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 ...

With Sulphurs.

I Found one Furnace most curiously built, in which all degrees of heat ima∣ginable, by the Art of man, might be kept with one fire; in which was set a multitude of curious Glasses, in which were several Matters, some digesting, others subliming, others distilling, others calcining, and about the Glasses and the Furnace was written this of Geber, Per Deum Sulphur est omne illud illuminans quod est supra terram. By this I knew, that Sulphur was the subject on which was wrought; and indeed with so great cunning, that I could not but admire the ingenuity of the men: and knowing that what a man prizeth, (though it be a trifle) yet to spoil or destroy that would be an injury, I meddled not with any Glass, (for indeed there were La∣bourers that fled not, because they knew nothing, but only wrought as they were directed:) and when I came, they could not perceive that I had any Candle in my hand, and wondred their Masters

should fly so from a phansie. Moreover I found that they could not see any light from the Fox-fire and Glow-worms tails, which were there; but the place being dark, as being under ground, they wrought by Candles and Lamps, which yet could give their Masters no light, but they sought all the world over for those shining subjects: Yet I could not∣withstanding both discern utter darkness, which the Rays of my Candle would not enlighten. Then said I to the Work∣men, What is this that is brought in here? Oh, said they, they are Sol and Luna terrestrial, whereby our Masters can see clearly the Natures of all things in the world, and to make by their light the great Elixir; and though we can see no light in them, or very little, it is because of our Ignorance in these things, there∣fore we use our Lamps to work by. Where are your Masters? said I. They ran away, said they, because when you came they said you were a Devil, and brought an ominous light with you, and if they did but once see that with a full view, their Works would all vanish;

they did therefore lay a few Charms, and ran away. Then I looked, and the ground under me was full of Crosses and Circles, at which I laughed, and depar∣ted into another Room.