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
as there be differences and degrees in sinnes wherein for the most part I shake hand with these Detractours so dare I partly aduenture to cleere my soule from one particular sinne like as Luther iustified himselfe from auarice that my nature euer abhorred iniustice or partialitie though I might haue hazarded the loues of my neerest kinsfolkes Let impious Ismael and enuious Haman whose words are swords combine together let them throw forth what Detractions they can like stumbling blockes in my way I passe not for them On the contrarie I will glorie with that Gentile in Tacitus Fulgorem bonorum à me nunquam praelatum excubias ac labores vt vnum ex militibus pro incolumitate Imperatoris malle That I neuer preferred bright shining goods but chose rather watchings and labours as one of the common souldiers for the Emperours safety and for the weaâ—â— of my Countrey Such disgracefull libelles spurging vp from the stemme of blasphemous Detraction were diuulged and dispersed abroad in all places farre and nigh VVhich when I had throughly ruminated and reuoâ—ued in my mind looking withal into the depth of their cankred corruptions how that our heauenly King is highly iniured thereby as also how that his Diuine titles are daily dishonoured despised and detracted with their wilfull wanton and vnwise speeches whereby that member or outward sheath wherein our thoughts are folded which should bee the faithfull Interpreter â—the soule Oraculum animae speculum mentis miraculum naturae is commonly peruerted from Christian puritie to wilfull blasphemie so that Nazianzens saying is verified in our age LinguaÌ„dimidiam humanorum vitiorum partem sibi vendâ—cat halfe the vices which we commit are committed by the tongue Nay our whole life is full of the tongues wickednesse Tota vita nostra linguae delictis est referta as Basil wrote At this prodigious degeneration my spirit seem'd to sparkle as a blazing starre within me portending miseries to such mischieuous wretches yea it burned as a blast of fire in the furnace of my bodie incensing the principall powers thereof as kindes of greene fewell ordained for this purpose to consume some of those saplesse shrubbes or at least as smoking firebrands to terrific children from playing too much with sacred mysteries from laughing like vnnaturall Cham at Noahs nakednesse from mocking at Elishaes reuerend head and to speake like a Poet from plucking ouerlong at Iupiters beard from polluting their fathers ashes These these motiues Right noble Lords enforced me to expose abroad mine vntimely Embrion not altogether shapt aswell as I intended nor yet growne to that maturitie as the Satyrist answeredin defence of Virgils Aeneads Vt ramale vetus vaegrandi subere coctum Like an old bough full ripe with barke But what perfect essence nature denies vnto it or what complete forme Art conceales from it I humbly craue that all may be construed in good part by your Honorsboundlesse bounties wherto as to a diuine Oracle or discreet Rhadamanthes I flie for verdict in the behalfe of this worthlesse worke which once againe I dedicate Dijs tutelaribus to your heroicall vertues eyther by them signed ominously with print of chalke or with coale or according to the Greeke custome with the blacke letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destinating death to be censured worthy of immortalitie and of euerlasting Cedar or else to be cancelled in perpetuall obliuion and Cymmerian darkenesse To the Readers REaders whether ye be men or women kinde or curst friendly or frumping all is one to me I respect not your kinds kindred or kindnesse your kinds being but natures instruments for propagation of mankinde And for other respects which are worldly I force not at all for Truth is spirituall essentiall internall and cares not for outward formalities Onely I weigh your tongues the Detracting instruments of Sathan sor both your genders to the pretudice of your deere soules In your tongues I finde no more distinction or denomination of male and female then I finde of your soules which likewise are neâ—ther male nor female but al one all alike in both your sexes I finde this originall accident coincident aswell to tongues as soules that there be good Aesops tongues and euill Aesops tongues the good ordained to heauenly Hymmes to ioyfull Iubilees to Angelicall Alleluiahes the euill tongues to taunt to detract and with Iobs wife to curse God and die Ye daughters of Eue misconster not my simple speech I taxe not all your tongues in generall There are voices of Angels voices of Men and voices of Diuels The first are heauenly as I said before being sweet smelling sacrifices of Christian Quiristers or holy Oracles of the inward man The second earthly as sounding brasse or tinckling Cymbals The third hellish as the roaring of a rauening Lion The first I commend as the rare song of a blacke Swanne The second I meane to amend as the penitent crie of the prodigall childe The third and hellish voyce of the spirit of Detraction I commit as the Parisians Mattens or Scicilian Euen-song into the Dungeon of hell where is weeping and gnashing of teeth These diuersities of tongues and voyces sprang vp from the same tree of good and euill Out of the same Eue like Lycurgus his whelps or whelpish twinnes came Caine and Abell Vertuous Dames let it suffice that for your sakes I spare to play the Satyrist against the Detracting Niobes of this age Onely I controule them with a gentle checke and because you pleade in their excuse that they be the weaker vessels and not enabled with such a noble courage as the man therefore I giue them the milder bridle the golden snaffle Curteous Readers I speake not to you for they that be whole neede no Phisitians Captious Readers on you I call Behold here are bridling bits for your byting mouthes Readers yeeld to your Riders shew your selues pliable peaceable and ready to receiue conuenient chastisements Let not your customary hold of fâ—asting fellowship of giddy gossipping or of Tobacco taking with-hold your mindes from our Cursory Lectures Resist the Diuell and he will flie from you But I pray what phantasie drawes your wits astry â—ee sharpe tongued souldiers of the forlorne hope Yee that were wont to daunt your foes brauely in the field to conquere Kingdomes and beate downe the enemies of Christ in forraine soiles why become ye now-adaies so effeminate as to conuert your swords into words your powerfull prowesse into pratling parlance Why degenerate ye from your famous Auncestours Too true it is that ouer-much ease mars your generous spirits welfare makes you wanton and prouâ—nder prickes you forwards to turne deeds into Detractions and in stead of Christian resolution to wage warre with your tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to incline to swinish companying carousing and Tobacconizing where many foule faults flocke together and as the nature of sinne is to multiply according to our Sauiour Christs words where one wicked spirit is suffered to inhabite there he brings
in other in-mates worse spirits then himselfe specially the spirit of Detraction first gets in his head like a cunning Foxe and then by little and little enters in with his whole body to the vtter ouer throw of mans little world So that Christians fall out to be Antichristians Apostles Apostates and manly souldiers scoldes and scoffers To come neerer vnto you what is the reason that this renowned people who claime themselues from Brutus are become so brutish as to be addicted to gossip-ales Bride-ales and to bacchanales and consequently to Detractions and descanning of other mens destinies yea and otherwhiles to discourse of Gods secret iudgments Omne vitium habet patrocinium No vice without a clâ—ake no sinne without some apish Apologie These iolly fellowes being driuen to this exigent doe confesse that corrupted custome brought them to such vitious habites O cruell custome O hatefull habites which worke the fatall and finall ruine of soules and bodies Neuerthelesse as there is no custome but may be altered so for mine owne part I cannot beleeue that custome alone causeth man a creature enriched with Diuine reason and enfâ—offed with free-will and election in many things specially in naturall and humane things to carouse and then to reade stammering Lectures both on the sacred power of God and on their simple neighbours soules For some carouse of custome some of wantonnesse and company Some againe delight therein being sophistically perswaded that the excessiue vse thereof auailes much for their healths sake as a purger of superfluous rheumes Others fauour Tobacconisme because they would not seeme ouer-nice melancholicke or men by themselues in the singular number and also because Tobacco might serue them in stead of salt or drie leaders to drinking and consequently vnto Detracting but for the most part our Caualâ—ers and Gentles of the first head sucke in the smoakie vapour of Tobacco because they might counterfeit themselues gidâ—y or drunken for it is no shame to be drunke with Tobacco when they want copie of matter or store of discourse Then they fame themselues so long rauished as it were in an eâ—tasiâ— vntil after a thorough per ambulation of their barren wits and after long houghing halking and hacking they haue coined some strange accident worthy the rehersall among their boone companions Then as though they started out of an heauenly traunce and as the Satyrist writes Mobile colluerint liquido cùm plasmate guttur Hauing their throats wel washt with dreggish drugs They recount tales of Robin-hood of Rhodomonting rouers of Donzel del Phoebo of a new Anti-christ borne in Babylon of lying wonders blazing out most blasphemous newes how that the Diuell appeared at such a time with lightning and thundring Maiestie much about that horrible manner as the Glorious God appeared on mount Horeb raised tempests both on Sea and land not inferiour to those stormy Heteroclites of the West Indies called the Furicanoes shooke the foundation of the earth battered such Gentlemens houses and if they had not suddenly blessed themselues better he had carried away with him men women houses and all right into hell These or such like feeble fables doe they scatter abroad among their foolish Auditors while in the meane time the Diuell the Schoole-master of all lewdnesse appeares no where more forcibly then in the very midst of these vncharitable Readers yea and perhaps his spirituall pâ—yson or poysonous spirit is exhaled and exhausted with their Tobacco and draughts of drinke into their mustie mindes O Tongue how is thy perfection peruerted thy sense depraued thy sound degenerated How comes it to passe that the soules Embassadour is become a turne-coate Herald Expectaui legatum inueni Heraldum I expected an honourable Embassadour but haue found a huffe-cap Herald as our late Queene Elizabeth of famous memory sometime nickt a presumptuous Embassadour of Polonia I expected to heare nothing but truth out of the mouth of Gods similitude specially to his neighbour in Christ to Christ in his members But alas I finde nothing but lies and libels Omnis homo mendax I expected for reformation but haue met with ruinous relapses O Tongue tongue how miserable are the effects of thy motions Being made for a watchfull clapper to the Bell of Gods Temple to pray for Grace to comfort the sicke to confirme the penitent to confute the absurd to confound the Detractour why ringest thou out such paltry peales Why ragest thou against thy Masters will against thy selfe without iust cause or neede In thy youthfull time thou crakest and vauntest of thy vaine worth bursting thy lungs welnigh with windy bragges In thy more mellow or maturer age thou standest elated in thine owne conceit as though thy hoarie colour hath added vncontrouled trust and truth vnto thy stale assertions In all the progresse of thy wagging in all thy proceedings thou abusest thy proper function for which the Lord will not hold thee guiltlesse at that vniuersall Synod when the heauens shall be folded together like a booke when our consciences the true table-bookes of our soules shall lie open without lies against vs and we shall yeelde account for euery idle word These things expended and examined by me in the ballance of vnderstanding and fearing least I might participate with them in their derogatory crimes or encurre the penalty of trayterous Misprision towards our righteous Lord for my cowardly conccalements if according to that measure of spirit which he hath bestowed vpon me I reproued them not therefore haue I published this humble Treatise that therein as in a glasse or map they may behold the reflexion of their filthy faults extinguished and extirped What do I know whether the great God hath deliuered me from diuers dangers for these or such like purposes To this end was I bâ—râ—e that I should doe my best to glorifie God and edific my countrey To this end I wish with all the veynes of my heart that what ability of wel-saying and wel-doing is defectiue in mine owne person the same by the Diuine bounty may be liberally supplied to all others in this present booke And that the Readers hereof may learne in sparing speech to follow the examples of the holy Prophets and Apostles who for their honest admonitions and humble exhortations were ouercast with a cloude of scorne among the reprobates of this world or at least wise that they imitate some of the heathenish Philosophers namely Pythagoras who imposed Decennale silentium ten yeares silence on his schollers or Socrates who for many howers together would sit silently musing on the wonderfull workemanship of God or Arcesilas Solon and other enemies of Detraction To this end I heartily wish that all they which finde themselues subiect to this spirit of Detraction may be terrified from that idle vse with such magicall motiues of Michaels mysteries as I haue herein inserted like as if the Vtopian Syphograunts the Athenian Ostracisme the Romane Censors the Spanish Inquisition or as if the statute de scandalis
