the Country of Sodom and after they were parted the promise both of the Possession of that Land of Canaan and also of his Numberless Posterity was again renewed unto him Abram being now ninety nine years old year of the world 2107 God made a Covenant with him touching the Seed of Isaac who was to be born of Sarai that time twelve month Abrams name changed gave him the Seal of Circumcision changing both their names Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah for a sure pledge and testimony of his Promise When Abraham was now a hundred year of the world 2108 and Sarah ninety years of Age Isaac was born unto them and Abraham instructed his Family in Righteousness for God said I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment By Faith Abraham offered up his son Isaac year of the world 2133 considering with himself that God was able to raise him again from the dead Now Josephius reports that at this time Isaac was twenty five years old By Faith Abraham offers up his Son Isaac Lib. 1. Antiq. 14. Al 22. and that he was at that time of good years may be gathered from this that he was able to carry so much Wood as was to go to the burning and consuming of such a whole burnt-Offering as himself was then intended by Abraham to have been made Sarah being now one hundred twenty seven years of Age dyed in Hebron and as Abraham for his integrity and uprightness to the Lord is recorded to Posterity for the Father of the Faithful so is Sarah for the Mother of the Faithful and she is the only Woman whose full and entire Age is mentioned in Scripture Abraham being also well stricken in Age was careful to get a wife for his son Isaac and careful he was that he might not Marry with any of the idolatrous and corrupt Nations it being looked upon as a great evil by this righteous Stock Abrahams care in getting a good Wife for his Son Isaac that their Sons should marry with the Daughters of men that were corrupted and despisers of the true Religion as it appears by Abrahams care for his son that he should not take a wife of the Daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt and also by the strict charge he gave to his Servant to look out a Wife for him who going by the guidance of God into Mesopotamia where praying to the Lord to shew kindness unto his master Abraham he there obtained for him Rebeka the Daughter of Bethuel Sister to Laban the Syrian whom Isaac receiving for his Wife brought her into the tent of his Mother Sarah and he loved her and had comfort in her after his Mothers death and he was forty years old when he married with Rebeka Abraham when he was a hundred seventy five years old and a hundred years after his coming into Canaan departed this life â—183 and was buried by his two Sons in his Cave at Macpelah with Sarah his Wife he lived fifteen years after the birth of Jacob with whom he is said also to have lived in Tents And now Abraham being dead Isaac was raised up as the next of the righteous Line and Seed of God to whom the Lord often appeared in his divine Power Abraham being dead Isaac walks in the steps of his Father confirming the Covenant that he had made with Abraham his Father for he walked in the steps of his Father in faithfulness to the Lord and when his Fathers Servant brought Rebeka to him they found him meditating in the Field at evening-tide by which it appears his mind was delighted in that which was good when his Wife had continued barren ninteen years after her Marriage Isaac entreated the Lord in the behalf of his Wifes barreness Isaac intreated the Lord for her because she was barren and the Lord was intreated of him and his Wife conceived and when the twins strove in the Womb Rebeka asked counsel of God and the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be seperated from thy Bowels and the one People shall be stronger then the other Esau Iacob are born and the Elder shall serve the Younger Being born the Children grew and one of them named Esau was a counning Hunter a man of the Field and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents and Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his Venison but Rebeka loved Jacob. Isaac now grown old year of the world 2245 and blind in the forty fourth year before his death sent Esau his eldest Son to take some Venison for him purposing to Bless him at his return but Jacob the younger Son by the counsel of his Mother coming disguised in his Cloathes and with savory meat in his hand Jacob got the Blessing from Esau stole away the blessing unwiting to his Father and the Blessing though so got God confirmed ever after but Jacob seeing that for so doing his Brother followed him with a deadly hatred and being desirous to avoid his traps willing also to take a Wife of his own Kindred his Father Blessing him he took his Journey to Mesopotamia to his uncle Laban for his Father had charged him not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan and in his Journey the Lord appeared unto him by his presence Isaac's care that Iacob should not take a Wife of the Canaantes and renewed the Covenant to him which he had made before to his Father and Grandfather and now the Lord manifesting his presence unto him he covenanted with the Lord saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me Bread to eat and Rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers House in peace then shall the Lord be my God and coming at length to Carron He fell in love with Rachel and continuing a time with Laban fell in love with Rachel his Daughter for whom he served seven years and they seemed to him but a few dayes for the love he had to her Esau had now been married thirty seven Years and was seventy seven Years Old whereas Jacob who was as Old as he had all this while lived unmarried but being now mindful of his Fathers Command he demanded Rachel his Wife to be given to him He is deceived of Rachel after he had served Seven Years for her using this for a reason that his dayes were now full but by the fraud of Laban instead of Rachel Leah the elder Daughter was put in Bed unto him nevertheless Rachel also afterwards was espoused to him upon Covenant of serving seven Years more for her At first Rachel was barren year of the world 2259 but afterwards by the blessing of God proving fruitful bear Joseph unto Jacob at the end of the fourteen
that they had a Child that could lose his Life for Christ's sake Many people resorted to the Inn to see him whom he exhorted to leave the Abomination of Popisn Superstition and Idolatry At his Execution he desired the people to pray for him Justice Brown that first apprehended him standing by said I will pray no more for thee then I would for a Dog William answered Now you have what you sought for I pray God it be not laid to your charge at the last day I forgive you Brown said I ask no forgiveness of thee William If God forgive you not I shall require my Blood at your Hands The Fire being kindled William said I am not afraid and lifting up his Hands said Lord receive my Spirit and so sealed his Testimony with his Blood to the praise of God Justice Brown commanded an Officer to take Robert Hunter William's Brother and put him in the Stocks until he came back from the burning of Higbed at Hornden on the Hill on the same day after he was taken out of the Stocks and brought before the Justice he askt him If he would do as his Brother had done Robert Hunter answered If I do as my Brother hath done I shall have as he hath had Thou mayest be sure of that said the Justice But after some further Examination he bid him go home Higbed and Canston Martyr The next that suffured were Higbed and Canston both of Essex two men so fervent for Religion that in these blind and Idolatries times could not lie long hid in obscurity but were constrained to bear their Testimony though it were by Death Bonnet perceiving these men were men of repute in their Country and such as were called Gentlemen was so much the more concerned to bring them off their Profession that he went down to Colchester himself to seek to reclaim them sometimes using fair Promises and flattering Enticements other times threatning them with high words to terrifie them in fine seeing them both constant and unmoveable in their Zeal for their Religion he caused them and some others at the same time and for the same cause apprehended in that Country to be brought up to London Prisoners where they were committed close Prisoners where they were first privately examined and urged by all means to forsake their Opinions by the Bishop and his Chaplain But when the Bishop saw that way would work no alteration he caused them to be brought to open Examination at the Consistory at Pauls the seventeenth day of the Mouth called February 1555. where being further pressed to Recant of the Errors they said they held and to return to the unity of the Church which they still refused whereupon a great List of Articles were delivered them and their Answers thereunto the next day required of them At the second time of their publick appearance and tryal their Answers were read and Canston being first called was exhorted again to be conformable to the unity of the Church into which they said they were ready to receive him He replyed you lay Snares and Gins to catch us but mark what measure you meet shall be measured to you again Then Higbed was called to whom the like perswasions were used but to as little purpose as the other for he told them he had been sixteen years in that mind he was then in and should not alter now At their last appearance before them the Prisoners declared calling God to record that their persisting in that stedfastness was not in wilfulness as some might judge but for Conscience sake for said they we sought the Lord that we might do nothing contrary to his blessed Word and