Book 111- T/6e Temple ot Wifdome. 14^

Sfirits ; and as concerning their Nature^ th:y com- inandj let no man deceive you, with Sublime dil- coiirfe touching thcworOiip of Angels^ prelTing into that he knows not ; theEthcrial Genii^ haveatiinity with mans Soid^ yet nctwithftanding^ if you obferve this precept, we forbid you Adoration of - fuchasisdue toGodj and Vhantajlical opinions of them J Intelligenceiand Guardian Genii, either by ex- tolling them, above the degree of a Creature 5 or to extoll a mansknowledg of ihem farther than he hath warrantable ground.
By the Sober and Illumiuatcd knowledge of K.Ci and by the Gradations of things Corporeal^ you may afcend to the Naturecftbemy butyou laborin vain^ if you attempt to have the acquaintance of a Guar^ dian Genius^ or think to draw down Heavens millc- TitstoyoxxvKeafon^ and thereby to get admittance into the Miftcries of the infpired Chriftian^, it ra- ther becomes you to raife and advance your KeefoK^ to the adored Throne of Divine Truth , Theknoiv- ledgeof K. C. win your Soul, Sic. To fptak of Revolted Spirits ofthefecond Revolution, we pro- hibit the converting with them, much more any Veneration towards them; but theconteniplation, of thtir Nature y the'irpov^erj tht'iv Illufio^ts : not on- ly from places of holy Scripture^ but from Reafon or i scperiencey is a principal pare o^ fpiritual Jfifdonse. And it is not more unlawful in Natural 7 heologie^ to enquire the Nature of Evil Spirits^ then to enquire the nature ofPoyfon in Phypxks : To defcend from the Angels. And the Airealfpirits, and evil, and revolted SpiritSyznd intelleftual forms, to fenfible and Materal Forvfts : riot to fpeak one thing twice. The ^rHof Created Form^ was Light y which hath ^ Rela- tion gnd Conefpondence i« Nitnn and Corporal Rrr a thitig?
244 '^ heJcmple tf/ Wifdome. Book III.
thing?5to knowledge in Genu and Incorporal things, loin thediftribution cfdayes^wefcetheday wherc- m Cod did reft and contemplate his own works, was bieit above al! the dayes wherein the Fabrickofthe univerfewas Created and dlfpofed.
After the Creation was finifhc, man was placed in this Etkrialfirfl hioijlure^ and Tent t o view the Gar* d€nvih\d\ he liked very well, and there heContem- platedj without trouble. And for delight and ex- ercifc Nowtheknowledg which introduced the fal, icwas not the Vthertal knowledg concerning the Creatures or Natural Impolition of Names, but the IVlorrallknowledgofG(?r^/?«^£vi/3 where thefup- poficion was that Gods Commandements or Prohi- bitions were not the Originals of Good and Evil^ but that they had other begmnings, which man afpired to knew, to the end to make a total defe6:i- oii from God^ and to depend wholly upon him- icife, and his free will, for his Soul perceived his
lioht.
I would advife all in general, as I was advifed, that they would take into ferious confideration,the true and Genuin endsofinfpired Chriftiansor Ilq/rf Crucians^ that they drive not to be one of them, and to have the knowledg of the Guardian GeuiM or to converfe with Intelligences^ either for pleafure, or Contention^ ov Contempt of others J or for frofit or fame or for honour y znd promoticn orfuch like. Adulterate or inferiour ends ; but for the Merit and Emolument of life, and that they rf^wZ/^t^ and ferfeii the fame in CW/t^/jfor the defire of Vower was the fall o^ Angels y thedelireofknowledgthc FallofMan, but in Cha- rity there is no excefs ; neither wen nor Angels ever niLurrcd danger by it. The rtqu^fts we make are
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