INTRODUCTION.

Hea-ven or MicrocosmFrom the Greek "mikros kosmos," meaning "little world"—the idea that a human being reflects the structure of the entire universe.. This parallel is exact, and the animated ether or Supreme RulerOriginal: "Shang-te" (上帝), the highest deity in the ancient Chinese classics. is precisely the same in every respect as the animated ether or Jupiter. Both these Gods are the Light, the firstborn from chaos; both are designated "Mind," and both are the Rational soul of the UniverseOriginal: "Kosmos," a Greek term for the world as an ordered system.; the Supreme Ruler being "the GodOriginal: "神" (Shen), the term used for divinity or spirit. of Heaven," and Jupiter being the GodOriginal: "θεος" (theos) or "deus" in Greek and Latin respectively. of Heaven; the three terms GodThe author is referring to the Chinese "Shen," the Greek "Theos," and the Latin "Deus.", God, and God, being thus alike applied to the soul of the Universe.

The Greeks designated their First God (GodOriginal Greek: "θεος" (theos).) Fate, Reason, Nature &c., and regarded Him as an Indivisible Unity; and the Confucianists designate their First God (GodOriginal Chinese: "神" (Shen).) Fate, Reason, Nature, &c., and regard Him as an Indivisible Unity. Plato designates this God "the Adorner," and the Book of ChangesOriginal: "Yih King" (I Ching), one of the oldest Chinese texts, used for divination and philosophy. designates Him "He who adornsOriginal: "妙" (miao), implying a subtle, mysterious, or exquisite creation. the myriad of things."¹ Mind or the second God, the Greeks designated Divine-SpiritOriginal: "Δαιμων-θεος" (Daimon-theos). In ancient Greek thought, a 'daimon' was a guardian spirit or lesser deity, not necessarily an evil entity., and this same Mind the Confucianists also designate Spirit-godOriginal: "鬼神" (Gui-shen), referring to the spirits of the dead and the gods of the natural world.. Amongst the Greeks and Romans the Rational soul was derived from this ethereal Mind and was therefore designated GodOriginal: "θεος" (theos) or "deus"., or God: and in the Confucian Classics the Rational soul is said to be derived from the same ethereal Mind, and is therefore designated GodOriginal: "神" (Shen). or God. In a word, every part of the Universe and every thing which the Greeks and Romans respectively designated "DemonUsed here in the sense of 'daimon'—a supernatural being or power.," that the Confucianists also designate "Demon;" and every thing which the former designated GodOriginal: "θεος" or "deus". or God, that the latter designate GodOriginal: "神" (Shen).. Any argument, therefore, supposed to prove that the term GodOriginal: "神" (Shen). means "spirit" and not "God," must also be admitted to prove that the terms GodOriginal: "θεος" and "deus". mean "Spirit" and not "God." These three terms must necessarily bear precisely the same meaning for the reasons stated. The fact that the Chinese term GodOriginal: "神" (Shen)., (like GodOriginal: "θεος" or "deus") is the designation of that which pervades and animates the allOriginal: "το παν" (to pan), a Greek philosophical term for the totality of the universe. must be regarded as proof that this term means "God" in the sense of that term as used by all pagan philosophers, and not pure "Spirit," of which latter, in fact, they know nothing whatever.

Plate I will assist the student to understand what has been stated as to the animated Universe.

1. Book iv, chapter vi.