Lumen de Lumine

Now the Jews, who without Controversie were the wisest of Nations, when they discourse of the Generation of Metals, tell us it is performed in this manner The Mercurie, or Mineral liquor (say they) is altogether cold and passive, and it lyes in certain earthy Subterraneous Caverns: But when the Sun ascends in the East, his Beams and Heat falling on this Hemisphere, stir up and fortifie the inward Heat of the Earth. Thus we see in winter weather that the outward Heat of the Sun excites the inward naturall Warmth of our Bodies, and cherisheth the Bloud when it is almost cold and frozen. Now then the Central heat of the Earth being stirr’d and seconded by the Circumferentiall Heat of the Sun, works upon the Mercury, and sublimes it in a thin vapour to the Top of it’s Cell or Cavern. But towards Night when the Sun sets in the West, the Heat of the Earth because of the Absence of that great Luminarie, grows weak, and the Cold prevailes, so that the vapours of the Mercury which were formerly sublim’d, are now condens’d, and distill in Drops to the Bottome of their Cavern. But the Night being spent, the Sun againe comes about to the East, and Sublimes the Moysture as formerly: This Sublimation and Condensation continue so long till the Mercury takes up the Subtill Sulphureous parts of the Earth, and is incorporated therewith, so that this sulphur coagulats the Mercury, and fixeth him at last that he will not sublime, but lyes still in a ponderous Lump, and is concocted to a perfect Metall.