wondrous charm, it blindens them so that they cannot see the hook; it
stupifies them so that they pay no heed to their danger, and consumes
them with an insatiate lust for more, even though it be a deadly poison,
breeding diseases which no physician, yea, not death itself can ever
heal, nor aught at all unless a heavenly medicine called Repentance be
had to purge the evil in good time ere it become too deeply rooted,
through gazing upon them too long." "Wherefore will not Belial have this
adoration to himself?" asked I. "It is the same thing," said he, "for so
long as a man adheres to these or to one of them, that man is sure to
bear the mark of Belial and wear his livery."

"By what names are these three enchantresses called?" "The furthest away
is called Pride, the eldest daughter of Belial; the second is Pleasure,
and the nearest to us is Lucre; these three are the trinity the world
adores." "I would fain know the name of this vast, madding city," said
I, "hath it a better name than great Bedlam?" "Yea, 'tis called the City
of Destruction." "Alas!" I cried, "are all that dwell therein ruined and
lost?" "All," said he, "save a few that flee from it into yon upper city
which is King Emmanuel's." "Woe is me and mine! how shall they escape
while ever staring at what makes them more and more blind, and preys upon
them in their blindness?" "It would be utterly impossible for any man to
escape hence were it not that Emmanuel sends his ministers from on high,
night and morn, to persuade them to leave the rebels and turn to Him,
their true Sovereign, and sends to some a gift of precious ointment
called Faith to anoint their eyes, and whoso obtains that genuine
ointment (for there is an imitation of this as of everything else in the
City of Destruction) and anoints himself therewith, at once becomes aware
of his own wounds and madness, and will not tarry here a moment longer,
even though Belial gave him his three daughters, yea, or his fourth who
is greatest of all, for staying."