The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of rebellious and stubborne children towards their Parents.
WEe have seene in the former Booke, what punishments they have incurred, that either malitiously or otherwise have transgressed and broken the commandements of the first Table: Now it followeth to discover the chastisements which God hath sent upon the transgressors of the second Table. And first concerning the first commandement therof, which is, Honour thy father and mother, that thy dayes may be prolonged in the land which the Lord thy God hath given thee. Cham one of old Noah's sonnes, was guilty of the breach of this Gen 9.Commandement; who in stead of performing that reverence to his father which he ought (and that presently after the deluge, which being yet fresh in memory, might have taught him to walke in the feare of God) came so short of his duty, that when he saw his nakednesse, hee did not hide it, but mocked and jeasted at it: for which cause hee was cursed both of his father, and of God, in the person of his youngest sonne Chanaan, and made a servant to the servants of his brethren: which curse was fulfilled in Num. 33. Deut. 7.his posterity the Canaanites, who being forsaken of God, were rooted up and spued out of their land, because of their sinnes and abhominations.
Marvellous strange was the malice of Absolon, to rebell so furiously 2 Sam. 15.against his father David, as to wage warre against him: which he did with all his strongest endeavours, without sparing any thing that might further his proceedings; insomuch that he grew to that outrage and madnesse, through the wicked and pernitious counsell of Achitophel, that hee shamed not villanously to commit incest with his fathers concubines, and 2 Sam. 16.pollute his bloud even before the eyes of the multitude: by which means being become altogether odious and abhominable, hee shortly after lost 2 Sam. 18.the battell: wherein though himselfe received no hurt nor wound, yet was he not therefore quit; but being pursued by Gods just judgement, fell unwittingly into the snare which he had deserved: for as he rode along the forrest, to save himselfe from his fathers army; his moyle carrying him under a thicke oake, left him hanging by the haire upon a bough betwixt heaven and earth, untill being found by Ioab, he was wounded to death with many blowes. Whereby every man may plainly see that God wanteth no means to punish sinners when it pleaseth him; but maketh the dumbe and sencelesse creatures the instruments of his vengeance: for hee that had escaped the brunt and danger of the battell, (and yet not having therefore escaped the hand of God) was by a bruit beast brought under a sencelesse tree, which God had appointed to catch hold of him as an executioner of his just judgement: which if wee consider, is as strange and wonderfull an accident as may possible happen; and such an one as God himselfe provided, to punish this wicked, proud, and rebellious wretch withall: for seeing his outrage and villany was so great as to rebell against his father, and so good and kinde a father towards him as he was, it was most just, that he should endure so vile a punishment. Beside, herein doubtlesse God would lay open to the eyes of all the world, a fearefull spectacle of his judgements against wicked and disobedient children, thereby to terrifie the most impudent and malitious wretches that live, from this horrible sinne. And for the same cause it was his pleasure, that that wicked and false Achitophel should fall into extreme ignominy and confusion for forsaking David, and setting forward with counsell and presence yong Absolon against his father; for which cause with despaire he hung himselfe. Now by this example it is easie to perceive how unpleasant this sin is in Gods sight, and how much he would have every man to hate and detest it, seeing that Nature her selfe teacheth and instructeth us so farre, as to yeeld duty and obedience unto those that begat, nourished, and brought us up.
Notwithstanding all this, yet is the world full of ill advised and ill nurtured youth, that are little lesse disobedient unto their parents than Absolon was, as Adramalech and Saraser, that slew their father Sennacherib as he was worshipping in the Temple of Nisroth his god: but whereas they looked 2 King. 19. 37.for the soveraignty, they lost the benefit of subjection, and were banished into Armenia, their brother Esarhaddon raigning in their stead.
