The Fifteenth Book
Of Truth to His Son Tat.
1.
Hermes. Of Truth, O Tat, it is not possible that man being
an imperfect wight, compounded of imperfect Members, and
having his Tabernacle consisting of different and many
Bodies, should speak with any confidence.
2. But as far as it is possible, and just, I say, That
Truth is only in the Eternal Bodies, whose very Bodies be
also true.
3. The Fire is fire itself only, and nothing else; the
Earth is earth itself and nothing else; the air is air
itself and nothing else; the water, water itself and
nothing else.
4. But our Bodies consist of all these; for they have of
the Fire, they have of the Earth, they have of the Water,
and Air, and yet there is neither Fire, nor Earth, nor
Water, nor Air, nor anything true.
5. And if at the Beginning our Constitution had not Truth,
how could men either see the Truth, or speak it, or
understand it only, except God would?
6. All things therefore upon Earth, O Tat, are not Truth,
but imitations of the Truth, and yet not all things
neither, for they are but few that are so.
7. But the other things are Falsehood, and Deceit, O Tat,
and Opinions like the Images of the fantasy or appearance.
8. And when the fantasy hath an influence from above, then
it is an imitation of Truth, but without that operation
from above, it is left a lie.
9. And as an Image shews the Body described, and yet is not
the Body of that which is seen, as it seems to be, and it
is seen to have eyes, but it sees nothing, and ears, but
hears nothing at all; and all other things hath the
picture, but they are false, deceiving the eyes of the
beholder, whilst they think they see the Truth, and yet
they are indeed but lies.
10. As many therefore as see not Falsehood, see the Truth.
11. If therefore we do so understand, and see every one of
these things as it is, then we see and understand true
things.
12. But if we see or understand any thing besides or
otherwise than that which is, we shall neither understand,
nor know the Truth.
13. Tat. Is Truth therefore upon Earth, O Father?
14. Hermes. Thou cost not miss the mark, O Son. Truth
indeed is nowhere at all upon Earth, O Tat, for it cannot
be generated or made.
15. But concerning the Truth, it may be that some men, to
whom God will give the good seeing Power, may understand
it.
16. So that unto the Mind and reason, there is nothing true
indeed upon Earth.
17. But unto the True Mind and Reason, all things are
fantasies or appearances, and op1nions.
18. Tat. Must we not therefore call it Truth, to understand
and speak the things that are?
19. Hermes. But there is nothing true upon Earth.
20. Tat. How then is this true, That we do not know
anything true? how can that be done here?
21. Hermes. O Son, Truth is the most perfect Virtue, and
the highest Good itself, not troubled by Matter, not
encompassed by a Body, naked, clear, unchangeable,
venerable, unalterable Good.
22 But the things that are here, O Son, are visible,
incapable of Good, corruptible, passible, dissolvable,
changeable, continually altered, and made of another.
23. The things therefore that are not true to themselves,
how can they be true?
24. For every thing that is altered, is a lie, not abiding
in what it is; but being changed it shews us always, other
and other appearances.
25. Tat. Is not man true, O Father?
26. Hermes. AS far forth as he is a Man, he is not true,
Son; for that which is true, hath of itself alone its
constitution and remains, and abides according to itself,
such as it is.
27. But man consists of many things and doth not abide of
himself but is turned and changed, age after age, Idea
after Idea, or form after form, and this while he is yet in
the Tabernacle.
28. And many have not known their own children after a
little while, and many children likewise have not known
their own Parents.
29. Is it then possible, O Tat, that he who is so changed,
is not to be known, should be true? No, on the contrary, he
is Falsehood, being in many Appearances of changes.
30. But do thou understand the true to be that which abides
the same, and is Eternal, but man is not ever, therefore
not True, but man is a certain Appearance, and Appearance
is the highest Lie or Falsehood.
31. Tat. But these Eternal Bodies, Father, are they not
true though they be changed?
32. Hermes. Everything that is begotten or made, and
changed is not true, but being made by our Progenitor, they
might have had true Matter.
33. But these also have in themselves, something that is
false in regard of their change.
34. For nothing that remains not in itself, is True.
35. Tat. What shall one say then, Father, that only the Sun
which besides the Nature of other things, is not changed,
but abides in itself, is Truth?
36. Hermes. It is Truth, and therefore is he only intrusted
with the Workmanship of the World, ruling and making all
things whom I do both honour, and adore his Truth; and
after the One, and First, I acknowledge him the Workman.
37. Tat. What therefore doth thou affirm to be the first
Truth, O Father?
38. Hermes. The One and Only, O Tat, that is not of Matter,
that is not in a body, that is without Colour, without
Figure or Shape, Immutable, Unalterable, which always is;
but Falsehood, O Son, is corrupted.
39. And corruption hath laid hold upon all things on Earth,
and the Providence of the True encompasseth, and will
encompass them.
40. For without corruption, there can no Generation
consist.
41. For Corruption followeth every Generation, that it may
again be generated.
42. For those things that are generated, must of necessity
be generated of those things that are corrupted, and the
things generated must needs be corrupted, that the
Generation of things being, may not stand still or cease.
43. Acknowledge therefore the first Workman by the
Generation of things.
44. Consequently the things that are generated of
Corruption are false, as being sometimes one thing,
sometimes another: For it is impossible they should be made
the same things again, and that which is not the same, how
is it true?
45. Therefore, O Son, we must call these things fantasies
or appearances.
46. And if we will give a man his right name, we must call
him the appearance of Manhood; and a Child, the fantasy or
appearance of a Child; an old man, the appearance of an old
man; a young man, the appearance of a young man; and a man
of ripe age, the appearance of a man of ripe age.
47. For neither is a man, a man; nor a child, a child; nor
a young man, a young man; nor an old man, an old man.
48 But the things that pre-exist and that are, being
changed are false.
49. These things understand thus, O Son, as these false
Operations, having their dependence from above, even of the
truth itself.
50. Which being so, I do affirm that Falsehood is the Work
of Truth.