Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	cause_n	zeal_n	zealous_a	27	3	8.7514	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01718	A discourse of the subtill practises of deuilles by vvitches and sorcerers By which men are and haue bin greatly deluded: the antiquitie of them: their diuers sorts and names. With an aunswer vnto diuers friuolous reasons which some doe make to prooue that the deuils did not make those aperations in any bodily shape. By G. Gyfford.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.	1587 (1587)	STC 11852; ESTC S103141	49,907	72

headlong into y ● pits of filthy sins which doo drowne men in destruction Wee sée that it is a most clere case that God ordreth all by his good prouidence The witch can doo nothing for the deuill which is farre greater then she can doo nothing But the wicked world full of all contempt of God doth deserue that the deuill should haue power to worke many feates to the end they may haue strang delusion and the efficacie of error come vpon them This doth S. Paul set foorth 2. Thess. 2. For there wee may sée that Satan hath libertie giuen him to shewe his efficacie with the power of lying Signes and woonders If Satan coulde make no shew or appearance of woonders by doing things which are beyond the reach of man to counterfait why should it bee called a power and efficacie and why should they be called signes and lying woonders Our Sauiour him selfe Math. 24. vers 24. doth shew that there should arise false Christs and false Prophets and should giue great signes and woonders I conclude therefore that as the righteous God doth permit suffer the deuill for the wickednes of the world to shew foorth an efficacie and power By giuing signes and woonders y ● is such things as men are not able to doo therefore doo account them woonders though they be no true woonders in déed nor wrought vnto a good end but to establish false religion so doth he let loose the same deuill or suffer him to doo many things by Witches and Coniurers that the despisers of the holy religion may bee seduced There hath bene meere cosinage in most of the popish miracies For if they had bene done as they report they should haue bene miracles in deede and the deuill is able to doo no miracle but to make a shew by illusion yet were they belieued by occasion of those shewes which hee made at some times In like maner there are straunge woonders reported of Witches and Coniurers they haue bene belieued as also many counterfaite things because he hath power at many times giuen vnto him to torment men because he doth make his vaine apparitions The sharp punishment appointed in the word of God for such as worke with the deuill and the true cause of the same and that it is no godly zeale but furious rage wherewith the common sort are caried against witches Chapt. 10. THe Lord God did by Moses appoint and prescribe penalties for the offences and transgressions of his holy lawes These were not all of one kind but according to the degrée of the trespasse was the punishmēt lesse or greater Some sinnes are more horrible then others and doo more prouoke the displeasure of God vnto such he appointed the sharpest penalty that is to say death without mercy Among these were such as fell into Apostasie from the law of Moses as wee may see Hebrue 10. vers 28. Or such as did persuade others vnto Apostasie Deut. 23. vers 5. The murthe●…er might not be redeemed Numb 35. vers 31. The selfe same seuerity is required against such as worke by the deuill or that dealt with familiare spirites for it is sayd thou shalt not suffer a Witch to liue Exod. 22. Mechashshepha by the tropesinecdo●…he is in this place being but one kinde put for al that practise deuilishe arte For it is very vaine and friuolouse to take it that death should bee appointed as to a murtherer with poyson For in another place namely Leuit. 20. vers 27. The Lord doth take two other kindes where he appoynteth the penaltie of death These be his words the man or the woman in whom there shall be Ob or Iiddegnoni shall dye the death Out of which places we may collect the true cause of this seueritie to bée in very déede the familiaritie with deuils The deuils be the vtter enemies of GOD which seeke by all meanes to dishonor him and to deface his glorie How can any then vse familiaritie with them vse their helpe or seeke vnto them but he committeth a monstrous enormitie and such as deserueth a thousand deathes Moreouer the Witch the Coniurer the Enchaunter the Sorcerer and the rest are the cause of foule errors and much wickednesse much horrible abusing Gods holy and sacred name and therefore are woorthie to dye This being the true cause why God doth abhorre such as it is manifest we may easily sée the grosse error of the blind multitude in this behalfe For they hold that witches should bee put to death and not onely that but are inflamed with a wonderfull rage and fury to haue it accomplished I call it rage not zeale because it is not to a right end For if they were so zealous of it for Gods honor it were a merueilous good thing but in déed it is not for any zeale of God y ● they be so forward but for an other consideration Thieues and murtherers say they be put to common deaths how much more sharp death tormēts are witches worthy to haue laid vpon them But aske them why Oh say they the witches send their spirits and kill and lame men they kill young infantes they kill cattle they ●…aise winds tempests they be the very plagues of men Here is a false cause for where doo we euer finde in the holy scriptures that Witches or Coniurers haue such things layd vnto their charge I haue shewed the priuy packing which Satan vseth in this behalfe When men are once so be witched as to thinke who can liue in safety while witches remaine they run with madnesse to séeke all meanes to put them to death not onely them but all such as are suspected They run to Coniurers to know if they be not witches who they suspect They examine witches to know whether their spirites haue not told them how many witches be within certaine miles of them who they be The Lord doth not alow one witnesse being a man in a cause of death to be sufficient but these would alow the accusation of one deuill if he accuse xl persons they thinke it a merueilouse charitable deede where there is one that hath bene suspected for witchery to hi●… or entice children to accus●… them to practise with some subtill maide which faineth her self to be bewitched to get some matter of accusation Many Iurers neuer weigh the force of the euidence which is brought but as if they had their oth for coniectures or likelihoodes they are oftentimes very forward to finde guilty being sicke of the same disease that the accusers be But some man will reply demaund why the people should not be so earnest to séeke their death rooting out why should it be reputed as a fault they doo it of a good minde to the glory of God In déed if it could be shewed that they doo it in regard of Gods glorie it were of a good minde much to be commēded but it is manifestly to be prooued that Gods

