Section 2

Ne igitur inconfulti haheamur^ qui ^pretis Tfeudo'philofophorum prpmif" 'is^ toti veritatem ifjdagamus 5 terra ^terilis ejfe folet ^ qu£ Aurum tegit^ vhIUs luxuriat floribfis^ qui prstereun- ^^um oculos deie3ent^ C^ ad latent em
cant ihef aurum s baud aliter qui SutUfr^efecrcta callent^ taciturni funt^ & ianquam nefcii ^ rarijfima audire :ji verba^ fcripta fere nulla emittunt pi£ Difctpules alliciant^ itno fe potihs fuhdiicunt^ ut magis 0 c cult e niHr^ alt oq^ (t lent 20 vivi fepeliantur.
gluocircd liquid}) conflat^ nemimm^ licet pbirirnum Jit^is invigilaverit^
pofeproprio Marfe arcana h£c attin^ ^ere : qui falsb interpret atijkftt veie* film Fahnlas , novas tantum excudc" runt^ qui veri funt Myfts omnia rfrJNi indujiria tarn fpijjts offud^re tenehris^ Ht quicunqj ea dignofcere aggrediatHTy citius mentem amittat^qmm inftrn&i'' or em hah eat.
Nof omnia h£c anirnhferib perpen^ dentesiterum atq--^ iterum vos obnixe rogamus noJirAm mifereri ^ vota no^ flra quoniam grande aliquod fapiunt^ faufta Jlnt : Fatemur nos adhuc Ju^ Tjenes ejffe & 7y rones ( uti etiam Epi^ flola minh nervcfa indicat ) fed ani^ musf9rte mbis fenior inditus 5 fimuf tamen teneri^ dum fequaces : quodvis facile illi imprimitnr^ qnos nullum adhuc vitiavit fgiUum : Sumus etiam Duo quaff unico animo ad idem tamen contendcntes 5 d^ quid obfiet quo mi'^ nus Fraternitas vefira Gemellus una partu edat^utpote quam Demfscnnda-' vit^ fit illi impojierum numerofa^modo d^ legit ima proles /
g^od
^odKeligioHem attinety frofedto
» » nobk longe alia m^n& efi ac its qni ex-
, cutiunt Deum 5 (lamitent nihil non a
fiaturafroflHxiJJe^ per eandem confer-
vari^ &ridicHfb DefiniantNaturam:
^quicquidveroeji^ vel ^fefuit^ vel ah
dlio'-y nihil uutem^ cum nondum ejfe ha--
beat^ det fibi originemiunde ab effeQu
adcaufam Vhilofopbando^ tandem ad
Deum mundi Creatorcm afcendemns :
quo oculos convert amusyubi l^umen non
intueamnr ?
Monfirat frajentem qualibet herba Deum. ^i Animalia etiam &* ming- ralia perfcrHtantur^ dum miram utri^ nfq'-i generationem^ forte & TranfmH- tationem fciantjbene intelligunt ^uis ft omnium cl d^ a : Dens itaq*-^ qui ipfa eft Veritas^ inimicum non hahet nifi ignorantem.
^£ vos de Tapadixiftisy nobis ar^ tident : Religio ilia (fl Religio dicenda fit) licet per SeSoi d^ H^refes nunc di- erumtanqnam tot vehicula fpargatur^ eandem cum illis ruinam expeSei.
g^^m non movent laptdem IejHit£^Ht no 5 in antiquum Chaos oonfunddHtz hie auda&er Blafphemiam fpirat^ ille fuptrjiitionem coUt 5 ji verb tot imntx- nia C^ nefanddfceler^i hie impun^ fe- rant^ Deus tandem ulcifcetfir.
