the act and operation of the other 31. The choice of the better therefore is not onely best for him that chuseth it by deifying a man but it also sheweth Piety and Religion towards God 32. But the choice of the worse destroyes a man but doth nothing against God save that as Pomps or Pageants when they come abroad cannot do any thing themselves but hinder after the same manner also do these make Pomps or Pageants in the World being seduced by the pleasures of the Body 33. These things being so O Tat that things have been and are so plenteously ministered to us from God let them proceed also from us without any scarcity or sparing 34. For God is innocent or guiltlesse but we are the causes of Evil preferring them before the Good 35. Thou seest O Son how many Bodies we must go beyond and how many Quiers of Demons and what continuity and courses of Stars that we may make haste to the One and onely God 36. For the Good is not to be transcended it is unbounded and infinite â—…nto it self without beginning but unto us seeming to have a beginning even our knowledge of it 37. For our knowledge is not the beginning of it but shews us the beginning of its being known unto us 38. Let us therefore lay hold of the beginning and we shall quickly go thorow all things 39. It is indeed a difficult thing to leave those things that are accustomable and present and turn us to those things that are ancient and according to the Originall 40. For these things that appear delight us but make the things that appear not hard to beleeve or the things that appear not are hard to beléeve 41. The things most apparent are Evil but the Good is secret or hid in or to the things that appear for it hath neither Form nor Figure 42. For this cause it is like to it self but unlike every thing else for it is impossible that any thing incorporeall should be made known or appear to a Body 43. For this is the difference between the like and the unlike and the unlike wanteth alwayes somewhat of the like 44. For the Unity Beginning and Root of all things as being the Root and Beginning 45. Nothing is without a beginning but the Beginning is of nothing but of it self for it is the Beginning of all other things 46. Therefore it is seeing it is not from another â—…eginning 47. Unity therefore being the Beginning containeth every number but it self is contained of none and begetteth every number it self being begotten of no other number 48. Every thing that is begotten or made is imperfect and may be divided increased diminished 49. But to the perfect there happeneth none of these 50. And that which is increased is increased by Unity but is consumed vanished through weaknesse being not able to receive the Unity 51. This Image of God have I described to thee O Tat as well as I could which if thou do diligently consider and view by the eyes of thy minde and heart beleeve me Son thou shalt finde the way to the things above or rather the Image it self will lead thee 52. But the spectacle or sight hath this peculiar and proper Them that can see and behold it it holds fast and draws unto it as they say the Loadstone doth Iron The End of the twelfth Book THE Thirteenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus Of Sense and Understanding YEsterday Asclepius I delivered a perfect Discourse but now I think it necessary in suit of that to dispute also of Sense 2. For Sense and Understanding seem to differ because the one is materiall the other essentiall 3. But unto me they appear to be both one or united and not divided in men I mean 4. For in other living Creatures Sense is united unto Nature but in men to Understanding 5. But the Mind differs from Understanding as much as God from Divinity 6. For Divinity is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from or under God and Understandâ—…g from the Minde being the sister of the Word or Speech and they the Instruments one of another 7. For neither is the Word pronounced without Understanding neither is Understanding manifested without the Word 8. Therefore Sense and Understanding do both flow together into a man as if they were infolded one within another 9. For neither is it possible without Sense to understand nor can we have Sense without Understanding 10. And yet it is possible for the time being that the Understanding may understand without Sense as they that fantasie Visions in their Dreams 11. But it seems unto me that both the operations are in the Visions of Dreams and that the Sense is stirred up out of sleep unto awaking 12. For Man is divided into a Body and a Soul when both parts of the Sense accord one with another then is the Understanding childed or brought forth by the Minde pronounced 13. For the Minde brings forth all Intellections or Understandings Good ones when it receiveth good Seed from God and the contrary when it receives them from Devi's 14. For there is no part of the World void of the Devil which entering in privately sowed the seed of his own proper operation and the Minde did make pregnant or did bring forth that which was sown Adulteries Murthers Striâ—…ing of Parents Sacriledges Impieties Stranglings throwing down headlong and all other things which are the works of evil Demons 15. And the Seeds of God are few but Great and Fair and Good Vertue and Temperance and Piety 16. And the Piety is the Knowledge of God whom whosoever knoweth being full of all good things hath Divine Understanding and not like the Many 17. And therefore they that have that Knowledge neither please the multitude nor the multitude them but they seem to be mad and to move laughter hated and despised and many times also murthered 18. For we have already said That wickednesse must dwell here being in her own region 19. For her region is the Earth and not the World as