that famous Thebane Captaine three thousand pieces of gold to make him his friend he sharply rebuked the Ambassadour that brought it for travelling so long a journey to corrupt Epaminondas and bad him take it back and tell his King that if he deserved the favour of the Thebanes Epaminondas would be his friend without a bribe but if he deserved otherwise he would be his enemy Plut. The same Epaminondas hearing that his Squire had taken a great summe of money for the redemption of a Captive called him to him and said Give me my shield from thee and go and buy thee a shop and turn hucster for now that thou art grown rich I am sure thou wilt not adventure thy self into dangers Plut. Agesilaus King of Sparta was a great contemner of riches and could not endure covetousnesse So that never any of his souldiers or Officers had cause to complaine that he wronged them in their wages or otherwise but every one praised him for his bounty Plut. Agesilaus King of Sparta was such a contemner of riches that he would never suffer himself to be corrupted by them to do any thing that was prejudicial to his Countrey and whereas the Kings of Persia in his time made it all their care to heape up gold silver and all precious things he on the contrary valued not any of them he suited his expences to his incomes and to get money would never do any unjust thing Plut. Pyrrhus King of Epyrus in the first battel that he fought in Italy against the Romanes overcame them and took one thousand eight hundred prisoners whereupon the Romanes sent Ambassadours to him proffering a great summe of money for their ransome but he rejâ—cting their money set them free gratis and taking a great love to one of the Ambassadours called Fabricius and understanding that he was very poore he proffered him a fourth part of his Kingdom if he would serve him But Fabricius scorned the proffer wherewith Pyrrhus was so taken that he presently sent and made peace with the Romanes Eutrop. Marcus â—ttilius Regulus the Romane Consul was so poâ—re that whâ—l'st he fought in Affrica against the Carthaginians his wife and children were maintained upon the publick charges Polyb. Curius Dentatus the Romane Consul having gorten a great victory over the Samnites they sent Ambassadours to him with a great summe of gold who found him parching pease for his dinner and when they proffered him the gold he said to them I had rather have these pease in my earthen pots and rule over those that have gold then to receive your gold of you And when he was afterwards charged with stealing something that should have been brought into the publick treasury he brought forth a wooden platter that he used to sacrifice in and swore that of all the spoils he had reserved only that to himselfe Aur. Victor Vergerius the Popes Legate was sent by his Master to Luther when he first began to preach against the corrruptions of the Church of Rome to proffer him a Cardinals hat if he would relinquish his opinions To whom he answered Contemptus est à me Romanus favor furor I neither care for the favour nor fury of Rome At another time there was a designe to give him a great summe of money but one wiser then the rest cried out Hem Germana illa bestia non curat aurum That beast of Germany cares not for money See his Life in my first Part. Luther tells us that when the Pope sent some Cardinals to him to tempt him with promises of great wealth and honour Turning my self saith he to God Valde protestatus sum me nolle sic satiari ab eo I said flatly that God should not put me off with these low things See his Life in my first Part. Love of money the root of all evil After the battel of Marathon a Persian to obtain favour shewed one Callias an Athenian a mighty Masse of treasure that was hidden by the Persians in a pit but Callias most unjustly and cruelly murthered him that shewed it him lest he should speak of it to others Pez Mel. Hist. Lycurgus the Lacedemonian Lawgiver considering the manifold mischiefs which come by the love of money and covetousnesse banished the use of money out of the Common-wealth forbidding all coine of gold and silver imploying iron in stead thereof whereof a great quantity was but worth a little so that to lay up ten pound in iron would have filled an whole Cellar hereby he prevented all theft and robberies Hereby also he prevented all superfluous and unprofitable sciences for who would make such things as would undo them by reason of the basenesse of the money which they should receive for them Hereby also they could buy no forreigne commodities because their iron money would go no where else This kept out of his Common-wealth Rhetoricians which teach the cunning art of Lying and Panders which keep brothel-houses and Goldsmiths and Jewellers which sell toyes for women Hereby delicatenesse wanting fewel by little and little vanished Housholdstuffe was excellently made for Artificers laying aside superfluous works wholly imployed themselves in making necessary things Plut. They that will be rich fall into tentation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Tim. 6. 9. CHAP. XLIV Examples of Honour shewed to Gods Word and Ministers THe duty of people towards their Pastors is to subject themselves to them 1 Cor. 16. 16. To love them 1 Thes. 5. 13. Gal. 4. 15. To pray for them 1 Thes. 5. 25. 2 Thes. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 18. To pray for the destruction of their enemies Deut. 33. 11. To grieve when they are sick Phil. 2. 26. To honour and Reverence them Mat. 10 40. 1 Cor. 16. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 15. Phil. 2. 29. 1 Thes. 5. 12. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Gal 4. 14 Not to despise them 1 Cor. 16. 11. 1 Tim. 4. 12. To obey them 2 Cor. 7. 15. 1 Thes. 2. 12. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Ioh. 4. 6. To be bountiful to them Deut. 12. 19. 14 27. 16. 11. 24. 14 15. 25. 4. Mat. 10. 10. Luk. 9. 3. 10. 7. Rom. 15. 27. 1 Cor. 9. 7 9 10. 2 Cor. 11. 7 c. Gal. 6. 6. Phil. 2. 29. 4. 10 16. 1 Thes. 2. 6. 5. 12. 1 Tim. 5. 17 18. 2 Tim. 26. Heb. 13. 17. To stand by and for them in times of danger 2 Tim 4. 16 17. Other Examples When Ehud told King Eglon that he had a message to him from God to shew his reverence he rose up out of his seat Jud. 3. 20. Constantine the Great used to shew so much reverence and attention to the Word of God preached that many times he would stand up all the Sermon while and when some of his Courtiers told him that it tended to his disparagement he answered That it was in the service of the great God who is no respector
honestate quà m sol à cursu suo averti potest It's easier to turne the Sun out of his course then Fabricius from his honesty Eutropius Marcus Attilius Regulus a Romane Consull fighting in Affrica against the Carthaginians was at last by subtility taken prisoner Yet was sent to Rome for the exchange of prisoners upon his oath that in case he prevailed not he should return and yield up himself prisoner to them again when he came to Rome he made a speech in the Senate-house to disswade them from accepting of the conditions and so without respecting his wife and children he returned to Carthage where he was grievously tormented in a Little-Ease knocked full of nailes that he could neither leane sit nor lie till he died Cicero When the Corps of Thomas Howard second Duke of Norfolk was carried to be interred in the Abbey of Thetford Anno 1524. No person could demand of him one groat for debt or restitution for any injury done by him Weav Fun. Mon. p. 839. It was said of the famous Lawyer Andreas Taraquillus that singulis annis singulos libros liberos Reipublicae dedit Thuanus Obit Doct. vir anno 1558. In the dayes of Queen Mary Judge Morgan chief Justice of the Common Pleas refusing to admit any witnesse to speak or any other matter to be heard in favour of the adversary her Majesty being party the Queen declared that her pleasure was that whatsoever could be brought in favour of the Subject should be admitted and heard Qui pro veritate est pro Rege est Holinsh. in Q. Mary p. 1112. A certaine Lawyer in France was so much delighted in Law-sport that when Lewis the King offered to ease him of a number of suits he earnestly besought his Highnesse to leave him some twenty or thirty behinde wherewith he might merrily passe away the time we have too many such that love to fish in troubled waters Bassanus King of the Sicambrians was so severe in the execution of his laws that he executed his own sonne for adultery and being reviled by his wife for it he put her away sending her back to her father who was King of the Orcades Isac Chron. p. 152. Henry the fourth King of England when his eldest sonne the Prince of Wales was by the Lord chief Justice committed to prison for affronting him on the bench gave thanks to God for that he had a Judge so impartial in executing justice and a sonne so obedient as to submit to such a punishment Speed A Judge in Germany aggravating the fault of a murtherer that was before him told him that he deserved no favour for that he had killed six men No my Lerd said an Advocate that stood by he killed but one and you are guilty of the blood of the other five because you let him escape upon the murther of the first The Egyptian Kings usually and solemnly presented this oath to their Judges Not to swarve from their consciences no though they should receive a command from themselves to the contrary It 's a principle in moral policy That an ill executor of the Laws is worse in a State then a great breaker of them Pericles a famous Oratour of Greece who for the excellency of his speech and mightinesse of his eloquence was said to thunder and lighten at the Barre from the Principles of nature ever before he pleaded a cause intreated his gods that not a word should fall from him besides his cause An old woman complaining