of mercy must die the death that so blood might be recompensed with blood and the land may be clensed from the guilt thereof And so according thereunto Justice administred without respect of persons yet with great wisedome according to the different degrees and circumstances in the committing of the Crime Heere is no admittance of Sanctuarie nor any such like protection to frustrate the course of Justice and nuzling of the wicked in their sinne so happy are we that God hath taken from our necks that cruell and bloody yoake of Antichrist who not onely maintained his owne tyranny by blood but also protected others therein And yet much more in this respect miserable if we shall not bee more thankefull for the light of the Gospell and improoue the time of our visitation with more profit and aduantage But blessed bee the Lord for the fruit of his Word that Justice hath his due course Iniquity braues it not vncontrould and righteousnesse may haue countenance enough if it bee accompanied with sobriety and meekenesse of wisedome If Sincerity be made a cloake for contentions and priuate lucre is it not wisedome to pluck off this vizard that so the Hypocrite may be ashamed and the sober Christian iustified But whither am I going I must retire my selfe to my present station We are now expecting the Judgement giuen vpon these Malefactors And blessed be God our expectation was more then satisfied Oh how true is it that Judges are in the place of God that he honoureth them as his Deputies and furnisheth them extraordinarily with diuine gifts What Maiesty doth shine in their honourable persons what wisedome and Equity flowes from their lippes what Righteousnesse mixed with Clemency appeares in their sentences Harken I pray you vnto that which followeth witnesse with me the truth of all these The Bench being set the prisoners are called to the Barre doubtfull matters are referred to a further cleering smaller offences are censured accordingly The greater and Capitall crimes of Blood and such like come now to be sentenced And that the sentence may be better layd to heart and take déeper impression to worke repentance and so thereby prepare the offenders to their deaths Harken I pray you vnto the diuine and graue speech the reuerend Judge makes vnto them in such words as these The speech at the giuing of Iudgement YOu Prisoners at the barre whose liues now stand wayting vpon death as you looke vp to vs with feare so wee looke downe vpon you with sorrow Your feare is to receiue punishment for your mis-doing and our sorrow is that wee must pronounce it Yet not without hope to bring you to Repentance which may gaine you pardon for your sin But as wee haue the commaundement of God to warrant and comfort vs herein that the malefactor must die so wee hartily desire of God that your condemnation may not bee of death vnto death but rather a meanes to a better life Now in these cases three things best befit a Iudge which are Discretion Correction and Comfort 1 Discretion to make an offender know his fault 2 Correction to Pronounce and inflict the punishment 3. Comfort that notwithstanding the denouncing and inflicting of the punishment yet so to prepare the delinquent vnto death that he may find life in death and so see heauen vpon earth before the world leaues him and he the world Concerning the knowledge of your fault that will best appeare by your acknowledgment thereof For without this acknowledgment there can be no sound Repentance Thus did God himselfe deale with his seruant Dauid in those his vncleane and bloody facts first to bring him to the sight of those sinnes he put the case by another and so brought Dauid to pronounce sentence vpon himselfe so my desire is that each of you would make Dauids case your owne And as in the like facts you would bee ready in another mans case to pronounce sentence as he did against the man that had dealt so cruelly so now to make his example your paterne to make it your owne case That as hee being conuinced by the Prophet to bee the man whom he had condemned in the like case of another was thereby brought to an acknowledgement of his owne sin and so receiue a gratious acquittance so you also being now conuicted of your heauy and bloody facts by such apparant euidence may by Dauids example bee brought to an acknowledgement thereof and so with Dauid obtaine an answere of the pardon of your sin howsoeuer for the satisfying of the world and humbling of the flesh you are like with Dauid to answere bloud for bloud The second thing I noted was Correction But the better to prepare you for it tell mee you poore soules that haue had a great portion of sorrow by your imprisonment if these three things do not now trouble you more then euer before that is Sorrow Shame and Feare 1 Sorrow for your life past so wickedly missed 2 Shame for your present facts 3 Feare not so much of your present punishment which ends in the punishment