his chosen ones to glory That he should take pleasure to send his own Sonne out of his bosome who was the delight of his soule and bruise him for our sinnes yet it pleased the Father to bruise him The most holy and righteous God that had but one Sonne one onely begotten Sonne that was the delight of his soule and should take pleasure to bruise him that we might be healed and laid stripes upon him that we might be healed oh the height and depth oh the length and bredth of the love of God in Christ Jesus unto poor souls Oh! this is that the Angels do desire to stoope down and looke into and to know more of this great mystery of the love of God in Christ and that God should take upon him the nature of man and put him into that glorious union with his own Sonne and that he should leave the Angels though Christ was made a little lower then they for suffering death for us yet now because the nature of man is united to the Godhead by vertue of that marriage and unâ—on we become the sonnes of God and heirs of glory Those that are adopted by Jesus Christ are brought neer to the Throne of glory are in a high and glorious communion and fellowship with the Father and Spirit owned of all the holy Angels And therefore they doe stand without the Throne as in severall places of the Revelations and round about the Elders and round about those that were given to the Lambe as in the fifth of the Revelations and many other Scriptures they stand without but there is another company within which is the 24 Elders and four living creatures they fall down and worship God they are neerer then the Angels Oh! who hath credited who hath believed this report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Oh! how many professors are there in this day in this Nation that call upon the name of Christ and that say they shall be saved by Christ and doe live and trust most in their awn works and righteousness and never come to the knowledge and understanding of this great mystery of the love of God in Christ who never received those teachings from the Anointing and according to the new covenant where it is promised that they shall be all taught of God all the children of God shall be taught of him and there is no one can teach these but the Father none can draw them to the Sonne but the Father and no man can come to the Father but through the Sonne and this great mysterie is both by the light and opperation of the holy Spirit who makes the new creature in the soule o that God would poure out of his holy Spirit that God would poure out the Spirit of the new Covenant and the spirit of the Gospel and the spirit that can declare the mystery of Gods word in the Spirit and that he hath made manifest through Jesus Christ oh there is much talking and speaking in the name of Christ and how many men spend little time in getting evidences in the power and demonstration of the Spirit and come to apprehend God in Christ that speake of him Oh! time are few of these the Lord knows O that the annoynting may be poured out more now according to this faith in the way of this grace and in this love of God even in the electing love of the Father and in the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ according to the purchased possession that he hath obtained through his own righteousnesse wherein God hath been just also in justifying the ungoldy and among them such a poore simple piece of dust and ashes as I have been and have to this day little glorified my father and yet I can call him father through some measure of his spirit and father according to the spirit of adoption to and can say the Lord Jesus hath given himselfe for me and I take the Lord Jesus Christ as the great gift of the Father desiring to bear witnesse of that love and of that wonderfull grace and glory that he hath made me partaker of in and through him Oh! blessed be the God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath called me to this hope and who hath made me partaker of this glory that the Saints an enlightned in And now I long to see the face of this father and of his Sonne though I have such a number of sinnes in me and though I have an interest in him and can call him Father at any time without doubt and in full assurance of faith in the holy Spirit yet if Jesus Christ were not there to present me faultlesse before the presence of God I should be afraid to appear e before him but he is able to doe it and therefore saith the Apostle Now unto him that is able to save you and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy c. I am a poore sinfull piece full of iniquity laden with many burdens that have a body of death that I carry about me and I am now about to lay it down and my soule shall enter into eternall life and be made perfect in a moment through the mighty power of God that hath wrought that glorious work of raising Christ from the dead Oh! all my strength and all my joy and all my life is in Christ and in him alone and I have a righteousnesse already of his working according to his owne grace and according to his own mighty power and according to his own mercy that he hath been pleased to worke in me and so hath been pleased to keep me in a very wicked and in a very evill day by the power of his grace And I desire to glorifie my father and many years have I been in that worke that hath been of late in this Nation few and evill have been the daies of my pilgrimage but I have desired to serve the Lord with faithfulnesse and in the integrity of my soule without prejudice against any creature and it hath been the desire of my soule to approue my selfe faithfull towards God and towards man and what I have done I have done it in obedience to the Lord that I had in my eye and in my heart There are many things laid upon many of those that professe the Kingdome and glorious appearane of Jesus Christ as if they were enemies to Magistracy and Ministery and as if so be we were for the destruction of the Lawes and properties of mankind therefore shall I speak a few words unto that And if indeed we were such we were fit to be turned out of the World as some now think they should doe God good service in sending such poore creatures quickly from hence There is no such thing I desire to beare witnesse to the true Majestracy that Majestracy that is in the Word of the Lord. And that true Ministery which Ministery is a
