ALl creatures of God, as well in heauen as in earth, had lawes giuen them af­ter they were created, to be gouer­ned and ruled by, the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres to keepe their perpetuall motions and course in their places and regiments, so the seas haue their limits and bounds, how farre they should rule and raigne, and though one starre differeth from an other in Iob. 38. glorie, in greatnesse, and in brightnesse, yet are they go­uerned by one perpetuall lawe; so the seas, though the waues thereof be so loftie and proud, yet are they shut vp within doores, and commaunded to keepe in, and not to goe further then the place to them by lawe ap­pointed.

By lawe also the elements are commaunded to staie within their owne regiments, without trespassing one of another, as Manilius faith; Certa stant omnia lege, [Page 2] For the stanes by lawe haue their leaders before them, they haue their watch giuen them, they haue their mo­tions and marching appointed them, and as all riuers and waters haue their course and recourse, to the seas, and from the seas, as from their chiefe commaunder, so all starres haue their brightnesse & light from the Sun, as from their chiefe generall.

Neither were the Angels in heauen, being the first and the chiefest creatures of God, nor man in Paradise beeing the last creature, Tanquam Epilogus operum dei, without lawe, the breach wherof made such a generall confusion, that it so obscured the first integritie of the lawe of nature, that the Angels that offended in hea­uen, lost heauen, and were iudged to perpetuall darke­nesse, and man for his disobedience in Paradise, cast Iob. 25. out of Paradise to euerlasting punishment, so that the Angels were not pure, nor the heauens cleare before God.

The earth likewise and the seas, and all the creatures in them, by breaking of the first lawe which Tertullian calleth Primordialem l [...]gem & legum omnium matricem, lost the benefites of the first creation, for in Adams fall all creatures were cursed, which made Augustine to wō ­der, Vtrùm mirabilius homines iustos creare, quàm iniustos instificare, whether the mercy of God were more in crea­ting iust men, or in iustifying wicked men, though with God it was of equall and like power; yet said Augustine, it was of greater mercy to iustifie vniust men, for that Iustificatio er at secunda hominis creatio.

Yet the old Patriarches liued vnder the lawe of na­ture, The old Pa­triarkes liued vnder the law of nature. 2. Cor 3. Iere. 31. so Paul testifieth that the lawe was first written, not in tables of stones, but in fleshly tables of the heart, for I will put my lawe saith the Lorde in their inward parts, [Page 3] and in their hearts will I write it; so Augustine saith, Audi linguam non in lapide sed in corde scribentem; for from the eternall lawe, which is Creatrix & gubernatrix vniuersi­tatis, was reuiued and lightned the lawe of nature, vnder the which the Patriarches liued, for the lawe of nature which the Patriarches had, being not corrupted, diffe­reth nothing frō the written lawe giuen to Moses, which is the whole summe of the morall lawe.

What else is the lawe written giuen to Moses, but a short repetition, and compendious catalogue, expoun­ding The lawe of nature is a short repetiti­on of the lawe written. vnto vs the lawe of nature, beeing obscured and corrupted by the fall of Adam, but by the second Adam renued, written, and giuen to Moses in tables of stones, Tanquam norma rectitudinis in Deo.

So Paule sayeth, that if the Gentiles which haue not the lawe, doo by nature those things contai­ned in the lawe, they hauiug not the lawe, are a lawe to themselues, and therefore the Heathens are not excuseable, for conscience which is that Flam­meus gladius, is a witnesse of theyr fault, and a signe of the anger and iudgement against them for theyr sinne.

Agnitio Peccatilex, and therefore the lawe was gi­uen to shewe vs our infirmities, and that by the lawe grace might bee sought for, Fides enim impetrat, quod lex The lawe written and giuen to Mo­ses. imperat: for when the lawe was first giuen in Mount Sinai to Moses, it was with such feare, lightning and thundering, with such cloudes, smoake, and fire, that e­uery part of Sinai trembled and quaked, when the lawe was giuen, for the law is full of terror and ministreth vn­to death.

The law said Plato, punisheth wicked mē, & rewardeth good mē, so Cicero saith; Lex vitiorū emēdatrix & virtutū [Page 4] est commendatrix. By the lawe we know our selues, with­out the which we wander in darknesse without light, Cic de leg. lib. 1. in ignorance without knowledge, in sin without feare, whose force and authoritie is from God and not from man: so could Cicero say, Tantalegis vis est, vt ea non ho­mini sed deo Delphico tribueretur.

And therefore the first and auncient kings and law-makers of the world, Quibus omnes antiquae gentes quondā paruerunt, both for the more credit of thēselues & better authoritie of their lawes, made their subiects & people Cic. de leg. lib. 3. beleeue, when their first lawes were made, that the gods were so carefull, that they gaue them seuerall lawes to gouerne the people.

So Mena one of the first kings of Egipt, affirmed that he had instructions for making of his lawes and decrees to the Egiptians, from god Mercurius.

In like sort Licurgus made the Lacedemonians be­leeue, Cic. de diuini. lib 1. that the lawes which he gaue vnto them were de­liuered vnto him from Appollo in Delphos.

The people of Creete were perswaded fully by Mi­noes their first lawe-maker, that the lawes which he gaue Diod. sic. lib. 2. cap. 5. vnto them, were deliuered vnto him from Iupiter, that thereby the law might the more be feared, and the law-makers better obeyed.

So did Numa Pomp. warrant his lawes which he esta­blished among the Romanes concerning religion, from the Nimph Egeria, for the gouernmēt which was vnder kings, is by Aristotle called Primus & diuinissimus princi­patus.

When the first gouernment and state of Common­wealths fell by too much seueritie of kings, as among the Romaines who were wearie of kings, and had no lawe but Ius regis, the iudgement and sentence of the [Page 5] king, called in Romulus time, Lex curiata, whose seueritie grew to be such, that the second gouernment in Rome, Lex curiata. which was by Consuls and Senators, tooke place by fall of the first, which lawe was called Senatus Consultus, which grew so great by authoritie of the Consuls, that a third kind of popular gouernment vnder the Tribune of the people, was authorised to suppresse the misgo­uernment both of the Consuls and Senators, as the E­phori were among the Lacedemonians made by Theo­pompus, to bridle the insolencie of the kings.

So were the wise men called Magi in Persia, with­out whom the kings of Persia could make no lawes.

And so the Magistrates called Megistenes, had the like authoritie with the kings of Armenia, as the Ephori had in Sparta. Chiefe magi­strates & go­uernors in di­uers countries

Among the Carthagineans also were two chiefe Magistrates named Suffetes, the one with the other to looke to the gouernment of the kings, that they should iustly and rightly minister iustice to the people.

The Hebrewes likewise, where God placed Iudges to gouerne the people, of the which they were wearie, and would haue a king, so that the Romanes being wea­rie of kings, would haue Consuls, and the Hebrewes be­ing wearie of Iudges, would haue kings, for all nations at the beginning began with the gouernment of kings, sauing the Hebrewes, which were as straungers and bondmen in Egipt, without eyther king, lawe, or liber­tie, foure hundred & thirtie yeares, euen from the com­ming of Abraham into Egipt, vntil Moses and Aaron were commaunded to bring Israel out of Egipt, at what time a lawe was giuen in Mount Sinai to Moses, within fiftie dayes after the Israelites came out of Egipt, that they should bee gouerned thereby before they possessed the land of Canaan.

[Page 6] After they had receiued the lawe, the Lorde com­maunded them that they should not make gods of sil­uer, nor gods of golde: hee also commaunded that they The Lord cō ­maunded an aultar to bee made. should make him an Aultar, and thereon to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings, with a straight charge that they should not make him an Aultar of hewed stones like the aulter at Damascus, which Achab Exod. 20. brought to Israel, for that they should doo nothing of themselues after the manner of the Gentiles, but by the Lords prescript rules, which are his eternall lawes.

Yet before this lawe was giuen to Moses, there were Aultars builded and sacrifices offered, by Noah after hee Diuers aultars be [...]ore the law written. landed out of the Arke at Baterion, by Abraham after he came to the land of Canaan at Sychem, by Isaac in Bersabe, by Iacob in Bethel, where hee fled from his brother Esau, they were instructed by the lawe of nature, written in the tables of their hearts, to worship the Lord, & to feare him euen from the creation.

Vnder the lawe of nature the people of God liued, and were assisted by the spirit of the Lord, ministred vn­to them by Angels, and instructed by the Patriarches, and liuely tradition of the fathers to the sonnes, two thousand fiue hundred yeares before the lawe writ­ten.

Who doubtes but what Methusalem (beeing in the company of Adam aboue two hundred & fiftie yeares, and with the rest of the Patriarches vnto the very floud, Septe longaeui liuing vnder the lawe of nature) heard of Adam, but Methusalem deliuered it to Sem? what Sem heard of Methusalem, but hee instructed Abraham therewith? what Abraham heard of Sem, hee shewed it to Iacob? and what Iacob heard of Abraham, hee taught it to Amri, [Page 7] who was father to Moses, to whom the lawe written was giuen, so that the one was instructed by the other, from the father to the sonne, to serue and feare the Lord by the lawe of nature. So that Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Iacob, Iob, and all the olde Patriarches and godly fathers, liued in the feare of God by the lawe of nature.

No doubt many things were written of the olde fa­thers before the floud, and left to their posterities, and af­ter the floud generally ouer the whole world before the vse of paper, lawes and learning were giuē by traditions frō the parents, to the children & their posterities, as the Indians which had no lawes written no more then the Lacedemonians, but by obseruations, vntill the Indian Philosophers called Brachmaines, found meanes to write in Sindone, fine linnen, or lawne, as the old Egiptians v­sed to write on the inward side of the barke of the tree Biblus, or as Vlpian saith, the Grecians vsed to write on the barke of the tree Tilia; for in auntient time from the Tylia other­wise called Phyllida. beginning, lawes were written on the inward side of barks of trees, as on the barke of Beech trees, Elme, Ashe, Palme trees, and such; for the great library in Alexandria, by Philadelphis compiled, and the library in Asia by A [...]ta­lus Vlpian. F. de leg. 3. and Eumenes gathered together, were written in Hae­donis Chartis in goate skinnes.

During all which time, there was no mention made neither of gods nor of Idols, though Satan plaid the first Idolater in practising to Adam & Eue, saying; Eritis vt dij; Ye shalbe like gods on earth, & your eies shalbe opened.

Satan by degrees deceiued Adā, first asking him que­stions, then doubting, then denying, saying, you shal not die, which was the first lye in the world; so Satan procee­deth with his stratagems, as Gregorius Magnus saith in Vnoquo (que) lapsu a minimis semper incipitur.

[Page 8] Yet after the lawe written was giuen, Idolatry was presently committed before Moses came downe from the Mount; so that there was no Idols mentioned nor Rachel stole her father La­bans Image. spoken of, before Rachel, Iacobs wife, stole her father La­bans Image, and brought it from Mesopotamia in her husbands company towards Canaan, where Laban ac­cused Gen. 31. his daughter, that she stole his gods away.

But Iacob within a while after he came to Canaan, commaunded his houshold and all that were with him, to put away the straunge gods that were among them, Gen. 35. to cleanse themselues, and chaunge their garments, and Iacob buried and hid their Images vnder an oake by Si­chem, and went to Bethel, and made an aultar there to his God, as the Lord had commaunded him.

So Ninus a little before that time set vp the first I­mage that is read of to bee among the Gentiles, to Belus The Image of Belus made by his sonne Ninus. his father, from which time the name of Baal, his pro­phets, and his priests, began to multiply so many in Niniuie and in Babilon, yea in Iudah it selfe among the Israelites, to whome the lawe was giuen from the Lord to Moses, forbidding them to serue straunge gods.

Ieroboam Salomons seruant, and king of Israel, which Ieroboam made two golden calues. made Israel first to sinne, by making two golden calues theyr gods, the one in Dan, the other in Bethel, saying to the people, These be thy gods (ô Israel) which brought thee out of the land of Egipt.

Within a while after, wicked Achab being not satisfi­ed with the gods of Samaria, the golden calues which Ieroboam made, brought Baal frō Assyria to Iudah, where he kept and maintained 450. false Prophets, to instruct and teach Israel in the religion of Baal, contrarie to the lawe which the Lord gaue vnto Moses; for the lawe [Page 9] was, Thou shalt haue no other gods but me: so that the gods of the Moabites and Ammonites, yea the gods of the Gentiles, came to be worshipped in the middest of Ieru­salem: and Mount Oliuet was so full of Idolatry vnder e­uery greene tree, and in euery groue, that thereby it was called the Mount of corruption, so that Ierusalem had as many straunge aultars in the time of Salomon, as Athens had in the time of Paul.

The Iewes therefore were as Idolatrous, and had as many gods as the Gentiles had, and rather serued the dumbe Idols of the Gentiles, then the liuing God of Is­rael.

So vaine and wicked were the Israelites, that while Moses was in the Mount with the Lord for the lawe, be­fore he came downe from the Mount, they had forced Israel made a god of mettall while Moses was with the Lord for the lawe. Deut. 9. Aaron to make them a calfe of mettall, as a god to go be­fore them, for so the Lord said vnto Moses, vp and get thee downe quickly, for the people haue made them a god of mettall, at what time the Lord was so angrie, that he determined to destroy all the Hebrues for their Ido­latrie, had not Moses earnestly praied, and made interces­sion for them.

For the Hebrues before they came out of Egipt, sawe the Idolatry of the Egiptians, in worshipping oxen, calues, serpents, crocodiles, and other beasts as gods, the lawe was not so soone giuen to Moses, but it was as soone broken by the people, who forsooke the Lord and his lawe, and followed other gods, Baalim and Ash­taroth, Num. 25. after Ioshuahs death, for during the whole time of Ioshuah, he kept Israel from Idolatry, and they serued the Lord, but after his death they committed fornication with the daughters of Moab, who brought Israel to wor­ship and serue theyr goddes, that the Lord was angrie [Page 10] with Israel, and bad Moses take vp the chiefe men among the people, and hang them vp to the Lorde against the Sunne, that the Lords wrath might bee taken a­way.

So after Gedeons death Israel fell to their Idolatrie, as they were wont to doo, that Manasses a most wicked 4. Reg [...]. Idolatrous king builded aultars to all the host of heauen in the house of the Lord, and he put vp an Image in the Temple of the Lord, where the Lord himselfe said, In Ie­rusalem will I put my name, hee worshipped and serued them, hee reared vp aultars and made groues, he built high aultars, which Ezechiah his father destroyed, and following Achab king of Israel, offered his sonne in fire, so that in Ierusalem the Israelites worshipped more gods, and had more aultars to their gods, then the Athenians had in Athens, which Paul testified, who sawe so many gods and so many aultars in Athens, one to lust, one to shame, and one among so many, Ignotodeo, to an vn­knowne god.

SOcrates deriding & scoffing at the mul­titude of the goddes and aultars of A­thens, was by the Athenians put to death, not for breaking their aultars, destroying their temples, nor betray­ing Socreates poi­soned in A­thens for reli­gion. the Citie, but because he sware by a straunge god, thinking thereby hee had despised the goddes of Athens, and more esteemed straunge gods.

Plato his scholler, though hee was of the like opini­on as his maister Socrates was, yet durst hee not openly confesse it, for feare of the people, though king Dyoni­sius knew Platos minde by his Letters, therein signifi­ed, that when Plato wrote to king Dyonisius of one god, then hee wrote seriously and earnestly, but when hee wrote of many gods, hee ieasted with scoffes as Socrates did.

Plato was of oipnion that Poets and Painters filled Greece with all kinde of Idols, for what the Poets faig­ned Platoes opini­on of Poets & Painters. in Greece in fables, the same the Painters painted in Greece in tables, and therefore Plato thought good to re­moue Homer crowned & annointed with all reuerence Ioseph. lib. 2. contra. Apion. out of Greece, for that hee (through the opinion of the Greekes had of him) filled Greece with too many gods and aultars.

[Page 12] But the Lord commanded Israel to ouerthrowe the [...]ltars of the Gentiles, to breake their pillars, cut downe their groues, and burne the Images of their goddes with fire, saying; Couet not the golde nor the siluer [...] that is about the Heathens Images, as Achan did, least thou be sna [...]ed thereby, for it is an abhomination to the Lord.

Among the Romanes they thought it a great sacri­ledge to contemne and prophane the religion of theyr gods, for so Alcibiades was accused of sacriledge for that he offended the lawe of the Athenians, despising the ho­ly Alcibiades [...] ed from Athens. misteries of the goddesse Ceres, entred with his torch­bearer and v [...]rger before him, against the lawe of Eumol­pides, into the secret sacrifice and misteries of Ceres, for the which his goods were confiscated, and himselfe ba­nished out of Athens for his contempt.

So for the like Clodius was accused in Rome, for that he entered secretly into the misteries of Flora, where none should bee but women, and the Priests of Flora, but as Alcibiades was banished out of Athens, so Clo­ [...]ius Clo [...]ius slaine in Rome. after was slaine in Rome, for that Clodius offen­ded the lawe, being rather suspected for Pompeia Cae­sars wife, then for the zeale hee had to Floraes sacri­fice.

So zealous were the Heathens, that euen among the Scythians, rude and sauage people, for that Anacharsis Anacharsis slaine. the Philosopher brought the ceremonies of the Greci­ans and their religion into Scythia, and vsed the same in Ioseph. lib. 2. contra Apion. Scythia, he was slain by his owne countreymen the Scy­thians.

In like maner the Athenians vsed certaine of the A­carnanites, who being not Priests, prophaned the gods [Page 13] of Athens in their religion, which was taken of the Athe­nians for a sacriledge against their gods, and therefore were the Acarnanites slaine in Athens. If the Gentiles do this for dumbe Idols and woodden gods, and allow no straunge gods to bee worshipped nor serued within their territories, neither suffered their religion to bee al­tered, how much more should Israel obserue the lawe of their Lord and God? for of him, through him, and for Paul. [...]. ad Rom. him, are all things; and as Hillarius saith, Quicquid in deo est Deus est, & totum quod in Deo est, vnum est: Hermes Hermes in Poemand. though a Heathen man amōg the Egiptians, could say: Deus est quae sunt & ea quae non sunt. And Plato among Plato in Phaed. the Greekes, could say: Deum esse aequalem totum & ipsum singulum.

Such was the blinde zeale of the Gentiles towards theyr goddes, that they exceeded the Iewes, for as theyr gods were innumerable, so were theyr ceremonies, theyr sacrifices, feasts and vowes infinite, they were so religious to theyr goddes, that they sought neither health, wealth, nor any thing else, without vowes made, The Romains vowe. eyther to dedicate Temples and Aultars, to sacrifice and make Playes, as the Romaines did for the health of theyr Consuls, Dictators, and Emperours, or for a­ny thing else, the Priestes of Iupiter called Flamines should offer the sacrifice of Haecatombae vnto theyr gods.

The Grecians also when their gods were offended with them, vowed for their assistance and helpe, to stand Grecians. with them to dedicate statues & Images, with crownes, chaines, and Iewels.

The Egiptians when they had offended their gods, Vowes of the Gentiles to their gods. they should shaue their heads and their beards, and de­dicate the haires thereof at Memphis, with vowes made [Page 14] that they would build temples of marble and of Iuorie to their gods.

The Persians which haue neither Temples nor Ima­ges, Pers [...] but the Sunne onely whom they worship, whose Temple said they, is the whole world, to whom the Per­sians made a pile of wood, offered sacrifice, and powred wine, milke & hony, which with supplication & vowes Xerxes burnt the Temples in Greece. they made to the Sunne, for the Persians had neither Temples nor Idolls, which made Xerxes when he came to Greece with his Persian armie, and sawe their Goddes Cic. de legib. lib. 2. and Idolls so full painted and pictured on the walles of their Temples, that he left neither Gods nor Temples that he could come vnto, vnburned.

In so much that the Lorde complained by his Pro­phets, and brings these Heathens, the Romanes, Egipti­ans, Persians, & others in, for a proofe against his people, saying; how these Gentiles obserue and keep the lawes of their Gods, and suffer no straunge God to be wor­shipped among them, but my people will not obey me saith the Lord.

The Prophet Ieremy cried so to Israel, saying; Looke how many cities are in thee (oh Iudah) so many strange [...]em 1 [...]. Gods do you worship within Iudah.

And so the Lord complained how the Rechabites kept the lawes and ordinances of their father Ionadab, that commaunded them, they should neuer drinke wine, build no house, sowe no seede, plant no vines, and The Recha­bites lawes. haue no vineyards, they haue kept their fathers lawes, but my people will not obey my lawes, nor keepe my commaundements saith the Lord.

So did the sonnes of Mattathias, as the sonnes of Ionadab did, obeyed their fathers commaundement in obseruing the lawes of the Lord.

[Page 15] The examples are verified in all the kings of Israel, euen from Salomon, for hee forsooke the Lorde, and serued straunge gods, and builded Aultars to Chemosh, god of the Moabites, and to Moloch, god of the Am­monites.

But Dauid burnt the Images and Idolls of the Phili­stines in the valley of Giants, so in like sort were the Idols of the Iamnites burned.

The Lord therefore sent Ahiah the Sylonite, to Ie­roboam, Ahiahs speech to Ieroboam. Salomons seruant, which tooke his mantle, and rent it into twelue peeces; thus saith the Lord, so will I rent the kingdome out of Salomons hand, and will giue tenne Tribes to thee, although they read in the lawe of the Lord, that the sword of the Lord is sent against them that worship Images, as the Lorde said, I will whet my sworde which shall eate the flesh of Ido­ [...]ators, and will make my arrowes drunken with Deut. 32: [...]heyr bloud, I will destroye your Aultars, ouer­throwe your Images, and cast your bodies vpon the [...]arkasses of your Idols, yet would not Israel bee in­ [...]tructed.

And therefore it was prophesied and said of Ieru­salem, Thou shalt serue thy enemie in hunger, in thirst, [...]n nakednesse, and in neede, and he shall put a yoake Deut. 38. of Iron vpon thy necke, vntill hee haue destroyed thee; thou shalt eate the fruite of thy body, euen the flesh of [...]hy sonnes and daughters, during the siege and straight­ [...]esse wherein thy enemies shall inclose thee, because thou obeyedst not the voice of the Lord, so that thorne Hose. 10. and thistle shall grow on their aultar, and they shall say to the mountaines, couer vs, and to the hilles fall vpon vs.

And therefore Zaleucus Pythagoras Scholler, the [Page 16] first lawe that he made among the Locreans, was first to Zeleueus first lawes to the Locreans. Diod. sic. li. 12. establish religion, and to honour and worship the gods, acknowledging all things that are good, to come from diuine powers; the second lawe was against contention and discord among the people, exhorting one to loue an other, agreeable to the lawe of nature, which lawe was giuē vnto vs that we should loue others, and do for others, as much as for our selues. Hence grew that Pa­radoxe of Pythagoras, that all things should be common amongst friendes, and friendship most common; and Cic. de leg 1. therefore Socrates was wont to curse that man, Qui pri­mus vtilitatem a natura seiunxisset, for what nation is in the world, but by the law of nature, loues lenitie, huma­nitie, gratitude and goodnesse, and by the selfe same lawe hates crueltie, pride, vngratefulnesse and wicked­nesse.

It seemed that Zeleucus read Moses lawe, for that his first lawe was concerning religion in the first table, and his second lawe touching loue and charitie betweene neighbours in the second table.

Licurgus among the Lacedemonians made a lawe that no straunger might come and dwell in Sparta, not Licurgus lawe that no stran­ger should dwell in Spar­ta. in any part of Lacedemonia, lest they should defile & pro­phane their lawes and religion, neither should that La­cedemonian, that went out of his countrey, returne to his countrey, lest he should corrupt their religion.

So it was among the Israelites by the lawe of Moses, that no straunger might match with the Israelites, nei­ther by marriage, nor by any societie, vnles they would become obedient to the lawe of Moses.

It was not lawfull in Athens to thinke, much lesse to speake any thing against their gods, and for that Auaxa­goras the Philosopher said, the Sunne was but a fierie [Page 17] stone, he was by the Athenians put to death, for that the Athenians iudged the same to be a God. Anaxagoras put to death. Ioseph. lib. 2. contra Apion.

So carefull were the Gentiles to serue theyr Gods, that Gedeons death was sought, for the breaking of the aultar of Baal, Ieptha was threatned to be slaine in his owne house, whereby hee was forced to flie to the land Iudic. 6. of Tob.

Protagoras, because the Athenians found that hee Protagoras doubted in his opinion of the gods of Athens, they so sought him, that had he not fled betimes hee had died for it.

The like hapned to a Romane captaine in Egipt for killing of a Catte one of the Gods of Egipt, which was against his will, he hardly escaped with his life, whom Diod. sic. lib. 2. the people so followed and pursued to Alexandria, that Ptolomeu the king and all his princes had their hands full to saue him and others from death.

The Athenians also were so zealous and religious to­wards Diagoras. their gods, that they decreed 600. crownes to any man that would kill Diagoras, for that hee was charged, Talentū. Atti­cum. Cic. de natura deor. lib. 1. that hee scoft and laughed at their gods, and doubted whether any gods were, & if there were, what maner of gods they were. Too many examples might be brought for the proofe of this in all ages, and in all countries.

The lawes of Moses by the Lord set downe, was to serue him in the Temple of Salomon: and that onely in Ierusalem, yet Salomon in his old age forsooke the Tem­ple, which he made to serue the Lord, and was the first himselfe that serued straunge gods in groues, and vnder euery green tree, that from Salomons time Idolatry grew so in Iudah, that the Israelites had as many lawes, as they had gods, and as many gods as they had cities, and al­though they had not so many Temples builded to their [Page 18] gods as the Gentiles had, yet they had as many aultars in groues & vnder euery green tree, for among the Israe­lites in euery groue was a temple, & vnder euery greene tree an aultar; & yet they spared not to defile the temple of the Lord in Ierusalem; among the Gentiles they were so carefull of their gods, that euery god had his temple, for among them two gods might not be in one temple.

So the Romanes could endure nothing worse then to suffer strange gods to be among them, for Lu. Aemilius the Consul, was by the Senators commaunded to pull downe the temples of Isis & Serapis [...] [...]at they were Egiptian gods: for there was a lawe among the Sena­tors Val. Max. de peregrin. re­ligione, cap. 3. of Rome, that Dij Peregrini e ciuitate [...]ijciantur.

And therfore the Romanes so esteemed their gods, that when Pilate wrote vnto his Lord and mais [...]r Tibe­rius Caesar, to haue one Iesus allowed to be one of the gods in Rome, who did many miracles and great won­ders in Iudah & Ierusalem; and yet of malice by the Iewes was put to death: though Caesar would allow it, and would haue the Senate also to allow [...], yet the Senators thought it not fit that a strange god should be accepted in Rome, among the Romane gods, so that the Romains & the Grecians could serue many gods, but Israel could not allow nor accept their Lord & God, for the Sama­ritans draue him out of their cities, the Gergesites bani­shed him out of their country, and in Ierusalem his owne citie, the Iewes crucified him, preferring Barabas the murtherer, before Iesus their Sauiour.

Yet Cyrus king of Persia, caused it to be proclaimed Cyrus con­fessed the god which the lewes wor­shipped. 1. Eldr. [...]. by writing throughout all his Empire, that the Lorde God of heauen, had commaunded him to build him a house at Ierusalem in Iudah, confessing that he onely is the god that is at Ierusalem; and therfore Cyrus comman­ded [Page 19] the Israelites to build their Temple againe.

Artaxerxes, surnamed long hand, made the like lawe for repairing of the Temple of Ierusalem. Artax.

