OF a Spirit, and such like, I will now begin. There was God, and Hyle, which in Greek signifieth the world, and the Spirit was in the world; but not as with God, neither are those things God, of which the world is, wherefore they were not, when they were not created; but even then they were in that, from whence they had their being. For those things are not onely said to be, which are not yet created, but those also which have not a fruitfulnesse in generating; so that nothing can be produced and generated of them. Whatsoever things therefore have in them a nature of conceiving, those are p. 46 things apt to ingender, which may be created of these, albeit they ingender, or are created of themselves; wherefore God everlasting, God eternall, neither is, or could be begotten; he both is, hath been, and ever shall be. This is that therefore which in it self is the whole nature of God.
But the nature of the world, and of the Spirit, albeit they seem to be created from the beginning; yet they have in themselves a vertue of begetting and procreation, as also fruitfulnesse; for a beginning is in the quality of the nature, which contains in it self a quality, and nature of conception and birth. This is therefore onely generable, or easie to be ingendered without the conception of another; but that which hath in it onely the vertue of p. 47 conceiving, is by the mixture of another nature. So they are to be discerned, that this place of the world may not seem to be created with those things which are in themselves, as which hath in it self the power of whole Nature. I call it a place in which are all things; for neither could all these things be, if a place were wanting which might contain all things; for a place was to be provided for all things that were; for neither the quantities, nor qualities, nor situations, or effects, can be known of things which are not: therefore the world, albeit it be not so created, yet it contains in it self the nature of all things, as which giveth (in all things) rich and fruitfull matter to conceive. This is therfore that whole quality & matter which may be created, p. 48 albeit it be not created: For as Nature is a fruitfull matter of quality, so the same is as fruitfull in malignity. Neither have I said, O Asclepius and Amnon, which is said of many, whether God could weaken and turn away evil from the nature of things? To which we answer not at all; yet for your sakes I will prosecute what I began, and give a reason: For they affirm, that God ought all manner of wayes to have freed the world from wickednesse; for he is so in the world, as though he seems to be a member, or part of it; for it is so provided and ordained by the most high God, as much as with reason he could then, when he hath vouchsafed to dignifie the mindes of men with sense, discipline, & understanding; for with those things in which we excel other creatures, we can only shun the deceit of p. 49 sin, guile, and all other corruption. For he, before that he is ensnared in them, shall by the very sight & uglinesse of them, avoid them, that man is guarded with divine knowledge and wisdom; for it is the foundation of discipline, consisting in the excellencie of knowledge: for by the Spirit all things are ministered, and refreshed in the world, and (as it were) an organ, or instrument, is subject to the will of the great God. Wherefore hitherto in our souls, let us conceive of that wise Moderatour and sensible Governour of God, which is called the Spirit, or holy Ghost, which comprehends in it self every place, and the substance of every thing, and the full matter of things begotten and created; and whatsoever else in the world, either for substance, quality, or quantity: for p. 50 all the Species in the world, and every thing according to that nature which is given it of God, is moved and governed by the Spirit. But the world is the receptacle of all things, and the haunt and place to move in for all creatures, of which God is the Governour, dispensing in all worldly things, as much as is necessary to every one, who with his Spirit fills all things, of what nature and quality so ever. For the world is round like unto a Ball or sphere, being for the form or qualities sake invisible to it self. For if you shall chuse any high place in it only to look down, thou canst not see from thence what is below, and because it consists of many places and parts, it is supposed to have a quality and by the alone forms of the Species, in whose Effigies it seems to be ingraven, it p. 51 is supposed to be visible, when it is shewed, drawn out, or painted, but indeed it is alwayes to it self invisible. Whereby, the bottom or lowest part of the Sphere (if there be any) is called in Greek 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, for 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 in the Greek tongue signifieth to see, which sight the bottom of the Sphere may want, whereupon the Species are called 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, for that they are of an invisible form; and for that they are deprived of light, the Grecians call 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, and for that they are in the bottom of the Sphere, the Latines, Insert. These are therefore the ancient principles, or are (as it were) beginnings and heads of all things contained in any part or parts of these.
Asclep. All these things therefore, as you speak of, which are earthly, O Trismegistus, p. 52 are present as well in every Species, as in the full substance of every thing.
Trism. Therefore the world nourisheth the bodies, the Spirit the life or soul and sense, or reason; the understanding being a gift with which man is only enriched, neither all men but few who have a heart & judgment to be capable of so great a benefit: for as the world is inlightned by the Sun, so mans minde is illuminated by this light & much more. For whatsoever the Sun doth enlighten, by the Eclipses and interposition of Earth and the Moon, and by the approach of night, it loseth, and is deprived of that light: but reason when it shall be once mixed with mans Soul it becomes, by that lively & growing mixture, p. 53 of one nature with it. So that minds thus qualified are never intangled with misty and obscure errors. Whereby the sense or reason may well be said tobe the soul or Spirit of God; but I say not of all, but of some excellent, and principall ones.
The Commentary.
The seventh Chapter conteineth a hidden Philosophy of the generation, and matter of the World, of the Spirit accompanying it, and of the place. The world in God he calleth the Continent place, wherefore he will not have the place of the world to be created, but that it is created and not created, created indeed if you respect p. 54 the workmanship of the Creatures, and not created if you respect the truth of the workmanship. For the world and the spirit, to wit the world and a certain divine power passing, and disfusing it self through all things, were not in the world when they were not created, but he saith they were in that from whence they were to be created; but in what where they, but in that divine word by which all things were made? But in which and what was made was life, and from whence at length everything came that was made. The world to be as fruitfull in evil as good, being as capable of evil as good, as the Earth is fruitfull both of medicinable Herbs and hurtfull Weeds; and that the earth hath by a kind of propriety, so likewise the World notwithstanding God (as much as with reason he might) hath provided for men reason, p. 55 discipline, and understanding, against this kind of materiall propriety, least sinne should overrunne the World, as brambles and hurtfull weeds, a neglected and untilled desert or wildernesse. Moreover of the spirits disfused through all things, and those things that be under us, of sense or reason, which is a distilling of divine graces into mens souls, as of the Sun beames on the eyes, he discourseth somewhat in this seventh part.