As the
Only Necessary Fundamental
Beginnings and
Principles of the
Stone of the Wise,
2. Peter 3:5.
But they willfully forget that long ago by God’s
word the heavens existed and the earth was
formed out of water and by water.
Herman Fictuld
Through the present work: AZOTH & IGNIS, that is the true Elemental Water and Fire or the Mercury of the Philosophers, as the only necessary fundamental beginnings and principles of the Stone of the Wise, we have intended to present things that are founded in nature, therefore we did not want to lead you by crooked paths, but by the straight path to the first subject and seed of the same;
This path is prayer and true repentance, with which to reconcile God, who has led a darkness over our hearts and eyes, and to obtain from Him by grace that the darkness may be taken from us, and we may be made to see again, to see that which the natural man in his unrepentant life does not see. Only when this darkness is removed from us do we see, through the true light, the fundamental reason why we previously, while we were still walking in unrepentance, could not grasp things; for we were, as the dear Savior Himself testified, blind, and did not see the light; yet we did not want to be blind, but believed that we were seeing; we did not know that man has a double birth, one after the flesh and one after the spirit. In short, we wanted to be right and not be or be considered people who are blind. But the birth of the flesh serves the god of this world, and walks according to his law, gospel, and teaching, striving to live and please this world-god according to the literal understanding; thus it prevents understanding anything of the things that are of the Spirit of God, that is, of the new birth, the spirit, and the new creature; yet some might answer us, as the Pharisees did to the Lord Christ, are we also blind, do we not have baptism and the Lord’s Supper, go to church and profess the Christian religion, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and clothe ourselves with his perfect sacrifice of bitter suffering and death, his satisfaction and righteousness? Should this not be enough for us to be born again, as we have been accepted as children of God? But the answer serves you what the Savior said to Nicodemus in John 3:3. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Likewise, truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Christ testifies with a double oath when he says truly, truly, as if he would say, it is certainly so, therefore see that you beware. Now I would also ask if you believe that you are not blind, but true children of God, if then this new birth has taken place in you, and if it has been accomplished in you, why then do you still live in the old birth, in the old Adam, in sinful desires and works? For from your way of life it follows that you know nothing of the new birth, or have made yourselves unfit for it; and hence, since your works are done according to the outward man, they are works of darkness, which have no fellowship with the light, therefore you are also blind. But this blindness must be removed by the birth from God, that we may see, so the natural man is transmuted, and becomes a man of God, who can then understand the things that are of the Spirit of God, and also the things that God the Lord initially formed and put into nature.
The things, therefore, that God the Lord has formed and planted in nature, are the first beginnings and principles, the seed of nature and the essential natures of the Stone of the Wise, about which we have intended to treat as clearly and briefly as possible: what drives us to this is the love of truth, the love of wisdom, and the love of some friends, but especially the great blindness in which the world goes, which has a desire and hunger for gold and wealth, but sacrifices its nourishment and state for it.
To make our intention and goodwill comprehensible to you, we have taken before us a visible and tangible object, a perceivable subject, and an essential being, namely the element, water, as the first thing that was, and from which God the Lord formed the great world-building with all its creatures and beings; as the book of creation and nature itself teaches us. So we have made a fivefold division and understanding in it, as 1.) that God is the first origin and beginning of all things. 2.) That water was the first substance and subject from which God made everything. 3.) That there is more than one kind of water. 4.) That the earth and all stones have grown out of water, and 5.) that the prima materia of all things, and also of the Stone of the Wise, is water. This we have shown with reasons in this work, as much as it has been possible.
In passing, we only want to think about the water as the seed or prima materia of the Philosophers’ Stone, that it is not ordinary well or rain water, but a chaotic, slimy, wild, stinking, and foggy water, unbearable for human nature to use, which is nevertheless the heavenly secret seed, the seed of nature, and the wonderful fire essence of the great God, and in which, as in a vessel of nature, like a chick in its shell, it must be hatched and made perfect by means of putrefaction, without which it can never be achieved nor made fit for the high work.
This seed, which is hidden in the water, is the center where the wise agree that it is their seed, which they sow in the sulfuric, earthy, or salty field, and are reborn in it, in which a completely new fruit grows: this seed is the branch that is broken off from its unfruitful trunk, and grafted onto a completely different one, which then becomes one with it, and becomes a perfect tree that bears fruits of health and wealth.
Since we have said that it is the seed of nature, the astral seed, we also say that it is the water of the philosophers, with which they wash and cleanse the virginal earth of its combustible impurities and dross. Therefore, this water is also not water, but a fire that consumes the impurity and turns it into an essence, which no other thing in the world can do.
Since we have already touched on the principles, or seeds of nature, as the essential natures formed and planted by God in nature, and since the natural man, the fleshly and earthly Adam, who lives under sin and curse, understands nothing of the things that are of the Spirit of God, our efforts will be in vain for many, and will have to yield to the overwhelming power of criticism. As we see, many glorious treatises have been made known through print, yet very few have gained a true foundation from them, but rather had an adverse effect on the largest crowd, some driving their minds to too high things, seeking supernatural subjects, others falling into too low things through their fantasies, and wanting to take the transmuting sulfur and mercury from vegetable things. Still others have followed nature better, and have taken their subjects from the mineral kingdom, but have become completely confused due to the many colors found there, and have nevertheless not agreed on them, as one chose this, the other that color, according to their ideas, and yet none of them grasped the right mineral there; it was so simple and insipid to them that they should believe that the great God had placed such glorious and rich gifts in it. Others have fallen into the extremity, that, since they could not find the truth, they began to blaspheme it, partly out of political reasons, to make the masters of the Hermetic arcana more daring, as if they would appear on the battlefield immediately upon this call, which desire is more ridiculous than offensive, especially if one made no reflection on their intentions. On the other hand, to present the world with their supposed cleverness, as if speaking an untruth in jest were no sin, as a little treatise, Lapis Philosophorum Non Ens, that the Philosopher’s Stone never was, nor is, presented for consideration from divine and human wisdom by Christoph Pflugk, pastor in Dielau, printed in 1732. Similarly, the treatise Adeptus Ineptus, or Discovery of the falsely renowned art called Alchemy, in which the validity of such art is clearly shown, the principles of alchemists are examined, their deceit revealed, and the impossibility of metal transformation at least most likely demonstrated; as well as dealing with the universal medicine and other alleged alchemistic arts, published by TAR SANDERS, or Magister Georg Wilhelm Wegener, pastor in Germendorf and Rosheim, in 1744.
And we should rightly refute these follies and blasphemies, and show how erroneous, perverted, false, and unfounded their claims are. But since so many writings by true possessors of the Philosopher’s Stone, as well as others who have been eyewitnesses of many projections and metal transformations that have taken place over many hundreds of years in Europe, are available, these dark gentlemen will not be worthy of further refutation.
However, since we have directed our present work to the subject of water and have proven in thesis that it is the only thing of which the wise men make so much praise, it cannot but appear wondrous to many, as it is indeed wondrous in all its parts and variations. For the high art of Alchemy is wondrous, the prima materia, the unique thing, the hidden subject, which we here call water, is wondrous, the origin of water is wondrous, yes, God is wondrous, as the origin of all things, therefore our writing must also be wondrous, yet to the honor and praise of God.
We have said in this work that the water was created by God, putrefied through heat, became slimy, and from the water the whole world and all creatures were generated. A question might be raised, since we have shown from Scripture and nature that God is a most holy and pure God, separated from all creatures and higher than the heavens themselves, that nothing stands before His purity and holiness, also the heavens are not pure before Him, God is the origin of the water, the water is the seed of the whole nature, and the whole world was generated from it, and yet the world with its creatures is impure: where then has the impurity originated? The answer is: From the water alone. They might further object, how can impurity arise from water, if it has its origin from God? To address this, it is necessary to show that the water was created pure and holy by God and went into putrefaction by His most holy arrangement through a self-working heat, which is the means by which the water has separated into its elements, especially since without putrefaction no perfect separation can occur.
I have no doubt that you will further object that nothing goes into putrefaction unless it has impurities within itself. But we answer that you are mistaken and understand neither the Scripture nor the workings of nature correctly. For it is one thing to have a putrefaction arising from mercurial, sulfurous, and saline parts, which in themselves work through each other, causing a sulfurous and saline slime, which slime is therefore not fecal and combustible, not perishable or decaying, but which turns into a true essence; on the other hand, it is quite different with the putrefaction that arises from impurities resulting from the curse, which causes a slimy, stinking, and vile water, in which the pure substances, the three principles, work within themselves but are destroyed by the feces and impure parts so that they cannot be turned into an essence, but only struggle and strive to free themselves from the adhering curse. Thus, there is a great distinction between things that promote putrefaction and those that do not.
