Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	brazen_a	look_v	serpent_n	839	5	9.9901	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07215	The anatomie of sorcerie VVherein the wicked impietie of charmers, inchanters, and such like, is discouered and confuted. By Iames Mason, Master of Artes.	Mason, James, M.A.	1612 (1612)	STC 17615; ESTC S112409	64,423	108

Latines is when a set forme order or number of words in matters are as it were so religiously to be kept that it is not lawfull to alter or chaunge the same Now because that in poeticall workes in verse this is chiefly to be obserued therefore they are most commonly called by the aforesaid names Howbeit all charmes and inchantments by reason that they are also tyed to a certaine forme order or number of words are also termed Spelles as night-spells and wood-spells and such like As also in Latine Carmina as it is manifest by diuerse Latine authours and namely in Virgil in his eight eglogue by these words Ducite ab vrbe domum mea carmina ducite Daphnim c. And for as much as the same were sometimes pronounced in a singing manner therefore they were also called otherwhiles Incantamenta that is as we translate it Inchantments of the Latine word canto which doth betoken to sing and also to charme or inchaunt as it is in the aforesaid eglogue where it is said Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis So that heere we see that one the selfe same thing in effect is signified by diuerse words although in diuerse respects Yea and the originall word in the aforesaid 58. Psal. which is there translated a charmer and in some translations an inchaunter doth naturally betoken one that whispereth muttereth or mumbleth speaking softly as it were betwixt the teeth And because the charmers and inchaunters do so as it is manifest by experience and likewise by the 8. cap. of Esa. vers 19. in these words And when they shall say vnto you inquire at them that haue a spirit of diuination and at the south-sayers which whisper and murmur c. and Esa. the 29. cap. vers 4. Thy voice shall be also out of the ground like him that hath a spirit of diuination and thy talking shall whisper out of the dust Wherefore that we may not striue or contend about words alone let vs returne to the very point and pith of the matter which we haue in handling which is what is lawful in this case and what is vnlawfull The which may easily and briefly bee determined if wee call to mind what I haue said before concerning the difference betwixt the seruants of God and the seruants of the diuell in this behalfe For seeing that there be three especiall things required in him that is a lawfull worker of miracles First that he haue an especiall calling from God secondly that the means and manner which he vseth be lawfull good godly and thirdly that he doth it to the glory of God and the edification of his Church whosoeuer wanteth any one of these three things in his working what words or characters or what meanes soeuer he vseth hee is but a charmer or inchanter and the meanes or manner which hee vseth are but meere charmes and inchantments and therefore vtterly vnlawfull and abominable before God Albeit some doe holde that the signe of the crosse is very effectuall in these cases as it is much vsed in charmes inchantments And to approoue their assertion they alleadge the figure which appeared vnto Constantine the great wherein it was said that hee should ouercome as it is in Latine in hoc signo vinces But this may be easily answered That it was not the signe of the crosse but of Christs name for the said figure was made of two greeke letters conioyned togither viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is manifest in Eusebius in the life of Constantine l. 1. cap. 22. 25. So that it is not signum crucis that did this but fides crucifixi or rather Christ himselfe And although it pleased God at that time to shew this signe of the crosse to that Emperour to confirme his faith yet it followeth not that that figure was to be vsed afterward to worke wonders by or that there was any such vertue therein Nay otherwhiles it commeth to passe that the same which God hath commaunded to be vsed for a time vpon especiall occasion knowne to himselfe alone and hath giuen vertue and power to it to worke some especiall good vnto his children doth after lose the same vertue is an occasion of falling to them that vse it as the brasen serpent which the Lord appointed to be set vp vpon a pole and whosoeuer then beeing bitten of the fiery serpents which are there spoken of did looke vpon it recouered health as it is in the booke of Numbers the 21. chapter vers 8. besides that it was a type of our Sauiour Christs passion as it is in the 3. chapter of Saint Iohns Gospel vers 14. Yet we cannot reade that euer afterward it wrought the like effect Yea Hezekiah seemeth to be commended in the second booke of the Kings cap. 18. ver 4. for breaking the same in pieces But let this suffice concerning their second reason The third argument which they vse to defend these sorcerers which they call cunning folkes is That they worke these things by the saith of miracles and therefore by no euill or diuellish meanes To this I answer That if their antecedent were true I could easily graunt their consequent But that by no possible meanes can be prooued by them For albeit our Sauiour Christ in the 17. chapter of the Gospel after S. Matthew vers 20. saith vnto his disciples Verily I say vnto you if ye had faith as much as is a graine of mustard-seede ye shall say to this mountaine remooue thy selfe hence to yonder place and it shall remooue and nothing shall be vnpossible vnto you Yet it followeth not that these cunning folke as they are termed doe worke by the said kinde of faith For our Sauiour Christ speaketh in that place vnto his disciples vpon whome he had bestowed the gift of working miracles before as it is in the 10 chapter of the Gospel by Saint Mathew and yet notwithstanding their faith wauered so that they could not cast out the diuell out of that childe as it is in the said 17. chapter of the Gospel after Saint Matthew Euen as we see also in Peter who although our Sauiour Christ in the 14. chapter of the said Gospel did bidde him come vnto him walking vpon the sea yet through infidelitie he had beene drowned if Christ had not taken him by the hand and as it were againe renewing his former faith and strengthening it For it is most certaine that no man liuing hath the faith of miracles except the Lord hath first giuen him the grace and gift of working miracles For seeing that faith is a beliefe and how can a man beleeue that which he knoweth not and how can he know without some especiall promise For to build his faith of miracles simply vpon the word of God alone as it is generally set downe in the scripture is not sufficient vnlesse he haue further an especiall promise or reuelation from God For otherwise euery one that beleeueth might