Abel redevivus, or, The dead yet speaking by T. Fuller and other eminent divines.

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FRANCISCVS IVNIVS.

The Life and Death of Franciscus Juniu••.

EMblemes of honour derived from Ancestors, are but rotten rags where their ignoble posterity degenerate from their Progenitors. But they are both glorious and precio••s, where the children both answer and exceed the vertues of their extraction. Such here our Iunius, William his Grandfather, serving under Lewi•• the twelfth in the warres of Navarre, was rewarded for his valour with an Augmentation of Nobility to his Family. Dennis his Father was a great practiser of the Civill Law, and got both cre∣dit and profit by his profession. But what needs this su∣perfluous luster to be borrowed from Parentage to him who was inriched with plenty of light in himselfe.

2. In the famons City of Bourges in France our Franci•• was born, An. 1545. Likely almost to have proved a Benjamin to his Mother, and just cause had she to valew this Pearle, for which she paid so dear. His baptisme was hastned to prevent his death, all looking on him as a weakling, which would post to the grave; whereas he not onely out-lived most of his brethren but even made his Parents to survive in him. His soul was condemn'd to a bad body, his infancy being a continued sicknesse, and the small pox being struck into him when a child, (by negligence of the servants suffering him to take cold) occasioned a sore in his leg; and ever after e∣ven to the day of his death he felt the Admonition of that maladie: for when there was any indisposion in his body, that the malignant humours mustered themselves together, hi•• leg was made the Randevous for their meeting.

3. Being sent to school he was unhappy in tirannicall Masters, For though he was of that capacity to hold as much and more then they would poure into him, and of that industry, that he refused no labour for learning, yet they were most cruell unto him. One especially, who as of whipping of boyes had been rather his recreation, then their punishment, and he willing to make faults where he could not find them, so punished the naturall weaknesse of Iunius for an offence, that it was familiar with him seven times a day to be corrected, truely scoring the number of the Liberall Sciences upon him, wherein afterwards he gr••w to be most eminent: yet such was Iunius his love of learn∣ing and his soul was so eagerly set upon it, that he was not at leisure to complaine of hard usage, or to confesse it to his mother and sister who susp••cted it.

4. But afterwards Iunius, growne to be a stripling in that age wherein youth and man doe meet together, was sent by his father to Lions to study; a dissolute place, and full of all Licentiousnesse. Sudden alterations to extreames com∣monly prove dangerous: Iunius hath now neither Master to fright him, nor father to awe him, nor friend to direct him. And as waters long curbed with flood gates, and de∣barred

their naturall course runne with more fury and fiercenesse, when the dams and sluces are suddenly taken away; so what wonder if this our youth, formerly kept in constant durance with cruel education, now flye out, and give (as I may say) separation to his corrupt nature for the ••ormer wrong he had sustained.

5. Two dangerous Rocks he was drawn upon, narrow∣ly scaping the one, but dangerously hitting against the o∣ther. The first was, the allurements of wanton Women, who sought to inveagle him; the City of Lions being a Common which is sufficiently stockt with such Cattell. Say not that I••nius his weake body was a preservation for his chastity, for (besides that the heart of a Stallion may be in the body of an Eunuch) age in him now had out-grown the infirmities of his childe-hood. But by Gods providence he was protected from this temptation, and by Satans sugge∣stions solicited to another, who finding his corporall baits not to succeed, did try by a more spirituall way to entice him.

6. Here I stand still and demur with my selfe, whether speech or silence be better; Tell it not in Gath, &c. It is pity that so great sinnes of (afterwards) good men, should be committed to memory. But againe, considering that his shipwrack may be a seamarke for others, it must not be concealed. He turned neither better nor worse then flat A∣theist. Certainly, flyes as they are ingenuous to doe mis∣chiefe on Grapes, so they are judicious tasters, to choose the ripest and sweetest for their palate. And Satan is so subtile, that he pitcheth on the most fruitfull, yea rankest wits, as best for his purpos•• and a dunce is no dish for the Divels tooth.

