as the earth was corrupted and polluted with abundance of sinne so God sent abundance of water to purge and clense away the filthinesse thereof as at the latter day hee will send fire to purifie and refine heauen and earth from their dregs and restore them to their first and purest estate And thus God reuenged the extortion and crueltie of that age But yet for all this those sinnes were not then so defaced and rooted vp but that they be burnished againe and grown in time to as big a Bulke for euen at this day the greatest part of the world is giuen to practise fraud and deceit and by vnlawfull meanes to encroch vpon others goods which subtleties though they desire neuer so to disguise and cloke yet will they euer bee condemned reputed kinds of theft before God now as some are of greater power and authority than others in the world so answerable to their selues is the qualitie of their sinnes and by consequence the punishment the greater of power the greater theeues and the greater iudgement for if a poor man through pouerty and necessity cutteth a purse of stealeth any other trifle be culpable how much more culpable shall he that is rich bee that vsurpeth the goods of his neighbor Draco the lawgiuer of Athens appointed death to be the punishment of theft Solon mitigated that rigor and punished it with double restitution The Locrians put out his eies that had stolen ought from his neighbour The Hetrurians stoned them to death The Scythians abhorred theÌ„ more than all creatures because they had a communitie of all things except their cups The Vacceians vsed such seuerity towards this kind of men that if one had taken but a handfull of corne he was sure to die for it Marcus Fabius being Censor condemned his own son Buteâ— to death being apprehended for theft Tiberius the Emperor punished a souldior after the same manner for stealing a Peacock in sum there was no CoÌ„monwealth wherin this sin was not highly detested sharply punished except the Lacedemonian where it was permitted and tollerated for their exercise of warlike discipline It was a rash and seuere Theat histor yet as it proued a iust ded of Tamburlaine that mightie tyrant and conqueror of Asia when a poore woman complained to him of one of his souldiors that had taken from her a little milke and a peece of cheese without paiment he caused the souldiors belly to be ripped to see whither shee had falsly accused him or no and finding the milke in his stomacke adiudged him worthy of that punishment for stealing from so poore a woman When Theophilus raigned Emperour in the East there was a certaine souldiour possessed of a very gallant and braue horse which his captaine by all meanes possible sought to get from him Zonar Annal. 3. but he would not in any case part with him wherefore hee put him forth of pay and tooke his horse from him by force and sent him for a present to the Emperour Theophilus now it chanced that this poore souldiour was slaine in the battaile for want of his horse and his wife and children left destitute of succour insomuch that through necessity shee was constrained to flie to Constantionple and to complaine to the Emperour of the iniury done vnto her husband with this resolution entring the citie she met the Emperour riding vpon her husbands horse and catching the horse bridle chalenged him not onely for stealing the horse but also being the cause of her husbands death The Emperour wondering at the womans boldnesse examined her more narrowly and found out the whole practise of that wicked captaine whom he banished presently his Empire and bestowed his possession in recompence vpon the distressed widdow Ibicus the Poet being set vpon by theeues when hee saw that they would not only spoile him of his money but of his life also he cried for help and reuenge to the cranes that flew ouer his head a while after as these murdering theeues sat togither in the market place the same cranes appearing vnto them in the aire they whispered one another in the eare and said yonder flie Ibicus reuengers which though secretly spoken yet was ouerheard so that they being examined and found guiltie were put to death for their paines The like story Martin Luther Luther reporteth touching a trauailer only differing in this that as cranes detected the former so crows laid open the latter Albert. Krantz lib. 10. cap. 7. In the yeare 1384 when as al Saxony was so infested with theeues that no man could trauaile safely in the countrie the Princes calling a councill set downe this order That not only the theeues themselues should be seuerely punished but all that did protect or harbor any of them which decree wheÌ„ as Theodorick countie of Weringrode impugned the body of the councill sent for him and adiudged him to a most cruell and shamefull death Cranth lib. 10. cap. 30. In the year 1410 Henry duke of Luneburge a most iust seuere prince went about to purge his country from all thefts robberies insomuch as the least offence coÌ„mitted in that kind he suffered not to goe vnpunished now it happened as the Duke went towards Luneburge hee sent before him one of his chiefest officers to prouide necessaries against his comming who riding â—â—thout a cloake the weather being cold entreated a ploughman to lend him his cloke till his returne which wheÌ„ the clown refused to do he took it without leaue but it cost him his life for it for the ploughman awaited the dukes comming and directed his complaint vnto him on this maner What auaileth it O noble prince to seek to suppresse the outrage of theeues spoilers when as the chiefest officers dare commit such things vncontrolled as the lieutenant of Tzela hath but now taken froÌ„ memy cloke the duke hearing this complaint considering the cause dissembled his councill till his returne backe from Luneburge vnto the same place where calling for his leiutenant and rating him for his iniury he commanded him to be hanged vpon a tree a wonderfull seueritie in iustice and worthy to be commended for what hope is it to root out small and pettie theeues if we suffer grand theeues to goe vncorrected There is another kind of theft practised of them that be in authority who vnder the title of confiscation assume vnto themselues stollen goods and so much the readilier by how much the value of the things amounteth to more worth an action altogither vniust and contrary to both diuine and humane law which ordaine to restore vnto euery man his own truly he that in steed of restitution with holdeth the good of his neighbour in this manner differeth no more from a theefe than that the one stealeth boldly without feare the other timorously and with great danger and what greater corruption of Iustice can there be then this For who would follow the law vpon a theefe when
