enter into us we must enter into it Next I consider wherein the substance and essence of heavenly joyes does properly consist by 1 Cor. 13.12 it seems much to be in sight and knowledge 1 For sight to see God face to face to see the beautifull person of our deare Lord Jesus to see all the blessed saints and Angels and to be one of them how joyfull is the thought of it for if the damned between whom and the saints there is a great gulph fixed Luk. 16.26 shall see Abraham and the prophets in the Kingdome of God Luke 13.28 when themselves are thrust out poor saint-haters that now persecute the heirs of glory scorn their companies would then fein crowd into heaven with them much more the Elect themselves but the difficulty is how we can see spirits with bodily eyes and bodies with spiritual eyes I rather think that Job 19.25 27. is to be understood of Jesus Christ whom Job shall see with the Eyes of his hody and by the Eyes of our soules we shall see God the Father and the blessed spirits and our comfort is that we shall for ever be with the Lord. But here the Scripture has no Tongue to speak we must not too curiously inquire for knowledge it is a wonderful expression we shall know even as we are known God knows us perfectly and what shall be our last thoughts Psal 139.1 2. All the saints upon Earth do not know so much as one saint in Heaven where faith is turned into Vision and hope into Fruition then shall we know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge here below Eph. 3.19 how all the love that ever God vouchsafed to the world is but as a spark to the Oven red hot in comparison of giving Christ but I believe we shal never know God comprehensively but apprehensively that is so much of his glory as we shall never know more for there will he new springs and fresh discoveries of his infinite Grace Glory Goodnesse and perfections streaming forth continually to us that will be as everlasting fountaines of joy and glorious rejoycing to our soules and bodies as one at sea sees a great way but not to the end or bottome of the sea for we shall know as much of God as our heads can hold and love God as much as our hearts can containe and no doubt but there are different degrees of Glory in Heaven as the Saints know more or less of God here as when Vessels of several sizes are cast into the sea they are all full but some hold more then others 2 Cor. 5.4 God works upon our Hearts as ingravers upon Gold or Marble and the more of his image he stamps upon us in this life the liker shall we be to him in Glory but every saint shall have his own fulnesse of knowledge 3. I think that heavenly joy does much consist in the will in the transformation of our wills into the will of God for as we heard an excellent sermon from 1 Cor. 6.17 at Northampton he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit for I believe that mistical onenesse which our dear Lord so sweetly prayed for Joh. 17.11 21 22. is meant of onenesse in will and affections when the soul shall have all that it can desire and nothing but what it does desire and shall will nothing but what God wills and not onely to be satisfyed with the wil of God but but to taste a sweet complecency and delight in it that it is infinitely best to be there 4. This transforming of the will proceeds from the apprehension of divine love where the soul finds that God has loved it from all Eternity that his eye and his heart are perpetually upon it for good and knows that it is a free pure unchangeable and eternal love this causes an eternity of joy a love is the sweetest grace in the heart the very sugar of the soul that makes a Heaven upon Earth where it is without dissimulation and spiritual so heavenly joy will consist much in love which must needs flow from sight and knowledge for as Paul saies 1 Cor. 2.8 it is onely ignorance of God that makes so many to oppose the way of truth and holiness so the sight of divine glorious beauty and the knowledge of infinite wisdome power love and goodness in Christ causes the soul to love God and Christ and the Spirit much better then it self for if the Spouse be sick of love here Cant. 5.8 and if the fire of love constrain militant Saints not to live to themselves 2 Cor. 5.14 ingenuity being the great principle of the Gospell not to work for life but from life and to doe all from a spirit of love much more the Saints triumphant but the more I think of this blessed state of glorification the more I am at a losse in it Psal 16.11 in Gods presence there is fullnesse of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore and David saies Psal 123. that they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever but one Star differeth from another in glory and Matth. 13.43 the righteous shall shine as the Son in the Kingdome of their Father And our Lord saies in my Fathers House are many mansions and Paul calls it a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 and a building of God a House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens where we shall be so soon as the soul parts from the body 2 Cor. 5.1 8. and that it is an inheritance in light all light and no darknesse 1 Coloss 12. and that the Saints shall judge the world and when Christ shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 the New Jerusalem there shall be no sorrow no crying no pain Rev. 21.4 and the gates of the City are pearls and the street is pure gold ver 21 the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light thereof v. 22. in it there is a pure river of water of life and a tree of life which bears fruit every month Rev. 22.1 2. and there shall be no Curses there and there shall be no night and we shall reign for ever and ever ver 5. All these are soul ravishing considerations and I have suckt much comfort from Psal 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and 1 Thess 5.10 who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him therefore let us comfort our selves and edifie one another with these words and Mr. Burton's Text Heb. 12.22 23. it is sweet also to consider of the glory of the body 1 Cor. 15.42 43. it shall be an incorruptible glorious powerfull spiritual body there will be charity agility penetrability impossibility no hunger no cold it shall be fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body Phil.
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
to break the Spirit by putting us to death for I am confident That God will give his Spirit seven-fold unto those that are left but the enemy the Lord hath set their feet in slippery places so that when they come to their measure they must be cast down Therefore 't is the the duty of the Lord's people to wait patiently and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 'T is a trying time and none but those that are endued with power from on High will be able to hold out One asking him where his Chain was he said here it is and though I have worn it so long that it hath entred into my flesh yet it was not as Joseph's it had not entred into his soul He was highly raised up in admiring the grace of God That he should be accounted worthy to wear a Chain for Christ saying They have been blessed Chains to me adding that the Lord had crowned him beyond many of his Brethren being counted worthy to seal Gods work with his bloud admiring that God should accept of such a crasie body much of his strength being already spent yet That God should so honour it in the end he much admired the depths of the love of God to such an unworthy worme The Lord will bring my bloud saith he to cry with the rest of the Martyrs How long O Lord Holy and True c. As for death or the fears of it I am got above them in and through the beholding of the glory of our God into which I am entring which glory shall be shortly for the reviving of the spirits of his Saints and destroying his Enemies A friend speaking to him the night before he died of this dispensation he said he was perswaded That their bloud would be of much advantage to the Cause in Foraign Nations Two Friends that came to visit him being as he thought under some trouble of spirit he directed his speech to them as follows Be not troubled there is nothing stands between me and the Father for I go with all clearnesse and freedome and I know That Jesus Christ is my compleat Righteousnesse and this is my crown of Rejoycing That I die not in the Lord onely but for the Lord And think not that this blessed Cause shall be lost for it shall reach to the end of the Earth Think not your prayers lost for your prayers and tears with our bloud shall come down shortly upon Babylon although they think to heale her yet they shall give her a greater blow then ever we could have given her in our persons Those who have been pleading for suffering who so ready to run away from it While the Lord hath given us a little of the spirit of Rejoycing that hath made us willing to be giving up our selves unto him And although the Enemy think to Conquer us they shall never do it for we are got above them in the Spirit of the Kingdome we trample upon them and they are under our feet and this bloud that now shed shall warm the bloud that hath bin shed before and shall come down and doe notable Execution upon the Enemy The Lord hath in much wisdome hid this death from us and hath alured into it but he hath fitted us for it and be not troubled that he hath taken away two or three drops of the spirit for he will in the room thereof pour it out upon you The day he suffered and the hour being come The Rope being tyed about