and nothing else 4. But our Bodies consist of all these for they have of the Fire they have of the Earth they have of the Water and Air and yet there is neither Fire nor Earth nor Water nor Air nor any thing true 5. And if at the beginning our Constitution had not Truth how could men either see the Truth or speak it or understand it onely except God would 6. All things therefore upon Earth O Tat are not Truth but imitations of the Truth and yet not all things neither for they are but few that are so 7. But the other things are Falshood Deceit O Tat and Opinions like the Images of the fantasie or appearance 8. And when the fantasie hath an influence from above then it is an imitation of Truth but without that operation from above it is left a lie 9. And as an Image shews the Body described and yet is not the Body of that which is seen as it seems to be and it is seen to have eyes but it sees nothing and ears but hears nothing at all and all other things hath the picture but they are false deceiving the eyes of the beholder whilest they think they see the Truth and yet they are indeed but lies 10. As many therefore as see not Falshood see the Truth 11. If therefore we do so understand and see every one of these things as it is then we see and understand true things 12. But if we see or understand any thing besides or otherwise than that which is we shall neither understand nor know the Truth 13. Tat. Is Truth therefore upon Earth O Father 14. Herm. Thou dost not misse the mark O Son Truth indeed is no where at all upon Earth O Tat for it cannot be generated or made 15. But concerning the Truth it may be that some men to whom God will give the good seeing Power may understand it 16. So that unto the Minde and Reason there is nothing true indeed upon Earth 17. But unto the true Minde and Reason all things are fantasies or appearances and opinions 18. Tat. Must we not therefore call it Truth to understand and speak the things that are 19. Herm. But there is nothing true upon Earth 20. Tat. How then is this true That we do not know any thing true how can that be done here 21. Herm. O Son Truth is the most perfect Vertue and the highest Good it self not troubled by Matter not encompassed by a Body naked clear unchangeable venerable unalterable Good 22. But the things that are here O Son are visible incapable of Good corruptible passible dissolveable changeable continually altered and made of another 23. The things therefore that are not true to themselves how can they be true 24. For every thing that is altered is a lie not abiding in what it is but being changed it shews us always other and other appearances 25. Tat. Is not man true O Father 26. Herm. As far forth as he is a Man he is not true Son for that which is true hath of it self alone its constitution and remains and abides according to it self such as it is 27. But man consists of many things and doth not abide of himself but is turned and changed age after age Idea after Idea or form after form and this while he is yet in the Tabernacle 28. And many have not known their own children after a little while and many children likewise have not known their own Parents 29. Is it then possible O Tat that he who is so changed is not to be known should be true no on the contrary he is Falshood being in many Appearances of changes 30. But do thou understand the True to be that which abides the same and is Eternal but man is not ever therefore not True but man is a certain Appearance and Appearance is the highest Lie or Falshood 31. Tat. But these eternall Bodies Father are they not true through they be changed 32. Herm. Everything that is begotten or made and changed is not true but being made by our Progenitor they might have had true Matter 33. But these also have in themselves something that is false in regard of their change 34. For nothing that remaines not in it self is True 35. Tat. What shall one say then Father that only the Sun which besides the Nature of other things is not changed but abides in it self is Truth 36. Herm. It is Truth and therefore he is only intrusted with the Workmanship of the World ruling and making all things whom I do both honour and adore his Truth and after the One and First I acknowledge him the Workman 37. Tat. What therefore dost thou affirm to be the first Truth O Father 38. Herm. The One and Only O Tat that is not of Matter that is not in a Body that is without Colour without Figure or Shape Immutable Unalterable which always is but Falshood O Son is corrupted 39. And corruption hath laid hold upon all things on Earth and the Providence of the True encompasseth and will encompasse them 40. For without corruption there can no Generation consist 41. For Corruption followeth every Generation that it may again be generated 42. For those things that are generated must of necessity be generated of those things that are corrupted and the things generated must needs be corrupted that the Generation of things being may not stand still or cease 43. Acknowledge therefore the first Workman by the Generation of things 44. Consequently the things that are generated of Corruption are false as being sometimes one thing sometimes another For it is impossible they should be made the same things again and that which is not the same how is it true 45. Therefore O Son we must call these things fantasies or appearances 46. And if we will give a man his right name we must call him the appearance of Manhood and a Childe the fantasie or appearance of a Childe an old man the appearance of an old man a young man the appearance of a young man and a man of ripe age the appearance of a man of ripe age 47. For neither is a man a man nor a childe a childe nor a young man a young man nor an old man an old man 48. But the things that pre-exist and that are being changed are false 49. These things understand thus O Son as these false Operations having their dependance from above even of the Truth it self 50. Which being so I do affirm that Falshood is the Work of Truth The End of the Fifteenth Book THE Sixteenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus That none of the things that are can perish HErm. We must now speak of the Soul and Body O Son after what manner the Soul is Immortall and what operation that is which constitutes the Body and dissolves it 2. But in one of these is Death for it is a conception of a name which is either an empty word or else it is wrongly
then it will speak more for its Author than can be spoken by any man at least by me Thine in the love of the Truth I. F. THE Titles of every Book OF Hermes Trismegistus Lib. Fol. 1. HIs first Book 1 2. Poemander 15 3. The holy Sermon 42 4. The Key 47 5. That God is not manifest and yet most manifest 72 6. That in God alone is good 84 7. The secret Sermon in the Mount of Regeneration and the Profession of Silence 93 8. That the greatest evil in Man is the not knowing of God 115 9. A Universall Sermon to Asclepius 123 10. The Minde to Hermes 135 11. Of the common minde to Tat. 159 12. Hermes Trismegistus his Crater or Monas 183 13 Of Sense and Understanding 194 14. Of Operation and Sense 206 15. Of truth to his son Taâ—… 220 16. That none of the things that are can perish 232 17. To Asclepius to be truly wise 237 Hermes Trismegistus HIS First Book I O my Son write this first Book both for Humanity sake and for Piety towards God 2. For there can be no Religion more true or just than to know the things that are and to acknowledge thanks for all things to him that made them which thing I shall not cease continually to do 3. What then should a man do O Father to lead his life well seeing there is nothing here true 4. Be Pious and Religious O my Son for he that doth so is the best and highest Philosopher and without Philosophy it is impossible ever to attain to the heighth and exactnes of Piety or Religion 5. But he that shall learn and study the things that are and how they are ordered and governed and by whom and â—…r what cause or to what end will acknowledge thanks to the Work man as to a good Father an excellent Nurse and a faithfull Steward and he that gives thanks shall be Pious or Religious and he that is Religious shall know both where the truth is and what it is and learning that he will be yet more and more Reigious 6. For never O Son shall or can that Soul which while it is in the Body lightens and liâ—…ts up it self to know and comprehend that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Good and True â—…de back to the contrary For it is infinitely enamoured thereof and forgetteth all Evils and when it hath learned and known its Father and Progenitor it can no more Apostatize or depart from that Good 7. And let this O Son be the end of Religion and Piety whereunto when thou art once arrived thou shalt both live wel and die blessedly whilest thy Soul is not ignorant whither it must return and flie back again 8. For this onely O Son is the way to the Truth which our Progenitors travelled in and by which making their Journey they at length attained to the Good It is a Venerable way and plain but hard and difficult for the Soul to go in that is in the Body 9. For first it must war against its own self and after much Strife and Dissention it must be overcome of one part for the Contention is of one against two whilest it flies away and they strive to hold and detain it 10. But the victory of both is not like for the one hasteth to that which is Good but the other is a neighbor to the things that are Evil and that which is Good desireth to be set at Liberty but the things that are Evil love Bondage and Slavery 11. And if the two parts be overcome they become quiet and are content to accept of it as their Ruler but if the one be overcome of the two it is by them led and carried to be pupunished by its being and continuance here 12. This is O Son