a wise man to preuent all mischiefes was found dead the day before hauing his throat cut and as most likelihood was finding himselfe guilty of the fact and too weake to ouerway the other side forestalled the infamie of a most shamefull death by killing himselfe although there be that say that the Emperour sent one of purpose to dispatch him in this manner Lib. 3. cap. 4. Of the Northren people Olaus Magnus telleth of one Methâ—tin a noble magitian in old time that by his delusions did so deceiue and blind the poore ignorant people that they accounted him not only for some mightie man but rather for some demy god in token of the honour and reuerence they bare him Refer this also to the lib. 1. cap 24. they offered vp sacrifices vnto him which he refused not but at last his knaueries and cousenages being laid open they killed him whom before they so much esteemed because his dead carkasse with filthy stinke infected the approchers they digged it vp and broched it vpon the end of a stake to be deuoured of wild beasts Chap. 18. of the foresaid book Another called Hollere as the same authour witnesseth plaied the like tricks in abusing the peoples minds as strongly as the other did insomuch that he was reputed also for a god for he ioined with his craft strength and power to make himselfe of greater authority in the world WheÌ„ he listed to passe ouer the sea hee vsed no other ship but a bone figured with certaine charmes wherby he was transported as if both sailes wind had helped driuen him forwards yet his enchanted bone was not of power to saue him from being murdered of his enemies The same authour writeth that in Denmarke there was one Otto a great rouer pirat by sea who vsed likewise to passe the seas without the helpe of ship or any other vessell sunke drowned all his enemies with the waues which by his cunning he stirred vp but at last this cunning practiser was ouerreached by one more expert in his Art then himselfe and as hee had serued others so was hee himselfe serued euen swallowed vp of the waues There was a coniurer at Saltzbourg that vaunted that he could gather togither all the serpents within halfe a mile round about into a ditch and feed them and bring them vp there and being about the experiment behold the old and grand serpent came in the while which whilst he thought by the force of his charmes to make to enter into the ditch among the rest he set vpon and enclosed him round about like a girdle so strongly that he drew him perforce into the ditch with him where he miserably died Marke here the wages of such wicked miscreants that as they make it their occupation to abuse simple folke they are themselues abused cousened of the deuill who is a finer iuggler then them all It was a very lamentable spectacle that chanced to the gouernour of Mascon a magitian whome the deuill snatched vp in dinner while and hoisted aloft carrying him three times about the towne of Mascon in the presence of many beholders to whome hee cryed on this manner Helpe helpe my friends Hugo de Clam so that the whole towne stood amazed thereat yea and the remembrance of this strange accident sticketh at this day fast in the minds of all the inhabitants of the countrey and they say that this wretch hauing giuen himselfe to the deuill prouided store of holy bread as they call it which hee alwaies carried about with him thinking thereby to keepe himselfe from his clawes but it serued him to small stead as his end declared About the yeere 1437 Charles the seuenth being king of France Sir Giles of Britaine lord of Rayes and high Constable of France was accused by the report of Enguerran de Monstrelet for hauing murdered many infants and women great with child Vol. 2. to the number of eight score or more with whose blood he either writ or caused to be written books full of coniurations hoping by that abominable meanes to attaine to high matters but it happened cleane crosse contrary to his expectation and practise for being conuinced of those horrible crimes it being Gods will that such grosse and palpable sinnes should not go vnpunished hee was adiudged to be hanged and burned to death which was also accordingly executed at Nantes by the authoritie of the Duke of Britaine Iohn Francis Picus of Mirand saith that hee conferred diuers times with many who being enticed with a vaine hope of knowing things to come were afterwards so grieuously tormented by the deuill with whome they had made some bargaine that they thought themselues thrise happy if they escaped with their liues He saith moreouer that there was in his time a certaine coniurer that promised a too curious no great wise prince to present vnto him