him he rejoyced exceedingly saying Oh! what am I that I should be bound for the Cause and Interest of the Son of God And when he was coming down Newgate-stairs to go into the Sledge in a very smiling cheerful manner his countenance shining with great glory uttered words to this effect My Lord Jesus for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is now set down on the right hand of God whose steps desire to follow It was also observ'd that the cheerfulness of his countenance all the way as he went to the Gibber remained to the encouragement of the Faithfull and admiration of enemies uttering by the way many chearfull expressions setting forth his joy in the Lord. When he was brought to the gibbet before he went up the ladder his hands being bound he exhorted severall friends standing by to be faithfull unto death and not to be ashamed of the cause for which they suffered and they should receive a Crown of life And further said to a friend that stood by That he hoped the Truths of the Kingdom which he had preached up and down would not be the lesse esteemed for that he now came to seale it with his blood Mr. Carew's Speech upon the Ladder TRuly it is not words nor that which I have to speake in mine own spirit will glorifie God or give any advantage to your soules or unto me but it is if I may speak a few words in the Spirit of the Lord and in the power of his might and from an unfeigned love unto Jesus Christ that would indeed give me an open entrance and make my passage very sweet and a blessing may be left behind even upon you The first thing indeed that hath been very weighty and I desire to leave it upon all upon Saints as well as upon those that are not acquainted with Jesus Christ that Eternity Immortality and Eternall life it is a wonderfull thing the thoughts and apprehensions of it are able to swallow up a poor soul we little think what it is he that knows most of God and most of Christ and hath the greatest measure of the anoynting he little little knows what it is to appeare before the holy the most glorious the most righteous God of Heaven and Earth to stand before his judgement seat before Jesus Christ that is at his right hand and where all the holy Angels are so ashamed because of the glory of God that they fall down and cover their faces and cry Holy holy Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come And therefore if such glorious creatures if such excellent Spirits as these Seraphins and Cherubins be if they do fall down before the glory and Majesty of this most excellent and wonderfull God how should dust and ashes doe and how should they feare and tremble to appeare before him And therefore I say think of this and of the righteousness of God as well as of his glory and Majesty and of his justice that when for one sinne he threw down the Angels those glorious Spirits into hell and he would take no ransome or redemption for them and though he hath mercy on the sons of men according to his own election and purpose and according to that that he hath purchased for himself in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the World was laid yet in time he made his Sonne a Sacrifice before men and Angels to bring
Ministery from the annoynting that doth beare witness to the Lord Jesus and hath his holy Spirit That testimony I desire to beare and that testimony I desire to stand faithfull in with integrity to the Lord Jesus as King of Saints and King of Nations And therefore it is I say to have a Majestracy as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning men fearing God and hating covetousness And that Ministery as doth preach the everlasting Gospell Here Mr. Sheriffe interrupted him saying 't is desired that you spend the rest of your time in preparing your selfe Another said you spend your self Sir in this discourse Another said it raines Then Mr. Carew said I will pray Mr. Carew his Prayer O most holy and most glorious and blessed God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of all Glory The God of the spirits of all Flesh unto thee unto thee doth my soule desire to come through the new and living way even through Christ my Righteousnesse And in him and through him to be offered up by the Eternall spirit a living and acceptable Sacrifice in which thy soul delighteth O Lord thou knowest my frame and thou knowest my life and what a passage this is and what a wonderfull thing it is to enter into Glory And what a wonderful thing it is to stand before thee and to stand in thy presence O Father father let my soul be filled with thy joy and with peace in Believing O Let my heart be in heaven while my body is here and O Let me be joyned unto the Lord through thine own spirit before this separation be O Lord thou only art able to take hold of my Heart and Spirit poor Creatures may speak words to thee but Oh! it is thine own power and it is thine own spirit that must take hold of the heart it is thine own spirit that must carry through all and it hath heen thy spirit Blessed be thy Name that hath carryed me through many Tryals and many Temptations and many Difficulties that thy poor Worme hath met with in this Pilgrimage for many Years O Blessed by thy Name for all the Goodnesse and for all thy Grace and for all thy presence that hath been with thy poor Creature far and neer Oh! Blessed be thy Name that thou hast kept me in any measure faithful to â—…to thee and made me willing to lay down my life for thy â—…ous Work and Cause Oh Blessed be thy Name that the Lord and Christ that is at thy right hand hath bought me with his own most precious bloud He hath Redeemed me indeed Therefore it is but my reasonable service that I should be offered up a sacrifice to him my joy is in him and my confidence is in him that I shall be presented by him to my heavenly father O father when thy servant is to be presented before thee let him know what it is to finde mercy Let him know what it is to have Jesus Christ an Advocate and what it is to be presented before thee by such a Redeemer O that Jesus Christ might bid me welcome into the presence and may say to my soule Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. O blessed Father it is not that I doe expect any thing from thee upon any account below the account of the Lord Jesus and wherein soever thou hast been glorified by thy poor servant it hath been by thine own power and thine own working O nothing unto thy poore creature is due but unto thy holy name be praise and glory O holy father behold thy work in the Kingdomes and behold the cause and interest of all thy people O doe thou revive it in thine own appointed time O doe thou strengthen the starts of thy poor Saints O scatter all clouds speak comfortably to their soules that they may be able to stand under all storms faithfull into the death and receive a Crown of life and glory O blesse the poor Saints in the City and blesse thy Saints in the Country and blesse thy Saints in the West O blesse thy sonnes and thy daughters O blesse all the meetings of thy people let the blessing of the Lord appear unto them let the glory of the Lord make haste let the glory of the Lord be upon these Nations O remember thy promise to thy ancient people the Jewes O let thy people be taught of thee O let these drie bones live O let the Spirit of life breath upon them O dear father let the fulnesse of the Jewes and of the Gentiles be brought in Let multitudes be gathered out of every Kindred and Tongue and Nation unto the Kingdome of Jesus Christ O Father Father advance thy Sonne set him as King upon the mountaine of thy holinesse give him all glory and power and dominion over the whole Heavens that thou hast promised according to thy word and covenant to give unto him that he may raigne in thine own word and law through his own Spirit for ever and ever Lord lord I desire thou wouldst gather up my soul O gather up my soule O Lord make this passage sweet O make it comfortable Lord Jesus thou hast taken away the sting of death and born the burden of all this shame and of all this reproach And thou hast given thy poor servant something of thy presence through the riches of thy grace this day O Lord now receive O open thine everlasting armes O now let me enjoy thy presence O God which I have desired to behold and see and to behold thy face in Jesus Christ O and now let me enjoy what thou hast prepared for me and fill me with the joyes that are at thy right hand and those pleasures that are in thy presence for ever more O thou lamb of God lead me to the everlasting Fountain that living fountain that is able to supply all our wants O Lord blesse blesse thy poor people O comfort them in this day Poure out sevenfold of thy Spirit for what thou dost take away in any of thy servants for thy holy Names sake O let the cause and kingdome of Christ be deare and precious in thy sight and live alwaies Lord little doe these poor creatures know or these Nations know what a controversie thou hast with them O that thou wouldest be pleased gratiously to spare this people spare thy people however and let them that love Zion and favour thy righteous cause be glad for ever and ever O now Father be neer to me doe thou receive my spirit take me into thine own glory take me into thine own glory let me know it is my portion let me know there is a Crown in the hand of Christ prepared for my soul O blessed Lord thou hast honoured thy poore creature and brought him hitherto O reward all the labours of love in any to him in bonds or death and give them a double reward into their own bosomes Reward it