from preaching for I preach twice every day to my selfe and yesterday blessed be the Comforter my heart was brimfull of joy and consolation from Psal 73.25 26. wherein I observed three points or doctrinall conclusions 1. That a Saint should love and esteem nothing but God and for God all discourse is vain but what aims and tends to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 a husband wife child friends and all creature comforts are to be loved so far as we see God in them as the creatures doe not serve us but God susteines us in them and by them so our affections and desires must not be fixed upon them but terminate in God as the waters in the river never rest till they return to the Sea so our loves must onely passe by the creatures and settle in God and the more wel see the image of God in any one there our love is to be most in the Lord and for his sake this love is the greatest weight of our soules and transforms into the nature of the thing beloved let us endeavour to put out more acts of love to God in Christ Cant. 1.16 2. From those words my flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart the chiefe residence of the soul being in the heart I observe That there is something more dear to a Saint then his own soule which is the soule of his soule and the life of his life and that is Jesus Christ who dwelleth in our soules by his spirit Rom. 8 10 11. for as the body is dead when the soul leaves it so the soule is dead without Christ which may teach us two lessons 1. To love Christ more then our own lives or relations because he is the soul of our soules this did Moses Exod. 32.32 and Paul Rom. 9.3 they preferred the glory of God in the salvation of their brethren before their own soules if it could have been which is a Christian duty though very hard and if divine justice should say to us at the great day the soul that sins must die we may say why then did God punish our Lord Jesus who is the soule of our soules more dear to us then our souls and if God had seen it good we had rather have suffered in our own persons to have saved him but we not being able to undergoe the wrath of God that innocent and immaculate lambe was put to death who is the heart of our hearts the soule of our soules and the spirit of our spirits for justice is more then abundantly satisfied much more then if our wils soules and bodies had suffered and the debt was all paid together which had alwaies been paying if we had gone to hell for as to Christ our salvation is all pure strict justice who felt nothing but extremity the father would not spare him Rom. 8.32 but as to us it is all mercy that his satisfaction should be accepted for us and that thee and me and deare Daâ—tâ—… and sweet love I trust should be vessels of that mercy and free grace O blessed be his glorious name for ever 3. My meditations were principally carried out from the joyes of heaven and from those words Whom have I in heaven but thee and thou art my portion forever I was ravished with this consideration that the joyes of Heaven are eternal or thus The Saints pleasures have a beginning but no ending No doubt but this is infinite matter of joy to Abraham and all the Saints in heaven to think that they shall continue in their joy and glory not 100. or 10000 millions of years onely but for ever that when they have been there 100000 millions of millions of years as to what remaines it wil not be a minuit but then we begin our felicity therfore Christ cals it a life eternal Matth. 25 〈◊〉 Therefore if a man could live here 1000000 millions of years and enjoy his hearts desire and all the variety of pleasures which 〈◊〉 world can afford and afterwards be deprived of Paradise 〈◊〉 damned what a sad bargain would that be for the Sâ—…its 〈…〉 that while in heaven and shall be there for ever and 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 might 〈◊〉 its â—ounger and live here for ever if such a 〈…〉 possibl 〈…〉 not that content him because he is capaâ—… of go 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 to the choice of an illuminate Christiâ—… whether to 〈…〉 â—000 years in health wealth and all the 〈…〉 to be in heaven but one day he ought to choose the lat 〈…〉 40. so one minuits being in heaven is to be preferred before a perpetuity of all worldly pleasures for to be absent from the Lord is more grievous then all humane delights can be comfortable if it were but a pretty good condition if men were sure alwaies so to continue it would be comfortable therefore to think of an everlasting crown of Glory is a soul-melting consideration If then this life be not a minuit in comparison of the perpetual life of the blessed soules in heaven how greatly are they to be blamed that for a little vain honour flattering pleasure or the momentany sinfull delights of this evil world squander away their precious soules 2 As the joyes of Heaven are eternal so they are exceeding great If the men of the world which have their portion here Psa 17.14 have such stately horses and pleasant palaces and delights shall we not think that God hath provided inestimable treasures and pleasures in the world to come for his children for whom doe earthly parents treasure up but for their children but if we could hut apprehend what they are they are not the joyes of Heaven for no heart can conceive what God has prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 29. the eye hath seen much and the eare heard more and the heart may conceive much more but eternal pleasures are inconceivable yet the spiritual eye hath some glamps of it a poor Saint findes more solid and zeal joy in a crucified Christ poore and naked and despised in the world then all the Dukes of Edome in their rich and glorious pomp and magnificence but all the Saints living here have not so much joy and splendour as the least Saint hath in heaven The Scripture mentions three heavens where the Fowles are the starry Heaven and the Heaven of heavens 1 Kings 8.27 the sun is conceived to be 300 times bigger then the Earth and every starre bigger then this lower world and that all the earth it but as mote and not so big as a flee in comparison of the Emperiall coelestiall Heavens where the souls of the Saints are with God and Christ and by the largeness of the place we may guess at the greatness of the joys pleasures that the Elect are but few in comparison of those who shal be turned into hell Psa 9.17 as it were thrust into a hole together Matth. 25.23 our Lords joy can be no little joy and it is too big to
