Page 26 - Paracelsus Three Books of Philosophy

element is nothing but a soul. Not as though it were of the same essence with a soul,
but that it hath something like to it. The difference between the soul of an element, and
the eternal soul is this. The soul of the elements is the life of all creatures. The fire that
burns is not the element of fire, as we see, but its soul which we cannot see is the
element and life of fire. Now the element of fire may be no less in a green stick than it
is in the fire, but the very life is not alike there as it is in fire. This then is the difference
between the soul and the life. If fire lives, it burns, but if it be in the soul, that is, in its
element, then it cannot burn. Nor doth it follow, that a cold thing must needs proceed
from a cold element; for ofttimes it is from a hot one. And many cold things come
from the element of fire. Whatsoever doth grow, is from the element of fire, but in
another form. Whatever is fixed, is from the element of earth. That which nourishes, is
from the element of air. And that which consumes, is of the element of water. To grow
is the property only of fire. When that fails or goes out, there is no increase. Were it
not for the element of earth, there would be no end of growth. It is that that fixes, that
is, it limits the element of fire. So were it not for the element of air, there could be no
nourishment. For all things are nourished by the air only. Also nothing could be
dissolved or consumed, were it not for the element of water, by which all things are
mortified and brought to nothing.

But though the elements are thus hid and do altogether exist invisible and insensible
in other things, yet have they power to bring forth their mysteries. Thus the element of
fire sent forth the firmament; not in respect of the bodies, but in respect of the
elementary essence. The Sun hath another body besides what it had from the element
of fire. Yet this is essentially in it with heat. Nor is the heat thereof by motion and
rotation, but it is from itself. The Sun [would be] warm as well as shine, [even] if it
stood still and did never move at all. Crystal made the Sun of the element of fire,
though this hath no other body but what it had from the element of fire. Thence (as I
may so speak) are the bodied elements. The Moon and other stars also had their
beginning from the element of fire, but only of a red colour, in which is no heat or
burning, but hath only a kind of dead lustre cleaving to it. And though various signs in
respect of form and shape appear in heaven, of which we will not now speak, yet such
a form is meant as we have here on earth. And not one only, but divers, some whereof
we know, others we do not. For when the mystery of the element of fire was
separated, every thing came forth, such as we now see it. The stars then are the
daughters of the element of fire: and heaven is nothing but a chaos, that is, a vapour
breathing out of the firmament, but so hot as cannot be expressed. That fervour or
burning heat is the cause of lightnings, glooms and appearances. In that region is the
pure element of fire, of which more largely in its place.

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