MEDICINE 169 



learning is an artificial thing, and may be accumulated 

 by man s selfish efforts to learn and possess knowledge ; 

 but wisdom is the realisation of truth within the soul, 

 that comes from an awakening to its realisation. 



" It is said that we should seek first the kingdom of 

 heaven which is within us, and that everything else 

 would be added ; it has also been said that if we only 

 knock strongly enough the door will be opened, and 

 we will never ask in vain, provided we ask with a sincere 

 heart and not with an adulterous object in view. A 

 physician must seek for his knowledge and power within 

 the divine spirit; if he seeks it in external things he 

 will be a pseudo-medicus and an ignoramus. God is 

 the Great First Cause in and from which all things 

 came into existence, and all our knowledge should there- 

 fore come from God and not from man-made authorities " 

 {Ldbyrinthus Medicorum). 



" A physician should exercise his art, not for his 

 own benefit, but for the sake of the patient. If he 

 practises merely for his own benefit, such a physician 

 resembles a wolf, and is even worse tlian an ordinary 

 murderer; for, while a man may defend himself against 

 a murderous attack made upon him on the high-road, 

 he has no means of defence against the murderer who, 

 under the guise of a benefactor and protected by law, 

 comes to steal his goods and destroy his life." 



" A physician should be above all honest and true. 

 Let his speech be ' yes ' and ' no,* and let him avoid 

 using subterfuges and prevarications ; God acts through 

 him who is upright, honest, and pure, but not through 

 him who is wicked and false. God is absolute Truth, 

 and His power does not become manifest in those who 

 are not true. The power of the physician should be 

 resting in the truth ; if it rests upon lies, it will be use- 

 less and belongs to the devil." 



If man were made only out of one kingdom, the king- 

 dom of heaven, then would it be sufficient for him to 



