law-makers of the world Quibus omnes antiquae gentes quondā paruerunt both for the more credit of thēselues better authoritie of their lawes made their subiects people beleeue when their first lawes were made that the gods were so carefull that they gaue them seuerall lawes to gouerne the people So Mena one of the first kings of Egipt affirmed that he had instructions for making of his lawes and decrees to the Egiptians from god Mercurius In like sort Licurgus made the Lacedemonians beleeue that the lawes which he gaue vnto them were deliuered vnto him from Appollo in Delphos The people of Creete were perswaded fully by Minoes their first lawe-maker that the lawes which he gaue vnto them were deliuered vnto him from Iupiter that thereby the law might the more be feared and the law-makers better obeyed So did Numa Pomp. warrant his lawes which he established among the Romanes concerning religion from the Nimph Egeria for the gouernmēt which was vnder kings is by Aristotle called Primus diuinissimus principatus When the first gouernment and state of Common-wealths fell by too much seueritie of kings as among the Romaines who were wearie of kings and had no lawe but Ius regis the iudgement and sentence of the king called in Romulus time Lex curiata whose seueritie grew to be such that the second gouernment in Rome which was by Consuls and Senators tooke place by fall of the first which lawe was called Senatus Consultus which grew so great by authoritie of the Consuls that a third kind of popular gouernment vnder the Tribune of the people was authorised to suppresse the misgouernment both of the Consuls and Senators as the Ephori were among the Lacedemonians made by Theopompus to bridle the insolencie of the kings So were the wise men called Magi in Persia without whom the kings of Persia could make no lawes And so the Magistrates called Megistenes had the like authoritie with the kings of Armenia as the Ephori had in Sparta Among the Carthagineans also were two chiefe Magistrates named Suffetes the one with the other to looke to the gouernment of the kings that they should iustly and rightly minister iustice to the people The Hebrewes likewise where God placed Iudges to gouerne the people of the which they were wearie and would haue a king so that the Romanes being wearie of kings would haue Consuls and the Hebrewes being wearie of Iudges would haue kings for all nations at the beginning began with the gouernment of kings sauing the Hebrewes which were as straungers and bondmen in Egipt without eyther king lawe or libertie foure hundred thirtie yeares euen from the comming of Abraham into Egipt vntil Moses and Aaron were commaunded to bring Israel out of Egipt at what time a lawe was giuen in Mount Sinai to Moses within fiftie dayes after the Israelites came out of Egipt that they should bee gouerned thereby before they possessed the land of Canaan After they had receiued the lawe the Lorde commaunded them that they should not make gods of siluer nor gods of golde hee also commaunded that they should make him an Aultar and thereon to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings with a straight charge that they should not make him an Aultar of hewed stones like the aulter at Damascus which Achab brought to Israel for that they should doo nothing of themselues after the manner of the Gentiles but by the Lords prescript rules which are his eternall lawes Yet before this lawe was giuen to Moses there were Aultars builded and sacrifices offered by Noah after hee landed out of the Arke at Baterion by Abraham after he came to the land of Canaan at Sychem by Isaac in Bersabe by Iacob in Bethel where hee fled from his brother Esau they were instructed by the lawe of nature written in the tables of their hearts to worship the Lord to feare him euen from the creation Vnder the lawe of nature the people of God liued and were assisted by the spirit of the Lord ministred vnto them by Angels and instructed by the Patriarches and liuely tradition of the fathers to the sonnes two thousand fiue hundred yeares before the lawe written Who doubtes but what Methusalem beeing in the company of Adam aboue two hundred fiftie yeares and with the rest of the Patriarches vnto the very floud liuing vnder the lawe of nature heard of Adam but Methusalem deliuered it to Sem what Sem heard of Methusalem but hee instructed Abraham therewith what Abraham heard of Sem hee shewed it to Iacob and what Iacob heard of Abraham hee taught it to Amri who was father to Moses to whom the lawe written was giuen so that the one was instructed by the other from the father to the sonne to serue and feare the Lord by the lawe of nature So that Enoch Noah Abraham Iacob Iob and all the olde Patriarches and godly fathers liued in the feare of God by the lawe of nature No doubt many things were written of the olde fathers before the floud and left to their posterities and after the floud generally ouer the whole world before the vse of paper lawes and learning were giuē by traditions frō the parents to the children their posterities as the Indians which had no lawes written no more then the Lacedemonians but by obseruations vntill the Indian Philosophers called Brachmaines found meanes to write in Sindone fine linnen or lawne as the old Egiptians vsed to write on the inward side of the barke of the tree Biblus or as Vlpian saith the Grecians vsed to write on the barke of the tree Tilia for in auntient time from the beginning lawes were written on the inward side of barks of trees as on the barke of Beech trees Elme Ashe Palme trees and such for the great library in Alexandria by Philadelphis compiled and the library in Asia by A◅talus and Eumenes gathered together were written in Haedonis Chartis in goate skinnes During all which time there was no mention made neither of gods nor of Idols though Satan plaid the first Idolater in practising to Adam Eue saying Eritis vt dij Ye shal be like gods on earth your eies shal be opened Satan by degrees deceiued Adā first asking him questions then doubting then denying saying you shal not die which was the first lye in the world so Satan proceedeth with his stratagems as Gregorius Magnus saith in Vnoquoque lapsu a minimis semper incipitur Yet after the lawe written was giuen Idolatry was presently committed before Moses came downe from the Mount so that there was no Idols mentioned nor spoken of before Rachel Iacobs wife stole her father Labans Image and brought it from Mesopotamia in her husbands company towards Canaan where Laban accused his daughter that she stole his gods away But Iacob within a while after he came to Canaan commaunded his houshold and all that were
seuere was the Lord in his lawes that he spared not Moses himselfe And therefore Zaleucus made a lawe among the Locreans to suppresse the pride and insolencie of great men who did more harme theyr Countrey through pride and ambition then they did profit theyr countrey by iust and true dealing The like lawe against ambitious men was made in Syracusa which secretly sought through ambition to excell others in singularitie both in wisedome and in wealth and therefore were they banished for fiue yeares out of Syracusa according to the lawe which was made against ambitiō called Petalismus least their greatnesse through ambition should do more harme to their countrey then good In Rome for a time ambition was not knowne vntill the Romaines grew great out of Italy then Cai. Petilius Tribune of the people made a lawe that no man through ambition which then grew in Rome together with the greatnesse of the Empire should make meanes by money or reward to beare office in Rome After Petilius Cincius decreed an other straight lawe against ambitious meanes to become Magistrates that none of the Patricians or any other that were ambitious to become magistrates or officers in Rome should come in a gowne or any long garment into the Senate least they should carrie money secretly in their bosome to corrupt the people for the choosing of Censors Praetors Consuls and other officers were in the election of the people both in Rome and in Athens alike for there was nothing in Rome but Forum Senatus lawes decreed in the Senate by the Senators and weapons in the market place by the Tribune ansd the people to resist the same The lawe of Cass. Longinus Tribune of the people was that euery Tribe by it selfe of the 35. should bring their seuerall Tables where the voyces of the people were secretly prickt to auoyd ambition and quarels which lawe was called Lex Tabellaria An other lawe among the Romanes was to auoyd ambition among the people that the Senators with the