The Theater of Gods Judgments, Book 1 · Chapter 14 – Chapter 15
CHAP. XIV. A Hymne of the persecution of Gods Church, and the deliverance of the same.
ALong the verdant fields all richly dy'd.
With Natures paintments, and with Flora's pride:
Whose goodly bounds are lively Chryst all streames
Begirt with bow'rs to keep backe Phoebus beames;
Even when the quenchlesse torch, the Worlds great eye,
Advanc'… his rayes orethwartly from the skie,
And by his power of heavenly influence
Reviv'd the seeds of Springs decay'd essence:
Then many flockes unite in peace and love,
Not seeking ought but naturall behove,
Past quietly uncharg'a with other care,
Save of their feed within that pasture faire.
These Flocks a Sheepheard had (of power and skill)
To fold and feed, and save them from all ill:
By whose advice they liv'd; whose wholsome voice
They heard and fear'd with love, and did rejoyce
Therein with melody of song and praise,
And dance, to magnifie his Name alwaies.
He is their Guide, they are his Flocke and Fold,
Nor will they be by any else controld.
Well knowing, that whom he takes care to feed,
He will preserve and save in time of need;
Thus liv'd this holy Flocke at hearts content,
Till cruell Beasts all set on ravishment,
Broke off their peace, and ran upon with rage,
Themselves, their Young, and all their heritage;
Slitting their throats, devoured Lambs and all,
And dissipating them that seap't their thrall.
Then did the jolly feast to fast transforme,
(So ask't the fury of that ragefull storme)
Their joyfull song was turn'd to mournfull cries,
And all their gladnesse chang'd to well adyes.
Whereat Heav'n grieving, clad it selfe in blacke;
But earth in uprore triumph't at their wracke.
What profits then the sheephooke of their Guide?
Or that he lies upon a Beacons side,
With watchfull eye to circumscribe their traine,
And hath no more regard unto their paine?
To save them from such dangers imminent
(Some say) as are so often incident.
'Tis not for that his arme wants strength to break
All proud at tempts that men of might do make:
Or that he will abandon unto death
His Owne, deare bought with exchange of his breath.
For must we thinke, that though they dye they perish;
Death dyes in them, and they in death reflourish:
And this lifes losse, a better life renues,
Which after death eternally ensues.
Though then their passions never seeme so great,
Yet never comfort serves to swage their heat:
Though strength of torments be extreame in durance,
Yet are they guencht by Hopes and Faiths assurance.
For thankefull Hope, if God be grounded in it.
Assures the heart, and pacifies the spirit.
To them that love and reverence his Name,
Prosperity betides, and want of shame.
Thus can no Tyrant pull them from the hands
Of mighty God, that for their safety stands:
Who ever sees, and ever can defend;
Them whom he loves, he loves unto the end:
So that the more their fury overfloweth,
The more each one his owne destruction soweth.
And as they strive with God in policy,
So are they sooner brought to misery.
Like as the savage Boare dislodg'd from den,
And hotly chased by pursuit of men,
Run's furiously on them that come him neere,
And goares himselfe upon the hunters speare:
The gentle puissant Lambe, their Champion bold,
So help's to conquer all that hart's his fold,
That quickly they and all their Progeny
Confounded is, and brought to misery.
This is of Iudah the couragious Lion,
The conquering Captaine, and the Rocke of Sion;
Whose favour is as great to Iacobs Line,
As is his fearefull frowne to Philistine.
CHAP XV. Of Apostata's and Backsliders, that through infirmity and feare have fallen away.
