so cold and frigid in defending the Pope as Eccius and some like him are who seem to me to defend the Papacy rather for their bellies sake then in good earnest Yea like Epicures they seem to me to deride the Pope whereas I was serious in his cause as one that trembled at the Thoughts of the day of Judgment and from my very heart desired to be saved Ibid. p. 146. vid. Sleid. Comment c. 8. Lambertus disputing with Zuinglius about the Intercession of Saints and the Sacrifice of the Masse and being non-plus'd left his Error and gave Praise to God Ibid. p. 149. 9. Mr. Rastal Sir Thomas Moor's Son in Law was converted likewise by the clear and strenuous Arguments of John Frith which he used in some Disputations that were managed by way of Letter between Sir Thomas and Him Ibid. p. 157. 10. In Mr. Baxters Narrative of his Life p. 3. He gives this Remarkable Account of his Conversion Being says he under some more Conviction for my Sin a poor Day-Labourer in the Town had an old torn Book which he lent my Father which was called Bunny's Resolution I had before heard some Sermons and read a Book or two which made me more Love and Honour Godliness in the General He further adds in the reading of this Book when I was about Fifteen Years of Age it pleas'd God to awaken my Soul and shew me the Folly of Sinning and the misery of the Wicked and the unexpressible weight of things Eternal and the necessity of resolving on a Holy Life more than I was ever acquainted with before The same things which I knew before came now in another manner with light and sence and seriousness to my heart About that time it pleased God that a poor Pedlar came to the Door that had Ballads and some good Books And my Father bought of him Dr. Sibbs bruised Reed This also I read and found it suited to my State and seasonably sent me which opened more the Love of God to me and gave me a Livelier apprehension of the Mystery of Redemption and how much I was beholden to Jesus Christ After this we had a Servant that had a little peice of Mr. Perkins's Works of Repentance and the right Art of Living and Dying well and the Government of the Tongue and the reading of that did further inform me and confirm me And thus without any means but Books was God pleased to resolve me for himself Thus far Mr. Baxter 11. Mr. Thomas Bilney Martyr was thus converted Having heard the Speech of Jesus saith he even then when the New Testament was Translated by Erasmus understanding it to be eloquently done I bought it being allured thereto rather by the Elegancy of the Latin then the Word of God for at that time I knew not what it meant and looking into it by God's special Providence I met with those words of the Apostle S. Paul This is a True saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save Sinners of whom I am chief Oh! most sweet and comfortable sentence to my Soul This one sentence through Gods instruction and inward working did so exhilerate my heart which before was wounded through the guilt of my Sins and being almost in despair that immediately I sound Marvellous comfort and quietness in my Soul so that my bruised Bones did leap for Joy After this the Scripture began to be more sweet unto me then Honey and the Honey-comb c. Ibid. p. 162. 12. John Picus Mirandula being of a ductile Nature and an aimable Countenance and Disposition was for some time so inveigled with the Blandishments of an Effeminate Society that he gave himself over to unlawful pleasures with them but it pleased God by the Malice of his Adversaries and the troubles which he met with by their means to awaken him from his sensual delights and to stir him up to shake off and avoid all these Provocations and Incentives to Wickedness and to chuse Celestial instead of fleshy Pleasures And laying aside his hunting after vain Glory to devote himself wholly to the Glory of God and the good of the Church Idem in ejus vitâ 13. George Prince of Anhalt when the Controversies about Religions waxed hot and Luther's Books came abroad fell to reading of them and suspecting his own Injudiciousness would often pray with Tears to God to encline his heart to the Truth saying Deal with thy Servant according to thy Mercy and Instruct me in thy Righteousness He was frequent in reading the Scriptures Ecclesiastical Histories Augustine Hierom and Lombard studied also Greek and Hebrew and discoursed with Learned Men about the Controversies And after all upon mature deliberation embraced the reformed Religion and reformed the Churches with the counsel of his Brethren within his own Jurisdiction Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 165. 14. Vergerius having been the Popes Legate in Germany after his return to Rome the Pope intended to bestow a Cardinals Cap upon him but some about him suggested that he had been so long in Germany that he smelled of a Lutheran This made the Pope to alter his purpose which when Vergerius heard was wonderfully Astonished and that he might purge himself from that Imputation he retired into his own Countrey purposing to Write a Book under this Title Against the Apostate Germans But it pleased God that whilst he read over his Adversaries Books to confute them himself was converted by them Hereupon casting off all desires of a Cardinalship he went to his Brother John Baptista Bishop of Pola and Communicated his thoughts unto him and asked his advice His Brother at first was much perplexed and bewailed his condition But after a while was perswaded by Vergerius to read and study the Scriptures especially in the point of Justification by Faith whereby it pleased God that he also saw the Popish Doctrines to be false and so they both became Zealous Preachers of the Truth to the People Clark's Exampl Vol. 2. p. 117. Sleidan Commentar p. 475. 15. Whilst Francis Junius was a Student in Lions there came a Man to him using the words of the Epicure Nihil curare Deum nec sui nec alieni That God cares for nothing And he Corroborated this with such subtile Arguments that Junius sucked in that damnable Principle and thereupon gave up himself to vile Pleasures for somewhat more than a year But the Lord suffered him not to continue longer in so dangerous a condition For first in a tumult at Lions the Lord wonderfully delivered him from imminent Death which Signal Deliverance compelled him to acknowledge a Divine Providence And his Father hearing of the dangerous courses that he took sent for him home requiring him to read over the New Testament Concerning which himself thus Writes Novum Testamentum aperis exhibet se mihi ad spectu primo Augustissimum illud Caput in Principio erat Verbum c. When I had opened the New Testament the
On the Lord's Day Octob. 6. she said thus Here is nothing here but sin I am willing to die but either to live or to die which the Lord pleaseth his Will be done and so it will whether I will or no On Tuesday at Night Octob. 8. seeing her Mother weeping she said Mother do not weep for me but leave me to the Lord and let him do with me what he pleaseth And then clasping her Arms about her Mother's Neck her Mother said Thou embracest me but I trust thou art going to the Embracings of the Lord Jesus She answered Mother I know it that when I go from hence I shall go into Health and Happiness or else I should not undergo all my Pains with so much patience More Expressions of Mary Warren Pray you Mother take off these Plaisters for I would not have them I would have no Doctors or Apothecaries for God shall be my Physician and he will heal me I do not value the Things of this World no more than Dirt. Her Mother had told one That she thought her Daughter had Assaults of Satan she once looked very ghastly and now her Daughter said thus Once I think I looked ghastly and turned my Head on one side and on the other Satan stood upon my left side and God was upon my right side and opened the Gates of Heaven for me and he told me Satan should not hurt me though he sought to devour me like a roaring Lyon I am very sore from the Crown of my Head to the Sole of my Foot but I am so full of Comfort and Joy that I do feel but little of my Pain I do not know whether I shall live or die but whether I live or die it will be well for me I am not in trouble for my sins God is satisfied with his Son Jesus Christ for he hath wash'd them away with his Blood Then her Sister standing by she said Sister Betty and Sister Anne be sure your first Work be in the Morning to seek the Lord by Prayer and likewise in the Evening and give Thanks for your Food for you cannot pray too ofen to the Lord and though you cannot speak such Words as others have yet the Lord will accept of the Heart for you do not know how soon your Speech may be taken away as mine was She desired her Mother thus Do not let too much Company be here late at Night lest it should hinder them from seeking the Lord in Duty at home I know not whether I shall live or die but if I die and if you will have a Sermon I desire this may be the Text the Place I do not know but the Words may be comfortable to you That David when his Child was sick he cloathed himself in Sackcloth and wept but when his Child was dead he washed and eat Bread For you have wept much while I have been sick and if I die you have cause to rejoyce My Comfort is in the Lord there is Comfort indeed Though we may seek Comfort here and the Glory of this World yet what is all that All will be nothing when we come to lie upon a Death-bed then we would fain have the Love of God and cannot get it I am full of Comfort and Joy Though my Pains are very great yet I am full of Joy and Comfort I was very full of Comfort before but I am fuller of Joy this Hour than I have been yet It is better to live Lazarus's Life and to die Lazarus's Death than to live Dives's Life he had his Delicates and afterwards would have been glad to have had Lazarus dip his Finger in Water and cool his Tongue The last Night I could not stir my Head Hand nor Foot but by and by the Lord did help me to move my Head a little and at length my Body O what a good God have I that can cast down and raise up in a moment 29. Of the Expressions of an hopeful Child the Daughter of Mr. Edward Scarfield that was but Eleven Years of Age in March 1661 Gathered from a Letter written by one fearing God that lived in the House with the Child In August last this Child was sick of a Fever in which time she said to her Father who is a holy humble precious Man I am afraid I am not prepared to die and fell under much trouble of Spirit being sensible not only of actual Sins but of her lost Estate without Christ in Unbelief as Ephes 2.12 John 16.8 9. and she wept bitterly crying out thus My sins are greater than I can bear I doubt God will not forgive them telling her Father I am in unbelief and I cannot believe Yet she was drawn out to pray many times in those words of Psal 25. For thy Name 's sake O Lord pardon my sin for it is great Thus she lay oft mourning for sin and said I had rather have Christ than Health She would repeat many Promises of God's Mercy and Grace but said she could not believe But whilst her Father was praying the Lord raised her Soul up to believe as she told her Father when Prayer was ended Now I believe in Christ and I am not afraid of Death After this she said I had rather die than sin against God Since that time she hath continued quiet in mind as one that hath Peace with God Her Father saith that since she was Five Years old he remembred not that either a Lye or an Oath hath ever come out of her Mouth neither would she have wronged any to the value of a Pin. For these two last Relations I 'm beholding to Mr. Henry Jessey Next follows a Narrative of the Conversions and happy Deaths of several young Children extracted from Mr. White 's and Mr. Janeway's Treatises upon that Subject to which the Reader is refer'd for a much larger Account 1. THere was a Child of whom many things which I here relate I was an Ear-witness of and other things which I shall speak of him I am fully satisfied of This little Child when he died was in Coats somewhat above eight years old of singular Knowledge Affections and Duties for his Age of whom that I may give a more full Account For his Knowledge 1. He asked how the Angels could sin since there were none to tempt them and they were with God 2. It being told him that all Sins and Duties were commanded in the Ten Commandments and forbid I asked him what Commandment forbad Drunkenness He said Thou shalt not kill for they quartelled and killed one another His Father asked him who bid you learn your Book and there is no Commandment saith Thou shalt learn thy Book The Child answered in these words or to this purpose It is said Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother you bid me learn my Book He asked his Father when he was at Dinner what became of Children that died before Baptism he made a little stop that he might answer him
forsake all my Sins I am willing to give Glory to God in taking Shame unto myself I acknowledge myself a guilty Malefactor and judge myself worthy of the just Condemnation of the Righteous Judge of all the Earth XV. I hope I am one whom God hath taken into Covenant with himself because he hath bestowed upon me the Fruits of the Covenant because he hath circumcised my Heart to love him and hath put his Fear into me and hath wrought an universal change in me and hath given me a new Heart and a new Spirit XVI As for my Affliction that lieth upon me though it be in itself very heavy I much more desire the sanctification of it than the removal I earnestly labour to learn all those Lessons which God teacheth me by Affliction XVII Faith is the Condition of Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And this is his commandment that we should believe in his Son Jesus Christ. Now I find nothing so hard to me as to believe aright Yet I must and will give Glory to God and say Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Thus I have according to the Apostle's Exhortation endeavoured to give a Reason of the Hope that is in me Thus far Mr. Edm. Calamy 18. Mr. Albyn's Evidences for Heaven which take in his own Words viz. Some Observations upon my own Heart which I humbly hope are true Evidences of a Work of saving Grace and that my Soul has a real Interest in Jesus Christ and I desire to deal plainly sincerely and truly as in the presence of the Heart searching God in this great and weighty Work of Self-Examination humbly and heartily imploring the Grace and Assistance of God's most Holy Spirit therein 1. I desire every day to attain unto a most clear and distinct Knowledge of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost with all their Properties and Attributes and to have more high and reverend Thoughts of him and to be more enlarged in Thankfulness in Heart and Life for my Creation and Preservation but especially for my Redemption 2. I desire a true sanctified Knowledge of the whole Will of God and the full Latitude of every Commandment 3. I heartily desire and endeavour to yield constant and chearful Obedience to every one of his Commandments and particularly I endeavour to consecrate the Sabbath Day in the Service of God only and I embrace all opportunities besides that I conveniently may to hear the Word of God Preached and to Read and Meditate on it in private and I would not willingly omit any opportunity for coming to the Table of the Lord nor neglect Praying in my Family or alone in private in and by all which Ordinances 't is the unfeigned Desire of my Soul to enjoy true Spiritual Communion with God through Jesus Christ and that every Grace of God may by them be strengthened in me and evdry Sin and Lust mortified and though I do most miserably and sinfully miscarry in the Performance of every Holy Duty being continually haunted with many sinful Wandrings and Indispositions of Heart for which I unfeignedly humble my self 'twixt God and my own Soul confessing the same and Judging and Condemning my self for them in his Presence yet through the infinite Mercy and Bounty of my gracious God through Jesus Christ I feel and experimentally find some sensible Abatements of the one and a comfortable Addition to the Strength of the other 4. I do desire and in some poor Measure endeavour constantly to watch and observe the Actings and Motions of my own Heart and would not allow of any sinful Project or Design whatsoever to be contrived and harboured therein and am more careful to keep my Heart from contemplative Iniquity then to order my outward Actions to the Liking and Approbation of Men. 5. I desire to know the Duties of every one of my Relations and conscientiously to walk in all of them to Magistrates Ministers Parents Wife Children Servarts and all others and in reference to the present Distractions of our Land I humbly desire that the Lord would be pleased to set up such a Magistracy as I may with a good Conscience yield chearful Obedience to all its Lawful Commands and such under whom Religion may flourish the Power of Godliness be countenanced and the Government of Jesus Christ be erected and submitted unto for the Effecting whereof I pray that God would cast out the Spirit of Errour Prophaneness and Divisions that is almongst us 6. For the Duties of my particular Calling I desire faithfully to discharge the same and pray that God would give me such a Measure of Grace and true Heavenly Wisdom as that I may not be carryed away with Covetousness Ambition or Deceitfulness on the one hand nor with Pride Idleness or Presumption on the other but that I may conscientiously Labour diligently in my Calling so as to provide for my Family and that I may have to give to him that needeth Praying that I may be kept from all those Sins and Temptations that do attend my Calling at any time 7. I do often tho' with much Frailty and Weakness reflect on my own ways acknowledging before God and bewailing my own Miscarriages and beg Pardon for them and all my secret unknown Sins through the Merits of Jesus Christ and still desire the Lord to keep me from the Deceits of my own Heart and from all the Temptations I do or may meet with in reference to the Sins of the present evil Times And in my Judgment and Affections so far as I know my own Heart I would rather loose all my outward Comforts and Accommodations then sin against my God by a sinful Submission to any unlawful Injunctions for the Preservation thereof and pray thatas the Lord hath hitherto I hope in some good measure kept me so he would still preserve me upright in Heart before him and unspotted in Life before Men and that if I should be called thereunto he would give me Grace and Strength to make publick Profession of my Resolution to persevere in well doing and to keep close to my Duty whatsoever Sufferings I meet withal and that the carnal Reasoning of my corrupt Flesh and Blood which I find to be exceeding strong and often assaulting of me may never prevail over me to make me sin against my God on whose Promises I desire above all other things Grace to rest and commit my self to his gracious Providence to take care for me and mine rather then to use and sinful means to secure or provide for my self or them 8. In all Streights and Difficulties I meet with in my Calling and in all Hazards in my Estate by Sea or otherwise I first of all make my Addresses to the Throne of Grace for Strength and Courage to trust and relie upon the faithful Promises and gracious Providence of God and for Direction and Assistance for the conscientious using of all lawful Means for the managing of my
unto them but the Servant thinking himself wiser than his Master gave them but two Crowns not knowing what occasions they might have for Money before they got home Not long after some Noble-men meeting the Bishop and knowing him to be a very charitable Man appointed two Hundred Crowns to be paid to the Bishop's Servant for his Master's use The Servant having received the Money presently with great Joy acquainted his Master therewith whereupon said the Bishop Thou mayest now see how in wronging the Poor of their due by keeping back the third Crown which I intended them thou hast likewise wronged me if thou hadst given those three Crowns I commanded thee to give thou hadst received three Hundred Crowns whereas now I have but two Melanc apud Job Manlium in Loc. Com. 6. Suitable likewise to this point is the Story of one John Stewart Provost of Aire in Scotland who was eminent for Piety and Charity He had a considerable Estate left him by his Father of which he gave a great part to the Poor and other charitable Uses To pass by many I shall mention only one His Heart on a time being much affected with the Wants and Necessities of many of God's People who were in a suffering Condition he sendeth for divers of them to Edinburgh where being met and some time spent in Prayer he made them promise not to reveal what he was about to do so long as he lived and then told them He was not ignorant in what a low Condition many of them were and therefore he had brought some Money with him to lend each of them yet so as they should never offer to repay it till he required the same soon after this such a Plague brake forth in Aire the place of his abode that Trade much decayed and he himself with others were reduced to straits Whereupon some of the Prophane in that place derided him saying That Religion had made him poor and his giving so much to others like a Fool had brought him to want But mark what followed Having borrowed a little Money he departs from Aire to Rochel in France where Salt and other Commodities being exceeding cheap for want of Trading he adventured to fraught a Ship loading her upon Credit and then went back again through England to Aire in Scotland having ordered the Ship to come thither but after long expectation he was informed for certain that his Ship was taken by a Turkish Man of War the Report whereof did exceedingly afflict him not because he knew not how to be abased as well as how to abound but out of fear that the Mouths of wicked Men would be the more opened to the reproaching of his Profession and Charity But soon after Tidings was brought him that his Ship was safely arrived in the Road and upon his going forth saw it was a Truth And through God's good Providence as a Reward of his Charity he made so much of the Commodities in the Ship that after the Payment of his Debts he had Twenty thousand Marks left for himself Though his Bread was cast upon the Waters and to appearance lost yet after many Days it returned to him with great advantage This Story Hately relates in a Book called The Fulfilling of the Scriptures 7. Daniel Waldow Esq Citizen and Mercer who was chosen Alderman of London is a further proof of this Doctrine before laid down I could from-mine own Experience speak much of his Bounty and Charity as also of that plentiful Estate wherewith God blessed him thereupon but I shall rather give it you in the Words of that holy Man and blessed Servant of Christ in the Work of the Ministry Mr. James Nalton now with God who was more intimately acquainted with Mr. Waldow and therefore the more fit to Preach his Funeral Sermon and to set forth his Life for our Imitation his Words are these He was a Man eminent and exemplary in the Grace of Charity as appeared by his great Bounty manifested on every occasion Never any good Man Minister or other came to propound any Work of Charity publick or private that needed to do any more than to propound it for his Heart was so set upon Works of Mercy that he prevented Importunity by his Christian and Heroick Liberty He made no more of giving Ten Pounds to a Work of Charity than many other rich Men make of giving Ten Shillings His Charity had two singular Concomitants which made it remarkable and praise-worthy 1. He did good while he lived He carried his Lanthorn before him He made his own Hands his Executors and his own Eyes his Overseers Some will part with their Riches when they can keep them no lo nger This is like a Cut-purse that being espied or pursued will drop a Purse of Gold because he can keep it no longer but to be doing Good in our Life-time while we have Opportunity this is an Act of Faith and an Evidence that we can trust God with our Estates and our Children that he will provide for them when our Heads are laid in the Grave 2. He dispersed his Charity so secretly without any Self-seeking or Pharisaical Vain-glory that his Left-hand did not know what his Right-hand did Therefore did he often go with an Hundred Pounds under his Cloak to some Godly Friends desiring them to distribute it amongst such honest poor People as stood most in need of his Relief In brief he did so much good while he lived as if he meant to have nothing to do when he died and yet he gave so largely when he came to die as if he had done no Good when he lived Many I know are apt to say They have many Children and therefore cannot give so had Mr. Waldâ—â— He had Nine Children alive at his Death but the providing for them was no obstruction to his Charity nor prejudice to his Children but did rather entail a Blessing upon them 8. Mr. John Walter Citizen and Draper of London was signally charitable not only at his Death but in the whole Course of his Life even from his younger Years For the avoiding of Vain-glory his manner was to send considerable Sums of Money to poor Families by the hands of others in whose Faithfulness he could confide Whereupon God did not only bless him with a large Estate but likewise gave him such Contentedness therein that he sat down abundantly satisfied and made a solemn Vow and Promise unto God That he would give the Surplusage of his Estate whatever it was that for the future should accrue unto him from his Calling to charitable Uses See his own Expressions transcribed out of his Last Will and Testament I thought fit to declare that about Twenty Years past when the Lord had entrusted me with a convenient Estate sufficient to maintain my Charge and afford fit Portions for my Wife and Children after my Decease I resolved that what further Estate the Lord should be pleased to intrast me with to bestow the