the Guide in the way that leads thither for thou must first forsake the Body before thy end and get the victory in this Contention and Strifefull life and when thou hast overcome return 13. But now O my Son I will by Heads run thorow the things that are Understand thou what I say and remember what thou hearest 14. All things that are are moved onely that which is not is unmoveable 15. Every Body is changeable 16. Not every Body is dissolveable 17. Some Bodies are dissolveable 18. Every living thing is not mortall 19. Not every living thing is immortall 20. That which may be dissolved is also corruptible 21. That which abides alwayes is unchangeable 22. That which is unchangeable is eternall 23. That which is alwayes made is alwayes corrupted 24. That which is made but once is never corrupted neither becomes any other thing 25. First God Secondly the World Thirdly Man 26. The World for Man Man for God 27. Of the Soul that part which is Sensible is mortall but that which is Reasonable is immortall 28. Every Essence is immortall 29. Every Essence is unchangeable 30. Every thing that is is double 31. None of the things that are stand still 32 Not all things are moved by a Soul but every thing that is is moved by a Soul 33. Every thing that suffers is Sensible every thing that is Sensible suffereth 34. Every thing that is sad rejoyceth also and is a mortall living Creature 35. Not every thing that joyeth is also sad but is an eternall living thing 36. Not every Body is sick every Body that is sick is dissolveable 37. The Mind in God 38. Reasoning or disputing of discoursing in Man 39. Reason in the Mind 40. The Mind is voyd of suffering 41. No thing in a Body true 42. All that is incorporeall is voyd of Lying 43. Every thing that is made is corruptible 44. Nothing good upon Earth nothing evill in Heaven 45. God is good Man is evil 46. Good is voluntary or of its own accord 47. Evill is unvoluntary or against its will 48. The Gods choose good things as good things 49. Time is a Divine thing 50. Law is Humane 51. Malice is the nourishment of the World 52. Time is the Corruption of Man 53. Whatsoever is in Heaven is unalterable 54. All upon Earth is alterable 55. Nothing in Heaven is servanted nothing upon Earth free 56. Nothing unknown in Heaven nothing known upon Earth 57. The things upon Earth communicate not with those in Heaven 58. All things in Heaven are unblameable all things upon Earth are subject to Reprehension 59. That which is immortal is not mortal that which is mortal is not immortal 60. That which is sown is not alwayes begotten but that which is begotten alwayes is sown 61. Of a dissolveable Body there are two Times one from sowing to generation one from generation to death 62. Of an everlasting Body the time is only from the Generation 63. Dissolveable Bodies are increased and diminished 64. Dissolveable matter is altered into contraries to wit Corruption and Generation but Eternal matter into its self and its like 65. The Generation of Man is Corruption the Corruption of Man is the beginning
thus 102. For Generation is not a Creation of Life but a production of things to Sense and making them manifest Neither is Change Death but an occultation or hâ—…ing of that which was 103. These things being so all things are Immortall Matter Life Spirit Soul Minde whereof every living thing consisteth 104. Every living thing therefore is Immortall because of the Minde but especially Man who both receiveth God and converseth with him 105. For with this living wight alone is God familiar in the night by dreams in the day by Symbols or Signes 106. And by all things doth he foretell him of things to come by Birds by Fowls by the Spirit or Winde and by an Oke 107. Wherefore also Man professeth to know things that have been things that are present and things to come 108. Consider this also O Son That every other living Creature goeth upon one part of the World Swimming things in the Water Land wights upon the Earth Flying Fowls in the Air. 109. But Man useth all these the Earth the Water the Air and the Fire nay he seeth and toucheth Heaven by his Sense 110. But God is both about all things and through all things for he is both Act and Power 111. And it is no hard thing O Son to understand God 112. And if thou wilt also see him look upon the Necessity of things that appear and the Providence of things that have been and are done 113. See the Matter being most full of Life and so great a God moved with all Good and Fair both Gods and Demons and Men. 114. Tat. But these O Father are wholly Acts or operations 115. Herm. If they be therefore wholly Acts or Operations O Son by whom are they acted or operated but by God 116. Or art thou ignorant that as the parts of the World are Heaven and Earth and Water and Air after the same manner the Members of God are Life and Immortality and Eternity and Spirit and Necessity and Providence and Nature and Soul and Minde and the Continuance or perseverance of all these which is called Good 117. And there is not any thing of all that hath been and all that is where God is not 118. Tat. What in the Matter O Father 119. Herm. The Matter Son what is it without God that thou shouldest ascribe a proper place to it 120. Or what dost thou think it to be peradventure some heap that is not actuated or operated 121. But if it be actuated by whom is it actuated for we have said that Acts or Operations are the parts of God 122. By whom are all living things quickned and the Immortall by whom are they immortalized the things that are changeable by whom are they changed 123. Whether thou speak of Matter or Body or Essence know that all these are acts of God 124. And that the Act of Matter is materiality and of the Bodies corporality and of essence essentiality and this is God the whole 125. And in the whole there is nothing that is not God 126. Wherefore about God there is neither Greatnesse Place Quality Figure or Time for he is All and the All through all and about all 127. This Word O Son worship and adore And the only service of God is not to be evil The End of the Eleventh Book THE Twelfth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus His Crater or Monas THe Workman made this Universall World not with his Hands but his Word 2. Therefore thus think of him as present every where and being always and making all things and one above that by his Will hath framed the things that are 3. For that is his Body not tangible nor visible nor measurable nor extensible nor like any other body 4. For it is neither Fire nor Water nor Air nor Wind but all these things are of him for being Good he hath dedicated that name unto himself alone 5. But he would also adorn the Earth but with the Ornament of a Divine Body 6. And he sent Man an Immortall and a Mortall wight 7. And Man had more then all living Creatures and the World because of his Speech and Minde 8. For man became the spectator of the Works of God and wondered and acknowledged the Maker 9. For he divided Speech among all men but not Minde and yet he envied not any for Envy comes not thither but is of abode here below in the Souls of men that have not the Minde 10. Tat. But wherefore Father did not God distribute the Minde to all men 11. Herm. Because it pleased him O Son to set that in the middle among all souls as a reward to strive for 12. Tat. And where hath he set it 13. Heâ—… Filling a large Cup or Bowl therewith he â—…t it down giving also a Cryer or Proclaimer 14. And he commanded him to proclaim these things to the souls of men 15. Dip and wash thy self thou that art able in this Cup or Bowl Thou that beleevest that thou shalt return to him that sent this Cup thou that acknowledgest whereunto thou wert made 16. As many therefore as understood the Proclamation and were baptized or dowsed into the Minde these were made pertakers of Knowledge and became perfect men receiving the Minde 17. But as many as missed of the Proclamation they received Speech but not Minde being ignorant whereunto they were made or by whom 18. But their Senses are just like to bruit Beasts and having their temper in Anger and Wrath they do not admire the things worthy of looking on 19. But wholly addicted to the pleasures and desires of the Bodies they beleeve that man was made for them 20. But as many as partaked of the gift of God these O Tat in comparison of their works are rather immortall then mortall men 21. Comprehending all things in their Minde which are upon Earth which are in heaven and if there be any thing above Heaven 22. And lifting up themselves so high they see the Good and seeing it they account it a miserable calamity to make their abode here 23. And despising all things bodily and unbodily they make haste to the One and Only 24. Thus O Tat is the Knowledge of the Minde the beholding of Divine things and the Understanding of God the Cup it self being Divine 25. Tat. And I O Father would be baptized drenched therein 26. Herm. Except thou first hate thy body O Son thou canst not love thy self but loving thy self thou shalt have the Minde and having the Minde thou shalt also partake the Knowledge or Science 27. Tat. How meanest thou that O Father 28. Herm. Because it is impossible O Son to be conversant about things Mortall and Divine 29. For the things that are being two Bodies and things incorporeall wherein is the Mortal and the Divine the Election or Choice of either is left to him that will chuse For no man can chuse both 30. And of which soever the choice is made the other being diminished or overcome magnifieth
