The works of George Swinnock, M.A

He that hath learned this mystery, is the true Chemist, he leaves the dregs and lees of things, and extracts the substance and quintessence of them. He hath better then Midas Wish, he turns all he toucheth into better then gold. Many a great Scholar begs with rare notions of the nature of silver, and gold, and pearls, when some Merchants who never saw Mine, or Furnace, or read Book concerning them, hath his Coffers full of them. The Rabbis of the world, were they able like Solomon, to speak of all plants from the Cedar to the Hyssop; and of all Beasts and Fish, and Fowl, nay, and of all creatures ⟨p. 373⟩in a Physical and Philosophical way, are not comparable to the illiterate Countryman who can read his God in them, and improve them for his spiritual advantage.

He that hath learned this mystery, is the true Chymist, he leaves the dregs and lees of things, and extracts the substance and quintessence of them. He hath better then Midas Wish, he turns all he toucheth into better then gold. Many a great Scholar begs with rare notions of the nature of silver, and gold, and pearls, when some Merchants who never saw Mine, or Furnance, or read Book concerning them, hath his Coffers full of them. The Rabbies of the world, were they able like Solomon, to speak of all plants from the Cedar to the Hysope; and of all Beasts and Fish, and Fowl, nay, and of all creatures ⟨p. 373⟩in a Physical and Philosophical way, are not comparable to the illiterate Countryman who can read his God in them, and improve them for his spiritual advantage.

Luther relates a story of two Cardinals riding to the Council at Constance, ¹how by the way they heard a shepherd weeping and crying out sadly, upon which they turned aside to know what was the matter, and found the shepherd looking upon an ugly Toad: They asked him the ground of his lamentation; He answered, I cannot but weep to consider the goodness of God, that he did not make me such a loathsome creature, and my own unthankfulness, that I should be no more sensible of it. At which one of the Cardinals was so affected, that he fell from his horse in a swoon, and coming again afterwards to himself, told his Brother; Well said St. Austin, Indocti rapiunt coelum, &c. The unlearned take heaven by violence, whilst we with all our parts and learning wallow in the mire of the earth and flesh.