Nabuchodonozer published a lawe that he should be Nabuchodo­nozer. torne in peeces, and his house made a Iakes that blas­phemed the God of Israel, but before he said, what God can take you out of my hand, at what time Holofernes said, there was no other God but Nabuchodonozer.

Darius Medus made a streight lawe, that all domini­ons Darius made a lawe that all dominions should feare the god of Daniel. and people should feare the God of Daniel, but be­fore he proclaimed an edict, that whosoeuer desired a­ny petition, either of any god or man, within 30. dayes but of himselfe, should be cast into a Lions den, so that Daniel was found against the statute praying to his god, and was cast into the Lions denne.

King Agrippa all in cloth of siluer, glistring garments, Agrippa. making an Oration to the people vpon the Theaters at Caesaria, because hee suffered the people to flatter him, Ioseph. de an­tiq. li. 19. ca. 7. and to say it is the voice of God & not of man, which as Thucidides saith, is one of the three most dangerous ene­mies to ouerthrow a common-wealth: this king in the very face of these his flatterers, was presently so tormen­ted with such pangues of death, that dying hee spake to the people, See whom you called a god a little before, dieth now like a most wretched man, like Bel the god of Nabuchodonozer, who after that Daniel tooke pitch, fat, and haire, and did seethe them together, and put it in Bels mouth, god Bel burst in sunder, of whō Daniel said, Behold your god Bel whom you worship, for the grea­test king is like an earthen vessell soone broken, a spider is able to poyson him, a gnat is able to choake him, and a little pinne able to kill him, this is the greatest glory that man can bragge of himselfe.

IN Egipt the mother of all Idolatry, from whence the Grecians, the Ro­manes, and all the world were instruc­ted Egipt the mo­ther of all I­dolatrie. Dio [...]ic. lib. 2. to serue straunge gods, they had most sumptuous Temples of Marble and of Iuory, bedect with gold & sil­uer most richly; but such ridiculous gods were in Egipt, as apes, dogges, crocodiles, calues, oxen, serpents, and cattes, that euery seuerall citie in E­gipt, had a seuerall beast for their god, in Memphis a bull, in Heliopilis an oxe, in Medeta a bucke goate, in the citie of Elephantina a crocodile, and so of the rest.

And therefore the greekes scoffed the Egiptians, for that there was no beast so vile but they would make Ioseph lib 2. con [...] Apion. him a god in Egipt, and none but beasts were gods in E­gipt, the Grecians gods were carued & made like men.

The Romains made themselues gods, as Domitianus, after he decreed to be called sonne vnto Pallas, was not contented therwith, but would be called Dominus Deus Domitianus.

So Caius and other some of the later Caesars, would bee called sonne vnto Iupiter, others brothers to the Sunne and Moone, which both Augustus Caesar and Ti­berius Gode. c. [...]n li. 2. Viget. cap. 1. refused to be honored with those names though they were offered; others would haue their Image set vp in the Temple at Ierusalem; but woe be vnto him that saith vnto a peece of wood, arise, and to a dumbe stone, stand vp.

[Page 21] And therefore the Prophet saith, Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia, & gloriantur in simulachris suis.

Wee are forbidden to bring rubbers and napkins, and to holde a looking glasse to Iuno, for it is not Pauls napkin, Peters shadow, Elizeus staffe, Moses rodde, nor Elias mantle, but the Lord God of Elias, as Elizeus said.

When Pilate the Romane President was comman­ded by Tiberius the Emperour, to set vp his Image in the Temple of Ierusalem, some of the best of the Iewes went to Caesaria to Pilate, requesting with teares, that hee The Iewes ob­serued straitly their lawes. would not violate the Temple with Images, Pilate aun­swered, Caesars Image must be set vp, or else you die for it, they presently offered their neckes bare to be cut off, before theyr lawe should be broken, or the Temple vio­lated with Images.

The like commaundement had Petronius from his maister Cai. Caesar, to set vp his Image in the Temple, but in like manner as before to Pilate, the Iewes came with their wiues and children to entreate Petronius, who told them as Pilate did, that the Image of Caesar must bee set vp in theyr Temple, as other Nations suffered the Ro­maine Emperours Images to bee set in their Temples a­mong their gods, as fellowes to theyr gods, or else they must dye for it, the Iewes answered Petronius, that all the Iewes in Iudah, men, women, and children, shall and will dye before the lawe shall be broken. Thus were they so slaine and killed betweene the Romaine Empe­rours and the kings of Assyria, that their bloud was shed out like water on euery side of Ierusalem, and yet would they not allowe Images, nor haue theyr lawes bro­ken.

The Romaines had no Images for 170. yeares, [Page 22] though afterwards they had in their closets diuers Ima­ges which they worshipped as goddes, they had also houshold and peculiar gods at their gates, and in theyr Alex. Neapo­lit. genial. lib. 5 cap. 24. entries, besides the Images and statues of themselues and of their friends, so that the Romaines so esteemed Images, that in the time of the late Caesars, Theodosius the Emperour thought to destroy Antiochia, for the pulling downe of the Image of his friend Placilla, had not Mace­donius perswaded him to the contrarie.

So Agrippa for his woman Drusilla despised Paul.

Among the Iewes one Theudas a Magitian tooke vpon him to be the Messias, perswaded the people that he was that Prophet which they looked for, and that he Diuers tooke vpon thē to be the Mesias. was able with a word to deuide the Riuer Iorden into two, and to giue him and his company place to passe through, but he was slaine and his company, and Theu­das head brought to Ierusalem by Cuspius the Romaine President.

An other after Theudas, called Attonges a shepheard, affecting the kingdome, made himselfe the Messias. Ioseph. de Antiquit. lib. 20. cap 5.

And after Attonges one Barcosma, who tooke vpon him to be the Messias, whom the Iewes so affected and followed thirtie yeares, and when they perceiued hee could not keepe promise with them in vanquishing the Romanes, the Iewes slew him.

But as the Israelites offered the bloud of beasts, and sprinkled theyr Aultars, according to the lawe of Moses, so the Gentiles imitated the Hebrewes, offered also bloud, but the bloud of theyr seruants and chil­dren.

The Heathens thought no bloud too deare to please their gods.

For the Romains were admonished out of the bookes [Page 23] of the Sibils, which they more honoured and esteemed in Rome, then the bookes of the Prophets were in Iudah, as it may seeme by Torquinius Priscus, who bought them Torquinius. so deare, and after were more carefully kept, then Zede­chiah king of Iudah kept the lawes of God, for hee did burne and teare the booke which Ieremiah sent to him from the Lord, without any dread or care had of the Three hun­dred aureos. Prophet, so that the bookes of the Sibils were more re­uerently kept, and their lawes obserued in Rome, then the bookes of the Prophets in Ierusalem.

So Zedechiah the false Prophet was preferred by A­chab before Michaeah the true Prophet of the Lord, and Baals priests before the Lords Prophets.

The Romanes had their warrants from the bookes of the Sibils, to sacrifice vnto Iuno a quicke man buri­ed, Idolatrous sa­crifice of the Gentiles. as the Grecians were wont to sacrifice to Bacchus.

The Phaenizians and the Carthagineans sacrificed to Saturnus with Infants bloud, the Laodicians sacrificed a young virgin vnto Pallas; so the Lacedemonians sacri­ficed to Mars with bloud; the old Germanes to Mercurie with bloud.

These sacrifices of bloud were contrarie to the lawe of Licurgus, taught among the Lacedemonians, and af­ter by Numa Pomp. imitated in Rome in all his lawes, No bloud of­fered in sacri­fice by Licur­gus lawe. taught to him by the Nimphe Egeria, as Licurgus lawes were taught to him by Apollo in Delphos. Yet Pythagoras brought this lawe of Licurgus, after Numas time, from Greece to other parts of Italy, for it was Pythagoras lawe according to Licurgus, that nihil animatum dijs litetur, that no bloud should be sacrificed, but fruites, hearbes, flowers, meale, milke, honie, and wine, which was the lawe of Licurgus among the Lacedemoni­ans.

[Page 24] The Romaines as Cicero said, had their Temples made to pietie, faith, vertue, and to the minde, as degrees and steppes to ascend vp to heauen, but by the same Cic. de leg. lib 2. lawe of Cicero, they were forbidden to build any Tem­ples to any prophane vice, contrarie to the Greekes, and to the Egiptians, who allowed all kinde of theyr coun­trey gods, but yet would allow no straunge gods.

It was the chiefest poynt among all Heathen Prin­ces, Arist lib. 5. polit. cap. 11. to bee carefull of their religion. Oportet principem saith Aristotle, ante omnia, res diuinas videre curari.

For in Pauls time when he came to Athens and sawe so many gods, and so many aultars, Paul waxed angrle to see one aultar to lust, an other to shame, and another Paul called Spermologos in Athens. to an vnknowne god, after he had disputed with certain Philosophers of the Stoiks and Epicures against theyr gods and their aultars, he had no other commendations of the Philosophers in Athens, but to be called Spermola­gos, a teacher of straunge doctrine.

Among the Iewes the punishment of Idolators was, to bring them to bee stoned with stones to death, beeing lawfully conuicted with two or three witnes­ses, Deut. 17. and the handes of the witnesses shall be first vp­on them to kill them, and the handes of all the peo­ple.

I neede not goe out of Iudah for examples to the Gentiles in following straunge gods, in committing I­dolatrie, and in forsaking the lawes of the Lord.

Manasses built aultars in the house of the Lord for all the hosts of heauen, gaue himselfe to witchery and for­cerie, vsed them that were soothsayers, and had familiar 2. Reg. 21. spirits, and caused his sonnes to passe through fire in the valley of Hinnon.

Wicked Ahaz king of Iudah, made an Idolatrous [Page 25] aultar, sacrificed & offered the bloud of his son through fire to Moloch.

So wicked Achab offered the bloud of his sonne likewise in Tophet, to Moloch, following the king of Mo­ab, who sacrificed his sonne that should haue raigned next after him king, to please his Idoll Chemosh.

Thus the kings of Iudah and Israel prophaned the Lords aultar with the bloud of their owne children to please their dumbe Idols.

Yet Pythagoras and Vlixes, two Heathens, sacrificed to Vrania, but with water and hony mingled, according to Numa Pomp. lawe, which commanded that no bloud should be offered in sacrifice, but milke and hony.

No doubt the Gentiles imitated these wicked kings of Iudah in their sacrifices, in their vowes, and in the de­dicatiō of their temples and aultars, taking Abraham for their warrant in sacrificing his sonne Isaac, and Ieptha in sacrificing of his daughter, for their Idolatrous sacrifice, in murdering their children, as is said before of Achab, Manasses, and others.

The Ammonites had a great Image called Moloch, which had seuen chambers within the hollownesse of it, one to receiue meale, the second to receiue Turtle Moloches 7. chambers. Doues, the third a sheepe, the fourth a ramme, the fift a calfe, the sixt an oxe, and the seuenth a man. This Idoll Hose. 10. had the face of a calfe, with stretched out hands to re­ceiue gifts, certaine Samaritan Priests called Chemarims, attended vpon this Idoll Moloch, & though I know well that graue & godly Iudges are not acquainted with Mo­lochs reaching hand, nor with his chambers, yet I doubt some like Chemarims, that liue in the world and serue Moloch, attend more vpon the reaching hand of Moloch, and his hollow chambers, then their maisters becke in [Page 26] true seruice, to whom may bee said, as Christ spake to Nicodemus, Art thou a maister in Israel, and knowest not how to be borne againe?

Euen among the Persians Cambises though a tyrant and a wicked king, yet would he haue the Persian lawes obserued, for the breach whereof hee caused one of his Iudges named Sinetes, corrupted with money, to haue his skinne fleyed from his backe, and to be made a car­pet for his sonne that succeeded after him to leane vpon to put him in remembrance of his fathers corruption, and punishment by the law, that his sonne therby might better obserue the lawe, Remota iustitia regna magna latro­cinia Punishment of corrupt Iudges in Persia. sunt.

Darius king of Persia caused Sandoces one of his Iud­ges, for that he was corrupted with money to iudge vn­iustly against the law, to be hanged and codemned by the lawe, in that very place where hee was appointed to be a Iudge. Of these corrupt Iudges, and of the like, the Psal. 25. Prophet saith, Dextra eorum repleta est muneribus.

These and such Lawiers and Iudges that oppresse poore Widowes and Orphants, robbe the poore & are corrupted with rewards, cannot be hold the brightnesse Law turned to wormewood. &c. of Moses face, without a vaile to couer their face. These are the lawiers of which the Prophet speakes, that turne the lawe to wormewood, righteousnesse, to bitternesse, Amos. 4. and cast downe iustice to the ground, for Nihil tam ve­n [...] quam aduocat [...]m praesid [...], saith Aristotle. Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 3.

And therefore the Prophet Esay reprehended the Iudges of Israel, and called them companions of The lawe of the Lord set down by Esay the Prophet. theeues, following after gifts and rewards as Samuels sonnes did, he called them tyrants of Zodome, and peo­ple of Gomorah, Learne to do right saith the Lord, apply your selues to equitie, let the Widdowes complaint Esai. [...]. [Page 27] come before you, and helpe the fatherlesse to his right. This is the lawe onely of the Lord, these be the precepts and summe of all lawes, to liue honestly, to hurt none, and to giue to euery man his owne, for where good kings rule and raigne, there lawes are obeyed.

Iudges ought to doo righteous iudgement, they ought to accept no persons, but iudge according to the lawe of the people, they should heare the small and the Deut. 7. great alike, neither accept the face of the poore, nor feare the face of the mightie, for that iudgement is the Lordes, therefore Iudges are called goddes, for the lawe commaundeth that thou shalt not raile vp­on Exod. 22. the Magistrates, neither curse the ruler of the peo­ple.

So Homer saide, Ex Ioue sunt reges. To that effect dooth Plato likewise say, Deus quispiam humanus Rex Plato polit. est.

What lawe had then Nabuchodonozer to say, what GOD is hee that is able to take Iudah out of my hand?

Or Holofernes to say, there was no God but onely his maister Nabuchodonozer, such lawes made Domi­tianus, that he would be called Dominus Deus Domitia­nus.

What lawe had king Zedechiah to answere his no­bles that sought the Prophet Ieremies death, take Ieremie Wicked an­swers of kings [...] and do with him what you list, it is not lawfull for me to denie you any thing.

The like lawe and the like words vsed king Ashuerus to Ammon, who sought the destruction of the Iewes Ashuerus. throughout all the kingdome of Persia (age quod placet) do what thou list with the Iewes.

[Page 28] The like lawes vsed Darius at the request of his Persi­an Princes, to throwe Daniel the Prophet of the Lord to be deuoured of Lyons; these are the lawes of tyrants Darius. and not of kings, to kill the Prophets of the Lord with­out lawe, they forget the lawe of the Lord written by E­say the Prophet, Woe be vnto you that make vnrighte­ous lawes, and deuise lawes which are hard to keepe, and are not to be kept, that thereby the innocents are robbed of iudgement, such a lawe made Iezabel for Na­boths Iezabels lawe for Naboths vineyard. vineyard with false witnesse.

These kings like tyrants, vse the sword for bloud, and not the scepter for iustice, like Pharao, to whom when Moses alledged all the lawes of the Lord, hee said, Who is the Lord? Nescio dominum, I know not the Lord, Lysander and Pompeys speech to a Lawier. like Lysander of Sparta, who said to a Lawier that plea­ded lawes and customes on their sides, he pleadeth best in lawe which pleadeth with this, said Lysander, laying his hand on his sword, for this penne doth write with bloud. Sileant leges inter arma.

So also Pompey the great said, what prattle you to vs of your lawes, when wee haue our swordes in our hands.

Who doth warrant the sword but the lawe? who defends the lawe but the sword? he that commaunded Peter to put vp his sword in his sheath in mount Oliuet, was euen he that commaunded Ioshua to pull his sword out of his sheath to destroy the Canaanites: the first commaundement that was giuen to man after the crea­tion, was the lawe, and vpon breach of the lawe, was the [...]ammius glad [...]us. sword giuen to reuenge iustice, for the Lord is iust, for as lawes are made by God, and ministred by Angels vnto men, so must lawes be obeyed with reuerence, and de­fended with the sword, Prudentem dicemus sibi & Reipub▪ [Page 29] consulere, potentem, & validum. So Plato saith, that he is va­liant Plato in Alci­biad. and wise that can both with the sword and the law defend a common-wealth.

In Egipt it was not lawfull for any heard-man to come within their Temples, neither among the He­brewes Leuit. 13. was it lawfull for men or women that had any white or blacke spottes, somewhat reddish, or pale, to come among the congregation to the Temple, for the priests should pronounce them vncleane.

So among the Persians by the lawe of their Magi, none that had any pimples or red speckes on their face, might touch the aultar, or offer any sacrifice to their Alex. Neapo. lit. gnial lib. 4. [...]a 7. gods, for in Persia they had neither Temples nor Ima­ges, but among the Persians and the Arabians laid fire vpon the aultar in a vessel called Arula, and offered fran­kinsence in sacrifice onely to the sunne, for the Gentiles trimmed their aultars diuersly, the aultar of Iupiter with Ceremoniall lawes of the Gentiles. Oaken branches, the aultar of Appollo with Lawrell, the aultar of Bacchus with Iuye, the aultar of Hercules with Popley, and of Pluto with Cypresse, so were the aultars of Minerua with Oliue, and of Venus with Myrtle, so that there was no seruice omitted, no dutie forgot­ten, no lawe broken in the superstitious and prophane religion of the Heathens.

So fond and superstitious were both the Athenians and the Romaines, that the Athenians builded temples out of Athens, to Pouertie and old age, because they would faine expell these aged and poore gods out of A­thens, or else to put the Athenians in remembrance that they should pray vnto them, least they should come to pouertie and to want. The Gentiles builded diuers temples to their gods.

The Romans and Egiptians builded temples to those gods that might annoy their cities, out of their cities, [Page 30] as the Romanes builded the Temples of Bellona & Mars foure miles out of the gate Capaena in Rome, to re [...]ist and withstand the trecherie and violence of their enemies.

The Egiptians builded the Temples of Saturnus and Serapis out of the cities, as gods to watch, ward, & to defend their cities from the enemies, and least their gods by inuocation or supplication of the enemies should forsake their cities, the Romanes bound fast the Image of Mars, and the Carthaginians Hercules.

See how blinde men in religion, are ignorant in gods seruice, and yet ignorance with some late learned men, was termed the mother of deuotion.

The Lord commaunded Israel to serue no straunge gods, but him onely, and to come at three appointed feasts in the yeare to one place in the citie of Ierusalem, to serue him, and to sacrifice in one Temple, the Temple of Salomon; for as the Lord made choise of one nation to be his peculiar people, so hee made also choise of one place Ierusalem, where his name should bee worshipped and called vpon.

After that the Tabernacle was set vp, & the arke of te­stimonie set therin, the Lord commanded Moses to bring Exod. 40. Aaron and his sonnes vnto the doore of the Tabernacle, and there to wash them with water, & after to put vpon Aaron the holy garments, to annoint him and [...] him, that he might minister in the Priests office.

The Gentiles vsed the like ceremonies at the first co [...] ­crating of any tēple, which they dedicated to their gods, The maner of the Gentiles in dedicating their temples, &c. that they should lay their hands vpon the porch poste, calling vpō the name of that god, to whō they consecra­ted the temple, for whatsoeuer the Gentiles dedicated to their gods (though prophane before) yet after they were Alex. Neapo. lit. li. 6. cap 14. cōsecrated, they were, Sacra diuino cu [...] mācipata; ci [...]er [Page 31] temples, aultars, mony, religious places, or otherwise.

For among the Romains & the Grecians, the dumbe, deafe, blind, lame, or maimed otherwise by nature, were reiected from any office in the temples of their gods.

So was it among the Persians in like sort, that no blinde or maimed man should minister vnto their gods. Whence had they all these originals, but (as it seemeth) from the lawe of Moses?

And as Moses was commaunded that Aaron and his sons should be first washt with water, before they should Alex. Neapo. lit. genial. lib. 4 cap. 17. put on their holy garments and minister vnto the Lord; so the priests of Egipt should often wash and annoint themselues, before they should serue and sacrifice in the temple of Isis.

So the Priests of Greece washt and annointed them­selues before they would sacrifice vnto Ceres.

And so among the Romanes & in other places, they seemed (though they erred much) to imitate the cere­monies of the Iewes, who had their warrant from the Lord, and they from the diuell.

Moses put on Aaron the coate, and girded him with a girdle, cloathed him with the robe, and put the Ephod on him, after he put the brest-plate thereon, and put in the brest-plate the Vrim and Thummim; he also put the The consecra­tion of Aaron. Leuit. 8. golden plate and the Miter vpon his head, and vpon the Miter the holy crowne, as the Lord had commaunded Moses, and he powred of the annointed oyle vpon Aa­rons head and annointed him, that the excellencie of his calling might be knowne, and the dignitie of his of­fice present the maiestie of the highest.

Hence the Heathens and the Gentiles tooke their platforme, as an example to be followed in the annoin­ting and crowning of their kings, by the Lord warran­ted [Page 32] and particularly set downe to Moses, whereby you shall find by comparison, that the prophane ceremonies of the Gentiles tooke their originall from Moses lawe, in the annointing of their kings.

THere was no lawe among the Gentiles made nor established, vnlesse they were authorized and confirmed by some diuine power to satisfie ignorant people, for the Heathens most prefer­red that lawe, and esteemed that go­uernment, which was commaunded and allowed as it were, from the gods, as by Mercurius in By what au­thorities all nations con­firmed their lawes. Egipt, by Iupiter in Greece, and by Appollo in Sparta, as you heard before.

So among the Locreans, their lawes were au­thorized by Minerua, among the Getes by the God­desse Vesta, and so the lawe which Sergius compiled to the Turkes, to this day the Turkes holde it authorized and confirmed from the very mouth of their great Pro­phet Mahomet.

And for that a sperhawke brought in her clawes a booke written with red letters to the Priests at Heliop [...] ­lis in Egipt, containing the lawes and religion of theyr Diod. sic. lib 2. cap. 4. gods, the Priests therefore euer after ware red Scar [...] caps, like the colour of the letters, & the feather of a sper­hawke in their caps, in memorie thereof.

So no warre was commenced, nor battell taken in [Page 33] hand without such policies to intice and allure the soul­diers to fight, as Sertorius had his white hinde, which he taught to follow him in his Affrican warres, by whom he made his souldiers belieue hee was instructed to d [...] any thing he did.

So Lu. Sylla would take vpon him in the sight of his Plut. in Sylla. souldiers, to consult with the picture of Appollo, to make his souldiers more obedient and valorous.

So did Marius with his Scythian woman Martha, and so of others, which I spake of in my booke of stra­tagems, and now to the Sabboth.

The obseruation of the Sabboth, was seuerely by the lawe of the Iewes kept, for the Lord blessed the se­uenth The straight obseruation of the Sabboth by the Iewes. day and hallowed it, to rest from our workes, a [...]d to serue the Lord, signifying vnto vs our eternall rest to come: and therefore the Iewes gathered vpon the sixt Exod. 16. day in the wildernesse, so much Manna as serued them vpon the Sabboth, because they should not breake the Sabboth.

As the Lord Iesus was crucified on the Sabboth eue, and rested in his graue the Sabboth day, so careful were Luk. 23. the Iewes to obserue the Sabboth, that the holy womē that followed Christ, with their odors, ointments, and Iohn. 19. spices, staied from the annointing of his body vpon the Sabboth, for the Sabboth was made especially, that they should cease from labour, and come to heare the lawes of the Lord, and the voices of the Prophets, which are read euery Sabboth day in the Temple.

After the destruction of the Temple first builded by The second building of the temple by Cy­rus. Salomon, the Lord stirred vp Cyrus for the second buil­ding of the Temple, and to deliuer all the vesselles of golde and siluer, which Nabuchodonozer had taken out of the Temple of Ierusalem, to be placed againe in the 1. Esdr. 1. [Page 34] house of the Lord at Ierusalem, according to the prop [...] sie of Esay, two hundred yeares before Cyrus time.

After Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Pers [...], commaunded in like manner that the Temple which was hindred for a time by meanes of the Samaritans to Darius & Ar­taxerxes. Cambises and others, should be with great diligence b [...] ­ded, and all the vessels wich king Nabuchodonozer too [...] away, should be according to Cyrus, Darius, and A [...] erxes, three mightie kings of Persia, againe restored to Ie­rusalem.

Among the Grecians the first day of euery moneth was their Sabboth, called among them (as among the Iewes) Neomenia, which they kept most solemnly & ser­ued Neomenia. most religiously their gods.

Among the Romanes the Nones and Ides of eu [...] moneth were their Sabboths, and obserued as religious daies, on which daies they would commence no bat [...], The Romains, Sabboths. but as a Sabboth to serue their gods; for on the Ides of euery moneth throughout the yeare, the Romanes [...] great solemnities, with diuers sacrifices and religious ce­remonies.

Among the Parthians they obserued the very day that Arsaces ouerthrew Zaleucus to bee theyr Sabboth, Parthians. for that they were restored on that day to theyr liber­tie by Arsaces, which daye they keepe as a religious day, and vse great solemnitie in memorie of their li­bertie.

The day that Cyrus ouercame the Scythians, was The diuers kinds of Sab­boths among the Heathens. one of the Sabboths of the Persians, which they call Sacas.

And an other Sabboth day of the Persians, had on the very day that their rebellious Magi were slain that would haue vsurped the kingdome, in memory whereof they [Page 35] consecrated a feast called Magoph [...]niah, the which day was so solemne a Sabboth among the Persians, that it was not lawfull for any of the Magi, that day to goe out of his house.

The victories at Marathon and at Micala ouer the Persians, was the Sabboth of the Athenians, for among Heredot. lib. 6 the Heathens the dayes of their victories and triumphs, the dayes of their liberties restored, and of their feasts; were their Sabboths; for as it was not lawfull among the Iewes to fight vpō the Sabboth day, so among the Hea­thens they straightly obserued their religious dayes as their Sabboth.

Phillip king of Macedonia, vpon the very day that his sonne Alexander was borne got two victories, Phillip. the one was with his Mares in the games of Olympia, and the other with his men of armes in Thracia, for memorie whereof, hee decreed an annuall feast to bee made, which was obserued for a Sabboth among the Macedonians.

The Iewes so obeyed and reuerenced their lawes, that they would not breake theyr Sabboth daye, in so much that they suffered theyr enemins to kill and ouerthrow them, because they would not fight vpon the Sabboth day, so did they when they began to build the temple, before they would build houses to dwell in, or walles to defend them, but euery man readie with weapon in one hand for their enemies, & working with the other hand.

Nicanor going to strike a fielde with Iud. Macha­baeus vppon the Sabboth daye, was willed to hal­lowe The blasphe­my of Nica­nor. the Sabboth, who said, is there a God mightie in heauen that commands to keepe the Sabboth day▪ [Page 36] and I am mightie on earth that commaund the con [...] ­ry, but Nicanor lost the battell, and his life in the battell, and his head, his hands, and his blasphemous tongue were cut off, and hangd on the Pinnacles of the Tem­ple at Ierusalem.

Nehemias finding some Israelites prophaning the Sabboth day, in carrying burthens, he tooke them and rebuked them sharply for prophaning of the Sabboth day.

So straightly the Iewes obserued their lawes, that he that gathered but a fewe stickes vpon the Sabboth day, was taken and brought to Moses, and Moses brought him before the Lorde, and sentence of death was gi­uen vpon him by the Lord, for breaking of the Sab­boath, saying; Let him bee stoned to death by the people.

Such reuerence & obedience the Iewes had to Mo­ses lawe, that when Alexander the great commaunded the high Priest to aske him whatsoeuer he would haue him to do, whereas he might haue had Territories and Ioseph lib. 11. cap. 8. Countries giuen him, hee requested but the liberties and lawes of his Countrey to the poore Iewes that did inhabite within Asia, and all the dominions of Alexan­der.

