betwixt whome was great strife for the soueraigne dominion but to rid himselfe of all his trouble at once hee slew his brother Manlius by treason and after continued his raigne in tyranny and all vnlawfull lusts the space of twentie yeares but although vengeance all this while wincked yet it slept not for at the end of this space as hee was hunting hee was deuoured of wild beasts In the yeare of our Lord God 745 one Sigebert was authorised king of the Saxons in Brittaine a cruell and tyrannous Prince towards his subiects and one that chaunged the ancient lawes and customes of his realme after his owne pleasure and because a certaine Nobleman somewhat sharpely aduertised him of his euill conditions he malitiously caused him to bee put to death but see how the Lord reuenged this murder hee caused his Nobles to depriue him of his kingly authority and at last as a desolate and forlorne person wandering alone in a wood to bee slaine of a swine-heard whose maister hee being king had wrongfully put to death In the yeare of our Lord 678 Childerich king of Fraunce caused a Nobleman of his Realme called Bolyde to bee bound to a stake and there beaten to death without the pretence of any iust crime or accusation against him for which cruelty his Lords and commons being grieuously offended conspired togither and slew him with his wife as they were in hunting In the raigne of Edward the second and Edward the third Sir Roger Mortimer committed many villanous outrages in sheading much humane blood but hee was also iustlie recompenced in the end first he murdered king Edward the second lying in Barkley castell to the end hee might as it was supposed enioy Isabell his wife with whome hee had very suspitious familiarity Secondly hee caused Edward the third to conclude a dishonourable peace with the Scots by restoring to them all their ancient writings charters and patents whereby the kings of Scotland had bound themselues to be feudaries to the kings of England Thirdly he accused Edmund Earle of Kent vncle to king Edward of treason and caused him vniustly to be put to death And lastly he conspired against the king to worke his destruction for which and diuerse other things that were laid to his charge he was worthely and iustly beheaded In the raigne of Henry the sixt Humfry the good duke of Gloucester faithfull protector of the king by the meanes of certaine malicious persons and especially the Marques of Suffolke as it was suspected was arrested cast into hold strangled to death in the Abbey of Bury for which cause the Marques was not only banished the land for the space of fiue yeares but also banished out of his life for euer for as he sailed towards France he was met withall by a ship of warre and there presently beheaded and the dead corps cast vp at Douer that England wherein hee had committed the crime might be a witnesse of his punishment As the murder of a gentleman in Kent called maister Arden of Feuersham was most execrable so the wonderfull discouerie thereof was exceeding rare this Arden being somewhat aged had to wife a young woman no lesse faire then dishonest who being in loue with one Mosby more then her husband did not onely abuse his bed but also conspired his death with this her companion for togither they hired a notorious ruffian one Blacke Will to strangle him to death with a towell as hee was playing a game at tables which though secretly done yet by her own guiltie conscience and some tokens of blood which appeared in the house was soon discouered and confessed Wherfore she her selfe was burnt at Canterbury Michael maister Ardens man was hanged in chaines at Feuersham Mosby and his sister were hanged in Smithfield Greene another partner in this bloody action was hanged in chaines in the high way against Feuersham And Blacke Will the ruffian after his first escape was apprehended and burnt on a scaffold at Flushing in Zealand And thus all the murderers had their deserued dewes in this life and what they endured in the life to come except they obtaine mercy by true repentance it is easie to iudge CHAP. XI Of Paricides or parent murderers IF all effusion of humane blood bee both horrible to behold and repugnant to nature then is the murdering of parents especially detestable when a man is so possessed with the deuill or transported with a hellish fury that he lifteth vp his hand against his owne naturall father or mother to put thē to death this is so monstrous and inormious an impiety that the greatest Barbarians euer haue had it in detestation wherefore it is also expressely commanded in the law of God that vvhosoeuer smiteth his father or mother in what sort soeuer though not to death Exod. 21. yet he shall die the death If the disobedience vnreuerence and contempt of children towards their parents are by the iust iudgement of God most rigorously punished as hath ben declared before in the first commandement of the second table how much more then when violence is offered aboue all when murder is cōmitted Diodor. Sic. Thus the Aegyptians punished this sin they put the cōmittants vpon a stack of thorns and burnt thē aliue hauing beaten their bodies before hand with sharp reeds made of purpose Solon being demanded why hee appointed no punishment in his lawes for Parricides answered that there was no necessity thinking that the wide world could not affoord so wicked a wretch It is said that Romulus for the same cause ordained no punishment in his Common-wealth for that crime but called euery murderer a Parricide the one being in his opinion a thing execrable and the other impossible And in truth there was not for 600 years space according to Plutarchs report found in Rome any one that had cōmitted this execrable fact The first Parricide that Rome saw was Lucius Ostius after the first Punick war although other writers affirme that M. Malliolus was the first and Lucius the second howsoeuer it was they both vnderwent the punishment of the law Pompeia which enacted that such offendors should be thrust into a sack of lether an ape a cock a viper a dog put in to accōpany them then to be thrown into the water to the end that these beasts being enraged animated one against another might wreke their teene vpon them so depriue thē of life after a strange fashion being debarred of the vse of aire water earth as vnworthy to participate the very elements with their deaths much lesse with their liues which kind of punishmēt was after practised and confirmed by the constitution of Constantine the great And albeit the regard of the punishmēt seemed terrible the offence it self much more monstrous yet since that time there haue ben many so peruerse exceedingly wicked as to throw themselues headlong into that desperat gulfe As Cleodorick son of Sigebert king of
