gone said Antipater of him Dr. Jer. Tailor 5. Hugucchio a Captain lost two Towns because he would not break his Meal Mr. Hales of Eaton out of Paulus Jovius 6. When Philoxenus the Epicure had fallen desperately sick upon glutting himself on a delicate and costly Fish perceiving he was to die calls for the remainder of his Fish and eats it up and dies a true Martyr to his Belly Mr. Hales 7. A certain Rich Citizen's Son to please all his five Senses at once allowed to the delight of every several Sense 100 l. For which end he bespake a curious fair Room richly hanged and furnished with the most exquisite Pictures to please his Eye Secondly the choicest Musick to content his Ear All the Aromaticks and sweet Perfumes for his Smelling all the Candies Preserves and Junkets for his Taste a Beautiful Strumpet to Lodge with him in a soft Bed and the finest Linen that could be bought to accommodate his Touch all which he enjoyed at one time He spent 30000 l. in three Years and swore after all that if he had three times more than ever he had he would spend it all to live one Week like a God though he were sure to be damned in Hell the next day after But by the Just Hand of God he was punished with extream Poverty and was cast off by all his former Acquaintance so that he died in misery Theat of Judgm Clark 's Examp. Vol. I. c. 61. 8. Apicius that Luxurious roman the Expences of whose Kitchen amounted to more than 2000000 of Sesterces of Gold having eaten up his Estate and fearing Poverty Poison'd himself Idem ex Senecâ Yet at the same time he had 10000000 of Sesterces left 9. Augustinus Chiessius a Banker at Rome at the Christening of his Son entertained Pope Leo X. upon the River Tibris and all the Foreign Embassadors and City-Nobles with Curious Fare dish'd out in costly Plate and on the change of every Service all the Meats Plate and all were cast into the River and new brought in for supply And all the fruits of this was that he was admired by none but Fools and his Name had hardly been mentioned at this day but to tell the World that he was the Author of this ridiculous Action Mr. Hales of Eaton CHAP. CXXIII Divine Judgments upon Drunkenness DRunkenness is a Sin that is prohibited by the Laws of God and Man and upon good reason because it tends to the ruine of a Man's Health the diminution of his Estate the mispending of his precious hours the Powerty of his Family the hindrance of his Piety and Charity the obstruction of Business the acceleration of Old Age and in fine the dishonour of God and the destruction of the Soul And therefore no wonder if we often find the Divine Vengeance follow close upon the heels of this sin as may be seen in the subsequent Stories 1. John Manlius in his Common Places p. 244. tells us of three abominable Drunkards who drank so long till one of them fell down stark dead and yet the other two nothing terrified with such a dreadful Example of Divine Vengeance went on to drink and poured the dead Man's part into him as he lay by them 2. Marcus Antonius wrote or rather spewed out a Book concerning his own abilities to bear strong Drink 3. Darius boasted of the same Faculty in his very Epitaph 4. Alexander the Great drank himself to Death and killed One and Forty more with excessive Drinking to get that Crown of One Hundred and Eighty Pounds weight which he had provided for him that drank most 5. Eccius called by Erasmus Jeccius for his Tipling being Non-pluss'd at Ratisbone by Melancthon in a Publick Disputation and over-drinking himself that Night at the Bishop of Mundina's Lodgings who had store of the best Italian Wines fell into a Fever whereof he died Jo. Man loc com p. 89. 6. Anno Christi 1556. In the Town of St. Gallus in Switzerland there was one Peter Besler who was Born at Rotmund but was now Servant to a Citizen whose Habitation was near unto St. Gallus This dissolute Young Man was much given to the Beastly sin of Drunkenness and upon Trinity Sunday which was May 21st he together with some of his Companions went to the Town of Sangall there to be merry And when they had drank freely this Young Man began to rail at and to quarrel with his Companions and using many Blasphemies against God he added this Execration also If I serve my Master any longer I give my Body and Soul to the Devil When he had staid there all Night in the Morning awaking he began to think what words he had uttered the Night before yet having no other means of Subsistance he resolved to return to his Master's Service But going out of the City when he was now not far from his Master's House a Man met him clad in black and fearful to behold who said to him Go to Good Fellow I am now ready to take that which is my Right and which thou gavest me yesterday Which when he had said taking the Fellow by the Hand who was amazed with Horror and altogether astonished he threw him to the Ground and so vanished Not long after this miserable Young Man being found by some of the Neighbours had his Hands and Feet drawn together and being brought to a Lodging he had the use of all his Limbs taken from him and so continued till he died miserably Stephen Bateman Professor of Divinity Ibid. 7. Anno Christi 1578. February 10th in the Country of Scwaben about Eight Persons that were Citizens and Citizens Sons whose Names my Author setteth down met together at a Tavern whereof the Master's Name was Anthony Huge on a Sabbath-day Morning where they drank themselves Drunk and then began to Blaspheme God and scoff at the Host who advised them to leave Drinking and to go to Church to hear the Word Preached at which they not only continued to mock but went on in their Drinking when suddenly the Devil came in among them in the Habit of a Cavalier who drinking to them set their Mouths on such a fire that these Drunkards not only became amazed thereat but also after a miserable manner were all strangled to Death Ibid. 8. At Kesgrave near Ipswich three Serving-men having been Drinking hard when they wee about to go away the Hostess by her Importunity would needs perswade them to drink the three Ou ts first viz. Wit out of the Head Money out of the Purse and Ale out of the Barrel but as she came to them with the Pot in her hand God suddenly struck her sick and speechless her Tongue also swelling in her Head so that in great extremity she died three days after Beard 's Theat 9. Two Servants of a Brewer in Ipswich drank themselves Drunk for the Rump of a Turkey and afterwards as they were strugling for it they fell backwards into a Cauldron of scalding
particular Instances of these kind of Meteors the Scripture tells us at the Birth of our Saviour a Star appeared which perhaps was the Comet spoken of by Heathen Authors in the Days of Augustus of a stupendious Greatness upon which the Tibertine Sibyl shewed the Emperour the Divinity of our Saviour in these words Hic Puer Major te est Ipsum adora Our last great Comet I doubt not was of extraordinary signification not to us only but to whole Europe and farther so far as it was conspicuous What a gracious God have we that never scarce goes about any great Commotions or Changes in the World but he gives Warning before-hand As if not willing to take us tardy He shews his Signs in the Heavens above when he is about to do any great Work in the Earth beneath And therefore as Darius in the Case of Daniel Chap. 6.26 27. Let Men tremble and fear before this God for he is the Living God and steadfast for ever his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his Dominion shall be even unto the end he delivereth and rescueth and worketh Signs and Wonders in Heaven and Earth 2. Thunder and Lightning Called by the Psalmist the Voice of God and by some supposed to be that Trumpet that shall sound at the Last Day to raise the Dead and to call to Judgment I will not trouble you with declaring the strange and divers Effects of this kind of Meteor its hurting of things inward when the outward are safe shattering the Bones when the Flesh is left sound melting the Blade of the Sword when the Scabbard is free breaking the Vessel when the Wine slows not away exempting poisonous Creatures from their Venom and infusing it into those who are not so striking Men dead and leaving them in the same posture it found them as if still alive c. It is enough to say that 't is a stupendious Meteor and may well be called the Voice of the Divine Excellency Job 37.2 3 4 c. Job 26 6-14 It is said of Nero that a Thunder-bolt fell upon his Table and struck the Cup out of the Emperor's Hand And we have known in our Age some strong Towers and high Buildings demolished to the very Ground with Lightning Some Men struck dead some lamed some blinded Trees clove asunder A Learned Divine of our Nation tells of a profane Person walking abroad with another upon the Lord's-Day when it thundred his Companion telling him of it made Answer 'T is nothing but a Knave Cooper beating of his Tubs But he had not gone much farther but himself was struck dead This may teach us to put on a Reverential Awe of the Divine Majesty at such Seasons That Emperor Caligula who used to brave it out as if he meant to vie with the Almighty and cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was an Instance of the Divine Patience but no safe Example for Imitation The Psalmist is more ingenuous Psal 29. c. