thy sight be justified After a little Rest and Slumber she spake to her Father with much Joy and Gladness 1 Cor. 15.54 c. Death is swallowed up of Victory c. She commanded afterwards Psal 84. to her Mother saying Read that Psalm Dear Mother and therewith ye may comfort one another As for me I am more and more spent and draw near unto my last Hour Pray with me pray that the Lord would vouchsafe me a soft Death And when they had prayed with her she turned to her Mother and with much Affection said Ah my Dear Loving Mother that which comes from the Heart doth ordinarily go to the Heart Once come and kiss me before I leave you and also my Dear Father and my Sister and Father let my Sister be trained up in the Ways of God as I have been I bewailed and wept for my Sister thinking she would die and now she weeps for me Also she took her young little Sister in her Ams a Child of Six Months old and kissed it with much Affection as if her Bowels had been moved speaking with many Heart-breaking Words both to her Parents and the Children 'till her Father said to one standing by Take away that young poor Lambkin from the hazard of that fiery Sickness Give her away for ye have too much already to bear Well Father said she did not God preserve the Three Children in the fiery Furnace Citing also Isa 43.3 After a little Rest awaking again she rehersed 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Isa 57.1 2. Job 19.25 26 27. John 5.28 c. Eph. 2.8 9. and descanted pathetically upon them adding My Dear Parents now we must shortly part my Speech faileth me pray the Lord for a quiet Close to my Combat I go to Heaven and there we shall find one another I go to Jesus Christ and to my Brother Jacob who did cry so much to God and call upon him to the very last Breath and to my little Sister which was but Three Years of Age when it died c. At last after she had prayed a pretty space by herself she asked her Parents If she had angred or grieved them at any time or done any thing that became her not Craving Forgiveness of them Then she began to dispose her Books and other little things with some proportion of Prudence and after a short Discant on the following Scriptures Psal 23. Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 1 Cor. 6.20 Isa 53 Joh. 1. 1. Cor. 6.11 Rev. 7. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. she concluded with these Words My Soul shall now part from this Body and shall be taken up into the Heavenly Paradise there shall I dwell and go no more out but sit and sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts c. O Lord God into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O Lord be gracious be merciful to me a poor Sinner And hereupon she fell a sleep Sept. 1. between Seven and Eight in the Evening having obtained according to her Prayers a quiet and soft Departure 26. Jacob Bickes above-mentioned Brother to the aforesaid Susanna was visited Three or Four Weeks before his Sister and slept most of his time 'till near his Death but so often as he awaked he gave himself to pray Upon motion made to send for the Physician he said Dear Father and Mother I will not have the Doctor any more The Lord shall help me I know he shall take me to himself and then he shall help all After Prayer Come now Dear Father and Mother said he and kiss me I know now that I shall die Adieu Dear Father and Mother Adieu my Dear Sister Adieu all Now shall I go to Heaven unto God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Angels Father know ye not what is said by Jer. 17. Blessed is he who trusteth in the Lord. Now I shall trust in him and he shall bless me And 1 John 2. Little children love not the world for the world passeth away Away then all that is in the World away with all my pleasant Things in the World Away with my Dagger which a Student had given him for where I go there 's nothing to do with Dagger and Sword Men shall not fight there but praise God Away with all my Books for where I go there 's nothing to be done with Books there I shall know and be learned sufficiently all things of true Wisdom and Learning without Books The Father telling him God would be near to him and help him Yea Father the Apostle Peter saith God resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble I shall humble myself under the mighty Hand of God and he shall help and lift me up God hath given me so strong a Faith upon himself through Jesus Christ that the Devil himself shall flee from me for it is said John 3. He who believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and hath overcome the wicked one 1 John 2. Now I believe in Jesus Christ my Redeemer and he will not leave nor forsake me but shall give unto me Eternal Life then shall I sing Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Sabath And with this short Word of Prayer Lord be merciful to me a poor Sinner he quietly breathed out his Soul and slept in the Lord aged Seven Years August 8. 1664. Extracted out of a Pamphlet called An Edifying Wonder of Two Children Printed at London for Richard Tomlins 1667. 27. The Reverend Mr. Clark in his Works quotes a Child of Two Years old that looked towards Heaven And credible History acquaints us with a Martyr of Seven Years old that was whipped almost to Death and never shed one Tear nor complained and at last had his Head struck off 28. Of Mary Warren born in May 1651 aged Ten Years in May 1661. When this Child was about Five or Six Years old she had a new plain Tammy Coat and when she was made ready was to be carried with other Children into Morefields but having looked upon her Coat how fine she was she presently went to her Chair sate down her Tears running down her Eyes she wept seriously by herself her Mother seeing it said to her How now Are you not well What 's the matter that you weep The Child answered Yes I am well but I would I had not been made ready for I am afraid my fine Cloaths will cast me down to Hell Her Mother said It 's not our Cloaths but wicked Hearts that hurt us She answered Aye Mother fine Cloaths make our Hearts proud What next follows was written by her Father on Friday Night Octob. 4. 1661. Her Mother asked her If she were willing to die she answered ' Aye very willing for then I shall sin no more for I know Christ's Blood hath made Satisfaction for my Sins October the Fifth her Mother going softly to the Chamber-door she heard her speaking alone and she listned and heard her say thus Come Lord Jesus come quickly and receive thy poor Creature out of all my Pains
his own great Abilities after Courtesies of Courage had passed between them My Lord says the Duke I know your Lordship hath very worthily good Accesses unto the King our Soveraign let me pray you to put His Majesty in Mind to be good as I no way distrust to my poor Wife and Children at which Words or at his Countenance in the Delivery or at both my Lord Bishop being somewhat troubled took the freedom to ask him whether he had never any secret Abodement in his Mind No reply'd the Duke but I think some Adventure way kill me as well as another Man The very day before he was slain feeling some indisposition of Body the King was pleased to give him the Honour of a visit and found him in his Bed where and after much serious and private Discourse the Duke at his Majesty's departing embraced him in a very unusual and passionate Manner and in like sort to his Friend the Earl of Holland as if his Soul divined he should see them no more which infusions towards fatal End had been observed by some Authors of no Light Authority On the very day of his Death the Countess of Denbigh receiv'd a Letter from him whereupon all the while she was writing her Answer she bedew'd the Paper with her Tears And after a most bitter Passion whereof she could yield no Reason but that her dearest Brother was to be gone she fell down in a Swoon Her said Letter endeth thus I will pray for your happy Return which I look at with a great Cloud over my Head too heavy for my poor Heart to bear without torment but I hope the great God of Heaven will bless you The day following the Bishop of Ely her devoted Friend who was thought the fittest Preparer of her Mind to receive such a doleful Accident came to visit her but hearing she was at rest he attended till she should awake of her self which she did with the Affrightments of a Dream her Brother seeming to pass thorough a Field with her in her Coach where hearing of a sudden Shout of the People and asking the reason it was answer'd to have been for Joy that the Duke of Buckingham was sick Which natural Impression she source had related unto her Gentlewoman before the Bishop was entred into her Bed-Chamber for a chosen Messenger of the Duke's Death This is all I dare present of that Nature or any of Judgment not unwillingly omitting certain Prognostick Anagrams and such strains of Fancy Sir Henry Wooton 's Short View of the Life and Death of George Villiers Duke of Buckingham p. 25 26. 2. When Alexander went by Water to Babylon a sudden Wind arising blew off the Regal Ornament of his Head and the Diadem fixt to it This was lookt upon as a Presage of Alexander's Death which happen'd soon after 3. In the year of Christ 1185. the last and most fatal end of Andronicus Commenus being at Hand the Statute of St. Paul which the Emperor had caused to be set up in the great Church of Constantinople abundantly wept Nor were these Tears in vain which the Emperor washt off with his own Blood 4. Barbara Princess of Bavaria having shut her self up in a Nunnery among other things allow'd her for her peculiar Recreation she had a Marjoram-Tree of an extraordinary bigness a small Aviary and a Gold Chain which she wore about her Neck But 14 Days before she died the Marjoram-Tree dried up the Birds the next Night were all found dead and after that the Chain broke in two in the middle Then Barbara calling for the Abbess told her that all those Warnings were for her and in a few Days after died in the Seventeenth year of her Age After her Death above twenty other Virgins died out of the same Nunnery Several other Presages there are that foretold the death of Princes and great Men As the unwonted Howlings of Dogs the unseasonable Noise of Bells the Roaring of Lions c. Concerning Dead Mens Lights seen often in Wales take this following Story 5. A Man and his Family being all in Bed about Midnight and awake he could perceive a Light entring a little Room where he lay and one after another of some Dozen in the shape of Men and two or three Women with small Children in their Arms entring in and they seemed to dance and the Room to be far wider and lighter than formerly they did seem to eat Bread and Cheese all about a kind of a Stick upon the Ground they offer'd him Meat and would smile upon him he could perceive no Voice but he once calling upon God to bless him he could perceive the Whisper of a Voice in Welsh bidding him hold his Peace being about four Hours thus he did what he could to awake his Wife and could not they went out into another Room and after some dancing departed and then he arose yet being but a very small Room he could not find the Door nor the way to Bed until crying out his Wife and Family awaked Being within about two Miles of me I sent for the Man who is an honest poor Husbandman and of good Report And I made him believe I would put him to his Oath for the Truth of this Relation who was ready to take it Attested by Mr. John Lewis a learned Justice of Peace in Cardigan-shire Hist Discourse of Appar and Witches p. 130. 6. Mr. Flavel in his Treatise of the Soul says I have with good Assurance this Account of a Minister who being alone in a Journey and willing to make the best Improvement he could of the Days Solitude set himself upon a close Examination of the State of his Soul and then of the Life to come and the manner of its being and living in Heaven in the Views of all those things which are now pure Objects of Faith and Hope after a while he perceiv'd his Thoughts begin to fix and come closer to these great astonishing things than was usual and as his Mind settled upon them his Affections began to rise with answerable Liveliness and Vigour He therefore whilst he was yet Master of his own Thoughts lift up his Heart to God in a short Ejaculation that God would so order it in his Providence that he might meet with no Interruption from Company or any other Accident in that Journey which was granted him For in all the Days Journey he neither met overtook or was overtaken by any Thus going on his way his Thoughts began to rise and swell higher and higher like the Waters in Ezekiel's vision till at last they became an overflowing Flood Such was the Intention of his Mind such the ravishing Tastes of Heavenly Joys and such the full Assurance of his Interest therein that he utterly lost the Sight and Sense of this World and all the concerns thereof and for some hours knew no more where he was than if he had been in a deep sleep upon his Bed At last he began to perceive
