Book II. the Permanent Being, he fell down and ador'd him, and not only yielded the Principality to Simon, which himself had enjoy'd hitherto, but enjoin'd the whole Order of thirty Men to be obedient to him, and feated himself in Simon's Place, and in a little time he dy'd.

XII. Simon then, after the Death of Doftheus, took the Woman call'd Luna, with whom he goes about till this very time, as you fee, deceiving the Multitude, and affirming that himself is a certain Power which is above God the Creator; but that this Woman, call'd Luna, which is with him, is deriv'd from the fuperior Heavens, and that he is that Wifdom. which is the Parent of all things; on whofe account, fays he, the Greeks and Barbarians fought while they were able, only to fee her Image in an imperfect manner; but as to her real felf, they were wholly ignorant of her, because she dwelt with the primary and the only Supreme God. And indeed by delivering thefe and the like Affertions, in very pompous words, he impos'd upon not a few. I ought alfo to inform you of one thing, which I remember I my self faw. When this Woman of his, call'd Luna, was once on a time in a certain Tower, and a vaft multitude of People were gather'd together to fee her, and ftood round about the Tower on every fide, fhe feem'd to bow down to all the People, and to look out at every Window of the Tower. And many other Wonder's has he done, and ftill does; infomuch that Men being amaz'd on account of them, do fuppose that he himself is the Supreme God.

XIII. For on a certain time when I and Niceta ask'd him, How fuch things could be done by Art Magick? and what the nature of fuch Operations was? Simon began to explain the mat

ter

ter thus to us, as to his familiar Friends: I, Book II.
faid he, made the Soul of a Boy who was un-
tainted, and kill'd by Violence, and which I
had call'd for by ineffable Adjurations, to come
to me; and by this Soul is every thing done
that I command. Then, faid I, Is it poffible for
a Soul to do these things? He anfwer'd, You
are to know this, that an human Soul obtains
the fecond place after God; I mean, when it's
got clear of the Darkness of its Body, and at
laft it immediately has a Foreknowledg of Fu-
turities; for which reafon do we call it up in
the Bufinefs of Necromancy. Then I reply'd,
Why then do not the Souls of thofe that are
flain revenge themselves upon those that flew
them? He faid, Do not you remember what I
told you, that when it goes out of the Body,
it is endu'd with Prefcience? Yes, faid I, I do
remember it. Then, faid he, For this reafon
when it is departed out of the Body, it imme-
diately foreknows there will be a Judgment, and
that every one must be punish'd for the wicked
Actions which they did here; and therefore
will they not revenge themfelves upon their
Murderers, because they do alfo themselves un-
dergo Torments for their own Wickedness
which they did here, and they know that greater
Punishments do await the others at the Day of
Judgment. But befides all this, they are not
permitted to go out or do any thing by thofe
Angels who prefide over them. Then I made
anfwer, If the Angels do not permit them to
come hither, or to do any thing, how is it that
the Soul obeys the Voice of the Magician which
calls it away? Thefe Angels, fays he, do not
give leave to the Souls themselves to. come a-
way when they have a mind; but when those
Angels which prefide over them are abjur'd by
him,

F4

Book II. him that is greater than themselves, they have wherewithal to excufe themselves, on account of the Violence we offer to them. They will then permit thofe Souls whom we call for to come out; for 'tis not the Fault of thofe who fuffer the Violence, but of us who bring this Force upon them. To this Niceta haftily reply'd, as indeed not being able to contain any longer, which alfo I was going to do, but did rather desire to fish out all his Matters: But, as I faid, Niceta prevented me, and faid, Do not you then fear the Day of Judgment, who offer Violence to Angels, and call out Souls, and deceive Men, and barter for Divine Honour that it may be paid you? How then can you perfuade us that there will neither be any Judgment, as fome of the Jews fay, and that Souls are not immortal, as the Generality believe; while you fee thofe Souls with your own Eyes, and draw Indications of the Divine Judgment from them.

XIV. Upon this Simon look'd pale; and yet recollecting himself, he after a little Paufe anfwer'd thus: Do not you fuppofe, fays he, that I am one of your human Race. I am no Magician, nor a Lover of the Woman call'd Luna, nor the Son of Anthony: For while fhe was yet a Virgin, before fhe company'd with him, did fhe conceive me; when it was in my power to be either fmall or great, and to appear as a Man among Men. That therefore I might try you, I chofe you for my first Friends; that when I had prov'd you, I may place you as the first in the celeftial and ineffable Places belonging to me. I have therefore forg'd this human Scheme concerning my felf, that might the more fully prove you, whether you can preferve an intire Affection for me, As for my

felf

felf, when I had heard these things, I look'd on Book II. him as a miferable Wretch, and wonder'd at his Impudence, and blush'd for him; yet was I afraid left he should do us fome Mifchief; and fo I gave a nod to Niceta, that he would diffemble with him, as I did, for a little while, and I faid to him, Be not, O thou Incorruptible God, fo angry at us poor corruptible Mortals, but take in good part our Affection to thee, and accept of thofe Minds which are defirous of knowing who God is; for we did not then know who you were, nor did we observe that you were he whom we fought for.

XV. While we fram'd our Countenances to our Designs, and went on after this manner, the vain Fellow believ'd we were deceiv'd; and being the more puff'd up thereat, he added thefe words, I will now be merciful to you, on account of that Affection which you bear to me as to a God; for you lov'd me when you knew me not, and when you fought for me, you was ignorant of me. However, do not you question this, that this is to be a real God, when any one can become little or great as he pleases; for I can appear to Men in any way I please. Now will I therefore begin to disclose a great Truth to you: Ionce, by my own Power, turn'd Air into Water, and again Water into Blood, and made folid Flesh, and fo did I frame a new human Child. Indeed the Work I produc'd was much nobler than any made by God the Creator; for he created Man out of the Earth, but I did it out of the Air, which was the more difficult Task; and then I diffolv'd him again, and restor'd him to the Air: yet did I place his Form or painted Image in my inmoft Parlour, that it might be a Demonftration and Memorial of my Work. Now we understood that he

Book II. faid this on account of that Boy, who had been flain by Violence, and whofe Soul he made use of upon all his occafions to minister to him.

XVI. Now (when Peter heard this, he wept, and faid, I am greatly furpriz'd at the unlimited Patience of God; and, on the contrary, at the extremity fometimes of human Impudence. For what Argument can be farther found out which may perfuade Simon, that thou, O God, will judg the Wicked, when he can perfuade himself to use the Obedience of departed Souls to minifter to his wicked Purposes? He is indeed deluded by Demons; yet while by this Procedure he is certainly affur'd that Souls are immortal, and are to be judg'd for what they have done; and while he fuppofes that he really fees what we believe by Faith, altho, as I faid, he be deluded by Demons; yet while he thinks that he fees the very Substance of the Soul, When will he, fay I, be brought to confefs that he has done ill, under fo great effects of his Evil-doing? Or that he is to be judg'd for what is done here, who knowingly despises the Judgment of God, and makes himself an Enemy to God, and dares commit fuch horrid Wickedneffes? Whence 'tis very plain, my Brethren, that fome do oppofe the Truth and the Religion of God; not because the foundation of Faith does not feem to them certain, but because they are either involv'd in a Superabundance of Sins, or prepoffefs'd by their wicked Habits, or puff'd up by the Pride of their Heart; so that they do not believe even those things which they think they fee with their own Eyes.

.

XVII. But now becaufe an innate Affection towards God our Creator might feem fufficient for the Salvation of those that lov'd him, the Enemy studies to pervert that Affection in Men,

and