Lumen de Lumine

Fire, notwithstanding the Diversities of it in this Sublunarie Kitchin of the Elements, is but one Thing, from one Root. The Effects of it are various according to the Distance, and Nature of the subject wherein it resides, for that makes it Vital, or Violent. It sleeps in most things as in Flints, where it is silent and Invisible. It is a kind of perdue: lys close like a Spider in the Cabinet of his Web, to surprise all that comes within his lines. He never appears without his prey in his Foot, where he finds ought that’s Combustible there he discovers himself, for if wee speak properly, he is not generated, but manifested. Some Men are of Opinion that hee breeds nothing, but devoures all things, and is therefore call’d Ignis quasi Ingignens: This is a Grammaticall Whim, for there is nothing in the world generated without Fire. What a fine Philosopher then was Aristotle, who tels us this Agent breeds nothing but his Pyrausta, a certain Fly which he found in his Candle, but could never be seen afterwards? Indeed too much Heat burns and destroyes, and if we descend to other Natures, too much water drowns, too much earth buries and choaks the seed that it cannot come up: And verily at this Rate there is nothing in the world that generats. What an Owle was he then, that could not distinguish with all his Logic between Excesse and Measure, between Violent and Vital Degrees of Heat, but concluded the Fire did Breed nothing, because it consumed something? But let the Mule passe, for so Plato call’d him, and let us prosecute our secret fire.