which Preacheth Christ must alwaies have a Tongue to be the Minister The Captain at this grew even distracted suspecting that the Hangman had deceived him by some slight of hand and had not cut his Tongue off If you suppose so saith the Executioner open his mouth and you may see the Roots of his Tongue Whereupon the Captain being even confounded at the courage and constancy of the Martyr commanded him to be brought back to Prison and to be strangled where his sorrowful life and pains ended together and he received the Crown of Martyrdom Acts and Monuments 1 Part. About this time one Gordius a Centurion upon professing himself to be a Christian was apprehended and boldly acknowledged That he believed in Christ and valued not what they could inflict on him for this his Profession then did the Sheriff call for Scourges Gibbets and all manner of Torments to whom Gordius said That it would be a loss and damage to him if he did not suffer divers torments and punishments for Christ and his Cause The Sheriff more incensed hereby commanded all those torments to be inflicted on him with which Gordius was nothing disturbed but sung The Lord is my helper I will not fear what Man can do unto me I will fear no evil because thou Lord art with me Then he blamed the Tormentors for favouring of him provoking them to do their utmost the Sheriff not prevailing that way sought by flattery to seduce him promising him Preferment Riches and Honour if he would deny Christ but Gordius derided him as foolishly mad saying That he looked for greater preferment in Heaven than he could give him here on Earth He was then condemned and carryed out of the City to be burnt multitudes followed him and some kissing him intreated him with Tears to pity himself to whom he answered Weep not I pray you for me but weep for the Enemies of God who fight against the Christians weep I say for them who prepare a fire for us purchasing Hell fire thereby for themselves in the day of vengeance and cease I pray you thus to molest my setled and quiet mind for truly for the name of Christ I am ready to suffer a thousand deaths Others persuaded him to deny Christ with his mouth and to keep his conscience to himself My Tongue saith he which by God's goodness I have cannot be brought to deny the Author and giver of the same for with the heart we believe unto Righteousness and with the Tongue we confess unto Salvation And thus persuading and incouraging the People to be willing to die in the like Cause with an unappaled countenance he gave up his body to the Flames Acts and Monuments 1. P. Menas also a Souldier by profession forsook all and went into a Desart where he gave himself to Fasting Prayer Meditation and Reading of the Scriptures at last returning into the City of Cotis when the People were at their pastimes he with a loud voice proclaimed himself to be a Christian and thereupon was carryed before the President and being demanded concerning his Faith he said It is convenient that I confess God in whom is light and no darkness For with the heart we believe to Righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation Then he was tormented with divers Tortures which he regarded not saying There is nothing in my mind that can be compared to the Kingdom of Heaven neither is all the world if it were weâ—ghed in a ballance comparable to the price of one soul And farther said Who can separate us from the Love of Christ Can Tribulation or Auguish c. And again I have learned of my Lord Christ not to fear them that can kill the Body and have no power to kill the Soul Having endured a multitude of Torments he received Sentence of Death and at the place of Execution he said I give thee thanks my Lord God who hast aceepted me to be a partaker of thy precious Death and hast not suffered me to be devoured of my fierce Enemies but hast made me constant in thy True Faith unto the end And so he lost his Head but found a Crown of Glory Acts and Monuments 1. P. Amongst others forty young Gentlemen that were Souldiers freely confessed themselves to be Christians declaring to the Marshal their names who being amazed at their boldness was in doubt what to do he endeavoured with flatteries and promises of preferment to win them persuading them to consider their youth not to change a pleasant life for a painful untimely death But they couragiously replied They neither desired money honour nor life but only the Coelestial Kingdom of Christ for the love of which they were ready to endure the Wheel Cross Fire or any other Torment The Marshal being much offended herewith devised a new Torment for espying a Pond in the Street that lay open to the North-wind it being in the cold Winter time he caused them to be put into it all night but they being joyful comforted one another as they put off their Cloaths saying We put not off now our Old Cloaths but our Old Man corrupted with the deceits of concupiscence for which we bless and praise God for by means of the Serpent we once put on the Old Man but by the means of Jesus Christ we now put him off Then were they brought naked and put into the vehement cold water where they were kept till the morning so that all their Members were stark and stiff therewith and as soon as it was day they having breath yet remaining in them were brought to the fire wherein they were consumed to Ashes which were thrown into the Flood It happened that one of the company being more lively and not so near death as the rest the Executioners pitied him and delivered him to his Mother who stood by to save his life but she led him to the piles of Wood where the other starved creatures lay ready to be burnt admonishing and exhorting him to accomplish the Blessed Journey he had taken in hand which accordingly he did and was burnt with his Companions Acts Monu A noble Virgin also named Eulalia suffered about this time she was not above twelve years of Age and had great offers of Marriage made to her but she observing the courage of the Christians was very desirous to join her self with them for which end she prayed fervently to God for strength and faith to enable her thereunto but her Religious Parents fearing that her zeal might make her guilty of her own death kept her close at their Country house a great way from the City where she continued for a while but at last detesting any delay she went from her Fathers house by night and travelled all alone through by-ways with much danger and weariness toward the City whither she came in the morning and going before the Judge with a loud voice she said What ashame is it for you thus wickedly to
