mens sake that they might haue a place correspondent to their natures he drew the platforme of this world Wherein these principall things concurred first his purpose next his wisedome thirdly his goodnesse fourthly his power fiftly his generall prouidence sixtly his particular predestination To returne backe towards the first which is his purpose or intent There is the map of all the world and of euery thing to be done there throughly contriued in his minde before the beginning of his worke Then his wisedome goodnesse and power animated him to go forwards and to prouide for the building of his new place of plantation or world for as then there wanted a mediate or second instrument to worke vpon Wherefore he was driuen to create all of nothing that is without any second meanes without the assistance or aduise of any other In this creation he vsed the helpe of his word onely that was his omnipoteÌ„t selfe whom the naturall Philosophers otherwise termed the first mouer or supreme cause of all things There was no power in his Angels for they were but creatures themselues hauing their motions by his very motion In the power of his onely will and motion it consisted to create the essence of the materiall substance of the world And so he made heauen and earth and by vertue of his Spirit he breathed life forme or motion into them and into all the creatures thereof so that all things were in the compasse of sixe daies enlightened replenished supported and sustained by the motion of his powerful spirit yea all things the firmament the planets starres meteours elements and all other creatures whatsoeuer were vnited with such a perfect vnion that they make vp a perfect globe map or booke of his neuerenough-admired nature And which is most miraculous to mans capacity euer since that he moued them they continually moue one another by different motions do effect all things in this world eyther for generation preseruation or destruction according to his supreme direction Some moue one another by necessary or fatall motions Some by voluntarie motions some by casuall motions some by naturall motions eyther slow or swift What good things come to passe we are to attribute to himselfe who is the first mouer of all these motions But what euill things come to passe we must ascribe to the second motions which are voluntary and vncompelled by him I say we are to ascribe euill things to second causes that we detract not from his omnipotence in making him the immediate cause or in affirming that they proceeded without his consent For as goodnesse comes from his wil so euill cannot come against his will but by his sufferance and permission it comes from secondarie motions LINEAMENT III. The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for measuring Gods prouidence by their owne humane prouidence THose naturallists doe greatly erre which measure the diuine prouideÌ„ce by their own humane prouidence or rather by their wanton affections Little doe they thinke that their naturall computation of time causeth this vnnatural imputation for with God all times be one and a thousand yeares in his sight are but as yesterday With him who is the beginning and end of all things there is no time past nor time to come in respect of his foresight by reason that his foresight is his present sight so as he beholdeth at once at one instant which instant with him is alwaies and eternall not onely all things which euer happened or euer shall happen but also euery particular thing as then presently done and looketh so earnestly so cleerely vpon it as though his eye were fixed intentiuely on that thing and on nothing else The reason is because there is no distinct differences of time in the eternitie seeing that at one looke he seeth all the world ouer And his intent to doe a thing and his doing of a thing is all one and the selfesame in respect of his eternall knowledge though it be otherwise in respect of mans naturall knowledge Let this suffice for Gods generall foresight or purpose of all things which we call his Prouidence that extends vniuersally to all the world and to all the creatures thereof Now it remaines that I discourse somewhat of Predestination which is not a thing seuered from his Prouidence but onely that noble part thereof which belongs to his noblest creature vnder the coâ—e of heauen for whose sake he created all the world making him his Deputie or Bayliffe to vse the same for his glory and not to abuse the same for his owne luxuriousnesse LINEAMENT IIII. 1 The Authors censure of Predestination 2 That all second causes doe worke their effects according to the first causes direction which is God 3 How God endowed some with free will through grace to enable them vnto faith 4 The Spirit of Detraction conuâ—cted for imputing the cause of mens damnation to Gods decree GOod and euill were certainly predestinated vnto vs in our seuerall