consent of the people should elect one Consul and that Consul so chosen should choose one of his own friends to be his fellow Consul for it was not lawfull for both the Consuls at one time to haue Serieants to beare Maces before them but one after an other monethly neyther might a Consul be chosen againe within ten yeares after his Consulship which lawes were made onely to auoyd ambition The like law was among the Thaebans against Merchants that were called Mercurij proles which hunted for priuate profits and gaped for gaine which forbad them that had bene officers within ten yeares after not to be chosen gouernours againe in that office for that Merchants be not fit men to be Magistrates and as Aristotle saieth Parum generosa haec ratio vitae vertuti aduersa Against which Demosthenes exclaimed in his bannishment the three monsters of Athens Populus Noctua and Draco but two of these monsters ruled alwaies in Rome and in Athens Noctua Populus men and money And therefore the lawe Ostracismus was made in A thens against such ambitious men as would secretly seeke to growe into greatnesse to win the fauour of the people that they should be banished out of Athens for tenne yeares as Themistocles Alcibades Demosthenes and others This lawe of Ostracismus was euer readie in A thens so long against the greatnesse of ambitious men that at length it grewe against base men that would practise any sinister meanes among the people For it was a practise among the Athenian least one should growe greater then an other to make this lawe Ostracismus according to Aristotles rule Neminem vnum magnum facere communis custodia principatas The kings of Egipt that did not minister iustice rightly nor obserue the lawe iustly while they liued might not be buried after they dyed for it was lawfull for any man to accuse the kings of Egipt before they were buried of any ambition iniustice or crime before committed against the law for nothing was more ignominious to the kings of Egipt then to bee depriued of their burialls which made them liue more circumspectly vsing iustice and obseruing the lawe But what were the Kings of Egipt better to be buried in sweete odours in their Pyramides or the Heathen Princes of the world to be buried in Suis Mausoleis was not poore Lazarus better in Abrahams bosome then the rich man tormented in hell for hee cannot bee ill buried wheresoeuer he is buried that dyeth well neyther can he dye ill wheresoeuer or howsoeuer he dieth that liueth well and therefore Non potest male mori qui bene vixcrit saith Augustine A people in India called Pedalij among other theyr vowes and prayers they wished nothing to bee graunted vnto them of the Gods but to be iust and to vse iustice Appollonius Thianeus the Philosophers wish was Pa◅a habere Nullius in digere and to knowe good and iust men and to auoyd the company of wicked and vniust men Socrates wish was to haue a sound minde in a sound body In Eliopolis a cittie of Egipt the Image of Iustice was set vp in the market place without a head and on the right side of Iustice the Image of a king was painted blinde without eyes because he should not see his friends nor foes but gouerne without affections and on the left side of Iustice the Image of a Iudge was painted without handes because hee should not receiue bribes and be corrupted in his iudgement Iuditij venenum sua cuique vtilitas and therefore the Iudges called Areopagitae in Athens might not sit on life and death in the day time while the sunne were vp but in the night because they might not see the prisoner in the face to moue affections but to heare theyr causes to do iustice so is the lawe of the Lorde Accept not the face of the poore feare not the face of the mightie So the Philosopher could say Deus enim nusquam nunquam iniurius semper iustissimus A Philosopher after hee had seene these pictures at Eliopolis hee caused the picture of an ambitious magistrate to be painted without legges because hee should not climbe too high saying Agesilaus climbes in Sparta to ouerthrowe Thaebes and Epaminondas climbes in Thaebes to ouercome Sparta This is that ambition euery where Quae frontem aperit mentem tegit But these ambitious men remember not Lots wife who seeking to saue her life by looking back on Sodome she lost both her selfe Sodome and Zegor So that among all nations in all countreys ambitious men are such that some with Absolon seeke to plant and set their names on earth by some monuments of fame but die ignominiously without monuments or fame like Absolon Some with Sebna build them sumptuous Tombes in theyr owne countrey but are buried in an other countrey Some with Achab build them Iuorie houses who
ead The lawes of Draco in Athens against theft pa. ead Bocchoris lawes in Egipt against theft pa. 102 Charondas lawe in fauour of Orphants pa. 103 Solons lawe in Athens for Orphants and Infants pa. ead The daughters of Zalphod restorea by Moses lawe to their fathers inheritance pa ead The effect of loue and praiers pa. 105 The effectes of lawes in inward and outward obedience pa. 106 The lawes of the 12. Tables against theft pa. 107 Iulius lawe against theft pa. ead Bocchoris lawe against theft pa. 108 Theft left vnpunished by Licurgus lawe pa. ead Bocchoris lawe against vsurie pa. ead Solons lawe against vsury called Sysacthia pa. 109 Lucullus and Cato banished vsurie pa. ead Moses lawe against vsury pa. 110 Solons lawe against slaunderers pa. ead Description of ill tongues page 111 The diuerse punishmeÌ„t of tongues pa. 112 Slaunderous tongues practised mischiefe pa. 113 A lawe in Athens against vngratefull men pa. 115 Diuers false Prophets reproued pa. 116 Naboth and Stephen stoned to death pa. 117 False witnesse against Christ himselfe pa. 118 Zaleucus lawe against false witnesse pa. ead The lawe of Bocchoris in Egipt against periurers pa. 119 Punishment of false witnes among the Turkes pa. ead The lawe of the twelue Tables against false witnesse page ead Diuers lawes against rebellious and trecherous seruants pa. 120. 121. 122 The law of the 12. Tables against staunderers pa. 123 Of the maner of swearing among the Hebrewes pa. 124 Of diuers ambitious men pa. 125. 126 The euill end of ambition pa. ead Zaleucus lawe against ambitious men pa. 127 Cincius lawe in Rome against ambition pa. 128 The lawe Ostracismus in Athens against ambition pa. 129 Ambitious kings in Egipt might not be buried pa. ead The Image of Iustice in Eliopolis pa. 130 Of the oaths of the kings of Mexico at their consecratioÌ„ pa. 131 The pride and insolencie of Xerxes and Antiochus pa 132 The lawe of Thrasibulus in Athens called Amnestia pa. ead The lawe Plebiscita pa. 133 The lawe of the Indian Philosophers pa. 136 Of liberties and freedomes in diuers countries pa. ead The first law of Romulus in Rome called Lex Curiata pa. 137 The second lawe in Rome called Senatus Consultus pa. ead What the Senators of Rome might do without the consent of the people pa. 138 Gracchus law in Rome called Lex Agraria pa. 139 Thirtie Senators in Carthage called Conipodes pa. 140 Aristocratia chaunged to Monarchia among the Hebrewes pa. ead Kings deposed in Sparta by the Ephori pa. 141 Platos lawe against curious men pa. ead Consuls remoued in Rome from their office by soothsayers pa 142 The lawe called Lex Auguralis pa. 143 FINIS Iob. 38. Iob. 25. The old Patriarkes liued vnder the law of nature 2. Cor 3. Iere. 31. The lawe of nature is a short repetition of the lawe written The lawe written and giuen to Moses Cic de leg lib. 1. Cic. de leg lib. 3. Cic. de diuini lib 1. Diod. sic lib. 2. cap. 5. Lex curiata Chiefe magistrates gouernors in diuers countries The Lord coÌ„maunded an aultar to bee made Exod. 20. Diuers aultars beâ—…ore the law written Septe longaeui Tylia otherwise called Phyllida Vlpian F. de leg 3. Rachel stole her father Labans Image Gen. 31. Gen. 35. The Image of Belus made by his sonne Ninus Ieroboam made two golden calues Israel made a god of mettall while Moses was with the Lord for the lawe Deut. 9. Num. 25. 4. Regâ—… Socreates poisoned in Athens for religion Platoes opinion of Poets Painters Ioseph lib. 2. contra Apion 〈◊〉 Alcibiades 〈◊〉 ed from Athens Cloâ—…ius slaine in Rome Anacharsis slaine Ioseph lib. 2. contra Apion Paul 〈◊〉 ad Rom. Hermes in Poemand Plato in Phaed. The Romains vowe Grecians Vowes of the Gentiles to their gods Persâ—… Xerxes burnt the Temples in Greece Cic. de legib lib. 2. â—…em 1â—… The Rechabites lawes Ahiahs speech to Ieroboam Deut. 32 Deut. 38. Hose 10. Zeleueus first lawes to the Locreans Diod. sic li. 12. Cic. de leg 1. Licurgus lawe that no stranger should dwell in Sparta Anaxagoras put to death Ioseph lib. 2. contra Apion Iudic. 