Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	world_n	write_v	wrought_v	183	4	7.8610	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38622	An essay concerning adepts, or, A resolution of this inquiry how it cometh to pass that adepts, if there are any in the world, are no more beneficial to mankind than they have been known hitherto to be, and whether there could be no way to encourage them to communicate themselves : with some resolutions concerning the principles of the adeptists and a model, practicable, and easy, of living in community : in two parts / by a Philadept ...	Philadept.	1698 (1698)	Wing E3279; ESTC R11286	34,148	53

AN ESSAY Concerning ADEPTS OR A Resolution of this Inquiry How it cometh to pass that ADEPTS if there are any in the World are no more Beneficial to Mankind than they have been known hitherto to be and whether there could be no way to Encourage them to Communicate themselves With some Resolutions concerning the Principles of the ADEPTISTS And a Model Practicable and Easy of living in Community In Two PARTS By a Philadept God has chosen the Foolish things of this World to confound the Wise Prepare the way of the Lord and make his Paths straight Quench not the Light of Israel Touch not mine Anointed London Printed by J. Mayos at the Golden Cross in Thames-street near Queen-Hithe and are to be Sold by J. Nutt near Stationers-Hall 1698. AN ESSAY Concerning ADEPTS In Two PARTS The first Part. I. Section THat it cannot reasonably be denied that there is such a thing as the Philosophers Stone .. II. That it would be a mighty Advantage to enjoy the Benefits of it III. That Adepts say It is no very difficult matter to obtain that Inestimable Advantage IV. That they are Discouraged from communicating themselves or their Medicine as they otherwise would V. What would Encourage them to do it and put them in a capacity to be beneficial to Men. VI. The Inexcusableness and Folly of rejecting such a Blessing The Second Part. 1. Sect. THE occasion of the Second Part. II. An Explication of these words It is thought Adepts wish that Christians would live somewhat after the manner of the Lacedemonians III. How it would be possible for Christians to live much after that manner IV. That undoubtedly it would be most reasonable and most Christian-like to follow that sort of Life V. That yet Adepts cannot be thought to require expresly so much for if they pleased they might easily reduce Men to an absolute necessity to do so VI. That in general they would undoubtedly require of men nothing but Secrecy and Fidelity Reason and Moderation Justice and Mercifulness and that 't is not to be doubted could they be assured of these they would be ready to communicat themselves under some just limitations VII What this Condition more particularly may be supposed for instance to Imply VIII The Assurance which has been intimated that Princes might give IX What Great men might reasonably do in order to obtain the Elixir The first Part. 1. Section That it cannot reasonably be denied that there is such a thing as the Philosophers Stone IT is evidently unreasonable to assert or deny any thing without Reason and it is constant no man can give any good reason importing that there is no such thing as the Philosophers Stone On the contrary there are many reasons to believe there is such a thing There is a Tradition of it in the World There are many Books on that Subject written by men that shew an extraordinary gravity Sincerity and Fear of God and who Solemnly and Sacredly protest they have wrought it with their own hands And besides they have at several times shewn the effects of it before divers witnesses whereof there are too many instances to reject this proof Then they lay down Principles which appear rational to any one that considers them Any man may know experimentally that the Sulphur of Silver fixes Mercury why then should it be thought incredible that there is a way to get somwhere a sufficient quantity of that Sulphur and to exalt it and with it to tinge the Mercury that is in imperfect Metals There have been also too many great Cures performed by Philosophers to be reasonably question'd by them who are acquainted with those matters Those that are not ought not in reason to determine against it And those that are acquainted with some of those Testimonies that have been given to the World are guilty of a Disposition of unbelief if they are not mov'd at all with all those proofs II. Sect. That it would be a mighty Advantage to enjoy the benefits of the Philosophers Stone MY intention is not to dispute about the Principles of the Hermetick Philosophy they have been established by many Authors beyond dispute but most clearly and most invincibly by the Learned Gasto Claveus of any I know But I write for those who allow there is such a thing as the Sophick Stone Now I would only briefly mind them of the mighty advantage there is to enjoy the Benefits it doth procure It procures 1. Riches 2. Contentment and Virtue 3. Health and Strength As to the first and last scarce any that believes that there is such a thing is unsatisfied about them And as to Contentment and Virtue I would have it to be considered whether a Man that Enjoys Health and Strength and what he desires and is most necessary to his well-being has not a mighty and extraordinary inducement to be thankful to to God to think of providing for Everlasting Happiness and to Despise in comparison of that all the Ambition and the Superfluities of this World And if things be so pray consider the Felicity of that Man's State who possesses all things and who actually feels no want nor Pain or Infirmity but lives here happy and contented as long as the Nature of Man is fit to last and after that departs Tranquillely and without Anguish and with ease and comfort passeth into the Regions of the Blessed Children of God above What advantages the Sophick Stone would procure to a Nation 't is not necessary to specifie it being easie for every one to imagine it III. Sect. That Adepts say It is no very difficult matter to obtain their Inestimable Treasure A Depts affirm that a Man that is reasonable and a Pious Man and that has attentively read their writings and considers them and observes the works of Nature may with a careful practice thro' God's Blessing obtain their Admirable Elixir without very much difficulty Their matter some of them say may be taken out of many things They say plainly it is a Mineral Vitriol that is not to be had ready made nor to be bought with mony but the Artist must make it so that 't is not to be understood to be common Vitriol and they say 't is not extremely difficult to make it nor doth it require much cost nor must we take any Mettal for its composition Some say it may be found in Antimony and some say in other things For my part if all that Adepts or reputed Adepts say be true when they speak without disguise I do not believe that a man would find it an easy thing to run thro all the Operations to make the Elixir even tho' he had almost a Receipt verbatim for it But it may be reckoned not very difficult in comparison of other works incomparably more Laborious and with respect of the inestimable profit it will bring which ought to make all the Labours of it seem not grieveous IV. Sect. That Adepts are discouraged from communicating

