threats from S. Michacls Mount to the furthest bounds of Calydone against all licentious and lying libellers against detractors of their neighbours names or at least wise against such prophane persons which presume to wound the Maiestie of their great Creatour by their malicious or wanton wordes To this end like vnto that Clowne of Danubius who spared not to speake the truth from his very heart before the Emperour Aurelius and the whole Senate of Rome an obedient and obsequious seruant of yours borne vnder Cambriaes climate doth here enforme your patient Highnesse that the Sunne can no longer shine in your Christian Kingdome vpon truth and blasphemy without a most terrible eclipse of discontentment Arise therefore O King and cause these noysome Foxes to be both slaine and slaine Let their habitation be desolate and no man dwelling therein For they that be Traytors to their Heauenly King can neuer be true to their earthly King They that wittingly and wilfully teare in pieces the Titles of the great Iehouah will also proue rayling Semeies and reuiling Sathans against your royall Highnesse Their tongues like sharpe pointed arrowes will passe and pierce through your hard steely armour your armour of proofe my Lords both spirituall and temporall Their throats like open Sepulchres doe threaten to bury your wounded bodies O yee Knights Burgesses and Commons Yea these Knights of the Post these common swearers and detractors will conspire some time or other to blow vs all vp one after another with the gun-powder of their blasphemies O then let not such Atheisticall Agags be spared but let them perish by the hands of Samuell let them perish in the pit of perdition as persons faire worse then murtherers for these kill but the body whereas the periured kill themselues totally both body and soule And as an auncient Father writes They that blaspheme Christ now reigning in heauen do sinne no lesse then they that crucified him here on earth When they forsweare themselues whether it be by compulsion or of custome or of some worldly respect all is one eyther by Gods body by his bloud or by his woundes they spiritually pierce his sides with their bloudy weapons for a wicked tongue is worse then any weapon and like pitilesse Pilate they scourge his sanctified body againe When they sweare by his head as our swaggering swil-bowles will sweare by any part they plaite another Crowne of thornes vppon his hallowed head When they sweare by his foote they naile his innocent feete to the Crosse anew When they sweare by Gods death by Gods heart they put him to death and being worse then Iudas Iscariot they plot to supplant the heart of life When they sweare by senseles blocks stocks by the Masse by Gog or magog they detract from Gods honour in attributing his due to dumbe and deafe Idols But when they wilfully sweare betwixt party and partie in iudiciall proceedings by Gods Sacraments or forsweare themselues vpon his louely Legates the Testament eyther olde or new they blasphemously detract from the Father the Word and the holy Ghost by reason that Gods word comprehended in those holy Oracles is the right record on earth resembling the word incarnate now in heauen who redeemed the penitent from Sathans thrall euen as the other two mysticall records of water the spirit or of Baptisme and the Lords Supper represent the Father the holy Ghost the one signifying our Election by Baptisme and repentance from the Father before all worlds and the other witnessing and sealing the same into our consciences and also breathing faith loue charity and other Diuine gifts into our barren wils as is most euidently testified in those Testaments so that wilfull periury and blasphemous Detraction either to the derogation of Gods honour or to the detriment of his creatures if without commission I may discerne of spirits may be termed a sinne against the holy Ghost or against the whole Maiestie of the sacred Trinity No lesse also sinne the suborners of periurie then Periurers themselues nay they encurre a farre greater punishment because they occasion the losse of other mens soules namely of the suborned persons besides the losse of their owne soules And to detaine them more surely and safely in hell the iniured parties against whom such periury was committed will continually craue and crie for vengeance In respect of which abhominable abuses and for that the Diuell is now-a-dayes most spiritually busie at the shutting vp of this last tragicall seene of the world may it please your Soueraignties to ioyne together as mystical members of one vndiuided and vnblemished corporation for the extirping out of such prophane sinnes which being begunne in youth continued in manhood and confirmed in olde age doe continually raigne among vs as it were by destiny so that likewise other blasphemies in manner of branches beginne to ouer-spread their leaues of lies and libels aboue the plants of truth onely by the slight and too too light stocking vp of that sinfull and saplesse tree of periury Or if your wisedomes iudge it not expedient to promulge and put out any new Acte against this manifolded spirit of malignant Detraction yet notwithstanding for the preuenting of periurie and for the protection of innocencie that Naboth may not sustaine damage by Iezabels false witnesses and that all other sincere subiects may walke dreadlesse in their vocations it were a worke of charity and very likely to hinder the future budding vp of innumerable inconueniences if you would but adde one materiall clause more to the Statue of periury viz. That none be admitted to beare witnes against honest men but honest men men of some sufficiency and substance vntouched vncorrupted and vnsuspected I meane not that they should be voyde of sinne for then we must goe out of this world to fetch in the Angels of heauen but I meane sober men vnattainted of notorious crimes those whom the common law termes probos legales so that common drunkards haunters of Alehouses hunters of whores Barretours beggars rogues and light persons whom the Londoners call Knights of the Post may be excluded from deposing against substantiall subiects For to what end requires the law to haue witnesses produced Is it not to trie the truth And what truth can there be found in such notorious lewd liuers whose thoughts are altogether dulled with sensuall pleasures What true proofe can there be expected from them who differ but very little from bruit beastes Therefore it were sit that Iudges and Iurours regard circumstances as well as witnesses Doth a common drunkard or a common whore-hunter depose such must haue meanes to maintaine their vices Doth a beggar or a prisoner sweare beleeue him not for pinching penuâ—ie will perswade persons to testifie that the crow is white Neede will make the olde wise trot Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacra fames Is a common Barretour produced to testifie his knowledge A Barretour is euer
three records on earth or sacramentall types and mysteries of water the word and the Spirit there are said to be three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost which beare record in heauen three persons distinguished really in respect of their personall properties but indistinct essentially in respect of their perpetuall power I say in respect of originall order of Christs mysticall marriage with the freckled or spotted Spouse the militant Church on earth in respect of his office in mediating for sinfull men an office too meane for the sacred maiesty of God and in respect of his humanity that was crucified for the Elect by Gods promise euer since Adams fall or perhaps before his fall lest the whole generation of mankind had beene vnder a iust Anathema or excommunication the Sonne was and is inferiour to the Father and submitteth his will to the Fathers will as himselfe protested Not as I will but as thou wilt O Father And so the holy Ghost is inferiour to them both in regard of his humble function of vice-gerencie or deputation in comforting and instructing the sinfull sonnes of Adam These seuerall assignements of offices they appointed to themselues in their owne praedestinated wisedomes wherein though they all conspire yet as I said before one of them hath the name of Primate in regard of order but in regard of their eternity and omnipotence none is greater or lesse then another For this cause it is written that the Father created the world the Sonne redeemed it and the holy Ghost sanctifieth it and yet they are but one in effect in their ends one God one omnipotent power communicating to three persons to three properties as one center to three lincs all in all and three in all As no man can come to the Father but by the Sonne so no man can come to the Son but by the holy Ghost for we are sanctified because we are redeemed and we are redeemed because we are elected Pater eligit Filius diligit Spiritus sanctus coniungit vnit The Father electeth the Sonne loueth and the holy Ghost conioynes cements and vnites together The Father eternall in the consubstantiall word the word in him both in the coessentiall Spirit and the Spirit in them both doe all three co-operate co-adiute and worke according to their own counsell for the good of their creatures for the honour of their heauenly Hierarchy The Father begetteth in loue and iustice the Sonne begotten in loue and righteousnes and the holy Ghost proceeding from them both in loue and grace doe mystically teach the inward man that sees with the spirituall eyes of faith what care the Godhead takes for the restoring and repayring of that breach and lapse which the imbecility of mans brittle condition together with Sathans subtilty caused vnto all posterities And thus God manifesteth this three-fold distinction vnto vs that his elect might apprehend the mysticall operation of their soules saluation in the effects of his Iustice Grace and Loue. Againe lest for all this I seeme obscure I will exemplifie the vnited substance of the Trinity more familiarly yet with this prouiso that the words of Zophar to Iob may be read as a preamble Canst thou by searching finde out God or canst thou finde out the Almighty to his perfection That surely were to scale the heauens or build another Babel In a Spirit there is neither part diuersity nor multiplication but wheresoeuer the spirit is there is the whole spirit as the soule of man is not part in the head and part in the foote but the same whole spirit which is in the head is vndiuided entire all and the same in the foote neuerthelesse it appeares more eminent in the head by reason of the soules more notable operation there mans head being the noblest obiect the noblest Organ of the body which the soule doth like So in this spirituall substance of God there is no part diuersity nor multiplication but euery thing in God is God and the whole and the same substance of his Spirit for where one of Gods vertues are there also himselfe and all his vertues are as the influence of the Sunne But we commonly say Our Father which art in heauen not that he is altogether locally circumscribed there secluded from