Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/379

 how superstition imitateth Religion, these examples declare; namely when worms and locusts are excommunicated, that they hurt not the fruits; when bels and Images are baptised and such like; but because the old Magicians and those who were the authors of this art amongst the ancients, have been Caldeans, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians and Arabians, all whose Religion was perverse and polluted idolatry, we must very much take heed, least we should permit their errors to war against the grounds of the Catholick Religion; for this were blasphemous, and subject to the curse; and I also should be a blasphemer, if I should not admonish you of these thigs, in this science; wheresoever therefore you shall finde these things written by us, know that those things are only related out of other Authors, and not put down by us for truth, but for a probable conjecture which is allyed to truth and an Instruction for imitation in those things which are true; Therefore we ought from their Errors to collect the Truth, which work truly requireth a profound Understanding, perfect Piety, and painfull and laborious Diligence, and also Wisdom which knoweth out of every Evill to extract Good, and to fit oblique things unto the right use of those things which it governeth, as concerning this Augustine gives us an Example of a Carpenter to whom Oblique and Complicate things are no less necessary and convenient then the Straight.

Chapter v. Of the three Guides of Religion, which bring us to the path of Truth. There are three Guides which bring us even to the paths of truth and which rule all our Religion, in which it wholly consisteth, namely Love, Hope and Fayth: for Love is the chariot of the Soul, the most excellent of all things, descending from the Intelligences above even to the most inferior things It congregates and