estates euer since the beginning of the world by our Creatour not according to any euill deserts or vertuous motiues of ours but onely according to his owne free pleasure according to the absolute counsell of his owne soueraigne will and according to the vniuersall power which his omnipotence hath ouer the workmanship of his hands Neither yet constraines he any of his second causes to commit good or euill by any forcible operation or necessitie of nature but by disposing vnto effects sutable to their seuerall conditions Whereby both good and euill actions shall flow out of the said second causes according to their owne dispositions euen as a voluntary quality proceeds from a voluntary cause and a casuall quality from a casuall cause His omnipotent Maiesty I say as the first mouer the first cause is the immediate mouer and cause of all effects whatsoeuer the second cause brings forth and also the cause of all their inclinations Euen as Deliberation which is the chiefest act of our vnderstanding in the knowledge of good and euill and the Gospell of Christ are the mediate and secondary causes in the first act of the conuersion of our humane willes now passiue towards the will of God being the first and supreme cause of our deliberation of this Gospell and of our willes and euen as these two causes the second depending on the first must ioyne together before that we can resolue on any good or euill word thought or deed so the Planets Meteors or other natural creatures of God in respect of him being second causes caÌ„not produce any effect whatsoeuer good or euill for our benefit or harme without his supreme direction Both causes worke naturally in this world when both conioyne in a naturall effect against a naturall creature And yet sometimes it pleaseth his soueraign Maiestie to wound nature without any such second or natural causes which gulfe because it is perillous to saile through I will modestly content my selfe by the shore or on this side of that great
against the Authour of nature These sinfull spirits like baites of sweet poison or sugred gals possesse olde Adams progeny according to the variable and voluble dispositions of the patient These not vnlike to Mice Lice lawlesse Lawiers or noysome vermine by Sathans spirituall suggestion doe endeuour to infest molest and sift vs as wheate They had their beginning at the fall of the Diuell and his Angels who are throughly possessed with all the said qualities working diuersly by the meanes of the same spirit The spirit of Detraction the spirit of Enuy the spirit of Pride and such like vitious spirits proceed from one roote from one Serpent that olde Impostor I am setled in this opinion by the Apostle who proued the identity of the Holy Spirit by the like reason The body is one and hath many members And againe There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit To one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit To another the operations of great workes to another prophesie to another the discerning of spirits to another the diuersities of tongues All these things worketh the same spirit distributing to euery man as it pleaseth him From one Tree came many branches of euill by the inticement of one Serpent came all these spirits of â—rrours which like venemous stings incite vs to vngodly actes And yet for all this I denie not but there are malicious spirits as well as ministring spirits Diuels as well as Angels the one attending on Lucifer the Prince of Diuels the other on Michael the Lords chiefe Angell both inuisibly attempting to work vpon the Will of man vehemently or by leisure as God commands them either for the knowledg of Goodnesse or for the knowledge of Euill Neyther will I here omit to interpose another opinion of mine concerning the Diuels force which is that God the reuenger of iniquity commands the Diuell as his executioner to pursue the reprobate sometimes by immediate causes and somtimes by mediate and second causes by immediate when the faculties of the soule are by his spirituall spurres extraordinarily possessed with frenzie sury and such like by mediate causes when the instruments of the body are by his spiritual enticements tempted to receiue into them more then suffice nature so that the veines ouerflow with blood the gall with choler adust and the liuer with lust But in my iudgement with the former extraordinary or miraculous causes the Diuell cannot harme a Christian mans body really howsoeuer I thinke of the soules immediate obsession or harme the least part of his body Surely I belecue that God reserues that palpable reall power as a prerogatiue to himselfe to his owne Angels and to his second causes in this world to himselfe as when Pharaoh and his Aegyptians were miraculously plagued with Lice and other annoyances by the singer of God or when he caused his Angel for Dauids fault to smite the Israelites with pâ—stilence