This science does not
appear to have any fixed principles, but depends upon certain ancient
traditions, whence its name Cabala. The Cabalists have a great number of
names which they style sacred, by means of which they raise spirits, and
affect to obtain supernatural intelligence.'--See Calmet, Art. _Cabala_.
'We spake before,' says Lightfoot, 'of the commonness of Magick among
them, one singular means whereby they kept their own in delusion, and
whereby they affronted ours. The general expectation of the nation of
Messias coming when he did had this double and contrary effect, that it
forwarded those that belonged to God to believe and receive the Gospel;
and those that did not, it gave encouragement to some to take upon
them they were Christ or some great prophet, and to others it gave some
persuasion to be deluded by them. These deceivers dealt most of them
with Magick, and that cheat ended not when Jerusalem ended, though one
would have thought that had been a fair term of not further expecting
Messias; but since the people were willing to be deceived by such
expectation, there rose up deluders still that were willing to deceive
them.'--Lightfoot, vol. ii. p. 371.
For many curious details of the Cabalistic Magic, Vide Basnage, vol.
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