by the Laws of men come to a violent death which seem not to yeeld unto the debt of nature but to suffer punishment for their deserts Contrarywise God is a sheild and defence unto a righteous man who loveth piety and religion for he defendeth such from all manner of dangers and evils for the Father and Lord of all things who alone is all showes himself willingly to all not where he is in place nor what in quality nor how great in quantity but illuminating man with the alone understandof the mind who when the darknesse of mind is removed and the brightnesse of truth perceived participates himself by the full sense of divine knowledge by whose love he is freed from that naturall part which is mortall and conceiveth hope of future immortality This therefore shall be the difference betwixt good and evil men for every one by piety religion divine worship and reverence of God shineth and becometh bright as the eye-sight when he hath throughly seen the truth of reason and the confidence of hope and excelleth so far other men as the Sun excelleth other Starrs in his Light for the Sun it self not so much in greatnesse of diety as in divinity and sanctity illuminateth the other Starrs For I suppose this O Asclepius to be the Second God governing all other things illustrating all worldly things whether they be creatures with life or without life for if the creature the world hath is shall alwaies be Living nothing in the world is mortal For there is no place of mortality for every living part which is in the world as in one and the same continuall living creature wherefore it ought to be full of life and eternity if it must always live The Sun therefore as the world is eternall and so is the governour of life and livelinesse and the continual dispenser of them He is therefore the God of the living and of those things which have life in the world the continuall governour and eternall dispensator of life it self for he hath once dispensed by an eternall Law and giveth life to every Living thing In this manner which I will speake of for in that quicknesse of eternity the world is moved and in that living eternity is the place of the world for which hereafter it shall neither stand nor be destroyed the world being intrenched and as it were wrapped in with the eternity of life It is therefore the dispenser or giver of life to all things which are in it and the place of all things which are governed under the Sun the commotion of which world consisteth of a twofold effect For it self is outwardly enlivened from eternity and it quickens and inlivens those things which are within it differing in proportions and appointed and prefixed times all things are known and ordered by the effects of the Sun and by the course and influence of the Starrs all temporall things are established by reason and divine Law the Earthly seasons are known by the quality of the Aire as either in the variety of heat or cold the Heavenly seasons by the return of the Starrs to the same places and by the temporall change of tides and the world is the receptacle of time by whose course and motion it is refreshed but time is kept by order Order and time make an innovation of all things which are in the world by course The COMMENTARY This Tenth Chapter speaketh of death and the examination of the Soul when the body shall die that they shall be most punished after death whose life justly is taken away by mens Lawes for the greatnesse of their offences that God is a defence to the righteous of the divinity of the Sun and the world for he puts the World to be the first sensible God the Sun to be the Second that the world shall never take rest nor be destroyed But we give not the incommunicable name of God neither to the Sun nor to the world and believe that the world shall one day be dissolved These things therefore being understood as the bare words of Hermes shew they set out the error of the Gentiles yet we do grant by participation to these a divinity as to excellent works of God This the tenth part CHAP. XI VVHerefore all things being so neither of things created Heavenly things or Earthly is any thing stable fixed or immoveable for only God and worthily he alone is in himself from himself and on all sides wholly full and perfect and this is his firme stability which cannot be removed by the enforcement or occasion of any other seeing in him are all things and in all things he is only unlesse any man will dare to say that his motion consisteth in eternity but much rather his eternity is unmoveable into which the motion of all times returneth and from which the motion of all times takes it beginning God hath therefore been alwayes stable and his eternity alwaies a like stable with him containing the world not created within himself which we rightly call sensible The Image of this God is the world which is made an imitator or resemblance of eternity for time hath the force and nature of stability in the very necessity of return again into it self wherefore albeit eternity be stable immoveable and fixed yet because by the mobility of time motion is alwayes called back into eternity and that mobility is turned by reason of time it comes to passe that eternity it self is certainely immoveable and may seem only by time to be moved in which it self is for in that time is all the motion so it happens that the stability of eternity is moved and the stability of time becomes stable by the rule of motion and so it is credible that God is moved into himself by the same immoveablenesse for there is an in immoveable motion in the greatnesse of his very stability for the condition of his greatnesse is immoveable This therefore which is so and not obvious to our senses is infinite incomprehensible and inestimable which can neither be sustained reported of nor found out whereupon it is uncertain wherein where how and in what fashion it is for he is reported to be in the greatest stability and in him is his stability whether he be God or Eternity whether the one be in the other or both in either for which cause eternity is without definition of time but time which may be defined returning either by order course or circuit of another is eternal wherefore both seem to be infinite both eternall for stability considering that it is fixed for that by the Benefit of strength it can sustein all things that are moveable it worthily obtaineth Dominion for the beginning of all things which are is God and eternity but the world because it is moveable hath not the principality for his mobility prevents his stability by the rule of continuall motion having an immoveable strength All sense therefore of the divinity
out or exalted it self from the downward-born Elements of God the Word of God into the clean and pure Workmanship of Nature and was united to the Workman Minde for it was Consubstantiaâ—… and so the downward-born Elements of Nature were left without Reason that they might be the only Matter 15. But the Workman Mind together with the Word containing the Circles and Whirling them about turned round as a Wheel his own Workmanships and suffered them to be turned from an indefinite Beginning to an undeterminable End for they alwayes begin where they end 16. And the Circulation or running round of these as the Minde willeth out of the lower or downward-born Elements brought forth unreasonable or bruitish Creatures for they had no reason the Air flying things and the Water such as swim 17. And the Earth and the Water were separated either from other as the Mind would and the Earth brought forth from her self such Living Creatures as she had four-fooâ—…ed and creeping Beasts wild and tame 18. But the Father of all things the Minde being Life and Light bâ—…ought forth Man like â—…nto himself whom he loved as his proper Birth for he was all beauteous having the Image of his Father 19. For indeed God was exceedingly enamoured of his own Form or Shape and delivered unto it all his own Workmanships But he seeing and understanding the Creation of the Workman in the whole would needs also himself fall to work and so was separated from the Father being in the sphere of Generation or Operation 20. Having all Power he considered the Operations or Workmanships of the Seven but they loved him and every one made him partaker of his own Order 21. And he learning diligently and understanding their Essence and partaking their Nature resolved to pierce and break thorow the Circumference of the Circles and to understand the Power of him that sits upon the Fire 22. And having already all power of mortall things or the â—…iving and of the unreasonable Creatures of the World stooped down and peeped thorow the Harmony and breaking thorow the strength of the Circles so shewed and made manifest the downward-born Nature the fair and beautifull Shape or Form of God 23. Which when he saw having in it self the unsatiable Beauty and all the Operation of the Seven Governors and the Form or Shape of God he smiled for love as if he had seen the Shape or Likenesse in the Water or the shadow upon the Earth of the fairest Humane form 24. And seeing in the Water a shape a shape like unto himself in himself he loved it and would cohabit with it and immediately upon the resolution ensued the Operation brought forth the unreasonable Image or Shape 25. Nature presently laying hold of what it so much loved did wholly â—…ap her self about it and they were mingled for they loved one another 26. And for this cause Man above all things that live upon Earth is double mortall because of his Body and immortall because of the substantiall Man For being immortall and having power of all things he yet suffers mortall things such as are subject to Fate or Destiny 27. And therefore being above all Harmony he is made and become a servant to Harmony And being Hermaphrodite or Male and Female and watchfull he is governed by and subjected to a Father that is both Male and Female and watchfull 28. After these things I said Thou art my Minde and I am in love with Reason 29. Then said Pimander This is the Mystery that to this day is hidden and kept secret for Nature being mingled with Man brought forth