daughter of Sp. Tarpeius betrayed her father and the tower whereof he was governour to Tatius King of the Sabines who besiedged it for all that the Sabine Souldiers wore upon their left armes meaning their golden bracelets But when she demanded her reward Tatius badehis souldiers to do as he did and so together with their bracelets throwing their shields which they wore on their left armes upon her they crushed her to death Romulus ordained no punishment for Parrioide because he thought it impossible that any one should so much degenerate from nature as to commit that sin but he called all other murthers Parricides to shew the heinousnesse of them and for six hundred years after his time such a sin as Parricide was never heard of in Rome Plut. Darius the son of Artaxerxes Mnemon King of Persia affecting the Kingdome conspired to take away the life of his father but his treason being discovered he together with his wives and children were altogether put to death that so none might remain of so wicked a breed Diod. Sic. Servius Tullius the 6th King of the Romanes married his daughter to Tarquinius she was a woman of an exceeding ambitious spirit and would not suffer her husband to be at quiet till she had procured him to murther her father and as soon as ever she heard that the fact was committed she hasted in her chariot to salute her husband King and by the way encountring with the dead body of her murthered father she caused her chariot to be driven over it Ovid. Pezel Mel. Hist. Nero sending some to murther his own mother Agrippina when they came into her chamber she seeing one to unsheath his sword and believing what they came for and by whose directions she laid open her bare belly to him bidding him strike that as having deserved it for bringing forth such a monster as Nero. Nero hearing that she was dead came presently to the place caused her body to be stripped and Crowner-like beheld it all over praising this part dispraising that as if he had been to censure a Statue and at last caused her wombe to be opened that he might behold the place of his conception Neros Life Not long after about the neck of one of Nero's Statues was hung a leather sack to upbraid his parricide the punishment whereof by the ancient Laws of Rome was to be trussed in such a sack with a cock a dog and a viper and so all to be thrown quick into Tyber Nero's Life The eye that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out and the young eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death he hath cursed his father or his mother his blood shall be upon him Lev. 20. 9. CHAP. XXXI Examples of Parents love to and Care over their Children THey are to bring their children to God Luk. 2. 27. 41. Mark 10. 13. To instruct them Ephes. 6. 4. Prov. 22. 6. Exod. 12. 26. Deut. 6. 7. 11. 19 32. 46. 4. 10. 31. 13. Gen. 18. 19. To lay up for them 2 Cor. 12. 14. Prov. 19. 14. To correct them Prov. 22. 15. 23. 13. 29. 15 17. Heb. 12. 9. 1 Tim. 3. 4. Not to provoke them to anger Col. 3. 21. Eph. 6. 4. Not to give them evil examples Ier. 7. 18. 31. 29. Ezek. 18. 2. Ier. 17. 2. Mothers must instruct them Proverb 31. 1 c. 2 Tim. 1. 5. Numa Pompilius reformed the Law amongst the Romanes which gave liberty to parents to sell their children exempting children that were married provided that they married with their parents consent Plut See Callings Trades Agesilaus King of Sparta a prudent man and brave souldier did exceedingly love his children and on a time a friend coming to his house found him riding upon an hobby-horse amongst them whereupon Agesilaus fearing lest he should speak of it to his disgrace intreated him not to censure him for it nor to speak of it to any till himselfe had some children Plut. Augustus Caesar found out the inclinations and dispositions of his two daughters by observing their company at a publick shew where much people were present at which time his daughter Livia associated herselfe and discoursed with grave and prudent Senators but his daughter Iulia adjoyned herselfe to loose youngsters and riotous persons Sueto Noscitur ex socio qui non cognoscitur ex se. Scillurus who had eighty sonnes when he lay on his death-bed called them all before him presented them with a bundle of speares or sheafe of arrows and bade each of them trie whether he could break that bundle which they assayed to do but were not able Then he pulled out one javlin out of the bundle and bade them break that which they did easily intimating thereby that unity and compacted strength is the bond which preserves families and Kingdomes which bond if it be once broken all runnes quickly to ruine Micypsa when he was on his death-bed called all his sonnes and caused them to write this sentence in golden letters Concordiâ parvae res crescunt Discordiâ magnae dilabuntur By concord small things are increased but by discord the greatest are overthrown Fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Eph. 6. 4. Richard Woodmans father in the reigne of Queen Mary betrayed him into the hands of his bloody persecutors whereby he lost his life See my English Martyrology p. 185. Philip King of Spaine out of an unnatural and bloody zeale suffered his eldest sonne Charles to be murthered by the Fathers Inquisitors because he favoured the Protestant religion which when the Pope heard of he abusively applied that text of Scripture to him He spared not his own Sonne but delivered him up for us all Act. Mon. Alfrith mother of King Edward hearing that her sonne was coming to visit her suborned one of her servants to murther him who accordingly as the King was drinking with her struck him into the body with a two-edged dagger whereof he died and this she did to make way for another of her sonnes to come to the Crowne See my English Martyrology p. 31. Master Iulins Palmer in the reigne of our Queen Mary went to Evesham in Glocestershire to his own mother hoping to obtaine a legacy left him by his father and when he came kneeling down to crave her blessing she said Thou shalt have Christs curse and mine wherever thou goest for saith she thou doest not believe as thy father and I nor as thy fore-fathers but art an Heretick and therefore get thee out of my house and out of my sight and never take me for thy mother any more Faggots I have to burn thee but no money for thee c. Eodem p. 173. Even the sea-monsters draw out the breast they give suck to their young
ones the daughter of my people is become cruel like Ostriches in the wildernesse Lam. 4. 3. CHAP. XXXII Examples of fond Parents and the miseries that they have brought upon themselves thereby FOrbidden Deut. 13. 8 9. Prov. 19. 18. 13. 24. 29. 17. Scriptural Examples Eli 1 Sam. 2. 22 29. David to Adonijah 1 Kings 1. 6. to Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. How severely God punished Eli for his indulgence to his wicked sonnes See it in 1 Sam. 2. 27 c. 3. 11 c. David also who cockered Absalom and Adonijah above all the rest of his children was most afflicted by them one breaking out into open rebellion wherein he died the other usurping the Crowne before his fathers death which cost him his life also 2 Sam. 15. 1 King 1. 5 c. A certaine woman in Flanders contrary to the will of her husband used to feed her two sonnes with money to maintaine their riot yea to furnish them she would rob her husband but presently after her husbands death God plagued her for this her foolish indulgence for from rioting these youngsters fell to robbing for the which one of them was executed by the sword and the other by the halter the mother looking on as a witnesse of their destructions Ludo. Vives A young man in our owne Nation as he was going to the gallows desired to speak with his mother in her eare but when she came instead of whispering he bit of her eare with his teeth exclaiming upon her as the cause of his death because she did not chastise him in his youth for his faults but by her fondnesse so imboldened him in his vices as brought him to this wofull end Seleucus marrying Stratonica the daughter of Demetrius shortly after Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus fell in love with his stepmother and not daring to discover it for feare of the displeasure of his father he pined a way from day to day at last one of his Physicians found out the cause of his disease and acquainted his father therewith who out of indulgence to his sonne calling his Nobles and people together said I have decreed to make Antiochus my sonne King of all my superior Provinces and to give him Stratonica for his wife and Queen and if she scruple the unlawfulnesse of the marriage I desire you that are my friends to perswade her that all things are honest and just that a King shall decree for the publick profit Plut. Andronicus one of the Greek Emperours doted with such extream impotency of partial affection upon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he disregarded not only the rest of his Nephews but his own children also being unwilling to spare him out of sight either day or night but when this young man was stept further into yeares besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grand-father in the mean time at last he pressed without resistance upon his Palace with purpose to surprise his person though the old Emperout intreated him with much affectionate eloquence that he would reverence those hands which had oftentimes so willingly embraced him and those lips which had so oft lovingly kissed him and that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life yet for all this he caused the old Emperour to be polled shaven and made a Monk and not only so but also the very Anvile of much dunghill-scorne and vilest indignities untill the workmanship of death had finished the sorrowful businesse of a wretched lfie Turk Hist. Austine upon a terrible and dreadfull accident called his people together to a Sermon wherein he relates this dolefull story Our Noble Citizen saith he Cyrillus a man mighty amongst us both in work and word and much beloved had as you know one onely sonne and because but one he loved him immeasurably and above God and so being drunke with immoderate doting he neglected to correct him and gave him liberty to do whatsoever he list Now this very day saith he this same fellow thus long suffered in this dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with childe would have violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death Adfrat in Eremo Ser. 33. Chasten thy sonne betimes and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 19. 18. CHAP. XXXIII Examples of Brethrens love each to other THey ought to love one another Prov. 17. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Rom. 12. 10. Heb. 13. 1. It 's an excellent thing Psal 133. 1. Scriptural examples Jobs children Job 1. 13. Lazarus Martha and Mary John 11. 19 c. Joseph Gen. 43. 29 c. 45. 14. Joab and Abishai 2 Sam. 3. 27 30. Judah Gen. 37. 26. In the beginning of the reigne of Darius King of Persia one of his Nobles called Intaphernes conspired against him which being discovered to Darius he caused him and all his kindred to be cast into prison But Intaphernes wife exceedingly weeping and houling Darius gave her leave to choose any one of the prisoners whose life she would have spared whereupon amongst them all she chose her brother and Darius asking her why she â—…se her brother rather then her husband or son she answered Because if God please I may have another husband and children but my Parents being dead I cannot have another brother This so pleased Darius that he granted her the life not only of her brother but of her son too Herod Darius King of Persia being dead left two sons Ariamenes or as some call him Artabazanes and Xerxes these both claimed the Kingdome but brotherly love so prevailed with them that they were contented to stand to the judgement of the Persian Nobles yet in the interim Xerxes being in Persia performed all the offices of a King and Ariaments coming out of Media Xerxes sent great presents to him commanding the messengers to tell him Thy brother Xerxes presents thee with these gifts and if by the consent and suffrage of the Nobles he be declared King he promises thee the chiefest place next unto himself To which Ariamenes returned this answer Truly I willingly accept of these gifts yet claim the Sovereignty to belong to me but will reserve the next place of dignity for my brother Xerxes The Persian Nobles referred the determination of this controversie to their Uncle Artabanus who having heard both sides determined for Xerxes because Ariamenes was borne to Darius whil'st he was a private person Xerxes after he was a King the mother of Ariamenes was the daughter of Gobrias a private woman the mother of Xerxes was Atossa a Queen Ariamenes hearing this judgement without any distemper of spirit rose up worshipped his brother and taking him by the hand placed him in the Kingly throne and ever after was very obsequious to him Plut. Herod And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and
moved out of that place he was smitten with such a feeblenesse of heart and dizzinesse in his head that desiring help to carry him to an house he died before the Lords day came At Walton upon Thames in Surrey in a great Frost 1634. three young men on the Lords day after they had been at the Church in the forenoone where the Minister pressing the words of his text out of 2 Cor. 5. 10. that We must all appear before the judgement-seat of Christ c. they the while whispering as they sate In the afternoone they went together over the Thames upon the Ice unto an house of disorder and gaming where they spent the rest of the Lords day and part of the night also in revelling one of them in a Taverne merrily discoursing the next day of his Sabbaths acts and voyage over the Ice but on Tuseday next after these three returning homewards and attempting to passe againe over the Ice they all sunk down to the bottome as stones whereof one only of them was miraculously preserved but the other two were drowned These foure last are attested by good hands Anno Christi 1598. the towne of Feverton in Devonshire was often admonished by her godly Pastor that God would bring some heavy judgement upon the inhabitants of that place for their horrible profanation of the Lords day occasioned chiefly by their market on the Munday and accordingly not long after the said Ministers death on the third of April in the year aforesaid God sent a terrible fire which in lesse then halfe an houre consumed the whole towne except the Church the Conrt-house Almes-houses and a few poor peoples dwellings and above 50. persons were consumed in the flames Also Anno Christi 1612. it was again wholly burnt down except a few poor houses they being not warned by the former judgement but continuing in the same sin Beards Theat If ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath-day and not to bear a burden even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath-day then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof and it shall devour the Palaces of Jerusalem and it shall not be quenched Jer. 17. 27. CHAP. XXXVI Examples of Gods judgments upon Murtherers and Blood-shedders THe positive judiciall Law of God is that whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed Gen. 9. 6. and the reason is there rendred because such destroy Gods Image wherein man is made and the cry of blood if not punished by man is so great Gen. 4. 10. that the Lord comes down from heaven to call the murtherer to account and by some visible and remarkable judgements or other to stigmatize this sin as these following Examples will more fully manifest Murtherers ought to be punished with death Gen. 9. 6. Exod. 21. 12. Prov. 28. 17. Rev. 13. 