so to them and theirs Blessed be thy name that thou hast brought thy poor own hither to suffer in thy cause And O Lord let thy spirit be powred forth upon the Nations until the whole Earth be filled with the knowledge of thy Glory And that Christ Jesus may have all the Honour and Praise and Glory and Dominion for Ever and Ever Amen I am so exceeding Dry that my Tongue is ready to stick to my Mouth But I would fain speak a little more Oh blessed be God! oh how many are the Refreshments I have had from the presence of my God and Father sweet and secret Communion betw'xt him and my soul to day And for that my soul hath seen of his Riches and Kindnesse O that I might be more like Christ for I have been very unlike to Jesus Christ very unlike to my Father But I shall leave all that is unlike Christ behind And all his own Work manship he will purifie and perfect through this passage into Glory O my Dear Father receive my soul O! make this passage sweet for now I am coming to thee Lord Help Lord Spirit me fill me with thy Spirit let me be ever with thee let me know what it is to have thee at my Right Hand that I may not be moved that in my soul going out of the Flesh I may be let into the presence of God and into the Arm of Jesus Christ Oh! That my soul may be breathed forth into the Arms of God into the Bosome of Jesus Christ through the Anointing of the Spirit A Friend that stood by said it is expected you should speak something to the matter of your suffering The under Sheriff said 't is not to be suffered What are you that you put on men to speak What are you Sir Mr. Carew said Farewell my dear Friends Farewell the Lord keep you faithfull The Friend said we part with you with much Joy in our Souls Mr. Carew said to the Executioner stay a while I will speak one word and then said very solemnly and with a loud voyce Lord Jesus receive my Soul Lord Jesus into thy Armes I Commend my Spirit And so fell a Asleep Some occasionall Speeches and Memorable passages of Mr. Justice Cooke during his Imprisonment in the Tower and Newgate With his Speeches and prayer upon the Ladder HIS Wife coming to visit him in the Tower of London but not having Admittance to him he saw her forth of his Window and said to home to thy Friends my Dear Lamb I am well Blessed be God they cannot keep the Comforter from me His wife asking the Gentleman Jaylor to see him another time He answered she might see him suddenly in Newgate her Husband hearing of this said If the way to the new Jerusalem be thorough Newgate blessed be God for Newgate the King of Glory will set open his Everlasting Gates to receive me shortly and then I shall for ever be with the Lord. A Note sent by him from the Tower My D. L. chear-up Heaven will make amends for all blessed be God I am full of spiritual Joy and do must God to make what bargain for me he pleaseth for he knoweth the appointed time of my Composition and Dissolution let us look to Jesus Heb. 12. After Mr. Cooke was brought to Newgate discoursing with some Friends there he said I am now going to my Tryal wherein the Lord strengthen me If I be attainted yet my Estate in Ireland is not thereby Forfeited without an Act of Parliament to that purpose and indeed it is much set upon my heart that if my small Estate be taken away from my poor Wife and Child it will prove as poyson to those that enjoy it and Consumptive to the rest of their great Estates for I blesse God I never Acted Malitiously or Covetously but in a spirit of Simplicity and Integrity however the good will of the Lord be done I commit and commend my Dear Loving and Faithful Wife and Child to their blessed Husband and Father with three scriptures especially for their portion The Widdows cruse and barrel of meal 1 King 17. Isa 54. ver 5. to 10. Jer 49.11 Earnestly desiring that my Child may be Religioussy Educated in the fear of the Lord. Thus if God hath appointed it I shall go from the Cross to the Crown Speaking to some in prison for the clearing of himself from false Aspertions said whereas some say I have done them wrong they do much wrong me in so saying I have relieved many so far as by law I could knowing that the worst of men ought to have Justice I blesse God I durst not wrong any man for I know that I shall meet them at the last day before the Bar of Christs Judgement where I can with boldnesse look all men in the Face as to matter of Justice for which I have great cause to blesse the Lord Holy be his Name Some in the prison speaking of the Differences in Religion Mr. Peters said pray talk not of controversies now we have but a little time to live and cannot spend it in such discourses Whereupon Mr. Cooke said Blessed be God brother Peters we are going to Heaven where the Saints are all of one mind which my soul hath long desired to see it rejoyceth my heart to think what a perfect happinesse I shall have there the best condition here is but mixed but in Heaven there is no sorrow nor trouble neither have I one drame of trouble upon my spirit at this time blessed be God he hath wiped away all tears and I could with Paul and Silas sing in prison for Joy Blessed be the Comforter Discoursing after he came into the Dungion he said when a poor Creature comes about so Solemne a work as to Dye what a blessed thing is it to have a Helper and what can help but the holy spirit blessed be the Comforter for I am full of spiritual Consolation if one of you was to have a Thousand pounds a year after the death of an Old man Consumptive that would not live three dayes how would you rejoyce this is my Condition through Grace I must in a little time put off the Old man and enter into the possession of Heavenly Glory Let no good people fear a prison for it is the only place wanting other books to study the book of self A Friend going about to comfort Mr. Cooke from the consideration of the brevity and uncertainty of mans life using some expressions of love c. Mr. Cooke replyes what dost thou speak thus for if I were sick of a Feavour this might be a sutable discourse but we must talk at a higher rate then this now were I to chuse I would rather chuse this death then to Dye of a Feavour for there is much pains and sometimes distractions but here a man is well when he goes upon the Ladder and out of all pains in a quarter of an hour And speaking to a Friend said I
am now going to Heaven and shall leave you in the storm Mr. Cook to some Friends in prison Friends I beseech you rejoyce with me O let us blesse the Lord that he counts us worthy to be sacrifices to follow his steps was not the Captain of our Salvation made perfect through sufferings and shall not I Oh I long to be at home out of the body with the Lord though I go through a sea of Bloud to him truly I think every Hour Ten little doe my Enemies think what a Friendly part they do me to hasten me to my Fathers Kingdom to my Crown and Glory I had rather go to my Dear Jesus with my Chain and Crosse then to sit down with an Earthly King on his Throne and wear a Crown of Gold Some disaffected to him being present said the Jesuits suffered chearfully and confidently Mr. Cooke replyes I blesse God my justification is not built upon the merits of Works but alone upon Grace in the bloud of Christ The said person compared him and his fellow prisoners to Corah Darhan and Abiram Well friends said he it matters not who condemnes when God justifies Mr. Cooke said they do not justifie your self but confess your sins your haynous crime against the Lord and his Anointed and Resent Mr. Cooke replyes I must needs tell you that if Repentance was now to doe I was in a sad condition but I blesse my God he hath inabled me to confesse my sin and hath sealed my pardon in the bloud of his Dear Son and given such peace as none can give or take away I have no Guilt nor Trouble upon my spirit touching what is done but such sweet peace in God as I cannot expresse and I shall leave all with God who judgeth righteously who will decide all things Mr. Cooke to Mr. Peters in the Dungion said Brother Peters we shall be in Heaven to morrow in blisse and Glory what a blessed thing is that my very heart leaps within me for joy I am now just as I was in the * See his Relation of his passage by Sea to Ireland and his dream storm almost in sight of Heaven read me the Isa 43.9.10 Isa 61.10.11 Hos 13.14 Then looking upon his bed said that shall be my last Pillow I will lay me down and sleep awhile and he slept about an hour and half and then awoke saying now farewel sleep no more sleep in this World and farewel Darknesse and Night I am going where there shall be no Night there neither need of a Candle nor of the Sun for the Lord will give us light yea the Lord will be our Everlasting light and our God will be our Glory And welcome every thing that gives notice the hour is at hand welcome the Cock that crowes welcome sweet death my good Friend that will bring me so near Eternity O blessed be God blessed be his Name Oh this Christ is a blessed Christ he answereth all things and within few hours we shall be crowned with Glory and Victory blessed be our Lord Jesus that hath given us the Victory over Sin and Death Welcome Mr. Loman my keeper welcome Angels that will within few hours take the Office and Guard me into Eternity At midnight he prayed very fervently and the common prisoners heard him and seemed very sorrowful by their expressions saying Sir the Lord be with you O that our souls might go where your soul goes About the Morning speaking to Mris. Cooke said Lamb do not dishonour my last Wedding day by any trouble