Part I. r ALCHYMY. 57

themfelves. However far off the main point they lead us, of this be fure,-— that fomething valuable is to be drained, as it were, out of each.
Geber is good — Artephius is better-~but Flammel is bell of all ; — and better ftill than thefe is the iaftru&ions we give ; for with them a man (fol- lowing our directions) fhall never want gold ; therefore to be an adept is poi- fible, but firft « feek the kingdom of God, and all thefe things ihall be added unto you.” This is truth incontrovertible, and herein lies a vaft fecret— “ feek, and ye (hall find 3” — but remember, whatfaever ye alk, that fhall ye
receive.
The cabala, in its utmoft purity, is contained in the many precepts given in this book. The cabala enables us to underhand — to bring our underftand- ings to afit, and, by that means, to attain knowledge ; — knowledge makes us the children of God — God makes whom he pleafes adepts in wifdom. To be an adept, according to God’s will, is no contemptible calling.
The noble and virtuous Brethren of the Rofy Crofs hold this truth facred,. — that “ Virtue flies from no man therefore how definable a thing is Virtue. She teaches us, firft, wifdom, then charity, love, mercy, faith, and conftancy : all thefe appertain to Virtue ; therefore it is phyfically poflible for any well- inclined man to become an adept, provided he lays afide his pride of reafoning, all obftinacy, blindnefs, hypocrify, incredulity, fuperftition, deceit, &c.
An adept, therefore, is one who not only ftudies to do God’s will upon earth, in refpeCt of his moral and religious duties ; but who ftudies, and ardently prays to his benevolent Creator to beftow on him wifdom and knowledge from the fulnefs of his treafury ; and he meditates, day and night, how he may attain the true aqua vita — how he may be filled with the grace of God ; which, when he is made fo happy, his fpiritual or internal eye is open to a glorious profpecf of mortal and immortal riches : — he wants not food, raiment joy, or any other thing — he is filled with the celeftial fpiritual manna — he enjoys the marrow and fat things of the earth — he treads the wine-prefs, not of the wrath, but of the mercy of God — he lives to the glory of God, and dies faying “ Holy, holy, holy Lord of Sabaoth ! bleffed is thy name, now and for evermore ! Amen.”