and contempt of the Word of God For which cause the Lord sent amongst them such a contagious plague that the living were scarce able to bury the dead and when by this judgement they were not reclaimed the Lord brought upon them the fierce and cruel Nations of the Saxons and Angli out of Germany who though at first they came to help them yet after a while they turned against them and after much blood-shed drave them out of their Countrey into the mountaines of Wales where they remaine unto this day See this more fully in my English Martyrologie Gildes a godly and learned man was at another time raised up by God to exhort the Britanes to repentance and amendment of life but they laughed him to scorn and took him for a false Prophet for which cause the Lord plagued them delivering them into the hands of their enemies on every side In the Reigne of King Edward the third God raised up John Wickliffs to preach repentance to the English to exhort them to turn from their Idolatry and supersticion But his Ministery was contemned and his body and books were burned after his death For which a heavy judgement befell them They slew their lawfull King and set up three Usurpers on a row by which most of the Nobles of the Land were slaine and one halfe of the Commons so that Cities and Townes were decayed and much of the Land turned to a wildernesse Nicholas Hemingius relates a story of a lewd fellow in Denmark Anno Christi 1550. which usually made a mock at Religion and the professors of it and on a time coming into a Church where a godly Minister was preaching by his countenance and gestures shewed a great contempt against the Word but as he passed out of the Church a tile fell upon his head and slew him in the place Anno Christi 1547. one Christopher Turk a Councellour of estate in Germany mocked a godly Noble-man that was taken prisoner saying See what hecomes of these gallants that use to sing when any one wrongs us God is our succour and defence but assoon as the words were out of his mouth God struck him with a grievous disease and being carried to his bed he died in despaire Beards Theat A profane Priest in Misnia that used to mock at the Sacrament of Baptisme and when a woman-childe came to be baptized would wish them that brought it to throw it into the river as he was looking over the bridge of Elbe at the boats that passed by by Gods just judgement he fell over the bridge and was drowned Beard Two schismatical Donatists at Thipasa in Mauritania commanded the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be thrown to the dogs but immediatly the dogs growing mad fell upon them and rent them to pieces Optat. Melevit l. â— Theopompus a Philosopher being about to insert some of Moses writing into his profane works was immediately stricken with madnesse Joseph Theodectes a Poet that mingled his Tragedies with some of the holy Scriptures was stricken blinde Joseph A husbandman at â—tzsith in Germany being a great despiser of the Word of God on a time railing most bitterly against a godly Minister presently going into the fields to look to his sheep was found dead his body being burnt as black as a coal Luther in Col. Phil. Melancthon relates a story of a Tragedie that was to be acted of the death and passion of Christ But he that acted Christs part on the Crosse was wounded to death by one that should have thrust his sword into a bladder of blood and he with his fall killed one that acted a womans part lamenting under the Crosse His brother that was first slaine seeing this slew the murtherer for which himselfe by the order of justice was hanged February 3. Anno Christs 1652. a Play was acting at Witny in Oxfordshire at the White-Heart-Inne in a great long chamber supported by two strong and substantial beames the place having been formerly a maulting roome the matter of the play was scurrilous and blasphemous containing some bitter taunts against all godly persons under the name of Puritans and at religion it selfe under the name of observing fasting dayes But as they were acting of it it pleased God that the roome wherein the people was fell whereby five were slaine outright and above sixty were hurt and sorely bruised One woman had her leg broken which being cut off she died within three or four dayes besides there were about twelve broken armes and legs and others put out of joynt This is written at large by Mr. John Row a godly Minister and preacher in that place Apian scoffing at Religion and especially at circumcision had an ulcer rose at the same time in the same place Joseph A man in Queen Elizabeths Reigne for compiling a book wherein he had fastened some treasonable dishonours upon the Queen was condemned to die and before his death acknowledged that though he had not done any thing against the Queen which deserved death yet he deserved to die for that he had seduced many of her subjects from hearing the Word of life and though he saw the evil of it and reformed himselfe yet he could never prevaile to reclaime others whom he had seduced and therefore said he The blood of their soules is justly required at my hands He that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit 1 Thes. 4. 8. CHAP. XLVI Gods judgements upon Dicers and Card-players BY the Elibertine and Constantinopolitan Councils under Justinian Dice-players were punished with Excommunication And the same Emperour made a Law That no man should use Dice-play either in private or publick no nor approve the same by his presence under paine of punishment Cod. l. 3. Tit. 43. Lewis the eighth King of France made a Law that no Cardes or Dice should be made or sold by any thereby to take away all occasion of gaming And surely in these dayes of light under the Gospel all Merchants and Tradesmen should forbear the sale of them lest ministring fuel to the fire of other mens lusts they make themselves guilty of their sinnes In a town of Campania a Jew playing at Dice with a Christian lost a great summe of money to him upon which occasion he belched out most bitter curses against Jesus Christ and his mother the blessed Virgin whereupon the Lord struck him dead immediately in the place and his fellow-gamester the Christian was also stricken with madnesse whereof he died shortly after Blas l. 1. c. 31. Anno Christi 1533. neere to Belissiâ—a in Helvetia three men were playing at Dice on the Lords day and one of them called Ulrick Schraeterus having lost much money at last expecting a good cast brake out into this cursed speech If fortune deceive me now I will thrust my dagger into the very body of God as far as I can and the cast miscarrying he drew his dagger and threw it against heaven
away from him and so ended his life Act. Mon. Morgan Bishop of Saint Davids who condemned the blesse Martyr Master Farrar and unjustly usurped his Bishoprick not long after was stricken by God after a most strange sort his meat would not go down but pick up again sometimes at his mouth sometimes blown out of his nose most horrible to behold and so he continued till he died Master Leyson also who was Sheriffe at Master Farrars burning having fetched away his cattel and put them into his own grounds divers of them would never eat meat but lay bellowing and roaring and so died Act. Mon. Doctor Duning Chancellour of Norwich a bloody persecutor in Queen Maries dayes was suddenly taken sitting in his chaire and died Act. Mon. Berry Commissary of Norfolke another bloody persecutor as he was walking with one of his Concubines fell down suddenly with an heavy groan and never stirred after A persecuting suffragan of Dover having been with Cardinal Poole for his blessing coming out of the Cardinals Chamber fell down the staires and brake his neck Act. Mon. Bishop Thornton a cruel persecutor also as he was looking upon his men at bowles upon the Sabbath-day fell suddenly into a Palsey and being carried to his bed and willed to remember the Lord Yea so I do said he and my Lord Cardinal too and so he died Act. Mon. Doctor Jeffery Chancellour of Salisbury a wretched persecutor having appointed to call before him ninety honest persons to examine them by inquisition the day before being looking upon his buildings fell down suddenly dead Act Mon. See more of these in my two Martyrologies It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to them which are troubled rest 2 Thes. 1. 6 7. Dicetur reprobis Ite Venite probis CHAP. V. Examples of the wicked lives and woful deaths of many of the Popes and Popelings THat Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist are things now so evident and notorious that few question it but that so many thousands which live under the Romish jurisdiction should abide in so grosse ignorance as to continue courting that old and withered strumpet may justly seeme a marvell were it not that the common people are kept in such miserable ignorance being deprived of the soul-enlightning Word of God and enjoyned to pin their faith on the Priests sleeve And the more knowing sort of them are by Gods just judgement given over to strong delusions to believe a lie as the Apostle Paul long since foretold 2 Thes. 2. 