I. Then said he, / am that Light, the Mind, thy God,

who am before that moist nature that appeared out of dark- ness ; and that bright and lightful Word from the mind is the Son of God.
9. How is that, quoth I Thus, replied he, understand it : That which in thee secth and heareth, the Word of the
fjovd.
( 9 )
Lord, and the Mind the Father, God, differ 7iot one from the other ; and the union of these is Life.
Trismeg. — I thank thee. Pimand.— But first conceive well the Light in thy mind, and know it.
10. When he had said thus, for a long time we looked .steadfastly one upon the other, insomuch that I trembled at his Idea or Form.
11. But when he nodded to me, I beheld in my mind the Light that is in innumerable, and the truly indefinite ornament or world ; and that the Fire is comprehended or contained in, or by a great moist Power, and constrained to keep its station.
12. These things I understood, seeing the word, or Pimander ; and when I was mightily amazed, he said again unto me. Hast thou seen in thy mind that Archetypal P'orm which was before the interminated and infinite Beginning ? Thus Pimajider to me. But whence, quoth I, or whereof are the Elements of Nature made ? Pimander. — Of the Will and counsel of God ; which taking the Word, and beholding the beautiful World (in the Archetype thereof) imitated it, and so made this World, by the principles and vital seeds or Soul-like productions of itself.
13. P'or the Mind being God, Male and Female, Life and Light, brought forth by his Word another Mind or Workman ; which being God of the Fire, and the Spirit, fashioned and formed seven other Governors, which in their circles contain the Sejisible World, whose Government or disposition is called Fate or Destiny.
14. Straightway leaped out, or exalted itself from the downward Elements of God, The Word of God, into the clean and pure Workmanship of Nature, and was united to the Workman, Mind, for it was Consubstantial ; and so the downward born elements of Nature were left without Reason, that they might be the only Matter.
[15. But 2
{ lO )
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 indeterminable end, for they always begin where they end.
16. And the Circulation or running round of these, as the mind willeth, out of the lower or downward-born Fdem.ents, brought forth unreasonable or brutish 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 the other, as the Mind would ; and the Earth brought forth from herself, such living creatures as she had, four-footed and creeping beasts, wild and tame.
18. But the Father of all things, the Mind being Life and Light, brought forth Man like unto 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 to work, and so was separated from the Father, being in the sphere of Generation or Operation.
20. Having all Power, he considered the Operations or Workmanships of the Seven ; but they loved him, and every one made him partaker of his own order.
21. And he learning diligently, and understanding their Essence, and partaking their Nature, resolved to pierce and break through the Circumference of the Circles, and to understand the power of him that sits upon the P'ire.
22. And having already all power of mortal things, of the Living, and of the unreasonable creatures of the World, stooped down and peeped through the Harmony, and
[breaking
( I> )
breaking through the strength of the Circles, so shewed and made manifest the downward-born Nature, the lair and beautiful Shape or Form of God.
23. Which, when he saw, having in itself the unsatiable Beauty, and all the operations of the Seven Governors, and the Form or Shape of God, he smiled lor love, as if he had seen the shape or likeness in the Water, or the shadow upon the Earth, of the fairest Human 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 opera- tion, and brought forth the unrea.sonable Image or Shape.
25. Nature presently laying hold of what it so much loved, did wholly wrap herself about it, and they were mingled, for they loved one another.
26. And from this cause Man above all things that live upon earth is double : Mortcd, because of his body, and Immortal, because of the substantial Man. F'or being immortal, and having power of all things, he yet suffers mortal things, and 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 anci Female, and watchful, he is governed by and subjected to a Father, that is both Male and Female, and watchful.
28. After these things, I said. Thou art my mind, and I am in love with Reason.
29. Then said Pirnander, This is the Mystery that to
this day is hidden and kept secret; for Nature being mingled with man, brought forth a Wonder most Wonder- ful ; for he having the nature of the Harmony of the Seven, from him whom 1 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
( 12 )
30. And after these things, O Pimander, 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. Trisin. Behold, I am silent.
33. Pim. The Generation therefore of these Seven was after this manner : — The Air being Feminine and the Water desirous of Copulation, took from the Fire its ripe- ness, 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 Mind ; of Ijife the soul, of Light the Mind.
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 desireth 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 Creaiures being Hermaphroditical, or Male and Female, were loosed and untied together with man ; and so the Males were apart by themselves and the Females likewise.
38. And straight ways God said to the Holy Word, Lncrease in increasing and, multiplijing in multitude all you my Creatures and Workmanships. And let him that is endued 'with mind, know himself to he immortal ; and that the cause of death is the love of the body, and let him learn all things that are.
39. W^hen he had thus said. Providence by Fate of Llarmony, made the mixtures and established the Genera- tions, and all things were multiplied according to their kind. And he that knew himself, came at length to the Super- stanticd of every way substantial good.
[40. I^ut
( 13 )
40. But he that thro’ the error of Love loved the Body, abideth wandering in darkness, 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. Pirn. Thou seemest not to have understood what thou hast heard.
43- 'ism. Peradventure I seem so to thee ; but I both understand and remember them.
44. Pirn. I am glad lor thy sake if thou understood- est them.
45. Trism. Tell me why are they worthy of death, that are in death ?
46. Pirn. Because there goeth a sad and dismal darkness before its body ; of which darkness is the moist nature, of which moist nature the Body consisteth in the sensible world, from whence death is derived. Hast thou understood this aright ?
47. Trism. But why, or how doth he that understands himself, go or pass into God ?
48. Pirn. 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. Pirn. God and the F'ather is Light and Life, of which Man is made. If therefore thou learn and believe thyself to be of the Life and Light, thou shalt again pass into Life.
51. Trism. But yet tell me more, O my Mind, how I shall go into Life.
52. Pirn. God saith, Let man, endued with a mind, mark, consider, and know himself well.
53. Trism. Have not all men a mind ?
54. Pirn. Take heed what thou sayest, for I the mind come unto men that are holy and good, pure and merciful,
[and
( H )
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 hymns unto him, being ordered and directed by filial Affection and natural Love. And before they give up their bodies to the death of them, they hate their senses, knowing their Works and Operations.
55. Rather I that am the Mind itself, will not suffer the operations or Works, which happen or belong to the body, to be finished and brought to perfection in them ; but being the Porter or Doorkeeper, I will shut up the entrances of Evil, and cut off the thoughtful desires of filthy works.
56. But to the foolis-h, and evil, 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 sharpness of fire, tormenteth such a man sensible, and armeth him the more to all wickedness, that he may obtain the greater punishment.
57. And such an one never ceaseth, having unfulfilled desires, and unsatisfiable concupiscences, and always fighting in darkness ; for the Demon always afifiicts and tormenteth him continually, and increaseth the fire upon him more and more.
58. Trism. Thou hast, O Mind, most excellently taught me all things, as I desired ; but tell me, moreover, after the return is made, what then }
59. Pirn. First of all, in the resolution of the material body, the Body itself is given up to alteration, and the form which it had becometh invisible ; anci 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
brutish or unreasonable nature ; and the rest striveth upward by Harmony. [61. And
{ 15 )
6 1. And to the first Zone it giveth the power it had of increasing and diminishing.
62. To the second, the machinations or plotting of evils, and one effectual deceit or craft.
63. To the third, the idle deceit of Concupiscence.
64. To the fourth, the desire of Rule, and unsatiable Ambition.
65. To the fifth, profane Boldness, and the headlong rashness of confidence.
66. To the sixth. Evil and ineffectual occasions of Riches.
67. To the seventh Zone, subtle Falsehood, always lying in wait.
68. And then being made naked of all the Operations of Harmony, it cometh to the Eighth Nature, having its proper power, and singeth praises to the Father with the things that are, and all they that are present rejoice, 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 voice 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 desired.
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 kind of Humanity, or Mankind, may be saved by God }
72. When Fimander 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 enabled by him, and taught the Nature of the Nature of the whole, and having seen the greatest sight or spectacle. [74. And
( i6 )
74. And I began to Preach unto men, the beauty and fairness of Piety and Knowledge.
75. O ye people, men, horn and made of the earth, ivhich have given yourselves over to drunkenness and sleep, and to the ignorance of God, he sober and cease your surfeit, whereunto you are allured and visited hy brutish and um'easonahle sleep.
