I have not without some labour, now traced this Science from the very Fall of Man to the Day of his Redepmtion; Along and solitary Pilgrimage, the paths being unfrequented because of the Briars, and scruples of Antiquitie, and in some places overgrown with the Poppie of Oblivion.

I will not deny but in the shades and Ivie of this Wildernesse, there are some Birds of Night, Owles and Bats, of a different Feather from our Phoenix; I meane some Conjurers, whose dark indirect Affection to the Name of Magic, made them invent Traditions more prodigious than their Practices. These I have purposely avoyded lest they should Wormwood my stream, and I seduce the Reader thorough all these Groves and Solitudes to the Waters of Marah. The next Stage I must move to, is that whence I came out at first with the Israelites, namely AEgypt; here if Bookes faile me, the stones will cry out; Magic having been so inthron'd in this place, it seems shee would bee buried here also: So many Monuments did shee hide in this Earth, which have been since digged up; and serve now to prove that shee was sometimes above Ground. To begin then, I will first speak of the AEgyptian Theologie, that you may see how far they have advanc'd, having no Leader, but the Light of Nature. Trismegistus is so Orthodox and plain in the Mysterie of the Trinitie, the Scripture it self exceeds him not; but hee being a particular Author, and one perhaps that knew more than those of his order in Generall, I shall at this time dispense with his Authoritie. Their Catholic Doctrine, and wherein I find them all to agree, is This.

Emepht, whereby they expresse their Supreme God, and verily they mind the true One, signifies properly an Intelligence, or Spirit converting all things into himself, and himself into all Things. This is very sound Divinitie and Philosophie, if it be rightly understood. Now (say they) Emepht produc'd an Egg out of his mouth, which Tradition Kircher expounds imperfectly, and withall Erroneously. In the Production of this Egg was manifested another Deitie, which they call Phtha, and out of some other Natures and Substances inclos'd in the Egg, this Phtha formed all Things. But to deale a little more openly, wee will describe unto you their Hieroglyphic, wherein they have very handsomely, but obscurely discovered most of their Mysteries. First of all then, they draw a Circle, in the Circle a Serpent, not folded, but Diameter-wise, and at length; her head resembles that of a Hawke, the Tayle is tyed in a Small Knot, and a little below the head her wings are Volant. The Cirele points at Emepht, or God the Father being Infinite, without Beginning, without End. Moreover it comprehends, or Conteines in it self the Second Deitie Phtha, and the Egg, or Chaos, out of which all Things were made. The Hawke in the AEgyptian Symbols signifies Light, and Spirit; his head annexed here to the Serpent

represents Phtha, or the Second Person, who is the first Light, as wee have told you in our Anthroposophia. Hee is said to forme all Things out of the Egg, because in him, as it were in a Glasse, are certain Types or Images, namely the Distinct Conceptions of the Paternall Deitie, according to which by Cooperation of the Spirit, namely the Holy Ghost, the Creatures are formed. The Inferiour part of this Figure signifies the Matter or Chaos, which they call the Egg of Emepht. That you may the better know it, wee will teach you something not Common. The Body of the Serpent tells you it is a fierie Substance, for a Serpent is full of heat and fire, which made the Egyptians esteem him Divine: This appears by his quick motion without feet or finns, much like that of the Pulse, for his impetuous hot spirit shootes him on like a Squib. There is also another Analogie, for the Serpent renewes his youth so strong is his natural heat, and casts off his old skin. Truely the Matter is a very Serpent, for shee renews her self a thousand wayes, and is nèver a perpetuall Tenant to the same Forme. The wings tell you this Subject or Chaos is Volatile, and in the outward Complexion Arrie, and Waterie. But to teach you the most Secret Resemblance of this Hieroglyphic. The Chaos is a certain Creeping Substance, for it moves like a

Serpent sine pedibus, and truly Moses calls it not Water, but Serpitura Aquae, The Creeping of Water, or a water that creepes. Lastly, the Knott on the Tayle, Tells you this matter is of a most strong Composition, and that the Elements are fast bound in it, all which the Philophers know to be true by Experience. As for the Assinitie of Inferiors with Superiors, and their private Active Love, which consists in certain Secret Mixtures of Heaven with the Matter, their Opinion stands thus. In the Vital fire of all Things here below. The Sun (say they) is King. In their Secret Water the Moon is Queen. In their pure Aire the five lesser Planets rule; and in their Central, Hypostaticall Earth, the fixed starrs. For these Inferiors according to their Doctrine, are Provinces, or Thrones of those Superiors, where they sit Regent, and Paramont. To speak plainly, Heaven it self was originally extracted from Inferiors, yet not so intirely, but some portion of the Heavenly Natures remained still below, and are the very same in Essence and Substance with the separated starrs and skies. Heaven here below differs not from that above but in her Captivitie, and that above differs not from this below but in her Libertie. The one is imprisoned in the Matter, the other is freed from the grossness and impurities of it, but they are both

of one and thē same Nature, so that they easily unite; and hence it is that the Superior descends to the Inferior to visit, and comfort her in this sickly infectious Habitation. I could speak much more, but I am in haste, and though I were at leisure, you cannot in Reason expect I should tell you all. I will therefore decline these generall Principles to tell you something that makes for the AEgyptian Practice, and proves them Philosophers adepted. The first Monument I reade of to this purpose, is that of Synesius, a very learned intelligent man. Hee found in the Temple of Memphis λιθίας βίβλους Bookes of stone, and in those hard leaves these Difficult Instructions.

Ἡ φύσις τῇ φύσει τέρπεται Ἡ φύσις τὴν φύσιν νικᾷ Ἡ φύσις τὴν φύσιν κρατεῖ.

That is, One Nature delights in another; One Nature overcomes another; One Nature over-rules another. These short lessons. but of no small Consequence. are fathered on the great Hostanes. The Second Monument is that admirable, and most Magicall one mentioned by Barachias Abenesi the Arabian. This also was a stone erected neere Memphis, and on it this profound Scripture.

ΟΥΡΑΝΟ ΑΝΩ, ΟΥΡΑΝΟ ΚΑΤΩ, ΑΣΤΡΑ ΑΝΩ, ΑΣΤΡΑ ΚΑΤΩ, ΠΑΝ Ο ΑΝΩ, ΠΑΝ ΤΟΥΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ, ΛΑΥΤΑ ΛΑΒΕ, ΚΑΙ ΕΥΤΥΧΕ.

That is,

Heaven Above, Heaven Beneath; Starres Above, Starres Beneath; All that is Above, is also Beneath; Understand this, and bee Happy.

Under this were figur'd certain apposit Hieroglyphics, and for a Close to all, this Dedicatorie Subscription (I find it onely in the Coptic Character, but our Founts wanting that Letter, I must give it you in the Greeke.)

ΣΥΝΘΡΟΝΟΙΣ ΤΟΙΣ ΕΝ ΑΙΓΥΠΤΟΥ ΘΕΟΙΣ ΙΣΙΑΣ ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΥΣ ΑΝΕΘ.

Isias the High Priest erected this, to the Resident Gods in AEgypt.

And now, though I formerly suspended the Authoritie of Irismegistus, I might like the Italian, produce his weapons Sfodrato; but I love no Velitations, and Truth is so brave, it needs no Feather. Quod est Superiùs (sayd Hermes) est sicut id quod est Inferiùs, &