not to be done, that good may come of it.”  Much better it were for such patients that are so troubled, to endure a little misery in this life, than to hazard their souls’ health for ever, and as Delrio counselleth, [2805]"much better die, than be so cured.”  Some take upon them to expel devils by natural remedies, and magical exorcisms, which they seem to approve out of the practice of the primitive church, as that above cited of Josephus, Eleazer, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Austin.  Eusebius makes mention of such, and magic itself hath been publicly professed in some universities, as of old in Salamanca in Spain, and Krakow in Poland:  but condemned anno 1318, by the chancellor and university of [2806]Paris.  Our pontifical writers retain many of these adjurations and forms of exorcisms still in the church; besides those in baptism used, they exorcise meats, and such as are possessed, as they hold, in Christ’s name.  Read Hieron.  Mengus cap. 3. Pet.  Tyreus, part. 3. cap. 8. What exorcisms they prescribe, besides those ordinary means of [2807]"fire suffumigations, lights, cutting the air with swords,” cap. 57. herbs, odours:  of which Tostatus treats, 2.  Reg. cap. 16. quaest. 43, you shall find many vain and frivolous superstitious forms of exorcisms among them, not to be tolerated, or endured.

MEMB.  II.
Lawful Cures, first from God.

Being so clearly evinced, as it is, all unlawful cures are to be refused, it remains to treat of such as are to be admitted, and those are commonly such which God hath appointed, [2808]by virtue of stones, herbs, plants, meats, and the like, which are prepared and applied to our use, by art and industry of physicians, who are the dispensers of such treasures for our good, and to be [2809]"honoured for necessities’ sake,” God’s intermediate ministers, to whom in our infirmities we are to seek for help.  Yet not so that we rely too much, or wholly upon them:  a Jove principium, we must first begin with [2810]prayer, and then use physic; not one without the other, but both together.  To pray alone, and reject ordinary means, is to do like him in Aesop, that when his cart was stalled, lay flat on his back, and cried aloud help Hercules, but that was to little purpose, except as his friend advised him, rotis tute ipse annitaris, he whipped his horses withal, and put his shoulder to the wheel.  God works by means, as Christ cured the blind man with clay and spittle:  Orandum est ut sit mens sana in corpore sano.  As we must pray for health of body and mind, so we must use our utmost endeavours to preserve and continue it.  Some kind of devils are not cast out but by fasting and prayer, and both necessarily required, not one without the other.  For all the physic we can use, art, excellent industry, is to no purpose without calling upon God, nil juvat immensos Cratero promittere montes:  it is in vain to seek for help, run, ride, except God bless us.