William Wynn Westcott - The Collected Works

136. Lastly, take one Ounce of the said Elixir multiplied in virtue and project it upon an hundred of purified Mercury, and in a little time the Mercury made hot amongst burning Coals will be converted into pure Elixir; whereof if thou castest every ounce upon another hundred of the like Mercury, Sol will shine most purely to thine eyes. The multiplication of White Elixir may be made in the same way. Study the virtues of this Medicine to cure all kinds of diseases, and to preserve good health, as also other uses thereof, out of the Writings of Arnold of Villa Nova, Lullius and of other Philosophers.

137. The Significator of the Philosopher will instruct him concerning the Times of the Stone, for the first Work "ad Album" must be terminated in the House of Luna; the Second, in the second House of Mercury. The first Work "ad Rubeum," will end in the Second House of Venus, and the last in the other Regal Throne of Jupiter, from whence our most Potent King shall receive a Crown decked with most precious Rubies:

Thus doth the winding of the circling Year Trace its own Foot-steps, and the same appear.

138. A Three-Headed Dragon keepeth this Golden Fleece; the first Head proceedeth from the Waters, the second from the Earth, the third from the Air; it is necessary that these three heads do end in One most Potent, which will devour all the other Dragons; then a way is laid open for thee to the Golden Fleece. Farewell! diligent Reader; in Reading these things invocate the Spirit of Eternal Light ; Speak little, Meditate much, and Judge aright.

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The interpretation of The Philosophers' Significator. To every Planet two Houses were assigned by the Ancients, Sol and Luna excepted; whereof the planet Saturn hath his two houses adjoining. Philosophers in handling their Philosophical work, begin their years in Winter, to wit; the Sun being in Capricorn, which is the former House of Saturn; and so come towards the right hand. In the Second place the other House of Saturn is found in Aquarius, at which time Saturn, i.e., the Blackness of the work of the Magistery begins after the forty-fifth or fiftieth day. Sol coming into Pisces the work is black, blacker than black, and the head of the Crow begins to appear. The third month being ended, and Sol entering into Aries, the sublimation or separation of the Elements begin. Those which follow unto Cancer make the Work White, Cancer addeth the greatest whiteness and splendour, and doth perfectly fill up all the days of the Stone, or white Sulphur, or the Lunar work of Sulphur; Luna sitting and reigning gloriously in her House, In Leo, the Regal Mansion of the Sun, the Solar work begins, which in Libra is terminated into a Ruby Stone or perfect Sulphur. The two signs Scorpio and Sagittarius which remain are required for the completing of the Elixir. And thus the Philosophers' admirable offspring taketh its beginning in the Reign of Saturn, and its end and perfection in the Dominion of Jupiter.

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HERMES TRISMEGISTUS

His First Book

The Second Book called “Poemander"

The Third Book called "The Holy Sermon”

The Fourth Book called "The Key”

The Fifth Book Called "That God is not Manifest and yet most Manifest”

The Sixth Book Called "That in God alone is Good”

The Seventh Book His Secret Sermon in the Mount Of Regeneration, and the Profession of Silence

The Eighth Book That The Greatest Evil In Man, Is The Not Knowing God

The Ninth Book A Universal Sermon to Asclepius

The Tenth Book The Mind to Hermes

The Eleventh Book Of the Common Mind to Tat

The Twelfth Book His Crater or Monas

The Thirteenth Book Of Sense and Understanding

The Fourteenth Book Of Operation and Sense

The Fifteenth Book Of Truth to His Son Tat

The Sixteenth Book That None of the Things that are, can Perish

The Seventeenth Book To Asclepius, to be Truly Wise

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1. O my Son, I write this first Book, both for Humanity's sake, and for Piety towards God.

2. For there can be no Religion more true or just, than to know the things that are; and to acknowledge thanks for all things, to him that made them, which thing I shall not cease continually to do.

3. What then should a man do, O Father, to lead his life well, seeing there is nothing here true ?

4. Be Pious and Religious, O my Son, for he that doth so, is the best and highest Philosopher; and without Philosophy, it is impossible ever to attain to the height and exactness of Piety or Religion.

5. But he that shall learn and study the things that are, and how they are ordered and governed, and by whom and for what cause, or to what end, will acknowledge thanks to the Workman as to a good Father, an excellent Nurse and a faithful Steward, and he that gives thanks shall be Pious or Religious, and he that is Religious shall know both where the truth is, and what it is, and learning that, he will be yet more and more Religious.

6. For never, O Son, shall or can that Soul which while it is in the Body lightens and lifts up itself to know and comprehend that which is Good and True, slide back to the contrary; for it is infinitely enamoured thereof. and forgetteth all Evils; and when it hath learned and known its Father and progenitor it can no more Apostatize or depart from that Good.

7. And let this, O Son, be the end of Religion and Piety; whereunto when thou art once arrived, thou shalt both live well, and die blessedly, whilst thy Soul is not ignorant whether it must return and fly back again.

8. For this only, O Son, is the way to the Truth, which our Progenitors travelled in; and by which, making their Journey, they at length attained to the Good. It is a Venerable way, and plain, but hard and difficult for the Soul to go in that is in the Body.

9. For first must it war against its own self, and after much Strife and Dissention it must be overcome of one part; for the Contention is of one against two, whilst it flies away and they strive to hold and detain it.

10. But the victory of both is not like; for the one hasteth to that which is Good, but the other is a neighbour to the things that are Evil; and that which is Good, desireth to be set at Liberty; but the things that are Evil, love Bondage and Slavery.

11. And if the two parts be overcome, they become quiet, and are content to accept of it as their Ruler; but if the one be overcome of the two, it is by them led and carried to be punished by its being and continuance here.

12. This is, O Son, the Guide in the way that leads thither for thou must first forsake the Body before thy end, and get the victory in this Contention and Strifeful life, and when thou hast overcome, return.

13. But now, O my Son, I will by Heads run through the things that are: understand thou what I say, and remember what thou hearest.

14. All things that are, are moved; only that which is not, is unmovable. 15. Every Body is changeable.

16. Not every Body is dissolvable.

17. Some Bodies are dissolvable.

18. Every living thing is not mortal.

19. Not every living thing is immortal.

20. That which may be dissolved is also corruptible.

21. That which abides always is unchangeable.

22. That which is unchangeable is eternal.

23. That which is always made is always corrupted.

24. That which is made but once, is never corrupted, neither becomes any other thing.

25. First, God; Secondly, the World; Thirdly, Man.

26. The World for Man, Man for God.

27. Of the Soul, that part which is Sensible is mortal, but that which is Reasonable is immortal.

28. Every essence is immortal.