6. Protagoras Diod. sic lib. 2. Diagoras TalentuÌ„ Atticum Cic. de natura deor lib. 1. Val. Max. de peregrin religione cap. 3. Cyrus confessed the god which the lewes worshipped 1. Eldr. 〈◊〉 Artax Nabuchodonozer Darius made a lawe that all dominions should feare the god of Daniel Agrippa Ioseph de antiq li. 19. ca. 7. Egipt the mother of all Idolatrie Dioâ—…ic lib. 2. Ioseph lib 2. conâ—… Apion Gode c. â—…n li. 2. Viget cap. 1. The Iewes obserued straitly their lawes Alex. Neapolit genial lib. 5 cap. 24. Diuers tooke vpon theÌ„ to be the Mesias Ioseph de Antiquit. lib. 20. cap 5. Torquinius Three hundred aureos Idolatrous sacrifice of the Gentiles No bloud offered in sacrifice by Licurgus lawe Cic. de leg lib 2. Arist lib. 5. polit cap. 11. Paul called Spermologos in Athens Deut. 17. 2. Reg. 21. Moloches 7. chambers Hose 10. Punishment of corrupt Iudges in Persia. Psal. 25. Law turned to wormewood c. Amos. 4. Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 3. The lawe of the Lord set down by Esay the Prophet Esai 〈◊〉 Deut. 7. Exod. 22. Plato polit Wicked answers of kingsâ—… Ashuerus Darius Iezabels lawe for Naboths vineyard Lysander and Pompeys speech to a Lawier â—…ammius gladâ—…us Plato in Alcibiad Leuit. 13. Alex. Neapo lit gnial lib. 4. â—…a 7. Ceremoniall lawes of the Gentiles The Gentiles builded diuers temples to their gods Exod. 40. The maner of the Gentiles in dedicating their temples c. Alex. Neapo lit li. 6. cap 14. Alex. Neapo lit genial lib. 4 cap. 17. The consecration of Aaron Leuit. 8. By what authorities all nations confirmed their lawes Diod. sic lib 2. cap. 4. Plut. in Sylla The straight obseruation of the Sabboth by the Iewes Exod. 16. Luk. 23. Iohn 19. The second building of the temple by Cyrus 1. Esdr. 1. Darius Artaxerxes Neomenia The Romains Sabboths Parthians The diuers kinds of Sabboths among the Heathens Heredot lib. 6 Phillip The blasphemy of Nicanor Ioseph lib. 11. cap. 8. Ioseph lib. 12. cap 3. Certaine Romanes slaine by the Iewes Ioseph lib. 20. cap. 4. 1. Machab. 2. Plut. in Pomp. The lawe of Iud. Machaâ—… Math. 12. Among the Heathens the Sabboth of the Lord was not knowne Liui 〈◊〉 Thueyd 1. Xenoph. de expedit Cyri. 3. Plut. in Alex. Licurgus lawe for time of battell Front lib. 2. cap. 1. Before y temple was made in Ierusalem the Israelites came to Siloh Esay 45. The continuance of Licurgus lawes Charondas lawes against those that disobeyed contemned lawes Licurgus law Rheâ—…ra Plut. in Licurgo The lawe of the 12. tables Hipocrates in praecepâ—… Cicero de leg 2. Cic. de diuin lib. 1. Cic. de leg lib. 3. Alex. Neapolit genial lib. 6 cap. 23. Ioseph lib. 4. cap. 8. The diuers orders of appeales among
aultars taking Abraham for their warrant in sacrificing his sonne Isaac and Ieptha in sacrificing of his daughter for their Idolatrous sacrifice in murdering their children as is said before of Achab Manasses and others The Ammonites had a great Image called Moloch which had seuen chambers within the hollownesse of it one to receiue meale the second to receiue Turtle Doues the third a sheepe the fourth a ramme the fift a calfe the sixt an oxe and the seuenth a man This Idoll had the face of a calfe with stretched out hands to receiue gifts certaine Samaritan Priests called Chemarims attended vpon this Idoll Moloch though I know well that graue godly Iudges are not acquainted with Molochs reaching hand nor with his chambers yet I doubt some like Chemarims that liue in the world and serue Moloch attend more vpon the reaching hand of Moloch and his hollow chambers then their maisters becke in true seruice to whom may bee said as Christ spake to Nicodemus Art thou a maister in Israel and knowest not how to be borne againe Euen among the Persians Cambises though a tyrant and a wicked king yet would he haue the Persian lawes obserued for the breach whereof hee caused one of his Iudges named Sinetes corrupted with money to haue his skinne fleyed from his backe and to be made a carpet for his sonne that succeeded after him to leane vpon to put him in remembrance of his fathers corruption and punishment by the law that his sonne therby might better obserue the lawe Remota iustitia regna magna latrocinia sunt Darius king of Persia caused Sandoces one of his Iudges for that he was corrupted with money to iudge vniustly against the law to be hanged and codemned by the lawe in that very place where hee was appointed to be a Iudge Of these corrupt Iudges and of the like the Prophet saith Dextra eorum repleta est muneribus These and such Lawiers and Iudges that oppresse poore Widowes and Orphants robbe the poore are corrupted with rewards cannot be hold the brightnesse of Moses face without a vaile to couer their face These are the lawiers of which the Prophet speakes that turne the lawe to wormewood righteousnesse to bitternesse and cast downe iustice to the ground for Nihil tam venâ—… quam aduocatâ—…m praesidâ—… saith Aristotle And therefore the Prophet Esay reprehended the Iudges of Israel and called them companions of theeues following after gifts and rewards as Samuels sonnes did he called them tyrants of Zodome and people of Gomorah Learne to do right saith the Lord apply your selues to equitie let the Widdowes complaint come before you and helpe the fatherlesse to his right This is the lawe onely of the Lord these be the precepts and summe of all lawes to liue honestly to hurt none and to giue to euery man his owne for where good kings rule and raigne there lawes are obeyed Iudges ought to doo righteous iudgement they ought to accept no persons but iudge according to the lawe of the people they should heare the small and the great alike neither accept the face of the poore nor feare the face of the mightie for that iudgement is the Lordes therefore Iudges are called goddes for the lawe commaundeth that thou shalt not raile vpon the Magistrates neither curse the ruler of the people So Homer saide Ex Ioue sunt reges To that effect dooth Plato likewise say Deus quispiam humanus Rex est What lawe had then Nabuchodonozer to say what GOD is hee that is able to take Iudah out of my hand Or Holofernes to say there was no God but onely his maister Nabuchodonozer such lawes made Domitianus that he would be called Dominus Deus Domitianus What lawe had king Zedechiah to answere his nobles that sought the Prophet Ieremies death take Ieremie and do with him what you list it is not lawfull for me to denie you any thing The like lawe and the like words vsed king Ashuerus to Ammon who sought the destruction of the Iewes throughout all the kingdome of Persia age quod placet do what thou list with the Iewes The like lawes vsed Darius at the request of his Persian Princes to throwe Daniel the Prophet of the Lord to be deuoured of Lyons these are the lawes of tyrants and not of kings to kill the Prophets of the Lord without lawe they forget the lawe of the Lord written by Esay the Prophet Woe be vnto you that make vnrighteous lawes and deuise lawes which are hard to keepe and are not to be kept that thereby the innocents are robbed of iudgement such a lawe made Iezabel for Naboths vineyard with false witnesse These kings like tyrants vse the sword for bloud and not the scepter for iustice like Pharao to whom when Moses alledged all the lawes of the Lord hee said Who is the Lord Nescio dominum I know not the Lord like Lysander of Sparta who said to a Lawier that pleaded lawes and customes on their sides he pleadeth best in lawe which pleadeth with this said Lysander laying his hand on his sword for this penne doth write with bloud Sileant leges inter arma So also Pompey the great said what prattle you to vs of your lawes when wee haue our swordes in our hands Who doth warrant the sword but the lawe who defends the lawe but the sword he that commaunded Peter to put vp his sword in his sheath in mount Oliuet was euen he that commaunded Ioshua to pull his sword out of his sheath to destroy the Canaanites the first commaundement that was giuen to man after the creation was the lawe and vpon breach of the lawe was the sword giuen to reuenge iustice for the Lord is iust for as lawes are made by God and ministred by Angels vnto men so must lawes be obeyed with reuerence and defended with the sword Prudentem dicemus sibi Reipub consulere potentem validum So Plato saith that he is valiant and wise that can both with the sword and the law defend a common-wealth In Egipt it was not lawfull for any heard-man to come within their Temples neither among the Hebrewes was it lawfull for men or women that had any white or blacke spottes somewhat reddish or pale to come among the congregation to the Temple for the priests should pronounce them vncleane So among the Persians by the lawe of their Magi none that had any pimples or red speckes on their face might touch the aultar or offer any sacrifice to their gods for in Persia they had neither Temples nor Images but among the Persians and the Arabians laid fire vpon the aultar in a vessel called Arula and offered frankinsence in sacrifice onely to the sunne for the Gentiles trimmed their aultars diuersly the aultar of Iupiter with Oaken branches the aultar of Appollo with Lawrell the aultar of Bacchus