But thou wilt aske me how can a Christian bee frantick by the Diuels meanes and yet not really hurt by him By him by the Diuels immediate reall force Nay principally by themselues and by their owne filthy bodies which suffered themselues at first to be gluttonously carried by their owne appetites and by the Diuels spirituall suggestion If they had eaten lesse and drunke lesse such corruption of humours could neuer taint them neither could consequently frenzie possesse them And also if they had in time sought for grace by daily prayers fasting being a coadiutour vnto them God would haue hearkened vnto them and healed their indispositions But on the contrary it pleased his Maiesty to harden some to lead them into temptation because they might acknowledge his iustice and omnipotency and also serue for monuments to terrifie the wauering minded To returne vnto my former matter as all wicked spirits and vitious purtâ—rbations sprung in mortall men by meanes of the said Arch-spirit of sinne so likewise by him they worke many and sundry operations Moyses made mention of the spirit of Iealousie Esay of the spirit of Errour The Lord permitted alying spirit to goe out and be in the mouth of all Ahabs Prophets to enâ—ice him into the battell against the Sirians Another Prophet relateth of the spirit of fornication And as S. Paul records God gaue them the spirit of slumber The spirit of God departed from Saeul and an euill spirit was sent from God to vexe him Therefore his seruants aduised him to seeke a cunning player vpon the Harpe whereby he might be refreshed and eased What sense more naturall to our capacities can we gather by this euill spirit and the easie cure thereof then that it was eyther a kinde of Lunacy vsuall in that hote countrey a fit of melancholy or a falling sickenesse For the cure whereof his seruants by whom I vnderstand his Phisittans hauing experimented belike that none other medicine then musicke could auaile him or perhaps not hauing such insight in Phisicke as we haue wished him onely to comfort his heart with ioyes and as we vulgarly speake to keepe Doctor Merriman company To this opinion of mine I adioyne another reason whereof we must not descant ouer-curiously that God predestinated purposely this extraordinary accident vpon Saul for the aduancement of Dauid who vpon this occasion happily composed many of his Psalmes and confirmed the vertues of his spirit and also by this accesse into the Kings Palace he gained vnto him the mindes of his chiefe Captaines and Officers besides he got by this familiar frequency in the Court his education and experience in matters of ciuill policy which otherwise he could hardly in humane probability obtaine by reason that hee was brought vp but simply among Sheepheards This I write not of any blasphemous purpose to restraine the Lords miraculous power but that we may obserue his prouidence in vouchsafing to worke by ordinary and naturall meanes But admit that the literall sense be admitted what absurdity can ensue thereof For the Diuell in his fall hauing wholy lost the musicall consent and melodious concord which was ensused in his soule at his creation could hardly digest Dauids Hymmes and Harpe the same being quite disagreeable to his discording and disproportioned nature I say such Diuine musicke reduced the extrauagant thoughts of Saules soule to such an excellent harmony and quiet tune that the Diuell durst not abide that sweete tempered sound Ouer all the abouesaid wicked spirits the spirit of Detraction awaiteth Doth the Lord send his terrible thunder his glorious lightnings as warlike alarums to rouze vs vp from our sleepy sinnes Behold the spirit of Detraction at hand and attributes those strange signes to the Prince of this world his Lord and Master the Diuell God quoth he is the Author of goodnesse quiet and neuer intâ—rmedles with thunder-claps stormes or tempests Non illi imperium pelagi scâ—ptrumque tridentis Sed mihi sort datum
malapertnesse of thy tongue of thy tempting tongue of thy tickling tongue of thy tatling tongue thy taunting tongue thy vaunting tongue thy iesting tongue thy gibing tongue thy iarring tongue thy warring tongue thy checking tongue thy chiding tongue thy clattering tongue thy clacking tongue thy carping tongue thy babling tongue thy boasting tongue thy blazing tongue thy blaspheming tongue thy raiâ—ing tongue thy reuiling tongue thy scoffing tongue thy scolding tongue thy nicking tongue thy nipping tongue thy quipping tongue thy tripping tongue thy defaming tongue thy detracting tongue temper the phreneticall furie of this little Tyrant of what other inclination so euer it be and whet it not against thy neighbour whom Baptisme hath regenerated and adopted to the selfe same heritage as well as thy selfe Say with that noble French man Du mesdisant la langue venimeuse Et du flateur les propos â—mmielez Et du mocqueur