confusion of poore-blinde Papists namely in remembrance of him in remembrance of him for as often as yee eate his bread and drinke his cup yee doe shew the Lords death till he comes so that ioyning together as louing members of one body we might skirmish against our spiritual Enemy and against his spirits of sinne which he hatcheth and fostereth for our bane fall and perdition In a word let vs account it a foule sinne for any man to be eyther ignorant or partiall in his own infirmities And let vs censure other mens faults with fearefull consciences or rather suspend our hasty iudgements because we cannot distinctly discerne of spirits but let vs diue into our owne without doubts or scruples because God gaue vs a mindfull monitrix within to looke our LINEAMENT IIII. 1 That ill Education is another cause of malicious Detraction 2 That want of maintenance in the Clergy is the cause of ill Education 3 Certaine moderne abuses taxed in some remote angles of this Kingdome THou mortall man in thy young and tender yeares being pliable and apt to receiue any impression must out of hand be fashioned in the sharpe turning wheele of instruction Vdum molle lutum es nunc nunc properandus acri Fingendus sixe fine rotâ In youth thou art as moist and softned clay And must by teachers wheele make hast away This counsellâ— direct to honest parents my brethren in Christ whereby they may beware how they cocker and dandle their children in licentious folly Roses must needs wither when they are ouer-growne with bryers and thornes and children that are assayled with whole legions of affections must fall at the last if they be not accordingly sâ—ccoured Which likewise that Diuine Philosopher ratifieth A youth not as yet hauing fully and absolutely disposed himselfe to goodnesse is a deceitfull cruell and a most proude beast vnlesse he be bound betimes with a Schoolemaster as with a streng bridle Certainly good education is the chiefest ebstacle and baâ—re to the diuellâ—sh spirit of Detraction For when haue you heard any man ingenuously brought vp to detract from his Creator or from his neighbour He that toucheth pitch cannot but be defiled therewith one scabbed sheepe may infect a whole flocke And as the Royall Prophet saith With the cleane thou shalt be cleane and with the froward thou shalt learne frowardnesse As for you of the nobler and prouder sort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cousens to the Gods of the earth you that stand vpon phantasticall Genealogies bringing your pedegrees by a thousand lines and branches from Gog and Magog measuring your deserts by descent and not by vertues worth yee I mean queijs vinere fas est occipiti coeco which perswade your selues that it is lawfull for you to leade your liues carelesse and to speake what you please concerning God or man yee are too high for my humble pen I dare not admonish you for feare of an action on the case Nay few that vnderstand any thing must be admitted to your presence and if any one be yet dare he not instruct you for feare of displeasure or if happily at any time he put you in minde thereof no man will abide him But why doe I wish men in their prime in their growing time to be pruned with vertue polished with learning and strongly armed against the stormy spirit of Detraction Seeing they lacke profitable Teachers to edifie their soules Seeing our Ghostly Pastors in this remote place of the Kingdome be ignorant themselues No other reason can be alleadged of this their ignorance then pure penury whereof the Clergie especially here in our Countrey languisheth Let me looke but in the neighbour-hood where I dwell and I finde within this one Hundred twelue parishes whose tythes and emoluments amount to a deepe summe in the yeare Some parishes yeelde eight score or nine score pounds a yeare yea the tithes of the least parish arise yearely to one hundred pounds and yet notwithstanding all this the poore Curates receiue not aboue twenty nobles a piece in the yeare Out of which they be compelled to pay yearely fifteenthes pro curations and other exactions as high as thirty shillings So that the Ministers pension is little more then fiue pounds Which beggarly annuity cannot maintaine him no nor supply him with necessary rayment Neyther will any Scholer of worth accept of such a meane rate For who will rest content with drosse while he may haue gold Who will inhabite in a mud-wall cottage if he may haue better Nay if some zealous men were willing to extend the talents of their spirits for our instruction how can such poore pittances serue to keepe soule and body together Venter nec aures neque linguam habet It agreeth with reason that the industrious Labourer chiefly in the Lords vineyard should enioy his competent hire for if maintenance and reward of trauell were taken away learning must needes fall to ruine This certainely is the cause which marreth nurture and consequently leaues our mindes barren vntilled and vnfurnished with true knowledge insomuch that spacious roome is left for our spirituall Enemy to enter and to beleaguer with easie force the feeble forts of our soules I will passe ouer with secret griefe and silence how that thousands within this our Countrey of Wales resort not to Church aboue once a yeare their towneships or hamlets being distant from the Church seuen or eight English miles I could likewise produce many parishes which were not partakers of Sermons in any mans memory no nor as farre as I can learne their Curates neuer graced them with one poore Homily or Catechisme But because this latter point is a matter out of my element neither inquirable nor determinable by my Commission and for feare least these Ecclesiasticks of the positiue degree procure the Thunder-bolt of Excommunication against me for intermedling with their frothy dregges and for putting my strange Oare into their Barke though it be to saue it from wracke like vnto zealous Vâ—zza who rashly toucht Gods Arke to stay it from falling I will surcease my pen and suspend my censure of their dregges and lees in hope that they will conuert the same to better purposes and distill their lees in the Limbecke of reformation to a pretious oyle of Tartar with which they being annointed and affected may vent out godly doctrine goodly discipline farre better then with the holy water wherewith our missopecunifices our masse-mongers thinke to chase away the spirit of Detraction other hellish spirits To wind vp this discontented discourse of my Countreyes Leuites I pray God that the French prouerbe whereby they taxe a thing hard to be brought about fall not our iust vpon some of their heads that is Ily a plus de difficulte qu' a tirer vn Prestre de la tauerne That 's harder then to draw a Priest from the Tauerne More yet could I insert concerning the
peace or peaceable Abel the onely wisedome of all Diuine creatures descended downe from his Fathers bosome and was made flesh by the al-quickning breath of Gods owne essence co-operating in the Virgin Maries wombe the second Eue but refined and regenerated at Bethlehem the Citie of Dauid a poore Citie of Iewry in a vile beggarly stable where he suck't the dugges that rul'd the starres suxit vbera qui rexit sidera about that very time when all the world was chalked or rather charmed in the Circle of peace by vertue of Augustus Caesars soueraignty in token whereof the Romanes did shut Ianus his double porch Iani tanuam from whence the Moneth Ianuary is denominated which lay open before in time of open or ciuill warre While he liued on earth which as some write was three and thirty yeares he laboured like a woman with childe with our infirmities but after a Diuine maner He was ambitious but how Ambitious onely to aspire vp into the Theater of the Crosse. He was affected with concupiscence but with what concupiscence Not with sinfull but with celestiall concupiscence He was affected but not infected for he onely longed and lusted after mans saluation O Ierusalem how willingly would hee haue gathered together thy strayed young ones euen like a carefull henne hadst thou repented Hee was angry but how Not to reuenge for he requites good for euill and prayes for his very foes Onely hee was angry without sinne for zeale sake ad detestationem peccati non ad vindictam He was enuious but in what sort Not ex vitiata natura of corrupt nature but for conscience sake that the Diuels kingdome became daily augmented He was ignorant of some things for he knew not of the day of Doome but his ignorance was simple and not sinfull harmelesse and not erronious in desiring curiously to know those secrets which did not befit the Sonne of man to know He was troubled with feare in his agony but with what kinde of feare Not with feare of death satisfactory to repaire that breach betwixt the Angels and vs but with naturall feare which impaires the animal faculties according to the nature of mans sensitiue appetite which trembles at the sense of terrible torments In this maner did he take vpon him our infirmities not by way of inherent spotting but by way of necessary influence like vnto that Prince of Starres which pierceth and passeth into impure obiects and yet himselfe is not subiect vnto impurities Besides these burthensome infirmities of ours which he tooke vpon him in his loue and charity towards the sonnes of Adam let vs reuiew his painfull Passion Amidst the bryers and brambles of sorrowes he shewed himselfe as the Rose of patience he shined as a lightning Cynosure among the thankelesse sayling Iewes He carried our sorrowes sorrowes without number which our humane natures could neuer beare He suffered intolerable flouts intolerable torments intolerable death beyond all the degrees of comparison dura verba duriora verbera durissima fata No torments were like his torments for hee suffered for all our sinnes Whereunto I might adde the tendernesse softnesse and delicatenesse of his body which being materially formed onely of a pure Virgins nature without coniunction of the male substance could not but feele such tortures more grieuously and gripingly then any other What shall I speake of other sensible motiues of his agonies the treachery of Iudas whose feete he disdained not to wash but a little before the Iewes ingratitude and aboue all his Fathers anger in iustice heaped vpon him for our misdeedes thoughts and vaine wordes And because it was requisite that God in his iustice should punish sinne in man which man committed therefore the Word of God our mercifull Messias tooke on him mans shape euen as man in Paradise was shapt after his spirituall nature to suffer for man what was due for mans transgression euen vile pouerty conflicts with the world temptations of the Deuill feruent wrastling with sinne bloudy sweates and agonies opprobrious vsages by the Deuils procurement a drench of bitter gall opposite to that fatall iuyce of Adams apple woundes in his side to the effusion of bloud and water the mysticall seales of his last will to the Church the one