out more than was their due and by force to rauen all that which by faire meanes they could not get And that which is worse to pollute the holy Tabernacle of God with their filthie Whoredomes Contempt of holy things lib. 1. cap. 34. in such sort that the Religion of God grew in disgrace through their prophane dealings And albeit that it may seeme that their father did his dutie in some sort when hee admonished and reprooued them yet it is manifest by the reprehension of the man of God that hee did no part of that at all or if hee did yet it was in so careles loose cold maner vsing more lenitie thē he ought or lesse seueritie thē was necessary that God turned their destructions whē they were slain at the ouerthrow of Israel by the Philistims to bee his punishment for vnderstanding the doleful news of his sons death the arks taking at once he fel backwards from his stoole and burst his neck being old and heauy euen fourscore and eighteene yeares of age not able either to helpe or stay himselfe Lib. 2. cap. 10. de in titut christ fami Ludouicus Viues saith that in his time a certaine woman in Flaunders did so much pamper and cocker vp two of her sonnes euen against her husbands will that shee would not suffer them to want money or any thing which might furnish their riotous life both in drinking banquetting dicing yea she would steale from her husband to minister vnto thē but as soone as her husband was dead shee was iustly plagued in them both for they fell from rioting to robbing which two vices are commonly linked together and for the same one of thē was executed by the sword the other by the haltar shee her selfe looking on as a witnesse of their destructions whereof her conscience told her that her indulgence was the chiefest cause Hether may wee referre that common and vulgar story and I suppose verie true which is almost in euery childs mouth of him that going to the gallowes desired to speake with his mother in her eare ere hee died Cyriac. Spang and when she came vnto him in stead of speaking bit off her eare with his teeth exclaiming vpon her as the causer of his death because shee did not chastise him in his youth for his faults but by her flatteries established him in vice which brought him to this wofull end herein she was doubly punished both in her sons destruction her own infamy wherof shee carried about her a continuall marke This ought to bee a warning to all parents to looke better to the education of their children and to root out of them in time all euill and corrupt manners least of small sprigs they grow to branches and of qualities to habites and so either be hardly done of or at least depraue the whole body bring it to destruction but aboue all to keepe them from idlenesse vain pleasures the discōmodity and mischiefe wherof this present example wil declare At a towne called Hannuel in Saxonie the Deuill transforming himselfe into the shape of a man Iob Fincel lib. de miracu exercised many iugling trickes and pretty pastimes to delight yoong men and maids withall and indeed to draw after him daily great companies one day they followed him out of the citie gates vnto a hill adioyning where hee plaid a iuggling tricke in deed with them for he carried them all away with him so that they were after neuer heard of This history is recorded in the annales of the forenamed city and auouched to be most true being a notable and fearefull admonition to all parents to set their children to learning and instruction and to withdraw them from all such vaine and foolish pastimes CHAP. II. Of those that rebell against their Superiours NOw as it is a thing required by law and reason that children beare that honour and reuerence to their naturall parents which is commanded so it is as necessary by the same respect that all subiects perfourme that duty of honor obedience to their Lords Princes and Kings which is not derogatory to the glory of God and the rather because they are as it were their fathers in supplying that duty towards their subiects which fathers owe their children as namely in maintaining their peace tranquility in earthly things and keeping them vnder the discipline of Gods Church to which two ends they were ordained Rom. 13. For this cause the scripture biddeth euery man to be subiect to the higher powers not so much to auoid the punishment which might befall the contrary as because it is agreeable to the will of God And in another place To honour the king and To giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars 1. Pet. 2. Matth. 22. Exod. 22. as vnto God that which is Gods So also in Moses law we are forbidden to detract from or speake euill of the magistrate or to curse the ruler of the people Yet for all this the children of Israel were not afraid many times to commit this sinne but then especially when they charged Moses with conspiring the murder of those rebels that vnder Corah Dathan and Abiram captaines of that enterprise set themselues against him and Aaron Num. 16. whome not hee but God for their pride and stubbornnesse had rooted out and destroied and thus they backbited and slaundered Moses and mutined against him being their soueraigne magistrate and conductour that so meekely and iustly had brought them ought of Aegypt euen by the speciall commission of almighty God But the fury of Gods displeasure was so stirred vp against them for this their fact that they were scourged with a most grieuous plague whereof died about foure thousand and seuen hundred persons In the time of king Dauids flight from Absolom who pursued him to bereaue him of his kingdome 2. Sam. 16. there was one Semei a Ieminite that in his wicked and peruerse humour in stead of seruice due vnto his soueraigne especially in that extremitie not only presented not himselfe vnto him as a subiect Mandat 3. Cursers lib. 1. cap. 33. but as a railer cursed him with most reprochfull termes as of murderer and wicked man and also threw stones at him and his followers in most despightfull maner for which his malicious and rebellious act though whilst Dauid liued he was not once called in question yet was he not exempted from punishment therefore for in the end his wickednesse fel vpon his owne head and destruction ouertooke him by desert of another fault 1. King 2. at the commandement of Salomon 2. Sam. 20. The punishment of Shiba the sonne of Bichri tarried not all so long who hauing also with a proud and audacious heart stirred vp the greatest part of Israel to rebell against Dauid then when he thought to haue beene most at quiet enioyed not long his disloiall enterprise for being speedily pursued by Dauids