that notwithstanding all the help of Chirurgery he died soon after and that in a very sad condition for he cursed and blasphemed to the last gasp and his last breath passed out of his body with an horrid Oath to the terrour of all that beheld him and herein did the Divine Justice remarkably appear in that his own hand which had written those Blasphemies was made an Instrument to punish that head and brain which had wickedly devised them Beards Theatre III. In the year 1527. A young Italian esteemed a man very brave and valiant in Arms was to fight with another young man who because he was melancholy and spake very little was called Forchebene they went together with a great company to the Place appointed which was without the Port of St. Gall whither being come a friend to the former went to him and said God give you the Victory the proud young man adding blasphemy to his Temerity answered How shall he chuse but give it me They came to use their weapons and after many blows given and taken both by the one and the other Forchebene being become as the Minister and Instrument of God gave him a thrust in the mouth with such force that having fastened his Tongue to the Poll of his Neck where the Sword went thorow above the length of a Span he made him 〈…〉 the Sword remaining in his Mouth to the end that the Tongue which had so grievously offended might even in this world endure punishment for so horrible a sin L. Remys Consid c. 59. IV. Another of our own Nation is not to be overpassed who for Atheism may be compared to the former and for God's severe Judgment upon him may give place to none It was a Gentleman in Bark-shire whose Name I forbear to mention This man had a great Estate but was an open Scoffer and Contemner of all Religion a profest Atheist and a Scorner of the Word and Sacraments insomuch that I have heard it very credibly reported that being Witness to the Baptizing of a Child he would needs have it named Beelzebub He was likewise given to all manner of Debauchery keeping several notorious Strumpets openly in his House without shame He was so accustomed to Swearing that he could scarce speak without an Oath This miserable Man or rather Brute having continued long in this damnable course of life at last Divine Vengeance found him out for going one day a hunting with one of his Companions As they were discoursing of divers Idle Stories it pleased Almighty God to strike him with sudden death for falling suddenly on the Crupper of his Horse backward he was taken off stark dead with his Tongue hanging out of his Mouth in a very fearful manner and became a terrible Example of God's Justice against all wicked Atheists Beards Theatre V. Cluverius an Author worthy of credit who professeth that he had this Relation not only by hear-say but from Eye-witnesses who saw it gives this wonderful Account That in the Month of March 1632 there lived in the Borders of Muscovia a Noble-man by Office a gatherer of Tribute or Taxes by name Albertus Periâ—scius his manner was when poor men could not presently pay their Taxes to distrain upon their Cattle and drive them to his own home Now it came to pass that this Noble-man being from home lost all his unjust gains in one 〈…〉 for all his Cattle both those he had taken by Violence and what he had bought with his Money suddenly dyed This wretched man coming home was told â— his Wife and Servants what a fearful Judgment from God was befallen him whereat he began to rage and rave extreamly and taking his Musquet shot it up against Heaven breaking forth into these blasphemous speeches Let him that killed my attle devour them If thou wouldest not let me eat them eat them thy self Upon these furious barkings against God there fell some drops of blood and this wicked man was turned into a black Dog and howling he raâ— to the dead Cattle and began to feed upon them and for ought I know saith mine Author who wrote this story presently after is yet feeding upon them His Wife great with Child being astonished and terrified with the strangeness of God's Judgments shortly after died Clark's Exam. 1 Part. VI. Simon Churmay in 1201. having most subtilly and acutely disputed about the Trinity some of his familiar friends persuaded him to put it into writing that so the memorial of such excellent things might not be lost whereupon he proudly brake forth into this Atheistical speech O Jesule Jesule c. O little Jesus little Jesus how much have I confirmed and advanced thy Law in this Question but if I had a mind to deal crosly I know how with stronger Reasons and Arguments to weaken and disprove the same Which was no sooner spoken but he was strucken dumb and not only so but he became an Ideot and ridiculously foolish and was made a common hissing and mocking-stock to all that saw him Mat. Paris Not much unlike this is that of Michael a blasphemous Jew who as he was banquetting with his Companions fell to blaspheming Christ and his Mother boasting That he had gotten the Victory over the Christians God but as he went down Stairs out of the Room he fell down and brake his Neck Fincelius Miserable was the end of Perieres who writ a blasphemous Book wherein he openly mocked at God and all Religion for he fell into most desperate despair and notwithstanding strict watch was kept about him yet he killed himself 〈…〉 the year 1502. there lived one Hermanus Biswick a Grand Atheist and a notable Instrument of the Devil who affirmed That the World never had a beginning as foolish Moses dreamed and that there were neither Angels nor Devils nor Hell nor future a Life but that the Souls of Men perished with their Bodies and that Jesus Christ was nothing else but a Seducer of the People and that the Faith of Christians and whatever else was contained in the Holy Scriptures was meer vanity These Opinions full of Atheism and Impiety he was so hardened in that he constantly avouched them to the death and was for the same together with his Books deservedly burnt in Holland Theat Hist VII A certain Rich man at Halterstadt in Germany abounding with all manner of worldly happiness he gave up his whole Soul in delighting therein so that he had no sense of Heaven or Religion yea he was so Atheistical as to say That if he might lead such a life continually upon the Earth he would not envy those that enjoyed Heaven ner desire to exchange his condition with them But soon after it pleased God contrary to his expectation to cut him off by death and so the pleasures which he doated on came to an end But after his death there were seen such Diabolical Apparitions in his House that no man durst inhabit it so that it became desolate For every
day there appeared the Form of this Epicure sitting with a great many Guests drinking carousing and making good Cheer the Table being furnished seemingly with all manner of Delicacies and attended on by many Persons together with Fidlers Trumpeters and the like so that whatever he delighted in while he was alive was there daily to be seen God permitting Satan to deceive mens sight by such Appearances to deter others from living in such a course of Atheism and Impiety Theat Hist VIII At a Village called Benarides in Spain two young men one whereof was noted to be an outragious Swearer and Blasphemer of God's Holy Name being together in the Fields on a sudden there arose a terrible Tempest of Rain and Wind accompanied with so impetuous a Whirlwind that it amazed all that beheld it the two young men seeing it furiously coming toward them to avoid the danger ran away as fast as they could possible but notwithstanding their haste it overtook them and for fear it should carry them up into the Air they fell flat down upon the ground where the Whirlwind whilked about them for some time and then passed forward one of them arose so affrighted and in such an Agony that he was scarce able to stand on his feet the other lying still without motion some that stood under an hedge hard by came to see how he did and found him to be stark dead not without some wonderful symptoms of Divine Justice for all his bones were so crushed that the Joynts of his Legs and Arms were to be turned every way as though his whole Body had been made of Moss and besides his Tongue was pluckt out by the roots and could not by any means be found though it was diligently sought for and this was the miserable end of this wretched youth who was