THe bonds by which spirits are bound, besought, or cast out, are three; Some of them are taken from the elementall world, as when we adjure a spirit by any inferiour and naturall things of affinity with or adverse to them, in as much as we would call upon or cast them out, as by flowers, and herbs, by animals, by snow, by ice, by hell, by fire, and such like, as these also are oftimes mixed with Divine praises, and blessings and consecrations, as appears in the song of the three Children, and in the Psalm, Praise ye the Lord from the heavens, and in the consecration and blessing of the Paschal taper. This bond doth work upon the spirits by an apprehensive vertue under the account of love, or hatred, in as much as the spirits are present with or favour, or abhor any thing that is naturall or against nature, as these things themselves love or hate one the other. Hence that of Proclus, As the Lion fears a cock, especially a white cock: so doth a spirit appearing in the form of a lion vanish away at the sight of a cock. The second bond is taken from the Celestial world, viz: when we adjure them by the heaven, by Stars, by their motions, rayes, light, beauty, clearness, excellency, fortitude, influence, and wonders, and such like: and this bond works upon spirits by way of admonition, and example. It hath also some Command, especially upon the ministring spirits, and those who are of the lowest orders. The third bond is from the Intellectual and divine world, which is perfected by religion, that is to say, when we swear by the sacraments, by the miracles, by the divine names, by the sacred Seals and other mysteries of Religion; wherefore this bond is the highest of all and the strongest, working upon the spirits by Command and power; But this is to be observed, that as after the universal providence, there is a particular one; and after the universal soul, particular soules; so in the first place we Invocate by the superior bonds, and by the names and powers which rule the things, then by the inferior, and the things themselves; We must know further, that by these bonds not only Spirits, but also all creatures are bound, as Tempests, burnings, flouds, plagues, diseases, force of armes, and every animal, by assuming them, either by the manner of Adjuration, or by the way of deprecation or benediction, as in the charming of Serpents, besides the naturall and celestial, by rehearsing out of the mysteries and Religion, the curse of the Serpent in terrestial Paradise, the lifting up of the Serpent in the wilderness; moreover by assuming that verse of the Psalm 91. Thou shalt walk upon the Aspe and the Basiliske, and shalt tread upon the Lion and Dragon: Superstition also very much prevaileth in these, by the translating of some Sacramental rites to that which we Intend to bind or hinder, as, of Excommunication, burial or exequies for the driving away of diseases, Serpents, Mice or Wormes, which thing we read to have bin thus done in diverse places, and it is wont to be done even as yet.
Book III, Chap. XXXIII. Of the bonds of spirits, and of their adjurations, and castings out.
From Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Henry Cornelius Agrippa, translated by J. F. (probably John French), 1651), p. 451.