much lesse will he spare any other kingdome and monarchie which continue by their images and idoll worship to stirre vp his indignation against them CHAP. XXVII Of many euils that haue come vpon Christendome for idolatrie IF wee consider and search out the cause of the ruine of the East Empire and of so many famous and florishing Churches as were before-time in the greatest part of Europe namely in Greece wee shall find that Idolatry hath beene the cause of all for euen as it got footing and increase in their dominions so equally did the power of Saracens and Turkish tyrany take root and foundation amongst them and prospered so well that the rest of the world trembled at the report thereof God hauing raised and fortified them as beforetime he had done the Assyrians and Babylonians as whips and scourges to chasten the people and nations of the world that wickedly had abused his holy gospell bearing the name of Christians had become idolaters for no other name then this can be giuen them that in deuotion do any maner of homage to images pictures whatsoeuer may superficially be alledged to the contrary For be it the image either of Prophet Apostle or Christ Iesus himself yet it is necessary that the law of God stand whole and sound which saith Thou shalt make thy selfe no grauen image nor any likenes of things either in heauen aboue or in earth beneath Epiphan Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them c. Wherefore he perfourmed the part of a good bishop that finding a vaile spred in the entrance of a Church dore wherein the image of Christ or of some other Saint was pictured rent it in peeces with these words That it was against the authoritie of the sacred scripture to haue any image of Christ set vp in the Church After the same manner Serenus bishop of Marseilla beate down banished all images out of his Churches as occasions of idolatry to shun them the more it was ordained in the Elibertine councill that no image nor picture should be set vp in any Church for which cause also the Emperour Leo the third by an open edict commanded his subiects to cast out of their temples all pictures and statues of Saints Paul Diacon Lib. 6. cap. 14. Angels and whatsoeuer to the intent that all occasions of Idolatry might be taken away yea and he burned some and punished diuers otherwise that in this regard were not pliant but disobedient to his commaundement After which time when images were recalled into Greece into Constantinople the chiefe city and seat of the east Empire it came to passe by a great and dreadfull yet iust iudgement of God that this famous and renowmed city in the worlds eie impregnable after long siege and great and furious assaults was at length taken by the Turkes who hauing wonne the breach and entred with fury droue the poore Emperour Paleologus euen till then fighting for the cities defence to that extremity that in retiring among the prease of his owne souldiers he was thronged and trampled to death and his slaine body being found was beheaded and his head contemptuously caried about the city vpon a launce Now after the massacre of many thousand men to make vp a complete and absolute cruelty they drew the Empresse with her daughters and many other Ladies gentlewomen to a banquet where after many vile and horrible wrongs and disgraces they killed and tore them in pieces in most monstrous manner In all which the execution of Gods most iust wrath for idolatry did most liuely appeare which sinne accompanied with many other execrable and vile vices must needs draw after it a grieuous and terrible punishment to serue for example to others that were to come neither was it a thing by chance or haphazzard that the christians were made a mocking stocke vnto them in that wofull day when in their bloody triumphes they caused a crucifixe to be caried through the streets in contempt and throwing durt vpon it cried in their language This is the gallant God of Christians And thus did God license and permit these sauage Turkes to commit eueryday grieuous outrages and to make great wastes and desolations in all Christendome till that they grew so mighty that it is to bee feared least the saying of Lactantius touching the returne of the Empire into Asia be not verified and accomplished verie shortly if there bee no amendment practised for we see by wofull experience that almost all the forces which Christian Princes haue mustered together from all quarters in pretence to resist their furie and rage haue not onely beene bootlesse and vnprofitable but also that which is worse giuen them further occasion by their bloodie victories and wonderfull slaughter of so many millions of men to make them more obstinate in their detestable Mahumetisme and Turkish religion then they were before for they make their boasts thereof and reare vp trophees of their cruelties taking no more pittie of the vanquished then a butcher doth of sheepe alotted to the slaughter Whereof we haue a pittifull example in rhe ouerthrow of the French armie which Iohn the sonne of Philip duke of Burgundie led against the Turke Pazaite and by the trecherie and cowardise of the Hungarians who in the time of battaile turned their backes and fled was ouercome in that this wicked and cruell tyger expresly charged that all the prisoners in number many should be murdered one after another which was readily executed before his eies so that sauing the chiefe captaine and certain few lords of the companie that were spared in respect of great ransoms there scaped not one aliue Besides these generall calamities the Lord hath particularly showne foorth his indignation against priuate persons and places for Idolatrie Cent. 4. cap. 3. as in Spoletium at one rime there perished by an earthquake three hundred and fiftie whilst they were offering sacrifice vnto their Idols At Rome vnder the empire of Alexander Seuerus after that the left hand of the image of Iupiter was miraculously melted Cent 3. cap. 14. the priests going about to pacifie the anger of their gods with Lectisterns and Sacrifices foure of them togither with the altar and Idoll were stricken in peeces with a thunderbolt and sodenly such a horrible darkenesse ouerspread all the Citty that most of the inhabitants ran out into the fields all amazed Moreouer did not the Lord send lightning from Heauen to inflame that notorious Temple for Idolatrie of Apollo Theodor. lib. 3. cap. 9. 10. or rather the Deuill of Delphos in the time of Iulian the wicked Apostatae whilest hee was exercising tortures vpon one Theodorus a Christian and did it not consume the image of Apollo to ashes The famous and rich Temple of Iupiter at Apamea how strangely did it come to ruine and destruction Nicâ—phor lib. 12. cap. 27. For when the President and Tribunes
he knoweth hee shall rather run into further charge than recouer any of his old losse Beside this it happeneth that poore small theeues are often drawne to the whip or driuen to banishment or sent to the gallows when rich grand theeues lie at their ease and escape vncontrouled albeit the qualitie of their crime bee far vnequal according to the Poet The simple doue by law is censured Dat veniam coruis vexat censura columbas When rauenous crowes escape vnpunished The world was euer yet full of such rauenous rauens so nimble in pilling others goods and so greedy of their owne gaine that the poore people in steed of being maintained and preserued in the peaceable enioying of their portions are gnawne to the very bones amongst them for which cause Homer in the person of Agamemnon calleth them deuourers of men likewise also the Prophet Dauid in the sixteenth Psalme calleth them eaters of his people and yet want they not flatterers and trencher-friends Canckerwoms of a Cōmonwealth that vrge thē forwards deuise daily new kind of exactions like horseleaches to sucke out the very blood of mens purses shewing so much the more wit deceit therein by how much the more they hope to gaine a great part therof vnto their selues being like hungerstarued Harpeis that will neuer bee satisfied but still snatch and catch al that commeth neare their clouches and these are they that doe good to no man but hurt to all of whom the Marchant findeth himselfe agreeued the Artificer troden vnder foot the poore laborer oppressed and generally all men endamaged CHAP. XXXVI Of the excessiue burdenings of the Comminaltie AS it is a iust approued thing before God to doe honor and reuerence to kings and Princes and to bee subiect vnder them in all obedience so it is a reasonable and allowable duty to