against him returned this answer I am resolved and certainely determined to enter Wormes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ though I knew there were so many Divells to resist me as there are tiles to cover the houses in Wormes can we imagine that this man would have accepted deliverance on his adversaries termes Galeazius a Gentleman of great estate who suffered Martyrdome at Sant-angelo in Italy being much pressed by his friends to recant and save his life replied that Death was much more sweete to him with testimony of verity then life with the least deniall of truth Francis Camba a Martyr in the Diocesse of Millaine being much assailed by his friends and terrified by his foes by no meanes could be overcome but gave thankes to God that he was accounted worthy to suffer cruell death for the testimony of his Sonne Such were the expressions of joy in his sufferings as his persecutors caused his tongue to be boared thorow that he might speake no more to the people Anne Askew being offered the Kings pardon even at the stake if shee would recant gave this resolute answer I come not hither to denie my Lord and Master By that which this Gentlewoman with admirable courage and constancy indured shee verified that which of old Iulitta spake concerning their Sex We women ought to be as constant as men in Christs cause Walter Mille who suffered Martyrdome in Scotland being sollicited to recant made this resolute reply Yee shall know that I will not recant the truth for I am corne I am no chaffe I will not be blowne away with the winde nor burst with the flaile but I will abide both Mr. Iohn Rogers the first Martyr in Queene Maries daies being sollicited to revoke his doctrine for saving his life said That which I have preached I will seale with my blood Iohn Hooper Lord Bishop of Glocester upon the sight of a pardon cried out If yee love my soule away with it if yee love my soule away with it Thomas Hawks a Gentleman in Essex on a like occasion gave this resolute answer If I had an hundred bodies I would suffer them all to be torne in peeces rather then abjure or recant Bishop Ridly to like purpose thus So long as the breath is in my body I will never denie my Lord Christ and his knowne truth Old Father Latimer used such a speech to one that advised him to spare himselfe as Christ did to Peter on a like occasion which was this Get thee behind mee Satan In like manner all the holy constant Martyrs refused to accept deliverance some after a more zealous others after a more milde manner Many were the motives whereby Martyrs in all ages have beene enduced to be not onely carelesse but even prodigall also of their lives Therein they had respect to Christ to the Church to the Faith to their Bretheren to Themselves to Persecutors to Satan 1 Christ much rejoyceth in such servants For constancy of Martyrs unto death of such Martyrs as professe the name of Christ and suffer for his Truth is a great honour unto Christ Is it not an high honour to a King to have such Captaines and Champions as will not yeeld to their Soveraignes enemies but stand it out to the uttermost till they get the victory though it cost them their life to get it Yet no mortall King can as Christ doth put spirit courage or strength into a subject onely it is conceived that such valourous souldiers as are ready to hazard their lives for their Soveraigne serve a good Master Thus doe Martyrs give persecutors to understand that they serve a good Master and that they beleeve in him who hath done more for them then their dearest bloud is worth who enables them with courage and comfort to endure whatsoever for his names sake can be inflicted on them and therin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be more then conquerers and after all give such recompence as their sufferings are not worthy to be compared with Rom. 8.18 37. Is not this an honour to Christ 2. The Church which breedeth and sendeth foorth such couragious and resolute children as are ready to spend their blood in their mothers cause is much honoured Never did any Church bring up such children as the Church of Christ She hath the glory of invincible Martyrs Of it it may truely be said O blessed Church which is honoured with so divine renowne which the glorious blood of Martyrs doth beautifie 3. The Faith which such Martyrs professe by their standing stedfast therein unto deaâ—h is sealed and confirmed The blood of Martyrs is a seale of that Faith for which they shed their blood By this kinde of ratifying the Christian Faith many have beene brought to embrace the Christian Faith As of old many were enduced to beleeve in Christ by the miracles which he himselfe did and which his Apostles did in his Name If the tortures whereby sundry Martyrs were put to death and their manfull cheerefull and joyfull enduring of them wherof before be duly weighed we shal find their induring to bee so miraculous as their sufferings may well be accounted miracles 4. The Bretheren which beleeve and professe the same Faith are by the constancy of Martyrs much strengâ—hened For the invincible courage of some putts life and spirit into others In an army valourous Leaders much animate the rest of the souldiers and embolden them to follow their leaders Now the Church is as an army with banners Cant. 6.4 Martyrs are as Leaders they couragiously and victoriously make the on-set Other Christians by their example are pricked on as occasion serveth to follow them Reade Phil. 1.13 5. They procure to themselves even for the present in their soules much peace comfort and joy