made an Example to the World of God's Vengeance against Swearers and Blasphemers Beards Theatre IX Mirtiques Governour of Brittany in France in the War against the Protestants persuaded them to yield to the King since their strong God had now forsaken them and scoffingly said It was time for them to sing Help us now O Lord for it is time but he soon found that their strong God was able to defend them and to confound the Proud he himself being presently after slain in the Siege Acts Mon. Remarkable is the Relation of one Libanius who was a Sophistical Atheist he being at Antioch demanded blasphemously of a Learned and Religious Shoolmaster What the Carpenters Son did and how he employed himself To whom the Schoolmaster full of the Divine Spirit replyed The Creator of the World whom thou disdainfully callest the Carpenters Son is making a Coffin for thee to carry thee to thy Grave at which the Sophister laughing went away and within few daies after died and was buried in a Coffin according to the Prophecy of that Holy Man Beards Theatre In the 〈…〉 an Arrian Bishop called Olympius being in the Baths of Carthage openly scoffed and blasphemed the Holy and Sacred Trinity but Lightning fell down from Heaven upon him three times wherewith he was burnt and consumed to Ashes There was also in the time of Alphonsus King of Arragon and Sicily in an Isle toward Africa a certain prophane Hermite called Antonius who impudently and impiously belched out blasphemous speeches against our Blessed Saviour and the Virgin Mary his Mother but he was struck with a most grievous and tormenting Disease so that he was eaten and gnawn to pieces with Worms till he died Aeneas Sylvius X. Neither hath Divine Vengeance left itself without witness against Cursers and those who by denying God give themselves to the Devil as may plainly appear â—y the following dreadful Examples A Souldier travelling through Marcia a Country of Almaign and finding himself not well went to an Inn where he lay to recover his health and delivered to his Hostess a certain sum of money which he had about him A while after being recovered of his Sickness he demanded his money again but the Woman upon consultation with her Husband denied the receipt of any and accused him of wronging her in demanding what she never received On the other side the Souldier was much enraged accusing her of cheating him when the Man of the House heard the noise though he was privy to all before yet he dissembling the matter took his Wife's part and thrust the Souldier out of doors who seeing himself thus abused drew his Sword and ran against the door with the point thereof whereat the Host began to cry out Thieves Thieves affirming that he would have entred his House by force and have robbed him whereupon the poor Souldier was taken and cast into Prison and by process of Law was ready to be condemned to death but the very day wherein this heavy Sentence was to be pronounced and Executed the Devil entred into the Prison and told the Souldier That he was condemned 〈…〉 dye nevertheless if he would give himself Body and Soul to him he would promise to deliver him out of their hands The Prisoner replyed That he had rather dye being innocent and without cause than to be delivered upon that account The Devil then represented to him the great danger of death wherein he was and used all manner of craft to delude him but finding all his Arguments uneffectual he at length left his suit but yet promised him both assistance and revenge upon his Enemies for nothing advising him when he came to his Tryal he should plead not guilty and declare his innocence and the wrong which he suffered and to entreat the Judge to grant him the favour That one in a Blew Cap who was in the Court might make his Defence for him now this one in the Blew Cap was the Devil himself The Souldier accepted his offer and being called to the Bar and Indicted of Felony he presently desired to have his Attorney who was there present to plead his Cause which being granted him this witty crafty Lawyer began very cunningly to defend his Client affirming him To have been falsly accused and consequently would be unjustly condemned and that his Host did withhold the money and had offered him violence and to demonstrate the Truth of what he asserted he reckoned up every Circumstance of the whole Action yea the very place where they had hid they money The Host on the other side very impudently denied all wishing withal That the Devil might take him Body and Soul if he had This subtil Attorney in the Blew Cap finding now the advantage which he had hitherto looked for left off his pleading and immediately seizing upon the Host carryed him out of the Sessions-House and hoisted him into the Air so high that he was never after seen nor heard of And thus was the Souldier wonderfully delivered from death to the astonishment of all the Beholders who were Eye-witnesses of this terrible Judgment upon this perjured cursing Host Wierus of Spirits lib. 3. XI
his own Fingers in the madness of his Distemper Arnoldus likewise who was accessary hereunto was assaulted in a Monastery butchered and his Carcass thrown into the Town-Ditch Chetwind Hist Collect. 1 part p. 21. XVI One Philibert Hamlin a Popish Priest in France was in the year 1557. Converted to the Protestant Religion and thereupon went to Geneva where he exercised the Art of Printing and published many Books After which he was made a Minister of the Reformed Religion and Preached with good success at the Town of Aleuart and other places At last he with his Host a Priest whom he had Instructed in the Protestant Profession were apprehended and cast into Prison at Burdeaux and whilst they lay there in came a Priest with all his Accoutrements to say Mass But Philibert inflamed with Zeal against such ridiculous Fopperies went and pluckt the Garments from his back and overthrew the Chalice and Candlesticks saying Is it not enough for you to blaspheme God in the Churches but you must also pollute the Prison with your Idolatry The Jaylor seeing this fell upon him and beat him with his Staff and also removed him into a Dungeon loading him with Irons which made his Leggs to swell where he lay eight daies The Priest his Host terrified with the Prison and fear of Death renounced his Profession and was set at Liberty whereupon Philibert said to him O unhappy and more than miserable man is it possible that you should be so foolish as for to save your life a few daies you should so start away from and deny the Truth know you therefore that although you have hereby avoided the Corporal Fire yet your life shall be never the longer for you shall die before me and yet shall not have the honour to die for the Cause of God and you shall be an Example to all Apostates Having ended his Speech and the Priest going out of Prison he was presently slain by two Gentlemen who formerly had a quarrel against him Philibert hearing of it protested seriously That he knew â—f no such thing before but spoke as it pleased God to guide 〈◊〉 Tongue Philibert being condemned and carryed to 〈…〉 they endeavoured to drown his voice by sounding of Trumpets and so in the midst of the Flames praying and exhorting the People to Constancy in the Truth he rendred up his Soul unto God Clarks Martyrol p. 228. XVII When by the counsel and persuasion of Philip the Fair King of France Pope Clement the Fifth had condemned the whole Order of the Knights Templars and in divers places had put many