for me For if all my Judges did but know what Glory I shall be in before Twelve of the Clock they would desire to be with me And let the Executioner make what hast he can I shall be before hand with him for before he can say here is the Head of a Traytor I shall be in Heaven Come Lord Jesus come quickly my soul longeth for thee and I wait to hear thy voyce saying come up hither and immediately I shall be in the Sprit and then shall I for ever be with the Lord. At and midnight there was a cry heard the Bridegroome cometh and they that were ready went into the Marriage This day I shall enter into the joy of my Lord. Come brother Peters let us knook at Heaven Gates this morning God will open the dores of Eternity to us before Twelve of the Clock and let us in to that innumerable company of Saints and Angels and to the souls of just men made perfect and then we shall never part more but be with the Lord for Ever and Ever Singing praises Singing praises to our Lord and Everlasting King to all Eternity he said further O what a good master have I served that stands by me now and supports me with his Everlasting Arme he bears me up then said come away my beloved make hast and be thou like unto a young Roe or a young Hart upon the Mountaines of Spices Behold I come Lord Jesus I come full sayle to thee I come upon the wing of Faith Lord Jesus receive me and going to lye down upon his bed he said it is no more to go to dye to morrow then it is to go to sleep to night I bless the Lord I am free from trouble and my poor heart is as full of spiritual eomfort as ever it can hold And this joy can no man take from me The dores of the prison being opened in the morning he spent that little time he had left in prayer and heavenly discourse with Friends that came to visit him preparing himself for his suffering with such a cheerfulnesse as was an Astonishment to the spectators Then speaking to his Wife said farewel my Dear Lamb I am now going to the soules under the Alter That cry how long O Lord holy and true dost thou not Judge and Avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the Earth and when I am gone my bloud wil cry and doe them more hurt then if I had lived But I am now going to eternity blessed be God be not troubled for me but rejoyce because I goe to my father and your father to my God and your God And after some time spent in prayer he desired his wife not to withhold him by an unwillingness to part with him now when God called for him to be offered up as a sacrifice for his name and cause After a little pause she freely gave him up to the Lord to which he replied Now all the work is done and said I resign thee up to Jesus Christ to be thy husband to whom also I am going to be married in glory this day His wife shedding tears he said Why weepest thou let them weep who part and shall never meet again but I am confident we shall have a glorious meet in heaven here our comforts have been mixt with chequer work of troubles but in heaven all tears shall be wiped from our eyes He asked severall times if the Sheriffe
his most precious blood and had not by that blood gone to heaven our Salvation had not been Lord let it be well with England the Lord hear me for my poor Friends and Relations for my poor Wife and Child unto thee Lord I commend the cause of God and of Jesus Christ And remember poor Ireland wherein I had a lot and interest the Lord remember them all and help thy poor Children to continue Faithfull unto Death that so we may receive a Crown of life for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and so I come Lord Jesus Oh receive my soul Send down a Guard of Angells to convey my soul into Abrahams Bosome Receive my soul O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit And I desire to appeal to thee O lord thou art the great God of Heaven and Earth before whom all controversies must come I believe there is not a man in the world what ever he be but hath some reverentiall feare of death but for any sinfull vitious fear I bless the Lord I have not the hundredth part of a dram upon my conscience if it were my wedding day I could not more rejoyce in the Lord because it is a consummation of that blessed marriage that my Lord Jesus hath made up with me Blessed be thy name me thinks I doe see with Stephen even by the eye of faith Heaven open and the Lord Jesus ready to receive my poor soule And oh that I may with Ezekiel see the glory of God and see with Isaiah the Lord sitting on his Throne of glory And oh that the love of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Spirit may warme my heart and carry me up from the beginning of this passage to the end and close of it Lord Jesus come and receive my spirit and sweeten this cup and let me say The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink of it And I leave all into the hands of the Lord that if it be the Lords will every one that belongs to the election of grace my meet with comfort at the great day and that we may shake hands together where no office of love shall be unrewarded nor any unkindness shewed to the people of God But within a few hours I shall be in the harbour I am just now entring into it I would not goe backe againe for all the world Blessed be the Lord I despise the shame and am willing to endure the crosse for Christs sake because the Lord Jesus who is the author and finisher of my salvation did it for me The Lord pitty those that follow and bear up their hearts The Lord helpe his poore people that finde any thing upon their soul that they should stand fast unto the truths of Jesus Alas we shall be but a few daies here and Heaven will make amends for all and we shall glorifie God in eternity where we shall enter into a sinlesse timelesse and temptationless estate and never meet with sorrow or troubles any more but the Lord will receive us to himselfe and then the innocency of thy poor servants shall be vindicated and we shall be ever with the Lord blessing and praising his holy name When Elijah was taken away the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha who stood up in his stead And when John the Baptist was cut off the Lord had his Apostles to supply that office The Lord will have profit in the Death of his Children I believe that an Army of Martyrs would willingly come from Heaven to suffer in such a cause at this that I come here to suffer for I desire to bewaile that I have not had so much love to the Glory of God therein as I ought But as to the thing I come to suffer for I have not had any thing or act come to my mind with lesse regret and greater comfort then this And as for those that brought me hither I do forgive them I have not one hard thought concerning them the blessing of the Father Son and Spirit be with them Oh that the Lord would grant that no more might suffer and so Dear and Blessed Father I come into the bosome of thy love and desire to enter into that Glory which is Endlesse and Boundlesse through Jesus Christ A Letter written from the Tower to a Christian friend by Mr. Justice Cooke Sir NOw in answer to your loving inquiry how it fares with my better part I blesse God I never found so much internall spirituall solice and unmixt joy and comfort as I have experimented in these five moneths indurance 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. Let never any Christian fear a prison it being the onely place where wanting other books a man may best studdy the book of the knowledge of himselfe having a long vacation from all business but praying unto and praising God in Christ by the spirits assistance I cannot take Marthas part for none must come to me nor Marys part to wait upon the ordinances which my soul thirsts after therefore my chamber is like the sanctum sanctorum where wittingly none may enter but the high Priest of our profession the Lord Jesus I did not think that there had been so much ignorance impotence impatience ingratitude pride inordinate affection to creature comforts revenge diffidence of God self-love and iniquity of all sorts in me as I finde there is who am not onely a poor sinner but sin it selfe a very masse of sin I find it very hard to rely nakedly on Gods goodness not to feel the heat of persecution nor to be carefull when all is taken away Jer. 7.17 Lo so this darkness and filthiness of spirit is onely discovered by the light of Christ by whose lowliness in washing the Apostles feet I see my loftiness and want of condescention when I had power by his patience my many passions and heart-risings against instruments by his obedience to the death my reluctancies by his faithfulness my former backslidings by his fruitfulness and doing good Act. 10.38 my barrenness the little good I did when I had opportunity and by his liberality my penuriousness whereby I adore and acknowledge his justice that he hath most righteously deprived me of my liberty estate all which drives me neerer to Christ and makes me take faster hold of his righteousness I now understand through grace how precious he is 1 Pet. 2.7 if it were not for Christ what a miserable condition were I now in that might suddenly be sent to contend with the wrath of God in everlasting burnings and this makes me love Christ the more having forgiven me more then others and having had ten thousand talents forgiven me I would forgive any wrong doers and this keeps me humble and from censoriousness I bless God I have ransackt into every corner of my soule I have with David Job Esay and Paul bewailed my hereditary disease and heart-corruption I feel it is as a rotten tooth that akes would fain be
