To Cassander Caria To Menander Lydia To Leonatus Phrygia the lesse To Lysimachus Thracia with the neighbouring Countreys To Antipater Macedonia and the neighbouring Nations But these men not contented with their shares fell presently to warres amongst themselves Perdiccas warring upon Egypt was slaine by his own souldiers Antipater died Eumenes was betrayed by his own souldiers and slaine by Antigonus Python was treacherously slaine by Antigonus Olympias the mother of Alexander was slaine by Cassander Cleopatra sister to Alexander was slaine by the treachery of Antigonus Antigonus himselfe was slaine in battel by Cassander and Lysimachus Rhoxane the beloved wife of Alexander together with her sonne Alexander Barsine another of his wives which was the daughter of Darius were all slaine by Cassander Presently after the whole family of Cassander was rooted out Ptolomaeus died in Egypt Lysimachus was slaine by Seleucus And Seleucus himselfe presently after by Ptolomaeus So that all the family of Alexander within a few years after his death was wholly extirpated And all his friends and great Captaines by their mutuall contentions came most of them to untimely ends Diod. Siâ— Justin. Pempey the Great who had been three times Consul of Rome and had three times triumphed after his famous victories and was exalted to that height of honour that the world could afford no greater yet being overcome by Caesar in the Pharsalian plaines he was forced to fly into Egypt in a little fisher-boat where he had deserved well of the King Ptolomy and therefore expected all kinde entertainment but the King on the contrary hearing of his coming sent out some to meet him at the Sea-side who treacherously cut off his head and so he whom the world a little before could not containe now wanted a grave for his burial so that Caesar pursuing him when three dayes after he found him lying on the sand could not forbear weeping Plut. The same Caesar also after all his great victories being adored like a god and loaded with all the honours that possibly could be invented was slaine in the Senate-house with twenty three wounds Plut. Nero who a little before wallowed in all manner of excesse of riot being condemned by the Senate was suddenly forsaken by all his friends and was faine to flie barefooted and muffled upon a sorry jade with only foure persons the small remaines of many thousands these were Phaon his freed-man Epaphroditus Master of requests Sporus his male-concubine and Neophitus When he came to a place of safety as he thought he was faine like a beast to creep on all foure through under woods and briars to hide himselfe in such extream want of all things that for quenching his thirst he was driven to lade water with his hand out of a dirty plash saying This is Nero's Beverege But those men who were sent after him for his execution were outstripped by swifter means which warned him of the nearnesse and inevitablenesse of his approaching danger for the Senate had proclaimed him the publick enemy and to die More majorum or after the ancient manner which was this to have his body stript starke naked his hands fast boâ—nd behinde him his head stockt under a fork and so in open view to be whipt to death with rods Nero hereupon after many timerous delayes and abject lamentations puts a poinard to his throat which Epaphroditus did help to drive home lest he should fall alive into his enemies hands Suet Plinie Thus was Nero's voice and fiddling marred and his last words were O what an artist I die Dio. Sultan Saladine Emperour of the Turks lying upon his death-bed Anno Christi 1193. commanded that no solemnity should be used at his burial but only his shirt in manner of an ensigne fastened upon the point of a speare to be carried before his dead body a simple Priest going before and crying aloud to the people in this sort Saladine Conquerour of the East of all the greatnesse and riches that he had in this life carried nothing away with him but his shirt Hoveden And poore Eumenes of a Potters son By fickle Fortunes help a Kingdome wonne But she for him such diet did provide That he of hunger shortly after died Mahomet the Great the first Emperour of the Turks after the winning of Constantinople fell in love with a most Beautiful Greekish Lady called Irene upon whose rare perfections he so much doated that he gave himself wholly over to her love But when he heard that his Captaines and Officers murmured at it he appointed them all to attend him in his great Hall and commanding Irene to dresse and adorne her self in all her gorgeous appareâ— he brought her in his hand into the midst of them who seeing her incomparable perfections acknowledged their errour saying That their Emperour had just cause to passe his time in solâ—cing himself with such a peerelesse Paragon But he on a sudden caught her by the haire with one of his hands and with the other drawing his