magnatum being as it were naturalis feritatis mastix the scourge of sauage nature had straightly bridled their lauish tongues within the precincts of their teeth and lips Vos O Patricius sanguis queis viuere fas est Occipiti coeco posticae occurrite sannae TO THE CVRIOVS PAINTERS OF CIRCLES IF these lines or leaues of my Circles drawne from the Center to the circumference be not all equall or if the points and prickes of euery line answere not the Mathematicall proportion of the Circle thou knowest that Veritas non quaerit angulos truth respects not angles triangles quadrangles nor artificiall curiosity I care not for the enticing words of worldlings wisedome but I couet the Spirit of euidence and power I couet matter more then method And yet I labour so to linke them that the line of nature may stand coupled with the points of Art that both from the Center of truth be caried to a Christian circumference for eueÌ„ as the gifts of the holy Ghost be distributed diuersly and in diuerse measures to Gods children some hauing but one grain of faith being conuerted in the euening of their liues and yet by grace adopted adiudged worthy to receiue the like equal crown of glory the like equall wages as those which laboured longer in the Lords haruest so to coÌ„pare little things with great let thy Grace Ingenuous Reader or gracious construction counteruail the vnequal lines of my Circles Where they exceed in their dimensiue quantity there oppose their distributiue quality for a counter-ballance Et sic omnes lineae ductae à centro ad circumferentiam sunt aequales THE FIRST CIRCLE OF THE SPIRIT OF DETRACTION CONIVRED AND CONVICTED Diâ—ided into Lineaments LINEAMENT I. 1 To whose capacity the description of Spirits is difficult and to whose it is easie 2 The Authors inuocation to the Godhead through whose only operation the spirit of Detraction is to be coniured and conuicted THAT which is inuisible transcendent and not to be vnderstood in the land of mortall creatures such as is the description of Spirits cannot distinctly be disposed according to the prescription of curious Artists by reason that our knowledge here on earth is subiect to mutations vanity of vanities varnished only to the outward man and quickly vanished either through distemperature of the braine olde age or death and also by reason that a spirit in substance subsistence is supernaturally whole without Multiplication Diuersity or Part somewhat prodigious vnto Natures view Yet notwithstanding these infirmities we may conferre about the metaphysicall mysterie of Spirits contesting with the sword of the Spirit the word of God not for haughty ostentation but for humble edification comparing spirituall things with spirituall things The naturall man perceiues not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neyther can he know them because they are spiritually discerned but he that is spirituall discerneth all things He that submits his knowledge to the touch-stone of knowledge to the highest power scorning all Peacocke-plumes of Apocryâ—hall tradition and of old Adams impurities discerneth all things The Clerkes of China say that themselues do see with two eyes the Europeans with one eye and that all the rest of the world are starke blinde not hauing any eyes at all Euen so the soules of the supernall China the Church truely triumphant by looking on him which ouerlooketh all things doe spiritually discerne all things and do know as they are knowne The regenerated Christian discerneth though glimmering wise or winking through a darke glasse with one eye many things apperteyning to the lowly workes and louely fruits of the new man which is renewed into knowledge after the Image of him that made him But the naturall man confined within natures compasse can neuer discourse no nor dreame once of Diuine affaires While the flesh preuailes against the Spirit our knowledge is as it were stifled with a deadly earthly dampe and cannot appeare in that conspicuous maner as when our Epicurean natures become curb'd or crucified There is such iustling and bustling such strining strugling betwixt the flesh and the soule that Gods peace is oftentimes to both their miseries infringed The Mistresse therefore must straightly correct her seruant and that betimes before she attaine vnto her stubborn age left then she chuse rather to breake then to bow vnto her wholesome will The austere consideration of this our humane fragility caused the Apostle to write after this manner I tame my body and bring it into subiection lest while I preach to others I my selfe become a cast-away For the soule that walloweth in sensuality in fat blood and grosse humors can neuer enter into the speculation of spirituall comfort The smokie vapours which breathe from thence into the braine doe interpose a darksome mist of blockishnes before her eyes of vnderstanding whereof let a fat paunch beare me instance How cau'st thou saith the Satyrist meditate on any thing praise-worthy which hast such a large Ewer hanging forth a foote and a halfe from thy body Cum tibi Calue Pinguis aqualiculus propenso sesquipede extat Like as a Candle put in an earthen pot enlightneth onely the pot but being therhence remoued into a Lanthorne illuminates the whole roome with a farre greater splendor then before so the vnderstanding spirit of man eclipsed with the foggie interposition of sensuall pleasures lies infatuated and besotted like an Abbey-lubber not once able to crie out Abba Father but thence recalled by the holy Spirit of God and refined with competent fasting at due times with contrite humility and conuenient meditations it forgets the vanities of this cloudy world and frames it selfe wholly to spirituall contemplation And finally separated and singled out from the bodies prison it shines brighter then any starre Then Reason shines without eclipse of errour Wisdome without ignorance and Memory without obliuion Then shall we be able to contemplate with the eye of Faith the awefull Maiesty of the mighty Trinity the in effable and inestimable felicity of our fellows Saints Then shall we comprehend the mystical messages of the heauenly Spirits ascending and descending in Chariots of sacred fire to the behoofe of our Christian brethren and inuisibly instructing the Church on earth like as themselues are both instructed and inspired of their Prince of zeale But what am I that presume to weaue a worke of such wonderfull forms in such a base and broken loome How dare I with King Vzziah burn incense vnto the Lord that am not sanctified nor of the tribe of Leui how dare I that am in his presence more mean then the meanest moth or Atome more abiect then any Ant how dare I being so mean an abiect aspire to set forth the obiects of his wonderous workes Retire O my soule to the Soule of thy soule the Life of thy life the Lord of life as to the celestiall center of all perfections The Sun-shine of
vnderstanding being but a sparkle in respect of a world of fire failes me and as a candle at the flash of a strong lightning suddenly extinguisheth for in thine interminate vnderstanding there resides infinite wisdome omnipotency prouidence predestination true reason true knowledge and the representation of all thy workemanship If I enter into the speculation of thy gracious and inexhausted will I shall want words significant to expresse the singular proprieties which depend theron as comfortable grapes on one goodly clâ—ster or bunch Thy Charity thy Iustice Mercie Clemency Loue Patience Magnificence with other attributes which we doe not deserue to know attend on thy powerfull will O mighty Deity of vnsearchable worth as thy Prophet Dauid said Such knowledge is too wonderfull and excellent for me I cannot attaine vnto it Whither then shall I goe from thy Spirit or whither shall I goe from thy presence If I climbe vp to heauen thou art there If I goe downe into hell thou art there also Thou beholdest all our doings with exceeding patience Thou art wholly in the world as mans soule is wholly in the braine and body and dispersed through euery part of the same and seest as in a manifest map all the world ouer Thou art present with vs in our closest counsels in our closest closets Thou art deck't with light as it were with a garment Thou art most glorious in heauen as mans soule in the head is most conspicuous and therehence like the Sunne with his influence illuminatest all places and searchest the very secrets of our hearts and reines for the light dwelleth with thee Thou art a most pure perfect and actiue forme without any mixture or composition of matter or forme or distinction of parts Thou art the beginning and the end of all things the beginning without beginning and the end without end To end before I haue scant begun thou art al sight all hearing all vnderstanding all reason the origen of all goodnes Totus oculus totus auditus totus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 totus ratio fons omnium bonorum Thou art aboue all things and yet not elated Thou art in all things and yet not concluded Thou art vnder all things yet not restrained Thou art great without quantity good without quality iust without wrath All our ioyes al our pleasures al our profits all our welfare arise from thy fruitfull bounty as on the contrary all our losses all our crosses all our misfortunes proceed by our deserts from thy iust conceiued fury When thou sendest out thy Spirit we are recreated When thou hidest thy face we are troubled Whither then shall we miserable caytiues flie whither From our displeased God to our pleased God from our angry Father to our patient Father Where shall we finde goodnes but with the Author of goodnes Omne bonum à Deo profluit in eundemque tanquam in causam principem finem vltimum reflectitur Euery good springs from God againe the same returnes to him as to the soueraigne cause and last end He euen he it is that subsisteth aboue vs through his prouidence round about vs he substitutes his Angels as it were in fiery Chariots in vs he breathes his fiery Comforter He maketh his An gels spirits adhis Ministers a flaming fire LINEAMENT III. 1 The admirable incorporation of the three persons in Trinity 2 Their mystical operatioÌ„ vnfolded according to our resonable capacities 3 How God is said to be in heauen 4 After what manner the Trinity doe differ one from another eyther in Appellation or in Operation 5 That the Pagan Poets like Apes aymed at Gods mysteries by their darke Allegories IF Imeditate on the admirable Hypostasis of the Deity I am rauished with an extasie to behold their heauenly Harmony their consort their consonance and their proportion Goe said our Sauiour Christ to his disciples and teach all Nation s' baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost The Father vncreated the glorious Word begotten of his euer-being substance the holy Spirit of comfortable loue out of them both producted All three like wieke waxe and light incorporated in one glorious Torch as the beames and influence of one Sun or as waters of one fountaine or as Peter Paul and Barnabas all three building vpon one Rocke and preaching the same doctrine or as will vnderstanding and memorie the reflecting Image of the Deity in one soule equally partakers of one vndiuided Godhead one light one power one beginning one maiesty one glory and one authority Thus hath this One Diuine Spirit three peerelesse properties the hauing of euery which property is called a Person a terme which we giue to shew the peculiar being of a reasonable spirit which word Person also the Gramarians haue distinguished according to mens common conference into notorious appellations As when God speakes of himselfe to signifie his inexplicable essence he speakes in the first person singular Iehouah I am that I am I the Lord thy God When after deliberation he vtters out his determination then the whole Godhead with a cleere distinction of the personall functions speaks according to mans capacity in the plurall number Let vs make man that thereby we might note his deliberation before his determination then both of them made manifest by his omnipotent Word And forasmuch as a peron is nothing els but a body or a spirit seuerally singled out by himselfe forasmuch as euery thing in the Godhead consisteth substantially by it selfe without the helpe of any other therefore are his seuerall properties or functions to demonstrate the particular or personall orders and operations of Gods will and being In like sort there be two kindes of persons the person of his Spirits Essence and the person of his Spirits properties The person or being of his Essence is but one the persons or subsistences of the properties be three distinct euery one a Spirit by himselfe euery one a liuing God by himselfe and yet all one Spirit one liuing God The Father or the first speaker is God by himselfe and of himselfe and therefore the first being or person The Sonne or word is God by himselfe and not of himselfe but of the Father or speaker onely and therefore the second being The holy Ghost or holy loue is God by himselfe and not of himselfe but ioyntly of the Father and the Sonne and therefore the third being There is no difference at all betweene the Speaker the Word and this Loue but onely in the reciprocall relation of one to another for in respect of their being beginning which was coeternall before al worlds before all times or termes of times they are one essential one equall and one transcendent Person But in respect of order in their heawenly Hierarchies of their offices operations and effects ordayned among themselues by their owne diuine decrees and also in respect of the