Gregory of Tours maketh mention of one Crannius the son of Clotarius Greg. of Tours fourth booke.King of France, who having conspired treacherously, and raised warre against his father, together with the Earle of Brittaine his supporter, were both vanquished and put to flight; but the Earle was slaine in the pursuit: The Prince himselfe also (thinking to escape by sea, where lay provided certaine ships ready to receive him) was in the mid way overtaken, together with his wife and children, whom he purposed to make partakers of his fortune, and were altogether (by the expresse commandement of his father) shut up in a little house, and there burned together. In this wise did Clotarius revenge the treachery and rebellion of his sonne, after a more severe, cruell, and fierce manner than King David did, who would have saved his sonne Absolons life, notwithstanding all his wickednesse, and malitious and furious rebellion: but this man contrariwise being bereft of all fatherly affection, would use no compassion towards his sonne, but commanded so cruell an execution to bee performed, not onelyonly upon him, but upon his daughter in law also, and their children, perchance altogether innocent and guiltlesse of that crime. A very rare and strange example, seeing it is commonly seene, that grandfathers use more to cherish and cocker their childrens children than their own. Therefore we must think, that it was the providence of God to leave behind a notable example of his most just and righteous severity against disobedient and rebellious children, to the end to amase and feare all others from enterprising the like.
Philip Comineus hath recorded the treacherous tragedy of a most wicked Philip Comineus in the reigne of Lewis the twelfth. cap. 63and cruell sonne called Adolphus (for the world waxeth every day worse than other) that came in an evening suddenly to take his father the Duke of Gilderland prisoner, even as he was going to bed, and would not give him so much liberty as to pull on his hose (for he was bare legged) but carried him away in all haste, making him march on foot without breeches five long Almaine miles, in a most cold weather: and then clapt him up in the bottome of a deep tower, where there was no light save by a little window, and there kept him close prisoner six moneths together. After which cruell fact, he himselfe was taken prisoner in like manner, and carried bound to Namur, where he lay a long time, untill the Gaunts reprived him forthwith, and led him with them against Tournay, where he was slain: in the while of his imprisonment, his father yeelding to nature, disinherited him of all his goods, for his vile ingratitude and unnaturall cruelty, and left the succession of his dukedome to the Duke of Bourgondy.
In the yeare of our Lord 1461, in a village called Iuchi, neere to Cambray, Enguerr. de Monstr. vol. 2.there dwelt a certaine man (or rather a beast) that in a great rage threw his owne mother out of his doores thrice in one day, and the third time told her in fury, That hee had rather see his house on fire, and burnt to coles, than that she should abide there but one day longer. It happened that the very same day, according to his cursed speech, his house was indeed fired, but how or whence no man could judge: and the fire was so fierce, that it consumed to ashes not only that house, but also twelve other houses adjoyning: which was an evident figure of Gods just judgement in punishing so vile and unnaturall a deed by fire, seeing he deserved at the least to lose his house for banishing her out of it, that had borne him in her belly, and nourished him with the milke of her paps.
In this place I may fitly insert two memorable examples of the same Alex. ab Alex. general. dier. Lib. 4. cap. 14.subject, gathered by an author of credit and fame sufficient, to this effect. It is not long (saith he) since a friend of mine, a man of a great spirit, and worthy to be beleeved, recounted to me a very strange accident which, he said, hapned to himselfe, and proved his saying by the testimony of many witnesses: which was this: That being upon a time at Naples at a kinsmans and familiars house of his, he heard by night the voice of a man crying in the street for aid, which caused him to rise and light a candle, and run out to see what the matter was: being come out of the doores, he perceived a cruell and ougly shaped divell, striving with all his force to catch and get into his clouches a yong man, that strove on the other side to defend himselfe, and for feare raised that outcry which he had before heard: the yong man seeing him, ran to him forthwith, and catching fast hold by his cloathes, and pitifully crying to God, would in no case let go his hold untill his cruell enemy forsooke him: and being brought into the house all dismaied and beside himselfe, would not let go his hold untill he came to his sences againe out of that exceeding feare. The cause of which assault was, he had led all his time a most wicked life, and had been a contemner of God, and a Rebell against his parents, using vile railing and bitter speeches against them, in such sort, that in stead of blessing, they had layd a curse upon him. And this is the first example.
