46 HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. 



at least ye that are able. For the vice (a) of ignorance 

 inundates all the earth, and corrupts therewith the soul 

 enclosed in the body, not suffering it to be harboured in 

 the havens of the salvation. 



2. Be not therefore borne along together by the much 

 current, but ye that are able, having made use of reflux 

 to attain the haven of the salvation, having been harboured 

 therein, seek a guide, who shall lead you in the way to the 

 gates of the knowledge, where is the shining Light, that 

 pure from darkness, where not one is drunken, but all are 

 sober, looking on in the heart to Him willing to be seen. 

 For He is not audible, nor effable, nor visible to the eyes, 

 but to Mind and Heart. First, however, it is necessary 

 that thou shouldest tear off 1 the garment which thou bear- 

 est, the web(&) of ignorance, the support of wickedness, 

 the bond of corruption, the dark enclosure, the living death, 

 the sentient corpse, the tomb carried about with thee, the 

 domestic robber, him hating through the things he loves, 

 and grudging (c) through the things he hates. 

 ^ 3. Of such sort is the hateful garment which thou hast 

 put on, 2 drawing thee down to itself, that not having 

 looked back and beheld the beauty of The Truth, and the 



(a) xoiKiot. (V) vtpctfffta. (c) 



1 Plato had written in Phsedo (66, 67)" If, whilst in the company 



> of the body, the soul cannot have pure knowledge, one of two things 

 must follow; either that knowledge is not to be attained at all, or if 

 at all, after death. In the present life we make the nearest approach 

 to knowledge when we have the least possible communion or fellow- 

 ship with the body, and are not infected with the bodily nature, but 

 remain pure until the hour when God Himself is pleased to release 

 us ; and then the foolishness of the body shall be cleared away, and 

 we shall be pure and hold converse with other pure souls from 

 below, which is no other than the light of Truth, for no impure 



, thing is allowed to approach the pure." 



Compare 1 Cor. xiii. 12 " Now I know in part, but then shall I 

 know even as I am known." Also Rev. xxi. 27 "There shall 

 nowise enter into it anything unclean," &c. 



2 " I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing " 

 (Rom. vii. 18). "I buffet my body and bring it into bondage" (1 Cor. 

 ix. 27). It is instructive to compare with the text the language of 