For as the sufferings of Christ abound in them so their consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.5 Then especially are the comforts of the Holy Ghost even poured upon a Christian soul For they could never endure such torments in the flesh unles they had much peace in their soul For the future on earth they leave a most sweet savour of a renowned name When their bodies are consumed their name is as an oyntment powred out and they therby do light a torch of Fame to posterity For the Church was wont to celebrat the memory of Martyrs For which end they had set daies in the yeare wheron Christians in full assemblies met together rehearsed catalogues of Martyrs and gave solemne praise to God for the power of his Spirit manifested in their admirable patience and perseverance And in Heaven they have the highest degree of glory For though God doe not reward men simply for their workes namely for the merit of them yet he rewards according to their works Rom. 2.6 and proportions the degree or measure therof according to the kind of work which on earth is done and according to the measure of
exceedingly excelling or as our last and best English translation turnes it a farre more exceeding What Oratour or Rhetorician could have set out a difference or disproportion more to the life and to the full then the Apostle hath done in the fore-mentioned words Who should not who would not bee mooved hereby to endure any thing that by man can bee inflicted for professing Christ rather then by denying him loose that exceedingly excelling weight of glory Heereof when S. Paul being rapt into the third heaven had but a glimps he saw and heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unutterable matters which man cannot possibly expresse These these are the things which eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither have entered into the heart of man 1. Cor. 2.9 And these are the things that are lost by denying Christ Yet is not this all Apostacy pulls upon a man not onely poenam damni losse of blisse but allso poenam sensus that which will make him feele paine and smart even the sence of torture and torment and not such as man onely can inflict No nor such onely as all the Divels in hell can inflict But such as by the wrath and power of the Almighty is inflicted Such as red hot yron boyling lead flaming fire and all other corporall and temporall torturing torments are too light to paralell or compare withall For they are easelesse and endlesse mercilesse and remedilesse A fire kindled in mine anger saith the Lord Deut. 32.22 shall burn unto the lowest Hell Heare this O Apostates and tremble Receive therefore the counsell which the Lord thus giveth Luk. 12.4 5. I say unto you my friends Be not afraid of them who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarne you whom you shall feare Feare him who after he hath killed hath power to cast into Hell yea I say unto you him feare Because hard and cruell usage of Turks and feare of worse is the cause alleadged by this present Penitent whereby he was mooved to renounce his profession of Christ I have the longer insisted thereon and indeavoured to make cleere these six distinct points 1. That Apostates may implunge themselves into greater tortures then they can avoid 2. That all that by men can bee inflicted on constant professours of the Christian Faith are no more then what God can and will inable them to beare 3. That greater tortures cannot be invented then have in former times beene inflicted on Christians 4. That Martyrs in all ages have expressed much comfort joy in their greatest sufferings 5. That their recompence farre surpasseth their endurance 6. That by denying Christ that recompence is lost and intolerable torments in Hell purchased If these be not enough to embolden Christians against all that man can do I know not what can be enough But yet there remaines one stumbling blocke to be remooved and that is about life For skin for skinne and all that a man hath will be give for his life For satisfaction hereunto let it be considered that 1. This was the Divels allegaâ—ion Iob. 2.4 And shall a Christian fight with the Divels weapons against Christ 2. Iâ— that high prize set upon life bee taken in a faire and right sence it must be applied ad idem to matters of like kind For a temporall life all the temporall things that he hath may be given as Mar. 5.26 the woeman which had an issue of blood spent all that shee had on Physitions namely all her temporall estate But the true faith is of another kinde the good of our soules the present consolation and future salvation of them depends on a constant profession of the true faith It is not in our power to part with it 3. Life preserved by Apostacy is but a temporary life a shadow a vapour a bubble a breath Soone gone even before a man can thinke of parting with it How long did Iudas retaine his life after his Apostacy The rich foole had his soule taken away long before his account For while he dreamed of many yeares he heard this summons This night thy soule shall be required of thee Luk. 12.20 4. If life be preserved some while it may proove so troublesome so wearisome so irksome a life so full of terrour and horrour as a man wish again and again that he had died before he denied Christ Instance Iudas Iscariot of old and Francis Spira of late 5. Eternall life is forfeited by purchasing temporall life after such a manner In this respect whosoever will save his life shall loose it as Christ saith Math. 16.25 Whosoever denies Christ to save this temporall life is