262 OF THE ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING, [XXV.15. 
which is: partly converted by nature, and partly converteth 
nature ; and poison is that which worketh wholly upon 
nature, without that, that nature can in any part work 
upon it. So in the mind, whatsoever knowledge reason 
cannot at all work upon and convert is a mere intoxica- 
tion, and endangereth a dissolution of the mind and 
understanding. 
16. But for the latter, it hath been extremely set on 
foot of late time by the school of Paracelsus, and some 
others, that have pretended to find the truth of all natural 
philosophy in the scriptures; scandalizing and traducing 
all other philosophy as heathenish and profane. But there 
is no such enmity between God's word and his works; 
neither do they give honour to the scriptures, as they 
suppose, but much imbase them. For to seek heaven 
and earth in the word of God, whereof it is said, Heaven. 
and earth shall pass, bul my word shall not pass, is to seek 
temporary things amongst eternal: and as to seek divi- 
nity in philosophy is to seek the living amongst the dead, 
so to seek philosophy in divinity is to seek the dead 
amongst the living: neither are the pots or lavers, whose 
place was in the outward part of the temple, to be sought 
in the holiest place of all, where the ark of the testimony 
was seated. And again, the scope or purpose of the spirit 
of God is not to express matters of nature in the scrip- 
tures, otherwise than in passage, and for application to 
man’s capacity and to matters moral or divine. And it 
is a true rule, Auctoris aliud agents parva auciorifas. For 
it were a strange conclusion, if a man should use a simili- 
tude for ornament or illustration sake, borrowed from 
nature or history according to vulgar conceit, as of a 
basilisk, an unicorn, a centaur, a Briareus, an hydra, or 
the like, that therefore he must needs be thought to affirm 
