Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	life_n	spirit_n	worship_v	1,905	5	8.8109	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02753	A discouery of the fraudulent practises of Iohn Darrel Bacheler of Artes in his proceedings concerning the pretended possession and dispossession of William Somers at Nottingham: of Thomas Darling, the boy of Burton at Caldwall: and of Katherine Wright at Mansfield, & Whittington: and of his dealings with one Mary Couper at Nottingham, detecting in some sort the deceitfull trade in these latter dayes of casting out deuils.; Discovery of the fraudulent practises of John Darrel	Harsnett, Samuel, 1561-1631.	1599 (1599)	STC 12883; ESTC S103824	204,500	314

A DISCOVERY OF THE FRAVDVlent practises of IOHN DARREL Bacheler of Artes in his proceedings CONCERNING THE PRETENDED POSSESSION and dispossession of William Somers at Nottingham of Thomas Darling the boy of Burton at Caldwall and of Katherine Wright at Mansfield Whittington and of his dealings with one Mary Couper at Nottingham detecting in some sort the deceitfull trade in these latter dayes of casting out Deuils We may not do euill that good may come of it Rom. 3. Dum per mendacium tenditur vt doceatur fides id demum agitur vt nulli habenda fides Aug. ad Consentium Cap. 4. IN DOMINO CONFIDO I W. LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Wolfe 1599. The Epistle to the Reader THe feate of iugling and deluding the people by counterfeyt miracles hath been as auncient as it hath beene too-currant in all nations of the world wherein the Egyptians were growne so expert that their sect of inchanters durst challenge God his embassador in working of wonders vntill they were shamefully foyled at making of Lyce As these were mated by a silly vermine so the rable of Bell his priestes tooke as foule a fall whose grosser wits could deuise no better way to purchase an opinion of deitie to their God of flies then by fayning that his omnipotencie lay in infinite eating pretending that his Godhead was able to consume as much in a night as two hundred men These had a publike ayme the countenancing of false religion by a face of deitie falsly drawne vpon stockes and stones for a priuate end of a priuate person We haue a notable president in the Arch-iugler Symon Magus the drift of whose feyned miracles in bewitching the people was to be reputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wonderfull man and to be pointed at with this Euge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this man is the power of Almighty God Adde vnto these Numa Pompilius his feyned Nimph Socrates his Genius Sertorius his Hynde Mahomets false conceyted Doue we shall find the tract of all miracle-mongers to bend to one of these two endes eyther gracing of false religion by this graceles feate or the raising of their own greatnes in the opinion of the people The great Impostor of Rome maister of this facultie hath so led the world in a string by this Legerdemaine bewitching by his counterfeyte miracles the mindes of the ignorant giuen to adore al that they doe not apprehend in the weakenes of their sense as he doth now proclame by one of his Herauldes with open mouth Nemo vnquam haereticorum miraculum edidit none but he and his schollers can cogge a miracle kindlie and hee and his Priestes can dispatch a miracle as easily as a squirrell can cracke a nutte a miracle in the bread a miracle in the wine a miracle in holy water a miracle in holy oyle a miracle in our Ladies milke a miracle in the asses tayle a miracle in Lampes candles beades breeches ragges bones stones omnia stultorum miraculorum plena nothing done in his religion without a miracle and a Vice And that which passeth all the least bone of a canonized Saint traitor Sainct Campion forsooth hath more force in it sometimes to cast out a Legion of Deuilles then the name of Iesus then prayer fasting inuocation of the Trinitie Exorcising coniuring and Maries reliques Crosse holy water and all And would to God the Pope could vaunt of this tricke alone that none but hee and his were seene in this mistery and that there were not risen vppe amongst vs schollers not out of his schoole but of his occupation as touching this point who vpon what ayme I leaue to God their conscience such as it is whether vpon Symon Magus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seeme to be great in the peoples eyes or the enchanters pride to crosse God his gouernors in the church who professe not this prettie feate or the Bellites conceit to grace an idoll of their owne idle braynes or of an impious simplicitie holding it lawful to lye cogge and fayne so as it bee to a good ende and as their fauourites tearme it to the glorie of God haue taken vpon them to bee deepely seene in this misterie of deuilles And one especially aboue the rest hath played his publike prize in this iugling science casting out more deuils by prayer and fasting after a good dinner perhappes at after nooone then wee reade that euer any of the Apostles at so full a season did Which being now discouered to be but a pure play containing two principall parts of a vice and a deuill there hath beene deuised two miserable shiftes to helpe him off the stage that he might not be hissed at of all the world One that this action like the day of iudgement acted on a stage though fayned in it selfe yet procured reuerence and feare in the simpler and looser sort whilest the imaginary Deuilles seemed to stand in such awe of the worde of God the other that to cast out a Deuill is no such great matter as men make account of being but mirandū nō miraculum in the nature of a wonder and not of a miracle The former is borrowed from a Champion of the Popes who to vphold the shop of his forgeries and lies in an Apologeticall treatise sticketh not to affirme this impious rule honesta docendi ad pietatem nunquam potest esse ratio inhonesta So as a mans meaning be good and religious it skils not though his meanes be bad and impious A singular foundation to vphold the Pope his play-house and to make religion a pageant of Puppittes It was peraduenture at the first a supposed good entent to deuise the fearefull fire of Purgatory the least sparkle whereof is of more tormenting force then all the fiers that be in the world that men might bee more feareful of committing small sinnes And so likewise the painting of Almighty God like an ancient Philosopher with a graue long beard and a booke in his hand that the boyes might haue a reuerend impression of his fatherlike wisedom voluntary pouerty whippings pilgrimages images worshipping of reliques and adoration of the Crosse and the blessed Budget of all the Pope his pedlary trash is blanched ouer with as faire a face of good intent to the glorie of God as this iugling mistery of casting out deuils Open but this creuise in the dore of the church that ill may be done to any good end you shal haue religion like a Homers Ilias a fardle of fictions a bundle of lies God is truth will be worshipped in spirit and truth all falshood and forgerie are of the Deuill and as opposite to truth and consequently vnto God as death vnto life and darknesse vnto light Saint Austine his resolution is of so high a pitch in this point as he saith plainly it is not lawfull to dissemble for the safetie of a mans soule And the heathen Philosopher in the fourth of his Ethickes speakes better