like to loose eternall life 6. Temporall life is not a valuable consideration for the losse of the soule For what shall a man give in exchange for his soule Math. 16.26 If it be said that life being preserved an Apostate may finde opportunity of escaping out of persecutors hands and so repent and returne unto the Church and glorifie God as a souldier by flying in time of danger may againe returne into the field and get the day I answer that 1. It is but a may be Not one to a thousand find such an opportunity This Penitent here before us found such an opportunity But many thousands surprized by Turks as he was spend all the remainder of their life in the state of Apostasie 2. If they finde an opportunity of escaping it will not necessarily follow thereupon that they will or can repent having once denied their Saviour As it fell out with the ten Lepers so it falleth out too too usually with Renegadoes but one of the ten returned to give glory to God which caused Christ to say Where are the nine Luke 17.17 Here is now one before us that by a right course of penitency is admitted into the Church againe About ten yeares now past there was another in like manner received at Minhead in Somerset-shire But are these two the tenth or tenth of ten times ten of them that having played the Renegadoes are returned into their countrey yet never gave any publike evidence of their true repentance 3. It is a most undue and impious inference from Gods grace to sinners to take occasion of sinning which the holy Apostle doth with much indignation detest For where to the magnifying of the grace of God and comfort of such sinners as allmost to despaire felt the intolerable burden of sinne pressing upon their soules he had said Where sinne abounded grace did much more abound some thence tooke occasion of turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse with whom the Apostle thus expostulates the case Shall wee continue in sinne that grace may abound Having noted their impious inference with a vehement detestation he thus rejects it God forbid Farre be any such conceipt from a Christians mind That the non-consequence of such an inference may be the better discerned the groffe
found when he was touched in conscience and pricked in heart for his grievous Apostasie He went on in the right way to be found when he made knowne his case to his Minister and made confession of his great offence to him and yet further when he willingly subjected himselfe to the discipline of our Church and manifested his willingnesse to undergoe any pennance that shee should enjoyne humbly and penitently desiring to be received into her bosome againe and to be accounted one of her children For Repentance of sinne is then profitable when it is performed in the Catholick Church Where of old times of penitency were appointed by the Governours of the Church that satisfaction might be given to the Church in which remission of sins is granted Now therefore he is found indeed Now that after the just censure of excommunication for his Apostasie upon his humble confession and hearty repentance as we hope he is here this day received into the bosome of the Church now he is found So as now to his everlasâ—ing comfort if he remaine constant and to the great rejoycing of all true Christians that now behold him or shall heare of that which we behold my Text may in speciall be applied to him He was lost and is found I feare I feare that there are some even now here present that have beene in the case wherein this Penitent was lost but not in the case wherein he is found I feare there are some that have played Renegadoes and as an evidence thereof are circumcised Let such know whether they heare me themselves or shall heare of what I say by others let them know that by their secret thrusting themselves into the Church and concealing their sinne from the Governours thereof and that without just satisfaction which ought to be publikely given for an offence so scandalous as theirs is they can never find such peace in their conscience as this Penitent may Yea let them know that they have great cause to feare the deceitfullnesse of their hearts and to suspect the truth of their repentance if at least they make any profession of repentance True Penitents which by notorious sinnes have dishonoured their profession scandalized the Church and given matter of insultation to the enemies of true Religion will not bee ashamed to make open confession of their sinne and be willing to undergoe any pennance that by the true Church shall be enjoyned to them They of Iaakobs house who had taken with them strange gods brought them to Iaakob and their idolatrous earings too Gen. 35.4 which was a reall confession of their sinne and a demonstration of the truth of their repentance Achan though he knew he should die for it yet made this open confession Iosh 7.20 Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel and thus and thus have I done It is probable that he was the rather enduced to make this confession because Ioshua had told him that thereby he should give glory to the Lord God of Israel in the verse immediately before and that he obtained mercy for the remission of his sin before God and salvation of his soule The Israelites having cast off the Government of the Lord by Judges being convinced of their sinne make this open confession thereof Wee have added unto all other our sins this evill 1 Sam. 12.19 The Iewes after the captivity having married strange wives which was against the Law Deut. 7.3 openly and penitently thus confesse their sinne