les brocardes enfielez Et du maling la pursuite animeuse From Sycopâ— anâ—s and their foule pois'ned quips From Flatterers and their smooth-honied lips From Democrites and their gall-stinging bookes From Hypocrites and their dissembling lookes Good Lord deliuer vs. LINEAMENT XII The spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring men for their 1 Poucrtie 2 Birth 3 Bodily imperfections DEride no man for his pouertie for a man of faith is onely rich Hee that is poore in worldly wealth hath no superfluous cares to with-hold his mind from spirituall exercises While thou gluttest with gurmandize stalkest with state walkest with wantons swaggerest with swash-bucklers swearest with swaggerers and detractest with Detractours the poore man fasteth and prayeth yeelds euery man his due he liues not in feare of theeues nor of oppression for his goods Cantabit vacuus coram Latrone viator The same God that made him poore may make thee poore for it is his Sunne that shines vpon poorâ— and rich He euen he it is that exalteth the humble and meeke and scattereth the proud in the imaginations of their hearts If thy neighbour be not as well descended as thy selfe but basely borne contemne him not with contumelious speaches in charging his birth with contagious sinne The very best of vs all as the Prophet Dauid testified was conceiued in sinne and borne in sinne But through our cleansing by Baptisme our soules become purified and so doth the basâ—st borne bastard Better it is for a man to be the head of his kinne as â—icero was then to be the last of his kinne as Catiline was Better it is to be the vertuous sonne of a vicious father then to be the vicious sonne of a vertuous father for a man is not accountable for his birth but for his behauiour and conuersation in hiâ—liuing Therefore that vncharitable detracting distick deserues the fagot Spurâ—s ille puer nullum suadebit honestum Naâ—us adulterio semper adulter erit When thou beholdest one that is crumpshouldred lame or otherwise distorted and deformed in his body laugh him not to scorne nor iest at his infirmities For he that is deformed in his body may conceale a generous spirit within like vnto a tottered ship which containes within it more goods then tenne such ships are worth Consilio pollet cui vim natura negauit Obserue the contrarie subiect and tell me how many proper bodies hast thou scene without defects in their mindes In my iudgement none but fooles euer gloried in their bodies constitutions strength or power wherein the horse the Asse and other beasts goe farre beyond mankind The regard whereof causeth vs to require bodily force in a labourer and wisedome of the minde in a Commander The body is earthly carnall fraile the house nay rather the prison of the soule which indeed is heauenly noble permanent and created after Gods owne likenesse both in the essentiall vnion and in the trinarie subsistence A body is not to be termed crooked or crazed as long as it lodgeth an vpright soule and harboureth an honest heart Aesope was crooke-backt and yet admirable for his wit Tyrtaeus the Poet was lame and yet chosen Generall of the Lacedemonians Innumerable persons there are whose bodily deformitie God doth recompence with large measure of spirituall gifts supplying that place one way which wanteth in another way so that this saying is true Deus nihil fecit frustra God created nothing in vaine no not the craggiest mountaine made hee without some profitable vse for mans good Perhaps there lurkes a goodly mine or at the worst milstones or quarries of tile lime or such like Others againe haue imperfections in their eye-sights whom the spirit of Detraction followes with girdes and floutes wherein who can but smile Spectatum admissâ— risum teneatis amici In hearing blinde-minded people mocking at blindebodied people A man in Diuinitie is not held to be blinde except he liue in darknesse of errours which altogether blindfold the vnderstanding and depriue the soule of the eternall light the knowledge of the liuing God Short-sighted folkes commonly shoote inward into contemplation the noblest operation of the soule and whiles the quick-sighted I meane quicke of their corporall sights doe gaze on euery idle obiect eyther in iudging of beauties or in marking at the skipping of Grashoppers or in seeing the goodly combate betwixt the Mouse and the Frogge The other by the benefit of his spirituall nature wanting such obstacles and impediments doe wholy addict themselues to reading or to musing From which no Spider sport no trifling toyes may with-draw their intentiue mindes And why because their Creatour hath conuerted the infirmitie of their bodily eyes into their eyes of memorie and vnderstanding whereby they become sagacissimi in coniecturis ingenious and very studious LINEAMENT XIII 1 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for blabbing out tales concerning