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. I.

1 To whose capacity the description of Spirits is difficult, and to whose it is easie.

2 The Authors inuocation to the Godhead, through whose only operati∣on the spirit of Detraction is to be coniured and conuicted.

THAT which is inuisi∣ble, transcendent, and * 1.1 not to be vnderstood in the land of mortall creatures, (such as is the description of Spirits) cannot distinctly be dis∣posed according to the prescription of curious Artists: by reason that our knowledge here on earth is subiect to mu∣tations, vanity of vanities, varnished only to the outward man, and quickly vanished either through distemperature

of the braine, olde age, or death: and also, by reason that a spirit in substance & subsistence is supernaturally whole without Multiplication, Diuersity, or Part, somewhat prodigious vnto Natures view. Yet notwithstanding these infirmities, we may conferre about the metaphysi∣call mysterie of Spirits, contesting with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God; not for haughty ostentation, but for humble edification, comparing spirituall things with spi∣rituall things. The naturall man perceiues not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse vnto him neyther * 1.2 can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: but he that is spirituall, discerneth all things. He that submits his knowledge to the touch-stone of knowledge, to the highest power, scorning all Peacocke-plumes of Apocry∣••hall tradition, and of old Adams impurities, discerneth all things. The Clerkes of China say, that themselues do see with two eyes, the Europeans with one eye; and that all the rest of the world are starke blinde, not hauing any eyes at all. Euen so the soules of the supernall China, the Church truely triumphant, by looking on him, which o∣uerlooketh all things, doe spiritually discerne all things, and do know as they are knowne. The regenerated Christian * 1.3 discerneth (though glimmering wise, or winking through a darke glasse with one eye) many things apperteyning to the lowly workes and louely fruits of the new man, which is renewed into knowledge after the Image of him that made * 1.4 him. But the naturall man confined within natures com∣passe, can neuer discourse, no nor dreame once of Diuine affaires. While the flesh preuailes against the Spirit, our knowledge is as it were stifled with a deadly earthly dampe, and cannot appeare in that conspicuous maner, as when our Epicurean natures become curb'd or crucified. There is such iustling and bustling, such strining & strug∣ling betwixt the flesh and the soule, that Gods peace is oftentimes to both their miseries infringed. The Mistresse therefore must straightly correct her seruant, and that be∣times,

before she attaine vnto her stubborn age, left then she chuse rather to breake, then to bow vnto her whole∣some will.

The austere consideration of this our humane fragili∣ty, caused the Apostle to write after this manner: I tame * 1.5 my body, and bring it into subiection, lest while I preach to o∣thers, I my selfe become a cast-away: For the soule that walloweth in sensuality, in fat, blood, and grosse humors, can neuer enter into the speculation of spirituall comfort. The smokie vapours, which breathe from thence into the braine, doe interpose a darksome mist of blockishnes be∣fore her eyes of vnderstanding; whereof let a fat paunch beare me instance. How cau'st thou (saith the Satyrist) meditate on any thing praise-worthy, which hast such a large Ewer hanging forth a foote and a halfe from thy body?

—Cum tibi, Calue, Pinguis aqualiculus propenso sesquipede extat? * 1.6

Like as a Candle put in an earthen pot, enlightneth onely the pot, but being therhence remoued into a Lant∣horne, illuminates the whole roome with a farre greater splendor then before: so the vnderstanding spirit of man, eclipsed with the foggie interposition of sensuall plea∣sures, lies infatuated and besotted, like an Abbey-lubber, not once able to crie out, Abba, Father: but thence re∣called by the holy Spirit of God, and refined with compe∣tent fasting at due times, with contrite humility and con∣uenient meditations, it forgets the vanities of this cloudy world, and frames it selfe wholly to spirituall contempla∣tion. And finally, separated and singled out from the bo∣dies prison, it shines brighter then any starre. Then Rea∣son shines without eclipse of errour, Wisdome without ig∣norance, and Memory without obliuion. Then shall we be able to contemplate with the eye of Faith, the awefull Maiesty of the mighty Trinity, the in effable and inestima∣ble felicity of our fellows Saints. Then shall we compre∣hend

the mystical messages of the heauenly Spirits, ascen∣ding and descending in Chariots of sacred fire, to the be∣hoofe of our Christian brethren, and inuisibly instructing the Church on earth; like as themselues are both instru∣cted and inspired of their Prince of zeale.

