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
of Generation 66. That which off-springs or begetteth another is it self an off-spring or begotten by another 67. Of things that are some are in Bodies some in their Ideas 68. Whatsoever things belong to operation or working are in a Body 69. That which is immortal partakes not of that which is mortal 70. That which is mortall cometh not into a Body immortall but that which is immortall cometh into that which is mortal 71. Operations or Workings are not carried upwards but descend downwards 72. Things upon Earth do nothing advantage those in Heaven but all things in Heaven do profit and advantage the things upon Earth 73. Heaven is capable and a fit receptacle of everlasting Bodies the Earth of corruptible Bodies 74. The Earth is bruitish the Heaven is reasonable or rational 75. Those things that are in Heaven are subjected or placed under it but the things on Earth are placed upon it 76. Heaven is the first Element 77. Providence is Divine Order 78. Necessity is the Minister or Servant of Providence 79. Forrune is the carriage or effect of that which is without Order the Idol of operation a lying fantasie or opinion 80. What is God The immutable or unalterable Good 81. What is man An unchangeable Evil. 82. If thou perfectly remember these Heads thou canst not forget those things which in more words I have largely expounded unto thee for these are the Contents or Abridgment of them 83. Avoyd all Conversation with the multitude or common People for I would not have thee subject to envy much lesse to be ridiculous unto the Many 84. For the like alwaies takes to it self that which is like but the unlike never argrees with the unlike Such Discourses as these have very few Anditors and peradventure very few will have but they have something peculiar unto themselves 85. They do rather sharpen and whet evil men to their maliciousnesse therefore it behoveth to avoyd the multitude take heed of them as not understanding the virtue and power of the things that are said 86. How dost thou mean O Father 87. Thus O Son the whole Nature and Composition of those living things called Men is very prone to Malieiousnesse and is very familiar and as it were nourished with it and therefore is delighted with it Now this Wight if it shall come to Learn or know that the vvorld vvas once made and all things are done according to Providence and Necessity Destiny or Fate bearing Rule over all Will he not be much vvorse then himself despising the vvhole because it vvas made And if he may lay the cause of Evill upon Fate or Destiny he vvill never abstain from any evillwork 88. Wherefore we must look warily to such kind of people that being in ignorance they may be lesse evil for fear of that which is hidden and kept secret The end of the first Book THE Second Book CALLED Poemander MY Thoughts being once seriously busied about the things that are and my Understanding lifted up all my bodily Senses being exceedingly holden back as it is vvith them that are very heavy of sleep by reason either of fulnesse of meat or of bodily labor Me thought I savv one of an exceeding great stature and an infinite greatnesse call me by my name and say unto me What wouldest then hear and sée or what wouldest thou understand to learn and know 2. Then said I Who art thou I am quoth he Poemander the minde of the great Lord the most Mighty and absolute Emperor I knovv vvhat thou vvouldst have and I am alvvayes present vvith thee 3. Then said I I would learn the things that are and understand the nature of them and know God How said he I answered That I would gladly hear Then he Have me again in thy minde and whatsoever thou wouldest learn I will teach thee 4. When he had thus said he was changed in his Idea or Form and straight-way in the twinckling of an eye all things were opened unto me And I saw an infinite sight all things were become light both sweet and exceedingly pleasant and I was wonderfully delighted in the beholding it 5. But after a little while there was a darknesse made in part coming down obliquely fearfull and hideous which seemed unto me to be changed into a certain moyst nature unspeakably troubled which yielded a smoke as from fire and from whence proceeded a voyce unutterable and very mournfull but inarticulate insomuch that it seemed to have come from the Light 6. Then from that Light a certain holy Word joyned it self unto Nature and out-flew the pure and unmixed Fire from the moyst Nature upward on high it was exceeding light and sharp and operative withall And the Air which was also light followed the Spirit and mounted up to Fire from the Earth and the Water insomuch that it seemed to hang and depend upon it 7. And the Earth and the Water stayed by themselves so mingled together that the Earth could not be seen for the Water but they were moved because of the Spirituall Word that was carried upon them 8. Then said Poemander unto me Dost thou understand this Uâ—…on and what it meaneth I shall know said I Then said he I am that Light the Minde thy God who am before that moyst Nature that appeared out of darknesse and that bright and lightfull Word from the Minde is the Son of God 9. How is that quoth I Thus replyed he Understand it That which in thée séeth and heareth the Word of the Lord and the Minde the Father God differ not one from the other and the union of these is Life Trismeg I thank thee Pimand But first conceive well the Light in thy minde and know it 10. When he had thus said for a long time we looked stedfastly one upon the other insomuch that I trembled at his Idea or Form 11. But when he nodded to me I beheld in my minde the Light that is in innumerable and the truely indefinite ornament