away from him and so ended his life Act. Mon. Morgan Bishop of Saint Davids who condemned the blesse Martyr Master Farrar and unjustly usurped his Bishoprick not long after was stricken by God after a most strange sort his meat would not go down but pick up again sometimes at his mouth sometimes blown out of his nose most horrible to behold and so he continued till he died Master Leyson also who was Sheriffe at Master Farrars burning having fetched away his cattel and put them into his own grounds divers of them would never eat meat but lay bellowing and roaring and so died Act. Mon. Doctor Duning Chancellour of Norwich a bloody persecutor in Queen Maries dayes was suddenly taken sitting in his chaire and died Act. Mon. Berry Commissary of Norfolke another bloody persecutor as he was walking with one of his Concubines fell down suddenly with an heavy groan and never stirred after A persecuting suffragan of Dover having been with Cardinal Poole for his blessing coming out of the Cardinals Chamber fell down the staires and brake his neck Act. Mon. Bishop Thornton a cruel persecutor also as he was looking upon his men at bowles upon the Sabbath-day fell suddenly into a Palsey and being carried to his bed and willed to remember the Lord Yea so I do said he and my Lord Cardinal too and so he died Act. Mon. Doctor Jeffery Chancellour of Salisbury a wretched persecutor having appointed to call before him ninety honest persons to examine them by inquisition the day before being looking upon his buildings fell down suddenly dead Act Mon. See more of these in my two Martyrologies It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you And to them which are troubled rest 2 Thes. 1. 6 7. Dicetur reprobis Ite Venite probis CHAP. V. Examples of the wicked lives and woful deaths of many of the Popes and Popelings THat Rome is Babylon and the Pope Antichrist are things now so evident and notorious that few question it but that so many thousands which live under the Romish jurisdiction should abide in so grosse ignorance as to continue courting that old and withered strumpet may justly seeme a marvell were it not that the common people are kept in such miserable ignorance being deprived of the soul-enlightning Word of God and enjoyned to pin their faith on the Priests sleeve And the more knowing sort of them are by Gods just judgement given over to strong delusions to believe a lie as the Apostle Paul long since foretold 2 Thes. 2. 11. which prophecie as it is in many other things fulfilled so especially in these prodigious blasphemies which are not onely published but believed and entertained with great applause among them Many instances might be given but take one onely in stead of all wherein they affirme that Christ imprinted his five wounds upon Francis of Assise the Freir as if he also were to suffer for the world and redeem mankinde whereupon Tursellin the Jesuite made these Verses Exue Franciscum tunicâ laceróque cucullo Qui Franciscus erat jam modo Christus erit Francisci exuviis siqualicet indue Christum Jam Franciscus erit qui modo Christus erat Strip Francis from his coat and cowle all nak't and you shall see He that even now St. Francis was to Christ will turned be Again put Francis coat and cowle on Christ and marke the lier He that even now Christ Jesus was will Francis be the Frier But that you may the better see what manner of persons the Popes themselves have been what their lives and what their deaths reade these Examples following Pope Joane whose proper name was Gilberta a Dutch woman cloathing her self in mans apparel and attaining to learning procured to be chosen Pope under the name of John the eighth who afterwards playing the whore fell in travel in the time of a solemne procession and died thereof since which time the Cardinals shun that place in all their processions Simps Pope Stephen the sixth so envied the name of his predecessor Formosus that he abrogated and dissolved all his decrees caused his body to be taken up cutting off two fingers of his right hand which he commanded to be cast into the River Tybur and then buried him in a private Sepulchre Simps Pope John the eleventh kept for his Paramour a famous strumpet called Marozia by whom afterwards he was smothered with a pillow that so her son might attaine to the Popedome Simps Pope John the thirteenth was a whoremaster an adulterer incestuous a gamester and extortioner Of some of his Cardinals he put out their eyes from some he cut out their tongues some their fingers some their noses and privy members He ordained Deacons in a Stable committed incest with two of his sisters at Dice he called to the devil for help and dranke an health to him for money made boyes Bishops lay with his fathers Concubine ravished maides and wives lay with his own mother made his Palace a Stews at length being found in the act of adultery was slaine by the womans husband Simps Pope Silvester the second was a great Conjurer and by the help of the devil obtained the Popedome He enquiring of the devil how long he should live was answered Till he should say Masse in Jerusalem In the Lent after as he was saying Masse in the Chappell of Saint Crosse he suddenly fell sick and remembering that that Chappel was called Jerusalem he perceived how he was cousened by the devil He commanded his Cardinals that after his death they should cut his body in peeces and so bury him having before bequeathed his soul to the devil It is commonly reported that by the ratling of his bones in his tombe is portended the death of the Pope Simps Pope Benedict the ninth attained to the Popedome by Magick and practised inchantments and conjuration in woods after an horrible manner and by magical Art used to allure women to his lust and being in fear of the Emperour whom he had much abused sold his Popedome for fifteen hundred pound weight of gold and going into a Forrest to practise his sorceries the more privately the devil strangled him to death Simps Pope Gregory the sixth scholar to Silvester and as great a Conjurer as his Master after many horrible mischiefs committed was banished Rome and ended his life most miserably in Germany Balleus Pope Hildebrand attaining to his Papacy by unlawful means set the whole Christian world into a combustion As he rose out of his seat to excommunicate the Emperour Henry the fourth his seat being newly made of great timber rent and shivered in peeces Afterwards he hired one to knock the Emperour on the head as he was at prayers Enquiring of the Hoast for an answer against the Emperour because it would not speak he threw it into the fire and burnt it and after many such outragious villainies he was deposed and banished after which