in that he hath shewed his Power in our weakness we cannot but praise him unto whom we give thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord. When they had thus spoken the Bishop began to pronounce the Sentence against Canston to whom Canston said it was a rash Judgment without Love and Mercy Then was sentence also pronounced against Higbed and both delivered to the Sheriffs who sent them to Newgate where they remained fourteen dayes contiunally praising God not so much concerned at their Afflictions as rejoyced in their Consolations praying and earnestly desiring they might persevere to the end to the praise of the Eternal God and Comfort of the Brethren The fourteen dayes being expired they were by four a Clock in the Morning led from Newgate to Algate and there delivered to the Sheriff of Essex who conveyed them to the places where they were Executed viz. Higbed to Hornden on the hill and Thomas Canston to Rayly where they both with great constancy finished their Testimonies in the Fire greatly rejoycing and giving the glory to God The next that suffered were William Pyget Stephen Knight and John Lawrence Pyget Knight Lawrenâ— Martyr at their Examinations it was demanded of them to declare their Opinion concerning the Sacrament of the Altar to which they answered to this effect That in the Sacrament of the Altar under the forms of Bread and Wine there is not the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ This Answer being given the Bishop caused Articles to be read against them to which they answered The second time they were brought before him he prest them to recant which they refusing saying They should stick to their Faith Wherefore the third time being brought before him he past Sentence upon them and committed them to the Custody of the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained in much Joy and comfort and at last were had down to Essex and there burnt When Stephen Knight came to the Stake which was at Maulden he kneeled down and prayed some Sentances of which Prayer are as followeth O Lord Jesus Christ for whose Love I leave willingly this Life and desire rather the bitter Death of the Cross with the loss of all Earthly things then to abide the Blasphemy of thy most holy Name or to obey men in breaking thy holy Commandment Thou seest O Lord that where I might live in Wordly Wealth to Worship a false God and honour thine Enemy I choose rather the Torment of the Body and the loss of this Life and have counted all things but Vile Dust and Dung that I might Win thee which Death is Dearer unto me then thousand of Gold and Silver such Love O Lord hast thou laid up in my Breast that I Hunger for thee as the Deer that is Wounded desireth the Soil send thy holy Comforter O Lord to Aid Comfort and Strengthen this Weak piece of Earth which is empty of all strength of it self Thou rememberst O Lord that I am â—ut 〈◊〉 therefore as thou of thy Love hast bidden me to this Banquet and accounted me worthy to drink of thine own Cup amongst thine Elect even so give me strength O Lord that so through me strength of thy holy Spirit I may pass through the rage of this fire into thy Bossom according to
sin against the Child and ye would not hear They confess the evil they had done against Ioseph therefore behold his blood is required and they knew not that Joseph understood them for he speak unto them by an Interpreter and he turned himself about from them and wept and returned to them again and communed with them and took from them Simeon the chiefest of them who consented to sell him and cast him into Prison and now being dismissed they carried away their Corn and with it the Money that they had payed for it being conveyed into their Sacks by the secret appointment of Joseph they tell their Father Jacob all that happened unto them They tell their Father what happened and withal declared unto him the necessity that laid upon them of carrying there Younger Brother Benjamin into Aegypt perswading him by all means to let him go but Jacob their Father said unto them He was loath to part with Benjamin but being press with Famine let him go Me have ye bereaved of my Children Joseph is not and Simeon is not and you will take away Benjamin all these things are against me but Jacob pressed with Famine sent again his Sons and with them his Son Benjamin furnished with double Money and other Presents to Joseph to buy more Corn and they at their return were courteously entertained year of the world 2298 for when Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the Ruler of his House Bring these men home and slay and make ready for these men shall dine with me at Noon And the man did as Joseph bad Ioseph Entertains them and the man brought the men into Josephs House and the men were affraid because they were brought into Josephs House and they said Because of the Money that was returned in our Sacks the first time are we brought in that he may seek Occasion against us but the Steward comforted them saying Peace be unto you fear not your God and the God of your Fathers hath given you Treasure in your Sacks I had your Money and he brought Simeon out unto them And Joseph asked them of their welfare saying Is your Father well the old man of whom you spake is he yet alive and they answered Thy Servant our Father is in good health he is yet alive When he saw his Benjamin his Mothers Son he made haste for his Bowels did yern upon his Brother and he sought where to weep and he entered into his Chamber and wept there and after they had eaten he commanded the Steward of his House to fill their Sacks with Food and to put a silver Cup in the Sacks mouth of the youngest His Contrivance to stay his Brethren and when they were gone Joseph sent after them and caused them to be stopt for taking away his Cup which Crime they endeavoured to put of by shewing how truly they ment by bringing again the Money which they found in their Sacks when they came home offering themselves to die or to be his Bondslaves if any such thing could be proved against them but in the end the Cup being found with Benjamin and they brought back to Joseph they all yeilded themselves to him for his bondslaves which when he refused Judâ—h humbly supplicates Joseph saying He would have none but him with whom the Cup was found Judah then humbly offered himself to serve him in Benjamins stead saying When I come to thy Servant my Father and the Lad be not with us seeing that his life is bound up in the Lads life it shall come to pass that when he seeth that the Lad is not with us that he will die and thy Servants shall bring down the gray Hairs of thy Servant our Father with Sorrow to the Grave Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him and he cryed Cause every man to go out from me Joseph maker himself known 〈◊〉 his Brethren and there stood no man with them while Joseph made himself known unto his Brethren and he wept aloud and the Egyptians and the House of Pharaoh heard and Joseph said unto his Brethren I am Joseph doth my Father yet live And his Brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his Presence and Joseph said unto his Brethren Come neer to me I pray you and they came neer and he said I am Joseph your Brother whom ye sold into Egypt and seeing them troubled he comforted them by shewing how that act of theirs was by the Providence of God And he said unto them â—â—er he and commâ—â—ed chaâ—â— he sends for his Father Haste ye and go up to my Father and say unto him Thus saith thy son Joseph God hath made me Lord of all Eygpt Come down unto me tarry not and thou shalt dwell in the Land of Goshen and thou shalt be neer unto me thou and thy Children and thy Childrens Children and thy Flocks and thy Herds and all that thou hast and there will I nourish thee for there are yet five years of Famine and he fell upon his Brother Benjamin's Neck and Benjamin wept upon his Neck moreover he kissed all his Brethren and wept upon them so he sent his Brethren away and they told Jacob all the words of Joseph and when he saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him the Spirit of Jacob their Father revived When the news was bought to Jacob be revived and Israel said it is enough Joseph my Son is yet alive I will go and see him before I die and God spake unto Israel saying I am God the God of thy Father fear not to down into Egypt for I will there make of thee a great Nation I will go down with thee into Egypt and I will surely bring thee up again and Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old when he went down into Egypt Joseph letting Pharaoh know of the arrival of his Kindred in Egypt Joseph brings five of his Brethren and Father before Pharaoh brought his Father and five of his Brethren into his presence and having communed with him assigned them a fitting place in the Land of Goshen where they were provided of all necessaries by Joseph The Book of Genesis end with the death of Joseph containing the the Story of Two thousand three hundred sixty nine years space which Book that it was written by Moses himself is the opinion of the Talmudists in their Baba-bathra Lib. I. At this time lived Job year of the world 2369 a man of whom it is recorded that he was a man of a perfect and upright heart and one that feared God and eschewed evil and imbraced the Knowledge fo the true God The time when Job lived and all righteousness rich in Substance and the more noted for that neither the enjoyment of those riches corrupted nor the loss of them depraved him in his way for whenas first being spoiled of his Goods by Satan he was
