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 III.

1 That the imbecillity of our naturall dispositions tainted through the first Maits sinne with curiosity, inconstancy, and negligence is the prime cause of the spirit of Detraction.

2 That our curious search after the supernaturall beginning of time worketh our confusion.

3 Of our Curiosity.

4 Of our Inconstancy.

5 And of our Negligence.

OVr humane natures stained through o∣riginall * 1.1 concupiscence, cannot but be tos∣sed and turmoiled with many impedi∣ments; first, with curiosity to prie into o∣ther mens actions, and in the meane space to neglect Aesops hindermost wal∣let, wherein our owne faults are registred. Secondly, we are spotted with ficklenesse to change our purposes, as the Chameleon at the sight of euery glozing obiect. Lastly, through originall wantonnesse we become infatuated and stupefied, that we forget what we reade, or heare perti∣nent to our instruction in Christ.

Here I could digresse and shew, that our philosophi∣call scanning of times and seasons, is the prime point of curiosity, * 1.2 and so the chiefe cause of our worldly sottishnes. We runne vpon things imagined to be done before the

beginning of time, of Adams time, whereas in truth this computation of time is onely humane, according to mans naturall vnderstanding, which otherwise could not comprehend this worlds creation. Surely (in my iudge∣ment) there is no respect in the other world of time, by reason that the excesse and abundance of heauenly ioyes drownes all the memory of time, like as a man that is spectator of a Comedy, with the extremity of delight thinkes three houres no longer then one houre. The ioies of heauen are infinite, and cannot be circumscribed by time. There, dwels the great Ichouah, who is Alpha, and Omega, the beginning and last, who will teach vs to measure time after another manner; after a metaphysicall manner. This moued the Angell to sweare, that there should be no more time. This moued the Psalmist to say; A thousand yeares in thy sight, are but as yesterday. Go too then, yee Astrologicall Scribes, leaue off your curious computations: the time will come (like Platees wonder∣full yeare) wherein man-kinde shall neede none of your Almanackes. But in the meane time, yee complaine (and this complaint will last as long as your Almanacks) that there be other Chronographers, or rather tempori∣zers beside your selues. I graunt that there be two sorts of temporizing companions, which abuse the naturall qua∣lity of pretious time; the one an hypocrite, which vnder the humble habite of a Lambe, for luere sake deceiues his deerest friend, an intelligeneer, the disciple of Machiauel, a Iew that loues no man but for aduantage, that detracts from him, who hath best befriended him in his neede, an A theist, a dissembler, a neutrall; that with the winde and time changeth his Religion, Amicus omnium, amicus nul∣lorum, euery mans friend and no mans friend, a busie medler in other mens causes, a Polypragmon, an Appari∣tor that (like a Iudaes or Simoniake) liues by extortion, by the price of bloud, by enquiring from time to time after the sinnes of the people. The other temporizer is a Phi∣losophicall

dunce, this yeare a Thomist, the next yeare a Sco••ist, an earnest plodder of supernaturall reasons,

Obstipo capite, infigens & lumine terram,

With downe-bent head, and eyes vpon the ground, an obseruer of the least minute in horologie, and one that would faine intrude himselfe into the Lords priuy Coun∣sell. The former kinde of Temporizers inhabite in pub∣lique places about Princes Palaces, and (like false Achi∣thophels) long to manage matters of policy. The latter, as people addicted to more melancholy, retire themselues to monasticall habitations, where they meditate on their curious problemes, grinding the world as it were into Oaten-meale in the Winde-mill of their braines.

And now to re-iterate Curiosity, the primary cause of Detraction, begotten by Originall corruption, our incorri∣gible * 1.3 natures being let at random, left arbitrary to doe what seemes good in our owne eyes, tandem Custode ro∣moto, without Orbilites our tutors crabbed countenance, without checkes or correction, encourage vs to waxe lawlesse and licentious libertines, worse then the busie∣headed French, at whose dissolute carriage and audacious Detraction I was much amazed, when in euery towne and village I heard them scot-free reuile and raile at their chiefe Magistrates, with taikatiue Curiosity, scanning their honest deedes. From whom, euen as we borrow new-fangled dresses, and courtly-complements, so doe we (like curious Apes) receiue their poysonous Adder of Detraction. We see motes in other mens eyes, but per∣ceiue not beames in our owne eyes. We note acutely with Argus sight, one sinister acte perpetrated by ano∣ther, but will not discerne our owne great and grosse cr∣rours, though all others discouer them as easily, as huge, rockes or notorious shelfes. Our owne transgressions we compare to mole-hils, our neighbors to the Alpes or Pire∣naean mountains. The reason is, because our muddy minds shoote altogether outward, and winde not inwardly in∣to

themselues, according to the Poet:

Tecum habita & nóris quam sit tibi curta supellex. Dwell with thy selfe, and thou shalt know, * 1.4 How that thy store at home is low.