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
case is ready to upbraide us and say where is now their God what is become of their God Now what cure and remedies are there for disponding This Eleventh verse gives you two First Hope in God Hope thou in God Secondly Faith is set on work I shall yet praise him c. But more particularly take these directions 1. Be carefull of exercising faith for no condition of man superceeds his Faith do all in Faith pray in Faith and hear in Faith c. Now what is the exercise of Faith but rouling upon Christ and staying on him here I 'le stick if I perish I perish The miscarriages of Christians is either because they have no faith or else because if they have faith they give it not food to live upon faith must go to Christ as the Liver Vaine and fetch bloud and life thence We quarrel that we have not Love and Patience and meeknesse c. but the defect lyes in our faith if we had more faith we should have more of all other Graces Now what is the food of Faith Answ Faith will not feed upon every Dish not on a stalled Ox or fatted Calfe prosperity is not faiths food But it will Eat a word live upon promises these nourish faith I will never leave thee nor forsake thee all things shall work together for good and the like promises 2. Be marvellously carefull of things below measure things not by sence or by a day but by faith and Eternity we are troubled at the losse of this and tother Creature and comfort but what 's the value of them the over valluing things is our mischiefe 3. Go and tell the Lord Christ I have a defiled conscience and if thou doest not wash me I am undone for Ever See the necessity and worth of Christ there must be something better to look at then what we loose for the present something above Estate and Life and Relations and Name See the worth of Christs bloud it 's worth all the world because what the bloud of Bulls and Goats could not doe his bloud doth cleanse from all sinne 4. Keep close to the use of Ordinances much of our mischief hath come from neglects of this kind the safety of a Christian lyes in the enjoyment of Church Communion Psal 27.4 5 and 6 Verses One thing I have desired of the Lord and that will I seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life c. for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Pavillion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a Rock and now shall my head be lifted up above mine Enemies round about me c. The greatest fears are dispelled there you shall find before troubles passe over for you expect some it will be a hard matter to break Churches they are so fast chayned together and yet there hath been marvellous miscarriages amongst Saints in their Church Relations Finis He also during his imprisonment in the Tower wrote some sheets of paper to his Daughter leaving them with her as his last Legacy containing in it very much sound and wholesome advice as to her soules health It carries with it such a savour as denotes it proceeds from a spirit that hath learned experience in Christs schoole and hath been aquainted sometimes with sunshine as well as foul weather it 's too long here to be incerted but if it be made publick by it selfe doubtlesse the Experienced Reader will be no looser by perusing this legacy Some Memorable passages of Mr. Hugh Peters in his Imprisonment at Newgate and at the time of his Execution at Charing-crosse October 16 1660. Mr. Peters as is well known was exercised under a great conflict in his own spirit during the time of his Imprisonment fearing as he would often say that he should not go through his sufferings with courage and comfort and said to friends that he was somewhat unprepared for death and therefore unwilling to dye something he said he had committed and other things omitted which troubled him but though it was a cloudy and dark day with him for a season yet the light of Gods grace and favour would break forth at last And surely the favour of God did at the last appeare for a little before he went forth to Execution as many can testify he was well composed in his Spirit and chearfully said I thank God now I can dye I can looke death in the face and not be afraid As for that slanderous report which was too much received by good people as well as bad to wit that he was guilty of Uncleannesse A Friend coming to him in prison put that question seriously and soberly to his soule to which he replyed that he blessed the Lord he was wholy clear in that matter and that he never knew any woman but his own Wife A night or two before he suffered two of the Episcopal Cleargy who as some report were the Kings Chaplains came to give him a visit they endeavoured to make advantage of the present temptations wherewith he was then assaulted and to perswade him to a Repentance and Recantation of his former Activity in the Parliament cause which they endeavoured to enforce upon him by a promise of pardon from the King in case he would therein hearken to them But though he was then much afflicted in his spirit yet the Lord did help him to beare up with much courage against the insinuations of that sort of men and told them he had no cause in the least to repent of his Adhering to that interest but rather that he had in the prosecution thereof done no more for God and his people in these Nations and with civility dismissing those Visitants he applyed himselfe to some other Ministers then present whome he judged more able to speake a word in season to him under these great Tryals wherewith the Lord was then pleased to exercise him Being carried upon the sledge to Execution and made to sit therein within the Railes at Charing-Crosse to behold the Execution of Mr. Cooke One comes to him and upbraided him with the Death of the King bidding him with opprobrious language to repent he replyed Friend you do not well to trample upon a Dying man you are greatly mistaken I had nothing to do in the death of the King When Mr. Cooke was cut down and brought to be quartered one they called Coll. Turner called to the Sheriffs men to bring Mr. Peters neer that he might see it And by and by the Hangman came to him all besmered in bloud rubbing his bloudy hands together he tauntingly asked come how do you like this Mr. Peters how do you like this work to whom he replyed I am not I thank God terrifyed at it you may do your worst When he was going to his execution he lookt about and espied a man to whom he gave a piece of gold having bowed
men made perfect O blessed Lord thou hast called him forth as a publick Spectacle to some in a condition of Shame and Reproach to others of Comfort and to thy Blessed Self as one that is a Witness for Thee that hath served Thee with all faithfulness in his trust and publick capacity and imployment O Lord thy Dispensation to thy poor Creature hath been wonderful gracious and merciful and he must say to the praise of thy Free-grace Here the Hangman stooping down to take Drink which was reached up to him upon the Ladder interrupted him Upon which Mr. Scot said prethee let me alone I have not done and then proceeded in Prayer as followeth That this very Condition to which he is now brought he acknowledgeth is the answer of his Prayer before his going out of England Thou knowest Lord he did many times in prayers and tears seek thy blessed Majesty for Counsel and for Advice whether it were his duty to stay and suffer or to shelter himself abroad And if it were thy will to take more honour to thy self by his Suffering than his Living thou wouldest be pleased to Remand him back again and bring him hither And he hath observed thy Providence checking of his way and in preserving him all along until he came to this O blessed Lord thy poor Creature doth acknowledge that thy ways to his poor Soul have been of wonderful grace and mercy It was a great mercy to him that having had by reason of many sinful temptations and many incumbrances and many incessant Businesses in the World whereof he hath been a perpetual drudge many years past and he hath not had the conveniency though his duty The Lord knowes he had not the conveniency nor the heart so to improve and keep his own vineyard while he had been looking after or keeping others vineyard Thou didst therefore all along while he was abroad give sweet opportunities and precious seasons while he was abroad of seeking thy face and studying his Souls good concerning Eternity and the Eternnal pleasure of thy holy will And he blesseth thy name that thou hast been pleased to open to him both the Scripture and his understanding and so to answer the one by the other as that he is through the grace of God comfortably perswaded that his eternal estate is out of hazard But O Lord thou hast been pleased all the while that his condition hath been doubtful to make his Comforts to his poor soul doubtful also sometimes fear and sometimes hope have been mixed Again and again wanting those Consolations that might support his soul to such an issue But blessed be thy glorious Name the great God of Heaven and Earth he hath been pleased to bear him witness to himself to Angels and to all that hear me this day this very day thy poor Servant that now stands to suffer had joy and much Consolation from God and from his Cause more than ever he had before I say again to the praise of the Free-Grace of God I bless his Name he hath engaged me in a Cause not to be repented of I say in a Cause not to be repented of Here the Sheriff interrupted him saying Is this your Prayers Mr. Scot desiring him to forbear those