Glory only to God.

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The folly of the students in this noble Art is this, that they set their minds & intentionson nothing but making of and , & so they fall into this Error, that mustbe the groundwork from whence must be raised Any goodly peice, but it is false; Iwil not stand to disproove it, for that were to be tedious, it is sufficient that I avow itupon my soul it is not so, nor No such thing, & yet it is true, it hath a true goldennature: but to proceed, know breifly, that the changing of the imperfect metals intoas it is the cheifest intent of Alchymists, so it was scarcly any intent at alof the ancient Philosophers, & although it be to be done by the Art, yet it is but a part of it& indeed but the least part of the benefit, which cometh by the art. Yet I deny not butthe possession of is a great blessing especially being gotten this way, becauseit frees a man from wants & being beholden unto others & for that a man may therbydo good unto others, to the poor & oppressed, nay it is a happines in this world to possessmuch, but yet I affirm it the least happines, that comes by the Philosophers stone, if thefull use thereof be known. are goodly things & the enjoying therof, verydelightfull to covetous & wicked minded men, which do not trust in God & knowhim as they ought, but for a true searcher of this wisdome he is contentaccording to the Apostles rule, if he have but meat & drink & cloaths, that is acompetency. I have a little exceeded in my exclamation against riches, wickedness -Because I know it befits not a wise man to Love them & when thou hast read all that Ishal set down, thou wilt not valew wealth, as thou wilt other knowledg herin set down& contained, for by the full knowledg of it, the whole wisdome of Nature is to be grasped& embraced, yea not only infinite wealth & perfect health (a greater blessing thenwealth) but also the knowledg of the nature of all Vegetables, Animalls & mineralls,the Radix & root wherof, is the true Radix & root of all Philosophy, nay more of all theliberal sciences, which in their full perfection are to be known, by the knowledg ofthis Art, And without it not one can be perfected, nay more the Artificial makingof al pretious stones, better then the natural and in what greatness you will, as RubiesCarbuncles, Diamonds, Iacynths, pearls, Topases, saphyres, Emraulds etc. But this isnot al, for by the perfection of this Art (which very few have attained) al naturallmagick may be known, and al that spirits can doe except velocity, may be performedby a true Philosopher, though to ignorant men it seems supernatural, and al that isnatural may be known by this art, wicked spirits may be commanded & chas'taway, in a word, what is sublunary is to be done by it; al these things were known toAdam in his innocency, who knewthis Art in the highest perfection; this man ourfirst father was in his inward part or internal man made according to thesimilitude of God, and to tell the plain truth, (which when thou hast tryed what ishere set down thou wilt know to be so) was of the same substance & matterthat the Angells were, I mean the blessed Angels, and the soul of man is anangel & so was called the son of God, but for his body & spirit whence they come& what they are I wil set down by & by & that which concerns it./ Man was the sonof the great world or macrocosme & participates of all the influences & vertuesof the superiour & inferiour world, yea of al creatures good & bad, and that forthis cause, because he was made of that very matter & chaos, wherout all the worldwas made & all the creatures in it, which is a most high mystery to Understand.and must nay is altogether needfull to be known of him that expecteth good ofthis Art, being the groundwork of the wisdome of this Art. Foolish men, nay eventhose that the world holds for great Doctors, say & tell it for a truth, that Godmade man of a peice of clay or mudd, or dust of the Earth, which is false itwas no such matter but a quintessantial matter, which is called Earth, but isindeed no Earth. the fall of man depraved al things, yea al the creatures sufferedin it & himselfe most of all, for so soon as he had sinnd himselfe & his wife,(his wife first) both of them were turnd into monsters in respect of what they werebefore in their innocency, Adam had another body before his fall, then what hehad after & so farr different as if we should now behold Adam as he was in hisinnocency, wee should admire the glory of himm & tremble as his sight as at aAngell. I say nothing of the body of our blessed Saviour, only this, that such abody as he brought from heaven with him, such bodys shal we rise with, andwith such bodys shal our souls be endeued, with flesh & blood, otherwise menshould not differ from Angells, but this flesh & blood is put on by the holy ghosupon us: that is by regeneration, nor doth this cross sacred writt if we rightlyunderstand. I speak nothing of our blessed Lady likewise what a body shee had,when you shall have examined what I shal set down, then thou wilt find whatsay is true, & understand them in a plain manner. But I forbear to speak ofthese Misteryes known to few. He that lives according to the written word of Godshal be saved, but he that lives to be blessed with this Art shal glorify his Cr& know him, more then any man else can, & before the ruine of the world allshall be known.