So did the Iewes that dwelt in Greece, in Asia, and in Antioch, requested of Zaleucus and Antiochus the great nothing but that they might liue, and enioy the bene­fites of the lawes of their countrey, which is the lawe of Ioseph. lib. 12. cap 3. Moses.

Neither could the Iewes endure any that would despise theyr lawes, for a souldier vnder Cumanus the Romane President, for tearing of Moyses bookes in contempt, mooued suche sedition, that they came [Page 37] armed to Cumanus, and claimed to haue iustice execu­ted vpon the souldiers that so despised their law, for the Certaine Ro­manes slaine by the Iewes. Ioseph. lib. 20. cap. 4. tearing of one leafe.

The like sedition moued an other Romane souldier vpon the feast day of the Iewes by shewing his geni­tall parts, scoffiing and flowting theyr lawes and reli­gion, so that Cumanus to satisfie the Iewes, put both the Romaines to death, to the losse of twentie thousande Iewes by the Romaine Armyes after­wards.

The Iewes suffered many ouerthrowes most wil­lingly 1. Machab. 2. vpon the Sabboth day, saying: Moriamur omnes, because they would resist neither Pompey the great, nor Antiochus King of Syria vpon the Sabboth, a [...] the Romaines and the Syrians euer found mea [...] Plut. in Pomp. to fight with the Iewes vppon the Sabboth daye, on the which daye Pompey the great tooke Ierusa­lem.

Therefore Iud. Machabaeus made a lawe, that to fight vppon the Sabboth day, in defence of theyr lawes, of theyr countreys, and of theyr liues, was no seruile worke, but thought it lawfull to fight The lawe of Iud. Macha [...]. vppon the Sabboth daye with Nicanor a blasphe­mer, and an enemie of the Lorde and his Armye, and so ouerthrew Nicanor, and slew nine thousand of his host, so that vpon the Sabboth day any man may do good.

So Christ aunswered the Israelites for his Disci­ples, beeing accused that they brake the lawe in ea­ting the eares of corne, haue you not read what Math. 12. Dauid did when hee was a hungrye, to eate the shewe bread, which was not lawfull but onely for the Priests:

[Page 38] So he also answered for himselfe, beeing accused of the Israelites that he brake the lawe in healing the [...] vpon the Sabboth day: Which of you said Christ will not loose his Oxe or his Asse from his cribbe vpon the Sabboth day to water them?

The Sabboth day is the schoole of the Lord, in the which he would haue his people taught and instructed, not onely to heare the lawes read vnto them, but to learne the lawes, and to liue according as the lawe commaundeth them, to that ende was man created that hee should bee the Temple of God, where the Lord might dwell and raigne within him, and that the Lord should be our aultar, vpō the which we should offer our selues vnto him in sacrifice, both in body and [...]ule.

Among the Heathens the Sabboth of the Lorde was not knowne, for that they knew not the Lord of Among the Heathens the Sabboth of the Lord was not knowne. the Sabboth: this commandement pertained onely to the children of the Lord the Israelites, to whom the law was giuen in hope of eternall rest.

The restoring to their libertie, their victories, their triumphes, theyr feastes, and the dayes of their birth, these were the Sabboths of the Gentiles, to serue, to giue thankes, and to sacrifice to their gods, as before [...] written, but the Lord spake to Israel, you shall not ob­serue time to make some dayes luckie, and others vnluc­kie, as the Gentiles did, but only obserue your Sabboths▪ and to come to the Temple to heare the lawes of the Lord read.

When Hanibal departed out of Italy, the Temples were set opē according to the custome of the Roman [...] Liui [...]. that they might goe and giue thanks to the gods for the vanquishing of such an enemie.

[Page 39] Archidamus began first with seruice and sacrifice to the gods, before he would attempt any great battel with Thueyd. 1. the enemie.

Xenophon before hee had gotten his whole Ar­mie reconciled, and willing to craue the fauour of the Xenoph. de ex­pedit. Cyri. 3. gods in any distresse, hee would take no iourney in hand.

The Gentiles obserued times, dayes, and moneths, as the kings of Macedonia commenced nowarre during Plut. in Alex. the whole moneth of Iune.

The Romans likewise obserued the Nones of euery moneth as vnluckie and religious dayes, and refrained that time to take any great thing in hand.

The Germaines also had a lawe not to fight any bat­tell in the wane of the Moone, much like the Lacede­monians, who were forbidden by Licurgus lawe, that they should take no warre or battell in hand before the Licurgus lawe for time of battell. full of the Moone, they were therein so religious, that they absented from the battell at Marathon foure dayes.

The Romans also would enter into no field, neither wage any battell vpon their religious dayes.

Cai. Caesar in his warres against Ariouistus, King of the Germaines, knowing that the Germaines hadde a lawe set downe, that it was not lawfull for them to commence any battell in the wane of the Front. lib. 2. cap. 1. Moone, Caesar obseruing the Germaines to bee so religi­ous, gaue them a battell vnexspected, and ouerthrew them.

So Titus Vespasian vpon a satterday, the Sabboth of the Iewes, subdued the Iewes, destroyed the Tem­ple, and tooke Ierusalem, as Pompey the great did be­fore.

[Page 40] Before the Temple was builded in Ierusalem by Sa­lomon, the Israelites came to Siloh, where the Taber [...] ­cle Before y tem­ple was made in Ierusalem, the Israelites came to Siloh. rested, to offer to the Lord, as after they did to Ie [...] ­salem. In this Temple at Ierusalem, the Lord promised to Salomon, that he would present himselfe, and appeare at the prayer of Salomon, as hee promised to Moses in the wildernesse to appeare at the doore of the Taber­nacle, Esay. 45. to comfort them, and to further them in all theyr lawes.

The Angels that brake the lawes of the Lord in hea­uen, were condemned, and had iudgement giuen to bee prisoners in perpetuall darkenesse, and man that brake the lawe in Paradise, had sentence of death pro­nounced against him by the Lorde himselfe in Para­dise.

And therefore Licurgus to haue his lawes continue among the Lacedemonians, to performe the Oracle of The continu­ance of Licur­gus lawes. Appollo, which was, so long should the Lacedemonians keep Licurgus lawes vndefiled, as long as Licurgus should keepe himselfe absent from the Lacedemonians, and therefore most willingly banished himselfe out of his countrey to dye in Delos, that by his absence the lawes which he established amōg the Lacedemonians should continue, his lawes therefore continued 500. yeares and more after his death.

The contempt & breach of lawes in all countries were seuerely punished, in so much that Charondas made a law to the Carthaginians, Archadians, & others, that they Charondas lawes against those that dis­obeyed & con­temned lawes. that found fault with paenall lawes, should be crowned with Tamarisk, and be carried round about the towne, and so thence to be banished, according to the lawe of the 12. tables, Violati iuris paena este.

And therefore Antalcidas accused Agesilaus for the [Page 41] breach of Licurgus lawe, for that he taught the Persians Licurgus law. Rhe [...]ra. Plut. in Licur­go. by often warres to become men from women; Non diù in hos bellaadum ne ipsi bellicosi euaderint.

Charondas made an other lawe, that if any that were cōuicted, thought his lawe to be too seuere, they might vpon condition make meanes to the people for abroga­ting of the lawe, the condition was, they should come with halters about their neckes, before all the people in one place assembled, which if they by complaining of the seuerities of the lawe, should goe free, the former law should be abrogated, or mitigated, but if they falsly The lawe of the 12. tables. accused and slaundered the integritie of the lawe, they should be strangled with the same halters which they ware about their necks, to accuse the law, for the words of the lawes of the twelue tables which agree with Cha­rondas lawe are these; Legum iusta imperia sunto, hisque ci­ues modestè & sine recusatione Parento.

And yet it is necessary vpon occasions that lawes should be altered, for saith Hypocrates, Tempus est in quo occasio, & occasio in qua tempus, though he applied this to Hipocrates in praecep [...]. Phisicke, yet in the selfe same reason it serueth for the lawe.

Cicero thinketh the life and manners of good men often changed, to be the cause of changing of the lawes and states of cities; and Plato, whom Cicero calleth Deum Cicero de leg. 2. Philosophorum, said, that the least lawe made, may not be chaunged nor abrogated, without doing hurt or harme to the publique state of a common-wealth; and there­fore in Aegina he was euer accounted accurst, that went about to make new lawes, by abrogating the former. For when Lysander went about to alter and change Li­curgus lawes among the Lacedemonians, hee was resi­sted Cic. de diuin. lib. 1. by the Senators and the people, though Lysander [Page 42] was the onely chiefe man in Sparta.

Likewise the whole summe of Aristotles Aeconomi­call and Politicall lawes, are but instructions teaching the rule and gouernment of a Common wealth, iubendo Cic. de leg. lib. 3. & parendo, how men should know to doo good, and a­uoyd to do euil, to gouern and to be gouerned, that the people should be defended from wrong, so is the law of the twelue Tables, Vis in populo abesto, causas populi tencto.

And therefore positiue lawes in all countries were and are made from the beginning to maintaine ciuill or­ders, and to determine of such orders and circumstan­ces as are necessary and requisite for the keeping of the people in obedience of the same.

Of these and such lawes Plato wrote his booke de Re­pub. tending to the administration and gouernment of the people, according to the lawe.

The morall lawe commaundeth a iust and vpright ordering of iudgements, contracts, and punishments in a common-wealth.

Alexander Seuerus the Emperour, therefore would make no lawes without the iudgement of 20. of the best learned Ciuilians, with the aduise and consent of 50. of the grauest and wifest councellors that were within his Empire, to examine whether the lawes were iust & pro­fitable Alex. Neapo­lit. genial. lib. 6 cap. 23. for the people, before they should be published, but being once published as a lawe, extreame punish­ment was appointed for the breach thereof, as is before spoken, without any appeale frō the lawe, without some great extraordinary cause of appeale.

As among the Hebrewes in any citie of Iudah, that if they could not rightly iudge, nor discerne throughly Ioseph. lib. 4. cap. 8. the cause, according to iustice, by the Magistrates of the citie, they might appeale to the Iudges named Sinadrion [Page 43] in Ierusalem, from whence no appeale could be had.

So among the Grecians, they might appeale from the Areopagites in Athens, from the Ephories in Sparta, and all other cities of Greece to the Amphictions at Tro­zaena, which were appointed general Iudges for the vni­uersall state of Greece, in martiall and military causes, and The diuers orders of ap­peales among the Heathens. there to sit and determine twise a yeare of the whole state of Greece, and further to heare and to iudge of some other great causes and capitall crimes, from whose sen­tence no other appeale was to be had; for out of euery citie in Greece in the Spring and in the Autumne, to the Amphictions at Trozaena they sent Embassadors, whom the Greekes called Pytagorae.

So among the Romanes a lawfull appeale might be had from the Consuls to the Senators, from the Sena­tors to the Tribune of the people, and from the people to the Dictator, which continued vntill the time of the Iudges called Centum viri; for Sententia Dictatoris, & iu­dicia Alex. Neapo­lit. genial. lib. 3 cap. 16. centum viralia, were both lawes of life and death, from whose iudgement and sentences, there were no greater Iudges to appeale vnto: of the like authoritie were the Decem viri, from whom also there was no ap­peale during their gouernment.

So in diuine causes we may appeale to mount Sion from Mount Sinai, from the lawe to the Gospell, from Moses to Christ our perpetuall Dictator, from whom we haue no place to appeale vnto for our eternall salua­tion.

ALl Nations made their choise of the wisest and chiefest men to rule and go­uerne their countrey, imitating Moses, who was by the Lord commanded to choose seuentie wise graue men to be Iudges among the Israelites, called Synadrion, which continued from Mo­ses time who first appointed these Magistrates, vntill Herods time who last destroyed them, for in euery citie of Iudah seuen Magistrates were appointed to gouerne, Ioseph. lib. 4. cap. 8. and to iudge according to the law of Moses, and for their further instructions in the lawe, they had of the Tribes The wise and graue Iudges in diuers countries. of the Leuites two in euery citie; to instruct and assist the Magistrates in all actions according to the lawe.

The Egiptians being next neighbours to the He­brewes, though they mortally hated the Hebrewes, yet theyr gouernment of Dinastia vnder thirtie Gouer­nours elected and chosen out of Eliopolis, Memphis, Pel­lusium, Diod. sic. lib. 2. cap. 3. Thaebes, and other chiefe cities of Egipt, seemed to imitate Moyses lawe vnder Aristocratia.

So Solon appointed in Athens certaine wise men cal­led Areopagitae, as Iudges to determine of life and death, and of other criminall causes.

Among the old Gaules, the Druydes sage and wise re­ligious men, had authoritie both in warre and peace to make lawes, and to determine of the state of theyr countrey.

[Page 45] The lawes of all Nations against disobedient chil­dren to theyr parents are manifest, not onely the lawe of nature among all Nations vnwritten, but also the diuine lawe of the Lorde written, com­maundes children to bee obedient to theyr parents, as the lawe sayeth, Whosoeuer curseth his father Exod. 20. or mother shall dye, and his bloud bee on his owne head, for that hee curseth his father or mo­ther. Lawes of all natiōs against disobedient children.

If a man hath a sonne that is stubborne or disobe­dient, let his parentes bring him vnto the Elders Deut. 21. of the Cittie, and there accuse him of his faultes, saying, my sonne is a Ryotour, a Drunkarde, and disobedient vnto his parentes, the lawe is, that all the men of that Cittie shall stone him with stones to death.

This commaundement was esteemed among all Nations, euen among wicked men, as Esau beeing a Esau. reprobate, so the Lorde saide, Esau haue I hated, and Iacob haue I loued, yet Esau hating his brother Gen. 27. Iacob in heart, saying that the dayes of his fathers sorrowes were at hande, for I will kill my brother, and most like it is that he would haue done so had not the Lorde (which appeared to Laban the Syrian in a dreame by night, for that hee followed Iacob from Me­sopotamia) Gen 31. said to Laban, Take heed to thy selfe, that thou doo or speake to Iacob nothing but good: as the Lorde kept Iacob from Laban, so he kept him from his brother Esau.

Notwithstanding Esau came to his father, and said, hast thou any blessing for me? see that obedience and feare was in Esau towards his father Isaac, though hee [Page 46] was a wicked man, he determined not to kill his brother before his father died, least Isaac his father should curse him.

The sonnes of Samuel the Prophet, Ioel, and Abiath, which were made Iudges in Bersabe by rheyr father Sa­muel, beeing olde, they turned from theyr fathers wayes, tooke rewards, and peruerted the right, the people complained to Samuel that his sonnes follow­ed The corrupti­on of Iudges. not his steppes, and therefore they would haue a King to gouerne them, as other nations had. See the ende of Iudges in Israel, by the wicked Iudges Ioel and Abiath, two wicked sonnes of a good and godly father, and the cause of the ouerthrowe of the Iudges in Israel.

The two sonnes of Eli, their offences were such, that their father being an olde man, was rebuked of the Ophnes and Phinees. Lord for suffering their vnthriftinesse and wickednesse, which was the cause that the Priesthood was taken from the house of Eli for euer, so that the gouernment of Iud­ges in Iudah, and also of the Priesthood, were taken away by the corruption and disobedience of wicked and vn­godly children. Good parents haue ill chil­dren.

Obserue likewise the end of kings and kingdomes by wicked kings, by Ahaz who offered his sonnes in fire to Moloch, by Ioachim and his sonne, wicked fathers, 1. Reg. 16. which brought vp wicked sonnes.

The kings which were 21. in number, continued fiue hundred and odde yeares. 1. Reg. 24.

Who would haue iudged that three such good Kings of Iudah, should haue three such wicked chil­dren?

As Dauid had Absolon, who sought most trecherously [Page 47] to dispossesse his father of his kingdome.

As Ezechias had Manasses, who offered his sonne in fire to Moloch, and filled Ierusalem with bloud.

Or as Iosias had Ioachim, whose wickednesse together with Zedechiah, was so disobedient to the Lord and his Prophets that he lost the kingdome of Iudah.

Who would haue iudged that Salomon the onely wise king of the world, hauing 700. Queenes, and 300. concubines, and hauing but one sonne which is read of, and that so wicked, that through his wicked and cruell dealing to his people, the Lord tooke 10. of the 12. Tribes of Israel away from Salomons sonne, & gaue them to Ieroboam, Salomons seruant.

It was a commaundement giuen from Moses to the people, that they should not forget the lawes of the Lord but teach them to their sonnes, and their sonnes sonnes, and therefore the lawes were commaunded to be set as frontlets betweene their eyes, to bee written vpon the The care of the Hebrues to keepe Mo­ses lawe. postes of their houses, vpon their gates, and to bind them for a signe vpon their hands, that their children should not forget, but be instructed by the sight thereof in the Deut. 6. lawes of the Lord.

For the olde Pharisies were wont to weare Philacte­ria, which were scrolles of parchment about their heads and armes, hauing the tenne commandements written on them, & therefore Christ pronounced so many woes against the Scribes and Pharisies for their hipocrisie.

Hence grew the beginning of setting vp of pictures in porches, the Images of Philosophers in Schooles and Vniuersities, and the Images of the goddes in the Temples and secret closets of Princes, as Alex. Seue­rus had the Image of Christ, Abraham, Orpheus, and [Page 48] Appollonius in his closet worshipped as gods, so the Hea­thens Godese. lib. 2. cap. 6. and Pagans had the Images of their countrie gods set vp at theyr gates, galleries, and closets.

Among the olde Romanes in auntient times they were buried in theyr gardens, and in theyr houses, and therefore they had their houshold godeds to doo sacrifice vnto them, and to vse funerall ceremonies Alex. Neapo­lit. lib. 6. cap. 14 vnto these Idols, for it was not lawfull by the lawe of the 12. tables to burie any within the citie, for the lawe was Ne in vrbem sepelito; and it was also Platos lawe, that the Platoes lawe. dead should bee buried in the fieldes or some barren ground, out of the cities, least the dead bodies should infect the quicke. These lawes were called Leges fune­rales.

But the Lord spake to Ioshuah, Let not the booke of this lawe depart out of thy mouth, see that thou doo and obserue all the lawes which Moses commaunded thee, so Ioshuah did, & made a couenant with the people at his death, set ordinances and lawes before them in Sychem, and tooke a great stone, and pitched it vnder an Markes of mo­numents and couenants by Ioshua, Iacob, and Samuel. oake that stood in the Sanctuarie, and said, behold this stone shalbe a witnesse vnto vs, and a memoriall of the couenant betweene vs.

So Iacob set vp a stone, and said to his bretheren, ga­ther stones and make a heape, which hee called Gilead, Gent. 31. and said to Laban, this heape of stones be a witnesse be­tweene thee and me.

It was a custome among the olde Hebrewes, as markes of witnesse, and memoriall of things past, to put vp stones, as Samuel did in his victorie against the Philistines, pitched vp a stone, and named it the stone of helpe.

So carefull were the kings of Persia, that they made [Page 49] choise of foure principall men in all knowledge to in­struct the kings children after fourteene yeares of age, and therefore the Persian lawes for education of theyr youth, were not onely commended of many, but of ma­ny imitated, they should learne three principall lessons, to take heed of lyes, and onely to speake the truth; se­condly to deale iustly, and wrong no man; and thirdly The care of the Kings of Persia to bring vp their children. to knowe what was wrong and what was iustice.

The children in Persia were brought vp with such reuerence to their parents, that it was not lawfull for them in the presence of their parents, either to sit, to spit, or to blowe their noses: theyr children might not so much as taste wine, though it were vpon their feast day, which among the Persians, is the most solemne feast: also the children might not come to their parents sight before they were seuen yeares olde, there is no­thing so requisite in parents as the education of chil­dren.

And therefore Charondas made a lawe, that the ci­tizens which were gouerned by his lawes, should bring Charondas lawe sxr edu­cation of chil­dren. vp their children in schooles, to be taught to know good from euill, and to be accustomed with vertuous educa­tion, that thereby they might stand in stead to theyr countrey, with wisedome, iudgement, and counsell. The like law is set downe by Plato, who saith, Si Rempub. verè institues, virrtus cum ciuibus comunicanda est. For as e­uery Plato in Alci­biad. citie hath her Phisitions, to prouide for health, and to care for the bodye, So I thinke it rather better saide Chaerondas, to haue schoolemaisters and teachers to bring vp youth in vertue and knowledge, and to bee taught in the lawes of God & man to serue their coun­trey.

Diuers Nations, as the Carthagineans, Arcadians, [Page 50] Baeotians, and Mazacens, sent for Charondas lawes to go­uerne their countrey, and as the Romanes sent to Greece Alex. Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 25. for Hermadorus to interpret the 12. Tables, so the Ma­zacens sent for one to Thuria to interpret Charondas lawes.

So the Iewes after their return from Babilon, appoin­ted Nehemiae. cap. 8. & 10. Esdras to read & interpret the law of Moses vnto thē, before whom they sware that they would turne away theyr straunge women the Ammonites and Moabites, and that they would keepe the lawes of the Lord.

The Lacedemonians would make their hindes and husbandmen drunken, hauing roddes in their hands, to whip and beat them for their drunkennesse, and would Plato & Ana­charsis order for the youth in Greece. bring them out before their children & other youths of Sparta, which was both Plato and Anacharsis order to the Grecians, because their children might see the faults and beastlinesse of the seruants, to terrifie the children, that thereby they might loath vice, and loue vertue, and learne to bee obedient to their parents, for the greatest care the Lacedemonians had, was to bring vp their chil­dren in musicke and military discipline, esteeming the education of their chidren in any thing else indiffe­rent.

Nabuchodonozer king of Babilon, caused foure of the kings stocke Zedechiah, Daniel, and his fellowes, to bee Ioseph. lib. 10. cap. 11. brought vp in the Chaldaean discipline, that they might serue the king in his chamber and at his table.

In auntient time the olde Romanes were not onely studious and carefull to bring vp their children to ob­serue The Romanes care for theyr children. the lawes of their gods at Rome, but also vsed yearly to make choise often of the best mens children in Rome, and to send thē to Etruria, a religious nation, there to be taught in the Etrurian discipline, concerning religion to [Page 51] their gods, and to learne dutie and seruice to their coun­trey, beeing in the Latin tongue instructed first, then Cic. de diuin. 1. in the Greeke tongue, and after to learne wise and pithy sentences, as Paradoxes and Aphorismes.

Charondas iudged those parents not fit to be of coun­sell, nor worthy to be Magistrates to rule in their coun­trey, Charondas lawe. that hauing many children by the first wife, would marry a second, for he supposed that they would neuer be carefull ouer their country, that would not be careful ouer their children.

And therefore the lawes of diuers of the Gentiles were not to bee allowed in selling theyr children to straunge Nations, as the Phrygians and others did for to relieue theyr parents for necessitie sake, and yet farre better then to burne, kill, and sacrifice theyr chil­dren to Images and Idols, as Ahaz, Manasses, and others did.

Bocchoris made a lawe against idlenesse, for all idle men in Egipt were compelled to write theyr names and to giue account how they liued. This lawe was brought Bocchoris lawes. by Solon from Egipt vnto Athens, where they gaue the like account in Athens as they did in Egipt before the Areopagites; for we read that the figge tree because it was barren and bare no fruite was spoyled of his leaues, and therefore the well exercised man is compared to the Bee that gathereth honye of euery weede, and the euil sloathful man to the Spider, which gathereth poison of euery flower.

Bocchoris made an other lawe against those that clipt any coine, diminished the waight, changed the form, or altered the letters about the coine, that both their hands should be cut off, for Bocchoris lawe was, that those mem­bers should be punished that committed the offence.

[Page 52] So carefull were the Hebrew women for their chil­dren, that their fathers should not name them, but the mothers should giue them such names, as should signi­fie The care of the Hebrew women in na­ming and in nursing their children. some goodnesse or holinesse to come, as a memori­all to the parents to thinke vpon their children, besides giuing them their names, their naturall mothers should be Nurses to their childrē, as Sarah was a Nurse to Isaac her son, Zephorah a Nurse to her son Moses, & the blessed Virgin Mary a Nurse to her sonne Christ Iesus our Sa­uiour, so the two wiues of Iacob, Leah, and Rachel, gaue names to all their children, the twelue Patriarkes, the sonnes of Iacob.

So Iacob corrected his children, kept them vnder, and blessed them at his death, so Iob prayed for his chil­dren, Iacob. and offered for his children vnto the Lord euery Iob. day a burnt offering, and so was Dauid for his sonne Sa­lomon so carefull, that he committed him to the Prophet Dauid. Nathan to be brought vp in wisedome, and in the law of the Lord, this care had the Hebrewes to bring vp theyr children in the lawe and feare of the Lord.

The very Heathens, euen Phillip king of Macedonia, was glad to haue his sonne Alexander borne in Aristotles Phillip. daies, because he might be brought vp in his house with him, and instructed with so great a Philosopher.

Agamemnon was in his youth brought vp with wise Nestor, of whom Agamemnon was wont to say, that if he Agamemnon. had but ten such wise Consuls as Nestor was, he doub­ted not, but soone to subdue Troy.

And so was Antigonus brought vp with Zeno, chiefe of the Stoik Philosophers, where hee could heare & see Antigonus. nothing, but what he sawe and heard from his maister Zeno.

There bee many parents in the world that weigh [Page 53] not how they liue themselues, neither esteeme how to bring vp their children, like the Troglodites, whose children were named after the names of the beastes of Troglodites called Anti­nomi. their countrey, as horse, ramme, oxe, sheepe, lambe, and such, alledging that the beasts were their best parents, in feeding, in cloathing, and in all other necessary helpes, and therefore they would rather bee named after these beasts that maintained them in life and liuing, then after their parents, who gaue them but bare birth, against the lawe of nature, and therfore they and such are to be cal­led Antinomi.

I doubt too many of these in many places may bee called Antinomi, which degenerate from their parents both in name and in nature, yea from all lawes, rather to be beasts, then to haue the name of beasts, like people The carelesse nature of the Troglodites & Atlantes for their children in Affrica called Atlantes, whose children haue no names at all, but as the Troglodites were named after theyr beasts, and therefore well called Antinomi, so these peo­ple leaue their children like themselues without names, not like beasts, but beasts indeed, and therefore well and truly to be called Anomi; for many haue the names of beasts, that be neither beasts, nor like beasts; for as the Atlantes cal­led Anomi. Troglodites that before their parents preferre beastes a­gainst the lawe of nature, are called Antinomi, so these Atlantes in Affrica, worse then beasts, are called Anomi, which is without any name. It is much therefore in pa­rents to shewe good examples before their children, for what children see in the parents, or heare from theyr parents, that lightly will they imitate, for the tree is ben­ded when it is tender, the horse is broken when he is a colte, and the dogge taught when hee is a whelpe, so children must be instructed and brought vp when they are young, for that seede which is sowed in youth, ap­peareth [Page 54] in age, for Vertue must haue a time to growe to ripenesse.

Therfore Marc: Cato the Censor, made meanes to remoue Manlius from the Senat house, because he wan­tonly imbraced and kist his wife before his daughter, Manlius re­moued from the Senate house. saying, that his wife durst neyther imbrace nor kisse him before his children, but for very feare when it lightned and thundered.

Hieron King of Cicilia, sharpely punished Epicarmus the Poet, for that he made and read certaine light ver­ses Epicarmus punished. before his daughter.

So was Ouid for the like offence bannished from Rome, and so was Archiloccus from Sparta, for saying it was better for a souldier to loose his shield then to loose his life.