10. No recompence is to be taken for it Num. 35. 32 c. for it defiles the land Hos. 4. 2 3. It 's diligently to be sought out Deut. 21. 1 c. God punisheth it here Psal. 55. 23. It excludes from heaven Gal. 5. 21. Rev. 21. 8. Scripturall Examples Cain Gen. 4. 8. Pharaoh Exodus 1. 16 Simeon and Levt Gen. 34. 25. c. Abimelech Judg. 9. 5. Agag 1 Sam. 15. 33. Joab 2 Sam. 3. 27. David 2 Sam. 11. 14 c. Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 28 29 Manasseh 2 King 21. 16. Amons servants 2 Kings 21. 23. Ahab and Jezabel 1 Kings 21. 9 c. Baanah and Rechab 2 Sam. 4. 6. Saul 2 Sam. 21. 1. 1 Sam. 22. 18. Athaliah Chron. 22. 10. Baasha Kin. 15. 27. Zimri 1 Kin. 16. 9. Joash 2 Chron 24. 21. Shalâ—um 2 Kings 15. 10. Manahem 2 Kings 15. 14 16. Herod Acts 12. 2. Cain for murthering his brother Abel was cursed by God Gen. 4. Abimelech who slew his 70. brethren was slain by a woman at Thebez Jud. 9. Baanah and Rechab who slew their L. Ishbosheth were slain by the command of David 2 Sam. 4. Joab who slew Abner and Amasa treacherously was slain by the command of Solomon 1 Kin. 2. Cyrus K. of Persia who for 30. years together made cruell war in many places at last fighting against the Scythians was overcome 200000 of his men slain and himself salling into the hands of Q. Tomyris she cut off his head threw it into a bowl of blood saying Thou hast all thy time thirsted after blood now drink thy fill and satiate thy self therewith Orosius Cambyses his son a bloody and cruell man who shot a noblemans son thorow the heart because the father had reproved him for drunkennesse He caused his own brother to be privily murthered lest he should usurp the Kingdom slew his own sister for reproving him for that deed At last as he was riding his sword fell out of the scabbard and himself falling upon it was slain thereby Herodo Xerxes who with his huge Army passed over into Greece being overthrown by sea and land fled shamefully into Asia in a fisherboat and shortly after was slain by Artabanus the Captain of his guard in his own palace Diod. Sic. The 30. Tyrants in Athens were cruell bloodsuckers till the people rising up against them slew them all Just. Phocas who to get the Empire put to death all the sons of Mauricius the Emperor before his face and then slew him also and after many villainies by him committed was pursued by his son in law Priscus and being taken had his hands and feet cut off and afterwards with all his posterity was put to a cruell death Nicephorus Anno Christi 1346. Popiel K. of Poland to obtain the Kingdom poysoned his two uncles and gave himself over to all manner of wickednesse He used upon every occasion to say If this be not true would rats might devour me On a time as he was going to a great feast an Army of rats out of the putrefied body of his uncles set upon him which all his guard with their weapons were not able to drive away Then did they make great cole-fires about him yet through the middest of the fire did the rats assault him Then did they put him with his wife and children into a boat and rowed them in the middest of a great lake yet thither did the rats swim to him and lastly he gat up to the top of an high Tower yet still the rats pursued him and they eat him up to the very bones together with his wife and children Munst. Cos. Bassianus the Emperour who slew his own brother in his mothers armes and tooke to wife his own mother in Law was shortly after himselfe murthered by the procurement of Macrinus to prevent his owne death Justinian the Emperour a cruel and bloody man who was the cause of many murthers was first banished from his Empire and afterwards slaine by one of his own servants Euseb. Clovis King of France an horrible murtherer who amongst other cruel facts caused one of his Peers to be murthered
good meat Others fed upon old leather and some women boiled their own children and did eat them Many thinking to save their lives by flying to the Romans were slit in pieces to search for gold and Jewels in their guts two thousand dyed thus miserably in one night 97000 were taken prisoners at the taking of the City by Titus eleven hundred thousand were slain As for the prisoners some of them were carried to Rome in triumph Others were slain in sundry places at the Conquerers will Some were torn in pieces and devoured by wild beasts Others were compelled to march in Troops against their fellowes and to kill one another to make the spectators sport The reliques of these wretched people were dispersed into all Nations under heaven having no Magistrates of their own to protect them but were and still are altogether at the will and discretion of the Lords of those Countries where they sojourn so that no Nation in the world is so vile and contemptible as the Jewes In the time of Julian the Apostate he gave leave to the Jewes to re-build the Temple at Jerusalem but so soon as they had laid the foundations thereof all was overthrown by an earthquake many thousands of them being overwhelmed with the mines and those which were left were slain and scattered by a tempest and thunder The Jewes at Imnester near Antioch celebrating their accustomed Playes and Feasts in the middest of their jollity according to their custome they reviled Christ and in contempt to him gat a Christian's child and hung him upon a Crosse and after many mocks and taunts whipt him to death So also they served a boy called Simeon Anno Christi 1476. And another in Fretulium five years after At another time they took a Carpenters sonne in Hungary in contempt of Christ whom they called the son of a Carpenter and cutting all his veines sucked out all his blood with quills And being apprehended and tortured they confessed that they had done the like at Thirna four years before and that they could not be without Christian blood for that therewith they anointed their Priests But at all these times their wickednesse being discovered they suffered just punishment by hanging burning or some other cruel death Anno Christi 1492. one Eleazar a Jew bought the holy Host of a Popish Priest and most despightfully thrust it through with his knife for which he was burned and the like have others of them done at several times Fincel Anno Christi 1407. a Jew stole the picture of Christ out of a Church and chrust it in contempt many times thorow with his sword out of which when blood miraculously issued the caitiffe would have burned it but being taken in the manner by some Christians they stoned him to death Gasp. AEdio l. 3. c. 6. The Jewes whilest they were suffered to live here in England used every year to steal some Christian's child and on Good-Priday to crucifie him in despite of Christ and the Christian Religion Thus they served a child at Lincoln Anno Christi 1255. under the Reign of King Henry the third And another at Norwich having first circumcised him and kept him a whole year For which being apprehended thirty two of them were put to death at Lincoln and twenty at Norwich Others of them being besieged at York when they could hold out no longer cut their own throats whereby fifteen hundred of them perished at that time At Northhampton many of them were burnt for attempting to set the City on fire with wildfire And at last for their many wicked practices they were utterly banished the Kingdome of England by King Edward the first Anno Christi 1291. for which the Commons gave the King a Fifteenth Judea hath now onely some few parcels of rich ground found in it that men may guesse the goodnesse of the cloth by the finenesse of the shreads wherein the Word of God is fulfilled Psal. 107. 34. He turneth a fruitful Land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein In the Reign of Adrianus the Emperour he sent Severus his General against the Jewes who by reason of their multitudes would not try it out in a set battel but proceeding more warily and taking his opportunitie he by degrees took fifty of their fortified Castles rased nine hundred and fourscore of their best Townes and slew five hundred and eighty thousand of their men besides innumerable multitudes which perished by famine sicknesse and fire so that almost all Judaea was left destitute and Adrian by an Edict prohibited the Jewes from coming neer to Hierusalem or once from any high place to look towards the same or the Region adjoyning Dion Salmanticensis saith that there was a decree made at Rome that no Jew should ever enter Cyprus the place where their rebellion began and that Adrian destroyed twice as many Jewes as Moses brought out of Egypt He rased Hierusalem and not far from it built another City the now Hierusalem and called it after his own name AElia And over the gate of this City he placed the Statues of swine which were faithful Porters to prohibit the superstitious Iewes from entrance This was about the year 135. St. Hierom tells us that in his time on that day wherein Hierusalem was taken by the Romans you may see decrepit women and old ragged men and many wretched people but pitied of none with blubbered cheeks black armes dishevelled hair howling and lamenting for the ruines of their Sanctuary in their bodies and habits bearing and wearing â—he sad characters of Divine vengeance of whom the Souldiers also exact their fee for liberty of further weeping so that they which formerly sold the blood of Christ are now fain to buy their own teares In the Reign of Trajan Adrian's predecessour the Jewes rebelled in Egypt and Cyrene where they slew many Greeks and Romans did eat their flesh girt themselves with their guts imbrewed themselves with their blood and clothed themselves with their skins many they sawed in sunder from the Crown downwards many they cast to the Beasts c. Hereupon Trajan sent against them Martius Turbo who destroved many thousands of them and fearing lest the Jewes in Mesopotamia should break out into the like outrages he commanded Lucius Quietus to destroy them utterly who so diligently executed his will that the Emperour to recompence his service made him President of Judea Dion In Creet there arose amongst them a false Prophet that affirmed himself to be Moses that led the Israelites through the Red-sea telling them that he was come to lead them through the Sea into the holy Land Thus for a whole year he went from City to City amongst them perswading them to leave their riches to any that would take them and to follow him and at a day appointed he went before them to a Promontorie of the Sea and there bidsthem leap in which many doing perished in the waves and more would have done but that some
by Chilperic King of France whom she caused to banish his Queen Andovera and his other wife called Galsuinda she caused to be murthered that she might enjoy the King alone yet neither was she faithful to him but prostituted her body to Landric Master of the Kings horse On a time the King being to go a hunting went to bid his wife farewell who was combing her haire The King went softly behinde her and with his wand in sport struck her behinde She thinking it had been her Landric said What doest thou do my Landric It 's the part of a good Knight to charge a Lady before and not behinde The King by this means finding her falshood went his wayes on hunting and she finding her self discovered sent for Landric told him what was happened and therefore perswaded him to kill the King for his and her safety which he undertook and effected that night as the King came late from hunting French Hist. Semiramis sought out men to satisfie her brutish lust whom shortly after she used to slay And at last she grew to that abominable impudence that she drew her own sonne to lie with her and to cover her filthinesse enacted a law That propinquity of blood should not hinder marriage Orosius Cambyses King of Persia falling in love with his own sister sent for his Judges and asked them if there were any law that suffered a man to marry with his own sister to whom they answered That they found no such Law but they found another Law that the Kings of Persia might do whatsoever they pleased Whereupon he married her and afterwards he married another of his sisters also Herod Xerxes falling in love with Artaynta his daughter in law often commited incest with her which his wife Amestris taking notice of and supposing that Artaynta's mother was the baude betwixt them she sent for her and put her to grievous torments cutting off her breasts casting them to the dogs she cut off also her nose eares lips and tongue and so dismissed her but shortly after Xerxes going with his innumerable army against the Grecians was plagued by God for his incest and his wives cruelty with the utter overthrow of his forces and himself hardly escaped with life Herod Solon made a law amongst the Athenians that it might be lawful for any man to kill an adulterer taking him in the fact Nerva the Romane Emperour made a law that no man should marry his neece or brothers daughter Suet. Agrippina was of so impudent and lustful a disposition that having formerly traded her self in manifold incests with Caligula her brother and Claudius her Uncle she at last offered her body to the lustful imbraces of her son Nero who scarcely twenty yeares before was bred therein Nero's Life The Egyptians used to punish adultery in a man by giving him a thousand jerks with a reed and in a woman by cutting off her nose And he that violated a free woman had his privy members cut off By the law of Julia amongst the Romanes adulterers were without difference to be put to death Before Moses time it was a custome to burne adulterers in the fire as appears in the case of Thamar Gen. 38. 24. What mischiefs the Levites wife that played the adulteresse brought upon all Israel may be read Judges 19 20 and 21. chapters What misery David brought upon himself and family by committing adultery with Bathsheba may be seen in 2 Sam. 12. 13. and 13. chapters Paris by his adultery with Helena stirred up warres between the Grecians and Trojans which lasted ten yeares and ended in the ruines of that famous City and Kingdome of Troy in the death of Paris and Helen of King Priamus and all his posterity Sextus Tarquinius sonne to Superbus the last King of the Romanes by ravishing Lucretia the wife of Collatinus was the author of manifold mischiefs For Lucretia slew her self in the presence of her husband and kinsfolk the Romanes expelled their King and his family and would never be reconciled to them again The adulterer was slaine by the Sabines and his father also fighting to recover his Kingdom was slaine by the Romanes Valentinian the third Emperour of Rome by dishonouring the wife of Petronius Maximus a Senator of Rome lost his life and was thereby the author of the final destruction of the Romane Empire For Petronius being informed of the wrong which the Emperour had done him by defiling his wife was purposed to revenge it with his own hands but knowing that he could not do it whilest Actius the General of his Army lived a man famous for his valiant exploits against the Burgundians and Gothes he accused him falsely to the Emperour of treason and thereby procured his death then did he stirre up some of Actius friends to revenge his death upon the Emperour which they also performed upon him as he was sitting in judgement then did Maximus not only seize upon the Empire but upon Eudoxia the Emperesse forcing her to be his wife which indignity she not enduring sent privately into Africa to Genserick King of the Vandals to come and deliver her and the City of Rome from the Tyranny of Maximus which occasion he laying hold of came into Italy with a huge Army whereupon the Citizens of Rome were so affrighted that they fled into the Mountains and Maximus flying with them was murthered by the way and hewen in pieces by some of the Senators And Genserick entring Rome found it empty of inhabitants but not of infinite riches all which he exposed as a prey to his Army and carried away into Africk together with a great number of the people and amongst them was Eudoxia the Emperesse and her two daughters Eudocia and Placidia After which the Romane Empire could never recover it self but grew weaker and weaker till it came to utter ruine Childerick King of France was so odious for his adulteries that his Nobility conspired against him and drave him out of his Kingdom Two of the daughters of Philip the fair King of France being found guilty of Adultery were condemned to perpetual imprisonment and they which had committed adultery with them were first slaine and then hanged A certain Seneschal of Normandy suspected the vicious behaviour of his wife with his Steward watched them so narrowly that at last he found them in bed together whereupon he slew them both first the adulterer and then his wife though she was sister to Lewis the eleventh the then King Fulgos. l. 6. c. 1. A Nobleman in Burgundy having in Warre taken a Gentleman Captive his wife being a beautiful Lady came to redeeme her husband The Nobleman promised to free him if she would let him lie with her which by the perswasion of her husband she consented to But the adulterous Nobleman the next day cut off his prisoners head and so delivered his body to his wife which horrible fact being complained of by her to the Duke of Burgundy he caused this Nobleman