So we also do not doubt that this work will remain free from contradictions in other circumstances, as it is too simple and not expressed in such highly learned school terms or cant words, but only very simply and plainly, in the old dear simple style and mode, as this high art and science is not bound to eloquence, otherwise all school scholars would be possessors of Hermetic wisdom; but it is certain and proven that it is not so, but just as God the Lord in the Old and Christ in the New Testament did not bind themselves to the school scholars, nor did they regard them more highly than others; no, rather He rejected them and entrusted His most holy word and gospel to the poor shepherds and fishermen, taught them with His Spirit and adorned them with His power, so that they could speak with fiery hearts and tongues of the great wonders of God. Thus, He has not bound His high wisdom gifts, the true and just art, Hermetic Alchemy, to academic scholarship or cant words, but rather turned to the simple ones, who do not possess the world’s scholarship. As we do not write of the coarse outer husks, feces, damned earth, curse, and dregs of the world, but of the true essence, the heavenly Mercury, the spiritual juice and efflux of the stars, the solar and fiery sulfur, the ethereal skill, and the pure salt as the earthly balsam, of which the dear Savior says it is a good thing; therefore, as we speak of such spiritual and heavenly things, which have their origin in God, and God the Lord has placed them in the secret chambers of nature, the natural man does not understand the things that are of the Spirit of God, so our speaking and presenting is foolishness and absurdity to him, which he cannot grasp.
Finally, we have yet a word to speak with you lovers of Hermetic wisdom and truth, and firstly, since we call it a high truth, as it indeed is, our intention, will, and meaning in no way is to make this high art popular and agreeable, or to recruit more lovers to seek and investigate it, no, not at all, but we protest against it, namely, that the high art, Alchemy, is not for everyone’s doing and thus not everyone should concern themselves with it, though many authors praise and exalt Alchemy greatly, as if it were so easy to grasp, and just as one draws water with a vessel, so one could draw money, which procedure is not to be praised, as it has made many people reckless, who have hung their livelihoods on the wall, sacrificed their small fortunes to the art, in the hope of finding it a thousandfold, thereby plunging themselves into utmost poverty, and finally led to desperation, thinking they had been deceived.
We see, however, a great folly among men, which is common, as there are people who, seeing that their livelihood is insufficient, turn to Alchemy as if assured that they will find great wealth therein, and such only waits for their coming, though they hear from so many examples that many shrewder people than they have been ruined by Alchemy. Therefore, let yourselves be warned!
Secondly, there is another folly we see, which is no less common than the first. Namely, as soon as someone falls upon Alchemy, is lured and led to it, no matter how, they do not want to begin as usual in schools with the ABC, reading the chemical writings, concording and harmonizing where they agree and with nature, and then, as soon as they have grasped a foundation, to try a small experiment by hand to see if it corresponds. No, this is too little, too tedious, and unbearable for beginners, but they want to be rich quickly, seek a profitable particular, calculate how many glasses and crucibles they can inspect at once, how much profit a year will yield, and what other follies are more, though they should concern themselves with knowing what a universal and a particular tincture is. However, they do not want to be apprentices and students, for this does not suit their character and status, but they want to be masters, lords, and doctors of writing immediately, understanding the writings better than the wise men who wrote them. Therefore, they go soon to the imagined spring to refresh and quench their gold hunger and thirst. But they understand, know, and believe nothing at all that this is the wrong way, the ruin and downfall of a house, especially since in the whole nature no particular tincture, sprout, branch, augmentation, cementation, exaltation, or whatever the fools may call it, is to be found: but all these pretensions, whoever makes them and whatever title they bear, are nothing but deceptions through which people are fleeced of their money from their purses or chests. For particular tinctures flow from the universal spring, and there is no particular without the universal, that is, without the Mercury duplicated; he has the water in which one can boil and roast flesh, fish, or birds, so that whoever has this universal Mercury can do the great universal work, or work on particular things: for see, the universal and general world spirit is the man and the woman, the seed and the field, the immature gold and silver, that which works everything and brings it to its perfection. Therefore it is called universal, that is, general; if it is general as its name is and it rightfully bears, it is evident that it must work everything, and without it nothing can reach its perfection. Conversely, a particular is only a part, which either originates from the perfect or belongs to it to be made perfect by means of other parts, concluding that it is an imperfect being, which by its division cannot achieve anything and is not suitable for attaining its benefit. If you want to prosper in the work of Hermetic science, abandon the search for particulars, the divided things, and seek the great universal, namely the whole and the complete, and disregard what some enthusiasts claim, that one must first have particular tinctures before one can make the great universal work, or that one must first seek the lower parts to better support oneself to seek the universal work; all these are follies and a consumption of spirit.
Thirdly, there is yet another folly we see that is common, namely, the whole land is full of sophistical, alchemistic enthusiasts, vagabonds, laborers, and wanderers, who know how to cover their deceit under all kinds of pretexts, who have either been counts, barons, or other esteemed gentlemen, and placed in their present circumstances by special fate, partly understanding the whole art from the ground, of which they want to speak so highly according to their mind that one might think the gold already flowed from the crucible; but have not yet worked out the work completely, but have been only up to the flowering of the peach tree, then a fatality happened, over which they had to lay down the work, and many thousands of such tales more. These people seek under all sorts of pretexts to recommend their high knowledge and to cut a sum of money for it, as many hundreds of examples are known and apparent. But believe none who speak to you in such a way; for we have experienced, seen, and known enough of those who have ruined many well-regarded houses and pulled them to the ground, and it is usual that the higher the lord and the higher the lineage he claims to be from, the greater the deceiver he is. We have very few examples that true adepts have worked the high work at others’ expense, but rather on their own, in a secluded place, especially in Italy, where the livelihood, bread, and wine, as well as the retorts, can be had at a modest price. If, therefore, a lover of Alchemy wanders the world under the pretext of ensuring his knowledge and working it out, but demands more than a man’s roast, and wants one to buy retorts or glasses for him, he is a deceiver, especially since he should have all other materials with him without burdening the host. And this is the true touchstone by which you can examine the alchemistic wanderers. Therefore, we recommend this touchstone to you in the best way, that if you heed it and give credence to our writing, experience, goodwill, and love, as well as our kindness and favor to you, as Hermetic lovers of the great secret and perfect science, you will be assured that you will no longer be deceived from now on; but if, on the contrary, you disregard this our suggestion, our touchstone, our advice, our goodwill, love, and favor, laugh at it, and consider it an unnecessary warning or a truth running counter to your fortune, and then you are deceived by such wanderers, bear the blame yourselves and do not henceforth accuse the true alchemistic writers and adepts, as possessors of the Hermetic arcana, who you always want to accuse, as if they were to blame for such misfortunes because they did not describe it clearly enough to spare you, and you were thereby misled.
Therefore, be warned, and close your ears, heart, and purse against such siren songs, which are able to lull you to sleep and under the never-ending hope of the gold mountains and castles flying in the air, to bring you with a sorrowful heart and severe sighing, to the pursuit of well-meaning advice and so to acknowledge that goodwill towards you, and aversion against the destructive wanderers, have prompted us to this, especially as we openly confess that we are not embittered or incensed against such persons, but against their evil and perverse works, as they, by means of their deceit, have brought true Hermetic philosophy into a bad and perverted credit, so that it is shameful for many people to even take a book about it in their hands, much less to attempt something with their hands, for fear of being scorned, ridiculed, and derided by others; instead of being proud and joyful, as it was once an honor and joy to be known by this name, as one who is not lazy and sluggish, but endeavors to explore the noble nature and the secrets God has placed therein. However, one should not neglect to seek and explore the truth because of the deceivers, for truth remains truth forever, which we also recommend for the best.
Furthermore, we recommend this little book AZOTH & IGNIS to you, to grasp and comprehend it according to its contents and descriptions, so it will serve you for your benefit; do not view it, as they say, like a cow looks at a new gate, or like it is Bohemian villages to you, for we have presented nothing new in it, but what is consistent with the teaching of the wise, as well as with nature and our experience, and so that it is less offensive and illuminates the path of truth for you, and the ultimate goal is reached, namely, that it bears at least five talents if not ten, and either leads the eager seekers on the right path of the Hermetic arcana, and especially to convince of the Prima Materia of the Philosopher’s Stone, along with its preparation, or to free them from the entire sophist swarm that has sworn your downfall. May the Lord grant grace and give the blessing thereto. For nothing is there that plants or waters; indeed, Paul planted, and Apollos watered: but God gave the increase. Since the natural man does not understand the things that are of the Spirit of God, they are foolishness to him, and he cannot recognize them. Therefore, the Lord, who has the key to unlock, as He has commanded and said: seek, and you will find; ask, and it will be given to you; knock, and it will be opened to you, to seek, to ask, and to knock at Him, if we otherwise want to reach the true center, for without the Lord unlocking in us with His grace the small seed, the closed light of wisdom and the ways of God, we can see nothing. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to seek the Lord early, to ask Him for this unlocking, to obtain the true light; otherwise, it will always be to us, as Saint John complains in his Gospel in the first chapter: the light has shone in the darkness, but the darkness has not comprehended it. Thus, we might strive as much as we will to make the great mystery more comprehensible to you, yet it would be in vain if you do not have the Lord as a friend, guide, and opener, as we can assure you and have often experienced when we spoke clearly of the mysteries. This Lord our God, who has the hearts of men in His hand and guides them like water streams, who hardened Pharaoh’s heart but opened Lydia’s, may He also open your hearts, minds, and eyes, to His sole praise and glory in eternity. With all goodwill, love, and willingness, I am committed to serving each one according to their status; and if this present treatise, like the previous ones, is favorably received, another will follow under the title: AUREUM VELLUS, Remaining The lover of Hermetic truths.