as of the iudgement to come bringing with it eternall torments and yet beginning but where the other ends To begin with this last because if it had beene well remembred by you it might haue preuented the former and yet being well applyed may release you from the latter that you may take a deeper impression of that great and generall Assizes Be you aduised not so much to looke vpon Vs who haue only power to kill the body as to looke vp vnto the Lord who hath power to destroy both body and soule and remember his last and dreadfull comming in the clouds where each of you must appeare personally without Deputy delay or Aduocate to receiue according to your workes which you haue done in your bodies be they good or euill And that you may preuent the extremity of that Iugdement my aduice vnto you is that you would erectin a iudgement seate your owne soules iudging your selues by the euidence of your owne consciences that so you may not be iudged of the Lord. So did Dauid obtaine the pardon of his sinne he had no sooner iudged himselfe for his sinnes and confessed them vnto the Lord but the Lord forgaue him the iniquity of them all and no sooner shal you acknowledge your selues worthy to die but the Lord will answere you you shall not die but liue For if you be now dead in sin by hardening your harts in the deniall thereof though you be liuing to the world yet you are dead vnto God and so shall neuer die out of the punishment of sin how soeuer you be euer dying in the horror thereof But if you shall now dievnto sin by vnfayned Repentance though you may die for your sin by the hand of man yet you shall liue for euer without sin by the power of God And therefore howsoeuer you must die temporally to satisfie the Law yet remember this is
The Cry and Reuenge of Blood Expressing the Nature and haynousnesse of wilfull Murther Exemplified In a most lamentable History thereof committed at Halsworth in High Suffolk and Lately Conuicted at Bury Assize 1620. LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES for Iohn Wright dwelling in Pie-corner 1620. â—O THE RIGHT Honorable Sir Henry Mountague Lord Chiefe Iustice of England and his thrice honoured Lady all encrease of honour and true happinesse SEeing it hath pleased your good Honour to giue life to this poore Infant by that gratious breath of yours whereby you prepared the guitlie deseruedly to their death Pardon I beseech you my boldnes in committing it to bee fostered vnder your Honorable Patronage who already haue a vowed the better part thereof Long haue I bene desirous to approue my selfe vnto your honour in what poore measure I haue bene able not only in respect of many fauors vndeseruedly receiued from your honorable Lady in my former afflictions but especially in regard of your Lordships gratious clemencie in releasing a poore distressed neighbour at my request whose follie by how much the more it prouoked your honours iust displeasure by so much the greater was your benignitie in remitting his offence And therefore obseruing your meekenes extended to so vndeseruing I haue bene the rather emboldned to put my selfe and these poore labours vnder the couert thereof that so the Church of God may more warrantablie entertaine and make better vse of this discouerie being commended vnto them vnder such iustifiable protection and the Countrie may more earnestlie pray for yours honours happie returne amongst them for the full discouery and censure of what yet lies hidden concerning this most hellish and execrable murther Among whom my selfe also vnfaynedly wait Gods holy prouidence herein and shal not cease to coÌ„mend your honour in my best deuotions vnto the God of Iustice to continue your Lordship in all health and happines not only to the finishing of this worke so worthily proceeded in hitherto but also to the perfiting of your saluation in his feare in a full discharge of this great and honorable calling hee hath placed you in And so I commend your honour with your gratious Ladie to the grace of God From my house in White-crosse streete this 24. of August 1620. Resting in the Lord at your Honours and the Churches seruice THO. COOPER TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL SIR HENRY NORTH HIGH SHEriffe of the County of Suffolk together withthe rest of his Maiesties Iustice of peace in that County RIght Worshipfull It fell out by Gods good prouidence that at the last Assize at Berrie I was an eare-witnesse of the Discouery of the most strange and cruell Murther that euer I read of The Detection whereof together with the most fayre and honourable carriage of the businesse did so affect me that I could not think my time better spent then in taking notes of such speciall Passages as fell out therein Which howsoeuer I then onely entended for my priuate vse yet considering that such wonderful works of God are to be declared to posterity and being solicited by some Worthies of