all other places but because it pleaseth his glorious Maiesty for the honour of his power to impart his Diuinity there most cleerely among his vndefiled and vnspotted creatures which as like to like pure to pure doe answere and satisfie the pleasure of their mercifull Creator So that God is in heauen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the rarenesse and excellency of his operations in that purest place And surely God dealt like himselfe like a gracious Lord thus to communicate his soucraigne perfections to that choise place amidst his choysest creatures restrayning the same from vs poorepilgrims who for the brittlenesse of our eâ—rthly mould being clothed but with dust and ashes full of corruptions could no more then Phaeton or Icarus stand iustified before his sunny presence For when his heauenly Highnesse vouchsafed to guide and goe before the Israelites out of Egypt his magnanimous Spirit that could not brooke impurity was moued to such impatience against their sinnes that he was faine to withdraw his strong and powerfull presence from their weake complexions lest as himselfe said he should consume them in the way To returne and retire backe towards the entire essence of the Trinity I beleeue that Gods properties as I wrote before cannot be diuided into parts portions or parcels but that euery quality in God is God and the whole substance of his spirit and so the Speaker in Gods Spirit is Gods Spirit of the whole substance The Word in Gods Spirit is Gods Spirit of the whole substance But herein is their difference that the Father is the Speaker onely as begetting the Word the Sonne is the Word onely as the Word begotten And the holy Ghost is holy only as proceeding from the mutuall loue and from the mutuall wils of the Father or the Speaker begetting and of the Sonne or Word begotten So as the Speaker in God is God the Word in God is God and the holy Loue in God is God But yet the Speaker is not the Word nor the Word the Speaker if we regard the order and mysterie of their operatiue offices though both be God for the one is the Father begetting and the other I meane the Word is the Sonne begotten The propagatour or producer of Sanctification or holy Loue in God is loue which loue is God And loue produced in God is Loue and is God but the producer of loue is not loue produced I say the will of the Father and the Sonne being the producer of loue is not the loue proceeding or produced that is the holy Ghost though all be God in substance and power but differing in the manner of their operation for the Father is loue onely
the vndiuisible substance of the Deity or the subsistence of the person though it seems diuided to the outward man for I confesse the vnity and identity in our Messias Euen as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ by the vnity and vertue of the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All honour laud and glory be ascribed vnto thee O Father of prouidence which hast made vs meete to be partakers of this heauenly vision by whose power our sinfull soules in the blood of his Crosse are regenerate and reconciled vnto thee LINEAMENT V. 1 The description of the Holy Ghost 2 How the Catholike Church was preserued from vtter ruine in time of Poperie 3 That the misprision and contempt of the Holy Ghost wrought the ruine first of the Easterne Church and then of the Westerne 4 Why this third person in Trinity is peculiarly termed Holy 5 The manner to discerne them that be possessed with the Holy Ghost and why S. Paul in his Epistles salutes men in the name of the Father and the Sonne omitting the Holy Ghost 6 What it is to sinne against the holy Ghost 7 The Authours supplication to the Trinity for his presumptuous discourse OVt of the incomprehensible Deity likewise issued the Spirit of spirits the third person in Trinity our holy Iehouah as the meane of the other two Diuine persons namely of Iehouah vnbegotten and of Iehouah begotten I say the meane of the vnbegotten and begotten in respect of the Elect produced propagated or rather proceeding from both their wils the oyle of gladnesse the fiery Comforter the Messenger of zeale the Schoole-master of true loue the miraculous power of God the finger of God which wrought miracles and plagued the Egyptians the Treasurer of sundry pretions iewels as of Prophesie Faith Charity diuersities of tongues and other diuine gifts the water of life the wel of water springing vp vnto euerlasting life The mysticall seale of loue betwixt the Father and the Sonne or to speake more naturally the Sacramentall influence of both their actions immanent and transient Euen as it pleased God at Whitsuntide about seuen weekes after Easter and after the redemption of the Israelites from the bondage of Egypt to giue them the law of the tenne Commandements at Mount Sinai and that not priuately but publiquely before all the Congregation so it pleased his Diuine Maiesty at Whitsuntide about seuen weekes after Easter being the time of our Redemption from the bondage of Hel to inspire his Elect with his holy spirit openly before many witnesses of Parthians Medes Elamites and men of diuers Nations as it is written Suddenly there came a sound from heauen as of a rushing and a mighty winde and it filled all the house where they sate There appeared vnto them clouen tongues like fire and it sate vpon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirit gaue them vtterance But here is the difference worthy of obseruation that euen as there on Mount Sinay Iehouah the Sonne descended downe to the Israelites with fearefull thunder and lightning to signifie thereby the wrath of God the Father for the breach of his lawes so here Iehouah the Holy Ghost descends as the Angell of Christ not in fire of fury but in fire of loue and zeale not with the loud voyce of a Trumpet but with the sound of winde making a peaceable and still noise because the Gospell comforts the deiected man This is that spirituall Angell which inspires the Angels of heauen to honour their Creator which breathes into them the knowledge of all goodnesse which sanctified the Virgins wombe which reuealed to the Prophets mysteries and things to come This holy Spirit regenerates the inward man quickeneth our dull mindes like as the Sunne with his vegetatiue heat nourisheth the barrennest earth and insinuates himselfe into the zealous professours of the Gospell effectually mystically and miraculously This is that Spirit of God which moued at the creation of the world vpon the face of the waters This is that Spirit of sanctification which descended down from heauen in the likenesse of a Done and sate vpon our Sauiour Christ. This is that spirituall Light whose vniuersall presence is neuer absent from the Lordes Spouse the Catholicke Church euen as hitherunto euer since the Ascension of our Sauiour his pure power hath vouchsafed to preserue her from vtter damnation in some Countrey or other When Idolatry ouer-swayed these Westerne parts of the world doubtlesse the Lord had his Spouse eyther in Moscouia Greece Armenia Aethiopia or some other Region and perhaps in one or two housholds as heretofore fell out in Adams Noahs and Abrahams time This the Apostle in the Apocalyps manifesteth when as he prophesied that she should flie into a Wildernesse and soiourne therefor feare of the Dragon or Antichristian deceite while faith was departed and Gods two testimonies lay dead and despised O yee that go vnder the naked name of Catholikes marke how well the concordance of these three places Propheticall answeres your stentorean vociferation on Priestly succession It is dangerous to measure Illumination or any other mentall gift of the holy Ghost according to mistaking times or mens traditions for the Gold-smith that softneth hardneth and tempeteth the mettall at his owne free and secret pleasure may cause his old iewels to be newly in request and distributed againe as it were by degrees or nurses milke by little and little for Our reconciliation to the Lord of life the Lambe that leades to the liuing fountaines of waters or to these Royall Magazins and shops of the Spirit Euen as this Spirit speakes in the hearts of true Gospellers without any noyse of wordes and moueth them oestro miraculoso so the misprision of this Al-quickning Spirit made our forefathers subiect to schismes heresies and superstition and wrought the ruine of the Easterne Church their chiefe Imperiall Citie of Constantinople as it is said being taken on a Whitsunday our festiuall time of the holy Ghost And at this day if we strictly examine our consciences we shall finde the originall fountaine of all our errours Detractions defamations and other infinite pollutions to arise from our hardnesse of hearts in not glorifying our most glorious God and seeking after this Spirit of consolation who is the third person in Trinity As our Sauior Christ said to his disciples Go and teach alnations baptizing them in the name of the Father the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And as the Apostles taught There are three which beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one But why is the third person in Trinity peculiarly termed the Holy Spirit Is not the Father Holy and the Son Holy God forbid that I should hold the contrary The Father is a
be thou mayest be the motiue of his repentance and reformation These spitefull spurious seedes of the Spirit of Detraction a deuout Schoole â—aâ— points out in this maâ—er Si paupâ—res vilem abâ—ectum â—e reputat si Dâ—ues ambit â—osâ—m auarum cupidum si Affabilts dissolutum si Praedicator vel Docter â—â—moris vel humani fauoris quaesuorem si 〈…〉 inuâ—â—lâ—m sâ—â—cum us hypocritam si comedens vrcâ—rem Thaâ— is if thou be poore he reputes thee vile and obiect if rich ambâ—tions a â—â—ggard or couetous if affaâ—â—e 〈…〉 if thou be a Preacher or a Doctor then he accouâ—tâ— thee a hunter after honour or popularity if silent vnprofitable if fasting an hypocrite if eating a glâ—tton With these or such like mantles of subtleties the Diuell vseth to shrouâ— his inueterate malice towards mankind so that we presuming on selfe-wit and selfe-will care not what wickednesse we contriue nor what vanity we vtter with our lips Nor doe we thinke that our most patient Lord beholdeth vs heareth vs yea and knoweth the very cogitations of our hearts before we haue time to speake them But because when we knew God we glorifie him not as God neither are thankefull therefore God giues vs vp to reprobate minde That is he giues vs ouer to our owne lustes to siâ—ne tradimur Sathanae we are deliuered ouer to be tempted and seduced by Sathan we are excommunicated with Caine from Gods lightsome presence barred out of the doores of heauen and banished from blâ—sle And if it were lawfull for me to diue in the Lords secrets I would say that the Arch-diuell that old Serpent is let loose out of hell for a time to confirme vs in our reprobate natures 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 HOw so vile a spirit as this of Detraction can possesse a man pertaker of diuine reason I cannot keepe close from my