Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	know_v	see_v	world_n	2,634	5	4.4966	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05040	A reuelation of the secret spirit Declaring the most concealed secret of alchymie. Written first in Latine by an vnknowne author, but explained in Italian, by Iohn Baptista Lambye, Venetian. Lately translated into English, by R.N.E. gentleman.; Apocalypsis spiritus secreti. English. 1623	Agnello, Giovan Battista.; Napier, Robert.	1623 (1623)	STC 15184; ESTC S121240	33,169	93

inuentors of liberall Arts earnestly approuing the vertues of things vnder the Heauens did inquire with great desire if any thing was amongst the creatures that might saue mans body from all corruption and preserue it aliue for euer Vnto whom it was answered that there was nothing that could deliuer our corruptible body from death but that there was one thing that could remoue all corruptions renue youth and prolong short life as in the first Patriarches because vnto the first Parents Adam and Eue for penance of sinne death was giuen which will neuer be separated from the whole posterity Wherefore the said Philosophers and many others most painfully seeking that one thing amongst all things haue found that it which should preserue mans body from corruption and prolong life is such amongst qualities as the Heauen amongst Elements They vnderstood the Heauen to bee aboue the Essence of the foure Elements and so that to bee aboue the Essence of the foure qualities The Heauen in comparison of Elements is called Quintessence because it is incorruptible vnchangeable not receiuing strange impressions so also that thing in respect of the qualities of our body is in corruptible expelling al superfluities from the body It is called of the Philosophers by the foresaid name neither hot and dry with the fire nor cold and moist with the water nor hot and moist with the aire nor cold and dry with the earth but of all the elementary qualities a perfect proportion a true coniunction of naturall power a speciall addition of spirituall vertue and an inseparable vnion of body and soule a substance most pure most pretious artificially extracted from an incorruptible body which no waies can be destroyed nor in any thing be defiled with the Elements Whereof Aristotle did make an Apple with whose smell hee did prolong his life when through length of age he could not eat nor drink fifteene daies before his death This spirituall substance is that onely thing which from aboue was shewed vnto Adam and most desired by the holy fathers which Hermes and Aristotle doe call the truth without lye the certaine most certaine and the secret of all secrets hid 〈◊〉 in nature and the maruellous finall conclusion of all philosophicall workes In the which is found the dew of the Heauen the fat of the earth and what the power of man cannot expresse in this spirit is found because as Morien saith who hath it possesseth all things and shall need the helpe of no body in any thing because in it is all temporall felicity corporall health and earthly prosperity This is the Spirit of the Quintessence the Spring of sublunary health vpholder of Heauen retainer of Earth mouer of Sea stirrer of winde sender of Raine container of all things and vertues and spirituall and chosen aboue all subcelestiall Spirits giuing health and prosperity ioy and peace it yeeldeth loue dissolueth hatred chaseth away sadnesse bringeth in mirth and generally remoueth all euils most speedily cureth all diseases finally destroyeth misery and pouerty maketh and bringeth all good cannot speake or thinke euill giueth vnto man what his heart desireth vnto the good temporall glory and long life but perpetuall paine vnto the euill that vse it This is the spirit of truth which the world cannot apprehend but by the grace of inspiration or the teaching of them that know it it is of an vnknowne nature wonderfull vertue and infinite power this the Saints from the beginning of the world haue wished to see This Spirit by Auicen is called the soule of the world because as the soule moueth the members so this Spirit moueth all bodies and as the soule is in euery part of the body so in euery elementary thing this Spirit is found which is sought by many but found by few it is thought to be farre of and found neere at hand because in euery thing place and time it is found hauing the vertues and effects of all things and being equall in all the Elements and whatsoeuer is proper to euery thing in this onely thing is found most effectually By whose vertues Adam and the Patriarches had health of body and length of life and many others haue flourished in riches Which being laboriously sought and carefully found the Philosophers haue hid in aenigmaticke termes that they should not shew so worthy a thing to the vnworthy nor throw so pretious a pearle amongst Hogs which if it were knowne to all the study and labour of all men would cease and man would desire no other thing but only it and so men would liue vnworthily and it would bee the cause of the ruine of the whole world as well through health as through abundance men would much more offend God Because the eye hath not