Treatise

Just as it was said regarding Magic—that there is a divine wisdom upon which true sciences depend, and another that is worldly, which the Apostle Referring to St. Paul, who often contrasted worldly wisdom with divine wisdom. calls vanity and folly—so it must be said of the art of Cabala Also spelled Kabbalah; a Jewish mystical tradition for interpreting Scripture and understanding the divine.. One type comes from the true wisdom sent from heaven, while the other comes from the deceptive and unstable invention of men, being fashioned and refashioned. For the gift of that true wisdom is the subject of the first kind of Cabala, which is revealed to men either by immediate inspiration or by having its Kabbalistic mystery uncovered through the teaching of a faithful master. In contrast, the second kind, derived from human invention, is vain, uncertain, and inconsistent, fashioned and produced according to the imagination of the inventor.

And although the inventor may have understood the reasoning behind his own invention quite well, and may have attempted to hide and conceal the truth of the mystery beneath it—like a spirit beneath the literal text—he nevertheless acted most wickedly in this: by such superstitious ceremonies, he led man away from the truth toward a certain species of Theurgy Theurgy: rituals intended to invoke the presence or action of divine beings or spirits., rather than directing them toward the desired goal, as will be discussed more broadly below. The species of true and essential Cabala known as Cosmological deals with natural things, both of heaven and earth, and is accustomed to explaining and uncovering the laws and secrets of the Holy Bible through philosophical reasoning. From this, it is clear that the subject of Cosmological Cabala and Natural Magic is the same—of which we have spoken at length in our preceding discourse on Magic.

However, that species called Marcava original: "Marcaua"; referring to Merkavah or "Chariot" mysticism, focused on the throne of God and celestial hierarchies. deals with mysteries far more sublime: namely, those which pertain to the divine nature and the condition of angels, as well as the secrets of characters and formal, fiery, or luminous elements. A branch of this, Notariaca A branch of Kabbalah involving the use of letters and names to interact with spiritual forces., deals with the virtues, names, and seals of angels, and also reveals the conditions of demons and souls. So too does the Theomantic branch Divine divination or the study of God's names. search out the mysteries of the divine majesty and various emanations according to their properties and the sacred names of God. Those Kabbalists who truly know these things say they possess such wonderful powers that whenever one wishes, he may foreknow all future things, command all of nature, have authority over demons and angels, and perform miracles. Indeed, it is believed that through this species, Moses performed those signs recorded in Exodus. Its entire and unique subject is that Spirit of Wisdom who (as the Holy Scripture testifies) is the worker of all wonders; Solomon confessed that he possessed perfection by the assistance of this Spirit in these two complete species of true Cabala. For he acknowledges the entire power of Cosmology in these words:

Wisdom 7:17, 18, 19.

Wisdom has given me the science of those things that exist; from her, a certain knowledge was given to me of the structure of the world and the powers of the elements; the beginning, the end, and the midpoint of times; the changes of the solstices and the varieties of seasons, the circuit of the year and the positions of the stars, etc.

By these words, he proves that through true wisdom he possessed knowledge of the natural mysteries of heaven, and consequently was most perfect in his understanding of the higher cosmological parts. Then he continues thus:

Wisdom 7:20.

Wisdom was given to me to know the natures of living creatures and the rages of wild beasts, and the differences between plants and the medicinal powers of roots, etc.

By which he concludes that he had certain knowledge of nature, both of the lower (earthly) and the higher (heavenly) things. In these, one may clearly see that Solomon acquired the most perfect Cosmological science in the first species of essential true Cabala.

That he was also excellently versed in its second species—indeed, in the branches of both types of Cabala—he seems to acknowledge in the following verse, where he says:

Wisdom 7:20, 21.

God gave me knowledge of the power of winds, and the thoughts of men, and whatever things are hidden and unforeseen I have learned, for Wisdom, the artisan of all things, taught me.

Thus says Solomon; here, by "the power of winds," he understands both angels and winds, as it is said: original: "Qui facis angelos tuos ventos"; from Psalm 104:4: "Who makes your angels spirits [or winds]." Who makes your angels spirits/winds, etc. This is very easy to discern since he also speaks of the internal mystery of man himself, namely regarding