Fauchion at one blow struck off her head thereby shewing them that he was not such a slave to his affections but that he preferred his honour before them Turk Hist. Gillimer King of the Vandals in Affrica having lived in all manner of affluence and prosperity for many years together was at the last in agreat battel overcome by that famous Captaine Billisarius and having lost the greatest part of his Army with a few of his servants was forced to flie into a high and inaccessible mountaine for refuge where being besieged by one of Billisarius his Captaines he was brought to such straits that he sent to a special friend requesting him to send him a Spunge an Harp and a Loafe of bread A Spunge to dry up his teares an Harp to solace him in his sorrows and a Loafe of bread to satisfie his hunger Pez Mel. Hist. The Caliph of Babylon being taken together with his City by Haalon the Tartarian was by him shut up in the midst of his infinite treasure which he and his predecessors had with much care and paines scraped togeher who bade him take and eate what he pleased of gold and silver or precious stones for said he it 's fit that so gaineful a guest should be fed with the best and therefore make no spare of any thing The miserable caitiffe being so kept for certaine dayes died of hunger in the middest of those things whereof he thought that he should never have had enough and whereby he thought to have secured himself against any dearth or danger Turk Hist. The Heathenish Romanes had for a difference in their Nobility a little ornament in the forme of a Moone to shew that all worldly honours were mutable and they wore it upon their shooes to shew that they trod it under their feete as base and bootlesse No sooner had the soul of that victorious Prince William the Conquerour left his body but that his dead Corps was abandoned by all his Nobles and
prevailing he condemned him yet when he was at the stake he sent his wife and seven children to him hoping by that meanes to work upon him but through Gods grace Religion overcame nature and when his wife intreated him with tears to favour himself he answered Be not a block in my way for I am in a good course and running towards the mark of my salvation and so he patiently suffered Martyrdome In Q Maries daies one Steven Knight Martyr when he came to the stake kneeled down and prayed thus O Lord Jesus Christ for the love of whom I willingly leave this life and rather desire the bitter death of thy Crosse with the losse of all earthly goods then to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandments Thou seest O Lord that whereas I might live in worldly wealth if I would worship a false god I rather choose the torments of my body and losse of my life counting all things but dung and drosse that I might win thee for whose sake death is dearer unto me then thousands of gold and silver c. See my Eng. Martyrologie p. 132. Thomas Watts Martyr when he was at the stake called his wife and six children to him saying Dear wife and my good children I must now leave you and therefore henceforth know I you no more as the Lord gave you unto me so I give you back again to the Lord c. and so kissing them he bade them farewell and went joyfully to the stake Idem p. 143. Nicholas Sheterden Martyr when he was ready to be burned said Lord thou knowest that if I would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word I might enjoy the commodities of life as others do as wife children goods and friends But seeing the world will not suffer me to enjoy them except I sin against thy holy Lawes lo I willingly leave all the pleasures of this life for the hopes sake of eternal life c. Idem p. 146. Richard Woodman Martyr when he was brought to his answer the Bishop told him that if he would be reformed he might enjoy his wife and children c. To whom he answered I love my wife and children in the Lord and if I had ten thousand pounds in gold I had rather forgo it all then them but yet I have them as if I had them not and will not for their sakes for sake Christ. Idem p. 185. A poor woman in Cornwall being admonished by the Bishop to remember her husband and children She answered I have them and I have them not whilest I was at liberty I enjoyed them but now seeing I must either forsake Christ or them I am resolved to stick to Christ alone my heavenly Spouse and to renounce the other Idem p. 211. See more in my two parts of Lives I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him c. Phil. 3. 