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give unto the Lord Glory and Strength And Psal 97.1 2 3 4. To see all the lower World cover'd with thick Clouds and the Cracks of Thunder shake the very Pillars of the Earth and terrible Flashes and Corruscations of Lightning with a speedy pace fly from one end of the Heavens to the other is so like the Voice of God and a Type or Shadow of that black gloomy Day which shall put a Period to the World that it may well be a Memento of our Duty and Reverence we owe to the Divine Majesty and may well put that Question into our Mouths Who shall be able to stand when God appears When this great and terrible God shall by the Sound of this Trumpet or the Voice of an Arch-Angel Summon the World to Judgment who shall dare to appear before him If the Giving of the Law and the Enacting or rather Promulgation of our Religion upon Mount Sinai was so dreadful as Exod. 19.16 Chap. 20.18 19. What will the Great Assizes be when all the Men that ever lived in the World shall be called to give up their last Account and receive their Final Doom Then Oh! Come ye Mountains and fall upon us and ye Rocks cover us and hide us from the Wrath of the Lamb Then Oh! where will the Heart and Stoutness of the presumptuous Sinner shew itself How will he that brav'd it here with the Almighty be able then to stand his Ground and maintain his Cause Psal 50.1 2 3 4. 3. Air and Winds Which what to make of we know not 't is such an invisible and yet real Meteor that it will puzzle the Natural Reason of the most subtile Philosopher to tell the Nature of it The Air is so like the Nature of the Souls in our Bodies or a Spirit in general that we know little more of either one or other than what we know by the sensible Effects John 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth c. If Man be so dim in Naturals with what Face can he boast his Knowledge of Spiritual Objects We neither know the Air that surrounds us every-where nor the Wind that whistles in our Ears nor the Souls that lodge in our own Bodies We are so blind so near home And 't is enough to make us blush at our own Weakness and such Ignorance should make us Humble and such Humility should make us Learn And 'till we are thus qualified we are not fit to learn What a proud Lump of Clay is foolish Man that cannot comprehend Things so near him Things meerly natural Things so common and ordinary and yet will call every Point of his Religion even the sublimest Mysteries to the Tribunal of meer Reason and determine in particular Branches and Puâ—ctilio's as peremptorily and decisively as if be had been Privy Counsellour to the Almighty and judge others censoriously unkindly for differing from him but in the lesser doubtful difficult Points of Religion and prosecute severely for not knowing and believing with equal clearness as himself But besides We are often wondring at the Nature of God himself and cannot tell how to frame a Notion of a Being every-where present Is not the Air and Wind a fit Emblem to shadow forth this Attribute of the Divinity to us Is not the Air in every Creviss of our Houses in our Nostrils in our very Bowels Doth it not fill the World and enter into the smallest Pores of our Bodies And yet 't is but a Creature and we see it not Why should we think it such an impossible thing for the God of Heaven to fill all Places with his Presence and yet be limited to no Bounds nor visible to any Eyes The same word that we use to signifie Air is used also to express the Spirit of God by in almost all the Languages viz. Spiritus Latin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amp c. And we find the Spirit of God choosing sometimes to come down and shew
Wind But that heavenly Country above for many Hundreds of Years affords space for the swiftest Stars to travel in without let or molestation In short the very Natural Propensity of Mankind to enquire into those upper Regions and peer amongst the Stars is some Argument of our Concernment that way 4. Let us beware of Idolatry the fault of the old Pagan World Who when they saw those Lights hung out at the Windows of Heaven which should have been but ministerial to help them in the Search of him that made them fell down and worshipped the Servants instead of the Master the Candles at the Door instead of the Lord of the House Deut. 4.19 Yet the Jews themselves were so forgetful of this Precept that we find them often taxed for burning Incense to the Queen of Heaven and worshipping the Star Rempham And 't is too well known that the Heathens generally worshipped the Sun Moon and Stars becoming vain in their Imaginations and though they professed themselves Wise they became Fools changing the Glory of the incorruptible God into the Image of his corruptible Creatures 5. By this Law they who want a Special Revelation shall be judged Rom. 2.12 13 14 15. Let no Man then whether within or without the Pale of the Church think to shroud his Guilt under the Cloak of Ignorance There 's no Corner of the World so remote no People so dark where this Voice hath not been heard the Musick of the Spheres is soft and still but such as shortly will make even both the Ears of the guilty Sinner tingle The Language wherein these Sermons are preach'd to the World is temperate and equal it makes no great Noise at present to them who are busie digging low in the Bowels of the Earth but it hath a sharp and heavy Accent at the end Let no Man then upbraid the Almighty as if he were a severe Judge for calling all Men to the same Judgment for damning Men that never had the knowledge of his Laws Fear not God will be just he 'll vindicate his Righteousness from the foul Aspersions and Abuses of a scandalous World Hast thou sinned without Law without Law then thou shalt be tried And a Hundred to One but condemned too and yet God clear from thy Blood and just in all this What a black List of Sins doth the Apostle present thee with Rom. 1.29 c. all chargeable upon all Nations of the World Jew and Christian and Turk and Heathen and damnable by the very Law of Nature Vnrighteousness Fornication c. But that which affects us most in all this is that not only the poor Infidel is guilty in this Case but a great part of Christendom also not only they that have no other Law to read in no other Rule to go by but the Book of the Creation but they also who have the Bibles in their Hands and the Creed upon their Tongues-end and have all the Advantages of Nature and Revelation both When these very Sins and as bad or worse walk bare-fac'd within the Confines of the Church and Men of the best Creed and Profession in the World are not ashamed to commit the foulest Sins and sometimes accounteit their Glory to boast of such Vices which ought not so much as to be named amongst Christians There are several live amongst us it may be in this place now whose ordinary Conversations are stain'd with such Blots as both the Lights both that of Positive Religion and that of meer Natural Reason