The Preface.
bilis, Filius Solis, Aſtrum inferius, Faber occultus, Intrinſecus; with a thouſand other names. It is ſans all Metaphors: ὸ Θεῖον πῦς, κὶ παντότροφον. and that I may ſpeak Truth even in the phraſe of Ariſtotle, it is Θειότερονς οιχεῖον, κὶ ᾀνάλογον τᾡ τῶνς ρωνς οιχείω. This is that Fire which Zoroaſter calls Ἐμπυροείδτω τ≡ κόσμε ψυχτὼ, κὶ εῦς ζοηφόριον. In plain terms, it is the Tincture of the Matrix, a fiery, radiant Soul, that calls up another Soul like it ſelf: for it awakes the Anima of the Mercury, which is almoſt drown’d in a cold and phegmatic Lethe. And here Reader, if it be thy Endeavor to underſtand the Philoſophers: for they tell us, that God had firſt created the Chaos, and afterwards divided it into three Portions. Of the firſt he made the Spiritual World, of the ſecond the Viſible Heavens, and their Lights; but the third and worſt part was appointed for this Sublunary Building. But out of this courſe and remaining Portion he extracted the Elemental Quinteſſence, or firſt Matter of all Earthly Things, and of this the four Elements (for there is
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