of his Kingdome that he is possessed with the gifts of the holy Ghost The reasons that thus moue me to conceiue so wonderfully of his worth are these first the obseruation of his life vnblemished by generall report and free from suspicion of vnseemely actes Then the consideration of his faith wisedome and milde spirit made vulgarly manifest by his learned Bookes and Speeches in the Parliament house whereof some are extant in Print settles my knowledge of his excellency of spirit Vt iâ—rem calaâ—â—o fulgur inesse suo That I would sweare his pen did lightning flash To these I adde his miraculous preseruation continually from his cradle he being the onely childe of his Parents in such tumultuous times vntill this golden time of the Gospell And to omit many garboiles of ciuill incendiaries for the subuersion of his life and state I will onely content my meditation at this time with the consideration of two principall Treasons inuented by Sathan against his annointed person The former Earle Gowry entended to effect The latter the Papists purposed to perfect In the former God suffered Sathan to lead him for a moment into his castle of calamity but presently he sent his Angell to deliuer him as Peter out of Herods prison In the latter God suffered Sathan to plot plant and place his Ordinance in order for the vtter suppressing and supplanting of his whole estate but suddenly the worlds great Watchman confounded his Boutefeux as the builders of Babeil In both I obserue that the Diuine Maiesty respects this innocent Prince in his loue vnto him vnexpectedly rips vp the very bowels of Treason euen when Sathan assures himselfe of his fatall haruest and is ready to reape his Hemlockes almost ripe then God prepares a feruent East winde in one night to destroy his poysonfull weedes like vnto Ionas his gourd O mighty God who can prie into the treasury of thy counsels What man purposeth thou disposest Thou reuealest the deepe and secret things Thou knowest the thing that lieth in darkenesse for the light dwelleth with thee We thanke thee we praise thee O thou God of our Fathers that hast giuen our King wisdome and strength and hast shewed him the thing that he desired of thee Thou hast declared his matter vnto him When his wisest Counsel ors missed to expound Tressams intricate letter more intricate then Sphynx his Riddle the Holy Ghost lent the King himselfe the key of knowledge the key on which millions of liues depended wherewith he vnlockt the memorable morall of the aenigmaticall letter memorable indeed vnto all posterities All which circumstances doe certainely argue the profoundnesse of his capacity and assuredly ascertaine my soule that the faculties of his soule are effectually inuested with some attributes of the Deity for the glory of God After the like manner let vs comprehend the knowledge of God who is our spirituall King and King of Kings for what signifieth this word God but an omnipotent spirituall King Creator of all things and we shall spiritually attaine to his Diuine knowledge though we see him not with our bodily eyes Let vs grope after him and we shall finde him for he is not farre from euery one of vs in him wee liue wee moue and haue our being When we endeauour with all our hearts and humble soules to keepe his commandements we may boldly say that we do know him When our mindes are sanctified through stedfast saith intentiuely on Iesus Christ as the diseased Israelites became healthfull with regarding the brasen Serpent we may assuredly affirme that we do know him Most happy are they which neuer saw Christ and yet beleeue in him Neyther doe we want other cuident meanes and motiues to stirre vs vp to the knowledge of the Godhead or spirituall power first naturall reason sheweth that some glorious soule full of perfection and power created the world and the creatures thereof for they could neuer make themselues which the Prophet Dauid confessed in these wordes The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Next his Church or faithfull congregation of Adam Abell Seth Henock Noah Abraham and others transferred by successiue tradition his knowledge to their posterities Thirdly his knowledge hath beene reuealed by the Holy Ghost to Moyses Samuel the Prophets and lastly by the Messias himselfe through apparitions miracles lawes ceremonies and temporall blessings Fourthly to draw neerer vnto mans capacitie which depends most vpon sensible obiects mention is made by Moyses how God caused him to stand in the caue of a Rocke and putting his hand vpon him he did shew him his hinder parts not suffring him to see his face Whereby the secuced Saduces collect the Godhead to be corporall But the naturall man perceiues not the things of the spirit of God For by his hinder parts aâ— the picture of his spirituall substance is shadowed the glimpse of his glorious influence By his hand is figured his al-puissant power By his face the fulnesse of his sunny glory And where Eyes are ascribed vnto him what other sense is meant then his prouidence and knowledge Thus God sometimes speakes naturally according to our naturall apprehension In conclusion let it suffice our curious braines that God is a powerfull Spirit not to be felt palpably with mens hands nor seene with mens eyes I speake not of Christs glorified body being humane which Thomas Dydimus felt after his refurrection by reason that the light of his Spirit is too conspicuous glorious and ouer-bright for such weake terrestriall and brittle senses Neuerthelesse it pleased him to appeare vnto Ezechael in the similitude of fire from his loynes downewards and of brightnesse like vnto Amber from his loynes vpwards S. Iohn in the Iland of Pathmos on the Lords day rauished in spirit saw one like the Sonne of man with his head and haires as white as woolor snow with his eyes as flames of fire His feete were like vnto fire brasse burning in a fornace and his voice as the sound of many waters His face shone as bright as the Sunne in his strength Whereby we may gather that God is a spirit not able to be seene of dust and ashes vntill the same be better purified or purged from worldly concupiscence for flesh and bloud cannot enter into heauen and vntill our soules become refined and regenerated not with Purgatory flames but with the spirit of God the fiery Comfirter This is the reason that the Elect of God doe stoutly maintaine that his Diuine Maiesty being a spirit cannot rightly be worshipped but in spirite and minde which in truth fals out most rightly when the spirit through faith becomes eminent and when the body through fasting lieth vanquished LINEAMENT VII 1 The description of some of the good spirits which attend on their Creator in heauen 2 Their Offices 3 Names 4 Greatnesse LEauing aside Dionysius Areopagitaes nine orders of Heauenly Hierarchies which he
worship thee But blest art thou for all my blasphemie All honour be to thee O veritie Bright light of loue one God in vnitie And persons three in orders Trinity Which canst me free from all such vanity When it shall please thy gracious Maiesty My soule to veile with thy boundlesse bounty Though speech be winde and Schoolemens quantity Void of true sense void of true quality Yet when the same doth thy sweet lawes transcend Lord let my babling light on Babels end But for my soule let no fond Oracles Her substance spill nor stand as obstacles Eternally to blinde her spectacles Which thou hast clear'd by thy words miracles THE THIRD CIRCLE OF THE SPIRIT OF DETRACTION CONIVRED AND CONVICTED LINEAMENT I. 1 The nature of the spirit of Detraction 2 His obiections 3 The Authours answere 4 The description of Detraction 5 His Companions 6 His Paradoxes 7 Abriese consutation AMong such troupes of wicked spirits which beleaguer the sinfull sonnes of Adam none of them is so pernitious as this viperous spirit of Detraction for by this turbulent motioÌ„ Pluto himselfe being an Angell of glory lost his former state and likewise wee worldly weakelings deserue our Creators curse vpon your selues and posterities Behold yee brainsicke blabs licentious libertines behold your famous familiar your spirit of Detraction coniured and connâ—cted in a Circle without crosses without Masses without holy water without pots of good liquor or pipes of Tobacco the only moderne motiue of malicious Detraction and that by no meaner weapons then by the mysticall weapons of Michaell and Michea the powerfull Oracles of the great God O what an vnaccustomed coniuration is this New Lords new lawes masse-monging manacled Diuels discouered And dare you câ—nuict the auncient spirit of Detraction which by successiue tradition descended vnto vs well nigh a thousand yeares agoe euen about the very time when the Pope and Mahomet bought their puissant patents this for the East from the detracting Dragon the other for the West from his Eagles wing the Emperour Phocas Dare you vilifie the soueraignty of Bacchus and Tobacco and aduenture to coniure vp such an omnipotent Spirit as that of Detraction without these belching belly-Gods Which our swintsh swaggerers extoll now-a dayes on the behalfe of this spirit as chiefe purgers of superfâ—uous rheumes preparatiues of heauenly dreames visions oracles and supernaturall reuelations Then farewell kinde neighbour-hood farewell good fellowship farewell table-talke farewell descanning of destinies farewell all trencher-knights and readers of other mens actions As the body is nourished with good liquor the bones with marrow so is the soule of man with the perfume of Diuine Tobacco and with the perfusion of Detracting taunts Take away these two the cause and the effect the substance and the shadow what is mans life but a drie discourse a solitary Ghost mortified with melancholy Veritas non quaerit angulos The way of truth is plaine without turnings I feare not to lay downe the truth were my brother a Tobacconist a Wine-bibber or a false Prophet Amicus Socrates amicus Plato sed magis amica veritas Socrates is my friend Plato is my friend but Truth is my chiefest friend The excessiue taking of Tobacco together with drunken fellowship renew the forces of the Detracting spirit and likewise doe kindle the fire that was couertly raked afore vnder the ashes for his malicious humour Which to describe is an embezeling of anothers glory a wrongfull withdrawing of anothers power and a blasphemous censure inuented and blazed abroad touching the Creator or his creature which eyther may be termed a kinde of scurrility or knauish carping carpendi effusa licentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or else a doubling of the Dogs letter Rout of their snarling nostrils To this I might adde that they offend against the third Commandement namely Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine and also against the ninth Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour which subiect themselues vnto this kinde of Spirit In the company of this wicked spirit as I said before many other spirits consort such as our Countrey-men call boone companions yea more spirits then euer molested Mary Magdalen The spirit of blasphemy as the shadow vpon the body chiefely awaites vpon him and shares with him for the pretious soule of man So doe the spirit of enuy the spirit of hatred and sundry other poysonous messengers of the common enemy the Diuell all ready sophistically to proue the idle phantasics and imaginations of shallow braines Would you coelo deducere Lunam draw the Moone down from heauen or the starres from the skie The spirit of Detraction with his mates make for you The Moone is descended and hath kist Endimion while he lay asleepe The starres be fallen and a company of drunkards at their taking of Tobacco beheld them According to that of the Poet Cum bibitir conchis hinc iam vertigine coelum Ambulat geminis exurgit mensa lucernis When wines are drunk then heauen whirleth round And candles two on boord for one abound There are Incubi which haue lien with faire women and tempted them ere now to plant Actaeons badge on their husbands foreheads Merlin your Brittish Bardh sometimes possested with the spirit of prophesie was a bastard begotten betwixt a goodly young Diuell and a goodly young Gentlewoman At old Carmarthen Merlins famous towne Nay more the Arch-Diuel hath gotten the Popes power he hath gotten the keyes of Heauen he hath authority to binde to loose to diminish the paines of hell to grant Indulgences and Pardons for one and twenty yeares of all manner of mortall sinnes he powreth downe raine amaine at his pleasure he terrifies the world with thunders lightnings and earthquakes Cornelius Agrippa is a great man in his books vseth him for his familiar and by coniurations commands the clouds and makes the Planets executioners to plague his aduersaries O monstrous blasphemie O preposterous absurditie Will any man of vnderstanding giue credite to these Idolatrous Detractions God himselfe questioning with Iob out of the Whirle-winde vtterly denies that Diuine authority to any creature Canst thou said he send the lightnings that they may walke and say vnto thee Lo here we are If Baal be God then goe after him but if the Lord be God why tempt you his patient Spirit in ascribing his dreadfull power vnto his Enemy that darkesome deadly Fiend which cannot helpe himselfe or act the least matter of importance Elias in annulling of Baals power manifested him onely to be God which answered by heauenly fire The Diuell fighteth with none other weapons then with deceit With deceitfull malice he stung Christ while he was on earth and with the selfe same weapons he stinges Christians Christ in his members now that he is in Heauen With deceit he tempted Eue and with deceit he persecuteth the woman of God the Church of Christ