11. which prophecie as it is in many other things fulfilled so especially in these prodigious blasphemies which are not onely published but believed and entertained with great applause among them Many instances might be given but take one onely in stead of all wherein they affirme that Christ imprinted his five wounds upon Francis of Assise the Freir as if he also were to suffer for the world and redeem mankinde whereupon Tursellin the Jesuite made these Verses Exue Franciscum tunicâ laceróque cucullo Qui Franciscus erat jam modo Christus erit Francisci exuviis siqualicet indue Christum Jam Franciscus erit qui modo Christus erat Strip Francis from his coat and cowle all nak't and you shall see He that even now St. Francis was to Christ will turned be Again put Francis coat and cowle on Christ and marke the lier He that even now Christ Jesus was will Francis be the Frier But that you may the better see what manner of persons the Popes themselves have been what their lives and what their deaths reade these Examples following Pope Joane whose proper name was Gilberta a Dutch woman cloathing her self in mans apparel and attaining to learning procured to be chosen Pope under the name of John the eighth who afterwards playing the whore fell in travel in the time of a solemne procession and died thereof since which time the Cardinals shun that place in all their processions Simps Pope Stephen the sixth so envied the name of his predecessor Formosus that he abrogated and dissolved all his decrees caused his body to be taken up cutting off two fingers of his right hand which he commanded to be cast into the River Tybur and then buried him in a private Sepulchre Simps Pope John the eleventh kept for his Paramour a famous strumpet called Marozia by whom afterwards he was smothered with a pillow that so her son might attaine to the Popedome Simps Pope John the thirteenth was a whoremaster an adulterer incestuous a gamester and extortioner Of some of his Cardinals he put out their eyes from some he cut out their tongues some their fingers some their noses and privy members He ordained Deacons in a Stable committed incest with two of his sisters at Dice he called to the devil for help and dranke an health to him for money made boyes Bishops lay with his fathers Concubine ravished maides and wives lay with his own mother made his Palace a Stews at length being found in the act of adultery was slaine by the womans husband Simps Pope Silvester the second was a great Conjurer and by the help of the devil obtained the Popedome He enquiring of the devil how long he should live was answered Till he should say Masse in Jerusalem In the Lent after as he was saying Masse in the Chappell of Saint Crosse he suddenly fell sick and remembering that that Chappel was called Jerusalem he perceived how he was cousened by the devil He commanded his Cardinals that after his death they should cut his body in peeces and so bury him having before bequeathed his soul to the devil It is commonly reported that by the ratling of his bones in his tombe is portended the death of the Pope Simps Pope Benedict the ninth attained to the Popedome by Magick and practised inchantments and conjuration in woods after an horrible manner and by magical Art used to allure women to his lust and being in fear of the Emperour whom he had much abused sold his Popedome for fifteen hundred pound weight of gold and going into a Forrest to practise his sorceries the more privately the devil strangled him to death Simps Pope Gregory the sixth scholar to Silvester and as great a Conjurer as his Master after many horrible mischiefs committed was banished Rome and ended his life most miserably in Germany Balleus Pope Hildebrand attaining to his Papacy by unlawful means set the whole Christian world into a combustion As he rose out of his seat to excommunicate the Emperour Henry the fourth his seat being newly made of great timber rent and shivered in peeces Afterwards he hired one to knock the Emperour on the head as he was at prayers Enquiring of the Hoast for an answer against the Emperour because it would not speak he threw it into the fire and burnt it and after many such outragious villainies he was deposed and banished after which
exceeding great cruelties against the Christians every where especially at Lyons and Vienna in Daulphine for the same God struck him with a grievous Apoplexy of which after he had lien speechlesse and in misery three dayes he died Euseb. Spart Commodus the Emperour under whom also was continued the fourth Persecution against the Christians was given over to such abominable wickednesse that he kept three hundred Concubines and as many Boyes for detestable uses and for his cruelty was poysoned by his friend Marcia whereupon falling into an extreame vomiting he was slaine by Narcissus Euseb. Severus the authour of the fifth Persecution after he began to persecute the Christians never prospered but fell into divers calamities and at last had such an extreame paine through his whole body that languishing therewith he would faine have poisoned himself But being prevented he died in much misery Also Vitellius Saturnius one of the instruments of his cruelty fell blinde Another called Claudius Herminianus Governour of Cappadocia who out of hatred against his wife that was a Christian had extreamly afflicted many of Gods Children was stricken by God with the Pestilence Had vermine bred in his bowels which devoured him a live after a most horrible manner which extorted from him a confession that those plagues justly befell him for his cruelty against the Christians Tert. ad Scap. Maximinus the Emperour who raised the sixth Persecution against the Christians especially against the Pastors of the Church was himselfe to gether with his sonne slaine by his own Souldiers Euseb. Decius who raised the seventh Persecution laboured by all means to destroy the Church of Christ using all the cruelty and torments that mans wit could vise For this God raised up the Scythians against him whereby his Army was overthrown and himself and son cruelly slaine or as others say he leaped his horse into a whirl-pit after which his body could never be found Oros. Euseb. Pomponius Immediately after the death of this Tyrant God sent a grievous Plague and Pestilence upon the bloody Gentiles in every Province which lasting ten years together made such havock as is horrible to hear and almost incredible to believe And it was observed that where the Emperours Edicts had been put in execution with most severity there it raged most so that many places became utterly desolate See more in my General Martyrologie p. 54. Euseb. Gallus the Emperour who continued the seventh Persecution was himself with his son slaine by one of own his Captaines Act Mon. Valerian in the beginning of his reigne was milde towards the Christians but afterwards proved a terrible persecutor of them through all his Dominions which was the eight Persecution But it was not long before he was overthrown in the Persian Warres taken prisoner being seventy yeares old and made so vile a slave that Sapores the King of Persia used his back as a block whereby to mount upon his horse and at last caused him to be flayed alive and powdered with salt Euseb. Likewise Claudius a President one of the ministers of his cruelty was possessed by the devil and so tormented that biting off his tongue in small bits he died miserably Aurelian the authour of the ninth Persecution being about to give out an Edict for renuing the persecution against the Christians had at the same time a thunderbolt which fell at his feet which so terrified him that for a time he forbore But afterwards returning to his bloody disposition God stirred up his own servants to cut his throat Niceph. Eutrop. Dioclesian the authour of the tenth Persecution went more subtilly to work For first he used all politick ways to make the Christians in his Army renounce their Faith Thén by Proclamation commanded their Churches to be beaten down their Bibles to be burnt and torne in pieces that all Christians which bore any office should be deposed that bondmen who would forsake their profession should be made free But when after all his subtilty and cruelty he saw that the number of Christians still encreased being satiated with blood he gave up the Empire After which he was tormented with divers and strange diseases had his house burnt down by lightning and was himself so frighted with thunder that he fell mad and klled himself Ruffinus Maximinian his fellow-Emperour vvas also exceeding cruel and outragious against the Christians For vvhen tvventy thousand of them vvere met together in a Temple at Nicomedia upon a solemne Festival day to serve God he caused it to be invironed by a band of souldiers set on fire and burned vvith all that vvere in it Another City in Phrygia of Christians after a long siege he caused to be burnt to cinders with all the inhabitants therein But God shortly after struck him with a grievous disease Vermine bred abundantly in his body with such an horrible stinke that being not able to endure it he hanged himself Euseb. Niceph. Maximinus that next succeeded in the Easterne Empire was a cruell and bloody Persecutor of the Saints For which God struck him with an unâ—outh disease In his privy members there grew a sudden putrefaction and in the bottome of the same a botchy corrupt Bile with a Fistula consuming and eating up his intrals out of which came swarming an innumerable company of lice with such a pestiferous stinke that no man could abide him And being a fat man all his fat so putrified and stanke so horribly that some of his Physicians not being able to endure it were commanded to be slaine others were cruelly put to death because they could not cure him But at last being told that this was Gods just vengeance upon him for destroying the Christians he seemed to repent and commanded the persecution to cease and thereupon it pleased God to free him from his disease But about six moneths after he sent forth a new Proclamation for the utter rooting out of the name of Christians whereupon his disease returned again and assaulted him in great extremity so that his body being all rotten full of corruption and wormes he died miserably Chrysostome saith that the apples of his eyes fell out before his death Galerius a chief instrument of persecution under Dioclesian fell into a grievous disease a fore rising in the nether part of his belly which consumed his privy members from whence issued abundance of wormes bred by the putrefaction This could neither be cured by Chirurgeons nor Phisicians whereupon he acknowledged that it befell him justly for his monstrous cruelty to the Christians howbeit he died miserably or as some write slew himself Lanquet Chron. Licinius the Emperour who had set forth three cruel edicts for persecuting of the Christians was shortly after overcome by Constantine and slaine by the souldiers Simps The Romane Emperours betwixt Christs and Constantines time being about three hundred and thirty yeares were all of them contemners of Christ enemies to his Word and many of them persecutors of his Saints amongst which
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.