pay such tributes and subsidies whereby their great charges honourable estate may bee maintained as by right of equitie are due vnto thē and this is also commanded by our Sauior Christ in expresse words when hee saith Mat. 22.21 Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars And by the Apostle Paule more expressely Rom. 31.7 pay tributes render vnto all men their due tribute to whome tribute belongeth and custome to whom custome Marke how hee saith Giue vnto all men their due and therein obserue that kings and princes ought of their good and iust disposition bee content with their due and not seeke to load and ouercharge their subiects with vnnecessary exactions but to desire to see them rather rich and wealthie than poore and needy for thereby commeth no profite vnto themselues further it is most vnlawfull for them to exact that aboue measure vpon their commons which being in mediocrity is not condemned I say it is vnlawfull both by the law of God and man the law of God and man is termed all that which both God and man allow and agree vpon and which a man with a safe conscience may put in practise for the former we can haue no other schoolmaster nor instruction saue the holy scripture wherein God hath manifested his will vnto vs concerning this very matter as in Deuteronom 18 speaking of the office and duty of a king he forbiddeth them to be horders vp of gold and siluer and espousers of many wiues and louers of pride signifying thereby that they ought to containe themselues within the bounds of modestie and temperance and not giue the raines to their owne affections nor heape vp great treasures to their peoples detriment nor to delight in warre nor to be too much subiect to their owne pleasures all which things are meanes of vnmeasurable expense so that if it be not allowable to muster togither multitudes of goods for the danger and mischiefe that ensueth thereof as it appeareth out of this place then surely is it much lesse lawfull to leuy excessiue taxes of the people for the one of these can not be without the other and thus for the law of God it is cleare that by it authority is not committed vnto them to surcharge and as it were trample downe their poore subiects by vnmeasurable and vnsupportable imposition As for that which the Prophet Samuel in the name of God giueth notice to the Israelites of touching the right of a king wherein he seemeth to allow him the disposition of the goods and persons of his subiects I answer first that God being an immooueable truth cannot contradict himselfe by commanding and forbidding the same thing and secondly that the word of the text in the originall signifieth nothing else but a custome or fashion as it appeareth in the 1. Sam. 11.13 besides the speech that the Prophet vseth importeth not a commandement but an aduertisement of the subiection whereunto the people were about to thrust themselues by desiring a king after the manner of other nations whose customes amongst them was to exercise authority and dominion as well ouer their goods as their persons for which cause God would haue them forewarned that they might know how vile a yoke they put their owne neches vnder and what grieuous and troublesome seruitude they vndertooke from the which they could no waies be deliuered no though they desired it with teares Furthermore that a king in Israel had no power in right and equity to take away the possessions of any of his subiects and appropriate it to himselfe it appeareth by Nabaoths refusal to king Achab 1. King 12. to giue him his vineyard though he requested it as in may seeme vpon very reasonable conditions 1 King 12. either for his money or for exchange so that a man would thinke hee ought not to haue denied him howbeit his desire being thus crossed he could not mend himselfe by his authority but fell to vexe and grieue himselfe and to champe vpon his owne bit vntill by the wicked and detestable complot of Iezabel poore Nabaoth was falsly accused vniustly condemned and cruelly murdered and then hee put in possession of his vineyard which murder doubtlesse shee would neuer haue attempted nor yet Nabaoth euer haue refused to yeeld his vineyard if by any pretence of law they would haue laid claime vnto it but Nabaoth knowing that it was contrary to Gods ordinance Num 36.9 for him to part with his patrimonie which he ought most carefully to preserue would not consent to sell ouer his vineyard neither for loue nor money nor other recompence and herein hee did but his duty approoued by the holy scripture Now how odious a thing before God the oppression of poore people is it is manifest by his owne words in the prophesie of Ezechiel where hee saith Chap. 15.9 Let it suffice O princes of Israel leaue off crueltie and oppression and execute iudgement and iustice take away your exactions from my people and cease to thrust them from their goods and heritages Now concerning the law of man which all men agree vnto because
with many other strange cruelties This example belongeth also in regard of cruelty to the sixt commandement Lib. 2. cap. 11.17 Booke of the Iewish antiquitie chap. 8 as by killing the ordinary iudges of the house of Dauid and his owne wife and children this caitife was tormented with sundrie intollerable griefes and at last deuoured by an horrible and most fearfull death For as Iosephus reporteth his body was boiled and his bowels gnawne in two by a soft and slow fire fretting inwardly without any outward appearance of heat besides the rauenous insatiable desire of eating which so possessed him that without chewing his meat in whole lumpes descended into his bodie deuouring it so fast as it could bee throwne into his mouth and neuer ceasing to farse his greedie throat with continual sustenance moreouer his feet were so swolne and puft vp with such a flegme that a man might see through them his priuie parts so rotten and ful of vermine and his breath so stinking that few or none durst approch neere vnto him yea his owne seruants forsooke him Now lying in this wretched plight when this wicked man saw no remedie could bee found to assuage his griefe he went about to kill himselfe and being not able to performe it he was constrained to endure all the panges of a most horrible lingring and languishing death and at last mad and miserable bestraught of sence and reason to end his daies As for Herod the Tetrarch Luke 9 7. sirnamed Antipas who to please Herodias had caused Iohn Baptist to be beheaded when he had likewise prepared snares for our Sauiours feet and being sent to him by Pilate to quit himselfe and gratifie him withall had ieasted and mocked at him his belly full This example in regard of diuorce belongeth to the seueth commandement Lib. 2. cap. 29. Ioseph of the Iewish antiquitie booke 8. chap. 9. behold his reproches and mockes was he neuer so subtile turned into his own bosome For first after that his armie had beene discomfited by the souldiors of king Aretas whose daughter in regard of Herodias his brother Philips wife he had repudiated a further shame and dishonour befell him euen to be depriued of his roiall dignitie and not only to be brought into a low and base estate but also being robbed of his goods to be banished into a far countrie there to make an end of the rest of his life As touching Pilate the gouernour of Iudea hee did so excell in wickednesse and iniustice Euseb that notwithstanding the restraint of his owne conscience the law of ciuill equity and the aduertisement of his owne wife yet hee condemned Christ Iesus the iust and innocent to the death of the crosse albeit he