Book I. rhe Temple ^/Wifdome. 67

which are alfomanifold, let us conie again andiorC ourfpeechcs, firft we muft treat of the Elements, then of the manifold Diviiions of the Earth, and ot her twelve Regions^ c^c.
Firft there are two things, viz. Fire and Earth, which are fuflicient for the operation of all won- dcrfuU thingSjthe former is aftive, the latter pafiive Fire^f as dLithEugemus theodidaSus^)in allthings and through all things , comes and goes away bright> and at the fame time fecret and unknowuj whea it is by it (elf f no other matter comming to ir, which (hould manifeft its proper Adions, it is boundleffe and invinble, of itfelf fufficient for every Aftion, that is proper toitimoveable^yeeldiilgit fclf after a mariner toal things that come next to it,reviewing3 guarding nature, enlightning, not comprehended by lights, that are vailed over,cleere parted, leaping back, bounding upwards, quick in motion, and gi* ying motion to the Earth, and that the reafon the earth movesj as my friend Mr. John Booker will de- ihonftratetoybu; fire is high, alwayesraifing mo- tion, comprehending another, not comprehen- ded it felf, not ftanding in need of another, fe- Cretly increafing of it felf, and manifcrrs its greac- neffe to things that receive it, Aftive, Powerful!, Invifible, Prefcnt in all things at once; ic will hot be affronted or oppofed , but as it were in a. way of revenge^it will reduce on a fudden things ia» io obedience to it felf, incomprehenlible, impal* pable, notleflened, moftrich, inall difpenfatiohs of it felfj Fire, as faith my friend and veryncer lanfman, S^ John HejdonKmght^ from his own ex- i^ericnce, that fire is the fcoundlcfle and mif- ' IJievous part of the nature of things, ic being a E ^ queftiosi
' 68 The Temple of Wifdome. B o o K. I.
queftion, whether it deftroyes or produceth inoft things ? Fire it felf is one and penetrat^i through all things^ (as fay alfo the Kofie Cruet" ans^ alfo fp read abroad in the Heavens , and (hining, but in the infernal place, ftrcightned, darke and tormenting , in the mid way it per- takes of both; fire therefore in it felf is onc^ but in that which receives it manifold ; and in d ffering fubjefts, ft is diftributed in a different manner, as you may read in my Book called j IheHoly Guide j That fire then^ which we ufe, is fetched out of other things , it is in Stones , and is fetched out by the ftroke of the 5'teele $ it is in Earth, and makes that, after digging up to fmoak j It is in Water and heats Springs and Wells: It is in the depth of the *9ea , and makes that, being tofled with winds warme : It is in the Aire, and makes it (as we fomtimeg fee) to burnc, and all Animals and livuig things whatfoever, as alfo all vegitables arc prcferved by Heat, and every thing that lives , lives -by reafon of the inclofed heat, the properties of the fire that is above, are heat, making all things fi'uitfull and light, giving life to all things; the properties of the infernal fires are a partching hear, confuming all things; and darknefs making all things barren, Fire drives away all ill things, in as much as it hath an Analogy with, and is the ve- hiculum of that fuperiour light; as alfo of him who faith, I am the light of the World, which is true fire, the Father of lights, from whom every good thing, that is given comes : fending forth the light of his Fire, and communicating it felf to the Sun, and the reft of the Superiour bodies, and by thefe, as by Me- diating Inftf iiments, conveying that light into our • Fire^
BooK.l. Tie Temple ^/Wifdome. 69
Fire 5 and the great Jehovah himfelfcin the old Law commanded that all his Sacrifices fhould be offered jvith Fire, and that Fire (hould alwayes be burning upon the Altar: And that they muft not fpeak of God without a light ; good Angels are augmented by the Sun, and alfo by the light of our common Fire, and evil Spirits, are driven away ; therefore lights and fires, fhould be kindled by the Corps of the Dead, and here follow the four Figures of the Fire.
Now the Bafis and Foundation of all the ElementFg is the Earth, for that is the ob;eft, fubjefV, and re- ceptacle of all Celeftical rayes and influences, in it are contained the feeds and feminal venues of all things : and therefore it is faid to be Animal, Vigi- tableandiV^ineral, it being made fruitful bytheo- ther Elements, and the Heavens brings forth all thingsof itfelf : it receives the abundance of all things, and as it were the firft fountaiiie, from whence all things fpring 5 it is the Centre, Founda- tion, and Mother of all thinrs, take as much of it as you pleafe, feparatedjvvafhedjdepurated fubtillizcd; if you let it lie in the open Aire a little while, it will being full, and abounding with heavenly vertues of it felf, bring forth plants, and worms, and other Uying things, alfoftones and brightfparksof Met-
E 3 tals^
70 T^e Temple
tals, in it arc great fecrets, .if at any time it (hall be purified by the help of Pire, and reduced unto its limplicity, by a convenient wafhings it is the firft macter of our Creation, and the trueft Medicine that can reftore aiid preferve us, and thefe be the four Figures of the Earth.
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Chap. XX. of the Water^ and of her Figures.
THe other two Elements, viz, .Water and Aire*^ not lefs efficacioiiSj then the former ; neither arc the Rulers, and their Ideas^ wanting to work wonderful things in them ; thei^ is fo great a necef- fity ofwaterjthat with it no living thing can livejno hearb or plant whatfoever, without the moiftning of water can branch forth, in it is the feminary vertue of all things, efpecially of Animals, whofe fecdis manifeftly waterifhs The Seeds alfouf Trees and Plants, although they are Earthly, rauft not^ withftanding of necefficy be rotted in Water, before they can be fruitful, whether they be imbibed with the moifture of the Earthy or with Dew^ orRaine,
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