he merrily said Persides oculorum dolores esse That the Persian women were a disease of the eyes and yet he looked on them but on so many statues And understanding that two of his Captaines under Parmenio had ravished two of the Persian wives he wrote to him to enquire after the matter and if he found it true that he should cut of their heads as of beasts borne for the hurt of mankinde he also wrote him word that he himself was so farre from contemplating the beauty of Darius's wife that he would not so much as suffer her to be commended in his presence and that he was so careful of their chastity that they lived in his camp shut up in their tent as if they had been in a Temple Plut. Appius Claudius one of the Decemviri of Rome seeking to ravish a Virgin that was daughter to Virginius her father to preserve her chastity slew her and complaining to the souldiers whereupon that forme of Government was abolished Eutropius Pub. Scipio Africanus warring in Spain took New Carthage by storme at which time a beautiful and Noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her chastity he being but twenty four years old and so in the heat of youth hearing of it would not suffer her to come into his sight for fear of a temptation but caused her to be restored in safety to her father Aure Victor Amongst the Lacedaemonians when any maid was to be married she was laid in the dark and the groom being neither drunk nor finelier apparrelled then ordinary after his moderate supper secretly went to the place where she lay and having untied her girdle and stayed a while with her stole away to the place where he used to lie amongst other young men and thus he continued and onely sometimes met with his wife in private till he had a childe by her after which they boldly met together in the day-time This was a means to preserve chastity and modesty amongst them Plut. Cassander sending some to murther Olympias the mother of Alexander M. she met them with an unappaled countenance and without once changing colour received the sword into her bosome and finding death to approach she sat down and covering her feet with her haire and her garments she took care that nothing unseemly should appear about her body after death Diod. Sic. Aurelian an Heathen Emperour was so careful to preserve the chastity of women that one of his souldiers being found guilty of lying with his hostesse he commanded that the heads of two young trees should be bowed down and the souldiers legs tied thereto which being suddenly let go tore him into two peeces Emme the mother to King Edward the Confessour being charged for incontinency with Aldwin Bishop of Winchester to clear her self from that imputation being hoodwinked went barefoot over nine-coulters red hot in Winchester Church withoutany harme an usual kinde of trial in those dayes then called Ordalium making her chastity by so great a miracle famous to posterity Cam. Brit. p. 211. In the time when the barbarous and bloody Danes raged here in England they coming to Coldingham a Nunnery on the hither part of Scotland Ebba the Prioresse with the rest of the Nunnes cut off their own noses and lips choosing rather to preserve their Virginity from the Danes then their beauty and favour and yet for all that the Danes burnt their Monastery and them with all in it Cam. Brit. Scot. p. 10. Our Henry the sixth was so chaste a Prince that when certain Ladies presented themselves before him in a Maske with their haire loose and their breasts uncovered he being then at mans estate and unmaried immediately rose up and departed the Presence saying Fie fie forsooth you are much too blame Sp. Chron. For this is the will of God even your sanctification that ye should abstain from Fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessel in sanctification and honour 1 Thes. 4. 3 4. CHAP. XII Examples of Charity AS Husbandmen cast some of their Corne back into a fruitful soile whereby in due time they receive it back again with increase So should we do with worldly blessings sowe them in the bowels and on the backs of poor members of Christ and in the day of harvest we shall finde great increase Such laying out is a laying up our treasure in heaven Hereby we make to our selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse and though for the present it seem like bread cast upon the waters yet Solomon assures us That after many dayes we shall finde it again Eccses 11. 1. For we make God our debtour who is a sure paymaster Prov. 19. 17. Charity justifieth our faith as faith doth our persons James 2. 14 c. But yet we must look to our affections and ends in giving We must not draw forth our sheaves onely but our souls also Esay 58. 10. But on the contrary miserly muck-wormes are like the muckhill that never doth good till it be carried out like the earthen box that hath one chink to receive but never a one to let out and so doth no good till it be broken Or like the fat hog that yields no profit till he comes to the knife But that we may be the more quickened to that lovely grace of Charity observe these texts and examples following Directed Mat. 6. 1 c. 2 Cor. 9. 5 c. Rom. 12. 8. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Commanded Luk. 11. 41. 12. 33. Mica 6. 8. Zach. 7. 9. 1 Tim. 6. 18. Luk. 3. 11. 1 John 3. 17. Luke 6. 36. Lev. 25. 35. Nehem. 8. 10. Rom. 12. 13. Heb. 13 16. Commended Luk. 21. 4. 2 Cor. 8. 2 c. Psal. 12. 9. Mat. 5. 7. Psal. 41. 1. Phil. 4. 16. 1 Tim. 5. 10. It must be with compassion Job 30. 25. Isa. 58. 10. Col. 3. 12. Heartily 2 Cor. 9. 7. Considerately Psal. 37. 26. 112. 5. Willingly 1 Tim. 6. 18. Chearfully Rom 12. 8 2 Cor. 9. 7. Liberally 2 Cor. 9. 6. Psal. 112. 9. Prov. 11. 25. 22. 9. Eccles. 11. 1 2 6. Luk. 6. 38. Seasonably Prov. 3. 27 28. Impartially Prov. 25. 21 22. Rom. 12. 20. Not grudgingly Deut. 15. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 9. Prov. 21. 26. Scriptural Examples Christians Act. 2. 45. 4. 34. Women Luk. 8. 23. the poor widow Mar. 12. 42. Dorcas Act. 9. 36. Paul Act. 24. 17. Cornelius Act. 10. 2. Job Chap. 31. 16 21. Barnabas Act. 4. 36 37. Zacheus Luk. 19. 8. Phebe Rom. 16. 2. Hebrews Chap. 6. 10. Philemon Verse 5 7. the virtuous woman Prov. 31. 20. Obadia 1 King 18. 13. Onesiphorus 2 Tim. 1. 18. Saint Augustine was of so charirable a disposition that wanting of his own wherewith to do it he caused the ornaments of the Church to be sold and imployed the money for the redeeming of Captives and maintaining the poore Possid in vit Aug. chap. 24. Francis Russel second Earle of Bedford of
one of a dangerous disease and seeing that the people almost deified him for the same that he might seem immortal and translated into the number of the gods leaped into the burning mountaine of AEtna Fulgos. Lib. 8. c. 15. Cyrus the first King of the Persians suffered himself to be worshipped with divine honours Alex. ab Alex. l. 2. Antiochus King of Syria would needs be called god and have divine worship given unto him Ibidem Caligula the Emperour commanded that he should be worshipped as a god caused a Temple to be erected for him built his house in the Capitol that so he might dwell with Iupiter but being angry that Iupiter was preferred before him he afterwards erected a Temple in his palace and would have had the statue of Iupiter Olympius in his forme translated thither but the ship that should have fetched it was broken in pieces with a thunder-bolt He used to sit in the midst of the Images of the gods and caused the most costly fowles and birds to be sacrificed to him he had also certaine instruments made whereby he imitated the thunder and lightening and when it thundred indeed he used to cast stones towards Heaven saying Either thou shalt kill me or I will kill thee He caused the heads of most of the Idols in Rome to be broken off and his own to be set in their roomes Sometimes he would sit with a golden beard and a thunder-bolt in his hand like Iupiter other sometimes with a Trident like Neptune He invited the moon like a woman to come and lie with him and boasted that he had got her virginity for which victory he caused himselfe to be crowned He also threatened to banish Iupiter out of the City for that by raine he had hindred his pastime Fulgos. L. 9. c. 5. Domitian the Emperour boasted that he had given the Empire both to his father and brother and that they did but restore his own to him again He commanded that in all writings he should be stiled a god and that all the Images that were made for him should be made of gold or silver at the least which must also be placed in the Capitol amongst the gods Ravisius Heliog ab alus the Emperour would needs be accounted a god sometimes he would be drawn in his chariot with Lions sometimes with Tygres and then he would be called Bacchus Being angry with the Senatours he drove them all out of the City and called them his gowned servants Fulg. L. 9. c. 5 Commodus the Emperour commanded divine worship to be given him calling himselfe the golden Hercules and caused his statues to be made in the habit of Hercules He cut off also the head of the Colossus causing his own head to be set upon it and a club to be put into his hand and a brazen Lion at his feet that so he might be like to Hercules Theat vi hum Dioclesian also caused himself to be called god Idem Sapor King of Persia writing to Constantine the great stiled himself Brother to the Sun and moon and partner with the starres Anitus was the first amongst the Athenians that by heaping up riches ambitiously bribed the people to choose him a Magistrate Alex. ab Alex. L. 3. c. 7. Abimeleck made way for his government by murthering the seventy sonnes of Gideon Iud. 9. Tryphon to make way for his coming to the Kingdome murthered his Master the young Antiochus as he was walking with him 1 Mac. 3. For this Herod murthered the babes of Bethlehem Archelaus King of Macedon had a concubine called Cratevas who out of an ambitious desire after the Kingdome slew Archelaus but within three or four dayes after her selfe was slaine AElian L. 8. Phraates sonne to Orodes King of Parthia to make way for his own coming to the Crown slew his father and all his brethren Theat vitae hum Tarquinius Superbus inflamed with an ambitious desire of rule suborned some souldiers to murther his father in law Servius Tullius a brave and valiant King of the Romans and afterwards assumed the government and Kingdome into his own hands Plinius Ambition caused Romulus to murther his own brother Remus This set Caesar and Pompey together by the ears Non vult Caesárve Priorem Pompeiúsve parem Lucan Tiberius Caesar fearing to be deprived of the Empire caused many to be put to death especially such as excelled in estate and vertues Dion But examples of this kinde are innumerable Alexander when he was returning out of India caused huge armour both for horses and men to be made and left there that so after-ages might think that in every thing he excelled all