that it is but a tast and a scantling of those torments and punishments which are prepared and made readie for them in the world to come And therefore it often commeth to passe that they passe out of this life most quietly without the disturbance of any crosse or punishment but it is that they might be more strangely tormented in another world Some not considering this point nor stretching the view of their vnderstanding beyond the aspect of their carnal eies haue fallen into this foolish opinion to thinke that there is neither iustice nor iudgement in heauen nor respect of equitie with the highest when they see the wicked to florish in prosperity and the good and innocent to be ouerwhelmed with aduersity yea and many holy men also haue fallen into this temptation as Iob and Dauid did Iob. 12. 21. Psal 73. who when they considered the condition of the wicked and vniust how they liued in this world at their hearts ease compassed about with pleasures and delights and waxing old in the same were carried to their sepulchres in peace they were somewhat troubled and perplexed within themselues vntill being instructed and resolued by the word of God they marked their finaâ—â—end and issue and the euerlasting perdition which was prâ—â—â—â— for them and by no meanes could be escaped And thus it commeth to passe saith S. Augustine that many sinnes are punished in this world Epist. 5â— that the prouidence of God might be more apparant and many yea most reserued to be punished in the world to come that wee might know that there is yet iudgement behind CHAP. LI. How the afflictions of the godly and punishments of the wicked differ WHich seeing it is so it is necessary that the wicked and peruerse ones should feele the rigor of Gods wrath for the presumption and rebellion wherewith they daily prouoke him against them and although with those that feare God and striue to keepe themselues from euill and take paines to liue peaceably and quietly it often times goeth worse here below than with others being laid open to millions of iniuries reproches and cruelties and are as it were sheepe appointed to the slaughter whereof some are massacred some hanged some hedded some drowned some burned or put to some other cruell death yet notwithstanding their estate and condition is farre happier than that of the wicked for so much as all their sufferings and aduersities are blessed and sanctified vnto them of God who turneth them to their aduantage according to the saying of S. Luke Rom. 8.28 That all things worke for the good to them that feare God for whatsoeuer tribulation befalleth them they cannot be separated from the loue of God which hee beareth vnto them in his well beloued sonne Christ Iesus be it then that God visiteth them for their faults for there is none that is cleare of sinne it is a fatherly chastisement to bring them to amendment be it that he exerciseth them by many afflictions as he did Iob it is to prooue their faith and patience to the end they may be better purified like gold in the furnace and serue for examples to others If it be for the truth of the Gospell that they suffer then they are blessed because they are conformed to the image of the sonne of God that they might also be partakers of his glory for they that suffer with him are assured to raigne with him hence it is that in the midst of their torments and oppressions in the midst of fires and fagots flaming about them beeing comforted with the consolations of Gods spirit through a sure hope of their happie repose and incorruptible crowne which is prepared for them in the heauens they reioice and are so chearefull contrariwise the wicked seeing themselues ensnared in the euils which their owne sinnes brought vpon them gnash their teeth fret themselues murmure against God and hlaspheme him like wretches to their endlesse perdition There is therfore great difference betwixt the punishments of ech of these for the one tendeth to honour and life the other to shame and confusion and euen as it is not the greatnes of torments that maketh the martyr but the goodnes of the cause so the infliction of punishment vniustly neither maketh the partie afflicted guilty nor any whit diminisheth his reputation wheras the wicked that are iustly tormented for their sinnes are so marked with infamie and dishonour that the staine thereof can neuer be wiped out Let euery one therefore learne to keepe himselfe from euill and to containe himselfe in a kind of modestie and integritie of life seeing that by the plagues and scourges wherewith the world is ordinarily afflicted Gods fierce wrath is clearely reuealed from heauen vpon all impiety and iniustice of men to consume all those that rebell against him Thinke vpon this you inhabitants of the earth small and great of what qualitie or condition soeuer you be If you be mighty puissant and fearfull know that the Lord is greater thaÌ„ you for he is almighty all-terrible al-feareful in what place soeuer you are he is alwaies aboue you ready to hurle you downe and ouerturne you to breake quash crush you in pieces as pots of earth he is armed with thunder fire and a bloody sword to destroy consume and cut you in peeces heauen threatneth from aboue and the earth which you trample on from below shaking vnder your feet and being ready to spue you out from her face or swallow you vp in her bowels in briefe all the elements creatures of God looke a skew at you in disdaine and set themselues against you in hatred if you feare not your Creatour your Lord and Master Esai 40. of whome you haue receiued your scepters and crownes and who is able when he please to bring princes to nothing and make the rulers of the earth a thing of nought Forsake therefore if you tender the good honour and repose of your selues and yours the euill and corrupt fashions of the world and submit your selues in obedience vnder the scepter of Gods law and gospell fearing the iust retribution of vengeance vpon all them that doe the contrarie Heb. 10.31 for it is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the Lord. And you which honour and reuerence God alreadie be now more quickened and stirred vp to his loue and obedience and to a more diligent practising of his will and following his commaundements to the end to glorifie him by your liues looking for the happie end of your hope reserued in the heauens for you by Christ Iesus our Lord to whome be glorie euerlastingly Amen A Table of all the principall points contained in the first and second Booke AS touching the corruption and peruersitie of this World how great it is Pag. 1 What the cause is of the great overflow of Vice in this age Pag. 3 That great men which will not abide to be admonished of their faults can
the extreamest execution which is both sharpe and rigorous Touching the word Iudgement I haue imitated the language of holy Scripture wherein as the ordinances and commaundements of God are called Iudgements because in them is contained nothing but that which is iust right and equall so likewise the punishments inflicted by God vpon the despisers of his commandements are called by the same name as in Exod. 6.6 2. Chron. 20.12 22.8 Ezech. 5.8 11.9 and elsewhere because they also are as iust as the former proceeding from none other fountaine saue the most righteous iudgement of God whereof none can complaine but vniustly The names of the Authours from whom the most part of the Examples contained in this Booke are collected MOses and other sacred writers Tertullian Cyprian Eusebius Socrates Theodoret. Sozomenes Nicephor Ruffinus Suidas Chrysostome Luther Jllyricus Herodotus Thucydides Dion Halycarnasseus Diodorus Siculus Polybeus Plutarch Herodian Dion Procopius Iornandes Agathius Aelianus Tit. Liuius Salustius Suetonius Corn. Tacitus Amni Marcellinus Iustinus Eutropius Lampridius Spartianus Flauius Vopiscus Cuspinianus Orosius Aimoinus Gregor Turonensis Anton. Volscus Paulus Diaconus Luitprandus Olaus magnus Gothus Sabellicus Anton. Panormitanus Aeneas Siluius Rauisius Hieronymus Marius Alexander ab Alexandro Pet. Praemonstratensis Mich. Ritius Neapolitanus Fulgosius Fran. Picus Mirandula Bembus Antonius Bomfinius Munsterus Iohan. Wierus Platina Nauclerus Vincentius Hugo Cluniacensis Benno Baleus Gagninus Paulus Aemilius Discipulus de tempore Acts and Monuments Carion Chronicon Beza Iosephus Manly Collectanea Stow Chronica Froyssard Enguerran de Monstrelet Philip le Comines Nicholas Gilles Guicciardine Paulus Iouius Benzoin Milanois