William Wynn Westcott: Premium Collection. William Wynn Westcott

Man is Corruption, the Corruption of Man is the beginning of Generation. 66. That which off-springs or begetteth another, is itself an offspring or begotten by another.

      67. Of things that are, some are in Bodies, some in their Ideas.

      68. Whatsoever things belong to operation or working, are in a Body.

      69. That which is immortal, partakes not of that which is mortal.

      70. That which is mortal, cometh not into a Body immortal, but that which is immortal, cometh into that which is mortal.

      71. Operations or Workings are not carried upwards, but descend downwards.

      72. Things upon Earth do nothing advantage those in Heaven, but all things in Heaven do profit and advantage the things upon Earth.

      73. Heaven is capable and a fit receptacle of everlasting Bodies, the Earth of corruptible Bodies. 74. The Earth is brutish, the Heaven is reasonable or rational.

      75. Those things that are in Heaven are subjected or placed under it, but the things on Earth, are placed upon it.

      76. Heaven is the first Element.

      77. Providence is Divine Order.

      78. Necessity is the Minister or Servant of Providence.

      79. Fortune is the carriage or effect of that which is without Order; the Idol of operation, a lying fantasy or opinion.

      80. What is God? The immutable or unalterable Good.

      81. What is Man? An unchangeable Evil.

      82. If thou perfectly remember these Heads, thou canst not forget those things which in more words I have largely expounded unto thee; for these are the Contents or Abridgment of them.

      83. Avoid all Conversation with the multitude or common People, for I would not have thee subject to Envy, much less to be ridiculous unto the many.

      84. For the like always takes to itself that which is like, but the unlike never agrees with the unlike: such Discourses as these have very few Auditors, and peradventure very few will have, but they have something peculiar unto themselves.

      85. They do rather sharpen and what evil men to their maliciousness, therefore it behoveth to avoid the multitude and take heed of them as not understanding the virtue and power of the things that are said.

      86. How dost Thou mean, O Father?

      87. Thus, O Son, the whole Nature and Composition of those living things called Men, is very prone to Maliciousness, and is very familiar, and as it were nourished with it, and therefore is delighted with it. Now this wight [a creature] if it shall come to learn or know, that the world was once made, and all things are done according to Providence and Necessity, Destiny, or Fate, bearing Rule over all: Will he not be much worse than himself, despising the whole because it was made. And if he may lay the cause of evil upon Fate or Destiny, he will never abstain from any evil work.

      88. Wherefore we must look warily to such kind of people, that being in ignorance, they may be less evil for fear of that which is hidden and kept secret.

      The Second Book called “Poemander"

       Table of Contents

      1. 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 of fulness of meat, or of bodily labour. Me thought I saw one of an exceeding great stature, and an infinite greatness call me by my name, and say unto me, "What wouldest thou Hear and See? or what wouldest thou Understand, to Learn, and Know!"

      2. Then said I, " Who art Thou?"

      "I am," quoth he, "Poemander, the mind of the Great Lord, the most Mighty and absolute Emperor: I know what thou wouldest have, and I am always present with thee."

      3. Then said I, "I would Learn the Things that art, 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 mind, and whatsoever thou wouldst learn, I will teach thee."

      4. When he had thus said, he was changed in his Idea or Form and straightway in the twinkling of an eye, all things were opened unto me: and 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 Moist Nature, unspeakably troubled, which yielded a smoke as from fire; and from whence proceeded a voice 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 joined itself unto Nature, and out flew the pure and unmixed Fire from the moist Nature upward on high; it is 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 Mind, thy God, who am before that Moist Nature that appeareth out of Darkness, and that Bright and Lightful Word from the Mind, is the Son of God."

      9. "How is that?" quoth I." Thus," replied he, "Understand it, That which in thee Seeth and Heareth, the Word of the Lord, and the Mind, the Father, God, Differeth not One from the Other, and the Unison of these is Life."

      Trismegistus. "I thank thee."

      Pymander."But first conceive well the Light in thy mind and know it."

      10. When he had thus said, for a long time me looked steadfastly one upon the other, insomuch that I trembled at his Idea or Form.

      11. But when he nodded to me, I beheld in my mind 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 Pymander; and when I was mightily amazed, he said again unto me, "Hast thou seen in thy mind that Archetypal Form, which was before the Interminated and Infinite Beginning?" Thus Pymander to me."But whence," quoth I, "or whereof are the Elements of Nature made?"

      Pymander : "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 itself."

      13. For the Mind being God, Male and Female, Life and Light, brought forth by his Word; another Mind, 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 itself front the downward born Elements of God, the Word of God into the clean and pure Workmanship of Nature, and was united to the Workman, Mind, for it was Consubstantial; and so the downward born Elements of Nature were left without Reason, that they might be the only Matter.

      15. But the Workman, Mind, together with the Word, containing the Circles and Whirling them about, turned round as a Wheel his own Workmanship, and suffered them to be turned from an indefinite Beginning to an undeterminable End; for they always begin where they end.

      16. And the Circulation or running round of these, as the Mind willeth, out of the lower or downward-born Elements brought forth unreasonable or brutish creatures, for they had no reason, the