others Fulg. L. 8. Alexander M. having in his army not above fifty thousand and Darius having a million of men Alexanders Captaines advised him to set upon Darius by night that so his men might not be discouraged with the sight of the number of their adversaries to whom he proudly answered I scorne to steal a victory for I mean to conquer by valour not by subtilty for a victory gotten by stealth is dishonourable Q. Cur. Curius Dentatus the Romane Consul overthrew the Samnites in a great battel and pursuing them to the sea took many prisoners whereupon at his return to Rome he publickly boasted that he had taken so much land as would turne to a waste wildernesse if he had not taken so many men to plant it and that he had taken so many men as that they would perish of famine if he had not taken so much land to maintaine them Aur. Victor Pompey the Great when he heard that Iu. Caesar was coming with his army towards Rome boasted in the Senate that if he did but stamp with his foot he could fill Italy with Armies yet presently after when he heard that Caesar had passed the river Rubicon he fled from Italy into Epyrus Pez Mel. Hist. Agrippina Nero's mother consulting with the southsayers concerning her sonnes fortune they told her that he should reigne but that he should murther his mother whereupon she in the fury of her pride said aloud and Let him kill me so that prove true Nero's Life Nero's wife was excessively proud Her mules had bridles and furnitures of gold were shod with silver and sometimes with gold she kept five hundred female-asses alwayes about her Court in whose milk she often bathed her body for the care of her skin was such that she rather wished death then the decay thereof Suet. Pliny Solon the Athenian Law-giver said concerning one of his prime citizens called Pisistratus that if he could but pluck out of his head the worme of ambition and heale him of his greedy desire to rule there could not be a man of more vertue then he Plut. Themistocles out of an ambitious humour when he was chosen Admiral by the Athenians would dispatch no businesse till the day whereon he was to depart that men might take notice of his dispatching so many businesses and talking with so many
ones the daughter of my people is become cruel like Ostriches in the wildernesse Lam. 4. 3. CHAP. XXXII Examples of fond Parents and the miseries that they have brought upon themselves thereby FOrbidden Deut. 13. 8 9. Prov. 19. 18. 13. 24. 29. 17. Scriptural Examples Eli 1 Sam. 2. 22 29. David to Adonijah 1 Kings 1. 6. to Absalom 2 Sam. 18. 33. How severely God punished Eli for his indulgence to his wicked sonnes See it in 1 Sam. 2. 27 c. 3. 11 c. David also who cockered Absalom and Adonijah above all the rest of his children was most afflicted by them one breaking out into open rebellion wherein he died the other usurping the Crowne before his fathers death which cost him his life also 2 Sam. 15. 1 King 1. 5 c. A certaine woman in Flanders contrary to the will of her husband used to feed her two sonnes with money to maintaine their riot yea to furnish them she would rob her husband but presently after her husbands death God plagued her for this her foolish indulgence for from rioting these youngsters fell to robbing for the which one of them was executed by the sword and the other by the halter the mother looking on as a witnesse of their destructions Ludo. Vives A young man in our owne Nation as he was going to the gallows desired to speak with his mother in her eare but when she came instead of whispering he bit of her eare with his teeth exclaiming upon her as the cause of his death because she did not chastise him in his youth for his faults but by her fondnesse so imboldened him in his vices as brought him to this wofull end Seleucus marrying Stratonica the daughter of Demetrius shortly after Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus fell in love with his stepmother and not daring to discover it for feare of the displeasure of his father he pined a way from day to day at last one of his Physicians found out the cause of his disease and acquainted his father therewith who out of indulgence to his sonne calling his Nobles and people together said I have decreed to make Antiochus my sonne King of all my superior Provinces and to give him Stratonica for his wife and Queen and if she scruple the unlawfulnesse of the marriage I desire you that are my friends to perswade her that all things are honest and just that a King shall decree for the publick profit Plut. Andronicus one of the Greek Emperours doted with such extream impotency of partial affection upon his Nephew young Andronicus that in comparison of him he disregarded not only the rest of his Nephews but his own children also being unwilling to spare him out of sight either day or night but when this young man was stept further into yeares besides a world of miseries and molestations created to his Grand-father in the mean time at last he pressed without resistance upon his Palace with purpose to surprise his person though the old Emperout intreated him with much affectionate eloquence that he would reverence those hands which had oftentimes so willingly embraced him and those lips which had so oft lovingly kissed him and that he would spare to spill that blood from which himselfe had taken the fountaine of life yet for all this he caused the old Emperour to be polled shaven and made a Monk and not only so but also the very Anvile of much dunghill-scorne and vilest indignities untill the workmanship of death had finished the sorrowful businesse of a wretched lfie Turk Hist. Austine upon a terrible and dreadfull accident called his people together to a Sermon wherein he relates this dolefull story Our Noble Citizen saith he Cyrillus a man mighty amongst us both in work and word and much beloved had as you know one onely sonne and because but one he loved him immeasurably and above God and so being drunke with immoderate doting he neglected to correct him and gave him liberty to do whatsoever he list Now this very day saith he this same fellow thus long suffered in this dissolute and riotous courses hath in his drunken humour wickedly offered violence to his mother great with childe would have violated his sister hath killed his father and wounded two of his sisters to death Adfrat in Eremo Ser. 33. Chasten thy sonne betimes and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 19. 18. CHAP. XXXIII Examples of Brethrens love each to other THey ought to love one another Prov. 17. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 8. Rom. 12. 10. Heb. 13. 1. It 's an excellent thing Psal 133. 1. Scriptural examples Jobs children Job 1. 13. Lazarus Martha and Mary John 11. 19 c. Joseph Gen. 43. 29 c. 45. 14. Joab and Abishai 2 Sam. 3. 27 30. Judah Gen. 37. 26. In the beginning of the reigne of Darius King of Persia one of his Nobles called Intaphernes conspired against him which being discovered to Darius he caused him and all his kindred to be cast into prison But Intaphernes wife exceedingly weeping and houling Darius gave her leave to choose any one of the prisoners whose life she would have spared whereupon amongst them all she chose her brother and Darius asking her why she â—…se her brother rather then her husband or son she answered Because if God please I may have another husband and children but my Parents being dead I cannot have another brother This so pleased Darius that he granted her the life not only of her brother but of her son too Herod Darius King of Persia being dead left two sons Ariamenes or as some call him Artabazanes and Xerxes these both claimed the Kingdome but brotherly love so prevailed with them that they were contented to stand to the judgement of the Persian Nobles yet in the interim Xerxes being in Persia performed all the offices of a King and Ariaments coming out of Media Xerxes sent great presents to him commanding the messengers to tell him Thy brother Xerxes presents thee with these gifts and if by the consent and suffrage of the Nobles he be declared King he promises thee the chiefest place next unto himself To which Ariamenes returned this answer Truly I willingly accept of these gifts yet claim the Sovereignty to belong to me but will reserve the next place of dignity for my brother Xerxes The Persian Nobles referred the determination of this controversie to their Uncle Artabanus who having heard both sides determined for Xerxes because Ariamenes was borne to Darius whil'st he was a private person Xerxes after he was a King the mother of Ariamenes was the daughter of Gobrias a private woman the mother of Xerxes was Atossa a Queen Ariamenes hearing this judgement without any distemper of spirit rose up worshipped his brother and taking him by the hand placed him in the Kingly throne and ever after was very obsequious to him Plut. Herod And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and
corps was heard of and the blinde man also came to light who being sent for amongst many others knew the voice of this murtherer who at last confessed the fact and was executed for the same Pasquier Anno Christi 1551. at Paris a young woman as she was going to midnight-Masse was brained with an hammer and her rings and jewels taken from her the hammer was stolne from a Smith hard by which being known the Smith was suspected and so strictly examined by torture that he was lamed and died in misery but about twenty yeares after the murtherer arreigned and condemned for another offence confessed this murther to the clearing of the Smiths innocency and Gods righteous judgement upon him Pasquier Neare Lutterworth in Leicestershire a Miller murthered one in his Mill and buried the corps in the ground and not long after went into another countrey and there dwelt about twenty yeares at the end whereof he returned to his former habitation to visit some friends about which time it pleased God that a Miller who succeeded him digging in that place found the bones of a man whereupon it was suspected that he had been murthered and the inhabitants remembred that about twenty yeares before a neighbour was missed whom they supposed to have died in a strange countrey and so bethinking themselves who was Miller at that time behold God had brought him amongst them who being apprehended and examined confessed the fact and was justly executed for the same In Denmark a traveller was murthered by the way near the City of Itzehow but the murtherer could not be found out whereupon the Magistrates of the City caused one of the hands to be cut off and hanged up in the town-Gaol And about ten yeares after the murtherer accidentally comes into that roome whereupon the drie hand drops blood upon the table which the Gaoler taking notice of carries the man before the Magistrates who being examined confessed the fact and was justly executed Ranzorius in a letter to D. Chytraeus A murtherer at Tubing betrayed himselfe by his deep sighes which was not for griefe of his fact but for his small booty and being but asked the question he confessed the crime and was hanged for it Lonicer In Spaine a murther was committed in a tumult and when all denied the fact the Judge caused all their bosomes to be opened and he whose heart trembled most upon examination confessed the fact and was executed At Isenac a young man to get money slew his host and threw his body into a cellar but by Gods just judgement was so besotted that he could not stirre a foot till he was apprehended so that he was condemned to death Luther and Melancthon being in the town at that time spake with him and brought him to repentance before his death CHAP. XXXVII Examples about Marriage and Conjugal Love MAn and wife are as the two branches in the Prophet Ezekiels hand inclosed in one barke and so closing together that they make but one piece and therefore marriage is rather a fellowship of the dearest amity then disordered love and though before marriage we may endeavour to fit our choice to our minde yet after we must fit our minde to our choice yea though all other contentions betwixt man and wife are unlawful yet may they contend each who should love other most and the more to quicken us hereunto observe these Scriptures and examples following Women married Gen. 20. 