Iob. Fincelius Centuriae Magdeburg Abbas Vrispurgensis Philippus Melancthon Sleidanus Lanquet Chronica THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE WORTHIE AND MEMOrable Histories of the great and marueilous Iudgements of God sent vpon the World for their misdeeds against the Commandements of the first and second Table CHAP. I. ⧠As touching the Corruption and Peruersitie of this World how great it is EVen as one that taketh pleasure to behold a pleasant and delightsome place a peece of ground couered and painted with all manner of fine flowers a garden decked and as it were clothed with exquisite plants and fruitfull trees is much grieued so soone as he perceiueth all this beautie and pleasure suddenly to be withered and scortched by the violence of some outragious tempest or if he be constrained to cast his eies from them vpon some other place by all craggie and parched full of briars and brambles In like sort a man can not choose but be sore grieued and discontent when he beholdeth on the one side the wholsome light of the sunne whereby the heauens do many waies distill their fauours vpon this world gloriously to aduance it selfe on the other side he perceiueth such an army of thick clouds and palpable darknesse from whence such a number of disorders and hurliburlies doe arise that most strangely disfigure the face of the whole world when that he which ought to be gentle peaceable is become mischieuous and quarellous and in stead of being true single hearted disloiall and deceitfull instead of being modest vvell gouerned and courteous is proud cruell and dissolute in steed of seruing of God serueth his owne humours and affections vvhich kind of behauiour is but too common and vsuall for there is not any kind of wickednesse which is not found in this rancke Vngodlinesse vomiteth vp his furie together with iniustice in those men of whom it is said There is none that vnderstandeth or seeketh after God their throte is an open sepulchre they vse deceit in their tongues the poysen of aspes is vnder their lippes Psal 14. they haue nothing in their mouthes but cursing and bitternesse their feet are swift to shead blood destruction and miserie is in their waies and they haue not knowne the way of peace In summe the feare of God is not before their eies From whēce it commeth that being not restrained by any bridle like vntamed colts broke loose they giue the full swindge to their bold and violent affections running fiercely to all filthinesse and mischiefe and being thus enraged some of them with horrible blasphemies most villainously speake and doe in despite of God and denie him that created them and sent them into the world others are not ashamed to be open forswearers of themselues violating and breaking euerie promise without regard of faith or honestie Others as they are of cruell and bloudie natures so they doe not cease to exercise these their natures by outragious practises to some of them whoredomes and adulteries are no more esteemed then as sports and pastimes whereof they boast and vaunt themselues to another sort cousenings extortions and robberies are ordinarie exercises whereof they make their best occupations All which euils are so common and so vsual at this time amongst men that the world seemeth truly to be nothing else but an Ocean full of hideous monsters or a thicke forrest full of theeues and robbers or some horrible wildernesse wherein the inhabitants of the earth being sauage and vnnaturall void of sence and reason are transformed into bruite beasts some like tygres or lyons others like wolues or foxes others like dogs and swine Oh sinfull nation would the man of God say if he liued at this houre a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked Isay 1.4 corrupt children they haue forsaken the Lord they haue prouoked the holy one of Israell to anger The noble and high minded are prowd to disdaine the lower and readie alwaies to smite them making their countenance pale with vices and othes the magistrate partial and full of bribes ouerthroweth equity the marchant couetous and desirous of gaine remembreth not his integrity nor the labourer his simplicitie And so vertue in most men lieth buried pietie banished iustice oppressed and honestie troden vnder foot in such sort that all things being as it were ouerthrowne and turned vpside downe men speake euill of good and good of euill accounting darkenesse light and light darkenesse sower sweet and sweet sower And by such disorder it commeth to passe that the most vertuous are despised whilest naughty packs and vicious fellowes are esteemed and made much of CHAP. II. What the cause is of the great ouerflow of Vice in this age IF wee would consider from whence it is that this great disorder and corruption of manners doth arise wee should find especially that it is because the world euery day groweth worse worse according to the saying of our Sauiour and redeemer Christ Iesus the sonne of God That in the latter daies which are these wherein we liue Iniquitie shall be encreased Mat. 24.12 And herein we shall perceiue euen the iust vengeence of God to light vpon the malice and vnthankfulnesse of men to whom when he would draw neare to doe good vnto by offering them the cleare light of his fauour the more they striue to alienate and keepe
not of God but of men and therfore must needs come to naught Act. 13. After Christ in the Apostles time there was one Elimas a sorcerer that mightily withstood the doctrine of Paul and Barnabas before Sergius Paulus the Deputy and sowed a contrarie heresie in his mind but Paul full of the holy Ghost set his eies on him and said O full of all subtiltie and mischiefe the child of the Deuill and enemie of righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to peruert the straight waies of the Lord Now therefore behold the hand of the Lord is vpon thee and thou shalt be blind for a season And immediately there fell vpon him a mist and darkenesse and he went about to seeke some to lead him by the hand And this recompense gained he for his erronious and hereticall practise Euseb lib. 4. cap. 6. Philip. M. chron A while after him vnder the Empire of Adrian arose there another called Bencochab that professed himselfe to bee the Messias and to haue descended from Heauen in the likenesse of a Starre for the safetie and redemption of the people by which fallacie hee drew after him a world of seditious Disciples but at length hee and manie of his credulous rout were slaine and was called by the Iewes Bencozba that is the sonne of a lie and this was the goodly redemption which this Heretike brought vpon his owne head and many of his fellowes It is reported of Cerinthus an Heretike that hee denying and going about to darken the doctrine of Christs euerlasting kingdome Euseb was ouerwhelmed by the sodaine fall of an whote house which fell vpon him and his associates assoone as Saint Iohn was departed from it for Ireneus saith that hee heard Polycarpus often report how Saint Iohn being about to enter into the bathes at Ephesus when hee perceiued Cerinthus alreadie within departed verie hastily saying to those that bore him companie that hee feared that the house would fall vpon their heads because of Cerinthus the Heretike that was therein at that instant Manes Euseb Socrat. of whom the Maniches tooke their name and first oririginall forged in his foolish braine a fiction of two gods and two beginners and reiecting the old Testament the true God which is reuealed in the same published a fifth Gospell of his owne forgerie yea and was so besotted with folly as Suidas testifieth of him that hee reported himselfe to be the holy Ghost when hee had thus with his deuelish heresies and blasphemies infected the world and was pursued by Gods iust iudgement at last for other wicked practises hee had his skin pulled ouer his eares aliue and so died in miserie Montanus that blasphemous caitife of whom came the Montanistes or Pepuzian heretikes of a towne in Phrigia called Pepuza denied Christ our sauiour to bee God and said he was but a man only like other men without any participation of diuine essence hee called himselfe the comforter and holy spirit which was forepromised to come into the world and his two wiues Priscilla and Maximilla hee named his prophetisses and their writings prophecies howbeit all their cunning could not foretell nor preuent a wretched and desperate end which befell him for hee hong himself after he had deluded the world a long seasō proued by his end his life to haue beene vile and damnable according to the Prouerbe Nicephor lib. 4. cap. 22. Centur. 