or world and that the fire is comprehended or contained in or by a most great Power and constrained to keep its station 12. These things I understood seeing the word of Pimander and when I was mightily amazed he said again unto me Hast thou seen in thy minde that Archetypall Form which was before the interminated and infinite Beginning Thus Pimander to me But whence quoth I or whereof are the Elements of Nature made Pimander Of the Will and Counsell of God which taking the Word and beholding the beautifull World in the Archetype thereof imitated it and so made this World by the Principles and vitall Seeds or Soul-like productions of it self 13. For the Minde Being God Male and Female Life Light brought forth by his word another Minde the Workman Which being God of the Fire the Spirit fashioned and formed seven other Governors which in their Circles contain the Sensible World whose Government or Disposition is called Fate or Destiny 14. Straight way leaped
Book CALLED The Holy Sermon THe glory of all things God and that which is Divine and the Divine Nature the beginning of things that are 2. God and the Minde and Nature and Matter and Operation or Working and Necessity and the End and Renovation 3. For there were in the Chaos an infinite darknesse in the Abyss or bottomless Depth and Water and a subtile Spirit intelligible in Power and there went out the Holy Light and the Elements were coagulated from the Sand out of the moist Substance 4. And all the Gods distinguisted the Nature ful of Seeds 5 And when all things were interminated and unmade up the light things were divided on high And the heavie things were founded upon the moist Sand all things being Terminated or Divided by Fire and being sustained or hung up by the Spirit they were so carried and the Heaven was seen in Seven Circles 6. And the Gods were seen in their Ideas of their Stars with all their Signes and the Stars were numbered with the Gods in them And the Sphere was all lined with Air carried about in a circular motion by the Spirit of God 7. And every God by his internal power did that which was commanded him and there were made four-footed things and creeping things and such as live in the Water and such as flie and every fruitfull Seed and Grasse and the Flowers of all Greens all which had sowed in themselves the Seeds of Regeneration 8. As also the Generations of men to the knowledge of the Divine Works and a lively or working Testimony of Nature and a multitude of men and the Dominion of all things under Heaven and the knowledge of good things and to be increased in increasing and multiplied in multitude 9. And every Soul in Flesh by the wonderfull working of the Gods in the Circles to the beholding of Heaven the Gods Divine Works and the Operations of Nature and for Signes of good things and the knowledge of the Divine Power and to finde out every cunning workmanship of good things 10. So it beginneth to live in them and to be wise according to the Operation of the course of the circular Gods to be resolved into that which shall be great Monuments and Rememberances of the cunning Works done upon Earth leaving them to be read by the darknesse of times 11. And every Generation of living Flesh of Fruit Seed and all Handicrafts though they be lost must of necessity be renewed by the renovation of the Gods and of the Nature of a Circle moving in number for it is a Divine thing that every worldly temperature should be renewed by Nature for in that which is Divine is Nature also established The End of the Fragments of the third Book very unperfect THE Fourth Book CALLED The Key YEsterdayes Speech O Asclepins I dedicated to thee this dayes it is fit to dedicate to Tat because it is an Epitome of those generall Speeches that were spoken to him 2. God therefore and the Father and the Good O Tat have the same Nature or rather also the same Act and Operation 3. For there is one name or appellation of Nature and Increase which concerneth things changeable and another about things unchangeable and about things unmoveable that is to say Things Divine and Humane every one of which himself will have so to be but action or operation is of another thing or elsewhere as we have taught in other things Divine and Humane which must here also be understood 4. For his Operation or Act is his Will and his Essence to will all things to be 5. For what is God and the Father and the Good but the Being of all things that yet are not and the existence it self of those things that are 6. This is God this is the Father this is the Good whereunto no other thing is present or approacheth 7. For the World and the Sun which is also a Father by Participation is not for all that equally the cause of Good and of Life to living Creatures And if this be so he is altogether constrained by the Will of the Good without which it 〈◊〉 not possible either to be or to be begotten or made 8. But the Father is the cause of his Children who hath a will both to sowe and nourish that which is good by the 〈◊〉 9. For Good is alwayes active or busie in making and this cannot be in any other but in him that taketh nothing and yet willeth all things to be for I will not say O Tat making them for he that maketh is defective in much time in which sometimes he maketh not aâ—… also of quantity and quality for sometime he maketh those things that have quantity and quality and sometimes the contrary 10. But God is the Father and the Good in being all things for he both will be this and is it and yet all this for himself as is true in him that can see it 11. For all things else are for this it is the property of Good to be known This is the Good O Tat. 12. Tat. Thou hast filled us O Father with a sight both good and