ON THE ELEMENTS.

...the thing from which they are generated, which no one would say of Fire. For in no way can water be rendered pure and radiant by the benefit of fire The author is addressing a potential counter-argument: if fire and water come from the same source, why does fire not make water "glow" or become "bright" like it does with air or wood?. I respond: Two contraries can never be united or harmonize without the intervention of some medium In ancient and medieval philosophy, a "medium" is a middle substance that shares qualities with two opposites, allowing them to connect. For example, Air (hot and wet) connects Fire (hot and dry) and Water (cold and wet).. Indeed, after the Creator had separated the subtler, more splendid, drier, and hotter part from the first mass of creation (which we call Chaos original: "Chaos." In this context, it refers to the "prime matter" or the unformed void at the beginning of the universe.), its opposite immediately emerged likewise—namely, a Being more thick, dark, moist, and cold, which was the element of Water and Earth.

Truly, that moisture of Water is tempered by the dryness of Air and Earth; likewise, the thickness and dryness of Earth is tempered by the subtlety of Air and the moisture of Water. Hence you see that nothing can be united without the benefit of some medium. Therefore, water could not be joined with fire if it were deprived of the subtlety of air and the dryness of earth—a mixture which indeed shines forth in aqua vitae (water of life): An alchemical term for distilled alcohol or spirits; it was seen as a "miraculous" substance because it looks like water but burns like fire. or oil, and thus is coupled with fire.

O profound Wisdom! How hidden are your works! How excellent are your creatures! Who would not attribute to you the due glory, to whom at least some spark...