Benjamin wept upon his neck Gen. 45. 14. Brethren unnatural Breaches amongst brethren are great Pro. 18. 19. Not to be trusted Jer. 9. 4. Mat. 10. 21. It 's a cursed thing to divide brethren Pro. 6. 19. Scriptural examples Cain Gen. 48. 1 Joh. 3. 12. Esau Gen. 27. 44. Josephs brethren Gen. 37. 18 c. Abimelech Judg. 9. 5. Absalom 2 Sam. 13. 28. Onan Gen. 38. 9. Simeon and Levi brethren in evil Gen. 49. 5. Bassianus and Geta the two sons of Severus were left by him to succeed in the Romane Empire who being at deadly feud betwixt themselves Bassianns watching his opportunity when all were at dinner came with some other cut-throats into his brother Gâ—ta's chamber and before he could provide for his own defence slew him in his mothers armes Imp. â—â—ist In the reign of Queen Mary Richard Woodmans brother joyning with his father betrayed him into the hands of his bloody persecutors whereby he suffered Martyrdome See my English Martyrology 1 4. Cambyses King of Persia seeing his brother Smerdis draw a stronger bowe then any of the reâ—â— of his Souldiers could do was in enslamed with envy against him that he caused him to be slâ—â—ne Not long after Cambyses caused a young Lion and a young Maâ—â—iffe to fight together before him but the Lion being too hard for the Dog another Whelp of the same litter brake his chaine and came in upon the Lion and so being two they were too hard for the Lion whereupon Cambyses laughed but his wife who was also his sister fell a weeping and Cambyses asking her the cause she answered Because seeing the Whelp to help his brother I thinke of Smerdis whom thou hast slain and yet he hath none to revenge his death This â—o provoked Cambyses that he slew her also Pez Mel. Hist. It hath been the constant practice of the great Turk ever since the beginning of that Empire till of late that so soon as he came to the Crown he sent and strangled all his brethren Turk Hist. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook and as the stream of brookes they passe away Job 6. 15. CHAP. XXXIV Examples of Fortitude Valour and Magnanimity WHil'st a people walk in obedience to God he hath promised that they shall chase their enemies who shall fall before them on the sword and that five of them shal chase an hundred and an hundred of them shal put ten thousand to flight Lev. 26. 7 8. Whence it appeares that the spirit of courage and valour is from the Lord who by small and weak meanes doth many times effect great and wonderfull things that the glory of all may be his We have had much experience hereof in these unhappy bloody civil warres wherein our great victories and successes have been obtained and carried on most happily when the enemy hath been most elated and our selves most weak and almost in despaire neither is this any new thing but according to Gods dealings in former times as these following Scriptures Examples will more clearly evince Exhorted to Joshua 1. 6 7. 23. 6. Phil. 1. 28. 1 Peter 3. 6. Scripturall examples Abraham Gen. 14. 14. Jacob Gen. 48. 22. Jephthah Judg. 11. 1. Gideon Judg. 6. 12. David 1 Sam. 16. 18 50. 2 Sam. 17. 8. Davids Worthies 2 Sam. 23. 8 c. and 20. 24 39. Jehoiadah 2 Sam. 23. 20. Cherethites and Pelethites 1 King 1. 8 44. the Sons of Ulam 1 Chron 8. 40. Barak Sampson c. Heb. 11. 32. Saul 1 Sam. 9. 1 2. Joab 2 Sam. 11. 6. Abishai 2 Sam. 23. 18. Jeroboam 1 King 11. 28. Jonathan 1 King 1. 42. Abner 1 Sam. 17. 55. 26. 15. the sons of Perez Neh. 11. 6. Jehu 2 Kings 9 24. Others 1 Sam. 2. 15. 1 Chron. 12. 2 Chron. 17. 16 17. 26. 13 14. In and for Religion Azariah and the Priests 2 Chron. 26. 17. Shadrach c. Dan. 3. 12 16 17. Daniel Chap. 6. 10. Joseph Matth. 27. 57. Peter and John Acts 4. 19. Steven Acts 6. 8 10. and 7. 52. Paul Acts 13. 10. and 17. 17. and 19. 30. and 21. 13. Elijah 1 King 18. 15 18 40. Micaiah 1 Kings 22. 14 19. Jehoiadah 2 King 11. 4. Elisha 2 Kings 3. 13. Other examples Darius sent a very great Army of Horse and foot in 600 Gallies against the Athenians charging his Commanders to destroy the City and bring all the people captives to him accordingly they â—ailed into Attica where landing they made grievous spoile of all before them thinking that Athens would have submitted so soon as they came near them but the Athenians choosing Miltiades for their Generall sent him forth with ten thousand Citizens and one thousand Auxiliaries who marching to Marathon about two leagues from Athens encountered with the great Army of the Persians charging them so furiously that they prevented the throwing of their darts and enforced them to run away like sheep to their Navy and after a great carnage they burnt and took many of their ships also At this time Themistocles being a very young man shewed much valour and dexterity in the battel Justin. Also in this battel Cynaegirus an Athenian shewed such incomparable valour that pursuing the Persians to then ships when some of them were putting off from the shore he caught hold of one of the ships with his right hand holding it till his hand was cut off then did he lay hold on it with his left hand till that also was cut off and then he caught hold of it with his teeth Iustin. Xerxes sending his Ambassadours to Lacedaemon and Athens requiring them to send him earth and water in token of their homage they out of greatnesse of spirit scorning the message took his Ambassadours and threw some of them into a Jakes others into a pit of water bidding them to take earth and water from thence if they pleased to carry to their Lord. Pezel Mel. Hist. The Lacedemonians in their publick feasts had alwayes three dances The first of old men who sang We have been young and strong and valiant heretofore Till crooked age did hold us back and bid us do no more The second of young men who sang We yet are young bold strong and ready to maintaine That quarrel still against all men that do on earth remain The third of children who sang And we do hope as well to passe you all at last And that the world shall witnesse be ere many yeares be past In their warres they assaulted their enemies very fiercely and never gave over till the flight of their enemies had assured them of the victory and then they quickly and quietly retreated into their camp judging it unworthy their manhood and an ignoble action to kill and hew in pieces men once scattered and out of order this much surthered their victories their enemies being upon their flight secured from further danger Plut. When Alexander M. had put Calisthenes to death he suspected Lysimachus another of his
to another till at last some of his disciples which were called Circumcellions grew to that height of madnesse that running up and down when they met with any passengers by the way they would force them to kill them others of them by leaping from rocks and high places would break their own necks or burne themselves in the fire that so they might die Martyrs August A certaine Anabaptist in the field of Sancto Galli by the instigation of the Devil having his sword under his cloake called his brother nothing aware of his bloody intent before his father mother sisters and the whole family commanding him to kneele down before them and suddenly whips out his sword and cuts off his head throwing it at the feet of his parents whereat they were so affrighted that they died mad the murtherer himselfe defended the fact saying Voluntas Dâ—i impleta est The will of the Lord is fulfilled Gastius John Matthias one of the Prophets of the Anabaptists in Germany being vexed with a disgracefull scoffe which was given him by a blacksmith procured him to be condemned to death by some of his own rabble and himselfe would needs be the executioner wounding him first with an Halberd and that wound not proving mortal he after shot him through with a Pistoll Then shedding some Crocodile-teares he pardoned him for his rash speech saying That God was reconciled to him and that he had a revelation from Heaven that the man should not die of his wounds yet he proved a false Prophet the man dying within a few dayes after Hist. of the Anabap. John of Leiden a Taylor whom the Anabaptists in Germany chose for their King presently after his Coronation made a great feast inviting at least foure thousand men and women to it and between the first and second course he accuseth a man of high Treason and cuts off his head with his own hands and returnes merry to supper and after supper with the same bloody hands he administers the Lords Supper Not long after though there was a great famine in the City of Munster where they were yet he and his Courtiers abated nothing of their full dishes But one of his fifteen wives for so many he had somewhat more consciencious then the rest said That she thought God was not well pleased with their feasting and rioting when the other people pined with hunger and so were famished to death in the streets This mock-King being told of this speech of hers brought her into the market-place with other of his wives and making her kneel down cut off her head commanding his other wives to sing and give praise for it to their heavenly Father Hist. Anabap. Within the space of two years wherein this Sect of the Anabaptists by their fanaticall opinions and practices disturbed the peace of Germany and much hindred the Reformation of Religion begun by Luther and others it pleased God by eminent visible judgments to punish the prime actors fomentors of the same For Thomas Muncer was put to the rack by George Duke of Saxony where he roared most fearfully and in the end had his head cut off and put upon an high pole in the fields Three hundred Anabaptists that fell upon a Monastery in Friesland and rifled it were most of them either killed by the ruines of the Monastery or put to death by the hangman John of Leiden and their Consul Bernard Knipperdoling were tied to a stake and together with their great Prophet had their flesh torne off with hot pinchers and in the end being slaine had their bodies put into iron Cages and hanged on the steeple of Saint Lambert Sleid. Com. Lib. 10. There was in the yeare 1647. one Quarterman who had sometimes lived in Oxford and been a zealous professor of Religion and one that had suffered under the Tyranny of the Bishops At the beginning of the difference between the King and Parliament he was chosen Marshal of the City of London and continued some yeares in that imployment afterwards he turned a violent Sectarie and being discarded by the City he went to the Army where he found countenance and imployment But withall he sucked in errors so fast that in Southwark before a godly Minister he said That there was no more holinesse in the Scriptures then in a dogs taile which afterwards he againe affirmed before the said Minister and many of his Congregation whereupon the Minister went forth fearing as he professed lest the house should fall upon his head wherein such a blasphemous wretch was and within few dayes after it pleased God to strike the said Quarterman with a violent disease viz. upon February the eleventh where of he presently died and was buried February the sixteenth 1647. In the same year there were in York-shire certaine seduced Sectaries who pretended that they had a revelation to sacrifice unto God certaine creatures and amongst the rest their aged mother whom accordingly they slew perswading her that she should rise againe the third day for which they were apprehended and afterwards hanged at York Anno Christi 1648. there lived in Southwark one Gunne a Sectarian Preacher who lived in adultery with another mans wife for about the space of nine yeares and afterwards solicited and lay with one Greens widow whereupon it pleased God to strike him with such horror of conscience that he ran mad and continued raving and raging in a fearfull manner till at the length having an opportunity he murthered himselfe and the woman with whom he lay being examined about it acknowledged the fact saying That she did it to cure her brother of his burnings Bolton one that by Separation made the first schisme here in England first through the stirring of his conscience made a publick Recantation of his errors at Pauls Crosse and yet afterward was so dogged with a desperate remorse that he rested not till that by hanging himselfe he had ended his miserable life Robins Justif. See more of these in Mr. Baylies disswasive page 13 c. Anno Christi 1647. there was at Newbery some she Anabaptists that took upon them to have revelations and therein to see and know such glorious things as could not be imagined and one of them had such strange gestures and fits as the like was seldome seen This woman gave forth that she had a revelation that such a night she should be taken up into heaven against which time many of them assembled together took their solemne leaves of her with tears and the time being come out they go to see her ascension The night was a Moonshiny night and as they expected when an Angel should come to fetch her up in a Chariot a cloud comes and covers the face of the Moone whereupon they all cry out Behold he comes in the clouds but presently the cloud vanisheth whereupon their hopes being frustrate they still expect his coming And after a while comes a flock of wilde geese a good way off whereupon again
