Page:Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy, 1655.djvu/14

 Rh, then the Phœnicians,lastly the Egyptian Priests, Astrologie and Divine knowledge.

Without doubt, Hermes Trismegistus, that divine Magician and Philosopher, who (as some say) lived long before Noah, attained to much Divine knowledg of the Creator through the studie of Magick and Astrologie; as his Writings, to this day extant among us, testifie.

The third kinde of Magick containeth the whole Philosophy of Nature; which bringeth to light the inmoft vertues, and extracteth them out of Natures hidden bosome to humane use: Virtutes in centro centri latentes; & Vertues hidden in the centre of the Centre, according to the Chymists: of this sort were Albertus, Arnoldus de villa nova, Raymond, Bacon', and others, &c.

The Magick these men profefs'd, is thus defined. Magia est connexio a viro Sapiente agentium per naturam cum patientibus, sibi, congruenter respondentibus, ut inde opera prodeant, non sine corum admiratione qui causam ignorant. Magick is the connexion of natural agents and patients, answerable each to other, wrought by a wise man, to the bringing forth of such effects as are wonderful to those that know not their causes. In all these, Zoroaster was well learned, especially in the first and the highest : for in his Oracles he confesseth God to be the first and the highest; he believeth of the Trinity, which he would not investigate by any natural knowledge : he speaketh of Angels, and of Paradise; approveth the immortality of the soul; teacheth Truth, Faith, Hope, and Love, discoursing of the abstinence and charity of the Magi. Rh