friends the naturall meanes First Will being Lady ouer the soule ouer reason ouer sense and imagination loth to minister causes of discontentment to any of her subiects lest her Dominion through ciuill discord might become enfeebled resolues to please all handes sometimes bearing with one sometimes with another at last she is glad her selfe to yeeld her suffrage vnto the strongest party in such wise that the spirit of Detraction gets footing with other spirits of errour Wherein she resembles the Machiauellian Princes of this world who complot by their peoples factions for their priuate gaine one while with the Gnelfes another while with the Gibellines one while with the white Rose another while with the red Rose one while with the Vrsini another while with the house of Columna vntill at length themselues by the iust iudgement of God feele equall smart their owne estates turned topsie-turuy and vntill the triple crowned Monarch be chased like the Foxe out of his hole from Rome to Auinion To adde another naturall reason for the enabling of the premisses the spirit of Detraction at the first by bribing of memory sense hath accesse to the braine which is the lodge of the Imaginatiue Lady and by his double diligence insinuates himselfe into her amity She a Princesse of estimation and fauor with the Heart commends this spirit of Detraction to her protection as a minion or play-fellow to deceiue the time or rather her selfe and to discouer vnto her the diuersities of Spirits which might harme her eyther in detracting her credite or in disposing her subiects to insurrection Here the spirituall Hermaphrodite is let in at first by secret conuayances as a thiefe for as yet he dares not openly enter into the hearts palace for feare of the enuious Nobles But in processe of time hauing throughly like Absolon or Seianus stolne away the good consent of the Heart and now strongly befriended by her extraordinary fauours in this microcosme of man he enduceth other humorous spirits to regard him and in fine enticeth vnto him in the hearts metropoly the greatest number of the purer vitall spirits where he besotteth them and bewitcheth them with melancholy rage choler malice and other disordinate passions insomuch that the Soule the hearts tutrix is likewise enforced nolens volens will she nill she to obey this vnworthy Spirit LINEAMENT VII 1 Corollaries for the explanation of the premisses 2 Where wicked Spirits reside in man WIcked Spirits inhabite both in the soule and body some as the spirit of malicious Detraction the spirit of hatred the spirit of enuie lodge in the highest and chiefest part of the soule called the reasonable will which is seated betweene reason and sensuality and apt to be applied to eyther and these are spirituall materiall not knit to any corporall Organ or instrument Other some there be that dwell in the inseriour part of the soule now Will being altogether become sensuall as the spirit of gâ—uttony the spirit of lechery and these are materiall bodily and apprendants to some corporall subiect as rightly belonging to the sensitiue appetite The former spirits are apprehended in the soule before they descend to the bodies appetite The latter two are conceiued with sensuall appetite before it be throughly scanned in the reasonable will or soule whether the acte committed be good or euill This the auncient Philosophers harpâ—d vpon when they acknowledged in euery man three seuerall parts proceeding from spirituall and corporall fountaines namely the Intellectuall which issueth from the soule in the braine the Irascible which issueth from the heart and the Concupiscible or longing part which flowes from the liuer Of these the Intellectuall while it remaines incorrupted may be termed celestiall being the little and liuely looking-glasle of Gods own attributes The other two being brutail may rightly be ascribed to the sensitiue constitution specially when eyther through custome complexion or through some accidentall course they become materiall members for the knowledge of Euill In like manner both these spirits Irascible and Concupiscible linckt in affinity with flesh and blood may also proportionably challenge one vniuersall lodge in the body as wel as the soule apart vnto themselues I meane when they vsurpe a predominance ouer the rest of the passions and this is the heart for who calumniates his neighbours good name and same and hath not the heart burning Who is possessed with the spirit of lust and seeles not his heart consenting Who hates his neighbour and perceiues not his heart panting for reuenge In the heart is the most concourse of humours and there abounds much fiery heat seeing that it digesteth the blood which is sent from the liuer for euen as the eyes of maydes looke vp to the hands of their Mistresse and as the lesser wheeles in the watch waite vpon the greatest wheele so all the members of the body depend vpon the heart their punctuall wheele and mistresse LINEAMENT VIII 1 That the spirit of Detraction
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
to lay an ambush for your neighbours good name fame and reputation Learne by these exemplary crosses to be vigilant for in the houre which you thinke not as a theese in the night will death steale vpon you It is high time for you to prepare your selues to preuent the Tempter Alreadie it begins to smoake and as the Poet forewarnes Tunc tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet When the next wall vnto thy house doth burne Looke to thy selfe betimes next is thy turne These reasons considered I dare boldly auouâ—h for no earthly creature can iudge her conscience more freely then my selfe that my welbeloued wife whom God of late hath taken to his mercy by an vnexpected accident by the lightning power of his fearefull thunder resteth in the Lord as concerning her soule and resteth on earth as concerning her memory both which I trust by the diuine bountie scorne all the brauadoes scaladoes and engines which eyther enuy or Sathan can inuent for their assaults This is the chiefest solace I embrace after so great a crosse This Christian hope richer then any temporall or golden haruest I reape to my selfe after my fatall losse For my light affliction which is but momentary causeth vnto me a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glory while I looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene I looke not so sâ—rupulously on the manner of her death as I looke on the manner of her life which God receiued as a burnt offering Packe hence therefore ye Enthusians and be not like vnto Curdogs that bark at a dead Lyon Though she fell she shall rise againe though she sate in darknesse the Lord will be a light vnto her MY tongue is no hireling Herald to coine her a new pedegre nor yet a mercâ—nariâ— Aduocate to extoll her shadow in steed of substance onely in steed of Popish posâ—humes or Purgatorie trentals I will sacrifice this cacomtasticall oblation as seralem coeâ—am a funerall banquet to her well deseruing memory Holy Augustine neuer conceiued more diuinely of his mother Monica then I doe of thy felicity O happie soule partaker of celestiall ioyes thou needest no praise of mine seeing that thy God hath transported thee in the yeare of lubily to this port of tranquility and conuerted thy pilgrimage to the hauen or rather heauen of euerlasting health Where though thou abound with vnspeakable pleasures yet pardon me if I striue to canonize thy peerelesse fame The pleasant sounds of thy verdant vertues like so many resounding Ecchoes shall neuer vanish from mine insatiable eares Thy extraardinary loue the liuely Jdaea of a spotlesse life shall alwaies dwell within the mansion of my restlesse minde At all times whether it be morning or euening noone-tide or midnight while I soiourne in this house of clay I will congratulate thy high fortunes All haile immortall spirit thou spouse of Christ wrapt vp in his holy armes full of transcendent grace full of transeendent glory All haile full of health full of happinesse which art translated from mortall men to immortall Saints from sorrow to solace Yesterday thou wentest entaÌ„gled with the thorny cares of this world now thou triumphest among the Angels of heauen Yesterday thou wert here where Iob himselfe complained that he was placed as a But to be shot at where Gods enuenomed arrowes stucke in him where the Prophet Dauids bones were consumed that he roared all day long Now thou florishest in the harmony of Gods Spirit minding on nothing but on diuine vertues on spirituall melody Yesterday thou wentest drooping in an earthen cote shaken with the frownes of Enuy with the frumps of Detraction to day thou walkest and this day shines alwaie neuer sets in a temple not built with hands in the line of the liuing God without Enuy without Deraction Here is thy habitation assigned thee thy lot is fallen in a faire ground Liue for euer And this as a looking glasse shall glister vnto thy friends on earth Dorcadis hic dotes miti cum mente Rebecchae Priscillaeque fides mens tamâ—n vna tribus Corpus humas mundus laudes tenet igneus Eliae Elisias tua mens Elizabetha rotas Here Dorcas deeds as starres doe shine Priscillaes faith heere doth combine With mild and kind Rebeccaâ—s mind Yet but one soule to three assign'd Thy bodie earth the world thy name Thy soule by faith Elisian fame Elizabeth eterniz'd gaines Elias-like in lightning waines LINEAMENT XIII 1 The Authours gratulation for his late fortunate deliuerance 2 His description of the Lightning tragedy the third day of Ianuarie 1608. at what time God tooke away his wife 3 His description of other Crosses at the very same time 4 How God fore-shewed by mysteryes 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 Christmas day 1602. GOD forbid that I should charge all my Countreymen with the branded marke of blasphemie for there be many good men which neuer kneeled vnto Baal which neuer worshipped the spirit of Detraction all ready viua voce as the Prouerbe saith with both hands to hold vp the roofe of my opinion They alledge simply and charitably that this great Accident vpon my wife and house came from God as a faire warning for mee and them to prepare our selues for his heauenly kingdome which charitable conceit I cannot cancell with obliuion or ingratitude but rather confirme the same with an applauding Alleluiah The Lord gaue the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. No man aliue this day stands more indebted then my selfe for matters of life vnto the Author of life Daniel was wonderfully deliuered from the Lions clawes Ananias Azarias and Misael from the fierie fornace Ionas in the Whales belly from the stormy sea and Paul with his Pilots Marriners and Companions from perishing in the Mediterranean seas but what am I vile wretched sinner whom thou hast saued as strangely from fire and water O glorious God is it because thy prouident maiestie hath predestinated me to some worthy seruice tending to thy glory O bountifull Lord of vnsearchable wisedome graunt that my faith may be signed with the seale of thy mercy Let my spirit become regenerated and renued as the Potters vessell markt to an honest purpose Whatsoeuer I am whether tolerably toward or vntoward tolerably cleane or vncleane I wholy submit my selfe at the feet of thy mercy altogether depending on thy Sonnes merits from whence I will not depart though I were sure with Asahel to be slaine by Abner and as Iob protested if thou wouldest kill me yet will I trust in thee On the third of Ianuarie 1608. about the third houre of the night or thereabouts as I lay solitarie vpon my bed what with torment of a sodaine tooth-ache and what with an