them for which Message they stoned him to death at the Commandment of the King The Prophets is stoned to Death thus Joash the King remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada Zachariahs Father had done to him and when the Prophet dyed he said This Kings miserable end the Lord look upon it and require it and now mark what was the end of this King his own Servants conspired against him and slew him in his bed as may be seen more at large in the account given of Gods Judgments against Persecutors Amazia succeeded Joash year of the world 3194 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Amaziahs Evil for at last he set up the God of the Children of Seir and bowed himself before them and burnt Incense unto them wherefore the anger of the Lord was Kindled against him and he sent a Prophet unto him to reprove him The Prophets reproves him to whom the King said Art thou made of the Kings Council forbear wherefore shouldest thou be smitten Nevertheless the Prophet said I know God hath determined to destroy thee The King is slain and after the time that this King turned away his heart from the Lord he was slain After him succeeded Uzzia under him did the Kingdom of Juda flourish no less then that other of Israel did under Jeroboam the second and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord The reason of Vzziah his prosperity and he sought God in the dayes of Zachariah and as long as he sought the Lord and applyed his mind to matters of piety God made him to prosper and he subdued the Philistines and other bordering Enemies and thus whilest he was weak and low he was marvellously helped against his Enemies but when he was strong How he came to loss and lookt at his own strength his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord and burnt Incense wherefore the Lord smote him with Leprosie and he remained a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a house several God Judgment on him for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and he being dead Jotham his son reigned and he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord how be it the People did yet do corruptly but he be came mighty because he prepared his wayes before the Lord his God After him reigned Ahaz his Son year of the world 3242 who did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord for he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel Ahaz his Evil. who made also Moulten Images for Baalim and burnt Incense on the High-places and under every green Tree wherefore the Lord delivered him into the hands of his Enemies and thus the Reader may see He is delivered into the hands of his Enimies how these people and Children of Juda and Israel to whom God had given a commandment that they should fear him and not forget him and that then he would deliver them from their Enemies howbeit they did not hearken but were ready often to back-slide and to serve their graven Images both their Children and their Childrens Children unto this day Ahaz being dead Hezekiah his Son began to reign year of the world 3278 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father David did year of the world 3374 he removed the High places and broke the Images and cut down the Groves Hezckiahs good reign his breaking down Idolatry and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it and he called it Nehushtan that is to say a little piece of Brass and thus this good Reformer he trusted in the Lord God of Israel and he left not off throwing down the Altars and High Places until he had Destroyed them all causing a thorow Reformation And his zeal was so great for the Lord that after him as it is recorded was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that was before him for he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him and the Lord was with him and he prospered him whithersoever he went forth Hezekiah falling sick unto death the Prophet Esaiah being commanded of the Lord year of the world 3291 said unto him Set thine House in order for thou shalt die He tell sick the Prophet foretold his dâ—ath and not live this moved Hezekiah's heart that he wept sore and turning to the Wall prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart He ekiah is broken in Tenderness The Lord had compassion on him and have done that which is good in thy sight wherefore the Lord had compassion on him and added fifteen years more to his dayes and Hezekiah dying Manasseh his Son reigned and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the Abomination of the Heathen building the High-places which his Father had destroyed and again reared up Alters for Baal His Son is turned to Idolatry and worshipped all the Host of Heaven and served them and used Inchantments and dealing with Familiar-Spirits and Wizards he wrought much Wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger for which Abomination the Lord sent his Servants and Prophets to foretel that for those Abominations he would bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Juda that whosoever should hear it their Ears should tingle The Prophets Message against the evil of those times The Kings Bondage he is brought into He is humbled under the hand of God and reforms in part and the Lord brought upon Manasseh the Host of the Assyrians which took Manasseh and bound him with Fetters and carried him Captive to Babylon and now being in Affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers wherefore the Lord restored him again to his Kingdom and then he knew that the Lord was God and he cast out the Altars that he had built and took away the strange Gods and Idols and commanded the People to serve the Lord God of Israel but still the People retained the High-places to Worship in And after his death his Son Amon was punished by the Lord being slain by his Servants in his own House and now these two bad Kings being taken away the Lord raised up another good King The good King Iosiah raised up which was Josiah the Son of Amon who reigned thirty four years in Ierusalem and eaused again a Blessed and thorow Reformation amongst the People of Iuda and Jerusalem making a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Testimonies with all his Heart His Covenant with the Lord.
Persecution against the Christians Orosius lib. 5. and not only in Rome but in all the Provinces thereof thinking thereby to abolish the Name of Christians in all places In this Persecution the Apostle Peter suffered death Hien lib. de viris just with many more Christians as Hierome said Simon Peter the Son of Jona of the province of Galilee and of the Town of Bethsaida the Brother of Andrew about the year 44. after Christ's birth came to Rome to withstand Simon Magus in the time of Nero and was crucified with his Head downwards and his Feet upwards himself so requiring because said he I am unworthy to be crucified after the same manner as the Lord was Paul the Apostle after his great travail and labours in preaching the Gospel in divers Countries at last suffered Martyrdom in this first Persecution under Nero and was beheaded some writers say on the same day on which Peter was Crucified although not in the same year but in the next year following which was the thirty seventh year after the Passion of Christ that which he spake at his death is written as followeth Paul being delivered by Nero bound unto Longimus and Magistus the cheif Officers and Acestus the Centurion that they should lead him without the City and cause him to be beheaded and Paul being full of the holy Ghost spake the words of Eternal life that both Nero and all should believe in Jesus Christ who was King of Heaven and Earth who would destroy the glory of the world with fire when they had led him away Longimus Magistus and Acestus began to say unto him Tell us O Paul where is that King and where will he appear unto you and how will you know him and what will he give unto you or what good will he bestow upon you that you Christians so mightily love him that by no means you will consent unto our Religion that you may live and enjoy the good of this life but rather then all the pleasures of delight to be led to die for him with divers Torments for this seems to us to be a great error to hate this joyfull life and to imbrace with all your desire punishment and death Paul therefore said O ye wise men and flourishing in knowledge depart out of the darkness and error wherein the nobility of your understanding is clouded with darkness lest you should see the Truth which lyeth hid in you return the eyes of your minds to the Eternal true Light that ye may be able first to know your selves and so come to the knowledge of that King with gladness and to be saved from the fire which is to came upon the world and to remain unhurt for we do not War as you think for some earthly King but the living God the Kingdom without end who by reason of the Iniquities that is done in this World he will come a Judge and will judge it by fire happy will that man be who will believe in him he shall have Eternal life and shall live World without end and most unhappy is he who dispising the Riches of his Bounties and long Suffering will not return unto him for he shall Perish Eternally The first Persecution beginning under Nero as aforesaid ceased under Vespatian who gave some rest to the poor Christians after whose reign was moved not long after the second Persecution by the Emperor Domitian Brother of Titus his Tyrany was unmeasurable he put to death all the Nephews of Jude called the Lords Brother and caused to be sought out and to be slain all that could be found of the Stock of David In the time of this Persecution Simon Bishop of Jerusalem after other Torments was Crucified to death In this Persecution John the Evangelist was Banished into Pathmos for the Testimony of the Word and after the death of Domitian in the Reign of Pertinax the Emperor he came to Ephesus being released in the year 100. He lived to a great age some write till he was 120. And this was his constant