Asclepius (with the commentary), chapters 12–15

CHAP. XII.

BUt of Vacuity, which also with many seems to be a great matter, I thus think, that a Vacuity neither is, can, or shall be any thing; for all things of the world are most full parts, as the world it self is full of bodies different in quality and form, having both their form and greatnesse, of which one is greater than another, and one lesse than another, different in strength and weaknesse: for some of these easily seem to be the stronger, as the greater: but the lesser and smaller can scarcely, or not at all be seen, which things to be, we know onely by feeling, whereby it happeneth, that many beleeve that these are not bodies, or substances, but empty places, which is impossible; for if any thing be named out of the world, if there be any thing (which I hardly beleeve) therein so full of intelligible things, that is, things like to the Divinity, as this place which is called the sensible world, is full of bodies and creatures, agreeing both in nature and quality to it, all whose representations we see not; but some exceedingly great, some exceeding little, and short, which either through the length of distance, or that we are dull of eye-sight, they appear to be such unto us, or to be short; for their exceeding smalnesse they are supposed of some not to be. I speak now of Angels, which, I suppose, sojourn with us, and Spirits above us, which are betwixt the purest part of the air, and the earth, where there is neither place […]or Clouds, nor commotion by the motion of any Meteor, Comet, or Signe. In this respect, O Asclepius, thou canst say nothing to be subject to Vacuity, unlesse thou vauntest there may be a Vacuity of what thou affirmest to be empty, as a Vacuity from the fire, from the water, and from the like, which although it happens to seem so (For that may be void of such things, which are great, or little, which makes it seem empty) yet there cannot be a Vacuity of Spirit, and Air. The like also we may speak of a place, for the word onely wants understanding; for a place appeareth what it is, from that of which it is: for when the principall name is taken away, the signification, or interpretation is imperfect. Wherefore the place of water, the place of fire, or such like, we truly say; for as it is impossible for any thing to be void, or empty, so the place alone what it is cannot be known. For if you put the place without that of which it is, it shall seem to be an empty place, which I beleeve the world hath not: For if there be no Vacuity, neither a place appeareth what it is by it self, unlesse you shall adde unto it, either longitudes, latitudes, or altitudes, as signes to the bodies of men. These things being so, Asclepius, and you that are present know, that the intelligible World that is God, who is known only by the sight of the soul, is incorporeal; neither can any thing corporall be mixed with his Nature, that is, which may be known by quality, quantity, and numbers, for no such thing abideth in him; therefore this world, which is called sensible, is the receptacle of all sensible Species, qualities, or bodies; all which without God, cannot receive Vegetation, and be refreshed; for all things are God, and from him and his will are all things: that which is wholly good, comely and wise, sensible and intelligible, belongs to him alone, and without this there neither is, hath, or shall be any thing; for all things are from him, in him, and by him, both qualities of many shapes, and great quantities, and greatnesse exceeding measure, and varieties of Species and Forms, which if you shall understand, O Asclepius, you will give God thanks, and if you shal wel observe the whole, you shal by true reason perfectly learn, that the world it self is sensible, and all things that are in it, to be covered (as with a garment) from that upper world; for every kinde of creature, O Asclepius, of what kind soever, as well mortal, immortal, or rational, whether it be a living creature, or be not, each of them retain the image and form of their kinde, and albeit every kind of creature possesseth the full form of his kind; yet in the same form of shews, they are all unlike one to another, as the Genus of men, although it be uniform, that a man may naturally be known, yet all of them are in the same form unlike to themselves; for the Species, which is divine, is in[…]orporeal, and whatsoever else is comprehended in the soul, or mind: seeing therefore these two, of which the Form consisteth, are corporeal, and incorporeal, it is impossible that every Form should be created, or born like one to another, the moments of hours and climates differing, and being distant, but are changed so often, as an hour hath minutes, in which is that God of all shapes we have spoken of; therfore the Species, or Form, remaineth, begetting so often from it self, so many, and so different shapes, as the course of the world hath moments, which world is turned by conversion and changes, but the Species is neither turned, nor changed. So the Forms of each kind are permanent and stable, but unlike to themselves in the same Form.

Asclep. And the world changeth his Species, or Form, O Trismegistus.

Trism. Do you perceive therefore, O Asclepius, that all things are spoken unto thee, as to one in a sleep, or in a dream? For what is the world, or of what consisteth it, but of all things created?

Asclep. Therefore you mean to speak of the Heaven, and of the Earth & of the Elements, Trismegistus? For other things are more frequently changed into Forms, the Heaven moystening, or drying up, cooling or heating, bright or lowring. In one Form of the Heaven, these things are, which Forms are altered by the Form, also the Earth hath alwayes many alterations of her Form; as when it bringeth forth fruits, and when it nourisheth her fruits, and when it giveth sundry and divers qualities, and quantities of all fruits, and places, and times, for the qualities, sents, relishes, and forms of all trees, flowers, and berries. The fire also hath many and divine alterations; for the Forms of the Sun and the Moon, they are of all shapes; for they are (as it were) our looking-glasses for representation. But of these things enough.