too do abhor and condemn And yet which is mighty strange these very Men do please themselves with the hopes of escaping safely the Sentence of the Judge at the Last Day And upon their Repentance they may but else I cannot think of any plausible Argument that will stand their Friend at the Day of Judgment And to drive the Nail farther yet It will not be enough for Men to plead their Interest in a Church or Party in such Cases let the Church be never so pure nor the Profession never so good nor the Advantages of Knowledge and Information never so great if under all these Pretensions thou shouldst play the Hypocrite and live ill thy own Mouth would condemn thee and a whole Cloud of Witnesses depose Evidence against thee And yet notwithstanding all this we may take up the Complaint of the Prophet Jer. 18.13 Ask now among the Heathen who hath heard such Things The Virgins of Israel have done very horrible Things Thy poor Men are tenacious of their superstitious Vanities 't is hard to make a Proselyte to Christianity amongst them they will dispute fight die for their meer Shadow of Faith but Christians will barter away thier Conscience their Creed their Heaven their God for meer Vanities Ver. 14 15. In short if it be true what some of the poor ignorant Gentiles fancied that the Sun Moon and Stars do all look upon us and are daily Spectators and Witnesses of all we do it were well for many If the Sun were indeed turned into Darkness and the Moon into Blood and the Stars would leave off their Shining and the whole Face of the Heavens were reversed than thus to stand over our Heads and remark our Actions in order to a Solemn Convictive Testimony against us Jer. 2.9 10 11. 8. Of the Glorious Body of the Sun COnsider we next the Sun 1. In its Motion 1. Its Terms à quo ad quem 2. It s Swiftness 3. Continuance 4. It s Light 5. It s Heat 1. It s Motion Concerning which and the rest of its Attributes I shall have the less to say now because I have spoken so much of it in the General Notion of the Heavenly Bodies Yet for Order-sake consider we 1. Its Terms or Bounds from whence and to which the Sun moves From the one end of the Heavens to the other i. e. according to our Apprehension and Common Sence of Things For in truth the Heavens have neither Beginning nor End but are of a perfect Round Figure Indeed this Notion was so long hid from the World that not many Hundred Years agone a German Bishop was Excommunicated for broaching this Doctrine viz. That there were Antipodes and that the Earth in answer to the Heavens was inhabited round whereas now 't is generally agreed upon with good Reason by all the Learned of late Ages 2. It s Swiftness I need say little more upon this Point than what I said before viz. That the Sun according to the Judgment of some Astronomers goes in its Motion 1000000 German Miles in the Judgment of others 261905 in one Hour Whether either of them are in the right or no I am not much concerned to determine This is certain 't is of a vast Body 166 times bigger than the Earth say Astronomers who by the Eclipses say they have found its Diameter and by its Diameter its Compass Periphery and by that its Motion Indeed its Course is so swift so incredibly quick that
When all is said that I can say the one half will not be told you But this I will be bold to promise if I do not make it out by sober Reason to any Man of a sober Mind and reasonable Spirit a Man that is humble enough and impartially willing to believe Truth to be Truth that the Rewards are 1. Great 2. Certain I say Reader if I make not this out by sober Reason to be very credible then say either first that the whole Business of Religion is back'd with but a cold Encouragement or which would be more favourable that I am very unskilful in the Managery But I do hope so to explain the Matter as to convince you That the Joy beyond is worth our seeking thô it cost us much more than is required from us And if it prove upon our serious enquiry to be both Great and Certain exceeding great and very certain then I hope it will add Courage to our Religion and Strength to our Devotion and we shall be willing to work harder in Consideration of our Wages I remember St. Augustine tells of himself That going about to write to St. Hierom that very Day on which Hierom died as it proved on a sudden he saw a Light breaking into his Study and perceived the Room perfumed with a fragrant Smell and heard a Voice as he thought O Austin what art thou going to do to put the Sea into a little Vessel when the Heavens shall cease from their perpetual Motion then and not till then shalt thou be able to understand the Glory of Heaven unless thou come to feel it as now I do We are Reader upon a great Disadvantage in this Case we cannot conceive the Glories of another World which we never saw especially of such a World as that is whilst we dwell in such a place as this is But more especially yet if we live in Sin and belong to the Kingdom of Darkness then 't will be hard indeed If we not only walk with our bodies on this Earth but stoop low with our Souls towards Hell then the great Gulf between will make the Prospect darker to Heaven and we shall find it difficult and even impossible to see so far with such weak Faculties The natural Man understands not the Things of God For in order to the Discovery there is requisite the Grace of Faith as well as Natural Knowledge and if Mens Hearts are not disposed to believe it all the Wonders of the Future Glory told with the greatest Demonstration of Natural Reason will signifie no more than the fine Description of a Utopia or the World in the Moon and Men will be as far from seeking after it as if they look'd upon all as a Romantick Fiction Well Reader think of it how you please I shall begin I. To tell you That God doth mean great Rewards for them that love him And this I shall shew from several Topicks 1. The Preparation that hath been making 2. The Place 3. The Riches of the Place 4. The Company 5. The Sufferings of good Men for it 6. The Author and Design 1. The Preparation for it We are wont to guess the Greatness of a Solemnity Feast Triumph Building any extraordinary Work by the Preparations that are made afore-hand in order thereunto whereas little Works require little Preparation If this Rule be worth any thing we have this Argument here The first Stone of this Building was set from Eternity the Counsel was taken up before the Foundation of this World was laid Our Saviour was intentionally provided before we had actually sinned nay before Adam was actually created 1 Pet. 1.20 Thus the chief Corner-stone was provided from Etenrity God who saw before-hand that Man after his Creation would not stand before he put him into the World provides a Remedy for his Fall and this Remedy not provided without the concurrent Assent of all his Attributes Wisdom Power Truth Justice and Mercy And as he selected Christ so early for our Messiah so he chose us to Salvation in and through him Ephes 1.4 Besides consider what a brave World he made for Man before he created him what Powers and Faculties he created him with what a Paradise he put him in and there set him down vested with Righteousness and Holiness in order to his Happiness All the Creatures besides were but Attendants to wait upon Man Man for God Observe here a Messiah provided from Eternity for Man in case he should fall the Mercy of Election contrived before-hand for such as would accept it a whole World provided filled with variety of Creatures all excellently and wonderfully made and put in admirable Order and at last Man a little Being usher'd upon the Stage with the Songs of Angels for Job 38.7 Those Morning-Stars sung together at this Solemnity All this lower World was but a Theater for Man to act in a Preface to Eternity and Eden's a Type of Heaven and Man design'd thither in the Sequel of his Journey for as yet he was but upon his Journey just entring his Sojourning State No sooner scarce was Man come hither but he fell soully and exposed himself and Posterity to the Danger of Hell for ever From that time to this hath God been laying out himself for us by Providence Promises