Now as we heard that like cannot help its like, but he that shall help, must be more, than he that looks for help from him: Hence it is evident, that the Tincture, whose remaining body (from which it is taken) is still gold, can be no true tincture; for if it shall be a true tincture, it must consist in its three principles, and how can it consist therein, the body from whence it came being yet alive, and possessing invisibly all its three principles? How can a mans soul be taken from him, and yet the body live still? Some will say, that for all that, this may be counted a true tincture, although the body still remain gold, and have kept its life: even as man may spare some blood out of his body, which though it will make him somewhat pale, yet he liveth still, and the lost blood may be supplyed again by good meat and drink. But what lame and senseless objections are these? Who would be so simple as to think, that a handful of blood may be compared to a mans life? I believe no wise man will do it. Although life goeth forth with the blood, yet the blood is not the life it self; else the dead could be raised thereby, if a cup full of it were poured into a dead body; but where was such a thing ever heard or seen? With such groundless opinions some did presume to censure the truth, set down in my treatise _de Auro potabili vero_, saying, _Geber_ and _Lullius_ were also of opinion, that a true tincture can be extracted out of gold, the same nevertheless remaining good gold: but it may be asked, what it hath lost then for to yield a true Tincture, since it remained good gold? Here no body will be at home for to answer I doubt. What are the Writings of _Geber_ or _Lully_ to me? What they have written I do not despise, they were highly enlightned and experienced Philosophers, and would defend their writings sufficiently, if they were alive: and what I write, I am also able to maintain. Do those men think, that the writings of _Geber_ and _Lully_ are to be understood according unto the bare letter? shew me a tincture of gold which was made by the writings of _Geber_ or _Lully_? if it were so, then every idiot or novice, that could but read Latine, would not only by their writings be able to make the Tincture of gold, but also the Philosophers stone it self, whereof they have written at large; which doth not follow, because it is seen by daily experience, that the most worldly learned men spent many years, and have been at vast charges, and taken great pains, and studied in their books day and night, and found not the least thing in them. Now if such Philosophers were to be understood literally, doubtless there would not be so many poor decay’d Alchymists. Therefore the writings of such worthies are not to be understood according to the letter, but according to the mystical sense hid under the letter.