76. And they that heard me come willingly and with one accord ; and then I said further :
77. Why, O Men of the Offspring of Earth, why have you delivered yourselves over unto Death, having power to partake of Immortcdity ? Repent and change your minds, you that have together ivalked in Error, and have heen 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 mankind, teaching them the reasons how, and by what means they may be saved. And I sowed in them the Words of Wisdom, and nourished them with Amhrozian Water of Immortality.
81. And when it was evening and the brightness of the same began wholly to go down, I comimanded them to go down, I commanded them to give thanks to God ; and when they had finished their thanksgiving, everyone returned to his own lodging.
82. But I wrote in myself the bounty and benevolence of Pimander ; and being filled with what I most desired, I was exceedingly glad.
83. For the sleep of the body was the sober watchful- ness of the mind ; and the shutting of my eyes the true sight, and my silence great with child and full of good ;
[and
( >7 )
and the pronouncing of my words the blossoms and fruits of good things.
84. And thus it came to pass or happened unto me, which I received from my mind, 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 accom- plished hy his own powers.
88. Holy is (rod, that determineth to he known, and is known of his own, or those that are his.
89. Holy art thou, that hy thy Word hast estcddished all things.
90. Ploly 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 than cdl joower.
93. Holy art thou„ that art stronger than all excellency.
94. Holy art thou, that art better than all praise.
95. Accep)t these reasonahle sacrifices from a pure soul, and' a heart that stretched out unto thee.
96. O unspeakahle, unutterahle, to he praised with silence !
97. I heseech thee, that I may never err from the know- ledge of thee ; look mercifully upron me, and enable me, and, enlighten with this Grace those that are in Ignorance, the brothers of my kind, hut thy Sons.
98. Therefore I believe thee, and hear witness, and go into the Life and Light.
99. Blessed, art thou, 0 Father; thy man 'would he sanctfi.ed unth thee, as thou hast given him all grower.
Xlbe lEnb of tbe Seconb 3Boob.
3
THE THIRD BOOK,
CALLED
THE HOLY SERMON.
^ P ^HE glory of all things, God, and that which is H Divine, and the Divine Nature, the beginning
9 of things that are.
2. God, and the Mind, and Nature, and Matter, and Operation or Working, and Necessity, and the End, and Renovation.
3. Eor there were in the Chaos an infinite darkness in the Abyss or bottomless Depth, and Water, and a subtle Spirit intelligible in Power ; and there went out the Holy Light, and the Elements were coagulated from the Sand out of the moist substance.
4. And all the Gods distinguished the Nature full of Seeds.
5. And when all things were interminated and unmade up, the light things were divided on high. And the heavy 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 the Stars, with all their signs, and the Stars were numbered Avith 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
( 19 )
/. And every God, by his internal power, did that which v/as commanded him ; and there were made four- footed things, and creeping things, and such as live in the v/ater, and such as ily, and every fruitful seed, and Grass, 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 Know- ledge 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 wonderful working of the Gods in the Circles, to the beholding of H eaven, the Gods Divine Works, and the operations of Nature ; and for signs of good things, and the Knowledge of the Divine Power, and to find 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 ; and to be resolved into that which shall be great Monuments and Remembrances of the cunning Works
done upon earth, leaving them to be read by the darkness of times.
And every Generation of living Flesh, of Fruit,
1 1.
Seed, and ail Handicrafts, though they be lost, must of necessity be renewed by the renovation of the Gods, and of the Nature of a Circle, moving in number ; for it is a Divine thing that every worldly temperature should be renewed by Nature ; for in that which is Divine is Nature also established.'""
Xlbe i£n& of tbe jfratjmcnts of tbe XTbirb Boob.
* Very imperfect, but is identical with all former Translations and Editions, and which, I believed, would be considered more generally acceptable if presented in its original fac-simile rendering, than supplemented (as was suggested) by any additions from current Modern “ .Spiritual’’ IMediuinistic sources. — R.II.F.
THE FOURTH BOOK,
CALLED
THE KE Y.
YESTERDAY’S Speech, O Asc/ephts, I dedi- cated to thee ; this day it is fit to dedicate to Tat, because it is an Epitome of those general Speeches which 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 appelation of Nature or Increase, which concerneth things changeable, and another about things unchangeable, and about things unmoveable, that is to say. Things Divine and Humane ; every one of which himself will have so to be ; but action or operation is of another thing, or elsewhere, as we have taught in other things. Divine and Humane, which must here also be understood.
4. For his Operation or Act is his Will, and his Essejice, 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 exist- ence itself of those things that are ?
[6. This
( 21 )
6. This is God, this is the Father, this is the Good, whereunto no other thing is present or approacheth.
7. For the World, and the Sun, which is also a Father by Participation, is not for all that equally the cause of Good, and of Life, to living creatures. And if this be so, he is altogether constrained by the Will of the Good, without which it is 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 sow and nourish that which is good by the Sun.
9. For Good is always active or busy 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, as also of quantity and quality ; for sometimes he maketh those things that have quantity and quality, and sometimes the contrary.
10. But God is the Father, and the Good, in being all things ; for he both will be this and is it, and yet all this for himself (as is true) in him that can see it.
11. For all things else are for this, it is the property of Good, to be known. This is the Good, O Tat.
12. Tat. Thou hast filled us, O Father, with a sight both good and fair, and the eye of my mind is almost become more holy by the sight or Spectacle.
13. Trism. 1 wonder not at it, for the sight of Good is not like the beam of the Sun, which being of a fiery shining brightness, maketh the eye blind by his excessive Light, that gazeth upon it ; rather the contrary, for it enlighteneth, and so much increaseth the light of the eye, as any man is able to receive the influence of this intelligible clearness.
14. Bor it is more swift and sharp to pierce, and innocent or harmless withal, and full of immortality ; and
[ they
( 22 )
they that are capable, and can draw any store of this spec- tacle 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 less intent to the Vision, and cannot yet open the eyes of our mind to behold the incorruptible and incomprehensible Beauty of that Good ; but then we shall see it, when we have nothing at all to say of it.
17. For the knowledge of it is a Divine Silence, and the rest of all the senses ; for neither can he that under- stands that, understand anything else, nor he that sees that, see anything else, nor hear any other thing, nor in sum move the Body.
18. For shining steadfastly upon and round the whole mind, 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 deified zvhile yet it lodgetli in the Body of Man, if it contemplate the beauty of the Good.
20. Tat. How dost thou mean deifying. Father ?
21. Trism. There are differences, O Son, of every Soul
22. Tat. But how dost thou again divide the changes?
23. Trism. Hast thou not heard in the general Speeches, that from one Soul of the universe are all those Souls which in 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 the 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
[human
( 23 )
human 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 choirs or companies of Gods, one of them that wander, and another of them that are fixed : And so this is the 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 wickedness 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, and not knowing itself, it serveth strange bodies and evil ones, carrying the Body as a burden, and not ruling but ruled : And this is the mischief of the Soul.
28. On the contrary, the virtue of the Soul is Know- ledge ; for he that knows is both good and religious, and already Divine.
29. Tat. But who is such a 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 Mind as an instrument, as the Mind useth the Body.^ [35. Therefore,
{ 24 )
35- Therefore, both intelligible and material 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 Material God ?
37. TrisJii. The fair and beautiful World, and yet it is not good ; for it is material, 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 always, and is ever in genera- tion, and made, and continually makes, or generates things that have quantity and quality.
38. For it is moveable, and every material motion is generation ; but the intellectual stability moves the material motion after this manner.
39. Because the World is a Sphere, that is, a head, and above the head there is nothing material, as beneath the feet there is nothing intellectual.
40. The whole Universe is material : The Mind is
the head, and it is moved spherically, that is, like a head.
41. Whatsoever, therefore, is joined or united to the Membrane or Film of the head, wherein the Soul is, is immortal, and as in the Soul of a made Body, hath its Soul full of the Body ; but those that are further from that Membrane, have the Body full of Soul.
