On the Consideration of the Quintessence

But what does the preacher of death, the blessed Paul, say in his Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 9, at the end: "It is appointed unto men once to die." Therefore, it is fantastical to labor in this mortal life so that such a thing might be found that could render a mortal body in the agony of death immortal. For in Genesis 3, the Lord God said: "Behold, therefore, lest by chance Adam put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever," God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure, that he might till the earth from which he was taken. And He cast out Adam and placed before the paradise of pleasure cherubim and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. It is fantastical, therefore, that God should cast Adam out of paradise, if it were otherwise possible for any man to do that for which He cast him out, lest by chance he might live forever from the tree of life. Furthermore, hold this as an infallible truth: that God has prefixed a time of life for every man, which no human ingenuity can pass or extend by any aid. Job says: "The days of man are short, the number of his months is with Thee; Thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot pass." Therefore, seek aid for that.