O death, where is thy victory? Where thy sin abounded, there now grace doth more abound .for as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.  For by a man indeed came death, and by himself the resurrection of the dead. The first Adam and his sons took their beginning from the corruptible elements, and therefore it was needful that the composed should be corrupted, but the second Adam, who is called the philosophical man, from pure elements entered into eternity. Therefore what is composed of simple and pure essence,  remaineth forever. There is one thing that never dies  -- it continues by perpetual increase, when the body shall be glorified in the final resurrection of the dead, wherefore the creed beareth witness to the resurrection of the flesh and eternal life after death then saith the second Adam to the first and to his sons:   "Come ye blessed of my father, possess you the eternal kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the work, and eat my bread and drink my wine which I have mingled for you, for all things are made ready for you". He that have ears to hear, let him hear what the spirit of the doctrine saith to the sons of the discipline concerning the earthly and heavenly Adam, which the philosophers treat of in these words:   When thou has water from earth, air from water, fire from air, earth from fire, then shalt thou fully and perfectly possess our art.

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