countrey but yet the water was too shallow to carry boats till God sent a strong Southwest winde which drave the sea into the rivers and land that great boats passed and victualled the â—own whereupon the Spaniards raised their siege but behold the remarkable work of God! who two dayes after sent as strong a North-west winde that beat back the Sea again whence it came Belg. Com. Wealth p. 72. Rochell being besieged with a mighty Army from the beginning of December 1573. to the moneth of June following a Dearth began to seize upon the godly Protestants which were within the same but the Lord seasonably sent a number of fishes called Surdones into the haven whereby the poor Inhabitants were relieved during the continuance of the siege which being once broken up the fishes departed and were found no more in that coast Fren. Hist. As it was always one of Mr. Latimers wishes that he might be so happy as to shed his hearts blood for the truth and so it fell out at the time of his burning that when the violence of the fire had opened his body such abundance of blood gushed so violently out from his heart to the great astonishment of the beholders as if all the blood in his body had been gathered to that one place Act. Mon. A Christian Matron of excellent parts and piety languishing long under the pressure of hideous temptations wofully at length yeelded to despaire and attempted the destruction of her selfe After often and curious seeking occasion for that bloody fact at last getting upon a Rock that hung over into the Sea putting off her apparell she threw her self head long from the same but receiving no hurt by the fall she was there miraculously preserved for the space of two houres labouring all that while industriously to drown her self after which time being with much difficulty drawn forth and recovered she did yet conflict with that extreamest desperate horrour almost an whole yeer after but at length by Gods providence listening oâ— a time though very unwillingly at the first to her husband reading that Text Esa. 57. 15. by little and little abundance of spiritual comfort flowed into her heart in which condition she continued many yeeres after even untill her death which was 1595. Mr. Bolton A virtuous Gentlewoman in this Land doubting very often of her salvation made her case known unto a godly Minister who often counselled her to take heed of inquiries farther then Gods Word and to trust assuredly that she might ground her salvation upon evidences out of that without farther revelations yet still did that temptation grow upon her insomuch that having a Venice-glasse in her hand the Minister sitting by her she brake forth into very lamentable words saying You have often told me that I must seek no further then Gods Word but I have been long without comfort and can endure no longer therefore if I must be saved let this glasse be kept from breaking and therewithal she threw it against the walls and though the Lord might have dealt otherwise yet he was content to satisfie her longing soul with a miracle The Glasse rebounds againe and comes safe unto the ground which the Minister taking up said Oh repent of this sinne and blesse God for his mercy never distrust him more of his promise Bolton Yates See this more fully in my first part of Lives In the life of Master Fox Mistris Katharine Brettergh upon her death-bed was assaulted with most grievous temptations which made her cry out that a roaring wildernesse of wo was within her that her sinnes had made her a prey to Satan and wished that she had never been borne or that she had been made any other creature rather then a woman crying Wo wo wo c. a weake a wofull a wretched a forsaken woman but at length by Gods wonderful mercy she recovered such comfort that in the ravishments of spirit she cried out O Lord Jesus doest thou pray for me O blessed and sweet Saviour how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful are thy mercies O thy love is unspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with me O Lord my God blessed be thy Name for evermore which hast shewed me the path of life thou diddest O Lord hide thy face from me for a little season but with everlasting mercy thou hast compassion upon me and now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea thou art come to thine handmaid with fulnesse of joyes and abundance of consolation O the joyes the joyes the joyes that I feel in my soul O they be wonderful they be wonderful they be wonderful O Lord I feele thy mercy and I am assured of thy love and so certaine am I thereof as thou art the God of truth even so sure do I know my self to be thine and this my soul knoweth right well and this my soul knoweth right well O blessed be the Lord O blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me O the joy the joy the delightsome joy that I feele O praise the Lord for his mercies and for this joy which my soul feeleth full well Praise his Name for evermore See her life and death in my second Part. Mr. Peacock a biessed servant of God being in horrour of conscience recounting some smaller sinnes burst out into these words And for these now saith he I feele an hell in my conscience and afterwards groaning most pitiously he cried out O me pitious wretch Oh mine heart is miserable Oh oh miserable and wofull the burthen of my sinne lieth so heavie upon me I doubt it will break my heart Oh how wofull and miserable is my state that thus must converse with hell-hounds Being asked whether he would pray he answered I cannot then they said Let us pray for you Take not replied he the Name of God in vain by praying for a reprobate but after a while this tempest of temptation being over Truly said he my heart and soul hath been farre led and deeply troubled with temptations and many inconsiderate speeches have flowed from me in the same for which I humbly and heartily aske mercy of God I now finde that the Sea is not more full of water nor the Sunne of light then the Lord of mercy yea his mercies are ten thousand times more what great cause have I to magnifie the goodnesse of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched miscreant and of so base a condition to an estate so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his goodnesse I am sure he hath provided a glorious Kingdom for me The joy that I feele in my heart is incredible Bolton Mr. Robert Glover was so worne and consumed by the space of five yeares that neither almost any brooking of meate quietnesse of sleepe pleasure of life yea and almost no kinde of sense was left in him upon the apprehension of some backsliding he was so perplexed that if he had been almost in the pit of
presently after he were hanged again but by the neck as Christian malefactors suffered which was accordingly granted to him Mel. Adam in vit Ja. Andr. p. 639. One who had accused the Apostle Saint Iames the brother of Iohn when he saw that he was condemned and led to execution was so pricked in conscience that of his own accord he confessed himselfe to be a Christian and so they were both led forth together to be executed As they were in the way he desired Saint Iames to forgive him that which he had done who after that he had paused a little upon the mater turned to him and said Peace be unto thee brother and kissed him and so both were beheaded together Euseb. Potamiaena a young and beautifull Virgin being condemned to death for that she was a Christian and delivered to a captaine called Basilides who stayed the insolence of the people which followed her to the place of execution she thereupon prayed for his conversion and was heard of God so that he became a Christian and suffered martyrdome also Act and Mon. William Hunter being at the stake ready to be burnt for Christs cause lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven cryed Sonne of God shine upon me and immediately the Sunne out of a dark cloud shone so full in his face that he was constrained to looke another way whereat the standers by much mused because it was so dark a little before Act. and Mon. Robert Smith a godly Martyr being at the stake ready to be burned exhorted the people to thinke well of his cause not doubting but that his body dying in that quarrell should rise againe to life and told them that God would shew them some token thereof and accordingly when he was halfe burnt all black with fire and clustered together on a lump like a black coale all men thinking him dead suddenly rose upright lifting up the stumps of his armes and clapping the same together declaring a rejoycing heart and so bending downe again he slept in the Lord. Act. and Mon. Mr. Robert Glover a godly Martyr a little before his death had lost the sense of Gods favour and the comforts of his Spirit whereby he was in much heavinesse and made great moane but when he came within the sight of the stake whereat he was to suffer suddenly he was so mightily replenished with Gods holy comfort and heavenly joyes that he cryed out clapping his hands He is come he is come and so dyed most cheerfully Act. and Mon. Three godly men being condemned to be burned when they were at the stake the chaine about them one of them slipped out and went apart from the rest whereupon there was great fear lest he would have recanted but the reason was because he felt not the comforts of Christ in his soul which made him pray earnestly and vehemently to the Lord who at last sent him comfort whereupon he arose with great joy saying now I thank God I am strong and passe not what man can do unto me and so returning to his fellowes they all suffered joyfully Act. and Mon. The Cardinall of Loraine a principall pillar of the house of Guise and a crafty and cruell persecutor of Gods people coming from Rome with a purpose to stirre up the Kings of France and Polonia utterly to root out the Christian assemblies the Lord wrought so wonderfully for his peoples safety that by the way he fell mad at Avignion and died in the flower of his youth at the instant of whose death there happened such an horrible tempest in the aire that all stood amazed at it Act. and Mon. Archbishop Cramner by the wilely subtilties and large promises of the Papists being drawn to subscribe to a recantation afterwards by Gods great mercies recovered againe and when he was at the stake to be burned as soone as the fire was kindled he stretched out his hand wherewith he had subscribed and held it so stedfast and unmoveable saving that once he wiped his face with it that all men saw his hand burned before his body was touched He also abid burning with such constancy and stedfastnesse that alwayes standing in one place his body moved no more then the stake to which he was bound Act. and Mon. He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength They that waite upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walke and not faint Esa. 40. 29. 31. CHAP. II. Examples sit for Gods Ministers to imitate GOds faithfull Ministers as they are set up by God in a speciall manner to oppose and beat down the kingdome of sinne and Satan so usually they are singled out by the Devill and his instruments as the principall Buts against which the invenomed Arrowes of their malicious hearts are most directed and therefore not onely Serpentine wisdome and Dove-like innocency is necessary for them above others but also courage and magnanimitie not to feare the faces of men Sanctity and holinesse without which all their naturall and acquired parts are but as a Pearle in the head of a filthy Toade a Pearle in the head and the body all poyson And lastly diligence and indefatigablenesse in that work which God imployes them about who puts no difference between nequam and nequaquam an idle and an evill servant Which things that they may be better stirred up to endeavour after let them diligently observe these following examples Mr. Calvin being much weakened by his incessant paines in the work of the Ministery towards his end was advised by his friends to take care of his health to whom he replyed Would you have the Lord when he omes finde me idle See his life in my first part St. Ambrose used to commend to Ministers the reading and study of the Scriptures above all other books and it was his owne practice not onely in his younger dayes but in his old age daily to expound and write Commentaries upon it which he continued also in his last sicknesse being imployed in commenting at that time upon the 48th Psalme with the which when he had finished all but the two last verses he finished his life Paulinus in vita St. Ambros. Bishop Iewell riding to preach at Lacock in Wiltshire a Gentleman that met him perceiving his feeblenesse advised him for his healths sake to turne home againe to whom he answered Oportet Episcopum concionantem mori A Bishop should die preaching and so indeed he did for presently after the Sermon by reason of his sicknesse he was forced to bed from which he never came off till he was translated to glory See his Life in my first parr Doctor Reynolds when the Doctors of Oxsor came to visit him in his last sicknesse which he had contracted meerly by his exceeding paines in his study whereby he brought his withered body to be a very Sceleton they earnestly perswaded
the strength of him that beareth it and if at any time the furnace be made hotter then ordinary yet then will he make his power to appeare in our weaknesse so steeling our hearts and raising our resolutions that no danger though never so great shal be able to appale it as will appeare evidently in these examples following Constantius the father of Constantine the great to try the faith and beliefe in God of his Courtiers put it to their free choice either to sacrifice to the Idol-gods and so to stay with him or else if they refused to leave their honours and offices and so to depart but those that would leave all and depart rather then to renounce and forsake their faith in God he kept with him still and highly prized them casting off all the rest who he supposed would prove disloyall unto him seeing they had abandoned their beliefe in God Eusebius Luther being cited by an Herauld of Armes to appeare before the Councel at Wormes many of his friends perswaded him not to adventure himselfe to such a present danger to whom he answered that he was resolved and certainly determined to enter into Wormes in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ although he knew that there were so many Devill to resist him as there were tiles to cover the houses in Wormes Slâ—id Com. The Dutches Dowager of Ferrar who was a great Patronesse of the Protestants in France had one Malicorne a Knight of the Order sent by the Duke Guise to seize upon her towne and Castle who began to threaten the Lady with Cannon shot to batter her Castle but she couragiously sent him word that if he proceeded to such boldnesse to do it she would first stand in the breach her selfe to try if he durst be so bold to kill the daughter of a King for so she was whereupon like a snaile he pulled in his hornes and departed French Hist. St. Ierome relates an History of a young man under one of the first persecutions of most invincible courage and constancy against whom the adversaries had very little hope of prevailing by tortures and torments and therefore they took another course with him They brought him into a most fragrant Garden flowing with all pleasure and delight there they laid him upon a bed of downe softly enwrapped in a net of silke amongst the Lillies and the Roses the delicious murmur of the streames and the sweet whistling of the leaves and then all departed presently in comes a beautifull strumpet and useth all the abominable tricks of her impure Art and whorish villanies to draw him to her desire whereupon the young man fearing that he should now beconquered by folly who was conqueror over fury bites off a peece of his tongue with his own teeth and spits it into the face of the whore and so prevented the hurt of sin by the smart of his wound Domosthenes the famous Oratour of Athens soliciting Lais a beautiful strumpet for a nights lodging with her she demanded of him a thousand Drachmas for it but he being affrighted at the name of so great a sum thus replyed I purpose not to buy repentance so deare Non poenitentiam tanti emam Plut. Saint Jerome himselfe shewed his owne resolution by this speech If my father stood weeping on his knees before me and my mother hanging on my neck behinde and all my brethren sisters children and kinsfolk houling on every side to retaine me in a sinfull life I would fling my mother to the ground despise all my kindred run over my father and tread him under my feet that I might run to Christ when he calleth me See his life in my first part Saint Chrysostome also shewes the like heroicall spirit in these words When saith he I was driven from the City none of these things troubled me but I said within my selfe if the Queen will let her Banish me the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof if she will let her saw me asunder Isaiah suffered the same if she will let her cast me into the Sea I will remember Jonah if she will let her cast me into a burning fiery Furnace or amongst wilde beasts the three children and Daniel were so dealt with if she will let her stone me or cut off mine head I have then Saint Stephen and the Baptist my blessed companions if she will let her take away all my substance Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shall I returne thither agiaine Kilian a Dutch Schoolmaster being in prison for the cause of Christ was asked if he loved not his wife and children yea said he my wife and my children are so deare unto me that if the world were all gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it to live with them yea though it were in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all Act. and Mon. George Carpenter a Martyr said My wife and my children are so deare unto me that they cannot be bought from me forall the riches and possessions of the greatest Duke yet for the love of my Lord God I will willingly forsake them all Act. and Mon. Benevolus being offered preferment by Justina the Emperesse an Arian if he would be an instrument of some vile service What saith he do you promise me an higher place for a reward of iniquity nay take this away that I have already with all my heart so that I may keep a good conscience and thereupon threw at her feet his girdle the ensigne of his honour Act. and Mon. Polycarpus being accused for that he was a Christian and brought before the Proconsul was perswaded to sweare by the fortune of Caesar and to defie Christ to whom he answered Fourscore and six yeares have I been his servant yet in all this time hath he not so much as once hurt me how then may I speak evill of my King and Lord who hath thus preserved me King Edward the sixth being sollicited by some of his best friends to permit the Lady Mary his sister to have the Masse in her house answered That he would rather spend his life and all that he had then to grant that that he knew certainly to be against Gods truth And in his message to the Devonshire Rebels who stood for Popery Assure your selves said he most surely that we of no earthly thing under heaven make such account as of this one to have our Lawes obeyed and this cause of God which we have taken in hand to be throughly maintained from the which we wil never remove one haires breadth or give place to any creature living much lesse to any subject wherein we will spend our owne Royall person our Crowne Treasure Realme and all our Estate whereof we assure you upon our high honour Act. and Mon. Bernard used to say Lord Iesus I love thee plus quà m mea meos me more then all my goods all my friends all my relations yea more
