How Man's Mind May Be Joined With The Mind Of Intelligences And Celestials...

CHAP. XIII.

HOW MAN'S MIND MAY BE JOINED WITH THE MIND OF INTELLIGENCES AND CELESTIALS AND TOGETHER WITH THEM, IMPRESS CERTAIN WONDERFUL VIRTUES UPON INFERIOR THINGS.

THE philosophers, especially the Arabians, say, that man's mind, when it is most intent upon any work, through its passion and effects, is joined with the mind of the stars and intelligences, and, being so joined, is the cause that some wonderful virtue be infused into our works and things; and this, as because there is in it an apprehension and power of all things, so because all things have a natural obedience to it, and of necessity an efficacy, and more

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to that which desired them with a strong desire. And according to this is verified the art of characters, images, enchantments, and some speeches, and many other wonderful experiments, to every thing which the mind affects. By this means, whatsoever the mind of him that is in vehement love affects, hath an efficacy to cause love; and whatsoever the mind of him that strongly hates, dictates, hath an efficacy to hurt and destroy. The like is in other things which the mind affects with a strong desire; for all those things which the mind acts, and dictates by characters, figures, words, speeches, gestures, and the like, help the appetite of the soul, and acquire certain wonderful virtues, from the soul of the operator, in that hour when such a like appetite doth invade it; so from the opportunity and celestial influence, moving the mind in this or that manner: for our mind, when it is carried upon the great excess of any passion or virtue, oftentimes takes to itself a strong, better and more convenient hour or opportunity; which Thomas Aquinas, in his third book against the Gentiles, allows. So, many wonderful virtues both cause and follow certain admirable operations by great affections, in those things which the soul doth dictate in that hour to them. But know, that such kind of things confer nothing, or very little, but to the author of them, and to him who is inclined to them, as if he were the author of them; and this is the manner by which their efficacy is found out. And it is a general rule in them, that every mind, that is more excellent in its desire and affection, makes such like things more fit for itself, as also efficacious to that which it desires. Every one, therefore, that is willing to work in magic, must know the virtue, measure, order, and degree of his own soul in the power of the universe.