Page:Three Books of Occult Philosophy (De Occulta Philosophia) (1651).djvu/589

 earth, and shall tremble because the misery which you know not shall come upon you suddenly; Whither then will ye fly? Stand with your inchanters, and with the multitude of your Sorceries, if haply they can profit you, or you can be made thereby stronger. Will not that German Sorcerer that is sent for, save you, and make lying, Prophets, and prevail against the wrath of the Lord, and deliver you from evil? No, ye wicked, No, unless the Lord shall build, and keep the Cities, and Kingdom, all the keepers thereof labor and watch in vain. It is the work of God alone, not of Devils, not of Magicians to suspend or change the sentence of the Prophets. But if you will with your whole heart turn unto his mercy, and will change your wickedness, then you may be freed from evil, as was Nebucadnezar, who by the counsel of Daniel redeeming his sins by almes, and his iniquities by taking pitty on the poor, avoided the imminent wrath of God for a time, until in the Court at Babylon he with a proud speech recalled it back to himself again. Achab most impious, with his Iezebel, to whom the Lord threatned death by Elias, was, because he turned to God made again the word of the Lord to Eliah. Because Achab feared my face I will not bring the evill in his daies. The Ninevites, because by the Edict of the King and Princes they repented at the preaching of Jonas, were totally freed from the imminent punishment. Esaias brought this sentence to Ezechias, that he should set his house in order, because he should dy; He praied and wept, and was hesled, and fifteen years added to his life, for thus the Lord spake to the same man by the same Prophet, I have seen thy tears, and heard thy prayers, behold I will add to thy daies fifteen years; moreover I will deliver thee from the hand of the King of Assyria & this City, and protect it; So much could the conversion and prayer of this pious King do, who though he prayed for himself alone, yet obtained not only for himself, but also for the City and people; It is the Lord only who preserveth the King, and who giveth wisdome to the Kings Son; they ought to fly to this master,