Nulla jam (uti fperamus) objiacnla fuperfunt^qu^ nos a Societate vejiri de^ tineant ^ magna qmdem rogavimuf^fed qu£vosconcederepotejiis: ne nobis in crimina cedantTemerittts autfegnities^ qu£ dH£ pint cnJHfq'^ £vi pefia^ iifqs fapientijjimi alioqnin viri perien'-^ ve^ niam itaq^ date (Fratres Amuntijfimi^ fi in vos mere vifi fimm^apertifq'^ bra- chiis nos ample&i dtgnamini,
^od Ji vobis non vacet rebm tarn exiguis adejje , nos fatis confcii fere Animnm defpondebimns ^ ^ fuccum^ bentes Coelo d^ terr^ magis forfanpro- pitiis hofce gemitus erumfentilms nUro jingultibus edemus, Fratres IIlu- -ftriffimi nos merito Luce Divina indigoos judicarunt 5 quo demum nosinfeliciffioiob recipiemus^tene-
bras
bras ir.odo repudiavimus, nee fas eft virginem adeopulchram^&bene dotatamambire^ necefle eft igitur priftin.m petere caliginem, qua pulJati incedeinus, dehinc noctem depenbimus^ quoniam in ilia ob- dormire tuto poilumuSj & infortu- nia nullo niodo vitanda otio per- tranfire & filentio. Tu interim O Cqelumad Tui partem accedere^gc in node noftra ftellas fac emicare. Tu etiam O Terra omnium vera mater, fufcita Te in aliamiq, abeas formamjUt nobis opem feras, finu tuocadavera ampleftere utdeniq^ revivifcant.
VtcHffq'^ fjos melrora fiohi spoilt ee- wur^ quippe qui fro certo habemus vos fewper vobifmet co^Jiare^ net^pe voi non pfljjenos defer ere ^niji fitJsperfidi^ aJeo graiulafjdum precer ffojiras deji' derio vejiro confonoi^ jl td-men nimis duri d^ crndeles Lumpn vefirum occUl^ tare fiatui fits ^ non iUicb extin&i eri» WHS 5 paulatm & Urdih Lncertta
tiofira
^ojlra exj^irahit : etenim /pes mJirdS cum a vobis tatiquam medicis longe op^ timis remedium non habeavt^fuas ad^ i vocahunt vires ^ qtiibus languentem Jiiffultire Naturam d^ defperationem pojfint expel/ere^ nos fcilicet proprii manu ramum prendere coua-bimHr^ quern Dii ojitndere recnfant -^ Jiudiis igitttr indefejji^ licet Domum vefirant S S. Spiritus inijenire non pojjumm^ fortdjfis tamen in vicinum hortHm^fitu jHcundum^ fruSihus ornAtum^ ambu^ lachris hinc atq^ inde confpicHts ince^ demus^ d^ Fonte aqm ccelejii fcaturi* ente fitim levabinfus,
Et jam plane verendum eft^ ne ultra li mites excreverit EprJioU nofira^&Ji votum forjltan placeat^ nepetendi pro- lix it as naufeam erect 5 difficile erat nobis grejjum (ijiere tantojtimulo con- citatis^utcunq^ tanun non eji eadem EpiJioU & Spei periodus.
Vobis devotiffimi Theod. Verax I Theoph,C«laatus*
.1
Chap. I.
hat all Laws which beare the Title of Themis^ ought to refpeS their profit for whom they were made.