practice to his dying day when age weakness grew upon him at Ephesus Hierom Comiâ— in C. 6. ad Galat Tom. 9. p. 200. that he was no longer able to Preach to them he used at every Publick Meeting to be led to the Meeting and say no more to them then Little Children love one another He expressed great care for the good of souls unweariedly spending himself in the service of the Gospel and to beget People to the Truth Euseb lib. 3. Chap. 10. p. 92. witness one instance in his visitation of the Churches neer Ephesus he made choice of a young man of goodly body gratious face and fervent mind whom with a special Charge for his Instruction and Education he commited to the Bishop of that place so John returned to Ephesus But in process of time the young man became very dissolute perniciously accompanied himself with idle dissolute persons of ill behaviour who put him in a way to steal and rob so after he forsooke the right way he brought himself unto a bottomless Pit of all misorder and outrage and a rout of Theeves being gathered together he became their Captain which John at his return understanding was sorely troubled and said I have left a wise keeper of our Brothers soul prepare me a Horse and let me have a Guide he hastned and rode in post being come to the place appointed he is straitwayes taken of the Theevish watch he neither fled nor resisted but said bring me to your Captain who in the mean time as he was armed beheld him coming but as soon as he saw his face and knew it was John he was striken with shame and fled away the Old man persued and cryed my Son why fleest thou O Son tender my case be not afraid as yet there remaineth hope of Salvation I will undertake for thee with Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ did for us which words seized so on the young man that his Countenance changed and he shook off his Armor and trembled and wept bitterly and imbraced the Old man and answered as well as he could for weeping so afterwards the Apostle brought him into the Church again Ex Nicephâ—ro Lib. 3. Chap. 32. Yet notwithstanding all these continual Persecutions and horible Punishments the Christians daily encreased deeply rooted in the Doctrine of the Apostles and watred plentiously with the Blood of Saints as saith Necephâ—rus Everastuâ— persâ—â—â—ed Everastus Bishop of Rome was Martyred under Trajanus in the year 102. after Christ and Ignatius Bishop of Antiâ—ch was Martyred in his Regin with many more Christians This Trajanus was very impious towards the Christian Religion and cruel towards the Christians and caused the Third Persecution in which Persecution Pliny the second a Heathen Philosopher a man learned and famous seeing the lamentable Slaughter of Christians and moved therewith to pity wrot to Trajanus of the
pitiful Persecution certifying him that there were very many thousands of them daily put to death of which none did any thing contrary to the Roman Laws worthy persecution saving that they used to gather together in the Morning before day and sing Hymns to a certain God whom they worshipped called Christ in all other their Ordinances they were godly and honest and for proof hereof saith he I caused two Maidens to be laid on the Rack and with Torments to be Examined about the same but finding nothing in them but only lewd and immoderate superstition I resolved to surcease farther enquiry till I receive further Instructions from you in this matter Trajan having read this Epistle returned answer that it was his mind that the Christians should not be sought after but if they were brought and convicted that then they should suffer Execution Whereof Tertullian speaking said Oh confussed Sentance he would not have them sought for as men Innocent and yet would have them punished as men guilty This Trajan sent a Command to Jerusalem that whosoever could be found out of the Stock of David should be inquired for and put to death In this Persecution suffered Phocas Bishop of Pontus whom Trajan because he would not worship Neptune caused to be cast into a hot Lime-Kill and afterwards to be put into a scaulding Bath where he ended his life in the cause of Christ Then also Ignatius Bishop of Antioch was apprehended and sent to Rome where he was devoured of wild Beafts and beside these many thousands more were martyred In the Reign of Antolius Verus a great Number of the Christians suffered most cruel punishments and torments Policarpus suffered especially in Asia and France among whom was Policarp Bishop of Smyrna who was burnt at a Stake at Smyrna About this time also suffered Blandina and Ponticus a youth of fifteen years old who defying their Idols and constantly cleaving to Christ were put to all the Torments their inraged Enemies could devise till at last the youth gave up the Ghost Blandina was first pitifully whiped and then thrown to the wild Beasts then tormented on the Gridiron and at last slain Comolus the Emperour upon his Birth day calling the People of Rome together in a great Royalty cloathed in his Lions skin sacrificed to Hercules causing it to be proclaimed that Hercules was the Patron of the City whereupon Vinsencicus Eâ—sebius Perigrenous and Potentionous learned men being stirred up with Zeal went about from place to place converting the Heathen to the Faith of Christ and hearing of the Madness of the Emperour and People they reproved that Idolatrous blindness exhorting them to believe in the true and living God and that forsaking the worship ping of Divels they should honour God alone The Emperour hearing thereof caused them to be Apprehended required them to Sacrifice Hercules which they refusing to do he caused them to be grievously tormented and pressed to death with weights of Lead Severus another Emperour put forth Proclamations that no Christians should be suffered to live hereby a great Persecution was stirred up on every side and an infinite number of Martyrs were slain Potamtena was tormented with boyling Pitch poured upon her Potamtena persecuted and afterwards with her Mother Mersila and Rhais was burnt in the Fire and when Basilides Captain having the Maid to execution as he led her to the place he repressed the raging of the Multitude who followed with raging and reviling which she seeing prayed to the Lord for his Conversion to the true Faith and so with admirable patience suffered Martyrdom Shortly after Basilides being required to give an Oath in the behalf of his fellow Souldiers he denied the same plainly Basilides suffered affirming that he was a Christian and therefore he could not Swear they which heard him thought he jested at first but when he had constantly affirmed it they had him before the Judge who committed him to Ward the Christians wondering at it went to him and inquiring the cause of his Conversion he told them that Potamiena prayed for him and so he saw a Crown put upon his head adding that it should not be long before he received it and accordingly the next day he was beheaded A certain Christian being examined before the Judge and through fear being ready to shrink back there were certain persons standing by who were ready to burst for grief making signs to him by their hands and jestures to be constant which being observed they were ready to be laid hold on but they of their own accord pressed up to the Judge professed themselves to be Christians which much emboldened the weak Christian and terrified the Judge this being done they departed away rejoycing for the Testimony they had given of their Faith The crimes and charges laid to the Christians The Crimes and Accusations that was laid to the charge of the Christians by the Persecutors were That they refused to worship Idols and the Emperours and that they professed the Name of Christ yet besides all the Calamities and evils that happenedin the World as Wars Famine Pestilence c. were imputed only to the Christians But Cyprian and Tertullian confuting these Slanders proved That the special cause of all those Miseries which befel the Empire proceeded from the sheding of the Innocent Blood of the Christians Cyprian was at last condemned to have his Head cut off who patiently and willingly submitted his Neck to the stroke of the Sword Sixtus Bishop of Rome with his six Deacons for the Christian Faith were all beheaded Laurence also another of hiâ— Deacons following Sixtus Laurence Martyred as he went to his Execution complained that he might not suffer with him but that he was seeluded as the Son from the Father to whom the Bishop answered That within three days he should follow him bidding him in the mean time to go Home and if he had any Treasures to distribute them amongst the Poor the Judge hearing mention of Treasures supposing that Laurence had great store in his custody commanded him to bring the same to him Laurence craved three days respit promising then to declare where the Treasure might be had in the mean time he caused a good number of Christians to be gathered together and when the day of his answer was come the persecutors strictly charged him to make good his promise but Valiant Laurence streaching his Arms over the Poor said These are the pretious Treasures of the Church these are the Treasures indeed in whom Christ hath his Mansion c. But the Tyrant in a great fury and madness cryed kindle the Fire make no spare of Wood hath this Villain deluded the Emperour Away with him whip him with Sourges jerk him with Rods buffet him with Fists brain him with Clubs jesteth the Traytor with the Emperour Pinch him with fiery Tongs gird him with burning Plates bring out the strongest Chains and Fire-forks and the Grate of Iron
