Cheiragogia heliana.: A manuduction to the philosopher's magical gold: out of which profound, and subtile discourse; two of the particullar tinctures, that of Saturn and Jupiter conflate; and of Jupiter single, are recommended as short and profitable works, by the restorer of it to the light. To which is added; Antron Mitras; Zoroaster's cave: or, An intellectuall echo, &c. Together with the famous Catholic epistle of John Pontanus upon the minerall fire. / By Geo. Thor. Astromagus.

JOHN PONTANUS UPON The mineral Fire; and the Great Elixir, commonly call'd The Philosophers STONE.

I John Pontan have travel'd over many Regions, That I might learn something that was cer∣tain concerning the Philoso∣phers stone; and, compassing almost the whole World, met with none but Impostors, false Deceivers, and no Philosophers: But studying alwayes, doubting much, and casting every way, at length I found the Truth: But when I knew the matter, I erred two hundred Times be∣fore I found the True Matter, which the o∣peration, and practice upon it. First, I fell to putrefie the matter nine months toge∣ther, and found nothing: I put it in St. Ma∣ries Bath for a certain Time, and erred in That, as before. Then for Three months I

put it to a fire of Calcination, and wrought amisse: all manner of Distillations, and Sub∣limations, such as the Philosophers, as Geber, Archelaus, and almost all the rest, say, or seem to say, should be used, I practised; and found nothing still. Then again I tryed to perfect the subject of the whole Alchymical Art, all the wayes that can be imagined; by baths, by dungs, by Ashes, and a multiplicity of o∣ther fires, which yet are found in the Philo∣sophers books; and yet for all that I found no good. Wherefore, for Three years conti∣nued, I studied in the Philosophers books, but chiefly the books of Hermes alone, whose shorter words comprehend the whole Stone; although he speaks obscurely of the Superior, and Inferior, of the Heaven, and of the Earth. The first Instrument therefore that brings the matter to its Esse in the First, Second, and Third work, is not the Fire of the Bath, nor of Dung, nor Ashes, nor of the other heats which the Philoso∣phers have in their books. What there∣fore is That Fire that perfects the whole worke from the Beginning to the End? Certainly the Philosophers have alwais con∣ceal'd it; but I being moved with piety, and kindnesse to men, will declare it to you, to∣gether with the complement of the whole work. It is then the Philosophers Stone, but is called by various names, and thou shalt find

it hard to know: For it is Watry, Aery, Fiery and Earthy; Phegmatic Choleric, and Melan∣cholic; it is Sulphureous, and is likewise Ar∣gent vive: and has many superfluities in it: all which, by the Living God, are turned into a True Essence, Our Fire mediating: And he that seperates any thing from the Sub∣ject thinking that necessary, knowes, nothing in Philosophy; because what ever is superflu∣ous, unclean, foul or faeculent, finally the whole Substance of the Subject; is perfected to a Spiritual body fixt, by mediation of Our fire. And this the Philosophers never re∣vealed, and therefore few come at the Art, thinking there is, Some such superfluous Nature to be removed. And now we are to draw out the properties of Our Fire, and try, whether according to the manner that I have said, It be so fitted to our matter, that it may be Transmuted by it, since That Fire burns not the matter, separates nothing from it, parts not the pure from the Impure (as all philo∣sophers say) but turnes the whole subject to purity: It does not sublime as Geber make his Sublimations & as Arnaldus, and other speaking of Subbli-mation and and Distilla∣tions, Such as are perfected in a short time.

It is Mineral, it is Equal, It is Continual, it vapours not away unless it be stirr'd up too much; it also partakes of Sulphur, and is taken from some where else than from the matter; it puls down all, dissolves and con∣geales,

congeales and Calcines: the Inven∣tion of It is Artifical: it is a Compendium without Cost, or with very little; and That Fire is of a moderate Ignition, because with a remiss Fire the whole work is perfected, and all the right sublimations made. Whosoever should read Geber, and all the rest, if they should live an hundred thousand yeares, would not be able to comprehend it, because that Fire is found only by profound Imagi∣nation; and then it may be comprehended in the books, and not before. The Error there∣fore of this Art, is, not to find the Fire, which turnes the whole matter into the true Stone of the Philosophers. Take it then for thy stu∣dy; for if I had found this Fire at first, I had not erred two hundred Times in my practice up∣on the matter: wherefore I wonder not, that so many, and great Wits, have not come at the work. They erre, have erred, and will erre still, because the Philosophers have not set downe the proper Agent; one only ex∣cepted, Artephius by name, but he speaks for himselfe; and if I had not read Artephius and heard him what he said, I had never at∣tain'd the perfect work. But this is the prac∣tice. Take it, bruise it, and bring it down diligently by Naturall Contrition, and put it to the Fire, and know the proportion of your Fire, namely that it is to be no stronger then only to Excite the matter, and in a short

time even that Fire without any apposition of hands, will certainly compleat the whole work; for it will putrefy, Corrupt, Generate, and perfect, and make to appear in their times the three Principal Colours, Black, White, and Red. And by mediation of our Fire, the Med'cin will be multiplyed if it be joyn'd with Crude matter, not only in quantity, but also in virtue. Therefore with all thy power look after thy Fire, and thou mayst prosper in thy Work, because it does the whole Worke, and is the key of the Philosophers which they never discover'd. But thou shalt come to know it by a right, profound thinking upon the properties of the Fire set down before, and no otherwayes. This I writt out of piety, and that I may satisfy thee fi∣nally; The Fire is not Transmuted with the matter, because It is not of the Matter, as I told you before. Thus much I had a mind to say, and admonish the prudent, that they spend not their money to no purpose, but that they should know what they are to look for, and so they may attaine to the Truth and no Other way.

FINIS.