which are read euery Sabboth day in the Temple After the destruction of the Temple first builded by Salomon the Lord stirred vp Cyrus for the second building of the Temple and to deliuer all the vesselles of golde and siluer which Nabuchodonozer had taken out of the Temple of Ierusalem to be placed againe in the house of the Lord at Ierusalem according to the propâ—… sie of Esay two hundred yeares before Cyrus time After Cyrus Darius and Artaxerxes kings of Persâ—… commaunded in like manner that the Temple which was hindred for a time by meanes of the Samaritans to Cambises and others should be with great diligence bâ—…ded and all the vessels wich king Nabuchodonozer tooâ—… away should be according to Cyrus Darius and Aâ—… erxes three mightie kings of Persia againe restored to Ierusalem Among the Grecians the first day of euery moneth was their Sabboth called among them as among the Iewes Neomenia which they kept most solemnly serued most religiously their gods Among the Romanes the Nones and Ides of euâ—… moneth were their Sabboths and obserued as religious daies on which daies they would commence no batâ—… but as a Sabboth to serue their gods for on the Ides of euery moneth throughout the yeare the Romanes 〈◊〉 great solemnities with diuers sacrifices and religious ceremonies Among the Parthians they obserued the very day that Arsaces ouerthrew Zaleucus to bee theyr Sabboth for that they were restored on that day to theyr libertie by Arsaces which daye they keepe as a religious day and vse great solemnitie in memorie of their libertie The day that Cyrus ouercame the Scythians was one of the Sabboths of the Persians which they call Sacas And an other Sabboth day of the Persians had on the very day that their rebellious Magi were slain that would haue vsurped the kingdome in memory whereof they consecrated a feast called Magophâ—…niah the which day was so solemne a Sabboth among the Persians that it was not lawfull for any of the Magi that day to goe out of his house The victories at Marathon and at Micala ouer the Persians was the Sabboth of the Athenians for among the Heathens the dayes of their victories and triumphs the dayes of their liberties restored and of their feasts were their Sabboths for as it was not lawfull among the Iewes to fight vpoÌ„ the Sabboth day so among the Heathens they straightly obserued their religious dayes as their Sabboth Phillip king of Macedonia vpon the very day that his sonne Alexander was borne got two victories the one was with his Mares in the games of Olympia and the other with his men of armes in Thracia for memorie whereof hee decreed an annuall feast to bee made which was obserued for a Sabboth among the Macedonians The Iewes so obeyed and reuerenced their lawes that they would not breake theyr Sabboth daye in so much that they suffered theyr enemins to kill and ouerthrow them because they would not fight vpon the Sabboth day so did they when they began to build the temple before they would build houses to dwell in or walles to defend them but euery man readie with weapon in one hand for their enemies working with the other hand Nicanor going to strike a fielde with Iud. Machabaeus vppon the Sabboth daye was willed to hallowe the Sabboth who said is there a God mightie in heauen that commands to keepe the Sabboth day and I am mightie on earth that commaund the conâ—…ry but Nicanor lost the battell and his life in the battell and his head his hands and his blasphemous tongue were cut off and hangd on the Pinnacles of the Temple at Ierusalem Nehemias finding some Israelites prophaning the Sabboth day in carrying burthens he tooke them and rebuked them sharply for prophaning of the Sabboth day So straightly the Iewes obserued their lawes that he that gathered but a fewe stickes vpon the Sabboth day was taken and brought to Moses and Moses brought him before the Lorde and sentence of death was giuen vpon him by the Lord for breaking of the Sabboath saying Let him bee stoned to death by the people Such reuerence obedience the Iewes had to Moses lawe that when Alexander the great commaunded the high Priest to aske him whatsoeuer he would haue him to do whereas he might haue had Territories and Countries giuen him hee requested but the liberties and lawes of his Countrey to the poore Iewes that did inhabite within Asia and all the dominions of Alexander So did the Iewes that dwelt in Greece in Asia and in Antioch requested of Zaleucus and Antiochus the great nothing but that they might liue and enioy the benefites of the lawes of their countrey which is the lawe of Moses Neither could the Iewes endure any that would despise theyr lawes for a souldier vnder Cumanus the Romane President for tearing of Moyses bookes in contempt mooued suche sedition that they came armed to Cumanus and claimed to haue iustice executed vpon the souldiers that so despised their law for the tearing of one leafe The like sedition moued an other Romane souldier vpon the feast day of the Iewes by shewing his genitall parts scoffiing and flowting theyr lawes and religion so that Cumanus to satisfie the Iewes put both the Romaines to death to the losse of twentie thousande Iewes by the Romaine Armyes afterwards The Iewes suffered many ouerthrowes most willingly vpon the Sabboth day saying Moriamur omnes because they would resist neither Pompey the great nor Antiochus King of Syria vpon the Sabboth aâ—… the Romaines and the Syrians euer found meaâ—… to fight with the Iewes vppon the Sabboth daye on the which daye Pompey the great tooke Ierusalem Therefore Iud. Machabaeus made a lawe that to fight vppon the Sabboth day in defence of theyr lawes of theyr countreys and of theyr liues was no seruile worke but thought it lawfull to fight vppon the Sabboth daye with Nicanor a blasphemer and an enemie of the Lorde and his Armye and so ouerthrew Nicanor and slew nine thousand of his host so that vpon the Sabboth day any man may do good So Christ aunswered the Israelites for his Disciples beeing accused that they brake the lawe in eating the eares of corne haue you not read what Dauid did when hee was a hungrye to eate the shewe bread which was not lawfull but onely for the Priests So he also answered for himselfe beeing accused of the Israelites that he brake the lawe in healing the 〈◊〉 vpon the Sabboth day Which of you said Christ will not loose his Oxe or his Asse from his cribbe vpon the Sabboth day to water them The Sabboth day is the schoole of the Lord in the which he would haue his people taught and instructed not onely to heare the lawes read vnto them but to learne the lawes and to liue according as the lawe commaundeth them to that ende was man created that hee
poisons being throwne into the seas by Claudius the Emperour his successor so infected the seas that it killed an infinite number of fish which fish being dead the seas cast off to the next shores so by the death of one murtherer most part of the Senators and Knights of Rome escaped from murther and poyson In the time that Clau. Marcellus was Consull in Rome there were found 370. olde auntient women supposed matrons accused and condemned for poysoning so many in Rome that it was thought by the citizens and Senators of Rome that it was a common plague eyther by corruption of the ayre or otherwise that so destroyed the people such rewards haue tyrants For he that killed Saul in Mount Gilboa brought his crowne to Dauid supposing to haue some great reward had the reward of a murtherer commaunded by Dauid to be slaine The like reward had Rechab Banah which brought Isbosheths head to Dauid their reward was to haue their heads and their hands cut off and to be hanged vp ouer the poole in Haebron murther neuer wants his due deserts nor iust rewards Charondas lawe was that he that pulled a mans eye out should loose an other of his owne for it but if a man had but one eye and that were pluckt out Charondas thought the lawe were satisfied if one eye of the offender were lost for it yet the one eyed man by loosing of his eye was depriued of all his sight and therfore sought by