Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/599

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up, but shall not be changed, because many shall remain forever as meat of the Serpent. This filthy and horrid matter of the flesh and meat of the Serpent we therefore cast off by death, changing it for a better and spirituall, which shall be in the resurrection of the dead; and is already done in those, who have tasted of the first fruits of the resurrection, and many have already attained to, by the vertue of the divine spirit, in this life, as Enoch, Eliah and Moses, whose bodies were changed into a spirituall nature, and have not seen corrupted; neither are their carkasses left to the power of the Serpent. And this was that dispute of the devill with Michael the Archangel, concerning the body of Moses, of which Jude makes mention in his Epistle. But of Goetia, and Necromancy let this suffice.

Of Theurgia. Now many think that Theurgia is not unlawfull, as if this be governed by good Angels, and a divine diety, when as yet oftentimes it is under the names of God, and the fallacies of evil Angels obstringed by the wicked fallacies of the devils. For we do procure, and attract not by naturall powers only, but also by certaln rites, and ceremonies, celestials, and by them divine vertues to our selves; Of which together with many rules the ancient Magicians did treat in many volumes. But the greatest part of all ceremonies consists in observing cleanness, and purity, first of the mind, then of the body, and of those things which are about the body, as in the skin, in garments, in habitations, in vessels, utensils, oblations, sacrifices, the purity of which disposeth to the acquaintance with and beholding of divine things, and is very much required in sacred things, according to the word of Isaiah, Be ye washed, and made clean, and take away the evil of your thoughts. Now impurity, because it oftentimes infects the air, and man, disturbes that most pure influence of Celestiall and divine things, and chaseth away the pure spirits of God. But sometimes impure spirits, and deceiving powers, that they be worshipped,