prefiguring Baptisme the other the Communion both to bathe our sinnes sorrows of death a second death hellish torments both in body and soule an Eclipse of the Deity from his sunny soule All these in humane paines wherein the whole wrath of God due to the sinne of man was for a while included did our Sauiour Christ in this world before he gaue vp the Ghost accomplish and consummate And thus God to saue the sonnes of God like a louing Sheepheard in the behalfe of his sheepe or like that zealous Law-giuer which drew out one of his owne eyes instead of one of his sonnes eyes who by the law was condemned to that kinde of punishment for his adultery I say thus God voluntarily to sustaine and support the man-hood which of it selfe was altogether impotent for the vanquishing of death and for our redemption became man and was put to shamefull death vnder Pontius Pilate President of Iury for Tiberius Caesar the Romane Emperour according to that prophesie After threescore and two weekes shall Messias be slaine yet not for himselfe And as another recorded Iesus shall be openly declared within 400. yeares and after the same yeares shall my Sonne Christ die and all men that haue life He died for a while that he in vs and we in him might liue for euer He died or rather as an ancient Father testifieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He became a sacrifice for all sinners that were willing by repentance to reforme themselues And as the Prophet foretold of him He was wounded for our infirmities and his soule was made an offering for sinne for our sinnes whose burthen hee bare vpon his Diuine shoulders which neither Sampson Golias Atlas Hercules Milo Crâ—toniates nor all the strong-back't Porters of the world were all their forces conioyned together could euer beare So insupportable are the sinnes of our humane natures The third day as Ionas out of the Whales belly or to speake Poetically as Arion in the deepe Seas on the Dolphms backe hee rose vp inuested with his immaculate soule by his appeased Father who as Dauid prophesied would not leaue his soule in the graue nor suffer his holy One to see corruption And againe in another place He would like a louing shepheard feede him in a greene pasture and lead him forth besides to the waters of comfort yea though he walked through the valley of the shadow of death He died as a Lambe but rose as a Lyon Heauinesse endured for a night but ioy came in the morning In the morning he rose he rose as the morning sunne that like a Bridegroome marcheth out of his chamber He rose to runne a gallant race as
a Giant refresht with wine He that but a little before as an abiect among men was crowned with a crowne of thornes in a ridiculous manner rose vp in triumph the third day crowned with a glorious garland to raigne for euer aboue all the Angels in heauen And after that hee had conuersed with his Disciples forty dayes here on earth and shewed himselfe to more then fiue hundred brethren at once making his resurrection manifest by many signes and tokens and palpably opening himselfe vnto them and particularly vnto Thomas Didymus whom in the rest of the Apostles presence he caused to put his hands into his sides that thereby he might confute his incredulity hee then ascended vp to heauen in their sight where he sits in his humanity preferred at the right hand of God hauing all power giuen him of the Father ouer all things farre aboue all rule power might and dominion and aboue euery name that is named not onely in this world but also in the world to come as thousand thousands of Angels and Saints proclaymed with a loud voyce in heauen Worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receiue power riches wisdome strength honour glory and praise Without the intercession of this reuiued and rightly respected Lambe the iust God-head will not accept the prayers of flesh and bloud be they neuer so humble neuer so vrgent On this mysticall Lambe on this sacred flaming Serpent fixe wee our internall eyes fixe wee our thoughts that are so stung by the sinfull Serpent and our God is pleased As contrariwise he is displeased if we craue the assistance of any other Saint or Angell Power or Principality There is no health to man saue onely by thy meanes and mediation Lord Iesus that boughtest the same ful dearely with thy blood innocently shed There is but one God and one Mediatour as thy chosen vessell shewes It is farre better to trust Gods word then the bonds of Saints who indeed are but creatures and no Creatours They are Gods members the spirituall Citie and Temple wherein his workes of mercy shine but they are not the Builders of this Citie or Temple to whom Diuine honour is onely due Who can preuaile more with the Father then the Sonne Who with the Sonne then a penitent soule whose conuersion the whole Quire of Heauens Inhabitants doe likewise most ioyfully applaude O man how deepely art thou indebted vnto thy Creator which for thy deliuerance out of the dark dungeon of death and errours hath appointed this great Angell to be thy Redeemer Mediatour and soueraigne Iudge We should blaspemously detract from thine omniscience O Lord omnipotent if we retained any other Attourney any other Aduocate besides thy soueraigne Maiesty Or if we were so credulous as to vse any such mediation farre be it from their submissiue thoughts to vsurpe thy puissant place which alone hast the Fathers key of fauourable Grace the same to open or to shut at thy soueraigne pleasure Diuine honour belongeth only vnto thee which thy seruant Peter well acknowledged when as he would not suffer Cornelius the Captaine to worship him but tooke him vp saying Stand vp my selfe am also a man The like disswasion vsed thine Angell to Iohn See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow seruant but worship God Thou art iealous of thine honor and limitest thy creatures to their conuenient functions for the glory of thy Name Cultus adoratio nulli creaturae concedi possunt sine Diuinitatis iniuria Worship and adoration cannot be graunted to any creature without wrong to the Godhead as an auncient Father testified And as another learned Doctor taught Maledictus omnis homo qui spem habet in homine quamuis Sanctus sit quamuis Propheta Cursed is that man which putteth his trust in men though they be Saints though they be Prophets Is it not then a wrong a blasphemous wrong to the whole Maiesty of the sacred Trinity for a man to distrust Christs absolute Soueraignty ouer all Principalities and his Diuine knowledge ouer all the world And doe we not distrust these prerogatiues of his when with a blinde zeale we deuoutly suc vnto inferiour persons as though our Sauiour were otherwise occupied or that he loued state and pompe Doe not we distrust when we repeate ouer as Persius his Parrots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often greetings to our Lady yea millions of Aue Mariaes when we reade our Ladies Offices our Ladies Psalter or when we trauell in pilgrimage for her sake for satisfaction of our sinnes to Lorette to Guardalupe or to Montserrate No doubt but that herein we distrust his Diuinity and detract first from the Father who sent his Sonne in person among his vnthankefull tenants raised him from death and set him on his right hand inspiring him with his omniscience whereby he might know the very secrets of all hearts and refresh them that were laden with the burthen of their crying sinnes Then we detract from Iesus Christ when we foolishly and phantastically despise his word not onely refusing to beleeue in his Crosse to be saued through his merites alone through his sauing Name alone for what else betokeneth the name of Iesus but an al-sufficient Sauior O Iesu esto mihi Iesu but also hoping by the Moone-shine in the water by other mens deserts to obtaine remission And lastly we detract and wrong the holy Ghost when we compell him with his spirituall gifts to depart away sorrowfull from the mansion of our soules being willing to performe and execute his office in testifying and wittnessing to our consciences our saluation through Christs onely merites Let me doe good workes let me like Zaccheus giue halfe that I haue to the poore let me fast let me represse the perturbations of my minde by taming my body with discipline or with whipping as some Papists doe or by launcing and wounding of my flesh after the example of Baals Priests yet if I want faith and loue faith to beleeue onely in Christ and loue to liue as a member of his mysticall body reiecting all other helpes whatsoeuer I am an Anathema an accursed Excommunicate out of his faithfull family Neuerthelesse God forbid that I should proue so ingratefull vnto the Mother of my Sauiour that I should forbid honest-minded Christians to yeelde her memory that reuerence and reuerend regard which is not repugnant to the Diuine Maiesty or offensiue to his iealous Spirit For I holde it a very laudable custome that the monuments of her name vertues and conception be preserued from obliuion and extinction by an anniuersary or yearly renewing of them vpon those festiuall daies as our Church hath destinated for the celebration thereof As I defie those which Deifie her memory and person in saying vnto her O Sauuoresse sauue moy O my Sauiouresse sane me so I defie those which defie her memory and person This the Scripture warrants This my earthly Soueraigne witnesseth and confirmeth
