Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	good_a	know_v	see_v	1,978	5	3.1860	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26888	The certainty of the worlds of spirits and, consequently, of the immortality of souls of the malice and misery of the devils and the damned : and of the blessedness of the justified, fully evinced by the unquestionable histories of apparitions, operations, witchcrafts, voices &c. / written, as an addition to many other treatises for the conviction of Sadduces and infidels, by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1691 (1691)	Wing B1214; ESTC R13061	111,630	274

THE CERTAINTY OF THE WORLDS of SPIRITS And Consequently Of the Immortality of Souls Of the Malice and Misery of the Devils and the Damned And of the Blessedness of the Justified Fully evinced by the unquestionable Hist●ries of Apparitions Operations Witchcrafts Voices c. Written as an Addition to many other Treatises for the Conviction of Sadduces and Infidels By RICHARD BAXTER Eph 6.12 We wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the Darkness of this World against spiritual Wickednesses in high Places in Celestials Matth 8. 31 32. The Devils besought him saying If thou cast us out suffer us to go away into the Herd of Swine And he said Go. Luk. 10. 18 20. I beheld Satan as Lightning fall from Heaven But in this rejoyce not that the Spirits are subject to you But rather rejoyce because your Names are written in Heaven Heb. 2. 14. Are they not all the Angels ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be Heirs of Salvation LONDON Printed for T. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside and I. Salisbury at the Rising Sun near the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1601. THE PREFACE It seemeth hard to unruly Minds that God should keep Intellectual Souls so strange to the unseen World of Spirits that we know so little of them and that our Knowledge of them is no more by the way of ●ente But there is in it much of Gods ●rbitrary Soveraign Power and much of his Wisdom and much of his Justice and also of his Love 1. It pleased him to make Variety of Creatures What harmony would there be without Variety were there nothing but Unity there would be nothing but God And various Creatures must have a various Scituation Reception and Operations The Fishes must not dwell in our Cities nor be acquainted with our Affairs 2. We here dwell in Flesh in Bodies organized for the Souls Receptions and Perceptions and Operations And the Wisdom of God doth suitably dispose of his Communications and give us that measure of Light which is agreeable to our State The Sun must not shine on the Infant in the Womb nor must he there see our Buildings and Tradings and Business in the World 3. We have Light here that is proportionable to our work and interest So much as is necessary to our knowing of our selves and our God and Governour and our Duty and all those hopes that are our necessary Motives thereto Men that will but observe the Operations of their Souls may competently know what a Soul or Spirit is And Men that will but open their Eyes and considerately look about them may as certainly know that there is a God as they can know that there is any Being And Men that cannot but difference Moral Good and Evil and that know the Duty of Children to Parents Subjects to Rulers and Neighbours to Neighbours may know their Duty to God and that the performance of it shall not be in vain And if Men will not know all this which they may know it is just with God to leave them to their chosen darkness and not to know that which further might be known It is a dismal case to havea Soul that will not know it self to be what it is till utter Misery convince him 4. And the God of Love maketh Advantage of our not-seeing the World of Spirits for our Exercise of our higher Intellectual Faculties by a Life of Faith And Intuition a Nobler sort than our present Eye-sight will be seasonable and soon enough when ripeness hath made us ready for it We shall not need all the Organical parts of the Eye which Galen admiringly describeth for our Glorious sight And to see Devils and other Spirits ordinari●y would not be enough to bring our Atheists to the saving Knowledge of God without which all other Knowledge is vain They that doubt of a God the most perfect eternal infinite Being while they see the Sun and Moon and Stars the Sea and Land would not know him by seeing Created ●pir●ts As to the Originals of this Collection it had its rise from my own and other Mens need When God fir●● a●akened me to think with preparing seriousness of my Condition after Death I had not any observed Doubts of the Reality of Spirits or the Immortality of the Soul or of the Truth of the Gospel But all my doubts were about my own Renovation and Title to that Blessed Life But when God had given me peace of Conscience Satan Assaulted me with those worse Temptations Yet through Gods Grace they never prevailed against my Faith