and Wisdom must this God be that stretched out the Heavens like a round Canopy and hung it over this lower World in so exact and circular a Figure that no inequality can be found in it 3. Of the Situation of the Heavens ALL this Great Body hung with an innumerable Number of Stars and Planets each Body big enough to make a World of all this hung upon nothing no material Arches no visible Pillars to support it Nothing but the Power of him that made it It surpasses Human Skill the Wit of all Men in the World to hang a little Ball or an Egg-shell in the Air without somewhat material to support it God hath not only hung the Earth but the Heavens also upon nothing What cannot the God of all the World do Let him but speak the Word and he can make a World stand without Pillars His Word is enough for a World to stand upon and shall poor sneaking Man be afraid to venture upon his Promise He spake the Word and the World was created he spake the Word and the Heavens were stretched forth over the empty places He may speak the Word Ten thousand times and Man shall despond and be afraid to venture out any further than he can stand upon his own Legs If St. Peter step forth upon the Sea at the Voice of his Saviour he begins to sink And if the Sinner do but essay to trust upon the Word of the Almighty when no outward supply is ready at hand his Faith fails him and he sinks into Despair So long as we have Money in our Pockets or a Remedy in sight we can keep our Feet but in Poverty Distress and Danger all the Promises in the Gospel sealed with the Word and Oath of a God are not Ground enough for Man to set his Foot upon 4. Of the Stars and Planets WHich deserve to be considered 1. As many How many I know not You have heard the Phrases As the Stars of Heaven for multitude and as the Sands upon the Sea-shore Used promiscuously sometimes one sometimes the other Astronomers have long ago reckoned up 1022 of them that are visible and 't is concluded those that are invisible are far the greater number Psal 147.4 He telleth the Number of the Stars and calls them all by their Names If the Stars of Heaven be so numerous what are the Inhabitants that dwell beyond I grant 't is a little Flock that goes to Heaven compared with the many many damned Souls that go to Hell but as God said to Abraham Gen. 15.5 Look now towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them c. The number of them that stand about the Throne is ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands stand before him Rev. 5.11 He sheweth Mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his Commands And let not any think that amongst so many Children God will forget or overlook any of them he knows them all and will lose none of them He calls his own Sheep by Name and leads them out John 10.3 He counts our wandrings puts our Tears into a Bottle the very Hairs of our Head are all numbred There 's not a Word in our Mouth nor a Thought in our Heart but he knows it altogether Such Knowledge is too great for us it may put us into wonder and strike us with an awful Reverence of the Divine Omnipotence and Wisdom Consider then a little Sinner how many thy Sins are how many the Mercies of God bestowed upon thee how many Invitations thou hast had to Repentance and how many Repulses thou hast given to the Messages of Heaven and withal how if they were ten thousand times ten thousand more God knows and remembers them all and then say with Job 9.2 How should Men be just with God 2. Their Greatness Indeed they seem little to us because they are a great way off Distance of Place gives Disadvantage to the Prospect but he that saith they are no bigger than they seem is as wise as that Philosopher that thought the Sun was no bigger than his Head The Learned and most Skilful Astronomers do generally conclude it for a demonstrative Truth that the least Star in the Firmament is bigger than the Earth we live upon And yet these so great Bodies are carried so high supported only with the Hand of the Almighty let not the penitent Sinner then say can God raise me up from the Grave of Sin from Things below and set me up on high and bring me safe to Heaven Thô thou liest now among the Potsherds sunk deep into Sin and Misery yet God is able to lift thee and thousands more and carry thee as upon Eagles Wings and set you as Stars in Heaven there to shine for ever and ever 3. Distance from one another especially the Planets and from the Earth The Moon is next to us Mercury next Venus in the third place the Sun fourth Mars the fifth Jupiter the sixth Saturn highest the Fixed Stars above them all Were they all in the same Orb they would move together at the same time and make no Distinction of Day and Night of Winter and Summer or not so much as would serve for our Necessities And should they be all so low as the lowest or should he that holds them there let them fall thence by the reverse of his Decree or the withdrawing of his constant Providence they would soon set this World on Fire and send us off the Stage and burn the Universe into a Scroll Should God draw back the Hand of his Omnipotence but one moment the Stars would fall upon our Heads and make this whole World into a Hell in the twinkling of an Eye How necessarily do we depend upon the Divine Mercy for our Safety and Security every Hour we live More ways than one than a thousand doth he keep Death and Destruction from us Let us consider a little this excellent Favour So many Globes as big as Worlds and most of them far greater hanging over our Heads all the Days of our Life and we still walking safe under them how much methinks do we owe to the Power and good Providence of God for saving our Lives in such imminent Danger Were those excellent Bodies subject to the like Irregularities as we are apt to go out of their place to leave their Orbs to disobey the Will of him that made them as Man generally is what a dangerous Condition should we be in Damocles who sat down to Table at a Feast with a naked Sword hanging over his Head with a Horse-hair had no such reason of an awful fear upon him as we have if he that govern'd the Stars were a Man and not God 4. Their Light Which is so great in all that if but one of the Stars or Planets except the Moon which hath none but borrowed Light were not kept at a distance from us they would certainly dazle our weak Eyes into
the bravery of the Temple by the Excellency of the outward Court If the Walls of Babylon are so great what is the City But if the very Suburbs of the New Jerusalem yea the Neighbour-Villages and Country round about at so vast a distance be so rich so plentiful what shall we think of the place itself If the Sun shines to us so glorious so far off what is it if you were near to it I desire not Readers to impose upon your Faith tell me you that admire this World for so delicate an Eden do not you think the God that made it and gave it to the Children of Men most of which care but little for him hath he not a far better for himself and his own Children Psal 8.1 3 c. 2. The Reports of them that have been there or had some sight of the place I shall name St. Paul for one 2 Cor. 12.2 4. Will ye believe such a Man See what he saith 2 Cor. 4.17 18 2 Tim. 4.8 and in several other places I mention St. John the Apostle for another entertained with extraordinary Visions in the Isle of Patmos Rev. 21.2 c. Will ye believe the Son of God that came down from Heaven to visit the Children of Men And came on purpose to court us and prepare our way thither he hath told you of those Rewards in several places Mat. 8.11 Mat. 13.43 Mat. 22.30 Luke 12.32 Luke 20.36 John 10.28 Neither have they only told us these Stories but seal'd their Reports with Miracles and Sufferings And others have believ'd them as wise as we and we believe others in Things as strange and incredible that are not so worthy of Credit as this And why do we stumble here But verily Canaan was a Type of Heaven and the Reports of that a Figure of these and the Unbelief of the Israelites in that Case a Shadow of ours in this They would not believe then nor we now but the Aggravation is on our part Caleb only of them that were sent to search the Land encourag'd them We have a Cloud of Witnesses to encourage us and yet we will not believe Well many of them fell short God not being pleased with them let us take care lest we fall also the same Example of Vnbelief 4. The Inhabitants that dwell there and are like to be our Companions for ever Here we sojourn in Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar we cohabit with a People of unclean Lips and an uncircumcised Heart In Hell the Company is worse nothing there but damned cursed blaspheming Spirits In Heaven is pure Society without any mixture of Evil or Unkindness The Apostle tells you who they are and I suppose you know Heb. 12.22 23 c. 1. God himself Blessed for Evermore The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lord's Throne is in Heaven Psal 11.4 The Lord of Hosts wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working A King Eternal Immortal Invisible who dwells in the Light which no meer Mortal Man can approach unto The Strength of Israel glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises gracious and merciful slow to anger of great kindness abundant in Goodness and Truth The Father of Lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come the same God for ever and ever The humble holy and compassionate Jesus who died for us who trod the Wine-press of his Father's Wrath alone for us and came from Heaven to Earth from Earth to Hell from Earth to Heaven again to prepare the Way and provide Mansions of Bliss and Crowns of Glory for us The Blessed Spirit the Second Advocate our tender Guide Solliciter and Comforter the Three-One God blessed for evermore 2. The holy Angels glorious Creatures as far superiour to the Excellency of Man as Man is to the Beasts that perish We may guess their Excellency 1. From their Priority of Creation Indeed Moses or whoever was the Author of Genesis gives us no Historical Account of their Creation because it concern'd not us But we may probably conjecture that they were made before us not only because of their Excellency but because likewise they are said to be present Witnesses of the Creation of Man and sung together Job 38.7 When the Foundations of the World were fasten'd and the Corner-stone laid And besides no sooner scarce was Man in Paradise but Satan was there ready one of the fallen Angels to lay a Temptation for him 2. Their Nature having neither the Clogs of Flesh Bones or Blood as we have but free nimble intellectual Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principalities and Powers endow'd with an extraordinary Measure of Knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eyes before and behind of a quick Sight and Conception and a quicker Expedition in the Dispatch of Sacred Duty Love hath given Wings of an ardent Zeal and a flaming Affection thence called Seraphim in a word immaterial and immortal 3. Their Number You will not expect that we should count the Stars of Heaven Rev. 12.4 Some of the Heathens thought them innumerable so Max. Tyr. and Pythagoras thought all the Air was full of them Thales omnia Deorum sunt plena Orpheus counted 365 Hesiod Three Myriads the Holy Scripture Thousands and Ten thousand times Ten thousand c. Dan. 7.10 Whatever they are they are many and glorious Creatures insomuch that the very appearance of them in this lower World would dazle and affright us We have frequent mention made in the Old Testament of their appearing to some Persons of greater Favour and Eminency in the Church and yet even then it was an astonishing Wonder and even good Men look'd upon it as a Presage of Death Judg. 13.6 19 22. and it would be so now We are dash'd in the Presence of a Man that is extraordinarily famous and eminent for Wisdom Goodness or Greatness How many have we read or heard of Men of a competent Spirit Presence and Courage have been struck mute in the Company of some Great Sir How should we veil our Faces now to Angels as they to God in Heaven The Rags of our Mortality Sin and Baseness is enough to make us blush in such pure glorious heavenly Company That which I drive at in all this is to shew That if the Inhabitants be so rich so brave the Country is a Paradise If the Courtiers are so gorgeously apparelled and arrayed with so high a Glory the Court is more glorious These are the Natives of the place And do not you think the place where they live is mighty pleasant They must needs fare well that go to such good Company 4. But besides all this we shall have the Society of the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Fan the World and sift it so clean that all the Chaff may be driven away and nothing left but pure Grain Good Men Men that love God and work Righteousness and cleave to that which is good Run over all
time who were consulted touching the use of a Medicine the Spectre or Ghost prescrib'd of which mention will be made anon but they determined on the Negative But this by the by Till part of the Afternoon was spent all was quiet but at length he was perceived to rise from the Ground Whereupon Mr. Greatrix and another lusty Man clapt their Arms over his Shoulder one of them before him and the other behind and weighed him down with all their Strength But he was forcibly taken up from them and they were too weak to keep their hold and for a considerable time he was carried in the Air to and fro over their Heads several of the Company still running under him to prevent his being hurt if he should fall At length he fell and was caught before he came to the Ground and had by that means no hurt All being quiet till Bed-time my Lord order'd two of his Servants to lie with him and the next Morning he told his Lordship that his Spectre was again with him and brought a wooden Dish with grey Liquor in it and bad him drink it off At the first sight of the Spectre he said he endeavour'd to awake his Bedfellows but it told him That that endeavour should be in vain and that he had no cause to ear him he being his Friend and he that at first gave him the good Advice in the Field which had he not followed he had been before now perfectly in the power of the Compan he saw there He added that he concluded it was impossible but that he should have been carried away the day before there being so strong a Combination against him But now he would assure him that there would be no more Attempts of that Nature but he being troubled with two sorts of sad Fits he had brought that Liquor to cure him of them and bid him drink it He peremptorily refusing the Spectre was angry and upbraided him with great disingenuity but told him That however he had a kindness for him and that if he would take Plantine Juice he should be well of one sort of Fits but he should carry the other to his Grave The poor Man having by this time somewhat recover'd himself ask'd the Spectre whether by the Juice of Plantain he meant that of the Leaves or Roots It replied The Roots Then it askt him whether he did not know him He answer'd No. He replied I am such a one The Man answer'd He hath been long dead I have been dead said the Spectre or Ghost seven Years and you know that I lived a loose Life and ever since have I been hurried up and down in a restless condition with the Company you saw and shall be to the day of Judgment Then he proceeded to tell him that had he acknowledged God in his ways he had not suffer'd such severe things by their means And further said You never pray'd to God that day before you met with this Company in the Field and also going about an unlawful Business and so vanish'd Mr. Glanvil's Sadducism Triumph p. 423. 4. Mr. Alexander Clogie Minister of Wigmore in the County of Hereford aged Fourscore Years published a Set of Sermons A. 16â—4 under this Title Vox Corvi or the Voice of the Raven that thrice spoke these Wards distinctly viz. Look into Colossians the 3d. and 15th Licensed according to Order London Printed by W. B. c. The occasion of it was as we are told in the Epistle to the Reader On the 3d. of Feb. 1691. about Three in the Afternoon this Reverend Divine a Persons of the Venerable Age of Eighty Years and Forty of those a laborious Teacher of God's Word in the Parish of Wigmore being in the Hall of his own House with his Wife some Neighbours and Relations together with two small Grand-children of his in all to the number of eight Persons Thomas Kinnersley one of the said Grandchildren of 10 Years of Age starting up from the Fire-side went out of the Hall-door and sate himself down upon a Block by a Wood-pile before the Door cutting of a Stick and in ress than a quâ—â—ter of an Hour return'd into the Hall in great Amazement his Countenance pale and affrighted and said to his Grandfather and Grandmother Look in the 3d. of the Colossians and the 15th with a great Palsion and Earnestness repeating the Words no less than three times telling them with a mighty Ardency that a Raven had spoken them three times from the Peak of the Steeple and that it look'd towards W. W.'s House and shook its Head thitherward directing its Looks and Motions still towards that House All which Words he heard the Raven distinctly utter three times and then saw it mount and fly out of Sight The Grandfather turning to the Text in the Bible and reading the Words Let the Peace of God rule in your Hearts c. The Child was fully satisfied and his Countenance composed again The Family to which the Raven seemed to direct her Voice were by means hereof perfectly Reconciled I doubt not but this Relation will seem incredible in an Age of so little Faith but I have not time to plead for the Credibility of every particular and strange Story that I relate Sure I am Mr. Clogie doth not Preach or Write like a Man fallen into his Dotage or like a weak and unskilful Divine 5. Dwelling at Leeds in Kent saith Mr. Batman Professor in Divinity a glowing Light like unto a quick Cole appeared at my Bed's Feet at the sudden sight whereof I was as well in doubt as afraid taking view thereof twice or thrice to the end I would not be deceived of that Appearance and desiring God's Assistance from Evils it vanished away Shortly after I was in present danger of being Slain in the House of him whom I took to be my Friend c. Not many Years after I fell into the Hands of Inconstant Men whose double Deâ—lings I referred to God and one of them was struck Blind another fell into a Dropsie a Third ask'd Forgiveness c. There happened to me in Kent also a sudden Fire in the House wherein I then dwelt so that the House was consumed to the Ground whether because before that time I greatly reproved Witchery of those that then were Suspected or for my secret Sins against God from the which no Flesh is clear I appeal before the Throne of thy most magnificent Grace c. Doâ—n's Warning to the Judgment p. 410. I could add many more Instances of this kind but having already mentioned some others in other Chapters I shall forbear lest I cloy my Reader and provoke him to a nauseate or loathing Nequid nimis CHAP. XXVII Remarkable Faith THE Graces of the Spirit of God found to be Sincere but especially in an excellent degree in Christians are called frequently in the Gospel The Earnest of the Spirit and the Earnest of the Future Iâ—heritance as if God never bestowed these
