Happie are we if we heare aright thy law thy lore and eke thy praise will wee beare obey extoll and magnifie all the daies of our life being here on the earth This if we doe then happy shall we be stand fast for aye and a parcel of the Lords vineyard beloued for euer but if we doe not but delay the time of our repentance as we haue done oh alas I must and will tell you what he will then doe vnto vs sinfull wicked and carelesse contemners of his graces euen take away his hedge from vs breake downe his wall lay vs waste A fearfull afterclap and neither plant prime cut nor digge vs any more and then marke what wofull sequell thereupon shall follow we shall be troden downe eaten vp and destroyed by the wilde bore out of the forrest and no good shal then grow amongst vs but brambles and bryers tokens of his wrath as in Adma and Zeboim Againe as this exhortation serueth to the man that neuer tasted of repentance before that now without delay hee turne vnto the Lord cease from his sinne and bring foorth fruites worthy amendment of life so likewise it may serue and bee in place of a louing and pithie exhortation to the protestant It serueth as an exhortation to all protestants of our countrie Ioh. 11. Marke our happy case on Gods behalfe Ephes 2. and professor of Christianitie in these our daies whose case on Gods behalfe is like to Mary Magdalens out of whom went seuen diuels like to Lazarus who was raised from death to life after foure daies rotting in his graue like to the Ephesians quickened raised vp made new and brought to sit in heauenly places by the blood of Christ from aliants and strangers to the commoÌ„-wealth of Israel without hope without God in the world yea of forreners and strangers made citizens with the Saints and of the househâ—â—d of faith And to conclude on Gods behalfe like to the vntoward and trewantlike schollers of whom the author to the Hebrues maketh mention who were lightened tasted of the heauenly gift Heb. 6.3.4.5.6.7 and were made partakers of the Holy-ghost casted of the good word of God and of the power of the world to come The professors I say on Gods behalfe being in as happie a case as Magdalen grace offered from God the father by his sonne Christ to dispell and driue backe Satan and dispossesse them of many diuels as comfortable a case as Lazarus was in called by the sounding ministerie of Gods word out of the pit and graue of their sinnes where they haue not laine almost foure daies as Lazarus but by an inueterate custome of sinne all their daies rotting therein yet at last made to heare this powerfull voyce Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead c. And to conclude of no people made a beloued people of aliants from the common wealth of Israel made owners and heires thereof by grace and of seruants by nature made sonnes vnto God by adoption in Christ Iesus But these professors of the Gospell so gratious on Gods behalfe who hath layd out himselfe and his mercies wholly in his sonne Christ vnto them all yet in regard of themselues and the courses of their liues not vnlike the foolish Galathians Gal. 3.1 who did for a time run well but in the end obeyed not the trueth loued their Apostle so dearely Gal. 4.15 that they would haue plucked their eyes out of their heads to haue done him good yet after a time harkening to false Apostles they accounted him their vtter enemie Vers 16. be cause hee told them the trueth These at the first publishing of the Gospell were very feruent accompting it sweete but after some trials for the same laid vpoÌ„ them they fainted adiudging themselues vnable to vndergoe the burthen And to conclude though they begun in the spirite yet Paul was afraid of them that they would altogether end in the flesh Yea fitly may many of our Christians at this day be compared with the protestants against whom Peter wrote who promised vnto others libertie 2. Pet. 2.20 and yet were themselues the seruants of corruption who after they had escaped from the filthines of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and of the Sauiour Iesus Christ were yet againe tangled therein And to conclude as I compared them to the Ephesians before in regarde of the multitude of Gods mercies offered them so now may I againe fitly resemble them to the same Ephesians but not in the same sense as before being now comparable with them for carelesnes Apocal. 