womens credits 2 Wherefore it is not lawfull to speake abroad of womens causes LIkewise take heed how thou talk est like a tatling tell-tale about womens credits by suspition and suppositions crackt or if in deed and euidence thy neighbors wife playes false in violating herfaith in vitiating her chastitie towards her honest Husband or if his Daughter waxeth more lustily wanton then becommeth a Christian virgine let not thy tongue be traduced or produced as a reuiling runnagate in noysing abroad such ribauldries and baudries if true or else such surmised secret things which no earthly creature besides themselues can proue It is alwayes incident to Roysters and Ruffians to read suspicious lectures on the carriage and behauiour of the most beautifull Some iudge the worst fatally because themselues are guiltie of adultery and so according to the often wishes the shrewde and lewde nores of their owne peruerted fantasies they condemne the pure with the impure Some againe doe but gather by presumptions and circumstances that chast women prostitute their bodyes because they goe gallantly attyred in the fashion with strange Periwigs with false bodyes truncke sleeues verdingales and with costly Iewels belike
from the Creature That the harpe soundeth the harper is the cause that it soundeth â—ll the harpe it selfe is the cause In all naturall bodies their owne brittlenesse is the cause of their corruptions Not the agents but the patients worke their ill sauouring That we talke that we walke God is the cause that we talke amisse walke awrie our owne wantonnesse with our weaknesse is the cause Our tongues were made to glorifie our Creator our hearts to meditate before we talke that both consenting and concurring together in a ioyfull embassage towards God the soule may deserue a ioyfull welcome in heauen In regard of which circumstances O mortall men Let your dead bodies be embaulmed your meates perboyled or poudered Let your tongues hearts and steps be directed by the bridle lampe and line of Gods holy word For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation according to that diuine Disticke Non vox sed votum non Musica chordula sed cor Non clamor sed amor cantat in aure Dei Not flattring words but feruent vowes of mind Not Musickes sound but soules by faith refin'd Not outward cries but inward flaming zeale Within Gods eares ring out a pleasing peale LINEAMENT VI. 1 How God predestinated some to be saued 2 Why all men were not elected 3 That mens owne willes by Gods sufferance occasion their reprobation and harme 4 The Authors sentence concerning himselfe whether he be one of the elect 5 That Good and Euill cannot come without Gods consent OVR heauenly Father whose prouidence or foresight is no other then his present sight before the beginning of the world seeing men at that time though vncreated and vnborne all present in his sight as if they were alreadie created and borne readie to receiue doome or iudgement and seeing them at that instant to refuse his grace as liuely as if they had already refused the same obseruing withall the corruption of their nature continued by custome to produce corrupt fruits and effects accordingly elected the purer moulded spirits apart from the rest enabled them with his grace as with a speciall gift or pardon for indeed the very purest had deserued death and damnation and freely of meere fauour gaue them their liues at the mediation of their Redeemer and also their liberty which their first parents haue since wittingly forfeited The rest as reprobates refusing his charter of grace and alreadie in his foresight which is eternall and alwaies present condemned and standing before him in the state of damnation he suffered still to perseuer and to be as he found and saw them Crie for mercy they could not because his instice required equality or satisfaction Beg for liberty they could not by reason that their sinnes had entangled and tongue-tied them And so for want of speaking and suing with remorce of conscience which we call repentance vnto the Sauiour of the world by whom I vnderstand Gods mercy which â—ince was made flesh shined before his Iustice they sustained the punishment that was due vnto them Wherein they were not to blame God but rather themselues that foolishly delayed their suites I heard that of late daies a prisoner well lettered after condemnation hauing gotten the benefit of his Clergy according to the lawes of this land and referred to his triall whether he could reade or no was sodainly so bed azeled and bereaued of his eye sight that for want of reading he lost his life Now who can blame the Iudge in this case Surely no man For he was iustly hanged through his owne default The Iudge did what he could iustifie yea and perhaps was forced to shead teares when he pronounced the iudgement Much more fault are we to finde with those sinners which can reade and beg for