Concerning the second, I will also set downe the Authors owne words, as followeth. Of all the strange things (saith he) that ever I heard report of, that which happened not long since at Rome is most worthy to be remembred, of a certaine yong man of Gabia, borne of a base and poore family, but endued with terrible and furious nature, and addicted to a loose and disordinate life. This gallant picking a quarrell with his owne father, in his anger reviled him with most grosse and reprochfull tearmes: In which mad fits, as one wholly given over to the Divell, he purposely departed to Rome to practise some naughty device against his father: but his ghostly father the Divell met him in the way, under the shape of a cruell and ougly fellow with a thicke bushie beard, and haire hanging disorderly, and cloathes all rent and tattered; who as they walked together, enquired of him why he was so sad: He answered, that there had passed some bitter speeches betwixt his father and him, and now he devised to work him some mischiefe. The Divell by and by like a crafty knave soothed him up & said, that he also upon the like occasion went about the same practise, and desired that they might pursue both their voyage and enterprise together: it was soone agreed upon betwixt them, being like to like, as the proverbe goeth. Therefore being arrived at Rome, and lodged at the same Inne, one bed did serve them both; where whilest the yong man securely and soundly slept, the old malicious knave watching his opprtunity, caught him by the throat to strangle him: whereat the poore wretch awoke, and cried for help to God so that the wicked spirit was constrained to forsake him without performing his purpose, and to flee out at the chamber with such force and violence, that the house roofe crackt, and the tyles clattered downe aboundantly. The host of the house being awaked with the noyse, cryed out to know what the matter was, and running into the chamber where this noyse was, with a candle in his hand, found the poore young man all alone betwixt dead and alive, of whom (recovered) he learnt out the whole truth, as hath been told: but he after this terrible accident repented him of his wicked life, and was touched with the sence of his grievous sinne so nearly, that ever after he led a more circumspect and honest life. Thus much we finde written in that Author.
Henry the fifth inspired with the furies of the Pope of Rome, made warre upon his father Henry the fourth, vexing him with cruell and often Philip. Melanc lib 4. Chron.battels, and not ceasing till he had spoiled him of his Empire, and till the Bishop of Mentz had proudly and insolently taken from him his Imperiall ornaments even in his presence: but the Lord in recompence of his unnaturall dealing, made him and his army a prey unto his enemies the Saxons, and to flie before them, stirring up also the Pope of Rome to be as grievous a scourge unto him, as he had beene before time to his father. Now as the ambition of a Kingdome was the cause of this mans ingratitude, so in the example following, pride and disdaine ruled, and therefore he is so much the more to be condemned, by how much a Kingdome is a stronger cord to draw men to vice, than a mans owne affection.
There was (saith Manlius) an old man crooked with age, distressed with poverty, and almost pined with hunger, that had a sonne rich, strong, and fat, of whom he intreated no gold or silver, or possession, but food and In Collectan.sustenance for his belly, and clothes for his backe, but could not obtaine it at his hands: for his proud heart, exalted with prosperity, thought it a shame and discredit to his house, to be borne of so poore and base parentage, and therefore not onelyonly denied him reliefe, but also disclaimed him from being his father, and chased him away with bitter and crabbed reproaches. The poore old man thus cruelly handled, let teares fall as witnesse of his griefe, and departed comfortlesse from his Tygre minded sonne. But the Lord that gathereth up the tears of the innocent, looked down from heaven in justice, and sent a fury into the sences and understanding of this monstrous son, that as he was void of nature and compassion, so he might bevoid of reason and discretion for ever after.
Another not so cruell and disdainfull as the former, yet cruell and disdainfull Manlius in collectan.enough to plucke downe vengeace upon his head, would not see his father beg indeed, nor yet abjure him as the other did; but yet undertaking to keepe him, used him more like a slave than a father: for what should be too deare for him that gives us life? yet every good thing was too deare for this poore father, VponUpon a time a dainty morsell of meat was upon the boord to be eaten, which as soone as he came in he conveied away, and foisted in courser victuals in the roome. But marke what his Fides sit apud authorem.dainties turned to: when the servant went to fetch it againe, he found in stead of meat snakes, and of sauce serpents, to the great terrour of his conscience: but that which is more, one of the serpents leaped in his face, and catching hold by his lip, hung there till his dying day, so that hee could never feed himselfe, but he must feed the serpent withall. And this badge carried he about as a cognisance of an unkinde and ungratefull sonne.