a Wonder most wonderfull for he having the Nature of the Harmony of the Seven from him whom I told thee the Fire and the Spirit Nature continued not but forthwith brought forth seven Men all Males and Females and sublime or on high according to the Natures of the Seven Governors 30. And after these things O Pomander quoth I I am now come into a great desire and longing to hear Do not digress or run out 31. But he said Keep silence for I have not yet finished the first speech 32. Trism Behold I am silent 33. Piman The Generation therefore of these Seven was after this manner The Air being Feminine and the Water desirous of Copulation took from the Fire its ripenesse and from the aether Spirit and so Nature produced bodies after the Species and Shape of men 34. And Man was made of Life and Light into Soul and Minde of Life the Soul of Light the Minde 35. And so all the Members of the Sensible World continued unto the period of the end bearing rule and generating 36. Hear now the rest of that speech thou so much desirest to hear 37 When that period was fulfilled the bond of all things was loosed and untied by the Will of God for all living Creatures being Hermaphroditicall or Male and Female were loosed untied together with Man and so the Males were apart by themselves and the Females likewise 38. And straightwayes God said to the Holy Word Encrease in encreasing and multiply in multitude all you my Creatures Workmanships And let him that is endued with Minde know himself to be immortall and that the cause of death is the love of the body and let him learn all things that are 39. When he had thus said Providence by Fate and Harmony made the mixtures and established the Generations and all things were multiplied according to their kinde and he that knew himself came at length to the Superstantiall of every way substantiall good 40. But he that through the Errour of Love loved the Body abideth wandering in darknesse sensible suffering the things of death 41. Trism But why do they that are ignorant sin so much that they should therefore be deprived of immortality 42. Pimand Thou seemest not to have understood what thou hast heard 43. Trism Peradventure I seem so to thee but I both understand and remember them 44. Pimand I am glad for thy sake if thou understoodest them 45. Trism Tell me Why are they worthy of death that are in death 46. Pimand Because there goeth a â—…ad and dismall darkness before its body of which darknesse is the moist Nature of which moist Nature the Body consisteth in the sensible World from whence death is derived Hast thou understood this â—…right 47. Trism But why or how doth he that understands himself go or pass into God 48. Pim. That which the Word of God said say I because the Father of all things consists of Life and light whereof Man is made 49. Trism Thou sayest very well 50. Pim. God and the Father is Light and Life of which Man is made If therefore thou learn and beleeve thyself to be of the Life and Light thou shalt again passe into Life 51. Trism But yet tell me more O my Minde how I shall go into Life 52. Pim. God saith Let the Man endued with a Minde mark
consider and know himself well 53. Trism Have not all men a minde 54. Pim. Take heed what thou sayest for I the Minde come unto men that are holy and good pure and mercifull and that live piously and religiously and my presence is a help unto them And forthwith they know all things and lovingly they supplicate and propitiate the Father and blessing him they give him thanks and sing hymnes unto him being ordered and directed by filiall Affection and naturall Love And before they give up their Bodies to the death of them they hate their Senses knowing their Workes and Operations 55. Rather I that am the Minde it self will not suffer the Operations or Works which happen or belong to the body to be finished and brought to perfection in them but being the Porter and Door-keeper I will shut up the entrances of Evill and cut off the thoughtfull desires of filthy works 56. But to the foolish and evill and wicked and envious and covetous and murderous and profane I am far off giving place to the revenging Demon which applying unto him the sharpnesse of fire tormenteth such a man sensible and armeth him the more to all wickednesse that he may obtain the greater punishment 57. And such a one never ceaseth having unfulfillable desires and unsatiable concupiscences and alwaies fighting in darknesse for the Demon afflicts and tormenteth him continually and increaseth the fire upon him more and more 58. Trism Thou hast O Minde most excellently taught me all things as I desired but tell me moreover after the return is made what then 59. Pimand First of all in the resolution of the materiall Body the Body it self is given up to alteration and the form which it had becometh invisible and the idle manners are permitted and left to the Demon and the Senses of the Body return into their Fountains being parts and again made up into Operations 60. And Anger and Concupiscence go into the bruitish or unreasonable Nature and the rest striveth upward by Harmony 61. And to the first Zone it giveth the power it had of increasing and diminishing 62. To the second the machination or plotting of evils and one effectuall deceipt or craft 63. To the third the idle deceipt of Concupiscence 64. To the fourth the desire of Rule and unsatiable Ambition 65. To the fifth prophane Boldnesse and theâ—… headlong rashnesse of Confidence 66. To the sixth Evil and ineffectuall occasions of Riches 67. And to the seventh Zone subtile Falshood alwayes lying in wait 68. And then being made naked of all the Operations of Harmony it cometh to the eighth Nature having its proper power and singeth praises to the Father with the things that are and all they that are present rejoyce and congratulate the coming of it and being made like to them with whom it converseth it heareth also the Powers that are above the eighth Nature singing praise to God in a certain voyce that is peculiar to them 69. And then in order they return unto the Father and themselves deliver themselves to the powers and becoming powers they are in God 70. This is the Good and to them that know to be deified 71. Furthermore why sayest thou What resteth but that understanding all men thou become a guide and way-leader to them that are worthy that the kinde of Humanity or Mankinde may be saved by God 72. When pimander had thus said unto me he was mingled among the Powers 73. But I giving thanks and blessing the Father of all things rose up being enabied by him and taught the nature of the Nature of the whole and having seen the greatest sight or spectacle 74. And I began to Preach unto men the beauty and fairnesse of Piety and Knowledge 75. O ye People Mâ—…n born and made of the Earth which have given your selves over to drunkenesse and sléep and to the ignorance of God be sober and cease your surfeit whereto you are allured and invited by bruitiâ—… and unreasonable sleep 76. And they that heard me came willingly and with one accord and then I said further 77. Why O men of the Off-spring of the Earth why have you delivered your selves over unto death having power to pertake of immortality Repent and change your mindes you that have together walked in Error and have been darkened in ignorance 78. Depart from that dark light be partakers of immortality and leave or forsake corruption 79. And some of them that heard me mocking and scorning went away and delivered themselves up to the way of death 80. But others casting themselves down before my feet besought me that they might be taught but I causing them to rise up became a guide of mankinde teaching them the reasons how and by what meanes they may be saved And I sowed in them the words of Wisdom and nourished them with Ambrosian water of immortality 81. And when it was Evening and the Brightnesse of the same began wholly to go down I commanded them to go down I commanded them to give thanks to God and when they had finished their thanksgiving every one returned to his own lodging 82. But I wrote in my self the bounty and beneficence of Pimander and being filled with what I most desired I was exceeding glad 83. For the sleep of the Body was the sober watchfulnesse of the minde and the shutting of my eyes the true sight and my silence great with childe and full of good and the pronouncing of my words the blossoms and fruits of good things 84. And thus came to passe or happened unto me which I received from my minde that is Pimander the Lord of the Word whereby I became inspired by God with the Truth 85. For which cause with my Soul and whole strength I give praise and blessing unto God the Father 86. Holy is God the Father of all things 87. Holy is God whose will is performed and accomplished by his own powers 88. Holy is God that determineth to be known and is known of his own or those that are his 89. Holy art thâ—…u that by thy Word hast established all things 90. Holy art thou of whom all Nature is the Image 91. Holy art thou whom Nature hath not formed 92. Holy art thou that art stronger then all power 93. Holy art thou that art greater then all excellency 94. Holy art thou who art better then all praise 95. Accept these reasonable Sacrifices from a pure soul and a heart stretched out unto thée 96. O thou unspeakable unutterable to be praised with silence 97. I beséech thée that I may never err from the knowledge of thée look mercifully upon me and enable me and enlighten with this Grace those that are in ignorance the brothers of my kinde but thy sons 98. Therefore I beléeve thee and bear witnesse and go into the Life and Light 99. Blessed art thou O Father thy man would be sanctified with thée as thou hast given him all power The End of the Second Book THE Third
