Manuscript Transmitted to the Serene Duke of Holstein Explaining the Obscure Matters of Alchemists

God himself may be seen and known everywhere. Our stone is found everywhere in all mixed things of nature, and is everywhere both threefold and one. It is threefold since in it are Salt, Mercurius Mercury, and Sulphur Sulfur, and these three constitute one homogeneous and similar subject. And in the same way, the stone is one, and thus, the Trinity and Unity are found in it, just as they are in God. For just as the Father in the Divine generates the Son from eternity, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, so also in our stone, by a certain likeness and symbol, Salt—which acts as the Son—proceeds from Sulphur Sulfur—which acts as the Father—and the true Mercurius Mercury—which acts as the Holy Spirit—proceeds from these two; it is the Holy Spirit who acts, warms, and preserves all things. Whence Sendivogius, author of the New Light, says thus: One gave two, and the Two gave one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, and thus the world was created, and thus will be its end. For all things will pass into one, just as they were created from one, and thus will be the end of all things. Because all mixed things of nature will be resolved into principles, and these principles, which are three, will pass into one principle, and thus will be the end of this world. Thus, therefore, we conclude that the Stone of the Philosophers is threefold and one, and possesses the Symbol of Divinity, which is threefold and one.

CAPUT VIII.

This Mercurius Mercury is not the common and vulgar one, which is sold commonly among merchants and runs like water, nor does it wet the hands, since due to its dryness it does not adhere to the one touching it; which dryness restrains the moisture and prevents it from wetting. Our Mercurius Mercury and that of all the Philosophers is another, and distinct, and different from it. It does not wet the hands, since it is Salt, and draws its origin from a saline spring, composed of subtle water and subtle Earth. Yet this Mercurius Mercury and the common one differ in quality, since ours is hot and moist. The other, the common one,