Threatnings Judgments Mercies variety of Dispensations diversity of Administrations by Law by Gospel by Angels by Men by Prophets by Apostles by his own Son by his Holy Spirit by Circumcision and Passover by Baptism and Eucharist by ordinary Means by extraordinary Miracles by such manifold Methods all tending to our Salvation and conducive to our future Glory that it would fill a Volume enough to cloy you to enumerate the Particulars of them The whole Frame and Furniture of this wide vast Universe all the Lustre and Transactions of Divine Providence for these many Thousands of Years ahve been but so many several preparations subservient to the State of Happiness and Glory hereafter nay Hell itself the Infernal Tophet ordained of old was made for this vâ—â—y purpose for a Prison or Dungeon to remove those wicked Men and Devils into which are unfit for this State of Glory and would be offensive and troublesome to the Good if God should do violence to his Justice to admit them there All things work together for good But neither is this all we ourselves are prepared for this very thing 2 Cor. 5.5 He who hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God He hath not only made the Elect but predestinated redeem'd called justified and sanctified them for this purpose and so hath created some Vessels of Silver and some Vessels of Gold of Honour and Glory in order to it Our Sins after Repentance and Pardon are but like the cold stormy and cloudy Days of Winter which will make the Summer more welcome and pleasant and he that knows how to bring Good out of Evil hath fetch'd Honey out of this Lion to whom much is
Sermon in that place he and I walk'd together a considerable time before the People came he behaved himself reverently and very gravely in the Church during the Service stood up commonly at Prayers and always in my time wrote a Sermon after the Minister when the Morning-Service was ended he commonly invited the Minister to Dine with him who seldom refused and many others who either lived at distance as Mrs. Hanmer Sir Job Charleton's Daughter married to a Justice of Peace in that Country of else such as were poor and needy His Discourse homewards was sweet and spiritual at Table it was seasoned as well as his meat edifying and yet pleasant and taking never wild or inoffensive After Meat and Thanks returned they commonly I think constantly before departure from Table sung the 23d Psalm Sometime after when the Servants had dined he propounded to such Guests as he thought in prudence he should not be too free with to retire into the Parlour for a while till he had attended upon his Family repeated over the Sermon and prayed with them after which he returned to his Guests again and having entertained them with some short Discourse he retired a while himself and by and by called upon his Family to go to Church After Evening Service and Sermon ended he retired again till six a Clock then called for Prayers catechised took an account of Children and Servants of what they remembred at Church which accounts were given sometimes very largely and particularly sung a Psalm kneeled down to Prayers which consisted more of Praise and Benediction then at other times and at last his Children kneeling down before him to beg his Blessing he blessed them all and concluded the Service of the day with the 123 Psalm save that after Supper he retired for about half an hour more into his Study before Bed-time Sometimes after the publick Service ended at Church he gave some spiritual Instructions and Preached in his House to as many as would come to hear him and in his last Years when the Incumbents grew careless in providing Supplys for two or three neighbouring Churches and Chappels and the People cry'd out for lack of Vision he set up a constant Ministration and Preaching at home never taking any thing by way of Reward for his Pains unless with a purpose to give it away to those who were in greater necessities See more in my Christians Companion and History of all Religions CHAP. LXVI Remarkable Love of the Holy Scripture THE Sacred Scriptures were written for our Learning and contain in them such Doctrines Precepts Prophecies Promises Threatnings and Judgments as concern us all and therefore we are commanded to study the Law to search the Scriptures to meditate on the Word of God to make it our delight to talk of it to our Children and acquaint our selves with the Will of God And 't is good Advice which a worthy Divine gives us in this case In Reading Holy Scripture saith he take heed that an holy and humble Mind always bear thee company be humble and not proud sober and not curious study to obey not to dispute turn not Conscience into Questions and Controversies draw not all to Reason leave something for Faith where thou canst not sound the Bottom admire the Depth kiss the Book and lay it down weep over thine Ignorance and send one hearty Wish to Heaven Oh! when shall I come to know as I am known Go not without nor before thy Guide but let thine Eye be always toward the Lamb who only can open this Book and thy Understanding and then blessed is he that reads c. 1. Theodosius Sen. wrote out the whole New Testament with his own Hand accounting it a great Jewel and read a part of it every Day Clark in his Life 2. Theodosius Jun. learned much of the Holy Scriptures without Book and so reasoned of them with the Bishops as if himself had been an experienced Minister Clark in his Life 3. Origen when a Child was very inquisitive into the recondite meaning of the Scriptures D. Cave's Prim. Christianity 4. King Alphonsus read over the Bible Fourteen times with Commentaries 5. John Picus Mirandula addicted himself seriously to the study of Sacred Scripture and at Eight and twenty Years of Age wrote a learned Tractate of the Six Days Work of God and another of the Sabbath for the Publick Benefit of the Church he was mightily affected with the Elegancy of the Scriptures in their Original especially of Paul's Epistles which he preferred before all humane Eloquence whatsoever professing that the Writings of Tully Demosthenes c. were not to be compared with them he wrote much also for interpreting the Old Testament and reconciling seeming Differences he justified the Translation of Hierome against the Calumnies of the Jews He also defended the Septuagint Translation principally with respect to the Psalms Clark in his Life 6. Tho. Cromwel Earl of Essex in a Journey to and from Rome learned the whole Testament translated by Erasmus without Book Clark in his Life 7. Beza when about Eighteen Years old could say by Heart perfectly any Greek Chapter in St. Paul's Epistles 8. Cranmer and Ridley learnt the New Testament by Heart the former in his Journey to Rome the other in Pembroke-Hall Walks in Cambridge Fox's Martyrol 9. The Council of Trent because Bishops must be blameless exhorts that above all things every one keep Sobriety at his Table c. And because oftentimes idle Discourses are wont to arise that at the Tables of Bishops themselves the Holy Scriptures be read Decret 1. Sess 10. One of Bishop Latimer's Injunctions to the Prior and Convent of St. Mary's House in Worcester 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 Hist of the Reformation by Dr. Burnet 11. Cardinal Pool in the Platform of his Reformation requires Bishops to have at their Tables the Scriptures or other good Books read mixt with pious Discourses Ibid. 12. We had the same Exercise in my time appointed by Dr. Tully then Principal of St. Edmond-Hall in Oxford viz. a Part or Paragraph of the Latin Testament read by some Servitor when we were at Dinner 13. Bishop Jewel had usually a Chapter read at Meals after which he would recreate himself with Scholastical Wars between young Scholars whom he maintained at his Table See his Life 14. King Edward the Sixth when very young and one of his Play-fellows or Servants being about to take something down that was above his reach took a great Bible to stand upon with a holy indignation reproved him for it some say he took it up and kissed it saying That it was unfit that he should trample that under his Feet which he ought to treasure up in his Head and Heart Fuller's Ch. Hist p. 424. 15. Hierom calls the Books of Kings his own because by frequent use and reading he had got them