fair and the eye of my minde is almost become more holy by the sight or spectacle 13. Trism I wonder not at it for the sight of Good is not like the Beam of the Sun which being of a fiery shining brightnesse maketh the eye blinde by his excessive Light that gazeth upon it rather the contrary for it enlighteneth and so much increaseth the light of the eye as any man is able to receive the influence of this intelligible clearnesse 14. For it is more swift and sharp to pierce and innocent or harmlesse withall and full of immortality and they that are capable and can draw any store of this spectacle and sight do many times fall asleep from the Body into this most fair and beauteous Vision which thing Celius and Saturn our Progenitors obtained unto 15. Tat. I would we also O Father could do so 16. Trism I would we could O Son but for the present we are lesse intent to the Vision and cannot yet open the eyes of our mindes to behold the incorruptible and incomprehensible Beauty of that Good But then shall we see it when we have nothing at all to say of it 17. For the knowledge of it is a Divine Silence and the rest of all the Senses For neither can he that understands that understand any thing else nor he that sees that see any thing else nor hear any other thing nor in sum move the Body 18. For shining stedfastly upon and round about the whole Minde it enlighteneth all the Soul and loosing it from the Bodily Senses and Motions it draweth it from the Body and changeth it wholly into the Essence of God 19. For it is possible for the Soul O Son to be deiâ—…ed while yet it loâ—…geth in the Body of Man if it contemplate the beauty of Good Tat. How dost thou mean
deifying Father 21. Trissm There are differences O Son of every Soul 22. Tat. But how dost thou again divide the changes 23. Trism Hast thou not heard in the generall Speeches that from one Soul of the universe are all those Souls which in all the world are tossed up and down as it were and severally divided Of these Souls there are many changes some into a more fortunate estate and some quite contrary for they which are of creeping things are changed into those of watery things and those of things living in the water to those of things living upon the Land and Airy ones are changed into men and humane Souls that lay hold of immortality are changed into Demons 24. And so they go on into the sphere or region of the fixed Gods for there are two quiets or companies of Gods one of them that wander and another of them that are fixed And this is the most perfect glory of the Soul 25. But the Soul entering into the Body of a Man if it continue evil shall neither taste of immortality nor is partaker of the good 26. But being drawn back the same way it returneth into creeping things And this is the condemnation of an evil Soul 27. And the wickednesse of a Soul is ignorance for the Soul that knows nothing of the things that are neither the Nature of them nor that which is good but is blinded rusheth and dasheth against the bodily Passions and unhappy as it is not knowing it self it serveth strange Bodies and evil ones carrying the Body as a burthen and not ruling but ruled And this is the mischief of the Soul 28. On the contrary the vertue of the Soul is Knowledge for he that knows is both good and religious already Divine 29. Tat. But who is such an one O Father 30. Trism He that neither speaks nor hears many things for he O Son that heareth two speeches or hearings fighteth in the shadow 31. For God and the Father and Good is neither spoken nor heard 32. This being so in all things that are are the Senses because they cannot be without them 33. But Knowledge differs much from Sense for Sense is of things that surmount it but Knowledge is the end of Sense 34. Knowledge is the gift of God for all Knowledge is unbodily but useth the Minde as an Instrument as the Minde useth the Body 35. Therefore both intelligible and materiall things go both of them into bodies for of contraposition that is setting one against another and contrariety all things must consist And it is impossible it should be otherwise 36. Tat. Who therefore is this materiall God 37. Trism The fair and beautifull World and yet it is not good for it is materiall and easily passible nay it is the first of all passible things and the second of the things that are and needy or wanting somewhat else And it was once made and is alwayes and is ever in generation and made and continually makes or generates things that have quantity and quality 38 For it is moveable and every materiall motion is generation but the intellectuall stability moves the materiall motion after this manner 39. Because the World is a Sphere that is a head and above the head there is nothing materiall as beneath the feet there is nothing intellectual 40. The whole universe is materiall The Minde is the head and it is moved spherically that is like a head 41. Whatsoever is joyned or united to the Membrane or Film of this head wherein the Soul is is immortal and is in the Soul of a made Body hath its Soul full of the Body but thâ—… that are further from that Membrane have the Body full of Soul 42. The whole is a living wight and therefore consisteth of materiall and intellectuall 43. And the World is the first and Man the second living wight after the World but the first of things that are mortall and therefore hath whatsoever benefit of the Soul all the other have And yet for all this he is not only not good but flatly evill as being mortall 44. For the World is not good as it is moveable nor evil as it is immortall 45. But Man is evil both as he is moveable and as he is mortall 46. But the Soul of Man is carried in this manner The Minde is in Reason Reason in