of them to death there was a Neopolitan Knight brought to suffer in like manner who espying the Pope and the K. of France looking out at a window he with a loud voice spake to them as followeth Clement Thou cruel Tyrant seeing there is none now left among Mortals unto whom I may make my Appeal as to that grievous Death whereunto thou hast most unjustly condemned me I do therefore appeal unto the Just Judge Christ our Redeemer unto whose Tribunal I cite thee together with King Philip that you both may make your Appearance there within a year and a day where I will then open and defend my cause Pope Clement died within the time and King Philip soon after him in 1214. Lipsius Mon. l. 2. XVIII A Master of the Tâ—â—tonick Order whose name saith our Author I forbear to mention proposed a Match between a young Merchant and a Woman of a doubtful Fame in respect of her Chastity the young Man refused the overture and the rather because he that persuaded the Marriage was supposed to be no hater of the Woman the Master resented this refusal so ill that he determined the life of the refuser should pay for it he therefore contrived that the young Man should be accused of Theft for which being condemned he commanded he should be hanged prayers and tears were of no avail and therefore the innocent had recourse to the safest Sanctuary of innocency and as he was led to Execution said with a loud voice I suffer unjustly and therefore appeal to the supream Lord of Life and Death to whom he that hath so unjustly condemned me shall render an account thirteen days after this very day The Master scoffed at this but upon that same thirteenth day being taken with a sudden sickness he cryed out Miserable Man that I am behold I must dye and this day must I appear before the All-seeing Judge and so died presently after Wanly Hist Man XIX A poor Labourer at Calice who had been an hearer of Mr. Adam Damlip a famous Protestant Preacher at Calice when it was in the hands of the English said among some Company That he would never believe the Priest could make the Lords Body at his pleasure whereupon he was accused and condemned by one Harvey a Commissary there who also with opprobrious and abusive words railed upon him calling him Heretick and saying He should die a vile death the poor Man answered That he was no Heretick but one that held the True Faith of Christ and whereas thou sayest said he that I shall die a vile death thou thy self shalt die a vile death and that shortly The poor Man was burnt and Harvey within half an year after was hanged drawn and quartered for Treason Clarks Martyr p. 427. XX. In Sweden Johannes Turso gave Sentence upon a certain Man that he should lose his head who when all other defence was denied him fell down on his knees and with great earnestness spake as followeth Behold I die unjustly and I cite thee unjust Judge to Gods Tribunal there to answer for my head within this hour These were looked upon as frivolous words but scarce was the Man beheaded by the Executioner when the Judge himself fell down dead from his Horse Delrio Disquisit l. 4. Otho the first Emperor of Rome being freely reprehended by his Son William who was then Bishop of Mentz for his Marriage with Adelaida the Emperor was so offended that he sent his Son to Prison whereupon the Bishop cited his Father Otho to the Tribunal of Christ And said he upon Whitsunday both of us shall appear before the Lord Christ where by Divine Judgment it shall appear who hath transgressed the limits of his duty In pursuance of this appeal the Emperor Otho died upon Whitsunday suddenly in Saxony his Son the Bishop deceasing some short time before Drevel Op. XXI Rodulphus Duke of Ausiria being grievously offended with a certain Knight caused him to be apprehended and being bound hand and foot and thrust into a Sack to be thrown into the River the Knight being in the Sack and it as yet not sown up espying the Duke looking out at a Window where he stood to behold that spectacle cryed out to him with a loud voice Duke Rodulph I summon thee to appear at the dreadful Tribunal of Almighty God within the compass of one year there to shew cause
and stabbed himself into the breast his Friends observing him to shrink down and the water discoloured with his blood ran to him took him up carried him to the next house and searched his wound but whil'st they were busie about him he espied a knife by one of their sides whereupon he plucked it forth and suddenly stabbed himself into the heart whereby he miserably died Acts Monuments XXI The Chancellor Oliver having against his Conscience renounced the Protestant Religion in France was restored to his former Estate and afterward became a very violent Persecutor shedding much innocent blood but such a fearful Judgment was denounced against him by those innocent Souls whom he condemned as struck him into so great dread and terrour that he presently fell sick and was surprized with such extream melancholy that sobbing out deep sighs and murmurings continually against God he so afflicted his half dead body that he was like a distracted Person yea his fits were so vehement that he would shake the Bed as if he had been young and strong and when a certain Cardinal came to visit him in his extremity he could not abide his sight his pains increasing thereby but cried out That it was the Cardinal who brought them all to damnation When he had been long tormented in this manner at last in extream anguish and terrour he gave up the Ghost Beards Theatre XXII King Henry the Fourth of France who had all his life time before been a Protestant yet after he came to the Crown of France when he had almost subdued all his Enemies which opposed him therein suddenly turned Papist not long after as he was taking his leave of his Nobles to begin his progress one John Castile influenced by the Jesuits intended to have stabbed him into the Body with a Knife but the King at the same instant stooping down to take up one of his Lords who was on his knees before him the blow happened upon his upper Jaw cutting out one of his Teeth and somewhat wounding his Tongue it is reported that in his Progress a Protestant Minister in private conference said unto him Sir you have denied God with your Tongue already and have now received a wound in the same take heed of denying him with your heart lest you receive a wound in that also which afterward proved a true Prophecy for riding abroad in his Coach to refresh himself as he passed through a narrow Street one Ravillack watched 〈…〉 portunity and with a Dagger stabbed him first into the left Pap and with a second blow struck him between the fifth and sixth Rib cutting asunder the vein which leads to the heart of which wound he immediately dyed De Serres Fr. Hist XXIII Among those who were most cruel in persecuting the poor Protestants at Valence in France at the same time when two Ministers of that City suffered Martyrdom there was one Lambespine a Councillor of the Parliament at Grenoble and one Porsennas the Kings Attorney who had formerly been Protestants but were now very active against them but they were both made dreadful Examples of Divine Vengeance for Lambespine falling in Love with a young Woman was so extreamly passionate therein that he left his Estate and Imployment to follow her up and down whithersoever she went and still seeing his love and labour despised and slighted he pined away with grief and grew so neglectful and careless of himself that multitudes