Originally it was but one Element Fire. Thus the Universal fire became a Vapour of immense Extent, which by further inspissation became chaotic water, and out of this Chaotic Water the Creator separated the Light, that is: separated the Universal invisible fire into Light. Thus we see here that Universal, at first invisible fire manifested in two Principles, Light and Humidity!
Therefore out of Light and water, the creator has created all Things.Water was the first condensation or corporification of the Universal fire, which water nevertheless in its center was, and remains fire, full of life and activity, and the more so, as it was assisted by its Equal, the Light, separated out of it, as much as was necessary for the creating of all immaterial and material Beings, and in success of time for their maintenance.
Of the separated Light we have spoken before, we have now to consider its first body Humidity or water. This water differs it regard to Rarefaction or Density; if Rarefied to a certain Degree it constitutes air, that is fire predominating above water, but if condensed to a degree it becomes Humid water, or Humidity predominating above fire. Nevertheless, in both, that is in their Center lays concealed fire or the Universal spirit.
As soon as the air gets deprived of its Universal fire, which animates it and renders it elastic, it becomes immediately putrid, and thereby declines lower down, becomes Humidity, mud, earth and immoveable; it is the same case with water when deprived of fire, or of animated air, it becomes putrid, condenses still further and becomes earth, immoveable.
The Creator has ordained it so that the Universal spirit by means of Humidity should work all things, because Humidity mixes easily with everything, by means of which the spirit can soften, penetrate, generate. destroy and regenerate all things. Thus Humidity or water is the Body, the Vehicle and Tool, but the spirit or fire is the Operator, the Universal Agent and fabricator of all Natural Things.
This universal fire fills that immense space in the Universe between the heavenly bodies; and as it has a power to become material, it generates a subtle vapour or invisible most subtle Humidity, its first passive principle: It causes therein a gentle Reaction, and a general, gentle, most subtle Fermentation takes place Universally, and by this Reaction the Universal Acid is everywhere generated, which we can deem nothing else than a most subtle incorporeal Nitre Spiritus Mundi, outwardly cold and inwardly fire.
Thus this Spiritual incorporeal Nitre or Universal Acid; we deem the second invisible change of the Universal fire, generated out of chaotic invisible Humidity: and as this approaches the atmospheres of the heavenly bodies, it becomes gradually more and more material, until it meets an alkaline passive principle wherein it fixes itself and forms Native nitre, so that from Spiritus Mundi, it becomes nitre.
Thus we say, not without good reason, that the Solar Rays of Light, are nothing else but a most subtle spiritual Spiritual Mundi, which gradually becomes more and more nitreous, as it approaches the Earth, but Sea Salt in the Ocean; animating the atmosphere with fire or Life, and thereby giving elasticity to the air, and Life and preservation to the water. From this, every man of common understanding may learn what Nature is, and its origin.(The Golden Chain of Homer)
'The Universal Fire' original artwork by Matthew James