were not so and according to his wish so it befell him at Saint Peters Monastery in Erforâ—s Anno 1148. Luther on 1 Cor. 15. reports of one in Germany of a most wicked life who at almost every word he spake the devil was at one end Now it happened on a time as he was passing over a bridge he fell down and as he was falling cried out Hoist up with an hundred devils which was no sooner spoken but the devil whom he called on so oft was at his elbow to strangle and carry him away with him Another story he relates of a Popish Priest once a Professour of the truth but now an Apostate who thundered out many bitter curses against Luther at a place called Ruthnerwald and amongst other passages wished if Luthers doctrine were true that a thunderbolt might strike him to death Now three dayes after there arose a mighty tempest with thunder and lightning whereat the cursing Priest being affrighted having a guilty conscience within him ran hastily to the Church and there fell to his prayers before the Altar but Gods vengeance pursued him and by a flash of lightning he was struck dead and though they recovered life in him again yet as they carried him home in the Church-yard another flash of lightning burnt him from the head to the foot as black as a shoe whereby he immediately died Anno Christi 1551. there lived in a City of Savoy a man who was a monstrous swearer and curser and though he was often admonished and blamed for it yet would by no meanes mend his manners At length a great plague happening in the City he withdrew himself with his wife and a kinswoman into a Garden which he had where being again admonished to give over his wickednesse he hardened his heart more swearing blaspheming God and giving himself to the devil and immediately the devil snatched him up suddenly his wife and kinswoman looking on and carried him quite away The Magistrates advertised hereof went to the place and examined the two women who justified the truth of it At Oundle in Northampton-shire there was one William Hacket who used in his earnest talke thus to curse himself If it be not true let God send a visible confusion upon me which wish of his came to passe for falling into abominable errours he called himselfe Christ and Judge of the world for which he was hanged in the thirty third year of Queen Elizabeth in Cheapside At Oster in the Dutchy of Magalaâ—ole a wicked woman used in her cursings to give her selfe body and soul to the devil and being reproved for it she still contined the same till being at a wedding-feast the devil came in person and carried her up into the aire with most horrible out-cries and roarings and in that sort carried her round about the towne that the inhabitants were ready to die with fear and by and by tore her in foure peeces leaving her foure quarters in four several high-wayes and then brought her bowels to the marriage-feast and threw them upon the table before the Major of the town saying Behold these dishes of meat belong to thee whom the like destruction waiteth for if thou doest not amend thy wicked life At Wittenberg before Martin Luther and others a woman whose daughter was possessed with a spirit confessed that being angry she bid the devil take her and that she had no sooner spoken the word but she was possessed after a strange sort In a towne in Misnia Sep. 11. Anno 1552. a cholerick father seeing his sonne slack about his businesse wished that he might never stirre from that place which he had no sooner spoken but his son stuck fast indeed nor could by any meanes possible be removed no not so much as to fit or bend his body till by the prayers of the faithful his paines were mitigated though not remitted three yeares he continued so standing with a post at his back for his ease and four years sitting at the end whereof he died nothing weakned in his understanding but professing the faith and not doubting of his salvation through Jesus Christ when at any time he was asked how he did his answer usualy was that he was fastened of God and that it was not in man to release him At Noeburg in Germany a woman in her anger cursed her sonne wishing that she might never see him return alive and the same day the young man bathing himselfe in water was drowned so that as she wished it befel her This is the curse which goeth forth over the face of the whole world I will bring it forth saith the Lord and it shall enter into the house of the thiefe and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and it shall remaine in the middest of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and with the stones thereof Zach. 5. 3 4. CHAP. XXVII Examples of Gods judgements upon Hereticks and Schismaticks IT is just with God that they which will not have truth their King and willingly obey it should have falsehood their Tyrant to whom their judgements should be captivated and enslaved hence iâ— is that as errors in practice are like a fretting Leprosie of a contagious and spreading nature so errors in judgements are very diffusive also A little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. 5. 6. and hereticks false doctrines fâ—et like a Gangrene 2 Tim. 2. 17. for no opinion is so monstrous but if it have a mother it will get a nurse wofull experience in these times wherein the golden reines of Government are wanting doth clearly evince the truth hereof But yet the Lord doth seldome suffer the Authors and chiefe fomentors of Heresies and Schismes even in this world to go unpunished as will fully appear in these ensuing examples An heretick is one that erres in a necessary doctrine of faith and being sufficiently admonished wilfully persists therein Tit. 3. 10. Called Foxes Cant. 2. 15. Dogs Phil. 3. 12. men of corrupt mindes 1 Tim. 6. 5. Reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. teachers for lucre sake Tit. 3. 11. Seducing spirits 1 Tim. 4. 1. men of seared consciences 1 Tim. 4. 2. Deceitfull workers Phil. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 13. Teachers of perverse things Act. 20. 30. enemies to the Crosse of Christ Phil. 3. 18. Heresie is called Leaven Luk. 12. 1. Wood hay stubble 1 Cor. 3. 12. Windy Doctrine Eph. 4. 4. Damnable Doctrine 2 Pet. 2. 1. Mystery of iniquity 2 Thes. 2. 7. Contrary to sound Doctrine 1 Tim. 1. 10. Doctrine of devils 1 Tim. 4. 1. Doctrine of men Col. 2. 22. Dissenting from wholesome Doctrine 1 Tim. 6. 3. Perverse disputings 1 Tim. 6. 5. a word that eats like a Gangrene 2 Tim. 2. 17. Erring from the truth 2 Tim. 2. 8. Strange Doctrine Heb. 13. 9. Root of bitternesse Heb. 12. 15. which should not be taught Tit. 1. 11. Doctrine of Balaam and Nicholaitans Rev. 2. 14 15. a work of
