of excommunication Or why should wee thinke it brings more detriment to authoritie in the weale publike then to that in priuate families To shut vp the point That spirituall sword depriues of spirituall rights that concerne the kingdome of Heauen depriues none of his ciuill rights which hee hath as a member of ciuill societie r Mat. 16.19 The keyes are giuen to the Church to open and shut the kingdome of heauen meddle not at all with the kingdomes of the earth I conclude it with that admonition of Salomon My sonne Å¿ Pro. 24 21. feare the Lord and the King and meddle not on any pretence with them that are seditious Are they impious pray for their pietie Are they tyrannous pray God for thy patience and their inspiring with clemencie Presumes any to excommunicate Know first if any such power bee giuen vnto men ouer Kings and Princes yet is it inuested in the persons of their owne Pastors 2. If it be not regularly done a nullitie there is in their conscience and ought to be in thine esteeme 3. If neuer so ordinately it depriues but of spirituall not of ciuill titles The last thing remaines the infirmitie of your persons yee shall die as men The originall is as Adam which Ierome takes properly Hieron in locuÌ„ others appellatiuely the sense is both wayes the same The sentence some conceiue a commination some onely as a monition the latter clause is no doubt a threatning this former best interpreted a monition It comes in mee thinkes as that stake in Pauls flesh after his extraordinary reuelations least he should t 2. Cor. 12.7 bee exalted aboue measure or as the voice of the crier following the tryumphers Chariot in Rome eftsoones ringing that in the eare memento te esse mortalem A meditation necessary for all men most for them of highest dignity how prone wee are to conceit in our very nature something more then humane because our persons are clad with diuine dignities we see in plentifull experience Herod in his magnificence admits the applause of the people The u Acts 12.21.22.23 voyce of God and not of man till hee learned by experience that the wormes should eat him That monster of men in Rome puffed vp with successe of victories attempts to imitate thundering Iupiter Seneca scoffeth at his pride but so true it is that the Psalmist hath x Psal 49.20 Man being in honour hath no vnderstanding nor so much as remembrance of humane infirmity I confesse I seldome read of any that could hope for immortality vpon earth But the absurd desires of some I haue heard of wishing if it were possible to perpetuate a miserable life in this sinful state vpon earth rather then to aduenture their soules vpon vncertaine hopes as to them they seeme of a better state in the life to come I maruell not at it It s their profession this life they know that other they know not A speech sauouring of the little relish of the things of God and euidencing their no title to the comforts of Gods kingdome This life they know would God they knew it either as Apuleius or but as Augustine describes it * Aug de verb. Dom. secund Matth. ser 1. Inter casus ambulamus Wee walke amiddest a world of casualties Si vitrei essemus Yet were our mettall but as glasse lesse reason wee had to feare mishappes but it s much more fraile Fals by mishaps we feare for those brittle vessells but age or sicknesse wee feare not in respect of them Man therefore more fraile them they who besides the many casualties that haue continuall intercourse in his life lies open to infeebling by age and sicknesse for suppose no casualty betide vs yet tempus ambulat vitat homo ictum numquid vitat exitum I am sorry wee should haue cause to teach by instruction that which fooles may learne by experience * Bernard de conuers ad cleric cap. 14 Death pitâ—eth not pouerty nor reuerenceth riches spares no mans birth nor qualitie nor age the ods is this onely â—etwixt old and young Seâ—ibus in ianuis adolescentibus in insidijs est My purpose is to be your remembrancer no teacher of mortality This onely I beseech you consider with mee Whaâ—â—oeuer eminence of dignitie God hath clothed you withall â—ee hath not exempted you from condition of mortalitie Yee shall die like men * Agapet in â—areâ—â— ad Iusitian Imperat. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the eminence of dignitie yee are like vnto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the esseâ—ce of your body of the same condition with meanest men The principles of your constitution alone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clay we haue all the first father and founder of our generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As well the Prince in his throne as the beggar vnder the bush our genus is lutulentum dirtie at least dustie and our ende resolution into the same principles y Heb. 9.27 It is appointed to all men once to dye Remember the consequent after that comes iudgement Thus thinke euen when ye sit Iudges of other mens liues ye haue not arbitrium no not of your owne There is z Eccles 8.8 no man that hath power ouer the spirit to retaine the spirit neither hath hee power in the day of death neither is there discharge in that