Four books of Johannes Segerus Weidenfeld concerning the secrets of the adepts, or, of the use of Lully's spirit of wine : a practical work, with very great study collected out of the ancient as well as modern fathers of adept philosophy : reconciled together by comparing them one with another, otherwise disagreeing, and in the newest method so aptly digested, that even young practitioners may be able to discern the counterfeit or sophistical preparations of animals, vegetables and minerals, whether for medicines or metals, from true, and so avoid vagabound imposters, and imaginary processes, together with the ruine of estates.

From the Receipts, we think these Things follow∣ing worthy of Observation.

1. That the Wine, Red or White, is not Common, but Philoso∣phical, and that is the only thing that is obscure in these four Books; to be understood not according to the Letter, but by Analogy: but Aqua ardens, Aqua vitae, Spirit or Essence of a Philosophical Wine are the proper Names of it.

2. That the Aqua ardens of Philosophical Wine doth in some things agree with the Properties of Common Spirit of Wine; namely, it goes before its Phlegm in distillation: it is rectified as the Common, from its Phlegm. Lastly, being rectified, it is known by burning Linnen, Sugar, &c.

3. That this Aqua ardens doth by Circulation dayly lose its moi∣sture and sharpness; and is at length converted into a swimming Oyl, the Essence and Spirit of Philosophical Wine. But who ever redu∣ced Common Spirit of Wine, or Aqua Vitis, by bare Circulation into an Oyl? Who, I say, hath by continual Circulation brought that Oyl to Driness; so as to be sublimeable as a volatile Salt, and that not but by a strong Fire, as Isaacus affirms himself to have expe∣rienced, in the Description of his Vegetable Stone? Of which lower in the Third Book.

4. That the Oyl, or Essence of Wine may be divers ways made out of Philosophical Wine.

5. That not only the Time, but also the Scent, Colour, &c. of the Essence are varied according to the variety of Method: The Essence of Lully is like Heaven, that is, of a Sky-colour; the Oyl of Guido is green.

6. That it hath not a Scent so fragrant, unless it hath a Body (especially a Metallick or Mineral) dissolved in it.

7. That this Heaven, the first of all Menstruums, is also a Me∣decine; and is called the Essence or Specifick to a long Life.

8. That it is called Heaven for several Reasons by Lully.

First, Because it works Contraries, like Heaven. Our Vege∣table Menstruum, saith Lully, the Celestial Animal, which is call'd Quintessence, preserves Flesh from corruption, comforts things elemented, restores former Youth, vivifies the Spirit, digests the crude, hardeneth the soft, rarifies the hard, fattens the lean, wasteth the fat, cools the hot, heats the cold, dries the moist, moistens also the dry: One and the same thing can do contrary operations. The Act of one thing is diversified according to the nature of the Receiver; as the heat of the Sun, which hath contrary operations; as in drying Clay, and melt∣ing Wax: yet the Act of the Sun is one in it self, and not con∣trary to it self.

Secondly, Because like Heaven it receives the Forms of all Things. As the universal Form (the Macrocosmical Heaven) hath an appetite to every Form, so the Quintessence (of Phi∣losophical Wine) to every Complexion; whereby it is evidently manifest, that the Quintessence of things is said to be of that complexion to which it is adjoyned; if joyned to hot, hot; if to cold, cold, &c. This therefore the Philosophers called Heaven; because as Heaven affords us sometimes heat, some∣times moisture, &c. so the Quintessence in mens Bodies at the Artist's pleasure, &c. Distinct. 1. Lib. Essentioe. To this Hea∣ven we apply its Stars; which are Plants, Stones and Metals, to communicate to us Life and Health, Ibid.

