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, [Page 2] 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 [...]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 li [...]ts up it self to know and compre­hend that [...] [...] is Good and True, [...]de back to the contra­ry: For it is infinitely enamour­ed [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] 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 [Page 5] 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.

[Page 6] 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 [Page 7] 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.

[Page 8] 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.

[Page 9] 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.

[Page 10] 65. The Generation of Man is Corruption, the Corruption of Man is the beginning 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.

[Page 11] 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, [Page 12] 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, [Page 13] 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: [Page 14] 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 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?

[Page 16] 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.

[Page 17] 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.

[Page 18] 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 U [...]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.

[Page 19] 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? [Page 20] 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 out, or exalted it self from the down­ward-born [Page 21] Elements of God, the Word of God, into the clean and pure Workmanship of Na­ture, and was united to the Workman, Minde; for it was Consubstantia [...]; and so the downward-born Elements of Nature were left without Rea­son, that they might be the only Matter.

15. But the Workman, Mind, together with the Word, containing the Circles and Whirling them about, turned round as a Wheel his own Workmanships; and suffered them to be turned from an inde­finite Beginning, to an undeter­minable End; for they alwayes begin where they end.

16. And the Circulation, or running round of these, as the Minde willeth, out of the lower, or downward-born Elements brought forth unreasonable or [Page 22] bruitish Creatures, for they had no reason, the Air flying things, and the Water such as swim.

17. And the Earth and the Water were separated, either from other, as the Mind would; and the Earth brought forth from her self; such Living Crea­tures as she had, four-foo [...]ed and creeping Beasts, wild and tame.

18. But the Father of all things, the Minde being Life and Light▪ b [...]ought forth Man, like [...]nto himself, whom he lo­ved as his proper Birth; for he was all beauteous, having the Image of his Father.

19. For indeed God was ex­ceedingly enamoured of his own Form or Shape, and deli­vered unto it all his own Work­manships: But he seeing and understanding the Creation of the Workman in the whole; would needs also himself fall to [Page 23] work, and so was separated from the Father, being in the sphere of Generation or Operation.

20. Having all Power, he con­sidered the Operations or Work­manships of the Seven; but they loved him, and every one made him partaker of his own Order.

21. And he learning diligent­ly, and understanding their Es­sence, and partaking their Na­ture, resolved to pierce▪ and break thorow the Circumfe­rence of the Circles, and to un­derstand the Power of him that sits upon the Fire.

22. And having already all power of mortall things, or the [...]iving, and of the unreasonable Creatures of the World, stooped down and peeped thorow the Harmony, and breaking thorow the strength of the Circles, so shewed and made manifest the [Page 24] downward-born Nature, the fair and beautifull Shape or Form of God.

23. Which when he saw, ha­ving in it self the unsatiable Beauty, and all the Operation of the Seven Governors, and the Form or Shape of God, he smiled for love, as if he had seen the Shape or Likenesse in the Water, or the shadow upon the Earth of the fairest Humane form.

24. And seeing in the Water a shape, a shape like unto him­self, in himself he loved it; and would cohabit with it; and im­mediately upon the resolution, ensued the Operation, & brought forth the unreasonable Image or Shape.

25. Nature presently laying hold of what it so much loved, did wholly [...]ap her self about it, and they were mingled, for [Page 25] they loved one another.

26. And for this cause▪ Man, above all things that live upon Earth, is double: mortall, be­cause of his Body, and immor­tall, because of the substantiall Man: For being immortall, and having power of all things, he yet suffers mortall things, & such as are subject to Fate or Destiny.

27. And therefore being a­bove all Harmony. he is made and become a servant to Har­mony. And being Hermaphro­dite, or Male and Female, and watchfull, he is governed by, and subjected to a Father, that is both Male and Female, and watchfull.

28. After these things, I said, Thou art my Minde, and I am in love with Reason.

29. Then said Pimander, This is the Mystery that to this day is hidden, and kept secret; [Page 26] for Nature being mingled with Man, brought forth a Wonder most wonderfull; for he having the Nature of the Harmony of the Seven, from him whom I told thee, the Fire and the Spi­rit; Nature continued not, but forthwith brought forth seven Men all Males and Females; and sublime, or on high, accord­ing to the Natures of the Seven Governors.

30. And after these things, O Pomander, quoth I, I am now come into a great desire, and longing to hear: Do not digress, or run out.

31. But he said Keep silence, for I have not yet finished the first speech.

32. Trism. Behold, I am si­lent.

33. Piman. The Generation therefore of these Seven, was after this manner. The Air be­ing [Page 27] Feminine, and the Water desirous of Copulation, took from the Fire its ripenesse, and from the aether Spirit; and so Nature produced bodies after the Species and Shape of men.

34. And Man was made of Life and Light, into Soul and Minde: of Life, the Soul; of Light, the Minde.

35. And so all the Members of the Sensible World, conti­nued unto the period of the end, bearing rule, and generating.

36. Hear now the rest of that speech, thou so much desirest to hear.

37, When that period was fulfilled, the bond of all things was loosed and untied by the Will of God; for all living Creatures being Hermaphrodi­ticall, or Male and Female, were loosed & untied, together with Man; and so the Males [Page 28] were apart by themselves, and the Females likewise.

38. And straightwayes God said to the Holy Word, En­crease in encreasing and mul­tiply in multitude all you my Creatures & Workmanships. And let him that is endued with Minde, know himself to be immortall; and that the cause of death is the love of the body, and let him learn all things that are.

39. When he had thus said, Providence by Fate and Har­mony, made the mixtures, and established the Generations, and all things were multiplied ac­cording to their kinde; and he that knew himself, came at length to the Superstantiall of every way substantiall good.

40. But he, that through the Errour of Love, loved the Body, abideth wandering in darknesse, [Page 29] sensible, suffering the things of death.

41. Trism. But why do they that are ignorant, sin so much, that they should therefore be deprived of immortality.

42. Pimand. Thou seemest not to have understood what thou hast heard.

43. Trism. Peradventure I seem so to thee; but I both un­derstand and remember them.

44. Pimand. I am glad, for thy sake, if thou understoodest them.

45. Trism. Tell me, Why are they worthy of death, that are in death?

46. Pimand. Because there goeth a [...]ad and dismall darkness before its body; of which dark­nesse is the moist Nature; of which moist Nature, the Body consisteth in the sensible World, from whence death is derived: [Page 30] Hast thou understood this [...]right?

47. Trism. But why, or how, doth he that understands himself, go or pass into God?

48. Pim. That which the Word of God said, say I: be­cause the Father of all things consists of Life and light, where­of Man is made.

49. Trism. Thou sayest very well.

50. Pim. God and the Fa­ther is Light and Life, of which Man is made. If therefore thou learn and beleeve thyself to be of the Life and Light, thou shalt again passe into Life.

51. Trism. But yet tell me more, O my Minde, how I shall go into Life.

52. Pim. God saith, Let the Man endued with a Minde, mark, consider, and know him­self well.

[Page 31] 53. Trism. Have not all men a minde?

54. Pim. Take heed what thou sayest, for I the Minde come unto men that are holy and good, pure and mercifull, and that live piously and religi­ously; and my presence is a help unto them. And forth­with they know all things, and lovingly they supplicate and propitiate the Father; and bles­sing him, they give him thanks, and sing hymnes unto him, being ordered and directed by filiall Affection, and naturall Love: And before they give up their Bodies to the death of them, they hate their Senses, knowing their Workes and Operati­ons.

55. Rather I that am the Minde it self, will not suffer the Operations or Works, which happen or belong to the [Page 32] body, to be finished and brought to perfection in them; but be­ing the Porter and Door-keep­er, I will shut up the entrances of Evill, and cut off the thought­full desires of filthy works.

56. But to the foolish, and evill, and wicked, and envious, and covetous, and murderous, and profane, I am far off; giving place to the revenging Demon, which applying unto him the sharpnesse of fire, tormenteth such a man sensible, and armeth him the more to all wicked­nesse, that he may obtain the greater punishment.

57. And such a one never ceaseth, having unfulfillable de­sires, and unsatiable concupis­cences, and alwaies fighting in darknesse; for the Demon af­flicts and tormenteth him con­tinually, and increaseth the fire upon him more and more.

[Page 33] 58. Trism. Thou hast, O Minde, most excellently taught me all things, as I desired; but tell me moreover, after the re­turn is made, what then?

59. Pimand. First of all, in the resolution of the materi­all Body, the Body it self is given up to alteration, and the form which it had, becometh invisible; and the idle manners are permitted, and left to the Demon, and the Senses of the Body return into their Foun­tains being parts, and again made up into Operations.

60. And Anger and Concu­piscence go into the bruitish, or unreasonable Nature; and the rest striveth upward by Har­mony.

61. And to the first Zone it giv­eth the power it had of increas­ing [Page 34] and diminishing.

62. To the second, the ma­chination or plotting of evils, and one effectuall deceipt or craft.

63. To the third, the idle de­ceipt of Concupiscence.

64. To the fourth, the desire of Rule, and unsatiable Ambi­tion.

65. To the fifth, prophane Boldnesse, and the [...] headlong rashnesse of Confidence.

66. To the sixth, Evil and ineffectuall occasions of Rich­es.

67. And to the seventh Zone, subtile Falshood, alwayes ly­ing in wait.

68. And then being made naked of all the Operations of Harmony, it cometh to the eighth Nature, having its pro­per power, and singeth praises to the Father with the things that [Page 35] are, and all they that are pre­sent rejoyce, and congratulate the coming of it; and being made like to them with whom it converseth, it heareth also the Powers that are above the eighth Nature, singing praise to God in a certain voyce that is peculiar to them.

69. And then in order they re­turn unto the Father, and them­selves deliver themselves to the powers; and becoming powers, they are in God.