heard a Master of Divinity say That in such case it is all one to touch a Book as to swear by a Book Bishop There is no Master of Divinity in England but if he hold this opinion before me I shall punish him as I shall do thee except thou sware as I shall charge thee Thorp Is not Chrysostom and ententive Doctor Bishop Yea. Thorp If Chrysostom proveth him worthy of great blame that bringeth forth a Book to sware upon it must needs follow that he is more to blame that sweareth on that Book The Clark said lay thine Hand upon the Book touching the holy Gospel of God and take thy charge Thorp I understand that the holy Gospel of God may not be touched with mans Hand It was mentioned before that he was imprisoned by Thomas Arondell Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and it is recorded that he was by the said Bishop at last secretly put to death in the year 1407. John Purvey was imprisoned by Henry Chicheley Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the year 1421. John Purvey Mâ—rty he writ a Book against the Pope wherein he calls him Antichrist and that his censures was like the blast of Lucifer He the said Purvey complained that many before him who had impugned the Romish errorrs had been imprisoned killed and their Books burnt and that none were suffered to preach but such as would swear obedience to the Pope For which he was imprisoned and secretly made away by the aforesaid Bishop In the year 1413. Roger Acton and other Persecuted Roger Acton John Brown John Beverly were persecuted and put to death for their Testimony to the Truth in Giles's in the field together with divers others to the number of thirty six all which were hanged with Fire made under them These godly persons in these dangerous times used to meet in the night in Giles's in the Fields to pray and preach which the Bishops having notice of they informed the King as if they intended to rebel whereupon the King going with many armed men at Midnight took these thirty six and caused them to be executed the number that were assembled was greater but they fled amongst whom was Wil. Murle of Dunstable Maultster who being afterwards apprehended was drawn hanged and burnt within few daies after their Execution Thomas Arundel Arch-bishop was so stricken by God in his tongue that he could neither swallow any food nor speak for diverse daies before his death A Judgment on a Persecutor whereby he died in much misery And this was thought to come upon him for that he so bound the Word of the Lord that it should not be preached in his daies About this time there began to spring forth some light in Bohemia the Bohemians having received some of Wickliffs Books began first to taste and savour Christs Gospel till at length by the preaching of John Hus they encreased more and more in knowledge insomuch that Pope Alexander the fifth hearing thereof began to stir Coals and directed his Bull to the Arch-bishop of Swinco requiring him to look to the matter that no persons should maintain that Doctrine and not long after this John Hus and Jerome of Prague were both condemned and burnt at Constance by the Council held there and yet their blood did not satisfie their Adversaries but they took further counsel for the destruction of these People in the whole Nation for when fifty eight of the cheif Nobles of Bohemia in the Name of all the Commons Anno 1416. had sent letters from Prague to the Council complaining that John Hus their Paster an innocent and holy man and faithful Teacher of the Truth was unjustly condemned the Council instead of answering them wrote Letters to some violent Papists who were in Authority to assist their Legate iâ— oppressing the Hereticks and thereupoâ—â—â—ey persecuted them all manner of ways useing great violence towards them insomuch that they raised Tumults and one Zisca a noble man of that Country being sore grieved for the death of John Hus and Jerome of Prague minding to revenge the Injuries which the Council had done greatly to the dishonour of the Kingdom of Behemia upon their Complices and Adherents he gathered together a number of men of War subverted the Monasteries and Idolatrous Temples pulling down and breaking in pieces the Images and Idols driving away the Monks and Priests which he said were kept up in their Cloisters like Swine in their Styes to be fatted when this Zisca died in remembrance of him the Bohemians ingraved over his Tomb in the Greek Language this Epitaph John Zisca a Bohemian Enemy to all wicked and Covetuout Priests but with a godly Zeal Yet still as the Popish party prevailed they exercised all manner of Cruelty upon the poor Servants of Christ till they were utterly suppressed by force many of whom fled into the hilly Country neer to Silesia to inhabit where throwing off all superstitious practices they applyed themselves to the best form that they according to the best of their understandings judged to be nearest to the primitive Christians calling themselves Brethren and Sisters They were branded with the Name of Piccards a Name by which the Waldenses in Piccardy were called The purity that was amongst them much displeased the Devil for he raised a sudden and violent Tempest against them and an Edict was proclaimed threatning death to all that should administer to the Piccards whereupon they were brought into great extremity A second Edict came forth that none of them should be suffered either to live in Bohemia or Moravia hereupon they were dispersed amongst the Woods and Mountains dwelling in Caves where yet they were scarce safe so that they were forced to make no Fire nor dress any meat but in the night time least the smoak should betray them In the cold Winter nights sitting by the Fire they applyed themselves to the reading of the Bible and holy discourses when in the Snow they went abroad to provide them necessaries they went close together and lest their foot-steps should betray them the hindermost of them did draw after him a great bough to cover the prints which their feet had made But to return again to give a futher account of Sufferers in England John Claydon of London Curryer in the year 1415. being examined before Henry Chichly Arch-Bishop of Canturbury upon suspition of Heresie he confessed that for the same cause he had been formerly impâ—â—soned by Robert Braybrock Bishop of London in Conway Prison two years and at another time three years in the Fleet and also that he had several English books that he took delight to hear read to him one of the books was entituled The Lanthorn of Light in which books were contained 1 Speaking or Treating of the Text how the Enemy did sow the Tears there is thus said That wicked Antichrist the Pope hath sowed his Popish and corrupt Decrees which are of no authority strength nor value and that the Bishops Licence for a man
and upon private conference together the King called him Knave Arrent Beast and Fool withal commanding him out of his Presence The King after his departure returned to the Queen who perceiving him to be much chafed with Sweet words endeavoured to qualifie his displeasure saying that though she knew not what might be the cause he was Offended but desired him if it were not hainous that for her sake he would pass it by Ah poor Soul said the King little dost thou know how ill he deserves this Grace at thy hands on my word Sweet Heart he hath been towards thee an Arrant Knave and so let him go And thus the Queen through Gods Providence and the Kings Favour escaped the Hands of her bloody Persecutors who sought to have destroyed her Persecuted in Scotland In the year 1534. the Arch-Bishop of Andrews convented before him David Stratton and one Norman Gourlay the first of these having a Fisher-boat that went to Sea the Bishop of Murray demanded Tythe-Fish of him to whom he answered That if they would have Tythe of that which his Servants caught in the Sea they should take it in the Place where it was caught and so caused his Servants to throw the tenth Fish into the Sea again All this while he had nothing in him for Religion But when hereupon he was summoned to answer for Heresie it troubled him exceedingly and then he began to frequent the company of such as were godly and here appeared a Wonderful change in him so that whereas before he despised the Scriptures now all his delight was in hearing them read to him and he became a vehement Exhorter of all men to peace and concord and contempt of the World he much frequented the company of the Laird of Dun Ariskin whom God in these dayes had marvelously illuminated and hearing that Text read for he could not read himself He that denyeth me before men or is ashamed of me in the midst of this wicked Generation I will deny him before my Father and holy Angels at those words being suddenly as one revived he fell upon his Knees and stedfastly lifting up his Eyes and Hands at length he burst out into these words O Lord I have been wicked and justly mayst thou withdraw thy Grace from me But Lord for thy Mercies sake let me never deny thee nor thy Truth for fear of Death or any Corporal Pain soon after Norman and he were brought to Judgment to Holy Rood house the King himself being present much means was used to draw this David Stratton to make a Recantation but he persevered in his constancy still denying that he had offended and so they were both condemned to the Fire and after dinner they were both first hanged and then burnt Not long after the burning of these two there was one Thomas Forret a Dean who used to preach every first day to his Parishoners the Epistles and Gospels this was counted a great Novelty in those time for none used to preach but the Fryers and therefore they envying him accused him to the Bishop of Dunkelden for an Heretick and one that re rad the Mysteries of Scriptures to the vulgar People the Bishop instigated by the complaint of the Fryers called the said Thomas Forret before him to whom he said My joy Dean Thomas I love you well and therefore I must give you Council how to govern your self The