,a                                      
,,discovrse                             
,,of                              ,,fire
 and ,,salt1                            
,,discovering                           
,many secret ,mysteries1                
,,as ,,well                             
,,philosophicall1                       
,,as                                    
,,theologicall4                         
,illustration                  ,london1 
,printed by ,richard ,cotes1 #afdi4     
,illustration                           
,to his worthy friend ,captaine         
,thomas ,falconbridge4        _/,sir_/1 
,i ,have been informed of your zeal and 
forwardnesse in advancing  ,learning and
 ,truth1 two commendable vertues1 for a 
man of your merit  and profession4 ,and 
meeting with a subject composed by a    
,french  ,authour1 ,i present the       
,translation to your favourable         
acceptance3 ,it  is of forraign birth1  
though swadled up in an ,english habit3 
,it hath  done much good abroad1 and ,i 

am confident it will do the like here1  
if supported with your approbation3 ,it 
had not seen the ,presse here1  had ,i  
not been assured of the candor and      
integrity of the ,authour4 ,i  repose   
confidence of acceptation1 because the  
,translator hath been of  your long     
acquaintance1 and was lately sensible of
 your propensity and  assistance1 when  
he came in your way3 ,if this may find  
grace with you1  you will engage him to 
make further inquisition into this most 
sacred  and secret mystery1 and to rest1
        ,,sir1                          
,your most affectionate friend          
_/,edvvard ,stephens_/4                 
,illustration                           
,,an                                    
,,excellent ,,treatise                  
,,of                              ,,fire
 and ,,salt                 ,composed by
 the ,lord ,blaise of ,,vigenere4       
,the first part4      ,,pythagoras who  
of all ,pagans was undoubtedly1 by      
common consent  and approbation1 held to

 have made more profound search1 and    
with  less incertainty penetrated into  
the secrets as well of ,divinity1 as  of
 ,nature1 having quaffed full draughts  
from the living source of  ,mosaicall   
,traditions1 amid'st his darke          
sentences1 where1 according  to the     
,letter1 he touched one thing1 and      
mystically understood  and comprised    
another2 7wherein he imitates the       
gyptians and  ,chaldans1 or rather1 the 
,hebrewes1 from whence all theirs       
proceeded7 he here sets downe these two3
 ,not to speake of ,god without  ,light2
 and to apply ,salt in all his          
,sacrifices and ,offerings2 which he    
borrowed word for word from ,moses1 as  
we shall hereafter declare4 ,for  our   
intention is here to ,treat of ,fire and
 of ,salt4    ,and that upon the #i4 of 
,saint ,marke1 ver4 #di4 ,every man     
shall be  salted with ,fire1 and every  
,sacrifice shall be salted with ,salt4  
,wherein foure things come to be        
specified1 ,man1 and ,sacrifice1 ,fire1 

and ,salt2 which yet are reduced to two1
 comprehending under them1  the other   
two2 ,man and ,sacrifice1 ,fire and     
,salt2 in respect of the  conformitie   
they beare each to other4    ,in the    
beginning ,god created ,heaven and      
,earth2 this said ,moses  on the        
entrance upon ,genesis4 ,whereupon the  
,jew ,aristobulus1 and  some ,ethniques 
willing to shew that ,pythagoras and    
,plato had read  ,moses bookes1 and from
 thence drawne the greatest part of     
their most  secret ,philosophy1 alledged
 that which ,moses should have said1    
that  the heaven and the earth were     
first created2 ,plato in his ,timus1    
after1 ,timus ,locrien said that ,god   
first assembled ,fire and ,earth1  to   
build an universe thereof2 7we will shew
 it more sensibly of ,zohar  in the     
,weik of a ,candle lighted1 for all     
consists of light1 being the  first of  
all ,creatures47 ,these ,philosophers   
presupposing that the ,world  consisted 
7as indeed it doth7 of the foure        

,elements1 which are as well  in heaven1
 and yet higher1 as in the earth1 and   
lower1 but in a diverse  manner4    ,the
 two highest1 ,aire and ,fire1 being    
comprised under the name of  ,heaven and
 of the thereall ,region3 for the word 1
 comes from  the verbe  to shine1 and to
 enflame1 the two proprieties of these  
,elements4 ,and under the word ,earth1  
the two lower1 ,earth and ,water1       
incorporated into one ,globe4 ,but      
although ,moses set ,heaven before      
,earth2 7and observe here that in all   
,genesis he toucheth at nothing  but    
things sensible1 but not of intelligible
 things2 which is a point  apart7 for   
concerning this1 there is no good       
agreement between ,jewes  and           
,christians2 ,saint ,chrysostome in his 
first ,homily4 ,observe a  little with  
what dignity the ,divine ,nature comes  
to shine in his manner  of proceeding to
 the creation of things2 ,for ,god      
contrary to ,artists  in building his   
,edifice1 stretched out first the       

heavens round about1  afterwards planted
 the earth below4    ,hee wrought first 
at the head1 and afterwards came to the 
foundation4  ,but it is the ,hebrewes   
custome1 that when they speake most of a
 thing1  they ordinarily put the last in
 order1 which they pretend to touch     
first3 ,and the same is here practised1 
where ,heaven is alledged before        
,earth1 which he comes to discry        
immediately after4    ,in the beginning 
,god created ,heaven and ,earth1 and the
 ,earth was  without ,forme and void2   
,saint ,matthew useth the same1 upon the
  entrance to his ,gospell1 ,the ,booke 
of the ,generation of ,jesus ,christ    
the son of ,david1 the son of ,abraham1 
,abraham begat ,isaac1 c4 ,for  it is   
well knowne1 that ,abraham was a long   
time before ,david3  ,otherwise it      
seemes1 that ,moses would particularly  
demonstrate1  that the ,earth was made  
before the ,heaven1 by the ,creation of 
man1  that is1 the ,image and pourtrait 
of the great ,world1 for that in the    

second of ,genesis1 ,god formed man of  
the slime of the earth1 7that  is to    
say17 his body which it represents2 and 
afterwards breathed in  his face the    
spirit1 or breath of life3 that carrieth
 him backe to  heaven2 whereunto suits  
that which is written in the #a to the  
,cor4  #ae4 ,the first man from the     
earth is earthly1 and the second man    
from  heaven is heavenly3 the first man 
,adam was made a living soule2 and the  
last ,adam1 a quickning spirit4 ,whereto
 the ,generation of the ,creature       
relates1 who six weeks after the        
,conception1 is nothing but a masse of  
informed flesh1 till the soule that is  
infused from above1 doth vivifie  it4   
,moreover the foure ,elements 7whereof  
all is made7 consists of foure          
qualities1 ,hot and ,drie1 ,cold and    
,moist2 two of them are bound up in     
each of them3 ,earth1 that is to say1   
,cold and ,dry1 the ,water1 ,cold  and  
,moist2 the ,aire1 ,moist and ,hot2 the 
,fire1 ,hot and ,dry3 whence  it comes  

to joine with the earth2 for the        
,elements are circular1 as  ,hermes     
would have it2 each being engirded with 
two others1 with whom  it agreeth in one
 of their qualities2 which is thereunto 
appropriate3  as ,earth betwixt ,fire   
and ,water1 participates with the ,fire 
in  drynesse1 and with ,water in        
coldnesse2 and so of the rest4    ,man  
then which is the ,image of the great   
,world1 and therefrom is called  the    
,microcosme1 or little ,world1 as the   
,world which is made after the          
resemblance of his ,archetype1 is called
 the great man2 being composed  of foure
 ,elements1 shall have also its heaven  
and its earth3 ,the soule1  and         
understanding1 are its heaven1 the body 
and sensuality1 its earth3  ,so that to 
know the heaven and earth of man1 is to 
have true and entire  knowledge of all  
the ,universe1 and of the ,nature of    
things4    ,sidenote3 ,act4 #ag4 #bh4   
,from the knowledge of the sensible     
,world1 we come to that of the          

,creator1 and the ,intelligible world2  
by the ,creature1 the ,creator is       
understood1 saith ,saint ,augustine4    
,fire then gives motion to the  body1   
,aire feeling1 ,water nourishment1 and  
,earth subsistence4 ,moreover  heaven   
designes the intelligible world1 the    
earth the sensible3 ,each  of them is   
subdivided into two1 7in every case ,i  
speake not but after  ,zohar and the    
ancient ,rabbins47 ,the intelligible    
into ,paradise  and ,hell2 and the      
sensible1 to the ,celestiall and        
,elementary world3  ,upon this passage  
,origen makes a faire discourse at the  
entry on  ,genesis1 that ,god first made
 the heaven or the intelligible world1  
following that which is spoken in the   
#ff4 of ,esay1 ,heaven is my  seat and  
,earth my footstoole2 ,or rather it is  
,god in whom the world  dwelleth1 and   
not the world which is ,gods habitation3
 ,for in him we  live1 move1 and have   
our beeing2 for the true seat and       
habitation of  ,god1 is his proper      

essence3 and before the ,creation of the
 ,world1 as  ,rabbi ,eliezer sets downe1
 in his ,chapters1 there was nothing but
 the  essence of ,god1 and his name1    
which are but one thing3 ,then after the
  heaven1 or the intelligible world1    
,origen pursues1 ,god made the          
,firmament1 that is to say1 this        
sensible world2 for every body hath ,i  
know not what firmnesse and solidity1   
and all solidity is corporal2 and  as   
that which ,god proposed to make1       
consisteth of ,body and of ,spirit1  for
 this cause it is written1 that ,god    
first made the ,heaven1 that  is to say1
 all spirituall substance1 upon which1  
as upon a certaine  throne1 hee reposeth
 himselfe4 ,the ,firmament for our      
regard is the  body1 which ,zohar       
calleth the ,temple1 and the ,apostle   
also1 ,yee  are ,gods ,temple1 #a ,cor4 
#c4 #ag4 ,and the ,heaven1 which is     
spirituall1  is our soule1 and the inner
 man2 the ,firmament is the externall1  
that  neither seeth1 nor knoweth ,god   

but sensibly4 ,so that man is double1 an
  animall1 and spirituall body1 the one 
,internall1 ,spirituall1 ,invisible2    
that which ,saint ,marke in this place  
designeth for man2 the other            
,externall1 ,corporall1 ,animal1 which  
he denotes by the ,sacrifice which      
comprehendeth not the things that are of
 the ,spirit of ,god1 but the           
,spirituall discerneth all2 ,so that the
 exteriour man is an animal  compared to
 brute beasts1 whereout they tooke their
 offerings for  ,sacrifices3 ,he is     
compared to foolish ,beasts1 and is made
 like them2  for a man hath no more then
 a ,beast3 we must understand the       
,carnall1  and ,animall1 that consists  
of this visible body1 that dyeth as well
  as ,beasts1 are corrupt and returne to
 ,earth3 ,whence ,plato said very  well1
 that which is seene of man1 is not man 
properly4 ,and the first  of            
,alcibiades1 yet more distinctly1 that  
,man is ,i know not what else1  then his
 body1 namely his soule1 as it followes 

afterwards4 ,that which  ,cicero        
borrowed out of ,scipio's dreame2 ,but  
understand it thus1  that thou art not  
mortall1 but this body2 thou art not    
that1 which this  forme declares1 but   
every mans minde is himselfe1 not that  
figure which  may be demonstrated by the
 finger3 ,and the ,philosopher          
,anaxarchus  while the ,tyrant          
,nicocreon of ,cyprus1 caused him to be 
brayed in a  great ,marble ,morter1     
cried out with a loud voice1 ,stampe    
hard1 bruise  the barke of ,anaxarchus1 
for it is not him that thou stampest4   
,but will it be permitted for me here1  
to bring something of  ,metubales8 ,all 
that is1 is either ,invisible1 or       
,visible2  ,intellectuall1 or ,sensible2
 ,agent1 and ,patient2 ,forme1 and      
,matter2  ,spirit1 and ,body2 the       
,interiour and the ,exteriour man2      
,fire1 and ,water2  that which seeth1   
and that which is seen4    ,but that    
which seeth is much more excellent and  
more worthy then that  which is seen1   

and there is nothing that seeth1 but the
 invisible1  where that which is seene1 
is as a blind thing2 therefore ,water is
  a proper and serviceable subject1 over
 whom the ,fire or ,spirit may          
out-stretch his action4    ,also he hath
 elevated it for his habitation and     
residence2 for by  introducing it1 he   
elevates it on high in the nature of    
,aire contiguous  unto it3 which        
invisible ,spirit 7of the ,lord was     
carryed on the waters1  or rather did   
sit over the waters7 did see the        
visible1 moved the  immoveable1 for     
water hath no motion of it selfe2 there 
is none but  ,aire1 and ,fire1 that     
have1 and speake by the ,organs of one  
that is  dumb2 for as when by our winde 
and breath1 filling a pipe or flute1 we 
make it sound though never so mute4     
,sidenote3 ,pour le nouveau4            
,sidenote3 ,joh4 #a4 #ac4    ,this ,body
 and ,spirit1 water and fire1 are       
designed unto us by ,cain  and ,abel1   
the first ,creatures of all others      

engendred of the seed of  man and woman1
 and by their ,sacrifices1 whence those 
of ,cain issuing  from the fruits of the
 earth1 were by consequent corporall1   
dead1 and  inanimate1 and together      
destitute of faith1 which dependeth of  
the  ,spirit1 and are by ,fire dissolved
 into a waterish vapour1 so that to  go 
to finde it in its sphere and           
habitation1 for the newes1 we are to    
suffer thereunder4 ,but those of ,abel  
were spirituall1 animate1 full  of life1
 that resides in the bloud2 full of     
piety and devotion4 ,this  also ,aben   
,ezra1 and the author of the ,handfull  
of ,myrrh1 call a  fire descending from 
one above to regather them3 which       
happened not  to those of ,cain1 which a
 strange fire devoured2 and from thence 
was declared the exteriour man1         
sensuall1 animall1 that must bee  salted
 with ,salt2 ,but ,abel the interiour1  
spirituall1 salted with  ,fire2 which is
 double1 the materiall and essentiall1  
the actuall and  potentiall1 as it is in

 burnings4 ,all what is sensible1 and   
visible1  is purged by the actuall1 and 
the invisible1 and intelligible1 by the 
spiritual and potentiall4 ,saint        
,ambrose1 on the ,treatise of ,isaac    
and of the ,soule4 ,what is man1 the    
soule of him1 or the flesh1 or the      
assembly of those two8 for the clothing 
is one thing1 and the thing  clothed    
another4 ,indeed there are two men 7,i  
leave the ,messihe apart7  ,adam was    
made and formed of ,god2 in respect of  
the body1 of ashes1  and of earth1 but  
afterwards inspired in him the ,spirit  
of ,life2 if  he had kept himselfe from 
misprision1 he was like unto ,angels1   
made  participant of eternall beatitude1
 but his transgression dispossessed     
him4 ,the other man is he1 which comes  
successively to be borne of man  and    
woman1 who by his originall offence is  
made subject to death1 to  paines1      
travails1 and diseases1 therefore must  
hee returne from whence  he came4 ,but  
touching the soule that came from ,god1 

it remains in its  free will3 if it will
 adhere to ,god1 it is capable to bee   
admitted into  the ranke of his         
children1 who are borne not of blood1   
nor of the will  of the flesh1 nor of   
the will of man1 but of ,god4 ,such was 
,adam  before his first transgression4  
,the soule then1 which is the inner man1
 spirit1 and the very true man  which   
liveth properly1 for the body hath no   
life of it selfe1 nor  motion2 and is   
nothing else but as it were the barke   
and clothing of  the inner man1         
according to ,zohar1 alledging that out 
of the #aj of  ,job #aa4 ,thou hast     
clothed me with skinne and flesh2       
whereunto that  in the #f4 of ,s4       
,matthew seemeth to agree1 where to shew
 us how much  the soule ought to bee in 
greater recommendation then the body1 as
 more  worthy and pretious2 our ,saviour
 saith1 ,take no care then how to cloth 
your body1 is not your body better then 
raiment8 and by consequent1  the soule  
more then the body1 since the body is   

but as it were the  vestment of the     
soule1 which is subject to perish1 and  
to use1 7all  shall wax old as doth a   
garment47 ,and the ,apostle in the #a to
 the  ,corinthians1 ,the old man falleth
 away1 but the inner man is renewed     
dayly2 for it washeth it selfe          
7according to ,zohar7 by the fire1 as   
doth a ,salamander1 and the outward man 
by water1 with ,soaps and ,lees  that   
consist of ,salts4 ,of which two manners
 of repurging1 it is thus  said in the  
#ca4 of ,numb4 v4 #bc4 ,all that which  
shall support the  fire1 shall be purged
 thereby1 and that which cannot beare   
it1 shall be  sanctified by the water of
 ,purification2 which was a figure of   
that  which the ,fore-runner spake in   
the #c4 of ,matthew1 ,it is true that ,i
  baptize you with water unto           
repentance1 but he that comes after mee1
  shall baptize you with the ,holy      
,ghost1 and with ,fire4    ,but behold  
how ,zohar speakes more particularly4   
,if it bee so1 ,adam  what is he8 it is 

nought but skin1 and flesh1 and bones1  
and nerves1  he must not passe so4 ,but 
to speak truth1 man is nothing else1 but
 the  immortall soule that is in him2   
and the skinne1 flesh1 bloud1 bones1    
and nerves1 are the vestments wherein it
 is wrapped1 as a little  creature newly
 borne within the beds and linnen of its
 ,cradle3 ,these  are but the utensils1 
and instruments allotted to womens      
children1  not to man or ,adam2 for when
 this ,adam so made1 was elevated out   
of this world1 he is devested of those  
instruments1 wherewith he had  beene    
clothed and accommodated4 ,this is the  
skinne wherewith the ,son of  man is    
envelopped with flesh1 bones1 and       
nerves2 and this consisteth  in the     
secret mystery of ,sapience1 according  
to that which ,moses  taught in the     
,curtains or ,vails of the ,tabernacle1 
which are the  inward vestment1 and the 
,tabernacle the outward3 ,to this       
purpose1 the  ,apostle in the fifth of  
the #b to the ,corinthians1 saith1 ,we  

know  that if our earthly house of this 
,tabernacle were dissolved1 we have  an 
difice not built with mans hand1 but    
eternally permanent in the  high        
,heavens4 ,for in this we groane1       
earnestly desiring to bee clothed  upon1
 with our house which is from heaven1 if
 so be1 that being clothed  wee shall   
not bee found naked4 ,so ,adam in       
respect of his body1 is  a              
representation of the sensible world2   
where his skinne corresponds  with the  
,firmament1 extending heaven like a     
,curtaine4 ,for as the heaven  covereth 
and enveloppeth all things1 so doth the 
skin every man2 in  which1 are          
introduced and fastned its starres and  
signes1 that is  to say1 the draughts   
and lineaments in the hands1 the        
forehead1 and  visage1 in which wise men
 know and reveale1 and makes them       
discerne the  inclination of its        
naturall1 imprinted in the inward2 ,and 
he that doth  conjecture from thence1 is
 as he1 to whom heaven being covered    

with  ,clouds1 cannot perceive the      
constellations that are there1 or       
otherwise  darkened from his sight4 ,and
 although the sagest and most expert in 
these things can finde out something    
therein denoted by the draughts  and    
lineaments of the palme of the hand1 and
 fingers1 or within them2  for by the   
outside1 7it is case a part7 and shew   
nothing1 but the  nailes which are not a
 little secret and mystery1 because by  
death  they are obfuscate1 but have a   
shining lustre while they live1 in the  
haire1 eyes1 nose1 and lips1 and all the
 rest of his person4 ,for as ,god  hath 
made the ,sunne1 ,moone1 and ,stars1    
thereby to declare to the great  ,world1
 not only the day1 night1 and seasons1  
but the change of times1  and many      
signes that must appeare in the earth4  
,so hath he manifested  in the little   
world ,man1 certaine draughts and       
lineaments1 holding  place of lights and
 starres1 whereby men may attaine to the
 knowledge  of very great secrets1 not  

common1 nor knowne of all4 ,hence is it 
that  the ,intelligences of the         
superiour world do distill and breath as
 it  were1 by some channels their       
influences1 whereby the effects come to 
struggle and accomplish their effects   
here below1 as of things drawn  with a  
rude and strong bow1 will plant         
themselves within a ,butt1 where  they  
rest themselves4    ,but to retake the  
discourse of this double man1 and the   
vestment of  him1 the ,apostle in the #a
 ,cor4 #ae4 saith1 ,that there are      
bodies  ,celestial1 and bodies          
,terrestrial1 yet there is a glory both 
of the  one1 and of the other4 ,there is
 a naturall1 or animall body1 and  there
 is a body spirituall3 he will raise up 
the spirituall body  incorruptible2 ,to 
this relates the ,fire1 to the          
corruptible ,salt4    ,from these       
vestments furthermore the occasion      
presents it selfe to  a larger          
extension1 the better to declare who    
must be seasoned with  ,fire1 and who   

with ,salt2 which is here expressed by  
the offering1 to  whom the exteriour    
doth correspond1 according to the       
,apostle1 ,rom4  #ab4 ,i pray you       
brethren1 by the mercy of ,god1 that you
 offer up your  bodies a living         
,sacrifice1 holy1 and acceptable unto   
him1 which is your  reasonable service3 
which it could not make it selfe the    
habitation of  the ,holy ,ghost1 if it  
were not pure1 neat1 and incontaminate4 
,know you  not that your ,body is the   
,temple of the holy ,spirit which is in 
you8  which in ,scripture is commonly   
designed by fire1 with which wee must be
  salted inwardly1 that is to say1      
preserved from corruption2 and from     
what corruption8 from sinne that        
putrifies our soules4 ,origen in his    
#g4 book against ,celsus speaking of its
 vestments1 sets downe1 that  being of  
its selfe incorporeall and invisible1 in
 what corporall place  soever it findes 
it selfe1 it must have a body convenable
 to the nature  of the place where it   

resides4 ,as then when it is in this    
,elementary  world1 it must have also an
 elementary body1 which it takes when it
  is incorporated in the belly of a     
woman1 to grow there1 and there to  live
 this base life with the body1 that it  
hath taken to the limited  terme2 which 
expired1 it devests it selfe of this    
corruptible vestment1  although         
necessary in the earth from whence it   
came 7following that  which ,god said to
 ,adam in the third of ,genesis1 ,thou  
art dust1  and shalt returne to dust17  
to be revested with an incorruptible1   
whose perpetuall abode is in ,heaven4   
,for this corruptible must put  on      
incorruption1 and this mortall must put 
on immortality4 ,and so  the soul       
putting off its first ,terrestriall     
vestment1 takes another  more excellent 
above in the thereall ,region1 which is 
of the nature  of ,fire3 hitherto       
,origen1 to which nothing could be found
 more  conformable1 then that which     
,pythagoras puts towards the end of his 

golden verses3 ,thus forsaking this     
mortall body1 thou passest into the     
free thereall ,aire1 you shall become an
 immortall ,god1 incorruptible1  and no 
more subject to death3 as if he would   
say1 that after this  materiall         
corruptible body1 shall put off the     
,terrestriall and impure  vestment1 the 
perfect portion of it shall shake off   
these filthinesses  and impurities1 and 
shall passe aloft to heaven and adhere  
to ,god1  which it could not doe1 but   
being pure and neat2 nor effect this1   
but by fire4 ,zohar speakes to the same 
purpose1 when the ,elements  destroy    
themselves1 an thereall body succeeds in
 their place which  doth recloath them2 
or to speak better1 the thereall body   
which was  reclad with them1 devests it 
selfe2 and this is represented to us in 
the #e of ,esther1 where it is said1    
that on the third day shee tooke  off   
her clothes that shee was wont to weare1
 and put on her royall  apparell to     
appeare before the ,king2 which         

signifies the holy ,spirit1  and ,esther
 the reasonable soule1 whose vestments  
are the garments of  the kingdome of    
,heaven2 of which he that ,daniel #c4   
chap4 was said  to be like to the ,son  
of ,god1 that crowns the just1 and      
adornes them  with royall apparell1 to  
bring them into the presence of the     
,king of  ,kings1 to the ,paradise of   
pleasure1 clensed with aire from above1 
which the holy ,spirit breathed into it4
 ,origen in his second ,homily  upon the
 #cf ,psalme4 ,it is the manner of holy 
,scripture to introduce  two sorts of   
men1 that is to say1 the interiour and  
the exteriour1 each  of which1 hath need
 as much as concernes him1 of apparell1 
as well  as nourishment2 the external   
corporal man1 maintaines himselfe with  
meats corruptible1 proper and familiar  
to himselfe1 having ever need  of ,salt1
 besides their own connaturall2 but     
there is also meat for the  inward1     
whereof it is said in the #h of         
,deuteronomy1 ,man doth not  live by    

bread onely1 but by every word that     
proceedeth out of the mouth  of ,god4   
,and for matter of drinke1 the ,apostle 
in the #a ,cor4 #aj4  ,our fathers did  
eat the same spirituall meat1 and did   
drinke the same  spirituall drinke2 for 
they did drinke of that spirituall rocke
 that  followed them1 and that rocke was
 ,christ4 ,who speaking of this drinke  
in the #d4 of ,saint ,john1 saith1 that 
hee is the fountaine of living  water1  
and who so drinketh of the water that he
 shall give them1 shall  never thirst4  
,there are also two rayments in regard  
of the inner man4  ,if he be a sinner1  
it is said ,psalme #aji4 ,he hath put on
 malediction  as a garment1 which must  
be to him as his apparell1 wherewith he 
is  covered1 and as a girdle wherewith  
he is girt4 ,and on the contrary  the   
,apostle ,col4 #c4 ,lie not one to      
another1 having cast off the old  man   
with his deeds1 and put on the new1 but 
be clothed with mercy1  benignity1      
humility1 and meeknesse of ,spirit4     

,these are the vestments which ,zohar   
said were the good works and  the       
nuptiall accoustrements of the soule1   
which cannot bee washed or  cleansed but
 by ,fire1 ,every mans work shall bee   
made manifest1 for  the day shall       
declare it1 because it shall be revealed
 by fire1 and  the fire shall try every 
mans worke of what sort it is1 #a ,cor4 
#c4 #ac4 wherein they shall persist     
without impaire1 or consumption1  but   
shall be purified when the soule shall  
therewith be clothed2  from this        
uncleane scumme1 wherein there may      
remaine some spots that  the fire goes  
on to purge1 consuming and defacing     
them4 ,but what is  this fire8 ,it is it
 which is said in the #d and #i of      
,deuteronomy1  our ,god is a consuming  
fire3 which as ,irenus interprets1 was  
to  strike feare and terror into the    
,israelites2 and this afterwards in  the
 #ab to the ,hebrewes1 #bh1 #bi4 ,let us
 serve ,god acceptably with  feare and  
reverence1 for our ,god is a consuming  

fire4 ,for they had  sufficiently       
understood that the world once perished 
by the universall  deluge1 and that it  
may not incurre the like accident1 but  
suffer  its last extermination by fire4 
,adde that in the #cc4 of the ,mosaicall
  ,law1 it is called ,the ,law of fire1 
which is in the right hand of  the      
,almighty1 because of its austerity and 
rigour1 all filled with  menaces1 with  
feares1 with horrors2 as much as the    
,christian is1 with  sweetnesse and     
mercy3 in his right hand1 there is a    
fiery ,law3 which  the ,chaldean        
,paraphrase interpreteth1 for that it   
was given on ,mount  ,horeb1 through the
 middest of fire2 according as it is    
said in the #d  to the purpose touching 
this feare4 ,the ,lord speake unto me   
saying1  ,assemble the people there     
below1 that they may heare my words1 and
  learne to feare me3 ,then came you    
neare to the foote that burned even  to 
heaven1 and the ,lord spake unto you out
 of the midst of fire4 ,and  ,exodus #c4

 the burning bush wherein ,god appeared 
unto ,moses1 and was  not consumed4 ,of 
this consuming fire1 further speaketh   
,zohar thus  in conformity to that      
received ,maxime in naturall            
,philosophy1 that  a great flame doth   
devoure and quench a lesse3 as wee may  
sensibly  perceive by a lighted ,torch1 
which is extinguished by the ,sunbeams1 
and by a kettle set neare a great fire  
that sucks and drawes all out  to it    
selfe3 ,hee saith then upon this ,text  
of the #ce4 of ,exod4 ,you  shall kindle
 no fire throughout your habitations    
upon the ,sabbath3  ,to which purpose1  
said ,rabbi ,simeon1 was that ordained8 
and why was  it not lawfull to kindle a 
fire on the seventh day8 because that   
when  men kindle fire1 it goeth ever    
upwards according to its naturall1 and  
moving above every thing1 following that
 of the #g4 of ,sapience1 where  it is  
compared to fire4 ,in ,wisdome is the   
spirit of understanding1  holy1 one     
only1 manifold1 subtill1 lively1 cleare1

 undefiled1 plaine1  moveable above     
every thing1 and overtops all by reason 
of its purity4  ,the ,fire hath two     
properties1 to be moving1 and pure1 not 
participating  of any uncleannesse2 and 
all motion1 is a kinde of action and    
operation1 forbidden expresly on the    
,sabbath day4 ,fire then mounting       
aloft1 caries with it the impurities    
designed in the #aj4 of ,leviticus  by  
strange fire1 which is there devoured by
 that which proceeds from  the presence 
of the ,lord4 ,and should bee as much1  
as thereby to draw  from it selfe a     
judgement of his offences that must not 
be renewed in  the sanctification of the
 ,sabbath1 for feare that the fire of   
,gods  wrath do not devour and consume  
that of our iniquities1 and us at once1 
if this our fire be not first purged by 
a stronger fire1 that consumeth  and    
devoureth the lesser and more feeble3   
,zohar runs through all  that1 and upon 
the passage of the foresaid fourth of   
,deut4 ,thy ,god is  a consuming fire2  

he speakes further1    ,there is a      
double fire1 the one stronger1 that     
devoures the other4  ,he that will know 
it1 let him contemplate the flame that  
parteth and  mounteth from a kindled    
,fire1 or from a ,lampe or ,torch2 for  
it mounteth  not1 except it be          
incorporated to some visible substance1 
and united  with the aire1 whereupon it 
feedeth4 ,but in the flame that mounteth
  there are two lights1 the one white1  
which shineth and illightneth1  having  
its root somewhat blew2 the other red1  
fastned to the wood1 or  to the weik    
that it burneth4 ,that which is white1  
mounteth directly  upwards1 and         
underneath the red remaineth firme1 and 
departs not from  the matter1           
administring wherewith to flame and     
shine to the other2 but  they come upon 
the point to joine and unite together1  
the one burning1  the other burned1 till
 they bee converted into that which     
predominates  and playes the master1    
namely the white1 alwayes the same      

without  variation and change1 as the   
other doth2 which now growes blacke1    
after becomes red1 yellow1 peach colour1
 sky colour1 azure reinforced  above and
 below1 above with a white flame1 below 
with the blacknesse  of the matter1     
which furnisheth it wherewithall to     
burne1 and at the  last is therewith    
consumed4 ,for this azure1 red1 and     
yellow flame1 the  more grosse and      
materiall it is1 endeavours alwayes to  
exterminate  and destroy that which     
nourished and maintained it3 as sinnes  
do the  conscience which harbours them1 
to the end to make them the perdition   
and ruine of all that which adheres to  
it here below1 so long1 till at  the    
last it remaines extinct2 there where   
the light annexed thereunto1  is not    
eternally extinguished but goes freely  
upward1 and returnes to  its proper     
place of abode1 or residence2 having    
accomplished its action  below1 without 
changing its brightnesse into any other 
colour then  white4 ,in the like case is

 it of a tree1 whose roots are fastned  
within  the earth1 from whence it takes 
its nourishment1 as the weik takes his  
from the tallow1 waxe1 or oyle1 which   
makes it burne4    ,the branch that     
drawes its juice or sap1 by the root1 is
 the same as  the weik1 where the fire  
is maintained by the liquor which it    
drawes  unto it1 and the white flame1   
are the branches and boughes1 clad with 
leaves1 the flowers and fruits1         
whereunto tends the finall end of a     
tree1 are the white flame when all comes
 to bee reduced3 wherefore  ,moses said 
that thy ,god is a consuming fire1 as it
 is true2 for the  fire consumes and    
devoures all that which is under it1 and
 upon which  it exerciseth its action4  
,and therefore very proper in the       
,hebrew text  ,elohenu1 thy ,god1 and   
not ,anonenu1 thy ,lord1 because the    
,prophet  was in this superiour white   
light1 which neither devoureth1 nor can 
be  devoured4 ,and the ,israelites were 
the blew lights1 who endeavour to  lift 

up themselves1 and unite to him under   
the law3 for the ordinary of  this blew 
light1 inclining rather to blacknesse1  
then to whitenesse2 it  is true that is 
constituted as in the midst1 and to     
ruine and destroy  all that it layes    
hold on1 and whereunto it adheres4      
,but if sinners submit thereunto1 then  
the white light shall bee called        
,adonenu1 our ,lord1 and not ,elohenu1  
our ,god1 for that it domineers  and    
devours it4 ,and it is this blew flame  
designed by the little and  last  ,he of
 the sacred venerable foure lettered    
,jehovah1 which  assembles and unites   
with the three first  ,jehu the white   
light1  which shineth in a most cleare  
simplicity ,trin-one1 having under it   
the blackish1 ruddy1  azure colour of   
the little  ,he1 which is  the humane   
nature consisting of the four ,elements1
 for that it is  sometimes represented  
by #d 1 the fourth letter of the        
,alphabet1 and  which marketh the number
 of #d4 ,you will say ,i have brought   

you here a  prolixe place of ,zohar1 ,i 
do avow it1 but it must have a more     
ample  explication1 for there are great 
mysteries covered thereunder4 ,this     
,rabbi superlative to all others1       
endeavouring in his profound and        
abstracted meditations which transcend  
all to elevate our spirits by  the      
similitude of a light1 to the knowledge 
of spirituall things1 which  differs not
 from our principall purpose1 which is  
fire and its effects4    ,of this white 
light1 and of its collaterals2 other    
,rabbins speake1 as  ,kamban1           
,gerundensis2 ,that by the ,caballe it  
appears unto us1 that  the ,scripture   
was an obscure and darke fire1 upon the 
backe of white  fire1 and marvailously  
resplendent4    ,it is the fire 7say    
they7 of the holy ,spirit1 consuming our
 iniquities1  denoted by the red        
inflamed ardor1 and the blew and azure  
flame1 which  is the strange fire1 as   
,saint ,ambrose very well expounds it in
 his  fourth ,epistle to ,simplician4   

,strange fire1 is all the ardor of      
slippery concupiscence1 of avarice1     
hatred1 rancour1 and envy2 ,and of this 
fire no man is purged nor  expiated1 but
 well burned1 which if men offer in the 
presence of the  ,lord1 celestiall fire 
will devour1 as it did ,nadab and       
,abihu2 and  therefore1 he that will    
purge his sinne1 he must cast off from  
him  this strange fire1 and let him     
expiate therefrom2 whereof it is said   
in the #f of ,esay #f4 ,one of the      
,seraphims flew to me having a live     
coale in his hand1 which he had taken   
with the ,tongs from off the  ,altar1   
and touched my lips1 saying1 ,lo this   
hath touched thy lips1  and thine       
iniquity is taken away1 and thy sinne   
purged4 ,having said  a little before1  
that all the house was filled with      
smoake1 which is  as an excrement and   
vapour of fire1 bee it before it be     
lighted1 or  inflamed1 or after it be   
mortified1 and extinct2 from whence it  
comes  to procreate soot1 then which1   

there is nothing more troublesome  and  
hurtfull to the eies1 having carryed    
away with it a parcell of  adustible    
corruption2 which administred to the    
fire its nourishment  and food4 ,this   
may bee seen in the distillation of     
soote1 where there  appeares a notable  
quantity of inflamable oyle1 which      
causeth it yet to  burne2 and of this   
burning there will arise a smoake1 which
 will againe  be concreted into a       
burning smoake1 as aforesaid1 but not so
 much4    ,these are the remnants of    
sinne1 whereof remained some staines    
printed  in the soule1 untill at the    
last1 by a successive repurgation of    
fire1  it be reduced to a point of      
compleat purity2 whereof it is spoken   
in the #d4 of the ,canticles1 ,thou art 
faire my welbeloved1 there is  no       
blemish in thee2 which the white flame  
notifies1 which is the  highest degree  
of burning4 ,those also well know it    
that maintaine a  fire1 for when a      
,fornace begins to bee hot1 it waxeth   

blacke1 then  enforcing the fire1 it    
becomes red1 and at last it waxeth white
 when  it is in the supreame and high   
degree of heat1 where it persisteth  in 
whitenesse more and more4 ,such are the 
actions of fire1 but there  are great   
mysteries thereunder1 ever to declare   
further the advantage  and prcellency1  
that the white colour hath above the    
red1 as to the  ,christian faith1       
designed by white water1 ,apoc4 #d1  #f4
  #ae4 #b4  7,in the middle of the      
,throne there was a ,sea of ,glasse1    
like unto  ,crystall17 far above the    
,judaicall faith1 red1 heat with rigour1
  and severity1 designed by a pillar of 
fire1 that in the night season          
conducted the ,israelites through the   
,wildernesse1 and the white cloud  by   
day1 ,exod4 #ac4 #ba4 ,in the secret    
,hebrew ,theology1 the red alwayes      
notes ,gheburah1 ,austerity2 and the    
white ,ghedulah1 or ,mercy2  ,eliah was 
transported1 and by force carried into  
heaven1 in a fiery  ,chariot1 drawne    

with the like horses4 ,but in the       
transfiguration of  our ,saviour1 ,mat4 
#ag4 #b4 ,his vestments became white as 
snow2 and  ,apoc4 #c4 #f4 ,the ,elect   
are ever clothed in white2 and in the   
#f4 #aa4  speaking of the martyred      
,saints for the faith of their          
,redeemer1 there  was given unto every  
one of them white robes2 ,having set    
down a little  before1 that the ,angell 
which had gotten the victory1 and the   
,crowne1  was mounted on a white horse1 
7as in the #ai1 and #bj4 the ,throne of 
,god is dressed with white7 and hee that
 was mounted on the red horse1  had a   
great bloudy sword in his hand1 that one
 might massacre another4  ,but yet more 
expresly in the first of ,isaiah1       
,although your sins  were as red as fine
 ,scarlet1 they should be as white as   
,snow4 ,and  further1 though they were  
as red as crimson1 they will become as  
white  as wooll4    ,but some may say   
here are many things1 which by little   
and little do  turne us from our        

principall aime1 and are as it were     
extravagant  dresses4 ,but not          
altogether1 yet as to mount some sharpe 
precipice1 wee  must turne about to goe 
at more ease1 to shunne cliffes and     
precipices3  ,so are wee sometimes to   
make some small by-courses and          
digressions to  facilitate our ,theame4 
,rivers that goe turning are more       
commodious for  ,navigation1 then those 
that runne impetuously one way downe4   
,there shall bee nothing at last 7,god  
willing7 unprofitable1 nor from  the    
purpose4 ,then all this red and white1  
is but ,fire and ,water1 the  pillar of 
fire by night1 and the white cloud by   
day2 into which1 as  the ,apostle saith1
 the people of the ,jewes were baptized2
 and in  this cloud the divine ,wisdome 
established his ,throne2 that of the    
,law  of ,moses1 this of grace2 ,fire   
and ,salt4 ,zohar speaking of ,moses    
his two first ,tables1 broken for the   
,idolatry of the ,golden ,calfe1  with  
two pillars1 the one of fire1           

representing naturall heate1 by  which  
all things are vivified2 the other is   
water1 that is radical  moisture1 which 
maintaineth life1 7from which1 that is  
not much  different in the #ae4 of the  
,apoc4 where it is said1 that he saw as 
it were a sea of glass mingled with     
fire17 which radicall moisture  was     
perverted and changed in the deluge by  
the universall inundation1  so that it  
was not since so vigorous as before3 but
 shall at last bee  brought to          
extermination on all sides1 at the end  
of time by a finall  conflagration4 ,the
 first mutation shall meet with some    
mercy1 the race  of mankinde being at   
that time not wholly extinct1 but the   
remainder  was saved with ,noah1 and his
 in the ,arke3 but the second1 shall    
have  none1 but all shall perish by the 
extreame rigour of fire3 ,to the        
purpose of these two substances1 the    
,assyrians and other people of  the     
,east adored ,fire1 as that which       
represented to them naturall heat1  and 

the gyptians with all those on the      
,south of ,nilus1 which is  radicall    
moisture which goes to render it selfe  
into a ,sea impregned  with salt1 to    
preserve it in the end from corruption3 
,now for this  effect1 all humours of   
animall bodies1 bloud1 spittle1 urine1  
and the  rest1 are salted1 without      
which1 all would corrupt each other1 in 
an  instant3 ,behold the difference that
 there is in holy writ1 that apply  the 
meditations of things sensible to       
,sacramentall mysteries2 and  of        
ratiocinations of blinde ,paganisme1 who
 not turning it but above  the barke1   
penetrate no further1 then that which   
the uncertain and  doubtful sense may   
make them comprehend1 without passing   
further to the  relation of divine      
things2 where at last al must refer to  
spiritualty3  resembling therein        
properly to the ,ostrich1 who beates    
sufficiently  with the wing as if shee  
would mount to heaven1 but yet her feet 
for  all that1 do not forsake the earth4

    ,the ,phnician ,theologie1 admitted 
but of one ,element1 ,fire1 which  is   
the principall and chief of all1 the    
productor1 and destroyer of  all things3
 which doth not much disagree from that 
in the #aah4 ,psal4  is the fiery word  
by which times were formed4 ,heraclitus 
also puts  fire1 for the first substance
 that informed all1 and from whence     
they drew all things from power into    
action1 as well superiour1 as           
inferiour1 celestiall and terrestriall3 
,for hot and cold1 moist and  dry1 are  
not substances1 but qualities and       
accidents2 from whence  naturall        
,philosophers forged four ,elements1    
whereas according to verity  there is   
but one2 which according to the         
vestments that it receives  from the    
accidentall qualitie1 takes divers      
appellations4 ,if from the  heat1 it is 
from the ,aire2 from moisture1 ,water2  
from drynesse1 ,earth2  which three are 
but one fire1 but reclothed with divers 
and different  habits4 ,even as ,fire   

extending it selfe in all1 and through  
all2 so  all things come to render unto 
it1 as to the center4 ,so that it may be
  rightly called an infinite and        
indetermined vigour of nature1 or rather
  the vivification thereof1 for without 
it nothing could be comprehended1  seen1
 or obtained1 above or below2 that which
 illightens is celestiall1  that which  
concocts and digests ,aereall1 and that 
which burnes1 is  terrestriall2 which   
cannot subsist without some grosse      
matter coming  from the ,earth1 which he
 reduceth in the end to it selfe2 as we 
may see  in things burned1 converted to 
ashes1 from whence after the extraction 
of ,salt1 rests nothing but pure earth4 
,salt being a potentiall fire1  and     
waterish1 that is to say1 terrestriall  
water1 impregned with fire2  from whence
 all sorts of mineralls1 come to        
production1 for they are  of the nature 
of ,water4 ,the experiment may bee seene
 in strong ,waters1  all composed of    
minerall ,salts1 ,alums1 ,saltpeters1   

which burne as ,fire3  which produceth  
hot and dry exhalations agitated with   
winds1 easie to  take flame1 also of    
flints1 of ,iron1 and of ,wood1 and of  
scraped bones1  especially those of a   
,lion1 as saith ,pliny3 whence we may   
gather that  there is potentiall fire in
 all4    ,not without cause then did    
,pythagoras1 after ,moses1 ordaine not  
to speake of ,god1 or divine things1    
without fire3 for of all things         
sensible1 there is nothing that         
symbolizeth1 or more corresponds with   
,divinity then ,fire3 ,aristotle writing
 to ,alexander related unto  him1 that  
hee had learned of the ,brachmans1 that 
there was a fift  ,element or ,essence1 
which is fire1 wherein the ,divinity    
resides3  because it is the noblest1 and
 purest of all the ,elements2 and that  
which purgeth all things according to   
,zoroastes3 ,plutarch alledgeth  that   
this ,divinity is a spirit of a certaine
 intellectuall fire1 that  hath no      
forme1 but transformes to it selfe all  

that it toucheth1 and  transmutes it    
selfe into all1 as ,proteus the ,genius 
of gypt was  wont to say1        ,omnia 
transformat sese in miracula rerum4     
,and according to ,zoroastes all things 
were engendred of this fire4 ,it  is the
 light which dwelleth 7this saith       
,porphyrius7 in an thereal  fire1 for   
the elementary dissipates all3 ,but more
 authentically1 ,saint  ,denis1 in the  
#ae4 of the ,celestiall ,hierarchy4     
,fire1 forasmuch as  its essence is void
 of all forme1 as well in colour1 as in 
figure1  hath beene found the most      
proper to represent ,divinity to our    
senses1  forasmuch as they can conceive 
and apprehend of the nature and divine  
,essence4 ,the very ,scripture in many  
places1 call ,god and ,angels ,fire1    
and doth not onely propose unto us      
,chariots and wheeles of ,fire2 but  of 
igneall animals1 of burning brookes and 
rivers1 of coales and men  all burned3  
,all these celestial bodies are but     
flaming lights1 and  thrones1 and       

,seraphims all of fire2 there is so     
great affinity and  agreement with      
,divinity3 for the fire that the feeling
 and smelling  perceiveth1 is separated 
in respect of the substance from all    
others1  that may bee joined and mingled
 therewith1 except it bee of the        
matter1 to which it is incorporated to  
burne4 ,it shines1 it spreads  it selfe 
from side to side1 and gathering it     
selfe to its selfe1 with  its light it  
illustrates all that is neare it1 nor   
can it bee seene  without the matter    
whereto it adheres1 and exerciseth its  
action no  more then ,divinity1 but by  
its effects2 nor arrest1 nor fasten1 nor
  mingle with any thing1 nor change so  
long as it liveth1 there where it       
handleth all things1 and draws them to  
its selfe1 and to its nature4  ,it      
renewes and rejoyceth all with vitall   
heat1 it illustrates and  illuminates   
all1 tending alwaies upward1 with       
agility and incomparable  speed4 ,it    
communicates his motion to all1 its     

light1 its heat1 without  any diminution
 of its substance1 what portion soever  
it lends1 but  ever remaines entire in  
it selfe4 ,it comes suddenly and        
returneth as  fast1 without mans        
knowledge whence it comes1 or whither it
 goes3 with  many other worthy          
considerations of this common fire1     
which brings  us to the knowledge of the
 divine fire2 whereof this materiall1 is
  but as a garment and coverture2 and   
,salt the coverture of ,fire1 which  is 
appeased in ,salt1 and agreeth with its 
enemy1 ,water2 as ,earth in  ,saltpeter 
doth with its contra-opposite the ,aire2
 by reason of the  water that is        
betweene them1 for ,saltpeter           
participates of the nature  of          
,brimstone1 and of ,fire1 for that it   
burnes2 and of ,salt1 for that it       
resolves into water4 ,for saith ,heber1 
it is the property of ,salts1  and      
,alums1 to bee dissolved into water1    
sith they were made thereof4  ,but of   
this more to the purpose hereafter in   

its place4    ,sidenote3 ,pag4 #bi4     
,encyclides ab  round4    ,sidenote3    
,eph4 #d4 #bb1 #bd4    ,the meditations 
of the ,covertures1 and revestments are 
of no small  importance1 to mount from  
things sensible1 to things intelligible1
 for  they are all infolded one in      
another1 as an ,encyclie or a spirall   
,moone4 ,zohar makes these revestments  
double1 the one mounting and  devesting 
its selfe1 ,put off the old man1 and put
 on the new2 for no  spirituall thing   
descending downwards1 operates without a
 vestment2  ,sit yee in ,jerusalem till 
you be clad with power from above1 ,luk4
  #bd4 #di4 ,and in this case the body  
envelopeth and reclotheth the spirit1   
the spirit the soule1 the soul the      
intellect1 the intellect the ,temple1   
the ,temple the ,throne1 the ,throne the
 ,sechinah1 or the glory and  presence  
of ,god1 which shineth in the           
,tabernacle4 ,in descending1 this  glory
 is shut out from the ,throne1 and from 
the ,arke of the ,covenant1  which is   

within the ,tabernacle1 or ,intellect1  
the ,tabernacle within the  ,temple1    
which is our ,soule2 ,yee are the       
,temple of ,god1 the ,temple is  in     
,jerusalem1 our vital spirit1 ,jerusalem
 in ,palestine1 our body1  and          
,palestine in the midst of the earth    
whence our body is composed4    ,god    
then being a pure ,spirit1 stript of al 
corporeity and matter1  7for our soule  
being such1 for more reason must hee be 
so1 that made  it to his image and      
resemblance7 hee cannot bee in this     
simple and  absolute nakednesse         
comprehended1 nor apprehended by his    
,creatures1  but by certaine attributes 
which they give him1 which are as many  
vestments1 which the ,caballists do     
particularize to ten ,zephirots1  or    
numerations2 #c in the intelligible     
world2 and #g in the celestiall2  which 
come to terminate in the ,moone1 or     
,malcut1 the last in  descending1 and   
the first in mounting from the          
,elementary world  upwards1 for it is a 

passage from here below to heaven4 ,so  
that the  ,pythagoreans call the ,moone 
the ,celestial earth2 and the heaven  or
 terrestrial ,star1 all the nature here 
below in the elementary  world1 being in
 regard of the celestiall1 and the      
celestiall of the  intelligible2 this   
,zohar called feminine  passible1 as    
from the  ,moone towards the ,sunne1    
from whom so much as she absents her    
selfe  till she comes to its opposition1
 by so much she increaseth in light  for
 our regard here below2 where on the    
contrarry in her conjunction1  that shee
 remaines all darkened1 the party upward
 is all illightned1  to shew us1 that   
the more that our understanding doth    
abate to things  sensible1 so much the  
more doth he disjoine or sever them from
 the  intelligible2 and contrariwise1   
this was the cause that ,adam was       
lodged in an earthly ,paradise1 to have 
more leisure to contemplate on  divine  
things2 when he thought to turne after  
sensible and temporall  things1 willing 

to taste of the fruit of the tree of    
knowledge of  good and evill1 whereby   
hee departed from that of life1 to      
assubject  himselfe to death1 he was    
banished from thence and put out4 ,to   
this  very purpose ,zohar doth yet adde1
 that two vestments come from heaven  to
 this temporall life2 ,the one formall1 
white1 and resplendent2  masculine1     
fatherly1 and agent2 for whatsoever is  
active takes place  from forme1 of the  
male and from the father1 and this very 
thing comes  to us from fire1 and from  
the clearnesse of the stars to          
illustrate  our understanding4 ,the     
other is red1 maternall1 fminine2 for   
the  soule1 coming from the substance of
 heaven1 which is more rare then  that  
of heavenly bodies4 ,that of the        
understanding is lodged in the  braine1 
and the other of the soule1 in the      
heart4 ,the intellect or  understanding1
 is that part of the reasonable soule   
made and formed  after the image and    
semblance of its ,creator1 and the soule

 in it1 the  animal faculty called      
,nephesch1 the life1 namely1 that which 
resideth  in the bloud3 and as the      
heaven containes the stars1 this        
contains  the intellect1 which to us is 
for the rest common with brute beasts4  
,but the intellect1 or reasonable soule 
is proper and particular to  men1 that  
which can merit or demerit2 therefore it
 needs repurgation  and cleansing from  
the spots that it hath drawne and       
conceived from  the flesh wherein it was
 plunged1 according to that in the #h4  
of  ,genesis #ba4 ,the thought and      
imagination of mans heart1 were inclined
  to evill from his youth4 ,and sith it 
is a question1 about cleansing  the     
vestment which is of a fiery nature1 it 
must likewise be1 that it  be done by   
meanes of fire2 for wee see by          
experience1 that one fire  chaseth away 
another1 as it hath been said           
heretofore1 so that if a  man bee burnt1
 there is no readier remedy1 then to    
burne it againe  in the same place2     

enduring the heat of the fire as much as
 you can3  which drawes the inflammation
 to its selfe1 out of the party1 or else
  tempering it with ,aqua vit wherein   
,vitriol hath beene calcined1  from     
whence ,chirurgeons have not found a    
more soveraigne remedy to take  away the
 fire of a musket shot1 to heale        
inflammations and gangrenes2  and yet   
there are two fires joined together4    
,but that which during this  life must  
repurge our soules1 is that whereof     
,saint ,augustine in the  #bi4 ,sermon  
speakes thus out of the ,apostles words1
 for there is another  afterwards3      
,kindle in your selves a sparkle of good
 and charitable  dilection1 blow it1 and
 kindle it1 for when it shall grow to a 
great  flame1 that will consume the hay1
 wood1 and chaffe of all your carnall   
concupiscences1 but the matter wherewith
 this fire must bee continued1  are     
prayers1 and good workes1 which must    
alwayes burne on your altar1  for it is 
it whereof our ,saviour said1 ,i am come

 to put fire in the  earth1 and what    
will ,i if it bee already kindled8 ,luke
 #ab4 #di4  ,there are further two      
fires3 one on the bad part1 to wit1 of  
carnall  concupisence2 the other of the 
good1 which is charity1 which consumes  
all the bad1 leaving nothing but good1  
which exalts it selfe in a fume  of a   
sweet odour2 for the heart of every one1
 is as an altar1 either  of ,god or of  
the adversary3 and therefore hee that is
 illuminated with  the torch of charity1
 which must more and more bee increased 
by good  works1 that it may nourish in  
it selfe the ardour that our ,saviour   
will  vouchsafe to kindle1 whereby that 
is accomplished1 which the ,apostle     
saith in the #e to the ,ephes4 ,that    
,jesus ,christ hath appropriated  to    
himselfe a ,church1 not having spot or  
wrinckle1 holy1 and pure1  without      
blemish4 ,for that which the ,church is 
in generall1 and common  towards ,god1  
the conscience of every one of us1 is in
 particular the  same1 when it is       

sincerely prepared1 as it is requisite2 
and that upon  the foundation thereof1  
men build ,gold1 ,silver1 pretious      
stones2 that  is to say1 a firme faith1 
and beleefe1 accompanied with good      
works1  without which faith is dead and 
buried2 all upon the model and pattern  
of the heavenly ,jerusalem designed in  
the #ba of the ,apoc4 which is  the type
 of the ,church2 as is also the         
reasonable soule1 where it must  burne  
alwaies with fire upon the ,altar1 and  
after the imitation of the  wise and    
prudent virgins1 we may have our lamps  
ready1 well lighted1  and garnished with
 what is needfull to maintaine light1   
attending the  ,bridegrome3 as our      
,saviour commanded it in ,saint ,luke   
#ab4    ,zohar furthermore makes this   
repurgation of the soule to bee double1 
which is not farre disagreeing from our 
beleefe4 ,one is whilest the  soule is  
yet in the body1 hee cals that according
 to the mysticall  manner of speaking1  
the conjunction of the ,moon with the   