forsaken and hardned Another time to Mrs. N. How deplorable a thing is this that I who have preached so much of the Glory of another World should now be deprived of it all You will as surely see me damned as you now see e stand here And again being prest to publish his Repentance for his Book that had caused him so much Trouble he answered I have thought sometimes so to do but I am so confused and confounded in my Mind that I know not what to do I can do nothing to purpose Again with a deep Sign said The black Tokens of Reprobation are upon me I cannot stoop to the Sovereignty of God I would be above him In short he drew three Papers of Recantation written with his own Hand The first of which begins thus That it is a Dishonour to the Church and Clergy of England to have such an one that hath no more Wit so little Justice Reason and Conscience plead for them that the Author of this Libel is worthily so represented appears by divers base false devillish and most scandalous Passages therein contained They are represented as a People weak and phantastical and not rendring a tolerable Reason for their differing from others which is a devillish stroke made by a black blow to assert the Nonconformists have no kind of Order in sending forth their Ministers that Preachers run on their own Head upon a phansiful Supposition that they are able to Preach or at the most have but the Consent and Connivance of a few weak Persons is a Devillish Lie as thousands can witness to say it is a true State or the Case being truly thus as we are able to make it good is a Lie if possible more than damnable c. After which he miserable destroyed himself Octob. 13. 1684. See the Narrative attested by Tho Blunt and Ben. Dennis and printed May the 7. 1688. CHAP. XLVI Good People extreamly Afflicted and mightily Comforted THE sharpest Afflictions often befal the best of Men not only Outward and Temporal but Inward and Spiritual insomuch that they are ready sometimes to cry out with our Blessed Saviour Eli Eli Lama-Sabachtheni God withdraws his glorious Countenance and Satan shews his ugly Visage and all this on purpose to rouse and startle a secure World and convince us that it is no very easy matter to get to Heaven and that 't is the safest way to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling Besides it serves to shew the Sincerity of the poor deserted Christian for in such cases the Man is mightily humbled and confesseth all his Sins and strips himself stark naked of any Merit or Conceit of his own inherent Righteousness and freely acknowledges that he hath none else to fly to for Succour and Consolation but God only 1. Mr. Tho. Peacock Batchelor of Divinity and Fellow of Brazen-Nose Colledge in Oxford in his Illness was strangely Afflicted and as strangely comforted as may be collected by these Despairing and Comfortable Expressions of his in the time of his Visitation compared together 1st His Despairing Expressions were such as these ' I thought I had been in a good Estate but I see it now sat otherwise for these things my Conscience lays against me First I brought up my Scholars in Gluttony while I was talking they did undo themselves And further I did unadvisedly expound many places of Scripture many times at the Table and for these I now feel a Hell in my Conscience Again I have procured my own Death by often eating like a Beast when I came jostling up and down to my Friends in the Country and now I see before my Face those Dishes of Meat wherewith I clogged my Stomach Sin Sin Sin I am uncapable of Prayers A damnable wretched c. O! how woful and miserable is my Estate that thus must converse with Hell-hounds The Lord hath cursed me I have no Grace I was a foolish glorious Hypocrite it is against the Course of God's Proceeding to save me he hath otherwise decreed he cannot I can put my Trust in God no more than a Horse I desire to believe no more than a Post than a Horse-shooe I have no more Sense of Grace than these Curtains than a Goose than that Block O! O miserable and woful the burden of my Sin lieth heavy upon me I doubt it will break my Heart Comforts They are nothing to me hold your Peace do not trouble your selves idly you vex me your words are as Daggers to my Heart To one saying Good Sir endeavour to settle your Mind he answered Yes to play with Hell-hounds I cannot desire Grace I can as well leap over the Church I fear to be damned for my Sins I cannot so much as name Jesus I had rather be in the Fire than here Cursed be the day when I took Scholars c. 2d His Gracious and Comfortable Expressions As O if God! O God give me a Spark of Grace c. O if God would give me a drop O if I had O if it would please God! I had rather than any thing in this or other three thousand Worlds I thank God he hath began to ease me O I love your Company to Dr. Aiery and Mr. Dod c. for the Graces in you O God reconcile me unto thee that I may taste one dram of thy Grace Being put in mind of that place Isaiah 45.8 11 c. he lift up his Eyes saying Take heed be not too bold look to the Foundation Lord grantme the Comfort of the Deliverance c. Blessed be God! blessed be God! blessed c. I am a thousand times happy to have such Felicity thrown upon me a poor wretched Miscreant Lord Jesus unto thy hands Lord receive my Soul Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon me and be merciful unto me Then very weak he repeated the Lord's-Prayer twice his Belief once with a strong Voice and so slept in the Lord. The last Conflicts and Death of Mr. Tho. Peacock Published by E. B. 1646. 2. See the Story of Mrs. Joan Drake and her great Afflictions together with her subsequent Comforts in the foregoing Chapter Of Earnests of a Future Retribution of Mr. Honywood and others in the Chap. of Doubts strangely Resolved 3. Mr. Paul Baynes on his Death-Bed had many Doubts and Fears upon him so that he went out of the World with her less Comfort than many weaker Christians saith my Author Mrs. Harris Dr. Harris's last Wife though a pious Woman yet was much afflicted and delivered up to the Buffetings of Satan and such hellish Temptations that the ablest Divines were at their Wits-end to answer them and her poor self was put even beyond herself But as her Husband would often say The Difference is not great whether Comfort come a little before Death or an hour after Death See Dr. Harris 's Life 4. Mr. Richard Rothwell that bold Divine that often encountred the Devil with a Courage extraordinary yet was
prospect of Peace or Help and yet God hath revived me thro' his Soveraign Grace and Mercy and there have been several heretofore forely perplex'd with great inward and outward trouble whom God aftr that wonderfully refreshed Mr. Robert Bruce some time ago Minister at Edinburgh was Twenty years in Terrors of Conscience and yet delivered afterwards You may also direct them to the Lives of Mrs. Brettergh Mrs. Drake Mr. Peacock and Mrs. Wight where they will see a very chearful day returning after a black and stormy night and that the Issue from their Afflictions was more glorious than their Conflict was troublesome They went forth weeping they sowed in Tears but they reaped an Harvest of wonderful Joys afterwards You have in the Book of Martyrs written by Mr. Fox an instance of Mr. Glover who was worn and consumed with inward Trouble for the space of Five years that he neither had any Comfort in his Meat nor any Quietness of Sleep nor any Pleasure of Life he was so perplexed as if he had been in the deepest Pit of Hell yet at last this good Servant of God after so sharp Tempetations and the strong Buffetings of Satan was freed from all his trouble and was thereby framed to great Mortification and was like one already placed in Heaven and led a Life altogether Celestial abhorring in his Mind all propahen things and you have a remarkable instance of mighty Joy in Mr. Holland a Minister who having the day before he died meditated upon the 8th of the Romans he cried on a sudden Stay your Reading What Brightness is it that I see They told him it was the Sun-shine Nay saith he my Saviour's shine Now farewell World and welcome Heaven the day-star from an high hath visited my Heart O speak it when I am gone and let it be Preached at my Funeral God dealeth familiarly with Man I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty whether in the Body or out of the Body God he knoweth but I see things unutterale And in the Morning following he shut up his blessed Life with these blessed words O! what an happy Change shall I make from Night to Day from Darkness to Light from Death to Life from Sorrow to Solace from a factious World to an Heavenly Being O! my dear Friends it pitieth me to leave you behind yet remember what I now feel I hope you shall find e're you die That God doth and will deal familiarly with Men. And now thou fiery Chariot that came down to fetch up Eliah carry me to my happy hold and all the blessed Angels who attended the Soul of Lazarus to bring it up to Heaven bear me O bear me into the Bosom of my best Beloved Amen Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly And so he fell asleep See this and several other Instances in Mr. Robert Bolton's Instructions for Afflicted Consciences p. 87. and 235 c. Thus far Mr. Rogers I shall next add what dreadful Apprehensions a Soul has that is under Desertion from Mr. Rogers's own Experience and I shall give it you in his own words viz. The time of God's Forsaking of a Soul is a very dark and mournful time 't is not only night but a weeping stormy Night and it may not be unuseful to you who have it may be hitherto lived in the Beams and chearful Light of Day to know what passes in this sorrowful and doleful Night and in this Matter I will not borrow Information from others but give you my own Experience 1. In this Night the deserted Soul in overwhelmed with continual Thoughts of the Holiness and Majesty and Glory of the Lord not does in think of him with any manner of Delight acording to that of Asaph Psal 77.3 I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was over-whelmed And in how deplorable a case is such a Soul that cannot think of its God and its Creator but with Grief and Sorrow 2. The Deserted Soul in this mournful Night does look upon God as its Enemy and as intending its Hurt and Ruin by the Sharpness of his Dispensations and this makes it to be incapable of receiving any Consolation from the Creatures for will it say to them Alas if God be my Enemy as I apprehend him to be which of you can be my Friend He is with his People ut he has forsaken me he has east me into a fiery Furnace where I am daily burnt and scorcht and he is not with me there I dare not says the mourning Person look up to Heaven for there I see how great a God I have against me I dare not look into his Word for there I see all his Threats as so many barbed Arrows to strike me to the Heart I dare not look into the Grave because thence I am like to have a doleful Resurection and what can a poor Creature do that apprehends the Almighty to be his Enemy It is a common thing to say Why do you so lament and mourn you have many Mercies left many Friends that pray for you and that pity you Alas what help is there in all this if God himself be gone Nothing is then lookt upon as a Mercy and as for the Prayers of others will the distressed Person say They can do me no good unless I have Faith and I find I have none at all for that wou'd purify and cleanse my Heart and I do nothing else but sin 3. In this doleful Night the Soul hath no evidence at all of its former Grace so that in this Night the Sun is not only set but there is not one Star appears such an one look upon himself as altogether void of the Grace of God he looks upon all his former Duties to have been Insincere or Hypocrital he feels his Heart hardned at present and concludes that it was never tender I am an Apostate if I had any share in the Intercession of the great Redeemer he wou'd not leave me thus sad and desolate O! how greatly have I been deceived that imagined my self to be an Heir of Heaven and am now seized with the Pangs of Hell 4. During this Sadness the Soul cannot think of Christ himself with any Comfort For thus it argues he will be a Saviour to none but those that believe I have no Faith and therefore he will be no Saviour to me he that is to his Servants as the Lamb of God will be to me as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he that deals gently with them will tear me to pieces He seems to be angry and enraged against me for my Disobedience and though I have cried sometimes Have Mercy on me thou Son of David he passes away and does not regard my Cries and O what shall I do when he comes in the Clouds of Heaven when I am to stand at his Bar and to be punished as an Unbeliever 5. In this Night the Soul is full of Terror and how can it be otherwise when every
in French to this purpose Parlez peu parlez bien Parlez rien ou parlez bien The first is in English Speak little speak well And the second is Speak nothing or speak well If every a Man did observe that Rule punctually and followed those Proverbs exactly it was the Cardinal For except in Publick Meetings and when State-Business were in agitation he spoke very little or nothing at all We said afore that when the King himself did speak to him in the behalf of an English Gentleman he nodded only unto the Gentleman and gave him never a word See his Life by Dugres p. 34. 21. Thomas a Kempis is remarked likewise for his Silence in Company execepting where Discourse was moved upon Religious Subjects See his Life 22. Mr. Samuel Fairclough had it deeply engraven on his Heart for he highly approved that common Saying viz. Bene vixit qui bene latuit A retired Life is an happy Life 'T is true his Parts and his Employment would not permit him to be hid but he always endeavoured it and he counted a Life of Meditation and Study and sweetest Life in the World It was from this settled Judgement that he did avoid as much as he was able all places of publick Trust See his Life CHAP. LI. Good Wives Remarkable A Good Wife is the Gift of the Lord and a good Thing and rarely to be found said the wisest of meer Men And we have reason to believe him the rather because the first Man Adam the righteous Lot the faithful Abraham the meek Moses the strong Sampson the wise Solomon the zealous Peter the Philosopher Socrates the Orator Cicero were all either over-reached or over-powered or afflicted with Women Yet the Grace of God and the Doctrine of Christianity hath been able to make some Wives so good that they have been an Honour to their Sex and a Comfort and Crown to their Husbands Amongst the old Heathens we find these following remarkable viz. 1. Andromache the Wife of Hector noted by Ovid for one of the best of Wives 2. Laodomia the Wife of Protesilaus who hearing that her Husband was killed at Troy slew her self because she would not out-live her Husband Ovid. 3. Penlope the Wife of Vlisses a Woman of rare Chastity for though her Husband presently after Marriage went to Troy where he stayed Ten years and was Ten years more wandring out of his way home yet would the not by any means violate the Faith given to her Husband in Marriage no not when it was reported that her Husband was dead and her Parents perswaded her to marry and many Nobles came to woo her and some were ready to take her by force but she craving Patience till a Web of Cloth which she had in hand was finished undid that in the night which she did by day and so beguiled them At last her Husband returned and slew the Ruffians who had disturbed his Wife and House Idem 4. Amongst the Christians Marcella a Noble Matron of Rome with whom Hierom was acquainted and under his Instruction she profited so much that in Points of Controversy upon Points of Scripture People repaired to her as a Judge therein Clark 's Marr of Eccl. Hist 5. Livia is recorded to have been easy to Augustus feigning her self wholly at the bâ—ck of her Husband not for her Husband's sake but for her own and her Childrens And whatever Sempronius Gracchus and Caâ—us Caesar boast of their Cornelians M. Antony of his Octavia Germanicus of Agrippina and Trajan of his Plotina whatever the Brittish History vaunts of Marcia Proba the Wife of Guitheline of Maud the good Wife of Henry the First of Joan Beaufort married to James the First King of Scotland of Eleanor of Castile Wife of Edward the First Philippa of Haynault married to Edward the Third for their Manly Deeds for the Preservation of their Husbands or their Kingdoms or for their Conjugal Affection certainly William the Third of England might justly exalt his single Mary above all the Wives of former times than whom no Woman greater for her Courage more religious in her Affection more amiable in her Countenance more modest in her Habit more affable in her discourse or who with a more obedient Readiness to serve her Royal Consort whether present or absent was more his Counsellor his Hands his Ears his Eyes and every way more assistant to him Certainly this was the True Rose of York born indeed among Thorns yet free from Prickles her self as the August William told his mournful Bishops and Grandees That Mary 's Outside was known to them but her intrinsick and just value was only known to himself Fr. Spanhemius in his Funeral Orat. of Q. Mary II. p. 22. 6. Carlot a Portu Daughter of the Noble Peter a Portu Wife to Frederick Spanhemius was of such Innocency and Dove-like Simplicity free from Fraud and Guile and depended so wholly upon her Husband that she was willing to be governed in all things by his Advice which is the chief Commendations of a Wife and so had all things common with him Clark 's Eccl. Hist p. 499. 7. Clara Cervenda was one of the most beautiful and fairest Virgins in all Bruges she was married to Bernard Valdaura at that time above Forty four years of age The first night after her Marriage she found that her Husband's Thighs were rolled and wrapped with Clouts and that he was a Man very sore and sickly for all which she loved him not a whit the less Not long after Valdaura fell so sick that all the Physicians despaired of his Life then did she so attend upon him that in six Weeks space she put not off her Cloaths only for shift nor rested above an hour or two at the most in a night and that in her Cloaths This Disease was a venemous Relick of the Pox and the Physicians counselled Clara not to touch the sick Man or come near him and so also did her Kindred and Neighbours All which moved her not but having taken order for that which concerned the Benefit of his Soul she provided him all things that might tend to the Health of his Body she made him Broths and Juleps she changed his Sheets and Clouts although by reason of a continual Loosness and many Sores about him his Body never left running with Matter and Filth so that he never had any clean part about him All the day after she rested not the Strength of her Love supporting the Delicacy of her Body by this good means valdaura escaped that danger After this by reason of a sharp and hot Rheum falling from his Brain the Gristle within his Nose began to be eaten away wherefore the Physicians appointed a certain Powder to be blown up softly into his Nose at certain times with a Quill no body could be found to take such a loathsome Service in hand because of the Stench that came from him But Clara did it chearfully and when his Cheeks and
door therefore we should be watching for we know not what hour he will come My Brother John and Cousin Deb. thank you for your kind Letters I remain April 1663. Caleb Vernon After some time falling sick he earnestly desired to be Baptized I suppose being born of Anabaptist-Parents saying Father pray have you come to any Conclusion to day about my being baptized I pray Father do for indeed I cannot be satisfied and I would fain be in Christ's Fold After which being admonished and many gracious Expressions uttered he died comfortably See his Life printed An. 1665. 17. A Child of one Master Maxey of Lime when it was but Two years old would use to kneel down often and with his Eyes and Hands lift up towards Heaven seemed to be very serious in Prayer and as it grew older would often be at Prayer by it self and ask very strange Questions of its Mother concerning Spiritual Matters much beyond its Age The Mother expounded all these things as proceeding rather from childish Imitation than from any Relish or Understanding that it had of those things At last when the Child was Five years old in the midst of his Sports as he was Whipping-top on a sudden he cast away all and went to his Mother saying to her with much Joy Mother I must go to Heaven will you go with me asking her the same Question the second time His Mother answered Yes dear Child when God shall please But how dost thou know that thou shalt go to Heaven The Child answered God hath told me so I must go to Heaven for I love God and God loves me After which time he never played more About three Weeks or a Month after he sickned and died speaking much during his Sickness of his going to Heaven still asking his Mother whether she would not go with him And when his Mother asked him whether he would not stay with her here he refused rather desiring that she should go with him Master White 18. A nameless Person J. B. gives this Relation concerning her self About seventeen years since a Child of mine about six years of age when I have bid him go forth to play he hath come in again very solitary and other Children would swear and be very debaucht I would ask him Robert what aileth you why do you not go to play He would answer That he had no Fellows to play withal but such as would swear and the like and they could not be said he God's Children I would say why not Child then he would say No Mother though I am but a little way in my Book yet I have learnt that God will not pardon such Sins as Swearing I have sometimes said yes Child I hope God will pardon them else God help thy Father and God help us all Then he hath replied Mother with great Repentance God can forgive for his Mercies are great but good Mother let us forbear that which is evil And many times I had such conference with that Child who seeing me troubled about it he hath said Good Mother be content their Parents are such and they must needs learn after them I thought upon my Child's words and having before often offended God about gathering of Flowers in my Garden on the Lord's-days and the Thoughts of other Failings in my Conversation it wrought great trouble upon my Heart so that I was much afflicted in Soul considering that my Child so young should give me such Instructions which hath proved a Blessing to me to bring me home to him I did make then some doubt whether God would forgive me those Sins and about that time hearing Dr. V. preach several Sermons at O. and particularly upon that Text That we are but Sojourners and Travellers here and shewing That we are not at home therefore we must keep on the straight-way to Heaven and take heed of the broad-way which leadeth to Hell which then as also other means since did much throw me down low under the sense of Sin yet not without sometimes some Refreshments Believers Experiences p. 54. 19. Bishop Vsher at Fourteen years old was judged fit and admitted to the Sacrament of the Lord's-Supper and his usual Custom was the Afternoon before to retire himself in private and to spend it in a strict Self-Examination and deep Humiliation for all his Sins wherein he had such Enlargements of Heart that a Stream of Tears flowed from his Eyes which afterwards he oft recalled to mind both as a Provocation and Censure of himself When he was elder of years there was a certain place by a Water-side whither he oft resorted sorrowfully to surveigh his Sins and with Floods of Tears to confess and bewaile them wherein he found so much Sweetness and Communion with God that he thirsted for such comfortable Opportunities and it was his usual Custom to spend Saturdays in the Afternoon in these Duties Amongst other Sins he much bewailed his too much love to Humane Learning which made him as glad when Munday came that he might renew his Studies as he was when Sabbath-day came wherein he was to apply himself to the Service of God and it cost him many Tears that he could not be more Heavenly-minded at that Age. See his Life 20. Lancelot Andrews Bishop of Winchester from his Youth declared an extraordinary worth that he was made up of Learning and Vertue in both of them so eminent that it was hard to judge which had the Precedency and greatest Interest though it was truly asserted from his Comtemporaries that there was not any kind of Learning that he was a stranger to but in his Profession admirable which was as well if not better known abroad than admired at home England's Worthies by Will. Winstanley p. 366 367. 21. Mr. Bernard Gilpin being yet a very Child gave Testimony of a future Holiness upon this Occasion A begging Frier lodging at his Father's House one Saturday Night in order to preach the next day but eating at Supper like a Glutton and drinking like a Beast in the Morning as if he had been some young Saint lately dropped from Heaven he caused the Bell to tole to the Sermon and in the midst there of blustering out certain good words he presumed to grow hot against some Sinners of the time and amongst the rest to thunder boldly against Drunkenness Young Gilpin who had but newly got the use of his Tongue having observed as it seemed the hateful Baseness of the Man by his Oversight the Night before and now hearing the Beast cry out so loud against these Crimes which himself had so lately been guilty of as he was sitting in his Mother's Lap in the Church suddainly cryeth out in these words O Mother do you hear how this Fellow dates speak against Drunkenness who was drunk himself yester-night at our House The Mother made speed to stop the Child's Mouth with her Hand that he might speak no further Mr. Gilpin 's Life by Bp. Carleton p. 2. 22. Mr.