to the Arch-spirit of heauen is the knowledge of goodnesse both which Good and Euill we know euer since the eating of the forbidden fruite which man had not lusted except God had commanded the contrary Deteriora sequor Sinne tookâ— occasion by the commandement and deceiued vs. So that we left the tree of life and tooke the worst The knowledge of euill is sinne or worldly craft The knowledge of the good is the seruice of God or innocency Assoone as Adam had eaten the Apple in the garden of triall his eyes were opened and he knew the differences both of the Good and Euill yea he was made partaker of Euils and miseries as well of equity happinesse and innocency O what a Diuine mysterie is this Mans body and soule stands almost in suspence in an equall ballance betwixt God and the Serpent betwixt innocency and sinne Or more mystically to compare our states we stand in this world like our Sauiour Christ cruelly crucified betwixt two theeues the one penitent the other desperate the one acknowledging his Deity the other blasphemously detracting from his innocent life Euen so doe we wade betwixt Good and Euill betwixt the spirit and the flesh betwixt peace and warre betwixt heauen and hell betwixt life and death betwixt vertue and vice Xenophons pathes for Hercules in his youth betwixt light and darkenesse betwixt truth and falshood betwixt loue and hatred betwixt ioy and sorrow betwixt eternity and time Gods spirit of Goodnesse seekes to winne vs by infusing into our intellectual senses faith loue truth and other vnderspirits of his Our Ghostly tempter wicked sinne the old Serpents sting inwardly prickes our soules to know euill as well as good for malum cognitum facilius euitatur euil being knowne is the more easily auoyded to permit wantonnâ—sse licentiousnesse Detraction and other petty petulant spirits of sinne vnto our children in their tender age that they may leaue them of the sooner in their riper yeares according to the prouerbe A wilde colt will proue a good horse a rude youth a good man and a young Diuell an old Saint God labours to mortifie the body that the soule may see his Godhead The Diuell by sinne his earthly substitute deceitfully aduiseth to pamper the body with daiaty delicaciâ—s that the soule being stupefied may behold nothing but perpetuall darkenesse God pronounceth rigorousnesse vnto them which fall but towards thee kindnesse if thou continue in kindnesse The Diuell whispereth into thy heedlesse heart Sisaluaberis saluaberis If thou shalt be saued thou shalt be saued If thou be reserued among the remnant of Baals seuen thousand according to the election of Grace what needest thou make this world thy hell thy body thy crosse thy contentment thy discontentment If thou be not predestinated vnto saluation wilt thou enioy a double holi Therefore while thou hast time cheerish vp thy body with all kindes of sports and pleasures Laugh and bâ—fat I am veniet tacito curua sexecta pede Anon olde age with stealing pace will come Ah poore soule how art thou entangled being created after the image of God composed for his Spouse endowred with his spirit redeemed with his blood accompanied with his Angels capable of happinesse and partaker of reason as a learned Spaniard in imitation of Father Bernard broke out into admiration O Alma hecha a laimagen de Dios compucsta como para esposa dotada consu espiritu redimida consu sangre accompanadae consus Angeles capaz de bienauenturanza participante derazon Why dost thou follow thine enemy and forsake thy Maker O heauenly soule Why dost thou offer vnto the Diuell the fairest and the sartest of thy flocke and leauest vnto God a leane and a lame sacrifice Wilt thou draw vnto the Diuell thy sweetest drinkes and vnto God thy sowrest dregges O carelesse creature Say not God hath caused thee to erre for he hath no need of the sinful man He made thee from the beginning and left thee in the hand of thy counsell and gaue thee his commaundements and precepts He hath set water and fire before thee stretch out thy â—and vnto which thou wilt Before thee was life and death good and euill What liked thee was giuen Which excellent doctrine another confirmed Thus saith the Lord Behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death Say not thou I am besieged with Diuels with reall spirits out of hell For in thy center O intellectual soule is imprinted the very character of Gods owne essence and three persons in Trinity insomuch that thou resemblest the Diuine Hypostasis and indiuisible vnity and also possessest immortality from the Father vnderstanding from the Sonne and sanctification from the Holy Ghost All which concurring in one identified essentiall vnion make thee a perfect soule without blemish Let not thy fall from that blessed state discomfort thee The bloud of Christ if the fault be not thine owne doth like a lauer purifie thy sins though they become as red as scarlet These theeues of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a very ancient Father terms them can neuer harme thee really howsoeuer their spirit of Detraction as false spectacles to multiply thy feares layes downe that humourous tradition before thy simple sight Seest not thou how those spirits which dallied with the holy water dare not once come neere our reformed Church As there be degrees of sinnes so in my iudgement these deluding spirits neuer appeare but to the grossest sinner Where a man hath but one honest man in his house there that house prospereth better then if that one were absent for that hee terrifieth the rest from cousenages and conspiracies so where one Godly man dwelleth there the Diuell dares not draw neere LINEAMENT III. 1 That all wicked Spirits ordinary and extraordinary doe issue from the same head 2 That they cannot harme a man really without his owne naturall or wanton motion 3 Their varieties proued out of the Scripture where Saules lunacie is censured 4 That the Spirit of Detraction attendeth on all the said spirits EVen as good spirits or vertuous motions issue from the Godhead as from the cleere fountaine of goodnesse so wicked spirits and vnbridled affections fetch their pedegree from the deceitfull Serpent wâ—h allured Eue to insring the Lords commandement For his malicious spirit repining that man a new made creature found more fauour then himselfe belike long afore an out-cast from Gods presence turned about the weaker vessell the simple woman and makes her an instrument for all their ouerthrowes together They were all of them accursed mankind destinated to death the Serpent to darkenesse Since which time continuall calamities and phantasticall spirits the blacke guard of sinne pursue mankinde till death gets the vpper hand and looseth the soule out of her prison of flesh and bloud I say vntill death as Gods Sergeant doe attach our bodies vpon debt due vnto nature and our soules vpon sinnes committed
threats from S. Michacls Mount to the furthest bounds of Calydone against all licentious and lying libellers against detractors of their neighbours names or at least wise against such prophane persons which presume to wound the Maiestie of their great Creatour by their malicious or wanton wordes To this end like vnto that Clowne of Danubius who spared not to speake the truth from his very heart before the Emperour Aurelius and the whole Senate of Rome an obedient and obsequious seruant of yours borne vnder Cambriaes climate doth here enforme your patient Highnesse that the Sunne can no longer shine in your Christian Kingdome vpon truth and blasphemy without a most terrible eclipse of discontentment Arise therefore O King and cause these noysome Foxes to be both slaine and slaine Let their habitation be desolate and no man dwelling therein For they that be Traytors to their Heauenly King can neuer be true to their earthly King They that wittingly and wilfully teare in pieces the Titles of the great Iehouah will also proue rayling Semeies and reuiling Sathans against your royall Highnesse Their tongues like sharpe pointed arrowes will passe and pierce through your hard steely armour your armour of proofe my Lords both spirituall and temporall Their throats like open Sepulchres doe threaten to bury your wounded bodies O yee Knights Burgesses and Commons Yea these Knights of the Post these common swearers and detractors will conspire some time or other to blow vs all vp one after another with the gun-powder of their blasphemies O then let not such Atheisticall Agags be spared but let them perish by the hands of Samuell let them perish in the pit of perdition as persons faire worse then murtherers for these kill but the body whereas the periured kill themselues totally both body and soule And as an auncient Father writes They that blaspheme Christ now reigning in heauen do sinne no lesse then they that crucified him here on earth When they forsweare themselues whether it be by compulsion or of custome or of some worldly respect all is one eyther by Gods body by his bloud or by his woundes they spiritually pierce his sides with their bloudy weapons for a wicked tongue is worse then any weapon and like pitilesse Pilate they scourge his sanctified body againe When they sweare by his head as our swaggering swil-bowles will sweare by any part they plaite another Crowne of thornes vppon his hallowed head When they sweare by his foote they naile his innocent feete to the Crosse anew When they sweare by Gods death by Gods heart they put him to death and being worse then Iudas Iscariot they plot to supplant the heart of life When they sweare by senseles blocks stocks by the Masse by Gog or magog they detract from Gods honour in attributing his due to dumbe and deafe Idols But when they wilfully sweare betwixt party and partie in iudiciall proceedings by Gods Sacraments or forsweare themselues vpon his louely Legates the Testament eyther olde or new they blasphemously detract from the Father the Word and the holy Ghost by reason that Gods word comprehended in those holy Oracles is the right record on earth resembling the word incarnate now in heauen who redeemed the penitent from Sathans thrall euen as the other two mysticall records of water the spirit or of Baptisme and the Lords Supper represent the Father the holy Ghost the one signifying our Election by Baptisme and repentance from the Father before all worlds and the other witnessing and sealing the same into our consciences and also breathing faith loue charity and other Diuine gifts into our barren wils as is most euidently testified in those Testaments so that wilfull periury and blasphemous Detraction either to the derogation of Gods honour or to the detriment of his creatures if without commission I may discerne of spirits may be termed a sinne against the holy Ghost or against the whole Maiestie of the sacred Trinity No lesse also sinne the suborners of periurie then Periurers themselues nay they encurre a farre greater punishment because they occasion the losse of other mens soules namely of the suborned persons besides the losse of their owne soules And to detaine them more surely and safely in hell the iniured parties against whom such periury was committed will continually craue and crie for vengeance In respect of which abhominable abuses and for that the Diuell is now-a-dayes most spiritually busie at the shutting vp of this last tragicall seene of the world may it please your Soueraignties to ioyne together as mystical members of one vndiuided and vnblemished corporation for the extirping out of such prophane sinnes which being begunne in youth continued in manhood and confirmed in olde age doe continually raigne among vs as it were by destiny so that likewise other blasphemies in manner of branches beginne to ouer-spread their leaues of lies and libels aboue the plants of truth onely by the slight and too too light stocking vp of that sinfull and saplesse tree of periury Or if your wisedomes iudge it not expedient to promulge and put out any new Acte against this manifolded spirit of malignant Detraction yet notwithstanding for the preuenting of periurie and for the protection of innocencie that Naboth may not sustaine damage by Iezabels false witnesses and that all other sincere subiects may walke dreadlesse in their vocations it were a worke of charity and very likely to hinder the future budding vp of innumerable inconueniences if you would but adde one materiall clause more to the Statue of periury viz. That none be admitted to beare witnes against honest men but honest men men of some sufficiency and substance vntouched vncorrupted and vnsuspected I meane not that they should be voyde of sinne for then we must goe out of this world to fetch in the Angels of heauen but I meane sober men vnattainted of notorious crimes those whom the common law termes probos legales so that common drunkards haunters of Alehouses hunters of whores Barretours beggars rogues and light persons whom the Londoners call Knights of the Post may be excluded from deposing against substantiall subiects For to what end requires the law to haue witnesses produced Is it not to trie the truth And what truth can there be found in such notorious lewd liuers whose thoughts are altogether dulled with sensuall pleasures What true proofe can there be expected from them who differ but very little from bruit beastes Therefore it were sit that Iudges and Iurours regard circumstances as well as witnesses Doth a common drunkard or a common whore-hunter depose such must haue meanes to maintaine their vices Doth a beggar or a prisoner sweare beleeue him not for pinching penuâ—ie will perswade persons to testifie that the crow is white Neede will make the olde wise trot Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacra fames Is a common Barretour produced to testifie his knowledge A Barretour is euer
