Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/37

depth of the Sea, and makes that, being toſſed with winds, warm: it is in the Aire, and makes it (as we oftentimes ſee) to burn. And all Animals, and living things whatſoever, as alſo all Vegetables are preſerved by heat: and every thing that lives, lives by reaſon of the incloſed heat. The properties of the Fire that is above, are heat, making all things Fruitfull, and light, giving life to all things. The properties of the infernall Fire are a parching heat, conſuming all things, and darkneſs, making all things barren. The Celeſtiall, and bright Fire drives away ſpirits of darkneſs; alſo this our Fire made with Wood drives away the ſame, in as much as it hath an Analogy with, and is the vehiculum of that Superior light; as alſo of him, who ſaith, I am the Light of the World, which is true Fire, the Father of lights, from whom every good thing that is given, Comes; ſending forth the light of his Fire, and communicating it firſt to the Sun, and the reſt of the Celeſtiall bodies, and by theſe, as by mediating inſtruments, conveying that light into our Fire. As therefore the ſpirits of darkneſs are ſtronger in the dark: ſo good ſpirits, which are Angels of Light, are augmented, not only by that light, which is Divine, of the Sun, and Celeſtiall, but alſo by the light of our common Fire. Hence it was that the firſt, and moſt wiſe inſtitutors of Religions, and Ceremonies ordained, that Prayers, Singings, and all manner of Divine Worſhips whatſoever ſhould not be performed without lighted Candles, or Torches. (Hence alſo was that ſignificant ſaying of Pythagoras. Do not ſpeak of God without a Light) and they commanded that for the driving away of wicked ſpirits, Lights and Fires ſhould be kindled by the Corpſes of the dead, and that they ſhould not be removed, untill the expiations were after a Holy manner performed, and they buried. And the great Jehovah himſelf in the old Law Commanded that all his Sacrifices ſhould be offered with Fire, and that Fire ſhould always be burning upon the Altar, which Cuſtome the Prieſts of the Altar did always obſerve, and keep amongſt the Romanes. Now the Baſis, and foundation of all the Elements, is the Earth, for that is the object, ſubject, and receptacle of all Celeſtiall rayes, and