vpon a stage the siege of Troy and Achilles and Hector fighting togither as they did when they were aliue but he could not performe his promise for another sport and spectacle more hideous ougly to his person for hee was taken away aliue by a deuill in such sort that he was neuer afterward heard of In our owne memory the Earle of Aspremont and his brother lord of Orne were made famous and in euery mans mouth for their straunge and prodigious feats wherein they were so vnreasonably dissolute and vainglorious that sometime they made it their sport and pastime to breake downe all the windowes about the castle Aspremont where they kept which lieth in Lorraine two miles from S. Michael and threw them peece meale into a deep well to heare them crie plumpe but this vaine excesse prefaged a ruine and destruction to come aswell vpon their house which at this present lieth desolate and ruinous in many respects as vpon theÌ„selues that finished their daies in miserie one after another as wee shall now vnderstand of the one the Lord of Orne a Albeit the author forget himselfe for there is no more mentioÌ„ made of him in the whole booke as for the Earle how he died wee shall see more at large in the second booke 28 chapter to which place his history properly belongeth Now it chanced that as this Lord of Orne was of most wicked and cruell conditions so he had an euil fauoured looke answerable to his inclination and name to be a coniurer the report that went of his cruelty was this that vpon a time he put the baker one of his seruants whose wife he vsed secretly to entertaine into a tunne which he caused to be rouled from the top of a hill into the bottome bounsing some times as high as a pike as the place gaue occasion but by the great mercy of God notwithstanding all this this poore man saued his life Furthermore it was a common report that wheÌ„ any Gentlemen or Lords came to see him they were entertained as they
with this iudgement he caused his wife to bring forth a child with a head like a dog that seeing hee preferred his dogs before the seruice of God he might haue one of his owne getting to make much of At Kimstat a town in France Iob. Fincel lib. 3. de mirac there liued in the yere of our Lord 1559 a certaine couetous woman who was so eager vpon the word and greedy of gaine that she would neither frequent the Church to heare the word of God her selfe nor suffer any of her family to do it but continually abode labouring and toiling about drying and pilling flax and doing other domesticall businesses neither would shee be reclaimed by her neighbors who admonished and dehorted her from such vntimely workes One Sabbath day as they were thus busily occupied fire seemed to issue among the flaxe without doing any hurt the next Sabbath day it tooke fire indeed but was quickly extinct for all this shee continued obstinate in her prophanenesse euen the third Sabbath when the flax againe taking fire could not be quenched till it had burnt her two of her children to death for though they were recouered out of the fire aliue yet the next day they all three died And that which was most to be wondred at a young infant in the cradle was taken out of the midst of the flame without any hurt Thus God vseth to exercise his iudgements vpon the contemners of his commandements Cent. 12. cap. 6. The Centuriators of Magdeburge intreating of the manners of Christians made report out of another history that a certaine husbandman in Parochia Gemilacensi grinding corne vpon the Lords day the meale began to burne Anno Dom. 1126 which though it might seeme to be a thing more casuall Ecclesiast hist. Cent. 12. ibid. yet they set it down as a iudgement of God vpō him for breaking the Sabbath As also of that which they speake in the same place of one of the kings of Denmark who when as he contrary to the admonition of the priests who desired him to defer it would needs vpō the day of Pentecost make war with his enemy died in the battell But that may be better known to vs all which is written in the 2 book of Machabes of Nicanor the Iewes enemy who would needs set vpon them on the Sabbath from which whē other the Iewes that were compelled to be with him could no way dissuade him he was slaine in the battell and most miserably but deseruedly handled euen the parts of his body shamefully dismembred as in that history you may read more at large Concil Paris lib. 1. cap. 50. Therfore in the councill at Paris euery one labouring to persuade vnto a more religious keeping of the Sabbath day when they had iustly cōplained that as many other things so also the obseruation of the Sabbath was greatly decaied through the abuse of Christian