For euen as Michaels weapons were the blood of the Lambe and righteous deedes so the Dragons weapons are lies and deceit When lecherous Church-men knew not how to cloke their lewd acts when noble Floraes that went currant for Puritan Nunnes could no longer couer their impure debauchments and notorious baudries then forsooth to salue their credites they divulged abroad eyther that the Diuell who repined at their chaste blinded their sights with supposed bodies liues much like vnto their louers or else with surreptitious carcases out of graues he committed carnall copulation with them LINEAMENT II. 1 Notes to discerne the spirit of Detraction 2 A limitation of speeches EVen as the well manured earth brings forth seedes and graine for mans reiiefe and vnmanured gathereth weeds mosse and brambles so the soule of man if it be well erected towards God and directed by his holy Spirit becomes diuinely disposed but ill looked vnto and let as a restlesse rogue to straggle abroad among Sathans sinfull spirits is quickly surprised with the witty workemaâ—ship of the wily Serpent and in a moment corrupted with the bane of heretic all doctrine An Hereticke I account him who being a Christian contumaciously maintaines errâ—nceus opinions or peremptory Paradoxes contrary to the best part of the Church as when you heare a creature abuse and abase his Creators glory in fatlâ—ering his forcible workes vpon his enemy the Diuell then expend and examine in the ballance of euen reason his vnreasonable detracting sentence and no doubt but the Spirit of spirits will open your eyes that you may perceiue the wicked spirit which haunteth him and hunteth after his soule Secondly obserue the quality of the person which detracteth seeing that it is a thing rare in a wise man to make the toyish tongue the Oracle of preiudicate conceit who from his cradle is otherwise taught to smother vp in silence both his owne ouer-curious inuentions conceiued of supernaturall operations and also what hee knowes or heares exorbitant friuolous and redounding eyther to the dishonour of Gods power to the disparagement of his lawes or to the disgrace of his neighbours same And for the vulgar sort their iudgement is crooked and confused that they extoll showes and shadowes of truth and cannot distinguish betweene necessary and superfluous speeches Thirdly ponder his manner of speaking whether as a passionate person in his furious mood or in the bitter and incited anguish of his soule whether the spirit of Detraction tickles the possessed party at tableboord at Tobacco-taking at gossipping for at those times people waxe giddy headed and phantasticall by reason of the mouing of the blood and humours or whether his speeches tend for his owne vtility and profite or for reuenge of supposed wrongs or emulous concurrence in worldly affaires Ex abundantia cordis os loquitur Out of the hearts abundance the tongue speakes And as abundance of raine causeth riuers to ouerflow their naturall meeres bounds and bankes and to breake with a violent deluge ouer into meadowes and plaine fields so the heart boyling ouer with surious motions will runne quite out of course and temper except it be suffered to cuaporate and vent out by the mouth which stands like an open Sepulchre or a roaring gulfe whatsoeuer is internally conceiued and consopited Yea I haue knowne some like women with childe sicke to the heart till they were deliuered of their suspicious Detractions or monstrous embrions But thou which art the Pupill of silence note that a reuiler is a lier and a lier is forgetfull as the Italian teacheth thee Maldicente è bugiardo bugiardo è smemorato It is not my purpose by these obseruations altogether to debarre discourses and neighbourly confabulations but my meaning is to disclose some meanes whereby we might discerne the nature of this Spirit which tempts our common readers to vtter before God and man such contemptuous contradictions derogatory to his Maiesty who heares with infinite patience euery word they speake As my soule cannot brooke these false aspersions and flying lies touching ones honour ones honesty ones life so on the contrary I cannot chuse but approue Christian and ciuill conference sugred and seasoned with charity loue and humility tending to the glory of God the weale of our Countrey or the welfare of our neighbours Nay I applaude with both hands all such confabulations which are relished Atticis aut Socraticis leporibê° with the sauorie smacke of pleasant conceits not vitiated with the extremes of rude scurâ—ility or of rough austerity but richly refined with the golden meane Vrbanity or Ciuility which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the distressed in Gods name poure out his grecuances familiarly to his friend for that easeth the minde and by talking in counsell with a faithfull friend the Spirits recouer their former vertue and strength Let Preachers reproue their Parishioners infirmities in priuate and in any case let them not reprehend particular mens faults openly in the Pulpit for that place being generall requires generall speeches Let them not rebuke any but exhort an Elder as a Father the yonger men as brethren for there is difference betwixt exhortation and rebuking and so there is difference betwixt rebuking mens persons and rebuking mens vices rebuking to edification and rebuking to desperation rebuking in patience and rebuking in passion rebuking in priuate and rebuking in publique the one is proper to the temperate spirit of God the other to the turbulent spirit of Sathan Wherefore deare Christian refraine thy tongue as it were with a bridle for to what vse will thy house serue without a doore or thy purse without strings LINEAMENT III. 1 That the imbecillity of our naturall dispositions tainted through the first Maits sinne with curiosity inconstancy and negligence is the prime cause of the spirit of Detraction 2 That our curious search after the supernaturall beginning of time worketh our confusion 3 Of our Curiosity 4 Of our Inconstancy 5 And of our Negligence OVr humane natures stained through originall concupiscence cannot but be tossed and turmoiled with many impediments first with curiosity to prie into other mens actions and in the meane space to neglect Aesops hindermost wallet wherein our owne faults are registred Secondly we are spotted with ficklenesse to change our purposes as the Chameleon at the sight of euery glozing obiect Lastly through originall wantonnesse we become infatuated and stupefied that we forget what we reade or heare pertinent to our instruction in Christ. Here I could digresse and shew that our philosophicall scanning of times and seasons is the prime point of curiosity and so the chiefe cause of our worldly sottishnes We runne vpon things imagined to be done before the beginning of time of Adams time whereas in truth this computation of time is onely humane according to mans naturall vnderstanding which otherwise could not comprehend this worlds creation Surely in my iudgement there is no respect in the other world
impediments of Education in the land where I liue which because the curiosity of our hodiernall wittes will sooner helpe to rebound with frâ—mpes then to redresse or pitty I will forbeare them with a wary caution lest the enuious enueigh against my zealous Muse lest also I seeme to kicke against the prickes and striue against the Heauenly power which perhaps hath decreed such fatall fortune vpon these parts of the Iland for our fore-parents faults and for our owne filthy facts LINEAMENT V. 1 That the secret and spirituall suggestion of the Diuell is the third cause of the Spirit of Detraction 2 The cunning reasons of the Diuell to confirme finne 3 There Consutation THe Diuell being a spirit inuisible to any mortali eye by close and cunning meane blowes with his pestilent breath into the formost seat of our braines when we be excommunicated from Gods presence and there wheeleth and circleth about our phantasies with a thousand colourable obiects able to entrap another Eue. Thence gradatim by degrees his virulent breath like the Dragons venome steales into our hearts where hee moueth the bloud peruerteth the humours corrupteth them with sensuality in such wise that we detract like vnto wanton children our best benefactors we long and lust after innumerable toyes after varieties of women wines meats apparell caualeering companions and other wordly vanities openly repugnant to the lawes of God and true nature Among many slie stratagems which he daily inuents to subdue our soules to his slauish yoake this is not the meanest nor the slowest that he enchants our willes with charmes of selfe-liking such as goe beyond all the Magicke spels of Medea Circe and Calypso Assoone as we attaine vnto yeares of discerning good from euill by his spirituall insinuarions wee flatter our sond selues with some imaginatiue excuse or other for euery particular sinne which we commit Are we swolne vp with pride and ambition Lo Sathan a friendly Sophister an Aduocate without fees out of our mouthes pleades that the sonnes of Zebedee sought for seates of highest honour and also shewes that familiarity breedes contempt that it graceth much a Gentleman to shew some stately port or portly state that euery abiect treades vpon humilities backe and that men must behaue themselues according to the times Ambition is an honourable thought of high spirits a point of magnanimity a lofty step vnto vertues chaire Are we angry cholericke or franticke Our bad Angell sayes it is but heate of bloud a short vanishing vapour a short fury Ira furor breuis est Patience is but a Poets fancy to be practized by ignoble groomes and dunghilled spirits A cholericke man hath an honest heart Doth the spirit of fornication tempt thee to defile thy vessell with forraine seed and to conuert the temple of the holy Ghost into a denne of diuellish sports with venereous thoughts Alas poore brother it is but a veniall sinne a sinne of flesh and bloud the least of a thousand sinnes to which all the world is subiect Age will tame this sinfull spirit Is it possible for vs to be chaste when Iacob Sampson and other Patriarches could not liue without their Paramours Doth the Enuious man pine away by reason of anothers prosperitie Is he sicke at the heart with griefe to see his neighbour flourish like a Palme tree Inuidus alterius rebus macrescit opimis Behold a friend in a corner a friend at neede Sathan himselfe transformed into an Angell of light protesteth that it would moue a Saint yea another Caine to see his yonger brothers oblation accepted and his graue eldership reiected We are all borne of one father Terraesilij all sonnes out of the same mould all worthy to participate the like equal immunities priuiledges and fortunes one as well as the other If thou delight in Company and dost wallow in pleasure as the Sow in the mire There 's One within thee which will wrastle alone with many bookish Preachers He layes out in colours the sweetnesse of pleasure the contentment of company the auoyding of melancholy the shortnesse of life and therefore hang sorrow kill care Let the spirit of coueteousnes possesse thee and hee will settle his possession which is as strong as eleuen points of law by teaching thee Sophistry in stead of true Logicke by perswading thee that thou carriest an Atlanticke burthen vpon thy poore shoulders Euristeus neuer imposed halfe such a cumbersome charge on Hercules as God hath laid restlesse cares on thee for an exceeding great housholde of wife children and lazie seruants how caust thou cherish thy selfe in thy olde age or arme thy selfe against worldly practises without a large stocke Et genus formam regina pecunia donat Queene coine doth giue both kinne and shape Doth truth lay in their dish that their Teachers are dumb dogges their Preachers illiterate or their companions detracting Zachary was dumbe the Apostles vnlearned and Peter detracted in denying his Sauiour Doth thy Pilades thy friend thy second selfe reproue thee again for Detraction and calummation Thou hast more friends then one Thy genius thy old familiar tels thee that this other friend is malicious he rebukes thee of hatred and not of good will A true friend will labour to conceale in the cap-case of silence the couert secrets of his friend be thy iust or vniust lawfull or vnlawfull as that Italian Poet hath well aduised vn ' vero amico A dritto a torto doue esser preposto Se tutto il mundo lui fosse opposto A trusty friend must stand with wrong or right Though all the world oppose his friend with might Wherefore was the tongue giuen to man but to vent out what the heart conceiues All men are not learned in Lullius his Art that they can discourse of euery extemporary matter Each man hath his proper gift some men be apt to inuent some other to controule some to speake as if their tongues were on wheeles and some dare not speake without precise deliberation yea some cannot finde matter to speake vnlesse their wits were refined with Tobacco good sack and sugar or their senses rub'd ouer with other mens relations tending to nouelties and strange reports Among which ranke range thou thy selfe deceitfull Sathans darling and beleeue it from the most experienced politick that if a man disclose vnto thee the secrets of his heart it is a kind of morality or morall kindnesse in thee to poure out likewise the affects of thy heart and to answere him in like proportionable measure It is no wrong while thou speakest by surmise or by heare-say Admit it were true then how can these Critical Catoes bend their browes against thee how can they mâ—â—ly taxe thee or commence suite de libellis famosis de scand alis magnatum in the Starre chamber or recouer damages by way of an action on the case at the Common law It is not amisse to bruite and blaze abroad doubtfull detracting newes for it may
