Book II.

CHAP. II.
OF SYMPATHETIC MEDICINES.
IN the year 1639, a little book came forth, whofe title was, f The Sympa- thetical Powder of Edricius Mohynus, of Eburo,’ whereby wounds are cured without application of the medicine unto the part afflided, and without fu- perdition ; it being fifted by the fieve of the reafons of Galen and Arido- tle ; wherein it is Aridotetically, diffidently, proved, whatfoever the title of it promifes ; but it hath negleded the directive faculty , or virtue , which may bring the virtues of the fympathetical powder, received in the bloody towel or napkin, unto the didant wound.
Truly, from a wound, the venal blood, _ or corrupt pus, or fanies, from an ulcer, being received in the towel, do receive, indeed, a balfam from a fana- tive or healing being; I fay, from the power of the vitriol, a medicinal power connected and limited in the aforefaid mean ; but the virtues of the balfam received are directed unto the wounded object, not indeed by an influ- ential virtue of the Ears, and much lefs do they fly forth of their own accord unto the objed at a diftance : therefore the ideas of him that applieth the' fympathetical remedy are connected in the mean, and are made direc- trefles of the balfam unto the objed of his deflre : even as we have above alfo minded by injedions concerning ideas of the defire. Mohyns fuppofed that the power of fympathy depends upon the ftars, becaufe it is an imi- tator of influences : but I draw it out of a much nearer fubjed : to wit, out of direding ideas, begotten by their mother Charity, or a defire of good- will : for, from hence does that fympathetic powder operate more fuccefs- fully, being applied by the hand of one than another : therefore I have always obferved the bed procefs where the remedy is inflituted by a defire of cha- rity ; but, that it doth fucceed, with fmall fuccefs, if the operator be a care- lefs or drunken perfon : and, from hence, I have more edeemed the dars of
the
Fart I.
MAGNETISM.
9
the mind, in fympathetical remedies, than the Stars of heaven : but that images, being conceived, are brought unto an objed at a diltance, a pregnant woman is an example of, becaufe the is the who prefently transfers all the ideas of her conception on her young, which dependeth no otherwife on the mother than from a communion of univerfal nourishment. Truly, feeing fuch a direction of delire is plainly natural, it is no wonder that the evil fpirit doth require the ideas of the delires of his imps to be annexed unto a mean offered by him. Indeed, the ideas of the defire are after the manner of the influences of heaven call into a proper objed how locally re- mote foever ; that is, they are direded by the defire, efpecially pointing out an objed for itfelf, even as the light of the balilifk, or touch of the torpedo, is refleded on their willed objed ; for I have already Shewn in its place, that the devil doth not attribute fo much as any thing in the diredions of things injeded ; but that he hath need of a free, direding, and operative power or faculty. But I will not difgrace fympathetical remedies becaufe the devil operates fomething about things injeded into the body : for what have fympathetical remedies in common ? Although Satan doth co-operate in injedions by wicked natural means required from his bond Slaves ; for every thing Shall be judged guilty, or good, from its ends and intents : and it is fufficient that fympathetical remedies do agree with things injeded in natural ?neans , or medicines.
CHAP. III.
OF THE MAGNETIC OR SYMPATHETIC UNGUENT, THE POWDER OF SYMPATHY, ARMARY UN. GUENT, CURING OF WOUNDS, ECSTASIES, WITCHCRAFT, MUMMIES, &C.
WE Shall now Show fome remarkable operations that are effeded by magnetifm, and founded upon natural fympathy and antipathy, likewife how by thefe means fome extraordinary cures may be performed.