liberty in that men too much followed the delights of the world and their owne worldly pleasures both wicked and dangerous they further adde Multi nanque nostrum visu multi etiam quorundam relatu didicimus c. For many of vs haue bene eye witnesses many haue intelligence of it by the relation of others that some men vpon this day being about their husbandry haue beene stricken with thunder some haue beene maimed and made lame some haue had their bodies euen bones and all burnt in a moment with visible fire and haue consumed to ashes and many other iudgements of God haue bene and are daily whereby it is declared that God is offended with the dishonor of so high a day And our time hath not wanted examples in this kind whosoeuer hath obserued them when sometimes in the faires vpon this day the wares haue swom in the streets somtimes the scaffolds at plaies haue fallen downe to the hurting endangering of many somtime one thing somtime another haue fallen out and that which is most strange within these late yeres a whole town hath bene twise burnt for the breach of the Sabbath by the inhabitants The iust report thereof because I probably know not I passe ouer here to set downe vntill such time as I shall be better instructed Famous and memorable also is that example which happened at London in the yeere 1583 at Paris garden where vpon the Sabbath day were gathered togither as accustomably they vsed great multitudes of prophane people to behold the fport of bearbaiting without respect of the Lords day or any exercise of religiō required therin which profane impiety the Lord that he might chasten in some sort shew his dislike therof he caused the scaffolds suddenly to breake and the beholders to tumble headlong downe so that to the number of eight persons men women were slain therwith besides many others which were sore hurt bruised to the shortning of their daies Surely a friendly warning to such as more delight themselues with the cruelty of beasts vaine sports than with the works of mercy religion the fruits of a true faith which ought to be the sabbath daies exercise And thus much for the examples of the first table wherof if some seeme to exceed credit by reason of the strangenes of them yet let vs know that nothing is impossible to God and that he doth often worke miracles to controll the obstinate impietie and rebellion of mortall men against his commaundements Besides there is not one example here mentioned but it hath a credible or probable authour for the auoucher of it Let vs now out of all this that hath beene spoken gather vp this wholsome lesson to loue God with all our heart and affection to the end wee may worship him inuocate his holy name and repose all the confidence of our saluation vpon him alone through Christ Iesus seeking by pleasing and obeying his will to set forth his glorie and render him due thankes for all his benefits FINIS The second Booke CHAP. I. Of rebellious and stubborne children towards their parents WEe haue seene in the former booke what punishments they haue incurred that either malitiously or otherwise haue transgressed and broken the commandements of the first Table Now it followeth to discouer the chastisements which God hath sent vpon the transgressours of the second Table And first concerning the first commandement thereof which is Honour thy father and mother that thy daies may be prolonged in the land which the Lord thy God hath giuen thee Cham one of old Noahs sonnes Gen. 9. was guilty of the breach of this commandement who instead of perfourming that reuerence to his father which hee ought and that presently after the deluge which being yet fresh in memory might haue taught him to walke in the feare of God came so short of his duty that when he saw his nakednesse hee did not hide it but mocked and iested at it for which cause hee was cursed both of his father and of God
in his affaires whilest hee abstained from sheading the blood of Christians but assoone as hee gaue himselfe ouer vnto that villanie his prosperitie kingdome and life diminished and decreased at once for within two yeares hee and his sonne Vâ—lusianus in the war against Aemilian vvere both slain through the defection of his souldiors vvho in the point of necessitie forsooke him Beside the Lord in his time sent vpon the prouinces of Rome a generall and contagious pestilence which lasted vvhole tenne yeares without intermission to make satisfaction for the much innocent blood vvhich was spilled amongst them Phil. Melanct. chron lib. 4. Sebast franc chron Polon Arnolphus the fourescorth Emperour raged like a Tyger against all men but especially against those that professed the