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HErm. All that is moved, O Asclepius, is it not mo∣ved in some thing, and by some thing?
2. Asclep. Yes indeed.
3. Herm. Must not that, in which a thing is moved, of ne∣cessity be greater than the thing that is moved?
4. Of necessity.
5. And that which moveth, is it not stronger than thatwhich is moved?
6. Asclep. It is stronger.
7. Herm. That in which a thing is moved, must it not needs have a Nature contrary to that of the thing that is moved?
8. Asclep. It must needs.
9. Herm. Is not this great World a Body, than which there is no greater?
10. Asclep. Yes, confessedly?
11. Herm. And is it not so∣lid, as filled with many great Bodies, and indeed, with all the Bodies that are?
12. Asclep. It is so.
13. Herm. And is not the World a Body, and a Body that is moved?
14. Asclep. It is.
15. Herm. Then what a kinde of place must it be, where∣in it is moved, and of what Na∣ture? Must it not be much big∣ger, that it may receive the con∣tinuity of Motion? and lest
that which is moved, should for want of room be stayed, and hindered in the Motion?
16. Asclep. It must needs be an •…•…immense thing, Trismegi∣stus; but of what Nature?
17. Herm. Of a contrary Nature, O Asclepius; but is not the Nature of things unbo∣dily, contrary to a Body?
18. Asclep. Confessedly.
19. Herm. Therefore the place is unbodily; but that which is unbodily, is either some Divine thing, or God himself. And by some thing Divine, I do not mean that which was made or begotten.
20. If therefore it be Divine, it is an Essence or Substance; but if it be God, it is above Es∣sence; but he is otherwise in∣telligible.
21: For the first, God is in∣telligible, not to himself, but to
us; for that which is intelligi∣ble, is subject to that which un∣derstandeth by Sense.
22. Therefore God is not intelligible to himself; for not being any other thing from that which is understood, he cannot be understood by himself.
23. But he is another thing from us; and therefore is he un∣derstood by us.
24. If therefore Place be in∣telligible, it is not Place, but God; but if God be intelligi∣ble, he is intelligible not as Place, but as a capable Opera∣tion.
25. Now every thing that is moved, is moved, not in or by that which is moved, but in that which standeth or resteth; and that which moveth, standeth or resteth: for it is impossible it should be moved with it.
26. Asclep. How then, O
Trismegistus, are those things that are here, moved with the things that are moved? for thou sayest, that the Spheres that wander are moved by the Sphere that wanders not.
27. Herm. That, O Ascle∣pius, is not a moving together, but a countermotion; for they are not moved after a like man∣ner, but contrary one to the o∣ther: And contrariety hath a standing resistance of motion, for the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or resistance, is a staying of motion.
28. Therefore the wander∣ing Spheres being moved con∣trarily to that Sphere which wandereth not, shall have one from another contrariety stand∣ing of it self.
29. For this Bear which thou seest neither rise nor go down, but turning alwayes a∣bout the same; dost thou think
it moveth or standeth still?
30. Asclep. I think it moves, Trismegistus.
31. What motion, O Ascle∣pius?
32. Asclep. A motion that is alwayes carried about the same.
33. But the Circulation which is about the same, and the moti∣on about the same, are both hid∣den 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 mo∣tion stands fast alwayes, being alwayes established by the con∣trariety.
35. But I will give thee con∣cerning this matter, an earthly example, that may be seen with eyes.
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 car∣ried with the Water, not sink underneath it.
37. Asclep. Thou hast laid down a very clear example, Tris∣megistus.
38. Herm. Therefore every motion is in station, and is mo∣ved of station.
39. The motion then of the World, and of every materiall living thing, happeneth not to be done by those things that are without the World; but by those things within it, a Soul, or Spirit, or some other unbodily thing, to those things which are without it.
40. For an inanimated Body
doth not now, much lesse a Bo∣dy if it be wholly inanimate.