The COMMENTARY.

This twelfth Chapter declareth, that there is no Vacuity, or Emptinesse in things; that Angels are conversant, and dwell with us, who, in regard of their too much subtilty, are not perceived of us; that Spirits possesse the purer part of the Air; the alone name of a place to be void, that it belongs to somewhat, which being not understood, it cannot be conceived what a place is, and that is common to all Relatives. He affirmeth an intelligible World, with which the sensible World, and all things in it, are veiled as with a garment seeing who is contained in the intelligible World, that the Forms of all kinds whatsoever, that are of one shape, are unlike, and that according to the circles, moments, and minutes of hours, of which he maketh Pantomorphos Lord, whom before he affirmed to be God of the Horoscopes: but we acknowledge no such God: but leave it to the folly and ignorance of the Gentiles: if any as yet be so apparantly blind, mad, and stupified; but we, according to the saying of St. Paul, have but one God, the Father, in whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him. The Species and Forms, that is, the Idea's of which there is so much dispute with Plato and the Platonicks, the immutable and unchangeable Forms he placeth in Pantomorphos, having this name, as though he consisted of all shapes, and of every Idea, from which severall hours and moments, every particular Form is diversly shaped; but that the rest are mutable, as the World, the Heaven, and the Earth, but there are who account Mercurius his Pantamorphos, and Plato his Idea to be meer forged things and fictions.

This is the summe of the twelfth Chapter.

CHAP. XIII.

LEt us return again to man, and to reason, by which divine gift, man is called a reasonable creature, for those things are lesse to be wondered at, (albeit they deserve admiration) which are only spoken of man. But of all wonders this is the greatest wonder, that man could find out and supply the divine nature: because therefore, our forefathers erred much, being incredulous about the reason and nature of the Gods, and not looking into divine worship, and religion, they found out an art whereby they might make them gods; to which invention they joyned the work of nature, and because they could not make souls, they called out the souls of Devils or Spirits, and put them into their Idols, and divine Mysteries, by which alone the Idols had power to do either good or hurt. For thy Grandfather, O Asclepius, was the first inventer of Physick, to whom a Temple is consecrated in a mountain of Libya, or Africa, near unto the shoare of Crocodiles, in which lieth his body; the rest of him, or rather the whole of him being his better and Spirituall part, is gone back again to Heaven, affoording all manner of help and cure to diseased and sick persons, now by vertue of his diety, as he was wont to give before by art or skill of Physick, and Hermes which was the name of my Auncestors, doth not he now in his Country reteining that sirname, cure all persons that come from all parts to him? Also Isis the wife of Osiris being well pleased how much good she hath done? and displeased, how much evil do we know? for it is an easy matter for earthly gods to be displeased, seeing that they are made of the same nature that man is, whereupon it happened that these holy creatures were called upon, and their soules worshipped throughout every City, by the Aegyptians who living consecrated them so that they continued in their Lawes, and were called by their names: for this cause O Asclepius, those which seem to some worthy to be worshiped and honoured to others seem otherwise, therefore Aegyptian Cities are wont to fall out, and warr one with another.

Asclep. And what is the quality or substance O Trismegistus of these earthly Gods?

Trism. It consisteth, O Asclepius, of herbs, of Stones, of Spices which have in them a naturall power of divinity, and for this cause they are delighted with often sacrifices, Hymns, praises, and most sweet musick resembling an Heavenly harmony, that that which is Heavenly may by a Heavenly and frequent use be allured into the Idol, and there stay a long time, as glad and desirous of humane society: so man is the feigner of the gods, and you should not suppose the effects of these earthly gods to be casual, O Asclepius, the Heavenly Gods inhabite the highest heavenly places fulfilling and preserving that order which he hath received. But these our Gods, regarding peculiarly certain things, and foretelling some things by lot and conjecture, foreseeing many things and after a manner helping them, become as it were by a friendly alliance aiders unto mens affairs.

The COMMENTARY.

This Thirteenth Chapter is full of impiety like unto the ninth, wherein Mercurius will have a man to be most divine, and most to be admired; he is certainly most impious, and profane, to wit that he shall be the inventer of Idolatry, that he should thrust in devilish Spirits called up into Idols, and adde Rites, and sacrifices concerning Aesculapius Mercurius, Isis, O[…]ris, which were worshipped of the Aegyptians; and of those plants and creatures which in Aegypt were esteemed holy, and had in reverence of herbs, and Stones, musick and hymns, with which they did appease & reconcile those Spirits which were put into their Idols and Images, which still some Pythonists are accustomed to do at this day (O naughty age) who think that they have Spirits closed up either in rings or boxes: a most impious sort of men, hatefull to God and man; a very profest enemie: and against this profane error of impiety, St. Augustine well inveigheth in his book of the City of God.

This for the 13. Chapter.

CHAP. XIV.

ASclep. What part therefore of the world do the fates abide in, O Trismegistus? If the Heavenly Gods beare universal rule, do the earthly Gods which we call Fortune and Fate inhabite in particular places?