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
termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as an ouer-curious work for our weake capacities I will relate the differences of such good Spirits as wee finde registred in the word of God to the entent that the spirit of Detraction may tremble the more when he hears their energie and efficacy expressed their energie and efficacie which they possesse by the sight and light of the heauenly Sunne Michael the Archangell is the great Prince which stands for the Lords people And as St. Iohn recordeth in his Diuine mysteries there was a battell in Heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and his Angels whom they ouercame by the blood of the Lambe that is by Christs innocency This Michael as many suppose is no other then our Sauiour Christ. For euen as by the Dragon the Arch-spirit of sinne is parable-wise included so by this Michael the Archangel of saluation might very well be figured By Michaels Angels I vnderstand his glorious spirit his Oracles comprehended in the Scripture the intercessions of Saints for our conuersions zealous bookes published by many good men for our edification in Christ besides our faithfull hearts prepared to heauen by deuout prayers and necessary mortifications of our lustfull bodies By the Dragon the Serpent or Deuill I expound the contempt of the Holy Ghost the deprauing of his precious gifts the spirit of Detraction the spirit of enuie the spirit of vncleanenesse and other sinfull spirits repugnant to the pure spirit of God For as S. Paul confirmes the selfe same because they regarded not God therefore God deliuered them vp into a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient being full of all vnrighteousnesse fornication coueteousnesse malitiousnesse full of enuie c. In some places Angels are termed the starres of God for euen as starres doe shew the light of Heauen vnto vs shining onely to our outward sight so Angels signifie to the inward man the heauenly light of the sun-shine of grace Where mention is made of the Seraphins we may coniecture that for our weakenesse in nature and easie instruction they appeared with wings to the Prophet crying one to another Holy Holy Holy the Lord of Hostes The whole world is full of his glory as a prefiguratiue reuelatition that the word of God the Gospell of Christ should flie ouer all the world and fill the same with his glorious power In like manner their description with wings portends their celeâ—ity and swift readinesse to succour vs in extremity Another Prophet layeth downe the forme of the Cherubins in this manner Euery one of them had foure faces and euery one foure wings and the likenesse of a mans hand was vnder their wings Vnder which vision we may containe the similitude of the foure Euangelists with Christs hand or with his holy Spirit transported into the foure quarters of the world into the East West North and South according vnto the foure ages of the world vnder Adam Noah Moses and Christ which is the last and renueth vs to euerlasting life Among others of Gods spirituall ministers which his Maiesty sent to mankinde one is named Gabriel an Angel that appeared first to Daniel when he prayed to haue that performed of God which he had promised touching the returne of the people from their captiuity in Babilon While he was speaking and praying euen the man Gabriel whom he had seene before in a vision came flying and touched him The said Gabriel came afterwards to Zacharias the Priest to shew him the Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptist and was also sent to Mary the mother of Christ. An Angel called Vriel reproued Esdras because he seemed to enter into the profound iudgements of God And there Ieremiel an Archangell confirmes the wordes of Vriel Raphael one of the seuen holy Angels which goe forth before the Lord tooke the shape of a man and fellowlike conuersed with yong Tobias vntill he brought him home safely from his great iourney bound Asmodeus the lustfull spirit and restored to olde Tobith his sight Now it remaines that I shew what Angels be Angels are ministring spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation The Holy Ghost in the Scripture expresseth their outward formes particular names and numbers in plaine termes to make their Embassages and messages of greater reckoning to our terrestriall senses and simple vnderstanding Their mansions be diuers as our Sauiour testified My Fathers house hath many Mansions Their multitudes infinite Thinkest thou said Christ to his Disciple which smote the High Priests seruant that I cannot now pray to my Father and he will giue me moe then twelue legions of Angels These be they whose loude voyces that profound Diuine heard saying Praise honour glory and power be vnto him that sâ—teth vppon the Throne and to the Lambe for euermore These be they whom our Sauiour Christ prophesied to send against the day of Iudgement to gather together his Elect from the foure windes and from the one end of the Heauen to the other These likewise be those diuine Ministers which at the end of the world shall goe forth and seuer the bad from among the iust and shall cast them into a Fornace of fire where there shall be wayling and gnashing of teeth In the holy Scriptures we reade that holy men such as Aaron the Prophets and Priests were called Gods or Angels because they resembled them in proprieties and perfections for euen as it is the office of Angels to praise God in purity of minde and sanctification so likewise it is the duty of Ministers to preach and teach the word of God without hypocrisie negligence or worldly craft THE SECOND CIRCLE OF THE SPIRIT OF DETRACTION CO NIVRED AND CONVICTED LINEAMENT I. 1. The true application of the abouesaâ—d Coniurations 2 That the names of other good spirits be manifold and diuerfly taken in the holy Scripture 3 After what manner Sinne the messenger of Sathan stings vs. 4 By what meanes we may repell the stings of Sathan 5 That it is hard to iudge of our spirituall stings and from whence they come THe meditation of these mysteries I hope will shake the power of our spiritual Tempters and shape our humane wils after the refined mould of the Inward man so that we prostrate our selues before our Heauenly Lord humbly prying into our owne vnworthines and putting off our vncleane sâ—oes before wee touch his holy Mount so that we employ our knowledge in testimonium veri non in adiutorium falsi for the glory of God and not for the support of sinne so that also we apply our contemplation of his Saints for admiration and not for adoration applauding their happy estates with the acknowledgement of our owne vnhappinesse For who can thrust Peter into Gods Throne were he ne're so glorious a Saint without apparant Treason Downe then yee Detracting soules into your earthly caues
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
the Protestants and hardening of the Papists conferre I say the conformity of the present state with the state past of the Church olde age being another infancy and yee shall see as cleere as at noone-tide the true meaning of darke places which no man that stands vpon his owne high minde and his owne merites can possibly perceiue In like manner doe ye desire to discerne the Antichrist Compare those things which are prophesied of him one with another and yee shall firret him out yee shall finde him cunningly crept into our Christian Church Euen as Christ was a mysterie to the Pharisies so Antichrist is a mysterie to the Papists I say a mystery a mysterie the mysterie of iniquity which cannot distinctly be discerned without the spirituall eyes of faith in the inward man Looke on him with your bodily eyes and this Alcimus will deceiue the very Elect if it were possible In outward shew an Angell of light a sanctimonious Elder but inwardly a sacrilegious Serpent or a Foxe in a Lambes skinne O Antichrist thy Dragon is destroyed by Daniels arte by the bloud of the Lambe thy beast is conquered O false Prophet thy Babylonian whore is become wrinckled her beauty is faded her wich-craft discouered her force decayed her superstitions defaced What remaines Thou art driuen to a narrow straight to thy neerest shifts Post ouer thy title to another Perswade thy subiects that a new Antichrist but no mysticall is euen now borne in Babylon Let Iohn Doleta with all expedition publish this in Print It is a point of policie to temporize and to beare thy credulous Catholikes in hand least suddenly they flinch from thy yoake and of Romanists fall to be Apostolickes By the mysticall allusion of Michea that saw the Lord putting a false and a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets that claymed themselues like the Pharisies and Papists to be within the Church yee shall gather with this and with the Reuelation of S. Iohn that these termes of Decemer salfe Prophet the worker of false miracles which set to sale the bodies and soules of men cannot bee applied more significantly to any other then to him who went out from vs but was not of vs. Would ye answere their obiection which alledge that the Pope cannot be that great Antichrist because his Holinesse denieth not the Father and the Sonne nor exalteth himselfe aboue that which is called God Turne them to the Etymology of these words Iesus Christ that is the Al-sufficient and annointed Saniour of the world and tell them that the entire and whole vertue of the Godhead is wounded it besides him they vse any Mediator to saluation Turne them to S. Paul and reade that the Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God The Pope sits not with Peters humility but with pompe and Maiesty in Peters chaire in the mother Church of the West being now become a cruell stepmother and a common harlot shewing that he hath authority to graunt Indulgences and Pardons to release the paines of Purgaâ—ory peremptorily to aduance his Standard aboue the Church which is to magnifie himselfe aboue the Holy Ghost by whom it is ruled vnder Christ to consecrate beades water crucifixes yea and the glorious body of Christ which is already consecrated in Heauen In which prerogatiues he extolleth himselfe aboue God doing those spirituall offices which are flat contrary to Gods word and law Likewise it is prodigious that such things be sanctified by sinfull man specially since the ceremoniall law and partition wall betwixt the Iewes and vs is broken downe after the resurrection of Christ. It is derogatory I say to his sacred Maiesty that a mortall man vsurpe