against our Religion Doctor Bennet Chancellor of London objected it as an hainous crime against one Richard Butler that divers times he did erroneously and damnably read in a great book of Heresie meaning the Bible certaine Chaptâ—rs of the Evangelists in English containing in them divers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresie Act. Mon. The Jesuites at Dole in France set up an Edict publickly wherein they forbad all talke of God either in good sort or in bad Francis Ximenius Cardinal of Toledo in his preface before the Bible set forth at Complutum saith that he set the vulgar Latine between the Hebrew and the Greeke as Christ was set betwixt two theeves Jeroboam made Priests of the vilest of the people and indeed the vilest of the people if they were but men were too good to make Priests for Jeroboams gods which were but Calves Tecelius the Popes Agent in Germany perswaded the ignorant and common people that assoone as their tenne shillings which was the price of an indulgence ting'd in the Basin any friend they would name should be immediately delivered out of Purgatory etiamsi per impossibile matrem Dei vitiâsset Coâ— O-Neale Earle of Ulster in Ireland curâ—ed all his posterity in case they either learned to speake English or sowed wheat or built houses often saying that by these meanes they would make themselves slaves to the English Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 120. The wilde Irish account it no shame to commit robberies which they practise every where with exceeding cruelty and when they go to robbe they power out their prayers to God that they may meet with a booty and when they meet with it they account it as Gods gift neither will they be perswaded that God would present unto them the opportunity of rapine violence and murder if it were a sinne nay a sinne it were as they think if they should not lay hold upon the opportunity Camb. Brit. Irel p. 144. When one of these wilde Irish lieth ready to die certaine women hired on purpose to lament standing in crosse waâ—es and holding their hands all abroade call unto him with certaine out-cries reckoning up the commodities that he enjoyes of worldly goods wives beauty fame kinsfolk friends and horses demanding of him why he will depart whither and to whom c Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 147. Stephen Gardiner speaking to one Marbeck What the Devil said he made thee meddle with the Scriptures Act. Mon. In China the Inhabitants use to whip their gods if they help them not when they pray unto them An old man above sixty yeares of age who lived and died in a parish where besides the Word read there was constant preaching almost all his time both upon ordinary and extraordinary occasions and himself a constant hearer and one that seemed forward in the love of the Word on his death-bed a Minister demanding of him what he thought of God answered that he was a good old man And what of Christ that he was a towardly young youth And what of his soul that it was a great bone in his body And what should become of his soul after death that if he did well he should be put into a pleasant green Meddow c. Pemb. William Courtney Arch-bishop of Canterbury cited certaine of his tenants for an hainous and horrible trespasse as he stiled it which was for that they brought straw to litter his horses not on carts as they ought but in bags for which hainous offence after they had confessed their fault and submitted themselves to him he enjoyned them this penance That going leasurely before the Procession barefoot and barelegged each of them should carry upon his shoulder a bag stuffed with straw the straw hanging out whereupon were made these verses This bag full of straw I bear on my back Because my Lords horse his litter did lack If you be not the better to my Lords Graces horse Ye are like to go barefoot before the Crosse. When the inhabitants of Ilium anciently called Troy sent Ambassadours to Tiberius to condole the death of his father Augustus a long time after he was dead the Emperour considering the unseasonableness of it requited them accordingly saying And I also am sorry for your heaviness having lost so valiant a Knight as Hector who was slaine above a thousand yeares before Herodotus tells of the Psilli a foolish people who being displeased with the South-winde for dâ—ying up their waters would needs take up armes against it but whilest they marched upon the sands to seek their enemy it blew so strongly that raising a drift of sand it overwhelmed them whereby in stead of a victory they met with their graves as a just reward of their folly Cardinal Woolsey falling into disgrace with King Henry the eighth said Had I been as wise and careful to serve the God of heaven as I have been to serve my great Master on earth he would never thus have left me in my gray haires Themistocles being banished Athens fled to Artaxerxes King of Persia for refuge who was wonderfully overjoyed that he had by this means gotten so gallant a man praying to his gods that his enemies might be alwayes so infatuated as to banish their worthiest men Herod Caius Caligula the Romane Emperour had one of his horses which he loved best and called him Swift he invited him to supper and gave him his provender in a golden manger and drank wine to him in golden bowles He used to sweare by his health and fortune He promised him to make him Consul as before he had made him his Priest He built him a Marble stable an Ivory manger cloathed him with purple put a chaine of pearles about his neck besides he built him an house furnished it with housholdstuffe and servants that so they whom his horse invited might have the better entertainment Pez Mel. Hist. He pretended an expedition into Britaine made great warlick preparations led his Army to the sea-side and then commanded them to gather cockleshells with which he returned in triumph to Rome as if they had been the spoiles of his conquered enemies Sueto The Turks foolishly hold that man so soone as he comes out of his mothers womb hath his destiny written in his forehead by God and therein all the good evil that shall befall him and in particular what death he shall die and hereupon they are desperate in the Wars fear not infection of the plague so that if one dies of the Plague another presently weares his cloaths Turk Hist. p. 1302. Sir Roger Williams hearing a Spaniard foolishly bragging of his Country-sallats gave him this quick answer You have indeed good sauce in Spaine but we in England have dainty Beeves Veale and Muttons to eat with that sauce And as God made Beasts to live on the grasse of the earth so he made man to live upon them Examples of wise fooles A poot begger in Paris stayed so long in a Cooks