the Soul the Soul in the Spirit the Spirit in the Body 47. The Spirit being diffused and going through the veins and arteries and blood both moveth the living Creature and after a certain manner beareth it 48. Wherefore some also have thought the Soul to be blood being deceived in Nature not knowing that first the Spirit must return into the Soul and then the blood is congealed the veines and arteries emptied and then the living thing dieth And this is the death of the Body 49. All things depend of one beginning and the beginning depends of that which is one and alone 50. And the beginning is moved that it may again be a beginning but that which is one standeth and abideth and is not moved 51. There are therefore these three God the Father and the God the World and Man God hath the World and the world hath Man and the World is the Son of God and Man is as it were the Off-spring of the World 52. For God is not ignorant of man but knows him perfectly and will be known by him This only is healthfull to man the Knowledge of God This is the return of Olympus by this only the Soul is made good and not sometimes good and sometimes evil but of necessity Good 53. Tat. What meanest thou O Father 54. Trism Consider O Son the Soul of a Childe when as yet it hath received no dissolution of its Body which is not yet grown but is very small how then if it look upon it self it fees it self beautifull as not having been yet spâ—…tted with the Passions of the Body but as it were depending yet upon the Soul of the World 55. But when the Body is grown and distracteth the Soul it ingenders Forgetfulness and partakes no more of the Fair and the Good and Forgetfulnesse is Evilnesse 56. The like also happeneth to them that go out of the Body For when the Soul runs back into it self the Spirit is contracted into the blood and the Soul into the Spirit but the Minde being made pure and free from these cloathings and being Divine by Nature taking a fiery Body rangeth abroad in every place leaving the Soul to judgment and to the punishment it hath deserved 57. Tat. Why dost thou say so O Father That the Minde is separated from the Soul and the Soul from the Spirit When even now thou saidst the Soul was the Cloathing or Apparell of the-Minde and the Body of the Soul 58. Trism O Son he that heares must co-understand and conspire in thought with him that speakes yea he must have his hearing swifter and sharper then the
it self 46. Whosoever therefore hath of Mercy obtained this Generation which is according to God he leaving all bodily sense knoweth himself to consist of divine things and rejoyceth being made by God stable and immutable 47. Tat. O Father I conceive and understand not by the sight of mine eyes but by the Intellectuall Operation which is by the Powers I am in Heaven in the Earth in the Water in the Air I am in living Creatures in Plants in the Womb every where 48. Yet tell me further this one thing How are the torments of Darknesse being in in number Twelve driven away and expelled by the Ten powers What is the manner of it Trismegistus 49. Herm. This Tabernacle O Son consists of the Zodiacall Circle and this consisting of twelve numbers the Idea of one but all formed Nature admits of divers Conjugations to the deceiving of Man 50. And though they be different in themselves yet are they united in practice as for example Rashnesse is inseparable from Anger and they are also indeterminate Therefore with good Reason do they make their departure being driven away by the Ten powers that is to say By the dead 51. For the number of Ten O Son is the Begetter of Souls And there Life and Light are united where the number of Unity is born of the Spirit 52. Therefore according to Reason Unity hath the number of Ten and the number of Ten hath Unity 53. Tat. O Father I now see the Universe and my self in the Minde 54. Herm. This is Regeneration O Son that we should not any longer fix our imagination upon this Body subject to the three dimensions according to this Speech which we have now commented That we may not at all calumniate the Universe 55. Tat. Tell me O Father This Body that consists of Powers shall it ever admit of any Dissolution 56. Herm. Good words Son and speak not things impossible for so thou shalt sin and the eye of thy minde grow wicked 57. The sensible Body of Nature is far from the Essentiall Generation for that is subject to Dissolution but this not and that is mortal but this immortall Dost thou not know that thou art born a God and the Son of the One as I am 58. Tat. How fain would I O Father hear that praise given by a Hymn which thou saidst thou heardest from the Powers when I was in the Ottonary 59. Herm. As Pimander said by way of Oracle to the Ottonary Thou dost well O Son to desire the Solution of the Tabernacle for thou art purified 60. Pimander the Minde of absolute Power and Authority hath delivered no more unto me then those that are written knowing that of my self I can understand all things and hear and see what I will And he commanded me to do those things that are good and therefore all the Powers that are in me sing 61. Tat. I would hear thee O Father and understand these things 62. Herm. Be quiet O Son and now hearken to that harmonious blessing and thanksgiving the hymn of Regeneration which I did not determine to have spoken of so plainly but to thy self in the end of all 63. Wherefore this is not taught but hid in silence 64. So then O Son do thou standing in the open Air worship looking to the North Wind about the going down of the Sun and to the South when the Sun ariseth And now keep silence Son The Secret Song The Holy Speech 65. LEt all the Nature of the world entertain the hearing of this Hymn 66. Be opened O