preparing that we may be ready to die Therefore oh my God I humbly pray receive my Soul by thy free Mercy in Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer for Christ hath died for me and for all my Sins in this World committed My great God hath given me long Life and therefore I am now willing to die Oh Jesus Christ help my Soul and save my Soul I believe that my Sickness doth not arise out of the Dust nor cometh at peradventure but God sendeth it Job 5.6 7. By this Sickness God calleth me to repent of all my Sins and to believe in Christ now I confess my self a great Sinner Oh pardon me and help me for Christ his sake Lord thou callest me with a double Calling sometimes by Prosperity and Mercy sometimes by Affliction And now thou callest me by Sickness but let me not forget thee O my God For those that forget thy Name thou wilt forsake them As Psalm 9.17 All that forget God shall be cast into Hell therefore let me not forget thee Oh my God I give my Soul to thee Oh my Redeemer Jesus Christ pardon all my Sins and deliver me from Hell Oh do thoa help me against Death and then I am willing to die and when I die 〈◊〉 help me and receive me In so saying he died 39. Plaâ—bohon He was the second Man next Waban what received the Gospel he brought with him to the second Meeting at Wabay's House many when we formed them into Government he was chosen Ruler of Ten when the Church at Hassenamessit was gather'd he was called to be a Ruler then in that Church when that was scatter'd by the War they came back to Natick Church so many as survived and at Natick he died His Speech as followeth I rejoyce and am content and willing to take up my Sorrows and Sickness many are the Years of my Life long have I lived therefore now I look to die But I desire to prepare my self to die well I believe God's Promise that he will for ever save all that believe in Jesus Christ. Oh Lord Jesus help me deliver me and save my Soul from Hell by thine own Blood which thou hast shed for me when thou didest die for me and for all my Sins Now help me sincerely to confess all my Sins Oh pardon all my Sins I now beg in the Name of Jesus Christ a Pardon for all my Sins for thou O Christ art my Redeemer and Deliverer Now I hear God's Word and I do rejoyce in what I hear tho' I do not see yet I hear and rejoyce that God hath confirmed for us a Minister in this Church of Natick he is our VVatchman And all you People deal well with him both Men VVomen and Children hear him every Sabbath Day and make strong your praying to God and all you of Hassaunemesue restore your Church and Praying to God there Oh Lord help me to make ready to die and then receive my Soul I hope I shall die well by the help of Jesus Christ Oh Jesus Christ deliver and save my Soul in everlasting Life in Heaven for I do hope thou art my Saviour Oh Jesus Christ. So he died 40. Old Jacob He was among the first that pray'd to God he had so good a Memory that he could rehearse the whole Catechize both Questions and Answers when he gave thanks at Meat he would sometimes only pray the Lord's Prayer his Speech is as followeth My Brethren now hear me a few Words stand fast all you People in your praying to God according to that Word o God 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit you like Men and be strong in the Lord. Especially you that are Rulers and Teachers Fear not the Face of Man when you Judge in a Court together help one another agree together Be not divided one against another remember the Parable of ten Brethren that held together they could not be broken nor overcome but when they divided one against another then they were easily overcome and all you that are Rulers judge right Judgment for you do not judge for Man but for God in your Courts 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Therefore judge in the fear of God Again You that are Judges see that ye have not only Humane Wisdom for Mans Wisdom is in many things contrary to the Wisdom of God counting it to be foolishness Do not judge that right which only seemeth to be right and consider Matth. 7.1 2. Judge right and God will be with you when you so do Again I say to you all the People make strong your Praying to God and be constant in it 1 Thess 5.17 Pray continually Again lastly I say to you Daniel our Minister be strong in your Work As Mat. 5.14 16. You must bring Light into the World and make it to shine that all may see your good Work and glorifie your Heavenly Father Every Preacher that maketh strong his Work doth bring precious Pearls As Matth. 13.52 And thou shalt have Everlasting Life in so doing I am near to Death I have lived long enough I am about 90 Years old I now desire to die in the presence of Christ Oh Lord I commit my Soul to thee 41. Antony He was among the first that prayed to God he was studious to read the Scriptures and the Catechism so that he learned to be a Teacher but after the Wars he became a Lover of strong Drink was often admonished and finally cast out from being a Teacher His Dying Speeches follow I am a Sinner I do now confess it I have long prayed to God but it hath been like an Hypocrite tho' I was a confessing Church-Member yet like an Hypocrite tho' I was a Teacher yet like a Backsliding Hypocrite I was often drunk Love of strong Drink is a lust I could not overcome tho' the Church did often admonish me and I confessed and they â—orgave me yet I fell again to the same Sin tho' Major Gookins and Mr. Eliot often admonished me I confessed they were willing to forgive me yet I fell again Now Death calls for me and I desire to prepare to die well I say to you Daniel beware that you love not strong Drink as I did and was thereby undone Strengthen your Teaching in and by the word of God take heed that you defile not your work as I did for I defiled my Teaching by Drunkenness Again I say to you my Children forsake not praying to God go not to strange places where they pray not to God but strongly pray to God as long as you live both you and your Children Now I desire to die well tho' I have been a Sinner I remember that word that saith That tho' your Sins be many and great yet God will pardon the Penitent by Jesus Christ our Redeemer Oh Lord save and deliver me by Jesus Christ in whom I believe send thy Angels when I die to bring my poor Soul to thee and save my poor sinful
Tower this Son being at Sea and engaged in the Fight between a Squadron of the Parliament and the Dutch in the Leghorn-Road the Ship wherein he was which I think was the Providence was blown up and it was supposed all the Men lost about a Month or two afterwards the Doctor being at Sir John Robinson's House his Son to the great admiration of his Father and Master came at that instant to them told them that sitting on a Pole upon the Poop by the Flag-staff he was blown up into the Sea and there continued on the Pole till next day when the Dutch found him pitied him and took him aboard with them and so saved him This was related to me by the Worshipful William Garraway of Ford in Sussex Esq 7. The following Relations are to be found in Mr. Mather's Book of Providence Remarkable was that which happened to Jabez MMusgrove of Newbery who being shot by an Indian the Bullet entred in at his Ear and went out at his Eye on the other side of his Head yet the Man was preserved from Death yea and is still in the Land of the Living 8. Remarkable was that Deliverance mentioned by Mr. Janeway wherein that gallant Commander Major Edward Gibbons of Boston in New-England and others were concerned The substance of the Story is this A New-England Vessel going from Boston to some other parts of America was through the Continuance of contrary Winds kept long at Sea so that they were in very great straits for want of Provision and seeing they could not hope for any Relief from Earth or Sea they apply themselves to Heaven in humble and hearty Prayers but no Calm ensuing one of them made this sorrowful motion that they should cast Lots which of them should die first to satisfie the ravenous Hunger of the rest After many a sad Debate they come to a result the Lot is cast and one of the Company is taken but where is the Executioner to be found to act this Office upon a poor Innocent It is Death now to think who shall act this bloody part in the Tragedy But before they fall upon this in-voluntary Execution they once more went unto their Prayers and while they were calling upon God he answer'd them for there leapt a mighty Fish into the Boat which was a double Joy to them not only in relieving their miserable Hunger which no doubt made them quick Cooks but because they looked upon it to be sent from God and to be a token of their Deliverance But alas their Fish is soon eaten and their former Exigencies come upon them which sink their Spirits into Despair for they know not of another Morsel To Lot they go again the second time which falletn upon another Person but still none can be found to sacrifice him they again send their Prayers to Heaven with all manner of fervency when behold a second Answer from above a great Bird lights and fixes it self upon the Mast which one of the Company espies and he goes and there she stands till he took her with his Hand by the Wing This was Life from the Dead the second time and they feasted themselves herewith as hoping that second Providence was a fore-runner of their compleat Deliverance But they have still the same Disappointments they can see no Land they know not where they are Hunger increaseth again upon them and they have no hopes to be sav'd but by a third Miracle They are reduced to the former course or casting Lots when they were going to the heart-breaking work to put him to death whom the Lot fell upun they go to God their former Friend in Adversity by humble and hearty Prayers and now they look and look again but there is nothing Their Prayers are concluded and nothing appears yet still they hoped and stayed till at last one of them espies a Ship which put new Life into all their Spirits Their bear up with their Vessel they Man their Boar and desire and beg like perishing humble Supplicants to Board them which they are admitted The Vessel proves a French Vessel yea a French Pyrate Major Gibbons petitions them for a little Bread and offers Ship and Cargo for it But the Commander knows the Major from whom he had received some signal Kindnesses formerly at Boston and replied readily and chearfully Major Gibbons not a hair of you or your Company shall perish if it lie in my power to preserve you And accordingly he relieveth them and sets them safe on Shoar 9. Mr. James Janeway hath published several other Remarkable Sea-Deliverances of which some belonging to New-England were the Subjects He relates and I am inform'd that it was really so that a small Vessel the Master's Name Philip Hungare coming upon the Coast of New-England suddenly sprang a Leak and so Foundered In the Vessel there were eighteen Souls twelve of which got into the Long-Boat They threw into the Boat some small matters of Provision but were wholly without Fire These twelve Men sailed five hundred Leagues in this small Boat being by almost miraculons Providences preserved therein for five Weeks together God sent Relief to them by causing some flying Fish to fall into the Boat which they eat raw and well pleased therewith They also caught a Shark and opening his Belly sucked his Blood for Drink At the last the Divine Providence brought them to the West-Indies Some of them were so weak as that they soon died but most of them lived to declare the Works of the Lord. 10. Remarkable is the Preservation of which some belonging to Dublin in Ireland had Experience whom a New-England Vessel providentially met in an open Boat in the wide Sea and saved them from perishing Concerning which memorable Providence I have received the following Narrative A Ship of Dublin burdened about seventy Tuns Andrew Bennet Master being bound from Dublin to Virginia this Vessel having been some Weeks at Sea onward of their Voyage and being in the Latitude of 39. about 150 Leagues distant from Cape-Cod in New-England on April 18. 1681. A day of very stormy Weather and a great Sea suddenly there sprang a Plank in the fore part of the Ship about six a Clock in the Morning whereupon the Water increased so fast in the Ship that all their Endeavouts could not keep her from sinking above half an Hour so when the Ship was just sinking some of the Company resolved to lanch out the Boat which was a small one They did accordingly and the Master the Mate the Boatswain the Cook two Fore-mast-men and a Boy kept such hold of it when a Cast of the Sea suddenly helped them off with it that they got into it The heaving of the Sea now suddenly thrust them from the Ship in which there were left nineteen Souls viz. sixteen Men and three Women who all perished in the mighty Waters while they were trying to make Rafters by cutting down the Masts for the preservation of their Lives as
and thereupon putting off his Apparel he gave it to his Deacons wishing them to give to his Executioner 25 pieces of Gold in testimony of his Love to him and so kneeling down cover'd his Eyes and submitted willingly to the stroke of the Sword A. C. 259. Ibid. 2. Cyril Bishop of Alexandria when in a great Famine many poor People came to him for Relief gave them all he had and sold the Vessels and Church-Ornaments to relieve their Wants Ibid. 3. Ephrem Syrus upon a Famine happening at Edessa assembling the Rich Men together complained that the Poor were almost starved whilst they covetously kept their Riches by them to their future Hazard and Torment of their Souls and perswading them to a charitable Contribution they chose him for their Almoner who thereupon took their Money provided 300 Beds for the Sick and Strangers and relieved them all the time of the Famine Ibid. 4. Basil the Great in a great Famine sold his Lands and all his other Goods to relieve the Poor and stil'd up other rich Merchants to contribute and caused publick Places to be erected for their Maintenance and would often not only visit them but administer to their Necessities Ibid. 5. Epiphanius spent all his Estate in relieving the Poor Ibid. 6. Theoderet was wonderfully charitable visiting and refreshing the Bowels of the Poor Ibid. 7. Chrysotom when banished to Cucusus in Armenia had much Money sent him by his Friends which he wholly employed for the Redemption of Captives and the Relief of poor Prisoners Ibid. 8. S. Augustine was very careful for the Poor and in case of great want would sell the Ornaments of the Church for their Relief and when the Church-Stock was spent he used to declare to the People that he had nothing left wherewith to relieve the Poor that thereby he might stir up their Charity to contribute to so good a work ibid. He always kept Scholars in his House whom he Fed and Cloathed ibid. At his Death he made no Will as having nothing to bestow ibid. 9. Cyril Bishop of Alexandria used to say 't is the best way for a Rich Man to make the Bellies of the Poor his Barns and thereby to lay up Treasure in Heaven Ibid. 10. Prosper Bishop of Rhegium in France distributed his Goods freely to the Poor and was a Father to all Ages and Sexes in the City Ibid. p. 89. 11. Fulgentius just before his Death called for a Sum of Money which as a Faithful Steward he daily used to distribute a mongst the Poor willing it all to be presently divided and recited by name the Widows Orphans and Poor he allotted to every one his Portion Ibid. p. 95. 12. Gregory the Great after his Fathers Death having more Liberty to dispose of himself and his Estate gave all his Estate towards the Relief of the Poor Ibid. p. 96. 