70 HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. 



wouldest fall from the truth. For nothing is like to The 

 without like and Only and One; and not to any other one 

 shouldst thou think that He yields in the power. For who 

 beside Him is either Life and 1 Immortality, and change 

 of quality? And what else should He do? For The God 

 is not inert, else all things would become inert ; for every- 

 thing is full of God, for neither in the world is inertness (a) 

 anywhere, nor in any other. For inertness is an empty 

 word, both as to the maker and the thing generated. 



6. For all things must be generate, both always and 

 according to the preponderance (&) of each place. For the 

 Maker is in all things, not settled (c) in any, nor Making 

 in something, but all things. 2 For Power being energizing, 

 is not self sufficient (d) in the things generated, but the 

 generated are under Him. Contemplate through me the 

 World subjected to thy view, and consider accurately the 

 beauty of it, a body indeed undecayable (e), and than 

 which nothing is more ancient, and throughout the whole 

 in full vigour (/) and new, and still more vigorous. 



7. Behold also those subject Seven Worlds arranged in 

 eternal order and in different course fulfilling the Eternity, 

 and all things full of light, but fire no where, for the 

 friendship and the combination of things opposite and those 

 dissimilar became Light, shining forth through the energy of 

 The God, 3 Generator of all Good, and Prince (g) of all order 

 and guide of the Seven Worlds; a Moon, the precursor of 

 all these, Organ of the Nature changing the Matter below; 



(a) dpyta. (6) povq*. (c) ifyvftittog, (d) d,urix.px,ys. 



(e) dxyipoiTov. (f) eUxftouov, ((/) oip-^Qvrog. 



1 " Who only hath immortality, dwelling in Light unapproachable " 

 (1 Tim. vi. 16). 



2 " However destitute Planets, Moons, and rings may be of inhabi- 

 tants, they are at least vast scenes of God's presence and of the activity 

 with which He carries into effect everywhere the laws of nature; and 

 the glory of creation arises from its being not only the product but 

 the constant field of God's activity and thought, wisdom, and power " 

 (WhewelTs " Plurality of Worlds," ch. xii., Fourth Edit, 382. See 

 sec. 12, post}. 



3 " And God said, Let Light be, and Light was " (Gen. i. 3). 