warre When thoughts of pride or peruerting iustice shall arise thus thinke My a Isay 2.22 breath is in my nostrills What if the Lord should cite mee to his tribunall euen now when I thinke of abusing iustice a thing so sacred b Eccles 11.3 As the tree fals so it lies so as we die so are wee presented to iudgement It is an error of mans pride to thinke they shal haue esteeme at that day according as they were more or lesse cladde with dignities in this life Death strippes of all dignities and wee are presented naked to the Lords tribunall c Apoc. 14.13 Blessed is the man that dies in the Lord his workes follow him d Psal 49.17 his pompe he leaues behinde him Yet hearken to a course whereby yee may perpetuate iudiciall dignitie and at the great day sit on Thrones iudging the Tribes of Israel Not dignitie but sanctitie makes vs Christs Assessours The e 1. Cor. 6.2 Saints shall iudge the world This sanctitie manifest in your liues in your callings my soule for yours your resurrection shall bee glorious In case it be neglected heare what not I but the Lord by his Prophet threatneth yee shall fall like one of the Princes They are witty and industrious niceties that Hierome hath Hier. ad loc m. enquiring the sense of this commination This one of the Princes hee conceiues to be the deuill that prince of the aire Lucifer the prince of the deuils the prime deuil amongst the Legions of infernall spirits As Lucifer so shall ye fall Non potest Angelica dignitas mortem recipere
A SERMON PREACHED AT the last generall Assise holden for the County of SOMMERSET at TAVNTON By William Sclater Batchelar in Diuinitie and Minister of the Word of God at PITMISTER LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Henry Fetherstone dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1616. To THE WORSHIPFVLL M. IOHN COLLES Esquire High Sheriffe of Sommerset Mercy and peace be multiplied SJR J here tender to your view my Sermon preached at your instance heard with your best attention pressed to the Presse by importunitie of friends occasioned by those many abbreuiations whereto the iniunction of breuitie from superiours forced me The summe of the whole is this Therein see you your station in the Common-wealth warranted by Gods ordinance the rich Grace of God in your aduancement to so eminent dignitie withall the dutie the Lord expects from you in respect of your aduancement To preuent pride you are remembred of humane frailtie to procure vprightnesse in proceedings iudiciall the terrours of the Lords iudgement are offered to your meditation Vse it as your direction to these ends and thus thinke of the Author he had rather be deemed any thing then vnthankfull So with my prayers to God for continuance and multiplication of all heauenly and earthly blessings vpon you J rest Your thankfull and obseruant welwiller WILLIAM SCLATER From Pitmister Iuly 25. 1616. A SERMON PREACHED AT the last Generall Assise holden for the County of Sommerset at TAVNTON PSAL. 82.6.7 I haue said ye are Gods and ye all are sonnes of the most high But ye shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes THe Prophet whether Asaph or Dauid hauing taxed the iniustice of the Iudges of that time and addressing himselfe to denounce Gods iudgement against them in these words seemes to preoccupate the secure thoughts of their pride Gods they were by office on earth without controll therefore of men and as they seemed to conceit exempted from censure of God himselfe The answer is in the person of God 1. by concession It s true I haue said ye are Gods 2. by correction but ye shall die as men In the words are two things obseruable 1. the dignitie of the Magistrates office 2. the infirmitie of their persons their dignitie amplified 1. by the author God I haue said 2. by the eminence ye are Gods Their infirmitie noticed in their death in their fall both amplified by similitude or paritie yee shall die like men and fall like one of the Princes First of the author I haue said This dixi of the Lord for Magistrates office sounds aloud in Scripture in nature in heauen hell the creatures mans nature and conscience a Pro. 8. By me Kings raigne saith Gods essentiall wisdome he meanes not only by the secret disposition of his prouidence but by expresse warrant of his ordinance The Apostle in new Testament to preuent the idle exceptions of Anabaptists b Rom. 13.1 There is no power but of God * Aug. contra Faust Manich. lib. 22. cap. 7. Siue iubente siue sinente saith Augustine by Gods either commission or permission that 's Augustines glosse the text addes more The powers that are are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordered and ordained of God * Theophylact. in Rom. 13. The persons are sometimes intruders as in case of vsurpation sometimes abusers of their authoritie as when they tyrannize but the powers themselues haue God for their author S. Peter indeed cals them c 1. Pet. 2.13 humane ordinances but hee speakes of the seuerall formes not of the substance of gouernment In nature it selfe are found impressions of this ordinance in heauen amongst Angels are d Eph. 1.21 principalities and thrones And