to the Emperour Adrian of some wrong that was done her her he told her that he was not at leasure to heare her suit to whom she plainly replied That then he ought not to be at leasure to be Emperour which came so to the quick that he was ever after more facile to suitours Fulgâ— Lewis the first King of France used three dayes in the week publickly to hear the complaints and grievances of his people and to right their wrongs A Macedonian Gentleman called Pausanias ran at King Philip and slew him because he had refused to do him justice when he complained against a Peer of the Realme Some of the kindred of Tatius King of the Romans robbed and murthered certain Ambassadours that were going to Rome for which their â—â—â—â—olk demanded justice of Tatius but he connâ—ving at the wrong because of his relation to them the kindred of the slaine watched their opportunity and slew him as he was sacrificing to his gods Plut. Lewis called Saint Lewis of France having given a pardon to a Malefactor upon second thoughts revoked it again saying That he would give no pardon where the Law did not pardon For that it was a work of mercy and charity to punish an offendor and not to punish crimes was as much as to commit them A certaine husbandman coming to Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne challenged kindred of him and thereupon desired him to preferre him to such an office Cousen quoth the Bishop if your cart be broken I will mend it If your plâ—ugh be old I will give you a new one or seed to sowe your land But an husbandman I found you and an husbandman I will leave you Domitius the Emperour used to say that he had rather seem cruel in punishing then to be dissolute in sparing It was said of Chilperick King of France that he was Titularis non Tutelaris Rex Defuit Reipublicae non praefuit Cambyses King of Persia dying without issue his Nobles agreed that his horse that should first neigh at the place where they appointed to meet the next morning he should be their King Whereupon Ocbares Gentleman of the horse to Darius led his horse over-night to that place and let him there cover a Mare and the next morning when they were all met Darius his horse knowing the place and missing the Mare neighed and so Darius was presently saluted for King Herod l. 5. St. Bernards counsel to Eugenius was that he should so rule the people as that they might prosper and grow rich under him and not he be wealthy by the people It was observed of Varus Governour of Syria that he came poore into the Countrey and found it rich but departed thence rich and left the Countrey poore Ptolomaeus Lagi though a great King yet never had but little of his own and his usual saying was That it was fit for a King rather to make others rich then to be rich himselfe Plut. Tiberius Caesar being solicited by the Governours of his Provinces to lay greater taxes and subsidies upon his people answered That a good shepherd ought to sheare his sheep not flay them St. Lewis King of France on his death-bed advised his sonne never to lay any taxe upon his subjects but when necessity urged him and when there was just cause for it Otherwise saith he you will not be reputed for a King but a Tyrant The Emperour Theodosius was wont to say That he accounted it a greater honour to be a member
of the Church then the head of the Empire Amongst the Lacedemonians men were chosen into the Senate and office of Magistracy not for their riches friends beauty strength c. but for their honesty and vertue Plut. Examples of Marshall Discipline A French souldier in Scotland in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reigne who first mounted the bulwark of a Fort that was besieged whereupon ensued the gaining of the Fort The French General Mounsier de Thermes first Knighted him for his valour and then hanged him within an hour after because he had done it without command Holman in his book of Ambass Manlius Torquatus the Roman General beheaded his own sonne for fighting with an enemy without leave although he overcame him Isac Chron. p. 147. Defend the poor and fatherlesse Do justice to the afflicted and needy deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Psa. 82. 3 4. CHAP. XLVIII Examples of Injustice Bribery The evil of it Psal. 82. 2. Prov. 11. 7. 28. 8. 29. 27. Zeph. 3. 5. Luk. 16. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Rom. 1. 31. It 's spoken of Psal. 43. 1. Mat. 5. 45. Isa. 26. 10. Rev. 22. 11. Forbidden Deut. 25. 13 14. Lam. 3. 35 36. Amos 5. 7. 8. 5. Exod. 23. 2 6. Deut. 16. 19. 24. 17. Threatened Prov. 28. 8. 29. 7. Deut. 27. 19. Isa. 5. 7. 59. 8 c. Hosea 10. 4. Amos 5. 7. 6. 12. Mich. 3. 9. It 's a great sinne Amos 5. 12. Prov. 25. 14. Eccles 7. 7. It 's the property of the wicked Psal. 26. 10. Prov. 17. 23. 29. 4. It 's threatened Job 15. 34. The godly are free from it Isa. 33. 15. so was Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 3. Prov. 15. 27. Forbidden Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Prov. 17. 8. 18. 16. Scriptural Examples of injustice in Rulers Samuels sonnes 1 Sam. 8. 3. Princes of Judah Isa. 1. 23. Ezek. 22. 12. Mich. 3. 11. 7. 3. Zeph. 3. 3. Judges in Israel Amos 4. 1. Hos. 4. 18. Pilate Matth. 27. 26. Mark 15. 15. Luk. 23. 24. John 19. 16. Felix Act. 24. 25 c. Ananias Acts 23. 2 3. Gallio Acts 〈…〉 Pharisees Matth. 23. 25. the steward Luk. 16. 3 〈…〉 the Judge Luk. 18. 2. Other Examples Cambyses King of Persia having found corruption by reason of bribery in one of his Judges called Sysamâ—â—â— commanded him to be put to death his skin to be pulled off to be spread upon the Judgment-seat and then making his son Judge in his room caused him to sit thereon withall telling him That the same corruption would deserve the same punishment Themistocles in Athens caused Arthemius and all his children anâ— posterity to be noted with a brand of perpetual infamy because he brought gold from the King of Persia to corrupt the Grecians and to divide them amongst themselves Plut. Harpalus that was made Treasurer by Alexander M. at Babylon whil'st he went to conquer India thinking that Alexander would perish in those warres fell to all manner of loosenesse and impurity ravishing Noble Virgins and defiling Matrous but when he heard of Alexanders returne fearing to be called to account for his viâ—â—ainy he stole five thousand talents of silver and so fled to Athens labouring by his money to corrupt the Citizâ—ns to secure him against Alexander and especially he sough to corrupt their Oratours which had most power with the people But Demosthenes exhorted the people to expell him out of their City and not to bring an unnecessary warre upon themselves in defence of â—o unjust a cause yet afterwards being with Harpalus he spred amongst his treasures one of the Kings cups of gold and began highly to commend it for the beauty and curious workmanship and Harpalus perceiving his coveâ—ous minde thereby bade him take the cup in his hand and guesse what it might weigh Demosthenes answered that he could not guesse But saith Harpalus this cup will bring you twenty talents and accordingly at night he carried him the cup with twenty talents in it Hereupon the next morning when the people were met together to debate the cause of Harpalus Demosthenes came to the Pulpit all muffled about his throat and mouth and when he was called upon by the people to speak his minde he told them that he was troubled with a squinancy and could not speak wherewith some merry fellowes made sport saying that Demosthenes had that night gotten a silvernancy and not a squinancy Diod. Sic. Q. Cur. Some Roman Judges having acquitted Clodius a great malefactor as they were going home wel atended with officers were met by Catulus who knowing what they had done said unto them You do well to be so guarded for your safety lest the money be taken away from you which you took so lately for bribes Plut. in vita Cicer. p. 872. There was a law amongst the Romans That if a Judge took a bribe to pervert justice he should die for it And if any bore false witnesse he should be thrown down from the Tarpeian Rock By the Julian law De Ambitu amongst the ancient Romanes it was enacted That if any attained to honour or offices by bribes he should be punished with a great mulct and also for ever be made infamous Severus the Romane Emperour so hated bribery and Iudges which used it that he would vomit when he saw them and was ready with his two fingers to put out their eyes Tacitus used to say That never any man came to an office or high place by bribery or â—inister meanes but he exercised his authority wickedly and unjustly Great presents being sent to Epaminondas though he was poor yet he refused to receive them saying If the thing you desire be good I will do it without any bribe even because it is good If it be not honest I will not do it for all the goods in the world Lanq. Chron. p. 57. Augustines judgement was that not only gold silver and presents are bribes But the guilt of bribery may also be justly imputed to any exorbitant affection which swayes a man aside from an impartial execution of justice As love fear hatred anger Pusillanimity desire of applause c. Cambyses King of Persia intending to make warre against the King of AEthiopia under pretence of sending Ambassadours imployed some to spie out his Countrey and strength to whom the King of AEthiopia said Go tell your Master that he is an unjust man otherwise he would not affect another mans Kingdome but be content with his own not seeking to bring other men into slavery that never wronged him Pez Mel. Hist. He that by unjust gaine encreaseth his substance shall gather it for him that will pity the poor Prov. 28. 8. CHAP. XLIX Examples of Restitution COmmanded in what cases Exod. 22. 1 3 4 5 6 12. Lev. 6. 4 5 24 21 25 27 28. Deut. 22. 2. Job 20 10 18. Prov. 6. 31. Ezek 33. 15.