lA SLa.ws do differ not oriely in tbeir rx InftitutionSjbut their acceptance 5 ), it not Tyrannically impofedjthcy cen- T in the Publick good j For if by them lUQiane Society is maintained, Juftice ccccuted, Vertue favoured, fo that no lan may feare the infolency and oppref- Dri of another, we may conclude that ley profit and advance a Common- €alth : If every man duely receives hat ever belongs to him, he hath no iufe of commencing a Suit with any , or icomplaine, much It fle to engage in a ^ar-, but on the contrary, All (as in le golden Age ) (liall enjoy peace and rofpcrity : ^ But the Laws defend this Jice by which onely Peace is eftabli- B fccdj
I • 7he Myfieries and Lavpes
fhedj contention cnded^ 7hems ivorfliip- ped, andlaftly^all thins? in aflourJQiing liateandcondicion. Whence the Poets advifedly feigned Ihemis to he the Daughter of Heaven :iid Earth, to be the Sifter of ^^^twr^jand Aunt to Jupiter^ and have done her very much honour, and celebrated her Fame, becaufe (he (o conftantly adminiftred Juftice; forE- qiiity and upright deiling were by her cnjoyned, and all Vertues which might render men either acceptable to the gods> or ferviceablf to each other, were to be embraced. She therefore taught them ta live ;ulHy and contentedly,* to (hun vio- lence, in;uries and robbery , that they fhould ask nothing of the gods ( as Feftus obferves ) but what (hould favour of ho- nefty and Religion, or otherwrfe that their prayers would have no good ifTue, She furthermore faid that the great God did look down upon the earth, and view the aft ion's of men, whether good or evil 5 poi andthathefevercly punifted the wicked Jnd for their iniquity with eternal punidi- ment; that he rewarded the good for their integrity with a life which (hall neither end nor decay. Others were cf an opinion that thiAav
of the Rofecriiciam* ^
'thtmis was a Propheteffe aniongft the Grecians, and did foretel what fhould happeh, by which endowment (he got great Authority ; (b that they efteemed heran Enthufiafteflej and thought that (he had familiarity with SpiritSjnay even with the gods themfelvcsj from whom (he fpriing and had her Original j to v;hom alfo after herdeceafe (he was fuppofed to have returned, where they have enlarged her Commillion in relation to mankind. When (he was accoiinted the GoddeO'e of Juftice, by her Kings held their Domini- toions ; (hein(!rufted theni in their duties 0 to their Subjects, and made the rudemul- cy titude pay due honiage and fubjefiion to iltheir lawful Princes. She laid the foun- dation of Magiftracy, and built an order- ly ftru(^ure of Politicks 5 for which caufe fhe was in fohigh cftimation amoneit the Heathens, that they fuppofed the World :>yhcr Divinity to be upheld and fup- iDorced, They erected Temples to her, ind inftitutcd divine Rites and Cererao- fiies in honour of her. The firft that io(| was dedicated to her was in Bmiaut^v o the River Cephijfusy at which after the i^lood, Deucalion and Pyrrha are faid to bijiavc arrWed 5 where they enquired of the B a Oraclcj
(ly
4 Jbe Myfimes and Lawes
Crack, how mankind which had pcrr- ihed in [he Deluge, nii^ht again be refto- red, as Ovid Lib. primo.
k
Olbimisy fhe}p nhat Art tis that repairs^ Lsjt mankind ^ voiitibufe r' he/p cur junk^ y affairs.
This alfo was AUegorically fpokcn concerning our T^^>«.i,thatfhe being very prudent and more beautiful then all her Con terapora lief, was beloved cf Jupiter ; but after much follicitation he was repul- ^, fed, and all incercourie broken cff, till at iength (he was lurprized in Macsdonia^ and forced to be efpoufed to him, by whom (he was with childe, and brought forth three Daughters ; Equity, Jufticc, and Peaces She is reported to have had by the fame Jupiter a (on named Medms Fidius or the righteous, being Faiths Guardian ■-, wherefore an Oath fwornc by hts name was facred and unalterable: and this folemnity the Roman Patri- archs challenged to themfelves as their due, becaule it was held an cxecrabk thii^g for an ingenious man to be for- fworne. j
Although wc are confidtnt thatthcrci
was i
ki
of the Rofevrncians* 5
\n% never upon the face of the earth any "uch ihemis^ who after confultation re- urned that Oracle 5 much Icflcthatfhe vas tranflitttl into heaven, as the Hea- hens ignoranily imagined 5 yet we con* efle that the true /if ^ of Jdfticej or za Bniverfa^l notion of Vertue may herein ,' though occHltly) bt irjfinu4cft; for •JUt of her fpnngs good Laws, and not as bmc think out of Vice, which is oneiy I thing accidental.
This Equity keeps Kingdomes in fafety, Common- wealths aiid Cities in order, ifld laftly, emprovres Iraall beginnings to ^i grf at height and degree of perfe(^ion.