Given at my lodgings, July 21, 1745. Your most obedient
HERMAN FICTULD.
1. B. Moses 1. Cap.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was void and empty, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven.
And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: He made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
And God said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Arnd, True Christianity 4. Book 5. Daywork p. 865.
Water is a moist, flowing, and nurturing element, separated from the other elements, namely from the earth, from the air, and from the fire; it is a moist and flowing element, larger than the entire earth, endowed with special seed, separated from the seed forces of the other elements, to give birth to special fruits, and includes in itself the prima materia or seed of birds, fish, stones, gemstones, metals, minerals, and salts.
1 B. Mos. 2,10.
And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates
Water, the element, as one of the four main and fundamental pillars of nature, from which the whole world, with all its creatures and beings, originated, has been depicted by the ancient wise men, cabalists, magi, and naturalists, with a straight axis, region, equator, central point, surface, or balance; likewise with a heavenly radius, light beam, handle or band; and also with an underground radius, ascending light gleam, or elemental essence beam, which longs for the upper light and leads its hungry desires upwards; marked by all these three characters, which at their outer ends have small round globules or circles, indicating both their roundness and their cavity, which together, when joined, form a triangle.
Water in its first origin, when all elements were still undifferentiated, was depicted by the ancients as follows:
That is, with a quadrant, intersected by a line: where the quadrant is divided by two descending and two ascending radii, which are distinguished by the central line or the equator, and have it in the center, thereby indicating, according to the Hebrew word, Shamayim or Aesch majim, the fiery water, or the watery fire.
Our text from Moses’ writings, as the chronicle of the world’s origin, and the highly blessed Arnd, give us four main points to consider about water, namely: 1.) by whom it was created, 2.) what it is in its original substance, 3.) its multiplicity, and 4.) its power and usefulness.
Our dear Moses is very brief in describing the creation of the world and all creatures, how they were created and originated, which one should not wonder at, especially since the many chronological histories of those times are lacking, and he had to write what the traditions of the patriarchs had orally taught, and over which many hundreds of years had passed since a direct teaching from Adam could be received; on the other hand, (as not to contradict,) the Spirit of God had impressed upon his hand and soul to write what was necessary for us and posterity to know about this creation and origin; although he is brief and dark, we can still grasp and comprehend much fundamental from it; and indeed over the first point, in which 1 B. Mos. 2 proves that the Spirit of God was moving on or over the waters. He says: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, or as it is in the original text Shamayim veeth haaretz.
NB. How exactly to speak about this creation or creation of the world, whether there was a world before and it reached its end, which then returned to its first chaos and origin, and was remolded and reformed, or whether it had its first origin here, no sufficient evidence or markers are present, but it is enough that the text says, God created, that is, God formed a mass, lump or chaos, from which the seven glorious works of the days followed and flowed.
Uninformed people might ask, if nothing was present, how did God create everything from nothing? To these, we answer, they should consider first what the Evangelist John says in the 1st chapter: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. Also, David, king and prophet, in the 33rd Psalm: By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. Secondly, we see that when we stand in the cold or walk, a vapor rises from our breath; and when such a vapor in a cold room is driven against the wall or window, water forms from it. If this is practiced many times, and the water is collected, it goes into putrefaction through the decay process, showing wonderful forms and images. If the conclusion is made from the creature to the Creator Himself, the Lord of the whole world, who fills heaven and earth, whose breath is fire, whose eyes sparkle like fire flames, and before whom a consuming fire goes forth, whose word is so mighty that it smashes rocks like a hammer; what do you think His divine powers can accomplish, and what form, shape, and figure can His breath produce? If His breath, vapor, and exhalation were blown into the eternal abysses, depths, and heights through His most holy will and volition, as into a dark and cold eternity, would not such a breath, vapor, and exhalation be able to form and create water, which subsequently, through the time of putrefaction, turns into slimy water? This much to the informative recollection, but to our intent; thus God created the heavens and the earth, that is, God, by His holy will and volition, as through the command of His divine wisdom power, and through the breath of His might, created the heavens and the earth, or He brought forth from a mass, lump, chaos, or slimy water the heavens, the earth, and all other creatures and beings. Thus, the great majestic God is the first origin and creator of water, which is the seed, the first subject and principle of all things and beings, as they may be called, with which we believe we have said enough about this matter.
The second point, which we have already sufficiently explained in the first, namely, how water in its first origin is a substance of breath, vapor, and exhalation, which transforms and changes into the form and image of water, as we see that all smoke, vapor, mist, and exhalation resolve into water; and that the smoke, vapor, mist, and exhalation emanate from fire, whether material or ethereal, and rise to the heights, of which much could be said, especially about humans; but enough, to show that their breath and exhalation resolve into clear water, which goes into putrefaction and changes into slimy water through decay.
To prove this with examples, take clear and pure spring water in a large and pure glass, seal it immediately, assuring that no impurity gets into it, place it in the sun or in the warmth of digestion for a while, it will become as mild and soft as oil, which is called slimy, and will have a quantity of feces, that is, impure earth, which is very insipid and false. Or take rainwater, snow, ice, or hail in a vessel, and proceed in the same manner, you will also find some feces. If the slimy water is distilled, the water comes over clear and bright again, leaving the feces, as an unshaped matter, in the bottom of the vessel, which many call dead earth, yet still full of sulfurous humors and many wonders hidden within.
When all common waters have an earth within them that is invisible, and yet through decay causes sliminess in water, what do you think the great divine water was capable of, of which God, to create and form the heavens, the earth, and all kinds of creatures and beings, and which was kept in the eternal abysses where cold and darkness were present, putrefied, and made fit for separation; upon which the Spirit of God moved?
We believe that all these powers were placed in the water by God, and through His most holy will and volition, as a desire for the essential image, His divine, fire, light, and love essence was exhaled and thus the great water was formed and created, which subsequently, through its density standing together, went into putrefaction and became slimy, otherwise, it would never have separated itself. Thus, the water in its initial origin was nothing else but a vapor or exhalation or the spume of the sea, which resolved through heat and cold and turned into slimy water through putrefaction, from which God the Lord, the great and mighty creator, created the heavens and earth and all creatures. Thus, we have sufficiently said about this point.
The third point follows; where our text says, ”and the Spirit of God moved over the waters.” This text speaks here of many waters, as it says over the waters, in the plural, not in the singular, but in the plural, as of many. From which it is concluded that there is more than one kind of water. As indeed verse 6 explains itself when it says, ”Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Verse 7: ”And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.”
These two waters were initially, at the first origin and creation, only one single water, one single subject, and one single substance, over which the Spirit of God moved, which through putrefaction transformed itself into a mass, lump, chaos, or slimy water, in which the other three elements were still enclosed and hidden, and the cause of the putrefaction, through which the separation was accomplished, as without this putrefaction the separation would not have been possible, that one part could separate itself from the other; upon which the light initially remained in the water, the subtle parts could not rise from the heavy parts, nor could a firmament be formed. Therefore, the putrefaction or decay was necessary to promote the three elements hidden in this water to perfection and the removal of its feces: Thus, the putrefaction transformed this bright crystalline water into a slimy and stinking water or chaos. From which the water, the light volatile parts, the fiery essences, the light power of the divine unity, the majestic clarity, the crystalline bright light, the true Aesch and Majim, the pure divine fire, swung itself into the upper regions and eternities, from which the heavens, with all their regions, dwellings, and upper containers with their angels and spirits, were created and emerged. Conversely, from and out of the water under the firmament, which was of a coarser phlegmatic nature and not of such fiery properties as in the separated, but full of sulfurous and coarse saline earthly combustible substance, the earth, the mountains, the metals, the minerals, the precious and non-precious stones, the salt springs, all vegetation and animals, including humans, were created or emerged, and thus also the seed of silver and gold.
So there are now two kinds of water in this first water sludge or slimy water, which outwardly seemed to be one, but in their effects are very different.
For the first was of a very subtle fiery nature, that warms, cooks, ripens, and matures, coagulating and solidifying, and is actually the seed of all things, which is perfected and made more than perfect in the upper regions; whereas the water under the firmament is thick, cold, corporeal, harsh, bitter, flowing, and greasy in nature, which carries its fatness to build the earth; as we see, where a fresh flowing water flows onto a lean and dry land, such earth draws the water to itself, thereby becoming fat, green, and grass grows forth. Much more could be said about the water above the firmament, that it is a sea, in which sun, moon, and stars, the mighty heavenly bodies, like ships on the earthly waters, swim, sail, and voyage from their rising to their setting; likewise, that it is filled with some inhabitants, as well as the water under the firmament is, that it is thus an elementary world, filled with all kinds of species of creatures and beings, of which most people think very little; but we will let all this rest for now and only speak of those things that serve our purpose. And thus we have sufficiently shown in this third point that there are two kinds of water, which however were represented in one single water.
The fourth point is, as our text says, that God spoke: Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, that the dry land may appear.