kind of Expressions Others also told him that he contradicted himself and spoke Blasphemy Then Mr. Scot said I shall say no more but this The Lord I do acknowledge that this very morning in the Dark Chamber I had very much of the presence of God and from thence I take Consolation to my self that his Spirit is with me and that he hath sealed unto my soul the Decrees of Heaven at least perswaded my soul that it will be well with me and that I am out of all danger as to my Eternal Condition and that I shall live and reign with him there where all sin shall be done away which is the growing glory of my soul and all tears wipt away also In the mean time I pray thee O Lord that thou wouldest remember England and remember thy Cause in England and remember me with the joyes of thy Salvation in the instant of my departure O Lord it is an narrow entrance it is a strait passage it is an entrance into Eternity O Lord thou hast once to day shewed me something beyond it something of the glory of God I pray thee forsake me not while I am here and sensible or afterwards in the passage of my soul to thee I leave it and to thy Providence and do acknowledge thy goodness to my soul in fitting me to receive that good which thou in thy infinite pleasure dost think fit for me And therefore O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Lord I desire to have some more testimony of thy Love if it be thy blessed will It is enough that I live upon what I had to day but if it be agreeable to thy holy will I would honour and eternally bless thee if thou wouldst be pleased to shine upon me with some more particular immediate discoveries of thy presence but not my will but thy will be done The Lord be pleased to settle the Nation in peace and in the power and purity of Religion and thy Ordinances in purity And Lord for thy Son that is the darling of thy Soul Be thou pleased to give him a glorious entertainment in the world and let the Kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of Jesus Christ Lord thou hast a Cause in the world dear unto thee I pray thee own it though it may not be owned in all places and by all persons yet Religion is the Interest of them all O Lord Remember the price of Blood that hath been shed for the purchasing of the Civil and Christian Liberties And remember thy Enemies that are not incorrigible Enemies to thy Truth and Holiness and give them understanding to see their Error and to turn to thee a heart broken and with humiliation that they may seek God with their whole heart that they may be a Holy or Immanuel Nation A Chosen Generation A peculiar People zealous of good Works careful to shew forth the virtue of him that hath Called them from Death to Life The Lord call in all that belong to the Election of Grace speedily into that Number Let no Weapon formed against thy Church prosper But Lord Remember Zion if it be thy good pleasure and repair the Walls of thy Jerusalem O Lord thy CAUSE lies near the hearts of thy People And I bear thee Witness that I have this Income from thee as the Return of their Prayers And that we are Supported to bear Witness for thee very chearfully and with satisfaction I desire to be found of thee in Jesus Christ I do now abhor all my sins and renounce my Services and do account them all as dung Lord thou knowest I have desired to live that I might serve thee better and love thee more but that I may be with thy self
behold the Lord Jesus Christ in glory with comfort and fulnesse of joy Col. JONES his Prayer BLessed Lord God Thou art the great Opener open unto my soul the Lord Jesus Christ who will lead me into the wayes of truth and life O God save me make good all the pledges of thy love unto my soul Oh make all the Promises which I have believed all the days of my life make them now good unto my soul giving me the full enjoyment of thy self I desire to bless and praise thy Name for this hour that thou hast brought me to Oh what am I poor worm that thou shouldest give me this oportunity to suffer for thy Name and to acknowledg thy Mercies before so great a Congregation at this place Holy Father Holy Father Oh that thou wouldest now rain down Blessings from Heaven upon thy poor creatures that do hear and behold this Action this day Oh that thou wouldest sanctifie this thing to them and let poor England be a Land of truth and happiness O Lord let England flourish And oh that thou wouldest make thy Angel of Light to go before thy people Good God we pray thee keep off those great Judgments that hang over the heads of these Nations because they have sinned against thee Through thy Name sanctifie us let not thy Name be reproached Dear Father receive my soul I am ready to come unto thee Blessed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me blessed be thy Name in that thou hast opened the treasures of thy love unto my poor soul Thou hast given me this hope whereof I need not be ashamed Blessed be thy Name my Spirit is full of joy Oh Holy Father holy Father I pray thee let thy blessing come down upon thy poor people Look upon me Holy Father Stretch out thine armes to carries me over this brook I pray thee stand by me Dear Father I cast my self into thy hand I commit my soul unto thee Then speaking to the Sheriff said Mr. Sheriff I must needs return you many Thanks for your Civility Sher. Repl. I am glad to hear such an Ingenuous Confession and that you make such an end and that you have not gone into any reviling language as some others have done before After this he committed his soul to God and so departed Something as to Mr. Gregory Clements take as followeth PErhaps some may think it strange that there is so little said as to Mr. Gregory Clement who suffered with the rest Therefore this only is to be saâ—… more which is known to many That Mr. Clement was very silent both in the time of his Imprisonment at Newgate and at the time and place of his Execution at Charing-Cross only this it is said that he exprest his trouble to some Friends in the Prison for yeelding so far to the Importunity of his Relations as to plead guilty to the Indictment And though he spoke little at the place of Execution yet so far as could be judged by some descerning persons that was near him he departed this life in peace Some Additional Passages of Col. Scroopes Col. Jones and Mr. Cooks with his Letter to his Daughter Some more Passages of Col. Scroope COl Scroope when a Friend asked him at parting the same day how he did answered him Better and better I thank God every moment my life doubles upon me and multiplies He also heard him say when mention was made that there was some Endeavours for his Pardon That only would prove a snare to him but he was fully satisfied what to do and should not to save his Life do any thing to prejudice his Conscience He also heard him when one was discoursing to him the Happiness of Heaven and telling him it consisted in three Things viz. A perfect Communion with God A perfect Conformty to God And a perfect Enjoyment of God He made this reply Those three Things you mention are but one we are entring into it and can tell And that Friend asking him futher about it he said That God was but one pure Act and in whom there was no succession nor distinction of Acts and that Souls led forth in his Spirit were in a manner made like to him for their Injoying was their Conformity and Communion and one was all In which he seemed to be swallowed up and even then gat so far into Heaven that all seemed to be but one Act with him Some Friends being present heard both him and Col. Jones say You can say God is better than all the World and say it truly but you cannot say it with so much feeling and experience as we now can we find he is so indeed Some more Passages of Col. Joh. Jones in Prison COL Jones the night before he suffered told a Friend he had no other Temptation upon him but this Lest he should be too much transported and carryed out to neglect and slight his Life so greatly was he satisfied to die in that Cause The day he suffered he grasped a Friend in his arms and said to him with some expressions of Endearedness Farewel I could wish thee in the same condition with my self that thou mightest share with me in my joyes Some more Passages of Mr Cook MR Cook speaking to his Wife a little before his Death said My Lamb now I am going where I shall meet the Saints all of one mind which thou knowest was the desire of my heart to see At another time saith he Truly my Lamb if I might have my choice now I would not desire Life for I could not live where I might not enjoy the Liberty of my Conscience and when I can do nothing for God what should I live for O welcome sweet Death thy sting is out blessed be God I do imbrace thee with rejoycing thou art a good Potter that will suddenly open to me the Gates of Eternity O those Everlasting Gates will my Father set open to receive me O blessed be God for Jesus Christ the fountain of all Mercies Lord Jesus I come flying to thee upon the wings of Faith I come Lord full-sail to thee Lord Jesus receive me That which the world counts shame saith he I count it my Joy my Crown and my Glory A little before he parted with his Wife she laying her head in his bosom and wept whereat he said My dear Lamb let us not part in a shower God hath wiped away all tears from my eyes blessed be the Lord. Mr. Cook 's Letter to his Daughter Octob. 15. 1660. A little before his Death To my dear Child Free-love Cook These with my most Fatherly endeared Love My dear sweet Child LEt thy Name Free-love put thee in mind of the free Love of God in Christ in giving thee to me and thy dear Mother and know so soon as God gives thee any understanding That thou art the Child of one whom God counted worthy to suffer for his sake and to seal to the Truth of his