The children of Bethel had they bene well brought vp, they would not haue mocked & flouted Elizeus the Prophet, they might as well haue said Ozanna in excel­sis, with the children of Ierusalem, as to say, Ascende calue; vp balde fellowe. But true it is as Isocrates faieth, that rude and barbarous men, not brought vp in Vertue from theyr youthes, should neuer or seldome prooue iust or honest.

And so it is written that Equus indomitus euadet du­rus, Eccle. 30. & filius remissus euadet praeceps.

And therefore both the Romaines and the Gre­cians were carefull to haue graue, wise, vertuous, and learned men to bring vp theyr children in the feare of God.

Among the Lacedemonians, Licurgus lawe was, Licurgus ap­pointed schoole mai­sters in Spar­t [...], called Pae­donomi. that expert and iudiciall men should bee founde out, which were named Paedonomi, to instruct and teach the [Page 55] youth of Laced [...]mon, for in three things especially the Grecians brought theyr children vp, in Learning, in Painting, and in Musicke, and especially great mens children, in dauncing and in singing, as Epaminondas and Cimon, and for that Themistocles & Alcibiades found great fault for that great Captains should become dan­cers, they were therefore reprehended, and answered that Epaminondas and Cimon were as great Captaines as they.

The Egiptians were wont to bring vp theyr chil­dren in Arithmeticke and Geometry, and the Kings children in Magicke.

People of Creete brought theyr children vp in three things, first to learne the lawes of theyr countrey; se­condly to learne Hymnes and Psalmes to praise theyr gods; and thirdly to learne to sing the praise and fame of their great Captaines.

Among the Indians theyr wise men called Brach­manes, made a Lawe that theyr Children should be The lawe of the Br [...]ch­manes for their children in India. brought after two monethes olde before the Magi­strates, and there to iudge by the sight of the children, that if they were fit for warres, they should be brought vp in military discipline, if otherwise, they should be appointed to Mechanicall occupations.

The Aethiopian Philosophers made a lawe that all Magistrates and Parentes should examine theyr chil­dren and the youthes of theyr Countries, what la­bour and exercise they had done euery day before they should take meate, and if it were founde that they had not exercised either Mechanicall or Milita­rie exercise, they should goe away vndined for that day.

[Page 56] Among the Grecians all the Orators and Poets came from all parts of Greece, sometimes to Thesius graue, sometimes to Helicon, and there the Poets to contend in verses and the Orators in Oratory, with diuers kindes of crownes and garlands, which exercise was vsed to draw Orators and Poets conten­ded in Greece and intice the youthes of Greece to vertue and learning, and as the Romane youths had a garment like the Dic­tators garment, called Toga praetexta, in honor of armes to exercise military discipline in Martius field, so the Grecians had for those youthes that excelled in lear­ning, the garment called Palladium.

AS the Gentiles in all Countries had their lawes made to rule and gouerne them, as among the Egiptians by Boc­choris, among the Persians and Bae­trians The names of lawe makers & magistrates in diuers coū ­tries. by Zoroastes, among the Car­thagineans by Charondas, among the Magnesians and Cicilians by Plato, a­mong the Athenians by Solon, and among the Lacede­monians by Licurgus, so had they certaine Magistrates to execute the same lawe after them, as the thirtie Sena­tors in Egipt, the Areopagites in Athens, the Ephori in Sparta, and so of the rest.

This is the lawe of nature, written first in tables of flesh, and after in tables of stone. Cain the first-man born; and the first murtherer, he slue his brother Abel, and had Gene. 4. sentence of the Lord with a perpetual marke of torture, that no man should kill Cain, but to liue as a vagabound [Page 57] and a rogue, cursed vpon the earth; the witnesse that ac­cused him was his brother Abels blood, so the Lorde spake, Vox sanguinis fratris tui edit clamorem ad caelum, Blood the first witnesse a­gainst mur­ther. blood therefore was the first witnesse on earth against murther, and called in scripture the Iudge of blood.

Cain for disobedience to his father, and murthe­ring of his brother, became a cursed vagabound vpon the earth, and all his wicked posteritie were drowned in the deludge.

So scoffing Cham was cursed of his father Noah, and in him all his posteritie likewise accursed, for the Ca­naanites which were of the stocke of Cham, were slaine Cham was ac­cursed. by the Israelites, and the Gibionites which came from the Canaanites, were made slaues to the Israelites, and so the Egiptians and Aethiopians the ofspring of Cham, were taken captiue by the Assyrians, so that Cham was cursed in himselfe, and cursed in his posteritie, for the scorning of the nakednesse of his father; so the parents Deut. 1 [...]. of the Idolaters and blasphemers, brought the first stone to presse their owne sonnes.

The second murtherer in Scripture was Lamech, which killed Cain, against whome the Lorde made a The second murtherer in scripture. lawe, that whosoeuer should slea Cain should be pu­nished seuen folde, for so Lamech confessed himselfe, that Cain should be auenged seuen-folde, but Lamech Gene. 27. seuentie times seuen fold, there shall want no witnes­ses against murtherers, and oppressers of Orphants, and widowes.

The witnesse against the filthie lust of the Sodo­mites, was the verie crie of Sodome before the Lorde, for so is the lawe, that the Iustice of blood shall slea the murtherer.

Iacobs children consented all sauing Ruben and [Page 58] Iudah, to kill Ioseph their younger brother which made Ioseph threat­ned to be kil­led. Ruben speake to his brethren in Egipt, that the blood of Ioseph was the cause that they were thus imprisoned and charged with theft and robberies.

There are foure witnesses which the Lord stirreth vp against murtherers, oppressors of Orphants, Infants and Widowes; first the Lorde himselfe is a witnesse, Foure witnes­ses against murtherers. the seconde the witnesse of blood, the thirde the wit­nesse of stones in the streets, and the fourth, the witnesse of fowles in the aire.

The like murther was in Esaus heart against Iacob his brother, for Esau saide that the dayes of his fathers sor­rowes Iacob fledde from Esau. were at hand, for I will slea my brother Iacob, but Iacob fled to Aran to his vncle Laban, by his mothers counsell Rebecca, for feare of his brother.

Naboth was stoned to death by false and wicked wit­nesse, for his Vineard, of Achab, by his wife Iezabels counsell.

The like murther was in Sauls heart against Da­uid, practising by all meanes possible to kill Dauid, The enuie of Saul towards Dauid. first by himselfe, then by his sonne Ionathan, by his daughter Michol, Dauids wife, and by his seruants, for there is three kindes of murther, the first in the Three kindes of murther. heart against the Lorde, as in Cains heart against A­bel, in Esaus heart against Iacob, and in Sauls heart a­gainst Dauid; the seconde by the tongue, either by false witnesse, as Iezabel with false witnesse against Na­both for his Vineard; or else by slaunder, as the two Elders in Babilon slaundered Susanna; the third per­formed by the hand, of the which there are two ma­ny examples, but all murthers by the hande and by the tongue proceed from the heart: the enuie of Cain in his heart towardes his brother Abel, was the cause [Page 59] that he slew his brother. The murther of Naboth was the couetousnesse of Achab in his heart, to haue his vine­yard. 3. Reg 21.

The murthering of Vriah came from Dauids heart by lust to Berseba, Vriahs wife.

There be other kinde of murtherers, that rise early in the morning to kill in the day and rob in the night. So Iob saith, Manè surgit homicida, interficit egenum & Pau­perem. Iob. 20.

Againe there bee other kinde of murtherers, as the Prophet saieth, Qui viduam & Aduenam interfici­unt. Psal. 93.

So may it be said of ambition in the heart, for by am­bition Herod caused all the childrē in Bethelem and about Math. 2. Bethelem to be slain, seeking to destroy him which could not be destroyed, which was Christ.

Against such kings & tyrants, the more wicked cru­eltie they vse, the more iust punishment they shall re­ceiue, Sap. 6. Iudicium enim durissimum ijs qui presunt, fiet, and the more wrong and iniurie they do to honest and iust men, the greater torments they shall suffer, Fortioribus fortior instat cruciatio.

By ambition in the heart Abimelech slew three score 2. Reg. 11. and eight of Gedeons sonnes his bretheren.

And so by the selfesame ambition Thalia caused all that were of the kings bloud to be put to death, so is hee that enuieth, hateth, & wisheth ill to his brother, a man­slaughterer.

The punishment of murther in Cain and in La­mech, Punishment vpon Cain and others by the law of nature. was giuen by the lawe of nature of the Lorde before the written lawe was giuen to Moses, as Tha­mar the daughter in lawe of Iudah for whoredome, and as murther and whoredome were punished first by [Page 60] the lawe of nature before the lawe written, so all other offences contained in the Decalogue, were by the same lawe punished, long before the lawe was written and giuen to Moses in mount Tabor.

The murthering of the Prophets, of the Apostles, and of the martirs of God, euen frō the bloud of righte­ous Abel vnto the bloud of Zacharias the Priest, crye and call for iustice and iudgement, saying: How long Lord will it be before vengeance be taken vpon wicked mur­therers and tyrants?

Of these the Prophet saith, Dederunt cadauera seru [...] ­rum tuorum in cibum anibus caeli, & carnes piorum bestijs terrae.

But when the Lord is readie to be reuenged vpon these cruell murtherers, and ambitious murmurers, who can quench the fire in the stubble when it beginneth to Esd. li. 4. ca. 16. burne? who can turne againe the arrow shot of a strong archer? or driue away a hungry Lyon in the wood? who can resist the Lord in his purpose and decree?

Murtherers haue their markes, as Cain had such a marke, that hee could not dye, though hee wisht to dye.

Esau had such a marke, that though he sought with teares to repent, yet he could not repent. Murtherers haue theyr markes.

Pharao had such a marke that he could not confesse the Lord to be God, though he sought Moses to pray for him, but no doubt markes of murther, for Cain kild his brother Abel, Esau sought, and said he would kill his bro­ther Iacob, and Pharao in his heart threatned death to Moses and Aaron, and to all the Hebrewes.

These signes and markes which these reprobates had, were not outward markes seene, but inward, burned with hotte Irons in their consciences, but the Hebrewes [Page 61] in the land of Gosen, were marked with the letter Tau in their foreheads, as signes to be saued from the plagues in Egipt, they that lamented and wept for Ierusalem, were marked in theyr foreheads with the letter Tau of the Angell: so all Christians are saued by this letter Tau, made like a crosse, which we must beare in our harts, and not in our foreheads.

The punishment of Paracides among the olde Ro­manes was such, that the murtherer should bee put in a sacke aliue, bound hand and foote, together with an ape, a cocke, and a viper, which should so byte and tor­ment him, vntill he were almost dead, and then to bee How Pa­racides were punished in Rome. throwne into Tiber, with his three companions with him; so was Marc. Malleolus for killing of his mother, iudged so to die by the Senators.

The second Paracide in Rome was Histius, after the second Romane warres with the Affricans, with the like iudgement giuen as before: this kind of punishment for Alex. Neapol. Genial. lib. 3. cap. 5. Paracides continued a long time among the Romaines; for in former time while yet the Romaines were poore, not acquainted with money, long before they knew Af­frike or Asia, their punishment for murther was but a ramme, which the Romanes slew and sacrificed to their gods.

The Grecians like the Romains in auntient time, pu­nished a murtherer with a certaine set number of cattell; yet in other countries they punished murther most se­uerely and cruelly.

As in Egipt they would thrust long needles made sharpe of steele, vnder the nailes of their hands & of their Bocchoris lawes in Egipt for murther. toes, and after cut the flesh of the murtherer in small peeces, and throwe it by gobbets into the fire, & burne it in his sight while yet he had life in him. Diod. sic. lib. 2.

[Page 62] A lawe was made among the said Egiptians, that if any man had killed his sonne, the father should be lockt together with the sonne slaine by him in one chamber, without meate or drinke for three dayes, beholding still before his face the dead body of his sonne, by himselfe slaine, (with a watch that none should come to him) thinking that by looking theron, there could be no grea­ter torture or punishment to the father, then to see his sonne so slaine by himselfe which was his father.

Among the Persians a lawe was made, that he that killed his father was thought that he neuer had a father, for they thought it against the lawe of nature, a thing vnnaturall, yea and vnpossible that the sonne should kill his father, and therefore he should be euer after cal­led a bastard (a greater reproach among the Persians could not be) and therefore Romulus in Rome, and Solon in Athens, being demaunded why they made no lawes No law made against Para­cides, neither by Romulus nor Solon. against Paracides, answered that they thought none so wicked or so cruell as to thinke on such wicked­nesse, and therefore they thought it fit, that no lawe should be mentioned for so wicked a fact, though by Dracoes lawe, Solons predecessor, the least fault in Athens was punished with death, and therefore called in ieast, Lex Draconis.

In Lusitania a Paracide should be stoned to death, not within their country, least the murtherers bloud should defile their countrie, but they should be banished to the next confines, and there to die.

Dauid was forbidden to build the Temple in Ierusa­lem, for that he was a man of bloud, so the Lord said, Thou art a man of bloud, and therefore thy sonne Salo­mon shall build me a Temple.

In the citie Elephantina in Aethiopia, a murtherer [Page 63] should bee forced by the lawe to eate the hearbe cal­led Ophiusa, which being eaten, the murtherer should be so tormented with such terrible visions and dreames, that he could neuer take rest or sleepe before he had kild himselfe.

The Macedonians in like sort stoned them not onely to death that committed any murther or treason against their Prince and their countrey, but also such as were consenting therevnto; and therfore Plato in Athens made Platoeslaw for the man that kild himselfe. a law that the hand that slew himselfe should not be bu­ried with the body, but should either be throwne away to be eaten of dogges, or else to be nailed in some pub­like place, to be eaten of fowles of the ayre, as actor of the murther.

In many places murther was lesse esteemed of men, then of birds or of beasts, as in Egipt to kill an Egiptian cat, was more dangerous then to kill a Romane captain. The history is written in Diod. sic. at large.

So to kill the bird called Ibis in Egipt, there was by the lawe capitall punishment for it. In Thessalia none might kill a stoike; neither in Athens by the lawe of Solon, none might sacrifice an oxe.

Cai. Caligula after he had murthered so many, much complained because he could not murther more, & of­tentimes Caligula. wished that all Rome had but one necke, that he Oros. li. 7. ca 5 might with one stroake cut it off. There was found in this Emperours studie, after he was murthered, like a sword and a dagger, the one written on and named Gla­dius, the other Pugio, in the which were written the most part of the names of the chief Senators, appointed by Caligula to bee slaine, and in the same studie was found a chest full of cups, filled vp with diuers kindes of poysons, which likewise he appointed to poyson the [Page 64] most part of the Romane knights, as well of the Senate as of the Citie, which poisons being throwne into the seas by Claudius the Emperour his successor, so infected the seas, that it killed an infinite number of fish, which fish being dead, the seas cast off to the next shores: so by the death of one murtherer, most part of the Se­nators and Knights of Rome escaped from murther and poyson.

In the time that Clau. Marcellus was Consull in Rome, there were found 370. olde auntient women, sup­posed matrons, accused and condemned for poysoning Oros. lib. 3. cap. 10. so many in Rome, that it was thought by the citizens and Senators of Rome, that it was a common plague eyther by corruption of the ayre, or otherwise, that so destroy­ed the people, such rewards haue tyrants.

For he that killed Saul in Mount Gilboa, & brought his crowne to Dauid, supposing to haue some great reward, had the reward of a murtherer, commaunded by Dauid to be slaine. Diuers horri­ble murthe­rers punished.

The like reward had Rechab & Banah, which brought Isbosheths head to Dauid, their reward was, to haue their heads and their hands cut off, and to be hanged vp ouer the poole in Haebron: murther neuer wants his due de­serts, nor iust rewards.

Charondas lawe was, that he that pulled a mans eye out, should loose an other of his owne for it, but if a man had but one eye, and that were pluckt out, Charon­das Charondas lawe. thought the lawe were satisfied, if one eye of the of­fender were lost for it, yet the one eyed man by loosing of his eye, was depriued of all his sight, and therfore sought by the lawe to haue the offender as blinde as he, for though hee lost but one eye, yet lost hee all his sight, and thereby would haue the penaltie of the lawe for [Page 65] his sight, and not for the eye, and claimed therefore iu­stice of the lawe against the offender.

But the lawe of Moses is otherwise, that if a man strike his seruant in the eye, that his eye perish, hee shall let his seruant go free, for that he lost his eye, also if a man smite out his seruants tooth, the lawe is that he shall likewise Exod. 21. let his seruant goe free.

Yet in matters of death, Moses lawe is, eye for eye, member for member, life for life, bloud for bloud, so is The law of the 12. Tables like Moses lawe. the lawe of the twelue Tables, Siquis membrum rupit in eum Talio esto.

So Samuel spake to king Agag the Amalekite, as thy sword made many women without children, so with­out children shalbe thy mother, and cut him in peeces, according to Talions lawe.

Was not Andronicus stript out of his purple cloa­thing by King Antiochus commaundement for his Andronicus killed. murther, and caused to bee killed in the same very place where he caused the high priest Onias to be slaine? the Lordes iust iudgement euer reuengeth innocent bloud.

Zimri through ambition, which is the roote of all Zimri. 3. Reg. 15. mischiefe, conspired against his maister Elam, and kil­led him as he was drinking in Samaria. How long raig­ned he? seuen dayes after hee was besieged in his owne pallace, where he was forced to burne himselfe and his house.

Zellum through ambition conspired against his mai­ster Zachariah, flew him, and raigned in his stead but a Zellum. 4. Reg. 15. moneth in Samaria.

If men looke to the end of kings, gouernors, and gene­rals, Curtis. 9. more are found betraied & slaine by friends & ser­uants in their chambers, thē by the enemies in the field.

[Page 66] For these be called Cubiculares consiliarij, à quibus b [...] ­nus & cautus imperator venditur. Vopisc. in Au­rel.

Thus is murther euer committed, either by coue­tousnes, pride, malice, enuie, or ambition, which is chief, the very ringleader of murther and treason.

Was not Saul ambitious when Samuel tolde him Saul. that the Lorde had reicted him for his disobedience, to say to Samuel, yet honour me before the people.

The Idoll Appollo in Delphos could say no more to Augustus Caesar, when he came to know what should be­come of the Empire of Rome, but that an Hebrew childe was borne that commaunded vs to silence, yet as Saul spake to Samuel, so the Idollspake to Augustus, yet de­part thou with reuerence from our aultar before the people.

These wicked mens liues are compared in the booke of Wisedome, to a shadowe, or to a poste riding in haste on the way, or to a ship in the sea, whose path cannot be seene, or to a fowle flying in the ayre, whose steppes can­not be found, whose wicked hope is compared to an ar­row that is shot, and falleth quickly to the ground.

Was not Absolon ambitious to say, I wish that there were some by the king appointed to heare the iust com­plaint Absolon. of the people. Thus by ambitious meanes he prac­tised secret trecherie against the king his father for the kingdome.

AS you read before in the first & fourth regimēts, how the Egiptians, the Lace­demonians, the Locreans & the Getes, affirmed to haue their lawes from Ora­cles and Diuine powers.

So Numa Pomp. made the old Ro­maines Plut. in Numa beleeue, that all the lawes and Religion which he gaue to thepeople, were deliuered The Gentiles confirm their lawes by au­thoritie of O­racles from their gods. vnto him by the Nymph Egeria, yea euen the verie bar­barous Scythians, brag that they haue their lawes from their god Zamolxis.

And as the Turkes at this day confesse, that they haue their lawes from Mahomet, so many other lawmakers in diuers countries, made their people beleeue, that they consulted with some diuine powers, and were instruc­ted to make their lawes.

Such therefore is the strength and authoritie of the lawe, that Paul calleth the lawe the minister vnto death, and yet a schoole maister to know Christ. Plato called lawes the sinewes of a common-wealth. Demosthenes a diuine gift. Cicero the bands of cities. Plutarch the very life of a common-wealth. The lawes are as keyes to opē vnto vs the way vnto obedience, and to know sinne; for if the lawe had not commanded me, Thou shalt not de­file thy neighbours wife, I had not knowne adultery to be a sinne.

[Page 68] There is no offence so grieuously punished by Gods lawe, neither by mans lawe, as adulterie was euen from the creation, in so much that all men defiled themselues with that sinne, all flesh corrupted his way. Hence grew the Lords anger so great, that hee puni­shed the whole worlde with an vniuersall Deluge, sauing eight persons: after the Deluge, for the selfe The fiue cities called Penta­polis destroy­ed. same sinne, the Lorde destroyed the fiue Cities of Palestine with fire and brimstone, the Lorde would not haue so filthy a sinne to raigne among his peo­ple.

How was Israel plagued for theyr adulterie with the Moabites, with whom the Lorde commaunded that The Israelites plagued for their sin with the Moabites. they should not ioyne in marriage, and therefore the Lorde commaunded Moses to hang their Princes vp against the Sunne for theyr filthy lust with the Moa­bites, and the women that had lien with men, were Nomb. 13. commaunded by Moses to bee slaine, and the Vir­gines to bee reserued in the warres against the Ma­dianites, and Moses was angrie with the Captaines for that they hadde not slaine the Madianite wo­men.

And therefore Phineas the sonne of Eleazer, for his zeale against adulterie, slew Coshi the Madianite harlot, and Zimri the Israelite, thrust them through both theyr bellies in the act, for the which the Lord was so pleased, that the plague ceased in the campe, and the Priesthood was giuen for euer to Phineas & his stocke, for the Lord would not haue a whore to liue in Israel.

The zeale of Iehu was such, that hee caused seuentie sonnes of Achab to bee slaine, and caused Iezabal his 4. Reg. 10. wife to bee cast headlong downe out of a windowe to be eaten of dogges, hee slew 42. of Achabs bretheren, [Page 69] and destroyed all the Priests of Baal, and left not one of Achabs house aliue. The zeale of Iehu so pleased the Lord, that his children raigned foure generations after him.

The zeale and faith of Abraham was such, that he was readie to offer & sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac to obey The commen­dation and re­ward of godly zeale. the Lords commandement.

The zeale and loue of Ioseph in Egipt was such, that he preferred the lawes and loue of the Lord before the loue of his mistresse, Putiphars wife.

Such also was the loue and zeale of Moses to Israel, that hee requested to be put out of the booke of life, be­fore Israel should be destroyed of the Lorde in his an­ger.

Salomon was so zealous in the lawes of the Lord, that he sought nothing but wisedome to rule his people, and to know his lawes.

So Iob loued the Lord and his lawes, that for all the losse of his goods and children, and for diuers plagues and punishments of body, yet he still stood constant in the lawes of the Lord.

Adulterers are cryed out vpon in the scripture, and often mentioned in the olde and newe Testament, compared by the Prophet to stoned horses, neying vp­on other mens wiues. Women so corrupted Salomon, that hee forsooke the Lorde, and worshipped straunge goddes, and lost thereby tenne of the twelue Tribes of Israel.

Dauid his father was so punished for his offences with one woman against the Lord, that he welnigh lost his kingdome by it.

If Dauid, if Moses and Paul were buffeted by Sathan, who can think himselfe free from Sathan? we must ther­fore [Page 70] watch if we will not be deceiued, we must fight if we thinke to haue victorie, not against flesh and bloud onely, but against armies of spirits, infernall powers, a­gainst spirituall enemies, and against Sathan the prince and ruler of darknesse. For many are the stratagems of Sathan, with whom wee must wrestle as Iacob did with Ephes. cap. 6. the Angell, with such weapons as is taught in Paul, or as Dauid did with Goliah, or as Iob did with Sathan him­selfe.

The euill counsell of Achitophel to Absolon, to lye Example of adultery in di­uers countries punished. with his fathers concubines, brought both Absolon and Achitophel to hanging.

Pharao for lusting on Sarah Abrahams wife, both hee and all his house were scourged and plagued with An­gels Gen. 1 [...]. and visions.

The Beniamites for their abhominable abuse of the Iudic. 19. Leuites wife, was the cause that three score & fiue thou­sand died in Israel.

Sychem & all the Sychemites for the rauishment of Di­na, Iacobs daughter, were slain, & the towne ouerthrown Gen. 34. by Simeon and Leui, Iacobs sonnes.

The lawes of all countries and nations appointed such due seuere punishments for adulterie, as in Rome Lex Iulia was as sharpely executed against adulterers, as against traitors, and still renewed by many of the Emperours (after Iulius Caesar, who made this lawe) as Tiberius, Seuerus, and others, who with great seueri­tie punished adulterie.

Lawes were made in many Countries to suppresse adulterie, for concupiscence and euill affections were Lawes in di­uers countries against adul­tery. condemned by the lawes among the Gentiles, to be the roote of all mischiefe; for euill thoughts breed delecta­tion, delectation bredeth consent, consent action, action [Page 71] custome, and custome necessitie, for custome is as ano­ther nature.

Adultery was punished in Egipt by the lawe of Boc­choris, in this sort; the man should be beaten with rods to a thousand stripes, and the womans nose should be Bocchoris lawe against adultery. cut off to deforme her face, as a perpetuall marke of her adultery: but if she were a free woman, the man should haue his priuie members cut off, for that member which offended the law, should be punished by the law, which law sometime was executed among the Romaines, for so was Carbo gelded by Bibienus the Consul for his adul­tery; the Romanes had rather make lawes, then keepe the lawes which they made.

Therefore Charondas made a lawe to keep the good from the bad, for to flie from vice is vertue; that by ta­king away the cause the effect might also be remoued; for vertue is soone corrupted with vice, and a litle lea­uen Charondas lawe against adultery. infecteth the whole doughe; and therefore an acti­on might be had by the lawe of Charondas, not onely a­gainst honest women that vsed the company of leaude men, but also against men that should be often found in the societie of wicked men; for Charondas saide, good men become better by obedience of the lawe, and be­come wicked, by wicked company which obey no lawes; for that lawe said Charondas is euer best, by the which men become more honest then rich. Par est eos Arist. 5. polit: esse meliores qui ex melioribus.

Lysander being demaunded what maner of gouern­ment Demosthenes aduersus Lep­tin. he best liked, said; where good men are rewarded for their weldoing, and euil men punished for their wic­kednesse: as Plato said, Omnis Respub: paena & Praemio conti­netur. Plato de leg. So Demosthenes euer thought that law best, which prouided for good men aduancement, and for euill men punishment.

[Page 72] To the like effect Zaleucus made a lawe that no ho­nest or modest woman should goe in the street but with one maide with her; and if shee had two, the lawe was, Zaleucus lawes against adultery. she should be noted for a drunkarde: Neither might knowne honest women goe out of the Towne in the night time, vnlesse they would be noted to goe in the company of adulterers.

Neither might any modest woman or sober matron be attired with braue apparell, imbrodered or wrought with gold, siluer, bugles, and such, vnlesse shee would be noted by the lawe of Zaleucus, that shee went abroad to play the strumpet, for among the Locreans an adulte­rous nation, people much giuen to lust and lecherie, Za­leucus made a lawe, that by their comely and modest ap­parell they should be knowne from harlots, and light women, which vsed to weare light, garrish, and all kinde of glistering garments to be looked at.

Aurelianus the Emperour punished a souldier found in the campe in adultery in this sort, to tye both his legs to two toppes of trees, bended to the earth, and so his Fla. vobise. in Aureliano. bodie by the swinge of the trees to cleaue in the midst through, that the one halfe hangd on the one tree, and the other halfe vpon the other tree. Punishment of adultery by Aurelianus and Macrinus both Empe­rors of Rome.

The like or rather more horrible punishment vsed Macrinus the Emperour against two souldiers in the campe that deflowred a maide in their lodging, he cau­sed two oxen to be opened, and sowed aliue one of the souldiers in the one oxe, and the other souldier in the o­ther oxe, and left their heads out of the oxen, that there­by they might speake one to an other as long as they Capitolin. in vita Macrini. liued.

