Lumen de Lumine

Know then for certaine that this Slimie moyst Sperm, or Earth, must be dissolved into water, and this is the Water of the Philosophers, not any common water whatsoever. This is the grand secret of the Art, and Lullie discovers it, with a great deale of Honesty, and Charitie. Argentum vivum nostrum (saith he) non est Argentum vivum Vulgare: Imo Argentum vivum nostrum est Aqua alterius Naturae, quae reperiri non potest supra Terram, cum in actionem venire non possit per Naturam, absque adjutorio Ingenii, & Humanarum manuum operationibus. Our Mercury is not common Mercury, or Quick-silver: but our Mercury is a water, which cannot be found upon Earth, for it is not made, or manifested by the ordinary course of Nature, but by the Art, and manual Operations of Man. Seek not then for that in nature, which is an Effect beyond her ordinary processe: you must help her, that she may exceed her common course, or all is to no purpose. In a word, you must make this water, before you can find it. In the interim you must permit the Philosophers to call their subject, or Chaos, a Water, for there is no proper name for it, unlesse we call it a Sperm, which is a watery Substance, but certainly no Water. Let it suffice, that you are not cheated, for they tell you what it is, and what it is not, which is all that Man can doe. If I aske you, by what name you call the Sperm of a Chick, you will tell me it is the white of an Egge, and truly so is the shell as well as the Sperm that is within it: But if you call it Earth or water, you know well enough it is neither, and yet you cannot find a third name. Judge then as you would be judged, for this is the very case of the Philosophers: Certainly you must be very unreasonable, if you expect that language from Men, which God hath not given them.