Selected quad for the lemma: master_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
master_n	great_a	john_n	king_n	2,807	4	3.4671	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19406	The triall of vvitch-craft shewing the true and right methode of the discouery: with a confutation of erroneous wayes. By Iohn Cotta, Doctor in Physicke.; Triall of witch-craft	Cotta, John, 1575?-1650?	1624 (1624)	STC 5836.5; ESTC S116293	114,816	176

immediately from God himselfe nor mediately by him reuealed in his writ word of truth they are iustly to be suspected to issue from the enemies of God the Diuell and euill Spirits and therefore their Authors ought to be accomptant therein vnto Iustice and all religious Ministers and seruants of God and Iustice in the most strict and seuere extent of Law And thus much concerning the manifestation of the supernaturall workes of Witches and Sorcerers vnto or through the outward Sense CHAP. VII The workes of the Diuell or Witches manifest to Reason or consequence of Reason and how detected ALl doubts being cleared it hath vndoubtedly appeared how supernaturall and spirituall workes are apparent to sense It now followeth to declare how likewise they are euident to Reason or necessary to consequence of Reason Those things are said to be proper obiects of Reason and vnderstanding which being remote from the immediate view or notice of the outward senses are grounded vpon vniuersall and intellectuall knowne positions propositions and certaine vndoubted generall notions by necessary collections or raciocinations That we may build the foundation of this our Reason or Raciocination vpon the infallible truth of Gods holy Word which shall neuer be shaken let vs for the detection of Witches and Sorcerers by reason and consequence of reason syllogise directly and immediately from God himselfe Thus saith Almighty God Isaiah chap. 8. verse 19. And when they shall say vnto you Enquire of those that haue a Spirit of Diuination and at the South-sayers which murmure and whisper should not a people enquire of their God Vnder this interrogatiue should not a people inquire of their God is vnderstood this affirmatiue A people should enquire of no other Spirit but of their God alone From this holy text and writ reason doth assume and collect necessarily and truly First that many things are hidden from the knowledge of man which are reuealed vnto the science and knowledge of Spirits Otherwise neither would man aske or enquire of Spirits as hath beene vsuall in all ages neither should God haue occasion here to forbid the enquiring at Spirits That the ignorance also of man in things knowne to Spirits is the true first and originall motiue or reason for enquiring at Spirits is very plaine by the words of King Saul 1. Sam. 28.15 God is departed from me saith he vnto the vision of Samuel raised by the Diuell and answereth me no more neither by Prophets neither by dreames therefore haue I called thee that thou maist tell mee what I should doe Here is a manifest grant of knowledge in Spirits aboue men Secondly reason doth hence collect that all Spirits that doe suffer themselues to be enquired at are euill Spirits and therefore Diuels because Almighty God hath here expressely forbidden the enquiring at any other Spirit beside himselfe and therefore good and holy Spirits will not nor can not disobey the commandement of God nor countenance or assist men in so doing Thirdly reason doeth necessarily hence conclude that such men as are enquired at for reuelations of things hidden from the skill and possibilitie of knowledge in man are Sorcerers Witches and South-sayers if promising and performing according thereto really and yet not warranted by God his word nor assisted by nature The consequence and inference of this reason is iust for that to promise those things or to vndertake those things which are out of their own knowledge and solely and properly in the knowledge of Spirits and Diuels doeth manifestly proue in the performance their interest societie and contract with Spirits and Diuels which is Sorcery and Witch-craft It may bee here obiected that there are some men who affect to bee resorted vnto and to bee enquired at in things supposed hidden from the knowledge of man and to be reputed able vnto such Reuelations though haply they practise to deceiue vnder the colour of pretence of such abilitie It is iustly hereto answered that this their presumption ought to be seuerely enquired into whether it doe taste of ought that is diabolicall of the Diuell or supernaturall and if nothing so doe yet in this Grand cause of God himselfe the religious iealousie of the prudent Magistrate ought to punish their presumption which dare affect to vndertake the name or note of a sinne so odious and abominable vnto Almightie God Let vs for better impression