Earth and let all the Treasure of the Rain be opened 67. You Trees tremble not for I will sing praise the Lord of the Creation and the All and the One. 68. Be opened you Heavens ye Winds stand still and let the immortall Circle of God receive these words 69. For I will sing and praise him that created all things that fixed the Earth and hung up the Heavens and commanded the sweet Water to come out of the Ocean into all the World inhabited and not-inhabited to the use and nourishment of all things or men 70. That commanded the fire to shine for every action both to Gods and Men. 71. Let us altogether give him blessing which rideth upon the Heavens the Creator of all Nature 72. This is he that is the Eye of the Minde and Will accept the praise of my Powers 73. O all ye Powers that are in me praise the One and the All. 74. Sing together with my Will all you Powers that are in me 75. O Holy Knowledge being enlightened by thee I magnifie the intelligible Light and rejoyce in the Joy of the Minde 76. All my Powers sing praise with me and thou my Continence sing praise my Righteousnesse by me praise that which is righteous 77. O Communion which is in me praise the All. 78. By me the Truth sings praise to the Truth the Good praiseth the Good 79. O Life O Light from us unto you comes this praise and thankgiving 80. I give thanks unto thee O Father the operation or act of my Powers 81. I give thanks unto thee O God the Power of my operations 82. By me thy Word sings praise unto thee receive by me this reasonable or verball Sacrifice in words 83. The powers that are in me cry the'e things they praise the All they fulfill thy Will thy Will and Counsell is from thee unto thee 84. O All receive a reasonable Sacrifice from all things 85. O Life save all that is in us O Light enlighten O God the Spirit for the Minde guideth or seedeth the Word O Spirit bearing Workman 86. Thou art God thy Man cryeth these things unto thee through by the Fire by the Air by the Earth by the Water by the Spirit by thy Creatures 87. From eternity I have found meanes to blesse and praise thee and I have what I seek for I rest in thy Will 88. Tat. O Father I see thou hast sung this Song of praise and blessing with thy whole Will and therefore have I put and placed it in my World 89. Herm. Say in thy Intelligible World O Son 90. Tat. I do mean in my Intelligible World for by the Hymn and Song of praise my Minde is enlightened and gladly would I send from my Understanding a Thanksgiving unto God 91. Herm. Not rashly O Son 92. Tat. In my Minde O Father 93. Herm. Those things that I see and contemplate I infuse into thee and therefore say thou Son Tat the Author of thy succeeding Generations I send unto God these reasonable Sacrifices 94. O God thou art the Father thou art the Lord thou art the Minde accept these reasonable Sacrifices which thou requirest of me 95. For all things are done as the Minde willeth 96. Thou O Son send this acceptable Sacrifice to God the Father of all things but propound it also O Son by word 97. Tat. I thank thee Father thou hast advised and instructed me thus to give
great day for albeit they counterfeit themselves to be Lovers of men yet they love them not but draw them to the same damnation which they themselves have had from the Beginning They counterfeited even to love when they brought death upon all men saying Ye shall not die but shall be as Gods knowing good and evil what therefore he here speaketh of Angels or Spirits can not seeme fitly to be applyed to any divine knowledge but to imitate the error of the Gentiles but what he speaks of men are those which cleave unto God and grow religious but those which joyn themselves unto evil Spirits we confesse to be those which shall be received into the Company of Devils and shall be joyned unto the evil Angels which shall be reserved as hath been said in eternal chaines under darknesse unto the great day for we know it pronounced out of Gods mouth what he will say to them on the left hand in the day of Iudgment Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his angels and who are those but those who are joyned unto them and love the works of darknesse in this life Thus much for the Second Chapter CHAP. III. IN this regard O Asclepius Man is a great miracle a Creature both to be reverenced and honored being after the nature Image of God as though he were a God This the Angels know for as much as they were created after the same nature but disdained part of the humane Nature relied only on the Divine Nature O therefore the more temperate the Nature of man is and comes nearest to God and to the divinity the more he despiseth that part of his whereby he becomes earthly all other things below with whom he must needs be he knoweth with a Heavenly disposition and are near unto him in way of Charity yet his desires are in heaven so therefore he is happily placed in the middest that what things are here below him he loveth and is himself beloved of those things above He inhabiteth the earth and by his agility is mixed with the Elements yet by the sharpnesse of his understanding he diveth into the depths of the Seâ—… all things appear manifest to him neither do the Heavens seem to be above his reach but as it were near by the quicknesse of his Spirit no obscurity or darknesse of Air can disturbe his fantasie no thicknesse of ground can hinder his endeavour nor depth of water hinder his eye-sight all things are the same with him even all creatures whether they take root from above or below Things without life grow upwards from one root into woods and bushes some are nourished with two Elements some with one the food is for two parts the Life and the Body of which the Animal consisteth The soul