The art of curing sympathetically, or magnetically, proved to be most true by its theory and practice exemplified by several cures performed that way: with a discourse concerning the cure of madness, and an appendix to prove the reality of sympathy : also an account of some cures perform'd by it in London / written originally in Latin by H.M. Herwig ...

CHAP X. (Book 10)

Of the Jews Cabalistical way of Curing. (Book 10)

THe Iews Cabalistical Cure is not to be thought of without indignation, being nothing but a pernicious superstition, which by collecting, dividing and transfer∣ring Words, Names, and Letters, dispersed here and there in Scripture, according to their own Fancy, and composing one out of another, they frame members of Sentences, Inductions, and Parables. Thus they would adapt the oracles of God to their own fictions, and by wrestled accounts of Words, Syllables, Letters, and Numbers, they endeavour to bring forced proofs for their own perfidiousness. And moreover, being pufft up with these trifles, they brag, that they have found out, and know the ineffable mysteries of God, and secrets beyond any things the Scripture hath revealed, and blush not with the greatest assurance to say, by these they can P'ro∣phesy, heal, and work miracles. What

can a perfidious Iew utter more impious and blasphemous? These are their wretched words, Moses received this Ca∣balistical Art from God in the Mount, which hath been successively dilivered down to posterity, only by word of mouth, like the Pythagorean Philosophy, without any written remains. They give out, that Moses by his knowledge herein performed all those miracles that Scripture records of him, his turning the Rod into a Serpent, the Rivers into Blood, and all those many calamities he brought upon the Egyptians, were per∣formed by help of this; by this art Ioshua caused the Sun to stand still; Elijah restored the blind to sight, and called down Fire from Heaven. But this is nothing but a vain and impious fiction of men superstitiously desperate, for they cannot attribute these, and the other wonderful works of God, to the Art and Industry of Man, without ma∣nifest and apparent sacriledge. The Rabbins pretend, that the Cabala was first communicated to Moses, and so continued to the succeeding Iews, and was not only known to those Prophets, who are recorded in holy writ; but also

to a great many more. It is manifest, that neither Moses, Elias, or any other of the Prophets wrought any miracles, but by the particular command of God. What God did by them the Prophets themselves cannot be said to have done, either of their own proper motion, or by any such Art; nay, they were not so much as foreseen by them, as we have before noted. For this cause Moses and the rest of the Prophets after him, so often re∣peat it, that they attribute all these works to God. Thus saith he: The Lord commanded this: The word of the Lord came unto me, &c. Lastly, if the Power of the Cabala be so great, as the Iews impu∣dently lye concerning it, how comes it to pass then in regard they have culti∣vated it so long, both in the present and former ages, and are so very conversant in it, that by its, assistance they have performed nothing that can raise ad∣miration, even in Children? Especi∣ally when Iosephus lib. 20. Chap. 6. reports, that it was very common and familiar in his time. But they never did any thing, that can have the least pre∣tence to a Miracle.

§ 2. I conclude therefore with other learned men, that this whole matter is nothing but a sort of Allegorical sport, that idle persons imploying themselves about particular Letters, Points, and Numbers (which the Hebrew Tongue very much admits of invented according to their own pleasure. This wretched Iewish progeny goes on further, and in regard the miracles of) Christ, were so illu∣strious and manifest, that they cannot be denied, and yet they will not ac∣knowledge him for the Messiah, and the promised seed; they villanously some∣times attribute them to Magick, some∣times to the Cabala, and utter such hor∣rid expressions against the Eternal Son, that their very remembrance forces me to silence. By these things which we have toucht on by the way, it is easie to perceive that this vain Superstition of the Cabala was not abolished at the com∣ing of Christ, as a great many Authors assert, who have wrote on this subject. But indeed those studies which now a∣days are nicely inquired into, and as proudly bragged of not only by the Jews, but also by a great many nominal Chri∣stians, prove that it is not extinct (as it is

to be wished it were) but on the con∣trary (with grief be it spoken) it was ne∣ver more studied in any age. Thus you see in short what is the Jews Cabala, which many that are greedy of the Jewish impiety swallow down. This Cabalistical Art, as also Magick, chiefly consists in words and characters. I ac∣knowledge indeed, that anciently Ma∣gick and the names of Magicians were held sacred. And I also know that this specious name is now at this time given by some to those wicked arts, by which Satan endeavours to darken the glory of God, and obstruct mans salvation. Not only the thing it self, but also the name of this art ought to be an abomination to every good man; because there can be no figure either in Wood or Stone, or engraven in any other matter, which in it self hath the power of acting in re∣gard, according to Aristotle and Aquinas, figure is nothing but a certain situation, and order of parts, from whence the modification of quantity arises. There∣fore in regard quantity is not active by it self, nor figure likewise, which is only the modus of quantity, by necessary con∣sequence it cannot be the principle of

mation or action, nor can a Statue as such, produce another Statue or quality. Whence then proceeds that power and efficacy that the Jews and Magicians at∣tribute to words and characters? If it is neither from God, Nature, or Art, it must be from something else, to wit, the Devil; who by these sort of stratagems endeavours to entice miserable mortals to pay devotion to him. Therefore the practicers of such detestable arts are de∣servedly punished with the utmost seve∣rity both by the Laws of God and Men. There was never any want of Natural Remedies, but the fault lies generally in our gross ignorance. As there are two sorts of Physicians, one who cures mi∣raculously, the other who cures natural∣ly by Medicines; so there are two ori∣ginals of distempers, one Natural, the other from Heaven: The word of the Lord heals those from Heaven, and Natural distempers are cured by Natural means.