Because, of nothing, nothing can be made, and because nature hath not finished in it, therefore the workman may reduce it from imperfection to perfection, by helping nature itself, and that is called the Stone of Invisibleness, the Holy Stone, the Blessed Thing.

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[W]e have not delivered our science and knowledge by the continuance of speech, but we have sprinkled it in diverse little chapters and to this intent, because if it should have been delivered in continuance of speech, the improbate as well as the honest would unworthily have usurped it. And for this cause, where we have spoken most plainly there we have most of all concealed and hidden it, yet not under riddles and dark questions, but we have spoken unto the artificer under plain order of speech and have delivered it in the order of talk. Let not, therefore, the Son of Learning despair, because if he seek it he shall find it, because he that shall seek it by the goodness of his own industry shall find out the science, but he that shall seek it by the following of books shall very slowly attain to this most precious art, because we have declared this art only to ourselves and to no other, being found out by ourselves only that most true and altogether certain, since we have expounded unto them the way of investigation delivered unto us, but we have written that which is found to none but to ourselves only, but the manner of searching and policy of means. Therefore, let the workman that is of a good mind exercise himself by these things which we have delivered and he shall rejoice that he hath found out the gift of the most high God. Therefore, let these words suffice for the full searching out of this most excellent art.

***

[T]he spirit of the Lord was carried upon the waters before the creation of heaven and earth. Genesis first chapter. We may see therefore that all things are created of water. God divided this water when he spoke, and commanded part of the water to go into the dry land, and called it earth. And He preserved the unconverted water for the earth to be dew and moisten it, because dry earth yields not much fruit, unless it be oftentimes wetted with rain water, and without rain water it seldom or never bears fruit.

***

Senior, the Parable concerning the White Tincture: If my beloved parents shall taste of life and shall be fed with mere milk and shall be made drunk with my white, and shall lie in my bed, they shall beget the Son of Luna which shall excell all his predecessors, and if my beloved shall carry him from the red tomb of rock and shall taste of the fountain of his mother, and shall be coupled with my red wine and shall be made drunk with me, and shall couple with me freely in his bed, and in my love his sperm shall enter into my cell, I shall conceive and be pregnant and at my time will bring forth a most mighty Son ruling and reigning over all kings and princes of the earth, crowned with a golden crown of victory, of the most high God who lives and reigns world without end.

***

And if you should know my secret, I am seed cast into pure earth, which growing increases and multiplies and it brings forth fruit to him that sows it, because every thing that is engendered with his kind, doth multiply the form of his own shape and of no other, as of corn there comes corn, and so of other things, and in this I have expounded all the figures. Therefore, when I shall be with my white pure moist and clean wife, I add to the beauty of her face, to her goodness and virtue, for she is obedient unto me. Therefore, when I shall be joined unto her, there is nothing more excellent and better in the world, for she shall be impregnated and shall grow and she shall be as I am in substance and colour, because by this magistery the seed is multiplied, for of me, my like is born, and when one grain of corn is sown in the ground, it springs and is multiplied, grinded and seared, and is made into bread, of which the whole world lives.

-- Rosarium Philosophorum