miscariage must be referred for breuities sake to other Treatises Onely to shut vp this exemplification of the Prophets assertion verified in peculiar sort in Hungary what example of Divine Iustice either more pregnant or more durable was ever manifested in Iudea than was to bee seene every morning for more then twenty yeares together in the fields of Moacz where the horse and his royall rider King Lewis found a miserable grave before they were quite dead but where the bones of such as were slaine in that unfortunate battaile lay unburyed in such abundance as did exhibit a wofull spectacle to every Christian passengers eye from the yeare 1526. untill the time of Busbequius his embassage to Constantinople how long after I know not which was upon the mariage betweene King Philip and Queene Mary about the yeare 1555. The Christian Hungars of those times after the losse of their late mentioned King had as just cause to insert that lamentation into their Liturgie as Ieremie had to take it up The annointed of the Lord was taken in their nets of whom we said under his shaddow we shall be preserved alive among the Heathen Lamentations 4. 20. As full an interest in that complaint of the Psalmist as the ancient Iewes had during the time of Nebuchadnezzar or Antiochus his rage The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meate unto the fowles of the heaven the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth their blood have they shed like water there was none to burie them Ps 79. 2 3. The pittifull women of Iudea did eate their Children when Titus besieged Ierusalem The women of Hungarie no lesse mercifull as may be presumed than other Christian women are buried their Children alive lest their timorous outcryes might bewray the place of their abode or latitation when Soliman and his furious helhounds did so greedily hunt after their lives The people of Hungary would not take example from the miseries which had befallen Iudea nor breake off those sinnes which brought this miserie upon them GOD grant the Prophets and Seers of this kingdome eyes to discerne and this whole people one and other patient hearts to heare those sinnes whether of practise or opinion discovered which threaten the like judgements unto this Land as have befallen the Kingdome of Hungarie one of the most flourishing Kingdomes in the Christian world within a few yeares before its ruine FINIS * Nec dictis erit ullus bonos si cum actus ab urbe Daunius hostili Teucris urgentibus heros Vix pugna absistit similiâ— dicetur Asello Quâ—m pueri laeto pascentem pinguia in agro Ordea stipitibus duris detrudere tendunt Instantes quatiuntque sudes per terga per armos Ille autem campo vix cedere inter eundum Saepe hic atque illic avidis insistere malis Omnia conveniunt rerumque simillima imago est Credo equidem sed turpe pecus nec Turnus Asellum Turnus avia atavisque poteâ—s dignabitur heros Aptius hanc speciem referat Leo quem neque tergae Ira dare aut virtus patitur neque sufficit unus Tendere tot contra telisque obstare sequentum Hieron Vida Poet. lib. 2. * Et hic quidem omnium morbus est trium generum quae proposui eorum scilicet qui secundum corpus de Deo sapiunt eorum qui secundum spiritualem creaturam sicuti est anima eorum qui neque secundum corpus neque secunduÌ„ spiritualeÌ„ creaturaÌ„ et tamen de Deo falsa existimant eo remotiores à vero quo id quod sapiunt nec in corpore reperitur nec in facto condito spiritu nec in ipso creatore Qui enim opinatur Deum verbi gratia candidum vel rutilum fallitur sed tamen haec inventantur in corpore Rursum qui opinatur Deum nunc obliviscentem nunc recordanteÌ„ vel si quid hujusmodi est nihilominus in errore est sed tamen haec inveniuntur in animo Qui autem putant ejus esse potentiae Deum ut seipsum ipse genuerit eo plus errant quòd non solum Deus ita non est sed nec spiritualis nec corporalis creatura Nulla enim res omnino est quae seipsum gignat ut sit Aug. de Trinit lib. 1. cap. 1. * In the 5. Book Section 3. 1 * Mittamus animum ad illa quae aeterna sunt Miremur in sublimi volitantes rerum on niuÌ„ formas Deumque inter illa versantem providentem quemadmodum quae immortalia facere non potuit quia materia prohibebat defendat à morte ac ratione vitium corporis vincat Senec. ib. Whether for thus saying hee fall under the censure of Muretus in his annotations upon this place I refer it to the judicious Reader Impie stulta veterum opinio Deum voluisse quidem à primo omnia immortalia facere sed non potuisse propter materiae vitium Quasi non ut caetera omnia ita materiam condiderit ac procrearit Deus Recte Lactaâ—â—tius Idem materiae fictor est qâ—i rerum materia constantium * Qui scholas reguÌ„t ia id nobis exploratuÌ„ reliqueruÌ„t tale esse conditionalis propositionis naturam sive conditionem ut existente falso quod antecedit etiam quod subsequitur possit remanere vera conditionalis Pasq c. 1. ad RoÌ„ fol. 65 Though it were impossible for an Angell from heaven to preach any other Gospell than Paul had preached and impossible likewise for any Angell of heaven to be accursed yet S. Pauls conditionall proposition was true If an Angell from heaven should preach any other Gospell he should be accursed In like manner this supposition or conditionall If any thing could take beginning from it selfe it should be infinite is true although both these