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not to comprehend, they do, for a privy fhift of their ignorance, refer the fame to be the juggling pf an evil fpirit. But I could never decline fo far, becaufe the remedy was fuppofed to be natural •, for neither words, cere- monies, nor any other fufpedted thing, was required. For neither is it lawful, according to man’s power of underftanding, to refer the glory of God, fhewn forth in Nature, unto the devil. For none of thofe people had required aid of Butler, as from necromancy any way fufpedted ; yea the thing was at firft made trial of with fmiling, and without faith and confidence ; yet this eafy method of curing fhall long remain fufpedted by many ; for the wit of the vulgar being inconftant and idle, they do more readily confecrate fo great a bounty of reftitution unto diabolical contrivance, than to Divine goodnefs, the framer, lover, faviour, refrether of human nature, and the father of the poor. And thefe vile prejudices are not only inherent in the common people, but alfo in thofe that are learned, who rafhly fearch into the beginning of healing, being not yet inftrudted, or obferving the common and blockith rules 5 becaufe they are always wife as children, who have never gone over their mother’s threfhold, being afraid of every fable. For they who have not hitherto known the whole circuit of difeafes to be included within the fpirit of life, which maketh the affault ; or if they hereafter, reading my ftudies by the way, fhall imprint on themfelves this moment or concernment of healing ; neverthelefs, becaufe they have been already before accuftomed, from the very beginnings of their ftudies, to the precepts of the humorifts, they will eafily, at length, depart from me, and leap back to the favourite bigotry and ancient opinions of the fchools.”
But now we will haften to the manner of preparation neceflary to qualify a man for the attainment of thefe fublime gifts. ✓
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ALCHYMY.