VVee have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives Ezra 10.2 David though a King having committed scandalous sinnes contents not himselfe with a private confession thereof to the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 12.13 But by a Penitentiary Psalme maketh open and publicke confession thereof to the whole Church Psalme 51.1 To like purpose tends the second booke of Salomon stiled Ecclesiastes The Hebrewes say that this booke is an evidence of Salomons repentance for that he trusting in his wisdome and riches offended God by woemen That which S. Paul writes 1 Tim. 1.13 of his being a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious is a publike confession of his sins It is noted Acts. 19.18 19. as a fruit of true faith that many that beleeved came namely openly and publickly and confessed and shewed their deeds Among these were many also of them who used curious arts that is magicall and diabolicall arts brought their bookes together and burnt them before all men that is openly and publickly The Young-man whom S. Iâ—hn committed to the tuition of the Bishop of Ephesus being recalled after his Apostacy with teares on his knees openly craves pardon There is a Lamentation of Origen published among his workes wherein he himselfe doth openly confesse and penitently bewaile hâ—s scandâ—lous yealding to Pagan Idolatry Sundry that were seduced by Marcus the Magician in testimony of the truth of their penitency made open confession Philip who of Roman Emperours was the first Christian desiring to be admitted into the Christian Church stood in the place where penitents were wont to stand and made open confession of his sinne Natalis a Bishop among Heretiques did the like Many other particulars might here be reckoned up of such as of old in the times of persecution having renounced the Christian Faith upon touch of conscience made publike confession of their Apostacy and were thereupon admitted againe into the Christian Church For in those daies they suffered none that had once renounced the Christian Faith to be received as members of the Church unlesse they gave good evidences of their true repentance and that by their deepe humiliation free confession and willing subjection to such satisfactions as the Church should enjoyne For this end they had Ministers to order the penance of such Penitents and to receive them againe into the Church They had also publicke places for such Penitents to stand in and they had formes of confession and rites for Penitents to observe From those primitive times of the Christian Church even to these our dayes they who after their revolt from the Faith have beene thorowly touched in conscience for their sinne have not unwillingly made recantations and confessions and undergone what the Church thought meet to lay upon them This time after time hath beene done in all reformed Churches And that not onely by such as hâ—ve returned from Paganisme Turcisme and Iudaisme but also from Anabaptisme and Popery Indeed the ancient Discipline of the Church about receiving such as had Apostatised from her into her bosome againe was more austere then now it is The rather because of the Novatians who would not communicate with them who had denied the faith in the persecution of Decius and afterwards repenting turned to the same faith againe In those daies Penitents were wont to put sack-cloth upon their backs and ashes on their heads And to stand as men condemned with
grace wherby hee enables men to doe it But Martyrdome is the most difficult the most acceptable and honourable worke that on earth can be done Vnto you it is given in the behalfe of Christ saith the Apostle Phil. 1.29 not only to beleeve in him BVT ALSO to suffer for his sake Martyrdome therefore is in Heaven crowned with the highest degree of Glory GREAT is their reward in Heaven Math. 5.12 On this ground they who set down the different degrees of celestiall glory by the different fruites which the good ground brought forth Some thirty some sixty some an hundred apply the hundred fold which is the highest and greatest degree of glory to Martyrdome 6. Persecutors and torturers of Martyrs have by their admirable constancy unto death bin exceedingly astonished and even confounded They have so long continued even from morning to evening and that by course to torture Christians among others a woeman Blandina by name as they were weary and acknowledged themselves to be overcome And the Governours themselves who commanded them to be tortured and stood by to see execution done were confounded that their tortures nothing prevailed and that they were overcome by woemen and they who sate as assistants by the Governours were affrighted thereat So as Christians condemned were enabled to endure whatsoever was inflicted on them and their Judges much affrighted Yea by the undaunted and invincible courage of Martyrs some of their executioners and tormenters have beene converted have professed them selves to bee Christians and suffered with the Martyrs and received the crowne of Martyrdome These are the victories triumphs and trophies of constant Martyrs Thus they lead captivity captive 7. The Divell himselfe is by Martyrs constancy exceedingly disappointed For hee sets his instruments on work to deale with Christians as Haman intended to deale with the Jewes Hest 3.23 namely to destroy to kill and cause to perish all Iewes both young and old little children and woemen But with like successe did the Divell plot against Christians For as by the disappointment of Hamans device many of