A Golden Chain

Here also men must learn to take heed of all manner of charms and enchantments, which commonly are nothing else but words of Scripture or such like, used for the curing of pains and diseases both in men and beasts. As for example, the first words of S. Johns Gospel, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, &c. are used to be written in a paper and hung about mens necks to cure agues. But the truth is, such kind of practises are devilish. Patrons of charms hold that in such words as are either divine or barbarous, is much efficacy. But whence is this efficacy? from God? from men? or from the devil? If it shall be said from God; we must know that the word used in holy manner, is the instrument of God to convey unto us spiritual blessings, as faith, regeneration, repentance: but it doth not serve to bring unto us corporal health. Well then, belike words take virtue from the speaker, and are made powerful by the strength of his imagination. Indeed of this opinion are some Physicians, as Avicenna and Paracelsus, ¹who think that fantasy is like to the sun, which worketh on all things to which his beams do come, and the latter that by imagination miracles may be wrought. But this opinion is fond, and the reasons alleged for it are without weight. For imaginations are no things but shadows of things. And as an image of a man in a glass hath no power in it, but only serves to resemble and represent the body of a man: so it is with the fantasy and conceit of the mind, and no otherwise. And if imagination have any force, it is only within the spirits and humours of a ⟨p. 721⟩mans own body: but to give force to work in the bodies of others it can not; no more then the shadow of one body can ordinarily cure the body of another on which it lighteth. Wherefore words used in the way of bodily cure, be they in themselves never so good, are no better then the devils sacraments: and when they are used of blind people, he it is, that coming under hand, worketh the cure, and by turning himself into an angel of light, deludes them. But it were better for a man to die a thousand times then to use such remedies, which in curing the body, destroy the soul.

Here also men must learne to take heede of all maner of charmes and enchantments, which commonly are nothing els but words of Scripture or such like, vsed for the curing of paines and diseases both in men and beasts. As for example, the first words of S. Iohns Gospel, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, &c. are vsed to be written in a paper and hung about mens necks to cure agues. But the truth is, such kind of practises are deuillish. Patrons of charmes hold that in such words as are either diuine or barbarous, is much efficacie. But whence is this efficacie? from God? from men? or from the deuill? If it shall be saide from God; we must know that the word vsed in holy manner, is the instrument of God to conuey vnto vs spirituall blessings, as faith, regeneration, repentance: but it doth not serue to bring vnto vs corporall health. Well then, belike words take vertue from the speaker, and are made powerfull by the strēgth of his imagination. Indeed of this opinion are some Phisitians, as Avicenna and Paracelsus,