Dean thanked him and then he proceeded My joy Dean Thomas I am informed that you preach the Epistles and Gospels every Sunday to your People and that you take not your Dues from them which is very prejudicial to the Church-men and that therefore my joy Dean Thomas I would have you to take your Dues or else it s too much to preach every Sunday for by so doing you make the People think that we should do so also Thomas answered My Lord I presume none of my Parishoners complain for my not taking my Dues and whereas you say it s too much to preach every Sunday I think it is too little and wish that your Lordship would do the like Nay nay Dean Thomas said the Bishop let that be for we are not ordained to preach and Dean Thomas go your wayes and let all these Fancies be for if you persist herein you will repent you when it is too late I trust said the Dean my cause is good and just in the presence of God and therefore I care not what follows thereupon and so went away but shortly after he was summoned to appear before the Cardinal by whom he was condemned and burned for a chief Heretick and Teacher of Heresie But notwithstanding their bloody Tyranny the Knowledge of God did Wonderfully encrease in this Country partly by reading and partly by brotherly Conference which in those dangerous dayes were much used to the Comfort of many which so enraged the Popish Party that in the year 1538. there were burned in one Fire four Persons The year after Jeremy Russel and Alexander Kenedy were apprehended and brought before the Bishop the said Jeremy being a man of a meek and quiet Nature Alexander was a young man about eightteen years old Alexander at first was faint and would fain have recanted but when all place of Repentance was denyed him the Spirit of God began to refresh him yea the inward Comfort began to burst forth as well in his Vissage as in his words and he cryed in prayer to God Oh Eternall God how Wounderful is thy Love and Mercy who hast made me to feel Heavenly Comfort which takest from me that ungodly fear which before I was oppressed with now I defie death do with me what you please I praise God I am ready Then did they rail upon him and Jeremy who also said unto them This is your hour and power of darkness Now sit ye as Judges and we stand wrongfully Accused and more wrongfully to be Condemned but the day will come when our Innocency will appear and ye shall see your own blindness to your Everlasting Confusion Go forward fulfill the measure of your Iniquity Shortly aft'r th'y were Condemned to die as they went to Execution Jeremy comforted Alexander saying to him Brother fear not greater is he that that is in us then he that is in the World the pain that we are to suffer is short and shall be light but our Joy and Consolation shall never have end Let us therefore strive to enter into our Master and Saviours Joy by the same Strait Way which he hath taken before us Death cannot hurt us for it is already destroyed by him for whose Sake we now Suffer And thus they constantly continued stedfast in the Flaming Fire till they finished their Course by Death In the year 1543. George Wiseheart a man of a Courteous Modest and Temperate Behaviour fearing God and hating Covetousness very charitable and moderate in his Apparel and Diet and for his Innocency was a man well beloved he was
Heart that feareth God For therewith bless we God above and therewith Curse we men And thereby Murders do arise through Women now and then And seeing God hath given a Tongue and put it under power The surest way is for to set a hatch before the door For God hath set you in a seat of double low degree First unto God and then to man a subject for to be I write not that I see in you those things to be suspect But only set before your Face how sin should be correct For flesh and Blood I know you are as other Women be And if ye dwell in Flesh and Blood there is infirmity Receive a Warning willingly that to thy teeth is told Account the gift of greater price then if he gave thee Gold A wise man saith Solomon a warning will imbrace A Fool will sooner as he saith be smitten on the Face And as your members must be dead from all things that are vain Even so by Baptism you are born to live with Christ again Thus farewel free and faithful Friend the Lord that is above Encrease in thee a perfect faith and lead thee in his Love And as I pray with perfect Love and pour out bitter tears For you and all that are at large abroad among the bryars Even so I pray thee to prefer my person and my bonds Unto the Everlasting God that hath me in his Hands That I may pass out of this Pound wherein I am opprest Inclosed in a clod of Clay that here can have no rest That as he hath begun in me his mercies many one I may attain to overtake my Brethren that be gone That when that death shall do his worst where he shall point a place I may be able like a man to look him in the Face For though he catch away my Cloâ—k my body into dust Yet am I sure to save a Soul when death hath done his worst And though I leave a little dust dissolved without blood I shall receive it safe again when God shall see it good For my Redeemer I am sure doth live for evermore And sitteth high upon the Heavens for whom I hunger sore Even as the Deer with deadly wounds escaped from the spoile Doth haste by all the means he may to seek unto the soile Of whom I hope to have a Crown that always shall â—emain And eke enjoy a perfect peace for all my wo and pain The God that giveth all encrease and seeketh still to save Abound in thee that perfect peace which I do hope to have And I beseech the living God to hold thee in his Hands And wish thee even withal my heart the blessing of my bands Which I esteem of higher price then Pearl or precious Stone And shall endure for evermore when earthly things are gone For though the Fire do consume our Treasure and our Store Yet shall the goodness of the Lord endure for evermore And where thou art a Friend to him that is to me full dear The God of might make thee amends when all men shall appear That hath shewed Mercy to the meek and rid them out of pain And thus the Lord possess thy Spirit till we do meet again If thou wilt have a Recompence Abide still in obedience The Exhortation of Robert Smith unto his Children GIve ear my Children to my words whom God hath dearly bought Lay up my Law within your heart and print it in your thought For I your Father have foreseen the frail and filthy way Which flesh and blood would follow fain even to their own decay For all and every living beast their Crib do know full well But Adams heirs above the rest are ready to rebel And all the Creatures on the Earth full well can keep their way But man above all other Beasts is apt to go astray For Earth and Ashes is his strengh his glory and his reign And unto Ashes at the length shall he return again For flesh doth flourish like a flower and grow up like a Grass And is consumed in an hour as it is brought to pass In me the Image of your years your treasure and your trust Whom you do see before your face dissolved into dust For as you see your Fathers flesh converted into Clay Even so shall ye my Children dear consume and wear away The Sun and Moon and eâ—e the Stars that serve the day and night The Earth and every earthly thing shall be consumed quite And all the Worship that is wrought that have been heard or seen Shall clean consume and come to nought as i ft had never been Therefore that ye may follow me your Father and your Friend And enter into that same life which never shall have end I leave you here a little Book for you to look upon That you may see your Fathers Face when I am dead and gon Who for the hope of heavenly things while he did here remain Gave over all his golden years in Prison and in Pain Where I among mine Iron bands enclosed in the dark A few dayes before my death did dedicate this work To you mine heirs of earthly things which I have left behind That ye may read and understand and keep it in your mind That as you have been heirs of that which once shall wear away Even so you may possess the part which never shall decay In following of your Fathers foot in Truth and eke in Love That ye may also be hâ—â— heirs for evermore above And in example to your youth to whom I wish all good I preach you here a perfect faith and seal it with my Blood Have God alwayes before your Eyes in all your whâ—le intents Commit not sin in any â—ise keep his Commandments Abhor that arrant Whore of Rome and all her blasphemies And drink not of her decretals nor yet of her decrees Give honour to your Mother dear remember well her pain And recompence her in her age in like with love again Be alwayes aiâ—ing at her hand and let her not decay Remember well your Fathers fall that should have been her stay Give of your Portion to the poor as Riches doth arise And from the needy naked soul turn not away your eyes For be that will not hear the Cry of such as are in need Shall cry himself and not be heard when he would hope to speed If God hath given you great increase and blessed well your store Remember you are put in trust to minister the more Beware of foul and filthy last let whoredom have no place Keep clean your Vessels in the Lord that he may you imbrace Ye are the Temples of the Lord for ye are dearly bought And they that do defile the same shall surely come to nought Possess not pride in any case build not your nests too high But have alwayes before your face that ye be born to die Defraud not him that hired is your labours to Sustain But give him alwayes out of hand his