for his People That God would provide for them a Pastor after his own Heart He was a Man of such a moving Eloquence that the Bishop of Carthage hearing him Preach Two Days together in his Church could not refrain from Tears rejoycing that God had given to his Church in those afflicted Times such a worthy Instrument of his Glory Ibid. p. 95. 4. Austin would have a Preacher so long pursue and press the same Point until by the Gestures and Countenances of the Hearers he perceived that they understood it and also intended to practise it 5. Jerom was called Fulmen Ecclesiasticum the Churches Thunderbolt And surely Ministers should take the same liberty to cry down Sin that Men take to commit Sin Isa 58.1 6. Athanasius was said to be both an Adamant and a Loadstone for in his private Converse he was very affable and courteous drawing all Men to him even as a Loadstone doth Iron but in the Cause of God and his Truth he was unmovable and unconquerable as an Adamant 7. Of Luther it was said Vnus homo solus totius Orbis imperium sustinuit That he alone opposed a World of Enemies 8. It s recorded of Father Latimer that he preached twice every Sabbath even when he was of a very great Age and that he arose to his Studies Winter and Summer at Two a Clock in the Morning Act. and Mon. 9. 9. Bernard hath these Words If I deal not plainly and faithfully with your Souls Vobis erit damnosum mihi periculosum Timeo itaque damnum vestrum timeo damnationem meam si tacuero It will be ill for you and worse for me the Truth is ye would be betray'd and I should be damned if I should hold my Peace 10. Peter Chrysologus was eloquent and very powerful in his Sermons to the People and very holy in his Conversation whereby he won many to embrace the Truth Ever before he penned any thing he used with great ardency and humility to set himself by Prayer to seek unto God for Direction therein CHAP. LIX Reverence to Learned or Good Men. THere is such a Majesty in Wisdom and Goodness that they beget at least a secret Veneration in all Sensible Persons Barnabas and Paul were on this score worshipped at Lycaonia for Gods one under the Notion of Jupiter the other of Mercurius and Sacrifices were preparing for them The Lacedemonians finding it their Interest to corrupt Philopaeâ—en with Money were yet so possest with a Reverence of his Virtues that none durst venture to attack him And we are told that certain Pirates came to Visit Scipio that worthy Conquerour of Africa worshipped the Posts of his Doors laid their Gifts at his Thresholds went hastily to kiss his Hands and so over-joyed they departed And 't is not long ago since a wild Bravo of our own Nation the late Earl of Rochester acknowledged That even in the midst of his wild Paroxysms he had a secret Veneration for a Good Man 1. Valens the Emperour coming to Church on purpose to disturb Basil Bishop of Caesarea in his Holy Offices was so convinced and struck with an awful Opinion of him by observing his Reverent Behaviour that he made a large Offering instead of doing him any hurt which notwithstanding Basil refused as coming from an Heretick Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Gregory Nazianzen when Valens the Emperour entred his Church first astonish'd him and afterward by discreet Conference deterr'd him from his Cruelty yea reclaim'd him from the Arrian Faction tho' he afterwards relaps'd again Ibid. 3. Fulgentius being recalled from Exile by King Hilderic was received with such great Devotion by the Africans as if he had been peculiar Bishop to every City every where met with Tokens of Joy yea their Love was so great towards him that a Shower of Rain falling they held their Garments over him to keep him dry Ibid. p. 94. 4. Poggius Secretary to the Council of Constance writing to a Friend concerning Hierom of Prague saith thus of him I profess I never saw any Man who in Discourse especially it being for Life or Death that came nearer to the Eloquence of the Apostles and Ancients whom we do so much admire It was a Wonder to see with what Words with what Eloquence Arguments Countenance and Confidence he answered his Adversaries and maintained his own Cause insomuch as it is to be lamented that so fine a Wit had strayed into the way of Heresie if that be true which was objected against him When every Article of his Accusation was read publickly and proved by Witnesses they asked him Whether he had any thing to object But 't is almost incredible how cunningly he answered and with what Arguments he defended himself He never spake one Word unworthy a good Man So that if he thought in Heart as he spake with his Tongue no Cause of Death could have been found against him neither indeed was he guilty of the least Offence At last he concludes that he was a Man that deserved everlasting remembrance Ibid. p. 129. 5. Luther hath this Testimony given him by Melancthon Pomeram is a Grammarian I a Logician Justus Jonas an Orator but Luther is All even a Miracle amongst Men whatsoever he reads or writes pierceth to the very Soul and leaves wonderful Stings in the Hearts of Men. And this from Vrbanus Regius Talis tantus est Theologus Lutherus ut nullo secula habuer nt similem semper mihi Magnus fuit at jam mihi Maximus est vidi enim praesens audici quae nullo calamo tradi possunt abseneibus Ibid. p. 169. 6. Cassander for his Learning was so respected that he held a Correspondence with most Learned Men of all Perswasions Roman Catholicks Lutherans and Calvinists was sent for more than once by the Emperour to assist in reconciling the Differences that were then arisen with large Overtures for his Encouragement 7. William Tindal hearing of a Juggler amongst the English Merchants at Antwerp that by his Magical Art could fetch all kind of dainty Dishes and Wine from what place they pleased and let it presently upon the Table before them with many other such-like Feats desired of some of the Merchants that he might be present at Supper to see this Juggler play his Pranks which being granted the Juggler came and with his wonted boldness boasted what he could do but after much Labour Toyl and Sweating being able to effect nothing he openly confessed That there was some Man in the Company which disturbed and hindred all his doings Clark's Eccl. Hist p. 167. 8. Vrbanus Regius was dearly beloved by Ernestus Duke of Brunswick and esteemed as his Father insomuch as when the City of Auspurg A. C. 1535 sent to the Duke desiring him to return Regius again he answered That he would as soon part with his Eyes as with him And at his Return from Auspurg when divers of his Nobles asked him What new and precious Ware after the Example of other
the bottom of my Heart with a self Abhorrence Upon the best Judgment that I can make of the Nature of Sin and the Frame of my own Heart and Course of Life I know no Sin lying upon me which doth not consist with habitual Repentance By Prayer and Endeavours long continued I have in some measure overcome a special very sinful Distemper of Mind and gained the contrary Temper against a natural Propensity Though my Faith in Christ be weak yet to have part in his Promises I am ready to part with all that is dear in this World and I have no hope of Happiness but in Christ My Temporal Estate is mean and low yet I am contented with it and humbly bless God for what I have Though I have not as yet overcome the fear of Death yet I am sure that the unwillingness that is in me to Die is not that I might enjoy the Pleasures of Sense or any Gratification of the Animal Life Thus I am searching and trying my Heart and Ways and what I find by my self I write down that I may have it by me for my Relief in an evil Day and an hour of Temptation For I must expect the time when by Weakness or Anguish of Body or Mind I may be disabled to recollect my self and duly to state the Case of my own Soul Lord be merciful to me a Sinner to me one of the chiefest of Sinners I put my sinful distressed Soul into the Hands of Jesus Christ and I rest on the Covenant of Grace made in him as all my Salvation and all my Desire Amen O the wonderful Mercy of God towards me a most vile and wretched Sinner in convincing rebuking and awakening me unto a Self-abhorrence and an utter Detestation of my Sins my special Sins so that I cannot be reconciled to them Self-applauding self-seeking in matter of Praise and Honour before Men I strive against I desire to be as sincere to anothers Reputation as to my own I would not value others by their regard to me but by their true worth I would be contented to be little in the eyes of others This I unfeignedly desire and endeavour and I hope that I have it in some good degree I narrowly watch my Heart that it may not lodge or admit a vain Thought When I am surprized with Vanity I suppress it as soon as I observe it Surely Christ hath my Heart whensoever I swerve from Christ in a Thought Word or Deed it is by Inadvertency and Surprizal against my fixed Principle and I have great regret at it and loath my self for it The Workings of my Heart in my Affliction Aug. the 5th 1680. The Will of God in laying this Affliction upon me I unfeignedly approve as Holy Just and Good and I am unfeignedly willing to bear the Affliction as it is an Evil laid upon me by his Will I feel my self better in the Inner-Man by his Chastening it hath furthered Mortification and Self-denial and done much to the breaking of the heart of Pride and to bring me on towards that more perfect Self-examination for which I Labour it hath much deadned the World to me and my Desire to the World it makes me know in earnest the Emptiness of all Creatures and how great my Concern is in God it drives me close to him and makes me to fetch all my Comforts from him I see of how little value all outward Contentments are and not only in my present afflicted State but if I were at Ease and in full Prosperity When I walk in Darkness and see no Light of outward Comfort human Helps and visible Means I will trust in the Name of the Lord and stay my self upon my God I strive with my own Spirit to subdue it to the Will of God and in whatsoever I am tempted to be most impatient therein I labour most for Patience My great Care is that I may not sin against my God in any kind and more especially that I may not sin by a rebellious Impatience under his correcting Hand In this present Distress I look upon my self as being upon my Tryal and therefore I look more diligently to my Behaviour in it Now a Price is put into my Hand for the Proof of my Sincerity and I Labour accordingly to make good Proof of it Hear my cry O God attend upto my Prayer I will cry unto thee when my Heart is overwhelmed lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. God the infinite Goodness and Love will not cast off a poor Soul that lies at his Feet and cries for the help of his Grace when it is ready to sink under the Burden and is willing to have Mercy upon his Terms Can I be in a better Hand As my professed Judgment is concerning God's Proceeding so let me stand affected towards it Notes for my self Entertain not a sensual Imagination for a Moment and give not way to the least Glance of the Eye towards Vanity be always expecting some trouble or other to interrupt thy outward Peace and Rest never expect any thing from the World and when it offers thee any thing that is good for thee receive it but catch not at it greedily be always mindful what thou may'st do for thine own and others Salvation in every Instant upon every Occasion Die daily when a sensual Imagination or Passion breaks in then excite a Taste of the Powers of the World to come and delay not to recover the Divine Frame If any despise thee do not bear a Grudge against him for it and be not offended with any meerly because they do not humour thee watch against all secret Pleasure in the lessening of another for advanceing thy self be not transported with Passion against those Conformists who are more sober than many others yet manifest too little Compassion to their suffering Brethren For even in the Regenerate there is a remainder of the Spirit of Envy partiality and Selfishness and too much of Wrath and bitterness and other parts of the serpentine Nature though in a mortified degree and we are to yield grains of Allowance for the Temptations of Prejudice Interest c. to which good Men as well as others are obnoxious My own exceeding Faultiness ingages me in seeing and hearing the Faults and Follies of others to pity them rather than to rejoyce or glory over them and to cover or lessen those Faults rather than to aggravate or display them Fetch thy Comforts from Heaven and not from Pleasures or Hopes here below if any slight thee be neither dejected nor provoked Thus far Mr. Corbet 17. Mr. Cotton Mather gives this Account of his Brother Nathaniel Mather This Year did not roll about says he before he had in a manner very solemn entred into Covenant with God this weighty and awful thing was not rashly done by him or in a sudden flash and pang of Devotion he Thought he Read he Wrote and he Prayed not a little before this glorious
Transaction between God and him and upon mature Deliberation he judged it most adviseable for him to make his Covenant with God as Explicit as Writing and Signing could render it that so it might leave the more Impression upon his Heart and Life and be an Evidence likewise which in Temptation or Desertion he might have recourse unto Wherefore he set apart a time for I think secret Fasting and Prayer before the Lord and then behold how this young Man counting it high time for hime to be bound out unto some Service took a course for it he subscribed an Holy Covenant of which this was the Matter this the Form The Covenant between God and my Soul renewed confirmed and signed Nov. 22. 1683. Whereas not only the Commands of God who hath often called upon me by his Word preached to give up my self both Body and Soul to be at his Disposal which calls by the publick Ministry were enough to engage me unto this but also the Christian Religion which I profess and my Baptism in which I took the Lord to be my God and promised to renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil and to dedicate my self unto the Service Work and Will of God do bind me hereunto in that God is such a God as deserves this yea infinitely more than this at my Hands my Creator the Fountain of my Being my Preserver my Benefactor my Lord my Soveraig my Judge he in whose Hands my Life my Breath and all my Concerns are he that doth protect me from all Dangers and supply me in all Wants support me under all Burdens and direct me in all Streights he alone that can make me Happy or Miserable he alone that can Save me or Damn me he alone that can give inward Peace and Joy that is my Friend my God in that Self-dedication is the Creatures Advancement these First-fruits if in Sincerity putting upon me a Gloriousness and Excellency in that Felicity hereafter depends upon my dedicating of my self unto God now in that this is the highest piece of Gratitude I am capable of expressing unto God and I know no better way to obey the Will of God than first to give up my self unto him And whereas the Mercies which the Lord hath been pleased graciously to bestow upon me are so many that even bare Morality doth shew me that I can never enough requite one that hath done so much for me except by giving up my self wholly to him 1669. Whereas God hath given me a godly Father and Mother 1674. In that when I was like to die being twice sick of a Feaver God was pleased to bless means for my Recovery and lengthen out the Thread of my Life 1675. Whereas when I by an Accident fell down and had like to have been deprived of the use of my Tongue God was in his good Providence graciously pleased to give me the use of it 1678. Whereas when I was sick of the Small Pox God was pleased to bless means for my Recovery whereas then I made Promises unto God that if he would give me my Health I would endeavour to become a new Creature and he hath done so for these five Years And whereas God hath of late been bestowing many and wonderful Mercies upon me What can I do less than give up my self wholly to him which now I do And O Lord God I beseech thee to accept of thy poor Prodigal now prostrating of himself before thee I confess O Lord I have fallen from thee by my Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Hell but of thy infinite Grace thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ If I will but turn unto thee with all my Heart therefore upon the call of thy Gospel I come in and from the bottom of my Heart I renounce all thy Enemies with whom I confess I have wickedly sided against thee firmly Covenanting with thee not to allow my self in any known Sin but conscientiously to use all means which thou hast prescribed for the utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have inordinately let out my Affections upon the World I here resign my Heart unto thee that made it humbly protesting before thy glorious Majesty that it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from thee that when thou shalt call me thereunto I may put in Practice my Resolution through thine Assistance to forsake all that is dear unto me in the World rather then to turn from thee to the ways of Sin and that I will watch over all its Temptations whether of Prosperity or Adversity lest they should withdraw my Heart from thee beseeching thee to help me I renounce all my own Righteousness and acknowledge that of my self I am helpless and undone and without Righteousness and whereas of thy bottomless Mercy thou hast offer'd to accept of me and to be reconciled to me and to be my God through Christ if I would accept of thee I do this day avouch thee to be the Lord my God I do here take the Lord Jehovah Father Son and Holy Ghost for my Portion and chief Good and do give up my self Body and Soul for thy Servant promising to endeavour to serve thee in Righteousness and Holiness I do here also on the bended Knees of my Soul accept of the Lord Jesus Christ as the only and living Way by which Sinners may have access to thee and do here joyn my self in a Marriage-Covenant with him O Lord Jesus I come to thee hungry poor miserable blind and naked and a most loathsome Creature a condemned Malefactor Who am I that I should be Married unto the King of Glory I do accept of thee for my Head and Husband and embrace thee in all they Offices I renounce my own Worthiness and do choose thee the Lord my Righteousness I do renounce my own Wisdom and do take thine for my Guide I take thy Will for my Will and thy Word for my Law I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoke I do subscribe to all the Laws as Holy Just and Good and do promise to take them as the Rule of my Thoughts Words and Actions but because I am subject to many Failings through frailty I do here protest here before thee that unallowed Miscarriages contrary to the constant Bent of my Heart shall not disannul this everlasting Covenant NATHANAEL MATHER It may justly be taken for granted that such a Work as this would have an Influence into his Conversation afterwards and so it had producing in him a Conversation which became the Gospel of Christ. He kept waiting upon God not only in the Family but also under the Ministry of Two that were near a-kin unto him namely his Father and his Brother whereby the Grace thus begun in him was not a little cherished and promoted and unto all known Sins he now kept saying as I find once in Short-hand written by him To my Lusts I have had Communion
Affairs 9. My Heart doth truly rejoyce and bleS God when I see or hear of the Courage of his faithful Ministers or other private Christians in opposing or withstanding the Storm of these wicked Times and upon serious deliberate Consideration I had abundantly rather suffer with them then enjoy Peace and Prosperity upon the sinful Terms of these wicked Times 10. I most of all desire and delight to hear such Preaching as is most searching and that gives most plain and practical Directions for the leading of a holy Life 11. I have the highest Esteem of and most affection are Love to those in whom I see the most hopeful Signs and Fruits of a Work of Grace in their Hearts 12. I endeavour to shun and avoid all loose and vain Company and Associate my self with those that are more solid and prositable in their Conversation for Religious Advantages 13. I humbly and heartily desire the gracious Assistance of God's most holy Spirit to discover unto me the true and real worth of my own Soul and that of all other Evils I may be preserved from Errors and Mistakes in this Business of such Weighty and infinite Concernment 14. I have often heard in many Sermons divers distinguishing Characters of true saving Grace and upon serious Reflection upon my own Soul I find that my Heart doth not totally condemn me in any of them but that God hath wrought some real tho' weak Impressions of them in me for which I humbly desire more and more Strength and Ability to Praise him in Heart and Life 15. Notwithstanding all which wherein I have truly so far as I am able exprest the Truth yet fear and tremble least my own Heart should deceive me herein and tho' I daily beg of God a renewing of an Addition to Spiritual Strength yet desire to rely only upon the free and rich Mercy of God through the All-sufficient Merits of Jesus Christ for the Pardon of my Sins and Salvation of my Soul desiring to receive him upon his own Terms as my King Priest and Prophet Mr. Albyn sent these his Evidences for Heaven to Mr. Calamy with this Letter Mr. Calamy I Humbly entreat you to Peruse and Consider the Particulars afore-written and to afford me your Judgment in Writing under your own and some other godly Ministers Hands subscribed thereunto Yours in all Christian Obligations B. A. London July 4th 1650. To which Mr. Calamy returned his Answer I Am verily perswaded from infallible Grounds out of God's Word that whosoever can own these fifteen Particulars above-mentioned in Truth and in Sincerity is a true Child of God and shall certainly inherit everlasting Life Edm. Calamy Minister of God's Word in Aldermanbury We whose Names are under Written are of the same Perswasion with our Reverend Brother Mr. Calamy above Written John Fuller Matth. Newcomen These Evidences for Heaven were delivered to me by the very Person who Transcribed them from Mr. Albyn 's own Writing which he kept by him to his Death 19. The Heavenly Instructions senthy Mrs. Lydia Carter in several Letters to her Relations which being Writ whilst she was very Young deserve a place under our present Head of Extraordinary Zeal and Devotion The Letters were Five in Number and were Directed to Benjamin Carter Jeremiah Carter her Sister Child her Aunt Child and to her Sister Desborrow all of Chesham in Buckingham-shire Mrs. Lydia Carter's Letter to her Brother Benjamin Carter Loving Brother WHen you consider how Priscilla expounded the Way of God more perfectly unto Apollos I hope you will take in good part the sincere and cordial Wishes of a weaker Vessel Providence hath set our Bodies at a great Distance yet how near and dear you are unto my Soul the Lord knows whose eternal Welfare I as vehemently desire as my own and should be unspeakably glad if as we have lain in one Mothers Belly and Bosom together we might also lie down in the same Divine Embraces of infinite Love Brother I know not whether I shall ever see your Face any more not that I speak in respect of present Sickness but in regard of the uncertain brevity of Life Man giveth up the Ghost and where is he Oh that same Expression And where is he hath often put my Soul into a wondering Frame because the Scripture saith after Death cometh Judgment Brother I humbly and ingeniously confess that I am less then the least of all those who look Heaven-ward yet that I am a bruised Reed or as smoaking Flax I cannot deny But oh Brother I would have you a tall Cedar in Religion a Pillar in the Church of God a valiant Champion for the Truth one that may attain unto the full Stature of a perfect Man in Christ. Brother believe me I blush at these Scriblings of mine yet how fain would I write unto you seeing I cannot speak with you that I might put you in mind of Eternity of Eternity that little Word of the greatest Concernment But when this thought first entred into my Heart I bewailed oh I bewailed mine own Ignorance Unbelief Inconsideration and want of Zeal and I thought you might justly smile at my forwardness in exhorting you who am so unable myself and might say Who is this that darkneth Counsel with Words without Knowledge Yet because the Widow's Mite was kindly accepted of by Christ Brother do you vouchsafe a benign Aspect upon this weak Attempt otherwise you will discourage a young Writer quite Indeed I want skill to write my Words and Words to express my Mind What shall I say Oh would to God the grave and gracious Counsels of that holy Man now in Heaven might always sound in both our Ears Shall I wish he were alive again that we might be blessed with his Fatherly Admonitions and Instructions concerning that one thing necessary Or may not we be known to be the Spiritual Children of our Father Abraham if we walk in the Steps of his Faith though he knows us not being Dead Alas alas I am sure I may speak it of my self tho one should arise from the Dead it would be nothing available unless God did bring my unsensible and unteachable Heart under the powerful Convincements of his Word which is a more sure Word of Prophecy then a ghostly Relation unto which we are all bound to take good heed Brother search the Scriptures for in them you shall find eternal Life and they testified of Christ I profess unto you I know nothing in all this World worth the knowing but a Crucified Christ and to be fully perswaded upon unquestionable Grounds of a saving Interest in him Undoubtedly the pale Horse is prancing up and down in the World upon which Death Rides and we know not how soon he may have us under his Feet But that we may escape out of the Hands of that Horsemans Page Rev. 6. ver 8. that we may so live in Christ that Death may be an Advantage to us that we may so walk in
