23 Forthwith he smote him. As before the Angel was a minister of gods grace in the delivery of Peter, so now he taketh vengeance upon Herod. And God doth sometimes use the ministry of Angels in heaven in punishing: but sometimes he maketh the devils as hangmen,1 by whose hand he executeth his judgements. And this doth he as well toward his faithful servants, as toward the reprobate. Saul was troubled and vexed by satan, but the same did also befall holy Job. In the Psalm the punishments wherewith God doth chasten the wicked, are attributed to the evil Angels: yet we see how the Angel which had the government of the safety of the Church, smiteth the Egyptians in the first begotten: although the scripture calleth the wicked spirits Gods spirits, because they are obedient to his commandment though full sore against their will. But where the epithet Evil, is not added as in this place, we must understand the angel which doth willingly obey God, and yet the shape of the Owl, whereof Josephus maketh mention, did rather serve to figure the devil, than an heavenly Angel. Furthermore, I dare not affirm for a surety what manner disease that was. The word which Luke useth doth signify, that he was eaten up of worms. Many conject that it was a lousy disease. This is certain, that even when he was yet alive he was corrupt with stink & rottenness, so that he was as it were a living carcass. So that he was not only vexed with cruel torments, but also made a laughing stock to all men, & of all men reviled. For God intended to make choice of a kind of punishment, wherewith he might oppress the cruelty of a proud man with extreme ignominy. If he had bin overcome of some great & valiant army, & had bin brought to poverty, the judgment of god had not bin so marked: ⟨p. 288⟩and this had bin an honest and princely chastisement: but forasmuch as he abhorreth lice and worms, and this filthiness cometh out of his body,2 which doth kill him by eating him up, he is handled according to his deserts. In like sort Pharaoh, forasmuch as he did so oft exalt himself against God with untamed pride, he was not orderly assailed by some prince that did border upon him, but Locusts and caterpillars were gods warriors to make war against him, for the more proudly a man exalteth himself: the more doth he deserve to be cast down of God into the lowest hell with shame and reproach.
23 Forthwith he smote him. As before the Angel was a minister of gods grace in the deliuery of Peter, so now he taketh vengeance vpon Herod. And God doth sometimes vse the ministery of Angels in heauen in punishing: but somtimes he maketh the diuels as hangmen,1 by whose hand he executeth his iudgements. And this doth he as wel toward his faithful seruants, as toward the reprobate. Saul was troubled and vexed by satan, but the same did also befal holy Iob. In the Psalm the punishments wherewith God doth chasten the wicked, are attributed to the euil Angels: yet we see how the Angel which had the gouernment of the safetie of the Church, smiteth the Egyptians in the first begotten: although the scripture calleth the wicked spirits Gods spirits, because they are obedient to his commandemēt though ful sore against their wil. But wher the epithite Euil, is not added as in this place, we must vnderstand the angel which doth willingly obey God, and yet the shape of the Owle, whereof Iosephus maketh mention, did rather serue to figure the diuel, than an heauenly Angel. Furthermore, I dare not affirme for a suretie what maner disease that was. The word which Luke vseth doth signifie, that he was eaten vp of wormes. Many coniect that it was a lousie disease. This is certaine, that euen when he was yet aliue he was corrupt with stinke & rottennes, so that he was as it were a liuing carcase. So that he was not onely vexed with cruel torments, but also made a laughing stocke to all men, & of al men reuiled. For God intended to make choise of a kind of punishment, wherwith he might oppres the cruelty of a proud man with extrem ignominy. If he had bin ouercom of som great & valiant army, & had bin brought to pouerty, the iudgment of god had not bin so marked: ⟨p. 288⟩and this had bin an honest and princely chastisement: but forasmuch as he abhorreth lice and wormes, and this filthines commeth out of his body,2 which doth kill him by eating him vp, he is handled according to his deserts. In like sort Pharao, forasmuch as he did so oft exalt himself against God with vntamed pride, he was not orderly assailed by some prince that did border vpon him, but Locusts and caterpillars were gods warriars to make warre against him, for the more proudly a man exalteth himself: the more doth he deserue to be cast downe of God into the lowest hell with shame and reproch.
- 11. Sam. 16.14. Job. 1.11. & 2.7. Exo. 12.291. Sam. 16.14. Iob. 1.11. & 2.7. Exo. 12.29
- 2Exo. 8.17.24.