the people of the Land became Iewes Hest 8.17 So while Satans instruments sought to make an end of Christians they increased the more For the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church Wee reade Reve. 13.3 of a Beast whose head was wounded to death Surely the Divell with his feends were wounded even unto death by Martyrs resisting unto blood The time of the ten fierce persecutions and of the purity and power of Religion that followed thereupon containe those thousand yeares wherein Satan was bound Rev. 20.2 They who on the fore-mentioned grounds accounted not their life deare unto them but prefer'd their Faith in the Lord Jesus and a stedfast profession thereof before wealth honour liberty and life it selfe and chose rather to be faithfull Martyrs then desperate Apostates had good ground to be so minded O that all who professe the Faith of Christ were like minded It well becomes us all to bee so minded And if indeed wee be so minded God who knowes the mind heart and spirit of a man will answerably account of him and accept him though he never bee brought to the fiery triall as if he had beene brought to it and indur'd it to the very uttermost The virtues and graces of the mind sometimes are manifested in their deed or work and sometimes lie hid in their habit as the virtue of Martyrdome Many may have the same prowesse that Martyrs have who are not brought to the same proofe thereof By trialls that which is in a man before God is brought foorth before men Not that it is then first begun but that it is then first manifested Before the Divell went about to sift Iob his soule was possessed with patience which the Lord well knew and whereunto he gave witnesse But to men it was made knowne by the tryall of tentation Thus we see how we may bee Martyrs in the most halcyon times that can be even such as ours are So as the ground and glory of Martyrdome is meet to be made knowne and to be meditated on in these our daies and the rather because we cannot be sure of an everlasting continuance of our peace or of the Gospell of peace among us As it is therefore needfull and usefull in the prime and strength of our age when we have best health to meditate on the sundry kinds of diseases and manifold casualties whereunto we are subject and on death the end of all so in the most flourishing times of the Church meditation on the uttermost that may be endured even to the shedding of blood for fast-holding our profession of Christ is a most meet meditation Most especially is this like to be usefull for you Mariners Merchants Merchants-factors and others whose calling it is to goe to sea in ships and to doe businesse in the great waters where yee are in danger to be surprized as this Penitent was by the mortall enemies of Christians or have occasion to abide and trafique among them You may be brought to triall and to give proofe before men whether the habit of Martyrdome be in you or no. Be yee therefore strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Take unto you the whole armour of God that yee may be able to stand in the evill day and having done all to stand For this end receive these few directions 1. Be well instructed in the verity excellency utility and necessity of that faith which yee professe so as yee may be able to maintaine it against all adversaries The Apostle Col. 2.7 adviseth Christians to be rooted and built up in Christ and stablished in the faith Therein he alludeth to a tree well rooted in the ground and to an edifice well set upon a good foundation Such an edifice though the raine descend and flouds arise and winds blow and beate upon it will stand and not fall Mat. 7.25 There are trees whose rootes are as deepe and spread as farre abroad in the earth as their boughs ascend and spred themselves in the aire Our okes are supposed to be such No stormes no tempests can overthrow them The branches may sooner be rent from the body and the whole tree split asunder then rooted up and throwne downe So a Christian well rooted and grounded in the Articles of his faith will sooner have his limbes pull'd one from another and his body and soule severed then drawne from his faith and renounce his profession thereof 2. Take an unalterable and invincible resolution before hand to stand to thy faith and never to renounce thy profession thereof This is an especiall meanes to make a Christian stand steddy against all assaults Yee Mariners know what it is to have a resolved mind and purpose to saile to your intended place yee passe through all weathers no gathering of clouds no shouring of
raine no thundring and lightning no stormes and tempests will turne you back as soone may your ship be set in the sea as you returne backe againe you are confident of passing through though it be with much labour and paines with great difficulty and perill But they who goe to sea for pleasure to be sea-sick or to see strange countries if they see a black skie and discerne stormes arising they cry out O back againe back againe Wee 'l no furthâ—r Surâ—ly a setled resolution in case of religion will be of more force for holding out againsâ— all persecution then in case of a Mariners vocation â—gainst the surges of the sea For a Christian hath more assurance of Gods divine assistance in all his sufferings to be enabled to endure and over-come all then any Mariner can have of safe-passing over the sea In this resolution of a Christian this caveat must be observed that it be through faith in Gods promises and confidence in the Spirits assistance and not in conceit of his owne strength This is