. . . But to the foolish, and evil, and wicked, and envious, and covetous, and murderous, and profane, I am far off. giving place to the revenging daemon, which applying unto him the sharpness of fire, torment such a mans senses, and arm him the more to all wickedness, that he may obtain the greater punishment. And such a man never ceases, having unfulfilled desires, and unsatisfied concupiscence, and always fighting in darkness; for the daemon always afflicts and torments him continually, and increases the fire upon him more and more . . .
I asked, You have, Oh mind, most excellently taught me all things, as I desired; but tell me, moreover, after the return is made, what then?
. . .He replied, First of all, in the resolution of the material, body, the body itself is given up to alteration, and the form which is had becomes invisible; and the idle manners are permitted, and left to the daemon, and the senses of the body return into their origins, being parts, and again made up into operations.
And anger, and concupiscence, go into the brutish or unreasonable nature; and the rest strive upward by harmony.
And to the first zone it gives the power it had of increasing and diminishing.
And to the second, machinations or plotting of evils, and one effectual deceit or craft.
to the third, the idle deceit of concupiscence.
To the fourth, the desire of rule, and insatiable ambition.
To the sixth, evil and ineffectual gluttony.
To the seventh, subtle falsehood, always lying in wait.
And then being made naked of all the operations of harmony, it comes to the eighth nature, having its proper power, and sings praise to the father with the things that are, and all they that are present rejoice, and congratulate the coming of it; and being made like to them with whom it converses, it hears also the powers that are above the eighth nature, singing praise to God in a certain voice that is strange to them.
And then in order they return unto the father, and themselves deliver themselves to the powers, and becoming powers they are part of God.
This is the good, and to them that know, to be desired.
Furthermore, why do you say, what rests, but that understanding all men thou become a guide, and leader to them that are worthy; that the kind of humanity, or mankind, may be saved by God?
When Poèmandres had thus said this to me, he was mingled among the powers.
But I, giving thanks, and blessing the father of all things, rose up, being enabled by him, and taught the nature of the nature of the whole, and having seen the greatest sight or spectacle.
And I began to preach unto men, the beauty and fairness of piety and knowledge:
Oh people, men, born and made of the earth, which have given yourselves over to drunkenness and sleep, and to the ignorance of God, be sober and cease your surfeit, by which you are allured and visited by brutish and unreasonable sleep.
And they that heard me come willingly can with one accord; and then I said father:
Why, Oh men of the offspring of Earth, Why have you delivered yourselves over unto death, having power to partake of immortality? repent and change your minds, you that have together walked in error, and have been darkened in ignorance.
Depart from that dark light, be partakers of immortality, and forsake corruption.
And some of them that heard me, mocking and scorning went away, and delivered themselves up to the way of Death.
But others casting themselves down before my feet, besought me that they might be taught; but I, causing them to rise up, became a guide of mankind, teaching them the reasons how, and by what means they may be saved. And I sowed in them the words of Wisdom, and nourished them with ambrosia of immortality.
And when it was evening and the brightness of the same began wholly to go down, I commanded them to go down, I commanded them to give thanks to God; and when they had finished their thanksgiving, everyone returned to their own lodging.
But I wrote in myself the bounty and benevolence of Poèmandres; and being filled with what I most desired, I was exceedingly glad.
For the sleep of the body was the sober watchfulness of the mind; and the shutting of my eyes the true sight, and my silence great with child and full of good; and the pronouncing of my words the blossoms and fruits of good things.
And thus it came to pass, which I received from my mind, that is Poèmandres, the lord of the word; whereby I became inspired by God with the truth.
For which cause, with my soul and whole strenth, I give praise and blessing unto God the father.
Holy is God, the father of all things.
Holy is God, whose will is performed and accomplished by his own powers.
Holy is God, that determines to be known, and is known by his own.
Holy art thou, that by your word has established All things.
Holy art Thou, of whom all nature is the image.
Holy art Thou, whom nature did not form.
Holy art Thou, that are stronger than all power.
Holy art Thou, that are stronger than all excellency.
Holy art Thou, that are better than all praise.
Accept these reasonable sacrifices from a. pure soul, and a heart that stretched out to you.
Oh unspeakable, unutterable, to be praised with Silence.
I beseech you, that I may never err from the knowledge of you, Lord. Look mercifully upon me, and enable me, and enlighten with this grace those that are in ignorance, the brothers of my kind, but your sons.
Therefore I believe in you, and bear witness, and go into the life and light.
Blessed art thou, Oh Father; thy man would be sanctified with you, as you have given him all power.