2.4 coldnes and luke-warmenes in Gods seruice For vnto the Ephesians Angell or pastor Iohn the Diuine was coÌ„manded to write diuers things amongst which this for one that the Ephesians had forsaken their first loue Thus then the case going with vs all that professe the Gospell so happily so comfortably on Gods behalfe euen raised vp to sit in spirituall places with Christ Iesus and so dangerously and so doubtfully on our own parts amongst many in regarde of their sensuall carnall and carelesse cariage of themselues in the middest of a sinfull and crooked generation this dutie of the sicke mans deliuerance laid downe and described in our text here by Christ may serue very fitly for vs all and be continually applied of euery one of vs and stil sounding in our eares as though Christ were calling vpon or conferring with vs saying Behold thou art made whole sinne no more Ye that were dead in your sins hath Christ quickened Marke well ô my brethren ye that were strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in you because of the hardnes of your hearts hath he illuminated and opened the eyes of your vnderstanding that ye may see and discerne of things that differ one from another Yea vnto you all that professe the Gospell let me speake Behold beho d ye that were deaffe doe heare Blessed bee God for it ye that were lame doe goe ye that were dumbe doe speake ye that were leprous are clensed and ye poore soules whom Satan once ouerruled keeping you in darknes poperie superstition to you to you I say is the Gospell preached the happy newes of saluation sent and the kingdome and glorious throne of Christ Iesus erected amongst you But me thinke I heare some say that the man to whom these wordes were first vttered by Christ The secure reasoning of many had cause and great cause to put in practise this holesome counsell for hee was made whole not onely in soule and the parts thereof but also in his body when he neuer expected any recouerie but as for vs or as for me although the spirituall blessings wee feele and perceiue yet for bodily healing or preseruing from dangers wherein can wee finde it O my beloued behold further and ye shall see what mercies the Lorde hath magnified towards you in regard of
FOVRE SERMONS PREACHED AND PVBLIKELY TAVGHT BY RICHARD LEAKE Preacher of the word of God at Killington within the Baronrie of Kendall and Countie of Westmerland immediatly after the great visitation of the pestilence in the foresayd Countie Ezechiel 24. vers 13. Thou remainest in thy filthines and wickednesse because I would haue purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not bee purged from thy filthines till I haue caused my wrath to fall vpon thee AT LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KINGSTON for Thomas Man 1599. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL M. THOMAS STIKELAND AND M. IAMES BELLINGHAM Esquires and two of her Maiesties Iustices of the peace within the Baronrie of Kendall and countie of Westmerland RICHARD LEAKE wisheth all graces needefull for this life and the continuall encrease of all graces pertaining to eternall life to the ende of their dayes IT is not vnknowne vnto your worships and to vs all round about what great and manifold dangers haue ouerspread all our countrie by the space of these two last yeares and more as well by dearth as also by strange fearefull diseases and sicknesses It is no lesse knowne vnto vs also how little good and small reliefe all outward meanes of remedie and comfort brought vnto the distressed ones in their extremities and who knoweth not how lamentable and wofull was the state of the afflicted one especially in such places as were infected with the pestilence and what feare came vpon vs all thorough that their affliction what mourning amongst them and daily deuises amongst our selues how to auoide escape dangers I wish from my heart that the originall breeding and first occasion of these lamentable times were as well knowne or herafter may be knowne of vs all viz. how that it was not infection of the ayre distemperature in their bodies much lesse the malitious and diuelish practises of witches or yet blinde fortune or any other such like imagined causes which were breeders of these euils But the masse and multitude of our sins in rebelling against the holie one of Jsrael these I say haue been the prouokers of the Almightie to make vs drinke of the cup of afflictions these haue pulled vpon vs al these plagues and brought vpon vs all these fearefull and afflicted times wherein we haue lately been which poynt that it might appeare plaine to the sight view of all my neighbours whose hearts haue awaked at the beholding of the said calamities I haue laboured in this little treatise following to make knowne what hath caused all these woes and who hath wrought and brought vnto vs better dayes as also what dutie we owe to the Lord for our gracious and long desired deliuerance Which I am bold to dedicate vnto your Worships and that for two respects first for that I perswade my selfe that you are both fauourable and also forward to entertaine and bid welcome all that bring the glad tidings of saluation whereby I am resolued that you will