slâ—undered his neighbours They are inclosed in their owne fat and their mouth speaketh proud things Like as a Lion that is greedy of his prey and as it were a Lions whelpe lurking in secret places Vp Lord disappoint them and cast them downe deliuer my soule from the vngodly which is a sword of thine Let the lying lips be put to silence which cruelly disdainefully and despitefully speake against the Righteous The mouth of the righteous is exercised in wisdome and his tongue will be talking of iudgement Thy tongue imagineth wickednesse and with lyes thou cuttest like a Rasor thou hast loued vnrighteousnesse more then goodnesse and to talke of lies more then righteousnesie thou hast loued to speake al words that may doe hurt O thou false tongue Therefore shall God destroy thee for euer he shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy dwelling and roote thee out of the land of the liuing Destroy their tongues O Lord and diuide them for I haue espied vnrighteousnesse and strife in the Citie God shall send forth his mercie and truth my soule is among Lions and I lie among the children of men that are set on fire whose teeth are spears and arrowes and their tongue a sharpe sword They goe too and fro in the euening they grinne like a dog and runne about through the Citie Behold they speak with their mouthes and swords are in their lips for who doth heare But thou O Lord shalt haue them in derision and thou shalt laugh all the Heathen to scorne For the sinne of their mouth and for the words of their lips they shall be taken in their pride And why their preaching is of cursing and lies Hide me from the gathering together of the froward and from the insurrection of wicked doers which haue whet their tongues like a sword and shot out their arrowes euen bitter words that they may priuily shoot at him which is perfect Suddenly doe they hit and feare not They corrupt others and speake of wicked blasphemie their talking is against the most high for they stretch forth their mouth vnto the heauens and their tongue goeth through the world Remember this O Lord how the enemy hath rebuked and how the foolish people haue blasphemed thy Name As for the blasphemie wherewith our neighbours haue blasphemed thee reward thou them O Lord seuen folde into their bosome Who so priuily slaundereth his neighbour him will I destroy Hold not thy tongue O God of my praise for the mouth of the vngodly yea and the mouth of the deceitfull is opened vpon me They haue spoken against me with false tongues they compassed me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause Deliuer my soule O Lord from lying lips and from a deceit full tongue What reward shall be giuen or done vnto thee thou false tongue Euen might and sharpe arrowes with hote burning coales They haue sharpened their tongues like a Serpent Adders poyson is vnder their lips Let the mischiefe of their owne lips fall vpon the head of them that compasse me about Let hot burning coales fall vpon them let them be cast into the fire and into the pit that they neuer rise againe A man full of words shall not prosper vpon the earth Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips LINEAMENT V. The spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by King Solomons testimony AS for the scornefull doth not the Lord laugh them to scorne Cap. 3. Put away from thee a froward mouth and let the lips of slaunder be farre from thee Prou. 4. These sixe things doth the Lord hate and theseuenth he vtterly abhorreth a proude looke a lying tongue hands that shed innocent bloud an heart that goeth about wicked imaginations feete that be swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that bringeth vp lies and him that soweth discord among Brethren cap. 6. ibid. He that winketh with his eye will cause sorrow but he that hath a foolish mouth shall be beaten the mouth of a righteous man is a well of life but the mouth of the vngodly keepeth mischiefe in his heart cap. 10. He that hideth hatred with lying lippes and that speaketh slaunder is a foole ibid. Where much babling is must needes be offence but he that refraineth his lips is wise Ibid. The mouth of the righteous will be talking of wisedome but the mouth of the vngodly speaketh froward things Ibid. A foole slaundereth his neighbour but a wise man holdeth his peace A dissembling fellow will discouer priuy things but he that is of a faithfull heart keepeth counsell cap. 11. A foole vttereth his wrath in all hast but a discreete man couereth his owne shame cap. 12. A slaunderous person pricketh like a sword but a wise mans tongue is wholsom The lips of truth shall be stable for euer but a dissembling tongue is soone changed Ibid. The Lord abhorreth lying lips but they that deale truely please him Ibid. A discreet man doth hide knowledge but the heart of fooles bableth out foolishnesse Ibid. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life but who rashly openeth his lips destroyeth himselfe cap. 13 In the mouth of the foolish is the rod of pride but the lips of the wise will preserue them cap. 4. A faithfull witnesse will not dissemble but a false record will inuent lies Ibid. A faithfull witnesse deliuereth soules but a deceitfull witnesse bringeth forth lies Ibid. A soft answere appeaseth wrath but rough wordes stirre vp anger cap. 15. A wholsome tongue is the tree of life but the frowardnesse thereof doth make sad the spirit Ibid. The heart of the righteous sludieth his answere before but the wicked mans mouth spieth out mischiefe Ibid. A wise heart ordereth his mouth wisely and ministreth learning vnto his lips cap. 16. An vngodly person stirreth vp euill and in his lips is an hote burning fire ibid. A froward body causeth strife and he that is blabbe of his tongue maketh diuision among Princes ibid. Speech of authority becommeth not a foole much lesse then doth a lying mouth beseeme a Prince cap. 17. A wise man vseth few words and a man of vnderstanding is of a patient spirit yea a very foole when he holdeth his peace is accounted wise and he that stoppeth his lips is esteemed prudent ibid. The words of a wise mans mouth are like deepe waters cap. 18. A sooles lips come with brawling and his mouth prouoketh vnto stripes A fooles mouth is his owne destruction and his lips are the snare of his owne soule ib. The words of a slaunderer are very wounds and goe through the innermost parts of the body ibid. Death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that loue it shall eate the fruite thereof ibid. A false witnesse shall not be vnpunished and he that speaketh lies shall perish cap. 19. A wicked witnesse
barres for thy mouth Thou waighest thy siluer why dost thou not waigh thy words also vpon the ballance and make a doore and abarre and a sure bridle for thy mouth Beware that thou slide not in thy tongue and so fall before thine enemies that lay waite for thee and thy fall be incurable euen vnto death cap. 28. Thou young man speake that becommeth thee and that is profitable and yet scarse when thou art twise asked Comprehend much with few words in many things be as one that is ignorant giue care and holde thy tongue withall If thou be among men of high authority desire not to compare thy selfe vnto them and when an elder speaketh make not thou many wordes therein cap. 32. Like as a wilde horse that neigheth vnder euery one that sitteth vpon him so is it with a scornfull friend cap. 33. LINEAMENT VII The spirit of Detraction and Periury coniured and conuicted by other testimonies of the Scripture THou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine Thou shalt not haue to doe with any false report neyther shalt thou put thine hand with the wicked to be an vnrighteous witnesse Thou shalt not sweare by my name falsely neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God I am the Lord. Remember this O Lord how the enemy hath rebuked and how the foolish people haue blasphemed thy Name Thy Name is wonderfull O Lord and onely to had in reuerence I see a flying booke of twenty cubites long and tenne cubites broad which containeth the curse that goeth ouer the whole earth for all theeues shall be iudged after this booke and all periured persons shall be iudged according to the same And I will bring it forth saith the Lord of Hostes so that it shall enter into the house of a theefe and into the house of him that falsly sweareth by my name and shall remaine in the midst of his house and consume it with the tymber and stones thereof Let none of you imagine euill in his heart against his neighbour or loue false oathes for these are the things which I hate saith the Lord. Let not thy mouth be accustomed to swearing for n it there are many fals let not the naming of God be icontinually in thy mouth and meddle not with the names of Saints for thou shalt not be excused of them For like a seruant which is oft punished can not be without some sore euen so what soeuer he be that sweareth and nameth God shall not be cleane purged from sinne A man that vseth much swearing shall be filled with wickednesse and the plague shall neuer goe from his house if he beguile his brother his fault shall be vppon him if he aknowledge not his sinne hee maketh a double offence and if he sweare in vaine he shall not be found righteous for his house shall be full of plagues The words of the swearer bring death God graunt that it be not found in the house of Iacob but they that feare God eschue all such and lie not waltering in sinne Vse not thy mouth to vnhonest and filthy talking for in it is the word of sinne Ye haue heard that it hath beene said to them of olde time Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shall performe vnto the Lord thine oathes But I say vnto you Sweare not at all neyther by heauen for it is