Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/35

becauſe they can do all things upon all things. He which is ignorant of theſe, ſhall never be able to bring to paſs any wonderfull matter. Of the ſecond Order are Elements that are compounded, changeable, and impure, yet ſuch as may by art be reduced to their pure ſimplicity, whoſe vertue, when they are thus reduced to their ſimplicity, doth above all things perfect all occult, and common operations of nature: and theſe are the foundation of the whole naturall Magick. Of the third Order are thoſe Elements, which originally and of themſelves are not Elements, but are twice compounded, various, and changeable one into the other. They are the infallible Medium, and therefore are called the middle nature, or Soul of the middle nature: Very few there are that underſtand the deep myſteries thereof. In them is, by means of certain numbers, degrees, and orders, the perfection of every effect in what thing ſoever, whether Naturall, Celeſtiall, or Superceleſtiall; they are full of wonders, and myſteries, and are operative, as in Magick Naturall, ſo Divine: For from theſe, through them, proceed the bindings, looſings, and tranſmutations of all things, the knowing and foretelling of things to come, alſo the driving forth of evill, and the gaining of good ſpirits. Let no man therefore, without theſe three ſorts of Elements, and the knowledge thereof, be confident that he is able to work any thing in the occult Sciences of Magick, and Nature. But whoſoever ſhall know how to reduce thoſe of one Order, into thoſe of another, impure into pure, compounded into ſimple, and ſhall know how to underſtand diſtinctly the nature, vertue, and power of them in number, degrees, and order, without dividing the ſubſtance, he ſhall eaſily attain to the knowledge, and perfect operation of all Naturall things, and Celeſtiall ſecrets.