70. This is the Good, and to them that know to be deifi­ed.

71. Furthermore, why sayest thou, What resteth, but that understanding all men, thou become a guide, and way-lea­der to them that are worthy; that the kinde of Humanity or Mankinde, may be saved by God?

[Page 36] 72. When pimander had thus said unto me, he was min­gled among the Powers.

73. But I giving thanks, and blessing the Father of all things, rose up, being enabied by him, and taught the nature, of the Nature of the whole, and ha­ving seen the greatest sight or spectacle.

74. And I began to Preach unto men, the beauty and fairnesse of Piety and Know­ledge.

75. O ye People, M [...]n, born and made of the Earth, which have given your selves over to drunkenesse, and sléep, and to the ignorance of God; be sober, and cease your surfeit, whereto you are allured, and invited by brui­ti [...], and unreasonable sleep.

76. And they that heard me, came willingly, and with [Page 37] one accord; and then I said fur­ther.

77. Why, O men of the Off-spring of the Earth, why have you delivered your selves over unto death, having pow­er to pertake of immortality? Repent and change your mindes you that have together walked in Error, and have been darkened in ignorance.

78. Depart from that dark light, be partakers of immorta­lity, and leave or forsake cor­ruption.

79. And some of them that heard me, mocking and scorn­ing, went away, and delivered themselves up to the way of death.

80. But others casting them­selves down before my feet, be­sought me, that they might be taught; but I causing them to rise up, became a guide of man­kinde, [Page 38] teaching them the reasons how, and by what meanes they may be saved. And I sowed in them the words of Wisdom, and nourished them with Ambro­sian water of immortality.

81. And when it was Even­ing, and the Brightnesse of the same began wholly to go down, I commanded them to go down, I commanded them to give thanks to God; and when they had finished their thanksgiving, every one returned to his own lodging.

82. But I wrote in my self, the bounty and beneficence of Pimander; and being filled with what I most desired, I was exceeding glad.

83. For the sleep of the Body was the sober watchfulnesse of the minde; and the shutting of my eyes the true sight, and my silence great with childe, and [Page 39] full of good; and the pronoun­cing of my words, the blossoms and fruits of good things.

84. And thus came to passe or happened unto me, which I received from my minde, that is, Pimander, the Lord of the Word; whereby I became in­spired by God, with the Truth.

85. For which cause, with my Soul, and whole strength, I give praise and blessing unto God the Father.

86. Holy is God the Father of all things.

87. Holy is God, whose will is performed, and accomplish­ed by his own powers.

88. Holy is God, that deter­mineth to be known, and is known of his own, or those that are his.

89. Holy art th [...]u, that by thy Word hast established all things.

[Page 40] 90. Holy art thou, of whom all Nature is the Image.

91. Holy art thou, whom Nature hath not formed.

92. Holy art thou that art stronger then all power.

93. Holy art thou that art greater then all excellen­cy.

94. Holy art thou who art better then all praise.

95. Accept these reasonable Sacrifices from a pure soul, and a heart stretched out unto thée.

96. O thou unspeakable, unutterable, to be praised with silence.

97. I beséech thée, that I may never err from the know­ledge of thée; look mercifully upon me, and enable me, and enlighten with this Grace, those that are in ignorance, the brothers of my kinde, but thy sons.

[Page 41] 98. Therefore I beléeve thee, and bear witnesse, and go into the Life and Light.

99. Blessed art thou O Fa­ther; thy man would be sanctifi­ed with thée, as thou hast given him all power.

THE Third 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 [Page 43] 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 [Page 44] 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, [Page 45] 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 [Page 46] worldly temperature should be renewed by Nature; for in that which is Divine, is Nature also established.

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 [Page 48] 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, [Page 49] 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, a [...] 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, [Page 50] 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 [Page 51] 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, [Page 52] 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 dei [...]ed while yet it lo [...]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 [Page 53] 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 [Page 54] 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.

[Page 55] 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 [Page 56] 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 [Page 57] 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 th [...] 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.

[Page 58] 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 [Page 59] 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 [Page 60] 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 sp [...]tted with the Passions of the Body, but as [Page 61] 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 [Page 62] 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 voyce of the speaker.

59. The disposition of these Cloathings or Covers, is done in the Earthly Body; for it is impossible, that the minde should establish or rest it self, na­ked, and of it self, in an Earth­ly Body neither is the earthly Body able to bear such im­mottality: And therefore, that it might suffer so great vertue, the Minde compacted as it were, and took to it self the pasfible Body of the Soul, as a Covering or a Cloathing. And the Soul [Page 63] being also in some sort Divine, useth the Spirit as her Minister and Servant; and the Spirit go­verneth the living thing.

60. When therefore the Minde is separated, and depart­eth from the Earthly Body, presently it puts on its Fiery Coat, which it could not do, having to dwell in an Earthly Body.

61. For the Earth cannot suffer fire, for it is all burned of a small spark; therefore is the water powred round about the Earth, as a Wall or defence, to withstand the flame of fire.

62. But the minde being the most sharp or swift of all the Di­vine Cogitations, and more swift then all the Elements, hath the fire for its Body.

63. For the minde which is the Workman of all, useth the fire as his Instrument in his [Page 64] workmanship; and he that is [...] [...]rkman of all, useth it to [...] [...]ng of all things, as it is use [...] [...] man, to the making of Earthly things only; for the Minde that is upon Earth, voyd, or naked of fire, cannot do the businesse of men, nor that which is otherwise the affaires of God.

64. But the Soul of Man, and yet not every one, but that which is pious and religious, is Angelicall and Divine. And such a Soul, after it is departed from the Body, having striven the strife of Piety, becomes ei­ther Minde or God.

65. And the strife of Piety is to know God, and to injury no Man; and this way it becomes Minde.

66. But an impious Soul abideth in its own essence, pun­ished of it self, and seeking an [Page 65] earthly and humane [...] [...] enter into.

67. For no other Body is ca­pable of an Humane Soul, nei­ther is it Lawfull for a Mans Soul to fall into the Body of an unreasonable living thing: For it is the Law or Decree of God, to preserve an Humane Soul from so great a contumely and reproach.

68. Tat. How then is the Soul of Man punished, O Fa­ther; and what is i [...] greatest torment [...].

69. Herm. Impiety, O my S [...], for what Fire hath so great a flame [...] [...]? Or what biting Beast doth so tear the Body as it doth the Soul?

70. Or dost thou not see how many Evils the wicked Soul suffereth roaring and crying out, I am burner, I am con­sumed, I know not what to say, or do; I am devoured, uu­happy [Page 66] wretch, of the evils that compass, and lay hold upon me, miserable that I am, I neither sée nor hear any thing.

71. These are the voyces of a punished and tormented Soul, and not as many; and thou, O Son, thinkest, that the Soul going out of the Body, grows bruitish or enters into a Beast; which is a very great Error, for the Soul is punished after this manner.

72. For the Minde, when it is ordered or appointed to get a fiery Body for the services of God, coming down into the wicked soul, torments it with the whips of Sins, wherewith the wicked Soul being scourged, turns it self to Murthers and Contumelies, and Blasphemies, and divers Violences, and other things by which men are in [...]ured.

[Page 67] 73. But into a pious Soul, the Minde entering, leads it into the Light of Knowledge.

74. And such a Soul is never satisfied with singing praise. To God, and speaking well of all men; and both in words and deeds, alwayes doing good in imitation of her Father.

75. Therefore, O Son, we must give thanks, and pray, that we may obtain a good minde.

76. The Soul therefore may be altered or changed into the better, but into the worse it is impossible.

77. But there is a communion of Souls; and those of Gods, com­municate with those of men; and those of men, with those of Beasts.

78. And the better alwayes take of the worse, Gods of Men, Men of bruit Beasts, but God of all: For he is the best of all, and all things are lesse then he.

[Page 68] 79. Therefore is the World subject unto God, Man unto the World, and unreasonable things to Man.

80. But God is above all, and about all; and the beames of God are operations; and the beams of the World are Na­tures; and the beams of Man are Arts and Sciences.

81. And Operations do act by the World, and upon man by the naturall beams of the World, but Natures work by the Elements, and man by Arts and Sciences.

82. And this is the Govern­ment of the whole, depending upon the Nature of the One, and piercing or coming down by the One Minde, than which nothing is more Divine, and more efficacious or operative; and nothing more uniting, or nothing is more One. The [Page 69] Communion of Gods to Men, and of Men to Gods.

83. This is the Bonus ge­nius, or good Demon [...] Blessed Soul that is fullest of it! and unhappy Soul that is empty of it.

84. Tat. And wherefore, Fa­ther?

85. Trism. Know, Son, that every Soul hath the Good Mind; for of that it is we now speak, and not of that Minister, of which we said before, That he was sent from the Judgement.

86. For the Soul without the Minde, can neither do, nor say any thing; for manytimes the Minde fl [...]es away from the Soul, and in that hour the Soul nei­ther seeth nor heareth, but is like an unreasonable thing; so great is the power of the Minde.

87. But neither brooketh is an idle or lazie Soul, but leaves [Page 70] such a one fastened to the Bo­dy, and by it pressed down.

88. And such a Soul, O Son, hath no Minde; wherefore nei­ther must such a one be called a Man.

89. For Man is a Divine li­ving thing, and is not to be com­pared to any bruit Beast that lives upon Earth, but to them that are above in Heaven, that are called Gods.

90. Rather, if we shall be bold to speak the truth, he that is a man indeed, is above them, or at least they are equall in power, one to the other: For none of the things in Heaven will come down upon Earth, and leave the limits of Heaven, but a man ascends up into Hea­ven, and measures it.

91. And he knoweth what things are on high, and what be­low, and learneth all other things exactly.

[Page 71] 92. And that which is the greatest of all, he leaveth not the Earth, and yet is above: So great is the greatnesse of his Nature.