Gods seate nor by the earth for it is his foote stoole neyther by Hierusalem for it is the citie of the great King Neither shalt thou sweare by thy head because thou canst not make one haire white or blacke But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euill Woe be vnto you ye blinde guides for ye say Whosoeuer shall sweare by the Temple it is nothing but whosoeuer shall sweare by the golde of the Temple he is a debter Ye fooles and blinde for whether is greater the gold or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold And whosoeuer sweareth by the Altar it is nothing but whosoeuer sweareth by the gift that is vpon the Altar he is a debter Ye fooles and blinde for whether is greater the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift Who so therefore shall sweare by the altar sweareth by it and by all things thereon And who so shall sweare by the Temple sweareth by it and him that dwelleth therein And he that shall sweare by heauen sweareth by the seate of God and him that sitteth thereon Aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen neither by earth nor by any other oath Let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation These being deceiued by dreames defile the flesh despise Rulers and speake euill of them which are in authority Yet Michael the Archangell when he stroue against the Diuell and disputed about the body of Moses durst not giue rayling sentence but said The Lord rebuke thee But these speake euill of those things which they know not If a man sinne not in word the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle all the body Behold we put Bittes in the horses mouthes that they may obey vs and we turne about their whole bodie Behold also the Shippes which though they be so great and are driuen of fierce windes yet are they turned about with a very small helme whither soeuer the lust of the Gouernour will euen so the tongue is a little member also and bâ—asteth great things Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth And the tongue is fire â—uâ—n a world of wickednesse so is the tongue set among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell All the nature of beastes and of birds and of Serpents and things of the Sea is meeked and tamed by the nature of man but the tongue can no man tame it is an vnruely euill full of deadly porson therewith blesse we our GOD and Father and therewith curse wee men which are made after the similitude of GOD Out of one mouth proceede blessing and cursing My brethren these things ought not so to be Doth a Fountaine send forth at one hole sweete water and bitter also Can the Figge tree my brethren beare Oliue berries Or a Vine beare Figges So can no Fountaine giue both salt water and also fresh LINEAMENT VIII The Authors aduise to Iury-men wishing them to proceede vprightly according to their oathes and also to meditate on the future discourse THE elder that the world growes the more grow the corruptions thereof by reason that Sathan now towards the dissolution of the worlds Chronicle spitteth his spirituall spite and venemous vengeance in most abundant measure And also because our stiffe steely hearts will not relent nor receiue remorce
becomes wise and warie after miscrie or as our English prouerbe teacheth The burnt childe will take heede of the fire Let the precedent examples of other mens falles and follies exhort you to remember your Christian dueties and specially now at this instant since that yee are called and sworn as precise Patriots as chosen vessels of honour of an honourable corporation to edifie to doe your best endeuour towards the repairing of the Lords Temple though it were but by tempering of Lime whereto the Noblest is vnfit by transferring of stones by carrying of clay sand haire wooll or rather then nothing in conuaying of Oyster-shels so that ye be industrious in your charge it sufficeth for your discharge But how is it possible for you to performe any such seruice without presumption when as ye sacrilegiously conceale your Countreyes cockle your darnell your droanes your drunkards and your Detractours How is it possible for you to build vp Solymi Rudera clara soli the ruinous wals of the Church Militant when as ye offend the Arch-builder of the world with disloyall thoughts words and workes with exercising Spiritualem nequitiam in coelestibus Spirituall wickednes in heauenly matters with committing spirituall fornication against the Maiestie of Gods spirit How is it possible for you to escape vnpunished or not to be principall partakers of their faults and fines of their finnes and penalties whom ye wantonly spare for worldly respects Alas It is pitie you say to present poore silly wretches who transgresse of meere necessity It is more noble to giue then to take away to spare then to spill And sor the great Ones ye pretend that your cobweb is too thin to cub them in Foolish Pitie Marres the Citie It is a saying not so olde as true Beloued Christians beware of this Alchymie beware of this sophistry for beleeue it as an Article of your Creede that sinne is damnable vnder what colour soeuer it be shrowded Whether it be couered with clouts and ragges or with a golden robe let the Moâ—ster be vnstript let Achan be accused for his theft let Ioab be endicted for his shedding of innocent bloud yea though hee haue taken Sanctuarie and caught hold on the hornes of the Altar Let Semei be brought coram nobis for his â—ayling and reuiling Let Barrabas be found as a notorious felon Enquire whether Bigthan and There 's haue committed treason against the Lords Annointed and whether the sonne of Salomith the sonne of Dibry hath committed the like heynous crimo against the Lord himselfe in blaspheming his hallowed name And of what nature soeuer the billes are that men preferre vnto you follow your euidence and find out the guilty though they be proportioned as huge as Gyants let not their high nor huge statures dismay and defile your vndefiled consciences The cause is none of yours The iudgement is none of yours But both belong vnto him that made you Ye can doe no lesse then â—ndorce BILLA VERA vpon euident misdemeanures albeit with outward teares and inward bleeding griefes For if Saul an Annointed King for sparing of Agag a prisoner Prince had his Kingdome of Israell rent from his posteritie for euer euen by the Lords owne verdict what shall be the guerdon of your indulgence of your cunning concealement The reward of sinne is death and the reward of bloudy or blasphemous sinne such as periury is can be no other then perpetuall death Non est bonum ludere cum Sanctis There is no iesting with oathes no dalliance with detracting from Gods word It is not Equiuocation or mentall reseruation Iurani Imguâ mentem iniura tam gero I swore an oath by tongue but I beare a minde vnsworne as that young man Hyppolitus in Euripedes protested It is not the Popes pardon or his detracting dispensation it is not Indian golde it is not a selfe flattering suggestion nor all this worlds commodity which can iustifie the cursed blot of blasphemie or rectifie the cancred blossomes of blasphemous concealements There is a sinne veniall which we call trespasse and there is a sinne vnto death a sinne not to be forgiuen Such is the wilfull and presumptuous sin of a mans owne witting conscience against the open face and illumination of the holy Ghost And what if the sinne of Periurie fals out to be this horrible and heauie sinne In what a plight are partiall Iuries Therefore my Masters I could wish that ye deliberate with Diuine discretion before ye determine your verdicts rashly in heat of flesh and bloud And to speake more plainely to the purpose I could wish as long as yee enioy this waightie place in examining the defects and defaults of your Countrey that ye proceed not as many now-a-dayes do to censure presently after drinking or Tobacco taking but rather that ye beginne continue and conclude your proceedings soberly grauely and aduisedly without temerity timerousnesse or affection But what man quoth the spirit of Detraction can be so voyde of passion or affection Then farewel kindred farewel loue nay farewell life it selfe if I cannot helpe my friend in necessity or hurt my foe in oportunitie The Lord rebuke thee thou foule spirit that goest about to make Christians worse then Pagans in whose bookes it is written that Iustice hath neither father nor mother Shall we regenerated Christians that know Iustice to be one of the chiefest Attributes of the Godhead and so highly regarded of his sacred Maiestie that he spared not his holy One his owne eternall Word but gaue him ouer for a while to cruell death in reuenge of olde Adams sinnes shall we respect flesh and bloud more then Gods Attribute Shall we forfeit both our eyes to saue one of theirs Shall wee lose our owne soules and bodies to ransome other mens corruptible bodies or temporary fortunes Better it is to cut off one member then that the whole body boile in hot scalding leade He that loues his father and mother aboue me is not worthy of me saith our Sauiour Christ. Shall we being put in trust deceiue the trust that is reposed in vs Shall we become our owne caruers and vnder colour of Iustice iniury the innocent Vengeance is Gods and he will requite It is better O reuengfull Spirit to conceale the guilty then to condemne the guiltlesse But ye beloued of the Lord I hope will so iudiciously behaue your selues in an equall ballance without enclining to the left hand or to the right hand that the Right shall still take place that the expectation of your Iudges conceiued of your fidelity and integrity shall not be voyde and frustrate Ye will demeane your selues I hope so zealously so sincerely in your proceedings that the matter and not the man shall be the obiect of your internall eyes your eyes of vnderstanding which I pray God to enlighten with his knowledge to inspire with the sparkes of his spirit wherby yee may discerne gold from copper truth from periury sincerity from vanity the sonnes
