Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/39

 above the Earth. And that thoe productions that are made in, and upon the Earth, are partly attributed to the very Water, the ame Scripture tetifies, where it aith that the Plants, and the Hearbs did not grow, becaue God had not caued it to rain upon the Earth. Such is the efficacy of this Element of Water, that Spirituall regeneration cannot be done without it, as Chrit himelf tetified to Nicodemus. Very great alo is the vertue of it in the Religious Worhip of God, in expiations, and purifications; yea, the neceity of it is no les then that of Fire. Infinite are the benefits, and divers are the ues thereof, as being that by vertue of which all things ubit, are generated, nourihed, and increaed. Thence it was that Thales of Miletus, and concluded that Water was the beginning of all things, and aid it was the firt of all the Elements, and the mot potent, and that becaue it hath the matery over all the ret. For, as Pliny aith, Waters wallow up the Earth, extinguih flames, acend on high, and by the tretching forth of the clouds, challenge the Heaven for their own: the ame falling become the Caue of all things that grow in the Earth. Very many are the wonders that are done by Waters, according to the Writings of Pliny, Solinus, and many other Hitorians, of the wonderfull vertue whereof, Ovid alo makes mention in thee Veres.

  Hornd Hammons Waters at high noon Are cold; hot at Sun-rie and etting Sun. Wood, put in bubling Athemas is Fir'd, The Moon then farthet from the Sun retir'd, Circonian treams congeal his guts to Stone That thereof drinks; and what therein is thrown. Crathis, and Sybaris (from the Mountains rold) Color the hair like Amber, or pure Gold. Some fountains, of a more prodigious kinde, Not only change the body, but the minde. Who hath not heard of obcene Salmacis? Of th' Æthiopian'' lake ? for who of this''