religion and name of Christ Iesus for which cause the Lord stirred vp a woman the wife of Guido to minister vnto him the dregs of his wrath in a poysoned cup by meanes whereof such a rottennesse possessed all his members that lice and wormes issuing out continually hee died most miserably in Oringe a city of Bauarie the twelfth yeare of his raigne Philip Melan. chron lib. 5. Baiaset the Turke to what a miserable and ludibrious end came hee to for his outragious hatred against all Christendome but especially against Constantinople which hee had brought to so low an eb that they could scarce haue resisted him any longer had not Tamerlane the Tartarian reuoked him from the siege and bidden him leaue to assaile others and looke vnto his owne Campofulus lib. 9. cap. 5. And indeed hee welcommed him so kindly that hee soone tooke him prisoner and binding him with chaines of gold caried him vp and downe in a cage for aspectacle vsing his backe for a footstoole to get vpon his horse by And thus God plaugeth one Tyrant by another and all for the comfort of his chosen Gensericus king of the Vandals Phil. Melan. chron lib. 3. exercised cruell tyrannie against the professors of the truth So did Honoricus the second also but both of them reaped their iust deserts for Gensericus died being possessed with a spirit And Honoricus being so rotten and putrified that one member dropped off after another Greg. Taron lib. 2. cap. 3. Some say that hee gnew off his owne flesh with his teeth Autharis the twelfth King of Lumbardie Paulus Diaconus lib. 3. cap. 18. de gestis Lâ—rgo bard forbad children to bee baptised or instructed in the Christian faith seeking by that meanes to abolish and plucke downe the kingdome of Christ but he raigned not long for ere sixe yeares vvere complet hee died with poison at Pauia And so hee that thought to vndermine Christ Iesus vvas vndermined himselfe most deseruedlie in the yeare of our Lord. 592. When Arcadius the Emperour through the persuasion of certaine enuious fellowes and his wife Endoxia Euagriur lib. 5. cap. 34. had banished Iohn Chrisostome bishop of Constantinople into Bosphorus the next night there arose such a terrible earthquake that the Empresse and the whole Cittie vvas sore affrighted therewith so that the next morrow messengers after messengers vvere sent vvithout ceasing till they had brought him backe againe out of exile Mandat 9. Calumniation lib. 2. cap. 44. and his accusers vvere all punished for their vvrongfull accusation Thus it pleased God to testifie the innocencie of his seruant euen by terrifying his enemies Smaragdus an exarch of Italie vvas transported by a Deuill for tyrannising ouer Christians in the first yeare of the Empire of Mauritius Paul Diacon lib 3. cap. 12. de gestis Longab Cent. 6. cap. 3. Anton. lib. 15. cap. 15. Mamucha a Sarasen being equall to Pharao in persecuting the church of God God made him equall to him also in the manner of his destruction for as he returned from the spoile of the monasterie of Cassime and Messana and the slaughter of many Christians the Lord caused the sea to swallow vp his whole armie euen an hundred ships Paul Diacon lib. 21. so that few or none escaped Another time euen in the yeare 719 they vvere miraculously consumed vvith famine sword pestilence water and captiuity and al for their infestious ranckor and tyranny towards Christians for whom the famine spared the sword deuoured vvhome both these touched not the pestilence eate vp and they that escaped all three yet perished in the vvaters and tenne ships that escaped the vvaters vvere taken by the Romans and the Syrians surely an egregious signe of Gods heauy wrath and displeasure To conclude there was neuer any that set themselues against the church of God but God set himself against them by some notable iudgement so that some vvere murthered by their subiects as Bluso king of the Vandals others by their enemies as Vdo Prince of Sclauonia some by their wiues Helmold cap. 24. Sclauon cap. 34. as Cruco another Sclauonian Prince others discomfited in war as Abbas the king of Hungaria some destroied by their owne horses Bonfinus as Lucius the Emperor who had first put his owne daughter because she was a Christian amongst the same horses And generally few persecutors escaped without some euident and markable destruction CHAP. XIIII Of the Iews that persecuted Christ BY how much the offence of the Iews was more hainous not onely in despising and reiecting the Lord of glory whom God had sent amongst them for their saluation but also in being so vvicked as to put him to death by so much the more hath God shed his fearfull indignation vpon them as at many other