Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A11783
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Exod. 8.19. Digitus Dei
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Scott, Thomas, 1580?-1626.
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1623
(1623)
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STC 22075; ESTC S120053
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27,800
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52
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themselues from the Romane seruitude Imperiall taxe and the Emperour with Pilate his Officer might be greater sinners in laying this taxe vpon the people without their consents for volenti non fit iniuria and so forcing them to wrastle for their liberties yea and all the other Galileans might be sinners doubtlesse aboue those that suffered whilst they sought and desired the same libertie though they had not hearts to vse the same meanes So if consent be a crime where will is present wanting onely courage to attempt or powre to accomplish what others aduenture then the whole Nation were as faultie as these few though these did only suffer in their persons because they did only enter into open action which by the vulgar is euer censured good or badde according to the successe and though before followed applauded and effected neuer so eagerly yet it is presently disclaimed condemned as soone as it is opposed by power or crossed and defeated by policie Thus these fondlings could censure the Galileans to be Rebles Traytors and Sinners aboue others and so to suffer worthely for endeauouring to doe that which all of them desired to be done but they could not see their owne notorious rebellions and treasons against God who had beene a gratious King and Ruler ouer them from whose easie and equal yoke notwithstanding they and their stiffe neckt Fathers shranke and withdrew the shoulder The sinnes against man man censures seuerely the sinnes against God we passe ouer slightly The iudgement of Caesar or of his Substitute Pontius Pilate who haue power only to kill the bodie we tremble at and count so terrible as it frights vs euen from good duties or frights all men from acknowledging vs if we fall into their hands and be branded as capitall offendors vnder their tyrannicall censures though it be for performing good duties but the iudgements of God who hath power to kill soule and bodie we extenuate hide and peruert with our idle Glosses Apologies and Applycations though we know they be euer Iust Serious Obserueable Sacred and neuer inflicted but for notorious euill But how fond and foolish doe men shew themselues herein For Caesar owes more to God then any man to Caesar and yet Caesar that exacts more for himselfe then his due denies or neglects to pay God that which belongs to him yea all men are more carefull to pay Caesar more then they ought then God what they ought and for this will robbe God to inrich Caesar Shall they for this be counted wise religious obedient faithfull And Fooles Factious persons Rebels Traytors for the contrarie Caesar can kill thee Caesar cannot saue thee die thou must when God determines If Caesar therefore will neither pay God his due nor permit thee to doe it thou maist deny Caesar whatsoeuer is found to haue Gods expresse Stipendium Tyranno penditur praedicatio non nisi bono principi Cass var. Lib. 9. Ep. 25. Stampe vpon it I doe not meane the taxe and tribute which he violently exacteth but prayers for his prosperitie That hath Caesars impression this Gods Tribute is due to euill Princes prayers to good Giue therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods Besides if thou offendest Pilate there is no meanes to escape he mingleth thy blood with thy sacrifice the Hornes of the Altar are not priuiledged no place no person is exempted from the force of his fury no repentance no restitution can serue the turne to redeeme a delinquent from his rage O Prophane and cruell heart of man how seuere art thou against man like thy selfe I say like thy selfe if thou beest Gods Image not Satans and if thou beest Satans Image then much thy better like thy Master like thy Maker Thus if man offend man there is no mercy but if man offend God he may repent and be saued There is indeed no other remedie but repentance but that remedie is left vs in the greatest extremitie Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish If ye repent not one of you shall perish With Pilate there is no remedy except you can worke with his Wife vnderhand With Herod no remedie except ye can get Herodias Daughter to daunce you into fauour With Caesar there is no remedie except ye can giue for a pardon to Maecenas It is not so with God He forgiues though we giue nothing Repentance only paies all debts Not the Minion but the Sonne is the intercessour The one sels at a deere rate the temporall fauours of Caesar the other giues freely the eternall fauours of his Father Ye shall all likewise perish except ye repent What all perish by Massacre as these did Perhaps not so but by some violent sodaine and vnusuall death as fell out to the greatest part of the Iewish Nation about fortie yeeres after vnder Vespatian and Titas Or if not so yet ye shall perish dying vpon your beds when others shall not perish though they dye a violent death For some passe by Iob 36. 12. Ps 144. 10. the Sword when others perish by it The end of all examples is to teach vs repentance and executions are done for the liuing that they liue no longer in sinne and not for the dead who cannot be bettered by example or admonition To apply this then to our present purpose The Waldenses were a People in France who tooke this their By-name from one Waldus a wealthy and honest Acts and Monuments Citizen of Lyons This Waldus chanced with diuers of his rich neighbours to be one day making merrie when in the midst of their mirth one of their companie fell downe sodainly dead This accident amazed all but wrought more effectually with him who was more sensible and apprehensiue of Gods hand in the sodaine and vnexpected stroke insomuch as afterward fearing the like death might befall him he reformed his life gaue himselfe to almes and prayer and to the frequent reading and meditating of the Scriptures and withall exhorted others of his kinsfolke neighbours and friends to doe the like Wherein he so farre preuailed that many sober Christians adhered to him and a great reformation followed in that place at which the Diuell his Disciples the Libertines of those dayes repining information thereof was giuen to Rome that Sinagogue of Satan against these poore soules and their pietie was accounted Heresie because they could not finde the Popes Supremacie a maine and head Article of the Romane Catholique Faith confirmed in the Scriptures For this and other such honest and holy Heresies the King of France was excited by the Papacie to butcher his owne poore subiects with he performed which incredible cost and crueltie Now I demand with our Sauiour Thinke you were these Waldenses sinners aboue all the people that dwelt in the Citty of Lyons or in the Kingdome of Fraunce because they suffered these things I tell yow nay but except we repent we shall all likewise perish