8 9. Examples concerning Christ our Mediatour Themistocles being banished Athens was forced to fly to his deadly enemy Admetus King of the Molossians and when he came thither he took the Kings son being a child in his armes and so prostrated himself before the K. and found favour for it was a sacred Law amongst the Molossians that whosoever thus came before the King should have pardon whatsoever his offence was so whosoever goes to God the Father with Christ in his armes shall be sure to speed in his request Claudius Tib. Caesar hearing of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ moved the Senate at Rome that he might be numbred amongst the gods but the Senate refused because he was by some esteemed for a God before the Senate had decreed him one Tert. One in Tamerlanes Army having found a great pot of Gold digged it up and brought it to Tamerlane who asked whether the Gold had his Fathers stamp upon it but when he saw it had the Roman stamp he would not own it So God will own none but such as have the stamp of Christ and his Image upon them CHAP. LXIII Examples of Compassion Sympathy COmmanded 1 Pet. 3. 8. Zach. 7. 8. Such as want it love not God 1 Joh. 3. 17. And are wicked 2 Chron. 36. 17. Scriptural Examples Our Saviour Christ Matt. 9. 36. 14. 14. 15. 32. Mark 1. 41. 6. 34. A Lord Matth. 18. 27. Pharaohs daughter Exod. 2. 6. The Father of the Prodigal Luke 15. 20. Darius his wife being a Captive with Alexander miscarried by reason of a fall and so died which when Alexander heard of he brake forth into weeping and suffered one of her Eunuches to carry Darius word of her death Darius hearing that Alexander wept at the newes of her death conceited that he had been too familiar with her but when the Eunuch by grievous asseverations protested that he had never seen her but once and then never offered the least indignity to her Darius lifting up his hands to heaven prayed the gods that if the Persian Empire were at an end that none might sit in Cyrus his Throne but so just and merciful a Conquerour Q. Cur. When Alexander M. found Darius murthered by his own servants though he was his enemy yet he could not refrain from weeping and putting off his own Coate he covered the body of Darius with it and so clothing of him with Kingly Ornaments he sent him to his mother Sisigambis to be interred amongst his Ancestors in a royall manner Q. Cur. Nero the Emperour in the first five years of his reign was of a very compassionate disposition insomuch as being requested to set his hand to a Writ for the execution of a Malefactor he said Quà m vellem me nescire literas Would I had never learned to write Sâ—ne Camillus with the Roman Army after ten years siege took the City of Veia in Italy by storme and when Camillus from the top of the Castle saw the infinite riches which the Souldiers took by plundering the City he wept for very pitty to see the miseries which were brought upon the inhabitants Plut. The Thebans having given the Lacedemonians a very great overthrow in the Battel of Leuctra they presently sent an Ambassador to Athens to acquaint them with it and to desire them to enter into confederacy with them against the Lacedemonians their old enemies telling them that now was the time when they might be fully revenged of them for all the wrongs which they had received from them but the Athenian Senate was so far from rejoycing at the misery of the Lacedemonians that they did not so much as give lodging the Ambassadour or treat at all with him about a League Plut. Vespasian the Emperour was of such a merciful disposition that he never rejoyced at the death of any though his enemies yea he used to sigh and weep when he
he merrily said Persides oculorum dolores esse That the Persian women were a disease of the eyes and yet he looked on them but on so many statues And understanding that two of his Captaines under Parmenio had ravished two of the Persian wives he wrote to him to enquire after the matter and if he found it true that he should cut of their heads as of beasts borne for the hurt of mankinde he also wrote him word that he himself was so farre from contemplating the beauty of Darius's wife that he would not so much as suffer her to be commended in his presence and that he was so careful of their chastity that they lived in his camp shut up in their tent as if they had been in a Temple Plut. Appius Claudius one of the Decemviri of Rome seeking to ravish a Virgin that was daughter to Virginius her father to preserve her chastity slew her and complaining to the souldiers whereupon that forme of Government was abolished Eutropius Pub. Scipio Africanus warring in Spain took New Carthage by storme at which time a beautiful and Noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her chastity he being but twenty four years old and so in the heat of youth hearing of it would not suffer her to come into his sight for fear of a temptation but caused her to be restored in safety to her father Aure Victor Amongst the Lacedaemonians when any maid was to be married she was laid in the dark and the groom being neither drunk nor finelier apparrelled then ordinary after his moderate supper secretly went to the place where she lay and having untied her girdle and stayed a while with her stole away to the place where he used to lie amongst