some will sometimes say Blaspheming 20. But the godly or God-worshiping Man laying hold on Knowledge will despise or tread under all these things for though they be evil to other men yet to him all things are good 21. And upon mature consideration he refers all things to Knowledge and that which is most to be wondered at he alone makes evil things good 22. But I return again to my Discourse of Sense 23. It is therefore a thing proper to Man to communicate and conjoyn Sense and Understanding 24. But every man as I said before doth not enjoy Understanding for one man is materiall another essentiall 25. And he that is material with wickednesse as I said received from the Devils the seed of Understanding but they that are with the Good essentially are saved with God 26. For God is the Workman of all things and when he worketh he useth Nature 27. He maketh all things good
like himself 28. But these things that are made good are in the use of Operation unlawfull 29. For the Motion of the World stirring up Generations makes Qualities infecting some with evilnesse and purifying some with good 30. And the World Asclepius hath a peculiar Sense and Understanding not like to Mans nor so various or manifold but a better and more simple 31. For the Sense and understanding of the World is One in that it makes all things and unmakes them again into it self for it is the Organ or Instrument of the Will of God 32. And it is so organized or framed and made for an Instrument by God that receiving all Seeds into it self from God and keeping them in it self it maketh all things effectually and dissolving them reneweth all things 33. And therefore like a good Husband-man of Life when things are dissolved or loosened he affords by the casting of Seed renovation to all things that grow 34. There is nothing that it the World doth not beget or bring forth alive and by its Motion it makes all things alive 35. And it is at once both the Place and the Workman of Life 36. But the Bodies are from the Matter in a different manner for some are of the Earth some of Water some of Air some of Fire and all are compounded but some are more compounded and some are more simple 37. They that are compounded are the heavier and they that are lesse are the higher 38. And the swiftnesse of the Motion of the World makes the vatieties of the Qualities of Generation for the spiration or influence being most frequent extendeth unto the Bodies qualities with one fulnesse which is of Life 39. Therefore God is the Father of the World but the World is the Father of things in the World 40. And the World is the Son of God but things in the World are the Sons of the World 41. And therefore it is well called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World that is an Ornament because it adorneth and beautifieth all things with the variety of Generation and indeficiency of Life with the unweariednesse of Operation and the swiftnesse of Necessity with the mingling of Elements and the order of things done 42. Therefore it is necessarily and properly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World 43. For of all living things both the Sense and the Understanding cometh into them from without inspired by that which compasseth them about and continueth them 44. And the World receiving it once from God assoon as it was made hath it still what ever it once had 45. But God is not as it seems to some who Blaspheme through superstition without Sense and without Minde or Understanding 46. For all things that are O Asclepius are in God and made by him and depend of him some working by Bodies some moving by a Soul-like Essence some quickning by a Spirit and some receiving the things that are weary and all very fitly 47. Or rather I say that he hath them not but I declare the Truth he is all things not receiving them from without but exhibiting them outwardly 48. And this is the Sense and Understanding of God to move all things always 49. And there shall never be any time when any of those things that are shall fail or be wanting 50. When I say the things that are I mean God for the things that are God hath and neither is there any thing without him nor he without any thing 51. These things O Ascleplus will appear to be true if thou understand them but if thou understand them not incredible 52. For to understand is to beleeve but not to beleeve is not to understand For my speech or words reach not unto the Truth but the Minde is great and being led or conducted for a while by speech is able to attain to the Truth 53. And understanding all things round about and finding them consonant and agreeable to those things that were delivered and interrupted by Speech beleeveth and in that good belief resteth 54. To them therefore that understand the things that have been said of God they are credible but to them that understand them not incredible 55. And let these and thus many things be spoken concerning Understanding and Sense The End of the Thirteenth Book THE Fourteenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus Of Operation and Sense TAt. Thou hast well explained these things Father Teach me furthermore these things for thou sayest that Science Art were the Operations of the rationall but now thou sayest that Beasts are unreasonable and fot want of reason both are and are called Bruits so that by this Reason it must needs follow that unreasonable Creatures partake not of Science or Art because they come short of Reason 2. Herm. It must needs be so Son 3. Tat. Why then O Father do we see some unreasonable living Creatures use both Science and Art as the Pismires treasure up for themselves food against the Winter and Fouls of the Air likewise make them Nests and four-footed Beasts know their own Dens 4. These things they do O Son