aught that
offends him, or cut the air with a sword in such places they walk and
abide; _gladiis enim et lanceis terrentur_, shoot a pistol at them, for
being aerial bodies (as Caelius Rhodiginus, _lib. 1. cap. 29._ Tertullian,
Origen, Psellas, and many hold), if stroken, they feel pain. Papists
commonly enjoin and apply crosses, holy water, sanctified beads, amulets,
music, ringing of bells, for to that end are they consecrated, and by them
baptised, characters, counterfeit relics, so many masses, peregrinations,
oblations, adjurations, and what not? Alexander Albertinus a, Rocha, Petrus
Thyreus, and Hieronymus Mengus, with many other pontificial writers,
prescribe and set down several forms of exorcisms, as well to houses
possessed with devils, as to demoniacal persons; but I am of
[6813]Lemnius's mind, 'tis but _damnosa adjuratio, aut potius ludificatio_,
a mere mockery, a counterfeit charm, to no purpose, they are fopperies and
fictions, as that absurd [6814]story is amongst the rest, of a penitent
woman seduced by a magician in France, at St. Bawne, exorcised by Domphius,
Michaelis, and a company of circumventing friars. If any man (saith
Lemnius) will attempt such a thing, without all those juggling
circumstances, astrological elections of time, place, prodigious habits,
fustian, big, sesquipedal words, spells, crosses, characters, which
exorcists ordinarily use, let him follow the example of Peter and John,
that without any ambitious swelling terms, cured a lame man. Acts iii. "In
the name of Christ Jesus rise and walk." His name alone is the best and
only charm against all such diabolical illusions, so doth Origen advise:
and so Chrysostom, _Haec erit tibi baculus, haec turris inexpugnabilis,
haec armatura. Nos quid ad haec dicemus, plures fortasse expectabunt_,
saith St. Austin. Many men will desire my counsel and opinion what is to be
done in this behalf; I can say no more, _quam ut vera fide, quae per
dilectionem operatur, ad Deum unum fugiamus_, let them fly to God alone for
help. Athanasius in his book, _De variis quaest._ prescribes as a present
charm against devils, the beginning of the lxvii. Psalm. _Exurgat Deus,
dissipentur inimici_, &c. But the best remedy is to fly to God, to call on
him, hope, pray, trust, rely on him, to commit ourselves wholly to him.
What the practice of the primitive church was in this behalf, _Et quis
daemonia ejiciendi modus_, read Wierus at large, _lib. 5. de Cura. Lam.
meles.