t, if it be deduced
into art by some External Object?

I do assuredly believe, that very
many will foolishly say, that this is
a Mortomagical Work of the Devil;
but the Doltish and Ignorant
are affraid to be out-shined by the
true resplendent Light of Verity,
with which their Owl-like Sight
is troubled, and afflicted.

Also the Stars are a cause of
what we treat of, and this cause is
not to be contemned, although I,
nor you, know not how to comprehend
the Celestial Influences of
them in our mind. Nor are the
Plants, which the Earth supplies
us with, to be rejected, although
I; or you, from the External Signature
of them, know not how to
judge aright of the Effect of Virtues
ingenited in them, which they
notoriously exercise, according
to their power, in healing and
conserving Humane bodies. Therefore,
since all others are also offended
at the Internal Light, being
ignorant of all abstruse things, of
which you, or I, want the Science,
how can the same Virtues be deduced
into art, according to the
end for which they were created?
A thousand other like things
might be instanced. Although
you know not the Splendour in
Angels, the Candour in the Heavens,
the Perspicuity in the Air,
Limpitude in Waters, the variety
of Colours in Flowers, hardness
of Metals and Stones, Proportion
in Animals, the Image of GOD
in regenerate Men, Faith in Believers,
and Reason in the Soul;
yet in them there is such a beauty,
as hath been throughly beheld,
and fully known by very few Mortals.

Although in the Stone of Philosophers
there be so potent a virtue,
and the same hath been seen
by me, yet I would not therefore
have any man to think, that my
primary Scope, and intention, is
to perswade the worthy, or unworthy
Sons of this Age, to labour
in this work, no, not at all:
but I shall rather dehort all, and
every of the curious Indagators of
this Art, that they seriously abstain
from this most perilous Arcanum,
as from a certain Sanctum
Sanctorum; yea, and I would admonish
the Studious of this Arcanum,
accurately to take heed to
himself, and beware of the Lectures,
and Association of false
Philosophers. But I hope I shall
satisfie the curious Naturalists,
or investigators of Physical Arcanums,
by communicating and publishing
in this present Discourse, all
which passed between Elias the Artist,
and Me, touching the Nature
of the Stone of Philosophers.
For that is an Ens more Effulgent
than the Morning, or a