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
of Constantinus Copronymus that he was neither Iew Christian nor Pagan but an arrant Atheist Tullus Hostilius the third King of the Romanes that despised his predecessor Numâ—'s sacrifices saying That Religion did but effeminate mens mindes and make them unfit for noble enterprises yet he feigned to himselfe and worshipped two new gods Pavorem Pallorem Feare and Palenesse which he carried about in his own bosome and could not be rid of Lactautious He was slaine with a thunder-bolt and his wife children and all his family were burnt with lightning It was an Atheistical speech of Statius the Poet Primus in or be deos fecit Timor that fear first made gods in the world and that all opinions of a Deity were frivolous being devised by wise men to keep the people in awe and order Theodorus held that there was no difference between good and evill between justice and injustice but what the law of man made he wrote a book also to prove that there was no Deity whereupon he was sirnamed the Atheist Suidas Epicurus denied that there was either God or providence and held that all things came to passe by fate or chance Volate Pope Leo the tenth was so impudent as to make the promises and threats contained in the Word of God things to be laughed at mocking the simplicity of those that believed them and when Cardinal Bembus quoted upon occasion a place out of the Gospel the Pope answered Quantum nobis profuit fabula haec de Christo O what profit hath this fable of Christ brought unto us This Pope having by his Pardons and indulgences scraped together vast summes of money to maintain his courtizans and whores and to enrich his bastards as he was one day at meat news was brought him of the overthrow of the French in Lumbardy which he much rejoyced at and doubled his good chear but before he rose from the table Gods hand struck him with a grievous sicknesse whereof he died within three dayes Pope Julius the third another Atheist a despiser of God and his Word On a time missing a cold Peacock which he had commanded to be kept for him raged and blasphemed God exceedingly whereupon a Cardinal that was present intreated him not to be so angry for such a triste What saith he If God was so angry for eating of an Apple as to thoust Adam and Eve out of Paradise should not I which am his Vâ—car be angry for a Peacock which is of farre more worth then an Apple Francis Ribelius was so profane that he made a mock at all Religion counting it a thing to be laughed at but the Lord struck him with madnesse so that he died mocking at all those that talked of God or made any mention of Gods mercy to him Periers who was the Author of that detestable book called Symbolum Mundi wherein he mocks at God and all Religion was by God stricken with horrible despaire so that though he was strictly guarded by his friends yet watching his opportunity he killed himselfe Anno Christi 1464. the Bishop of Angiers in France prosecuted a rich Citizen in the palace of Paris for saying publickly that he believed that there was neither God nor devil Heaven nor Hell And it came to passe that whil'st the Bishops Lawyer was opening these things against him the house where they were began to tremble very much so that a stone from the roofe fell down amongst them but without hurt to any yet were they so affrighted that all departed for that time The next day when that cause came to be heard againe the house began againe to shake and tremble insomuch as a Summer came forth of its mortise-hole falling downwards two foot and there staid which did so afright the people that they ran away losing and leaving behind them many of their garments God hereby warning them to take heed of such fearful sinnes as these are Eng. de Monstrelit A certain blasphemous wretch carousing in an Inne began to vent his Atheisme swearing that he did not believe that man had any soul which survived his body and that Heaven and Hell were but meer fables and inventions of Priests to get gaine by that for his own part he would sell his soul to any that would buy it then did one of his companions buy it of him for a cup of wine and presently the devil in mans shape bought it of that man againe on the same price and so in the presence of them all laid hold on this soul-seller and carried him away through the aire so that he was never more heard of Disci de Temp. Pherecides a Tragical Poet and Philosopher boasted amongst his scholars of his riches and glory and yet saith he I sacrifice not to the gods nor passe not for any such vanity as Religion But presently after the Lord struck him with a strange disease out of his body issued a slimy and filthy sweat of which was engendred such a number of lice and wormes that they ate out his bowels whereby he died miserably AElian Lib. 4. There lived in Hanmbourg a wicked wretch that despised the Ministery of the Word and Gods Ministers accounting the Sacred Scriptures a vaine thing not worthy of credit yea so farre did his wickednesse prevaile that he endeavoured to diffuse the poison of his Atheisme