|
BUT the atmosphere which extends between heaven and earth is ever
filled with a thick crowd of spirits, which do not fly about in it quietly
or idly, so that most fortunately the divine providence has withdrawn them
from human sight. For through fear of their attacks, or horror at the
forms, into which they transform and turn themselves at will, men would
either be driven out of their wits by an insufferable dread, and faint
away, from inability to look on such things with bodily eyes, or else would
daily grow worse and worse, and be corrupted by their constant example and
by imitating them, and thus there would arise a sort of dangerous
familiarity and deadly intercourse between men and the unclean powers of
the air, whereas those crimes which are now committed among men, are
concealed either by walls and enclosures or by distance and space, or by
some shame and confusion: but if they could always look on them with open
face, they would be stimulated to a greater pitch of insanity, as there
would not be a single moment in which they would see them desist from their
wickedness, since no bodily weariness, or occupation in business or care
for their daily food (as in our case) forces them sometimes even against
their will to desist from the purposes they, have begun to carry out.
|
|