Was not Abraham called from the Chaldeans; be­cause they were wicked Idolaters? Did not Iacob long [Page 73] in Mesopotamia for the land of Canaan? Did not Dauid wish to be in Iudah from among the Amalekites, wic­ked Infidels? Were not the captiue Israelites most desi­rous Time hath euer bene ap­pointed for godly men to effect theyr purpose. from Babilon to come to Ierusalem? yet not before the time that God had appointed and determined; for Elizeus could not prophesie before Elias threw his man­tle vpon him, neither could Dauid appeale the furie of Saul before hee played on his harpe; neither could Aa­ron become a high Priest before his rod blossomd in the Arke.

The very Heathens forsooke the company & coun­trey of wicked people, as Hermadorus forsooke his coun­trey Ephesus for the iniquitie of the people. Anacharsis left Scythia his barbarous countrey, and came to Greece to learne wisedome and Philosophie in Athens. Plato left Athens, and went from Greece to Egipt to be taught in the religion, ceremonies, and lawes of the Egipti­ans. Paul left Tharsis to goe to Ierusalem to learne the lawes of the Iewes at Gamaliel. Queene Saba came from Aethiope to heare Salomons wisedome in Ierusa­lem.

It was lawfull by the lawe of Solon in Athens, to The lawe Pa­ratilmus a­gainst adultry. kill an adulterer beeing taken in the act, as among the olde Romanes, the husband might kill his wife, if hee found her an adulteresse: but this lawe of Solon in A­thens, was after mitigated by Solon with a lesse punish­ment.

The Parthians supposed no offence greater then ad­ultery, neither thought they any punishment to be e­quall with so great a crime.

Among the Arabians the lawe was, that the adulte­rer should die such a death as the partie grieued should appoint.

[Page 74] Diuers Philosophers euer thought adultery worse then periurie, and without doubt greater harmes growe by adultery then periurie, though the one be in the first The opinion of diuers Phi­losophers con­cerning adul­tery. Table against the maiestie of God, to take his name in vaine; and the other in the second Table against thy neighbour, whom thou oughtest to loue as thy selfe; and yet some of the best Philosophers as Plato, Crisippus, and Zeno, iudged that common-wealth best gouerned, where adultery was freely permitted without punish­ment, that libertie they brought from Egipt vnto Greece, where the Egiptians might marrie as many wiues as they would, like the Persians.

Among diuers other nations, adulterie was left vn­punished, for that they had no lawe against adultery.

Histories make mention that the virgins of Cypria and of Phaenizia, get their dowrie with the hire of their bo­dies, vntil they gaue so much for their dowries, that they might make choise of their husbands, and be married. Alex. Neapol. lib. 1. cap. 24.

The Troglodites the nights before they be married vnto their husbands, must lye and keepe company with the next of their kin, and after their marriage they were with most seuere lawes punished if they had offended.

It should seeme by the lawes of Licurgus in Sparta, 300. yeares before the law of Solon in Athens, which was 200. yeares before the law of Plato among the Cicilians, which made no lawes against adultery, that the Greci­ans tooke their instructions by imitation from the Egip­tians.

For one after an other, Solon after Licurgus, and Plato after Solon, trauelled to Egipt & to other farre countries, and brought the lawe of Bocchoris out of Egipt, the lawe Diod. sic. lib. 2. cap. 6. of Mynoes out of Creete, and the lawes of the Gymnoso­phists out of India into Greece.

[Page 75] As among the Lesbians, Garamites, Indians, Massagets, Scythians, and such, that were more like to sauage beasts, then to temperate people, for by the lawe wee knowe sinne, for I had not knowne what adultery was, vnlesse the lawe had commaunded thou shalt not lust.

And therefore it was not lawfull by Moses lawe, that a bastard, or the sonne of a commonwoman, should Moses lawe a­gainst bastard [...] come vnto the congregation of the Lord, or serue in any place of the Tabernacle, or enter into the mini­sterie vntill the tenth generation, so hatefull vnto the Lord was fornication, adulterie, and vncleannesse of life.

When Iacob had blessed all his children, yet for that Ruben lay with his fathers concubine Bilha, his father Ia­cob prophesied, that he should not be the chiefest of his bretheren, though hee was the eldest sonne of Iacob, and the eldest of his bretheren, for that he was as vnsta­ble as water for defiling his fathers bed; for among the Israelites it was a great shame and reproach for women to be barren, & therfore the wiues brought their maides to their husbands for childrens sake, as Sarah brought Gen. 49. her maide Agar vnto Abraham, and Leah and Rachel brought to Iacob their two maides, Bilha and Zilpha; so Rachel gaue leaue to Iacob to lye with Bilha her maide, who bare to Iacob two sonnes, whom Rachel though not Gen. 30. their mother, named them as her owne sonnes, Dan and Nepthali. So Leah brought her maide Zilpha to Iacob, who conceiued and brought him two sonnes, of whom Leah was so glad, that she named them as her owne sons, the one Gad, and the other Asar, so that foure of Iacobs sonnes were borne by his maides and not by his wiues. This was tollerated, but not lawfull.

[Page 76] Though the Hebrewes were tollerated by the lawe of Moses to haue many wiues and concubines, and Li­bels of diuorcement, for the hardnesse of the lewes hearts, as Christ said, yet said our Sauiour, Non fuit sic ab initio, it was not so from the beginning.

Euen from the creation men liued vnder the law of nature, for in mans heart (yet not corrupted before the Lawe of na­ture. fall) there was perfect knowledge in the lawe of nature, as in the first man Adam was seene before his fall, vnder the which the olde Patriarkes liued, and sinnes were corrected and punished by the same lawe, for it was a positiue lawe by nature set foorth and written in the hearts of men, thus was the written lawe yet by Moses tollerated.

When it was tolde Iudah that his daughter in lawe Thamar was with childe, hee commaunded that shee Gen. 3 [...]. should be brought forth, and be burnt. Here the law of nature before the lawe written, commaunded whore­dome to be punished with death; here Iudah though he detested whoredome in Thamar, yet being found that the incest was committed by him, found his fault grea­ter then hers.

If a man be found with a woman that hath a wedded husband, let them both die the death, so shalt thou put Leuit. 19. euill away from Israel, for the lawe is, you shall maintain no harlots in Israel, as the Cyprians and Locreans doo.

It was not lawfull among the old Romaines to call a bastard by the name of his father, because he was the son of a common woman, and no man knew who should Lawes of na­tions against bastards. be his father; but they vsed for his name to write these two letters, S. P. quasi sine patre, as though he had neuer a father.

[Page 77] In Athens by the law of Solon, a bastard might choose whether he would be acquainted with his father or no, or giue him a meals meat in his house, or a cup of drinke at his doore, for that he was the cause of his ignomini­ous and infamous birth.

Among the Israelites if a man marry a young virgin, and after proue her not to be a virgin when hee married Deut. 22. her, the lawe is, that she should be brought to the doore of her fathers house, and the men of that citie should stone her with stones to death, but if her husband falsly accused her, then the Elders of that citie should chastise him, and mearce him in an hundred sickles of siluer, and giue them to the father of the damzell, and she to conti­nue with him as his wife.

But in Israel there was an other lawe, that if a man be taken committing fornication with a virgin, & after the Deut. 22. matter come before a Iudge, he shall be caused to marrie the woman, and to liue with her during his life, and to pay 50. sickles of siluer to the maides father for his of­fence.

A woman with childe condemned to death, might challenge the time of her childbirth by the lawe of Boc­choris, Bocchoris law for a woman with childe. which lawe was brought by Solon from Egipt vn­to Greece, for the law thought it not fit, that the guiltlesse should die for the fault of the guiltie.

An other lawe was made, that if a man hurt a wo­man with childe so that her child depart from her, and Exod. 21. she die not, hee shall be punished according as the wo­mans husband shall appoint, or pay as arbiters will de­termine.

Againe in Israel there was an other lawe, that the wife of the dead shall not be giuen vnto a straunger, but her brother in lawe shall take her to wife, and marrie [Page 78] her, and the eldest sonne which shee beareth, shalbe the child of the brother that was dead, and not of him that begat him, but if the brother refuseth to marrie his bro­thers The lawe of the vnshod house. wife, the Elders of the citie shall call vnto him, and commune with him, before whom if hee denie to take her to wife, then the sister in lawe should go in presence Deut. 25. of the Elders, and loose his shooe of his foote, spit in his face, and say, so shall his name be called in Israel of the vnshod house.

The lawe of Moses was, that an adulteresse should be brought by her husband vnto the Priest, and the Priest The lawe of Moses against an adulteresse to bring her and set her before the Lord, & shall vncouer her head, & haue bitter & cursed water in his hand, and say, if thou be not an adulteresse, and defiled not thy selfe vnknowne to thy husband, then haue thou no harme of this bitter and cursed water, but if thou be defiled by an other man besides thy husband, the Lord make thee ac­curst, and make thy thigh rot and thy belly swell, and this cursed water goe into thy bowels, and the woman his wife so accused, shall say, Amen.

The lawe which the Lorde punished his people for committing adulterie, was with such seueritie, that they should die the death, either by stoning or burning, which was the lawe among the Israelites.

The people called Cortini, had a law in their country, that an adulterer should bee crowned with wooll, and Cortini. should sit in the market place in open sight of the peo­ple to be laught at, and to be noted as an infamous adul­terer all his life long in his countrey.

The people called Pisidae had a law made, that the adulterer should be bound vpon an asse, and be carried Pisidae. from towne to towne, for the space of three dayes, with his face backwards, holding the taile of the asse in his hand for a bridle.

[Page 79] They had in Athens by the law of Solon a place called Casaluion, & the women were called Casaluides, to whom Casaluion. any Athenian might resort to auoyd adultery with the Matrons and Virgins of Athens.

The like place they had in Rome called Summaenium, for the like purpose; and the like are tollerated in many Summaenium. countries to auoyd great offences, but rather a nurserie of whoredome then a prohibition. These vsed the like words as Iulia did in Rome, Licet, si libet, like Anaxarchus, being demanded by Cambises, Is it lawfull for the kings of Persia to marry their sisters? we finde not such lawes, said Anaxarchus, Non fas potentes posse, fieri quod nefas, but wee finde an other lawe that the kings of Persia may do what they list.

What vice can be greater in man then incontinencie? for it doth sin against the body it selfe, & doth weary and languish all the parts thereof; for as fish saith Plato, are ta­ken with hookes, so men are taken and deceiued with pleasures; in so much that Xerxes, the great king of Persia, Xerxes offred rewards to in­uent pleasures decreed by lawe, a reward to any man that could inuent andfind out new kinds of pleasures, but he was slain, and lost the kingdom of Persia by his pleasures. And therfore Laert. in Solone. well said Solon, Cōsule non quae suauissima, sed quae optima.

Hanibal hauing welnigh subdued the Romane Em­pire, yet being taken with the baites and pleasures of Haniball. Campania, in company of wine and women, and all de­licacies and pleasures that could be inuented, of which Seneca saith; Conuiuiorum luxuria & vestium, aegrae ciuitatis indicia sunt, that by meanes of his incontinency in Cam­pania, he was driuen out of Italy, and after out of his own country of Affrike, by him that was one of the chiefest and chastest Captaines of all the Romaines, Scypio Affrican, who made a lawe to bannish all women out [Page 80] of his camp, to whom in his Affrican wars was brought a passing faire young Gentlewoman of singular beautie and of a noble house, whom Scypio vsed so honourably, with great care and diligence for her good name & cre­dite, Scypio. vntill Allucius a young Gentleman that should be married to the virgine, brought a great raunsome from her parents, to redeeme her, to whom Scypio deliuered both the young virgin into his hands, and bestowed the gold which her father sent vnto him for her raunsome, vpon Allucius for her dowry; by this honourable dea­ling of Scypio, the whole Prouince which stood out in armes against Scypio, yeelded vnto him, & sought peace at Scypios hand, for his courteous modestitie & tempe­rancie; Commenda­tion of chasti­tie. where Hanibal lost all Italy and Campania, by his incontinencie and vnchaste life.

If Darius king of Persia, had escaped from his last o­uerthrow at Arbela by Alexander, no doubt in respect of the honourable vsage which Alexander shewed to Da­rius Alexander. wife and his daughters, he would haue yeelded all the whole Empire of Persia vnto Alexander.

Narseus king of Persia, being ouerthrowne, and his armie slaine, by Dioclesian the Emperor of Rome, and the Dioclesian. King himselfe constrained to flight, his wife and his daughters were taken by the Romanes, and were vsed so honourably, that the Persians confessed, that the Ro­manes did not only exceed all Nations in armes & va­lour, but in modestie and temperancie; the honourable vsage of his wife and daughters, made Narseus to yeeld vnto the Komanes, and to deliuer to the Romais hands Sext. Ruffinus. Armenia, with fiue other Prouinces, and to conclude a peace; See the force of vertue and power of chastitie in Heathens, that Alexander, Scypio, and Dioclesian, wanne by temperance and chastitie, that which they could not conquere by armes.

[Page 81] Antigonus vnderstanding that his sonne lodged in a house where three sisters were, of passing beautie, wrote that he was most straightly besieged of three great ene­mies, Front. lib. 4. cap. 1. and therefore wished him to remoue his campe, and afterwards made a decree, that his son should lodge in no place, but where the woman should be 50. yeares of age.

The lawe was among the Grecians, that women should not sit among men, vnlesse it were with thier hus­bands, and among their next neighbours. L. Consensu C. de repud. lib. 1. cap. 2.

The like lawe was among the Romains, the woman that might be found with strangers in banquets, her hus­band might put her away, and be diuorced frō her, and therefore it is written in the lawe, that conuiuia, veneris Praeludia sunt.

Licurgus lawe was among the Lacedemonians, that none should fare better then an other in banquets, but all by lawe should be equally feasted; the number was appointed in banquets from three vnto seuen among the Greekes, so that it grew to be a prouerbe among the Grecians, Septem conuiuium, nouem conuitium facere.

So among the auntient Romanes, not aboue foure or fiue should be allowed or admittted to a feast or ban­quet: Leges con­uiuales. for the chiefe feast by Platoes lawe called Bellaria Platonis, was figges, berries, oliues, pease, beanes, masts of beech trees tosted, and prunes, for the temperate fare and thin dyet both of the olde Greekes and of the Ro­manes, were Magis iucunda quam Profusa.

But after in time it grew to such excesse among the Romanes, that they came to their feasts and banquets with garlands crowned, and there to drinke the first draught to Iupiter, as the Grecians drank the last draught to Mercurius. Vnto these kinde of feasts the Romanes [Page 82] might not come in black or sad coloured garments, but all in white.

Wisedome exclaimes against those that say, Coronemus nos vosis ante quā marcescant & vino precioso nos impleamus. Sapien. 2.

So likewise among the Grecians it grew to such ex­cesse, that they forgot Anacharsis lawe, which was but three draughts of wine; or Democritus lawe, which was but foure at the most, though afterward it came to a po­pular lawe, Aut biberent aut abirent. This the Greekes had frō the Persians, who with their wiues and concubines, consulted of state matters at their feasts.

Licurgus also decreed an other lawe, that in any pub­like feast or banquet, whē neighbours and friends were disposed to be merrie, that the best and auntientest man of the company should speake to the rest, that nothing spoken or done in this feast, should passe yonder doore, shewing to the company with his finger, the chamber doore which they came in at.

These feasts were not Bellaria Platonis, but rather Prae­ludia veneris.

AFter lawes were made in euery coun­trey, confirmed by diuine authori­tie, and executed by graue and wise Vertuous and good lawes were so hono­red that they were sent for frō one coun­trey to an o­ther. magistrates, these lawes for necessitie sake were sent for from one kingdome to an other, to gouerne & to rule theyr countreys.

Philadelphus king of Egipt, sent three from Alexan­dria [Page 83] to Eleazarus the high Priest at Ierusalem, for the lawes of Moses to bee translated from Hebrew into Greeke.

So the Senators of Rome sent three for the lawe of the 12. Tables, to be brought from Athens to Rome.

So the Mazacens sent for the lawe of Charondas to Thuria, and so the Grecians sent for the lawes of king Minoes into Creete.

Philadelphus much wondred after the reading of the Hebrew lawes, being so wise and godly a lawe, that wel­nigh Philadelphus. for a thousand & two hundred yeares, no nation a­mong the Gentiles made any mention of this lawe, Ioseph. lib. 12, cap. 2. though before that time they must needs heare and read of it, by reason of the greatnesse and authoritie of the Iewes common-wealth. Demetrius and Menedemus two great Philosophers, at that time answered the King, that none durst attempt to mingle the diuine lawes of the Hebrewes with the prophane lawes of the Gentiles, for both Theodectus and Theopompus were punished, the one with madnesse, the other with blindnesse, for making no difference betweene the lawes of the Lord, and the lawes of the Gentiles, for as Dagon their god fel, & could not stand before the arke, where the presence of God, and the figure of Christ was, so the lawes of the Lord suffered no prophane lawes to be ioyned with them.

Seeing we are commaunded by the lawe to forsake adultery, wee must learne by the selfe same lawe how Alex. Neapol. genial lib. 4. cap. 7. to become chaste, not as the Priests of Athens did, called Hierophantae, before they should come to doo sacrifice to their goddesse Pallas, they would drinke a very colde drinke made of Cicuta hemblocke to make themselues chaste, sometimes vsed in Athens to poison condemned men, which was the last drinke and draught of Socrates.

[Page 84] Neither like the Romaine Priests who vsed to drinke and to wash themselues often, with the colde water Ci­calda, to become chaste to sacrifice to the Goddesse Ceres.

Neither as the Priests of Egipt did by shauing theyr beards, and the haires of their heads, by abstaining from wine, women, and flesh, or by ofren washing or Sinister means of the Gentiles to become chaste. annointing of their bodies, to become the more conti­nent to serue their goddesse Ifis. These Heathens all, for that they knew not Christ, missed in the meanes to be­come temperate. So the Priests of Cybeles did amputare virilia, because they might continue chast and religious to sacrifice, and serue their goddesse Cybeles.

But it was commanded by the Lord, to Aaron and his sonnes, that they should make no baldnesse on theyr heads, nor shaue off the lockes of their beards, nor make any marke in their flesh as the Gentiles did. It was not lawfull for them to marrie with a widowe, or woman diuorced from her husband, or any polluted woman, but onely with a maide, for the Lord would haue his Priests holy which kindle fire on his aultar, and offer bread in his sacrifice.

If the Priests daughter play the harlot, she should be burnt by the lawe, though others by the lawe should be stoned to death.

To become chaste is to serue God, and to say as Sa­rah, Tobiahs wife said in her praiers, thou knowest (ô Toby. 3. Lord) how I haue kept my soule cleane without any de­sire or company of man. Examples of chastitie in good women.

Likewise to become temperate, is to imitate Iudith the widdowe, that sate all day long in her house in sack­cloath, and kept her selfe close within doores with her maides, fasting all the daies of her life, excepting onely Iedith. 10. & 1 [...]. [Page 85] the Sabboth and the feast of the new Moone, not like Dina gadding to Sichem to see the manners and fashions Neom [...]nia. of the Sichemites; neiiher like the Sabine virgins going Prou 7. to the feast Consualia to see playes in Rome; neither like the maides in Siloh, to go abroad to play, to daunce, and to sing. What was the end of this libertie? first the ouer­throw of Sichem and the Sichemites, for violating Dina The harme that hapneth by too much libertie. Iacobs daughter; secondly the rauishment of the Sabine virgins, which moued publike warres betweene the Sa­bines and the Romanes; and so of the virgins of Si­loh.

Neither like that light woman which is spoken of in the Prouerbes of Salomon, saying: I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, with carpets, and carued workes, & laces of Egipt, I haue perfumed it with mirrhe, Aloes and Syna­mom, come and let vs take our fill of loue vntill the mor­ning, and take our pleasure in dalliance, and he follow­ed her as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter, as a foole to the stockes, or as a bird hastneth to the snare, not know­ing Prou. 6. what danger he runneth into, for can a man take fire in his bosome and not be burnt? can a man goe bare­foote vpon coales, and his feete not be burnt? so he that goeth to his neighbours wife shall not be innocent saith Salomon.

It was a custome among the Hebrewes, that the spowse was brought to her her husband, her head being couered; so Rebecca tooke availe and couered her head, when shee sawe Isaac, in token of shamefastnesse and chastity, for the way to become chast, is first to be shame­faste.

Men must haue chaste eyes, Holosernes offended and desired to sinne with Iudith, at the sight of her slip­pers.

[Page 85] So the two Elders offended at the sight of Sufan [...] bathing her selfe in the well.

This made Abraham to speake to his wife Sarah, I know thou art a faire woman, that when the Egiptians Gene. 12. The offence of the eye. see thee, they will kill me to obtaine thee.

The eye of Herod was delighted so much at the dan­cing Math. 14. of Herodias daughter, that he foolishly promised whatsoeuer she would aske, which hee cruelly perfor­med with the head of Iohn Baptist.

To become chast is the gift of the Lord, not by vn­lawfull meanes as Origen did, though learned and reli­gious, yet missed in the meanes to be temperate, so that he made himselfe to be made an Euenuke, and his stones to be taken away, thinking thereby to become continent, for you shall not teare, nor cut your flesh, nor make any print of a marke by whipping of your bodies, or burning marks any where vpon the flesh, as the Hea­thens and Pagans did.

So the Prophet Elizeus commaunded Naman the Syrian to goe to wash him in Iordan, to elense him of his leprosie.

So Christ commanded a poore cripple to goe to the water of Syloh to wash him, the water wherof being stir­red by the Angell, many were healed; I do not speake of the waters which in olde time the Romaine marchants vsed to sprinkle themselues withall, called Aqua Mercu­rij, whereby they supposed that their God Mercurius, Aqua Mer­curij. would giue them good successe & great gaines.

Mary Magdalene trusting too much the false reports of some Rabines, was deceiued in the seeking of the Mary Mag­dalene. Messias, but hauing founde (whome shee sought) the Messias, her loue was such, that shee washt his feete with the teares of repentance, and dried them with the [Page] haires of her head, and therefore many sinnes were for­giuen her, because she loued the Lord much.

Among the Gentiles also, there were so many that made meanes to become chast, as they which were cal­led Animphi, and another sort called Abij, which in no People called Animphi and Abij. sort could abide women, but led a single life; especially the heathē priests in all countries, they should not come and offer sacrifice vnto their gods, vntil they had shaued their haires, and washed their bodies ouer from top to to toe, and abstained from wine and women.

The Gymnosophists in Aethiopia, graue and wise Iud­ges, they made means likewise to become chast, by thin fare, feeding on Gurgins and course bread, made of the Gymnoso­phists. huskes of corne, with Apples and Rice, this was their meanes to become temperate in their prophane religiō.

So in India, Sacedotes solis, the Priestes of the Sunne, thought the meanes to make themselues continent, not only by abstaining from flesh, wine and women, as the Priests of Athens, of Rome, and of Egipt did, but also by refraining their owne beds in their owne houses, and to liue sub dio, to lie in their cloathes vpon the earth.

Among the Romanes and the Grecians the lawes of the 12. tables commaunded & commended to them chastitie, in such sort that they might neither serue, sacri­fice, The lawe of 12. tables for chastitie. nor offer vnto their gods, vnlesse for a certaine time they had abstained frō wine & women, the words of the law were these, Ad diuos adeunto castè, Pietatem adhibento, opes admouento. How straightly the Gentiles obserued this, you read before, yet seeke they their warrant from Moses, for the high Priest Abimelech would know of Da­uid whether he and his company were pure and cleane froō women before they should eat of the shewe bread, which was lawfull for no man to eate but the Priest.

[Page 88] The lawe of Moses was, that money gotten by com­mon women might not be accepted, neither in offring, nor in sacrifice vpon the Lords Aultar, for the law saith, thou shalt neither bring the hire of a whore, nor the price of a dogge into the house of the Lorde, for euen both these are abhominations vnto the Lord, for there Deut. 23. shall be no whore, nor whore keeper in Israel.

So Numa Pomp, made a lawe in Rome, that a strum­pet or a leaud woman should not so much as touch the aultar of Iuno, for it was his lawe that Pellex non tanger [...] Innonis aram, so all the Pagans and Heathens would Val. Max. li. 6. cap. 1. haue cleane and pure things offered and sacrificed vnto their gods vpon their prophane aultars: so it is written by Cicero, Impij donis non audeant Placare deos. Cic. de leg. 3.

AFter lawes were made and executed in all countries, reuerenced with obedi­ence, and so kept with care, that Licur­gus lawes were kept in Sparta among the Lacedemonians, fiue hundred and odde yeares, the lawes of the Sybils in Rome, continued welnigh fiue hundred yeares; the lawes of Bocchoris in Egipt, endured seuen hundred yeares, the lawes of Solon in Athens, continued Continuance of lawes in all countries. one hundred yeares from Solons time to Xerxes, at what time Athens was burnt by the Persians.

The lawes of the Rechabites were obserued & kept three hundred yeares by the children of Ionadab, but the lawes of the Iewes from the comming of Moses out [Page 89] of Egipt to the last destruction of Ierusalem vnder Titus, continued 1500. yeares.

So carefull were the first age, that the children of Seth (hearing Adam prophesying of two destructions which should come vpon the whole world, the one by fire, the other by water) builded vp two arches or pil­lars, the one of bricke, the other of stone, in the which Ioseph. lib. 1. ca. 3. de Antiq. were written many things concerning the lawe of na­ture, and the influence and motions of the starres, that if the bricke pillar were destroyed by water, the stone pil­lar should reserue and keepe safe their lawes, theyr ser­uice, and sacrifice to God; which the Patriarkes vsed as instructions to their posteritie after the floud, which continued vntill Iosephus time; which as Iosephus himself writes, he sawe in Syria.

Moses at his death deliuered to the Hebrewes the booke of the lawe, and he commaunded them to lay vp those lawes in the Arke within the Tabernacle, where The Taber­nacle hidden by Ieremy. it was lawfull for none to come to them, but the high Priest, which continued from Moses time vntill Ierusalem was destroyed by Nabuchodonozer, at what time Ieremie 2. Macab. 2. tooke the Tabernacle, the Arke, and the Aultar of In­cense, and brought them to Mount Nebo, where Moses dyed, where he found a hollow caue, wherein he layed the Tabernacle, the Arke, & the Aultar of Incense, and so closed and stopped the caue.

Among the Egiptians their lawes were so reueren­ced and honoured, that none but onely the Priests of Egiptians. Memphis had the keeping thereof in the Temple of Vul­can.

The Lacedemonians in like sort so reuerenced and kept their lawes, that their kings and the magistrates cal­led Lacedemo­nians. Ephori, came once a moneth to the Temple which [Page 90] they dedicated to the goddesse Feare, and there in the porch of the temple, the Senators of Lacedemonia, which were 28. in number, did minister an oath both to the King and the Ephori before the people, to serue & keep Licurgus lawes, in the which Temple their lawes were lockt vp, and kept with great care.

The Romaines made so much of the lawes of their Sybils, that they were so kept and so strongly lockt with The care and diligence of all nations in keeping their lawes. such care and diligence in a stony Arke in the Capitoll vnder the ground, where none might come to them, see nor read them, but the officers called Duumuiri, who had the charge ouer them, neither they vntill the Consuls, and the Senate had occasions to con­ferre with the lawes, which continued from Torqui­nius Priscus time, vntill Lu. Syllas time, at what time the Alex. Neapol. genial lib. 3. cap. 16. Capitoll was burnt, and withall the lawes of the Sybils, and if any of these officers would reueale any secrets out of the lawes of the Sybils, hee was punished like a murtherer, sowed aliue in a sheete, and throwne into Tiber.

