Book II.

34
cian, and gain fruit from this art, to be fecret, and to manifest to none, either thy work, or place, or time , nor thy defire or will, except it be to a rnafter, or partner, or companion, who fhould likewife be faithful, difcreet, filent, and dignified by nature and education ; feeing that even the prating of a companion, his unbelief, doubting, queftioning, and, laffcly, unworthinefs, hinders and difturbs the. effeCt in every operation.
CHAP. II.
WHAT DIGNITY AND PREPARATION IS ESSENTIALLY NECESSARY TO HIM WHO WOULD
BECOME A TRUE MAGICIAN.
IT is fit that we who endeavour to attain fo great a height fhould firft fludy two things : viz. Firft, how we fhould leave vain and carnal affections, frail fenfe, and material pafiions ; Secondly, by what ways and means we may afcend to an intellect pure, and joined with the powers of the celeftials, without which we fhall never happily afcend to the fcrutiny of fecret things, and to the power of working wonderful effeCts, &c. Now, if thou art a man perfeCt in thy underftanding, and conftantly meditating upon what we have in this book written, and without doubting, believeth, thou fhalt be able, by praying, confecrating, deprecating, invocating, &c. to attract fpiri- tual and celeftial gifts, and to imprint them on whatever things thou fhalt pleafe ; and by it to vivify every magical work.
CHAP.
(