,sunne1 then1  when in regard of us here
 below it is not illuminated2 for as    
long  as the soule is annexed within the
 body1 it enjoyes very little of  its   
owne light1 being all darkened thereby1 
as if it were imprisoned  in some darke 
obscure prison4 ,and this repurgation   
doth consist in  repentance of its      
misdoings1 satisfaction for them1 and   
conversion to  a better life2 in        
fastings1 almes1 prayers1 and other such
 penitences1  which may be exercised in 
this world4 ,the other is1 after the    
separation of soul and body1 which is   
made in the purgative fire2 which       
neither ,jewes1 ,mahometans1 or         
,ethnicks1 ever called in doubt4    ,but
 when with supreame light life leaves   
us1 yet all evill from  miserable men1  
nor yet all corporeall plagues do passe 
away1 and the  punishment of old evils  
do weigh us1 some are exposed to vaine  
windes2  to others under a vast gulfe   
their infected wickednesse is washed    
off1  or burnt with fire4    ,where     

there are set forth three repurgative   
,elements1 ,aire1 ,water1  and ,fire2   
,but wee must not understand 7saith     
,saint ,augustine1 on  his third ,sermon
 upon such as are diseased7 that by this
 transitory  fire grievous and mortall  
offences1 and capitall sins are purged1 
if  they have not beene repented of in  
this temporall life2 or to blot  out the
 expiation on the other side1 where the 
rest is perfected in  the fire1 as      
man-slayers1 adulterers1 false          
witnesses1 concussions1  violences1     
rapines1 injustices1 infidelitie1       
erroneous obstinations1  and the like2  
which are directly opposite to ,gods    
,divine precepts and  commandements3 but
 the smaller faults onely1 which they   
call veniall  sinnes1 as eating and     
drinking to excesse1 vaine words1       
foolish  desires1 and depraved          
concupiscences1 not brought to effect3  
not to  exercise the works of mercy1    
whither common charity1 and             
commiseration  cals us1 and such other  

frailties3 of which if we repent not1 in
 this  world1 fire shall repurge us in  
another1 and more sharply4 ,to this     
purpose the ,hebrewes make a triple     
distinction of sins1 ,chataoth are      
those that wee mistake against our      
selves1 without hurting any other1  but 
our selves1 gourmandizings1             
inconstancies1 lazines1 idlenesse1      
anger1 spite4 ,the ,avonoth1 are        
addressed to our neighbour1 which  do   
not blot out and pardon1 but by meanes  
of reparation3 and the  ,peschaim the   
transgressions1 prvarications1 and      
impieties1 directly  addressed against  
,god3 ,they draw this first out of the  
#cd of ,exodus  #g4 pardoning iniquitie1
 rebellion1 and offences2 more in the   
#ajf  ,psal4 #f4 ,we have sinned1 wee   
have committed iniquity1 wee have done  
foolishly2 and in the #i of ,dan4       
,chatanu1 ,veavinu1 ,vehirsannu2  there 
are sinnes saith ,zohar1 imprinted      
above1 others below1 and  others both in
 the one and in the other2 above1       

against ,god2 below1  against our       
neighbour2 and in the one1 and in the   
other against our  selves1 bodies and   
goods1 as well our neighbours as our    
owne2 noting  that below1 the soule2    
that above1 made after the image and    
semblance  of ,god4 ,if they bee blotted
 out below1 they are so above4 ,jesus   
,christ  after his resurrection breathed
 on his ,disciples1 and said unto them1 
,receive the holy ,ghost2 ,to whom      
soever you pardon sinnes1 they shall    
bee pardoned2 and whose sinnes soever   
yee retaine1 they are retained4  ,joh1  
#bj4 #bc4 that which you shall binde on 
earth shall be bound in  heaven4    ,but
 to returne to the recloathing1 and to  
say something thereof1 the  superiour is
 alwaies clad with the inferiour1 the   
intelligible world1  with the           
celestiall1 which is but as it were a   
shadow thereof1 and the  celestiall with
 the elementary3 and notwithstanding it 
would seeme  cleane contrary by the     
figure of ,hypallage as in the #ah4     

,psal4 ,god  hath put his ,tabernacle in
 the ,sunne1 which is to say1 hee hath  
put  the ,sunne in his ,tabernacle1     
which is1 heaven2 for ,god doth not     
reside  in this ,world1 but rather the  
,world in ,god1 who comprehends all1 for
  in him wee live1 wee move1 and have   
our beeing4 ,also the intelligible      
world should be clothed with the        
celestiall1 and the celestiall with  the
 elementary4 ,but this to shew that we  
cannot well comprehend  heaven1 being so
 remote from us2 but by that which is   
expounded to the  knowledge of our      
senses here below1 nor of the separated 
,intelligences1  but by the sensible4   
,there was nothing 7said the            
,philosopher7 in the  intellect1 that   
was not first in the sense4 ,and the    
,apostle in the  first to the ,romanes1 
that the invisible things of ,god1 are  
seene  in the ,creation of the world1 by
 those that were made4 ,this all        
conformably unto ,zohar1 ,in thee 7said 
he2 in the prayer of ,elias  addressing 

himselfe to ,god7 there is no           
resemblance1 nor any image  interiour1  
or exteriour2 but further1 thou hast    
created heaven and  earth1 and produced 
out of those the ,sunne1 and the ,moon1 
the ,starres  and the ,signes of the    
,zodiack2 and in earth ,trees1 and      
,herbs1 delights  in ,gardens1 with     
,beasts1 ,birds1 and ,fishes1 and at    
last ,men2 that  from thence things     
above might bee knowne4 ,and of the     
superiours1 the  inferiours together1 so
 that the one and the other may bee     
governed3  ,plutarch alledgeth in his   
,treatise of ,osiris1 that in the ,city 
of  ,sais in gypt1 there was such an    
inscription in the ,temple of  ,minerva1
 borne out of ,jupiters braine1 which is
 nothing else but the  sapience of the  
,father4    ,i am that which was1 which 
is1 and which shall bee1 and as yet     
there  is none amongst mortall men1 that
 hath yet discovered my vaile3 for      
,divinity is so wrapped in darkness1    
that you cannot see day through  it4 ,i 

see him not1 for hee is darkened with an
 over dark cloud1  said ,orpheus3 and in
 the #ag ,psal4 which made darkenesse   
his  hiding place4 ,further in the #d of
 ,deut4 ,you came to the foot of  a     
mountaine that burned1 even to heaven1  
and therein was darkness1  thick clouds1
 and obscurity3 for in regard of ,god   
towards us1 light  and darknesse1 are   
but one thing3 as is his darknesse1 such
 is his  light3 ,and in the #af of      
,isaiah1 ,make thy shadow as the night1 
in the  midst of the noone day4 ,the    
very same1 as well the affirmative1 as  
the negative2 by which1 that which is   
quippollent unto darknesse1 we  may     
better apprehend something of the       
,divine ,essence1 but not by the        
affirmative1 that relates unto light1 as
 ,rabbi ,moses doth excellently  well   
dispute it in his #eg4 chapter of his   
first booke of ,more3 ,for  the ,divine 
light1 is insupportable above all to all
 his ,creatures1 even  to the most      
perfect1 following that which the       

,apostle sets downe in  the #a of ,tim4 
#f4 ,god dwels in light inaccessible1   
that no man can  see3 ,so that it is to 
us in stead of darknesse1 as the        
brightnesse of  the ,sun is to ,moulds1 
,owles1 and other night birds3 which    
darknesses  are the revestments1 and as 
the borders and cloisters of the light2 
for represent to your selves some       
,lanthorne placed on the top of a       
mountaine3 all round about it as from   
the ,center to the ,circumference1  it  
shall spread its light equally1 as farre
 as it can extend it3 so  that at the   
last darknesse will terminate it1 for   
darknesse is nothing  else1 but the     
absence and privation of light3 ,even   
the very same1  the exteriour man1      
carnall1 animall1 is the coverture2 yea 
darknesse  of the interiour spirituall3 
after the manner or fashion of some     
,lanthorne of wood1 or stone1 and other 
darke matter1 which keeps that  the     
light there shut in1 could not shew     
forth its light1 the ,lanthorne         

symbolizing to the body1 and the light  
within to the soule4 ,but if  the body  
bee subtiliated to an thereall nature1  
from thence it comes  to passe1 as if   
the ,lanthorne were of some cleare      
,crystall1 or of  transparent horne3 for
 then the soule and its functions1 do   
shine there  about openly without       
obstacle4 ,sith then1 to the one of     
these two1  namely to the inner man1 is 
attributed fire1 that answers to the    
soule1  and salt to the outward man1    
which is the body3 as the sacrifice or  
man  animall is the revestment of the   
spirituall designed by the ,man1 and  by
 ,fire3 ,the vestment of this ,fire will
 bee ,salt1 in which1 fire is           
potentially shut in2 for all ,salts are 
of the nature of fire1 as being  thereof
 begotten4 ,geber saith1 that salt is   
made of every thing that  is burned1 and
 by consequent1 participant of its      
proprieties1 which are  to purge1 dry1  
hinder corruption1 and unboile2 as wee  
may see in all  salted things which are 

as it were halfe boiled1 and are kept   
longer  uncorrupt then raw1 also in     
potentiall burning irons which burne1   
and  are nothing else but ,salt4        
,will it bee lawfull for us here to     
bring one entire passage of ,rhases  in 
a book of the ,secret ,triplicity8 for  
it is not common to all1 and  wee will  
strongly insist on this number by reason
 of the three ,fires  and three ,salts1 
whereof wee pretend to ,treat4 ,so that 
there is a  ,mystery in this number of  
#c that must not bee forgotten1 for that
 it  represents the operation1 whereof  
,fire is the ,operator2 for #a1 #b1 #c1 
makes #f1 the #f dayes wherein ,god in  
the ,creation of the world perfected    
all his workes1 and rested the seventh  
day4    ,there are 7saith ,rhases7 three
 natures1 the first whereof cannot  bee 
knowne nor apprehended1 but by a deepe  
elevated ,meditation3 ,this  is1 that   
all-good ,god ,almighty1 ,author1 and   
the first ,cause of all  things4 ,the   
other is neither visible1 nor tangible1 

although men should  bee all contrary2  
that is to say heaven in its rarity4    
,the third  is the ,elementary ,world1  
comprehending all that which is under   
the  thereall ,region1 is perceived and 
known by our senses4 ,moreover ,god     
which was from all ternity1 and with    
whom before the ,creation of the  world1
 there was nothing but his proper name  
knowne to himselfe1 and  his ,sapience2 
that which hee created on the first day1
 was the water  wherein hee mingled     
earth1 then came hee to procreate after1
 that  which had a beeing here below4   
,and in these two ,elements1 thicke and 
grosse1 perceptible to our senses1 are  
comprehended the two other1 more        
subtill and rare1 ,aire1 and ,fire4     
,these four bodies being1 7if we must   
call them bodies7 bound together with   
such a minglement1 that they  could not 
perfectly separate4 ,two of them are    
fixed1 namely1 ,earth and  ,fire1 as    
being dry and solid2 the other two      
volatile1 ,water1 and ,aire1  which are 

moist and liquid3 so that each ,element 
is agreeable to the  other1 two         
wherewith is bounded and enclosed1 and  
by the same meanes1  containes two in it
 selfe1 the one corruptible1 the other  
not1 the  which participates of the     
,divine nature3 and therefore there are 
two  sorts of ,waters1 the one pure1    
simple1 and elementary2 and the other   
common1 which we use in ,lakes1 ,wels1  
,springs1 and ,rivers1 raines and  other
 impressions of the ,aire4 ,there is    
likewise a grosse ,earth1 filthy  and   
infected2 and a ,virgin ,earth1         
crystalline1 cleare1 and shining1       
contained and shut up in the ,center of 
all the composed ,elementaries2  where  
it remaines revested1 and covered with  
many foldings one upon  another4 ,so    
that it is not easie to arrive there1   
but by a cautelous  and well graduated  
preparation by fire4 ,there is also a   
fire which is  maintained almost of it  
selfe1 and as it were of nothing1 so    
small is  the nourishment that it       

needeth2 whence it comes to bee more    
cleare and  lucent1 and another obscure1
 darke1 and burning1 and consuming all  
that  to which it is fixed1 and it selfe
 at last4 ,and ,aire on the other side  
pure and cleane1 with another           
corruptible full of legerity1 for of all
  the ,elements1 there is none more     
easie to be corrupted then the aire2    
all which substances so contrary and    
repugnant1 mingled with elementary      
bodies are the cause of their           
destruction3 wherefore of necessity that
  which is pure and incorruptible1 must 
be separated from its contrary1  the    
corruptible and impure1 which cannot be 
done but by fire1 the  separator and    
purificator4 ,but the three liquid      
,elements1 ,water1 ,aire1  and ,fire1   
are as inseparable one from the other1  
for if the ,aire were  distracted from  
the fire1 the fire which hath therefrom 
one of its  principall maintainments and
 food1 would suddenly extinguish1 and if
  the water were separated from the     

,aire1 all would bee in a flame4 ,that  
if the ,aire should be quite drawne from
 the water1 for as much as by  its      
legerity1 it holds it somewhat          
suspended1 all would be drowned4        
,likewise if ,fire should be separated  
from the ,water1 all would bee  reduced 
into a deluge4 ,for three ,elements     
neverthelesse may well bee  disjoined   
from the ,earth1 but not wholly1 there  
must remaine some  part to give         
consistence to the ,body3 and render it 
tangible1 by the  meanes of a most      
subtill and thinne portion thereof1     
which they will  elevate with them1 out 
of this gross thickness that remaines   
below1  as wee may sensibly see in      
glass1 which by an industrious ,artifice
 of  fire1 is depured of the darknesse  
that was in the ashes1 to passe from    
thence to a transparent clearnesse1     
which is of the nature of ,fire  and    
indissoluble ,salt1 accompanied with a  
firme and solid thicknesse1  having     
neither transpiration nor pores4    ,but

 wherefore should wee not hereto file   
all in one traine1 those  so excellent  
,meditations of ,zohar1 sith all depends
 on the same  purpose8 ,god formed ,adam
 of the slime of the earth1 or according
  to the ,hebrew1 ,god formed man dust  
of the earth2 which word of  forming    
belongeth properly to ,potters1 who     
fashion of earth all that  they thinke  
good4 ,and touching the dust1 this is   
but to abate our  pride1 with which wee 
may bee swolne1 when wee consider the   
vile and  corruptible matter1 whereof   
wee are made1 in respect of our bodies1 
which is nothing else but mire and dirt4
 ,consider then three things  7saith    
,zohar7 and thou shalt not fall into    
transgression4 ,remember  from whence   
thou art come1 of such filthy and foule 
stuffe1 and whither  thou must at last  
returne1 to dust1 wormes1 and           
rottennesse2 and before  whom thou art  
to render an account1 and reason of all 
thy actions1 and  comportments2 who is  
the soveraigne ,judge1 the ,king of all1

 who leaves  no transgression           
unpunished1 nor good worke              
irrecompensed4 ,adam then  and all his  
posterity were formed of the dust of the
 earth1 which  had before beene moistned
 with the fountaine or vapour1 which was
  highly elevated by the ,sunnebeams to 
water and to soften the earth3  ,for the
 ,earth being of it selfe cold1 and dry1
 is altogether sterill  and fruitlesse1 
if it be not impregned with moisture and
 heat1 whence  proceed fecundity4 ,so   
that ,adam was composed of ,earth and   
,water  mingled together3 ,these two    
elements betoken a double faculty in    
him1  and double formation1 the one of  
the body1 in regard of this age2 the    
other of the soule1 in another world4   
,water shewes the celestiall            
,meditation whereto our spirit may exalt
 it selfe2 and the earth of it  selfe   
immoveable1 and that can never budge    
from below1 nor willingly  mingle with  
the other three volatil elements1 by    
reason of its extreame  drynesse1 so    

that it doth but grow hard by the action
 of fire1 and  makes it selfe more      
contrary and untractable by the spirit  
of  contradiction hard and refractory   
from the flesh1 against the spirit1  so 
that shee should reject the water which 
men thought to put therein1  if it were 
not by meanes of the subtill ,aire1     
interposing and mingling  therewith1 and
 penetrating into the smallest parts3   
which being suckt  within the water1    
forces the earth to feed on it1 to      
inclose it in  her selfe1 as if shee    
would detaine it prisoner1 and by that  
meanes  remaines great2 as the female by
 a male2 for every superiour thing in   
order and degree1 holds the place of    
male1 to that which is inferiour  and   
subject thereunto4    ,sidenote3        
,argilla4    ,sidenote3 ,gen4 #d4 #g4   
,now if the ,aire absent it selfe1 which
 associates and unites them  together1  
as being suppeditated and banished1     
which is moist and hot1  from the       
extreame drynesse and coldnesse of the  

earth1 it will force  it with all its   
power to reject the water1 and so reduce
 it selfe to  its first drynesse2 which 
we may perceive in ,sand1 which will    
never  receive water1 except it be      
quickly separated4 ,even so the earth is
  alwaies rebellious and contumacious of
 it selfe to bee mollified1 be it  by   
water1 by aire1 by fire2 and after this 
manner there was a spirit of            
contradiction and disobedience          
introduced into ,adam1 by reason of the 
earth1 whereof he was formed3 as his    
,companion and himselfe do shew1  when  
by the suggestion of the ,serpent1 the  
most terrestriall animall  of all       
others1 they so easily contradicted that
 extreame prohibition  which was given  
them of not tasting the fruit of the    
knowledge of good  and evill3 for the   
punishment whereof1 it was said to the  
,serpent1  thou shallt eat earth all the
 dayes of thy life3 which ,isaiah       
resumes in #fe4 chap4 ,dust is thy      
bread3 ,and to ,adam1 that the  earth   

should produce nothing but thornes1     
briars1 and thistles1 by  means whereof1
 if he would live1 he must cultivate it 
with the sweat  of his browes1 till     
returne to that from whence he was      
drawne1 for  being dust hee must returne
 to dust4 ,but water which notifies     
,divine  speculations1 disirous to      
mingle1 and unite with all things1 to   
whom it  gave beginning1 and made them  
grow and multiply1 is as the carriage or
  vestment of the spirit1 following that
 which was said in the beginning  of the
 ,creation1 that the ,spirit of ,god was
 stretched over the waters1  or as the  
,hebrew word ,marachephet caries it1    
hovering over them1  fomenting and      
vivifying them1 as a ,henne doth her    
,chickens1 with a  connaturall heat2 for
 this word ,elohim imports ,i know not  
what1  of heate and fire4 ,by ,water    
then the docill spirit1 obedient to the 
invitations of the intellect1 insinuated
 it selfe into ,adam2 and by  ,earth the
 refractory1 and opiniaster1 that       

spurneth against the pricke2  for as the
 earth was the most ignoble ,element of 
all others1 water  rejecteth it1 and    
disdaineth it1 and could agree with it1 
but as to  a lee and excrement2 but if  
the pure and neat spirit remaines within
  the water1 where it made choice of its
 residence2 for from the three  natures 
of earth1 water at least never joines   
with the two1 7that is to  say7 sand1   
for its extreame drynesse that causeth a
 discontinuation of  parts3 and the dirt
 to be fatty and unctuous3 there is not 
any thing  else1 but slime only1 with   
which some food and mingling which may  
bee  thereof made1 the water at last    
lets it reside below1 and it swimmes    
over3 as being of a contrary nature1 the
 one altogether immoveable1  solid1 and 
compact2 the other fluent1 removing1 and
 gliding as bloud  through the veines1  
wherein the spirits reside2 who can     
easily bee  elevated to bee of a fiery  
quality1 alwayes soring upward3 ,so that
 the  water which notifies the interiour

 spirit1 endeavours to devest it  selfe 
of this externall coagulation2 for all  
coagulation is a kinde  of death and    
waterishnesse of life2 and would never  
more associate  therewith1 nor revest it
 selfe by reason of its contumacy2 were 
it not  that the soveraigne ,master1 and
 ,lord ,adonai by his providence1 for   
the propagation of things1 7as long as  
hee shall please to maintaine  in       
beeing1 this faire worke of his hands7  
constraine these two1 ,earth  and       
,water1 to agree in a sort together1 by 
its ,angell or ,minister  that rules in 
the ,aire4 ,man moreover hath towards   
himselfe frank and  free will in his    
full power and disposition3 ,the        
appetite of sinne  shall be under thee1 
and thou shalt have domination over it1 
,gen4  #d4 ,but if hee be adheering to  
the earth1 7that is to say7 to carnall  
desires and concupiscences1 whereunto he
 is most inclinable1 he shall  do       
nothing but evill4 ,and if to the       
spirit1 designed by water1 all  that hee

 doth shall goe well4 ,the ,river of    
,god is filled with waters4  ,and in the
 #dd4 of ,isaiah1 ,i will powre out     
water upon him that is  thirsty1 and    
floods upon the dry ground3 ,i will     
powre out my ,spirit  upon thy seed1 and
 my blessing upon thine offspring4 ,so  
that as long  as the water doth suffer  
and remaine united with the earth1 the  
good  ,spirit resteth with man1 by which
 wee are admonished by the wise man1    
,prov4 #e4ae1 to drinke waters out of   
our ,cisterne1  rivers out  of our own  
,wel4 ,but when the earth by its        
rebellious and repugnant  drought1      
rejecteth water1 there resteth nothing  
therein but its hard  and refractary    
obstination1 till that by meanes of the 
aire1 the spirit  that joines and unites
 them together 7which are holy          
inspirations7  it bee newly remoistned  
and watered3 ,by meanes whereof when wee
 have  this good spirit of salutary     
water1 whereof it is written in the #ae 
of  ,ecclesiasticus1 ,thou shalt give   

him the water of wisdome to drinke3  wee
 must take heed of casting it away1 and 
to make our selves all dry  earth and   
sandy1 which is not satisfied with      
water1 and therefore  produceth nothing4
    ,sidenote3 ,psal4 #cf4 #f4    ,but  
all this is more clearly expressed in   
the ,gospell1 where by the  meanes of   
this fructifying water1 our ,saviour    
which is a ,fountaine  that is never    
dry1 the holy ,spirit commeth to put    
into our hearts that  which moistneth   
the hardnesse of the earth1 watereth it1
 and dresseth  it1 to produce the ripe  
fruits of good and charitable works4    
,the water  which ,i will give you      
7saith he1 ,joh4 #d4 #ad47 shall be a   
,fountaine  of living water1 springing  
up into eternall life4 ,of this water   
the  ,prophets have clearely spoken1 as 
,david in the #cf4 ,psal4 ,for with     
thee there is a ,fountaine of life1 and 
in thy light wee shall see  light4 ,see 
how he joines water with light1 which is
 fire2 so that this  digression seemes  

to bee lesse impertinent2 and in the    
#ab4 of ,esay  #c4 ,you shall draw water
 with joy out of the wels of salvation4 
,more  ,jerem4 #b4 ,they have forsaken  
me1 that am the ,fountaine of living    
water1 and have digged to themselves    
,cisternes1 broken ,cisternes that  will
 hold no water4    ,in this of ,zohar   
7as above7 are comprised the principall 
secrets and  actions of ,fire1 and of   
its contrary1 the ,patient1 which is1   
,water3 for  the acts of ,actives are in
 the disposition of the ,patient1 7said 
the  ,philosopher27 for the effects     
cannot better be discerned then where   
they act4 ,fire then hath three         
proprieties3 but in this respect1 wee   
must argue the thing more deeply4    ,as
 then1 all that which is1 are divided   
into #c1 called ,worlds1 or  ,heavens1  
7it must not be thought strange1 if wee 
repeate the same more  then once2 for   
from thence proceed all the secret      
sciences17 that is  to say1 the         
elementary here below1 subject to       

perpetuall alteration1  and vicissitude 
of life1 and of death2 the ,celestiall  
aloft1 above the  ,circle of the ,moone1
 incorruptible in respect of it selfe1  
as well  for its purity1 and uniformity 
of substance1 as for its continuall  and
 equall motion2 nothing therein         
prdominating the one or the  other2     
which two constitute the ,sensible      
world4 ,there is afterward  the         
,intelligible1 abstracted from all      
corporeity and matter1 which  the       
,apostle cals the third ,world1 where   
hee was ravished1 this 7said  hee7      
whether in the body or out of the body1 
,god knowes1 #b ,cor4  #ab4 #c4 for not 
onely the ,world and the ,heaven1 are   
put one for the  other1 but yet the     
,heaven for ,man2 ,the heavens declare  
the glory of  ,god1 according to which1 
most part of the ,fathers interpret it2 
and  ,man reciprocally for ,heaven4 ,as 
,origen sets it forth1 upon the #be     
,treatise of ,saint ,matthew4 ,mans     
heart is properly called ,heaven1 and   

the ,throne not already of the ,glory of
 ,god1 as is the ,temple1 but of  ,god  
properly4 ,for the ,temple of the glory 
of ,god1 is that wherein1 as  in a      
,glasse1 wee see ourselves by nigma4    
,but ,heaven that is above  the ,temple 
of ,god1 where his ,throne is1 is to see
 him wholly as it were  face to face3   
which hee hath almost transcribed word  
for word out of  the booke ,abahir to   
,zohar1 and other ancient ,caballists1  
whereof  he consisteth for the most     
part4    ,moreover some say that the    
,heavens are sometimes put for ,god     
himselfe1  as in the #cb of ,deut4      
,heare ,o ,heaven the words ,i speak3   
and in  the #h chapter of the #a of     
,kings1 according to the ,hebrew verity1
  in the prayer of ,king ,solomon at the
 dedication of the ,temple2  ,heare ,o  
,heaven4 ,in this third ,heaven or      
,world1 whereof the ,apostle  spake1    
although ,god bee every where1 yet the  
seate of his ,divinity is  there more   
especially established1 then elsewhere1 

with his separated  ,intelligences that 
assist him to execute his commands4     
,blesse the ,lord  yee ,angels1 mighty  
in power1 doing that which he ordaineth1
 hearing the  voice of his words3       
wherefore ,theologians called it the    
,angelicall  world1 without all place   
and time2 which ,plato in his ,phd4 said
  that no mortall men ever yet had      
sufficiently celebrated it1 according   
to its excellency and dignity1 being all
 of light2 who from thence  stretched   
out her selfe1 and derives it so1 as out
 of an inexhaustible  ,fountaine1 to all
 sorts of ,creatures1 even according as 
the ancient  ,phnician ,theologie       
carryed which the ,emperour ,julian     
,parabates  alledged in his prayer to   
the ,sunne4 ,that ,corporeal ,light     
proceeded  from an ,incorporeal ,nature4
 ,the ,celestial world participates of  
darkenesse1 and of light1 whence proceed
 all the faculties and powers  that it  
brings it4 ,and the elementary all of   
darknesse1 designed for  the reason of  

its instability by water4 ,the          
,intelligible by ,fire1  because of its 
purity and light1 and the ,celestial by 
the ,aire1 where  fire and water come to
 joine2 the ,earth by this reckoning1   
should  remaine for ,hell2 as in truth  
this earthly habitation is nothing but a
  true ,hell3 ,but by ,heaven ,moses    
understood the ,intelligible ,world1 and
  by earth the ,sensible1 attributing   
the two higher elevated ,elements1      
,aire and ,fire1 to ,heaven1 because    
they alwayes tend upwards1 and ,water   
and ,earth1 which for their gravity tend
 downward3 but all that1 by  him was yet
 more mystically shadowed1 as ,zohar    
sheweth it1 by the  admirable           
construction of his ,tabernacle1 then   
which1 there is nothing  more           
spirituall4 ,gold1 ,silver1 and pretious
 ,stones1 representing the  ,sensible   
world1 and ,bezaleel1 that was the      
,conductor of the worke1  the           
,intelligible1 and the ,workman filled  
with a ,divine ,spirit1 with  ,sapience1

 ,intelligence1 ,knowledge1 and all the 
most accomplisht  learning1 as almost   
every word carries it1 woven with       
,bezel1 the  shadow1 and ,el ,god4      
,the prophane ,poets have divided the   
,sensible ,world into #c1 for they      
never tooke much paines to penetrate    
into the ,intelligible3 ,and  assigned  
the superiour part thereof1 from the    
circle of the ,moone  upward1 to        
,jupiter1 the low ,terrestriall to      
,pluto1 and the  middlemost1 which is   
from the ,earth to the ,moone1 to       
,neptune3 which  the ,platonists call   
the ,generative ,vertue1 because of the 
humidity1  impregned with ,salt1 which  
provoketh much to generation1 according 
as the word ,salacitas designes it1 as  
,plutarch puts it in the #d  ,question  
of ,naturall ,causes1 and in his ,treaty
 of ,osiris3 wherefore  the said ,poets 
attribute more fecundity to the said    
,neptune1 then to  all the other ,gods4 
,sidenote3 ,cornue4    ,each of these #c
 worlds furthermore1 hath particularly  

its science1  which is double2 the one  
common and triviall1 the other mysticall
  and secret4 ,the ,intelligible world  
to our ,theologie1 and the ,caballe  the
 ,celestial to ,astrologie and ,magie2  
and the elementary1 to the  ,physiologie
 and ,alchymie1 which revealeth by the  
resolutions1 and  separations of ,fire1 
all the more hidden1 and darke secrets  
of natures1  in three kindes of the     
composed3 for no man can know the       
composition  of a thing that is ignorant
 of its destruction1 saith ,geber4 ,but 
these three divine sciences have beene  
by the depravation of ignorant  and     
evill spirits turned aside to a crying  
downe1 that men durst  scarcely speak   
thereof1 but must presently incurre the 
bruite of  being an ,atheist1 ,witch1 or
 a false money-coyner4 ,we say then1    
after  ,empedocles and ,anaxagoras2 ,all
 this our reason disputes by a  ,journey
 of composition and resolution1 going   
this way and that way1 up  and downe4   
,that all the ,elementary science       

consisteth in the mixtion  and          
separation of the ,elements1 which is   
perfected by fire1 to which  ,alchymy   
turnes all3 ,as ,avicen declareth very  
openly in his ,treaty  of l',almahad1 or
 ,division of ,sciences4 ,and ,hermes in
 that of his  #g chapters1 ,understand  
yee sonnes of the wise1 the ,science of 
the  four ,elements1 whose secret       
apparition is no where signified1 except
  they bee divided and compounded1      
because out of the ,elements nothing  is
 made profitable without such a         
,regiment2 for where ,nature ends her   
operations1 there ,art begins4 ,take    
such a composed ,elementary1 what you   
will1 herbe1 wood1 or other the like1   
upon which1 fire may exercise its       
action1 and put it in an ,alembic or    
,cornue2 first let them separate  the   
water1 and afterwards the oyle1 if the  
fire bee moderate1 if more  pressed and 
reinforced1 both together3 but the oyle 
will swimme above  the water1 which may 
easily bee separated by a fonnel of     

,glasse4 ,this  water is called         
,mercury1 which of it selfe is pure and 
cleane2 and  oyle1 the sulphur1         
adustible and infect1 that corrupts     
every compounded  thing3 ,in the bottome
 of the vessel will rest the ,ashes1 of 
which by  a forme of lee1 with water the
 ,salt will bee extracted1 and after you
  have withdrawn the water with ,balneum
 ,mari1 as men call it3 for the  oily   
unctuosities do not mount by this degree
 of fire1 no more doth  the ,salt1 but  
much lesse2 and the indissoluble ,earths
 stript of all  their humidities proper 
to vitrifie3 for saith ,geber1 every    
private  thing by its owne humidity doth
 performe none but a vitrificatory      
fusion4 ,so there are two volatill      
,elements1 namely the liquid1 ,water    
and ,aire1 which is ,oyle1 for all      
liquid substances naturally shunne the  
fire1 which elevates the one1 and burnes
 the other4 ,but not those two  which   
are dry and solid2 which are ,salt1     
wherein is contained ,fire1  and pure   

,earth1 which is ,glasse3 over whom the 
fire hath no power  but to melt and     
refine them4 ,see there the four        
,elements redoubled1  as ,hermes cals   
them1 and ,raymund ,lullius the great   
,elements2 for  as every ,element       
consists of two qualities1 these great  
,elements  redoubled1 ,mercury1         
,sulphur1 ,salt1 and ,glasse1           
participate of  the two simple          
,elements1 7to say better7 of all four2 
according to the  more1 or the lesse1 of
 the one1 or of the other2 ,mercury     
holding  more of the ,aire1 to which it 
is attributed2 ,oyle or ,sulphur1 of    
the ,aire2 ,salt1 of ,fire2 and ,glasse1
 of the ,earth1 who findes it  selfe    
pure and cleane in the ,center of all   
the composed ,elementaries1  and is the 
last to reveale it selfe exempt from    
others4 ,of this  sort by the ,artifice 
and operation of ,fire1 and of its      
effects1 we  depure all infections and  
filth1 even to reduce them to a purity  
of  incorruptible substance from this   

time forward2 by the separation of      
their inflamable1 and terrestriall      
impurities2 for 7saith ,geber7 the      
whole intention of the ,operator1 is    
versed in this1 that the grosser  parts 
being cast away1 the worke may bee      
perfected with the lighter2  which is to
 mount from the corruptions here below1 
to a purity of the  ,celestial world1   
where the ,elements are more pure and   
essential1 fire  there predominating    
which is the chief of all others4       
,hitherto touching  ,alchymie1 and      
wherein shee is versed4    ,magick for  
the ,celestial world1 was in times past1
 a holy and  venerable ,science1 which  
,plato in his ,charmis cals the true    
,medicine of the soule2 and in the      
first1 ,alcibiades puts it1 that it  was
 wont to shew the ,elders of the great  
,kings of ,persia1 to teach  them to    
reverence ,god1 to forme their temporall
 domination according  to the patterne  
of the order and policy of the          
,universe4 ,but it is  nothing else     

properly 7as ,orpheus saith7 but a forme
 of marriage of  the starry heaven with 
the earth1 whither hee darts his        
influences1 by  which shee impregnes    
comming from the ,intelligences who     
assist therein2  and an application of  
agent vertues upon the passive1 and that
 without  the cooperation of ,dmons the 
most part1 evill1 false1 and deceptive1 
yet some more then others2 with which it
 is thought that the three wise  ,kings1
 ,magi1 that came so farre to adore     
,jesus ,christ1 were willing  to have   
some acquaintance and commerce4    ,the 
third is that which men call ,caballe1  
or reception1 because men  left it there
 verbally1 and by mouth from hand to    
hand1 from one to  another4 ,it is      
divided into two1 the one of ,beresith1 
that is to  say1 of the ,creation1 that 
consisteth in the ,sensible world1 where
  ,moses staid1 without speaking of the 
,intelligible1 or of separated          
substances4 ,the other is of ,mercavah1 
or of the ,throne of ,god1 which        

,ezekiel principally treats of1 whose   
vision is almost all of fire4 ,so  much 
is this ,element throughout the whole   
holy ,scripture appropriated  to        
,divinity1 as one of the most perfect   
and neare symboles and markes  in things
 sensible2 by meanes whereof wee are so 
elevated1 that by  ,jacobs ,ladder1 or  
,homers golden ,chaine1 we come to the  
knowledge of  things spirituall and     
intelligible2 for the invisible things  
of ,god  from the ,creation of the      
,world1 are clearely seene1 being       
understood  by the things that are made1
 even his eternall power and ,godhead4  
,for the world with the ,creatures being
 there1 they are a portraict  of ,god2  
for the ,creator is understood by the   
,creature2 saith ,saint  ,augustine2 for
 ,god hath made two things to his image 
and resemblance1  according to          
,tresmegistus3 the world1 therein to    
rejoice1 and please  our selves with the
 infinite brave pieces of worke2 and    
,man1 wherein  hee set his most singular

 delight and pleasure1 which ,moses hath
  tacitely expressed in ,gen4 #a4  #b4  
where when there was question  of       
creating the world1 ,heaven1 ,earth1    
,vegetables1 ,minerals1 ,animals1       
,sunne1 ,moone1 ,starres1 and all the   
rest1 hee did no more but command  by   
his word1 for hee said1 and they were   
done2 hee commanded and they  were      
created4 ,but in ,mans formation1 hee   
insisted much further therein  then in  
all the rest1 saith he2 ,let us make man
 after our ,image and  ,similitude1 hee 
created him male and female1 and formed 
him dust of  the earth1 afterward       
breathed in his face the spirit of life1
 and hee  was made a living soule4 ,in  
which are touched #d or #e              
particularities4  ,so ,cyrill observes  
it4 ,after the same manner then1 as the 
,image of  ,god is the world1 so the    
image of the world1 is man3 therein     
there is  such a relation of ,god with  
his creatures1 that they cannot bee well
  comprehended1 but reciprocally one by 

the other1 for all the ,sensible        
nature1 7as ,zohar hath it7 in regard of
 the intelligible1 is as that  of the   
,moone1 towards the ,sunne1 who         
thereinto reverberates its light3  or as
 the light of a ,lampe or torch1 which  
parteth the flame fastned  to the weik1 
which is therein nourished by a grosse  
matter1 viscous1  adustible1 without    
which this splendor and light could not 
communicate  it selfe to our sight1 nor 
our sight comprehend it3 ,and likewise  
the  glory and essence of ,god1 which   
the ,hebrewes call ,sequinah1 could not 
appeare but in the matter of this       
,sensible world1 which is an image or   
patterne thereof4 ,and it is that1 which
 ,god said to ,moses1 ,exod4  #cc4 ,you 
shall not see my face1 you shall see my 
hinder parts4 ,the  face of ,god is his 
true ,essence in the intelligible world1
 which no  man ever saw1 except the     
,messihe1 ,i did set the ,lord alwayes  
before  mee1 ,psal4 #af4 #h4 ,and his   
posteriour parts are his effects in the 

,sensible world4 ,the soule likewise    
cannot bee discerned and knowne1  but by
 the functions it exerciseth in the body
 whilst it is annexed  thereunto3 ,by   
which ,plato was moved to thinke that   
soules could not  consist without       
bodies1 no more then fire without water4
 ,so that after  long revolutions of    
times1 they should come againe to       
incorporate  themselves here below3     
whereunto adheres that in the #f of     
,virgils  neads4        ,all these when 
they have turned for many yeares1       
,god cals them to the floud of ,lethe1  
by great troopes1      ,being forgetfull
 that they must review the upper        
convexe1      ,and begin againe to bee  
willing to returne into bodies4    ,but 
this savours a little of new-birth1 and 
,pythagorean changings of  soules into  
bodies1 in which ,origen was likewise   
out of the way1 as  may be seene in his 
booke of ,princes1 and in ,saint        
,jeromes ,epistle  to ,avitus4 ,but more
 sincerely ,porphyrius1 although in the 

rest an  impious adversary1 a           
,calumniator of ,christianisme2 that for
 the perfect  beatitude of soules1 they 
must shunne and fly all bodies4 ,so     
that1 when  the soule shall bee repurged
 from all corporal affections1 and when 
it  shall returne to its ,creator1 in   
its first simplicity1 it hath no great  
desire to fall againe into the hands and
 calamities of this age1 when  the      
option should be left unto it free4     
,from the ,intelligible world then1 it  
runnes downe into the ,celestial1  and  
from thence to the ,elementary1 all that
 which the spirit of man can  attaine   
from the knowledge of the admirable     
effects of ,nature1 which  ,art         
intimates1 in what shee can1 whence by  
the revelation of these rare  secrets1  
by the action of fire1 the most part is 
magnified1 the glory  and magnificence  
of him who is the first motor and author
 thereof2  for mans understanding       
according to ,hermes1 is as a ,glasse   
where  we come to shave off1 and to     

abate the cleare and luminous rayes of  
the ,divinity1 represented to our senses
 by the ,sunne above1 and the  fire his 
correspondent here below2 which inflame 
the soule with an  ardent desire of the 
knowledge and veneration of his         
,creatour1 and by  consequent of his    
love1 for men love nothing but what they
 know4    ,so each of these three       
worlds1 which have their particular     
sciences1  hath also its fire1 and its  
salt apart3 both which do informe us    
namely of ,moses his fire in the heaven4
 ,and the ,salt for its firme           
consistence and solidity to the earth4  
,what is this ,salt8 aske one of  your  
,chymicall ,philosophers2 a scorched and
 burned earth1 and congealed  water1 by 
the heat of fire1 potentially enclosed  
therein4 ,moreover ,fire  is the        
operatour here below1 in the workes of  
,art1 as the ,sunne and  ,celestiall    
,fire is in them of that nature2 and in 
the intelligible1  the holy ,spirit by  
the ,hebrewes called ,binah1 or         

,intelligence1 which  the ,scripture    
designes ordinarily by fire1 and this   
spirituall fire1  or igneal spirit1 with
 the ,chomah the verbe1 where the       
,sapience  attributes to the ,sonne1    
,wisdome1 the ,artist of all things1    
taught mee1  are the fathers operators4 
,by the word of the ,lord were the      
heavens  firmed1 and all their beauty by
 the spirit of his mouth2 from whence   
that maxime of the ,peripateticks       
differs not much4 ,every worke of       
,nature is a worke of ,intelligence4    
,behold the three fires1 whereof we     
pretend to speake1 of which there  is   
none more common amongst us then the    
elementary here below1 grosse1          
composed1 and materiall2 that is to say1
 alwayes fastned to matter2 nor  on the 
the other part lesse known4 ,that which 
is of him1 from whence  he came1 and    
whither hee goes2 reducing in an instant
 all to nothing3  assoone as his        
nourishment failes him2 without which he
 cannot consist  a moment1 but goes as  

hee comes1 being all in the least of his
 parts3  ,so that he can in lesse then  
nothing1 multiply to infinity1 and in   
lesse then nothing empty it selfe3 for  
one little waxe light will at  pleasure 
enkindle the greatest fires we can      
imagine1 without any losse  or          
diminution of its substance3            
,though they take a thousand1 yet       
nothing perisheth3    ,sidenote3 ,auror 
de roolle p #fa1 in course1 in order one
 after  another4    ,and in the third of
 ,saint ,james1 ,behold how great a     
matter a little  fire kindleth2 yea one 
onely small sparkle of fire1 would press
 in  the twinckling of an eye1 all the  
immense hollow of the ,universe1  if it 
were filled with ,gun-powder or ,napthe 
and presently after will  vanish away4  
,so that of all bodies1 there is nothing
 that doth approach  nearer to the soule
 then fire1 said ,plotin4 ,and          
,aristotle in his  fourth booke of      
,metaphysickes1 sets downe1 that even to
 his time  the most part of             

,philosophers had not well knowne fire1 
nor yet ,aire  to bee perceivable to our
 sight and feeling4 ,but men may say the
  same1 that neither ,aristotle1 nor    
other ,grecians of his time knew  so    
well the fire and its effects1 at least 
wise not so exactly as did  7so long    
while after7 the ,arabians1 by          
,alchymie1 on which all  the knowledge  
of fire dependeth4 ,the gyptians said1  
that it was a  ravishing and insatiable 
,animal1 that devoures that which taketh
 birth  and increase1 and at last it    
selfe2 after it is therewith well fedde 
and gorged3 when there is no more to    
feed or nourish it2 for that  having    
heat and motion1 he cannot passe from   
food and aire to breath  therein2 if for
 want hereof1 it remaines at last       
extinct1 with that  wherewith it was    
fed3 ,all things proper to animate      
substances1 and  which have life1 for   
life is ever accompanied with heat and  
motion1  which proceeds from heate1     
rather then heate from motion2 although 

they  be reciprocalls1 for one cannot be
 without the other4 ,but ,suidas        
thereupon formed such a contradiction1  
that not onely animals1 but all  that   
which take nourishment and encrease1    
tend to a certaine butt1  whither being 
come1 it stayes without passing any     
further1 where  neither nourishment nor 
increase of fire are limited nor        
determined2  for the more is            
administred1 so much the more it would  
have1 and grow  every day greater3 for  
neither the one nor the other can be    
limited1  as do these animals4 ,then by 
consequent it must not be put in their  
ranke2 ,so that the motion of fire      
should rather be called generation1     
then nourishment or growth2 for there is
 but that one element1 that  nourisheth 
and increaseth it4 ,in the others1 that 
which superabounds  therein is by       
apposition1 as if you would joine water 
to water1 or  earth to earth2 you shall 
never do the same to fire1 to thinke to 
make  it greater by joining thereunto   

other fire1 but by the apposition of    
matter1 upon which it may bite and      
exercise its action1 as wood and  other 
like things1 which perforce must turne  
into its nature1 and so  it augments it 
selfe4 ,the ,poeticall fictions relate  
that ,prometheus  went into ,heaven to  
steale it to accommodate mortals2 for   
which he was  so grievously punished by 
the ,gods1 as to remaine #cj4 yeares    
bound to  a ,rocke in ,mount ,caucasus1 
where a ,vulter dayly eate up his       
entrails  which did grow againe in      
course4 ,but it is to bee beleeved that 
the  ,gods that are so watchfull1 and so
 affectionate towards mankinde1  would  
not deny this so necessary a portion of 
,nature1 without which  the condition of
 their life were worse then that of     
beasts1 as well  for the boyling of     
their meats1 as to warme them1 and dry  
them1 and  infinite other necessary     
commodities4 ,besides of that which     
soares  alwayes upwards1 being of one   
celestial original1 whither he aspires  

to  returne1 it seemes that this belongs
 properly to man4        ,sith other    
things lookes downe unto the earth      
,it gave man a face1 to looke up1 and   
see the heavens1      ,to erect his     
countenance unto the ,stars4            
,sidenote3     ,almost all other animals
 do shun the fire1 whence ,lactantius to
 shew  that man was a divine ,animal1   
alledgeth for one of his most pregnant  
reasons1 that hee onely amongst others  
used fire4 ,and ,vitruvius in  his      
second booke1 sets downe that the first 
acquaintances of men1 were  contracted  
by comming to meete1 to warme themselves
 at common fires3  ,so that the cause   
why ,god sent fire downe to men must    
bee1 that by  the meanes thereof1 they  
are come to penetrate into the profound 
and  hidden secrets of ,nature3 whereof 
they could not well discover1  know  the
 manner of proceeding1 for that shee    
workes so rarely3 but by his            
counterfoote1 which the ,greeks call    
the resolution  and separation of the   

,elementary parts1 which are made by    
fire2 whereof  proceeds the execution   
almost of all ,artifices1 that the      
spirit of  man hath invented2 ,so that  
if the first had no other instrument1   
and  toole1 then the fire1 as we may    
lately see by the discoveries of the    
,west ,indies2 ,homer in the ,song of   
,vulcan sets downe that hee  assisted   
with ,minerva1 taught men their ,arts   
and brave ,workmanship2  having formerly
 beene accustomed to dwel in ,caves and 
hollow ,rockes1  after the fashion of   
wilde beasts2 willing to inferre by     
,minerva the  ,goddesse of ,arts1 and   
,sciences1 the understanding and        
industry1 and by  the fire1 ,vulcan1    
that puts them in execution2 wherefore  
the gyptians  were accustomed to marry  
these two ,deities together1 willing    
thereby  to declare nothing else but    
that from the understanding proceeds the
  invention of all ,arts and ,sciences1 
which fire afterwards effected1  and    
brought from power to action2 for the   

,agent in all this world is  nothing    
else but fire and heat1 saith           
,johannicius1 and ,homer1        ,whom  
,vulcan and ,minerva knew4    ,which was
 the cause 7as may bee seen in          
,philostratus by the birth of  ,minerva7
 that shee forsooke the ,rhodians1 for  
that they sacrificed  unto her without  
fire1 to goe to the ,athenians4         
,moreover ,vulcan1  according to        
,diadorus1 was a man1 who from an       
accident by a clap  of ,lightning1      
whereby a ,tree was set on fire1 first  
revealed to the  gyptians the commodity 
and use of ,fire3 for being therewithall
  overcome1 all joyfull of his light and
 heate2 he thereunto added other  matter
 to keepe it1 whilest hee went to seeke 
the people1 who afterward  for this1    
deified him4 ,whereto ,lucretius agrees1
        ,do not in these things tacitely
 and by chance require1      ,lightning 
brought fire on earth to mortalls       
,first3 thence all heate of flame was   
given4    ,sidenote3 #aejj years4       

