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 23.

The last separation being the dissolution of all creatures, and one thing consuming and pe∣rishing after another; thereby the time of all those things is known.* 1.1 When the creatures once were, they had no utter ruine in them; for a new seed still supplyeth the room of the old de∣cayed thing. Thus there is somewhat eternall, not subject to ruine, in the things that are mor∣tall, by renovation of another seed, which thing the Philosopher knoweth not. No seed doth ad∣mit or constitute that which is eternall. Yet doth it admit putrefaction, when that which is eter∣nall is taken into the eternal.* 1.2 In this respect man onely among all the rest of the creatures hath that which is eternall in himselfe joyned with that which is mortall. According to what hath been said, the mortall and eternall are joyn'd to∣gether: Understand, that which is mortal prepa∣reth an essence in the stomack, and upholdeth the default of the body. The onely cause where∣of is, that that of man which is eternal might live for ever, and that which is mortall might die ac∣cording to its frailty. Such as the body, such is the eternall that comes from that body. This is that which confounds all Philosophy, that the mortall should domineer, and as it were beare sway as it listeth over that which is eternall and that this also should depend on man: Who

thereby is made more a companion of that which is eternall than if his mortall and eternall both floweth from himselfe. Whence we moy con∣clude, that all creatures should live together, the reasonable and unreasonable, one being service∣able to another, the eternall planted into the mortal, and these two dwelling together. Hence Philosophy teacheth,* 1.3 that all those things can∣not be destroyed and confumed that live toge∣ther without squabling and fighting, without guile and deceit, without good and evill. Which otherwise would be, if one should oppose ano∣ther. Those have no knowledge or judgement in whom the eternall dwelleth not. But those things in whom the eternall is, cannot be desti∣tute of understanding. When things so fell at odds as to clash one with another, one eternall was forc'd to give an account and make satisfa∣ction of wrongs to another. And whereas re∣compence belongs to the eternall,* 1.4 it must not be repay'd by that which is mortall. And though bodies may pacifie and bear with one another; yet if any thing be left here, that is eternall. Therefore that onely is judged that is eternall in us. And though one exact upon or judge ano∣ther, yet all mortall things, which have the eter∣nall in them, must die whether they will or no, so that the eternall onely shall stay behind here, without company of the body. Thus the judge∣ment is finished. For that onely is eternall, nor is there any more of it to come in the last de∣struction of every mortall thing. Now if those things, that had the eternall in them, have so pe∣rished,

nothing now remaineth but what was eternall of it selfe, and did nourish and increase that which was mortall. That which is good for nothing doth not tarry in the creature. All other things are only for the sake of that which is eter∣nall. Hence also it is that which hath the erer∣nall in it selfe, and with it all things that main∣tain'd it, may die and perish together. That on∣ly remaineth that is eternall. Whence the end of all bodily things is evident, even nothing, to which they all revolt. For they are separated from their ownessence into nothing that is, from something, into nothing. But man desireth a perfect separation, i. e. of the eternall from the mortall. Now is the judgement, when the fickle∣nesse of all things under heaven is proclaimed. If there were no reason why a thing should be fra∣gill, the creature should never die, no death should be in it, but all things would be eternall. The onely reason whereof is this, because we mortalls live not in righteousnesse, we judge not right judgement among our selves one toward another, nor have we received the power of the eternall to judge. These things belong to the eternall. Which seeing it ought to be so, all we must of necessity be brought and come together. Thus have we found the dissolution of all things.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What mortal things are e∣ternall.
• * 1.2

  Man is a com∣panion of the eternall.
• * 1.3

  Destruction is from con∣traries.
• * 1.4

  What things are subject to destruction.