oblations, gifts, and sacrifices; the cleanness of all which even purifies the air, and attracts the most pure influence of celestiall, and divine things, and allures the pure ministers of God, and good Demons: although sometimes impure spirits, and ill Demons, as the apes of the good Demons, take upon them this kind of cleanness, that either they may be adored, or may deceive: therefore first of all we must observe that the mind be pure, and the heart pure, and then the impure powers cannot ascend.
Chapter lv. Of abstinence, fastings, chastity, solitariness, the tranquillity and ascent of the mind. Abstinence also doth commonly fortifie, and defend the observers thereof against vices, and evil Demons, and makes the mind an unpolluted temple of God, uniting it to God. For nothing doth more conduce to health, and temperance of the complexion, then not to heap together superfluities, and not to exceed the bounds of necessary food. Neither is nutriment to be taken that is too strong for nature, but rather, let nature be stronger then the meat, as some affirm of Christ, that he took meat in that proportion that it should not breed any excrement of the third concoction. Many others also taking meat sparingly, enjoyed thereby health and agility of body, as Moses, and Elias, who fasted fortie dayes: whence his face shined, and he lifted up, could easily guide his body as if it were a spirit. For Magicians, and Philosophers affirm that our spirit is not as a terrene thing, or body nourished by nutriment received through certain organs by the concoction of meat, and drink, but draws in their aliment like sponges through the whole body, viz. from the thin vapours penetrating the body on all sides. Therefore they that desire to have this spirit pure, and potent, let them use dryer meats, and extenuate this gross body with fastings, and they make it easily
