Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	aaron_n	appear_v	miracle_n	21	3	8.5979	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26477	A perfect discovery of witches shewing the divine cause of the distractions of this kingdome, and also of the Christian world : very profitable to bee read by all sorts of people, especially judges of assizes, sheriffes, justices of the peace, and grand-jury-men, before they passe sentence on those that are condemned for witch-craft / by Thomas Ady.; Candle in the dark	Ady, Thomas.	1661 (1661)	Wing A676; ESTC R19148	123,593	172

in the text Conjector a Conjecturer The Fifth Description The Fifth Appellation or term of description of a Witch in the Text is Prestigiator that is a Jugler THe interpretation of this word is plain in the Scriptures that is one that worketh false or lying Wonders or lying Miracles in opposition of the true Miracles that were wrought by God by his Prophets such were Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3.8 9. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so also do these resist the truth now how Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses it appeareth Exod. 7.5.8.9 God would have his Prophets Moses and Aaron to be known by their Miracles that the people might beleeve that God had sent them they wrought the Miracles that God had commanded them Exod. 7.13 but it appeareth in vers 14. that these Juglers withstood them and when the Messengers of God wrought true Miracles those Witches wrought lying Miracles in opposition of them Fecerunt similiter they did the like The Latin translation is thus Tum vocavit Pharo sapientes Prestigiatores ut facerent ipsi quoque magi Aegyptii suis incantation bus similiter and Pharoah called the Wise men and Juglers that the Magicians of Aegypt might also do the like with their inchantments so likewise vers 25. Fecerunt similtier magis suis incantationibus the Magicians did the like with their Inchantments this word Similiter the like or in like manner is of great importance least some ignorant reader of the Scriptures should suppose that the Magicians did the same Miracles that the Prophets did whereas those acts of the Magicians were only delusions although enough to blind Pharaohs eyes because God would harden his heart And as it appeareth in 2 Tim. 3.9 their actions were only mad fooleries that came to light and were proved ridiculous as the words import for the craft of Jugling to them that are not acquainted with it breedeth great admiration in the beholders and seemeth to silly people to be miraculous and yet being known is but deceit and foolery so that the beholder himself cannot but blush and be ashamed to think he was so easily cousened and did so much admire a ridiculous Imposture that craft of Jugling consisteth First In slight of hand or cleanly conveyance Secondly In confederacy and Thirdly In the abuse of Natural Magick The first is profitably seen in our common Juglers that go up and down to play their Tricks in Fayrs and Markets I will speak of one man more excelling in that craft than others that went about in King James his time and long since who called himself The Kings Majesties most excellent Hocus Pocus and so was he called because that at the playing of every Trick he used to say Hocus pocus tontus talontus vade celeriter jubeo a dark composure of words to blinde the eyes of the beholders to make his Trick pass the more currantly without discovery because when the eye and the ear of the beholder are both earnestly busied the Trick is not so easily discovered nor the Imposture discerned the going about of this Fellow was very useful to the wife to see how easily people among the ancient Heathen were deceived in times and places of ignorance for in these times many silly people yea and some also that think themselves wise will stand like Pharaoh and his Servants and admire a Jugling Imposture or like the silly Samaritans Acts 8.10 who did so much admire a seducing Jugler as they said He was the great power of God until they saw the true and real Miracles of Philip vers 6. And others again on the contrary will stand affrighted or run out of the room scared like fools saying The Devil is in the room and helpeth him to do such Tricks and some saying absolutely He is a Witch and ought to be hanged when as he did only act the part of a Witch to enlighten and not to deceive that people might see and discern the Impostures by which the Idols of the Heathen were made famous by their jugling Priests and might laugh at their vanities they that would see the manner of this part of Jugling or cleanly conveyance more fully may read Master Scots discovery of Witchcraft where it is set down at large to the satisfaction of all those that are not wilfully ignorant as also briefly afterward in this Fifth description after pag. 34. And now for illustrating of the History of Pharaohs Magicians I will parallel this Hocus Pocus or English Jugler a little with them they are called Prestigiatores Juglers Exod. 7.14 and yet in the same verse and also in vers 25. it is said they did in like manner by their inchantments Why with their Inchantments Not that Jugling and Inchanting are one and the same imposture but the reason is because when they wrought a Jugling Trick or lying Miracle they always spake a Charm or Inchantation immediately before it like to that of our English Jugler aforesaid to make the delusion the stronger by busying the senses of Hearing and Seeing in the Spectator both at once for a Charm or Inchantation was only a composure of words to delude people who thought that words spoken in a strange manner had vertue and efficacy in them as may be seen more fully in the Sixth description following therefore are they said to work their false Miracles by their Inchantments because they seemed to silly beholders to do them by their inchantations or words when as indeed they did them only by slight of hand or cleanly conveyance called Legerdemain and they that are well acquainted with this craft of Jugling may easily conceive how these Magicians did their Feats without so much admiring them when they read the History as if they had done great Wonders which were only delusions The second and third Miracle that they dissembled do plainly appear in the letter of the History Exod. 7.2 they seemed to turn water into bloud Fecerunt similiter and yet mark well the History and yee shall see there was no water in Aegypt for Moses had turned it all into bloud before vers 20.21.24.25 so then they could finde no River or Pond to do that feat in it must needs follow then that they sent for water where it was to be had which was no nearer than Goshen and so shewed a petty Jugling Trick before Pharaoh in a room with a Bowl or Tray of water setting it upon the ground and by slight of hand conveying bloud into it to colour it so likewise for the Third Miracle which they dissembled Chap. 8.7 it was necessarily done by a such vessel of water for they could not finde any other water free in all Aegypt which were not already full of the abundance of Frogs vers 3.5 and what common Jugler might not easily dissemble that Miracle by setting a bowl of water down before Pharaoh and his Servants and by slight of hand conveying in three or four Frogs and so holding up their staffe and speaking