42. The whole is a living wight, and therefore consis- teth of material and intellectual.
43. And the World is the first and Man the second living wight after the World, but the first of things that are mortal ; 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 evil, as being mortal.
44. For the World is not good, as it is moveable ; nor evil, as it is imimortal.
45. But man is evil, both as he is moveable, and as
he is mortal. [46. But
( 25 )
46. But the Soul of Man is carried in this manner, The Mind 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 crea- ture, and after a certain manner beareth it.
48. Wherefore some also have thought the Soul to be blood, being deceived in Nature, not knowing that first the spirit must return into the Soul, and then the blood is con- gealed, and the veins 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 Good, the World, and Man. God hath the World, and the World hath Man ; and the World is the Son of God, and Man as it were the offspring of the World.
52. For God is not ignorant of Man, but knows him perfectly, and will be known by him. This only is health- ful 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 meaneth thou, O Father ?
54. Trism. Consider, O Son, the Soul of a Child, when as yet it hath as yet received no dissolution of its body, which is not yet grown, but is very small : how then if it look upon itself, it sees itself beautiful, as not having been as yet spotted with the Passions of the Body, but as it were depending yet upon the Soul of the World.
55. But when the Body is grown, and distracteth the
[Soul,
4
I 20 )
Soul, it engenders forgetfulness, and partakes no more of the Fair and the Good, and Forgetfulness is evilness,
56. The like also happeneth to them that go out of the Body : For when the soul runs back into itself, the Spirit is contracted into the blood, and the Soul into the Spirit. But the Mind being made pure, and free from these clothings ; 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 Mind is separated from the Soul, and the Soul from the Spirit ? when even now thou saidst that the Soul was the clothing or apparel of the Mind, and the Body of the Soul.
58. Trism. O Son, he that hears must co-understand, and conspire in thought with him that speaks ; yea, he must have his hearing swifter and sharper than the voice of the speaker,
59. The disposition of these clothings or Covers is done in an Earthly Body ; for it is impossible that the Mind should establish or rest itself, naked, and of itself in an Earthly Body ; neither is the Earthly Body able to bear such immortality : and therefore, that it might suffer so great virtue, the Mind compacted, as it were, and took to itself the passable Body of the Soul, as a covering or cloth- ing. And the Soul being also in some sort Divine, useth the Spirit as her Minister or Servant ; and the Spirit governeth the living things.
60. When therefore the Mind is separated, and depart- eth 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 poured round about the Earth, as a wall or defence, to withstand the flame of fire.
[62. But
( 2/ )
62. But the Mind being the most sharp or swift of all the Divine Cogitations, and more swift than all the Ele- ments, hath the fire for its Body.
63. For the Mind, which is the Workman of all, useth the fire as his Instrument in his Workmanship ; and he that is the Workman of all useth it to the making of all things, as it is used by Man to the making of Earthly things only, for the Mind that is upon Earth, void or naked of fire, cannot do the business of men, nor that which is other- wise the affairs of God.
64. But the Soul of Man, and yet not everyone, but that which is pious and religious, is Angelic and Divine. And such a soul, after it is departed from the body, having striven the strife of Piety, becomes either Mind or God.
65. And the strife of piety is to know God, and to injure no Man ; and this way it becomes Mind.
66. But the impious Soul abideth in its own offence, punished of itself, and seeking an earthly and humane body to enter into.
67. For no other Body is capable of a Humane Soul, neither is it lawful for a Man’s Soul to fall into the Body of an unreasonable living thing : For it is the Law or Decree of God to preserve a Human Soul from so great a con- tumely and reproach.
68. Tat. How then is the Soul of Man punished, O Father, and what is its greatest torment ?
69. Herm. Impiety, O my Son ; for what Fire hath so great a flame as it ? 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 burned, I am consumed, I hioiv not vchat to say or do, I am devoured, unhajypy 'wretch, of the evils that compass and lay hold upon me ; miserable that I am, I neither hear nor see anything.
yi. These are the voices of a punished and tormented
[Soul,
( =8 )
Soul, and not as many ; and thou, O Son, thinkest that the Soul going out of the Body grows brutish or enters into a Beast ; which is a very great error, for the Soul punished after this manner.
72. For the Mind, 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 wips of Sins, where- with the wicked Soul, being scourged, turns itself to Murders and Contumelies, and Blasphemies, and divers violences, and other things by which men are injured.
73. But into a pious soul, the mind 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 always doing good, in imitation of her Father.
75. Therefore, O Son, we must give thanks and pray that we may obtain a good mind.
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 men, and those of Men with those of Beasts.
78. And the better always take of the worse, Gods of Men ; Men of brute Beasts, but God of all : for He is the best of all, and all things are less than He.
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 beams 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 natural 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, depend-
[ing
( ^9 )
ing upon the Nature of the One, and piercing or coming down by the one Mind, than which nothing is more Divine and more efficacious or operative ; and nothing more unit- ing, or nothing is more One. The 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 whom we said before, that he was sent from the Judgment.
86. For the Soul without the Mind can neither say nor do anything ; for many times the Mind flies away from the Soul, and in that hour the Soul neither seeth' nor hear- eth, but is like an unreasonable thing ; so great is the power of the Mind.
87. But neither brooketh it an idle or lazy Soul, but leaves such an one fastened to the Body, and by it is pressed down.
88. And such a Soul, O Son, hath no Mind ; where- fore 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 brute 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 equal 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 mea- sures it.
91. And he knoweth what things are on high, and what below, and learneth all other things exactly,
92. And that which is the greatest of all, he leaveth
[not
( 30 )
not the Earth, and yet is above ; So great is the greatness of his Nature.
93. Wherefore we must be bold to say, That an Earthly Man is a mortal God, and that the Heavenly God is an immortal 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.
'Jibe Enb of tbe jfourtb Boob.
THE FIFTH BOOK
THAT GOU IS NOT MANIFEST, AND YET MOST MANIFEST.
2. But do thou contemplate in thy Mind how that which to many seems hidden and unmanifest may be most manifest to thee.
3 For it were not all, if it were apparent, for whatso- ever is apparent is generated or made ; for it was made manifest, but that which is not manifest is ever.
4. For it needeth not to be manifested, for it is always.
5. And he maketh all other things manifest, being unmanifest, as being always, and making other things mani- fest, 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.
r
"^HIS Discourse I will also make to thee, O Tat, that thou mayest not be ignorant of the more excellent name of God.
( 32 )
7- But he that is One, 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.
9. Thou, therefore, 0 Tat, my Son, pray first to the Lord and Father, and to the Alone, and to the One, from whom is one to be merciful 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 only the Understanding see that which is not manifest, or apparent, as being itself not manifest or apparent ; and if thou canst, O Tat, it will appear to the eyes of thy Mind.
11. For the Lord, void of envy, appeareth through the whole world. Thou mayest see the intelligence, and take it into 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 be seen, and 'appear unto thee by the eyes ?
13. But if thou will see him, consider and understand the Sun, consider the course of the Moon, 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 an 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 equal course ; who is it that hath prescribed unto every one the manner and the greatness of
[their
( 33 )
their course ?
17. This Bear that turns round about its 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 somebody, 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 dispro- portion.
21. I would it were possible for thee, O my Son, to have wings, and to fly into the Air, and being taken up in the midst, between Heaven and Earth, to see the stability of the Earth, the fluidness of the Sea, the courses of the Rivers, the largeness of the Air, the sharpness and swift- ness of the Fire, the motion of the Stars, and the speedi- ness 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 immoveable moved, and that which is hidden appear and be manifest !
23. And if thou wilt see and behold this Workman, even by mortal 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 beautiful and Divine shape of Man ; who circumscribed and marked out his eyes } who bored his nostrils and ears ? who opened his mouth ? who stretched out and tied together his sinews ? who channelled the viens } who hardened and made strong the bones ? who clothed the flesh with skin ? who divided the fingers and joints ? who flatted and made broad the soles of the feet ? who digged the pores ? who stretched out the spleen ? who
[made
5
( 34 )
made the Heart like a Pyramisf who made the Liver broad ? who made the Lights spungy, and full of holes ? who made the belly large and capacious ? who set to out- ward 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 beautiful, and all done in measure, and yet all differing.