7. Full twelve moneths did Iunius live in and lye under this dolefull and damnable condition, when first it pleased God to save his life in a Tumult in the City of Lions, that so signall a deliverance in the appehension of Iunius did point at a Deity, and awakened his drowsie soule to the consideration of divine Providence. Afterwards, his Pa∣rents

being by improbable and unsuspected intelligencer•• informed of their Sons Atheisme, sent for him home, took order that he was better instructed, and enjoyned him the constant reading of the New Testament. Iunius lighting on the first chapter of the Gospell of Saint Iohn, was, by Gods spirit moving his heart, so highly affected therewith, that he fell on a sudden both into an acknowledgement and ad∣miration of God in his Word. I have heard that supersti∣cious Exorcistes (who most serve the Divel, when they pre∣tend most to command him) use, or rather abuse this chap∣ter to conjure out evill spirits out of persons possessed. What collusion or confederacy may passe betwixt Sathan and his playmates, I neither doe nor desire to know. This sure I am, that that parcell of Scripture was so sanctified by God to Iunius, that it dispossessed his soule, and ejected thence that Atheisticall Fin, formerly lodged therein. And now Iunius begins to prefer Salomons Proverbs before Sene∣ca his Sentences; the Psalmes of David before the Odes of Horace; Ieremies Lamentations before Ovid de Tristibus; in a word, he grew sensible of the majesty in the meanest, of the rich matter in the plaine stile of the Scripture.

8. Afterwards his Parents sent him to Geneva to the U∣niversity, furnishing him with sufficient money for the pre∣sent, and promising to send him supplies for the future, when alas presently began the wofull Wars in France, so that the French Lillies fairely flourishing before, began now to be parched and scorched in Civill Combustions; inso∣much, that the Parents of Iunius could not performe their promise. Surely War is a cursed thing, were it onely for this, that it makes men unwillingly unnaturall, unable to discharge those relative offices, which otherwise they desire. Iunius begins to want, and resolves with himselfe, Clean∣thes like, to worke ev••ry other day with a Spade or Mat∣tock about the Town Ditch, so to provide himselfe main∣tainance; Gods children making many hard but ever honest shifts.

9. But a Countriman of his accidentally finding him

out (whose Mother, when a Widdow, had beene relieved by the Parents of Iunius) tooke him home, and freely bestow∣ed both lodging and dyet upon him. It is good spirituall husbandry to sow good workes, if not our persons our posterity may reape them, as now did Iunius. But he, good man, was perplext, for being as he conceived it a burden to his friend; for there is no greater racke to an ingenu∣ous nature, then to receive kindnesses in despaire to requite them. Iunius weighing in ••he ballance of his minde every morcell of meat, and for foure moneths together (preten∣ding Study) dyned onely on Ayre, and supped with two Egges, and a small draught of Wine, fearing he should be too chargable; thus he was a Less••an before Lessius, yea he exceeded him in his Abstinence, till nature as I may say, was over pressed with too little weight of victuals, which brought him into a Consumption: But afterwards rece∣ving mony from his Father, he not only plentifully repaid his Host, but by compitent food, and corediall Phisicke re∣pared the detriments, and decayes in his body.

10. The Father of Iunius, who formerly was affraid that his Sonne would have to little Religion, began now to suspect that he would have to much, and make Divinity his profession, whereas he intended him for the practice of the civil Law. Like to many now adayes, who begrutch their pregnant children to Gods service, reserving strait Timber to be Be••mes in other buildings, & only condemn∣ning crooked peeces for the Temple; so that what is found unfit for City, Camp or Court, (not to adde ship and shop) is valued of worth enough for the Church.

11. But here hapned a sad and sudden accident, the Fa∣ther of Iunius was most barbarously butchered, by a com∣panion of Hacks Iers. Here let me beg and borrow of the courteous reader the help of his imagination, to piece out the shortnesse of my expression, in considering the great sorrow Iunius conceived hereat; but no sooner was he come to shore out of the sea of sarrow, but presently he dispatcht a letter to his Mother, full of pitty and piety, religion and

affection: He counselled her to submit to Divine providence, seeing she was made a Bride the same minute wherin she was made a Widdow, married to God himselfe, the Husband of the Widdo••, and Father of the fatherlesse; he desired her to be carefull of the rest of the childeren, but take no thought for him, who was re••olved to hew out a way for his live∣lihood, out of the Rockes of all difficulties.