times so especially by that great calamitie and desolation which they abode at their last destruction begun by Vespasian and perfected by Titus which was so great and lamentable as the like was neuer heard of vntill this day for if the sacking and ouerthrow of Ierusalem then when Ieremie the Prophet made his booke of Lamentations ouer it was reputed more grieuous then the subuersion of Sodome which perished suddenly How much more then is this last destruction without all comparison by reason of those horrible strange miseries which were there both suddenly and in continuance of time committed Neither truly is there any history which containeth a description of so many miseries as this doth as it may appeare by Iosephus record of it For after that they had bene afflicted in diuers countries and tossed vp and downe by the deputies a long while there were slaine at Caesarea in one day twenty thousand at Alexandria another time fifty thousand at Zabulon and Ioppe eight thousand and foure hundred besides the burning of the two townes at Damascus ten thousand that had their throates cut As for Ierusalem when it had a long time endured the brunt of the warre both within and without it was pinched with so sore a famine Ioseph of the warres of the Iewes lib. 2. cap. 19 21 22 23. Lib. 6. cap. 16. Lib. 7. cap. 7.8 Lib. 6. c. 16. that
earnestly to desire to know the day wherein hee should die which also his schoolemaster the deuill reuealed vnto him but vnder such doubtfull tearmes that he dreamed in his foolish conceit of immortalitie and that he should neuer die It chanced on a time as he was singing masse at Rome in a Temple called Ierusalem which was the place assigned for him to die in and not Ierusalem in Palaestina as he made himselfe falsly beleeue he heard a great noise of deuils that came to fetch him away A note worthy the noting note that this was done in masse while whereat hee being terrified and tormented and seeing himselfe not able any waies to escape he desired his people to rend his body in pieces after his death and lay it vpon a charriot and let horses draw it whether they would which was accordingly perfourmed for as soone as hee was dead the pieces of his carkasse were carried out of the Church of Laterane by the wicked spirit who as he ruled him in life so he was the chiefe in his death and funerals By like means came Benedict the ninth to the Popedome for he was a detestable magitian Benno Balleus and in the ten yeres wherin he was Pope hauing committed infinite villanies and mischiefes was at last by his familiar friend the deuill strangled to death in a forrest whither he went to apply himselfe the more quieter to his coniurings Gregorio the sixt scholler to Siluester as great a coniurer â—s his master wrought much mischiefe in his time Bal. but was at last banished Rome and ended his life in misety in Germany Iohn the two and twentieth being of no better disposition then these we haue spoken of but following iudiciall astrologie fed himselfe with a vaine hope of long life whereof hee vanted himselfe among his familiars one day aboue the rest at Viterbum in a chamber which hee had lately builded saying that hee should liue a great while hee was assured of it presently the flore brake suddenly in pieces and hee was found seuen daies after crushed to pieces vnder the ruines thereof All this notwithhanding yet other Pope eased not to suffer themselues to be infected with this execrable poison as Hildebrand who was called Gregorie the seuenth and Alexander the sixt of which kind we shall see a whole legend in the next booke and 43 chapter do but marke these holy fathers how abominable they were to be in such sort giuen ouer to Satan Cornelius Agrippa a great student in this cursed Art and a man famous both by his owne workes and others report for his Necromancie Iouius in elogijâ— vtrorum illustrium went alwaies accompanied with an euill spirit in the similitude of a blacke dog but when his time of death drew neare and he was vrged to repentance he tooke off the enchaunted collar from the dogs necke and sent him away with these tearmes Get thee hence thou cursed beast which hast vtterly destroied mee neither was the dog euer after seene some say hee leapt into Araris and neuer came out againe Agrippa himselfe died at Lions in a base and beggerly Inne Zoreastres king of Bactria is notified to haue beene the inuentor of Astrologie and Magicke Theat hist but the deuill whose ministerie he vsed when he was too importunate with him burned him to death Charles the seuenth of Fraunce put Egidius de Raxa marshiall of his kingdome Fulgos lib. 9. cap. 1. to a cruell and filthie death