declare what the Tree is for a good Man or Woman out of the good Treasure of their hearts bringeth forth good Fruits Wherefore dear Sister let our Faith be made manifest to the World by our deeds and in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation as St. Paul saith Let your Light shine as in a dark place O dear hearts now is the Gospel of God overwhelmed with many black and troublesome Clouds of Persecution for the which cause very few go about to have their Eyes made clear by the true light of the Gospel for fear of loosing their Treasures of this World which are but vain and shall Perish Let us not therefore be like unto them which light their Candle and put it under a Bushel but let us set our Candle upon a Candlestick that it may give light unto all them that are in the House that is to say let all the People of the Houshold of God see our good works in suffering all things patiently that shall be laid upon us for the Gospel sake if it be Death it self for Christ died for us leaving us an Example that we should follow his steps and as he hath given his Life for us so ought we to give our Lives for the Defence of the Gospel to the comfort of our Brethren How is it then that some will say that their Faith is good and yet they do all the deeds of Anti-christ the Devil St. Paul saith To believe with the heart justifieth and to confess with the Mouth maketh a man safe Here may all see that no man or woman can have a true Faith unless they have deeds also and he that doubteth is like the Waves of the Sea Tossed about of the Wind and can look for no good thing at the Lords hands Now is the acceptable time that Christ spoke of yea even now is the Ax put to the Root of the Tree that so every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit must be hewn down and cast into the Fire Now is the Lord come with his Fan in his hand to try the Wheat from the Chaff the Wheat he will gather into his Barn and the Chaff he will burn Now is the time come that we must go meet the Bridegroom with Oyle in our Lamps we are also bidden to the Feast let us make no excuses our Master hath delivered Talents unto us Now is the Lord come to see if there be any Fruit upon his Trees if he find none he will serve us as he did the wild Fig-Tree that is Never Fruit shall grow on him more If we go to meet the Bridegroom without Oyle in our Lamps and should go to buy the doubt is we should be served as the Foolish Virgins were to whom God said Depart I know you not If we use not our Talents well they shall be taken from us and given to others and all such unprofitable Servants shall be cast into Hell where shall be Weeping and Gnashing of teeth May not all People now perceive that this is the time that our Master Christ speaketh of that the Father should be against the Son and the Son against the Father and one Brother against an other that the Brother shall deliver the Brother to death yea and that the Wicked shall say all manner of Wicked sayings against us for his Name sake the which I have found by experience I praise God that gave me strength to bear it I have no mistrust but that the World shall see and know my Blood shall not be dear in my own sight whensoever it please God to give my Adversaries leave to shed it I do earnestly believe that God which hath begun this good work in me will perform it to the end for when I have been in Prison sometimes wearing Blots and Shackles lying on the bear ground and sometimes sitting in the Stocks and bound with Cords that my Body was swelled and I like to be overcome with pain sometimes lying in the Woods and Fields wandring to and fro brought before Justices Sheriffs Lords Doctors and Bishops called Dog Devil Heretick Whoremonger Traytor Thief Deceiver and such like Yea even they that did eat of my Bread that should have been most my Friends by Nature have betrayed me yet for all this I praise God that hath seperated me from my Mothers Womb all this that hath happened unto me hath been easie for I praise God they are not able to prove one tittle of their sayings to be true but that way which they call Heresie I serve my Lord God and at all times before whomsoever I have been brought God hath given me Mouth and Wisdom against which my Adversaries have not been able to resist wherefore dear Sister be of good comfort with all your Brethren and Sisters and take no thought what you shall say for it shall be given you the same hour according to the promises as I have alwayes found and as you and all others of Gods Elect shall well find when the time is full come and whereas I and many others have hoped that this Persecution would have been at an end ere this time now I perceive God will have a further Tryal to Root out all Dissemblers that no man should rejoyce in himself but he that rejoyceth should rejoyce in God wherefore if Prophecy should fail and Tongues should cease yet Love must indure for fear hath painfulness but a perfect Love casteth out all fear which Love I have no mistrust but God hath poured it upon you so abundantly that nothing in the World shall be able to seperate you from God neither High nor Low Rich nor Poor Life nor Death shall be able to put you from Christ but by him I trust you shall enter into New Jerusalem there to live forever After his Examination Sentence was past upon him and upon the 22th day of the Moneth called June he and nine more were burnt at Lewis as mention is made before The next Moneth following Simon Miller and Elizabeth Cooper were burnt at Norwich S. Miller Elizabeth Cooper Martyrs This Simon Miller dwelt in Lyn he was a zealous man for the Lord and his Truth in those dayes detesting and abhoring the forced Religion of the Papists going from Lyn to Norwich and standing in the press of People as they were coming from their Popish service he spake some words to them at which some marvelled to hear and see his boldness but shortly after he was brought before Dunning Chancellor of Norwich when he was before him having his Confession of his Faith written and put in his Shoe part of which appearing was taken out which the Chancellor perusing askt him If he would stand to that Faith to which he said he should whereupon he was committed to Ward and shortly after was by the Bishop of Norwich and his Chancellor condemned and burnt with the â—â—â—esaid Elizabeth Cooper When Elizabeth first felt the Fire the shrunk and cryed out Simon Miller put his
of this Mortal Flesh to be clothed with Robes Immortal we forsake a loathsome Life for joy and felicity eternal ought any gain or exchange to be compared with this O sweet and happy Martyrdom how dost thou dignifie and inrich us in despite of the World Devil and our own Flesh and which of us now can complain seeing our Soveraign Lord and Master has so expresly foretold it to all his Followers will any man come after me saith he Let him then take up his Cross and follow me Let us bear Oh let us then bear the Cross cheerfully and with joyfulness that we may be received in the presence of his heavenly Father for it is not only given us for to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake and if we suffer with him then we shall also Reign with him Oh that we could admire his bounty who no sooner imployes us in his Work but hath the Wages ready in his Hand wherewith to recompence us your sorrow saith he Shall be turned into joy let us then cast off every weight that presseth down and whatsoever else that stands in our way to Heavenward be it Father Mother Brother Sisters Husband Child yea and our own life also let us with the wise Merchant-man sell all that with him we may purchase that pretious Pearl how happy do I esteem them that are called to suffer and leave their Life for confessing the Name of Jesus Christ for the Eternal Son of God will confess their Names before his heavenly Father and his holy Angels they shall be clad with white Robes and shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of Heaven filled with gladness in the Presence of the Lamb they shall eat of the Fruit of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Let us fix the Eye of our Minds upon these so great and pretious Promises of Jesus Christ which he hath made to all those who persevere in well-doing unto the end Oh! how happy shall we be when we are delivered from these Bodies of Death to live forever with our God Let us then continually pray with the Disciples Lord increase our Faith Oh dear Brethren remember me alwayes in your prayers who am bound here in the Bonds of Anti-christ remember those also who are in Bonds as if you were bound with them Pray I say without ceasing for our Adversary the Devil is alwayes compassing us about to cause our Hearts to faint and you are not ignorant what a potent Enemy our own Flesh is unto us but I confidently believe that our God who hath begun this good Work in me will perfect the same even unto the Day of Christ Farewel When the Massacrees began to play their parts in Rovan they counselled those of the Religion Persecution and Massacree at Rovan to get themselves into the Prisons as into places of greatest security from the fury and rage of the people but such as followed this advice were there even ready to be devoured as poor Sheep by these greedy Wolves at their pleasure Those who were murdered in the City in a few dayes some in their Houses and others in the Prisons amounted to six thousand besides more then fifty Women unto whom they exercised no less Cruelty then upon men Their names for brevity sake are here omitted their dead bodies being piled together were conveyed out of the City in Tumbrils and thrown by heaps one upon another into great pits digged for that purpose Their garments being washed in the River from their Blood by certain poor Women were afterwards distributed here and there to the Poor by the Papists that they might seem with their merciless and unjust Cruelty to mingle some Works of Justice and Charity A Massacree at Tholouse Upon the eight day after the Massacree at Paris about eight of the Clock in the Morning the chief of the