her and they would not meddle with her but rather run away from her This Duck never appeared more with her since she was formerly accused before the Justice which was thought to be her Policy that she might be no more suspected thereby This Old Woman was a Widow and of the poorest of the Town in outward shew and yet she had always store of Money which none could tell which way she might come by it Whilst I was thus taking privy Information against her it being the time of Lent when all the Town came to Confession she among the rest came to Church to confess her Sins and brought me the best Present and Offering of the Town for whereas a Rial is common she brought me four and besides a Turkey Eggs Fish and a little Bottle of Honey She thought thereby to get with me a better Opinion than I had of her from the whole Town I accepted of her great Offering and heard her Confession which was of nothing but Trifies which could scarcely be judged sinful Actions I examined her very close of what was the common Judgment of all the Indians and especially of those who dying had declared to myself at their Death that she had Bewitched them and before their Sickness had threatned them with Death about their Beds none but they themselves seeing her To which she replied weeping That she was wronged I asked her How she being a poor Widow without any Sons to help her without any Means of Livelihood had so much Money as to give me more than the richest in the Town How she came by that Fish Turkey and Honey having none of this of her own about her House To which she replied That God loved her and gave her all these Things and that with her Money she bought the rest I asked her of whom She answered That out of the Town she had them I perswaded her to much Repentance and to forsake the Devil and all Fellowship with him buy her Words and Answers were of a Saintly and Holy Woman and she earnestly desired me to give her the Communion with the rest that were to receive the next Day which I told her I durst not do using Christ's Words Give not the Childrens Bread unto Dogs nor cast Pearls unto Swine and it would be a great Scandal to give the Communion unto her who was suspected generally and had been accused for a Witch This she took very ill telling me That she had for many Years received the Communion and now in her Old Age it grieved her to be deprived of it Her Tears were many yet I could not be moved with them but resolutely denied her the Communion and so dismissed her At Noon when I had done my Work in the Church I had my Servants go to gather up the Offerings and gave Order to have the Fish dressed for my Dinner which she had brought but no sooner was it carried into the Kitchin when the Cook looking on it found it full of Moggots and stinking so that I was forced to hurle it away with that I began to suspect my old Witch and went to look on her Honey and pouring it our into a Disâ— I found it full of Worms her Eggs I could not know from others there being near an Hundred offered that day buy after as I used them we found some rotten some with dead Chickens in them the next Morning the Turkey was found dead as for her four Rials I could not perceive whether the had bewitched them out of my Pocket for that I had put them with many other which that day had been given me yet as far as I could I called to Memory who and what had been given me and in my judgment and reckoning I verily thought that I missed four Rials at Night when my Servants the Indians were gone to Bed I sate up late in my Chamber betaking my self to my Books and Study for I was the next Morning to make an Exhortation to those that received the Communion After I had studied a while it being between ten and eleven of the Clock on a sudden the chief Door in the Hall where in a lower Room was my Chamber and the Servants and three other Doors flew open and I heard one come in and for a while walked about then was another Door opened which went into a little Room where my Saddles were laid with this I thought it might be the Blackamore Miguel Dalva who would often come late to my House to Lodge there especially since my fear of Montenegro and I conjectured he was laying up his Saddle I called to him by name twice or thrice from within my Chamber but no Answer was made but suddenly another Door that opened to my Garden flew open wherewith I began within to fear my Joynts trembled my Hair stood an end I would have called out to the Servants and my Voice was as it were stopped with the sudden Affrightments I began to think of the Witch and put my trust in God against her and encouraged my self and Voice calling out to the Servants and knocking with my Cane at the Door within that they might hear me for I durst not open it and go out with the Noise that I made the Servants awaked and came out to my Chamber-door then I opened it and asked if they had not heard some body in the Hall and all the Doors opened they said they were asleep and heard nothing only one Boy said he heard all and related unto me the same that I had heard I took my Candle then in my Hand and went out with them into the Hall to view the Doors and I found them all shut as the Servants said they had left them then I perceived that the Witch would have affrighted me but had no power to do me any harm I made two of the Servants lie in my Chamber and went to Bed in the Morning early I sent for my Fiscal the Clerk of the Church and told him what had happened that Night he smiled upon me and told me it was the Widow Carillo who had often played such tricks in the Town with those that had offended her and therefore he had the Night before come unto me from her desiring me to give her the Communion lest she should do me come hurt which I denied unto him as I had done unto herself the Clerk bade me be of good cheer for he knew she had no power over me to do me any hurt After the Communion that day some of the chief Indians came unto me and told me that old Carillo had boasted that she would play me some trick or other because I would not give her the Communion But I to rid the Town of such a Limb of Satan sent her to Guatamala with all the Evidences and Witnesses that I had found against her unto the President and Bishop who commanded her to be put in Prison where she died within three Months Dr. Burthogge's Essay
to himself by the frequent Noises and Disturbances which he makes in Peoples Houses When I first began this Work I heard a rapping at my Hall-door as with a Horse-whip twice and my Maid heard it likewise at the same time tho' she was in the Kitchen and I in the Parlour at that very Juncture My Wife suspected it to be a Token of some Funeral out of the Family within such a set time as a Year or so c. Many People have had the like and yet no Harm followed And I quere Whether by the Appearance of the Ghosts of Persons departed he doth not design to promote the Doctrine of Purgatory or some other superstitious Fancies I am sure many of the wild and fantastical Notions and Practices that have been adopted into Religion by Jews Greeks Papists and Pagans have been fathered upon such Causes viz. Visions and Revelations Ominous Signs and Apparitions 10. Joan Williford a Witch confessed before the Mayor and other Jurats of Feversham 1645. That the Devil promised her that she should not lack But never brought her more than Eight Pence or one Shilling at a time See the Examination and Confession of the said Joan and others 1645. CHAP. XCIX Divine Judgments by way of Retaliation THERE is no juster Law saith the old Poet than that those who are the Authors of Contriving a Mischief for others fall into it themselves and the Sacred Scripture agrees thereto and we have many Instances of such Judgments And certainly if any Evils in the World carry in them the Signature and Indication of the Cause these do 1. Haman was hanged upon the same Gallows that he prepared for Mordecai 2. David for his Adultery with Bathsheba was threatened with a Punishment of the like kind which was accordingly inflicted on him 2 Sam. 16.22 when Absalom spread a Tent upon the top of the House and went in unto his Father's Concubines 3. Those that accused Daniel to Darius and procured the throwing of him into the Lyons Den were afterwards thrown there themselves Dan. 6.24 4. The Story of Phalaris's Bull invented for the Torment of others and serving afterwards for himself is notorious in Heathen Story 5. The Lord Cromwel in Henry the VIII's Reign is remarked for suffering capital Punishment without ever coming to a Tryal by a Law which they say himself out of a servile Flattery to his Prince procured for others Of which Michael Drayton thus writes Those Laws I made alone my self to please To give a Power more freely to my Will Even to my Equals hurtful several ways Forced to things that most do say were Ill Upon me now as violently seize By which I lastly perish'd by my Skill On mine own Neck returning as my due That heavy Yoke wherein by me they drew Winstanly's Worth p. 216. 