So the Athenians very carefull of their lawes, writ­ten first by Draco, and after by Solon in Tables of wood, Athenians. called Syrbes, that they were set vp to bee kept in theyr chiefe court place, which the Athenians named Pry­tanion, where Magistrates should sit and iudge causes of lawes.

The lawe of the Turkes is, that the Priests after some ceremonies done, should haue a sword and a speare, which is set by him in the Pulpit, and to shewe the same to the people, saying; see that you haue these weapons in a readinesse to defend the lawes and re­ligion of Mahomet, the penaltie of the Turkes lawe [Page 91] is, that if any man speake against their law, his tongue should be cut out; in so much that the booke called Mu­zaph, wherein their lawe is written, is so reueren­ced Chron. Tur­cor. and honoured among the Turkes, that no man may touch it with bare hands. Thus were lawes in all countries reuerenced, and with great care and diligence obserued.

After lawes, decrees and statutes were made in e­uery Countrey, with such circumstances as agreed with the time, with the place, and with the people, for without law no Common-wealth nor Kingdome Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 3. can be gouerned, as Aristotle saith, In legibus salus ciuita­tis si ta est.

Iudges were appointed to execute the same in all countries, and magistrates in euery citie, as among the Hebrewes the Elders called Synadrion Iudges, and yet in euery citie of Iudah was a seuerall Iudge.

Among the Egiptians they had 30. Iudges which they elected, from Eliopolis, Memphis, Thaebes, Alexandria, Iudges ap­pointed in all countries to execute lawes and other citties of Egipt, of the which 30. they elected one to be chiefe.

Among the Aethiopians the sage Philosophers, the Gymnosophists, executed theyr lawes, among the Indians likewise the Brachmaines, called also Sa­cerdotes solis.

Among the Grecians, the generall Iudges called Am­phictions, which sate twise in the yeare, once at Trozaena in the spring time, and in the Autumne, in the Temple of Neptune in Isthmos.

In many countries women for their wisedome and knowledge, were admitted to sit in counsell, as a­mong the Persians with King Xerxes, who in any great cause of counsell, would sende for Artemisia, [Page 92] Queene of Caria, whose counsell he found so wise, that chiefly among all the Princes of Persia in many causes he allowed and followed her counsell.

So the Queenes in Egipt, altogether ruled and go­uerned the whole estate of the kingdome, to whom greater honour and homage was giuen, rather then to the kings of Egipt, for that the whole state of their king­dome Of counsell and gouern­ment of wo­men. was rather gouerned by the Queenes then by the Kings.

Women among the Lacedemonians were not only admitted in publike counsell, to sit and determine in courts, but also sent for to cōsult in secret matters of state with the Senators.

The old Gaules in the time of Haniball, in any con­tention betweene them and the Carthagineans, if the breach of the lawes, or any league broken were com­mitted by the Gaules, the women should determine a satisfaction to the Carthagineans; if any offence grew by the Carthagineans, the Senators of Carthage should satisfie the Gaules.

It is as well saith Aristotle, if men gouerne like wo­men, that women should gouerne. Quid inter est vtrùm faeminae, an qui gubernant, gubernentur à faeminis. Aristot. [...]. po­lit. [...]ap. 7.

The Romaines though they had a lawe that no wo­man nor young man should bee admitted to counsell, yet suffered they such graue and wise women, as A­grippina, Meza, Cornelia, and others, to sit in some secrete place where they might see, and not bee seene.

Solon therfore forbad by law that young men should neither giue counsell, nor be magistrates in a common-wealth. Plato in Alcib. So Plato saith, Concilium eius est, qui rei cunis (que) peri­tus est.

[Page 93] Yet Deberah and Hebrew woman, was a Iudge in Is­rael, gouerned and ruled the Hebrews for fortie yeares. To this woman came all the children of Israel for iudge­ment, and she gouerned them wisely, and discreetly mi­nistred vnto them in all points the lawes of Moses, and deliuered them out of the hand of Iabin King of Cana­an, who had sore oppressed Israel for the space of twen­tie yeares.

But among the Athenians, it was not lawfull that women should sit and determine in matters of state in Alex. Neapol. lib. cap. 3. Athens, as the women in Sparta did; or as the women of Persia.

The Athenians sent to Delphos to know what lawe Cic. de leg. lib. 2. The Atheni­ans sent to Delphos. and religion were best to bee obserued among the peo­ple; It was answered, the auntient lawes and religion of their Elders. The second time they sent againe, say­ing, that the lawes of the Elders were often chaun­ged; It was by the Oracle answered, that they should take the best lawes of diuers lawes, for it was the manner as well among the Grecians, as among the Romaines, euer to make lawes, and neuer to keepe them.

And though the authoritie of the kings were taken away, and derogated in many countries, yet the force and power of the law stood in effect, though the change thereof were dangerous.

For the lawe sayth, Thou shalt not steale, nor deale falsely, heerein is included vnder the name of stea­ling, Leuit. 19. all kinde of sacriledge, falshood, fraud, lying one to an other, and all other crimes pertaining to stea­ling.

Achan for his cunning stealing of a cursed Babylo­nian garmēt, two hundred sickles of siluer, and a toong [Page 94] of gold against the lawe at the spoile of Iericho, was de­liuered by the Lord to Ioshuahs hand, who brought him with his sonnes, his daughters, all his cattells, his Tent, Achan stoned to death for theft. and all that hee had vnto the valley of Achor, and there stoned Achan to death, and burned them with fire, the Lord euer preferreth obedience before sacrifice, for the Ioshua 7. disobedience in Achan for breaking the lawe, was the cause of his stoning.

The disobedience of Saul against the commaunde­ment of the Lord was such, that he lost both his king­dome and his life.

A Prophet that went from Iudah with the word of 3. Reg. 13. the Lord to Bethel, for that he did eat bread in that place being forbidden, he was killed of a Lion as he returned.

The man that gathered stickes vpon the Sabboth day against the commaundement, the Lord commaun­ded Num. 15. he should be stoned to death.

We might thinke that the gathering of stickes, and the eating of a peece of bread were but small faults, that thereby the one should be stoned, and the other killed of a Lyon, had it not bene forbidden by the lawe.

So such men suppose Adams fault to be but little, that for earing of an Apple in Paradise, not onely he, but his posteritie after him should loose Paradise, but as the An­gels in heauen, by their disobedience lost heauen, so Adam by his disobedience lost Paradise.

The Lorde spared not Kings for breach of the law, as Oza, and Ozias both kings, the one for vnreuerent handling of the Arke, vsurping the Leuites Office a­gainst The law of the Lorde for breach of his lawes. the lawe, was strooken with sudden death; and the other for burning incense against the lawe, which was the Priestes Office, was strooken with leprosie.

The Lord spared not his owne Priest Aaron, that [Page 95] for his incredulitie before the people, he died for it in mount Hor.

Neither spared the Lord his owne seruant Moses for his disobedience, so that hee also died in mount Nebo, Malac. 1. that neither of them both came to the land of Canaan, for their disobedience and diffidence in the Lord.

So seuere the lawe of the Lord was, that 50000. Beth­samites died for looking into the Arke.

Aarons sonnes Nadab and Abihu, for offering strange Nadab and Abihu. fire before the Lord against the lawe, were destroyed by fire from heauen.

Hence grew the ceremoniall lawes of the Gentiles, touching their religion and sacrifices to their Gods. So the women that attended the fire on the aultar of A­pollo in Delphos, were seuerely punished, if by any neg­ligence it happened to be extinguished, neither might that fire being so extinguished, be kindled again by any other then by the said women, and by no other fire thē by the beames of the sunne.

The Vestall virgins in Rome, if the sacred fire of Vesta weare out by any negligence, that Vestall virgine that then attended, should be brought Per Regem sacrorum to the Bishop to be whipt, neither might any fire be kin­deled againe to the goddesse Vesta, but by the heate of the Sunne, neither might they sweare by any other then by the name of Vesta: the like ceremonies they vsed to Minerua in Athens.

So among the Persians, Assyrians and Chaldeans, they worship their sacred fire, Vt Deorum maximum on their aultars, seeming to follow Moses lawe.

Zaleucus an auncient Lawe-maker among the Lo­creans, The lawe of Zaleucus for breach of the lawe. brought vp with Pythagoras the Phylosopher, made a lawe against adulterers, that both the eyes of the adulterer should be pulled out, which being broken [Page 96] by his eldest sonne, though all the Locreans ioyntly en treated for Zaleucus sonne, yet said he the lawe must no­be broken; and to satisfie the lawe, Zaleucus pulled one of his sonnes eyes out, and an other of his owne, shew­ing himselfe a natural father to his sonne, & a iust Iudge, to performe the lawes which hee made to the Locre­ans; so seuerely were they punished that brake the lawes, or sought to breake the lawes among the Gen­tiles.

Those people said Alcibiades, do better which keepe the lawes they haue (though they be worse) then often changed for better, Obseruatio legum & morum tutissima, Thueyd. lib. 6. that plant cannot take roote which is often remoued.

So Augustus Caesar wrote to the Senators, that what lawes soeuer they had decreed and set downe, should not be chaunged nor altered; for better were it not to make lawes, then to make so many lawes, and not to keepe them. Positas semel leges constanter seruate, nec vl­lam August. apud. Dyon. 3. earum immutate, & si deteriores sint, tamem vtiliores sunt Reipub.

Lu. Papirius Cursor the Dictator, for that Fabius Ru­tilius brake the decree of the Dictator, though hee had good successe, and wonne a great victorie, yet the lawe was, that Fabius should dye, neither could the captaines The seueritie of L. Papirius, for breach of the lawe. entreate him for his pardon, that Fabius was constrained secretly to flye to Rome, and to appeale to the Tribune of the people, and to the Senators; the Dictator follow­ed Fabius to Rome, saying, that there was no lawe that Front. li. 4. ca. 1 any appeale should be made from the Dictator, vntill Fabius and his father fell vpon their knees, with the Se­nators and Tribune of the people, to entreat for him, and that for breach of the lawe, though hee was Magi­ster equitum, the greatest and next in authoritie to the [Page 97] Dictator, for the lawe-makers themselues that brake their owne lawes were punished, as Zaleucus spared not his owne eye, nor Diocles his owne life for breach of the lawe.

The like we find in Plato, comparing the lawe to me­dicines mingled with poyson, to that ende the patient might recouer his health by the medicine, so that (saith Plato de Rep. 5. Plato) the law is profitable to correct and amend the of­fender, Vt medicamentis venena miscemus salutarifine, in­star pharmaci haec talia vtilia esse.

Diocles, among other of his lawes in Syracusa, made a lawe, that if any should come armed with weapons in­to any Senate, Court of Councell, or before any Magi­strate Diocles lawe. or assembly of people, sitting in lawe causes, he should die for it by the lawe of Diocles.

This lawe of Diocles was the cause of his own death, for as he was riding into the Towne, being met & sent for to mitigate some contention, and debates among the people, he making hast, forgetting his sword on his side, came to the Court, and opened to them the lawe Diocles killed himselfe to sa­tisfie his owne lawe. made to the people, to be gouerned by, & willed them to obey the same, but hee was tolde by some seditious men, that he made lawes and brake them himselfe, to come with his sword on his side against his owne lawe to the Court, Diocles forgetting that he had his sword on his side, answered, I will streight satisfie the lawe, drew his sword out and slue himselfe in presence of all the multitude. I am not ignorant that some say that Cha­rondas was he that made this lawe and not Diocles.

So Licurgus willingly banished himselfe to die out Licurgus ba­nished him­selfe. of his countrey, that the lawes which he made in his countrey might continue according to the Oracle.

Pythagoras disciples thought whatsoeuer their mai­ster [Page 98] said was sound and sure, they would haue no other proofe but what Pythagoras said, Ipse dixit. The credit of Pythagoras and Aristotle, with theyr schollers.

Likewise Aristoles schollers, they would seeke no o­ther proofe, whether it were right or wrong, but what they found in Aristotles booke, est Aristotelis. Vilescit prin­ceps qui quae iusserat, vetat, & quae vetuerat, iubet. For the which fault Cato reprehended Pompey, for that hee Plato de Rep. 5. brake the lawe which hee made before when hee was Consull.

The Israelites had not such trust and confidence in their Lord and God, as eyther the schollers of Pythy­goras, or of Aristotle, had in their maisters, but said, wee The Israelites sacrificed their children to Moloch. will obey the Queene of heauen, wee will sacrifice to the calfe in Bethel, and offer our children to Moloch, in the valley of Hinnon. See the diffidence which the Israelites had of their Lord and God, of whom the Pro­phet said, Ipse dixit, & facta sunt, ipse mandauit & creata sunt: for by his word heauen and earth were made, and by his commaundement all things created, and yet not so much obeyed as Pythagoras was of his disci­ples, or Aristotle of his schollers, nor so much worshipped of his people Israel, as the two calues made by Ieroboam in Dan and Bethel.

Old customes once rooted & in long time confirmed, are taken for lawes; also whatsoeuer is done by exam­ple, it is supposed that it may bee done by lawe, so Cicero saith, Quod exemplo fit, id etiam iure fieri putant, when in truth wicked customes are named Vetustas erroris, & non veritas legis, though corrupt and leaud manners of men were first the cause that lawes were made, yet euill examples may not bee allowed as lawes.

[Page 99] The auntient fathers and Patriarkes were Poliga [...], but not thereby to make good lawes by ill examples; for it is said, Praua consetudo magnus tyr annus.

THe Lord commaunded rauens to feed Elias, and they did obey him; he com­maunded 3. Reg. 1 [...]. the Sunne to stay ouer Gibe­on, and the Moone ouer Aialō a whole Luk. 8. day, and they obeyed him; the Lord commaunded the winds, the seas, fire, The disobedi­ence of man a­gainst God. haile, snowe, Ise, and tempests, and they obeyed his commaundement; all creatures obey the Lord, but man the chiefe creature, which the Lord crea­ted Psal. 141. according to his owne Image.

And therefore said Cicero, Legi obediunt maria, ter­rae (que), & hominum vitaiussis supraemaelegis obtemperat, the heauens, the earth, the sea, and all men liuing, obey the Cic. de leg. 3. supreme lawe, which is the lawe of God, which Cicero calleth the lawe of nature, Lex est illa circaea virga, qua tae­taeferae, homines (que), mitescunt. Lawe is the rod apointed to tame man and beast. Liui. lib. 6.

The fraud of Giezi, Elizeus seruant, because he went secretly like a theese, after Naman the Syrian, and made a large lye that Elizeus his maister sent for a Tallent of siluer, and two garments, the Prophet beeing his The fraud of Giezi plain [...] theft. maister, gaue sentence on him, that the leprosie of Naman shoulde cleaue and sticke to him for euer: Giezi heere stole nothing, but onely for his false­hood and lyes, which with sacriledge and robberies, [Page 100] stealing of cattell, fraud, deceit, and the like, are included within the precept of stealing, for the law is, Thou shalt Leuit. 19. not steale, nor deale falsly, neither lie one to another, thou shalt not do thy neighbour wrong, neither robbe him.

The vision of the flying booke, signified the curse of theeues, and such as abuse the name of the Lorde with The vision of the flying booke. oathes, for all theeues and swearers shall be iudged by this booke, for this booke shall remaine in theeues hou­ses, and in the houses of them that sweare falsly by my Za [...]h. 5. name saith the Lord, and shall consume them with the timber and stones thereof.

Many poore theeues are fettered & chained in pri­sons, but great and publike theeues are cloathed in gold Cato Censo­rius de re mi­litari. and purple.

Such was Heliodorus that came to robbe the Temple of Ierusalem from king Zaleucus, who was so scourged and whipt, that for golde and siluer, he had stripes and stroakes, that scarse thence he escaped aliue.

So should Shesac king of Egipt, Antiochus king of Syria, Pompey the great, and Mar. Crassus the Romain Consul, these foure great mightie theeues, had bene as wel pla­gued Foure that robd the tem­ple. and punished, as Heliodorus was, when they robd the Temple, had it not bene for the great sinnes of Iudah and Ierusalem.

Many like Dyonisius, after he spoyled the temple of Proserpina in Locris, and sailing with a good gale of wind Cic. de natura deor. lib 3. from Locris to Syracusa, see (said he) to his mates & fel­lowes, how prosperously we saile after this our sacri­ledge.

Many againe robbe in scoffing sort, like the same Dyonisius the tyrant, who tooke the golden garment Dyonisius. from Iupiter Olimpian in Peloponesus, saying, that it was [Page 101] too heauie for sommer, and too colde for winter, and therefore he commaunded that Iupiter should be cloa­thed with a woollen garment, light for sommer, and warme for winter; many such like sacriledges are scof­fingly committed in Christian Churches.

Many make but a ieast of theyr theeuerye and falshood with Dyonisius, who when hee had taken the golden beard of Aesculapius away, said, it was no reason the sonne should weare a beard, seeing his father Appollo had none.

If any man be found stealing any of his brethren the A lawe called Plagium. children of Israel, and selleth him, the thiefe shall die for the same; the like is spoken to him that taketh the nea­ther or vpper milstone to pledge.

The seuere lawes that they had in Phrygia against theft, were such, that hee that stole but a ploughe share The seuere lawes of the Phrygians a­gainst theft. from the fielde, or a forke, or a rake from a meadowe, should by the lawe in Phrygia die.

In Athens the lawes of Draco were so hard & streight against theft, that for the least filching or stealing, the theefe should die for it.

If any man in Athens should steale hearbes to make pottage, or to take some dung of beasts for to dung his owne ground, from another mans ground, it was by Dracoes lawe a capitall crime.

He that borrowed a Horse of his neighbour, and The lawes of Draco in A­thens against theft. would ride further then the place appointed, by the lawe of Draco hee might haue an action; and there­fore Demades saide, that Dracoes lawes were Leges san­guine scriptae, lawes written with blood: the least fault in Athens, by the lawe of Draco was punished with death, which lawes by Solon his successor were mitti­gated.

[Page 102] Among the Indians though adultery was left vn­punished, as it was among the Scythians, yet theft was most odious to both these Nations, and most sharply to be punished by the lawes of India and Scythia.

In all countries among all nations, theeues were di­uersly punished.

In Egipt the lawe of Bocchoris was such against theft, that if the Theefe after hee had stolne any thing had brought his stealth willingly of himselfe vnto the chiefe Priest called Princeps Sacerdotum, before he was accused of it, he that lost the goods, should write the time, the day and the houre when it was lost, vnto the Priest, and The lawe of Bocchoris in Egipt against theft. should haue again three parts of his goods, & the theefe should haue the fourth part that stole it, for that he con­fest it before he was accused, which is according to Mo­ses lawe, that if the theft be found in the theeues hands, Diod. sic. lib. 2. cap. 3. he shall restore double; but if a theefe steale an oxe or a sheepe and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore fiue oxen for an oxe, and foure sheepe for a sheepe, for in the ciuil lawe it is written, Propter manifestum furtum restituatur Exod. 22. quadruplum.

The Romanes therefore verie carefull hereof, kept in their Capitoll dogges quicke for smelling and sent, and fed geese for sacrifice to Iuno, quicke of hearing, lest theeues should rob the Capitoll, and so Manliu [...] by geese, saued not only the Capitoll, but Rome it selfe from the Gaules.

Another lawe of Bocchoris, that if any were accused falsly of theft in Egipt, before a Iudge, the lawe was, that hee which wrongfully accused the partie, should Bocchoris lawe against theft. Deut. 19. suffer that punishment which was due to him that was accused, if he had committed the fault; so is Moses lawe, that if a false witnesse accuse a man of trespasse, before [...] Iudge, and be not able to proue it, then shall the Iudge [Page 103] do vnto the false witnesse as hee had thought to haue done vnto his brother.

Charondas made a lawe in fauour and education of Orphants, that the wealth and legacies which were left vnto them by their parents, should be answered to the Orphants by the next of theyr fathers kindred, when Charondas lawe in fauour of Orphants. they came to age, and the Orphants to bee brought vp with the next of their mothers kindred, & therfore Cha­rondas made this lawe, least the fathers kindred or mo­thers kindred should deceiue the Orphants either by a­ny fraud, deceit, or guile, which is plaine theft.

The like lawe made Solon in Athens, as Charondas made among the Thurians and Carthagineans, least, a­ny Solons law for Orphants and Infants. fraude or deceit should bee practised against Infants or Orphants, and therefore the Indians vsed none of the kindred or of the bloud of the Orphants, but two straungers as tutors and gardens to answere to the pu­puls their goods and legacies according to the lawe of India.

Among the Persians as among the Indians, the lawe was, that the patrons that deceiued their clients should Alex. Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 10. die for it; so was the law of the 12. Tables, as wel among the Romanes as among the Grecians, Patronus si clienti fraudem fecerit sacer esto.

The daughters of Zalphod were restored to theyr fa­thers heritage, for the Lord commaunded Moses that The daughters of Zalphod restored to their fathers inheritance. hee should turne the inheritance of theyr father vnto them, and gaue them a possession to inherit among their fathers bretheren; this is the lawe of the Lord, if a man die and haue no sonne, his inheritance shall turne to Nomb, 27. his daughter, if hee haue no daughter, to his bre­theren, if hee haue no bretheren, to his fathers bre­theren.

[Page 104] Among the Arabians the lawe was, that the eldest brother was allowed to the inheritance before the el­dest sonne.

In Aethiopia in like manner not the kings children, but his brothers childrē should succeed him in the king­dome.

Among the Lycians also, the daughters and not the sonnes should be their fathers heires, neither were they named after their fathers name, but after their mothers name.

This is against Voconius lawe in Rome called Plaebiscita, for that he was Tribune of the people, by the which law it was lawful that no woman should haue (though she were the onely daughter of her father) but the fourth part; and because women grew so rich by patrimonie and by legacies, Domitianus the Emperour confirmed Voconius law. Voconius lawe, and made a decree that no defamed wo­man Alex. Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 15. should possesse the heritage of her father, neither should she be carried in a coach, were shee euer so great or so rich; for the lawe was, Nequis etiam census vnicam relinqueret filiam haeredem, contrarie to the law of the 12. Tables, which was, that the Testator might dispose of his goods as pleased himselfe, according to the lawe, Vti legasset suae reiquis (que), ita ius esto.

Therefore the lawe commaunds iust and true dea­lings to be exercised and embraced as well in words as in deedes, for negatiue commaundements include in themselues affirmatiues, as, Thou shalt doo no murther, therefore thou must aide and helpe thy neigh­bour, wherefore we must loue our neighbours in heart, and wish them no more harme then to our selues, and shewe the same in word and deed.

Such loue was in Moses and in Paul, that the one [Page 105] wished to be put out of the booke of life to saue the peo­ple from destruction, the other of meere loue wished to Exod. 32. be accursed for their bretheren to do them good.

Such is the nature of perfect loue, that Abraham pray­ed Effect of loue and praiers. for the Zodomites, and Moses for Pharao and the E­giptians, though they were wicked people; for that is the lawe, loue your enemies, and do good to them that Gen. 18. hate you.

So Stephen the first martyr, following the example of his maister Christ, prayed for them that stoned him, for all vertues haue their force & power from praiers, faith Gen. 22. is strengthened by praiers, loue confirmed by praiers, and repentance continued by praiers.

THe lawe commaundeth, Thou shalt not steale, which containeth not onely all kinde of falsehood, fraude and de­ceit, as before is spoken, but also iu­stice, equitie, charitie, and consci­ence.

Such was the iustice of Abraham to Gen. 13. his nephew Lot, that though their seruants contended and fell out, yet they both agreed, for Abraham vsed great iustice, diuided their portions equally into two parts, and gaue the choosing thereof to Lot.

The like iustice was betweene Iacob, and his father Gen. 3. in lawe Laban, seperate thou or I said Iacob, all the sheepe which haue great spots, and little spots, and all blacke lambes among the sheepe shall be my porti­on [Page 106] and wages, and euery one that is not black, nor [...] ted among the sheepe and the lambes, shall be the [...] to me, for my righteousnes shall answere for me.

Thus were they in auncient time instructed by the law of nature to loue one another, and to vse iustice and charitie.

A Heathen man could say almost so much, Pruden­tia non vult falli nec fallere potest; that a wise man neither Cic. de fini­bus. 5. can, nor will be deceiued.

In like sort, Thou shalt not commit adultery; and there­fore the lawe commandeth men to be chast, sober, and temperate, both in bodie and minde; for the lawe requi­reth inward and outward obedience, as well in Angels as in men, for outward euil springs from inward corrup­tion; Murther proceeds from hatred and malice of the heart; Adultery commeth from wicked and filthie lust of the heart; Theft is falshood and fraude in the heart; to steale other mens goods, therefore to do, or to wish any thing against the lawe is sinne: for the lawe is spiri­tuall, The effects of lawes in inward and outward o­bedience. and he that is not subiect to the lawe, saith Paul is subiect to the wrath of the Lorde, for by the lawe we know our sinnes, and in the lawe, consisteth the know­ledge of our life; for the Lord hath decreed a necessiti [...] of obedience to the lawes of ciuil Magistrates; for it is said, Inuictae leges necessitatis, and though the law doth ac­cuse all men, yet the lawe doth freely promise with a condition of obedience, as the Gospell promiseth with a conditiō of faith, for as by the lawe we see as in a glasse the corruption of nature, and deformitie of sinne, so by the lawe we are taught what is to be done, and by the Gospell, how things ought to be done.

Among the Romaines for the space of 300. yearer, welnigh after the building of Rome, they had no lawes [Page 107] written, but Ius regis, before they sent for the lawe of the 12. Tables, from Athens, which law was so obscure, that Edictum prin­cipis. they brought Hermadorus from Greece to Rome, to inter­pret the lawes of the 12. Tables, which lawe against theft was so seuerely executed, that it was lawfull to kill a The lawe of the 12. Tables against theft. theefe, that would not yeld, especially in the night time; for the lawe was, Sifurtum sit factum nocte, si eum ali­quis occidit, iure caesus esto, if a theefe be found breaking a­ny mans house in the night time, & be smitten to death, no bloud must be shead for him, which is also Moses law, except the sunne be vp when he is found; but if a theefe were taken in the day time with his theft with him, hee was by the lawe of the 12. Tables, to become his slaue and bondman, of whom he stole it, & to be vsed as plea­sed the partie all his life time after.

An other lawe of the twelue Tables against other An other law [...] of the twelue Tables. iniuries was, that if any mans seruant had stolne any thing, or his beast had done harme, or endamaged his neighbour, or a straunger, he was to yeeld his seruant, or his beast that so offended, to the party grieued, and so by the lawe of the 12. Tables, the maister of the seruant was Exod. 22. free; for a theefe that cannot make restitution for his theft, must be solde, according to Moses lawe.

The seuerest lawe among the Romanes, was Lex Iu­lia, which appointed iust punishment for treason, adul­terie, and theft: by Lex Iulia in Rome, theft was as se­uerely Iulius lawe a­gainst theft. punished as adulterie, and adulterie punished as treason, for the lawe saith, a man must not robbe, for theeues are accursed, men must haue no conuersati­on with theeues.

Also there was a lawe in Lycia, that if a free man should steale any thing, he should loose his freedome, and become a bond-seruant to him of whome hee [Page 108] stole it, and by the lawe of Lycia neuer after to reco­uer his libertie, but to liue as a bondman all his life time.

Bocchoris lawe in Egipt was, that if any wayfaring man finde a man in daunger of his life, and so to be slain by theeues and robbers, and not helpe him, eyther by his sloathfulnesse or negligence, if he could, hee was by the lawe of Bocchoris guiltie of death, because hee did not ayde and helpe him with all meanes possible hee Bocchoris lawes. could.