coyishly like a cunning queane to her youthfull nouice seemed to repell their suits They loth or perhaps not daring to returne homewards to their wiues without some notice touching the stolne goods vrged him more instantly to cast a figure and rather then faile to coniure vp a spirit that they might learne who was the theefe At last with some adoe the scholler in respect of his pouertie resolued to make a purchase of these vnlooked for guests and to that end first requiring their oath of secrecy like a true Chymist willed them to resort within three houres of night to a chamber remote from company The honest men with pure protestations thanked his grauity and went home to their Inne with gladsome hearts iudging each houre a day til the prefixed time drew nigh In the meane space the adulterate Coniurer calles vnto him more good fellowes boone companions confederates with them that about such a time they should likewise repaire to the designed chamber with a whole Cutlers shop of weapons as Proctors and Officers to apprehend both the Coniurer and his mates Well the appointed time approached the good Yeomen missed not to come thither where also the Coniurer met them lockt fast the chamber doore and hauing prepared afore hand a great Caldron full of hote scalding water on a good fire caused them to cast their money therein for feare lest the spirit might annoy them by reason of such prophane trash His commaundement stood for a law Assoone as he had fashioned his Circle crossed it and inuocated on these terrible spirits Barbara Celarent Darij Ferio Baralipton Celantes Dabitis Fapesmo Fricesonorum Cesarâ— Camestres Festino Baroco Darapti Felapton Disamis Datisi Bocardo Ferizon In stead of spirits the false Proctors bounced and knocked at the doore menacing to breake it open if out of hand they opened it not The poore men not aduenturing to budge one inch from the center of the Circle without their money and now without hope of commiseration among strange Officers stood amazed in a quandaâ—y with great horrour and dread till the Proctors were let in by the Coniurer Ah villaine haue we taken thee in the manner said these new Proctors there is no way saue one for thee nor for these assistants of thine And with that in a faigned vehement rage charged them vpon their allegeance to follow them towards the prison The liuer-hearted Yeomen very dutifully obeyed went along with them all the way begging for grace and fauour with large promises of golden mountaines and with faithfull assurances of millions of prayers for their prosperity The pitifull Proctors ouercome at last with their important suits and knowing their money to be lest behinde safe in the hote Caldron let fall the raines of their rage Their iustice became mitigated their authority relented vpon condition that these honest men would assume on their credite to come againe vnto them the next morning which they faithfully promised But being arriued at their lodging they tooke counsell together to giue the Proctors the slip and leaue the Coniurer to goe to the gallowes alone without their fellowship And so at midnight by the benefite of that darke time as they thought they left both Proctors and Coniurer in the lurch posting away with great ioy for their fortunate escape LINEAMENT X An example translated out of Monsieur du Chesâ—e his pourtrait de la sante declaring how one Monsieur Poena a Phisition of Paris coâ—iured two spirits out of a possessed mans body MOnsieur Uignier a Phisitian of Champaine and the Kings Chonicler had a cousin of his that was a person well descended and also learned afflicted of such a spirituall sickenesse that he imagined and firmely beleeued that a certaine fellow of his acquaintance newly come from Italy had giuen him and put within his body two spirits which spake vnto him and taught him many things which also threatned him eyther to cause his death or else to vexe him with some great mischiefe After that he had discouered his malady to the said Vignier he presently knew that it was a sickenesse of the spirit and for that he loued very well this kinseman of his he deuised and aduised with himselfe how to helpe him For this purpose both of them resolued to goe together to Paris and there they addressed themselues vnto Monsieur Poena who immediatly vnderstood what sickenesse it was to wit that the patients imaginatiue faculty was hurt and depraued and also counselled them that they should looke for spirituall remedy for that spirituall sickenesse which likewise the said Poena promised that he would endeuour to get for his recouery Hereof the diseased partie was very glad and pressed on him very hard that he should hasten him telling him withall that his said spirits continually menaced to kill him or to torment him with some grieuous sickenesse Here the Phisitian was faine to vse stratagems and subtilties to take away these wicked impressions out of the sicke-mans phantasie in regard that the party being learned and very speculatiue as all melancholike men are would comprehend by reason the manner of his cure which after many circumstances in briefe was thus The Phisitian tooke vpon him to fashion in a little booke certaine characters and names of spirits and to make as though he must coniure vp a stronger spirit then those which were in his body by whose forcible means the lesser spirits should be chased therehence The remedie was plausible to the sicke man In the meane that all things were accommodating and making readie for the said exploit the Phisitian ministred vnto him purgations to tame and moderate the humour of melancholie Atlength the time approached that this feat should be put in practise There was a great Hall chosen out for the nonce wherein this saigned coniuration should be made for the effecting whereof an honest Chirurgion was appointed to act the person of the pretended spirit All things thus prepared together with the Circle and other ceremonies which Negromancers vse in such a case they came to the place where the possessed party was seated in the midst of the Circle and to blindfolde him the more he was encouraged not to be astonished at what accident soeuer that should befall After some counterfeit whispering crossing and inuocations the Spirit of the South was called vp who appeared not Then the Spirit of the East was called who likewise came not In the end at the third call the Chirurgeon that lay hid in a certaine place there for the nonce began to appeare in this hall that was somewhat darke And then the Patient was againe comforted and counselled more then before not to be affraid who answered that he was resolued not to feare at all So earnestly did he attend and repose confidence and hope in this illusion At last the matter passed so finely and luckily that the poore Patient beleeued that this spirit which he tooke to be no fained one had power to ouercome and
graunt that in times past in times of blinde Papistry moe Ghosts and Spirits were seene then tongue can tell whereas now contrariwise a man shall scarcely all his life time heare once of such things And if it were lawfull for me to comment vpon our Act of Parliament in that case prouided Anno primo Iacobi where it is felony without benefit of Clergy in them which exercise any coniuration of a wicked spirit for any mans corporall hurt I would affirme that this most soueraigne Court enacted the said Statute partly in imitation of the law of God where Coniuration is termed sometimes the vsing of poyson to mens corporall hurts somtimes an vncharitable or inueterate malice of one neighbour to the other which the Apostle names man slaughter and sometimes a whoring after strange Gods which is called spirituall fornication such as the adoration of Dagon was among the Philistines Ieroboams golden Calfe which he in Machiauellian policy made to keepe the Israelites from going to worship in Ierusalem and such as Bel was in Babylon all as senselesse blockes and stones partly the said Act against Coniurers was set out to the end that the inward man might be reformed that malicious deuices being the causes of Treasons Murthers and poysonings might be suppressed and also that Idolatry superstition deceits and cousenages the impediments of loue vnity charity and concord might be quite banished out of our vnited Realme For is that man worthy to liue in a ciuill society which vniustly demeanes himselfe towards God and his neighbours Deserues he the title of a true subiect which inuocates on a forraigne Prince which serues his Princes enemy The lawes of Christianity condemnes him Let God haue what belongs to God and Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Better kill one rotten sheepe rather then the whole flocke miscary Better it is to chop off the hand then the whole body perish One leades astray this man this man another and at the last as more saâ—kes to the mill whole multitudes become preyes to the Diuell For further explanation of the said Statute it is inserted that supposed Coniurers shall be punished If they vndertake by charmes to finde hidden treasure to prouoke vnlawfull loue c. although the same be not effected and done And well worthy seeing by such indirect dealings and diabolicall deceits they become Apostataes loosing the priuiledge of Baptisme and consequently of Christianity where they were bound by their pledges to renounce the Diuell and all his workes They become guilty before God though the Diuell appeares not at all really vnto them after that they once determine in their minds to raise him vp Neuerthelesse for all this that I conceiue so charitably of my Countrey-mens freckled integrity like vnto that Law-giuer of Greece which decreed no Act against Parricides because he thought that kinde of sinne would neuer happen I wish my Readers not to make a strict Syntaxis or sophisticall construction on my simple meaning by their peecemeale collecting that I goe about to seclude the Authour of sinne by my construction of sinne For I acknowledge his false miracles his illusions his ambiguous riddles and his Apparitions of shadows both immediate and mediate ouert and couert explicite and implicite ordinary and extraordinary tending altogether to one maine point namely to tempt with deceit olde Adams carelesse progeny as contrariwise I impugne his ommpotent greatnesse supposed to be as well reall as royall I impugne his sacrilegious power of lightning and thundring Maiesty I impugne his reall sword of authority his paspable force of correction and his sensible dart of death ouer any of Christs members God forbid that his diuine Maiesty should tollerate this cruell Tyrant whose soueraigne felicity is malicious enuie in that imperious manner for then the life of man were in a most desperate plight Then were we assured to be suddenly dispatched euen in our extremity of sinne When wee were occupied about some wicked acte as the very best do sometimes fall his remorcelesse spirit would not lose that great aduantage he would surely like a rauening Lyon vtterly deuoure vs. Nay more if God did winke at his tyrannie our whole estate by the mediation of the Papists who take vpon them to be the Arch-coniurers of the world had beene long sithence blowne vp with the Gun-powder of his treacherous soule but God be thanked we haue a gracious Lord which hath limited this Leuiathan as Salomon limited Semei to his narrow home and as the Poet spake of Aeolus his kingdome Stricta dominatur in aulà hee Lordeth it in his straight hall And if it chance that he enter into a man we may well doubt whether his entrance be in the soule or body or rather whether his spirituall nature possesseth mans spirituall nature that is the soule or soules faculties Howsoeuer the bodie or soule become possessed by the permission of God I certainly beleeue that he may be quickly dislodged by praier and fasting and holy exercise for surely the holy Ghost and Gods ministring spirits loathe to guard our soules as long as we liue lewdly and