Hebrew tongue This man being asked many questions about their superstition and ceremonies answered verie fittely and beeing demaunded why they thirsted so after Christian mens blood he said it was a mystery onely knowen to the Rabbines and highest persons but that this was their custome he knew when any of them was ready to die a Rabbine annointed him with this blood vsing these or such like words If he that was promised in the law and prophets hath truly appeared and if this Iesus crucified be the very Messias then let the blood of this innocent man that died in his faith clense thee from thy sinnes and helpe thee to eternall life Nay Epiphanius affirmeth that the Iews of Tiberias did more confidently affirme it then thus for they vvould vvhisper into a dying mans eare Beleeue in Iesus of Nazareth whom our princes crucified for hee shall come to iudge thee in the latter day all which declareth how impious they are to goe against their owne conscience and vpon how fickle ground all their religion standeth CHAP. XV. Of those that in our age haue persecuted the Gospell in the person of the faithfull AS the religion of Christ hath beene hitherto cruelly crossed and besieged by the mightiest captaines of this world as hath been partly declared so it hath not beene any better entertained by the potentates of this age that ceased not to disturbe the quiet and pursue to death the liues of Gods children for their professions sake and to bring them vtterly to ruine to addresse all the engines and subtleties of their malicious and wicked counsels without leauing any one deuise vnthought of that their wit could imagine or their power affoord they ioined craft with force and vile treason with horrible cruelty therby to suppresse the truth quench that fair cleare light which God after long time of blindnesse and ignorance had caused of his infinit mercy to shine vpoÌ„ vs. Their fires were kindled euery where with the bones of Martyrs whilst for the space of fottie years or thereabouts they neuer ceased to burne those that were followers of that way Now when they saw that all their butcheries and burnings were not able to consume this holy seed but that the more they went about to choke it the more it grew vp and encreased they tooke another course and raised vp troubles and seditions in all quarters as if by that meanes they should attaine the end of their purpose Hell vomited vp all her furies of warre the whole earth was in a tumult young and old with tooth and naile were imployed to root out the Church of Christ but God stretching forth his arme against all their practises shewed himselfe not only a conquerour but also a most sharpe reuenger of all his aduersaries This is most apparant in that which happened to Thomas Arondell an English man History of Martyrs first booke Archbishop of Canterbury an enemie and persecutor of the truth of Christ who hauing put to death diuers holy and vpright men thinking that all he did was gaine was rooted out at last himselfe by a most straunge and horrible death for he that sought to stop the mouth of God in his ministers and to hinder the passage of his Gospel had his tongue so swollen that it stopped his owne mouth that before his death he could neither swallow nor speake and so through famine died in great despaire Foelix Eearle of Wartemberg one of the captains of the Emperour Charles the fift Illiricus being at supper at Ausbourg with many of his companions where threats were blowen out on euery side against the faithfull swore before them all that before he died he would ride vp to his spurres in the blood of the Lutherans But it happened in the same night that the hand of God so stroke him that he was strangled and choked with his owne blood and so he rode not but bathed himselfe not vp to the spurres but vp to the throat not in the blood of the Lutherans but in his owne blood before he died In the reigne of Francis de Valoys of late memory the first king of France of that name those men that shewed themselues frowardest sharpest and most cruell in burning and murdering the holy martyrs were also forwardest examples of the vengeance of God prepared for all such as they are For proofe whereof the miserable end of Iohn de Roma a monke of the order of the white Friers may serue who although in regard of his hood and habite ought not to be placed in the number of men of note yet by reason of the notable example of Gods vengeance vpon him wee may rightly place him in this ranke This man therefore at that time when the Christians of Cabrier and Merindol began to suffer persecution hauing obtained a commission from the bishop of Prouince and the ambassadour of Auignion to make inquisition after and seaze vpon the bodies of all them that were called Lutherans ceased not to afflict them with the cruellest torments he could deuise Among many of his tortures this was one to cause their bootes to be filled with boiling grease and then fastening them ouerthwart wise ouer a bench their legs hanging ouer a