by Heart and as it were made them his own He testifies likewise of Paula that she had most of the Bible by Heart and of Nepotian that with daily reading and meditating he had made his Heart Bibliothecani Christi The Library of Christ Clark's Examp. 16. Constantine the Great used to shew so much Reverence and Attention to the Word of God preached that many times he would stand up all the Sermon-time and when some of his Courtiers told him That it would tend to his Disparagement he answered That it was in the Service of the Great God who is no Respecter of Persons Clark in his Life 17. Charles the Great used to set his Crown upon the Bible as our Canutus sometime put his Crown upon the Rood both of them to intimate their Reverence c. Clark's Exam. Vol. 1. C. 119. 18. King Edward the Sixth was a diligent Attender upon Sermons heard them with great Reverence and penned them with his own Hand and studied them diligently afterwards Ibid. 19. The greatest delight of Queen Elizabeth was often to read the Bible and hear Sermons Ibid. 20. The young Lord Harrington was mighty attentive in hearing the Word of God preach'd or read Ibid. 21. Bugenhagius a Dutch Divine was so joyful when Luther and he and some others had finished the Translation of the Bible into Dutch that on that Day whereon they finished their Work he ever after invited his Friends to a Feast which he called A Feast of the Translation of the Bible Ibid. 22. Chrysostome preaching to his People used this Expression Get you Bibles by all means whatever they cost you you may better want Bread Light than the Knowledge of the Scriptures Ibid. ex Trapp 23. I can speak it by Experience saith Erasmus that there is little good to be got by the Scripture if a Man read it cursorily and carelesly but if he exercise himself therein constantly and conscionably he shall find such an efficacy in it as is not to be found in any other Book whatsoever Ibid. 24. Robert King of Sicily was so wonderfully affected with the Scriptures that speaking to Franc. Petrarcha he thus said of them I swear to you Petrarch that my Learning is more dear to me than my Kingdom and if I must want the one or the other I had much rather want my Diadem than my Learning Idem ex Cornel. de Lapide 25. I know saith Peter Martyr there are many that will never believe what we say of the Power of God's Word hidden in the Heart and not a few that will jeer us and think that we are mad for saying so But oh that they would be pleased but to make Trial Malè mihi sit ita enim in tantâ causâ juvare ausim nisi tandem capiantur Let it never go well with me for I am bold to swear in so weighty a Business if they find not themselves strangely taken and transformed into the same Image if they pass not into the Likeness of this Heavenly Pattern So Ephes 1.13 1 Thes 1.5 8. Ibid. 26. In all the Bible says the Reverend Mr. Burgesse in his Sermon in the Coll. Morn Exercise though it be an History of more than 4000 Years we read of but of One that was converted just before his Death And we do believe that he also did convert at his first Convincing Call Rarely do any savingly convert who do not upon their first Convictions convert St. Austin's stifled Convictions cost him dear You that will make so bold with Conscience as Spira did should expect to roar for it here as he did or hereafter to fare worse than many hope him to do They are considerable Divines who are not hopeless of his Salvation Thus far Mr. Burgesse 27. John an Egyptian Confessor whom Eusebius saw and heard tho' his Eyes were out and his Body mangled could repeat any passages out of the Old or New Testament whom I supposed saith he to be reading in a Book 'till coming near I was struck with great admiration Dr. Cave ' s Primitive Christian 28. Nazianzen professeth that he had willingly relinquished all other things for the sake of this Book Ibid. 29. Luther said He would not live in Paradise without the Word but with it he could live well enough in Hell Mr. Calamy 's Godly Man's Ark. 30. Gildas hath scarce one Paragraph in his Epistle unstored with Scripture and one of his chief Lamentations in Dioclesian's Persecution is for their Bibles being burnt in the Publick Markets Tho. Jones Sovereign of the Heart 31. Mr. Bradford to Willerton Bishop Bonner's Chaplain when he told him The People must learn all at the Priests not meddling with the Scriptures answered Then I see you would bring the People to hang up Christ and let Barabbas go as the Priests perswaded the People to do At which words Willerton was so offended that he had no lust to talk with him any more Fox Martyr 32. The Christians at the beginning of the Reformation were so in love with the Bible and studied it so diligently and used it in their Discourses and Disputations so frequently and boldly that Darbyshire Principal of Broadgates told Mr. Hawkes in Bishop Bonner's House You will have nothing but your little pretty God's Book Ibid. 33. Blesilla a devout Widow weak and sickly was never found without a Bible in her Hands S. Hierom. 34. Olympia Fulvia Morata born at Ferrara in a Letter to the young Princess of that place after getting out of the Idolatry of that Country saith It may seem incredible to you what a change the Lord then made upon my Spirit that former aversion I had to read the Scripture was then turned to have it as the greatest delight and pleasure in the World Anonym 35. One Captain Knox being a Prisoner in Ceilon in the East-Indies for near Twenty Years was extreamly pleased when he found there an English Bible which he purchased at a Rate and professeth That he never found Prayer so sweet to him as it was then See his Description of Ceilon 36. The Lady Jane Grey the Night before her Execution sent her Sister the Lady Catherine the Greek Testament in the end of which she wrote thus I Have here sent you Good Sister Catherine a Book which altho' it be not outwardly Printed with Gold yet inwardly it is more worth than precious Stones It is the Book dear Sister of the Law of the Lord it is his Testament and Last Will which he bequeathed to us Wretches which shall lead you to the Path of Eternal Joy and if you with a good Mind read it and with an earnest Heart purpose to follow it it shall bring you to an immortal and everlasting Life it shall teach you to live and learn you to die it shall win you more than you would have gained by the possession of your woful Father's Lands which if God had prospered you you should have inherited so that if you apply diligently this Book
have I read the Bible but I have now learnt a better way And that way was this He would oblige himself in reading to fetch a Note and a Prayer out of every Verse in all the Bible to dwell upon every Verse until it had afforded at least one Observation and one Ejaculation to him He imagined that an incredible deal both the Truth and Grace would in this way make its Impression upon his Mind besides what exercise of Wit it must have called for and so most certainly it would have done but before he had made much Progress in it the Chariots of God fetcht him away to that place in which a Jesus is a Bible to the there perfect Spirits of the Righteous I cannot forbear adding here what the Reverend Mr. Mead tells us That about fourteen Years old Mr. Nathaniel Mather did dedicate himself wholly to God and his Service and entred into a solemn Covenant with God to that purpose which as he did not begin rashly and without great deliberation so he did not transact it slightly but with great Sense and Seriousness The Matter and Form of which Covenant you have in this Work signed with his own Hand according to that Word of the Prophet Isa 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord. And with what Care and Conscience he performed this Covenant in Fasting in Prayer in Watchings in self-examination in Meditation in Thanksgiving in Walking with God in all is fully witnessed in his Life which shews that he was a true Nathanael and Israelite indeed in whom was no guile not like those Israelites which the Prophet reproveth for that they flattered God with their Mouth lied to him with their Tongues their Hearts not being right with him nor stedfast in his Covenant For having once given up himself to God He kept the ways of the Lord and did not wickedly depart from his God Thus far Mr. Mead in his prefatory Epistle to Mr. Mather 's Life Mr. John Machin kept a constant watch over his Thoughts especially of his last Thoughts that he slept with and his first Thoughts that he waked with and usually they were some precious Scripture or other which he would discourse of to his Friends with great Alacrity He kept a Diary of his Life wherein every day he wrote in Characters where he was what Scriptures he found any sweetness from what was the state of his Soul towards God and such other remarkable Passages that did occur each day from the Year 1650 to the Year he died His love to the Word of God was superlative it was his Meditation Day and Night He did constantly in a Morning pitch upon some Verse which he would endeavour to infuse into his Heart ever unwilling to leave it till he bad suck'd some Virtue from it He was chewing by Meditation the 119th Psalm at the time of his Sickness daily squeezing the Virtue of one Verse thereof into his Soul as appears by his Dairy and this he did not formally as a Task but with that effectual Seriousness and Relish that his Family at home and Friends at a distance in his Letters might perceive exactly what Dainties he had tasted and at every vacant time he would be looking for a Word and would find out by the casual turning down a Leaf in his Bible which was his usual way such Passages as were very remarkable and not observed before A Scripture thus met with was as Food to him exceeding sweet to his Tast he would make much of it and usually would not leave it till he had improved it to the good of others by speaking or writing that others might see what he saw and feel what he felt in the Word of God Another usage he had also which shewed him to be both a good Textuary and a good Christian and that was usually to take leave with his Friends and Relations by leaving some Scripture with them and those most suitable to their Condition nay he hardly sent Commendations to a Friend but it was accompanied with some pertinent Scripture that he seemed to breath no other Air but Scripture His Bible was his constant Companion in the Day and usually his Pillow at Night and many Scores of emphaticallively Expressions he had found therein which the constant reading and diligence of others could never light on And where ever he came he was engraving some Scripture or other on the Mantle Posts and Walls and Trees which was so constant and peculiar a Course with him that his acquaintance oft knew he had been in such a place by the Marks he usually left His design therein being the advantage of all mens Souls that the very novelty of seeing such things might set People upon enquiring and looking those Scriptures in their Bibles not knowing what good one Verse of the Scripture thus met with might do upon a Soul if God set it on at least he found this Advantage to himself that when he came to a review of them he was put in mind of that frame of Heart he had when he was there before and might tast over again what he had before felt in that Passage of the Word of God He seldom wrote a Note or Letter but he made it up with some suitable Scripture the Word of God dwelling plentifully in him and in the Memorials forementioned he inserts Scriptures upon every occasion saying in the Conclusion The Texts of Scripture herein mentioned are best worth thy finding and noting in thy Life as they were in mine See his Life Do not for your Lives says the Reverend Mr. Burgess in his Sermon in the last Morning Exercise ever neglect reading the Scriptures take some portion of God's Word as daily as you eat of his Bread 'T is very honourably that I do remember a poor Soul who sometimes burned the Thatch of her House to read her Bible by the Light of it And no less a Saint than Mr. Richard Fairclough told me she died a glorious one It was Luther's saying The reading of the Scriptures is the Terror of Devils Mr. Adams tells us in his Sermon in the late Morning Exercise That Gregory called the Great gives an account of an illiterate Man who bought a Bible hired one to read to him out of it and thereby became a great proficient in the School of Christianity Luther by reading of it was turn'd from Popery so was John Hus by reading of our Wickliff's Books proving his Doctrine from it We know Augustine was converted by taking it up and reading And 't is said Crprian by reading the Prophet Jonas And Junius by the first Chapter of John's Gospel tho' 't is supposed neither of them then had much skill in the Originals but were beholding to Translations Consider says Mr. Boyl the Holy Bible as an harmonious System tho' written by parts and piece-meals in several Ages It being like
sick the King carefully enquiring of him every day at last his Physician told him there was no hope of his Life being given over by him for a dead Man No said the King he will not die at this time for this Morning I begged his Life from God in my Prayers and obtained it Which accordingly came to pass and he soon after contrary to all expectation wonderfully recovered This saith Dr. Fuller was attested by the old Earl of Huntington bred up in his Childhood with King Edward to Sir Thomas Cheeke who was alive Anno 1654 and Eighty Years of Age. Lloyd's State-Worthies p. 194. 11. Mrs. Savage Wife of Mr. Savage a Schoolmastet and Minister living in Horse-shooe-lane who having had a very troublesome Lameness in her Hand from a Child her Fingers being so contracted that her Hand was become almost wholly useless to her And in December 1693 having had withal some ilness and weakness of Body and having used some other means for the Cure but without Effect at last by Fasting and Prayer found real amendment and after they Duty ended fitting by the Fire-side the Story of the French Girle came into mind and her Husband having heard of it only by two Persons did not presently give present and full Assent to it but blessed God if it were true at length a strong Impression came into his Mind that his Wife's hand might be cured by that same means as the Girle 's Foot Thereupon he takes the Bible reads St. Matth. 8th chap. and at those Words Lord if thou wilt thou can'st make me clean with an extraordinary Emotion of Spirit he took hold of his Wife's Hand ask'd her If she had Faith adding That his Faith was as much as the Leaper's for though he did absolutely believe the Power of Christ yet he put an If to the Will of Christ. To which she Replyed That she had Faith in the Power of Christ that he was able now he is in Heaven to cure her as he was when upon Earth but whether it was his Pleasure or whether be saw it good for her she could not tell but if he thought fit for her she doubted not but he would heal her or to that purpose Her Husband proceeded Reading till the came to the Faith of the Centurion about his Servant when on a sudden she felt a Pain in her Knuckles and Fingers and pulling off her Glove her Hand instantly stretched out straight and became like the other and she was immediately cured of what was judged by all incurable Her Hand likewise received strength as well as streightness and whereas it used to be extreamly cold it is now as warm as the other And whereas formerly she was not able to go a Mile through weakness of Body she is now able to walk three or four For confirmation enquire at their House afore-mentioned See also the Appendix to the General History of Earthquakes p. 173 174. Take here another Relation as it came in a Letter from Hitchin in Hartford-shire as followeth Hitchin June the 6th 1693. Dear SIR 12. YOurs I received the last Night as to the Person you enquire after and the Lord's Work upon him take it in short as follows His Name is David Wright about twenty seven or twenty eight Years of Age he lived two or three Miles hence for some Years in the capacity of a Shepheard his distemper of Body by the Evil rendring him uncapable of hard Work At Michaelmas 1693 he desired a Religious Woman to take him into her Service which she was not willing to do because he was a profane Wretch and much given to Swearing and other Vices but upon his promising a Reformation and that he would go to hear the Word preached she hired him yet he afterwards went on his evil Courses and would not go to hear But Novmeber 29th last past having Notice that there was a Sermon to be Preached by one Mr. Edward Coles a worthy Minister his mind was so much fixed to go and hear him that notwithstanding the same day he had a Brother came for him with a Horse to go some Miles another way about urgent Business of his own yet he could by no means be prevail'd with to go with him of which Resolution he saith he can give no reason to himself he came to hear and the Word made such deep Impression upon his Mind that his Soul was converted and his Body healed at the same time He declares that while the Minister was Preaching his hard Heart was softened and the Eyes of his Mind enlightened whereby he had Faith in his blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that at the same time he found his Body cured of the Evil under which he had long languished and is fully perswaded he shall never have it again But however God may please to do as to that this is certain that he hath been very well from the 29th of November to this very day But the Change upon his Soul is more remarkable then the Cure of his Body to see such a poor grosly ignorant Wretch so suddenly changed and to hear him blessing and praising of God and admiring his Grace and Love to him that he who knew nothing one Hour before should now speak so sensibly of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Things This is to the Astonishment and Admiration of all that knew him As to his bodily Distemper he had the King 's Evil for about fifteen or sixteen Years past and was formerly touched by King Charles the Second At first he was forced to keep his Bed for several Weeks together with great Pains and divers running Sores upon him but for about twelve Years past he hath been in Service for the most part yet never in Health all the while but had running Sores which were sometimes skined over and swelled and then he was at the worst and felt most Pain till they broke and run again He hath had these Sores in many parts of his Body of which the Scars are visible and two continued in the same place in the Small of his Back a long while and at the time when he came to hear the Sermon aforementioned they were skined over and swelled so that he was in very great Pain and cound not keep pace with his Company But while he was hearing the Swelling of his Sores sunk insensibly and he was well on a sudden and all his Pain was gone so that as they returned home he went before them leaping rejoycing and praising God for his great Mercy and loving Kindness to him all the way he went After he came home he continued to admire the exceeding Grace of God to so vile and ignorant a Sinner as he was and spent most part of the Night in this heavenly Exercise and still remains in this admirable frame of Heart Much more might be mentioned but this may suffice at present from Yours c. We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed do hereby attest and declare That
neither do I fear to pawn my Soul upon it Presently the Devil came indeed in the shape of a tall Man black and terrible with a fearful Noise and roaring Wind and took away the Old Priest that he was never after heard of Fincelius c. Clarks Examples Vol. I. Chap. 38. 3. In Helvetia Anno 1556. a certain Man that earned his Living by making clean foul Linen in his Drunkenness used horrible Cursings wishing that the Devil might break his Neck if ever he went to his old Occupation again yet the next day when he was sober he went into the Field again about it where the Devil attended him in the likeness of a big swarthy Man asking him If he remembred his Wish and withal struck him over the shoulders so that his Feet and Hands presently dried yet the Lord gave not the Devil Power to do him so much hurt as he wish'd to himself Fincelius 4. Lamentable is the Relation of what happened in Holland in June 1681. as it is written by Theodorus Paludamus a Protestant Minister at Lewarden in Friezland a Person named Dowee Sitses a Mason in that County being reported to be in a desperate case I accompanyed a Gentleman who was sent to him by Order from the Lords of the Provincial where we found two Master-Chirurgeons and their two Servants busie in making of Plaisters and dressing the Patient and he in such a lamentable Condition as we could not behold but with Amazement his Hair was burnt off his Head to his Ears his whole Face burnt except his Eyes his Arms burnt in several places his Hands to the end of his Fingers were burnt like a roasted Fowl but could move all his Fingers his Breast and Back burnt in several places and yet his Shirt whole his Belly under the Navel for about the breadth of an hand was as black as a stock in which place the Chirurgeons made several Incisions and he felt it not his Privities Hips Thighs and Legs were terribly burnt yet not his Stockings his Feet were also burnt and indeed no Part was free so that he was a woful sight After the Patient was dress'd and had got a little breath both he and his Wife gave a full Account of the following Passages upon Oath Upon the 15th of June at Evening this Dowee Sitses came Drunk into a Tavern where he with the Man of the House and another drank three Quarts of Wine and coming home at Ten at Night he lay down to sleep upon Cushions in the Kitchen and fell into a Dream about a Story he had read in a Book of Simon de Vries of a certain Company that danced in Masquerade with every one a lighted Torch in their hand wherewith they burnt one another whereupon he awaked and stood up thinking to go into the Yard to make Water and of a sudden he found himself of a light flame in the midst of the Room which burnt him thus dreadfully and some part of his Cloaths upon which he cryed out for Help but none came then he began to faint and in his Distress cryed out O God be gracious unto me a poor sinner and thereupon the flame ceased in the twinkling of an Eye but he growing faint laid his Head upon a Cushion in the Room about Two in the Morning his Wife came down and found him in this sad Condition and felt something under her Feet which was like a parcel of Red-ashes and burnt Rags and taking hold of her Husband had only a burnt piece of his Sleeve in her Hand whereupon she cryed out O Lord Dowee thou art grievously burnt He answered the Devil hath brought me in this case upon which she called in the Neighbours and Chirurgeons His Wife said he had been much given to Drunkenness and often reproved in vain by the Ministers that he drank much Brandy and other strong Liquors though he had often sworn against it and usually cursed himself wishing that if he were Drunk again the Devil might tear him Limb from Limb So that God makes use of the Devil as an Executioner of his Judgment to bring the miserable Man 's own Curse upon him not one Limb or Member being left upon him R. B. his Wonderful Prodigies p. 25. out of a Book called The Drunkard fore-warn'd 5. A Woman in derby-shire having cozened a Boy of some Money was charged with it but she stiffly denyed it and being further urged to confess the Truth she in a fearful manner prayed God that the Earth might open and swallow her up quick if she had it and immediately the Earth under her opened and she sank into it and being afterwards digged for they found her Nine Foot within the Earth and that very Money was found in her Pocket This happened about the beginning of April 1661. and is well attested by the Neighbours as appears by the Printed Narrative And the same Story is abbreviated by Mr. Samuel Clark in his second Vol. of Examples 6. Since my return from Exile says Mr. H. Burton a certain Attorney at Law being in the House of one Mrs. Monday dwelling near Aldersgate Feb. 17th 1640. and mention being made of my Name and Sufferings and Mrs. Monday saying That England had never thriven since he suffered and that though she had never seen him yet she had shed many a Tear for him The said Attorney replyed Could so many wise Men and Judges by deceived for he suffered no more than he deserved nor so much neither and therefore what a Pox should you be sorry for such a Man as he No sooner had these words passed from him but his Right Ear suddenly and strangely fell a bleeding at the lower tip of it and so long it bled as it wet a whole Handkerchief so as it might have been wrung out whereat his Heart so fainted that he sent for half a Pint of Sack and drank it up himself alone Whereat his Brother then present with sundry more said to him You may see Brother what it is to speak against Mr. Burton Yet such was this Man's Spirit that instead of taking notice of the Hand of God herein he continued Cursing saying What a Pox had I not spoken a Word against Mr. Burton my Ear would have bled though he could not at that time shew any Reason or natural Cause why his Ear should then bleed it being whole and sound so as upon the ceasing of the Blood Mr. Monday's Maid wiping the Blood off his Ear and looking wistfully upon it could not discern whence the Blood should issue but only a small bore or hole no bigger than a Pin's point could go into there being neither Scratch nor Scab nor Scar in his Ear. Witnesses of this were the Attorney's Brother and his Wife Mrs. Adcock Mrs. Anne Roe Mrs. Joan Monday and Eleanor Hutton her Servant See his Life p. 50. 7. Mr. Vincent Minister of Bednal in the County of Stafford gives a short but true Relation of a dreadful Judgment that