And it was so; and God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas; and God spoke further: Let the earth bring forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees yielding fruit after their kind; and to the water He said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
Thus, God has separated these two elements, water and earth, from each other, although before only water was visible, yet there was earth found in it, but in a very small quantity, as can be seen in the lower water globe, which encompasses the whole world; whereas the earth only has small islands compared to the sea water, even though the earth is large and vast, its size is in no way comparable to the sea water; so that the earth bears fruit, and the water becomes rich with all kinds of creatures. Now it is clear that water is the prima materia of the earth, the mountains, the stones, the rocks, the metals, the minerals, the salts, the animals, and also the vegetation. For although all these creatures are formed out of the earth and by the earth, the water is their mother. For the water has given birth to the earth, but the earth has only produced the fruits, whose seed was thrown into it for multiplication, so that the earth is not the prima materia of the creatures, but the water. For the seed of all things is either water, or water is the driving force of it, as can be seen, that without moisture nothing grows.
But water is also opposed to fire, so that when the earth is too long or too strongly heated or dried out, it can be moistened and made fruitful again with water; as water has this quality, that it moistens, softens, and makes the dead almost alive, refreshes and revitalizes, saves from ruin and death, and applies its power to produce fruit, hence too much dryness and too much wetness are harmful to the earth. For the heat of the sun indeed builds up the land, but with too long a continuance, it dries it out and makes it unfit for further growth of fruits: likewise, with much wetness and long-lasting rain, the land cannot produce any seed. Therefore, we have cause to ask God for good weather, for the early and late rain, so that the land may yield its increase at the right time.
Water also has this property, that it leads the seed bodies into corruption, subjects them to decay, and promotes a new generation, so that the fruit, hidden and contained in it, may sprout forth in its form and shape, presenting itself to our eyes. As the old saying goes: the death of one is the life of another, and the dying of one is the rising of another. For, by means of water, putrefaction is brought about, and through putrefaction, all things are changed and transformed, so that from the old form a completely new one grows, as our text also attests. For initially, only a water form and shape was present, but after the separation, all kinds of visible and marvelous bodies presented themselves; for example, the beautiful, bright, crystalline and hyacinth-colored white light, which appears before the sunrise, then the beautiful sun with its golden-colored rays, the white moon, the bright shining stars, the heaven itself, likewise the great sea, the earth with all its springs, rivers, and streams, the vegetation and animals, especially the great animal, man, who is a conglomeration, an extraction of the great world, and the image of God. Thus, water is not only the prima materia, but also must promote the putrefaction of the seeds.
Therefore, water is something quite different than it is considered with our earthly eyes and heart; for since it is so common, and through its daily and momentary use, it has become, as it were, our single necessary and indispensable thing and bodily need, as we use it for food and drink, for cleaning all vessels, linens, and bedclothes, for watering livestock, for building land, and for many other savings of handwork and body labor. Alone, through all these constant dealings, it has become a habit and usage, indeed a forgetting, disregard, and low estimation, that its nobility is not appreciated by anyone, nor is its great usefulness, dignity, and power esteemed or respected. For the high wisdom of man has been made foolish in this matter, despised, laughed at, and mocked, and all other things that lie before his feet, whereas he should strive to investigate the nobility and origin of everything. Instead, it yearns for such trifles, which are brought from distant parts of the world at great cost and life hazard, or searched out from subterranean regions and extracted like the entrails of mountains and rocks: whereas one should consider what a glorious, noble, and precious substance, matter, or principle water is, which we need far less for the maintenance of human life than even noble bread itself. We do not want to speak here of its necessary use to wet the earth, to water and sustain the livestock, birds, and fish, but only of the nobility of water itself, from its origin, form, and shape. With which we believe we have sufficiently said about this matter.
Having now dealt with the four properties of water, we come to how it relates to our characters, signatures, forms, and shapes, with which the dear old magi, cabalists, and naturalists have designated the water element and what they wanted to represent by it, both in its entire and divided essence. And first from the Linea, Are, or Equator, what they presented by it, namely: 1.) the heavenly majestic glory and splendor of the great GOD, which we otherwise call the throne of GOD, the place of the holy Trinity, the place of the holy angels and house companions of GOD, whence the heavenly Father said: this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; from whence the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and rested upon the Son of GOD, where Christ Jesus ascended after his victorious resurrection and sat at the right hand of his Father, yes, from where he will also come again to judge the living and the dead, the pious and the wicked; which place is the highest seat of rest and perfection.
Therefore, this line signifies a bench, or throne of the highest and supreme rest, which is not subject to anything adverse, nor can it be disturbed by anything, as the two extreme ends and wings of this throne incline downwards and thus encompass the whole circumference, the whole system, holding it as if captive, so that no part of it can or may be disturbed. 2.) The sidereal region, where the sun, moon, and stars, the heavenly bodies, are enclosed in their spheres and the sea, and make their course around the firmament, as the expansion, which place is particularly worth noting. 3.) The surface of the earth, or equality of height and depth, from where there is an equal distance and separation in these upper and lower abysses of eternities, where the upper regions or expansions are filled with pure waters and gentle winds, whereas the depth is filled with coarse phlegmatic water and cold ground; on which surface or earth bank the birds, animals, and humans walk, live, and dwell. 4.) The substance or body of water and the mercurial moisture, the central moisture, and the radical basic moisture. Also, the watery seed or the slimy moisture of nature.
By the heavenly radius of light or ray, they represented and understood, 1.) the breath, the breathing, or speaking of GOD, so that he spoke into the eternal abysses, from which the whole circumference, with all its expansions, originated, was created, and made, which speaking in its origin is a fiery light ray, and a fiery essence according to the will and desire of GOD, a fiery light desire for a counterpart and image of his majestic being, and for the creatures of angels, spirits, and humans, as he testifies that he has his delight in humans, which he created in perfect holiness and righteousness, so that this heavenly ray signifies a solar light and fiery essence, as a fiery, with the central heavenly light-filled water, in which a solar, sulphuric essence and tincture is impregnated and incorporated. 2.) The great and revealing light of GOD’s grace, the outflows of eternal love and mercy, with which he has enlightened, shone upon, and blessed both the dark world and the heart of man; so that the divine grace light has shone into the central light of darkness and worked with his divine word therein, that the hidden light emerged from the darkness, swung itself up according to its origin, and showed itself above the dark abysses, which also has its ways in man. This divine light, which flowed down from the rays of divine grace, as through the radius, into the center of darkness, and awakened and brought forth the light enclosed therein, as these radii sufficiently point out in the globules, where the upper globule signifies the light of the upper region, and the lower globule signifies the hidden light of darkness, and that although they are separated and distant from each other, they nevertheless have a connection through the radius, as its outflow, so that the lower one longs for its freedom and eternal rest, to be united with GOD in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. 3.) A bond or binding, with which the upper is attached to the lower, and the lower to the upper, and one must preserve the other; for the heaven or the sidereal is the active, and the earth is the passive part, so that one cannot exist without the other, as can be seen in the outflows of the stars, which give birth to rain, wind, snow, and ice, as well as dew and other effects, which make the earth fruitful; whereas the earth and water have their exhalations, which they emit and rise up to the heights, which the stars also attract and feed on. So that by the rotation of the horizon and alternation of the stars, all kinds of adverse effects occur, both in storms and in diseases, hence the working love, which the heaven has with the earth, and the earth with the heaven, is called a bond or binding, which GOD the LORD has united with each other, so that one must work into the other. 4.) The solar, fiery, sulphuric substance of water, as its life’s strength and life’s juices, with which it is filled and impregnated with the fiery life’s essences and life’s tinctures of divine properties. For this radius signifies that the water above the firmament is connected and joined with the water below the firmament, so that one works into the other, like two people. And if this were not the case, the water below the firmament would necessarily go into putrefaction, become stinking and unhealthy, so that not only humans, but also all livestock, birds, fish, and sea creatures would have to perish and decay, and such water itself would be most harmful for moistening and watering the earth.
Therefore, this radius is a substance and principle of the three substances and principles of water.
Finally, by the underground radius or ray, they signified, 1.) the subterranean regions, along with all the containers of the dark grim eternities and separated souls in the earth, where cold, frost, bitterness, and grimness are inside, where the souls and spirits that lie under sin and curse, and are as if shut up therein, are imprisoned and salted with sulfur and pitch, and kept for the day of GOD’s righteous judgment, to receive what their works of sin and wickedness have deserved. 2.) The ascending and driving hungry desires and forces of the subterranean elements and principles, which are ignited, moved, animated, and rained upon by the received upper outflows and forces, seeking to free themselves from the clinging curse, shells, and dark bonds, and to rise up to the surface of the earth to give birth to all kinds of forms and images, both of metals, minerals, stones, rocks, mountains, and salts, as well as of vegetation, leaves, grass, and other earthly growths. Also, if they rise even higher into the upper regions, they cause thunder, hail, snow, and water floods, along with warmth and cold. 3.) Just as it was said of the heavenly radius that it is a bond or binding, whereby the upper is connected to the lower and the lower to the upper, so it is also to be understood here of this subterranean radius: which bond is the natural love that they still retain from the first origin, as they initially originated from one stem and origin, and were thus of one blood and being: therefore they still have such an inclination to unite, as can be seen when the weather is moderated, that the rain does not fall in torrents, and the heat of the sun is not too prolonged, or that the strong north winds do not last too long, but that there is a timely alternation, which makes a fruitful year. For the earth is thereby well cultivated and made capable of giving its fruits. But if the rain continues for a long time, there will be a flood or deluge, which washes out and sweeps away the influences and forces that the earth has already received and worked into it; or if the heat of the sun lasts too long, the soil will become rough and incapable of bearing fruit. Therefore, we have reason to pray to GOD for good weather, that the upper and lower forces may assist each other through the bond of love, sending their outflows to each other at the right time, so that their mutual desires are fed, and their hunger is satisfied, and we may enjoy a rich harvest. 4.) The lunar, cold, mercurial substance of water, as its life’s forces and life’s juices, which have their origin in the terrestrial, sour, bitter, and astringent properties, and therefore is a cold lunar fire. For this radius originates from the dark abyss and shows that although it forms a water character, it also represents a fire character, so that in its center there is not only water but also fire, though not a solar, sulphuric, and consuming fire, but a lunar, mercurial, and nourishing fire, which has the power to receive the heavenly seed forces and introduce them into the center of the earth, to putrefy, open, release their assistance, and present them to the eyes of the sidereal seer, and leave them to their effect.