remission and yet of set contuâ—acie like a curst child wholly addicted to frowardnesse will not be perswaded once to say Abba Father To returne vnto my former matter of Election God findes men euill and leaues them so for he is not tied to giue them grace except it please himselfe To confirme this I regard many creatures and doe finde them all diuersly disposed some to good some to euill some to riches some to pouerty I finde this diuersitie in our very grounds Heere is good arable land good pasture there growes neither corne nor pasture but briers brambles tares cockle furres heath or stones Non omnis fert omnia tellus Hic segetes illic crescunt foelicuis vuae All grounds beare not alike all kind of things Here growes grain there the grape more fruitful springs But why all grounds yeeld not the same commodities we must leaue that secrecy to Gods vnsearchable will I like manner I see our earthly kings bestowing titles of honour vpon diuers persons and vpon diuers occasions Some they dubbe knights before the battel and some after the battell Some others they grace of their owne sesecrete iudgement or for some cause vnknowne vnto vs. After the like manner to compare great things with small O eternall Father thou disposest of thy sinfull creatures Some thou callest some thou electest some thou reiectest Of those which thou callest some thou reseruest for one purpose some for another and all for thy glory Neither ought we to maruell or murmure at this that we be not all called chosen considering what was our beginning our fragility our stubborne natures and that we deserued no fauour at all Seeing our first Parents both man and woman tasted the fruite of good and euill it is but discreet seuerity or rather diuine mercy that thy soueraigne Maiestie electeth some as good persons of their seede to honour thee and leauest the rest as euill to their owne appetites in satisfaction of thy iustice To the one thou giuest heauen for the honour of thy mercie to the other hell for the honour of thy iustice And yet dare not I alwaies iustifie the elect in exempting them quite from the thraldome of sinne seeing that they are but brittle flesh and bloud who might commit follies in their youth being subiect to the knowledge of euill and neuerthelesse become reformed in the middest of their age as capable by the diuine bounty of the knowledge of goodnesse Now it remaineth that I touch a little as I saile by the shoare of curiositie wherefore God suffereth the workmanship of his hands to be damned For the solution of this triuiall and idle question it is written that the Potter may ordaine his owne vessels to what vse himselfe pleaseth For no doubt but God is glorified in the damnation of the reprobate as in the Reuelation he is honoured for iudging the whore of Babylon albeit that he be no cause of their wickednesse Commonly he suffereth euill to chance by that meanes as he bringeth goodnesse to passe extolling his owne glory out of their errours and in effect his sufferance of euill is nothing else but his destination
and decree of goodnesse So that the cause of mens reprobation proceeded not from the ordinance of Gods will but from their owne willes by Gods sufferance In a word it is not good to be ouerbusie with this eternall purpose of God for it is the marke of a Reprobate to intrude himselfe ouerboldly into the secrets of his Maker Let vs then modestly content our selues with the Apostles Counsell I say through the grace that is giuen vnto me to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to be vnderstood but that he vnderstand according to sobriety Let vs like infants content our selues with milke pap and such tender meate as serue fittest to nourish our tender constitutions And let vs not couet or rather wantonly long after any foode of a stronger quality able to ouercome our weake natures lest we be confounded For they that gaze too long vpon the Sunne beames will become blinded with the glory or maiestie thereof We must not prie into Gods secrets but pray vnto Gods Sonne our all-sufficient Sauiour For do not we strictly censure him that enters vncalled into a Great Mans chamber vpbrayding him as an vnmannerly sawcy Iacke What auaileth it me to enquire whether another man be in the state of saluation or damnation while my selfe haue more neede to prie into mine owne state to liue Mosse tenus propria within mine owne lot and for my further knowledge Quà m sit mihicurta suppellex like a snaile to shoote into mine owne home Is not he vnwise that rogues abroad for strange and curious newes leauing his owne house vnsetled and as a prey to his mortall enemy God giue me the grace to muse meditate with my selfe from day to day whether my selfe am in the state of saluation or no and to do my best endeuour to please God whereby I may become one of his elected number leauing off such fâ—iuolous questions foolish inquisitioÌ„s