Part I.

CEREMONIAL MAGTCi
55
CHAP. XI.
OF THE NAMES OF SPIRITS, AND THEIR VARIOUS IMPOSITION, AND OF THE SPIRITS THAT ARE SET OVER THE STARS, SIGNS, CORNERS OF THE HEAVEN, AND THE ELEMENTS.
MANY and different are the names of good and bad fpirits ? but their pro- per and true names, as thofe of the ftars, are known to God alone, who only numbers the multitude of ftars, and calls them by their names,, whereof none can be known by us but by divine revelation ; very few are exprefled to us in fa- cred writ. But the matters of the Hebrews think, that the names of angels are impofed on them by Adam, according to that which is written, “ the Lord brought all things which he had made unto Adam, that he fhould name them, and as he called any thing, fo the name of it was.” Hence the Hebrew Mecubals think, together with Magicians and Cabalifts, that it is in the power of man to impofe names upon fpirits, but of fuch a man only who is dignified and elevated to this virtue by fome divine gift or facred authority : but becaufe a name that may exprefs the nature of divinity, or the whole virtue of angelical effences, cannot be made by any human voice, therefore names for the moft part are put upon them from their works, fignifying fome certain office or effect which is required by the quire of fpirits ; which name then, and not otherwife, obtains efficacy and virtue to draw any fpiritual fubftance from above, or be- neath, to make any defired effect.
I have feen and known fome writing on virgin parchment the name and feal of fome fpirit in the hour of the moon, which afterwards he gave to be devoured by a water-frog, and had muttered over fome verfe j the frog be- ing let go into the water, rains and fhowers prefently followed. I faw alfo the fame man infcribing the name of another fpirit with the feal thereof in the hour of Mars, which was given to a crow, who, being let go, after a verfe muttered over, there followed from that part of the heaven whither it flew, lightnings, fhaking, and horrible thunders, with thick [clouds i neither were
thofe.