41. Asclep. What meanest thou by this, O Trismegistus? Wood and Stones, and all other inanimate things, are they not moving Bodies?
42. Herm. By no means, O Asclepius, for that within the Body which moves the inani∣mate thing, is not the Body; that moves both as well the Bo∣dy 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, va∣cuum, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
46. Be advised, O Ascle∣pius, for of all the things that are, there is nothing empty, only that which is not, is empty and a stranger to existence or be∣ing.
47. But that which is, could not be, if it were not full of ex∣istence; for that which is in being or existence, can never be made empty.
48. Asclep. Are there not therefore some things that are empty, O Trismegistus, as an empty Barrell, an empty Hog∣shead, an empty Well, an emp∣ty Wine-Presse, and many such like?
49. Herm. O the grossnesse of thy Error, O Asclepius,
those things that are most full and replenished, dost thou ac∣count them voyd and emp∣ty?
50. Aclep. What may be thy meaning, Trismegistus?
51. Herm. Is not the Air a•…•… a Body?
52. Asclep. It is a Body.
53. Herm. Why then this Body, doth it not passe through all things that are? and passing through them, fill them? and that Body doth it not consist of the mixture of the four? there∣fore all those things which thou callest empty, are full of Ayr.
54. Therefore those things that thou callest empty, thou oughtest to call them hollow, not empty; for they exist and are full of Ayr and Spirit.
55. Asclep. This reason is beyond all contradiction, O Trismegistus: but what shall
we call the Place, in which the whole Universe is moved?
56. Herm. Call it incorpo∣reall, O Asclepius.
57. Asclep. What is that in∣corporeall or unbodily?
58. Herm. The mind and Rea∣son, the whole, wholly compre∣hending it self, free from all Body, undeceiveable invisible, impassible from a Body it self, standing fast in it self, capable of all things, and that savour of the things that are.
59. Whereof the God, the Truth, the Archetypall Light, the Archetype of the Soul, are as it were Beams.
60. Asclep. Why then, what is God?
61. Herm. That which is none of these things, yetis, and is the cause of Being to all, and every one of the things that are; for he left nothing destitute of Being.
62. And all things are made of things that are, and not of things that are not; for the things that are not, have not the nature to be able to be made; and again, the things that are, have not the nature never to be, or not to be at all.
63. Asclep. What dost thou then say at lenghth, that God is?
64. Herm. God is not a Minde, but the cause that the Minde is; not a Spirit, but the Cause that the Spirit is; not Light, but the Cause that Light is.
65. Therefore we must wor∣ship God by these two Appella∣tions, which are proper to him alone, and to no other.
66. For neither of all the other, which are called Gods, nor of Men, nor Demons, or
Angels, can any one be, though never so little, good, save on∣ly God alone.
67. And this He is, and no∣thing else; but all other things are separable from the nature of Good.
68. For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of, or can contain the Good.
69. For the greatnesse of Good, is as great as the Ex∣istence 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 Ignorance they call both the Gods, and some men Good, that can ne∣ver either be or be made so.
73. Therefore all the other Gods are honored with the title and appellation of God, but God is the Good, not according to Heaven, but Nature.
74. For there is one Nature of God, even the Good, and one kinde of them both, from whence all are kindes.
75. For he that is good, is the giver of all things, and takes nothing; and therefore God gives all things, and receives nothing.
76. The other title and ap∣pellation, 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 impie∣ty, for any to be separated from men, without children; and this man is punished after death by the Demons, and the pun∣ishment is this, To have the Soul of this childlesse man, ad∣judged and condemned, to a Body that neither hath the na∣ture of a man, nor of a woman, which is an accursed thing un∣der the Sun.
79. Therefore, O Asclepius, never congratulate any man that is childlesse; but on the contrary, pity his misfortune, knowing wha t punishment abides, and is prepared for him.
80. Let so many, and such manner of things, O Asclepi∣us, be said as a certain precogni∣tion of all things in Nature.