gentle fire to seeth them to death The French king aduertised of this his cruelty sent out his letters patents from the parliament of Prouince charging that the said â—ohn de Roma should be apprehended imprisoned and by processe of law condemned which newes when the caitiue heard hee fled backe as fast as hee could trot to Auignion there purposing to recreate and delight himselfe with the excrements of his oppression and robbery which hee had wroong out of the purses of poore people but see how contrary to his hope it fell out for first hee was robbed of his euill gotten goods by his owne seruants and presently vpon the same fell sicke of so horrible and strange a disease that no salue or medicine could bee found to asswage his paine and beside it was withall so lothsome that a man could not endure his companie for the stinke and corruption which issued from him For which cause the white Friers his cloisterers conueyed him out of their couent into the hospitall where increasing in vlcers and vermine and being become now odious not onely to others but to himselfe also he would often cry either to be deliuered from his noisomnesse or to be slaine being desirous but not able to perfourme the deed vpon him selfe And thus in horrible torments and fearfull despaire he most miserably died Now being dead there was none found that would giue sepulture to his rotten carkasse had not a monke of the same order dragged the carrion into a ditch which he prouided for the purpose The lord of Reuest who a while supplied the place of the chiefe president in the parliament of Prouince by whose meanes many of the faithfull were put to death after hee was put beside his office and returned
his faith and recoiled from Christ Iesus Christ Iesus would recoile from him and giue him ouer to death by depriuing him of his grace and spoiling him of the power of his quickning and sauing spirit These are the fearefull examples of Gods Iudgements which Saint Ciprian reporteth to haue light vpon Backsliders in his time adding moreouer that besides these many vvere possessed with Deuils robbed of their wits and enraged vvith furie and madnesse and all for this offence of Apostasie Amongst all the examples of our age of Gods seuere iustice vpon Apostataes the examples of Francis Spiera an Italian Lawier a man of credite and authoritie in his countrey is most pitifull and lamentable who hauing embraced the true religion vvith maruellous zeale and made open profession of the same Sleidan lib. 21.1 feared not freely to declare his opinion of euery point of doctrine that came in question and grew in knowledge euery day more and more But it was not long ere hee was complained off to the Popes Embassadour which when hee vnderstood and saw the danger wherein hee was like to fall After hee had long debated and disputed the matter in his owne conscience the counsaile of the flesh and wordlie wisedome preuailing hee resolued at last to goe to the Embassadour to the intent to appease his wrath and doe whatsouer hee should command Thus comming to Venice and ouerruled with immoderate feare he confessed that hee had done amisse and craued pardon for the same promising euer after to bee an obedient subiect to the Popes lawes and that which is more when it was enioined him that at his returne home hee should in his owne countrie openly recant his former profession hee refused not but performed his recantation in due sort But it chaunced very soone after that this miserable man fell sicke of bodie and soule and began to despaire of Gods mercie towardes him His Phisitian perceiuing his disposition iudged that the cause of his bodies disease was a vehement conceit and thought of mind and therefore gaue aduise to minister counsaile to his troubled mind verie carefully that the cause beeing taken away the effect also might surcease To this end many learned men frequented him euery day recalling into his mind and laying open before him manie expresse places of Scripture touching the greatnesse of Gods mercie which thinges hee auouched to bee true but said that those promises pertained not to him because hee had renounced Christ Iesus and forsworne the knowne truth and that for this cause nothing was prepared for him but hell fire which alreadie in soule hee saw and felt I would said hee willingly if it were possible loue God but it is altogether impossible I onely feare him without loue These and such speeches vsed he with a stedfast countenance neither did his tongue at any time run at randome nor his answers sauour of indiscretion or want of memorie but aduisedly warned all that stood by to take heed by his example how to listen too much to worldly wisdome especially then when they should bee called before men to professe the religion of Christ And lying in this extremity he refused all manner of sustenance rebuking and being angrie with his sonnes that opened his mouth to make him swallow some food to sustain him saying Since hee had forsaken his Lord and maister all his creatures ought to forsake him I am afeard of euery thing there is not a creature that hath not conspired to worke my destruction let me die let mee die that I may goe and feele that vnquenchahle fire which already consumeth mee and which I can by no means escape And thus he died indeed pined to death in despaire and horrible torment of conscience Centur. 