Cabala, Spiegel der Kunst und Natur: in Alchymia, c. 1615 by Stephan Michelspacher
Michelspacher, Stephan: Cabala, Spiegel der Kunst unnd Natur: in Alchymia, c. 1615
"Epilogue in place of the most ancient Stone Thus I conclude: The foundation in the chemical art is the supreme Medicine, which, being a viscous water, is composed and exists as most worthy, created and extracted by God. It is the prime Ens, as the wise teach; for from our Nature it is born, as the highest tincture, in which are the first principles, through which our Stone is threefold: mineral, animal, and vegetable. This is the Body, Soul, and Spirit, produced by Nature itself, like sweet honey, humid and saline; Lunar, liquid like butter; Solar, leonine, green, occult sulphur — the profit of the wise, the soul excelling over the body. The quinta essentia, our fire, is the flower of generation, which, apart from fire, nothing else can perform. The ars ignis sophorum (the art of the wise fire) is this: though every effort without it is fruitless, and though you may labor for a hundred years with diligence, yet without this you will achieve nothing but vain toil, losing both time and money. Therefore, by constant and careful study, inquire precisely into this fire — a fire without light or coal, spiritual, living, that revives and awakens dead metals, of supernatural origin, truly this is the fire hidden in living lime and horse dung, known to the ancients though by many dismissed as unworthy of attention. For the wise call it ignis equinus (the horse fire), because it is found in horse manure, and though vile in appearance, it contains the most solid and enduring principle. Hence, by subtle operations, it may be handled easily by all true philosophers. Therefore I make known to myself and to you, the most ancient and exalted Stone, composed by Nature. Happy are we who by God’s gift obtain it."