againe repeate and iterate those things which were collected out of the propounded text First that there is knowledge in Spirits of things hidden and separated from the knowledge of man Secondly that such Spirits as are enquired at and doe reueale such knowledge vnto man are Diuels Thirdly that men which doe practise to be enquired at for such supposed Reuelations ought not onely to be iustly suspected and inquired into but that if they be found therewithall to know and reueale those things which are indeed and really aboue and beyond the knowledge of man and are properly and onely in the power of Spirits that then this doth infallibly prooue their interest power and societie with Diuels which is certaine and assured Sorcery and Witch-craft And thus hath reason drawne a demonstration out of the booke of God of a certaine Witch and manifest Sorcerer Let vs now exercise our selues in the consideration examination and tryall of some particulars herein It is said of Apollonius that he foretold the day the houre of the day the moment of the houre wherein Coccius Nerra the Emperour should die long before the time and being in farre distant places remooued from him It is reported of the same Apollonius that being consulted by one who for that purpose came vnto him how he might grow rich Apollonius appointed him to buy a certaine field or ground and to be carefull in tilling and plowing thereof which after he had done a while he found in the end a great treasure and so became rich It is written of the same Apollonius also He made knowne vnto Titus Vespatian the time and manner of his death enquiring it at his hands These things with many other the like Ianus Iacobus Boissardus relateth in the life of Apollonius Who hath not heard of the name and mention of that famous and renowmed British Wizard Merlin and of his high and great esteeme among Princes for his prophesies Vnto his fore-sight and predictions from many foregoing ages the successes and euents of diuers Princes affaires in their seuerall raignes haue beene vsually by diuers times and histories referred For this cause Master Camden in the description of Caermarden-shire doth terme him the Tages of the Britans Speede in his tractate of the ancient Inhabitants of great Britane as also of the life of Aurelius Ambrosius and of the raigne of King John and of Henry the fourth doth out of Malmesbury and others recite diuers accidents and euents in seuerall succeeding ages vnto his oraculous and miraculous illuminations ascribed to haue beene fores●ene foretold and knowne If there be

flying from or hating all occasions or places where the name mention worshippe or adoration of Almighty God is in any kinde vsed a man out of whose cursed lips hath at any time beene heard the renouncing of God or voluntary profession or loue and friendship vnto the Diuel all which with horror sometimes my owne eares did heare in a woman at an open assise being there indited vpon suspicion of Witch-craft Let vs yet further consider in the same man an extraordinary alienation of himselfe from all societie and company with men for that familiar conuersation with Diuels begetteth an hatred and detestation both of the remembrance of God or sight of men likewise a frequentation or solemne haunting of desarte places forsaken vnaccustomed of men the habitations of Zijm and Iijm graues and sepulchres This seemeth Math. 8. Luke 8. Marke 5. in the possessed true The possessed and the Witch are both the habitacles of Diuels with this onely difference that the Witch doth willingly entertaine him His custome of haunting tombes and sepulchres in the one doth make it probable and credible in the other Likewise a solitary solacing himselfe or accustoming abroad oft and vsually alone and vnacompanied at times and houres vnusuall and vncouth to men as the most darke seasons of the night fitting the darke workes and the workemen of the Prince of Darkenes Let vs yet more particularly obserue this man branded with the former note seeming or professing to practise workes aboue the power and possibilitie of man to threaten or promise to performe beyond the custome of men whether in generall or toward any particular In a diuellish intendred action bent against any particular likewise wee may diligently examine any manifest speciall prouocation first giuen secondly an apparent apprehension thereof expressed by words gestures or deedes thirdly intention or expectation succeeding the prouocation starting out oft-times or intimated by any rash vnaduised or sudaine proiect of headie and vnbridled passion fourthly the opportunitie sutable vnto such an intended desseigne as time and place competent for accesse speech sight or receiuing from or giuing vnto the particular against whom such diuellish thoughts are set any thing wherein any inchanted power