,sidenote3 #ejj    ,the ,greekes        
attribute it to ,phoroneus1 and put it1 
that it was neare  to ,argos4 ,that fire
 being fallen from heaven there-about1  
it was  afterward there kept within the 
,temple of ,apollo2 which if by chance  
it came to extinguish1 they lighted it  
againe anew by the ,sunnebeames2  as    
also they did at ,rome that of the      
,vestals4 ,and in ,persia their  sacred 
fire which they carried ordinarily where
 the ,king marcht in  person singularly 
reverencing it1 for their respect to the
 ,sunne1  which they adored above all   
other ,deities2 for they esteemed it    
here  below1 their ,image4 ,they caryed 
it 7,i say7 in great pompe and solemnity
  on a magnificent ,chariot drawne by   
four great ,couriers1 and followed  by  
#cfe young ,ministers1 for as much as   
there are so many dayes in  the yeare1  
which describe the ,sunne by its course1
 clad with yellow  guilded1 the colour  
conformable to the ,sunne1 and fire1    
singing hymnes  to their praise4 ,and   

there was amongst them1 no crime more   
capitall  and irremissible1 then to cast
 any dead carkasse or other uncleannesse
  therein1 or to blow it with your      
breath1 for feare to infect it1 but     
they did it to give it aire1 for in all 
this they hazzarded no lesse  then life2
 as to quench it otherwise in water3 ,so
 that if any one had  perpetrated any   
grievous forfeit1 to obtaine grace and  
pardon therein2  the best expedient then
 was1 as ,plutarch puts in his first    
,treatise  of the first cold1 to put    
himselfe in running water with fire in  
the  hand1 threatning to quench it in   
the water if they did not grant his     
request2 but after hee had obtained it  
hee was not left unpunished for  his    
offence1 but for the impiety that hee   
had forethought to commit4  ,and from   
thence it became a common proverbe      
mentioned in ,suidas3 ,i am  a ,persian1
 borne of ,persian parents2 what a      
strange ,persian8 yea  ,sir1 for us to  
pollute fire1 it is sharper then cruel  

death4 ,but all  this which may bee said
 of fire1 and by the meanes thereof1    
hath not  yet been revealed1 nor knowne 
by men3 ,is there any thing more        
admirable  then ,gunpowder1 so easy to  
make1 and consisting of so few          
ingredients2  and so common ,sulphur1   
,saltpeter and coale8 which seeme to    
have been  mystically designed by the   
gyptians1 by the three ,celestial       
powers1  whence they alledge ,thunder1  
,lightning1 ,tempests1 to be conducted  
and  governed1 ,jupiter1 ,vesta1 and    
,vulcan4 ,by ,vulcan1 ,sulphur2 by      
,jupiter1 ,saltpeter1 full of aire and  
winde1 as ,raymund ,lullius puts  it1   
who well knew it1 and its nature1 and   
its effects if he would have  discovered
 them2 and by ,vesta ,coale2 as well for
 the ,terrestreity  that is in it1 as   
for that it is incorruptible1 being able
 to keepe  it many thousands of yeares  
within the ground1 without alteration or
  spoiling1 which was the cause that    
they made a place and stage for it1  in 

the foundation of the ,temple of ,diana 
at ,ephesus3 ,saltpeter  is appropriated
 to the ,aire2 because it is as of a    
meane disposition  of nature1 betwixt   
,sea water1 and the ,fire1 or ,sulphur1 
whereof it  participates1 for that it is
 so inflamable1 and saltish1 on the     
other  side1 resolving it selfe into    
moisture1 and water1 as the ,salts do2  
from whence it hath bitternesse and     
acuity2 and as the inclosed and         
retained aire1 within the clouds1 doth  
breake and lighten by the  impetuosity  
of ,thunder1 the same doth ,saltpeter3  
,but this will come to  better purpose  
hereafter in ,salts4 ,moreover hee that 
can make powder  composed of certaine   
proportions of ,sulphur and ,saltpeter1 
and in  stead of ,coale1 with the       
,terrestrial scurf of ,antimony1 which  
must be  separated by frequent and      
reiterated ablutions of lukewarme water2
 may  come to an artificiall fire1 not  
to bee disdained2 of a powder1 that     
will give a small report2 'tis true that

 it is not so impetuous and  full of    
force1 as the common4 ,in regard of the 
invention of ,gunpowder1  the relations 
of ,china do cary1 that by their ancient
 ,chronicles it  is found out1 that they
 have had the use of it more then #aejj 
yeares2  as also of printing4 ,roger    
,bacon1 the famous ,english             
,philosopher1  who writ above #cjj      
yeares agoe1 in his booke of the        
admirable power of  ,nature and ,art1   
sets downe1 that with a certaine        
composition imitating  lightning and    
thunder1 ,gideon was wont to feare his  
,enemies with4  ,and yet that it is not 
formally as it is written in the #g of  
,judges1  yet it is said neverthelesse  
more then sixscore yeares before the    
divulgation of ,gun-powder2 see his     
word3 furthermore there may bee made    
perpetuall lights and bathes1 burning   
without end1 for we have knowne  many   
things that are not burned1 but         
purified2 but besides these1  there are 
other stupendious things of ,nature and 

,art2 for sounds may  be made in the    
aire1 like thunders1 and of greater     
horror then such  as are made by nature4
 ,and a little matter adapted to the    
quantity of  a thumb1 makes a horrible  
sound1 and shewes a vehement            
coruscation2  and this may bee done many
 wayes1 by which every ,city and ,army  
may bee  destroyed2 after the manner of 
,gideons ,artifice1 who with broken     
pitchers and lamps1 fire breaking out   
with ineffable fragor1 destroyed  the   
,midianitish ,army1 with only #cjj men4 
,these may be ,granadoes and  fire pots4
 ,and to be short1 nothing could better 
agree on all points  to ,gun-powder2 but
 these good men foreseeing the ruine    
that such  things might bring1 made too 
great conscience to reveale it4 ,to the 
purpose of perpetuall fires1 by meanes  
of most long durance2 ,hermolaus        
,barbarus in his notes upon ,pliny1     
relates that in his time there  was an  
old ,sepulchre opened in the ,territory 
of ,padoua1 and therein  found a little 

,coffer1 where there was a ,lampe yet   
burning1 although  that according to the
 inscription it must have beene more    
then #ejj  yeares since it was lighted4 
,so that by this reckoning1 it should   
not  bee altogether impossible to make  
fires1 that will not be put out2 for    
wee see the same in many sorts of that  
which men call ,grec2 whereof           
,aristotle as it is reported heretofore 
composed a ,treatise1 which  could not  
bee quenched with water1 chiefly ,sea   
water1 by reason of the  fatty and      
unctuous ,salt mingled therewith1 but   
they grow worser1 and  waxe more fiery4 
,but what hurt were there to stay       
thereon a little1  since likewise it is 
a question of ,fire3 ,of ,acornes       
steeped in wine1  afterward dryed and   
put in a mill so long till the liquor   
come forth1  which afterwards           
accompanied with other oyles besmeared  
upon quicke  chalc1 ,pumice stone1      
spectacle glasse1 and ,alum calcined    
together with  ,soap1 and other the like

 things1 that hold their adustible      
impurities  in the bottome of a vessel1 
whilest that the oile by distillation   
mounts cleare1 neat1 and purified1 and  
lesse inflamable2 but this  requireth a 
sufficient good fire2 for the matches   
corresponding  thereto1 make them of    
cotten yearne besmeared within the ,lee3
 then bath  them in the oile1 or liquor 
of ,tartar1 ,saltpetring them over ,alum
  plumed1 intermingled with pitch1 rozin
 finely bruised and beaten1  or of      
,colophon4 ,these fires of so long      
duration would seeme to us  a thing     
fabulous1 if wee were not ascertained by
 authentique ,authors  of that so famous
 a ,lampe hung in a certaine ,temple of 
,venus1 where  there burned without     
ceasing the ,stone called ,asbestus1    
which being  once set on fire1 never    
goes out4 ,but some will say that that  
is also  a fable2 ,i will leave others  
to decide it1 and ,i will tell you what 
befell mee1 seeking nothing lesse then  
that1 to meet with a substance1         

conducted thereunto1 by graduall        
artifices of fire3 which being bound    
fast within a ,viall of glasse and      
sealed with ,hermes his ,seale1 that  no
 aire could any way enter in1 might be  
kept #ajjj yeares 7after the  manner of 
speech7 in the bottome of the ,sea3 and 
opening it at the  termination of so    
long a season1 or when you shall please1
 you shall  therein finde a suddaine    
fire1 7which when it sents the aire7    
will  light matches4 ,we reade in the   
second booke of the ,maccabees1 chap4   
#a4 vers4 #bj4 that at the              
transmigration of ,babylon1 the ,levites
  having hid their sacred fire in the   
bottome of a well or pit1 #gj  yeares1  
after they found there a thicke water   
and whitish1 who assoone  as ever the   
,sunbeames gave thereon1 tooke fire4    
,these two ,deities aforesaid1 ,pallas  
and ,vesta1 one and the other1  chaste  
,virgins1 as is also ,fire2 represent   
unto us the two fires of the  ,sensible 
world2 that is to say1 ,pallas1 the     

,celestiall2 and ,vesta1  the           
,elementary here below1 the which       
notwithstanding it bee more grosse  and 
materiall1 then that above1 tends       
neverthelesse alwayes upward1 as  if it 
endeavoured to unmingle it selfe from a 
corruptible substance1  where it        
remaineth fixed2 to returne free and    
exempt from all these  hinderances to   
its first ,original from whence it came1
 as an imprisoned  soule1        ,there 
is in them fiery vigor and celestiall   
,origin1      ,in seeds as much as our  
harmelesse bodies stay them1      ,and  
our terrene joints dull them1 and our   
dying members4    ,the other on the     
contrary1 though more subtill and       
essential rusheth  out here below toward
 the earth1 as if these two aspired     
incessantly  to encounter each other1   
and to face each other1 in the fashion  
of two  ,pyramides2 whereof that above  
should have its basis planted in the    
,zodiack1 where the ,sunne perfects his 
annuall course through the #ab  ,signs3 

from the point of which ,pyramis1 comes 
to cast here below  all that which is   
here procreated1 and hath being1        
according to the  ,astrologers of gypt2 
that there is nothing produced in the   
earth1 and  in the water1 which was not 
first sowed in heaven1 which is there1  
as  a labourer to cultivate it1 and by  
his heate1 impregned here below1  with  
the efficacy of his influences1 conducts
 the whole to its compleat  perfection  
and maturity1 which ,aristotle also     
confirmes in his bookes  of ,beginning  
and ,ending4 ,but the fire here below on
 the contrary at  the basis of his      
,pyramis1 fastned to the earth1 making  
one of six  faces of the ,cube1 whereof 
the ,pythagoreans give him the forme and
  figure1 because of its forme1 and     
invariable stability2 and from the      
point of this ,pyramis the subtill      
vapours mount upwards1 which serve  as  
nourishment to the ,sun1 and to all the 
rest of the ,celestiall  bodies1        
according as ,phurnutus writeth after   

others4 ,men attribute  7saith hee7     
inextinguished fire unto ,vesta1        
peradventure for that the  power of fire
 that is in the world1 takes it         
nourishment from thence1  and that from 
thence the ,sunne is maintained and     
consisteth4 ,this is  that also1 that   
,hermes would inferre in his ,table of  
,emeraudes3  ,that which is below1 is as
 that which is above1 and contrarywise1 
to  perpetrate miracles of one thing4   
,and ,rabbi ,joseph the sonne of        
,carnitol in his ports of ,justice1 the 
foundation of all the inferior  difices 
is placed above1 and their heap or top  
here below as a ,tree  inverted4 ,so    
that a man is but as a spirituall tree  
planted in the  ,paradise of delights1  
which is the earth of the living1 by the
 roots of  his haires2 following that   
which is written in the ,canticles #g4  
,the  haire of thy head like purple1 the
 ,king is bound in the ,galleries4      
,these two fires then1 the high and the 
low1 who do know themselves1  and so one

 another1 have beene no lesse unknowne  
to the ,poets1 for  ,homer in the #ah of
 his ,iliads1 having placed ,vulcans    
forge in the  eighth starry heaven1     
where he is accompanied with his        
,artisans endowed  with singular        
prudence1 and who know two sorts of     
workes1 which were  taught them by the  
immortall ,gods1 wherein they labour in 
his presence2  ,virgill in his #h of the
 neads hath suffered him to set his shop
 here  below in the earth1 in an ,island
 called ,vulcanian4        ,vulcans     
house1 and by name1 ,vulcans earth4     
,to shew that there is fire in the one1 
and the other ,region1 the  ,celestial1 
and ,elementary2 but diversly3 ,men make
 moreover four sorts  of fire2 that of  
the intelligible world1 which is all    
light2 the  ,celestiall participates of 
heate and light2 the ,elementary of     
light1  heate1 and ardour2 ,and the     
infernall opposite to the intelligible1 
with  ardor and burning without light2  
we see ,lanthornes upon ,mountaines     

that burne on the inside1 and other like
 called ,vulcans4 ,and it is a  thing   
very admirable1 as one of the ,rabbins  
quoteth1 that ,sulphur   ,pitch that are
 so ready and easy to take fire1 and    
continue so little  in their combustion 
being exposed to the aire1 restrained   
neverthelesse  within the ,earths       
intrails1 it seemes they there renew    
themselves1 and  multiply by their owne 
consumption1 although their heat and    
burning  bee there much more violent    
without comparison1 then here above4    
,according as wee may see in ,mountaines
 that burn for so many continued  ages1 
and hot ,bathes4 ,this seemes to        
emancipate from the common order  of    
,nature by a secret disposition of      
,divine providence1 who will have  them 
continue so2 till the scurf and impurity
 of this inferiour world  be            
exterminate1 with this infected stinking
 and corruptible odor2 and  to banish it
 from hence and send it backe to hell   
for the punishment  and torment of the  

damned2 whereof it is written in ,psal4 
#aa4 #f4 ,upon  the wicked hee shall    
raine snares1 fire and brimstone1 and an
 horrible  tempest1 this shall bee the  
portion of their ,cup4 ,this fire there1
  which is blacke1 obscure1 thicke1 and 
dark1 the more devouring and  burning it
 is1 resembles that of some great coales
 of stone1 which  conceive a most strong
 ignition1 whereof it is spoken in the  
#bj of  ,job #bf4 ,a fire shall devour  
them which is not kindled4 ,and more    
particularly in the #d of ,baruch #bf4  
,fire shall come upon them from  the    
everlasting to continue many dayes1 and 
,devils shall a long time  dwell there4 
,sidenote3 ,p4 #gb4 ,lamp4    ,there    
where the ,celestial fire is all clear  
and shining as a lamp1  whose flame     
should bee nourished with water of      
,life1 mingled with a  certaine         
composition of ,camphire1 ,salnitre1 and
 other inflamative  matters4 ,so that   
these combustible substances1 whereof   
there are  infinite varieties1 may      

endure very long1 but it is true that it
 will  bee but a gentle and weak flame4 
,and of the like1 but more subtill      
without comparison1 the ,celestiall     
bodies are nourished and fed1 that  need
 but little nourishment1 as approaching 
from spirituality4 ,i can  tell you1    
being at any other time brought1 to make
 the fashion of a  shining ,sunne1 in   
the darke1 7it was a fire of a ,lampe7  
so glittering1  that a whole great ,hall
 might bee therewith rather dazled1 then
  lightened2 for this did more effect   
then two or three dozen of great        
,torches1 and yet in #bd houres used no 
more oile then ,i gave it1 with  matches
 corresponding thereunto1 which held no 
more then a nut shell1  for this was a  
,lampe of ,glasse1 plunged or dipped    
within a ,globe of  ,crystall as great  
as a head filled with vinegar1 distilled
 three or  foure times2 for there is    
nothing more transparent1 nor more      
splendent4  ,sea water is also good     
thereto1 and much better then fresh     

water1 how  pure soever it may bee2 ,it 
it the ,salt mingled among that gives it
 this  luminous brightnesse4            
,sidenote3     ,sidenote3 ,p4 #ge4      
,sidenote3 ,tuffe p4 #gf4 a kind of     
white ,sand1 or soft and brittle        
,stone4    ,but to returne to our       
discourse1 some have thought that sith  
the  ,starres receive nourishment1 they 
should also vanish in certaine  periods 
of time1 and others come in their stead2
 which were no other  thing then a      
separation of their clearnesse and      
light1 with their ,globe  of substance  
more grosse and materiall1 by which they
 come to dissipate  themselves1 and to  
vanish within the heaven2 as vitall     
spirits within  the aire3 whilest they  
are absented from some animated body1   
and  leave it void of life4 ,so that by 
this meanes1 their ,globe from this     
time forward would remaine darke as a   
,lampe1 whereby light1 which  before    
gave it light1 should bee quenched for  
lacke of nourishment1 or  other         

accident4 ,this light or luminous fire  
is in the ,starres1 as the  bloud is in 
animals1 or juice in vegetables1 whereto
 ,homer seemes  willing to grant in the 
#e4 of his ,iliads1 where he puts1 that 
for as  much as the ,gods do not live by
 bread and wine1 as mortalls1 but by    
,ambrosia and ,nectar1 so they have no  
bloud1 but in lieu thereof1  a substance
 which they call  which is as it were a 
subtill saltish waterishnesse3 hindering
 corruption in animals1 and  all other  
composed ,elements2 but wee must here a 
little better cleare  this1 for the     
great affinity that the ,sunne and ,fire
 have together3  ,wee must then         
understand1 that the ,sunne arising by  
its attraction  elevates the spirits of 
the earth1 which are of two natures1 7a 
moist  vapour including1 and a dry      
vapour included7 are together exalted1  
7saith the ,philosopher in the #e4 of   
his ,meteors7 the one hot and  moist1 as
 is the ,aire and ,water1 potentially2  
this which is properly  called ,vapour2 

the other hot and dry1 of the nature and
 power of fire1  called ,exhalation4    
,the first resolves into water1 as      
raines1 snowes1  hailes1 mists1 fogges1 
and other such moist impressions as are 
formed  of this vapour1 in the middle   
,region of the ,aire1 for being grosse  
and heavy1 they cannot mount higher1 but
 afterwards being thickned1  and        
congealed by the cold that resides      
there1 they fall backe here  below1 more
 materiall then those which were not    
mounted from thence1  and at last1 all  
do resolve into water4 ,the second1     
called ,exhalation1  is subdivided into 
three kindes2 the first1 more viscous1  
grosse1  and heavy1 is that whereof your
 fires are formed1 which are called     
,castor and ,pollux1 otherwise ,saint   
,herme2 the foole fires1 and  the like1 
which cannot mount higher then the low  
,region of the ,aire3  the second is a  
little lighter1 more subtill1 and       
depured1 penetrating  even to the middle
 ,region1 where thunders and lightnings 

are formed1  the wandring starres1      
barres of fire1 cheurons1 and other such
  inflamations4 ,the third1 is yet more 
dry and light1 and more free from       
unctuosity1 almost of the nature of that
 ,quintessence1 which we observe  in    
,aqua vit soveraignly depured3 therefore
 it may mount not onely  to the highest 
,region of the ,aire1 and that of ,fire 
contiguous2 but  escape yet whole and   
safe higher then the ,heaven1 with      
which1 for its  greatest subtilty and   
depuration which it hath gotten in this 
long  way1 it hath a great conformity3  
,for being come to the ,globe of the    
,sun1 it is there perfected to concoct  
and to digest into a pure and  cleare   
light2 for the nourishment1 as well of  
it selfe1 as of other  starres2 the same
 that ,pliny toucheth in the #h and #i  
chapters of  his second booke3 ,so that 
the ,starres receive all their light and
  nourishment from the ,sunne1 after    
that it hath been there concocted and   
fitted1 and not by the forme of         

reflexion1 as from its raies1 which     
would lessen themselves either in water1
 or in a looking ,glasse2 for  all that 
which participates of fire1 hath need of
 nourishment4 ,this  is done as in the  
,animall1 where the most pure bloud1    
comes from the  ,liver to empty it selfe
 through the ,arteries into the heart   
which  conducts it to its last          
perfection for the nourishment of       
,spirits4  ,but this must be understood1
 if these ,exhalations and vapours finde
  issue atwhart the pores and           
spongiosities of the ,earth1 to         
evaporate  upwards4 ,but if peradventure
 it meet with ,tuffe1 or ,sand1 or the  
like  lets1 and hindrances1 which do    
contradict them1 or let them1 they stay 
there and wax thicke1 for procreation of
 minerals3 that is to say1  a hot and a 
dry exhalation1 in the nature of        
,brimstone1 and a moist  vapour in the  
nature of ,quicksilver2 not vulgar1 but 
a substance yet  spirituall and full of 
fume1 from the assembling of which two1 

in a  subtill vapour1 they come to      
procreate in themselves afterwards by a 
long continuance of time1 metals1 and   
meane minerals1 according to the  purity
 or impurity of their coagulated        
substances2 and the temperature1        
defect1 or excesse of the heat that     
recocts them in the entrails of the     
earth4 ,without going from my intention 
of the foresaid exhalations1 ,i  thought
 fit to touch a little upon an          
experiment whereunto ,i arrived  by my  
industry1 which ,i thinke will not be   
disagreeable4 ,take good old  ,wine1 and
 put therein a certaine quantity of     
,salnitre1 and ,camphire1  in a ,platter
 upon a fire pan1 within a ,closet well 
firmed1 that aire  cannot enter1 and    
make it evaporate therein1 and that     
there be no more  covering then the     
thicknesse of the backe of a knife1 to  
give it so  much aire as it must have1  
to make it burne4 ,this being done1 shut
  well your little window1 that nothing 
may vapour out after you have           

withdrawne the dish1 or platter1 from   
thence to #aj4 #bj4 or #cj4 yeares2     
provided that the aire do not enter1 and
 that the winde blow not in2  bringing  
in thither a lighted waxe candle1 you   
shall see infinite  little fires capring
 as lightnings in the great heats of    
,summer1 which  are not accompanied with
 thunders and lightnings1 nor with      
stormes1  windes1 and raines1 having    
nothing but an inflamation of ,aire1 by 
reason of ,saltpeter1 and ,sulphur1     
which are elevated from the ,earth4     
,before wee passe from our intention of 
vapours and exhalations1  that no man   
doubts but do proceed from heat         
introduced within the  earth by the     
continuall motion of the heaven round   
about1 and of the  ,celestial bodies1   
whence light is accompanied with some   
heat that  it darts thereinto3 ,let us  
come to the experiments next approaching
  to our sensible knowledge2 wee see1   
that the fire leaves two sorts  of      
excrements1 the one grosser1 namely1    

,ashes2 remaining in the  bottome of its
 adustion1 that containeth ,salt and    
,glasse2 and the two  fixed and solid   
,elements1 ,fire and ,earth3 ,the other 
more light1 and  subtill1 which the fume
 carries upwards2 that is1 the ,soote1  
wherein  are contained the two volatill 
and liquid ,elements1 called by the     
,chymists1 ,mercury and ,sulphur1 and by
 the ,naturalists1 ,vapour1  and        
,exhalation4 ,by ,mercury1 is designed  
,water1 or ,vapour1 and by  ,sulphur1   
,oile1 and ,exhalation2 ,of ,salt and of
 ,earths therein1 there  are found a    
very small quantity1 yet sufficient1    
thereby to perceive  how the four       
,elements are found out in the          
resolution of all the  composed         
,elementaries3 ,take then the ,soote of 
,chimney1 but of that  which shall mount
 highest in a very long ,chimney pipe1  
and in the very  top1 where it must bee 
most subtill1 thereof fill a great      
,cornue1 or  an ,alembic two parts of   
three1 then apply thereunto a great     

recipient1  which you wrap about with   
linnen wet with fresh water4 ,give fire 
by  small quantities1 the water and the 
oil will distill together1 although  the
 water ought in order to issue out      
first4 ,after that1 all these two       
liquors shall passe through the         
,recipient1 and when nothing else shall 
arise1 increase your fire with faggot   
stickes well dryed1 or other  like1     
continuing it for #h or #aj houres1 so  
long that the earths which  shall rest  
in the bottome bee well calcined3 but   
for that they are in  small quantity put
 to more ,soote1 and continue it as     
aforesaid1 untill  you have earth enough
 which you shall take out of the        
,alembic1 which  you shall put into a   
little earthen pot1 of ,parris1 not     
smoothed1  or in a little hollow pot4   
,the water and oile1 which you shall    
have  distilled may be easily separated 
by a glasse fonnell1 where the water    
will swimme above the oile3 ,this done  
you shall rectify your water by         

,balneum ,mari1 by redistilling of it   
two or three times2 for oile  doth not  
mount by this degree of fire but by     
,sand2 keepe them asunder  upon the     
earths1 that shall be calcined within   
the said pot or cruset1  put their water
 thereon a little warme stirring it with
 a spit1 so long  till the ,salt which  
shall therein bee revealed by the fires 
action1 do  totally dissolve it selfe   
into this ,water2 withdraw it by        
distillation1  and the ,salt shall bee  
left you in the bottome1 of the nature  
of  ,salarmoniac1 so that by pressing   
it1 it will elevate it selfe4 ,but of   
this more plainely hereafter in its owne
 place1 when we shall speake  of ,salt4 
,of ,earthes wee need not take much     
care1 for wee must seeke for  the best  
in the ,ashes1 as also fixed ,salt4 ,so 
by the meanes of ,water1  extracted out 
of ashes 7we will here a little passe   
from ,soote1 a  little better to declare
 the subject of ,earthes47    ,in this  
,element the more grosse and materiall  

of all1 which wee call  ,earth1 we must 
consider three substances2 the ,hebrewes
 also have  better distinguished them   
then we1 by giving them #c names1       
,erehs1  ,adamah1 and ,jabassah4 ,erehs 
is properly durt or mud1 ,jabassah      
sand1 and ,adamah clay1 wash of the     
common earth with water1 and  powre it  
suddainly into another vessell1 with the
 slime that it hath  gathered2 reiterate
 it so long1 that there remaine no more 
in the  bottome but ,sand1 in the       
,scripture called ,arida3 ,and his hands
 laid  the foundation of the earth1     
,psal4 #id4 where he properly useth the 
word of laying a foundation1 because    
that ,sand is the subsistence and       
retention of the earth1 where it is     
mingled with slime by a certaine        
providence of nature to strengthen it   
against the moisture of water1  as wee  
see in ,morter1 where wee adjoine sand  
with chalke1 for feare  lest it melt1   
and dissolve into moisture4 ,it serves  
also1 to give it  counterpoise1 for that

 ,sand is very heavy1 ,a stone is heavy1
 and  sand burdensome1 or weighty1      
,prov4 #bg4 ,but the slime is lighter1  
wherein minerals1 vegetables1 animals1  
are procreated1 as wee see by           
experience1 by putting pure slime to the
 ,erthree2 for in lesse then  three     
weekes1 you will finde therein small    
stones1 herbs1 wormes1  and snailes1 and
 other little beasts1 producted         
therefrom4 ,of the  nourishment         
remaining that these individuals shall  
bee1 as that of  ,sand1 deprived of all 
humidity2 according to what wee see in  
,earths1  which having beene too much   
cultivated1 and sowed1 without bettering
 of  them1 are reduced from being       
fertill1 as formerly they were1 and     
become  sandy and sterill2 for ,sand    
produceth nothing1 as wee see in        
,deserts  and ,sea coasts3 whence comes 
this proverbe1 7,you plough the ,sands7 
for a vaine and unprofitable labour3 for
 of the two qualities1 whereof  each    
,element participates1 there is one that

 is more proper to it1 and  the other   
appropriated3 ,drynesse1 is the proper  
quality of the ,earth1  for that cold is
 more proper to ,water3 wherefore is it 
that the ,earth1  as aforesaid1 is      
called in ,hebrew ,jabassah1 and in     
,greeke  dry  land2 and ,god called the 
earth dry land4 ,slime is more waterish2
  for of the grosseness of the water1   
earth was made1 saith ,hermes2 as  wee  
may see in snow1 in hail1 in raine1 or  
with water so condensed1  there is much 
slime mingled1 of which 7as aforesaid7  
every thing here  in the earth below is 
produced4 ,man himselfe according to his
 body1  was formed of this slime2 and   
from thence it followeth that all the   
fertility of the earth comes from       
,water4 ,god created all the buddes of  
the earth before they grew1 and all the 
herbes of the field before they  brought
 forth seed2 for the ,lord ,god had not 
yet made it to raine upon  the earth1   
but a mist went up therefrom1 that      
watered the whole face  thereof4 ,or as 

the ,chaldaick ,paraphrast turneth it1  
,onkelos1 in  stead of source and       
fountaine1 vapour and clouds1 which are 
engendred  from the vapours that the    
,sunne elevates here below to the height
 in  the middle ,region of the ,aire1   
from thence to water the earth4 ,but    
neither the slime1 nor the sand1 nor the
 clay on the other side1 are  not each  
by it selfe1 nor reduced together1 are  
this virgin and pure  earth1 that is    
shut up in the ,center of all the       
composed ,elements1 that  is to say1 in 
the bottome of them1 for that produceth 
nothing1 because  it is incorruptible3  
and that which cannot corrupt1 cannot   
produce any  thing that should be       
subject to corruption2 as we see in     
,fire1 ,salt1  and ,sand1 which are of  
the nature of ,glasse1 all substances   
not onely  incorruptible for their      
respect1 but which preserves from       
corruption1  that wherewith they are    
mingled2 witnesse herbs1 fruits1 flesh1 
fish1  and other the like1 which being  

salted or buried in ,sand are thereby   
kept the longer4 ,and in ,mummies1 of   
those that remaine choked and  buried in
 the ,sands passing the ,deserts1 which 
are preserved whole  many suits of      
yeares1 even as well1 nay better then if
 they had been  enbalmed4 ,so that this 
earth is formed of two incorruptible    
substances1  ,salt1 and ,sand1 by meanes
 of the water which is thereupon        
congealed2 as  wee see in this faire    
,crystalline ,glasse1 made of ,salt1 of 
glasse wort1  amongst which they mingle 
sand to retaine it2 otherwise1 in the   
great  sharpnesse of fire that it must  
indure1 to worke therewith1 it would    
all vanish into smoake2 wee depure and  
refine it afterwards in cleare          
,crystalline1 joining thereunto         
perigort1 or sinople made of ,lead4     
,their are some that carry their ,sand  
with them1 as ,foulgere1  ,charme1 or   
,fouteau1 firebrakes1 charme1 or beech1 
and some others4    ,but this comes     
better to our discourse1 of ,gold and   

,glasse1 and some  others upon the #bh4 
of ,iob1 where speaking of ,sapience1   
hee saith1  that nothing can compare    
with it1 nor ,gold it self1 nor ,glasse4
 ,this  ,earth then1 so excellent1 and  
incorruptible1 is not this vile and     
grosse ,element1 that we trample on1 and
 cultivate to draw there hence  our     
nurtriture and sustentation1 but that   
whereof it is spoken in the  #ba4 of the
 ,revel4 clear and transparent3 ,i saw a
 new ,heaven and a  new ,earth1 and the 
holy ,city was of pure ,gold1 like unto 
pure ,glasse1  and the streets thereof  
were of shining and resplendent ,gold3  
,see how  hee doth liken more then once 
,gold and ,glasse1 which is produced by 
the depurations of ,fire3 for that is   
the last action thereof1 having  therein
 no power but to refine and depure1 as  
he doth ,gold4 ,which the  ,sun         
produceth in long millions of years3 ,to
 the imitation of that1 the  speculative
 understandings are forced by means of  
fire1 to extract  out of the corruption 

of these inferior elements1 and their   
compounds  and incorruptible substance1 
which was to them a modell and pattern  
of that1 whereto the whole universe     
should at last bee reduced3 from  hence 
we here draw from ,soot a representation
 and image of the works  of nature1 upon
 vapours and exhalations1 whence        
,meteors are formed1  and impressions   
from the middle ,region of the ,air1    
,water holding place  of the waterish1  
and oil of the fiery1 and inflamable1   
which oil is  altogether impure1 to bee 
adustible and unprofitable to the       
procreation  of this ,virgin ,earth3    
called by some the ,philosophers ,stone1
 which  so many ignorant avaricious men 
have sought for1 but could not find     
because they sought it with blind eyes1 
darkened with a sordid desire  of       
unlawfull gain3 to make themselves on a 
sodain richer then another  ,midas1 who 
at last got nought1 but the ears of an  
,asse1 and did not  cherish it to praise
 and admire ,god in his admirable workes

 following  that which is said in the   
#cg4 of ,job1 consider the wondrous     
works  of ,god1 for we cannot doe a     
greater pleasure to a workman1 then to  
mark attentively1 to admire and magnifie
 his works2 nor a greater  reproch then 
to scorn and slight them3 ,and of such  
the ,apostle in the  #d4 to the ,ephes4 
speaketh thus1 ,they have their thoughts
 obscured  with darknesse1 being        
alienated from the life of ,god1 because
 of the  ignorance that is in them1 in  
respect of blindnesse of their heart3   
,take then this ,oil so extracted from  
,soot1 and repasse it three or  four    
times upon ,sand2 for it is one of      
those1 that lasteth very long4  ,and    
after the extraction of the ,water and  
,oil1 and the ,calcination  of the      
earths1 that shall remain in the bottome
 of the vessell1 cast  your water       
thereon1 and put the matter to putrifie 
ten or twelve dayes  in dung3 then draw 
back the water by distillation calcining
 at the  end thereof the ,earths seven  

or eight houres by the fires flame4 ,put
  again the water upon the ,earths1     
putrified1 distilled1 and calcined1     
reiterating as abovesaid4 ,for by means 
of water and fire1 the ,earths  will be 
calcined1 untill they have drunk up and 
retained all their  water3 or the       
greatest part3 which will be done at the
 six or seventh  reiteration4 ,this     
done1 give it the fire of sublimation1  
and it will  elevate it self a pure     
earth1 clear and ,crystalline fastened  
in the  ,center4 ,the water hath great  
proprieties and vertues1 but this ,earth
  hath yet more1 whereof ,i will        
endeavour to speak more at large4 ,there
  may be also ,salt extracted by the    
dissolutions of its water and  glasse1  
of the ,earths that shall remain after  
the elevation of the  said ,virgin      
,earth4 ,for every private thing by its 
proper humidity doth  perform nothing   
but vitrificatory fusion1 saith ,geber4 
,and there are  here three3 two         
volatiles1 water1 and oil1 and the third

 fix'd and  permanent2 which is         
congealed1 namely ,salt3 which beyond   
all other  moistures expects the        
conflict of fire1 saith the said ,geber4
 ,for  there is nothing more moist1 and 
more unctuous then ,salt1 nor that      
better endures fire3 ,also all metals   
are nought else but fusible salts2      
whereunto they are easily resolved3     
common ,salt melteth also1 after it     
hath been recalcined1 and dissolved1    
three or foure times1 whereof wee  will 
speake more plainly in its place4       
,sidenote3 ,coupelles4 pag4 #hf4 ,the   
little ashen pot1 wherein  goldsmiths   
melt and fine their metals4    ,i have  
here a little extended my self upon     
,soot1 as upon a ,subject1  where rare  
secrets appear remarkable2  the same    
upon charcole1 made of  stone1 and of   
that vitrification of sky colour1 that  
remains of ,iron  whereof wee see great 
heaps in furnaces and forges1 and being 
so dry1  yet there may be water1 and oil
 drawn therefrom3 wee will yet say the  

same concerning ,soot3 ,fire burning    
wood1 or other adustible matter1        
chaseth away the waterish humidity1     
therein contained1 and feeds it  selfe  
with oil1 or aereall substance4 ,the    
terrestriall part1 which are  the ashes1
 remaining in the bottom calcined1 where
 the ,salt resides1  which thereby being
 separated by the washings1 and         
dissolutions of  the water1 the         
remainder is nought but slime1 which is 
drawn away  by frequent ablutions1 and  
the ,sand remains at the last proper to 
be vitrified2 observe in respect of one 
of the excrements of fire1  which is not
 contented therewith1 but by its        
impetuosity1 and heat  tending naturally
 upwards1 carries on high with violence 
a part of the  subtiliated substances4  
,let us adapt this to the ,coupelles4   
,wee see that part of the lead1 from    
thence goes away in smoak as in the     
fire1 whence ,soot is procreated1 a part
 thereof is burned1 namely its          
sulphurous part1 and part grows tough   

within the coupelles almost in  the     
manner of ,glasse or varnish4 ,of the   
two first volatils1 there is  no account
 to be made thereof1 for they goe and   
disperse themselves4  ,but bray the     
,coupelles where this vitrification is  
as it were baked1  wash them well with  
warm water1 to depure them from their   
grosnesse and  uncleannesse1 then put   
them into a descensory with a strong    
expression  of a bellows fire with the  
,salt of ,tartar and ,salnitre1 and     
there  will fall down through a         
,metalline3 which being recoupled with  
new lead you will find more fine1       
without comparison then at first1  and  
ever from that time forward1 more and   
more1 by reiteration as  abovesaid4 ,so 
that hee1 that would take the patience  
to boil the lead  on a regulated and    
continuall fire1 that should not exceed 
its fusion1  that is to say1 that the   
lead should therein remain alwayes      
melted and  no more1 putting thereto a  
small portion of quicksilver or         

sublimate to  keepe it from             
,calcination1 and to reduce it to       
powder3 at the end of a  certain time1  
you shall find that ,lamwell hath not   
spoken frivolously  to say that the six 
grain is contained in power with lead1  
7that is to  say7 gold and silver1 would
 multiply and increase themselves as the
  fruit upon a tree doth4    ,sidenote3 
,coups a ruer4 pag4 #hg4    ,but to     
return to these oils of long durance1   
whereof he might make a  large volume   
that would run through not all but a    
part3 ,let him draw  from the ,tartar of
 wine1 of which the best comes from     
,mompellier1  even that which adheres   
unto the ,tun4 ,one which is very       
important1  ,tartar is one of the       
subjects1 where those who practise in   
the fire1  do find so many blows to     
cast4 ,take of this ,tartar beaten into 
small  powder and put it in a leaded    
earthen pot with clear fountain water1  
upon a ,trevet or furnace1 making it    
boil easily and scum the villainies  and

 filthinesse off with a feather3 the    
silver ,crusts that shall  afterwards   
arise1 gather them with a head of       
,glasse1 where these grosse  moules     
destang1 of mudd1 so long till they rise
 no more1 renewing  the water by measure
 when it comes to diminish4 ,turn it by 
,inclination1  and put a part1 that     
which rests in the bottom in the shape  
of ,sand4  ,put again the ,crusts in new
 water1 make them boil gently as before1
 and  gather together the ,crusts that  
shall rise up more clear and lucent     
then the first1 separating their dregs  
and impurities1 if there be any         
presented1 and reiterate this six or    
seven times1 till your ,crusts be  clear
 and shining as silver or pearls4 ,dry  
them in the ,sun1 or before  the fire   
upon a linnen1 and put them in a cornue 
with an open breech1  and a graduate    
fire reinforcing it by smalls3 and      
through the beak  of the ,cornue1 there 
will issue as a smal rivolet of milk1   
that will  resolve into oil with the    

,recipient4 ,passe it once again1 or    
twice upon  ,sand1 or salt of ,tartar3  
which is done by calcining of ,tartar1  
within  a pot of ,earth of ,paris1 not  
leaded in a fire of reverberation1  or  
in ,charcoles3 afterwards dissolve it1  
with hot water and filter1  and congeal 
it1 and there will remain white ,salt   
which will resolve  it self into a      
liquor called the oil of ,tartar2 or    
after it is well  calcined let it       
resolve to it self in moisture4 ,this   
,liquor is of  great efficacy to quench 
and root out all sorts of wildfires4    
,but of  the sands that remain in the   
bottom1 without being unwilling to rise 
in  ,crusts3 there will be extracted    
another more exquisite oil and lesse    
adustible4    ,tartar may be governed   
after another fashion4 ,wee insist      
therein in  this respect1 because it    
shews to have ,i know not what agreement
 with  ,soot3 for as ,soot is an        
excrement of fire1 so are ,tartar and   
lees1 the  same of wine1 that have great

 affinity with fire4 ,take then of      
,tartar  in ,powder within a leaded     
earthen vessell1 and cast hot water     
there on  stirring it strongly with a   
stick2 and letting it rest a little1 put
  out the water2 with that which it hath
 gotten from the ,tartar3 which  is     
after the form of slime within another  
dish3 and put new luke warm  water upon 
the ,tartar3 reiterating as aforesaid so
 many times that  the water may come    
forth neat  clear2 which will be        
perfected at the  fifth or sixth time4  
,and in the bottom there will remain the
 foresaid  sand1 which being dryed      
disolves it self within the distilled   
vinegar1  and not into common water4    
,aqua vit likewise dissolves in a little
  space1 when the one and the other     
would take no more4 ,wash that which    
remaines1 with common water1 then dry it
 slowly1 and having put it  into a      
,cornue with a sufficient good          
expression of fire graduating it  by    
small pieces1 there will be extracted an

 odoriferous oil1 as of  aspic4 one of  
,raimond ,lullius his secrets3 which is 
one of his  principall keyes1 and       
entries into ,metallick dissolutions4   
,take the  foresaid evacuations1 and    
elevate the ,crusts as aforesaid4 ,there
 are  too many things to speak of       
,tartar1 and that which wee have now set
  down is not vulgar1 but the rarest of 
our experiments2 ,of vinegar1  after    
that the clear shall bee distilled1 and 
that the white fumes  shall begin to    
appear1 which is his adustible          
oilynesse1 put the dregs  that shall    
remain 7for you must have a great       
quantity7 in a cellar or  other fresh   
place1 and in five or six dayes there   
will be procreated  small ,crystalline  
little stones2 separate them from their 
residences1  by ablutions of common     
water1 and dry them2 and you shall draw 
thereout  an oil of no small importance1
 so great certainly and admirable are   
the  substances1 which the art of ,fire 
extracts from ,wine4    ,sidenote3      

,lignum vit4    ,the most part of the   
oils that wee have touched on1          
heretofore1 being  adustible1 are by    
consequent of a strong and troublesome  
odour1 as  smelling the burnt1 when they
 burn1 you must therefore set them in   
the ,sun certain dayes1 that is to say1 
to dry them in the ,sun1 and in  the    
,air1 to take away from them this fiery 
smell3 for recompence we  will here     
treat of some rare ones and of good     
agreeable odour4 ,and  in the first that
 of ,been1 which prefumers use1 hath    
neither colour1  odour1 nor savour3 and 
therefore it is susceptible of all those
 which  you shall apply thereunto4      
,being repassed upon ,sand to take away 
the  fatnesse1 it would bee of long     
durance1 and without an ill sent1 but it
  is too dear4 ,as for oils of ,olive1  
rapes or long turneps1 chenevy1         
sesamum1 but is rare in these quarters3 
and other the like which  are drawn by  
the press1 by means of the heat of fire3
 what repasses  soever there may bee1   

yet they never desist to be of a good   
odour1  but so much lesse1 according as 
they shall bee depured and by the  same 
means of longer durance3 ,oils of ,sage1
 ,thyme1 ,pepper and other  the like1   
drawn by an instrument proper thereunto1
 such artifices1  are so divulged even  
unto ,chamber maids1 that ,i should bee 
ashamed to  speak of3 ,that of ,benzoine
 is more rare1 and lesse known1 and more
  laborious to make4 ,take ,benzoin     
thoroughly beaten to grosse powder1 and 
put it into a ,cornue with fine ,aqua   
vit1 which swimmeth thereover  three or 
four fingers1 and leave them so for two 
or three daies upon  a moderate fire of 
ashes1 that the ,aqua vit may not       
distill1  removing them every houre2    
this done1 accommodate the ,cornue upon 
the furnace with an earthen vessell full
 of ,sand4 ,distill the ,aqua  vit1 with
 a gentle fire1 afterwards increasing it
 by degrees1 there  will appear infinite
 little aiguilles and filaments1 such as
 in the  dissolutions of lead and       

quicksilver4 ,the which sheweth         
sufficiently  that ,benzoin participates
 thereof3 ,it whitens ,copper1 quickens 
,gold1  and put in decoction of gayac1  
doth admirable effects1 as also         
,tartar1 which containeth much          
quick-silver4 ,when then these veins or 
little aiguilles shall shew themselves1 
continue this degree of fire1  and let  
them play within the ,cornue a certain  
space1 so long that all  vanish away4   
,in the interim have in a readinesse a  
little stick which  may enter within the
 neck of the ,cornue for these aiguilles
 will  come thither to bring again as in
 an mouelle1 and if you take them  not  
away speedily the vessell will break    
when this ,gumme or ,mouelle  shall bee 
all past1 with a certain form of butter1
 which will cast it  self afterwards    
within the ,recipient1 the oil will     
begin to distill  fair and clear1 of an 
hyacinth colour1 and fragrant odour3    
after which  reinforcing the fire1 there
 will issue out another more thick and  

dark1  which you must receive apart4    
,this ,gumme or white marrow1 which you 
shall have drawn out of the neck of the 
,cornue1 wash it with the ,aqua  vit    
which you distilled therefrom1 in the   
beginning1 which shall  extract         
therefrom a tincture or ,citrine colour1
 as ,saffron1 and shall  leave the      
,gumme very white1 and of a most        
agreeable smell1 fit to make  ,pater    
,nosters of sents1 of such a colour as  
you will please to give  it3 withdraw   
your ,aqua vit by a bath1 and in the    
bottome there will  remain a yellow     
,tincture of a good sent likewise1 which
 hath great  proprieties and vertues4   
,the black oil is1 a soveraign balm     
against all  hurts3 and of the remaining
 earths a ,salt of great efficacy4 ,thus
 you  have of ,benzoin five or six      
substances1 a white ,gomme1 with its    
yellow  ,tincture1 the two oils and     
,salt4    ,aqua vit which is its        
principall manifestation1 and without   
which  nothing would bee done therein1  

there is also ,storax1 ,calamint1       
,ladanum1 ,myrrh1 and the like ,gums1   
out of which oil is extracted by  the   
means of the carriage of ,aqua vit1 and 
therein you must proceed  as in         
,benzoin3 ,but there are not so many    
things to mingle together3  ,out of     
,myrrh there is likewise extracted a    
liquor1 very proper to take  away all   
spots and marks remaining of scabs1 or  
pox and other like  accidents4 ,take    
hard ,egs1 and cleave them in the       
middle1 take away  the yellow1 then fill
 the hollows with grains of ,myrrh1 and 
cover  them again with the other half3  
,leave them three or four dayes in the  
clear and in the air1 where the ,sun    
comes not3 and they will resolve        
themselves into a liquor like unto hony1
 or thick dew1 frankincense  likewise   
doth the same4    ,out of ,sulphure also
 there may bee drawn an adustible oil by
 opening  it1 with ,aqua vit1 and also  
by other wayes4 ,for ,sulphur hath in it
  two substances1 the one inflammative1 

the other not1 but aluminous  and       
vitriolique3 whence proceeds this liquor
 which is called oil of  ,sulphur3 which
 hath yet greater properties and vertues
 then the oil  of vitriol1 which is more
 caustick and burning3 as well against  
evill  inward affections1 as in ,cankers
 and ulcers of the mouth1 tooth ach1    
cankers1 and other the like1 where it   
works more moderately4    ,take then    
first a match of ,cotten yarn of the    
bignesse of your little  finger and two 
els long1 which you shall besmear with  
molten wax and  with ,turpentine1 as to 
make waxe ,lights4    ,take on the other
 side a pot of ,paris earth leaded1     
wherein you  shall put a bed of sulphur 
enough grossely beaten1 and thereupon   
lay  a round of your foresaid matches1  
untill the pot be full1 on the top      
whereof1 you shall leave a little end of
 your ,match to light it3 7fine  musket 
match is very good also74 ,put your pot 
under a chimney and hang  thereupon an  
,alembic ,cap1 whose mouth should relate

 to that of the pot4  ,but you must     
first besmear and crust over the clay to
 the thicknesse  of a thumb3 you must   
not join it just to the pot1 but that   
there may  be an inch opening betwixt   
them4 ,light the ,match1 and make the   
,sulphur  burn1 which will cast from it 
a small white fume1 which will adhere   
within the ,cap and from thence it will 
resolve into a liquor of peach  color1  
that will fall into the ,recipient1 when
 you have to such an end1  applyed it to
 the beak of the ,cap3 ,but this will do
 better in soft  weather with south     
winds and d'aval1 and not in dry        
weather4    ,wee have long insisted on  
these oils1 as well for that they are   
produced for the most part out of the   
action of fire1 of which there  is here 
a question as for that nothing is nearer
 of kin to fire1 then  fatty oils1      
unctuosities1 pitch rozin1 and black    
,turpentines1 ,gums1  and other like    
,inflammative substances1 that are the  
true food1 and  nourishment thereof3    

,and for that we are so far embarked    
therein1  there will be no hurt1 here in
 one train to prosecute something of the
  ,artifices which are commonly called  
,grecian fires1 whereof there are  many 
sorts1 that cannot bee quenched with    
water4    ,the foundation of them are   
,sulphur and ,bitumen1 black pitch1 and 
rosin1  ,turpentine1 ,colophone1        
,sarcocoll1 oils of ,lin1 petroll1 and  
,laurell1  ,salt-,peter1 ,camphere1     
,tallow1 ,grease and other unctuosities 
facil  to conceive flame3 ,of these     
,greek fires ,plutarch speaketh in his  
,treatise of not lending upon usury3    
more lately by ,zonaras1 in his  #c4    
,tome in the life of ,constantine the   
,pogonate where it is said  that in the 
year of our ,lord #fgh4 the ,saracens   
being come to besiege  ,constantinople1 
an ,ingenier by name ,callinicus brought
 an ,artifice  of certain fire1 by means
 whereof the ,saracens ,fleet was       
defeated3  ,but ,gunpowder1 and the     
artifices that may bee made thereby1    

hath  slubbered them all2 whence        
consisteth the most part of our         
artificiall  fires1 pots1 and fire      
pikes1 circles1 granadoes1 sauciges1    
petards1  fuses1 and infinite other the 
like1 which we pretend not here to      
specifie in particular4    ,take then a 
pound of ,salt-,peter1 #h4 ounces of    
,sulphur1 #f4 ounces of  ,gunpowder1    
incorporate them together for           
,granadoes1 and fire-pots1  which make  
great noise in the breaking4 ,but to tye
 fire to wood1 and  other inflammative  
matters1 mingle a pound of pitch1 rosin1
 a quartern  of black pitch1 #c4 ounces 
of ,colophon1 and #e4 of ,sulphur1      
bruise the  ,gums1 and cast into the    
melted ,sulphurs1 when it is cold beat  
them  again1 and moisten them with oil  
of ,bayes1 or linnen4 ,there is another 
composition much more violent1 but more 
dangerous4    ,melt a pound of ,sulphur 
within a leaded earthen pot1 and put    
therein  by little and little1 but      
discreetly1 a quartern of powder grosse 

grained1 with as much salt ,peter1      
stirring them often with a rod of       
,iron4 ,take them off the fire and let  
them dry4 ,this mingled with the        
aforesaid ,artifices wil work wondrous  
effects4 ,some mingle also a  little    
beaten glasse1 which coming to be       
warmed1 rewarms consequently  the       
matter1 when it comes to flame3 whose   
heat makes it stronger1 and  of longer  
durance4 ,camphere serves to make it    
burn in the water1 as  likewise all     
other greases do1 and above all oil of  
brimstone1 drawn  by a bath1 then which 
there is nothing more subtible or       
inflameable4  ,but it would bee too     
tedious to penetrate into the ruins of  
mankind1 of  which there would bee no   
end1 if a man should runne through them 
all4    ,therefore let us return to our 
left purpose1 of two fires4 ,that above1
  designed by ,pallas and ,minerva1 and 
that below by ,vesta4 ,which  although  
they be so far distant1 yet fail not to 
have such an affinity  together1 that   

they easily transmute one into the      
other3 for the ,sun  beams are          
illightned by fire1 by reason of a viall
 filled with water1  as ,plutarch relate
 in the life of ,numa4 ,where from a    
burning  looking glasse1 of which ,i    
remember that ,i saw one so puissant1 in
  the ,states of ,orleans1 that in lesse
 then nothing1 and yet in the  moneth of
 ,ianuary1 it set a fire the staffe of a
 torch1 and the fire  contrariwise by   
many conveyances and contrivings from   
the top to the  bottom1 and through the 
sides in many circular revolutions1 as  
in those  of a ,labyrinth1 and in       
furnaces which they call a ,tower1 its  
heat comes  to be so moderated1 that it 
passeth into a naturall heat1 vivifying1
  and nourishing in stead of burning1   
baking or consuming3 ,and with such  a  
fire ,i can say that there were hatched 
at ,rome1 at one time more  then #ajj4  
or #abj4 ,chickens1 the ,egs being      
therein couved and setled as  under a   
,hen4    ,sidenote3 ,coals kept in      

,juniper for the space of a year4       
,the ,persians and ,vestalls fire at    
,rome reverenced as well by the  one1 as
 by the other1 as very holy1 was very   
carefully entertained4  ,touching the   
,persian1 ,strabo in his #ae4 ,book     
writeth that the  ,magi had a custome to
 conserve it under ashes1 before which  
they went  every day to make their      
prayers and devotions1 which is not     
without  some mystery4 ,the ashes       
denoting the sensible world and the body
 of man  which it represents3 being     
nothing else but ashes3 and the fire    
therein  inclosed and covered1 the      
sparkle of life1 wherewith it is        
animated and  vivified4 ,these ashes    
furthermore1 must be of some gummy      
trees1 to  make it of longer durance3   
namely1 of ,juniper1 wherein ,i         
heretofore  have kept living coals1 more
 than a year1 heaping up bed upon bed   
within the ashes1 being all lock't fast 
within a little barrell that  no air may
 enter2 and this is that which is meant 

in the #abj4 ,psalm4  #d4 ver4 with     
,juniper coals1 according to the        
,hebrew1 in place of  uncomfortable4    
,with these burning coals the ,persians 
came to light  the luminaries of their  
,temples when they came to be           
extinguished4  ,but the ,vestals in case
 their fire should extinguish1 as it    
sometimes  happened1 it was not lawfull 
for them to light it again1 but must    
draw  it from the ,sun beams3 ,and did  
not only attend that it should quench of
  it selfe1 or by some casuall accident1
 but they renewed it yearly1 the  first 
day of ,march from that of heaven1 as   
,ovidius observes tertio  ,fastorum4    
,adde that new fire was made in the     
secret house      and the renewed fire  
took force4      ,which ,macrobius also 
toucheth in his second of ,saturnals1   
#ab4  chap4 ,the first day of ,march the
 ,vestals lighted a new fire on the     
,altar of the ,goddesse2 that by the    
renewing of the year1 they should  renew
 in themselves their care of keeping it 

from going out4 ,saint  ,augustine in   
his third ,book of the ,city of ,god1   
#ah ch4 ,in what  reputation 7saith he7 
this sacred fire was at ,rome1 men may  
know by  this1 that when the ,city was a
 fire1 the grand ,pontifex ,metellus1   
for fear that this strange fire should  
not mingle with the other1 put  himselfe
 in danger to be consumed by the flames1
 to make it retire4 ,so  that there is  
nothing more conformable to the tenth of
 ,leviticus4  ,that if these poor blind 
people1 which took the ,symbols and     
,mysteries  of ,religion but            
superficially1 and from the bark1 as do 
also the ,jewes1  from whom they        
borrowed all their important            
,traditions1 had known that  which was  
covered and prefigured thereunder1 what 
accompt is there  to beleeve that they  
made thereof8 ,some do alledge that this
 sacred  fire of the ,vestals1 was      
illuminated by means of fusil1 bruising 
two  pieces of wood one against another1
 or in piercing them with a borrier  as 

