CONCERNING THE NATURE OF THINGS.
BOOK THE SIXTH.
Concerning the Resuscitation of Natural Things.
THE resuscitation and reduction of natural things is not the least important in the nature of things, but a profound and great secret, rather divine and angelic than human and natural. I would, however, on this point be understood with the greatest discrimination, and in no other way than according to my fixed opinion, as Nature daily and clearly points out and experience proves; so that I may not be exposed to the lies and misrepresentations of my enemies the quack doctors (by whom I am constantly ill judged), as if I myself pretended to usurp some divine power, or to attribute that same to Nature which she never claims. Therefore, at this point, the most careful observation is necessary, since death is twofold, that is to say, violent or spontaneous. From the one, a thing can be resuscitated but not from the other. Do not, then, believe the sophists when they tell you that a thing once dead or mortified cannot be resuscitated, and when they make light of resuscitation and restoration; for their mistake is great. It is indeed true that whatever perishes by its own natural death, or whatever mortifies by Nature according to its own predestination, God alone can resuscitate, or that it must be done by His divine command. So whatever Nature consumes man cannot restore. But whatever man destroys man can restore, and break again when restored. Beyond this man by his condition has no power, and if any one strove to do more he would be arrogating to himself the power of God, and yet would labour in vain and be confounded, unless God were with him, or he had such faith that he could remove mountains. To such a man this, and still greater things, would be possible, since Scripture says, for Christ Himself has said—"If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, and say to this mountain: Depart and place yourself yonder, it would do so and place itself there; and all things shall be possible, and nothing impossible, to you."
But let us return to our proposition. What is the difference between dying and being mortified, and from which of these conditions is resuscitation possible? The matter is to be understood thus. Whatever dies by its own nature has its end according to predestination, and as the pleasure and
