Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	word_n	world_n	worship_n	1,141	4	6.9164	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61373	A confirmation and discovery of witchcraft containing these severall particulars : that there are witches ... together with the confessions of many of those executed since May 1645 ... / by John Stearne now of Lawshall.	Sterne, John, 17th cent.	1648 (1648)	Wing S5365; ESTC R28178	56,829	70

and so promised her money and that she should never want but should be avenged of her enemies according as is expressed in others Hereto I might adde such as said they have such things as Familiars suck on them but cannot help it Alexander Sussums of Melford in Suffolk confessed that he had things which did draw those marks I found upon him but said he could not help it for that all his kinred were naught Then I asked him how it was possible they could suck without his consent He said he did consent to that Then I asked him again why he should do it when as God was so merciful towards him as I then told him of being a man whom I had been formerly acquainted withal as having lived in Town He answered again He could not help it for that all his generation was naught and so told me his mother and aunt were hanged his grandmother burnt for Witchcraft and so others of them questioned and hanged This man is yet living notwithstanding he confessed the sucking of such things above sixteen yeers together but was suspected for doing of mischief yet never questioned but as he came into a house accidentally where I was and so profered himself to be searched and presently confessed these particulars and so by that means brought to trial but freed and living as aforesaid Likewise I may adde When the party suspected makes enquiry after the party taken sick or desires to visit the party or the party the suspected For many have confessed that after they have done a thing they are sorry for it but cannot help it as King of Acton in Suffolk confessed to a woman whom he had bewitched in the time she was in her extremity long before he was questioned but this woman desired him to undo what he had done and he told her he could not undo what he had done but told her he was sorry for it and told her of another that could as he said and as she affirmed that was one as we untruly call them White or good Witches and one that was then suspected who accordingly did it To confirm this I can tell you of a very remarkable example much tending to this particular of one at Heddenham in the Isle of Ely in the County of Cambridge where a childe suspected to be bewitched was carried to the Justice of Peace his house where the party suspected was to be carried to be examined This childe being very sick was set in a chair and held in it but as soon as the party who was suspected came in on a sudden it arose of it self and got hold of her face to scratch her as its strength would afford she not stirring Here you may observe the former Confessions where the Witch confessed that after she was scratched she had no further power over that party for this woman stood still and so you may perceive that many of them after they have done mischiefs are sorry for it and cannot help it This it is to renounce God and Christ for this woman presently confessed that it was she that had hurt the childe through her diabolical practice and told him what Imp she had sent to hurt the childe and the occasion why she did it and how she had sent one of her Imps a little before she was accused for she had been searched and found with the marks to destroy or spoil a whole field of corn in that Parish and so made a very large Confession with the suckling of her Imps upon those marks found upon her and the Covenant sealed with her blood as aforesaid in other Confessions besides other mischiefs which she did May not Spell-setters and Charmers be also added for I cannot conceive any lesse when they shall say that by words they can charm set Spells and help or cure mad Dogs or any thing bitten by them and such-like though it be by their implicite league as some of them do yet it is a distrust of Gods providence putting their confidence in their words rather then in the living God who saith it is an abomination to him And I have heard some of these not long since boast of their doings therein saying they had it from their parents and were not their parents good Christians and they do but use the words for good ends So likewise of those born of ill parents if their carriage be not otherwise as I have instanced enough of those else I could instance more as the aforenamed Rebecca West who was drawn to it by her mother as she confessed after a strange manner as she said for her mother asked her to go to Manningtree with her which was about a mile and bade her work hard that she might go and as they went she told her she must not say any thing whatsoever she saw but consent to them and do as they did and then she should be a happie woman or such-like inticements But when she came there at the house where her mother went there were her confederates met then before she could be entertained her mother was asked whether her daughter was acquainted with the matter in hand who answered She was Then she was entertained and as she confessed the devil appeared and first kissed the woman of the house and so one after another and at last her self and so she was asked then if she were willing to be entred into their society who said She was Then appeared Familiars which she confessed also the sucking of her body on the marks and the sealing of the Covenant with her blood This young woman confessed the naming of their Imps and the manner which I am ashamed to expresse and the initiation of a Witch and every particular thing at large especially she confessed how the devil took her by the hand and the manner and words were used at her Marriage when she was married to the devil as she confessed a fearful thing to declare But one thing observe That the devil imitates God in all things as he can much after the book of Common-prayer then in his outward Worship She likewise confessed that her mother prayed constantly and as the world thought very seriously but she said it was to the devil using these words Oh my God my God meaning him and not the LORD This I put in the rather because you may take notice where such meetings be there are just grounds of suspicion for they cannot always do their mischiefs according to their desires without their meetings and the help one of another I might adde the apparition of the party suspected to the party sick and could nominate some instances thereof as in Northampton-shire and elsewhere but because apparitions may proceed from the phantasie of such as the party use to fear or at least suspect I forbear because I would not that any should be accused but where there are just grounds of suspicion But those called Wisemen or Wise-women called your White Witches which will shew the