could not but know the power of his miracles the renowne whereof was spread into all places But ere long hauing beene constrained to erect the image of the Emperour Caligula in the Temple of Ierusalem to be worshipped hee was sent for to make personall appearance at Rome to answere to certaine accusations of crueltie which were by the Iewes obiected against him And in his iourney being afflicted in conscience Euseb Eutrop. lib. 7. with the number and weight of his misdeeds like a desperate man to preuent the punishment which he feared willingly offered violence to his owne life and killed himselfe The first Emperour that tooke in hand to persecute the Christians was Nero the tyrant picking a quarrell against them for setting the city on fire Tertul. Nicephor 8. Commandement calumniation Lib. 2. cap. 44. which being himself guiltie of he charged them withall as desirous to find out any occasion to doe them hurt wherefore vnder pretence of the same crime discharinging his own guilt vpon their backs he exposed thē to the furie of the people that tormented them very sore as if they had ben commō burners destroiers of cities the deadliest enemies of mankind Tacit. Annal. Lib. 5. Herevpon the poor innocents were apprehended some of them clad with skins of wild beasts were torne in pieces by dogs others crucified or made bonefires of on such heaps that the flame arising frō their bodies serued in stead of torches for the night To cōclude such horrible cruelty was vsed towards thē that many of their verie enemies did pitty their miseries But at last this wretch the causer of all seeing himselfe in danger to be murthered by one appointed for that purpose a iust reward for his horrible vniust dealing hastened his death by killing himselfe Suet. Refer this also to the 24 chap. of this booke Suet. Eutrop. as it shal be shewed more at large in the 2. booke The authour of the second persecution against the Christians was Domitian who was so puft vp and swolne with pride that he would needs ascribe vnto himselfe the name of God Against this man rose vp his houshold seruants who by his wiues consent slew him with daggers in his priuy chamber his body was buried without honor his memory cursed to posterity his ensignes trophees thrown down defaced Traian who albeit in al things els in the gouernmēt of the Empire also shewed himselfe a good sage Prince yet did he dash bruise himself against this stone with the rest was reckoned the third persecutor of the church of Christ for which cause he vnderwent also the cruel vengeance of God felt his heauy hand vpō him for first he fel into a palsie Dion when he had lost the vse of his sences persuading himself that he was poysoned got a dropsie also and so died in great anguish Hadrian in the 9 year of his Empire caused ten thousand Christians to be crucified in Armenia at one time after that ceased not to stir vp a very whot persecution against thē in all places Mandat 7. Liq 2. cap. 12. Spart But God persecuted him that to his destructiō first with an issue of blood wherwith he was so weakened disquieted that oftētimes he would faine haue made away himself next with the consumption of the lunges lights which he spate out of his mouth continaully and thirdly with an insatiable dropsie so that seeing himself in this horrible tormēt he desired poisō to hastē his death or a knife to make quick riddance but when all those means were kept back he was inforced to indure still at last to die in great misery Whilst Marcus Antonius surnamed Verus swaied the Empire there were exceeding cruelties set abroach against the poore Christians euery where but especially at Lions and Vienna in Daulphine as Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall historie recordeth Euseb Spart Wherfore he wanted not his punishment for he died of an apoplexie after he had lien speechlesse three daies After that Seuerus had proclaimed himselfe a profest enemie to Gods church his affaires began to decline and he found himselfe pestered vvith diuerse extremities and set vpon with
many warres and at length assaulted with such an extreame paine throughout his vvhole body that languishing and consuming he desired oft to poyson himselfe and at last died in great distresse Vitellius Saturninus one of his Leiutenants in those exploits became blind Tert. as Scap. another called Claudius Herminianus gouernour of Capadocia who in hatred of his owne wife that was a Christian had extreamely afflicted many of the faithfull was afterward himselfe afflicted with the pestilence persecuted with vermine bred in his owne bowels and deuoured of them aliue in most miserable sort Now lying in this miserie hee desired not to bee knowne or spoken of by any least the Christians that were left vnmurthered should reioice at his destruction confessing also that those plagues did iustly betide him for his cruelties sake Decius in hatred of Philip his predecessor that had made some profession of Christianity wrought tooth and naile to destroy the church of Christ vsing all the cruelties and torments which his wit could deuise against all those which before time had offered themselues to be persecuted for that cause But his diuelish practises were cut short by means of the warre which he waged against the Scythians Euseb booke 7. chap. 1. Ecclesi hist wherein when hee had raigned not full two yeares his armie was discomfited and he with his sonne cruelly killed Valerian albeit in the beginning of his Empire hee shewed himselfe somewhat mild and gentle towards the professors of religion yet afterwards he became their deadly enemie but when he had terribly persecuted them in his dominions it was not long ere he was taken prisoner in the Persian warres being threescore and ten yeares old and made a slaue to his conquerour al the rest of his life In the sermon of the congregatiō of saints Euseb histor ecclesiast booke 7. chap. 30. And whose condition was so miserable that Sapor king of Persia vsed his backe as a blocke or stirrop to mount vpon his horse Yea hee dealt so cruelly with the poore old man as Eusebius testifieth that to make vp the full number of his miseries he caused him to be flaine aliue Aurelian being vpon point to trouble the quiet of the church which it a while enioied vnder the Emperour Galien euen whilst he was deuising new practises against it a thunderbolt fell from heauen at his feet which so amased him that his malicious and bloodthirstie mind was somewhat rebated and repressed from doing that which he pretended vntill that returning to his old bent and perseuering to pursue his purpose when Gods thunder could not terrifie him Vepis Eutrop. Nicephor hee stirred vp his owne seruants to cut his throat Dioclesian went another way to worke for hee did not set abroach all his practises at one push but first assaied by subtle means to make those that were in his armie to renounce their faith then by open proclamation commanded that their churches should be rased and beaten downe Ruffin their bibles burned and torne in peeces that they that were Magistrats or bore any publike office in the Commonwealth if they were Christians should bee deposed and that all bondmen that would forsake their profession should be enfranchised Whē hee had thus left no deuise vnpractised that might further to abolish and destroy the religion of Christ and perceiuing that notwithstanding all his malice and cruell rage it euery day through the wonderfull constancie of Martyrs encreased and grew euen against the haire with very spight and anger he gaue vp the Empire And lastly when hee had beene tormented with diuerse and strange diseases and that his house had beene set on fire with lightning and burned vvith fire from heauen and hee himselfe so scarred with thunder that he knew not where to hide him hee sell mad and killed himselfe There was ioined to this man in the gouernment of the Empire one Maximian whose crueltie and tyranny against the Christians was so outragious also Mandat 7. Lib. 2. cap. 12. that vpon a solemne feastiuall day when infinite numbers of them vvere assembled together at Nicomedia in a temple to serue God he sent a band of Atheists to inclose them burne the temple and them together as they indeed did for there vvere consumed at that bondfire as Nicephorus writeth twentie thousand persons Euseb histor ecclesiast 7. 