the lawe to haue the offender as blinde as he for though hee lost but one eye yet lost hee all his sight and thereby would haue the penaltie of the lawe for his sight and not for the eye and claimed therefore iustice of the lawe against the offender But the lawe of Moses is otherwise that if a man strike his seruant in the eye that his eye perish hee shall let his seruant go free for that he lost his eye also if a man smite out his seruants tooth the lawe is that he shall likewise let his seruant goe free Yet in matters of death Moses lawe is eye for eye member for member life for life bloud for bloud so is the lawe of the twelue Tables Siquis membrum rupit in eum Talio esto So Samuel spake to king Agag the Amalekite as thy sword made many women without children so without children shal be thy mother and cut him in peeces according to Talions lawe Was not Andronicus stript out of his purple cloathing by King Antiochus commaundement for his murther and caused to bee killed in the same very place where he caused the high priest Onias to be slaine the Lordes iust iudgement euer reuengeth innocent bloud Zimri through ambition which is the roote of all mischiefe conspired against his maister Elam and killed him as he was drinking in Samaria How long raigned he seuen dayes after hee was besieged in his owne pallace where he was forced to burne himselfe and his house Zellum through ambition conspired against his maister Zachariah flew him and raigned in his stead but a moneth in Samaria If men looke to the end of kings gouernors and generals more are found betraied slaine by friends seruants in their chambers theÌ„ by the enemies in the field For these be called Cubiculares consiliarij à quibus bâ—…nus cautus imperator venditur Thus is murther euer committed either by couetousnes pride malice enuie or ambition which is chief the very ringleader of murther and treason Was not Saul ambitious when Samuel tolde him that the Lorde had reicted him for his disobedience to say to Samuel yet honour me before the people The Idoll Appollo in Delphos could say no more to Augustus Caesar when he came to know what should become of the Empire of Rome but that an Hebrew childe was borne that commaunded vs to silence yet as Saul spake to Samuel so the Idollspake to Augustus yet depart thou with reuerence from our aultar before the people These wicked mens liues are compared in the booke of Wisedome to a shadowe or to a poste riding in haste on the way or to a ship in the sea whose path cannot be seene or to a fowle flying in the ayre whose steppes cannot be found whose wicked hope is compared to an arrow that is shot and falleth quickly to the ground Was not Absolon ambitious to say I wish that there were some by the king appointed to heare the iust complaint of the people Thus by ambitious meanes he practised secret trecherie against the king his father for the kingdome In the seuenth Regiment is manifested the great zeale of good men where whoredome is punished in many countries and lest vnpunished in other countries with the praise and commendation of chastitie AS you read before in the first fourth regimeÌ„ts how the Egiptians the Lacedemonians the Locreans the Getes affirmed to haue their lawes from Oracles and Diuine powers So Numa Pomp. made the old Romaines beleeue that all the lawes and Religion which he gaue to thepeople were deliuered vnto him by the Nymph Egeria yea euen the verie barbarous Scythians brag that they haue their lawes from their god Zamolxis And as the Turkes at this day confesse that they haue their lawes from Mahomet so many other lawmakers in diuers countries made their people beleeue that they consulted with some diuine powers and were instructed to make their lawes Such therefore is the strength and authoritie of the lawe that Paul calleth the lawe the minister vnto death and yet a schoole maister to know Christ. Plato called lawes the sinewes of a common-wealth Demosthenes a diuine gift Cicero the bands of cities Plutarch the very life of a common-wealth The lawes are as keyes to opeÌ„ vnto vs the way vnto obedience and to know sinne for if the lawe had not commanded me Thou shalt not defile thy neighbours wife I had not knowne adultery to be a sinne There is no offence so grieuously punished by Gods lawe neither by mans lawe as adulterie was euen from the creation in so much that all men defiled themselues with that sinne all flesh corrupted his way Hence grew the Lords anger so great that hee punished the whole worlde with an vniuersall Deluge sauing eight persons after the Deluge for the selfe same sinne the Lorde destroyed the fiue Cities of Palestine with fire and brimstone the Lorde would not haue so filthy a sinne to raigne among his people How was Israel plagued for theyr adulterie with the Moabites with whom the Lorde commaunded that they should not ioyne in marriage and therefore the Lorde commaunded Moses to hang their Princes vp against the Sunne for theyr filthy lust with the Moabites and the women that had lien with men were commaunded by Moses to bee slaine and the Virgines to bee reserued in the warres against the Madianites and Moses was angrie with the Captaines for
was punished with death which lawes by Solon his successor were mittigated Among the Indians though adultery was left vnpunished as it was among the Scythians yet theft was most odious to both these Nations and most sharply to be punished by the lawes of India and Scythia In all countries among all nations theeues were diuersly punished In Egipt the lawe of Bocchoris was such against theft that if the Theefe after hee had stolne any thing had brought his stealth willingly of himselfe vnto the chiefe Priest called Princeps Sacerdotum before he was accused of it he that lost the goods should write the time the day and the houre when it was lost vnto the Priest and should haue again three parts of his goods the theefe should haue the fourth part that stole it for that he confest it before he was accused which is according to Moses lawe that if the theft be found in the theeues hands he shall restore double but if a theefe steale an oxe or a sheepe and kill it or sell it he shall restore fiue oxen for an oxe and foure sheepe for a sheepe for in the ciuil lawe it is written Propter manifestum furtum restituatur quadruplum The Romanes therefore verie carefull hereof kept in their Capitoll dogges quicke for smelling and sent and fed geese for sacrifice to Iuno quicke of hearing lest theeues should rob the Capitoll and so Manliuâ—… by geese saued not only the Capitoll but Rome it selfe from the Gaules Another lawe of Bocchoris that if any were accused falsly of theft in Egipt before a Iudge the lawe was that hee which wrongfully accused the partie should suffer that punishment which was due to him that was accused if he had committed the fault so is Moses lawe that if a false witnesse accuse a man of trespasse beforeâ—… Iudge and be not able to proue it then shall the Iudge do vnto the false witnesse as hee had thought to haue done vnto his brother Charondas made a lawe in fauour and education of Orphants that the wealth and legacies which were left vnto them by their parents should be answered to the Orphants by the next of theyr fathers kindred when they came to age and the Orphants to bee brought vp with the next of their mothers kindred therfore Charondas made this lawe least the fathers kindred or mothers kindred should deceiue the Orphants either by any fraud deceit or guile which is plaine theft The like lawe made Solon in Athens as Charondas made among the Thurians and Carthagineans least any fraude or deceit should bee practised against Infants or Orphants and therefore the Indians vsed none of the kindred or of the bloud of the Orphants but two straungers as tutors and gardens to answere to the pupuls their goods and legacies according to the lawe of India Among the Persians as among the Indians the lawe was that the patrons that deceiued their clients should die for it so was the law of the 12. Tables as wel among the Romanes as among the Grecians Patronus si clienti fraudem fecerit sacer esto The daughters of Zalphod were restored to theyr fathers heritage for the Lord commaunded Moses that hee should turne the inheritance of theyr father vnto them and gaue them a possession to inherit among their fathers bretheren this is the lawe of the Lord if a man die and haue no sonne his inheritance shall turne to his daughter if hee haue no daughter to his bretheren if hee haue no bretheren to his fathers bretheren Among the Arabians the lawe was that the eldest brother was allowed to the inheritance before the