Preface.

[Chri]st and his Apostles themselves call [it/them] / which happens in this way. In the clay of the earth original: "Limo terrae"; refers to the biblical "dust of the ground" from which Adam was formed were all the prime matters original: "primae materiae"; the fundamental, unformed base substances of all things of good and evil creatures / also every kind of good and evil animal / and plant / all of which came together into one mass. Since man is now made from this same mass / the prime matters of all these things are within him / and through the bearing of children, the distribution of the many kinds of human natures began / separated in generation / and divided into individual persons. Thus there are sheep-men / wolf-men / viper-men / etc. / just as Christ calls the Jews "ravening wolves" / Herod a "red fox" / but John calls the Jews a "generation of vipers" / because of their nature which they receive from the heavens / and while they keep the form of man / because of their animalistic nature they are no longer included in the count of humanity / therefore Satan uses them for the building up of his kingdom.

Because man is thus made of two things / from the clay / which is perishable / and from the Spirit of God / which remains eternal / he must also have two kinds of food / by which he may be sustained / an earthly and a heavenly one / therefore he takes his food / drink / and all necessities German: "Notturfft"; refers to the basic physical requirements for survival from the elements / which we should not use to excess / but for the preservation of the body / From God, however, man must have his blessing / for he lives not by bread alone / but by every word / that proceeds from the mouth of God. For although the bread is from the earth / it can preserve neither the life of man / nor his health / but rather the power that is within it / which sustains our