countrey but yet the water was too shallow to carry boats till God sent a strong Southwest winde which drave the sea into the rivers and land that great boats passed and victualled the â—own whereupon the Spaniards raised their siege but behold the remarkable work of God! who two dayes after sent as strong a North-west winde that beat back the Sea again whence it came Belg. Com. Wealth p. 72. Rochell being besieged with a mighty Army from the beginning of December 1573. to the moneth of June following a Dearth began to seize upon the godly Protestants which were within the same but the Lord seasonably sent a number of fishes called Surdones into the haven whereby the poor Inhabitants were relieved during the continuance of the siege which being once broken up the fishes departed and were found no more in that coast Fren. Hist. As it was always one of Mr. Latimers wishes that he might be so happy as to shed his hearts blood for the truth and so it fell out at the time of his burning that when the violence of the fire had opened his body such abundance of blood gushed so violently out from his heart to the great astonishment of the beholders as if all the blood in his body had been gathered to that one place Act. Mon. A Christian Matron of excellent parts and piety languishing long under the pressure of hideous temptations wofully at length yeelded to despaire and attempted the destruction of her selfe After often and curious seeking occasion for that bloody fact at last getting upon a Rock that hung over into the Sea putting off her apparell she threw her self head long from the same but receiving no hurt by the fall she was there miraculously preserved for the space of two houres labouring all that while industriously to drown her self after which time being with much difficulty drawn forth and recovered she did yet conflict with that extreamest desperate horrour almost an whole yeer after but at length by Gods providence listening oâ— a time though very unwillingly at the first to her husband reading that Text Esa. 57. 15. by little and little abundance of spiritual comfort flowed into her heart in which condition she continued many yeeres after even untill her death which was 1595. Mr. Bolton A virtuous Gentlewoman in this Land doubting very often of her salvation made her case known unto a godly Minister who often counselled her to take heed of inquiries farther then Gods Word and to trust assuredly that she might ground her salvation upon evidences out of that without farther revelations yet still did that temptation grow upon her insomuch that having a Venice-glasse in her hand the Minister sitting by her she brake forth into very lamentable words saying You have often told me that I must seek no further then Gods Word but I have been long without comfort and can endure no longer therefore if I must be saved let this glasse be kept from breaking and therewithal she threw it against the walls and though the Lord might have dealt otherwise yet he was content to satisfie her longing soul with a miracle The Glasse rebounds againe and comes safe unto the ground which the Minister taking up said Oh repent of this sinne and blesse God for his mercy never distrust him more of his promise Bolton Yates See this more fully in my first part of Lives In the life of Master Fox Mistris Katharine Brettergh upon her death-bed was assaulted with most grievous temptations which made her cry out that a roaring wildernesse of wo was within her that her sinnes had made her a prey to Satan and wished that she had never been borne or that she had been made any other creature rather then a woman crying Wo wo wo c. a weake a wofull a wretched a forsaken woman but at length by Gods wonderful mercy she recovered such comfort that in the ravishments of spirit she cried out O Lord Jesus doest thou pray for me O blessed and sweet Saviour how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful are thy mercies O thy love is unspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with me O Lord my God blessed be thy Name for evermore which hast shewed me the path of life thou diddest O Lord hide thy face from me for a little season but with everlasting mercy thou hast compassion upon me and now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea thou art come to thine handmaid with fulnesse of joyes and abundance of consolation O the joyes the joyes the joyes that I feel in my soul O they be wonderful they be wonderful they be wonderful O Lord I feele thy mercy and I am assured of thy love and so certaine am I thereof as thou art the God of truth even so sure do I know my self to be thine and this my soul knoweth right well and this my soul knoweth right well O blessed be the Lord O blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me O the joy the joy the delightsome joy that I feele O praise the Lord for his mercies and for this joy which my soul feeleth full well Praise his Name for evermore See her life and death in my second Part. Mr. Peacock a biessed servant of God being in horrour of conscience recounting some smaller sinnes burst out into these words And for these now saith he I feele an hell in my conscience and afterwards groaning most pitiously he cried out O me pitious wretch Oh mine heart is miserable Oh oh miserable and wofull the burthen of my sinne lieth so heavie upon me I doubt it will break my heart Oh how wofull and miserable is my state that thus must converse with hell-hounds Being asked whether he would pray he answered I cannot then they said Let us pray for you Take not replied he the Name of God in vain by praying for a reprobate but after a while this tempest of temptation being over Truly said he my heart and soul hath been farre led and deeply troubled with temptations and many inconsiderate speeches have flowed from me in the same for which I humbly and heartily aske mercy of God I now finde that the Sea is not more full of water nor the Sunne of light then the Lord of mercy yea his mercies are ten thousand times more what great cause have I to magnifie the goodnesse of God that hath humbled nay rather exalted such a wretched miscreant and of so base a condition to an estate so glorious and stately the Lord hath honoured me with his goodnesse I am sure he hath provided a glorious Kingdom for me The joy that I feele in my heart is incredible Bolton Mr. Robert Glover was so worne and consumed by the space of five yeares that neither almost any brooking of meate quietnesse of sleepe pleasure of life yea and almost no kinde of sense was left in him upon the apprehension of some backsliding he was so perplexed that if he had been almost in the pit of