5. 7. Mat. 5. 28 32. Gal. 5. 19. 2 Pet. 2. 14. Rom. 2. 22. Ier. 13. 27. Prov. 30. 20 Threatened Psal. 50. 18 c. Mal. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Heb. 13. 3. Ier. 29. 23. Hos. 4. 2 c. Hos. 4. 13 14. Iam. 2. 11. Rev. 2. 22. Punished Lev. 20. 10. Prov. 6. 32. Ioh. 8. 3 4. Scripturall examples Iudah Gen. 38. 16 c. Potiphars wife Gen. 39. 7. David 2. Sam. 11. 4. the Benjamites Iud. 19. 25. Amon 2. Sam. 13. 11 c. Mary Magdalen Iohn 8. 4. The Corinthian 1 Cor. 5. 1. Absalon 2 Sam. 16. 22. Reuben Gen. 35. 22. Lot Gen. 19. 36. Herod Mat. 14. 3. Other examples Ninus King of Assyria fell in love with Semiramis wife of Menon one of his Officers and when he could not perswade Menon to deliver his wife to him he threatened to pull out his eyes whereupon Menon hanged himselfe and Ninus married his wife Diod. Sic. Julius Caesar was a great adulterer defiling many of the chief Senators wives for which amongst other things he was murther'd in the Senate-house Sueto Augustus the Emperour was an adulterer and being at a feast he took a Noble woman from the table her husband being by and had her into a chamber and after brought her back her eyes very red and her hair all disordered Ibidem The like adulterer was Tiberius and most of the Romane Emperours C. Caligula was a most impudent and impure adulterer he took many wives from their husbands and when he had satiated his lust with them hated them as much as formerly he had pretended love to them Theat vitae hum He committed Incest with his own sisters and then banished them Messalina the wife of Cladius the Emperour was one of the most impudent adulteresses that ever was in the world She had a chamber in her palace wherein her selfe with many of the Noble women of Rome did commonly prostitute themselves she sent for Appius Sylvanus a Noble young man and solicited him to lie with her and because he refused she accused him to the Emperour her husband as Potiphars wife did Joseph and caused him to be put to death She also would needs be married to Caius Silus made a great feast at her wedding gave him much of the Emperours treasure She caused divers of the Noble women of Rome in her palace to commit adulterie their husbands standing by and looking on rewarding them greatly for the same but if any refused to do it she hated them exceedingly and by all meanes sought their destruction She eagerly doted upon a common dancer and when she could not prevail with him to lie with her she caused her husband to command him to obey her in whatsoever she should require of him and thereby had her desire with him the like she did with many others She went often to the common Stewes to satiate her lust with all comers Striving with the famousest Strumpets in all Rome to exceed them in their divellish art to vie with them in their filthy lusts For which at the complaint of the Nobles she was put to death Lang. Chron. Nero having made a great feast in a publick Theater after supper commanded all his guests to go into some house hard by into which he had gathered abundance of wives virgins maid-servants and harlots and there to defile whom they pleased commanding that none should be denied so that the servant committed wickednesse with his Mistris his Master being by and base fellowes with Noble virgins their fathers being by c. Xiphilinus Romulus ordained a Law amongst the Romanes that a man might put away his wife if she was proved to have committed adultery or consented to the poisoning of her children but if he put her away for any other cause she was to have halfe his goods and the other halfe went to the goddesse Ceres Plut. Artaxerxes Mnemon King of Persia fell in love with his own daughter a beautiful Virgin called Atossa which his own mother Parysatis perceiving perswaded him to marry her and so to make her his wife and though the Persian Lawes had formerly forbidden such incestuous marriages yet taking counsel with his wicked mother and his own lust he married her after which time he never prospered in any thing that he took in hand Diod. Sic. Nero the Emperour when he rode abroad with his mother Agrippina in his horse-litter used ordinarily to commit incest with her Suet. Cleopatra being very young was with her brother Ptolomaeus King of Egypt besieged in Alexandria by Iulius Caesar After a while she caused one Apollidorus to binde her up in cloaths like a bed and so carried her into Caesars tent where being laid down at Caesars feet the man opens his fardel and a Venus comes forth whose beauty Caesar being taken with used her body at his pleasure not long before she had been defiled by Pompey But these were her childish whoredomes Afterwards Mark Anthony being in Asia raising tributes and ready to underake the Parthian Warre sends for Cleopatra to plead her cause before him for assisting Cassius his enemy with money She attires her self after the curiousest and costliest manner that could be and upon the River Cydnus enters into her Galley all guilt with gold the oares covered with silver that kept their stroakes by the sound of Musicians the sailes were of purple silke her self lay under a heaven of gold beset with all sorts of precious stones many Ganimeds stood about her to fanne winde to coole her her Ladies like Nymphs sat up and down the ship burning incense and sweet persumes Being come to the place where Anthony was he to keep the Roman gravity sat in the Tribunal with the Officers and people about him and sends for her thither but she goes straight to her Inne and all the people left Anthony to gaze upon her So that being left alone he returnes to his quarters and sends to invite her to supper She refuses and excuseth herself Anthony could no longer forbear but goes to her sups with her eates and drinks in love her beauty wit and smooth tongue soon bewitched him She could readily speak Hebrew Greek Arabick AEthiopick and Persian language in their own Idiome Anthony being thus taken forgets his Warres his wives and all relations goes with her into Egypt and spends his time in adulteries till vengeance seized on them both which was executed by Octa. Caesar. Lipsius Faustina the wife of M. Anthoninus the Philosopher was insatiable in her lusts She used to prostitute herself in the stews in the baths in the Theaters She used to frequent the places where naked men strove for masteries and there noting those that were greatest of flesh would send for them to commit filthinesse with her She prefered to the Empire Commodus one of her adulterers and the sonne of a sword-player which ruined the Empire Lipsius In France there was one Fredegundis a famous whore who for her beauty was entertained
through the Pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Ps. 10. 4. CHAP. XVII Examples of Humility COmmanded Col. 3. 12. 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. Jer. 13. 18. Jam. 4. 10. Mich. 6. 8. 2 King 22. 19. Commended 2 Chron. 34. 27 12. 6 7 12. 30. 11. 32. 26 Mich 6. 8. Act. 20. 19. Prov. 16. 19. Ps. 131. 2. Lam. 3. 20. Promises made to it Prov. 15. 33. 22. 4 Luke 1. 4 11. 2 Chron. 7. 14. Mat. 18. 4. 23. 12. Job 22. 29. Psal. 9. 12. 10. 12. 2 9. 34. 2. 69 32. Isa. 57. 15. Jam. 4. 6. Lev. 26. 41. Isa. 2. 11. 5. 15. 10. 33. Prov. 29. 23. Contrary complained of Jer. 44. 10. Dan. 5. 22. 2 Chr. 36. 12. 33. 23. Scriptural examples Abram Gen. 18. 27. 23. 7. Jacob Gen. 32. 10. 33. 3. Josephs brethren Gen. 50. 18. Moses Exod. 3. 11. 4. 10. 18. 7. Numb 12. 3. Gideon Jud. 6. 15. 8. 2 23. Reubenites Jos. 23. 21 22. Ruth ch 2. 11. Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 16. David 1 Sam. â—8 18 23. 24. 8 14. 26. 20. 2 Sam 7. 18. 15. 26 30. Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 41. Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. 8. 19. 27 28. Solomon 1 King 3. 7. Ahab 1 King 21. 27. the Captain 2 King 1. 13. Naaman 2 King 5. 9. Hezekiah 2 King 20. 19. 2 Chron. 32. 26. Josia 2 King 22. 19. Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 19. 3. 20. 5. Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 12. Job ch 1. 20. 9. 15. Isaiah ch 20. 2. Jeremiah ch 1. 6. 11. 19. Esekiel ch 2. 1. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2. 46. Daniel ch 9. 7 18. John Baptist Mat. 3. 1 14. Mar. 1. 7. Christ Isa. 53. 7. Mat. 3. 13. 8. 20. 11. 29. 20. 28. Centurion Mat. 8 8. Luke 7. 6. Woman Mat. 15. 25 27. Marke 7. 28. Apostles Mat. 21. 7. Vir. Mary Luke 1. 38. Elizabeth Luke 1. 41 42. Peter Luk. 5. 8. Act. 10. 26. Publican Luk. 18 13. Paul Act. 9. 6. 14. 14. 22. 10. Rom. 15. 30. 1 Cor. 15. 8 9. 2 Cor. 11. 7. 12. 11. Eph. 3. 8. Phil. 4. 12. 1 Thes. 2. 7. 2 Thes. 1. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Other examples The Grecians being ready to joyn battel with Xerxes his navy the Lacedemonians would needs appoint an Admiral for the Grecian navy which of right belonged to the Athenians yet the Athenians preferring the safety of Greece before their own right willingly condescended to it Intelligebant enim interituram esse Graeciam si de dominatâ— intempestive contenderent c. Herod The Grecians being ready to joyne battel with the Persians there arose a contention between the Athenians and Areadians about the precedency of place the Athenians said to them Though we might justly challenge the precedency in regard of our actions both ancient and moderne yet considering the present state of affaires we will not now contend about it but will humbly submit to the judgement of the Lacedemonians let them place us where they please onely this we are resolved of that where ever they place us we will endeavour to honour the place by our valiant actions Pez Mel. Hist. Mardonius the Persian General being beaten by the Grecians and his army routed himself with most of the Persian Nobility fled into the City of Thebes Whereupon one Lampus perswaded Pausanias the King of Lacedemon to â—lay Mardonius with the other Persian Nobles telling him that it would much redound to his hounour But Pausanias being no whit puffed up with the victory answered him humbly that such cruelty was fiâ—ter for the Barbarians then the Grecians and therefore â—aith he I am onely content with the honour of speaking and doing such things as may be pleasing to my Spartanes Pez Mel Hist. See the example of Aristides in Constancy and in Moderation In the Wars which the Grecians made with Darius when the Generaâ—ship of the Athenians was conferred upon Aristides he in humility transferred it to Miltiades saying to the other Captains It is not dishonourable but honest and safe to obey and submit to the command of wise men Plut. Before the battel of Marathon the Tagaeatae strove with the Athenians about the chiefest place in the Army whereupon Aristides said to them Locus neque dat neque adâ—mit virtutem c. The place doth neither give uor take away valour therefore whatever place ye assigne unto us we will endeavour to adorne and defend the same that so we may do nothing unworth our former victories for we came hither not to contend with our friends but to fight with our enemies nor to boast of the actions of our Progenitors but to prove our selves valiant men for this present battel shall shew how much Greece oweth to every City Captaine and private souldiers Pez Mel. Hist. Brasidas the Lacedemonian General having given the Athenians a great overthrow yet shortly after died of a wound that he received in that battel after whose death his mother hearing every one highly extolling his valour said My son truly was a good a valiant man yet he hath left behinde him many of his fellow Citizens that farre excell him in vertue and valour The Ephori hearing of this her speech caused her to be publickly honoured and praised for that she preferred the publick honour of her countrey before the private praise and glory of her son Pez Mel. Hist. After the death of Romulus the Romanes chose Numa Pompilius a Sabine of the City Cures for their King and sent Ambassadours to him to acquaint him with their choice and to desire his present repaire to their City The Ambassadours thought that few words would have prevailed with him to accept of it But he being a prudent and humble man answered them that change and alteration of a mans life was exceeding dangerous but for him that lacked nothing neither had cause to complaine of his present state it was great folly to leave his present known condition and to enter into a new and unknown so that it was long before they could prevail with him to accept of the Kingdom Plut. Certaine fishermen of the Isle of Co casting their net into the sea some strangers that were passing by would needs buy their draught at an adventure and when they drew up their net there came up in it a three-footed stoole of massie gold hereupon the strangers and fishermen fell at strife about it and their Citizens taking part on both sides Warre had like to have ensued betwixt them But the Oracle at Delphos being consulted with commanded them to give the stoole to the wisest man that then was upon this they sent it to Thales at Miletum But Thales sent the stoole to Bias judging him a wiser man then himself He again sent it to another as a wiser man then himself and the third to a fourth so that being thus posted from man