Emperours few or none of them escaped Gods revenging hand so that there is numbred fourty three of them that came to untimely ends Act. Mon. Constantine the Emperour a Monothelite being a cruel persecutor of godly Christians was slaine by one of his own servants as he was washing himself in a Bath Hist. Magd. Arnolphus the Emperour raging exceedingly against the Christians the wife of one Guido upon another grudge gave him a cup of poison by meanes whereof such rottenness possessed his members that lice and wormes issuing out continually he died a miserable death P. Melan. Chron. l. 4. Agapetus a young man of the age of fifteen years for the profession of Christ was first scourged with whips then hung up by the feet and scalding water poured upon him then cast to the wilde beasts which being more merciful then men refused to touch him whereupon he was taken and beheaded but Antiochus who passed sentence upon him suddenly fell down from his judicial seat crying out that all his bowels burned within him and so he gave up the ghost Act. Mon. Genserick an Arian King of the Vandals shewed a great deal of cruelty against the Oxthodox But the Lord met with him for he died being possessed with an evil spirit P. Melanc Chron. l. 3. Hunericus son to a King of the Vandals being an Arian was a mercilesse persecutor of the godly Christians banishing five thousand of them at one time amongst which some of them being unable to travel he caused cords to be tied to their legges and to drag them through rough places whereby many of them perished But shortly after he was tormented with venomous biles all over his body and in the end was consumed with vermine Hist. Mag◠Claudius who was President under Valerian and his instrument to torment and condemne many godly Christians was shortly after possessed with the devil and so tormented that biting off his own tongue in small peeces he ended his life in much misery Act. Mon. Anastasius the Emperour a Patron of the Eutychian Heresie became a bloody persecutor of godly Christians and by Gods just judgement was slain with a Thunderbolt Plat. Autharis King of the Longobards who forbade children to be baptized or instructed in the Christian faith ere he had reigned six years died of poison at Pavia Paulus Diac. l. 3. c. 18. Arcadius the Emperour having by the perswasion of his wife Eudoxia an Heretick banished Chrysostome The very next night there arose such a terrible earth-quake that the Emperour and all the people being affrighted therewith was faign to send Post after Post to fetch him home againe Mandat of calumniation l. 2. c. 44. Mamuca a Saracen being a cruel Persecutor of the Church of God like unto Pharaoh met with the like destruction from God for as he returned from the slaughter of many Christians the Lord caused the sea to swallow him up with the greatest part of his Army in an hundred ships so that few or none escaped Paul Diaconus l. 3. c. 12. Theodoricus an Arian King of the Goths persecuted the true Christians with all hostilitie amongst whom he slew two noble Senators Symmachus and Boëtius but shortly after the Lord struck him with madnesse and sitting at the table had the head of a great fish set before him which he imagining to be the head of Symmachus whom he had slaine was so overcome with feare that anon after he died Evag. At Vassie in France fifteen hundred people being assembled in a Church upon a Sabbath-day hearing the Word of God preached The Duke of Guise suddenly compassed the Church with armed Souldiers himselfe standing in the doore with a drawn sword and sent in his Souldiers who cruelly killed all without distinction of age or sex but himselfe was shortly after slaine at the siege of Orleance Act. and Mon. Minerius Governour of Province who was sent by the King of France with an Army against the Waldenses used much cruelty against them burning some killing others driving others into woods and mountaines whereby they perished of famine depopulating whole townes But the Lord smote him with a tertible disease so that he felt like a fire burning him from the Navel upwards and his lower parts rotted and were consumed with vermine which was attended with a grievous stinke and profusion of blood in the place of his urine and in those extreame torments he ended his wretched life Simps The Emperour Phocas a most vicious and bloody persecutor being the first that ordained that the Bishop of Rome should be called the universall Bishop and the Church of Rome the head of other Churches was betrayed by his own son in Law and delivered up into the hands of his enemy Heracleus who commanded his head feet and privie members to be cut off and his body to be burned Plat. Earle Simon of Montfort a cruell persecutor of the Albingenses by the instigation of the Pope as he besieged some of them in Tholous had his head parted from his body by a fire stone which a woman let out of an Engine Simps King Lewis of France besieging Avignion a City of the Albingenses and vowing never to depart till he had taken it was shortly after punished with a grievous pestilence which daily wasted great numbers of his men So that the King going aside to an Abbey not far distant to avoide the same there died out of his wits Act. and Mon. King Charles the ninth of France a bloody persecutor of the Protestants who had caused the effusion of the blood of thirty thousand of them in the massacre of Paris by Gods just judgement fell sick and with great effusion of blood out of many parts of his body died miserably Act. and Mon. Truchetus an expert Captain imployed by the Duke of Savoy against the Protestants in his dominions who were a naked and unarmed people was first sore wounded with stones and afterwards slaine with his owne sword by a poor Shepherd who was keeping of Cattell in the field Act. and Mon. Henry the second King of France a cruel persecutor of Protestants caused Annas Burgeus a noble Counsellour of Paris to be condemned and in a great passion said that he would stand by and see him burned but before the time came the King being at Tilt put a Speare into one of his Noble mens hands and compelled him against his will to run against him at which time the Speare breaking a small splinter of it entred in at the Kings eye and pierced into his braine whereof he died Act. and Mon. King Henry the third of France in the selfe-same Chamber wherein the Massacre of Paris was concluded whereof himselfe being at that time Duke of Anjou was one of the chiefe was stabbed by a Iacobine Monke who thrust a knife violently into his small Ribs whereof he shortly after died Act. and Mon. Ladislaus King of Bohemia and Hungary who most unjustly had caused Ladislaus Huniades his son to be beheaded and
them their wages for they were all found dead with their necks broken and quashed to peeces as if a wheele had gone over them the blood running out of their mouths nostrils and eares in a lamentable manner Fincelius A Vintner that accustomed himself to swearing and drunkennesse as he was upon a Lords day standing at his doore with a pot in his hand to invite guests there came suddenly such a violent whirlwinde as carried him up into the aire after which he was never more seen Alexander the Great invited many of his Captains to a feast proposing a Crown in reward to him that should drink most by which meanes being provoked to drunkennesse fourty two of them died shortly after Plut. Armitus and Cinanippus two Syracusians being drunk committed incest with their two daughters Plut. The like did Lot Gen. 19. 33 c. Cleomenes King of Lacedaemonia drinking himselfe drunken fell distracted never recovering his wits againe Anacreon the Poët a notable drunkard was choaked with a huske of a Grape Bonosus the Emperour was so notorious a drunkard that he was said to be borne bibere non vivere to drink and not to live but he died a shameful death being hanged with this Epitaph That a Tunne not a man was hanged there Zeno the Emperour was such a drunkard that he would often lie as one dead for many hours so that he grew odious to all and to his own wife who once finding him in that case caused him to be laid in a Tomb with a great stone on the top of it whereby he was miserably pined to death Platina Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night till wine inflame them Esa. 5. 11. CHAP. IX Examples of Prodigality Gluttony and Excesse THey have their souls saith one meerly for salt to keep their bodies from putrifying whose whole life is to eat and drink and sport and sleep as if they came into the world as Rats and Mice onely to devour victuals and run squeeking up and down whereas nature in framing of man teacheth him temperance by giving him a little mouth with a narrow throat and a lesser belly then other creatures have Yet such is the prodigious unnaturalness amongst most that as the French Proverb hath it They digge their Graves with their teeth whilest their Kitchin is their shrine their Cook their Priest their Table their Altar and their belly their god Hence also it is said That Meat kills as many as the Musket Plures pereunt crapulà quà m capulo lancibus quà m lanceis The board kills more then the sword And as it 's thus noxious to the body so also to the estate whilest the spend thrift entombes his Ancestours in his own bowels turning his Rents into Ruffes and his Lands into Laces And lastly to his soul also for Gluttony is the gallery of Incontinency Nutritiva facultas est ossiâ—ina generativae The odiousnesse of this sinne will farther appear in these examples following M. Livius having prodigally wasted a great estate jested at his own folly saying That he had left nothing for his heire praeter Coelum Caenum more then aire and mire Vitellius the Romane Emperour was addicted to such unmeasurable Gluttony that the whole employment of his Captaines was to provide him Cates He had two thousand dishes of Fish and seven thousand of Fowle at one Supper and yet commended his own temperance in a set Oration before the Senate and people of Rome In a few moneths wherein he reigned he wasted seven millions which was thirty one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds sterling in Luxury Heliogabulus the Romane Emperour did so excell in all Luxury that near the Sea he would eat no fish in the Midland no flesh whole meals were made of the tongues of singing Birds and Peacocks or of the braines of costly Creatures He used to say That that meat was not savoury whose sauce was not costly He gathered in Rome ten thousand weight of Spiders that thereby he might glory of the greatnesse of that City His apparel was most rich and yet never twice worne his shoes embellished with Pearls and Diamonds his seats strewed with Musk and Amber his bed covered with Gold and Silver and beset with Pearls and his way strawed with pouder thereof Caius Caligula the Romane Emperour was so prodigal that he spent an hundred millions within the space of three yeares and so brutish that he defloured three of his sisters and one of their daughters and so cruel that he wished all the people of Rome had but one neck that he might cut it off at one blow Dio. Cleopatra Queen of Egypt so excelled in Prodigality that being at a Banquet with M. Antony she dissolved a pearl worth fifty thousand pounds in Vineger and drank it at a draught and one dish in the second course was valued at two hundred and fifty pieces of gold Urs. Maximinus the Romane Emperour was eight foot high his body great and joynts proportionable and according to his limbs so was his diet for he daily devoured fourty pounds of flesh and drank thereto six gallons of wine When he besieged Aquileia in Italy the Citizens wives cut off the hair of their heads to make bowe-strings for resistance of this Tyrant After Alexander M. had overcome Darius and gotten possession of all his Dominions and riches he began to degenerate into the Asian Luxury His chastity and moderation were turned into pride and lust He esteemed his countrey-manners and the discipline of the former Macedonian Kings too light and mean for him He imitated the pride of the Persian Kings He made him a Crown and robes like unto Darius He grew so proud and insolent that he suffered his Macedonians to fall down and worship him like a god Yea he commanded his servants and slaves to do so He clothed his Captaines and horse-men after the Persian manner which though they disliked yet they durst not refuse He gat him three hundred sixty five concubines of the beautifullest Virgins that could be found in Asia after the manner of the Persian Kings of these he had one that lay with him every night He had his troop of Eunuchs He spent dayes and nights in profuse feasting and revelling He gat many Musicians Jesters Singing women c. All which was very offensive to his old Captains and Souldiers Q. Cur. The Glutton and the Drunkard shall come to poverty and drowsinesse shall cloath a man with rags Prov. 23. 21. Si quis ad infernos properat descendere manes Huc iter accelarant Balnea vina Venus CHAP. X. Examples of Gods Judgements upon Adulterers and unclean persons FOrbidden by God Exod. 20. 14. Deut. 5 18. Mar. 10. 19. Luke 18. 20. Mar. 10. 11 c. Luk. 16. 18. Rom. 13. 9. Complained of Iob 24. 15. Esa. 57. 3. Ier. 9. 2. 23. 10. Hos. 7. 4. Iam. 4. 4. Prov. 6. 26. Ezek. 23. 45. Jer.