Nor did he ever raise in me the least doubt of the Being and ●erfection of God nor of my Duty to Love Honour Obey and Trust him For I still saw that to be an Atheist was to be ●●ad But I fou●d tha● my Fai●h of Supernat●ral Revela●ion ●●st be more than a Believing Man and that if it had ●ot a firm Foundation and rooting even sure Evidence of Verity Surely Apprehended it was not like to do those great works that Faith had to do and to overcome the World the Flesh and the Devil and to make my Death to be safe and comfortable Therefore I found that all confirming helps were useful and among those of the lower sort Apparitions and other sensible Manifestations of the certain existence of Spirits of themselves Invisible was a means that might do much with such as are prone to judge by Sense The uses hereof I mention before the Book that the Reader may know that I write it for Practice and not to please Men with the Strangeness and Novelty of useless Stories It is no small number of Writers on such Subjects that I have read it 's near threescore years time from the fi●st occasion And finding that almost all the Ath●ists Sadduces and Infidels did seem to profess that were they but sure of the Reality of the Apparitions and Operations of Spirits it would cure them I thought this the most suitable help for them that have sinned themselves into an incapacity of more Rational and Excellent Arguments And I have long feared lest secr●t unobserved defectiveness in their Belief of the Immortality of the Soul ●nd the truth of the Scripture is the great cause of all Mens other defects There lieth usually the unsoundness of Woridly Hypocrites where it is prev●iling and thence is the weakness of Gra●e in the best though it prevail not against their Sincerity By which Motives I did though it displeased some make it the Second Fart of my Book called the Saints Rest And aft●rward● provoked by Clement Writer I did it mu●h more fully in a Book called the Unreasonableness of Infidelity And after that provoked by the Copy of a paper dispersed in Oxford said to be Dr. Walkers questioning the certainty of our Religion and seeing no answer to it come from the Univ●rsity Men I wrote yet more Methodically of all in

Floor at some distance from the Bed by the side of a Table the Bed-Cloaths and his own Wearing Cloaths all upon him just in the same manner as he laid them when going to Bed having nothing at all under him by which he got an extream Cold and besides his Leg and Arm next the Table were sorely bruised Being awake he began to think where he was but soon recollected himself and by the Light of the Moon which then shone very bright he discerned the Bed and putting on the Cloaths upon the Bed laid him down again and slept the remaining part of the Night very quietly Soon after his being in Bed this second time the Town-Clock struck Twelve He never was out of his Bed in his Sleep before or since and soon after he came to understand that the Chamber was reputed to be haunted Mr. Charles Hatt's Letter concerning an House being haunted at Kinton in Worcestershire in the Year 1667. Worthy Sir ACcording to your Desire and my Promise when I was with you about a Fortnight since with Mrs. Wilson concerning a Man's House in Kinton six Miles from Worcester being sorely troubled about the latter end of the Year 1667. to the best of my Remembrance viz. I living at Benington near Auster in Warwickshire Workmen come from Kinton acquainted me of an House sorely haunted naming the Person to me which I have now forgot I being desirous to see or hear such things went to the said House but finding only a Maid there a spinning I asked for her Master She told me the Spirit to the best of my remembrance she called it so had boxed him about the Ears as he sate by the Fire● 〈◊〉 against her upon which he cried out and went away to a Son 's of his in the 〈◊〉 Town a little before I came I 〈◊〉 to the said Man desired him to come home He seemed unwilling telling me how he was abused by it and that in the Night it would often pull him out of the Bed and did so torment him that he was a weary of his Life But getting him home he sate him down about the same place near the Fire and I sate over against him discoursing how he was troubled He told me several had been with him as the Minister of the place to my best remembrance They bid him pray pray But he found no Relief I told him I knew no other way than by seeking to the Lord and not to speak slightly of Prayer He told me I might hear it before I went I had not been long but there was a great Noise in the said Room of Groaning or rather Gruntling like a Hog and then gave a lowd Shriek Here it is saith the Man I was much concerned upon the hearing of it so recalling my self I desired to go to Prayer in the next Room where the Man used to lie By this time many of the Towns-People came in and were at Duty About the middle of Duty the aforesaid Noise came as I thought lowder and just by me however I then was not concerned Afterward having some Discourse with the Man about a Month after I heard from him that it did no more trouble him nor to his Death He lived as I remember two Years after This is the best and truest Account I can give I rest SIR Your Christian Friend to command Charles Hatt's Gingraff May 16. 