licentiously These things considered I dare stand vpon my Christian guard and defie the Diuell with all his trumperies and reputed realty Let him do his worst let him cause his cogging Coniurers to vndertake false miracles works of wonders and tragicall tempests Our eares are stopt with Vlysses that we can neuer be surprised charme these Mearemaids neuer so melodiously Let them feed their hopes with golden dreames let them burie Sage till it be quite rotten let them fling flint stones ouer their left shoulders towards the West and when all comes to all they build vpon the sand and themselues are esteemed but for wizards dizards and dotards howsoeuer that the Spirit of detraction proclaime them for foolosophers or foolish flies which sitting on a waine wheele thought that themselues occasioned the great dust in the high way which the mouing of the wheele raised Wherefore I exhort thee that hast beene guiltie of such detractions to addict thy cogitations to the power of God which indeed is onely royall and reall infinite and immensiue and also to imitate holy Iob who imputed his calamities to the Lord and not to the Diuell The Lord gaue the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. And againe when his friends hit him in the teeth with his punishment deseruedly for his sinnes he protested in this manner Know now that God hath ouerthrowne me and compassed me with his net and a little after Haue pitie on me O my friends for the hand of God hath touched me By which words of Iob it appeares that the hand of God plagued him and that the Diuell exercised but the part of a Relator or Accuser such as he is termed in the Reuelation of S. Iohn wheÌ„ the Accuser of the brethren was cast downe from heauen To this sence agreeth that motion of the Diuel Lay thine hand
and Elias in their soules and bodies vp into heauen Many good men haue died sodainly Abell Iosias Onias and others had no long warning to prepare themselues God knowes best what besits our humane natures It may be he causeth some to die suddenly because of their crazed braines lest in their lingring disease they fall according to the constitution of their bodies into despaire or to railing and reuiling whereby they might leaue behinde them in this world an infamous memoriall Therefore to case them of their torments and for auoyding of so soule a scandall he suddenly sends for his selected seruants Some others he send for suddenly and terribly to terrifie them which remaine behinde for if Gods seruants die such a fearefull death what hope hath the sinner In a word good men neuer pray against suddaine death but to the entent they might order their worldly businesse before their deathes as the said to Hezechias Set thy house in order for thou must die LINEAMENT XII 1 That we must not iudge by mens misfortunes or sudden death that they be forsaken of God 2 Charitable censures which a good Christian may yeeld touching those that die suddenly 3 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring ouer cruelly of the Authors wife who was striken dead with lightning the 〈◊〉 of Ianuary 160 0 where â—er commâ—ndation and assumption are moralized WHen the Lord is disposed extraordinarily to extend his glorious power why dost thou ô foolish man presume to enter into his hidden power Why dost thou labour like Lucifer to climbe vp into his chaire of secrets Shal the thing formed checke him that formed it Can the Pottervse his vessels as he thinkes good and shall not the Lord dispose of his owne creatures Who arâ— thou which iudgest another mans seruant What canst thou tel whether God hath predestinated them to saluation and accepted of their submission as of the thiefe which was crucified with him at the last gaspe and as they say betwixt the bridge and the brooke Betwixt the stirrop and the ground Mercy I thought mercy I found As one â—pitaphed vpon the tombe of him that fell dead sodainly from his horse Sometimes it pleaseth his Maiestie out of our errour to raise his owne honour and to make vertue perfect and complete by infirmity And therfore it is verie vncharitable for one sinner to iudge of another sinner Let him who is without sinne throw the first stone at him as Christ said â—â—et the sinner draw out the beame out of his owne eye before â—e remoue the mote out of his brothers eye It is Gods office onely to iudge the euent and end of things Therefore iudge nothing before the trâ—e vntill the Lord comes who will lighten the hidden things of darknesse and open the counsels of the hearts Saint Paul was made a gazing stoâ—ke vnto this world he was defamed yea he was made as the filihinesse of the world as the off-scouring of all things yet a chosen vessel and Apostle of Christ. When it was told our Sauiour that Pilate had massacred the Galilaeans euen as they sacrificed he willed vs not to iudge of their liues and sins but by their example to amend our liues For neither those poore Galilaeans nor yet these eighteene vpon whom the tower in Siloc fell were greater sinners then all ohers which dwelt at Ierusalem Iosias was one of the godliest kings that euer reigned in Iuda yet was he killed with dartes in the battell against the king of Aegypt Zachariah the Prophet Stephen the martyr with other seruants of God were tyrannously put to death Yea and Christ himselfe being without sinne endured worldly sorrowes without number and also died a most terrible death yet did they iudge him as though he were plagued and cast downe of God according to that which was prophesied of him The Lord is righteous in all his waies the Lord is holy in all his workes as the Prophet Dauid confessed and as Maurice the Emperour protested when he saw his wife and children murthered before his face by his seruant Phocas How then darest thou which art vnrighteous and vnholy sit and reade on the secret deeds of the righteous God and on the wondrous proceedings of the holy one of Israel Sometimes it pleaseth him to fulfill in our daies that Prophesie of his concerning the taking of the godly from among the wicked The righteous perisheth and no man regardeth it in his heart Good godly men are taken away and no man considereth it namely that the righteous is conueyed away from the wicked who heape vp treasures and pleasures for this world as the godly do for the world to come It may be also that his mercy is so great that respecting not our sinnes his aboundant grace will vouchsafe to pronounce that answere concerning Lazarus in our behalfe This sicknesse is not vnto death but for the glory of God Correspondent to which is likewise the satisfaction which our Sauiour Christ yeelded to his disciples demaund when they asked him about the blind man Master who did sinne this man or his parents that he was borne blind Iesus answered neither hath this man sinned nor his parents but that the works of God should be shewed in him Perhaps the Lord sends extraordinary accidents vpon his seruants to the intent that they should serue for a Parable or warning peece to the rest of his people in this countrey from whom he meanes shortly to take away their power the ioy of their honour the pleasure of their eyes and the desire of their hearts except out of hand they become watchfull and repentant with the Niniuites For if iudgement begin at the iust what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous be scarcely saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare If there be no difference betweene the innocent and reprrobate in the manner of their deathes and worldly crosses why doe we ioyne field to field land to land and make account to see long lasting daies in this transitory world or to die in our soft downe beds The word of the Lord came to Ezechiel Behold I take away from thee the pleasure of thine eyes with a plague yet shall thou neither mourne nor weepe So Ezechiel spake vnto the people in the morning and in the euening his wife died The Parable was this thus saith the Lord God behold I will pollute my sanctuary euen the pride of your power the pleasure of your eyes and your hearts desire And you shall doe as I haue done ye shall neither mourne nor weepe but ye shall pine away for your iniquities and mourne one towards another Thus Ezechiel is vnto you a signe And thus perhaps am I a signe vnto you O worldly wizards whose tongues are hired by the detracting spirit to blaspheme the powerful Lord of lightnings to curse God and die with Iobs wife and
Summers attendance after many a frozen Winters watching expecting my conuersion to knocke againe most patiently at the doore of my soule and thus to call vnto her while shee slept so carelesly Open vnto me my sister my loue my doue for my head is full of dâ—â—r and my lockes with the drops of the night Againe and againe it pleased thee to inuite mee after this manner Returne O thou rebellious childe and I will heale thy rebellions for euen as a woman hath rebelled against her husband so hast thou rebelled against mee How dease is he that heares not such a voyce A voyce more vehement then the sound of many waters How deepely sleepes he that is not wakened vvith such a morning vvatch vvith such a melodie A melodie more musicall then euer Tuball Amphion or Arion could possibly conceiue When all thy creatures combined against me in reuenge of my disloyaltie towards thy sacred soueraigntie thou didst temper their fiery fury thou didst moderate their biting bitternesse The foure Elements which thou madest for my conseruation conspired all to roote my being out of the Land of the liuing The Ayre threatned to taint my breathing with contagious smels with Stigian stinckes The Fire assayed to burne my bruitish body The Water stroue vvith might and maine to ouerwhelme me vtterly The Earth endeuoured before her time to abridge my luxurious life And all because I had offended their great Creator But thou more mercifull then thy creatures for the loue of thy Name and for the loue of thy Sonne didst controule all their practises and confound the deuises of the Diuel himselfe How happy am I that thou prolongst my dayes how kinde art thou that sparest to spill the bloud of thy very foes O kindenesse without desert O courtesie without comparison Behold behold yee mortals all how the Lord hath deliuered me from the danger nay from the dungeon of death from sodaine death The God of glory hath defended mee from Thunder and Lightning from vvater and fire O what oblation can the poore Samaritanâ— sacrifice vnto his sacred Maiestie for these his wonderous workes Ille magis gratae laetatur mentis odore Quam consecrato sanguine mille boum Nam prece non alio gaudet honore Deus God better loues a thankfull minde then many Oxens bloud For poore mens prayers he preferres before the rich and proud Seeing thankfulnesse is such a sweet smelling odour in his sacred no strils let me proclaime his glorious Name Alleluiah Osanna in the Highest Blessed be the name of his heauenly Highnesse blessed in heauen blessed on earth and blessed throughout all ages The Lord