88 



Of the Advancement of Learning. L i b. IIL 



Homer 

 Iliad.;. 



Coloff.2. 



TPcre not able to drarv Jupiter down to the Earth--) but contrarimfe Jupi- 

 ter rvas able to draw tkem up to HcdT^ew. Wherefore he laboureth in vain, 

 who fhall attempt to draw down heavenly Myfteries to our reafon ; it 

 rather becomes us to raife and advance our realbn to the adored 

 Throne of Divine Truth. And in this fart of Natural Theologie, I am 

 fo far from noting any deficience, as I rather find an excefs; which to 

 observe I have fomewhat digreffed , becaufe of the extremeprejudice, 

 which both Religion and Philofophy have- received thereby 5 as that 

 which will faOiion and forge a heretical Religion, and aa imaginary and 

 fabulous Philofophy. 



§ But as concerning the nature of A»geU and Spirits, the matter i^ 

 otherwife to be conceived 5 which neither is infcrutable, nor interdift- 

 ed 3 to which knowledge, from the affinity it hath with mans foul,there 

 is a paflage opened. The Scripture indeed commands. Jet no man de- 

 ceive you mthfublime difcourfe touching the worjhip of Angels^ prejjing in- 

 to that he knows not 5 yet notwithftanding if you obferve well that pre- 

 cept, you (hall find there only two things forbidden; namely ^^tfr<«- 

 iion of Angels^ fuch as is due to God ; and rhantajiical Opinions ofthenfy 

 either by extolling them above the degree of a creature ; or to extol 

 a mans knowledge of -them farther than he hath warrantable ground. 

 But the fober enquiry touching them, which by the gradations of things 

 corporal, may alcend to the nature of them , or which may be feen ia 

 the Soul of Man, as in a Looking-gla(s;> is in no wife reftrained. The fame 

 may he concluded of impure and revolted fpirits 5 the converfing with 

 them, and the imployment of them, is prohibited 5 much more any 

 veneration towards them; but the Contemplation or Science of their 

 Nature 5 their Power 5 their Illufions ; not only from places of (acred 

 Scripture, but from reafon or experience ; is a principal pare ofSpiri- 

 ^Cor.t. tual Wifdom. For fo the Apoftle; faith, we are not ignorant ofhisjira- 

 tagems. And it is no more unlawful tp enquire, in • natural Theology, 

 the nature of evil Spirits ; than to enquire the nature of Pbyforts iti 

 Phyfick, or of vices in theEthi<:ks. But this part of Science touching 

 Angels and degenerate fpirits, I cannot note as Deficient ; for many have 

 imployed their pens in it : Rather moft of the Writers in this 

 kind may be argued either of vanity, or fuperftition, or of unprofitable 

 fubtilty. 



Chap. III. 



This Tartition of Natural Philofophy into Speculative, and Opera- 

 tive. § And that thefe two^, both in the intention of the writer 3 and 



in the body of the. Treat ife^fijould befeperated. 



Eaving therefore Natural Thologie (to which we have attributed the 

 __ enquiry of Spirits, as an Appendix) we may proceed to the fe- 

 cond Part, namely that of Nature, or Natural Thilofophy. Deviocritut 

 Ijerf.se- faith excellently, That the knowledge concerning Nature, lies hid in cer- 

 tain deep Mines and Caves. And it is fomewhat to the purpofo , that 



the 



I 