there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Michael the e Iude 9. Archangell Amongst the Spheres there is one first moueable commander of all the inferiours with his motion Amongst Starres there are greater and lesser lights rulers amongst the rest Yea such a power there is of this dixi that the sound thereof hath pierced downe to hell Deuils haue their principalities not onely ouer other creatures but respectiuely amongst themselues therefore it is said f Mat. 25.41 the Deuill and his Angels and g Mat. 12.24 Beelzebub the Prince of Deuils To say nothing of bruit creatures amongst which yet Philosophers haue obserued a perfect forme of regiment and policie in man that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how doth euery thing pleade for gouernment his constitution his inclination his conscience So hath God tempered him in his fabricke and constitution that we shall see in euery part of his nature something that rules something made to be ruled In the composition of his body there is an element predominant the soule hath ouer the body Imperium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde ouer the affectuous part Imperium politicum If nothing else euince it that awfull submission to regiment which conscience suggests to sauages sufficiently proues it As farre as that principle is heard of that there is a Rex Regum and Dominus Dominantium where euer it s knowne that there is a God that iudgeth the earth it s knowne also and receiued that there are nominall Gods on earth with reuerence next to the supreme Maiestie to be adored Amongst the barbarous Nations of late discouered hath beene found as some religion and worship of God so some forme of policie and ciuill gouernment Let it bee true that Tully hath in commendation of his Oratorie that it first drew into ciuill communion the dispersed and bruitish companies of men yeeld that that others haue that fiction of diuine visions procured authoritie to lawes let these be meanes some principle there must be acknowledged in mans nature fit to acknowledge equitie of such constitutions * Arist politic lib 1. cap. 2. Aristotle saith there is in euery man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an affectuous and no lesse then impetuous inclination to such societie And if any be vnfitted for that state he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bruit if any need it not he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God But ouer and aboue all this it more then seemes that naturall conscience amongst other common notions hath receiued the impression of this principle how else comes it that a few extrauagant natures only excepted such awfull submission is found in all to men of our owne mould yet in our apprehension clad with such venerable maiestie that the culpable scarce behold them without trembling and the guiltlesse yeeld willing reuerence to their persons So euery way hath God pleased to make knowne his ordinance for magistracie It were wonder such a principle should finde opposition in the nature of man by nature the most sociable of all sensible creatures more strange that amongst Christians as they would be esteemed this constitution should be thought either Heathenish or Iewish In a word two sorts of men we finde opposite to this ordinance First are they
tanquam luminaillum inata As starres participate their light from the sunne the primum lucidum so these their authoritie from the supreame maiesty The glorious maiesty of God hath pleased to cast on them some beames of his own excellency to make them venerable in the eyes and hearts of men Yee haue heard your dignitie I beseech you take notice of your duty It s true I confesse this eminence of dignity is originally in the supreame Magistrate yet is there a streame thereof deriued to his delegates which yee are Thus thinke the higher the Lord hath aduanced you the more he expects to be honoured of you The rule is Leuit. 10.3 God will bee sanctified in those that come neere him either by a more then ordinary measure of holinesse in their liues or by his extraordinary vengeance Ye vtterly mistake the matter if because yee haue the moderation of humane Lawes yee thinke your selues exempt from strictest obseruance of the Lawes of God Kings themselues haue charge z Deut. 17.19 to read in the Law and to feare that God that hath so highly aduanced them And sure it is whatsoeuer we thinke sinnes take their greatnesse in part from the greatnesse of the persons by whom they are committed The sheckle of the Sanctuary was double in weight to the common sheckle to peize aswell the sinnes of the Priests as the offerings of the people The expiatorie sacrifice for the sinne of the Priest Leuit. 