be no improvement nor Secresy Lastly you must take an Oath of him that he will be Secret and as much as is possible will let no body besides one which shall be you or your heir know what he works upon nor the Method he follows no not his own Wife if he have one And you must likewise make the same Oath your self and vow that if any Adept happen to come to communicate himself to you you will Sacredly keep the abovementioned Conditions as far as in you lieth There 's no Great Man that does this but may come in time to be as well known to Adepts as Mr. B. And when it is perceived that he has used all these cautions they will be heartily inclined to communicate with him Now consider sincerely whether that small portion of the Superfluity of your Revenues can be better spent You 'll say you are not infallibly assured of the Stone No but there 's ground enough to hope and what you venture cannot hurt ye and 't is certain according to the common Proverb Nothing Venture Nothing Have You 'll urge you might do a great deal of good with that Summ. Yeas and you may still do a great deal of good besides notwithstanding you consecrate this to Chyinistry for you are but a Steward of your Estate And in this do you not do some certain good Do you not maintain two men and it may be two Families especially if you let the Men board themselves and you allow them what has been accounted for their board And do you reckon for nothing the good you may do your self and all men if you succeed Still you 'll urge If this Summ was spared for your Children it would amount to somthing in time But have you not enough to spare for your Children besides And will it not do them good if it draws God's Blessing upon them And in time you or your heirs may get the Elixir which will preserve you in health and ease to the last moment of your Life Besides it will yet be constantly greater Engagement to you and your Children to be more and more Pious and Virtuous After all those that are able and yet think much to lay such a summ to this use often do nor think it much to lose as much or more at Cards or spend it in Vanities What Dost thou not consider the wretched condition the generality of Mankind is in and how miserably they fare in this evil World where men wickedly oppress and devoure one another And wilt thou do nothing to attempt to relieve good part of them from the heavy Burthen they groan under Hard-hearted Creature The very undertaking would be kind and would acquit thee But thou wilt do nothing for the good of Mankind and it is enough for thee that thou and thine are well Is that thy Conscience is that thy Charity is that thy Religion Doth not the well-fare of others at all concern thee Rare Christian that carest neither for the Members of Christ nor Christianity For all thy care is to fare well thy self and flourish in the World and leave thy Family Triumphant whilst others creep in the Dust Thus are the Heathens and Sinners disposed And therefore wherein art thou better than they When thou comest into the other World and it shall be shewn thee how much good thou mightest have done how many people thou mightest have relieved how many useful Books thou mightest have caused to have been Published what great things thou mightest have undertaken and what Foundation thou mightest have laid for the prosperity of succeeding Genenerations and it shall be examin'd what thou didst instead of all this and whereunto thou hast employed all thy Talents what wilt thou be able to say Thy Summer Houses thy Sports thy Ambition will these be mentioned with Applause Those things which are in high esteem among Men are Abominations in the sight of God Thy lifting up thy self so high above thy fellow Creatures as if thou wouldest be held a Divinity and wouldest be Worshipped of them Thy Partiality thy Pride and Unmercifullness in making such a difference betwixt thee and them Thy Haughtiness in trampling upon them and thy Cruelty in contemning and humbling in afflicting and oppressing them will make thee then be despised and abhorred But they shall be comforted The result of which Consideration certainly is this that those that are Rich in this World be not High-minded nor Coveteous but that they do good be ready to Distribute and willing to Communicate that they may lay hold on Eternal Life Otherwise they effectually renounce Christianity For Charity is the Badge of that Holy Profession And Christian Charity imports that we love other men as our selves That indeed did in the Apostolick Age those truely zealous and sincere Christians who were together and had all things common and parted unto all men as every man had need and did eat their Meat with gladness and singleness of Heart in honour preferring one another Praising God and having favour with all People That 's the thing Essential that we have this Pious disposition that we love other men as our selves There may be some doubts in Philosophy but there can be non in this that this is certainly our Duty And therefore those that are Rich ought not to think it much to hazard something of what thy can spare to aim at an Universal good I do not pretend to a Demonstration of the Elixir But I do think there are credible grounds to believe that there is such a thing and that it may be had And if so then surely it is reasonable to venture something for it When I give my self the Title of Philadept the signification of that is not that I am actually acquainted with any Adept but that I am a well-wisher to them I my self never saw one that I know But I doubt not there are some men Living have reason to think they have For Sincerely there are great reasons to conclude of some men that they were Adepts If so it were to be wished they had left the Principles of the Art both with men that should direct the same to the best end the general good of mankind and with Skillful Artists who were both able and willing to make a good use of it But whatever Judgment may be made of the Philosophy of Hermes I conclude with this infallible decision of the infallibly Wise Man The Fear of the Lord that 's Wisdom And to depart from Evil that is Vnderstanding FINIS