to them And being reproved by a Prophet he threatened him with death if he ceased not For which the Lord delivered him up into the hand of the King of Israel who overthrew his Army took him prisoner carried him back to Hierusalem and for the greater reproach before his face brake down part of the City-walls ransacked the Temple and Kings palace carried away all the treasure out of both took his children for hostages to Samaria and after all this his subjects wrought treason against him which made him fly to Lachish yet thither did they pursue him and put him to death 2 Chron. 25. Judas Iscariot who for covetousnesse fell from Christ and betrayed him to the Jewes could afterwards finde no rest nor quiet in his guilty conscience so that being plunged into the bottomlesse pit of despaire he hanged himself burst in twaine and all his bowels fell out Acts 1. 18. Lucian who had made a profession of Religion in the time of Trajan afterwards fell from it and became a railer against it yea against God himselfe whereupon he was sirnamed the Atheist but the Lord inflicted a just judgement upon him for he was torne in pieces and devoured of dogs Suidas Porphyrie after he had received the knowledge of the truth being reproved for his faults by some Christians for very spite and anger apostatized from his profession set himselfe against the Christians published books full of horrible blasphemies against the profession of Christianity But perceiving himselfe to be confuted and loathed for his wickednesse in horrible despaire and torments of soul he died Suid. Ammonius who was Master to Origen was from his childhood brought up in the Christian Religion but afterwards was so affected with the study of Philosophy that he apostatized from Christianity and fell to Heathenisme Ravis Origen who had been all his life-time ambitious of Martyrdom fainted under the seventh Persecution his heart being overcome by feare when he was put to his choice either to offer incense to Idols or to have his body defiled by an ugly blackamoore whereupon he chose the former but thereby he lost the peace of his conscience which he could not recover of a long time after See his Life in my first Part of the Marrow of Ecclesiastical History Under the eighth Persecution a certain Christian denying his faith went up into the Capitol at Rome to abjure Christ and his profession which he had no sooner done but was immediately stricken speechlesse Cypri de Lapsu A Christian woman denying her profession was presently possessed by an evil spirit whereby she fell a tormenting her selfe and bit out her tongue with her own teeth Cyp. An ancient woman who had revolted from the truth and denied her profession yet thrust her selfe into the Assembly of the Faithful and received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper with them but it proved her bane for immediately trembling and stamping she fell down and died Cyp. A man also that had renounced his faith did notwithstanding present himselfe to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper but when he had received the bread into his hand thinking to put it into his mouth it was turned into ashes Cyp. Tamerus a professor of the reformed Religion being seduced by his brother denied his faith and turned Papist but shortly after he fell into despaire and hung himselfe Theat Hist. Anno Christi 1569. One Henry Smith a Lawyer of the middle Temple who made a zealous profession of the truth afterwards by the seducement of one of his friends turned Papist for which being stricken with terrors of conscience he hanged himselfe in his own chamber Act. Mon. Theoderick an Arrian King of the Goths exceedingly affected a certaine Deacon though Orthodox But this Deacon thinking to ingraciate himselfe more with the King and to attaine to great advancement thereby turned Arrian which when Theoderick understood he changed his love into hatred and caused his head to be struck off saying If he kept not his Faith to God what duty in conscience can a man expect from him Euseb. l. 2. Julian the Emperour who was brought up in the Christian Religion afterwards turned Pagan and became a malicious persecutor of Christianity but after a short Reigne in a battel that he fought against the Persians he was wounded with a dart which was never known from whence it came and feeling his strength to faile by reason of his wound he took of his own blood in his hands holding it up and with extream pride cryed out O thou Galilaean thou hast overcome me calling Christ Galilaean in scorn and so he died Simps Nicomachus under one of the first Persecutions being put to extream torments for the profession of Christ shrunk from his profession and cried out that he was no Christian whereupon he was freed from his torments but assoon as he had sacrificed to the Idols he was presently taken with a wicked spirit and thrown down violently to the ground where biting off his tongue with his teeth he presently died Act. Mon. Bolsechus of whom Beza writeth religionem ephemeram habere existimabatur his religion changed like the moon See the Life of Beza in my first Part. Baldwin was a notable turncoat that changed his religion three or four times at least for advantage and at last died of envy that another was preferred before him to be Chaplain to the Duke of Anjou when he went to take possession of the Kingdome of Poland Petrus Caroli an odious Apostate and tronbler of the Church See the life of Calvin in my first Part. The like were Staphylus Spicerus Brisonettus and of late Bertius Tilenus Spalatensis and many Renegado English who in Queen Elizabeths time turned Papists for advantage Bishop Bonner who in King Henry the eighths dayes was a great favourer of the Gospel for which he was advanced to a Bishoprick by the Lord Cromwel yet afterwards proved an Apostate and grievous persecutor of the Church See my English Martyrologie Latomus of Lovaine sometimes a professor of the Gospel but afterwards an Apostate went to Bruxels where he made an Oration before the Emperour Charles the fifth against Luther and his followers but so foolishly and ridiculously that he was laughed to scorn by most of the Courtiers after which returning to Lovaine againe in his publick Lecture he fell into an open frenzie and madnesse uttering such words of desparation and blasphemous impiety that by other Divines present he was carried away raving and shut up in a close chamber from which time to his last breath he continually cried out that he was damned and rejected of God and that there was no hope of salvation for him because that wittingly and against his knowledge he had withstood the manifest truth of the Word of God Senarclaeus in epist. ante hist de morte Diazi Arnold Bomelius a student in the University of Lovaine a man much commended for an excellent wit and ripenesse of learning and for favouring
second sonne became deformed in his Limbs and fell lame His third son was drowned in a small puddle of water His eldest daughter was suddenly struck with a foule Leprosie and himself in his old age was arraigned found guilty of murther and escaped hanging very narrowly Speed Chron. p. 927. John Curcy Earle of Ulster in Ireland was betrayed by his own servants for a peece of money given them in hand and for a greater reward to be given afterwards promised unto them by his mortal enemy Hugh Lacy accordingly the said Earl Hugh Lacy rewarded all the aforesaid Traitors with gold and silver as he had promised but presently after hanged them all up and took away their goods Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 153. Nicholas Keretschen Governour of Gyula in Transilvania betraied the same unto the Turks for a great sum of money but when he expected the reward he was by the command of Selymus the Great Turke thrust into an hogshead stuck full of nailes with the points inward with this inscription upon it Here receive the reward of thy treason if thou beest not faithful to thy Master neither wilt thou be to me and so he was rolled up and down till he died Turk Hist. p. 824. A Noble Senator in Rome being proscribed by the Triumviri they promised a great reward to them that would discover him to them whereupon the Senators own servant betrayed him The Triumviri according to their promises first rewarded him for his service to the State because he delivered up into their hands one that was judged guilty of treason then to reward him for his treachery to his Master whom he should have preserved they threw him down headlong from the Capitol whereby he brake his neck Don Frederick sonne to the Duke of Alva going with his Army to Naerden in Holland was admitted into the town and himselfe and souldiers feasted by the Bourgers after which he commanded them with the rest of the inhabitants to go into a certaine Chappel where they should be made acquainted with such Lawes as they were to be regulated by but when they were thus assembled he sent his souldiers commanding them to murther them without sparing any one The men were Massacred the women first ravished and then murthered the children and infants had their throats cut See my Gen. Martyr p. 265. Many of the chiefest of the Brittish Nobility were trained in Almsebury to treat with the chiefest of the Saxons about a peace but being betrayed by them they were basely murthered whence those great stones were erected called Stoneheng See my English Martyrology p. 8. The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously yea the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously Isa. 24. 16. CHAP. XXXIX Examples of Fidelity COmmended Mat. 24. 45. 25. 21. Prov. 25. 13. Psal. 15. 4. 31. 23. 101. 6. Prov. 13. 17. 14. 5. 28. 20. Luk. 12. 42. Commanded 1 Cor. 4. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 11. Jerem. 23. 28. Highly prized Psal. 12. 1. Prov. 11. 13. 20. 6. 27. 6. Luke 16. 10 c. 19. 17. Scriptural examples Abrahams servant Gen. 24. David to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. 15. with 2 Sam. 9. 1. Jacob to Laban Gen. 31. 38 c. Jonathan to David 1 Sam. 18. 3 c. Jehoiadah to Joash 2 King 11. 4 c. Mordecai Ester 2. 22. A woman 2 Sam 17. 19 c. Rahab with the spies Ios. 2. 4 c. The workmen about the Temple 2 Kings 12. 15. Moses Num. 12. 7. Nehemiah chap. 7. 2. Daniel chap. 6. 4. Onesimus Col. 4. 9. Timothy 1 Cor. 4. 17. Tichicus Eph. 6. 21. Col. 4. 7. Epaphras Col. 1. 7. Sylvanus 1 Pet. 5. 12. Josiah's workmen 2 King 22. 7. Gains 3 Iohn 5. Joseph Gen. 39. 8. Other examples The Romanes so highly esteemed of Faith in all their publick affaires that in their City they had a Temple dedicated to it and for more reverence-sake offered sacrifice to the image of Faith Attilius Regulus General of the Romane Army against the Carthaginians being overcome was taken prisoner after which being sent to Rome upon his Parole with conditions of peace which he judged dishonourable he first disswaded his Citizens from accepting of them and then to keep his oath returned to the Carthaginians though he was sure to die a painful death Tul. de offic Pontius Centurio a Captaine of Caesars being taken by Pompey's father in Law had his life offered him with an honourable place in Pompey's Army if he would leave Caesar and serve Pompey But he stoutly answered Scipio that though he thanked him greatly for his kinde offer yet that he would not accept of life upon such unequal conditions choosing rather to die then to falsifie his faith to Caesar. Themistocles being banished Athens by his ungrateful Citizens was forced to flie to his mortal enemy Artaxerxes for refuge with whom he found great favour and having continued a while with him Artaxerxes went to warre against the Athenians and would needs have Themistocles to go along with him Themistocles was content upon condition that the King would sweare to him that without him he would not go into Greece this Artaxerxes assents to whereupon Themistocles making a great feast and inviting his friends to it the feast being ended he drank a draught of bulls blood and so poisoned himself by this means shewing his faithfulnesse to his City which had been so ungrateful to him for he prevented the Kings going against it by reason of his oath and rather chose death then that himself would act any thing against it Diodorus King Porsenna making peace with the Romanes amongst other conditions this was one that the Romans should deliver to him ten young Noble mens sons and ten of their daughters for hostages which was accordingly done and Publicola's daughter called Valeria was one of them within few days after these ten Virgins went to the river Tyber to wash themselves where being freed from their guard they had a great desire to escape over the river though it was very deepe and ranne with a swift streame and so to get home and Caelia venturing first upon her horses back encouraged the others and so they gat all safe over and went and presented themselves to Publicola but he was so farre from countenancing them in their escape that he immediately sent them back to Porsenna when they came back Porsenna asked which of them it was that had first adventured to swim the river and being shewed Caelia he sent for one of his best horses and richest furniture and bestowed it upon her Plut. Darius Junior accounted nothing more sacred then faithfully to keep and performe all his Leagues Covenants and Promises Xenophon Ptolemy King of Egypt besieging Tyrus sent to Andronicus the Governour to surrender it to him Andronicus returned answer that he would by no meanes be brought to violate his faith given to Antigonus for whom he kept the City withal adding divers reproachful speeches against