positions be false First that any thing can take beginning from it self Secondly that any thing which hath beginning can be infinite And this only is absolutely true That which truly is without all beginning is absolutely infinite * Idem absolutum quod et Deum dicimê° non cadit in numero cum omni alio ut quod Deus coelum sint plura aut duo aut alia diversa sicut nec coelum est idem absolutum ut coelum quod est aliud à terra Et quia idem absolutum est actu omnis formae formabilis forma non potest forma esse extra idem Quo enim res est eadem sibiipsi forma agit quòd autem est allerialias est quia non est idem absolutum hoc est omnis formae forma Est igitur idem absolutum principium medium finis omnis formae actus absolutus omnis potentiae Cusan de Genes dialog pag. 128. * Lib. de ente uno * Ex. 3. 14. * Cum primum ingressus Academiam sueris occurret tibi Parmenides qui unicum
assuredly goe forth unto the King of Babylons Princes then thy soule shall live and this Citie shall not bee burnt with fire and thou shalt live and thy house But if thou wilt not goe forth to the King of Babylons Princes then shall this City bee given into the hands of the Chaldeans and they shall burne it with fire and thou shalt not escape out of their hand Ier. 38. ver 17 18 And Zedekiah the King said unto Ieremiah I am afraid of the Iewes that are fallen to the Chaldeans lest they deliver mee into their hand and they mocke me But Ieremiah sayd They shall not deliver thee obey I beseech thee the voice of the Lord which I spake unto thee so it shall bee well unto thee and thy soule shall live But if thou refuse to go forth this is the word which the Lord hath shewed me And behold all the women that are left in the King of Iudahs house shall bee brought forth unto the King of Babylons Princes and those women shall say Thy friends have set thee on and have prevailed against thee thy feet are sunke in the mire and they are turned away back So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans and thou shalt not escape out of their hand but shalt be taken by the hand of the King of Babylon and thou shalt cause this Citie to bee burnt with fire c. vers 19 20 21 22 23. 11 This last neglect of Gods antecedent will so often revealed for his good procured the speedy execution of his consequent will without all possibility to avoid it Not a title of Ieremies or Ezekiels prophesie which his Politicians sought to set at variance but is exactly fulfilled upon him and so is Micahs prophesie upon this Citie The manner how Ieremies and Ezekiels prophesie which seeme to contradict each other were both fulfilled is admirable and might well move a man not well acquainted with the nature of prophecies and Gods speciall providence to think the Fates had plotted his ruine But this particular argument is prosecuted elsewhere more at large 12 To recapitulate the summe of many arguments to like purposes vnto every possible choise or resolution made by man whether concerning matters private or publique there is a distinct correspondent successe allotted by the omnipotent and immutable Decree Every actuall choise or resolution is as the drawing of a new lott whose just price or recompence be it good or bad is instampt upon it from eternity And for the awarding or payment of it in due time the whole host of Gods creatures stand bound by the very tenour of their beeing or dependancy upon their Maker Seeing all of them were made by his word and are continued by his meere will and pleasure sooner shall they forfeit their very beeing and be resolved into nothing than the least tittle of Gods will concerning any creature should not be fulfilled or that successe be it good or bad should not be awarded to private men or publike States in that exact degree and measure which God from eternity hath appointed From ignorance of this essentiall subordination which fate or conspiracy of second causes have unto Gods irresistible providence who by his infinite creative power can at all times dissolve their combination or compose them anew by wayes to man for number incomprehensible as pleaseth him the wisest amongst State wizards have erred and do erre more grossely in assigning the causes of Kingdomes ruines or erections or in prognosticating the successe of politick skill than a vulgar Astronomer should do which would take upon him to foretell the peculiar disposition of the Ayre or weather in every place throughout this Iland for every houre of the yeare following The observation which many of them gather from the inspection of times present or past are of as little use for future ages as an Almanack of this yeare is for the yeares following Sooner may moderne Scholars prove extraordinary Husbandmen by observing Virgils Calender of the rising and setting of Stars or other rules of that ancient husbandry which he describes than pragmaticall wits become wise Statesmen by reading Tacitus Livy or others better acquainted with the mysteries of State or Princely secrets than with Gods providence or with the Almighties Decree concerning the successe of their projects Though that decree bee as He is most immutable yet the variety of mens dispositions especially in sundry ages is greater than any alterations in the heavens the divers conjunctions or oppositions of mens wils to his are more then can be found amongst