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before either of them was born, was the Book of Enoch well known in the world; and then alfo was Lingua Adami(upon which two moft of the Cabala ftands) much talked of, as appears by Greg Niffen his learned books againft Eunomius the Heretick. To fpeak more particularly (becauſe fo much of it in this Relation) the Book of Enoch was written before Chrift; and it is thought by fome very learned (though denyed by others) that it is the very book that S. Jude intended. A great fragment of it in Greek (it was written in Hebrew firft) is to be feen in Scaliger (that incomparable man, the wonder of his Age, if not rather of all Ages) his learned Notes upon Eufebius. it was fo famous a book antiently that even Heathens took notice of it, and grounded upon it objections againft Chriftians. It may appear by Origen against Celfus, in his book 5.p. 275. Πάνυ δὲ συγκεχυμένος (faith he) ἐν τῆ περὶ τῶν ἐληλυθότων πεὶς ἀνθρώπους ἀγγέλων ἐξελάσει λίθησι τὰς ἀθρανώτως ἐλθόντα εις αυτὸν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν τῶ Ενώχ γεγραμμένων ἅτινα ουδ' αυτὸς φαίνεται ἀναγνοὺς, ουδὲ γνωρίσας ὅτι ἐν ταις Εκκλησίαις οὐ πάνυ φέρεται ὡς θεῖα τὰ ἐπιγεγραμμένα 18 Ενωχ βιβλία. But S. Jerome and S. Auguftin fpeak of it more peremptorily as a fabulous book, and not allowed by the Church. How much of it is extant, befides what we have in Scaliger, I know not; nor what part it is fo often mentioned in this Relation. By what I have feen it doth appear to me a very fuperftitious, foolish, fabulous writing; or to conclude all in one word, Cabaliftical, fuch as the Divel might own very well, and in all probability was the author of. As for that conceit of the tongue which was fpoken by Adam in Paradife, we have already faid that it is no late invention; and I make no queftion but it proceeded from the fame Author. Yea, thofe very Characters commended unto Dr. Dee by his Spirits for holy and myftical, and the original Characters (as I take it) of the holy tongue, they are no other, for the moft part but fuch as were fet out and publifhed long agoe by one Thefeus Ambrofus out of Magical books, as himfelf profeffeth: you fhall have a view of them in fome of the Tables at the end of the Preface. Some letters are the fame, others have much refemblace in the fubftance; and in tranfcribing it is likely they might fuffer fome alteration. But it may be too the Spirits did not intend they fhould be taken for the fame, becauſe exploded by learned men, and therefore altered the forms and figures of moft of them of purpofe that they might feem new, and take the better. So that in all this the Divel is but ftill conftant unto himfelf, and this conftancy ftands him in good ftead, to add the more weight and to gain credit to his Impoftures. Not to be wondred therefore if the fame things be found elfewhere, where the D. hath an hand.
With Cabaliftical writings we may joyn Chymical, here alfo mentioned in many places. I have nothing to fay to Chymiftrie as it is meerly natural, and keeps it felf within the compafs of fobriety. It may wel go for a part of Phyfick, for ought I know, though many great Phyficians, becauſe of the abufe and danger of it, as I conceive, have done their beft (formerly) to cry it down. I my felf have feen ftrange things done by it: and it cannot be denyed but the wonders of God and Nature are as eminently viſible in the experiments of that Art as any other natural thing. However, it is not improbable that divers fecrets of it came to the knowledg of man by the Revelation of Spirits. And the practice and profeffion of it in moft (them efpecially that profefs nothing elfe) is accompanied with fo much Superftition and Impofture, as it would make a fober man, that tendreth the prefervation of himself in his right wits, to be afraid ofit.