12. 24. 67. 25. 1. Deut. 22. 22. Called a meet help Gen. 2. 18. given into mans bosome Gen. 16. 5. Mich. 7. 5. appointed of God for man Gen. 24. 14 44. the desire of his eyes Ezek. 24. 26. his companion Mal. 2. 14. the glory of man 1 Cor. 11. 8. the weaker vessel 1 Pet. 3. 7. They must honour their Husbands Est. 1. 20. Obey them Eph. 5. 22 24. Col. 3. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 1. Tit. 2. 5. Live chastly 1 Pet. 3. 2. Be of meek and quiet spirits ver 4. Do their Husbands good and not evil Prov. 31. 12. Be industrious vers 17 c. See the evil of contention Prov. 19. 13. A good wife is Gods gift Prov. 19. 14. 18. 22. A crowne to her husband Prov. 12. 4. A help Pro. 14. 1. Scriptural examples Sarah 1 Pet. 3. 6 Rebecca The good wife Prov. 31. Cont. Exod. 4. 25. Husbands must love their wives and how Eph. 5. 25 c. Col. 3. 19. Instruct them 1 Cor. 14. 35. Dwell with them according to knowledge 1 Pet. 3. 7. Commend them when they do well Prov. 31. 28. yield them due benevolence 1 Cor 7. 3. Scriptural examples Elkanah 1 Sam. 1. 8. Abraham Gen. 16. 6. Joseph Mat. 1. 19. Other examples Some Trojans that escaped in the sacking of Troy took such Ships as they found in the Haven and putting to sea were driven by the windes to a part of Tuscany near that place where Rome now stands and the men being gone on hunting the women having been very sea-sick the noblest of them called Roma perswaded the other women to set their Ships on fire that so they might go to sea no more the men at their returne finding their Ships burnt were exceeding angry with their wives whereupon to pacifie them they went and kissed them on their mouthes whence that custome was taken up which continues till this day of saluting by a kisse Plut. The Romanes at the first building of their City wanting wives made a great feast and when as the Sabine virgins came to see their pastimes they seized upon them every man catching one for his wife this was the cause of great and long Warres between the Sabines and the Romanes but at last when the two armies were ready to joyn battel these women ran betwixt them some of one side others of the other with lamentations and cries stepping between their weapons and seeking out their fathers and husbands with their babes in their armes and their haire dishevelled they called sometimes upon the Romanes other sometimes upon the Sabines with the movingest expressions they could devise which so melted the enraged hearts of both Armies that they gave back a little Then Hersilia that was married to Romulus and some other of the chiefest women said to the Sabines What offence have we done to you that we should deserve such an heap of evils we were indeed violently and against Law ravished by those who are now our husbands but you left us so long with them that now we are tied to them by the strongest bonds of nature that can be You came not to our rescue when we were Virgins untouched but now you come to take the wives from their husbands and the mothers from their little ones so that the help which you now think to give us doth but grieve us more then your former neglect of us These and such like speeches brought the two Armies to a parley during which the women brought their husbands to their parents and brethren
Ptolemy but shortly after his souldiers muâ—ining bound him and delivered him up to Ptolemy who instead of punishing him gave him great gifts for his fidelity and made him one of his chief friends Diod Sic. Fabius Maximus having contracted with Hanibal for the redemption of the Romane Captives sent to Rome for the money but the Senate refused to give it whereupon Fabius sold all his own land that so he might performe his Covenant with his enemies Aurel. Victor Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful in the Land c. Psal. 101. 6. CHAP. XL. Examples of Deceit Craft Guile Hypocrisie DEceit in words usual with the wicked Job 15. 33. Psal. 10. 7. 36. 3. 50. 19. 55. 11. 119. 118. Prov. 12. 5 17 20. 14. 8. 20. 14. 26. 24 26. Jer. 5. 27. 8. 5. 9. 6 8. 14. 14. 23. 26. Hos. 11. 12. Mat. 7. 22. Rom. 1. 29. 3. 13. Psal. 35. 20. Dan. 11. 23. Prov. 11. 18. 14. 25. Ps. 38. 12. Jer. 9. 5. 29. 8. Not so with the godly Job 27. 1. 31. 5. Ps. 101. 7. 72. 14. Isa. 53. 9. 1 Thes. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 4. 2. Deceit in deeds Hos. 12 7. Amos 8. 5. Zeph. 1. 9. Prov. 27. 6. Lev. 6. 2. Lam. 1. 19. God abhorres it Psal. 5. 6. 52. 4. 55. 23. Jer. 43. 10. Mich. 6. 11. Mal. 1. 14. Complained of Ps. 78. 57. 109. 2. Job 6. 15. Ps. 52. 2. Jer. 17. 9. Hos. 7. 16. Mich. 6. 12. Eph. 4. 14. 2 John 7. 2 Tim. 3. 13. Prayed against Psal. 43. 1. 120. 2. Scriptural Examples Satan Gen. 3. 1 2. Rev. 12. 9. 13. 14. 20. 10. Rebekah Gen. 27. 6. Jacob ver 12. Laban Gen. 29. 23. Rachel Gen. 31. 34 35. Jacobs sons Gen. 34. 11. Potiphars wife Gen. 39. 14. Pharaoh Exod. 1. 10. Balak Numb 22. 4 5 6. Moabitish maides Num. 25. 1 2. 31. 16. Thamar Gen. 38. 13 14. Gibeonites Jos. 9. 4 12 23. Saul 1 Sam. 18. 17 21 25. Joab 2 Sam. 3. 27. David 2 Sam. 11. 6 8 13 c. Ionadab 2 Sam. 13. 5. Absalom 2 Sam. 26. 28. 15. 2 3. Zibah 2 Sam. 16. 1 2. the Harlot 1 King 3. 19 20. Jeroboam 1 King 12. 26 c. Iehu 2 King 10. 19. Iesabel 1 King 21. 7 c. Sanballat and others Neh. 4. 8. Davids enemies Psal. 35. 20. 36. 4. 38. 13. 57. 5. Darius's Princes Dan. 6. 5 c. Doeg Psal. 52. 3 4. Herod Mat. 2. 8. Herodians Mat. 22. 17. Mar. 12. 14. Priests Scribes Mat. 26. 4. Spies sent by them Luk. 20. 20. Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. 1 5. Elimas Acts 13. 10. False Christs and false prophets Mat. 24. 25. Rom. 16. 18. 2 Tim. 3. 13. Iewes Ier. 9. 5. Diviners Ier. 29. 8. False teachers Ier. 14. 14. 23. 26. Tit. 1. 10. 2 Iohn 7. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Rev. 2. 20. Col. 2. 4 8. Eph. 5. 6. 4. 14. Mat. 7. 15. 2 Thes. 2. 9. Acts 15. 5. Rev. 13. 13 14. 19. 20. Hypocrisie Threatened Iob. 8. 13. 13. 16. 17. 8. 20. 5. 36. 13. The evil of it Prov. 11. 9. Forbidden Mat. 6. 2 c. Reproved 1 Kings 18. 21. Mat. 7. 5. and 15. 7. and 23. 13 c. They are double-minded 2 King 10. 31. Iam. 1. 8. Hide iniquity in their bosome bosome Iob. 31. 33. Deceitful Ps. 43. 1. Have hearts not right Psal. 78. 8 37. Mention God but not in truth Isa. 48. 1. Turne not with the whole heart Ier. 3. 10. Cry but not with the heart Hos. 7. 14. Like a deceitful bowe Hos. 7. 16. A heart divided Hos. 10. 2. Barren trees Mat. 21. 19. Whited Sepulchres and Walls Mat 23. 27. Act. 23. 3. A Iew only outwardly Rom. 2. 28. False brethren 2 Cor. 11. 26. Gal. 2. 4. Enemies to Christs crosse Phil. 3. 18. Have onely a forme of godlinesse 2 Tim. 3. 5. Seeme religious Iam. 1. 26. Scriptural Examples Absalom 2 Sam. 15. 2 c. Herod Mat. 2. 8. 14. 9. Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 23. 13. Mark 7. 6. Luk. 12. 56. Judas Mat. 26. 49. Joh. 12. 4 5 6. 18. 28. Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. 2. Simon Magus Act. 8. 13 21 24. Other Examples The Gaules having besieged the Romane Capitol seven moneths both sides grew weary and upon treaty the Romanes were to give the Gaules a thousand pound weight of gold and so they were to depart which agreement was sworne to on both sides but when they came to weigh the gold the Gaules would hold the scales and used much falshood therein Brennus also their King took off his sword and girdle and put it into the scales and being asked by Sulpitius what he meant by it he answered What can it meane but misery to the vanquished Iust at this time came Camillus to Rome with an Army that he had gathered amongst the confederates and being informed of all that happened he marched in good order to the place where the gold was weighing which he took out of the scales and divided it amongst his souldiers and then falling upon the Gaules he forced them to depart without their money Plut. A little before the Massacre of Paris the Admiral Coligni going to Paris was honourably entertained by the King who called him Father promised to be ruled by his counsel often protested that he loved him c. Yet shortly after he caused him to be basely murthered and insulted over him unworthily after his death See the Life of Gasper Coligni in my English Martyr CHAP. XLI Examples of Friendship A True friend is as a mans own soul Deut. 13. 6. Loves at all times Prov. 17. 17. Sticks closer then a brother Prov. 18. 24. gives hearty counsel Prov. 27. 9. Exhorted to Prov. 27. 10. Their wounds are faithful Prov. 27. 6. The rich have many friends Prov. 14. 20. and 1â— 4 6. Scriptural Examples Hushai 2 Sam. 15. 32 37. Jonathan 1 Sam. 18. 1. and 20. 17. Others 1 Sam. 3. 26. Hiram 1 King 5. 1. Peter Mat. 26. 33. Jobs friends ch 2. 11. Ittai 2 Sam. 15. 21. Ruth ch 1. 16 17. Pauls friends Acts 19. 31. Iohns friends 3 John 14. Feigned friends Dan. 11. 26. Psal. 55. 13 14. 41. 9. 88. 19. Joab 2 Sam. 3. 27 20. 9 10. Hushai 2 Sam. 16. 17 18. Such Jer. 9. 4. Mich. 7. 8. Judas Ioh. 13. 18. Mat. 26. 49. Pilate and Herod Luke 23. 12. Churches friends Lam. 1. 2. Poor mans friends Prov. 19. 7. Such as love for advantage Prov. 14. 20. 19. 4 6. Carnal friends Hiram to Judah Gen. 38. 12 20. Sampsons friends Jud. 14. 20 Amons 2 Sam. 13. 3. Hamans Ester 5. 10. Zedekiahs Ier. 38. 22. Ahuzzah Gen. 26. 26. Such are not to be trusted Mich. 7. 5. Other Examples Cambyses King of Persia making Warre against the Egyptians overthrew them in a great battel and took the regal City Memphis