25. Who hath made all these things ? What Mother? V\'^hat 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 Work- manship made without a Workman ? O Great Blindness ! O Great Impiety ! O Great Ignorance!
27. Never, 0 Son Tat, canst thou deprive the Work- manship 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 will force me to say anything more boldly, it is his Essence to be pregnant, or great with all things, and to make them.
29. And as without a maker It is impossible that any- thing should be made, so it is that he should not always 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. Eor there is nothing in the whole World that’is not himself ; both the things that are, and the things that are not.
31. P'or 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 than any name ; this is he that is secret ; this is he that is most manifest ; this is
[he
( 35 )
he that is to be seen by the Mind ; this is he that is visible to the 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 many Names, because he is the One Father; and therefore he hath no Name, because he is the Father of all.
35. Who therefore can bless thee, or give thanks for thee, or to thee ^
36. Which way shall I look when I praise thee 1 upward } downward } outward } inward ?
37. For about thee there is no manner nor place, nor anything else of all things that are.
38. But all things are in thee ; all things from thee ; thou givest all things, and takest nothing ; for thou hast all things ; and there is nothing that thou hast not.
39. When shall 1 praise thee, 0 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 what thou hast not made for those things thou hast manifested, or for those things thou hast hidden }
41. Wherefore shall 1 praise thee, as being of myself, or having anything of mine own, or rather being anothers ?
42. For thou art what I am, thou art what I do, thou art what I say.
43. Thou art cdl things, and there is nothing else thou art not.
44. Thou art thou, all that is made, and all that is not made.
45. The Mind that understandeth.
46. The Father that maketh and frameth.
47. The Good that worketh.
48. The Good that doth all things.
[49. Of
( 36 )
49- Of the matter, the most subtle and slender is Air; of the Air the Soul ; of the Soul the Mmd ; of the mind God.
Xlbe Bnb of tbe mttb 3Boob.
I
THE SIXTH BOOK.
THAT IN GOD ALONE IS GOOD.
God, O Asdepitis, 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, void of all Motion and Generation; but nothing is void or empty of him.
3. And this Essence hath about or in himself a Stable and firm Operation, wanting nothing, most full and giving abundantly.
4. One thing is the Beginning of all things, for it giveth all things ; and when I name the Good, I mean that Vv^hich 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 anything be taken from him ; the loss whereof may grieve him ; for sorrow is a part of evilness.
6. Nothing is stronger than 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 no- thing wiser to be envious at. [7. And
{ 38 )
7- And none of these being in his Essence, what remaihs but only the Good ?
8. For as in this, being such an Essence, there is none of the evils ; so in none of the other things shall the Good be found.
9. For in all other things, are all those 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 itself 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 ; where it is night, it is not Day.
1 1. Wherefore it is impossible that in Generation should be the Good, but only in that which is not generated or made.
12. Yet as the Participation of all things is in the Matter bound, so also of that which is Good. After this manner is the World Good, as it maketh all things, and in the part of making or doing (ttoioiV) it is Good, but in all other things not good.
13. For it is passable and moveable, and the Maker of passable things.
14. In Man also the Good is ordered (or talceth denomi- nation) in comparison of that which is evil ; for that which is not very Evil, is here Good ; and that which is here called Good, is the least particle, or proportion of Evil.
15. It is impossible, therefore, that the Good should be here pure from Evil ; for here the Good groweth Evil, and growing Evil, it doth not still abide Good ; and not abiding Good, it becomes Evil.
16. Therefore in God alone is the Good, or rather God is the Good.
17. Therefore, O Asclepius, there is nothing in men (or among men ) but the name of Good, the thing itself is not,
[for
( 39 )
for it is impossible ; for a material Body receiveth { or com- 2>re/iendeth ), is not as being on every side encompassed and coarcted with evils, and labours, and griefs, and desires, and wrath, and deceipts, and foolish opinions.
1 8. And in that which is the worst of all, Asclepius, every one of the forenamed things, is here believed to be the greatest Good, especially that supreme 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 unto God, that, concerning the knowledge of Good, put this assurance in my Mind, that it is impossible it should be in the World.
20. For the World is the fulness of Evilness ; but God is the fulness of Good, or Good of God.
21. B or 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. Bor we must be bold to say, Asclepius, that the Essence of God, if he have an Essence, is ro KaXbv, that which is fair or beautiful ; 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 sub- ject to the eye, are ever, especially the Essence of the Fair and the Good.
24. And as the Eye cannot see God, so neither the B'air and the Good.
25. B'or 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 shall under- stand the Fair, and the Good, 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,
( 40 )
2 8. As, therefore, thou understandest God, so under- stand the Fair and the Good ; for these are incommunicable to any other living Creatures, because they are inseparable from God.
29. If thou seek concerning God, thou seekest or asketh also of the Fair, for there is one way which leadeth 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 Men Fair and Good, never seeing so much as in a dream, what good is ; but being infolded and wrapped upon all evil, and believing that the Evil is the Good, they, by that means, both use it insatiably, 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 increase it.
31. Such, O Asclepius, are the 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.
Ube of tbe Sijtb Book.
THE SEVENTH BOOK.
HIS SECRET SERMON IN THE MOUNT OF REGENERATION,
AND THE PROFESSION OF SIEENCE.
TO HIS SON TAT.
Tat.
IN the general speeches, O Father, discoursing of the Divinity, thou speakest enigmatically, and didst not clearly reveal thyself, saying. That no man can be saved before Regeneration.
2. And when I did humbly entreat thee, at the going up to the Mountain, after thou hadst discoursed to me, having a great desire to learn this Argument of Regenera- tion ; because among all the rest, I am ignorant only of this, thou toldst me thou wouldst impart it to me, when I would estrange myself from the World ; whereupon I made myself ready, and have vindicated the understanding that is in me, from the deceit of the World.
3. Now, then, fulfil my defect, and as thou saidst, in- struct me of Regeneration, either by word of mouth or
[secretly ;
6
( 42 )
secretly ; for I know not, O Tnsmeglstus, of what Sub- stance, or what Seed, or what Womb, a man is thus born.
4. Herm. O Son, this wisdom is to be understood in silence, and the seed is the true Good.
5. Tat. Who soweth it, O Father ? for I am utterly ignorant and doubtful.
6. Herm. The Will of God, O Son.
7. And what manner of Man is he that is thus born } for in this point, I am clean deprived of the Essence that understandeth in me.
8. Herm. The Son of God will be another. God made the universe, that in everything consisteth of all powers.
9. Tat. Thou tellest me a Riddle, Father, and dost not speak as a Father to a Son.
10. Herm. Son, things of this kind are not taught, but are by God, when he pleaseth, brought to remembrance.
11. 2'at. Thou speakest of things strained, or far fetcht, and impossible. Father ; and therefore I will directly contradict them.
12. Herm. Wilt thou prove a Stranger, Son, to thy Father’s kind ?
13. Do not envy me, Father, or pardon me, I am thy Natural Son; discourse unto me the manner of Regeneration.
14. Herm. What shall I say, O my Son } I have nothing to say more than this. That I see in myself an unstrained sight or spectacle, made by the mercy of God ; and I am gone out of myself into an immortal body, and am not now, what I was before, but was begotten in Mind.
15. This thing is not taught, nor is it to be seen in this formed Element ; for which the first compounded Form was neglected by me, and that I am now separated from it; for I have both the touch and the measure of it, yet am I now estranged from them.
16. Thou seest, O Son, with thine eyes ; but though
[thou
( 43 )
thou never look so steadfastly upon me, with the Body, and bodily sight, thou canst not see nor understand what I am now.
17. Tat. Thou hast driven me, O Father, into no small fury and distraction of mind, for I do not now see myself.
18. Herm. I would, O Son, that thou also wert gone out of thyself, like them that Dream in their sleep.
19. Tat. Then tell me this, who is the Author and Maker of Regeneration }
20. TIerm. The Child of God, one Man by the Will of God.
21. Tat. Now, O Father, thou hast put me to silence for ever, and all my former thoughts have quite left and forsaken me ; for I see the greatness and shape of things here below, and nothing but falsehood in them all.