2. cap. 8. Qualis vita finis ita A cursed life and a cursed death Of all Heretikes that euer troubled and afflicted Gods church the Arians were the chiefe the author and ringleader of which crue as by his vainglorious pride and ambition he sought to extoll himselfe aboue the clouds bosting and vaunting in his damnable error Socrat. Theod. Sozom. so by the iust vengeance of God he was abased lower then hell and put in euerlasting shame opprobrie for he had long time as it were entered the list and combated with Christ was condemned for an Heretike by the Nicene counsell and his books burned and then afterwards making shew before Constantine the Emperour with a solemne oth to recant his old errors and approue the profession of faith which the counsell of Nice had set forth concerning Christs diuinity whereunto also he subscribed his name but all that he did was in hipocrisie to the end to renue and republish the more boldly his false and pernicious doctrine But when hee thought himselfe neerest to the attainement of his purpose and braued it most with his supporters and companions euen then the Lord stroke him with a soddaine feare in the open street and with such horrible panges in his guts and vehement desire of disburdening nature that hee was faine to come vnto the publike houses appointed for that purpose taking them which were next at hand for a shift but he neuer shifted from them againe for his breath went out of his mouth and his guts ran out of his fundament and there lay hee dead vpon his owne excrements As the Emperour Gonstantius was a great fauourer and supporter of this sect and maintained it against and in despight of true Christians and by that meanes stirred vp schismes and dissentions throughout all Christendome Socrat lib. 2. cap. 47. so the Lord to requite him stirred vp one Iulian whom he himselfe had promoted to honour to rebell against him whose practises as hee went about to suppresse and was euen readie to encounter a grieuous apoplexie suddenly surcharged him so sore that he died of it before he could bring his purpose to passe The Emperour Valence was infected also with this poison R ff lib. 2. c. 13. Iornand wherewith likewise hee infected the Gothes who by his meanes were become the greater part Arrians and not Christians but neither went he vnpunished for when hee marched forth to represse the rage of the furious Gothes who were spred ouer all Thracia and had giuen them battell hee lost the day and being shamefully put to flight was pursued so fiercely that he was faine to hide himselfe in a litle house which being set on fire by the Gothes he was burnt therein As for Nestorius which would maintaine by his foolish dangerous opinions that the diuinitie of Christ was deuided from his humanity making as it were two Christs of one and two persons of one Niceph. lib. 14. cap. 36. and so turned vpside downe the whole ground worke of our saluation escaped no more the iust vengeance of God then all other heretikes did for first hee was banished into a farre countrey and there tormented with a strange disease the very wormes did gnaw in pieces his blasphemous tongue and at length the earth opened her mouth and swallowed him vp Concerning the Anabaptists which rose vp about fiue hundred yeres since it is euidently knowen how diuers waies God scourged and plagued many of them some of them were destroied by troupes and by thousands others miserably executed and
deigne to acknowledge And thus it falleth out with all wicked miserable Atheists whose hearts imagine there is no God and therfore haue so little assurance in themselues that there need no thunder and lightning to amase them for the shaking of euerie leafe is sufficient to make them tremble To conclude this Atheist void of religion and feare of God and full of all prophanesse was according to his due desert murthered by one of his owne seruants of the which will follow more at large in the next booke Domitian likewise was so blinded with pride that he would be called a god and worshipped Oros lib. 7. ca. 7. of whome also wee will speake in the second booke and 34 chapter To these we may adde them also Dionys Halie Lib. 1. antiq Roman that to the end to make themselues feared and reuerenced as gods haue counterfaited the lightnings and thunders of heauen as we read of one Alladius a Latin king that raigned before Romulus who being a most wicked tyrant a contemner of God inuented a trick whereby to represent to the eare and eie the rattling swift shine of both thunder lightning that by that meanes astonishing his subiects he might be guised of them for a god but it chanced that his house being set on fire with true lightning ouerthrown with the violent strength of tempestuous rain togither with the ouerflowing of a pond that stood nere he perished by fire water burnt drowned all at once Did not the king of Elide the like and to the same end also by the deuice of a chariot drawn about with foure horses wherein were certaine iron workes which with wrinching about gaue an horrible sound resembling thunder and torches and squibs which hee caused to be throwen about like lightnings in such sort that he oftentimes burnt the beholders Diod. lib. 4. in this manner hee went vp and downe brauing it especially ouer an iron bridge which hee had of purpose built to passe and repasse ouer at his pleasure vntill Gods long suffering could not endure any longer such outragious and presumptuous madnesse but sent a thunderbolt from heauen vpon his head that all the world might see by his destruction the exceeding folly and vaine pride which bewitched him in his life time Which history the Poet in the person of Sibilla setteth downe at large to this effect I saw Salmon in cruell torments lie For counterfatting thunder of the skie And Ioues cleare lightning whilst with torches bright Drawne with foure steedes and brandishing his light He rode triumphantly through Elis streats And made all Grecia wonder at his feats Thinking to win the honor of a god Mad as he was by scattertng fire abroad With brazen engines and with courses faining A noise like that which in the clouds is raining And no where else but God from thickest skie No torch but such a thunderbolt let flie At him that headlong whirld him from his cell And tumbled downe into the deepest hell Thus this arrogant king was punished according to the quality of his offence euen in the same kind wherin he offended which thing though it bee found written in a Poet yet ought not be reiected for an old wiues tale seeing it is not incredible that a king might make such pastimes yron crashing noises nor