other young men and thus he continued and onely sometimes met with his wife in private till he had a childe by her after which they boldly met together in the day-time This was a means to preserve chastity and modesty amongst them Plut. Cassander sending some to murther Olympias the mother of Alexander M. she met them with an unappaled countenance and without once changing colour received the sword into her bosome and finding death to approach she sat down and covering her feet with her haire and her garments she took care that nothing unseemly should appear about her body after death Diod. Sic. Aurelian an Heathen Emperour was so careful to preserve the chastity of women that one of his souldiers being found guilty of lying with his hostesse he commanded that the heads of two young trees should be bowed down and the souldiers legs tied thereto which being suddenly let go tore him into two peeces Emme the mother to King Edward the Confessour being charged for incontinency with Aldwin Bishop of Winchester to clear her self from that imputation being hoodwinked went barefoot over nine-coulters red hot in Winchester Church withoutany harme an usual kinde of trial in those dayes then called Ordalium making her chastity by so great a miracle famous to posterity Cam. Brit. p. 211. In the time when the barbarous and bloody Danes raged here in England they coming to Coldingham a Nunnery on the hither part of Scotland Ebba the Prioresse with the rest of the Nunnes cut off their own noses and lips choosing rather to preserve their Virginity from the Danes then their beauty and favour and yet for all that the Danes burnt their Monastery and them with all in it Cam. Brit. Scot. p. 10. Our Henry the sixth was so chaste a Prince that when certain Ladies presented themselves before him in a Maske with their haire loose and their breasts uncovered he being then at mans estate and unmaried immediately rose up and departed the Presence saying Fie fie forsooth you are much too blame Sp. Chron. For this is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. CHAP. XII Examples of Charity AS Husbandmen cast some of their Corne back into a fruitful soile whereby in due time they receive it back again with increase So should we do with worldly blessings sowe them in the bowels and on the backs of poor members of Christ and in the day of harvest we shall finde great increase Such laying out is a laying up our treasure in heaven Hereby we make to our selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse and though for the present it seem like bread cast upon the waters yet Solomon assures us That after many dayes we shall finde it again Eccses 11. 1. For we make God our debtour who is a sure paymaster Prov. 19. 17. Charity justifieth our faith as faith doth our persons James 2. 14 c. But yet we must look to our affections and ends in giving We must not draw forth our sheaves onely but our souls also Esay 58. 10. But on the contrary miserly muck-wormes are like the muckhill that never doth good till it be carried out like the earthen box that hath one chink to receive but never a one to let out and so doth no good till it be broken Or like the fat hog that yields no profit till he comes to the knife But that we may be the more quickened to that lovely grace of Charity observe these texts and examples following Directed Mat. 6. 1 c. 2 Cor. 9. 5 c. Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Commanded Luk. 11. 41. 12. 33. Mica 6. 8. Zach. 7. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 18. Luk. 3. 11. 1 John 3. 17. Luke 6. 36. Lev. 25. 35. Nehem. 8. 10. Rom. 12. 13. Heb. 13 16. Commended Luk. 21. 4. 2 Cor. 8. 2 c. Psal. 12. 9. Mat. 5. 7. Psal. 41. 1. Phil. 4. 16. 1 Tim. 5. 10. It must be with compassion Job 30. 25. Isa. 58. 10. Col. 3. 12. Heartily 2 Cor. 9. 7. Considerately Psal. 37. 26. 112. 5. Willingly 1 Tim. 6. 18. Chearfully Rom 12. 8 2 Cor. 9. 7. Liberally 2 Cor. 9. 6. Psal. 112. 9. Prov. 11. 25. 22. 9. Eccles. 11. 1 2 6. Luk. 6. 38. Seasonably Prov. 3. 27 28. Impartially Prov. 25. 21 22. Rom. 12. 20. Not grudgingly Deut. 15. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 9. Prov. 21. 26. Scriptural Examples Christians Act. 2. 45. 4. 34. Women Luk. 8. 23. the poor widow Mar. 12. 42. Dorcas Act. 9. 36. Paul Act. 24. 17. Cornelius Act. 10. 2. Job Chap. 31. 16 21. Barnabas Act. 4. 36 37. Zacheus Luk. 19. 8. Phebe Rom. 16. 2. Hebrews Chap. 6. 10. Philemon Verse 5 7. the virtuous woman Prov. 31. 20. Obadia 1 King 18. 13. Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1. 18. Saint Augustine was of so charirable a disposition that wanting of his own wherewith to do it he caused the ornaments of the Church to be sold and imployed the money for the redeeming of Captives and maintaining the poore Possid in vit Aug. chap. 24. Francis Russel second Earle of Bedford of