8. chap. 16. Nicephor lib. 7. chap 6. In like sort dealt he with a whole citie in Phrigia which after he had long besieged hee caused to bee burnt to cinders with all the inhabitants therein But the end of this wretch was like his life euen miserable for lying a while sicke of a greeuous disease the very vermine and such horrible stinke came forth of his body that for shame and griefe he hung himselfe Maximinus that raigned Emperour in the East Nicephor 7.22 was constrained to interrupt and make cease his persecution which he had begun by means of a dangerfull and greeuous sicknesse and to confirme a generall peace to all Christians in his dominions by publike edicts But alasse it was so brittle that it lasted but sixe months for euen then he sought all meanes possible againe to trouble and disquiet their rest sent forth a new edict quite contrary to the former importing their vtter destruction And thus being nothing amended but rather made worse by his sicknesse it assailed him afresh in such sort that euery day growing in extremity as he grew in crueltie it at last brought him to his death his carcasse being all rotten and full of corruption and wormes Against the Gentiles S. Chrisostome writeth of him that the apple of his eie fell out before he died Macentius and Licinius the one Emperour of Italy the other of the East perceiuing how the Emperour Constantine that raigned in the West was had in great reputation for maintaining the cause of the Christians began also to do the like but by and by their malice and hipocrisie discouered it selfe when they vndertooke to trouble afflict those whom before they seemed to fauour for which cause Constantine taking armes against them destroied them both one after another for Maxentius thinking to saue himselfe vpon a bridge on Tiber was deceiued by the breaking of the bridge and so drenched and drowned in the water Licinius was taken and put to death And thus two tyrants ended their daies for persecuting the church of Christ Lanques chron In the tenth year of the persecution of Dioclesian Galerius his chiefe minister and instrument in that practise fell into a greeuous sicknesse hauing a sore risen in the nether part of his belly which consumed his priuie members frō whence swarmed great plentie of wormes engendred by the putrifaction This disease could not bee holpen by any chirurgery or phisicke wherefore hee confessed that it iustly happened vnto him for his monstrous cruelty towards the Christians called in his proclamations which he had published against
vpon the hunters speare The gentle puissant lamb their champion bold So helpes to conquer al that hurts his fold That quickly they and all their progenie Confounded is and brought to miserie This is of Iuda the couragious Lion The conquering captaine and the rock of Sion Whose fauour is as great to Iacobs line As is his fearfull frwone to Philistine CHAP. XVII Of Apostataes and Backsliders that through infirmitie and feare haue fallen away IT is a kind of Apostasie and Backsliding condemned by this first commandement of the law when as hee that hath beene once enlightned by the word of God in the knowledge of saluation and nourished instructed therin from his cradle doth afterward cast behind his backe the grace of Gods spirit or disallow thereof exempt himselfe from the seruice of God to serue idols or make any outward shew to doe it which kind of sinne may be committed after two sorts either through infirmitie and feare or willingly and with deliberation when not being pressed or constrained thereto by any outward meanes a man dooth clearely and of himselfe abandon and forsake the true Religion to march vnder the banner of â—â—than and Antichrist and this also of two sorts either when a man dooth simply forsake the profession of the truth to follow superstition and idolatrie without attempting any thing beside the meere deniall of his faith or when after his reuolt he professeth not onely the contrarie religion but also endeuoureth himselfe by all meanes possible to aduance it and to oppresse and lay siege to the doctrine of Gods truth in those that maintaine the same By this it appeareth that there are three kinds of apostasie one as it were enforced and compelled the second voluntarie the last both voluntary and malicious which though they be all very hainous and offensiue in the sight of God yet the second and third sort are most dangerous of them also one more hurtfull and pernicious then the other as wee shall perceiue by that which followeth Now as all these kinds are different one from another so I wil referre the examples of each sort to his seuerall place that the efficacy therof may be the better perceiued And first of those which haue fallen away through feare and infirmitie and afterward in order of the rest Although that they who by the conceit and feare of tortures presented before their eies or of speedy and cruell death threatned against them do decline and slide backe from the profession of the Gospell may pretend for excuse the weakenesse and feeblenes of the flesh yet doubtlesse they are found guiltie before the throne of God for presetting the loue of this transitorie and temporarie life before the zeale of his glorie and the honor which is due to his only begotten sonne especially at that time when they are called out of purpose by their Martyrdome to witnesse his sacred truth before man and he desireth most to bee glorified by their free and constant perseuerance therin to the which perseuerance they are exhorted by many faire promises of eternall life and happinesse and from the contrarie terrefied by threats of death and confusion and vpon paine to bee discarded froÌ„ the presence of Christ before God because they haue denied him here before men which is the miserie of al miseries the greatest that can happen to any man for what shall become of that man whome the sonne of God dooth not acknowledge Now to prooue that God is indeed highly offended at this fainthearted cowardlinesse hee himselfe hath made knowne vnto vs by the punishments vvhich diuerse times hee hath sent vpon the heades of such offenders As in the time of the Emperour Valerian the eighth persecutor of the church vnder whose persecution albeit that many champions bestirred themselues most valiantly in that combate of faith yet there wanted not some whose hearts failing them and who in steed of maintaining and standing for their cause to the death as they ought haue done retired and gaue vp theÌ„selues to the enemie at first assault Amongst the number of which doubtie souldiors there was one that went vp into the Capitall at Rome in that place where Iupiters temple in old time stood Ciprian in his sermons de lapsu multorum to abiure and recant Christ and his profession which he had no sooner done but he was presently strooke dumbe