,festus would have it1 and ,simplicius  
upon the third ,book of  ,heaven1       
according to ,aristotle4 ,plinie in the 
#af4 ,book1 #d4 chap4  ,men rub two     
woods one against another1 from whence  
fire is forced2  which is received in by
 a bait made of dryed leaves and put in 
powder1  or in the match of the         
touchwood of a tree4 ,but there is      
nothing1 which  doth better conduce     
thereunto1 then ,ivy beaten or bruised  
with ,laurell2  the same is of late more
 practiced by the ,savages of the ,west 
,indies1  as ,gonzale d',ovidiedo in his
 natural ,history of those quarters1    
lib4 #f4 cap4 #e4 binding 7saith he7 two
 dry slicks hard one against  another1  
and putting betwixt their juncture the  
point of a rod well  rounded1 which they
 rub thick and thin betwixt the hands1  
so long till  the fire by rubbing1 and  
the rarefaction of the air that followes
 them  may lighten them4 ,of this new   
relightning1 to shew us1 that we must   
renew and be borne again to a better and

 more praisable life1 not  farre        
different from the ,ceremonies of the   
,christian ,church1 when on  the ,eves  
of ,easter1 and ,whitsontide1 at the    
,benediction of ,springs and            
,fountains1 they make a new great wax   
,taper1 wherewith all the other         
luminaries are set on fire4    ,touching
 ,moses fire1 it was first sent from    
,heaven1 and lasted to  the construction
 of ,solomons ,temple1 which was again  
renewed from  ,heaven2 and maintained to
 ,king ,manasses his time1 when the     
,jewes were  carryed captives into      
,babylon1 which the ,levites kept in the
 bottome  of a ,well1 where it was found
 again at their return #gj years after1 
in  the form of a gluish and white      
water1 as hath been said heretofore4    
,pausanias to the ,corinthians1 sets    
down1 that in the dayes of  ,antigonus  
son of ,demetrius1 there appeared a     
fountain of warm water  near to the     
,city of ,mathana1 but from the         
beginning it appeared not  in water1 but

 in great flames of ,fire which were    
resolved into hot  and salt water4      
,saint ,ambrose yet discoursing upon    
this water of  the ,levites1 in the     
third of his offices1 sets down1 that   
this doth  sufficiently demonstrate1    
that this was a perpetual fire which    
could  not be taken from another place1 
to shew that they must not acknowledge  
any other ,god1 or other religion1 and  
ceremonies then those that were         
established by the inspiration of the   
holy ,spirit designed by fire2 for  we  
may see what the children of ,aaron1    
,nadab and ,abihu1 found in  the #aj of 
,leviticus1 being willing to take upon  
them to offer strange  fire unto ,god4  
,then all false doctrine1 idolatry1     
heresie1 and impiety1  may be called    
strange fire1 that devours the soul as a
 feaver doth the  body1 with the life   
that maintains it2 there where this true
 fire sent  from ,heaven1 is that of the
 holy ,spirit1 which salteth our hearts 
and  consciences1 that is to say1       

preserves them from corruption1         
according  whereunto the ,prophet       
,jeremie spake in his #bj4 chapter when 
he had  received it4 ,then it was made  
as a burning fire in my heart1 and shut 
up in my bones1 and ,i was weary in     
forbearing and could not stay4 ,that    
the ,holy ,spirit should not be only    
light1 but very fire1 ,esay doth        
manifest chap4 #aj4 #ag4 ,and the light 
of ,israel shall be for a fire1  and his
 holy one for a flame4 ,for even so as  
the burnings1 which are  a potentiall   
fire1 composed of igneal and burning    
salts1 work not upon  a dead part1      
insensible1 and deprived of ,natures    
heat2 so the holy  ,spirit doth not     
exercise its actions upon cold          
languishing hearts1 that  make no       
account of its ticklings1 and           
invitations1 but shew themselves        
contumacious and refractary2 just so as 
the heat of the ,sun1 and of the  fire1 
but more and more hardens earth1 and    
clay1 in stead of softening  it1 and    

melts it as they do wax1 butter1 and    
grease4 ,for the acts of  ,actives are  
in the disposition of the ,patient1     
where we see fire does  divers effects  
in disagreeable subjects1 but not wholly
 contrary1 and  directly opposite2 as   
when it blacks a coal1 and white chalk  
where  its vertue is imprinted1 but all 
to the contrary2 for fire by custome  is
 extinguished by water1 it is it1 that  
in this respect inflames and  renewes   
that which was imprinted and hidden in  
the chalk3 whence a fair  meditation is 
presented2 that as fire is the symboll  
of life2 water  7that is its contrary7  
and extinguisheth it1 must be of        
consequence the  symboll of death2 water
 naturally tending downwards1 and fire  
upwards1  wherein consisteth life4      
,strabo to this purpose in his #ae4     
,book1 speaking of the ,brachmans1  sets
 down1 that which we call death1 to be  
renewing of life1 and that  this        
temporall is but a conception as it     
were1 and a carriage which  comes about 

the end of its term1 to bring forth to  
death1 to passe from  thence to eternall
 life4 ,which ,seneca imitates in the   
#ajc ,epistle4  ,the day that we fear so
 much1 as the last of our life1 is a    
renascence  of an eternall day2 let us  
then chearfully leave behind that which 
serves for nothing but a tedious charge4
 ,why do we so much turn our  backs1 as 
if we had not been before this first    
frail body1 in which  we remain included
 and hid8 we struggle and temporize     
therein1 to the  best of our power1 and 
not without cause1 for we have been     
forced out  by a endeavour of our mother
 in bearing us2 and we weep and lament  
when we arrive to this1 which we think  
to be the last day1 but to  complaine1  
cry1 and weep1 are they not marks and   
tokens of one that  is to be borne8 ,and
 a little more ,christian-like1 although
 a little  before2 ,i will lay down this
 body where ,i have found it1 and       
clothed  it1 and will render my self    
above to the immortall ,gods1 although  

,i  am not without them at this present1
 but whilest ,i am detained here  within
 this grievous masse of earth1 in the   
low abode of mortality1 my  sensuality  
will fight and combat against this other
 better and longer  life4 ,now as we    
have been for nine or ten months1 shut  
up within our  mothers belly1 not to    
prepare therein for it selfe1 but at    
last1 to  come to this place1 whither we
 ought to be sent1 when we should be    
perfectly accomplished and made fit to  
breath1 and remain openly out of  this  
closet1 where we were formed4 ,in like  
manner during the space that  we have   
run through from our infancy to old age1
 we dye to go whither  another originall
 attends us1 and a new state of things4 
,all this doth  in nothing derogate from
 the ,traditions of our ,church1 who    
celebrated  for the nativity of ,martyrs
 the day of their death and martyrdom4  
,to conclude then1 that which was       
heretofore said of fire1 and of  the    
four worlds2 that of the ,intelligible  

is all luminous2 of the  ,celestiall1   
shining1 and hot1 by reason of its      
motion2 of the  ,elementary here below1 
shining1 hot1 and burning2 and of ,hell 
nothing  but burning4 ,so these three   
proprieties of fire1 to light1 to warm1 
and  to burn1 though the effects be     
divers and strange1 and the operations  
almost infinite1 only of the elementary 
to begin with that which is  nearest to 
our senses4 ,rabbi ,elchana greatly     
honoured amongst the  ,hebrewes1 sets   
forth1 that out of the #aj fingers of   
the hand1 being  addressed and          
conducted1 by the understanding1 may    
proceed more  different sorts of works  
then there are stars in ,heaven1 the    
most part  whereof come from the action 
of fire1 on which almost all labouring  
instruments do depend4 ,fire principally
 served the first men1 who had  nothing 
but it for all working instruments4 ,in 
regard of its motion1 we  may           
sufficiently see1 that there is nothing 
more glistring and moving  then the     

fire1 which is the very cause of all    
motion4 ,take away heat1  there will be 
no motion1 saith the ,chymicall         
,philosopher ,alphidius1  and this      
motion is accompanied with depuration1  
for fire will have  none but pure       
things1 according to ,raymond ,lullius4 
,for it is not  only the pure substance 
of all others1 but it purgeth1          
mundifieth1 and  cleaneth all that1 upon
 which it can have ,action1 of that     
which therein  may be corruptible4 ,the 
,lord will wash away the filth of the   
children  of ,israel1 by the spirit of  
burning1 ,esay4 #d4d4 wherefore the     
,greeks  call 1 ,purging4 ,so that the  
or  purifying1  was not made but by     
fire1 as the solemn annuall feast of    
,candlemasse  witnesseth4 ,and in all   
the ,eastern ,churches1 when they would 
say the  ,evangel they burn great       
,tapers1 as we do upon the day of       
,purification1  and that for token of   
joy and rejoicing1 whereof fire is a    
symbole2  and according to that1 we make

 two fires upon the feast of ,saint     
,john  ,baptist1 conformable to that1 in
 the first of ,luk4 #ad4 ,many shall    
rejoyce at his birth2 and fires of joy1 
in some happy successes of  victories1  
at the birth of ,kings children1 and the
 like occasions of  alacrity4    ,we    
have alledged heretofore1 out of the    
#ca4 of ,numbers #bc that which  is said
 of fire and water1 the two purifying   
,elements1 whereby in  our baptisms we  
are accustomed to put a little piece of 
wax light or  match1 which they make the
 ,creature to hold when they hold it    
over  the font1 the ,church being       
thereby regulated by the pillar of fire 
which garded the ,israelites1 and the   
cloud 7baptismall water7 by day1        
whereunto sutes that of ,saint ,john1 in
 the #c4 of ,matthew1 ,that in  respect 
of himselfe he baptized with ,water unto
 repentance1 but he  that commeth after1
 shall baptize you with the ,holy       
,ghost1 and with  ,fire1 to the         
remission of sinnes2 for fire is a mark 

of the ,holy  ,spirit1 by which grace is
 conferred1 and descended upon the      
,apostles  on the day of ,pentecost1 in 
the form of fiery tongues1 ,act4 #b4c4  
,the ,stoicks1 although too             
superstitious therein1 made great       
account  of this ,element1 which they   
said1 was ,i know not what living thing1
  the most wise ,fabricator of the whole
 universe1 and of all that which  is    
contained therein2 to which purpose1 as 
,i alledged before out of  the #g4 of   
,wisdome #bd4 that ,wisdome the ,artist 
of all things taught  me1 that it is    
more moving then motion1 for she passeth
 through all  things by her purenesse4  
,wherein two properties of fire are     
attributed  to ,wisdome1 ,motion1 and   
,purity3 ,and in summe esteemed it to be
 a  ,god1 according to which ,saint     
,augustine in his #h4 ,book of the ,city
  of ,god1 #e4 chapter sets down ,zohar 
according to his high elevated          
contemplations alledging upon ,exodus   
this passage of the #g4 of  ,daniel #i4 

,the ,throne of the ancient of dayes1   
was flames of fire1  and a ,river of    
fire running lightly issued from his    
face1 his vestment  white as snow2      
saith1 that within this shining river of
 fire1 were  washed the vestments of the
 souls that mounted on high1 and        
repurged  themselves there from the old 
scum of the ,serpent without consuming  
it  selfe1 which did but clear it self  
from the old filth that it had there    
gathered4 ,and this is very properly    
said because we see by experience1  that
 greases are not cleansed1 but by other 
grease1 which carries  one the other1 as
 doth ,soap and ,lees1 which consists   
all of grosse  and unctuous salts2 for  
if those were not1 they would not bite  
upon  unctuosity and fatnesse2 witnesse 
simple water1 which doth nothing1 by    
reason of the contrarieties of their    
natures1 which do not suffer them  to be
 able to joine and unite4 ,and where    
there is no mixtion1 there is  also no  
alteration1 because that which doth not 

enter1 doth not change  7saith ,geber37 
,so that ,salts being in the nature of  
,fires1 have from  them their           
proprieties and effects1 that is to say1
 to purifie and  cleanse all ordures and
 uncleanness4 ,for as ,salt 7the same   
,zohar  pursues it7 hinders             
putrefaction1 to which every corruptible
 thing is  subject2 so the ,fire of     
,gods love1 and of ,gods knowledge1     
which is  illightned in the soul1       
repurging it from all corporall         
coinquinations1  causeth1 that after it 
hath been duly purged and cleansed1 it  
remaines  for ever in its purity1 for as
 much as fire devours and consumes the  
filthy scumme thereunto fastned1        
cloathing it selfe with a new and pure  
fire1 which it could not otherwise do4  
,for if it were not so assisted  with   
this pure fire1 the ,cherubin which is  
committed to the keeping of  the ,gate  
of the ,city of ,delices1 with a fiery  
sword1 to forbid the  approach to the   
tree of ,life1 would not permit it to   

enter therein2  from whence the         
curiosity of tasting of the knowledg of 
good and evill  excluded our            
forefathers1 and us with them           
hereditarily4    ,hitherto ,zohar1 then 
which nothing could seem more           
conformable1 nor  which carryed it selfe
 better to our subject4 ,every man shall
 be  salted with ,fire1 and every       
,sacrifice with ,salt4 ,for to salt1 in 
this  regard1 to cleanse1 and purifie1  
are but one thing1 as also to salt1  and
 to burn1 because of their consemblable 
effects4 ,burne my reines  and my heart2
 where burning1 is put for repurging and
 cleansing1  according to the ,hebrew1  
and the ,chaldee2 and in the #ac of     
,zachary  #i4 ,i will burn them1 as     
silver is burned4 ,to which sutes also  
that  which the ,apostle writ in the #a 
,cor4 #c4ab4 ,if any man build upon     
this foundation1 gold1 silver1 pretious 
stones1 or wood1 hay1 stubble2  ,every  
mans work shall be made manifest1 for   
the day shall declare it1  because it   

shall be revealed by fire1 and the fire 
shall try every mans  work of what sort 
it is4 ,if any mans work abide1 which he
 hath built  thereupon1 he shall receive
 a reward4 ,if any mans work shall be   
burnt1  he shall suffer losse1 but he   
himself shall be saved1 yet so1 as by   
fire4 ,saint ,augustine1 citing this    
place throughout the whole scope  of his
 works interpreteth it in the #ba4 of   
the ,city of ,god1 #bf4 chap4  for the  
vanities which men have too narrowly    
embraced in this age1  which we shall   
not enjoy in another1 but they must be  
abolished and  defaced by the           
repurgation of fire2 for that which he  
had not without  provoking love1 he     
shall not lose without burning grief4   
,and at length  shall be saved as by    
fire1 because nothing shall be able to  
remove it  from this foundation upon    
which it shall be built4 ,s4 ,ambrose to
 the  same purpose1 in his third ,sermon
 upon the #aah4 ,psal4 ,as good gold1   
even the very ,church when it is burnt1 

receives not detriment1 but its  lustre 
and resplendency encrease more and more4
 ,the ,persians esteemed  that when they
 voluntarily burned themselves1 the soul
 remained thereby  repurged from all    
iniquities  misdoings1 which consumed by
 the flames  as touching the body1 which
 had power to move the ,indian ,calanus 
and  some others to come from thence1   
7for ,god would not that we should      
advance our dayes by one moment7 who1 at
 the time they receive him1 he  washeth 
us1 and cleanseth us from all preceding 
faults4 ,whereby some  abusing          
themselves thereby1 attended to receive 
it as slowly as they  could2 and others 
baptized themselves for those which were
 already  deceased4 ,in thiopia one who 
had conspired against the proper person 
of their ,neguz1 or ,emperour1 by       
baptizing himself thereupon1 before  he 
was imprisoned1 remained quit4    ,so   
the proprieties of fire1 are in the     
first place to shine and  lighten1 and  
that is1 by it1 common to the ,sunne1   

but it is thereby  much surmounted4 ,and
 afterwards to warm1 digest and bake1   
which this  luminary doth also          
primitively1 as we may see in that the  
,earth  produceth1 but for that the     
naturall heat doth not bring them wholly
  for our use1 to the last and perfect  
degree of maturity1 fire for the  most  
part supplyes its wants1 and defaults2  
for the regard of the  concocting of    
what we eat1 for we hardly thereby make 
our profit  being raw1 there where it is
 baked in the fire1 it becomes of more  
facil digestion1 and lesse corruptible1 
as having lesse of crudities2           
afterwards the fire separates strange   
things1 and not alike1 and after1       
having taken away the corrupting        
superfluities1 namely the waterish      
humidity1 which it driveth out1 and the 
oily unctuosity1 which it  burns and    
consumes with the terrestrieties that   
remain1 at last it  doth gather together
 in a new composure1 the pure           
homogenealities2  which composure1 then 

consisteth of soul1 body1 and spirit1   
from now  forwards inseparable1 and     
incorruptible1 which relates to the     
three  worlds1 the soul to the          
intelligible1 the spirit to the         
celestiall1  and the body to the        
elementary2 but this is not a reasonable
 soul1 or  sensitive1 nor a vitall      
spirit1 such as is in animals2 but      
substances  equipollent unto them3 which
 may be seen in glass1 which is an image
  of the ,philosophicall ,stone4        
,whereupon ,raymond ,lullius enquiring  
of  the confection of the said ,stone1  
and how men may attain thereunto1  made 
answer1 hee that knoweth to make glasse1
 because their manner  of proceeding are
 alike2 and such ought that pretious    
substance to  be1 which ,hermolaus      
,barbarus in his ,annotations upon      
,plinie1 and  ,appian1 in his           
disquisition of antiquities1 alledgeth  
to have been  found in an old           
,sepulchre1 in the ,territory of ,padua1
 not above a  hundred years since1      

having this ,distique with two others4  
,for he shut in with great labour1 the  
digested ,elements        under this    
small vessel2 greatest ,olybius4    ,the
 ,roman ,morienes to ,calid ,king of    
gypt on his ,treatise of  ,metallick    
transmutation4 ,whosoever shall know    
well how to neatify1 and  whiten the    
soul1 and make it mount on high1 and can
 well preserve its  body1 and take      
therefrom all obscurity and blacknesse1 
with the evill  smell1 she may then     
replace it in its body and in the hour  
of their  rejunction great marvels will 
appear3 yet ,rhases in his ,epistle4    
,so every soul doth reconjoin to its    
first body3 which in any other  manner  
cannot be reunited to another1 and from 
thence forwards shall  never separate2  
for then the body shall be glorified1   
and reduced to  incorruption1 and to a  
subtilty and brightnesse unspeakable4   
,so that it  will penetrate all solid   
things what soever they be2 because its 
nature  shall be such1 as of a ,spirit3 

that which he borrowed out of ,hermes1  
it shall penetrate every subtill thing4 
,an admirable thing that these          
,chymicall ,philosophers under the vaile
 and curtain of this ,art1  treating    
wholly about things so materiall as are 
metals1 and that which  depends thereon1
 with their transmutations by fire1 have
 comprized  the most high secrets of    
,intelligibles and even of the          
resurrection1  whereunto it seems this  
would seem to strike1 wherein bodyes    
shall be  glorified and reduced as into 
a spirituall ,nature1 against which no  
spirituall obstacle can contradict1 nor 
hinder its actions2 from this  the      
,apostle in the #ae4 of the #a4 to the  
,corinthians doth not much  vary1 ,it is
 sown a naturall body1 it is raised a   
spirituall body4  ,there is a naturall  
body1 and there is a spirituall body3   
howbeit1  that was not first which is   
spirituall1 but that which is naturall1 
and afterwards that which is spirituall4
 ,i know moreover1 an ,artifice         

whereunto ,i have obtained in divers    
subjects1 that burning an herb1  the    
salt extracted from these ashes and     
sowed in the earth1 a like  herb will   
grow therefrom4 ,but this burning must  
be made in a very  close vessel1 wherein
 we shall say more hereafter about      
,salt1 and yet  we will yet bring       
further another of our experiments which
 ought not  bee disregarded4 ,of three  
liquors swimming one above another      
without  either mingling or confounding 
together1 what mingling soever they  be2
 that they may not return into their    
residence and separated3 to  represent  
the four ,elements in a little vessel of
 glass1 or a little  black enammill     
grossly beaten will hold place of earth 
in the bottom1  water will do thus1     
,take calcined ,tartar1 or gravelled    
ashes1 which is  almost the very same   
thing1 and let them go to the moist air 
taking  the dissolution that shall be   
made thereof1 the clearest that you     
can1 and mingle therewith a little blew 

stone1 to give it the colour  of ,sea   
water4 ,note here a maxim1 and let this 
be said by the by1 for  those that      
exercise themselves in the ,spagirique1 
that in one of these  resolutions into  
moisture1 which are made by themselves1 
all salts and  alums1 do depure and     
subtiliate1 more then #ab1 or #ae4      
dissolutions made  with vineger and     
other like dissolvants4    ,every thing 
that dissolveth it selfe1 is of the     
nature of ,salt and  ,alum1 as ,geber   
saith1 ,for air1 take fine aqua vit     
which you shall  turn into a ,celestiall
 blew1 with a little turnsol2 and for   
fire1 the  oil of ,been1 but for that it
 is more rare1 take of ,turpentine oil1 
which is made thus1 ,distill common     
,turpentine in ,balneo ,marie1 there    
will mount up together both water and   
oil1 so white and transparent1  the one 
as the other3 but the oil will swim     
above the water2 separate  them by a    
glasse fonnell1 and dye this oil1 into a
 fire colour1 with  ,orchanet and with  

,saffern4 ,the three liquors will never 
mingle1  what ever trouble you use to   
them2 but will separate themselves      
distinctly1 into lesse then nothing1 by 
swimming one above another3  ,of the    
,turpentine1 that remains in the        
,alembique1 you shall extract  it by    
,sand1 in a ,cornue with a stronger     
fire1 then by the bath1 a  thick red    
oil1 which is most excellent balm3 water
 and oil extracted  by the bath are very
 serviceable also1 in many accidents of 
,medicine  and ,chirurgery2 only the    
white oil will make scars quickly fall  
away  without pain1 or evill impression4
 ,but if with the water of the said     
,turpentine1 you dissolve salt of lead1 
you shall have yet a more  ,soveraign   
balm4 ,but we must a little better clear
 this3 for sith we  treat here of fire1 
and of its effects1 what hinders but    
that we may  extend our selves at length
 upon many things which our long labour 
and experience have acquired8 ,this oil 
of lead1 was one of ,raymond  ,lullius1 

his great secrets3  of many other       
excellent personages1 who  have as it   
were made conscience to remember it3 for
 this hath been to  them an entry of    
more admirable works4 ,some1 as ,riply1 
others1  have taken the minium of lead1 
but it is too easie1  of an uneasie     
resolution1 as also ceruse  calcined    
lead4 ,for my part ,i have found        
litharge1 which is nothing else but     
lead1 for a pound of litharge1  you     
shall extract #ad4 or #ae4 ounces of    
lead3 put them into powder1  and poure  
thereon distilled boiling vinegar1      
stirring it strongly  with a staffe1 and
 sodainly the vinegar will charge it    
self1 with the  dissolution of litharge3
 ,evacuate the clear1 and reiterate with
 new  vinegar1 so long till all the     
litharge be dissolved3 ,evaporate the   
vinegar1 which shall be unsavory as the 
water1 untill the salt shall  remain    
congealed in the bottom4 ,take thereof a
 good quantity1 and put  thereof within 
your ,cornue1 as much as it will hold   

half full3 and  put it on the furnace   
with an open breech3 in the beginning   
with an  easie fire chasing away that   
which therein may appear a remainder of 
strange humidity3 ,and when the white   
fumes shall begin to appear apply       
thereunto a ,recipient big enough1 and  
lute it well in the ,jointures2  after  
reinforcing your fire by little and     
little untill it become a  very great   
one1 and the ,cornue buried in the      
ashes1 you shal see  issue as a little  
continued torrent after the fashion of a
 filet of  oil1 but white as milk1 and  
could as ice1 which will come within the
  ,recipient to resolve into an oil of  
the colour of an ,hyacinth1 and         
odoriferous1 as that of ,aspic4         
,continue the fire till there comes no  
more out of the ,cornue1 and leave it   
there to settle1 al the night  long4 ,so
 now this secret oil1 whereof that which
 ,raimond ,lullius  never more expresly 
said was towards the end of his short   
,epistle1 in  these very terms4 ,out of 

black lead is extracted the             
,philosophers oil1  of a golden color1  
or as it were3 and know that there is   
nothing in  the world more secret then  
it4 ,that which remains in the ,cornue1 
put  burning charcoals upon it1 and that
 will take fire as the match of a       
fusee3 whence you may draw a fair       
secret3 for as long as it feels not  the
 air1 it will not flame1 and it may     
dissolve againe with vinegar1 to  doe as
 before4 ,but salt of lead dissolved in 
water1 and yet better then  ,turpentine1
 oil will resolve to a greater quantity 
of oil2 and thereof  may see more ample 
marvailes4 ,take this oil1 which        
,raimond ,lullius  calleth his wine1 and
 put it into a small ,alembic of glasse2
 in ,balneo  ,mari1 and distill therein 
aqua vit1 which will come in vains even 
as that of wine4 ,draw all out so long  
till the drops and tears come  to appear
 in the ,chap1 which is a signe that    
there is no more flegm3  which being out
 in the bottome1 there will remain a    

pretious oil that  dissolves gold and is
 admirable against wounds1 and great    
accidents1  from within1 for it holds   
the same place with potable gold3 ,lead 
having  great affinity with gold1 as    
,geber saith1 with which it agrees in   
,surdity1 in weight1 and in that it     
cannot rust3 ,and ,george ,riplay the   
most learned ,english ,philosopher1 in  
his book of the #ab4 portes4            
,there is extracted oil of golden       
colour1      ,or like it1 out of our    
subtill red lead3      ,when ,raimond   
said1 when he was old1      ,was much   
more pretious then gold4      ,for when 
through age he was near death1      ,he 
thereof made1 his potable ,gold1        
,which revived him2 as may bee seen4    
,this is that oil and vegetable         
,menstruum1 c4    ,in regard of the     
burning water therout extracted1 more   
inflameable then  the most fine powder  
of a harguebuze1 it dissolves silver    
into subtill  ,crystalline flakes1 which
 melt at the fire of a lampe1 as easily 

as  butter1 and are fix as silver in the
 same proofs of fire3 further see  that 
which the said ,riplay sets down in his 
marrow of ,alchymie3  ,the body being   
prepared1 put upon this water to the    
thickness of your  thumb which wil      
straight boil above chalks of the body1 
without other  external fire1 by        
dissolving the body1 and by elevating   
it1 in the  shape of ice1 with the      
drying of the said water3 and so let it 
bee  reiterated1 by removing that which 
was elevated4 ,but to abbridge 7for     
this ,aqua vit is in very small quantity
 and very uneasy to make7 if  you passe 
two parties of water of the departure1  
that dissolves the  silver upon one     
party of the salt of lead1 this will do 
the same effect  for the transmutation  
of metals1 but not within a mans body1  
where it  must not in any case bee      
applyed1 except after great sweetning1  
that is  to say1 a demi sextier of the  
dissolution of strong water1 to make    
evaporate three or four pails of water1 

running down within by a filter  to the 
measure that elevates the strong water  
with the spirits and  malignity of this 
fire against ,nature4 ,think not that ,i
 would stay my  self here so precisely1 
nor restrain to the ,text of ,saint     
,mark1 nor  upon that1 which dependeth  
upon the religion in this regard1       
although  our principall aim tends      
thitherward1 that wee would not enlarge 
by  the same means to the works and     
progresse of nature1 whose principall   
key is ,alchymie1 to mount from thence  
to the ,architype the ,creator  by means
 of the ,caballe4 ,but we would not     
likewise here so reveal  occasions to   
abuse this divine ,art1 to the ill      
turnings of perverse  ignorants1 who to 
gain a piece of silver would make no    
difficulty  to deceive the world one way
 or other1 as wee could do in revealing 
unto the means of blanching copper1 to  
the likenesse of silver1  with ,iscicles
 accompanied with a ,metalline of       
,orpiment1 the which1  as yellow gilded 

as it is1 and its red elevations as     
rubies1 being  notwithstanding bruised  
in a copper morter1 and sublimed upon   
burned  brasse1 passeth within the head 
of the ,cornue1 white as silver2 ,but   
if it be well governed1 with the        
foresaid ,isicles would make indeed     
great alterations upon the ,copper which
 men may wel misuse1 wherefore  we will 
forbear to speak thereof any further4   
,we may too well say1  that the         
preparation of this body1 that ,riplay  
intends silver1 is  to calcine and      
reduce it into salt1 which is done after
 this manner4  ,but if in the dissolving
 there be aqua fortis1 it sufficeth to  
calcine it4 ,take then silver plates of 
the bignesse and thicknesse of  a riall 
and put them in a ,cruset1 or a little  
pot of ,paris earth1 not  leaded1 bed   
upon bed1 with prepared ,salt1 that is  
to say1 dissolved  in common water1     
afterwards filtred1 congealed1 and      
decrepited1 and  leave it #aj4 or #ab4  
houres with burning coals1 7it would be 

better in  an oven of reverberation7    
draw it from the fire and cast it yet   
all  hot into an earthen vessell1       
leaded1 full of water1 salt will        
dissolve  it self therein1 and that of  
the silver which shall be calcined will 
goe to the bottome3 ,let them reside    
well2 and separate them warily1  by     
inclination3 after put again the plates 
to bee recalcined with new  salt1 and   
reiterated as before1 evaporate the     
water1 or the salt if  it be dissolved1 
and that which remains shall be as good 
as new1 to  the third or fourth         
reiteration1 all your plates will find  
themselves  reduced into chalk3 which   
you shall easily dissolve in distilled  
vinegar1 for silver1 lead1 and iron1 are
 not of hard resolution1 nor  also      
,copper to take it in ,roche of azur3   
,tin much more1 and ,gold  more then all
 the rest1 for that its calcination1 is 
very uneasie4  ,which ,geber knew very  
well3 the compleat calcination of ,sol1 
is most  difficult3 ,he renders the     

causes thereof4 ,but it would be too    
long to  dilace upon all these things3  
wee will content our selves1 to trace   
some shadows of that which our          
perquisition and labour hath enabled us 
to acquire1 by the space of #ej4 years  
of one side1 and another1 and  proved   
more then once1 not to speake           
unadvisedly3 ,all which secrets  are    
revealed as is said2 by the ,fire4 ,and 
not by mervails1 since it  analogically 
discovers the spirituall3 ,thou hast    
tried me with fire1  and in mee1 there  
is found no iniquity2 said the ,prophet1
 ,psal4  #af4 ,there where you see1 how 
hee couples fire with iniquities1 as  if
 it were it1 that revealed them as well 
as hee did the impurities  of mettalls1 
where it doth the same operation1 and   
effect1 as salt  doth1 in corruptible   
things2 for although metalls1 bee the   
permanent  substance of all others1 by  
reason of their most strong composition 
which doth not permit them easily to    
cast away out of their radicall  form   

any alteration which men may make them  
indure in powder1 chalk1  salt1 water1  
oil1 glasse1 ,isicles1 and infinite     
others3 which happeneth  not to one of  
the other elementaries1 ,minerals1      
,vegetables1 ,animals2  the which being 
once changed from their primitive form1 
they cannot  again reintegrate or be put
 together4 ,by means whereof1 to speak  
of  fire without metals1 which are its  
true subject1 it would bee as to        
propose to an ,artist furnished with    
necessaries and instruments1 but  had no
 stuffes proper to imploy them1 so that 
would remain to him  unprofitable4 ,in  
metalls then there may be revealed and  
considered  the fairest secrets of      
nature1 by the help of fires action4    
,which if  in some more particularly    
then in others1 she hath shewed a will  
to  recreat1 yea to put in evidence her 
greater knowledge4 ,it seems this  was  
in stones and metals1 then which nothing
 could be presented more  fair or       
agreeable to the sight1 nor more        

profitable and necessary1 at  least in  
regard of ,iron without which mans life 
would irksomely passe  away1 shee       
receiving so many commodities thereby4  
,but pretious stones  beyond the simple 
contentment and pleasure of the eye1    
have nothing  wherewith men may know to 
draw out profit or succours in any one  
of  our businesses4 ,and if they be once
 deprived of their naturall shining     
form1 they never return thereto again1  
as mettals doe1 so puissant  and        
indissoluble is the assembling of their 
elementarie parties1 and  their mixtion 
one with another4 ,wherefore wee must   
not marvail if so  many good spirits    
have travelled all their time to        
meditate upon this  subject1 and their  
divers transmutations1 having been there
 unto drawn  rather out of those fair   
considerations which they found therein 
for  their spirits contentation1 then   
for any sordid and greedy desire of     
gain1 which hath made the ignorant so   
obstinate1 who have so cried down  this 

divine ,art1 sister germane to the      
,caballe3 for that which the  ,caballe  
is divine and intelligible things1 into 
the profound secrets  whereof1 shee     
penetrates1 ,alchymie is in naturall and
 elementary1  which shee reveals unto   
us4 ,geber saith some man cannot know   
the  composition of a thing1 that is    
ignorant of its destruction2 which      
destruction is perfected by the         
separations caused by fire4    ,nature  
then taketh great pains1 care1 and      
pleasure1 to labour in  metals2 and puts
 in them a very great length of ,time1  
to bring them to  the last degree of    
perfection1 which settles in ,gold1 the 
most perfect  and incorruptible         
substance of all others1 and the        
homogeneall and  equall in all his      
parties3 whence it is taken for         
distributive justice1  for mingle a     
party of ,gold with #c4 or #d4 hundreds 
of silver1 or ,copper1  leaving them    
melted together to sport never so little
 within a little  ,cruset1 every portion

 how small soever it may be1 of silver  
or copper1  will suck up its equall part
 and portion of gold4 ,it is moreover so
  exactly depured1 that it cannot be    
altered or corrupted by any thing1  that
 is either in the earth1 water1 air1 or 
fire1 nor by any corrosive  or poyson   
that you can apply thereunto4 ,it is not
 corrupted by clay1  nor burnt with any 
burning thing3 nor mortified or         
devoured1 by any  green colouring1 or   
dividing water1 there is nothing in it  
superfluous  or defective3 ,there are   
7saith ,hermes7 seven ,metallick bodies1
 of  which the most worthy and          
principall is gold1 attributed unto the 
,sun3 from whence it hath its name1 for 
the same that the ,sun is to  the stars1
 gold is toward the elementary bodies1  
what thing soever  burning it can bee1  
cannot burne it1 the earth cannot       
corrupt it1 nor  the water destroy nor  
alter1 because its complexion is        
tempered in  heat1 moisture1 coldnesse  
and drinesse1 and there is nothing in it

  superfluous or deficient4 ,by reason  
whereof1 ,i finde that those are  farre 
wide of their accompt1 which to keep    
themselves from poysoning1  would serve 
themselves with vessells of gold to eat 
and drink in2 for  gold respects no more
 poisons nor venomes1 then it would doe 
of capon  broth3 ,so do silver1 pewter1 
copper1 lead  iron1 which would         
therewith  change immediately4 ,even as 
a fearful man1 and of small resolution1 
who at the encounter of a ,serpent or   
other venemous beast1 would grow        
suddainly pale1 and come to change      
colour3 ,the care1 curiosity1 and       
assiduous travell of infinite1 rare1 and
 meditating spirits1 by the  space of #d
 or #ejjj years1 have found in metals   
secrets without number1  and yet knew   
not to do so well1 but that they have   
left much more to  enquire into1 and to 
search after3 although there be but     
seven in all1  comprehending therein    
running quick-silver4    ,wherein it is 
wonderfull1 that ,nature so copious and 

abundant in all  her procreations1 which
 are divers1 is pleased in this respect 
with  so small a number4 ,metals then1  
being such whose regiment depends on    
fire2 which is one of the proper visible
 symboles to represent the most  hidden 
secrets1 and mysteries of ,divinity2    
invisible1 and imperceptible  to our    
senses4    ,the ,prophets also1 were    
willing to serve themselves for the most
  part of their parables1 and           
similitudes1 nigmaes1 allegories and    
figures2 where they have covered and hid
 that which they would not  so openly   
declare1 for they have very seldome     
expressed themselves1  as did ,esay in  
his #e ,chapter1 where he interprets    
that the vision  of the ,lord of ,hosts1
 whereof he there brought a parable1 was
 the  people of ,israel1 and the men of 
,judah his delectable plant4 ,and  in   
another passage many waters1 are many   
nations4 ,moreover ,ezekiel1  #bc4      
having spoken of the two sisters ,aholah
 and ,aholibah1 he set  downe that this 

was ,samaria and that ,jerusalem4 ,god  
by the mouth of  ,moses1 in the #bh4 of 
,leviticus1 and in the #bh4 of          
,deuteronomy1  threatned the            
,israelites1 said1 if they come to      
mis-know him1 and do  not keep well his 
commandements1 that he would make the   
heaven over  their head brasse1 and the 
earth under them iron1 which are the two
  most terrestriall metals1 and most    
hard and rebellious to melt and to      
handle1 opposing them to the durity of  
this people1 as it is there  said4 ,i   
will bruise the pride of your hardnesse1
 and will make heaven  over you as iron1
 and earth as brasse1 your labour shall 
consume  unprofitably1 your earth shall 
not bring forth its seed1 nor the tree  
yeeld any fruit4 ,for metals produce    
nothing1 but are barren2 the ,poets  of 
their side have used many sorts of      
,metaphores1 and figures1 as in  the #f4
 of the neid4 an iron voice1 for a      
strong and resounding  voice1 and       
,hesiod calleth the infernall dog       

,cerberus1 1  a voice of brasse1 because
 it is the most sounding metall2 ,his   
voice  shall sound as brasse1 ,jer4 #af4
 and ,origen upon the #be4 of ,exod4    
,brasse is taken for a strong and       
thundering voice1 because of its        
resounding4 ,although ,i should speake  
with the tongue of ,angels1 and  have   
not charity in me1 ,i am as sounding    
brasse1 and as a tinkling  cymball4     
,pindarus hath appropriated to ,heaven  
the ,epithet of    ,heaven of brasse1 in
 the #aj4 of the ,pythians2 because of  
the  firme solidity of the firmament1 as
 the word importeth4 ,homer doth  the   
same in the #c4 of his ,odes1 calleth it
 1 most brasse1  as ,euripedes and      
,anaxagoras1 make the ,sunne a fired    
iron2 for the  ,greek ,poets ordinarily 
doe put fire and brasse one for another2
 the  same doth ,homer in many places1  
as in the #d4 of the ,iliads1 where     
,apollo to encourage the ,trojans1      
remonstrates unto them1 that the        
,greeks have not impenetrable bodies1 of

 stone1 or of iron1 that they  should be
 able to resist blowes of cutting       
brasse1 without hurting  them4 ,these   
are manners of speech1 which are not    
very strange amongst  the ,prophets1 who
 have thereby figured out the most part 
of their  solutions1 under which some   
mysteries were shadowed2 which if men   
would  take altogether raw according to 
the letter1 without allegorizing        
thereupon1 they would find themselves   
farre from their reckoning1 as  the     
,martyr ,pamphilus said well in the     
defence of ,origen1 speaking  of those  
who to shunne allegories were           
constrained to stumble at gross         
impertinencies4 ,they think it of this  
sort1 said he1 for that they  would not 
admit of allegories in the holy writ1 by
 reason whereof1 as  subjecting         
themselves to the literall sense1 they  
imagine and invent  to themselves fine  
fables1 and fictions4 ,and indeed how   
could a man  take according to the      
letter that of the #cc4 of ,deut4       

speaking of  ,aser8 ,thy shoes shall be 
iron and brasse1 for he would not say   
that ,aser was shod with iron and       
brasse1 but he would understand  thereby
 his force and power1 denoted as well by
 the two metals1 as  by the shoe2 ,i    
will extend my shoe against ,iduma1     
strangers are my  subjects2 ,these are  
all allegories and figures1 as also in  
the #fj4  of ,esay1 ,for brass ,i bring 
thee gold1 and silver in stead of ,iron1
  brasse for wood1 and fire for stones4 
,marke well how the ,prophet  observes  
the relations opposing brasse to gold1  
and iron to silver2  and againe1 brasse 
to wood1 and iron to stones2 for as gold
 excelleth  silver1 and trees stones1 it
 is the same in the metallique order1   
brasse is more pretious then iron4 ,but 
all tends to denote that the  heavenly  
mysticall ,jerusalem1 which is the      
,church triumphant1 so  much more       
excellent then the ,jewish ,synagogue1  
which was but a figure  thereof4 ,and   
certainely hee that would looke more    

narrowly thereinto1  the ,prophets never
 spake any thing improperly1 even to the
 least trade  or mechanick arts2 for in 
their ravishments they saw things in    
their  reall being1 within the ,zipheret
 or supercelestiall ,sunne1 which  is a 
clear shining looking-glasse1 a living  
source of all ,idea's1 as  ,idea's are  
of formes4 ,this is furthermore well to 
be observed1 for the  regard of metals1 
which they associate commonly iron and  
copper for  their affinity2 will iron   
make a covenant with iron from the      
,north8 and  brasse8 for iron is easily 
changed into copper1 by means of        
vitrioll1  by putting them bed upon bed 
in a descensory with a strong fire of   
bellowes1 so long till the iron grow    
liquid and melt into copper1  having    
first moistned them with a little       
vineger1 wherein there should  be       
dissolved sal niter1 or salt peter1 sal 
alcali1 and salt of tartar1  with       
verdigrease4 ,otherwise put of vitriol  
in powder1 and distill the  water in a  

cornue1 that which shall remaine        
calcined in the bottome1  impost it with
 its water1 and therein quench the      
glowing gads of  iron1 or filings of    
iron1 you shall find them by little and 
little  reduced into copper3 ,otherwise 
yet1 dissolve vitrioll in common water1 
evaporate the water1 and calcine the    
congelation that shall rest in the      
bottome2 dissolve that in the like      
water1 and it will become green1        
evaporate a part thereof and put the    
rest in a cave for a night1 and  you    
shall see greene flakes4 ,make them red 
in the fire1 after dissolve  them three 
or four times with distilled vinegar1   
drying them every  time1 and the flakes 
will become red1 dissolve them againe in
 the same  vinegar1 and therein quench  
the gads or other iron work1 as above   
said4  ,in briefe1 that by the means of 
vitriol1 iron is converted into copper1 
as we may see in penknifes steeped in   
inke made of copperas or vitriol4       
,these flakes here are an entry to a    

higher work1 and of more things for     
,chirurgery and ,medicine4 ,but all     
these practises 7you may say7 are long  
and troublesome and rather chargeable   
then gainfull1 and profitable4  ,also   
our intention here1 is not to stretch to
 gaine1 this booke is  not to get bread1
 but to penetrate into the secrets of   
nature3 from  thence to mount and       
elevate his spirit to spirituall things1
 whereto  sensible do serve as a stair  
or as ,jacobs ladder2 and there are no  
rarer considerations and observances1   
then in fire1 and metallique            
transmutations3 ,copper on the other    
side1 is changed into steele2 if it  bee
 true that some ,rabbines quote1 upon   
that passage lately alledged  out of the
 #ae4 of ,jeremiah #ab4 ,iron and       
,brass1 the ,prophet 7say they7  calleth
 ,iron mixed with ,brasse1 ,steel1 which
 sheweth 7for we must  disdain nothing  
of theirs7 that ,damake ,steel was      
composed of ,iron and  ,copper1 that is 
to say1 of ,iron halfe covered in       

,copper1 and softned  to restrengthen it
 the more by means of lead4 ,whereupon  
make what  ,abuhali sets downe in a     
,book of the nature of things4    ,make 
a little long trench within a barre of  
iron1 and cast thereinto  melted lead1  
then make it evaporate with a strong    
fire as of a  coupelle4 ,put againe     
therein new lead four or five times1 and
 the iron  will grow soft1 which you may
 afterwards make hard againe quenching  
it  in forge water1 to make lancets1 and
 other subtill cutting irons1 yea  that 
shall cut other iron1 without splinters 
or gapping4 ,and indeed we  have found  
by experience1 that to temper well a    
harnesse against the  shot of           
harquebuse1 we first sweeten it with    
oils and gums1 with wax  and the like   
incerative things2 and after we harden  
them by frequent  extinctions1 in waters
 that make it fast againe4 ,john the    
,grammarian  expounding this place of   
,hesiod1 they wrought in brasse1 for    
iron  was not yet knowne1 was forced to 

relate the word  to the people  ,chalybs
 in ,scythia1 who 7saith he7 first found
 out the use of iron  and steel3 the    
,poet ,lucretius in his #e4 booke       
imitates ,hesiod in  this kinde1        
,antient arms were hands and nails1     
,stones and fragments of tree boughes1  
,and flames and fires1 were first       
knowne1      ,afterwards the force of   
,iron and ,brasse1      ,but the use of 
,brasse1 before ,iron4    ,steel        
furthermore is made of the most pure and
 subtiliate iron2 for  that it          
participates lesse of the earthinesse1  
then iron4 ,the artifice  of it1 is     
sufficiently knowne1 and is common in   
forges4 ,but to come to  that of ,damas1
 you must first resweeten it of its too 
much bitter  tartnesse1 and after it is 
reduced into filings to make it red in  
a cruset1 and quench it many times with 
oil of ,olives1 where there  hath often 
times been quenched molten lead1        
suddenly covering the  vessell1 for fear
 lest the oil take flame4 ,there are yet

 other secret  observations1 which our  
intention is not to reveal all2 it is   
enough to  have attained to the maxims4 
,now for that there is such an affinity 
between iron1 and copper1  that they may
 easily be converted one into the other2
 the same may  likewise be done with    
lead1 and tinne1 by means of ,sal       
,armonaick1 and  of certaine incerative 
powders of ,borax1 ,salt peter1 salt of 
,tartar1  ,salalchali1 and other the    
like1 which are called ,atincars4       
,panthee  in his ,voarchadumie1 oil of  
glasse4 ,quicksilver also1 is changed   
into lead or tinne1 according as it is  
congealed to an imperceptible  vapour1  
either of the one1 or of the other1 in  
this manner4 ,melt lead  or tinne in a  
cruset1 then let them a little cool1 so 
long that they  may be taken1 but yet   
hot1 or with a staffe of a torch1 or the
 like1  make a trench therein1 wherein  
you shall put quicksilver which will be 
suddainly congealed1 but bruiseable into
 powder4 ,reiterate that two or  three  

times1 and make it afterwards boil in   
the juice of ,mercuriale1  and will     
convert it selfe into metall according  
to the odour of that  it was congealed2 
there is losse therein and that not a   
little2 but  yet at least1 we may       
thereby see a possibility of            
transmutations  of metals3 ,in this     
respect1 furthermore of lead1 and tinne1
 there  presents a very fair            
consideration1 very uneasie to          
comprehend1 and  doth merit1 that the   
cause thereof should bee sought after4  
,we see by  experience1 that these two  
metals1 each apart1 are very soft1 and  
of  a tender fusion1 yet being mingled  
they grow hard1 and become firm  and    
solid1 touching which see what ,averroes
 sets downe in his ,book  of ,vapours4  
,that which doth consolide1 and         
strengthen tinne1 is lead2  and         
reciprocally1 lead tinne2 for the       
glewish viscosity1 which binds  their   
parties1 must consist of moisture and   
drynesse1 this being  done1 there is no 

conglutination of tinne with tinne1     
therefore lead  is mingled therewith1   
which is more moist1 and with lead1     
tinne1  which is more dry3 so that those
 two mingled together1 strengthen one   
another1 better then being separated1   
and of their mingling1 comes to         
procreate a glewing viscosity1 which    
causeth in them a greater durity  then  
they had1 and binds them more firmly1   
just as sand1 and chalke  in the        
composition of ,morter1 which ,albertus 
also confirmes in his  fourth and fifth 
chapters of ,minerals4 ,but wee will put
 off all these  metallique              
particularities1 and their divers       
transmutations1 to our  ,treatise of    
,gold and ,glasse1 upon the #bh4 of     
,job1 where under gold  we wil          
comprehend all that shal depend on      
metals3 and under glasse1  stones1 as   
well naturall1 as artificiall2 and all  
vitrifications1 and  enamels4 ,here we  
will take but that which will conduce to
 our subject1  which is to treat of     

things intelligible1 by the sensible3   
after the  imitation of the ,prophets1  
and chiefly metals and fire1 whose      
operation  is better known in metals1   
then in the other composed elements4    
,the  ,prophets then have set down iron 
and brasse for a firme resistance4 ,my  
strength is not the strength of stones1 
nor is my flesh brasse1 ,job  #f4 and in
 the #ah4 ,psal4 ,thou hast made my arms
 as a bow of brasse4  ,furthermore in   
the #d4 of ,micah1 ,i will make thy     
horne iron1 and will  make thy hoofs    
brasse4    ,as touching iron1 for a hard
 and rigorous oppression1 according as  
it is hard and inflexible of its nature1
 and which doth suppeditate  almost all2
 ,i will rule them with a rod of iron in
 the #b4 ,psalm4  and in the #d4 of     
,deut4 ,i have brought thee out of the  
iron fornace  of gypt2 there where iron 
denotes servitude1 wherein they were1   
for  the oppression of their persons1   
and the fornace of fire1 was that of    
their souls and consciences constituted 

amidst so many ,idolatries and          
impieties1 which must be unto them a    
servitude1 more intolerable then  all   
travails and afflictions2 and the most  
cruell and pitilesse usages  of their   
bodies1 for as much as the soul excels  
it1 for the zeal which  they carry to   
their ,god1 with the same locution the  
,ecclesiasticke  served himself in his  
#bh4 speaking of a wicked tongue2 happy 
is he  that can save himself from a     
wicked tongue1 for the yoke thereof is  
as iron1 and his band as the band of    
brasse4 ,but for affliction and         
anguish1 all openly in the #aje4 ,psal4 
v4 #ah4 ,iron pierced his soul1         
speaking of ,joseph a prisoner in gypt1 
until his word came4 ,to  be short1     
there is not a point of locution        
figurative1 more frequent  in the       
,prophets1 then those that are drawn    
from metals and from fire1  which for   
the reason of its proprieties and       
effects1 as it is one of  the most      
commodious and necessary things of all  

others1 according as it  is said before1
 for it bakes our viands1 it warms us1  
and doth revigour  us against the colds2
 it clears and lightens in the darkness1
 in lieu  of the suns brightnesse1 and  
other infinite usages1 and chiefly for  
the  execution of arts and trades3      
,otherwise we may say that without iron1
  fire it selfe would as it were be     
almost unprofitable for this respect4   
,and ,plato doth not exempt one onely   
art from fire1 but the pottery  of clay1
 in the #c4 of his ,lawes1 where he     
treats very excellently of  the life of 
the first men2 and although iron and    
copper had brought  them commodities to 
civilize themselves and to polish them  
to a more  humane life4 ,so that not    
without cause1 these poor beastly       
,savages  of the ,west ,indies1 did     
wonder in their grosse understanding1   
how  people in these parts1 so well     
advised and industrious1 for a little   
piece of gold or silver1 unprofitable to
 all uses1 should offer  them so        

liberally hatchets1 sithes1 reaphooks1  
and other iron work1  commodious for all
 usages1 and which they could so shorten
 that which  they had with so great pain
 perfected but to the halfe with fire1  
which  was to them for all instruments  
and tools1 with some base pointed       
flints4 ,but we may here likewise       
alledge to the contrary the hurts and   
incommodities that iron bringeth1 for of
 it1 are forged all offensive  arms1    
wherewith men shorten their dayes by    
their reciprocall ,massacres3  for that1
 it is ,mars his true ,minister1 and    
exterminator and ruine of  mankinde1 as 
,jupiter qualifies it in the #e4 of the 
,iliads1        ,mars1 ,mars1 the plague
 and ruine of men1 contaminated         
with murders1 overthrower of wals4      
,which he could not do1 at the least    
very uneasily without the means  and aid
 of fire4 ,also they give it the name of
 ,mars4 ,but let us here  a little      
consider a pleasant allegory covered    
under the fiction of  ,venus1 ,vulcan1  

and ,mars4 ,venus without doubt is      
mankind1 which  is continued by         
venereall propagation of linage4 ,its   
lawfull spouse  is ,vulcan1 which by    
conjugall love1 brings him all or the   
greatest  part of his necessary         
commodities1 by reason of ,mars1 which  
is iron4  ,but for that he is his       
adulterer1 he also destroyes the        
greatest part  of what shee procreates2 
and the husband maintains iron for a    
double  use1 good1 and bad2 for we must 
not measure the works of the ,creator   
by their apparent incommodities or      
commodities4 ,for ,god saw all that  he 
had made1 and they were very good2 for  
this goes according as the  ,creatures  
apply it4 ,is there any thing more fair1
 more pleasant or more  delectable to   
the sight1 then a cleare shining flame8 
any thing that  doth more rejoice then  
light8 ,and on the other side1 there is 
nothing  more hurtfull1 fuller of       
damage1 nor more dangerous then fire1   
which  burneth and consumeth all that   

comes neare it4 ,a ,satyre the first    
time  he saw it1 he rejoiced strangely  
to see it so fair1 so clear1 but        
thinking to approach nearer1 to embrace1
 and to caresse it1 when he  perceived  
it so offended1 with extreame griefe1   
hee was never after  able to come near  
it4 ,we may also say the same of iron1  
as ,plinie  cals it the best and the    
worst instrument of life2 for therewith 
7saith  he7 we til the earth1 graffe    
trees1 prune vines1 with other infinite 
commodities and usages1 as chiefly to   
build houses for our covert and  safety4
 ,but on the other side1 we imploy it no
 lesse1 if not more1 in  our mutuall    
assassinates and massacres to shorten   
our life2 as if it  were troublesome to 
continue so long4 ,yet it is so short   
without the  inconveniencies that       
shorten it and make of iron the most    
pernicious  minister and instrument of  
all others4 ,to which purpose ,istodorus
  said very well1        ,from whence a 
long while agone earth was drawn        

from thence now bloud shed1    ,which   
proceeds rather from our malice and     
depravation1 then from the  fault of    
this inanimate insensible substance1    
which neither moves to  good or to bad1 
but by our selves4    ,and yet1 saith   
the same ,plinie1 it seems that nature  
was not willing  wholly to excuse it1   
but to punish it onely1 rendring it     
subject so to  rust1 more then any other
 of the brother hood1 and principally by
 mans  bloud1 which it is so apt to     
spill4    ,the same natures benignity1  
exacting punishment from very iron by   
rust1 from whence humane bloud revengeth
 it selfe2 for being touched  therewith 
it more speedily draweth rust therefrom4
 ,and indeed there  is nothing which    
sooner rusteth iron then mans bloud4    
,but this  rust because we are purposely
 falne upon it1 it is not altogether    
unprofitable1 though most wholsome to   
many good effects1 as well within  as   
without the body1 beyond that which it  
doth in tinctures4 ,wherefore  it will  

do no hurt to touch some thing therein  
in this place1 and  therein to reveal   
that which experience hath manifested   
unto us to be  most rare1 and most      
important1 but this is handled divers   
wayes4 ,take  then filings of iron very 
clean1 and besprinkle them with a little
  distilled vineger1 leaving it so in a 
cave for two or three dayes or  other   
fresh and moist place2 and that will all
 convert into rust1 which  you shall    
bruise very subtilly in an iron or a    
stone morter4 ,put it  in a little pot1 
and put thereon boiling distilled       
vineger1 stirring  it lustily with a    
staffe or rod of iron1 and the vineger  
will charge  it selfe with the          
dissolution of the rust3 turne it by    
inclination1  and put therein other     
vineger1 reiterating that so long1 that 
all the  aluminosity and tincture of the
 iron be dissolved1 and that nothing    
remaines but blacke and dead earths     
which you must cast away3 cause the     
vineger to evaporate very sweetly1 and  

there will remain a powder of  ,canneale
 colour1 which the chymists call saffron
 of iron2 which is made  also by putting
 of small pieces of iron to calcine in  
,glasse makers  ,ovens for the space of 
three weeks or a month2 and they will   
reduce  themselves to a small and       
impalpable powder1 as dough1 red as     
blood1  but it doth not dissolve it     
selfe in strong waters4 ,there is       
neither  ,bole-armonaic1 or ,terra      
,sigillata1 which can compare to them1  
who  know well to practise their        
proprieties and consemblable effects4   
,in regard of the former1 take of the   
phlegme of ,aqua vit1 and do  upon all  
the same just that which you did with   
the distilled vineger  upon the rust1 it
 will dissolve more then the halfe3     
withdraw your  phlegm by a light        
distillation1 and upon the gum that     
shall rest  congealed1 cast fine ,aqua  
vit1 stirring it strongly with a baston 
upon warme ashes1 but you must not warme
 it so much as the vineger and  the     

phlegme1 and when the aqua vit shall be 
well charged of its  dissolution1 retire
 it by a slow distillation in ,balneo   
,marie1 in a  limbeck2 for it will serve
 you againe as before3 and if that be   
very  proper for the dysenteries1 and   
fluxes of the belly1 with exulcerations 
and gangrens with small shot2 as also is
 the second ,crocum drawne  by the      
phlegme1 of very great efficacy3 and the
 third yet of more1  drawne by ,aqua    
vit1 which will remain in yellow powder 
the true  essence of iron1 which we have
 searched even to the ,center4 ,but in  
all  dissolutions take heed to leave    
them well in repose1 and not to receive 
but the clear1 pure1 and neat1 without  
any feces or residences2 rather  put    
them for an hour in a warm bath to      
clarifie them4 ,the vineger that        
remains1 and the phlegm1 you may filter1
 but not the aqua vit1  because of its  
unctuosity3 which makes it difficult to 
separate it1  from its residences2 we   
must therefore attend till it be cleare4