the Starres Now it is his immutable will to render unto every people and nation according to the degrees of that conformity or dissonancy which they hold with his mercy bounty or justice or with his most holy will CHAP. 25. Of the sudden and strange erection of the Macedonian Empire and the manifestation of Gods speciall providence in Alexanders expedition and successe 1 ARISTOTLE being born when Greece did flourish and living when the Halcyon dayes of Macedon beganne to dawne would gladly tie the light of GODS countenance which in his full age was inclining to the Meridian of Greece unto the situation of his Country and disposition of his Countrimen whose politick vertues in his Philosophicall vanity were intailed to the peculiar temper of that clime The people saith hee that live in cold countries and in Europe as distinct from Greece are stout and hardy but not so wise and politick more free then civill much apter to be their owne men then their neighbours masters The Asiatickes that want no wit are destitute of courage therefore they remaine in servitude and subjection unto others The Grecians as they enjoy the middle place for situation so they participate with the Asiaticks for wit and colder countries for courage in such proportion as enapts them to preserve their libertie and to beare rule and soveraignty over others Many Comets at their first appearance are usually mistaken for fixed Starres reputed next in glory unto the Moone untill their parallax bewray their place and their sudden end discover their orginall to bee corruption Thus the brightnesse of the Grecian Monarchy whilest it was in rising or comming unto its height misperswaded their hearts whose eyes it dazeled that it was to endure like the daies of heaven whereas it proved but like the glistring bubbles of the morning dew which dissolve with the strength of those beames that gave them lustre This is the onely difference the period of their splendor falls in the compasse of an houre and Comets usually continue not many months Wheras the rise and fall of Kingdomes commonly outreach any one mans age or observation and such as follow marke the occurrences of their owne times more then their connexion with former Whence it is that secular politicians are alwayes learning and never attaine unto the knowledge of what they seeke Howbeit Aristotle lived long enough to
effects are all directed to the accomplishing of Gods revealed purpose or consequent will upon Babylon as it were so many arrowes to their marke The Lord of hoasts was the Archer and Cyrus his bow whose intentions against Babylon must therefore prosper because The Lord of hoasts hath sworne by himselfe saying Surely I will fill thee with men as with caterpillers and they shall lift up a shout against â—hee Ier. 51. vers 14. There is not one clause of Cyrus his advise or exhortation to his followers after they had found the river to bee passable or of his proclamation after their entrance through the water-gate which Xenophon relates but is parallell to some part or other of Ieremies Prophesies Wee may boldly say all that Cyrus commanded was faithfully executed that the scripture might bee fulfilled 8 That which in reason might most daunt or deterre his souldiers from raunging the streets of Babylon was opportunitie of annoyance from the tops of their flat-roofed houses But this inconvenience Cyrus by his good foresight turnes to his advantage If any sath hee clime up to the tops of their houses as it is likely many of them would we have God Vulcan our confederate for their porches are very apt to take fire their gates being made of palmetrees asphaltites inunctae which will serve as oyle to cause them to take fire and wee have store enough of torches pitch and straw to inlarge the flame after the fire be once kindled By this meanes either we may enforce them to forsake their houses or burne both together The execution of this stratagem would quickly amate men already affrighted with the sudden surprisall of the Citie To this purpose the Lord had spoken long before The mightie men of Babylon have forborne to fight they have remained in their holds their might hath failed they became as women they have burnt their dwelling places her barres are broken Ier. 51. vers 30. One post shall runne to meete another and one messenger to meet another and shew the King of Babylon that his citie is taken at one end And that the passages are stopped and the reedes they have burnt with fire and the men of warre are affrighted verse 31 32. Xenophon tels us that after Cyrus had given Gobrias and Gadatas in charge to conduct the Armie with all speede to the Kings Palace Si qui occurrebant of such as came in their way some were slaine others retired againe into the citie others cryed out That which made the noyse more confused and the danger lesse apprehended was that Gobrias and his souldiers being Babylonians by birth did counterfaite the roaring of that unruly night Whatsoever occasion of distast or implacable discontent the proud King had given to these two captaines whether those which Xenophon reports or others the finall cause of that successe which their bloody intentions against their native King did finde was the accomplishment of Gods will reuealed against him for his Grandfathers crueltie against Ierusalem whereof being