Of Natural and Supernatural Things - Basilius Valentinus

Because I have at this present undertaken to write of the of the first Tincture, the Root of Metals and Minerals, and to inform you of the Spiritual Essence, how the Metals and Minerals are at first spiritually conceived and born corporally; it will be necessary first of all to utter, and to acquaint you by a speech, that all things consist of two parts, that is, Natural and Supernatural; what is visible, tangible, and hath form or shape, that is natural; but what is intactible, without form, and spiritual, that is supernatural, and must be apprehended and conceived by Faith; such is the Creation, and especially the Eternity of God without end, immensible and incomprehensible; for Nature cannot conceive nor apprehend it by its humane reason: This is supernatural, what Reason cannot apprehend, but must be conceived by Faith, this is a Divine matter, and belongs to Theology, which judgeth Souls. Moreover, there appertains to supernatural things, the Angels of the Lord, having clarified Bodies, doing that by the permission of their Creator, which is impossible for any other Creature to do, their Works being concealed from the Eyes of the World, and so likewise are the Works of the Infernal Spirits and Devils unknown, which they do by the permission of the most High God. But above all the great Works of God are found and acknowledged to be supernatural, not to be scann'd and comprehended by Humane Imaginations; such is in especial the great Grace and Mercy of God which he bestows upon Mankind out of his great Love, which indeed no man can apprehend or know, and other great and wonderful works which he hath manifested divers manner of wayes by Christ our Saviour and Redeemer, for the confirmation of his Omnipotence and Glory: As when he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jairus his Daughter, the Ruler of the Synagogue, and the Widows Son of Naim. He made the Dumb to speak, the Deaf to hear, and the Blind to see, all which are supernatural, and Magnalia Dei; so also was his Conception, Resurrection, Descension, and Ascension into Heaven, too deep and mysterious for Nature; all which is only to be obtained by Faith.