Dogs Domitian to prove him a lyar commanded him presently to be slaine and his body to be burnt but while it was in burning there fell out a great tempest that quenched the fire and so his body half unburnt was devoured by Dogs Suâ—t Constantine forbad all to ask Counsel at Witches oâ— to use the help of Charmers or Sorcerers upon pain of death Saul when he sought to the Witch at Endor instead of finding comfort was told of his utter ruine and destruction 1 Sam. 28. 19. Natholicus the 31th King of the Scots who had usurped the Crown sent a trusty friend to a famous Witch to know what successe he should have in his Kingdom and how long he should live The Witch answered that he should shortly be murthered not by an enemy but by his friend The Messenger instantly inquired by what friend By thy self said the Witch The Messenger at first abhorred the thought of any such villainy but afterwards considering that it was not safe to reveal the Witches answer and yet that it could not be concealed he resolved rather to kill the King to the content of many then to hazard the losse of his own head Thereupon at his return being in secret with the King to declare to him the Witches answer he suddenly slew him Bucâ—an Cleomedes a great Conjurer in Rome having practised the death of many little children the Parents of them at last sought revenge on him who to shun their fury shut himself up close in a Coffer but when they had broken it open the Divel had carried away the Conjurer Plut. Piso being accused by Tyberius for bewitching Germanicus to death instead of defending himself cut his own throat Taci There was in Denmark one Otto a great Magician and a great Pirat who used to passe the Seas without the help of a ship or any other Vessel and by his divellish Art to raise stormes and drown his enemies but at last being overmatched by one that was more expert in that Art then himself he was by him drowned in the Seas Olaus Mag. There was a Conjurer in Saltzburg who attempted to gather together all the Serpents there abouts into a Ditch and to feed them there but as he was practising of it the old Serpent the Divel drew him into the Ditch amongst them where he perished miserably The Governour of Mascon a great Magician as he was at dinner with some company was snatched away by the Divel hoisted up into the air and carried three times about the Town to the great astonishment of the inhabitants to whom he cried for help but all in vain Hugo de Cluni Anno Christi 1437. in the reign of Charles the 7th King of France Sr. Giles of Britane high-Constable of France was a wicked Magician having murthered above 160. Infants and women great with child with whose blood he wrote Books full of horrible Conjurations which being proved against him he was adjudged to be hanged and burned to death which was accordingly executed Picus Mirandula writes that in his time a great Conjurer promised a certain Prince that he would present to him the Siege of Troy with Hector and Achilles fighting together as when they were alive But as he was about his Conjurations the Divel carried him away that he was never heard of after The Lord of Orue in Lorraine when Noble-men or Gentle-men came to visit him used as they thought to serve them very honourbly with all sorts of daintie dishes and viands but when they departed they found their stomachs empty having eaten nothing On a time a Lords servant going from thence having forgotten some thing behind him went back and suddenly entering the Hall found a Munkie beating the Lord of the house that had feasted them others reported that he hath been seen through the chink of a door lying on his belly along upon a Table and a Munkie scourging him very strongly to whom he would say Let me al ne wilt thou alwayes thus torment me at last he fell into so great misery and beggery that he was fain to get into an Hospital in Paris where he ended his wrethed life Anno Christi 1530. there was in Nuâ—â—mburg a Popish Priest that studied the black Art who coveting riches the Divel shewed him through a Cristal treasures hidden in a part of the City Thither therefore did the Priest go with another companion and having digged an hollow pit he perceived in the bottom a Coffer with a great black Dog lying by it which whilest he beheld the earth fell upon him and crushed him to death Wierus Cornelius Agrippa was a great Necromancer and was alwayes accompanied with a familiar spirit in the shape of a black Dog But when his end approached he took off the Inchanted choller from the Dogs neck saying Get thee hence thou cursed beast which hast utterly destroyed me After which the Dog was never seen and he died a miserable death P. Jovius Zoroastres King of Bactria a great Astrologer and Magician was burned to death by the Divel Theat Anno Christi 1578. one Simon Pembrook of St. Georges Parish in London was suspected to be a Conjurer and used to erect figures for which he was called in question but whilest he was before the Judge he fell down and died having some Conjuring Books found about him Julian the Apostate sending to Delphos to enquire of the Divel the successe of his Parthian War whilest his Ambassadors were there fire came down from heaven and destroyed Apollos Temple and beat his Image all to pieces like to the lightest and smallest powder or dust Mr. Tindal being present in a roome where a Conjurer was hindred him that he could not play his pranks A Saints presence may hinder Satans elbow-roome from doing his tricks See Tindals Life in my first Part And the Like of Athanasius in his Life in the same Book CHAP. LXXIII Examples of Apparitions and Satanical delusions ANno Christi 1228. in a Synod held by the Popish Clergy at Paris in France there was one appointed to make a Sermon who as he was walking abroad and meditating upon what subject to preach the Devil appeared to him asking him what he needed to be so solicitous about that matter Say saith he in thy Sermon The Princes of hell salute you O ye Princes of the Church and gladly give you thanks for that through your default and negligence it comes to passe that so many soules come down to hell Adding that he was enforced by God to declare the same Yea and he gave this Priest a certain token whereby the Synod might evidently see that he did not lie On a time as Luther was walking in his garden the Devil appeared to him in the likenesse of a black Boar But Luther sleighting and not regarding him he vanished away See his Life in my first Part. Luther telleth us that when he was lodged in the Castle of Wartzhurg in a Chamber far from any company he was many times
A MIRROUR OR Looking-Glasse BOTH For Saints and Sinners Held forth in about two thousand Examples Wherein is presented as Gods wonderful Mercies to the one so his severe Judgments against the other Collected out of the most Classique Authors both Ancient and Modern with some late Examples observed by my self Whereunto are added the Wonders of God in Nature and the Rare Stupendious and Costly Works made by the Art and Industry of Man As the most famous Cities Structures Statues Cabinets of Rarities c. which have been or are in the WORLD By Sa. Clark Pastor in Bennet Fink London The second Edition much enlarged Sancti sunt honorandi propter imitationem August London Printed for Tho. Newberry and are to be sold at his Shop at the three Golden Lions in Corn-hill by the Royal-Exchange 1654. TO His dearly beloved Friends and Neighbours Members of the Church of Christ that meet in Bennet Fink London Dearly beloved Friends I Have much desired and longed for an opportunity to expresse and make known my gratefull heart unto you for those many favours and expressions of love which I have received from you For whereas by reason of the iniquities of the times and the cruelty of the common enemy I was banished from my home and that station wherein the Lord had seated mee with much comfort it pleased God to direct your hearts to make choyse of mee for your Minister and since that time being now eleven years I have never found your affections cooled but rather more and more inflamed and increased towards mee No small mercy in these giddy and unstable times and as a reall demonstration thereof you have been very solicitous to provide for my comfortable subsistence amongst you wherein I may use the Apostles expression 2 Cor. 8. 3. That to your power yea I bear record beyond your power you have been willing But that which especially hath ministred most comfort unto mee is your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ evidenced remarkably in this particular which I desire to speak of to Gods glory your credit and that your zeal may provoke others I never had occasion to move you in any just and honest businesse whether of publique or private concernment wherein I have not found your readinesse and forwardnesse to concur with and answer my expectation My hearts desire and earnest prayer to God for you is that you may yet abound more and more in every good word and work that so fighting the good fight of faith you may finish your course with joy For which end I beseech you in the bowels of Jesus Christ that you mark them which would cause divisions and offences among you contrary to the Doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them For many false Prophets are gone out into the world in Sheeps clothing which yet inwardly are ravening Wolves beguâ—ling unstable soules who like little children are carried about with every wind of Doctrine Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastnesse 2 Pet. 3. 17. And the God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Jesus Christ after that yee have suffered a while make you perfect strengthen and settle you which shall ever be the hearty prayer and earnest endeavour of him who is Devoted to the service of your Faith Sa. Clark THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Christian Reader THis Book which I now present unto thee is the fruit of my spare houres it having been my recreation for these many years to read the best Histories which I could meet with and for the help of my memory I have collected the eminentest and most remarkable examples which did occur and reduced them under several heads distinguished into severall Chapters which I have found very useful profitable and pleasing unto me and presuming that they may be so to others also I have now this second time published them to the world that so they which neither have money to buy nor leisure to read many Volumes may find in this little Epitome the choisest and chiefest things that are contained in them I have also sometimes set down more pleasant stories which may have their use and prevent tediousnesse to the Reader though in such great variety of History I suppose there is no great danger of nauseousnesse But besides what I have collected out of the Authours themselves I have met with many examples in several Treatises and Sermons which have been lately published but what I have borrowed from them I hope I shall repay with interest by this insuing Collection I have also inserted some memorable examples from my own observation which were never before in Print I presume that it will be superfluous for me to tell thee what great benefit thou mayst reap by acquainting thy self with these Examples Dost thou live in places of danger and times of persecution here thou mayest see how powerful and merciful the Lord is in supporting or delivering his people in such times Doest thou see the enemies of Gods Church to thrive and proâ—per in their malice and cruelty here thou mayest see what the end of them is like to be if they speedily repent not Would'st thou see the amiablenesse and desireablenesse of vertues and Graces here thou mayst see it held forth unto thee in excellent Mirrours or Looking-Glasses Wouldest thou behold the uglinesse and danger of great and horrid sins Behold here Examples of the severity of Gods Judgments against them Would'st thou find out and propose some choyce Patterns and Presidents for thine imitation Here thou shalt find store and variety of them These with divers other uses and benefits may be made of these examples which I freely impart to thee with prayer for Gods blessing upon thee and them and desiring the like courtesie at thy hands I rest Thine in the Lord Sa. Clark From my Study in Thridneedle-street this 1. of April 1654. A Table of the CHAPTERS contained in this Book MIracles of Gods Mercies to his children Pag. 1 Examples fit for Gods Ministers to imitate Pag. 21 Of Christian courage and resolution Pag. 26 Of Gods Judgments upon Persecutors Pag. 35 Of the wicked lives and woful deaths of many Popes and Popelings Pag. 57 Of inhumane cruelties Pag. 68 Of Temperance Abstinence and Sobriety Pag. 84 Of Drunkennesse Pag. 90 Of Prodigality and Excesse Pag. 98 Of Gods Judgments upon Adulterers and unclean persons Pag. 101 Of Chastity and Modesty Pag. 112 Of Charity Pag. 116 Of Liberality Bounty and Munificence Pag. 122 Of Covetousnesse and Avarice Pag. 125 Of Sacriledge Pag. 132 Of Pride Arrogance Ambition and Vain-glory. Pag. 136 Of Humility and Self-denial Pag. 150 Of Anger Wrath Malice Hatred and Revenge Pag. 157 Of Patience Moderation and Meeknesse Pag. 161 Of Gods Judgments upon Apostates and Backsliders Pag. 168 Of Gods Judgments upon Atheists Pag. 180 Of Blasphemy and Gods Judgments
Lord delivered him miraculously for when they had invironed the Church wherein he was he passed safely through the middest of them and though many Arians that knew him were present to discover him yet was he not discerned Theod. See his life in my first part The City of Nisibis being straitly besieged by Sapores King of Persia there was in the City an holy man of God Jacobus by name unto whom the Citizens resorted beseeching him that he would shew himselfe upon the walls and pray to God for help against their enemies which so soone as he had done the Lord sent a cloud of gnats and flies among the Persians whereby the siege was raised and the City saved Simps Eccles. Hist. Sanctius a godly Christian under one of the first persecutions though he was vexed with all sorts of Torments yet could he not be compelled to confesse his name countrey or kindred but to every question still answered I am a Christian whereupon the tormenters applied Plates of Brasse red-hot to all the tenderest parts of his body which was extreame sore with former scourgings whereby his body was so pitifully drawne together that he retained not the shape of a man after which they cast him into prison and after a few dayes his body being all over so sore that he could scarce endure the least touch they bring him forth to new torments presuming thereby either to force him to blaspheme or to die under them on the contrary his body was so suppled and refreshed by his torments that he recovered his former shape and use of his members their intended punishment by the grace of Christ proving a safe medicine unto him Act. Mon. In Tyre a City of Phenicia certain Christians being cast to most savage beasts were not at all hurt by them though the beasts were kept hungry on purpose and raged so vehemently that they which brought them to the Stage though they stood as they presumed out of their reach yet were caught and devoured by them Act. Mon. Quirinus Bishop of Scescanus having an hand-mill tied about his neck was throwne headlong from a bridge into the River where a long time he miraculously floated above the water and called to the lookers on that they should not be dismayed at his sufferings and so at last with much ado he was drowned Act. Mon. The childe of a Christian being but seven years old was asked by a heathen Tyrant how many gods there were whereunto he answered that whatsoever men affirme to be God must needs be one which with one is one and the same and inasmuch as this one is Christ of necessity Christ must be the true God The Tyrant being amazed at this answer asked him where and of whom he had learned this lesson Of my mother quoth the childe with whose milke I sucked in this Doctrine Whereupon the mother was called and she gladly appeared The Tyrant commanded the childe to be horsed up and scourged the joyful mother standing by with dry cheeks whilest all the beholders wept yea she rebuked her Babe for craving a cup of water to quench his thirst charging him to thirst after the cup which the Infants of Bethlehem once dranke of and to remember little Isaac who willingly offered