and so was iustly punished in that very member wherewith he had offended A woman likewise hauing renounced her profession Ciprian and feeling in her selfe no remorse of conscience for her fal went as she was wont to doe in the time of her rest and prosperitie to the bathes and whot houses to refresh her selfe as if al had gone well with her but shee was so seased vpon and possessed by an euill spirit that in stead of pleasure which shee sought for she fell to lamenting and tormenting her owne flesh and chopt in peeces with her dainty teeth her rebellious tongue wherewith she had spoken wicked wordes and dishonoured God and tasted meates offered to idols and so this poore wretch whereas she should haue washed her selfe in teares of true repentance and in the true bath of grace and mercie because she had more care of clensing her body from filth theÌ„ her soule from sin became corrupt and filthy both body and soule by the meanes of that vncleane spirit which God had giuen power to afflict her and armed her own mouth which had tasted chewed and swallowed that cursed food furiously to rise against her selfe to destroy her so that shee became her owne murtherer for she suruiued not long by reason that her bowels and entrails were choked vp to the throat with paine Ciprian Another woman well stricken in yeares that in like manner had reuolted from the truth thrust her selfe notwithstanding into the assembly of the faithfull as they were receiuing the holy sacrament but that holy food which nourished the soules of them that beleeue turned to her bane Contempt of word and sacrament lib. 1. cap. 34. for she found there in steed of peace a sword in steed of nourishment deadly and mortall poyson in such sort that immediatly after the receit of that holy supper she began to bee meruelously troubled and vexed in soule and felt the hand of God so heauie vpon her for her offence committed in denying her sauiour to shun persecution that trembling and stamping she fell downe dead Cyprian There was also in like manner a certaine man that hauing renounced his faith did notwithstanding present himself at the celebration of the holy supper presuming to come eat at his table whom hee had a little before denied and receiued into his hand part of the sacrament aswell as the rest but thinking to put it into his mouth it was turned into ashes wherevpon hee stood amased Contempt of sacraments Lib. 1. cap. 34. and confounded in himselfe God manifesting in him that hee that reuoked
images or pictures and such other outward and corruptible meanes which hee hath in no wise commanded wherefore Isaiah the Prophet reproouing the folly and vanity of idolatours saith Chap. 40.18 To whome will you liken God or what similitude will you set vp vnto him Therefore if it be not Gods will that vnder pretence and colour of his owne name any image or picture should be adored being a thing not only inconuenient but also absurd and vnseemely much lesse can he abide to haue them worshipped vnder the name and title of any creature whatsoeuer And for this cause gaue he the second commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. which prohibition the Israelielits brake in the desert when they set vp a golden calfe bowed themselues before it after the maner of the Painyms giuing it the honour which was only due to God whereby they incurred the indignation of Almightie God Exod. 32. who is strong and iealous of suffering any such slander to be done vnto his name wherefore hee caused three thousand of them to be stroken wounded to death by the hand of the Leuits at the commaundement of Moses to make his anger against idolatrie more manifest by causing them to be executioners of his reuenge who were ordained for the ministery of his Church and the seruice of the altar and tabernacle Howbeit for all this the same people not long after fell backe into the same sinne and bowed themselues before strange gods through the allurements of the daughters of Moab ioyned themselues to Belphegor Num. 25. for which cause the Lord being incensed stroke them with so grieuous a plague that there died of them in one day about twenty and foure thousand persons And albeit that after all this being brought by him into the land of promise hee had forbidden and threatned them for cleauing to the idols of the nations whose land they possessed yet were they so prone to idolatry that notwithstanding all this they fell to serue Baal and Astaroth wherefore the fire of Gods wrath was enflamed against them and hee gaue them ouer to be a spoile and prey vnto their enemies on euery side so that for many yeeres sometimes the Moabites oppressed them otherwhiles the Madianites and euer after the death of any of their Iudges and rulers which God raised vp for their deliuerance some grieuous punishment befell them for then being without law or gouernment euery man did that which seemed good in his owne eies and so turned aside from the right way Now albeit these examples may seeme to haue some affinity with Apostasie yet because the ignorance and rudenessâ— of the people was rather the cause of their falling away from God then any wilfull affection that raigned in them therefore wee place them in this rancke as well as they that haue beene alwaies brought vp and nuzled in Idolatrie 2. Chron. 22. One of this crew was Ochosias king of Iuda sonne of Ioram who hauing before him an euill president of his wicked father and a worse instruction and bringing vp of his mother Athaliah who togither with the house of Achab pricked him forward to euill ioyned himselfe to them and to their idols and for that cause was wrapped in the same punishment destruction with Ioram the king of Israel whome Iehu slew togither with the princes of Iuda and many of his neere kinsmen And to be short Idolatry hath bene the decay and ruine of the kingdome of Iuda as at all other times so especially vnder Ioachas sonne of Iosias 2. King 23. that raigned not aboue three moneths in Ierusalem before hee was taken and led captiue into Aegypt by the king thereof and there died from which time the whole land became tributary to the king of Aegypt And not long after it was vtterly destroied by the forces of Nabuchadnezzar king of Babel that came against Ierusalem and tooke it and caried king Ioaâ—him with his mother his princes his seruants and the treasures of the temple and his owne house into Babylon And finally 2. King 24.25 tooke Zedechias that fled away and before his eies caused his sonnes to be slaine which assoone as he had beheld commaunded him also to be pulled out and so binding him in chaines of iron carried him prisoner to Babylon putting all the princes of Iuda to the sword consuming with fire the temple with the kings pallace and all the goodly buildings of Ierusalem And thus the whole kingdome though by an especiall prerogatiue consecrated and ordained of God himselfe ceased to be a kingdome and came to such an end that it was neuer reestablished by God but begun and confirmed by the filthy idolatry of Ieroboams calues Vide lib. 1. c. 19. which as his successours maintained and fauoured more or lesse so were they exposed to more or lesse plagues and incumbrances Nadab Ieroboams sonne being nuzled and nurtured vp in Idoll worship after the example of his father 1 King 15.27 receiued a condigne punishment for his iniquitie for Baasa the sonne of Ahijah put both him and all the offspring of Ieroboamâ— house to the sword and raigned in his stead who also being no whit better then those whome he had slaine was punished in the person of Ela his sonne whome Zambri