them a great reward and presently brake all the vessels in pieces and being asked the reason of it he answered Because knowing that I am soon angry I may prevent being angry with those that might hereafter break them Eras. Lib. 5. Adag Alexander Magnus being of a cholerick disposition obscured three of his greatest victories with the death of three of his friends causing Lysimachus to be cast to a Lion Clitus to be slaine with a speare and Calisthenes to be put to death Theat vitae hum King Perses being overcome by Paulus AEmilius grew into such a passion that he slew two of his Nobles which came to comfort him which so provoked the rest that they all forsooke him Theat vitae hum L. Sylla who in his anger had spilt the blood of many at last in his fury raging and crying out against one that had broken promise with him thereby brake a veine within him vomiting out his blood soul and anger together Val. Max. lib. 9. Amilcar the Carthaginian did so extreamly hate the Romanes that having four sons he used to say that he bred up those foure Lions whelps for the destruction of the Romane Empire Probus in vita Semiramis as she was dressing her head newes being brought that Babylon rebelled against her she was so incensed that in that habit her haire halfe tied up and half hanging loose she hastened to reduce it and never dressed up her head till she had subdued that great City Polyb. Tomyris Queen of Scythia having overcome and taken Cyrus King of Persia caused his head to be cut off and thrown into a bowle of blood bidding him to drink his fill for that he had so much thirsted after blood and had slaine her sonne in the Warres Val. Max. Lysander the Lacedemonian was noted to be of such an implacable disposition tbat nothing could appease his malice but the death of the person with whom he was angry whereupon it grew to a proverb That Greece could not bear two Lysanders Pez Mel. Hist. Alexander M in a drunken feast that he made after his conquest of Persia began to boast of his great victories and atchievments to the distaste of his own Captaines insomuch as one of them called Clitus speaking to another said He boasts of those victories which were purchased with other mens blood Alexander suspecting that he spake against him asked what he said and when all were silent Clitus spake of the great victories which Philip his father had gotten in Greece preferring them before these which so incensed Alexander that he bade him be gone out of his presence and when Clitus hastened not but multiplied words the King rose up in a great fury and snatching a lance out of his Squires hand therewith he thrust Clitus thorow and killed him This Clitus had formerly saved the Kings life in the battel against Darius He was an old souldier of King Philips and had performed many excellent exploits Besides his mother had nursed Alexander and he was brought up with him as his foster-brother So that Alexander when the heat of his anger was over was so enraged against himselfe for this murther that he was about with the same lance to have murthered himself if he had not been violently restrained by his servants Q. Cur. Caius Caligula was of a most malicious disposition for which end he kept two books which he called his sword and dagger wherein he wrote the names of all such as he had appointed to death He had such a chest of all sorts of the most exquisite poisons that when afterwards it was thrown into the sea by his successor Claudius it poisoned a great multitude of fishes Sueto Amilcar the Carthaginian at what time he did sacrifice being ready to take his journey into Spaine called his young son Hannibal being then but nine years old and caused him to lay his hand upon the Altar and to sweare that being come to mans estate he should pursue the Romanes with immortal hatred and work them all the mischief that possibly he could Sir W. Raw. King Edward the first of England going against Bruce King of Scotland caused his eldest sonne and all his Nobles to swear that if he died in his journey they should carry his corps about Scotland with them and not suffer it to be interred till they had vanquished the Scots and subdued the whole Kingdom Sed ira mortalium debet esse mortalis saith Lactantius Darius being offended with the Athenians for assisting his enemies he called for a bowe wherewith he shot up an arrow towards heaven saying O Jupiter grant that I may be revenged upon the Athenians He appointed also one of his servants every night when he was at supper to say to him Here memento Atheniensium Master remember the Athenians Pez Mel. Hist. Camillus a Noble Romane after many great services done for the Common-wealth was at the instigation of a wicked detractor condemned by the common people to pay a greater summe of money then he was able But he scorning such an open shame resolved to go into voluntary exile and so taking leave of his wife children and friends he went out of the City-gate but then turning again and lifting up his hands towards the Capitol he said O ye gods if it be of spite and malice that the common people thus drive me away then let them have quickly cause to repent and stand in need of me Put. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart Leviticus 19. 17. Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their wrath for it was cruel Gen. 49. 7. CHAP. XIX Examples of Patience Moderation and Meeknesse SOme of the Heathens have attained to a great eminencie in this vertue of Patience but Christians are to adde it to the number of their graces 2 Pet. 1. 6. And indeed it is that that gives a great lustre to all the rest Humility is the root whence it springs and the fruit of it is both amiable and profitable It puts and keeps a man in possession of his soul Luk. 21. 19. It makes all burthens light and is much improved by exercise Rom. 5. 3. Moses his meeknesse and Jobs patience are exemplary and so held forth in the Scripture And these which follow also may be useful to quicken us to an earnest pursuit after this so excellent a vertue Commanded Luke 21. 19. Col. 1. 11. Rom 12. 12. 1 Thes. 5. 14. Jam. 5. 7 8. c. 1 Tim. 6. 11. Heb. 10. 36. 12. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 20. Mat. 11. 29. Commanded Eccles. 7. 8. 2 Cor. 6. 4. 12. 12. 1 Tim. 3. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 24. 2 Thes. 1 4. Tit. 2. 2. Heb. 6. 12. Jam. 1 3 4. Rev. 2. 2 3 19 13. 10. 14. 12. Psal. 22. 26. 25. 9. 37. 11. 76. 9. 147. 6. 149 4. Isa. 29. 19. Mat. 5. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 4. Scriptural examples Paul 2 Cor. 6. 4. Moses Num. 12. 3.
Benjamin wept upon his neck Gen. 45. 14. Brethren unnatural Breaches amongst brethren are great Pro. 18. 19. Not to be trusted Jer. 9. 4. Mat. 10. 21. It 's a cursed thing to divide brethren Pro. 6. 19. Scriptural examples Cain Gen. 48. 1 Joh. 3. 12. Esau Gen. 27. 44. Josephs brethren Gen. 37. 18 c. Abimelech Judg. 9. 5. Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 28. Onan Gen. 38. 9. Simeon and Levi brethren in evil Gen. 49. 5. Bassianus and Geta the two sons of Severus were left by him to succeed in the Romane Empire who being at deadly feud betwixt themselves Bassianns watching his opportunity when all were at dinner came with some other cut-throats into his brother Gâ—ta's chamber and before he could provide for his own defence slew him in his mothers armes Imp. â—â—ist In the reign of Queen Mary Richard Woodmans brother joyning with his father betrayed him into the hands of his bloody persecutors whereby he suffered Martyrdome See my English Martyrology 1 4. Cambyses King of Persia seeing his brother Smerdis draw a stronger bowe then any of the reâ—â— of his Souldiers could do was in enslamed with envy against him that he caused him to be slâ—â—ne Not long after Cambyses caused a young Lion and a young Maâ—â—iffe to fight together before him but the Lion being too hard for the Dog another Whelp of the same litter brake his chaine and came in upon the Lion and so being two they were too hard for the Lion whereupon Cambyses laughed but his wife who was also his sister fell a weeping and Cambyses asking her the cause she answered Because seeing the Whelp to help his brother I thinke of Smerdis whom thou hast slain and yet he hath none to revenge his death This â—o provoked Cambyses that he slew her also Pez Mel. Hist. It hath been the constant practice of the great Turk ever since the beginning of that Empire till of late that so soon as he came to the Crown he sent and strangled all his brethren Turk Hist. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook and as the stream of brookes they passe away Job 6. 15. CHAP. XXXIV Examples of Fortitude Valour and Magnanimity WHil'st a people walk in obedience to God he hath promised that they shall chase their enemies who shall fall before them on the sword and that five of them shal chase an hundred and an hundred of them shal put ten thousand to flight Lev. 26. 7 8. Whence it appeares that the spirit of courage and valour is from the Lord who by small and weak meanes doth many times effect great and wonderfull things that the glory of all may be his We have had much experience hereof in these unhappy bloody civil warres wherein our great victories and successes have been obtained and carried on most happily when the enemy hath been most elated and our selves most weak and almost in despaire neither is this any new thing but according to Gods dealings in former times as these following Scriptures Examples will more clearly evince Exhorted to Joshua 1. 6 7. 23. 6. Phil. 1. 28. 1 Peter 3. 6. Scripturall examples Abraham Gen. 14. 14. Jacob Gen. 48. 22. Jephthah Judg. 11. 1. Gideon Judg. 6. 12. David 1 Sam. 16. 18 50. 2 Sam. 17. 8. Davids Worthies 2 Sam. 23. 8 c. and 20. 24 39. Jehoiadah 2 Sam. 23. 20. Cherethites and Pelethites 1 King 1. 8 44. the Sons of Ulam 1 Chron 8. 