the Shire to that end I thought it good to condiscend to their requests with the soonest the rather to preuent such flying and suspitious pamphlets wherewith the world in such cases is too much abused and so informe the world in the right vse of such strange occurrents Wherein if your Worships shall find ought that may reuiue in your memory â—o wonderfull a discouery and shall stirre vp your affections to magnifie the prouidence of God herein As I shall haue herein what I principally desire so shall I not faile to take any other good occasion to testifie my thankefulnesse vnto your Worships as God shall offer the same to whose gracious protection I doe most hartily commend you all Resting in him Your Worships poore remembrancer at the Throne of Grace THO. COOPER The Contents CHAPTER 1. The Introduction to the History where of the Prouidence of God in permitting and ordering such horrible wickednesse 1. For the confusion of the Atheist And secondly awaking of the secure and prophane Christians CHAP. 2. Wherein first an entrance is made by way of Application vnto the Particular sinne of Murther being the proper subiect of this Treatise where 2. The Progeny and heynousnesse of this sinne is discouered and enlarged 3. The causes and occasions thereof in generall are explained 4. The Dangerous Effects and consequences thereof are detected And so 5. Such seuerall vses are propounded as both tend to the preuenting of this sinne as also for the wise suppressing and weeding out thereof CHAPTER 3. Of the particular Murther at Halsworth And first of the occasions and causes thereof 2 Of the Actors and Accessaries therein 3 Of the Parties that were Murthered 4 Of the Manner and Circumstances how they were made away 5 Of the Meanes to conceale the Murther beeing committed 6 And diuerse obseruations considerable on either side CHAP. 4. Where first of the Reason why howsoeuer other sinnes come after Iudgement yet this sinne of Murther is seldome left vndiscouered 2. Of the Many wayes whereby the Lord hath discouered Murther from time to time with diuers instances thereof 3. That it was the Finger of God that detected this blood 4. Of the Manner and Instruments imployed herein 5. And the seuerall Vses to bee made thereof CHAP. 5. Declareth the Conuiction of the Murtherers 1. Where the Euidences against them are published and opened by the Iudge 2 Their Inditements found hereupon by the Iury 3 Their Obstinacy vpon their finding declared and discussed with the Vse of all CHAP. 6. Of the Condemnation and Iudgement giuen vpon the Malefactors where after entrance made hereto 1 The religious and learned Speech of the thrice reuerend Iudge is published tending to iustifie the righteous hand of God herein as also to prepare the delinquents to an holy vse thereof 2 The Sentence it selfe followeth with the great clemency and moderation thereof 3 With diuers passages and profitable vses of the same CHAP. 7. 1 Containing the execution of the Murtherers 2 And such accidents as fell out therein 3 Together with such Vses as may be made thereof CHAP. 8. Containing the conclusion of the whole With promise of further light The Cry and Reuenge of Bloud CHAPTER 1. The Introduction to the History whereof the Prouidence of God in permitting and ordering such horrible wickednesse 1. For the confusion of the Atheist And secondly awakening of the secure and prophane Christians IT may seeme very strange and almost incredible to carnall apprehension that such glorious light of the Gospell especially so long continued among vs and that not without some gracious effect should yet notwithstanding abound with so many strange and monstrous sinnes as doe dayly breake out and are strengthned with so high an hand of obstinacy and deeperate Impenitency For whereas the powerfull preaching of the word hath this gracious promise annexed with it that as at the
and iust scandall either awaken them to repentance or conuince them to punishment Behold how the Lord takes the wise in their craftines They desire to be senselesse of sin that they may commit it more greedily and the more greedily they commit the same the more they prouoke the world through their scandall and it one danger to awaken them thereout what remedie is now left in carnall wisedome to make vp the breach and lull them a sléepe againe Behold againe the hight of this wisedome in sin and obserue how the Lord takes the wicked in their craftines If Elia will Prophesy no good but euill vnto vs while wee sleepe in sin yet welfare Zidkiah that will warrant good successe therein flattering vs that wee may go vp and prosper because hitherto it hath gone well with vs and though he lie falsely yet he will walke in the spirit that hee may deceiue more effectually yea hee wants not his rough garment of tything mint and comin yea he will not spare herein to humble flesh by voluntary deuotions of Pilgrimage penances and such like trash to