13. S. Bernard What Money he had given him whilst Young he privately gave away to the Poor Ibid. p. 95. 14. Our late most Excellent Queen Mary distributed Annually to the distressed French Protestants 40000 Pounds English Spanhemius in his Funeral Oration She sent some Thousands of Pounds into this Land to be distributed among the Relicks of those that were killed Perizonius 15. Luther was very liberal to the Poor a poor Student asking him some Money he bid his Wife give him some but she pleading Penury he look't up a Silver Cup and gave that to him Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist. p. 144. 16. John Picus of Mirandula Relieved the Poor every Day gave much Money to poor Maids to prefer them in Marriage and employed an intimate Friend to enquire out the Wants and Necessities of poor House-keepers whom he bountifully Relieved Clark in his Life 17. Edward VIth King of England in a Sermon Preached by Dr. Ridley about Charity ordered Gray-Fryars-Church to be a House for Orphans St. Bartholomews to be an Hospital and his own House at Bridewel to be a place of Correction Hist of the Reform 18. Arch-Bishop Cranmer laid out all his Wealth on the Poor and pious Uses Ibid. 19. Queen Ann Bullen ever used to carry a little Purse about her for the Poor thinking no Day well spent wherein some had not fared the better at her Hand She kept her Maids and such as were about her so employed in Working and sewing Garments for the Poor that neither was there seen any idleness amongst them or any Leisure to follow foolish Pastimes Acts and Mon. 20. King Henry IId of England Sirnamed Beauclerk was very Charitable and Merciful to the Poor and Anno Christi 1176. in a great Dearth in his Countries of Anjou and Maine he fed every Day with sufficient Sustenance Ten Thousand Persons from the beginning of April till the time that new Corn was inned And whatsoever was laid up in his Granaries and Store-houses he employed the same for Relief of religious and poor People Pet. Blesensis 21. Francis Russel Second Earl of Bedford of that Sirname was so bountiful to the Poor that Queen Elizabeth would merrily complain of him that he made all the Beggars And sure it 's more Honourable for Noblemen to make Beggars by their Liberality then by their Oppression Holy State p. 297. 22. Holy Master Bradford in a hard time sold his Chains Rings and Jewels to Relieve those that were in Want Acts and Mon. 23. George Wiseheart a Scottish Martyr forbore one Meal in three or one Day in four that he might have wherewithal to Relieve the Poor He lay also hard upon Straw with new coarse Canvas Sheets which whenever he changed he gave away to the Poor See his Life in Clark's General Martyrology 24. Mr. John Eliot went much beyond the Proportions of his little Estate in the World bestowing freely upon the poor many hundreds of Pounds and he would with a very forcible Importunity press his Neighbours to join with him in such Beneficences Cott. Mather in his Life p. 39. Roxbury the Town where he lived could not live quietly without a Free School in the Town and the Issue of it hath been one thing which hath made me almost put the Title of Schola Illustris upon that little Nursery that is that Roxbury hath afforded more Scholars first for the Colledge and then for the Publick then any Town of its bigness or if I mistake not of twice its bigness in New England Ibid. p. 66. 25. Mr. Eliot learned the Indian Tongue with some Pains and Charge Translated the whole Bible into it and several English Treatises gathered a Church of Converted Indians about Natick and another about Mashippang and above these Five Assemblies more and set Pastors over them who meet together twice every Lord's Day and sometimes solemnly set a part whole Days either for Thanksgiving or Humiliation c. Ibid. p. 97 98. 26. Giles of Bruxels Martyr gave to the Poor all that he had that necessity could spare and lived by his Trade which was of a Cutler Some he
conscientiously to discharge my Duty to all Relations let the Event be what it will O that I were so spiritual as to make a good use of all the Disappointments I have ever yet met with I bless God I have not promised my self Happiness in any thing in the World but have been some way or other disappointed in it God is very kind to me in it He sees how my Affections are still running out after the Creature and how apt I am to be fond of that which draws my Heart from God Now I will return to God let God do what he pleases with me I bless God for Relations and Friends but I desire to enjoy them more as God is pleased to make them a Blessing to me than for any outward Comfort I have in them O that I could love Christ more and Creatures less I see they are uncertain Comforts but in Christ is never failing Delight and Satisfaction to be had Upon a Dream she dreamt on the Nineteenth of November in the Year 1680. HER Dream in her own Words was this viz. Methoughts I was above Stairs and either something or a Voice said to me That I must in a very short time come and appear before my Judge there to give an Account of all I have done and then I should be tried whether I was sincere or no in what I did Methoughts I presently died but Soul and Body remained together 'till I were Summoned to Judgment I was extreamly concerned at this Voice and began to bethink myself what Account I could give at Judgment I could not tell whether I was really sincere or no. I began to Examine myself and thought what should I do The Day of Grace was over 't was too late to repent and the like c. and I could not tell what would become of me for ever I dreamt I went down Stairs and there the People told me I look'd like Death Aye says I so I well may when I am dead I could not tell what to do for a room to pray in to see if there were any hopes of acceptance I was so amazed and affrighted that I was almost besides myself for fear I was not siucere I then thought what Ends have I proposed to myself in the performance of Duties and could not find that I had designed any thing of Self in what I had done I was I hoped sincere though under great Fears and Amazements because of my appearing before the Heart-searching God I awaked in a great fright REFLECTION VI. Her Reflection in her own Words upon this Dream was this viz. OH my Soul What shall I now do This that was but a Dream will shortly be true I must e're long be Summoned to Judgment in a more Solemn Manner than I can now think of and there I must give up my Account before the Great GOD. If I am an Hypocrite I shall then be undone for ever Sure there is something more than ordinary in this Dream God is wonderful good and kind to me I have been very careless and negligent in the performance of all Duties God is pleased to give me one Warning more to see if I will do what I can towards an Assurance of Salvation If after all these Warnings I shall be found Christless my Damnation will be greatly aggravated my Summons to Judgment will be more dreadful than I can now think it will be When I must appear before my Judge fitting on his Throne I shall there be accountable for all my Thoughts Words and Actions before that God who knows them better than I do my self When the Sentence shall be pronounced and the Judge will stay to see it executed there will be no Repealing of that Sentence no avoiding its Execution but I must for ever then enter either into endless Joys or Torments What shall I now resolve upon I do and cannot but believe that this Day is near Die I must I am not sure of one Moments time more Am I mad then to live as I now do To be contented when I know not what will become of me for ever I now resolve through the Assistance of the Blessed Spirit to be more in the Work of Self-examination that I may not be surprized by Death or Judgment Blessed be God for bearing with me so long for giving me one Warning more before the Great Day of Judgment What wonderful Patience have I abused What need have I to be speedy and sincere in my Repentance and now do what I wish'd in my Sleep I had time to have done REFLECTION VII Upon Scalding her Foot Sept. 7. 1681. Her Reflection upon it was this which follows in her own Words viz. OH how great was that Smarting Pain I then presently considered if that pain was so dreadful what would be the Torments of the Damned If it is now so sad to have a little hot Liquor poured on ones foot what will it be to have Soul and Body tormented to lie burning in Fire and Brimstone for ever This pain though great yet is quickly over I have cooling things for it but in Hell a Drop of Cold Water cannot be obtained to cool the Tongue of the Damned tho' if that could be yet it would do but little good What doth God point out to me by all these Providences but that I should do the utmost I can to scape Hell Torments I have now time and opportunity to work out my Salvation How inexcusable shall I be if after all I should neglect so great Salvation What cause have I to admire Christ who not only died to deliver his from Hell-Torments but hath purchased such Joy and Glory for all such as durst trust themselves with him Well now what do I resolve upon Oh! for an Holy Ingenuity in my Carriage towards God! that I could but live as becomes the Redeemed of the Lord and make use of all Providences and Ordinances as God hath appointed them for Her Carriage before she Received the Sacrament IN her Sixteenth Year she had longing Desires to receive the Sacrament which she acquainted her Pastour with who told her That then she must forsake all Sin and cleave to Christ and not live in the omission of any known Duty or in the commission of any known Sin then he said She must make Religion her Business He said He hoped she made Conscience of Secret Prayer He said She knew what Paul said concerning the unmarried Woman That she cares for the things of the Lord how she might be holy both in body and spirit And he bid her observe this and he did not question but Christ would bid her Welcome and accordingly on the Sabbath-day following she went to the Sacrament but before she went she spent some time in Examination and could not find but that she had Truth of Grace And then she brake out in the following pathetical Ejaculations viz. Oh! how should the Thoughts of Free Grace ravish and fill me with Love to
in Hell long ago if it had not been for thy Mercy O Lord I pray thee to keep my Parents in thy Truth and save them from this Infection if it be thy Will that they may live to bring me up in thy Truth O Lord I pray thee stay this Infection that rageth in this City and pardon their Sins and try them once more and see if they will turn unto thee Save me O Lord from this Infection that I may live to praise and glorifie thy Name but O Lord if thou hast appointed me to die of it fit me for Death that I may die with Comfort and O Lord I pray thee to help me to bear up under all Afflictions for Christ his sake Amen These are some of his dying Expressions The Lord shall be my Physician for he will cure both Soul and Body Heaven is the best Hospital It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his Eyes Again It is the Lord that taketh away my Health but I will say as Job did Blessed be the Name of the Lord. If I should live longer I should but sin against God Looking upon his Father he said If the Lord would but lend me the least Finger of his Hand to lead me through the dark Entry of Death I will rejoyce in him An hour and an half before his Death a Minister came to Visit him and asked him John Art thou afraid to die He answered No if the Lord will but comfort me in that hour But said the Minister How canst thou expect Comfort seeing we deserve none He answered No if I had my Deserts I had been in Hell long ago But replied the Minister which way dost thou expect Comfort and Salvation seeing thou art a Sinner He answered in Christ alone In whom about an hour and half after he fell asleep saying He would take a long sleep charging them that were about him not to wake him He died when he was twelve years three weeks and a day old 15. Anne Lane was born of honest Parents in Colebrook in the County of Bucks who was no sooner able to speak plain and express any thing considerable of Reason but she began to act as if she was sanctified from the very Womb. She was very solicitous about her Soul what would become of it when she should die and where she should live for ever and what she should do to be saved when she was about five years old I having occasion to lie at Colebrook sent for her Father an old Disciple an Israelite indeed and desired him to give me some account of his Experiences and how the Lord first wrought upon him He gave me this answer That he was of a Child somewhat civil honest and as to Man harmless but was little acquainted with the power of Religion till this sweet Child put him upon a thorow Inquiry into the state of his Soul and would still be begging of him and pleading with him to redeem his time and to act with life and vigor in the things of God which was no small Demonstration to him of the reality of Invisibles that a very Babe and Suckling should speak so feelingly about the things of God and be so greatly concerned not only about her own Soul but about her Father 's too which was the occasion of his Conversion It was the greatest Recreation to her to hear any good People talking about God Christ their Souls the Scriptures or any thing that concerned another Life She continued thus to walk as a Stranger in the World and one that was making haste to a better place And after she had done a great deal of work for God and her own Soul and others too she was called home to rest and received into the Arms of Jesus before she was ten years old she departed about 1640. 