Lumen de Lumine

It is clear then that Terra viventium, or the Eternall Fire-Earth buds and sprouts, hath her fierie spirituall Flowers, which we call soules, as this natural Earth hath her natural Vegetables. In this mysterious sense is the Prester defin’d in the Oracles λεπτοῦ πυρὸς ἄνθος, the Flower of thin Fire. But that we may come at last to the thing intended, I think it not amisse to instruct you by this Manuduction. You know that no Artificer can build, but the Earth must be the Foundation to his Building, for without this Ground-work, his Brick and Mortar cannot stand. In the Creation when God did build, there was no such place to build upon. I aske then where did he rest his Matter, and upon what? Certainly he built, and founded Nature upon his own Supernaturall Center. He is in her, and thorough her, and with his eternall spirit doth he support Heaven and Earth, as our bodies are supported with our spirits. This is confirmed by that Oracle of the Apostle, Omnia portat verbo virtutis suae, He bears up all things with the word of his power; from this power is he justly styl’d ἀπειροδύναμος, καὶ παντοδύναμος δυναμοποιὸς δύναμις: The infinitly powerfull, and the All-powerfull power-making power. I say then that Fire and spirit are the Pillars of Nature; the props on which her whole Fabric rests, and without which it could not stand one minute.