(149) I can compare it with nothing but only with the most precious Stones or Jewels; as Jerubim, Cherubims. Rubies, Emeralds, Topazes, Onixes, Sapphires, Diamonds, Delfin, Topazes. Jaspers, Hyacinths, Amethysts, Beryls, Sardiusses, Carbuncles, and such like. [As Opals, Granates, Vermilion-Stones, Gold Stones, &c.] [Or Chrysolites.] [Or Agates, Or Chalcedo-nixes.] [Or Turquoises.] [Or Ligures.] [Or Sardo-nixes.] [Or Chryso-prasuses.] [Or Sardiusses.] [Such as are mentioned, Exod. 28. 17. and Chap. 39. 10. Rev. 21. 19.]

(4) Certain chapters having reference to the Heart were written upon gems [45] and served as amulets, the 26th upon Lapis-lazuli, the 27th upon green Felspar, the 30th upon Serpentine, and the foregoing chapter upon Carnelian

(18) But concerning precious Stones, as Carbuncles, Rubies, Diamonds, Smaragdiens or Emeralds, Onixes, and the like, which are of the best Sort, they have their Original where the Half of the Light rose up in the Love. For that Half becomes generated in the Meekness, and is the Heart in the Center of the qualifying or fountain Spirits; therefore the Stones are also meek, full of Virtue, delightful, pleasant and lovely. Now it might be asked: Why Man in this World is so in love above all other Things with Gold, Silver, and precious Stones, and uses them for a Defence or Protection, and the Maintenance of his Body? Answer: [† Ecclef. 7. 12: With Money and Treasures Men defend themselves, as with a Shield.]

(15) Some are strongest in the bitter Quality, and they are like a s green precious Stone, which sparkles like a Flash of Lightning; and when the Light shines on them, then they shine and appear as a greenish Red, as if a Carbuncle did shine forth from it, or as if the Life had its Original there. [s Or Emerald.]

(106) Now being drawn together, it looks like Azure or Sky-colour blue, but when the Light or Flash rises up therein, then it looks like the precious Jaspis, or Jasper Stone, or as I may call it in my Language, a glassy Sea, on which the Sun shines, and that very clear and bright.

(16) Some are of the Quality of Heat, and they are the lightest and brightest of all, yellowish and reddish; and when the Light shines on them, they look like the Flash or Lightning of the Son of God.

(39) Paracelsus, Agrippa, Kircher, Lilly, and numerous other magicians and astrologers have tabulated the gems and stones corresponding to the various planets and zodiacal signs. The following list has been compiled from their writings. To the sun is assigned the carbuncle, ruby, garnet---especially the pyrope--and other fiery stones, sometimes the diamond; to the moon, the pearl, selenite, and other forms of crystal; to Saturn, the onyx, jasper, topaz, and sometimes the lapis lazuli; to Jupiter, the sapphire, emerald, and marble; to Mars, the amethyst, hyacinth, lodestone, sometimes the diamond; to Venus, the turquoise, beryl, emerald, and sometimes the pearl, alabaster, coral, and carnelian; to Mercury, the chrysolite, agate, and variegated marble.

(4) Said on an eye of pure lapis-lazuli or mak stone, ornamented with gold; an offering is made before it of all things good and holy, when Rā puts it on (on his head) on the last day of Mechir; another one is made of jasper, which a man will put on any of his limbs he likes. When this chapter is read by one who is in the boat of Rā, he is towed like the gods, he is like one of them, and he prescribes what is done to him in the Netherworld

(17) Some are strongest in the Quality of Love, and those are a Glance of the heavenly Joyfulness, very light and bright; and when the Light shines on them, they look like t light Blue, of a pleasant Gloss, Glance, or Lustre. [t Or Azur.]

(43) In the middle of the front surface of the Ephod was a space to accommodate the Essen, or Breastplate of Righteousness and Prophecy, which, as its name signifies, was also an oracle of great power. This pectoral was roughly square in shape and consisted of a frame of embroidery into which were set twelve stones, each held in a socket of gold. Because of the great weight of its stones, each of which was of considerable size and immense value, the breastplate was held in position by special golden chains and ribbons. The twelve stones of the breastplate, like the onyx stones at the shoulders of the Ephod, had the mysterious power of lighting up with Divine glory and so serving as oracles. Concerning the strange power of these flashing symbols of Israel's twelve tribes, Josephus writes:

(18) The twelve stones, set in four rows on the breast, describe for us the circle of the zodiac, in the four changes of the year. It was otherwise requisite that the law and the prophets should be placed beneath the Lord's head, because in both Testaments mention is made of the righteous. For were we to say that the apostles were at once prophets and righteous, we should say well, "since one and the self-same Holy Spirit works in all." And as the Lord is above the whole world, yea, above the world of thought, so the name engraven on the plate has been regarded to signify, above all rule and authority; and it was inscribed with reference both to the written commandments and the manifestation to sense.

(19) Leaf 7. The verse at the top reads:," This Stone is so noble and worthy that Nature has hidden it in her recesses. Its soul is all fair, and pure, for it is the true sun. I inform you of this. Keep it removed, apart and separated. Whatever boon you crave, it will come to you bounteously. without sin, with pleasure and delight." The seated figure on the left holding aloft the hammer is described as breaking hard stone, while the words beside the man with the retort read: "Breaking of stone our replenishment." Between the standing figures below is the exclamation; "O Sages, seek and ye shall find my Stone!" Under the outstretched hand of the man with a basket appear the words: "Draw out sorerem [?] in the bottom." Below the pool which the man on the left is stirring appears the simple statement: "Our healing water." The faces of the four men are extremely well drawn.

