The Hermetic Museum, Vol. I — trans. A. E. Waite (1893)

the believer must be tried by it, and the world sifted by its appearance. So S. John says(cp. i): * He came unto His own, and they received Him not; " and again: *He was in the world, and the world knew Him not." ! Again, as the physical and earthly water-Stone of the Sages has, on account of its unsearchable excellence, been called by a great variety of names by the multitude of philosophers, so the Heavenly Light, the one Noumeri and Illuminant, whose riches and glory are past finding out, is designated in Holy Scripture by a large number of titles. We will go through the most important names of both. The Philosopher's Stone is called the most ancient, secret or unknown, natural, incomprehensible, heavenly, blessed, sacred Stone of the Sages. t is described as being true, more certain than certainty itself, the arcanum of all arcana—the Divine virtue and efficacy, which is hidden from the foolish, the aim and end of all things under beaven, the wonderful epilogue or conclusion of all the labours of the Sages—the perfect essence of all the elements, the indestructible body which no element can injure, the quintessence ; the double and living mercury which has in itself the heavenly spirit—the cure for all unsound and imperfect metals—the everlasting light— the panacea for all diseases—the glorious Phoeenix—the most precious of treasures—the chief good of Nature—the universal triune Stone, which is naturally composed of three things, and, nevertheless, is but oze—nay, is generated and brought forth of one, two, three, four, and five. In the writings of the Sages we may also find it spoken of as the Catholic Magnesia, or the seed of the world, and under many other names and titles of a like nature, which we may best sum up and comprehend in the perfect number of one thousand. And as the earthly Philosopher's Stone and its substance have a thousand names, so an infinite variety of titles is even more justly predicated of the Chief Good of the Universe. For He is God, the Word of God, the Eternal Son, the real, eternal, tried, and precious corner and foundation Stone which the builders refused and rejected. He is true, and more ancient than all things. seeing that He was before the foundation of the world, and from ever-lasting. He is the true, hidden, and unknown God, supernatural incomprehensible, heavenly, blessed, and highly G 2praised. He is the only Saviour, and the God of Gods (Deut. x. Sure He is, and true, and cannot lie (Nu. xxiii, Rom.iii) He is the only Potentate who does what He will, according to His good pleasure. He is secret and eternal, and in Him lie hid all the treasures and mysteries of knowledge (Rom. xvi, Col ii) ^ He is the only Divine virtue and omnipotence, which is unknown to the foolish, or the wise of this world. Heis the only true essence of all elements, seeing that of Him all things are and were created (Rom. ii., Ja. i). He is the quintessence, the essence of all essences, and yet Himself notan essence of anything. He has in Himself the Heavenly Spirit which quickens all things with life itself (Wisd. vii., Isaiah xlii, John xiv.. He is the one perfect Saviour of all imperfect bodies and men, the true heavenly physician of the soul, the eternal light that lights all men (Isaiah Ix., John i.), the universal Remedy of all diseases, the true spiritual panacea. He is the glorious Pheenix that quickens and restores with His own blood His little ones whom the old Serpent, the Devil, had wounded and killed. He is the greatest treasure, and the best thing in heaven or upon earth, the triune universal essence, called Jehovah—of one, the Divine essence—of two, God and Man—of three, namely three Persons—of four, namely three Persons, and one Divine Substance—of five, namely of three Persons, one Divine and one Human Substance. He is also the true Catholic Magnesia, or universal seed of the world, of Whom, through Whom, and to Whom are all things in heaven and upon earth—the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord that is, and was, and is to come, the Almighty (A poc. i.).