Preface.

to guard against it. But before Theophrastus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, known as Paracelsus (1493–1541), the famous physician and alchemist. explains these four paths, he first describes, as a philosopher in the first book, the essence of the Natural Man; thereafter he explains natural Astronomy original: "Astronomiam" with its nine members and gifts original: "Membris vnd Donis". Accordingly, in the second book, he primarily describes the Eternal Heavenly Man of the new birth, so that the old natural, mortal man does not love Nature too much, but rather sees what he is, and knows how to conduct himself so that he loves the Heavenly more than the Earthly. He should also know what such a newborn man through Christ is capable of here on Earth, and then also in eternal life. Therefore, he first recounts the entire essence of the soul: what it is, from whence it comes, what its properties are, and its actions and omissions. Secondly, the union of the body and the soul, how the two are one. Thirdly, concerning the origin of the birth of the immortal flesh. And fourthly, concerning the joining together of the mortal and immortal flesh into one image original: "Bildtnuß". After this, he recounts what Celestial Astronomy original: "Coelestis Astronomia" is, and how the members of natural astronomy may also be used in this. In the third book, he treats the Astronomy of Faith. In the fourth, the Infernal original: "Infernaliſchen," referring to the lower or hellish realms Astronomy.

Now, as far as both men are concerned—the Natural and the Heavenly—all faculties academic disciplines or professions should rightly consider this well, so that they do not hold him for a beast, but for the noblest creature, as one made in the image of God.

Thus, it is first to be noted that man's origin comes from God, who, after the completion