1691. POSTSCRIPT SIR I Spake to my Lady Rich concerning a Voice that Mr. Tiro heard acquainting him of his Death If you remember I told you of him and you desired an Account of it He was a Nonconformist Minister of Vnger in Essex My Lady will send you the Account of it This Mr. Tiro had an extraordinary Love for you Vale C.H. CHAP. III. MR. Iohn Humphreys brought Mr. May Hill to me with a Bag of Irons Nails and Brass vomited by the Girl I keep some of them to shew Nails about three or four inches long doubled crooked at the end and pieces of old Brass doubled about an Inch broad and two or three Inches long with crooked edges I desired him to give me the Case in Writing which he hath done as followeth Any one that is incredulous may now at Beckington receive Satisfaction from him and from the Maid her self In the Town of Beckington by Froome in Somerset-Shire liveth Mary Hill a Maid of about Eighteen years of Age who having lived very much in the Neglect of her Duty to God was some time before Michaelmas last past was Twelve-Month taken very ill and being seized with violent Fits began to Vomit up about two hundred crooked Pins This so Stupendous an Accident drew a numerous Concourse of People to see her To whom when in her Fits she did constantly affirm that she saw against the Wall of the Room Wherein she lay an old Woman named Elizabeth Carrier who thereupon being Apprehended by a Warrant from a Justice of Peace and Convicted by the Oaths of two Persons was committed to the County Goal About a Fortnight after she began to Vomit up Nails Pieces of Nails Pieces of Brass Handles of Spoons and so continued to do for the space of six Months and upwards And in her fits she said there did appear to her an old Woman Named Margery Coombes and one Ann More who also by a Warrant from two Justices of the Peace were Apprehended and brought to the Sessions held at Brewton for the County and by the Bench committed to the County Goal The former of these dyed as soon as she came into Prison the other two were Tryed at Taunton Assizes by my Lord Chief Justice Holt and for want of Evidence were acquitted by the Jury The Persons bound over to give Evidence were Susanna Belton and Ann Holland who upon their Oaths Deposited that they hookt out of the Navel of the said Mary Hill as she lay in a dead fit crooked Pins small Nails and small pieces of Brass which were produced in Court before the Judge and from him handed to the Jury to look upon them Whereupon Mr. Francis Iesse and Mr. Christopher Brewer declared that they had seen the said Mary Hill to Vomit up at several times Crooked Pins Nails and Pieces of Brass which they also produced in open Court and to the end they might be ascertained it was no Imposture they declared they had searched her Mouth with their Fingers before she did Vomit Upon which the Court thought fit to call for me who am the Minister of the Parish to testifie the Knowledge of the matter which I did to this Effect that I had seen her at several times after having given her alittle small Beer Vomit up Crooked Pins Nails and Pieces of Brass That to prevent the Supposition of a Cheat I had caused her to be brought to a Window and having lookt into her Mouth I searcht it with my Finger as I did the Beer before she drank it This I did that I might not be wanting in Circumstantial

therein all relating to the same Subject SIR I Have herein sent you those four Stories I had the remembrance off when I was with you last which I have subscribed my Name to But who can prove any thing Rationally to them who have not so much Reason as to know their own Souls All of this Tribe are of that mind to believe nothing but what they see themselves But as Religio Medici says The Devil hath them in too fast a Noose for to appear to them would be to convert them from their Error He rather delights to be their God than to prove himself a Devil and so torment their Thoughts too soon They assert and admire the Omnipotency of Matter but in the mean time are insensible of the spring of Motion they are so full of Seconds they will not own a First Mover 'T is strange Arithmetick that two should not suppose one and as bad Geometry to have Circumference without a Center But I fear you will but spend Arguments on them who are resolved not to yield to any Evidence for it is the Interest of their Lusts neither to believe God nor a Devil Yet I remember a story of one at Colchester who in a Bravado and Defiance of the Devil would walk in the Night to the Church-Yard where it was reported he appeared and walked and he met him in the shape of a Black Dog with terrible Eyes which brought him by Terrors into such a mind that he was never quiet in his Mind till