16. Talitha Alder was the Daughter of a Holy and Reverend Minister in Kent who lived near Gravesend She was much instructed in the Holy Scriptures and her Catechism by her Father and Mother but there appeared nothing extraordinary in her till she was between seven and eight years old About which time when she was sick one asked her what she thought would become of her if she should die She answered that she was greatly afraid that she should go to Hell Upon this seeing her in such a desponding Condition a dear Friend of her's spent the next day in Fasting and Prayer for her After this she had a Discovery of her approaching Dissolution which was no small comfort to her Anon said she with a holy Triumph I shall be with Jesus I am married to him he is my Husband I am his Bride I have given my self to him and he hath given himself to me and I shall live with him for ever I am going to Glory O that all of you were to go with me to that Glory With which words her Soul took wing and went to the Possession of that Glory which she had some believing sight of before She died when she was between eight and nine years old about 1644. 17. Susanna Bicks was born at Leyden in Holland Jan. 24. 1650. of very Religious Parents whose great care was to instruct and Catechise this their Child and to present her to the Minister of the Place to be publickly instructed and Catechised It pleased the Lord to bless Holy Education the good Example of her Parents and Catechising to the good of her Soul so that she soon had a true Savour and Relish of what she was taught and made an admirable use of it in a time of need as you shall hear afterwards That which was not the least observable in her was the ardenâ— Affection she had for the Holy Scriptures and her Catechism in which she was thorowly instructed by the Godly Divines of the place where she lived which she could not but own as one of the greatest Mercies next the Lord Christ O how did she bless God for her Catechism and beg of her Father to go particularly to those Ministers that had taken so much pains with her to instruct her in her Catechism and to thank them from her a dying Child for their good Instructions and to let them understand for their Encouragement to go on in that Work of Catechising how Refreshing those Truths were now to her in the hour of her distress O that sweet Catechising said she unto which I did always resort with Gladness and attended without Weariness She laid a great charge upon her Parents not to be over-grieved for her after her Death urging that of David upon them while the Child was sick he fasted and wept but when it died he washed his Face and sat up and ear and said Can I bring him back again from Death I shall go to him but he shall not return to me So ought you to say after my Death Our Child is well for we know it shall be well with them that trust in the Lord. She had
out of Breath as if they had been dragg'd up and down through Thorns and Mirey Places but when they had well ey'd them they were gone in a moment out of their sight they knew not how nor whither These Herdsmen talked of the business but the certainty of it came out not long after For the free Confessions of those two Men they then saw being so exactly agreeing with what the Herdsmen had related made the whole matter clear and undoubted 5. The other Story is of the same Persons known afterwards by their Names viz. Amantius and his Partner Rotarius who having coursed it aloft again in the Air and being cast headlong out of a Cloud upon an House the latter of them being but a Novice and unexperienced in those supernatural Exploits was much astonished and afraid at the strangeness of the matter but Amantius being used to those Feats from him Youth his Parents having devoted him from his Childhood to the Devil made but a sport of it and laughing at his Friend called him Fool for his fear and bad him be of good Courage for their Master in whose Power they were would safely carry them through greater dangers than those And no sooner had he said these words but a Whirlwind took them and set them both safe upon the ground but the House they were carried from so shook as if it would have been overturned from the very Foundations This both those Men Examined apart confessed in the same words not varying in their Story at all whose Confessions exactly agreed in all Circumstances with what was observed by the Common People concerning the time and the manner of the Tempest and shaking of the House ibid. pag. 172 173. 6. Remigius out of whom Mr. More cites these Relations hath some others of the like nature and at last concludes What is more common in our Times than both the frequent and daily Assertions of Witches concerning this very thing and the Testimonies of Men agreeing thereto who have stedfastly affirmed not only in ordinary Conversation but Solemnly upon their Oaths That they have seen not in their Dreams or with their Senses drawn aside by the Arts of Magick but with waking Eyes these kind of Women shaken out of the Clouds and hang upon the Tops of Trees or the Roofs of Houses c. 12. l. 3. 7. Martin Delrio who quotes the very same Stories out of the same Author concludes thus Have not the like things happen'd in Italy in the Case of Lucrece In Switzerland at Schiltacâ— in case of the Witch mentioned by Erasmus in his Epistles In Holland concerning that unwary curious young Man of Rousey Why tell me I beseech you Might not that which hath happen'd in Italy Switzerland Holland c. happen likewise in France Delrius in Mag. Disq Sect. 3. l. 5. 8. There was a Witch of Constance who being vexed that all her Neighbours in the Village where she lived were invited to the Wedding and so were drinking and dancing and making merry and she solitary and neglected got the Devil to transport her through the Air in the midst of the Day to a Hill hard by the Village where she digging a Hole and putting Urine into it raised a great Tempest of Hail and directed it so that it fell only upon the Village and pelted them that were dancing with that Violence that they were forced to leave off their Sport When she had done her Epxloit she returned to the Village and being spied was suspected to have rais'd the Tempest which the Shepherds in the Field that saw her riding in the Air knew well before who bringing in their Witness against her she confessed the Fact More 's Antid against Ath. c. 4. l. 3. Mr. Baxter speaking of Lightnings and Thunderbolts falling more upon Churches than upon other Buildings hath these Words 9. The Church that my Grandmother was born near had a Ball of Fire by Lightning came in at the Belfry-Window and turned up the Grave-stones and went out at the Chancel-Window 10. The Church that I Baptised in High Ercall close to London Newport's-House had in such a Storm the Leads rolled up and cast on the back-side of the Church and in the War was levelled with the Ground 11. The Church of Anthony in Cornwal near Plymouth was torn by Lightning at the time of Worship on Whitsunday 1640. and some People hurt and the Brains of one struck up to a Pillar It is in Print 12. ' So was used much like the Church of Withicomb in Devonshire at the same time 13. The Church where the Earl of Dorset and Middlesex his Ancestors Monuments were was torn by Lightning that came in at the Steeple melted the Bells and went up to the Chancel and there tore the Monuments in pieces I saw pieces of the Monuments that had some of the golden Letters which a truly worthy Lady brought home that went from Tunbridge Waters to see the Church Many and many Churches have been thus torn proportionably so much beyond all other Buildings especially of Stone that I cannot but think there is some knowing Agent that maketh she Choice though I know not who nor why 14. Except a few Hayricks I remember not that till this Seventy sixth Year of my Age I have known Lightnings to have had hurting Power on any Buildings but Churches save very rarely and small as this last Year at Istington it entred a House and killed a Woman and Child Nor to have torn any Wood but Oak which in Trees and Buildings I have seen torn where I dwelt But divers Persons have been killed and scorched by it And an eminent Knight that I knew is commonly said to have been struck dead by it in his Garden Hist Discourse of Appar and Witches p. 165. 15. Though Porphyry and Procus and Jamblicus tells us That bad Daemons will oft speak for Good Actions and against Bad in Pride and Subtilty to be thought Good yet it is hard to think that it is not rather a good Spirit that speaks for some notable Good Work where no By-end is discernable As that mentioned by Mr. Glanvil and Dr. More of Dr. Britton's Wife whose Likeness appeared after Death to her Servant-Maid and shewed her a parcel of Land that was as part of her Brother's and told her it belonged to the Poor and was unjustly alienated from them and bid her tell the Possessor That he must Restore it and gave her a Secret to tell him if he refused And upon the angry Refusal when he heard the Secret he yielded and restored the Land to the Poor who now possess it Ibid. 16. An. 1553. Two Witches were taken which went about by Tempest Hail and Frost to destroy all the Corn in the Country These Women stole away a little Infant of one of their Neighbours and cutting it in pieces put it into a Cauldron to be boiled but by God's Providence the Mother of the Child came in the mean while and found the Members
〈◊〉 King James 3. A certain Drunkard whom I knew very well saith mine Author a Godly Minister when he was in Drink quarrelled with his Fellow-Servant and after a few words knock d him down with his Flail and killed him at one blow Yet when he came to his Tryal by the help of Friends he made a shift to escape the Halter and came home again and there he used to Swear and Curse and Drink at as high a rate as ever But at last when he was in the same Yard where he committed the aforesaid Murther he fell down dead in a moment And I was saith he one of the first that saw him 4. In the Year 940. Hatto Archbishop of Mentz assembled certain poor Beggars together into a great Barn not to relieve their wants as he might and ought but to rid them of their Lives as he ought not but did For he set on Fire the Barn wherein they were and consumed them all alive comparing them to Rats and Mice that devoured good Corn but served to no other good Use But God that had regard and respect unto those poor wretches took their Cause into his Hand to quit this proud Prelate with just Revenge for his Outrage committed against them sending towards him an Army of Rats and Mice to lay Siege against him with the Engines of their Teeth on all sides which when this cursed Wretch perceived he removed into a Tower that standeth in the midst of the Rhine not far from Bing whither he presumed this Host of Rats could not pursue him but he was deceived For they swam over the Rhine thick and three-fold and got into his Tower with such strange Fury that in a very short space they had consumed him to nothing in Memorial whereof this Tower was ever after called The Tower of Rats And this was the Tragedy of that Bloody Arch-Butcher that compared poor Christian Souls to brutish and base Creatures and therefore became himself a Prey unto them as Popiel King of Poland did after him in whose strange Examples the Beams of God's Justice shine forth after an extraordinary and wonderful manner to the Terror and Fear of all Men when by the means of small Creatures they made room for his Vengeance to make entrance upon these execrable Creature-Murtherers notwithstanding all Man's Devices and Impediments of Nature For the Native Operation of the Elements was restrained from hindring the passage of them armed and inspired with an invincible and supernatural Courage to fear neither Fire Water nor Weapon till they had finished his Command that sent them And thus in old time did Frogs Flies Grashoppers and Lice make War with Pharaoh at the Command of him that hath all the World at his beck Beard 's Theater p. 196. Munster's Cosmogr c. 5. Anno 1346. Popiel King of Poland amongst many of his particular kinds of Cursings and Swearings whereof he was no niggard used ordinarily this Oath If it be not true would Rats might devour me Prophesying thereby his own Destruction for he was devoured by the same means which he often wished for as the Sequal of his History will declare The Father of this Popiel feeling himself near Death resigned the Government of his Kingdom to two of his Brethren Men exceedingly reverenced of all Men for the Valour and Vertue which appeared in them He being deceased and Popiel being grown up to Ripe and Lawful Years when he saw himself at full Liberty without all Bridle of Government to do what he listed he began to give the full swinge to his lawless and unruly desires in such sort that within few days he became so shameless that there was no Vice which appeared not in his Behaviour even to the working of the Death of his own Uncles for all their Faithful dealing towards him which he by Poison brought to pass Which being done he caused himself forthwith to be crowned with Garlands of Flowers and to be perfumed with Precious Oyntments And to the end the better to Solemnize his Entry to the Crown commanded a Sumptuous and Pompous Banquet to be prepared whereunto all the Princes and Lords of his Kingdom were invited Now as they were about to give the Onset upon the delicate Chear behold an Army of Rats sallying out of the dead and putrefied Bodies of his Uncles set upon him his Wife and Children amidst their Dainties to gnaw them with their sharp Teeth insomuch that his Guard with all their Weapons and Strength were not able to chase them away but being weary with Resisting their daily and mighty Assaults gave over the Battle Wherefore Counsel was given to make great Coal Fires about them that the Rats by that means might be kept off not knowing that no Policy or Power of Man was able to withstand the unchangeable Decree of God for for all their huge Fires they ceased not to run through the midst of them and to Assault with their Teeth this cruel Murtherer Then they gave him Counsel to put himself his Wife and Children into a Boat and thrust it into the midst of a Lake thinking that by reason of the Waters the Rats would not approach unto them But alas in vain for they swam thropugh the Water a main and gnawing the Boat made such chinks in the sides thereof that the Water began to run in which being perceived of the Boat-men amazed them sore and made them make Post-hast to Shoar where he was no sooner arrived but a fresh Muster of Rats uniting their Forces with the former encountred him so sore that they did him more mischief than all the rest Whereupon all his Guard and others that were there present for his Defence perceiving it to be a Judgment of God's Vengeance upon him abandoned and forsook him at once Who seeing himself destitute of Succour and forsaken on all sides flew into a high Tower in Chouzitze whither also they pursued him and climbing even up to the highest Room where he was first eat up his Wife and Children she being guilty of his Uncles Death and lastly gnawed and devoured him to the very Bones Ibid. 6. Anno 1056. a certain Nobleman abounding with Wealth not far from Augusta of the Vindilicians brought up in his HOuse a Young Black-a-more which Villain when his Master was from home rose up in the Night and slew not only his Lady but the whole Family excepting one little Daughter of the Nobleman's The Nobleman returning home after two days and finding his Gate shut rode nearer to the Walls of the House wondring Where the Black-a-more upon the top of the House with a fearful Countenance spake unto him these words O thou cruel Man thou rememberest how unworthily thou beat'st me not long since for no fault the memory whereof I still retain in my mind and have revenged this wrong upon thine behold here part of the Carcass of thy Wife whom I have slain with thy whole Family except this little Child which I have reserved