    ,behold these three earths1 and the 
three dissolvants proceeding one and    
the other from the vegetable1 that is to
 say1 wine1 the most excellent          
substance of all the vegetables which   
the ,philosopher ,calisthenes  called   
the blood of the earth4 ,now for the    
affinity that is betwixt  iron and      
copper1 we will here pursue in one      
traine some experiments  proceeding from
 the said copper4 ,take 7to shorten as  
much as may be7 of  the stone of ,azur1 
which is a minerall of copper1 which    
will render  you more then twelve ounces
 neat and liquid for a pound4    ,but   
here we shall be constrained to make a  
little digression to serve  for         
advertisement4 ,in metallick            
dissolutions1 7and let this be a  maxim7
 we must rather take raw minerals1      
coming from the earth1 and  not the     
accomplished metals1 and that for three 
reasons4 ,the first1  for that excuseth 
you of labour1 and length of time1 to   
calcine them1  and make them dissoluble4

 ,the second1 that in the dissolution of
 the  minerall you shall find more of   
the salt1 and shall extract it more     
easily1 then in six of one of their     
chalx4 ,and the third1 for that  the    
spirits of metall1 are not yet at first 
so imprisoned in their  corporall masse1
 as in the superficies within this      
minerall and in much  greater           
aboundance3 there when it hath passed   
the asperity and rigour  of the fire1 to
 separate the metal1 most part of the   
spirits disperse  themselves and the    
rest are drowned and barred fast in the 
bottome of  the body3 whence it is a    
difficulty to draw them2 so that        
afterwards  the oil is worse easie to   
extract from salt1 in the dissolution of
  chalks1 then of that which shall be   
drawn from the minerals4 ,take then  of 
this ,azure stone for the shorter1 or if
 you have it not of es  asium burned    
,brasse1 which we make conpellans of    
brasse1 in three  parts of lead1        
7verdigrease is too gummy and unfit7 or 

making meal of  the filings of copper1  
even as we said heretofore of iron1     
putting  thereunto a little aqua fortis1
 make it clear1 which will be green1  as
 an ,emeraud1 and pursue it1 in and     
through all as you did iron3  till the  
salt or gum remain in the bottome       
congealed1 proper for hollow  ulcers1   
and many other effects of chirurgery2   
you may yet governe this  gum with      
phlegme and aqua vit1 as you did iron4  
,and of the first  very gumme extracted 
by the vineger1 may thence draw an oil1 
as it was  said of lead4 ,in regard of  
the earths that remain of the           
dissolutions  of the aqua vit1 without  
any further dissolving of it1 nor       
leaving  any tincture therein1 nor to   
disjoin them which is hard to do1 nor to
  clarifie the aqua vit1 but will remain
 impasted together as milk  with dough1 
for they will be white1 after you have  
dryed them well in  the ,sunne1 or      
before a gentle fire4 ,put them upon a  
plate of iron1 or  of warmed copper3 and

 if they fume not1 it is a signe they   
are all  deprived of their spirits4 ,yet
 put them in a cornue1 with a naked     
bottome among coals1 and perfect the    
drying of them2 then at last give  a    
fire of calcination4 ,cast aqua vit     
thereon to dissolve that which  you can2
 and evacuating the dissolution1 perfect
 to dry the moisture  which may thereof 
remain giving againe fire of calcination
 in the end3  and againe putting aqua   
vit thereon to perfect the extraction of
  all the salt therein remaining1 which 
will be perfected in the third  or      
fourth reiteration4 ,i have put you to  
an addresse of great effects1  where ,i 
do not pretend to lead you by the hand  
any further1 not to  injure good and    
curious spirits1 that by long labours   
and perquisitions  have travelled to    
obtaine that which others had better    
cheap1 and also  to that which we       
reserve for our discourse of ,gold and  
,glasse1 where  we will declare that    
which shall here be left imperfect1 not 

having  attained1 but by the end of the 
lip3 wherefore we will take but that    
which is necessary to clear what the    
,prophets have thereupon touched in     
their parables and similitudes4 ,in the 
first place of the two perfect  gold    
silver1 on which they have most insisted
 on the good part1 for  the imperfect   
tinne1 copper1 and iron1 they have      
ordinarily applyed to  the worst part   
for vices and depravations1 contumacies 
and durities2  and lead for vexations   
and molestations4 ,gold for true        
beliefe1 faith1  piety1 and religion1   
and in sum1 all that which concernes the
 honour  and service of ,god2 ,silver1  
for good and charitable works of mercy2 
due in respect of our neighbour4 ,so    
that these two metals represent  the two
 tables of the ,decalogue4 ,and it would
 not be farre from the  purpose to make 
a trimming of the ,altar4 ,the first of 
gold1 containing  four precepts1 in four
 azure letters1 which signifieth heaven1
 and the  other of silver in green      

letters1 signifying the earth4 ,origen  
in the  #b4 ,homil4 upon this text of   
the first of ,canticles 7,we will make  
thee borders of gold1 with studs of     
silver17 triumpheth to allegorize  the  
shape of gold1 this 7saith he7 holds the
 figure of the invisible  and           
incorporeall nature1 7and this for that 
it is of a substance so  homogeneall and
 subtill1 that nothing can extend it    
selfe more fine7  and silver1 represents
 the vertue of the ,verb1 following that
 which  the ,lord said in the #b4 of    
,hosea1 ,i have given you gold and      
silver1  and you have therewith made    
,idols to ,baal4 ,but we make the ,holy 
,scripture ,idols of gold and silver1   
when we turne the sense thereof  to some
 perverted interpretation3 or that we   
would ,pindarize it by  elegances1 as if
 vertue consisted on the vaine flowers  
of ,rhetoricke1  for in doing this we   
open our mouth1 as if we would swallow  
and suck  in heaven1 whilst our tongue  
licketh the earth1 like as if the       

,prophet  should say1 ,i have given you 
sense and reason1 whereby you ought to  
acknowledge me for your ,god1 and       
reverence me2 but you have turned  them 
aside1 and therewith have made ,idols3  
,by sense are understood  the internall 
cogitations which represents them2 and  
by ,reason1 which  is  the word1 for it 
signifies the one and the other1 as     
silver  denotes1 ,psal4 #ab4 #f4 the    
words of the ,lord are pure words1 as   
silver  proved in the fire1 when they   
say1 or hold1 that silver tryed in  the 
fire1 is the tongue of the just1 are not
 my words as fire8 ,but  ,cherubins are 
said to be gold1 because they interpret 
them for the  plenitude of divine       
,science4 ,and the ,tabernacle of the   
alliance is of  ,gold also1 because it  
carries the type and image of the law of
 nature1  where consisted the gold of   
science2 so that ,gold is referred to   
the  conception and thought1 and silver 
to the word1 according to which the     
wise man alludeth in the #be4 of the    

,proverbs1 ,as ,golden apples with      
silver nets1 so is he that speaks words 
in a fit season4 ,hitherto  ,origen4    
,but will we hear what ,zohar sets down1
 from whence ,origen  hath fished out   
the greatest part of his rare and       
profound meditations  and allegories1   
and to the purpose of those apples of   
gold1 enchased  within the nets of      
silver4 ,the gold from above is the gold
 sagur1  inclosed or folded up2 that    
from below is more exposed to our       
senses1  7nothing should better agree to
 the ,messihe which is the true pure    
gold of ,evihah1 mentioned ,gen4 #b4 hee
 which is reinclosed within  silver17   
namely his divinity1 and reshut up with 
the humanity4 ,zohar  pursues it2 ,in   
the ,tabernacle there were mingled gold1
 and silver1 to  assemble the divine    
mystery above in one subject1 where     
soveraigne  perfection was found4 ,but  
the ,cherubims were all of gold1 shewing
 their  ,angelicall nature which doth   
not participate of any corporeity1      

without  any silver or copper mingled   
therewith4 ,gold within silver          
expresseth  mercy1 by which the whole   
universe was built1 7the world was built
 in  mercy17 upon which ,gods ,throne is
 established1 ,his ,royall seat shall   
be prepared in mercy4 ,but the rigour of
 judgement is designed by  copper1 which
 approacheth to the colour of bloud1    
without the effusion  whereof1 also     
there is no remission4    ,and therefore
 it was ordained1 that ,moses should    
erect a ,serpent in  the ,wildernesse to
 heale those who were bitten by the     
vermine and cast  their eyes upon it4   
,then gold1 silver1 and copper1 are the 
three metals  that go together1 the     
,chasma'l1 or the electrum of ,ezechiel4
 ,and  there is a faire meditation upon 
the #c colours1 which are these1 white1 
of silver1 that represents water1 is    
mercy1 manifested by the particle  ,jah1
 assigned to the ,father1 which the     
,apostle cals the father of  mercies1 #a
 ,cor4 #a4 #c4 ,copper that in rednesse 

imitates fire1 is the  rigour and the   
severity of justice1 which the gyptians 
call ,din1  attributed to the ,holy     
,spirit1 against which if any blaspheme1
 hee  shall neither be pardoned in this 
world here1 nor in the other4 ,the      
third1 in the middle of two1 is the     
citrinity of the gold1 composed of      
white and red1 as we may see in saffron1
 bloud1 vermillion1 and other  the like1
 tempered with water1 which is white1   
for from thence is  procreated a golden 
yellow2 for ,citrinity1 saith ,geber1 is
 nothing  else1 but a determinate       
proportion of white and red4 ,and this  
guilded  citrinity is attributed to the 
,sonne1 who participates of ,mercy and  
,justice3 in pursuance of that spoken in
 the #af4 of ,eccl4 #aa4 because  mercy 
and wrath are with him4 ,but latten or  
copper1 which in its  exteriour hath    
some resemblance with gold1 but within  
all impure and  corrupt1 denoting       
hypocrisie1 which under a masque of     
pious zeale1  and religion hatcheth its 

wicked desires1 and detestable          
ambitions1  impieties1 erroneous        
opinions1 lusts1 animosities1 revenges1 
and other  unjust and perverse          
intentions4 ,the whitenesse of the      
silver1 on the  one side1 of which this 
letton participates1 for it is but at   
#af ,carats  being pallied by the       
rednesse of copper1 that causeth it     
citrinity4  ,but this rednesse is but   
cruelty1 and malice1 which corrupteth   
gentle  sincerity4 ,if your sinnes were 
as red as scarlet1 or vermillion1 they  
shall bee as white as snow1 ,esay #a4   
#af4    ,sidenote3 ,prov4 #aj4bf4 ,esa4 
#f4d4    ,in regard of lead1 it is put  
for vexations and molestations1         
wherewith  ,god doth visit us2 by means 
whereof1 hee bringeth us unto           
repentance2  for as lead burneth1 and   
exterminateth all the imperfections of  
metall1  which ,boetius the ,arabian1   
calleth water of ,sulphur2 so           
tribulation  divesteth us here below1   
from many spots1 which wee thereby have 

contracted1 so that1 ,st4 ,ambrose      
calleth it1 ,heavens ,key1 following    
that which is written1 ,act4 #ad4 #bb4  
,through many temptations we  must enter
 into the ,kingdom of ,heaven4 ,the     
,apostle ,rom4 #e4 #c4 and  #d4 c4 useth
 a very fine gradation1 ,tribulation    
begets patience1  patience experience1  
and experience hope1 and hope maketh not
 ashamed1  because the love of ,god is  
shed abroad in our hearts by the holy   
spirit1 that is given unto us4 ,fire    
denotes tribulation1 whereupon  the said
 ,saint ,ambrose upon the first psalm1  
,fire saith he1 burneth  waxe1 which    
melts it self to bee purged1 and wee are
 proved by fire1  for ,god desiring to  
convert a sinner chastiseth him1 and    
burneth him1  to purge him3 for fire is 
light to ,beleevers1 and punishment1 to 
the  incredulous4 ,said ,saint ,jerome  
very well upon ,ezechiel4 ,that fire    
illuminates ,beleevers1 and blinds      
,infidels1 serving for nothing but      
smoak which makes them weep1 and        

darknesse1 as smoak which is noxious  to
 the eyes4 ,with which fume the house of
 ,israel was all filled and  darkened4  
,let the just then rejoyce1 when they   
shall find themselves  upon this text of
 the #ej4 ,psal4 #c4 ,a fire shall burn 
in his sight1  for they shall be thereby
 illuminated1 and obstinate sinners     
burnt by  the same1 having the two      
properties to illuminate1 and burn3 for 
that  it illuminates1 it must bee the   
holy ,spirit1 which is the true fire1   
that is kindled in our hearts1 and not  
foolish and perverse opinions1  vain and
 erroneous1 which would quickly draw us 
to that which the  ,prophet ,esay saith1
 ,chap4 #ej4 #aa4 ,behold all yee that  
kindle a  fire1 and that compasse your  
selves about with sparks1 walk in the   
light of your fire1 and in the sparks   
that ye have kindled1 and you  shall    
sleep in sorrow4 ,from thence saith     
,origen1 it seems that  sinners kindle  
themselves a fire1 wherewith they must  
be crucified4  ,o ,israel thou hast     

destroyed thy self1 ,hos4 #ac4 ,and in  
the #bh4 of  ,ezek4 #ah4 ,i will bring  
forth a fire1 from the midst of thee1 it
  shall devoure thee1 and ,i will bring 
thee to ashes upon ,earth4 ,the  matter 
then which entertains it1 are our       
iniquities1 and our offences1  their    
iniquity shall burn as fire4 ,and in the
 #g4 of ,eccles4 #ag4  ,the vengeance of
 the ungodly is fire1 and wormes1 which 
toucheth upon  that in the #i4 of ,st4  
,mark4 #dd4 alledged out of the #ff4 of 
,esaiah  #bd4 ,whose worm shall not dye1
 nor their fire bee quenched3 for the   
one and the other are endlesse1 namely  
the fire that burns them1 and  the worm 
that gnawes their consciences in this   
world1 and in the other1  torments them 
for ever4 ,there where on the contrary1 
if ,god set it  on fire1 wee may say    
with one of our ancient fathers1 ,o     
happy flame1  but not burning1          
illuminating1 but not consuming3 ,thou  
dost transform  whom thou dost touch1 so
 that they1 even merit to bee called    

,gods4  ,thou hast warmed thy ,apostles1
 who forsaking all things but thee1     
have been made ,gods children3 ,thou    
hast warmed the ,martyrs1 who have      
spilt their bloud3 ,thou hast warmed the
 ,virgins1 who by the fire of  ,divine  
,love1 have quenched the heat of        
concupiscence4 ,the ,confessors         
likewise1 that have separated themselves
 from the world1 to join and  to unite  
unto thee4 ,so that every creature1 by  
the beneficence of  this fire1 repurgeth
 it self1 from its coinquinations1 and  
ordures1  and there is nothing exempted 
from its heat1 if it would come to      
injoy the fellowship of ,god2 for it is 
this fire1 that kindleth in us  by the  
illuminations of the holy ,spirit1 by   
means of our corporall  tribulations1   
which brings us sooner to ,god1 then any
 other thing1 of  which ,lead is one of 
their symboles1 working the same        
operations in  metals1 as afflictions do
 in us4 ,there is so gallant a passage  
in the  #f4 of ,jer4 under the figure of

 a ,coupelle1 which ,i think1 that there
  is not a ,goldsmith1 ,refiner1 or a   
,mettleman1 which hath spoken more      
properly3 ,they are all corrupters1     
speaking of the ,jewish people1  then   
iron or copper4 ,the bellows are burnt1 
the ,lead is consumed in  the fire1 the 
,founder melteth in vain1 for their     
wickednesses are not  plucked away1     
,reprobate silver shall men cal them1   
for the ,lord hath  rejected them4      
,whereupon ,rab4 ,sol4 is a little      
interveared for that  hee doth not well 
understand the ,coupelles1 being willing
 to adjoin  one of his own4 ,the prophet
 speaketh here 7saith hee7 of ,god as of
 a  ,goldsmith1 who desirous to purge   
gold puts thereunto lead or tin1 that   
the fire should not consume the gold3   
for after the lead is consumed1  the    
fire hurts the gold by consuming it4    
,mark what it is to speak  unadvisedly  
of things wee doe not understand1 for so
 doing we suffer  our selves to fall    
easily into grosse absurdities3 ,there  

are here two  faults so apparent1 that  
even apprentices would mock at them3 the
 one  to mixe ,tin at the ,coupelle or  
ashes in stead of lead3 for it would    
not bee fit3 also the ,prophet takes    
heed therein4 ,see what ,geber sets     
down1 in the ,chap4 of ,ashes1 ,metalls 
that participate least of the  substance
 of quick-silver1 and more of ,sulphur1 
separate themselves  sooner and more    
easily from their mixtions4 ,so that    
lead1 because it  hath more of the      
,sulphureall terrestreity1 and lesse    
quick-silver1 it  is of more tender and 
light fusion1 then any other3 hardens   
lesse in  the the coupple and separates 
soonest3 therefore it is more proper to 
this examination1 for that it carries   
away with lesse time and pains1  the    
impurities of imperfect metals1 mingled 
with gold and silver4  ,upon which there
 is no action1 and by consequent brings 
lesse domage  thereunto3 there where    
because the substance of tin            
participates of  much quick-silver1 and 

of little sulphurous earthinesse1 so    
that being  more pure and subtil1 the   
more profoundly it mingles it self1 and 
adheres more strongly to gold and       
silver1 from which it is separated  more
 slowly and more unwillingly1 with so   
much of their losse and  falling off3   
the other error is to think1 that when  
the lead in the  ,coupelle hath         
exterminated the imperfect metals1 and  
it self is  partly gone away in smoak1  
partly burned1 and partly inglued1      
within  the ,coupelle as in vitrified   
litarge1 fire cannot in any thing hurt  
gold1 for being fine and pure1 it would 
remain there a thousand years  without  
the losse of one grain3 to which nothing
 of things is wanting1  it is even safe 
in burnings1 and great fires2 the matter
 remaining said  ,pliny well1 speaking  
of gold in his #cc4 ,book1 chap4 #c4 as 
wee may see  by experience4 ,the prophet
 said then1 and that so properly as     
nothing  more1 that even as when there  
are more impurities mingled with gold   

and  silver1 to repurge them we must put
 thereunto more lead at once4 ,so the   
,jews iniquities were so great that it  
was needfull to visit them with  more   
afflictions one upon another to make    
them know their offences and  to forsake
 them3 as ,physitians who redouble      
oftentimes their purgations  and        
medicaments in those bodies1 where the  
malady is contumacious and  rebellious3 
for tribulations and adversities1 are in
 us as fire1 and  as lead1 in impure    
metalls3 ,as gold and silver are tryed  
by the fire1  so the ,lord tries our    
hearts1 ,prov4 #b4 and in the #b4 of    
,eccles4  #e4 ,whatsoever is brought    
upon thee take patiently1 for gold and  
silver1 are tried by fire1 and men by   
the furnace of tribulation1 and         
anguish2 ,saint ,gregorie in his        
,pastoralls upon this passage of the    
#aa4 of ,ezekiel1 who dilateth and      
insisteth hard upon this metaphor  and  
similitude4 ,the house of ,israel is to 
me become drosse1 all they  are brasse  

and tin1 and iron in the midst of the   
furnace1 and they  are the drosse of    
silver1 and therefore saith the ,lord1  
,i wil gather  you in the midst of      
,ierusalem1 as a masse of silver1       
brasse1 tin1 and  iron1 and of lead1    
into the midst of the furnace1 to blow  
the fire  upon them to melt them4 ,so ,i
 will gather them in mine anger1 and in 
my fury1 yea ,i will gather them and    
blow upon them1 in the fire of my       
wrath1 and they shall be melted1 in the 
midst thereof4 ,as silver is  melted in 
the midst of the furnace1 so shall they 
be melted in the  midst thereof1 and    
they shall know1 that ,i the ,lord have 
poured my  fury upon them4 ,saint       
,gregory1 interprets this for the ,jews1
 who  in their strong adversities would 
not leave to go out of the way of  their
 vices1 and depravations1 and would     
receive no correction but made          
themselves worse3 ,malachy #c4 #c4 useth
 the same form of speech4 ,the  ,lord   
shall sit to melt and purge silver1 hee 

shall purifie the ,sonnes  of ,levi1 and
 purge them as gold1 and silver1 and    
they shall offer to  the ,lord an       
offering of righteousnesse4 ,see how hee
 there resembleth  very well1 ,gold to  
,faith1 and ,religion and ,silver to    
works1 for if  the one and not the other
 be not very clean1 in vain would we    
present  them unto ,god4 ,and all this  
must bee perfected by fire3 according to
  which the ,psalmist speaketh1 ,thou   
hast proved my heart1 and hast  visited 
me in the night1 thou hast examined mee 
by fire1 and there is  no iniquity found
 in mee1 ,psal4 #ag4 #c4 for 7as ,st4   
,chrysostome  saith7 fire according to  
the will of ,god1 doth divers           
operations4 ,it  did not burn the three 
children in the furnace1 yet burned     
those that  were without3 and as the    
,sea gave way to the ,israelites1 to    
passe  on dry foot1 and drowned         
,pharaoh1 and all his that pursued them4
  ,there is a fire1 saith ,st4 ,ambrose1
 upon the #ci4 ,psal4 vers4 #c4  which  

with its ,ardor devoureth the           
transgression1 and blotteth out  the    
sin3 ,but wee most not understand it    
materiall fire here below1  for there is
 nothing common here1 with spirituality1
 but by way of  analogy1 and            
correspondence2 there being a very great
 disproportion  betwixt intelligible and
 sensible things1 as in ,jer4 #bj4 #i4  
,and  there was a burning fire in my    
bones4 ,in sum that the holy ,scripture 
is stuffed with these manner of speeches
 drawn from fire and metals4 ,as  in    
,hag4 #b4 #h4 ,the silver is mine1 and  
the gold is mine1 saith the  ,lord of   
,hosts4 ,gold1 silver1 and all metals1  
yea generally1 all things  whatsoever1  
although they may bee said to bee of    
,god2 as ,st4 ,jerome  said very well1  
forasmuch as he created them1 and gave  
them being1  subsistance1 and           
maintenance4 ,the earth is the ,lord and
 the fulnesse  thereof3 notwithstanding 
this gold and silver1 which ,god        
alleadgeth  here more particularly to   

bee his1 must bee understood mystically4
 ,by  silver1 interpret the law of the  
mouth1 ,the words of the ,lord are pure 
words1 as silver tried in a furnace of  
earth1 purified seven times4  ,and by   
,gold 7saith ,zohar7 the written ,law1  
where there are many brave  meditations 
to be considered2 for there is not a    
form of a letter1  point nor accent1 but
 importeth some mystery1 as it is       
particularly  specified in ,ghinah      
,egoz1 in the garden of drowning of     
,rabbi ,joseph  ,castiglian4 ,on the    
other side silver is applyed to the old 
,testament1  gold to the ,new4 ,origen  
confronts ,faith to ,gold1 and the      
confession  and preaching thereof to    
silver4 ,that there1 to the conceptions 
of  the thought1 and this here1 to the  
word and enuntiation made by mouth      
which expresseth it1 and puts it out4   
,the tongue of the just is chosen       
silver4 ,of which two metals1 namely of 
right ,faith and purity of  conscience1 
and of verball confession1 the ,temple1 

and ,church of ,god in  ,christianism1  
and the glory of him was greater then   
the ,jewish ,law1  which was but a dark 
shadow thereof4 ,so that gold1 designs  
the heart1  that corresponds to the     
,sun1 and to fire3 and silver words1    
with ,salt  wherewith they must be      
seasoned2 ,the word is near unto thee   
even in  thy mouth1 and in thy heart    
that thou maist doe it3 which the       
,apostle  appropriating1 ,if thou       
confesse the ,lord ,iesus with thy      
mouth1 and  dost beleeve in thy heart1  
that ,god hath raised him from the dead1
  thou shalt be saved3 for wee beleeve  
with the heart to ,iustification1  and  
confesse with the mouth to have         
,salvation4 ,it is gold and silver      
which hee would that wee should build on
 his foundation3 the gold of  ,havilah1 
that groweth within the terrestriall    
,paradise1 with the  ,carbuncle and the 
,emrauld which the ,psalmist in the #fg4
 ,psalm calleth  the ,greens of ,gold4  
,behold here the depurements that fire  

operates where it passeth3  and chiefly 
upon metals1 which are of a most strong 
and persisting  composition1 as any     
other ,elementary substance1 therefore  
wee have  therein a little insisted1    
because that the ,prophets have therein 
founded the greatest part of their      
,allegories3 where wee must note1  that 
they have commonly put the imperfect1   
lead1 tin1 iron1 and  copper1 in the bad
 part1 and sometimes gold also3 as in   
,jer4 #ea4  #g4 ,babylon is a golden    
,cup3 and in the #b4 of ,dan4 #cb4      
speaking of  ,nebuchadnezar1 ,thou art  
the ,golden head1 more in the #ca4 of   
,eccles4  there are many chances in     
gold3 ,zohar calls it ,satans dung1     
following  the ,text of the #cg4 of     
,job3 ,gold comes from the ,north3 for  
the ,north  is alwayes taken by the     
,cabalists in the evill part1 because   
,sun  never passeth thereby1 and it     
relates to midnight1 where the hurtfull 
powers are in their great reputation and
 vigour3 as on the contrary1  ,noon in  

good part2 ,wee must not then           
understand1 that ,job would say  that   
gold came from the ,northern parts1 for 
it grows not there by  reason of their  
continuall colds3 but in some certain   
place1 where it  procreates2 this is    
more ordinarily towards the ,north3     
against which  the ,sun1 as against a   
,but1 darts its beams1 being to the     
,meridion all  part1 as likewise all    
good wines4 ,and to this purpose        
,franciscus  ,oviedus in his #af4 ,book1
 ,chap4 #a4 of his generall historie of 
the  ,indies1 speaking of the ,isle of  
,borichen1 puts this1 ,borichen1        
otherwise called ,st4 ,johns ,island1 is
 very rich in gold1 and men draw  it1 in
 great quantity1 even on the ,northern  
side1 as in the opposite  part towards  
the ,south1 it is very fruitfull of     
victualls3 the same  also is found even 
in ,spain it self4 ,gold then is        
sometimes taken in  the worser part1 as 
in the golden ,calf which the           
,israelites melted  in ,moses his       

absence1 from whence one of their       
,rabbins said1 there  had never befallen
 them any calamity and misery1 but there
 was an ounce  of that ,idol mingled    
therewith3 ,silver because of its       
whitenesse1  denotes ,mercy1 is alwayes 
in the good part1 and first in esteem   
before  gold1 as it is ,hag4 the #b4    
,mine is the silver1 and mine is the    
gold4 ,the ,onorocrites also hold1 that 
to dream of gold presageth  some near   
affliction1 because it agreeth in colour
 with gall1 and the  pain in the ears1  
two subsistences extreamly bitter3 and  
bitternesse  signifies1 trouble1        
anguish1 and grief2 as ,pearls doe tears
 for their  resemblance3 ,but silver    
expresseth joy and merriment4 ,and      
therefore  saith the same ,zohar1 ,gold 
is attributed to ,gabriel1 and ,silver  
to  ,michael1 which in order is his     
superior1 ,brasse to ,uriel1 because  it
 represents him in colour of fire1 faith
 to ,ur of the ,caldees1  ,gold1 saith  
he1 and fire march together1 and copper 

with them1 where  was built the little  
,altar without1 where the bloud of the  
,sacrifices  was spilt1 and that within 
was of gold1 ,exod4 #ch4 and #ci4       
,silver  is the primary light of the    
day1 and ,jacob4 ,and gold1 that of the 
night1 and ,esau or ,edom red3 ,silver  
represents milk2 and gold wine1         
alluding to craft and subtilty1 where it
 is said1 in the #b4 ,eccles4  ,i       
thought to draw my flesh with ,wine1 to 
give myself unto ,wisedome4    ,but to  
return to our principall purpose1 fire  
amongst other its  properties and       
effects1 is very purging1 and also in   
flesh1 and other  corruptible           
substances1 ,salt consumes the greatest 
part of their  corrupting humors3 fire  
also doth the same1 and analogically    
spiritual  fire1 which is nothing but   
the charitable ardor of the ,holy       
,spirit1  that inflames us with ,faith1 
,charity1 ,hope4 ,shakes off the        
impurities  of our souls1 as it is ,esa4
 #a4 #be4 ,i will purely purge away thy 

drosse1 and take away all thy tin1 for  
this place here in the #aj4 of  the same
 ,prophet1 vers4 #ag4 ,and the light of 
,israel1 shall be for a  fire1 and his  
holy one for a flame1 sheweth           
sufficiently that the  ,holy ,spirit is 
not only light1 but fire and flame1     
which salteth and  repurgeth our        
consciences from corruption1 vices1 and 
iniquities4    ,the ,sun also1 which is 
a visible ,image of the invisible       
,divinity1 as  for light1 so for its    
vivifying heat1 wherewith all sensible  
things  are maintained1 as the          
intelligible by the supercelestial ,sun1
 works  the same effect in case of      
purification1 as fire4 ,as we may see by
  experience1 as the places where the   
,sun-beams come not1 are ever musty  and
 mouldy1 and to purifie them wee open   
windowes to admit light into  them3 and 
there make great fires1 which is very   
proper in the time  of the ,plague1 for 
it chaseth away ill air1 as light doth  
darknesse4  ,also evill spirits1 who    

have more reputation in the dark1 from  
plague  walking in darknesse1 the       
,hebrews call this ,divell ravaging by  
night  ,deber1 and from his violence and
 ,meridian ,divell1 that of the day     
,keteb2 the ,greeks 4 ,there is in the  
fire1 saith ,pliny1 a  certain faculty  
and medicinall vertue against the       
,plague4 ,who for  the absence and      
hiding of the ,sun1 comes to form it    
self3 wherein  wee find by lightning it 
here and there may bring great comfort  
and  succour in many kinds4 ,as         
,empedocles and ,hippocrates doe        
elsewhere  sufficiently demonstrate4    
,there was also a ,physitian at ,athens 
that  got much reputation1 by causing   
them to kindle many fires during the    
,plague time4 ,so that1 the true ,plague
 of the soul being iniquities  and      
offences1 which poison it1 its theriac  
or counter-poyson1  cannot bee better   
found then in the fire of contrition    
that the ,holy  ,spirit kindles therein3
 ,my heart was hot within mee1 while ,i 

was  musing1 the fire burned1 ,psal4    
#ci4 #c4 ,there is also a fire of       
,tribulation which was spoken of before1
 that consumes our vanities1  and unruly
 concupiscences2 and makes us return to 
,god1 whereupon one  of the ancient     
,fathers said1 it was a happy           
tribulation that forceth  to repentance4
 ,and ,st4 ,gregory1 the evils that     
presse us here1 doe  compell us the     
sooner to come to ,god4 ,and that for   
our greater good1  that ,god doth thus  
burn us by the fire of tribulation3 that
 which  was said by the ,psalmist #bf4  
#c4 ,prove me ,o ,lord1 and examine mee1
  try my reins1 and my heart3 ,and in   
the #ac4 of ,zach4 vers4 #i4 ,i  will   
bring the third part through the fire1  
and ,i will refine them as  silver is   
refined1 and ,i will try them as ,gold  
is tried3 ,for fire  hath a double      
property1 as hath been said2 the one to 
separate the  pure from the impure1 and 
the other to perfect that which remains 
of  the pure4 ,take away rust from      

silver1 and it will go forth a most pure
  vessell3 ,but the propriety of these  
significations is better kept in  the   
,hebrew1 then in any other tongue4      
,where the verb ,szaraph is  joined and 
attributed unto silver1 which signifies1
 to melt1 and to  refine1 and to ,gold  
,bahan to prove4 ,the one denotes ,gods 
in ,elect an  holy purity of conscience 
by silver1 the other by gold a          
perfection of  constancy1 which wee     
cannot know better then by proof3 and   
from thence  comes dignity and eternall 
glory1 the one and the other acquired by
 the  fire of ,examination and of       
probation2 for1 as saith ,st4           
,chrysostome1  that which fire is       
towards gold and silver1 the same is    
tribulation in  our soules from which   
fire cleanseth the impurities and       
uncleannesse1  and makes them neat      
shining3 following that which is said in
 the #ag4  of ,prov4 ,as silver is tried
 by fire1 in the furnace1 so ,god       
proveth  the hearts of his ,creatures1  

and in the #bg4 of ,eccles4 ver4 #e4    
,the furnace tryeth the ,potters        
vessell1 and tentation of tribulation1  
trieth good men4 ,there are many1 saith 
one of the ,fathers1 who whilest  they  
are red in the fire of adversity1 make  
themselves flexible1 and  malleable1 but
 departing therefrom1 they harden       
themselves again as  before1 making     
themselves unfit for conversion or      
amendment2 ,origen  in his #e4 ,homilie 
upon the #c4 ,chap4 of ,jesiu ,nave1    
they that draw  near unto me1 draw near 
unto fire3 ,if you bee 7saith hee there7
 ,gold  or silver1 the nearer you come  
to the fire1 the more you will become   
resplendant3 but if you build with wood1
 straw1 or chaffe1 upon the  foundation 
of ,faith1 and come near the fire1 you  
shall be consumed3  very happy then are 
those that drawing near the fire1 are   
therewith  lightned and not burnt4      
,according as it is written in the #c4  
of ,mal4  ,the ,lord will sanctifie thee
 in burning fire4 ,st4 ,augustine1 upon 

a verse of the #de4 ,psalm4 ,wee have   
passed through water1 and fire3  ,fire  
burneth 7saith hee7 and water           
corrupteth3 ,when adversity comes  upon 
us1 it is as it were fire unto us3 and  
worldly prosperities on  the contrary   
are as water4 ,the earthen vessell that 
is well hardened  in the fire1 fears    
neither water nor fire4 ,let us then    
study to amend  our selves by the fire  
of tribulation1 by bearing it patiently2
 for if  the pottery be not firmly      
strengthened by fire1 the water of      
temporall  vanity will soften it and    
mingle it as durt4 ,and therefore wee   
must  passe through the fire1 to come to
 the water of ,mercy1 and ,grace1       
whereof ,st4 ,john speaketh in the #c4  
of ,s4 ,mat4 ,i ,baptize you with  water
 unto repentance1 but hee that comes    
after mee is stronger then ,i1  and he  
will ,baptize you with the holy ,spirit1
 and with fire4 ,of which  fire we may  
see in the #af4 of ,wisdome1 #ag4 for it
 is wonderfull1 that  in the water that 

quencheth all things1 fire should be    
most powerfull4  ,that which made ,st4  
,augustine himself say1 that in the     
,sacrament  of ,baptism1 which they     
exercise and ,catechise1 they first came
 to  fire1 and after to the ,baptism of 
water3 where the same comes to the      
temptations of this age1 where in the   
anguish which oppresseth us1  the fire  
first presents it self1 but when the    
fear therein is out1 it  is to bee      
feared that a wind of vain glory        
proceeding from temporall  felicity1    
dissolve it not into rain1 which will   
come to quench the fire  of heat and    
,charity1 which affliction hath taken   
within our ,souls4 ,to  this purpose1   
from fire to baptismall water1 designed 
by the aforesaid  passage1 wee have     
passed through water and fire1 this     
beats upon the  #ca4 of ,numb4 of       
clensing by fire1 and by water1         
according as the  thinge may suffer3 for
 visible baptism1 is made by visible    
water1  and wherein the water consists  

in parts which is nothing else but      
congealed water1 by the acuity of fire  
thrust thereinto3 with which  salt every
 ,sacrifice must bee salted1 that is to 
say1 the externall  man1 and the        
invisible baptism of the internall      
spirituall man is  wrought by the ,grace
 of the holy ,spirit represented by fire
 which of  it self is invisible1 and    
unperceivable1 except it bee attached to
  some matter1 as the soul is in the    
body3 ,this fire there burneth in us    
mortall sins1 and the water washeth away
 ,veniall and ,originall4    ,but some  
wil demand1 ,what is that fire1 from    
whence comes it1 that so  purifies our  
souls1 and warms them in the ,love of   
,god1 and illightens  them with his     
knowledge8 for wee love nothing but what
 wee know3 and  wee cannot know ,god1   
nor see his light1 but by his light 7,in
 thy  light wee shall see light37 that  
is to say1 by his word and parol  who   
hath vouchsafed to revest us with our   
flesh4 ,thy word is a fiery  word1 and  

thy servant loveth it4 ,it this fire    
then which our ,saviour  saith1 hee was 
come to send into the earth3 and what   
will ,i1 if it bee  already kindled8    
,for as ,prometheus brought fire here   
below1 which  hee had lighted1 in one of
 the wheels of the ,suns ,chariot3 ,the 
word  hath rendred1 lightened in the    
,mercavah ,chariot or throne of ,god1   
which is all of fire2 as also in the    
#ag4 of ,dan4 vers4 #i4 ,origen  in his 
#ac4 ,homil4 upon the #be4 of ,exodus4  
,jacinth1 ,purple1 double  ,scarlet1 and
 ,silk3 sets down1 that these four      
represented the four  ,elements1 ,silk  
or ,linnen1 the ,earth from whence it   
came2 ,purple1 ,water1  because         
extracted from bloud with the shell or  
cockle of the sea2  ,jacinth in ,hebrew 
,techeleh1 the ,air1 for it is without  
heavenly blew2  and ,scarlet1 fire1 by  
reason of its red enflamed colour4 ,but 
wherefore  is it there said1 that ,moses
 redoubled the fire2 and not one of the 
rest8 ,because that fire hath a double  

propriety1 the one to shine1 and  to bee
 bright1 and the other to burn3 wee must
 understand corruptible  things1 for    
upon the incorruptible1 wee must look   
upon for this regard1  to refine them   
and amend more and more4 ,did not our   
hearts burn within  us1 while he talked 
with us by the way1 and while hee opened
 to us the  ,scriptures8 ,luke #bd4 #cb4
 said the ,pilgrims of ,emaus4 ,and this
 is  it wherefore it is commanded in the
 ,law to offer double ,scarlet1 to      
adorn the ,tabernacle4 ,but how can this
 bee8 ,aske ,origen1 a ,doctor          
instructing people in the ,church of    
,god1 designed by the ,tabernacle1  if  
hee did but cry after the vices1        
blasphem1 and reprove them2 without     
bringing instruction and consolation to 
the people1 explaining to  them the     
,scriptures1 and the obscure sense      
therein concealed1 wherein  consisteth  
the internall ,doctrin1 and the         
mysticall understanding3 hee  well      
offers ,scarlet1 but simple and not     

double1 because that this fire  doth not
 but burn and not lighten4 ,but on the  
other side1 if they doe  but clear and  
interpret ,scripture without            
reprehension of vice and  sin1 and to   
shew requisite severity to a declarer of
 the ,word of ,god1  wee offer as it    
were simple ,scarlet3 for this fire     
there1 doth not but  illuminate  doth   
not enflame persons to repentance of    
their misdoings1  correction and        
amendment of life3 whereunto cooperates 
the ,grace of  the ,holy ,spirit1 which 
is domestique fire1 with which wee must 
salt  our souls to preserve them from   
corruption3 for there is nothing that   
doth more symbolize to the nature of the
 soul then fire3 because it is  that of 
al things sensible1 which approacheth   
more to spirituality1 as  well for its  
continuall and light motion which soars 
alwayes upwards1  as for its light1     
which ,plotin saith must properly be    
attributed to  the intelligible world1  
heat to the ,celestiall1 and burning1 to

 the  ,elementary4 ,and for as much as  
it participates more of light then any  
of the other ,elements3 that likewise   
acquires unto it a precellency  above   
the rest3 for the ,earth being a body   
wholly without motion1 dark  and        
duskish2 is by consequent lesse in      
dignity1 as the settlement and  lees of 
all others4 ,water because it is        
clearer1 is more worthy1 and  the ,air  
yet more3 ,but fire is that which       
surpasseth all1 therefore it  is lodged 
in a higher place1 and nearer to the    
,region of the air3 ,it is  that1 which 
,vincent no despicable ,author1 was     
pleased to say in his  ,philosophicall  
,mirror1 #b4 ,book1 #cc4 chap4 ,every   
thing for as much as  it participates   
more of light1 so much the more it      
approacheth nearer  to the ,divine      
,essence1 which is perfect light1 by    
which ,god began the  ,creation of the  
,universe1 or the first thing that hee  
ordained to bee  made1 was light3 and to
 shew us1 that wee must alwayes walk in 

light  and not in darknesse4 ,and on the
 contrary1 how much more the ,elements  
are distant from light1 by so much they 
approach to their dissemblance  and     
deformity1 which is a token of          
corruption4 ,for as much as the  parties
 of the composed ,elements are          
homogeneall and homomaternall1 or  like 
one to another1 so much lesse are they  
corruptible and separable1  as wee may  
see in gold1 the most proportionate     
substance of all1 and  which approacheth
 nearest to fire3 that which moved      
,pindarus from the  beginning of his    
first ,olympian1 to join these three1   
water1 fire and  gold together1 water is
 best1 gold1 and shining fire1 c4       
,doe wee not see that at every end of a 
field almost that the ,earth  doth      
change nature and quality1 and that     
there are infinite sorts of  them8 ,not 
so many of ,water1 ,air is most like    
unto it self3 but if  there bee any     
changes or alteration therein it is by  
accident1 as if  some maladies should   

fall thereupon3 which doe more readily  
adhere  thereunto1 because of its rarity
 of substance then to any others4  ,fire
 is altogether exempt therefrom1 being  
alwayes one1 and in its al  like to his 
parts1 which are like to themselves1    
except the matter to  which it doth     
adhere makes it vary4 ,and this it is in
 which it comes  nearest to the         
,celestiall nature which is all ,uniform
 in it self1 and  so well regulated1    
that it hath nothing unlike3 which      
maketh that the  fire is repurgative    
above the rest of his fellow ,elements1 
to clear  them and put in evidence4 ,in 
the #ab4 of ,st4 ,luke our ,saviour     
warneth  his ,disciples to have their   
,lampes burning in their hands1 that    
their  light might come to shine amongst
 men1 that their good workes may bee    
seen1 to glorifie their ,father which is
 in heaven1 for hee that doth  ill hates
 the light1 which ,job saith is worse to
 ,malefactors1 then  the shadow of      
death4 ,it is the same also that ,moses 

would secretly  infer in the #c4 of     
,gen4 where hee makes ,god to walk at   
noon1 which  is the clearest light of   
the day4 ,and the ,apostle in the #a4 of
 ,tim4  #f4 #af4 saith that he dwells in
 light in accessible1 without which  all
 would be confusedly folded up in       
hideous darknesse4 ,let us then  take   
heed1 that the light which hee hath     
pleased to put into our soul1  be not   
obfuscate and converted into black      
obscurity3 and that on this  solid      
foundation which hee hath granted us of 
his knowledge1 wee build  not hay1 wood1
 and chaffe1 all things of themselves   
obscure and dark3  in lieu of gold1     
silver1 pretious stones1 so clear1      
shining and bright4  ,let us hear again 
that which ,zohar divinely discourseth  
of1 about  fire and light1 upon the     
,text of the #d4 of ,levit4 ,thy ,lord  
,god is a  consuming fire4 ,that there  
is one fire which devoures another being
  the stronger1 as wee may see in some  
burning firebrand1 or torch1 that  which

 proceeds therefrom is of two sorts3 the
 one blew1 attached to a  black match1  
which retaineth it self there nourishing
 it self from  corruption4 ,the other   
flame proceeding from the red inflamed  
,match is  white1 and the blew is white 
in the highest1 as to return to the     
first  originall3 this ,homer was not   
ignorant of1 when in the #f4 of his     
,odysses hee attributed to the ,olympus 
a pure and bright splendor4    ,nothing 
should better represent unto us the four
 worlds namely the  white which is      
supercelestial1 the blew celestiall1 the
 match fired1  the ,elementary1 and the 
burning darknesse1 ,hell3 which         
abundantly shews  us the body4 ,rednes1 
the vitall spirits1 resident in the     
bloud2 the  blew1 the soul2 the white1  
the intellect1 and the divine character 
imprinted in the soul3 and as the blew  
light doth quickly change into  yellow1 
quickly into white1 the soul also can   
doe the same according as  it shall     
incline it self to good or to evill3 or 

whether thee follows  the provocations  
of the flesh or the invitations and     
exhortations of  the intellect1         
following that which is written in the  
#d4 ,gen4 #g4 ,if  thou doe well1 shalt 
thou not bee accepted8 and if thou dost 
not well1  sin lieth at the dore4 ,and  
unto thee shall bee his desire1 and thou
  shalt rule over him4 ,the white flame 
is alwayes the same1 without  variation 
or change1 as doth the blew3 ,so the    
fire in this respect is  fourfold4      
,black in the lower part of its weik1   
where the flame that  is fastened to it1
 is blew4 ,red in the top of the weik1  
and the flame  white4 ,this which       
relates also1 to the four ,elements1    
black1 materiall1  to the ,earth3 ,blew 
more spirituall to the air1 ,red to     
fire1 and white  to water4 ,for heaven  
is composed of fire and water1 which is 
above the  heavens4 ,let the waters that
 are above the heavens praise the ,lord4
  ,yet neverthelesse all this is but    
fire1 as ,moses the son of ,maynon      

declares very well in the second ,book  
of his ,mor4 chap4 #ca4 where he  saith 
that under the name of ,earth are       
comprised the four ,elements1  and by   
darknesse was understood the first fire3
 for it is said in the  #d4 of ,deut4   
,you have heard his words out of the    
midst of fire1 and  then he adds of a   
sodain1 ,you have heard his voice out of
 darknesse3  ,this fire moreover1 was   
called the first fire1 because that is  
not  it which is shining and clear1 but 
it is only1 so transparent to the       
sight1 as is the ,air3 and could not    
comprehend it self therewith1  for if it
 were shining wee should in the night   
see all the air shine  as fire4 ,and for
 that the darknesse1 which was first    
named1 denoted  fire1 namely that       
whereof it is said1 that darknesse was  
upon the  face of the ,abysse3 because  
the fire was under the three ,elements2 
comprised under this word ,abyssus4     
,there are other darknesses which       
follow after3 then when the separation  

of things was made1 and the  ,darknesses
 he called ,night4 ,all this1 the       
foresaid ,rabbin put out4  ,to which    
that would touch1 which the ,alcoran    
carries in ,azoare4  #fe4 ,i will send  
you a clear and beautifull fire4 ,all   
this which  adheres then to the low     
black part1 is therwith consumed        
destroyed1  and holdeth place of death3 
after which1 cometh true life3 the blue 
flame likewise if it therein degenerate1
 and lets it predominate2  but the white
 doth not endeavor but to uncover it    
self here below to  transport it self   
upwards3 and not suffer it self to bee  
over mastered  by others4 ,and doth not 
devoure nor destroy1 nor is not thereby 
devoured1 nor his clear shining splendor
 altered1 as are those of the  others3  
,by reason whereof wee must adhere and  
let our selves be salted  with this     
white fire1 and bee illuminated with    
this fair white light  that never       
varies1 following that which is said in 
the #d4 of ,deu4  ,you which adhere to  

the ,lord your ,god1 you are all living 
also1 as  at this day4 ,but if our blew 
light the soul1 adhere to the black1    
and to the red1 which are our           
sensualities and concupiscences1 the    
strange fire will force it selfe into   
us1 and will devoure and consume  us4   
,this knowledge of the ,elements1 and of
 their colours1 doth not  insist only in
 composed bodies1 here below1 but       
thereby wee may mount  as by ,jacobs    
,ladder1 the height of this celestiall  
world1 where the  ,elements are also1   
yet of another sort1 more simple and    
depured3 and  from thence to passe      
beyond into the intelligible world1     
where they  are in their true essence2  
for all consists in the four ,elements4 
,sons  of wisdome understand 7saith     
,hermes in his ,tract of #g4 chapters7  
not only corporally1 but also           
spiritually1 the science of the four    
,elements1 whose secret apparition is in
 no wise signified1 except  they bee    
first compounded1 because of the        

