Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus his Divine pymander in seventeen books : together with his second book called Asclepius, containing fifteen chapters with a commentary / translated formerly out of the Arabick into Greek, and thence into Latine, and Dutch, and now out of the original into English by Dr. Everard.

TO The Reader.

Iudicious Reader,

THis Book may justly challenge the first place for antiquity, from all the Books in the World, being written some hundreds of yeers before Moses his time, as I shall endeavour to make good. The Originall (as far as is known to us) is Ara∣bick, and severall Translations thereof have been published, as Greek, Latine, French, Dutch, &c. but never English before. It is pity the * 1.1 Learned Translatour had not lived, and received himself, the honour, and thanks due to him from Englishmen; for his good will to, and pains for

them, in translating a Book of such infinite worth, out of the Originall, into their Mother∣tongue.

Concerning the Authour of the Book it self, Four things are considerable, viz. His Name, Learning, Countrey, and Time. 1. The name by which he was commonly styled, is, Hermes Trismegistus, i. e. Mercurius ter Maximus, or, The thrice greatest Intelligencer. And well might he be called Herm•…•…s, for he was the first Intelligencer in the World (as we read of) that communicated Knowledge to the sons of Men, by Writing, or Engraving. He was called Ter Maxi•…•…s, for some Reasons, which I shall afterwards men∣tion. 2. His Learning will ap∣pear; as by his Works, so by th•…•… right understanding the Reason of his Name. 3. For his Coun∣trey,

he was King of Egypt. 4. For his Time, it is not with∣out much Controversie, betwixt those that write of this Divine, ancient Author, what time he lived in. Some say he lived after Moses his time, giving this slen∣der Reason for it, viz. Because he was named Ter Maximus; for being preferred * 1.2 (ac∣cording to the Egyp∣tian Customs) being chief Philosopher, to be chief of the Priesthood; and from thence, to be chief in Government, or King. But if this be all their ground, you must excuse my dis∣sent from them, and that for this reason, Because according to the most learned of his * 1.3 followers, he was called Ter Maximus; for having perfect, and exact Knowledge

of all things contained in the World; which things he divi∣ded into Three Kingdoms (as he cals them,) viz. Mineral, Vege∣table Animal; which Three, he did excell in the right under∣standing of; also, because he at∣tained to, and transmitted to Posterity (although in an Aenig∣maticall, and obscure style) the Knowledge of the Quintestence of the whole Universe (which Universe, as I said before, he di∣vided into Three Parts) other∣wise called, The great Elixir of the Philosophers; which is the Receptacle of all Celestiall and Terrestiall Vertues; which Se∣cret, many ignorantly deny, ma∣ny have chargeably sought after, yet few, but some, yea, and En∣glish-men * 1.4, have hap∣pily found. The De∣scription of this great Treasure, is said to be found in∣graved

upon a Smaragdine Ta∣ble, in the Valley of Ebron, after the Flood. So that the Reason before alleaged to prove this Authour to live after Moses, seems invalid; neither doth it any way appear, that he lived in Moses his time, although it be the opinion of some, as of Iohu Functius, who saith in his Chro∣nology, That he lived twenty one yeers before the Law was given by Moses in the Wilder∣nesse: But the Reasons that he, and others give, are far weaker than those that I shall give, for his living before Moses his time. My reasons for that, are these; First, Because it is received a∣mongst the Ancients, that he was the first that invented the Art of communicating Know∣ledge to the World, by Writing or Engraving. Now if so, then in all probability he was before

Moses; for it is said of Moses, that he was from * 1.5 his childhood, skilled in all the Egyptian Learning which could not well have been with∣out the help of Literature, which we never read of any, before that invented by Hermes. Se∣condly, He is said by * 1.6 himself, to be the Son of Saturn, and by * 1.7 others to be the scribe of Saturn. Now Saturn, according to Historians, •…•…ived in the time of Sa•…•…g Abra∣•…•…ams great Grand-Father. I shall but take in Suidas his judg∣ment, and so rest satisfied, that he did live not onely before, but long before, Moses: His words are these, * 1.8 Credo Mercurium Trisme∣gistum sapientem Egyptium florn∣isse ante Pharaonem.

In this Book, though so very

old, is contained more true knowledge of God and Nature, than in all the Books in the World besides, I except onely Sacred Writ: And they that shall judiciously read it, and rightly understand it, may well be excused from reading many Books; the Authors of which, pretend so much to the know∣ledge of the Creatour, and Crea∣tion. If God ever appeared in any man, he appeared in him, as it appears by this Book. That a man who had not the benefit of his Ancestors knowledge, being, as I said before, The first In∣venter of the Art of Communi∣cating Knowledge to Posterity by writing, should be so high a Divine, and so deep a Philoso∣pher, seems to be a thing more of God, than of Man; and therefore it was the opinion of

some * 1.9; That he came from Heaven, not born upon Earth. There is con∣tained in this Book, that true Philosophy, without which, it is impossible ever to attain to the heighth, and exactnesse of Pie∣ty, and Religion. According to this Philosophy, I call him a Philosopher, that shall learn and study the things that are, and how they are ordered, and governed, and by whom, and for what cause, or to what end; and he that doth so, will acknow∣ledge thanks to, and admire the Omni potent Creator. Preserver, and Director of all these things. And he that shall be thus truly thankfull, may truly be called Pious, and Religious; and he that is Religious, shall more and more, know where, and what the Truth is: And learning

that, he shall yet be more and more Religious.

The glory and splendour of Philosophy, is an endevouring to understand the chief Good, as the Fountain of all Good: Now how can we come neer to, or finde out the Fountain, but by making use of the Streams as a conduct to it? The operations of Nature, are Streams run∣ning from the Fountain of Good, which is God. I am not of the ignorant, and foolish opi∣nion of those that say, The great∣est Philosophers, are the great∣est Atheists; as if to know the Works of God, and to under∣stand his goings forth in the Way of Nature, must necessi∣tate a man to deny God. The * 1.10 Scripture disapproves of this as a sottish Te∣nent, and experience contra∣dicts it: For behold! Here is

the greatest Philosopher, and therefore the greatest Divine.

Read understandingly this in∣suing Book (and for thy help, thou mayest make use of that voluminous * 1.11 Com∣mentary written up∣on it) then it will speak more for its Author, than can be spoken by any man, at least by me.

Thine in the love of the Truth, I. F.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Doct. Everard.
• * 1.2

  Franci∣scus Flussas
• * 1.3

  G•…•…ber Paracel. Henricus Nollius in theoria Phi∣losophia Her•…•…ticae tractatu primo.
• * 1.4

  Ripley, Bacon, Nor∣ton, &c.
• * 1.5

  Acts 7. 22
• * 1.6

  Chap. 10.
• * 1.7

  Sanch•…•…∣niaton.
• * 1.8

  Suidas.
• * 1.9

  Gorop•…•…s. Becanus.
• * 1.10

  Job 38.
• * 1.11

  Hannibal Rosseli Ca∣labar.