seene nor the eare hath not heard nor it hath not hitherto entered into the heart of man what the Heauen hath naturally placed into this Spirit Therefore I haue briefly compiled certaine properties of the said Spirit approued by Philosophers vnto the praise of God and the profit of good men that they might most deuoutly magnifie God in his gifts at least they who hereafter shall receiue such a gift because these gifts are not belonging to euery one but to them whose minds shall bee good Now what properties and vertues that Spirit hath in euery essence and how it appeareth corporally that it may the sooner be found and knowne hearken with the vnderstanding of the heart In its first essence it appeareth in an earthly body foule and full of infirmities in which it hath a property and vertue of curing wounds and corruptions in the entrails of men it purgeth putrifaction and stinke abiding in any place whatsoeuer it cureth all things inwardly and outwardly In the second Essence it appeareth vnto the sight in a watry body somewhat fairer than the first containing corruptions but more plentifully working his vertue neerer vnto the truth and in euery worke more powerfull in which generally it giueth aid to all sicknesses both hot and cold because it is of an hid nature chiefly it helpeth them that suffer venome in the breathing parts for it chaseth venome from the heart dissolueth without violence things contained in the lungs and notwithstanding the commotion it doth consolid the same vlcerated it cleanseth bloud it purifieth corruption contained in the breathing parts and it preserueth them cleansed from corruption being thrice a day drunke by any that languisheth it maketh good hope c. But in the third Essence it appeareth in an airy body oyly almost freed from all diseases in which it sheweth wonderfull workes for it helpeth young men to last in body state strength and beauty if they vse it by little and little and in a small quantity in their meat because it suffereth no waies melancholy to exceed nor choller to burne Moreouer aboue measure it encreaseth bloud and feed and therefore it behoueth them who vse it often to bee let bloud Also this oyle doth open the Nerues

last part shall bee shewed what is to bee vnderstood by the coniunction and vnion of the said elements after their perfect rectification reducing thē in a glorious fifth being called Quintessence or Elixir and in many other diuers names nominated by diuers Philosophers it shal be that which this Philosopher vnderstandeth when he saith but there is one thing c. Where to follow this order for the better declaration of the Text before alledged the first part shall be diuided into three parts In the first shall bee shewed as is aboue said that there is one only thing in which the said Spirit is found In the second shall bee seene by the meanes of many authorities and sentences of diuers Philosophers if it may bee iudged what thing is this onely thing And because there is no comming to the separation of the Elements if first that body or truly one thing as they say bee not disposed that it bee fit for the said separation which is nothing else but the reducing it to his first matter and this shall bee taken for the third part in which shall bee seene the necessity of the said separation Thereafter in the second part of the Text shall be shewed the manner of the separation of the Elements described by an vncertaine Author inserting therein some faire glosses of other Philosophers for the more declaration of the mystery And in the third and last part shall bee seene the coniunction of the said Elements of which shall grow a Crystalline and glorious stone called Elixir or Quintessence as some would haue it and it shall be as is said before the secret Spirit of our Philosopher c. The first Chapter Wherein it is proued that there is only one thing out of the which the secret Spirit or the Philosophers Stone may be taken HErmes Father of all the Philosophers saith that our stone is made of one thing because all our Science and mystery is made of our water that is copper And Aristotle In one thing onely consisteth truth and in multitude vanity And Pythagoras in the booke of his documents speaketh And I say vnto you that the foundation of this Art for which many haue perished is one thing that to the Philosophers is stronger and higher then the natures and to the foolish is baser then any thing we esteeme And Geber It is one thing one medicine to which we adde nothing we diminish nothing except that in separation wee remoue the superfluous And Rasis Know my sonne that it is one disposition and one nature and one worke and one vessell to make the white and red And Morienus This mystery is wont to be made of one only thing therefore put this in thy mind for thou needest not many things but one onely thing And Lucas in turba For our verity is one in which is the Spirit that we search And another vncertaine Philosopher saith For our matter is one containing in it selfe the essence of all the seuen metals and in that substance is the dei●g Spirit which we seeke And in the booke intituled The secret of Auicen it is written thus And know for