6. The Duke of Somerset in the Fifth Year of Edward VI. died by a Law which but a year before was Passed by himself Spelman 7. The Papists pitch'd upon the Fifth of November for their Gunpowder-Plot but that was by Divine Providence seasonably Discovered and some of the Traitors flying into Worcestershire c. with two pounds of Powder which they had Rifled out of the Lord Windsor's House and laid to dry at the Fire by occasion of a Spark flying upon it Catesby Rookwood and Grant were much scorched both in their Bodies and Faces and at the same time the Roof of the House was blown up with the violence of the Powder And upon the same day viz. November 5. 1623. according to the Popish Account by the fall of a House in Black-fryars London at a Popish Conventicle where one Drurie Preach'd at least Ninety Persons were killed Again upon the same day Novemb. 5. to the best of my Remembrance King William III. by Divine Favour and a special Conduct of Providence entered England in order to the Delivering of us from Popery and Arbitrary or Tyrannical Government 8. It was a voluntary Judgment which Archbishop Cranmer inflicted on himself when he first thrust that very hand into the Fire and burnt it with which he had Signed to the Popish Articles crying out Oh! my Vnworthy Right Hand but who will deny that the Hand of the Almighty was also concerned in it 9. The Spaniards who exercised so much Cruelty in the West-Indies telling the poor Natives that they had a Disease upon them which Gold was a Sovereign Remedy for were many of them Taken and Slain by the Indians and Gold poured down their Throats in a Reproachful way as if it were their God 10. The Bishop of Mentz who Burned the Poor of his Neighbourhood in a Barn and called them Rats mentioned elsewhere in this Book was afterwards punished to death with Rats 11. I have read of a Man that was haled out of doors in a violent manner by his own Son who cried out to him Oh! pray no further for just so far I dragg'd my Father 12. Often the very instrument of our Sin is the Instrument of our Punishment as a Child that we Cocker too much a Persons we Love inordinately any thing we doat upon 13. Sisera annoys God's People with Iron Chariots and is Slain with a Nail of iron Jezabel's Brains that devised Mischief against the Innocent were strewed upon Stones By a Letter to Jezreel she shed the Blood of Naboth and by a Letter from Jezreel the Blood of her Sons was shed Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon's Temple that seven years work of so many Thousands therefore let him be turned a Grazing and seven Seasons pass over him Dan. 4.16 14. Frederick Barbarossa Emperor of Germany had often punished the City of Milan for siding with the Pope against him Yet on a time when Beatrix the Empress came to the Town the uncivil Citizens first Imprisoned her and then in a Scornful manner set her on a Mule with her Face towards the Tail which they caused her to hold in her hand instead of a Bridle And having thus Disgracefully carried her through all the Town they brought her to a Gate and kick'd her out The Emperor to Revenge this Wrong Besieged the City and at last took it adjudging all the People to Death but such as would redeem their Lives in this opprobrious manner He caused a Bunch of Figs to be fastned between the Buttocks of a skittish Mule and such as would live must with their hands bound behind them run after the Mule till with their teeth they had snatched out one or more of the Figs which condition with the hazard of many a sound kick was accepted and performed by many of them Heyl. Geog. p. 214. 15. The Donatists that cast the Holy Elements in the Lord's Supper to Dogs were themselves afterwards devoured by Dogs Zonaras 16. The Archbishop of Tours made sute for the Erection of a Court called Cambre Ardent wherein to condemn the Protestants to the Fire and was himself stricken with a Disease called the Fire of God which began at his Feet and
upon a time at dalliance with his Women one of them plucked a Hair from his Breast which being fast rooted plucked off a little of the Skin that the Blood appeared This small Scar festred and gangreened incurably so that in few Days he despaired of life and being accompanied with his Friends and divers Courtiers he brake out into these excellent Words Which of you would not have thought that I being a Man of War should have died by the stroke of a Sword Spear or Bow But now I am enforced to confess the Power of that Great God whom I have so long despised that he needs no other Lance than a little hair to kill so Blasphemous a wretch and contemner of his Majesty as I have been Dr. Burthogge out of Purchas in his Essay upon Human Reason p. 177. Mr. Greenham in his Works which I have not now by me and therefore cannot quote the particular Place and Page as I should do tells us That a certain Man not well grounded in his Religion took view of the Papists Life but not finding it so glorious as they pretended it was joyned with the Familists in whom he so stayed that he grew into Familiarity with them the first Principle that there was no God boyl'd so much in him that he began to draw Conclusions viz. If there be a God he is not so Just and Merciful as they say if there be no God then there is neither Heaven nor Hell or if any the Joys and Pains not so Eternal as some have taught why then do I sell my Pleasures in this World for uncertain Pleasures in another World So this Devilish Illusion prevail'd on him to steal a Horse for which he was Apprehended and at last condemned But by the Providence of God meeting and conferring with a Godly Minister was Reprieved till the next Assize in hope of his Conversion He confessed himself an Atheist but could not be brought any thing from his Atheism The Assize following drew near when he was to be executed and the Place assigned And at the Place of Execution when he should be turned off the Ladder cryed out directly For Christ's sake stay my Life whereupon he spoke these or the like words Well let the World say what they will doubtless there is a God and the same God is Just for ever to his Enemies and everlastingly keeps his Mercies with his Children Now turn me over And so he made an end of his Speech and of his Days This Story I took down in Writing out of Mr. Greenham's Works Five or Six and Twenty Years ago but not having the Book at present I must deliver it with a Latitude without particular Quotations And 't is the more credible because Mr. Greenham if my Memory fail me not extreamly is character'd by Bishop Joseph Hall for a Saint 5. Mr. Mather speaking of the Obstacles which Mr. Eliot met with in Preaching the Gospel to the Indians in New-England tells us That Elliot made a tender of the Gospel to King Philip Ring-leader of the most calamitous War that ever the Pagan Indians made upon them but Philip entertained it with Contempt and Anger and after the Indian Mode he took hold of a Button upon Mr. Eliot's Coat adding That he cared for his Gospel just as much as he cared for that Button The World hath heard saith my Author what a terrible Ruine soon came upon that woful Creature and upon all his People It was not saith he long before the Hand which now writes upon a certain occasion took off the Jaw from the Blasphemous exposed Skull of that Leviathan and the renowned Samuel Lee is now Pastor to an English Congregation sounding and shewing the Praises of Heaven upon that very spot of Ground where Philip and his Indians were lately worshipping the Devil Cotton Mather in Mr. Eliot's Life pag. 114. 