93. Wherefore we must be bold to say, That an earthly man, is a mortall God; and that the heavenly God, is an immortall Man.

94. Wherefore, by these two are all things governed, the World, and Man; but they and all things else, of that which is One.

THE Fifth Book. That God is not manifest, and yet most manifest.

THis Discourse I will also make to thee, O Tat, that thou mayest not be ignorant of the more excellent Name of God.

2. But do thou contemplate in thy Minde, how that which to many seems hidden and un­manifest, may be most manifest unto thee.

3. For it were not All, if it were apparent, for whatsoever is apparent, is generated or made; for it was made mani­fest, [Page 73] but that which is not mani­fest is ever.

4. For it needeth not to be manifested, for it is alwayes.

5. And he maketh all other things manifest, being unmani­fest, as being alwayes, and ma­king other things manifest, he is not made manifest.

6. Himself is not made, yet in fantasie he fantasieth all things, or in appearance he ma­keth them appear; for appear­ance is only of those things that are generated or made, for ap­pearance is nothing but gene­ration.

7. But he that is Oue, that is not made nor generated, is al­so unapparent and unmanifest.

8. But making all things ap­pear, he appeareth in all, and by all; but especially he is mani­fested to, or in those things wherein himself listeth.

[Page 74] 9. Thou therefore, O Tat, my Son, pray first to the Lord and Father, and to the Alone, and to the One, from whom is one to be mercifull to thee, that thou mayest know and un­derstand so great a God; and that he would shine one of his beams upon thee in thy under­standing.

10. For onely the Under­standing sees that which is not manifest, or apparent, as being it self not manifest or apparent; and if thou canst, O Tat, it will appear to the eyes of thy minde.

11. For the Lord, void of en­vie, appeareth thorow the whole world. Thou mayest see the in­telligence, and take it in thy hands, and contemplate the I­mage of God.

12. But if that which is in thee, be not known or apparent unto thee, how shall he in thee [Page 75] be seen, and appear unto thee by the eyes?

13. But if thou wilt see him, consider and understand the Sun, consider the course of the M [...]n, consider the order of the Stars.

14. Who is he that keepeth order? for all order is circum­scribed or terminated in num­ber and place.

15. The Sun is the greatest of the Gods in Heaven, to whom all the heavenly Gods give place, as to a King and Poten­tate; and yet he being such a one, greater than the Earth or the Sea, is content to suffer infi­nite lesser Stars to walk and move above himself: whom doth he fear the while, O Son?

16. Every one of these Stars that are in Heaven, do not make the like, or an equall course; who is it that hath prescribed [Page 76] unto every one, the manner and the greatnesse of their course?

17. This Bear that turns round about it own self, and car­ries round the whole World with her, who possessed and made such an Instrument?

18. Who hath set the bounds to the Sea? who hath establish­ed the Earth? for there is some Body, O Tat, that is the Maker and Lord of these things.

19. For it is impossible, O Son, that either place, or num­ber, or measure, should be ob­served without a Maker.

20. For no order can be made by disorder or disproportion.

21. I would it were possible for thee, O my Son, to have wings, and to flie into the Air, and being taken up in the midst, between Heaven and Earth, to see the stability of the Earth the fluidnesse of the Sea, the courses [Page 77] of the Rivers, the largenesse of the Air, the sharpnesse or swift­nesse of the Fire, the motion of the Stars, and the speedinesse of the Heaven, by which it goeth round about all these.

22. O Son, what a happy sight it were, at one instant, to see all these; that which is un­moveable moved, and that which is hidden appear and be manifest?

23. And if thou wilt see and behold this Workman, even by mortall things that are upon Earth, and in the deep, consider, O Son, how Man is made and framed in the Womb; and exa­mine diligently the skill, and cunning of the Workman, and learn who it was that wrought and fashioned the beautifull and Divine shape of Man; who cir­cumscribed and marked out his eyes? who bored his nostrils [Page 78] and ears? who opened his mouth, who stretched out and tied together his sinews? who channelled the veins? who hardened and made strong the bones? who clothed the flesh with skin? who divided the fin­gers and the joynts? who flat­ted, and made broad the soals of the feet? who digged the pores? who stretched out the spleen? who made the Heart like a Py­ramis? who made the Liver broad? who made the Lights spungie, and full of holes? who made the belly large and capaci­ous? who set to outward view, the more honourable parts, and hid the filthy ones?

24. See how many Arts in one Matter, and how many Works in one Superscription, and all exceedingly beautifull, and all done in measure, and yet all differing.

[Page 79] 25. Who hath made all these things? what Mother? what Father? save only God that is not manifest? that made all things by his own Will.

26. And no man says that a statue or an image is made without a Carver or a Painter, and was this workmanship made without a Workman? O great Blindnesse O great Impie­ty, O great Ignorance.

27. Never, O Son Tat, canst thou deprive the Workman­ship of the Workman, rather it is the best Name of all the Names of God, to call him the Father of all, for so he is alone; and this is his work to be the Father.

28. And if thou wilt force me to say any thing more boldly, It is his Essence to be pregnant, or great with all things, and to make them.

[Page 80] 29. And as without a Maker, it is impossible that any thing should be made; so it is that he should not alwayes be, and al­ways be making all things in Heaven, in the Air, in the Earth, in the Deep, in the whole World, and in every part of the whole, that is, or that is not.

30. For there is nothing in the whole World, that is not himself; both the things that are, and the things that are not.

31. For the things that are, he hath made manifest; and the things that are not, he hath hid in himself.

32. This is God that is bet­ter then any name; this is he that is secret; this is he that is most manifest; this is he that is to be seen by the Minde; this is he that is visible to the [Page 81] eye; this is he that hath no bo­dy; and this is he that hath ma­ny bodies, rather there is no­thing of any body, which is not He.

33. For he alone is all things.

34. And for this cause he hath all Names, because he is the One Father; and there­fore he hath no Name, because he is the Father of all.

35. Who therefore can blesse thee, or give thankes for thee, or to thee?

36. Which way shall I look, when I praise thee: upward? downward? outward? in­ward?

37. For about thee there is no manner, nor place, nor any thing else of all things that are.

38. But all things are in thee; all things from thee, thou [Page 82] 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 [Page 83] 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 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 [Page 85] 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.

[Page 86] 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 [Page 87] 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.

[Page 88] 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 un [...] God, that concerning the [Page 89] 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 [Page 90] 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 [Page 91] 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.

[Page 92] 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 Seventh Book. His secret Sermon in the Mount of Regeneration, & the Profession of Silence.

THE Eighth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. That the greatest Evil in Man, is, The not knowing God.

VVHither are you carried, O men, drunkenwith drinking up the strong Wine of Ignorance? which seeing you cannot bear: why do you not vomit it up again?

2. Stand, and be sober, and look up again with the eyes of your heart; and if you cannot [Page 116] all do so, yet do as many as you can.

3. For the malice of Igno­rance surroundeth all the Earth, and corrupteth the Soul, shut up in the Body, not suffering it to arrive at the Havens of Salva­tion.

4. Suffer not your selves to be carried with the great stream, but stem the tide, you that can lay hold of the Haven of Safety, and make your full course to­wards it.

5. Seek one that may lead you by the hand, and conduct you to the door of Truth, and Knowledge, where the cleer Light is, that is pure from Dark­nesse, where there is not one drunken, but all are sober, and in their heart look up to him, whose pleasure it is to be seen.

6. For he cannot be heard with ears; nor seen with eyes, [Page 117] nor expressed in words, but on­ly in minde and heart.

7. But first thou must tear a­peeces, and break thorow the garment thou wearest; the web of Ignorance, the foundation of all Mischief, the bond of Cor­ruption, the dark Coverture, the living Death, the sensible Car­casse, the Sepulchre, carried a­bout with us, the domesticall Thief, which in what he loves us, hates us, envies us.

8. Such is the hurtfull Appa­rell, wherewith thou art cloath­ed, which draws and puls thee downward by its own self; lest looking up, and seeing the beau­ty of Truth, and the Good that is reposed therein, thou shouldst hate the wickednesse of this gar­ment, and understand the traps and ambushes which it hath laid for thee.

9. Therefore doth it labour [Page 118] to make good those things that seem, and are by the Senses, jud­ged and determined; and the things that are truly, it hides, and envellopeth in much mat­ter, filling what it presents unto thee, with hatefull pleasure, that thou canst neither hear what thou shouldest hear, nor see what thou shouldest see.

THE Ninth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. A Universall Ser­mon to Asclepius

HErm. All that is moved, O Asclepius, is it not mo­ved in some thing, and by some thing?

2. Asclep. Yes indeed.

3. Herm. Must not that, in which a thing is moved, of ne­cessity be greater than the thing that is moved?

4. Of necessity.

5. And that which moveth, is it not stronger than thatwhich is moved?

[Page 120] 6. Asclep. It is stronger.

7. Herm. That in which a thing is moved, must it not needs have a Nature contrary to that of the thing that is moved?

8. Asclep. It must needs.

9. Herm. Is not this great World a Body, than which there is no greater?

10. Asclep. Yes, confessedly?

11. Herm. And is it not so­lid, as filled with many great Bodies, and indeed, with all the Bodies that are?

12. Asclep. It is so.

13. Herm. And is not the World a Body, and a Body that is moved?

14. Asclep. It is.

15. Herm. Then what a kinde of place must it be, where­in it is moved, and of what Na­ture? Must it not be much big­ger, that it may receive the con­tinuity of Motion? and lest [Page 121] that which is moved, should for want of room be stayed, and hindered in the Motion?

