What use the air is for as to the life of things

Air gives life to all things, bodies, and substances, that are produced, and generated of the Earth. Now you must know what, and what manner of thing the life of every thing in particular is;

What the life of things is.and it is nothing else then a spirituall essence, a thing that is invisible, impalpable, a spirit, and spirituall. What things have life.Wherefore there is no corporeall thing, which hath not a spirit lying hid in it, as also a life, which, as I said before, is nothing but a spirituall thing. For not only that hath life which moves, and stirres, as Men, Animals, Vermine of the earth, Birds in the Aire, Fish in the sea, but also all corporeall, and substantiall things. For here wee must know that God in the beginning of the Creation of all things, created no body at all without its spirit, which it secretly contains in it.

What is the difference betwixt the Spirit and the Body.

For what is the body without a spirit? Nothing at all. Wherefore the spirit contains in it secretly the virtue, and power of the thing, and not the body. For in the body there is death, and the body is the subject of death, neither is any else to be sought for in the body, but death.

The Spirit never dyes.

For that may severall wayes bee destroyed, and corrupted, but the spirit cannot. For the living spirit remains for ever, and also is the subject of life: and preserves the body alive; but in the ruine of the body it is separated from it, and leaves behind it a dead body, and returnes to its place, from whence it came, viz. into the Chaos, and the air of the upper and lower Firmament. Hence it appears that there are divers spirits, as well as divers bodies.

The division of the Spirit according to the variety of bodies.

For there are spirits Celestiall, Infernall, Humane, Metalline, Minerall, of Salts, of Gemmes, of Marcasites, of Arsenicks, of Potable things, of Rootes, of Juices, of Flesh, of Blood, of Bones, &c. The Spirit is the life of all Corporeall things.Wherefore also know that the spirit is most truly the life, and balsome of all Corporeall things. But now wee will proceed to the species, and briefly describe to you in this place the life of every naturall thing in particular.

What the life of man is

The life therefore of all men is nothing else but an Astrall balsome, a Balsamick impression, and a celestiall invisible Fire, an included Aire, and a tinging spirit of Salt. I cannot name it more plainly, although it bee set out by many names. And seeing wee have declared the best, and chiefest, wee shall bee silent in these which are lesse materiall.

What the life of metals is. The life of metals is a secret fatnesse, which they have received from Sulphur, which is manifest by their flowing, for every thing that flowes in the fire, flowes by reason of that secret fatnesse that is in it: unlesse that were in it, no Metall could flow, as wee see in Iron, and Steel, which have lesse Sulphur, and fatnesse then all the other metals, wherefore they are of a dryer Nature then all the rest.

What the life of Mercury is. Mercury is like to a garment of skins.

The life of Mercury is nothing else but the internall heat, and externall coldnesse, i.e. it makes the internall part of its body hot, and the outward part cold, and therefore might well bee compared to a garment made of skins, which doth even as Mercury make hot, and cold. For if a man wears such a garment it makes him warme, and keeps him from the cold: but if the smooth part of those skins bee put upon his naked body, it makes him cold, and is good against too much heat; wherefore it was a custome in ancient time, and still is in some places, to weare skins as well in Summer, as in Winter, as against cold in the one, so against heat in the other: in Summer they turn the smooth side inward, and the hairy side outward; and in Winter the hairy side inward, and the smooth side outward. As therefore you have heard of the garment of skins, so also it may bee said of Mercury.

What the life of Sulphur is.

The life of Sulphur is a combustible, stinking fatnesse, for whilst it burns, and stinks, it may be said to be alive.

What the life of Salts is.

Now the life of all Salts is nothing else but the spirit of Aquæ fortis: for that water being drawne from them, that which remains in the bottome, is called Dead earth.

What the life of Gemmes and Coralls is.

The life of Gemmes, and Coralls is only their colour, which with spirit of Wine may be taken from them.

What the life of Pearls is.

The life of Pearls is nothing else but their splendor, which they lose in calcination.

What the life of the Loadstone is.

The life of the Loadstone is the spirit of Iron, which may bee extracted, and taken away with spirit of Wine.

The life of Flints what.

The life of Flintes is a mucilaginous matter.

The life of Marcasites what. The life of Marcasites, Cachymia, Talcum, Cobaltum, Zimri, Granata, Wismat, and of Antimony is a tinging Metalline spirit.

The life of Arsenicks. life of Arsenickes, Auripigment, Operment, Realgar, and such like matters, is a Minerall, and coagulated poison.

The life of Excrements The life of Excrements, i.e. of mans dung, or beast dung is their stinking smell, for this being lost they are dead.

The life of aromaticall things. The life of Aromaticall things, viz. of Muske, Amber Gryse, Civet, and whatsoever yeelds a strong, good, and sweet smell is nothing else but that gratefull odour: for if they lose this they are dead and of no use.

The life of sweet things. The life of sweet things, as of Sugar, Honey, Manna, Cassia, and such like is in their tinging, and subtile sweetnesse, for if that sweetnesse bee taken from them by distilling, or subliming they are dead, unprofitable, and nothing worth.

The life of Rozzens. The life of all Rozzens, as Amber, Turpentine, Gumme, is the muciliginous shining fatnesse, which gives that excellent vernish to them all: for when they will yeeld no more vernish, and lose their shining, they are dead.

The life of Plants. The life of Hearbs, Roots, Apples, and other such like fruit, is nothing else but the liquor of the Earth, which they lose of their own accord, if they do but want water, and Earth.

The life of Wood. The life of Wood is a certaine Rozzen, for any wood if it want Rozzen can live no longer.

The life of Bones. The life of Bones is the liquor of Mummie.

The life of flesh. The life of flesh, and blood is nothing else but the spirit of Salt, which preserves them from stinking, and putrefaction, and is of it self as water separated from them.

The life of every Element. Now concerning the life of Elements, you must know that the life of Water is its running. For when by the coldnesse of the Firmament it is congealed into ice, it is dead, and its mischievousnesse is taken from it, that nobody can bee drowned in it.

What the life of Fire is. The life of Fire is Aire, for air makes fire burne with greater vehemency, and heate: Also there cometh forth from all Fire a kind of Aire, which will blow out a candle, and drives up a feather, as you may dayly see before your eyes. Wherefore[Pg 34] the flame of Fire is choaked if it bee so stopt up, that it can neither receive in Aire, and let out its own Aire.

What the life of air is. The air lives by, and of it self, and gives life to all other things.

What the life of Earth is. The earth of it self is dead, but the Element of it is an invisible, and secret life.