the satisfying of the flesh euen in a great shew of wisedome to abase the same And what now shall be spared for the sinne of the soule though it be to the parting with our substance yea our first borne and all yea which is the hight of this delusion shall not a greater sinne be made a price for the lesse shall not the murther of Princes become an expiation for all our personall sinnes Behold here the depth of the Mistery of iniquity and admire with me the Justice of God in taking the whore and her accursed brood in their owne craftines that while they estéeme their owne blood vile that they may murther the Lords annoynted they haue iustly brought the Kings of the earth vpon their heads to secure themselues in subuerting Antichrist whom otherwise they could haue bene contented still to haue made their band for the satisfying of their lusts Oh! the vnsearchable riches of the wisedome and mercy of our God who turnes about the carnall wisedome of man tending only to it present bodily good to be meanes of remouing that great stumbling blocke whereby their soules were ensnared that so they might ascribe vnto him alone the glorie of their true happines so farre aboue and contrary to their corrupt intent Well thus we see how the Lord takes the wise in their craftines That the world may securely reuel in sin the false Prophet must bee a snare vpon Mispah to cry ayme thereto that so the blind leading the blind both may fall into the ditch And is not this prouidence of God very remarkeable in these daungerous dayes of the contempt and peruerting of the word of God that though the Lord feedeth the hungry with good and wholesome food yet the daintie and full stomake is either choaked with chaffe or puffed vp with wind that so seeming that which he is not he may not see what truely he is and thereby be both preuented of sound curing and withall hardened to destruction Behold here then some further light to iustifie the Prouidence of God in the ouer-flowing of sinne amidst so glorious light of the Gospell Not that the word is any true cause thereof but onely a meanes to discouer and conuince the same whereby as through our naturall rebellion the more sinne is conuinced the more it is enraged and so encreased thereby so through carnall wisedome the light being peruerted becomes a broker vnto sinne and thereby proues a further meanes to encrease and ripen the same And yet all this in great Iustice and exceeding Equity The Lord herein giuing the wicked their desires for the accomplishment of his righteous decree in their condemnation in that themselues are their owne caruers in the meanes there vnto And all this executed by his mighty word becomming thus vnto the wicked a sauour of death vnto death whereby as he taketh the wise Papist and Atheist in their Craftines so doth he also iustly confound the Prophane Libertine who while he fathers that vpon the Word which proceeds from his owne corrupt sense and application thereof doth therefore Iustifie the word in his hardening thereby and so is Iudged by the Word while he peruerteth the same to such ends as are contrary thereunto And thus hitherto for the Iustifying of Gods prouidence in disposing of such greuious sinnes as do accompany and preuaile euen in the most glorious light of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. CHAP. 2. Wherein first an entrance is made by way of Application vnto the Particular sinne of Murther being the proper subiect of this Treatise where 2. The Progeny and heynousnesse of this sinne is discouered and enlarged 3. The causes and occasions thereof in generall are explained 4. The Dangerous Effects and consequences thereof are detected And so 5. Such seuerall vses are propounded as both tend to the preuenting of this sinne as also for the wise suppressing and weeding out thereof FRom that which hitherto hath bene discoursed concerning the Prouidence of God in disposing of such multiplicity and encrease of sinne in this glorious light of the Gospell we may gather these Conclusions First that the Gospell is not properly the cause of these euils but onely 1 the ignorance thereof 2 peruerting the light to the iustifying of sinne or else our want of loue and so obedience thereunto 2 That as Ignorance breeding Error and so Disobedience to the truth is the Mother of all that grosse wickednesse that is discouered thereby So in that Popery is the chiefe and onely Patron of ignorance so it becomes also the very Chaos of all errors and delusions and so proues the maine Broker to all grosse and desperate wickednesse 3 That whereas the weapons of Popish warfare are only carnall and diuellish vsing these as her last refuge when her Paper bolts and enchantments will not preuaile to roote out and destroy all her opposits as being that Scarlet-coloured Whore whom nothing will secure and satisfie but the bloud of Saints and all such as shall oppose her Tyranny Therefore howsoeuer