stretching out her Fingers to the full length used to swear by these Ten Bloody Bones This Woman had a Son called Stephen Maurice who was born with two Thumbs upon a Hand and he likewise marrying had several Children born in like manner with two Thumbs a-piece upon each Hand all which supernumerary Thumbs she in a bloody manner with her own Hand cut off This Woman assisted my Mother as Midwife when she brought me into the World W. T. 6. Sir Roger Mosson of Mosson in Flint-shire had a Coal-pit sunk pretty deep by some Workmen who discovered a good Mine of Coal but meeting with a Fire-damp were so affrighted that they deserted the Work At last a bold Fellow that was a notorious Swearer came and undertook to go on with it He with two or three more Men goes down into the Pit leaving the other Men near the Eye thereof whilst himself with a Candle lighted goes forward but presently was so attacked with the Fire-damp that the other Men were struck down with it in great amazement and had much adoe to recover themselves and an Engine of a vast bulk and weight that stood near the Eye of the Pit was carried up into the Air as high as the tops of some Trees that grew upon a Hill near adjoyning and the Man himself that went foremost with the Candle miserably and irrecoverably perished This I had out of the Philosophical Transactions printed some Years ago but in what Year particularly I remember not having not the Pamphlet by me at present 7. Anno Christi 1649. about the end of June there was a Soldier at Ware going with some others to wash himself in the River but finding the Water shallow he asked if there was no deeper a Place for him to swim in Some told him that there was not far off a deep Pit but that it was very dangerous and therefore advised him to take heed how he went into it To whom he answered God damn me if it be as deep as Hell I will go into it which accordingly he did but immediately sunk to the bottom never rising again but was there drowned Attested by good Witnesses Clark's Mirr c. 129. 8. One Mr. Barrington a great Swearer going forth a Hunting or Hawking on a Lord's-Day or a Festival and not speeding to his Mind came to an Ale-house at Puckrych Five Miles from Ware in the way to Cambridge and called for Drink beginning to swear after his unhappy Custom saying By God's Blood this is an unlucky Day and presently after he bled at the Nose which so vexed him that he began to rail and blaspheme the Name of God swearing Passion Wounds Flesh Nails Blood and Body c. till at last he proceeded farther to bleed at the Ears Eyes Wrists joynts of his Hands and of all his Body at the Navil and Fundament in a wonderful great Quantity and Streams of Blood blaring out his Tongue in a fearful manner as black as Pitch so that no Person durst come near him This continued faith my Author till the Devil and Death made an end of him Next day the Body was laid on a Cart carried to Stondâ—n and buried in the High-way Mr. Batman in his Doom warning to the Judgment p. 418. Who saith he had it from Mr. Barrington's wife afterward married to Mr. Carington in Cambridge CHAP. CVII Divine Judgments upon Sabbath-breakers AS God requires us to Remember the Sabbath-Day so as to keep it Holy so himself Remembers them that dare to Profane it The Child that gathered Sticks on that Day among the Israelites in the early Times of the Mosaick Oeconomy was by the Order of God himself stoned to Death And as he began to shew his Severity betimes in the Punishing of this Sin so he hath continued to the present Age to shew his great Displeasure against it insomuch that I think King James was much in the right when he caused his Declaration for Sports upon that Day to be torn out of his printed Volume of Writings where it is not now to be seen 1. A certain Nobleman profaning the Sabbath usually in Hunting had a Child by his Wife with a Head like a Dog and with Ears and Chaps crying like a Hound 2. Stratford upon Avon was twice on the same Day Twelve month being the Lord's-Day almost consumed with Fire chiefly for Profaning the Lord's-Day and Contemning his Word in the Mouth of his Faithful Minister 3. Feverton in Devonshire whose Remembrance makes my Heart bleed was oftentimes admonished by her Godly Preachers that God would bring some heavy Judgment on the Town for their horrible Profanation of the Lord's-Day occasioned chiefly by the Market on the Day following Not long after his Death on the 3d. of April Anno Dom. 1598. God in less than half an Hour consumed with a sudden and fearful Fire the whole Town except only the Church the Court-House and the Alms-Houses or a few poor Peoples Dwellings where a Man might have seen Four Hundred Dwelling-Houses all at once on fire and above Fifty Persons consumed by the Flame Not many Years after this a Misfortune of the like nature befell the Town again for on the Fifth Day of August 1612. Fourteen Years since the former Fire it was again fired and all consumed except some Thirty Houses of poor People with the School-House and Alms-Houses They are blind which see not in this the Finger of God God grant them Grace when it is next built to change their Market-Day and to remove all Occasions of Profaning the Lord s-Day Let other Towns remember the Tower of Siloe Luke 13.4 and take Warning by their Neighbours Chastisements Fear God's Threatnings Jerem. 17.27 And believe God's Prophets if they will prosper 1 Chron. 20.20 Thus far Dr. Bread in his Theatre of God s Judgments p. 419 420. 4. Mr. Smythyes Curate of St. Giles's Cripplegate in the Confession and Discovery of a Condemned Prisoner executed May the 25th 1687 for Theft saith that it was his Earnest Desire That all young Men especially should take care not to mispend the Lord's-day And I do now know saith he that ever I observed any Repentance in a Condemned Malefactor who did not bitterly lament his Neglect of his Duty to God on that Day 5. Edmund Kirk Vintner executed at Tyburn July 11. 1684. for murdering his Wife in his Confession acknowledged himself frequently guilty of Profaning the Lord's-Day Vpon which Holy Day saith he I committed the hainous Sin of murdering my poor Wife Thus Sin was punished with Sin a Less with a Greater and the Greater with the Gallows and that Greater committed near the same Gallows And himself confessed That he had to his Wife asking whilst she passed by what Place that was told it was Tyburn where John Gower was lately hanged for killing his Wife O Lord how dear to me thy Counsels are but how just and terrible are thy Judgments 6. Famous and memorable also is that Example which happened at
and at last sacrificed his Right Hand for but tampering a little this way 'T is ill jesting with God and our own Consciences who will neither of them be mocked 17. Berengarius tried this and therefore though he retracted his Doctrine against Transubstantiation he relapsed again and retracted and relapsed again or rather returned and repented finding no Peace for his Conscience whilst he had not Truth in his Possesston CHAP. CXLI Great Effects wrought by weak means IT is pleasant to observe how God delights to shew his Power by using weak and contemptible Instruments and to werk â—â—eat Effects by little secondary Causes to make a World by speaking a Word or two to punish and subdue a slout-hearted Pharaoh with Frogs and Lice and Locusts and Darkness to baffle a Giant-like People in Canaan with a handful of Men to make the Walls of Jericho fall down and the Peoples Hearts quail with only a Shout and the Noise of Rams Horns to overthrow the two great Religions of the World Judaisin and Pagan Idolatry with the Foolishness of Preaching and the Piety and Patience of Confessors and Martyrs to turn Sinners Thoughts into a Case of Knives or a Nest of Wasps or Serpents to sting and torment them with 1. The Duke of Arcos Viceroy of Naples under the King of Spain having imposed many Gabels or Taxes both vendible and eatable at last imposed a Gabel upon Fruit also which more irritated and offended that Multitude than all the former Whereupon by the publick Cries and Lamentations of Men and Women they daily solicited the Viceroy as he passed through the Market-place to ease them of the said Burthen they used also the Mediation of others and not prevailing they were ready to raise a Mutiny Which so affrighted the Viceroy that he promised quite to take off the said Gabel but delaying to do it some of the enraged People one Night but fire to some Powder in the Market-place where the said Gabel was exacted and blew it up There were also from Day to Day bitter Invectives and fiery Protests against the publick Officers fixed up in sundry Places of the City The Viceroy being alarmed thereby often assembled the six Precincts of the City to consult about this Business But they were divided some perswading him to ease and please the People others advising him to Repair the Toll-house that was burnt down and continue the Gabel saying That they were but a few Tatterdemallions that had made that Noise Besides divers of the great Men and Merchants of the City had advanced upon the said Gabel above 600000 Crowns and were to pay 85000 Crowns of annual Rent This was noised abroad and the Report went That if this Tax was taken off there would be a new one set upon â—orn and Wine Whereupon the enraged People protested That they would never endure the same and whilst these Discontents were hot July 17. 1647. this Occasion suddenly presented it self A young Man of about 24 Years old being spritely pleasant and of a middle stature in Linen-Slops Blew Wastcoat and bare-foot with a Mariner's Cap on his Head happened to be in the Market-place His Profession was to angle for little Fishes as also to buy Fish and carry them about to sell He was vulgarly called Massianello and being naturally Crafty he observed the general Murmurings of the People and so went up and down to the Fruiterers Shops and advised them That meeting together the next Day in the Market-place they should tell the Country Fruiterers That they would buy no more gabelled Fruit. Upon this he listed many Boys under him to the number of Two Thousand giving every one of them a little Cane in their Hand Against a great Festival that was approaching a Feast that used to be made by the Boys and meaner fort of People in the Market-place he gathered to the number of Fifty Thousand Upon this Success the number of People encreased exclaiming aloud against their Oppressions protesting to pay no more Gabel crying out Let the King of Spain live and let the ill Government die Massianello being thus attended with his Boys and an infinite Company of loose People who were now armed with Pikes and Partizans he leaped up on a Table and with a loud Voice cried Be merry my dear Companions and give God Thanks that the Hour of your Redemption draws near This poor bare-footed Fellow as another Moses who freed the Israelites from Pharaoh's Rod shall redeem you from all Gabâ—ls Peter a Fisherman redeemed with his Voice Rome and with it all the World from Satan's Slavery to the Liberty of Christ Now another Fisher-man which is Massianello shall release Naples and with it a whole Kingdom from the Tyranny of Gabels c. Nor to effect this do I care a Rush to be torn in pieces and to be dragged up and down the Gutters of Naples let all the Blood in my Body spin out of these Veins let my Head skip from my Shoulders by a fatal Steel and be pearched in this Market-place on a Pole yet I shall die contentedly and gloriously It will be Honour enough to me to think that my Blood and Life perish in so glorious a Cause In short he afterwards brought the Viceroy to an Agreement but after some time falling into a Frensie by either Excess of Wine or Watching and Cares died See more in the printed Narrative or Clark 's Examples 2. The Inhabitants of Myons a City of Jonia were so pester'd with Gnats which were bred in a muddy Pond near them that they were constrain'd thereupon to leave the City and fly to Milerum This I read many Years ago when a Student in the University but took no care then to Record my Author 3. Luther by his Preaching and Disputing baffled the Arguments Arts and Power of two very potent Enemies the Pope and Emperor and procured a happy Reformation in the Church 4. Francis Spira was punished in this World for his Apostacy with the keen Reflections of a guilty Conscience and many others besides Our own Thoughts may be sufficient to make a Hell of 5. Some have been convicted of Murder by the Barking of a Dog the Flight of Birds the Shaking of Leaves Anacreon was choaked with a Grape-stone Adrian with a Gnat others with the Excrements of Birds flying over their Heads An Acquaintance of mine dislocated her Thigh-bone with only turning a Custard at the Fire and died upon it 7. This very Year a Woman near Hanmer going over a Hedge was hung to Death with her Head-string catching accidentally in the Sticks as was related to me by Mr. Henry of Broad-oak in Flintshire CHAP. CXLII Remarkable Passages relating to Sickness Death and Funerals WHat was long since decreed in Heaven God hath sent Warrants to execute on Earth Semel mori For us once to die Then be acquainted with Death betimes for through acquaintance Death will lose his Horror like unto an ill Face though it be as formidable as a
Execution he was not suffered to speak to the People who much lamented his Death yet was very chearful saying Thanks be to God I am even at home And when he had prayed and made himself ready he went to the Stake and kissed it The Fire being kindled he held up his Hands and called upon God saying Merciful Father of Heaven for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake receive my Soul into thy hands And so stood still without moving till one with an Halberd struck out his Brains Ibid. p. 178. 30. Mr. Bradford as soon as he approached the Stake fell flat on the Ground intending there to pur forth his Prayers to Almighty God for he was not permitted to do it publickly but Woodroffe the Sheriff commanded him to arise and dispatch for the People encreased and pressed upon him Whereupon as soon as he got up he embraced the Stake and kissed it put off his Cloaths gave them to his Servant comforted the Stripling that was to be burned with him and earnestly exhorted the People to Repentance Which so enraged the Sheriff that he commanded his Hands to be tyed His last Words that were audible were Strait is the way and narrow is the gate that leads to salvation and few there be that find it He endured the Flame as a fresh gale of Wind in a hot Summer's Day without any Reluctancy Ibid. p. 189. 31. Bishop Ridley and Bishop Latimer suffered together but were not permitted to speak at the Stake The Evening before their Execution Ridley washed his Beard and his Feet and bad those that supped with him to his Wedding the next Day demanding of his Brother Mr. Skipfide whether he thught his Sister his Wife could find in her Heart to be there and he answering That he durst say she would with all her Heart he professed to the thereof very glad At Supper-time he was very chearful and merry desiring those there present that went of which number Mrs. Irish his Hostess tho' an eager Papist was one to quiet themselves affirming That tho' his Breakfast was like to be somewhat sharp and painful yet his Supper he was sure would be pleasant and sweet They endured a long time in the Fire with most grievous Pains to the great Grief of the Beholders thro' the Indiscretion of those that composed the Pile burning as it were by piece-meal till at last their Souls mounted as in a flaming Chariot up to Heaven Ibid. p. 203 204. 32. Bishop Latimer when he came to the Stake lifting up his Eyes with a comfortable and lovely Countenance cried out God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able and when the Fire was kindled O Father of Heaven receive my Soul His Blood as he was burning running out of his Heart in such abundance as if all the Blood of his Body had been gathered thither to the great Astonishmnt of the Beholders Ibid. p. 210. 33. Mr. Philpot going into Smithfield and the way being very foul two Officers took him up and bore him to the Stake to whom he said merrily What will you make me a Pope Being got into Smithfield he kneeled down and said I will pay my Vows in the midst of thee O Smithfield and kissing the Stake Shall I disdain to suffer at this Stake when my Lord and Saviour refused not to sufer a most vile Death for me And when the Fire was kindled with much Meekness and Comfort he resigned up his Spirit unto God Ibid. p. 222. 34. Archbishop Cranmer when tied to the Stake thrust first of all his Right Hand into the Fire wherewith he had subscribed to Popery crying out Ah my unworthy Right Hand So that his Hand died a Malefactor and the rest of his Body a Martyr Ibid. p. 228. 35. Bugenhagius drawing near to his End often repeated This is Life Eternal to know Thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ and so quietly departed this Life Aged 73. Ibid. p. 233. 36. Phil. Melancthon in the midst of many Heavenly Prayers surrendred his Soul unto him that gaveit Aged 63. Ibid. p. 241. 37. Hyperius falling sick of a Fever gave diverse Instructions to his Wife for the Education of his Children to his Children for the serving of God and obeying their Mother and when his Friends visited him requested them to bear Witness That he now died in that Faith which he had taught while he lived and so yielded up his Spirit to God Aged 53. Ibid. p. 265. 38. John Brentius falling sick of a Fever made his Will and therein set down a Confession of his Faith received the Sacrament exhorted the Ministers of Stutgard to Unity in Doctrine and a mutual Love always saying That he longed for a better an Eternal Life and so died Aged 71. Ibid. p. 298. 39. Bishop Jewel died praying and prayed dying His last Words worthy to be written with the Point of a Diamond never to be razed out were these A Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me Christ is my Righteousness this is my Body this day quickly let me come unto thee this day let me see thee Lord Jesus He was arrested by Death as he was preaching at Lacock upon those Words Walk in the Spirit and so carried from the Pulpit to Bed from which he never rose more Ibid. p. 311. 40. John Knox a Day or two before his Death sending for Mr. Lawson Mr. Lindsey the Elders and Deacons of the Church told them the Time was approaching which he long thirsted for wherein he should be released from all his Cares and be with his Saviour Christ for ever And now saith he God is my Witness whom I have served with my Spirit in the Gospel of his Son that I have taught nothing but the true and sincere Word of God I am not ignorant that many have and do blame my too great Rigor and Severity but God knows that in my Heart I never hated those against whom I thundered God's Judgments I did only hate their Sins and laboured according to my power to gain them to Christ That I did forbear none of what Condition soever I did it out of Fear of my God who hath placed me in the Function of his Ministry and I know will bring me to an Account Now Brethren for your selves I have no more to say but to warn you to take heed to the Flock over which God hath placed you Overseers which he hath Redeemed by the Blood of his only-begotten Son And you Mr. Lawson Fight a good Fight do the Work of the Lord with Courage and with a willing mand and God from Heaven bless you and the Church whereof you have the Charge Against it so long as it continues in the Doctrine of the Truth the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Having thus spoken and the Elders and Deacons being dismissed he called the two Preachers to him and said There is one thing that grieves me exceedingly you have
rise up in Judgment against you My Lord I profess my self a True and Obedient Son to the Church of England to that Church wherein I was born and wherein I was bred Prosperity and Happiness be ever to it And wherein it hath been said That I have been enclined to Popery If it be an Objection worth answering let me say truly That from the Time I was One and twenty Years of Age till this Hour going up Nine and forty I never had thought in my Heart to doubt of the Truth of my Religion in England and never any had the boldness to suggest to me the contrary to the best of my Remembrance and so being reconciled to the Mercies of Christ Jesus my Saviour into whose Bosom I hope shortly to be gathered to enjoy those Eternal Happinesses that shall never have end I desire heartily the Forgiveness of every Man both for any rash or unadvised Word or Deed and desire your Prayers And so my Lords Farewel Farewel all the Things of this World Lord strengthen my Faith give me Confidence and Assurance in the Merits of Christ Jesus I desire that you would be silent and joyn in Prayers with me and I trust in God we shall all meet and live eternally in Heaven there to receive the Accomplishment of all Happiness where every Tear shall be wiped from our Eyes and every sad Thought from our Hearts and so God bless this Kingdom and Jesus have Mercy upon my Soul After this he prayed twice and with a low Obeysance took his Leave submitting to the Block The Relat. of his Execut. 113. Archbishop Laud made this his last Speech on the Scaffold Jan. 10. 1644. GOod People this is an uncomfortable time to preach yet I shall begin with a Text of Scripture Hebr. 12.2 Let us run with patience the race c. I have been long in my Race and how I have look'd to Jesus the Author and Finisher of my Faith he best knows I am now come to the end of my Race and here I find a Cross a Death of Shame but the Shame must be despised or no coming to the Right of God Jesus despised the Shame for me and God forbid but I should despise the Shame for him I am going apace as you see towards the Red Sea and my Feet are now upon the very brink of it an Argument I hope that God is bringing me into the Land of Promise for that was the way through which he led his Prophets but before they came to it he instituted a Passover for them a Lamb it was but to be eaten with sour Herbs I shall obey and labour to digest the sour Herbs as well as the Lamb and I shall remember it is the Lord 's Passover I shall not think of the Herbs nor be angry with the Hand that gathers them but look only to Him who instituted that and governs these for Men can have no more power over me than what is given them from above I am not in love with this Passage through the Red Sea for I have the Weaknesses and Infirmities of Flesh and Blood plentifully in me and I have prayed with my Saviour that this Cup of Red Wine might pass from me but if not God's Will not mine be done And I shall most willingly drink of this Cup as deep as he pleaseth and enter into this Sea yea and pass through it in the way that he shall lead me But I would have it remembred Good People that when God's Servants were in this boisterous Sea and Aaron among them the Egyptians which persecuted them and did in a manner drive them into that Sea were drowned in the same Waters while they were in pursuit of them I know the God whom I serve is able to deliver me from this Sea of Blood as the Three Children from the Furnace And I most humbly thank my Saviour for it my Resolution is now as theirs was then they would not worship the Image the King had set up nor will I the Imaginations which the People are setting up nor will I forsake the Temple and the Truth of God to follow the Bleating of Jeroboam's Calf in Dan and in Bethel And as for this People they are at this Day miserably misled God of his Mercy open their Eyes that they may see the right way for at this Day the Blind lead the Blind and if they go on both will certainly fall into the Ditch For my self I am and I acknowledge it in all Humility a most grievous Sinner many ways by Thought Word and Deed and I cannot doubt but that God hath Mercy in store for me a poor Penitent as well as for other Sinners I have now upon this sad Occasion ransacked every corner of my Heart and yet I thank God I have not found among the many any one Sin which deserves Death by any known Law of this Kingdom And yet hereby I charge nothing upon my Judges for if they proceed upon Proof by valuable Witnesses I or any other Innocent may be justly condemned and I thank God tho' the weight of this Sentence lie heavy upon me I am as quiet within as ever I was in my Life and tho' I am not only the first Archbishop but the first Man that ever died by an Ordinance in Parliament yet some of my Predecessors have gone this way tho' not by this means For Elphegus was hurried away and lost his Life by the Danes 3. and Simon Suabury in the Fury of Wat. Tyler and his Fellows before these St. John Baptist had his Head danced off by a lewd Woman and St. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage submitted his Head to a persecuting Sword Many Examples great and good and they teach me Patience for I hope my Cause in Heaven will look of another dye than the Colour that is put upon it here and some Comfort it is to me that I go the way of these Great Men in their several Generations and also that my Charge as foul as it is made looks like that of the Jews against St. Paul Act. 25.3 for he was accused for the Law and the Temple i. e. Religion and like that of St. Stephen Act. 6.14 for breaking the Ordinances which Moses gave i. e. Law and Religion the Holy Place and the Temple v. 13. But you will say Do I then compare my self with the Integrity of St. Paul and St. Stephen No! far be that from me I only raise a Comfort to my self that these Great Saints and Servants of God were laid at in their times as I am now and 't is memorable that he who helped on this Accusation against St. Stephen did after all fall under the very same himself Yea but here 's a great Clamour that I would have brought in Popery I shall answer that more fully by and by In the mean time you know what the Pharisees said against Christ himself If we let him alone all men will believe in him venient Romani