his throat to the sacrificing knife Whilest she thus counselled him the bloody Tyrant puld off the skinne from the crowne of his head the mother cried Suffer my childe for anon thou shalt passe to him who will adorn thy naked head with a crown of glory Whereby the childe was so encouraged that he received the stripes with a smiling countenance After which the Tyrant cast him into prison and shortly after commanded him to be beheaded at which time the mother taking up her childe into her armes kissed him and being required she delivered him to the Executioner saying Farewell my sweet childe and whil'st his head was cutting off she sang All land and praise with heart and voice O Lord we give to thee To whom the death of all thy Saints We know full dear to be The head being off the mother wrapped it in her garments laid it to her breast and so departed Act. Mon. Babilas a godly Christian for the cause of Christ was tormented with most exquisite tortures and so cruelly excruciated from morning till noone that he hardly escaped with life After which some of his friends asking him how he could abide such sharp torments he said that at the beginning he felt some paine but afterwards there stood by him a young man who as he was sweating with paine wiped it off and oft-times refreshed him with cold water wherewith he was so delighted that when he was let down from the Engine it grieved him more then his torments Act. Mon. Pope Martin the fifth raised three great armies intending therewith to destroy all the Bohemians which clave to the doctrine of John Husse and Jerome of Prague but when they came to the encounter five several times each time the said Armies ran away out of the field leaving their Tents and surniture behinde them being strucken and daunted with a causelesse fear before any blow was given or received whereby the godly Bohemians were much encouraged enriched Afterwards under their Captain Zisca they fought eleven battels against the Popes side ever went away victors Act. Mon. See Zisca's Life in my second Part. Ladislaus King of Hungary getting by fraud the two sonnes of Huniades into his hands most cruelly and unjustly caused the eldest of them to be beheaded who after he had received three blowes from the Hangman his hands being tied behinde him rose up upon his feet and looking 〈◊〉 heaven called upon the Lord protesting his innoâ—â—â—cy and so laying down his head again at the fourth blow was dispatched Act. Mon. Examples of Miraculous provision in times of Famine Neere unto Aldborough in Suffolk at what time viz. in the yeere 1555. by reason of unseasonable weather the corne throughout all England was choaked and blasted in the eare there grew up Pease miraculously amongst the rocks without any earth at all about them about the end of September which much brought down the price of corne Camb. Brit. p. 466. In the yeere 1331. when there was a great famine in Ireland the mercy of God so disposed that upon the twenty seventh of June there came to land a mighty multitude of sea-fishes called Thurlheds such as in many ages before had not been seen there They came into the Haven of Dublin Anthony Lord Lucy being Justice of Ireland and by the Citizens of Dublin were many of them killed Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 184. Leyden in the Low Countries being straitly besieged by the Spaniard Anno 1574. and blocked up with thirty six forts the famine grew so great that there died above seven thousand in the City whereupon the Prince of Orange by breaking of ditches and drawing up of sluces did what he could to drown the
then my selfe Mr. Welch a Suffolk Minister weeping as he sate at table was asked the reason of it he answered that it was because he could love Christ no more Mr. Walls None but Christ. Luthers resolution was such that he affirmed Mallem ruere cum Christo quà m regnare cum Caesare I had rather I were ruined with Christ then that I should reigne as a King without him Saint Basil relates a story of 40. Martyrs who being cast out naked all night in the winter and were to be burned the next day they comforted themselves on this wise Sharp is the winter but sweet is Paradise painfull is the frost but joyfull the fruition that followeth it waite but a while and the Patriarchs bosome shall cherish us After one night we shall lay hold upon eternall life Let our feet feel the fire for a season that we may for ever walk arme in arme with the Angels Let our hands fall off that they may for ever be lifted up to praise the Almighty c. A godly Christian being tormented by Infidels with divers paines and ignominious taunts they demanded of him by way of scorne Tell us what miracles thy Christ hath done to whom he answered Even this that you see that I am not moved with all the cruelties and contumelies that you cast upon me It is said of Luther unus homo solus totius orbis impetum sustinuit that he alone opposed all the world When Eudoxia the Emperesse sent a threatning message to Saint Chrysostome Go tell her saith he from me Nil nisi peccatum timeo that I feare nothing but sin Theodosius the great having in Egypt abolished their heathenish sacrifices and worship upon paine of confiscation and death the people fearing that the omission of their accustomed superstitions would make the river Nilus which they honoured as a God keep in his streames and not water their Land as formerly began to mutiny whereupon the President wrote to the Emperour beseeching him for once to gratifie the people by conniving at their superstition to whom he heroically answered that it was better to continue faithfull and constant to God then to preferre the overflowing of Nilus and the fertility of the earth before piety and godlinesse and that he had rather Nilus should never overflow then that they should raise it by sacrifices and inchantments Soz. Saint Basil being sent to by the Emperor to subscribe to the Arian heresie the messenger at first gave him good language and promised him great preferment if he would turne Arian to whom he answered Alas Sir these speeches are fit to catch little children withall that look after such things but we that are nourished and taught by the holy Scriptures are readier to suffer a thousand deaths then to suffer one syllable or tittle of the Scripture to be altered The messenger offended with his boldnesse told him that he was mad to whom he replied Opto me in aeternum sic delirare I wish I were for ever thus mad Theodor. Melancthon being much disquieted in spirit by reason of the great opposition which the German reformation met with Luther thus encourageth him Seeing the businesse is not mans but Almighty Gods laying aside all care you should cast the whole weight of it upon him why do you vex your self If God hath bestowed his Sonne upon us why are we afraid what tremble we at why are we distracted and sadded Is Satan stronger then he why fear we the world which Christ hath conquered If we defend an evil cause why do we not change our purpose If the cause be holy and just why do we not trust Gods promises Certainly there is nothing besides our lives that Satan can snatch from us and though we die yet Christ lives and reignes for ever to defend his own cause c. Sleid Com. l. 7. Chrysostome speaking to the people of Antioch like himself a man of an invincible spirit against the Tyrants of his times saith thus In this should a gracious man differ from a gracelesse man that he should bear his crosses couragiously and as it were with the wings of faith outsoare the height of all humane miseries He should be like a Rock being incorporated into Iesus Christ inexpugnable and unshaken with the most furious incursions of the waves and stormes of worldly troubles pressures and persecutions Ad pop Antioch He that writes the life of Anselme saith thus of him that he feared nothing in the world more then sinne and that if on the one hand he should see corporally the horrour of sin and on the other the paines of hell and must necessarily be plunged into the one he would chuse hell rather then sinne and that he would rather have hell being innocent and free from sinne then polluted with the filth thereof possesse the kingdome of heaven Mr. Woodman Martyr speaks thus of himself When I have been in prison wearing bolts and shackles sometimes lying upon the bare ground sometimes sitting in the stocks sometimes bound with cords that all my body hath been swolne like to be overcome with paine sometimes faine to lie without in the woods and fields wandring to and fro sometimes brought before the Justices Sheriffes Lords Doctors and Bishops sometimes called Dog Devil Heretick Whoremonger Traitor Theefe Deceiver c. yea and they that did eat of my bread and should have been most my friends by nature have betrayed me yet for all this I praise my Lord God that hath separated me from my mothers wombe all this that hath happened to me hath been easie light and most delectable and joyful of any treasure that ever I possessed Act. and Mon. There were five Monks that were studying to finde out the best means to mortifie sinne One said that it was to meditate on death The second to meditate on judgement The third to meditate on the joyes of heaven The fourth to meditate on the torments of hell The fifth to meditate on the love and sufferings of Christ which indeed is the strongest motive of all Hormisdas a Noble man of Persia famous for Piety was deposed from all his honours and offices because he would not forsake Christ and his truth yet at last was by the King restored to them again yet withall was required to renounce his profession of Christianity to which he bravely answered Si propter ista me denegaturum Christum putas ista denuo accipe If you think that I will deny Christ to keep my offices take them all again Julian the Apostate that subtil enemy of the Church of Christ when his Army was to be paid caused an Altar to be set by him and a table with incense on it requiring every souldier as he came to receive his pay to cast some incense into the fire upon the Altar which many of the Christians understanding it to be interpretive and implicit Idolatry refused to do rather choosing to lose their wages whilest others not knowing the depth of this
through the Pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Ps. 10. 4. CHAP. XVII Examples of Humility COmmanded Col. 3. 12. 1 Pet. 5. 5 6. Jer. 13. 18. Jam. 4. 10. Mich. 6. 8. 2 King 22. 19. Commended 2 Chron. 34. 27 12. 6 7 12. 30. 11. 32. 26 Mich 6. 8. Act. 20. 19. Prov. 16. 19. Ps. 131. 2. Lam. 3. 20. Promises made to it Prov. 15. 33. 22. 4 Luke 1. 4 11. 2 Chron. 7. 14. Mat. 18. 4. 23. 12. Job 22. 29. Psal. 9. 12. 10. 12. 2 9. 34. 2. 69 32. Isa. 57. 15. Jam. 4. 6. Lev. 26. 41. Isa. 2. 11. 5. 15. 10. 33. Prov. 29. 23. Contrary complained of Jer. 44. 10. Dan. 5. 22. 2 Chr. 36. 12. 33. 23. Scriptural examples Abram Gen. 18. 27. 23. 7. Jacob Gen. 32. 10. 33. 3. Josephs brethren Gen. 50. 18. Moses Exod. 3. 11. 4. 10. 18. 7. Numb 12. 3. Gideon Jud. 6. 15. 8. 2 23. Reubenites Jos. 23. 21 22. Ruth ch 2. 11. Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 16. David 1 Sam. â—8 18 23. 24. 8 14. 26. 20. 2 Sam 7. 18. 15. 26 30. Abigail 1 Sam. 25. 41. Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 9. 8. 19. 27 28. Solomon 1 King 3. 7. Ahab 1 King 21. 27. the Captain 2 King 1. 13. Naaman 2 King 5. 9. Hezekiah 2 King 20. 19. 2 Chron. 32. 26. Josia 2 King 22. 19. Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 19. 3. 20. 5. Manasseh 2 Chron. 33. 12. Job ch 1. 20. 9. 15. Isaiah ch 20. 2. Jeremiah ch 1. 6. 11. 19. Esekiel ch 2. 1. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 2. 46. Daniel ch 9. 7 18. John Baptist Mat. 3. 1 14. Mar. 1. 7. Christ Isa. 53. 7. Mat. 3. 13. 8. 20. 11. 29. 20. 28. Centurion Mat. 8 8. Luke 7. 6. Woman Mat. 15. 25 27. Marke 7. 28. Apostles Mat. 21. 7. Vir. Mary Luke 1. 38. Elizabeth Luke 1. 41 42. Peter Luk. 5. 8. Act. 10. 26. Publican Luk. 18 13. Paul Act. 9. 6. 14. 14. 22. 10. Rom. 15. 30. 1 Cor. 15. 8 9. 2 Cor. 11. 7. 12. 11. Eph. 3. 8. Phil. 4. 12. 1 Thes. 2. 7. 2 Thes. 1. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Other examples The Grecians being ready to joyn battel with Xerxes his navy the Lacedemonians would needs appoint an Admiral for the Grecian navy which of right belonged to the Athenians yet the Athenians preferring the safety of Greece before their own right willingly condescended to it Intelligebant enim interituram esse Graeciam si de dominatâ— intempestive contenderent c. Herod The Grecians being ready to joyne battel with the Persians there arose a contention between the Athenians and Areadians about the precedency of place the Athenians said to them Though we might justly challenge the precedency in regard of our actions both ancient and moderne yet considering the present state of affaires we will not now contend about it but will humbly submit to the judgement of the Lacedemonians let them place us where they please onely this we are resolved of that where ever they place us we will endeavour to honour the place by our valiant actions Pez Mel. Hist. Mardonius the Persian General being beaten by the Grecians and his army routed himself with most of the Persian Nobility fled into the City of Thebes Whereupon one Lampus perswaded Pausanias the King of Lacedemon to â—lay Mardonius with the other Persian Nobles telling him that it would much redound to his hounour But Pausanias being no whit puffed up with the victory answered him humbly that such cruelty was fiâ—ter for the Barbarians then the Grecians and therefore â—aith he I am onely content with the honour of speaking and doing such things as may be pleasing to my Spartanes Pez Mel Hist. See the example of Aristides in Constancy and in Moderation In the Wars which the Grecians made with Darius when the Generaâ—ship of the Athenians was conferred upon Aristides he in humility transferred it to Miltiades saying to the other Captains It is not dishonourable but honest and safe to obey and submit to the command of wise men Plut. Before the battel of Marathon the Tagaeatae strove with the Athenians about the chiefest place in the Army whereupon Aristides said to them Locus neque dat neque adâ—mit virtutem c. The place doth neither give uor take away valour therefore whatever place ye assigne unto us we will endeavour to adorne and defend the same that so we may do nothing unworth our former victories for we came hither not to contend with our friends but to fight with our enemies nor to boast of the actions of our Progenitors but to prove our selves valiant men for this present battel shall shew how much Greece oweth to every City Captaine and private souldiers Pez Mel. Hist. Brasidas the Lacedemonian General having given the Athenians a great overthrow yet shortly after died of a wound that he received in that battel after whose death his mother hearing every one highly extolling his valour said My son truly was a good a valiant man yet he hath left behinde him many of his fellow Citizens that farre excell him in vertue and valour The Ephori hearing of this her speech caused her to be publickly honoured and praised for that she preferred the publick honour of her countrey before the private praise and glory of her son Pez Mel. Hist. After the death of Romulus the Romanes chose Numa Pompilius a Sabine of the City Cures for their King and sent Ambassadours to him to acquaint him with their choice and to desire his present repaire to their City The Ambassadours thought that few words would have prevailed with him to accept of it But he being a prudent and humble man answered them that change and alteration of a mans life was exceeding dangerous but for him that lacked nothing neither had cause to complaine of his present state it was great folly to leave his present known condition and to enter into a new and unknown so that it was long before they could prevail with him to accept of the Kingdom Plut. Certaine fishermen of the Isle of Co casting their net into the sea some strangers that were passing by would needs buy their draught at an adventure and when they drew up their net there came up in it a three-footed stoole of massie gold hereupon the strangers and fishermen fell at strife about it and their Citizens taking part on both sides Warre had like to have ensued betwixt them But the Oracle at Delphos being consulted with commanded them to give the stoole to the wisest man that then was upon this they sent it to Thales at Miletum But Thales sent the stoole to Bias judging him a wiser man then himself He again sent it to another as a wiser man then himself and the third to a fourth so that being thus posted from man
