CHAP. 3. That all things which have Essence and Life, are made by the Spirit of the World, and of the first Matter.

ALL things are nourished by the same, by which they were pro∣duced. Now that all things breathe, live, augment and grow by this Mundane Spirit, resolve and die without it, is plain. Whatsoever therefore subsists, is made by it: and this Spirit is nothing else but a simple and subtile essence, which the Philosophers call a Quintessence, be∣cause it may be separated from gross corporeity, and the superfluities of the four Elements, and so made of wonder∣ful activity in its operations; and it is now diffused over all the parts of the World; and through it, the Soul is dilated with all its vertues; which vertues are communicated most to such Page  20 Bodies as participate most of this Spirit: for the Soul is infused by, and transmitted from the superiour Bodies, as from the Sun, which acts most powerfully in this case: for this Spirit being calefied by the heat of the Sun, acquires abundance of Life, which multiplies and enlivens the seeds of all things, which thereby encrease and grow to a determinate magnitude, ac∣cording to the species and form of each thing: upon which account Virgil saith,

Now this Spirit is by Philosophers called Mercurius, because it is of many, or all forms, producing all kindes of Bodies: giving to some things a fairer, and more lasting; to others, a weaker, and more corruptible Life, according to the pre-disposition of the matter: upon which account, this fiery vigour proceeding from the Solar beams, is not Page  21 alike in all subjects, but diversified as there is more or less of it in the seeds. All matters of purer pre-dispositions, have a purer and more durable Life and Spirit: for every thing delighting in that that's likest to it, it is more then Reason, that this pure Celestial vigour should penetrate and sink deeper into purer Bodies, and make them more durable and vital. For the proof of which, we need go no further then Gold▪ which, being purer then all other Terrestrial Bodies, participates more of that Celestial Fire, which, penetrating the bowels of the Earth, findes in Mi∣nerals the pre-disposed matter (to wit, the Mercury and Sulphur, which Esdras calls, The Earth of Gold) prepared by the action and diligence of Nature, and purged and separated from all inquina∣tions of Terrestrial and adust Dregs: which matter, in the beginning, is onely some Sperm or Water mix'd with that Sperm, Powder or pure Sulphur; which, acted by the coagulative faculty, thickens by little and little; and in time, by long and continued action of the heat, hardens, and so comes to its perfection,Page  22 which is naturally simple, tincted with the colour of Fire: for heat is the Progenitor and Parent of Tinctures. If therefore it be certain, that this heat comes from the Sun, as it must needs be indubitable, who can so much contradict Truth and Reason, as to deny the Sun to be the Author and Parent of this perfection? Let us then look higher, and seek more accurately how this perfection may be caused by this mean.