of Lice bred and fed upon him so that he could no way be freed from them for they continually increased and issued out from all parts of his Body in such great numbers as Worms upon a rotten Carkass so that seeing his own misery feeling Gods heavy vengeance upon him he began to despair of mercy and was therefore desperately resolved to starve himself to death which purpose the Lice seemed to further for they clustered so thick in his Throat as if they would have choaked him every moment neither could he suffer any sustenance to pass down by reason of them and when some of his Friends being moved with compassion were resolved to force him to eat providing broths to that purpose he refused and strove against them so that they were forced to bind his Arms and put a Gag into his Mouth to keep it open while they poured in the food and being thus Gagged he died like a mad Beast the abundance of Lice that went down his throat choaking him which was so terrible an example that the very Papists themselves said As he had caused the Ministers of Valence to have Gags thrust into their mouths and so to be put to death so likewise he himself died with a Gag in his mouth Hist Fr. Persecut XXIV As for Porsennas commonly called Bourreel who was indeed a very Butcher to the poor Protestants After he had sold his own Estate and likewise his Wives and Friends to raise money to buy his Place hoping soon to get a great deal more by his accursed Office he found himself mightily disappointed whereby he shortly after fell into despair of God's Mercy and likewise into a strange and unknown Disease neither could those whom he had put to death depart out of his mind but he still imagined they presented themselves before him so that as one deprived of his reason he denied and defied the Almighty and called upon the Devil in a most horrible manner which his Clerk hearing he discoursed to him of the Mercies of God out of several places of Scripture to comfort and restore his decayed senses but instead of Returning to God by Repentance and Prayer he continued more obstinate and called to his Clerk saying Stephen Stephen Thou art black so I am and it please you quoth he but I am neither Turk nor Moor but a Gascoigne with red Hair No no said he not so but thou art black with sin That is true quoth he but I hope in the bountiful mercy of God that for the Love of Christ who died for me my black sins shall not be imputed to me Upon which he being more inraged called his Clerk Lutheran Hugonot Villain c. desiring his Friends who rushed in at the noise that Stephen should presently have bolts clapt on his Legs and be burnt for an Heretick In brief his Rage and Fury increased so much that in a short time he died a fearful death with horrible howlings and outcryes his Creditors scarce giving time to draw his Carcass out of his Bed before they seized upon all his Goods not leaving his poor Wife and Children so much as a Bed of Straw to lye on so grievous was the Curse of God upon him and his House Hist Persecut XXV A Smith in King Edward the Sixth's Time called Richard Denson was a zealous Professor of Religion and by his Christian Instructions the happy Instrument of converting a Young Man to the Faith Afterward in the Reign of Queen Mary this Young Man was cast into Prison for his Religion
done yet the Gate of Mercy is not quite shut heap not sin upon sin lest thou repentest when it is too late Now was Spira in a Maze not knowing which way to turn and when he came home he acquainted his Friends with what he had done at Venice and what he had promised to do there and how the terrours of God on the one side and the terrours of the World on the other did continually torment him they without more ado advised and by divers Arguments persuaded him to do what he had promised whereupon going to the Mayor he offered to do what was enjoyned him by the Legate but all that night the miserable Man was vexed with restless cares without a minute of sleep yet the next morning he gets up and desperately went into the publick Congregation and in the presence of the whole Assembly he recited his infamous abjuration of the Protestant Profession after which he was fined thirty pieces of Gold and so restored to his Dignities Goods Wife and Children As soon as he was departed he thought he heard this dreadful Sentence Thou wicked wretch thou hast denied me thou hast renounced the Covenant of thine Obedience thou hast broken thy Vow hence Apostate bear with thee the Sentence of thine Eternal Damnation Spira trembling and quaking afflicted in body and mind fell down in a swound and from that time forward he never found any ease or peace in his mind but professed That he was captivated under the revenging hand of the Almighty God that he continually heard the Sentence of Christ the just Judge against him when his Friends brought him able Physicians he said Alas poor men how far are you wide it is neither Plaister nor Drugs that can cure a wounded Soul cast down with the sense of Sin and the Wrath of God it 's Christ only that must be the Physician and the Gospel the sole Antidote he was about fifty years of Age his understanding active quick of apprehension witty in discourse above his ordinary manner he refused nourishment which his Friends forcing upon him he was very angry crying out You strive to make me tire out this misery I would fain be at an end O that I were gone from hence that some body would let out this weary Soul One asked what he conceived to be the cause of his disease upon which he brake out into a lamentable discourse of the passages formerly related and that with such passionate expressions as made many weep and most tremble his Friends minded him of several promises out of the Scripture and of many examples of Gods Mercy My Sins saith he are greater than the Mercy of God for I am one of those damned Reprobates whom God would not have to be saved since I willingly and against my knowledge denied Christ and I feel that he hardens me and will not suffer me to hope one time seeing a knife on the Table he snatched it up to have mischieved himself had not his Friends prevented it whereupon he said I would I were above God for I know that he will have no mercy upon me in this condition he lay about eight weeks in a continual burning neither desiring nor receiving any thing but by force and that without digestion was like an Anatomy vehemently raging for drink ever pining and yet fearful to live long dreadful of Hell yet coveting Death in a continual Torment yet his own Tormentor and thus consuming himself with Grief and Horrour Impatience and Despair like a living Man in Hell he represented an extraordinary example of Gods Justice and Power and thus he ended his miserable life Clarks Mirrour XXXI It is observable that most or all of those Roman Emperors who raised those ten horrid Persecutions against the Christians came to very untimely ends neither hath Divine Justice spared others since who have set themselves to destroy poor innocent Christians meerly upon the account of their Religion of which Histories give many remarkable instances and among the rest these that follow A Councillor of the Parliament of Provence in France was so furious against the poor Protestants that the sooner to dispatch them to the fire he usually staid in the Judgment Hall from morning till night causing his meat and drink to be brought him thither but whilst he was thus wickedly industrious in these Affairs there began a little