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. VII.

1

The causes why God ordained thunder and lightning.

2

The naturall nutriments of lightning.

3

Why thunder and lightning be most dangerous in Winter.

4

Where they worke their operations more ••••hemently.

5

An admonition to build low.

WE must leaue vnto nature her peculiar of∣fice, * 1.1 because she effects nothing without the predestinate counsell of the eternall Mouer. The Winters durt, the Sommers dust, the ayrie clouds, all of them spring from natures motion. The ayrie Regions are moued, and thereupon stormy blasts of winde arise. The vapours turne and tosse, then duskie clouds appeare. At last both winds and clouds carried about in the wheele of vio∣lence ingender tempests, thunders, and lightnings. All which though they issue from naturall causes, yet we must note them, as tokens sent from the Author of nature, who being bound to no causes is himselfe the originall cause of all causes. Like as the partie-coloured Raine∣bow prognosticates the diuine league indented betwixt his supreme Maiestie and sinfull men: euen so let vs iudge, that thunders be volees of Canon shot to rouze vs vp from our drowsie defiled dreames. To this end it lightens, that besides our sence of seeing, our other af∣frighted sences may solicite the sluggish Queene to saue her selfe, and her snaily house before the generall day of doome.

Doe out your candles, away with your oyles, remoue your Lard, take away the nutrimēt of lightnings, lest they * 1.2 ouerthrow your weaker lights, yea and extinguish your chiefe delight, the light of your bodies, the image of e∣uerlasting light. Omne simile nutrit sibi simile. Euery like nourisheth his like: no maruell then, if lightnings en∣dowed

with an vnctuous substance approach naturally to oyle, tallow, bacon, grosse bodies, and to hot moist∣ned wares.

Thunder is most dangerous in Winter, according to those vulgar rythmes: * 1.3

A foule Winters thunder A faire Sommers wonder.

Because the Ruler of nature at that vnseasonable time is disposed to make his Deity manifest to miscreant A∣theists, who limit such Meteory signes onely to the Spring and Autumne, and also because his Maiestie meanes to awake his rebellious children out of the Lethean Le∣thargie of carnall voluptuousnesse.

The places where oftnest thunders strike, and lighte∣nings flash, be high trees, high houses, high hilles, not * 1.4 onely because they are neerest to the Region of the ayre where fiery exhalations doe alwaies wrastle and warre with congealed vapours (as euery Agent workes most fiercely vpon his neerest matter) but likewise because the Lord would haue vs humble our selues before him by such terrible admonitions: which the Satyriste also toucheth:

Ignouisse putas? quia cum tonat, oeius Ilex * 1.5 Sulphure discutitur sacro, quàm tu{que} domus{que}? Thinkest thou, that God hath quite forgiuen thee? Because thou seest the highest oaken tree Sooner, then thee or thy faire house, defa'st With thunder claps and sacred sulphurs blast?

And as a more ancient Poet in more liuely colours paints out the extremitie of meteores against the lofti∣est seates:

—Uentis agitatur ingens Pinus, & celsae grauiore casu * 1.6 Decidunt turres, feriunt{que} summos Fulgura montes.

The hugest Pine with winde is shaken downe; The highest tower is soonest ouerthrowne; The loftiest mount with lightning is o'rblowne.

In respect of which inconueniences a wise Emperour * 1.7 of Rome forbad (by an expresse decree) any Citizen in Rome to build a house aboue fortie or fiftie foot high. And thou deare Christian, which readest this humble booke, I admonish thee to build low, to carry a low saile, to lay aside thy Peacocks plumes, to behold thy feete, I meane the earth, from whence thou camest; and lastly I warne thee to prostrate thy thoughts before thy heauenly Father, the worlds great Thunderer, following the Poets counsell:

Vi••e tibi, quantum{que} potes praelustria vita: Saeuum praelustri fulmen ab arce venit. Liue to thy selfe, and shunne the stateliest roome; For thunder doth from highest Castle come.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1
• * 1.2

  2
• * 1.3

  3
• * 1.4

  4
• * 1.5

  Persius in Sa. tyra 2.
• * 1.6

  Horatius.
• * 1.7

  5