certaine that the Philosophers cared not for the names but one name and one action to wit to seeth the stone and bring forth his soule because their stone is alwaies one And Iohn of Damascus in his Rosary of Phoebus saith Therefore it is doubted of the stone which is called the Philosophers which is it and what Seeing it was neuer named openly by any Philosopher Therefore in this many iudged diuers things when in one onely consisteth truth We do hold him dearely teaching to auoid all others and surely it is manifest by the Philosophers Writs that it is one thing and that no strange thing should be ioyned thereto because nothing agreeth to a thing but what is neerer to his owne nature And Arnoldus de villa noua in his Rosary saith Therfore it behoueth the searcher of this Science to be of a constant will in worke that he presume not to try sometime this sometime that because our Art is not perfected in the multitude of things for it is one And Raymund Lullius in the 49. Chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament saith Thou must no waies be ignorant hereof seeing it is necessary that our Medicine of one onely kind and one sole nature be made And in the seuenty fiue Chapter Moreouer wee say recapitulating that seeing this thing is of one sole nature and of that onely this is made which mighty men desire to haue and search and in many other places he mentioneth which for shortnesse sake shall bee left out And George Ripply the English in his Ladder of twelue degrees saith yet the matter of this worke according to all the authenticall Philosophers is one onely thing containing in it selfe all necessaries to the accomplishing of its owne perfection And Henricus Cornelius Agrippa in the second Booke of hid Philosophy in the fourth Chapter saith There is one thing by God created the subiect of all wonderfulnesse which is in earth and in heauen it is actually animall vegetable and minerall found euery where knowne by few by none expressed in his proper name but couered in numbers figures and riddles without which neither Alchymy nor naturall magicke can attaine their perfect end And in the Rosary of the Philosophers it is written But I aduise that no man intrude himselfe into this Science to search except hee know the beginning of true nature and her gouernement which being knowne he needeth not many things but one thing nor requireth great charges because the stone is one the medicine one the vesselbone the gouernement one and the disposition one c. Many other authorities and sentences of diuers Philosophers for the confirmation of this passage I could produce but for shortnesse sake as also because I thinke that the foresaid sentences of so many worthy Authors are sufficient enough for confirmation of this matter we let them alone The second Chapter In which shall bee seene by meanes of many sentences of diuers Philosophers if it can bee iudged what thing is this onely thing THis is the passage which abaseth the wings of the ignorant searchers of this glorious and diuine Science Ignorant call I all those to wit of this Science who are ignorant of the true matter of which the Philosophers stone is made albeit that in other Sciences they were most excellent and most learned But before I proceed further two causes doe make me stand somewhat doubtfull of the manner which I should hold in my writing the one is two sentences one of Aristotle and another of Geber The first of Aristotle in his light of light saith that the ancient Philosophers haue therefore so carefully hid this mystery that few might vnderstand it because if it were vulgarly knowne there were no further place for prudence seeing the foolish would be equall to the wise And the other of Geber Wherefore

the Science is not deliuered without interruption because the wicked as well as the good would vsurpe it vnworthily The other cause is for the difficulty of the matter or subiect but considering that this secret is the gift of the most high God as all the Philosophers say and chiefly Morien with these words And know you that this Mastrie is no other thing but the mysterie and secret of secrets of the most high and great God Therefore I hope that our Lord Iesus will put such forme to my speech that without offending his most high Maiestie I may helpe the children of the truth And if about the difficulty and depth of the matter my forces be not sufficient the minde neuerthelesse is most ready and most desirous to make the vertuous spirits professours of this noble Science participant of a part of my long trouble and study made therein not yet as one that would perswade my selfe to be such that I vnderstood the secret hereof but as a louing professor of the search of it wherein I haue wearied my selfe for the time of twenty fiue yeeres Now to returne to our first purpose I say then for to beginne this second part that in the beginning of the booke called the blast of the trumpet it is written thus Of the first essence the first Philosopher Thales the Milesian saith God is the most ancient of things vnbegotten eternall and therefore Pythagoras saith I say that God was before all things nothing was with him when hee was and