Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	brotherly_a	godliness_n	patience_n	4,850	5	9.2615	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90641	Philadelphia, or, Brotherly love to the studious in the hermetick art. Wherein is discovered the principles of hermetick philosophy, with much candor and plainness. / Written by Eyreneus Philoctetes.	Philoctetes, Eyreneus.; Starkey, George, d. 1666.	1694 (1694)	Wing P1982A; ESTC R204402	19,199	104

there are steps to knowledge so likewise there are steps beyond it as the Holy ManDivinely sets forth and admonisheth that Faith and Virtue precede Knowledge then to add to Knowledge Temperance to Temperance Patience to Patience Godliness to Godliness Brotherly Kindness and to Brotherly Kindness Charity O happy Attainment O Divine Chain of Perfection Therefore we must say with the Inspired Apostle That altho' we should understand all Mysteries and all Knowledge and had not Charity it would availe nothing Farr hence therefore ye ungodly ye prophane and Covetous for neither these Divine nor Natural Mysteries are your Portion But for the Virtuous Prudent and well Accomplished Students and Lovers of Chymical Philosophy I have written this short Tract in Brotherly Love not indeed by way of Invitation to the Art tho' its truth and excellency would warrant it there being too many rashly Concerned therein already but to Instruct those rightly seeking and also if possible to prevent all from attempting to effect our Magestery by fruitless and vain Operations by which they not only bring Disgrace to the Art but Poverty to themselves And I may assure the Ingenious that it is the very desire of those that have obtained a reward of their Labour and study to be helpful But I hope such are not ignorant of the Difficulty of the Task for as nothing Gratifies us more then being understood in our own Philosophical Sence so nothing is more regretting then the thoughts of Introducing wicked and blocking Men. Hence is required a peculiar Method in Writing that we may Instruct the one and conceal from the other and indeed many weighty Reasons perswades us to perform the Latter with what skill we can Yet considering that we necessarily must for the Instruction of Tyroes Candidly Write the Truth and that every Treatise when published is lyable to be perused by all we conclude therefore on good Grounds that the Event is more owing to Providence then our Cunning. But indeed the Writings of the Envious together with those of the Ignorant which are not a few have proved a sufficient Bulwark against the rash and confident Approachers and they have also yielded an occasion and opportunity to the more Candid and Knowing to Write the more plain and Familiar And indeed the first Care of a Tyro ought to be the Distinguishing of Writers that he may not only shun the false but envious and Converse with those only that are knowing and Candid And therefore for the Instruction of those that are not capable to make a true distinction between the true false Writings it being indeed difficult for Tyroes for they have Written equal in their Promises both of their Candor and the Readers Reward or rather the latter have excelled I shall recommend the more Candid as well as knowing Masters in this Science with advice to the Studious they need not doubt their Sufficiency to Instruct them in all things necessary without consulting any others tho'true ones by which they may not only shun the false but envious Writings I dare affirm there is nothing more tends to to bring the Searchers of this Art to the knowledge thereof then only to read Candid and knowing Authors nor nothing more confounding than the reading true and false Books with equal Credit I shall therefore recommend the Writings of Hermes Artesius Flammel Riply Trevesan Sendivogius the Author of the Hermetick Secrets which are all Candid Authors and to shorten the reckoning all others that are quoted by these But above any I must recommend one of our Moderns who stiles himself Eironaeus Philalethes Cosmopolita whose Writings are the best Piece of Chymical Philosophy extant and indeed has performed that for the Lovers of Art that Challenges the Garland of Praise from all others for whereas he with many more were fain to acquire the knowledge of the Secret of the Philosophers Magnes from one of their Magical Chalibs from another the use of Diana's Doves from a third the Air or rather Chamelian of the Philosophers from another the gross Preparation of their Menstruum in another the number of Eagles in another all which together with Internal Fires and Proportions secret and Manual operation with their Circumstances he has Philosophically and Methodically taught with more Candor and freedom then those before him Let Tyroes therefore rely upon this the Authors mentioned are abundantly sufficient others may be read to confirm the studious but such that cannot conceive the truth from these would never from all others they can read reap the Knowledge of our Secrets And for the Instruction of the Studious I will Inform them what is requisite to be known in the reading these Authors mentioned and what must be acquired before they conclude they are understood For it is not sufficient if a word or two in one and another seem to harmonize and all the rest seem superfluous and of no value no have no such mean thoughts of the knowing Adepts as tho' either their Subjects were so mean or they so Barren I can assure you their Writings abound with requisite Matter and Concurring Truths and unless they are so read and understood as an Egg is eaten viz. throwing away only the shell which is a small proportion they are not comprehended nor understood aright notwithstanding any Conceit to the Contrary Therefore till they are thus understood go not to practice any Theory with expectation of Success In order therefore to a right understanding I shall lay a sound Foundation for the studious Tyroes and whosoever Builds thereon according to Art shall find it sure and the foundation of all Philosophers Nature therefore forbidding all Generation and Multiplication of Species out of kind let none foolishly endeavour to effect it for as in it self it is impossible so also it is against that unanimous admonition of all Philosophers apply all things to the possibility of Nature Know therefore the Generation and Multiplication of all things is effected no other way than by their own Seeds and proper Matters not from the Commixtion of four Elements as some fondly Imagine The Seed of Animals Resteth in their Reins the Seeds of Vegitables are produced into the Air the Seed of Metals resteth in their Profundity but is only to be found in the Perfect for untill any thing bearing Seed be come to a degree of Perfection it cannot emit its Seed as is seen in an Aple or Pear if pluckt from the Tree before its time it cannot yield Seed likewise the same is known in Humane Youth no more can imperfect or unripe Metalls tho'as in the other the potentiality truly exist How foolish then do many act who not only forsake the perfect which alone can yield seed but even seek a Metaline seed from an Animal or Vegitable O Gross Ignorance exceeding the Vulgar who never expect Wheat without the Seed of Wheat nor a Horse but by a Horse Leave off therefore you foolish and vain Operators seeing the meanest Capacity is