22. And sithence this m.ortal form is daily changed, and turned by time into increase or diminution, as being falsehood : What therefore is true, O Trismegistus
23. Tri.sm. That, O my Son, which is not troubled, nor bounded ; not coloured, not figured, not changed, that which is naked, high. Comprehensible only of itself, unalterable, unbodily.
24. Tat. Now I am mad indeed, O Father, for when I thought me to have been made a wise man by thee, with these thoughts, thou hast quite dulled all my senses.
25. Hena. Yet is it so as I saaj, 0 Son, He that looketh only iqjon that which is carried upward as Fire, that which is carried downward as Earth, that which is moist as Water, and that which bloweth, or is subject to blast, as Air ; how can he sensibly understand that which is neither hard nor moist, nor tangible, nor perspicuous, seeing it is only understood in power and operation ? But I beseech and pray to the Mind, which alone can understand the Geneixition which is in God.
[26. 2at.
( 44 )
26. Tat. Then am I, O Father, utterly unable to do it.
27. Herm. God forbid, Son, rather draw or pull him unto thee ( or study to know him ) and he will come, be hit U'illing and it shall he done ; quiet (or make idle) the senses of the Body, purging thyself from the unreasonable brutish torments of matter.
28. Tat. Have I any (revengers or) tormentors in myself. Father f
29. Herm. Yea, and those not a few, but many, and fearful ones.
30. Tat. I do not know them. Father.
31. Herm. One Torment, Son, is Ignorance; a second. Sorrow ; a third, Intemperance ; a fourth. Concupis- cence ; a fifth. Injustice; a sixth, Covetousness; a seventh, Deceit; an eighth, Envy; a ninth. Fraud or Guile; a tenth. Wrath ; an eleventh. Rashness ; a twelfth, Mcdicious- ness.
32. They are in number twelve, and under these many more ; some which through the prison of the Body do force the inwardly placed man to suffer sensibly.
33. And they do not suddenly or easily depart from him that hath obtained mercy of God ; and herein consists both the manner and the reason of Regeneration.
34. For the rest, O Son, hold thy peace, and praise Gocl in silence, and by that means the mercy of God will not cease, or be wanting unto us.
35. Therefore, rejoice, my Son, from henceforward, being purged by the powers of God, to the Knowledge of the Truth.
36. For the revelation of God is come to us, and when that came, all ignorance was cast out.
37. The Knowledge of Joy is come unto us, and when that comes. Sorrow shall fly away to them that are capable of it.
[38. I call
( 45 )
38. I call unto Joy the power of Temperance, a power whose Virtue is most sweet ; let us take her unto ourselves, O Son, most willingly, for how at her coming hath she put away Intemperance ?
39. Now I call forth Continence, the power which is over Concupiscence. This, O Son, is the stable and firm foundation of Justice.
40. For see how without labour she hath chased away Injustice ; and we are justified, O Son, when injustice is away.
41. The sixth Virtue which comes into us, I call Communion, which is against Covetousness.
42. And when that (Covetousness) is gone, I call Truth, and when she cometh, Error and Deceit vanisheth.
43. See, O Son, how the Good is fulfilled by the access of Truth ; for by this means Envy is gone from us ; for Truth is accompanied with the Good, together also with Life and Light.
44. And there came no more any torment of Darkness, but being overcome, they all fled away suddenly and tumultuously.
45. Thou hast understood, O Son, the manner of regeneration ; for upon the coming of these Ten, the Intellectual Generation is perfected, and then it driveth away the Twelve; and we have seen it in the Generation itself.
46. Whosoever therefore hath of Mercy obtained this Generation, which is according to God, he leaving all bodily sense, knoweth himself to consist of divine things, and rejoiceth. being made by God stable and immutable.
47. Tat. O Father, I conceive and understand, not by the sight of mine eyes, but by the Intellectual operation, which is by the Powers. I am in Fleaven, in the Earth, in the Water, in the Air ; I am in Living Creatures, in Plants, in the Womb, everywhere.
[48. Yet
( 46 )
48. Yet tell me, further, this one thing, How are the Torments of Darkness, being in number Twelve, driven away and expelled by the Ten Powers ? What is the manner of it, Trismegistus f
49. This Tabernacle, O Son, consists of the Zodiacal Circle ; and this consisting of Twelve numbers, the Idea of one ; but all formed Nature admit of divers Conjugations to the deceiving of Man.
50. And though they be different in themselves, yet are they united in practice (as, for example. Rashness is inseparable from Anger), and they are also indeterminate. Therefore, with good reason do they make their departure, being driven away by the Ten Powers ; that is to say, by the dead.
51. For the number of Ten, O Son, is the begetter of Souls. And there Life and Light are united, where the number of Uyiity is born of the Spirit.
52. Therefore, according to Reason, Unity hath the number of Ten, and the number of Ten hath Unity.
53. Tat. O Father, I now see the Universe and myself in the Mind.
54. Herm. This is Regeneration, O Son, that we should not any longer fix our imagination upon this Body, subject to the three dimensions, according to this speech which we have now commented, that we may not at all caluminate the Universe.
55. Tat. Tell me, O Father, This body that consists of Powers, shall it ever admit of Dissolution }
56. Herm. Good words. Son, and speak not things impossible ; for so thou shalt sin, and the eye of thy mind grow wicked.
57. The sensible body of Nature is far from the
Essential Generation, for that is subject to Dissolution, but this is not ; and that is mortal, but this immortal. Dost thou not know that thou art born a God, and the Son ol the One, as I am ? [58. Tat.
( 47 )
58. Tat. How feign would I, O Father, hear that praise given by a Hymn, which thou saiclst thou hearclest from the Powers, when I was in the Octonayy ?
59. Herm. As Fimander said, by way of Oracle to the Octonary : Thou dost well, O Son, to desire the Solution of the Tabernacle, for thou art purified.
60. Fimander, the Mind of Absolute Power and Authority, hath delivered no more unto me, than those that are written ; knowing that of myself, I can understand all things, and hear, and see what I will. And he com- manded me to do those things that are good ; and therefore all the powers that are in me sing.
61. Tat. I would hear thee, O Father, and understand these things.
62. Herm. Be quiet, O Son, and now hearken to that harmonious blessing and thanksgiving ; the hymn of Regeneration, which I did not determine to have spoken of so plainly, but to thyself in the end of all.
63. Wherefore, this is not taught, but hid in silence.
64. So then, O Son, do thou, standing in the open Air, worship, looking to the North Wind, about the going down of the Sun ; and to the South, when the Sun ariseth. And now keep silence. Son.
THE SECRET SONG.
The Holy Speech.
65. Let all the Nature of the World entertain the hearing of this Hymn.
66. Be opened, O Earth, and let all the Treasure of the Rain be opened.
67. You Trees, tremble not, for I will sing and praise the Lord of the Creation, and the All, and the One.
68. Be opened, you Heavens ; ye Winds, stand still, and let the immortal Circle of God receive these words.
[69. Eor
( 4
69. For I will sing and praise him that created all things, that fixed the earth, and hung up the Heavens, and commanded the sweet water to come out of the Ocean, into all the World, inhabited and not inhabited, to the use and nourishment of all things or men.
70. That commanded the fire to shine for every action, both to Gods and Men.
71. Let us altogether give him blessing, which rideth upon the Heavens, the Creator of all Nature.
72. This is he that is the Eye of the Mind, and will accept the praise of my Powers.
73. O all ye Powers that are in me, praise the One, and All.
74. Sing together with my Will, all you Powers that are in me.
75. O Holy knowledge, being enlightened by thee, I magnify the intelligible Light, and rejoice in the joy of the Mind.
76. All my Powers sing praise with me, and thou, my Continence, sing, praise my Righteousness by me ; praise that which is righteous.
77. O Communion which is in me ; praise the All.
78. By me the Truth sings praise to the Truth, the Good praiseth the Good.
79. O Life, O Light, from us, unto you, comes this praise and thanksgiving.
80. I give thanks unto thee, O Father, the operation or act of my Powers.
81. I give thanks unto thee, O God, the Power of my operations.
82. By me the Word sings praise unto thee; receive by me this reasonable (or verbal) Sacrifice in words.
83. The powers that are in me cry these things, they praise the All, they fulfil thy Will ; thy Will and counsel is from thee unto thee.