12. Leaving Geneva (where he had lived a Schoole-mast∣er, teaching Hebrew for a time; he came into the Low- coun∣tryes to be Minister to the French Church at Antwerp, then began the civill Warres there, wherin halfe of the seventeen Provinces opposed the King of Spaine, whether willingly falling from him for lacke of Royalty, or violently cast a∣way by him, through his owne cruelty, the Chronicles of those parts are best able to informe. Here Iunius had a fing∣er, yea a whole hand in writing some publicke Remon∣strances in behalfe of the People; which being knowne (discovered by the sharpnesse of his owne Pen, such was the activenesse, quicknesse and vigor of his stile) he was sought after, and four hundred Florens promised to him (more by half then his estate was ever worth) which would bring him dead or a live to the Regent of that County, yea a curious Limnner was employed to draw his picture to the life, that thereby he might be the sooner discovered.

13. The reader will not be offended if I presume to enter∣pose a thought of my owne, who here did heartily desire I had that picture in my possession, which made to doe him mischiefe, I would preserve to do him honour; but I r••∣voke my wish, seeing the best image and resemblance of Iu∣nius, is what is made by him in his owne workes, as that is the best representation of the Sun not made by pen and pencill, but by his owne Beames and Irradiations.

14. Here I passe by many remarkeable escapes of Iunius, whose life was nothing but a mixture of dangers and deli∣verances, perils and preservations. At last he went to Limburg there to be Preacher to the truth, where this most memorable accident hapned, which without di••loyalty to

Historicall truth cannot be omitteed. There was hard by a widdow mother to many childeren wounded in conscience, because her attendance on her family had caused her often absence from Masse, and griefe so prevailed upon her, that she continually exclaimed, that she and her childeren were damned. The popish priests like the Aegyptian Iannes and Iambres, sought by exorcismes and magical spels to cast the Divell out of her, whose superstition tooke as little effect as the cruelty of her neighbours, who with bonds and whiping (in artificiall arguments) endevoured to reclaime her to a right mind, all in vaine; and she making a forci∣ble escape fled into the woods, and continued (poore soule) full thirteene years in this pi••tifull conditio••: For such who conceive it no great paine, for another to be ••ext but one whole yeare with a wounded conscience, would count six moneths of that sorrow to much for themselves if they foundly felt it. Iunius understanding the matter, obtained privat discourse with her, informing her that the Masse was both needlesse and unlawfull; whereas she was bound by the specialty both of nature and grace to provide for her children; and it pleased God who sharpned the tongue of Iunius, so to bore her eares with attention too, and ap∣prehension of his arguments, that she was converted both to a quiet mind, comfortable life, and a sincere professor of the Protestant Religion; this deserveth to be preferred be∣fore milions of Monkish miracles, which are onely com∣posed of the conc••rrence of the boldnesse of some Priests in counterfeiting, and the blockishnesse of other people in beleeving them.

15. At Limburgh Iunius lived some yeares, pestered with Papists & Anabaptists (as Saint Paul at Athens with Stociks and Epicures) farre differing from themselves, but joyntly opposing the truth. Here the Fryers raised a report that Iunius was a monster, and had a cloven foot like the Divel; whereas it had borne more proportion with truth, if they had said that Iunius had a cloven tongue, like the Disciples Acts 2.3. because of his great and exact skill in all learned

Languages. From Limburg he was called to Hidelberg, where he lived many yeares in the University, and with Emanuel Tremelius, (Iew and Ientile well joyned together in a piou•• imployment) made that excellent translation of the Bible out of the Originall into Latin.

16. Then Henry the fourth King of France sent for him home into his native Country; he returned by Leyden in Holland, because his necessary occasions called him thither: Gods children are called wanderers, Heb. 11.38. and yet they are ever in the right way; and these Planets keep a re∣gular motion, both in respect of their pious imployment, and Gods constant protection. At Leyden he was choson to be Divinity professor, which place with great industry, aud applause he discharged for ten yeares or there abouts, till at last he dyed of the Plague Anno 1602. the thirteenth of October in the fifty sixth yeare of his ege.

17. His disease hath given occasion to his adversaries to infect his memory as much as lay in their power with their pestilent tongues; but such would be silent, when consider∣ing that that promise Psalme 91.6. to defend men from the Ar∣row that flyeth by day, and the Pestilence which walketh by darknesse, is like all other promises of temporall blessings, and pre∣servation, running with a secret clause of revocation, in case God conceiveth the contrary, more for his glory, and his childrens good.