eldest sonne In Aethiopia in like manner not the kings children but his brothers childreÌ„ should succeed him in the kingdome Among the Lycians also the daughters and not the sonnes should be their fathers heires neither were they named after their fathers name but after their mothers name This is against Voconius lawe in Rome called Plaebiscita for that he was Tribune of the people by the which law it was lawful that no woman should haue though she were the onely daughter of her father but the fourth part and because women grew so rich by patrimonie and by legacies Domitianus the Emperour confirmed Voconius lawe and made a decree that no defamed woman should possesse the heritage of her father neither should she be carried in a coach were shee euer so great or so rich for the lawe was Nequis etiam census vnicam relinqueret filiam haeredem contrarie to the law of the 12. Tables which was that the Testator might dispose of his goods as pleased himselfe according to the lawe Vti legasset suae reiquisque ita ius esto Therefore the lawe commaunds iust and true dealings to be exercised and embraced as well in words as in deedes for negatiue commaundements include in themselues affirmatiues as Thou shalt doo no murther therefore thou must aide and helpe thy neighbour wherefore we must loue our neighbours in heart and wish them no more harme then to our selues and shewe the same in word and deed Such loue was in Moses and in Paul that the one wished to be put out of the booke of life to saue the people from destruction the other of meere loue wished to be accursed for their bretheren to do them good Such is the nature of perfect loue that Abraham prayed for the Zodomites and Moses for Pharao and the Egiptians though they were wicked people for that is the lawe loue your enemies and do good to them that hate you So Stephen the first martyr following the example of his maister Christ prayed for them that stoned him for all vertues haue their force power from praiers faith is strengthened by praiers loue confirmed by praiers and repentance continued by praiers In the eleuenth RegimeÌ„t is described the diuers kinds of thefts of vsurie and slaunder and of lawes prouided for the punishment of the same THe lawe commaundeth Thou shalt not steale which containeth not onely all kinde of falsehood fraude and deceit as before is spoken but also iustice equitie charitie and conscience Such was the iustice of Abraham to his nephew Lot that though their seruants contended and fell out yet they both agreed for Abraham vsed great iustice diuided their portions equally into two parts and gaue the choosing thereof to Lot The like iustice was betweene Iacob and his father in lawe Laban seperate thou or I said Iacob all the sheepe which haue great spots and little spots and all blacke lambes among the sheepe shall be my portion and wages and euery one that is not black nor 〈◊〉 ted among the sheepe and the lambes shall be the 〈◊〉 to me for my righteousnes shall answere for me Thus were they in auncient time instructed by the law of nature to loue one another and to vse iustice and charitie A Heathen man could say almost so
very ceremoniall Philosopher he made a law that no man should go about to corrupt iustice or iudgement either by periurie false witnesse or otherwise and the punishment for those that brake Zaleucus lawe was not redeemed with money but performed with shame and infamy paines and tortures And therefore Bocchoris made the like lawe in Egipt against periurers and false witnesses as against those that brake their professed faith and religion towardes God and violated their faith and bond of societie towards man with no lesse punishment then with death Artaxerxes so hated lyes that hee made a decree among the Persians that whosoeuer were found proued a lyar should haue his tongue set vnto a poste or a pillar in the market place fastned with three nailes thervnto The lawes of Moses to the Israelites against any great offence was to stone them to burne them or to run vpon them The lawes of the Indians against false witnesse was to cut off the endes of all his fingers from his hands and the ends of all his toes from his feete The lawes of the Persians as you heard by Cambises and Darius was fleying and hanging against false witnesses and corrupt Iudges as you read of Sandoces and Sinetes The punishment of false witnesse by the Turkes was and is executed in this sort that hee shall bee set on a Mule with his face backwards holding the tayle of the Mule for a bridle in his hand and so to bee carried round about through euery streete of the towne and after burned in the forehead with two letters as a marke of false witnesse By the lawe of the 12. Tables among the Romanes he that was conuicted for a false witnesse should bee throwne headlong downe frō the rocke Tarpeia which lawe was first exercised and executed in Egipt and a long time after brought from Athens to Rome For the law among the Egiptians was that false wie nesses should pe punished with the like death The Indians had the like lawe as the Persians had that if any man were found three times a lyar what state soeuer he were of he should be neither magistrate nor officer during his life but should be depriued of all honour and credit and lead his life priuate in silence and yet among the Egiptians lyes were left without lawes vnpunished The lawes of all countries were sharpe and seuere against rebellious seruants and false witnesses which like seditious serpents seeke secretly to forsake and defraude their maister both in word and deed And therefore the testimonie of the seruant against their maister by the lawe of Romulus among the auntient Romanes was not admitted so that many of the late Emperours of Rome made a decree that those seruants that would accuse their maisters should be slaine as vngratefull and trecherous seruants So did Sylla vse Sulpitius seruant for betraying of his maister though Sulpitius was Syllas enemie This continued vntil punishments were set downe and appointed by lawe for crimes and offences by seruants as carrying a forke made like a gallowes on his shoulders or with Paucicapa or burning markes in the foreheads as the Syracusans vsed to burne their bondseruants in the forehead with the print of a horse to note them as their owne bond-slaues Melius enim est vitiosas partes sancare quà m execare For the lawe doth respect no person otherwise then by iustice lawes then were made how much and how farre the authorities of maisters extended ouer their seruants Among the Lacedemonians the lawe of Licurgus was so austere that it was lawfull for their maisters to kill those wicked wilfull seruants that would practise either by word or deed any falsehood against their maisters Alexander in his great furie against all lawes slew Calistenes his seruant and Philosopher for some sharpe and quick words yet Calistenes spake but what he ought to speake but not how he ought to speake Quae debebat dicebat sed non quomodo debebat Calistenes though a Philosopher yet hee forgot this lesson Facile prsse loqui cum Rege sed non de Rege Heerein that which was spoken of Hanibal may be spoken of Alexander Armis vicit vitijs victus But better could Anaxarchus flatter Alexander then Calistenes lamenting the dearh of Clitus whom he slew in his furie Art thou ignorant king Alexander said Anaxarchus how auntient wise men caused the Image of Iustice to stand by Iupiter that whatsoeuer Iupiter had decreed it was taken for a lawe for that Iustice was on his side The like speech may bee spoken of Iulia procuring her sonne in lawe to offend with her Doest thou not know thou art an Emperor which makest law to others and makest it not to thy selfe A lawe was made in Athens not onely against seruants but against any trecherous man whatsoeuer were he neuer so great that though hee died in his countrey yet should he not be buried in his countrey but be carried out of the confines of Athens so was Phocion and others that were suspected of any treason An other law among the Grecians was that he which prodigally and wilfully consumed his fathers patrimonie should not be buried within his owne countrey of Greece so those kings of Egipt that neither obeyed nor liued vnder the lawe while they liued should not be buried in their Pyramides so were some of the kings of Iudah and of Israel vnburied for breaking of the lawe There was a lawe made by king Agis in Sparta that the seruants called Hilotae for their rebellious sedition against their maisters were condemned to be in perpetuall seruitude neither might their maisters make them free in Sparta neither might the seruaunts goe out of Sparta but liue there like bondslaues and their posteritie after them which should be called Hilotae Oportes enim supplicia more patrio sumi offenders most be punished as Aristotle saith after the lawes and custome of the country The like law made Salomon against Semeia for that he tooke part with Absalon against the King railed and slaundered Dauid and threw stones at him that if hee should but once goe out of Ierusalem he should die for it by the sentence of Salomon And so in Athens the like lawe was made that those that the Athenians ouercame at the riuer Hister they and theyr posteritie should be as captiues and bondslaues in perpetuall bondage with one name giuen to them and theyr posteritie called Getae as Hilotae were in Sparta Among the Persians their lawe was that the seruant being bought with money that fled afterwards from his maister beeing taken hee should be fettered and bound in chaines and so bound to serue his maister False witnesses are lyars periurers and blasphemers either with periured tongues for a mans life or with slaunderous tongues for his name and good fame calling God to be witnesse of vntruth so the false prophets and priests of Baal did whom Elias