3 cap. 12 Nichomachus a man that stoutly professed Christ Iesus in prosperity being brought to his triall at Troas and put into torments he denied him and being deliuered by that means consented to offer sacrifice vnto idols But assone as hee had finished his sacrifice he was hoisted vp by the spirit of darknesse whose darling now he was dashed against the earth so that his teeth biting his prophane tongue wherewith hee had denied his sauour in two he died incontinently Tamerus a professour of the true religion vvas seduced by his brother to cleaue vnto Poperie Theatrum historicum and to forsake his first loue but for his defection from the truth the Lord gaue him vp into a reprobat sence so that falling into despaire he hong himselfe Richard Denton a blacksmith dwelling at Wels in Cambridgeshire hauing beene a professor of the Gospell before time when William Wolsey Martyr whome the said Denton had first conuerted vnto the truth sent him certaine money out of prison at Ely with this commendations That he maruelled hee tarried so long behind him seeing he was the first that deliuered him the booke of scripture into his hand Acts monuments pag 1717. and told him that it was the truth his answere was this I confesse it is true but alasse I cannot burne But hee that could not burne in the cause of Christ was afterward burned against his will for in the yeare 1564 his house was set on fire and whilest hee went in to saue his goods hee lost his life There was also one Burton Bailife of Crowland in Lincolnshire who pretending an earnest friendship to the gospel in king Edwards time after the kings death began lustily to set vp the Popish masse againe and would haue beaten the poore Curate if hee had not setled himselfe thereto but see how the Lords iudgement ouertooke him as he came riding from Fennebancke one day a crow flying ouer his head let fall her excrements vpon his face so that it ran from the top of his nose downe to his beard Acts monuments pag. 2101 the poisoned sent and sauour whereof so annoied his stomacke that he neuer ceased vomiting vntill he came home and after falling deadly sicke would neuer receiue any meat but vomited stil and complained of that stincke cursing the crow that had poisoned him to be short within few daies he died desperately without any token of repentance of his former life Hither may wee ad the examples of one Hendrie Smith a Lawier of the middle temple Acts monuments and Arnoldus Bomelius a student of Louaine both which hauing professed the truth a while and after being seduced by euill companie the one of Gilford the other of Maister Tileman Smith afterward hanged himselfe in his chamber in the temple in the year of our Lord 1569. Bomelius murdered himselfe with his owne dagger And thus these two Apostataes felt the heauy scourge of Gods wrath for reuolting from the truth which they once professed CHAP. XVIII Of those which haue willingly fallen away THese kind of Apostataes which wee are now to speake of are such as without any outward compulsion threats or likelihood of daunger forsake freely Gods true Religion and
was far greater and more outragious then was Salomons yet his true repentance found the grace to be raised vp from that wofull downfall for God hath mercie on whome hee will haue mercie Rom. 9.15 Rom. 11.33 and compassion on whome he will haue compassion O the profound riches of the wisdome and knowledge of God! How vnspeakeable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out 2. Chron. 33. Amon the wicked sonne of this repentant father committed also the like offence in seruing strange gods but recanted not by like repentance Idolatry Lib. 1. cap. 26 and therefore God gaue his owne seruants both will to conspire and power to execute his destruction after he had swaied the kingdome but two yeeres CHAP. XX. Of the third and worst sort of Apostataes BY how much the more God hath in these latter daies poured forth more plentifully his graces vpon the sonnes of men by the manifestations of his sonne Christ Iesus in the flesh and sent forth a more cleare light by the preaching of his Gospell into the world then was before times by so much the more culpable before God and guilty of eternall damnation are they who being once enlightned and made partakers of those excellent graces come afterwards either to despise or make light account of them or go about to suppresse the truth and quench the spirit which instructed them therein This is the sinne against the Holy Ghost which is mentioned in the sixt and tenth chapter to the Hebrews and in the 12 of Luke and in another place it is called a sinne vnto death because it is impardonable by reason that no excuse of ignorance can be pleaded nor any plaister of true repentance applied vnto it The Apostataes of the old Testament vnder the law were not guilty of this sin for although there were many that willingly and maliciously reuolted and set themselues against the Prophets of God making warre as it were with the holy ghost yet seeing they had no such cleare testimonies of Christ Iesus declaratioÌ„ of Gods spirit as we haue their sin can not be properly said directly to be against the H. ghost so neuer to be remitted according to the description of this sin in those passages of Scripture which were before recited as it may manifestly appeare by the former example of king Manasses The Apostle himselfe likewise doth auerre the truth hereof when he saith If wee sinne wâ—llingly after that wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes Heb. 10.26 27 28 29. but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries If any man despised Moses law he died without mercie vnder two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be worthy which treadeth vnder foot the son of God and counteth the blood of the Testament as a prophane thing whereby hee was sanctified and doth despight the spirit of grace Here we may see that this sinne is proper to those only that liued vnder the Gospell and haue tasted of the comfort and knowledge of Christ Iudas Iscariot that wicked accursed varlet committed the deed and feeles the scourge of this great sinne for he being a disciple nay an Apostle of Christ Iesus mooued with couetousnes after he had deuised and concluded of the manner and complot of his treason with the enemies sold his Lord and master the Sauiour of the world for thirty peeces of siluer and betraied him into the hands of theeues and murderers who sought nothing but his destruction After this vile traitour had perfourmed this execrable purpose by reason whereof hee is called the sonne of perdition hee could find no rest nor repose in his guilty conscience but was horribly troubled and tormented with remorse of his wickednesse iudging himselfe worthy of a thousand deaths for betraying that innocent and guiltlesse blood If he looked vp hee saw the vengeance of God ready to fall vpon him and ensnare him if hee looked downe hee saw nothing but hell gaping to swallow him vp the light of this world was odious to him and his owne life displeased him so that being plunged into the bottomles pit of despaire he at last strangled himselfe Matth. 