because hee practised this arte and in the same had murdered an hundred and twenty teeming women and young infants he caused him to be hanged vpon a fâ—â—ke by a hote fire and rosted to death Bladud the sonne of Lud king of Britaine now called England in the yeere of the world 3100 hee that builded the citie Bath as our late histories witnesse and also made therin the hote bathes addicted himselfe so much to the deuilish arte of Necromancie that he wrought wonders thereby in so much that hee made himselfe wings and attempted to flie like Dedalus but the deuill as euer like a false knaue forsooke him in his iourney so that he fell downe and brake his necke In the yeere of our Lord 1578 one Sâ—mon Penbrooke dwelling in S. Georges parish in London being a figure setter and vehemently suspected to be a coniurer by the commaundement of the iudge appeared in the parish Church of S. Sauiour at a court holden there where whilst hee was busie in entertaining a proctour and leaned his head vpon a pew a good space the proctour began to lift vp his head to see what hee ailed and found him departing out of this life and straight waies hee fell downe rattling in the throat without speaking any one word this straunge iudgement happened before many witnesses who searching him found about him fiue deuilish bookes of coniuration and most abominable practises with a picture in tinne of a man hauing three dice in his hand with this writing Chance dice fortunately and much other trash so that euery one confessed it to be a iust iudgement against sorcerie and a great example to cause others to feare the iustice of God Now let euery one learne by these examples to feare God and to stand firme stedfast to his holy word without turning from it on any side so shall he be safe from such like miserable ends as these wicked varlets come vnto CHAP. XXXIIII Of those that through pride and vainglory stroue to vsurpe the honour due vnto God A Forgetfull and vnthankfull mind for the benefits which God bestoweth vpon vs is a braunch of the breach of this first commaundement as well as those which went before and this is when we ascribe not vnto God the glory of his benefits to giue him thanks for them but through a foolish pride extoll our selues higher then we ought presuming aboue measure and reason in our owne power desire to place our selues in a higher degree then is meet With this fond and foolish affection I know not how our first fathers were tickled and tainted from the beginning to thinke to empaire the glory of God Gen. 3. and they also were puffed vp with the blast of ambition that I know not with what fond foolish rash and proud conceit went about after the flood to build a city and tower of exceeding height by that meanes to win fame and reputation amongst men Gen. 11. In stead whereof they ought rather to haue praised God by remembring his gratious goodnesse in their miraculous deliuerance in their fathers persons from that generall deluge and shipwracke of the world but forasmuch as with a proud and high stomacke they lifted vp themselues against God to whome onely all glory appertaineth therefore God also set himselfe against them and against their ouer bold practises interrupting all their determined presumptuous purposes by such a confusion and alteration of tongues which he sent amongst them that one could not
haue their equals in follies in better account Basill calleth such sports and pastimes The workehouse forge and common shop of all wickednesse Homil. 4. therefore Chrisossome praieth and admonisheth the faithfull of his time to abstaine from frequenting such places S. Augustine also forbiddeth to bestow our money vpon tumblers Homil 6. in 1. cap. Gen. Can. 51. iugglers and plaiers and such like Beside by the Constantinoplitane councell vnder Iustinian it was inhibited to be once present at such sports vnder the paine of excomunication and that the ancient Christians did by common consent not only condemne but also vtterly abstaine from such pastimes it may appeare by the testimony of Tertullian writing to the Gentiles to this effect Apolog. We renounce and send backe saith hee sports plaies vnto you as to the head and fountain from whence they were first deriued wee make no reckoning of those thinges which we know were drawne from superstition we loue not to behold the folly of turning with chariots nor the vnchastity of the Theatre nor the cruelty of sword playing nor the vanity of leaping wrestling and dancing but take pleasure in exercises of better report and lesse hurt Moreouer how odious and irkesome in the sight of the Lord such spectacles are and what power and sway the deuill beareth