Aphorismi Urbigerani, Or Certain Rules, Clearly demonstrating the Three Infallible Ways of Preparing the Grand Elixir or Circulatum majus of the Philosophers..London, 1690.

 

Aphorismi Urbigerani

Having in our Travels fortuned to meet with some Persons of true Principles in Philosophy and Religion, we could not but embrace them and instruct them towards its farther Perfection, which cannot be attained without the true knowledge of our Celestial Art. by which comprehending all the Mystery of Mysteries, we learn also how to serve God in Faith and Truth.

And since we have no Obligation to any living Soul for time knowledge, we possess, having attained it all by the only Blessing of Almighty God on our Industry and Experiences being therefore at more liberty than those, who receive such a Favor from us, or some other Adept, 'tis our determination, whenever we meet with Persons so qualified, always to do the same.

I. The Hermetic Science consists only in the right knowledge of the first Matter of the Philosophers which is in the Mineral kingdom not yet determined by Nature. 

II. An undetermined Matter being the beginning of all Metals and Minerals, it follows,that as soon as any one shall be so happy, as to know and conceive it, he shall easily comprehend also their Natures, Qualities, and Properties.

III. Although some Persons, possessed with foolish Notions, dream, that the first Matter is to be found only in some particular places, at such and such times of the year, and by the Virtue of a Magical Magnet; yet we are most certain (according to our Divine Master Hermes) that, all these Suppositions being false, it is to be found every where, at all times and only by our Science. 

IV The Hermetic Art consists in the true Manipulation of our undetermined Subject, which before it can be brought to the highest degree of Perfection, must of necessity undergo all our Chymical Operations. 

V. Our Chymical Operations are these Amalgamation Sublimation,
Dissolution,Filtration, Cohobation, distillation, Separation, Reverberation, Imbibition, and Digestion. 

VI. When we call all these Operations ours, they are not all to be understood according to the common Operations of the Sophisters of Metals, whose Industry consists only in disguising of Subjects from their Form, and their Nature: but ours are really to transfigure our Subject, yet conserving its Nature, Quality, and Property. 

VII. This our Subject, after its having passed through all those artificial Operations, which always imitate Nature, is called the Philosophers Stone, or the fifth Essence of Metals, being compounded of the Essence of their four Elements.