Againe if a man were robd by theeues on the way, though he were not killed, and not rescued of any that could, and neglecting to follow after the theeues, hee or they (by the lawe of Bocchoris) were punished and bea­ten with a certaine number of stripes, and kept without victualls three daies.

Licurgus made no lawes in Sparta against theft, for it was lawfull by Licurgus lawe, among the Lacedemo­nians to vse theft, vnlesse the partie were taken with the Theft left vn­punished by Licurgus lawe theft; which if he were, he should be seuerely punished, following the maner and custome of the Egiptians, and the old Germanes, which had no lawe written against theft, but left vnpunished, and therfore there is no trans­gression, where there is no lawe.

There was then, and is now a greater kinde of theft then stealing among diuers nations, which is vsurie, forbidden by the lawes of God, as well as theft, for be­fore Bocchoris lawe, which banished vsurie, the lawe was Bocchoris law against vsurie. in Egipt, that the creditors might arrest the bodies of the dead for debts, and that they should be vnburied till the Illiad. 1. depts were paid, Pecunia est enim anima & sanguis mortali­bus, which lawe was abrogated by Bocchoris, that debts onely should be paid of the goods of the debters, and [Page 109] not their bodies to be imprisoned, for that they should be alwaies readie for defence of their countrey, and not imprisoned either for debt, or vsurie.

Solon brought this lawe from Egipt vnto Athens, and called it Sysacthia, against vsurers. This lawe was after executed in the market place of Athens by Agis, who ex­treamely Solons lawe a­gainst vsurie called Sysac­thia. hated vsurie, where hee burnt all the vsurers writing tables, of which fire Agesilaus was wont to say, that he neuer lawe a better fire in Egipt, Persia, nor in Greece, then when Agis burnt all the writing tables of Diod. sic. lib. 2 cap. 3. the vsurers in the market place at Athens, for before So­lon brought this law from Egipt vnto Athens, dead mens bodies might be arrested, and an actiō might be had be­fore the magistrate called Zeteta, for satisfaction of debts Zeteta. in Athens.

Therefore Solons lawe was, that no man should cre­dit the sonne while the father liued, & to auoyd further Solons lawe. daungers, least the sonne should practise against the fa­ther (which children do vse against their parents) the law was, that he which would c [...]dit the sonne, during the life of the father, should haue no action against the son, after the fathers death.

So hatefull was vsurie among (welnigh) all nations, that where punishment of theft was but double, punish­ment of vsurie was quadruple, and therfore Lu. Genutius, Tribune of the people in Rome, abrogated former lawes of vsurie in Rome. Lucullus in his victorie ouer A­sia, Lucullus and Caro banni­shed vsurie. among other Romanie lawes which hee gaue them, set all Asia free, and at libertie from vsurie. So Cato made a lawe, that no vsurer should dwell within the prouince Alex. Neapol. lib. 1. cap. 7. of Cicilia.

So also Licurgus made a lawe to bannish vsurie so farre from Sparta, that it should neuer be named, Licurgus. [Page 110] nor spoken of within Sparta.

The lawe of Moses among the Hebrewes was, Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother, as vsurie of Moses lawe a­gainst vsurie. money, vsurie of meate, or vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie, thou shalt take no vsurie or aduantage of him, but thou shalt feare thy God, that thy brother may liue with thee; if thou take thy neighbours ray­ment to pledge, thou shalt restore it vnto him before the Deut. 23. sunne goe downe, ye shall not oppresse the poore with vsurie.

An example therof in the Gospell, a seruant ought to his maister ten thousand talents, and vpon intreatie his maister loosed him, and forgaue him the debt, but that Math. 18. seruant went out, and found one of his fellowes that ought him an hundred pence, laid hands on him, tooke him by the throate, and cast him into prison without compassion, vntill the debts were payd.

There is an other kinde of theft which is not the least, to steale the good name and fame of any man by scandalous tongues, and therefore it was not lawfull in Solons lawe against nick­names. Athens, not so much as to reach the longest finger to­wards any man, for it was a note of infamie, as though he should call him Catapygos, a dog or a beast. Catapygos.

Likewise if any would call a man Hodidocos, or Syco­phant Obscessor via [...]um. in Athens, he might haue an action by the lawe of Solon, before the Iudges called Areopagitae.

So to call a man in Egipt an asse, an action might bee had by the lawe of Bocchoris against the partie. Bocchoris law

The like lawe was in Persia against those that would call a man a coward.

The lawe of Christ set downe in the Gospell, is, that whosoeuer calleth his brother Racha, or a foole, is in danger of iudgement: so it is commaunded by the lawe [Page 111] of Moses, that none shall goe vp and downe with slaun­derous tongues, to tell tales among the people, for the Leuit. 19. punishment of this fault is stripes, or amerciaments by the same lawe.

And therefore he that will see good dayes, must re­fraine his tongue from euil, and his lips that they speake Psal. 33. no guile, saith the Prophet, Liber a animā meam à labijs ini­quis & lingua dolosae.

The tongue is fire, yea a world of wickednesse, it de­fileth the whole body, it setteth on fire the curse of na­ture, wee put bittes into the horses mouthes, that they should obey vs, and we turne them about as we list.

And therfore saith Xenophon, Omnibus animalibus faci­lius Xenoph. 1. Paed. est quàm hominibus imperitare, all creatures are more obedient to the lawe then man.

Shippes which though they bee so great, yet are they turned about with a very small rudder; our of one mouth proceedeth blessings & cursings, with the which Iames cap. 3. we blesse God, and curse men, which are made after the similitude of God; all things are tamed by man, but the tongue can no man tame, for it is an vnruly euill, full of deadly poison.

Thou shalt not slaunder thy neighbour, neither shalt thou hate thy brother in thy heart. These and many such iudiciall lawes are set downe in the lawe of Moses.

Therefore said Salomon, he that keepeth his mouth, Pro. 13. keepeth his life, but the wicked mans tongue is full of slaunder and shame; Futiles in vtiles, and therefore it is great wisedome not to beleeue any thing rashly, for it was euer good counsel, Caue cui credas neruus sapientiae est, and therefore the punishment of the tongue, was in di­uers countries diuersly punished.

And therefore Alexander the great reading certaine [Page 112] secret Letters, suffered his onely friend Ephestion to read the same Letters, and after Ephestion had read them, A­lexander tooke his signet & laide it on Ephestions mouth, as a seale to keep silence, and said, Anima consilij secretum. And therefore the punishment of the tongue, was in di­uers countries, diuersly punished.

In Persia the tongue should be cut off, and nailed to a post, or to a pillar, in the market place.

In Egipt the tongue should be cut off, and sowed vpon the souldiers helmet; in offending the lawe of armes, or for offending the state, hangd vpon their hats or caps. In other places for their blasphemy, itshould be hangd vpō pinnacles of temples, or on walles of cities to be eaten of fowles of the aire. The like lawe made Plato for the Platoes lawe. hand that kild it selfe, that it should not be buried.

Yet Augustus Caesar, being perswaded by his friends, that one Aelianus that spake hard of the Emperor should be punished for his ill tongue, answered, No more but Suet. in Au­gusto. Aelianus shal know that Caesar Augustus hath also a toong.

The like answere gaue Phillip of Macedon to an ill tongued man, whom when his Councell would haue him banished out of Macedonia, God forbid said Philip, he will speake worse of me in a straunge country, then in his owne.

But Ramyrus king of Spaine, being so soft and so gen­tle of nature, that many of his Nobles had him in con­tempt for his softnesse, but he at length in the midst of their contempt and of his softnesse, caused eleuen of them to be beheaded in the citie of Osca; saying, Nescit vulpecula cā quo ludat; for it is an old saying, It is dange­rous to plaie with Lyons; Leonē vellicare periculosum est.

Yet many slaunderous tongues with wicked coun­sell, euer practised mischiefe, as Doigs counsell to Saul [Page] against Abimelich, Achitophels counselto Abs [...]on, against Achisophel. Dauid his father.

But the counsell of Daniel to Nabuchodonozer, was to hate sinne by righteousnes, and his iniquitie by mer­cy towards the poore, such was the counsell of Ioseph to Pharao in Egipt, in prouiding against the famin to come.

Many with the false prophet Balaam, haue theyr Slanderous tongues prac­tised mischief. Tacit. 1. an­nal. tongues with Israel, but their hearts with Balaac. Multi malum sub lingua, non in lingua habent.

Many there be like Laban, that deceiued Iacob for his wife, and gaue Leah for Rachel; too many there be like the Samaritans, that seemed in publique shewe to helpe the Israelites to build the Temple, and yet secret­ly in what they could hindred them.

Many such say with Sigismundus the Emperour, that he which cannot dissemble cannot liue, like Tiberius, who onely preferred and commended his dissimulati­on, before all other his vertues; for it was euer Tiberius saying, Nullam ex suis virtutibus magis quam dissimulatio­nem diligebat.

Vlixes dissembling to be beside himselfe, least hee should go out of Greece with Agamemnon to the warres, Palamides tried him with this stratagem, laid Vlixes child before the plough share, whereby Vlixes dissimulation was found out by Palamides.

So Gedeon found out the Ephraimites not to be true Giliadites, by pronouncing the letter Schiboleth, who slaundered the Gileadites to be runnagates of Ephraim, and therefore Gedeon commaunded that none should passe ouer Iorden, vnlesse he could pronounce Schibo­leth. The Gibionites very cunningly dissembled how farre they came, what paine and trauell they tooke, to feeke the fauour of Ioshua and the Israelites.

[Page 114] Yet Plato allowed dissimulations in Princes and Gouernours to effect some purpose, for said he, Men­datie & fraude vti imperantes debere, ad comodum subdito­rum. Pleto de Re­pub. 5.

There is nothing so necessary in a Common-wealth saith Cicero in some respect, as dissimulation, Nunqua [...] Cic. pro Mi­lone. regent, qui non tegent.

That made Seneca to say, that in Courts with Kings and Princes, dissimulation must haue chiefe place. Fra [...] enim sublimi regnat in aula.

For if loue be not perfect nor esteemed and imbra­ced for it selfe, where shall we finde true friendship? If all men be addicted to their priuate gaine without do­ing good to any man, or speaking wel ofany man, where shall we finde a beneficiall man to his countrey or to his friend? for hee that thinketh to do good to another to gaine profit to himselfe, that man said Cicero is not to be Cic. de leg. lib. 1. thought beneficiall to his friend nor to his country, but an Vsurer to himselfe.

The naturall societie among men, and mutuall loue ought to be such, that as Cicero said, If any would ascend vp to the heauens to viewe the beautie and ornament thereof, vnsweete were the admirations he sawe, vnlesse it might be imparted to friends.

So may wee speake of vngratefull and slaunderous men, who are not thankfull for any benefits done, and therefore an action might be had against vngratefull men among the Macedonians, and be brought before a Iudge, as if they were in debt, as debters, not requi­ [...]ing one good turne with another, according to the lawe of nature, much like to Charondas lawe, which for­bad ciuil citizens to associate themselues with euil vn­grateful men, which are as Cicero saith, Tanquā glabra ad [Page] libidinem via, which infect good men for being famili­ar with them, and therefore an action might be had by lawe against honest men for comming oft to the com­pany of these wicked euil men.

And so it was among the Athenians, which had the like lawe against vnthankfull men; for as Demosthenes Alex. Neapo­lit. 5. cap. 1. said, He that receiueth a benefit, ought euer to be mind­full to requite it, and he that benefites his friend ought to forget it, as a man bound to do any good he can by the lawe of nature, for so iust men are bound to do; Non solum iuxta leges sed legibus ipsis imperare. Plato in [...].

The wicked & vngratefull Gergesites hunted Christ out of their countrey, because he healed a man possessed of a diuel, they had rather haue their diuel dwell with them then Christ; they more esteemed their swine then the doctrine of Christ, like the Iewes who had made choice of Barrabas the murtherer, before Christ their Sauiour.

THe lawe is, that if any bee found that hath giuen false witnesse against his brother, let him stand before the Lord Deut. 19. and before the Iudges, and you shall doo to him, as he thought to do to his brother, that life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, and foote for foote, should goe; A false witnesse shall no re­maine vnpunished, and hee that speaketh lyes shallpe­rish. Prou. 19. & 24. Againe, be no false witnesse against thy neighbour, Psal. 101. hurt him not with thy lippes. This is the sentence of the lawe pronounced by the Lord. Deut. 27.

He that priuily slaundereth his neighbour, him will I destroy (saith the Lord) for he that telleth lyes shall not dwell in my house, nor tarrie in my sight, cursed is hee that striketh his neighbour secretly, and cursed is he that taketh reward to shead innocent bloud, and all the peo­ple shall say, Amen.

And for that lyes and periurie are knit together with false witnesse, we will examine the lawes of other Nati­ons with the lawes of God, and what punishment they haue for the same.

Foure hundred false witnesses did the Prophet Mi­chaeas reproue of Baals Prophets, which counselled king Diuers false Prophets of Baal repro­ued by Mi­chaeas and Elias. Achab to warre against the king of Syria. Did not one true Prophet Micheas, proue these 400. false Prophets to be false witnesses against the Lord? but Achab by the king of Syria was slaine, as Michaeas prophesied.

[Page 117] So did Elias kill foure hundred and fiftie false Pro­phets of Baal at the brooke Kyson, for bearing false wit­nesse against the Lord; for they affirmed that Baal was God.

And the Prophet Daniel caused 80. of Baals Priests to be slaine at Babilon, for their lyes and false witnesse 80. of Baals Priests re­proued. to the people against the Lord. These Idolaters were the worst kinde of witnesses, because they bare false wit­nesse against the Lord, to please Nabuchodonozer & king Achab.

The two Elders made themselues false witnesses a­gainst Suzanna in Babilon, they were found by Daniel to Suzanna. be false witnesses and adulterous Iudges, and were sto­ned to death according to the lawe.

Iezabel brought two false witnesses against Naboth for his vineyard, to her husband king Achab, and they said that they heard Naboth curse God and the king, and Naboth was caried out of the citie, and there they stoned him with stones to death; but sentence was pronoun­ced Naboth sto­ned to death by false witnes against him by Elias the Prophet, saying: In the same place where the dogs licked the bloud of Naboth, shall the dogs licke the bloud of Achab also. Non magis potest mactari opima Ioui, quàm Rexiniquus.

Thales being demanded, what was the strongest thing that he sawe, answered, Tyrannum senem.

Stephen was accused that he spake against the Lord and Moses, and the Iewes brought two false witnesses a­gainst Stephen the first martyr S. Stephen, saying: This man neuer ceaseth to speake euill words against this place, the lawes, and the holy Temple.

How often fought the Iewes meanes through false witnesse to condemne Paul, crying out vpon him, This Paul. Paul speaketh against this holy place, against the lawe, Act. 24. [Page 118] and against the people, and brought Tertullus the Ora­tor, as a false witnesse to accuse and to plead against Paul before Faelix the Romaine deputie.

These forget the saying of the Prophet Michaeas, who cryed out and said, you Iudges, you giue sentence for gifts; ye Priests, you teach for lucre; ye Prophets, you prophesie for money, you build vp Syon with bloud, and Ierusalem with doing wrong.

What dare not false witnesse do, when they accused Christ to be a gluttō, a bibber of wine, a blasphemer, de­nying False witnesse against Christ our sauiour. tribute to Caesar, for being a seducer of the people, a Samaritan, a coniurer, and one that had the diuell, a breaker of the Sabboth day, they wanted no false wit­nesse to proue all these things against Christ, and yet a­gainst Mar. Cato, being accused by his enemies in Rome Mar. Cato. fiftie seuerall times before the Senators, they could not bring any one witnesse to prooue any thing against Cato.

Aristophantes in Athens, beeing accused before the Iudges Areopagitae, 95. times, he pleaded his cause, and Aristophantes shifted out himselfe from the maliee of his enemies, not able to bring one witnesse against him, that both Cato in Rome, and Aristophantes in Athens, were set at libertie, and yet the Martyr Stephen, the Apostle Paul, and the sonne of God himselfe, wanted no witnesses, but had all Ierusa­lem to beare witnesse against them.

Zaleueus made many lawes, but especially religious and ceremoniall lawes, imitating his maister Pythagoras, who was a very ceremoniall Philosopher, he made a law Zaleucus lawe against false witnesse. that no man should go about to corrupt iustice or iudge­ment, either by periurie, false witnesse, or otherwise, and the punishment for those that brake Zaleucus lawe, was not redeemed with money, but performed with shame [Page 119] and infamy, paines and tortures.

And therefore Bocchoris made the like lawe in Egipt against periurers and false witnesses, as against those Bocchoris law that brake their professed faith and religion towardes Diod. fic. lib. 2. cap. 3. God, and violated their faith and bond of societie to­wards man, with no lesse punishment then with death.

Artaxerxes so hated lyes, that hee made a decree a­mong the Persians, that whosoeuer were found & pro­ued a lyar, should haue his tongue set vnto a poste, or a pillar in the market place, fastned with three nailes ther­vnto.

The lawes of Moses to the Israelites against any great offence, was to stone them, to burne them, or to run vp­on them.

The lawes of the Indians against false witnesse was, to cut off the endes of all his fingers from his hands, and Alex Neapol. lib. cap. 10. the ends of all his toes from his feete.

The lawes of the Persians as you heard by Cambises and Darius, was fleying and hanging against false wit­nesses and corrupt Iudges, as you read of Sandoces and Sinetes.

The punishment of false witnesse by the Turkes, was and is executed in this sort, that hee shall bee set on The Turkes punishment of false witnes. a Mule with his face backwards, holding the tayle of the Mule for a bridle in his hand, and so to bee carried round about through euery streete of the towne, and af­ter burned in the forehead with two letters, as a marke of false witnesse.

By the lawe of the 12. Tables among the Romanes, he that was conuicted for a false witnesse, should bee The lawe of the 12. Tables. throwne headlong downe frō the rocke Tarpeia, which lawe was first exercised and executed in Egipt, and a long time after brought from Athens to Rome.

[Page 120] For the law among the Egiptians was, that false wie nesses should pe punished with the like death.

The Indians had the like lawe as the Persians had, that if any man were found three times a lyar, what state Indians. soeuer he were of, he should be neither magistrate nor officer, during his life, but should be depriued of all ho­nour and credit, and lead his life priuate in silence; and yet among the Egiptians lyes were left without lawes vnpunished.

The lawes of all countries were sharpe and seuere, against rebellious seruants and false witnesses, which like Lawes against rebellious ser­uants. seditious serpents seeke secretly to forsake and defraude their maister both in word and deed.

And therefore the testimonie of the seruant against Alex Neapol. lib. 3. cap. 20. their maister, by the lawe of Romulus among the aunti­ent Romanes, was not admitted; so that many of the late Emperours of Rome made a decree, that those seruants that would accuse their maisters, should be slaine as vn­gratefull and trecherous seruants.

So did Sylla vse Sulpitius seruant for betraying of his maister, though Sulpitius was Syllas enemie.

This continued vntil punishments were set downe, Paucicapa a kind of pu­nishment. and appointed by lawe, for crimes and offences by ser­uants, as carrying a forke made like a gallowes on his shoulders, or with Paucicapa, or burning markes in the foreheads, as the Syracusans vsed to burne their bond­seruants in the forehead with the print of a horse, to note them as their owne bond-slaues. Melius enim est Cic. ad Attic. Epist. 1. vitiosas partes sancare quàm execare. For the lawe doth re­spect no person otherwise then by iustice; lawes then were made, how much, and how farre the authorities of maisters extended ouer their seruants.

Among the Lacedemonians, the lawe of Licurgus [Page 121] was so austere, that it was lawfull for their maisters to kill those wicked wilfull seruants, that would practise Licurgus law [...] either by word or deed any falsehood against their mai­sters.

Alexander in his great furie, against all lawes, slew Calistenes his seruant and Philosopher, for some sharpe and quick words, yet Calistenes spake but what he ought Plut. in Alex. to speake, but not how he ought to speake. Quae debebat, dicebat, sed non quomodo debebat.

Calistenes though a Philosopher, yet hee forgot this lesson, Facile prsse loqui cum Rege, sed non de Rege. Heerein that which was spoken of Hanibal, may be spoken of A­lexander: Armis vicit, vitijs victus.

But better could Anaxarchus flatter Alexander then Calistenes, lamenting the dearh of Clitus, whom he slew in his furie. Art thou ignorant king Alexander (said A­naxarchus) how auntient wise men caused the Image of Iustice to stand by Iupiter, that whatsoeuer Iupiter had decreed, it was taken for a lawe, for that Iustice was on his side.

The like speech may bee spoken of Iulia, procuring her sonne in lawe to offend with her. Doest thou not know thou art an Emperor, which makest law to others, and makest it not to thy selfe?

A lawe was made in Athens, not onely against ser­uants, but against any trecherous man whatsoeuer, were he neuer so great, that though hee died in his countrey, yet should he not be buried in his countrey, but be car­ried Alex. Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 14. out of the confines of Athens; so was Phocion and o­thers that were suspected of any treason.

An other law among the Grecians was, that he which prodigally and wilfully consumed his fathers patrimo­nie, should not be buried within his owne countrey of [Page 122] Greece, so those kings of Egipt, that neither obeyed, nor liued vnder the lawe while they liued, should not be bu­ried in their Pyramides: so were some of the kings of Iu­dah and of Israel, vnburied for breaking of the lawe.

There was a lawe made by king Agis in Sparta, that the seruants called Hilotae, for their rebellious sedition against their maisters, were condemned to be in perpe­tuall Hilotae. seruitude; neither might their maisters make them free in Sparta, neither might the seruaunts goe out of Sparta, but liue there like bondslaues, and their posteri­tie after them, which should be called Hilotae. Oportes Arist lib. 5. Polit, cap. 11. enim supplicia more patrio sumi, offenders most be puni­shed, as Aristotle saith, after the lawes and custome of the country.

The like law made Salomon against Semeia, for that he tooke part with Absalon against the King, railed and slaundered Dauid, and threw stones at him, that if hee should but once goe out of Ierusalem, he should die for it, by the sentence of Salomon.

And so in Athens the like lawe was made, that those that the Athenians ouercame at the riuer Hister, they and theyr posteritie should be as captiues and bond­slaues in perpetuall bondage, with one name giuen to them and theyr posteritie called Getae, as Hilotae were in Sparta. [...].

Among the Persians, their lawe was, that the ser­uant being bought with money, that fled afterwards from his maister, beeing taken, hee should be fette­red and bound in chaines, and so bound to serue his maister.

False witnesses are lyars, periurers, and blasphemers, either with periured tongues for a mans life, or with slaunderous tongues for his name and good fame, cal­ling [Page 123] God to be witnesse of vntruth; so the false prophets and priests of Baal did, whom Elias therefore destroy­ed at the brooke Kyson, false witnesse is a murtherer of his neighbours, false witnesse selleth bloud for money, Deut. 19. a theefe that selleth mens lands, liuings and liues secret­ly; for it is written in the lawe of Moses, that thou shalt not remoue thy neighbours marke which they of olde time haue set in thine inheritance.

So Numa Pomp. made the selfe same lawe in Rome, that whosoeuer would plough vp, any of his neighbors markes or meeres, both he and his oxen should be slaine and sacrificed to god Terminus, vpon the very meere where the offence was done.

False witnesse is a defamer and slaunderer of mens credite, and therefore the lawe of the twelue tables The lawe of the 12. tables against slaun­derers. saith, Siquis occentauisset, aut carmen condidisset quod in­famiam faceret flagitiumque alteri capitale sit, If any would write slaunderous libelles, or infamous verses, tou­ching a mans credite, good name and fame, he should die for it.

The selfe same lawe was by Solon made in Athens, that vpon any slaunders or nicknames an action might Alex Neapo­lit. 6. cap. 10. be had before the Iudges Areopagites.

How much more false witnesses and periurers, that seeke mens liues by false oathes are to bee punished, whose conscience are burned with hotte irons, of Leuit. 9. whom is said, Conscientia, pietatis lacinia, for you shall not sweare by my name falsely saith the Lord, neither shall you defile the name of your God.

The Lord though he commaunded his people that they should not sweare at all, neither by heauen, for Oathes. it is the Lords throane, neither by the earth, for it is [Page 124] his footestoole, for the scripture vsed the speech of the Lord for an oath, Dixit Dominus, it was an oath, and the Of oathes. Lord sware by the excellencie of Iacob, he sware by him­selfe, Amos. 8. Per me ipsum iuraui.

Oathes may bee well and iustly required in lawfull causes, for Abraham made his seruant to sweare by the God of heauen and earth, not to take a wife to his sonne Gen. 24. Isaac, of the daughters of the Canaanites, but of his owne stocke and kindred, and therefore hee caused his Of the maner of oathes among the Hebrewes. seruant to lay his hand vnder his thigh, which ceremony declareth the dutie and obedience the seruant should haue to his maister.

Iacob sware the like oath, as his grandfather Abraham did, and caused Ioseph his sonne to put his hand vnder his thigh, as an oath that he should not suffer him to be Gen. 27. buried in Egipt, but to be brought from Egipt to Haebron, to the field Machpela [...], and there to be buried with his fathers.

Abimelech requested Abraham to sweare, Iura per deum, ne noceas mihi, nec stirpimeae, and Abraham sware vnto A­bimelech, Gen. 22. and named the place where they both sware Berseba.

Iacob sware vnto Laban his father in law, Pertimorem in Patrissui, by the feare of his father.

Dauid sware against Nabal, and said, Hocfaciat mihi dominus, Thus God do vnto me, if I leaue Nabal a head, for that he denied me and my company a little victualls, 1. Reg. 25. being a hungrie.

Salomon sware vnto his mother, by the Lord, Thus God do vnto me, if Adoniah liue, for that by seeking A­bizaig he seeketh also the kingdome. 3. Reg. 17.

Elias the Prophet sware vnto Achab king of Israel, Viuit Dominus, as sure as the Lord liueth. So Elize [...]s [Page 125] sware vnto Elias the like oath, Viuit Dominus, I will not forsake thee: this kind of oath is often vsed in scripture, as the Lord liueth, or as thy soule liueth.

Paul the Apostle vsed this oath, God is my witnesse, whom I feare: in an other place, Testem Deum inuoco in a­nimam Galath. 1. meam, I call God to witnesse to my soule: and a­gaine, Coloss. 1. God knoweth that I lye not.

THe states of Princes and countries are euer in most danger, where ambitious men be, who fearing nothing at all se­cretly to speake against Princes and Magistrates ambitiously, whose ambi­tious nature seekes not onely to rule and raigne, but also to practise (without feare) through pollicie, to vndermine states, and to o­uerthrowe their countrey through ambition. Pacem Plato de leg. lib. 12. contemnentes & gloriam appetentes pacem & gloriam per­dunt.

Of these men Plato saith: Siquis priuatim sine publico scitu, pacem bellumuè fecerit, capitale esto.

Ambitious men are not so glad and proud to see many follow them and obey them, as they are spitefull and disdainfull against any one man that esteemes them not; so ambitious and proud was Ammon, that he could The pride of Ammon. not endure the sight of Mardochaeus.

The ambition of Abimelech was such, that hee slew Abimelech. three score and eight lawfull sonnes of Gedeon, his bre­theren, vpon one stone, to become a Iudge in Israel, [Page 126] himselfe, being but a bastard.

Absolon the naturall sonne of Dauid, went most am­bitiously about to winne the hearts of Israel from his fa­ther, Absolon. embracing and kissing euery one that came vnto him, saying; I wish there were some that would minister Many great mē ambitious. iustice to the people.

Such is the nature of ambitious men, Qui honores quieta Repub: desperant, perturbata, se consequi posse arbitran­tur. Can a man goe barefooted on thornes, and not bee The nature of ambition. prickt? can a man put coles in his bosome, and not bee burnt? can a man be ambitious, and not be trecherous? for ambition claspeth enuie, as the Iuye claspeth the Oake, and as the Iuye sucketh all the moysture of the Oake, so enuie sucketh all the moysture of the ambitious man.

