_Of the commistion of the Elements that were seperated._
Begin composition, which is the circuite of the whole worke, for there
shall be no composition without marriage and putrefaction. _The
Marriage_ is to mingle the thinne with the thicke, and _Putrefaction_,
is to rost, grinde, and water, so long till all be mingled together
and become one, so that there should bee no diuersitie in them, nor
separation from water mingled with water. Then shall the thicke labour
to retaine the thinne: then shall the soule striue with the fire, and
endeuour to beare it: then shall the Spirite labour to be drowned in
the bodyes, and poured foorth into them. And this must needes bee,
because the bodye dissolued, when it is commixt with the Soule, it is
likewise commixt with euerie part therof: & other things enter into
other things, according to theyr similitude and likenesse, and are
changed into one and the same thing. And for this cause the soule must
partake with the commoditie, durablenesse, and permanencie, which the
body receiued in his commixtion. The like also must befall the Spirite
in this state or permanencie of the soule and body: for when the Spirit
shall bee commixt with the soule by laborious operation, and all his
partes with all the partes of the other two, to wit, the soule and
bodie, then shall the Spirite and the other two, bee conuerted into one
indiuisible thing, according to their entire substance, whose natures
haue beene preserued, and their partes haue agreed and come together:
whereby it hath come to passe, that when this compounde hath met with
a body dissolued, and that heate hath got hold of it, and that the
moysture which was in it appeareth, and is molten in the dissolued
body, and hath passed into it, and mixt it selfe with that which was
of the nature of moysture, it is inflamed, and the fire defendeth it
self with it. Then when the fire would be enflamed with it, it will not
suffer the fire to take holde of it, that is to say: to cleaue vnto it
with the Spirit mingled with his water. The fire will not abide by it
vntill it be pure. And in like manner doth the water naturally flie
from the fire, wherof when the fire hath taken hold, it doth forth
with by little and little euaporate. And thus hath the body beene the
meanes to retaine the water, and the water to retaine the oyle, that it
should not burne nor consume away, and the oyle to retaine tincture,
and tincture the precise cause to make the colour appear and shew forth
the tincture, wherein there is neither light nor life. This then is the
true life and perfection of the worke and masterie which thou soughtest
for. Be wise therefore and vnderstande, and thou shalt find what thou
lookest for, if it please God.