the Heathens Alex. Neapolit genial lib. 3 cap. 16. Ioseph lib. 4. cap. 8. The wise and graue Iudges in diuers countries Diod. sic lib. 2. cap. 3. Exod. 20. Lawes of all natioÌ„s against disobedient children Deut. 21. Esau. Gen. 27. Gen 31. The corruption of Iudges Ophnes and Phinees Good parents haue ill children 1. Reg. 16. 1. Reg. 24. The care of the Hebrues to keepe Moses lawe Deut. 6. Godese lib. 2. cap. 6. Alex. Neapolit lib. 6. cap. 14 Platoes lawe Markes of monuments and couenants by Ioshua Iacob and Samuel Gent. 31. The care of the Kings of Persia to bring vp their children Charondas lawe sxr education of children Plato in Alcibiad Alex. Neapol lib. 6. cap. 25. Nehemiae cap. 8. 10. Plato Anacharsis order for the youth in Greece Ioseph lib. 10. cap. 11. The Romanes care for theyr children Cic. de diuin 1. Charondas lawe Bocchoris lawes The care of the Hebrew women in naming and in nursing their children Iacob Iob. Dauid Phillip Agamemnon Antigonus Troglodites called Antinomi The carelesse nature of the Troglodites Atlantes for their children Atlantes called Anomi Manlius remoued from the Senate house Epicarmus punished Eccle. 30. Licurgus appointed schoole maisters in Spartâ—… called Paedonomi The lawe of the Brâ—…chmanes for their children in India Orators and Poets contended in Greece The names of lawe makers magistrates in diuers couÌ„tries Gene. 4. Blood the first witnesse against murther C ham was accursed Deut. 1â—… The second murtherer in scripture Gene. 27. Ioseph threatned to be killed Foure witnesses against murtherers Iacob fledde from Esau. The enuie of Saul towards Dauid Three kindes of murther 3. Reg 21. Iob. 20. Psal. 93. Math. 2. Sap. 6. 2. Reg. 11. Punishment vpon Cain and others by the law of nature Esd. li. 4. ca. 16. Murtherers haue theyr markes How Paracides were punished in Rome Alex. Neapol Genial lib. 3. cap. 5. Bocchoris lawes in Egipt for murther Diod. sic lib. 2. No law made against Paracides neither by Romulus nor Solon Platoeslaw for the man that kild himselfe Caligula Oros. li. 7. ca 5 Oros. lib. 3. cap. 10. Diuers horrible murtherers punished Charondas lawe Exod. 21. The law of the 12. Tables like Moses lawe Andronicus killed Zimri 3. Reg. 15. Zellum 4. Reg. 15. Curtis 9. Vopisc in Aurel Saul Absolon Plut. in Numa The Gentiles confirm their lawes by authoritie of Oracles from their gods The fiue cities called Pentapolis destroyed The Israelites plagued for their sin with the Moabites Nomb. 13. 4. Reg. 10. The commendation and reward of godly zeale Ephes. cap. 6. Example of adultery in diuers countries punished Gen. 1â—… Iudic. 19. Gen. 34. Lawes in diuers countries against adultery Bocchoris lawe against adultery Charondas lawe against adultery Arist. 5. polit Demosthenes aduersus Leptin Plato de leg Zaleucus lawes against adultery Fla. vobise in Aureliano Punishment of adultery by Aurelianus and Macrinus both Emperors of Rome Capitolin in vita Macrini Time hath euer bene appointed for godly men to effect theyr purpose The lawe Paratilmus against adultry The opinion of diuers Philosophers concerning adultery Alex. Neapol lib. 1. cap. 24. Diod. sic lib. 2. cap. 6. Moses lawe against bastardâ—… Gen. 49. Gen. 30. Lawe of nature Gen. 3â—… Leuit. 19. Lawes of nations against bastards Deut. 22. Deut. 22. Bocchoris law for a woman with childe Exod. 21. The lawe of the vnshod house Deut. 25. The lawe of Moses against an adulteresse Cortini Pisidae Casaluion Summaenium Xerxes offred rewards to inuent pleasures Laert. in Solone Haniball Scypio Commendation of chastitie Alexander Dioclesian Sext. Ruffinus Front lib. 4. cap. 1. L. Consensu C. de repud lib. 1. cap. 2. Leges conuiuales Sapien. 2. Vertuous and good lawes were so honored that they were sent for froÌ„ one countrey to an other Philadelphus Ioseph lib. 12 cap. 2. Alex. Neapol genial lib. 4. cap. 7. Sinister means of the Gentiles to become chaste Toby 3. Examples of chastitie in good women Iedith 10. 1â—… Neomâ—…nia Prou 7. The harme that hapneth by too much libertie Prou. 6. Gene. 12. The offence of the eye Math. 14. Aqua Mercurij Mary Magdalene People called Animphi and Abij Gymnosophists The lawe of 12. tables for chastitie Deut. 23. Val. Max. li. 6. cap. 1. Cic. de leg 3. Continuance of lawes in all countries Ioseph lib. 1. ca. 3. de Antiq. The Tabernacle hidden by Ieremy 2. Macab 2. Egiptians Lacedemonians The care and diligence of all nations in keeping their lawes Alex. Neapol genial lib. 3. cap. 16. Athenians Chron. Turcor Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 3. Iudges appointed in all countries to execute lawes Of counsell and gouernment of women Aristot. 〈◊〉 polit â—…ap 7. Plato in Alcib Alex. Neapol lib. cap. 3. Cic. de leg lib. 2. The Athenians sent to Delphos Leuit. 19. Achan stoned to death for theft Ioshua 7. 3. Reg. 13. Num. 15. The law of the Lorde for breach of his lawes Malac. 1. Nadab and Abihu The lawe of Zaleucus for breach of the lawe Thueyd lib. 6. August apud Dyon 3. The seueritie of L. Papirius for breach of the lawe Front li. 4. ca. 1 Plato de Rep. 5. Diocles lawe Diocles killed himselfe to satisfie his owne lawe Licurgus banished himselfe The credit of Pythagoras and Aristotle with theyr schollers Plato de Rep. 5. The Israelites sacrificed their children to Moloch 3. Reg. 1â—… Luk. 8. The disobedience of man against God Psal. 141. Cic. de leg 3. Liui. lib. 6. The fraud of Giezi plainâ—… theft Leuit. 19. The vision of the flying booke Zaâ—…h 5. Cato Censorius de re militari Foure that robd the temple Cic. de natura deor lib 3. Dyonisius A lawe called Plagium The seuere lawes of the Phrygians against theft The lawes of Draco in Athens against theft The lawe of Bocchoris in Egipt against theft Diod. sic lib. 2. cap. 3. Exod. 22. Bocchoris lawe against theft Deut. 19. Charondas lawe in fauour of Orphants Solons law for Orphants and Infants Alex. Neapol lib. 6. cap. 10. The daughters of Zalphod restored to their fathers inheritance Nomb 27. Voconius law Alex. Neapol lib. 6. cap. 15. Exod. 32. Effect of loue and praiers Gen. 18. Gen. 22. Gen. 13. Gen. 3. Cic. de finibus 5. The effects of lawes in inward and outward obedience Edictum principis The lawe of the 12. Tables against theft An other lawâ—… of the twelue Tables Exod. 22. Iulius lawe against theft Bocchoris lawes Theft left vnpunished by Licurgus lawe Bocchoris law against vsurie Illiad 1. Solons lawe against vsurie called Sysacthia Diod. sic lib. 2 cap. 3. Zeteta Solons lawe Lucullus and Caro bannished vsurie Alex. Neapol lib. 1. cap. 7. Licurgus Moses lawe against vsurie Deut. 23. Math. 18. Solons lawe against nick-names Catapygos Obscessor viaâ—…um Bocchoris law Leuit. 19. Psal. 33. Xenoph. 1. Paed. Iames cap. 3. Pro. 13. Platoes lawe Suet. in Augusto Achisophel Slanderous tongues practised mischief Tacit. 1. annal Pleto de Repub 5. Cic. pro Milone Cic. de leg lib. 1. Alex. Neapolit 5. cap. 1. Plato in 〈◊〉 Deut. 19. Prou. 19. 24. Psal. 101. Deut. 27. Diuers false Prophets of Baal reproued by Michaeas and Elias 80. of Baals Priests reproued Suzanna Naboth stoned to death by false witnes Stephen the first martyr Paul Act. 24. False witnesse against Christ our sauiour Mar. Cato Aristophantes Zaleucus lawe against false witnesse Bocchoris law Diod. fic lib. 2. cap. 3. Alex Neapol lib. cap. 10. The Turkes punishment of false witnes The lawe of the 12. Tables Indians Lawes against rebellious seruants Alex Neapol lib. 3. cap. 20. Paucicapa a kind of punishment Cic. ad Attic. Epist. 