Law and Gospel with his Blood which will be a great Honour to thee in the judgment of all that truly love and fear God I leave thee to the Lord who I know will take care of thee and be thy Portion so thou shalt never want Learn with all speed to reade the Scriptures and to understand them and have a great care to serve God and study to love Jesus Christ and be obedient to thy dear Mother and good Grandmother and thy loving Uncle and Aunt Massey I pray thee never learn any Pride but be humble and meek and courteous and wait upon Gods Ordinances love the Word more than thy appointed food When the Lord shall please to alter thy Condition be sure to marry one that is gracious and a man that feareth God be sure to prefer Grace before Wealth and Parts for a little with the fear of God is better than great Riches with an Ungodly man The Lord make thee Religious for Beauty is Vanity and Favour is deceitful but a Woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised If the Lord give thee Children be sure to bring them up vertuously and religiously in the Nurture Admonition and Fear of the Lord. I charge thee never to marry without the Consent of thy dear Mother if she be then living In all thy Actions have an eye to Eternity and never do any thing against the Light of thy own Conscience Know that thy dear Father is gone to Heaven to thy dear Brother and be sure so to live that by Gods Grace thou mayest follow after If God give the ability I charge thee to do good to thy Friends and to all Gods People And if my last Will may be of force do not violate it in the least So I leave Gods Blessing with thee praying for thy Temporal and Eternal Happiness and rest Thy dear loving Father JOHN COOK Octob. 15 1660. Some occasionall Speeches and Memorable passages of Col. Axtell and Col. Hacker during their Imprisonment and at their Execution BEing asked by some Friends how he found himself sitted to Encounter with Death He Answered I can say nothing until I come to dye I dare not boast till I put of my Armour but desire your prayers until there be no more need of them Returning from his Tryal at the Court to his Prison with a chearful countenance and his Wife coming to him full of Trouble he said not a Tear Wife what hurt have they done me to send me sooner to Heaven And I blesse the Lord I could have freely gone from the Bar to the Gibbet They had nothing against me neither by Gods law nor their own low to condemne me was it ever known that a man should dye for such Words and further said though men had Judged yet God had not Condemned Some taking notice of his course lodging he said what matter is it to have a little durty way when we have a fair House to come into Then looking upon Friends about him said if the sight of so few of Gods people be so comfortable what will it be to enjoy all the Saints in Heaven together Towards the close of that Evening he went to prayer divers being present who admired the blessed frame of spirit that he was in admiring God in all his appearances for his poor people he laid all his comfort in the blood of a crucifyed Christ and upon the Covenant of Free Grace he did heartily desire pardon for all his Judges Jury and those witnesses that had sworn falsely against him Returning again from the Court when he had received his sentence he came into the prison very chearfully with a Bible in his hand saying I shall have the use of this book two dayes more and then injoy the fulnesse of the Gospel to all Etetnity His Daughter coming in to him he said where hast thou been all this while I thought thou hadst been ashamed of my Chains but they that will not bear the Crosse shall not weare the Crown A Gentleman coming to visit him said shall I petition for your life Col. Axtel replyed Sir you offer me to my losse The Gentleman told him he was going for Ireland Col. Axtell said Sir pray remember my love to all Christian friends there tell them said he shaking of his Chains rejoycingly that you saw me in my chains I recon all these links as so many Pearls to Adorn me and am sure they are so in Christs account and tell them that for that Good Old Cause which we were ingaged in under the Parliament I am now going to be their Martyr And as for the King I wish him as well as my own soule But they have meerly murthered me and they might as well have done it at the Tower as have brought me hither to make this bussle I wish my bloud do not cry to the third and fourth Generation But I shall do them more hurt in my death then I could do in my life They had nothing in Gods law nor their own to condemne me the Court condoled me but it was enough my name was Axtell I wish that I may see them all in Heaven A Friend going into Gloucestershire said to him Sir what message will you now send to the good people in the Country Col. Axtell Answered Remember my dear love to them all and tell them that their prayers are Answered Bid them keep close to Christ and let them not touch with Surplis or Common prayer book and bid them what ever they doe love the image of Christ where ever they see it in Presbyterian Independent Baptised or other And take heed of striking in with any thing that will strike out any of the Offices of Jesus Christ Four of his fellow prisoners passed by his Chamber dore as they were going forth to Execution and being denyed sight of them he called them by their Names and with a mighty fervent spirit said the Lord go with you the Angell of his presence stand by you and then turning about to his Friends said Oh they are gone to Heaven before me but we will give them up to the Lord and so went to prayer and presently after he went to prayer againe saying God hath said that he will make us joyfull in the house of Prayer and many observed that he did perform the duty of prayer Five times that day himselfe wherein he laid himself very low before the Lord acknowledging himself the worst of all the prisoners and that he should have the least to say for God and would say to his Friends say nothing of me tell you see me on the upermost round of the Ladder His Daughter coming in he told her that he had left Jesus Christ an Executor in trust for her Having given an Account to some persons for their satisfaction about his proceedings against the Rebels in Ireland said I can say in Humility that God did use me as an instrument in my place for the suppressing of that
