The Golden Themis

CHAPTER III.

What the effect of these laws is in general, and what the circumstances of Place, means, end, and time are.

We have discussed the efficient cause, or the promulgator, of said laws or rules more than enough; now we must speak of the effect of the same and other circumstances. The effects in general correspond to their cause. For if the author of the laws is a most upright and excellent man, those laws will not be bad; if they are good, their effects, as offspring from a father and grandfather, will not degenerate.

They are, however, of such a nature that they have corresponded to their end, and have kept the venerable Fraternity in an inseparable order. If they did not agree with all reason, nature, and the truth of the thing, they would have collapsed long ago and, together with that society, would have passed into oblivion or would never have come to the notice of the world. Many things are established for a good end that are not attained, and many people sail toward ports which they cannot reach, carried away by the force of the winds and dragged by the waves. The pilot of the ship is not always the cause that the path and sails must be changed; often winter and storms prevail. Thus, he who begins some work or business is often hindered or retarded by intervening factors, which however did not happen here in the least, and that must be ascribed to the blessing of God.

*A bad cause does not have a good outcome.*

The said Brothers have lived under the most grateful yoke of these laws until now, happy, and without a doubt, with God’s blessing, they will live for many centuries, since, as vassals of the supreme King (not excluding the proper means), they plow, sow, and reap, and they return annual revenues to Him in that they cultivate piety above all things, observe His omnipotence, providence, and clemency according to nature as well as the holy scriptures, celebrate Him privately and publicly, and assist the poor in whatever way they can. These are the virtues that truly become Christians, in which it would be a sacrilege and unworthy of the Christian name for them to be surpassed by Turks or heathen idolaters.

Regarding the Place of this congregation, or the promulgation of the laws, let no one be too curious in searching; it must be seen that it is not useful for this to be known by everyone, but it is sufficient if it is recognized by the confederates and the elect alone. It is not in Utopia, as I think, nor among the Tartars or Laplanders, but perhaps in the navel of Germany, since Europe is said to represent a maiden in its shape, and Germany is said to represent the womb within it. It is not fitting to open maidenly bosoms to the crowd, lest she appear a harlot rather than a maiden. It is enough to know that she is not barren, but in her womb (like Themis from Jupiter) she has conceived this Eunomia Greek personification of law/good order, or has brought forth these Palici brothers Twin deities of the underworld in Greek mythology as though unknown and born from the earth (like Thalia from the same). This womb is indeed maidenly, but through many arts and sciences, previously unknown, it has given birth—I say and understand GERMANY, which now germinates perpetually with ROSES and LILIES, which neither the winter nor the heat of fire harms, and they are preserved in Philosophical gardens or Rosaries, lest a wanton hand damage or pluck the tender little flowers.