that Promethean pre-eminence for hee that commits such sacriledge aboue mentioned doth vndoubtedly vsurpe the power of God in a high degree He that vsurpes after this manner detracts from faith only in Christ Iesus and from other gifts of the Holy Ghost He that detracts from these gifts of the Holy Ghost blasphemes and he that blasphemes so high a Maiesty sinnes irremissibly except the Lords mercy left out some other exception vnknowne vnto vs. Thus Christian Reader shalt thou ponder other points of the Bibles mysteries And now seeing I haue sore-armed my soule with sufficient exorcismes and methodically fished out the great Leuiathan let me anathomize the Monsters principall members LINEAMENT IX 1 The Conclusion of this second Circle shewing that the Spirit of Detraction can neuer confound vs while we meditate with saith on Christs passion 2 That we become guilty of his death when we detract from his name or workes 3 The Authors supplication against the spirit of Detractum SHut fast thy mouth from lies and vanity Shoot in thine eyes to loue and verity Thou soule of mine which euery day dost fall Through Sathans web into pollutions thrall Let faith inflame thy will to meditate Vpon that Flame in flesh incorporate To see those wounds which thou hast made so wide With dint of Speare in his bloud gored side Doues build in holes of rocks but thou my Doue In holes of bloudied Rocke must build thy loue For while thou look'st with faith and zealous feare How that his head a thorny crowne did weare How Pilates scourge his holy skinne did teare How his meeke soule both mockes and flouts did beare And how his hands and feete were nailed to the Crosse To ransome thee and to repaire the losse Which Lucifer with Adders sting did cause To thee when Eue first brake her Makers lawes While thou with faith dost view this mystery The fiery Serpent of Mount Caluary No wile no guile no blacke tongues archery Nor selfe-conceit of fancies flattery Can flesh and bloud the world or Sathan worke Against thy life Though Pope conspire with Turke Though Haman with his Counsellors combine Though Machiauell complot with Aretine To blow thee vp vet thy essentiall parts Shall stand vnshak't in spite of all their arts Wherefore yee winds of praise yee wings of pride Packe hence all sinnes which vertues sonnes deride Yee grinning dogs yee grunting hogs away The night is past and wel-come is the day The day is come to day without delay I must contemne such lust vile dust and clay The bell rings out the Drummer sounds Alarme I must rise vp for feare of future harme Teares and prayers are my armes I must pray And speake the truth without all faile to day All haile cleere day long may thy Sun-shine last Without eclipse or cloud or winters blast All haile cleere day through whose reflecting beames Broad waking I do see truths open glcames I see my Lord alas what doe I see My Lord and Sauiour hurt By whom By me By me he lies with thoughts misdecdes and words Wounded as with sharpe thornes or edged swords I crucified my Christ I rent his name I crowned thee with obloquie and shame O Lord of life when I should
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
mocketh at iudgement and the mouth of the vngodly deuoureth wickednesse ibid. Cast out the scornfull man and so shall strife goe out with him yea variance and slaunder shall cease ca. 22. Be not a false witnesse against thy neighbour and speake no falshood with thy lips cap. 24. The North winde drtueth away the raine euen so doth an angry countenance a backbiters tongue cap. 25 Giue not the foole an answere after his foolishnesse lest thou become like vnto him cap. 6. As he that counterfeits himselfe mad casteth firebrands deadly arrowes and dartes so doth the dissembler with his neighbour and saith Am not I in sport Where no wood is there the fire goeth out euen so where the tale-bearer is taken away there the strife ceaseth As coales kindle heat and wood the fire euen so doth a brawling fellow stirre vp variance A tale-bearers words are like men that strike with hammers and they pierce the inward parts of the bodie Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a pot shard couered with siluer drosse A lying tongue hateth the afflicted and a flattering mouth worketh mischiefe Ibid. in cap. 26. A brawling woman and the roofe of a house dropping in a rainy day may well be compared together for he that stilleth her stilleth the winde and stoppeth the smell of oinments in his hand cap. 27. If a Prince delight in lies all his seruants are vngodly cap. 29. Seest thou a man that is hasty to speake vnaduisedly There is more hope in a soole then in him ibid. Be not hasty with thy mouth and let not thine heart speake any thing rashly before God for God is in heauen and thou vpon earth therefore let thy wordes be few Eccles. cap. 5. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sinne ibid. The spirit of wisdome is louing and will not absolue him that blasphemeth with his lips for God is witnes of his reynes a true beholder of his heart and an hearer of his tongue for the spirit of the Lord that filleth the round compasse of the world and the same that vpholdeth all things hath knowledge also of the voyce Therfore he that speaketh vnrighteous things cannot be hid neyther shall the iudgement of reproofe let him escape And why In quisition shall be made for the thoughts of the vngodly and the sound of his wordes shall come vnto God so that his wickednesse shall be punished The eare of iealousie heareth all things and the noise of gâ—udging shall not be hid therefore beware of murmuring which is nothing worth and refraine your tongue from slaunder for there is no word so secret that it shall goe for nought and the mouth that speaketh lies slayeth the soule Wisd. cap. 1. LINEAMENT VI. The spirit of Detraction coniured and conuicted by Iesus the sonne of Siraches testimonie IN the tongue is wisedome knowne so is vnderstanding knowledge and learning in the talking of the wise and stedfastnesse in the workes of righteousnesse In no wise speake against the words of truth but be ashamed of the lies of thine owne ignorance Be not hasty in thy tongue neyther slacke and negligent in thy workes cap 4. Be sâ—ift to heare but slow and patient in giuing answere If thou hast vnderstanding shape thy neighbour an answer if no lay thy hand vpon thy mouth lest thou be trapped in an vndiscreete word and so confounded Honour and shame is in the talke but the tongue of the vndiscreet is his owne destruction Be not a priuy accuser as long as thou liuest and vse no slaunder with thy tongue for shame and sorrow goeth ouer the thiefe and an euill name ouer him that is double tongued but he that is a priuie accuser of other men shall be hated enuied and confounded cap. 5. A man full of words is perillous in his City and he that is rash in his talking shall be abhorred cap. 9. Reherse not a wicked and churlish word twise and thou shalt not be hindered If thou hast heard a word against thy neighbour let it be dead within thee and be sure thou shalt haue no harme thereby A foole trauelleth with a word like as a woman that is pained with bearing of a childe Like as an arrow shot in a thigh of flesh so is a word in a fooles heart Reproue thy neighbour that he keepe his tongue and if he haue spoken that he say it no more A man falleth with his tongue sometime but not with his will for what is hee that hath not offended with his tongue cap. 19. A wise man will hold his tongue till he see opportunity but a wanton and vndiscreet body shall regard no time He that vseth many words shall hurt his owne soule and he that taketh authority vpon him vnrighteously shall be hated In the mouth of him that is vntaught are many vnconuenient and vnmeete words A lie is a wicked shame in a man yet shall it be neuer in the mouth of the wise A thiefe is better then a man that is accustomed to lie The conditions of liers are vnhonest their shame is euer with them cap. 20. A foole lifteth vp his voyce with laughter but a wise man shall scarse laugh secretly The lips of the wise will be talking foolish things but the words of such as haue vnderstanding shall be waighed in the ballance The heart of fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in his heart A priuy accuser of other men shall defile his owne soule and be hated of euery man but he that keepeth his tongue and is discreet shall come to honor cap. 21. If thou be among the discreet keepe thy words to a conuenient time but among such as be wise speake on hardly The talking of fooles is abomination and their sport is voluptuousnesse and mis-nurture The proude doe blaspheme and are scornefull but vengeance lurketh for them as a Lion cap. 27. An hasty browling kindleth fire and an hasty strife sheddeth bloud a tongue also that beareth false witnesse bringeth death If thou blow the sparke it shall burne if thou spit vpon it it shall go forth and both these come out of the mouth The slaunderer and double tongued is cursed for many one that be friends setteth he at variance The stroke of the rodde maketh prints in the skin but the stroke of the tongue smiteth the bones in sunder There be many that haue perished with the sword but many moe through the tongue Well is hee that is kept from an euill tongue and commeth not in the anger thereof which draweth not the yoake of such and is not bound in the bonds of it For the yoake thereof is of iron and the band of it of steele The death of it is a very euill death hell were better for one then such a tongue But the fire of it may not oppresse them that feare God and the flame thereof may not burne them Thou hedgest thy goods with thornes why dost thou not rather make doores and