that he might be iustly punished for the same and the rather because Caligula did the like as wee haue heard before And we read also that one Arthemisius in the time of the Emperour Iustinian counterfeited by certain engines and deuises in his owne house in Constantinople Agath lib. 5. bell Gothis such earthquakes lightnings and thunders that would astonish a wise braine to heare or behold them on a sodaine But aboue all others that by darkening the glorie of God to encrease their own power haue prowdly exalted theÌ„selues against him the Popes are the ringleaders whose vnbrideled boldnes hath ben so much the more impudent pernicious for that in tearming themselues the seruants of the seruants of God in word in deed take vnto them the authoritie and power of God himself as of pardoning absoluing sins creating laws ordinances at their pleasure in binding or vnbinding mens consciences which things appertain to God only nay they haue ben so brasen faced as to coÌ„mand Angels and deuils as Clement the fift did in one of his buls so impudent as to be carried like idols vpon their vassalâ— shoulders weare three crownes vpon their heads so prowd and arrogant as to constraine kings and Emperours to kisse their feet to make them their vassals to vsurpe Lordship dominion ouer them and all their lands and possessions and to dispossesse whome they like not of kingdomes enstall in their roomes whom they please and all this by the thunder of excommunication whereby they make themselues feared and stood in awe of By which dealings of theirs they verifie in themselues that which the scripture speaketh of Antichrist which is the man of sinne the sonne of perdition 2. Thes 2.3 an aduersarie and one that exalteth himselfe against all which is called God or which is worshipped till he bee set as a god in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Wherefore also the heauie vengeance of God is manifest vpon them by the great and horrible punishments they haue beene tormented with for some of them haue had their eies pulled out others haue died in prisons a third sort haue beene smothered to death a fourth hath beene killed with the sword a fift hath died with hunger a sixt bene stoned a seuenth poysoned and yet there hath not wanted an eigth sort whom the deuill himselfe hath stifled This it is to ouerreach the clouds Sabel Aenead 9. lib. 7. Iohn le Maire de Besges Niâ—h Giles of the Chronicles of Fraunce and not content with earthly power to vsurpe a supremacy and praeeminence ouer kings such was the pride of Pope Boniface the eigth wheÌ„ he sent an embassage to Philip the Faire king of France to command him to take vpon him an expedition against the Sarasens beyond the sea vpon paine of forfeiting his kingdome into his hands and when hauing his sword by his side he shamed not to say that he alone and none else was Emperour and Lord of all the world in demonstration wherof he bestowed the Empire vpon Duke Albert together with the crowne of Fraunce and not content herewith his insolencie was so importunat that he charged Philip the Faire to acknowledge himselfe to bee his subiect in all causes as well spirituall as temporall and to leuie a subsidie for his holinesse out of his Clergie disabling his authority in bestowing church liuings which prerogatiue hee chalenged to his sea the conclusion of this bull was in these words Aliud credentes fatitos reputamus as much to say as whosoeuer is of another mind then this we esteeme him a foole Wherevnto
God which they daily see with their eies and feele in themselues doe neuerthelesse striue to quench his light of nature which enlightneth and persuadeth them and all Nations of this There is a God by whom we liue moue and haue our being Acts. 17.28 who although in his essence is inuisible yet maketh he himselfe knowne and as it were seene by his workes and creatures and mighty gouernmēt of the world that he that would seeke after him may as one might say handle and feele him Therefore they that would persuade themselues that this glorious heauen massy earth wanted a guider and a gouernour haue their vnderstanding blinded from sight of things manifest their hearts peruerted from all shew of reason for is there any substance of this world that hath no cause of his subsisting Is there a day without a sonne Are there fruits and no trees Plants and no seeds Can it raine without a cloud Bee a tempest without wind Can a ship saile without a Pilote Or a house be built without a carpenter or builder If then euery part of this world hath his particular cause of being and dependance is it likely that the whole is without cause to bee to it a furnishing and gouernement Say you hogges and dogges doe you not beleeue that which you see or if your eies bee bored out that you cannot see must you thinke there is no sonne nor light because your eies are in darknesse and blindnes Can you behold all the secrets of nature Is there nothing but a voice a singing of birds or an harmonious consort of musicall instruments in the world And yet who perceiueth these small things Can you behold the wind Can you see the sweet smell of fragrant flowers along the fields Can you see the secrets of your owne bodies your entrals your heart and your brain And yet you cease not to beleeue that there are such things except you be heartlesse brainelesse indeed Why then doe you measure God by your own fight do not beleeue there is a God because he is inuisible since that hee manifesteth himselfe more apparently both to vnderstanding sence then either voice smell or wind doe not your owne othes blasphemies and horrible cursings bear witnesse against you when you sweare by despight and maugre him whom you deny to be doth not euery thunderclap constraine you to tremble at the blast of his voice if any calamity approch neere vnto or light vpon you or if death bee threatened or set before your eies doe you not then feele in spight of all your reason that the seuere iudgement of God doth waken vp your dull sleepy conscience to come to his triall There was neuer yet any nation or people so harbarous which by the persuasion and instinct of nature hath not alwaies beleeued a certain diety and to thinke otherwise is not only a detestable thing but also most absurd so cōtrary to humane reason that the very Paynims haue very little tollerated such horrible blasphemie The Athenians are witnesses hereof Cic. of the nature of gods Lib. 1. who banished Protagoras their city and countrie because in the beginning of one of his books he called in questiō the diety caused his bookes to be burned openly Neither shewed they any lesse seueritie towards Diagoras surnamed the Atheist Diodor. 