of the World is alwaies nourished by a continuall and restles agitation Corporeall things encrease and are nourished by such things which the water and earth affordeth The Spirit of which all things are full is mixt with all things quickens and inlivens all things adding sense unto the understanding of man which fifth part by Divine Inspiration is only granted to man and which not to be seen in any other Creatures doth beautifie advance and lift up the understanding of manto the knowledge of divine mysteries but for that I am put in minde to speak of the understanding I will hereafter expound the reason of it unto you for it is most holy excellent and no lesse than that which belongs to the Divinity it self but now I will dispatch what I began for I said in the beginning that in the nearnesse and conjunction of the Deity onely men enjoy the favour of God for whosoever have attained to so much felicity that they perceive that Divine Sense of Understanding they are nearest unto the Divinity and Wisdom of God which men onely partake of Asclep O Trismegistus there is not a like understanding of all men Trism O Asclepius All men have not attained that true Understanding but apprehending some false fantasie and that without any true reason out of a rash opinion are meerly deceived which begets wickednesse in the minde and transforms the best man into the nature and likenesse of a beast But of the Understanding and the like when I come to speak of the Spirit I will give you the full reason for man is only of two parts the one part simple which the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or which we call the Image of God but the other fourfold which the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we the earthly substance or pourtraiture being â—…he body in which is inclosed that which we have affirmed to be the divine part of man which is his Soul In which the pure Divinity of the Soul with the sense and feeling of a clear conscience resteth at peace within it self as within a Castle of Defence The COMMENTARY This third Chapter extolleth the dignity of man in which the Authour of so great benefits is chiefly to be acknowledged and for ever to be praised and laâ—…ded who hath honoured man with such excellent gifts for as he meaneth man is made that he might be like unto Angels acknowledging them both to be and that they are born with him whom he hath to be his Guaraians and Preservers even from the first beginniâ—…g of his nativity consisting of a nature near unto Immortality marked with the character or image of God compounded of a mortall and immortall earthly and supernaturall part but who soareth after divine things despiseth and undervalues these earthly hath his assistance in immortall and heavenly things looks up and sighs after Heaven knowing that to be the place of the better part of him of neerest affinity to his Soul neverthelesse he is placed here in the middest of the world tying other things here below unto him with whom by Divine Ordinance he knows he must needs be in the bond of love and charity loving so these earthly things that he may be loved of heavenly He inhabiteth the earth by his agility is mixed with the elements by the sharpnesse of his understanding descends into the deâ—… All things are manifest to hiâ—… Heavens seem not to be above his reach for that by the quicknesse of his Spirit he perceives them to be as it were neer unto him The darknesse of the air can neither confound the intention of his minde nor yet the thicknesse of the earth hinder his endeavour or the depth of the waters obscure his eye-sight and above all creatures God hath beautified advanced and lifted up the understanding of man to partake of Divine Knowledge the understanding being onely the celestiall and immortall part and challengeth a Divine Essence and some men have attained to this Divine Knowledge and therein are happy bearing alwayes a zealous and religious minde towards God Others content themselves onely with a shadow of Divine Knowledge which
whâ—… so followeth erreth and 〈◊〉 â—…eived for this mist of a 〈◊〉 of godlinesse begâ—…tteth wickednesse in their mindes which are so deceived and transforms a man though by nature 〈◊〉 creature good and divine into the likenesse and condition of a beast CHAP. IV. ASclep Why then O Trismegistus must man have his abode in the world and not most happily live in that part where God is Trism Thou rightly enquirest Asclepius For we also beseech God that he will enable us to give the reason for seeing all things depend on his will then even those also which are most mysterious the reason of which we endeavour to unfold by our present discourse Hear therefore O Asclepius The Lord who is the Creatour of all things whom we truly call God made the world first which might be perceived and seen but yet I affirm it to have no sense For of this whether it hath or no I will declare another time but so that it may be seen of all Because therefore he made this first and that the work seemed fair and good unto him as most full of the variety of good things he loved it as a part of his Divinity and Power and therefore because it was of such excellencie and goodnesse he would have Man made that he might behold the works he had thus made and likewise imitate his Wisdom and Providence for the will of God is the chiefest perfection in that he fulfilled both his will and his deed in one and the same moment of time When therfore God perceived that that image of his the Soul could not be studious of all things unlesse he should cloath it with an earthly covering he builded for it this house of clay confounding and mixing both parts into one as much as each body should be capable Wherefore he made