Preface.

holiness nothing can stand; even the heavens are not pure before Him. Yet GOD is the origin of the Water, the Water is the seed of all nature, and the entire world has come from that same source; and yet the world and its creatures are impure. From whence then did this impurity originate? To those, this serves as an answer: From the Water alone.

Thus they might further reproach us: how could it come from the Water, since it has its origin in GOD? To counter them, it is necessary to show that the Water originated and went forth from GOD pure and holy, but only afterward—by the most holy ordinance of GOD—entered into Putrefaction original: "Putrefaction." In alchemical terms, this refers to a stage of breaking down or "rotting" a substance to its core components so it can be reborn or purified. through a heat working within itself. This is the means by which the Water allowed itself to be divided into its elements, especially since without Putrefaction no perfect Separation original: "Separation." The process of isolating the various elements or "essences" of a substance, which was considered impossible without first breaking the material down through decay. can occur.

There is no doubt, however, that you will further reproach us, saying that no thing enters into Putrefaction unless it already possesses impurities within it. But we answer that you are mistaken, and understand neither the Scripture