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 ...

NOw for a close of this most secret Gate, Whereat few enter, none but they who are By Gods grace favour'd; its not luck ne sate That in disclosing this can claim a share: It is a portion which is very rare, Bestow'd on those whom the most High shall chuse, To such the Truth I freely shall declare, Nor ought through Envy to them shall refuse, Nor with unwonted Riddles shall their hopes abuse.

Of uncouth subjects now shall be my Song, My mind intends high Wonders to reveal, Which have lain hidden heretofore full long, Each Artist striving them how to conceal, Lest wretched Caitiffs should these Treasures steal: Nor Villains should their Villanies maintain By this rare Art; which danger they to heal, In horrid Metaphors veil'd an Art most plain, Lest each Fool knowing it, should it when known disdain.

Remember Man how he produced was, How formed from a lump of abject Clay, From whence Created; he each thing doth pass, Which next to Angels ever saw the day: For God in him infus'd so bright a Ray Of his own Image, which the Body joyn'd To it, ennobled so that both pourtray Their Maker, as though Heaven with Earth combin'd A little System of the Ʋniverse to find.

But yet though he of Soul and Body both Was made and of the two the nobler part The Soul by far, which for the most part doth The subject nominate; yet that same Art That made so rare a piece, doth from the part Less noble name the whole, Adam, or Dust, Wherein a Mystery was couch'd, whose heart Of life the Centre, to Earth's bowels must Return, the Earth it self for Man's sake being curs'd.

Right so our Stone containeth Natures two, One hidden, subtle Soul, Heavens Pro∣geny, The other gross, compact, terrene also, Earth's product must to Earth by destiny; Which when resolv'd is made a feculency To sight, but the Coelestial part is still (Though over-clouded) most pure in∣wardly, And shall at last most Pearlie drops distill, Which shall the barren Earth with fruit in plenty fill.

Thus all our Secrets from the Earth do flow, 'Tis Earth which for our Base at first we take, Our Water also unto Earth must go, And both together must a Limus make, Which we with respite by our Art must bake, Till all become a Spirit glorify'd, Whose firmness wasting, time shall never shake; By perfect union th' are so surely ty'd, Each Element the other three within it self doth hide.

Take then that thing which Gold we please to call, But 'tis not Gold, yet Gold it is in truth; Metalline 'tis, yet from a Mineral It flows, which Art by Nature holp re∣new'th, And to a Fool an ugly face it sheweth; Yet to a Son of Art it lovely seems, 'Tis Stellar white, and tender in his youth, And vile appears in many mens esteems, Yea the most part of men it for a trifle deems.

From it is made a subject of great price, Shew it the Goldsmith and he'l swear 'tis Gold; But look you sell it not, if you be wise, The Basis 'tis of Secrets manifold, This for their secret main the Sages hold: The like is in Gold digged from the Mine, But to procure it is scarce to be told, That you may understand, though every line Were plainly wrote, yet might your practice oft decline.

For 'tis a Labour hardly to be borne, So many tricks and turnings in it be, And he that tryeth it is surely for∣lorne, Ʋnless a crafty Master, credit me; For I have tryed both, yet could not see How any in this way can be secure: I therefore who have vowed secrecy Have writ this way, which we can scarce endure For knowledge-sake to try, its ease will none allure.

Our Kingly road I also hinted have, Our way in which a Fool can hardly erre, Our secret way, which much sad toyl will save, Which is so easie, that I may averr, If thou shouldst see it, thou wouldst it pre∣ferr To any Earthly pleasure; yet beware That you mistake not, for I do averr, A mingled Doctrine these lines do declare, For both ways in this Book of mine do claim a share.

Learn to distinguish every sentence well, And know to what Work it doth appertain; This is great skill, which few as I can tell By all their reading yet could ere attain, And yet of Theory this is the main: Also to know accordingly to give Due heat, which in one way thou must be fain T' increase ten-fold, thou mayst me well believe, For what doth one decoct, t'other away will drive.

Also their Operations different Appear, the one thou must sublime and boyl, O tedious way! in which much time is spent, And many errours, which the Work will spoyl: The other silently doth make no toyl, Like the still voice which to Eliah came, About which Work thou needest not to broyl, Nor wantst thou ••iery Vulcan's parching flame, A far more gentle heat begins and ends this Game.

But if thou canst each Work perform apart, And knowst them afterward to reconcile, Then art thou Master of a Princely Art, The very success will thy hopes beguile; Thou hast all Natures Works rankt on a File, And all her Treasures at command dost keep, On thee the Fates shall never dare but smile, No Mystery is now for thee too deep, Th' art Natures Darling, whether thou dost wake or sleep.

Pardon my plainness, if the Art thou knowst, 'Twas the fruit of my untame desire To profit many; and without a boast, No man above my ••andour shall aspire: My zeal was kindled with Minerva's Fire, And thou who to this Art wilt now apply, My ••ook in Natures way shall lead thee higher, Then ever thou alone mayst hope to fly, If only thou shalt favour'd be by Destiny.

Peruse these lines, and being read, review And read again, and on them meditate, Each reading shall fresh Mysteries and new Discover, which are scatter'd in each Gate; For they so linked are, that all relate To each, and we our words have woven so, That thou mayst soon erre by misleading ••ate, Ʋnless for to distinguish thou do know; Remember that 'mongst Briars thick, sweet Roses grow.