16. Asclep. It must needs be an [...]immense thing, Trismegi­stus; but of what Nature?

17. Herm. Of a contrary Nature, O Asclepius; but is not the Nature of things unbo­dily, contrary to a Body?

18. Asclep. Confessedly.

19. Herm. Therefore the place is unbodily; but that which is unbodily, is either some Divine thing, or God himself. And by some thing Divine, I do not mean that which was made or begotten.

20. If therefore it be Divine, it is an Essence or Substance; but if it be God, it is above Es­sence; but he is otherwise in­telligible.

21: For the first, God is in­telligible, not to himself, but to [Page 122] us; for that which is intelligi­ble, is subject to that which un­derstandeth by Sense.

22. Therefore God is not intelligible to himself; for not being any other thing from that which is understood, he cannot be understood by himself.

23. But he is another thing from us; and therefore is he un­derstood by us.

24. If therefore Place be in­telligible, it is not Place, but God; but if God be intelligi­ble, he is intelligible not as Place, but as a capable Opera­tion.

25. Now every thing that is moved, is moved, not in or by that which is moved, but in that which standeth or resteth; and that which moveth, standeth or resteth: for it is impossible it should be moved with it.

26. Asclep. How then, O [Page 123] Trismegistus, are those things that are here, moved with the things that are moved? for thou sayest, that the Spheres that wander are moved by the Sphere that wanders not.

27. Herm. That, O Ascle­pius, is not a moving together, but a countermotion; for they are not moved after a like man­ner, but contrary one to the o­ther: And contrariety hath a standing resistance of motion, for the [...], or resistance, is a staying of motion.

28. Therefore the wander­ing Spheres being moved con­trarily to that Sphere which wandereth not, shall have one from another contrariety stand­ing of it self.

29. For this Bear which thou seest neither rise nor go down, but turning alwayes a­bout the same; dost thou think [Page 124] it moveth or standeth still?

30. Asclep. I think it moves, Trismegistus.

31. What motion, O Ascle­pius?

32. Asclep. A motion that is alwayes carried about the same.

33. But the Circulation which is about the same, and the moti­on about the same, are both hid­den by Station; for that which is about the same, forbids that which is above the same, if it stand to that which is about the same.

34. And so the contrary mo­tion stands fast alwayes, being alwayes established by the con­trariety.

35. But I will give thee con­cerning this matter, an earthly example, that may be seen with eyes.

36. Look upon any of these [Page 125] living Creatures upon Earth, as Man for example, and see him swimming; for as the Water is carried one way, the reluctation or resistance of his feet and hands is made a station to the man, that he should not be car­ried with the Water, not sink underneath it.

37. Asclep. Thou hast laid down a very clear example, Tris­megistus.

38. Herm. Therefore every motion is in station, and is mo­ved of station.

39. The motion then of the World, and of every materiall living thing, happeneth not to be done by those things that are without the World; but by those things within it, a Soul, or Spirit, or some other unbodily thing, to those things which are without it.

40. For an inanimated Body [Page 126] doth not now, much lesse a Bo­dy if it be wholly inanimate.

41. Asclep. What meanest thou by this, O Trismegistus? Wood and Stones, and all other inanimate things, are they not moving Bodies?

42. Herm. By no means, O Asclepius, for that within the Body which moves the inani­mate thing, is not the Body; that moves both as well the Bo­dy of that which beareth, as the Body of that which is born; for one dead or inanimate thing, cannot move another; that which moveth, must needs be alive if it move.

43: Thou seest therefore how the Soul is surcharged, when it carrieth two Bodies.

44. And now it is manifest, that the things that are moved, are moved in something, and by something.

[Page 127] 45. Asclep. The things that are moved, O Trismegistus, must needs be moved in that which is void or empty, va­cuum, [...].

46. Be advised, O Ascle­pius, for of all the things that are, there is nothing empty, only that which is not, is empty and a stranger to existence or be­ing.

47. But that which is, could not be, if it were not full of ex­istence; for that which is in being or existence, can never be made empty.

48. Asclep. Are there not therefore some things that are empty, O Trismegistus, as an empty Barrell, an empty Hog­shead, an empty Well, an emp­ty Wine-Presse, and many such like?

49. Herm. O the grossnesse of thy Error, O Asclepius, [Page 128] those things that are most full and replenished, dost thou ac­count them voyd and emp­ty?

50. Aclep. What may be thy meaning, Trismegistus?

51. Herm. Is not the Air a [...] a Body?

52. Asclep. It is a Body.

53. Herm. Why then this Body, doth it not passe through all things that are? and passing through them, fill them? and that Body doth it not consist of the mixture of the four? there­fore all those things which thou callest empty, are full of Ayr.

54. Therefore those things that thou callest empty, thou oughtest to call them hollow, not empty; for they exist and are full of Ayr and Spirit.

55. Asclep. This reason is beyond all contradiction, O Trismegistus: but what shall [Page 129] we call the Place, in which the whole Universe is moved?

56. Herm. Call it incorpo­reall, O Asclepius.

57. Asclep. What is that in­corporeall or unbodily?

58. Herm. The mind and Rea­son, the whole, wholly compre­hending it self, free from all Body, undeceiveable invisible, impassible from a Body it self, standing fast in it self, capable of all things, and that savour of the things that are.

59. Whereof the God, the Truth, the Archetypall Light, the Archetype of the Soul, are as it were Beams.

60. Asclep. Why then, what is God?

61. Herm. That which is none of these things, yetis, and is the cause of Being to all, and every one of the things that are; for he left nothing destitute of Being.

[Page 130] 62. And all things are made of things that are, and not of things that are not; for the things that are not, have not the nature to be able to be made; and again, the things that are, have not the nature never to be, or not to be at all.

63. Asclep. What dost thou then say at lenghth, that God is?

64. Herm. God is not a Minde, but the cause that the Minde is; not a Spirit, but the Cause that the Spirit is; not Light, but the Cause that Light is.

65. Therefore we must wor­ship God by these two Appella­tions, which are proper to him alone, and to no other.

66. For neither of all the other, which are called Gods, nor of Men, nor Demons, or [Page 131] Angels, can any one be, though never so little, good, save on­ly God alone.

67. And this He is, and no­thing else; but all other things are separable from the nature of Good.

68. For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of, or can contain the Good.

69. For the greatnesse of Good, is as great as the Ex­istence of all things, that are both bodily and unbodily, both sensible and intelligible.

70. This is the Good, even God.

71. See therefore that thou do not at any time, call ought else Good; for so thou shalt be impious: or any else God, but only the Good; for so thou shalt again be impious.

72. In Word it is often said by all men the Good, but [Page 132] all men do not understand what it is; but through Ignorance they call both the Gods, and some men Good, that can ne­ver either be or be made so.

73. Therefore all the other Gods are honored with the title and appellation of God, but God is the Good, not according to Heaven, but Nature.

74. For there is one Nature of God, even the Good, and one kinde of them both, from whence all are kindes.

75. For he that is good, is the giver of all things, and takes nothing; and therefore God gives all things, and receives nothing.

76. The other title and ap­pellation, is the Father, be­cause of his making all things; for it is the part of a Father to make.

[Page 133] 77. Therefore it hath been the greatest and most Religious care in this life, to them that are wise, and well-minded, to beget children.

78. As likewise, it is the greatest misfortune and impie­ty, for any to be separated from men, without children; and this man is punished after death by the Demons, and the pun­ishment is this, To have the Soul of this childlesse man, ad­judged and condemned, to a Body that neither hath the na­ture of a man, nor of a woman, which is an accursed thing un­der the Sun.

79. Therefore, O Asclepius, never congratulate any man that is childlesse; but on the contrary, pity his misfortune, knowing wha t punishment abides, and is prepared for him.

[Page 134] 80. Let so many, and such manner of things, O Asclepi­us, be said as a certain precogni­tion of all things in Nature.

THE Tenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. The Minde to Hermes.

FOrbear thy Speech, O Her­mes Trismegistus, and call to minde to those things that are said: but I will not de­lay to speak what comes into my minde; sithence many men have spoken many things, and those very different, concern­ing the Universe, and Good; but I have not learned the Truth.

2. Therefore, the Lord make it plain to me in this point; for [Page 136] I will beleeve thee only, for the manifestation of these things.

3. Then said the Minde how the case stands.

4. God and All.

5. God, Eternity, the World, Time, Generation.

6. God made Eternity, Eter­nity the World, the World Time, and Time Generati­on.

7. Of God, as it were the Substance, is the God, the Fair Blessednesse, Wisdom.

8. Of Eternity, Identity, or Selfnesse,

9. Of the World, Order.

10. Of Time, Change.

11. Of Generation, Life and Death.

12. But the Operation of God, is Minde and Soul.

13. Of Eternity, Perma­nence or Long-lasting, and Immortality.

[Page 137] 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.

[Page 138] 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 G [...]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.

[Page 139] 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.

[Page 140] 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; [Page 141] 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 [Page 142] 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 [Page 143] 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 [Page 144] 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.

[Page 145] 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 [Page 146] 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 e [...]e can it benefit, to make living things, save onely God alone?

80. There is therefore one God.

[Page 147] 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 therefore being One, doth all things in many things.

83. And what great thing is it for God, to make Life, and Soul, and Immortality, and Change, when thy self dost so many things.

84. For thou both seest, speakest, and hearest; smellest, tastest, and touchest; walkest, un­derstandest, and breathest.

85. And it is not one that seeth, and another that heareth, and another that speaketh, and another that toucheth, and ano­ther that smelleth, and another that walketh, and another that understandeth, and another that breatheth; but One that doth all these things.

[Page 148] 86. Yet neither can these things possibly be without God.

87. For as thou, if thou shouldest cease from doing these things, wert not a living wight; so if God should cease from those, he were not (which is not lawful to say) any longer God.