What was the end of Ammon for his ambition? to be hanged vpon the selfe-same gallowes which he prepa­red for Mardocheus.

What got Abimelech by his ambition and murthe­ring of his bretheren, but to haue his braine panne bro­ken Iudic. 9. and slaine, and that by a woman in the Cittie of Argos.

The end of Absolon was no better, but to be brought by his owne mule, and to be hanged by the haire of his owne head in the wood of Ephraim, where his mule left The end of ambitious mē. him. Impia proditio celeri paena uindicanda.

Had these ambitious men obserued the three pre­cepts which Brasidas taught his countrey men the A­thenians, Velle, vereri, & obedire, they might haue died a more honourable death, then to be hanged and killed by those whom they sought ambitiously to destroy by their next kinred, and chiefe friends.

[Page 127] These bee such men, Qui suam sibi fortunam fin­gunt. Plato de leg 9.

The like lawe was appointed by Plato for treason, as for sacriledge, Iudices istis proditoribus dantur, qui sacri­legis solent: for as Philip of Maecedon was wont to say, A­mare se prodituros non proditores, so Augustus Caesar after him vsed the like wordes; Proditionem non proditores Stobaeus Ser­mo. amo.

And therefore Corah, Dathan, and Abiron, and all their complices, to the number of two hundred and Numb. 16. fiftie, were swallowed vp of the earth aliue, for theyr Numb. 12. ambitious murmuring against Moses. The Lord spared neither Aaron, Moses brother, nor Myria his sister for the like offence; so seuere was the Lord in his lawes, that he spared not Moses himselfe.

And therefore Zaleucus made a lawe among the Zaleucus law against ambi­tious men. Locreans, to suppresse the pride and insolencie of great men, who did more harme theyr Countrey through pride and ambition, then they did profit theyr countrey by iust and true dealing.

The like lawe against ambitious men, was made in Syracusa, which secretly sought through ambition to excell others in singularitie, both in wisedome and in wealth, and therefore were they banished for fiue yeares out of Syracusa, according to the lawe which was The lawe Pe­talismus a­gainst ambi­tious men. made against ambitiō called Petalismus, least their great­nesse through ambition should do more harme to their countrey, then good.

In Rome for a time ambition was not knowne; vn­till the Romaines grew great out of Italy, then Cai. Petilius Tribune of the people, made a lawe, that no man through ambition, which then grew in Rome, [Page 128] together with the greatnesse of the Empire, should make meanes by money or reward to beare office in Rome.

After Petilius, Cincius decreed an other straight lawe against ambitious meanes to become Magistrates, that none of the Patricians, or any other that were ambiti­ous Cai. Petilius & Cincius lawes against ambi­tion in Rome. to become magistrates or officers in Rome, should come in a gowne or any long garment into the Senate, least they should carrie money secretly in their bosome, to corrupt the people, for the choosing of Censors, Praetors, Consuls, and other officers, were in the election of the people both in Rome and in Athens alike; for there was nothing in Rome but Forum & Sena­tus, lawes decreed in the Senate by the Senators, and weapons in the market place by the Tribune ansd the people, to resist the same.

The lawe of Cass. Longinus, Tribune of the people was, that euery Tribe by it selfe of the 35. should bring Alex. Neapol. lib. 4. cap. 3. their seuerall Tables, where the voyces of the people were secretly prickt to auoyd ambition and quarels, which lawe was called Lex Tabellaria.

An other lawe among the Romanes was, to auoyd ambition among the people, that the Senators with the consent of the people, should elect one Consul, and that Consul so chosen, should choose one of his own friends to be his fellow Consul; for it was not lawfull for both Cie. de leg. li. 3 the Consuls at one time to haue Serieants to beare Ma­ces before them, but one after an other monethly; ney­ther might a Consul be chosen againe within ten yeares after his Consulship, which lawes were made onely to auoyd ambition.

The like law was among the Thaebans against Mer­chants that were called Mercurij proles, which hunted [Page 129] for priuate profits, and gaped for gaine, which forbad them that had bene officers within ten yeares after, not to be chosen gouernours againe in that office, for that Merchants be not fit men to be Magistrates: and as Ari­stotle Arist lib. 3. polit. cap. [...]. saieth, Parum generosa haec ratio, vitae & vertuti ad­uersa.

Against which Demosthenes exclaimed in his ban­nishment, the three monsters of Athens, Populus, Noctua, and Draco, but two of these monsters ruled alwaies in Rome and in Athens, Noctua & Populus, men and money.

And therefore the lawe Ostracismus was made in A­ thens The lawe O­stracismus in Athens a­gainst ambitious against such ambitious men, as would secretly seeke to growe into greatnesse to win the fauour of the people, that they should be banished out of Athens for tenne yeares, as Themistocles, Alcibades, Demosthenes, and others. This lawe of Ostracismus, was euer readie in A­ thens, so long against the greatnesse of ambitious men, that at length it grewe against base men that would practise any sinister meanes among the people.

For it was a practise among the Athenian, least one should growe greater then an other, to make this lawe Ostracismus, according to Aristotles rule, Neminem vnum Arist. 5 poli [...]. cap. 11. magnum facere, communis custodia principatas.

The kings of Egipt that did not minister iustice right­ly, nor obserue the lawe iustly while they liued, might not be buried after they dyed, for it was lawfull for any Amzitious kings of Egipt might not be buried. man to accuse the kings of Egipt, before they were buri­ed, of any ambition, iniustice, or crime, before commit­ted against the law, for nothing was more ignominious to the kings of Egipt, then to bee depriued of their buri­alls, Diod. sic. lib. [...] cap. 3. which made them liue more circumspectly, vsing iustice and obseruing the lawe.

[Page 130] But what were the Kings of Egipt better to be buried in sweete odours in their Pyramides, or the Heathen Princes of the world to be buried in Suis Mausoleis? was not poore Lazarus better in Abrahams bosome, then the rich man tormented in hell? for hee cannot bee ill buried wheresoeuer he is buried that dyeth well; ney­ther can he dye ill, wheresoeuer, or howsoeuer he dieth, that liueth well; and therefore, Non potest male mori, qui bene vixcrit, saith Augustine.

A people in India called Pedalij, among other theyr The lawe of the people Pedalij to iustice. vowes and prayers, they wished nothing to bee graun­ted vnto them of the Gods, but to be iust, and to vse iu­stice. Alex. Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 17.

Appollonius Thianeus the Philosophers wish was, Pa­ [...]a habere & Nullius in digere, and to knowe good and iust Appollonius and Socrates wishes. men, and to auoyd the company of wicked and vniust men. Socrates wish was, to haue a sound minde in a sound body.

In Eliopolis, a cittie of Egipt, the Image of Iustice was set vp in the market place without a head, and on the right side of Iustice, the Image of a king was painted The Image of Iustice, &c. blinde, without eyes, because he should not see his friends nor foes, but gouerne without affections; and on the left side of Iustice, the Image of a Iudge was pain­ted without handes, because hee should not receiue bribes, and be corrupted in his iudgement, Iuditij vene­num sua cui (que) vtilitas, and therefore the Iudges called A­reopagitae in Athens, might not sit on life and death in the day time, while the sunne were vp; but in the night, because they might not see the prisoner in the face, to moue affections, but to heare theyr causes to do iustice; so is the lawe of the Lorde; Accept not the face of the [Page 131] poore, feare not the face of the mightie. So the Philoso­pher could say, Deus enim nusquam & nunquam iniurius, semper iustissimus.

A Philosopher after hee had seene these pictures at Eliopolis, hee caused the picture of an ambitious magi­strate The picture of ambition without legs. to be painted without legges, because hee should not climbe too high, saying, Agesilaus climbes in Sparta, to ouerthrowe Thaebes, and Epaminondas climbes in Thaebes to ouercome Sparta.

This is that ambition euery where, Quae frontem ape­rit Cic. proplan [...]. & mentem tegit.

But these ambitious men remember not Lots wife, who seeking to saue her life by looking back on Sodome, Luk 17. she lost both her selfe, Sodome and Zegor.

So that among all nations in all countreys, ambiti­ous men are such, that some with Absolon, seeke to plant and set their names on earth by some monuments of fame, but die ignominiously without monuments or fame, like Absolon.

Some with Sebna build them sumptuous Tombes in theyr owne countrey, but are buried in an other Sebna. countrey.

Some with Achab build them Iuorie houses, who most ambitiously sought Naboths vineyard, but hee Achab. did not long enioy it; and some seeke with Nimrod to Nimrod. build towers in the ayre, like to the King of Mexico, when hee is sworne at the first comming to the king­dome, who among other oathes must sweare, that the sunne must keepe his course, shyning alwaies in sight; that the cloudes must let raine fall downe; that the ri­uers must runne their course, and that the earth must bring forth all kinde of fruites.

[Page 132] These kinde of men search those things that be vn­der the earth, and those things that be aboue the hea­uens, Plato in Apol. Satagunt inquirentes (saith Plato) quae subter terram & quae super caelum sunt.

We read of Antiochus, after hee had taken Ierusalem, after such slaughter of men, women, virgins, children, and Infants, that within three daies there was slain foure The pride and ambition of Antiochus. score thousand, and as many solde as were slaine, and 4000. taken prisoners, after he had taken a thousand and eight hundred talents out of the Temple, he went with such a haughtie proude minde from Ierusalem to Anti­och, as Xerxes went from Persia into Greece, thinking in his pride to make men saile vpon drie lande, and to walke vpon the seas, but as they liued both, so they dyed, the one miserably murthered in his owne country, the other most miserably dyed out of his coun­trey.

These and such ambitious men, in seeking to build their great name and fame on earth, as Xerxes and Antio­chus, they become so odious and contemptible in their own country, as Ammon was in Persia among the Iewes, whose name when the Iewes heard of, they beate Ammon. and stampt on the ground with theyr feete, because they would not heare his name: for the like ambition the name of Hercules might not be mentioned among the Dardanians, nor the name of Achilles among the Hercules. Taenedians, for that they destroyed both these coun­treys. Achilles.

To forget these great iniuries, Thrasibulus made a lawe in Athens called Amnestia, because the crueltie of the thirtie tyrants, which caused the children to The lawe of Thrasibulus in Athens cal­led Amnestia. daunce in their fathers bloud in Athens, might no fur­ther bee remembred, least by reuenging of the same, [Page 133] more bloud should be lost, much like the Dictators in Rome, who might put to death any free Cittizen at theyr pleasure. So did Opimius, vsurping the of­fice of a Dictator, beeing but Consul, caused Grac­chus, Fuluius, and diuers other Cittizens to bee slaine.

But after Iulius Caesar became the first Emperour, and Perpetuus Dictator, the other Emperours that succee­ded him, claiming the like authoritie, made such lawes in Rome as pleased themselues, Sit fortitudo nostra lex iniu­sticiae, for when the honour of the Senators were abro­gated, and past by Hortensius lawe vnder the Emperour Caesar and his successors, that they onely made such lawes as were called Placita Principum, without autho­ritie of the Senators, or counsel of the people, which were accepted as lawes among the Romaines, during the time of the Emperors, as Iusregis was in Rome during the raigne of the Kings.

The law called Plebiscita, made by the Tribune of the people, could not be allowed vnlesse it were confirmed by the Senators, neither could the law made by Senators Alex Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 23. called Senatus Consultus, be allowed without the voyce of the people. In like sort Responsa Prudētū, for that they had authoritie to enterpret the law in matters of controuer­sies, their sentence & iudgement was accepted as lawes, so that the body and whole summe (welnigh) of the ciuill lawe, consisted in these lawes before named.

None might in auntient time among the Romanes, be elected Dictator, Consul, Praetor, or Censor, vnlesse he were one of the Patritians, but in time it grew, that the Patricians and the Plebeians were ioyned together, that one Consul should be chosen by the Patritians, the other by the people.

[Page 134] This lawe called Amnestia, was afterwards brought to Rome from Athens, and renewed by Cicero, that they should forget the murthering of Caesar, least a greater harme should come by reuenging of Caesars death by ci­uill warres, Omni enim populo inest malignum quiddam & querulum in imperautes.

This lawe was put in practise by the Iewes in Maz­phah, for the trecherous murthering of Godoliah by am­bitious Ismael, for they thought it best to put vp iniuries by forgetting of iniuries.

But the lawe of Draco in Athens was, not to forget iniuries, as Thrasibulus lawe was, neither to please the people, as the lawe of Gracchus was in Rome, but seuere­ly to punish the people, and that with such seueritie, that it was called according to his name, Lex Draco­nis, the lawe of a Dragon; for the least fault in A­thens, by the lawe of Draco, during the time of his raigne, was punished with death, who for his lawes was Draco strang­led in Egina. strangled in Aegina vppon the Theaters, by the peo­ple.

So that in Rome, for the lawes which Gracchus made to please the people, he himselfe, and diuers others were slaine. So in Athens and in diuers other places, by offen­ding the people too much by cruell lawes, they were strangled, killed, and slaine of the people for their lawes, as Draco was in Aegina, and Perillus in Agregutum, who Perillus died by those tor­ments which he inuented. found out the brazen bull to please the tyrant Phalaris, who decreed by lawe a reward to those that would find out new kindes of torments and tortures to punish of­fenders.

So Xerxes promised great gifts and rewards to any that would finde out diuers straunge kinds of pleasures to feed his humour, as an Epicure.

[Page 135] Of these kinde of fellowes Aristotle saith, Subtilia illa Arist. polit. lib. 3. cap. 3. & ignea ingenia in assiduo motu, nouandis, quam rebus geren­dis aptiora, and therefore rash young men must not bee magistrates, or officers, by Aristotles rule.

HEliogabalus, a monster and not an Em­perour, maintained rather women as Senators to sit with him in councell in Mount Quirinal, to make lawes to feed his filthy humours, then the Se­nators, which haue beene Iudges, e­quall with Kings in councell, after Kings with Consuls, after Consuls with good Empe­rours, for Heliogabalus called the Senators Togatos seruos, to whom Augustus Caesar gaue great reuerence, in any publike assembly or meeting, and with whom in the Senate house he sate in councell. Facilius est errare natu­ram quàm sui dissimilem possit princeps formare Rempub.

So Tiberius Caesar and Traiane, that whatsoeuer was done in Rome, was then done by the Senators with the Tib. Caesar. consent of good Emperours, which with the Senators made lawes, and obeyed those lawes which they made, for Vnum imperij corpus & vnius animoregendum: in so Tacit. 1. Annal. much that Adrian the Emperour, when hee sawe a proud citizen of Rome walking in the market place be­tweene Lamp. in Alex. two Senators, hee commaunded an officer to giue him first a buffet, and after to bring him to prison, for that hee made himsefe a fellowe and companion [Page 136] of Senators, to whom he was scarce worthie to be a ser­uant.

For the wise & prudent Emperors of Rome, were wont Lamp. in A­lex. to haue learned & graue men with thē, as well in warres in their camp, as also for counsell at home; For Augustus would not allow in Rome that libertie, which the Indian Philosophers allowed to the Indians, for they thought The lawe of the Indian Philosophers. it fond and foolish, sith the lawes were equall to all, but that euery man should be equally gouerned by the law, sith the lawe made all men free, that there should be no seruants in that part of India.

Farre from the Athenians, who made so much of Diod. sic. lib. 3. their freedome, for Pericles lawe was, that none might be free in Athens, vnlesse they were borne and their pa­rents before them in the citie of Athens.

And it was the lawe of Solon, that no stranger borne should haue Ius ciuitatis, vnlesse hee with his house and houshold goods were for euer banished out of his coun­try, or had comen to Athens alicuius artis causa.

But among the Lacedemonians the maner was, that they that should be made free, should be crowned, with greene branches made of boughes of trees, and should Alex. Neapo­lit. lib. 4. ca. 10. goe round about the Temples of that citie where they were made free.

The ceremonies and manners of making free men among the auncient Romanes was, that the seruants or bondmen should come with their heads shaued before the Romane Praetor, and there the Serieant at the com­maundement of the Praetor, should strike them on the head three times, with a little rodde or wande, called Virgula vindictae, and they that were so made free, were called Manumissi vindicta. But if they were souldiers ta­ken by the enemie, and had lost the libertie of their free­dome, [Page 137] if afterwards they returned to Rome, they should againe receiue their freedome, Iure Postliminij. But both those which were made free, Cum virga vindictae, the rod of reuenge, and they which were taken by the enemies, should goe vnto the Temple of Feronea, and there they should receiue Libertorum munia. After that the Ro­maines became Lords of Italy, they graunted Ius latij vn­to the Italians, which was the lawe then vsed within the citie of Rome, and after they had conquered the most part of Asia and Affrike, both Affrike and Asia had Ius la­tinitatis, which was the auntient law among the old Ita­lians to be ruled & gouerned by, for the Romans would haue their Romaine lawes and Romaine magistrates to gouern those prouinces which they got with the sword.

Among the Romains, during the time of their kings, they had no law but the sentence and iudgement of the king, in any great cause, and this lawe was called Lex cu­riata The first lawe of Romulus called Lex Curiata. by Romulus, and by the rest of his successors conti­nued during the time of kings: this lawe was without the consent of the people, but with the counsell & con­sent of the king and of the Senators, and for that Papiria­nus a learned Romane, gathered these lawes together and recorded them into one volume, they were called Ius Papirianum.

But when the name of Kings was banished out of Rome, and Consuls created to be chiefe gouernours in The second lawe in Rome called Sena­tus Consultus. Rome, then the lawe was betweene the Consuls and the Senators called Senatus Consultus, then came in the au­thoritie of the people, and no lawe was allowed and ra­tified, but by consent of the people; but when the peo­ple had voices to make lawes, so many lawes were made in Rome, as one lawe confounded an other, against Pla­toes rule, who euer preferred fewe lawes before many [Page 138] lawes, for said Plato, Corruptissima Respub. vbi plurimae leges. Plato. That lawe which was made by the Senators and Con­suls in Rome, was not accepted, vnlesse it were allowed by the people; for whatsoeuer the Consuls and Senators had determined, the people should be Iudge thereof.

So Plyni with Plato saide, that multiude of lawes were hurtfull, Videat princeps nè ciuitas legibus fundata, le­gibus Plyni. Paneg. euertatur.

So it was among the Lacedemonians by Licurgus law, Alex. Neapol. lib 4. cap. 11. that the people had authoritie and power to iudge of that which the Kings and Senators did determine.

Of these thus saith Homer, Popliuorus princeps populoiu­dice, cuipecuniam eripere, idem quod vitam. Illiad. 1.

There was a lawe decreed in Aegina, that hee that went about to inuent and bring in new lawes by abro­gating the former, should die for it, for oftentimes, Specie Alex. Neapol. lib. 6. cap. 14. aliqua legum, leges euertunt.

It is not so among the Achaians, as it was among the Romaines and the Grecians, for in Achaia there was no other lawe but what Aratus set downe, and in Syracusa no other lawe, but what Timoleon said.

Yet the Senators of Rome might without the consent of the people call a Senate, and make election of Sena­tors, they might also gouerne and rule the Romane pro­uinces What the Se­nators might do without the people. abroad; they might dispense and distribute the money of the cōmon treasurie; but for making of lawes, creating of magistrates, to make warres, or to conclude peace, the Senators had no authoritie to do it, without the consent of the people.

So that in time lawes were rather authorized in Rome by force & weapons in the market place, then in the Se­nate house by the Senators, for Populus Comitiorom Prin­ceps bare sway euer in Rome.

[Page 139] So Pompey by force of armes authorized Caesars law to please the people, with diuision of lands, and distribu­tion of corne, though Cato spake bitterly against it, yet could hee not bee heard, but was by Caesar beeing then Consul, commanded to prison.

They pleaded Ius in armis, as Pompey and Lysan­der said, Non cessabitis nobis gladio accinctis, leges praedi­care. Plut. in Pomp.

Lex agraria was the most dangerous lawe among the Romaines, for that the Tribune of the people sought euer to please the people, by lands, by corne, or by any Gracchus law called Lex agraria. meanes to become strong by the people, which had the chiefest voyce in Rome, that the Tribune would often cōtroll the Consuls, & resist the Senators, as Tiberius and Cai. Gracchus, Marius, and Fuluius, with others, preferred alwaies this lawe to please the people, but Gracchus and Fuluius lost their heads for it, & were carried vpon a pole to Opimius the Consul, who was then commaunded by the Senators to resist the Tribunes, and people-pleasers, for at that commaundement were slaine three thou­sand at Rome, whose bodies were throwne into Tiber.

No Common-wealth can bee without armes, no armes without stipend, no stipend without tribute, and therefore saith Plato, Quem (que) opes suas in censum deferre Platos lawes. ad multa vtillia.

Neither were the magistrates called Ephori, oppo­sed against the kings in Sparta without cause, by Theo­pompus; neither were they remoued afterwards without cause by king Cleomenes, Plena enim periculi aula.

Neither were the Tribunes of the people in Rome without cause, appointed to resist the Consuls and Se­nators, though sometimes they were reiected and sup­pressed, & sometimes slaine, for so was the old law of the [Page 140] twelue tables. Salus populi suprema lex esto.

The Lacedemonians had also their Senate of eight and twentie graue and auncient wise men, which by Li­curgus 28. Senators in Sparta. lawe should be 60. yeares old before they should be chosen and accepted to be of councell.

The Carthagineans in like manner made choice of 30. of their principall and chiefe men of Carthage, called 30. Senators of Carthage called Coni­podes. Conipodes, to sit and determine in secret councell of the state of their citie, for the Carthagineans though they followed Charondas lawe, yet they imitated the Lace­demonians in all other gouernment, as well in warreas in peace.

So wearie were many nations of kings, that when the Hebrewes sought to alter the gouernment of Iud­ges to haue Kings, the Lord commaunded Samuel to set downe to the Hebrewes the lawes of Kings, that they Aristocratia changed to Menarchia. will take their sonnes, their daughters, the best of their fields, of their vineards, and of their Oliue trees, & giue them to their seruaunts, and they shall take the best of [...]. Sam. cap. 8. their men-seruants, and their maid-seruants, their yong men and their asses, to do their worke withall.

So the Vine, the Figge tree and the Oliue, answered the trees which would haue a king; Shall we loose our fatnesse and sweetnesse to become a king? Notwith­standing the bramble would be a king ouer the trees.

The Storke also would accept to be king ouer the the Frogges, though all nations desire generally rather to be ruled by one then by many, yet many that were elected kings would faine haue forsaken it.

Q. Cincinnatus being taken from the plough to be a Dictator in Rome, & to weare Togam praetextam, assoone as sixe moneths were expired (so long the office of the Dictatorship endured) he returned again to his plough, [Page 141] according to Salomons speech, better is a morsel of bread in a poore mans house peaceably, then to bee a Consul or a Dictator in Rome among vnruly people.

And therefore the Ephori of Sparta grew so ambiti­ous, that they began to enuie their kings, and therefore deuised this lawe to expell their kings, to obserue the starres euery ninth yeare in a cleare bright night, which if they sawe any starre eyther shooting, sliding, or any way remouing from their place, they with the consent Kings deposed in Sparta by the Ephori. of the whole colledge of soothsayers, accused their kings that they had offended their gods, and therefore depo­sed their kings; so were king Agis, and king Pausanias de­posed from their kingdome by Lysander.

This was against the lawe of the Lord, who said vn­to Iob, Where wast thou when I placed Hyades in theyr places, and Plyades in their course? canst thou know the course and orders of Septentriones, and of other starres, and of the reason thereof, Nunquid Nosti rationem caeli, saith the Lord?

Against these starre-gazers Plato writeth, men should Platos lawe. not bee too curious to seeke causes supernaturall, and saith, Nequè inquiri oportere, nec fas esse curiosè, satagere causas scrutantes. That was the cause why Andronicus the Emperour, hearing two learned men reasoning of the like, to say, if they would not leaue their curious and fri­uolous disputations, the riuer Rindacus should be Iudge betweene them, and end the controuersie, for, Non sapit, qui nimis sapit.

So were the Priests called Mantes in Athens, of such authoritie, that nothing could be done in any publike councell concerning religion and matters of state, vn­lesse they were in place present.

The like lawe the Romaines vsed euery fiftyeare, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page 142] being taught and commaunded to bee obserued out of the bookes of the Sybils, that vpon any appearances Cic de diuin. lib. 1. or sights of two Sunnes together, or of three Moones, or any other great causes, the soothsayers might remoue Consuls remoued in Rome from their office. either Consul or Praetor from their place.

The like ambition began in Persia after Cambises dy­ed, that it was not lawfull for the kings of Persia to make any lawes otherwise then they were instructed by theyr Magi; neither was there any lawe made among the auntient Romaines, without the counsell of their sooth­sayers, who were called interpretes Iouis & Nuntijdeorum; for these lawes were called among the Romains and the Persians, Leges Augurales, but of these Augural lawes, I haue toucht them in my booke of Stratagems, which Lex Auguralis were as much esteemed and feared of captaines and souldiers, as their military lawes, for both the Persians, Alex. Neapol. lib. 5. cap. 19. Grecians, and Romains, followed the counsell of sooth­sayers in their warres, contrary to Moses lawe, which for­bad dreames and soothsaying to be vsed as the Gentiles did, for saith the lawe, Non declinetis ad magos. Leuit. 19.

The superstitious error of the Gentiles in their sooth­sayers grew to be so great, that if the soothsaiers said that Esculapius beeing dead, could sooner restore health and minister medicine to the sicke by dreames, then Ga­len Cic. de diuin. lib. 2. could do by his art aliue, some would beleeue it, and therefore the Pythagorians abstained from beanes when they went to sleepe, because it filleth rather the minde with vaine dreames, then the belley with good meate.

If any soothsayers would say that Serapis and Miner­ua through diuination could minister medicine and re­store the sicke vnto health without the helpe of Phisi­tions, sooner then the Phisitions themselues, these flat­terers would be (as they are) accepted in court & coun­trey; [Page 143] Tanquā Syrenes aulae, the Gentiles would beleeue it, which as Thucydides saith, are two most noysome things in a common-wealth, for nothing could be spoken so absurd, but some Philosopher or other will maintaine it and defend it.

The Philosophers among the Indians, which would either prognosticate or defend falsehood, or seeme to Diod. sic. lib. 3. cap. 10. affirme that to be true which was false, they were by law for euer after commaunded to perpetuall silence.

The lawe of diuination was such in all kingdomes and countries, eyther by fleeting of starres, flying of Cic de diuin. lib. 1. fowles, by intrailes of beasts, or by dreames, that what­soeuer the soothsayers spake among the Persians, Greci­ans, and the Romaines, it was taken for Maximum & prae­stantissimum ius Reipub; for the words of the lawe were Auspicia seruanto: for example therof, Cicero reciteth ma­ny histories, and Crisippus gathered many Oracles toge­ther. But if the lawe of the Gospell were so kept among Christians, as the law of Augurers was among the Gen­tiles, and the words of the Preacher were so obserued as the words of the Soothsayers among Pagans; if mens affections were set on a heauenlycommon-wealth, Vbi Rex est veritas, lex charitas, & modus aeternitas, as world­lings are set on an earthly habitation, Vbi Rex est vanitas, lex infidelitas, & modus breuitas; As it hath bene seene in the Greeks, which first florished before the Affricans; in the Affricans, which florished before the Romains; and in the Romains, which flourished before the Scythians; and therefore In rebus cunctis, est morum, & temporum, & Tacit. annal. 3 imperiorum vices; So that all commo [...] wealths, all king­domes, and all countries, were ruled, are, and shall be gouerned, by diuine prouidence, from the beginning to the worlds ende.