one of his seruants slew And this againe vsurping the crowne enioyed it but seuen daies at the end whereof seeing himselfe in daunger in the citie Tirza taken by Amri whome the people had chosen for their king went into the pallace of the kings house and burned himselfe As for Achab hee multiplied idolatry in Israel and committed more wickednesse then all his predecessours wherefore the wrath of God was stretched out against hiâ— and his for hee himselfe was wounded to death in battaile by the Sitians his sonne Ioram slaine by Iehu and threescore and ten of his children put to death in Samaria by their gouernours and chiefe of the city sending their heads in baskets to Iehu Aboue all a most notable and manifest example of Gods iudgement was seene in the death of Iezabel his wife that had beene his spurre and prouoker to all mischiefe when by her Eunuches and most trustie seruants at the commandement of Iehu shee was thrown downe out of a window and trampled vnder the horse seer and last of all deuoured of dogges Moreouer the greatest number of the kings of Israel that succeeded him were murdered one after another so that the kingdome fell to such a low decline that it became first tributary to the king of Assyria and afterward inuaded and subuerted by him and the inhabitants transported into his land whence they neuer returned but remained scattered here and there like vagabonds and all for their abominable idolatrie which ought to be a lesson to all people princes and kings that seeing God spared not these two realmes of Iuda and Israel but destroied and rooted them out from the earth
more strange in matter of warre than this which I now goe about to recite of Henry of Luxenbourge Emperour of Germanie who when he heard that his sonne Charles king of Bohemia was in the French army Froiss vol. 1. Cap. 130. and that Philip of Valoys king of France was ready to giue battaile to the English albeit hee was blind and consequently vnfit for warre yet would needs take part with the French And therefore commaunded his men at armes to guide him into the place where the field was to be fought that he might there strike one blow They as foolish as himselfe not willing to crosse his mind and fearing to loose him in the prease tied him fast to the raines of their bridles being by this meanes so coupled togither as if they meant al to perish togither if need were as indeed they did for they were ouercome in battaile and the next day found all dead horse and men fast bound togither This accident befell at Crecy neare Abreuile in which iourney the French king sustained an inestimable dammage for hee lost fifteene of his chiefest princes fourescore ensigns twelue hundred knights and about thirty thousand men In the yeere 1455 the Hungarians without any iust cause or pretence Theatr. hist. made war vpon the Emperour Otto only mooued with a desire of bringing vnder their subiection the Germane powers and the rather at this time because they supposed the Emperours strength of war to be weakened and his power of men lessened by those continuall troubles and warres which he had beene daily occupied in notwithstanding Otto as by his former deedes of armes hee deserued the sirname of Great so in this exploit especially for he conscribed eight legions of men out of Franconia Bauaria and Bohemia and with that small valiant handfull ouerturned and destroied the huge vnchristened multitude of his enemies for albeit the Bohemians being placed in the rereward were as suddenly and vnexpectedly assaulted by the enemy that craftily passed ouer the riuer Lycus to set vpon them behind as vnhappily put to flight with the losse of the carriages and vittailes which they were set to protect yet Otto with his other legions renuing the battell and encouraging his souldiers gaue the enemy such an encounter and repulse that he put them to flight and slew them with a miserable slaughter three of their kings hee tooke prisoners and few of that vast army escaped with their liues On the Emperours side died many worthy men among whome Conrade the Emperours sonne in law and Burghard duke of Sueuia were two beside many other In this successiue battaile it is to be noted aboue the rest how religiously the Emperor both began and finished it the day before the fight he inioyned a fast in his army and directed his praiers to the Almighty relying more vpon the presence of Gods helpe than his owne power After the conquest gotten he caused solemne thankes to be giuen in all Churches to God for that great deliuerance I would our moderne Generals and Captaines would learne by this example to follow his footsteps not to make their praiers quaffings and their thanksgiuings carousings as they vse to doe euen as it were purposely to tempt the Lord and to stirre vp his wrath against them Penda king of middle England Lanqueâ— Chron. making warre vpon Anna king of East Angles slew him in open field with which victory being puffed vp in pride he sent defiance to Osway king of Northumberland also who hearing of his approch proffered him great gifts and faire conditions of peace which when Penda obstinately refused he was slaine in battaile with thirty of his most noble captaines although hee had thrise the number of people which Osway had And thus the heathen and bloody Pagan ended his cruelty and paied deare for his too much forwardnes in warre CHAP. XVI Of such as please themselues ouermuch in seeing cruelties THe Romanes were so accustomed by long vse of warre to behold fightings and bloodshed that in time of peace also they would make themselues sports and pastimes therewith for they would compell poore captiues and bondslaues either to kill one another by mutuall blowes or to enter combat with sauadge and cruell beasts to be torne in peeces by them The first according to Seneca Seneca that deuised and put in practise this vnkindly combat of beasts and malefactours was Pompey who prouided an army of eighteene Elephants to fight with men and thought it a notable and commendable spectacle to put men to death after this new and strange fashion Oh how mens minds are blinded with ouermuch prosperity hee esteemed himselfe at that time to be higher in dignity than all other when he thus threw to wild beasts people of farre countries and in the presence of the people caused so much blood to be shed but not long after himselfe was betraied by the treachery of the Alexandrians slaine by a bondslaue a iust quittance for murdering so many of that condition thus much out of Seneca Now it is manifest that this was an ordinary pastime among the Romanes albeit it is strange that any pastime or pleasure could arise by seeing poore creatures interchangeably strike one another to death and humane blood to runne like water along the streets It was not then without cause but by a special will of God to reuenge cruelty Flor. that the bondslaues conducted by Spartacus the fencer rebelled against their masters in Rome after they had broken through the guards of Lentulus his house and issuing out of Capua gathered togither aboue ten thousand fighting men and encamped themselues in Mount Vesuvius where being besieged by Clodius Glaber they sallied so rudely and boisterously vpon him that the victory and spoile of their enemies tents remained on their sides after this they ran ouer all the land forraged the countrey and destroied many villages and townes but especially these foure Nola Nocera Terreneuae and Metaponte were by them sacked and spoiled with a strange and bloody ouerthrow after all which hauing encountred two Consuls they ouercame Lentulus on mount Apennine and discomfited Gaius Cassius here Modene all which victories and luckie proceedings did so embolden puffe vp the courage of captaine Fencer that he determined to giue an alarme to Rome and to lay siege vnto it but the Romans preparing and directing all their forces to withstand their practises gaue him his crew so sore a repulse that from Rome they were faine to flie to the vttermost borders of Italy there seeing themselues pent in on all sides and driuen to deep extremity they gaue so desperat an onset vpon their enemies that both their captaine they were all slaine And thus the Romans made iolly pastime with their fencers and bondslaues and more I thinke at this time than they either looked or wished for for four hundred of them being taken by the bondmen were enforced to shew them pastime at the