This Equity is that rule by which men DUght to frame their words and actions. ^t>iycletus a famous Statuarie made a 5ook in which was proportion ably ex*- ?rc(Icd to the life each member in mans >ody, and he called this a patterneby vhich other Artificers might examine uid proTC their peices. Such Rules in- deed there arc in all Arts and Sciences lamed Axioms, which by dedu things from tbcir principles do rightly :onclude.
This Equity doth fo poife all our mannertand aftions that they are not B 3 fwayed
6 ' The Myfterks andLawes
fwaycd to injuftice and wickedneflcj uhertby very many /nconveniencts are cfchewed which happily might lead us a- uay : For as Luxury and Riot are the caufes of difearesj lb in/uftice hath an- nexed to it a? an inieperable companion lofieancj punifbnienc: and on the con- trary, as Health renders men moft happy, notonely becaule of it feUc, but as it is big with other Benefics : fo by this Equi- ty ^ wholeiome Laws are cna^^ed to the great comfort and advantage of man- kind. But becaufe this is io cleare to every Rational man^ in vain are words f^' fpent to demonlirate it.
Chap. IL
k
ihofe Laws vfhkh the Founder of this m
Fraternity prefer 7 bed to the iL C. ^^
are all gocd and jyjt. ^'
AS no Rational man can deny the ab- folutenecell^ty of good Laws 5 fo
it IS moft fie that fnch Laws fhould have ^^
their due praifeand comaiendationsjthat ^^
of the RofecTHcians. j
'. le fluggard hereby might be pricked on
Vertue, and the diligent might have
is dcferved reward.
jjj Seing therefore that thefe Pofitions
J,, T Laws, laid down by the Father of the
05 ionourable Fraternity are worthy o£
„, pedal view, we (hall truly according to
,n heir nature, and the advantages men
jl nay receive from them. Crown them
,j, yithduecorrmendationSjCounting them
iOt onely worthy of acceptance, but an
[ncomium.
Firft it is moft reafonabie that every Jociety if it be nood, fhould be governed *y good Lawsi if otherwifejby bad : but hat this Society is good and lawful, we lo not ontiy iuppofe, but may gather roni particular circumftances to which heir Pofirions are agreeable.
Something miy be laid concerning
heir nu»nber of fix, which hath very
nuch of perfeftion in it ; (b that the So-
iety by an abundance of Laws is not in
:onfufion, nor yet by the paucity and
cwnefle tied up from all liberty. When
here are multitudes and great diverfity
DfLaws, we may probably conjefturc
^ hat there Will happen many crimes and
\ :normities5 for he that fleighteth the
B 4 ftreight
8 ihe Myfteries and Laws
flrdght path of Nature and Reafon, will cercainly bemifled into many windings and labyrniths before he comes to his journeys end. From thefe inconvenien- ces our Laws are free^ as well in quality as number ; they are voluntary, and fuch to whom all may eafily affent as moft Rational.
They folloiv in their order.
1. That every one of them who (hall travel, niuft profcflt Medicine and cure Gratis. ,
2. That none of them^ notwithftanding theirbeing of the Fraternity, Ihall bcen-^
'joyned one habit ; but may fuit theni^ felves to the Cuftome and Mode of thofc Countries in which they refide.
3. That each Brother of the Fraterni- ty (hall every yearc upon the day C. make his appearance in the place of the holy 5pirit,orel(e (ignihe by Letters the true caufe of his Abfence.
4. That every Brother (hall chufea fit perfon to be his ^ucctflbur after his deceafe.
5. That the word K. C, (hall be their Scale, Charafter, or Gognifance.
6. That this Fraternity (ball be con- ceal'd an hundred years.
The
of the Rofej^cians^ 9
The Brethren are folemnly fworn and riftly cngfged to each other^to keep and ibfervethefe Conditions and Articles; 1 all which we finde nothing either pre- iidicial to themfelves, or hurtful and njurious to others ; but that they have
excellent fcope and intention, which
I"s the glory of God and the good of their •Jcighbour. We (hall further profe cute ihefe things, and by running thorow heir feveral caufes and circutnftances, i'ive any one a greater 1 ight into them.