into others but not long after the Lord found him out in his wickednesse striking him with such terrours of conscience that he fell into extream despaire crying out that his sinnes were past forgivenesse because he had denied the truth and seduced others whereas before he thought that there was no sinne and whereas before he thought that there was no God now he thought that God was so just that he would not forgive him whereupon watching his opportunity he threw himselfe from the roof of an house into a well and not finding water enough to drown him he thrust his head into the bottome of it till he had stifled himself Theat Hist. Anno Christi 1502. there was one Herman Biswick who affirmed the world to be eternal contrary to what foolish Moses had written and that there were neither Angels nor devils hell nor future life but that the soules of men perished with their bodies and that Christ Jesus was a seducer of the people and that the faith of Christians and the Sacred Scriptures were meer vanity For which himselfe with his books were burnt in Holland Theat Hist. There was in our own Nation one Marlin sometimes a student in the University of Cambridge but afterwards a maker of Stage-playes and a notorious Atheist denying God and his Sonne Christ and not only in word blasphemed the holy Trinity but also wrote books against it affirming our Saviour to be a deceiver and Moses to be a conjurer and a seducer of the people and the Sacred Scriptures to be vaine and idle stories and all Religion but a Politick device But God suffered not such profanenesse to
the flesh Gal. 5 20. Scriptural examples Ahab and Zedekiah Jer. 29. 21. Shemaiah Jer. 29. 24 31 32. Hananiah Jer. 28. 13 27. Zedekiah 1 Kings 22. 11 24 25. Shemaiah Nehem 6. 10. Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 15. 3. 16. 6 12 Sadduces Mat. 22. 23. 16. 12. Herod Mark 8. 15. Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. Philetus 2 Tim. 2. 17. Phygellus and Hermogenes 2 Tim. 1. 15. Balaam Revel 2. 14. Barjesus Acts 13. 6 8. Herodians Mark 3. 6. 12. 13. Noadiah Nehem. 6. 14. Jezabel Rev. 2. 20. The Arian Heresie having overspread the City of Antiochia whereupon arose a great Schisme and contention amongst the inhabitants the Lord sent a terrible Earth-quake which overthrew a great part of the City and with the Earth-quake fire also brake forth of the ground which consumed all the residue by both which multitudes of persons perished Evag. Arrius himselfe the father of that Heresie as he was easing nature in a secret place his bowels gushed our and so he died miserably Theod. Saint Augustine being to dispute with Pascentius the Ariâ—â— Pascenâ—ius requested that what passed betwixt them might not be set down in writing and afterwards made his bâ—â—gs that he had wâ—â—sted Augustine in the diâ—pâ—â—e which report was believed of all that desâ—â—ed â—t Aug. 〈◊〉 2 Ep. 17â— Simâ—n Magus after that he was so sharply reproved by â—eter wâ—nt tâ— Rome and taught many abominable heresies affirming himself to be the true God That the wâ—rlâ— was created by Angels that Christ was neither come noâ— did sufferâ— he denied the resurrection of the body brought in the promiscuous use of women used the company of one Hâ—lâ—na an harlot whom he affirmed to be the Holy Ghost and that he begat Angels of her he attempted to shew his power to the people by flying in the aire but falling down he brake his thigh and died miserably Jacks Châ—oâ— p. 186. Manas or Manicheus the Heretick denied the Old Testament called himselfe the holy Spirit and professed that he had power to work miracles whereupon he was sent for by the King of Persia to cure his sonne who lay sick of a dangerous disease but his impostures saiâ—ing and the childe dying under his hand the King caused him to be slaine and his skin taken off and to be stuffed full of chaffe and set up before the gâ—tâ— of the City Simps Nestorius the â—eretick who spake against the union of the Divine and humane nature of Christ making as it were two Christs had his blasphemous tongue â—orted in his mouth and consumed with wormes and at length the earth opened her mouth and swallowed him up Evag. Niceph. The Emperour Valence who was an Arian Heretick was overtaken by the Goths in a Village which they set on fire where in he was burnt to death leaving no successor and his name became a curse and execration to all ages Sozom. Under the reign of Adrian the Emperour there was one called Benchochab who professed himselfe to be the Messias that descended from Heaven in the likenesse of a starre to redeem the Jews whereby he drew a multitude of disciples after him but shortly after himselfe and all his followers were slaine which occasioned the Jews to call him Bencozba the sonne of a lie Eus. Gerinthus the heretick being in a Bath at Ephesus the Apostle John seeing him said to those that were with him Let us depart lest the house wherein the Lords enemy is should fall upon our heads and accordingly when he was gone it fell upon Cerinthus and his associats and killed them Eus. Montanus who denied the Divinity