Lord my Sauiour O men of little faith nay rather of no faith your difference and distrust in spirituall matters wrought and brought in all these fables and foolish fopperies The more wicked ye be the more ye feare and the more ye feare the more phantasies run to your headlesse braines Your guilty consciences seared with the scorching fire of your iniquities become so appalled that ye quake and shake like aspen leaues ye feare the moone-shine in the water ye feare your owne shadowes and tremble with the Maiestie of Gods iudgements as malefactors going to execution or as that Gentleman of Padua who ouer night hearing that he should be put to death the next morning after tooke such an inward conceit though this was but a false alarme that the next morning his youthfull haire was sodainly committed into a siluer colour Spirituall courage descendes from heauen spirituall cowardize springs from flesh and bloud corrupted with blacke melancholy the Diuels breath thickned to a pestilent exhalation Wherehence weake men begat that venefique verse Flectere si nequcam superos Acheront a mouebe If heauen heares me not I 'le downe to hell LINEAMENT III. Proued out of the Booke of Wisedome that mens guiltie consciences caused them at first to feare Bugs and Spirits TO confirme the premisses I will lay downe before you the opinion of that wise man which wrote the booke of Wisedome which likewise proues that feare was the chiefest inuenter of the Diuels miracles and strange sights VVhile they thought to be hid in the darknesse of their sinnes they were scattered abroad in the very middest of the darke couering of forgetfulnesse put to horrible feare and wonderously vexed For the corner where they lay hid might not keepe them from feare because sounds came round about them and vexed them yea many terrible and strange visions appeared vnto them They were sometimes chased with monstrous apparitions and sometimes they swoooned as their owne soules had betrayed them for an hastie feare and that was not looked for came vpon them They were all bound with one chaine of darknesse whether it were a blasing wind or a sweete song of the birds among the thicke branches of the trees or the vehemencie of hasty running water or great noyse of the falling downe of stones or the running of playing beasts which they saw not or the mighty noyse of roring wild beasts or the sound that answered againe in the hollownesse of the mountaines which we call Eccho these terrible things made them swooone for very feare LINEAMENT II II. How mens guiltie consciences made them to mistake the truth and to become afraid of things meerely naturall SOmetimes naturall things because they are vnusuall and seldome seene doe affright and astonish our weake consciences as if we had seene a Spirit specially if they happen in the night time when we sit darkling or if we passe by any Churchyard or where any man was lately killed or hanged Sometime the very sudden talking about such strange apparitions in the nights doth produce a sudden alteration in our vnsetled minds and the rather if we know our selues guiltie of some deadly sinne as of adultery malice or such like Yea Papists by reason of their superstitious legends which their Confessours and graue Fathers haue so firmely euen with their nurses milke imprinted in their thoughts I say these credulous people by Gods iustice are confounded with ridiculous toyes otherwhiles with their owne conceit according to that They feared where no feare was Because they stop their eares from hearing the Gospell and shut their eyes from reading the truth therefore doth God send such light things to terrifie their vnrighteous hearts When we pray vnto our Creator they pray vnto Creatures When we craue to be holpen by the onely helper and Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ they pray vnto them that sometimes were sinners here on earth trusting in Beads Crucifixes and other stocks or Idols reiecting spirituall light and spirituall comfort As for example I remember about eight yeares ago in passing ouer the Pyrences betwixt France and Spayne when I and others then in company hauing lost our way and also being benighted and fearing to be assaulted by wild beasts began to draw out our weapons for feare of the worst a certaine Seminary scholer newly come from Doway armed himselfe with his Beades putting them about his necke and saying vnto vs that he cared not for all the Beares of the world as long as he had those Beads about him which as he alledged were consecrated by the Popes owne handes Whereby a man may note to what superstition and follies this sect is drawne that from the Spirit of God they betake themselues to earthly hopes No maruell then that they are also blindfolded in attributing such beleefe to Goblins and Sprights The simpler sort when they behold but a firedrake a flaming meteor the shooting of the starres or candles about dead mens sepulchers which indeed are no other then sulphureous exhalations Presently they giue out that they saw Sprights or Diuels And if they had not sodainly crossed themselues they had beene taken tarde and slaine Others haue beene put to great feare by looking on shining worms on bones of newland fish or on a kind of rotten wood which shine very bright in the night time Some againe haue trembled in their beds at the sudden rumbling and noyse which Cats Rats or Mice haue made in searching for their prey or at the stirre and coile which disguised sprights haue caused Many pageants haue beene practised with the benefit of the night to the great terrour of them that were not very wise some haue wrought wonders by walking on the water vpon stilts I meane vpon deepe waters as others haue walked with large soles of corke I haue likewise heard of some Conicatchers that went currant for Coniurers who to gaine themselues estimation among fooles haue purposely in the fields placed in a darke night creuises or tortoises aliue with burning candles on their backs onely to make them beleeue that they were creeping Diuels Some haue taken Echoes for Sprights as he of whom it is reported that a Goblin had welnigh caused him to be drowned whereas indeed it was no other then the rebounding or reflecting backe of his owne voyce For when he asked a farre off Can I passe ouer the Echo answered passe ouer Many men haue beene abused by meanes of knaues voyces entonneled in long reeds or canes which altered the tune of their voyces If our iudgement vnderstanding and sences being sound and whole be thus deceiued and deluded with such a deepe apprehension of feare much more must we thinke that they will enduce vs to blabbe out prodigies and monstrous wonders if they were depraued and hurt in their Organs specially in their braines LINEAMENT V. A merry story borrowed out of Peter de Loiers booke of specters shewing how a Traueller war frighted in passing by a gallowes IN the
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
Bees leauing not so much as one of their stings behinde to offend that renowmed Macchabee Right Honourable and prudent Senatours to whom the Sunne of this mightie Monarchie hath imparted part of his powerfull authoritie to iudge the Tribes thereof I haue purposely framed this preface towards your patient spirits that thereby your Honours may discerne the anguish of my sicke soule which labours like a woman intrauaile to discharge her long and toilesome load Non quaero quod mihâ— vâ—ile sed quod multis I sue not onely for my selfe though perhaps my particular griefe is such that it may crie for vengeance vnto the highest heauen but on the behalfe of many thousands who moane and groane vnder the vvaight of a little Diuell the Tongue of Sinne. In what measure this Tyrant lauisheth and lordeth I am not able to expresse in words significant seeing that it passeth the power of any one modest Writer to comprehend the sway and swing of spirituall monsters Amidst the incessant complaints of so many Subiects who continually like Iobs messengers solicite your wisedomes with their frequent informations besides your owne trials your Honours may enquire from one to one and obserue from day to day how many zealous persons finde themselues agrieued out of Court and in Court euen from his Maiesties starrie Court to the least and base Court Out of Court at Ordinaries at gossipping at Tauernes at Tobacco-taking a man shall heare nothing but Detractions nothing but contumelies and lies nothing but captious and carping speaches When they are wantonly wearie with iearing with ieasting one at another with tearing their neighbours good name and fame with their taunting tongues like vnto Delphick swords and with diuersities of scandals worse then the prints of scourges then they fall to swearing to swaggering and to blaspheming of their Lord and Father in Heauen in stead of hallowing his holy name O times O iniquitie If God be their Father where is his honour If he be their Lord where is his reuerence To you iudicious Lords as the watchfull Sentinels or rather the wise Surgeons of our State it belongs betimes euen before the darkest night of errours steales vpon vs to prouide for corrosiues and cauterismes against these vgly vlcers which ranckle within the body of our Common-weale Sith it hath pleased his Royall Highnesse to communicate part of his light vnto you whereby euery one of you might moue in his place not naturally ab oriente ad occasum but supernaturally from Nature to the Authour of Nature I beseech your Lordships in the lowest degree of reuerence by vertue of this your heauenly motion your vertuall Influence and irradiation to dissolue such clouds of Detractions into dismall showers vpon the Detractours heads according to that of the Princely Prophet they haue digged a pit for others and haue falne into the mâ—ast of it themselues They sought to bemire beray their honest neighbors with their legends nay with their legions of lies intending to set them vpon the stage of scorne on the scaffold of scurrility and there to cloath them with reproach and shame not vnlike those spitefull Iewes which plaited on our Sauiours head a Crowne of thâ—rnes crowne to delude him thornie prickles to torment him By vertue of your authorities your starrie motions let such clouds and vapours be dispersed into vvhole flouds of vengeance vpon the Spirit of Detraction Let their bodies feele the smart of your sword whose wilfull Wills will not relent with the waight of your ballance If other mens examples serue not to bridle their vntoward tongues let their owne estates pay the ransome of their contempts While such monstruous sinnes beare dominion among vs neuer let your wisedomes thinke that your Officers of inferiour rankes dare execute in that proportionable expectation your monitorie directions your wholesome rules for the repressing of ryots for the restraining of vnrulinesse as otherwise they would were they assured of protection While Periurers and pettiâ—ogging Promootors range vp and downe at their pleasure neuer let your Honours looke but for vnequall proceedings and vniust presentments at our neighbours hands But some one will obiect that the Courts of Iustice lie open as well for the basest as for the noblest Subiect neither will our lawes permit a priuate person to lay violent hands on an Out-law or on him vvhich is attainted of Premunire so equall a reference beares Iustice towards subiects of all conditions By these reasons Periurie fortifies it selfe against the open face of Truth Yet notwithstanding whosoeuer ponders more pregnantly the present state of our publike weale comparing the same with that of the olde vvorld shall finde that our present policie had need of further muniments to vnderprop it least also your Atlantick shoulders become wearie or to speake more properly least your vp-streatch'd hands like those of Moses might faile at length in their important charge Though God I confesse hath ordayned the Sunne to shine vpon the vngodly as vpon the Godly and as the Preacher wrot All things come alike to all The same condition is to the iust and the wicked to the pure and impure to him that sacrificeth and to him that doth not sacrifice Though the Lord created them all alike in respect of outward endowments or accidentall meanes yet notwithstanding he hath seuered them specially in the second life entitling the Innocent as Lambs the reprobate as Goats the one as good seede the other as tares the one for Heauen the other for Hell The like distinction I could wish to be practised among those Iudges which either take or hope themselues to be partakers of that second life so that all notorious lewd members might be excluded if it were possible from molesting of quiet spirits To this purpose after a sort our late Parliament prouided a countermining order for the speedie dispatch and triall of suites commenced against Officers at the Common law But so it is Right Honourable that these Caterpillers implead a barre in this finall concordance for if your Officers come accompanied vvith honest neighbours to search or suppresse suspicious people or else to apprehend disturbers of his Maiesties peace these wicked ones apparrell themselues in the robes of subtiltie and with the helpe of mercenarie tongues laying an ambush for Iustice they surmise with Aesops Wolfe that the poore Lambe in forcible and riotous manner mudded the Well where water was vsually drawne for their Lordly mouthes This offence by their Sathanicall inuentions being exorbitant and beyond the capacitie of the Common law they frame their suggestions before your Honours in hope that their suites by reason of the manifold affaires vvhich distract your diligent mindes shall hang vnheard for two or three yeares space within which terme they will worke meanes to compromit their said friuolous suites or else by tossing and tiring their Aduersaries too and fro with tedious trauailing to end them at home for their credite and aduantage If an honest man