18. Four Wifes he had successively, all dying of diferent diseases; the first wronged by the cruelty or ignorance, or both of the Midwife in her travell, lead a dying life a long time after, to her owne much misery, and no lesse sorrow of her Husband; the second by a Feavour: the third by a Dropsie: the fourth a few dayes before himselfe of the Plague. The short lives of these his wives which were god∣ly women. Iunius interpreted to be a just punishment of God upon him, because in his youth he had been a generall hater of all women-kinde; for having formerly ••••••••eited on the base conditions of some beastly women in ••he City of Lions, he loathed the whole see for their sakes,

and would not be reconciled unto it, though his owne Mother (so vertuous a woman) might have been a fit Medi∣atrix to compose the quarrell which he unjustly bore a∣gainst all women. This Iunius from a false inducement of some few, gathered a generall conclusion of all, put a dangerous fallacy of uncharitablenesse on his owne soule: And was afterwards sensible of Gods holy hand upon him in lending him four good Wives, and taking them from him, teaching him their goodnesse rather by loosing then enjoying th••m.

19. To conclude, Saint Paul being effectually to move Timothy 2. Tim. 4.6. to the discharge of his office, and to be instant in season and out of ••eason; in Preaching useth this forcible motive, (For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.) The death of the godly ought to put life into the godly; the losse of pious men of the former generations, ought to inrich such of the age present, to succed in their places, take up their Armes, and valiantly acquit themselves in their roomes. Let those therefore who have read over the life of this worthy man now gathered to God, summon their strength, and unite their forces according to the distance of their parts and places to discharge themselves to the glory of God and good of his Church. For it is high time when such Pauls Set, ••for other Timothies to arise. His Works are many, and are here registered.

1 A Speech in French to the Spanish King for the defence of the Low Countries. 2 An answer to Sandwich his brethren in England, of Images. 3 The Translation of the Old Testa∣ment, with Immanuel Tremelius, out of Hebrew. 4 Acts of the Apostles, and Epistles to the Corinthians out o•• Arabicke. 5 Confession of Faith of Frederick Count Palatine the third. 6 Apocrypha translated with Notes. 7 Iohannes Tilly of Kings, and of the Kings of France, translated into Latine. 8 A Speech of the Hebrew Tongue. 9 An Hebrew Grammer. 10 Ecclesiasticus, Latine and French. 11 A Looking-glasse

of Tremelius against Genebrard. 12 Twelve Orations for the reading of the Old Testament. 13 An Oration of Ursinus life. 14 Vpon Gregory 13. his Cursings against Gebbard, Bishop of Colen. 15 Vpon Saint Judes Epistle. 16 Four Speeches for reading the Old Testament. 17 Vpon the four first Psalms. 18 A Catholicke Apology in Latine. 19 An Hebrew Lexicon. 20 His table of Purgatory. 21 A Christian admonition against John Haren in French. 22 A booke called the Academy. 23 His CUROPALATES in Greek and Latin. 24 Transla∣tion of two Epistles of the Kings, & one of Plessis in Latin. 25 His sacred Paralels. 26 Vpon the Prince of Anhalt his death. 27 Notes upon the three first Chapters of Genesis. 28 A confutation of some Arguments of the Creation. 29 Notes upon the Apocalyps. 30 Second Edition of his Bible. 31 Man lives with corrections and Notes. 32 His first defence of the Catholike Doctrine of the Trinity. 33 A Commentary one Daniel. 34 The King of France his confession in French. 35 Vpon the Death of John Cassimire, Count Palatine. 36 Commentary on Psalm 101. 37 Expositions upon the Apocalyps in French. 38 Commen∣tary on Jonah the Prophet, 39 An Analysis upon Genesis. 40. Ci∣ceroes Epistles to Atticus, and Q. his brother, with Corrections and Notes. 41 A defence of the Catholicke Doctrine of Nature and Grace. 42 A praise of Peace. 43 The peaceable Christian in French. 44 Of the observation of Moses policy. 45 Of Divinity. 46 An Oration against the Jesu••tes in Latine, 47 Notes upon Tertullian. 48 Notes and Animadversions up∣on Bellarmine, of the Translation of the Roman Empire.

Reader, observe and thou shalt finde A rare, and well-reformed minde: He that in his youthfull dayes Storch'd his conscience by the blaze Of wanton fires, refus'd at last The heat of an Athisticke blast; He started from the deep abyss Of vileness••, to the height of bliss, And then that light which fil'd his breast

Gave himselfe and others rest, That they which did before contemne His deeds, imbrac'd him as a Jem; And thought him fitting to be set Within the Churches Cabonet: His vertue pay'd what vice had scoar'd And age abhor'd, what youth ador'd.