Ripley reviv'd, or, An exposition upon Sir George Ripley's hermetico-poetical works containing the plainest and most excellent discoveries of the most hidden secrets of the ancient philosophers, that were ever yet published / written by Eirenæus Philalethes ...

But simple Searchers putteth them in blame, saying they hid it.

MOst injurious are they therefore to the well-deserving Philosophers, who because they cannot understand their Writings, and through the mis-un∣derstanding of the possibility of Nature, do commit foul mistakes in their operati∣ons, and therefore reap a ridiculous Har∣vest, they then blame the falsity of Au∣thors, or at least accuse their difficult wri∣ting, not considering that Philosophers owe them nothing, and whatever they write for the information of the studious, it is not of debt, nor yet of Covetous∣ness, for they possess the greatest Trea∣sure in the World; nor lastly of Ambiti∣on, for many suppress their names: it is of Love therefore, and of desire to be

helpful to the Studious; which Love to requite with reproaches, is a ••••ken of great ingratitude.

Moreover, it is to be understood that the most wise GOD hath a ruling hand herein, and all Sons of Art have their Commission as it were given them; they write and teach according to that per∣mission which the Creator of all things hath given them. I may speak it experi∣mentally, that when my self have had one intent, I have been so over-swayed with unpremeditated thoughts in the ve∣ry writing, that I have taken notice of the immediate hand of God therein, by which I have been carried beyond what I intended.

And truly it is not our intent to make the Art common to all kind of men, we write to the deserving only; intending our Books to be but as Way-marks to such as shall travel in these paths of Na∣ture, and we do what we may to shut out the unworthy: Yet so plainly we write, that as many as God hath appoint∣ed to this Mastery shall certainly under∣stand us, and have cause to be thankful

unto us for our faithfulness herein. This we shall receive from the Sons of this Science, whatever we have from others: therefore our Books are intended for the former, we do not write a word to the latter.