against our Religion Doctor Bennet Chancellor of London objected it as an hainous crime against one Richard Butler that divers times he did erroneously and damnably read in a great book of Heresie meaning the Bible certaine Chaptâ—rs of the Evangelists in English containing in them divers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie Act. Mon. The Jesuites at Dole in France set up an Edict publickly wherein they forbad all talke of God either in good sort or in bad Francis Ximenius Cardinal of Toledo in his preface before the Bible set forth at Complutum saith that he set the vulgar Latine between the Hebrew and the Greeke as Christ was set betwixt two theeves Jeroboam made Priests of the vilest of the people and indeed the vilest of the people if they were but men were too good to make Priests for Jeroboams gods which were but Calves Tecelius the Popes Agent in Germany perswaded the ignorant and common people that assoone as their tenne shillings which was the price of an indulgence ting'd in the Basin any friend they would name should be immediately delivered out of Purgatory etiamsi per impossibile matrem Dei vitiâsset Coâ— O-Neale Earle of Ulster in Ireland curâ—ed all his posterity in case they either learned to speake English or sowed wheat or built houses often saying that by these meanes they would make themselves slaves to the English Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 120. The wilde Irish account it no shame to commit robberies which they practise every where with exceeding cruelty and when they go to robbe they power out their prayers to God that they may meet with a booty and when they meet with it they account it as Gods gift neither will they be perswaded that God would present unto them the opportunity of rapine violence and murder if it were a sinne nay a sinne it were as they think if they should not lay hold upon the opportunity Camb. Brit. Irel p. 144. When one of these wilde Irish lieth ready to die certaine women hired on purpose to lament standing in crosse waâ—es and holding their hands all abroade call unto him with certaine out-cries reckoning up the commodities that he enjoyes of worldly goods wives beauty fame kinsfolk friends and horses demanding of him why he will depart whither and to whom c Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 147. Stephen Gardiner speaking to one Marbeck What the Devil said he made thee meddle with the Scriptures Act. Mon. In China the Inhabitants use to whip their gods if they help them not when they pray unto them An old man above sixty yeares of age who lived and died in a parish where besides the Word read there was constant preaching almost all his time both upon ordinary and extraordinary occasions and himself a constant hearer and one that seemed forward in the love of the Word on his death-bed a Minister demanding of him what he thought of God answered that he was a good old man And what of Christ that he was a towardly young youth And what of his soul that it was a great bone in his body And what should become of his soul after death that if he did well he should be put into a pleasant green Meddow c. Pemb. William Courtney Arch-bishop of Canterbury cited certaine of his tenants for an hainous and horrible trespasse as he stiled it which was for that they brought straw to litter his horses not on carts as they ought but in bags for which hainous offence after they had confessed their fault and submitted themselves to him he enjoyned them this penance That going leasurely before the Procession barefoot and barelegged each of them should carry upon his shoulder a bag stuffed with straw the straw hanging out whereupon were made these verses This bag full of straw I bear on my back Because my Lords horse his litter did lack If you be not the better to my Lords Graces horse Ye are like to go barefoot before the Crosse. When the inhabitants of Ilium anciently called Troy sent Ambassadours to Tiberius to condole the death of his father Augustus a long time after he was dead the Emperour considering the unseasonableness of it requited them accordingly saying And I also am sorry for your heaviness having lost so valiant a Knight as Hector who was slaine above a thousand yeares before Herodotus tells of the Psilli a foolish people who being displeased with the South-winde for dâ—ying up their waters would needs take up armes against it but whilest they marched upon the sands to seek their enemy it blew so strongly that raising a drift of sand it overwhelmed them whereby in stead of a victory they met with their graves as a just reward of their folly Cardinal Woolsey falling into disgrace with King Henry the eighth said Had I been as wise and careful to serve the God of heaven as I have been to serve my great Master on earth he would never thus have left me in my gray haires Themistocles being banished Athens fled to Artaxerxes King of Persia for refuge who was wonderfully overjoyed that he had by this means gotten so gallant a man praying to his gods that his enemies might be alwayes so infatuated as to banish their worthiest men Herod Caius Caligula the Romane Emperour had one of his horses which he loved best and called him Swift he invited him to supper and gave him his provender in a golden manger and drank wine to him in golden bowles He used to sweare by his health and fortune He promised him to make him Consul as before he had made him his Priest He built him a Marble stable an Ivory manger cloathed him with purple put a chaine of pearles about his neck besides he built him an house furnished it with housholdstuffe and servants that so they whom his horse invited might have the better entertainment Pez Mel. Hist. He pretended an expedition into Britaine made great warlick preparations led his Army to the sea-side and then commanded them to gather cockleshells with which he returned in triumph to Rome as if they had been the spoiles of his conquered enemies Sueto The Turks foolishly hold that man so soone as he comes out of his mothers womb hath his destiny written in his forehead by God and therein all the good evil that shall befall him and in particular what death he shall die and hereupon they are desperate in the Wars fear not infection of the plague so that if one dies of the Plague another presently weares his cloaths Turk Hist. p. 1302. Sir Roger Williams hearing a Spaniard foolishly bragging of his Country-sallats gave him this quick answer You have indeed good sauce in Spaine but we in England have dainty Beeves Veale and Muttons to eat with that sauce And as God made Beasts to live on the grasse of the earth so he made man to live upon them Examples of wise fooles A poot begger in Paris stayed so long in a Cooks
To Cassander Caria To Menander Lydia To Leonatus Phrygia the lesse To Lysimachus Thracia with the neighbouring Countreys To Antipater Macedonia and the neighbouring Nations But these men not contented with their shares fell presently to warres amongst themselves Perdiccas warring upon Egypt was slaine by his own souldiers Antipater died Eumenes was betrayed by his own souldiers and slaine by Antigonus Python was treacherously slaine by Antigonus Olympias the mother of Alexander was slaine by Cassander Cleopatra sister to Alexander was slaine by the treachery of Antigonus Antigonus himselfe was slaine in battel by Cassander and Lysimachus Rhoxane the beloved wife of Alexander together with her sonne Alexander Barsine another of his wives which was the daughter of Darius were all slaine by Cassander Presently after the whole family of Cassander was rooted out Ptolomaeus died in Egypt Lysimachus was slaine by Seleucus And Seleucus himselfe presently after by Ptolomaeus So that all the family of Alexander within a few years after his death was wholly extirpated And all his friends and great Captaines by their mutuall contentions came most of them to untimely ends Diod. Siâ— Justin. Pempey the Great who had been three times Consul of Rome and had three times triumphed after his famous victories and was exalted to that height of honour that the world could afford no greater yet being overcome by Caesar in the Pharsalian plaines he was forced to fly into Egypt in a little fisher-boat where he had deserved well of the King Ptolomy and therefore expected all kinde entertainment but the King on the contrary hearing of his coming sent out some to meet him at the Sea-side who treacherously cut off his head and so he whom the world a little before could not containe now wanted a grave for his burial so that Caesar pursuing him when three dayes after he found him lying on the sand could not forbear weeping Plut. The same Caesar also after all his great victories being adored like a god and loaded with all the honours that possibly could be invented was slaine in the Senate-house with twenty three wounds Plut. Nero who a little before wallowed in all manner of excesse of riot being condemned by the Senate was suddenly forsaken by all his friends and was faine to flie barefooted and muffled upon a sorry jade with only foure persons the small remaines of many thousands these were Phaon his freed-man Epaphroditus Master of requests Sporus his male-concubine and Neophitus When he came to a place of safety as he thought he was faine like a beast to creep on all foure through under woods and briars to hide himselfe in such extream want of all things that for quenching his thirst he was driven to lade water with his hand out of a dirty plash saying This is Nero's Beverege But those men who were sent after him for his execution were outstripped by swifter means which warned him of the nearnesse and inevitablenesse of his approaching danger for the Senate had proclaimed him the publick enemy and to die More majorum or after the ancient manner which was this to have his body stript starke naked his hands fast boâ—nd behinde him his head stockt under a fork and so in open view to be whipt to death with rods Nero hereupon after many timerous delayes and abject lamentations puts a poinard to his throat which Epaphroditus did help to drive home lest he should fall alive into his enemies hands Suet Plinie Thus was Nero's voice and fiddling marred and his last words were O what an artist I die Dio. Sultan Saladine Emperour of the Turks lying upon his death-bed Anno Christi 1193. commanded that no solemnity should be used at his burial but only his shirt in manner of an ensigne fastened upon the point of a speare to be carried before his dead body a simple Priest going before and crying aloud to the people in this sort Saladine Conquerour of the East of all the greatnesse and riches that he had in this life carried nothing away with him but his shirt Hoveden And poore Eumenes of a Potters son By fickle Fortunes help a Kingdome wonne But she for him such diet did provide That he of hunger shortly after died Mahomet the Great the first Emperour of the Turks after the winning of Constantinople fell in love with a most Beautiful Greekish Lady called Irene upon whose rare perfections he so much doated that he gave himself wholly over to her love