A Tnatift of B D IHS. Chap. 18. 



that In moft cimems^you muft mingle a duft of tns nature of the 

 things w *" 1 are to be cimentcd.if you vvil have them bind ftrongly 

 <?. Out of this difcourfc, we may yield a reafon for thofe magi- 



naraii ca ll opcttticxns, which fome attribute to the Devils afliftance; 

 peradvencurc becaufe mans wickedneffe hath been more ingeni- 

 ous then his good will; and fo hath found more means to hurt 

 then to help; nay when he hath arrived fonic way to help,thofe 

 very helps have undergone the fame calumny; becaufe of the 

 likeneflc which their operations have to the others. Without 

 doubt very unjuftly, if there be truth in the effedls. For where 

 have we any fuch good fuggeftions of the enemy of makind pro- 

 pofed unto us, that we may with reafon believe he would duly, 

 fettledly, and conftantly concurre to the help and fcrvice of all 

 thofe he fo much hatcth, as he needs do if he be the Authour of 

 fuch effc^s? Or is not a wrong to Almighty God , and to his 

 carefull inftruments; rather to impute unto the Devil the aids 

 which to fome may feem fupernaturall>then unto them of whom 

 we may juftly believe & expe& fuch good offices and afliftances? 

 I mean, thofe operations, both good and bad, which ordinarily 

 are called A4agncticill,t\\Q\.\$\ peradventure wrongfully, as not 

 having that property which dcnominateth the loadftone. 



One thing I may aflure, that if the reports be true, they have 

 the perfefl imitation of nature in them. As for example; that 

 the weapons falve, or the fympathetick powder doth require in 

 the ufing it, to be conlerved in an equal! and moderate temper: 

 and that the weapon which made the wound, or the cloth upon 

 which the bloud remaineth that iffued from it, be orderly and 

 frequently drefled;or elfe the wounded perfon will not be cured: 

 likewife the fteam or fpirits, which at the giving of the wound 

 did enter into the pores of the weapon, muft not be driven out 

 of it, ( which will be done by fire; and (b when it is heated by 

 holding over coals, you may fee a moifture fvveat out of the 

 blade at the oppofite fide to the firc,as farre as it entred into the 

 wounded perfons body; which being once all fweatcd out, you 

 (hall fee no more the like fteam upon the fword ) neither muft 

 the bloud be waflied out of the bloudy cloth; for in thefe cafes, 

 the powder, or falve, will work nothing. Likewife, if there be 

 any excefle cither of heat or of cold in keeping the medicated wea- 

 pon or cloth; the patient fecleth that, as he would do, if the like 



(exceffc 