40. Barak Sampson c. Heb. 11. 32. Saul 1 Sam. 9. 1 2. Joab 2 Sam. 11. 6. Abishai 2 Sam. 23. 18. Jeroboam 1 King 11. 28. Jonathan 1 King 1. 42. Abner 1 Sam. 17. 55. 26. 15. the sons of Perez Neh. 11. 6. Jehu 2 Kings 9 24. Others 1 Sam. 2. 15. 1 Chron. 12. 2 Chron. 17. 16 17. 26. 13 14. In and for Religion Azariah and the Priests 2 Chron. 26. 17. Shadrach c. Dan. 3. 12 16 17. Daniel Chap. 6. 10. Joseph Matth. 27. 57. Peter and John Acts 4. 19. Steven Acts 6. 8 10. and 7. 52. Paul Acts 13. 10. and 17. 17. and 19. 30. and 21. 13. Elijah 1 King 18. 15 18 40. Micaiah 1 Kings 22. 14 19. Jehoiadah 2 King 11. 4. Elisha 2 Kings 3. 13. Other examples Darius sent a very great Army of Horse and foot in 600 Gallies against the Athenians charging his Commanders to destroy the City and bring all the people captives to him accordingly they â—ailed into Attica where landing they made grievous spoile of all before them thinking that Athens would have submitted so soon as they came near them but the Athenians choosing Miltiades for their Generall sent him forth with ten thousand Citizens and one thousand Auxiliaries who marching to Marathon about two leagues from Athens encountered with the great Army of the Persians charging them so furiously that they prevented the throwing of their darts and enforced them to run away like sheep to their Navy and after a great carnage they burnt and took many of their ships also At this time Themistocles being a very young man shewed much valour and dexterity in the battel Justin. Also in this battel Cynaegirus an Athenian shewed such incomparable valour that pursuing the Persians to then ships when some of them were putting off from the shore he caught hold of one of the ships with his right hand holding it till his hand was cut off then did he lay hold on it with his left hand till that also was cut off and then he caught hold of it with his teeth Iustin. Xerxes sending his Ambassadours to Lacedaemon and Athens requiring them to send him earth and water in token of their homage they out of greatnesse of spirit scorning the message took his Ambassadours and threw some of them into a Jakes others into a pit of water bidding them to take earth and water from thence if they pleased to carry to their Lord. Pezel Mel. Hist. The Lacedemonians in their publick feasts had alwayes three dances The first of old men who sang We have been young and strong and valiant heretofore Till crooked age did hold us back and bid us do no more The second of young men who sang We yet are young bold strong and ready to maintaine That quarrel still against all men that do on earth remain The third of children who sang And we do hope as well to passe you all at last And that the world shall witnesse be ere many yeares be past In their warres they assaulted their enemies very fiercely and never gave over till the flight of their enemies had assured them of the victory and then they quickly and quietly retreated into their camp judging it unworthy their manhood and an ignoble action to kill and hew in pieces men once scattered and out of order this much surthered their victories their enemies being upon their flight secured from further danger Plut. When Alexander M. had put Calisthenes to death he suspected Lysimachus another of his
a great sinner against God and I know not how to die nor to appear before God in Judgment These are said his brother melancholy thoughts and withal made a jest at them The King replyed nothing for the present But the custom of the Country was that if the Executioner came and sounded a Trumpet before any mans door he was presently to be led to execution The King in the dead time of the night sends the headsman to sound his Trumpet before his brothers door who hearing it and seeing the messenger of Death springs in pale and trembling into his brothers presence beseeching him to tell him wherein he had offended O brother replyed the King you have never offended me And is the sight of my Executioner so dreadful and shall not I that have greatly and grievously offended fear to be brought before the Judgement-Seat of Christ In the Isle of Man the women whensoever they go abroad gird themselves about with their winding sheets wherein they purpose to be buried to mind them of their mortality Camb. Brit. of Man p. 205. At one end of the Library of Dublin was a globe and at the other end a skelleton to shew that though a man was Lord of all the world yet he must die C. Marius in his 7th Consulship being about 70 years old yet finding his death approaching cryed out and complained of his hard Fortune for cutting off the third of his life before his counsells and desires were accomplished Sab. Pope Anastasius as he was easing nature in a sakes voided his bowels and dyed miserably Graâ—i The AEgyptians in their Funeral Orations never commended any man for his riches or Nobility because they were but the goods