neither can any one that is initiated newly unto those mysteries presenfly comprehend all cleer things, but his mind must be accustomed by degrees, until the intellect becomes more enlightened, and applying it self to divine light be mixed with it. A humane soul therefore when it shall be righfly purged, and expiated, doth then, being loosed from all impurity, break forth with a liberall motion, and ascends upwards, receives divine things, instructs it self, when happily it seems to be instructed from elsewhere; neither doth it then need any remembrance, or demonstration by reason of the industry of it self, as by its mind which is the head and the pilot of the soul, it doth, imitating by its own nature the angels, attain to what it desires, not by succession or time, but in a moment. For David when he had not learning, was of a Shepherd made a Prophet, and most expert of divine things. Solomon in the dream of one night, was filled with the knowledge of all things above and below. So Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the other Prophets, and Apostles were taught. For the soul (which is the common opinion of the Pythagorians, and Platonists) can by way of purification, without any other study, or searching, only by an easie, and adventitious collating on these intelligibles received from above, acquire the perfect knowledge of all things knowable. It can also by an extrinsecall expiation attain to this, as to understand all things Invisibly by its substantiall form. For the mind is purged, and expiated by cleansing, by abstinence, by penitency, by almes: and then also do thereunto conduce certain sacred institutions, as shall afterward be discovered. For the soul is to be cured by the study of Religions, and indeed these which are commonly called occult, that being restored to its soundness, confirmed by truth, and fortified by divine graces, may not fear any rising shakings.
Chapter liv. Of cleanness, and how to be observed. We must