Christians there assembled but as they were journeying the weather that was clear and faire became cloudy and suddenly a tempest of haile killed many of the Infidels whereby the Christians escaped to their own homes and the Apostate King alone was carried away by the Saracenes Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 1â—8 A Smith in King Edward the sixths dayes called Richard Denson was a forward professor of Religion and by his Christian instructions the happy instrument of the conversion of a young man to the faith Afterwards in the reigne of Queen Mary this young man was cast into prison for his religion who remembring his old friend the Smith to whom he alwayes carried a reverend respect for the good that he had received by him sent to know whether he was not imprisoned also and finding that he was not desired to speak with him and when he came asked his advice whether he thought it comfortable for him to remaine in prison and whether he would encourage him to burne at a stake for his religion To whom the Smith answered that his cause was good and he might with comfort suffer for it But for my 〈◊〉 saith he I cannot burne But he that could 〈◊〉 burne for religion by Gods just judgement was burned for his Apostasie For shortly after his shop and house being set on fire whilest over-eâ—gerly be sought to save his goods himself was burned Under the fourth Persecution there were some Christians who for fear of torments and death denied their faith and sacrificed to Idols yet did not thâ—â— bloody persecutors spare them and it was observed that being full of guilt they went to their death 〈◊〉 dejected and ill-favoured countenanâ—es so â—hâ—â— the very Gentiles took notice of it and reproached them as degenerous persons and worthy to suffer 〈…〉 doers See my Gen. Martyr p. 43. In the late Persecution in Bohemia a godly maâ—…ing tired out with imprisonment promised to 〈◊〉 Catholick and thereupon was released But preâ—…ly after God chastized him for this fault holding 〈◊〉 conscience in captivity so that he could have 〈◊〉 hope of mercy for a whole year together c. 〈◊〉 p. 190. One Philbert Hamlin in France having converted â— Priest to the profession of the truth was together with the Priest apprehended and cast into prison at Burdeaux But after a while the Priest being terrified with the prison and fear of death renounced Christ and was set at liberty whereupon Philbert said to him O unhappy and more then miserable man Is it possible that to save your life for a few dayes you should so deny the truth Know therefore that though you have avoided the corporal sire yet your life shall not be prolonged for you shall die before me and you shall not have the honour to die for the cause of God but you shall be an Example to all Apostates And accordingly as he went out of the prison two Gentlemen that had a former quarrel to him met him and slew him Eodem p. 292. If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. CHAP. XXI Examples of Gods judgements upon Atheists Complained of Ps. 14. 1. Rom. 3. 18. That there are such See Job 18. 21. Eph. 2. 12. Ps 50. 21. and 10. 11 13. Such are they that are spoken of Job 21. 14 15. Ps. 73. 11. and 10. 4 11 13. and 59. 7. and 64. 5. and 78. 19 20. and â—4 7. Job 22. 13 14 17. and 34. 9. and 35. 3. Ezek. 8. 12. Tit. 1. 16. Scriptural examples Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. The fool Psal. 14. 1. The rich glutton Luk. 12. 19. Other examples Some are atheists out of sensuality as Epicurus Lucretius c. Or out of stomack as Diagoras who having written a Poem and prepared it for the publick one stole it from him whereupon he brought him before the Senate of Athens where the man forswore it and was dismissed and afterwards published the Poem in his own name Diagoras seeing this turned Atheist because this fellow was not smitten with some visible vengeance from heaven that had so forsworn himself Porphyrie was at first a Christian but having received some injury from the Christians he became an Atheist and wrote a book against the Scriptures Aristotle reading the history of the creation in Genesis said Egregiè dicis Domine Moses sed quomodo probas You speak of strange matters Sir Moses but how do you prove them Lucian impudently derided not only all the Heathen gods but with the same blasphemous mouth railed upon Christ as a crucified cousener and upon Christians as mad men because they were so forward to suffer Martyrdom and scoffingly said That Jupiter at certain times looked down through some certain cranies in Heaven at which times if men were praying they might be heard otherwise not he was at last torn in pieces by dogs Suidas Caligula the Romane Emperour fancied himselfe a god and would needs finde out a way to imitate Ioves thunder He commanded himselfe to be worshipped and set up his Images every where He dedicated the Temple at Hierusalem to his own worship But when the true God gave forth his voice of Majesty from heaven he that before was so high was now as low and of a poor spirit covering his eyes with his cap running under a bed or creeping into a bench-hole for safety Yet did Gods judgement finde out this Atheist for he reigned but three yeares and three moneths and was slaine by a Tribune Suet. in Calig Herod Agrippa when he suffered himselfe to be honoured as a god was smitten by an Angel because he gave not God the glory and was eaten up of wormes Acts 12. 22 23. Daphida the Sophister going to Apollo's Oracle at Delphos enquired whether he should finde his horse or no whereas he had no horse but did it out of an Atheistical humour to deride the Oracle He was answered that he should finde his horse but being thrown from him he should breake his neck with this answer he made himselfe very merry and so went homewards but by the way he met with King Attalus whom he had sormerly much abused who caused his servants to carry Daphida upon a great rock which was called The horse and from thence to throw him down whereby he was broken in pieces Val. Max. L. 1. Commodus the Emperour was a very Atheist and a great contemner of the Romane gods for which he became hatefull both to God and man and was slaine by his servants as he lay upon his bed his body was cast out into the streets where he was made the object of every ones scorne and at last was thrown into the river Tyber Fulgen. l. 1. c. 2. Heliog abalus forced a Vest all Virgin to marry him made warre against all the gods and contemned all religious serving of them for which he was slaine by his own horsemen his body being dragged up and down the streets and at last thrown into Tyber Ibid. It is said
to sweare allegiance to his daughter Maud and that she should succeed in his Kingdome they which swore were first William Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops and Abbats then David King of Scotland Uncle to Maud now married to the Emperesse of Germany then Stephen Earle of Mortaigne and Bulloigne Nephew to the King c. But so soon as King Henry was dead in Normandy Stephen hasted into England and by the help especially of the Bishops was made King and the Emperesse put by but behold the revenging hand of God following their Perjury Stephen though otherwise a gallant Prince yet found his Crowne to be but a glorious misery Mars and Vulcan never suffering him to be at quiet and as he would not suffer the right heire to inherit so God would not suffer him to have an heire to inherit for his sonne was put by the Crowne which was conferred upon Henry sonne to the Emperesse the rightfull heire Also William Arch-bishop of Canterbury never prospered after his perjury but died within that yeare Roger Bishop of Salisbury fell into displeasure with King Stephen who took him prisoner seized upon his Castles and treasures and so used him that he died for very griefe Alexander Bishop of Lincolne was also taken by the King and led in a rope to the Castle of Newark upon Trent the King swearing that the Bishop should neither eat nor drink till his Castle was surrendered so that there he gat all the Bishops treasure and as for Hugh Bigot he also escaped not long unpunished saith Fabian Rodulph Duke of Sweveh provoked by the Pope rebelled against his Sovereigne the Emperour Henry the fourth but in a battel which he fought against him he lost his right arme whereof he shortly after died acknowledging Gods justice for his disloyalty punishing him in that arme which before was lift up to sweare the oath of allegiance to his Master Act. Mon. Narcissus a godly Bishop of Ierusalem was falsly accused by three men of many foule matters who sealed up with oathes and imprecations their false testimonies But shortly after one of them with his whole family and substance was burnt with fire another of them was stricken with a grievous disease such as in his imprecation he had wished to himselfe the third terrified with the sight of Gods judgements upon the former became very panitent and poured out the griefe of his heart in such aboundance of teares that thereby he became blinde Euseb. The Arians hired a woman to accuse Eustatius a godly Bishop of committing whoredome with her thereby procuring his banishment But shortly after the Lord struck her with a grievous disease whereupon she confessed her perjury the childe being begotten by Eustatius a Smith and not Eustatius the Bishop and so presently after she died Euseb. The Emperour Albert having made a truce with the great Turke and solemnly sworne to the same Pope Eugenius the fourth sent him a dispensation from his oath and excited him to renew the warre against them but in the first battel he was discomfited and slaine to the great shame of Christianity the infidels justly accusing them of Perjury and Covenant breaking sealed by the Name of Christ whom they professe to be their Saviour Turk Hist. Almerick King of Ierusalem having entred into League with the Caliph of Egypt and confirmed the same by an oath afterwards warred upon him contrary to his promise whereupon God raised him up many enemies who miserably wasted the Kingdome of Ierusalem himselfe was beaten out of Egypt and all hopes of succour failing him being wearied with whole volleys of miseries he ended his life of a bloody Flux Hist. holy Warres The Egyptians reputed perjury so capital a crime that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished with death Pausanias noteth this to be one chiefe cause why Philip King of Macedon with all his posterity were so quickly destroyed because he made no account of keeping his oathes but sware and unswere as might stand best with his interest Gregory of Tours makes mention of a wicked varlet in France among the people called Averni that forswearing himselfe in an unjust-cause had his tongue presently so tied that he could not speake but roare till by his inward prayer and repentance the Lord restored him the use of that unruly member Theodor Beza recordeth what befell a perjured person who forswore himselfe to the prejudice of his neighbour He had no sooner made an end