tore him all to peeces Act. and Mon. Sigismund the Emperour having granted letters of safe conduct unto Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prague under the faith and protection of himself and the Empire yet suffered them to be unjustly burnt at the Councel of Constance after which time the said Emperour never prospered in any thing that he took in hand he died without issue male and his daughters son Ladislaus died also childlesse whereby his name was quite extinguished in one age And his Emperesse became a dishonour also to the royal place which she held and so Gods judgements justly followed him for his perjury Luther Elfred a Nobleman in the dayes of King Ethelstane of England conspiring against his Sovereigne intended at Winchester to have pulled out his eyes but his treason being discovered he was sent to Rome to purge himself by oath where before the Altar of Saint Peter and in the presence of Pope Iohn the tenth he abjuring the thing suddenly fell down to the earth and being carried by his servants into the English schoole within three dayes after he there died Sp. Chron p. 340. Goodwin Earle of Kent Anno 1055. being charged by King Edward with the death of his brother Alfred excused himself with many words and at last eating a morsel of bread wished that it might choake him if he were guilty thereof but before he stirred one foot from the place he was according to his own imprecation forthwith choaked In the reigne of Queen Elizabeth one Annis Averies in the City of London widow forswore her selfe for a little mony which she should have paid for six pounds of Towe at a shop in Woodstreet and by Gods just judgement she immediately fell down speechless casting her excrements upwards which should have been voided downwards and so presently died Act. Mon. A certain Inne-Keeper in the town of Rutlinguen receiving a Budget of money from a passenger to keep for him forswore the same before the Judge giving himself to the devil if he swore falsly and was by two that testified against him which indeed were two Fiends of Hell presently in the presence of the Judge hoisted up into the aire where he vanished away with them and was never found after One hearing perjury condemned by a godly Preacher and how it never escaped unpunished said in a bravery I have often for sworne my self and yet my right hand is no shorter then my left which words he had scarce uttered when such an inflammation arose in that hand that he was forced to go to the Chirurgion and cut it off lest it should have infected his whole body whereby it became shorter then the other A rich young maide in Saxony promised marriage to a proper young man but poore He fore-seeing that wealth and inconstancy might alter her minde freely disclosed his thoughts to her whereupon she made a thousand imprecations to the contrary wishing that if she ever married another the devil might take her away on the wedding day yet afterwards the fickle wench was betrothed and married to another At dinner two men on horseback came to the house and were entertained at the feast and after dinner one of them leading the Bride a dance he took her by the hand and led her a turne or two and then in the presence of all her friends he caught her crying out for help and went out at the gate where he hoisted her up into the aire and vanished away with his companion and horses so that she was never seen more Sword against Swearers Philip King of Macedonia was a great contemner of all oaths and held the religious observation of them as a vaine thing for which cause the vengeance of God followed him and all his posterity For himself being scarce fourty six years old was slaine and his whole family was quickly extinguished Arideus one of his sons was slaine by Olympias his wife Another son that he had by Cleopatra was by his mother tormented to death in a brazen vessel compassed about with fire the rest of his sons perished in the like manner and his son Alexander after his great conquests in the prime of his dayes and in the middest of his victories died miserably as some think of poison Pausanius A certain maid in London that had stolen many things from her Mistris being examined forswore them wishing that she might rot if ever she touched them or knew of them but being yet carried to prison she began so to rot and stink that they were forced to thrust her out of prison into a common hospitall Iohn Cooper a godly man in Queen Maries dayes was falsely and maliciously accused of treason for speaking some words against the Queen and accordingly executed but one Grimwood who had sworn falsely against him being shortly after about his labour in the harvest and in good health suddenly his bowels fell out of his body and so he died most miserably Act. Mon. CHAP. XXV Examples of Gods Iudgements upon common Swearers BIshop Ridly in a Sermon at Pauls Crosse related a story of a young Gentleman of Cornwall in the dayes of King Edward the sixth who riding in the company of other Gentlemen began to swear and swagger and being reproved for it he swore the more and raged worse to whom one Master Haines a Minister with gentle words said that he should one day give an account thereof whereat the Gentleman being in a fume bade him take no thought for him but to prepare for his own Winding-sheet Well said the other amend for death gives no warning Gods wounds said he care not thou for me still raging worse and worse till coming to a bridge which passed over an arme of the Sea the young Gallant so spurred and switched his horse that he leaped over with him into the water who as he was going cried Horse and man and all to the devil Act. Mon. A Serving-man in Lincolnshire for every trifle used to swear by Gods precious blood and would not be warned by his friends till at length falling into a grievous sicknesse he was again much perswaded by his friends to repent which counsel he still rejected and hearing the Bell to toll in the very paines of death he start up swearing Gods wounds the Bell tolles for me but he shall not have me yet whereupon the blood issued out in a most fearful manner from all the joynts of his body from mouth nose wrists knees heeles and toes and other parts of his body and so he died Mr. Perkins Michael a Jewish Rabbin as he was swearing and blaspheming the Name of Iesus fell down and brake his neck Socrat. Eccl. Hist. Three Souldiers passing through a Wood in the Countrey of Samurtia there arose a tempest of thunder and lightning and one of them to shew his contempt of God and his judgements burst forth into swearing and blasphemy but the tempest tearing up an huge tree it fell upon him and crushed him to peeces
One who for twelve or sixteen years together used to sweare by Gods Armes In the end his own arme being hurt with a knife could not be healed by any means but wrankled and festered from day to day and at last so rotted that it fell away peece-meale and himself through anguish and paine thereof died Phil. Stubs I my selfe saith a godly Divine that wrote lately knew two most notorious swearers that brake their necks the one with a fall down a paire of staires the other from his horse Another relates of a swearing Courtier at Mansfield who in the middest of his blasphemous oaths was taken up and carried away by the devil At a Village called Benevides in Spaine two young men being together in the field there suddenly arose a terrible tempest and withal so violent a whirlewinde that it amazed the beholders The two young men seeing the fury of it coming towards them ran as fast as possibly they might but yet it overtook them and they fearing to be hoisted up into the Aire by it fell down flat upon the earth where the Whirlewinde whisked round about them for a pretty while and then passed forwards the one of them arose in such an agony that he was scarce able to stand the other lying still and not stirring some other that stood under an hedge a far off went to see how he did and found him stark dead with his bones so crushed that the joynts of his armes and legges turned every way as though his body had been made of Mosse his tongue also was pulled out by the roots and could never be found which was the more remarkable because he was noted to have been an outragious swearer and blasphemer of Gods holy Name Anth. de Torquem At Tubing in Germany a desperate boy used to invent such new oaths as were not common but the Lord sent a Canker or some worse disease that did eat out his tongue the instrument wherewith he blasphemed Gâ—â—m Hist. A certain man who in his life-time was given exceedingly to the fearful sinne of swearing had his heart on his death-bed so exceedingly filled with enraged greedinesse after it that he desperately desired the standers by to help him with oaths and to sweare for him though himself in the mean time swore as fast and furiously as he could Mr. Bolton Destructorium viâ—iorum tells of an Harlot who had three sonnes and told her husband that only one of them was his whereupon at his death he bequeathed his estate to him that should be found to be his true son Upon this the sons contend the Judges to decide it commanded the fathers dead body to be set up against a tree and that he of the three that could shoot nearest to his heart should be his heire The two bastards shot the third refused and was offended with the other for doing it By which natural love they concluded him to be the natural son and gave him the inheritance Surely they are bastards and no sonnes that wound God at heart and teare him in peeces by oaths c. Charilaus a Pagan being asked why the Images of the gods in Sparta were armed To the end saith he that men may fear to blaspheme the gods knowing that are armed to take vengeance upon their enemies Chrysostome whilest he was at Antioch spent most of his Sermons against swearing that if not the fear of God yet his importunity might make them a weary of that sin Philip King of France ordained that whosoever by swearing blasphemed God though in a Tavern yet he should be straightway drowned Maximilian the Emperour decreed that every vain swearer should pay thirteen shillings and four pence which who so refused to pay and repented not of his wickednesse should lose his head Henry the first King of England appointed the payment of fourty shillings twenty shillings ten shillings and three shillings four pence according to the degree of the swearer to be given to the poore Christiâ—649 â—649 about the end of June there was a souldier at Ware going with some others to wash himself in the river but finding the water shallow he asked if there was no deeper a place for him to swim in Some told him that there was not farre off a deep pit but that it was very dangerous and therefore advised him to take heed how he went into it to whom he answered God damn me if it be as deep as hell I will go into it which accordingly he did but immediately sunk to the bottome never rising again but was there drowned To swear by their Faith was the Romanes greatest oath which they kept inviolably Plut. King Charles the ninth of France entertained into his favour one Albertus Tuâ—â—us an Hucksâ—ers sonne to whom in five years space besides other honoures he gave six hundred thousand crownes though all the good the King gat by him was to learn to swear by the Name of God Camerar med Hist. c. 4. But above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath But let your Yea be yea and your Nayâ— nay lest ye fall into condemnation Jam. 5. 12. CHAP. XXVI Examples of Gods judgements upon Cursers IN France a man of good parts and well instructed in Religion yet in his passion cursing and bidding the devil take one of his children the childe was immediately possessed with an evil spirit from which though by the fervent and continual prayers of the Church he was at length released yet ere he had fully recovered his health he died Beza Anno 15â—7 at Forchenum in the Bishoprick of Bamburg a Priest preaching about the Sacrament used these and such like blasphemous speeches O Paul Paul if thy Doctrine touching the receiving of the Sacrament in both kindes be true and if it be a wicked thing to receive it otherwise then let the devil take me and if the Popes Doctrine concerning this point be false then am I the devils bondslave neither do I fear to pawn my soul upon it Presently the devil came indeed in the shape of a tall man black and terrible with a fearful noise and roaring winde took away the old Priest that he was never after heard of Fincelius In Helvetia Anno 1556. a certaine man that earned his living by making cleane foule linnen in his drunkennesse used horrible cursings wishing that the devil might break his neck if he ever went to his old occupation again yet the next day when he was sober he went into the field again about it where the devil attended him in the likenesse of a big swarthy man asking him if he remembred his wish and withal struck him over the shoulders so that his feet and hands presently dried yet the Lord gave not the devil power to do him so much hurt as he wisht to himself Fincelius Henry Earle of Schwartburg used commonly to wish that he might be drowned in a Privy if such and such things
