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penetrated. Now there are extended substances, or rather one extended substance (of which I may speak to you
hereafter) which can penetrate others, but which cannot be penetrated by any. There are also extended substances
which can penetrate others by co-extension, and which may themselves also be penetrated by others. lastly there are
extended substances or bodies which cannot penetrate others, but which may be penetrated by them. Thus by the
outward light of this world, which is a body of the second order, the Earth may be penetrated, which can neither
penetrate it or any other substance.
Philochrysus: What do you mean by Matter?
Philadelphus: Hereby I understand a body that is impenetrable, and divisible, and which is capable of various
modes of division. So that all Matter is Body, but all Body is not Matter. By impenetrable I mean not that which
cannot be at all penetrated, but I mean that which is not to be penetrated by any thing of its own order, and which
itself can penetrate nothing.
Philochrysus: How can the same Body be impenetrable and divisible?
Philadelphus: Because it is impenetrable, therefore it is divisible into parts. For if it could be penetrated, then would
there be no need of division, or separation of the parts? Wherefore that which is penetrable is also indivisible, or
rather indiscerpible, and consequently incorruptible.
Philochrysus: I comprehend your meaning. And now I conceive what is your notion of an immaterial or Spiritual
Body called likewise a Non-elementary (which is a Quintessential) or heavenly Body; Namely, that it is an extended
substance, penetrable, penetrative, indivisible, indiscepible, and incorruptible. As on the contrary your notion of a
material and elementary body must be this, that it is an extended substance, impenetrable, penetrated, divisible,
discerpible and corruptible. I begin consequently to understand a little your notion of Material and Spiritual, of
Elementary and Heavenly Gold, and why you call the one gross and the other fine Gold. But notwithstanding that I
conceive how the Material and Elementary Gold is an extended Substance which is impenetrable to all terrestrial
bodies, and may be penetrated by the Celestial, which is also divisible into parts, yea Discerpible into the minutest
atoms, yet can I not easily yield that it should be corruptible.
Philadelphus: All that is compounded of Elements must be more or less corruptible. And though certain elementary
bodies may have arrived at some degree of incorruptibility, yet it is but a degree, it being impossible for them to be
ever perfectly freed from corruption, but by a dissolution and a resuscitation. For this is a most assured maxim, that
all things must be perfected upon the cross and all things must be tried by Fire Without passing through the Cross
there is no resurrection, without passing through the Fire there is no Fixation or Incorruption, no Purification or
Spiritualization. Hence the messenger of the Covenant of Immortality is by a certain prophet compared to a refiners
Fire, who saith of him that he shall purify the Priesthood and purge them as Gold that they may rightly offer the
sacrifice of Minha to Jehovah. Hence also a great and wise King saith, the word (or outflowing emanation of the
Lord is refined; and again he cries out Thy Word is exceedingly refined most fine and pure. And likewise this very
Word of the Lord or the Word the Lord saith to the shepherds of Israel: I will refine them as Silver is refined, and
will try them as Gold is tried. And elsewhere he saith, I have refined thee melted thee down, and then brought thee
out of the furnace. For this cause the precious Sons of Zion are compared to fine gold, and the Angelical man who
appeared to Daniel had his loins Girded with fine Gold of Ophir. From this also an account may be given why the
Altar of Incense was made of refined Gold, together with the Ark and the Cherubims, also why Wisdom's oracle is
so often compared to fine Gold; and lastly why the Shulamite describes both the head and the feet of her beloved to
be as of fine Gold, that is such an indivisible, indiscerpible and incorruptible substance, as being extended is
therefore a body, and as possessing all the properties of the material and gross Gold, is therefore a spiritual body, or
immaterial and celestial gold.
Philochrysus: I must confess that I have always taken a spiritual body to be a contradiction in terms, for I never
heard otherwise before but that Spirit and Body were contraries. But now I begin to mistrust that I have not been
used rightly to apply ideas to words.
Philadelphus: Your diffidence is well grounded. For I do not find that Spirit and Body are anywhere opposed as
contraries in those writings which command the greatest authority and deference above all others to them. I find
indeed frequently spirit and flesh to be set as opposites, but spirit and body never. Nay I find it there expressly
asserted that there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so in like manner there is a natural Gold and
there is a spiritual, which surpasseth the former, as the spiritual Body of the Resurrection doth this Natural and
Elementary body which we now wear about us. Moreover the same highly mystic author tells those who being
immersed in the flesh had no notion of a Spiritual or Heavenly Body, any more than you had.
Philochrysus: There are also Celestial Bodies (of a spiritual and heavenly property) and Bodies Terrestrial (of a
material and earthly property as common gold but the Glory of the Celestial is one, and the glory of the Terrestrial is
another; that is, the glory of the Philadelphian Gold differs from the glory of the Peruvian, as far as heaven is from
Earth.
Philochrysus: You extremely amaze me, good Philadelphus, to tell me that the City from whence you are named is
built of such fine gold. But pray now go on, if you are not weary, to satisfy me in the third place, whether it be built
of Transparent and Glassy Gold.
Philadelphus: Be not over hasty, but take time to meditate upon what I (through the assistance of the Good Spirit)
have freely communicated to you. Neither have I done yet with the former, for I am not yet come to the top of the
ladder with you. Perhaps your head may be giddy in endeavouring to reach it at this present. Wherefore though I
cannot be ever weary of discoursing these matters, yet I will now take my leave of you with one parallel instance,
which you may digest against we meet the next time. Consider what difference there is betwixt the faeces of any
terrestrial subject, from which the spirit is separated, and the Spirit itself of that very subject (which is a Spiritual
Body) when seven times rectified; and hereby as in a glass you may discern how far that Gross and Earthly Gold I
am speaking of, wherewith the Holy City of my brethren is built. In the meanwhile I shall leave with you this
Hieroglyphical figure of a star being the mark of this Gold, and also of the city, showing its constituent parts the
Water and Fire of the Philadelphians; it manifold and wonderful properties, how it is formed, and how it is made to
multiply itself.
Tract on the Tincture and Oil of Antimony by
Roger Bacon
Preface
Dear reader, at the end of his Tract on Vitriol, Roger Bacon mentions that because of the multiplication of the
Tincture that is made from Vitriol, the lover of Art should acquaint himself with the Tract De Oleo Stibii. Therefore
I considered that it would be good and useful that the Tract De Oleo Stibii follows next. And if one thoroughly
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