of his oath but being suddenly stricken with an Apoplexie he never spake word more till he died Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia making truce with the Argives for seven dayes oppressed them in the third night unawares thinking thereby to avoid perjury But the Argive women their husbands being slaine took up armes like so many Amazones and repelled Cleomenes who afterwards was banished into Egypt where desperately he slew himselfe Plut. Uladislaus King of Hungary having contracted a League with Amurath the great Turke and bound himselfe to it by an oath the Pope sent a Legat to absolve him from his oath and provoke him to warre which he undertaking with a very great Army the victory stood doubtfull a great while together but Amurath seeing a Crucifix in the Christians Ensigne pluckt the writing wherein the late League was contained out of his bosome and with his eyes and hands cast up to heaven said O thou crucified Christ behold this is the League thy Christians in thy Name made with me which they have causelesly violated If thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dream revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and me and shew thy power upon thy perjured people who in their deeds deny thee their God Immediately afterward the King in the middest of his enemies was slaine and the Christians fled very few ever returning to their own homes but perished miserably Turk Hist. When Harold King of England was ready to joyne in battel with William the Conquerer and his Normans Gyth a younger brother of his advised him that in case he had made promise unto William of the Kingdome he should for his own person withdraw himselfe out of the battel for surely all his forces could not secure him against God and his own conscience who no doubt would require punishment for breach offaith and promise withall assuring him that if he would commit the fortune of that battel into his hands he would not faile to performe the part of a good brother and valiant Captaine but the King contemning this wholesome counsel would needs joyne battel himselfe wherein he lost his Army Kingdome and his own life Camb Brit. p. 149 150. Henry Falmer being accused by his own brother of Heresie as they call it suffered Martyrdome for the same but shortly after his said brother who had borne false witnesse against him was pressed for a Pioner in the voyage to Bulloine where within three dayes as he was exonerating nature a Gun took him and
ones the daughter of my people is become cruel like Ostriches in the wildernesse Lam. 4. 3. CHAP. XXXII Examples of fond Parents and the miseries that they have brought upon themselves thereby FOrbidden Deut. 13. 8 9. Prov. 19. 18. 13. 24. 29. 17. Scriptural Examples Eli 1 Sam. 2. 22 29. David to Adonijah 1 Kings 1. 6. to Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. How severely God punished Eli for his indulgence to his wicked sonnes See it in 1 Sam. 2. 27 c. 3. 11 c. David also who cockered Absalom and Adonijah above all the rest of his children was most afflicted by them one breaking out into open rebellion wherein he died the other usurping the Crowne before his fathers death which cost him his life also 2 Sam. 15. 1 King 1. 5 c. A certaine woman in Flanders contrary to the will of her husband used to feed her two sonnes with money to maintaine their riot yea to furnish them she would rob her husband but presently after her husbands death God plagued her for this her foolish indulgence for from rioting these youngsters fell to robbing for the which one of them was executed by the sword and the other by the halter the mother looking on as a witnesse of their destructions Ludo. Vives A young man in our owne Nation as he was going to the gallows desired to speak with his mother in her eare but when she came instead of whispering he bit of her eare with his teeth exclaiming upon her as the cause of his death because she did not chastise him in his youth for his faults but by her fondnesse so imboldened him in his vices as brought him to this wofull end Seleucus marrying Stratonica the daughter of Demetrius shortly after Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus fell in love with his stepmother and not daring to discover it for feare of the displeasure of his father he pined a way from day to day at last one of his Physicians found out the cause of his disease and acquainted his father therewith who out of indulgence to his sonne calling his Nobles and people together said I have decreed to make Antiochus my sonne King of all my superior Provinces and to give him Stratonica for his wife and Queen and if she scruple the unlawfulnesse of the marriage I desire you that are my friends to perswade her that all things are honest and just that a King shall decree for the publick profit Plut. Andronicus one of the Greek Emperours doted with such extream impotency of partial affection upon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he disregarded not only the rest of his Nephews but his own children also being unwilling to spare him out of sight either day or night but when this young man was stept further into yeares besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grand-father in the mean time at last he pressed without resistance upon his Palace with purpose to surprise his person though the old Emperout intreated him with much affectionate eloquence that he would reverence those hands which had oftentimes so willingly embraced him and those lips which had so oft lovingly kissed him and that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life yet for all this he caused the old Emperour to be polled shaven and made a Monk and not only so but also the very Anvile of much dunghill-scorne and vilest indignities untill the workmanship of death had finished the sorrowful businesse of a wretched lfie Turk Hist. Austine upon a terrible and dreadfull accident called his people together to a Sermon wherein he relates this dolefull story Our Noble Citizen saith he Cyrillus a man mighty amongst us both in work and word and much beloved had as you know one onely sonne and because but one he loved him immeasurably and above God and so being drunke with immoderate doting he neglected to correct him and gave him liberty to do whatsoever he list Now this very day saith he this same fellow thus long suffered in this dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with childe would have violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death Adfrat in Eremo Ser. 33. Chasten thy sonne betimes and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 19. 18. CHAP. XXXIII Examples of Brethrens love each to other THey ought to love one another Prov. 17. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Rom. 12. 10. Heb. 13. 1. It 's an excellent thing Psal 133. 1. Scriptural examples Jobs children Job 1. 13. Lazarus Martha and Mary John 11. 19 c. Joseph Gen. 43. 29 c. 45. 14. Joab and Abishai 2 Sam. 3. 27 30. Judah Gen. 37. 26. In the beginning of the reigne of Darius King of Persia one of his Nobles called Intaphernes conspired against him which being discovered to Darius he caused him and all his kindred to be cast into prison But Intaphernes wife exceedingly weeping and houling Darius gave her leave to choose any one of the prisoners whose life she would have spared whereupon amongst them all she chose her brother and Darius asking her why she â—…se her brother rather then her husband or son she answered Because if God please I may have another husband and children but my Parents being dead I cannot have another brother This so pleased Darius that he granted her the life not only of her brother but of her son too Herod Darius King of Persia being dead left two sons Ariamenes or as some call him Artabazanes and Xerxes these both claimed the Kingdome but brotherly love so prevailed with them that they were contented to stand to the judgement of the Persian Nobles yet in the interim Xerxes being in Persia performed all the offices of a King and Ariaments coming out of Media Xerxes sent great presents to him commanding the messengers to tell him Thy brother Xerxes presents thee with these gifts and if by the consent and suffrage of the Nobles he be declared King he promises thee the chiefest place next unto himself To which Ariamenes returned this answer Truly I willingly accept of these gifts yet claim the Sovereignty to belong to me but will reserve the next place of dignity for my brother Xerxes The Persian Nobles referred the determination of this controversie to their Uncle Artabanus who having heard both sides determined for Xerxes because Ariamenes was borne to Darius whil'st he was a private person Xerxes after he was a King the mother of Ariamenes was the daughter of Gobrias a private woman the mother of Xerxes was Atossa a Queen Ariamenes hearing this judgement without any distemper of spirit rose up worshipped his brother and taking him by the hand placed him in the Kingly throne and ever after was very obsequious to him Plut. Herod And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and
moved out of that place he was smitten with such a feeblenesse of heart and dizzinesse in his head that desiring help to carry him to an house he died before the Lords day came At Walton upon Thames in Surrey in a great Frost 1634. three young men on the Lords day after they had been at the Church in the forenoone where the Minister pressing the words of his text out of 2 Cor. 5. 10. that We must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ c. they the while whispering as they sate In the afternoone they went together over the Thames upon the Ice unto an house of disorder and gaming where they spent the rest of the Lords day and part of the night also in revelling one of them in a Taverne merrily discoursing the next day of his Sabbaths acts and voyage over the Ice but on Tuseday next after these three returning homewards and attempting to passe againe over the Ice they all sunk down to the bottome as stones whereof one only of them was miraculously preserved but the other two were drowned These foure last are attested by good hands Anno Christi 1598. the towne of Feverton in Devonshire was often admonished by her godly Pastor that God would bring some heavy judgement upon the inhabitants of that place for their horrible profanation of the Lords day occasioned chiefly by their market on the Munday and accordingly not long after the said Ministers death on the third of April in the year aforesaid God sent a terrible fire which in lesse then halfe an houre consumed the whole towne except the Church the Conrt-house Almes-houses and a few poor peoples dwellings and above 50. persons were consumed in the flames Also Anno Christi 1612. it was again wholly burnt down except a few poor houses they being not warned by the former judgement but continuing in the same sin Beards Theat If ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day and not to bear a burden even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and it shall not be quenched Jer. 17. 27. CHAP. XXXVI Examples of Gods judgments upon Murtherers and Blood-shedders THe positive judiciall Law of God is that whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed Gen. 9. 6. and the reason is there rendred because such destroy Gods Image wherein man is made and the cry of blood if not punished by man is so great Gen. 4. 10. that the Lord comes down from heaven to call the murtherer to account and by some visible and remarkable judgements or other to stigmatize this sin as these following Examples will more fully manifest Murtherers ought to be punished with death Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 12. Prov. 28. 17. Rev. 13. 10. No recompence is to be taken for it Num. 35. 32 c. for it defiles the land Hos. 4. 2 3. It 's diligently to be sought out Deut. 21. 1 c. God punisheth it here Psal. 55. 23. It excludes from heaven Gal. 5. 21. Rev. 21. 8. Scripturall Examples Cain Gen. 4. 8. Pharaoh Exodus 1. 16 Simeon and Levt Gen. 34. 25. c. Abimelech Judg. 9. 