sore to rise upon his Foot which at first was no more than if a Wasp had stung the place yet increased so extreamly the first day with redness and pain that his whole foot was inflamed therewith so that it was judged incurable unless he would cut off his foot and thereby save the rest of his Body which he not yielding to the next day his whole leg was infected the third day his thigh and the fourth his whole body was inflamed of which he presently died his Corps being all parched as if rosted by a Fire thus he that was so hot in burning poor Christians was himself by the secret flame of Gods Wrath burnt and consumed to death as if it had been by a fierce and tormenting fire Hist France lib. 2. XXXII John Mesnier Lord of Oppede was another chief instrument against the Protestants in France and led his murthering Army against them where they committed such horrid Cruelties and Barbarities as the most outragious Heathens in the world would have blushed at insomuch that abundance of complaints were made against him and he accordingly summoned to appear personally before the Parliament at Paris there to answer those Murders Extortions Robberies and other Villanies laid to his Charge but being Convicted and found Guilty thereof he was not only released but restored to his former Estate but though he escaped the hands of Men yet he was overtaken by the hand of God for when he was in the height of worldly prosperity and busier than ever in persecuting the distressed Protestants even then a flux of blood came through his privy parts which engendred a carnosity and thickness of flesh therein and thereby hindered his Urine so that with horrible outcries and raving speeches he gave up the Ghost feeling as it were a burning fire broyling his Intrails from his Navil upwards and an extream infection putrifying his lower parts and beginning to tast even in this life as it were that vengeance of Eternal Fire both in Soul and Body which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Hist France XXXIII The Cardinal of Lorrain a Principal Pillar of the House of Guise in France and a crafty and cruel Persecutor of the Protestants as he was coming from Rome with a design to stir up the Kings of France and Poland utterly to root them out of their Dominions it pleased God for the deliverance of the Christians to strike him stark mad at Avignion by the way where he died in the flower of his youth at the instant of whose death there happened such an horrible Tempest that all the People
upon Richard Petto and Justice Brown both cruel Persecutors of George Eagles one Dale a Promoter and Persecutor was eaten up of Lice and dyed Dr. Dunning Chancellor of Norwich a bloody Persecutor in Queen Maries days was suddenly taken sitting in his Chair and dyed Dr Berry Commissary of Norfolk another bloody Persecutor as he was walking with one of his Concubines fell down suddenly with an heavy groan and never stirred after A Persecuting suffragan of Dover having been with Cardinal Pool for his blessing coming out of the Cardinals Chamber fell down stairs and broke his Neck Acts Monu XLIII Bishop Thornton a cruel Persecutor as he was looking upon his Men at Bowls fell suddenly into a Palsy and being carried to his bed and bid to remember the Lord yea so I do said he and my Lord Cardinal too and so he dyed Dr. Jefferies Chancellor of Salisbury a wretched Persecutor having appointed to call before him 90 Persons to examine them by Inquisition the day before looking upon his Buildings fell down dead Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor of England was a sworn Enemy to the Gospel a profest Persecutor by Fire and Sword of the Protestants and as if he designed thereby to grow famous and get renown he caused a Sumptuous Tomb to be erected whereon to eternize the memory of his Cruelty he caused among other worthy deeds this principally to be Ingraven thereon That with all his might he had persecuted the Lutherans but it fell out contrary to his expectation for being Accused Condemned and Executed for High-Treason his Head was taken off and his Body found no other burial but the Gibbet Beards Theatre These and many more such examples are recorded by Mr. Fox in his Acts Monuments which makes good that of the Psalmist God hath prepared for the Wicked the Instruments of Death he ordaineth his Arrows against the Persecutors Psal 7.13 If the Reader desire to know more of the Cruelties of the Papists in all Countries for above six hundred years past and Gods judgments upon them he may find it at large in a little book called the Protestant Schoolmaster of a shilliog price and sold where this Book is to be had CHAP. V. Fearful Judgments upon Cruel Tyrants Murderers and other notorious and debauched Persons with the wonderful discovery of several Murders c. IT appeareth in History that there have been a multitude of proud cruel and vicious Princes and Governours in former Ages who have thought that their Will ought to be their Law and have gloried in Tyrannizing over their poor Subjects however it hath pleased the Divine Majesty many times to discover his abhorrence and detestation of such practices by his severe Judgments upon the Actors thereof It is likewise as plain that God Almighty as well to declare his detestation of that crimson sin of Murther as to beget and retain in us a horrour thereof hath most vigorously imployed his Providence by strange and miraculous ways to bring to light deeds of darkness and to drag the bloody Authors of them out of their greatest privacies and concealment to condign punishment it were an infinite Labour to trace the several footsteps of Divine Providence in this matter neither hath Lust Revenge and other notorious enormities escaped Gods Justice many times in this world as by the following relations it doth remarkably appear I. Ptolomeus Pisco one of the Kings of Aegypt caused his own Son Memphites whom he had begot of his Wife Sister Cleopatra to be slain and then commanded his Head Hands and Feet to be cut off and to be shut up in a curious Casket made for that purpose and sent them to his Mother as a present upon his Birth-day and when afterward he perceived that by his barbarous Tyranny he was grown odious to all his Subjects to prevent the danger thereof he caused a School where most of the Children of the Nobility and others were educated to be beset and incompassed round with fire and men with drawn Swords and then suddenly assaulted them whereby they were all destroyed not one of them escaping but that which he thought to be his refuge proved his ruine for the People were so extreamly incensed with this cruel Act that with an unanimous consent they fell upon him and tore him to pieces The like if not greater Cruelty was practised by a Woman one Cycenis the Daughter of Diogerides King of Thrace who took great delight in beholding living men cut in the middle and invited Parents to feast upon their own murthered Children cookt and drest several ways but she was afterward deposed from her Government and her Inhumanities were so hateful that none of her Subjects would relieve her whereby she was famisht to death and dyed of hunger Vitaldus Prince of Lithuania studied divers sorts of Tortures and Torments for men whom upon every slight occasion he condemned to death among the rest he would command them to be sowed up in Bear-skins and then made it his sport to behold them torn in pieces with fierce Mastives in all his warlike expeditions he carried