their pardon that we might embrace one another through the grace of God in Jesus Christ one day in Heaven Dear Father we pray thee for them as we would beg for our selves We now desire to resign up our selves into thy bosome as it is thy Command thou hast said Ye are bought with a price not with silver or gold but with the precious bloud of Jesus Christ and we offer up our bodies and souls unto Christ which is but a reasonable service that thou shouldest have all when thou callest for them our estates and lives themselves The Earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and we are all his works It is God's soveraignty to command whatsoever he pleaseth Blessed Lord we desire with our Lord Jesus when he offered up himself upon the Crosse he said unto thee O Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and with Stephen when he was put to death Lord Jesus receive my spirit So say we Lord Jesus receive our spirits pity us love us and accept us in thy Son upon whom we rest for life and salvation Lord let us know that death is a passage into Glory it is appointed for all men once to dye and after death to Judgement This is a decree and statute law of Heaven that all must dye and this is some comfort in our death that from this time forward we shall sinne no more grieve Christ no more dishonour God no more nor offend any else no more set thy love upon our soules and let our prayers be dissolved into praises where we may embrace thee and thou embrace us We humbly intreate thee do more abundantly for us and all them we have prayed for then we are able to ask or think in the name and for the sake of our Lord Jesus who is the intercessour with the Father who hath promised that he will pray the Father for us he is the Mediator of the new Covenant betwixt God and us our fulnesse our strength our comfort and our support our all in his name we ask all our requests to whom with thy self and thy holy spirit we desire to give all Honour and Glory and Praise for ever more Amen After he had ended his prayer he gave the Sheriffe thanks again for his civility and then turning to Col. Hacker they saluted and embraced each other in their Armes and said the lord sweeten our passage and give us a happy meeting with himself in Glory Then pulling his Cap over his Eyes expecting as is supposed that the Cart should be drawn away with his hands lifted up he uttered these words with a loud and Audible voyce Lord Jesus receive my spirit but the Cart staying a little longer he lift up his hands the second time and with the like audible and loud voyce said into thy hands Oh Father I commend my spirit and yet in regard there was no man found to put forward the horse to draw away the Cart until the common Hang-man came down out of the Cart himself to do it The Carman as many witnesses affirm saying he would loase his Cart and Horse before he would have a hand in hanging such a man by this means he had opportunity to lift up his hands and utter the like words the third time also One thing more is very remarkable that when Col. Axtell and Col. Hacker were taken out of the sledge into the cart the spectators being in great numbers there behaved themselves very civilly only two persons among them as soon as the Ropes were put about their Necks cryed out very earnestly hang them hang them Rogues Traytors Murtherers Hang-man draw away the cart whereupon a man that stood by them desired them to be civil and said Gentlemen this is not civil for the Sheriff knoweth what he hath to doe and thereupon they were silent and gave attention to Col. Axtell's speech and prayer but before he had done those very persons were so affected that they could not refrain from pouring out many Tears upon the place and went aside to a place a little more retired to weep and that man that before desired them to be civil went after them and beheld them to his great admiration as himself hath Narrated FINIS Reader In regard that the Presse could not conveniently be attended there are many faults committed in this Impression some Sentences left out and others misplaced which doth much alter the sence therefore thou art earnestly desired before the reading of this book to take thy Pen and Correct these following Errours and for others which are lesse considerable it 's hoped thy ingenuity will help thee to Correct them ERRATA PAge 14. Line 11. for but the enemy read but for the enemy P. 15. l. 19 Allured us p. 21. l. 22. by r. be p. 23. l 28. own r. one p. 26. l. 28. love r. Job p. 28. l. 21. take the r. take your p. 33. l. 9. and all r. for all p. 33. l. 18. therein I have done r. I have done therein p. 33. l. 26. Galliasses r. Gallislaves p. 33. l. 35. the faith r. your faith p. 36. l. 9. and if r. but if p. 37. l. 22. they should r. they may p. 38. l. 26. wittingly r. willingly P. 39. l. 20. any r. my p. 41. l. 15. teahes thence r. netles them p. 41. l. 34. in mercy r. through mercy p. 43. l. 31. our r. one p 44. l. 5. most r. must p. 44. l. 9. Father r. Author p. 45. l. 13 dulcimum r. dulcissimum p. 45. l. 32. them r. theirs p. 47. l. 7. in r to p 47. l. 21. Heronian r. Neronian P. 48. l. 23. least r. best p. 49. l. 28. while r. which p. 50. l. 8. Know r. Knew p. 52. l. 37. solid zeal r. solid comfort p. 58. l. 23. the Mans r. Hemans p. 62. l 6. dele the same p. 62. l. 7. that glorious r. that that glorious p. 62. l. 10. in it Thou r. in it thou without the full point p 62. l. 15. through or that must be left out p. 64. l. 5. the Lord r. O Lord. p. 71. l. 8. truth of r. truth guilty of p. 85. l. 8. redoune r. redound p. 89. l 6. much faith r. much filth p. 89 l. 8. I loved r. I have loved p. 89. l. 15. honour the Father r. honour the Son as they honour the Father p. 89. l. 26. these r. his p 89. l. 27. leave out so p. 90. l. 9. their r. your p. 91. l. 17. interruption r. interposition p. 92. l. 9. erect r. write p. 92. l 35. experience r. evidence p. 92. l. 38. that we may r. that we may lay hold upon a naked Christ that by his blood we may c. p. 93. l. 34. upon his soul r. upon his soul and remember him in his low estate p. 93. l. 36. for him r. for sinne p. 94. l. 16. come life come r. can life can death p. 94. l. 23. of thy love r. of thy love O thou Father of mercy and God of all consolation And leave that sentence out in the next line
my hands and knees I tell you no but it is by reason of much blood I have loâ—t in the Wars and many wounds I have recceived in my body which caused this shaking and weaknesse in my Nerves I have had it this twelve year I speak this to the praise and glory of God he hath carryed me above the fear of death and I value not my life because I go to my Father and am assured I shall take it up again Gentlemen Take notice that for being instrumentall in that cause and interest of the son of God which hath been pleaded amongst us and which God hath witnessed to by Appeals and VVonderfull Victories I am brought to this place to suffer death this day and if I had ten thousand lives I could freely and cheerfully lay them down all to witnesse to this matter Oh what am I poor worm that I should be accounted worthy to suffer any thing for the sake of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I have gone joyfully and willingly many a time to lay down my life upon the account of Christ but never with so much joy and freedome as at this time I do not lay down my life by constraint but willingly for if I had been minded to have run away I might have had many opportunities but being so clear in the thing I durst not turn my back nor step a foot out of the way by reason I had been engaged in the service of so glorious and great a God however men presume to call it by hard Names Yet I believe ere it be long the Lord will make it known from Heaven that there was more of God in it then men are now aware of All the Gods of the Nations are but Idols they have Eyes but see not and Mouths but speak not and cannot save those that trust in them But my God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords before whom all you here and all Nations are but as a drop of a Bucket And he will never leave those that truly trust in him unto whose Glory I shall surely go and shall sit on the right hand of Christ in Heaven it may be to Judge those that have Unjustly Judged me Matth. 25.33 34. 