27. Acts. 1. and burst in twaine in the midst and all his bowels gushed out Suid. There is a notable example of Lucian who hauing professed Christianity for a season vnder the Emperour Traian fell away afterwards and became so profane and impious as to make a mocke at religion and diuinity whereupon his sirname was called Atheist This wretch as hee barked out like a foule mouthed dog bitter taunts against the religion of Christ seeking to rent and abolish it so he was himselfe in Gods vengeance torne in pieces and deuoured of dogs Porphyrie also a whelpe of the same litter after hee had receiued the knowledge of the truth for despite and anger that he was reprooued of his faults by the Christians set himselfe against them and published bookes full of horrible blasphemies to discredit and ouerthtow the Christian faith But when he perceiued how fully and sufficiently hee was confuted and that he was reputed an accursed and confounded wretch for his labour in terrible despaire and anguish of soule he died Iulian the Emperour sirnamed the Apostate cast himselfe headlong into the same gulfe for hauing beene brought vp and instructed from his childhood in the Christian faith and afterward a while a profest reader thereof to others in the Church assoone as he had obtained the Empire malitiously reuolted from his profession and resisted with all his power Socrat. Theod. Sozom. the saith and Church of Christ endeauouring by all meanes possible either by force to ruinate and destroy it or by fine sleights and subtilties to vndermine it And because his purpose was to doe what hurt he could to Christians therefore he studied by all he could to please content and vphold the contrary party I meane the Painyms hee caused their temples first to be opened which Constantine his predecessour had shut vp hee tooke from the Christian Churches their ministers those priuiledges liberties and commodities which the said Constantine had bestowed vpon them and not content with this hee confiscated the Church reuenewes Atheisme Lib. 1. cap. 25. and imposed great taxes and tributes vpon all that professed the name of Christians and forbad them to haue any schooles of learning for their children And yet more to vexe and grieue them he translated many ordes of the Church discipline and pollicie into Paganisme After he had thus by all meanes striuen to beate downe the scepter of Christs kingdome it turned quite contrary to his expectation for in stead thereof the scepter of his owne kingdome was broken and brought to nought at that time when making warre vpon the Persians he was wounded with an arrow which pierced his armour and diued so deepe into his side
Socrat. lib. 3. hist ecclesiast cap. 20. that hee died thereof When he vndertooke this voiage hee was furnished with such brauery both of apparell and all things else as it might seeme it appertained to him and none else to ouerwhelme and ouersway the world still belching out threats against poore Christians whome he had determined at his returne from Persia vtterly to destroy and leaue none aliue as was afterwards reported by one of his counsaile The number of his souldiers was so innumerable and his strength so impregnable that hee made no other reckening but to be lord of Persia in a verie short space But loe how the Lord ouerturneth the attempts of his enemies this great army as S. Chrysostome reporteth against the heathen in which he put so much confidence seemed ere long to be rather a vast and weake multitude of women infants then an host of warriours for by his euil and foolish conduct and gouernment there rose so great a famine amongst them that their horses which were prouided for the battell serued for their bellies yea and for want of that too many hundreds died for hunger and thirst Euer when he skirmished his own side came to the worst doing more scath to themselues then to their enemies and last leading them so vndiscretely they could not by any meanes escape but were constrained after he was slaine to intreat the Persians to suffer them to retire and so as many as could escaped and fled away to saue their liues And thus this braue armie was thus miserably dismembred and discomfited to the euerlasting shame of that wicked Apostate One of the treasurers of this wicked Emperour who to please his master Theod. lib. 3. cap. 13. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 8. Contempt the word Lib. 1. cap. 34. forsooke also the religion of Christ being on a time mocking and deriding the ministery of the holy word died miserably on a sudden vomiting his owne blood out of his mouth and as Chrysostome saith his priuie parts being rotten and putrified and consumed with lice for all that euer he could doe to remedy the same It is recorded of Trebellius the first king of the Bulgarians that being conuerted with his people to the faith of Christ to the end to giue himselfe the quieter to the meditation exercise of religion resigned ouer his kingdome to his eldest sonne whome when he perceiued to renounce the faith and to follow strange gods he not only depriued of all his roiall dignity but also caused his eies to be put out for a punishment of his Apostasie and bestowed the kingdome vpon his other sonne shewing thereby that hee that abandoneth the true light of saluation is not worthy to enioy the comfortable light of the world A Diuine of Louaine one Iames Latonus who was well instructed at the first in the knowledge of the truth afterwards renouncing the same endeuoured with all his power to impugne oppresse it this man being on a time mounted into a pulpit to preach before the Emperor Charles the fift was at the very instant so amased astonished that no man could perceiue what he said so made himself a laughing stock to all that audience seeing himselfe thus disgraced he returned frō Brussels to Louaine where he fell into such grief sorow of mind for the dishonor which hee had gotten that it turned at length into despaire and in his daily lectures these or like words oftentimes escaped him after that goodly sermon that he had impugned the truth of God which when diuers of his own coat heard they caused him to be shut vp fast in a house where in desperation he died telling euery man he was damned and that hee could not hope for saluation or remission of his sinnes because that of meere malice hee had resisted and made war with God Cardinal Poole an Englishman had also somtimes professed himself to be wel seene in the sincerity of the gospel yet contrary to his conscience he sent into his countrie the trophees and ensignes of Antichrist the Pope which before had been rased out and abolished the realme but he died two or three daies after queene Mary in horrible griefes terrors and fearefulnesse without any shew of repentance Stephan Gardiner bishop of Winchester and afterward Chancelor of England shewed in his yoong yeares some forwardnesse to withstand the Popish abuses and superstitions but assoone as he was exalted to honor he turned ouer a new leafe began freshly and furiously to afflict and to rend the poor and faithfull seruants of Christ putting them to the cruellest deaths hee could deuise And yet more to discouer his profanesse rebellion he wrot many books against the pure religion of God being thus swolne with venomous spight against the son of God beside the extreame couetousnesse whoredomes extortions which raigned in him behold the Lord laid his hand of wrath vpon him stroke him with so strange a malady that before his death such horrible stincke issued from him that none of his friends and seruants no not himselfe could endure the sauour therof his belly was swoln like a taber his eies distracted and sunke into his head his cheeks thin the appearance of his whole face very terrible his breath sauoured of a filthie intollerable stincke and all his members were rotten with continual griefes sownings yet this vile wretch in the middest of al these torments ceased not to yell out continual blasphemies and infamous speeches and so despighting and maugring God died Peter Castellan bishop of Maston hauing attained to great riches and renowne by the meanes of the gospell turned notwithstanding his backe to Christ and mightily inueyed in his sermons at Orleance against the profession of his religion seeking to make it knowne that he had not onely abiured and denied it but also that hee was a profest aduersarie vnto it This man sitting at a time in his chaire fell into a strange disease which no Phisition had euer seen or could search out the cause of for one halfe of his body was extreme hote and burned like fire the other extreame cold and frozen like I se and in this torment with horrible cries and gronings hee ended his life A gray frier called Picard who once was not ashamed of the Gospell afterwards set himselfe to preach against that which he had professed being in the pulpit at Orleance after infinit blasphemies which he disgorged against the truth at last said That he protested before God and the whole assemblie that hee would neuer preach more after that day because he was an Apostatae which saying hee by and by impudently and constantly denied to the perill damnation of his owne soule thinking by his horrible curses forswearings to abuse the poore ignorant and superstitious people but he no sooner came into the field but the puissant hand of God ouerreached him and stroke him speechlesse so that he was caried thence
fit example for Heresie yet because it commeth somewhat neere vnto it I thought it meet to insert it in this place CHAP. XXII Of Hypocrites AS God is a spirit and truth so hee will be worshipped in truth of spirit and affection and not in hypocrisie and dissimulation for which cause hee commaundeth vs by the mouth of Moses in the sixt and tenth Chapters of Deuteronomie To loue and honour him with all our heart with all our soule and all our strength which Hypocrites are so farre from doing that they haue nothing in them but a vaine shew of coined religion and so by that meanes breake the first commaundement thinking to bleare Gods eies with their outward shewes and ceremonies as if hee were like men to see nothing but that which is without and offereth it selfe to the view but it is quite contrary for it is he that descrieth the heart 1. Sam. 16. and searcheth out all the corners thereof to see what truth and sinceritie is therein and therefore hateth and detesteth all hypocrisie and abhorreth all such seruice as is perfourmed only for fashion sake or in regard of men as appeareth by the reproofes and checkes which the Prophet Esay denounceth against the hypocrites of his time who made shew of honouring God but it was but with their lips and vaine and friuolous ceremonies not in truth of heart and affection Mat. 23. so our Sauiour Christ thundred out his curses against the Scribes and Pharisies with the iudgements vengeance of God for their Hypocrisie Num. 22. With this sinne was Balaam that wicked Prophet vpon whom God bestowed a certaine gift of prophecie infected for when King