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 ...

For of this World our Stone is called the Cement, Which moved by craft as Nature doth re∣quire, In his increase shall be full opulent, And multiply his kind after thy own desire: Therefore if God vouchsafe thee to inspire, Like unto thee in Riches shall be but few.

OUr Stone it is the Representative of the great World, and hath the Vir∣tues of that great Fabrick, comprised or collected in this little System; in it is the virtue Magnetical, attractive of its like in the whole World: it is the Coelestial Virtue, expounded universally in the whole Creation, but Epitomized in this small Map or Abridgment.

This Virtue or Power is in it self bar∣ren, sluggish, dead and unactive, and for this cause it remaineth without fruit; but being loosed by Art, it doth through the co-operation of Nature, produce that Arcanum which hath not its like in the whole World; for it doth heal the im∣perfections of all Creatures and Metals,

taking away their sickness, and restoring them to perfect health.

The reward which this Mastery will bring to the Artist, is indeed inestimable; for having it, he needs want no worldly blessing, for wealth he need take no care, and from all frailties of Body he hath a most sure Antidote.

Pray then to God, that he would be propitious unto your studies and labours, in giving thee the true knowledge of this secret Mystery; it is the gift of God, I have holpen thee what I can, but ven∣ture not to practise barely upon my words, for know that what I have only hinted, is far more then what I have dis∣covered; and what I have declared to thy first apprehension most openly, hath yet its lurking Serpent under the green Grass, I mean some hidden thing which thou oughtest to understand, which thou being Cock-sure at first blush wilt neg∣lect; but yet it will bi••e thee by the heel when thou approachest to practice, and make thee begin again, and it may be at last throw away all as a man desperate: for know that this is an Art very Cabali∣stical,

and we do study expressions such as we know will suit almost with any mans fancy, in one place or other; but be sure to take this Maxim from one who knows best the sence of what he hath written: Where we speak most plainly, there be most circumspect, for we do not go about to betray the Secrets of Na∣ture; especially then in those places which seem to give Receipts so plain as you would desire, suspect either a Me∣taphor, or else be sure that something or other is supprest, which thou wilt hardly without Inspiration ever find of thy self, which in tryal will make all thy confident knowledge vanish; yet to a Son of Art, we have written that which never heretofore was by any re∣vealed.