>>1898468
continues (autobiography of satan, regarding Cabbala)
The
thirst for concealed wisdom led men to the fountains of the
Cabbala, and after Aristotleism had run its race, and students
began to turn to Alexandrinism, these found their own ideas
in a Platonic Pythagorean form, and presented a cloud of
mysteries to the human mind. Hence arose the black arts of
astrology and alchemy, which in time gained the advocacy
of such learned men as Bonaventura, Thomas Aquinas, Pay-
mund Lullius, Pico clella Mirandula, John Eeuchlin, &c. As
secret doctrines and magic are commonly yoke-fellows, the
Cabbala set it forth as an axiom, that there is the closest con-
nection between this world and the upper and lower regions,
and that consequently the Cabbalistic adept had a command-
ing influence in heaven and hell, which gave him not only
general wisdom and power, but special control over witches
and witchcraft. Indeed, with the aid of the Cabbala, the
magician of the middle ages could not only keep me in order,
but augment all kind of earthly good. A conviction to this
effect struck deep roots into the heart of the people. Hence
grew up and prevailed a host of falsities, which beset and
worried poor mortals for centuries, such as belief in Satan, in
witches and their commerce with devils, Satanic conjurations,
magical covenants of friendship and enmity ; while by a reci-
THE APOSTLE PAUL CONDEMNS DEMOXOLOGY.
119
procrated influence these superstitions encouraged belief in
the Cabbalistic mysteries whence they had sprung.
The further progress of these terrible evils will be traced
by and by.
Meanwhile you have now before you a pretty full picture of
the thick and gross darkness into which, the religion of Jesus
was born, and through which it had to struggle during the
earlier centuries of its existence. TVell has Jesus himself
described the condition of his Church in those ages when he
said (to quote the version of Dean Alford), " If the light that is
in thee be darkness, how dark is the darkness !" (Matt. vi. 23).
Dark indeed, since those who should have been the light-
bearers of the times had themselves been eclipsed by the
clouds which, coming from foreign lands, covered the surface
of the Church,
Before I pass on to the Xew Testament evidence, I must
briefly but distinctly notice some words which Paul addressed
to Timothy and Titus. These I here set down : " Charge
some that they teach no other doctrine (than that of Christ),
neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies which
minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in
faith; turning aside unto vain jangling, understanding neither
what they say nor whereof they affirm" (1 Tim. i. 4 — 7). "Xow
the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some will
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doc-
trines of devils (demons) ; speaking lies in hypocrisy, having
their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Tim. iv. 1, 2),
" doting about questions and strifes of words (vi. -4). Shun
profane and vain babblings (2 Tim. ii. 16) of evil men and
seducers, deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. iii. 13) ; for
there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, espe-
cially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped"
(Tit. i. 10, 11).
This long and varied description tallies completely with
the demonology which I have set before you in somewhat full
particulars. If Paul has not, as he seems to have, a direct
120
THE TEACHINGS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
reference to those Oriental fictions which yon know to have
infested Palestine, and in a measure other countries where the
Gospel had been introduced, he uses language so nicely cha-
racteristic of them and their espousers, as to comprehend not
them only, but their spirit and aim, wherever and whenever
manifested. And thus demonology of all kinds is condemned ;
not only that of Paul's days, which, though substantial and
multiform, was scarcely more than a shadow of what was to
come, and what did come, before society had fairly got out of
the middle ages.