A Mirror both for Saints and Sinners, Treatise · Chapter 97
CHAP. XCVII. Sin the fore-runner of Judgments.
IT brought the flood upon the old world, Gen. 6. 5, &c. Hell from Heaven upon Sodom, Gen. 19. Gods plagues upon Pharaoh, Exod. 7. 17, &c. Judgments upon Israel, Exod. 32. 35. Josu. 7. 11. So often in the book of Judges; and 1 King. 8. 33, &c. 2 Chron. 6. 24. Lam. 1. 8. & 5. 7.
It brought destruction upon Hierusalem: See Jewes.
Before the first destruction of Rome by Brennus, and his Gaules the very heathen Writers observe that the people were carelesse of the service of the gods, and grown loose, and dissolute in matters of Religion. Plut.
A religious man in an expostulatory strain complained to God of Phocas, that Parricide, who paved his way to the Throne by the murther of Mauricius his Master, and predecessor, saying; Lord, wherefore hast thou made this man Emperour? To whom the Lord answered, Enimvero quia non inveni p…jor…m: Verily because I have not found a worse. Thus God punisheth a wicked people with a wicked, and Tyrannical Prince. Cedrenus.
In the Reign of our King Henry the sixth, when our brave English Army was called home out of France by reason of our Civill discords at home: The French scoffingly asked an English Captain, when they would return into France again? To whom the Captain modestly, and discrectly answered; When your sins are greater then ours. Sp. Chr.
Bede observed of the ancient Britans, that immediately before their destruction by the Saxons, they were come to that height of wickednesse, as to cast Odium in Religionis professores, tanquam in adversarios: To hate the professors of Religion as their greatest adversaries.
Gildas also reporteth of them, That at that time fornication, adultery, and incest, with all other sins incident to mans nature were rife amongst them: and especially the hatred of truth, and the maintainers of it; the love also of lies with the forgers thereof: the admitting of evill for good, the respective regard of lewdnesse instead of goodnesse; desire of darknesse in lieu of the Sun-light, and accepting of Satan for an Angel of light: Kings were anointed not by God; but such as were known to be more cruel then the rest, and soon after murthered by their own anointers: how abominable their sinnes were, and what just judgments God followed them withal, read more in Cambdens Britan. Pag. 108, 109. out of Gildas.
Also before the Norman Conquest (as Gervasius of Canterbury writeth) the Priests were idle, drousie, and unlearned, the people given to riot, and loose life; Discipline lay dead, the Common-Wealth sick of an infinite sort of vices: but above all Pride, whose waiting-maid is destruction, was come to a mighty head: yea they fell to fast to all lewdnesse, that to be ignorant of sinful crimes, was held a great crime. Camb. Brit. p. 143.
Upon the Persecution of the Church under the Emperour Valerian, Cyprian writes thus: We must confesse that this great calamity which hath wasted for the most part all our Churches, and still doth daily consume us, ariseth chiefly from our own wickednesse whilest we walk not in the way of the Lord, nor observe his precepts as we ought, whilest we are full of lucre, pride, emulation, dissension, void of simplicity, and faithful dealing, renouncing the world in word, but not in deed, every man pleasing himself, and displeasing others, and therefore are we thus worthily scourged: For, Non venissent fratribus haec mala, si in unum fuisset fraternitas animata: These evils had not befallen the brethren, if they had been joyned together in brotherly unanimity. See more in my Gen. Martyrologie. p. 56.
Aurelian the Emperour at first suffered the Christians to enjoy their Religion in peace, but when they had lived a while in peace, and prosperity they began to grow idle, and delicate, striving, and contending amongst themselves upon every trifling occasion, with railing words bespattering one another in a most despightful manner: Bishops against Bishops, and people against people moving hatred continually: yea cursed hypocrisie, and dissimulation encreased more and more, by reason whereof God sent upon them the ninth Persecution, &c. See more in my Gen. Martyr. p. 61.
Salvian Bishop of Masilia complaineth that before the persecuting Vandalls came into Africa, the Church of God was much degenerated, in those Countries from its ancient purity, and that the power of godlinesse was much decayed, insomuch as they which lived exactly according to the rule of Gods Word were hissed at as they went in the streets as if they had been Monsters. Eodem. pag. 101.
Before the late Persecution in Bohemia through the long, and peaceable enjoyment of the Gospel men by little, and little began to be licentious in their lives, and carnal security so encreased, that many began to presage that some horrible tempest would ere long overwhelm them. Eodem. p. 160.
Before the Massacre of Paris such a general stupidity seized upon the Protestants, that their minds were very wavering, and few there were that shewed themselves zealously bent to Religion; but all both great, and small were intent upon worldly matters, building to themselves goodly Castles in the ayr. Eodem. p. 309.