or vertue is vsually hid and conueighed After a Sorcerous deede is thus certainely obserued to proceede we may then further with vigilant circumspection view whether ought may be detected iustly arguing his reioycing pride or boasting therein that standeth iustly suspected or ought that may prooue or expresse his doubt or feare of discouery his guilty lookes cunning euasions shifting lying or contradictory answeres and apologies vnto particulars vrged These circumstances and the like though each alone and single may seeme of no moment or weight yet concurring together or aptly conferred they oft produce a worth from whence doth issue full complete satisfaction Verisimilia singula suo pondere mouent coaceruata multùm proficiunt saith Cicero that is euery single circumstance hath his weight and vse but consenting and concurring together they doe much aduantage Since then what vertue or power soeuer circumstances and presumptions doe vsually and generally vnfold in all other subiects or matters whatsoeuer the same equally and as largely reason doeth here display and offer in this of Witch-craft why should not the like practise thereof herein also bee vrged and found as likely and succesfull I doe not commend or allow the vsuall rash foolish and fantasticall abuse of circumstances nor their wresting and forging nor the coniuration or raising vp of their likenesse and shadowes without any substance or trueth as is too common and vulgar out of meere fancy or defect of true iudgement without the due manifestation of a certaine crime first in this kinde assured But where all the former circumstances doe truely and really occurre or most of them or the most materiall amongst them with an apparant vncontrouled precedent euidence of an vndoubted act of Sorcery and are not indirectly wrested or guilefully extorted but directly proued fairely produced and vrged what man inioying his common sense or reason can be ignorant what a large scope and faire fielde they doe yeeld to sent to trace and chace the most hidden and secret guilt of Witches whatsoeuer out of their vtmost shifting most close couerts and subtill concealements I doe not affirme circumstances and presumptions simply in themselues sufficient to prooue or condemne a Witch but what reasonable man will or can doubt or deny where first a manifest worke of Sorcery is with true iudgement discerned and knowne certainely perpetrate that the former circumstances and presumptions pointing vnto a particular doe giue sufficient warrant reason and matter of calling that particular into question of inioyning and vrging him vnto his purgation and iustification from those euill apparances whereby through the differencies iarres contrarieties and contradictions of the false faces and vizards of seeming truth because identity and vnity is properly and solely found with truth it selfe inuiolable and the same guiltinesse is oft vnable to finde a couert to hid it selfe but rubbed or galled vnto the quicke doth breake out and issue forth in his owne perfect and vndeceiuing liknesse It may be obiected that it doth commonly fall out and is so oft seene that the hearts of Witches are by the Diuell so possessed so hardned and sealed vp against all touch either of any conscience or the least sparke of the affections of men left in them that there is no possibility or hope of any preualence by the pressing of any presumptions or circumstances which they for the most part will answere with wilfull and peruerse silence This is and may be sometimes true yet is no sufficient reason why due proofe and tryall should not alwayes diligently be made herein since first experience it selfe doth witnesse a manifest benefite thereby secondly the like reasonable course and practice is knowne both vsuall fruitfull and effectuall in all other disquisitions and inquisitions whatsoeuer and thirdly the Diuell himselfe the Witches and Sorcerers great and graund Master though of farre fewer words then Witches as seldome speaking at all and abounding with farre more subtiltie and cunning yet is he not able by all his art or cunning alwayes to hide his owne workes but by presumptions and circumstances wise and vnderstanding hearts doe oft discerne and discouer them as is by dayly experience seene and testified and is confirmed by the proofe which all holy and godly men haue euer had thereof And to this purpose and for this cause the holy Scripture doth require Gods chosen children to sift and try the Spirits whether they be of God or no that is whether they be of his holy spirit or of the euill spirit which is the Diuell Although therefore God for his owne secret decree or purpose doe permit the Diuell sometimes to hide and shadow the guilt of his associates Witches and Sorcerers from the sight or deprehension of man and thereby sometimes frustrate