be of Greece there is no question but that they are so much the more blameable for glutting and ouercharging themselues with sins by how much the more they abound with temporable goods and commodities and that at length they tumble into vtter ruin and desolation for in steed of being a patterne and direction vnto others of wisdome and good gouernement as they ought they are for the most part examples of folly and vanity for where is there more euils and dissolutenesse raigning than in them the principall cause whereof is that greedy worme Auarice which begetteth in al estates much fraud coosening other naughtie practises with many such like children for through it euery man looketh to prouide for his owne affaires and to get any commoditie or ease whatsoeuer to himselfe euen with all his power not caring who be damnified so he be enriched the plenty of riches which there aboundeth instilleth pride and haughtinesse of mind into some maketh others dissolute and effeminate and besotteth others with carnall and vnhonest pleasures from which head spring riuers of euils as enuies quarrels dissention debates and murders all which things happeÌ„ to theÌ„ that being transported distracted with the furious contrariety of their disordinate affection can find no contentment nor agreement with themselues but must needes burst out into some outward mischiefes hence is that wonderfull pompe and brauery aswell of aparrell as other things hence all gourmandise and drunkennesse are so common yea and adulteries so much frequented wherefore the anger of the almighty must needs be kindled to consume theÌ„ in their sins One of the notablest cities of the world for greatnesse and antiquity was Niniue the capitall and chiefe citie of the Assyrian Empire howbeit her greatnesse and power could not so protect her but that after she had once been spared by the means of the Prophet Ionas who foretold her of her destruction being returned to her former vomit againe to wit of robberies extortions wrongfull dealings and adulteries shee was wholly and vtterly subuerted God hauing deliuered her for a prey into the hands of many of her enemies that spoiled and pilled her to the quicke and lastly into the hands of the Medes who brought hir to a final vnrecouerable desolation as it was prophecied by the prophet Nahum Babilon was wont to be the seat of that puissant monarchy vnder Nabuchadnezzar where flourished the famous Astrologers and notable wise men of the world where the spoiles and riches of many nations and countries were set vp as trophies kept as the remembrance of their victories where also vices raigned al maner of excesse and villany ouerflowed Lib. 5. of the actes of Alexander for by the report of Q. Curtius the city did so exceed in whoredome and adulteries that fathers and mothers were not ashamed to bee bauds vnto their daughters no nor husbands to their wiues a thing most strange odious Oros lib. 2. wherefore it could not chuse but in the end to bee sacked and quite destroied with an extreame ruin destruction Paul Jou com 2. lib 33. the signs and appearance whereof yet are seene in the ruine of old wals and ancient buildings that there remaine Amongst sea-bordring cities for renown of merchandise Tire in former ages was most famous for thither resorted the marchants of al countries for trafficke of Palestina Siria Aegypt Persia Assyria they of Tarshis brought thither yron lead brasse siluer the Sirians sold their Carbuncles purple brodered worke fine linnen corrall pearle the Iewes hony oile triacle Cassia and Calamus the Arabians trafficked with lambs muttons goats the Sabeans brought merchandise of all exquisit spices and apothecary stuffe with gold and pretious stones by means whereâ—â— it being grown exceeding wealthy enriched by fraud deceit being lifted vp to the height of pride plunged in the depth of pleasures it was at leÌ„gth by the iust iudgemeÌ„t of God so sacked ruinated Sabel that the very memory thereof at this day scarce remaineth The like iudgemeÌ„t fell vpon Sidon vpon that rich renowned city of Corinth which through the coÌ„modiousnes of the hauen was the most frequented place of the world for the entercourse of merchants out of Asia Europe Thuciaides for by reason of hir pride corruption of maners but especially for her despising abuse of thy heauenly graces of Gods spirit which were sowed planted in hir Contempt of the word lib. 1. cap. 34. Eutrop. Oros lib. 9. she vnder went this punishment to be first finally destroied and brought into cinders by the Romans and then after her reedification to be debased into so low and vile an estate that that which remaineth is no wise comparable to hir former glory Again Athens the most florishing famous city of Greece for hir faire buildings large precincts multitude of inhabitants but especially for hir philosophy by means whereof recourse was made from all parts to her as the fountaine welspring of arts the schoole vniuersity of the whole world whose pollicy and manner of gouernment was so much esteemed by the Romans that they drew from thence their laws but now she lies dead and buried in forgetfulnesse not carrying any of hir former proportion or appearance Carthage that noble city mistresse of Africa and Paragon to Rome may not brag of any better issue than hir fellowes for though shee resisted and made her part good with Rome for many yeares yet at length by means of hir own inward ciuill iars shee was vtterly destroied by theÌ„ for the inhabitaÌ„ts not able to stand any longer in defence Oros Eutrop. were constrained to yeeld theÌ„selues to the mercy of their enemies the women to the number of 25 thousand marching first forth after theÌ„ the meÌ„ in number 30 thousand following al which poor captiues were sold for bondslaues a few only of the principal excepted then fire was put to the city Eutrop. which burnt 17 daies without ceasing eueÌ„ till it was clean consumed It is true that it was reedified after this but which lasted not long for it was againe brought to destruction that at this day there remaineth nothing but old rotten ruins and thus fared many other cities Nunc seges est vbi Troia fuit of which may be verified that which was spoken of Troy that fields and corne are where cities were Numantium in Spain being besieged by the Romans after it had borne the brunt of war and sacking a long while made many desperate sallies vpon their enemies and lastly seeing theÌ„selues consumed with famine rather thaÌ„ they would bow their neckes to the yoke of seruitude barring their gates set fire on all and so burning themselues with their whole citie left the enemy nothing but ashes for his prey and triumph Titus Liuiuâ— as the Saguntines not long before serued Anniball It is a maruellous and