PREFACE

Impurity, Impudence, Idolatry, Sorcery original: veneficium. This term can refer to poisoning, witchcraft, or the use of dark potions., Enmity, Murder, Gluttony, Anger, Discord, and other things of that kind—these, without doubt, are from God and full of His most holy Spirit The author is using heavy irony here. He lists these vices to suggest that if such behaviors were signs of holiness, only then would his opponents be considered "godly.", since these are the infallible signs by which we are taught by the Holy Scriptures to recognize men illuminated by the Holy Spirit and to distinguish them from those of another sort original: alterius farinae. A Latin idiom literally meaning "of another flour," used to describe people of a different character or quality.. Let us now look at the confession This refers to the Confessio Fraternitatis (1615), the second major Rosicrucian manifesto, which outlined the group's beliefs and call for reform. of the brothers, from which, through a diligent examination made step by step, we may gather what the brothers prophesy vaticinentur (to foretell or speak with divine inspiration) concerning future events, the cycles of the world, and its renewal.

They seem to declare the nature of all things through a new language and secret writings scripturae arcanae (mysterious or coded scripts believed to reveal the hidden patterns of creation); they speak the truth, because they say that in our century all falsehood shall cease; they do not resist the Word of God, since they lead their lives with sincerity; they observe divine precepts, for they write that they have done these things not by the impulse of their own will, but by the Holy Spirit and the warnings of God. They are generous, for they offer us their treasures freely and liberally; they are endowed with humanity, for they seek nothing from us, but instead invite us to their palaces. They remain free from idolatry, because they embrace Christ purely and sincerely; they heal the sick perfectly, for they set before men the means by which diseases can be cured; and they abound in charity, as they offer all their secrets and treasures to the world and practice their healings medicationes (medical treatments or applications of alchemy) free of charge. Having diligently considered these things, we find that many testimonies of the Holy Spirit are found in