6. Pope Leo the Tenth was so Impudent as to make the Promises and Threats contained in the Word of God things to be laughed at mocking the simplicity of those that believe them And when Cardinal Bembus quoted upon ocasion a place out of the Gospel The Pope Answered Quantum nobis profuit fabula haec de Christo O what Profit hath this Fable of Christ brought unto us The Pope having by his Pardons and Indulgences scrap'd together vast Sums of Money to maintain his Courtezans and Whores and to enrich his Bastards As he was one day at Meat News was brought to him of the Overthrow of the French in Lombardy which he much rejoyced at and doubled his Good Chear but before he arose from the Table God's Hand struck him with a grievous Sickness whereof he died within three days Clark's Mar. Chap. 9. p. 40. 7. Pope Julius the Third another Atheist a despiser of God and his Word on a time missing a cold Peacock which he had commanded to be kept for him raged and blasphemed God exceedingly whereupon a Cardinal that was present intreated him not to be so angry for such a Trifle What saith he if God was so angry for eating of an Apple as to thrust Adam and Eve out of Paradise should not I who am his Vicar be angry for a Peacock which is of far more worth than an Apple 8. Francis Ribelius was so Profane that he made a mock at all Religion counting it a thing to be laugh'd at But the Lord struck him with Madness so that he died mocking at all those that talked of God or made any mention of God's Mercy to him CHAP. CIV Divine Judgments upon Cursing RAshness is a fault in any Humane Action but in no cases more dangerous than in meddling with edg'd Tools but above all in the Imprecation of Divine Judgments Men had need to be deliberate and well-advised before they Appeal to Heaven for Vengeance for God is not to be played with And oftentimes it seems good to the Almighty to hear the Prayers of these rash People beyond their Expectation on purpose to strike them with a more dreadful awe of the Divine Majesty and let every one beware by the Examples which follow how they play with the Thunder-bolts of Heaven lest they are checked as the Apostles Luke 9.54 55. 1. In France a Man of good Parts and well instructed in Religion yet in his Passion Cursing and bidding the Devil take one of his Children the Child was immediately possessed with an Evil Spirit From which though by the fervent and continual Prayers of the Church he was at length released yet ere he fully recovered his Health he died Beza 2. Anno Christi 1557. at Forchenum in the Bishoprick of Bamberg a Priest Preaching about the Sacrament used these and such-like blasphemous Speeches O Paul Paul if thy Doctrine touching the Receiving of the Sacrament in both kinds be true and if it be a wicked thing to Receive it otherwise then let the Devil take me And if the Pope's Doctrine concerning this Point be false then am I the Devil's Bond-slave
taking what she had intends for Dover and so for France but the Child who had been playing up and down in the Copice crying after him he returned and cut his Throat and leaves him by his Mother and now goes forward on his Journey thinking all safe But mark the Providence of God Quickly after comes a Boy from Chatham to gather Sticks and a Dog with him the Boy being busie a gathering Sticks the Dog was busie a hunting up and down and having found out these two dead Corpses never leaves howling till the Boy came to him who no sooner saw this dreadful Spectacle but runs like one mad to the Town and acquainted his Neighbours who hasting to the Place and finding it as the Boy had related it unto them by her Cloaths and by her Son knew the Persons and now they want to find out the Murderer They knowing that Writtle was a Suiter to her a Hue-and-Cry was sent after him and he was taken at Dover and sent to Gaol See the Narrative 22. Ann Cocketon of the Parish of Stepney was Indicted in the Old-Baily for the Murder of her Male Bastard Child on the 9th of May 1696. by throwing it into a House of Office The Evidence deposed That she did think that the Prisoner was troubled with the Gripes and did desire her to give her some Water And about Four in the Morning the Prisoner did go down to the Vault with the Close-stool-pan and a while after came up again very weak but did not think of any thing that had happened but going down the next Morning with a China-Bowl by accident she let it fall in and looking after it she espied the Child there and she took it and washed it and laid it in a Cellar The Midwife declared that searching her she found that she had lately been delivered of a Child CHAP. CXIV Divine Judgments upon Theft Robbery c. HE that hath taken so much care for the Security of our Estates and Possessions as to make a Prohibition of Stealth one of the Commandments bath taken care likewise to annex a Penalty to the same Law and hath allowed us to kill a Night-Thief without imputing it to us at the Sin of Murder Exod. 22.2 And hath himself likewise appeared an Avenger of the Crime as in the case of Achan Ahab c. And besides it may appear plain enough to any one that makes any careful Remarks upon Divine Providence that Ill-got Goods seldom prosper 1. Draco the Law-giver of Athens appointed Death to be the Punishment of Theft Solon mitigated that Rigour and punished it with double Restitution The Locrians put out his Eyes that had stolen ought from his Neighbour The Hetrurians stoned them to Death The Scythians abhorred them more than all Creatures because they had a Community of all Things except their Cups The Vaccians used such Severity towards this kind of Men that if one had but taken a Handful of Corn he was sure to die for it Beard 's Theatr. p. 294. 2. Marcus Fabius being Censor condemn'd his own Son Buteo to Death being apprehended for Theft Tiberius the Emperor punished a Soldier after the same manner for stealing a Peacock In sum there was no Commonwealth wherein this Sin was not highly detested and sharply punished except the Lacedoemonians where it was permitted and tolerated for their Exercise of Warlike Discipline Ibid. 3. It was a rash and severe yet as it proved a just Deed of Tamberlain that mighty Tyrant and Conqueror of Asia when a poor Woman complained to him of one of his Soldiers that had taken from her a little Milk and a piece of Cheese without payment He caused the Soldier 's Belly to be ripped to see whether she had falsly accused him or no and finding the Milk in his Stomach adjudged him worthy of that Punishment for stealing from so poor a Woman Ibid. 4. Ibicus the Poet being set upon by Thieves when he saw that they would not only rob him of his Money but of his Life also he cryed for Help and Revenge to the Cranes that flew over his Head A while after as these murdering Thieves sate together in the Market-place the same Cranes appearing unto them in the Air they whispered one another in the Ear and said Yonder fly Ibicus 's Revengers Which tho' secretly spoken yet was over-heard So that they being Examined and found Guilty were put to Death for their Pains The like Story Martin Luther reporteth touching a Traveller only differing in this That as Cranes detected the former so Crows laid open the latter 5. In Georgia a Thief is acquitted paying Sevenfold what he hath stole two Parts to the Party robbed one to the Judges and four to the King If he hath not wherewith to satisfie he is sold if the Product do not yet equal the Summ his Wife is sold and if that will not do his Children Tavernier l. 3. c. 9. 