not only your selues accept and take in good part these my poore labours but also patronize countenāce and defend thē against al those who shall deride and scoffe at them as they doe at all good things in my self or others and secondly for that you be Magistrates and Iustices within those limits and precincts most parts whereof haue bin infected most pitifully and I am perswaded most iustly for those great and capitall sinnes which rule and raigne amongst vs as grosse Poperie and blinde superstition in very many places in so much that I am afraide that that abhominable Idoll of indignation the Masse is vsed in diuerse places about vs and that very boldly adde hereunto filthy drunkennesse abhominable whoredomes open profanation of the Sabbath vnlawfull pastimes with infinite many moe which the further they bee ripped into the more filthy stinch ariseth out of them These and such like sinnes I say being so pregnant and rise amongst vs I doubt not but as you espied them and heard them cryed against by worde and writing you with the rest of your associats ioyning with you will holde on in zeale of Gods glory the peace of Gods children and the discharge of your owne dueties that these sinnes may haue those lawes executed vpon them which most christianly is prouided in this land for restraining them which no doubt shall so greatly tend to the glorie of God the furthering of the couse of the Gospell and the flourishing estate of our christian common-wealth that in short space the excellent effects of this zealous gouernement shall proue the trueth and vprightnes thereof And thus briefely I cease committing this little worke and the issue thereof for acceptance at your Worships hands and all other that shall reade it to the wisedome of him who hath the disposing of the hearts euen of Kings and rulers euen one God and three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit to whome be glorie maiestie dominion and praise for euermore Your VVorships bounden Richard Leake To the Christian Reader THe occasion good reader of my offering this poore mite into the Lords treasurie and of sending abroade this fruit which the increase of my small talent bringeth forth vnto the Lords familie was this I pleased God by the space of two yeares together to giue our country in the North parts of this land a taste of his power in iudgement being prouoked thereunto by our manifold enormious sinnes he visited vs with many and grieuous sicknesses as first with the hot feuer after with the bloodie issue and lastly most fearefully with the extreame disease of the pestilence inflicted vpon many and shaken at all in our whole countrie And albeit neither I nor any of the people vnder my charge were infected therewith yet had we all of vs the cause thereof within our sinfull hearts as well as any others it had inuironed vs almost round about we had scarcely any way to turne vs but mourning might be heard so that we expected no better than neighbours fare Furthermore in this time and before as it is well knowne the Lord our God did chasten and punish this whole land with dearth and famine of bread and scarcitie of other victuals in diuers places since which time of tribulation it hath pleased him who is God blessed for euer amen to make knowne his power in mercie as he had before manifested the same in iudgement For be gaue plentie and cheapnes of bread and all kinde of victuals in stead of scarcitie and dearth hee extinguished the heate of sickenesses in those places where it was most feruent with-held it from those places vnto which it was most fearefully threatned so that then might be heard amongst vs mirth in stead of mourning songs in stead of doleful sighings gladsome salutations in meetings in stead of diligent shunning each of others presence for feare of infection The boistrous stormes of afflictions now driuen away and calme showers of comfort descending the cloudes of his heauie displeasure now
his owne sonne Absalon to rebell against him take away his fathers concubines and to lye with them Againe when Dauid in pride of hart numbred his people cōtrary to the Lords minde the Lord for a reward of his sinne infected the whole land of Israel with the disease of the pestilence 1. Chro. 21.14 in so much that there dyed of the sicknes 70. thousand men O my countrimen in the Lord Iesus I beseech you throughly and soundly let vs search to the bottome the originall and chiefe occasion of our so great and long a visitation and I am afraid we shall finde that not Dauids adulterie murther and proud heart alone haue procured these afflictions to fall vpon vs but a huge masse of many infinit sins more A masse of sins amongst vs crying for vengeance which this 40. yeeres by-past we haue till now hoorded and treasured vp against our selues