hath a summe of money due vnto him by Obligation the Partie indebted not able to spare it by reason of his ouer-lauâ—sh expenses in apparrell wenches and such inordinate vanities and seeing no shift at the Common law to auoid the payment confederates with two or three of the Diuels consort bare legged vagrants those whom Homer termed houselesse and Tribelesse and vseth the forfeit of their soules for his temporall aduantage and for the hindrance of his Creditours in his Maiesties Court of Chauncerie Doth a Landlord demand the occupation of his owne and natiue free-hold requiring the Tenant either to compound for a longer terme or to leaue it vnto his dispose Presently these wrangling wretches with bread and cheese in their scrips runne headlong to the Counsell of the Marches where vpon affidauit of their three yeares possession and afterwards vpon proofe by some of these damned crew that they contracted with their Landlord for a lease paroll though such an Act was neuer done or perhaps done for some other consideration of import they procure either orders to continue their possessions for the said supposed deposed terme or vntill they be expulsed by vertue of verdict at the Common law where also by reason of these vilipendious varlets testimonies they win the garland of their forged suits O the perfidiousnesse of false faithlesse hearts that thus rashly runne into the lake of fire and brimstone These inconueniences happen daily to the impairing and impeaching of our temporall fortunes Yea and which is most detestable among Christians these treacherous Iudasses and impious Impes of Sathan combine together against our credites which some of vs value beyond Craessus his treasurie and some other times against our liues which as Tenants in capite we hold from the King of Kings These abhominations of my natiue Country here I submit before your eyes of Iustice that the same may serue as additions of examples vnto your manifold experience whereby your Honours may conceiue or rather recall to memorie what terrible tempests doe daily encounter your inferiour Ministers and others his Maiesties vvell disposed subiects notwithstanding that you know alreadie better then a thousand such as I am that there is no signe more certaine that men are vertuous then to see them hated of the vicious for imminent enuie euer persecutes eminent vertue Good my Lords employ your vttermost endeauours for the extirping of these accursed actions The more paines yee take in this waightie businesse the more conspicuous crowne of Honour shall you weare in the Heauenly Citie euen by His appointment who though inuisible to the eyes of flesh and bloud stands in the assembly of the Gods and iudgeth among the Gods that is in the midst of you O earthly Iudges which likewise that Holy man protested saying that his eyes are with Kings and Princes in the throne And another confirmeth the same vvith a reason for yee execute not the iudgements of man but of God To this end that the lawes of this land may not further be iniured by the Spirit of Detraction let his counterfaite Castor and Pollux be crushed in the egge his rancour repelled and his rage repressed in the beginning of his raigne for if Sathans surmised suites vvere blasted in the blossome the rest of his snakie Spirits would presently sneake away into their bottomlesse home If the lippes of our Satyrciall Semeies vvere seared as a subiects lips in France vvere seared vvith a hot Iron for his petulant speaches vvhen they transgresse and transcend the bounds of obedience then surely vvould they yeeld their hearts vvith greater awe and ciuilitie to the Ballance and Sword of Iustice. If their tongues vvere tempered towards your subordinate Ministers they vvould vvith greater reuerence respect your higher authorities as the resemblance of his Maiesties person yea of God himselfe But some will say that these sons of Detraction cannot so soon cashiere ther blasphemies periuries slanderous suggestions by reason of a continuall cankred custome which they deriue into their wils euer from their cradle in their education conuersation For confirmation of this fallacie they insist on the Locrensian law on the state of our bodies which may not brook innouation nor breach of custome the same being as Physicians hold another nature With the sophistrie of this vntempered morter Right prudent Lords our Momists vse to daube ouer their grosse errors as though the conuersion of a corrupted custome were the peruersion of an authenticke Law The alteration of our customarie diet I confesse seemes raw and rough at first vnto our crabbed natures but within a while after it turnes to the benefit of the Patient where the custome is refined or reduced into a better for what is Custome without Truth none other then as meate without salt an old wiues fable and an old doating sinne Whatsoeuer sauours not of Faith is sinne The word of God admits not of wrangling policie neyther may vve wrest it according to our vvorldly deuises It is primitiue and contemnes mixture it is pure and hates hypocrisie The Lord hath spoken and his speaches shall stand for euer Heauen and Earth shall passe away but the vvord of God shall neuer passe Yea one day tels another one night certifieth another that his spotlesse Spirit abhorres those refractaryes which blaspheme his hallowed Name which beare false testimonies against their neighbours But vvhat am I that thus audaciously goe about to confront your experience vvhose bookes of Iudgements I am not worthy to open What am I that seeme as sus Mineruam to instruct Nathans in Iustice Nestors in Counsels Pardon my trespasse vertuous Iudges as the Highest Iudge hath pardoned yours As many peeces of flesh I speake it vnder your accustomed patience do better the pottage so these aduisoes of mine though ambitiously elated I know cannot hinder your graue proceedings Let them go then as little looking glasses for Abcedarie nouices vvhose abilitie perhaps in wit or purse will not serue to get them mirroirs of a firmer substance LINEAMENT II. 1 That after Controulement Instruction is necessary for them that be possessed with the Spirit of Detraction 2 That Taciturnitie and Patience doe coniure him downe into hell FOrasmuch as the Detracting Spirit and his false feathered Eagles are vnmasked and discouered through the vvinde of Gods Word which before in this age of ours was like an infortunate Planet predominant ouer the Horoscope of our natiuities it is high time that I minister an Antidote or preseruatiue against the precedent mischiefes and after controulement that I adioyne instruction seeing both together are as necessarie for the variable will of man as Phlebotomy for a Pleurisie or Calenture Euery euill at the first budding is quickly extirped but being suffered for a while to runne a lawlesse race vncurbed or vncorrected it becommeth past cure Euen as wilde-fire or lightning hauing receiued nourishment or matter to worke vpon by candle-light tallow or oylie substances
increaseth in a house and there-hence vvould breake into the next house and at last into the whole towne vnlesse at the first inflaming it be quencht with milke so the Spirit of Detraction being suffered to creepe into an honest mans house like Aesops vnthankfull Snake which the innocent husbandman saued from the chilling colde and there by negligence permitted to infect some of the household will at length not onely enuenome the head of the Family himselfe but also empoyson the vvhole neighbourhood except at the first his fiery force be extinguished with the milke of Taciturnitie and Patience Of this kinde of milke among other ingredients is that Oyntment made which the Apostle mentioned ye haue an oyntment of him that is holy ye know all things Though Truth hath taken off this false vizard yet vvee must apply the fruits of Truth for his further condemnation and that other wicked Spirits may likewise be kept backe from planting themselues in the little world With Taciturnitie the Spirit of Detraction is choakt with Patience the Detracted conquereth the Detractour vincit qui patitur In old time this kinde of Spirit vvas coniured vp by vnhallowed holy vvater by massemonging miracles now our Countrey-men rayse him vp by pots of good liquour and pipes of Tobacco therewith both day and night profaining their bodies which rather they ought to purifie vvith mortification as the Temples of the Holy Ghost for wanton flesh and bloud cannot inherit heauen In old time his malice was sometimes allayed by simplicitie and superstitious singlenesse of minde now hee can neuer be put downe and packt into hell without Taciturnitie and Patience both which if thou who readest this Circle dost obtaine at thy heauenly Fathers hand thou needest not doubt of thy soules saluation nor of silent sobrietie LINEAMENT III. 1 The discription of Taciturnitie 2 That the nature and qualitie of a man may be discerned by speach or writing 3 That wise men in priuate may descant of their neighbours faults so that the same tend to edification ALbeit that Taciturnitie be a kinde of milke farre more delicious then the Paracâ—lsians lac virginis or false Mahemets heauenly iunkets hard to come by knowne but of very few and those sons of Art vvhose chiefe Aphorisme is to keepe close their soueraigne receipts from vicious persons I will notwithstanding aduenture to disclose vvhat it is borrowing the discription thereof out of Monsieur du Chesue his Portraict de la sancte Taciturnity is to heare and premeditate a thing well and long to be briefe and short in his answeres that is to speake little or nothing Taciturnite est bien longuement oscouter