Part I'. CEREMONIAL MAGIC. 45

thefe fpirits of the third kind, as the opinion o^he Platonift is, they report that there are fo many legions as there are ftars in the heaven, and fo many fpirits in every legion as in heaven itfelf ftars : but there are, (as Athanaftus delivers,) who think, that the true number of the good fpirits is according to the number of men, ninety- nine parts, according to the parable of the hun- dred fheep ; others think only nine parts, according to the parable of the ten goats ; others fuppofe the number of the angels equal- with men, becaufe it is written, he that hath appointed the bounds of the people according to the number of the angels of God ; and concerning their number many have written many things ; but the latter theologians, following the mafters of the fentences, Aujlm and Gregory , ealily refolve themfelves, faying, that the number of the good angels tranfcendeth human capacity ; to the which, on the contrary, innu- merable unclean fpirits do correfpond, there being fo many in the inferior world as pure fpirits in the fuperior ; and fome divines affirm that they have receiv- ed this by revelation. Under thefe they place a kind of fpirits fubterraneous or obfcure, which the Platonifts call angels that failed, revengers of wicked- nefs and ungodlinefs, according to the decree of the divine juftice; and they call them evil angels and wicked fpirits, becaufe they often annoy and hurt, even of their own accord. Of thefe alfo they reckon more legions ; and, in like manner, diftinguifhing them according to the names of the ftars and elements, and parts of the world, they place over them kings, princes, and rulers ; and the names of them: of thefe, four moft mifchievous kings rule over the other, accord- ing to the four parts of the world. Under thefe many more princes of legions govern, and many private officers ; hence the Gorgones, Statenotfe , the Furies; hence Ti/ipbone, Aleffio, Megcera , Cerberus. They of this kind of fpirits. Porphyry fays, inhabit a place nigh the earth, yea within the earth itfelf ; there is no mifchief which they dare not commit ; they have altogether a violent and hurtful nature, therefore they plot, and endeavour violent and fudden mifchiefs ; and when they make incurfions, fometimes they lie hid, and fometimes offer open violence, and are very much delighted in all fuch things done wickedly and mifchievoufly.
C HAP.
46
THE CABALA j OR,
I