But what am I, that presume to weaue a worke of such wonderfull forms in such a base and broken loome? How * 1.7 dare I, with King Vzziah, burn incense vnto the Lord, that am not sanctified, nor of the tribe of Leui? how dare I, that * 1.8 am in his presence more mean then the meanest moth or Atome, more abiect then any Ant; how dare I, being so mean an abiect, aspire to set forth the obiects of his won∣derous workes? Retire, O my soule, to the Soule of thy soule, the Life of thy life, the Lord of life, as to the celesti∣all center of all perfections. The Sun-shine of his mercie may dispell thy darkesome scurfe of Leprosie, & dispence with thy Bayards boldnes. Behold thē, most mighty Mo∣narch, thy poore Publican afraid of thine anger, ashamed of his ignorance, conuerts himselfe vnto thee. Correct by the inspiration of thy Spirit, this aspiring enterprise of mine, w^ch I intend for the discerning of Spirits, and disa∣bling of the maleuolent Spirit of Detraction. O Lord of incomprehensible goodnes, graunt me my suit: & because I am a m••n of vncircumcised & polluted lips, let one of thy glorious winged Seraphines touch my mouth, that being * 1.9 purified, I may vtter nothing but truth. The way of man is not in himselfe neither is it in man to walke and to direct his * 1.10 steps Measure thou my steps o heauenly Spirit, mortifie my ••o••uptuous thoughts of flesh and blood, lighten mine in∣ternall eyes, that I may lift my lumpish spirit to spirituall cogitations, and apply my misty minde to thine eternall influence, which cannot be seene at all with mortal sight, but onely with most pure intellectuall minds, as thy ser∣uant Augustine confessed: Trinitas Diui••arum persona∣rū non nisi purgatissimis menti{us} cernitur. The eye of sense * 1.11 and the eye of reason are both too dimme for discerning

thee. O illuminate my soule with the eye of faith; so that my flesh being yoaked to my soule, my soule vnto rea∣son, my reason vnto saith, I may couragiously conquere and coniure downe the Scrich-Owle of darkenesse into the dungeon of hell. Purge me with thy precious pilles, lest in reprehending the Spirit of Detraction in others, my selfe do fall into the same traines, by the she suggesti∣ons of that Euill one, who watcheth hourely (like a wily wolfe) to circumuent thy silly sheepe. And thou my soule, praemonita praemunita, fore-warned fore-armed, do thy best to charme this spitefull Spirit, with charitable Characters of deepe Diuinity: when he ascended vp on high, he led cap∣tiuity * 1.12 captiue, and gaue gifts vnto men. By vertue of these glorious gifts, the gifts of the Spirit, by the crosse of our Sauiour Christ, coniure him vp and downe, that his cou∣senages and cheating craft may appeare to his clawbacke Clients. To all other charmes the Adder is deafe; hee stoppeth his eares, and will not obey, charme we neuer so wisely. Iesus he knowes, and Paul he knowes, but who * 1.13 are we? It is impossible for any kingdome to continue long, which is at iarre and warre within it selfe. To what purpose then stands Medaeas Magicke in firreting out of Fiends? To what end seekest thou, O Sibill, to coniure downe Cerberus the hel-hound of darkenesse? What a∣uailes your cunning, O Circe and Calypso? Can Degon stand before the Arke of God? No certainly. Therefore in vaine doe Medaea, Circe, Calypso, and Sibilla labour to exercise their exorcismes and shallow sorceries within the Circle; nay within sight of that fielde, where one graine offaith is sowne. In vaine serue Witches wreathes where God is worshipped. In vaine sings he,

—Bacchare frontem Cingite, ne vati noceat mala lingua future. With Bacchar binde the Poets brow, Lest wicked tongues him ouerthrow,

Though men speake neuer so precisely, neuer so preg∣nantly,

though they speake the wordes of Angels; yet if their speeches be not filed within the Circle of Diuine wisdome, nor link't within the chain of Christian charity, the Church of God will neuer repute so catholike and so potent a Spirit as this of Detraction quite coniured & con∣uicted. For (as that Roman Criticke girded a vicious Sena∣tor, saying, Who can abide to heare thee iudge like graue Cato, whom the world knowes to be as greedy as Crassus, * 1.14 and as gluttonous as Lucullus?) Truely, for my part, I can∣not more fitly compare such glozing Scholers, then to a kind of glow-wormes, which because they gliue & shine in the nights, the weaker sort of people haue mistaken for Sprites and Bugs. They therefore, that will rightly o∣uerthrow their spirituall foes, must not shoot outwardly into painted ceremonies, but into the source and spring of Goodnes. Descend then, yee fierie pillars of faith, and quicken our incomposed Chaos. Disperse away our Egyp∣tian darkenes, that we may passe on our iourney by night as wel as day, not only through the red Seas of Detracti∣ons, but also through the dangerous deserts of this world, into the land of promise, the land that flowes with milke and honey of eternall life; where our consciences shall for e∣uer rest secured from all future furies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••
• * 1.2

  1. Cor. cap. 2.
• * 1.3

  1. Cor. cap. 13.
• * 1.4

  Col. cap. 3.
• * 1.5

  1. Cor. 9.
• * 1.6

  Persius Satyr. 1.
• * 1.7

  2
• * 1.8

  2. Chron cap. 26.
• * 1.9

  Esa. cap. 6.
• * 1.10

  Iere. cap. 6.
• * 1.11

  Aug. lib. 1. Trin.
• * 1.12

  Ephe cap. 4. & Psal 6. 4.
• * 1.13

  Act. cap. 19.
• * 1.14

  Platarch.