88. For if it be already de­monstrated, that nothing can be idle or empty, how much more may be affirmed of God?

89. For if there be any thing which he doth not do, then is he (if it were lawful to say so) im­perfect.

90. Whereas seeing he is not idle, but perfect; certainly he doth all things.

91. Now give thy self unto me, O Hermes, for a little while, thou shalt the more easi­ly understand, that it is the ne­cessary work of God, that all things should be made or done, [Page 149] that are done, or were once done, or shall be done.

92. And this, O best Belo­loved, is life.

93. And this is the Fair.

94. And this is the Good.

95. And this is God.

96. And if thou wilt under­stand this by work also, mark what happens to thy self, when thou wilt generate.

97. And yet this is not like unto him; for he is not sensible of pleasure, for neither hath he any other Fellow-workman.

98. But being himself the onely Workman, he is alwayes in the Work, himself being that which he doth or maketh.

99. For all things, if they were separated from him, must needs fall and die, as there be­ing no life in them.

100. And again, if all things be living wights, both which are [Page 150] in Heaven, and upon Earth; and that there be one Life in all things which is made by God, and that is God, then certainly all things are made, or done by God.

101. Life is the union of the Minde, and the Soul.

102. But death is not the destruction of those things that were gathered together, but a dissolving of the Union.

103. The Image therefore of God, is Eternity, of Eternity the World, of the World the Sun, of the Sun Man.

104. But the people say, That changing is Death, because the Body is dissolved, and the Life goeth into that which ap­peareth not.

105. By this discourse, my dearest Hermes, I affirm as thou hearest, That the World is changed, because every day [Page 151] part thereof becomes invisible; but that it is never dissolved.

106. And these are the Passi­ons of the World, Revolutions, and Occultations; and Revoluti­on is a turning, but Occultati­on is Renovation.

107. And the world being all formed, hath not the forms lying without it, but it self changeth in it self.

108. Seeing then the World is all formed, what must he be that made it? for without form, he cannot be.

109. And if he be all form­ed, he will be kept like the World; but if he have but one form; he shall be in this regard lesse then the World.

110. What do we then say that he is? we will not raise any doubts by our speech; for no­thing that is doubtfull concern­ing God, is yet known.

[Page 152] 111. He hath therefore one Idea which is proper to him, which because it is unbodily; is not subject to the sight, and yet shews all forms by the Bo­dies.

112. And do not wonder, if there be an incorruptible Idea.

113. For they are like the Margents of that Speech which is in writing; for they seem to be high and swelling, but they are by nature smooth and even.

114. But understand well this that I say, more boldly, for it is more true: As a man cannot live without life, so neither can God live, not doing good.

115. For this is, as it were, [...]he Life and Motion of God, to move all things, and quicken them.

116. But some of the things I have said, must have a particu­lar [Page 153] explication: Understand then what I say.

117. All things are in God, not as lying in a place; for Place is both a Body, and un­moveable, and those things that are there placed, have no motion.

118. For they lie otherwise in that which is unbodily, then in the fantasie, or to appea­rance.

119. Consider him that con­taines all things, and under­stand, that nothing is more ca­pacious, then that which is in­corporeall, nothing more swift; nothing more powerfull; but it is most capacious, most swift, and most strong.

120. And judge of this by thy self, command thy Soul to go into India, and sooner then thou canst bid it, it will be there.

[Page 154] 121. Bid it likewise passe over the Ocean, and suddenly it will be there: Not as passing from place to place, but sudden­ly it will be there.

122. Command it to flie in­to Heaven, and it will need no Wings, neither shall any thing hinder it; not the fire of the Sun, not the Aether, nor the turning of the Spheres, not the bodies of any of the other Stars, but cutting through all, it will flie up to the last, and furthest Body.

123. And if thou wilt even break the whole, and see those things that are without the World (if there be any thing without) thou mayest.

124. Behold how great power, how great swiftnesse thou hast! Canst thou do all these things, and cannot God?

[Page 155] 125. After this manner there­fore contemplate God to have all the whole World to himself, as it were all thoughts, or in­tellections.

126. If therefore thou wilt not equall thy self to God, thou canst not understand God.

127. For the like are intelligi­ble by the like.

128. Increase thy self unto an immeasurable greatnesse, lea­ping beyond every Body, and transcending all Time; become Eternity, and thou shall under­stand God: If thou believe in thyself, that nothing is impossi­ble, but accountest thy self im­mortall, and that thou canst understand all things, every Art every Science, and the manner and custom of every living thing.

129. Become higher then all heighth, lower then all depths, comprehend in thy self, [Page 156] the qualities of all the Crea­tures, of the Fire, the Water, the Dry, and Moyst; and con­ceive likewise, that thou canst at once be every where in the Sea, in the Earth.

130. Thou shalt at once un­understand thy self, not yet begotten in the Womb, young, old, to be dead, the things after death, and all these together; as also, times, places, deeds, qua­lities, quantities, or else thou canst not yet understand God.

131. But if thou shut up thy Soul in the Body, and abuse it, and say, I understand nothing, I can do nothing, I am affraid of the Sea, I cannot climb up into Heaven, I know not who I am, I cannot tell what I shall be; what hast thou to do with God? for thou canst understand none of those Fair and Good things; be a lover of the Body, and Evil.

[Page 157] 132. For it is the greatest evil, not to know God.

133. But to be able to know, and to will, and to hope, is the straight way, and divine way, proper to the Good, and it will every where meet thee, and eve­ry where beseen of thee, plain and easie, when thou dost not expect or look for it: It will meet thee, waking, sleeping, sailing, travailing by night, by day, when thou speakest, and when tho [...] keepest silence.

134. For there is nothing which is not the Image of God.

135. And yet thou sayest, God is invisible: but be advised, for who is more manifest, then He.

136. For therefore hath he made all things, that thou by all things mayest see him.

137. This is the Good of God, this is his Vertue, to appear, [Page 158] and to be seen in all things.

138. There is nothing invi­sible, no not of those things that are incorporeal.

139. The minde is seen in Understanding, and God is seen in doing or making.

140. Let these things thus far forth, be made manifest un­to thee, O Trismegistus.

141. Understand in like manner, all other things by thy self, and thou shalt not be de­ceived.

THE Eleventh Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. Of the Common Minde to Tat.

THe minde, O Tat, is of the very essence of God, if yet there be any Essence of God.

2. What kinde of Essence that is, he alone knows himself exactly.

3. The minde thereof is not cut off, or divided from the essentiality of God, but united as the light of the Sun.

4. And this Minde in men, is God, and therefore are some [Page 160] men Divine, and there Huma­nity is near Divinity.

5. For the good Demon called the Gods, immortal men; and men, mortal Gods.

6. But in the bruit Beasts, or unreasonable living wights, the Minde is their Nature.

7. For where there is a Soul, there is the Minde; as where there is Life, there is also a Soul.

8. In living Creatures there­fore, that are without Reason, the Soul is Life, voyd of the operations of the Minde.

9. For the Minde is the Be­nefactor of the Soules of men, and worketh to the proper Good.

10. And in unreasonable things it co-operateth with the Nature of every one of them, but in men it worketh against their Natures.

[Page 161] 11. For the Soul being in the Body, is straight way made Evil by Sorrow, and Grief, and Pleasure or Delight.

12. For Grief and Pleasure, flow like Juices from the com­pound Body, whereinto, when the Soul entereth, or descend­eth, she is moystened and tincted with them.

13. As many Souls therefore, as the minde governeth or over­ruleth, to them it shews its own Light, resisting their prepossefsi­ons or presumptions.

14. As a good Physitian grieveth the Body, prepossefsed of a disease, by burning or laun­cing it for healths sake.

15. After the same manner also, the Minde grieveth the Soule by drawing it out of Plea­sure, from whence every di­sease of the Soul proceedeth.

16. But the great Disease of [Page 162] the Soul is Atheism, because that opinion followeth to all Evil, and no Good.

17. Therefore the Minde resisting, it procureth Good to the Soul, as a Physitian health to the Body.

18. But as many Souls of men, as do not admit or en­tertain the Minde for their Go­vernor, do suffer the same thing that the Soul of unreasonable living things.

19. For the Soul being a Co­operator with them, permits or leaves them to their concupi­scences, whereunto they are carried by the torrent of their Appetite, and so tend to bru­tishnesse.

20. And as bruit Beasts, they are angry without reason, and they desire without reason, and never cease, nor are satisfied with evil.

[Page 163] 21. For unreasonable An­gers and Desires, are the most exceeding Evils.

22. And therefore hath God set the Mind over these, as a Re­venger and Reprover of them.

23. Tat. Here, O Father, that Discourse of Fate and De­stiny, which thou madest to me, is in danger to be overthrown: For if it be fatal for any man to commit Adultery or Sacri­ledge or do any evil, he is puni­shed also, though he of necessity do the work of Fate or Destiny?

24. Herm. All things, O Son, are the work of Fate, and with­out it, can no bodily thing, ei­ther Good or Evil be done.

25. For it is decreed by Fate, that he that doth any evil, should also suffer for it.

26. And therefore he doth it, that he may suffer that which he suffereth, because he did it.

[Page 164] 27. But for the present let alone that speech, concerning Evil and Fate, for at other times we have spoken of it.

28. Now our discourse is a­bout the Minde, and what it can do, and how it differs, and is in men such a one, but in bruit Beasts changed.

29. And again, in bruit Beasts it is not beneficiall, but in men by quenching both their Anger and Concupiscences.

30. And of men thou must understand, some to be rationall or governed by reason, and some irrationall.

31. But all men are subject to Fate, and to Generation, and Change; for these are the begin­ning and end of Fate or Destiny.

32. And all men suffer those things that are decreed by Fate.

33. But rationall men, over whom, as we said, the Minde [Page 165] bears rule, do not suffer like un­to other men; but being free from viciousnesse, and being not evil, they do suffer evil.