wherein he declared that the next day after he had embraced the Gospel his Lice which before did so abound were all gone not one remaining and that God so stirred up the hearts of good people to pity and provide for him that he was fed with white bread and wholesome food Act. Mon. Fanius who was burnt for Religion in the City of Ferrara in Italy all the time of his burning a most fragrant and odoriferous smell came to all that were present and so pleased their senses that they were much refreshed thereby Act. Mon. One Laremouth alias Williamson Chaplaine to the Lady Anne of Cleave a Scotchman being imprisoned for the true Religion he heard a voice saying to him Arise and go thy wayes whereto when he gave no great heed at first the second time it was so said upon this as he fell to prayer it was said to him the third time likewise which was about halfe an hour after whereupon he rising up immediately part of the prison-wall fell down And as the Officers came in at the outward gate of the prison he leaping over the ditch escaped And in the way meeting a begger changed his coat with him and coming to the Sea-shoare he found a vessell ready to go over into which he entered and escaped Act. Mon. In the massacre of Paris one Merline a godly Minister flying and hiding himself in an Hay mow was nourished for a fortnight together by an Hen which constantly came and layed an Egge by him every day during all that time Act. Mon. Since the beginning of these Civill wars 40. honest men in Cornewall were condemned to be hanged by Sir Richard Greenvile for not assisting him against the Parliament and when they came to be executed the sixt man brake a new halter wherewith he should have been hanged and after that another and after that two others twisted together which miracle of Gods mercy did so astonish the adversaries that they let him and all the rest depart in safety At that time when P. Rupert plunderd the town of Bolton in Lancashire amongst others that were cruelly slaine by his party there was one William Isherwood and his wife both slain Felice their daughter being then eleven weeks old lay pitifully crying at the breast of her dead mother But and it pleased God that an old woman the wife of one Ralph Holme of the same towne aged above seventy yeares who had not given suck above twentie yeares before seeing and hearing the childe compassioned took it up and having neither food for her self nor for the infant in that commoÌ„ calamity to still the child laid it to her breast and behold the goodness of God who provides for the young ravens that cry the childe sucking milke came into her breasts wherewith she nourished it to the admiration and astonishment of all beholders This is attested by three godly Ministers and divers others of good credit who were eye-witnesses of the same St. Augustine being to visit and instruct the people of a certaine place and having a guide to direct thâ—â— way and conduct him thither did notwithstanding by Gods especiall providence mistake the common and usuall road and ignorantly fell into a by-path whereby he escaped the bloody hands of some Donatists who knowing of his journey way-laid him to have taken away his life Possidonius in vit ejus See his Life in my first part The same Father preaching to the Congregation and forgetting the argument which at first he proposed fell upon a confutation of the errours of the Manichees which he never intended and by that meanes converted one Firmus his auditor who afterwards came and fell downe at St. Augustines feet weeping and confessing that he had lived a Manichee many yeares and now by Gods mercy and this Sermon was converted to the true Catholick belief eodem A godly man passing through his last sicknesse whereof he died with extraordinary calmnesse of conscience and absolute freedome from temptations some of his Christian friends observing and admiring the singularity of his soules quiet at that time especially questioned with him about it He answered that he had sted fastly fixed his heart upon that sweetest promise Esa. 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because hâ— trusteth in thee And his God had graciously made it fully good unto his soul. Bolton Thomas Whittel a blessed Martyr in Queen Maries dayes was by the wicked suggestions of some Popish incarnate Devills drawn to subscribe to their hellish Doctrine But considering in cold blood what he had done was horribly vexed and felt a hell in his conscience and Satan ready to devoure him which terrible desertion and trouble of minde made him quickly returne with more constancy and fortitude and afterwards by Gods great mercy he proved a most invincible and immoveable Martyr Act. and Mon. James BainhaÌ„ being at the stake in the middest of the flaming fire his legs and his arms being half consumed spake these words O ye Papists behold ye look for miracles and here now you may see one for in this fire I feele no more paine then if I were in a bed of down but it is to me as a bed of Roses Act. and Mon. Iohn Lambert as he was burning in Smithfield when his legges were quite consumed with the fire lifted up his hands his fingers ends flaming like Torches and his heart abounding with comfort cried out None but Christ none but Christ. Act. and Mon. A young man in Wittenberg being kept short by his father was tempted by the Devill to yeeld himselfe body and soule to him upon condition to have his wish satisfied with money which he assented unto and confirmed it by an obligation written with his owne blood whereupon suddenly decaying in his health he was brought to Luther to be examined about the cause unto whom at length he uttered the whole matter which when Luther had heard he brought him into the Congregation where together with the Church he prayed so fervently for him that the Devill at last was forced to bring the bond and throw it in at the window bidding the young man to take it again unto him Act. and Mon. About the yeare 1556. in the town of Weissenstein in Germany a Jew for theft that he had committed was condemned in this cruell manner to be executed He was hanged by the feet with his head downwards betwixt two dogs which constantly snatcht and bit at him The strangenesse of the torment moved Jacobus Andreas a grave and learned Divine to go to behold it Coming thither he found the poor wretch as he hung repeating verses out of the Hebrew Psalms wherein he cryed out to God for mercy Andreas hereupon took occasion to counsell him to trust in Jesus Christ the true Saviour of mankinde The Jew embracing the the Christian faith requested but this one thing that he might be taken downe and be Baptized though