he got into good Society Coming to Mr. Shepheard's at Coln Mr. Harlakenden stay'd him though Mr. Shepheard was gone He lodged there and when at Prayer the Black Dog was seen by the Man as if he would have torn Mr. Harlakenden's Throat out but he was in his House and Duty and neither saw nor feared And this Man continued long in this condition proved a most serious Christian always had some appearance of this Dog as a Fly or a Flea and various shapes and even at his Death lying long sick had great Peace and Victory over the fear of Death and was so joyful and desirous to be diss●●ved that this Dog or Flea made no impression upon him when had it been a Melancholick Fancy it would have been worst at so dark an Hour when the Humours are up and the Spirits down This Story I had also from Mr. Harlakenden but it is not to be cast before such Swine as this Epicurean Age abounds with who if Christ himself was on Earth with the Gadarens would rather get rid of him than lose their Herd of Hogs But I tire you the Lord support you and give you the Joy of Faith the Blessed prospect of Hope and that Cordial of Love which is stronger than Death I am Your worthless Brother and Servant in the Lord T. Woodcocke Iuly 17. 91. Here follow the four Stories mentioned in the fore-going Letter I. Mr. Mun Rector of Stockerson in Leicestershire had a Daughter married to one Mr. Beecham Rector of Branston in Rutland in whose House it was frequently observed that a Tobacco-pipe would move it self from off a Shelf at one end of the Room to another Shelf at the other end of the Room without any Hand Mr. Mun visiting his Son-in Law took a Pipe of Tobacco in that Room and looked for some such Motion but a great Bible instead of a Pipe moved it self off from a Desk at the lower end of the Room and cast it self into his Lap. Whereupon he opened the Bible at Gen. 3. 15. saying Come Satan I 'll shew thee thy Doom The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head Avoid Satan This Mr. Mun himself told me when in the Sickness-Year 1665. I lived in Stockerson-Hall I have no reason to suspect the Veracity of a sober Man a constant Preacher and a good Scholar II. Dr. Lamb who was killed by the Mob for a Conjurer about 1640. met one Morning Sir Miles Sands and Mr. Barbor in the Street and invited them to go and drink their Mornings Draught at his House Discoursing about his Art he told them if they would hold their Tongues and their Hands from medling with any thing he would shew them some Sport So falling to his Practice in the middle of the Room springs up a Tree soon after appeared three little Fellows with Axes on their Shoulders and Baskets in their Hands who presently fell to work cut down the Tree and carried all away But Mr. Barbor observing one Chip to fall on his Velvet Coat he slips it into his Pocket That Night when he and his Family were in Bed and asleep all the Doors and VVindows in the House opened and clattered so as to awaken and affright them all His VVife said Husband you told me you was at Dr. Lamb 's this Day and I fear you medled with something He replied I put a Chip into my Pocket I pray you said ●he fling it out or we shall have no Quiet He did so and all the VVindows and Doors were presently shut and all quiet so they went to sleep Dr. Barbor and Major Iohn Barbor who married my only Sister told me this Relation who had it again and again from their Father and Mother and I know no reason to doubt of the truth of it This Mr. Barbor laid the first Stone in building of Covent-Garden III. VVhen I was a School-Boy at Oundle in Northamptonshire about the Scots coming into England I heard a Well in one Dobs's Yard drum like any Drum beating a March I heard it at a distance Then I went and put my Head into the Mouth of the Well and heard it distinctly and no Body in the Well It lasted several Days and Nights so as all the Country-People came to hear it And so it drumm'd on several Changes of Times When King Charles the Second died I went to the Oundle-Carrier at the Ram-Inn in Smithfield who told me their Well had drumm'd and many People came to hear it And I heard it drumm'd once since IV. Mr. Harlakenden who lived at ColuPriory in Essex where I often was his only Son being my Pupil formerly the House of the Earls of Oxford Off from the House was a Tomb House with a Chamber over it his Butler Robert Crow and William his Coach man used to lie in that Room At Two of the Clock in the Morning there was always the sound of a great Bell tolling They affirming it so Mr. Harlakenden slept in the Evening so as to be awaked at One of the Clock and lay betwixt his two Servants to satisfie himself At Two of the Clock comes the usual Sound of a great Bell tolling which put him into a Fright and Sweat so as he jogg'd his Servants who awaking said Hark Tom is at his Sport It revived him to hear them speak Upon a particular Occasion Mr. Thomas Shepheard who after went to New England with some other Ministers and good People spent a Night in