no better then presumption Peter failed herein Mat. 26.33 c. This his resolution and profession though all men should be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended and againe though I should die with thee I will never denie thee this profession and the resolution of his mind answerable thereto was good and commendable all Christians ought to be so minded and to professe as much but not on such a ground as he did For he presâ—med too much on his owne strength This Christ well discerned Wherefore that he also might finde out and discerne the deceitfullnesse of his heart and presumption of his spirit he was left to himselfe and so he fell from his profession and denied his Lord. Selfe-conceit is a forerunner of Apostacy Instance Pendleton in Queene Maries daies By this caveat added to the direction it appeares how a Christian jealousie may stand with an undanted resolution Iealousie in regard of our owne weaknesse Resolution in regard of Gods assistance 3. Set your heart on Christ and on his Gospell Be affected therewith as David was with God and his Law which were his Love his Ioy his Delight sweeter to him then hony and the hony-combe better then silver and gold Love is of an uniting nature it makes the soule of him that loveth to cleave close to the object loved as the soule of Jonathan was knit with the soule of David 1 Sam. 18.1 so as he never renounced him nor failed him in any strait But if while men outwardly professe the truth they doe not inwardly and heartily love it it may seeme just to the Lord to send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lie as is threatned 2 Thess 2.11 and so renounce the true faith 4. Walke worthy of the vocation wherewith yee are called This direction is given by the Apostle Ephes 4.1 in these very words and oft inculcated under these and such like phrases worthy of God who hath called you 1 Thess 2.12 worthy of the Lord c. Col. 1.10 In these phrases the Word importeth not any merit or condignity but a meere meetnesse and congruity as is evident by this phrase fruits worthy of repentance Luke 3.8 that is as the very same phrase is translated Mat. 3.8 meet for repentance For if worthy should there implie any matter of desert evill fruits would there be intended For evill fruits they are which deserve repentance Fitly is this word thus translated Phil. 1.27 as it becommeth Let your conversation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ This worthy walking imports a blamelesse conversation A man of a loose life whose conscience checks him for living in sinne dares not venture his life no not in Gods cause He can have but small hope of Gods accepting him Vprightnesse worketh boldnesse This made Saint Paul so bold and couragious in all his trialls as he was that he had lived in all good conscience Acts 23.1 He therefore exhorteth Timothy 1 Tim. 1.19 to hold faith and a good conscience And to presse this point the further he giveth instance of some that had put away a good conscience and concerning faith had made shipwracke By this inference hee sheweth that a good conscience is as a ship and faith as rich lading therein If the ship be full of leakes ship and lading are like to be lost A bad conscience cannot hold faith in time of persecution Holy men have ever beene the stoutest Martyrs 5. To all other meanes add faithfull fervent constant prayer When the houre of Christs suffering came he went into a garden to pray There he praies not once but againe and againe and being in an agony he prayed more earnestly Luke 22.44 To this the Apostle alludes Heb. 5.7 where he saith of Christ that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard This meanes he also used for Peters stability when Satan desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat I have prayed for thee saith Christ Luke 22.32 that thy faith faile not So as prayer is an especiall meanes to keepe faith from failing These things are written for our learning that wee might be incited to use the same helpe Use it therefore before the triall use it in the tryall Call upon him that is able to establish thee and thou shalt assuredly be heard To that which hath beene said to such as are in danger to be lost let mee add a word of exhortation to you that live at home safe and secure under the protection of the Defender of the true ancient Catholick and Apostolick faith have pittie have pitty on those that are in bondage under adversaries and persecutors of the said faith on such in particular as are as this Penitent not long since was taken captive by Turkes Among other evidences of your pitty affoord some helpe to redeeme them This is one of the seven capitall workes of charity and mercy The seven are these 1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drinke to the thirsty 3. To cloathe the naked 4. To entertaine strangers 5. To visit the sick 6. To redeeme captives 7. To burie the dead To redeeme Captives is in sundry respects the best of them For it extends to the good of their bodies and of their soules Of their bodies in freeing them from slavery Of their soules in keeping them from Apostacy It were a worthy worke well beseeming the famous Citties of this Land for every of them to have a sacred treasure for this end to redeeme Captiues But I feare least such a worke be more to be wished then hoped for Yet I conceive that it may well be wished and hoped for too that all who have good intelligence by certificate from the Trinity-house or otherwise would contribute something towards the redeeming of every one that time after time they