Moreover this is another judgment of God, that commonly as children deale with their parents, so doe their children deale with them: and this in the law of proportion is most just, and in the order of punishing most usuall: for the proofe whereof, as experience daily teacheth, so one example or two I will subjoyne It is reported how a certaine unkind and perverse Thearr. hist,sonne beat his aged father upon a time, and drew him by the haire of his head to the threshold: who when hee was old was likewise beaten of his sonne, and drawne also by the haire of the head not to the threshold, but out of doores into the durt; and how hee should say he was rightly served, if he had left him at the threshold, as he left his father, and not dragged him into the streets, which hee did not to his. Thus did his owne mouth beare record of his impiety, and his owne conscience condemne him before God and men.
Another old man being persuaded by his son (that had maried a yong Guiliel. Lugdi. Discipulus de …emp.wise) with faire and sugred promises of kindnesses and contentments, to surrender his goods and lands unto him, yeelded to his request, and found for a space all things to his desire: but when his often coughing annoyd his yong and dainty wise, he first removed his lodging from a faire high chamber to a base under roome, and after shewed him many other unkinde and unchildly parts: and lastly when the old man as ked for cloathes, he bought foure elnes of cloath, two wherof he bestowed upon him, and reserved the other two for himselfe. Now his young sonne marking this niggardise of his father towards his grandfather, hid the two elles of cloath, and being asked why hee hid them (whether by ingeniousnesse or instinct of God) he answered, To the end to reserve them for his father, against he was old, to be a covering for him. Which answer touched his father so neere, that ever after hee shewed himselfe more loving and obsequious to his father than he did before. Two great faults, but soone and happily amended. Would it might be an example to all children, if not to mitigate them, yet at least to learne them to feare how to deale roughly and crookedly with their parents, seeing that God punisheth sinne with sinne, and sinners in their owne kinde, and measureth the same measure to every man which they have measured unto others. The like we read of another George Lanterde disciplina liberorum.that provided a trough for his old decrepit unmannerly father to eat his meat in: who being demanded of his sonne also to what use that trough should serve, answered for his grandfather: What (quoth the childe) and must we have the like for you when you are old? Which words so abashed him, that he threw it away forthwith.
At Millan there was an abstinate and ungodly sonne, that when he was Theat. hist.admonished by his mother of some fault which he had committed, made a wry mouth, and pointed his fingers at her in scorne and derision. Whereat his mother being angry, wished that he might make such a mouth upon the gallowes. Neither was it a vaine wish, for within few daies he was taken Mandat. 3. Cursing. li. 1. cap. 33.with a theft, and condemned by law to be hanged; and being upon the ladder, was perceived to wryth his mouth in griefe, after the same fashion which he had done before to his mother in derision.
Henry the second of that name, King of England, sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet, and Maud the Empresse, after he had raigned twenty yeares, was content to admit his young sonne Henry (married to Margaret the French Kings daughter) into participation of his Crowne: but he like an unnaturall son to requite his fathers love, sought to dispossesse him of the whole; for by inciting the King of France and certaine other Nobles, hee tooke armes, and raised warre against his owne naturall father: betwixt whom divers strong battels being fought, as well in England by the Deputies and friends of both parties, as also in Normandy, Poytou, Guian, and Britain; the victory alwayes inclined to the father, so that the rebellious son with his allies were constrained to bend to his fathers will, and to desire peace, which he gently granted, and forgave his offence. Howbeit the Lord for his disobedience did not so lightly pardon him, but because his hasty mind could not tarry for the Crowne till his fathers death, therefore the Lord cut him short of it altogether, causing him to die six yeares before his father, being yet but young, and like to live long.
Lothair King of Soissons in France, committed the rule of the province of Guian to his eldest son Cramiris, who when (contrary to the mind of his father) he oppressed the people with exactions, and was reclaimed home, he like an ungratious and impious son, fled to his uncle Childebert, and provoked him towarre upon his owne father, wherein he himselfe was by the just vengeance of God taken, and burned with his wife and children to death.
Furthermore it is not (doubtlesse) but to a very good end enacted in the law of God, That he which curseth his father or mother should die the death, and that rebellious children and such as be incorrigible, should at the instance and pursuit of their owne parents, by order of law be stoned to death.