till they made such a crye in the Lords eares for vengeance that though his mercie be great yet they haue enforced him at length to powre out vpon vs the violl of his wrath and by these afflictions to manifest vnto vs his indignation kindled against vs. The Lord giue vs eyes to see this hearts to be sorie and a care and continuall conscience euer hereafter to walke more carefully as in the Lords presence To returne againe to Dauid as you haue heard the Lord to haue dealt sharply with him in outward troubles for his sinnes so how he dealt vvith him by inwarde troubles griefes and sicknes of the minde Psal 6. and 38. and 55. and 77. his often complaining in these Psalmes quoted in the margent sufficiently doth witnesse Which Psalmes I wish the gentle reader to peruse and ruminate vpon them assuring him if he be distressed in soule for sinne thereby hee may receiue and finde comfort The Israelites offending God Num. 21.4 5 6. in murmuring against Moses and Aaron the Lords messengers were stung with fierie Serpents and destroyed with the meate in their mouthes Yea that excellent woman Myriam Aarons sister but once murmuring against Moses Exod. 12.1.2 for marying a woman of Aethiopia and because the Lord talked more familiarly with her then hee did with Aaron and her selfe Vers 10. the Lord for this sinne smote her with the disease of the leprosie that she was all ouer as white as snow Vers 14. till that Moses made earnest suite intercession to the Lord for her health Hezekiah was grieuously sicke both in bodie and soule 2. King 20. Esay 38.1 2. Chro. 32.14 Hosea chap. 8. and chap. 9. till in mercie God restored both to health Sinne and iniquitie was the cause of famine and sword threatned to the rebellious Iewes Often we finde in the Gospell that our Sauiour Christ giuing sight to the blinde or health to the sick vseth this speech Go thy way Mar. 2.5 thy sinnes are forgiuen thee as if hee should say sinne hath been the cause of thy long sicknes but now thy sins being pardoned which before as fetters chained thy feete thou maiest rise vp and walke as a sound man And of all other most excellent and memorable is that of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.30.31 where he telleth them that for the abuse and prophanation of the Lords Supper amongst them Prophaning of the Lords Supper caused death many of them are weake many sicke and many fallen asleepe that is dead Truly I am perswaded that one of the greatest and capitall crimes that hath puld these plagues vpon our countrie This holy Sacramēt greatly prophaned in our North parts of this land First by the pastor how and hath made vs a talke in the mouthes of the people of other countries is the grieuous and monsterous prophanation of this holy Sacrament the Supper of the Lorde being for so long a time so horribly prophaned both of pastor and people The pastor or at least hee that occupieth the roome of a pastor without all due care and consideration ministreth it to all alike without exception examination or making any separation of the vnholy from the holy the prophane from the sound professor the dogs and the swine from the sincere and sanctified people of the Lord who ought to vse the power of the keyes belonging to their calling if any such vncleane and vnsanctified people doe offer themselues to communicate themn by the power aforesaid to barre such men from the Supper vntill there appeare in them testimonies of repentance and change of manners This being the true and onely remedie prescribed by Christ himselfe both against such men and to take away all offences of the Church and finally to escape the iust vengeance of God that euer frō time to time haue fallen vpon the contemners of the Gospell and Sacraments But alas thee careles guides and vnsauourie salt The lets that stay them frō doing their dutie in this behalfe either because they are men-pleasers dare not or because they may bee attainted of some notorious fault themselues wil not or else because they are sillie simple ignorant sots and know not how to doe it doe still continue in their careles course to the vtter destruction of thēselues and many a poore soule vnder their charge The poore soules in great danger hereby vnlesse God in his great mercie take pitie vpon them These euill workers nay rather betrayers of the sillie sheepe of Christ either know not or at least care not for so many inuectiues as the godly fathers in the former ages of the Church haue giuen out most boldly both by word and writing against the pastors who suffer such monsterous prophanation of the holy Supper of the Lord as also the great care that Christian Churches haue still had to keepe themselues cleane from that pollution Amongst the multitude of the godly writers I cannot passe ouer but set downe that