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.
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Title
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.
Author
Croll, Oswald, ca. 1560-1609.
Publication
London :: Printed by M.S. for Lodowick Lloyd, at the Castle in Cornhill,
1657.
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Subject terms
Creation
Philosophy, Medieval
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/a74670.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 10, 2024.
Pages
descriptionPage 40
TEXT 12.
There ought to be neither more nor lesse than four mothers
of all things, as all procreati∣ons shew. Not that the great Mysterie,
whereof we now treat, can be found out by way of uni∣versal demonstration
what manner of thing it is, according to its properties in the beginning: But
the great Mysterie is rather known and un∣derstood by the last
mysteries and by the pro∣creations which did spring and proceed out of the
first. Tis
not the beginning, but the end that maketh a man a Master and Philosopher.
The knowledge of a thing according to its perfect na∣ture is found out onely in
the end of its being. Possibly there might have been more Elements made
than now there be. But in the utmost knowledge of all things there are but four
to be found. And though we may suppose that it had been easie for God,
who created but four, to have made them many more; yet when we see that all
mortall things consist but of four onely, we may conclude that more than
these could not well stand together. And it is most likely that when the
said four Elements perish, that then o∣thers shall arise according to
every essence un∣like the former: or that after the destruction of the
creatures already made, there shall be a new great mysterie, the knowledge
whereof will be greater and better than of the former. But this we lay not here
as a fundamentall, yet he that would understand the beginning of the world
descriptionPage 41
must of necessity consider that it had its rise
out of the Elements:
and as there are four Ele∣ments so there are four worlds, and in every one a
peculiar kind, taught how to subsist in their necessities.