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. IX.

1 That they detract from the glorious Maiestic of God, which attri∣bute his thunders, lightnings, and other mercory signes to the Diuell or his adherents.

2 Proofes out of the word of God, that God alone sendeth forth such terrible signes.

SEruants must obey their masters aswell cur∣teous * 1.1 as curst, Children must honour their * 1.2 parents, though otherwhiles they chastise them seuerely, Subiects must pray for their Prince, and serue him, though he exceeds * 1.3 the limits of law. Euen so ought we be∣ing the seruants, children, and subiects of the Almighty, brooke patiently all visitations whatsoeuer the Lord sen∣deth, eyther deseruedly for our sinnes, or momentary for our triall to confirme our vertues, lest prosperity puffe vp our mindes with pride. Vpon our submission our graci∣ous Lord will stay his hand as he did with the Niniuites; vpon our repentance he will rebuke the winde, and say to the Sea, Peace and be still. But nowadaies a contrarie superstitious spirit possesseth many of our Pharisai∣call * 1.4 Critickes.

They are not content to detract one mortall man from the other, eyther their goods of bodie, their goods of minde, or their goods of fortune (though in this case they are inexcusable) but they must detract from the onely glorious God his glorious appurtenances, and his goodly types of maiestic. Yea, they goe about by such absurde Detractions to annihilate his infinite authoritie, to abridge his incomprehensible moti∣on, who at one becke can barre them of all motion. Romulides saturi inter poc••la, Our carping Tro∣ianes, whose GOD is their bellie, amiddest their Bacchannales and Tobachanales doe blasphemously

bruite abroad, that the Diuell raiseth windes, tempestes, thunders, lightnings, and earthquakes eyther immediatly of himselfe, or else by the meanes and mediation of some omnipotent Coniurer. If sicknesse oppresse them, out of hand, they post with Ahaziah to a cousening coniurer, or wizard as wise as themselues, to know whether they be bewitched, or whether they shall recouer of their disease. This is their faithlesse wont, as though there were not a God in Israel. If the Lord sends his Angell, or de∣scends * 1.5 himselfe in glory, with thunder and lightening, as he did sometimes on Mount Sinai, they blasphemously impugne, saying, that God is locally circumscribed in heauen. None can work miracles in these latter daies saue the Diuell. He, euen he it is, that appeares in varieties of shapes, more then are specified in Ouids Metamorphosis, sometimes a Centaure, sometimes a blacke dogge, some other times a winged fowle of the ayre.

All this while (thou most mercifull Iudge) grieuest thy patient spirit at their perrish, petulant, and proud assertions. Thou makest as though thou hearest them not, scorning to extend thy iustice against such silly wretches, before the predestinated time; for thou art as voyde of perturbations as they are subiect vnto De∣tractions: yet will not they refraine their tongues, be∣cause that their runnagate babling, being not restrained with feare nor shame, wandereth vp and downe scotfree without punishment. Rise vp O Lord, and let them pay the price of their Detractions, or let them know that thou canst not endure any competitour of thy glory. But what knowledge neede they further? what other light expect they to illuminate their darksome mindes? They haue Moses, the Prophets, and the Gospell, as bright shining lanternes to guide their sensuall vnderstanding. They haue auncient Fathers to expound them. Thy ser∣uant Augustine might satisfie their curious positions, who about twelue hundred yeares sithence wrote,

Non est putandum istis transgressoribus Angelis seruire hanc rerum visibilium materiem, sed soli Deo, That is, we * 1.6 must not thinke, that the substance of these visible things in this world doe obey the Angels, which fell, but that they obey God alone. Thou art a jealous God, and can'st not abide that thy enemy should vaunt himselfe on thy Maiesty; Thou art slow to anger, but great in power, thou * 1.7 hast thy way in the whirlewinde and in the storm: the clouds are the dust of thy feete, the mountaines tremble before thee, the hils melt, and the earth is burnt vp at thy sight. O peer∣lesse Paragon of vnsearchable worth, what nobler in∣stance neede I produce, then thine incomprehensible selfe for thine owne immensiue and inexhausted power. When thou communest with Iob, most profoundly thou bewray∣est mans infirmity, and infallibly concludest, that no crea∣ture whatsoeuer can diue into the deepe consideration of thy secrete workes. Out of the whirlewinde thou spakest, and demaundest of him, Hast thou entred into the treasures * 1.8 of the Snow? Or hast thou seene the treasures of the haile? Who hath diuided the spouts for the rame, or a way for the lightnings of the thunders? These questions surpasse our capacities. Holy and wonderfull is God in all his worke∣manship. The earth trembles at the presence of the Lord, at * 1.9 the presence of the God of Iacob. Let it snow, let it haile, let it thunder, let it lighten, let the earth moue, I acknow∣ledge no other supernaturall cause then the first cause, the first mouer, one God world without end. I doe faithfully beleeue, that through his commandement the Lord makes * 1.10 the Snow to hasten, and sendeth forth swiftly the thunder of his lightning; also that he turneth the heauens about, that * 1.11 they may doe whatsoeuer he commaundeth them vpon the whole world, and that he causeth raine to come, whether it be for punishment, or for his land, or to doe good to them that seeke him. The heauens, the elements, and whatsoeuer is vnder the moone, attend the commaund of their great Creator: some for his glory, some for their tryall, some

others for their sinnes he scourgeth and smiteth. Against these he armes his naturall creatures as piercing arrowes. Then shall the thunderbolts goe straight out of the light∣nings, and shall flie to the marke, as to the bent bow of the cloudes. Sometimes he smites vs gently, expecting our * 1.12 conuersions, as he spake by the Prophet, I smote you with blasting, with mil deaw, and with haile in all the labours of your hands, and yet you turned not vnto me. Vnto his Ma∣iestie * 1.13 alone will I complaine, when any hurt befals me: O Lord vnto thee will I crie, for the fire hath deuoured the * 1.14 Pasture of the Wildernesse, and the flame hath burnt vp all the trees of the field. Vbi nunc facundus Ulisses? Where now is the wizard with the Diuels reall force? Stand at your cause, and bring forth your strongest ground, saith the * 1.15 Lord of Hostes, shew vs things to come, and tell vs what shal be done hereafter, so shall we know that ye are Gods. But indeede your knowledge is vaine, your power poore, not worth the speaking, Behold ye are Gods of nought, and your making is of nought: yea abhominable is the man that * 1.16 hath chosen you, and abhominable is he, that ascribes the workes of the glorious God vnto his enemy the Diuell.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1
• * 1.2

  Malachia cap. 1. & Exod. cap. 20.
• * 1.3

  Couarru. 2. part. decret. cap. 3. 94.
• * 1.4

  Mar••. cap. 4.
• * 1.5

  2. Reg. cap. 1.
• * 1.6

  Aug. lib. 3. de Sanct. Trin.
• * 1.7

  Nahum. 1.
• * 1.8

  Iob. 38.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 114.
• * 1.10

  Eccles. 43.
• * 1.11

  Iob. 37.
• * 1.12

  Sapient. 5.
• * 1.13

  Hag. 2.
• * 1.14

  Io••l. 1.
• * 1.15

  Isa. 41.
• * 1.16

  Ibid.