ready to make a short-sighted Man exclaim with Hercules in the Tragoedian That Vertue is but an empty Name or at least could only serve to make its Owners more sensibly unhappy But altho' such Examples might a little work on a weaker Vertue that which is more confirmed and solid can more easily resist it 'T is not impatient nor uneasie but still believes that Heaven is awake that the Iron Hands of Justice will at length overtake the Offenders and by their Destruction vindicate the Honour and Innocence of those whom they have ruin'd It considers any Riddles in Providence as a curious piece of Opticks which if judged of either before 't is finished or by piece meal here an Eye and there another distorted Feature appears not only unpleasing but really dreadful which yet if viewed when 't is compleat and taking all the Features together makes a Figure sufficiently regular and lovely Who almost could have imagined without some such Reflections as these that those brave Men we have seen for some Years past pick'd out and out off one after another with as much Scandal and Obloquy as cou'd be thrown upon 'em by the ungenerous Malice of thier Enemies when the very Attempt to clear their Reputation has been made almost Capital and involved those who had Courage enough to attempt it in little less Mischief than what they themselves endured That ever these Phoenixes should rise again and flourish in their Ashes That so many great Pens should already have done some of 'em Justice and the World as much to all the rest And with how much more Joy if 't were possible would those Heroes have received their Crowns could they have foreseen their Deaths wou'd have tended so far to work up the Nation to such a just Resentment as wou'd at last have so great an Influence as we find it had on our late glorious deliverance We shall therefore here under this Chapter add the Last Words and what 's Remarkable in the Deaths of those Eminent Persons who fell in Defence of the Protestant Religion and the English Liberties both in London and the West of England from the Year 1678. to this Time 1. Sir Edmundbury Godfrey declared some Days before his Death That he believed in his Conscience he should be the first Martyr Two Anagrams there were made on this brave Gentleman which for the peculiar luckiness of 'em it may not be ungrateful to the Reader to have 'em inserted Sir EDMVNDBVRY GODFREY Anagram I FIND MURDER'D BY ROGUES Another BY ROME'S RUDE FINGER DIE He was the first Martyr for our holy Protestant Religion We shall address what has been written on this Subject not only to Posterity but to all the sober unprejudic'd Men of the present Age and so dismiss it and go on to the rest for whom he only made way after we have presented you with one of the best pieces of Wit tht the Age has yielded on Sir Edmund's Death 'T is a part of that ingenious Poem call'd Bacchanalia Well Primrose my our Godfrey's Name on thee Like Hyacinth inscribed be On thee his Memory flourish still Sweet as thy Flower and lasting as thy Hill Whilst blushing Somerset to her Eternal Shame shall this Inscription wear The Devil's an Ass for Jesuits on this spot Broke both the Neck of Godfrey and the Plot. 2. Mr. COLLEDGE NO body can doubt but that 't was now very much the Interest of the Papists to get off if possible that foul Imputation of a Plot which stuck so deep upon 'em which had been confirm'd by Sir Edmund's Murther Coleman's never-to-be-forgotten Letters Arnold's Assassination and a great deal of Collateral Evidence which fell in unexpectedly many of those who gave it being utterly unacquainted with the first Discoverers After several unfortunate Attempts they had made to this purpose after the Living had perjur'd themselves and the Dying done worse to support their desperate Cause after Attempts to blast and ruine some of the Evidence and buy off others of 'em in both which publick Justice took notice of and punish'd 'em being of a Religion that sticks no Villany to serve an Interest and certainly the most indefatigable and firm People in the World when they set about any Design especially where Diana is concern'd not being yet discouraged they resolv'd to venture upon one Project more which prov'd but too successful to the Loss of the bravest and best Blood in the Kingdom and that was to Brand all those who were the steddiest Patriots and so their greatest Enemies of what Rank soever they were with the odious Character of Persons disaffected to the Government or in the old Language Enemies to Caesar They pretended to perswade the World that after all this great noise of a Popish Plot 't was only a Presbyterian one lay at the bottom Things being thus what can any Man of Modesty say to Mr. Colledge's Protestations over and over both in Prison and at his Death that he was perfectly innocent of what he dy'd for I did deny in them say he that is before the Council and do deny it upon my Death I never was in any manner of Plot in my days nor ever had any such Design as these Men have sworn against me I take God to witness as I am a dying Man and on the Terms of my Salvation I know not one Man upon the face of the Earth which would have stood by me And lower I knew not of any part of what they swore against me till I heard it sworn at the Bar. Again All the Arms we had was for our Defence in case the Papists should have made any Attempt by way of Massacre c. God is my Witness this is all I know And in his solemn Prayer and some of his almost very last Words 'T is thee O God I trust in I disown all Dispensations and will not go out of the World with a Lye in my Mouth And just after to the People From the sincerity of my Heart I declare again That these are the very Sentiments of my Soul as God shall have Mercy upon me Thus dy'd Mr. Colledge whose Blood as he himself desir'd it might sufficiently spoke the Justice of his Cause who seem'd in his Speech to have some Prophetick Intimations that his Blood would not be the last as indeed it was not but rather a Praelude to that which follow'd the Edge of the Law being now turn'd against all those who dar'd defend it He has one Daughter yet living whose Gratitude and Generosity to those who were kind to her under the Misfortunes of her Family is at present the Wonder and Entertainment of the Court of England and whose brave Soul speaks her the true Child of such a Father His CHARACTER How great and undaunted his Courage was both his Tryal and Death testifie He was very vigorous and earnest almost to a Fault in his Undertakings But certainly there are so few who err on that hand that
Practice of the Independant Church and in that Faith I die depending on the Merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ for my Eternal Salvation His Blessing be with you all Farewel to thee poor England Farewel 16. Mr. Josias Askew's Letter to his Father Honoured Father I Not having an Opportunity to make my Gratitude known to you for all your Endeavours for the saving a poor vain perishing and troublesome Life and seeing it is all in vain I would desire you both to acquiesce in the Will of God and rejoyce with me for this happy Day of my departure from this State of Pilgrimage home to the Possession of those Heavenly Mansions which my God and Father hath provided for me in and through my Lord Jesus Christ It is in him alone I put my Trust and Confidence and therefore can boldly say Who is he that Condemneth It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again and is set down at the Right Hand of God making Intercession for all those that have a well-grounded Confidence in him My Time is but short and by reason of Company I am disturbed Therefore I conclude with my last Breath begging of God that he would keep you constant in his Fear in this Day of great Temptation and at last receive you to his Glory where we shall once more unite in praising without interruption or distraction World without end Amen Until which time the Grace of God the Father the Love of God the Son the comfortable Refreshing of God the holy Ghost be with you all yours and the whole Israel of God both now and for ever Which is the hearty Prayer of your Son JOSIAS ASKEW Pray remember me to all with Joy The Account his Friend gives of him TO prevent your further Trouble in suing for a Pardon I think it convenient to let you know I do not question but my dear Cousin hath had his Pardon sealed by the King of Kings and is in everlasting Blessedness singing Hallelujahs Salvation Glory and Honour to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever For God did so carry him through to drink that bitter Cup with so much Courage and Chearfulness to the last as was to the Admiration of all Spectators notwithstanding the terrible Sight he saw at the Place of Suffering and so vehemently as he was tried by the Adversary yet it did not in the least discompose him or alter his Countenance for he continued with a smiling Countenance to the last and was transported above measure I want Words to express it he was like one wrapp'd up in Heaven with his Heart there and his Eyes fixed thereon I could wish you had been there it would have driven away all cause of Sorrow from your Heart to see his Deportment and hear the Gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth He remembreth his Duty to you both and left Paul's Blessing with you Grace Mercy and Peace his Love to his dear Sister He desires her not to be troubled for him for he hath made his Peace with God and was assured he should go to eternal Happiness He would have written more to you and to his Sister but that he had so short a time after Sentence that he wanted Opportunity When he went out of Prison he said Gentlemen Now I am going and it is the Time I much longed for I would not change with him that passeth Sentence upon me for a World I was with him to the last and seeing his Courage it did very much encourage me though I never saw such a sight with my Eyes 17. The Behaviour of JOHN HOLWAY before and at the Place of Execution at Warham in the County of Dorset HE lived in Lime where the Duke landed and appeared in Arms at that time until his Captain left him then took up Arms under the Duke of Monmouth and went with him until the King's Proclamation came forth That all that would lay down their Arms before some Justice of the Peace in Four Days after and take a Certificate for their so doing they should be acquitted and have his Majesty's Pardon which this Person did though one Day too late He received his Sentence with much Courage and Resolution and by the means of one Mr. Tiller who was to suffer with him was brought to that settled frame of Spirit as is fit for one in that Condition As he was riding in the Cart toward the Place of Execution the Troopers being just behind the Cart he told them They shewed like brave Fellows But said he if I were to have my Life for fighting the best Five of you I would not question it At the Place of Execution he said not much But that he thought his and other Mens Blood would be revenged one time or another and said Forgive me have Mercy on my poor Soul pardon all my Sins and the like and so the Executioner did his Office 18. The Last Speech and Prayer of Mr. Matthews at the Place of Execution HE was much concerned the Morning before he died to see his Wife weep and to be in such a Passion for him which drew Tears from his Eyes and taking her in his Arms said My Dear Prithee do not disturb me at this time but endeavour to submit to the Will of God and although thy Husband is going from thee yet I trust God will be All in All to thee Sure my Dear you will make my Passage into Eternity more troublesome than otherwise if you thus lament and take on for me I am very sensible of thy tender Love towards me but would have you consider that this Separation will be so much for my Advantage as your Loss cannot parallel I thank God I am willing to die and to be with my Jesus Be satisfied the Will of God must be done Thy Will be done O God in Earth as it is in Heaven So embracing her he took his Last Farewel of her and prepared to go to the Place of Execution where being come he with a very modest sober composed frame of Spirit stood while he saw several Executed before him His Turn being come he thus spake Dear Countrymen I Suppose we are all of one Kingdom and Nation and I hope Protestants O I wonder we should be so Cruel and Blood-thirsty one towards another I have heard it said heretofore that England could never be ruin'd but by her self which now I frear is a doing Lord have Mercy on poor England Turn the Hearts of the Inhabitants thereof cause them to love one another and to forget one anothers Infirmities Have Mercy O Lord on me Give me Strength and Patience to fulfil thy Will Comfort my dear and sorrowful Wife be a Husband unto her stand by her in the greatest Trouble and Affliction Let her depend upon thy Providence Be merciful to all Men. Preserve this Nation from Popery Find out a way for its Deliverance if it be thy good Will and give all Men
Ciod of Earth or if she wou'd ' Ise too much a Platonick to tell her I am Flesh and Blood No my Dear when you are gone I can easily part with every thing my Leave then will soon be taken of All but my self Never did any Man bid Adieu to the World more absolutely and purely and shake Hands with all Women in it than I shall do when thou art dead not but I kindly resent thy recommending that dear Saint But she and Argus have nothing to fear For tho' my Flesh is malicious enough yet I 'm as Chast as Ice and a perfect Enemy to Caterwauling I love my Daphne ' cause she pleases me And therefore only pleases ' cause 't is she And therefore in her shake Hands with the whole Sex But tho' I 'm averse to a Second Wife yet to forbid thee Marriage after my Death according to the Property of some Husbands I will not for the Holy Scripture saith The Wife is bound unto the Marriage as long as her Husband liveth If her Husband die she is at Liberty to marry with whom she will only in the Lord. If therefore after my Death thou hast a mind to Marry again as I scarce think it of thee Marry in the Name of the Lord our God but follow not the Practice of doating Widows who couple with those to whom they might more properly have given suck Neither would I have thee engage in a Smithfield Bargain What! Marry for Money or be laying new Foundations of Life now you are half way through it To lay up Goods for many Years was thought by the Primitive Christians fitter for Heathens than Christians for having seen no such thing in their Master they could not tell how it should be proper in his Servants but thou art a Rational Creature tho' a Woman and hast no need of this Advice I come next to tell thee I have made my Will wherein thou art sole Executrix that I might give at the rate I love thee from our Marriage till now I have been wrapp'd in a Circle of Obligations to thee and am so desirous to require thy Love that I am scarce contented with giving All but cou'd grutch my Funeral Expences my very Shroud and Grave that I might add to your future Store I need not press you to believe this for Men in their Last Wills and Speeches appear just as they are they here grow Open and Plain-Hearted and dare not depart with their Hands to a Lye But if you think this Will a Romance or that my Words out-love my Actions I must referr all to Death it self for then will be seen whether the Items in it come only from my Mouth or from my Heart I say I referr you to Death for the Truth of this for my Carriage in Health en't able to shew how Dear you are I have not that Fondness in my natural Temper that trumpets forth great Love and to speak my Conscience I think it unhandsome in a (k) (k) As I hinted in a Letter to the Ingenious Cl s. Marry'd State The Stork is a fond Creature and by always kissing his Mate in publick gives a bad Example to Marry'd People who have learn'd it from him Publick Wantonness is odious between Birds much more so between Man and Wife Believe me Daphne more Souls of our Youth perish this way than any other It pleases not me tho' spoken by an Emperor Give me leave by the Lusts of others to exercise mine own tho' a witty yet a wicked Speech I ever thought an intemperate Man in Wedlock differs little from a Brute for too much Billing in Publick sheweth the way to unexperienc'd Youth to commit Riot in Private Cato accus'd one before the Senate that he had kissed his Wife before his Neighbour's Daughter The very Elephants cry out against the Stork and Marry'd Wantons in this Matter who as Pliny writes make not the least Love one to another except they be covered with Bought 'T was a witty Answer of the Lacedaemouian Virgin who being ask'd in the Morning by her Friend whether or no in the Night she had embrac'd her Husband reply'd Good Words good Man not I him but he me Intimating that Fondness in a Wife was unsufferable and in a Man 't is scandalous Which makes me so little practise it Surely a Landlord may value his House without riding o' th' ridge on 't But I need not bring Arguments to prove I love tho' I am not fond seeing your Charity for me makes you say I out-love every thing Then wonder not I'm grieved at Neither am I less concern'd for the after Reflections so far as they relate to my Dear But pray forgive all my Errors and the Excess of a Love that has nothing of parting in 't 'T will if I do survive you follow thee to thy Dying-Bed 'T is there I 'll attempt to expire that I may if possible follow thee in the same Tract to Heaven where I hope to find and (l) (l) As I lately proved in a Letter upon that Subject know thee hereafter For why may not Husband and Wife that helped forward each others Salvation whose Souls were mutually dear and who went to Heaven as it were Hand in Hand there meet and return each other Thanks for those Christian Offices Holy David cheared up his Thoughts after the Death of his Child with this Meditation (m) (m) 2 Sam. 12.23 I shall go to him but he shall not return to me Which had been little Comfort if he had thought never to have known him there It will be no small Augmentation of our Complacency as I told Ignotus to find those very Friendships which we had contracted here below translated to the Mansions above when I shall see and know thee again with whom I had lived so well and slept so long in the Dust With what Ardours shall we then caress one another With what Transports of Divine Affection shall we mutually embrace and vent those innocent Flames which had so long lain smothering in the Grave How passionately Rhetorical and Elegant will our Expressions be when our Sentiments which Death had frozen up when he congeal'd our Blood shall now be thaw'd again in the warm Airs of Paradise Like Men that have escap'd a common Shipwrack and swim safe to the Shore we shall Congratulate each others Happiness with Joy and Wonder Our first Addresses will be a Dialogue of Interjections and short Periods the most pathetick Language of Surprize and high-wrought Joy and all our after-Converse will be couch'd in the highest Strains of Heavenly Oratory intermixed with Hallelujahs But I 'll stop here to let you see that my Love to your Soul is not so great as to make me forget the House it dwells in No to thy Ashes I 'll keep a Body pure and Troth inviolable for Separation shall have no place in our Union which is too great to be exampled And as to thy Burial it shall speak
was this One Day at an Atheistical Meeting at a Person of Quality's I undertook to manage the Cause and was the principal Disputant against God and Piety and for my Performances receiv'd the Applause of the whole Company upon which my Mind was terribly struck and I immediately replied thus to my self Good God! That a Man that walks upright that sees the wonderful Works of God and has the uses of his Sence and Reason should use them to the defying of his Creator But tho' this was a good beginning to my Conversion to find my Conscience touch'd for my Sins yet it went off again Nay all my Life long I had a secret Value and Reverence for an honest Man and lov'd Morality in others But I had form'd an odd Scheme of Religion to my self which would solve all that God or Conscience might force upon me yet I was not over-well reconcil'd to the Business of Christianity nor had that Reverence for the Gospel of Christ as I ought to have which estate of Mind continu'd till the 53d Chapter of Isaiah was read to him and some other Portions of Scripture by the Power and Efficacy of which Word assisted by his Holy Spirit God so wrought upon his Heart that he declar'd that the Mysteries of the Passion appear'd so clear and plain to him as ever any thing did that was represented in a Glass so that that joy and Admiration which possessed his Soul upon the reading God's Word to him was remarkable to all about him and he had so much delight in his Testimonies that in my absence he begg'd his Mother and Lady to read the same to him frequently and was unsatisfied notwithstanding his great Pains and Weakness till he had learn'd the 53d of Isaiah without Book At the same time discoursing of his Manner of Life from his Youth up which all Men knew was too much devoted to the Service of Sin and that the Lusts of the Flesh the Eye and the Pride of Life had captivated him he was very large and particular in his Acknowledgments about it more ready to accuse himself than any one else could be publickly crying out O blessed God! Can such an horrid Creature as I am be accepted by thee who has denied thy Being and contemn'd thy Power asking often Can there be Mercy and Pardon for me Will God own such a Wretch as I And in the middle of his Sickness said Shall the unspeakable Joys of Heaven be conferr'd on me O mighty Saviour never but through thine infinite Love and Satisfaction O never but by the purchase of thy Blood adding that with all abhorrency he did reflect upon his former Life that sincerely and from his Heart he did repent of all that folly and Madness which he had committed He had a true and lively sense of God's great Mercy to him in striking his hard Heart saying If that God who died for great as well as lesser Sinners did not spâ—edily apply his infinite Merits to his poor Soul his Wound was such as no Man could conceive or bear crying out That he was the vilest Wretch and Dog that the Sun shined upon or the Earth bore That now he saw his Error in not living up to that Reason which God endued him with and which he unworthily vilified and contemned wish'd he had been a starving Leper crawling in a Ditch that he had been a Link-Boy or a Beggar or for his whole Life-time confin'd to a Dungeon rather than thus to have sinend against God How remarkable was his Faith in a hearty embracing an devout Confession of all the Articles of the Christian Religion and all the Divine Mysteries of the Gospel saying that that absurd and foolish Philosophy which the world so much admir'd propagated by the late Mr. Hobbs and others had undone him and many more of the best Parts of the Nation He cast himself entirely upon the Mercies of Jesus Christ and the Free Grace of God declared to repenting Sinners through him with a thankful Remembrance of his Life Death and Resurrection begging God to strengthen his Faith and often crying out Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief His mighty Love and Esteem of the Holy Scriptures his Resolutions to read them frequently and meditate upon them if God should spare him having already tasted the good Word for having spoken to his Heart he acknowledged all the seeming Absurdities and Contradictions thereof fancied by Men of corrupt and reprobate Judgments were vanished and the Excellency and Beauty appeared being come to receive the Truth in the Love of it How terribly did the Tempter assault him by casting upon him wicked and lewd Imaginations But I thank God said he I abhor them all and by the Power of his Grace which I am sure is sufficient for me I have overcome them 'T is the Malice of the Devil because I am rescued from him and the Goodness of God that frees me from all my Spiritual Enemies He was greatly rejoiced at his Lady's Conversion from Popery which he called a Faction supported only by Fraud and Cruelty He was heartily concerned for the Pious Education of his Children wishing that his Son might never be a Wit that is as he explain'd it One of those wretched Creatures who pride themselves in abusing God and Religion denying his Being or his Providence but that he might become an Honest and a Religious Man which could only be the Support and Blessing of his Family He gave a strict Charge to those Persons in whose Custody his Papers were to burn all his profane and lewd Writings as being only fit to promote Vice and Immorality by which he had so highly offended God and shamed and blasphemed that holy Religion into which he had been baptized and all his obscene and filthy Pictures which were so notoriously Scandalous I must not pass by his pious and most passionate Exclamation to a Gentleman of some Character who came to visit him upon his Death-Bed O remember that you contemn God no more he is an avenging God and will visit you for your Sins will in Mercy I hope touch your Conscience sooner or later as he has done mine You and I have been Friends and Sinners together a great while therefore I am the more free with you We have been all mistaken in our Conceits and Opinions Our Perswasions have been false and groundless therefore God grant you Repentance And seeing him again next Day said to him Perhaps you were disobliged by my Plainness to you Yesterday I spake the Words of Truth and Soberness to you and striking his Hand upon his Breast said I hope God will touch your Heart He commanded me continues our Author to preach abroad and let all Men know if they knew it not already how severely God had disciplin'd him for his Sins by his afflicting Hand that his Sufferings were most just tho' he had laid Ten thousand times more upon him how he had laid one Stripe upon another
