THE SECOND BOOK 257 



men and gods were not able to draw Jupiter down to the 

 earth ; but contrariwise, Jupiter was able to draw them up 

 to heaven.' So as we ought not to attempt to draw down 

 or submit the mysteries of God to our reason ; but con- 

 trariwise to raise and advance our reason to the divine 

 truth. So as in this part of knowledge touching divine 

 philosophy, I am so far from noting any deficience, as I 

 rather note an excess : whereunto I have digressed, 

 because of the extreme prejudice which both religion 

 and philosophy hath received and may receive by 

 being commixed together ; as that which undoubtedly will 

 make an heretical religion, and an imaginary and fabulous 

 philosophy. 



Otherwise it is of the Nature of Angels and Spirits, which 

 is an appendix of theology both divine and natural, and is 

 neither inscrutable nor interdicted ; for although the Scrip- 

 ture saith, ' Let no man deceive you in sublime discourse 

 touching the worship of angels, pressing into that he 

 knoweth not/ etc. yet notwithstanding if you observe well 

 that precept, it may appear thereby that there be two 

 things only forbidden, adoration of them, and opinion 

 fantastical of them ; either to extol them further than 

 appertaineth to the degree of a creature, or to extol a 

 man's knowledge of them further than he hath ground. 

 But the sober and grounded inquiry which may arise out 

 of the passages of holy Scriptures, or out of the gradations 

 of nature, is not restrained. So of degenerate and revolted 

 spirits, the conversing with them or the employment of 

 them is prohibited, much more any veneration towards 

 them. But the contemplation or science of their nature, 

 their power, their illusions, either by Scripture or reason, 

 is a part of spiritual wisdom. For so the apostle saith, 

 ' We are not ignorant of his stratagems ' ; and it is no 

 more unlawful to enquire the nature of evil spirits than to 

 enquire the force of poisons in nature, or the nature of sin 

 and vice in morality. But this part touching angels and 

 spirits, I cannot note as deficient, for many have occupied 

 themselves in it ; I may rather challenge it, in many of the 

 writers thereof, as fabulous and fantastical. 



