Three Books of Occult Philosophy/Book 1/Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX
That we may by some certain matters of the world stir up the Gods of the world, and their ministring spirits.
NO man is ignorant that evill spirits, by evill, and prophane Arts may be raised up as Psellus saith Sorcerers are wont to do, whom most detestable and abominable filthiness did follow, and accompany, such as were in times past in the sacrifices of Priapus, and in the worship of the Idoll which was called Panor, to whom they did sacrifice with their privy members uncovered. Neither to these is that unlike (if it be true, and not a fable) which is read concerning the detestable heresy of old Church-men, and like to these are manifest in Witches and mischeivous women, which wickednesses the foolish dotage of women is subject to fall into. By these, and such as these evill spirits are raised. As a wicked spirit spake once to Iohn of one Cynops a Sorcerer; all the power, saith he, of Satan dwells there, and he is entred into a confederacy with all the principalities together, and likewise we, with him, and Cynops obeys us, and we again obey him. Again, on the contrary side, no man is ignorant that supercelestiall Angels or spirits may be gained by us through good works, a pure minde, secret prayers, devout humiliation, and the like. Let no man therefore doubt that in like manner by some certain matters of the world, the Gods of the world may be raised by us, or at least the ministring spirits, or servants of these Gods, and as Mercurius saith, the airy spirits, not supercelestiall, much less higher. So we read that the antient Priests made statues, and images, foretelling things to come, and infused into them the spirits of the stars, which were not kept there by constraint in some certain matters, but rejoycing in them, viz. as acknowledging such kinds of matter to be sutable to them, they do alwaies and willingly abide in them, and speak, and do wonderfull things by them: no otherwise then evill spirits are wont to do, when they possess mens bodies.