no disease iudging himselfe strong and able to labour as he was stacking vp a Goffe of corne sodainly his bowels fell out of his bodie and immediatly he died most miserably In the time and reigne of King Edward the sixt there was in Cornwall a lusty young Gentleman who did ride together with other moe Gentlement and their seruants in number about twentie horsemen amongst whom this lusty yonker entring into talke began to sweare most horribly vnto whom one of the company not able to abide such blasphemous abhomination in gentle words said to him that he should giue account for euery idle word The Gentleman taking snuffe thereat why quoth hee takest thou thought for mee Take thought for thy winding sheete Well quoth the other amend for death giueth no warning As soone commeth a Lambs skin to the market as an old sheepe Gods bloud said hee care not for mee raging still after this swearing manner worse and worse in words till at length passing on their iourney they came riding ouer a great bridge which standeth ouer a peece of an arme of the Sea vpon which bridge this Gentleman swearer spurred his horse in such sort as he sprang cleane ouer the bridge with the man on his backe who as he was goingcried aloud Horse man and all to the diuell A woman commonly named the widow Barnes to defeate an Orphane of some inheritance forsware her selfe and being therefore rebuked by some well disposed persons vtterly refused their good admonitions But within foure daies after she threw her selfe out at a window in Cornehill and brake her necke This was done at London in the yeare 1574. In the yeare 1575. one Anne Aueries widow which at that time dwelt in Ducklane in London without Aldersgate ranne to the shop of one Williamson in Woodstreete and there hauing bought sixe pound of course towe forsware her selfe that she had paid for it whereas she had paid none And being very gently reprehended for her said vngodly deed she stil continued terribly swering and auouching the payment But behold a miraculous thing that mouth of hers with which she blasphemed the hallowed name of her glorious Maker was put to a most vile office she was forced presently to void at her mouth the selfe same filthinesse which nature should haue expelled downewards and so most miserably died One Father Lea a man aged about foure score yeares was hired for a small summe of money to forsweare himselfe but such was the priuie paine and grieuous griping of his groaning conscience that like a festred wound it did so disquiet him that he must needs discouer it and so at Foster Lane in London this Lea meeting the partie against whom he forsware himselfe very earnestly and humbly craued forgiuenesse of this said offence but tenne weekes after his said confession so greatly did the power of the diuell preuaile ouer him that with an olde rustie knife he ripped his owne belly and embracing his guts with his owne hands he let them fall from him into an earthen vessell But by the interruption of company that came in vpon him he was preuented from killing himselfe vtterly at that time yet the next day after his said desperate fact shewing some token of repentance he ended his life To these periuries I adde one more a Countryman of mine I would to God I could name none else of that impious consort who hauing cōmitted periury in a cause depending in suite at the Counsell of the Marches was presently and sodainly grieued in his great toe so that the said griefe becomming festred and worse and worse he euer after halted and limped as long as he liued I could likewise produce others who notwithstanding that they were Gentlemen of sort substance in their Countrey did commonly suborne false witnesses But such was the iust iudgement of God who from his heauenly seate knoweth the secrets of all hearts and whatsoeuer is done in the darkest place such I say was his iust reuenge that themselues during their liues were neuer free from some casuall crosse or other They alwaies liued pestred and perplexed with some vnexpected accidents and their posterity after thē are brought to that misery that they stand at mens deuotion for all that their said impious Fathers had left them some store of possessions according to which agrees that ancient verse De male quaesitis non gaudet tertius haeres Ill gotten goods their heires do seldome ioy LINEAMENT XI The Spirit of Detraction and Periurie conuicted by sentence of our owne lawes executed on corrupted Jurours DIuers of the county of Middlesex tooke money to be fauorable vnto Lodowicke Greuell then prisoner in the Tower vpon suspicion of being accessary to murther if it fortuned that they should be returned in the Iury against him and for this vpon sufficient proofes they were conuicted and fined in the Starre Chamber Likewise three of them did weare papers from the Fleete vnto Westminster hall and there also backe againe to the Fleete 31. Eliza. Crompton Another tooke fiue Markes to be of the Iury for the deliuery of a theefe that was indited of felony and was fined to the King Vide sines pur contempt Fitzherbert 33. 43. Lib. Assis. 43. A Iury of London who acquitted Sir Nicholas Throgmorton Knight about the first yeare of Queene Marie for high treason were called into the Starre Chamber Anno. 15 44. because that the matter was held to be sufficiently proued against him whereof eight of them were fined to fiue hundred pounds a peece and also awarded backe againe to prison there to continue vntill further order would be taken for their punishment Hollinshed fol. 1759. Eleuen of the Iury which acquited on Hodis of felony before Sir Roger Manwood chiefe Baron in his circuite of the Countie of Somerset against apparant euidence were fined in the Starre Chamber and did weare papers in Westminster hall circa 22. Eliz. Report Crompton One G. wrote his letter to a Iurer to appeare betwixt Lane and one G. D. and to doe his conscience according to his euidence and was fined in the Sarre Chamber to twentie pound because he had nothing to doe with the matter Circa 27. Eliz. Note this that none ought to meddle in any matter depending in suit wherewith he hath nothing to doe One G. of the countie of Lancaster for the false and malicious procuring of one to be endited for the death of another was fined in the Starre Chamber to a great summe Circa 31. Eliz. If periury be committed by a Iury in a Court Baron he shall be punished in the Starre chamber vpon a bill there exhibited for no attaint lieth in the base Court But if any error be committed in that Court the party shall haue a writ of false iudgement And it seemes that he may sue in the Starre Chamber for a false verdict A man takes money to giue his verdict he shall be punished though he keepes not the said promise Dier 95. Fitzherb
of God from the sonnes of Bâ—lial to the glory of his heauenly Maâ—â—stie to the comfort of his Deputy heere on earth to the discharge of your owne consciences which yee pawne and pledge for the security of your duety and diligence Discite Iustitiam moniti non temnite Diuoâ— THE FIFT CIRCLE OF THE SPIRIT OF DETRACTION CONIVRED AND CONVICTED LINEAMENT I. 1 The Authors scope in this Circle 2 His inuocation to the Godhead against his Ghostly Enimies IN the precedent Circles I haue affoorded the Reader a taste of my present purpose in it I haue coniured the spirit of Detraction forearming my selfe with the spirits of Goodnes or to speake Poetically Aegide Palladia with Mineruâ—es shield and so by descent discried the tree of Good and Euil wherin I haue exercised my declining will with excellent exorcismes of Michaels mysteries and also I haue therehence deseended as it were by steps and degrees to the pedegree of those degenerate spirits which gape after mans damnation euer since our deiection from that Paradise of free-will being but the mysticall meanes of olde Adams probation and particularly I haue canuased the said spirit of Detraction that domineeres it in all places at Ordinaries at Feastes at Tobacchonizing without curbe or checke one while breathing forth blasphemies against his God that will not holde him guiltlesse another while possessing the soules of our reprobates like vnto those of Ahabs false Prophets so that they broach out whole pipes of poisonous periuries paradoxes slaunders and ridiculous girdes in the derogation nay in despite of the meeke and milde spirit of God whom they forâ—e to depart away out of their quondam baptized consciences being very sorrowfull to see their hardened hearts and to see his holy gifts bestowed in vaine But our Fathers determinate will be done in earth as it is in heauen that hath sealed vp the certainty and number of the Elect before this world was made by his word and wisedome And now that the spirit of Detraction stands forth to be arraigned at the barre of vnderstanding let no man blame me if I lay out Truth it selfe in euidence against him as well to conuince him present as also to confound his absent adherents acceslaries and abertours which together with the abouesaid diuellish euils make no conscience in this licentious age with the Gyants of olde time to raise and roule vp mounts against the Heauens with Promethâ—us to rob God of his â—ight to father his workes of highest honour vpon the Father of lies and according to the nature of base spirits which cannot eleuate themselues to the Spheare of speculation to stand in greater feare of the Diuels supposed realty then to become rauished with the louely Maiestie of the euerliuing God who with one blast can tumble downe such detracting Clinickes into the abisme of eternall night where their Chymist God inhabites without hope of redemption In execution of which important charge I doubt not but Sathan whose miracles I annull wil coniure vp many sulphure ous wits of both sexs nicking Momes and nipping Niobes to scolde and scoffe to raile and reuile at this worke of charity Cadmus with his Serpents teeth grinnes many menaces Medusa with her prodigious art threatens to bang me and to stone me and all because I write the truth O that I had Perseus his vertue to conquere this terrible Gorgon But why interpose I the fictions of Paynime Poets among the sentences of holy Writ O heauenly Spirit be thou my Perseus lend me thy Dauids sling to encounter this Ghostly Golias and this grisly Giantesse Behold how my spirituall Foe mounted on his iade of Detraction dares me to the fielde daunt thou him with thy potent Word and his omnipotence will be impotent cast forth thy Aarons rodde and his arrowes will be swallowed vp While thy Grace shines on me I feare no Magiâ—ke spels no Serpents teeth no Witches curse Let them draw my picture by Pygmalions skill in the purest Virgin waxe reuenge their wrath with sharpe pointed needles my heart shall neuer quaile let them burne the same for an Hereticke as those of Tholouza burnt their Kings I wil not feare what man or Diuell can do to me not although they disgorge vpon mee their bane of Basiliskes nor though they discharge their Iambicke volumes or rather vollees of their Basiliscoes for the God of heauen is he that reigneth ouer all things that ruleth all things in all places at all times He euen he it is that is All in al the Glorious God that maketh the thunder the onely worker of powerfull miracles to whom all Principalities all Dominions all powers and all creatures as well incorporall as corporeall inuisible as visible must kneele for mercy with honour dread and reuerence LINEAMENT II. 1 How the Spirit of Detraction attributes the glorious workes of God vnto the Diuâ—ll 2 That mens guiltie consciences driue them to extoll the Diuell and his supposed power IF men be guiltie for blaspheming the name of God If they be precisely forbidden to haue any dealings with false reports If they must account for euery idle word all which I haue proued hithereunto in what a grieuous case are those wretches which commit not onely all these vanities together but likewise diminish derogate and detract in peremptory proud and presumptuous manner from their great Creator his glorious appurtenances his types of maiesty and his titles of heauenly honour In what a forlorne estate are they which liue in the darksome dungeon of spirituall Aegypt and in the whorish brothelry of spirituall Sodome How vnhappy are they which leaue so superstitiously vnto the leauen of our Pharisaicall Papists walking a whore-hunting after strange Gods both in bodie and soule with both these the most part of the world obserue the Spirit of Detraction with the principall members of the body with their tongues they detract with their eares they lustfully listen with their hearts they consent sucking like spungeous or hydropicke bodies all corruptions whatsoeuer with the principall faculties of the soule with their reasons willes memories they hatch foster and reiterate such blasphemous paradoxes No crosse nor losse can chance but the Diuell sent it No signe nor sigh can happen but the Diuell sent it The Diuell say they is the onely Emperour of hell king of the Planets Starres and Meteors and also absolute Prince of this earthly world These are the ordinary speeches diuulged at our Ordinaries No Tauerne bur is full of this hellish stuffe No conference but the Diuell by stealth gets in his cursed name What eares could not glow at these runnagate reports What heart would not burne at these vncharitable conceits What scholer of worth would not set out his talent to aduantage his learning in print in hearing the Archangels honour extenuated and the Dragons horne exalted Truly for my part though inferiour to many Phinehees in zeale and deuotion I cannot silently suffer these ignominious iniuries against the