,elements2 there is nothing  made       
without their composition and ,regiment4
 ,will we dive more deeply  into the    
secrets of this ,caball8 ,this          
,composition and ,regiment of  the      
,elements1 is no other thing then the   
,sacrosanct four-lettered  ineffable    
,jehovah3 which comprehends all that    
which is1 was1 and  shall bee3 where the
 little and finall  notes the body and  
matter1 or  other the like1 where the   
,fire cleaveth or fasteneth unto3 ,the  
vou  or cloud copulative which assembles
 the two  the intelligible and the      
sensible1 are the spirits that join the 
,soul with the ,body3 the red           
inflammation of the coal or weik1 with  
the azure flame1 doe signifie  the soul3
 and the ,jod is the white unchangeable 
and permanent flame of  the intellect1  
where all at length comes to terminate1 
which whitenesse  is the seat of the    
true spirituall hidden light1 which is  
not seen nor  known1 but by it self3 for
 indeed our nature to take it in it     

self1  is but a dark substance2 right   
resembling the ,moon1 which hath no     
light but what it receives from the     
,sun1 which she is apt to receive1  as  
our soul is that of the intellectuall   
light3 ,and there is not a  creature    
whatsoever1 which is of it self a       
substantiall light2 but  only a         
participation of the only true light1   
which shineth in all1 and  through all1 
plainly and sensibly4 ,it is the        
,chasmall of ,ezechiel  according to    
,zohar1 whence proceeds fire or light   
assembled of two1  which are yet but one
 thing3 the white light1 namely which   
mounteth  and cleareth that1 which no   
mortall eye could suffer1 that of which 
is  written in #df4 ,psal4 ,light is    
risen to the just1 and gladnesse to  the
 upright in heart3 which corresponds to 
the intelligible world1  and the inward 
man4 ,the other is a twinckling and     
flaming light1 of a  red fiery colour1  
joined and united to a coal1 or a weik1 
signifying  the sensible world1 and the 

ontward corporall man4 ,the soul is     
placed  in the middle1 namely the blew  
light1 part whereof1 is fastened to the 
weik1 and part to the white flame2      
quickly adhering to one1 and quickly  to
 another1 whence according as shee      
applies it self it comes to bee  either 
burned or illuminated1 following that   
which ,origen sets down  upon the #ad4  
of ,jer4 ,that ,god is a red burning    
fire1 consuming and  destroying1 as     
concerning sinners1 and to holy and just
 persons1 a  white rejoycing and        
vivifying light3 ,jamblicus1 that doth  
not soar  so high as ,zohar1 being not  
assisted but by the light and instinct  
of  nature1 said very well1 but         
afterwards the ,phnician ,theologie1    
that  al which we can perceive of       
goodnesse and contentment1 in this      
sensible  world1 comes from the light   
which is imparted to us from the ,sun1  
and  ,stars illustrated with it4 ,and as
 the ,sun imparts his light to the      
,moon1 to the ,stars1 and to the        

,heavens3 so ,god 7communicates his to  
the  intelligible world37 the lively    
,fountain of all others1 to his blessed 
,intelligences3 ,so that1 all what our  
souls can have of good1 of joy1 of      
beatitude1 be it whilest they are       
annexed to the bodies1 or separated     
therefrom1 comes from this primordiall  
light1 which shineth in them  by        
reflexion1 as the ,sun beams in a basin1
 a concave looking glasse1  or in water1
 or twhart a looking glass1 according as
 ,st4 ,denys sets  it down1 in his #d   
chapter of divine names3 which          
proceeding from the  ,soveraign good1   
carries therewith the same appellation4 
,and ,rabbi  ,eliezer in his chapters   
sets down1 that the heavens were created
  with the light of the ,creators       
vestment1 grounding himself upon the    
,psalmist1 #bjd4 #b4 ,clad with light as
 with a vestment1 and the ,earth  with  
snow1 which was under the throne of his 
glory4 ,all ,rabinique  ,allegories1 may
 men say1 but where doe the great       

mysteries consist1  from which ,st4     
,denys doth not straddle far in the     
place alledged8 for  even as this fair  
great and clear shining ,sun1 that hath 
in it self  such a manifest             
representation and image of ,soveraign  
good1 extends  its light throughout the 
,univers1 and doth communicate it to all
  that are capable to receive it4 ,so   
that there is nothing1 which doth  not  
participate of his light1 and vivifying 
heat3 there is nothing1  that can hide  
it self from the heat thereof4 ,in the  
same manner this  ,eternall             
supercelestiall light1 illustrates1     
vivifies1 and perfects  all that which  
hath being1 and banisheth darknesses and
 all softning  hoarinesse1 that may bee 
brought thereinto1 lightning our souls  
with a  desire alwayes to participate   
more and more of this light3 for when   
she  comes to prove it by little and    
little1 and by degrees that helps it    
and conducts to the joy and fruition of 
a ,soveraign good1 which is the  light  

of the ,soul1 namely the ,intellect that
 clears it1 to be able to  apprehend the
 living spring from whence it came2 for 
light is not seen1  but by her self3 the
 most worthy and excellent property of  
fire1 with  which it hath this in       
particular and proper1 that shee makes  
her self  to see1 as it doth1 and by her
 means manifesteth all that which our   
sight may apprehend4 ,yet there is      
nothing harder to comprehend1 then  that
 which is either of the one or of the   
other1 for in shewing us1 and  revealing
 us all it is then1 when shee hides her 
self most from us1  even to blinde us   
and to reduce our brightnesse into      
darknesse2 ,as is  his darknesse1 so is 
his light4    ,wee must then not speak  
of ,god without light1 because he is the
 true  light because1 ,o ,lord1 thou art
 my ,lantern3 which doth enlighten us1  
by thy word1 ,thy word is a ,lantern to 
my feet1 the splendor of the  ,father1  
and the living fountain of life3 as holy
 ,st4 ,augustine after  ,st4 ,john4 ,in 

him was life1 and the life was the light
 of men1 and  light shined in darknesse1
 and the darknesse comprehended it not4 
,so  that from this light1 wee have     
double commodity3 the one1 that life1   
by which wee live1 the other the light  
by which wee see1 that which  enlightens
 us4 ,the spirituall man1 the true man  
enjoyes the one and  the other3 the     
,carnall man1 life onely3 for touching  
the rest1 hee is  in darknesse1 because 
they have been rebells to light1 saith  
,job1  because they have not her wayes4 
,even as if one should inclose a  torch 
within a ,lantern of cut-stone1 or the  
like obscure and dark  matter1 where its
 light would remain as quenched and     
buried1 without  ability to extend it   
self abroad for the obstacle that       
hinders it4  ,and if we want light      
7saith ,st4 ,ambrose7 there would bee no
 more  comelinesse1 beauty1 or pleasure 
in our house3 for it is it which  makes 
all seem agreeable3 which he borrowed   
from ,homer according  to what was      

attributed in ,suidas1 who through an   
unseasonable time  of cold1 and rain    
having been received into an ,inne1     
where they made  him a fire1 hee        
sodainly made verses containing in      
substance1 that  children were the      
ornament and ,crown of the ,father2     
,towers1 of walls2  horses1 of the      
fields2 ships1 of the ,sea2             
,magistrates1 of the places  of the     
,assembly1 where they administred       
justice to the people2 and a  fair      
burning and lighted fire1 the           
comelinesse and rejoicing of an  house1 
which renders it so much the more       
honorable4 ,to see a burning  fire in an
 old house4 ,some attribute them to1    
,hesiod3 ,trismegistus  amongst the rest
 cals light the father of all1 who hath 
procreated man  like unto it1           
participant of light1 and of life       
depending thereon3 and  life was the    
light of men4 ,the ,father is as the    
,sun in his ,essence3  from whence comes
 splendor and heat1 which three are not 

separated one  from another1 but remain 
united together1 although they are      
distinct3  in this fire then our souls  
are warmed in the ,love and fear of     
,god1  and lightened in his knowledge4  
,whereupon ,pope ,innocent the #c4 in  a
 ,sermon upon the ,holy ,spirit sets    
down1 that hee was sent to the          
,disciples in shape of fire1 to make    
them shine by wisdome1 and to warm  them
 by charity1 that which regulates and   
forms life1 and wisdom forms  doctrine1 
and as this fire hath life1 and heat by 
which it purifieth  and cleanseth3 so   
the ,holy ,ghost by its light           
illuminates the spirit  of man by       
wisdome1 and repurgeth it by its ardent 
charity4 ,this is the  fire with which  
the inner man1 should be salted1 for to 
salt1 bake1 and  burn1 doe communicate  
their appellations and significations1  
by their  consemblable proprieties and  
effects3 because that ,salt boils in the
  tastes by reason of its acrimony1 and 
fire the sense when it burnes1  and a   

thing salted is half boiled1 as is      
before said3 as well to make  it of more
 easie digestion1 as to conserve it     
longer1 which are the  proprieties and  
effects of fire4    ,but to mount from  
fire here below to the ,celestiall1     
which is the  ,sunne1 the eye and heart 
of the sensible world1 and the visible  
,image  of the invisible ,god4 ,saint   
,denis cals it an all-apparent and      
cleare  ,statue of ,god2 and ,iamblichus
 the ,image of ,divine intelligence1 the
  father of life1 the ,image and        
portraict of the ,prince1 and           
,soveraigne  ,dominator of all the      
universe1 the light of the one1 and the 
other  world1 the ,celestiall and       
,elementary4 ,but may we not here       
alledge at  once this brave authority of
 ,plutarch on the interpretation of the 
word ,el1 where after he had turned it1 
and returned it about a pot  by many    
discourses1 which at last concluding    
nothing1 vanished away  in smoak3 he    
concludes that this word1 as indeed it  

is1 would say  nothing else1 but thou   
art8 which hath been drawn from the two 
first  letters of the holy four lettered
 word ,,jehovah1 transposed the one     
before the other1 in the ,greek ,e4,l4  
which sheweth that they have  all drunke
 of this ,caballine or ,mosaicall       
fountaine4 ,and at last come  to say1   
,we worship ,god in his essence1 by our 
thoughts1 and reverence  the ,sun1 which
 is its ,image1 for the vertue which it 
hath given it1 to  produce things here  
below3 only representing by its         
splendor1 which he  communicates to all1
 ,i know not what appearance1 or rather 
shadow of  beatitude and mercy1 so much 
as it is possible for a visible ,nature 
to  represent an ,intelligible1 and a   
moving to that which is immoveable  and 
stable4 ,we see the ,sunne1 as wel as   
fire1 but not so neare1 to  be able so  
exactly to marke it1 we shall very well 
conjecture in our  spirit of that which 
we may well apprehend by sight1 that    
this must  be the most admirable peece  

of worke of all visible ,creatures4 ,for
  although it appears unto us little    
bigger then a dish or platter1 in       
regard of the great distance betwixt us 
and it1 so that ,i tremble to  conceive 
it1 after the very demonstrations       
,mathematicall1 which are  certaine and 
infallible1 yet it is many times greater
 then the ,globe  of the ,earth and     
,water joined together1 which containeth
 more then  #fjjj miles about1 an       
apparent witnesse of the wisdome and    
greatnesse  of its ,architect4 ,of which
 ,ecclesiasticus in the #dc4 chapter    
makes  this fine ,epiphonema1 ,who is he
 that can ever satisfie himself to      
contemplate the glory of the ,creator8  
the ,firmament in its height which      
comprehends all things under it1 so pure
 and cleare8 and the forme of  this vast
 and immense hollow of ,heaven so faire 
and admirable to the  sight8 ,is not    
this an apparent vision of his glorious 
and triumphant  ,majesty8 ,the ,sunne at
 his rising shewing the light of the day

 7an  admirable vessell7 arrived in the 
middle of his dayly ,carreer1 it  burns 
and rosteth the earth1 and who is it    
that can subsist before  its extreame   
heat8 ,it burneth thrice double the     
mountains1 more then  the fiery furnaces
 the pottery which they put to scum off1
 exhaling  from it selfe flaming vapors1
 and a splendor which darkens the most  
strong assured sight4 ,surely the ,lord 
which hath made and formed it  of       
nothing so fair1 so great1 and          
admirable1 may well say it to be        
greater then his owne worke1 and which  
hasteth it so speedily1 as to  measure  
this incomprehensible space in #bd      
hours4 ,with the surplus of  this       
discourse1 which refers it selfe1 and is
 as a ,paraphrase upon the  #ai4 ,psal4 
where in few termes1 there are touched  
three principall  points of the ,sunne3 
,its beauty compared to a spouse comming
 out of his  bed chamber1 and he as a   
,bridegroome comming out of his chamber1
 his  force and impetuosity as a ,giant 

to runne his course3 nor is there any   
thing that can hide himselfe from the   
heat thereof4 ,and its extream          
celerity1 his going forth is from the   
end of the ,heaven1 and his  circuit to 
the ends of it4 ,so that as ,saint      
,augustine in his third  ,sermon upon   
,advent1 there are three things in the  
,sunne1 its course1  its splendor1 and  
its heat2 the heat dries1 the splendor  
illuminates1  and its course runs       
through the universe4 ,and as in man1   
which is the  little world1 the heart is
 the chiefe seat of life1 first living1 
and  last dying3 ,so the ,sunne in the  
great man1 which is the ,world1 is the  
spring1 the light and heat which        
vivifieth all things which imparteth  to
 the ,starres and to the ,moone the     
light by which they shine2 even  as     
,christ1 which is the ,sunne of         
,righteousnesse1 and the light of our   
,souls1 which without it1 would remaine 
buryed in a blinde obscurity4  ,he that 
followes me shall not walke in          

darknesse1 but shall have the  light of 
life1 which conserves it self for the   
good1 and extinguisheth  it selfe       
against the wicked witnesse1 ,job #ah4  
,the light of the  wicked shall be put  
out4 ,where light is such1 that         
sometimes the  evill ,angels transform  
themselves to deceive us2 for in as     
little as  we can blow it backe behinde 
us1 it growes dead and dissipates4 ,but 
the true and right light doth illighten 
us without variation as well  in the    
knowledge of ,god1 in this which        
dependeth on our ,salvation1 as  of     
things sensible and naturall2 whereunto 
the clearnesse of the ,sunne  and of    
,fire1 and their effects do guide us    
more then any other thing1  to apprehend
 some sparkle of this soveraigne        
,wisdome1 wherewith ,god  built this    
great ,all by his ,word4 ,for every     
science to which we may  attaine by our 
ratiocination and discourse1 proceeds   
from the knowledge  of sensible things1 
7for there is nothing in the intellect1 

but was  first in the sense7 but        
incertaine and variable1 to be in       
continuall  variation and vicissitude4  
,so that the knowledge that comes from  
the  light of ,nature1 is very weake1   
and full of doubts1 and incertitudes1   
if it bee not illustrated by ,divine    
,revelation1 which makes us see all  as 
it is in its true and reall essence1 as 
the light of the ,sunne doth  all things
 corporall4 ,so that the most part of   
heathen ,philosophers1  after they have 
alembeck't their spirit to the          
perquisition of naturall  causes1 they  
finde themselves so confounded1 that    
they are forced  to avow that by the    
only way of ratiocination you cannot    
draw truth  therefrom4 ,as ,aristotle   
discourseth thereupon well at large1 in 
the  #d4 of the ,metaphysicks4 ,ptolomie
 also1 that we must not ground and  rule
 our conceptions for regard of corporall
 things above spirituall2  for they are 
farre distant each from other1 and there
 is much disparity  and disproportion   

between them4 ,but yet lesse between    
intelligible  above sensible2 although  
they serve us herein as a ladder1       
following  that which the ,apostle      
saith1 ,that the invisible things of    
,god are  seen by the ,creation of the  
world1 by things made1 also his eternall
  power and divinity4 ,we must therefore
 run back to this spiritual light1      
which holdeth the highest  soveraign    
place in the knowledge of the           
understanding2 ,so that light is more   
properly of things spiritual1  then     
corporal1 and more certain and true are 
the invisible then the  visible2 for as 
much as ,god only is a true light in his
 essence from  whence he derives into   
our spirit all the knowledg wherewith it
 can be  illustrated1 as the potentiall 
light of our eye is from the brightness 
of the ,sun1 or of something artificial1
 traversing the transparence of  the    
air1 the place of which eye the soul    
holds in spiritualty1 as the  divine    
,intelligence maketh that of the ,sun1  

which is a representation  and image    
thereof4    ,by reason whereof1 so long 
as our understanding shall leave it     
selfe to  be cleansed by the fire of    
,divine love1 he will ever keep its     
living  and luminous brightnesse4 ,but  
if it suffer it selfe foolishly to go   
after exterior light1 it shall be also  
obscured and extinguished with  the     
interiour which domineers over it1 even 
as a small candle or wax  taper with the
 twinckling beames of a cleare shining  
,summer ,sunne4 ,sith  then this        
sensible light1 saith ,saint ,thomas    
upon the #cf4 of ,job1  by the absolute 
,omnipotency of ,god1 who disposeth it  
as he pleaseth1 it  is sometimes hid to 
mortals1 sometimes communicated2 from   
whence we may  gather that there is     
another light more perfect and          
excellent1 namely  the spiritual1 which 
,god reserves for a recompence of good  
works1  following that which ,job sets  
downe1 ,god covereth the light in his   
hands1 and ordaineth it that it should  

returne againe and manifest it  self4   
,he sheweth it to those he loveth1 that 
they may well mount unto  it4 ,whereto  
that of ,zoroastres word for word was   
conformable4 ,you  must mount up to the 
true light and to the bright beams of   
your father1  from whom the soul was    
sent you1 revested with much intellect4 
,behold  the relations of these ,sunnes 
the sensible and intelligible1 and of   
the  two lights that proceed therefrom4 
,for as that of the ,sunne obtains the  
first place in corporall things1 saith  
,saint ,augustine in his book of        
freewill1 and that by means thereof1 the
 interiour communicate with the         
superiour1 the same doth the light of   
the spirituall ,sun in regard of        
intelligibles4    ,there are also things
 that have heat1 and no light1 as that  
of ,animals  of quick chalk besprinkled 
with water1 horse and pigeon dung1 which
  ,galen writes1 he hath seen to wax a  
fire of it selfe1 heapes of  oats1 and  
other graines1 except ,barly1 new wines 

which boil1 the lees  in the vintage1   
heaps of ,olives1 ,apples1 and ,peares1 
which is a kind  of putrefaction1 whence
 also there is engendred some strange   
heat1 as  we see in ,apostemaes1 and in 
flesh which begins to bee corrupted2 and
  on the contrary wee see others that   
have light and no heat2 as worms  that  
glister in the night1 and of little     
flies that fly in the dark in  summer   
time2 of shels and scales of fish1 in   
rotten wood1 in stones1  and in the eyes
 of ravenous beasts4 ,suidas speaking of
 the visible  and invisible1 this said  
he1 cannot wel be expressed in words2 it
 is  as little flyes which flye in the  
summer1 which by displaying their       
wings1 fly into the eyes with small     
sparkling fires2 the worms also  that   
shine in the night1 the shels and scales
 of some fishes1 and  other the like1   
which cannot be perceived in the light1 
but very well  in the darke1 for the    
fire which so shineth from them in the  
dark1 is  not a colour1 whose property  

is to make it seene at the brightnesse  
of  the ,sunne1 or other light1 because 
that the air being transparent and      
deprived of all colours1 the sight might
 very easily pierce it1 and  passe      
through to apprehend them4    ,but there
 are four differences of visible things1
 some cannot see but  by day1 the       
others1 on the contrary1 but by night1  
others by day and  night1 and others    
that have no place in darknesse4        
,colours are not  seen but by day1 not  
by night2 ,of things called resplendent1
 some by  day1 others by night1 others  
by day and night2 for there are some    
that are illustrious and cleare1 others 
darke and heavy1 and others  betwixt    
both2 others that have lustre and       
splendor1 dark and waterish1  and are   
not seene but by night1 as the foresaid 
flyes1 worms1 fish  scales1 rotten wood1
 and the like1 for in the day time their
 splendor  is surmounted by another more
 powerfull which defaceth it2 as also   
there are more stars1 so that the darker

 the night is1 the clearer  they shine4 
,those betwixt both1 as the ,moon and   
some ,stars1 by day and  by night1 as   
the morning and the evening ,stars1     
called by the ,greeks  ,phosphor1 by the
 ,latines ,lucifer1 this is ,venus      
,starre4 ,fire  also which pierceth the 
air more then it may1 and illustrates it
 to  demonstrate the colours that are   
therein2 for the rest it is content  to 
make it see1 without bringing into      
action the transparence that is  in the 
air1 as we may see in the darke1 where  
wee see fire a great way  off1 but not  
by the colours that are betwixt them4   
,by day it shines  also1 but not act    
against the air1 for that it is         
suffocated and  extinguished by a       
stronger light4 ,the clearnesse of the  
,moone likewise1  for that shee is not  
very dark1 shee is seen in the day time1
 but  better in the night4 ,suidas runs 
through all this2 ,but to the purpose   
of lights without heat1 ,i have read of 
nothing more admirable and  strange1    

then that which ,gonzalo de ,oviedo in  
the #ae4 ,book #h4 chap4  of his        
,naturall ,history of the ,indies1      
alledgeth of a certain little  flying   
animal1 of the bignesse of an ,hanneton1
 very frequent in the  ,isle of ,spaine1
 and in other ,islands thereabouts1     
having two wings  above1 strong and     
hard1 and two below them1 two others    
more thinne and  fine4 ,the little beast
 called ,cocuye1 hath shining eyes as   
lighted  candles1 so that wheresoever he
 passes he illuminates the air1 and     
gives it such a brightnesse that a man  
may see him a great way off1 and  in a  
chamber as dark as it may be1 even at   
midnight1 men may read and  write by the
 light that comes from them2 ,so that if
 a man binde two  or three together1    
this would give more light then a       
,lanthorne or a  ,torch1 in the field3  
and amidst the ,woods in the night1 as  
darke as may  bee1 they make themselves 
to be seen more then a mile4 ,this      
clearnesse  consists not onely in the   

eyes but also in their flanks1 when they
  open their wings4 ,they are accustomed
 to serve themselves with them1  as we  
do with a ,lamp or other light1 to sup  
at night1 and to do the  affairs of the 
house4 ,but when he comes to determine  
and dye1 its light  extinguisheth also4 
,the ,indians had a custome to make a   
post of them to  strike feare in seeing 
them by night1 for that it seemed that  
they had  a visage1 being rub'd         
therewith1 as if it were all fire4      
,plinie in  his #ba4 ,book1 chap4 #aa4  
speaketh of a shining herb in the night1
 called  ,nyctegretes or ,nyctilops for 
that we may see it shine a farre off1   
but he alledgeth many things by         
heare-say1 as not having seen them4     
,but to returne to the ,suns light which
 is therein more perfect1 then  in any  
other thing sensible with heat1 for it  
is the true heavenly  fire1 as          
,speusippus said1 which describeth all  
that appertaines to  the nourishment of 
this great man1 the ,universe2 as the   

,elementary  doth the viands of the     
animal man4 ,and as the heart in animals
 is  the principall soul of life1 the   
same is the ,sunne in the heart of  the 
world2 and the primordiall spring of all
 light therein1 which he  departs to the
 ,stars1 as doth ,jesus ,christ to our  
souls4 ,and no more  nor lesse then the 
,sunne and the ,moon 7said ,origen upon 
,genesis7  illightens our bodies2       
likewise our consciences and thoughts   
are from  this splendour of the ,father 
if wee be not blinde1 and that this     
proceeds not by our faults3 ,now if we  
be not all equally illuminated1  no more
 then the ,stars are by the ,sunne1     
which differ in brightnesse  one from   
the other but according to our capacity 
and carriage1 and as  more or lesse1 we 
lift up the eyes of our contemplation to
 receive this  light4 ,returne you      
towards me1 and ,i will returne towards 
you1 for he  is a ,god at hand1 and not 
a ,god a farre off4 ,that which we can  
have of  intelligence 7saith ,zohar7 by 

our naturall ratiocination1 is as if    
our spirit were lightned by the ,moone3 
but the ,divine relation holds  place of
 the ,sunne1 whence the light chaseth   
away and banisheth the  ,princes of     
,darknesse1 where their greatest force  
and vigour raignes4  ,the ,sunne is     
risen1 they shall be placed in their    
chambers1 sayes the  #ajd ,psalme       
speaking of ,devils and wicked ,spirits1
 under the name of  savage and revenous 
,beasts4 ,for 7as ,zohar puts it7 these 
tenebrions  are stronger and more       
gallant in the darke1 so the good       
,angels that  assist and favour us1     
receive great reinforcement from the    
light1 not  onely from the ,divine1 but 
from the ,celestiall and solar1 by which
 the  ,divine and ,supreame shining     
brightnesse1 imparts her vertue to the  
heavens1 and by them communicates it to 
all that is under the sphere  of the    
,moone within the elementary world4     
,wherefore1 not without  cause1 about   
dead bodies till they bee put in the    

grave1 they imploy  lights to drive     
farre off this ancient ,serpent ,zamael1
 to whom for  malediction it is said1   
thou shalt eat earth all the dayes of   
thy life2  for our ,bodies being        
deprived thereof1 are no more but dust  
and earth4  ,so that fire is a great aid
 and comfort to us1 not onely during our
  life1 but yet after our death against 
these wicked dark powers which  gnaw in 
obscurity1 as these night birds and     
savage beasts which dare  not appeare in
 the day1 fearing the light of the      
,sunne2 how much more  then that of good
 spirits their adversaries1 which       
receive it from the  divine             
resplendence8 for the same1 as is the   
,sunne towards it1 the  fire is in      
regard of the ,sunne1 who serves us1    
amongst other things to  make us see    
this so great accomplished work of the  
universe built by  the ,soveraigne      
,creator of so excellent ,artifice1 and 
that which his  light doth manifest unto
 us1 in this sensible world1 it is      

nothing for  this regard1 for the true  
being doth consist of things            
intellectuall1  stript of all corporeity
 and matter1 the ,sunne it selfe1 the   
rarest  master-piece of all others1     
could not see it selfe1 but by its      
proper  light1 which is presently       
accompanied with a heat vivifying all   
things2  for there is a double          
propriety1 one to shine and clarifie1   
the other  to warme1 yea to burne the   
subjacent matters which illuminates the 
whitenesse1 and waxeth blacke with the  
,sunnes heat4 ,the ,sunne hath  coloured
 mee1 ,cant4 #a4 ,whereupon ,origen     
notes1 that there where  there is no    
sinne1 nor matter of sinne1 there is    
scorching or burning  following1 the    
#aba ,psalm4 ,the ,sun shall not burne  
thee by day1 nor  the ,moon by night2   
for the ,sunne illuminates good men1 but
 it burnes  up sinners2 who hating light
 for the evill they have done2 for in   
many places of ,scripture you shall     
finde that the ,sunne and the ,fire1    

whereof it speaks1 they are not those   
that wee see1 but the spirituall4  ,the 
spirituall ,sunne saith ,saint          
,augustine1 doth not rise1 but upon     
holy persons1 following that which is   
spoken of the perverse1 in the  #e4 of  
,wisdome1 ,the light of ,justice is not 
risen upon us1 nor the  ,sunne of       
,intelligence is not come to illighten  
us4 ,as for its heat1  it must rather be
 kept for witnesse of ,holy ,scripture1 
there is no man  can hide him from the  
heat thereof2 not to frivolous          
imaginations and  subtilities of those  
that maintaine it to be neither hot nor 
cold1  grounding themselves upon this   
argument1 ,all heat in long continuance 
although that it remaine alwayes in the 
same estate and degree1 doth            
notwithstanding augment it selfe1 so    
that it would bee intolerable4    ,if   
then the ,sunne be so hot1 as it seems1 
after five or six thousand  years since 
when it was first created1 it would     
follow that there  would come a         

conflagration under the torrid ,zone1   
from whence he  stirs not2 who from     
thence was extended to all the rest of  
the earth2  there where we see the      
contrary1 for the whole is alwayes in   
the same  estate4 ,and afterwards for   
that the sunne is many times greater    
then  the globe of the ,sea1 and the    
,earth1 and its ,sphere1 so farre       
esloigned  from it1 that it hath no     
proportion with it1 it should follow1   
that  it was as hot in one time and     
place1 as in another4 ,with semblable   
deductions1 against which it is easie to
 contradict1 but this would  turne us   
aside too farre from our principall     
,subject4 ,anaxagoras  also said1 that  
it was a grosse enflamed stone1 or a    
plate of burning  fire4 ,anaximander1 a 
wheel full of fire1 #be times greater   
then all  the earth4 ,xenophanes1 an    
heap of little fires4 ,the ,stoicks1 an 
inflamed body1 proceeding from the ,sea1
 wherein they have shewed the  affinity 
of fire and salt together4 ,plato a body

 of much fire2 and  thus1 one after one 
fashion1 one after another1 but all     
tending to  make it of the nature of    
fire4 ,moreover1 it is a thing too      
admirable1  of its greatnesse1 so       
immense1 whereupon the spirit of man    
hath fair  ,galleries to walke1 in      
pursuit of the high fetched meditations 
of ,gods  mervails2 for 7as ,chrysostome
 said well upon ,genesis7 we must from  
the contemplation of the creatures1     
ascend and come to the ,creatour4  ,so  
that those then1 are very ignorant and  
void of understanding1 who  cannot from 
the ,creatures1 attain to the knowledge 
of the ,creator4  ,those that dwell in  
the extremities of the ,west1 where it  
goes as it  were to bed1 in the waters  
of the ,ocean1 see it at his rising of  
the  same grandeur1 as those of ,catai1 
where it riseth2 which sheweth  the     
smallnesse and disproportion of the     
earth in comparison thereof4  ,that if  
the ,moone1 which is farre inferior in  
greatnesse thereunto1  sheweth it selfe 

almost equall1 it is by reason of the   
great distance  from the one and the    
other1 for by so much as things are at a
 distance1  by so much the more they    
lessen themselves to our sight1 and this
 is  sufficiently verified by the rules 
of perspective4 ,surely these are  two  
chiefe ,masterworks1 that of these two  
great luminaries1 which are  not of     
small ornament and commodity1 for the   
life of man1 as ,saint  ,chrysostome    
puts it1 upon the #ace4 ,psalme1 but it 
doth contribute  much thereto1 yea      
almost all1 in regard of that which     
concernes the  body2 for besides the    
light wherewith they enlighten us by day
 and by  night1 they distinguish times  
and seasons1 help us to make voyages1 as
  well by ,sea1 as ,land1 they ripen    
fruits1 without which our corporall     
life could not be maintained1 with other
 infinite usages which proceed  from    
them4 ,the ,sunne is put for the whole  
,heaven1 for that it is the  greater    
part thereof1 and for fire2 and ,heaven 

is the seat and vessell  of             
incorruptible and unalterable bodies4   
,the ,moone president of  moisture1     
represents water and earth1 and salt    
composed thereof2 for  there is nothing 
wherein moisture is more permanent1 nor 
which is more  moist then salt1 whereof 
the ,sea for the most part doth consist2
 and  there is nothing where the ,moone 
doth more distinctly make her motions   
to appeare1 then in the ,sea1 as we     
perceive in the ebbing and flowing      
thereof1 and in the braines and marrows 
of ,animals1 so that for good  cause she
 is called the ,regent of the waters1   
and of phlegmatick and  waterish        
moisture2 which although it seem to be  
dead and inanimate1  7in respect of fire
 which is living7 she is permanent      
chiefly in salt1  which hath an         
inexterminable humidity2 and is that    
which keepeth the  ,sea from drying up1 
for without ,salt it had been long agone
 drawn out  and dryed up1 there where   
the fire lives not in it1 but in        

another2  for in that it is a materiall 
,element1 it hath no place proper to    
it4 ,of these two1 namely1 the heat of  
the ,sun1 and moisture of the  ,moone1  
in which consisteth the life of all     
things2 and without which  nothing would
 grow1 increase1 nor be maintained1 not 
fire it selfe1  which cannot subsist    
without air1 which is double1 one       
participating  of the heat of fire1     
ascending from the water 7out of the    
bowels of  moist nature1 a sincere and  
light fire forthwith flying out1 seeks  
things aloft1 saith ,trismegistus47 ,and
 the other as water descending  from    
fire1 so long till it come to congeal4  
,for so there is one moist  water which 
tends upwards1 to rarifie it selfe in   
the aire1 and another  cold comming     
downe to thicken it selfe in the nature 
of ,earth1 untill  at last it comes to  
terminate in red fire1 which is in gold1
 for gold  is the last substance of all4
 ,and ,aire is the mediating conciliator
  betwixt the moisture of passable      

water1 that constitutes matter and  the 
fires heat1 on which the ,agent and form
 doth depend4 ,earth is as  the matrix  
where fire1 by the means of air and fire
 introducing its  action1 excites1 and  
thrusts out1 which is thereby engendred 
to its  determined end4 ,the other five 
,planets1 and the fixed starres come  in
 but collaterally1 as assistants and    
coadjutors of the effects of  the two   
luminaries1 where all their influxions  
are reduced1 as do the  rivers of the   
,sea1 and from the earth reciprocally   
comes back their  norriture2 so that    
heaven and fire1 are as the male1 the   
agent1 and  water and earth1 as the     
female1 patient2 but under heaven1 the  
air is  comprized4 ,and as mans seed1   
inclosed and lapped within the matrix1  
is  nourished1 fomented1 and entertained
 with corrupt bloud by the help of      
naturall heat1 so fire1 by the means of 
air and water1 is maintained  in the    
earth for the production of things which
 engender thereof4  ,so the ,heaven1    

,sunne1 ,fire1 and ,air1 march together1
 and the earth  under1 which are        
comprised in the ,elements below1 water 
and dry land1  on their side4 ,it is    
,moses ,heaven and ,earth1 and ,hermes  
his high  and low1 which relate one to  
the other2 that which is above1 is as   
that which is below2 and on the         
contrary1 to perpetuate the miracles  of
 one thing1 as he saith in his ,table of
 ,esmeraulds4 ,zohar the  intelligible  
and sensible ,world1 by the             
contemplation whereof1 we come  to the  
contemplation of spirituall things1     
which the ,apostle before  him had      
touched in the first to the ,romanes4   
,the invisible things  of him from the  
creation of the ,world1 are made knowne 
by those things  which are seene2 for   
all that is here below in the earth1 is 
of the  same manner as in heaven above2 
for ,god the ,creator made all things   
annexed one to another1 which ,homer was
 not ignorant of1 by his  golden chaine 
to bind together this inferiour and     

superiour world1 and  that they adhere  
one to the other1 that his glory may    
stretch through  all1 above and below4  
,and in imitation thereof1 man the image
 of the  great world1 and the measure of
 every thing was thereof made and formed
  of things low and high4 ,and ,god took
 dust and thereof formed ,adam1 and     
breathed into him the breath of life2   
the very light that shineth in  the     
sensible world1 depends upon this       
superiour light that is hid from  us2   
from whence proceed all faculties and   
vertues1 which from thence  are         
expressed to our knowledge1 for there is
 nothing here below that  doth not      
depend from that above1 by a particular 
power1 committed unto  it1 to govern and
 excite it to all its appetites1 and    
motions1 so that  all is bound together4
    ,we hold well for the remainder1    
that all we have from light in the      
sensible world1 comes from the ,sun1 for
 that of the ,moon1 and of the  ,stars  
although inumerable1 is a very small    

thing2 yet it proceeds from  the ,sun2  
and that of fire1 is but artificiall to 
give us light for  default of the       
,sunne4 ,but how shall it square with   
that to be willing  to attribute the    
primitive source of light1 and chiefly  
that of the  producing and vivifying to 
the sunne1 for that we see in the       
beginning  of ,genesis1 that the first  
thing that was made1 was the light on   
the first day1 and the ,sunne not till  
the fourth1 vegetables being  produc't  
from the former8 ,this was 7say the     
,rabbins thereto7 most  wisely advised  
by ,moses1 as all his other writings    
proceeding from  divine inspiration1 to 
take away from men all occasion to      
,idolize this  luminary1 when we see    
that light was procreated before it4    
,but in this  respect there presents a  
very rare mystery1 and worthy of        
observation1  that the complete         
perfection of things fals out alwaies on
 the fourth  day1 as of the light4 ,the 
,sunne and ,moone were made the fourth  

day1  waters on the second day1 produced
 nought but fishes2 the fifth1 which  is
 the fourth after1 and al animals2 the  
sixth with man1 for whom the  fruits of 
the earth were made the third4 ,which   
sheweth us that the #d  number so much  
celebrated by ,pythagoras1 denoteth the 
perfection that  resides in ten1        
resulting from the four first numbers1  
#a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 make  ten4    ,so ,plato
 was willing to informe his ,timeus1    
where he treats of  the procreation of  
things by these words1 one1 two1 three1 
but where  is the fourth8 ,zohar upon   
this particle of the #ad4 of ,leviticus1
  you shall keepe my ,sabbaths4 ,see    
saith ,rabbi ,eliezer1 what is the      
mystery here contained4 ,in six dayes   
was the world created1 in each  of those
 is manifested the worke that was made  
therein1 and ,god gave  it his          
particular vertue after he had finished 
it2 but on the fourth  be attributed one
 more expresse1 for those of the third  
preceding1  being secret and hidden1    

came not in evidence1 except that the   
fourth  day happened their faculties    
would reveal themselves2 for water1 air1
  and fire1 the three superiour elements
 remained as suspended1 and the         
workmanship of them did not appeare till
 the fourth day manifested  them1 and   
then appeared all that was made on each4
 ,but if you will  alledge that this was
 the third day1 that then ,god said1    
,let the earth  sprout and produce the  
green herb1 producing seed2 and the     
fruit trees  bearing fruit after his    
kinde1 which hath his seed in it selfe  
upon the  earth1 and it was so2 yet     
this1 notwithstanding that this happened
 on  the third day1 he suffered not to  
be annexed with the fourth1 without  any
 separation2 the which fourth comes to  
meet with the ,sabbath1 which  is the   
fourth day1 the fourth1 and is by it    
selfe the perfect fourth1  where there  
appeared all the works of the six       
preceding dayes3 and it  is the fourth  
foot of the ,merchavah1 of the divine   

throne1 whereon  ,god sate for his      
repose all the six dayes1 ,thus         
discourseth ,zohar4    ,we must not here
 passe over another mystery1 which these
 two luminaries  have1 each three names1
 the ,sunne is called ,chomah wisdome1  
,scemesch heat1 and ,cheres drynesse4   
,plato in ,timus1 ,all  moisture that   
the celerity of fire raised1 and that   
which remained arid  and dry1 wee call  
potters earth4 ,that of ,maor ,luminary1
 is  common to the one1 and to the      
other4 ,the ,moone is called ,malchut1  
reigne1 or kingdome1 ,jareha1 which the 
,greek call  for that she  perfects her 
course in a month1 and lebenab white1   
for as the ,sun  representeth ,jesus    
,christ1 the ,moon denotes the ,church  
which is all  fair without any blemish1 
following that which is written in the  
#f4  of ,canticles #aj4 ,who is she that
 looketh forth1 as the morning1  fair as
 the ,moone1 clear as the ,sun8 ,of this
 light of the ,sunne of                 
,righteousnesse1 whereof it is said in  

the fourth of ,malachy1 ,but  unto you  
that do feare my name1 the ,sunne of    
,justice shall arise1  #d4 #b4 ,where   
the ,moone the ,church is illustrated on
 a perpetuall day  without darknesse1   
according to ,esay #fj4 v4 #bj4 ,the    
,lord shall be  thine everlasting light1
 who hath planted his ,tabernacle1 or   
,church1  within the fair clear shining 
,sunne1 that illuminates every man that 
comes into the world2 no more nor lesse 
then the starres1 which are             
innumerable1 and the least as big as the
 whole earth1 receive all their  light  
from the visible sunne4 ,of whom shall  
it not here bee lawfull to  relate      
something of his praises of the ,song   
that ,orpheus made unto it4        ,hear
 mee most blessed      ,sunne1 ,worlds  
heart and eie1      ,heavenly           
brightnesse shining1      ,living mens  
pleasing aspect1      ,begetting ,aurera
 in thy right hand1      ,and the night 
on thy left4      ,thou governest the   
four seasons1      ,who dance in a      

round1      ,at the sound of thy golden 
harpe      ,thou runnest through this   
great vault1      ,upon thy shining     
,chariot      ,drawn with thy ,coursers 
,that respire heat and life4            
,ardent1 unpolluted measurer      ,of   
times1 that shewes thy selfe to all4    
,a ,soveraigne aid to each1             
,keeping faith1 eye of ,justice4        
,brightnesse of shining light4          
,behold that which we here thought to   
runne through concerning these  three   
fires1 7as for the three salts which    
relate thereunto1 we will  speak thereof
 hereafter7 namely1 the ,terrestriall   
and ,elementary1 the  ,heavenly and     
,solary1 and the ,intelligible1 that of 
the ,divine ,essence  denoting the      
,father1 from whence proceeds the light 
which is the ,sunne1  and these two the 
heat of the ,holy ,spirit1 which kindles
 our hearts  with the love and knowledge
 of ,god1 and with charitable love to   
our  neighbour4    ,the same in heaven1 
the light of the ,sunne expands it selfe

 to  illighten all the starres1 and here
 below to the production and            
vivification of all that which is there 
begotten1 and maintained4 ,and  in the  
,elementary world1 fire doth clear us1  
warm us1 and boil our  viands1 and lends
 us all other commodities1 and usages4  
,as for fire in the #ff4 of ,esay #ae1  
#af4 which the ,evangelist cites  here1 
whose fire shall not extinguish1 and    
whose worme dieth not4 ,it is  without  
doubt destinated to the punishment of   
reprobates1 which shall  never be       
quenched1 nor the worme that stingeth   
the conscience shall  never dye2 ,to    
keep that this worm that is engendred of
 corruption may  not procreate1 we must 
salt it with discretion and prudence1   
that it  may do nothing which may offend
 and scandalize his neighbour1 according
  as the ,evangelist specifies it1 ,hee 
that shall scandalize one of these      
little ones that beleeve in mee4 ,and as
 for banishing and chasing away  strange
 fire1 that devours our soul1 as a      

burning feaver doth vitall  heat1 this  
must be done by the mediating           
intervention of divine fire1  which is  
much more puissant then any other4 ,let 
us heare that which  to this purpose    
,saint ,ambrose alledgeth in the #c4    
chap4 of his  ,offices1 ,saint ,john    
baptized ,jesus ,christ with the ,holy  
,ghost and  with fire1 which is the type
 and image of the ,holy ,ghost1 who     
after his  ascension1 must descend for  
the remission of sinnes1 so enflaming as
 a  fire doth the soul and heart of the 
faithfull1 according as ,jeremie  saith 
in #bj4  #i4 after he had received the  
,holy ,ghost1 and it was as  a burning  
fire in my heart1 shut up in my bones4  
,what is the meaning  then of that in   
the ,maccabees1 that the fire was become
 water1 and  this water excites the     
fire1 but that the spirituall grace     
burneth by  the fire1 and by the water  
it doth purifie and cleanse our sinnes8 
for  sinne washeth and burneth1         
according to which the ,apostle saith1  

fire  will prove what each mans works   
shall bee2 for it must necessarily be1  
that this examination should bee        
perfected in all those that desire to   
returne into ,paradise4 ,it was not     
without cause1 nor idlely set downe  in 
the #c4 of ,genesis1 that after ,adam   
and ,eve were banished from  thence1 he 
placed at its entrance a brandishing    
sword of fire1 to keep  the passage to  
the tree of life4 ,with this fire then  
we must all be  salted that are in the  
way of salvation2 following that which  
,origen  set downe in his #c4 ,homil4   
upon the #cf4 ,psalme1 ,wee must all goe
 to  the fire of ,purgatory1 and ,peter 
and ,paul1 but all shall not passe      
thereby1 after the same sort as they    
did1 whereof it is said in the  #dc4 of 
,esay #b4 ,when thou shalt passe through
 the waters1 the waves  shall not cover 
thee1 for ,i will be with thee1 when    
thou shalt march  through the fire1 thou
 shalt not bee burnt4 ,the ,israelites  
passed  through the red ,sea dry-shod1  

and the gyptians were drowned therein3  
,the three children in ,nebuchadnezzars 
furnace1 had no detriment1 and  those   
that heated the fire without1 were      
therewith consumed4 ,and in the  #ai4   
,hom4 upon the #af4 of ,leviticus1 ,all 
are not purged by this fire  that parts 
from the ,altar1 it is the fire of the  
,lord2 for hee that is  from the ,altar1
 is not of ,god1 but a strange fire1    
dedicated for the  cruciating of        
sinners1 which shall never be quenched1 
nor the worm that  gnaweth shall never  
dye3 for after that the soul by a       
multitude of its  wicked comportments   
hath heaped up within him abundance of  
sinnes1 this  congregation of evils in  
succession of times1 comes to boil and  
enflame  us with a paine and punishment 
internall1 as the body doth of a feaver 
proceeding from the excesse of the      
mouth1 or other superfluities1 when  she
 shall come to thinke and relate a      
history of its delinquencies1  which    
will bee a perpetuall prickle1 wherewith

 it will bee tormented1  so that shee   
will make her selfe as an accuser and   
witnesse against her  selfe1 according  
as the ,apostle said1 ,rom4 #b4 #ae4    
,their conscience  also bearing         
witnesse1 and their thoughts either     
accusing or excusing  one another1 in   
the day when ,god shall judge the       
secrets of all men4  ,but ,jeremie on   
the other side1 speaking of a drinke of 
the wrath of  ,god1 which shall be      
poured out upon all manner of ,nations1 
whereof  whosoever will not drinke1     
shall not be purified2 and from that we 
learne1 that the fury of ,gods          
vengeance1 profiteth for the purgation  
of souls1 as well in generall as in     
particular1 and there is nothing  more  
purgative then fire1 of which the       
,prophet ,malachy should say in  his #c4
 chap4 #c4 ,the ,lord will sanctifie    
them in a burning fire1  and such is the
 fire of tribulations and adversity1    
with which we must  be salted and       
purged2 for salt is purgative above any 

other thing1 as  wee may sufficiently   
perceive in those that drink ,sea water1
 who all  dye of a flux4 ,of the other  
fire which is exterminative and strange1
  of which it is also in the #aj4 of    
,leviticus #b4 ,and a fire went out     
from the ,lord1 and devoured ,nadab and 
,abihu3 ,god said in the #cb4 of  ,deut4
 v4 #bb4 ,they shall burne unto the     
lowest hell1 and shall  consume the     
earth with her encrease1 and set on fire
 the foundations  of the ,mountaines4   
,for the justice of the ,almighty1 said 
one of the  good ,fathers foreseeing    
that which must come1 from the beginning
 of the  world1 created this fire of    
eternall hell1 that whereof ,esay       
intends  to speak1 whose fire is not    
quenched1 to beginne to be the          
punishment  of the wicked1 without that 
burning and heat should cease1 now for  
that  it is neither wood nor charcoale1 
nor other matter to maintain it1 but    
shall be eternally tormented therewith  
in body and soul1 because they  have    

offended with the one and the other2 for
 sins are the bait and  nourishment of  
this fire1 which by a gathering together
 of misdeeds1  and superabundance of    
iniquity heaped one upon another1       
enflame the  soul to a perdurable       
punishment1 even as a burning feaver1   
the repleat  body1 and render it a joice
 of ill digestion1 by a superfluity of  
viands1 and other disorders1 and excesse
 from whence there was drawne  a wicked 
habitude2 for the soul then comming to  
remember her delights1  agitated with   
the living and most rigorous pricks     
which gall it1 she  comes to be her owne
 accuser1 by certaine remorse of        
conscience that  can profit them no     
more1 7because in hell there is no      
redemption7 and  to be his witnesse and 
judge1 as the ,apostle sets it downe in 
the #b4 of  the ,romanes1 ,their        
conscience bearing witnesse1 and their  
thoughts  accusing them1 in the day when
 ,god shall judge the secrets of men4   
,but there is also a fire in this world1

 by which we must be salted and         
purified1 for as much deduction of it as
 we must endure from thence1  namely1   
tribulations1 which are to us as a      
,minorative in ,physick1 of  the        
compleat purgation that wee must receive
 thereby4    ,the two foresaid fires    
furthermore1 that of the ,altar1 and the
 strange1  may be very properly         
compared1 that there to aqua vit1 the   
other to  aqua fortis1 which ends and   
destroyes all1 where aqua vit serves    
for nourishment1 for all that wee eat or
 drinke participates thereof1  and is   
that which passeth and converts into    
nutriment4 ,it is true that  it is      
revealed more nearly in some subjects   
then in other4 ,wine is  that where it  
manifests it self soonest1 and with     
lesse preparation  and paine1 afterwards
 wheat1 and so of the rest2 for there is
 nothing  wherein nature doth so soone  
make his profit1 as of these two4 ,aqua 
vit is also called burning1 because it  
conceives so easily the flame  and      

burneth1 for that it is necessary1 that 
whatsoever doth nourish  must suffer    
under the fires action4 ,otherwise how  
is it that naturall  heat could work    
thereupon1 which is much weaker then    
that of fire8  wee know by experience   
that we could not draw any nourishment  
from  stones1 metals1 earth1 and other  
substances1 whereupon fire cannot  bite3
 and if wolves doe sometimes eat clay1  
wild-ducks1 and other  birds1 small     
flints1 and gravell1 it is either to    
avoid vacuity1 or for  some medicament  
to them knowne by a secret instinct of  
nature1 but not  that this doth digest  
or serve them for maintenance1 no more  
then ,iron  doth ,ostriches2 which yet  
they corrupt by a strong and great heat 
of  their stomach4 ,but you will say1   
that this assimilation contraries the   
text of the #aj4 of ,leviticus where    
,aarons sonnes are so burned for        
offering strange fire4    ,that which   
,rabbi ,simeon to ,zohar relates in     
part1 that they served  at the ,altar1  

being drunk1 and overcome with wine1 for
 that which  followes after demonstrates
 it2 that ,god said unto ,aaron1 ,thou  
nor  thy sonnes shall not drink wine    
when you enter into the ,tabernacle3    
whereto may be answered1 that           
similitudes cannot in all1 or through   
all agree1 otherwise it would be the    
same thing they represent4 ,aqua  vit   
doth not make drunke if men take not so 
much at a time1 that it  may alienate   
people from their spirit4 ,and yet being
 separate from  wine1 the remainder     
should be nothing but phlegme1 and      
residences1  which cannot in any sort   
make drunke1 nor being therewith mingled
 and  adjoined by nature1 as to stoppe  
again the acuity of the aqua vit4  ,yet 
we see by experience1 in ,germany and   
other cold ,regions1 where  aqua vit is 
in good esteem1 as well for the quantity
 which they  take2 it doth not for that 
make men drunke1 as wine would do in    
such  a quantity1 as that1 wherewith it 
should be quenched2 and putting a       

little ,salt in very strong wine1 it    
will make men drunk sooner then to      
drinke it pure4 ,i have often made      
tryall1 that often joyning together     
aqua vit to that which men had drawne1  
this mingling could not  cause          
drunkennesse any more1 because the parts
 once separated of the  compounded      
elements1 and then reconjoined1 take    
another nature then it  had at the      
first4 ,certes it is a great support and
 comfort that aqua  vit hath for a weak 
stomach1 either through age or other    
accident1  although men thinke that it  
burnes and offends the noble parts2 for 
though it be inflamable1 it is not      
therefore burning4 ,he that would  see  
the great vertues thereof1 let him read 
the ,quintessences  of ,raimund         
,lullius1 ,rupescissa1 ,ulstadius his   
heaven of  ,philosophers1 for wee will  
not stay here as on a thing too triviall
  and beaten4 ,they call it the         
quintessence for the conformity it hath 
with the celestiall nature1 because that