gently warned by Gods Prophet he no way repented but added gall to wormwood and thirst to drunkennes O thou King the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdome and majestie and glorie and honor And for the Majestie that he gave him all people nations and languages trembled and feared before him whom he would he slew and whom hee would he kept alive and whom hee would hee set up and whom hee would hee put downe But when his heart was lifted and his minde hardened in pride he was deposed from his Kingly throne and they took his glorie from him And hee was driven from the sonnes of men and his heart was made like the Beasts and his dwelling was with the wild Asses they fed him with grasse like Oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till hee knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdome of men and that hee appointeth over it whomsoeuer he will And thou his sonne O Belshazzar hast not humbled thine heart though thou knewest all this but hast lifted up thy selfe against the Lord of heaven and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee and thou and thy Lords thy wives and thy Concubines have drunke wine in them and thou hast praysed the gods of silver and gold of brasse yron wood and stone which see not nor heare nor know and the GOD in whose hand thy breath is and whose are all thy wayes hast thou not glorified Then was the part of the hand sent from him and this writing was written And this is the writing that was written MENE MENE TEKEL VPHARSIN This is the interpretation of the thing MENE God hath numbred thy kingdome and finished it TEKEL thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting PERES thy kingdome is divided and given to the Medes and Persians Dan. 5. vers 18. to 29. 9 Thus wold Daniel have cured Babel but she was not cured by him howbeit Belshazzar was more kinde to Daniel then to himselfe then most great Princes are to Gods best Prophets that reprove them For he commanded and they cloathed Daniel with scarlet and put a chain of gold about his neck made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third Ruler in the kingdome In that night was Belshazzar the King of the Caldeans sâ—aine And Darius the Median tooke the kingdome being about threescore and two yeere old Dan. 5. vers 29 30 31. For it is not the bestowing of a Scarlet robe of Court holy water or of reall honour in greatest measure upon Gods servants that can couer a scarlet sinne in Princes The staine of blood can never be washed off nor the crie of the oppressed blowne away though the whole element of water winde ayre were at their commands without the teares and sighs of the oppressors whose hearts cannot be cleansed without repentant prayers Ierusalems sighs and teares in her sorrow had sunke too deepe into the Almighties eares to be expiated without the sacrifice of many sorrowfull hearts and contrite spirits throughout Babel Israel is a scattered sheepe the Lyons have driuen him away first the king of Assyria hath devoured him and last this Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon hath broken his bones Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel behold I will punish the King of Babylon and his Land as I have punished the king of Assyria And I will bring Israel againe to his habitation c. Ier. 50. vers 17 18 19. Thus Israel is revolved from Gods consequent wil to his antecedent Babylon from his antecedent to his consequent will And for the speedy execution of both parts of this his will for Israels good and Babylons hurt the Persian Monarchy is with such speed erected 10 But some happily will here demand wherein the similitude mentioned by Ieremie betweene the King of Assyria and the King of Babylons punishments did consist Senacharib
yet his practise though exactly answering â—o Machiavels rules of reformation here and elsewhere set downe found but the Mountebankes successe hee cured some present mischiefes but procured more grievous secret and more permanent inconveniences The barbarous nations which longed most for Romes destruction learned the use and art of making the Romans weapons and artillerie from the discontented Exiles which his severitie thrust upon them Nor did Constantine the great though Leunclavius be willing to preferre the unsanctified Zozimus his bill against him to Christian Princes halfe so much weaken the Empire by his largesse towards the Christians as Septimius did wound it by seeking to restore or rather to intend the rigour of ancient discipline amongst moderne dissolute Romans Many like practises in the issue became meanes of the Empires more speedy dissolution though all as farre as the eye of policy could see most convenient for the present season but it is not for politicians to know the exact temper of times seasons which the father hath put in his owne power as cases reserved for infinite Wisdome 15 Had Rome in the dayes of Arcadius and Honorius stood at the same point of liking with God as she sometimes had done these oversights as it pleaseth posteritie now to censure them of Constantine and Septimius with infinite other particulars of like nature falling out before and after them should have added much to the measure of her wonted prosperitie But being now declined from Gods favour to the aspect of his Iustice all conspire against her and her