Thirdly, Because like Heaven it moveth all things from power to act. Therefore Heaven or our Mercury is the Cause and Principle moving G (C) (Metals) from power to act: And in this point knows the understanding of an Artist, that D (our Heaven) hath action upon C, and (C) ruling and governing, and reducing it into action; as Heaven brings that which is in Elemental things, by its own motion into action, &c. For we call it Heaven, by reason of its motion; because as the upper Heaven moves the universal Form, and first Master, and Ele∣ments, and Senses, to compound Elemented Individuals; so

D moves C, and (C) and the four Elements to M, (the Sul∣phur of Nature, or Philosophers Mercury) or to Q (the Tincture) Distinct. 3. de quarto principio Libri Essentioe.

4. Because like Heaven, it is incorruptible. Aqua vitoe is the Soul and Life of Bodies, by which our Stone is vivified; there∣fore we call it Heaven, and Quintessence, and incombustible Oyl, and by its infinite other Names, because it is incorrupti∣ble almost, as Heaven, in the continual circulation of its moti∣on, pag. 145. Elucid. Testam.

5. Because it is of the colour and clarity of Heaven. Heaven or our Mercury is the fourth Principle in this Art, and is signified by D, of an azure colour and line, and is signified by that colour, be∣cause it is celestial, and of a celestial Nature, as we said before in the description of it, Dist. 3. Lib. Essentioe,

This Essence Johannes de Rupescissa calls Humane Heaven, for the following Reasons:

We ought to seek that thing which is to the four Qualities of which our Body is compounded, as is Heaven in respect of the four Elements: Now the Philosophers called Heaven Quintes∣sence in respect of the four Elements, because Heaven is in it self incorruptible and immutable, and not receiving strange im∣pressions, but by the command of God; so also, the thing which we seek, is in respect of the four Qualities of our Body, a Quintessence, in it self incorruptible so made, not hot dry with Fire, nor moist cold with Water, nor hot moist with Ayr, nor cold dry with Earth; but is it a Quintessence able to work Contraries, as the incorruptible Heaven; which, when it is necessary, infuseth a moist Quality, sometimes a hot, sometimes a cold, sometimes a dry: Such a Radix of Life is the Quintes∣sence, which the most High created in Nature, with power to supply the necessity of the Body to the utmost term which God hath appointed to our Life: And I said that the most High created the Quintessence, which is by the Art of man extracted from the Body of Nature, created by God: And I will name it by its three Names attributed to it by the Philo∣sophers: It is called Aqua ardens, Anima, or Spiritus Vini, and Aqua Vitoe. And when you have a mind to conceal it, call

it Quintessence; because this is its Nature, and this is its Name, the greatest Philosophers have been willing to disclose to no man, but caused the Truth to be buried with them: And that it is not moist as the Element of Water, is demonstrated, be∣cause it burns; which is a thing repugnant to Elementary Wa∣ter. That it is not hot and moist as Ayr, is declared, because dry Ayr may be corrupted with every thing, as appears in the generation of Spiders; but that remains always uncorrupt if it be kept from expiring. That it is not dry and cold as Earth, is expresly manifest, because it is exceeding sharp, and heats extreamly: And that it is not hot and dry as Fire, is apparent to the Eye, because it infrigidates hot things, and wastes and eradicates hot Diseases. That it conduceth to incorruptibility, and preserves from corruptibility, I will demonstrate by an Ex∣periment; for if any Bird whatsoever, or piece of Flesh, or Fish be put into it, it will not be corrupted so long as it shall continue therein; how much more will it therefore keep the animated and living Flesh of our Body from all corruption? This Quintessence is the humane Heaven, which the most High created for the preservation of the four Qualities of mans Bo∣dy as Heaven, for the preservation of the whole Universe. And know of a certain, that the modern Philosophers and Phy∣sicians are altogether ignorant of this Quintessence, and of the truth and virtue thereof: But by the help of God I will here∣after declare to you the Magistery of it. And hitherto I have taught you a Secret, the Quintessence, that is, the humane Heaven, Cap. 2. Lib. Essentioe.

9. Lastly, That many Receipts more obscure, and otherwise intel∣ligible by no man, are by these illustrated.