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Our opinion on theologians’ explanations and the Egyptians’ hieroglyphic figures.
The Jews’ hieroglyphic figures and the poets’ fables derived from them, together with the principal preparations of the philosophers’ stone, lead us to knowledge of our religion’s chief mysteries: the birth of the incarnate Word, his death and resurrection, the august sacrament of our altars, and what will occur at the end of the ages. We therefore intend to discuss whatever can place these in their full light and prove them in every way, so that, enlightened by this natural knowledge and strengthened by the power of our mysteries, we may aspire toward God, who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Guided by grace and nature, the artist will doubtless believe his works admirable. He will occupy himself only with love, knowledge of God, and the benefits with which he will be filled and satisfied, and will employ his time
Can anyone, I ask you, enjoy such good fortune without being said to enjoy eternal pleasures in advance during this life? Is a man not content, even alone, who possesses everything and needs nothing, is subject to no disease, is untroubled by ambition to acquire riches or fear of losing them, and finally knows all the sciences—even the secrets of all nature and religion—after examining the riddles and shadows of the Egyptians, poets, and natural philosophers? This prompts us to treat the principal preparations of the philosophical work that are not sufficiently apparent in the figures described above. Our purpose is not to unfold those containing the poets’ fables and the Egyptians’ characters or hieroglyphic figures, since we have already discussed them, but to disclose those enclosing our religion’s truth. Therefore, when the artist has won the Golden Fleece and acquired this treasure that God is pleased to grant him, let him not use it to purchase
honorable offices, farms, or lordships, but instead to build hospitals, feed the poor, receive strangers, and share it with the widow and orphan. Above all, we recommend that he keep his eyes continually upon the glory of God, of Mary, and of the Catholic, apostolic, and Roman edifice, and recall the future judgment at which he must account for so great a treasure.