But when he heard that his Captaines and Officers murmured at it he appointed them all to attend him in his great Hall and commanding Irene to dresse and adorne her self in all her gorgeous appareâ— he brought her in his hand into the midst of them who seeing her incomparable perfections acknowledged their errour saying That their Emperour had just cause to passe his time in solâ—cing himself with such a peerelesse Paragon But he on a sudden caught her by the haire with one of his hands and with the other drawing his Fauchion at one blow struck off her head thereby shewing them that he was not such a slave to his affections but that he preferred his honour before them Turk Hist. Gillimer King of the Vandals in Affrica having lived in all manner of affluence and prosperity for many years together was at the last in agreat battel overcome by that famous Captaine Billisarius and having lost the greatest part of his Army with a few of his servants was forced to flie into a high and inaccessible mountaine for refuge where being besieged by one of Billisarius his Captaines he was brought to such straits that he sent to a special friend requesting him to send him a Spunge an Harp and a Loafe of bread A Spunge to dry up his teares an Harp to solace him in his sorrows and a Loafe of bread to satisfie his hunger Pez Mel. Hist. The Caliph of Babylon being taken together with his City by Haalon the Tartarian was by him shut up in the midst of his infinite treasure which he and his predecessors had with much care and paines scraped togeher who bade him take and eate what he pleased of gold and silver or precious stones for said he it 's fit that so gaineful a guest should be fed with the best and therefore make no spare of any thing The miserable caitiffe being so kept for certaine dayes died of hunger in the middest of those things whereof he thought that he should never have had enough and whereby he thought to have secured himself against any dearth or danger Turk Hist. The Heathenish Romanes had for a difference in their Nobility a little ornament in the forme of a Moone to shew that all worldly honours were mutable and they wore it upon their shooes to shew that they trod it under their feete as base and bootlesse No sooner had the soul of that victorious Prince William the Conquerour left his body but that his dead Corps was abandoned by all his Nobles and
prevailing he condemned him yet when he was at the stake he sent his wife and seven children to him hoping by that meanes to work upon him but through Gods grace Religion overcame nature and when his wife intreated him with tears to favour himself he answered Be not a block in my way for I am in a good course and running towards the mark of my salvation and so he patiently suffered Martyrdome In Q Maries daies one Steven Knight Martyr when he came to the stake kneeled down and prayed thus O Lord Jesus Christ for the love of whom I willingly leave this life and rather desire the bitter death of thy Crosse with the losse of all earthly goods then to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandments Thou seest O Lord that whereas I might live in worldly wealth if I would worship a false god I rather choose the torments of my body and losse of my life counting all things but dung and drosse that I might win thee for whose sake death is dearer unto me then thousands of gold and silver c. See my Eng. Martyrologie p. 132. Thomas Watts Martyr when he was at the stake called his wife and six children to him saying Dear wife and my good children I must now leave you and therefore henceforth know I you no more as the Lord gave you unto me so I give you back again to the Lord c. and so kissing them he bade them farewell and went joyfully to the stake Idem p. 143. Nicholas Sheterden Martyr when he was ready to be burned said Lord thou knowest that if I would but seem to please men in things contrary to thy Word I might enjoy the commodities of life as others do as wife children goods and friends But seeing the world will not suffer me to enjoy them except I sin against thy holy Lawes lo I willingly leave all the pleasures of this life for the hopes sake of eternal life c. Idem p. 146. Richard Woodman Martyr when he was brought to his answer the Bishop told him that if he would be reformed he might enjoy his wife and children c. To whom he answered I love my wife and children in the Lord and if I had ten thousand pounds in gold I had rather forgo it all then them but yet I have them as if I had them not and will not for their sakes for sake Christ. Idem p. 185. A poor woman in Cornwall being admonished by the Bishop to remember her husband and children She answered I have them and I have them not whilest I was at liberty I enjoyed them but now seeing I must either forsake Christ or them I am resolved to stick to Christ alone my heavenly Spouse and to renounce the other Idem p. 211. See more in my two parts of Lives I count all things but losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the losse of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ and be found in him c. Phil. 3. 8 9. Examples concerning Christ our Mediatour Themistocles being banished Athens was forced to fly to his deadly enemy Admetus King of the Molossians and when he came thither he took the Kings son being a child in his armes and so prostrated himself before the K. and found favour for it was a sacred Law amongst the Molossians that whosoever thus came before the King should have pardon whatsoever his offence was so whosoever goes to God the Father with Christ in his armes shall be sure to speed in his request Claudius Tib. Caesar hearing of the miracles and resurrection of Jesus Christ moved the Senate at Rome that he might be numbred amongst the gods but the Senate refused because he was by some esteemed for a God before the Senate had decreed him one Tert. One in Tamerlanes Army having found a great pot of Gold digged it up and brought it to Tamerlane who asked whether the Gold had his Fathers stamp upon it but when he saw it had the Roman stamp he would not own it So God will own none but such as have the stamp of Christ and his Image upon them CHAP. LXIII Examples of Compassion Sympathy COmmanded 1 Pet. 3. 8. Zach. 7. 8. Such as want it love not God 1 Joh. 3. 17. And are wicked 2 Chron. 36. 17. Scriptural Examples Our Saviour Christ Matt. 9. 36. 14. 14. 15. 32. Mark 1. 41. 6. 34. A Lord Matth. 18. 27. Pharaohs daughter Exod. 2. 6. The Father of the Prodigal Luke 15. 20. Darius his wife being a Captive with Alexander miscarried by reason of a fall and so died which when Alexander heard of he brake forth into weeping and suffered one of her Eunuches to carry Darius word of her death Darius hearing that Alexander wept at the newes of her death conceited that he had been too familiar with her but when the Eunuch by grievous asseverations protested that he had never seen her but once and then never offered the least indignity to her Darius lifting up his hands to heaven prayed the gods that if the Persian Empire were at an end that none might sit in Cyrus his Throne but so just and merciful a Conquerour Q. Cur. When Alexander M. found Darius murthered by his own servants though he was his enemy yet he could not refrain from weeping and putting off his own Coate he covered the body of Darius with it and so clothing of him with Kingly Ornaments he sent him to his mother Sisigambis to be interred amongst his Ancestors in a royall manner Q. Cur. Nero the Emperour in the first five years of his reign was of a very compassionate disposition insomuch as being requested to set his hand to a Writ for the execution of a Malefactor he said Quà m vellem me nescire literas Would I had never learned to write Sâ—ne Camillus with the Roman Army after ten years siege took the City of Veia in Italy by storme and when Camillus from the top of the Castle saw the infinite riches which the Souldiers took by plundering the City he wept for very pitty to see the miseries which were brought upon the inhabitants Plut. The Thebans having given the Lacedemonians a very great overthrow in the Battel of Leuctra they presently sent an Ambassador to Athens to acquaint them with it and to desire them to enter into confederacy with them against the Lacedemonians their old enemies telling them that now was the time when they might be fully revenged of them for all the wrongs which they had received from them but the Athenian Senate was so far from rejoycing at the misery of the Lacedemonians that they did not so much as give lodging the Ambassadour or treat at all with him about a League Plut. Vespasian the Emperour was of such a merciful disposition that he never rejoyced at the death of any though his enemies yea he used to sigh and weep when he
justly condemned any for their faults Suet. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love Rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and weep with them that weep Rom. 12. 10 15. CHAP. LXIIII. Examples of the workings of Conscience A Good Conscience Act. 23. 1. 24. 16. Rom. 9. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Tim. 3. 9. 1. 5 19. 2 Tim. 1. 3. Heb. 10. 2. 22. 1 Pet. 2. 19. Heb. 13. 18. 1 Pet. 3. 16. 21. Bad conscience Joh. 8. 8. 1 Tim. 4. 2. Tit. 1. 15. Prov. 28. 1. Weak conscience 1 Cor. 8. 7. 10 29. Conscience Rom. 2. 15. 13. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 25. 2 Cor. 4. 2. 5. 11. Heb. 9. 9 14 10. 2. Defin. It 's a part of our understanding determining of all our particular actions either with or against them excusing or accusing When the conscience accuseth the tongue confesses the eyes weep the hands wring the heart akes and the voyce cryes no part can be at ease as Juvenal Cur hos evasisse putes quos diri conscientia facti Mens habet attonitos surdo verbere caedit c. How deem'st thou them acquit whom guilty mind of fact so foul doth fright And scourge unseen doth beat with unheard blow Their hangman restlesse conscience biting so Scriptural examples of guilty consciences Adam when he ran from God Gen. 3. 8. Cain for murthering Abel Gen. 4. 15. Josephs brethren Gen. 42. 21. c. Belshazzar Dan. 5 6. Herod for beheading John Luke 9. 7. Judas for betraying Christ Matth. 27. 3. c. the unworthy Guest Matth 22. 12. the Pharises Joh. 8. 9. A wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18. 14. Examples of a good conscience Abimelech Gen. 20. 4 5. Hezekiah Isa. 38. 3. David Psal. 3. 5 6. 23. 4. Paul Act. 23. 1. 24. 16. Heb. 13. 