all other sinnes are harbored in her bosome as beeing ashamed to haue them knowne to the world Yet this sinne of Murther is her cheife darling and glorious sinne whereof she is so farre from being ashamed as that she raignes only thereby and triumphs therewith not onely vpon her pretended power of the secular sword whereby she arrogates supreme authority ouer life death But especially vpon pretence of the Power of her Keyes whereby presuming ouer the soules as well as the bodies of men she thereby confirmes and iustifies this her vnsatiable thirst of bloud as either seruing for the good of their soules whose bodies she butchered or else by cutting off such supposed Leapers thereby securing the estates of others Thus doth her Progeny declare the same who is of her Father the Diuell that was a murtherer from the beginning So her condition doth
so we may take a further view of the odiousnesse of the same Surely if we looke vp to the first Murtherer that euer was may we not obserue that Enuy prouoked him therevnto because his brothers was accepted and his sacrifice was teiected therefore did Cain saith the Apostle stay his brother Abell that was more righteous then he And was not the pride of his heart the occasion of this enuy because Caine was not respected according to the conceit of his owne worth therefore he enuied his owne brother that was better respected of God then himselfe and so through enuy shed his innocent bloud Was not Ioseph sold through enuy by his brethren Consider we the next Murtherer recorded in the booke of God Was not Lamech an Adulterer and thereupon a murtherer either inflamed thereto by iealousie which is the rage of a man and therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance or enraged thereto by lust which will admit no partner therein Did not Dauids adultery end in murther 2. Sam. 11. Is not lust the firebrand to contentions and murthers Iam. 4. 1. 2. was not lust the cause of that treacherous murther of the Shechemites Did not lust bring a whole Tribe in Israel to this end And what caused Absolon to seeke his fathers life was it not ambition and desire of soueraignty What mooued Ahab to take away Naboths life was it not a couetous desire to enioy his Vineyard was not Iudas blinded by couetousnesse to betray his Master to the death And may we not see all these causes concurring together in those cruell Iewes that murthered the Lord of Life To conclude Is not rage and furie vsually the spurre hereunto Haue not bitter words sometimes ended in bloudy broyles and barbarous murthers And is not drunkennesse an ordinary harnenger to this sinne not onely murthering hereby it master suddenly but also prouoking in his cuppes to spill the blood of others so iust is the Lord to meete with sinners in their kinde that they which make no conscience to abuse and spill the good creatures of God seruing for the encrease of bloud and maintenance of life but haue béene bretheren in such horrible sinnes shall bee giuen vp to shed the bloud of each other and so depriue themselues of that blessing which they haue abused These are some causes and occasions of this grieuous sinne vnto which if we shall adde what may bee collected from the consideration of the subiect formerly deciphered we may conclude that as the want of Gods feare is a speciall cause of falling into this sinne so obstinacy and hardnesse of heart proceeding there-from doth much enflame and harden therein yea an enraged and guilty soule doth oft-times prouoke hereunto out of hellish despaire As touching the Effects of this grieuous sinne let that suffice which hath beene spoken concerning the haynousnesse thereof onely giue mee leaue to adde some cautions herein That though it be a grieuous sinne to shed bloud yet this neither doth debarre the Magistrate and his Instruments from executing of Iustice against Malefactors because they are Deputies vnto the Lord herein and haue authority hereunto from his Word neither doth it priuiledge any Priuate man vpon any instinct whatsoeuer to presume hereunto though some inferiour calling in the Family hath beene wickedly thought by some to warrant the same because the power of life death is in the hands of the Supreame Magistrate and such as are immediately deputed from him thereunto Though aboue all other murthers that of our selues is most vnnaturall and monstrous therefore as wee may not iustifie any such particular sinnes by any example of Sampson or particular instinct So wee must bee meruailous chary and tender in condemning absolutely their estates that through violence of Tentation or such like distempers haue made away themselues because either they were not themselues in that distemper and so it shall not be imputed vnto them or it was done not without some reluctation and so the Lord may haue mercy vpon them onely let vs be carefull not to imitate them herein and so leaue them to the Lord to whom