Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	aaron_n	moses_n	peculiar_a	33	3	9.5076	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05370	Ravvleigh his ghost. Or a feigned apparition of Syr VValter Rawleigh to a friend of his, for the translating into English, the booke of Leonard Lessius (that most learned man) entituled, De prouidentia numinis, & animi immortalitate: written against atheists, and polititians of these dayes. Translated by A. B.; De providentia numinis, et animi immortalitate. English	Lessius, Leonardus, 1554-1623.; Knott, Edward, 1582-1656.; Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.	1631 (1631)	STC 15523; ESTC S102372	201,300	468

pursuing them in hast and being all in the middest of the sayd dry chānel God loosed his hand and Moyses at his command stricking the water all those huge hills as it were of waters which being thus restrained and serued as wals on both sides fell downe with a frightfull noyse running into their wonted chanel so ouer whelmed the Aegyptiās with their horses chariots and other prouision as that not one of them escaped These calamities of the Aegyptians persecuting the people of God are as it were a certaine type and adumbration of the tormentes wherewith the wicked after the end of the world whē God shall free and deliuer his seruants from the tyranny of the reprobate shal be punished For after he shall send to them diuers afflictions thereby that they may reclaym● themselues frō their enormities and sinnes and if notwithstanding they will persist in their former courses then shall they all in the end the whole world being in a generall conflagration of feare be vtterly eternally extinguished Fourthly there do occurre diuers examples of the diuyne prouidence especially of Gods benignity and seuerity shewed to the Israelites whyles they were in the desart For when as he had brought into a vast desart so many of them as amounted to twenty hundred thousand persons and that the meates which they had caryed with them from Egipt were spent then after a new and vnheard manner he prouided sustenance for them for euery day the Sabbaoth only excepted there did rayne downe from heauen vpon them Manna being a substance like vnto a small hayle wherwith for the space of forty yeares they were nourished Next when the waters were salty and bitter God presently made them sweet and potable 3. The fiftith day from their departure out of Egipt he gaue a law in the sight and hearing of thē all making himselfe in a sort visible to all their eyes in the hieght of the mountaine Sinay in the shew of a mighty fyar and a darke cloud with the sound of trumpets and great thunder the earth it selfe trembling the mountaine somewhat mouing and leaping 4. For the space of forty yeares he exhibited his presence to them continually in the day tyme by defending their campes or tents from the heat of the sunne in the forme of a great cloudy pillar by night by lightning their tents with the said pillar in forme of fyre when the Camps were to be remoued from place to place this pillar did lift it selfe high in the ayre going before them with a slow pace that they might know what way they were to goe and staying when where they were to rest in so much that all the profection or going and staying of their camps depended only vpon the prouidence of the highest power 5. Moyses by the commandement of God did build in the first yeare of his egresse out of Egipt a Tabernacle and in the second yeare the first moneth and first day therof erected it in the middest of the cāpe the which was no sooner set vp but that instātly the foresaid pillar cōtinually stood ouer the tabernacle as it were couering it excepting the tabernacle were to remoue and then the pillar aduancing it selfe on high went afore as is sayd to shew whither they were to goe and when to stay When Moyses entred into the tabernacle to pray vnto God then God in the sight of all the people descended downe vpon the Tabernacle vnder that cloud the prayer being ended the cloud ascended vp againe into his accustomed place 6. When the people of Israel were afflicted with the extremity of thirst in the eleuenth mansion in Raphidim Moyses by diuine commandement did strike with his rod a dry Rocke out of which presently gushed great store of water the same also was done in their thirtith three stay in Cades At which place Moyses somewhat doubted in regard of the Israelites incredulity whether God would giue them water or no and was therefore chastised with this punishment from God to wit Thou shalt not bring the people into the Land of promise for thou shalt dye before that tyme. 7. When the children of Israel desired to feed vpon flesh and for that cause coueting after the pots of Egipt murmured against Moyses God though offended therewith promised them flesh and therupon the day after did send into their camps such a multitude of quayles as that they serued