Man of an immortall Soul and mortall Body that being a Creature thus composed he might satisfie both ends which was to be in admiration of Heaven and to pray for spirituall and heavenly things and to inhabit and govern these earthly things below and I do not onely avouch the Earth and the Water to be mortall things which two out of the four Elements Nature hath subjected to the use of man but all other things whatsoever belonging to man as tillage pastorage buildings ports shipping navigation traffique merchandise which is the strongest bond of humane Society And there is a part of the world which is Water and Earth that which is the Earthly part of the world is preserved for the knowledge and use of Arts and discipline without which God would not have the world to be perfit for necessity followeth the pleasure of God and the effects follow his will for it is not credible that God should be displeased with his own will for he knew long be-before what would be and what would please him The COMMENTARY This fourth Chapter why God did not place man in the spirituall region but in this world and the answer is plaine and also why he formed man of both natures a mortall and immortall and why the soul which he created after his own Image and likenesse he put in a corporeall and earthy closure and that the will of God is the chief perfection of things which necessity follows and effect the necessity for God fulfilled both his will and his deed in one and the same â—…ment of time That he calleth the world the second Deity is as much as if you should call a second duetiâ—… and unity for two is one and one two but one is absolutely one but two not absolutely one but by participation and contraction one and the duity one So there is one absolutely God but the world is not God but God by participation being the very stamp of all sensible and delectable things Thus for the fourth part of Asclâ—…pius CHAP. V. BUt O Asclepius I observe that thou dost earnestly desire to heare how a man may come to enjoy that musicall harmony and divine Worship which belongs to heaven Wherefore hear O Asclepius there is one frequent assemblie amongst men for this service of God and this no other Creature can perform but man alone For God is only pleased and delighted that man should extoll his admired work sing praises of thanksgiving unto him and perform such worship and service as belongs to his holy name Neither do those heavenly graces unworthily descend into the congregations of men lest that this earthly World should seeme unbeautified in respect of the want of this heavenly and sweet Musick but rather that his name who is the Father of all things might be celebrated with the well tuned voices and comely praises of men So that neither in heaven nor earth this sweet Harmony of thanksgiving might cease for there are some men though few in number that are indued with so divine and holy a spirit that their care is only to please reverence and serve the Lord but whoso ever through the confusion of both natures the flesh prevailing have darkned their spirituall understanding they are so much given over to their own lusts and are only intent upon these outward and lower things Therefore a man is not to be esteemed the weaker in respect that he is in part mortall but peradventure thereby he may seem the more fitly and effectualley composed to encrease in full knowledge and understanding to wit because unlesse he had been made of both natures he could not have susteined both therefore was he framed of both that he might have both an earthly and divine choice I desire thee O Asclepius not only to harken unto the reason of this tractate but also to entertain it with much Zeal fervency of Spirit For the reason to many is incredible but to devouter mindes it seemes true and good wherefore from hence I will begin The COMMENTARY This fifth Chapter sets forth that sweet Musick granted to men to set forth the praises of God which we know the prophet did well conceive who being full of the spirit of God commanded to sing psalmes unto the Lord with a loud voice and in the assemblies to praise the Lord upon the Cymbals upon the Lâ—…e Harp and Organs for this is the chief â—…nd both of singing and Musicks The Letter is in it self conspicuous CHAP. VI. THe Lord of eternity is first God secondly the World and thirdly Man The maker of the World is God and all things therein governing all things with man whom he hath appointed Uicegerent or governor whom he hath made properly to take the Charge of his whole work that both he and the world might be an Ornament of praise unto himself that by this divine composition of man the world in Greek might be the more truly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an Order or Ornament For he knew himself and knew the world to wit that remembring what resemblance it had with his parts what was for his use and what for his service