Balac sent for him to curse the Israelites he made as though he would noâ— enterprise any thing contrary to the will of God as if he had had him in great reuerence and estimation neuerthelesse being allured and entised by the golden presents which were sent him hee despised Gods commandement and discouered his owne secret impietie and became an hired flâ—ue and enemie to the people of God but as hee was in iourney towards him there happened a strange and prodigious thing an Angell met him by the way with a naked sword in his hand readie to hew him in peeces whome when he himselfe being blinded with couetousnesse as with a vaile could not perceiue his asse saw and was afraid and that which was more strange the poore brute and dumbe beast 2. Pet. 2.16 speaking in anew language like a man reprooued his maisters madnesse whereat hee being sore amased and notwithstanding all the asses humbling before the Angell yet pursued his vnhappie iourney to his eternall shame and confusion as one of an obstinate and hardened heart for hee was forced by the spirite of God to blesse those whome hee had purposed curse and yet further discouering his Hypocrisie and enuious disposition hee was the cause why the Israelites prouoked the wrath of God against themselues through the pernicious and deceiuable counsell which he gaue to the Madianites for which cause he himselfe was in the end slain Num. 25. Num. 3. In this range may wee place Geefie Blizeus seruant who being as it were the Disciple and profest follower both of his maisters life and doctrine the true Prophet of God by whom for the further assurance and confirmation of the grace and blessing of God hee had seene many notable and excellent miracles wrought 2. King 5. yet notwithstanding was not true of heart but drawne aside by desire of lucre that caused him secretly vnwitting to his maister to runne after Naaman the Syrian Auarice lib. 2. cap. 35. in his maisters name for the money and apparell which his maister had before refused and supposing his knauerie to be so hidden that it could not come to light God discouered and pulled off his vizard and punished as well the deed as the manner of doing thereof vpon him and his posterity with a perpetuall leprosie Saint Luke in the first chapter of the Acts doth at large describe the hipocrisie of Ananias and Saphira who that they might seem zealous to Godward and charitable toward the Saints hauing sold a certaine possession vnder pretence of giuing the price thereof among the poore retained couertly a certaine portion of it to their owne vse being so impudent as to lie vnto the Holy-ghost the president of the Church and sounder of all secrets but being attached by the mouth of Peter a iust and fearefull iudgement of God fell on them both euen their sodaine death at the Apostles feet one after the other Nicephorus telleth of one Philip the first Emperour that vndertooke the name and profession of Christ but by the report of other writers it proceeded not from any zeale of religion or feare of God but onely to the intent to counterfeit a kind of honestie and couer his foule vices and cruelties vnder the cloke of religion But God quickly espied and punished his deepe hypocrisie for before hee had raigned full fiue yeares both hee and his sonne were slaine at Verona by his men of warre Let vs learne then this lesson by these examples to carrie our selues in all purenesse sinceritie and good conscience before God that our thoughts wordes and deedes being estranged from all hypocrisie and dissimulation may bee agreeable and acceptable in his sight Moreouer euen as hypocrisie can wind and insinuate her selfe into the pure and sincere seruice of God as hath ben declared so doth she play her part with no lesse brauery and ostentation in superstition and idolatrie for the truth whereof before I proceed further I will set downe a hystorie not altogether vnworthy the reading and remembring Two hundred yeares are not yet past since there was in the raigne of Charles the seuenth king of France certaine preaching Frier of Britaine called Frier Thomas Euguerran de monstr Vol. 2. who by his dissembling customes and brags vnder pretence of a certaine reformation of manners so mightily deceiued the whole world that euery where he was reputed for a holy man this Frier puffed vp with a greedie desire of vainglorie vsed to goe from towne to towne and from countrie to countrie finding exceeding honourable entertainement in euery place which hee tooke very willingly and that hee might ride at the more ease he got him a little yoong mule that would goe verie softly and in this sort appointed hee was accompanied with diuerse of his owne order and many other Disciples that went for the most part one foot by him the people flocked together from all quarters to see him yea and many were so besotted as to forsake their fathers mothers wiues and children to attend vpon this holy man alwaies when hee came neere to any city the Burgesses and Gentlemen and Clergie with one consent came foorth to meete him doing him as much honour and reuerence saith mine author as they would haue done to one of Christs Apostles if hee