them all for a whole moneth after It might be probably thought that there were scarce to be found in the whole world so great abūdance of this kynd of birds But God presently punished this their inordinate desire of eating flesh with the death of many of them and thereupon the place where they were buryed was called Sepulchra Concupiscentiae 8. The spyes being returned which were sent by the Isralites abroad and extolling the strength of their Enemies and calūniating debasing the land of promise the people through feare shewed great diffidence in Gods promises in so much that they disclaymed from al interest in the land of Promise desyred to returne into Egipt For which cause our Lord being angry condemned to death all those who were twenty yeares of age or aboue which number came to 63. thousands of Men and fiue hundred two only excepted to wit Caleb and Iosue which trusting in the assistance of God much animated the people for he decreed that none of them should enter into the land of Promise but that they all as being murmurers against his diuine prouidence should dye in the wildernes for which cause he detained them fourty yeares in the desart leading them now hither now thither vntill they were all consumed and wasted away Yet their children which arriued not to the years of twenty were reserued aliue substituted in their parents places Whereupon it followed that although in the fortith yeare when the land of Promise was to be possessed by them all the murmurers were dead yet in regard of the many thousands proceeding from their children and those of the tribe of Leui which amounted to 23. thousand there were then more to enter into the land of Promise then were in the first yeare 9. Core Dathan and Abiron being the chiefest men among the Israelites seconded by two hundred fifty of the noblest among them raysed a sedition against Moyses and Aaron and thus the mindes of the people were auerted from performing their obedience as if Moyses and Aaron had ambitiously sought the Principality and Pontificality and did not vndertake it at the cōmandement of God Therefore for the indignity of the matter Moyses appealed to the iudgment of God heerein who decyded the cause by inflicting a most horrible chastisement vpon them in the eye of all the rest for Moyses had fearce made an end of his cōminations and threats but the earth vnderneath them began to tremble and as a Sea to floate to and fro And then gaping

same sympathy agreement proportion Againe the Planets sometymes are more neare to the earth other tymes more remote and distant now they are stationarij then directi and after retrogradi to the demonstration of which poynts are inuented the Eccentrick Circles and the Epicycles Furthermore many other obseruations in the Heauens most wonderfull and vnknowne for somany ages to all antiquity are lately discouered by the helpe of a Perspectiue glasse inuented by a certaine Batauiā As for example that the body of the moone is spongious consisting of some matter resembling little locks of woll that the star of Venus doth increase and decrease in light like the moone crooking it self into hornes as the moone doth and when it Orbe is full of light it is not opposed diametrically to the Sunne as the Moone is but is in small distance from the Sunne from which obseruation it may seeme to be necessarily inferred that the starre of Venus is carryed in a huge Epicycle about the Sunne so as it is sometimes far higher then the Sunne other tymes much lower In lyke sort by the former instrument there are obserued about the starre of Iupiter 4 small stars sometimes going before sometimes following Iupiter at one tyme they all appeare at another tyme but some of them and at a third tyme other some from whence also we may gather that the said starres do moue in little Epicycles about the starre of Iupiter Againe in the body of the Sunne there appeare certaine spots which notwithstanding do not euer retaine one and the same place in the Sunne but daily change their situation and at one tyme they appeare more in number at another fewer From which it is easily gathered that these spots do not inhere in the body of the Sunne but are little starres which interpose themselues betweene the Sunne and our sight and are moued in Epicycles about the body of the Sunne I my selfe haue often obserued these varieties with wonderfull admiration of the wisedome and power of God who hath disposed the course of the starres with that stupendious art and skill as that they are in no sort subiect to the apprehension of mans vnderstāding I here omit the infinite multitude of Starres which being neuer discouered to the Astronomers vntill this tyme are by the helpe of the foresaid instrument most distinctly seene in the Heauens To cōclude in the eight Sphere wherin the fixed Starres are there is obserued a triple motion The first from the Fast to the West absoluing its whole