A Looking Glass for Malignants, Title page – Dedication
A LOOKING-GLASSE FOR MALIGNANTS: OR, Gods hand againſt God-haters. CONTAINING A moſt terrible yet true relation of the many moſt fearefull perſonall examples (in theſe preſent times, ſince the yeere, 1640.) of Gods moſt evident and immediate wrath againſt our malevolent Malignants. Together with a Caveat for Cowards and unworthy (either timorous or treacherous) Newters. COLLECTED For Gods honour, and the ungodlies horrour, BY JOHN VICARS.
Pſalm. 120. 3, 4.
What ſhall be given, or done unto thee thou falſe tongue? even ſharpe Arrowes with hot coales of Iuniper.
Jerem. 18. 18.
Then ſaid they (Iſraels malignants) come, and let us deviſe devices againſt Jeremiah; come and let us ſmite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
Imprimatur hic Liber
Iohn White.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Rothwell, at the ſigne of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard. 1643.
TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir IOHN WOLLASTONE, Knight; Lord Major of the renowned City of LONDON: AND To the Right Honourable and truly elect Lady, the Lady WOLLASTONE, his moſt vertuous and truly pious Conſort; J. V. moſt humbly and heartily prayeth all encreaſe of Honour here, and the bleſſed aſſurance of Heaven hereafter.
Right Honourable,
YOur owne ſingular, and even Connative Candor, piety, and courteſie to All; and many and moſt immerited favours, deepely and duely ingaging Me to both your Honours, have induced, yea compelled me to be ever moſt ſtudious of bounden Gratitude. I therefore (with that honeſt poore Countrey man, of whom I have read, who ſeeing many Princes and Nobles preſenting to their Emperour very rich and rare Preſents; He alſo to ſhew his love, brought onelyonly his owne Picture painted, and holding forth in his hand the figure of a faire and rich Iewell, with this Motto over it, Et hoc vellem: That is, And I would give ſuch a Iewell as this is, were I able. So I (I ſay) having no better a preſent (as yet) to preſent to your Honours, have moſt humbly made bold to dedicate to both your Honours (together with my devoted ſelfe) this plaine yet uſefull Looking-glaſſe. VVhichWhich though it be but of a homely dreſſe, yet will repreſent to your Honours variety of remarkable objects, touching the miſerable Malignants and Anti-Parliamentarians of theſe our times; moſt worthy (I beleeve) your Honours ſerious view and favourable acceptance. And to whom, indeed, may I more fitly tender ſuch a tender and fragil piece or utenſill, as a Looking-Glaſſe is, then to your good Honours, whom both I and this whole City, yea I may ſay, the whole Kingdome doe know by moſt happy experience (witneſſe your good Lordſhips moſt pious, prudent, and vertuous Government of this famous City, and witneſſe alſo your good Ladyſhips Maſculine vertues, as ſo many precious Pearles treaſured up in a Feminine Cabinet, I meane a moſt heroicall holy Heart, together with the conſtancie and loyalty of both your Honours to God and Goodneſſe in the Parliaments Cauſe; and whom therefore (I ſay) I know moſt willing to entertaine and uſe this my Looking-Glaſſe, Candidâ manu, with candid and courteous Acceptation, and alſo moſt able to patronage and protect it, A rapacibus & furioſis malignantium unguibus, from the uncivill and defiling fingers of any of all our unreaſonable malevolent Malignants. Goe on therefore, my good Lord (as moſt honourably you do, guarded and guided by the wiſdom and power of Gods holy Spirit, and ſupported by the daily prayers of Gods Saints and Servants) to countenance and encourage Goodneſſe, and to diſcountenance and keepe under the enemies of Godlineſſe, Peace and Truth, even as your Honours late moſt worthy Predeceſſour did, to Gods glory and his everlaſting honour; ever ſetting before your Honours eyes, and having in your bleſſed Breſt that heart-fortifying-promiſe and admirable incouragement given by God himſelf to his faithfull ſervant Joſuah, Joſuah 1. 5, 6.As I was with my ſervant Moſes, ſo will I be with thee, Heb. 13 5.I will not faile thee nor forſake thee. Be ſtrong therefore and of a good courage. VVhichWhich that your good Lordſhip moſt holily and happily may be, is and ever ſhall be the dayly prayer of
Your good Honours moſt humbly devoted, JOHN VICARS.