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
to sweare allegiance to his daughter Maud and that she should succeed in his Kingdome they which swore were first William Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the rest of the Bishops and Abbats then David King of Scotland Uncle to Maud now married to the Emperesse of Germany then Stephen Earle of Mortaigne and Bulloigne Nephew to the King c. But so soon as King Henry was dead in Normandy Stephen hasted into England and by the help especially of the Bishops was made King and the Emperesse put by but behold the revenging hand of God following their Perjury Stephen though otherwise a gallant Prince yet found his Crowne to be but a glorious misery Mars and Vulcan never suffering him to be at quiet and as he would not suffer the right heire to inherit so God would not suffer him to have an heire to inherit for his sonne was put by the Crowne which was conferred upon Henry sonne to the Emperesse the rightfull heire Also William Arch-bishop of Canterbury never prospered after his perjury but died within that yeare Roger Bishop of Salisbury fell into displeasure with King Stephen who took him prisoner seized upon his Castles and treasures and so used him that he died for very griefe Alexander Bishop of Lincolne was also taken by the King and led in a rope to the Castle of Newark upon Trent the King swearing that the Bishop should neither eat nor drink till his Castle was surrendered so that there he gat all the Bishops treasure and as for Hugh Bigot he also escaped not long unpunished saith Fabian Rodulph Duke of Sweveh provoked by the Pope rebelled against his Sovereigne the Emperour Henry the fourth but in a battel which he fought against him he lost his right arme whereof he shortly after died acknowledging Gods justice for his disloyalty punishing him in that arme which before was lift up to sweare the oath of allegiance to his Master Act. Mon. Narcissus a godly Bishop of Ierusalem was falsly accused by three men of many foule matters who sealed up with oathes and imprecations their false testimonies But shortly after one of them with his whole family and substance was burnt with fire another of them was stricken with a grievous disease such as in his imprecation he had wished to himselfe the third terrified with the sight of Gods judgements upon the former became very panitent and poured out the griefe of his heart in such aboundance of teares that thereby he became blinde Euseb. The Arians hired a woman to accuse Eustatius a godly Bishop of committing whoredome with her thereby procuring his banishment But shortly after the Lord struck her with a grievous disease whereupon she confessed her perjury the childe being begotten by Eustatius a Smith and not Eustatius the Bishop and so presently after she died Euseb. The Emperour Albert having made a truce with the great Turke and solemnly sworne to the same Pope Eugenius the fourth sent him a dispensation from his oath and excited him to renew the warre against them but in the first battel he was discomfited and slaine to the great shame of Christianity the infidels justly accusing them of Perjury and Covenant breaking sealed by the Name of Christ whom they professe to be their Saviour Turk Hist. Almerick King of Ierusalem having entred into League with the Caliph of Egypt and confirmed the same by an oath afterwards warred upon him contrary to his promise whereupon God raised him up many enemies who miserably wasted the Kingdome of Ierusalem himselfe was beaten out of Egypt and all hopes of succour failing him being wearied with whole volleys of miseries he ended his life of a bloody Flux Hist. holy Warres The Egyptians reputed perjury so capital a crime that whosoever was convinced thereof was punished with death Pausanias noteth this to be one chiefe cause why Philip King of Macedon with all his posterity were so quickly destroyed because he made no account of keeping his oathes but sware and unswere as might stand best with his interest Gregory of Tours makes mention of a wicked varlet in France among the people called Averni that forswearing himselfe in an unjust-cause had his tongue presently so tied that he could not speake but roare till by his inward prayer and repentance the Lord restored him the use of that unruly member Theodor Beza recordeth what befell a perjured person who forswore himselfe to the prejudice of his neighbour He had no sooner made an end of his oath but being suddenly stricken with an Apoplexie he never spake word more till he died Cleomenes King of Lacedemonia making truce with the Argives for seven dayes oppressed them in the third night unawares thinking thereby to avoid perjury But the Argive women their husbands being slaine took up armes like so many Amazones and repelled Cleomenes who afterwards was banished into Egypt where desperately he slew himselfe Plut. Uladislaus King of Hungary having contracted a League with Amurath the great Turke and bound himselfe to it by an oath the Pope sent a Legat to absolve him from his oath and provoke him to warre which he undertaking with a very great Army the victory stood doubtfull a great while together but Amurath seeing a Crucifix in the Christians Ensigne pluckt the writing wherein the late League was contained out of his bosome and with his eyes and hands cast up to heaven said O thou crucified Christ behold this is the League thy Christians in thy Name made with me which they have causelesly violated If thou be a God as they say thou art and as we dream revenge the wrong now done unto thy Name and me and shew thy power upon thy perjured people who in their deeds deny thee their God Immediately afterward the King in the middest of his enemies was slaine and the Christians fled very few ever returning to their own homes but perished miserably Turk Hist. When Harold King of England was ready to joyne in battel with William the Conquerer and his Normans Gyth a younger brother of his advised him that in case he had made promise unto William of the Kingdome he should for his own person withdraw himselfe out of the battel for surely all his forces could not secure him against God and his own conscience who no doubt would require punishment for breach offaith and promise withall assuring him that if he would commit the fortune of that battel into his hands he would not faile to performe the part of a good brother and valiant Captaine but the King contemning this wholesome counsel would needs joyne battel himselfe wherein he lost his Army Kingdome and his own life Camb Brit. p. 149 150. Henry Falmer being accused by his own brother of Heresie as they call it suffered Martyrdome for the same but shortly after his said brother who had borne false witnesse against him was pressed for a Pioner in the voyage to Bulloine where within three dayes as he was exonerating nature a Gun took him and
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
the night wherein he was borne whilest he was relating this in the Pulpit he fell down stark dead and never stirred more Act. and Mon. John Duns called Scotus borne in Emildon in Northumberland who being brought up in Merton Colledge in Oxford was wonderful well learned in Logick and in that crabbed and intricate Devinity of those dayes yet as one still doubtful and unresolved he did overcast the truth of Religion with mists of obscurity but he died miserably being taken with an Apoplexie and over-hastily buried he after a time revived and making means in vaine by a lamentable noise to call for help after he had a long time knocked his head against the grave-stone dashed out his braines and so yielded up his vital breath whereupon were made these verses Quaecunque humani fuerant jurisque sacrati In dubium veniunt cuncta vocante Scoto Quid quod in dubium illius sit vita vocata Morte illum simili ludificaute stropha Quum non ante virum vitâ jugulârit ademptâ Quà m vivus tumulo conditus ille foret All learning taught in humane books and couch'd in holy writ Duns Scotus dark and doubtful made by subtilty of wit No marvel that to doubtful tearmes of life himself was brought Whil'st with like wile and subtile trick death on his body wrought When as her stroke to kill outright she would not him vouchsafe Until that man a pitious case was buried quick in grave Camb. Brit. p. 814. Mahomet by birth an Arabian was one of the monstrousest hereticks that ever lived He came of a base stock and being fatherlesse one Abdemonoples bought him for his slave and loved him for his parts so that he made him ruler of his house about which time one Sergâ—us a Monk flying for his Heresie into Arabia instructed him in the Heresie of Nestorius A while after his Master died and Mahâ—met married his widow after whose death he grew famous for his wealth and skill in Magick Wherefore by the advice of Sergius he called himself the great prophet of God and his fame encreasing he devised a Law and wrote it which he called the Alcoran wherein he borrowed something from almost all the Heresies which were before his time With the Sabellians he denied the Trinity With the Manichees he affirmed that there were but two persons in the Deity With Eunomius he denied the equality of the Father with the Son With Macedonius he said that the Holy Ghost was a Creature and held the community of women with the Nicolaitans He borrowed of the Jews circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition And somewhat he took from the Christian verity besides many devilish phansies invented of his own braine But when he had lived in wickednesse about fourty years God cut him off by the falling sicknesse which of a long time having been troubled with he told his seduced disciples that at those times the Angel Gabriel appeared to him whose brightnesse he could not behold A certain Jesuite in Lancashire as he was walking by the way lost his glove and one that came after him finding it followed him apace with intention to restore it but he fearing the worst being inwardly pursued with a guilty conscience ran away and hastily leaping over an hedge fell into a marle pit which was on the other side and in which he was drowned Wards Ser. Anno Christi 1591. there was one Edmund Coppinger and Henry Arthington two gentlemen who associated themselves with William Hacket sometimes a very lewd person but now converted in outward shew by whose hypocritical behaviour the aforesaid gentlemen were deluded to think that Hacket was anointed to be Judge of the world wherefore coming one day to his lodging in London Hacket told them that he had been anointed by the holy Ghost Then Coppinger asked what his pleasure was to command them Go saith he and proclaime in the City that Jesus Christ is come with his fan in his hand to judge the earth and if they will not believe you let them come and kill me if they can Coppinger answered that it should be done and so immediately he and Arthingtonâ—an â—an into the streets and proclaimed their messageâ— and when by reason of the confluence of people they could go no further they gat up into two empty carts in Cheapside crying Repent repent for Jesus Christ is come to judge the world And so pulling a paper out of their bosoms they read out of it many things touching the calling and office of Hacket as how he represented Christ by partaking of his glorified body c. They also called themselves his Prophets one of Justice the other of Mercy The City being amazed at this thing took Hacket carried him before a Justice who after examination committed him and at the Sessions being found guilty of sedition and speaking traiterous words against the Queen he was condemned and hanged on a Gibbet in Cheap-side uttering horrible blasphemies against the Majesty of God Coppinger died the next day in Bridewel and Arthington was kept in prison upon the hope of repentance Some Donatists which cast the holy elements of the Lords Supper to dogs were themselves devoured by dogs Simpson Arminius who craftily revived the heresie of Pelagius and sowed the seeds of his errors in Leiden and many other places in Holland to the great disturbance of the peace of Gods Church fell sick being grievously tormented with a cough gout ague and incessant paine in his belly with a great binding and stopping under the heart which caused him to draw his breath with much difficulty he slept also very unquietly and could not digest his meat his radical moisture dried up and he had a vehement paine in his bowels with an obstruction in his Optick sinews which made him blinde of his left eye and his right shoulder was much swolne whereby he lost the use of his right arme and thus languishing in much misery he ended his dayes October 19. 1609. Hist. of the Netherl Olympius an Arian Bishop as he was bathing himselfe at Carthage and blâ—spheming the blessed Trinity was suddenly smit from Heaven with three fiery darts and so burned to death Hist. of the Netherl Pau. Diaco In the year 1327. there was one Adam Duff an Irish man burnt at Dublin for denying the Incarnation of Jesus Christ and saying that there could not be three persons and but one God and for affirming the Virgin Mary to be an Harlot for denying the resurrection of the dead and avouching that the Sacred Scriptures were but fables Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 181. Policarp at a certaine time meeting Marcion the Heretick Marcion said unto him Doest thou not know me Yea said Policarp I know thee for the first-begotten of Satan See his Life in my first Part. Donatus the father of the Donatists about the year 331. taking offence at the choice of Caecilianus to the Bishoprick of Carthage made a schisme in the Church and fell from one error
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