course in 24. houres The second from the West to the East which is thought to go one degree in a hundred yeares The third from the South to the North and contrariwise by force of which motion the beginning of Aries Libra of the eight Sphere doth descrybe certaine small circles about the beginning of Aries and Libra of the ninth Sphere which course is perfected in 7000. yeares Now who will maintayne that so multiplicious and so various a locall motion should proceed from nature and not from some one most Wise and Excellent an Vnderstanding or Power thus gouerning all the heauēs for the benefit of the sublunary or earthly bodies and particulerly of man to whome the rest are subiect and seruiceable Neither conduceth it any thing against our scope whether it be replyed that these motions are performed by diuers trāsient pushes euen as the rowling about of a potters wheele is occasioned by the Potter or els by certaine stable firme permament forces impressed in the celestiall Orbes as some do affirme for by whether meanes soeuer it is caused it necessarily proceedeth from some incorporeall cause indued with a mynd and vnderstanding not from any peculiar propension and inclination of nature Now this Cause which with so powerfull a hand and so many wayes turneth about the heauenly Orbes we call God who either worketh this immediatly of himselfe which is the more probable opinion or els by the ministery and help of inferiour Spirits and Intelligences as many do hould THE THIRD REASON TAKEN FROM that that Corporall substances and such as are subiect to the eye and sight cannot haue their being by Chance or Fortune CHAP. V. IN the whole course of the nature of things there must needes be some one cause of which all therest in respect of their substance do depend and that we call God That there is such a cause is proued in that corporeall and bodily things do proceed either from themselues or casually from fortune or from some incorporeall cause endued with a mynd vnderstanding and reason For neuer did any Philosopher set downe any other efficient cause of the world then some of these three neither can any other cause differēt from these be suggested or imagined except one will say that this world is produced of another world and that other of another and so still infinitly which assertion is in it selfe absurd seing it implyeth an infinity interminable progresse and proceeding Now it is manifest that things haue their beginning neither from themselues nor from Chance or fortune therfore it followeth necessarily that they receaue their production and being from some Mynd or Spirit endued with reason That they proceed not from Chance to wit from a casuall concourse of Atomies or smal bodies as Democritus Epicurus Lucretius and some other did teach appeareth both from the structure and forme of all things in the world as also from the great order and constancy which is discouered in the motion of the heauens and in the function office of other things for what man that is endued with reason will be perswaded that those thinges whose making are accompanied with the fulnes of all reason in that respect exceedeth the wit of all art and knowledge should notwithstanding be produced of a meere casual concourse of Atomies without reason and without art Since to say thus were as much as to defēd that some one most faire sumptuous and stately pallace were not made at all by any artificer with art but only by a suddaine mingling and meeting together of certaine peeces of stones into this curious and artificiall forme fallen from some huge rocke of stone shaken a sunder by an Earthquake or that the Annales of Ennius or Commentaries of Liuy were not cōposed by any wryter but by a strange and casuall concourse of letters for if the parts of the world and disposition of parts and the bodyes of liuing Creatures plants in the making wherof is found all reason art skil in the highest degree can be produced only by a meere cōcourse of Atomies without art without reason then by the same reason why cannot Pallaces Temples Cittyes vestmēts bookes epistles and the like in all which is discouered much lesse art skill and wit then in the former take also their making and being from Chance Therefore let that foolish absurd opinion of the concourse of Atomyes be abolished which seemeth to be inuented to