most excellent saying of Iohn Chrysostome in his Homilies vpon Matthew concerning this point whose words are these Chrysost in hom 38. in Mat. c. 27 No small punishment hangeth ouer your heads if knowing any man to bee taken in wickednesse you suffer him to be partaker hereof for his blood shall be required at your hands Therefore if any Captaine if the Consul himselfe if he that weareth the crowne come vnworthily barre him keepe him backe Against the vnlawfull fearing of any thou hast greater authoritie then he Therefore if a most cleere spring of water were committed vnto thee to keepe it onely to serue the flocke when thou diddest see beasts vse to strike and gore and most filthie swne come towards it thou wouldest not suffer them to goe downe into the water nor to trouble the spring And now when as the most hallowed spring not of water but of blood and the holy Ghost is committed vnto thee if thou shalt see men notoriously defiled with sinne come vnto it wilt thou not be angrie nor
ease him one minute of an houre neither was there any man could tarrie neere about him nor yet would any of his friends come neere him so great was the stinch that came from him For which cause he was carried from the Iacobines to an hospitall there to bee kept But the stinch and infection there so increased that no man there durst come neere him neither was he himselfe able to abide the horrible stinch that issued from his owne bodie full of vlcers and sores and swarming with vermine and so rotten that the flesh fell from the bone by peece meale Whilest he was in these tormēts and anguish he cried out often in great rage Oh who will kill me Act. Mon. pag. 945. who will rid and deliuer me out of these intolerable paines which I know I suffer for the euils and oppressions that I haue done to the poore men In these horrible torments and fearefull despayre this blasphemer and cruell homicide ended his vnhappie daies and cursed life as a spectacle to all persecutors receiuing a iust reward of his crueltie by the iust iudgement of God Being dead none would come neere to burie him but a Frier of his owne order with a hooke caught bold of his stinking carkasse and drew him into a hole of the earth The like fearfull iudgement was vpon the Lord of Reuest being chiefe president of the parliament of Aix putting many a good christian to death afterward was himselfe striken with such an horrible sicknesse that for the furie thereof his wise or any that were about him Pag. eadem durst not come neere him and so dyed in this furie and rage The like fearefull sudden death had Barthol Cassaneus who succeeded the other both in place and persecution I can not but set downe likewise a note of another bloodie persecutor of the poore Merindolians Iohn Miniers Lorde of Opede whose iudgement from the Lord for shedding so much innocent blood was a strange kinde of bleeding in his nether parts Like for like like to a bloodie issue or flux and not being able to voyde any vrine Pag. 953. till by little and little his guts at length within him rotted and his intrals began to be eaten vp of wormes In which extremitie The wicked in their extremities howle and cry most desperatly raging and casting out blasphemous words and feeling a fire burne within him from the nauill vpward with extreame stinch of his lower parts at length finished his wretched life The like may be said of one of the accusers of Narcissus the good old Bishop of Ierusalem who wished if his vntrue accusation were not true that he might shortly fall into some great and grieuous sicknes which wish most fearfully afterward was executed vpon him Euseb lib. 6. cap. 9. and that shortly after being striken with a sore sicknesse from top to toe and so dyed And to conclude this point the like may be said concerning the sudden death of one Nightingale parson of Crondall in Kent who was made by the Cardinals authoritie chiefe Penitentiary of that Deanry He comming into the pulpit vpon a Shroue Sunday read publikely the Popes bull of pardon that was sent into England most blasphemously vttering these words That he fully beleeued that by the vertue of that Bull he was as cleane from sinne Intolerable blasphemie as that night he was borne immediatly vpon the same fell suddenly dovvne out of the pulpit and neuer stirred more hand or foote These are sufficient to proue vnto you this point how the Lord for sinne inflicteth vpon the wicked sicknesses diseases and troubles of the body And how he dealeth most fearefully in tormenting their consciences I referre you ouer to Cain who supposed euery man would kill him that met him Both body soule plagued in the wicked by the Lord for their sins To Saul who wished himselfe slaine To Achitophel and Iudas who hanged themselues and the too many experienced testimonies