shee gaue them What likenes they had What were their names Whether they were hees or shees and how many men they had killed Some haue bene hanged and haue at the gallowes confessed the whole matter Who is able to declare the brutish errors and foule sinnes which multitudes are led into by this craftye dealing of the dealing of the Deuil For my selfe I do not thinke that I can shew the tenth part But yet I see so much as may make any Christian hart bleede to beholde I will endeuor to open the collusion of Satan and his purpose in this thing so far as I can with the follies which the blinde multitude fall into and do not espie the same First then for the maner The poore old witch pined with hunger goeth abroad vnto some of her neighbours and there begge a little milke which is denied Shee threatneth that she will be euen with them Home shee returneth in great fury cursing and raging Forth shee calleth her spirite and willeth him to plague such a man Away goeth hee Within few howres after the man is in such torment that he can not tell what hee may doe Hee doth thinke himselfe vnhappy that he was so foolish to displease her What shal wee say vnto these things Is here no packing Is not here first of all a way taken by the wiely and wicked serpent to bring men in beliefe that hee is not nigh them nor medleth not vnlesse his dame send him Hee goeth about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may deuour as Saint Peter sayth Shall wee bee so sottish to beleeue that hee lyeth at the witches house hee is a mighty tyrant if God do suffer him that hee beyng a spirite do take vpon him the shape of some little vermin as cat or weasill it is but to deceiue He lyeth and sleepeth in warme wool the witch doth giue him milke or a chicken and hee doth eate these are vain illusions what needeth hee such thinges he resteth not hee eateth not he slepeth not How much greater folly is it to enquire of his sexe as though there were hee deuils and shee deuils But to come nigher vnto this tragedie Doth not shee send him yes shee doth send him which did send her first Who put into her heart to begge of that man had hee no stroke in the matter that hee would denie her request are they not for the most part in as great blindnes and infidelity almost as the witch is which are bewitched hee knoweth well ynough where hee maketh his match Shee doth furiously rage and curse doth not the deuil worke it in her heart wel the man is tormented indeede who doth that here is great cunning Sometime he doth it some tyme he maketh a shew that he doth it when it is not so when hee doth it who geueth him the power did the witch they bee voide of reason which thinke so Had hee power and lay still while shee sent him not minding to do any thing vnlesse hee were requested what foole can imagine that How is this thing then doubtles this wicked deuill either did know that God had geuen him power and so did stirre vp and set on the witch or else he did see great likelihood that God would giue him leaue to torment the man in his body or his goods because of his wicked life and infidelity For hee is neuer wearie but secketh all occasions And we haue so flat testimonies of Gods word that where God gaue him leaue hee tormented the bodies of men that such as affirme hee can not plague that way shew themselues ouer bold agaynst the truth Wee see then it must needes bee one of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee tormenteth 〈◊〉 man For God did geue him power but hee would for many causes be set on by the witch where shee could not increase his power or else he doth coniecture that the Lord will giue him leaue when he is sent because the people are worthy to bee seduced and lead into vile errors sometyme he seemeth to do that which hee doth not and that is with much subtilty For hee seeth the humours in the bodies of men and beasts Hee seeth the rootes and causes of diseases and when they wil come foorth Hee stirreth his dame or rather his poore vass●…l and setteth her in quarell with that man Shee sendeth him the man falleth lame or into some languishing sicknes his hogges or his kyne do die Ther was natural cause of lamenes of sicknes and death which the Lord sent and Satan would haue it layd vpon him The witch seeth such effectes follow and gathereth for certaynty that shee did it The man calleth to mynd how hee displeased her and how shee did threaten him and now is sure shee did it These are part of his wayes let vs looke further He is a bloody murtherer and delighteth to draw men into periury and cruelty Hee seeketh therefore to bring many such vnto their death for witchcraft as are no witches Some woman doth fal out bitterly with her neighbour there followeth some great hurt either that God hath permitted the deuil to vex him or otherwise There is a suspicion conceiued Within fewe yeares after shee is in some iarre with an other Hee is also plagued This is noted of all Great fame is spread of the matter Mother W. is a witch She hath bewitched goodman B. Two hogges which died strangely or else hee is taken lame Wel mother W doth begin to bee very odious terrible vnto many her neighbours dare say nothing but yet in their heartes they wish shee were hanged Shortly after an other falleth sicke and doth pine hee can haue no stomacke vnto his mea●…e nor hee can not sleepe The neighbours come to visit him Well neighbour sayth one do ye not suspect some naughty dealing did yee neuer anger mother W truly neighbour sayth he I haue not liked the woman a long tyme. I can not tell how I should displease her vnlesse it were this other day my wife prayed her and so did I that shee would keepe her hennes out of my garden Wee spake her as fayre as wee could for our liues I thinke verely shee hath bewitched me Euery body sayth now that mother W is a witch in deede and hath bewitched the good man B. Hee can not eate his meate It is out of all doubt for there were which saw a weasil runne from her housward into his yard euen a little before hee fell sicke The sicke man dieth and taketh it vpon his death that he is bewitched then is mother W apprehended and sent to prison shee is arrayned and condemned and being at the gallows taketh it vppon her death that shee is not gylty and doubtles some are put to death not beyng gylty Now let vs see what the deuil hath gayned by this practise For though at sometymes the coniectures fall out right yet many times there is innocēt blood shed which is a greuous sin The iury commit periury