of incorruptible and unalterable bodies. The Moone president of moisture, represents water and earth, and salt composed thereof; for there is nothing wherein moisture is more permanent, nor which is more moist then salt, whereof the Sea for the most part doth consist; and there is nothing where the Moone doth more distinctly make her motions to appeare, then in the Sea, as we perceive in the ebbing and flowing thereof, and in the braines and marrows of Animals, so that for good cause she is called the Regent of the waters, and of phlegmatick and waterish moisture; which although it seem to be dead and inanimate, (in respect of fire which is living) she is permanent chiefly in salt, which hath an inexterminable humidity; and is that which keepeth the Sea from drying up, for without Salt it had been long agone drawn out and dryed up, there where the fire lives not in it, but in another; for in that it is a materiall Element, it hath no place proper to it. Of these two, namely, the heat of the Sun, and moisture of the Moone, in which consisteth the life of all things; and without which nothing would grow, increase, nor be maintained, not fire it selfe, which cannot subsist without air, which is double, one participating of the heat of fire, ascending from the water (out of the bowels of moist nature, a sincere and light fire forthwith flying out, seeks things aloft, saith _Trismegistus_.) And the other as water descending from fire, so long till it come to congeal. For so there is one moist water which tends upwards, to rarifie it selfe in the aire, and another cold comming downe to thicken it selfe in the nature of Earth, untill at last it comes to terminate in red fire, which is in gold, for gold is the last substance of all. And Aire is the mediating conciliator betwixt the moisture of passable water, that constitutes matter and the fires heat, on which the Agent and form doth depend. Earth is as the matrix where fire, by the means of air and fire introducing its action, excites, and thrusts out, which is thereby engendred to its determined end. The other five Planets, and the fixed starres come in but collaterally, as assistants and coadjutors of the effects of the two luminaries, where all their influxions are reduced, as do the rivers of the Sea, and from the earth reciprocally comes back their norriture; so that heaven and fire, are as the male, the agent, and water and earth, as the female, patient; but under heaven, the air is comprized. And as mans seed, inclosed and lapped within the matrix, is nourished, fomented, and entertained with corrupt bloud by the help of naturall heat, so fire, by the means of air and water, is maintained in the earth for the production of things which engender thereof. So the Heaven, Sunne, Fire, and Air, march together, and the earth under, which are comprised in the Elements below, water and dry land, on their side. It is _Moses_ Heaven and Earth, and _Hermes_ his high