of Fortune but for his Justice and piety whereby they thought to stirre up the living to the imitation of his virtues Fulgos. The Grecians had a Law that no man should bestow more workmanship upon a Monument then might be finished by ten men in 3. daies Artemesia Q. of Halicarnassus when her husband Mausolus died bestowed so much cost and curiosity upon his Tomb as that it was counted one of the seven wonders of the world Suidas By an ancient Law amongst the Romans it was enacted that no man should bestow more labour about a Sepulchre then might be finshed in three or five dayes at the most and that none should have a bigger Pillar erected for him then would contain his just praises and the titles of his honour Cicero St. Augustines wish was that when the Lord came to take him out of this world he might find him aut precantem aut praedicantem either praying or Preaching The Death of the Righteous is the forerunner of judgment Methusalem died in that very year in which the Flood came Augustine was taken away by death immediately before Hippo the place of his dwelling was sacked by the Vandals Paraeus before the taking of Heidelberg by the Spaniards The death of Ambrose was the forerunner of the ruine of Italy and Luther died a little before the wars brake forth in Germany which himself foretold at his death And holy Mr. Whately a little before the plundering and burning of Banbury in the beginning of our late Civil wars The Righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come Isai. 57. 1. CHAP. LXVII Examples of Detraction Slandering Backbiting IT 's a great sin 2 Cor. 12. 20. Rom. 1. 30. Prov. 10. 18. Complained of Psal. 31. 13. 50. 20. Jer. 6. 28. 9. 4. How prevented Prov. 25. 23. Such are not of the number of Gods children Psal. 15. 3. Ought to be punished Psal. 101. 5. Scriptural Examples Jeremy slandered by the wicked Jews Jer. 18. 18. The Jews Ezra 4. 4 c. Nehemiah Chap. 2. 19. 6. 6 c. Ziba 2 Sam. 19. 27. The Spies Num. 14. 36. Some slandered the Apostles Rom. 3 8. Solon enacted a Law amongst the Athenians that none should speak evil of the dead nor of the living especially in the Temples in the time of Divine Service nor in the Councel Chamber of the City nor in the publick Theaters and that upon pain of three Drachmes to the party injured and two to the common treasury Plut. Alexander M. when he heard any about him traducing his enemy would stop one of his eares that he might preserve it from prejudice in hearing the other party Dion of Syracuse when he was admonished to take heed of two of his familiar friends as though they intended to slay him answered That he had rather die then to suspect his friends or to put them in fear of a violent death as if they were his enemies Val. Max. Amongst the Romans there was a Law That if any servant being set free slandered his former Master he might bring him into bondage again and take from him all the favours he had bestowed upon him Alex. ab Alex. There was also another Law that if any servant detracted from his Master his Master might banish him out of the Confines of Rome Idem Vespasian and Titus were such enemies to detractors and slanderers that if any were found guilty thereof they caused them to be whipt about the City that others thereby might be deterred from the like practices Domitian the Emperour though otherwise a most vile man yet could not endure slanderers but banished them out of the City saying that they which do not punish slanderers encourage them Platina Antoninus Pius made a Law That if any Backbiter could not prove what he reported of another he should be put to death Alex. Nerva made a Law That if any servants slandered their Masters they should be put to death as ingrateful persons Idem St. Augustine to shew his hatred to detractors caused this Distich to be written on his Table Quisquis amat dictis absentem rodere amicum Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi He that doth love an absent friend to jeer May hence depart no room is for him here Frederick Emperour of Germany having some letters brought to him which were written by Gasper Schliâ—kius of Newburg and directed to sundry Hungarians some Flatterers about the Emperour perswaded him to break them open suggesting that there might be Treason contained in them To whom the Emperour nobly answered I judge Gasper an honest man and my friend If I be deceived I had rather that the evil should appear by his own carriage then that it should be searched out by my overmuch diligence being provoked thereto by your suspitions or slanders AEn Sylvius Nero that Monster of men when he had set Rome on fire which burned nine daies to transfer the Odium from himself he by his slanders thought to lay the fault upon the Christians as if they had done it out of malice whereupon he raised the first general Persecution against them See my Gen. Martyrology p. 31. Under the second Persecution the