13. when being as some say iniuriously and falsly accused of this crime and for feare of punishment fled away they proclaimed that whosoeuer did kill him should haue a talent of siluer in recompence which in value is as much as six hundred crownes after the rate of 35 shillings French to the crowne How much more then is the state of Christendome at this day to bee lamented which wee see in many places infected with such a contagious pestilence that diuers men inuenomed with this deadly poyson are so mischieuous and wretched as to make roome for Atheisme by forbidding and hindering by all means possible the course of the gospel wherein they make knowne what they are and what zeale they bear to the religion seruice of God with what affection they are led towards the good safety of the Commonwealth and what hereafter is to be hoped of them for where there is no knowledge nor fear of God there also is no bridle nor bond to restraine and hold men backe from doing euill wherevpon they grow to that passe to be most insolent and prophane This is the diuinity and goodly instructiō that commeth beyond the mountaines from that scientificall Vniuersitie and Colledge of the right reuerend maisters and from the excellent holinesse of some of their Popes whose manner of life is so dissolute lasciuious dishonest and Sardanapal like Vide lib. 1. cap. 20. Lucian Porphory Iulian. c Bale that thereby their Atheisme is euidently and notoriously knowne and talked of by euery one Hereof Pope Leo the tenth a Florentine by birth may serue for an example who as he was a very effeminate person giuen to all manner of delights and pleasure hauing no other care but of himselfe and his owne filthie carcasses ease so had hee no more tast at all nor feeling of God and his holy word then a dog hee made the promises and threats contained in holy scripture and all else that we beleeue matter to laugh at and things friuolous and of no waight mocking at the simplicitie the faith and beleefe of Christians for one day when Cardinall Bembus who also shewed himselfe to bee none of the best Christians in the world by his Venetian hystorie where as oft as hee speaketh of God hee vseth the plurall number after the manner of Heathen writers alleadged a place out of the Gospell his damnable impudēcie was so great as to replie That this fable of Christ had brought to him and such as hee no little profite Oh stincking and cursed throat to belch out such monstrous blasphemie doe not these speeches bewray a villanous and abhominable Atheist if euer any were Is not this to declare himselfe openlie to bee Antichrist For hee is Antichrist which denieth Iesus to bee Christ and which denieth the Father and the Sonne 1. Iohn 2.22 according as Saint Iohn sayth Albeit in the meane while this cursed caitife that had as much religion as a dog made shew to bee the protector and defendor of the Catholicke faith making warre with all his power against Christ Iesus in the person of his seruant Luther Now after hee had by his pardons and indulgences drawne out a world of money and heaped vp great treasures by the maintenance of courtizans and Whores and had enriched his bastards one day being at meat hee receiued newes of the ouerthrow of the French in Lumbardie whereat hee reioiced out of measure and for that good tidings doubled his good cheare sodainely hee was constrained to turne his coppie from ioy into sadnesse from pleasure into griefe and gnashing of teeth by a most
Philosopher by profession Aelianus de var. hist lib. 4. boasted impudently amongst his schollers of his prosperity learning and wisdome saying that although hee offered no sacrifices vnto the gods yet hee lead a more quiet and prosperous life then those that were addicted to religion and therefore hee passed not for any such vanitie But ere long his impietie was iustly reuenged for the Lord strooke him with such a strange disease that out of his bodie issued such a slimie and filthie sweat and engendered such a number of lice and wormes that his bowels being consumed by them hee died most miserably Theat historicum At Hamburge not long since there liued an impious wretch that despised the preaching of the Gospell and the ministers thereof accounting it as a vaine thing not worthie the beleeuing of any man neither did he thus himselfe only but also seduced many others bringing them to all Atheisme and vngodlinesse Wherfore the Lord iustly recompenced him for his impiety for he that before had no sence nor feeling of God in his conscience being touched with the finger of the almightie grew to the contrary euen to too much feeling and knowledge of God that hee fell into extreame despaire affirming now his sins to be past forgiuenes because he had withdrawne others from the truth aswell as himselfe whereas before he thought himselfe guiltie of no sinne and that God was so iust that he would not forgiue him wheras before he thought there was no God so mighty is the operation of the Lord when he pleaseth to touch the conscience of man finally continuing in this desperate case hee threw himselfe from the roofe of a house into a well and not finding water enough to drowne him hee thrust his head into the bottome thereof till hee had made an end of his life Theat historicum In the yeare of our Lord 1502 there liued one Hermannus Biswick a grand Atheist and a notable instrument of Sathan who affirmed that the world neuer had beginning as foolish Moses dreamed and that there was neither Angels nor deuils nor hell nor future life but that the soules of men perished with their bodies besides that Christ Iesus was nothing els but a seducer of the people and that the faith of Christians and whatsoeuer else is contained in holy writs was meere vanity These articles full of impietie and blasphemie hee constantly auouched to the death And for the same cause was togither with his bookes burnt in Holland A certaine rich man at Holberstadium abounding with all manner of earthly commodities Theatr. histor gaue himselfe so much to his pleasure that he became besotted therewith in such sort that hee made no reckening of religion nor any good thing but dared to say that if he might lead such a life continually vpon earth hee would not enuie heauen nor desire any exchange Notwithstanding ere long contrary to his expectation the Lord cut him off by death and so his desired pleasure came to an end But after his death there appeared such diabolicall apparitions in his house that no man daring to inhabit in it became desolate for euery day there appeared the image of this Epicure sitting at a boord with a number of his guests drinking carousing and making good cheare and his table furnished with delicates and attended on by many that ministred necessaries vnto them beside with minstrels trumpetters and such like In summe whatsoeuer he delighted in his life time was there to be seene euery day the Lord permitting Satan to bleare mens eies with such strange shewes to the end that others might be terrified from such epicurisme and impietie Not inferiour to any of the former in Atheisme impiety and equall to all in maner of punishment was one of our own nation of fresh and late memory called Marlin Marlow by profession a scholler brought vp from his youth in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge but by practise a play-maker and a Poet of scurrilitie who by giuing too large a swinge to his owne wit and suffering his lust to haue the full raines fell not without iust desert to that outrage and extremitie that hee denied God and his sonne Christ and not only in word blasphemed the trinitie but also as it is credibly reported wrote bookes against it affirming our Sauiour to be but a deceiuer and Moses to be but a coniurer and seducer of the people and the holy Bible to be but vaine and idle stories and all religion but a deuice of pollicie But see what a hooke the Lord put in the nosthrils of this barking dogge It so fell out that in London streets as he purposed to stab one whome hee ought a grudge vnto with his dagger the other party perceiuing so auoided the stroke that withall catching hold of his wrest he stabbed his owne dagger into his owne head in such sort that notwithstanding all the meanes of surgerie that could be wrought hee shortly after died thereof The manner of his death being so terrible for hee euen cursed and blasphemed to his last gaspe and togither with his breath an oth flew out of his mouth that it was not only a manifest signe of Gods iudgement but also an horrible and fearefull terrour to all that beheld