HIS Respected and Worthy FRIEND THy early Love to Hermetick Philosophy sincere Respects to the Masters of it and long perseverance in the Study were sufficient motives to Communicate what might fall into my hands that was rare and valuable tho the Obligations of Friendship were less numerous The Enclosed Manuscript I have had by me for some time but for some Reasons could not communicate it so soon as my respects to thy self and it would have prompt me I have not seen nor heard of many Copies therefore for its Novelty may presume and for its worth speak what I think That it is a compendious and plain Theory of the Principles of Nature in general and of Hermetick Practice in particular Not Phantastically talked of but fundamentally evinced from the necessity thereof and Authority of the Ancient Philosophers Fully manifesting the impossibility of the contrary through the uniformity and Regularity of Natures Actions in the Production of the several Species of Natural and perfect Bodies For the Author I shall nor presume to give any judgement since he is pleased to conceal his Name and Circumstances there by lye obscure the practice of Hermetick Writers But this we may learn that his Candor and Brotherly Love to the Studious and Religious stile Entitles him to Christianity as well as his Matter and Method doth to Knowledge and Practice in the School of Hermes and Nature whether he be old or young Native or Stranger And since he has been thus solicitous and even studious to prevent Errors in all and to direct the feet of the worthy in the way of Truth we must reasonably believe he hath taken the best method to effect it which is to inculcate the knowledge of true Principles and possibility of Nature And indeed I have long conceived the Multitude of Errors in Practice that have happened to the searchers of Art has been most owing to the Ignorance in Principles and the want of a Previous understanding in the Law of Nature Nature no doubt has a Law she cannot transgress let us therefore study to know that and we shall not attempt it neither Art or Accidents may frustrate her end and cause Abortion but neither carry her to or beyond her usual Perfection but in her own way This small Tract worthy Friend Concisely teaches what the Fire and water or Agent and Patient that are active or living are how they are said to be living what their life and how understood and indeed the Nature and Reason of the Hermetick Art very much Illustrated thereby Neither is it barren of so much Divinity and some peculiar Hints that may afford pleasure and profit to one so intent thereon as becomes so deep Philosophy which doubtless is the shadow of Divinity or Younger Sister And indeed I could wish the contemplation of Gods Works in Nature were less omitted by the Christian professors of our Age and the Lucre of Gain more seing it tends to the honour of God good of our Neighbour and satisfaction of our selves every way except our satisfaction be in much Riches and Honour purchased with our most precious time and possessed with Ignorance and Folly which is very short of the Nobility of our Intulect and end of Creation and for which we must surely give an Account Is not the Christian enabled to ascribe the Attributes of Wisdom and Power to God in the Consideration and Contemplation of the Number and Magnitude Order and Beauty of the Works of Creation as he is those of his goodness and Mercy which is over all his Works in manifesting the same word by which they were made to redeem and restore them the last absolutely necessary the first altogether becoming and adorning a virtuous and pious mind and Christian Profession Doubtless the Natural and Mechanick knowledge acquired by Solomon no way unfitted but qualified him for a Divine Who when he had erected that glorious Edifice and beautified it with the choicest Products of Nature and Art as a Naturalist and Mechanick Dedicated the same in great wisdom as a Divine We have Reason to believe the Psalmist no less filled with the consideration of the Attributes that are Manifest in the Creation which even compelled him to celebrate the same almost continually And indeed nothing less is to be thought than that a mind thus possessed with admiration should continually fear so great love so good and adore so glorious a Being incomprehensible Power and Majesty Neither has indeed the Holy Apostles and followers of Christ fallen short but rather excelled in this And truly respected Friend the Characters of Nature are preferable to those of Men since they are Gods and such our Lord himself chose to shew forth the greatest Mysteries by Therefore if ignorant of them how shall we understand his Sermons and Doctrine aright Much might be said but in as much worthy Friend there is no need of Arguments to covince tho this may incourage one so fully satisfied of its Utility innocency and profit to prosecute the same with diligence Judgement and to prefer it to the Mean and unbecoming practices of our Age that solicite nothing but Gain or Greatness and miserably live in this world without the knowledge of Gods greatness and Wisdom love and Mercy made manifest in his Creation and its Redemption But least I should Transgress my intended Limits and detain too long from the Inclosed I shall refer what might otherwise have been here offered in Relation to the Secret Art of Hermes to another Opportunity more convenient and in the mean while continue to desire thy Prosperity and happiness every way as I have hitherto done who am thy Friend in Sincerity and Affection PHILETAEROS Philadelphia OR BROTHERLY LOVE To the Studious in the Hermetick ART IT is real matter of Lamentation to see so many pressing after Knowledge and so few taking the right Path or making a true Estimation thereof I could indeed make known my Zeal on this occasion with pleasure did I not know by Experience that most that are Studious in this Science pass over such lines with impatience and great neglect for their minds be solicitous only about the practice of Alchymy they reject almost every Line that treats not thereof I must indeed Confess that the Arcanum of this Art is not only defirable but truly Excellent and also that thereby Divine Truths are adumbrated yet also do affirm it gives not the possession thereof which is alone Entailed upon that Divine excellency that never faileth Charity For surely whether there be Prophesies they shall fail or Tongues they shall Cease or Knowledge it shall vanish away but the word of the Lord which is Christ the Charity or gift of God to the World abideth for ever Therefore let me admonish the Studious to pursue knowledge in the Path thereof who then will make a true Estimation and will perceive that it is not the ultimate Attainment but only a Link of the Divine Chain And as