4. was as great as that for the whole congregation The reason I thinke is all one for the Magistrate Gods mercy as great to him in his aduancement his sin in the issues as pernicious If that preuaile not weigh well how euery way quarrel-some at the liues of Magistrates the people are * Plutarch in precept Reipub. gerend Cimon at Athens was taxed for this that sometimes he dranke wine Romanes that could finde no other fault in Scipio made his sleepe a matter of imputation In Pompei the great it was made matter of criminous obseruation that hee scratched his head with one finger And generally you shall finde it true that Plutarch obserued As the least blemish in the face be it but a wart is more conspicuous and troublesome then were deformed scarres in the rest of the bodie so the moates of rulers liues seeme beames in the eyes of the people Consider also how preualent your examples are either in good or euill if good none so effectuall or wholsome if ill none so pernicious for imitation Saith Paul to Peter Why a Gal. 2.14 constrainest thou the Gentiles to bee circumcised what compulsory worke had Peter ouer Gentiles how constraines he them to circumcision his gifts and gracious carriage had wonne him esteeme in the Church of God and his example seemed a Law therefore said Ierome truely Coegit non verbo sed exemplo As in sayling saith Agapetus Agape qua supra the error of an ordinary ship-man brings little detriment to the burthen but the mistake of the Steres-man or Pilot hazards the whole voyage So in the Common-wealth the sinnes of the vulgus doe little harme by infection but the euil example of eminent Rulers are no lesse then pestilent and banefull Now blessed be God that hath inclined your hearts to more then wonted conscience of the Sabaoth my hope is former neglects haue beene lamented Gods people I dare say blesse his name for the amendment But this I assure you howsoeuer the oddes be great betwixt the important affaires of a Kingdome and the base pleasures of the multitude yet more preuailed the example of you mortall gods to incourage to prophanenesse then the example of the great God of heauen and earth propounded b Exod. 20.11 in the precept to perswade the sanctifying of the Sabaoth If none of these moue weigh well how according to rules of Scripture the sinnes of others committed by any our occasion become ours by iust imputation What euill is this that c Nehe. 13.17 yee doe in breaking the Lords Sabaoth said Nehemiah to the Rulers of Ierusalem that sinned not by personall commission but by partiall conniuence and toleration of the sinnes of others Now God bee mercifull to the sinnes of our persons If thou shalt be extreame to marke what in our owne liues wee doe amisse d Psal 130.3 who shall be able to abide it To these if the burthen of other mens sinnes be added committed by any our occasion how can our soules but sinke vnder the weight to the bottome of the nethermost hell Pardon my length in this admonition the hearts and liues of your Lordships are to mee vnknowne e 1. Cor. 135. charitie bindes me to thinke the best and I haue learned of Salomon f Eccles 10.20 not to blaspheme eminent Rulers no not in my secret thought Your wisdome I presume hath learn'd to interpret admonitions not alwaies as imputations but when we are guiltlesse as preuentions But shall I tell you what is obserued in our petty gods our Dij minorum gentium Mentior if their liues proclaime not that they thinke authoritie an immunitie from obedience to the Lawes of God and so liue as if they fancied no other happinesse in their dignities then that they bring with them license to sinne without controll of any Tully tells of one * Augustin de ciuit Dei lib. 5. ap 27. Qui peccandi licentiâ foelix appellabatur had gotten him Foelix almost for his surname because hee was a licentiate in sinning O miserum said Augustine cui peccare licebat Wretched man that had license to sinne Let that happinesse betide that person with whom God is angry for euer And generally yee shall obserue euen superlatiue sinnes proue diminutiues when they fall into great persons As the audacious * Augustin de C uitat Dei lib. 4. cap. 4. Pirate challenged by Alexander for infesting the sea made answere freely Because I doe it in a Fly-boat I am called a Pirate because thou in a great Nauy thou art called an Emperour That which we silly men call the language of hell profane daliance with Gods name in common swearing amongst our gallants hath the esteeme of Retorique and oathes they reckon amongst the ornaments and flowers of speech they serue to fill vp the hiatus of their broken sentences Voluptuous lyuing to eat drink sleepe and rise vp to play wee in our simplicitie terme the life of a beast That bonum pecudum great ones count their felicity and haue closed it now in their definition what is a Gentle-man but his pleasure * Cicer Tuscu quaest lib. 1. Vox pecudis non hominis saith Tully truly As if they were made in the earth as Leuiathan in the sea for nothing but to take their pastime therein What should I speake of that gluttonous bouzing taken vp in great houses as part of their deuotion as Ambrose notes the beastly custome in his time * Ambrose de