These two radii or rays, namely the solar and lunar, also signify the two poles of the upper and lower extremes, at which the whole system and great structure of heaven and earth, with their abysses, revolves, like a needle on its axis, as nature presents it to us.
When all these three characters, signatures, and figures (which are very different and distinct from each other, not in terms of their shape, but in their position, where one represents a plane, the other an ascent, and the third a descent, like the spokes of a wheel), are combined and joined together, they form the character of water; so it is also with water itself, which is likewise composed of three substances and essences, from which it has flowed together, coagulated, and worked together, and from which water has been formed. For 1.) the stars above produce a saline substance, as represented by the line, which presents a salt, called sal coeleste, which rises in the clear sky and is very pleasant and healthy for the whole nature; but when the air becomes thick and the weather changes, this sal coeleste is pressed down, becoming thick like fog, which is then unhealthy for nature and especially for humans, as it causes tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and all kinds of catarrh. 2.) Furthermore, the sun produces a fiery substance, called sulphur, a very thin essence, a constant motion and ignition, called fire, which would ignite and burn the whole nature if not opposed by the cold mercurius; therefore GOD has ordered this fire, which is consuming, into boundaries or a receptacle in which it must concentrate. This fire or solar sulphur is the balsam of life, from which all creatures and creations live, weave, and are, without which the whole nature would fall. For it warms, makes it rain, moves, and gives life; it spurs nature to activity and gives the dead or decayed body entirely new strength. But although it is so active, it is nevertheless invisible to our eyes and cannot be seen unless it is driven out of its containers. 3. Likewise, the moon as the patron of the cold earth produces a cold substance, called mercurius, also a very subtle and thin essence, subject to constant movement, of cold, moist, and flowing nature, penetrating and working; so that when the above-mentioned three substances of the stars and sun are seized by this lunar essence, they dissolve, form a corporeal shape, and fall down to the earth, which is called rain, and gives the coarse earthly elemental flowing water, which is partly our subject of discussion.
Just as there are three essences in water, from which it has originated, so there are three kinds of activities in it. Firstly, it has the property of willingly entering earthly bodies, amalgamating and sharing with them; secondly, it moistens them, dissolves their compaction and firmness, and makes them thin; and thirdly, it either coagulates in them or separates and dries them again. But these three properties would be, in our opinion, only trifles, but the wise will think further on them, especially as they are not without mystery.
However, if one combines the above-mentioned characters and signatures piece by piece, such as the Linea and the heavenly Radius, they form the character of the number seven, or a part of the numbers two and three. This represents firstly, according to the number two, the Son of the true living GOD, our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ, as the second person of the most holy Trinity of GOD, who also had both divinity and humanity in himself, who sanctified humanity through the divinity and brought it back to its original state and origin, cleansed it with his blood and sacrifice, acquired eternal righteousness, and freed all who believe in him and strive to live according to his word from the accusation of sins and the devil, which otherwise no creature, neither in heaven nor on earth nor under the earth nor those in the water, would have achieved.
But the Linea alone signifies GOD the heavenly Father in his majestic glory and splendor; the Radius signifies the Son of GOD, as he proceeded from GOD his heavenly Father and came into this world, who was nevertheless of one essence and life with GOD, as can be seen more in our Cabala, in the number two. Thus, this character also represents the water of grace in two natures and essences, yet not two, but only one single water. For the Linea is and signifies the water of grace, the saline and seminal forces of the upper light region, a water of heavenly properties, which, after being introduced into the matrix and birth mother of the earth, or the salt, begins to set firmly, adhere, coagulate, putrefy, live, grow, expand, and rule there as in its property. However, although this water has such properties, it is nevertheless too martial and cruel, so that nature cannot accept and endure it if it is not combined with the radius of the venereal properties.
For Venus has a very pleasant and mild temperament, which makes it delightful; therefore Mars must concentrate and unite with this Venus’ consent, so that his angry blood is mitigated through the blood of Venus: as the radius signifies a water of love by gentleness, the lunar and lower region forces, which is of a greasy property, and penetrating nature, which is also not to be wondered at, for it is in its nature. For one nature willingly accepts another and rejoices, but a third it does not know.
Thus, this water of grace, which is signified by the above character, is a very secret and hidden water, which the philosophers call their water, their fire, and their mercurius; also known by many other names.
After the character, number three, it signifies the Holy Spirit, as the third person of the holy Trinity, as is seen in the Cabala of the number three, that this character also represents a heavenly grace water, through which the souls lying under the curse and death are awakened, brought around, made alive, and elevated to their origin.
Finally, after the character, number seven, it signifies the Sabbath and day of rest, as seen extensively in the Cabala of the number seven. Sabbath means a day of rest, grace, reconciliation, and a day of delight, in which all workings of outer reason and works cease, and instead rejoice in the quiet rest of their GOD. Thus, this character also represents such a grace water, in which all working and willing, all running and racing ceases and rests here. For this is the water of rest, the water of the six days’ work, and as soon as it is obtained, one rests from the burdens of labor, but this water is not the great Sabbath and day of rest, no, but it is, as the seventh day, only a prefigure of the philosophers’ water, which is called lac Virginis and Virgin’s milk.
Thus, this character of the Linea and the ascending Radius also forms a signature of the solar, fiery water, or a watery fire, or as the author of Gloria Mundi says, a water mixed with fire and in which an inextinguishable fire, where GOD himself burns. Thus, a water of completely fiery strength and effect, filled and ignited with the heavenly fire spirit, fire essence, and fire rays of heavenly light. For the Linea is a character of a fiery salt spirit of the heavenly regions, which is like a spirit or invisible salt in the distant parts of the upper circle, and really, as it has called itself, a fiery water or essence of the living fire, which, however, after being thrown down from the elements of the upper region and cast into the earth or salt, works in the innermost and hidden centers, at the Radical Humidum, or root moistures, as the central, imperishable, indestructible, and incombustible moistures, which are bound in the dark bands of darkness, after enduring persecution through fire and sword, and are imprisoned and fettered, and which cannot be freed or drawn out without this fiery, living, and life-giving water. But when it has penetrated and worked into the centers through the heat of the sun’s rays, as the great natural light, it unites with this central moisture.
For the central moisture is its magnet or matrix, from which it is drawn and therefore willingly reunites with it to become an indestructible being, which then begins to strive against decay and death and seeks to free itself from the foreign yoke, or as we speak theosophically, that after GOD the LORD has long seen and heard the anguish, groaning, and sighing of souls, his father’s heart could no longer bear such torment, but love overcame his anger and wrath, and the grace essence of the love fire captured it and consumed it in itself, so that instead of wrath, love, and instead of anger, mercy entered, which then had the power that in the fullness of time he sent his promised Seed of the woman, his Son, into the world to suffer and die, and to do enough for poor sinners through his innocence, obedience, and righteousness, to reconcile GOD his heavenly Father with poor mankind, and as he died on the cross, and although killed in the flesh, he was made alive in the spirit: in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who were once disobedient when GOD’s longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, who presented himself as their Lord and Savior: whereupon an earthquake occurred, the rocks split, and the graves opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and they came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many. These saints did not rise in their gross and earthly form, for otherwise, they would have been seen by everyone, but in the pure crystalline, transparent, snow-white purified, white-polished, and white-burned figure and shape, otherwise, they would not have been fit to enter the vestibule, into paradise, and into the place of longing, and there to wait for the great eternal Sabbath and day of rest, until their brothers are also gathered to them.
For the underground radius signifies a water that is drawn out from the innermost parts of the dark grim bodies, and has swung itself out with its hungry desires and has united with the heavenly water. Oh, what a glorious water, after which the whole nature yearns! Oh, precious water, how noble and pleasant you are to those who know you! Oh, divine water, which has many properties with the divine goodness! Oh, you water of wisdom, how hidden and separated you are from the water of worldly wisdom, that the waters of the proud Jordan do not grasp you, oh wash away the black filth of sinful impurity from us, yes draw us out of the mud of impurity, and lead us over all the mountains of the world, into you, so that we may be found as pure gold; which through all the cross of persecution has been purified, and found as righteous gold.