materiall living thing happeneth not to be done by those things that are without the World but by those things within it a Soul or Spirit or some other unbodily thing to those things which are without it 40. For an inanimated Body doth not now much lesse a Body if it be wholly inanimate 41. Asclep What meanest thou by this O Trismegistus Wood and Stones and all other inanimate things are they not moving Bodies 42. Herm. By no means O Asclepius for that within the Body which moves the inanimate thing is not the Body that moves both as well the Body of that which beareth as the Body of that which is born for one dead or inanimate thing cannot move another that which moveth must needs be alive if it move 43 Thou seest therefore how the Soul is surcharged when it carrieth two Bodies 44. And now it is manifest that the things that are moved are moved in something and by something 45. Asclep The things that are moved O Trismegistus must needs be moved in that which is void or empty vacuum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 46. Be advised O Asclepius for of all the things that are there is nothing empty only that which is not is empty and a stranger to existence or being 47. But that which is could not be if it were not full of existence for that which is in being or existence can never be made empty 48. Asclep Are there not therefore some things that are empty O Trismegistus as an empty Barrell an empty Hogshead an empty Well an empty Wine-Presse and many such like 49. Herm. O the grossnesse of thy Error O Asclepius those things that are most full and replenished dost thou account them voyd and empty 50. Aclep What may be thy meaning Trismegistus 51. Herm. Is not the Air aâ—… a Body 52. Asclep It is a Body 53. Herm. Why then this Body doth it not passe through all things that are and passing through them fill them and that Body doth it not consist of the mixture of the four therefore all those things which thou callest empty are full of Ayr. 54. Therefore those things that thou callest empty thou oughtest to call them hollow not empty for they exist and are full of Ayr and Spirit 55. Asclep This reason is beyond all contradiction O Trismegistus but what shall we call the Place in which the whole Universe is moved 56. Herm. Call it incorporeall O Asclepius 57. Asclep What is that incorporeall or unbodily 58. Herm. The mind and Reason the whole wholly comprehending it self free from all Body undeceiveable invisible impassible from a Body it self standing fast in it self capable of all things and that savour of the things that are 59. Whereof the God the Truth the Archetypall Light the Archetype of the Soul are as it were Beams 60. Asclep Why then what is God 61. Herm. That which is none of these things yetis and is the cause of Being to all and every one of the things that are for he left nothing destitute of Being 62. And all things are made of things that are and not of things that are not for the things that are not have not the nature to be able to be made and again the things that are have not the nature never to be or not to be at all 63. Asclep What dost thou then say at lenghth that God is 64. Herm. God is not a Minde but the cause that the Minde is not a Spirit but the Cause that the Spirit is not Light but the Cause that Light is 65. Therefore we must worship God by these two Appellations which are proper to him alone and to no other 66. For neither of all the other which are called Gods nor of Men nor Demons or Angels can any one be though never so little good save only God alone 67. And this He is and nothing else but all other things are separable from the nature of Good 68. For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of or can contain the Good 69. For the greatnesse of Good is as great as the Existence of all things that are both bodily and unbodily both sensible and intelligible 70. This is the Good even God 71. See therefore that thou do not at any time call ought else Good for so thou shalt be impious or any else God but only the Good for so thou shalt again be impious 72. In Word it is often said by all men the Good but all men do not understand what it is but through Ignorance they call both the Gods and some men Good that can never either be or be made so 73. Therefore all the other Gods are honored with the title and appellation of God but God is the Good not according to Heaven but Nature 74. For there is one Nature of God even the Good and one kinde of them both from whence all are kindes 75. For he that is good is the giver of all things and takes nothing and therefore God gives all things and receives nothing 76. The other title and appellation is the Father because of his making all things for it is the part of a Father to make 77. Therefore it hath been the greatest and most Religious care in this life to them that are wise and well-minded to beget children 78. As likewise it is the greatest misfortune and impiety for any to be separated from men without children and this man is punished after death by the Demons and the punishment is this To have the Soul of this childlesse man adjudged and condemned to a Body that neither hath the nature of a man nor of a woman which is an accursed thing under the Sun 79. Therefore O Asclepius never congratulate any man that is childlesse but on the contrary pity his misfortune knowing wha t punishment abides and is prepared for him 80. Let so many and such manner of things O Asclepius be said as a certain precognition of all things in Nature The End of the Ninth Book THE Tenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus The Minde to Hermes FOrbear thy Speech O Hermes Trismegistus and call to minde to those things that are said but I will not delay to speak what comes into my minde sithence many men have spoken many things and those very different concerning the Universe and Good but I have not learned the Truth 2. Therefore the Lord make it plain to me in this point for I will beleeve thee only for the manifestation of these things 3. Then said the Minde how the case stands 4. God and All. 5. God Eternity the World Time Generation 6. God made Eternity Eternity the World the World Time and Time Generation 7. Of God as it were the Substance is the God the Fair Blessednesse Wisdom 8. Of Eternity Identity or Selfnesse 9. Of the World Order 10. Of Time Change 11. Of Generation Life and Death 12. But the Operation of God is Minde and Soul 13. Of Eternity Permanence or Long-lasting
therefore being One doth all things in many things 83. And what great thing is it for God to make Life and Soul and Immortality and Change when thy self dost so many things 84. For thou both seest speakest and hearest smellest tastest and touchest walkest understandest and breathest 85. And it is not one that seeth and another that heareth and another that speaketh and another that toucheth and another that smelleth and another that walketh and another that understandeth and another that breatheth but One that doth all these things 86. Yet neither can these things possibly be without God 87. For as thou if thou shouldest cease from doing these things wert not a living wight so if God should cease from those he were not which is not lawful to say any longer God 88. For if it be already demonstrated that nothing can be idle or empty how much more may be affirmed of God 89. For if there be any thing which he doth not do then is he if it were lawful to say so imperfect 90. Whereas seeing he is not idle but perfect certainly he doth all things 91. Now give thy self unto me O Hermes for a little while thou shalt the more easily understand that it is the necessary work of God that all things should be made or done that are done or were once done or shall be done 92. And this O best Beloloved is life 93. And this is the Fair. 94. And this is the Good 95. And this is God 96. And if thou wilt understand this by work also mark what happens to thy self when thou wilt generate 97. And yet this is not like unto him for he is not sensible of pleasure for neither hath he any other Fellow-workman 98. But being himself the onely Workman he is alwayes in the Work himself being that which he doth or maketh 99. For all things if they were separated from him must needs fall and die as there being no life in them 100. And again if all things be living wights both which are in Heaven and upon Earth and that there be one Life in all things which is made by God and that is God then certainly all things are made or done by God 101. Life is the union of the Minde and the Soul 102. But death is not the destruction of those things that were gathered together but a dissolving of the Union 103. The Image therefore of God is Eternity of Eternity the World of the World the Sun of the Sun Man 104. But the people say That changing is Death because the Body is dissolved and the Life goeth into that which appeareth not 105. By this discourse my dearest Hermes I affirm as thou hearest That the World is changed because every day part thereof becomes invisible but that it is never dissolved 106. And these are the Passions of the World Revolutions and Occultations and Revolution is a turning but Occultation is Renovation 107. And the world being all formed hath not the forms lying without it but it self changeth in it self 108. Seeing then the World is all formed what must he be that made it for without form he cannot be 109. And if he be all formed he will be kept like the World but if he have but one form he shall be in this regard lesse then the World 110. What do we then say that he is we will not raise any doubts by our speech for nothing that is doubtfull concerning God is yet known 111. He hath therefore one Idea which is proper to him which because it is unbodily is not subject to the sight and yet shews all forms by the Bodies 112. And do not wonder if there be an incorruptible Idea 113. For they are like the