Greg. of Tour. lib. 4. Anno Christi 1461. there was in Juchi neere Cambray an unnatural son that in a fury threw his mother out of his doores thrice in one day telling her that he had rather see his house on fire and burned to coles then that she should remaine in it one day longer and accordingly the very same day his house was fired and wholly burned down with all that was in it none knowing how or by what meanes the fire came Enguer de Monst v. 2. The Emperor Henry the fifth being provoked thereto by the Pope rose up in rebellion and made cruel War against his father Henry the fourth not ceasing till he had despoiled him of his Empire But the Lord presently after plagued him for it making him and his Army a prey to his enemies the Saxons stirring up the Pope to be as grievous a scourge to him also as he had been to his father P. Melanct. Chron. l. 4. Manlius relateth a story of an old man crooked with age very poore and almost pined with hunger who having a rich and wealthy sonne went to him only for some food for his belly clothes for his back but this proud young man thinking that it would be a dishonour to him to be borne of such parents drave him away denying not only to give him sustenance but disclaiming him from being his father giving him bitter and reproachful speeches which made the poore old man to go away with an heavy heart and teares flowing from his eyes which the Lord beholding struck his unnatural son with madnesse of which he could never be cured till his death The same author relates another story of another man that kept his father in his old age but used him very currishly as if he had been his slave thinking every thing too good for him and on a time coming in found a good dish set on the table for his father which he took away and set courser meat in the roome but a while after sending his servant to fetch out that dish for himself he found the meat turned into snakes and the sauce into serpents one of which leaping up caught this unnatural sonne by his lip from which it could never be pulled to his dying day so that he could never feed himselfe but he must feed the serpent also At Millane there was a wicked and dissolute young man who when he was admonished by his mother of some fault which he had committed made a wry mouth and pointed at her with his finger in scorne and derision whereupon his mother being angry wished that he might make such a mouth upon the Gallowes which not long after came to passe for being apprehended for felony and condemned to be hanged being upon the ladder he was observed to writhe his mouth in grief as he had formerly done to his mother in derision Theat hist. Henry the second King of England son to Jeffery Plantaginet and Maud the Emperesse after he had reigned twenty yeares made his young son Henry who had married Margaret the French Kings daughter King in his life-time but like an unnatural son he sought to dispossesse his father of the whole and by the instigation of the King of France and some others he took Armes and fought often with his father who still put him to the worst So that this rebellious son at last was fain to stoop and ask forgivenesse of his father which he gently granted and forgave his offence Howbeit the Lord plagued him for his disobedience striking him with sicknesse in the flower of his youth whereof he died six years before his father Speed Anno Christi 1071. Diogenes Romanus Emperour of the Greekes having led an Army against the Turkes as far as the River Euphrates where he was like to have prevailed but by the treason of his Son in Law Andronicus his Army was routed and himself taken prisoner yet the Turkes used him honourably and after a while sent him home But in the mean season they of Constantinople had chosen Michael Ducas for their Emperour who hearing of Diogenes his returne sent Andronicus to meet him who unnaturally plucked out his fathers eyes and applying no medecines thereto wormes bred in the holes which eating into his braines killed him Zonaras Adolf son of Arnold Duke of Guelders repining at his fathers long life one night as he was going to bed came upon him suddenly and took him prisoner and bare-legged as he was made him go on foot in a cold season five Germane leagues and then shut him up a close prisoner for six months in a dark dungeon but the Lord suffered not such disobedience and cruelty to go long unpunished For shortly after the son was apprehended and long inprisoned and after his release was slaine in a sight against the French History of the Netherlands One Garret a Frenchman and a Protestant by profession but given to all manner of vices was by his father cast off for his wickednesse yet found entertainment in a Gentlemans house of good note in whose family he became sworn brother to a young Gentleman that was a Protestant But afterwards coming to his estate he turned Papist of whose constancy because the Papists could hardly be assured he promised his Confessor to prove himself an undoubted Catholick by setting a sure seal to his profession whereupon he plotted the death of his dearest Protestant friends and thus effected it He invited his Father Monsieur Seamats his sworn brother and six other Genlemen of his acquaintance to dinner and all dinner time intertained them with protestations of his great obligements to them But the bloody Catastrophe was this dinner being ended sixteen armed men came up into the roome and laid hold on all the guests and this wicked Parricide laid hold on his Father willing the rest to hold his hands till he had dispatched him he stabbed the old Gentleman crying to the Lord for mercy foure times to the heart the young Gentleman his sworne brother he dragged to a window and there caused him to sing which he could dovery sweetly though then no doubt he did it with a very heavy heart and towards the end of the Ditty he stabbed him first into the throat and then to the heart and so with his Poiniard stabbed all the rest but three who were dispatched by those armed Ruffians at their first entrance and so they flung all the dead bodies out at a window into a ditch Oubig Hist. France The base son of Scipio Africanus the Conquerour of Hannibal and Africk so ill imitated his father that for his viciousnesse he received many disgracefull repulses from the people of Rome the fragrant smell of his fathers memory making him to stinke the more in their nostriles yea they forced him to pluck off from his finger a signet-ring wherin the face of his father was engraven as counting him unworthy to wear his picture whose vertue he would not imitate Val. Maxi. Tarpeia the
Sabbath-breakers The command of the Sabbath hath a special Memento or Remember prefixed unto it that by timely thinking of it we might lay aside our worldly businesse and get our hearts into an holy array and readinesse for entertainment of God into them It is the market-day of the soul wherein the Lord useth to meet his people to dispense his blessings and graces in and by his Ordinances to those which humbly and reverently attend upon him therein The carefull sanctification of it keeps up the power of godlinesse in our hearts and lives And if worldly labour is unlawfull upon that day much more are carnal delights and pastimes Melius arare quà m saltare in Sabbato It is better to plow then to dance on the Sabbath was St. Austines judgement and when men neglect to punish the profanation of it the Lord usually takes the sword into his own hand and by visible judgements plagues the profaners of it as will further appeare by these Examples following Sabbath instituted Gen. 2. 3. Called holy Exod. 16. 23. 31. 14. Nehem. 9. 14. Isa. 58. 13. The Lords day Rev. 1. 10. The first day of the week This name is given to rhe seventh day Exod. 21. 10. 31. 15. Lev. 23. 3. Deut. 5. 14. To the tenth day in the seventh moneth Lev. 16. 29. 31. 23. 27 32. Num. 29. 7. To some dayes annexed to the solemne festivals as to the first and eighth day Lev. 23. 39. To the seventh year Lev. 26. 4. To the fiftieth year Lev. 25. 10. To the week Luk. 24. 1. 18. 12. the word week is in the Greek Sabbath It was kept 1. By ceasing from servile labour Exod. 20. 8. 31. 14. Luk. 23. 56. Jer. 17. 22. and from doing evil Isa. 56. 2. 2. By preparing to keep it holy Exod. 35. 2. Mark 1. 35 39. with delight Isa. 58. 13 14. 3. By worshipping God Ezek. 46. 3. in the Sanctuary Lev. 26. 2. Numb 28. 18. 4. By praying Ezra 6. 10. Isa. 56. 7. Acts 16. 13. 5. By singing Psalmes 1 Chron. 23. 30. Psal. 92. 95. 2. 6. By reading the Scriptures Acts 13. 15. 15. 21. Deut. 31. 11 c. 7. By Preaching Acts 15. 21. 13. 42 44. Mark 6. 2. Luk. 4. 16 31. 6. 6 13. 10. Mal. 2. 7. Neh. 8. 3. 6. 8. By conference Acts 17. 17. 18. 4 19. 9. Administring the Sacraments John 7. 22. 10. Searching the Scriptures after hearing Act. 17. 11. 11. By holy meditation Deut. 5. 12. Exod. 20. 20. 31. 13 14. It 's commanded Lev. 22. 32. Exod. 20. 8 20. Jer. 17. 24. Deut. 5. 20. It 's not to be polluted Exod. 20. 21 24. Profaned Ezek. 22. 8. 23. 38. with servile work Lev. 23. 7 8. 21. 35 36. Numb 28. 25. 29. 1. Husbandry Exod. 34. 21. Neh. 13. 15. Buying selling or thinking of it Amos 8. 6. Carrying burthens Jer. 17. 11 12. Neh. 13. 15. Journeys about worldly or unnecessary businesses Exod. 16. 29. Doing our own pleasure Isa. 58. 13. January the thirteenth 1583. being the Sabbath about foure a clock in the afternoone the Scaftold in the Bear-garden being overloaden with people suddenly fell down whereby eight persons were slaine outright and many others sorely hurt and bruised to the shortening of their lives Symps. Eccl. Hist. Not long since in Bedfordshire a match at football being appointed on the Sabbath in the afternoone whil'st two were in the Belfree tolling of a Bell to call the company together there was suddenly heard a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning was seene by some that sat in the Church-Porch coming through a dark lane and flashing in their faces which much terrified them and passing through the Porch into the Belfree it tripped up his heeles that was toiling the Bell and struck him starke dead and the other that was with him was so sorely blasted therewith that shortly after he died also Dr. Twist on the Sab. At a place called Tidworth on the Sabbath day many being met together to play at Football in the Church-yard one had his leg brokâ—n which presently Gangrenizing he forthwith died thereof Eodem At Alcester in Warwickshire upon the coming forth of the Declaration for sports a lusty young woman went on the Sabbath day to a Greene not farre off where she said she would dance as long as she could stand but while she was dancing God struck her with a violent disease whereof within two or three dayes after she died Also in the same place not long after a young man presently after the evening Sermon was ended brought a paire of Cudgels into the street neare to the Ministers house calling upon divers to play with him but they all refusing at the length came one who took them up saying Though I never played in my life yet I will play one bout now But shortly after as he was jesting with a young maide he took up a birding-peece which was charged saying Have at thee and the peece going off shot her in the face whereof she immediately died for which act he forfeited all his goods and underwent the trial of the Law At Wootton in the same County a Miller going forth on the â—abbath-day to a Wake when he came home at night found his House Mill and all that he had burnt down to the ground At Woolston in the same County many loose persons kept a Whitson-Ale and had a Moris-dancing on the Sabbath day in a Smiths barne to the great griefe of the godly Minister who laboured all that he could to restraine it But it pleased God that shortly after a fire kindled in that Smiths shop which burnt it down together with his house and barne and raging furiously going sometimes with sometimes against the winde it burnt downe many other houses most of which were prime actors in that profanation of the Lords day I my felfe knew these foure last Examples Anno 1634. on a Lords day in the time of a great frost fourteen young men while they were playing at Football on the Ice on the River Trent neare to Gainsborough meeting all together in a scussle the Ice suddenly brake and they were all drowned In the Edge of Essex near Brinkley two fellows working in a Chalk-pit the one was boasting to his fellow how he had angred his Mistresse with staying so late at their sports the last Sunday night But he said he would anger her worse next Sunday He had no sooner said this but suddenly the earth fell down upon him and flew him outright with the fall whereof his fellows limb was broken who had been also partner with him in his jollity on the Lords day In the County of Devon one Edward Amerideth a Gentleman having been pained in his feet and being somewhat recovered one said unto him he was glad to see him so nimble Ameredith replied that he doubted not but to dance about the May-pole the next Lords day but before he
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
the strong City of the Falerians in Italy but it was so well fortified and furnished that the inhabitants made little account of the siege At this time the whole City had but one common Scholmaster who used to lead out his Schoolars into the fields to play and watching his opportunity he at last led them to the Romane Guards delivering them all up into their hands and himself going to Camillus said Sir I am Schoolmaster to all these children yet do I preferre the favour of the Romanes before my honour and office and therefore have I delivered up these children to you by whom you may make the Falerians yield upon your own tearms Camillus answered that indeed in the Warres there were many wrongs done yet a Noble General should rather seek victory by Valour then by wicked or treacherous means and therefore abhorring this vallainy he presently commanded his Sergeants to teare off this Schoolmasters clothes and to binde his hands behinde him and to give the boyes whips and rods to whip back the Traitor into the City that had so basely betrayed them In the meane time the Falerians hearing how their children were betrayed ran up to their City-Walls like distracted persons but there they spied the boyes whipping the Schoolmaster starke naked towards the City which so wrought upon them that they presently sent forth and made peace with the Romanes Plut. Aristomenes King of the Messenians being driven out of his own country by the Lacedemonians was forced to flie to the Arcadians for succour and being a gallant man had purposed with a select band to have invaded Sparta whilest their Army was plundering his Country but the King of Arcadia being privy to his designe discovered it to the Lacedemonians and so prevented it for which treachery his own subjects stoned him and cast him unburied out of their confines setting up a Pillar by him with this inscription Difficile est hominem perjurum fallere Divos Diod. Sic. Ochus King of Persia raising a great Army went against the City of Sidon in Phenicia where one Tennes was King who hearing of Ochus his purpose hired Mentor of Rhodes with some other Grecian Auxiliaries for his aide but when Ochus drew neere with his huge Army he sought to provide for his safety rather then his honour sending one privately to Ochus proffering to betray the City to him Ochus being glad to heare this promised whatsoever he required whereupon Tennes accordingly betrayed the City into his hands But before Ochus came the Sidonians to make their men to fight more desperately had burnt all their ships in the haven that so all hopes of escaping