they fall or stand Thus of the Effects and Iudgement of this sinne Proceed we now in the last place to consider such Antidotes as may preuent the same The principall whereof is to maintaine peace with our God because if our wayes do please him he will not only make our enemies to be at peace with vs that we may not feare to be prouoked either by bridling their corruptions as he did sometimes Labans Esaus or turning their hearts towards vs as he hath done the hearts of many persecutors But will also incline our hearts to be at peace with our enemies either by giuing vs wisedome to ouercome their euill with good or affording vs Patience to beare with our enemies or sustaining vs with meeknesse neither to prouoke nor be prouoked by them Now we shall wisely Maintaine peace with God How 1 If we walke closely with him according to his will with all power and diligence not leaning to our owne Wisedome but relying on his reuealed word and not presuming of ought either beyond or short thereof 2 If though we faile and slip daily as who can cleare himselfe therein yet we shall daily iudge our selues and by repentance renue our couenant with the Lord warring daily with our corruptions and maintaining the spirituall combat hereby we may preserue our Peace with God 3 If séeing our best workes are mixed with such corruption that if the Lord should be seuere to marke what is done amisse euen when we doe our best we shall neuer be able to abide it we shall therefore daily deny our best righteousnesse and labour to be found in Christ renuing our right in him hereby we shall renue and Maintaine our Peace with God 4 And yet seeing the grace of God shal be sufficient for vs in what soeuer wants or extreamities may befall if now we can in patience possesse our soules not repining at the dispensation of our God but being contented therewith in all occasions we shall so hunger after what wee want as that we can be thankfull for that which we haue and so husband the same with all vprightnes and diligence to the glory of our God and the generall good this is an excellent meanes to maintaine Peace with God Lastly that we may maintaine Peace with God let vs still nourish enmity against the world because the Amity of the World is Enmity against God so vsing the good therein that we hate the euill thereof and so vsing the good that we trust not therein so enioying the things thereof as that we are still ready to part with them at the Pleasure of the giuer accounting all things as doing that we may win Christ and yet by our wise husbandrie laying vp a good foundation by them against the day of Christ. Thus may we
the heart of the Reuerend Iudge that the one being more tractable to confesse the truth and giuing sou 〈…〉 hope of his repentance both for his owne and the Countries good who expect yet a further discouery of foure principall offenders not yet knowne or conuicted Hee was therefore onely brought vpon the Ladder and so prepared to execution that so he might conuince the other of the crime being still obstinate therein and satisfie the world concerning his owne guiltinesse of the Fact Wherein as he did not obscurely bewray himselfe at least an accessary though not so cleerely and particularly as was expected for his comfort yet he spared not to challenge his fellow standing obstinate on the dentall and by many circumstances conuicted him to 〈…〉 es the chiefe Murtherer Whereby as it may seeme hee was not an Actor in the Murther himselfe but onely priuie thereto by relation or consequence so was hee therefore repriued for the further cleering of the truth and freeing of his owne conscience from any secret burthen yet lay therevpon As for the other who the more hee was conuicted remained still more obstinate whether in policy that hee might be also repriued in hope of mollifying his heart and bringing him to repentance or vpon desperatenesse and so seeing no way but one must now prepare himselfe to the vengeance of God and confound the worlds expectation or harden the world in such like sinnes therefore was he iustly cut off that he might doe no more mischiefe though to his owne greater confusion thus dying in his sinne And yet behold the power of Gods iustice preuayling on his conscience though he would not confesse his sinne in particular yet he acknowledged to his shame what the world tooke too much notice of and himselfe did formerly much glory in that he was much delighted in Drunkennnsse himselfe yea which was the hight of his sin he was strong to be are his drinke and so gloried to draw others into the same excesse that so hee might pride himselfe in his great power that could out drinke others and thereby also more easily make prey of them Which as it was the meanes whereby hee caught Iohn Leeson in his snare so if consequents may be gathered by their Antecedēts it must needs follow hereupon that he made prey of him especially seeing he could not deny