IT is a kinde of Apostasie and Backsliding condemned by the first commandement of the Law, when as hee that hath been once enlightened by the word of God in the knowledge of salvation, and nourished and instructed therein from the cradle, doth afterward cast behind his backe the grace of Gods spirit, or disallow thereof, and exempt himselfe from the service of God, to serve Idols, or make any outward shew to doe it: which kinde of sinne may be committed after two sorts; either through infirmity and feare, or willingly and with deliberation: when not being pressed or constrained thereto by any outward means, a man doth cleerely and of himselfe abandon and forsake the true Religion, to march under the baoner of Satan and Antichrist. And this is also of two sorts; either when a man doth simply forsake the profession of the Truth, to follow superstition and Idolatry, without attempting any thing beside the meere deniall of his Faith; or when after his revolt he professeth not onelyonly the contrary Religion, but also endeavoureth himselfe by all means possible to advance it, and to oppresse and lay siege to the doctrine of Gods Truth in those that maintaine the same. By this it appeareth that there are three kinds of Apostasie; one as it were inforced and compelled, the second voluntary, the last both voluntary and malitious: which though they be all very hainous and offensive in the sight of God, yet the second and third sort are most dangerous, and of them also one more hurtfull and pernitious than the other, as we shall perceive by that which followeth. Now as all these kinds are different one from another, so I will referre the examples of each sort to his severall place, that the efficacy thereof may be the better perceived. And first of those which have fallen away through feare and infirmity, and afterward in order of the rest. Athough that they who by the conceit and feare of tortures presented before their eyes, or of speedy and cruell death threatned against them, doe decline and slide backe from the profession of the Gospell, may pretend for excuse the weakenesse and feeblenesse of the flesh, yet doubtlesse they are found guilty before the throne of God, for preferring the love of this transitory and temporary life before the zeale of his glory, and the honour which is due to his onelyonly begotten Sonne, especially at that time when they are called out of purpose by their Martyrdome to witnesse his sacred truth before men, and he desireth most to be glorified by their free and constant perseverance therein: to the which perseverance they are exhorted by many faire promises of eternall life and happinesse: and from the contrary terrified by threats of death and confusion, and upon paine to be discharged from the presence of Christ before God, because they have denied him before men: which is the misery of all miseries, and the greatest that can happen to any man; for what shall become of that man whom the Sonne of God doth not acknowledge? Now to prove that God is indeed highly offended at this faint hearted cowardlinesse, he himself hath made knowne unto us, by the punishments which divers times he hath sent upon the heads of such offendors. As in the time of the Emperour Valerian the eighth persecutor of the Church, under whose persecution albeit that many Champions bestirred themselves most valiantly in that combat of Faith; yet there wanted not some, whose hearts failing them, and who in stead of maintaining and standing for their cause to the death, as they ought to have done, retyred and gave up themselves to the enemy at the first assault. Amongst the number of which doubty souldiers, there was one that went up into the Capitoll at Rome, in that place where Iupiters Temple in old time stood, to abjure Cyprian in his Sermons, de Lapsu multerum.and recant Christ and his profession: which he had no sooner done, but he was presently strucke dumbe, and so was justly punished in that very member wherewith he had offended.
A woman likewise having renounced her profession, and feeling in herselfe Cyprian.no remorse of conscience for her fall, went as she was wont to doe in the time of her rest and prosperity, to the Bathes and Hot-houses to refresh herselfe, as if all had had gone well with her; but she was so seised upon and possessed by an evill Spirit, that in stead of pleasure, which she fought for, she fell to lamenting, and tormenting her owne flesh, and chopt in pieces with her dainty teeth her rebellious tongue, wherewith shee had spoken wicked words, and dishonoured God, and tasted meats offered to Idols: and so this poore wretch, whereas she should have wasted her selfe in teares of true repentance, and in the true bath of grace and mercy, because she had more care of cleansing her body from filth, than her soule from sinne, became corrupt and filthy both body and soule, by the meanes of that uncleane spirit which God had given power to afflict her: and armed her owne mouth, which had tasted, chewed, and swallowed that cursed food, furiously to rise against her selfe to destroy her: so that she became her owne murtherer, for she survived not long, by reason that her bowels and intrails were choaked up to the throat with paine.
Another woman well stricken in yeares, that in like manner had revolted from the Truth, thrust her selfe notwithstanding into the assembly of Cyprian.the Faithfull, as they were receiving the holy Sacrament. But that holy Contempt of Word and Sacrament. lib. 1. c. 24.food which nourished the soules of them that believed, turned to her bane; for she found there in stead of peace, a sword; in stead of norishment, deadly and mortall poison, in such sort, that immediately after the receit of that holy Supper, she began to be marvellously troubled and vexed in soule, and felt the hand of God so heavy upon her for her offence committed in denying her Saviour, to shun her persecution, that trembling and stamping she fell downe dead.
There was also in like manner a certain man, that having renounced his Cyprian.saith, did notwithstanding present himselfe at the celebration of the holy Supper, presuming to come and eat at his Table, whom he had a little before denied; but receiving into his hand part of the Sacrament as well as the rest, and thinking to put it into his mouth, it was turned into ashes: Contempt of Sacrament. lib. 1. c. 34.whereupon he stood amazed and confounded in himselfe, God manifesting in him, that hee that revoked his faith, and recoiled from Christ Jesus, Christ Jesus would recoile from him, & give him over to death, by depriving him of his grace, and spoiling him of the power of his quickning and saving Spirit.
These are the fearfull examples of Gods Judgements, which Saint Cyprian reporteth to have light upon back sliders in his time; adding moreover, that besides these, many were possessed of devils, robbed of their wits, and inraged with fury and madnesse, and all for this offence of Apostasie.