in our owne times both of men and women that hauing been plunged to desperation at the view of their horrible iniquities haue been the instruments of their owne death themselues A Catalog of them all Let vs now as in a little Catalogue set down all these seuerall sinnes aforenamed so seuerely punished by the Lorde in seuerall wicked men that so the diligent reader may more easily beare them away to make him euer hereafter learne by other mens harmes to beware and my propounded proposition bee by so many clowdes of witnesses ratified and confirmed so to continue herafter without controlement Murther and shedding of innocent blood Murther punished in the offender and his posteritie with the state of a runnagate as in Cain with running issues lamenes blood for blood pouertie as in Ioab and his posteritie Hardues of heart and contempt of Gods word punished with losse of goods Hardnes of heart as corne and cattell yea losse of children as in Pharaoh Stretching the hand to make our authority hurt Gods messengers Abusing of authoritie to persecution punished with withering and drying vp the hand as in Ieroboam and punished with the blindnes in the king of Syria his seruants Couetousnesse oppression and killing Couetousnes oppression and killing to come by their purpose vnlawfully and Idolatrie ioyned there withal punished in the offenders and their posteritie neuer to haue the honor of a comely buriall but dying in the citie to bee eaten vp of dogs or dying in the field to be deuoured with the foules of the ayre as in Ahab Iezebell and their posteritie Pride and exalting of our selues against God punished Pride and exalting against God by making the offender like a brute beast as in Nabuchadnezaar And with a fearfull sudden death as in Herod Despaire of Gods helpe in extremities Despayring of Gods helpe in our sicknesse and seeking the helpe of false gods punished with neuer recouerie of health but dying of it as in Ahaziah Extreme couetousnes A couetous heart that cannot bee content to forgoe any profit if they may haue it whether it stand with a good conscience or no and often ioyned with lying punished by the Lord with leprosie for euer as in Gehezi Elisha his seruant 1. King 16. Idolatrie in our selues and drawing others vnto it To commit Idolatry our selues and by our perswasion or power to draw others to doe the like punished in Batasha and his posteritie Vnnaturall murthering of our kindred ioyned with grosse Idolatrie Vnnaturall murther 2. Chron. 21.13.14.15.16 most fearefully plagued with the disease of the bowels incurable and in the end the guts to fall out as in Iehoram Desperation Desperation of Gods mercies punished with killing and hanging themselues as in Saul and Iudas Corruption in iudgement and condemning the innocent without a cause plagued with fearful and sudden death as hath been shewed by the example of the Cardinals iudges of the good Archbishop of
cast into the fire and burnt vp for euer And first most famous and worthie of all memorie is the example of Gods iudgement vpon Ioab and al his posteritie 2. Sam. 3.29 for murthering so cruelly and deceitfully two valiant Captaines Abner and Amasa as appeareth in their stories at large where Dauid thus threatneth the iudgement of the Lord against him and his whole posteritie saying Let the blood of Abner fall on the head of Ioab and on all his fathers house that the house or issue of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues or a leper or that leaneth on a staffe or that falleth on the sword or that lacketh bread Loe here how many wayes for this bloodie fact God will plague punish him First with running issues a sore disease With leprosie a sorer if it can be With lamenes meant by leaning on a staffe Blood for blood according to the Lord his threatning He that sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed againe Pouertie meant by lacking of bread and Cain for shedding the innocent blood of his brother Abel Genes 4. vvas both he and his posteritie made runnagates ouer the face of the whole earth In the 7. and 8. of Exodus you shall finde how oft the Lorde plagued Pharaoh and the whole land for cruelly oppressing his people euen with ten principall plagues there withall their great and capitall offences 1. King 13. So he dryed the hand of king Ieroboam when he stretched it out against the Prophet of the Lord to take him Take heede of this the couetous men that haue long noses to smell your profit a farre off Ahab and Iezebel because vniustly they tooke away Naboth his vineyard and lead a great number a whoring after strange gods the Lord caused Iezebels daintie carkasse to be eaten vp of dogs by the wall of Izreel yea that his posteritie should neuer haue the honor of a comely buriall but if they dyed in the citie 