also whereof hee hath done much good in Gods Vineyard in labouring to stay that bloody persecution on foot against the poor and Innocent yet he hath much swerved from the Truth of this subject of Witches and Witchcraft in that hee yeildeth at all to the common contagion of Error that hath defiled the World not that Witches are for that were my Error to deny seeing the Scriptures do manifestly condemn them but that Witches in the Scripture sence are such as have made a familier compact with the Devill and receive power from him to kill and the like I wonder but that the hour of darknesse is not yet fully past that so many Ministers should still wander in this darksome imagination what least intimation or description of such a kind of Witch hath God given us in the Scriptures or of Devills in the corporall shape of Imps making a familier compact with any of mankind or any ground for such imaginary whimses of mans brain what consequence is there in Logicall dispute or in Theologicall Principles that hee that denieth these phantasies denieth that there is a Devill and so finally that there is a God the Scripture teacheth us that there is a God and likewise a Devill or Devills but what Scripture speaketh of a familiar Devill or Jmp or that a Witch can kill by Witchcraft or hurt either body or goods by Witchcraft by the Devills help either by Gods permission or without I rather think that this forsaking of the Scriptures and delivering for Doctrin the traditions of Antichristian Popish Writers is a forsaking of God and consequently a denying of God hee saith hee could instance from story how many have had no Faith of Witches being till their bewitched body or goods hath served to unwitch them of their opinions and conceit is this a Theologicall way of Argument to ground a Doctrin upon vain reports and phantasmes without Scriptures yea flat contrary to the Scriptures Deut. 32.39 1 Sam. 2.6 7. dare any man contrary to those and many places of Scripture when hee is afflicted in body or goods ascribe that to a Witch upon vain Phantasie and carnal reason and superstitious imaginations and foolish traditions without Scriptures which by the Scriptures we are taught to ascribe only to God yes men dare do so and Ministers dare teach so And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light But now to speak to the man himself of whom I have written sparingly Mr. Gaule if this work of mine shall come to your hand as yours hath come to mine be not angry with me for writing Gods Truth I am sure you shall get more estimation among true Beleevers more favour with God and do more good in Christs Vine-yard by acknowledging your error and by embracing Gods Truth than by being carried away with the streams of these flouds of iniquity that have over-flowed the Christian world You say in your second case pag. 24. It is hard to observe any specifique difference of Witches in which you acknowledge the subject to be difficult to write of Sir I have given you full specifical descriptions of them according to the Scriptures then although Sir you be learned in other things disdain not to learn of me the truth of this subject I doubt not but if you had first read my Book your own Book had been more perfect Suffer not a Witch to live Prestigiatricem a Jugling person that worketh false Miracles to seduce the people to Idolatry Exod. 22.18 Jofias destroying of Witches 2 King 23 24. what was it but pulling down the Idols with their Adjuncts Oraclers and South-sayers that were the Idol Priests that seduced the people Examine the places which are your own quotations then Sir I intreat you in Christs name that as you have been fervent for Gods Cause with Apollos Act. 18.25 so learn of me the way of God more perfectly as he did of the Disciples vers 26. fare-well Sir the Spirit of God be your familiar Spirit to guide you in the truth Non quis Sed quid Master Giffard answered THere is yet another Book come to my hand written by Mr. George Giffard an able Minister of Gods Word in Maldon which because the common way of some mans arguing is by questioning what say you to this and what say you to that Author therefore I will give a brief description of his Tenents which are chiefly three the first is That a VVitch can not by a Familiar or by any craft any way hurt or weaken the life health or estate of any man by bewitching with disease or infirmity either Man or Beast or hurting his Goods and this he proveth plainly by Scripture and Reason as I have also done in my Second Book of this Discourse The second Tenent is That VVitches have Imps and Familiars The third Tenent is That these Familiars do nothing really but only do deceive the VVitch by making her beleeve they do that which cometh to pass upon Man or Beast by Divine providence but for these two last Tenents he doth not prove by Scripture as he did the first nor yet affirm for truth but only being overcome by the strength of common report grounded upon the Confession of such as have been executed he only yeeldeth to those strong delusions which have deceived many Hypothetically arguing if Witches have such Imps or Familiars they are only deceived by them but herein is he not confident and therefore these two last Tenents being not confirmed by him do confirm nothing and for the first of the two That VVitches have Imps is sufficiently disproved in my Second Book and that all their Confessions are no argument then for the last Tenent having reference to the first it is in like manner nullified for if they have no Imps nor no Familiar then they are not deceived by them nor do beleeve or confess any such thing wherein they seem to him to be deceived any further than Confession is wrung from them by them who are the deceivers of themselves and others by the Deceiver of the VVorld that dwelleth in them except sometimes by the depth of Melancholly or distempered brain as I have formerly demonstrated in my Second Book and therefore need no further answer So much for this Author who I beleeve had more of the Spirit of truth in him than many of his profession Now for all that have written in that kinde I summon all VVitch-mongers to shew me in the Old or New Testament which are given as a rule of truth the least inference of any such Doctrin as is delivered by them Also I desire any man of right understanding to compare them with the Scriptures and so compare also this my Book with the Scriptures and to see which of them is most consonant with the Scriptures and which is most dissonant from the Scriptures and so to try them by Gods touch-stone of truth The Conclusion TO conclude