of Kings Companion of the Stars and Brother to the Sun and Moon to Constantine my Brother wishes Health Or rather let us borrow Names from the Bisnagentian King who was wont to be saluted The Bridegroom of Good Luck the God of great Provinces the King of most potent Kings Lord of all the Armies of Horse the Master and Teacher of those that understand not how to speak Emperor over three Emperors Conqueror of whatever he saw Preserver of his Conquests whom Eight Parts of the World fear a Knight to whom there is none to be compar'd a Vanquisher of every one that boasts in Strength the Hunter of Elephants Lord of the East South North West and Sea All this Peter Irricus relates Are here Titles enough If you please let us add a Series of Eulogies which the Soldan sets before his Epistles in this order Omnipotent Salmander before Carthage Lord of Jordan Lord of the East Lord of Bethlehem Lord of Paradise Praefect of Hell Supremest Emperor of Constantinople Lord of the Dry Fig the Lord by whom the Sun and Moon steer their course Protector of John the first Priest Emperor King of Kings Lord of the Christians Jews Turks the God's Friend In a Style not much unlike to this Solyman wrote to our Caesar To Charles the Fifth always most August Emperor Solyman his Contemporary sprung from the Victorious and most Noble Family of the Ottomans Emperor of Trebizond and Constantinople Lord of the World and Conqueror of the Earth c. What wou'd ye have more O truly Splendid Misery O Ashes and Nothing O Vanity of Vanity Most shameful is that Ignorance when Man forgets himself to be Man Wouldst thou have an Abstract an Epitome of all Humane Life Daniel the Archbishop and Elector of Mentz in Germany in a little Book of Prayers wrote with his own Hand these Precepts of Living 1. Life short 2. Beauty deceitful 3. Money flies away 4. Empire envy'd 5. War pernicious 6. Victory doubtful 7. Friendship fallacious 8. Old Age miserable 9. Death happiness 10. Wisdom Fame Eternal That Heavenly Wisdom that brings us to Kingdoms never destitute never to be invaded eternal A Nation bordering upon the Thracians and in Customs agreeing with them has this one peculiar to themselves That when an Infant is born the Relations sitting about it weeping and wailing enumerate the Miseries which the Child is to endure On the other side when a Man dies they bury him with Joy and Exultation recounting from how many Miseries he is deliver'd Deservedly this Nation claims to it self the Applaute of Wisdom who celebrate the Birth of Man with Tears and his Funeral with Pomp and Gladness Elegantly answered Laeâ—ius that Wise Man to a certain Person saying I am Sixty Years of Age. Thou callest these Sixty answered he which thou hast not Neither what is past nor what is to come is thine We depend upon a point of flying Time and it is the part of a great Man to have been moderate Plato was of Opinion that any Man became so much the wiser by how much the more lively he considered Death Therefore he gave this Law to his Disciples studious in Philosophy that when they went a Journey they should never cover their Feet whereby that wise Man insinuated that the end of Life was always to be thought on Nicholas Christophorus Radzivile Prince of Poland affirms that in Egypt they who excelled others in Prudence and Age were wont to carry the long Bones of dead Men carved out of Wood or Ebony shew them one to another and thereby exhort one another to Contemplation They also introduce the Remembrance of Death at their Tables and conclude their Banquets with this sad Sentence Memento Mori Remember to Die Caleph King of the Tartars in the City of Bagdat upon a Festival Day which they call Ramadan being resolved to shew himself to the People rode forth upon a Mule clad in Vestments that glistered with Gold Silver and precious Stones but over his Tulipan he wore a black Veil signifying that all his Pomp was one day to be clouded by the shades of Death Justinian the Emperor being dead a Coverlet was thrown over him wherein were wrought in Phrygian Work the Essigies and Figures of the Vanquished Cities and Barbarous Kings whom he had overcome Behold the Image of Death among Pageants Scaffolds Triumphs and Victories Death plays with Empires and knocks as well at the Towers of Kings as at the Cottages of the Poor Pope Martin the Fifth had this Symbol of a speaking Picture or of silent Poesie Upon a Funeral Pile kindled and ready to burn lay the Popes Triple Crown the Cardinals Hat the Archbishops Cap the Emperors Diadem the Kings Crown the Ducal Cap and Sword with this Motto Sic omnis gloria Mundi Thus all the Glory of the World I cannot but approve the Answer of a certain Mariner who being ask'd where his Father dy'd In the Sea said he And when the other ask'd him the same Question concerning his Grandfather his Great Grandfather and his Great Great Grandfather the Mariner still returned him the same Answer Then inferred the other And dost not thou fear to go to Sea To which the Seaman waving a Reply And where did your Father die In his Bed said the other where your Father your Grandfather and the rest of your Ancestors They all said the other died in their Beds Then said the Mariner And do not you fear to go to Bed so Fatal to all your Predecessors Very Elegantly and somewhat above a Sailor's Genius John Patriarch of Alexandria who took his Name from giving Alms while he was living and in health caused his Monument to be built but not to be finished for this Reason that upon Solemn Days when he performed Divine Service he might be put in mind by some of the Clergy in these Terms Sir your Monument is yet unfinished command it to be finished for you know not when the Hour may come When the Emperor of the East was newly chosen no Person had liberty to speak to him before the Stone-cutter had shewed him several sorts of Marble and asked him of which his Majesty would be pleased to have his Monument made What was the meaning of this but only to intimate these Words O Emperor exalt not thy self thou art but a Man thou shalt die like the meanest of Beggars therefore so govern thy Kingdom which thou art to lose that thou may'st gain an Eternal Kingdom Domitian the Emperor gave a Banquet to the Chief of the Senate and the Order of Knighthood after this manner He hung his House all with Mourning the Roofs Walls Pavements Seats were all covered with black bespeaking nothing but sorrow Into this Funeral Dining-room were all the Guests introduced by Night without any Attendants By each was placed a Bier with every one his Name inscribed upon it with such Candles as they were wont to burn in their Monuments They that waited were dad in black
and Books and Collections I can rest my Soul on nothing but the Scriptures and above all that Passage lies most upon my Spirit Titus 2.11 12. The Grace of God that brings Salvation c. 76. Dr. Donn on his Dying-bed told his Friends I Repent of all my Life but that part I spent in Communion with God and doing good 77. Sir Walter Rawleigh in a Letter to his Wife after his Condemnation hath these words If you can live free from Want care for no more for the rest is but a Vanity Love God and begin betimes in him shall ye find True Everlasting and Endless Comfort My dear Wife Farewel Bless my Boy Pray for me and let my True God hold you both in his Arms. 78. Mr. Herbert the Divine Poet to one going about to Comfort him with the Remembrance of a good Work he had done in Repairing a ruinous Church belonging to his Ecclesiastical Dignity made answer 'T is a good Work if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ In the Preface before his Poems 79. Mr. Tho. Cartwright the last Sermon that he made was Dec. 25. on Eccl. 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth c. On the Tuesday following the Day before his Death he was two Hours on his Knees in private Prayer in which as he told his Wife he found wonderful and unutterable Joy and Comfort and within a few Hours after he quietly resigned up his Spirit to God Dec. 27. 1603. Mr. Clark 's Martyrol p. 21. 80. Mr. Paul Baines in his last Sickness had many Fears and Doubts God letting Satan loose upon him so that he went away with far less Comfort than many weaker Christians enjoy Ibid. p. 24. 81. Mr. William Bradshaw exhorted all that came to him to lay a good Foundation for a comfortable Death in time of Life and Health assuring them that their utmost Addresses and Endeavours would be little enough when they came to that Work Ibid. p. 51. 81. Mr. Richard Rothwel foretold his own Death I am well and shall be well shortly said he to some that sent to enquire how he did And afterwards whispering one in the Ear there present said Do you know my meaning I shall be with Christ e're long but do not tell them so And after Prayer smiling said he Now I am well Happy is he that hath not bow'd a knee to Baal He called upon the Company to sing Psal 120. And in the singing of it he died An. 1627. Aged 64. Ibid. p. 71. 83. Dr. Preston the Night before he died being Saturday he went to Bed and lay about three Hours desirous to sleep but slept not Then said My Dissolution is near let me go to my Home and to Jesus Christ who hath bought me with his most precious Blood About Four of the Clock the next Morning he said I feel Death coming to my Heart my Pain shall now be quickly turned into Joy And after Prayer made by a Friend he look'd on the Company turned away his Head and at Five a Clock on the Lord's-Day in the Morning gave up the Ghost An. 1628. Aged 41. or near it Ibid. p. 113. 84. Mr. Hildersam sickening with the Scurvy in the midst of Winter on March 4. being the Lord's-Day was prayed for in the Congregation of Ashby His Son also prayed with him divers times that Day and in the last Prayer he departed March 4. 1631. Had I time to pause upon it methinks the Death of many worthy Persons happening upon the Christian Sabbath is worthy of a special Remark Mr. Hildersam had given order in his Will that no Funeral Sermon should be preached at his Burial Ibid. p. 123. 85. Dr. Tho. Tailour of Aldermanbury expressed himself thus O said he we serve a good Lord who covers all our Imperfections and gives us great Wages for little Work And on the Lord's-Day he was dismissed hence to keep a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven in the Climacterical Year of his Age 56. Ibid. p. 127. 86. Mr. John Carter likewise Feb. 21. 1635. being the Lord's-Day ended his Life with a Doxology The Lord be thanked Ibid. p. 140. 87. Dr. Sibs died Anno 1631. Aged 58. Ibid. Dr. Chaderton Anno 1640. Aged 94. Ibid. 88. Mr. Ball being ask'd in his last Sickness whether he thought he should live or die answered I do not trouble my self about that matter And afterwards how he did replied Going to Heaven apace He died 1640. Aged 55. Ibid. 89. Dr. Potter died about the great Climacterical Year of his Age being suspected to have laid to Heart the Reproaches of some thrown upon him for a Sermon preached a little before at Westminster as too sharp against Innovations in the Church Ibid. 90. Mr. Julines Herrings the Night before his Departure was observed to rise upon his Knees and with Hands lifted up to Heaven to use these Words He is overcome overcome through the Strength of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus unto whom I am now going to keep a Sabbath in Glory And accordingly next Morning March 28. 1644. Aged 62. on the Sabbath-Day he departed Ibid. 168. 91. Mr. John Dod was tried with most bitter and sharp Pains of the Strangury and great Wrestlings with Satan but was Victorious To one watching with him he said That he had been wrestling with Satan all Night who accused him That he had neither preached nor prayed nor performed any Duty well for manner or end but saith he I have answer'd him from the Example of the Prodigal and the Publican One of his last Speeches was with Eyes and Hands lift up to Heaven I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which desire was granted him Anno 1645. aged 96. Ibid. p. 178. 92. Mr. Herbert Palmer after Isa 38 Chap. being read prayed himself to this purpose First for himself That God would heal the sinfulness of his Nature pardon all his Transgressions deliver him from Temptation accept him in Christ c. Then for the Publick the Nation King and Parliament Ministers c. For Scotland and the Churches in France New-England c. Queen's College Westminster the Country his Benefactors c. He departed December 25. 1647. aged 46. He desired his Friends not to Pray for his Life but Pray God saith he for Faith for Patience for Repentance for Joy in the Holy Ghost Lord saith he cast me down as low as Hell in Repentance and lift me up by Faith to the highest Heavens in confidence of thy Salvation The Tuesday before he departed This day Seven-night said he is the Day on which we have used to remember Christ's Nativity and on which I have preached Christ I shall scarce live to see it but for me was that Child born unto me was that Son given c. Ibid. p. 201. 93. Mr. John Cotton to Mr. Wilson taking his last leave of him and praying that God would lift up the Light of his Countenance upon him and shed his Love into his Soul presently answered