Margents of that Speech which is in writing for they seem to be high and swelling but they are by nature smooth and even 114. But understand well this that I say more boldly for it is more true As a man cannot live without life so neither can God live not doing good 115. For this is as it were â—…he Life and Motion of God to move all things and quicken them 116. But some of the things I have said must have a particular explication Understand then what I say 117. All things are in God not as lying in a place for Place is both a Body and unmoveable and those things that are there placed have no motion 118. For they lie otherwise in that which is unbodily then in the fantasie or to appearance 119. Consider him that containes all things and understand that nothing is more capacious then that which is incorporeall nothing more swift nothing more powerfull but it is most capacious most swift and most strong 120. And judge of this by thy self command thy Soul to go into India and sooner then thou canst bid it it will be there 121. Bid it likewise passe over the Ocean and suddenly it will be there Not as passing from place to place but suddenly it will be there 122. Command it to flie into Heaven and it will need no Wings neither shall any thing hinder it not the fire of the Sun not the Aether nor the turning of the Spheres not the bodies of any of the other Stars but cutting through all it will flie up to the last and furthest Body 123. And if thou wilt even break the whole and see those things that are without the World if there be any thing without thou mayest 124. Behold how great power how great swiftnesse thou hast Canst thou do all these things and cannot God 125. After this manner therefore contemplate God to have all the whole World to himself as it were all thoughts or intellections 126. If therefore thou wilt not equall thy self to God thou canst not understand God 127. For the like are intelligible by the like 128. Increase thy self unto an immeasurable greatnesse leaping beyond every Body and transcending all Time become Eternity and thou shall understand God If thou believe in thyself that nothing is impossible but accountest thy self immortall and that thou canst understand all things every Art every Science and the manner and custom of every living thing 129. Become higher then all heighth lower then all depths comprehend in thy self the qualities of all the Creatures of the Fire the Water the Dry and Moyst and conceive likewise that thou canst at once be every where in the Sea in the Earth 130. Thou shalt at once ununderstand thy self not yet begotten in the Womb young old to be dead the things after death and all these together as also times places deeds qualities quantities or else thou canst not yet understand God 131. But if thou shut up thy Soul in the Body and abuse it and say I understand nothing I can do nothing I am affraid of the Sea I cannot climb up into Heaven I know not who I am I cannot tell what I shall be what hast thou to do with God for thou canst understand none of those Fair
of man be above it let it not neglect the things that happen to be under Fate 46. And these thus far were the excellent sayings of the good Demon. 47. Tat. Most divinely spoken O Father and truly and profitably yet clear this one thing unto me 48. Thou sayest that in bruit Beasts the Mind worketh or acteth after the manner of Nature co-operating also with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impetus inclinations 49. Now the impetuous in clinations of bruit Beasts as I conceive are Passions If therefore the Minde do co-operate with these impetuous Inclinations that they are the Passions in bruit Beasts certainly the Mind is also a Passion conforming it self to Passions 50. Herm. Well done Son thou askest nobly and yet it is just that I should answer thee 51. All incorporeall things O Son that are in the Body are passible nay they are properly Passions 52. Every thing that moveth is incorporeal every thing that is moved is a Body and it is moved into the Bodies by the Minde Now Motion is Passion and there they both suffer as well that which moveth as that which is moved as well that which ruleth as that which is ruled 53. But being freed from the Body it is freed likewise from Passion 54. But especially O Son there is nothing impassible but all things are passible 55. But Passion differs from that which is passible for that Passion acteth but this suffers 56. Beodies also of themselves do act for either they are unmoveable or else are moved and which soever it be it is a Passion 57. But incorporeall things do alwayes act or work and therefore they are passible 58. Let not therefore the appellation of names trouble thee for Action and Passion are the same thing but that it is not grievous to use the more honourable name 59. Tat. O Father thou hast delivered this Discourse most plainly 60. Herm. Consider this also O Son That God hath freely bestowed upon man above all other living things these two to wit Minde and Speech or Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal to immortality 61. These if any man use or imploy upon what he ought he shall differ nothing from the Immortals 62. Yea rather going out of the Body he shall be guided and led bythem both into the Quier and Society of the Gods and blessed Ones 63. Tat. Do not other living Creatures use Speech O Father 64. Herm. No Son but onely Voice now Speech and Voice do differ exceedingmuch for Speech is common to all men but Voice is proper unto every kinde of living thing 65. Tat. Yea but the Speech of men is different O Father every man according to his Nation 66. Herm. It is true O Son they do differ Yet as man is one so is Speech one also and it is interpreted and found the same both in Egypt Persia and Gréece 67. But thou seemest unto me Son to be ignorant of the Vertue or Power and Greatness of Speech 68. For the blessed God the good Demon said or commanded the Soul to be in the Body the Minde in the Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word or Speech or Reason in the Minde and the Minde in God and that God is the Father of them all 69. Therefore the Word is the Image of the Minde and the Minde of God and the Body of the Idea and the Iâ—…ea of the Soul 70. Therefore of the Matter the subtilest or smallest part is Air of the Air the Soul of the Soul the Minde of the Minde God 71. And God is about all things and through all things but the Minde about the Soul the Soul about the Air and the Air about the Matter 72. But Necessity and Providence and Nature are the Organs or Instruments of the World and of the Order of Matter 73. For of those things that are intelligible every one is but the Essence of them is Identity 74. But of the Bodies of the whole or universe every one is many things 75. For the Bodies that are put together and that have and make their changes into other having this Identity do alwayes save and preserve the uncorruption of the Identity 76. But in every one of the compound Bodies there is a Number 77. For without Number it is unpossible there should be consistence or constitution or composition or dissolution 78. But Unities do both beget and increase Numbers and again being dissolved come into themselves 79. And the Matter is One. 80. But this whole World the great God and the Image of the Greater and united unto him and conserving the Order and Will of the Father is the fulnesse of Life 81. And there is nothing therein through all the Eternity of the Revolutions neither of the whole nor of the parts which doth not live 82. For there is nothing dead that either hath been or is or shall be in the World 83. For the Father would have it as long as it lasts to be a liâ—…ing thing and therefore it must needs be God also 84. How therefore O Son can there be in God in the Image of the Universe in the fulnesse of Life any dead things 85. For dying is corruption and corruption is destruction 86. How then can any part of the incorruptible be corrupted or of God be destroyed 87. Tat. Therefore O Father do not the living things in the World die though they be parts thereof 88. Herm. Be wary in thy Speech O Son and not deceived in the names of things 89. For they do not die O Son but as compound Bodies they are dissolved 90. But dissolution is not death and they are dissolved not that they may be destroyed but that they may be made new 91. Tat. What then is the operation of Life Is it not Motion 92. Herm. And what is there in the World unmoveable Nothing at all O Son 93. Tat. Why doth not the Earth seem unmoveable to thee O Father 94. Herm. No but subject to many motions though after a manner it alone be stable 95. What a ridiculous thing it were that the Nurse of all things should be unmoveable which beareth and bringeth forth all things 96. For it is impossible that any thing that bringeth forth should bring forth without Motion 97. And a ridiculous question it is Whether the fourth part of the whole be idle For the word immoveable or without Motion signifies nothing else but idlenesse 98. Know generally O Son That whatsoever is in the World is moved either according to Augmentation or Diminution 99. But that which is moved liveth also yet it is not necessary that a living thing should be or continue the same 100. For while the whole World is together it is unchangeable O Son but all the parts thereof are changeable 101. Yet nothing is corrupted or destroyed and quite abolished but the names trouble men 102. For Generation is not Life but Sense neither is Change Death but forgetfulnesse or rather Occultation and lying hid Or better
called Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the taking away the first letter instead of Immortal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. For Death is destruction but there is nothing in the whole World that is destroyed 4. For if the World be a second God and an Immortall living Wight it is impossible that any part of an Immortall living Wight should die 5. But all things that are in the World are members of the World especially Man the reasonable â—…iving Wight 6. For the first of all is God the Eternall and Unmade and the Workman of all things 7. The second is the World made by him after his own Image and by him holden together and nourished and immortalized and as from its own Father ever living 8. So that as Immortall it is ever living and ever immortall 9. For that which is ever living differs from that which is eternall 10. For the Eternall was not begotten or made by another and if it were begotten or made yet it was made by it self not by any other but it is always made 11. For the Eternall as it is Eternall is the Universe 12. For the Father himself is Eternall of himself but the world was made by the Father ever living and immortal 13. And as much Matter as there was laid up by him the Father made it all into a Body and swelling it made it round like a Sphere endued it with Quality being it self immortal and having Eternal Materiality 14. The Father being full of Ideas sowed Qualities in the Sphere and shut them up as in a Circle deliberating to beautifie with every Qualiâ—…y that which should afterwards be made 15. Then cloathing the Universall Body with Immortality lest the Matter if it would depart from this Composition should be dissolved into its own disorder 16. For when the matter was incorporeal O Son it was disordered and it hath here the same confusion daily revolved about other little things endued with Qualities in point of Augmentation and Diminution which men call Death being indeed a disorder happening about earthly living wights 17. For the Bodies of Heavenly things have one order which they have received from the Father at the Beginning and is by the instauration of each of them kept indissolveable 18. But the instauration of earthly Bodies is their consistence and their dissolution restores them into indissoluble that is Immortall 19. And so there is made a privation of Sense but not a destruction of Bodies 20. Now the third living wight is Man made after the Image of the World and having by the Will of the Father a Minde above other earthly wights 21. And he hath not onely a sympathy with the second God but also an understanding of the first 22. For the second God he apprehends as a Body but the first he understands as Incorporeal and the Mind of the Good 23. Tat. And doth not this living wight perish 24. Herm. Speak advisedly O Son and learn what God is what the World what an Immortall Wight and what a dissolveable One is 25. And understand that the World is of God and in God but Man of the World and in the World 26. The Beginning and End and Consistence of all is God The End of the sixteenth Book The Seventeenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus To Asclepius to be truly wise BEcause my Son Tat in thy absence would needs learn the Nature of the things that are He would not suffer me to give over as coming very young to the knowledge of every Individuall till I was forced to discourse to him many things at large that his contemplation might from point to point be more easie and successefull 2. But to thee I have thought good to write in few words chusing out the principall heads of the things then spoken and to interpret them more mystically because thou hast both more yeers and more knowledge of Nature 3. All things that appear were made and are made 4. Those things that are made are not made by themselves but by another 5. And there are many things made but especially all things that appear and which are different and not like 6. If the things that be made and done be made and done by another there must be one that must make and do them and he unmade and more ancient than the things that are made 7. For I affirm the things that are made to be made by another and it is impossible that of the things that are made any should be more ancient than all but only that which is not made 8. He is stronger and One and only knowing all things indeed as not having any thing more ancient than himself 9. For he bears rule both over multitude and greatnesse and the diversity of the things that are made and the continuity of the Facture and of the Operation 10. Moreover the things that are made are visible but he is invisible and for this cause he maketh them that he may be visible and therefore he makes them alwayes 11. Thus it is fit to understand and understanding to admire and admiring to think thy self happy that knowest thy naturall Father 12. For what is sweeter than a naturall Father 13. Who therefore is this or how shall we know him 14. Or is it just to ascribe unto him alone the Title and Appellation of God or of the Maker or of the Father or all Three That of God because of his Power the Maker because of his Working and Operation and the Father because of his Goodnessé 15. For Power is different from the things that are made but Act or Operation in that all things are made 16. Wherefore letting go all much and vain talking we must understand these two things That which is made and him which is the Maker for there is nothing in the middle between these Two nor is there any third 17. Therefore understanding All things remember these Two and think that these are All things putting nothing into doubt neither of the things above nor of the things below neither of the things changeable nor things that are in darknesse or secret 18. For All things are but Two things That which maketh and that which is made and the One of them cannot depart or be devided from the other 19. For neither is it possible that the Maker should be without the thing made for either of them is the self same thing therefore cannot the One of them be separated from the other no more then a thing can be separated from it self 20. For if he that makes be nothing else but that which makes alone simple uncomponnded it is of necessity that he makes the same thing to himself to whom it is the Generation of him that maketh to be also All that is made 21. For that which is generated or made must necessarily be generated or made by another but without the Maker that which is made neither is made not is for the one of them without the other hath
the gods which man represents is fashioned of two natures Divine which is the more excellent and noble part and Earthly which is that which is here conversant in earth and which consists of the whole Fabrick or severall parts of the outward Man So Man being mindfull of his Divine Nature and Originall remains still in the likenesse of God For as the Father and the Lord hath made eternal Gods that might be like unto him So man hath fashioned out unto himself gods after the similitude of his own countenance Asclep Do you mean images O Trismegistus Trism Do you not see how far you are mistaken living images full of sense and spirit doing such and so great things Images having fore-knowledge of things to come and fore-telling by many other things infirmities cares and sorrows which shall happen deservedly to men Are you ignorant O Asclepius that Aegypt is the image of Heaven or which is more true a translation of descension of all things which are governed and exercised in Heaven And if we speak rightly Our land is the Temple of the whole World and yet for that it beseemeth wise men to fore-know all things it behoveth you not to be ignorant that the time will come when it may appear that the Aegyptians have by a constant and pious practice in religion served God in vain and all their holy worship shall become void and of no effect For the Divinity shall return back from Earth into Heaven Aegypt shall be forsaken and the Land which was the seat of the Divinity shall be destitute of Religion and deprived of the presence of the Deity For when strangers shall possesse and fill up this Land and Kingdom not onely there shall be a neglect of Religion but which is more miserable there shall be Laws enacted against Religion Piety and Divine Worship with punishment inflicted upon those that seem to favour it then this holy seat shall be full of Iolatry Idols Temples and dead mens Sepulchres O Aegypt Aegypt there shall remain only a fained shew of thy Religion and which will seem incredible to posterity and onely letters shall stand ingraven upon thy pillars which may declare thy pious deeds and in thee shall inhabit the Scythian Indian or some other neer barbarous Nation For the Divinity shall fly to Heaven the whole Nation forsaken shall die and so Aegypt shall be forsaken of God and man I call upon thee thou most holy River and presage unto thee things which shall come to passe thy waters and divine streams shall be filled with blood which shall overflow thy banks and make a violent inundation so that there shall be more dead than living and he that remains alive shall onely by his language be known to be an Aegyptian but by his deeds he shall seem a Barbarian Why weep you O Asclepius Aegypt shall be furnished with far greater and worse evils than these she being heretofore a holy and great Favourer of the Deity and Divine Worship and Religion and that worthily upon earth separated alone from other Nations became the Mistresse of Sanctity and Piety shall be an example of the greatest cruelty and then with grief of heart the world shall not seem to be admired and adored This whole good than the which there neither is hath or shall be any thing that shall appear of more excellencie shall be indangered and seem burdenous to men and in this respect shall be despised neither shall the world be esteemed which is the immutable work of God a most glorious Fabrick a work compounded with the different variety of shapes an instrument of the will of God who in his work without