good grounds and other cleer evidences concurring with them Yet I affirm that all that have these or any of these marks are guilty of Witchcraft if plainly made appear for I could have spoken somewhat more both of wrongfully accusing and excusing onely I know it will then be judged that I do it to take off all others and that none or but such as I like of were fitting to do it and so thereby take all upon my self which I know many in the world will be ready enough to censure of me But for my part where one hath the least insight herein I wish there were hundreds in all Countries which had the whole and more then any now have but onely that such as be idle or unconscionable of their ways and carelesse of men and womens lives or at least unskilful in these ways might not be suffered to meddle in such a businesse of concernment of life and death as this is As for this and the lucre of money I shall more fully clear in the last Objection in the close hereof to acquit my self thereof Now for the implicite or secret League if it be asked what these be which thus work by Satan I answer in some sort by way of similitude from the direction of that place in Mark 9. 38 40. and Luke 9. 49. For Satan will be Gods ape in all things whatsoever he can and therefore will he also imitate Christ herein They are such as invocate the devil by certain superstitious forms of words and prayers believing that these means can effect what they have offered them for and do withal earnestly desire to have them effectual Now the devil herein consenteth and affordeth his power at the utterance of the words to bring the thing to passe which is desired Here therefore is a Covenant and mutual consent on both sides for if a man or woman be content to use superstitious forms of invocation for help in time of need and in using them desireth in heart to have the thing effected if the devil work the feat there is a secret compact for they have desired and he hath consented They are such as do know that neither by Gods work in nature nor by Gods ordination from his Word the things they do are warrantable but rather hear such things forbidden and that they also are absurd to common reason and yet will do them because they finde an effect answerable to their expectation Hereto I might adde the healing of a wound by anointing the instrument which gave the wound Spell-setters and Charmers and such-like who many of them are in expresse league as aforesaid for the devil contenteth himself sometimes to wit there where he well perceiveth the party will not be brought to the other and lets them please themselves with hope of Gods mercy employing them onely about seeming-good things for that in so doing they suppose they sin not nor are in danger of the devil nor under Gods wrath as the other are because they fall not so foully into the pit of destruction by an expresse league as the others do and make an outward shew of Religion as well as others For what can be said of those who onely cure diseases by laying on their hands and using certain words or forms of prayers Is it not done by this secret Compact though ignorantly they think otherwise For if the remedy be not natural then it is supernatural if supernatural then either from God and so hath warrant from his Word and is ordinary not miraculous for that work of God hath ceased long since or else is from the devil as works wrought by Spells and Charms and such-like forbidden by God Yet these sorts of persons finding their practices succesful are not against Satan nor can lightly speak ill of his working power because of their secret and implicite league they have with him and especially because of the profit they finde come to them thereby And herein also doth the devil imitate Christ who allowed some which openly as yet did not follow him to have power to cast out devils Mark 9. 38 39. who were not as he said against him nor could lightly speak ill of him nor of his power by reason of their secret and implicite faith and covenant with Christ yet did it because they found successe in it So likewise in the Scripture is found the cutting off hair and burning it Numb. 6. 18. the writing of words and the blotting of them out again and to give them unto one Numb. 5. 23. Also the giving of a portion Numb. 5. 27. So Satan teacheth his to cut off hair and burn it as the White-Witch will do to such as come to them advising them to cut hair or such-like off the beast they suspect to be bewitched and to write a Charm and to blot it out and then give it one also to use portions thus seeming by these imitations to have Scripture for their warrant And so after this manner I might reckon up several other ways as the Lord had some which by cursing and threatning procured evil upon others 2 Kings 2. 24. Acts 13. so Satan hath such which by cursing and threats procure mischiefs upon others as you may plainly see by their Confessions Also the Lord tied his to certain Rules and Ordinances in his Service and sometimes to a certain number Iosh. 6. 15. 1 Kings 17. 21. So Satan tieth his Witches to certain words and deeds in going about his service and to observe numbers and to do a thing so and so often three times seven times or such-like as the White Witches do and so imitate Christ in many things as his Assemblies and Sabbaths Baptism and Covenants so Satan hath all his after his manner as Rebecca West and Elizabeth Clarke confessed as well in these as in other particulars as you may finde as well by theirs and others Confessions as also by the Writings of learned men who have writ concerning the same And further as the Lord had such as cured diseases by words by prayers and did anoint the party infirm as by something brought them from the sick and carried to the sick again Iames 5. Mark 6. 13. Acts 19. 12. So hath Satan such as seem by words to cure diseases by forms of prayers and by oils and also by bringing something from the sick party and carrying the same back again So the Lord by his servants raised some from the dead 1 Kings 17. 21. Acts 9. 40. and likewise Satan maketh shew by his servants to raise up the dead 1 Sam. 28. And as the Lord maketh some to be his either by his immediate inspiration and speaking to them or winneth them to him by his instruments so Satan maketh some Witches by inward suggestions and his speaking to them or by using other Witches to gain them to him as you may finde also by their Confessions And that as the Lord spake by a beast unto a Witch Numb. 22. 28. so Satan