is whether that power of his be suppressed now that miracles are ceased For then God caused such strange actions to ensue whereby his Gospell might be confirmed Surely in my iudgement where the Gospell flourisheth there the Diuell dares not draw nigh and if he appeared according to the relation of such as wrote of his miracles he neuer appeared but vnto them who like vnto Caine vtterly dispaired of Gods grace to simple wretches and to grosse headed folkes His chiefest plot and practize is to vndermine the reasonable will and to seduce men from the operation of Goodnesse For this cause he is called the Accuser the Prince of the aire the Prince of this world that is the great spirituall Tempter of Mankind for whose sake this world and all the creatures therin were made LINEAMENT VII 1 How Popish Shaueling inuented the vse of common Coniurations and fictions in policy for the greater efficacie of their Jdols Holy water and Masse-moâ—ging wherein the weakenesse of their Holy water is sh wed 2 That they cained lies of purpose to confirme their sect namely in Luthers life time of Luthers death 3 A note deliuered by the Authour touching the Diuels reall power BVT here our Popish miraclemongers wil obiect that the Diuell cannot be coniured without Masses Holy water or charmes of a consecrated person The Diuell say they will not obey any of our Religion O generation of Vipers Is not the fulnesse of your sacriledge come in before the Lord Are not the Bulles of Basan so fat that they cannot hold out any longer Yea euer since Printing rose vp by the mouthes of babes and infants the Lord hath confounded your quirks quillets and transubstantiate quiddities Your fat lieth in the fire your Masses bring in but small masses of money Your Holy water is become dead like a stinking stange The glorious brightnesse of Christs comming the forerunning word of euerlasting life hath almost abated all your lying wonders your coniurations yea and your chiefe Patron of policie onely for the triall of the Elect ye are permitted dispensed and tollerated to dwell among vs as the Chanaanites and Philistines amidst the Israelites Ye are permitted as the ministers of Sathan to tempt Christs flocke that the great Iudge may commend their constancy Neuerthelesse I am sory I speake after flesh and bloud that your stinges according to our Acts of Parliament voce populi Christiani being voce Dei are not quite abolished This sting a graue and a great man of this Kingdome felt when he was seduced to send ouer Sea his sonne that lay possessed with the spirit of frenzie The spirit of falshood made him beleeue that holy water and masse-hearing would chase away the Diuell if it were a Diuell At Pont y Musson in Lorraine it was my hap to meete with the said diseased Gentleman in an English Priests house where he soiourned his friends expecting his deliuerance by the Spirit of illusion by vertue of the Masse and of the sanctified water But all the fat fell in the fire and he poore Gentleman left still vncured hauing formerly bin bound in a cradle besprinckled with holy water in time of Masse and so continued bound for three dayes together in the Church A most fearefull vsage able to driue a whole man out of his wits His friends hearing at length that the matter fell not out correspondent to their expectation they sent him to Padua for the tempering of his braine by the Phisitians of the body where I met him againe with his Curator who told me the whole businesse and circumstance and how the spirit would not be dislodged for all their holy water Now their generall opinion was that eyther it was a stubborne spirit vnremoueable by exorcismes or else the patient was sicke with extreme choler or melancholy Likewise to confirme their false doctrine with false miracles by the Diuels instinct they coined many fictions and such as the eares of the Elect would glow to heare These fopperies as treacherous spirits out of the woodden horse of Troy our subtle Sinons coniure vp for worldly respects and chiefly lest their Pontificiall purple robes or scarlet habites be altered to another colour of a baser graine Among many miracles in their lying Legends they recorde that a Religious woman hauing put a sanctified hoast into her hiue of Bees to make them fruitfull in steed of increase found a little Chappell of Hony and Waxe built in the hiue with doores and windowes with an Altar with a Steeple of Belles and also that the Bees had laid the hoast vpon the Altar with melodious noise flying round about it Thus the Diuell sometimes playeth the part of a Mountebanke venting out his counterfeite wares vnder the faire colour of sanctification some othertimes he seemes to raise vp himselfe really at sinfull mens commaunds and all for the establishment of the scarlet coloured beast the Pope and his Cardinals whose Kingdome he wots well cannot chuse but decline without such trash trickes and trumperies And for their concealements he beates this ambitious lesson into our Canonists heads that it is sacriledge to reason about the Popes deedes whose murthers say they are excused like Sampsons whose thefts like the Hebrewes whose adulteries like Iacobs After mens deathes the Diuell eyther by himselfe or by his agents wicked worldlings seemes to appeare vnder the person of a Samuel and will not be coniured back without such Popish bables thereby setling his Reprobates in their reprobate natures But most of all I cannot but wonder what phantasie possesseth men when they publish miraculous lies derogatory to their credites that be liuing and able in their liues time to retort the whetstone vpon them Surely I can deuise none other excuse on their behalfe then that such miracles of strange sights were inuented by them of Diuellish policy to make their profession famous among the simple and on the other side to withdraw the Protestant from the true worship of God As for example the Diuell forseeing that by Luthers preaching he was like to lose many of his guests euen in Luthers life time soborned one of his false Prophets to set out a booke in print of Luthers death The same very day when Luther died as this Homeromastix reported many that were possessed of Diuels in a towne of Brabant which lay distant from the place where hee was supposed to die aboue three hundred miles were suddenly deliuered and not a long time after repossessed againe And when it was demanded of the Diuels where they had beene They answered that by the appointment of their Prince they were called forth to Luthers Funcral Which likewise was proued to be true because a seruant of Luthers that was in his chamber when hee died opening the casement to take the ayre saw a great number of vgly Spirits hard by the window leaping and dancing Afterwards when Luthers body was laid in his graue presently there arose a tumultuous noise and terrible sound that
chase out of his body the other two spirits which he imagined to be there inclosed So that this plot serued to strengthen his imagination and to weaken his former false perswasion This was the principall remedy of his malady Neuerthelesse the said Monsieur Poena desisted not for all that during the space of a moneth after to minister vnto him certaine medicinable things to purge and asswage melancholy insomuch that at the moneths end being throughly purged and cured of his sickenesse the party acknowledged himselfe abused and was very much ashamed of this false imagination which for a long time had possessed and troubled his spirit LINEAMENT XI An excellent example of Coniuration translated out of Erasmus his Exorcismes fit to be obserued of our superstitious Detractors ERasmus in his Dialogue called Exorcismus reports a notable story acted in King Henry the eights dayes which because it is too prolixe and tedious to be translated into English word by word I will relate it as compendiously and briefly as the substance of the matter requires Betwixt London and Richmond there dwelt one Poole a merry conceited Gentleman He at many Ordinaries diuulged that neere to his house by the high way side a Spright haunted commonly euery night And to make it the more famous riding on a time towards Richmond with diuers Caualeers in his company the skie being cleere without any cloudes Poole on a sudden crossed himselfe and as one much astonished spake to himselfe in this sort O immortall God what doe I see His companions asking him what he saw crossing himselfe yet more he said I pray God that this sight which I see may turne to good When they lay hard vpon him desirous to know the matter with his eyes fixt towards the skie and pointing with his finger to a place in the Element Doe not you see there quoth he yonder cruell Dragon armed with fiery hornes and a wreathed taile At first they denied that they saw any thing But at length because Poole belike a man of some reckoning very earnestly pointed at it with his finger and because he should not thinke but they were of as perfect sight as himselfe they constantly affirmed and said that they also sawe that wonderfull strange sight What needes many wordes Within three or foure dayes the rumour had passed almost ouer all England that such a prodigious Monster frequented theere neere Pooles house Yea it is wonderfull how the common people added more nouelties vnto the fable Neither wanted there some that tooke vpon them to presage the euent In the meane while a Canon one Hind who also was a Priest of a neighbour parish happily arriued at Pooles house This man had an ouer-weening conceit of himselfe and aboue all he thought himselfe well seene in Diuinity At supper they discoursed of the Spright When Poole perceiued that the Priest had not onely heard of it but likewise beleeued it to be true he began to perswade him that he being a learned man and very well disposed would coniure the spirit therhence and succour the poore soule in durance And if you doubt any thing quoth he we will trie Walke you about ten of the clocke anon by the bridge and you shall heare a pitifull groaning Take vnto you what company you please so you shall heare the safer and more certaine After supper Poole made as though he went on hunting About the time mentioned the Priest walking to the place heard wofull lamentations which Poole very cunningly fained being there hidden in a bush complayning out of an earthen potte broken for the nonce for that purpose The Priest within a litle while after returned homwards longing to tell what he had seene and heard There he tolde Poole who came home somewhat before him a neerer way what was done and likewise some thing more of his owne deuising because the matter might be the more wonderfull At the last Poole egging him on he vndertakes to coniure the spirit therehence All that night he slept not with musing which way he might sasely bring the matter about for hee feared and doubted very sore of himselfe Therefore hee gathers together most preualent Exorcismes ioyning others vnto them of his owne inuention as By the bowelles of the blessed Virgin Mary By the bones of Saint Winifride The next day he chuseth a place in the plaine neere to the bush from whence hee heard the voyce There he frames a very large Circle with innumerable crosses and letters By his side hee sets a vessell full of Holy water About his necke hee wore a holy robe at which hung the New Testament besides an Agnus Dei which was wont to be consecrated by the Pope once a yeare With these hee armes himselfe for feare lest it might be a wicked Spirit that would assault him Neyther durst hee commit himselfe alone to the Circle but determined to ioyne another Priest with him Then Poole fearing lest the mysterie might chance to bee bewrayed if he got vnto him one craftier then himselfe discloseth out of hand the whole story to a neighbour-Priest a friend of his and ioynes him assistant to the simple Canon in the acting of his conceited Comedie All things thus prepared the Coniurer with the other Priest about ten of the clocke enters into the circle Poole that went before him cried lamentably out of the bush The Canon talles to his exorcismes But Poole to haue the more sport shifted him therehence and by and by returnes with afriend of his but on two blacke steeds throwing fire at the Canon to haue him out of the circle The next morning the Canon bragged how he preuailed against the spirits who appeared on two blacke horses how they were very like to draw him out of the circle and how he sent them away with a vengeance by means of his forcible charmes The next night the Coniurer better encouraged returnes into the circle and Poole with his cópanion on their blacke horses shewed themselues with a terrible noyse as though they would breake into the circle and with a long rope which they brought with them drawen along the ground they ouerthrew both Priests with their vessell of holy water to the ground and at last seeming to quaile at the charms they departed away for that night This done the Canon comes homes tels Poole what great danger he escaped and how valiantly he ouercame both the wicked spirits now he certainly perswades himselfe that no Diuell is so cruell nor so impudent as to breake into his Circle Thus farre proceeded the fable when by chance Pooles sonne in law a young man delighted with such kinde of mirth came thither Him Poole makes priuie of their stage play and appoints him the soules or spirits part to act The young man apparrels himselfe with a sheete like a coarse and carries with him quicke coales in a pot which through the sheete seemed as it were lightening At night they goe to the stage play where the soule pitifully