(27) Grecorius* saith: O all ye Turba, it is to be observed that the envious have called the venerable’ stone Efflucidinus,t and they have ordered it to be ruled until it coruscates like marble in its splendour.} And go they: Show, therefore, what it is to posterity. Then he: Willingly; you must know that the copper is commingled with vinegar, and ruled until it becomes’ water. Finally, let it be congealed, and it remains a coruscating stone with a brilliancy like marble, which, when ye see thus, I direct you to rule until it becomes red, because when it is cooked till it is disintegrated and becomes earth, it is turned into a red colour. When ye see it thus, repeatedly cook and imbue it until it assume the aforesaid colour, and it shall become hidden gold. Then re-. peat the process, when it will become gold of a Tyrian colour. It behoves you, therefore, O all ye investigators of this Art, when ye have observed that this Stone is coruscating, to pound and turn it into earth, until it acquires some degree of redness; then take the remainder* of the water which the envioust ordered you to divide into two parts, and ye shall imbibe them! several times until the colours which are hidden by no body appear unto you.S Know also that if ye rule it ignorantly, ye shall see nothing of those colours. I knew a certain person who commenced this work, and operated the natures of truth, who, when the redness was somewhat slow in appearing, imagined that he had made a mistake, and so relinquished the work. Observe, therefore, how ye make the conjunction, for the punic dye,* having embraced his spouse, passes swiftly into her body, liquefies, congeals, breaks up, and disintegrates the same. Finally, the redness does not delay in coming, and if ye effect it without the weight, death will take place, whereupon it will be thought to be bad. Hence, I order that the fire should be gentle in liquefaction, but when it is turned to earth make the same intense,t and imbue it until God shall extract the colours for us and they appear.

(83) But seeing it has been the most excellent rising up, and generating, in the holy heavenly Nature, therefore also it is loved by Man above all other in this World. For Nature has indeed wrote in Man's Heart, that it is better than other Stones and Earth; but Nature could not reveal or manifest to him the Ground thereof, from whence it is come or proceeded, whereby now thou mayest observe the Day-spring or Morning-redness.

(26) Also within the Earth, grow curious precious Stones, Silver, and Gold, and these are a Type of the Heavenly Generating or Production.

(108) But when the Heat rises up therein, then the green Form inclines to a half red or ruddy Form, as when a carbuncle Stone shines from the green Flash or Beam of Light.

(40) To the zodiac the same authorities assigned the following gems and stones: To Aries the sardonyx, bloodstone, amethyst, and diamond; to Taurus the carnelian, turquoise, hyacinth, sapphire, moss agate, and emerald; to Gemini the topaz, agate, chrysoprase, crystal, and aquamarine; to Cancer the topaz, chalcedony, black onyx, moonstone, pearl, cat's-eye, crystal, and sometimes the emerald; to Leo the jasper, sardonyx, beryl, ruby, chrysolite, amber, tourmaline, sometimes the diamond; to Virgo the emerald, camelian, jade, chrysolite, and sometimes the pink jasper and hyacinth; to Libra the beryl, sardius, coral, lapis lazuli, opal, and sometimes the diamond; to Scorpio the amethyst, beryl, sardonyx, aquamarine, carbuncle, lodestone, topaz, and malachite; to Sagittarius die hyacinth, topaz, chrysolite, emerald, carbuncle, and turquoise; to Capricorn the chrysoprase, ruby, malachite, black onyx, white onyx, jet, and moonstone; to Aquarius the crystal, sapphire, garnet, zircon, and opal; to Pisces the sapphire, jasper, chrysolite, moonstone, and amethyst

(13) Pythagoras saith:—We posit another government which is not from another root, but it differs in name. And know, all ye seekers after this Science and ‘Wisdom, that whatsoever the envious may have enjoined in their books concerning the’ composition of natures which agree together,* in savour there is only one, albeit to sight they are as diverse as possible. Know, also, that the thing which they have described in so many ways follows and attains its companion without fire, even as the magnet follows the iron, to which the said thing is not vainly compared, nor to a seed, nor to a matrix, for it is also like unto these. And this same thing, which followst its companion without fire, causes many colours to appear when embracing it, for this reason, that the said one thing enters into every regimen, and is found everywhere, being a stone, and also not a stone; common ”* and precious; hidden and concealed, yet known by everyone; of one name and of many names, which is the Spume of the Moon. This stone, therefore, is not a stone, because it is more precious; without it Nature never operates anything; its name is one, yet we have called it by many names on account of the excellence of its nature.*

The Turba answereth:—O! Master! wilt thou not mention some of those names for the guidance of seekers?

And he:—It is called White Ethelia, White Copper, and that which flies from the fire and alone whitens copper. Break up, therefore, the White Stone, and afterwards coagulate it with milk.* Then pound the calx in the mortar, taking care that the humidity does not escape from the vessel; but coagulate it in the vessel until it shall become a cinder. Cook also with Spume of Luna and regulate. For ye shall find the stone broken, and already imbued with its own water.t This, therefore, is the stone which we call by all names, which assimilates the work and drinks it, and is the stone out of which also all colours appear. Take, therefore, that same gum,} which is from the scoriz, and mix with cinder of calx, which you have ruled, and with the feeces which you know, moistening with permanent water. Then look and see whether it has become a powder, but if not, roast in a fire stronger than the first fire, until it be pounded. Then imbue with permanent water, and the more the colours vary all the more suffer them to be heated. Know, moreover, that if you take white quicksilver, or the Spume of Luna, and do as ye are bidden, breaking up with a gentle fire, the same is coagulated, and becomes a stone. Out of this stone, therefore, when it is broken up, many colours will appear to you. But herein, if any ambiguity occur to you in our discourse, do as ye are bidden, ruling the same until: a white and coruscating stone shall be produced, and so ye find your purpose.