he should expose himself to was very terrible for as he had had some share in the management of the Affairs of the Reformed Religion in France before the entire Desolation of their Churches some of those Disorders which happened in the Year 1683 in Dauphine Vivares and Cevennes were partly tho' he were innocent imputed to him and the Zeal also which he had manifested divers ways during his Exile for the Truth Service of God and the Consolation of his desolate Church had more and more irritated the Court Clergy and Jesuits against him So that he clearly saw he could not return into France without exposing himself to extream Danger But the Motions of his Conscience were more vigorous than all the Considerations in the World wherefore he prepared himself for this dangerous Journey by frequent Fastings and continued Prayer And as he had resolved to go into France in company with some other Servants of God and that he saw the departure of one and another was deferred for Reasons that savoured too much of human Prudence He felt in himself a Fire which consumed him without intermission and which at last threw him into a slow Feaver which most People thought to be Mortal but whereof they knew not the cause he saw now clearly that God would infallibly make him die on 't if he did any longer withstand the Motions of his Spirit wherefore he concluded with himself that if he must die it were much better he went into France and died there in following the Motion of his Conscience than to pine away elsewhere and die without the discharging of his Duty In order whereunto he met the other Servants of God who were willing to depart without any more delay and they divided themselves into several Companies because of their number among whom were the Brethren Vivers Lapiere Serein Boisson Dombres Poutant Papus c. Brousson was still very weak and much wasted but God confirmed him in his Health while upon his Journey he entred France in company with Mr. Debruc an ancient Minister who for some time had Refugiated himself in Switzerland they had not been long in France but Debruc finding himself in eminent Danger departed again out of the Kingdom however the rest afore-mentioned continued to instruct the People according to Opportunity and their Abilities but many Months were not elapsed when two of them viz. Boisson and Dombres after they had preached the Gospel in Cevennes with extraordinary success suffered Martyrdom with unshaken Constancy they went to the place of Punishment singing God's Praises but least the Faithful and Roman-catholicks themselves might be edified by their pious Demeanour and Exhortations at the time of their Death they ordered the Drums to Beat all he while which has been a frequent Practise with them on several occasions 2. About the same time a young Man of about Seventeen whose name was Soveirain alias Oliver suffered Martyrdom at Mompellier with that marvellous Constancy that the Intendant sometime after taking occasion to Discourse upon this Subject with Monsieur de Villeveille Colonel of one of the Regiments that had been for a long time in Cevennes and Languedâ—c to hinder such Assemblies of the Reformed he told him If the God whom these People serve be the same with that whom we adore we run a risque of being one day very miserable But notwithstanding any present Remorse on went the Fury of these Men and among others the Soldiers seized a young Man in Cevennes whose name was Roman a Student in Divinity and who had for a considerable time preached the Gospel there they carried him to the Castle of St. John de Gardonnenques where he was sentenced to die but here Divine Providence interposed for the Night before the Day wherein he was to suffer a young Maiden who served in the Castle as Chamber-maid having passed the Guards that were asleep before the Room wherein he was looked up found a way through the Window to cut the Cords wherewith he was bound and so he made his escape next Day when none of the Prisoner was to be found Monsieur de Montvaillant to whom the Castle belonged and who was of the number of the pretended new Converts was accused of setting him at liberty But the young Woman camein of her self and freely confest she was the Person without the Intervention of any other who had freed him because she believed him to be innocent and so ought to have compassion upon him for which Fact she was sentenced to be Whipt by the common Hangman and to perpetual Imprisonment in a place called Sommieres where if alive she is to this Day But to return to Brousson when he had got to Cevennes and found he could not find a way whereby by to get those Pieces he had Printed before in Switzerland into France and which he hoped he might have been able to have got dispersed through the Kingdom he immediately fell to instruct and comfort some of his Brethren by short Exhortations in Reading and Expounding to them the Holy Scripture or in dispersing one way or another those small Writings which he had composed for their instruction and of which he made many Copies Some Months after his arrival in France that is in December 1689 being with a small Company of the Faithful upon one of the high Mountains of Cevennes covered with Snow and in a Cottage where he had dwelt for some Days with several of his Brethren all these Faithful entreated and adjured him in the Name of the Lord to preach the Gospel and to administer the Lord's Supper unto them Vivens who was also with him in the same Cortage exhorted him to the same thing It is true Brousson had found himself disposed of a long time to Labour by Writing according to his ability to advance the Kingdom of God but on the other hand he had not yet entirely forsaken his secular Imployment for during his Exile he had from time to time exercised the Function of his old Profession of Advocate though with some regret and so far as was necessary for the subsistence of himself and Family having been dispossest of all his Estate before Though at the same time he had not yet applied himself publicly to Preach the Holy Gospel Wherefore being stirred up by the unanimous Exhortations of his Brethren to preach the Word of God and then to administer unto them the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper he told them he now clearly saw God had put that into their Hearts and that he had a call to consecrate himself to his Work and Service in a more particular manner then he had done till that time wherefore he prayed to God with his whole Hear that he would be pleased to grant unto him those Graces that were necessary for so great a Work But before he began his Preaching Brother Vivens sought God in a very fervent Prayer that he would be pleased to grant him the assistances of his Holy
the Comforts which God gave them in Times past or that from the great Number of Copies of his Sermons Letters and Prayers which he took care to disperse amongst them during his Sickness and which had been read by Persons of Quality and other wealthy Ones who 'till that time would not frequent the Religious Assemblies the Zeal of the most Cold and the Courage of the most Fearful had been influenced and raised up it matters not to determine but Persons of Quality and others who 'till then had testified less Zeal for the Truth came now to give Glory to God in the Holy Assemblies in the midst of all the People insomuch that afterwards it was one of Brousson's greatest care to prevent the Assemblies becoming too numerous to the end they might not make too much Noise and that the People might not be exposed to too great Evils however these Assemblies made so much Noise in the Kingdom that the People of other parts where those who preach'd in Cevennes and Lower Languedoc could not go were edified and strengthned Brousson also sent as far as possibly he could Copies of his Sermons Letters and Prayers to give part of those Instructions and Consolations to them afar off which God by his Ministry bestowed upon the People of Cevennes and Lower Languedoc He was seconded in the same good Work by Papus of whom you have heard somewhat before and who was saved by Divine Providence when Vivens was killed for he had been gone but a Minute out of the Cave where Vivens was invested on him God had bestowed the Spirit of Prayer in a great degree he had before the Death of Vivens begun to labour for the Consolation of the People by excellent Prayers and this he continued after his Death and went from place to place to keep small Meetings where he read the Holy Scriptures and some of the Sermons afore-mentioned and of which he had desired Copies besides whom there was another young Man whose Name was Vzes about twenty Years old who having got together ten or a dozen of the same Sermons got them by Heart and went also to repeat them from place to place and to comfort the People by Praying amongst them But what is more surprising than any thing hitherto related is that God was pleased to raise up the young Maidens for to labour for the Salvation and Comfort of that distressed People one whereof was called Isabel Redostiere about eighteen Years old the Daughter of a Country-man that lived at the foot of the Mountain Liron and the other Pintarde about sixteen or seventeen the Daughter of another Peasant near St. Hipolite They did not take upon them to administer the Sacraments but they went asunder from Place to Place and Desart to Desart to keep Meetings where they exhorted the People out of the Word of God to be converted sanctified be zealous for God come out of impure Babylon to give Glory to God and serve him in purity of Heart according to his Commandments and to be faithful to him unto Death and at the same time edisying comforting and strengthning the People by ardent and excellent Prayers Redostiere coming to know that Broussin with some other faithful Friends that accompanied him were upon an high Mountain she came thither to see them with another faithful Maiden that was elder than herself and who usually kept her Company in whom Brousson and his Friends observed such a Character of Modesty Humility Simplicity and Piety that ravished them with admiration When she happened to be in the same part of the Country where Brousson was she would often come to see and to confer with him about Religious Matters and especially she came frequently to those Assemblies where he administred the Lord's Supper and Brousson hath always testified that she was filled with the Grace of God After this same Maiden had for about two Years laboured for the Salvation and Support of the People she was taken and carried before the Intendant who said unto her So are you one of those Maidens who concern themselves in Preaching I have replied she given some Exhortations to my Brethren and have pray'd to God with them when occasion hat served if you call that Preaching I have Preached But do not you know said the Intendant that the King hath forbidden it I know it well said she again my Lord but the King of Kings the God of Heaven and Earth hath commanded it and I am obliged to obey him rather than Men. Then the Intendant proceeded and told her She deserved Death and that she ought not to expect any other Treatment than that which others had already suffered who had been so adventurous as to preach against the King's Orders But she made him answer She was not disinay'd at that and that she was fully resolved to suffer Death for the Glory and Service of God After many such Discourses the Intendant seeing this young Maiden dispos'd to suffer Martyrdom did not think fit to put her to Death for fear without doubt least the Constancy of this young Maiden should produce a quite contrary Effect to his Intentions he therefore contented himself to sentence her to a perpetual Imprisonment where she is still in the Tower of Constance in Aâ—guemortes with several other Women and faithful Maidens The other Maiden whote Name we told you was Pintarde laboured 〈◊〉 on her part in the Work of the Lord. Brousson had several times an opportunity to confer also 〈◊〉 her and to joyn with her in many an excellent Prayer she made to God that she for the most part drew out of the Psalms and those Old Prophets which agreed exactly to the then State of the Church of God in France and which she delivered with very great fervency One Night as Brousson drew nigh to a place where he had appointed a Meeting to be in the Neighbourhood of St. Hipolite he heard her make a Controversial Sermon or Discourse with great strenuousness She oftentimes kept Meetings where she prenched the Word of God and where she made excellent Prayers and this she continued two Years or better But at last this good Maiden fell into the Hands of her Enemies also with whom the Intendant had much the same Discourse as that already mentioned with the other Maiden but finding she was also very ready to go and suffer Martyrdom he contented himself to condemn her to perpetual Prison where she is still in the Castle of Sommieres These two holy Maidens had not been long Imprisoned but that God was pleased to raise up in Low Cevennes three other Maidens who also edified the People much by their excellent Prayers One of them among the rest and whom perhaps it 's not fit I should name did many times Extempore pray for Half an Hour and Three Quarters of an Hour wherein she very pathetically brought in and applied several Texts of Scripture insomuch that at the very same time she spake to God and
Heart and used to be reciting them when they went about their Work A. C. 1548. They were Translated into English Verse and much Sung by all who loved the Reformation Dr. Burn. Hist Reformation 6. Hierom relates of the place where be lived You could not go into the Field but you might hear the Plow-man at his Halelujahs the Mower at his Hymns and the Vine-dresser singing David 's Psalms Dr. Cave's Prim. Christianity It would take up a great deal of time to recount over the many Instances of Persons singly or Families conjunctly using this Exercise of Devotion many Persons on their Death-beds some in Prison and others at their Execution have cheared themselves with this Exercise and have taken a mighty Pleasure even in the midst of their Troubles and most bitter and heavy Afflictions to ease their Minds and give their Devotions full Vent and Play by singing Praises to the God of Jacob Tho' I know very well that the Children of this World who have no comfort but in things of this Life cannot dance to nor well digest without some Scoff or Censure this Musick 7. Dr. W. Johnson in the Story of his Deliverance at Sea tells us That after his second Shipwrack upon the Coast of Norway being got upon a Rock to save their Lives they betook themselves to their old Remedy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Prayers the Danes with them first began their Devotions who having sung one of Luther 's Psalms fell to their Prayers and then saith the Doctor me sung one of our own Psalms and as long as I was able to speak Prayed with the Company Dr. Johnson's Deus Nobiscum p. 34. 8. In the Life of Mr. Herbert writ by Isaac Walton if I mistake not we are told of a Gentleman of good Estate who after his Travels came home with a Resolution to devote the remainder of his time to a close and spiritual Devotion and the Method which he pitcht upon was to Sing over David's Psalms every four and twenty Hours which was so ordered that while some were refreshing themselves and attending upon the Necessities of Life others should continue in the Chappel and keep on the Devotion To this Society Mr. Herbert who was a Man both Devout and Musical joyned himself for some time I have not the Book by me but the Relation may be seen in Mr. Herbert's Life before his Poems 9. Thomas Hudson Martyr in Queen Mary's Reign after walking abroad for certain days openly in the Town crying against Popery at last returned home and seting himself down on his Knees having his Book by him read and sung Psalms continually without ceasing for three Days and three Nights together refusing Meat and other talk to the great wonder of many Fox's Martyrol 10. George Eagles Martyr likewise in the same Reign when he was drawn on a Sled to Execution had in his Hand a Psalm-book wherein he read very devoutly all the way with a loud Voice till he came there Ibid. 11. Five Martyrs in Canterbury viz. John Lucas a young Man Ann Albright John Catmer Agnes Snâ—th Widow Joan Soale Wife when the Fire was flaming about their Ears did sing Psalms whereat the good Knight Sir John Norton being present wept bitterly at the sight Ibid. 12. Mr. John Denly being set in the Fire with a burning Flame about him sung a Psalm but being interrupted by occasion of a Fagot thrown in his Face which made him bleed he left off and clapt both his Hands on his Face Truly quoth Dr. Story to him that hurled the Fagot thou hast marr'd a good old Song at which Mr. Denley still in the Flames resumed Courage put his Hands abroad and sung again Ibid. 13. St. Augustin speaking of the time when he was Baptized at Milan professeth That the sweet Musick and Melody of the Church provoked his Affections so far that the Tears run down his Checks and he was mightily pleased with it Confes l. 9. c. 6 7. 14. St. Hierom speaking not of the universal Church in solemn Assemblies but what the company of the solitary Virgins were wont to do of their own accord in his time saith That in the Morning at three six and nine a Clock at evening and at Midnight they sung Psalms only on Sunday they went into the Church Bullinger 's Decads 15. The first Act of Uniformity in King Edward the Sixth's Reign gives leave for the using of any Psalm agreeable to the Word of God Which Act is not annulled by any subsequent Act but rather confirmed by those which have followed 16. Te Deum's are in Fashion all over Christian Europe at least the Protestant and Popish Churches at this day See more of the Singing and religious Musick of other Churches in my History of all Religions 17. Mr. John Bruen in singing of Psalms had his Spirit so ravished with Joy that his Heart would even spring and leap in his Body was so affected with Praising of God that he took the word Hallelujah for his Motto See his Life in Mr. Clark's second Volume of Lives p. 176. 18. Mr. Peacock after his great Afflictions being at last joyfully delivered and comforted a three Chapter read to him Rev. 19. Rev. 21. Rom. 8. Oh! saith he they be glorious Comforts Will you have any more read said his Friends yea saith he a Psalm if you please and named the 23d one beginning to read it he desired that it might be sung one asking Will you sing yea said he as well as I can The Psalm being sung and then John 17. being read Blessed be God said he I am a Thousand times happy to have such Felicity thrown upon me a poor wretched Miscreant c. See his last Conflicts by E. B from the Copy of Mr. Rob. Bolton 1646. 19. Mrs. Katherine Stubs on her Death-bed sang Psalms with a sweet and pleasant Voice and desired that the 133 Psalm might be sung before her to Church and desired that there might be no Mourning for her See her Life 20. Mr. J. Janeway on his Death-bed cries out thus Come help me with Praises yet all is too little come help me all ye mighty and glorious Angels who are so well skill'd in the haavenly Work of Praise Praise him all ye Creatures upon Earth let every thing that hath Being help me to Praise God Hallelujah Hallelujah hallelujah Praise is now my Work and I shall be engaged in this sweet Work now and for ever Bring the Bible turn to David 's Psalms and let us sing a Psalm of Praise Come let us lift up our Voice in the Praises of the most High I will sing with you as long as my Breath doth last and when I have none I shall do it better See his Life CHAP. LXIV Persons Remarkable for Good Discourse OVR Saviour hath told us we must be accountable for every idle word and the Apostle hath exploded all corrupt Communication and requires strictly of all Christians that their Speech be season'd
and made savoury with Grace to the edification of others and 't is certain that out Tongues are but the Signs and Indications of our Thoughts and therefore as the Heart thinketh the Tongue speaketh commonly A pure Fountain doth not send out dirty Streams nor a good Tree bring forth evil Fruit. Besides our Language doth not only expose our selves but hath a great Influence in disposing of others either to Good or Evil to Truth or Error and therefore we had need be cautious and use a sober Prudence and Piety in the Government of that little Member And wise and good People are so sparing and discreet in their Words 1. Bembo a Primitive Christian coming to a Friend to learn a Psalm he began to him the 39th I said I will take heed to my ways that I offend not in my tongue Upon hearing of which Words he stop his Tutor saying This is enough if I learn it as I ought And being after Six Months rebuked for not coming again replied That he had not learnt his first Lesson Nay after Fifteen Years he professed That in that time he had scarce learned to fulfil that one Line Anonym 2. Dr. Potter when Fellow of Queen's College Oxon observing the Fellows after Dinner according to their usual manner talking together of many trivial things said nothing but carefully remarked what they said and when they had done talking he thus bespake them Now my Masters will you hear all your extravagant Discourses for I have strictly observed and marked what you said and thereupon gave them a perfect Rehersal of all their Discourses which they admired and wondred at See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 155. Much the like Story is reported of Mr. J. Janeway in his Life 3. The Essaeans are towards God very Religious for before the Sun rise they speak of nothing but Holy Things and then they make certain Prayers and Vows after the manner of their Country c. Joseph de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 7. 4. The Council of Trent because Bishops must be blameless exhorts that to prevent idle Discourses which might arise at the Table of Bishop's themselves the Holy Scriptures be read Conc. Trid. Decret 1. Sess 5. John Picus Earl of Mirandula usually discoursed amongst his Friends of the Vanity and Uncertainty of all Earthly Things and of the Stability of Heavenly Things and therefore he would often call upon them to love the Lord above all c. Clark in his Life 6. One of Bishop Latimer's Injunctions to the Prior and Convent of St. Mary's House in Worcester 1537 was thus Item That the Prior have at his Dinner or Supper every Day a Chapter read and to have edifying Communication of the same History of the Reformation by Dr. Burnet 7. Cardinal Pool in the Platform of his Reformation requires Bishops to have at their Table the Scriptures or other good Books read mixt with pious Discourses Ibid. 8. The Conferences of Mr. John Eliot were like those which Tertullian affirms to have been common among the Saints in his Days Vt qui sciret Dominum audire as knowing that the Ear of God was open to them all and he managed his Rudder so as to manifest that he was bound Heaven-ward in his whole Communication He had a particular Art at Spiritualizing of Earthly Objects and raising of high Thoughts from very mean Things As once going with some feebleness up the Hill to Church he said unto the Person that led him This is very like the way to Heaven 't is up Hill the Lord by his Grace fetch us up And instantly spying a Bush near him he as nimbly added And truly there are Briars and Thorns in the way too As a Friend of the famous Vrsin could say That he never went unto him without coming away Aut doctior aut melior either the wiser or better from him So 't is an Animadversion which more than One Friend of our Eliot's hath made concerning him I was never with him but I got or might have got some good from him Cott. Mather in the Life of Mr. J. Eliot p. 19. 9. Oh! saith Dr. Bolton that worthless Subjects should so often take up our Tongues and Thoughts And Christ so full so sweet so delightful and so profitable a Subject which shall be Matter for our Soul's Discourse to all Eternity shall be thrown aside as not worth taking up In Vit. ejus 10. Mr. Giles Firmin speaking of Mr. Daniel Rogers saith He was a Man of great Parts great Grace and great Infirmities My Father Ward would often say of him My Brother Roger hath Grace enough for Two Men and not half enough for himself a most woful Temper or rather Distemper in his Constitution which hindred much the Lustre of that Grace which was in him By one passage we may judge of his Grace he Dined One Day at a Knight's Table what Company was there I know not but he had not that liberty to be a seasoning his Meat with Savoury and Spiritual Discourse as he was wont to do to sit at Meals and not one Word for God was to him strange the next Day he comes to my House the Man was sadly dejected in such a manner that those who fall into gross Sins scarce know so much Sorrow What is the matter said I. This was the Reason that he was a Man of such a base dastardly Spirit that he could not speak for God I told him Your Father would say in such Companies If you cannot sowe any Good you do well if you can keep out evil Much ado I had to get up his Spirit Firmin's Real Christian Preface to the Reader 11. The late Countess of Warwick would perfume the Company with good Discourse to prevent idle or worse Communication not abruptly upbraidingly or importunely which is very nauseous and fulsome and spoils a good Game by bad Playing but she was like Spiritual Stove you should feel the Heat and not see the Fire and find yourself in other Company among the same Persons and rather wonder than perceive how you came there for she would drop a wise Sentence or moral holy Apothegm with which she was admirably furnish'd that suited with at least not far remote from what was talk'd of and commending or improving it that she 'd wind about the whole Discourse without offence yea with pleasure Dr. Walker in her Life 12. The Discourses which daily fell from Bishop Vsher at his Table in clearing Difficulties in the Scripture and other Subjects especially when learned Men came to visit him tended exceedingly to the Edification of the Heaters so that it might well be said of him as the Queen of Sheba said to Solomon Happy are these thy Servants that stand continually about thee and hear thy Wisdom See his Life 13. Mr. Samuel Fairclough made such a Reform in his Parish that divers Persons who had lived many Years in the place said That in the whole time they never heard an Oath sworn nor