 as the heaven1 which is as  another    
,air1 but more subtill then the         
,elementary1 contains the ,stars1       
whence it receives divers impressions   
and effects that it doth infuse  and    
communicate unto us1 here below1 the    
same ,aqua vit doth easily  impregn it  
self1 with the qualities and specificall
 vertues which are  therein put to      
infusion4 ,to this proposition of heaven
 and ,stars1 and  of their different    
impressions1 wee will not here passe    
over a fine  dispute which here presents
 it self4 ,the ,earl ,pica de           
,mirandula1  truly a prodigious spirit  
accompanied with great ,literature1 in  
his #c4  ,book against ,judiciall       
,astrology1 #be4 chap4 transported with 
too hot a  curiosity to impugn this     
,art1 ,will we 7saith he7 prove that the
 vertue  of all the ,stars is but even  
one8 ,let us suppose this ,maxime4 ,that
  the nature of heaven cannot more      
openly and sucinctly1 expresse1 then  by
 saying heaven to be a unity of all     

bodies1 for there is nothing in  all the
 universe that doth not depend upon this
 certain one1 as from  his primitive    
course1 with many other premises        
wherewith hee would  conclude that of   
the propriety and vertue of each ,star  
indifferently1  depends the facultie and
 vertue of all the composed ,elements1  
without  having there other difference  
between them1 if peradventure1 this was 
not in greatnesse2 as it is apparently  
seen3 nor can men say1 that one         
presides more particularly to one thing 
here below1 then to another3  for every 
,star presides to all2 so that if all   
were joined and united  together in one 
onely body1 this should be as if        
infinite flames and  fires should come  
to assemble1 to make but one1 which     
would be stronger  then true1 but not of
 diverse propriety and nature1 which    
doth not  change it self into           
homogeneall1 and homomaternall          
substances1 by a  coacervation1 nor     
which comes to produce other effects    

then it did1  being separated1 as one   
may see in water1 and a great torch in  
respect  of a little waxe light1 which  
will light infinite others as well as   
the  torch1 though more powerfull1 to   
heat1 boil1 and burn1 as being in a     
greater volume4    ,but it is a very    
hard thing to overthrow an opinion      
already received  of long durance1      
chiefly if it bee supported with        
authority of holy  ,scripture2 which    
must bee to us as a touchstone1 by it to
 verifie  our ratiocinations1 for the   
most part uncertain and erroneous1 if   
they bee not conducted by divine        
inspiration3 ,it is written in the      
#adg4 ,psal4 #e4 ,he knoweth all the    
,stars1 and calleth them all by  their  
names4 ,that if they have all different 
and particular names1  wherefore should 
it serve but to distinguish them in     
their effects1  proprieties1 qualities  
and vertues8 for the name of things1    
imports the  same4 ,follow that which is
 said in the #b4 of ,gen4 as ,adam named

  every thing1 such was its true and    
proper name3 which ,plato in his        
,cratylus saith is not onely the type   
and representation of things1  but their
 ,essence4 ,and in this case there is a 
fair consideration to  bee marked1 that 
,god left to ,adam the nomination of    
terrestriall  things3 but reserved to   
himselfe that of ,celestiall3 as hee    
expresseth  in the #aae4 ,psal4 #af4    
,the ,heaven of ,heavens are the ,lords1
 but  the ,earth hath he given to the   
children of men3 which is as much  to   
say1 according to ,rabbi the gyptian in 
the #b4 ,book of his  ,more1 or         
director1 #be4 ,cha4 ,that the ,creator 
knoweth himself alone  the certain      
verity of the heavens1 what is their    
form1 substance1 and  their motions2 but
 upon that under heaven he hath given   
power to man  to know1 for ,earth is    
properly mans world1 where hee          
produceth1 and  the place of his        
conversation1 as long as hee liveth3 as 
fire and  light attached to matter3     

there where the causes upon which we    
might  found our demonstrations         
concerning heaven1 are out of our       
knowledge1  being so far remote from us4
 ,and in this case the ,heaven of       
,heavens1  are the ,lords1 there may be 
a double exposition1 according to the   
punctuation and reading4 ,that ,heaven  
belongs to the ,lord of ,heaven1  and so
 the ,hebrewes take it1 but who doubts1 
but that the ,earth also  belongs to    
him1 as well as the ,heaven8 ,the ,earth
 is the ,lords1 and  the fulnesse       
thereof1 and in the #bc4 of ,jer4 ,doe  
not ,i fill the  ,heaven and the ,earth8
 ,and the ,heaven of ,heavens is        
reserved for ,god1  and the ,earth is   
left to the children of men1 which is a 
manner of  speech usuall in the holy    
,scripture4 ,for if the ,heaven and the 
,heaven  of ,heavens cannot comprehend  
thee1 saith ,solomon to ,god2 for the   
,hebrewes metaphorically call ,heaven1  
things that are far distant from  our   
sight3 and we also after their          

imitation1 as when wee speak of a       
,kite1 ,heron or ,gerfalcon1 when they  
fly so high1 that wee can hardly        
discern them1 that they goe to loose    
themselves in ,heaven3 so that all      
which is here under the sphere of the   
,moon1 and generally all that is  above 
us1 they call it ,heaven3 and the       
,heaven of ,heavens1 the thereall       
,region from the ,moon to the           
,firmament1 as well the ,firmament it   
self1  or the ,empyrean ,heaven4 ,but   
farther that the ,stars should bee all  
of  one nature1 propriety and effect1 to
 see them so like1 besides their        
greatnesse and clearnesse1 it follows   
not that the same appears of the  same  
sort as of fire1 yet wee commonly call  
them fires and celestiall  lights3 ,it  
is as if the seeds of trees and plants1 
whereof there are  infinite1 should all 
mixe together1 and the first buds also1 
that they  cast1 which differ as        
nothing1 but to the measure whereunto   
they grow1  their differences doe       

manifest them4 ,the ,hebrewes hold that 
there  is not so little1 and poor a herb
 on the ,earth1 nor any other thing  of 
the three kinds of the composed         
,mineralls1 ,vegetables1 or animals1    
that hath not above its correspondent   
,star1 that assists it1 and from  which 
it receives its maintenance and         
conservation4 ,but how can that  agree8 
will some say to the contrary2 because  
it seems to derogate  and contradict    
that which in expresse terms is set down
 in the #a4 of  ,gen4 where it is       
written1 that in the third day1 the     
,earth of her  self brought forth herbs1
 and trees1 containing in them their    
seeds3  according to their kinds3       
neverthelesse the ,sun1 nor the ,moon1  
nor the  ,stars1 were created till the  
day after1 the fourth by which is       
designed  its effect and function3 ,let 
there bee lights made1 in the firmament 
of the heaven1 namely the ,sun1 the     
,moon1 and the ,stars1 to separate the  
night from the day3 and let them bee for

 signes1 and seasons1 for dayes  and    
years3 without attributing any thing of 
their assistance1 upon  trees and       
plants1 and other elementary things4    
,sidenote3 ,an inflamation arising from 
pure choler in the skin  exulcerating it
 with pain4    ,but to return to the    
particulars of ,aqua vit1 there will be 
no hurt  here to touch upon this        
experiment thereof made1 very gentile   
and rare1  leaving others that are more 
common1 ,aqua vit hath this particular1 
that it dissolves not sugar1 nor joines 
not with it1 as doth its flegm  and     
common water1 vinegar1 and other        
liquors3 but by artifice it self1  of   
two it makes a thrice sweet liquor1 very
 proper against the fluxes  of          
,catarrhs1 and salt rheumes1 that molest
 the stomach1 and throat1  and is       
thereunto very good and comfortable4    
,lay in steep a day or two  ,cinnamon   
grossely beaten2 and take off the       
infusion very neat3 take  fine sugar    
within a pottage dish that hath ears1   

brought into fine  small powder1 and so 
perfume it1 mingle it with a small      
portion of  ,sugar roset4 ,poure thereon
 this ,aqua vit and make them a little  
warm upon ashes1 then put fire thereto  
with a lighted paper1 stirring  all well
 with a little spit of clean wood1 so   
long untill the ,aqua  vit burn no more1
  there will remain a liquor most       
agreeable to the  taste1 and            
mervailously comfortable3 you may add   
thereto liquor of  pearls1 ,coral and   
other the like1 which dissolve easily in
 the juice of  ,citron or distilled     
vinegar1 which makes it sweet to stream 
out upon  it a quantity of common water 
or the phlegm of ,aqua vit3 and not by  
calcining it as ,paracelsus and his     
followers do1 with ,salt-,peter1  which 
is manifest poyson3 so that things are  
done in vain by more1  that may be done 
by fewer1 so that it bee justly done4   
,further1 every  one sufficiently knowes
 how to draw ,aqua vit1 filling two     
parts  of the ,alimbeck with ,glasse1 or

 ,beuvois ,earth1 with good old wine1   
and distilling it with an easie fire    
through a ,bath in a ,caldron full  of  
water1 with chaffe4 ,continue the       
distillation untill you see long  veines
 and sprouts appear1 in the ,chappe and 
in the ,recipient4 ,for  it is ,aqua    
vit1 which mounts first1 and the phlegm 
comes after in  grosse drops1 as tears2 
which is a token that there is no more  
,aqua  vit4 ,men may refine it1 passing 
again another time3 ,but ,i should  not 
bee of an opinion1 that to take it into 
the body1 it should bee  more then once4
 ,and it is a strange thing that by its 
own subtilty1  for it will mount through
 five or six doubles of paper brovillas 
without wetting it4 ,i have seen them   
cast a full glasse thereof in  the air1 
and not one drop to fall to the earth3  
,it is of soveraign  force against all  
burnings and chiefly that of small shot1
 with which  shee hinders 7as was said  
before7 the ,estiomenes and ,gangreenes3
  which sheweth sufficiently the purity 

of its fire which may by good  right be 
called ,celestiall4 ,see here that which
 ,raimund ,lullius sets  down of his    
proprieties and vertues4 ,wee must not  
understand 7saith  he7 that neither     
quintessence nor any other thing here   
below1 can  render us immortall4 ,it is 
ordained for all men once to die3 nor   
can  we prolong our dayes beyond and    
above the prefixed time1 for that is    
reserved to ,god4 ,mans daies are short1
 and the number of his moneths  are with
 thee3 thou hast appointed his limits   
which hee cannot  passe1 there where on 
the contrary they may well bee          
accidentally  shortned3 ,aqua vit then1 
nor all other sorts of quintessences and
  restoratives1 cannot prolong our life 
for one minute of an hower2  yet they   
may conserve and maintain it to the last
 but1 preserving it  from putrefaction1 
which is it1 that shortens it most3 ,but
 to defend  putrefaction by corruptible 
things1 that cannot bee2 we must        
therefore  find out some incorruptible  

substance1 proper and familiar to our   
nature1 which conserves and maintains   
the radicall heat1 as oil doth  the     
light of a ,lampe4 ,such is the aqua vit
 drawn from wine1 the most  comfortable 
and connaturall substance of all others1
 provided it be  not abused with        
excesse4 ,plutarch in the #c4 ,book1 the
 #h4 question of  his ,symposiaques1    
compares wine to fire1 and our body to  
clay4 ,if you  give fire 7he sets it    
down there7 which is of a mediocrity to 
the clay1  and earth to the ,potter1 he 
will consolidate it in the pots1 bricks1
  tiles1 and other the like works1 but  
if it be excessive1 hee resolves  it1   
and makes it melt and run4 ,moreover    
,aqua vit1 preserves strongly  from     
their corruption1 as wee may see by     
things vegetable and ,animall1  which   
men put there to mingle1 which by this  
means conserves them in  their entire   
length4 ,it comforts and maintains a man
 in vigor of youth3  which it restoreth 
from day to day1 it rejoyceth and       

strengtheneth the  vitall spirits3 it   
digests crudities taken fasting1 and    
reduceth the  equality1 the excessive   
superfluities1 and the defaults which   
may bee  in our bodies2 causing divers  
effects according to the disposition of 
the subject where shee applies her      
selfe1 as doth the ,sunnes heat1  which 
melts wax and hardens durt1 and fire    
doth the same4 ,and there  is that      
celestiall spirit residing in ,aqua vit1
 so susceptible of  all qualities1      
proprieties1 and vertues1 that she can  
make her hot1  empregning it with hot   
things1 cold with cold things1 and so of
 the  rest2 being shee is naturall1     
conformably to our soule1 inclinable to 
good and evill1 for although it consists
 of the foure ,elements1 they  are      
therein so proportioned1 that the one   
doth not domineer over the  other4      
,wherefore they call it ,heaven1 whereto
 wee apply such starres  as wee will1   
namely of the simple ,elements1 of which
 she conceives the  proprieties and the 

effects3 herein we may compare          
celestiall fire to  the ,altar4    ,but 
strong waters1 which dissipate and ruine
 all1 are this strange  fire1 and so    
,alchymists call them1 and fire against 
nature externall  fire1 and other the   
like exterminatives4 ,certes if the     
effects of  ,cannon ,powder be so       
admirable1 consisting of so few species1
 and  ingredients1 which may be well    
called the true infernall fire1 the     
devourer of mankind4 ,the action of     
strong waters is no lesse which  burne  
all1 being compounded onely of two or   
three substances1 that  which wee       
commonly call the ,separator1           
,salt-peter1 ,vitriol1 or  ,allum ,ice1 
and this dissolves ,silver1 ,copper1    
,quicksilver1 and ,iron in  part4 ,la   
,regalle which is no other thing then   
the preceding rectified  upon           
,salarmoniac1 or common ,salt1 dissolved
 partly with ,iron1 ,lead1  ,tinne1 and 
intameable ,gold1 with all sorts of     
fire4 ,it is true1 that  strong waters  

doe not destroy metals1 that they       
returne not to their  first forme and   
nature1 but drawes them to water1 and a 
melting liquor4  ,this was certainly a  
good ,artificiall industry in mans      
spirit1 to  excogitate so short a way to
 separate ,gold and ,silver melted      
together1  and so uniformedly mixed1    
that an ounce of ,gold melted with an   
hundred  markes of ,silver1 each part   
thereof will equally attract his        
portion1  as wee may see by the refiners
 practise1 which to prove that which it 
holds of ,gold  of ,silver1 a confused  
masse of divers metals will take  but   
#cj4 grains to make their essay in the  
,coupelle1 and from thence  will judge  
that the same proportion that you shall 
finde in this small  volume1 shall bee  
also in the whole masse2 all that which 
may bee  therein of impure imperfect    
metall goes away partly in smoake1 and  
is  partly consumed by fire1 and partly 
sticks like ,birdlime within the        
,coupelle1 nothing remaining above it   

but what is fine1 namely ,silver  and   
,gold1 which is there inclosed1 with    
which they separate strong  waters      
called on the occasion the divider1     
which dissolves ,silver  into water1 and
 ,gold falls to the bottome as sand2 the
 water afterwards  evaporated1 the      
,silver retires it selfe4 ,but here it  
would be too  much to speake of the     
effects of strong waters1 one of the    
principall  and short instruments of    
,alchymie1 and the ,art of fire and     
,salt1 with  infinite fine allegories1  
which thereby may be appropriated upon  
,holy  ,writ4    ,yet these two fires   
may be compared1 namely the strange fire
 to  ,leaven1 to the ,sea water which is
 salt1 and to ,vinegar1 a corrupted     
,wine1 and other sorts of ,leavens      
,fires against nature4 ,and the         
,celestiall to the ,altar to pure and   
unleavened ,past1 to sweet water  fit to
 drinke1 to ,aqua vit1 without ,vinegar1
 representing the state  of innocence in
 our first fathers1 before their        

transgression1 and the  simplicitie of  
their knowledge1 infused into them by   
the ,creator4 ,but  when they were once 
tempted afterwards with ambition1 to    
know more  then they should1 they would 
by humane discourse become more subtill 
and sage1 in tasting the fruit of       
knowledge of good and evill2 their      
,past without ,leaven began to swell1 to
 bee proud with the ,leaven  themselves 
introduced1 which perverted and spoyled 
it1 appropriating  it to corporall and  
sensible things1 for the bread which wee
 eate is  leavened1 but that which wee  
use in the ,church must not be so1 and  
not without cause1 for unleavened bread 
will bee kept six moneths  without      
molding or corrupting2 that leavened    
bread will not keep so  many weekes4 ,it
 is therefore that the ,apostle said1 a 
little ,leaven  corrupts the whole      
,masse3 ,because that one propriety of  
the ,leaven  is to convert into their   
corruption all that is adjoyning of     
their  nature1 as ,vinegar doth ,wine1  

and ,leaven pure ,past1 also ,rennet    
which  is in the number of ,leavens4    
,and when they have no ,leaven1 they    
make  some1 corrupting the ,past with   
,vinegar1 ,lees of ,beere1 ,egges1 and  
like substances1 who by their corruption
 acquire to themselves the  propertie of
 strange fire which is able to convert  
into its nature1  that where it can     
bite1 as wee may see in a ,feaver       
against naturall  heate1 so that hee    
turnes it selfe into all things1 and all
 into it  selfe1 according to           
,heraclitus1 who set it downe for the   
,principall1  yet after ,zoroastres1 who
 thought all things were begotten of    
,fire  after it was extinguished1 for   
being living it begets nothing1 no more 
doth ,salt1 nor the ,sea which ,homer   
calls  unfruitfull1 which  doth nothing 
but consume and destroy3 ,an immense and
 wicked portion of  things 7saith       
,pliny7 and wherein it is doubtfull     
whether it consume  or bring forth more 
things4 ,leaven then is a strange fire1 

and is  indeed caustique or burning1 for
 applyed to naked flesh1 it engenders   
therein little cloches1 which shewes its
 fierynesse1 7also it doth  not so      
without ,salt7 called for this reason in
 ,latine fermentum1  ,leaven which      
increaseth by bring warme3 and in ,greek
  ,leaven from   to boile4 ,the         
,chymicks call it the interior fire1    
fire within the  vessell1 for wee see by
 experience1 that bread1 if the ,past be
 not  leavened1 what boyling soever you 
give it1 shall never be but of a hard   
and uneasy digestion1 greatly oppressing
 the stomach1 if the ,leaven  which they
 joyne thereunto make it boyle within2  
whence then it comes  that ,moses so    
knowing a man1 and so illustrated with  
the ,divine  ,spirit1 so rejecteth a    
thing so profitable and necessary1 and  
banisheth  so expresly the ,leaven of   
the ,sacrifices1 which is so great an   
aide and  succor in our principall      
aliment1 ,bread4 ,you shall burne no    
,leaven nor  ,honey in the ,lords       

,sacrifice1 ,levit4 #b4aa4 ,and ,exod4  
#ab4ae1 hee  condemneth to death those  
who in the dayes of unleavened bread    
should  eate leavened bread1 or should  
have ever so little in his house4 ,is it
  not because ,idolaters use ,leaven8   
but hee doth not forbid it in all and   
throughout all2 for in the #bc of       
,levit4 #ag4 he commands them to offer  
two leaven loaves4 ,moreover ,idolaters 
imploy also in their ,sacrifices  ,salt 
and ,incense1 and many other things that
 are not forbidden4 ,it  must then bee  
that some mystery lies hidden hereunder4
 ,origen in his  #e4 ,homil4 upon       
,levit4 interpreteth ,leaven for        
arrogance1 that wee  conceive of a vaine
 worldly doctrine1 which blowes us up as
 leaven doth  ,past1 and makes us proud1
 thinking that wee know more then wee   
doe4  ,so that wee quit the expresse and
 direct ,word of ,god1 to retaine our   
selves within our phantastique          
traditions1 as our ,saviour reproacheth 
it to the ,pharisees1 ,mark4 #g4 ,truely

 ,esay prophecied very well of  you     
,hypocrites1 when hee saith1 ,this      
people honoreth me with their  lips1 but
 their heart is farre from me1 howbeit  
in vaine doe they  worship me1 teaching 
for ,doctrines the ,commandements of    
men1 ,mark4  #g4f1g4 ,and therefore     
admonisheth us to beware of this        
,leaven4 ,and upon  ,numbers1 it is not 
to beleeve said the said ,origen1 that  
,god would  punish with death those who 
during the solennitie of unleavened     
bread  had eaten leavened bread1 or that
 had leaven found in their houses1  but 
by leaven is understood malignitie1     
envie1 rancor1 concupiscence1  and the  
like vices that inflame our soules1 and 
make them boile with  wicked and        
pernicious desires1 corrupting1         
altering1 and perverting all  that which
 might bee good1 following what the     
,apostle said1 a little  ,leaven        
corrupts the whole masse4 ,therefore wee
 may not undervalue any  little sinne1  
for after the manner of ,leaven it will 

very soone produce  others2 undervalue  
not1 saith ,st4 ,augustine1 the         
machinations and  ambushes of a few men2
 for as a sparkle of fire is a small    
thing1 and  which can hardly bee        
discerned if it meet with food and      
nourishment1 it  will in a short time   
set on fire great ,townes and ,cities1  
,forrests1 and  whole ,countries4       
,leaven is the same1 for how little     
soever you put in  your ,past or ,dough1
 it will alter it in short space and    
convert it to  its owne nature4         
,perverse ,doctrine is of the very same1
 which gaineth  ,countries by little and
 little1 as a ,canker doth in the whole 
body4    ,and in his third ,book against
 ,parmenian to glorifie himselfe1 not in
  his sinnes1 but in those of others1 as
 the ,pharisee said1 ,luk4 #ah4  #aa4 ,i
 give thee thanks ,o ,lord ,god1 that ,i
 am not as other men are1               
,extortioners1 ,unjust1 ,adulterers1 c4 
,i fast twice in the weeke c4  comparing
 his owne innocence to the defaults of  

others1 this is but a  little leaven1   
but to boast himself in iniquities1 and 
trespasses1 is  a great one2            
,furthermore1 ,leaven is taken in good  
part1 as well as in  bad part1 in holy  
,writ2 which relates to the two fires4  
,the first hath  been touched heretofore
 for pride1 and naughtinesse1 that      
corrupts  the soule4 ,touching the good1
 in the #g4 of ,levit4 #ab1 #ac4 there  
are  loaves of leavened bread1 which    
they offer for peace offerings1 with    
oblation of thanksgiving1 and in the    
#bc4 #ag4 of every family two loaves  of
 the first eares of wheat at ,pentecost2
 and in ,st4 ,matthew1 and the  #bc of  
,st4 ,luke ,jesus ,christ compared the  
,kingdome of ,god to leaven  that a     
woman had put into three measures of    
dough1 till it was all  leavened2 for   
there it is taken for the fervent zeale 
of ardent faith2  and it is the fire    
wherewith we must be salted3 for as the 
fire boyles  our meats1 and the salt    
seasons them1 also leaven is the cause  

that the  past bakes the better1 and    
prepares thereby to make more wholesome1
  and of lighter digestion1 more        
savoury1 and of better tast3 ,in which  
case leaven relates to the ,evangelicall
 ,law1 as ,saint ,augustine  saith1 and 
old leaven to the ,mosaicall1 which the 
,jewes tooke by the  barke1 and by the  
hairs4 ,by reason whereof the ,apostle  
admonisheth  us1 to cast it farre from  
us3 that is to say1 all superstition1   
and  malice2 ,cast off the old leaven1  
that you may be a new lump1 as ye  are  
unleavened1 for even ,christ our        
,passeover is sacrificed for you4       
,therefore let us keep the ,feast not   
with old leaven1 neither with the       
leaven of malice and wickednesse1 but   
with the unleavened bread  of sincerity 
and truth1 which leaven is without doubt
 this strange  fire1 that devoures and  
consumes us within2 that is to say1 our 
soul1  to swallow us up1 and make us goe
 downe living into ,hell4 ,and the      
,fire of the ,altar1 the celestiall fire

 of charity1 faith1 hope1 it  is that   
which we must desire of ,god to kindle  
in our hearts1 and to  season our       
thoughts and our desires1 that no       
corruption be begotten  there2 as it    
doth here below in things corruptible   
and corporall2 the  prompt ,minister1   
and executor of that1 which the divine  
goodnesse will  please to give of       
comforts and commodities in this        
temporall life4 ,what  obligations then 
do wee owe thee1 thou excellent portion 
of ,nature1  without which we should    
live in so great misery8 thou doest     
lighten in  darknesse1 thou dost make us
 rejoyce in obscurity1 bringing us      
another  day4 ,thou doest chase away    
from about us1 hurtfull powers1 feares1 
and nocturnall illusions2 thou doest    
warm us being cold1 thou doest  redry us
 being wet2 thou bakest our viands2 thou
 art the soveraigne  ,artizan of all    
arts and manufactures which have been   
revealed unto  us1 to serve as a rampard
 against our naturall ,imbecillities1   

that  make us in regard of our bodies   
the feeble and infirm animall of all    
others4 ,all this by reason of thy      
,divine beneficence1 thou doest         
communicate to all mortals4 ,and thou1  
,o cleare luminous ,sunne1 the  visible 
image of the invisible ,god1 the light  
whereof1 doth rebate it  selfe in thee1 
as within a fair manifold multiplying   
glasse1 rendring  thy selfe overflowing 
with all sorts of happinesses1 which    
afterwards  thou communicatest to all   
thy sensible ,creatures1 being so fair  
and so  desireable a liberall           
benefactor1 thou arisest most           
resplendent1 with  luminous beams1 which
 thou doest spread abroad into all parts
 of the  world1 and by the vertue of thy
 spirit1 and breath1 by thy vivifying   
vigour1 thou governest and maintainest  
this little ,all4 ,thou the  illustrious
 ,torch of ,heaven1 thou the light of   
all things2 cause and  secondary ,author
 of all that groweth here below1 which  
by the faculty  and power1 which the    

,soveraigne dispensator of all goodnesse
 hath  given thee1 obligeth all nature  
to thy selfe2 which with an unwearied   
course1 doest dayly run through the     
foure corners of the ,universe4 ,thy    
beauty1 thy light1 thou doest lend unto 
our senses by thy unknowne  and         
imperceptible ,divinity1 and impartest  
it with a liberall largess2  without any
 vaile or covverture that come to       
enterpose betwixt them  to the ,church1 
thy deare spouse1 to break open to us   
here below1  the effects illightning by 
the same meane of thy inextinguible and 
inexhaustible ,torch1 all the celestiall
 fires4 ,looke upon us then with  a     
benigne and favourable eye1 and by the  
excellent beauty which shewes  it selfe 
in thee1 elevate our understanding to   
the contemplation of  this other more   
great1 that no mortall eie can behold1  
nor spirit  apprehend1 but by a profound
 and pious thought1 for as much as it   
will  please him to gratifie it4    ,but
 thou ,soveraigne ,father of this       

intellectual fire and light1 what  can  
wee bring thee here1 but devout         
supplications and prayers8 that  it will
 please thee to burne with the fire of  
thy ,holy ,spirit1 the  wills and       
courages of us thy most humble          
,creatures1 that wee may serve  thee    
with a chast body1 and to agree with    
thee by a pure and neat  conscience3 to 
the honour and glory of thy holy name1  
and salvation of  our soules3 through   
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 thy deare     
,sonne1 who liveth  and raigneth with   
thee1 ,god coeternall1 forever and ever1
 ,,amen4    ,illustration               
,the second ,part of the ,lord          
,,blaise his ,treatise                  
touching ,,fire and                     
,,salt4      ,every man shall be salted 
with ,fire and every ,sacrifice shall be
  salted with ,salt1 ,mark4 #i4 #di4    
,wee have already spoken of ,fire1      
,salt remaineth1 of which there is no   
lesse to say4 ,but it is strange  that  
the ,ceremonies of ,paganisme1 should be

 found in this respect1  and many other 
in ,mosaicall ,traditions2 ,fire shall  
alwayes burne on  the ,altar2 ,lev4 #f4 
#ab1 #ac1 ,the ,priest shall burne wood 
thereon  every morning1 c4 ,and in the  
#b4 #ac4 ,thou shalt season with salt   
all the ,oblations of thy ,sacrifices2  
and thou shalt not forget to put  the   
salt of ,gods ,covenant under them2 with
 all thy ,offerings thou  shalt offer   
,salt1 which ,salt ,numb4 #ah #ai4      
called the everlasting  ,covenant before
 ,god to ,aaron and his sonnes4 ,and    
,pythagoras in his  ,symboles1 ordaines 
not to speak of ,god without light1 and 
to apply ,salt  in all ,sacrifices and  
,oblations4 ,and not onely ,pythagoras1 
but also  ,numa1 which most part of men1
 hold to have been #ajj years before    
,pythagoras1 instituted the same        
according to the ,doctrine of the       
,hetrurians4 ,it is not beleeveable that
 ,moses so deare and welbeloved  of     
,god1 and so illustrated with his       
inspirations1 whence proceeded all  the 

documents that he left1 and so hot a    
persecutor of ,idolatries and  ,ethnique
 superstitions1 that hee would borrow   
any thing from them4 ,but  more likely  
that the ,devils instigations who makes 
himselfe alwayes  as his ,creators ape1 
to make himselfe to idolize1 was willing
 to  divert those sacred mysteries to   
their abusive impieties1 according  to  
which ,josephus against ,appion1 and    
,saint ,jerome against  ,vigilantius1   
doe very well sute3 so that as in the   
,judaicall ,law  they used no           
,sacrifices and oblations in ,paganisme1
 but they used ,salt  as ,pliny         
witnesseth in #ca4 ,book #g4 ,chap4     
,especially in holy things  the         
authoritie of ,salt is understood1 when 
none were made without a  ,salt ,mill4  
,plato to ,timus1 when in the medly and 
commixtion of  the elements1 the        
composed is destitute of much water1 and
 of the more  subtill parts of the      
earth1 water resting therein comes to   
bee halfe  congealed1 saltnesse is there

 brought in which hardens it the more1  
and  so there is procreated a body of   
,salt1 communicated to the use of our   
life1 for as much toucheth the body and 
senses1 accommodated by the  same meanes
 according to the tenor of the ,law2 on 
that which depends  the service of ,god1
 as being sacred and agreeable to ,god1 
wherefrom hee  called it a body beloved 
of ,god1 for which ,homer called it     
,divine1  whereof ,plutarque in his #e4 
,booke of his ,symposiaques #aj4        
question  renders many reasons1 and     
among others1 for that it symbolizeth   
with  the soule that is of ,divine      
nature1 and as long as it resides in the
  body1 keepes it from putrefaction1 as 
,salt doth dead flesh1 where it  is     
brought in in stead of a soule that     
keepeth it from corruption1  whence some
 of the ,stoicks would say1 that ,hogs  
flesh of it selfe was  dead1 and that a 
soule which was sowed therein in a      
manner of salt to  conserve it longer   
exempt from putrefaction1 to which a    

soule was given  for ,salt4 ,our        
,theologians say that the ceremony of   
putting ,salt into  water when they     
hallow it1 came from that which ,elisha 
did1 #b ,kings  #b4 #bb1 #bc4 to sweeten
 the waters of ,jericho1 by casting     
,salt upon  the ,spring4 ,and that notes
 the people which is designed by water  
7many  waters are many ,nations7 were   
sanctified1 must teach us by the ,word  
of ,god1 what ,salt signifies1 with the 
bitternesse and repentance that  men    
should have for offending ,god1 as water
 also doth the confession  as well of   
faith as of sinnes4 ,of the commixtion  
of these two1 salt  and water1 proceeds 
a double fruit to separate from ill     
doing1 and  convert to good workes4 ,and
 for that repentance for sinne ought to 
precede auricular confession1 which     
repentance is denoted by the            
bitternesse of salt1 they blesse it also
 before water3 ,it is also taken  for   
wisedome1 ,you are the salt of the      
earth1 and have salt in your  selves4   

,and because that in all their ancient  
,sacrifices they used  salt1 from thence
 it came that in ,baptisme they put salt
 in the mouth  of the ,creature before  
it is baptized with water1 for that it  
cannot  yet actually have the mystery of
 salt applyed for the present4    ,on   
fire then and on salt depend great and  
secret mysteries1 comprized  under two  
principal colours1 red and white1 for   
7as ,zohar hath it7  all things are     
white1 and red1 but there is a great    
space betwixt  the one and the other4   
,god dieth our sinnes which are red1 for
  concupiscence comes from the blood1   
and from the sensualitie of the  flesh  
besprinkled with blood1 and we doe die  
his whitenesse in red or  rigour of     
,justice1 by the fire which inflameth   
our carnall desires1 and  purchaseth    
their judgement1 which is throughout    
where there is fire1  if it bee not     
mortified with saving water4 ,and when  
the perverse doe  prevaile in the world1
 as ordinarily they doe1 rednesse and   

judgement  extend themselves therein1   
and all whitenesse covers it self1 which
 is  rather changed into rednesse then  
rednesse into whitenesse2 which if it   
have domination1 all on the contrary    
growes resplendent therewith4 ,to  these
 two colours also the ancient and the   
,evangelicall ,law1 the rigour  of      
justice and mercy2 the pillar of fire in
 the nights darkenesse1 and  the white  
cloud by day1 wine and bread1 blood and 
fat1 which were not  lawfull to eate4   
,you shall not eate flesh with the      
blood1 ,gen4 #i4  #d4 ,and in ,levit4   
#c4 #af1 #ag4 ,all the fat is the       
,lords1 it shall bee a  perpetuall      
,statute for your generations throughout
 all your dwellings1  that yee eate     
neither fat nor blood2 where it is yet  
more particularly  repeated in the #ag4 
and #ad4 where the reason is rendred1   
for that the  soule1 that is to say1 the
 life of the flesh1 is in the blood1    
which  mystically represents that of    
,messiah1 wherein consisted eternall    

life2 so that it was not lawfull to use 
any other before his comming4  ,of the  
same fat was reserved for ,god as well  
that which the ,hebrewes  call cheleb1  
that covereth the inwards1 and is       
separated from the  flesh1 as the other 
called schumen1 which is thereunto      
annexed2 but  metaphorically the fat is 
taken for the most exquisite substance1 
as in ,numb4 #ah4 the tenths the best of
 the fruits are called the  fat of them1
 which manner of speech wee also use    
when wee say1 make  the portion to be   
very fat of any thing that there is4    
,and in the #ha4  ,psal4 #af4 ,hee fed  
them with the fat of ,wheate4 ,it may   
bee also that  ,moses well knowing that 
these two substances1 blood and fat1 are
 of  ill tast and nourishment1 and      
quickly corrupted out of their vessells1
  hee forebad them the use thereof4 ,or 
if wee would enter into a certaine      
mystery1 for that the vitall spirits    
consist in the blood1 which are of  a   
fiery nature1 and that fat is very      

susceptible of flame1 and proper  to    
make lights1 which are a representation 
of the soule4 ,but ,oile is  also for   
,lamps1 which was not forbidden to bee  
eaten1 and wee doe not  see that in     
,divine service wee use ,tallow         
,candles2 yet these two1 fire  and salt1
 doe signifie ,wine and ,milke1 ,i have 
drunke ,wine with my  ,milke1 ,cant4 #e4
 #a4 ,by ,wine is designed the tree of  
knowledge of good  and evill1 namely    
vaine curiosities of worldly things1 and
 by ,milke1  that of life1 whereof ,adam
 was deprived1 being desirous to tast of
  that other1 which was humane prudence4
 ,before ,adam had transgressed  7said  
,zohar7 hee was made participant of the 
sapience of superiour  light1 being not 
yet separated from the tree of life1 but
 when hee  would distract himselfe after
 the knowledge of base things1 this     
curiositie ceased not till hee had      
wholly cast off life to incorporate     
himselfe to death4 ,jacob and ,esau1 the
 two principall ,potentates on  earth   

which are descended therefrom1 ,item the
 ,rose and the ,lilly1 whose  water     
extracted mounts by the fires heat that 
elevates it and becomes  white1 although
 the ,roses bee red1 as is the fume     
exhaled from blood  and fat which they  
burne to ,god1 to send it on high as a  
vapour1 to  imply 7saith the same       
,zohar7 that wee must offer him nothing 
but what  is cleane and candid2 for     
rednesse represents sinne1 and          
punishment  that followes it1 and the   
white1 sinceritie1 with mercy and the   
finall  recompence that doth accompany  
it4 ,what is it 7saith ,zohar7 which is 
designed by the red ,roses1 and the     
white ,lillies8 ,it is the odour of  the
 oblation proceeding from red blood1 and
 from fat which is white1  which ,god   
reserveth for his owne portion1 which   
fatnesse relates to  the sacrifice1 or  
animall mar1 who is nourished with this 
fat1 as  the vitall spirits with blood2 
wherefore it is said1 when we fast to   
extenuate and macerate the pricks of the

 flesh and concupiscence1  that we offer
 unto ,god fatnesse1 who will have from 
his ,creature the  soul1 which is fire  
and bloud2 and the body1 namely fat1    
wherewith it  is nourished1 but the one 
and the other incontaminate1 pure and   
neat1  without corruption1 as if they   
were to passe through the fire and      
salted2 ,therefore he would that they   
should be burned to him1 that they  may 
ascend in a white fume and an odour of  
suavity before him2 for fume  is more   
spiritual then matter1 which the fire by
 subtiliation raiseth  it1 after the    
manner of ,incense4 ,and indeed all this
 world here1 is but  an odour that      
mounts unto ,god1 sometimes good and    
agreeable1 sometimes  wicked and        
hurtfull4 ,the forme of the thing which 
consisteth in its  colour1 and figure1  
remains incorporeall in the matter1     
where the eye  goes to apprehend it1 and
 associates with it4 ,the tast also1    
remains  attached to it1 as the spittle 
moistens it1 and communicates it to the 

tast3 ,but odor or smell1 separates     
them1 and comes from farre by an        
unperceivable vapor1 to the sense of the
 nose and braine4 ,wherefore the        
,scripture doth particularize in the    
rose and in the lillies1 the ,red  and  
,white2 whose smell doth not vanish4    
,and yet though the roses be  red1 yet  
the water of them distilled1 and the    
fume if you burne them1  are white1 as  
those of incense1 whereof it is spoken  
in ,psal4 #da4  #b4 ,let my prayer be   
directed as incense1 in thy sight3 by   
prayers  are understood not only        
prayers1 but all our desires1 thoughts  
and  comportmens1 and thereupon ,rabbi  
,eliezer1 sonne of ,rabbi ,simeon1  the 
author of ,zohar1 making his prayer1    
doth thus paraphrase4 ,this  is well    
knowne1 and manifest before thee ,o     
,lord my ,god1 ,god of our  prayers1    
that ,i have offered unto thee my fat1  
and my blood3 ,i have  offered them in  
an odor of ,suavity1 with firme faith   
and beleefe1  macerating1 chastising the

 sensuality of my flesh3 ,that it will  
please  thee then ,lord1 that the odor  
of my prayer1 proceeding from my mouth1 
may be presently addressed before thy   
face1 as an odor of a burnt  offering1  
which they burne unto thee1 upon the    
altar of propitiation1  and that thou   
wilt accept it as agreeable4 ,he said   
that because that  after the comming of 
our ,saviour1  the destruction of the   
second  ,temple by the ,romans1 the     
,jewish sacrifices were converted into  
prayers1 the bloudy sacrifices signified
 by the red roses1 and colour  of bloud1
 and those without bloud1 as the minchad
  other the like1 of  meal1 by the white
 lillies1 following that which was said 
,cant4 ,chap4  #e4  #f4 ,my beloved is  
white and ruddy1 he feedeth among the   
lillies4    ,under these four colours   
furthermore1 which signifie the four    
,elements1  ,black the ,earth1 ,white   
the ,water1 ,blew the ,air1 and ,red the
 fire1 are  comprised the greatest      
secrets  mysteries4 ,otherwise reading  

in ch4  #aj4 of #ce book ,plinie1 that  
,apelles had painted ,alexander holding 
lightning in his hand2 fingers seemed to
 hang out1 and lightning to be  without 
the ,table2 but reading they remembred  
that all those consisted  of four       
colours4 ,i cannot well specifie what   
those four colours were1  which must be 
principall in nature1 till ,i had       
learned out of ,zohar1  to consider them
 in the light3 where1 that is to be     
noted1 that there  are two fastned to   
the week1 namely black1 noting the      
,earth1 and red  proceeding there from  
fire1 and two to the flame1 ,blew in the
 root1  over against the black1 and     
white on the top1 opposite to red4 ,but 
let us see how this doth well suit with 
,chymicall ,theorie1 which  constitutes 
of these four ,elements1 two solid and  
fix'd1 which prepare  themselves        
together1 the earth1 and the fire1 which
 adhere to the week1  and the other two 
liquid volatills and flitting1 water1   
and air1 white  and blew1 as is the     

flame which is liquid1 and in perpetuall
 motion3  ,and we must not think it     
strange1 that the air1 the blew1 should 
be  lower then the water1 or the white  
flame which is aloft1 because the       
aereall party which is the oil and fat1 
separate more hardly1 and more          
difficultly from the composed1 then doth
 the water more opposite to  fire4 ,but 
let us look more mystically thereinto1  
which the ,zohar  hath more abundantly  
run through4 ,the red light1 as well in 
earth as  in heaven1 is that which      
destroyes all1 dissipates all2 for it is
  the bark of the tree of death1 as we  
may see in a lamp1 candle1 and  other   
light1 whose root is in the earth1      
namely1 this corruptible and  corrupting
 blacknesse which watereth the week2 the
 branches and the  boughes are the      
flames1 blew and white4 ,the week with  
its blacknesse  and rednesse is the     
,elementary world1 and the flame the    
,celestiall4  ,the red colour commands  
all that is under it1 and devoureth it4 

,and  if you say that it domineers also 
in heaven1 not as in the inferiour      
world1 wee may answer4 ,and although    
there be vertues and powers above  that 
are destructive1 and dissipate all base 
subjacent things4 ,all  these superiors 
are anchored in this red light1 and not 
the inferiors1  for they are thick1     
grosse1 and obscure2 and this red light 
which  is contiguous to that above1     
gnawes1 and devours them2 and there is  
nothing in the low world which shall not
 be destroyed4 ,it penetrates  and      
enters into stones1 it pierceth them1   
and hollowes them1 that  waters may     
passe over them1 and drowns all in the  
depths and hollowes  of the earth1 where
 they divide themselves1 of the one     
side1 and on  the other1 till they come 
to resemble anew in their ,abyssus1     
passing  crosse the darknesses that are 
confounded with them2 which is the cause
  that waters rise and fall1 7they mount
 when they come from the sea  under     
earth to their sources1 to glide anew   

above the earth downwards1  returning to
 the place from which they parted47 ,so 
that the waters  darknesse and light    
mingling themselves pellmell1 there is  
made within  another ,chaos1 which      
nature comes to unmingle 7the heat      
namely which  is therein inclosed7 by   
,ordinance of the ,soveraign            
,dispensator that  commands it4 ,and    
there make lights which men cannot see1 
because they  are dark4 ,every channell 
7to be brief7 mounts upwards with his   
voices1  whence ,abyssus are shaken1 and
 cry to their companion1 ,one depth     
calleth to another1 in the voice of     
their ,catarracts4 ,and who is it  that 
cries8 ,open thee with thy waters1 and  
,i will enter into thee4  ,these are all
 mysteries uneasy to comprehend1 which  
intend nothing1  but to demonstrate the 
affinity and connexion of the sensible  
with  the intelligible world1 and of the
 ,elementary with the ,celestiall2  for1
 as it is said in another case1 the     
,universall firmament1 called  the      

firmament of heaven1 containeth things  
superiour and inferiour2  although after
 divers manners4 ,this is wel seen in a 
torch1 where  blacknesse1 that is1 the  
,earth1 is the ground of three elements 
and  colours1 the red being but an      
inflammation and heat joined to the     
blacknesse1 without any flame or light2 
as are the blew and white1  which       
proceed from one very root1 all tend a  
going to unite with the  white flame    
that is above1 and more highly elevated 
then others4 ,yet  it is not therefore  
so pure and quit of all filthinesse1 but
 that  it procreates soot1 with black   
and infected fume1 whereof it must  be  
depured by fire1 till it hath perfected 
the consumption of its  corruption1 and 
made it a perfect whitenesse1 which from
 that time  forwards never alters4 ,and 
this is that which we said before1 that 
fire leaves two sorts of excrements1 not
 sufficiently depured for the  first    
proof4 ,ashes below1 whence by the same 
fire is extracted as  incorruptible     

substance of salt2 and of glasse at the 
last1 which the  ,zohar was not ignorant
 of1 when he said upon ,exod4 of the    
lees of  any confected ashes1 salt and  
glasse is drawn4 ,but now for that it   
was  not so said1 it is a thing         
sufficiently common and manifest to     
those  that deal with fire1 which       
,cinerall excrement comes from the      
adustion  and burning of coals1 but the 
soot which is more spirituall1 for that 
mounts and elevates higher1 is born of  
the flame which hath no leasure  or     
power to perfect its mundification1 so  
that the pure and impure  mount         
together4 ,and assuredly nothing can    
better agree with our souls  after their
 separation from the body1 which carries
 away with them the  imapurities which  
they have attracted from it1 during     
their residence  here below1 which they 
must repass by fire1  be perfected by   
white  throughout4 ,every man shal be   
salted with fire1 and every sacrifice   
shall be salted with salt4 ,the weik and

 ashes representing man1 the  exterior  
animal1 and his body1 and the two       
flames1 blew1 and white2 the  blew the  
,celestiall and ,ethereall body1 and the
 white1 souls stript of  all            
,corporeity3 which in good men shall be 
burnt with fire that burns  alwaies upon
 the altar1 and salted with salt from   
the ,covenant1 the  promises namely of  
his ,messiah1 into which the ,prince of 
this world1  hath but seen1 as it hath  
done in the posterity of ,adam1 which is
  al filled with ashes whereof it was   
first built1  with the soot of          
originall sin1 whereunto he fastned by  
his disobedience1 prevarication2  ,so   
that we are the night where ,moses began
 to reckon the day1 for  that we are    
according to the flesh1 before the      
,messiah1 who being  come after1 is the 
enlightned day of this clear sun of     
,justice1 which  the ,cabballists say is
 the representation of ,jehovah1 whose  
sheath  7as they call it7 is ,adonei1   
from whence ,god must be drawn out3 for 

it is hee1 that mundifies the righteous1
 and burneth the wicked with  dark and  
obscure fire4 ,to which that also       
beateth1 which is said of  the ,thrones 
,animalls1 there shall descend a ,lion  
enflamed1 that shall  devour the        
oblations4 ,there are ,angells committed
 upon every member  that sinneth1 of    
whom they constitute themselves the     
bringers on3 for  every man that commits
 any offence1 he suddainly delegates to 
himself  an accuser1 which will be no   
more favourable to him then he must be1 
but will lend him a fire from above1 to 
burn that member that shall  have       
trespassed4 ,but ,jehovah intervenes    
from above1 who with his  water of      
mercy1 quencheth this fire1 after the   
party ,delinquent shall  have his spots 
purged away4 ,and there is but he alone1
 that is the  angel of peace1 that make 
the souls reconcilation with ,god1 to   
whom she  comes by the intercession of  
this sacred name3 there is no other     
name2  all that the ,zohar sets down1   

which is as ,christian-like spoken by a 
,rabbin which was never baptized4       
,that premised for a ground work of what
 we shall say hereafter1 ,st4  ,marks   
,greek text carries it1    1 every      
sacrifice shall be seasoned with salt2  
where the ,latin version which  the     
,church holdeth1 for  a sacrifice1 as in
 truth this ,greek  word signifies1 all 
sorts of sacrifices1 hostia's1          
victima's1 and  ceremonies3 ,but        
,porphyrius in his second book of       
sacrifices1 doth  particularize it to   
herbs that men offered to the ,gods1 for
 from the  beginning they did not       
present them3 this he spake of ,incense1
 ,myrrhe1  ,benjamin1 ,storax1 ,aloes1  
,labdanum and other the like odoriferous
 gums2  but only certain green herbs2 as
 certain first fruits of seeds that  the
 earth produced2 and trees were         
procreated from the ,earth before       
,animalls1 and the earth was clothed    
with herbs1 before it produced  trees4  
,by reason whereof1 the gathering       

certain pieds of herbs all  entire with 
their leaves and rootes1 and seeds1 they
 burned them1 and  sacrificed the odour 
and fume that proceeded therefrom to the
 ,immortall  ,gods3 and of this         
exhalation they cast1 which the ,greeks 
call   suffitus1 perfumed1 whence comes 
the word  victima sacrifice4  ,therefore
 they do not refer them properly to     
bloody sacrifices1 for the  ,romans for 
more then #hjj years since1 by ,numaes  
,ordinance1 had no  ,images of ,gods1   
nor other sacrifices1 then dough with   
salt1 which were  from thence called 1  
that is to say1 without blood4 ,hitherto
  ,porphyrie4    ,it hath been said     
heretofore that there was nothing more  
common1 nor  lesse well known then fire4
 ,and as much we may say of salt3       
wherefore  it is that ,moses made so    
great account of it1 as to apply it to  
all sacrifices4 ,calling it the         
perpetual ,covenant that ,god made with 
his people2 of which alliance by the    
,hebrews called ,berith1 they  found    

three or four marks in the ,scripture2  
,the bow of heaven1 ,gen4  #i4 #i4 ,gen4
 #ag4 #b4 ,circumcision to ,abraham1 and
 the universall  paction1 ,numb4 #ah4   
#ai4 ,further yet the ,paction of the   
,law received  in ,horeb1 ,deut4 #e4 #b1
  #c4 ,the ,lord our ,god made a        
,covenant with us  in ,horeb2 which hath
 been time out of mind in singular and  
venerable  recommendation towards all   
sorts of people2 you bless your tables  
by  putting on of saltsellers 7saith    
,arnobius to the ,gentiles47 ,but       
,titus ,livius in his #bf4 that they may
 have a saltseller  a dish or  platter  
for ,gods cause4 ,and ,fabricius1 that  
thrice valiant ,roman  ,captain1 had    
never gold nor silver but a little      
drinking cup1 whose  foot was of horn1  
to make his offerings to the ,gods1     
saltseller to  serve for sacrifices     
forbidding1 as ,plinie hath it1 in his  
#cc4 book1  #ab4 ch4 to have other      
,silvery then those two4 ,it was        
furthermore a  marke and symbole of     