1 Cor. 6.2 The Sheriffe minding him of the shortnesse of time it he had any thing to say to the people he might He said I do desire as from my own soul that they and every one may fear the Lord that they may consider their latter end and so it may be well with them and even for the worst of those that have been most malitious againâ—t me from my soul I would forgive them all so far as any thing concerns me and so far as it concerns the cause and glory of God I leave it for him to plead and as for the cause of God I am willing to justifie it by my sufferings according to the good pleasure of his will I have been this morning before I came hither so hurried up and down Stairs the meaning whereof I knew not that my spirits are almost spent therefore you may not expect much from me Oh the greatnesse of the love of God to such a poor vile and nothing creature as I am what am I that Jesus Christ should shed his hearts Bloud for me that I might be happy to all Eternity that I might be made a son of God and an heir of Heaven Oh that Christ should undergo so great sufferings and reproaches for me and should not I be willing to lay down my life and suffer reproaches for him that hath so loved me Blessed be the Name of God that I have a life to lose upon so glorious and so honourable an account then praying to himself with tears and having ended the Hang-man pull'd down his Cap but he thrust it up again saying I have one word more to the Lords people that desire to serue him with an upright heart Let them not think hardly of any of the good wayes of God for all this for I have been near this seven years a suffering person and have found the way of God to be a perfect way his Word a tried Word a Buckler to them that trust in him and will make known his glorious Arm in the sight of all Nations And though we may suffer hard things yet he hath a gracious end and will make for his own glory and the good end of his people therefore be cheerfull in the Lord your God hold fast that which you have and be not afraid of suffering for God will make hard and bitter things sweet and easie to all those that trust in him keep close to the good Confession you have made of Jesus Christ and look to the recompence of reward be not discouraged by reason of the cloud that now is upon you for the Son will shine and God will give a testimony unto what he hath been a doing in a short time And now I desire to commit my Concernments into the hands of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he that hath delivered himself for the chief of sinners he that came into the world was made flesh and was crucified that hath loved me and washed me from my sins in his own bloud and is risen again sitting at the right Hand of God making intercession for me And as for me Oh who am I poor base vile worm that God should deal thus by me for this will make me come the sooner into his glory and to inherit the Kingdome and that Crown prepared for me Oh I have served a good Lord and Master which hath helped me from my beginning to this day and hath carried me through many difficulties trialls straits and temptations and hath alwayes been a very present help in time of trouble he hath covered my head many times in the day of Battle By God I have leaped over a Wall by God I have run'd through a Troop and by my God I will go through this death and he will make it easie to me Now into thy Hands O Lord Jesus I commit my spirit Some Occasionall Speeches and Memorable passages before Execution of Mr. John Carew WHen the first tidings of the Adversaries intentions to seize and apprehend him being then in Cornwall came to his knowledge he uttered these words or to this effect That he had committed both his life and estate to the Lord to save or destroy as he thought meet and therefore he would not by any means go out of the way though provoked thereunto by several Friends After he was seized upon in the Countrey and coming up to London he had a gratious presence of the Lord with him sweetly supporting him in the sense of the love of Christ to his soul and being perswaded that the cause of his suffering from man was such as he had no cause to be ashamed of otherwise the many reproaches and hard usage in the way to London had been sufficient to have troubled his
spirit In most Towns where he came the Generality of the people Reviling him with such words as these hang him Rogue pistol him said others hang him up said some at Salisbury at the next sign-post without any further trouble Look said others how he doth not alter his Countenance but we believe he wil tremble when he comes to the Ladder This is the Rogue will have no King but Jesus Indeed the rage of the people all the way was such that had he not been indued with strength from on High he could not have under-gone the wicked and Barbarous Deportment and Carriage of the Giddy multitude which he was subjected to After he came to London and had many opportunities of Escape if he had thought it meet before he was sent to the Tower yet he would not knowing how much the Name and Glory of God was concerned in his faithful witnesse to the cause of Christ for which he was in Bonds And the truth is his joy in the Lord was such that when many came drooping in spirit to him by reason of the Gloominesse of this present dispensation they went away refreshed and comforted by those many Gracious words that came out of his mouth When word was brought him that Maj. General Harrison was dead he said well my turn will be next and as we have gone a long in our Lives so must we be one in our Death The Lord God grant that I may have strength from himself to follow couragiously to the last breath and that I may much honour and glorifie God whom I have made profession of I can do nothing of my self but my strength is in the Lord of Hosts who hath helped me from my beginning to this day and will help me to the end The night before he suffered some of his Natural Relation came to take their leave of him and when they were parting they shed some tears but when he perceived it said O my friends if you did know and feel what joy I have and what a Glorious Crown I shall receive from the hand of Christ for this work you would not Mourn but Rejoice that I am counted worthy to be a witnesse to this Cause and said further The Lord preserve you all from the portion of this Generation for assuredly There is great wrath from the Lord that will reach them to their destruction When Mr. L. came to take his leave of him he asked this Question viz. how it was with him he Answered very well I bless my God as to my interest in him I have not the least doubt but do know assuredly that when my soul shall be separated from this body I shall be taken into his presence where is fullness of joy c. And by Jesus Christ be presented to my Father without spot and blame in his own compleat and perfect righteousnesse which is free and not for any of mine own works for I am a poor sinful and wretched creature and compassed about with many infirmities And when it was asked him if he had any thing of conviction upon him as to what he was to suffer for he answered no not in the least for said he Though man have Condemned yet the Lord hath and doth justifie he added the Lord had justifyed it in the Field once already in this Nation but that is now accounted as a thing of Nought but he will again do it with a Witnesse and prayed that the Lord would deliver him viz. Mr. L. from that Judgement that was at hand by which he would do it To this effect spake he also to many that did quere with him about this matter being told that his Nephew and some others were doing their utmost for his Reprieve he replyed that there is nothing to be done For the Sheriffe hath brought me word just now that I must Dye to morrow and that there was some that desired I might not be Quartered but it would not be granted But Death is nothing to me let them Quarter my body never so much God will bring all those pieces together again It was asked him if he had assurance of the love of God he said yea yea he had Fought a good Fight and had overcome and he was ready to suffer the will of God One asked him if he thought there would be a Resurrection of the Cause he Answered he Dyed in the Faith of that as much as he did that his body should rise again if he did not believe that he should not be so cheerfull at the Sentence of death he said also he had not the least regret or disturbance on his spirit about that for which he was to die for what he did was of the Lord if it were to be done again he wold do it And the way they took to suppresse and destroy those that did not think the Kings person Sacred their blood will make many hundreds more perswaded of the truth of it it was grievous to him to hear how at his Tryal they blasphemed God and his people but he was resolved he would own the Lord among them which they could not bear Therefore they were so violent against him he said the Gospell was going from London Popery and Superstition c. was coming in and it would be a rare thing to find a professor of religion in London shortly he incouraged those about him to keep close to the Lord in this evil day Oh! said he who would have thought some yeers since that Poper and Formality should have been let in again to these Nations he said they were so Barbacus they would not allow him some small time to take a little Rest before he was to suffer which was all he needed or desired of them For he was much tired with speaking to company which came continually in He desired to be remembred to some Friends and tell them That this was the last Beast and his Rage was great because his time was short Some more Expressions he uttered to this effect But in all his words and manner of speaking he manifested the highest Christian Magnanimity and holy Greatnesse of mind and such a spirit of joy and glory rested upon him even to astonishment It was asked if he apprehended his confidence would contniue to the death he said he was not strong in his own strength but in the Lord's strength which he still relied upon And he said to one by him will you not see how God will carry me through next day and desired prayers for him One asked him what he thought of this severe hand of God He said that which was hid secret in the bosome of the Father should be manifested in due time Oh! said he it grieves me to think how Popery is coming upon us like a flood in this poor Nation and the great judgement that will follow But the Lord will be a hiding place for his poor people untill the indignation be overpast let not our enemies think