The Three Principles of the Divine Essence
Chapter 17: Of the horrible, lamentable, and miserable Fall of Adam and Eve in Paradise. Man 's Looking-Glass. (7)
For the Element is without Understanding, and that is that [which is attracted or] concreted in the Will of God, wherein the eternal Wisdom of God does [sparkle or] discover itself in infinitum [infinitely,] and in that spring up Colours, Arts, Virtues, and the eternal Wonders; out of which [Element] in the Beginning (in the Kindling of the Fire in the stern Fierceness) are the four Elements proceeded.
Chapter 3: Of the most blessed Triumphing, Holy, Holy, Holy Trinity, GOD the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, ONE only God. (74)
And thus also the fourth Element must adhere or belong to a natural Spirit, or it is not capable of Reason. ["And thus God the Father goes forth in hi...
(74) in the Deep the Power of all Stars, together with the Heat and Lustre of the Sun, are all but one Thing, a moving boiling Hovering, like a Spirit or Matter; only it has not Reason, for it is not the Holy Spirit. And thus also the fourth Element must adhere or belong to a natural Spirit, or it is not capable of Reason. ["And thus God the Father goes forth in his Deep out of all his Powers, and generates the Splendor, the Heart, or the Son of God in his Center."]
Oracles from Porphyry (P.1)
There is above the Celestial Lights an Incorruptible Flame always sparkling; the Spring of Life, the Formation of all Beings, the Original of all...
(1) There is above the Celestial Lights an Incorruptible Flame always sparkling; the Spring of Life, the Formation of all Beings, the Original of all things! This Flame produceth all things, and nothing perisheth but what it consumeth. It maketh Itself known by Itself. This Fire cannot be contained in any Place, it is without Body and without Matter. It encompasseth the Heavens. And there goeth out from it little Sparks, which make all the Fires of the Sun, of the Moon, and of the Stars. Behold! what I know of God! Strive not to know more of Him, for that is beyond thy capacity, how wise soever thou art. As to the rest, know that unjust and wicked Man cannot hide himself from the Presence of God ! No subtilty nor excuse can disguise anything from His piercing Eyes. All is full of God, and God is in All!
The Ninth Dictum (9)
Eximenus saith:—God hath created all things by his word, having said unto them: Be, and they were made, with the four other elements, earth, water,...
(9) Eximenus saith:—God hath created all things by his word, having said unto them: Be, and they were made, with the four other elements, earth, water, air, and fire, which He coagulated, and things contrary were commingled, for we see that fire is hostile to water, water hostile to fire, and both are hostile to earth and air. Yet God hath united them peacefully, so that they love one another. Out of these four elements, therefore, are all things created—heaven and the throne thereof; the angels; the sun, moon, and stars; earth and sea, with all things that are in the sea, which indeed are various, and not alike, for their natures have been made diverse by God, and also the creations. But the diversity is more than I have stated; each of these natures is of diverse nature, and by a legion of diversities is the nature of each diverse. Now this diversity subsists in all creatures, because they were created out of diverse elements. Had they been created out of one element, they would have been agreeing natures. But diverse elements being here mingled, they lose their own natures, because the dry being mixed with the humid and the cold combined with the hot, become neither cold nor hot; so also the humid being mixed with the dry becomes neither dry nor humid. But when the four elements are commingled, they agree, and thence proceed creatures which never attain to perfection, except they be left by night to putrefy and become visibly corrupt. God further completed his creation by means of increase, food, life, and government. Sons of the Doctrine, not without purpose have I described to you the disposition of these four elements, for in them is a secret arcanum; two of them are perceptible to the sense of touch and vision, and of these the operation and virtue are well known. These are earth and water. But there are two other elements which are neither visible nor tangible, which yield naught, whereof the place is never seen, nor are their operations and force known, save in the former elements, namely, earth and water; now when the four elements are not commingled, no desire of men is accomplished. But being mixed, departing from their own natures, they become another thing. Over these let us meditate very carefully.
And the Turba:—Master, if you speak, we will give heed to your words.
Then he:—I have now discoursed, and that well. I will speak only useful words which ye will follow as spoken. Know, all present, that no true tincture is made except from our copper.* Do not therefore, exhaust your brains and your money, lest ye fill your hearts with sorrow. I will give you a fundamental axiom, that unless you turn the aforesaid copper into white, and make visible coins* and then afterwards again turn it into redness,t until a Tincture results, verily, ye accomplish nothing. Burn therefore the copper, break it up, deprive it of its blackness by cooking, imbuing, and washing, until the same becomes white. Then rule it.