Next, we wander vp and down through our frailty in the Maze or Labyrinth of vnstedfastnesse, betwixt God * 1.5 and his enemies, the pompes of this world and carnall pleasures. God seekes to winne vs by inspiring men to write bookes for our conuersions, by sending zealous Preachers into sundry quarters of the world, as loude trumpets to awake vs out of sinne and pr••uarication, and likewise to liue in louc and charity one with another. Our inconstancy defaceth all with forgetfulnesse, we re∣turne to our olde vomite, and chuse with foolish Gryllus to retaine still the shapes of effeminate Epicures and Swine, rather then to be metamorphosed into mens formes, with the rest of Vlisses his companions. Wee are carried about in the voluble spheares of our owne wauc∣ring imaginations. To day we praise a man, to morrow we dispraise him. To day we pray to God for grace, to morrow we blaspheme his power with wordes of dis∣grace. To day our soules are calme and temperate, to morrow ouer-clouded with vnruly passions. Nay more, we alter our opinions in one moment of an houre.

Romae Tybur amo ventosus, Tybure Romam. At Rome I long olde Tyburs Towne to see, * 1.6 And there I long againe in Rome to be.

Ouer-cloyed in townes by reason of the vnwholesomnes and stricknes of the aire, we long to liue in the delectable coun••rey, free from those inconueniences, which annoy the townes: But presently tired in the countrey for want of pleasant company, we retire and returne backe againe into the towne, where with doubts of some infectious sickenesse, with disgust and discontentment to see daily factions, seedes of dissention, and other dislikes common to company, we wish our selues againe in the countrey.

How soddenly doe our imaginations chop and change? How in the twinckling of an eye wee suppose our selues at London, at Oxford, at home, from home. Yea, in a short time we imagine our selues safely arriued at the East In∣dies for spice, in Barbary for sugar, in China for silkes, in France for wines and salts: and all these Merchandizes bought, brought home, and sold away in as small a space, as a man might repeat ouer the Lords prayer. O fickle men, how are your braines and mindes thus intoxicated? One while yee looke as amiable, as if yee had swallowed vp a hare, another while fleering, as if yee had swallowed vp a gull; one while heauenly, another while earthly; one while deuoute, another while Detracting; not one day in one moode or minde, but as the winde, wauering both in words and thoughts.

The last impediment, which the first Mans transgressi∣on subiected vs vnto, is a kinde of dulnesse or negligence; * 1.7 with which we are so besotted, that we cannot open our eyes to behold what armes our Sauiour Christ left vs, not onely able to encounter this spirit of Detraction, but also the Arch spirit of all vitious spirits. By Baptisme with future repentance he washed vs from originall corrupti∣on. By shedding his innocent bloud he ransomed our soules from hell: onely in recompence he expects thank∣full minds of vs, with continuall exercise of prayers, with often communicating his mysticall Body in reuerence, loue, and charity one with another, after that moralizing manner, which St. Paul himselfe quotes downe to the quite confusion of poore-blinde Papists, namely, in re∣membrance of him, in remembrance of him, for as often as * 1.8 yee eate his bread and drinke his cup, yee doe shew the Lords death till he comes; so that ioyning together, as louing members of one body, we might skirmish against our spiritual Enemy, and against his spirits of sinne, which he hatcheth and fostereth for our bane, fall, and perdition. In a word, let vs account it a foule sinne for any man to

be eyther ignorant or partiall in his own infirmities. And let vs censure other mens faults with fearefull conscien∣ces, or rather suspend our hasty iudgements, because we cannot distinctly discerne of spirits; but let vs diue into our owne without doubts or scruples, because God gaue vs a mindfull monitrix within to looke our.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1
• * 1.2

  2
• * 1.3

  3
• * 1.4

  Persius in Sat. 4.
• * 1.5

  4
• * 1.6

  Horat.
• * 1.7

  5
• * 1.8

  1. Cor. 11.