vpon him and he shall curse thee to thy face Whereto though God answered Lo he is in thine hand yet we must not take that saying literally but parable-wise or according to the Hebrew maner of speech He is in thine hand that is he is in the case as thou wouldest haue him my hand shall plague him according to thy demaund Likewise we must vnderstand that the holy Ghost here as in other places of the Scripture inserteth such familiar conserence as is fitting for mans capacity and for the vsage of that language When his Maiestie is disposed really to plague offendors coÌ„monly he employeth his owne Angels which S. Iohn in the Reuelation plainly manifesteth in these words I saw another signe in heauen great and maruellous seuen Angels hauing the last seuen plagues for by them is fulfilled the wrath of God And againe I heard a great voyce going out of the Temple saying to the seuen Angels Go your waies powre out the seuen golden vials of the wrath of God vpon the earth His owne Angell God sent to destroy Sodome and Gomorra to plague the Israclites when Dauid caused the people to be numbred and to ouerthrow Senacheribs army His owne Angell he sent to smite ambitious Herode so that he was eaten vp of wormes To conclude this is a golden rule and worthy to be engrauen in Cedar that Good men neuer detract from the Lord or from their neighbours To the Lord they ascribe al glory all causes all effects To Caesar they ascribe what is Caesars and honour to whom honour belongeth Notwithstanding any naturall notions or idle imaginations imprinted in their braines by the Spirit of Detraction good men will quickly breake through such brittle cobwebs and will pierce quite through such imaginations with their intellectuall iudgements as the beames of the Sunne pierce and passe through the thickest clouds inwardly building on this fort of faith that the Diuels force himselfe being spirituall and oftentimes a prisoner is not really reuelling but spiritually roguing or restrained euen according to the pleasure of the Great Iehouah in whose power alone it consisteth to bruise his head and to bring vs safely out of his tempting snares LINEAMENT XVI The Spirit of Detraction punished by the immediate power of God proued by examples out of the Scripture EVen as the Spirit of Detraction with all other sinful spirits as the spirit of pride the spirit of gluttony the spirit of hatred and such others by the contagious craft of the diuellish serpent like an infectious leprosie possessed all soules since the first transgression of our foreparents our Sauiour only excepted for in Adam we all liued so likewise did this serpent first detract and depraue the Lords glory in heauen when he arrogated to himselfe his immensiue power And afterwards when he seduced Eue to disobey her Creator touching the forbidden fruit saying vnto her ye shall not die the death And also when he made her beleeue that she should be as wise as God At the building of Babell they desperately detracted in distrusting Gods prouidence in fearing another Deluge and in saying Let vs build vs a tower whose top may reach vnto heauen least peâ—aduenture we be scatterd abroad vpon the face of the earht Corah Dathan and Abiram were swallowed vp of the earth because they murmured against God and spake against his seruant Moses Miriam the sister of Moses was stricken by the Lord with leprosie because she spake against her brother and against his authority which he had from God The men which Moses sent to search the land of Canaan and which when they came againe made all the people to murmur against him and brought vp a slander vpon the land euen those men that did bring that slaunder vpon it as though it had bene euill died in a great plague before the Lord None of the Israelites which came out of Aegypt except Caleb liued to enioy the land of promise because they murmured against their Redeemer who brought them out of seruitude and tempted his patient spirit therefore they perished in the wildernesse Saul despayring of Gods mercy and for that the Lord vouchsafed not to answere him by dreams nor vrim nor yet by Prophets sought to the cousening witch of Endor who against her will like to Baalam and Caiphas prophesied the truth by a supposed Samuel that the spirit of God had quite abandoned him that the next day after he should be slaine by the Philistines The Israelites discomfited the Sâ—rians and killed one hundred thousand of them in one day according to the speech of the Prophet that was sent to the King of Israel with this message Thus saith the Lord because the Sirians haue said The Lord is God of the mountains and not God of the valleyes therefore will I deliuer this great multitude into thy hands and you shall know that I am the Lord. Ahaziah King of Iuda being sicke sent messengers to Baalzebub the God of Ekron concerning his discase and his recouery But Elias out of the Angels mouth resolued him saying Is it because there is no God in Israel that you goe to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron Wherefore thus saith the Lord Thou shalt not come downe from the bed on which thou art gone vp but thou shalt die the death Amaziah Priest of Bethel bad the Prophet Amos prophesie no more at Bethel because it was the kings Chappel and the kings Court Wherefore and for that he controlled the Lords messenger thus said the Lord Thy wife shall be an harlot in the Citie and thy sonnes and daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be diuided by line and thou shalt die in a polluted land Beares came out of the forrest and tare in peeces two and fortie children which mocked Elisha the Prophet and reuiled him with his bald head Senacherib king of Assyria warring with Hezekias king of Iuda sent a blasphemous embassage vnto him signifying that the Lord could no more saue Ierusalem from his victorious hand then the counterfeit Gods or Idols of other nations which he destroyed But the word of the Lord came to Esay the Prophet against Senacherib in this manner Whom hast thou railed on and blasphemed against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted vp thine eyes on high Euen against the Holy one of Israel Because thou ragest against me and thy tumult is come vp into mine eares therefore will I put my hooke into thy nosthrils and my bridle in thy lips and will bring thee backe againe the same way thou camest So the Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the campe one hundred threescore and fiue thousand men in one night And Senacherib himselfe at his returne home was slaine by two of his sonnes One Hananiab in the time of Zedekiah king of Iuda prophesied falsely among the Iewes at Ierusalem eyther of vaine glory for
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
Wizards now with your witlesse wonders while yee auerre some of your Constellations and Meteours to be kinde vnto vs and some vnkinde yee open your mouthes against heauen it selfe according to that of Origen Dum alij stellas beneficas faciunt alij maleficas os suum in coelum aperiunt For all this our spitefull Spirit houers in the Aire ouer the heads of our malecontents and as yet will not descend into his darke home pretending himselfe priuiledged by the Diuels sanctuarie vntill the great Day to tempt the flexible soules of flesh and bloud True Sathan true thou art licensed I grant to peruert our faith for a vvhile but not to subuert the same for euer Thy peruerting is but momentanie as a corrosiue to conuert and to cure the dead rankled flesh But if this seducing Serpent persist to eate into the bone resist his biting bitternesse yee seruants of the Highest resist his power though his words seeme coloured and couered with the purest gold of Ophir though he come disguised vnto you like Ieroboams wife to entrap you by reason of your blindnesse If he insinuates into you slanderous suggestions concerning your Prince his soueraigntie aduising you to vent them out at your mouthes least wanting vent they burst your straight-laced hearts like vnto the embotteled Aire coniure him in your Sauiours name and boldly say vnto him Auoid Sathan We must not raile at our Superiours for there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordayned of God Cursed be he which curseth the Lords annoynted Cursed be hee which detracteth from Gods Lientenant But Mariana and his detracting Iesuites doe laugh at these positions It is lawfull say they to curse and curbe our Princes if priuate mens acts be warranted by publicke iudgement that is if Ipse dixit my Lord the Pope that cannot erre doe locke them out of the doores of heauen O heathenish infidelitie Laugh on yee Kingkillars laugh on for a little while in this earthly world and yee shall surely weepe in the world to come Dauids heart smote within him because hee cut but the lap of King Sauls garment And yet our mortified Schoolemen our Ghostly Romish Fathers make no conscience to cut off the heads of our annointed Kings to compare these Regicides with renowmed Iudith If reucrent Bede were liuing in these dayes how deadly would hee defie their profane deedes separating himselfe from their Communion This action of Dauid quoth this honest Clerke doth morally instruct vs that wee must not smite our Princes though they wrong vs with the sword of our lips that wee must not in detracting-wise aduenture to teare the hemme of their superfluous deedes If we approue not the holinesse of their liues let vs applaud the holinesse of their vnctions But in my iudgement such questions of Princes Scepters ought not to be disputed nor called into controuersie no more then the Eternall purpose of God which is inscrutable incomprehensible by mortall men Chiefly we of the Reformed Church to whom God hath sent an vnparalel'd Prince ought not once to conceiue amisse of his Royall purpose Or if it otherwise chance must not we brooke his spots with the like patience as we brooke an vnseasonable showre of raine a storme or an abortiue birth The dishonourable things which a Prince doth must be esteemed honourable or else obserued but with halfe an eye If we had any iust cause of such complaints we ought rather to haue recourse to lacobs ladder to the Spirit of Prayer and so by repentance to rectifie our depraued wills that God may take away his scourge according to that Schoole-mans counsell Tollenda est culpa vt cesset Tyrannorum plaga In a peaceable Common-wealth to set out problemes of this muddie nature argues no profound policie specially it becomes not meane Ministers or vtopian Chymerizing Schollers to busie their braines with Princes matters whose eares and hands are stretcht out at the longest size Auriculas Asini Mida Rex habet An nescis longas Regibus esse manus In this case as in many other Theodore Beza ought to be highly magnified for that being seriously consulted by some seditious Sectaries whether inferiour Officers might not lawfully raise Armes against their Prince that violates his Oath made vnto his Subiects that infringeth their liberties immunities that turnes Tyrant vnto them hee teturned this circumspect demur vnto them We must demur vpon this point not onely because it is dangerous specially in this age to lay open such a window but also because that we may not determine the state of this question simply as you propose it but herein we must consider many waighty circumstances And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we deferre our full answere vnto your demand at this instant But this graue answere suffiseth not the spirit of ' Detraction He broacheth it further what if such things come to passe vvhat if the Prince becomes an Apostate Which is as much to say what if Atlas his shoulders should waxe weary of supporting the Skye Capiâ—mis alaudas Then wee shall haue our labour for our paines O vanitie of vanities Doth our Heauenly Father for his Sonnes Righteousnesse deliuer priuate persons from Sathans slauery and shall wee distrust his diuine prouidence that hee will not defend his Church both from Sathan and all his Instruments visible and inuisible Or if our sinnes be so grieuous in his sight that his wisedome iudgeth it expedient to chastice our wanton wils to season our luxurious natures with sowre sauce and by tribulations to prepare roome for the Holy Ghost in the Temple of our Soules shall wee grudge or grieue at his discreet corrections Is it not his owne saying that through the bryars of troubles vvee must passe into his heauenly world Let vs therfore content our selues with sober knowledge and not cauell and trauell about such mutinous arguments which were they in actuall presence we may sooner wish to auoid then salue it any other way but by teares and prayers Man proposeth but God disposeth He euen he it is that treades and tramples downe all tyrannies that ordereth them for his own glory he that abridged Queene Maries life for the propagation of his Gospell that sithence confounded so many attempts of Iesuites Traitors and that now of late sodainely and miraculously discouered the transcendent Pouder-plor no doubt but hee will still continue his care ouer vs in the midst of our worldly waues in the heate of our worldly warfare Amen LINEAMENT VI. 1 The Authours scope in this subsequent discourse 2 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted in Protestants for exasperating of Puritanes in their peruerse humours 3 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted in Puritanes for their obstinacie against our Ecclesiasticall Canons IN the former Circles I haue coniured and conuicted the Spirit of Detraction for the breach of the third commandement thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine
vnto mans capacitie 2 An admonition to the Readers of the Scripture Lineament VIII 1 The Election of the Protestants after the imitation of S. Pauls graffing in of the Gentiles 2 Meanes to discerne the Antichrist by Prophesies out of the Scripture 3 Mâ—anes to discerne the Antichrist by his pompous manner of liuing and also by his Detractions The third Circle Lineament I. 1 THe nature of the spirit of Detraction 2 His obiections 3 The Authours answere 4 The description of Detraction 5 His Companions 6 His Paradoxes 7 A briefe Confutation Lineament II. 1 Notes to discerne the spirit of Detraction 2 A limitation of speaches Lineament III. 1 That the imbecillity of our natural dispositions tainted through the first Mans sinne with curiosity inconstancie and negligence is the prime cause of the spirit of Detraction 2 That our curious search after the supernaturall beginning of time worketh our confusion 3 Of our Curiosity 4 Of our Inconstancie 5 And of cur Negligence 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 Lineament V. 1 That the secret and spirituall suggestion of the Diuel is the third cause of the Spirit of Detraction 2 The cunning reasons of the Diuell to confirme sinne 3 Their Confutation Lineament VI. 1 The naturall manner how the Spirit of Detraction enters into a man and possesseth him 2 Another reason to confirme the premisses Lineament VII 1 Corollaries for the explanation of the premisses 2 Where wicked Spirits reside in man Lineament VIII 1 That the spirit of Detraction hath two principall instruments the Hand and the Tongue 2 Their apish trickes 3 Their monstrous effects 4 A briefe dehortation from Detraction Lineament IX 1 The Authors censure of certaine English Pamphleters and Ballad-writers with an inuocation to my Lord of Canterbury for a reformation not onely of these abuses in writing but also of other enormities committed against the Church-Canons 2 A Description of good and euill Writers 3 That there is a mixt morall kinde of writing seruing as the lesser light for the conuersion of the naturall man Lineament X. 1 Certaine Detractions of our common Stage-players are taxed 2 How God distributes his gifts diuersly to euery particular man 3 The Authours briefe Apologie concerning his owne imprinted workes Lineament XI 1 What kinde of persons the spirit of Detraction doth soonest possesse with a description of the common people 2 That wise men and of resolution must not feare the Detractions of the common people 3 That it is necessarie for Enuie to be the companion of Vertue and for the spirit of Detraction to follow Magistrates as the shadow the body for the corroborating of their vertues Lineament XII 1 Why men soiourne with the spirit of Detraction and will not be dislodged from him 2 That no worldly causes ought to dispose a man vnto Detraction Lineament XIII 1 The Conclusion shewing that all persons from the Prince his Scepter to the Coblers naule are subiect to Detracting tongues The fourth Circle Lineament I. 1 THe felicitie and infelicitie of our Country of Great Britaine 2 The Authours supplication to the high and mightie Court of Parliament for suppressing of common Swearing Blasphemies Slaunders Perâ—urtes and other Detractions offensiue to God and their Countries weale 3 That they crucisie Christ anew which sweare eyther want only or wilfully by his bloud c. 4 The Authours motion for more Additions to the Statute of Periurie 5 The necessitie of these Additions and of likely circumstances to lead our common Iurours Lineament II. 1 That Licentiousnesse is the cause of Detractions defamations periuries and blasphemies 2 That Tauernes are the causes of licentiousnesse whereby the Authour taketh an occasion to admonish Magistrates of their dutie in this important case Lineament III. That the Spirit of Detraction is sooner conuicted through the bright light and testimonie of the Scripture then through mens reall force or worldly deuices Lineament IIII. The Spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by the Prophet Dauids testimonie Lineament V. The spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by King Salomons testimonie Lineament VI. The spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by Iesus the sonne of Syraches testimonie Lineament VII The spirit of Detraction and Periurie coniured and conuicted by other testimonies of the Scripture Lineament VIII The Authours aduise to lury-men wishing them to proceede vprightly according to their oathes and also to meditate on the future discourse Lineament IX The Spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by the Ciuill lawes Constitutions Lineament X. The Spirit of blasphemous Detraction conuicted by Gods iudgements executed on some of our owne Countries inhabitants Lineament XI The Spirit of Detraction and Perturie conuicted by sentence of our owne lawes executed on corrupted lurours Lineament XII The Spirit of Detraction conuicted by the statute De scandalis magnatum and also by the Soueraigne authority of the Court of Starre-Chamber Lineament XIII 1 Of the Iurisdiction of the Ecclesiasticall Court touching words of Detraction and defamation 2 Where the Kings writ of Prohibition lies against such actions commenced in that Court 3 That mixt actions belong to the Common law Lineament XIIII Obseruations concerning words of Detraction and Defamation fit to be perused of Sheriffes and Stewards or of other Iudges of inferiour Courts extracted out of the Reports of Sir Edward Cooke Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of the common Pleas. Lineament XV. Obseruations concerning detracting Libels giuen in the Starre-Chamber and collected out of Sir Edward Cookes Reports Lineament XVI The conclusion of the fourth Circle contayning the Authours pareneticall Charge to common Iuries The fift Circle Lineament I. 1 THe Authours scope in this Circle 2 His inuocation to the Godhead against his Ghostly Enemies Lineament II. 1 How the Spirit of Detraction attributes the glorious workes of God vnto the Diuell 2 That mens guiltie consciences driue them to exâ—oâ—â— the Diuell and his supposed power Lineament III. Proued out of the Booke of Wisedome that mens guiltie consciences caused them at first to feare Bugs and Spirits Lineament IIII. How mens guilty conscâ—ences made them to mistake the truth and to become afraid of things meerely naturall Lineament V. A merry storie borrowed out of Peter de Loiers booke of Specters shewing how a Trauailer was frighted in passing by a Gallowes Lineament VI. 1 Whether in time of Poperie the Diuell appeared to Coniurers or Witches 2 Why now adaies the Diuels apparitions are ceased among the professours of the Gospell 3 The Authors opinion touching his visible illusions Lineament VII 1 How Popish Shauelings inuenâ—ed the vse of common Coniurations and fictions in policy for the greater efficacie of their Idols Holy-water and Masse-monging wherein the weakenesse of their Holy-water is shewed 2 That they coined lies of purpose to confirme their sect namely in Luthers life
time of Luthers death 3 A note deliuered by the Authour touching the Diuels reall power Lineament VIII 1 That true miracles were but lent by the Lord to the Primitiue Church for confirmation of the Gospell which accompanied the said miracles 2 How in their stead false miracles crept into the Church with the Antichrist in the time of the great Apostasie 3 The Diuels Synode for employments of his hellish spirits 4 The Authours digression shewing that the Diuels shape was not reall but delusiue to deceiue the eye-sight 5 How men by his spirituall insinuations becâ—me his agents here on earth 6 The Diuels craft to continue men in their Detractions Lineament IX 1 What is the craft of our common Wizards 2 That Souldiours and men of courage haue beene daunted with disguâ—sed Angels 3 Examples of ordinary Witchcraft Sorceries and Coniurations Lineament X. An example translated out of Monsieur du Chesne his pourtait de la sante declaring how one Monsieur Poena a Phisition of Paris coniared two spirits out of a possessed mans body Lineament XI An excellent example of Conâ—uration translated out of Erasmus his Exorcisines fit to be obserued of our superstitious Detractors Lineament XII 1 That the Diuels common drâ—ft is spiritually to vndermine the will of man 2 That his scope and force is cousenage and deceit Lineament XIII Apborismes collected out of the first Fathers of the Primitiue Church concerning the Diuels power Lineament XIIII 1 The Authours Dehortation from such vaine detracting studies 2 The knowledge of Astrologie stinted and censured Lineament XV. 1 That the Authours meaning is not to denie the Diuels reall subsistence 2 His charitable application of the statute against Witchcraft made Anno primo Iacobi 3 That he onely denieth his reall power and his palpable force ouer any of Gods creatures 4 The vanity and fondnesse of Wizards 5 That the hand of God plagued Iob and other creatures of his 6 That good men neuer detract from Gods glory Lineament XVI The Spirit of Detraction punished by the immediate power of God proued by examples out of the Scripture The sixt Circle Lineament I. 1 THe spirit of Detractions pleas and allegations on the behalfe of his humouring and soothing men in their vanities 2 The said spirit sharply rebuked for his Equiuocation and dissimulation 3 The Authours purpose in this subsequent Circle Lineament II. 1 How the Spirit of Detraction goeth about to ouerthrow Predestination in attributing our misfortunes immediately to the Planets thunders lightnings or other naturall creatures where the Author excuseth himselfe for writing of such deepe mysteries 2 How God made the second causes and all other things in this world for mans sake Lineament III. The Spirit of Detraction conuâ—cted for measuring Gods prouidence by their owne humane prouidence 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 conâ—â—cted for imputing the cause of mens damnation to Gods decree Lineament V. That God is not the Authour of Temptation but an Actor therein Lineament VI. 1 How God predestinated some to be saued 2 Why all men were not elected 3 That mens owne wils 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 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 vehemently 5 An admonâ—tion to build low Lineament VIII 1 How God sends thunder and lightning eyther for his glory for mens triall or for their punishment 2 Examples as well moderne as auncient offorcible thunders and lightning Lineament IX 1 That they detract from the glorious Maiestie of God which attribute his thunders lightnings and other meteorly signes to the Diuell or his adherents 2 Proofes out of the word of God that God alone sendeth forth such terrible signe Lineament X. 1 Probable proofes out of Ciuill pollicy that God is iealoâ—s of his glory and glorious signes and therefore not probable that he would lend his reall power to the Diuell 2 Examples of worldly states which could not endure vsurpers of their transitory titles and prerogatiues 3 That God hates Coniurers Witches Antichristians and other Detractors and vsurpers worse then Atheists or ignorant Iâ—fidels Lineament XI 1 Wherefore God diuerteth his naturall creatures against mankinde 2 That all crosses misfortunes proceed only from God 3 That in any wise we must not delay repentance 4 An obiection against sodaine death by the spirit of Detraction out of the Letany with a confutation thereof Lineament XII 1 That we must not iudge by mens misfortunes or sodaine death that they be forsaken of God 2 Charitable censures which a good Christian may yeeld touching those that die sodainly 3 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring ouer-cruelly of the Authors wife who was sticken dead with lightning the third of Ianuary 1603. where her commendation and assumption are moralized Lineament XIII 1 The Authours gratulation for his late fortunate deliuerance 2 His description of the lightning tragedy the third day of Ianuary 1608. at what time God â—ooke away his wife 3 His description of other crosses at the very same time 4 How God fore-shewed by mysteries the said crosses before they hapned vnto the Authour wherein his censure of Dreames is interlaced 5 His description of his miraculous escape out of the Sea wherein he fell by force of a cruell tempest on a Christmasse day 1602. Lineament XIIII 1 The spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring the Lords secret iudgements 2 The Authours imperfections acknowledged 3 His meditation on his late crosses Lineament XV. The Authours gratulatorie Prayer vnto the Lord for the aboue-said wonderous effects Lineament XVI 1 The Conclusion of this present Circle consecrated by the Authour to his Wiues memorie 2 The Application of her memorable death 3 The Authours Apologie against the Spirit of Detraction on the behalfe of this present Circle where his Wiues memorie is saluted with a Christian farewell The seauenth Circle Lincament I. 1 THat the spirit of Detraction can neuer annoy vs while the Maiestie of Iustice shines vpon vs. 2 The Authours supplication to the Lord Chancellour of England the Lord President of Wales and to all other his Maiesties Iudges of Record within this Monarchy of Great Britaine for the exâ—â—rping out of notorious blasphemies 3 The Spirit of Detractions craft in molesting his Maiesties inferiour Officers 4 His diabolicall craft in wronging of priuate persons 5 The Authours Conclusion to the aboue-said Lords for reformation of the said abuses Lineament II. 1 That after Controulement Instruction is necessarie for them that be possessed with