be blessed for euermore vvhich hath enlightned mee in the darksome shadow of errours vvhich hath enlarged mee from a vvorld of perils vvhich hath recalled me failing vvhich hath raised me falling vvhich hath recouered mee running almost out of breath from falling and fainting Let all Nations performe their duties let them praise the Lord for it is hee that commandeth the waters It is the glorious God that maketh the Thunder It is the Lord that ruleth the sea The voyce of the Lord is a glorious voyce the voyce of the Lord breaketh the Cedar trees yea the voyce of his thunder was heard round about the lightning shone upon the ground The Earth was moued and shooke withall his way is in the sea and his paths in the great waters Applaud him O my soule applaud his magnificent Maiesty Let his laud be euer in thy thoughts Let all thy faculties all thy attributes and operations spread themselues as blooming Vines round about my heart my braine my tongue that the same may become as the pen of a ready writer to sound out and resound his most puissant power Others according to the altitude of his iudgements he cutteth off by vntimely death but me he spares aliue as a monument of his liuing mercy O what had become of me if thou haddest cited mee likewise at that horrible houre before thy tribunall throne of Iustice O my Sauiour I thanke thee for thy peerlesse patience I praise thee though basely and barely in respect of thy benefits I adore thee I honour thee I humble my selfe before thee all the dayes of my life I returne I repaire vnto thee not haltingly not hollowly but holily I vvould I could say vvholy all the dayes of my life O giue me grace help my weaknesse heale mine vnbeliefe LINEAMENT XVI 1 The Conclusion of this present Circle consecrated by the Authour to his Wiues memory 2 The Application of her memorable death 3 The Authours Apologie against the Spirit of Detraction on the beâ—aâ—se of this present Circle where his Wiues memory is saluted with a Christian Farewell INgenuous Reader hitherto after the example of Antimachus who composed a Booke in the commendations of his wife Lydia haue I labored to eternize my deere wiues memory to the end entent that when the Spirit of ' Detraction as the Sorcerers rod was swallowed vp by Aarons rod is consumed to nothing and vvhen his lying mates doe dye and lie ingloriously in rotten earth the vvorld shall finde that shee liues for euer among the liuing inuita inuidia in despite of enuie that shee flourisheth like a Palme tree which the more it is suppressed the more returneth vpwards consonant to that of the Wise-man The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Her memorable end anatomized and embalmed in this my bookish coffin shall yeeld odoriferous perfumes of her milde meeke and modest life to the sence-pleasing comfort of the elected innocent And that I may record the memory of her end Allegorically with the Poet Etumulo viâ—lae fortunat à que fauillâ Nascentur cippusque leuis sua contâ—get ossa Out of her graue fine Violets shall bloome And a light stone shall her sweet bones entombe Thus out of my miseries as out of the ashes of a burnt Phoenix is built a beacon of liuing miracles vvhich I humbly pray his heauenly Highnesse among other suppliants of his that they may effect in me what a more radiant light effected in Saint Paul namely the illumination of a darke conscience For vvhen my body like a bowle was carryed about vvith the bias of concupiscence my soule rockt a sleep in the cradle of worldly securitie by Sathans inchanting lullabies then my Lord that saw me so misse-led like vnto Salomons foole laughing when indeed I had more cause to weepe then my louing Lord I say tooke compassion on my foolish fals and gaue me a sound pinch or prick in the flesh that started and stirred vp all my reasonable faculties to consider more iudiciously in what a case I stood both body and soule What better vse of this temptation can I produce then that thy death deere wife like Elishaes bones which reuiued a dead corse hath vvrought a double miracle the one in thy translation the other in my
of time by reason that the excesse and abundance of heauenly ioyes drownes all the memory of time like as a man that is spectator of a Comedy with the extremity of delight thinkes three houres no longer then one houre The ioies of heauen are infinite and cannot be circumscribed by time There dwels the great Ichouah who is Alpha and Omega the beginning and last who will teach vs to measure time after another manner after a metaphysicall manner This moued the Angell to sweare that there should be no more time This moued the Psalmist to say A thousand yeares in thy sight are but as yesterday Go too then yee Astrologicall Scribes leaue off your curious computations the time will come like Platees wonderfull yeare wherein man-kinde shall neede none of your Almanackes But in the meane time yee complaine and this complaint will last as long as your Almanacks that there be other Chronographers or rather temporizers beside your selues I graunt that there be two sorts of temporizing companions which abuse the naturall quality of pretious time the one an hypocrite which vnder the humble habite of a Lambe for luere sake deceiues his deerest friend an intelligeneer the disciple of Machiauel a Iew that loues no man but for aduantage that detracts from him who hath best befriended him in his neede an A theist a dissembler a neutrall that with the winde and time changeth his Religion Amicus omnium amicus nullorum euery mans friend and no mans friend a busie medler in other mens causes a Polypragmon an Apparitor that like a Iudaes or Simoniake liues by extortion by the price of bloud by enquiring from time to time after the sinnes of the people The other temporizer is a Philosophicall dunce this yeare a Thomist the next yeare a Scoâ—ist an earnest plodder of supernaturall reasons Obstipo capite infigens lumine terram With downe-bent head and eyes vpon the ground an obseruer of the least minute in horologie and one that would faine intrude himselfe into the Lords priuy Counsell The former kinde of Temporizers inhabite in publique places about Princes Palaces and like false Achithophels long to manage matters of policy The latter as people addicted to more melancholy retire themselues to monasticall habitations where they meditate on their curious problemes grinding the world as it were into Oaten-meale in the Winde-mill of their braines And now to re-iterate Curiosity the primary cause of Detraction begotten by Originall corruption our incorrigible natures being let at random left arbitrary to doe what seemes good in our owne eyes tandem Custode romoto without Orbilites our tutors crabbed countenance without checkes or correction encourage vs to waxe lawlesse and licentious libertines worse then the busie-headed French at whose dissolute carriage and audacious Detraction I was much amazed when in euery towne and village I heard them scot-free reuile and raile at their chiefe Magistrates with taikatiue Curiosity scanning their honest deedes From whom euen as we borrow new-fangled dresses and courtly-complements so doe we like curious Apes receiue their poysonous Adder of Detraction We see motes in other mens eyes but perceiue not beames in our owne eyes We note acutely with Argus sight one sinister acte perpetrated by another but will not discerne our owne great and grosse crrours though all others discouer them as easily as huge rockes or notorious shelfes Our owne transgressions we compare to mole-hils our neighbors to the Alpes or Pirenaean mountains The reason is because our muddy minds shoote altogether outward and winde not inwardly into themselues according to the Poet Tecum habita nóris quam sit tibi curta supellex Dwell with thy selfe and thou shalt know How that thy store at home is low Next we wander vp and down through our frailty in the Maze or Labyrinth of vnstedfastnesse betwixt God and his enemies the pompes of this world and carnall pleasures God seekes to winne vs by inspiring men to write bookes for our conuersions by sending zealous Preachers into sundry quarters of the world as loude trumpets to awake vs out of sinne and prâ—uarication and likewise to liue in louc and charity one with another Our inconstancy defaceth all with forgetfulnesse we returne to our olde vomite and chuse with foolish Gryllus to retaine still the shapes of effeminate Epicures and Swine rather then to be metamorphosed into mens formes with the rest of Vlisses his companions Wee are carried about in the voluble spheares of our owne waucring imaginations To day we praise a man to morrow we dispraise him To day we pray to God for grace to morrow we blaspheme his power with wordes of disgrace To day our soules are calme and temperate to morrow ouer-clouded with vnruly passions Nay more we alter our opinions in one moment of an houre Romae Tybur amo ventosus Tybure Romam At Rome I long olde Tyburs Towne to see And there I long againe in Rome to be Ouer-cloyed in townes by reason of the vnwholesomnes and stricknes of the aire we long to liue in the delectable counâ—rey free from those inconueniences which annoy the townes But presently tired in the countrey for want of pleasant company we retire and returne backe againe into the towne where with doubts of some infectious sickenesse with disgust and discontentment to see daily factions seedes of dissention and other dislikes common to company we wish our selues againe in the countrey How soddenly doe our imaginations chop and change How in the twinckling of an eye wee suppose our selues at London at Oxford at home from home Yea in a short time we imagine our selues safely arriued at the East Indies for spice in Barbary for sugar in China for silkes in France for wines and salts and all these Merchandizes bought brought home and sold away in as small a space as a man might repeat ouer the Lords prayer O fickle men how are your braines and mindes thus intoxicated One while yee looke as amiable as if yee had swallowed vp a hare another while fleering as if yee had swallowed vp a gull one while heauenly another while earthly one while deuoute another while Detracting not one day in one moode or minde but as the winde wauering both in words and thoughts The last impediment which the first Mans transgression subiected vs vnto is a kinde of dulnesse or negligence with which we are so besotted that we cannot open our eyes to behold what armes our Sauiour Christ left vs not onely able to encounter this spirit of Detraction but also the Arch spirit of all vitious spirits By Baptisme with future repentance he washed vs from originall corruption By shedding his innocent bloud he ransomed our soules from hell onely in recompence he expects thankfull minds of vs with continuall exercise of prayers with often communicating his mysticall Body in reuerence loue and charity one with another after that moralizing manner which St. Paul himselfe quotes downe to the quite