to carry my Soul to the Bosom of Jesus and I shall be for ever with the Lord in Glory And who can chuse but rejoyce in all this And now my dear Mother Brethren and Sisters Farewel I leave you for a while and I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them that are sanctified And now dear Lord my Work is done I have finished my course I have fought the good Fight and henceforth there remaineth for me a Crown of Righteousness Now come dear Lord Jesus come quickly Then a Godly Minister came to give him his last Visit and to do the Office of an inferiour Angel to help to convey his blessed Soul to Glory who was now even upon Mount Pisgah and had a full sight of that goodly Land at a little distance When this Minister spake to him his heart was in a mighty flame of Love and Joy which drew Tears of Joy from that precious Minister being almost amazed to hear a Man just a dying talk as if he had been with Jesus He died June 1657. Aged between 23 and 24 and was buried in Kelshall-Church in Hartfordshire For a larger Account of this Extraordinaay Person see his Life written by his Brother Mr. James Janeway 102. Mrs. Allein in the History of the Life and Death of Mr. Joseph Allein writes thus concerning his Death viz. About Three in the Afternoon he had as we perceived some Conflict with Satan for he uttered these words Away thou foul Fiend thou Enemy of all Mankind thou subtil Sophister art thou come now to molest me Now I am just going Now I am so weak and Death upon me Trouble me not for I am none of thine I am the Lord 's Christ is mine and I am his His by Covenant I have sworn my self to be the Lord's and his I will be Therefore be gone These last words he repeated often which I took much notice of That his Covenanting with God was the means he used to expel the Devil and all his Temptations The time we were in Bath I had very few hours alone with him by reason of his constant using the Bath and Visits of Friends from all Parts thereabouts and sometimes from Taunton and when they were gone he would be either retiring to GOD or to his Rest But what time I had with him he always spent in Heavenly and Profitable Discourse speaking much of the Place he was going to and his Desires to be gone One Morning as I was Dressing him he looked up to Heaven and smiled and I urging him to know why he answered me thus Ah my Love I was thinking of my Marriage-Day it will be shortly O what a joyful Day will that be Will it not thinkest thou my dear heart Another time bringing him some Broth he said Blessed be the Lord for these Refreshments in the way home but O how sweet will Heaven be Another time I hope to be shortly where I shall need no Meat nor Drink nor Cloaths When he looked on his weak consumed hands he would say These shall be changed This vile Body shall be made like to Christ's Glorious Body O what a Glorious Day will the Day of the Resurrection be Methinks I see it by Faith How will the Saints lift up their heads and rejoyce and how sadly will the wicked World look then O come let us make haste our Lord will come shortly let us prepare If we long to be in Heaven let us hasten with our Work for when that is done away we shall be fetch'd O this vain foolish dirty World I wonder how reasonable Creatures can so dote upon it What is in it worth the looking after I care not to be in it longer than while my Master hath either doing or suffering Work for me were that done farewel to Earth Thus far Mrs. Allein 103. Dr. Peter du Moulin Professor of Divinity at Sedan at his last Hour pronounced these Words I shall be satisfied when I awake c. and twice or thrice Come Lord Jesus come Come Lord Jesus come and the last time that Text which he loved so much He that believeth in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life and a little after Lord Jesu receive my Spirit It being said to him You shall see your Redeemer with your eyes laying his Hand on his Heart he answered with an Effort I believe it and so departed 1658. aged 90. Out of the French Copy of his Death 104. Arminius in his Sickness was so far from doubting any whit of that Confession he had publish'd that he stedfastly judged it to agree in all things with the Holy Scriptures and therefore he did persist therein That he was ready at that very moment to appear with that same Belief before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ the Son of God the Judge of the Quick and Dead He died of a Disease in the Bowels which caused Fevers Cough Extension of the Hypochondria Atrophy Gout Iliack Passion Obstruction of the Left Optick Nerve Dimness of the same Eye c. which gave occasion to some Censures He died Oct. 19. In his Life by an unknown Hand 105. Simon Episcopius An. 1643. falling sick of an Ischuria for Eleven Days not being able to make a drop of Water continued ill two Months or more and at last for some Weeks was deprived of his Sight which Loss had been more grievous to him had not his deep and almost continual Sleeping lessened the same For he complained of it to his Friends that he should not be able to serve the Church of Christ any more He died April 4 at Eight of the Clock in the Morning the Moon being then eclipsed saith the Author of his Life p. 26. 106. Gustavus Ericson King of Sweden having lived 70 Years and reigned 38. gave in Charge to his Children to endeavour the Peace and maintain the Liberties of their Country but especially to preserve the Purity of Religion without the Mixture of Human Inventions and to live in Unity as Brethren among themselves and so sealing up his Will he resigned his Spirit to God An. 1562. Clark's Martyrol p. 370. 107. Edward the Sixth King of England in the Time of his Sickness hearing Bishop Ridley preach upon Charity gave him many Thanks for it and thereupon ordered Gray-Friars Church to be a House for Orphans St. Bartholomew's to be an Hospital and his own House at Bridewel to be a Place of Correction And when he had set his Hand to that Work he thank'd God that he had prolong'd his Life till he had finished that good Design About three Hours before his Death having his Eyes clos'd and thinking none near him he prayed thus with himself Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched Life and take me among thy Chosen howbeit not my Will but thine be done Lord I commend my Spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest
in Ireland without a Foe By their own barbarous Hands the Mad-men die And Massacre themselves they know not why Whilst the kind Irish howl to see the Gore And pious Catholicks their Fate deplore If you refuse to trust Erroneous Fame Royal Mac-Ninny will confirm the same We have lost more in injur'd Capel's Heir Than the poor Bankrupt Age can e're repair Nature indulg'd him so that there we saw All the choice strokes her steady hand cou'd draw He the Old English Glory did revive In him we had Plantagenets alive Grandeur and Fortune and a vast Renown Fit to support the lustre of a Crown All these in him were potently conjoyn'd But all was too ignoble for his Mind Wisdom and Vertue Properties Divine Those God-like ESSEX were entirely thine In his great Name he 's still preserv'd alive And will to all succeeding Times survive With just Progression as the constant Sun Doth move and through its bright Ecliptick run For whilst his Dust does undistinguish'd lie And his blest Soul is soar'd above the Sky Fame shall below his parted Breath supply 4. WILLIAM Lord RVSSEL THE next who fell under their Cruelty and to whose Death Essex's was but the Prologue was my Lord Russel without all Dispute one of the finest Gentlemen that ever England bred and whose Pious Life and Vertue was as much Treason against the Court by affronting them with what was so much hated there as any thing else that was sworn against him The Last Speech and Carriage of the Lord Russel upon the Scaffold c. ON Saturday July the 21st 1683. about Nine in the Morning the Sheriffs went to Newgate to see if the Lord Russel was ready and in a little time his Lordship came out and went into his Coach taking his Farewel of his Lady the Lord Cavendish and several other of his Friends at Newgate In the Coach were Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet who accompanied him to the Scaffold built in Lincoln's Inn-Fields which was covered all over with Mourning Being come upon the Scaffold his Lordship bowed to the Persons present and turning to the Sheriff made this following Speech Mr. Sheriff I expected the Noise would be such that I should not be much heard I was never fond of much speaking much less now therefore I have set down in Paper all that I think fit to leave behind me God knows how far I was always from Designs against the King's Person or of altering the Government And I still pray for the Preservation of Both and of the Protestant Religion Mr. Sheriff I am told that Captain Walcot Yesterday siad something concerning my Knowledge of the Plot I know not whether the Report be true or not Mr. Sheriff I did not hear him name your Lordship Writer No my Lord your Lordship was not named by any of them Lord Russel I hope it is not for to my knowledge I never saw him nor spake with him in my whole Life and in the Words of a dying Man I profess I know of no Plot either against the King's Life or the Government But I have now done with this World and am going to a better I forgive all the World heartily and I thank God I die in Charity with all Men and I wish all sincere Protestants may love one another and not make way for Popery by their Animosities I pray God forgive them and continue the Protestant Religion amongst them that it may flourish so long as the Sun and Moon endures I am now more satisfied to die than ever I have been Then kneeling down his Lordship prayed to himself after which Dr. Tillotson kneeled down and prayed with him which being done his Lordship kneeled down and prayed a second time to himself then pull'd off his Whig put on his Cap took off his Crevat and Coat and bidding the Executioner after he had lain down a small moment do his Office without a Sign He gave him some Gold Then embracing Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet he laid him down with his Neck upon the Block The Executioner missing at his first stroke though with that he took away his Life at two more severed the Head from the Body The Executioner held up the Head to the People as is usual in cases of Treason c. Which being done Mr. Sheriff ordered his Lordship's Friends or Servants to take the Body and dispose of it as they pleased being given them by His Majesty's Favour and Bounty His Body was convey'd to Cheneys in Buckinghamshire where 't was buried among his Ancestors There was a great Storm and many loud Claps of Thunder the day of his Martyrdom An Elegy was made on him immediately after his Death which seems by what we have of it to be writ with some Spirit and a great deal of Truth and Good-will only this Fragment on 't could be retriev'd which yet may not be unwelcome to the Reader 'T is done he 's crown'd and one bright Martyr more Black Rome is charg'd on thy too bulky score All like himself he mov'd so calm so free A generall Whisper question'd Which is he Deckt like a Lover tho' pale Death 's his Bride He carne and saw and overcame and dy'd Earth wept and all the vainly pitying Croud But Heaven his Death in Thunder groan'd aloud His CHARACTER For his Character if we 'll believe the best Men and those who knew him best 't is one of the most advantageous the Age or indeed our Nation has yielded Those are great words which Mr. Leviston Gower speaks of him on his Tryal but yet not a Syllable too big for his Merit tho' they are very expressive of it That he was one of the best Sons the best Fathers the best Husbands the best Masters the best Friends and the best Christians By other That he was a most Vertuous Prudent and Pious Gentleman A Man of that Vertue that none who knew him could think him guilty of such a Conspiracy A Man of great Honour and too Prudent to be concern'd in so vile and desperate a Design A Person of great Vertue and integrity One whom those he had long convers'd with never heard utter so much as a word of Indecency against the King And others of the highest Quality who had been often in his Company say That they had never heard any thing from him but what was Honourable Just and Loyal His Person was tall and proper his Temper even and aggreable and such as rendred his Vertues even more lovely than they did him His Piety and Devotion as unaffected and yet as remarkable as his Love to the Church of England The True Church of England as he himself calls it not those Tumours and Wens that grow upon it and pretended to be not only part but all of it in our late bad Times to whose Heighths and Extravagancies he thinks it no shame in his Speech to confess he could never rise He was of a Noble Courage which he did not express by