him But herein did the iustice of God most notably appeare in that hee compelled his owne hand which had written those blasphemies to be the instrument to punish him and that in his braine which had deuised the same I would to God and I pray it from my heart that all Atheists in this realme and in all the world beside would by the remembrance and consideration of this example either forsake their horrible impietie or that they might in like manner come to destruction and so that abominable sinne which so flourisheth amongst men of greatest name might either be quite extinquished and tooted out or at least smothered and kept vnder that it durst not shew it head any more in the worlds eye CHAP. XXVI Touching the transgressours of the second commandement by Idolatrie WEe haue hitherto seene how and in what sort they that either by malice or impiety or Apostasie or heresie or otherwise haue transgressed the first commandement haue beene punished Let vs now consider the iudgements that haue befallen Idolatours the breakers of the second commaundement But before wee proceed wee must know that as it is required of vs by the first commaundement to hold God for our true and onely God to repose all our whole trust and confidence in him and call vpon him serue and worship him alone so in the second the contrary to this is forbidden which is to doe any manner of seruice honour and reuerence by deuotion to Idols forasmuch as he is a spirit that is to say Iohn 4. of a spirituall nature and essence which is infinite and incomprehensible so loueth he a spirituall worship and seruice which is answerable to his nature and not by
strange thing to consider how that prowd citie hath lifted vp her head aboue all others and vsurped a tyranny ouer nations and which Lactantius Hierom Rome he meaneth and Augustine three learned fathers entituled Babylon how I say she hath been humbled for all her pride and empouerished for all her riches and made a prey vnto many nations It was sacked ransacked twice by the Visigothes takē once by the Herulians surprised by the Ostrogothes destroied and rooted vp by the Vandales annoied by the Lumbards pilled and spoiled by the Grecians and whipped and chastised by many others and now like Sodome and Gomorra it is to expect no more punishment but the last blow of the most mightiest his indignation to throw it headlong into euerlasting and horrible desolation CHAP. XLIX Of such punishments which are common to all men in regard of their iniquities THese and such like effects of Gods wrath ought to admonish instruct euery man to look vnto himselfe for doing euill and to abhorre and detest sin since it bringeth forth such soure and bitter fruits for albeit the waies of the wicked seeme in their owne eies faire and good Prou. 22. yet it is certaine that they are full of snares thorns to intrap and pricke them to the quicke for after that being fed with the licourous deceitfull sweetnesse of their owne lusts they haue sported themselues their fils in their pleasures wicked affections then insteed of delights and pastimes they shall find nothing but punishment sadnesse their laughter ioy pompe magnificence and glory shall bee turned into torments dolors weepings opprobries ignominies confusion and misery euerlasting for if God spared not great cities Empiers monarchies and kings in their obstinate misdeeds shall we thinke hee will spare little cities hamlets and villages men of base estate when by their sins they prouoke him to anger No it cannot be for God is alwaies of one the same nature alwaies like vnto himselfe A God executing iustice and iudgement vpon the earth Ierem. 9. Psal 5. A God that loueth not iniquitie with whom the wicked cannot dwell nor the fooles stand before his presence It is hee that hateth the workers of vnrighteousnesse and that destroieth the liers abhorreth all deceitfull disloiall periurous murdering persons as with him there is no acception of persons so none of what estate or condition soeuer be they rich or poor noble or ignoble gentle or carterlike can exempt themselues from his wrath and indignation when it is kindled but a little Rom. 2.9 if they delight and continue in their sinnes for as S. Paul saith Tribulation anguish is vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Now according to the variety and diuersity of mens offences the Lord in his most iust and admirable iudgement vseth diuersity of punishments sometimes correcting them one by one in particular other whiles altogither in a heape sometimes by stormes and tempests both by sea and land other times by lightning haile and deluge of waters often by ouerflowing and breaking out of riuers and of the sea also and not seldome by remedilesse and sudden fires heauen earth and all the elements beeing armed with an inuincible force to take vengeance vpon such as are traitors and rebels against God sundry times he scourgeth the world as it well deserueth with his vsuall and accustomed plagues namely of warre and famine and pestilence which are euident signes of his anger according to the threats denounced in the law touching the same and therefore if at any time he defer the punishment of the wicked it is for no other end but to expect the fulnesse of their sinne and to make them more inexcusable when contrary to his bountifulnesse and long suffering which inuiteth and calleth them to repentance they harden themselues and grow more obstinate in their vices and rebellion drawing vpon their heads the whole heape of wrath the more grieuously to assaile them And thus the vengeance of God marcheth but a soft pace as saith Valerius Maximus to the end to double and aggrauate the punishment for the slacknesse thereof CHAP. L. That the greatest punishments are reserued and laid vp for the wicked in the world to come NOtwithstanding all which hath bene spoken and howsoeuer sinners are punished in this life yet is certaine that the greatest and terriblest punishments are kept in store for them in another world and albeit that during this transitory pilgrimage they seeme to themselues often times to liue at their ease and enioy their pleasures and pastimes to their hearts contentment yet doubtlesse it is so that they are indeed in a continuall prison and in a dungeon of darkenesse bound and chained with fetters of their owne sinne and very often turmoiled and butchered with their owne guiltie conscience ouercharged with the multitude of offences fore-feeling the approch of hell and in this case many languish away with care feare and terror being toiled and tired with vncessant and vnsupporrable disquietnesse and tossed and distracted with despaire vntill by death they be brought vnto their last irreuocable punishment which punishment is not to endure for a time and then to end but is eternall and euerlastingly inherent both in body and soule I say in the bodie after the resurrection of the dead and in soule after the departure out of this life till all eternity for it is iust and equall that they which haue offended and dishonored God in their bodies in this life should be punished also in their bodies in the world to come with endles torments of which torments when mention is made in the holy scripture they are for our weake capacity sake called gehenna or a place of torment vtter darkenesse and hell fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth c againe eternall fire a poole and pit of fire and brimstone which is prepared for the deuill and his darlings and how miserable their estate is that fall therein our Sauiour Christ giueth vs to know in the person of the rich glutton Luk. 16. who hauing bathed himselfe in the pleasures and delights of this world without once regarding or pittying the poore was after death cast into the torments of hell there burneth in quenchlesse flames without any ceasing or allaying of his griefes therefore whatsoeuer punishments the wicked suffer before they die they are not quitted by them from this other but must descend into the appointed place to receiue the surplus of their paiments which is due vnto them for what were it for a notorious and cruell tyrant that had committed many foule and wicked deeds or had most villanously murdered many good men to haue no other punishment but to be slaine and to endure in the houre of death some extraordinarie paine could such a punishment ballance with his so many and great offences whereas therefore many such wretches suffer punishment in this world wee must thinke