Heâ—iâ— Ieiunio cap. 17. Bibamus pro salute imperatorum qui non biberit sit reus in deuotione Let vs drinke to the health of the King who so pledgeth not his health let him bee culpable in point of deuotion O obsequie of pious deuotion saith Saint Ambrose ironically or rather ô foolishnesse of men that thinke drunkennesse a sacrifice to God as if the God wee serue were as Bacchus the Idoll of the heathen to be propitiated with intemperance g 1. Tim. 2.1 Oremus pro salute Regum pray for the health and saluation of Kings that 's Pauls deuotion If such be your liues this your obseruance of that God that hath so highly aduanced you take heed it proue not your portion at the last that the wise man hath Potentes potentèr tormenta patientur mighty men shall bee mightily tormented One thing more let mee adde on this ground as more neerely concerning your Lordships Analogie you haue in dignitie to the great God of heauen and earth I beseech you be carefull in your executions to maintaine the proportion Iehoshaphat hath particularized it in his charge to the Iudges of his time vpon this ground either of analogie or deputation h 2 Chron. 197. Ye iudge not for men but for the Lord therefore let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts The charge runs often for impartialitie in iudgement ye shall iudge the small as well as the great and haue no respect of persons in iudgement not feare the face of the mighty nor esteeme a poore man in his cause not fauour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mighty Know it for suretie iniquitie dwels not all in cottages but findes entertainment in sieled houses I would they were not some of them as it s said of Shinar i Zech 5.11 the land where wickednesse is setled as vpon her owne base Ieremy in the search hee made in Ierusalem for a man found goodnesse as rare among k Ier. 5.5 the great ones as amongst the vulgus The state of our time and Kingdome is not much vnlike My counsell is this onely Let neuer cauillers haue cause to say of our lawes as Anacharsis spake tartly of those of Scythia they are as spiders webs the great flies breake thorow the smaller onely are holden For gifts how professeth the great Iudge that herein requires your imitation a holy scorne of them l Mic. 6.7 Thousands of Rammes and ten thousand riuers of oile none of these so precious in his eyes as is the preseruation of iustice Let the same minde be in you What Peter speakes to Simon Magus say you to corrupting bribers m Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee that thinkest so sacred a thing as iustice may be peruerted by money Withall forget not what Augustine admonisheth that there is something equiualent to a bribe as much tainting the soule with guilt of iniustice whether it be done prece or pretio timore or amore the sinne is the same Pilate perhaps could wash his hands of bribes not therefore of Christs bloud The feare or fauour of Caesar suggested by the people n Ioh. 19.12 Thou art not Caesars friend was equiualent to a bribe and swaied him against iustice to condemne an innocent The o 1. Reg. 21.9.10.11.12.13.14 Iudges of Israel that sentenced Naboth to death wee reade not to haue beene corrupted with bribes but there was something equiualent for which their soules to this day frie in hell except they repented whether it was feare of Iesabels violence or hope of fauour and preferment by her that procured their cruell obsequiousnesse to her bloudy mandate My Lords hee that said yee are Gods requires you in iudgement to put off all partiall humane affections and to frame your proceedings to those of the great Iudge of heauen and earth so doing his promise is to be p 2 Chro. 19.6 with you in the cause and iudgement Giue leaue now a little to direct my speech to those of inferiour ranke imploied in this seruice they haue also their meditations naturally affoorded from consideration of your dignitie Consider it seriously beloued Christians you that haue to deale whether by way of information or testimonie or howsoeuer They are Gods by office and deputation before whom ye stand and the great God of heauen and earth q Psal 82 1. protesteth his presence in the assembly of his Vicegerents Know for a suretie yee haue God a spectator a witnesse a Iudge of all your proceedings The obligation of an oath is sacred wherein you r 2. Cor. 1.23 contest the diuine Maiestie and engage your soules to his wrath in case you deale falsly or fraudulently before his Deputies Let the feare of the Lord be vpon you Tremble to play with the name of God in an oath before his Vice-gerents The sinnes of the Country you cannot be ignorant of they are growne clamantia and the sinners of no lesse then Sodomiticall impudencie Å¿ Isa 3.11 They declare their sinnes like Zodom and hide them not The modestie of Pauls times is long since worne out of vse It was wont to be said t 1. Thess 5 7. They that are drunken are drunken in the night and the speech was once prouerbiall He that euill doth u Ioh. 3.20 hates the light Deeds of darknesse are now done at noone-day and gluttonie is now no longer matter of x Rom. 13.13 chambering the very streets are filled with filthy vomitings I could wish it were matter of inquirie by your Law the horrible dalliance with Gods name in vaine swearing and can but wonder how in a Christian Kingdome a sinne of so great impietie hath so long wanted restraint by penall lawes The names of Princes wee are iustly tender of and the reproachfull traducing of their persons is in some cases capitall