Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/586



they not delivered over to a reprobate sense, who desire the certainty of secret counsels from the divel, the father of lies, and hope for victory elsewhere than from the Lord of Hoasts? and further, this addeth boldness to this abominable worker of Idolatry and Sacriledge, that the Orthodox mother doth very much favour those things, and the authority of her most Christian Son is accommodated, and gifts bestowed out of the sacred pence; the Pillars of the Church, Bishops and Cardinals, winking at, yea furthering this abominable work; and the wicked Nobles applaude this operation of Impiety, as the crowes the works of the Wolf. What greater wickedness have Pharaoh, Balack, Saul, Ahab with his Jezabel, Ochozias, Nabuchadnezar, Balthazar, Senacherib and the other worshippers of Balaam, committed? Pharaoh called forth his magitians against Moses; they being convicted in the third plague, confessed the finger of God: but the King being obstinate through the ten plagues perished in the red sea; Balack the Moabite sent forth Baalam the Sorcerer that he should curse Israel, but God himself turned the curse into a blessing; Balack is cursed; what did the answers of Samuel or the witch profit Saul? was he not slain in the mountain ''Gilboah? Ahab and Jezabel being wickedly marryed together, did confide in the prophets of Baal,'' and according to the word of the Lord, a lying spirit went forth into the mouthes of all the prophets who promised prosperity