PREFACE.

...contemplation is snatched up to that third heaven, the dwelling place of the blessed In traditional cosmology, the "third heaven" was the highest realm, often identified as the residence of God and the angels., and is made happy by beholding your inexplicable glory, growing rich with spiritual wealth: Enlighten, I say, O good GOD, me your servant—though I am unworthy—with the splendor of your light, so that without the interruption of darkness or the Devil, I may rightly and effectively know you and your creatures, for the sake of the love and merits of our Lord JESUS CHRIST your son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.

Since, therefore, one must arrive at the knowledge of causes through their effects, our inquiry must begin from the things better known to us, which are of two kinds: namely, matter and form Matter and form: Aristotelian concepts where "matter" is the raw substance and "form" is the organizing principle or essence that makes a thing what it is.. Moses and Saint Peter have left us the teaching that the matter of all things is water; which we perceive by our senses to be more subtle the higher it ascends, and thicker the closer it is to the center. For the earth, which is the dregs original: "faex" and the thicker, more shapeless part of the dark waters, has visible, sensible, and dense water falling back upon its surface. Similarly, that thick and visible water has a thinner and more invisible water floating above it; the more subtle part of which, overflowing even higher, forms the sphere of fire because of its heat and thinness—this is the portion of the waters of the lower region that is more subtle than all the rest. And so, without doubt, the watery mass ascends in the same proportion all the way to the summit of the upper heaven in the shape of a pyramid, always becoming sharper and thinner toward the top. From this it is certain that the water at the bottom is of the same substance as the water above, which is purely Spirit, but differs from it only in form—which we shall demonstrate below to be the light created on the first day. By the more abundant presence of this light, waters are made thinner; but with a smaller amount, they are rendered more thick and dense. Furthermore, the portion of light contained in the lowest heaven is of the same nature and essence as that of the upper heavens, but differs only because of its composition; for the density of matter hinders the active disposition of the lower light, and so constricts its rays that it renders them destructive and burning, just as is seen in artificial fire. Having learned these things, then, will it be impossible—through experiments and conclusions made in water, both visible and invisible, and in the fiery light of the lower region of the world—to also investigate the natures of those subtle waters and the most thin light of the upper heavens, since there is no difference between them except in the proportion of their thickness? For we see that a smaller machine performs the same work as a large one, though not in the same proportion. Our thick fire makes images painted on paper move by its power; and in this same way, the lucid nature of the sun moves its light and ethereal body from the west to the east. Similarly, a spindle original: "fusum" is driven upward and tossed here and there by the power of artificial fire; so that fire sent from heaven into animate bodies drives them here and there and makes them move. Finally, we perceive the sun itself, by the effect of its light, thinning out denser things; will the faculty of elemental and artificial fire not also perform this same task? Therefore, through experiments of this kind, and from the action of the heat of the lower, thick light in that same region...