Fundamenta chymica: or, A sure guide into the high and rare mysteries of alchymie; L.C. Philmedico Chymicus.

To the Reader, Whose Studies are seasoned with Salt.

WHEN the rude dark Chaos, and indigesta moles, lay tumbling in darkness, and rowling amongst the undivided waters; when the Spirit of the Great E∣ternal Elohim, moved a∣bove

the Face thereof, it seemed good to his Great creating power, to make a Witness of his Glorious Majesty, by framing the spatious Ʋniverse: then did he pronounce a fiat Lux, Let there be Light: and no sooner was his will declared, but Light im∣mediately, like a ready swift-wing'd Herald, soon proclaim'd his Embassage to the as-yet unseparated Fire, Air, Earth and Wa∣ter:

and they, as dutiful Subjects, yield ready O∣bedience to his Glorious Commands; and Light speedily muzzles up dark∣ness, and presents the Cre∣ator with a new baptized morning.

His sacred Power fur∣ther intending to manifest his Glory, commands a divorce between the Earth and Water; and as a mighty Monarch doth his conquered Enemy, or

stubborn Rebel; so he with another fiat, makes that terrible, boundless, fa∣thomless Element, the Sea, become his Prisoner; and confines her swelling waves to their bounds and bor∣ders; banishing them from one end of the World to the other, to run up and down in an unsettled mo∣tion; that though her bri∣nish Mountains swell ne∣ver so high, yet further then his great fiat permits,

they never dare approach. Then after he had van∣quished this terrible (to poor mortals apprehensi∣on) adversary, he soon be∣spreads the Earth with a green robe, embroyder'd with such variety of glo∣rious flowers, as the great∣est Potentate on the earth, with all his Glory, could never attain to the like ar∣ray. Moreover, did his refulgent Majesty yet further illustrate the

beams of his glorious might in bedecking the bespan∣gled azure skies with those powerful Creatures the Sun, Moon, and Stars, which he set for times and seasons, days, months and yeers; and to divide be∣twixt day and night: to o∣mit the ready obedience, the Sea, Air, and Earth yielded, in bringing forth fishes, birds and beasts, immediately at his com∣mand. Whither now doth

my wandring Muse soar? What royal Potentate or princely Guest, should now be expected to this glorious Entertainment? Not the Mighty Angels, that excel in strength; but the great Deity, call'd a tri∣une Council, & command∣ed the Earth also to bring forth an Epitomy of all his voluminous works, the Ma∣nual of his glory, Man, a naked puling Creature, born without Sword or

Shield; yet into his Soul did the All-eternal breath the Image of Himself, crown'd him glory, made him little lower then the Angels, made him Com∣mander of Earths Em∣pire, gave him an os subli∣me, a lofty countenance, to view the Stars, and learn to know their power∣ful influence upon the in∣feriour World.

Now doth the wise Phi∣losopher, he who is a true

contemplator of the di∣vine Wisdom, by a three∣fold operation, and three∣sold matter, make his cre∣ation, and erect the fabrick of his world, with his Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury. The Mercury & Sulphur of the Philosophers, hath much been written on, more then needs talk'd on; but the third and chief principle, was as yet un∣supplied.

Here, Reader, it is fully

discussed, and to the intel∣ligent and deserving, will be a great revealed Secret: despised by fools, crack'd on by bragging knaves; who indeed like degenerate bastards, unframe the frame, & blot the manual, and deface the Glorious Image of the Almighty.

Some seek to fill the insa∣tiate Gulf of their unfa∣thom'd wills, in vain plea∣sure: Another seeks to mount the slippery stairs

of staggering honor, and to make a perpetuity of his off-spring: Another digs in the Earth, and is ship∣wrack'd with covetous dunghil-passions. The actions of all these are not a whit tinctured with the true Salt of the Philoso∣phers; for therein is no such thing.

Many indeed there are to whom the Philosophers Study seems ridiculous, because their unseasoned

brains cannot apprehend the great mystery thereof: to them I will not bestow time to say a word; nor here tell you the Vertues of Salt: yet you see our na∣tural vulger common Salt will preserve dead flesh from putrefaction: What then will the true-prepar'd Philosophical Salt do? It is not meet to tell you here; but if you are worthy of it, the Book will; and Pa∣racelsus told you already.

Let me intreat you to take notice by the way, that when you finde any mention made of heaven, earth, soul, spirits; or our heaven, &c. these are not meant the celestial heaven, or natural earth; but terms used by the Philosophers, to obscure their sayings from the wicked; spoken with all due and holy re∣verence to the divine Ma∣jesty; of whose glorious Attributes, the true Philo∣sophers

and Astrologers are as tender as CL—assi∣cal John can be; yet this I thought good to mention, being cautious lest any spark of my flint should touch the wild-fire of his beacons; but that my Salt may rather preserve the hopes of my intelligent Reader, to dive through his Studies, to his crown'd haven: with which desire I conclude,

22 Decemb. 1656.

R. T.