continually a Steel-bow ready bent and if any Souldier happened but to step out of his Rank he instantly stroke him dead with an Arrow glorying to himself that he was so good a marks-man but after these and abundance of other Cruelties he that delighted to see men die like Bears was himself in the end torn in pieces with wild Wolves being requited much in the same manner as he had exercised Barbarities upon others Beards Theatre II. The Tyrant Periander usurped the Government over Corinth after he had murdered the Principal men of the City he put to death his own Wife to content and please his Concubine nay he was so execrable as to lye with his own Mother he banished his Natural Son and caused many Children of his Subjects to be guelded Finally he committed all manner of Villanies which he was sensible had made him abhorred of his People and therefore fearing that some miserable and monstrous death would be inflicted on him and that he should not be buried He gave Order to two of his stoutest Souldiers that they should strictly guard a place by him appointed and not to fail to kill the first that came in their way and to bury his body being slain Now the first that met them was himself who offered himself to them without speaking a word and was therefore immediately killed and afterward buried by them These two were soon after encountred by four others whom he had likewise appointed to kill them as they had done him which they performed accordingly Sabellici opera III. In the year 830. Popiel the Second King of Poland careless of matters of State gave himself over to all manner of Dissoluteness and Debauchery so that his Lords and People scorned and despised him He fearing therefore that they would set up one of his Kinsmen in his stead by the advice of his Wife whom
came loaden with Fruit not for our own liquorishness but even to throw to the Hogs and all this we did not because we might do it but because we would Behold my heart O Lord behold my heart which thou hast pity upon in the very bottom of the bottomless Pit For I most wretched Young Fellow unhappy that I was I was unhappy in the very entrance into my Youth It is true I begged Chastity at thy hands and said Give me Chastity and Continency but do not give it me yet for I was afraid that thou wouldst hear me too soon and too soon deliver me from my Disease of Incontinency which my desire was rather to have satisfied than extinguished But now was the day come wherein I was to be set naked before my self and when mine own Conscience was to convince me for I found a vast Tempest in my own Soul which hurried me into a Garden where I might be only with my self at which time I was most soberly mad being sensible enough what piece of misery I at present was but utterly ignorant how good I was shortly to grow I sat me down fretted in Spirit and angry at my self with a most Tempestuous Indignation for that I went not about to make my Peace and League with thee my God which all my bones cryed out upon me to do extolling it to the very Skies upon which giving liberty to my tears the flouds of mine Eyes gushed out which was an acceptable Sacrifice to thee O Lord and then I cryed out How long How long O Lord wilt thou be angry for ever still to morrow to morrow why not now Wherefore in this very hour is there not an end put to my uncleanness Thus much I uttered weeping in the bitter contrition of my heart when behold I heard a voice as of a Boy or Child that seemed to come from some Neighbouring house which said in a singing Tune Take up and read Take up and read which was often repeated Instantly hereupon I changed my Countenance and began to consider whether Children were used to sing any such words but I could not remember to have ever heard the like whereupon drying up the violent Torrent of my Tears I got me up interpreting it no other way but that I was from God himself commanded to open the book and to read that Chapter which I should first light upon Hastily therefore I went where I had left the Apostles Book and snatching it up opened it and in silence read that Chapter which I first cast mine eyes upon Not in riating and drunkenness not in chambring and wantonness not in strife and envying but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make not provision for the flâ—sh to fulfil the Lusts thereof No further would I read nor needed I for instantly with the end of this sentence a Divine beam of Light Comfort and Peace darted into my heart and all the darkness of doubting vanished away and thou O my dear Lord didst thereby so throughly convert me to thy self as that I have no other hopes nor thoughts in this world but of thee for which let my heart praise thee and my Tongue yea let all my Bones say O Lord who is like unto thee and do thou answer me and say unto my Soul I am thy Salvation St. Austins Confessions II. Wonderful is the Account which we find in Mr. Baxters Crucifying of the world in these words Sophronius Bishop of Jerusalem delivereth the following History as a most certain and Infallible Truth to Posterity That Leontius Apamipusis a most famous and Religious man who lived many years at Cyrene assured them that Synesius who of a Philosopher became a Bishop found at Cyrene one Evagrius a Philosopher who had been his old Acquaintance Fellow Student and Intimate Friend but an obstinate Heathen Synesius was earnest with him but in vain to become a Christian yet following his Arguments for Christianity very close Evagrius discourses with him to this purpose That to him it sâ—â—â—d but a meer Fable and deceit that the Christian Religion â—acheth men that this world shall have an end and that all men shall rise again in these Bâ—lies and their Flesh be made immortal and incorruptible and that they shall so live for ever and shall receive the reward of all that they have done in the Body and that he that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord and he that giveth to the poor and needy shall have Treasure in Heaven and shall receive an hundred fold from Christ together with eternal Life Synesius assured him and proved to him by very cogent Arguments that these things were most true and certain insomuch that being converted thereby he and his Family were baptized Evagrius soon after brought Three Hundred Pound in Gold to Synesius to be distributed among the poor upon condition that he would give him a Bill under his hand that Jesus Christ would repay him in another World which he did accordingly Evagrius fell sick not long after and thinking he should die ordered his Sons to put Synesius his Bill into his Hand which was done after which he died and was buried About Three days after the Philosopher seemed to appear to Synesius in the Night and to say to him Come to my Sepulchre where I lie and take the Bill for I have received the Debts and am satisfied and for thy assurance I have written a discharge with my own hand The Bishop told Evagrius his Sons what he had seen though he knew nothing of the Bill put into his hand whereupon they all go to the Sepulchre and opening it found the Bill in the Dead mans hand thus subscribed Ego Evagrius c. in English I Evagrius the Philosopher To the Holy Bishop Synâ—â—â—us Greeting I have received the Debt which in this Paper is written with thy hand and am satisfied neither have I any Action against thâ—e for the Gold that I gave thee and by thee to Christ our Saviour They that saw the thing admired and glorified God who gave such wonderful Evidences of his fulfilling his Promises to his Servants And saith Leontius this Bill thus subscribed by the Philosopher is kept at Cyrene most carefully in the Church to this day to be seen of as many as desire it And though saith Mr. Baxter we have a sure word of Promise sufficient to build our hope upon yet I thought it not wholly unprofitable to cite this History from so credible Antiquity that the Works of God may be had in remembrance Baxter Crucifying the World Preface III. Câ—â—sar Baronius tells that there was an entire Friendship between Michael Mercatus the Elder and Marsilius Ficinus and this Friendship was the stronger between them by reason of a mutual agreement in their studies It happened that these two discoursed together usually of the State of man after Death and when they could not agree in some particulars they concluded with this firm agreement That which soever of
