" I then
asked him again, "Are not your idols of different forms? How then can
they excite the idea of one God?" He replied, "This is a mystery to us;
somewhat of the worship of God lies concealed in each form." I then
said, "You are merely sensual corporeal spirits; you have neither the
love of God nor the love of a married partner grounded in any spiritual
principle; and these loves together form a man (_homo_) and from sensual
make him celestial." As I said this, there appeared through the gate as
it were lightning: and on my asking what it meant, he said, "Such
lightning is a sign to us that there will come the ancient one from the
east, who teaches us concerning God, that He is one, the alone
omnipotent, who is the first and the last; he also admonishes us not to
worship idols, but only to look at them as images representative of the
virtues proceeding from the one God, which also together form his
worship. This ancient one is our angel, whom we revere and obey. He
comes to us, and raises us, when we are falling into obscure worship of
God from mere fancies respecting images.
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