have some trouble upon me concerning the losse of my temporal estate especially for my poor tender loving wife and child I was a purchaser and had a stock of cattel being wrongfully made prisoner two moneths before any speech of a King I was surprized and could save nothing nor get 20 l of my estate since Michaelmas last They promised to beare my charges to London but at Chester I was forced to borrow money or must have come a foot therefore pray be earnest with the Lord that we may take the spoyling of our goods more joyfully knowing that we have in heaven better and an enduring substance Heb. 10 34. and that we may not faint at these momentany afflictions which work so wel for us wherein riches and honours are not so according to that passage 2 Cor. 4 3 last verses and be affected with eternal joyes It is said that I shall be put down into the hole for non-payment of great Fees my comfort is that God will be with me there they cannot shut out Gods spirit from me which is an everlasting spring and Jubile nor will that be so bad as Jeremiah's Dungeon nor as Joseph's Irons which entered into his soule though indeed we are sold by our brethren as Joseph was that the scripture may be fulfilled The brother shall deliver up the brother to Death Matthew 10.21 I know not how to conclude not knowing when I may have another opportunity to converse with you I am overjoyed to think they cannot reach my soule and that our cause is invincible and it will be a happinesse if God see it good that none might suffer death but such whose souls are out of danger but being upon the account of civil liberties as well as spiritual our onely wise Father will order all for his own Glory and this onely silences all murmurings and master save thy selfe that what he pleases must needs be least for us he being Infinite Wisdome Love Power and Goodnesse Had the King made his way by the Sword we might expect his sorest strokes but for the men of Keilah to deliver us up for the Parliament to sacrifice us these men that sit by a Commonwealth Writ for whose priviledges we adventured our all and who cannot condemne us but must give up the Cause and give Judgement against themselves and all the good people in the Nation let the Indians judge of it if any of the Elect think hardly of us that we do not cry peccavi make our recantations it will not last long and it is no matter what others say for they must receive their Judgement at the Bar of Christ and we shall Judge our Judges therefore let us not entertaine damps of dispondencies My rejoycing is in a good God a good Cause a good Conscience I have the Justice of Heaven on my side and Gods loving kindnesse which is better then life if we find injustice and cruelty here mens Law at Westminster will be adjudged Treason in Heaven it will not be long before all tears shall be wiped from our Eyes and if our innocencies be not vindicated and cleared up in this life as Jobs Mordecas Josephs and Daniels and Susannas were yet at the revelation of the righteous judgement of God it will appeare before men and Angels that we are not Traytors nor Murtherers nor Phanatiques but true Christians and good Commonwealths men fixt and constant to the principles of sanctity truth justice and mercy which the Parliament and Army declared and engaged for and to that Noble principle of preferring the Universality before Particularity that we sought the publique good and would have infranchised the people and secured the welfare of the whole groaning Creation if the Nation had not more delighted in servitude then in freedom And if we now suffer a martyrdom of body we shal be some of the souls under the Altar crying How long O Lord holy true and though we can patiently digest their Tortures and leave all vengance to whom it belongs yet who knows but that our blood may be their poyson but then after all unjust sentences of men how sweet and honourable will the Judgement of Christ be Matth. 25. Euge bone serve of entring into our master joy when the Kings of the Earth and the chief Captaines and Dukes of Edom shall wish the Mountaines and Rocks to fall upon them Rev. 5.16 I blesse God my poor Wife 〈◊〉 much encourage me to be faithful to the Death and she is a 〈…〉 who helps her Husband so to Heaven as in a Fiery Charoit she is one who bears an unfeigned love to Christ and all the Saints I intreat your tender care of her and my Child providebit Deus Ier. 49.11 I shal leave her that Scripture and Esa 54.5 to 8. while they cannot take away by confiscation when we were in the storm we took our leaves each of the other * See the relation of his passage by sea from Wexsoâ—d to Kingsale and though we have not paid our Vowes at Pethell yet I trust as was then promised we shal be willing to go to Christ if he call through a Sea of bloud But O the infinite wisdome and love of God and the unsearchable riches of his Grace that if I had been drowned the Malignants would have said though he escaped by Land yet Divine Vengance over took him at 〈…〉 ow he should vouchsafe me poor me as Gideon said 〈…〉 15. one of the meanest Lawyers in Wesminster-Hall 〈…〉 of bonds and an affectual if not effectual Martyrdome for being an Advocate for my blessed Advocate and the good people of England I have been the larger not knowing what use this may be of if my mouth should be stop't if you hear any report of me contrary hereunto believe it not so you have my heart and I had rather be buried alive then my Tongue or Hand should differ from it O pray much for me and pray again and mend your prayer as I have great need to doe if you know what pittiful poor short and confused prayers I make in a day yet Father into thy hands I commend my spirit is a prayer no period better then prayer therefore now unto him that is able to keep you and me from falling and to present you and me faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and for Ever Amen Your for ever in our Dear Redeemer John Cooke A Letter written by Mr. Justice Cooke from the Tower to his Wife MY deare lamb blessed be God for Jesus Christ and for a prison where I finde much of his comforting presence tell sister Jones that she keeps but two or three Sabbaths in a weeke but in prison every day is a Christian Sabbath not onely to cease from sinne but to praise God singing Hosannaes and Hallalujahs I can but smile to think that they cannot hinder me