vnderstand that God when hee was alone in the beginning created one substance which he called the first matter and of that substance he created other foure fire aire water and earth of which now being created hee created all things as well high as low and so before all other things except the first matter hee created the foure elements out of which he created afterward what he would to wit diuers natures c. And Raymund Lully in the third chapter of the Theoricke of his Testament saith God created that nature of nothing into one pure substance which wee call quintessence in which whole nature is comprehended c. And in many other places hee saith the like because hee considereth that this Science proceedeth from God as all the Philosophers doe affirme therefore Mireris saith that this stone proceedeth from the most glorious high place and of the greatest Creator which hath put to death many wise men which is like vnto euery thing whose name cannot be spoken Where I considering the height and difficulty of this matter as I haue aboue said seeing that out of the Philosophers the construction concerning this thing cannot be had I purpose to see if out of the holy new or old Testament some iuyce may bee extracted studying the which in my iudgement many most excellent sentences may be taken to the purpose of this matter and of the whole science the which shall bee left out and onely I will serue my selfe with that which seemeth vnto me most to the purpose of this passage I finde the first thing that our Lord God created was the light as it appeareth in the first of Genesis there after hee made that wonderfull separation of the elements whereby there commeth in my minde some sentences of Vincentius in his Naturall mirrour in the second booke the three and thirtieth chapter where he saith Therefore his Spheres which is true light are begun from light and in light all things are accomplished c. And furthermore from the light he begun that he might shew his workes to be the workes of light not of darknesse c. And after he saith So also by his example hee hath taught man to worke in the light And in the thirty fifth he saith Therefore the first substance is light c. and after following he saith Euery thing therefore how much it hath of light so much it holdeth of diuinity because God is light and every thing hauing more of light than another is called more noble than it for in all things nobility is remarked according to the greater neerenesse and partaking of diuine essence And this also is manifest by induction in the first bodies when they are compared together the water is nobler than the earth because it hath more light than the earth Likewise the aire than the water and the fire than the aire and the fifth body than all other therefore it is called amongst them the first and most noble therefore the perfection of all these things which are in euery order of the world is light And in the thirtie eight chapter he saith Therfore worthily amongst all bodies the light holdeth the first place For as S. Augustine saith Euery substance common to two substances according to nature is before them both but light is a substance common to fire and starres which precede all other bodies Wherefore the first of all bodies is light After in the thirty nine chapter he saith But light is caused in the aire not from the aire it selfe or the forme of the aire but from the Sunne c. And he speaketh many other notable sentences which shall be left to be studied by studious men Now seeing the light is the first thing which God created I may say vnto you that the selfe nature is deriued from that light as all Philosophers doe affirme saying vse venerable nature And for confirmation hereof I will see if wee can agree many pretty sentences of diuers Philosophers who speake of this Science in fauor of this opinion But before that wee come thus farre I would know by what occasion many and diuers wise Philosophers haue entitled many of their bookes belonging to this Science vnder the name of Light As Aristotle called one the light of light Rasis fiue to wit the light of lights the booke of the Sunne the booke of the Moone the booke of cleerenesse and the booke of Light Iohn of Damascus the Rosary of the Sunne Iohn of Vien the mirrour of the elements Arnold de Villa noua the new light Roger Bacon the mirror of Alchymy Iohn de Rupescissa the booke of light and many and diuers others the like which truly I cannot thinke that they would doe it but because this diuine Science is the worke of light But perhaps some may say the Philosophers vse to say when they will declare any thing obscure that they giue light or illuminate But I my selfe doe not finde that they haue entitled their bookes of other Sciences vnder the title of Light as they haue done this Let euery one beleeue as most pleaseth him Now let vs come to the foresaid sentence and first Aristotle in his first booke of the Secret of Secrets saith For with thee is the Light of Lights and for this all darknesse shall flie from thee And Mireris in his booke of documents speaking of that secret spirit vnder the name of water he saith And know that the Philosophers declare that the