civil Warres about twelve hundred thousand natural French are said to be slaine Act. Mon. A man or rather a monster in Italy having on a sudden surprized one whom he hated deadly presently overthrew him and setting his dagger to his breast told him that he would stab him to the heart except he would renounce abjure and blaspheme God which when the wretched man had done too sinfully greedy of a miserable life he notwithstanding immediately dispatched him as soone as those prodigious blaspemies were out of his mouth and with a bloody triumph insulting over him he said Oh this is right noble and heroical revenge which doth not onely deprive the body of temporal life but bring also the immortal soul to endlesse flames everlastingly Bolton Caligula an Emperour of Rome so excelled in cruelty that he wished that all the people of Rome had but one neck that so he might at one blow cut them all off Act. Mon. Saint Jerome in an Epistle to Cromatius writes that the number of Martyrs in his time was so great that there was no day in the yeere unto which the number of five thousand Martyrs could not be ascribed except onely the first of January Theodora a beautiful Virgin refusing to sacrifice to the Idols was condemned to the Stews and many wanton young men pressed to the door to defiled her but one Didymus a Christian in a Souldiers habit first entered in counselled her to change apparel with him and so to steal away and he in her apparel remained in the place who afterwards being found a man was accused to the judges unto whom he uttered the whole truth withal professing himself to be a Christian whereupon he was condemned and led to execution which Theodora hearing of thinking to excuse him presented her selfe desiring that he might be freed and she executed but the cruell judge neither considering the virtuousnesse of the persons nor the equity of the cause caused them both to be tormented to death Act. Mon. Laurence a Deacon of the Church refusing to yield to a Tyrant in delivering up to him the Churches treasure was commanded first to be scourged then buffeted pinched with fiery tongues girded with burning plates and lastly to be cast upon a grate of iron red hot upon which when he had been long pressed down with fireforks in the mighty spirit of God he spake thus to the Tyrant This side is now roasted enough Turne up O Tyrant great Assay whether roasted or raw Thou think'st the better meat Act. Mon. Many Christians being assembled together in a Church Maximianus a Tyrant commanded it to be surrounded with armed men and set on fire but first proclaimed that whosoever would have life should come forth and worship to the Idols whereupon one stepping up into a widow answered in the name of all the rest we are all Christians and will do service to none but the true God upon which speech the fire was kindled there were burnt of men women and children any thousands Act. Mon. In Thebaide so many Christians were slaine that the swords of their persecutors grew blunt and they were so tired that they were faine to sit down and rest them whilst others took their places and yet the Martyrs were no whit discouraged but unto the last gaspe sang Psalmes of praise unto God Act. Mon. Thomas Tomkins being imprisoned by Bonner for the profession of the truth the said Bonner calling for him into his Chamber before divers Popish Doctors first cruelly beat him for his constancy afterwards took a wax Taper and holding him by the fingers held his hand directly over the flame till the veines shrunk and the sinews burst and the water out of them spurt into Doctor Harpsfields face as he stood by whereupon he moved with pity desired the Bishop to stay saying he had tryed him enough Thomas Tomkins afterwards affirmed to some of his friends that during this cruell burning his spirit was so wrapt that he felt no paine Act. Mon. Mr. Samuel a Preacher being convented before Bonner was by him committed to prison and there chained up to a Post in such sort that standing on tiptoes he bore up all the weight of his body thereby besides he allowed him but three morsels of bread and three spoonfuls of water a day whereby he was miserably tormented with hunger and thirst be sides his other paine that he would have drunk his own water but that his body was so miserably dried up that he could not make one drop When he was going to be burned he told a friend that after he had been in this misery three dayes he fell a sleep and one clad all in white seemed to stand before him telling him that after that day he should never hunger or thirst which accordingly came to passe Act. and Mon. Three godly women in the Isle of Garnesey were condemned to be burned and though one of them was great with childe yet had she no favour As they were in the fire the belly of the woman breaking with the vehemency of the flame the Infant being a fair manchilde fell into the fire which being taken out carried to the Bayliffe he commanded it to be carried back and thrown into the fire whereby it was both borne and died a Martyr Act. Mon. Master Denly being condemned to be burned by Bonner as he was in the middest of the flames sang a Psalme whereupon Doctor Story a bloody persecutor commanded one of the tormentors to hurle a fagot at him which hitting him on the face made it run down with blood which made him leave singing and clap his hands on his face Truly quoth Doctor Story to him that hurled the fagot thou hast marred a good old song Act. and Mon. Edmund Tyrell with some other persecuting Papists searching the house of father Munt and finding him in bed with his wife bad them rise for that they must go to prison The old woman being very sick desired that her daughter might first fetch her some drink which accordingly she did Tyrell meeting her by the way took the candle out of her hand and held it crosse-wise under the back of her hand continuing it so long till her sinews crackt asunder still saying Why whore wilt thou not cry Afterwards the said maid told a friend that at first she felt some paine but afterwards little or none at all Act. and Mon. Iohn Rabeck a godly man in France being required to pronounce Jesus Maria and to joyne them together in one Prayer answered that if his tongue should but offer to utter those words at their bidding himselfe would bite it asunder with his teeth whereupon the mercilesse Papists cut out his tongue Act. and Mon. In the Massacre of Paris a godly woman being great with childe and having the Midwise with her some of the bloody murthereâ—s came knocking at the door requiring it to be opened in the Kings name whereupon the great bellied