not by Science or Art but by Nature for Science or Art are things that are taught but none of these bruit Beasts are taught any of these things 5. But these things being Natural unto them are wrought by Nature whereas Art and Science do not happen unto all but unto some 6. As men are Musitians but not all neither are all Archers or Huntsmen or the rest but some of them have learned some things by the working of Science or Art 7. After the same manner also if some Pismires did so and some not thou mightest well say they gather their Food according to Science and Art 8. But being they are all led by Nature to the same thing even against their wills it is manifest they do not do it by Science or Art 9. For Operations O Tat being unbodily are in Bodies and work by Bodies 10. Wherefore O Tat in as much as they are unbodily thou must needs say they are immortal 11. But as much as they cannot act without Bodies I say they are always in a Body 12. For those things that are to any thing or for the cause of any thing made subject to Providence or Necessity cannot possibly remain idle of their own proper Operation 13. For that which is shall ever be for both the Body and the Life of it is the same 14. And by this reason it follows that the Bodies also are always because I affirm That this corporiety is always by the Act and Operation or for them 15. For although earthly bodies be subject to dissolution yet these bodies must be the Places and the Organs and Instruments of Acts or Operations 16. But Acts or Operations are immortall and that which is immortall is alwayes in Act and therefore also Corporiâ—…cation if it be always 17. Acts or Operations do follow the Soul yet come not suddenly or promiscuously but some
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
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
are 38. But all things are in thee all things from thee thou givest all things and takest nothing for thou hast all things and there is nothing that thou hast not 39. When shall I praise thee O Father for it is neither possible to comprehend thy hour nor thy time 40. For what shall I praise thee for what thou hast made or for whatthou hast not made for those things thou hast manifested orfor those things thou hast hidden 41. Wherefore shall I praise thee as being of my self or having any thing of mine own or rather being anothers 42. For thou art what I am thou art what Ido thou art what I say 43. Thou art all things and there is nothing else thou art not 44. Thou art thou all that is made and all that is not made 45. The Minde that understandeth 46. The Father that maketh and frameth 47. The Good that worketh 48. The Good that doth all things 49. Of the Matter the most subtle and slender part is Air of the Air the Soul of the Soul the Minde of the Minde God The End of the Fifth Book THE Sixth Book That in God alone is good GOod O Asclepius is in nothing but in God alone or rather God himself is the Good always 2. And if it be so then must he be an Essence or Substance voyd of all motion and generation but nothing is voyd or empty of him 3. And this Essence hath about or in himself a Stable and firm Operation wanting nothing most full and giving abundantly 4. One thing is the Beginning of all things for it giveth all things and when I name the Good I mean that which is altogether and always Good 5. This is present to none but God alone for he wanteth nothing that he should desire to have it nor can any thing be taken from him the losse whereof may grieve him for sorrow is a part of evilnesse 6. Nothing is stronger then he that he should be opposed by it nor nothing equal to him that he should be in love with it nothing unheard of to be angry with nothing wiser to be envious at 7. And none of these being in his Essence what remains but only the Good 8. For as in this being such an Essence there is none of the evils so in none of the other things shall the Good be found 9. For in all other things are all other things as well in the small as the great and as well in the particulars as in this living Creature the greater and mightiest of all 10. For all things that are made or generated are full of Passion Generation it self being a Passion and where Passion is there is not the Good where the Good is there is no Passion where it is day it is not night and where it is night it is not day 11. Wherefore it is impossible that in Generation should be the Good but only in that which is not generated or made 12. Yet as the Participation of all things is in the Matter bound so also of that which is Good After this manner is the World good as it maketh all things and in the part of making or doing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is Good but in all other things not Good 13. For it is passible and moveable and the Maker of passible things 14. In man also the Good is ordered or taketh denomination in comparison of that which is evil for that which is not very evil is here Good and that which is here called Good is the least particle or proportion of evil 15. It is impossible therefore that the Good should be here pure from Evil for here the Good groweth Evil and growing Evil it doth not still abide Good and not abiding Good it becomes evil 16. Therefore in God alone is the Good or rather God is the Good 17. Therefore O Asclepius there is nothing in men or among men but the name of Good the thing it self is not for it is impossible for a materiall Body receiveth or comprehendeth is not as being on every side encompassed and coarcted with evilnesse and labors and griefs and desires and wrath and deceipts and foolish opinions 18. And in that which is the worst of all Asclepius every one of the forenamed things is here beleeved to be the greatest good especially that supream