[84. O All,
( 49 )
84. 0 AIK peceiv'e a reasonable sacrifice from all things,
85. O Life, save all that is in us ; 0 Light, enlighten,
0 God the Spirit ; for the Mind guideth (or feedeth) the Word ; O Spirit-bearing Workman.
86. Thou art (Lod, thy Man cryeth these things unto thee through, by the Fire, by the Air, by the Earth, by the Water, by the Spirit, by thy Creatures.
8”. From eternity I have found (means to) bless and praise thee, and I have what I seek ; for I rest in thy Will.
88. Tat. O Father, I see thou hast sung this song of praise and blessing, with thy whole Will ; and therefore have I put and placed it in my World.
89. IJerm. Say in thy Intelligible World, O Son.
90. Tat. I do mean in my Intelligible World ; for by thy Hymn and song of praise my mind is enlightened, and gladly would I send from my Understanding, a Thanksgiving unto God.
91. Ilerm. Not rashly, O Son.
92. Tat. In my Mind, O Father.
93. ILcrm. Those things that I see and contemplate,
1 Infuse into thee, and therefore say, thou Son, 7\tt, the author of thy succeeding Generations, I send unto God these reasonable sacrifices.
94. O God, thoji art the Father, thou art the Lord, thou art die Mind, accept these reasonable sacrifices ichich thou rc(iuirest o f me.
95. For all things are done as the Mind willeth.
96. Thou, O Son, send this acceptable Sacrifice to God, the Father of all things ; but propound it also, O Son, by word.
97. Tat. I thank thee. Father, thou hast advised and instructed me thus to give thanks and praise.
98. Ilerm. I am glad, O Son, to see the Truth bring forth the Fruits of Good things, and such immortal Branches.
99. And learn this of me : Above all other Virtues
[entertain
7
( 50 )
entertain Silence, and impart unto no man, O Son. the tradition of Regeneration, lest we be reputed Calumniators ; for we both have now sufficiently meditated, I in speaking, thou in hearing. And now thou dost intellectually know thyself and our Father.
TLhc Bub of tbe Seventh 3Bool?
THE EIGHTH BOOK
OF
HERMES TRISMEGISTUS.
THAT THE GREATEST EVIL IN MAN IS THE NOT KNOWING GOD.
WHITHER are you carried, O Men, drunken with drinking strong Wine of Ignorance ? which seeing you cannot bear, why do you vomit it up again ?
2. Stand, and be sober, and look up again with the Eyes of your heart, and if you cannot all do so, yet do so 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 yourselves 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
( 52 )
5- Seek one that may lead you by the hand, and conduct you to the door of Truth and Knowledge, where the clear Light is that is pure from Darkness, 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, nor expressed in words ; but only in mind and heart.
7. But first thou must tear to pieces, and break through 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 Carcass ; the Sepulchre, carried about with us ; the domestical Thief, which in what he loves us, hates us, envies us.
8. Such is the hurtful Apparel, wherev/ith thou art clothed, which draws and pulls thee downward by its own self, lest looking upward and seeing the beauty of Truth, and the Good that is reposed therein, thou shouldst hate the wickedness of this Garment and understand the traps and ambushes which It hath laid for thee.
9. Therefore doth it labour to make good those things that seem, and are by the senses, judged, and determined ; and the things that are truly, it hides, and envelopeth in much matter, filling what it presents unto thee, with hateful pleasure, that thou canst neither hear what thou shouldst hear, nor see what thou shouldst see.
Zbc JEn^ Of tbe Eigbtb Book.
\
THE NINTH BOOK
OF
HERMES TRISMEGISTUS.
A UNIVERSAL SERMON TO ASCLEPIUS.
Tie) ‘in.
All that is moved, O Asclejiius, is it not moved in something and by something ?
2. Asclep. Yes, indeed.
3. llei'in. 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 that which is moved ?
6. Asclep. It is stronger.
7. Ilenn. 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. llc)‘m.
( 54 )
9- Ilenii. 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 kind 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 I and lest 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. Het mi. Of a contrary Nature, O Asclepius. But^,, is not the Nature of things unboclily, 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 something 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. Eor the first, God is intelligible, not to himself, but to 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 he is understood by us.
24. If therefore Place be intelligible, it is not Place
[but
( 55 )
but God ; but if God be intelligible, he is intelligible not as Place, but as a capable Operation.
25. Now, everything 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. AscJep. How, then, O TrismegisUift, are those things that are here moved with the things that are moveci ^ for thou sayest that the Spheres that wander, are moved by the Sphere that wanders not.
27. llerin. That, O ^.9c/c/?bcs, is not a moving together, but a counter motion ; 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 avwmi:, or resistance, is a staying of Motion.
28. Therefore, the w'andering spheres being moved contrarily to that Sphere which wandereth not, shall have one from another contrarily standing of itself.
29. P'or this Bear thou seest neither rise nor go down, but turning always about the same ; dost thou think it moveth or standeth still }
30. Asclep. I think it moves, Trismegistus.
31. What motion, O Asclegyius?
32. Asclep. A motion that is always 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 always, being always established by the contrariety.
35. But I will give thee concerning this matter, an Earthly Example, that may be seen with eyes.
[36. Look
( 56 )
36. Look upon any of these 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, nor sink underneath it.
37. Asclej). Thou hast laid down a very clear example, Trismegistus.
38. Henn. Therefore, every motion is in station, and is moved of station.
39. The motion, then, of the World, and of every mate- rial 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 that are without it.
40. For an inanimate Body doth not know, much less a Body if it be wholly inanimate.
41. Asclep. What meaneth thou by this, O
wood and stones, and all other inanimate things, are they not moving Bodies ?
42. Herm. By no means, O Asclepins, for that within the Body, which moves the inanimate thing, is not the Body, that moves both as well the Body of that which beareth, as the Body of that which is born ; for one dead or inanimate thing cannot move another; that which moveth, must needs be alive if it move.
43. Thou seest therefore how the Soul is surcharged, when it carrieth two Bodies.
44. And now it is manifest that the things that are moved, are moved in something, and by something.
45. Asclep. The things that are moved, O Trismegistus, must needs be moved in that which is void, or empty vacuum, Ktvbv.
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
( 57 )
47- Blit 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 Barrel, an empty Hogshead, an empty Well, an empty Wine-press, and many such like ?
49. Harm. O the grossness of thy error, O Asclepivs ; those things that are most full and replenished, dost thou account them void and empty ?
50.
Asdep.
What may be thy meaning, Trismegistus?
51-
Herm.
Is not the Air a Body ?
52-
Asdep..
It is a Body.
53-
Herm.
Why then this Body, does it not pass
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 Air.
54. Therefore, those things thou callest empty, thou are full of Air and Spirit.
55. Asclcp. This reason is beyond all contradiction, O Tnsmegistus, but what shall we call the place in which the whole Universe is moved ?
56. Herm. Call it incorporeal, O Asclepius.
57. Asdep. What is that, incorporeal or unbodily ?
58. Herm. The Mind and Reason, the whole, wholly •comprehending itself, free from all Body, undeceivable, invisible, impassible from a Body itself, standing fast in itself, capable of all things, and that Savour of the things that are.
59. Whereof the Good, the Truth, the Archetypal 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, yet is,
[and
8
( 58 )
cause of being to all, and every one of are ; for he left nothing destitute of Being.
the
and is the things that
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 length that God is ?
64. IleQ^m. God is not a Mind, but the Cause that the Mind 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 alLthe other, which are called Gods, nor of Men, nor Demons, or Angels, can any one be, though never so little, Good, save only God alone.
67. And this he is and nothing else ; but all other things are separable from the nature of Good.
68. For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of or can contain the Good.
69. For the greatness of Good is as great as the Existence of all things that are, both bodily and unbodily, both sensible and intelligible.
70. This is the Good, even God.
71. See, therefore, that thou do not at any time call ought else Good, for so thou shalt be impious ; or any else God, but only the Good, for so thou shalt again be impious.
72. In Word it is often said by all men the Good, but all men do not understand what it is ; but through Igno- rance 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 honoured with the title or 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
( 59 )
and one kind of them both, from whence all are kinds.