Human wisdom cannot comprehend it, and human reason cannot grasp it, that such fire and light ray is hidden in such a simple and common water, which nature has shown us. But the wisdom of GOD has ordered it so, so that the wise world in its wisdom cannot grasp it and thereby despise GOD. For see how many learned and unlearned people yearn for this light, and yet most of them do not know what they are looking for. Oh, how they want to know how to find it if they do not know it? Is it not true, as GOD the LORD says there, when he says: an ox knows its owner, and a donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know me. Oh, you dear seekers of heavenly wisdom, do not let yourselves be deceived and seek your salvation not in the broken cisterns that hold no water, but seek such a water that has the power to make the old dead trees, burnt to dust and ashes, grow again with their branches and twigs, so that they live and green, yes that they bear new fruits that never wither and perish, but remain indestructible and eternal. This water, as we have already told you, originated from the breath and speech of the true living GOD, and has its power from the fire and light essence or tincture of his holy will and desire, which water seems too simple for the proud world spirits, therefore it strikes them with blindness, as there the Pharisees and scribes, whereas those who believe in it are made triumphant victory heroes, to proclaim and magnify its wonders over the whole circle of the earth; that the LORD is king and no one else, and that there is no GOD who can help.
This divine water, although it has such a high origin and is sprung from such noble stock and blood, is nevertheless not proud, nor arrogant, nor do its high virtues, qualities, and properties make it puffed up, but all this binds it to think of its creator and the office to which it is called, namely to serve everyone without exception, so that no complaint or accusation may arise that GOD has acted partially, favored, and preferred one party over another: whereas it earns the praise that its works and activities it performs are indescribable, so that the whole nature must say: our king has become our servant. Oh, you divine water, if GOD had not created you, we would not have been created, and if you did not sustain us daily, we would be lost. So, dear seekers of wisdom, seek this water, excluding all others.
Furthermore, when the two radii, the heavenly and earthly, are combined, they form the figure of a Latin V, with which our elders have signified and designated the coarse phlegmatic earthly and elemental water, which has already been mentioned above, and which we do not want to repeat here, as this character sufficiently shows the hungry desire of the water under the firmament, which stretches out its two arms to receive the heavenly blessing. For the saline blessings’ forces and outflows are lacking in it; as its life spirits, its seed forces, and fiery parts have separated from it, it is only as a phlegm, so we leave it to rest in its place.
Just as this whole character is composed of three essences or substances, it also has a threefold idea, namely the shadow, the image, and the essence itself, for the shadow is the outer water; the image, the hidden water of the wise: and the essence is the fiery water, as the ultimate goal of the wise. If you now want to be successful in your endeavors, do not be deceived into taking the water of the coarse elements for the true essence, although the beginning must be made from it. Do not hold solely to the image of reason, as the elemental fire: but seek the true bride, the royal spouse, the dove of the goddess Diana in Ephesus, with its silver-white wings; for if you do not watch out here, it may happen to you as it once did to us, when we clung to the shadow and image for a long time, hoping it was the true essence. But finally, when we rightly saw our instruction and guidance, we realized that it was not this royal bride, but only one of her upper maids, who prepared the equipment to receive the rose-colored stand. Thus, lovers of wisdom should watch out so that they do not cling to the forerunner or mistake the maid for the queen in her finery and know how to distinguish her from the court servants, which truly brings great disappointment and long sighing. For when the world’s savior must be born of a royal lineage through a humble maid, and raised by an equally humble foster father, and Elias must come first to make the crooked straight, to prepare the hearts of men for the king of honor to enter.
Therefore, we say, do not linger with the forerunner, but seek the LORD himself. So much for the characters.
Now we come to the last part of our proposal and the text, where the man of GOD, Moses, says in his book of creation: A river went out of Eden to water the garden. What that is and what Moses wants to be understood by it, we leave here unexamined, as the reports about it are too dark, but we have already dealt with it somewhat in our noble pearls, to which we also want to refer the reader, here, however, we are satisfied with what some cabalists say, that it points to an eastern region or place: and thus Adam was made from the soil of this earth, which was beautiful red and loose, like gold dust. From this Eden went out a river to water the garden; three things must be noted. 1.) The place in which 2.) The river that springs up there, and 3.) The usefulness of watering the garden. Regarding the first, the text says: A river went out of Eden, from the philosophical chaos, from the world slime, from the slimy water, or from the element treasure and treasure chamber of nature, a river; that is secondly, a water, a mixed chaotic universal water, a water in which all four elements, fire, air, water, and earth are present and measured; a water that is composed of many waters. A water that is born of its mother, the dawn and the firmness of the earth, a water that presents itself to the loving eye in the form of a white and red mist. A water that we shortly mention, which was collected and kept by the great field master Gideon, a water above human reason, and in which all accidents and contingencies are completely mixed up, making it unfathomable and unusable by nature; on the other hand, it is good to water and irrigate the garden of paradise and the earth of the philosophers in the land of Eden; for GOD the LORD planted a garden in Eden, which had to be watered and irrigated from the water of the river of that land, which springs and bubbles up there. And the garden and the land lay towards the east, and thus towards the sun, as all lands south of the equator are strongly dried out by the sun, therefore needing irrigation and watering very much. For this reason, GOD the LORD has set a stream of water against the great heat of the sun, to refresh and make the earth fruitful again.
But whether this stream had the nature and kind as is read of the Nile in Egypt, which overflows and irrigates the land by itself, or whether Adam was already a farmer and watered the garden, we leave in its place. It is enough that we know that it had the utility of watering the garden.
On the occasion of the garden in Eden, the paradise garden, as well as the stream there and the land of Eden, we take the opportunity to digress and note and consider other related things. Firstly, there is no doubt that Moses, the man of GOD, saw the land of Eden and the garden in it with his spirit and mind from afar, just as he saw the promised land of Canaan with his bodily eyes, and in such a way personally learned from the dear old fathers (among whom there may still have been those who knew their grandfather Noah; Noah, however, knew Adam), that it was indeed a heavenly Eden and garden. But it had in contrast an earthly region where all animals were physically present, which were figurative and foreshadowed the heavenly ones. Thus, the man of GOD Moses had two different ideas of this garden and wrote about it. We do not want to think of what the scripture says, that he was taught in all the sciences and arts of the Egyptians, and thus also in their and the Chaldean Cabala, so that, even if no philosophical writings were available, there is enough to be found in the book of the creation of the world, of man, and of paradise, to learn how the stone of the wise is prepared. Thus, one must learn to understand the book of creation well, as we firmly believe, and it can also be concluded that Moses wrote of a spiritual and earthly, as well as a philosophical Eden or paradise, and for this reason, because the scripture says that in paradise the souls of the chosen rest and wait with longing for the day of the coming of the LORD Jesus Christ, which must therefore be the spiritual paradise. The earthly one, however, in which the animals of the earth and thus also the serpent that brought Adam and Eve to fall, must have been present and on the earth. Further about the philosophical Eden, as Moses was taught in all the arts of the Egyptians and described the Prima Materia, namely the water, along with the whole praxis so clearly that it could not be clearer.
Secondly, it is noteworthy what the text says: And a river went out of Eden to water the garden. So it is indisputable that, as the scripture says, all waters come from the sea and flow back into it, and yet it does not fill up, just as nature itself shows, and that the earth, like a cargo ship, sits in the water, and as if presses the water beneath itself, and the natural drive forces the water through the veins of the earth up to the highest peaks of the mountains, where it must then show itself above ground, and from there flow down over the earth to the farthest parts, where it then flows back into the sea. So, consequently, the land of Eden is situated in such an elevated place, surrounded by mountains, where a lot of water comes forth at once, and bubbles up, forming a large stream.
From this, and from no other foreign water that flowed from other lands, the paradise must be watered and irrigated. Thirdly, the question would be, what kind of water was this stream? The answer could be given that we have already explained it briefly above, namely that it was a spring water and thus not sea water, nor was it dug from the earth, nor rain, much less dew water. Why we ask this seemingly unnecessary question is because there are many and various kinds of water in the world, which, however, all pass under the name and title of elements, and are accepted as such, yet one may well ask whether they also rightly bear this title, as their power is far different from the true elemental water. For 1.) there is the water of the great sea, which, as the text says in Moses, the water under the firmament, which has gathered in a special place, and the LORD called it the sea: which, because of its large and wide circumference, absorbs a lot of the influence of the stars, and from this and especially the sun, it is derived that the water under the equator is so saline because of its radiant heat that one would almost believe it would eventually coagulate. But the sea is salty and GOD has assigned salt to it so that, as it stands so high or deep, it could not rise and go into putrefaction, which would create a pestilential smell from which all creatures would die. But the salt of the water is preservative, protector, and preserver, so that it cannot rot. Moreover, the motion of the tide and ebb, along with the driving of the wind, is highly necessary, which briskly toss it about so that it becomes lively and receives a spirit, as we see that a coarse elemental water, when it stands in the sun for a while, goes into putrefaction and becomes stinking. But the sea water is completely unusable for the use of humans and livestock; on the other hand, it is the universal mother and ancestor of all other waters of the world’s circle, and thus the birth mother of other waters, for their seed and root is the sea, and the preservation of it is the salt. As then with very little effort, a great quantity of salt can be obtained from it, especially in the southern lands, where the water is poured into basins and evaporated by the heat of the sun, leaving behind a tasteless salt, which is then dissolved in other fresh waters and evaporated again to become crystalline.