Papists at Tholouse received Advertisement of that which had passed with Letters directing them what they were to do then a Council was called at the breaking up whereof the great Gates of the City were shut only the little Wickets left open and shortly after they entered into the houses of those of the Religion whom they imprisoned in sundry Prisons of the City about three weeks after they put all these Prisoners together into the Consciergery which is a special Prison deferring the Slaughter of them until they received Warrant and Authority from Paris which having received the Prisoners were called down to the Stairs foot one after another and there Massacred not permitting them so much leasure as to speak the Councellors who were of the Religion after they had Massacred them they hanged them up in their Gowns upon a great Elm which was in the Court of the Palace and in the mean time sacked and pillaged their houses An English Man burnt at Rome In the year 1595 a young man about the age of twenty five years being at Rome was much stirred in a Religious Zeal against their hornble Idolatry as the Bishop was going a Procession the young man pluckt the Pix out of his hand and threw it to the ground calling Wretched Idolater for which he was apprehended and sent to prison and shortly after Pope Clement the eighth hearing of it ordained that he should be immediately burnt but some of the Cardinals advised that he might rather be kept till a further examination and accordingly they kept him eight dayes in prison but when they see nothing could be drawn from him but these words viz. such was the will of God Then they stripped him naked to the middle and put on the form of a Devil or Dragon upon his head and then bound him in a Cart and carried him to the place of Execution where he was burnt alive Three English men put to death at Rome I find also a Relation of three other English-men put to death at Rome the manner of their sufferings are as followeth They meeting together entered into a Conference concerning the state of the Church at that time complaining that the Zeal of Gods Glory was wonderfully cooled amongst men yea and that even those of the Religion were grown but too worldly wise that Sathan by little and little was sowing the seed of Atheism every where by rocking men asleep in the Cradle of Security whereupon commending themselves into the hands of God they determined to take their Vogage to Rome and there to encounter with the Adversary of Christ thither they came and after two or three dayes two of them behaving themselves modestly did in secret manifest to some the Truth of the Gospel who being betrayed were imprisoned and put to death without any further ado the third resolved to bear his Testimony more publick and therefore taking an opportunity when the Pope was in the midst of his Massing devotion stept quickly to him and pluckt the host out of his hands and trod it under his feet testifying
against the Mass and Antichrist the people in a rage fell upon him beating and bruising of him and he was forthwith bound and set upon an Ass and the Executioners with lighted Torches burnt his Face Mouth and Tongue first when the flames came overthwart his Cheeks he was heard to cry Lord forgive them they know not what they do and then they consumed his body with Fire to Ashes And herein the Reader hath seen the invinceable Constancy of these Martyrs who in their burning Zeal for Religion dryed up the Rivers of Persecution and were never tyred in Suffering until the Persecutors swords were blunt with the slaughter Blessed are they that are Persecuted for Righteousness sake for their is the Kingdom of Heaven Part IV. Q. Eliz. An. 1558. Containing an Account of such as suffered Persecution and Martyrdom under Episcopacy c. I Am now come to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth in whose first year the Parliament restored the first fruits and tenths to the Crown and the Protestant Religion was again established the Bishops that refused the Oath of Supremacy were removed and others put in their rooms in this Queens time about the Eleaventh year of her reign arose a People making a Profession of the Pure Religion and would allow of nothing but what was directly taken out of the Scriptures openly condemning the received Discipline of the Church of England together with the Liturgy and the very calling of the Bishops as savouring too much of the Romish Religion declaring it to be an impious thing to hold any thing common with the Church of Rome and used all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in every point according to the rule of the Church of Geneva amongst these Dissenters were Coleman Burton Hallingham and Benson whom the Queen commanded to be committed to Prison yet it is a thing almost incredible how on a suddain their Followers encreased known by the envious name of Puritans who preached nothing more then Evangelical Purity crying down the Ecclesiastical Form of Government as a thing poluted with Roman Dregs setting out Books in Print to the same effect refusing to go to the publick Worship as it was then used whereupon many endeavours were used to suppress them and the Law was commanded to be put in Execution which required Uniformity and the Books wrote by the Puritans to be delivered into the Bishops hands on pain of Imprisonment by these courses of persecution and force they were kept down for a time the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury using his utmost endeavours to settle an uniformity in Ecclesiastical Discipline according to the Laws which he saw lay gasping if the Puritans encreased and thereupon provided Articles for all Ministers to subscribe but he found great opposition or disturbance in this his Design both at home and abroad for one Robert Brown a young man of Cambridge from whom a People called Brownists took their name and one Rich. Harrison a School master these set forth Books in Zealand dispersed them over England condemning the Church of England for no Church these Books were by Authority prohibited and several of the chief of these Brownists were executed at Bury in Suffolk as the Reader shall understand more particularly in this following Discourse Q. Eliz. An. 1558. as far as I can give a discovery by the Authors I could procure As I have said though by the forciable course the Bishops took these People were kept under at times yet in the one and thirtieth year of the Queen the Pur̄itān̄s Flames brake forth again and Books were written by the names of Martin-Marprelate and another Book by Penry and Udal against the Government of Bishops and Barrow and Greenwood wrote a short Treatise called a Plat-Form in which was contained sharp reproofs to the Clergy saying That all false and Antichristian Ministers ought by the Princes Authority to be rooted out and that their Antichristian and Idolatrous Livings ought to be converted to chartiable Civil-uses and are not to be appropriated or given to Gods true Ministry for the maintenance thereof neither ought it to receive the same for it stands not with the honour of God that Bethel Gods House should be garnished and supported with the things belonging to or taken from Bethaven the House of Idols as if the Almighty wanted other means for support of his own House and must needs be beholden to the House of Idols to help him and his For these and such matters by them openly divulged they were imprisoned and all that would not bow the Bishops resolved to break them to pieces on the other hand the more hotly they were persecuted by the Bishops the more the Zeal stirred in them to oppose strengthening themselves daily through their diligence in Reading the Scriptures that they might be enabled to oppose the Clergy whose Reformation they said was no more then casting out the name and Persons of the Pope and Papists and yet reserved all their Livings and Priviledges even all the fat and gainful Ware of Amaleck unto themselves But in the end of these things as it seldom hath been known so far as I have observed that whensoever the Truth appeared though in the least Measure but it cost some Blood which should make men love it the better So in these times this Barrow Greenwood and Penry and several others sealed their Testimony first by hard Imprisonment and at last by death it self as in the sequel will appear and if what I find upon record be true as I have no cause to believe otherwise the chief Instruments of their deaths were the Clergy and not the Queen For when the Queen asked Doctor Raynolds what he thought of those two men meaning Barrow and Greenwood he answered It would not avail any thing to shew his Judgment concerning them seeing they were put to death and being loath to speak his mind further the Queen pressed him and charged him to speak whereupon he answered that he was perswaded if they had lived they would have been two as worthy Instruments for the Church of God as hath been raised up in this Age The Queen sighed and said no more But after that riding to a Park by a place where they were executed called to mind their suffering of death and being willing to have further information concerning them demanded of the Earl of Cumberland that was present when they suffered what end they made he answered a very godly end and prayed for your Majesty and the State moreover one Philips a famous Preacher having both heard and seen Barrows Speeches and Preparation for death said Barrow Barrow my Soul be with thine And now before I give Account of the places where these persons were executed it will be necessary to insert their Complaint to the Parliament relating their hard usage in Prisons a Copy of which is as followeth The Humble most earnest and lamentable Complaint and Supplication of the Persecuted and Prescribed Church and