The Child-Bed of the Philosopher's Stone

[understand]ing and of your intellect / and to inspire you / with that which I cannot teach you. The text begins mid-sentence, likely completing the word "Verstehens" (understanding) from the previous page.

I would indeed wish / that this Most High Majesty A common Baroque reference to God. would grant me the means / to come to your aid in this according to your desire; I therefore ask you to believe / that I strive with all my humble ability / as far as it extends / driven by Divine Love / and moved by a heartfelt Christian desire / to help you through my writing / and through the sincerity of my pronouncement. You may indeed believe of me what you will / but you can be certain / that from the bottom of my heart I truly wish / that the true lovers of this Science Science original: Wissenschafft; in this context, it refers specifically to Hermetic philosophy or alchemy, often called the "Sacred Science." might have a full and complete Knowledge Knowledge original: Erkäntniß. of it.

Finally / dear reader / know / that there is a special comparison and correspondence between this Great Mystery of the Sages Great Mystery of the Sages original: Geheimniß der Weisen; the transformative process of creating the Philosopher's Stone. / and the most venerable mystery of the Holy Trinity Trinity original: Drey-Einigkeit. / and the mystery of the Incarnation Incarnation original: Menschwerdung; the doctrine of God becoming flesh in Jesus. / the birth / and the death of the Son of God. For first / just as in the Holy Trinity there is the Father / the Son and the Holy Spirit / who are but one single God / one single essence / and one single Divine nature / in three distinct persons / among whom the Son and the Holy Spirit proceed from the eternal Father : even so is it in this Work of the Sages / there is the Heavenly Father / which is the Mercury of the Philosophers Mercury of the Philosophers original: Mercurius Philosophorum; not common quicksilver, but the "vital principle" or prime matter of the alchemists, here personified to begin a theological analogy. /