premediter estre briese court on ses responses ascauoir dire peu ou rien This rare medicine makes the Patient which takes it to carry his mouth in his heart whereas Detraction causeth men to beare their hearts in their mouthes to deliuer dregs with drinke and to shoot their foolish boltes before that discretion wils them Which moued a certaine wise man that on a time vvas askt by his Prince at a banquet why hee alone sate still like a foole without parleying thus pithily to answeare A foole be it spoken vnder your Matesties correction can hardly hold his peace at a banquet for as Salomon saith the foole putteth forth all his spirit but a wise man deferreth it afterwards O diuine vertue O discreet Taciturnitie which resemblest the patient Deitie vvhich repellest hunger and thirst which neuer renderest griefe blame nor shame Surely the best coniecture vvhich may be made of mens inclinations is by speach or writing Loquere vt te videam speake that I may know thee quoth Socrates to a nouice of his as for example if thou hearest one discourse immoderately of faire women fine apparrell of hauking hunting and gaming or if thou hearest him vaunt ouer-gloriously of his owne vvorth or speaking in print in inck-horne termes thundring out sesquipedales and hornificabustulated metaphors verborum bullas ampullas wordes of his owne bubled or botled stampe or if thou seest him scribble disioynted phrases and lame Hyperboles then note him for a vaine-glorious fellow a phantasticall Parrot a golden Asse led too much with the imaginatiue facultie If his common talke be of law cases of lying Chronicles of old wiues fables or if he rips vp pedegrees repeating his owne or his Kinsmans genealogy to Cadwalader to Brutus to Saturne to Noah in all companies and at all times of honest mirth obserue him for an excellent memorie and vvithall for a notable foole If he waighs his vvords by the ounce if hee speakes seldome or not before a question be asked him and if he regardeth circumstances as the dignitie of the person vvith whom he talkes the place the time the nature of the hearers and the matter of speach alwayes vsing Gods name and authoritie vvith submissiue reuerence knowing that his omnipotent Maiesty heareth euery vvord hee speakes then marke him for a man of vnderstanding Hee that vvill learne to speake must first learne to be silent for as the Italian Prouerbe teacheth l'huomo parlando poco e ' annumerato fra i sauij The man vvhich speakes little is accounted among the vvise And as the French-man saith les foullies plus courtes sont les meilleures the briefest sheetes are the best Be a man neuer so vvitty yet if hee parleyes much his tongue cannot chuse but erre and trip in some principall points which as another Italiaen vvrites vvill trouble the stomacke more then ten graines of Antimoniâ— or Stibium Conturbano piu lo stomacho que farebbonâ—â—â—eci grani de Antimonio So that one vvord out of square may blemish a mans whole reputation and cause Zoylists to descant and sit vpon him perhaps vvhile hee liues Neyther can I excuse the wisest Clerkes that they likewise be not sometimes subiect vnto the spirit of Detraction as that Learned Lord demonstrates Men though otherwise graue and learned may erre eyther by mistaking principles or giuing too light eare vnto false informations which are rightly termed the spectacles of Errour for God onely searcheth the heart and raines But what censure will their owne inckpot Senate yeeld of such iesting and Iybing nicking and nipping Paedantes vvhich cannot bridle their vvide mouth'd hackneys namely that such persons be but parliamenting Parasites Pungitopian peeuish Momes ridiculous Readers Bacchanalian Parolistes super-ingenious Iayes superficiall flaunting fooles letting their tongues runne before their wits without rime or reason without matter or methode for as the Wise-man writeth In many words there cannot want iniquitie Notwithstanding all this I am not so seuere a Cynicke neque mihi cornea sibra est nor are my heart-stings so horny and hard-laced as to banish all manner of delightfull discourses to deceiue away the time vvithall for I graunt that a friend an alter ego may vvithout impeachment of Detraction or doubt of Libelling vnlocke the cabinet of
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
Hee which cannot erre nor lye no more then Socrates if wee may credit Plato for the one and Antichristians for the other because his seeming Holinesse by vertue of his Eagles feathered force indictes me for an horned beast and my bookes for Heresies I must not trauerse the indictment nor appeale to Caesar nor to the generall Councell but I must rest contented with my doome that the spirit of Detraction stands as yet stout vnconiured and vnconuicted Ascend then yee spirits of euer-darkning night aduance your selues on high yee spightfull spirits of Contradiction extend your stings intend your Circles and conuict your fellow spirits if yee can But why doe I imagine reail Castles in the skies why reuerberate I the fleeting Aire The Aeâ—â—iopian can as soone change his blacke skinne as yee driue out the spirit of Detraction Thou hast loued liars O vsurping Eagle and thy blasphemie is come vp vnto the highest Therefore appeare no more thou Eagle with thy horrible wings with thy wicked feathers thy vngratious heads thy sinfull clawes and all thy vaine bodie At the least presume not to take in hand this important taske to confound this powerfull Pantagruell the limme of that mighty Leuâ—athan least your winged members as Sathans subiects doe contrarie one another and so diuided through ciuill discord they occasion the finall subuersion of your vvhole dominion One graine of Faith preuailes more then a masse of Masses then millions of Ceremonies of mens Inuentions for the conuicting of Spirituall Monsters Goe thy way then O detracting spirit notwithstanding all these stings tuskes clawes contradictions carpings calumnations and cauillations of sauage people of Aristarches of Catoes of Momistes of Monsters and Vsurpers goe thy way I say conuicted I adiure and coniure thee in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost the ternall and Eternall Vnitie vvho for the mysterie of mans saluation is really distinguished in appellation operation and personall function but indistinct in Essence Omnipotence and Eternitie and venture not hereafter to possesse the sanctified soules of our new-borne Brittaines nor attempt to tempt the Authour of this aduenturous Arke fraught by him but with simple Circles in steed of Noahs necessarie implements vvhose spirituall faculties I finally pray our Heauenly Lord the Lord of Hierarchies to fence and fortifie with the shining shield of his sunnie spirit not onely against thy spirituall spite O blast of Blasphemie but also against all other aspiring spirits whatsoeuer whether they dwell in the flesh or out of the flesh Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS OF THE LINEAMENTS AND CIRCLES CONTAINED IN THIS WORKE The first Circle Lineament I. TO whose capacitie the description of Spirits is difficult to whose it is easie 2 The Authors inuocation to the Godhead through whose onely operation the spirit of Detraction is to be coniured and conuicted Lineament II. 1 That the true meanes to conuict the Spirit of Detraction is the Meditatâ— on Heauenly mysteries and on the operation of goodnesse 2 Mans curiositie in prying into Gods nature stinted by a non vltra 3 The description of some of Gods attributes 4 That his aâ—seription is too excellent for mans apprehension 5 That Good or Euill cannot come to mankinde without his will Lineament III. 1 The admirable incorporation of the three persons in Trinitie 2 Their mysticall operation vnfolded according to our reasonable capacities 3 How God is said to be in heauen 4 After what manner the Trinitie doe differ one from another either in Appellation or in Operation 5 That the Pagan Poets like Apes aymed at Gods mysteries by their darke Allegories Lineament IIII. 1 The description of our Sauiour Christs Incarnation 2 In what manner he tooke vpon him our infirmities 3 His terrible passion and death 4 His Resurrection and Ascension 5 That he alone is our Medigtor with the Father 6 His comming to Iudgement Lineament V. 1 The description of the Holy Ghost 2 How the Catholike Church was preserued from vtter ruine in time of Poperie 3 That the misprision and contempt of the Holy Ghost wrought the ruine first of the Easterne Church and then of the Westerne 4 Why this third person in Trinity is peculiarly termed Holy 5 The manner to discerne them that be possessed with the Holy Ghost and why S. Paul in his Epistles salutes men in the name of the Father and the Sonne omitting the Holy Ghost 6 What it is to sinne against the Holy Ghost 7 The Authours supplication to the Trinity for his presumptuous discourse Lineament VI. 1 Their Heresies conuicted which detract from the seruice of God because they see him not with their corporall eyes 2 The knowledge of God proued by an instance of our earthly King who is knowne throughout great Britaine of all his subiects though not of all with corporall sight 3 The excellencie of his spirit aboue the rest of his subiects 4 Meanes to know God 5 Why mortall men cannot see God Lineament VII 1 The description of some of the good spirits which attend on their Creator in heauen 2 Their Offices 4 Greatnesse The second Circle Lineament I. 1 THe true application of the aboue said Coniurations 2 That the names of other good spirits be manifold and diuersly taken in the holy Scripture 3 After what manner Sinne the messenger of Sathan stings vs. 4 By what meanes we may repell the stings of Sathan 5 That it is hard to iudge of our spirituall stings and from whence they come Lineament II. 1 The originall root of Detractions and other pollutions and whether the spirit of Detraction and other sinfull spirits which possesse mankind be reall spirits or stings of the Diuel 2 The sight betwixt the knowledge of Good and the knowledge of Euill 3 That the Good gets the victory ouer the Euill 4 That the Diuell cannot harme a man really Lineament III. 1 That all wicked Spirit ordinarie and extraordinarie 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 Sauls lunacie is censured 4 That the Spirit of Detraction attendeth on all the said spirits Lineament IIII. 1 Why God giues vs ouer to be tempted by Sathan 2 After what manner the Diuell vseth now a-dayes to ensnare vs. 3 The Diuels policy for the circumuenting of soules Lineament V. 1 Mans fall from the state of innocencie is censured 2 Curiosity curbed for intermedling with Gods secrets 3 The first reason why man was not left altogether perfect and incapable of sinne 4 The latter reason Lineament VI. 1 A meditation vpon Sathans stings occasioned by an vnfained dreame of the Authours 2 Whether the Dragon which S. Iohn saw fighting with the Archangell was reall or spirituall 3 Whether the Serpent which deceiued Eue was reall or spirituall or both wherein the manner of her deceiuing is laid downe Lineament VII 1 That the Holy Ghost applies the Scripture