mischief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pleasures of the Belly and the ringleader of all evils Error is here the absence of the Good 19. And I give thanks unâ—… God that concerning the Knowledge of God put this assurance in my minde that it is impossible it should be in the World 20. For the World is the fulnesse of evilnesse but God is the fulnesse of Good or Good of God 21. For the eminencies of all appearing Beauty are in the Essence more pure and more sincere and peradventure they are also the Essences of it 22. For we must be bold to say Asclepius That the Essence of God if he have an Essence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is fair or beautifull but no good is comprehended in this World 23. For all things that are subject to the eye are Idols and as it were shadows but those things that are not subject to the eye are ever especially the Essence of the Fair and the Good 24. And as the eye cannot see God so neither the Fair and the Good 25. For these are the parts of God that partake the Nature of the whole proper and familiar unto him alone inseparable most lovely whereof either God is enamoured or they are enamoured of God 26. If thou canst understand God thou shalt understand the Fair and the God which is most shining and enlightening and most enlightened by God 27. For that Beauty is above comparison and that Good is inimitable as God himself 28. As therefore thou understandest God so understand the Fair and the Good for these are incommunicable to any other living Creatures because they are inseparable from God 29. If thou seek concerning God thou seekest or askest also of the Fair for there is one way that leads to the same thing that is Piety with Knowledge 30. Wherefore they that are ignorant and go not in the way of Piety dare call Man Fair and Good never seeing so much as in a dream what Good is but being infolded and wrapped upon all evil and beleeving that the evil is the Good they by that meanes both use it unsatiably and are afraid to be deprived of it and therefore they strive by all possible means that they may not only have it but also encrease it 31. Such O Asclepius are Good and Fair things of men which we can neither love nor hate for this is the hardest thing of all that we have need of them and cannot live without them The End of the Sixth Book THE Seventh Book His secret Sermon in the Mount of Regeneration the Profession of Silence To his Son Tat. TAt. In the general
and Immortality 14. Of the World Restitution and Decay or Destruction 15. Of Time Augmentation and Diminution 16. And of Generation qualities 17. Therefore Eternity is in God 18. The World in Eternity 19. Time in the World 20. And Generation in Time 21. And Eternity standeth about God 22. The World is moved in Eternity 23. Time is determined in the World 24. Generation is done in Time 25. Therefore the Spring and Fountain of all things is God 26. The Substance Eternity 27. The Matter is the World 28. The Power of God is Eternity 29. And the Work of Eternity is the World not yet made and yet ever made by Eternity 30. Therefore shall nothing be at any time destroyed for Eternity is incorruptible 31. Neither can any thing perish or be destroyed in the World the World being contained and embraced by eternity 32. But what is the Wisdom of God Even the Gâ—…d and the Fair and Blessednesse and every Vertue and Eternity 33. Eternity therefore put into the Matter Immortality and Everlastingnesse for the Generation of that depends upon Eternity even as Eternity doth of God 34. For Generation and Time in Heaven and in Earth are of a double nature in Heaven they are unchangeable and incorruptible but on Earth they are changeable and corruptible 35. And the Soul of Eternity is God and the Soul of the World Eternity and of the Earth Heaven 36. God is in the Minde the Minde in the Soul the Soul in the Matter all things by eternity 37. All this Universall Body in which are all Bodies is full of Soul the Soul full of Minde the Minde full of God 38. For within he fills them and without he contains them quickning the Universe 39. Without he quickens this perfect living thing the World and within all living Creatures 40. And above in Heaven he abides in Identity or Selfnesse but below upon Earth he changeth Generation 41. Eternity comprehendeth the World either by Necessity or Providence or Nature 42. And if any man shall think any other thing it is God that actuateth or operateth this All. 43. But the operation or Act of God is Power insuperable to which none may compare any thing either Humane or Divine 44. Therefore O Hermes think none of these things below or the things above in any wise like unto God for if thou dost thou errest from the Truth 45. For nothing can be like the unlike and only and One nor mayest thou think that he hath given of his Power to any other thing 46. For who after him can make any thing either of Life or Immortality of Change or of Quality and himself what other thing should he make 47. For God is not idle for then all things would be idle for all things are full of God 48. But there is not any where in the World such a thing as Idlenesse for Idlenesse is a name that implieth a thing void or empty both of a Doer and a thing done 49. But all things must necessarily be made or done both alwayes and according to the nature of every place 50. For he that maketh or doth is in all things yet not fastened or comprehended in any thing nor making or doing one thing but all things 51. For being an active or operating Power and sufficient of himself for the things that are made and the things that are made are under him 52. Look upon through me the World is subject to thy sight and understand exactly the Beauty thereof 53. A Body immarcescible than the