,amity1 as was salt3 ,wherefore the     
first thing  that they served strangers1
 comming to them1 was ,salt1 to note a  
firmity of their contracted ,amity4 ,and
 the great ,duke of ,muscovie1 as       
,sigismund puts it down in his ,treatise
 of the affairs of ,muscovie1  he could 
not do greater honour to those that he  
favoured then to  send them of his salt4
 ,archilocus as ,origen alledgeth       
against  ,celsus1 among other things1   
reproacheth ,lycambas to have violated  
a very holy and sacred ,mystery1 of the 
amity conceived betwixt them  by the    
salt  the common table4 ,and upon ,saint
 ,matthew speaking of  ,judas1 he had   
not 7saith he7 any respect either to the
 remembrance  of their common table1 or 
to salt or bread which we did eat       
together4  ,and ,lycophron in a poem of 
,alexander called salt  purifying  and  
cleansing2 alluding to that of          
,euripides1 that the sea washeth  away  
all faults from men1 for that the sea   
which the ,pythagoreans  because of its 

bitternesse and saltnesse1 call it      
,saturnes tears1 and  a fift ,element1  
and is nothing but salt dissolved in    
water4 ,and certes  it is a thing very  
admirable1 the great quantity that there
 is of  salt2 sith that we hold it for  
an infallible maxime1 that ,god  ,nature
  made nothing in vain4 ,for besides    
that there is found thereof in the      
earth1 part in liquor which they scum   
off1 part in yce1 as at ,halle  in      
,saxony1 and at ,barre in ,provence1    
part in hard rocks1 as in  ,teplaga a   
land of ,negroes1 where they carry it   
more then two hundred  miles off upon   
their heads1 and transport from hand to 
hand by relayes1  even to the ,kingdome 
of ,tombur1 serving for money that      
passeth for  currant in all those       
quarters1 as it doth also in the        
,province of  ,caindu in ,east          
,tartarie4 ,according to ,marc4 ,pole in
 his #b book1  #ch chap4 and also that  
if they have it not for all purposes in 
their  mouths1 their gums rot1 because  

of the extream heats that raign there1  
accompanied with corrupting ,moorish    
moistures2 for which reason they  must  
hold thereof continually moistening it  
with a thing that doth  hinder          
putrefaction4    ,i have many times made
 triall very exactly1 that of           
,sea-water1 men  make or draw more then 
halfe of salt1 causing the fresh water  
that  is therein1 sweetly to evaporate  
away2 what an enormous quantity  then   
would there remaine of salt1 if the     
fresh substance of the ,sea  were there 
from extracted8 ,there are no sands or  
deserts1 of what  long extenditure      
soever1 that can compare therewith1 not 
by the #b4  thousand part2 for many men 
would equall1 yea preferre the ,sea in  
quantity and greatness unto the earth4  
,we must not here dwell long on         
particularities that concerne salt4     
,plinie in his #ce4 ,book ,chap4  #g4   
,the greatest part depending upon       
nothing but hearesay1 for all tend  to  
no other thing1 but in the first place  

to shew that there are two  sorts of    
salt 7as tis true7 ,naturall1 and       
,artificiall4 ,the ,naturall  growes in 
flakes1 or in a rock by it selfe1 within
 the earth1 as is  aforesaid3 the       
,artificiall is made with sea-water1 or 
with liquor1 as  a pickle drawne out of 
salt pits1 as they doe in ,lorrain1 and 
the  ,french ,county of ,burgundie3     
which they boyle and congeale upon the  
fire4 ,he there sheweth many examples1  
and indeed those which are more         
difficult to beleeve3 let the faith be  
on the sayers part1 and among  others of
 a certaine lake of ,tarentin in        
,poville1 not deeper then  the height of
 knees where water in summer time by the
 ,suns heat is all  converted into salt4
 ,and in the ,province of ,babylon1     
there growes  a liquid ,bitumen1 a      
little thick1 which they use in ,lamps  
in stead  of oile4 ,this inflamable     
substance being stripped therefrom1     
there  remaines salt1 there under       
hidden3 as indeed wee see it by         

experience  that out of every thing that
 burns there may be salt extracted1  but
 there doth not appear any thing therein
 but waterishnesse and  inflamable      
unctuosity which must be taken away by  
fire1 this done salt  remains in the    
ashes4 ,and this salt 7saith ,geber7 in 
his testament  retaines alwayes the     
nature and property of the thing from   
which it is  extracted1 if this be done 
in a close vessell that the spirits may 
not  vapor away1 for there would remaine
 that which the ,gospell cals sal       
infatuatum1 as we shall say hereafter4  
,sidenote3 7a7 ,the first receptacle or 
bond of salt water whereof  salt is     
made4    7b7,a trunck or pipe of wood   
through which sea-water passes1 one of  
the last receptacles whereof salt is    
made4    ,sidenote3 ,high grounds or    
little hils raised by mens hands4       
,the best salt then that may be1 and the
 wholesomest1 is that which is  made    
with sea-water in ,brouage4 ,and after  
the example thereof1 that  the trough   

throughout1 where the salt water is made
 of clay or glue1  as potters earth3 and
 that whereof tiles is made2 furthermore
 you must  courry this trough by        
,artifice that it drink not1 nor suck up
 the  water which men draw therefrom1   
which is done by beating it with a      
great number of ,horses1 ,asses1 and    
,mullets1 tied one to another that  they
 may trample thereon1 so long that it be
 firme and solid1 as a  certain barns   
flore to thresh wheate4 ,this done1 and 
having hollowed  the channels1 to put in
 the water1 then we must have a care    
that the  salt-pans be something lower  
then the ,sea 7,plinie in his #b4 ,book 
,chap4 #ajf4 sets downe that salt cannot
 be made without fresh water7  they set 
in the first place a great receptacle   
where they draw the  water which is     
called the 7a7 ,jard3 and at the end    
thereof a  sluce by which having applyed
 thereunto below a hanch with a stopple 
called the 7b7 ,amezau1 they make the   
water run from the ,jard into           

,parquets1 which they cal ,couches1  of 
these ,couches giving  thereto a        
requisite hanging1 by other stopples1   
#b4 in number1 called  the gate of the  
,poelles1 which are therein enchased    
within other  ,parquets called soldering
 or planching with boord1 windings and  
means  to make the water turne1 by      
divers windings and channels almost     
after  the manner of a ,labyrinth1 which
 it doth for a great way before it come 
to render it self at last1 within the   
,parquets and hollowes where the  salt  
must be congealed3 alwayes diminishing  
the quantity of water1 that  the        
,sun-beames have therein more action1   
and that it be better warmed  before it 
enter the floores1 where it makes its   
finall congelation4  ,but to come       
thereunto by certaine degrees1 and      
proportionate measures1  there are      
throughout the ,palles which they lift  
up and downe as  those of a mill4 ,all  
the earth that remaineth1 which men draw
 by the  ,parquets and the flores they  

,arrange about them as a ,trench or     
rampart1 which is called ,bassis of the 
convenient breadth1 to passe  two horses
 a front2 which serves as well to       
retaine the water1 as to  put upon the  
heaps of salt1 made and congealed1      
called ,vaches1 and  to come and goe as 
upon a dike1 or causway from one marish 
to another1  to lade and carry upon the 
beasts of carriage of the vessels which 
attend there neer to the shore3 ,in the 
winter they content themselves  with    
bulrushes which they sell afterwards    
very well for the profit they  draw from
 them3 and that for fear of rains and   
snows1 and other aereall  moistures1    
that moisten then anew4 ,and all the    
risings are so oblique1  and turning1   
that for a mile travers of right way1   
wee must make #g4 or  #h4 so that being 
therein once cast a little on1 one may  
lose himselfe1  which knew not the      
addresses1 or had not a good guide1 by  
reason of  the turnings and             
bridge-ponts1 that men must goe to make 

choice of1  to passe from one place to  
another4 ,and it would be very hard to  
make  thereof a ,chart or description1  
principally in winter1 where all is     
well-nigh covered with water1  yet more 
to enter in by a strong hand1  for      
conservation of these salt pits every   
year1 after the heats are  over1 the    
,sun not being able to make it1 but in  
the ,months of ,may1  ,june1 ,july1 and 
,august1 the salt makers doe use to open
 certaine  ,bonds1 to suffer the        
sea-water to enter till all the formes  
and  ,parquets be covered1 otherwise the
 frosts would destroy them3 that if     
while the salt freezeth or creameth     
there come any rain1 it is so great  a  
retardment 7and for fifteen dayes at the
 least7 we must empty al the  water out 
of the ,parquets1 that the rain had     
altered1 and therefore  in rainy and    
cold years1 they can very hardly make   
it4    ,in this regard1 ,i come to      
remember an experiment that ,i have     
tried  more then once1 which gave me to 

think whether it were ,aristotle1  ,i   
tooke eight or ten pound of common      
grosse salt1 which ,i made to  dissolve 
in hot water1 scumming the froth which  
may be there1 and  being left to settle1
 ,i put the clear by inclination in a   
caldron  over the fire1 where ,i made   
all the water evaporate1 so that the    
salt  remained in the bottome1 white as 
snow3 then ,i endeavoured to dry it  in 
a pot1 giving it at last a good estret  
of fire for four or five  houres1 when  
it was cold ,i parted it into four      
platters of ,beuvais  to shorten and    
gain time1 in fair weather at a window  
where the ,sunne  came not1 and did     
choose a moist time to facilitate the   
dissolution1  recollecting every morning
 that which was resolved in water1 so   
long1  that at the end of seven or eight
 dayes the salts dissolution was        
perfected1 nothing remaining but ,i know
 not what thicknesse or slime1  in a    
small quantity which ,i set apart1 ,i   
put all my dissolutions into  ,cornues  

distilled all the water which could     
mount1 being very  fresh1 for the       
saltnesse did not ascend1 but remained  
fixt in the  bottome of the vessell1 and
 gave at last a good estret of fire1    
with  staves of ,cotteret1 having broken
 the ,cornues3 ,i put the salt that     
therein remained congealed to dissolve  
in moisture as before1 till  there      
remained nothing but grossenesse and    
slime as in the former ,i  distilled    
that which ascended from the water1 and 
reiterated all those  ,regiments till   
all my salt was resolved and distilled  
into salt water1  that which came the   
seven or eight time4 ,the slime ,i      
washed well with  water1 to extract what
 might bee the ,remainder of saltnesse2 
and so  recalcined and washt them till  
there rested nothing but slime or pure  
earth without tast4 ,of this little salt
 that ,i had extracted1 ,i did  as ,i   
had done with others1 so that all my    
salt1 without losing any  of its        
substance1 went away in sweet water1 and

 in this insensible  slime1 which came  
at last to one or two ounces4 ,what then
 became of  the saltnesse of this salt8 
,certes herein ,i have lost all my      
,latine1  and know not what to say      
thereof1 only it is gone in verity as ,i
 say3  ,if any one would untie this     
knot1 would indeed do me a great        
pleasure3  ,i will leave it to mix with 
others1 to come to the particular       
praises  of salt1 without which1 saith  
,plinie1 we could not live civilly4 ,all
  the grace1 gentility1 ornament1       
pleasures and delights of humane life1  
cannot bee better expressed then by this
 word2 which extends also to  the       
pleasures of the soul1 the sweetnesse   
and tranquillity of life1  and to a     
,soveraign rejoycing and repose of all  
troubles and sorrows4  ,it renews the   
pricks and amorous desires to beget its 
like1 and hath  obtained this honorable 
quality of ,souldiers1 and of pleasant  
and  witty words1 and joyous meetings1  
without hurt to any2 from whence it     

should be called the ,graces4 ,according
 to which ,st4 ,paul saith in the  #d to
 the ,col4 #f4 ,let your speech be      
alwaies with grace1 seasoned  with salt4
 ,and in the end it is the seasoning of 
all our viands1  which without it would 
remain unsavoury and without tast4 ,so  
that it  is said to right sense in the  
common proverb1 there is nothing more   
profitable then the sun and salt4 ,so   
,plinie discourseth thereof1 in  the    
place alledged1 and ,plutarch in his    
book and #d question of his             
,symposiacques1 without salt we can eat 
nothing agreeable to the tast1  for     
bread it self is more savoury if it be  
mingled therewith3 therefore  ordinarily
 in ,churches and covering of tables1   
they couple ,neptune  with ,ceres1 for  
salt things are as if it were an        
allurement and a  spur to excite        
appetite3 ,so that before any other     
nouriture wee take  that which is sharp 
and salt1 whereas1 if they begin with   
others they  would incontinently        

prostrate themselves4 ,that which hath  
no tast  can it be eaten without ,salt8 
,job4 #f4 #f4 ,salt also renders drink  
more delicious1 and it is of infinite   
other uses and commodities of  life1    
that holds more of man2 whereas the     
privation thereof1 makes it  brutall4   
,it is furthermore a mark and symbole of
 ,justice1 because it  guards and       
conserves that to which it is introduced
 and fastened4 ,of  ,amity also1 and    
,gratitude1 sutable to that in the first
 of ,esdras  chap4 #d4 where the        
,lieutenants of ,king ,artaxerxes writ  
to him in  this manner4 ,we remember the
 salt thou gavest us in thy ,palace1 we 
would not fail to advertise thee        
faithfully of what shall come to our    
knowledg concerning the service of thy  
highness4    ,salt being there put for  
one of the greatest obligations that can
 be  had1 because it is a thing pure1   
neat1 holy and sacred1 which men  first 
set on the table4 ,so that schines in   
his prayer of the ill  administred      

,ambassie1 makes great account of salt1 
and a publick table1  of one ,city      
confederate with another4 ,and indeed   
there is nothing  more permanent nor    
more fixt in the fire1 nor more         
approaching to  its nature1 because it  
is mordicant1 sharp1 tart1 cutting1     
subtill1  penetrative1 pure and neat1   
fragrant1 incombustible and             
incorruptible4  ,yea1 that which        
preserves all things from corruption1   
by its  preparations makes it self      
clear1 crystalline1 and transparent as  
,air2  for glasse is nothing else then a
 most fixt salt that may be extracted   
from all sorts of ashes1 and of some    
nearer then of others2 but it  is not so
 dissoluble into moisture as common     
salt2 nor that which  is extracted out  
of ashes by way of lee1 which is liquid 
with it by  strong expressions of fire1 
which are notwithstanding two contrary  
resolutions1 and resisting one the      
other3 chiefly afterward from all       
liquid humidity1 unctuous but           

inconsumptible4 ,it is moreover the     
first  originall as well of mineralls as
 of stones1 and pretious stones1  yea of
 all other mineralls4 ,likewise of      
vegetables and of ,animalls1  whose     
blood and urinall humour1 and all other 
substance is salted1  to preserve it    
from putrefaction3 and in generall1 from
 all mixed  and composed ,elements2     
which is herein verified that they      
resolve  themselves into it1 so that it 
is as the other life of all things2 and 
without it saith the ,philosopher       
,morien1 nature can no wayes work1  nor 
can any other thing be ingendred1       
according to ,raimund ,lullus in  his   
testament4 ,whereunto all chymicall     
,philosophers doe adhere2 that  nothing 
hath been created here below1 in the    
,elementary part better1  nor more      
pretious then salt4    ,there is salt   
then1 in every thing1 and nothing can   
subsist but for  the salt which is      
therein mixed2 which ties the parts     
together as a  chain1 otherwise they    

would all go into small powder1 and give
 them  nourishment2 for there are two   
substances in salt1 the one viscous1    
gluish1 and unctuous1 of the nature of  
air1 which is sweet2 and indeed  there  
is nothing that nourisheth but what is  
sweet2 the bitter and the  salt do not4 
,the other is a dust1 sharp pricking and
 biting1 of the  nature of fire1 which  
is laxative4 ,for all salts are         
laxative1 and  nothing doth loose the   
body1 that participates not of the      
nature of  salt3 ,mark then1 wherefore  
is it that those that drink salt water  
die  speedily of dysenteries8 the salt  
which is mingled therewith causing a    
gnawing in the bowels2 for there is     
nothing corrosive but salt1 or of  the  
nature of salt1 fiery of it self1 saith 
,plinie1 lib4 #ca4 ch4  #i4 and yet     
enemy of actuall fire1 for it leaps up  
and down1 it danceth  to and fro1 and   
crackles1 corroding also all to which it
 is fastened2  and drying it1 although  
it be the strongest and most permanent  

humidity  of all others1 and it is a    
moisture 7saith ,geber7 that above all  
other moistures expects an encounter    
with fire4    ,so wee see in metals1    
which are nothing else but congealed and
 baked  salts1 by a long and successive 
decoction1 within the earths entralls1  
where their humidity is abundantly fixt 
by the temperate air it  meets withall  
there4 ,and these salts do participate  
of sulphur and  quicksilver1 which      
joined together make a third name       
,metalline salt1  which hath the same   
fashion and resolution as common salt2  
which is  taken for a symbole of equity 
and justice2 as also are metals1 but for
  another consideration4 ,for melt      
,gold1 ,silver1 ,copper1 and other      
metals  together1 they wil all mingle   
equally3 ,so that if upon a hundred     
parts  of silver1 yea two hundred you   
melt one of gold1 the least part of     
this silver1 in what regard soever you  
will take it from the totall  masse1    
shall in respect of it self1 take its   

just and equall portion of  gold and no 
more nor lesse1 wherefore they are taken
 for distributive  justice4 ,but salt is
 for that throughout1 where it attacheth
 flesh1  fish1 vegetables1 it keeps them
 from corruption1 and conserves them  in
 their entire1 and makes them durable   
for many ages4 ,fire on the  contrary1  
is an evill host1 for it stealeth and   
destroyeth all that  lodgeth near it1   
never ceasing till it hath converted all
 into ashes1  whence salt was extracted1
 that was before therein contained3 ,so 
that these two1 fire  salt1 accord and  
convene together and also  with the     
ferments in this1 that they convert all 
that whereupon they  can exercise their 
action4 ,plutarch in his book and #d    
question of  ,symposiaques1 extolling   
salt1 sets down1 that all flesh and fish
 that  was eat is a dead thing1 and     
proceeds from a dead body2 but when the 
faculty of salt comes to be introduced1 
it is as a soul that revivifies  and    
gives them grace and favor4 ,and in the 

#e book #aj4 quest4 renders  a reason   
why ,homer calls salt divine2 he puts   
that salt is as a  temperament and      
fortification of the viands within the  
body3 and that  it gives it an agreement
 with the appetite4 ,but it is rather   
for the  vertue that it hath to preserve
 dead bodies from putrefaction2 which   
is as to resist death1 that which       
appertains to ,divinity4 ,thou shalt    
7not suffer thy holy one to see         
corruption17 not permitting that  what  
is deprived of life should perish so    
suddenly in all kinds3 but  as the soul1
 that divine part within us1 keeps the  
body alive 7a soul  is given to hogs for
 their safety17 this ,plinie sets down  
after the  ,stoicks4 ,so salt also takes
 into its safeguard dead flesh to keep  
it  from putrefaction2 whence the fire  
of lightning is reputed for divine1     
because those that have been touched    
therewith remain a great while  without 
corruption2 as salt doth on its part1   
which hath this property  and vertue2   

which sheweth the great affinity and    
agreement which they  have together4    
,wherefore ,evinus was wont to say1 that
 fire was the  best sauce in the world1 
and the very same is also attributed to 
salt4 ,all which things here above do   
confirme the occasion for which  ,moses1
 and after him ,pythagoras made so great
 esteem of salt1 to  cover under his    
,allegorie that which they would give to
 understand by  it2 that our souls and  
confidences signified by man in ,st4    
,mark1  namely1 the internall man1 and  
our body for the sacrifice ought to be  
offered up unto ,god1 pure and not      
soiled with corruption2 ,that you  offer
 up your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy
 pleasing unto ,god1 c4  ,therein was   
there 7it may be7 another reason1 that  
moved ,moses to  exalt salt so much1    
that according as ,rabbi ,moses the     
gyptian  discourseth at large in his    
third book of his ,more1 #dg ch4 where  
he  renders a particular reason for the 
most part of ,mosaical ceremonies1  his 

principall aim was to overthrow all     
,idolatries1 even those of the          
gyptians1 where they had a greater vogue
 then in any other part4 ,he  seeing    
that their ,priests so greatly detested 
salt1 that they would  not use it in any
 sort1 for that of the sea from whence  
it proceeded2  in the bitternesse       
whereof1 the sweet substance of ,nilus  
went to  lose and salt it self2 which   
they held to be for the radicall        
moisture  from whence all things here   
below do sprout and nourish themselves  
in  despite of them1 and contrary to    
their traditions2 he would thereof  make
 a form of alliance  paction from ,god  
with the ,jewish people1  that all their
 oblations should be accompanied with   
salt3 ,and in the  #b of ,paralip4 #ac4 
#e chap4 ,it is said1 that ,god gave to 
,david and  his children the ,kingdom of
 ,israel by a ,covenant of ,salt2 that  
is  to say1 most firm and indissoluble2 
for that salt hinders corruption4  ,and 
therefore the ,saviour chose his        

,apostles to be as the salt of men2     
that is to say1 to deliver the pure and 
incorruptible doctrine of the  ,gospel2 
and to confirm them firm persistent     
faith1 as wel by words as  deeds4 ,the  
,caballists penetrating further into the
 mysteries inclosed  therewithin1       
meditate certain subtilties by a rule of
 ,ghematrie1 called  ,ghilcal1 which    
consisteth in equivalencies of ,numbers1
 which the  ,hebrewes assigne unto      
,letters4 ,those of this word ,malach   
which  signifieth salt1 mounts in their 
supputation to #gh4 for ,mem valued     
#dj4 ,lamed #cj4 and heth #h4 or divided
 in any sort that you will1  alwaies    
there will result a certain number1     
representing a mystery of  ,divine      
names2 the half which makes #ci4 mount  
to as much as the letters  of ,chuzu1   
the scabbard or covering of this great  
,name for caph4  val4 #bj4 vau #f4 ,z4  
#g4 and the other vau #f4 if in #c      
parts1 each  wil mount to #bf4 which is 
the number tetragrammaton ,jehovah1 vau 

making #aj4 he #e4 vau #f4  he #e4 ,in  
six parts this will be #ac4 for  each1  
which are equipollent to the number of  
,piety4 ,in #ac4 there are #f4  which   
vau is valued at1 a letter representing 
eternall life2 besides  that six is the 
first perfect number1 because his parts 
do constitute  it1 his sixt namely #a4  
his third #b4 and its halfe #c4 which   
perfection  hath not any one of the     
other numbers1 and in six dayes the     
structure  of the ,universe was         
perfected4    ,there are other mysteries
 in the ,scripture2 in #bf4 will be the 
number  of the most holy  sacred        
,trinitie1 for three times #bf4 makes   
#gh4 ,in  #ci4 twice1 which ,beth stands
 for a symbole of a word1 where the     
second person1 and the house of ,idea's 
of the ,archetype1 which  ,plato hath   
well acknowledged1 ,aristotle not4 ,and 
finally #hg4  denotes as many unities1  
whereof each represents the unity of the
  essence of one ,god alone4 ,the same  
is in the ,lechem bread1 which is  an   

anagram of the former1 and consisteth of
 the same letters4 ,it was  therefore   
some cause of the ,proverb1 ,to eat salt
 with thy bread4  ,rabbi ,solomon upon  
the places aforesaid1 of ,gods alliance 
with  his people1 designed by salt1 by  
which is understood the ,eternall       
paction of the great ,priesthood of the 
,messiah1 brings us a form of  an       
,allegory1 very strange and phantastick4
 ,that the waters here below  do mutiny1
 that they are separated from the       
supercelestiall1 having  the firmament  
set betwixt them2 by means whereof1 ,god
 to appease  them1 promised that they   
should be perpetually in his service1 in
 all  offerings1 sacrifices1 as he did  
afterwards in the ,law1 which hee gave  
to the ,jewes2 ,whatsoever thou shalt   
offer to the ,lord1 thou shalt  season  
it with salt4    ,yet there are divers  
sorts of salt1 that have different      
properties  and vertues1 according to   
the things from which they are          
extracted2  for salt retains a propriety

 of the thing from whence it came1 saith
  ,geber in his ,testament1 yea as many 
odors1 and sapors as there are1  they   
all do depend upon salt2 for where there
 is no salt1 there is  no smell nor     
tast2 and yet of all the tasts which    
,plutarch in his  ,naturall causes doth 
limit to eight1 ,plinie lib4 #ae4 cap4  
#bg4  extends them to #ac4 there is not 
one1 that is not salt1 because tast  7as
 ,plato will have it7 comes from water1 
which creep athwart the  stalk of every 
plant1 and keeps the saltness that it   
cannot passe as  it is more grosse and  
terrestriall1 as wee see in sea-water   
when it  is distilled2 where when they  
passe it through sand1 where it leaves  
its saltnesse4 ,but it may be said to   
,plato1 that the tast doth not  only ly 
in plants1 but also in ,animalls and    
mineralls1 and all other  compounded    
,elements4 ,it is that which he and     
,aristotle and other  rationall         
,philosophers1 are only satisfied with1 
that which their  arguments and         

discourse do imprint in their           
phantasies3 esteeming that  it cannot be
 otherwise1 then that which their       
reasons do demonstrate  unto them1 for  
the most part false and erroneous2 there
 were if they  would penetrate          
empirickly by the experiments1 they     
might have been  shewed by the finger of
 the eye1 the truth of the thing1 they  
might  have been better ascertained     
therein1 as the ,arabians have since    
done2 and the ,chymicall ,philosophers1 
who will assure themselves of  nothing1 
but what they have oftentimes tried     
without variation to the  sense4 ,it is 
a maxime of all ,naturalists1 received  
for ,infallible1 that  the transparence 
comes from this1 when the water in the  
composition and  mixtion superabounds1  
over the earth1 and darkenesse on the   
contrary1  when ,terrestreity           
predominates the water1 and it would be 
accounted an  irremissible crime ,ls    
,majestatis to doubt thereof1 for who is
 there  that doubteth it1 will they say1

 that it is not so8 ,i will reply that  
it is ,i1 to whom experience shewes the 
contrary1 at least for that the  cause  
of transparence1 and opacity1 doth not  
proceed from that which  they alledge4  
,take ,crystall and passe it never so   
little through hot  ashes1 so long as   
one would rost a chestnut you wil find  
it all dark1  without any more          
transparence within or without in the   
superficies1 and  that without any losse
 of its substance1 or diminution of its 
weight4  ,and on the contrary in a      
strong expression of fire blowing upon  
the  lead1 then which nothing can be    
darker1 it will convert into a forme  of
 a hyacinth so transparent1 that one may
 read a small letter through  it2 though
 it were an inch thick1 and this        
hyacinth by the same fire  returne into 
lead1 and lead into an hyacinth4    ,if 
then these profound ,contemplators of   
nature1 and her effects1 had  been      
willing to accompany their ,imaginary   
discourses1 with experience  that       

reveales infinite secrets by fire1 they 
could never have fallen  into such      
absurdities3 and had manifestly seen    
without any vail or  obstacle all full  
of things whereof they remaine in       
irresolution and  doubt not having      
spoken therein but as blind men and by  
guesse1 for  we cannot discover the     
secrets of things to proceed therein    
directly1  nor come to it by entring on 
it1 after the manner of speech1 by the  
foregate3 for nature goeth in her workes
 rarely and in secret1 as  by the       
posterne gate3 or by setting ladders    
against the windowes3  ,the ,greeks call
 that 1 solution2 ,no man can know the  
composition of a thing1 said ,geber very
 well1 that was ignorant of  its        
destruction4 ,and this is done by fire1 
which separates the parts1  as hath been
 said before4 ,there are then two divers
 substances of  salt1 therefore it      
causeth divers effects1 the one is      
sweet1 glutinous  and inflamable1 of the
 nature of aire1 nourishing1 binding4   

,the other  sharp1 mordicant and        
separative that begets nothing4 ,the    
,poets in their  mythologies have called
 this the ,ocean1 and the sweet         
wherewith the  pickle of the ,sea is    
moistened and made liquid ,tethys as    
,plutarch  hath it in his ,osiris which 
giveth milk to and nourisheth all       
things4  ,but simple water of it selfe  
alone would not be sufficient to        
nourish1  if it were not assisted with  
things fastened to the earth1 the salt  
therein inclosed and therewith mingled1 
having a sweet and glutinous            
unctuosity1 for as in the ,sea-water    
there are two substances1 sweet  and    
salt1 there are subalternately two in   
salt3 ,but we cannot say that  they doe 
nourish or produce any thing4 ,therefore
 is it1 that they use  to raze          
,traiters-houses1 and sow them with salt
 as reputed unworthy  to produce        
anymore4 ,salt indeed produceth nothing 
as it is1 where its  sweet substance is 
so drowned with the salt1 that it cannot

 expresse  it selfe in action1 so as it 
is1 except it be freed out of prison1   
for  the saltnesse predominates over it1
 and covers it4 ,but for replication    
thereunto which was said before1 that   
fresh water alone1 doth neither  nourish
 nor produce any thing3 which we see to 
the contrary1 by  experience in many    
waterish herbs that grow in the midst of
 waters1  and in flints that it         
engenders shells1 and fishes1 and       
wormes3 to be  short1 that its          
procreation doth extend to the three    
composed kinds  of ,minerals1           
,vegetables1  ,animals3 ,and indeed put 
little pebbles in  a phial1 and water   
thereon1 every day1 renewing it daily1  
at the end  of certaine time1 you will  
find them so great1 and so bigge1 that  
they  cannot come out at the neck by    
which they were put in4 ,but indeed all 
this proceeds from the slime1 which is  
mingled with the water1 as  frogs1 and  
other things1 which are procreated in   
the middle ,region of  the aire of the  

slime which the ,sun beams hath thence  
raised with the  water1 for al rains1   
snowes1 and other such impressions      
participate  much of the slime2 from    
thence it comes that the snow doth smoak
 and  fatten the earth1 and the water of
 raine1 is more connaturall to trees1   
herbes1 and seeds1 chiefly those which  
fall by stormes and thunders1  then     
those of wels and rivers3 whereof       
,plutarch forceth himselfe  to bring    
forth many reasons in naturall causes1  
which have no great  apparence3 ,there  
is yet more to say1 for that they are   
better baked  and accompanied with more 
subtle and hot slime1 and are of lighter
  concoction and nourishment then       
plants2 as of meate in the stomach  of  
,animals1 some more then others1 where  
the waters here below are  more raw and 
indigested3 we insist a little in water1
 because salt is  nothing else1 but     
water mingled and setled with dry and   
burned earth1  of the nature of fire    
which makes it bitter and salt4 ,so that

 before  we passe from this subject of  
fresh water1 we will here touch upon an 
experiment of more rare things from     
whence come many fair  secret           
considerations4 ,sweet water is a body  
so homogeneal1 that it would seem  to   
the sight so cleare1 transparent1 and   
liquid1 in all its parts1  resembling to
 it selfe1 that there is in it but one  
only substance3  since that by          
distillations shee passeth all4 ,but yet
 there is another  sound substance1     
solid1 and compact1 in the forme of     
earth1 mingled  with its liquid         
homogeneity1 which it separates by      
,artifice1 and it is  that which        
,aristotle saith in the swarme of       
,philosophers4 ,the earth  is concreat  
by the grossenesse of the water4 ,and   
this may be seene with  water agitated  
and beaten and after redistilled many   
times1 alwayes  separating the fift or  
sixth part which shall passe the first4 
,you must  then take a good quantity of 
wel water1 or the same of fountaine1    

river  or rain water1 and let it settle 
twenty or thirty houres untill there  be
 some ordure or slime1 it separates it  
selfe4    ,sidenote3 ,abundance of      
fluxes of blood4    ,take of this water 
as you may say forty pintes1 and cause  
the halfe to  vapour away by very easie 
fire1 that it boile not1 put these      
twenty  pintes apart1 and take new water
 as above1 of which you shall evaporate 
the moity2 and so long continue it1 that
 you may have well a hundred  pintes    
halfe evaporated2 from this one hundred1
 make to evaporate  thirty pintes1 and  
of sixty1 ten1 twenty1 of fifty1 that   
shall remain  twenty of thirty1 ten1 and
 of twenty1 ten2 and cast away all these
  slimes that shall reside1 for they are
 nothing worth1 and are but  immundicity
 and ordure1 unto the seaventh or eighth
 evaporation or  distillation1 after    
which there will appeare in your water  
infinite  little atomes and little      
bodies2 which at last by little and     
little  will be congealed into one solid

 substance1 of a grisly colour1  soft as
 dough3 ,of which ,i have seen such     
admirable effects that  men would hardly
 beleeve it2 in ,cankers1 ,gangrenes1   
,hemorrhagies1  bloody flux1 ,women     
newly laid in bed2 and at nose1 diseases
 in the  stomach1 and infinite other    
such accidents that no terra sigillata  
nor ,bolarmoniac could compare with4    
,you may make your round pills          
impasting them with the last waters that
 were extracted1 which are  also of     
great vertue1 to wash wounds1 inveterate
 ,maladies of the  stomach1 and other   
the like2 wherefore you must keepe them 
well4 ,you  may also calcine it for six 
or seven houres in a small pot well     
luted1  and casting thereon vinegar     
distilled1 boiling1 dissolving one part1
  nourishing the rest2 calcine it       
againe1 and dissolve it till you have   
all the salt which will be white and of 
sweet tast1 make it dissolve  to oile1  
you may draw from thence great effects  
even upon ,gold4 ,but  sea-water is yet 

of more efficacy then that of wels and  
rivers1 sweet  water 7,i say7 which     
shall be separated from salt by         
distillation3 which  would be easie to  
do near the ,sea1 having to that end    
foure or five  alembics of leaden earth1
 and yet more of sweet water which is   
drawne  by distillation of salt resolved
 in liquor to humidity4    ,but there is
 yet another manner of proceeding1 in   
the separation of the  substances of    
common water3 and more spirituall then  
the precedent4  ,take very clean water  
out of a well1 river or fountain1 let it
 settle  twenty foure houres1 and take  
the pure and the cleare1 which you shall
  put in vessels of ,beauvois earth3    
well stopped to putrifie in hot  dung   
fourty dayes1 renewing it two or three  
times every week1 filter  the water1 and
 give only five or six boylings1        
scumming off the scurfes  that arise    
thereon with a feather1 then put it in  
,cornues of glasse1  not putting therein
 but the third part1 or the moity at    

most1 of that  which they may containe  
and distill of two parts three2 then    
change  the ,recipient1 and accomplish  
to distill all the water1 but with an   
easie fire4 ,then strengthen the fire1  
by little and little1 till you  see     
small fumes ascend1 continue this degree
 of fire1 with increasing  untill it    
mount no more4 ,let the fire quench of  
it selfe and recoole  the vessell3 then 
gather the salt which shall be so       
elevated towards  the beck of the       
,cornue1 and within the recipient1 and  
keep it in a  vessel of earth1 very     
close and sealed in a warm and dry place
 that  it melt not1 nor dissolve4 ,put  
the ,cornue to againe with that which   
remains in the bottome1 and strengthen  
the fire untill you see a  reddish oile2
 end your distillation1 after cease the 
fire4 ,take the  black feces1 that      
remain in the bottome1 stampe them1 and 
put them in  a sublimatory of good      
earth1 of an inch thick1 and no more1   
for six  houres1 first a little fire1   

then reinforce it for twelve others1    
till  the sublimatory be red1 the fire  
being alwaies in the same degree3  let  
it coole and gather the salt which will 
be mounted1 and keep it  as the former4 
,this is the second sal ,armoniac       
volatill1 which is  extracted from the  
water3 and the one1 and the other1 have 
great power  to the dissolution of gold1
 carrying no danger with then as your   
common  sal ,armoniac may doe2 which    
hath bad qualities in it1 there1 where  
this is extracted from a substance so   
familiar to mans body1 which1  is sweet 
water4 ,now take all the feces          
residences1 which remain in  the bottome
 of the vessell1 bruise them1 and make  
them dissolve in the  first water1 which
 you shall have distilled1 after you    
have warmed it  a little1 that it may   
dissolve the salt that may be there4    
,let them  repose1 then evacuate1 and   
put them to distill with halfe the      
water3  ,then change the ,recipient1 and
 with a little stronger fire1 distill   

the  ,surplufage of the water1 and keep 
them each a part1 in a cold place4  ,but
 doe not perfect to congeal all the salt
 in the bottome of the  vessell1 but    
leave therein a little moisture1 to     
create flakes of ice4  ,if it be not    
white enough1 let it calcine for three  
or foure houres  in a pot of earth not  
leaded1 after dissolve it in the second 
water1  filter and congeale it1 and keep
 it in a dry place1 for this is salt    
fix and fusible4 ,if in drawing the     
first ,salarmoniac1 volatill1 the  foule
 oile that is nothing worth mounts with 
it1 you must put salt and  oile in new  
water1 and depure and putrifie it as    
before1 which was to  begin againe1     
therefore we must goe wisely to worke4  
,there is another  manner of proceeding 
therein1 which is shorter1 for there are
 more ways  to one intent1 and to one   
end1 saith ,geber4 ,take raine or       
fountain  water1 put it in a ,cornue1   
upon the sand with a slow fire2 and     
distill thereof a fourth part1 which is 

more rare and subtill4 ,continue        
afterwards the distillation even to the 
feces1 which you cast away4 ,and  see   
that you have good store of this meane  
substance1 with which1 you  shall       
reiterate the distillation seaven times1
 being alwayes the fourth  part that    
will first issue out1 which is the      
phlegme1 and the feces  are the slime4  
,in the fourth1 you shall begin to see  
the sulphurities  of all colours in the 
forme of huskes and pieces of gold4 ,the
 seaven  distillations being perfected  
put your meane substance in an alembec1 
to the fire with a soft bath2 and draw  
that which may ascend1 which  shall be  
yet of phlegme1 then you shall see      
created little stones1  and pieces of   
all colours which will goe to the       
bottome2 stay your  distillation1 and   
let them settle1 then evacuate that     
which remains  sweetly with water3 and  
doe so1 with all your mean substance1   
and  make there little stones to        
multiply in the bath4 ,when you shall   

have  enough dry them in the ,sun1 or   
before an easie fire1 and put them in a 
glasse-bottle well sealed1 with the fire
 of a lampe or the like1 for  three or  
foure months and your matter will be    
congealed and fixed  except a certaine  
small portion thereof1 which will arise 
along the  sides of the vessell3 ,this  
here is the mean substance1 of the first
  matter of all things1 which is water4 
,but that we be not deceived or  abused1
 all these practises1 which are but an  
image and portrait halfe  rudely hewen  
out of the manner which we must hold in 
the extraction  of liquors4 ,from whence
 they resolve of themselves into        
moisture1 all  sorts of salt1 as well   
common1 as ,salalkali1 tartar1 and other
 the  like2 the sweet oleaginous        
substance swimming above the water with 
the salt and bitter1 which there        
remaineth dissolved1 and after the      
extraction of the water1 remaineth a    
congealed salt in the bottome2  that is 
to say1 to separate the oile from salts3

 which cannot be done  without great    
artifice3 ,but it is not reasonable to  
discover it1 and  divulge all openly2   
but to reserve something therein1 for   
fear of doing  wrong to the curious     
endeavours of some learned men who have 
taken so  much paines and travail1 to   
come to the knowledge of these fine     
secrets4    ,it hath pleased me in some 
sort to runne through the foresaid      
experiments of water as well for the    
importance and rarity which  they have1 
as for that it depends upon salt whereof
 water makes the  principall part3 and  
likewise of the sea1 from whence        
separating the  sweet substance the salt
 remains solid congealed2 and of this   
salt  resolved by it selfe1 to moisture1
 they extract by distillation the       
greatest part of sweet water2 by meanes 
whereof1 without departure from  this   
subject of salt1 it will not be amisse1 
to touch here something of  the ,sea1   
whose water is as a body1 the salt      
enclosed not perceiveable  to the sight1

 but well to the tast1 are the vitall   
spirits1 and the  oleaginous inflamable 
substance envelopped within the salt2   
the soule  and the life of the nature of
 aire1 or of wind2 remember because wind
  is my life4 ,there are then two       
substances in the ,sea1 and by          
consequent  in salt2 the one liquid1 and
 volatile1 which ascends upward1 and is 
double1 water namely and oile2 the one  
and the other sweet and fresh3  ,and the
 other fix1 and solid1 which is bitter  
and salt2 wherefore  it was that ,homer 
called the ,ocean the father of ,gods   
and of  men1 for by stretching out of   
all side crossewise1 the ,conduits and  
spongiosities of the earth which hee    
holds encompassed round about2  as a dry
 hanging on to some rock there within by
 a providence of  nature is made a      
separation of substances of the fresh1  
namely1 and of  the salt3 for the       
,marine water1 passeth through these    
,conduits1 they  unsalt it1 even as they
 should distill it by an ,alembic or    

,cornue1  or as one should passe it     
through sand many times1 part whereof   
should remaine baked in the earth for   
the production and nouriture of         
vegetables3 part passeth through        
springs1 wells1 and fountaines1 whence  
all flouds and rivers are formed1       
,eccles4 #a4g4 ,all rivers runne into   
the ,sea1 yet the ,sea is not full1 unto
 the place from whence the rivers  come1
 thither they returne againe4 ,and part 
elevates it selfe aloft1  by meanes of  
the ,sun and starres1 which draw and    
suck them1 as well for  their nouriture1
 as for the formation of raines1 snowes1
 hailes1 and  other aqueous expressions 
in the aire4 ,the salt which is more    
grosse1  heavy and terrestriall remains 
invisqued in the veines1 and conduits of
  the earth1 where heat inclosed bakes  
it1 digests1 alters1 and changes  it    
into another nature for the production  
of all sorts of ,minerals1  by meanes of
 the portion of fresh water mingled     
therewith1 which  dissolves and washeth 

off these salts1 so that finally1 having
 been  brought to their last perfection 
according to natures intention1 shee    
enformes that which shee hath           
determined4 ,the ,sea then is not so    
barren  and unfruitfull as some poets   
and ,philosophers have made it2 ,plato  
himselfe1 in his ,phedon1 where he      
saith1 that nothing could be there      
procreated worthy of ,jupiter3 because  
all the ,animals procreated  therein are
 wild1 untameable and indocill1 and in  
which there is  neither amity nor       
sweetnesse4 ,but what shall we say of   
the ,dolphin  that saved ,arion1 and of 
many others1 alledged by ,plutarch in   
his  treaty3 ,what animalls are the     
wisest1 those on land1 or those in the  
water8 of fishes likewise wherewith the 
,indians are served1 as with  a chained 
,grayhound8 ,but it is very smal1 to    
take fish1 never letting  go what he    
hath once fastned on4 ,truely a ,brach  
nor couching spaniell1  cannot bee more 
spirituall1 or docible than this fish1  

at least if it  be true what is related 
to have often times been seen by the    
eye1 in  the thirteenth booke of        
,gonzalo d',ovidiedo of his naturall    
history  of the ,indies4 ,chap #aj4 ,and
 of ,peter ,martyr1 of another sort of  
fish called ,manati1 which being taken  
at ,sea very little1 and from  thence   
put into a standing lake1 became tame1  
and privately would  come1 and take     
bread from mens hands3 and would not    
faile to come a  good way off1 when hee 
was called1 leaving himselfe to be      
handled at  their pleasure1 and carried 
them upon his back1 as on a bridge      
crosse  the lake1 from one side to the  
other3 ,but fresh water fishes1 are     
they more docile then those of the ,sea8
 ,the gyptian ,preists1 above  all      
others abhorred the ,sea1 calling it the
 finall end1 the death1  and destruction
 of all things3 because the water       
thereof1 killeth all  ,animalls that    
drink thereof3 and is as the sepulcher  
of all rivers1  that goe lose themselves

 and die therein2 and the earth is the  
same for  all bodies1 from whence none  
are spewed out4 ,to this purpose ,chiia 
in the ,zohar deploring #8the death of  
,rabbi ,simeon author thereof1  after he
 had cast himselfe on the earth and     
embraced him1 used such a  language1 ,o 
earth1 earth1 dust1 dust1 how hard and  
unpitifull art  thou8 ,for whatsoever is
 most desireable to the sight1 thou     
makest  old and deformed1 thou breakest 
in peices the shining ,columnes of  the 
world4 ,how doest thou quench the cleare
 resplendent lights which  received     
theirs from the eternall living spring1 
wherewith the whole  world was          
illustrated6 ,the ,princes and          
,potentates given to the people  to     
governe them1 and to administer ,justice
 unto them1 by which they are           
maintained1 and subsist1 waxe old and   
end in thee3 and thou remainest  alwayes
 persistent in thy selfe1 not being able
 to satisfie or satiate  thy selfe with 
so many bodyes1 that returne thither3 so

 that the world  is therein confounded  
and lost1 and afterwards renewes it self
 of a  suddaine4' ,but for the regard of
 the ,sea1 the gyptian ,priests had  it 
in such detestation1 that they could not
 endure to see the very  ,mariners1 nor 
the ,islanders as people which on all   
parts were cut off  from humane         
commerce4 ,and the ,britains1 7separated
 from the world  by an element which    
they say is the fifth17 so austere1     
outrageous1  and unpittiable3 and for   
that cause they abstained from salt1    
because  that among other things it     
provoked to lasciviousnesse4 ,the       
occasion  also for which they so much   
rejected the ,sea1 was something        
mysticall  and allegoricall3 because it 
doth not wash spots or uncleannesse4 ,so
  that ,homer made1 and not without     
reason1 that ,nausicaa ,alcinous        
daughter1 washed her linnen and clothes 
in a fountaine of fresh water  on the   
,sea shore1 for the truth is that       
,sea-water doth not wash4  ,that which  

,aristotle1 7as ,plutarch puts it7 in   
the first of the  ,symposiaques #i4     
question1 referre to the pickle         
wherewith the  ,sea-water is alwayes    
filled1 so that there being nothing     
empty therein  it could receive no      
filthiness4 ,and lee1 is it not the     
same2 yea more  full of salt2 yea more  
unctuous and fat then that of the sea8  
so  that according to ,aristotles       
testimony1 men put sea-water in their   
lamps1 to make them shine clearer1 and  
cast upon the flame1 it becomes         
lighted2 in which there may be also     
mystery contained1 concerning fire  and 
salt1 and their affinity together4      
,join hereunto that wee may see that    
salt is an enemy to all filthinesse  and
 uncleannesse2 and will not thereto     
adjoin or associate2 no more  then fire1
 which will nothing but pure things1    
said good ,raimund  ,lullius4 ,yet to   
the aforesaid purpose1 ,plutarch in his 
naturall  causes1 sets down that the    
sea-water1 doth neither nourish nor     

feed1  trees1 or plants2 because being  
grosse and heavy it cannot mount into   
their stalks1 which thicknesse and      
grosness is seen1 for that carryeth     
greater burthens then the fresh water3  
and this comes from the salt  therein   
dissolved1 and it is earthly and        
consequently more uneasy to  sinke4     
,moreover trees being 7according to the 
opinion of ,plato1  ,democritus1        
,anaxagoras1 and others17 a terrestriall
 ,animall1 it  cannot give it           
nourishment2 for bitter doth not        
nourish1 but sweet  only4 ,but what     
shall wee say of so many fishes that are
 procreated  and nourished in the sea1  
of herbs also1 and of trees8 ,francisco 
de  ,oviedo lib4 #b4 ch4 #e4 sets down  
that in the first discoverie of         
,christopher ,columbus1 they found as of
 great green and yellow medowes  in the 
main sea1 more then two hundred leagues 
from land1 of certain  herbes called    
,salgazzi1 which go floting on the top  
of the waters1  as the winds carry them 

from one side to another4 ,in the       
relation of  ,francis ,vlloa1 he sets   
down that the root of the herbs1 whereof
 he  gives the description and figure1  
do not sink more then #ab or #ae fadome 
in the water1 yellow yet1 as wax4       
,but wee sufficiently see trees and     
bushes growing along the sea-shore1  and
 even in the very sea3 yet ,plutarch    
insisteth that those that grow  along   
the shore of the ,red-sea1 are there    
procreated  nourished with  the slime   
which the flouds carry thither1 and fall
 therein2 which he  might have spoken   
more properly of the greater sea1       
otherwise called  ,pontus ,euxinus4 ,and
 ,plinie lib4 #ah4 cha4 #bb4 that the   
herbs  which grow within the water are  
nourished with rains3 but it would      
follow1 that if so1 they should         
procreate in all other places where it  
rains indifferently4    ,aristotle with 
better reason refers it to the grosse   
and unctuous  saltnesse which is        
therewith mingled4 ,salt being fat and  

unctuous1  which is the cause that salt 
water doth not so easily quench fire1   
as fresh water4 ,but this saltnesse is  
equall throughout all the sea4  ,plinie 
himself lib4 #ai4 ch4 #aa4 specifies1   
,certain herbes which  salt waters do   
much profit4 ,these are secrets of      
,nature to which mans  discourse can    
hardly arrive4 ,for herbs by a          
providence thereof may well  suck and   
draw from salt water1 a fresh or sweet  
substance wherewith  they are procreated
 and nourished as the fishes4    ,but   
this is not our principall drift3 we    
have here endeavoured to shew  that     
,salt is not unfruitfull1 but the cause 
of fertility provoking  venereall       
appetite1 whence ,venus is said to be   
begotten of the sea2  if men give salt  
unto animalls to heat them the more1 and
 make them eat  salt as ,plutarch puts  
it in his #c4 queston of ,naturall      
causes4 ,and  wee see by experience1    
that in ships laden with salt1 rats and 
mice1  are sooner engendred then in     

others2 this which must so much the more
  cry down salt in regard of holy       
things1 from whence all mutability  and 
lubricity must be bannished2 but salt is
 in the number of things  that are      
applyed to the good1 and to the bad     
part4 ,of the good we  have heretofore  
alledged many places4 ,of the bad for   
the sterility1  ,gen4 #ad4 #c4 ,all     
shall assemble themselves in the wild   
valley which  is now the sea of salt4   
,and in the #ai4 chap4 #bf4 as also in  
the #aj4 of  ,wisdome1 v4 #g4 of ,lots  
wife1 who for her incredulity and       
disobeying  the ,angels voice1 she was  
turned into a pillar of salt3 ,and      
,judges #i4  #de4 the habitations of    
,rebells and ,traitors were razed and   
sowed with  salt4 ,and in the #b of     
,zephaniah v4 #i4 ,moab shall be as     
,sodome1 a  desolation of nettles1 and  
thistles and heaps of salt4    ,but we  
see upon the ebbing and flowing of the  
salt pits in the ,marshes  of           
,zaintonge1 where they empty the durt1  

which are as salt as the sea  it self1  
where it produceth the best wheat1 that 
possibly can be1 and  in great quantity1
 and very excellent wines also3 ,but    
there is another  consideration in that1
 as in ,marle1 and in the dry places of 
,ardonne1  where they burne the cuttings
 of trees1 of #g or #h years1 as also   
quick  chalk which supplies the place of
 dung in their grounds3 for those  ashes
 would produce nothing of themselves1 no
 more then ,marle or salt1  but they are
 the cause of production because they   
warm and fatten the  land4 ,there is yet
 another reason1 that ,plutarch         
alledgeth1 ,that  throughout where there
 is ,salt nothing can grow thick1 or be 
close  together2 which constipation     
would hinder herbs to thrust out3       
,moreover  many medicaments and remedies
 do come from salt3 whereupon ,i will   
not  here lose time1 on that which      
,plinie1 ,dioscorides and others1 have  
set down and treated of cursorily and in
 hast1 with closed eyes one  after      

another1 not having made proof thereof2 
add to this1 it is so  triviall and     
beaten as nothing more1 but will touch  
here1 in passing  the ,countrey1 an     
experiment1 whereof ,i have seen very   
admirable effects  in burning feavers   
and unquietnesse1 where they could not  
take rest4 ,it  is a frontall made in   
this manner4    ,take the yolk of a     
fresh ,eg1 and as much gross salt1 beat 
them together  in shape of an ointment1 
which you shall apply to your forehead1 
between two folded linnen clothes3 ,it  
doth not coole the brain1 nor  cause    
such accidents2 as conserve of ,roses   
do1 ,oxyrhodinon likewise1  and brings  
much more comfort4      ,,finis4        
,transcriber's ,note3                   
,this e-text is based on the #afdi      
edition4 ,obvious punctuation errors    
and doubled words have been tacitly     
removed4 ,obsolete1 inconsistent1  and  
alternative spellings have been left    
unchanged unless the sense of  the      
respective phrase would be              

incomprehensible4    ,infrequently1 the 
original print image is faded2          
therefore1 single  letters had to be    
restored to match the meaning of the    
respective  words4 ,the following       
typographical errors have been          
corrected3        p4 #e3 #8dreame2 ,but'
  #8dreame4 ,but'      p4 #aj3 #8,but   
what it this fire8'  #8,but what is this
 fire8'      p4 #ab3 #8it takes it      
nourishment'  #8it takes its            
nourishment'      p4 #bc3 #8earth1 aud  
produced'  #8earth1 and produced'       
p4 #ce3 #8things that are'3 letter #8e' 
had been printed upside down      p4    
#ci3 #8,sith other thingt'  #8,sith     
other things'      p4 #dd3              
#8,astologers'  #8,astrologers'      p4 
#df 7sidenote73 #8,p4 #gc'  #8,p4 #gb'  
p4 #ej3 #8accordng'  #8according'       
p4 #ea3 #8the water whch is thereupon'  
#8the water which is          thereupon'
      p4 #eb3 #8,heavnn'  #8,heaven'    
p4 #ee3 #8afterwatds'  #8afterwards'    
p4 #eg3 #8throughly'  #8thoroughly'     

p4 #ei3 #8enbarked'  #8embarked'2       
#8besige'  #8besiege'      p4 #fj3      
#8violl'  #8viall'      p4 #ga3         
#8tkerein'  #8therein'      p4 #fj3     
#8violl'  #8viall'      p4 #hb3         
#8adultererer'  #8adulterer'      p4    
#hh3 #8patience tpatience experience'   
#8patience1 patience                    
experience' #8preverse opinions' should 
possibly read3 #8perverse               
opinions'      p4 #ie3 #8retun to ,god' 
#8return to ,god'      p4 #if3 #8,st4   
,auguistine'  #8,st4 ,augustine'      p4
 #ajj3 #8it is said in the of ,deut4'3  
missing chapter number 7#d7          has
 been inserted      p4 #ajc3 #8extends  
it light'  #8extends its light'      p4 
#abc3 #8,is is written'  #8,it is       
written'      p4 #adb3 #8forbiddding'   
#8forbidding'      p4 #adf3 #8are as it 
it were'  #8are as if it were'      p4  
#aed3 #8 scret considerations'  #8      
secret considerations'    ,italic       
passages have been symbolised by        
underscores 7italic72 forward  slashes  

represent small caps 7_/small caps_/74