of Christ and called himselfe the Comforter or holy Spirit that was to come into the world And his two wives Priscilla and Maxilla he named his Prophetesses but shortly after God gave him over to despaire that he hanged himselfe Magdebur Niceph. Heraclius the Emperour infected with the Heresie of the Monothelites having raised a great Army against his enemies fifty two thousand of them died in one night whereupon he presently fell sick and died Simps Constance the Emperour a Monothelite was slaine by one of his own servants as he was washing of himselfe in a Bath Simps Constantius the Emperour a great favourer and supporter of the Arian Heresie died suddenly of an Apoplexie Socr. Cyril hath of his own knowledge recorded a wonderful judgement of God upon an Heretick in his time There was saith he presently after the death of Saint Hierom a bold and blasphemous Heretick called Sabinianus who denied the distinction of persons in the Trinity affirming the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost to be but one indistinct person and to gaine credit to his heresie he wrote a book to confirme his opinions which he published in the name of Saint Hierome whereupon Silvanus Bishop of Nazareth sharply reproved him for depraving so worthy a man now dead and to detect his falsehood agreed with Sabinianus that if Hierome did not the next day by some miracle declare his falsehood he would willingly die but if he did the other should die this being agreed upon the day following they went to the Temple at Hierusalem multitudes of people following them to see the issue and the day was now past and no miracle appeared so that Silvanus was required to yield his neck to the headsman which he willingly and confidently did but when he was ready to receive the blow something appeared like Saint Hierome and staid the blow and then vanishing presently the head of Sabinianus fell off and his carcase tumbled upon the ground Grimoald King of Lombardy an Arian Heretick being let blood for some distempers eleven dayes after as he was drawing a bowe the veine opening a new he bled to death Nestorius the Heretick being made Bishop of Constance by Theodosius bespake him thus in a Sermon O Caesar purge me the Land of Hereticks meaning the Orthodox Christians and I shall give thee Heaven Help thou me to root out them and I shall help thee to overcome thine enemies For which cause he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fling-fire in French Boutefeux Hist. Trip. About â—he yeere 1629. there lived at Cubbington in Warwick-shire a Gentleman called Master Griswould of a competent estate and a zealous prosessor of Religion familiarly acquainted with most of the godly Ministers and Christians thereabouts and well esteemed of by them till one Canne lately of Amsterdam falling into his acquaintance began to seduce him from his former opinions and practice causing him to scruple first joyning with our Congregations in Prayers and the Sacrament Secondly to question whether he might lawfully hear a conformable Minister though able and godly from thence he fell to separation and after a while he first questioned and after concluded that there was no true Church in the world to which he might adjoyne himselfe and therefore kept himselfe to duties with his own family and rejected all others yet staid he not long here but after
Christians had many malicious slanders raised against them as that they lived in incest that in their night-meetings putting out the candles they mixed together in a filthy manner that they killed their children and fed upon mans flesh that they were seditious and rebellious and refused to swear by the fortune of Caesar c. which much incensed the Emperours against them Idem p. 34. Under the third Persecution the Heathens imputed to the Christians all those miseries and mischiefs which befell them yea they invented against them all manner of conâ—umelies and false crimes that they might have the more pretence to persecute them Idem p. 37. Under the fourth Persecution heathen servants were examined against their Christian Masters and being threatned with most exquisite torments were enforced to confesse against their Masters that at their meetings they kept the Feasts of Thyestes and committed the incests of Oedipus and such like abominations not fit to be named Idem p. 41. Under the fifth Persecution the Christians were slanderously reported to be seditious and rebellious against the Emperours to be guilty of Sacriledge murthering their infants incestuous pollutions eating raw flesh worshipping the head of an Asse c. Idem p. 46. Under the eighth Persecution the Christians were falsely charged with all the calamities of war famine and Pestilence which befell the world because they refused to worship Idols and the Emperour Idem p. 56. Under the tenth Persecution there was a Conjurer in Athens which made an Image of Jupiter that uttered these words Jupiter commands the Christians to be banished out of this City because they are enemies to him Also certain Harlots were suborned to say that formerly