which there is nothing more ancient yet alwayes vigorous and young 54. See also the seven Worlds set over us adorned with an everlasting Order and filling Eternity with a different course 55. For all things are full of Light but the Fire is no where 56. For the friendship and commixture of contraries and unlike became Light shining from the Act or Operation of God the Father of all Good the Prince of all Order and the Ruler of the Seven Worlds 57. Look also upon the Moon the Fore-runner of them all the Instrument of Nature and which changeth the Matter here below 58. Behold the Earth the middle of the whole the firm and stable Foundation of the Fair World the Feeder and Nurse of Earthly things 59. Consider moreover how great the multitude is of immortall living things and of mortall ones also and see the Moon going about in the midst of both to wit of things immortall and mortall 60. But all things are full of Soul and all things are properly moved by it some things about the Heaven and some things about the Earth and neither of those on the right hand to the lest nor those on the left hand to the right nor those things that are above downward nor those things that are below upwards 61. And that all these things are made O beloved Hermes thou needest not learn or me 62. For they are Bodies and have a Soul and are moved 63. And that all these should come together into one it is impossible without some thing to gather them together 64. Therefore there must be some such ones and he altogether One 65. For seeing that the motions are divers and many and the Bodies not alike and yet one ordered swiftnesse among them all It is impossible there should be two or moe Makers 66. For one order is not kept by many 67. But in the weaker there would be jealousie of the stronger and thence also Contentions 68. And if there were one Maker of mutable and mortall living wights he would desire also to make immortall ones as he that were the Maker of immortal ones would do to make mortall 69. Moreover also if there were two the Matter being one who should be chief or have the disposing of the facture 70. Or if both of them which of them the greater part 71. But thinks thus that every living Body hath its consistence of Matter and Soul and of that which is immortall and that which is mortall and unreasonable 72. For all living Bodies have a Soul and those things that are not living are onely matter by it self 73. And the Soul likewise of it self drawing neer her Maker is the cause of Life and Being and being the cause of Life is after a manner the cause of immortal things 74. How then are mortal wights other from immortal 75. Or how cannot he make living wights that causeth immortal things and immortality 76. That there is some Body that doth these things it is apparent and that he is also one it is most manifest 77. For there is one Soul one Life and one Matter 78. Who is this who can it be other than the One God 79. For whom eâ—…e can it benefit to make living things save onely God alone 80. There is therefore one God 81. For it is a ridiculous thing to confesse the World to be one one Sun one Moon one Divinity and yet to have I know not how many gods 82. He
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
such who are either Hearers or Dealers in it The COMMENTARY This first Chapter teacheth that all things belong to one and that all things are one of one as from which all things are One as all the effects which in their cause are one as that every mans Soul is immortall but yet after a different sort All things descend from Heaven that which descendeth affords generation that which ascendeth and goeth upward giveth onely life This thing to be one of which all things are and this which is all things to move the world and all the forms of which the world is compounded to wit the Fire the Air the Water and the Earth And as all bodies make one body of one world so it will have all the forms of things to make one uniform form of one world which it calleth the Form of the world and these are one Body one Soul one World one God from whom Divine Understanding and the Word passeth from above with a swife lightening downwards like unto a swift Torrent which flows into and fils all things and this Divine VVisdom and the VVord what is it I pray but the Divinity or Divine VVisdom it self which is the Creatour of all things which as the wise man sings is the onely Mover of all things and which being one can do all things and which abiding in it self changeth all things This is the first part CHAP. II. HEaven therefore is the sensible preserver of all those bodies whose encrease and decrease the Sun and Moon have as it were power of But God who is the Creator of all things is the Governour of Heaven and of its Soul and of all things in the world For from all the foresaid things of all which there is a Governour there is a frequent influence carried through the world by nature it self and by the soul of every Genus and Species in it for the world is prepared of God to be a receptacle of every sort of Species or form and fashioning out nature by the forms hath brought the world by the four Elements even to Heaven All the works of God which are pleasing to the eye and which hang over us are divided into Species and in that manner I am now about to relate The Genera or kinds of all things follow their Species for that the Genus is the totality or substance of it the Species a part of the Genus wherefore there is a Genus of good Spirits and a Genus of badâ—… as also of men and likewise of Birds and of all things which the world hath it begets Species like to it self there is another Genus of brute Beasts wanting indeed understanding and reason but yet not a soul or life whereby it takes delight in Benefits pines