1. King 21.25 2. King 9.10 1. King 24.10 16.3.4 the dogs should deuoure them and if in the field the foules of the ayre should eate thē vp Euen as the Lorde executed his fierce wrath vpon all Ieroboam his seede and vpon the whole house of Baasha for their Idolatrie Let all couetous cormorants and Idolatrous whoremongers repent for feare the like iudgement should fall vpon them 2. King 1. ver 1 2 3 4. Ahaziah hauing gotten a fall through a lattise window and hurt himselfe very sore despaired of helpe from the true God and therefore sent messengers to enquire of the god of Ekron concerning his recouerie which thing was so abominable to the Lord that he sent a messenger vnto him to tell him that he should not come downe from the bed whereon he lay but dye the death In our sicknes seeke vnto none but God 2. King 6. Beware in our sicknesse wee seeke not vnlawfull meanes for our recouerie The King of Syria his host comming to take the Prophet in Dothan the Lord for their boldnes smote them all with blindnesse A dangerous matter to attempt the persecuting of Gods children Gehezi for coueting that vnlawfully 2. King 5.27 which his master had refused of Naaman religiously when it was offered was smitten with a leprosie And of all other 2. Chro. 21.18.19 most fearfull is the sicknesse and death wherewith the Lord smote Jehoram for vnnaturall murthering his brethren and for abominable Idolatrie he smote him with an incurable disease euen the disease of his bowels so that day by day through the disease his bowels fell out so after the end of two yeeres continuing in this sore disease his guts fell out with the disease And lastly of Herod Act. 12.25 how horrible a thing to bee heard that for his pride and arrogating glorie to himself which was only due to God Pride wil haue a fall was most fearefully throwne downe from his throne of estate and deuoured of wormes To leaue the testimonies of the word and to come to the demonstration of Gods fearefull visitations by strange sicknesses Examples of Gods iudgements vpon wicked persecutors of the Church against wicked persecutors of Christs Church blasphemers of his name recorded and spoken of in ancient histories let this bee the first One Henry a famous Archbishop of Mentz a vertuous and wel disposed prelate being most cruelly dealt withall by the Bishop of Rome and his substitutes and being debarred of all lawfull proceeding and iudgement in law against him mildly answered the wicked Iudges thus Seeing that neither by appeale to the Apostolike sea nor by your vpright sentences of your selues I can haue my innocencie tried I appeale to the Lord Iesus Christ as to the most high and iust Iudge A righteous appeale and cite you before his iudgement there to answer me before the high Iudge for neither iustly nor vprightly but by corruption as it pleaseth you you haue iudged Whereunto they scoffingly answered Goe you first and we will follow Not long after the said Henry dyed whereof the two Cardinals that were the wicked Iudges hauing intelligence said one to the other iestingly Behold he is gone before and vvee must follow after according to our promise And verely they said truer then they were aware of A terrible example for corrupt Iudges to beware for within a while they dyed both in one day For the one sitting vpon a Iakes to ease himselfe voyded out all his guts into the draught and miserably ended his life The other gnawing off the fingers of his hands and spitting them out of his mouth all deformed in deuouring himselfe dyed And one Arnold who became a false Iudas to the good Archbishop in accusing of him when hee should haue excused him Anno Do. 1105. Ex Helmoldo Gotfrido Viterbiensi Act. Mon. Fox pag. 196. shortly after dyed likewise and for certaine daies lying stinking vpon the ground vnburied was open to the spoyle of euery rascall and harlot The like horrible and fearfull stroke of Gods hand was executed vpon a wicked papist and persecutor of the good Merindolians in France who was called Iohn de Roma this wicked wretch of meere malice against the trueth plagued the poore protestants of Merindoll with a strange and vnwonted kind of torment wherein hee most delighted and most commonly practised he filled bootes with boyling grease and put them vpon the legges of Christians tying them backward to a forme with their legges hanging downe ouer a small fire and in this torment he examined them of their faith belike thinking by this intolerable paine to make them reuolt from their faith This monster at length hauing almost finished the date of his wicked daies fell sicke of a most horrible disease strange and vnknowne to any Phisition so vnnaturall were the paynes wherewith he was continually vexed in all his bodie that no oyntment no fomentation nor any thing else could