5. Agag 1 Sam. 15. 33. Joab 2 Sam. 3. 27. David 2 Sam. 11. 14 c. Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 28 29 Manasseh 2 King 21. 16. Amons servants 2 Kings 21. 23. Ahab and Jezabel 1 Kings 21. 9 c. Baanah and Rechab 2 Sam. 4. 6. Saul 2 Sam. 21. 1. 1 Sam. 22. 18. Athaliah Chron. 22. 10. Baasha Kin. 15. 27. Zimri 1 Kin. 16. 9. Joash 2 Chron 24. 21. Shalâ—um 2 Kings 15. 10. Manahem 2 Kings 15. 14 16. Herod Acts 12. 2. Cain for murthering his brother Abel was cursed by God Gen. 4. Abimelech who slew his 70. brethren was slain by a woman at Thebez Jud. 9. Baanah and Rechab who slew their L. Ishbosheth were slain by the command of David 2 Sam. 4. Joab who slew Abner and Amasa treacherously was slain by the command of Solomon 1 Kin. 2. Cyrus K. of Persia who for 30. years together made cruell war in many places at last fighting against the Scythians was overcome 200000 of his men slain and himself salling into the hands of Q. Tomyris she cut off his head threw it into a bowl of blood saying Thou hast all thy time thirsted after blood now drink thy fill and satiate thy self therewith Orosius Cambyses his son a bloody and cruell man who shot a noblemans son thorow the heart because the father had reproved him for drunkennesse He caused his own brother to be privily murthered lest he should usurp the Kingdom slew his own sister for reproving him for that deed At last as he was riding his sword fell out of the scabbard and himself falling upon it was slain thereby Herodo Xerxes who with his huge Army passed over into Greece being overthrown by sea and land fled shamefully into Asia in a fisherboat and shortly after was slain by Artabanus the Captain of his guard in his own palace Diod. Sic. The 30. Tyrants in Athens were cruell bloodsuckers till the people rising up against them slew them all Just. Phocas who to get the Empire put to death all the sons of Mauricius the Emperor before his face and then slew him also and after many villainies by him committed was pursued by his son in law Priscus and being taken had his hands and feet cut off and afterwards with all his posterity was put to a cruell death Nicephorus Anno Christi 1346. Popiel K. of Poland to obtain the Kingdom poysoned his two uncles and gave himself over to all manner of wickednesse He used upon every occasion to say If this be not true would rats might devour me On a time as he was going to a great feast an Army of rats out of the putrefied body of his uncles set upon him which all his guard with their weapons were not able to drive away Then did they make great cole-fires about him yet through the middest of the fire did the rats assault him Then did they put him with his wife and children into a boat and rowed them in the middest of a great lake yet thither did the rats swim to him and lastly he gat up to the top of an high Tower yet still the rats pursued him and they eat him up to the very bones together with his wife and children Munst. Cos. Bassianus the Emperour who slew his own brother in his mothers armes and tooke to wife his own mother in Law was shortly after himselfe murthered by the procurement of Macrinus to prevent his owne death Justinian the Emperour a cruel and bloody man who was the cause of many murthers was first banished from his Empire and afterwards slaine by one of his own servants Euseb. Clovis King of France an horrible murtherer who amongst other cruel facts caused one of his Peers to be murthered
shop who was dishing up of meat till his stomach was satisfied with the only smell thereof the cholerick covetous Cook demanded of him to pay for his breakfast the poore man denied it and the controversie was referred to be decided by the next man that went by which chanced to be the most notorious Ideot in the whole City He upon the relation of the whole matter determined that the poore mans money should be put betwixt two empty dishes and the Cook should be recompenced with the gingling of the mans money as he was satisfied only with the smell of the Cooks meat Holy State p. 182. A Courtier having begg'd a rich-landed Fool used to carry him about to waite upon him He coming with his Master to a Gentlemans house where the picture of a foole was wrought in a rich suit of Arras cut the picture out with a penknife and being chidden for so doing You have more cause said he to thank me for if my Master had seen the picture of the Fool he would have begged your hangings of the King as he did my land Eodem The standers by comforting of a Natural that lay on his death-bed telling him that foure proper fellows should carry his body to the Church Yea quoth he but I had rather by half go thither my self and then prayed to God at his last gaspe not to require more of him then he gave him Eodem Having the understanding darkened being alienated from the life of God throw the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Eph. 4. 18. The times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent Act. 17. 30. CHAP. XLIII Examples of Contempt of the World of Riches Honours c. WE must not love the world 1 John 2. 15. for it passeth away ver 17. Love of the world is a character of the wicked 1 Joh. 2. 15. We must so love it as not to abuse it 1 Cor. 7. 31. All the glory of the world is but a fancy Act. 25. 23. Scriptural examples Abram Gen. 14. 22 c Gideon Jud. 8. 23. Christ Mat. 8. 20. Luk. 9. 58. Iohn 6. 15. Paul Phil. 3. 8. Peter Marke 10. 28 c. â—uk 18. 28 c. After the battel of Marathon wherein the Grecians had overthrown the Persians they found their enemies tents full of gold silver rich apparel and other treasures yet Aristides to whom a great share of them did belong would not touch any of them nor take to himselfe the worth of one farthing Plut. Aristides who by his prudence Policy and valour had exceedingly enriched the Athenians did so contemne riches that when others abounded he only remained poore and when a kinsman of his callâ—d Callias who had exceedingly enriched himself by the Persian treasure was accused to the people for neglecting to relieve him in his wants Aristides himself undertook his defence telling them that Callias had often offered him much but he had alwayes refused it For there are many saith he that abuse their riches but few can bear poverty well Plut When he died he was burâ—ed at the publick charges of the City not leaving so much as would pay for his own funeral Plato thought that amongst all those famous and worthy men that Athens had bread none deserved so much honour as Aristides for that whereas others had filled Athens with stately buildings money and other trifles only Aristides in managing the affairs of the Common-wealth had proposed nothing to himself but the advancement of virtue Pez Mel. Hist. Cimon the sonne of Aristides after his fathers death governing the Common-wealth of Athens would by no means take any bribes but did and spake all things gratis and when a certaine Persian exile with a great Masse of treasures fled to Athens meeting there with some affronts went to the house of Cimon and there set down before him two great goblets full of gold and silver Cimon seeing it laughed and said unto him Whether wouldst thou have me thy friend Gratis or thy Patron hired by a great summe of money Therefore said he take these things away and mâ—ke use of me as thy friend and imploy thy money otherwise as thou pleasest Plut. This Cimon when he had gotten a compeâ—ent estate caused the hedges of his fields to be thrown down that so every one might freely make use of the fruits thereof He kept a frugal Table yet enough for many and so entertained all comers Plut. Epimenides a very wise and good man having taken great paines in reforming Athens when he was to returne home the people offered him great summes of money but he refused all only desiring them to give him a branch of Olive with which he returned into his own countrey See his example in Reformation Plut. Epaminondas that was one of the gallantest men that ever Greece bred who freed his countrey of Thebes from the Lacedemonian slavery and obtained many great and admirable victories yet was he such a contemner of riches that when he died he left not enough to discharge the charge of his funeral Just. The Lacedemonians having freed themselves from those Tyrants that had lorded it over them they sold their houses and goods by which they raised one hundred and twenty Talents then bethinking themselves where to choose a worthy General they at last pitched upon Philopoemen the most accomplished man in all Greece and thereupon resolved to send Ambassadours to make a tender to him of this Masse of money but every one knowing how far he was from being caught with such baits refused that office At last they chose one Timolaus of his ancient acquaintance who wen to him at Megalopolis where being entertained and feasted by Philopoemen observing his gravity frugality and temperance was so discouraged that not daring to deliver his message he returned without effecting any thing the like did a second but a third being sent to him took the boldnesse to tell him how much the Lacedemonians esteemed and honoured his virtues whereby he prevailed with Philopoemen to go to Lacedemon who there in a publick Assembly of the people exhorted shem that they would not go about to buy friends by their gifts who were ready to serve them without them perswading them rather to imploy that money in bribing their turbulent Oratours that disturbed the peace of the City with so high a minde did he despise their money Plut. Agesilaus King of Sparta used to say that he had rather make his souldiers rich then to be rich himself Xenoph. Lysander King of Sparta having overcome the Athenians in a great battel did wonderfully enrich his Countrey with the spoiles yet himself remained poor not enriching himself one penny thereby And when Dionysius the Sicilian Tyrant sent him costly garments for his daughters he returned them back again saying That he feared lest his daughters should be disgraced by them Plut. Xenoph. The King of Persia sending to Epaminondas
of persons Eus. Alexander Severus the Emperour did so reverence the High Priest that whatsoever sentence he had passed in judgement he suffered the same to be revoked by the Priest if he saw cause for it Lipsius When at the Councel of Nice many Bishops brought complaints and Petitions each against other to Constantine the Great he would not so much as read them but burned them all before their faces saying It 's fit that I should be judged by you and not you by me Euseb. Bread and cheese with the Gospel is good cheere said Greenham Act. Mon. Ingo King of the Venudes at a great feast to shew his love to the Saints of God set his Pagan Nobles in the Hall and certain poor Christians with him in the Parlour A certaine Emperour of Germany coming by chance into a Church upon the Sabbath-day found there a most mis-shapen Priest penè portentum naturae insomuch as the Emperour much scorned and contemned him but when he heard him read those words in the Service For it is he that hath made us and not we our selves the Emperour checked his own proud thoughts and made enquiry into the quality and conditions of the man and finding upon examination that he was a very learned and devout man he made him Archbishop of Collen which place he discharged with much commendations Wâ—l of Malmsb. Queen Elizabeth when she came first to the Crown as she rode through the City of London a childe from a Pageant let down in a silken lace an English Bible to her she kissed her hands took it kissed it laid it to her breast then held it up thanking the City especially for that gift though they had given her some rich presents before promising to be a diligent reader of it See her life in my second Part. Constantine the Great made a decree that all Ministers and such whose vocation was to serve in the Church should be free and exempted from all publick duties taxes and burthens whatsoever that being so priviledged they might the better attend upon Divine administrations Yea so careful was he to nourish and cherish learning and learned