envie bespake all things to become one which of the beholders might be honoured praised and loved being an united heap of sundry shapes For darknesse shall be preferred before light death shall seem sweeter than life no man shall look up to Heaven a religious man shall be accounted a mad man an irreligious and profane person seem wise a mad man valiant and the worst of all men good and pious for the Soul and all things about it wherein it is either mortall or conceiveth that it shall attain to immortality accordingly as I have declared unto you shall not onely be esteemed a thing worthy of laughter but also a meer vanity For beleeve me it shall be reckoned a capital offence for him that shall study to be religious there shall new Statutes and Laws be stablished nothing which is religious shall be heard worthy of Heaven or heavenly things or be entertained in the hearts of men there shall be a separation of God which is much to be lamented from the Society of men onely evil angels shall remain mixed with the humanity which shall violently move to all manner of audacious mischiefs stir them up to wars sedition robberies deceit and unto all things contrary to the disposition of the Soul then the Earth shall not stand the Sea shall not be sailed in and in Heaven the course of the Stars and Planets shall cease all divine knowledge shall of necessity be buried in silence the fruits of the earth shall be corrupted neither shall the earth be fruitfull and the air it self shall languish with a sorrowfull countenance these and such like times shall come irreligion and confusion of the world with a senslesnes vacancy of al good things When these things shall happen O Asclepius then that Lord and Father God Almighty Governour onely of the world looking into the manners and voluntary deeds of men after his own will which is his goodnesse punishing vices taking away all errours and corruption and drowning all manner of wickednesse either by an inundation of waters or else consuming them by fire or else by plague and pestilence he will end this world and restore it to its ancient beauty so that the world it self may seem to be admired and honoured and God the Creatour and Restorer of so great a work shall of all men then being be magnified with continuall praises and thanksgivings For this generation of the world and the reformation of all good things and the most holy and religious restitution of nature it self in due time both is and hath been eternall from the beginning for the will of God wants beginning which is the same and continuall in every place Asclep For the nature of God is the counsaile of his will and his excellent goodnesse his counsaile O Trismegistus Trism O Asclepius his will proceeds from his counsaile and his will from his will neither wills he any thing ambitiously which is full of all things and those which he wills he hath but he wills all good things and hath all he wills For he thinks and wills all good things but this is God and the world is the Image of that Good Asclep Good O Trismegistus Trism Good as I shall teach thee O Asclepius for as God is the dispenser and giver of all good things to every Genus
and Species in the World that is both of soul and life so likewise the world is the distributer and giver of all things which seem good to mortall creatures that is change of parts seasonable fruites nativity encrease and maturity and the like and by this God sitting above in the highest Heaven is every where and beholds all things for there is above these Lower Heavens a place without Starrs far from all earthly things this place betwixt Heaven and Earth the dispenser of aâ—…l things inhabiteth whom we call Iupiter or god but on the earth and the Sea Reigneth Iupiter Pluto and he is the nourisher and preserver of all Living and fruitfull mortall Creatures by the power of all these Fruits Trees Plants and the ground are refreshed and the power and effects of other Gods are distributed through all things that are They are distributed that shall bear rule on the Earth and shall be placed in the very entrance of Egypt in that City which is built in the West or where the Sun sets To which place all mortall Creatures both in Land and Sea shall hasten Asclep But at this time where are they O Trismegistus Trism They are placed in the great City in the Libyan Mountain and thus far this declaration The COMMENTARY This whole Ninth Chapter is prophane Which Augustine well reproveth in his Book of the City of God It maintaines Idolatry extolling and setting it forth with wonderfull praises and the decay or fall of it it much deplores In the highest Heaven he setteth a certain God beholding all things but in that place betwixt Heaven and Earth he placeth Jupiter the disposer or Steward and Pluto Jupiter to be the God and dispenser on Land and Sea as though there were one God in Heaven another in the Aire and another on the Land and Sea all which contein an infinite impiety of errors for out of divine Writ we are uncorruptly purely and holily taught that the Lord he is God in Heaven above and in Earth below and that there is no other God but against Idols and Idolatry the word of God and the â—…ly Prophets do warily admonish 〈◊〉 that we be not defiled with so great a blot of impiety nor corrupted with so great an error for the Idol it self is cursed and him that made it and again the worshipping of cursed Idols is the cause beginning and end of all mischief An Idol maker and this Idol are both an abomination to the Lord for both that which is made with him that it shall be consumed with fire these and many more things of Idolatry out of the Book of wisdome and in Leviticus God himself out of his own mouth commandeth I am the Lord your God you shall not make to your self any Idol or graven Image neither shall you erect any monument or Pillar in your Land to worship it And of the Idols of Aegypt he advertiseth in Ezekiel Be not polluted with the Idols of Aegypt for I am the Lord your God and of their abolishing 〈◊〉 speaketh by the same Propâ—… 〈◊〉 will destroy their Images and make an end of their Idol Memphis he shall no more lead them out of the Land of Aegypt What Mercurius calleth the soul Spirit and sense of Idols and Images in that they shall bring diseases in firmities and fears upon men we know without doubt to be evill Spirits and in assurance to be those of which the Prophet truly affirmeth that all the Gods of the gentilâ—…s are divils or evil Spirits Let this little be sufficient against the impiety of Trismegistus in this ninth part for we speake to those who are seasoned with the true knowledge of God which as the wiseman saith to know and understand is perfect righteousnesse and to know his righteousnesse and power is the root of immortality Lazarelus draweth this place to an Analogie as though the Idols were the Apostles the Image of man Christ the power given from above the holy Ghost Aegypt the darknesse of the gentiles and the persecution of the Disciples Apostles Martyrs the graven pillars declaring their pious works and that the heart of posterity did retâ—…ine not their works but their faith only these are piously invented but per adventure far from the Letter or meaning I think with Augustine that Hermes overshot himself both in this and the 13. Chapter for they seem to have the Prophets of the Gentiles as Balaam and the Sybills that they may suffer both Light and darknesse the lucid and obscure intermixture of Prophecies sometimes pure and sometimes impure This for the ninth Chapter CHAP. X. NOw we are to discourse of mortality immortality for hope and fear of death torments many which are ignorant of the true reason for death is caused by dissolution of the body tyred out with labour and the harmony being ended whereby the members of the body are fitted into one composition for lively uses for the body dieth when the vitall parts of man faile This is therefore death a dissolution of the body and an utter decay of the bodily senses about which to take thought for is to no purpose but there is an other thing necessary which either ignorance or mans incredulity seteth leight by Asclep What is that O Trismegistus that they are either â—…gnorant of or believe not to be Trism Hear therefore O Asclepius when there shall be a separation of the soul from the body then the Judgement and examination of his deserts shall passe over unto the great God and he when he shall see that it is just and righteous shall suffer it to abide in a fit Mansion but if he shall see it to be spotted and defiled with sin and iniquity he will cast it down and deliver it to Stormes Whirle-Winds fire Lightening and Tempest and it shall be snatched up betwixt Heaven and Earth with worldly tempests and with continuall torments be driven into divers places that in this respect the eternity of them is prejudicious because by an immortall sentence the Soul is condemned to everlasting judgment left therefore we be infolded with these miseries know that we must fear tremble and beware for the unbelievers are after their faults and pleasure in sin compelled to believe not by words but by examples not by threatenings but by the very suffering of punishment Asclep Are not then O Trismegistus the faults of men punished only by mans Law Trism Forsooth O Asclepius first all earthly things which are mortall then those things also which live by corporal reason and which swarve from living after that Law of reason all these according to their deserts and faults are liable to punishment but after death so much the sorer punishment as their faults have been concealed unpunished in this life for God foreknowing all things renders a like punishment to evey one according to the measure and quality of the fault Asclep Who are worthy of the greatest punishment O Trismegistus Trism Those who being condemned