In the firft place, as touching thefirft l\uthor of thele Lawes, it will be worthy our conlideration to examine whether le had power and authority to make fuch Laws for himfelfe and others, and b(f requiring obedience thereto; then who was the Author ? and why his name hath been hitherto concealed > • 1 1 is moft certain that a Prince who is gts^H were an Head to his Subjects that are his Members, it is indeed a thing un- iqueftionable, but that he hath full power ibf making and ratifying of Lawes ; For chiefly it belongs to the Emperour, then to each King, becaufe they have right to govern. Lafily it concerns any Princes or Civil Magiltrates. 14 ' But
icif
nt'
JO ihe Myfieries and Lowes
But Lawes that are brought in by In- feriours, extend onely to thofe that have - a particular Relation to themj neither) are they long lived, nor do they excufci iipm the Lawes of Superiours, bdns, one-yjL, ly obligations which rcfpeft Tirne^Place^,; ^]j the Pei ion and Sub) eft. ^
Amongft the Andcnts thofe men who. were of beft repute for their Wifdomey Learning, Aurhority, Sincerity, and of,- greateft Experiences, might fet up Lawes in any City or Nation. Thus we fee that Mofei was made Ruler and Chcifcain amongft thv^ Hebrews, and amongft the Htathew thefirft Law-givers were called Zephyrians : after them Zaleiicus in imi- taticn of ths: Spartanes and Cretians C who were thought to have received An^ tient Lawes from Minos ) wrote fevere Lawec^and found out futable punifliment j, be left rules whereby men might try their aftions, fo that many afterwards were frighted into good manners % for before ii hmi Lawes were not written, but the (en-J j^^ tenctf and (late of the- caufe lay in the! Judges breaft.
Afferwards the Atheniam received J^wes from Draco and Solon\ upon which xhey proceeded in all Cou/ts of Judica- ture,
tad
W!
cftie Rofecrucianf^ 1 1
jre, from whom the Komans who lived iter the building of the City three hun- red yeares, had their Lawes of the velve Tables publifhed by the Vecem^ iri ; and thcfe in proctfle of time being ilargedby Kowja«^ Magiflratcs and the £fari-, becanae our Civil Law which at lis timt is ufed amongft us.
Other Nations alfo had their re-? )eftive Lawgiversj as Jtlgj^t had Prieft?, nd IfiSy who were taught by Meuury and hlcan. ( Thel'e were golden Lawes, and ich as owed their birth to the fire. ) 'abylon had the Caldtans^ Perfia had Mar itiansylndia had Brachamoftds, Ethiopia ad the Gyntrnjophifls ; amongft the Badri- m was Zam6lfis^2imor]^& the Cerinthians ras Fido^ amongft the Ntiefians was Hip- jdatnus^ amongft the CarthagimansvjZii haronda-, laftly amongft the Brittain&€ nd French the Druides*
From what hath already been faid lerc may be gathered thus much, viz. H'1'hat any one hath liberty ( his Compa- ^ ions complying and faithfully enga- ing ) to prefcribe Lawes to himfelfe and leni, efpecially if fuch Lawes arcfoun- ledupon Reafon and Equity; For fas he Comedian hath it ) amongft the good
ought
I Q 7he Myjieries a^clLawes
ought to be tranfafted juft and honef things 5 but as the combination of th« the wicked is unlawful, fo are thof* bands that oblige them damnable^whoft truftand fidelity are but true cheats anc fure deceits ; their conftancy but obftina- cy, their oaths curlings, their rules me- thods of villany, their lawes are com mands towickeduciTe.
Our Author indeed was a private man and no Magifirate ; but in his particulai relation he was inveftcd with much Au' thority, whereby he might oblige anc binde others, be both Lord and Father ol the SocietYj and the firft Author anc Founder of this goldenMedicineand Phi- lofophical Order. If any one fhall atccmp toufurpe jurifdiftion over any againf their wills and confent, he (hall findehii labour to be in vaine ; for he muft need, fuppofe them to have a prejudice againP fuch dcfigne.^. fince he playes the Bifliof inanothers Diocede: But certainly the cafe is different here, becaufe by a fain rcfignation they devoted theml'elves tc his command.