men that he enacted a Law which ranne thus Medicos Grammaticos alios Professores literarum legum Doctores c. We will and decree that Physicians Grammarians and other Professors of the liberal Arts shall be free together with their lands and possessions from all civil charges and offices c. as also that their stipends and Salaries shall be well and truly paid them whereby they may the more freely attend upon their offices c. How will this rise up in judgement against those which think they can never lay burthens enough upon Ministers Universities c See his life in my second Part. Our King Edward the sixth was a diligent attender upon Sermons heard them with great reverence and penned them with his owne hand which he diligently studied afterwards See his Life in my second Part. The great love reverence and respect that Master John Bruen of Bruen Stapleford shewed to godly Ministers See his Life in my second Part. Mercurius Trismegistus was in such respect amongst the Egyptians that in reverence of him it was nos lawful to pronounce his name commonly and rashly How much more precious should the Name of God be amongst Christians The greatest delight of Queen Elizabeth was often to reade the Sacred Scriptures and to hear Sermons which she alwayes attended unto with great reverence See her Life in my Second Part. The young Lord Harrington was wondrons attentive in hearing the Word of God preached or read and carried himselfe exceeding reverently therein knowing that he was in the presence of that God who is no respector of persons and that he heard not the words of a man but of God See his Life in my second Part. Robert King of Sicily was so wonderfully affected with the Scriptures that speaking to Fran. Petrarcha he thus said of them Juro tibi Petrarcha multò chariâ—res mihi esse literas quam regnum si alterutro mihi carendum sit aequanimiù◠me diademate quà m literis careturum Corn. è Lapide Theodosius the Emperour wrote out the whole New Testament with his own hand accounting it a great Jewel and reading part of it every day Doctor Cranmer in his journey to Rome learned all the New Testament by heart The like did Doctor Ridley in the walks of Pembrook-Hall See his Life in my first Part. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour amongst you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake 1. Thes. 5. 12 13. CHAP. XLV Examples of Gods judgements upon contemners of his Ministers Word and Sacraments THe Lord testified against Israel and against Judah by all the Prophets and by all the Seers saying Turne ye from your evil wayes and keep my commandments and my statutes according to all the Law that I commanded your fathers and which I sent to you by my servants the Prophets Notwithstanding they would not hear but hardoned their necks like unto the necks of their fathers c. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight c. 2. King 17. 13 14 18. And the Lord God of their fathers sent unto them by his messengers rising up early and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place But they mocked the messengers of God and despise his Word and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy therefore he brought upon them the King of the Caldees who slew their young men with the sword and had no compassion c. 2 Chron. 36. 15 16 17. For this sinne was Hierusalem destroyed by Titus Mat. 23. 37 c. Heb. 10. 28 29. Pontius Pilate writing unto Tiberius Nero a true report of the Ministery and miracles of the resurrection and ascension of Iesus Christ adding that by good men he was accounted a God the Emperour was so moved therewith that he made a motion in the Senate at Rome that he might be enrolled in the number of their gods but the Senate refused it upon this reason because he was consecrated for a God before the Senate had decreed and approved of the same but what miseries befell the Senate and people of Rome for rejecting him the stories of those times shew Bede in his Ecclesiastical History of England reports that Anno Christi 420. After that the Britanes had been long afflicted by the Picts and Scots the Lord at last gave them rest from all their enemies and sent them such plenty of corne and fruits of the earth as the like was never known before But instead of returning thanks for those mercies they fell to all manner of riot and excesse which was accompanied with many other foul enormities especially with a hatred of the truth
and contempt of the Word of God For which cause the Lord sent amongst them such a contagious plague that the living were scarce able to bury the dead and when by this judgement they were not reclaimed the Lord brought upon them the fierce and cruel Nations of the Saxons and Angli out of Germany who though at first they came to help them yet after a while they turned against them and after much blood-shed drave them out of their Countrey into the mountaines of Wales where they remaine unto this day See this more fully in my English Martyrologie Gildes a godly and learned man was at another time raised up by God to exhort the Britanes to repentance and amendment of life but they laughed him to scorn and took him for a false Prophet for which cause the Lord plagued them delivering them into the hands of their enemies on every side In the Reigne of King Edward the third God raised up John Wickliffs to preach repentance to the English to exhort them to turn from their Idolatry and supersticion But his Ministery was contemned and his body and books were burned after his death For which a heavy judgement befell them They slew their lawfull King and set up three Usurpers on a row by which most of the Nobles of the Land were slaine and one halfe of the Commons so that Cities and Townes were decayed and much of the Land turned to a wildernesse Nicholas Hemingius relates a story of a lewd fellow in Denmark Anno Christi 1550. which usually made a mock at Religion and the professors of it and on a time coming into a Church where a godly Minister was preaching by his countenance and gestures shewed a great contempt against the Word but as he passed out of the Church a tile fell upon his head and slew him in the place Anno Christi 1547. one Christopher Turk a Councellour of estate in Germany mocked a godly Noble-man that was taken prisoner saying See what hecomes of these gallants that use to sing when any one wrongs us God is our succour and defence but assoon as the words were out of his mouth God struck him with a grievous disease and being carried to his bed he died in despaire Beards Theat A profane Priest in Misnia that used to mock at the Sacrament of Baptisme and when a woman-childe came to be baptized would wish them that brought it to throw it into the river as he was looking over the bridge of Elbe at the boats that passed by by Gods just judgement he fell over the bridge and was drowned Beard Two schismatical Donatists at Thipasa in Mauritania commanded the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be thrown to the dogs but immediatly the dogs growing mad fell upon them and rent them to pieces Optat. Melevit l. â— Theopompus a Philosopher being about to insert some of Moses writing into his profane works was immediately stricken with madnesse Joseph Theodectes a Poet that mingled his Tragedies with some of the holy Scriptures was stricken blinde Joseph A husbandman at â—tzsith in Germany being a great despiser of the Word of God on a time railing most bitterly against a godly Minister presently going into the fields to look to his sheep was found dead his body being burnt as black as a coal Luther in Col. Phil. Melancthon relates a story of a Tragedie that was to be acted of the death and passion of Christ But he that acted Christs part on the Crosse was wounded to death by one that should have thrust his sword into a bladder of blood and he with his fall killed one that acted a womans part lamenting under the Crosse His brother that was first slaine seeing this slew the murtherer for which himselfe by the order of justice was hanged February 3. Anno Christs 1652. a Play was acting at Witny in Oxfordshire at the White-Heart-Inne in a great long chamber supported by two strong and substantial beames the place having been formerly a maulting roome the matter of the play was scurrilous and blasphemous containing some bitter taunts against all godly persons under the name of Puritans and at religion it selfe under the name of observing fasting dayes But as they were acting of it it pleased God that the roome wherein the people was fell whereby five were slaine outright and above sixty were hurt and sorely bruised One woman had her leg broken which being cut off she died within three or four dayes besides there were about twelve broken armes and legs and others put out of joynt This is written at large by Mr. John Row a godly Minister and preacher in that place Apian scoffing at Religion and especially at circumcision had an ulcer rose at the same time in the same place Joseph A man in Queen Elizabeths Reigne for compiling a book wherein he had fastened some treasonable dishonours upon the Queen was condemned to die and before his death acknowledged that though he had not done any thing against the Queen which deserved death yet he deserved to die for that he had seduced many of her subjects from hearing the Word of life and though he saw the evil of it and reformed himselfe yet he could never prevaile to reclaime others whom he had seduced and therefore said he The blood of their soules is justly required at my hands He that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Thes. 4. 8. CHAP. XLVI Gods judgements upon Dicers and Card-players BY the Elibertine and Constantinopolitan Councils under Justinian Dice-players were punished with Excommunication And the same Emperour made a Law That no man should use Dice-play either in private or publick no nor approve the same by his presence under paine of punishment Cod. l. 3. Tit. 43. Lewis the eighth King of France made a Law that no Cardes or Dice should be made or sold by any thereby to take away all occasion of gaming And surely in these dayes of light under the Gospel all Merchants and Tradesmen should forbear the sale of them lest ministring fuel to the fire of other mens lusts they make themselves guilty of their sinnes In a town of Campania a Jew playing at Dice with a Christian lost a great summe of money to him upon which occasion he belched out most bitter curses against Jesus Christ and his mother the blessed Virgin whereupon the Lord struck him dead immediately in the place and his fellow-gamester the Christian was also stricken with madnesse whereof he died shortly after Blas l. 1. c. 31. Anno Christi 1533. neere to Belissiâ—a in Helvetia three men were playing at Dice on the Lords day and one of them called Ulrick Schraeterus having lost much money at last expecting a good cast brake out into this cursed speech If fortune deceive me now I will thrust my dagger into the very body of God as far as I can and the cast miscarrying he drew his dagger and threw it against heaven