might be taken away so that the City being thus betrayed the Citizens seeing their desperate condition shut up themselves with their wives and children in their houses and so firing them burnt themselves and all that they had by which meanes there perished above fourty thousand persons But Ochus now standing in no further need of Tennes caused him to be murthered A just reward for his treachery Pez Mel. Hist. Philip King of Macedon going to besiege a City one of his Captaines told him that it was so strongly fortified both by nature and art that it was altogether inexpugnable to whom he said But is it impossible for gold 〈◊〉 gâ—t over the walls for I have often seen that other 〈◊〉 which by no other meanes I could conquer yet by my gold I have corrupted some to betray them to me Justin. The same Philip having married the sister of Arysbas King of the Molossians and thereby being chosen Tutour to the young King most perâ—idiously seized upon his Kingdome and 〈…〉 Arysbas who died in 〈…〉 He also treacherously getting the King oâ—… power flew him and annexed his Kingdome 〈…〉 And divers free Cities having chosen Philip for 〈◊〉 Captaine he perfidiously seized upon 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 them 〈◊〉 vassales Also the two Kings of 〈◊〉 â—alling 〈◊〉 between themselves those King Philipâ—o â—o be the Umpire betwixt them whereupon privacely he raised an Army and went into Thrace pretending to come as a Iudge but finding them unprovided to resist him he dispoiled them both of their kingdomes Justin. Before the first great battel that Darius King of Persia fought with Alexander M. he sent the greatest part of his money and rich furniture to Damascus to be kept in safety there but Alexander sending Parmenio against it the Governour betrayed the City and all those infinite riches into his hands which treason he escaped not long with for one of his own consorts slew him and cutting off his head carried it to Darius Q. Cur. Bessus having basely betrayed and murthered Darius Alexander pursued him into Bactria and when he drew neere him Spitamenes one of Bessus's chiefe friends laid hands on him bound him stript him naked and so putting a chaine about his neck led him to Alexander to whom Alexander said What brutish madnesse seized upon thee that thou durst lay hands on thy King and murther him when he had deserved so well of thee Bessus would have made an apology but Alexander delivered him to Darius his brother to do with him as he pleased who leading him to the place where he had murthered Darius cut him in peeces there Q. Cur. Darius having for a long time besieged Babylon in vaine one of his Captaines named Zopyrus cut off his own eares and nose and with his fresh bleeding wounds fled to the Babylonians pretending that he came to them for succour and accused Darius for his cruelty saying that he had so mangled him for counselling him to give over the siege whereupon the Babylonians knowing his prowesse trusted him with the greatest part of their forces which when Zopyrus had obtained after some small colourable overthrowes given to the Persians in â—allies spying his opportunity he betrayed the City and delivered it up into Darius his hand who had laine in siege before it twenty moneths A wicked Varlot betrayed the Isle of Rhodes to the Great Turke upon condition to have his daughter to wife with a great Dowry but when the Turke had gotten the Isle he told him that he must not have a Christian to his son in Law but he must first be a Musselman both within and without and therefore he caused his Baptized skin as he called it to be flayed off and appointed him to be put into a bed strewed with salt that he might get a new skin promising that then he should be his sonne in Law But the wicked wretch ended his life with shame and torment Princes love treason but hate the traytor Turk Hist. Banister servant to the Duke of Buckingham in the reigne of Richard the third upon the promise of a thousand pound basely betrayed his Lord and Master from whom he had formerly received great favours but after his base treachery he never had the reward promised and besides had these judgements befell him His eldest sonne fell madde and so died in a Swine-stiâ— His
followers and by his meaner servants he was dispoiled of Armour Vessels Apparel and all Princely furniture and his naked body left upon the floore his Funeral wholly neglected till one Harluins a poore countrey Knight undertook the carriage of his Corps to Caen in Normandy to Saint Stevens Church which this dead King had formerly founded At his entrance into Caen the Covent of Monks came forth to meet him but at the same instant there happened a great fire so that as his Corps before so now his Hearse was of all men forsaken every one running to quench the fire which done his body being at last carried to the Church and the Funeral Sermon ended and the stone Coffin set into the earth in the Chancel as the body was ready to be laid therein one Ascelinus Fitz-Arthur stood up and forbâ—de the burial alleadging that that very place was the floore of his fathers house which this dead Duke violently took from him to build this Church upon Therefore saith he I challenge this ground and in the Name of God forbid that the body of this dispoiler be covered in my earth so that they were enforced to compound with him for one hundred pounds But when the body came to be laid in the Tombe it proved too little for it so that being pressed the belly not bowelled brake and with an intolerable stench so annoyed the by-standers that all their Gums and spices â—uming in their Censers could not relieve them whereupon all with great amazement hasting away left the Monks only to shuffle up the burial which they did in haste and so gat them to their Cells Speeds Chron. William Rufus King of England as he was hunting in the new Forrest was by the glance of an arrow against a tree shot in the breast he hastily taking hold of so much of the arrow as stuck out of his body brake it off and with one only groane fell down and died whereupon most of his followers hasted away and those few which remained laid his body basely into a Colliers cart which being drawn with one silly lean beast in a very foul and filthy way the cart brake where lay the spectacle of wordly glory both pitifully goared and filthily bemired till being conveyed to Winchester he was buried under a plain Marble-stone Sp. Chron. page 449. Pithias pined away for lack of bread who formerly was able to entertain and feast Xerxes and his whole Army Bajazet the Great Turke being overcome and taken prisoner by Tamerlane was carried about in an Iron Cage and fed with scraps from Tamerlanes Table Sir Edward de Sancto Mauro commonly Seimor being advanced by King Edward the sixth was most powerfull honourable and loaden with titles being Duke of Summerset Earle of Hartford Vicount Beauchamp Baron Seimor Uncle to the King Governour of the King Protector of his Realmes Dominions and Subjects Leiutenant of all his Forces by Land and Sea Lord High Treasurer and Marshal of England Captaine of the Isles of Garnsey and Jarsey c. Yet this great man was suddenly overwhelmed and for a small crime and that upon a nice point subtilly devised and packed by his enemies was bereaved both of his dignities and life also Camb. Brit. p. 240. Henry Holland Duke of Exeter and Earle of Huntington who married the sister of King Edward the fourth was driven to such want that Philip Comines saith that he saw him runne on foot bare-legged after the Duke of Burgundies traine begging his bread for Gods sake concealing himselfe but afterwards being known what he was Burgundy gave him a small pension to maintaine his estate The Duke of Buckingham who had been a chief instrument of advancing Richard the third to the Crown and the chiefest man of power in the Kingdome falling into the displeasure of the King and forced to hide himselfe at a servants house of his called Humphrey Banister was betrayed by him and apprehended disguised like a poor countrey-man and digging in a grove near to Banisters house and being carried to Salisbury where the King was without arraignment or judgement there lost his head Speed Chron. page 927. Queen Elizabeth in the life of her sister Mary being kept prisoner at Woodstock chanced to see a maid milking of Kine in the Parke and singing merrily over her paile which struck this pensive prisoner into a deep meditation preferring the maides fortunes farre above her own heartily wishing that her selfe were a Milk-maide Sp. Chron. p. 1120. Vanity of vanities saith the Preacher vanity of vanities all is vanitie Eccles. 1. 2. CHAP. LIII Examples of Gratitude Tanksgiving WHat we are to give thanks to God for For deliverances 2 Sam. 22. 50. 1 Chron. 16. 35. Ps. 35. 17 18. 18. 49. 30. 4 11 12. 105. 1 5. 106. 1. 107. 1. For willingnesse to do good 1 Chron. 29. 13 14. For wisdome Dan. 2. 23. For Gods grace to others Rom. 1. 8. 16. 4. 1 Cor. 1. 4. Phil. 1. 3 5. Eph. 1. 16. For deliverance from sinne Rom. 7. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 57. For the free passage of the Gospel 1 Thes. 2. 13. for being made able Ministers 1 Tim. 1. 12. For Christ. Luk. 2. 38. For health Luk. 17. 16. For food Acts 27. 35. For Gods Ministers deliverances 2 Cor. 1. 11. For blessing upon the Ministery 2 Cor. 2. 14. For Gods grace on others 2 Cor. 9. 15. For fitting us for Heaven Col. 1. 12. For all things Eph. 5. 20. 1 Thes. 5. 18. As all good comes from him Jam. 1. 17. So all praise is due to him Thanks also is due to men for kindnesse received by remembring it publishing it and remunerating it Scriptural Examples of thankfulnesse to God The Priests Ezra 3. 11. Moses Exod 15. Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 1 c. David 2 Sam. 22. Psal. 69. 30. 116. 17. Mary Luke 1. 46. Zachary Luke 1. 68. The Sheepherds Luke 2. 20. Simeon Luke 2. 28. The Leper Luke 17. 16. Paul Acts 27. 35. 1 Cor. 15. 57 2 Cor. 2. 14. Of thankfulnesse to man Ahashuerus to Mordicai Est. 6. 3. David to Abigail by marrying her for her good advice 1 Sam. 25. King of Sodom by proffering Abraham all the goods taken Gen. 14. Naaman to Elisha by proffering a reward for his clensing 2 Kin. 5. 15. One siphorus by Ministering unto Paul 2 Tim. 1. 16 17. Gaoler to Paul and Barnabas Acts 16. 33. and Lydia Acts 16. 15. Pharaoh by advancing Joseph Gen. 41. 39 c. and Paul by praying for him 2 Tim. 1. 16 17. Other Examples Darius Hystaspis whilst he was a Captaine under Cambyses seeing one Siloson to have a very curious vesture desired to buy it of him but Siloson told him that he was resolved not to sell but yet he would freely give it him afterwards Darius being King Siloson came to salute him and Danius remembring his former kindenesse entertained him curteously and told him that in consideration of that garment he would give him
just first by thee and then by all others Q. Cur. The Athenians did so basely flatter King Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus that they made this decree publickly that whatsoever King Demetrius commanded it should be accounted holy amongst the gods and just amongst men Plut. Severus the Emperour caused one Tyrinus a notable flatterer to be tied to a stake in the Market-place and there to be killed with smoake An Herauld in the meane time standing by and crying Smoak he sold and with smoak he is punished The Courtiers of Meroe a Kingdome in India to flatter and ingratiate themselves with their King limped and halted as their King did Canutus King of England and Denmark being told by a flatterer that all things in his Realme were at his command and will appointed his Chaire to be set upon the sands when the sea began to flowe and in the presence of his Courtiers he said unto it Thou art part of my dominion and the ground on which I sit is mine neither was there ever any that durst disobey my command that went away with impunity wherefore I charge thee that thou come not upon my land neither that thou wet the clothes or body of me thy Lord. Yet the sea according to its usual course flowing more and more wet his feet whereupon the King rising up said Let all the inhabitants of the world know that vaine and frivolous is the power of Kings and that none is worthy the name of King but he to whose command the heaven earth and sea by the bond of an everlasting Law are subject and obedient And never after that time would he suffer his crown to come upon his head Hen. of Hunt See the example of Damocles in Tyrants The Athenians fined Demagoras ten Talents for that he had by way of flattery called Alexander a god Ravisius Nicesias a flatterer about Alexander when he saw him wounded cried out in the words of Homer O what precious blood flowes from the bodies of the gods When Iulius Caesar was going against the Senate and Pompey one of his souldiers said flatteringly Jussa sequi tam velle mihi quà m posse necesse est Nec civis meus est in quem tua classica Caesar Audiero Lucan Publius Afranius a notable flatterer at Rome hearing that Caligula the Emperour was sick went to him and professed that he would willingly die so that the Emperour might recover the Emperour told him that he did not beleeve him whereupon he confirmed it with an oath and the Emperour shortly after recovering caused him to be slaine that he might not be forsworne Xiphilinus Teridates King of Armenia when he was overcome by Corbulo and brought prisoner to Rome to Neroâ— falling down on his knees he said I am nephew to the great Lord Arsacus brother to the two great Kings Vologeses and Pacorus and yet thy servant and I come to worship thee no otherwise then I worship my god the Sun Truly I will be such an one as thou shalt please to make me for thou art my Fate and Fortune which flattery so pleased Nero that he restored him to his Kingdome and gave him besides an hundred thousand peeces of gold Xâ—pil Ant. Caracalla the Romane Emperour gave all those vaste summes of money that he raised by taxes and exactions upon his subjects amongst his Parasites and flatterers Idem Timagoras the Athenians being sent upon an Embassie to Darius King of Persia in a flattering manner worshipped him after the Persian manner For which he lost his head at his returne home Ravis Clitosophus King Philip of Macedons Parasite feigned himself lame because Philip had broke his leg and used to writhe his eyes and his mouth after the same manner as his Master used to do Idem A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it and a flattering tongue worketh ruine Prov. 26. 