The Hermetic Museum, Vol. I — trans. A. E. Waite (1893)
The text is shown on its own: no facing layer is held for this issue.
The translator’s English as printed (A. E. Waite). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
From this poem we may gather how lightly this distinguished man, though evidently a possessor of the Stone, as appears out of his *Zodiac of Nature,' held gold and silver, and all things temporal, in respect of virtue.
Nor is his case by any means exceptional. All Sages have regarded wisdom, and the knowledge of heavenly things, as far better than the transient things of earth, and have so ordered their lives and actions that at the last they might obtain immortality and eternal glory. This feeling is well expressed by Solomon, in his Book of Proverbs (cp. xvi), where he says: * How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver !"—and again in the xxii chapter: * A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and knowledge rather than silver and gold" The same aspiration prompted the following words of the son of Sirach : *See that thou keep a good name, for it is better than a thousand treasures of gold."
By reason of these and other virtues which result from the philosophy of the Stone, the Sages have never wearied of extolling its marvellous excellence ; and they have taken great pains to make it known to the worthy, in order that its wisdom might be accepted and practically exhibited by them. But to the foolish everything is obscure and difficult to be understood. (This is the gist of the first six chapters of Solomon's Book of Proverbs, where he says that men should strain every nerve to attain to our wisdom. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, too, he uses the following words: * My son, be satisfied with a lowly station : for it is better than all that this world desires. The greater thou art, the more humble thyself, and God will give thee grace. For the Lord is a most High God, and does great things through the lowly."
BARI EV.
PSALM LXXVIIL AND MATTH. XIII.
* [ qvill open amy mouth in parables, and declare things hidden from the foundation of the world."
When it pleases Almighty God by His Divine Word to make known unto the human race His marvellous, deep, and celestial mysteries, He is wont to do so in parables, andto shadow forth His meaning in things familiar to our eyes which are depicted visibly before us. For instance, when pronouncing upon Adam in Paradise, after the Fall, the sentence of death, He told him that as he was made and formed of dust, he should also return to dust—dust being a thing which in itself has no life. Again, when promising to Abraham an innumerable posterity, He illustrated His meaning by pointing to the stars of the heavens, the sand of the sea shore, and the dust of the earth. In the same manner, God made use of divers precious types in declaring His will to the children of Israel through the Prophets. "This practice was also adopted in the New "Testament by Christ Himself—the Foundation and Express Image of the Truth— who set forth His teaching in parables in order that it might be better understood. So He compares His Divine and Blessed Gospel—the highest happiness of man—to seed that is sown in a field, amongst which the enemy scatters evil seed; to a hidden treasure ; to a pearl of great price; to a grain of wheat ; to a mustard seed ; to leaven, etc.
[Cp. Luke vii. Matthew xiii and xxii ^ Luke xix.
Matthew xx.]
The Kingdom of Heaven He describes under the image of a great Wedding Feast. The Christian Church, again, He compares to a Vineyard, and to a King calling upon his servants to render up an account. —Healso uses the similitude of a noble lord who entrusted his goods to his servants, of a lost sheep, a prodigal son, and others of a similar nature.
[Cp. Matthew xviii Luke xvi Matthew xxv. Luke xviii.
Markxii. Luke xviii Luke x.]