he had made himselfe sweat by some labour Stobaeus Anrelianus the Emperour never suffered day to passe over his head wherein he did not exercise himselfe in some hard labour or military imployment Alex. ab Alex. The City of Casan in Parthia is much to be commended for its civil Government for an idle person is not suffered to live amongst them The childe that is but six years old is set to labour no ill rule disorder or riot is suffered there They have a Law amongst them whereby every person is compelled to give in his name to the Magistrates withall declaring by what course he liveth and if any tell untruly he is either soundly beaten on the feet or imployed in publick slavery P. Pil. v. 1. In China the whole Countrey is well husbanded and though the people generally are great spenders yet they first get it by their hard labour Idle persons are much abhorred in this Countrey and such as will not labour must not eat amongst them for there are none that will give almes to the poore If any be blinde they are put to grinde in horse mills If lame impotent bedrid c. the next of their kin is forced to maintaine them If they be not able the King hath Hospitals in every City wherein they are sufficiently provided for P. Pil. v. 3. CHAP. LXII Examples of such as have preferred Christ before all earthly enjoyments Under the eight Persecution there was one Marinus a Nobleman and valiant Captaine in Caesaria who stood for an honourable office that of right fell to him but his Competitor to prevent him accused him to the Judge for being a Christian The Judge examining him of his faith and finding it true gave him three houres time to deliberate with himselfe whether he would lose his Office and Life or renounce Christ and his profession Marinus being much perplexed what to resolve on a godly Bishop took him by the hand led him into the Church laid before him a sword and a New-Testament bidding him freely take his choice which of them he would have whereupon Marinus ranne to the New Testament and chose that and so being encouraged by the Bishop he went boldly to the Judge by whose sentence he was beheaded Dioclesian that bloody Persecutor first laboured to seduce the Christian souldiers in his Camp commanding them either to sacrifice to his gods or to lay down their places offices and armes To whom they resolutely answered That they were not only ready to lay down their honours and weapons but even their lives if he required it rather then to sinne against God and deny Christ. A Noble Virgin in Portugal called Eulalia under the tenth Persecution seeing the cruelty used against Christians for the cause of Christ went to the Judge and thus bespake him What a shame is it for you thus wickedly to seek to kill mens souls and to break their bodies in pieces seeking thereby to withdraw them from Christ Would you know what I am I am a Christian ana an enemy to your devillish sacrifices I spurne your idols under my feet c. Hereupon the Judge being enraged said unto her O fond and sturdy girle I would faine have thee before thou diest revoke thy wickednesse Remember the Honourable House of which thou art come and thy friends teares Wilt thou cast away thy selfe in the flower of thy youth Wilt thou bereave thy selfe of honourable marriage Doth the glittering pomp of the bride-bed nothing prevaile with thee c. Behold if these things will not move thee I have here variety of engins prepared to put thee to a cruel death c. But our Noble Eulalia having her heart ravished with the love of Christ to whom she desired to be married rejected both his flatteries and threats and chose death rather then to forsake Christ. See my General Martyrology p. 77. In the late Bohemian Persecution a noble Lady of the City of Latium leaving all her riches house and friends crept under the walls through the common sewer the gates being guarded that she might enjoy Christ in his Ordinances elsewhere In the Affrican Persecution under the Arians there was a noble man called Saturus eminent for piety and holinesse whom the Tyrant King laboured to withdraw from Christ and his truth to the Arian Heresie telling him that if he consented not presently he should forfeit his house his Lands his goods his honours that his children and servants should be sold that his wife should be given to one of his basest slaves c. But when threats prevailed not he was cast into prison and when his Lady heard her doom she went to him with her garments rent and her hair disheveled her children at her heeles and a sucking infant in her armes and falling down at her husbands feet she took him about the knees saying Have compassion O my sweetest of me thy poor wife and of these thy children look upon them let them not be made slaves let not me be yoaked in so base a marriage consider that which thou art required to do thou doest it not willingly but art constrained thereto and therefore it will not be laid to thy charge c. But this valiant Souldier of Christ answered her in the words of Job Thou speakest like a foolish woman Thou actest the Devils part If thou truly lovedst thy husband thou wouldest never seek to draw him to sin that may separate him from Christ and expose him to the second death Know assuredly that I am resolved as my Saviour Christ commands me to forsake wife children house lands c. that so I may enjoy him which is best of all One Copin a Merchant in France was apprehended and carried before the Bishop of Ast for his bold asserting of the truth to whom the B. said that he must either recant his opinions or be punished But Copin answered that he would maintain them with his life For saith he I have goods a wife and children and yet have I lost those affections which I formerly bore to them neither are they dear to me so I may gain Christ. See more Examples of this kind before in this Book p. 29 30 31. Anno Christi 1620. in that bloody Persecution in the Valtoline a noble Gentleman having for a while hid himself was at last found out by his Popish adversaries whom he requested to spare him for his childrens sake but they told him that this was no time for pity except he would renounce his Religion and embrace Popery whereupon he said God forbid that to save this temporal life I should deny my Lord Jesus Christ who with his precious blood upon the Crosse redeemed me at so dear a rate c. I say God forbid and so they murthered him See my Gen. Martyrologie p. 327. Anno Christi 1507. one Laurence Guest being in prison for the truth in Salisbury the Bishop because he had good friends laboured by all means to draw him to recant but not
Earth-quake wherewith the people were so affrighted that many of them forsook their houses and some houses were so shaken that the Chimnies fell down In January Anno Christi 1648. there was seen a great fiery meteor in the air near Bristow on the South-side of the City for divers nights together in form long with fiery streames shooting out East and West which was the week before the beheading of the late King eye-witnesse Also the day before he was beheaded a great Whale ran himself on shore three miles from Dover where he died He was 66 foot long A thing rarely seen in this Island November the 30th Anno Christi 1650. being St. Andrews day a little before or about Sun-rising the skie opened in a fearful manner in the Southwest over Standish a Town five miles from Gloucester and there appeared a terrible fearful fiery shaking sword with the hilt upwards towards the heavens the point downwards towards the earth the hilt seemed to be blue the Sword was of a great length shaking hither and thither and comming lower towards the earth There was a long flame of fire towards the point sparkling and flaming in a fearful manner to the great astonishment of the Spectators who were many At last the heaven closing the Sword vanished and the fire fell to the earth and ran upon the ground This I had from an eye-witnesse In June Anno Christi 1653. a black cloud was seen over the Town of Pool which a while after was dissolved into a showr of blood that fell warm upon mens hands some green leaves with those drops of blood upon them were sent up to London A little before the Civil broiles between the houses of York and Lancaster wherewith England for a long time was rent in pieces the River Ouse in Bedfordshire stood still and by reason that the waters gave back on both sides men might passe on foot in the very chanel for three miles together not without the astonishment of all that saw it who took it as a presage of the divisions ensuing Camb. Brit. p. 399. Not long before the contention between Galba Otho and Vitellius about the Roman Empire there appeared three Suns as it were pointing out that tripatite contention for the Imperial Diadem April the 7th Anno Christi 1233. there appeared here in England four Suns besides the natural Sun and presently afrer fell out the great contention between our King Henry the third and his Barons and the year after England was wasted with fire snd sword from Wales to Salisbury there ensued also a great drought and Pestilence Stow. Anno Christi 1460. three Suns appeared the very day before the three Earles viz. Edward Earl of March with the Earl of Pembrook and the Earl of Wiltshire fought that great battel in Wales at Mortimer's Crosse where the Earl of March put the other two to flight and slew many of their men Idem Anno Christi 1233. a little before the Warres brake forth between King Henry the third and his Barons there appeared in April in Hereford and VVorcestershire five Suns at once and a certain great circle of a Crystal colour of about two foot in breadth as it were compassing all England Matth. Paris CHAP. XCI Remuneration Retaliation Requital COmmanded sometime by God Gen 9. 6. Exod. 21. 23 c. Lev. 24. 19 c. Matth. 5. 38. Psal. 137. 8. Jer. 50. 15. Rev. 18. 6. Thus God threatens to the enemies of his Church Jer. 30. 16. 48. 26 27. 49. 2. Rev. 13. 10. Jer. 51. 49. Ezek. 35. 5 6. 39. 30. Hab. 2. 8. Joel 3. 6 7 8. 1 Thess. 1. 6. To those that sin in his Church Pit for pit Psal. 7. 15 16. Idolatry for Idolatry Jer. 5. 19. Spoil for spoil Isa. 33. 1. Prov 22. 23. Treachery for treachery Isa. 33. 1. Harlots hire for harlots hire Mich. 1. 7. Not to hear shall not be heard Prov. 1. 28. Zach. 7. 13. Altars for sin with Altars to sin Hos. 8. 11. they that judge shall be judged Matth. 7. 2. Scriptural Examples Pharaoh drowned others and was drowned himself Exod. 1. 22. with 14. 27. 30. Abimelech and the Sechemites Judg. 9. 24 56 57. Adonibezek Judg. 1. 7. Levites Concubine Judg. 19. 2 25. Ahab and Jesabel 1 King 21. 19. with 22. 34 38. 18. 13. 22. 23. 2 King 9. 33 36 37. Kings which were traytors and slew others were slain themselves 2 King 15. 10 14 23 25 30. Agag 1 Sam. 15. 33. Joab 1 King 2. 32. Daniel's enemies Dan. 6. 7 12 15 24. Other Examples Orodes King of Parthia who had overcome and slain Crassus the Roman Consul in his old age fell desperately sick for grief at the losse of his son Pacones slain by Venticius yet his younger son Phraates had not patience to expect his death but gave him poison to accelerate it But behold Gods providence the poison proving a strong purge wrought out not onely it self but the disease too so that Orodes recovered beyond expectation which Phraates seeing strangled him and to settle him the surer in his Kingdome obtained by Parricide he entred into league with the Romans sending back the Ensigns of Crassus and other Presents the Romans to requite him sent him great gifts and amongst the rest a beautiful Italian strumpet by whom he had a son which being grown up by the advice and help of his mother poisoned his father to get his Crown Tulit quae meruit et quae docuit Lipsius Mithridates King of Pontus to get the Crown slew his mother brother and her three sons and as many daughters but in his old age his own son Phanacus slow him for the same cause Lipsius Ptolemaeus one of Alexander's Successours expelling Antigonus seizeth upon Macedonia makes peace with Antiochus enters into league and affinity with Pyrrhus now all things were sure but onelyfor his sister Arsinoe and her sons who had been married to Lysimachus King of Macedonia therefore intending to entrap her he sent Ambassadours to her pretending love promising to marry her to make her partner with him in the Kingdom and her sons his heires protesting that he took up armes for no other end proffering to swear upon the holy Altars when and where she pleased that all this was in good faith The poor Lady deceived hereby sent some of her friends to take his oath before whom he went into the most ancient Temple and there touching the gods and the Altar swears That he sincerely purposed to marry her to make her his Queen and her children his heires otherwise he prayes for vengeance upon himself c. Upon this Arsinoe comes to him is married and crowned Queen of Macedonia then she delivers up to him Cassandrea a most strong City where her children and all her treasures were he having now his desire sends men that slew her children in their mothers lap and drave her into exile but God suffered not this wickednesse to go long unrevenged