34. T [...]. How sayest thou this again, Father? An Adulte­rer, is he not evil? A Murthe­rer, is he not evil? and so all o­thers.

35. Herm. But the rationall man, O Son, will not suffer for Adultery, but as the Adulterer; not for Murther, but as the Mur­therer.

36. And it is impossible to escape the Quality of Change, as of Generation; but the Vici­ousnesse, he that hath the Mind, may escape.

37. And therefore, O Son, I have alwayes heard the good Demon say, and if he had deli­vered it in writing, he had much profited all mankinde: For he alone, O Son, as the first born, [Page 166] God, seeing all things, truly spake Divine words. I have heard him say sometimes, That all things are one thing, especi­ally intelligible Bodies or that all especially intelligible Bo­dies are one.

38. We live in Power, in Act, and in Eternity.

39. Therefore a good Minde, is that which the Soul of him is.

40. And if this be so, then no intelligible thing differs from intelligible things.

41. As therefore it is possi­ble, that the Minde, the Prince of all things; so likewise that the Soul that is of God, can do whatsoever it will.

42. But understand thou well, for this Discourse I have made to the Question which thou askest of me before, I mean concerning Fate and the Mind.

43. First, if, O Son, thou shalt diligently withdraw thy self [Page 167] from all contentious speeches, thou shalt finde that in Truth, the Mind, the Soul of God bears rule over all things, both over Fate, and Law, and all other things.

44. And nothing is impossi­ble to him, no not of the things that are of Fate.

45. Therefore, though the Soul of man be above it, let it not neglect the things that hap­pen to be under Fate.

46. And these thus far, were the excellent sayings of the good Demon.

47. Tat. Most divinely spo­ken, O Father, and truly and profitably, yet clear this one thing unto me.

48. Thou sayest, that in bruit Beasts the Mind worketh or act­eth after the manner of Nature, co-operating also with their ( [...], impetus) inclinations.

49. Now the impetuous in [Page 168] clinations of bruit Beasts, as I conceive, are Passions. If there­fore the Minde do co-operate with these impetuous Inclinati­ons, & that they are the Passions in bruit Beasts, certainly the Mind is also a Passion, conform­ing it self to Passions.

50. Herm. Well done, Son, thou askest nobly, and yet it is just that I should answer thee.

51. All incorporeall things, O Son, that are in the Body, are passible, nay, they are properly Passions.

52. Every thing that moveth is incorporeal; every thing that is moved is a Body; and it is moved into the Bodies by the Minde: Now Motion is Passion, and there they both suffer; as well that which moveth, as that which is moved, as well that which ruleth, as that which is ruled.

[Page 169] 53. But being freed from the Body, it is freed likewise from Passion.

54. But especially, O Son, there is nothing impassible, but all things are passible.

55. But Passion differs from that which is passible; for that (Passion) acteth, but this suffers.

56. Beodies also of them­selves do act; for either they are unmoveable, or else are mo­ved; and which soever it be, it is a Passion.

57. But incorporeall things do alwayes act, or work, and therefore they are passible.

58. Let not therefore the ap­pellation of names trouble thee, for Action and Passion are the same thing, but that it is not grievous to use the more ho­nourable name.

59. Tat. O Father, thou hast delivered this Discourse most plainly.

[Page 170] 60. Herm. Consider this al­so, O Son, That God hath freely bestowed upon man, above all other living things, these two, to wit, Minde and Speech, or Reason, [...], equal to immor­tality.

61. These, if any man use, or imploy upon what he ought, he shall differ nothing from the Immortals.

62. Yea rather going out of the Body, he shall be guided and led bythem, both into the Quier and Society of the Gods, and blessed Ones.

63. Tat. Do not other li­ving Creatures use Speech, O Father?

64. Herm. No, Son, but onely Voice; now Speech and Voice do differ exceedingmuch; for Speech is common to all men, but Voice is proper unto every kinde of living thing.

[Page 171] 65. Tat. Yea, but the Speech of men is different, O Father; every man according to his Na­tion.

66. Herm. It is true, O Son, they do differ: Yet as man is one, so is Speech one also; and it is interpreted and found the same both in Egypt, Persia, and Gréece.

67. But thou seemest unto me, Son, to be ignorant of the Vertue, or Power, and Greatness of Speech.

68. For the blessed God, the good Demon said or command­ed the Soul to be in the Body, the Minde, in the Soul, ( [...]) the Word, or Speech, or Reason in the Minde, and the Minde in God, and that God is the Father of them all.

69. Therefore the Word is the Image of the Minde, and the Minde of God, and the Body of [Page 172] the Idea, and the I [...]ea of the Soul.

70. Therefore of the Matter, the subtilest or smallest part is Air, of the Air the Soul, of the Soul the Minde, of the Minde God.

71. And God is about all things, and through all things, but the Minde about the Soul, the Soul about the Air, and the Air about the Matter.

72. But Necessity, and Provi­dence, and Nature, are the Or­gans or Instruments of the World, and of the Order of Matter.

73. For of those things that are intelligible every one is, but the Essence of them is Identity.

74. But of the Bodies of the whole, or universe, every one is many things.

75. For the Bodies that are put together, and that have, and [Page 173] make their changes into other, having this Identity, do alwayes save and preserve the uncorru­ption of the Identity.

76. But in every one of the compound Bodies, there is a Number.

77. For without Number it is unpossible there should be consistence, or constitution, or composition, or dissolution.

78. But Unities do both be­get and increase Numbers, and again being dissolved, come into themselves.

79. And the Matter is One.

80. But this whole World, the great God, and the Image of the Greater, and united unto him, and conserving the Order, and Will of the Father, is the fulnesse of Life.

81. And there is nothing therein, through all the Eterni­ty of the Revolutions, neither [Page 174] of the whole, nor of the parts which doth not live.

82. For there is nothing dead, that either hath been, or is, or shall be in the World.

83. For the Father would have it, as long as it lasts, to be a li­ [...]ing thing, and therefore it must needs be God also.

84. How therefore, O Son, can there be in God, in the I­mage of the Universe, in the fulnesse of Life, any dead things?

85. For dying is corruption, and corruption is destruction.

86. How then can any part of the incorruptible be corrup­ted, or of God be destroyed?

87. Tat. Therefore, O Fa­ther, do not the living things in the World die, though they be parts thereof.

88. Herm. Be wary in thy Speech, O Son, and not decei­ved in the names of things.

[Page 175] 89. For they do not die, O Son, but as compound Bodies they are dissolved.

90. But dissolution, is not death; and they are dissolved, not that they may be destroyed, but that they may be made new.

91. Tat. What then is the operation of Life? Is it not Motion?

92. Herm. And what is there in the World unmove­able? Nothing at all, O Son.

93. Tat. Why, doth not the Earth seem unmoveable to thee, O Father?

94. Herm. No, but subject to many motions, though after a manner, it alone be stable.

95. What a ridiculous thing it were, that the Nurse of all things should be unmoveable, which beareth and bringeth forth all things?

[Page 176] 96. For it is impossible that any thing that bringeth forth, should bring forth without Mo­tion.

97. And a ridiculous questi­on it is, Whether the fourth part of the whole, be idle: For the word immoveable, or with­out Motion, signifies nothing else, but idlenesse.

98. Know generally, O Son, That whatsoever is in the World, is moved either according to Augmentation or Diminuti­on.

99. But that which is moved, liveth also, yet it is not neces­sary, that a living thing should be or continue the same.

100. For while the whole World is together, it is un­changeable, O Son, but all the parts thereof are changeable.

101. Yet nothing is corrup­ted or destroyed, and quite abo­lished, [Page 177] but the names trouble men.

102. For Generation is not Life, but Sense; neither is Change Death, but forgetful­nesse, or rather Occultation, and lying hid.

Or better, 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 h [...]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, [Page 178] 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 [Page 179] 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.

[Page 180] 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.

[Page 181] 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 [Page 182] 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 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

[Page 184] 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.

[Page 185] 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. He [...]. Filling a large Cup or Bowl therewith, he [...]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, [Page 186] 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 [Page 187] 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 [Page 188] 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 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.

[Page 189] 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 [Page 190] may make haste to the One, and onely God.

36. For the Good is not to be transcended, it is unbounded and infinite; [...]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 [Page 191] 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 [Page 192] is not from another [...]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, [Page 193] 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 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.

[Page 195] 5. But the Mind differs from Understanding, as much as God from Divinity.

6. For Divinity is ( [...]) from or under God, and Understand­ [...]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 [Page 196] 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 [Page 197] forth that which was sown, A­dulteries Murthers Stri [...]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, [Page 198] 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 God­worshiping 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 [Page 199] 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, [Page 200] 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 [Page 201] 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 [Page 202] 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 [Page 203] 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.

[Page 204] 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 [Page 205] 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 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 [Page 207] 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 [Page 208] 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.

[Page 209] 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 Corpori [...]ca­tion if it be always.

[Page 210] 17. Acts or Operations do follow the Soul, yet come not suddenly or promiscuously, but some of them come together with being made man, being about bruitish or unreasonable things.

18. But the purer Operations do insensibly. in the change of time, work with the oblique part of the Soul.

19. And these Operations depend upon Bodies; and tru­ly they that are Corporifying, come from the Divine Bodies into Mortall ones.

20. But every one of them acteth both about the Body and the Soul, and are present with the Soul, even without the Body.

21. And they are alwayes Acts or Operations, but the Soul is not always in a Mortall Body, for it can be without a Body, but Acts or Operations [Page 211] cannot be without Bodies.

22. This is a sacred speech, Son, The Body cannot consist without a Soul.

23. Tat. How meanest thou that, Father?

24. Herm. Understand it thus, O Tat; When the Soul is separated from the Body, there remaineth that same Body.

25. And this same Body ac­cording to the time of its abode, is actuated or operated in that it is dissolved, and becomes invi­sible.