and mournes away at injuries I say of all things which live on the Earth by the preservation of Roots and Plants whose Species are dispersed throughout the whole Earth the very Heaven it self is full of the Majesty of God whose Genus inhabiteth that place where all Species are immortall for the Species is a part of the Genus as the Soul a part of man being a point of necessity to follow the quality of it Genus from whence it proceeds that albeit every Genus or kind be immortall yet every Species is not immortall but the Genus of the godhead and the Species are immortall yet the kinds of other things whose eternity remaines in the Genus albeit it dyes in the Species is yet preserved by the fruitfulnesse of growing therefore the Species are mortall as man is mortall his soul immortal yet with every Genus the Species of every Geuus is mixed some which before were made some made of these but all these which were made are either of God of Angels or of men being all formes most like unto their kindes for it is impossible for Bodies to be formed without the will of God Species to be fashioned without the help of Spirits or brute Beasts to be ordered or disciplined without men Whatsoever therefore ill Spirits swarving from their kind are joyned into the form of any Species of a divine Genus are by that Proximity and nearnesse accounted like unto Gods but the Species of which Spirits persevering in the quality of their kind and these loving the wisdom of man are called Spirits there is also the like Species of men but more large for the Species of mankind is of many Shapes and full of variety and coming from above from the aforesaid fellowship makes a conjunction of necessity almost with all other Species in which respect it comes nearest to God who with Divine worship hath joyned himself unto God even in that holinesse he requires and they come nearest to ill Spirits who joyne themselves to them and those men who are contented with a mediocrity in their Genus shall be like those Species they resemble and joyne themselves to The COMMENTARY The Second Chapter for the better understanding of what is and shall be said intimateth that Mercurius doth use the word Animal in a far other signification then we have accustomed as also the word Anima For out of the Second Dialogue of Pimander he defineth the Soul by motion wherefore whatsoever hath a moving faculty by the observance of his speech hath Animam a Soul whatsoever hath Soul and Body is Animal The Heaven therefore is an Animal so likewise the world Plants and the Elements But it is our custome only to call that an Animal which is a living Creature and hath sense Animà we define not only by motion but by Life Sense Voluntary motion and Understanding Therefore when we hear of the word Animal let us take it in his sense and not in our own But now to the Dialogue he compareth Heaven and Heavenly bodies to other sensible things as a man to other Creatures but yet man with other Creatures as a reasonable Soul and Heaven with other sensible things as a sensible preserver But that God is the Ruler Governor of all thingst which are in the world is nothing else but that God provideth for all things dispenseth all things in their kinds and Species of all which the World is the receptacle and God imparteth to every one as to a fit instrument some gift or propriety as the Sun and Moon are the Divine Organs for the Springing and growing of things and for their encrease and decrease and disposeth of men by Angels and of brutes by men But what he speaks of spirits that Species cannot be formed without their help and that certain have cleaved to a divine Genus and in nearness and conversation have been accounted like unto Gods and certain in the quality of their Genus to have persevered Lovers of the wisdom of men VVe know out of the sacred Scriptures that those Angels which kept not their first State but left their habitation were reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the
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
by this light much more For whatsoever the Sun doth enlighten by the Eclipses and interposition of Earth and the Moon and by the approach of night it loseth and is deprived of that light but reason when it shall be once mixed with mans Soul it becomes by that lively growing mixture of one nature with it So that minds thus qualified are never intangled with misty and obscure errors Whereby the sense or reason may well be said tobe the soul or Spirit of God but I say not of all but of some excellent and principall ones The COMMENTARY The seventh Chapter conteineth a hidden Philosophy of the generation and matter of the World of the Spirit accompanying it and of the place The world in God he calleth the Continent place wherefore he will not have the place of the world to be created but that it is created and not created created indeed if you respect the workmanship of the Creatures and not created if you respect the truth of the workmanship For the world and the spirit to wit the world and a certain divine power passing and disfusing it self through all things were not in the world when they were not created but he saith they were in that from whence they were to be created but in what where they but in that divine word by which all things were made But in which and what was made was life and from whence at length everything came that was made The world to be as fruitfull in evil as good being as capable of evil as good as the Earth is fruitfull both of medicinable Herbs and hurtfull Weeds and that the earth hath by a kind of propriety so likewise the World notwithstanding God as much as with reason he might hath provided for men reason discipline and understanding against this kind of materiall propriety least sinne should