Three Books of Occult Philosophy/Book 1/Chapter 39
prayers, devout humiliation, and the like. Let no man therefore doubt that in like manner by some certain matters of the world, the Gods of the world may be raised by us, or at least the ministring spirits, or servants of these Gods, and as Mercurius saith, the airy spirits, not supercelestiall, much less higher. So we read that the antient Priests made statues, and images, foretelling things to come, and infused into them the spirits of the stars, which were not kept there by constraint in some certain matters, but rejoycing in them, viz. as acknowledging such kinds of matter to be sutable to them, they do alwaies and willingly abide in them, and speak, and do wonderfull things by them: no otherwise then evill spirits are wont to do, when they possess mens bodies.
WEE have spoken concerning the vertues, and wonderfull efficacy of naturall things. It remains now that we understand a thing of great wonderment: and it is a binding of men into love, or hatred, sickness or health, and such like. Also the binding of thieves, and robbers, that they cannot steale in any place; the binding of Merchants, that they cannot buy, or sell in any place; the binding of an army, that they cannot pass over any bound; the binding of ships, that no winds, though never so strong, shall be able to carry them out of the Haven. Also the binding of a mill, that it can by no force whatsoever be turned round: the binding of a Cisterne, or fountain, that the water cannot be drawn up out of them: The binding of the ground, that it cannot bring forth fruit: the binding of any place, that nothing can be built upon it: The binding of fire, that though it be never so strong, can burn no combustible thing that is put to it. Also the