the flesh Gal. 5 20. Scriptural examples Ahab and Zedekiah Jer. 29. 21. Shemaiah Jer. 29. 24 31 32. Hananiah Jer. 28. 13 27. Zedekiah 1 Kings 22. 11 24 25. Shemaiah Nehem 6. 10. Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 15. 3. 16. 6 12 Sadduces Mat. 22. 23. 16. 12. Herod Mark 8. 15. Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1. 20. Philetus 2 Tim. 2. 17. Phygellus and Hermogenes 2 Tim. 1. 15. Balaam Revel 2. 14. Barjesus Acts 13. 6 8. Herodians Mark 3. 6. 12. 13. Noadiah Nehem. 6. 14. Jezabel Rev. 2. 20. The Arian Heresie having overspread the City of Antiochia whereupon arose a great Schisme and contention amongst the inhabitants the Lord sent a terrible Earth-quake which overthrew a great part of the City and with the Earth-quake fire also brake forth of the ground which consumed all the residue by both which multitudes of persons perished Evag. Arrius himselfe the father of that Heresie as he was easing nature in a secret place his bowels gushed our and so he died miserably Theod. Saint Augustine being to dispute with Pascentius the Ariâ—â— Pascenâ—ius requested that what passed betwixt them might not be set down in writing and afterwards made his bâ—â—gs that he had wâ—â—sted Augustine in the diâ—pâ—â—e which report was believed of all that desâ—â—ed â—t Aug. 〈◊〉 2 Ep. 17â— Simâ—n Magus after that he was so sharply reproved by â—eter wâ—nt tâ— Rome and taught many abominable heresies affirming himself to be the true God That the wâ—rlâ— was created by Angels that Christ was neither come noâ— did sufferâ— he denied the resurrection of the body brought in the promiscuous use of women used the company of one Hâ—lâ—na an harlot whom he affirmed to be the Holy Ghost and that he begat Angels of her he attempted to shew his power to the people by flying in the aire but falling down he brake his thigh and died miserably Jacks Châ—oâ— p. 186. Manas or Manicheus the Heretick denied the Old Testament called himselfe the holy Spirit and professed that he had power to work miracles whereupon he was sent for by the King of Persia to cure his sonne who lay sick of a dangerous disease but his impostures saiâ—ing and the childe dying under his hand the King caused him to be slaine and his skin taken off and to be stuffed full of chaffe and set up before the gâ—tâ— of the City Simps Nestorius the â—eretick who spake against the union of the Divine and humane nature of Christ making as it were two Christs had his blasphemous tongue â—orted in his mouth and consumed with wormes and at length the earth opened her mouth and swallowed him up Evag. Niceph. The Emperour Valence who was an Arian Heretick was overtaken by the Goths in a Village which they set on fire where in he was burnt to death leaving no successor and his name became a curse and execration to all ages Sozom. Under the reign of Adrian the Emperour there was one called Benchochab who professed himselfe to be the Messias that descended from Heaven in the likenesse of a starre to redeem the Jews whereby he drew a multitude of disciples after him but shortly after himselfe and all his followers were slaine which occasioned the Jews to call him Bencozba the sonne of a lie Eus. Gerinthus the heretick being in a Bath at Ephesus the Apostle John seeing him said to those that were with him Let us depart lest the house wherein the Lords enemy is should fall upon our heads and accordingly when he was gone it fell upon Cerinthus and his associats and killed them Eus. Montanus who denied the Divinity of Christ and called himselfe the Comforter or holy Spirit that was to come into the world And his two wives Priscilla and Maxilla he named his Prophetesses but shortly after God gave him over to despaire that he hanged himselfe Magdebur Niceph. Heraclius the Emperour infected with the Heresie of the Monothelites having raised a great Army against his enemies fifty two thousand of them died in one night whereupon he presently fell sick and died Simps Constance the Emperour a Monothelite was slaine by one of his own servants as he was washing of himselfe in a Bath Simps Constantius the Emperour a great favourer and supporter of the Arian Heresie died suddenly of an Apoplexie Socr. Cyril hath of his own knowledge recorded a wonderful judgement of God upon an Heretick in his time There was saith he presently after the death of Saint Hierom a bold and blasphemous Heretick called Sabinianus who denied the distinction of persons in the Trinity affirming the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost to be but one indistinct person and to gaine credit to his heresie he wrote a book to confirme his opinions which he published in the name of Saint Hierome whereupon Silvanus Bishop of Nazareth sharply reproved him for depraving so worthy a man now dead and to detect his falsehood agreed with Sabinianus that if Hierome did not the next day by some miracle declare his falsehood he would willingly die but if he did the other should die this being agreed upon the day following they went to the Temple at Hierusalem multitudes of people following them to see the issue and the day was now past and no miracle appeared so that Silvanus was required to yield his neck to the headsman which he willingly and confidently did but when he was ready to receive the blow something appeared like Saint Hierome and staid the blow and then vanishing presently the head of Sabinianus fell off and his carcase tumbled upon the ground Grimoald King of Lombardy an Arian Heretick being let blood for some distempers eleven dayes after as he was drawing a bowe the veine opening a new he bled to death Nestorius the Heretick being made Bishop of Constance by Theodosius bespake him thus in a Sermon O Caesar purge me the Land of Hereticks meaning the Orthodox Christians and I shall give thee Heaven Help thou me to root out them and I shall help thee to overcome thine enemies For which cause he was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fling-fire in French Boutefeux Hist. Trip. About â—he yeere 1629. there lived at Cubbington in Warwick-shire a Gentleman called Master Griswould of a competent estate and a zealous prosessor of Religion familiarly acquainted with most of the godly Ministers and Christians thereabouts and well esteemed of by them till one Canne lately of Amsterdam falling into his acquaintance began to seduce him from his former opinions and practice causing him to scruple first joyning with our Congregations in Prayers and the Sacrament Secondly to question whether he might lawfully hear a conformable Minister though able and godly from thence he fell to separation and after a while he first questioned and after concluded that there was no true Church in the world to which he might adjoyne himselfe and therefore kept himselfe to duties with his own family and rejected all others yet staid he not long here but after
whereupon he was deposed and banished from his Bishoprick But shortly after Gods heavy judgement falling upon the woman in her sicknesse she confessed that she was suborned by the Arians to accuse this holy man and that it was one Eustathius a Tradesman that had gotten that childe Niceph. l. 8. c. 46. See the like practice against Athanatius in his Life In my first Part of the Marrow of Ecclesiastical History In the reigne of King Canutus at a Parliament held at London the King asked the Lords and Nobles whether in the Agreement made betwixt King Edmund and him there was any mention made of the children or brethren of Edmund to have any part of the land divided to them The Lords flatteringly answered That there was none Yea they confirmed their false words with an oath thinking thereby to have procured great favour with the King But he on the contrary ever after mistrusted and disdained them especially such as had sworne fealty to King Edmund Yea some of them he exiled many he beheaded and divers of them by Gods just judgement died suddenly Speed In the Reigne of King Henry the eighth one Richard Long bore false witnesse against a Minister in Calice falsly accusing him for eating meat in Lent But shortly after Gods wrath did lie so heavy upon his conscience that he desperately drowned himselfe Aze Mon. About the same time Gregory Bradway accused one Brook falsly for stealth but shortly after through terrors of conscience he sought to cut his own throat but being prevented he fell mad In Queen Maries dayes one William Feming accused an honest man called John Cooper because he would not fell him two bullocks as if he had spoken traiterous words against the Queen and suborned two false witnesses to depose it Cooper was hanged and quartered and all his goods taken from his wife and nine children but shortly after one of these false witnesses being well and at harvest-work was stricken by God so that his bowels fell out and he died miserably See My English Martyrology The Egyptians had no punishment for lying and therefore no measure in lying One Thespis a Poet in Athens made a play wherewith the Citizens were much delighted and grave Solon himselfe went to see it but when the play was ended wherein Thespis himselfe acted a part Solon called him to him and asked him if he were not ashamed to lie so openly in the face of all the City Thespis answered that it made no matter so long as it was but in sport But Solon beating the ground with his staffe said If we commend or allow lying in sport we shall shortly finde it used in good earnest in all our bargaines and dealings Plut. Artaxerxes M. having found one of his souldiers in a lie caused his tongue to be thrust through with three needles Plut. Putting away lying speake every man the truth with his neighbour for we are members one of an other Eph. 4. 25. CHAP. XXIX Examples of Childrens Obedience and Love to their Parents COmmanded Eph. 6. 1. and why v. 2. Col 3. 20. Prov. 4. 1. 6. 20. Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5. 16. Mat. 15. 4. 19. 19. Mark 7. 10. 10. 19. Luk. 18. 20. Commended Mal. 1. 6. Scriptural Examples Shem and Japhet Gen. 9. 23. Isaac Gen. 22. 6 c. Jacob Gen. 28. 1 5. Ioseph Gen. 37. 13. Ruth Chap. 1. 16 17. Solomon 1 King 2. 19. Other examples Pomponius Atticus making the funeral Oration at his mothers death protested that having lived with her sixty and seven years he was never reconciled to her Because said he there never happened betwixt us the least jarre which needed reconciliation In vita Attici Cyrus King of Persia having overcome Croesus King of Lydia in battel Croesus fled into the City of Sardis but Cyrus following took the City by storme and a souldier running after Croesus with his sword Croesus his sonne that had been dumb all his life-time before with the violence of natural affection seeing his father in such danger suddenly cryed out O man kill not Croesus and so continued to speak all his life after Pez Mel. Hist. Miltiades a famous Captaine of the Athenians died in prison for debt his sonne Cimon to redeeme his fathers body for burial voluntarily went into the prison and submitted to be cast into chaines there till the debt was paid Iustin. Cleobis and Biton two brethren in Greece loved their mother dearly insomuch as she being to go to Juno's Temple in her coach drawn by two oxen the oxen being out of the way they willingly harnessed themselves and drew her thither she much rejoycing that she had borne two such sonnes Plut. Olympias the mother of Alexander M. was very severe and morose in her carriage towards him and once Antipater Alexanders deputy in Europe wrote large letters of complaint against her to whom he returned this answer Knowest thou not that one little teare of my mothers will blot out a thousand of thy letters of complaint Plut. King Demetrius being overcome by Seleucus and taken prisoner his sonne Antigonus hearing of it mourned exceedingly and wrote lamentably to Seleucus in the behalfe of his father proffering to deliver up into his hands all the Countreys which he yet held and to become a pledge himselfe for his father so that he might be delivered out of captivity Diod. Sic. The carriage of Master Herbert Palmer towards his parents was very dutifull and obsequious not only during his minority but even afterwards which was very evident in that honour and respect which he continued to expresse to his aged mother to the day of her death being also a special help to her in the wayes of holinesse See his Life at the end of my General Martyrology Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Exod. 20. 12. CHAP. XXX Examples of Gods judgements upon Unnatural and rebellious children Such were to be punished with death Exod. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9. Mat. 15. 4. Mark 7. 10. Prov. 20. 20. Deut. 21. 18. c. Such are cursed Deut. 27. 16. It 's a damnable sinne 1 Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 1. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 3. Prov. 30. 11. Scriptural examples Simeon and Levi Gen. 34. 30. Elies sons 1 Sam. 2. 25. C ham for mocking the nakednesse of his father Noah was cursed by him Gen. 9. 25. Absalom for rebelling against his father David was hanged by his head and thrust through by Joab 2 Sam. 18. Adramelech and Sharaser that slew their father Sennacherib to enjoy his Kingdome were banished into Armenia and Esarhaddon succeeded his father 2 King 19. ult Crannius the son of Clotharius King of France conspired treacherously and raised warre against his father but being vanquished as together with his wife and children he was flying thinking to escape by sea being overtaken by the command of his father they were all shut up in a little house and so burned
by his own sonne that he might seize upon his riches but whil'st he was stooping down to draw forth bags full of gold out of a Chest the same person caused his braines to be beaten out French History Selimus a cruel and bloody Emperour of the Turks intending to turne all his powers against the Christians was suddenly attached by the hand of God being struck in the reines of the back with a Cancer which contemning all cure did by little and little so eate and corrupt his body that he became loathsome both to himselfe and others and so rotting above ground died miserably Turk Hist. Agathocles a bloody Tyrant of Syracuse after many most horrible murthers committed by him lived to see most of his family slaine and himselfe devested of his Kingdome After which he was taken with a grievous sicknesse wherein his whole body rotted which spread it selfe through all his veines and sinews wherewith in short time he ended his accursed life Robert Erle of Fife in Scotland being advanced by his brother King Robert the third to be the first Duke of Albany afterwards ungratefull person that he was pricked on with the spirit of Ambition famished to death David his said brothers son who was heir to the Crown but the punishment due for this fact which himself by the long sufferance of God felt not His son Mordac the second Duke of Albany suffered most grievously being condemned for treason and beheaded when he had seen his two sons the day before executed in the same manner Camb. Brit. Scot. p. 39. King Richard the third of England who caused his two Nephews most unnaturally to be murthered in the Tower and shed much other innocent blood by Gods just judgement had his onely son taken away by death and himself was slain in Bosworth-field his carrion carcasse being found naked among the slain filthily polluted with blood and dirt was cast upon an horse behinde a pursuivant at Armes his head and armes hanging down on the one side of the horse and his legs on the other like a Calfe and so was interred at Leicester with as base a Funerall as he formerly bestowed upon his Nephews in the Tower Eng. Hist. Iames Tyrell Iohn Dighton and Miles Forrest who were procured by this King Richard to murther the two young Princes entering into their Chamber about midnight so bewrapped them among the clothes keeping down the Feather-bed and Pillows hard unto their mouths that within a while they were smothered but these Murtherers escaped not long the vengeance of God for Miles Forrest by peecemeale rotted away Dighton lived at Calis so disdained and hated that he was pointed at of all men and there died in much misery and Sir Iames Tyrell was beheaded on Tower-Hill for Treason Act. Mon. Senercleus relateth the just hand of God upon that villainous parricide Alphonsus Diazius a Popish Spaniard who after he had like another Cain murthered his own naturall brother Iohn Diazius meerly because he had renounced Popery and became a Professor of the reformed Religion and was not onely not punished but highly commended of the Romanists for his heroical atchievement as they called it being haunted and hunted by the furies of his own conscience desperately hanged himself at Trent about the neck of his own Mule Some bloody villains basely murthered Theodorick B. of Trever But Gods just judgments overtook all the murtherers For Conrade the chief author died suddenly A souldier that helped to throw him down the rock was chok'd as he was at supper and two other servants that assisted desperately slew themselves Marti The Cardinall of Winchester commonly called the rich Cardinall who procured the death of the good Duke of Glocester in the reign of King Henry the sixth was shortly after struck with an incurable disease who understanding by his Physicians that he could not live murmuring and repining thereat he cried out Fie will not death be hired will