but he accompanied him that day at the Mill-hill when he was made away and his pretences that Iohn was gone for Ireland as were disprooued and confounded by contradictions in his owne and wiues speeches But howsoeuer such apparent conuictions both at the Barre and Gallowes euen from his owne mouth though he stil denied the fact as 〈◊〉 hath bin giuen heretofore the t 〈…〉 so wee hope time will more 〈…〉 eetely discouer his madnesse herein And so we leaue him to the fruite of his si 〈…〉 But before we end this Sc 〈…〉 one scruple is to be cleered that wheras Justice so 〈…〉 ends the 〈…〉 ying thereof in the punishment of the body as that it specially aymes at the good of the soule it might seeme therefore to haue beene fitter that Worlich being more penitent would haue dyed presently and Land being so obstinate should haue beene respited for his better preparing to his end For satisfaction where of we must know that as the iudgement against sinne is directed by a speciall in 〈…〉 ct scour God and so therin doth vsually 〈…〉 ble his 〈…〉 teous 〈◊〉 which is th 〈…〉 to h 〈…〉 that hath shal be giuen but to him th 〈…〉 nothing shall be taken away 〈◊〉 that which he s 〈…〉 th 〈…〉 haue therefore to Worlich that hath some spacke of grace and 〈…〉 rse opportunity was further yeelded to encrease and perfect the worke And from Land that hath nothing in truth if wee may c 〈…〉 e by the effect therefore that was taken away which it seemed belonged vnto him euen longer time and space of Repentance A notable Image of Gods righteous decras in the hardening of y e one softning of the other and a wise item to obstinate sinners that what they haue beene in their liues they likely prooue in their deathes And withall a sweete word of comfort to al broken and bleeding hearts that the Lord wil waite vpon them that he may haue mercy vpon them And this we wish hartily may be portion of that poore soule that now is respited in the hope thereof And thus endeth the history of this bloudy Tragedy Iustifying the Righteous Do 〈…〉 e of the Lord That he that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed againe CHAP. 8. Containing the conclusion of the whole With promise of further light THus hast thou Christian Reader a briefe of the most lamentable History which euer I heard or read of concerning the cruell murther of this widowes children Together with the admirable discouery thereof by the Finger of God as also the procéedings against so many of the Malefactors as are yet discouered What now remaineth but that thou glorifie God with me for the execution of his righteous iudgements Assuring thee that as I was an eye witnesse of these particulars so I haue deliuered thee therein the truth according to the euidences confirmed by the consent of the best warrants to establish the same onely I haue forborne to specifie the particular information of many witnesses because as many of them were spared at the Barre séeing the rest were sufficient so of those that were giuen in I haue also spared some as specifying the same in effect with those that are wouen into the history because I did not so much respect the order of their allegations at the Barre as the fitnesse of their application to the vse and life of the Story If herein I haue giuen any light or spirit by this manner of handling remember I wrote it not for a nine dayes wonder to vanish like a dreame but that it might leaue such impression in thy heart as might prouoke thée to know the Lord by his executing of Justice and so hereby learne to make vse of his Prouidence in all his workes promising thee that if thou shalt profitably vse this discouery to this end thou shalt be fitted not onely with further light herein as occasion shall be offered but as thou maiest make profitable vse of many other labours published by me formerly for the common good so thou shalt shortly be furnished with my long expected Paines concerning the Delusions of the Time and cure of a wounded Spirit which I am reuising and polishing at my best leysure s for thy good herein And so desiring thy harty prayers vnto God for his furtherance hereunto I commend thee to the grace of our Glorious Lord. In whom I rest thine and the Churches seruant THO. COOPER FINIS Heb. 2. 13. Ierem. 44. 16. Rom. 7. 8. 9. Psalm 50. Eccle. 8. Iob 22. Rom. 6. 1. 1. Thes. 2 12. Hos. 14. 13. 14. Ioh. 8. 44. The heynnusnesse and greatnesse of this sinne By the Obiect Psal. 10. Causes of murther 1 Enuy. 2 Pride 3 Adultery 4 Iealousie 5 Lust. 6 Ambition 7 Couetousnesse 7 Rage 9 Bitter speaking Two Cautions Antidotes to preuent murther To mainetain peace with God Reuel 13. 11. Pro. 7. Psal. 55. Math. 6. Psal. 37. Vse Pro. 23. Vse Thomas Leeson 1. Thes. 5. 5. Psal. 9. 13. 14. Reuel 6. 9 Rom. 8. 19 20. Psa. 58. 12. Psal. 75. 2. Plato in Timeo Case of the Guise iustified and Marquesse D'ancre As in the case of Nadab and Abiu Cosbi and Zimri Sir Henry Mountague Lord chiefe Iustiée