fit∣ted for Projection; therefore the Stone tingeth Mercury into a Metalline Mass in the twinkling of an eye, as our Author saith in his Preface, even as the Basilisk kills by sight: But the Red Sulphur con∣verteth Mercury by a digestion of time in∣to its own Nature, (viz.) Powder, if it be joyn'd in a due proportion, and digest∣ed in a due heat: Therefore saith our Author, if you give it too much, it must have a Vomit, or it will be sick too long, but the Stone will never part with any Mercury that is joyned to it in heat; our Sulphur then is a Royal Infant, which doth both hunger and thirst; and if you can but be a Nurse to it as you ought, it will
repay both your Pains and cost: Leave not then where you should begin; but go on till you bring it to the third Order, which Reymond calls his Oyls and Un∣guents; and so our Author likewise.
Three Properties there are in which the White and Red Sulphurs of the first Order, differ from those of the third Or∣der.
One flows as easily as any Wax in heat, or on a hot Metal: the other in a strong heat abides a Powder.
The one is like to Glass, brittle, pon∣derous and shining; the other a powder like to Atoms.
The one enters Mercury like an Oyl, and Coagulates it in an instant: the other drinks up Mercury only, as the Calx of a Metal would do, but will not retain it, if the Fire be increased strong, nor turn it into Metal; but if the heat and proportion be both as they ought, by a digestion of Time, it turns it into its own Nature: And so, (as Ripley saith truly,) you may Multiply both White and Red with Mer∣cury; That if at first you had not enough to fill a spoon, yet in short time you may
be stored for your whole life, were it ten times as long as it is like to be.