The Divine Pymander/Book 2
The Second Book
Called
Poemander
My Thoughts being once seriously busied about the things that are, and my Understanding lifted up, all my bodily senses being exceedingly holden back, as it is with them that are very heavy of Sleep, by reason either or fulness of meat, or of bodily labor. Me thought I saw one of an exceeding great stature, and of infinite greatness call me by my name, and say unto me, What wouldn't thou hear and see, or what wouldn't thou understand, to learn, and know
2. Then said I Who art thou, I am quoth hr Poemander, the minde of the great Lord the most Mighty and absolute Emperor: I Know what thou wouldst have, and I am always present with thee
3. Then said I, I would learn the things that are and understand the nature of them and Know God
How said he: I answered that I would gladly hear
Then he Have me again in thy minde and whatsoever thou wouldst learn, I will reach thee
4 When he had thus said, he was changed in his Idea or FOrm, and straight way in the twinekling of an eye, all things were opened unto me: had I saw an infinite sight, all things were become light, both sweet and exceedingly pleasant; and I was wonderfully delighted in the beholding it
5 But after a little while, there was a darkness made in part, coming down obliquely, fearful and hideous, which seemed unto me to be changed into a certain moyst nature, unspeakably troubled, which yielded a smoke as from fire; and from whence proceeded a voyce unutterable, and very mournful, but inarticulate, insomuch that it seemed to have come from the Light.
6. Then from that. Light, a certain holy Word joyned it self unto Nature, and out-flew the pure and unmixed Fire from the moyst Nature upward on high; it was exceeding light, and sharp, and operative withal. And the Air which was also light, followed the Spirit and mounted up to Fire, (from the Earth and the Water) insomuch that it seemed to hang and depend upon it.
7. And the Earth, and the Water, stayed by themselves so mingled together, that the Earth could not be seen for the Water; but they were moved, because of the Spiritual Word that was carried upon them.
8. Then said Poemander unto me, Dost thou understand this vision, and what it meaneth? I shall know, said I: Then said he, I am that Light, the Winde, thy God, who am before that moyst Nature that appeared out of darkness; and that bright and lighful Word from the Wine, is the Son of God.
9. How is that quoth I? Thus, replyed he, Understand it: That which in thee seeth and heareth, the Word of the Lord, and the Winde, the Father, God, differ not one from the other; and the union of these, is Life.
Trismeg. I thank thee. Pimand. But first conceive well the Light in thy minde, and know it.
10. When he had thus said, for a long time we looked stedfastly one upon the other, insomuch,that I trembled at his Idea or Form.
11. But when he nodded to me, I beheld in my minde 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 most great Power, and constrained to keep its station.
12. These things, I understood, seeing the word of Pimander; and when I was mightily amazed, he said again unto me, Hast thou seen in thy minde that Archetypal Form, which was before the interminated and infinite Beginning? Thus Pimander 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 it self.
3. For the Minde being God, Male and Female, Life and Light, brought forth by his Word; another Minde, the Workman: Which being God of the Fire, and the Spirit, fashioned and formed seven other Governors, which in their Circles contain the Sensible World, whose Government or Disposition is called Fate or Destiny.
14. Straightway leaped out, or exalted it self from the downward born Elements of God, the Word of God, into the clean and pure Workmanship of Nature, and was united to a Workman, Minde, for it was Consubstantial; and so the downward born Elements of Nature were left without Reason, that they might be the onely Matter.
15. But the Workman, Minde, 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 Begining, to an undeterminable End; for they always begin where they end.
16. And the Circulation or running round of these, as the Minde willeth, out of the lower or downward-born Elements brought forth unreasonable or bruitish 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 other, as the Minde would; and the Earth brought forth from her self, such Living Creatures as she had, four footed and creeping Beasts, wilde and tame.
18. But the Father of all things, the Minde 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 enamored 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 fall to work, and so was separated from the Father, being in the sphere of Generation or Operation.
20. Having all Power,he consider- -ed 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 under- -stand the Power of him that sits upon the Fire.
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 through the strength of the Circles, so shewed and made manifest the downward-born Nature , the fair and beautiful Shape or Form of God.
23. Which when he saw, having in itself the unsatiable Beauty, and all the Operation of the Seven governors, and the Form or Shape of God, he smiled for love, as if he had seen the Shape or Likeness in the Wa- -ter, or the shadow upon the Earth of the fairest Humane form.
24. And seeing in the Water a shape, a shape like unto himself, in himself he loved it, and would coha- -bit with it ; and immediately upon the resolution, ensued the Operation, and brought forth the unreasonable Image or Shape.
25. Nature presently laying hold of what it so much loved, did wholly wrap her self about it, and they were mingled, for they loved one another
26. And for this cause, Man above all things that live upon Earth, is double; mortal, because of his Body, and immortal, because of the substan- -tial Man: For 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 Her- -maphrodite, or Male and Female, and watchful, he is governed by, and sub- -jected to a Father, that is both Male and Female, and watchful.
28. After these things, I said, Thou art my Minde, and I am in love with Reason.
29. Then said Pimander, This is the Mystery that to this day is hidden, and kept secret ; for Nature being mingled with Man, brought forth a Wonder most wonderful ; for he having the Nature of the Harmony of the Seven, from him whom I told thee, the Fire and the Spirit, Nature continued not, but forthwith brought forth seven Men all Males and Fe- -males,and sublime,or on high, accord- -ing to the Natures of the Seven Go- -vernors.
30. And after these things, O Pomander, 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. Trism. Behold, I am silent.
33. Piman. The Generation there- -fore of these Seven was after this maner, The Air being Feminine, and the Water desirous of Copulation, took from the Fire its ripeness, and from the æther 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 Winde, of Life the Soul, of Light the Winde.
35. And so all the Members of the Senfible World, continued unto the period of the end, bearing rule, and generating.
36. Hear now the rest of that speech, thou so much desirest 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 Creatures being Hermaphroditical, or Male and Female, were loosed and untied together with Man ; and so the Males were apart by themfelves, and the Females likewise.
38. And straight-ways God said to the Holy Word, Encrease in encreasing, and multiply in multitude all you my Creatures and Workmanships. And let him that is endued with Wine, know himself to be immortal; and that the cause of death is the love of the boar, and let him learn all things that are.
29. When he had thus said, Providence by Fate and Harmony, made the mixtures, and established the Generations, and all things were multiplied according to their kinde; and he that knew himself, came at length to the Superstantial of every way substantial good.
40. But he that through the Error of Love, loved the Body, abidPage:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/52 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/53 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/54 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/55 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/56 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/57 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/58 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/59 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/60 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/61 Page:The Divine Pymander (1650).djvu/62