The Sacred Teachings

For Generation and Time, in Heaven and in Earth, are of

a double Nature; in Heaven they are unchangeable and

incorruptible; but on Earth they are changeable and

corruptible.

And the Soul of Eternity is God; and the Soul of the

World, Eternity; and of the Earth, Heaven.

God is in the Mind, the Mind in the Soul, the Soul in the

Matter, all things by Eternity.

All this Universal Body, in which are all Bodies, is full of

Soul, the Soul full of Mind, the Mind full of God.

For within he fills them, and without he contains them,

quickening the Universe.

Without, he quickens this perfect living thing the World,

and within all living Creatures.

And above in Heaven he abides in Identity or Selfness,

but below upon Earth he changeth Generation.

Eternity comprehendeth the World either by necessity,

or Providence, or Nature.

And if any man shall think any other thing, it is God that

actuateth, or operateth this All.

But the operation or Act of God, is Power insuperable, to

which none may compare anything, either Humane or

Divine.

Therefore, O Hermes, think none of these things below,

or the things above, in anywise like unto God; for if thou

dost, thou errest from the Truth.

For nothing can be like the unlike, and only, and One; nor

mayest thou think that he hath given of his Power to any

other thing.

For who after him can make anything, either of Life or

Immortality: of Change or of Quality? and himself, what

other things should he make?

For God is not idle, for then all things would be idle; for

all things are full of God.

But there is not anywhere in the World, such a thing as

Idleness; for Idleness is a name that implieth a thing void or

empty, both of a Doer, and a thing done.

But all things must necessarily be made or done both

always, and according to the nature of every place. 

For he that maketh or doth, is in all things, yet not

fastened or comprehended in anything; nor making or doing

one thing, but all things.

For being an active or operating Power, and sufficient of

himself for the things that are made, and the things that are

made are under him. (v34-51)

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Become higher than all height, lower than all depths, comprehend in thyself the qualities of all the Creatures, of the Fire, the Water, the Dry, and Moist, and conceive likewise, that thou canst at once be everywhere,

in the Sea, in the Earth.

Thou shalt at once understand thyself, not yet begotten

in the Womb, young, old, to be dead, the things after death,

and all these together, as also times, places, deeds, qualities,

quantities, or else thou canst not yet understand God.

But if thou shut up thy Soul in the Body, and abuse it,

and say, I understand nothing, I can do nothing, I am afraid

of the Sea, I cannot climb up to Heaven, I know not who I

am, I cannot tell what I shall be: What hast thou to do with

god? for thou canst understand none of those Fair and Good

things, and be a lover of the body and Evil.

For it is the greatest Evil, not to know God.

But to be able to know, and to will, and to hope, is the

straight way, and Divine way, proper to the Good, and it will

everywhere meet thee, and everywhere be seen of thee, plain

and easy, when thou dost not expect or look for it; it will

meet thee waking, sleeping, sailing, travelling, by night, by

day, when thou speakest, and when thou keepest silence.

For there is nothing which is not the Image of God. (v 129-133)

The Tenth Book, the Mind to Hermes, The Divine Pymander