owne bibles Blessed are the poore for theirs is the kingdome of heauen but how this sacreligious theefe was punished Lib. 2. cap. 20. is already declared in the former booke Zonaras Leo Croponymus tooke out of the Temple of Constantinople an excellent crowne of gold beset with precious stones which Mauritius had dedicated to the Lord but assoone as he had set it on his head a cruell feuer seased vpon him that he died very shortly Fulg of lib. 1. chap. 2. The punishment of the sacriledge of Queene Vrratha in Spaine was most wonderful and speedie for when in her war against her son Alphonsus she wanted money she robbed the church dedicated to S. Isidore and tooke with her own hands the treasures vp which her souldiours refused to doe but ere she departed out of the church vengeance ouertook her and stroke her dead in the place Moreouer the Lord so hateth this ireligious sinne that he permitteth the deuil to exercise his cruelty vpon the spoilers of prophane and idolatrous temples as he did vpon Dionisius the tyrant of Siracusa Aelianus who after many robberies of holy things and spoiling the churches died sodainly with extream ioy as authors report hee spoiled the temple of Proserpina at Locris and shaued off the golden beard of Aesculapius at Epidamnum saying it was an vnseemely thing for Apollo to be beardlesse and his sonne bearded hee depriued Iupiter Olimpus of his golden raiment and gaue him a woollen coat in steed thereof saying it was too heauie for him in the summer and too cold in winter and that this was more conuenient for both seasons the pretext of al his sacriledge was this that seeing the Gods were good why should not he be pertaker of their goodnesse Such another was Cambises king of Persia Sabel lib. 4. c. 3. Herod lib. 1. who sent fiftie thousand men to rob and destroy the temple of Iupiter Ammon but in their iourney so mighty a tempest arose that they were ouerwhelmed with the sand not one of them remaining to carry news of their successe Brennus was constrained to slay himselfe for enterprising to rob the Temple of Apollo at Delphos Philomelus Fulgo lib. 1. c. 2. Onomarchus and Phayllus went about the same practise and indeed robbed the Temple of all the treasures therein but one of them was burned another drowned and the third broke his necke to conclude the Athenians put to death a yong child for taking but a golden plate out of Dianaes Temple but first they offered him otheriewels trinckets which when hee despised in respect of the plate they rigorously punished him as guilty of sacriledge Cardinal Wolsey being determined to erect two new colledges Stow. chron one at Oxford and the other at Ipswich obtained license and authoritie of Pope Clement the seuenth to suppresse about the number of fortie Monasteries to furnish and set forward the building of his said colledge which irreligious sacriledge I call it sacriledge because not done of conscience but to patch vp pride was furthered by fiue persons who were the chiefe instruments of the dissolution of Daintrey Monasterie because the Prior and Couent would not graunt them certaine lands in farme at their owne price But what punishment ensued vpon them at Gods hand the world was witnesse of for of those fiue persons two fell at discord amongst themselues and the one slue the other for the which the suruiuour was hanged the third drowned himselfe in a well the fourth being then worth two hundred pounds within three yeares became so poore that hee begged vntill his dying day and the fift called Doctor Allane was cruelly maymed in Ireland the Cardinall himselfe falling into the Kings displeasure was deposed from his Bishopricke and died miserablie the Colledges which hee ment to haue made so glorious a building came neuer to any good effect the one at Ipswich being cleane defaced the other at Oxford vnfinished And thus much of Sacriledge now let vs come and see the punishment of simple theft the principall cause whereof is couetousnesse which is so vnruly an euill and so deepe rooted in the heart of man that euer yet it hath vsed to encroch vpon the goods of others and to keepe possession of that which was none of it owne breaking all the bandes of humanity equity and right without being contained in any measure or mean whereof we haue a most notable example in the old world before the floud which by Moses report ouerflowed with iniquitie and extortion the mightie ones oppressed the weake the greater trod vnder foot the lesse and the rich deuoured the poore when the Lord saw the generall deluge of sinne and disorder thus vniuersally spread which indeed was a signe of great defection and contempt of him hee like a iust iudge that could not endure these monstrous iniquities sent a deluge of waters amongst them by opening the windows of heauen and breaking vp the fountaines of the great deepes and giuing passage to the waters both by heauen and by earth so that it rained fortie daies and fortie nights without ceasing and the waters preuailed vpon the earth and ouercouered the high mountaines by fifteene cubites the earth being reduced into the same estate which it had in the beginning before the waters were tooke away from the face thereof verily it was a most hideous and sad spectacle to see first the vallies then the hils and last the highest mountaines so ouerflowne with water that no shew or appearance of thē might be perceiued it was a dreadful sight to behold whole houses tossed to and fro vp and downe in the waues and at last to be shiuered in peeces there was not a citie nor village that perished not in the deepe not a tree nor tower so high that could ouerpeere the waters as they encreased more and more in abundance so feare horror and despaire of safetie encreased in the heart of euery liuing soule And on this fashion did God punish those wicked rebels not at one blow but by little and little encreasing their paine that as they had a long time abused his patience and made no reckoning of amendment so the punishment of their sinne might bee long and tedious Now in this extremitie one could not helpe another nor one enuie another but all were concluded vnder the same destruction all surprised assieged and enuironed alike aswell he that roued in the fields as he that staied in the houses he that climed vp vnto the mountains as hee that abode in the vallies the merciles water spared none it was to no purpose that some ascēded their high houses some climed vpon trees and some scaled the rockes neither one nor other found any refuge or safety in any place the rich were not saued by their riches nor the strong by the pith of their strēgth but all perished and were drowned togither except Noah and his familie which punishment was correspondent vnto the worlds iniquitie for