money do nothing must I die that have so great riches If the whole realme would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it But yet all would not prevail but that he died of the same disease Sp. Chr. See the Example of Scedasus's daughters in Rapes Olympias the mother of Alex M. being a woman of a proud and revengefull disposition having gotten Eurydice Queen of Macedonia into her hands sent her a sword an halter and a cup of poison giving her leave to choose with which of them she would kill her self Eurydice seeing them prayed to the gods that she that sent her those presents might her self partake of the like and so hanged her self But shortly after the Divine â—ustice met with Olympias who by the appointment of Cassander one of her sons Captains was murthered Diod. Sic. Justin This Cassander murthered also the two wives of Alex. and their sons and thereby seized upon the Kingdome of Macedonia but shortly after God plagued him with a filthy disease in his body whereby wormes were bred that devoured him his eldest son Philip died of a consumption Antipater his second son slew his own mother Thessalonica and was himself slain by his father in law Lysimachus and Alexander the youngest son was treacherously slain by Demetrius and so the whole family of Cassander was rooted out Plut. Examples of selfe Murther Calanus an Indian Philosopher followed Alexander M. when he returned out of India who having lived seventy three years without any disease was at last taken with a dysenterie and fearing that his former felicity should be overclouded with a lingring disease he asked leave of Alexander that he might burn himself the King laboured to disswade him from his unnaturall purpose but when he could not prevail by arguments he gave his consent whereupon Calanus caused a pile of wood to be made and riding to it he made his prayers to his Countrey gods and so with a cheerfull countenance he ascended the pile and causing the fire to be put to it he sate with a fixt and unmovable body till he was burned to ashes Q. Cur. Alex. M. besieging one of the Indian Cities the inhabitants seeing that they could hold out no longer shut up themselves their wives and children in their houses and set fire on them Alexanders men breaking in laboured to quench the fire and the others laboured as much to encrease it so that it was a strange thing to see the fight that was betwixt one to destroy themselves the other to save their enemies Quin. Cur. Demosthenes the Athenian Orator for standing for the liberty of Greece was hated by Antipater the Governour of Macedonia who sent some to kill him under Captain Archia whereupon Demosthenes took sanctuary in Neptunes Temple But Archia sent to him to come out of the Temple so that Demosthenes perceiving that they were resolved to have his life he took some poison which he had ready for the purpose and so presently died Plut. Perdiccas besieging the
with all his might when behold the dagger vanished and five drops of blood fell upon the table in the midst of them and immediately the devil came in annd carried away the blasphemous wretch with such a noise that the whole City was amazed at it The other halfe distracted with fear strove with all their strength to wipe out the drops of blood but the more they wiped it the more clearly it appeared The rumour hereof flying through the City multitudes flocked to the place where they found the Gamesters washing the board whom by the decree of the Senate they bound with chaines and carried towards the prison but as they went by the way one of them was stricken suddenly dead with such a number of lice and wormes creeping out of him as was wonderful and loathsome to behold The third to avert the indignation that seemed to hang over their heads was by the Citizens immediately put to death The table was preserved for a monument to shew the accursednesse of Dicing with the inconveniences and mischiefes attending the same Fincel Mandat 4. Anno Christi 1550. there lived in Alsatia one Adam Steckman who got his living by dressing vines This man having received his wages lost it all at Dice whereupon he grew so distempered in minde wanting wherewithall to maintaine his family that in his wives absence he cut his three childrens throats and would have hanged himselfe but that his wife coming in and seeing this pittifull tragedie gave a great out-cry and fell down dead whereupon the neighbours coming in apprehended the man who by the Law was adjudged to a cruel death Fincel l. 2. Isabel wife to Ferdinand King of Spaine was a very vertuous and magnanimous Princesse a great enemy to playing at Cards and Dice which that Nation was much addicted to yea she caused such severe Lawes to be made against them that in her time none durst use them no not in corners Lipsius Let him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour with his hand the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that lacketh Eph. 4. 28. The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord Prov. 1â— 33. CHAP. XLVII Examples of Justice The duty of Judges and Magistrates TO do justly is the duty of every Christian Mich. 6. 8. but especially of Magistrates and such as are in authority and then people may sit under their own Vines and Fig-trees in safety when Iustice runs down like a river and righteousness as a mighty stream in the streets But alas in such woful times as these wherein the sword rages and is drunk with blood we may complaine with the Prophet Isa. 59. 14. that Judgement is turned backwards and Justice stands afar off Truth is falne in the street and equity cannot enter for it is with us as with that man who came to the General of an army for justice to whom he answered What dost thou talke to me of justice I cannot heare the voice of Justice for the noise of Guns and Drums Oh therefore pray for the peace of Jerusalem and give God no rest till he make and till he establish it a praise in the earth and that we may be the more enamoured with the beauty of justice consider these Examples following and these Scriptures requiring it Judges ought to be submitted to Deut. 17. 9 c. 25. 1 c. Ezra 7. 26. The duty of Judges Deut. 1. 16 c. 16. 18 c. 25. 1. 19. 18. 2 Chron. 19. 6 7 Exod. 23. 2 3. Lev. 19. 15. Jer. 22. 3 15 16. Jos. 7. 51. Prov. 31. 4 5. Their qualifications Exod. 18. 21. Deut. 1. 13. Ezra 7. 25. Psal. 2. 10. Judge justly Isa. 1. 17. 16. 3. 56. 1. Jer. 7. 5. 21. 12. 22. 3. Ezek. 18. 8. 45. 9. Hos. 12. 6. Amos 5. 15 24. Zach. 7. 9. 8. 16. Distributive Justice is commanded by God Lev. 19. 15. Deut. 1. 16. 16. 18. Psal. 9. 9. 45. 5 8. 48. 11. 89. 15. 94. 15. 97. 2. Isa. 11. 4 5. 59 9. Jer. 23. 5. 33. 15. Dan. 9. 7. Act. 24. 23. Heb. 1. 9. It 's a great blessing Psal. 85. 11 12 14. 72. 3 4 5 6 7. Kings and Magistrates ought to observe it 2 Sam. 18. 15. 23. 3. Psal. 45. 8. 72. 1 2. Prov. 20. 8. 25. 5. 29. 14. 31. 8 9. Isa. 16. 5. 32. 1. Jer. 22. 15 c. Esek 44. 9. Scriptural examples Moses Exod. 18 13. Othniel Judg. 3. 9 10. Tola Jud. 10. 1 2. Jephtah Jud. 12. 7. Samuel 1 Sam. 7 15. David Psal. 78. 72. Solomon 1 King 3. 27 28. Psal. 72. 2 4. When one told old Bishop Latimer that the cutler had cousened him in making him pay two pence for a knife not in those dayes worth a peny No quoth Latimer he cousened not me but his own conscience Saint Augustine tells us of a seller who out of ignorance asked for a book farre lesse then it was worth and the man meaning himself of his own accord gave him the full value thereof Lib. 13. de trinit c. 3. The Lord Morris Fitz-Thomas Justice of Ireland was a most righteous Justicer in that he stuck not to hang up those of his own blood for theft rapine and other misdemeanours even assoone as strangers Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 192. In the yeere 1356. Sir Thomas Rockesby was made Justice of Ireland who was very careful to pay for the victuals he took saying I will eate and drink out of Treene vessels and yet pay both gold and silver for my food and apparel yea and for my Pensioners also Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 19â— Elfred a King of the West-Saxons here in England designed the day and night equally divided into three parts to three special uses and observed them by the burning of a Taper set in his Chappel eight houres he spent in meditation reading and prayers eight houres in provision for himself his repose and health and the other eight about the affaires of his kingdome he was in continual warres with the Danes and yet so exact in the administration of justice that a Virgin might travel alone through all his dominions without any violence offered her and bracelets of gold were hanged in the high wayes and no man was so hardy as to take them away Speed Chron. p. 332. Charles Duke of Calabria who died in the yeere 1328. was a Prince so careful to have justice executed to all his Subjects that perceiving how difficult it was for the poore to have accesse to him he caused a bell to be hung at his Palace-gate so that he that rung it was sure presently to be brought to his presence or to have some Officers sent out to hear his cause Trajane the Emperour in creating of a Tribune used to put a sword into his hand as an Ensigne of
of the Church then the head of the Empire Amongst the Lacedemonians men were chosen into the Senate and office of Magistracy not for their riches friends beauty strength c. but for their honesty and vertue Plut. Examples of Marshall Discipline A French souldier in Scotland in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reigne who first mounted the bulwark of a Fort that was besieged whereupon ensued the gaining of the Fort The French General Mounsier de Thermes first Knighted him for his valour and then hanged him within an hour after because he had done it without command Holman in his book of Ambass Manlius Torquatus the Roman General beheaded his own sonne for fighting with an enemy without leave although he overcame him Isac Chron. p. 147. Defend the poor and fatherlesse Do justice to the afflicted and needy deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Psa. 82. 3 4. CHAP. XLVIII Examples of Injustice Bribery The evil of it Psal. 82. 2. Prov. 11. 7. 28. 8. 29. 27. Zeph. 3. 5. Luk. 16. 10. 2 Pet. 2. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Rom. 1. 31. It 's spoken of Psal. 43. 1. Mat. 5. 45. Isa. 26. 10. Rev. 22. 11. Forbidden Deut. 25. 13 14. Lam. 3. 35 36. Amos 5. 7. 8. 5. Exod. 23. 2 6. Deut. 16. 19. 24. 17. Threatened Prov. 28. 8. 29. 7. Deut. 27. 19. Isa. 5. 7. 59. 8 c. Hosea 10. 4. Amos 5. 7. 6. 12. Mich. 3. 9. It 's a great sinne Amos 5. 12. Prov. 25. 14. Eccles 7. 7. It 's the property of the wicked Psal. 26. 10. Prov. 17. 23. 29. 4. It 's threatened Job 15. 34. The godly are free from it Isa. 33. 15. so was Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 3. Prov. 15. 27. Forbidden Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Prov. 17. 8. 18. 16. Scriptural Examples of injustice in Rulers Samuels sonnes 1 Sam. 8. 3. Princes of Judah Isa. 1. 23. Ezek. 22. 12. Mich. 3. 11. 7. 3. Zeph. 3. 3. Judges in Israel Amos 4. 1. Hos. 4. 18. Pilate Matth. 27. 26. Mark 15. 15. Luk. 23. 24. John 19. 16. Felix Act. 24. 25 c. Ananias Acts 23. 2 3. Gallio Acts 〈…〉 Pharisees Matth. 23. 25. the steward Luk. 16. 3 〈…〉 the Judge Luk. 18. 2. Other Examples Cambyses King of Persia having found corruption by reason of bribery in one of his Judges called Sysamâ—â—â— commanded him to be put to death his skin to be pulled off to be spread upon the Judgment-seat and then making his son Judge in his room caused him to sit thereon withall telling him That the same corruption would deserve the same punishment Themistocles in Athens caused Arthemius and all his children anâ— posterity to be noted with a brand of perpetual infamy because he brought gold from the King of Persia to corrupt the Grecians and to divide them amongst themselves Plut. Harpalus that was made Treasurer by Alexander M. at Babylon whil'st he went to conquer India thinking that Alexander would perish in those warres fell to all manner of loosenesse and impurity ravishing Noble Virgins and defiling Matrous but when he heard of Alexanders returne fearing to be called to account for his viâ—â—ainy he stole five thousand talents of silver and so fled to Athens labouring by his money to corrupt the Citizâ—ns to secure him against Alexander and especially he sough to corrupt their Oratours which had most power with the people But Demosthenes exhorted the people to expell him out of their City and not to bring an unnecessary warre upon themselves in defence of â—o unjust a cause yet afterwards being with Harpalus he spred amongst his treasures one of the Kings cups of gold and began highly to commend it for the beauty and curious workmanship and Harpalus perceiving his coveâ—ous minde thereby bade him take the cup in his hand and guesse what it might weigh Demosthenes answered that he could not guesse But saith Harpalus this cup will bring you twenty talents and accordingly at night he carried him the cup with twenty talents in it Hereupon the next morning when the people were met together to debate the cause of Harpalus Demosthenes came to the Pulpit all muffled about his throat and mouth and when he was called upon by the people to speak his minde he told them that he was troubled with a squinancy and could not speak wherewith some merry fellowes made sport saying that Demosthenes had that night gotten a silvernancy and not a squinancy Diod. Sic. Q. Cur. Some Roman Judges having acquitted Clodius a great malefactor as they were going home wel atended with officers were met by Catulus who knowing what they had done said unto them You do well to be so guarded for your safety lest the money be taken away from you which you took so lately for bribes Plut. in vita Cicer. p. 872. There was a law amongst the Romans That if a Judge took a bribe to pervert justice he should die for it And if any bore false witnesse he should be thrown down from the Tarpeian Rock By the Julian law De Ambitu amongst the ancient Romanes it was enacted That if any attained to honour or offices by bribes he should be punished with a great mulct and also for ever be made infamous Severus the Romane Emperour so hated bribery and Iudges which used it that he would vomit when he saw them and was ready with his two fingers to put out their eyes Tacitus used to say That never any man came to an office or high place by bribery or â—inister meanes but he exercised his authority wickedly and unjustly Great presents being sent to Epaminondas though he was poor yet he refused to receive them saying If the thing you desire be good I will do it without any bribe even because it is good If it be not honest I will not do it for all the goods in the world Lanq. Chron. p. 57. Augustines judgement was that not only gold silver and presents are bribes But the guilt of bribery may also be justly imputed to any exorbitant affection which swayes a man aside from an impartial execution of justice As love fear hatred anger Pusillanimity desire of applause c. Cambyses King of Persia intending to make warre against the King of AEthiopia under pretence of sending Ambassadours imployed some to spie out his Countrey and strength to whom the King of AEthiopia said Go tell your Master that he is an unjust man otherwise he would not affect another mans Kingdome but be content with his own not seeking to bring other men into slavery that never wronged him Pez Mel. Hist. He that by unjust gaine encreaseth his substance shall gather it for him that will pity the poor Prov. 28. 8. CHAP. XLIX Examples of Restitution COmmanded in what cases Exod. 22. 1 3 4 5 6 12. Lev. 6. 4 5 24 21 25 27 28. Deut. 22. 2. Job 20 10 18. Prov. 6. 31. Ezek 33. 15.