28. CHAP. LVI Strange Examples of Deafe and Dumb Persons WE have saith Camerarius in Noremberg a young man and a young maid both born of one father and mother and of a good house who though they be deafe and dumb yet have they a singular quick conceit they can both of them reade very well write cipher and cast an account they are quick and cunning at Cards Dice and all games The maid is excellent at Sempstry Tapestry Embrodery c. And by the motion of a mans lips they know his meaning Platerus mentions one deafe and dumb born yet could expresse his minde in a table-book and could understand what others wrote therein He hearing Oâ—colampadius preaching by the motions of his lips and gesture understood many things One Gennet Lowes a Scottish woman dwelling in Edenburg being deafe and dumb by nature could understand any one in her house meerly by the moving of their lips so that by their motions alone without a voice she could exactly know their meaning Master Crisp brother to Sir Nicholas Crisp his dexterity in knowing the meaning of men by the motions of their lips is very well known to Merchants upon the Exchange and is yet fresh in every ones memory At the time when Sir Alexander Carey was beheaded at Tower-hill this Master Crisp having been deafe long before pressed to stand neer to the Scaffold whereupon Master Hurst an officer in the train-bands that kept the guard spake to him to forbear who not hearing him continued to labour to get a convenient place till Master Hurst being told by some who he was suffered him to place himself right against the front of the Scaffold and when Sir Alexander turned himself to speak to the people Master Crisp fixed his eyes upon his lips during all the time of his speech which he so perfectly understood and carried away that relating it to his friends they much wondred at the way of his perception There was a Nobleman in Spaine the younger brother of the Constable of Castile born so deafe that he could not hear a gun shot off by his eare and consequently dumb yet the lovlinesse of his face and exceeding vivacity of his eyes the comlinesse of his person and the whole composure of his body were pregnant signes of a well tempered minde Physicians and Chyrurgions had long imployed their skill to help him but all in vaine At last a certain Priest undertook to teach him to understand others when they spake and to speak himselfe that others might understand him This attempt was at first laughed at but after some yeares with great paines he taught this young Lord to speak as distinctly as any man and to understand so perfectly what others said that he could understandingly converse all day with them Prince Charles when he was wooing the Infanta of Spaine saw him and oft made trial of him not only with English words but making some Welchmen in his traine to speak words of their language all which he perfectly repeated only for want of his hearing his tone was rather vehement and shrill then pleasing This many
molested by noises made by the Devil in his Chamber and on his staires but I saith he encountred him with that sentence Omnia subjecisti pedibus ejus Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet and so I laid me down and slept in safety Collo Mens Another of the German Divines in Luther's time as he was sitting at his book in his study the Devil appeared looking over his shoulder which the Minister perceiving took a piece of paper and wrote in it The Son of God came to dissolve the works of the Devil and so holding up that paper to the Devil he vanished Senerclaus tells of a plain Countrey man at Friburg in Germany to whom as he lay on his death-bed the Devil appeared in the shape of a tall and grimme man claiming his soul saying Thou hast been a notorious sinner and I am now come to set down all thy sins and thereupon drew out paper and ink and sitting down at a Table that stood by began to write The sick man said My soul is Christs and all my sins were nailed to his Crosse But if thou desirest to set down my sins write thus All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags The Devil set that down and bade him say on He did But thou Lord hast promised for thine own Names sake to blot out all our iniquities And to make our scarlet sins white as snow The Devill would not write these words but was earnest with the man to go on in his former confession Then said the sick man with great cheerfulnesse The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the Devil whereupon the Devil vanished and shortly after the sick man dyed Mr. White of Dorchester being a member of the Assembly of Divines was appointed Minister of Lambeth but for the present could get no convenient house to dwell in but one that was possessed by the Devil This he took and not long after his maid sitting up late the Devil appeared to her whereupon in a great fright she ran up to tell her Master He bid her get to bed saying She was well served for sitting up so late Presently after the Devil appeared to Mr. White himself standing at his beds feet To whom Mr. White said If thou hast nothing else to do thou mayest stand there still And I will betake my self to my rest and accordingly composing himself to sleep the Devill vanished Not long since at Stetin a University in Pomerania there was a young Student that upon some discontent gave himself to the Devil and made a bond upon the Contract which that it might not come to the knowledge of any he laid up in one of his books But it pleased God some time after that another Student wanting that book upon some occasion knew not where to get it at last he remembred that such an one had it whereupon he went to him and borrowed it of him the young man having forgotten that he had put this bond into it The other when he came home began to turn over the book and there met with the bond and reading of it was much affrighted and not knowing what to do he went to Dr. Cramerus a Professor of Divinity in that University to ask his advice who wished him to keep the bond the other replied that he durst not Then said the Dr. bring it to me and I will keep it Some few nights after as the Dr. was in his study the Devill came rapping at his study door saying Cramer Cramer give me by bond for it belongs to me and thou hast nothing to do with it To whom the Dr. answered Satan Satan thou shalt not have the bond thou hast nothing to do with it I have put it where thou canst not fetch it For it is in my Bible at the third Chapter of Genesis where these words are The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head upon this the Devil taking his Chamber-window with him went his way Crescentius the Popes Legate at the Councill of Trent as he was upon a time writing Letters till mid-night to the Pope being about to rise to refresh himself there came in a great black dog with flaming eyes and eares hanging almost to the ground which came to the Table where he sate and then vanished the Cardinal affrighted called in his servants caused them to look about the Chamber for the Dog and when they could not find him he immediately fell sick and in his sicknesse was alwaies calling upon those about him to drive away the dog that clumbe upon his bed and so continued till he dyed Sleid. Comment Anno Christi 1653. about the moneth of October came some Quakers out of the North into Wales about Vâ—rexham endeavouring to winne some professours to their party Their principal design was to disgrace the Ministry and all publick Ordinances They held universal Redemption Free-will and falling from Grace they published that all men have the pure seed of God in them boasting that themselves were perfect and without sin that they knew at the first sight sincere Christians from hypocrites At their meetings after long silence sometimes one sometimes more fell into a great and dreadfull shaking and trembling in their whole bodies and all their joynts with such risings and swellings in their bellies and bowels sending forth such shreekings yellings howlings and roarings as not onely affrighted the spectators but caused the Dogs to bark the swine to cry and the Cattell to run about to the astonishment of all that heard them By these artifices one VVilliam Spencer was drawn by them to leave the Church and to follow them whereupon at several times he fell into the same quaking fits And lying with one of them three severall nights the last night being much troubled and not able to sleep upon a sudden he heard something buzzing and humming about the Quakers head like an humble Bee which did sore affright him whereupon he sought to rise but the Quaker perswaded him to lie still and immediately there arose a great wind and storm which shook the house wherein they lay which adding much to his former fear he again attempted to arise but the Quaker still pressed him to lie still perswading him to expect the Power to come which they often promise to their Proselytes and thereupon he again heard the former humming noise which more and more terrified him so that he strove vehemently to rise but the Quaker laid his head upon Spencer's shoulder and did blow hard like the hissing of a Goose several times towards his face or mouth which made him leap out of his bed in a great astonishment crying for a light and guide to conduct him to a neighbours house and upon this occasion left them altogether testifying the truth hereof to the Quaker's face before many witnesses the Quaker not denying it Attested under several hands See the like in the Chapter of Heresies CHAP. LXXIV Examples of Dissimulation IT 's
amend it She frames a Warrant in the Emperour's name whereby he makes his wife Eudocia handmaid to his sister Pulcheria and brings it to him which he presently sets his hand to and thereupon she perswades Eudocia to come and remain with her for a certain time At last the Emperour sends for his wife Pulcheria resuses to let her go challenging her to be her servant by the Emperour 's own order which he reading repented of his rashnesse and was made more wary Hist. Imp. A stout Souldier under Alexaender M. finding it a very difficult thing to get admission into the King's presence whereby he might make himself known to him put feathers into his nose and eares and danced about the Court in an antick fashion till the strangenesse of the shew brought the King himself to be a spectator Then this Mimmick throwing off his disguise Sir said he I thus at first arrive at your Majesties notice in the fashion of a Fool But can do you service in the place of a wise man if you please to imploy me Holy State A certain Duke of Bavaria each morning before he went to his Diet used to call his servant to bring him water in a Bason in the bottom whereof was stamped in gold the picture of Cato Major that so he might cause the impression of his Image to be fixed in his mind the imitation of whose virtues he had prudently proposed for his practice CHAP. XC Examples of strange Prodigies FOre-runners of Judgement Matth. 24. 29. Scriptural Examples Moses rod turned into a Serpent Exod. 7. 9. and the other wonders which Moses did in Egypt Before the last destruction of Hierusalem which calamity befell the Jewes for crucifying the Lord of life and contemning his Gospel a Comet in the likenesse of a fiery sword hung over the City for a year together Also at the Feast of the Passâ—over a great light appeared about the Altar at midnight which continued half an hour Also a Cow that was led to be sacrificed at the Altar brought forth a Lamb. And the inward gate of the Temple which was made of massie Brasse and used to have twenty men to shut it being fastened with locks and barrs of Iron at the fifth hour of the night opened of its own accord Also a little before Sun-set were seen in the air Iron Chariots and an Army in Battel-array as it were begirting the City At the Feast of Pentecost the Priest going into the Temple felt the place to move and tremble and a voyce was heard saying Let us go hence to Pella Also one Jesus the son of Ananaus eighty years before the warr began went up and down continually crying A voice from the East a voyce against Hierusalem and the Temple A voyce against new married persons A voice against all this people And when the City was besieged by the Romans going upon the Walls about the City he cryed Woe woe to the City Temple and people and at last he said Woe also unto me which words were no sooner uttâ—ced but a stone shot out of an Engine slew him Joseph Hist. Before the Peloponesian or civill warres amongst he Graecians one of their Islands called Delus famous for the Temple of Apollo was wonderfully ruined by an earthquake which foreshewed those wonderful alterations which presently after befell Greece As Pliny observed that there was never any earthquake in Rome but it was the forerunner of some great event Pez Mel. Hist. Also about the same time there was a Comet which continued fifty seven daies together There was also a great Eclipse of the Sun that the stars appeared at noon day Idem Praecedunt poenas nuntia signa graves The same year that Nero was adopted by Claudius there appeared three Suns as if the heavens privy to impendent effects had by their mystical character revealed what a prodigie was in breeding Nero's Life Before the terrible wars between the Britans and Romans in Nero's time the Seas between Britain and France at the full tide did overflow of a bloody colour and at low water the prints of mens bodies were seen upon the bare sand at the mouth of the Thames Tacitus Irene the Emperesse ruling in Constantinople after the murther of her son Constantine the Sun was darkned for seventeen daies together Isac Cron. p. 276. Anno 688. it rained blood seven daies together through all Britain and the milk cheese and butter turned into blood Isac Chron. p. 261. Scotl. In the time of a great Pestilence in Germany Serpents bred in the dead bodies of men and women so that they could hardly be buried Isac Chron. p. 304. In Flanders Anno 1088. was seen a fiery Dragon flying in the air casting out flames from his mouth and shortly after followed the disease called Ignis Sacer. Isac Chron. p. 315. A little before the coming in of the Normans to this Kingdome about the Feast of Easter there was seen for a week together a blazing Star of an hideous and fearful form which turned mens minds to fore-feeling of some dismall events Camb. Brit. p. 147. In the year 1298. there was a great battel fought between the English and Scots wherein many of the Scots were slain the Sun the same day appeared as red as blood so long as the battel continued Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 162. In the year 1299. there was a battel or fight of Dogs in Burgundy at Genelon Castle wherein every one killed another being in number three thousand no Dog escaping alive but one onely Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 162. In the year 1342. the 11th of October when the Moon was eleven daies old there was seen two Moones at Dublin the one according to the course of Nature in the West the other in the East casting but a mean and slender light Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 188. In the year 1106. in the time of the holy Warres there appeared in Judea a Comet for fifty daies decreasing Also three Suns two on each hand of the true but smaller both in quantity and light a great white Circle environing them and in it a Rainbowe of four colours the Bowe towards the Sun and reaching to the other two Suns and shortly after the stars of heaven seemed to rain P. Pilg. Vol. 2. p. 1207. In the year 1509. there was a great and terrible earthquake in Constantinople and the Countries thereabouts by the violence whereof a great part of the Walls of that City with many stately buildings both publick and private were quite overthrown and thirteen thousand people overwhelmed and slain therewith the terrour whereof was so great that Bajazet himself the great Turk and the people generally forsook their houses and lay abroad in the fields it endured for a moneth together with very little intermission after which ensued a great plague whereby the City was for the most part unpeopled Turk Hist. p. 476. The strong City of Strigonium in Hungary being besieged by the Turks about the year 1610. during the siege
