The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

70The third digestion gives the newly born Earth dewy milk to drink, together with all the spiritual powers of the quintessence, and binds the life-giving soul to the body through the mediation of spirit. The earth then conceals a great treasure within itself and becomes like the shining Moon at first, and afterwards like the ruddy Sun. The former is called the earth of the Moon, the latter the earth of the Sun, for both were born from the marriage of the two. Neither fears the punishments of fire any longer, because both are free from every stain: they have often been cleansed of their sin by Fire and suffered grievous martyrdom, until all the elements have been turned downwards.