of the knowledge of God Now Hermes asketh to what end man ought to learn the dimensions of the earth that is Geometry the qualities quantities the depth of the Sea and the nature of fire and the effects of all these that is the Universall Philosophy of numbers celestiall globes and naturall things certainly to admire adore and praise the Art excellent Invention and Workman of all these for this is pure Philosophy and only depending upon divine religion this is Musick this is harmony to know the order of all things which all divinity partaketh of and which artificially pitched upon one generall will make in divine melody a certain well tun'd and most sweet harmony and that is Philosophy which is corrupted by no unfit curiosity of the minde which with a pure soul and mind doth worship the diety and honour his works as also to give thanks for the will of God which is so full of goodnesse and confirmeth the Prophecy of Asclepius This is the sixth partition CHAP. VII OF a Spirit and such like I will now begin There was God and Hyle which in Greek signifieth the world and the Spirit was in the world but not as with God neither are those things God of which the world is wherefore they were not when they were not created but even then they were in that from whence they had their being For those things are not onely said to be which are not yet created but those also which have not a fruitfulnesse in generating so that nothing can be produced and generated of them Whatsoever things therefore have in them a nature of conceiving those are things apt to ingender which may be created of these albeit they ingender or are created of themselves wherefore God everlasting God eternall neither is or could be begotten he both is hath been and ever shall be This is that therefore which in it self is the whole nature of God But the nature of the world and of the Spirit albeit they seem to be created from the beginning yet they have in themselves a vertue of begetting and procreation as also fruitfulnesse for a beginning is in the quality of the nature which contains in it self a quality and nature of conception and birth This is therefore onely generable or easie to be ingendered without the conception of another but that which hath in it onely the vertue of conceiving is by the mixture of another nature So they are to be discerned that this place of the world may not seem to be created with those things which are in themselves as which hath in it self the power of whole Nature I call it a place in which are all things for neither could all these things be if a place were wanting which might contain all things for a place was to be provided for all things that were for neither the quantities nor qualities nor situations or effects can be known of things which are not therefore the world albeit it be not so created yet it contains in it self the nature of all things as which giveth in all things rich and fruitfull matter to conceive This is therfore that whole quality matter which may be created albeit it be not created For as Nature is a fruitfull matter of quality so the same is as fruitfull in malignity Neither have I said O Asclepius and Amnon which is said of â—…any whether God could weaâ—… and turn away evil from the naâ—…ure of things To which we â—…nswer not at all yet for your â—…akes I will prosecute what I begaâ—… and give a reason For they affirm that God ought all manner of wayes to have freed the world from wickednesse for he is so in the world as though he seems to be a member or part of it for it is so provided and ordained by the most high God as much as with reason he could then when he hath vouchsafed to dignifie the mindes of men with sense discipline understanding for with those things in which we excel other creatures we can only shun the deceit of sin guile and all other corruption For he before that he is ensnared in them shall by the very sight uglinesse of them avoid them that man is guarded with divine knowledge and wisdom for it is the foundation of discipline consisting in the excellencie of knowledge for by the Spirit all things are ministered and refreshed in the world and as it were an organ or instrument is subject to the will of the great God Wherefore hitherto in our souls let us conceive of that wise Moderatour and sensible Governour of God which is called the Spirit or holy Ghost which comprehends in it self every place and the substance of every thing and the full matter of things begotten and created and whatsoever else in the world either for substance quality or quantity for all the Species in the world and every thing according to that nature which is given it of God is moved and governed by the Spirit But the world is the receptacle of all things and the haunt and place to move in for all creatures of which God is the Governour dispensing in all worldly things as much as is necessary to every one who with his Spirit fills all things of what nature and quality so ever For the world is round like unto a Ball or sphere being for the form or qualities sake invisible to it self For if you shall chuse any high place in it only to look down thou canst not see from thence what is below and because it consists of many places and parts it is supposed to have a quality and by the alone forms of the Species in whose Effigies it seems to be ingraven it is supposed to be visible when it is shewed drawn out or painted but indeed it is alwayes to it self invisible Whereby the bottom or lowest part of the Sphere if there be any is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek tongue signifieth to see which sight the bottom of the Sphere may want whereupon the Species are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that they are of an invisible form and for that they are deprived of light the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for that they are in the bottom of the Sphere the Latines Insert These are therefore the ancient principles or are as it were beginnings and heads of all things contained in any part or parts of these Asclep All these things therefore as you speak of which are earthly O Trismegistus are present as well in every Species as in the full substance of every thing Trism Therefore the world nourisheth the bodies the Spirit the life or soul and sense or reason the understanding being a gift with which man is only enriched neither all men but few who have a heart judgment to be capable of so great a benefit for as the world is inlightned by the Sun so mans minde is illuminated