3.20 What a comfort is it to thee as me that have such crazy bodies ulcerous Lazarus shall be as sound as a Fish and we shall have an everlasting spring of health and strength which shall never decay Use Let this teach us more to mind eternity to study the joyes of Heaven that we may receive a full reward 2 Ephes to 8. as Mr. Whitfield once exhorted Oliver in every thing to mind and eye eternity for they are the brave men and women that will be so at that day the pleasures of this world are so far from satisfying the understanding and will which are capable of God that they cannot satisfie any one sence never any Musick so sweet but a man will desire to hear better no object so beautiful no meat so pleasant but a man will covet to see that which is more lovely and tasts sweeter Eccles 1.8 study that Book and Canticles well that the spirit may convince us of the vanity and vexation of all creature-delights and of the fullnesse and excellency that is in Jesus Christ the best condition in this life is but a bitter-sweeting all our comforts are impure mixt with Wormwood no Rose without thorn and the bitter is more then the sweet but in Heaven all our delights are pure and unmixed there is perfect joy without any grief sollid comforts and no afflictive misery no Envy no Emulation which abounds here for every Saint has what his heart can desire it is a Sinlesse Sorrowlesse Temptationlesse Oppressionlesse Sicklesse Timelesse and Endlesse estate where being once Arrived we shall never fear parting any more therefore my dear sweeting let us wait patiently and chearfully for that blessed translation from Earth to Heaven we must begin our Heaven here the more prepared to dye the fitter we are to live so let us live so let us dye that we way live Eternally If thee likest such poor breathings broken Meditations thee may'st command more of them I leave thee and me and my dear child and our Christian relations with thee in his Armes who is in Heaven at the right hand of the Father therefore we need not fear what man can do unto us Esa 51.12 To him I am thine for ever Thy loving Husband during this Life John Cooke Another Letter from Mr. Cooke to a Friend after Condemnation DEar Brother beloved in the Lord condemnatus sum ad vitam and this is my Cordial Farewel to you and all Saints from my Jeremiahs prison to morrow I shall be in eternal glory in the bosom of Christ where our father Abraham is and a guard of Angels wil convey my soul thither Never let Gods people fear a prison any more for the Lords supporting or comforting spirit hath not been absent from me since my indictment I writ a letter to you formerly acquainting you with my spiritual condition to which I refer you and fearing lest wrong may be done to the cause when I am in heaven I think fit to leave a few words with my dearest love to all Christian friends 1. Upon my triall it came to this that the Judges said that all have been treason since 1642 so that the Lords and Commons are not to meddle with the King I said that I acted obedientially by order from the house of Commons and the Commons being the representatives of the people cannot commit treason for there can be no trial of all the people And as for any force upon the House in 1648. they were the onely judges of it and no inferiour Court can judge of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of their acts or orders But they said all our Acts and Orders are treason So that now it is brought to that it was in 1642. 2. I intend by Gods assistance upon the Ladder to beare my testimony for Jesus Christ to all his Offices and for a Gospel Magistracy and Ministry and to speak something so farre as God shall enable and wil be permitted for the good Old cause or righteousness and holiness I can at present onely leave my dear love and respects for you and my dear sister beseeching God and not doubting but that we shall shortly meet in eternal glory Company so spends me that I can write no more I shall suddenly enter into the joy of the Lord O blessed be his name blessed be the Comforter my soul is full of consolation Farewel farewel Renede in Paradiso Yours forever John Cooke For my dear brother F. Some Notes taken of a Sermon Preached by Mr. Hugh Peters the 14 th of October 1660. after his Condemnation in the prison of Newgate wherein he was much interrupted by the coming in and going forth of strangers that came to see him and the other prisoners in the Room with him and so was constrained to break off the sooner And though they are but briefe Heads yet it 's thought convenient here to insert them for the better satisfaction of any touching the frame of Mr. Hugh Peters at that time The discourse was from PSAL. 42. ver 11. Why art thou cast down O my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my Countenance and my God AFter Analysing the Psalme he Observed this Doctrine Doctrine That the best of Gods people are apt to be disponding This was the Mans case in the whole 88 Psal Also Davids case when he complained of the breaking of his Bones c. This was Christs case himselfe when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The Reasons why the best of Gods people are apt to dispondencies are First When something falls out from God more then ordinary when God put 's weight in Sorrow and Affliction that makes it sinking Although that Afflictions are heavy of themselves many times yet it 's the weight that God puts in Sorrow that makes it sink us 2ly Over-valuing our comforts puting too much upon Wife Children Estate or Life it self a man is apt to be cast down when he thinks of parting with them Thirdly Our unpreparednesse for sufferings and afflictions that makes us dispond Alas I thought not of it say some it 's come unexpectedly upon me Fourthly We are apt to dispond when our Afflictions are many when they are multitudes when all is struck at together Name Estate Relations and Life it self Fifthly VVhen Afflictions are of long continuance a man can bear that Burthen a while that he cannot stand under long Sixthly VVhen afflictions fall upon the noblest part of man which is his soule then are dispondencies apt to come in Seventhly VVhen we have more Sense then Faith Now it should not be so Gods people ought not to dispond 1. Because it discovers impatiency 2. Because it discovers want of Faith they leane not upon the Rock that will not faile them 3. It discovers want of Wisdome c. 4. VVe should not be thus because it gratifies the Enemy who in such a
