Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy

is expressed as such a one as is altogether conversant in
things divine; and as Plato affirmeth, the art of Ma-
gic is the art of worshipping God: and the Per-
sians called their gods Magos: hence Apollonius Apollonius of Tyana (c. 15–100 AD) was a Greek philosopher and reputed miracle-worker often compared to Jesus in antiquity. saith,
that Magus is either a god by nature original Greek: ὁ κατὰ φύσιν Θεὸς, or a servant of the gods original Greek: θεραπευτὴς Θεῶν:
that is, that Magus is a name sometimes of him that
is a god by nature, & sometimes of him that is in the
service of God: in which latter sense it is taken in
Matthew 2:1,2 when the wise men came to worship
Jesus, and this is the first and highest kind, which is
called divine Magic; and these the Latins did en-
title sapientes, or wise men: for the fear and worship
of God, is the beginning of knowledge. These wise-
men the Greeks call Philosophers; and amongst the E-
gyptians they were termed Priests: the Hebrews term-
ed them Cabalists Cabalistos: Practitioners of Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical and contemplative system for interpreting the divine nature and the universe., Prophets, Scribes and Pharisees;
and amongst the Babylonians they were distinguished
by the name of Chaldeans Chaldeans: A people of Mesopotamia famous in the ancient world for their mastery of astronomy and astrology.; & by the Persians they were
called Magicians: and one speaking of Sosthenes Hostanes (or Sosthenes) was a legendary Persian sage believed by the Greeks to have introduced the art of magic to the Western world., one of
the ancient Magicians, useth these words: He honors the true God with the majesty he deserves, and knows how to be present for the worship of the true God alongside his ministering angels; he likewise reveals that there are earthly, wandering demons, enemies of humanity original Latin: "Et verum Deum merita majestate prosequitur, & angelos ministros Dei, sed veri ejus venerationi novit assistere; idem daemonas prodit terrenos, Vagos, humanitatis inimicos". Sosthenes as-
cribeth the due Majesty to the true God, & acknow-
ledgeth that his Angels are ministers and messengers
which attend the worship of the true God; he also
hath delivered, that there are devils earthly and wan-
dering, and enemies to mankind.

So that the word Magus of itself imports a Con-
templator of divine & heavenly Sciences; but under
the name of Magic, are all unlawful Arts compre-
hended, as Necromancy and Witchcraft, and such
Arts which are effected by combination with the de-
vil, and whereof he is a party.