1. Licurgus lawâ—… Plut. in Alex. Alex. Neapol lib. 6. cap. 14. Hilotae Arist lib. 5. Polit cap. 11. 〈◊〉 Deut. 19. The lawe of the 12. tables against slaunderers Alex Neapolit 6. cap. 10. Leuit. 9. Oathes Of oathes Amos. 8. Gen. 24. Of the maner of oathes among the Hebrewes Gen. 27. Gen. 22. 1. Reg. 25. 3. Reg. 17. Galath 1. Coloss. 1. Plato de leg lib. 12. The pride of Ammon Abimelech Absolon Many great meÌ„ ambitious The nature of ambition Iudic. 9. The end of ambitious meÌ„ Plato de leg 9. Stobaeus Sermo Numb 16. Numb 12. Zaleucus law against ambitious men The lawe Petalismus against ambitious men Cai. Petilius Cincius lawes against ambition in Rome Alex. Neapol lib. 4. cap. 3. Cie de leg li. 3 Arist lib. 3. polit cap. 〈◊〉 The lawe Ostracismus in Athens against ambitious Arist. 5 poliâ—… cap. 11. Amzitious kings of Egipt might not be buried Diod. sic lib. 〈◊〉 cap. 3. The lawe of the people Pedalij to iustice Alex. Neapol lib. 6. cap. 17. Appollonius and Socrates wishes The Image of Iustice c. The picture of ambition without legs Cic. proplanâ—… Luk 17. Sebna Achab. Nimrod Plato in Apol. The pride and ambition of Antiochus Ammon Hercules Achilles The lawe of Thrasibulus in Athens called Amnestia Alex Neapol lib. 6. cap. 23. Draco strangled in Egina Perillus died by those torments which he inuented Arist. polit lib. 3. cap. 3. Tib. Caesar. Tacit. 1. Annal. Lamp in Alex. Lamp in Alex The lawe of the Indian Philosophers Diod. sic lib. 3. Alex. Neapolit lib. 4. ca. 10. The first lawe of Romulus called Lex Curiata The second lawe in Rome called Senatus Consultus Plato Plyni Paneg. Alex. Neapol lib 4. cap. 11. Illiad 1. Alex. Neapol lib. 6. cap. 14. What the Senators might do without the people Plut. in Pomp. Gracchus law called Lex agraria Platos lawes 28. Senators in Sparta 30. Senators of Carthage called Conipodes Aristocratia changed to Menarchia 〈◊〉 Sam. cap. 8. Kings deposed in Sparta by the Ephori Platos lawe Cic de diuin lib. 1. Consuls remoued in Rome from their office Lex Auguralis Alex. Neapol lib. 5. cap. 19. Leuit. 19. Cic. de diuin lib. 2. Diod. sic lib. 3. cap. 10. Cic de diuin lib. 1. Tacit. annal 3
much Prudentia non vult falli nec fallere potest that a wise man neither can nor will be deceiued In like sort Thou shalt not commit adultery and therefore the lawe commandeth men to be chast sober and temperate both in bodie and minde for the lawe requireth inward and outward obedience as well in Angels as in men for outward euil springs from inward corruption Murther proceeds from hatred and malice of the heart Adultery commeth from wicked and filthie lust of the heart Theft is falshood and fraude in the heart to steale other mens goods therefore to do or to wish any thing against the lawe is sinne for the lawe is spirituall and he that is not subiect to the lawe saith Paul is subiect to the wrath of the Lorde for by the lawe we know our sinnes and in the lawe consisteth the knowledge of our life for the Lord hath decreed a necessiti◅ of obedience to the lawes of ciuil Magistrates for it is said Inuictae leges necessitatis and though the law doth accuse all men yet the lawe doth freely promise with a condition of obedience as the Gospell promiseth with a conditiō of faith for as by the lawe we see as in a glasse the corruption of nature and deformitie of sinne so by the lawe we are taught what is to be done and by the Gospell how things ought to be done Among the Romaines for the space of 300. yearer welnigh after the building of Rome they had no lawes written but Ius regis before they sent for the lawe of the 12. Tables from Athens which law was so obscure that they brought Hermadorus from Greece to Rome to interpret the lawes of the 12. Tables which lawe against theft was so seuerely executed that it was lawfull to kill a theefe that would not yeld especially in the night time for the lawe was Sifurtum sit factum nocte si eum aliquis occidit iure caesus esto if a theefe be found breaking any mans house in the night time be smitten to death no bloud must be shead for him which is also Moses law except the sunne be vp when he is found but if a theefe were taken in the day time with his theft with him hee was by the lawe of the 12. Tables to become his slaue and bondman of whom he stole it to be vsed as pleased the partie all his life time after An other lawe of the twelue Tables against other iniuries was that if any mans seruant had stolne any thing or his beast had done harme or endamaged his neighbour or a straunger he was to yeeld his seruant or his beast that so offended to the party grieued and so by the lawe of the 12. Tables the maister of the seruant was free for a theefe that cannot make restitution for his theft must be solde according to Moses lawe The seuerest lawe among the Romanes was Lex Iulia which appointed iust punishment for treason adulterie and theft by Lex Iulia in Rome theft was as seuerely punished as adulterie and adulterie punished as treason for the lawe saith a man must not robbe for theeues are accursed men must haue no conuersation with theeues Also there was a lawe in Lycia that if a free man should steale any thing he should loose his freedome and become a bond-seruant to him of whome hee stole it and by the lawe of Lycia neuer after to recouer his libertie but to liue as a bondman all his life time Bocchoris lawe in Egipt was that if any wayfaring man finde a man in daunger of his life and so to be slain by theeues and robbers and not helpe him eyther by his sloathfulnesse or negligence if he could hee was by the lawe of Bocchoris guiltie of death because hee did not ayde and helpe him with all meanes possible hee could Againe if a man were robd by theeues on the way though he were not killed and not rescued of any that could and neglecting to follow after the theeues hee or they by the lawe of Bocchoris were punished and beaten with a certaine number of stripes and kept without victualls three daies Licurgus made no lawes in Sparta against theft for it was lawfull by Licurgus lawe among the Lacedemonians to vse theft vnlesse the partie were taken with the theft which if he were he should be seuerely punished following the maner and custome of the Egiptians and the old Germanes which had no lawe written against theft but left vnpunished and therfore there is no transgression where there is no lawe There was then and is now a greater kinde of theft then stealing among diuers nations which is vsurie forbidden by the lawes of God as well as theft for before Bocchoris lawe which banished vsurie the lawe was in Egipt that the creditors might arrest the bodies of the dead for debts and that they should be vnburied till the depts were paid Pecunia est enim anima sanguis mortalibus which lawe was abrogated by Bocchoris that debts onely should be paid of the goods of the debters and not their bodies to be imprisoned for that they should be alwaies readie for defence of their countrey and not imprisoned either for debt or vsurie Solon brought this lawe from Egipt vnto Athens and called it Sysacthia against vsurers This lawe was after executed in the market place of Athens by Agis who extreamely hated vsurie where hee burnt all the vsurers writing tables of which fire Agesilaus was wont to say that he neuer lawe a better fire in Egipt Persia nor in Greece then when Agis burnt all the writing tables of the vsurers in the market place at Athens for before Solon brought this law from Egipt vnto Athens dead mens bodies might be arrested and an actiō might be had before the magistrate called Zeteta for satisfaction of debts in Athens Therefore Solons lawe was that no man should credit the sonne while the father liued to auoyd further daungers least the sonne should practise against the father which children do vse against their parents the law was that he which would c◅dit the sonne during the life of the father should haue no action against the son after the fathers death So hatefull was vsurie among welnigh all nations that where punishment of theft was but double punishment of vsurie was quadruple and therfore Lu. Genutius Tribune of the people in Rome abrogated former lawes of vsurie in Rome Lucullus in his victorie ouer Asia among other Romanie lawes which hee gaue them set all Asia free and at libertie from vsurie So Cato made a lawe that no vsurer should dwell within the prouince of Cicilia So also Licurgus made a lawe to bannish vsurie so farre from Sparta that it should neuer be named nor spoken of within Sparta The lawe of Moses among the Hebrewes was Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother as vsurie of