Oh it is infinitely better and to confirm that Testimony that is concerning thy glorious Will And thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven by me and all thine from henceforth and for evermore Amen Some Memorable Passages of Col. Adrian Scroope after his Condemnation and in his Imprisonment at Newgate which though they are but few may discover the excellent christian frame of his heart and how he was born up under so great Sufferings AFter his Condemnation one of his Children hanging upon him and weeping over him he said Peace Child peace be still not a word thou hast a blessed Portion Who would be troubled to dye for can any one have greater honour than to have his Soul carried up to Heaven upon the wings of the Prayers of so many Saints When the Jaylor called him and Mr. Scot Mr. Jones and Mr. Clement to go to the Dungeon saying Gentlemen you must got to the Room where Mr. Harrison was Sayes Colonel Scroop Must we all go He repleyed Yes At which laying his hand on his breast and elevating his eyes with a serious countenance said Blessed be God that we are not parted As he sate at Dinner he spoke to a Minister that was with them saying I would speak it for glory of God's Free-grace and and comfort of you all That my sins are all pardoned not one and in the strength of this will I go to Heaven Speaking to some Friends that came to visit him said I desire all the People of God to look at the Lords hand in this Dispensation and own his Soveraignity speak well of him what-ever he doth lie at his feet with their mouthes in the dust and live more in love and unity one with another A tall Gentleman coming into the Dungeon to see Col. Scroop the night before he dyed said to him Uncle I am sorry to see you in this condition and would desire you to repent of the Fact for which you are brought hither and stand to the Kings mercy and more words so the same effect Whereupon Col. Scroop put forth his hand and thrust him from him using these words AVOID SATAN When the time approached for his Execution Mr. Scot and Mr. Clement were first carried away in the Sleds and the same Sleds was afterwards to come and carry Col. Scroop and Col. Jones during that time sayes Col. Scroop Well Brother Jones do you spend your time as the Lord shall direct you I intend to take a little steep for I slept not well the last night and my Countenance is not so fresh as I would have it Thereupon he laid him down and slept so soundly that he snored very loud and so continued until the Sled came for him whereupon being awakened he riseth up and a Friend taking him in his Arms asked him how he did he answers Very well I thank God never better in all my life And now saith he will I wash mine hands in Innocency So will I compasse thine Altar O Lord And so with great chearfulness went to Execution Colonel Adrian Scroop and Colonel John Jones two comely ancient Gentlemen were both drawn upon that Sled which carried Mr. Scot and being come to Charing-Crosse the place of Execution Col. Scroop was first brought up to the Ladder where he spake as followeth Col. Scroop's Speech at Execution Octob. 17. 1660. YOu see an Object here that hath been in a better place but howsoever the Lord Jesus Christ hath sent me to this place that in this place I should die I have no Animosity nor Malice against any man nor ever had I neither have I any evil will to those that brought me hither nor to the Jury that found me guilty nor Judges that passed Sentence nor to him through whose means I was brought here to suffer I say once more the Lord forgive him I shall not name him for I come not hither to reflect upon any mans person I will not tell you what my Breeding hath been because it is not good for any man especially at such a time as this to boast of his Linage or Breeding But this I shall say that I was born and bred a Gentleman As for my Carriage it may be some that looks upon me here knows what it hath been Howsoever the Lord knows all and the Lord God is Judge of all and he will judge I shall submit my self to his Judgment which is a Righteous Judgment The judgement of men may go wrong but Gods Judgement is right I shall submit to his way The Lord he is the Rock of Ages and my Support under this great Weight that is now upon me I look up to him alone the Lord Jesus Christ is my Saviour and my Redeemer I am going into his Arms blessed be his Name I follow him he is gone before me the same way Therefore it is no reproach or shame to follow the Lord Jesus Christ to die in his Cause for that is it which I judge I am now going to do That which I do desire of you here are a great many Spectators both on the right hand and on the left is That this day may represent to you the general Day of the Judgement of Christ where you must appear and there every man must receive according to their works And at that time it will be known I say at that time it will be known and seen whose works are righteous and whose are not Therefore I would wish you and desire you to judge charitably of me Col. Scroop having given a brief account of himself to the People his last work was to give up himself to God in Prayer as follovveth O Lord thou art my Father a present help in trouble Thou art my Father I believe in Thee I come unto thee Lord Jesus that went unto thy Father and my Father thy God and my God and this is that which doth support my spirit and enable me to undergo this Death with chearfulness and readiness Lord thou knowest my heart and affections and my desires Oh deal not with me according to my sins I am a miserable wretched sinner If thou enter into Judgment who is able to stand before thee but there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared O Lord let it be known and seen that there hath not been any heart in me to do any thing with Malice or Revenge or that might shew any Revenge If there be any Revenge on the other side the Lord lay it not to their charge The Lord blesse those in Authority the Lord blesse his Majesty that he may reign prosperously and that he may receive a blessing from the hand of the Lord. O Lord thou seest my failings my infirmities and weaknesses O Lord I beseech thee that thou wouldst bear with me thou art a tender-hearted Father Thou art my strength When my heart and my strength faileth then thou art the strength of my heart and my portion for ever O Lord be with me in