they were hardly used and now in their Journey loaded with heavy Irons and more inhumanely dealt with They with great chearfulness profess'd That they were better in a more happy Condition than ever in their Lives from the sense they had of the Pardoning Love of God in Jesus Christ to their Souls wholly referring themselves to their wise and gracious God to chuse for them Life or Death Expressing themselves thus Any thing what pleases God what he sees best so be it We know he is able to deliver but if not blessed be his Name Death is not terrible now but desirable Mr. Benjamin Hewling particularly added As for the World there is nothing in it to make it worth while to live except we may be serviceable to God therein And afterwards said ' Oh! God is a strong Refuge I have found him so indeed The next Opportunity I had was at Dorchester where they both were carried there remaining together four days By reason of their strait Confinement our Converse was much interrupted but this appeared that they had still the same Presence and Support from God no way discourag'd at the approach of their Tryal nor of the event of it whatever it should be The 6th of September Mr. Benjamin Hewling was ordered to Taunton to be tryed there Taking my leave of him he said Oh! Blessed be God for Afflictions I have found such happy Effects that I would not have been without them for all this World I remained still at Dorchester to wait the Issue of Mr. William Hewling to whom after Tryal I had free Access whose Discourse was much filled with Admiring of the Grace of God in Christ that had been manifested towards him in calling him out of his Natural State he said God by his Holy Spirit did suddenly seize upon his Heart when he thought not of it in his retired Abode in Holland as it were secretly whispering in his Heart See ye my Face enabling him to answer his gracious Call and to reflect upon his own Soul shewing him the Evil of Sin and Necessity of Christ from that time carrying him on to a sensible adherence to Christ for Justification and Eternal Life He said Hence he found a Spring of Joy and Sweetness beyond the Comforts of the whole Earth He further said He could not but admire the wonderful Goodness of God in so Preparing him for what he was bringing him to which then he thought not of giving him hope of Eternal Life before he called him to look Death in the face so that he did chearfully resign his Life to God before he came having sought his Guidance in it and that both then and now the Cause did appear to him very Glorious notwithstanding all he had suffered in it or what he further might Although for our Sins God hath with-held these good things from us But he said God had carryed on his blessed Work in his soul in and by all his Sufferings and whatever the Will of God were Life or Death he knew it would be best for him After he had received his Sentence when he returned to Prison he said Methinks I find my Spiritual Comforts increasing ever since my Sentence There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus it 's God that justifies who shall condemn When I came to him the next Morning when he had received News that he must die the next day and in order to it was to be carried to Lyme that day I found him in a more excellent raised Spiritual Frame than before He said he was satisfied God had chosen best for him he knows what the Temptations of Life might have been I might have lived and forgotten God but now I am going where I shall sin no more Oh! it 's a blessed thing to be free from sin and to be with Christ Oh! the Riches of the Love of God in Christ to Sinners Oh! how great were the Sufferings of Christ for me beyond all I can undergo How great is that Glory to which I am going It will soon swallow up all our Sorrow here When he was at Dinner just before his going to Lyme he dropt many abrupt Expressions of his inward Joy such as these Oh! the Grace of God the Love of Christ Oh that blessed Supper of the Lamb to be for ever with the Lord He further said When I went to Holland you knew not what Snares Sins and Miseries I might fall into or whether ever we should meet again But now you know whither I am going and that we shall certainly have a most joyful meeting He said Pray give my particular Recommendations to all my Friends with acknowledgments for all their Kindness I advise them all to make sure of an Interest in Christ for he is the only Comfort when we come to die One of the Prisoners seemed to be troubled at the manner of the Death they were to die to whom he replied I bless God I am reconciled to it all Just as he was going to Lyme he writ these few Lines to a Friend being hardly suffered to stay so long I AM going to Launch into Eternity I hope and trust in the Arm of my Blessed Redeemer to whom I commit you and all my dear Relations my Duty to my dear Mother and Love to all my Sisters and the rest of my Friends William Hewling As they passed through the Town of Dorchester to Lyme multitudes of People beheld them with great Lamentations admiring at his Deportment at his parting with his Sister As they passed upon the Road between Lyme and Dorchester his Discourse was exceeding Spiritual as those declared who were present taking occasion from every thing to speak of the Glory they were going to Looking out on the Country as he passed he said This is a Glorious Creation but what then is the Paradise of God to which we are going 'T is but a few hours and we shall be there and for ever with the Lord. At Lyme just before they went to die reading John 14.18 He said to one of his fellow-Sufferers Here is a sweet Promise for us I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Christ will be with us to the last One taking leaving of him he said Farewel till we meet in Heaven Presently I shall be with Christ Oh! I would not change conditions with any in this World I would not stay behind for Ten Thousand Worlds To another that ask'd him how he did now He said Very well he bless'd God And farther asking him if he could look Death in the face with Comfort now it approach'd so near He said Yes I bless God I can with great Comfort God hath made this a good Night to me my Comforts are much increased since I left Dorchester Then taking leave of him said Farewel I shall see you no more To which he replied How see me no more Yes I hope to meet you in Glory To another that was by him to the last
he said Pray remember my dear Love to my Brother and Sister and tell them I desire they would comfort themselves that I am gone to Christ and we shall quickly meet in the Glorious Mount Sion above Afterwards he prayed for about three quarters of an hour with the greatest fervency exceedingly blessing God for Jesus Christ adoring the Riches of his Grace in him in all the Glorious Fruits of it towards him Praying for the Peace of the Church of God and of these Nations in particular all with such eminent Assistance of the Spirit of God as convinced astonished and melted into Pity the Hearts of all present even the most malicious Adversaries forcing Tears and Expressions from them some saying They knew not what would become of them after Death but it was evident he was going to great Happiness When he was just going out of the World with a joyful Countenance he said Oh! now my Joy and Comfort is that I have a Christ to go to and so sweetly resign'd his Spirit to Christ the 12th of September 1685. An Officer who had shewed so malicious a Spirit as to call the Prisoners Devils when he was Guarding them down was now so convinced that he after told a Person of Quality That he was never so affected as by his chearful Carriage and fervent Prayer such as he believed was never heard especially from one so young and said I believe had the Lord Chief Justice been there he could not have let him die The Sheriff having given his Body to be buried although it was brought from the Place of Execution without any notice given yet very many of the Town to the Number of about 200 came to accompany him and several Young Women of the best of the Town laid him in his Grave in Lyme Church-yard the 13th of September 1685. After which his Sister writ this following Letter to her Mother ALthough I have nothing to acquaint my Dear Mother withal but what is most afflictive to Sense both as to the Determination of God's Will and as to my present Apprehension concerning my Brother Benjamin yet remaining yet there is such abundant Consolation mixt in both that I only wanted an Opportunity to pay this Duty God having wrought so Glorious a Work on both their Souls revealing Christ in them that Death is become their Friend My Brother William having already with the greatest Joy declared to those that were with him to the last That he would not change Conditions with any that were to remain in this World and he desired that his Relations would comfort themselves that he is gone to Christ My Brother Benjamin expects not long to continue in this World and is exceeding willing to leave it when God shall call being fully satisfied that God will choose that which is best for him and us all by these things God doth greatly support me and I hope you also my dear Mother which was and is my Brothers great desire there is still room for Prayer for one and God having so answered though not in kind we have Encouragement still to wait on him Honoured Mother Your Dutiful Daughter Hannah Hewling When I came to Taunton to Mr. Benjamin Hewling he had received the News of his Brother's being gone to die with so much comfort and joy and afterwards of the continued goodness of God increasing it to the end He expressed to this effect We have no cause to fear Death if the Presence of God be with us there is no evil in it the sting being taken away it 's nothing but our Ignorance of the Glory that the Saints pass into by Death which makes it appear dark for our selves or Relations if in Christ What is this World that we should desire an abode in it It 's all vain and unsatisfying full of sin and misery Intimating also his own chearful expectations soon to follow discovering then and all along great seriousness and sense of Spiritual and Eternal things complaining of nothing in his present Circumstances but want of place of Retirement to converse more uninterruptedly with God and his own Soul saying That this lonely time in Newgate was the sweetest in his whole Life He said God having some time before struck his Heart when he thought of the hazard of his Life to some serious Sense of his past Life and the great consequences of Death and Eternity shewing him that they were the only happy Persons that had secured their Eternal states The folly and madness of the ways of sin and his own Thraldom therein with his utter inability to deliver himself also the necessity of Christ for Salvation He said it was not without Terror and Amazement for some time the sight of unpardon'd sin with Eternity before him But God wonderfully opened to him the Riches of his Free-Grace in Christ Jesus for poor Sinners to flee to enabling to look alone to a crucified Christ for Salvation He said this blessed Work was in some measure carried on upon his Soul under all his business and hurries in the Army but never sprung forth so fully and sweetly till his close Confinement in Newgate There he saw Christ and all Spiritual Objects more clearly and embraced them more strongly there he experienced the blessedness of a reconciled State the Excellency of the ways of Holiness the delightfulness of Communion with God which remained with very deep and apparent impressions on his Soul which he frequently express'd with Admiration of the Grace of God towards him He said Perhaps my Friends may think this Summer the saddest time of my Life but I bless God it hath been the sweetest and most happy of it all nay there is nothing else worth the name of happiness I have in vain sought satisfaction from the things of this World but I never found it but now I have found Rest for my Soul in God alone O how great is our Blindness by Nature till God open our Eyes that we can see no Excellency in Spiritual things but spend our Precious Time in pursuing Shadows and are deaf to all the Invitations of Grace and Glorious Offers of the Gospel How just is God in depriving us of that we so much slighted and abused Oh! his Infinite Patience and Goodness that after all he should yet sanctifie any Methods to bring a poor sinner to himself Oh! Electing Love distinguishing Grace what great cause have I to admire and adore it He said What an amazing Consideration is the Suffering of Christ for sin to bring us to God his Suffering from wicked Men was exceeding great but alas what was that to the Dolours of his Soul under the infinite Wrath of God This Mystery of Grace and Love is enough to swallow up our thoughts to all Eternity As to his own Death he would often say He saw no reason to expect any other I know God is infinitely able to deliver and I am sure will do it if it be for his Glory and my Good in
that unhappy Accident which threatned the putting a Stop to it for I ever esteemed Platonick-Love to be the most Noble and thought it might be allowed by all but some wise Persons are afraid least the Sex should creep in for a share Here was no Danger for tho' Nature and Art have done their utmost to make Cl s Charming to all her Wit c. being beyond most of her Sex yet P t having for many Years given such Testimonies of a Conjugal Affection even to excess if such a thing can be that I fanned their Friendship might have been honourably continued to the End of Time I hope what Difficulties they meet with at their first setting out will heighten their Friendship and make it more strong and lasting So wishes August 27. 