best supporters become stumbling-blocks to cause her to fall And although it had beene possible for the severall successions of her ancient and choisest Senators to have beene assembled together in counsell for her good yet what possibilitie was there left to prevent the combination of second causes secretly conspiring her destruction when as the unavoidable mischances of Nations which they knew not even the disasters of her enemies became confederates with domestick miscariages to worke her mischiefe If we consider onely the visible causes or meanes observable by which this mightie Empire came to miserable ruine not all the oversights committed by any one though the very worst of al her Governours or Counsellors not all the devises of any one natioÌ„ or coÌ„mon enemy did sow the seedes of so much evill and mishap as befel her from one example of severitie unseasonably practised by the King of Goathes upon a wicked woman that sought to cover her adultery by her abused husbands blood The fact indeed deserved the height of Princely indignation and more then an ordinary death but to pull her in peeces with horses as Hermanarichus commanded was so indignely taken by her brethren that in revenge they killed this grave and auncient King by whose wisedome and authoritie the Goathes had beene able so well to have matched the Huns as the Romanes might have stood as arbitrators to moderate the quarrell as they saw fit or to have devided the prey But the Goathes being suddenly deprived of their Governour in the very nicke when the warre was begun left their habitation to the Hunnes and upon protestations of more then ordinary fidelitie and good service got to be admitted as naturall subjects within the Empire which by this meanes became exposed to a double mischiefe It hath the Hunnes as neare but more insolent and noisome neighbours then the Goathes had beene and through the folly and greedinesse of the Imperiall officers the Goath in short time of a former open enemy became a treacherous friend The Romans nurst this young snake in their bosome after such an unpleasant and untowardly fashion as they might bee sure hee would be ready to use his sting when God should send him one And albeit the Goath and Hun did naturally worse agree then the Toade Spider yet in relation to the execution of Gods justice upon the Roman Empire they hold this exact subordination that wheresoever the one had broken skinne the other was ready to infuse his poyson the one alwaies ready to inlarge the wounds which the other had made before they closed Howbeit when both these enemies had done the worst to Rome that they intended for both of them had power in respect of any help that man could make to do her as much harm as they listed yet the Prophets speech concerning Israel was remarkably true of her Perditio tua ex te O Roma Romes destruction was from her selfe Her very enemies would have healed her but Babylon-like shee would not be healed Alaricus the Goath had taken the Citie but made conscience of defacing it he spared the suppliants for the Temples sake Attilas was kindly intreated by Pope Leo not to visit it the rather thereto perswaded because God had visited Alaricus for polluting it It was the crie of the noble Aetius his blood treacherously shed not by the Enemy but by the Emperour Valentinian at the instigation of Maximus which did solicite Gensericus King of Vandals to come out of Afrique to visit Rome now sunke so lowe by Aetius his fall that she could never bee raised againe 16 The concatenation of sinister Fates that is in better language the combination of second causes designed by God for the execution of his consequent Will upon the Roman Empire is in this case so pregnant that I cannot make a fitter close of this discourse then by relating the historicall Circumstances occasion and consequence of Aetius his death Maximus a Roman Senator and principall Favorite of Valentinian the Emperour sporting with him on a time in his Palace chanced to leave his ring behind The Emperour by this token invites Maximus his Lady to come and visit his Empresse Eudoxia his intention being to visit her in such a manner as was no way pleasing to her but most displeasing to her Husband unto whoÌ„ she disclosed their joynt wrong her speciall griefe The indignity of the Fact being done by so deare a friend as he supposed Valentinian was made so deepe impression in his heart that an ordinary revenge could not suffice The Emperors life seemed too small a recoÌ„pence without hopes of succeding him his hopes of succession he saw were but vain if Aetius should survive Valentinian Maximus therefore smoothly dissembling his discontent for the present perswades the Emperour that Aetius was too potent in the opinion of the State and become more popular than before by the happy successe of his late employment against Attilas the common enemie and terrour of Christendome The Emperours weakness is easily wrought to put Aetius to death which as one observes was in effect to cut off his owne right hand with his left and to expose himselfe to publike hatred and danger without a Defendant Thrasilas a Centurion to Aetius knowing his Generalls loyalty and innocency in â—â—venge of his undeserved death kills Valentinian And Maximus not content to usurpe the Empire unlesse he might have the Empresse