26. And these things the Bo­dy cannot suffer without act or operation, and consequently there remaineth with the Body the same act or operation.

27. This then is the differ­ence between an Immortall Bo­dy, and a Mortall one, that the immortall one consists of one Matter, and so doth not the [Page 212] mortall one; and the immor­tall one Doth, but this Suffer­eth.

28. And every thing that acteth or operateth, is stronger, and ruleth, but that which is actuated or operated, is ru­led.

29. And that which ruleth, directeth, and governeth as free, but the other is ruled as ser­vant.

30. Acts or Operations do not only actuate or operate, liv­ing or breathing, or insouled ( [...]) Bodies, but also breath­lesse Bodies or without Souls, Wood, and Stones, and such like; encreasing and bearing fruit, ripening, corrupting, rotting, [...]utrifying, and break­ing or working such-like things, and whatsoever inanimate Bo­dies can suffer.

31. Act or Operation, O Son, [Page 213] is called, whatsoever is, or is made or done; and there are al­wayes many things made, or ra­ther all things.

32. For the World is never widowed or forsaken of any of those things that are; but being alway carried or moved in it self, it is in labour to bring forth the things that are, which shall never be left by it to corruption.

33. Let therefore every act or operation be understood to be alwayes immortal, in what man­ner of Body soever it be.

34. But some Acts or Opera­tions be of Divine, some of cor­ruptible Bodies, some univer­sall, some peculiar, and some of the generals, and some of the parts of every thing.

35. Divine Acts or Opera­tions therefore there be, and such as work or operate upon their proper Bodies, and these [Page 214] also are perfect, and being upon or in perfect Bodies.

36. Particular, are they which work by any of the living Crea­tures.

37. Proper, be they that work upon any of the things that are.

38. By this Discourse there­fore, O Son, it is gathered that all things are full of Acts or O­perations.

39. For if necessarily they be in every Body, and that there be many Bodies in the World, I may very well affirm, that there be many other Acts or Opera­tions.

40. For many times in one Body, there is one, and a second, and a third, besides these univer­sall ones that follow.

41. And universall Operati­ons, I call them that are indeed bodily, and are done by the Sen­ses and Motions.

[Page 215] 42. For without these it is impossible that the Body should consist.

43. But other Operations are proper to the Souls of Men, by Arts, Sciences, Studies, and Actions.

44. The Senses also follow these Operations, or rather are the effects or perfections ( [...]) of them.

45. Understand therefore, O Son, the difference of Operati­ons, it is sent from above.

46. But Sense being in the Body, and having its essence from it, when it receiveth Act or Operation, manifesteth it, making it as it were corporeall.

47. Therefore, I say, that the Senses are both corporeall and mortall, having so much exi­stence as the Body; for they are born with the Body, and die with it.

[Page 216] 48. But mortal things them­selves have not Sense, as not consisting of such an Essence.

49. For Sense can be no o­ther than a corporeal apprehen­sion, either of evil or good that comes to the Body.

50. But to Eternall Bodies there is nothing comes, nothing departs; therefore there is no Sense in them.

51. Tat. Doth the Sense therefore perceive or apprehend in every Body?

52. Herm. In every Body, O Son.

53. Tat. And do the Acts or Operations work in al things?

54. Herm. Even in things inanimate, O Son, but there are differences of Senses.

55. For the Senses of things rationall, are with Reason; of things unreasonable, Corporeal onely; but the Senses of things [Page 217] inanimate, are passive onely, ac­cording to Augmentation and Diminution.

56. But Passion and Sense de­pend both upon one head, or heighth, and are gathered toge­ther into the same by Acts or O­perations.

57. But in living wights there be two other Operations that follow the Senses and Passions, to wit, Grief and Pleasure.

58. And without these, it is impossible that a living wight, especially a reasonable one should perceive or apprehend.

59. And therefore, I say, that these are the Ideas of Passions that bear rule, especially in rea­sonable living wights.

60. The Operations work indeed, but the Senses do de­clare and manifest the Operati­ons, and they being bodily, are moved by the brutish parts of [Page 218] the Soul; therefore, I say, they are both maleficiall, or doers of evil.

61. For that which affords the Sense to rejoyce with Plea­sure, is straightway the cause of many evils happening to him that suffers it.

62. But Sorrow gives stron­ger Torments and Anguish, therefore doubtlesse are they both maleficiall.

63. The same may be said of the Sense of the Soul.

64. Tat. Is not the Soul in­corporeal, and the Sen [...]e a Bo­dy, Father? or is it rather in the Body?

65. Herm. If we put it in a Body, O Son, we shall make it like the Soul or the Operations. For these being unbodily, we say are in Bodies.

66. But Sense is neither O­peration, nor Soul, nor any thing [Page 219] else that belongs to the Body; but as we have said, and there­fore it is not incorporeall.

67. And if it be not incor­poreall, it must needs be a Bo­dy; for we alwayes say, that of things that are, some are Bodies, and some incorporeall.

THE Fifteenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. Of Truth to his Son Tat.

Herm. Of Truth, O Tat it is not possible that man being an imperfect wight, com­pounded of imperfect Members; and having his Tabernacle, con­sisting of different and many Bo­dies, should speak with any con­fidence.

2. But as far as it is possible, and just, I say, That Truth is onely in the Eternall Bodies, whose very Bodies be also true.

3. The Fire is fire it self on­ly, and nothing else; the Earth is earth it self, and nothing else; [Page 221] the Air is air it self, and nothing else; the Water, water it self, and nothing else.

4. But our Bodies consist of all these; for they have of the Fire, they have of the Earth, they have of the Water, and Air, and yet there is neither Fire, nor Earth, nor Water, nor Air, nor any thing true.

5. And if at the beginning, our Constitution had not Truth, how could men either see the Truth, or speak it, or understand it onely, except God would?

6. All things therefore upon Earth, O Tat, are not Truth, but imitations of the Truth; and yet not all things neither, for they are but few that are so.

7. But the other things are Falshood, & Deceit, O Tat and Opinions like the Images of the fantasie, or appearance.

8. And when the fantasie [Page 222] hath an influence from above, then it is an imitation of Truth; but without that operation from above, it is left a lie.

9. And as an Image shews the Body described, and yet is not the Body of that which is seen, as it seems to be; and it is seen to have eyes, but it sees no­thing, and ears, but hears no­thing at all; and all other things hath the picture, but they are false, deceiving the eyes of the beholder, whilest they think they see the Truth, and yet they are indeed but lies.

10. As many therefore as see not Falshood, see the Truth.

11. If therefore we do so un­derstand, and see every one of these things as it is then we see and understand true things.

12. But if we see or under­stand any thing besides, or o­therwise, than that which is, we [Page 223] shall neither understand, nor know the Truth.

13. Tat. Is Truth therefore upon Earth, O Father?

14. Herm. Thou dost not misse the mark, O Son. Truth indeed is no where at all upon Earth, O Tat, for it cannot be generated, or made.

15. But concerning the Truth, it may be that some men, to whom God will give the good seeing Power, may understand it.

16. So that unto the Minde and Reason, there is nothing true indeed upon Earth.

17. But unto the true Minde and Reason, all things are fan­tasies or appearances, and opi­nions.

18. Tat. Must we not there­fore call it Truth, to understand and speak the things that are?

[Page 224] 19. Herm. But there is no­thing true upon Earth.

20. Tat. How then is this true, That we do not know any thing true? how can that be done here?

21. Herm. O Son, Truth is the most perfect Vertue, and the highest Good it self, not troubled by Matter, not encom­passed by a Body, naked, clear, unchangeable, venerable, un­alterable Good.

22. But the things that are here, O Son, are visible, inca­pable of Good, corruptible, passible, dissolveable, change­able, continually altered, and made of another.

23. The things therefore that are not true to themselves; how can they be true?

24. For every thing that is altered, is a lie, not abiding in what it is; but being changed [Page 225] it shews us always, other, and other appearances.

25. Tat. Is not man true, O Father?

26. Herm. As far forth as he is a Man, he is not true, Son; for that which is true hath of it self alone its constitution, and re­mains, and abides according to it self, such as it is.

27. But man consists of many things, and doth not abide of himself; but is turned and changed, age after age, Idea after Idea, or form after form; and this while he is yet in the Tabernacle.

28. And many have not known their own children after a little while; and many children likewise have not known their own Parents.

29. Is it then possible, O Tat, that he who is so changed, is not to be known, should be [Page 226] true? no, on the contrary, he is Falshood, being in many Appearances of changes.

30. But do thou understand the True to be that which abides the same, and is Eternal, but man is not ever, therefore not True; but man is a certain Appearance, and Appearance is the highest Lie or Falshood.

31. Tat. But these eternall Bodies, Father, are they not true through they be chang­ed?

32. Herm. Everything that is begotten, or made, and changed, is not true; but be­ing made by our Progenitor, they might have had true Mat­ter.

33. But these also have in themselves: something that is false, in regard of their change.

34. For nothing that re­maines not in it self, is True.

[Page 227] 35. Tat. What shall one say then, Father, that only the Sun, which besides the Nature of other things, is not changed but abides in it self, is Truth?

36. Herm. It is Truth, and therefore he is only intrusted with the Workmanship of the World, ruling and making all things, whom I do both hon­our, and adore his Truth; and after the One, and First, I ac­knowledge him the Work­man.

37. Tat. What therefore dost thou affirm to be the first Truth, O Father?

38. Herm. The One and Only, O Tat, that is not of Matter, that is not in a Body, that is without Colour, with­out Figure or Shape, Immutable, Unalterable, which always is; but Falshood, O Son, is cor­rupted.