Therefore, salt is a good thing, as the dear savior Jesus Christ says, for if GOD the LORD had not created this precious jewel, the water would rot, and all creatures would die, hence we have reason to thank GOD especially for the salt.
But salt is nothing other than the firmness of water, which, as soon as it comes back into the water, becomes water, and nothing further is seen of it.
Nevertheless, it is the life and soul of the water of the great sea. The other water is spring water. But this is very different. For there are many kinds among these, such as sweet, bitter, sour, warm, and cold; so, there are other waters, one of which is attached to this metal or mineral, another to another, and thus also to the salts or middle minerals, of which our discussion and opinion is not here in species, but in general of those waters that spring from the earth, from the mountains, stones, and rocks, and bubble up, which, by the weight of the earth, and the ingenious drive of nature, are driven and guided by the great GOD, that the water rises up to the highest peaks of the mountains; as it is seen that no spring fountains break forth in the flat and level lands, but only in the mountainous ones, and thus it must follow that the mountains are the water bags, and that, through these water bags and their water, which is the Prima Materia of stones, mountains, rocks, and earth, they are grown and originated.
At the same time, it is not to be forgotten that the waters of the springs are much better and healthier than others, and the higher the waters spring on the mountains, the lovelier and healthier they are. 3.) Also, there is the water of wells, aqua puteana, which is sought and dug with great effort, great difficulty, and great cost, also with risk to life and limb, as there are many in the flat lands, where the water must be drawn up or pumped, as one finds in the scriptures that the patriarchs dug such wells from which they and their livestock drank. But such water is by far not as tasty, nourishing, and healthy as spring water, as is found in places where all kinds of vermin are in such wells, and in some places a quantity of salt is sometimes poured in, so that it is healthy and nourishing: because this water lacks the solar fire, which brings it to liveliness.
4.) The rainwater, which falls in alternation with sunshine, when it is cloudy and overcast, either in the form of water, snow, or hail from above, and falls on the earth, and, depending on the weather, has a particular smell. As the water that falls with thunder has a very sulphurous and nitrous smell, as does the hail. On the other hand, the snow water has a mercurial taste and its kind, as seen when it putrefies and coagulates on dry land, bursting the vessels with a pop or bang. Rainwater, however, is still somewhat tolerable if it falls during good weather and is therefore kept in cisterns in many places, but those who are not used to it experience all kinds of unpleasantries from it, and partly this water is nowhere better than to wet and water the land, as the soil readily absorbs it and becomes fruitful from it.
Thus, we have shown here the variety of waters that originate from the sea and flow back into the sea to their mother, which draws them to itself like a magnet does iron; yes, in such a way that it flows away in a gush and as if someone were chasing it, back to its mother’s place.
However, none of these flowing waters are salty, although they came from the sea so salty. This is not to be wondered at, as it must pass through so many filtrations and distillations of the earth that its impurities and salinity remain behind, making it pleasant and more consumable by nature and creatures; and as the water flows over the earth for only a short time in the streams before returning to the sea, the influence does not have the power to make it salty; furthermore, it lacks the birth mother, and for the excess, the flowing makes it lively, so that the salinity cannot adhere to it. Fourthly, it is also noteworthy that the waters are entrusted with a special blessing and power of usefulness, the key of the earth, which has the power to seize it, to flow into it, and to unlock the hidden nitre or earth salt, so that it gives off its power. For as soon as the earth is moistened, the earth salt opens and gives off its power. But when the earth begins to dry out, so that either the moisture can evaporate, or its pores and air holes are closed, it must coagulate, it draws its power from the moisture in the earth into a greater quantity of earth salt. Thus, the water has the key of the earth and its nourishing power, which is nothing noteworthy to the ignorant and foolish, and when one tells them about it, they look at you as a cow at a new gate. On the other hand, one who is eager to understand nature will investigate this secret more deeply, which it is worthy of. Fifthly, it is also noteworthy that the seed of all creatures is water, or a watery moisture, as seen firstly with minerals, where water penetrates through the whole rocks and sneaks through from top to bottom, and keeps it in a greenness. Where it finds a matrix that is agreeable to its nature, it works therein and becomes a mineral, stone, or earth; likewise with vegetation, if the seed is present and the working moisture is dried out, it can never grow, or if the working moisture is lacking, it remains dead; and thus the seed of vegetation is water. With animals, however, it needs no proof, as daily experience shows. Thus, it is evident that water is the Prima Materia and seed of all things. Therefore, the ancient sages called to their disciples that if they wanted to be successful and think to accomplish something in alchemy or hermetic philosophy, they should dissolve the metals, namely those of the philosophers, and bring them back to their first matter, which is a chaotic universal water, which is originated from them, namely a working basic moisture, or the Radical Humidum. Sixthly, it is necessary to consider the clarity of water, for we see that it is a very thin and incomprehensible substance, yet thicker than air and thinner than earth. Water can be felt with the hand, but not grasped, held, and kept, and yet it is a body, though not firm, bound, or coagulated, but fluid, dissolving, and dispersing; and when heat comes to it, it flies away like air and vapor. But water has a special clarity in itself, which makes it transparent, so that one can see things behind it, such as those that make a reflection; this clarity originates from the light: for the light is hidden in the water, although it reveals itself in and through the clarity. And water is the receptacle and container of light, therefore it reveals itself in the clarity, which is majestic, as it has its origin from the light, and the light has its origin from GOD. But the light has no other reflection or revelation than the clarity, which is in the water. Therefore, those who seek the light must seek it in its clarity and in the water. For the light is the preserver of water in its fluidity, as the light has fire in it, thereby preserving itself in its fluid and thin substance: so, that those who strive for true wisdom should be diligent in discovering this clarity and its origin, namely the light. Seventhly, it is to be considered how water is opposed to fire. For we see that both material fire, solar fire, and air fire burn and consume bodies of whatever kind, either to dust and ashes, or only until their moisture is gone, or until they wither, and thus are incapable of becoming something else or recovering themselves; therefore, GOD thought it necessary and willed to set an opponent and enemy to fire, who would restrain its anger, revenge, and persecution, and set rules, law, and limits to how far it might go with its power, namely water, which is cold, moist, and wetting, and as soon as it comes too close to fire, the fire must give way and let water have the upper hand; thus, water is the adversary and enemy of fire. For when we cook our food and water is no longer available, it must burn; but if the cook or maid sees to it in time and adds more water, the food is preserved from the fire and cooked thoroughly, so that it can be enjoyed with appetite. Therefore, a good cook should know the nature and property of fire, as well as the power and effect of water, and will then succeed well in his art.
We return to our text, where it says: And from there it divided and became four headstreams. That is, after this river had sprung from Eden, or as the text says:
A river went out of Eden to water the garden, so that it watered and irrigated it, and its water was in abundance, it flowed out of paradise further along, and then divided, either because the river had become mighty and large from other inflowing waters before paradise, so that its banks or riverbeds could not hold it, and it overflowed, tore them apart, and covered the land with water again, or so that other parts of the earth, lands, and rivers might also enjoy the benefit, or so that the rivers were prepared for their special usefulness and flowed or were guided to where their presence was highly necessary and fruitful. The text says: And from there it divided and became four headstreams, there are not just one, two, or three streams from the river, but four headstreams: one should believe that this was of no insignificant importance, that Moses described it, as it was neither necessary for the first Israelite nor the new Christian church and thus not necessary for such a well-expressed specification: but we say that it was necessary for many special reasons for both churches, and it befits a good chronicle to report all things he has knowledge of. Besides, remember what we mentioned above, namely that Moses was taught in all the arts and sciences of the Egyptians, and it is to be assumed that these sciences may have contributed to him writing such a book of creation somewhat according to that sense. It is sufficient that the text states that the river split into four main streams: the first of which is called Pishon, which flows around the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold, and the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
The Kabbalah states that the first river, called Pishon, is a river that flows quickly and purifies itself, freeing itself from the impurities of its surroundings, and it is a large and mighty river; but it is also not only a river on its own, but flows through certain lands. (And, apparently, there was enough water to make those lands fruitful) but this river was also strengthened by the great river Gihon, and then received a new name, namely Nehar-Ragaz, which means a divided, yet united river, flowing around the land of Havilah, where one finds gold, and that gold is very precious. Havilah is undoubtedly the well-known kingdom of Colchis or Ophir, where gold was brought by ship. However, the text says that it is precious gold, and thus not common metallic gold, otherwise the text would not have needed to mention that the gold of that land is precious.
Consequently, it must be the golden fleece that Jason and his heroes fetched, as it is a very precious gold, being the seed of gold that can be sown in the philosophers’ field, and from which gold is produced, not tenfold, not thirtyfold, nor sixty or a hundredfold, but a thousandfold, which is a wonderful gold!
The text further states, and there is bdellium and the onyx stone. Bdellium is a white crystalline stone, called by the Kabbalists a mercurial stone, which is white in color, like frozen snow, transforming into firn or glacier, coagulating in the cold and turning to water in the heat. It is undoubtedly the dry water of the philosophers, which does not wet the hands. As for the onyx, it can be concluded from the previous circumstances that it was a precious stone of special colors, which is called the tincture, and with which lesser metals, which are not sufficiently similar to gold in color, weight, and fixity, can be made equal to gold through this tincture, this precious stone or onyx, which is a completed mercury.