death all these and more do necessarily conclude the divine authority of the Scriptures What words of Philosophers could ever make of a Leopard a Lamb of a viper a child of a Leacher a chaste man of a Nabal a Nadib of a covetous carle a liberal person Besides this real there is also a vocal testimony from God to the Divinity of the Scriptures which yet is heard by none but Gods houshold and is confined to the communion of Saints whose consciences he secretly perswadeth of this truth and sweetly seales it up to them Promised Isa. 52. 6. They shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak c. Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God c. 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believeth hath the witnesse in himself 1 Cor. 2. 15. The spiritual man discerneth all things for he hath the mind of Christ and an unction within that teacheth him all things 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. So that he no sooner heareth but believes and is sealed with that holy Spirit of promise Ephes. 1. 13. whose inward testimony of the truth and authority of the Scriptures is ever met by a motion of the sanctified soul inspired by the same Spirit more steadfastly resting it self on that testimony then if he should hear from heaven as St. Augustine did Tolle Lege take and read this book of God or than if some Angel should bring him a Bible and say This is the very Word of God For he might suspect these as delusions of the Devil But the testimony of the Spirit we know to be true Job 14. 17. because he is both a Spirit of truth and a searcher of the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. Onely it must be remembred that this inward witnesse must not be brought for confirmation of this Doctrine to others nor for confutation of adversaries But that every one for himself might hereby be certified and satisfied in his conscience that the Sacred Scriptures are the Word of God The Churches testimony without this is but of little value and validity it being meerly informativum et directivum non certificativum et terminativum fidei And whereas St. Augustine saith I should not have believed the Gospel but that the authority of the Church moved me thereto he speaks there of himself as unconverted to the faith and so not acquainted with the Spirits testimony Now no marvel though such be moved by the consent and authority of the Church which is to them an introduction whereby they are better prepared to believe the Scriptures yea inclined at first to think them to be the Word of God and so made willing to read and hear them See this and more in that elaborate piece of my worthy friend called Trapp's Treasury Theopompus the Historian whilest he attempted to insert part of the holy Scriptures into his profane writings by Gods Judgment upon him ran mad Diod. l. 14. Theodates a Tragoedian having intermingled some Scripture-matters with his Tragoedies suddenly lost his sight which was afterwards restored to him upon his prayers when he once came to a sight of his sin Aristaeus One John Ap-howel in Queen Maries daies standing by William Maudon as he was reading on a Primer at Greenwich mocked him after every word with contrary gaudes and flouting speeches unreverently whereupon Maudon said to him John take heed what thou doest thou mockest not me but God in his Word though I be simple that read it Yet went he on in his mocking till Maudon reading Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us the other with a start said suddenly Lord have mercy upon me with that Maudon turning to him said What aileth thee John to which he answered Nothing but that he was afraid Whereof said Maudon Nothing now said the other yet presently after he confessed that at the reading of those words Lord have mercy upon me the hair of his head stood upright with a great fear that came upon him On the next day he ran mad and was bound in his bed and lay continually day and night crying out of the Devil of hell c. See my Eng. Mariyrologâ—e Steven Laâ—cton Archbishop of Canterbury was the first that divided the Scripture into Chapters as now we have them Anno Christi 1220. CHAP. XCVI Servants Slaves THe Scythians having made an eruption into Asia Lorded it there for divers years In the mean time their wives thinking that they had been all slain married their servants that were left to keep their cattel But at last these Scythians being beaten out of Asia by the Medes returned home but then their servants rose in armes against them and after divers fights the victory remained doubtfull at last one told them That fighting against slaves they should not use swords but whips as more proper instruments to subdue their servile nature which advice being well liked against the next encounter they provided them whips with the claping of which their servants were so terrified that they ran away and their Masters remained Conquerours Pez Mel. Hist. The Tyrians having maintained long warres against the Persians were much weakned thereby which occasion their slaves being many in number laying hold of the opportunity to rise up against their Masters and put them all to the sword together with all their children and then seized upon their houses and married their wives onely one of them being more merciful then the rest spared his old Master Straton and his son and hid them Then these Slaves having thus gotten possession of all consulted to choose a King and agreed That he that could first see the Sun rising should be King whereupon this forementioned Slave consulted with his old Master about the businesse who bade him when others looked into the East that he should look into the VVest and accordingly when they were all assembled into the fields and every mans eyes were fixed upon the East he onely looked VVestwards for which his companions scoffed at him but presently he espied the Sun-beams shining upon the high Towers and Chimneys in the City and so challenged the Kingdome His companions would needs know who taught him this wit and at last he told them whereupon fetching out old Straton they not onely gave him his life but made him their King Justin. CHAP. XCVII Sin the fore-runner of Judgments IT brought the flood upon the old world Gen. 6. 5 c. Hell from Heaven upon Sodom Gen. 19. Gods plagues upon Pharaoh Exod. 7. 17 c. Judgments upon Israel Exod. 32. 35. Josu 7. 11. So often in the book of Judges and 1 King 8. 33 c. 2 Chron. 6. 24. Lam. 1. 8. 5. 7. It brought destruction upon Hierusalem See Jewes Before the first destruction of Rome by Brennus and his Gaules the very heathen Writers observe that the people were carelesse of the service of the gods and grown loose and dissolute in matters
up at any rate CHAP. XCIX Education of Children Schoolmasters LYcurgus the Lacedemonian Law-giver commanded all his Citizens to eat their meat in publick at a Common-Hall whither all young children went daily as to a School to learn gravity and temperance where they heard no vain or unseemly speeches but grave and wise discourses about the Government of a Common-Wealth there they learned to sport upon words and to give and take jests without offence Plut. One asking Agesilaus King of Sparta what should be especially taught unto children he answered That which they are most like to make use of when they come to be men Xenoph. Philip King of Macedon seeing the hopefulnesse of his son Alexander chose Aristotle to be his Master who carefully instructed him in most of the liberal Sciences in the study whereof he took such delight that he used to say I had rather have knowledge then to excell in power Just. He so prized Homer's Iliads that in all his wars he carried it in his pocket and laid it under his pillow anights How much more should we prize and carry about us the Sacred Scriptures He loved his Master Aristotle as if he had been his Father and used to say That as we have our being from our Parents so we have our well-being from our School Masters Quint. Curtius Seneca the Master of Nero offering to quit his fortunes to save his life Nero refused to accept thereof and acknowledging his immortal debt for the benefit of his instructions he said He had cause to blush that he who for the reason of his learned merits was of all men dearest to â—im was not by his meanes in so long a time become the richest also Nero's Life The Brachmans in India so soon as their children were capable of instruction used to place them forth to good School-Masters that by them they might be instructed in learning and good manners and might be taught subjection to their Superiours and be trained up by good Examples Alex. ab Alex. The Persians so soon as their children could begin to speak used to place them forth to Schoolmasters to be taught virtue temperance frugality and obedience and would not meddle with them for seven years after left by their indulgence they should do them hurt Xenoph. Amongst the Lacedemonians there was a custome that boyes and youths should never sup but in the company of their Masters from whom they might learn examples of frugality and abstinence Alex. The Inhabitants of Mitylene when they were Lords of the Seas about them if any of their associates revolted from them they inflicted this punishment By forbiddiug them to teach their children letters or the knowledge of the liberal Arts Judging it the greatest punishment that could be to passe their lives in ignorance without learning AElian Julian the Apostate when he perceived that the Christians by reason of their learning easily confuted and overthrew the Idolatries of the Gentiles he enacted a Law That no Christian should train up his sonnes in humane learning thereby judging that if he could bring them to ignorance he could quickly bring them to Idolatry Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Prov. 22. 6. The rod and reproof give wisdome but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame Prov 29. 15. CHAP. C. Examples about the Memory BEza being above fourscore yeares of age could perfectly say by heart any Greek Chapter in Paul's Epistles or any thing else that he had learned before but forgat whatsoever was newly told him Thuan. obit Doctorum vir p. 384. His memory was like an Inne retaining old guests but having no room to entertain new S. Augustine tells us of his friend Simplicius who being asked could tell all Virgils Verses backwards and forwards and yet he protested that he knew not that he could do it till they tried him Aug. Tom. 7. de anima et ejus Orig. cap. 7. Staupitius who was Tutor to Luther and a godly man in a vain ostentation of his memory repeated Christs Genealogie Matth. 1. by heart in his Sermon but being out about the Captivity of Babylon I see saith he God resisteth the proud and so betook himself to his book for help Mel. Adam in vit Stau p. 20. The Memory of our Bishop Juel was raised by Art to the highest pitch of humane possibility For he could readily repeat any thing that he penned after once reading it and therefore usually at the ringing of the Bell he began to commit his Sermons to heart and kept what he learned so firmly that he used to say That if he were to make a speech premeditated before a thousand Auditors shouting or fighting all the while yet could he say whatsoever he had provided to speak Many barbarous and hard names out of a Calender and fourty strange words Welch Irish c. after once or twice reading at the most and short meditation he could repeat both forwards and backwards without hesitation Sir Francis Bacon reading to him onely the last clauses of ten lines in Erasmus his Paraphrase in a confused and dismembred manner he after a small pause rehearsed all those broken parcels of sentences the right way and the contrary without stumbling See his Life in my first Part of the Marrow of Eccles. Hist. Anthony Wallaeus by the help of the Art of Memory in six weeks space learned by heart the whole Epitome of Pagnine with such excellent successe that thereby he was enabled well to interpret any place of the holy Scriptures and to give a fit reason of it Idem p. 943. Themistocles had such an excellent memory that he knew all the Citizens of Athens and when he met them could salute them by name Plut. CHAP. CI. The Qualities of sundry people IT 's said of the Italians that they are in their lusts unnatural in their malice unappeasable in their actions deceitful They will blaspheme sooner then swear and murther a man rather then slander him Of their women it 's said That they are Magpies at the door Saints in the Church Goats in the garden Devils in the house Angels in the streets and Syrenes in the windowes The Noble-men of Naples of all men under heaven live the most idle and carelesse lives having like the Tyrant Polycrates nothing to trouble them but that they are troubled with nothing As the French in their language want one proper word to expresse Stand so naturally they mislike a setled and fixed posture and delight in motion It 's said of them that Primus impetus est major quà m virorum secundus minor quà m foeminarum That they come on like Powder But end in smoke That they have these three Properties They neither read as they write nor sing as they prick nor speak as they think The Germans are compared to an heavy Bell which is long in raising but being once up it makes a great sound The Low-Countreys