Philosophy reformed & improved in four profound tractates.: The I. discovering the great and deep mysteries of nature: by that learned chymist & physitian Osw: Crollivs. The other III. discovering the wonderfull mysteries of the creation by Paracelsvs: being his philosophy to the Athenians. / Both made English by H. Pinnell, for the increase of learning and true knowledge.

TEXT 22.

Againe, by Philosophy it is manifest, that whatever is for the succour and preservation of any frail mortall thing is therewith also equally mortall, nor can that be joyn'd againe that is di∣vided,

as milk once turned into curds becomes milk no more:* 1.1 thus may we reason also, that the great mysterie returneth not into that out of wh••ch it came. Whence we may conclude, that all creatures are the picture of the highest myste∣rie,* 1.2 and so nothing else but as a painted colour is to the wall. Such is our life under heaven, that one thing as well as another may be destroyed and turn'd into nothing. For as the table or frame of a picture may be destroyed and burnt; so also may the great mysterie, and we with it. And as all the things of the creatures are wip'd away, minished and do perish with the mystery, as a forrest which the fire burns into a little heap of ashes, out of which ashes but a little glasse is made and that glasse is brought into a small-be∣ryll, which beryll vanisheth into wind: in like manner we also shall be consumed, still passing from one thing into another, til there be nothing of us left. Such as the beginning such is the end of the creatures.* 1.3 If the Cypres tree can spring out of a little graine, surely it may be brought into as small a quantity as that little kernell was at first. A grain and the beryll are alike. As it begins in a grain,* 1.4 so it ends in a beryll. Now when the separation is thus made, and every thing reduc'd to its nature, or first principle, to wit, into nothing: then is there nothing within the skie but is endlesse and eternall. For that by which it is for ever will there flourish much more largly than it did before the creation, it ha∣ving no frailty or mortality in it. As no creature can consume glasse, so neither can that eternall

essence be brought to nothing by that which is eternall.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Milk once turned into curds is no more milk.
• * 1.2

  The creatures are the pi∣ctures of the great Secret.
• * 1.3

  The Cypres grows from a small graine.
• * 1.4

  A graine is the begining, a bery•••• the and of things.