The arraignment of slander periury blasphemy, and other malicious sinnes shewing sundry examples of Gods iudgements against the ofenders. As well by the testimony of the Scriptures, and of the fathers of the primatiue church as likewise out of the reportes of Sir Edward Dier, Sir Edward Cooke, and other famous lawiers of this kingdome. Published by Sir William Vaughan knight.

LINEAMENT XII.

1 That we must not iudge by mens misfortunes, or sudden death, that they be forsaken of God.

2 Charitable censures, which a good Christian may yeeld touching those that die suddenly.

3 The Spirit of Detraction conuicted for censuring ouer cruelly of the Authors wife, who was striken dead with lightning the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Ia∣nuary, 160⁰ where ••er comm••ndation and assumption are moralized.

WHen the Lord is disposed extraordinarily to extend his glorious power, why dost thou, ô foolish man, presume to enter into his hidden power? Why dost thou labour (like Lucifer) to climbe vp into his chaire of secrets? Shal the thing formed checke him that formed it? Can the Pottervse his vessels as he thinkes good? and shall not the Lord dispose of his owne creatures? Who ar•• thou which iudgest another mans seruant?

What canst thou tel, whether God hath predestinated them to saluation, and accepted of their submission, as of the thiefe which was crucified with him, at the last gaspe, and as they say, betwixt the bridge and the brooke?

Betwixt the stirrop and the ground, Mercy I thought, mercy I found:

As one ••pitaphed vpon the tombe of him, that fell dead sodainly from his horse. Sometimes it pleaseth his Maie∣stie out of our errour to raise his owne honour, and to make vertue perfect and complete by infirmity. And ther∣fore it is verie vncharitable for one sinner to iudge of a∣nother sinner. Let him who is without sinne throw the first stone at him, as Christ said. ••••et the sinner draw out the beame out of his owne eye, before ••e remoue the mote out of his brothers eye. It is Gods office onely to iudge the euent and end of things. Therefore iudge nothing be∣fore the tr••e, vntill the Lord comes who will lighten the hid∣den things of darknesse, and open the counsels of the hearts. Saint Paul was made a gazing sto••ke vnto this world, he

was defamed, yea, he was made as the filihinesse of the world & as the off-scouring of all things, yet a chosen vessel and Apostle of Christ. When it was told our Sauiour, that Pilate had massacred the Galilaeans, euen as they sa∣crificed, he willed vs not to iudge of their liues and sins, but by their example to amend our liues. For neither those poore Galilaeans, nor yet these eighteene vpon whom the tower in Siloc fell, were greater sinners then all ohers which dwelt at Ierusalem. Iosias was one of the godliest kings, that euer reigned in Iuda, yet was he killed with dartes in the battell against the king of Aegypt. Zacha∣riah the Prophet, Stephen the martyr, with other ser∣uants of God were tyrannously put to death. Yea, and Christ himselfe being without sinne endured worldly sor∣rowes without number, and also died a most terrible death: yet did they iudge him as though he were plagued and cast downe of God, according to that which was pro∣phesied of him. The Lord is righteous in all his waies, the Lord is holy in all his workes, as the Prophet Dauid con∣fessed, and as Maurice the Emperour protested, when he saw his wife and children murthered before his face by his seruant Phocas. How then darest thou which art vnrighteous and vnholy, sit and reade on the secret deeds of the righteous God, and on the wondrous proceedings of the holy one of Israel? Sometimes it pleaseth him to ful∣fill in our daies that Prophesie of his concerning the ta∣king of the godly from among the wicked. The righteous perisheth, and no man regardeth it in his heart. Good godly men are taken away, and no man considereth it, namely, that the righteous is conueyed away from the wicked who heape vp treasures and pleasures for this world, as the godly do for the world to come. It may be also, that his mercy is so great, that respecting not our sinnes, his aboundant grace will vouchsafe to pronounce that answere concer∣ning Lazarus in our behalfe: This sicknesse is not vnto death, but for the glory of God. Correspondent to which

is likewise the satisfaction, which our Sauiour Christ yeel∣ded to his disciples demaund, when they asked him about the blind man: Master, who did sinne, this man or his parents, that he was borne blind? Iesus answered, neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be shewed in him. Perhaps the Lord sends ex∣traordinary accidents vpon his seruants to the intent, that they should serue for a Parable or warning peece to the rest of his people in this countrey, from whom he meanes shortly to take away their power, the ioy of their ho∣nour, the pleasure of their eyes, and the desire of their hearts, except out of hand they become watchfull and repentant with the Niniuites. For if iudgement begin at the iust what shall be the end of them, which obey not the Gospell of God? And if the righteous be scarcely saued, where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare? If there be no diffe∣rence betweene the innocent and reprrobate in the man∣ner of their deathes and worldly crosses, why doe we ioyne field to field, land to land, and make ac∣count to see long lasting daies in this transitory world, or to die in our soft downe beds? The word of the Lord came to Ezechiel: Behold, I take away from thee the plea∣sure of thine eyes with a plague, yet shall thou neither mourne nor weepe. So Ezechiel spake vnto the people in the morning, and in the euening his wife died. The Parable was this: thus saith the Lord God, behold, I will pollute my sanctuary, euen the pride of your power, the pleasure of your eyes, and your hearts desire. And you shall doe as I haue done, ye shall neither mourne nor weepe, but ye shall pine a∣way for your iniquities, and mourne one towards another. Thus Ezechiel is vnto you a signe. And thus perhaps am I a signe vnto you, O worldly wizards, whose tongues are hired by the detracting spirit to blaspheme the power∣ful Lord of lightnings, to curse God and die with Iobs wife and to lay an ambush for your neighbours good name, fame, and reputation. Learne by these exemplary cros∣ses

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 auou••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 ac∣cident, 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 bra∣uadoes, 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 ex∣cellent 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 s••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 dar∣knesse, the Lord will be a light vnto her.

MY tongue is no hireling Herald, to coine her a new pede∣gre, nor yet a merc••nari•• Aduocate to extoll her shadow in steed of substance; onely in steed of Popish pos••humes or Purgatorie trentals, I will sacrifice this cacomtasticall oblation, as seralem coe••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 ce∣lestiall ioyes, thou needest no praise of mine, seeing that thy God hath transported thee in the yeare of lubily to this port of tran∣quility and conuerted thy pilgrimage to the hauen, or rather hea∣uen 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 insa∣tiable eares. Thy extraardinary loue, the liuely Jdaea of a spot∣lesse 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 con∣gratulate 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 entāgled with the thorny cares of this world, now thou triumphest among the Angels of heauen. Yesterday thou wert here, where Iob himselfe com∣plained, that he was placed as a But to be shot at, where Gods enue∣nomed arrowes stucke in him, where the Prophet Dauids bones were consumed, that he roared all day long. Now thou florishest in the har∣mony 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 Detra∣ction: 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, with∣out 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 tam••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 Rebecca••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.

Notes

• 1
• Rom. 14.
• 2
• 1 C••••. 9.
• Luke. 13.
• Esay. 53.
• Esay. 57
• Iohn. cap. 9.
• 1. Pet. cap. 4.
• Ezech. cap. 24.
• Job. cap. 2.
• Horace.
• 2. Cor. cap. 4.