earth would become dry barren depriued of all beauty ornaments of trees grasse hearbs and flowers and finally not fit and commodious for the habitatiō of man beasts Showers receaue their fecundity and fruitfulnes from a double cause first by the mixture of a viscous and fat matter which is exhaled and drawne vp with the vapours from the earth and the sea for the sea being fertil hath a certaine fatnes with the which fishes are nourished Therefore while the Sunne eleuateth vp the more thin parts of it which are vapours it withal attracteth a certaine oyle and fat matter which being mingled with the vapours after throgh cold conden sd and thickned into rayne doth water the earth The same thing also hapneth when vapours and exhalations are drawne vp through the Suns heat from a fenny earth frō gardēs fields woods Secondly showers take their fruitfulnes from the spirit and heat included and impressed in the cloud or shower by the beames of the Sunne for this spirit or heat causeth all things to grow and increase And to the end that the fall of showers should not ouerwhelme with an ouer great and impetuous force weight the tender buds and flowers therefore the diuyne prouidence hath ordayned that they do not fall ouer abundantly and precipitantly but that frō a great height they should distil by little little through a large tract of the ayre wherby they being deuided into infinite most small drops do be sprinkle the earth with a pleasing moisture and humidity And to the end that what is thus falen vpon the earth should not by the heat of the Sunne be instantly dryed vp consumed before it could penetrate and descend to the roots of plants therefore for the most part certaine dry remnants of clouds do intercept the beames of the Sunne vntill the earth do drinke and suck vp the raine and transmit it to the rootes for the better nourishing of the fruite which it bringeth forth Also Snow which is as it were the froth of clouds is accompanied with no small benefit for besides that it affords matter for the continuance of springs and riuers descending from the highest mountaines it doth couer the earth as it were with a fleece of wool and by this meanes keeping the heat of the earth within it hindreth that frosts penetrating ouer deeply the earth do not extinguish the seminall vertue resyding in rootes and thus Snow is one cause of the earths great fertility of plants Snow also hath in it selfe a fecundity and fruitfulnes in regard of the ayre included in it which shining with infinite bubles giueth that extraordinary whitenes to the Snow Frost in like manner is most profitable to all things for by a repercussion beating backe it keepeth within the spirit heat of the earth and of liuing creatures not suffering it to euaporate and vanish away And from this it cōmeth that in colder coūtryes and such as are subiect to frosts men are of a more robustious greater stature and longer lyued then in hoater regions Now these to wit Wynds showers snow frosts and the like come not promis●●ously in any tyme of the yeare but are so distributed by certaine seasons thereof as they most aptly agree and sort to the begetting growing increasing and perfecting of plants and liuing creatures and to the perpetuating of their species and kynds and further do serue most cōmodiously to Mens vses From all which it is euen demonstratiuely concluded that all these are ordained and instituted by a most wise and most powerfull mynd or spirit for the good and s●ruice of liuing creatures and chiefly of Man to whom all the rest are subiect And that the Elements are for the same cause made and do to that end enioy such their peculiar situations and their proper formes and figures which now they haue doth abundan●ly appeare from the consideration of the earth and water For if we consider precisely things as they should be in their owne nature the earth ought to be exactly round and the water ought on euery syde to couer encompasse the earth Seing all things that are ponderous and heauy ought to descend equally towards the Center of the earth and by how much one body is more heauy then another by so much it ought to be more neere to the center and lower in place then the other Therefore the earth ought to be vnder the waters and the waters specially to be powred about it But we see that these two Elements are far otherwise situated for a huge portion of the earth to wit all that which is not couered with the sea and all the immense weight and heape of mountaines is far higher and more remote from the Center then the water is For there rūneth a mighty vast channell through the middest of the earth of an infinite profundity deuided into seuerall passages which running diuers wayes and in some places of greater breadth in others of lesser do make Ilands Into this channell all the Element of water is receaued that only excepted which being extenuated and made thin turneth into vapours that so the earth as free from being couered with water might be made seruiceable for the habitation of men and other creatures and for the groth and increase of things Furthermore the Earth is so fashioned and brought into that forme that from the sea towards the mediterranean places it by insensible degrees lifteth it selfe vp riseth higher vntill it end into mountaines and rockes in which poynt consisteth a most admirable art of the diuyne Prouidence For first by this structure of the Earth it is made free from all perillous inundations which by little and little and in