Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/554

 "- With prayers mov'd is Jove; I oftentimes have seen when from above He would seed dreadfull lightnings, him to be Appeas'd with frankincense -"

Now man is returned to God by prayers, by which coming he (saith Plato in Phedrus) stops horses, and enters into the chambers of repose, where he feeds upon Ambrosia, and drinks Nectar. Therefore they that desire to enjoy any vertue, must pray, and supplicate often to him who hath all vertue in himself. Now that is the best prayer, which is not uttered in words, but that which with a Religious silence and sincere cogitation is offered up to God, and that which with the voice of the mind and words of the intellectuall world, is offered to him. Now a vow is an ardent affection of a chast mind given up to God, which by vowing wisheth that which seems good. This affection (as Iamblichus, and Proclus testifie) doth so joyn the soul to God, that the operation of the mind and of God is one; viz. of God as an artificer, of the mind as a divine instrument: all antiquity testifies that by vowes sometimes miracles are done, diseases are cured, tempests are diverted, and such like. Hence we read that the most excellent and wise in all nations, the Bragmanni of the Indians, the Magicians of the Persians, the Gymnosopists of the Aegyptians, the divines of the Greeks, and Caldeans which did excell in divine secrets, did apply themselves to divine vowes, and prayers, and thereby did effect many wonderfull things. Now to the perfection of a vow, and adoration (for a vow cannot be perfect without an adoration, nor an adoration without a vow) there are two things especially required, viz. First the knowledge of the thing to be adored, and to which we must vow, and in what manner, and order, and by what Mediums it must be worshiped; for there are various cooperators and instruments of God, viz. The heavens, Stars, administring spirits, the celestiall souls, and Heros, which we must implore as porters, interpreters, administrators, mediators, but first of all him, who goeth to the Archetype God, who only is the utmost term of adoration; the other dieties