them their wages for they were all found dead with their necks broken and quashed to peeces as if a wheele had gone over them the blood running out of their mouths nostrils and eares in a lamentable manner Fincelius A Vintner that accustomed himself to swearing and drunkennesse as he was upon a Lords day standing at his doore with a pot in his hand to invite guests there came suddenly such a violent whirlwinde as carried him up into the aire after which he was never more seen Alexander the Great invited many of his Captains to a feast proposing a Crown in reward to him that should drink most by which meanes being provoked to drunkennesse fourty two of them died shortly after Plut. Armitus and Cinanippus two Syracusians being drunk committed incest with their two daughters Plut. The like did Lot Gen. 19. 33 c. Cleomenes King of Lacedaemonia drinking himselfe drunken fell distracted never recovering his wits againe Anacreon the Poët a notable drunkard was choaked with a huske of a Grape Bonosus the Emperour was so notorious a drunkard that he was said to be borne bibere non vivere to drink and not to live but he died a shameful death being hanged with this Epitaph That a Tunne not a man was hanged there Zeno the Emperour was such a drunkard that he would often lie as one dead for many hours so that he grew odious to all and to his own wife who once finding him in that case caused him to be laid in a Tomb with a great stone on the top of it whereby he was miserably pined to death Platina Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink that continue untill night till wine inflame them Esa. 5. 11. CHAP. IX Examples of Prodigality Gluttony and Excesse THey have their souls saith one meerly for salt to keep their bodies from putrifying whose whole life is to eat and drink and sport and sleep as if they came into the world as Rats and Mice onely to devour victuals and run squeeking up and down whereas nature in framing of man teacheth him temperance by giving him a little mouth with a narrow throat and a lesser belly then other creatures have Yet such is the prodigious unnaturalness amongst most that as the French Proverb hath it They digge their Graves with their teeth whilest their Kitchin is their shrine their Cook their Priest their Table their Altar and their belly their god Hence also it is said That Meat kills as many as the Musket Plures pereunt crapulà quà m capulo lancibus quà m lanceis The board kills more then the sword And as it 's thus noxious to the body so also to the estate whilest the spend thrift entombes his Ancestours in his own bowels turning his Rents into Ruffes and his Lands into Laces And lastly to his soul also for Gluttony is the gallery of Incontinency Nutritiva facultas est ossiâ—ina generativae The odiousnesse of this sinne will farther appear in these examples following M. Livius having prodigally wasted a great estate jested at his own folly saying That he had left nothing for his heire praeter Coelum Caenum more then aire and mire Vitellius the Romane Emperour was addicted to such unmeasurable Gluttony that the whole employment of his Captaines was to provide him Cates He had two thousand dishes of Fish and seven thousand of Fowle at one Supper and yet commended his own temperance in a set Oration before the Senate and people of Rome In a few moneths wherein he reigned he wasted seven millions which was thirty one thousand two hundred and fifty pounds sterling in Luxury Heliogabulus the Romane Emperour did so excell in all Luxury that near the Sea he would eat no fish in the Midland no flesh whole meals were made of the tongues of singing Birds and Peacocks or of the braines of costly Creatures He used to say That that meat was not savoury whose sauce was not costly He gathered in Rome ten thousand weight of Spiders that thereby he might glory of the greatnesse of that City His apparel was most rich and yet never twice worne his shoes embellished with Pearls and Diamonds his seats strewed with Musk and Amber his bed covered with Gold and Silver and beset with Pearls and his way strawed with pouder thereof Caius Caligula the Romane Emperour was so prodigal that he spent an hundred millions within the space of three yeares and so brutish that he defloured three of his sisters and one of their daughters and so cruel that he wished all the people of Rome had but one neck that he might cut it off at one blow Dio. Cleopatra Queen of Egypt so excelled in Prodigality that being at a Banquet with M. Antony she dissolved a pearl worth fifty thousand pounds in Vineger and drank it at a draught and one dish in the second course was valued at two hundred and fifty pieces of gold Urs. Maximinus the Romane Emperour was eight foot high his body great and joynts proportionable and according to his limbs so was his diet for he daily devoured fourty pounds of flesh and drank thereto six gallons of wine When he besieged Aquileia in Italy the Citizens wives cut off the hair of their heads to make bowe-strings for resistance of this Tyrant After Alexander M. had overcome Darius and gotten possession of all his Dominions and riches he began to degenerate into the Asian Luxury His chastity and moderation were turned into pride and lust He esteemed his countrey-manners and the discipline of the former Macedonian Kings too light and mean for him He imitated the pride of the Persian Kings He made him a Crown and robes like unto Darius He grew so proud and insolent that he suffered his Macedonians to fall down and worship him like a god Yea he commanded his servants and slaves to do so He clothed his Captaines and horse-men after the Persian manner which though they disliked yet they durst not refuse He gat him three hundred sixty five concubines of the beautifullest Virgins that could be found in Asia after the manner of the Persian Kings of these he had one that lay with him every night He had his troop of Eunuchs He spent dayes and nights in profuse feasting and revelling He gat many Musicians Jesters Singing women c. All which was very offensive to his old Captains and Souldiers Q. Cur. The Glutton and the Drunkard shall come to poverty and drowsinesse shall cloath a man with rags Prov. 23. 21. Si quis ad infernos properat descendere manes Huc iter accelarant Balnea vina Venus CHAP. X. Examples of Gods Judgements upon Adulterers and unclean persons FOrbidden by God Exod. 20. 14. Deut. 5 18. Mar. 10. 19. Luke 18. 20. Mar. 10. 11 c. Luk. 16. 18. Rom. 13. 9. Complained of Iob 24. 15. Esa. 57. 3. Ier. 9. 2. 23. 10. Hos. 7. 4. Iam. 4. 4. Prov. 6. 26. Ezek. 23. 45. Jer.