long processe of tyme by tne influence of the starres or force of the wynds might endanger al the Earth For we see by experience that such bordering parts of the earth as are neere to the sea and do not much exceed the Sea in height are often vtterly ouerflowed with the deaths of the Inhabitants and losse of all goods Furthermore if this easy ascent rysing of the Earth were not there could not be any riuers for if the superficies of the earth were equally distant from the Center as in a globe perfectly round then would there be no fall of riuers for the water cannot flow except it fynd places more low and neere to the Center And if the Earth should suddenly be lifted vp into steepe heights then would the fall of riuers be more impetuous and violent then were requisite neither could riuers being so precipitious and downfall be commodious to mans vse neither could they runne continually through defect of matter I here omit the danger of inundations which often do chance to the great losse and detriment of the inhabitants when abundance of raine aud melted snow being gathered together do suddenly and precipitantly fall from some great height Therfore the Earth ought to ryse in height by

depryued of all sound and perfect iudgment This indeed was long since the calumny of the Pharisies against our Lord of the Heathens against Martyrs who when they were clearely conuinced with supernatural signes and miracles as plainly seeing them daily wrought and being then conscious of their owne inward wickednes did burst forth into horrible blasphemyes attributing those things to the deuill and art magick which were effected only by the mighty hand of God Now the Reason why God vouchsafeth to worke miracles in diuers places is manifold First he doth this that hereby he may manifest his presence prouidence to al men For if during the space of many ages whatsoeuer was wrought was encompassed within the limits of Nature then might men perhaps be induced to thinke that there were no diuine Power who had a care of humane affaires vpon whome the charge of them were property incumbent but that all things had their euent by a secret impulse and force of nature For although this is euidently disproued by many reasons as from the motion of the starres from the fabricke and making of bodyes from the innate direction of euery particuler thing to its certain end as is shewed aboue yet many do not sufficiently seriously penetrate these matters but are as it were blynded here in through the daily and continuall seeing of them for how admirable a thing is it that from some few graines of corne so great an increase should rise From a formeles seed so fayre and so seuerall kynds of bodyes both of liuing Creatures and of Plants should be framed From a small roote so huge trees should grow And yet few there are who do admyre these things and few who do acknowledge Gods wonderfull power and prouidence in them Therefore it was necessary that some workes might be effected which should transgresse the bounds of nature least otherwise men might thinke that there were no power aboue the nature and condition of corporall things for by reason of the exorbitancy and the vnaccustomednes of such stupendious euents men are often stirred vp to thinke of the Authour of them and to prosecute him with true religion reuerēce and honour Secondly Miracles are effected to the end that men may be confirmed in other poynts of religion giuing a full assent therto without any hesitation or doubtfulnes and making vse of them with all due reuerence Thirdly that the doctrine and lyues of those who worke miracles may hereby be fully warranted and so with greater certainty of truth may be commended to vs. For miracles are certaine diuyne testimonyes both of the infallibility of doctryne and of sanctity of life especially where the life is conformable to the doctrine Fourthly that by this meanes the seruants of God may be honoured for there is nothing which maketh holy men more celebrious and famous throughout the whole world and which more incyteth the mynds of others to loue worship and imitate thē then the exhibiting of miracles For as God wil haue himselfe belieued of Men aboue all things and our neighbours not aboue al things but euery one in his degree so doth he expect himselfe to be worshiped aboue all things to wit as the first efficient last final cause of all things and his seruants not to be honoured after this supreme manner but in their peculiar degree and in that respect which they beare towards God that is as they are his adoptiue sonnes partakers of his kingdome and his most deare friends Thus from hence it appeareth that there is no feare of Idolatry in honouring here Gods Saints for where there is Idolatry committed there is supreme honour giuen by the which a Creature is worshipped as the Creatour and first beginning but no worship is ascribed to the Saints in this sort Fiftly