overrunne the World as brambles and hurtfull weeds a neglected and untilled desert or wildernesse Moreover of the spirits disfused through all things and those things that be under us of sense or reason which is a distilling of divine graces into mens souls as of the Sun beames on the eyes he discourseth somewhat in this seventh part CHAP. VIII Asclep Whom affirm you O Trismegistus to be the heads and beginnings of the first Principles Trism I reveal disclose unto thee great divine Mysteries of which I now begin by the desired help and assistance of God There are divers kinds of Gods and of those one part intelligible another sensible They are called intelligibles not because they may be supposed not to be subject to our senses for we perceive them more then those which we call visibles as our discourse shall shew and thou if thou mark it maiest perceive for divine reason passing beyond the reach and capacity of men if thou with good care and great attention listen not unto the speakers will fly away and passe through thee and returne to the Fountain of it own waters There are therefore chief Lords oâ—… Gods of all Species the Prince of whom is Uâ—…a these are like one to another in their Originall who by nature eâ—…ct all things every one illuminating one anothers work The chief Lord of Heaven or whatsoever is concluded under that name is Iupiter for from Heaven Iupiter gives life to all The chiefe Lord of the Sun is the Light For the benefit of light is distributed unto us by the globe of the Sun There are 34. Lords of the horoscope or which speculate into the Hours of Nativity placed alwayes amongst the fixed Planets the Prince of these they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is which hath all snapes or which in different Species makes divers Shapes The seven wandering Planets have also their Lords which they call Fortune and Fate by which all things are changed which were firmely stablished by the law of nature altered by a continual motion But the Aire is the Organ or instrument of all things in which all things are brought to passe and the chief Lord or Prince of this is second in degree conferring mortall things and the like upon mortall Creatures These things therefore being so that these lower things are moved by the higher So likewise all naturall things are joyned to themselves as mortall things with mortall and sensible things with sensible But the chief matter of Government belongs to that great Lord being not many but only one for from that one all things deâ—…end rather flowing from him when they seem to be distant are supposed to be a many things apart by themselves but indeed are united being one or rather two from whom all things are effected and from which they are created that is the matter of which they are made from his will by which other things are brought to passe Asclep Again what is the reason of this O Trismegistus Trism This O Asclepius For God the Father or the Lord of all things and whatsoever name he is more religiously and devoutly called of men which ought for our understanding sake to be reverenced of us in contemplation of so great a Majesty we have expresly called him by none of those names for if this sound uttered setteth forth the whole will of man or that understanding he shall conceive by the spirit the substance of which name consisting of a few syllables is limited and circumscribed that there might be in man a necessary and familiar entercourse betwixt the voice the eares the spirit and the understanding and so of all things by these Whether then the name of God be compleate or wholly in these for I suppose not that the efficient cause of all Majesty and the Father and Lord of all things can be expressed by one name though compounded of many Syllables it is necessary therefore that he should be called not by one name but rather by all names seeing that he is both one and all things being meet that all things should be his name or that He should be styled by the name of All. This therefore being but one as being all is full of the fruitfulnesse of both natures and rich in his own will bringeth forth whatsoever he hath a desire to create His will is all goodness and this same goodness pertaines to all things from his divinity nature proceeds that all things may be as they are and have been and in all things which shall be nature hence forward may of it self be sufficient to begâ—…t Let this therefore be the reason given thee O Asclepius wherefore and how all things of both sexes are made Asclep You mean God Trismegistus Trism Not only God O Asclepius but all Creatures having life and all Creatures without life for it is impossible that any of those things which are should be unfruitfull for fruitfulnesse being barred from all things that are it will be impossible that there be a perpetuity of those things which are for I say that Nature and Reason and the
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