them two should first depart out of this Life should if possible give an account to the Survivor of the State of the other Life and whether the Soul be immortal or not This agreement being made and mutually sworn to they departed In a short time after it fell our that while Michael Mercatus was one morning early at his study upon a sudden he heard the noise of a Horse opon the Gallop and then stopping at the door and immediately he heard the voice of his Friend Marsilius crying out to him O Michael Micheal those things are true they are true Michael wondring to hear his Friends voice rose up and opened his Casement where he saw the back part of him whom he had heard speak in white and galloping away upon a white Horse He called after him Marsilius Marsilius and followed him with his eye but he soon vanished out of sight Michael amazed at this extraordinary accident very strictly inquired if any thing had happened to Marsilius who then lived at Florence some distance from thence where he likewise breathed his last and he found upon strict inquiry that he dyed at that very time when he was thus seen and heard by him Wanly Hist Man P. 88. IV. About the year 1060. There was a great Doctor buried at Paris at the enterring of whom when the Priest in the form then used came to the words Responde mihi Answer me the Corps sat upright on the Bier and to the amazement of all that were there cryed out Justo Dei judicio accusatus sum At the just Tribunal of God I am accused lying presently down again The attendants being astonished deferred the Funeral till the next day to see the Issue of this strange accident at which time a multitude met to observe the event when at the same words again repeated the disturbed Body riseth again and with the like hideous noise cryed out Justo Dei Judicio Judicatus sum By the just Judgment of God I am judged The People being yet more amazed deferred the Interment one day longer when almost the whole City thronged to this strange Burial and in the presence of them all at the reciting of the same words he rose up the third time and cryed out Justo Dei Judicio condemnatus sum by the just Judgment of God I am condemned whereat as the whole City were affrighted so Bruno an eminent Doctor in that University was seriously affected and told them That as they had formerly heard so now they saw the Judgments of the Lord were unsearchable and past finding out for this Person whom we honoured for the strictness of his Life the modesty and unblamableness of his Conversation cryeth out now that he is damned by the just Judgment of God This dreadful Example he inforced upon the minds of the Auditors with so many prevailing Arguments that by the Blessing of God several of them retired themselves from the world and spent the rest of their days wholly in the service of God and preparing their Souls for an Eternal State in the world to come Dying Mens words p. 196. V. Charles the 5th Emperor of Germany King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands after Three and Twenty Pitcht Battles six Triumphs Four Kingdoms won and Eight Principalities added to his Dominions which he ruled over Fourteen years yet at last resigned all these retired to his Devotion in a Monastery had his own Funeral celebrated before his face and left this Testimony of Christian Religion That the sincere profession thereof had in it those sweets and Joys that Courts were Strangers to And Philip the Third of Spain lying on his Death Bed in 1621 sent thrice at Midnight for Florentius his Confessor who with the Provincial of Castile discoursed to him of approaching Death exhorting him to submit to Gods will so gravely that the King himself could not chuse but weep and after some intermission from his tears and thanks for his wholsome admonition the King spake thus to him Do you not remember that in your Sermon on Ash-Wednesday you said that some of your Auditors might dye that Lent this concerns me for lo my fatal hour is now at hand but shall I obtain eternal felicity which words he uttered with great grief and trouble adding likewise to his Confessor You have not hit upon the right way of healing is there no other Remedy Which when he observed the Confessor thought he meant of his Body the King added Ah I am not solicitous of my Body nor of my temporary Disease but of my Soul The Confessor mournfully answered I have done what I could I must commit the rest to Gods providence Florentius then discoursed at large of Gods mercy remembring His Majesty what he had done for the Honour and Worship of that God to which the King replyed Ah how happy were I had I spent these Twenty three years wherein I have held my Kingdom in a retirement Florentius answered That it would be very acceptable to God if he would lay his Kingdom his Majesty his Life and his Salvation at the feet of his Crucified Saviour Jesus Christ and submit himself to his Will Willingly willingly will I do this said the Heart-sick King and from this moment do I lay all that God hath given me my Dominions Power and my Life at the Feet of Jesus Christ my Saviour who was crucified for me and then among his last words he said to Florentius Now really you have suggested to me very great comfort Fair Warning P. 160. VI. Prince Henry Eldest Son to King James and Queen Anne was most zealous in his love to Religion and Piety and his heart was bent if he had lived to have indeavoured to compound those unkind Jars and differences that were among Religious men He told the Dean of Rochester That he thought that whereaâ— he and others like him did as usual look him in thâ— face when they came first into the Pulpit their Countenance did as it were say to him Sir you must hear mâ— diligently you must have a care to observe what I say He used to say he knew no sport worth an Oath and that he knew not what they called Puritan Preaching 〈◊〉 but he loved that Preaching which went next his heart and spake as if they knew the mind of God His last words were O Christ thou art my Redeemer and 〈◊〉 know that thou hast Redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy Providence and Mercy from the very bottom of my heart I commend my soul into thy hand A Person oâ— Quality waiting on the Prince in his sickness who had been his constant Companion at Tennis and asking how he did he answered Ah Tom I in vain wish for that time I lost with thee and others in vain Recreation He then added Now my Soul be glad for at all parts of this Prison the Lord hath set his aid to loose thee Head Fâ—et Milt and Liver are failing Arise therefore and shake off thy