Of Theurgy that falsy promiseth to mundifie the minde by the inuo∣cation of deuills. CHAP. 10.
BEhold now this other (and they say more learned) Platonist Porphyry, with his owne Theurgy makes all the gods subiect to passion and perturbation. For they may by his doctrine, bee so terrifying from purging soules by those that enuy their purgation, that hee that meaneth euill may chaine them for euer from benefiting him that desires this good, and that by this art Theurgique: that the other can neuer free them from this feare and attaine their helpes, though hee vse the same Art neuer so: Who seeth not that this is the deuills meere consinage but hee that is their meere slaue, and quite bard from the grace of the Redeemer? If the good gods had any hand herein, surely the good desire of Man that would purge his soule should vanquish him that would hinder it. Or if the gods were iust and would not allowe him it, for some guilt of his, yet it should bee their owne choyse, not their beeing terrified by that enuious party, nor (as hee sayth) the feare of greater powers that should cause this de∣nyall, •…•…nd it is strange that that good Chaldean that sought to bee thus pur∣ged by Theurgy could not finde some higher GOD, that could either terri∣fie the other worse, and so force them to further him, or take away their ter∣rour, and set them free from the others bond to benefite him: and yet so should this good Theurgike still haue lackt the rites wherewith to purge these gods from feare first ere they came to purge his soule: For why should hee call a greater GOD to terrifie them, and not to purge them? Or is there a GOD that heareth the malicious, and so frights the lesser gods from doing good, and none to heare the well-minded, and to set them at libertie to doe good againe? O goodly Theurgy! O rare purgation of the minde! where im∣pure enuy doth more then pure deuotion! No, no, auoide these damna∣ble * 1.1 trap-falls of the deuill, flie to the healthfull and firme truth: For whereas the workers of these sacrilegious expiations doe behold (as hee saith) some admired shapes, of Angells, or Gods, as if their spirits were purged: why * 1.2 if they doe; aske the Apostles reason: For (a) Satan tranformeth himselfe into an Angell of light.
These are his Apparitions, seeking to chaine mens poore deluded soules in fallacies, and lying ceremonies, wresting them from the true, and onely purging and perfecting doctrine of GOD: and as it is sayd of (b) Proteus, hee turnes him∣selfe to all shapes; persuing vs as an enemy, fawning on vs as a friend, and sub∣uerting vs in both shapes.
L. VIVES.
FOr (a) Satan] Confest by Porphyry and Iamblichus both. The deuills most especiall pro∣perty is lying, and still they assume the faces of other Gods, saith the first. De sacrifice