Amongst all the examples of our age, of Gods severe justice upon Apostates, Sleiden. l. 21. ….the example of Francis Spi…ra an Italian Lawyer, a man of credit and authority in his countrey, is most pitifull and lamentable; who having embraced the true Religion with marvellous zeal, and made open profession of the same, feared not freely to declare his opinion of every point of Doctrine that came in question, and grew in knowledge every day more and more. But it was not long ere he was complained of to the Popes Embassadour: which when he understood, and saw the danger wherein he was like to fall, after he had long debated and disputed the matter in his owne conscience, the counsell of the flesh and worldly wisedome prevailing, he resolved at last to goe to the Embassadour, to the intent to appease his wrath, and do whatsoever he should command. Thus comming to Venice, and over-ruled with immoderate fear, he confessed that he had done amisse, & craved pardon for the same, promising ever after to be an obedient subject to the Popes Lawes: and that which is more, when it was enjoyned him, that at his return home he should in his owne countrey openly recant his former profession, he refused not, but performed his recantation in due sort. But it chanced very soone after, that this miserable man fell sicke of body and soule, and began to dispaire of Gods mercy towards him. His Physitian perceiving his disposition, judged, that the cause of his bodies disease was a vehement conceit and thought of minde; and therefore gave advice to minister counsell to his troubled minde very carefully, that the cause being taken away, the effect also might surcease. To this end many learned men frequented him every day, recalling into his minde, and laying open before him many expresse places of Scripture, touching the greatnesse of Gods mercy. Which things he avouched to be true, but said that those promises pertained not to him, because he had renounced Christ Jesus, and forsworne the known truth, and that for this cause nothing was prepared for him but hell fire, which already in soule hee saw and felt: I would (said he) willingly, if it were possible, love God, but it is altogether impossible. I onelyonly feare him without love. These and such speeches used he with a stedfast countenance; neither did his tongue at any time run at randome, nor his answers savour of indiscretion or want of memory; but advisedly warned all that stood by to take heed by his example, how to listen too much to worldly wisedome, especially when they should be called before men to professe the Religion of Christ. And lying in this extremity, he refused all manner of sustenance, rebuking and being angry with his sonnes that opened his mouth to make him swallow some food to sustaine him; saying, Since he had forsaken his Lord and Master, all his creatures ought to forsake him; I am afraid of every thing, there is not a creature that hath not conspired to worke my destruction: let me die, let me die, that I may goe and feele that unquenchable fire, which already consumeth me, and which I can by no meanes escape. And thus hee died indeed, pined to death in despaire and horrible torment of conscience.
Nichomachus a man that stoutly professed Christ Jesus in prosperity, being Cen…ur. 3. c. 12.brought to his triall at Troas, and put into torments he denied him; and being delivered by that meanes, consented to offer sacrifice unto Idols. But as soone as he had finished his sacrifice, he was hoisted up by the spirit of darknesse, whose darling now he was, & dashed against the earth: so that his teeth biting his prophane tongue (wherewith he had denied his Saviour) in two, he died continently.
Tamerus a professor of the true Religion, was feduced by his brother to cleave unto Popery, and to forsake his first love: but for his defection from Theatrum historicum.the truth, the Lord gave him up into a ceprobate sense, so that falling into despaire he hung himselfe.
Richard Denton a Blacksmith dwelling at Wels in Cambridge-shire, having been a professor of the Gospell a foretime; when William Woolsey Martyr (whom the said Denton had first converted from the Truth) sent him certaine money out of prison at Ely, with his commendations, That hee marvelled he tarried so long behinde him, seeing he was the first that delivered him the booke of Scripture into his hand, and told him that it was the truth: his answer was this, I confesse it is true, but alas I cannot burn. But he that could not burne in the cause of Christ, was afterward burned Acts and Monuments, pag. 1717.against his will; for in the year 1564 his house was set on fire, and whilest he went to save his goods, he lost his life.
There was also one Burton Bailiffe of Crowland in Lincoln-shire, who pretending an earnest friendship to the Gospell in King Edwards time; after the Kings death began lustily to set up the Popish Masse againe, and would have beaten the poore Curate, if he had not setled himselfe thereto: but see how the Lords judgement overtook, him; as hee came riding Acts and Monuments, pag. 2101.from Fennebanke one day, a Crow flying over his head, let fall her excrements upon his face, so that it ranne from the top of his nose downe to his beard, the poysoned sent and savour whereof so annoyed his stomack, that he never ceased vomiting untill he came home: and after falling deadly sicke, would never receive any meat, but vomited still, and complaining of that stinke, cursing the Crow that had poysoned him: to be short, within few daies he died desperately, without any token of repentance of his former life.
Hither may we adde the examples of one Henry Smith a Lawyer of the Acts and Menuments.middle Temple, and Arnoldus Bomelius a Student of Lovaine; both which having professed the Truth a while, and after being seduced by evill company, the one of Gilford, the other of Master Tileman, Smith afterward hanged himselfe in his chamber in the Temple, in the yeare of our Lord 1569. Bomelius murthered himselfe with his owne dagger. And thus these two Apostata's felt the heavy scourge of Gods wrath, for revolting from the Truth which they once professed.