An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

3. God in his Holy Word has forbidden his People to imitate the Heathen Nations. He requires, that those who profess his Name should not learn the way of the Heathen; nor do after their manners, Lev. 20. 23. Jer.10.2. But to attempt the driving away of Evil Spirits by the use of Herbs, Fumes, &c. is an Heathenish Custom. Whose shall read Proclus his Book De sa•••ficio & Magia, will see how the Ethni••• taught, that Smells and Smokes would cause Daemons to depart. And the like they believed (and practised accordingly) with respect unto several sorts of Herbs. See Sennertus Med. Pract. L.6. Part.9. ⟨p. 253⟩Cap.7. Dioscorides being deceived with the Doctrine of that great Magician Pythagoras, saith, that the Sea-Onion being hung in the Porch of an House, will keep Evil Spirits from entering therein. In that Book which passeth under the name of Albertus Magnus de mirabilibus Mundi, (though Picus Mirandula in his Disputation about Magic is so favourable as to think Albertus was not the Author of it) but that the true Author has abusively prefixed Albertus his Name) There are many Superstitious Vanities of this nature; which in times of Popish darkness were received from the Arabians and other Heathenish Worshippers of the Devil. It is true, that the Jews did some of them practise this kind of Magic. Josephus (Antiq, Lib.8. Cap.2.) confesseth that those of their Nation (in special one whose name was Eleazar) did by holding an Herb ( viz. that called Solomons Seal) to the Noses of Demoniacs, draw the Devils out of them. He speaketh untruly, in saying, that they learned such nefarious Arts from Solomon, for they had them from the Heathen, who received them from the Devil himself; as is evident from another passage in the mentioned Josephus. In his History of the Wars with the Jews, Lib.7. Cap.25. He says, that there is a ⟨p. 254⟩Root by the Jews, called Baaras, which if a Man pluck it up, he dieth presently; but to prevent that they make bare the Root, and then tie it with a string to a Dog, who going away to follow his Master, easily plucks up the Root, whereupon the Dog dieth, but his Master may then without danger handle the Root, and thereby flight the Devils out of persons possessed with Infernal Spirits: whom he (in that also following the Heathen) supposes to be the Spirits of wicked men deceased.