6. The great Mogul will himself sit as Judge in Matters of Consequence that happen near him They proceed in Tryals Secundum allegata probata They punish Theft and Murder with Death and what kind of Death the Judge pleaseth to appoint Some are hanged beheaded empailed and put on Stakes torn in pieces by wild Beasts killed by Elephants stung with Snakes No Malefactors lie above one Night in Prison sometimes not at all but are speedily brought upon Tryal and so to Execution See my Book of all Religions 7. The Chinese punish Murder and Theft with Death Sir Tho. Herb. Their Justice is severe their Prisons strong and Executions quick 8. The Japonese punish all manner of Theft with Death Tavernier's Collect. p. 4. 9. A. C. 1659. At Brightling in Sussex there was a stupendious and amazing piece of Providence November the 7th in the Evening a Fire kindled in a Man's Milk-house the 9th Dust was thrown upon the Man and his Wife as they lay in Bed together next Morning things were thrown about and the Fire kindled again in the same Place but put out by the Woman then in the Eeves of the House and put out by a Neighbour a Pot broken on the Table with a piece of Brick and as they were going to fill a Tub with Water to set by them all Night the Fire was kindled again in the Milk-house and suddenly the whole House was on fire but most of the Goods saved The Fire was very white and did not singe their Hands when they pulled things out of it The Houshold-stuff was carried next Day to a Neighbour's House and put in one end the Family being in the other end there Dust was thrown upon the Man and his Wife in Bed At last up riseth the Man and with another accompanying him with a Candle and Lanthorn in his Hand went to Mr. Bennet the Minister of the Town and entreated him to go down with him Accordingly He and his Brother went prayed with them and at first Dust was thrown at them but all quiet
fell only into the hands of Cannibals some of 'em at least had ' scaped better than they did from Jeffreys These more tame and civil Creatures would have spared the old and withered though they had devoured the young and tender But no Age no Sex made any difference here and as those who were just come into the World Children and Girls of ten or a dozen Years old were refused Pardon so those who were half out of it would not be suffered to tumble into the Grave entire tho' as Juvenal says of Priam they had scarce Blood enough left to tinge the Knife of the Sacrificers An Instance of this was my Lady Lisle of such an Age that she almost slept on her very Tryal condemned for as small a matter as has been known by one of those dormant Laws made only in terrorem but hardly ever executed only for corresponding with Nelthrop an out-law'd Person and as was pretended giving him Shelter at her House and Hicks who brought him thither For Mr. Hicks he was not then convicted nor in any Proclamation and so 't is a question whether she could even in rigour of Law deserve Death on his account For Nelthrop he himself says in his last Speech That he was wholly a Stranger to that worthy Lady neither did she as he verily believes know who he was or his Name till he was taken For this she was found Guilty and lost her Head at Winchester Her Case was thought so hard that the Honourable Court of Parliament have now reverst her Judgment At her Death she made the following Speech The Last Speech of the Lady Alicia Lisle GEntlemen Friends and Neighbours it may be expected that I should say something at my Death and in order thereunto I shall acquaint you That my Birth and Education was both near this Place and that my Parents instructed me in the Fear of God and I now die of the Reformed Protestant Religion That if ever Popery should return into this Nation it would be a very great and severe Judgment That I die in Expectation of the Pardon of all my Sins and of Acceptance with God the Father by the imputed Righteousness of Jesus Christ he being the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believes I thank God through Jesus Christ that I do depart under the Blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things than that of Abel God having made this Chastisement an Ordinance to my Soul I did once as little expect to come to this Place on this Occasion as any Person in this Place or Nation therefore let all learn not to be high-minded but fear The Lord is a Soveraign and will take what way he sees best to glorifie himself in and by his poor Creatures and I do humbly desire to submit to his Will praying to him That I may possess my Soul in Patience The Crime that was laid to my Charge was for Entertaining a Nonconformist Minister and others in my House the said Minister being sworn to have been in the late Duke of Monmouth's Army but I have been told That if I had denied them it would not at all have affected me I have no Excuse but Surprize and Fear which I believe my Jury must make use of to excuse their Verdict to the World I have been also told That the Court did use to be of Counsel for the Prisoner but instead of Advice I had Evidence against me from thence which though it were only by hear-say might possibly affect my Jury my Defence being but such as might be expected from a weak Woman but such as it was I did not hear it repeated again to the Jury which as I have been informed is usual in such Cases However I forgive all the World and therein all those that have done me wrong and in particular I forgive Colonel Penruddock although he told me that he could have taken these Men before they came to my House And I do likewise forgive him who desired to be taken away from the Grand Jury to the Petty Jury that he might be the more nearly concerned in my Death As to what may be objected in reference to my Conviction that I gave it under my Hand that I had discoursed with Nelthrop that could be no Evidence against me being after my Conviction and Sentence I do acknowledge His Majesty's Favour in Revoking my Sentence I pray God to preserve him that he may long Reign in Mercy as well as Justice and that he may Reign in Peace and that the Protestant Religion may flourish under him I also return thanks to God and the Reverend Clergy that assisted me in my Imprisonment ALICIA LISLE 5. Mr. RICHARD NELTHROP HIS Name is often enough met with in West's and Rumsey's Plot and good reason too he being not near to answer for himself As to what he was Accused Outlawed and Executed for his being concern'd in a Design for the Assassination of the King and Duke he Solemnly avers as may be seen in his Speech That he was always highly against it and detested any such thing was never in the least concern'd in it neither in Purse or Person never knew of any Arms bought for that intent nor did believe there was any such Design He writ one Letter to his Parents here inserted together with his Last Speech at his Execution the 30th of October 1685. At Two in the Morning he wrote the Letter to his Parents c. Wherein he speaks much of his Brother and Fellow-Sufferer * This Pious and courageous Man Mr. Ayloff suffered in London about the same time that Mr. Nelthrop did Mr. Ayloff if I mistake not whom he says He could embrace with more Joy in the Field of Suffering than ever he could have done had he met him in the Field crown'd with Victory and Lawrels Mr. Richard Nelthrop's Letter to his Parents Brothers and Sister Dearest Parents and ever-loving Brothers and tender hearted and beloved Sister THrough the Infinite Goodness of God the nearer I approach my End the more Joy and Comfort I find in my Suffering Estate that I may so call it I can through Mercy say that I have found more true Delight and Content this Night than in all the Days and Nights of my whole Life and I hope the Lord will continue it that his Name may be glorified by me the meanest and poorest of all his Servants but through Free-Grace Faithful unto the end My Soul is ravished I can hardly write and my Comforts are more unspeakable than my Terrors were I did this Evening see my dearest Brother and Companion his Face was to me as that of an Angel and he gave me that Comfort that I cannot but say my Love to him is beyond what I ever had to my dearest Relations When God comes every thing hath a Beauty and Lustre upon it here is an Answer of Prayers and such an Answer as dearest Relations must engage you all to be constant