therein the iudgement of God vpon a Christian woman reported by Tertullian Tertul. de spect may sufficiently instruct vs There was a woman saith he that went to the Theatre to see a play and returned home possessed with an vncleane spirit who being rebuked in a coniuration for daring to assault one of the faith that professed Christ answered that he had done well because he found her vpon his owne ground The same author reporteth another example as strange of a woman also that went to see a tragedie acted to whome the night following appeared in a dreame the picture of a sheet a presage of death casting in her teeth that which she had done and fiue daies after death himselfe seazed vpon her As touching wanton songs and vnchast and ribald bookes that I may be briefe I will content my selfe onely with that which is alledged by Ludiuicus Viues coÌ„cerning that matter The Magistrate saith hee ought to banish out of his dominion all vnhonest songs and Poemes Lib. of instruction of a Christian woman and not to suffer nouelties to bee published day by day in rimes and Ballades as they are as if a man should heare in a city nothing but foolish and sturrilous dirties such as would make euen the younger sort that are well brought vp to blush and stir vp the indignation of men of honour and grauitie this ought Magistrate to preuent and to discharge the people from reading Amadis Tristram Launcelot du lake Melusine Poggius scurrilities and Boccace nouelties with a thousand more such like toies and thus much out of Viues CAAP. XXXV Of Theenes and Robbers IT followes that wee speake in the next place of such as by their greedy couetousnesse and vnquenchable desire of lucre transgresse the fourth commandement of the second table to wit Thou shalt not steale wherein not only simple theft but also sacriledge is condemned and first of Sacriledge Into this sinne fell wretched Achan in the time of Ioshua Ioshua 7. when in the sacke of Ierecho hee seeing a Babilonish garment with certaine gold and siluer couered it and stole it away and hid it in his tent contrary to the commandement of the Lord for which cause the Lord was offended with his whole people as if they all had beene necessarie to the crime and infer bled them so before their enemies that they were be at â—â—ndowne at Hay and shamefully put to flight neither was his anger appeased vntill that the offendant being diuinely and miraculously descried was stoned to death and burnt with his children and all his substance But to come vnto prophane stories let vs begin with Heliodorus measurer of Seleuchus king of Asia who by the Kings commandement and suggestion of one Simon gouernour of the Temple came to take away the gold and siluer which was kept in the treasurie of the Temple and to transport it vnto the kings treasurie whereat the whole city of Ierusalem put on sackcloth and poured out praiers vnto the Lord so that when Heliodorus was present in the Temple with his souldiours readie to seaze vpon the treasure the Lord of all spirits and power shewed so great a vision that hee fell suddainely into extreame feare and trembling for there appeared vnto him an horse with a terrible man sitting vpon him most richly barbed which came fiercely and smote at him with his foreseer moreouer there appeared two young men notable in strength excellent in beautie and comely in aparrell which stood by him on either side and scourged him with many striples so that Heliodorus that came in with so great a company of souldiours and attendants was stroken dumbe and caried out in a litter vpon thens shoulders for his strength was so abated that he could not helpe himselfe but lay destitute of all hope of recouery so heauy was the hand of God vpon him vntil by the praiers of Onias the high priest he was restored then loe he confessed that hee which dwelt in heauen had his eie on that place and defended it from all those that came to hurt and spoile it Another of this true was in Crassus the Romane who entring Ierusalem robbed the Temple of two thousand talents of siluer and gold Iosephus Zonar beside the rich ornaments which amounted in worth to eight thousand talents and a beame of beaten gold coÌ„taining three hundred pound in weight Campoful lib. 1. for which sacraledge the vengeance of God so pursued him that within a while after he was ouercome by the Parthians and together with his sonne slaine his euil gotten goods being dispersed and the scull of his head being made a ladle to melt gold in that it might be glutted with that being dead which aliue it could neuer be satisfied with Iosephus lib. 17. Herod following the steps of Hircanus his predecessor that tooke out of the sepulchre of king Dauid three thousand talents of money Zonar Annal. 