they had been Christians and so were privy to the wicked and lascivious acts which they committed amongst themselves at their Sabbath-meetings c. Idem p. 68. The Queen of Persia being sick the wicked Jewes and Magicians accused two godly Virgins for that by charmes and inchantments they had procured the Queens sicknesse whereupon they were sawen in sunder by the wastes and their Quarters hung upon stakes that the Queen might go betwixt them thinking thereby to be freed from her disease Idem p. 80. The Popish Friers to make the godly Waldenses odious raised up many foul slanders against them as that they were Sorcerers Buggerers c. that when they assembled together in the night-time their Pastors commanded the lights to be put out saying Qui potest capere capiat whereupon they committed abominable Incests the son with his mother the brother with his sister the father with his daughter c. As also that they held many false and damnable opinions Idem p. 103. See more in my Gen. Martyrologie and two Parts of Lives CHAP. LXVIII Examples of Discord Contention and the Evils of iâ— IT 's a great Evil Prov. 6. 14 19. worst in wives Prov. 19. 13. 27. 15. Condemned Ephes. 4. 31. Col. 3. 8. Prov. 17. 14. Tit. 3. 9. Rom. 13. 13. It comes from Pride Prov. 13. 10. Scriptural Examples Kings Gen. 14. 4. Abimelech and Sechem Judg. 9. Pharisees and Sadduces Act. 23. 2. Servants Gen. 13. 7. Hebrews Exo. 2. 13. Judah and Israel 2 Sam. 19. 4. Aaron and Moses Num. 12. 1. Israel and Benjamin Judg. 20. 13. Disciples Luk. 22. 24. Paul and Barnabas Act. 15. 39. Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 11 12. 3. 3 4. 11. 18. 6. 7. Abrahams and Lots heardsmen Gen. 13. 7. Israelites Isa. 9. 21. Epiphanius tells a sad story of two Bishops Milesius and Peter Bishop of Alexandria both Professours and fellow-sufferers for the Christian faith These two men being condemned and sent to work in the Mettal-Mines for a small difference fell into so great a Schisme that they drew a partitian-wall between each other in the Mine and would not hold Communion each with other in the service of Christ for which they both were sufferers which dissension of theirs caused such a rent in the Church that it did more hurt then an open Persecution from the enemy How much better did Bishop Ridley and Hooper who though in King Edward the sixth his daies they had been at great variance about the Ceremonies yet when in Queen Maries Reign they were imprisoned for the same cause they forgat all former quarrels loved and wrote each to other as brethren See Dr. Ridley's Life in my first Part. In Constantine's time the differences of the Bishops were so many and so great that they brought in whole bundles of Petitions one against another to the Emperour which he out of a wonderfull desire after peace would not so much as read but burnt them all before their faces Aristides and Themistocles being sent joynt Ambassadours to the same City fell out by the way Aristides was stout enough and crosse enough yet when he came neer the City gates whither they were sent he condescended so far as to bespeak Themistocles in this manner Sir you and I are not now at leisure thus to squabble Let us dispatch our Countrey affaires It will be time enough to renew our quarrel when our work is at an end Plut. Empedocles was of such a contentious disposition that every day he would quarrel with some body or other and prosecute his contentions with much violence Ravis Hyperbolus was a man so addicted to strife and contention that it grew into a Proverb Ultra Hyperbolum Frowardnesse is in the heart of a naughty person he deviseth mischief continually he soweth discord Prov. 6. 14. CHAP. LXIX Examples of strange Accidents MAthias Huniades the thundering sonne of a lightning father being cast into prison by Uladislaus King of Hungary and Bohemia was sent into Bohemia to his execution but Uladislaus immediately after dying upon the eating of a poisoned Apple the Hungarians partly affected with the merit of his father and hopes of the sons valour and partly by means of the solicitations of his friends chose Huniades for their King and to give him notice thereof they sent Letters by Ambassadours to Pâ—gibrachius King of Bohemia with whom Matthias was prisoner which he receiving at Supper presently raised Matthias from the lower end of the Table where he sate and set him above himself wishing him not to be dismayed for he had glad tydings for him which he would impart after Supper and so he did saluting him King of Hungary and gave him Katherine his daughter to wife Look Glass of the Hol War A young man the son of Sinan the Jew a famous Sea-Captain under the Turk having been taken prisoner by the Christians was at length delivered and sent home to his father The old man over-joyed at the sudden and unexpected return of his son in imbracing of him fainted and presently dyed in an extasie of joy Turk Hist. p. 750. Dudilius relates a sad story of one Bochna a woman who had but two sons and whilest she was walking with one towards a River she heard the other cry out whereupon returning