Miracles are wrought that men through occasion of corporall benefits obtained therby may the sooner be stirred vp to repentance amendment of life for where miracles are wrought there is to that place for the most part a great confluence and concourse of many thousāds of grieuous sinners who being afore contaminated with alkynds of vices and hauing conceaued a remorse of their former licentious lyues do vndertake an amendment change of their former courses and thus by this meanes it hapneth that the soules of many thousands are saued which otherwise had perished euerlastingly To conclude this poynt by miracles all men are stirred vp to reuerence praise of God to the giuing of thankes spirituall ioy and exultation and the minds of all are raised vp to a confident erected hope as conceauing the expectation of the like help in their future calamityes and afflictions THE TENTH REASON TAKEN FROM Prophesyes CHAP. XII I Heere call prophesying a prediction of things to come which do depend of the liberty of mans free will This predictiō is a manifest signe of a Deity or Diuinity for that Mynd which through its owne strength power knoweth things future must also a ●ortio●● know all things present and past and consequently must k●●w all things absolutly I meane all those things which are intelligible and may be vnderstood Now that Mynd which knoweth omnia intelligibilia knoweth also omnia po●●●●●lia all things which are poshb●e therupon must be omniscient o● know al things and omnipotent 〈…〉 knowledge Idea or Notion of things is the cause of things therfore what of it ●e●● hath al knowledge must ●e ●as be omnipotent For who is prescient and knoweth thinges to come doth herein far exceed the faculty of al mortall men according to that saying of Pindarus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Humane mindes are blind in thinges to come Therfore there is an inuisible intelligence far more noble and worthy then mans mynd to which euer through its owne proper force this prenotion and fore knowledge agreeth and this is God Which poynt is the more true seeing this prenotion is so sublime high and difficult as that it seemeth to exact an infinite power of vnderstanding for things future do neither exist or terminate in thēselues nor in their causes neither is there any reason from whence it may be certainly gathered that they rather are to be then that they are not to be How then is that Intelligence of Mind able determinatly and certainly to foresee what is to come and what is not but that its ●●tuitiue power ●ight is so perfect the efficacy of its light so great as that it is able to extend it selfe to all things future as they shal be in themselues in their due tyme this as certainly as if they did now really exist or had existed from all eternity Now it is r●o●isite that this power be infinite both because there cannot be imagined a gre●● worthy●● manner of seeing as alsoin that it stretcheth itselfe ●orth to all future things seing there is the same reason manner and height of knowing all things From which it followeth

rebuked by a Prophet because they being so often deliuered out of the handes of their enemies by God and hauing receaued so many benefits from his diuine bounty did neuertheles so often depart from his seruice and worship But when they were most importunate and instant with God in their prayers for their deliuery he raysed Gedeon to whome an Angell was sent in mans forme encouraging him to so great a worke who when he was assured by pregnant signes from heauen of the victory he alone with three hundred vnarmed men furnished only with a trumpet and a vessell of earth containing in it a firebrand vndertooke so great an enterprise These sounding the trumpet in three places of the army there instantly did ryse so great a tumult amōg the enemies as that they being stroken with a sudden fury partly by killing one another with their owne swords and partly by being slaine in the pursuit there were dead of them more then a hundred thousand Gedeon being dead they relapsed againe to Idolatry for which cause our Lord deliuered thē to the power of the Philistians and the Ammonites from whose hands they receaued great afflictiōs and pressures during the tyme of eighteene yeares they returning againe to our Lord asking pardon of him obtained for their captaine Iephte who being prouided of an army fought with the enemies and got at one tyme twenty of the Ammonites citties restoring the Israelites to their former liberty Scarcely had fiue and twenty yeares passed from the death of Iepthe but the Israelites returned againe to their old vomit by abandoning of God of whose benefites they had before so often tasted plunging themselues a new into Idolatry the chiefe cause of all their miseries and therfore they were made againe subiect vnder the yoke of the Philistians during the space of forty yeares but in the end God being moued with mercy