Marengus — Chemical Pallas, ca. 1675 Multilingual MS

We rot it, refine it, and finally separate the components from each other. We rejoin those purified parts and thus produce the transmuting Stone by cooking it.

The objection made concerning Solomon is of no importance. It is not established that the path of this transmuting art was divinely infused into him, even if God did infuse him with the virtues and properties of natural things and all else. He was indeed the wisest, but not necessarily because he knew everything that can be known. But let us grant that Solomon knew this art: it is not permitted to infer from this that he did not use it, or that it did not exist because of that. For that wisest King knew many things that he did not perform. One should not infer that he was ignorant of them, or that they could not be done, because he did those things himself. Indeed, God knows and can do infinite things which He does not perform. Yet no one of sound mind would infer that God did not do those things, nor will do them, and therefore that they did not exist or could not be done by God.

Even if this transmuting science was not unknown to Solomon, he nevertheless prudently disregarded it, since without it he could easily have gold and other metals in abundance.

Many reasons are lacking as to why the most prudent Solomon should have more conveniently used gold taken from mines in the building of the temple rather than artificial gold. For in this way, he fulfilled the testamentary will of his father David, who had collected and left great treasures for this purpose. Nor could anyone suspect that the ornaments of the temple were constructed from auro sophistico sophisticated or artificial gold, implying a fake or lesser quality. Furthermore, by the common grace of the Kingdom and the whole world, in adorning the Temple, he drew all peoples to it. It was constructed at the expense of all, and everyone contributed to the House of God. All likewise worshipped God in a peculiar way, in whose honor such a magnificent and sacred Temple was being erected.