herewith he poisoned also the heires of Fredericke to the end hee might attaine vnto the crowne as Conrade his elder brother and his nephew the sonne of Henry the heire which Henry died in prison now only Conradinus remained betwixt him and the kingdome whome though he assailed to send after his father yet was his intention frustrate for the Pope thundered out his curses against him and instigated Charles duke of Angiers to make warre against him wherein bastard and vnnaturall Manfred was discomfited and slaine and cut short of his purpose for which he had committed so many tragedies Luther Martin Luther was wont to report of his owne experience this wonderfull history of a locksmith a young man riotous and vicious who to find fuell for his luxury was so bewitched that he feared not to slay his owne father and mother with a hammer to the end to gaine their mony and possessions after which cruell deed he presently went to a shomaker and bought him new shoes leauing his old behind him by the prouidence of God to be his accusers for after an houre or two the slaine bodies being found by the magistrate and inquisition made for the murderer no manner of suspition being had of him hee seeming to take such griefe thereat But the Lord that knoweth the secrets of the heart discouered his hypocrisie and made his owne shoes which he had left with the shoemaker rise vp to beare witnesse against him for the blood which ran from his fathers wounds besprinkled them so that thereof grew the suspition from thence the examination very soone the confession last of all his worthy lawfull execution From hence wee may learne for a generall truth that murder neuer so secret will euer by one means or other be discouered the Lord will not suffer it to goe vnpunished so abominable it is in his sight Another sonne at Bosil in the yere of our Lord God 1560 bought a quantitie of poison of an Apothecary Casp Hed. 4. part chron ministred it to none but to his owne father accounting him worthiest of so great a benefit which when it had effected his wish vpon him the crime being detected in stead of possessing his goods which he aimed at hee possessed a vile and shamefull death for he was drawne through the streets burnt with hot irons and tormented nine houres in a wheele till his life forsooke him As it is repugnant to nature for children to deale thus cruelly with their parents so it is more against nature for parents to murder their children insomuch as naturall affection is of greater force in the descent then in the ascent the loue that parents beare their children is greater then that which children redound to their parents because the child proceedeth from the father and not the father from the child as part of his fathers essence and not the father of his Can a man then hate his owne flesh or be a rooter out of that which himselfe planted It is rare yet sometimes it commeth to passe Howbeit as the offence is in a high degree so it is alwaies punished by some notable and high iudgement as by these examples that follow shall appeare The ancient Ammonites had an idoll called Moloch to the which they offered their children in sacrifice this idoll as the Iewes write was of a great stature and hollow within hauing seuen chambers in his hollownesse whereof one was to receiue meate another turtle doues the third a sheepe the fourth a ram the fift a calfe the sixt an oxe and the seuenth a child his hands were alwaies extended to receiue gifts and when a child was offered they were made fire hot to burne it to death none must offer the child but the father to drowne the cries of it the Chemarims for so were the priests of that idoll called made a noise with bels cymbals and hornes thus it is written that king Achab offered his son yea many of the children of Israel beside as the Prophet Dauid affirmeth They offered saith he their sonnes and daughters to deuils shed innocent blod Psal 106 37 38. euen the blood of their children whom they offered vnto the idols of Canaan and their land was defiled with blood this is the horrible crime Now mark the iudgemēt touching the Canaanites the land spued them out for their abominations Achab with his posterity was accursed himselfe being slaine by his enemies and the crowne taken from his posterity not one being left of his off-spring to pisse against the wal according to the saying of Elias as for the Iewes the Prophet Dauid in the same place declareth their punishment when he saith That the wrath of the Lord was kindled Vers 40. and he abhorred his inheritance and gaue them into the hands of the heathen that they that hated them were lords ouer them In the yeere of our Lord 1551 in a towne of Hassia called Weidenhasten Iob. Fincel llb. 1. de mirac the 20 day of Nouember a cruell mother inspired with Satan shut vp all her dores and began to murder her foure children on this manner shee snatcht vp a sharpe axe and first set vpon her eldest sonne being but eight yeeres old searching him out with a candle behind a hogs-head where he hid himselfe and presently notwithstanding his pitifull praiers and complaints claue his head in two peeces and chopped off both his armes next shee killed her daughter of fiue yeeres old after the same manner another little boy of three yeeres of age seeing his mothers madnes hid himselfe poore infant behind the gate whome assoone as the tygre espied she drew out by the haire of the head into the floore and there cut off his head the youngest lay crying in the cradle but halfe a yeere old him shee without all compassion pluckt out and murdered in like sort These murders being finished the deuill incarnate for certen no womanly nature was left in her to take punishment of her selfe for the same cut her owne throat and albeit shee suruiued nine daies and confessing her fault died with teares and repenrance yet we see how it pleased God to arme her own hands against her selfe as the fittest executioners of his vengeance Theatr. hist The like tragicall accident we read to haue happened at Cutzenborff a city in Silesia in the yeere 1536 to a woman and her three children who hauing slaine them all in her husbands absence killed her selfe in like maner also to make vp the tragedie Concerning stepmothers it is a world to read how many horrible murders they haue vsually practised vpō their children in law to the end to bring the inheritance to their owne brood or at least to reuenge some iniury supposed to be done vnto them of which one or two examples I will subnect as a tast out of many hundred leauing the residue to the iudgement and reading of the learned Constantius the sonne of