The text further says the second water is called Gihon, and it flows around the whole land of the Moors. Gihon is the second river that separated from the river of Paradise in Eden and first made a very wide course; yes, it flowed all around the land of the Moors, then poured into the first river Pishon, which had previously been united with it, having sprung from Eden, flowed through Paradise, and then separated from it, each alone having traveled a certain area of the lands, they come together again by chance here, uniting and taking a new name, as if they were not those that came from Paradise, then flowing together through many lands until they sink into the Persian Gulf. Gihon is called a special river, that is, a river with a very special course, or a river that springs from the land of Eden, flows around the land of the Moors, or, as others want, the land of Cush in the Arabian Desert; whether it is the land of the Moors or the land of Cush, it means a desolate land filled with many mountains, rocks, and stones, as well as desolate, wild wastelands and forests, due to its location under the midday line and being burned by the sun, thus producing black people, not the most fertile lands, therefore this river does not flow through it but flows all around it before it can move away from it. When it leaves the land and unites with Pishon, they flow into the Persian Gulf, that is, into a place where the river sinks and becomes not a river, but a sea, which thus takes a new name, meaning the end has turned to its beginning. Which is enough said for the knowledgeable.
Furthermore, the text says the third water is called Hidekel, and it flows towards Assyria. This Hidekel is the third river that separated from the stream.
It is otherwise called Tigris, and is said to flow through a lake in Armenia so swiftly that it does not mix with its water. It flows around Mesopotamia until it finally falls into the Persian Gulf. It is said to be so dark from its rapid course that it looks as if it were black or blood. This Hidekel is depicted with very special colors and circumstances; for the Kabbalah and the text say that Hidekel is the third river that separated from the stream, but it is a thick-flowing water, and therefore flows so quickly, as if it were black like coagulated blood, or as King Geber says, that it looks like burnt blood, that is, black and blacker than black. For Hidekel means a thick water that flows or has flowed, which harmonizes very well here; since the third water of the sages is also a black and thick water or actually their Saturn, in which the seed of gold has begun to work but has been left incomplete. It is actually the water that Saturn encircles with his circle, not the first, but the one that has arisen from the first, which the sages call gold, and yet it is not gold, but is only called so because of its likeness, so they can lead the fools around by the nose. But when we say that the water of Hidekel is a black, liquid, or flowing water, we must also say at the same time that blackness is the beginning and the key to the art. For, he who cannot make black cannot make white either, since the white comes from the black, and is drawn out and cooked from it with our fire, therefore do not despise the black color, even if not all angels are dressed in it, it is still the first step in ascending to the royal palace, and the gate to the entrance. Therefore, the sages have called this gate the black raven or the raven’s head, because as Noah wanted to know how it stood with the flood, he had let a raven fly, but it did not return; from which the patriarch could conclude that the water had dried up and the raven had found nourishment. Therefore, the first gate has been painted as a black field, as a sign that the world was filled with dead bodies and carrion after the flood. For this reason, the sages say: Cut off the raven’s head, make white the black, and red the white, and you will have what you seek. For know that the red as well as the white, and the white as well as the red come from the black. Hence, a certain author has written very well about it when he says: The nymphs of Venus pull both her chariot and the doves, and those of Diana also pull Venus’ chariot. With this, we believe to have said enough for the children of wisdom.
Furthermore, the text says: The fourth water is the Euphrates. The text makes a very brief description here and concludes with a few words when it says the fourth water is the Euphrates. As if to say, when you have found the first three waters, you will also see this one well. For it is the last one that comes from the stream, which has not separated like the previous three, but has remained in its course and continued straight. For the other three have separated from it and sought other courses, but the Euphrates, which is almost the largest and last, will be found hollow; for it goes from its source to Babylon, and from there to the Persian Gulf. Most of the scholars agree that the river Tigris unites with the Euphrates, and then flows together into the Persian Gulf, which, however, agrees with our opinion that Phrat or Euphrates means as much as a river that, due to certain circumstances, has separated from one another but, because of its former common origin, having arisen and been born from one blood, unites, joins, incorporates, and communes again, as if they had never been separated; however, in a completely different form and figure, and indeed in a twofold sense. Firstly, in that as the mixture of heaven with the earth, the upper with the lower, the volatile with the fixed, the hot with the cold, the male seed with the female, and the moist with the dry; and secondly, the mercury with the sulfur, the silver with the gold, the king with the queen, and the bride with the groom, which together make up a single, eternal, and indestructible being, which cannot be separated by any element, but remains eternal, which is also prefigured by the serpent that bites or eats its own tail; that is, the end has found its beginning.
So, we have now spoken enough about the waters of the upper and lower regions, namely the Azoth and Ignis, the Prima Materia, the Philosopher’s Stone, and the true elemental water and fire of the sages, from which the entire world, along with all creatures and creations, has arisen, and still arise and grow today, without doubt, it will seem very foolish and tasteless in the eyes and ears of the learned, as it is not composed and adorned with learned or angelic words, yet we are confident that this will serve its purpose and benefit among the sons of wisdom. The scholars should know that it is always a greater thing to invent something than to correct and write it down. If they are endowed with the light and talent of Hermetic wisdom, they are urged to let their light shine, so that their good work may be recognized by the sons of wisdom. Those others who do not seek the light of truth are requested to refrain from their godless and conscienceless scribblings, lies, and deceptions, lest they want to bring shame and mockery upon themselves. For you people, see what use it has been to you to fill the world with your whims that are nothing but deceit and deception, making so many people miserable in time and eternity. Ah, what do you think, should not God be a just God, who will demand an account of all human actions?
Yes, God is a just God, indeed a consuming fire, and will find the sinner in his wickedness and punish him with the eternal fire of his wrath in the dark recesses, where their worm does not die and their fire is not quenched, and they will be a horror to all flesh, oh, terrible God! Not only that, but as God, the Lord, also threatens in his law, saying that he will visit the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate him, so God will also afflict and destroy the children for the sins and wickedness of their fathers. Ah, that the poor children should not have to bear the wickedness of their parents and pay for what they did not steal! So beware, you sophists, world, land, and people deceivers, and do not write about such things, of which you have no knowledge, nor is the world served by them, in the hope that our heartfelt admonition will be heeded, we commend you to the grace of God and the love of Jesus, in the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Water, pure and fine, out of one only thing, sideric, sour and aetheric, elemental, also lunar, true water, that is solar.
True water that can also be found, that is sweet solvent, therefore seek such water, and augment it and coagulate when right, so is it the wise man’s beer.
To the conclusion or admission, we have the beautiful and glorious gift of the high, noble. And from the fourth house of the first part, the 6th Chapter, of the six days’ work of God, we want to add here, partly because of its importance and very fitting for our work; partly because of its lack of recognition for the honor and praise of God. However, if the number allows, it would be helpful to bring the entire chapter, on which the prayer has been formed, here as well.
And the prayer is as follows:
”Unto the Lord, my soul! Lord, my God, you are exceedingly glorious in your creation; You cover it over with water, you make water stand above the mountains; And since this element is suitable to enter into the interior of all bodies, you place therein the seed, nourishment, and growth of all things, so that the limbs and what they contain or carry come from water or The living water is full of mystery, but so little esteemed that a fool does not believe it, and a wise man does not regard it. Water cleanses all things, and without it, we would perish in our filth, it makes us rich through your blessing without effort, it teems with your creatures, which serve for our sustenance and necessity. It convinces us of your glorious omnipotence and governance, as you command the sand to the shore of the sea, where it must always remain, over which it must not pass, and though its waves may rage, they must not go beyond.
Open my eyes, that I may see your wonders in nature, and thereby be led to you. You reveal yourself in your Word, as a living spring, so refresh my dry, fruitless, and languishing soul; Enter into my innermost being, strengthen, nourish, and unite me with you. You command to ask and promise to give living water, I ask, O Lord! give now the water that sprinkles into eternal life, sprinkle over me the promised pure water, that I may be cleansed from all impurity and purified from all my idols. Bless and preserve those who sail on the sea in their calling, who conduct their trade, in great waters, command the winds and waves for their benefit, finally bring them to land, according to their desire, and make them thankful for your goodness and wonders that you do to the children of men. Even if, O Lord, your waves and billows of trouble go over me, if the streams of persecution raise their roaring waves, great and terrible, so show yourself to me, that you are even greater on high, when the sea of the world rages and surges, and from its tumult the mountains collapse, so let your dwelling, the hearts of your believers, where you are, remain joyful in you; Help in time of need.
When my sins press upon me, have mercy on me, suppress my transgressions, move the sea and dry it up so that it may soon appear, for the complete deliverance of your sighing believers, the comfort of the heathen, Christ Jesus our Lord, praised above all in eternity, Amen;”
Quote of the Day
“But most students of this art have spoken largely about the sublimation of common mercury, and have persisted in seeking the treasure of earthly wisdom where it cannot be found, because Nature has not placed it there. And, truly, the working even of common mercury is so wonderful that it has misled some who supposed themselves to be adepts in this art.”
Anonymous
The Golden Tract Concerning The Stone of the Philosophers
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