sent them Sampson whose strength of body was such seconded with the peculiar force of God as nothing was able to withstand him for he toare a sunder with his handes a Lyon that came fiercely vpon him and carryed vpon his shoulders the gate doores of the citty Gaza within which being besieged by his enemyes he was shut in like sort he being vnarmed inuaded the whole army of many armed souldiers ōly with the Iaw bone of an Asse wherewith he killed a thousand droue the rest into flight Againe he ouer threw the house of Dagon two of the chiefe pillars therof being shaken downe by the strength of his arme many thousandes of the Philistiās who were present being killed with the fall Which afflictions gaue to the Israelites some breathing tyme of ease and rest but they againe enioying a long peace and increasing the mount of their former sinnes with the accesse of more they were once more cast into the handes of Philistians by whome there were slaine 34. thousand Israelites besides the Arke was taken the keepers of it to wit Ophni Phinees two principall Priests were killed as God fore●ould by Samuel that the same should come to passe This calamity happened in the fortith yeare of Heli. Yet heere were the Israelites though ouercome so punished as that the Philistians though conquerours were afflicted with farre more grieuous miseries for when they offered the Arke of God to their Idol as a spoyle to to the Victour God in reuénge of so great an indignity punished them seueral waies for the Idol did not only fall twice downe before the Arke the head and handes of it being maymed and broken but also the bodies of the Philistians throughout all the citties were stroken with a most loathsome disease to wit their hindermost intestine or gut became putrifyed stood farre out so as innumerable dyed thereof Besides al their fruite of the earth their yeares prouision aforehand were eaten consumed with abundance of myce comming out of the fieldes and villages Doubtlesly these tribulations were farre more heauy then if they had beene brought vnder the yoake of the Israelites Therefore the Philistians were in the end enforced to confesse the power of God of Israel and honourably to send backe the Arke with all its dowryes and guifts euen by those men who were witnesses of the calamities inflicted by God vpon them All this is at large set downe in the bookes of the Iudges 1. Sixthly those thinges are to be taken in our consideration which chanced to the Israelits being vnder the gouerment of the Kinges First Saul after a wonderfull manner and by the speciall fauour of God to wit by diuine election and also by lot was aduanced to the kingdome who when he would not obey Gods commandments was with all his posterity depriued by God of all regall authority and in the end his army being vanquished and the kingdome transferred vpon Dauid himself with his eldest sonne was slaine in the warre 2. Dauid although a great worshipper of God had his sinnes to wit the one of his adultery and the other of his homicide most seuerely punished of God euen after his repentance for his Sonne to his great griefe was depriued of life and the fairest of his daughters was violated and defaced with an infamous incest by his eldest son and the sayd sonne was afterwardes treacherously slaine by his owne brother and Dauid himselfe was contume●●ously cast out of the Kingdome by his owne sonne and his wiues were constuprated abused by his sonne All which aduersities that they should fall to him in punishment of his adultery homicide were foretold by Nathan the Prophet 3. Againe when Dauid sinned through elation pride of mind in numbring the people God in punishment there of by his Prophet Gad sent to him gaue him choyce of one of these three chastisements to wit whether his kingdome should be afflicted with famine for seauen yeares or himselfe should be ouercome by his enemies for three moneths or should be infected with pestilence for three dayes Wherupon Dauid seing himselfe brought into these straights thus answered Coarctor nimis c. I am straitned ouermuch but it is better that I fall into the hands of God for many are his mercyes then iuto the hands of men And answerably hereto he made choyce of pestilence with the which being suddenly sent from God there dyed seauenty thousand men in three dayes but after sacrifice being offered vp for the appeasing of Gods iustice the plague instantly ceased 4. Salomon succeeded Dauid who being indued from God with a greater measure of wisdome then any other man and enioying more riches honour glory and a longer peace then any of the former Kings of that people at length being giuen ouer to the loue of women was so absorpt with the pleasure of them as that for their sakes he was content to worship Idols In reuēge of which so great an offence God presently after his death diuided shared his Kingdome ten trybes wherof were transferred vpon Ierobam