For although that the number of the Elect and Râ—probate be certainly knowne in the eternall purpose of God yet considering the causes of saluation and damnation to be incertaine variable and voluble in mine owne conscience I am driuen to submit my selfe with feare and trembling to Gods mercy hoping for the one and fearing the other lest his number of the elect in respect of me be not certaine For I finde by experience that sometimes being penitent and pensiue for my sinnes I am in the state of saluation and that some other times seduced by Sathan the world or the flesh I am in a most doubtfull and desperate estate which I pray God to suspend and turne to the best for my Redeemers sake that became a sacrifice for my sinnes With this hope or faith I was fed euer since my baptisme that being thought worthy of so great a grace and of many moe blessings besides I may beleeue build vpon it that I am elected Therefore I will not faint like a coward but glory that I am a Christian protesting to continue faithfull as one sometime gloried that he was borne a man and not a beast a Protestant and not a Papist Thus farre haue I aduentured to wade in the depth of Predestination Free-will and Election Whereupon as on a most sure foundation I establish this Proposition that promotion comes neither from the East nor from the West nor from any where else then from the first Cause for he alone putteth downe one and setteth vp another and that no calamitie nor crosse can chance without the same first cause the God of endlesse glory power strength wisedome mercy and bountie whose name be blessed and praised for euer and euer world without end Amen LINEAMENT VII 1 The causes why God ordained thunder and lightning 2 The naturall nutriments of lightning 3 Why thunder and lightning be most dangerous in Winter 4 Where they worke their operations more â—â—hemently 5 An admonition to build low WE must leaue vnto nature her peculiar office because she effects nothing without the predestinate counsell of the eternall Mouer The Winters durt the Sommers dust the ayrie clouds all of them spring from natures motion The ayrie Regions are moued and thereupon stormy blasts of winde arise The vapours turne and tosse then duskie clouds appeare At last both winds and clouds carried about in the wheele of violence ingender tempests thunders and lightnings All which though they issue from naturall causes yet we must note them as tokens sent from the Author of nature who being bound to no causes is himselfe the originall cause of all causes Like as the partie-coloured Rainebow prognosticates the diuine league indented betwixt his supreme Maiestie and sinfull men euen so let vs iudge that thunders be volees of Canon shot to rouze vs vp from our drowsie defiled dreames To this end it lightens that besides our sence of seeing our other affrighted sences may solicite the sluggish Queene to saue her selfe and her snaily house before the generall day of doome Doe out your candles away with your oyles remoue your Lard take away the nutrimeÌ„t of lightnings lest they ouerthrow your weaker lights yea and extinguish your chiefe delight the light of your bodies the image of euerlasting light Omne simile nutrit sibi simile Euery like nourisheth his like no maruell then if lightnings endowed with an vnctuous substance approach naturally to oyle tallow bacon grosse bodies and to hot moistned wares Thunder is most dangerous in Winter according to those vulgar rythmes A foule Winters thunder A faire Sommers wonder Because the Ruler of nature at that vnseasonable time is disposed to make his Deity manifest to miscreant Atheists who limit such Meteory signes onely to the Spring and Autumne and also because his Maiestie meanes to awake his rebellious children out of the Lethean Lethargie of carnall voluptuousnesse The places where oftnest thunders strike and lightenings flash be high trees high houses high hilles not onely because they are neerest to the Region of the ayre where fiery exhalations doe alwaies wrastle and warre with congealed vapours as euery Agent workes most fiercely vpon his neerest matter but likewise because the Lord would haue vs humble our selues before him by such terrible admonitions which the Satyriste also toucheth Ignouisse putas quia cum tonat oeius Ilex Sulphure discutitur sacro quà m tuque domusque Thinkest thou that God hath quite forgiuen thee Because thou seest the highest oaken tree Sooner then thee or thy faire house defa'st With thunder claps and sacred sulphurs blast And as a more ancient Poet in more liuely colours paints out the extremitie of meteores against the loftiest seates Uentis agitatur ingens Pinus celsae grauiore casu Decidunt turres feriuntque summos Fulgura montes The hugest Pine with winde is shaken downe The highest tower is soonest ouerthrowne The loftiest mount with lightning is o'rblowne In respect of which