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, be- cause of his making all things ; for it is the part of a Father to make.
77. Therefore, it hath been the greatest and most Religious care in this life, to them that are Wise, and well- minded, to beget children.
78. As likewise it is the greatest misfortune and impiety, for any to be separated from men, without children; and this man is punished after Death by the Demons, and the punishm.ent is this : To have the Soul of this childless 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 Asclejnus, never congratulate any man that is childless; but on the contrary pity his misfortune, knowing . what punishment abides, and is prepared for him.
80. Let so many, and such manner of things, O Asclepius, be said as a certain precognition of all things in Nature.
XTbe JSnb of tbe IRintb ifiSoob,
THE TENTH BOOK
OF
HERMES TRISMEGISTUS.
THE MIND TO HERMES.
ORBEAR thy Speech, O Hermes Trlsmeglstus, and call to mind to those things that are said ; but I will not delay to speak what comes into my mind, sithence many men have spoken many things, and those very different, concerning the Universe, and Good ; but I have not learned the Truth.
2. Therefore, the Lord make it plain to me in this point ; for I will believe thee only, for the manifestation of these things.
3. Then said the Mind 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 Good, the
Fair, Blessedness, Wisdom. [8. Of
( 6i )
8. Of Eternity, Identity, or Selfness.
9. Of the World, Order.
10. Of Time, Change.
11. Of Generation, Life and Death.
12. But the Operation of God, is Mind and Soul.
13. Of Eternity, Permanence, or Long-lasting, and Immortality.
14. Of the World, Restitution, and Decay, or Destmc- tion.
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 PTernitv.
j
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 anything 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 Good and the Fair, and Blessedness, and every Virtue, and Eternity.
33. Eternity, therefore, put into the Matter Immortality
[and
( 62 )
and Everlastingness ; for the Generation of that depends upon Eternity, even as Eternity doth of God.
34. For Generation and Time, in Heaven and in Earth, are of a double Nature ; in Heaven they are unchangeable and incorruptible ; but on Earth they are changeable and corruptible.
35. And the Soul of Eternity is God ; and the Soul of the World, Eternity ; and of the Earth, Heaven.
36. God is in the Mind, the Mind in the Soul, the Soul in the Matter, all things by Eternity.
37. All this Universal Body, in which are all Bodies, is full of Soul, the Soul full of Mind, the Mind full of God.
38. For within he fills them, and without he contains them, quickening the Universe.
39. Without, he quickens this perfect living thing the World, and within all living Creatures.
40. And above in Heaven he abides in Identity or Selfness, but below upon Earth he changeth Generation.
41. Eternity cornprehendeth 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 anything, either Humane or Divine.
44. Therefore, O Hermes, think none of these things below, or the things above, in anywise like unto God ; for if thou dost, thou errest from the Truth.
45. For nothing can be like the unlike, and only, and One ; nor mayest thou think that he hath given of his Power to any other thing.
46. For who after him can make anything, either of Life or Immortality ; of Change or of Quality } and him- self, what other things should he make ?
[47. For
( 63 )
47- God is not idle, for then all things would be
idle : for all things are full of God.
48. But there is not anywhere in the World, such a thing as Idleness ; for Idleness 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 always, and according to the nature of every place.
50. B'or he that maketh or doth, is in all things, yet not fastened or comiprehended in anything ; nor making or doing one thing, but all things.
51. For being an active or operating Power, and sufficient of himself for the things that are made, and the things that are made are under him.
52. Look upon, through me, the World is subject to thy sight, and understand exactly the Beauty thereof.
53. A Body perpetual, than the which there is nothing more ancient, yet always vigorous and young.
54. See also the Seven Worlds set over us, adorned with an everlasting order, and filling Eternity with a dift’erent course.
55. For all things are full of Light, but the Fire is nowhere.
56. For the friendship and commixture of contraries and unlike, become Light shining from the Act or Opera- tion of God, the Father of all Good, the Prince of all Order, and the Ruler of the Seven Worlds.
57. Look also upon the Moon, the forerunner 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 P^air World, the Feeder and Nurse of Earthly things.
59. Consider, moreover, how great the multitude is of
immortal living things, and of mortal ones also ; and see the Moon going about in the midst of both, to wit, of things immortal and mortal [60. But
( 64 )
60. But all thino;s are full of Soul, and all thiiiQfs 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 left ; 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 needst not learn of 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 vrithout something to gather them together.
64. Therefore, there must be some such ones, and he altogether One.
65. B"or seeing that the motions are divers, and many, and the Bodies not alike, and yet one ordered swiftness among them all ; It is impossible there should be two or more Makers.
66. For one order is not kept by many.
67. But in the weaker there would be jealousy of the stronger, and thence also contentions.
68. And if there were one Maker, of mutable mor- tal living Wights, he would desire also to make immortal ones, as he that were the Maker of immortal ones, would do to make mortal.
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 immortal, and that which is mortal and unreasonable.
72. For all living Bodies have a Soul ; and those things that are not living, are only matter by itself.
[73. And
{ )
73. And the Soul likewise of itself drawing near 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 caus- eth 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. B'or 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 else can it benefit to make living things, save only God alone ?
80. There is therefore One God.
81. For it is a ridiculous thino- to confess 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 thyself dost so many things ?
84. For thou both seest, speaketh, and hearest, smellest, tastest, and touchest, walkest, understandest, and breathest.
85. And it is not one that sees, and another that hear- eth, and another that speaketh, and another that toucheth, and another that smelleth, and another that walketh, and another that understandeth, and another that breatheth ; but one that doth all these things.
86. Yet neither can these things possibly be without God.
87. For as thou, if thou shouldest cease from doing these things, were not a living wight, so if God should cease from those, he were not (which is not lawful to say) any longer God.
9
[88. For
( 66 )
88. For if it be already demonstrated that nothing can be idle or empty, how much more may be affirmed of God !
89. F"or if there be anything 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 thyself unto me, O Hermes, for a little while, thou shalt the more easily understand, that it is the necessary work of God, that all things should be made or done that are done, or were once done, or shall be done.
92.
And
this, 0 best beloved, is Life.
93-
And
this is the Fair.
94.
And
this is the Good.
95-
And
this is God.
96.
And
if thou will understand this by work also.
mark what happens to thyself when thou will 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 only Workman, he is always in the Work, himself being that which he doth or maketh.
99. For all things, if they were separate from him, must needs fall and die, as there being no life in them.
too. And again, if all things be living wights, both which are in heaven, and upon earth, and that there be one Life in all things which are made by God, and that is God, then certainly all things are made or done by God.
101. Life is the union of the Mind 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. [io5-
( 67 )
105- By this discourse, my dearest Ilennes, I affirm as thou hearest, That the World is changed, because every day part thereof becomes invisible, but that it is never dissolved.
106. And these are the Passions of the World, Revo- lutions 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 itself changeth in itself.
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 regardless of the world.
1 10. What do we then say that he is } We will not raise any doubts by our speech, for nothing that is doubtful concerning God is yet known.
111. He hath therefore one Idea, which is proper to him, which, because it is unbodily, is not subject to the sight, and yet shows all forms by the Bodies.
1 1 2. And do not wonder if there be an incorruptible Idea.
1 1 3. 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.
1 14. But understand well this that I say, more boldly, for it is more true : As man cannot live without life, so neither can God live not doing good.
1 1 5. For this is, as it were, the Life and Motion of God, to move all things, and quicken them.
1 16. But some of the things I have said, must have a particular explanation ; U nderstand then what I say.
1 1 7. All things are in God, not as lying in a place, for Place is both a body and unmoveable, and those things that are placed, have no motion.
[118. For
( 68 )
1 1 8. For they lie otherwise in that which is uiiboclily, than in the fantasie, or to appearance.
1 1 9. Consider him that contains all things, and under- stand that nothing is more capacious, than that which is incorporeal, nothing more swift, nothing more powerful, but it is most capacious, most swift, and most strong.
1 20. And judge of this by thyself, command thy Soul to go into India, and sooner than thou canst bid it, it will be there.