Trism. O Asclepius, that is the necessity of all things that are governed, that they are alwayes joyned and lincked together: this is therefore the efficient cause of things, or the most high God, or next unto God, which second effect is God, or the discipline, of all earthly and Heavenly things, stablished by divine lawes. These therefore, Fortune and Necessity, are both tyed together by an individuall knot. The former of which, Fortune or Fate, begets the beginning of all things, but Necessity enforceth them to their effects, which depends from those beginnings. Order, followeth these, which is the continuance, and disposition of time in bringing things to passe, for nothing is without the agreement of Order. In all these this world is perfit, for the world it self is carried by Order, or consisteth wholly of Order: wherefore these 3. Fate, Necessity, and Order, are brought to passe, especially by the will of God, who governeth the world by his own Law and divine reason. By these therefore both will and nill are by a divine hand fully crossed; for they are neither moved by anger, nor bowed by favour, but serve the necessity of eternall reason, which Eternity is unchangeable, immoveable, and insoluble. Fate therefore is the first; which, the seed being as it were cast in, receives the encrease of all future things. Necessity follows, by which all things are enforced violently to their effects. The Third is Order, which preserveth the frame of those things which Fate and Necessity hath disposed of. This is therefore eternity, which neither hath beginning nor ending, which by a fixed immutable law of continuall motion is preserved. It riseth and falls oftentimes by course, so that when the times vary, it riseth again in those same parts in which it fell, for so is reason a voluble rotundity that all are so firmely joyned that you cannot know what is the beginning of volubility, when all things seem to go before, and follow themselves, for chance and fortune are mixed in all worldly things.

The COMMENTARY.

The fourteenth Chapter speaketh of the Destinies, which he calleth Fate, Necessity, and Order; others, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. About which the Ethnicks were not wont lesse to trifle, than about other gods, which they feigned unto themselves, coyning new and wonder-working Deities: but Mercurius treats of these more briefly and sparingly, and (as it were) doubtfully, like as these three should be the determination, and predestination of the Divine Will; which Necessity of things, as they be, follows; which lastly Order preserves, even as it is stablished by Divine and Eternall Law: So that the first Fate is Divine Predestination; the second, Consequence of things; and the third, Preservation. And these three, or the Divine Law, or those things that follow the course of Divine Law, contein the order both of finite causes, and those which are according to nature, but yet Fate admitteth in casuall things indefinite, and indeterminate causes beyond nature: but of these let others judge.

And this for this present part.

CHAP. XV.

VVE have spoken of all things as we could, and as the divinity would suffer and permit: It onely remaines that we praise God and pray unto him, and so return to the care of the body. For treating sufficiently of divine matters, we have satified our minds as it were with the food of the soul. But as they passed out of the cloyster, when they began to pray to God, they looked back towards the South; for when the Sun setteth, if any man will pray to God, he ought to look that way; as also when the Sun riseth, to look East: Now as they were saying their prayers, Asclepius said, with a low voice. O Tatius let us put the Father in mind that he command that we should dedicate our prayers unto God, with an addition of frankincense, and incense. Trismegistus hearing of it, and being moved, saith. Guess better O Asclepius, for this is like unto theft when you pray unto God to burn frankinsence, and the like: for nothing is wanting unto him, who himself is all things, for in him are all things; but let us give thanks, and adore him, for these are the cheif sacrifices of God, when thankes are given of mortall men. We give thee thankes, O great and glorious God, for by thy grace only we have attained to the Light of thy knowledge. Thou Name, holy and worthy to be honoured, one name by which God as a Father is devoutly to be praised, because thou vouchsafest to give unto all fatherly piety religion and love, or whatsoever thing else is of most efficacy, when thou dost reward us with sense, reason, and understanding; with sense that we may know thee; with reason, that we may look up unto thee, and search into thy divine nature; with understanding that knowing thee we may rejoyce in thee, and being preserved by thy Majesty, we may delight our selves in thee, that thou wast pleased to shew thy self wholly unto us: let us give thankes that thou hast vouchsafed to consecrate us, who are placed in these earthly rabernacles to be heirs of eternity. For this is only mans congratulation and knowledge of thy Majesty. We have known thee, thou great Light, by reason we have known thee to be the most wise and sensible God, O true way of Life, O fruitfull encrease of all naturall things; we have known thee in the full conception of thy whole nature, we have known thee in thy eternity, for in all this our prayer adoring the bounty of thy goodnesse, we only beseech thee, that thou wilt be pleased to continue us in the love of thy knowledge, and that by this kind of life we be never separated from thee: desiring this we betake us to a pure Supper without flesh.

The COMMENTARY.

This Fifteenth Chapter religiously endeth the Dialogue with giving of thankes. When thanksgiving and adoration is ended, Mercurius, Asclepius Amnon and Tatius, the Four men which filled the holy place or cloister, according to the religious Rites of the Aegyptians, betake themselves to a pure banket not consisting of flesh: and thus far Hermes, of the will of God.

FINIS.