being a like and immoveable moveth it self by his stability and is incorrupt and eternal or whatsoever may more fitly be called eternity consisting in the very truth of the high God full of all sensible things and full knowledge abiding as I said with God but worldly sense is the receptacle of all sensible things both for Species and disclipine but humane sense by the strength of memory for that it remembers all things that it hath done for divine reason and sense come down continually to man and God would not that excellent and divine sense should be confounded with all Creatures lest it should blush in being mixt with brutes For the understanding of humane sense of what sort and how great it is is wholly in the memory of things past for by that strength of memory it is made governour of the earth but the understanding of Nature and of the quality and sense of the world may be perceived by all sensible things in the world eternity which is the second is known to be a sense and quality given of the sensible world but the understanding of the quality and quality of the sense of the high God is the alone truth the shaddow of which truth in the world is not certainly known in the last line for where is any thing known by the dimension of time where there seem to be leasings generations and errors You see therefore O Asclepius in what things we are agreed upon which we handle or which we dare to touch but I give unto thee thankes O great God which hast illuminated me with the light of seeing thy divinity and you O Latus Asclepius And Amnon conceale secretly within your breasts and keep close these divine Mysteries But in this differeth understanding from sense for that our understanding commeth by the intention and diligence of the mind to understand and know the quality of the sense of the world but the understanding of the world reacheth to eternity and to know God who is above it self and so it happens unto us men that as in a mist we see those things which are in Heaven as much as it is possible through the condition of humane sense And this intention or reach in perceiving so great good things is very narrow and weak but is most large when it shall see it by knowledge and the testimony of a good conscience The COMMENTARY The eleventh Chapter discloseth that onely God is immovable and stable and all other things mutable God is infinite incomprehensible and is unknown what he is the holy incorrupt and eternall sense of God treateth of the sense of the world of the sense of man of the difference of the understanding from the sense This is the Sum of the eleventh Part. CHAP. XII BUt of Vacuity which also with many seems to be a great matter I thus think that a Vacuity neither is can or shall be any thing for all things of the world are most full parts as the world it self is full of bodies different in quality and form having both their form and greatnesse of which one is greater than another and one lesse than another different in strength and weaknesse for some of these easily seem to be the stronger as the greater but the lesser and smaller can scarcely or not at all be seen which things to be we know onely by feeling whereby it happeneth that many beleeve that these are not bodies or substances but empty places which is impossible for if any thing be named out of the world if there be any thing which I hardly beleeve therein so full of intelligible things that is things like to the Divinity as this place which is called the sensible world is full of bodies and creatures agreeing both in nature and quality to it all whose representations we see not but some exceedingly great some exceeding little and short which either through the length of distance or that we are dull of eye-sight they appear to be such unto us or to be short for their exceeding smalnesse they are supposed of some not to be I speak now of Angels which I suppose sojourn with us and Spirits above us which are betwixt the purest part of the air and the earth where there is neither place â—…or Clouds nor commotion by the motion of any Meteor Comet or Signe In this respect O Asclepius thou canst say nothing to be subject to Vacuity unlesse thou vauntest there may be a Vacuity of what thou affirmest to be empty as a Vacuity from the fire from the water and from the like which although it happens to seem so For that may be void of such things which are great or little which makes it seem empty yet there cannot be a Vacuity of Spirit and Air. The like also we may speak of a place for the word onely wants understanding for a place appeareth what it is from that of which it is for when the principall name is taken away the signification or interpretation is imperfect Wherefore the place of water the place of fire or such like we truly say for as it is impossible for any thing to be void or empty so the place alone what it is cannot be known For if you put the place without that of which it is it shall seem to be an empty place which I beleeve the world hath not For if there be no Vacuity neither a place appeareth what it is by it self unlesse you shall adde unto it either longitudes latitudes or altitudes as signes to the bodies of men These things being so Asclepius and you that are present know that the intelligible World that is God who is known only by the sight of the soul is incorporeal neither can any thing corporall be mixed with his Nature that is which may be known by quality quantity and numbers for no such thing abideth in him therefore this world which is called sensible is the receptacle of all sensible Species qualities or bodies all which without God cannot receive Vegetation and be refreshed for all things are God and from him and his will are all things that which is wholly good comely and wise sensible and intelligible belongs to him alone and without this there neither is hath or shall be any thing for all things are from him in him and by him both qualities of many shapes and great quantities and greatnesse exceeding measure and varieties of Species and Forms which if you shall understand O Asclepius you will give God thanks and if you shal wel observe the whole you shal by true reason perfectly learn that the world it self is sensible and all things that are in it to be covered as with a garment from that upper world for every kinde of creature O Asclepius of what kind soever as well mortal immortal or rational whether it be a living creature or be not each of them retain the image and form of their kinde and albeit every kind of creature possesseth the full
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