1 2 1. Bid it likewise pass 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, fly into Heaven, and it will not need no wings, neither shall anything hinder it, not the fire of the Sun, not the Aether, not the turning of the Spheres, not the bodies of any other Stars, but cutting through all, it will fly 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 anything without), thou mayest.
124. Behold, how great power, how great swiftness thou hast ! Canst thou do all these things, and cannot God }
125. After this manner, therefore, contemplate God to have all the whole world to himself, as it were, all thoughts, or intellections.
126. If therefore thou wilt not equal thyself to God, thou canst not understand God.
127. For the like is intelligible by the like.
128. Increase thyself unto an immeasureable greatness, leaping beyond every Body, and transcending all Time, become Eternity, and thou shalt understand God : If thou believe in thyself, that nothing is impossible, but accountest thyself immortal, and that thou canst understand all things, every Art, every Science, and the manner and custom of every living thing.
[129. Become
( 69 )
129- Become higher than all height, lower than all depths, comprehend in thyself the qualities of all the Crea- tures, of the Fire, the Water, the Dry, and Moist, and conceive likewise, that thou canst at once be everywhere, in the Sea, in the Earth.
130. Thou shalt at once understand thyself, 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 under- stand 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 afraid of the Sea, I cannot climb up to 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, and be a lover of the Body and Evil.
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 everywhere meet thee, and everywhere be seen of thee, plain and easy, when thou dost not expect or look for it ; it will meet thee waking, sleeping, sailing, travelling, by night, by day, when thou speakest, and when thou keep- est 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 than 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 the Virtue, to appear, and to be seen in all things.
138. There is nothing invisible, no, not of those things that are incorporeal.
[139. The
139- The Mind 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 Trisinegistus.
141. Understand in like manner, all other things by thyself, and thou shalt not be deceived.
Zbc of tbe ICentb 3Boob.
THE ELEVENTH BOOK
OF
HERMES TRISMEGISTUS.
OF THE COMMON MIND, TO TAT.
^ I ^HE Mind, O Tat, is of the very Essence of God,
■ if yet there be any Essence of God.
H 2. What kind of Essence that is, he alone
knows himself exactly.
3. The Mind therefore is not cut off, or divided from the essentiality of God, but united as the light of the Sun.
4. And this Mind in men, is God, and therefore are some men Divine, and their Humanity is near Divinity.
5. For the good Demon called the Gods, immortal Men, and men mortal Gods.
6. But in the brute Beast, or unreasonable living Wights, the Mind is their Nature.
7. For where there is a Soul, there is the Mind, as where there is Life there is also a Soul.
[8. In
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8. In living Creatures, therefore, that are without Rea- son, the Soul is Life, void of the operations of the Mind.
9. For the Mind is the Benefactor of the Souls of men, and worketh to the proper Good.
10. And in unreasonable things it co-operateth with the Nature of everyone of them, but in men it worketh against their Natures.
11. For the Soul being in the Body, is straightway 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 des- cendeth, she is moistened and tinctured with them.
13. As many Souls, .therefore, as the Mind governeth, or overruleth, to them it shows its own Light, resisting their prepossessions or presumptions.
14. As a good Physician grieveth the Body, pre- possessed of a disease, by burning or lancing it for health’s sake ;
15. After the same manner also the Mind grieveth the Soul, by drawing it out of Pleasure, from whence every disease of the Soul proceedeth.
16. But the Great Disease of the Soul is Atheism, because that opinion followeth to all Evil, and no Good.
17. Therefore, the Mind resisting, it procureth Good to the Soul, as a Physician to the Body.
18. But as many Souls of Men, as do not admit or entertain the Mind for their Governor, do suffer the same thing that the Soul of unreasonable living things.
19. For the Soul being a Co-operator with them, per- mits or leaves them to their concupiscences, whereunto they are carried by the torrent of their Appetite, and so tend to brutishness.
20. And as brute Beasts, they are angry without rea- son, and they desire without reason, and never cease, nor are satisfied with evil.
[21. For
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2 1. For unreasonable i\ngers and Desires are the most exceeding Evils.
22. And therefore hath God set the Mind over there, as a Revenger and Reprover of them,
23. Tat. Here, O Father, that discourse of Fate or Destiny, which thou madest to me, is in danger of being overthrown ; for if it be fatal for any man to commit Adul- tery or Sacrilege, or do any evil, he is punished also, though he, of necessity, do the work of Fate or Destiny.
24. Herru. 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.
27. But for the present, let alone that speech, concern- ing Evil and Fate, for at other times we have spoken of it.
28. Now, our discourse is about the Mind, and what it can do, and how it differs, and is in men such a one, but in brute Beasts changed.
29. And again in brute Beasts it is not beneficial, but in men by quenching both their Anger and Concupiscences.
30. And of man, thou must understand, som.e to be rational, or governed by reason, and some irrational.
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 rational men, over whom, as we said, the mind bears rule, do not suffer like unto other men ; but being free from viciousness, and being not evil, they do suffer evil.
34. Tat. How sayest thou this again. Father ? An
[^^idulterer,
10
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Adulterer, is he not evil ? A Murderer, is he not evil ? and so of others.
35. Herm. But the rational man, O Son, will not suffer for Adultery, but as the Adulterer not for Murder, but as the Murderer.
36. And it is impossible to escape the Quality of Change as of Generation, but the Viciousness, he that hath the Mind, may escape.
37. And therefore, O Son, I have always heard the good Demon say, and if he had delivered it in writing, he had much profited all mankind. For he alone, O Son, as the first born, God seeing all things, truly spake Divine words. I have heard him sometimes, 'That all things are one thing, especially intelligible Bodies, or that oil especially intelligible Bodies are one.
38. We live in Power, in Act, and in Eternity.
39. Therefore, a good mind 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 Mind, 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 shaltdiligently withdraw thyself from all contentious speeches, thou shalt find 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.
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47- Tat. Most divinely spoken, O Father, and truly and profitably, yet clear this one thing unto me.
48. Thou sayest, that in brute Beasts the Mind
worketh or acteth after the manner of Nature, co-ooeratinof also with their impetus) inclinations.
49. Now, the impetuous inclinations of brute Beasts, as I conceive, are Passions. If, therefore, the Mind do co-operate with these impetuous Inclinations, and that they are the Passions in brute Beasts, certainly the Mind is also a Passion, conforming itself to Passions.
50. Herm. Well done, .Son, thou .askest nobly, and yet it is just that I should answer thee.
51. All incorporeal things, O Son, that are in the Body, are passible, nay, they are properly Passions.
52. Everything that moveth is incorporeal ; everything that is moved is a Body ; and it is moved into the Bodies by the Mind. Now, Motion is passion, and there they both suffer ; as well that which moveth, as that which is moved, as well that which ruleth, as that which is ruled.
53. But being freed from the Body, it is freed likewise from Passion.
54. But especially, O Son, there is nothing impassible, but all things are passible.
55. But Passion differs from that which is passible ; for that (Passion) acteth, but this suffers.
56. Bodies 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 incorporeal things do always act, or work, and therefore they are passible.
58. Let not, therefore, the appellations or 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 leather, thou hast delivered this discourse most plainly.
[60. Ilei'in.
( )
60. llerm. Consider this also, O Son, that God hath freely bestov\^ed upon man, above all other living things, these two, to wit. Mind and Speech, or Reason, Xoyoe, equal to Immortality,
6 1. These, if any man use, or employ 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 by them, both into the Choir and Society of the God, and blessed ones.
63. Tat. Do not other living creatures use speech, O Father ?
64. Heinn. No, Son, but only voice. Now, speech and voice do differ exceeding . much ; for speech is common to all men, but voice is proper unto every kind of living thing.
65. Tat. Yea, but the Speech of men is different, O Father ; every man according to his Nation.
66. Herm. It is true, O Son, they do differ ; yet as Man is one, so is Speech one also, and it is interpreted and found the same, both in Egypt, Persia, and Greece.
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 Mind in the Soul, (xoyoc) the V/ord, or Speech, or Reason in the Mind, and the Mind in God, and that God is the Father of them all.
69. Therefore, the Word is the Image of the Mind, and the Mind of God, and the Body of the Idea, and the Idea of the Soul.
70. Therefore, of the Matter, the subtilest or smallest