boudy Enemy and when I considered their bloudy cruelty in murthering so many thousands of protestants and innocent souls that word was much upon my heart give her bloud to drink for she is worthy and sometimes we neither gave nor took Quarter though self preservation would have said give that which you may expect to have One coming in told him that his fellow prisoners dyed Nobly and Chearfully well said he but how doe they stand Answer was made upon a Ladder Blessed be God said he it is a Jacobs Ladder The Sun shining into the room he said if it be so glorious to behold the Sun what will it be to behold the Son of Glory Laying his hand upon his fellow prisoner Col. Hacker he said come brother be not so sad by this time to morrow we shall be with our Father in Glory and what hurt will they do us to bring us through the Crosse to the Crown Well our God is the God of Newgate Then the Officer coming to carry them down into the Dungeon he took his leave of many of his Friends then present saying love the Lord Jesus love the Lord and weep not for me for God hath wiped away all tears And coming to the dore of the Dungeon said I am now going to my bed of Roses my last bed Many Friends being with him there was an Eminent Godly Minister of the Presbyterian way and Col. Axtell taking him by the hand said I have one word to speak to you it is much upon my heart that one great cause why the Lord contends thus with his people is for want of their love towards them that were not of their minds to which the Minister replyed truly Sir I think so too the Lord help us that wherein we see we have done amisse we may do so no more Then said Col. Axtell I blesse God I have not much to charge my selfe with in this matter Col. Hacker then said but I have much to complaine of in that matter Col. Axtell Afterwards sitting on his bed side clapping his hands said if I had a thousand lives I could lay them all down for the Cause Whereupon another godly Minister then present asked him what he meant by the cause Col. Axtell replyed Sir I tell you I mean that cause which we were encouraged to and ingaged in under the Parliament which was for common Right and Freedome and against the Surplis and Common prayer book and I tell you that Surplis and Common prayer book shall not stand long in England for it is not of God And afterwards thinking that he should not dye that day desired some retirement but news coming that he must dye within an hour though it was not so he quickly made himself ready to go and looking upon his Gloves said these are my wedding Gloves my mortal must marry immortality Some Friends going to see him the night before he was Executed found him at supper very chearful and many being present he said take heed of temporizing c. for that hath been the occasion of great Evil. Then speaking to an Officer there present that had continued tell of late in the Army said Brother thou hast been greatly Guilty herein the Lord forgive thee thou hast a great hand in this To which the person replyed I confesse I have been so too much Col. Axtell answered there is yet mercy for thee if the Lord give thee repentance Moreover said the Lord forgive that poor wretch Lieut. C. N. for he hath sworn falsely in his Evidence and now is that word made good that brother shall betray brother to death And speaking of Col. T. said Ah he hath appeared Five pound lighter in Twenty then I thought him to be And for Col. H. he was the uncivillest of all about the late King and yet he comes in a witnesse against Hacker and me That Evening many Friends being with him he prayed with them and in that duty the Lord by his spirit filled him with Excellent Expressions to the great refreshing of those about him And bewailing the great Divisions amongst Gods people he said Lord if they will not live together in love thou wilt make them lye together in sufferings Then minding their present condition said Lord Death is the King of Terrors to Nature but it is a believers choice Friend it is thy high way to lead us into Glory After prayer taking notice of his Daughter he said to her get an interest in Christ and keep close to him he will be a better Father to thee then I and so took his leave of her The day of their Execution being come several godly Ministers spent some time with them in prayer Viz. with Col. Axtell and Col. Hacker and many friends coming in to pay their last respects Col. Axtell seeing one of his Familiar Friends and companions said my Dear brother thou art better then I am and yet I must go to heaven before thee for all that He very chearfully said to divers then with him dear Friends Rejoyce I am going where ye shall be also yea where we shall be for ever with the Lord and never part and be without any more change I beseech you follow the Lamb wherever he goeth though he may lead you in a harsh dismal and difficult way yet at last he will bring you into a pleasant path and cause you to lye down in green pastures in the land of rest Oh be faithful unto the death and he will give you a Crown of life as he hath given to your suffering Brethren Oh! all that we have or doe suffer is but to make Christ and heaven more sweet deare and Glorious to us all the sad steps we shall tread on this Ladder is but to mount us to heaven for at the top are Angels ready to receive us as was on Jacobs ladder All the things I meet with move me not I blesse my God for I am sure to Fight a good Fight and finish my course with joy Afterwards taking his leave of his Son imbracing him in his Arms he said my dear son fare thee well I must leave thee get an interest in Christ and love him nothing else will stand thee in stead but an interest in him Then calling for his Bible he hugged it saying this hath the whole Cause in it and I may carry this without offence And calling to a Friend he desired him to remember his love to the Congregation where he was a Member and after took his leave of all his Friends exhorting them with much chearfulnesse to love the Lord Jesus Christ and keep close to him and so with great joy addressed himself to go to his next work It will be convenient in this place to give you a brief account of Col. Francis Hacker in regard that Col. Axtell and he were fellow prisoners and sufferers together He was a man of few words and had not the gift of oratory to deliver himselfe as others could yet was very
