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THe Workman made this Universall World, not with his Hands, but his Word.
2. Therefore thus think of him, as present every where, and being always, and making all things; and one above, that by his Will hath framed the things that are.
3. For that is his Body, not tangible nor visible, nor mea∣surable, nor extensible, nor like any other body
4. For it is neither Fire, nor Water, nor Air, nor Wind, but all these things are of him; for being Good, he hath dedi∣cated that name unto himself alone.
5. But he would also adorn the Earth, but with the Orna∣ment of a Divine Body.
6. And he sent Man an Im∣mortall, and a Mortall wight.
7. And Man had more then all living Creatures, and the World; because of his Speech, and Minde.
8. For man became the spectator of the Works of God, and wondered, and acknow∣ledged the Maker.
9. For he divided Speech among all men, but not Minde, and yet he envied not any; for Envy comes not thither, but is of abode here below in the Souls of men, that have not the Minde.
10. Tat. But wherefore, Fa∣ther, did not God distribute the Minde to all men?
11. Herm. Because it pleas∣ed him, O Son, to set that in the middle among all souls, as a reward to strive for.
12. Tat. And where hath he set it?
13. He•…•…. Filling a large Cup or Bowl therewith, he •…•…t it down, giving also a Cryer or Proclaimer.
14. And he commanded him to proclaim these things to the souls of men.
15. Dip and wash thy self, thou that art able in this Cup or Bowl: Thou that beleevest, that thou shalt return to him that sent this Cup; thou that acknowledgest whereunto thou wert made.
16. As many therefore as understood the Proclamation,
and were baptized or dowsed into the Minde, these were made pertakers of Knowledge, and became perfect men, re∣ceiving the Minde.
17. But as many as missed of the Proclamation, they received Speech, but not Minde; being ignorant whereunto they were made, or by whom.
18. But their Senses are just like to bruit Beasts, and having their temper in Anger and Wrath, they do not admire the things worthy of looking on.
19. But wholly addicted to the pleasures and desires of the Bodies, they beleeve that man was made for them.
20. But as many as partaked of the gift of God; these, O Tat, in comparison of their works, are rather immortall then mor∣tall men.
21. Comprehending all things
in their Minde, which are upon Earth, which are in heaven, and if there be any thing above Heaven.
22. And lifting up them∣selves so high, they see the Good; and seeing it, they account it a miserable calamity to make their abode here.
23. And despising all things bodily and unbodily, they make haste to the One and Only.
24. Thus, O Tat, is the Knowledge of the Minde, the beholding of Divine things, and the Understanding of God, the Cup it self being Divine.
25. Tat. And I, O Father, would be baptized & drenched therein.
26. Herm. Except thou first hate thy body, O Son, thou canst not love thy self, but loving thy self thou shalt have the Minde, and having
the Minde, thou shalt also par∣take the Knowledge or Science.
27. Tat. How meanest thou that, O Father?
28. Herm. Because it is im∣possible, O Son, to be conver∣sant about things Mortall and Divine.
29. For the things that are, being two Bodies, and things incorporeall, wherein is the Mortal and the Divine, the Ele∣ction or Choice of either is left to him that will chuse: For no man can chuse both.
30. And of which soever the choice is made, the other being diminished or overcome, mag∣nifieth the act and operation of the other.
31. The choice of the better therefore, is not onely best for him that chuseth it, by deifying a man; but it also sheweth Piety and Religion towards God.
32. But the choice of the worse destroyes a man, but doth nothing against God; save that as Pomps or Pageants, when they come abroad, cannot do any thing themselves, but hin∣der; after the same manner also do these make Pomps or Page∣ants in the World, being sedu∣ced by the pleasures of the Body.
33. These things being so, O Tat, that things have been, and are so plenteously ministered to us from God; let them proceed also from us, without any scar∣city or sparing.
34. For God is innocent or guiltlesse, but we are the causes of Evil, preferring them before the Good.
35. Thou seest, O Son, how many Bodies we must go be∣yond, and how many Quiers of Demons, and what continuity and courses of Stars, that we
may make haste to the One, and onely God.
36. For the Good is not to be transcended, it is unbounded and infinite; •…•…nto it self with∣out beginning, but unto us, seeming to have a beginning, e∣ven our knowledge of it.
37. For our knowledge is not the beginning of it, but shews us the beginning of its being known unto us.
38. Let us therefore lay hold of the beginning, and we shall quickly go thorow all things.
39. It is indeed a difficult thing, to leave those things that are accustomable, and present, and turn us to those things that are ancient, and according to the Originall.
40. For these things that ap∣pear, delight us, but make the things that appear not, hard to beleeve, or the things that ap∣pear
not, are hard to beléeve.
41. The things most appa∣rent are Evil, but the Good is secret, or hid in, or to the things that appear; for it hath neither Form nor Figure.
42. For this cause it is like to it self, but unlike every thing else; for it is impossible, that any thing incorporeall, should be made known, or appear to a Body.
43. For this is the difference between the like and the un∣like; and the unlike wanteth al∣wayes somewhat of the like.
44. For the Unity, Begin∣ning, and Root of all things, as being the Root and Beginning.
45. Nothing is without a be∣ginning, but the Beginning is of nothing, but of it self; for it is the Beginning of all other things.
46. Therefore it is, seeing it
is not from another •…•…eginning.
47. Unity therefore being the Beginning, containeth eve∣ry number; but it self is con∣tained of none, and begetteth every number, it self being be∣gotten of no other number.
48. Every thing that is be∣gotten (or made) is imperfect, and may be divided, increased, diminished.
49. But to the perfect, there happeneth none of these.
50. And that which is increa∣sed, is increased by Unity▪ but is consumed & vanished through weaknesse, being not able to re∣ceive the Unity.
51. This Image of God, have I described to thee, O Tat, as well as I could; which if thou do diligently consider, and view by the eyes of thy minde and heart, beleeve me, Son, thou shalt finde the way to the things a∣bove,
or rather the Image it self will lead thee.
52. But the spectacle or sight, hath this peculiar and pro∣per: Them that can see, and be∣hold it, it holds fast and draws unto it, as they say the Load∣stone doth Iron.