of Constantinus Copronymus that he was neither Iew Christian nor Pagan but an arrant Atheist Tullus Hostilius the third King of the Romanes that despised his predecessor Numâ—'s sacrifices saying That Religion did but effeminate mens mindes and make them unfit for noble enterprises yet he feigned to himselfe and worshipped two new gods Pavorem Pallorem Feare and Palenesse which he carried about in his own bosome and could not be rid of Lactautious He was slaine with a thunder-bolt and his wife children and all his family were burnt with lightning It was an Atheistical speech of Statius the Poet Primus in or be deos fecit Timor that fear first made gods in the world and that all opinions of a Deity were frivolous being devised by wise men to keep the people in awe and order Theodorus held that there was no difference between good and evill between justice and injustice but what the law of man made he wrote a book also to prove that there was no Deity whereupon he was sirnamed the Atheist Suidas Epicurus denied that there was either God or providence and held that all things came to passe by fate or chance Volate Pope Leo the tenth was so impudent as to make the promises and threats contained in the Word of God things to be laughed at mocking the simplicity of those that believed them and when Cardinal Bembus quoted upon occasion a place out of the Gospel the Pope answered Quantum nobis profuit fabula haec de Christo O what profit hath this fable of Christ brought unto us This Pope having by his Pardons and indulgences scraped together vast summes of money to maintain his courtizans and whores and to enrich his bastards as he was one day at meat news was brought him of the overthrow of the French in Lumbardy which he much rejoyced at and doubled his good chear but before he rose from the table Gods hand struck him with a grievous sicknesse whereof he died within three dayes Pope Julius the third another Atheist a despiser of God and his Word On a time missing a cold Peacock which he had commanded to be kept for him raged and blasphemed God exceedingly whereupon a Cardinal that was present intreated him not to be so angry for such a triste What saith he If God was so angry for eating of an Apple as to thoust Adam and Eve out of Paradise should not I which am his Vâ—car be angry for a Peacock which is of farre more worth then an Apple Francis Ribelius was so profane that he made a mock at all Religion counting it a thing to be laughed at but the Lord struck him with madnesse so that he died mocking at all those that talked of God or made any mention of Gods mercy to him Periers who was the Author of that detestable book called Symbolum Mundi wherein he mocks at God and all Religion was by God stricken with horrible despaire so that though he was strictly guarded by his friends yet watching his opportunity he killed himselfe Anno Christi 1464. the Bishop of Angiers in France prosecuted a rich Citizen in the palace of Paris for saying publickly that he believed that there was neither God nor devil Heaven nor Hell And it came to passe that whil'st the Bishops Lawyer was opening these things against him the house where they were began to tremble very much so that a stone from the roofe fell down amongst them but without hurt to any yet were they so affrighted that all departed for that time The next day when that cause came to be heard againe the house began againe to shake and tremble insomuch as a Summer came forth of its mortise-hole falling downwards two foot and there staid which did so afright the people that they ran away losing and leaving behind them many of their garments God hereby warning them to take heed of such fearful sinnes as these are Eng. de Monstrelit A certain blasphemous wretch carousing in an Inne began to vent his Atheisme swearing that he did not believe that man had any soul which survived his body and that Heaven and Hell were but meer fables and inventions of Priests to get gaine by that for his own part he would sell his soul to any that would buy it then did one of his companions buy it of him for a cup of wine and presently the devil in mans shape bought it of that man againe on the same price and so in the presence of them all laid hold on this soul-seller and carried him away through the aire so that he was never more heard of Disci de Temp. Pherecides a Tragical Poet and Philosopher boasted amongst his scholars of his riches and glory and yet saith he I sacrifice not to the gods nor passe not for any such vanity as Religion But presently after the Lord struck him with a strange disease out of his body issued a slimy and filthy sweat of which was engendred such a number of lice and wormes that they ate out his bowels whereby he died miserably AElian Lib. 4. There lived in Hanmbourg a wicked wretch that despised the Ministery of the Word and Gods Ministers accounting the Sacred Scriptures a vaine thing not worthy of credit yea so farre did his wickednesse prevaile that he endeavoured to diffuse the poison of his Atheisme into others but not long after the Lord found him out in his wickednesse striking him with such terrours of conscience that he fell into extream despaire crying out that his sinnes were past forgivenesse because he had denied the truth and seduced others whereas before he thought that there was no sinne and whereas before he thought that there was no God now he thought that God was so just that he would not forgive him whereupon watching his opportunity he threw himselfe from the roof of an house into a well and not finding water enough to drown him he thrust his head into the bottome of it till he had stifled himself Theat Hist. Anno Christi 1502. there was one Herman Biswick who affirmed the world to be eternal contrary to what foolish Moses had written and that there were neither Angels nor devils hell nor future life but that the soules of men perished with their bodies and that Christ Jesus was a seducer of the people and that the faith of Christians and the Sacred Scriptures were meer vanity For which himselfe with his books were burnt in Holland Theat Hist. There was in our own Nation one Marlin sometimes a student in the University of Cambridge but afterwards a maker of Stage-playes and a notorious Atheist denying God and his Sonne Christ and not only in word blasphemed the holy Trinity but also wrote books against it affirming our Saviour to be a deceiver and Moses to be a conjurer and a seducer of the people and the Sacred Scriptures to be vaine and idle stories and all Religion but a Politick device But God suffered not such profanenesse to