the transgressions of the remnant of thy people for thine own names sake Lord it is thy covenant that thou wilt put thy spirit into our hearts and erect thy law in our inward parts and our sins and transgressions thou wilt remember no more Blessed be the Lord for the Lord Jesus Christ for had it not been for a Christ we were undone forever Blessed be our Lord that hath written our names in heaven and given us a portion in Christ in whom we have believed and trusted We humbly beg of thee the pardon of all our personal and family guilt the sins of our publique imployments which thou knowest we have not willingly committed though it may be through infirmity and temptation and the sins of our nature Lord we humbly pray thee let us see our selves justified in the blood of our Lord Jesus that we may say with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth us it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again for our justification He is risen that he might be our advocate intercessor and mediator He is filled with all the fulness of the Godhead to distribute to us according to our need Thou hast promised by the Apostle that God shall supply all our wants according to the riches of his own grace Lord thou wilt have the passover eaten with sowre hearbs and Lord we are contented but Lord thou hast provided sweet Wine for us and hast thou not kept the best Wine and the best of thy divine comforts until now til now to carry us over this bridge and passage from earth to heaven sanctifie this our passage for it is best to have the crosse with the crown they goe together and are inseparable therefore saith our Lord they that wil suffer with me shal also raign with me Deare Lord we pray thee give us a full experience and let thy holy Spirit witness to our souls that we are the children of God and reconciled to thee in the covenant and that we shal through thy Son be glorified with thee Strengthen our faith that we may be purged washed and cleansed and for our justification sanctification and acceptation with the Father Glorious lord we desire to leave our requests with thee on the behalfe of this poor people as the last request we have to beg of thee on this side heaven if there be any here not belonging to Christ and not friends to him Lord convert them and shew them their own undone and miserable estate and give them the pardon of a dying Saviour thy poor servants would not part with a Christ for ten thousand lives Lord make Christ precious to their immortal souls Lord convince them of the evil of their sins and the evil of their own ways and break them off from them and cause them to close with Jesus Christ Thou hast promised that those that come unto him thou wilt not cast off Remember all thy people and help them to persevere in thy grace and love and make them able to hold fast the truth till thou come and to quit themselves like men to stand fast in the faith Blessed Lord we humbly pray thee to have mercy upon that great City the place from whence we came When thou resolvedst to destroy Sodom thy servant Abraham expostulated with thee and thou saidst if there were but ten righteous thou wouldst save it but Lord there are many tens of righteous ones in that City It hath been a place where thou hast been glorified and where many godly Ministers have been encouraged O Lord let it goe wel therefore with that great City and let thy Gospel have free passage in the publique worship of it Bless the government and governours thereof and make them instruments to thy glorious praise We pray thee have respect to the chief Magistrates that are come here by command to see execution done Oh Lord we beg mercy for their soules O that Christ would evidence himself more to their soules and that we might meet in Heaven together and be imbraced in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ And him that shal be the Executioner must now wash his hands in our blood doe thou wash his soul in the blood of Jesus Christ O lord we pray thee that thou wouldest have pitty upon his soul and let him know what it is to be washed in the blood of Christ that fountain set open for him and for uncleanness Blessed Lord help us thy poor creatures with strength for we have no strength of our own Thy word saith that death is the King of terrours but blessed be thy Name thou hast taken the sting out of it and the poyson from it and therefore as faith the Apostle Oh death then where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ that hath given us the victory Thou hast said by the Apostle We have the sentence of death in our selves and therefore should not trust in our selves but believe in Christ that raiseth the dead Lord we will not trust in our selves but in the living God Oh my God that art the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob strengthen and support our poor souls Stephen when he was stoned to death saw the Heavens opened and the glory of the Father and of his throne Shall we but see the Face of Jesus Christ bearing up our hearts under all and we shall go through Thou hast promised that thou wilt never never never leave us nor forsake us Thou hast said Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Come life come death or what can separate a believer from Jesus Christ let thy Angels come downe we are perswaded that the Angels are ready to receive our soules and to carry them into thy bosome and into the company of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of the blessed Apostles and Martyrs and witnesses of Jesus and just men made perfect in thy Kingdome Blessed lord thou art our support and comfort support us with the cordials of thy love Blessed lord before we make an end of praying O thou father of mercies and God of all consolation we beg one request for the chief Magistrate of this Nation That thou wouldest give him a glorious Christ into his poor soul and magnifie thy grace towards him that he may become a friend unto Christ and a friend to the people of Christ and raigne in righteousnesse and may be a terrour to evill doers and a praise to them that doe wel that he may cast away iniquity with his eye rule for God before whom he and all others must render an account in the day of judgement Lord hear us for him And blessed lord doe the like for all that had any uncharitableness towards us we would have none towards them but we beg their souls might live in thy presence make them to see their sins and let them receive