1 thinking to find the like treasure broke vp the sepulchre in the night and found no money but rich ornaments of gold which hee tooke away with him howbeit to his cost for two of his seruants perished in the vaut by a diuine fire as it is reported and he himself had small successe in his worldly affaires euer after Iulian the Apostatae robbed the church of the reuenues thereof and tooke away all beneuolences and contributions to schooles of learning to the end the children might not be instructed in the liberall arts nor in any other good literature Hee exaggered also his sacriledge with scornefull ieasts saying that hee did further then saluation by making them poore seeing it was written in their
not escape punishment at Gods hand Pag. 5 How all men both by the law of God Nature are inexcusable in their sins Pag. 9 How the greatest monarchs that are in the world ought to bee subiect to the law of God consequently the lawes of man and of nature Pag. 12 Of those that persecuted Christ and his Church and their issues Pag. 18 Of those that in our age haue persecuted the Gospell in the person of the faithfull Pag. 45 Of Apostataes and Backsliders that thorough infirmity haue fallen away Pag. 59 Of those which haue willingly fallen away Pag. 66 Of Apostataes through Malice Pag. 70 Of Heretikes Pag. 95 Of Hypocrites Pag. 106 Of Coniurers and Enchanters Pag. 113 Of those that through pride and vaine-glory stroue to vsurpe the honor due vnto God Pag. 125 Of Epicures and Atheists Pag. 139 Touching transgressors by Idolatry Pag. 1â—9 Of many euils that haue come vpon Christendome for Idolatry Pag. 153 Of those that corrupted and mingled Gods religion with humane inuentions or went about to disquiet the discipline of the Church Pag. 157 Of Periurers Pag. 160 Of Blasphemers Pag. 174 Of those that by cursing and denying God giue themselues wholly to the deuil Pag. 179 Punishments for the contempt of the word and Sacraments and the abuse of holy things Pag. 189 Of those that prophane the Sabbath day Pag. 193 The second Booke OF rebellious and stubborne children towards their parents Pag. 199 Of those that rebell against their Superiours Pag. 211 Of such as haue murdered their rulers or princes Pag. 225 Of such as haue rebelled against their Superiours because of subsidies and taxes imposed vpon them Pag. 230 Of Murderers Pag. 236 Their seuarall punishments Pag. 262 Of Paricides or parent murderers Pag. 271 Of Subiect murderers Pag. 27â— Of those that are both cruell and disloiall Pag. 288 Of Queenes that were murderers Pag. 292 Of such as without necessitie or confeâ—â—â—e vpon euery light cause mooue 〈◊〉 Pag. 294 〈…〉 please themselues ouermuch 〈…〉 cruelties Pag. 298 〈…〉 â—xercise too much rigor and â—â—â—â—tie Pag. 302 〈◊〉 â—â—â—erers Pag. 305 Of Rapes Pag. 307 â—â—â—aples of Gods Iudgements vpon Adulterers Pag. 316 That Stewes ought not to be suffered amongst Christians Pag. 318 Of whoredomes committed vnder the colour of Marriage Pag. 321 Of vnlawfull marriages and their issues Pag. 323 Touching incestuous marriages Pag. 327 Of Adulterie Pag. 330 Of such as are diuorced without cause Pag. 350 Of those that either cause or authorize vnlawfull diuorcements Pag. 354 Of Incestuous persons Pag. 356 Of effeminate persons Sodomites and other such like monsters Pag. 359 Of the wonderfull euils arising from this greedinesse of lust Pag. 363 Of vnlawfull gestures Idlenesse Gluttonie Drunkennesse Daunsing and other such like dissolutenesse Pag. 365 Of Theeues and Robbers Pag. 376 Of the excessiue burdenings of the Comminaltie Pag. 386 Of those that haue vsed too much crueltie towards their subiects in Taxes Exactions Pag. 389 Of such as by force of armes haue taken away or would haue taken away the goods and lands of other men Pag. 397 Of Vsurers and their theft Pag. 411 Of such as haue beene notorious in all kind of sinne Pag. 421 Of calumniation and false witnesse bearing Pag. 444 That kings and princes ought to looke to the execution of Iustice for the punishment of naughty corrupt manners Pag. 451 Of such princes as haue made no reckening of punishing vice nor regarded the estate of their people Pag. 456 How rare geason good princes haue beene at all times Pag. 460 That the greatest and mightiest princes are not exempt from punishment for their iniquities Pag. 462 Of such punishments which are commoÌ„ to all men in regard of their iniquities Pag. 466 That the greatest punishmentes are laid vp for the wicked in the world to come Pag. 467 How the afflictions of the godly and the punishments of the wicked differ Pag. 470 Finis