18. Nero after the murther of his mother Agrippina was so continually haunted with the furies of his conscience that he alwayes thought her ghost haunted him which no incantation nor sacrifices could appease till his own descended so that when he was to leave this life for a worse he cryed out that his mother wife and father willed him to die Nero's life Livius Drusus being to build him a house in the Palace at Rome the chief workman told him that he would so contrive it that none should overlook him nor see what was done in his house to whom Drusus answered Quin tu potiùs si quid in te artis est it à compone domuâ— meaâ— ut quicquid â—gam ab omnibus inspici possit Rather saith he if thou hast any art shew it in so contriving my house that whatsoever I do may be beheld by all Lipsius Nicephorus Phocas the Greek Emperour having a guilty and hellish conscience and fearing heavens Justice for his sins caused his Palace at Constantinople to be made impregnable and then began to cast off his fears But when he thought all safe â— voyce was heard none know from whom or whence taxing his foolish confidence and telling him that though he raised his walls as high as heaven yet as long as wickednesse dwelt within there was no safety to be expected In the reign of Q. Mary there was one Ralph Allerton who coming into the Church of Bently in Essex finding the people idle or ill imployed read a Chapter to them and prayed with them for which being brought before Bonner he by his subtile perswasions and flatteries so prevailed with him that he drew him to a recantation after which this Allerton was brought into such bondage and terrours of conscience and was so cast down that if the Lord had not looked mercifully upon him he had been utterly undone but through Gods goodnesse upon his unseigned repentance he at last recovered comfort and gave his life for the cause of Christ. See my Eng. Manyrologie p. 193. About the same time there was one Mr. Whittle an Essex Minister who being also called before Bonner by the subtile practices of the B. and the advice of some carnal friends set his hand to a recantation but presently after he fell into grievous terrours of conscience whereof himself thus writes After saith he I had done this thing I had little joy of any thing my conscience telling me that I had done very ill by so slight a means to shake off the sweet Crosse of Christ. Yea his terrours of conscience were so great that he could not sleep whereupon he procured the writing and to are out his name After which he thus writes Being condemned to die my conscience and mind I praise God is quiet in Christ and I by his grace am very willing and content to give over this body to death for the testimony of Christs truth and pure religion against Antichrist c. Idem p. 160 161. Before this in the reign of King Henry the 8 th Mr. Thomas Bilney for fear of Death was drawn to an Abjuration after which he fell into such terrours of conscience that he was near the point of utter despaire so that his friends were fain to watch with him night and day endeavouring to comfort him but all in vain In this woful condition he continued for the space of a whole year and was in such anguish that neither eating drinking sleeping nor any thing else did him good yea he thought that all the Word of God was against him and sounded his condemnation But at last resolving through Gods Grace to lay down his life for the truth he began to feel some comfort c. See his Life in my first Part. When Gensericus K. of the Arian Vandals in Africa raised a Persecution against the Orthodox he had such a hellish and guilty conscience that if any Minister in his Sermon did but mention Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Herod c. he presently applyed it to himself and thereupon banished him See my Gen. Martyro p. 92. Sr. Con Mac Genis one of the late Irish Rebels after he had murthered one Mr. Trug a Minister was so haunted with the furies of his own conscience that he thought his ghost followed him day and night so that he commanded his Souldiers to slay no more of the Protestants Idim p. 363. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear Prov. 18. 14. CHAP. LXV Examples of Love to ones Countrey and Countrey-men SCriptural Examples David 2 Sam. 24. 17. Mordecai Esth. 4. 1. Esther c. 4. 16. Nehemiah c. 1. 4. c. The Jewes Psal. 137. 1 5 6. Paul Rom. 9. 2 3. Camillus the Roman General having after ten years siege taken the rich City of Veia one came to him and told him that he was a happy man whereupon lifting up his hands towards heaven he said O mighty Jupiter and ye O gods which see and judge mens works good and bad you know right well that we have not begun this war but justly to be revenged on a City that wronged us But if to
Dogs Domitian to prove him a lyar commanded him presently to be slaine and his body to be burnt but while it was in burning there fell out a great tempest that quenched the fire and so his body half unburnt was devoured by Dogs Suâ—t Constantine forbad all to ask Counsel at Witches oâ— to use the help of Charmers or Sorcerers upon pain of death Saul when he sought to the Witch at Endor instead of finding comfort was told of his utter ruine and destruction 1 Sam. 28. 19. Natholicus the 31th King of the Scots who had usurped the Crown sent a trusty friend to a famous Witch to know what successe he should have in his Kingdom and how long he should live The Witch answered that he should shortly be murthered not by an enemy but by his friend The Messenger instantly inquired by what friend By thy self said the Witch The Messenger at first abhorred the thought of any such villainy but afterwards considering that it was not safe to reveal the Witches answer and yet that it could not be concealed he resolved rather to kill the King to the content of many then to hazard the losse of his own head Thereupon at his return being in secret with the King to declare to him the Witches answer he suddenly slew him Bucâ—an Cleomedes a great Conjurer in Rome having practised the death of many little children the Parents of them at last sought revenge on him who to shun their fury shut himself up close in a Coffer but when they had broken it open the Divel had carried away the Conjurer Plut. Piso being accused by Tyberius for bewitching Germanicus to death instead of defending himself cut his own throat Taci There was in Denmark one Otto a great Magician and a great Pirat who used to passe the Seas without the help of a ship or any other Vessel and by his divellish Art to raise stormes and drown his enemies but at last being overmatched by one that was more expert in that Art then himself he was by him drowned in the Seas Olaus Mag. There was a Conjurer in Saltzburg who attempted to gather together all the Serpents there abouts into a Ditch and to feed them there but as he was practising of it the old Serpent the Divel drew him into the Ditch amongst them where he perished miserably The Governour of Mascon a great Magician as he was at dinner with some company was snatched away by the Divel hoisted up into the air and carried three times about the Town to the great astonishment of the inhabitants to whom he cried for help but all in vain Hugo de Cluni Anno Christi 1437. in the reign of Charles the 7th King of France Sr. Giles of Britane high-Constable of France was a wicked Magician having murthered above 160. Infants and women great with child with whose blood he wrote Books full of horrible Conjurations which being proved against him he was adjudged to be hanged and burned to death which was accordingly executed Picus Mirandula writes that in his time a great Conjurer promised a certain Prince that he would present to him the Siege of Troy with Hector and Achilles fighting together as when they were alive But as he was about his Conjurations the Divel carried him away that he was never heard of after The Lord of Orue in Lorraine when Noble-men or Gentle-men came to visit him used as they thought to serve them very honourbly with all sorts of daintie dishes and viands but when they departed they found their stomachs empty having eaten nothing On a time a Lords servant going from thence having forgotten some thing behind him went back and suddenly entering the Hall found a Munkie beating the Lord of the house that had feasted them others reported that he hath been seen through the chink of a door lying on his belly along upon a Table and a Munkie scourging him very strongly to whom he would say Let me al ne wilt thou alwayes thus torment me at last he fell into so great misery and beggery that he was fain to get into an Hospital in Paris where he ended his wrethed life Anno Christi 1530. there was in Nuâ—â—mburg a Popish Priest that studied the black Art who coveting riches the Divel shewed him through a Cristal treasures hidden in a part of the City Thither therefore did the Priest go with another companion and having digged an hollow pit he perceived in the bottom a Coffer with a great black Dog lying by it which whilest he beheld the earth fell upon him and crushed him to death Wierus Cornelius Agrippa was a great Necromancer and was alwayes accompanied with a familiar spirit in the shape of a black Dog But when his end approached he took off the Inchanted choller from the Dogs neck saying Get thee hence thou cursed beast which hast utterly destroyed me After which the Dog was never seen and he died a miserable death P. Jovius Zoroastres King of Bactria a great Astrologer and Magician was burned to death by the Divel Theat Anno Christi 1578. one Simon Pembrook of St. Georges Parish in London was suspected to be a Conjurer and used to erect figures for which he was called in question but whilest he was before the Judge he fell down and died having some Conjuring Books found about him Julian the Apostate sending to Delphos to enquire of the Divel the successe of his Parthian War whilest his Ambassadors were there fire came down from heaven and destroyed Apollos Temple and beat his Image all to pieces like to the lightest and smallest powder or dust Mr. Tindal being present in a roome where a Conjurer was hindred him that he could not play his pranks A Saints presence may hinder Satans elbow-roome from doing his tricks See Tindals Life in my first Part And the Like of Athanasius in his Life in the same Book CHAP. LXXIII Examples of Apparitions and Satanical delusions ANno Christi 1228. in a Synod held by the Popish Clergy at Paris in France there was one appointed to make a Sermon who as he was walking abroad and meditating upon what subject to preach the Devil appeared to him asking him what he needed to be so solicitous about that matter Say saith he in thy Sermon The Princes of hell salute you O ye Princes of the Church and gladly give you thanks for that through your default and negligence it comes to passe that so many soules come down to hell Adding that he was enforced by God to declare the same Yea and he gave this Priest a certain token whereby the Synod might evidently see that he did not lie On a time as Luther was walking in his garden the Devil appeared to him in the likenesse of a black Boar But Luther sleighting and not regarding him he vanished away See his Life in my first Part. Luther telleth us that when he was lodged in the Castle of Wartzhurg in a Chamber far from any company he was many times