As children by all these examples ought not onelyonly to learne to feare to displease and revile their parents, but also to feare and reverence them, lest that by disobedience they kindle the fire of Gods wrath against them: so likewise on the other side parents are here advertised to have great care in bringing up and instructing their children in the feare of God, and obedience to his will; lest for want of instruction and correction on their part, they themselves incurre a punishment of their carelesse negligence in the person of their children. And this is proved by experience of the men of 2 Kin. 2.Bethel, of whose children two and forty were torne in pieces by Beares, for that they had been so evill taught as to mocke the holy Prophet Elizeus, in calling him bald-pate.
Heli likewise the high priest was culpable of this fault, for having two 1 Sam. 1. 2.wicked and perverse sonnes, whom no feare of God could restraine, being discontent with that honourable portion of the sacrifices allotted them by God, like famished and unsatiable wretches fell to share out more than was their due, and by force to raven all that which by faire meanes they could not get: and that which is worse, to pollute the holy Tabernacle of God with their filthy whoredomes, in such sort, that the Religion of God Contempt of holy things. Lib. 1. cap. 34.grew in disgrace through their prophane dealings. And albeit it may seem that their father did his duty in some sort, when he admonished and reproved them, yet it is manifest by the reprehension of the man of God, that he did no part of that at all, or if he did, yet it was in so carelesse, loose, and cold manner, using more lenity than hee ought, or lesse severity than was necessary, that God turned their destructions (when they were slaine at the overthrow of Israel by the Philistins) to be his punishment: for understanding the dolefull newes of his sonnes death, and the Arkes taking, at once, he fell backewards from his stoole, and burst his necke, being old and heavy, even fourescore and eighteene yeares of age, not able either to help or stay himselfe.
David also was not free from this offence; for hee so much cockered a Kin. 1. 16.some of his children, that they proved the greatest plagues and scourges unto him, especially Absolon and Adonijah: for the one openly rebelled against him, and almost drove him out of his kingdome; the other usurped the title and honour of the kingdome before his fathers death: of this it is recorded. That David so cockered and pampered him, that he would never displease him from his youth. But see how he was punished in them for this too great lenity; both of them came to an untimely death, and proved not onelyonly the workers of their owne destruction, but also great crosses to their father.
Ludovicus Vives saith, That in his time a certain woman in Flanders did Lib. 2. cap. 10. de institut: Christ. …ami.so much pamper and cocker up two of her sonnes, even against her husbands will, that she would not suffer them to want money, or any thing which might furnish their roiotous life, both in drinking, banquetting, and dicing; yea she would stoale from her husband to minister unto them: but as soone as her husband was dead, she was justly plagued in them both, for they fell from royoting to robbing, (which two vices are commonly linked together) and for the same one of them was executed by the sword, and the other by the halter, she her selfe looking on as a witnesse of their destructions, whereof her conscience told her that her indulgence was the chiefest cause. Hither may we referre that common and vulgar story, and I suppose very true, which is almost in every childes mouth, of him that going to the gallowes, desired to speake with his mother in her care ere he dyed; and when she came unto him, in stead of speaking, bit off her care Cyriac. Spang.with his teeth, exclaiming upon her as the causer of his death, because she did not chastise him in his youth for his faults, but by her flatteries established him in vice, which brought him to this wofull end: and herein she was doubly punished, both in her sonnes destruction, and her owne infamy, whereof she carried about her a continuall ma…ke. This ought to be a warning to all parents, to looke better to the education of their children, and to root out of them in time all evill and corrupt manners; lest of small sprigs they grow to branches, and of qualities to habits, and so either be hardly done off, or at least deprave the whole body, and bring it to destruction: but above all to keep them from idlenesse and vaine pleasures, the discommodity and mischiefe whereof this present example will declare. At a towne called Hannuel in Saxony, the Devill transforming himselfe Iob. Fincelius, lib. de Myrac.into the shape of a man, exercised many jugling trickes and pretty pastime to delight young men and maids withall, and indeed to draw after him daily great companies: one day they followed him out of the city gates, unto a hill adjoyning, where he played a jugling tricke indeed with them, for he carried them all away with him, so that they were never after heard of. This history is recorded in the Annales of the aforenamed city, and avouched to be most true; being a notable and fearefull admonition to all parents, to set their children to learning and instruction, and to withdraw them from all such vaine and foolish pastimes.