[Page 228] 39. And corruption hath laid hold upon all things on Earth, and the Providence of the True encompasseth, and will encompasse them.

40. For without corruption, there can no Generation con­sist.

41. For Corruption follow­eth every Generation, that it may again be generated.

42. For those things that are generated, must of necessity be generated of those things that are corrupted, and the things generated must needs be cor­rupted, that the Generation of things being, may not stand still or cease.

43. Acknowledge therefore the first Workman by the Ge­neration of things.

44. Consequently the things that are generated of Corrupti­on, are false; as being some­times [Page 229] one thing, sometimes another: For it is impossible, they should be made the same things again; and that which is not the same, how is it true?

45. Therefore, O Son, we must call these things fantasies or appearances.

46. And if we will give a man his right name, we must call him the appearance of Man­hood; and a Childe, the fanta­sie or appearance of a Childe; an old man, the appearance of an old man; a young man, the appearance of a young man; and a man of ripe age, the ap­pearance of a man of ripe age.

47. For neither is a man, a man; nor a childe, a childe; nor a young man, a young man; nor an old man, an old man.

48. But the things that pre-exist, and that are, being changed, are false.

[Page 230] 49. These things understand thus, O Son, as these false Operations, having their de­pendance from above, even of the Truth it self.

50. Which being so, I do affirm, that Falshood is the Work of Truth.

THE Sixteenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. That none of the things that are, can perish.

HErm. We must now speak of the Soul and Body, O Son; after what manner the Soul is Immortall; and what operation that is, which con­stitutes the Body, and dissolves it.

2. But in one of these is Death, for it is a conception of a name, which is either an empty word, or else it is wrong­ly called Death, ( [...]) by the [Page 232] taking away the first letter, in­stead of Immortal ( [...])

3. For Death is destruction, but there is nothing in the whole World that is destroy­ed.

4. For if the World be a second God, and an Immortall living Wight, it is impossible that any part of an Immortall living Wight should die.

5. But all things that are in the World, are members of the World; especially Man, the reasonable [...]iving Wight.

6. For the first of all is God, the Eternall, and Unmade, and the Workman of all things.

7. The second is the World, made by him, after his own Image, and by him holden to­gether, and nourished, and immortalized; and as from its own Father, ever living.

8. So that as Immortall, it [Page 233] is ever living, and ever immor­tall.

9. For that which is ever living, differs from that which is eternall.

10. For the Eternall was not begotten or made, by another; and if it were begotten or made, yet it was made by it self, not by any other, but it is always made.

11. For the Eternall, as it is Eternall, is the Universe.

12. For the Father himself, is Eternall of himself; but the world was made by the Father, ever living, and immortal.

13. And as much Matter as there was laid up by him, the Father made it all into a Body, and swelling it, made it round like a Sphere; endued it with Quality, being it self immortal, and having Eternal Materiality.

14. The Father being full [Page 234] of Ideas, sowed Qualities in the Sphere, and shut them up, as in a Circle, deliberating to beau­tifie with every Quali [...]y, that which should afterwards be made.

15. Then cloathing the Uni­versall Body with Immortality, lest the Matter, if it would de­part from this Composition, should be dissolved into its own disorder.

16. For when the matter was incorporeal, O Son, it was disordered, and it hath here the same confusion daily revol­ved about other little things, endued with Qualities, in point of Augmentation, and Dimi­nution, which men call Death; being indeed a disorder hap­pening about earthly living wights.

17. For the Bodies of Hea­venly things, have one order, [Page 235] which they have received from the Father at the Beginning, and is by the instauration of each of them, kept indissolve­able.

18. But the instauration of earthly Bodies, is their consi­stence; and their dissolution re­stores them into indissoluble, that is, Immortall.

19. And so there is made a privation of Sense, but not a de­struction of Bodies.

20. Now the third living wight is Man, made after the Image of the World; and ha­ving by the Will of the Father, a Minde above other earthly wights.

21. And he hath not onely a sympathy with the second God, but also an understanding of the first.

22. For the second God, he apprehends as a Body; but the [Page 236] first, he understands as Incorpo­real, and the Mind of the Good.

23. Tat. And doth not this living wight perish?

24. Herm. Speak advisedly, O Son, and learn what God is, what the World, what an Im­mortall Wight, and what a dis­solveable One is.

25. And understand that the World is of God, and in God; but Man of the World, and in the World.

26. The Beginning, and End, and Consistence of all, is God.

The Seventeenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. To Asclepius, to be truly wise.

BEcause my Son Tat, in thy absence, would needs learn the Nature of the things that are: He would not suffer me to give over (as coming very young to the knowledge of every Indi­viduall) till I was forced to dis­course to him many things at large, that his contemplation might from point to point, be more easie and successefull.

2. But to thee, I have thought good to write in few words, chu­sing out the principall heads of the things then spoken, and to [Page 238] interpret them more mystically, because thou hast, both more yeers, and more knowledge of Nature.

3. All things that appear, were made, and are made.

4. Those things that are made, are not made by them­selves, but by another.

5. And there are many things made, but especially all things that appear, and which are diffe­rent, and not like.

6. If the things that be made and done, be made and done by another, there must be one that must make, and do them; and he unmade, and more ancient than the things that are made.

7. For I affirm the things that are made, to be made by an­other; and it is impossible, that of the things that are made, any should be more ancient than all, but only that which is not made

[Page 239] 8. He is stronger, and One, and only knowing all things in­deed, as not having any thing more ancient than himself.

9. For he bears rule, both over multitude and greatnesse, and the diversity of the things that are made, and the continui­ty of the Facture, and of the O­peration.

10. Moreover, the things that are made, are visible, but he is invisible; and for this cause, he maketh them, that he may be vi­sible; and therefore he makes them alwayes.

11. Thus it is fit to under­stand, and understanding to ad­mire, and admiring to think thy self happy, that knowest thy na­turall Father.

12. For what is sweeter than a naturall Father?

13. Who therefore is this, or how shall we know him?

[Page 240] 14. Or is it just to ascribe un­to him alone, the Title and Ap­pellation of God, or of the Ma­ker, or of the Father, or all Three? That of God, because of his Power; the Maker, because of his Working and Operation; and the Father, because of his Goodnessé?

15. For Power is different from the things that are made; but Act or Operation, in that all things are made.

16. Wherefore, letting go all much and vain talking, we must understand these two things, That which is made, and him which is the Maker; for there is nothing in the middle between these Two, nor is there any third.

17. Therefore understanding All things, remember these Two; and think that these are All things, putting nothing into [Page 241] doubt; neither of the things above, nor of the things below; neither of the things changea­ble, nor things that are in dark­nesse or secret.

18. For All things, are but Two things, That which mak­eth, and that which is made; and the One of them cannot depart, or be devided from the other.

19. For neither is it possible, that the Maker should be with­out the thing made, for either of them is the self same thing; therefore cannot the One of them be separated from the other, no more then a thing can be separated from it self.

20. For if he that makes be nothing else, but that which makes alone, simple uncom­ponnded, it is of necessity, that he makes the same thing to him­self, to whom it is the Genera­tion [Page 242] of him that maketh to be also All that is made.

21. For that which is gene­rated or made, must necessari­ly be generated or made by ano­ther, but without the Maker that which is made, neither is made, not is; for the one of them without the other, hath lost his proper Nature by the privation of the other.

22. So if these Two be con­fessed, That which maketh, and that which is made, then they are One in Union; this going before, and that following.

23. And that which goeth before, is, God the Maker; and that which follows, is, that which is made, be it what it will.

24. And let no man be afraid, because of the variety of things that are made or done, lest he should cast an aspersion [Page 243] of basenesse, or infamy upon God; for it is the only Glory of him to do, or make All things.

25. And this making, or facture, is as it were the Body of God, and to him that mak­eth, or doth, there is nothing evil, or filthy to be imputed, or there is nothing thought evil, or filthy.

26. For these are Passions that follow Generation, as Rust doth Copper, or as Excre­ments do the Body.

27. But neither did the Cop­persmith make the Rust, nor the Maker the Filth, nor God the Evilnesse.

28. But the vicissitude of Generation doth make them, as it were to blossom out; and for this cause did make Change to be, as one should say, The Pur­gation [Page 244] of Generation.

29. Moreover, is it Lawfull for the same Painter to make both Heaven, and the Gods, and the Earth, and the Sea, and Men, and bruit Beasts, and inanimate Things, and Trees; and is it impossible for God to make these things? O the great madnesse, and ignorance of men in things that concern God!

30. For men that think so, suffer that which is most ridicu­lous of all; for professing to blesse, and praise God, yet in not ascribing to him the making or doing of All things, they know him not.

31, And, besides their not knowing him, they are extream­ly impious against him, attribu­ting unto him Passions, as Pride, or Oversight, or Weaknesse, or Ignorance, or Envy.

[Page 245] 32. For if he do not make, or do all things, he is either proud, or not able, or ignorant, or envious, which is impious to affirm.

33. For God hath only one Passion, namely, Good; and he that is good, is neither proud, nor impotent, nor the rest; but God is Good it self.

34. For G [...]d is all Power, to do or make all things, and every thing that is made, is made by God, that is, by the Good; and that can make, or do all things.

35. See then how he mak­eth all things, and how the things are done, that are done; and if thou wilt learn, thou mayest see an Image thereof ve­ry beautifull, and like.

36. Look upon the Husband­man, how he casteth Seeds into the Earth; here Wheat, there [Page 246] Barly, and elsewhere some other Seeds.

37. Look upon the same Man, planting a Vine, or an Apple-Tree, or a Fig-Tree, or some other Tree.

38. So doth God in Heaven sow Immortality, in the Earth Change in the whole Life, and Motion.

39. And these things are not many, but few, and easily num­bred; for they are all but four, God and Generation, in which are all things.