For my part I could wish Moses Law reuiued Who so blasphemes the Ruler of the people shall be put to death but withall cannot but lament that the dreadfull name of the Lord of hosts should be so freely permitted to the prophane abuse of euery godlesse miscreant and shall neuer thinke the Kingdome secured from Gods wrath till such time as wee haue learned to y Eccl. 9.2 feare an oath Because of oathes z Ier. 23.10 the Land mournes And questionlesse that damned crue of mercenarie periuers issueth out of this damnable crue of common swearers Through too much familiaritie with oathes Gods name is growne into contempt and whilest men make no conscience of swearing vainly they grow at length to make as little of swearing falsly That of Recusancie I know is commonly matter of inquisition and yet to this day the seuerall sorts of Recusants are either vnknowne or winked at There are besides our superstitious Recusants the Papists and the curious
sed tantùm ruinam The deuill died not but fell from the dignitie of his creation Thus Hierome with whom accord Augustine and Theodoret. Augustin Theodoret. ad locum Thus rather conceiue the Prophet vpon hypothesis of their iniustice impenitently continued to threaten the ruine of their thrones and destruction of their persons by some speciall hand of God And the better to set before their eyes the horrour of their fall and withall to preuent the securitie might arise from their present greatnes he remembers them of Gods wrath and powerfull destruction poured out vpon the Princes of the Nations which the Lord had cast out before their eyes suppose vpon f Psal 83.11 Oreb and Zeeb Zebah and Zalmunnah whose ouerthrow to like purpose the Prophet mentions in the next following Psalme The point here to be noticed is the iudgement of God against iniustice and crueltie threatned and exemplified Consent of Scriptures for like threatnings reade at your leisure Mich. 3.9.11.12 Zeph. 3.3.4 Ezek. 22.27.31 Others many you may obserue as you reade Executions perhaps will more moue and in this kinde stories abound g 1. Sam. 4.18 The downfall of Eli a deare seruant of God once Iudge in Israel for conniuence onely and foolish pitie 1. Sam. 2.12.23.24.25 where bowels of nature might seeme if not to dispense with seueritie yet to excuse his lenitie Scriptures haue registred for our warning and terrour For higher degrees of iniustice records are plentifull few tainted with that sinne haue died the common death of men or beene visited with the common visitation of all men Of Pilate write * Eutrop. lib. 7. Euseb Eccles hist li. 2. ca. 7. Eutropius and Eusebius how vnder Caius the Emperour he was miserably tormented and in the anguish of his soule chose this compendium of his tortures to be his owne deaths-man * Tertullian ad Scapulam Vigelius Saturninus President and Iudge at Carthage the first saith Tertullian that drew sword against vs lost his eyes Claudius Herminianus President of Cappadocia after many cruel vexations of Christians stricken with the pestilence was eaten vp of wormes * Henrie de Erford Antiochus President and Iudge vnder Aurelian whilest Agapetus the Martyr is in his torments fals suddenly from the iudgement seat and crying out of the burnings he felt in his bowels giues vp the ghost These you will say were at the highest point of iniustice persecuting to death Christ in his members But remember 1. that in iniustice as in other sinnes the downfall is headlong and men once giuing reines to themselues in euill know no stay till they come to extremities 2. Besides where the fact is not so foule in it selfe circumstances may make the iniustice as damnable in vs. These are examples of Gods immediate executions there are others wherein hee hath vsed men as his instruments The * A. Gellius Noct. Attic. lib. 20. cap. 1. Romane lawes of the twelue Tables appointed death for that Iudge that should be conuicted to haue peruerted iustice for money according thereto were their executions till such time as corruption growing into great personages they mitigated the seueritie and exchanged it for banishment and consiscation of goods * Tit. ff C. ad leg Ful. repetund Cambyses King of Persia hauing detected the corruption of a Iudge in his kingdome commands him to bee put to death his skinne to bee pluckt off and spread vpon the iudgement seat as a carpet or hangings his sonne to sit in the fathers Throne so adorned that he and al posteritie might feare for euer to peruert iustice and to deale vntruly in iudgement My Lords of these whether immediate or mediate iudgements of God thus thinke as Paul aduiseth h 1. Cor. 10 11 They happened to them as ensamples and are written for your warning to make you cautionate how yee fall by example of like iniustice I say as * Ambros de Nibathe Iezraelit cap. 11. Ambrose when hee closeth the Story of Achab and Iezabels fearefull end Fuge ergo diues huiusmodi exitum Sed fugies huiusmodi exitum si fugeris huiusmodi flagitium My Lords tremble at such ends and be carefull to auoid them Such ends yee shall auoid if yee carefully flie from such like iniustice Faxit Deus Cui gloria in saecula saeculorum Amen FINIS