heat, and so they begin to contend one with the other, and each of them will call to its help its like, and so they ascend and encrease, untill the Earth can ascend no higher with them; in the mean time those two by this retaining of the Earth are subtilized; (for in that subject of the Earth the Fire, and Water ascend incessantly, and act through the pores which are reserved, and which the Aire prepares) and out of their subtiliation proceed flowers, and fruit, in which they become friends, as you may see in Trees; for by how much the better they are subtilized, and purified by ascending, so much the better fruit doe they bring forth, especially if they end with their vertues equally joined together. Now then the things being purged, and cleansed, cause that the Fire, and Water bee made friends, which will easily bee done in their own earth, which did ascend with them; and then thou shalt in a shorter time perfect it, then Nature could, if thou shalt joine them well together, according to the weight of Nature, not as it was before, but as Nature requires, and as is needfull: Because Nature in all compositions puts more of the other Elements then of Fire: alwaies the least part is Fire, but Nature according as shee pleaseth, addes an extrinsecall Fire to stir up that intrinsecall according to more, or lesse, in much, or little time; and according to this if the Fire exceed, or be exceeded, things perfect, or imperfect are made, as well in Mineralls, as in Vegetables. The extrinsecall Fire indeed doth not enter into the depth of the composition essentially, but only in vertue; for the intrinsecall materiall Fire is sufficient for it selfe, if only it hath nourishment, and the extrinsecall Fire is nourishment to it, and as it were Wood in respect of Elementary Fire, and according to such a nourishment it increaseth, and is multiplyed. Yet wee must take heed that there bee not too much extrinsecall Fire, for if any one eats more then hee is able, hee is choaked: a great flame devours a little Fire: the extrinsecall Fire must be multiplicative, nourishing, not devouring, so things are perfected. Decoction therefore in every thing is the perfection: so Nature addes vertue, and weight, and makes perfect. But because it is hard to adde to a compound, since it requires a long labour, wee advise that thou take away so much of that which is superfluous, as is needfull, and as Nature requires: The superfluities being removed mix them, then Nature will shew thee, what thou hast sought after. Thou also shalt know, if Nature hath joined the Elements well, or ill together, seeing all Elements consist in conjunction. But many practitioners sow Straw, for Wheat; and some both: and many cast away that, which the Philosophers love: some begin, and end, because of their inconstancy; they seek for a difficult Art, and an easy labour; they cast away the best things, & sow the worst; but as this Art is concealed in the Preface, so also is the matter cast