1695. Your Humble Servant E This Letter was occasioned by a Misconstruction put on the Correspondence then carried on 'tween P t and the aforesaid Lady but E being universally Religious by consequence is universally Charitable and therefore as she knew no Harm thinks none but encourages the Correspondence Mr. Richard Mays was a Man of sincere Godliness A (r) Mr. Singleton worthy Person sufficiently known in this City for his great Skill and Pains in training up of Youth was the Happy Instrument which Providence made use of for the first awakening and enclining him to look out after God I have often heard him speak with great thankfulness both to God and him of that Mixture of Love and Prudence whereby he gained upon him Throughout the Whole of his Sickness of Six Weeks continuance all was clear between God and him 2 Sam. 23.4 His End was like the Light of the Evening when the Sun setteth an Evening without any Clouds He said to my self when I enquired of him concerning that Matter I have not indeed those Raptures of Joy which some have felt tho' yet he added blessed be God I have sometimes tasted of them too but I have a comfortable well-grounded Hope of Eternal Life Another time I have had my Infirmities and Failings but my Heart hath been right with God as to the main and I look for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to Eternal Life Again another time I know that I have passed from Death to Life And again Blessed be God for our Lord Jesus Christ who hath delivered me from the Wrath to come In the Presence of others that stood by him when the sudden Blast was so strong as almost to puff out the Lamp of Life expecting to die in a very few Moments he said in the Words of the Psalmist Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth and this was uttered by him with a more than ordinary Chearfulness visibly spread on his Face He would often say in his Sickness If God hath any Pleasure in me and any more Work for me to do he will raise me up but if not lo here am I let him do with his Servant what seemeth him good In short I could neither observe my self nor learn from those that were constantly about him who must know this Matter better than any others and would not Lye for God himself that he had the least Darkness upon his Spirit as to his present and future State from the beginning of his Sickness till he gave up the Ghost which he did the last Lord's-Day about Five in the Morning the time when he was wont to arise and prepare himself for his Sacred Work Mr. Nathaniel Taylor in his Sermon at Mr. Mayo 's Funeral Dr. Samuel Annesley was reconciled to Death yea so desirous of it as hardly induced him to have his Life prayed for But hearing some Ministers had been fervently praying for his Life he replied I 'm then more reconciled to Life than ever for I 'm confident God will not give a Life so eminently in answer of Prayer as mine must be if he would not use it to greater purposes than ever before Yet some little time before his Change his Desires of Death appear'd strong and his Soul filled with the fore-tasts of Glory oft saying Come my dearest Jesus the nearer the more precious the more welcome Another time his Joy was so great that in an Ecstasie he cried out I cannot contain it What manner of Love is this to a poor Worm I can't express the thousandth part of what Praise is due to thee We know not what we do when we offer at praising God for his Mercies It 's but little I can give but Lord help me to give thee my All. I 'll die praising thee and rejoyce that there 's others can praise thee better I shall be satisfied with thy likeness satisfied satisfied Oh my dearest Jesus I come See a larger Account in Dr. Annesley's Funeral Sermon preach'd by Mr. Daniel Williams The Death of Old Mr. Eliot of New-England While he was making his Retreat out of this Evil World his Discourses from time to time ran upon The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ It was the Theme which he still had recourse unto and we were sure to have something of this whatever other Subject he were upon On this he talk'd of this he pray'd for this he long'd and especially when any bad News arriv'd his usual Reflection thereon would be Behold some of the Clouds in which we must look for the Coming of the Son of Man At last his Lord for whom he had been long wishing Lord come I have been a great while ready for thy Coming At last I say his Lord came and fetched him away into the Joy of his Lord. He fell into some Languishments attended with a Fever which in a few Days brought him into the Pangs may I say or Joys of Death And while he lay in these Mr. Walter coming to him he said unto him Brother Thou art welcome to my very Soul Pray retire to my Study for me and give me leave to be gone meaning that he should not by Petitions to Heaven for his Life detain him here It was in these Languishments that speaking about the Work of the Gospel among the Indians he did after this Heavenly manner express himself There is a Cloud said he a dark Cloud upon the Work of the Gospel among the poor Indians The Lord revive and prâ—â—â—er that Work and grant it may live when I am dead It is a Work which I have been doing much and long about But what was the Word I spoke last I recall that Word My Doings Alas they have been poor and small and lean Doings and I 'll be the Man that shall throw the first Stone at them all Mr. Cotton Mather tells us of Mr. Elias That the Last of his ever setting Pen to Paper in the World was upon this Occasion I shall transcribe a short Letter which was written by the shaking Hand that had heretofore by Writing deserved so well from the Church of God but was now taking its leave of Writing for
For look you saith he my Conscience is now as tender as wet Paper torn upon every apprehension of the least guilt before God And as he had much studied the Nature of Repentance he would frequently complain That he had a great Jealousie upon himelf lest he had not yet conceiv'd an horror answerable to his past Exorbitancies of Life and had not made those smart and pungent Reflections upon himself that might become one that had so long and in such Exalted Degrees violated the Laws of his Maker and made himself so Obnoxious to the Vengeance of his Judgment and that if the cutting off one of his Hands with the other were but a proper or likely way through the anguish of such a Wound to give him a just horror for his sins he would do that as willingly as he ever did any one Action that had given him the greatest Pleasure of Life He also said that by the Grace of God he had such a sense of the Conviction and folly and unreasonableness of Sin that no Argument no Tentation should prevail upon him to do the like again Having taken notice that all my Lord Rochester's Religious Breathings were accounted by some the Raves and Delirances of a sick Brain he did resolve to have given the World a Publick Account of the Sentiments he had of Religion both as to the Faith and Practice of it but was prevented CHAP. CL. Testimonies of Ancient and Modern Infidels Heathens 1. AN Edict of the Emperor Maximinus after a violent Persecution of the Christians extorted from him upon this occasion following A Plague from above lighting on him first took Root in his Flesh and afterwards proceeded even unto his Soâ—â— A sudden Rutrefaction did seize upon his Bowels in his most Secret Parts He had a festered Ulcer in the bottom of his Belly an innumerable multitude of Worms crawled out he breathed out a deadly stink insomuch that divers of his Physicians not being able to endure his abominable savour were killed with the very Air. Being afflicted with so many Evils he began to have a sense of those Evils which he had inflicted upon God's Holy Servants And this he confessed to have been justly inflicted for his Impious Presumption and Fury against Christ Hereupon he made this Edict The Emperor Caesar Galerus Maximinus Puissant Magnificent Chief Lord Lord Thebais Lord of Sarmatia five times Conqueror of Persia Lord of Germany Lord of Egypt twice Conqueror of the Carpians six times Conqueror of the Armenians Lord of the Medes Lord of the Adiabeni twenty times Tribune nineteen times General Captain eight times Consul Father of the Country Proconsul And the Emperor Caesar Flavius Valerius Constantine the Vertuous Fortunate Puissant Noble Chief Lord General Captain and Tribune five times Consul Father of the Country Proconsul Among other things which we have decreed for the Commodity and Profit of the Common-wealth our Pleasure is first of all to Order and Redress all things according to the Ancient Laws and Publick Discipline of the Romans And withal to use this Proviso That the Christians which have forsaken the Religion of their Ancestors shuld be brought again to the Right Way For after a certain Humour of Singularity such an Opinion of Excellency puffed them up that those things which their Elders had received and allowed they rejected and disallowed devising every Man such Laws as they thought good and observed the same Assembling in divers Places great multitudes of People Wherefore whenas Our Edict was Proclaimed that they should return unto the Ordinances of their Elders divers standing in great danger felt the Penalty thereof and many being troubled therefore endured all kinds of Death And because We perceive many as yet to persist in the same Madness neither yielding due Worship unto the Coelestial Gods neither regarding the God of the Christians having respect unto Our Benignity and Godly Custom Pardoning all Men after Our wonted Guise We thought good in this Case to extend Our Gracious and Favourable Clemency that the Christians may be tolerated again and that they repair again to the Places where they may meet together so that they do nothing Prejudicial to Publick Order and Discipline We mean to prescribe unto the Judges by another Epistle what they shall observe Wherefore as this Our Gracious Pardon deserveth let them make Intercession unto their God for Our Health for the Common-wealth and for themselves that in all Places the Affairs of the Common-wealth may be safely preserved and that they themselves may live securely in their own Houses Euseb Eccl. Hist l. 8. c. 18. 2. The Emperor Adrianus receiving Letters from Serenius Granianus a Noble President signifying in the behalf of the Christians that it was very Injurious that for no Crime but only at the Outcry of the People they should be brought and executed wrote unto Minutius Fundanus Proconsul of Asia and commanded That none without grievous Crimes and Occasion should be put to Death Euseb l. 4. c. 8. 3. It may not be improper here to mention that Confession extorted from the Emperor Julian after his Persecution of the Christians He being suddenly slain in a War against the Persians throwing his Blood in the Air ended his wicked Life with this true Acknowledgment and Exclamation Vicisti Galilaee Thou hast overcome me O Galilean or O Jesus of Galilee This is attested by Theodoret and related by Sozomen l. 6. c. 2. p. 511. 4. This likewise gave occasion to another like Confession from another Heathen and yet proceeding from another Passion Quomodo Christiani dicunt Deum suum esse patientem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. How can the Christians truly say that they have a Patient God when we plainly see him so Angry and Impatient that he could not deferr his Anger so much as for a moment Hier. l. 2. in Habac. c. 3. Tom. 6. p. 243. 5. Antoninus Pius sent this Epistle to the Commons of Asia in behalf of the Christians The Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex Maximus fifteen times Tribune thrice Consul unto the Commonalty of Asia sendeth Greeting I know the Gods are careful to disclose hurtful Persons For they Punish such as will not Worship them more grievously than you do those whom you bring in Trouble confirming that Opinion which they conceive of you to be wicked and ungodly Men. It is their desire in God's Quarrel rather to die than live So that they become Conquerors yielding their Lives unto the Death rather than to obey your Edicts It shall seem very necessary to admonish you of the Earthquakes which have and do happen among us that being therewith moved ye may compare our Estate with theirs They have more Confidence to Godwards than you have You during the time of your Ignorance despise other Gods contemn the Religion of the Immortal God banish the Christians which Worship him and Persecute them unto the Death In the behalf of these Men many
that Persons had when absent suffers by their Presence Bishop Fowler 's Preface relating to the Queen 4. As to the Sobriety which relates to the Palate she was so far from being fond of great Dainties that I heard her once say That she could live in a Dairy Ibid. 5. What an Enemy she was to Idleness even in Ladies those who had the Honour to serve her are living Instances It is well known how great a part of the Day they were employed at their Needles and several Ingenuities the Queen herself when more Important Business would give her leave working with them And that their Minds might be well employed at the same time it was her Custom to order one to read to them while they were at Work either Divinity or some profitable History Ibid. 6. As to the positive Instances of the Queen's Piety or Fear of God they were such as shewed she made no less Conscience of Sins of Omission than of Commission Ibid. 7. I might speak of the pious Care she took of her immediate Attendants and how concerned she was to have them secured from Temptations when they had occasion to go abroad But I cannot omit one passage which is an equal Instance both of her Piety and Humility She having condescended to be God-Mother to a Daughter of one of her Servants and calling to mind those Words at the end of the Office of Baptism You are to take Care that this Child be brought to the Bishop to be Confirmed by him c. she not only took this Care of her God-Daughter but in order to her due Preparation for Confirmation would instruct her herself and hear her say her Catechism She did not think it enough to Command one of her Servants or the Clerk of her Closet to do this Office Ibid. 8. How great a concern she had for the Reforming of the Manners of her Subjects in this very loose Age appeared by her most pious Letter to the Justices of Middlesex Wherein she vigorously excited them to do their Duty according to their Oaths in Executing the Laws against Swearers and Cursers and Profaners of the Lord's Day and all debauched Persons Ibid. 9. The Queen's Death was such as it might have been presumed such a Life would end in Upon her having the first Intimation of the Danger she was in she replied to this effect I have been instructed by the Divines of our Church how very hazardous a thing it is to rely upon a Death-bed Repentance and I am not now to begin the Great Work of Preparing for Death And I praise God I am not afraid of it Ibid. 10. She was so composed throughout her Sickness that 't was evident she had not the least Disturbance upon her Mind but that all was calm and serene within her One of her Physicians a very worthy Gentleman was so affected with the Observations he then made of her as since to say She seemed to me more like an Angel than a Woman Ibid. 11. Frequently she called for the Prayers which my Lord of Canterbury still read to her And about Twelve Hours before her Departure she comfortably received the Holy Communion at his Hands Seven Bishops communicating with her And at last she went away as quietly as a Lamb with her Works following her 12. She would conclude with Words that carried in them an Air of Modesty that shined then most particularly when she seemed to desire an increase or Knowledge She would say She did not know if there was any Difficulty in such Things or not or if she apprehended or expressed it right or if it was only her Ignorance Bishop Burnet's Essay on the Memory of the Queen 13. She gave her Minutes of leisure with the greatest willingness to Architecture and Gardenage She had a Riches of Invention with a Happiness of Contrivance that had Airs in it that were freer and nobler than what was more stiff tho' it might be more regular She knew that this drew an Expence after it she had no other Inclinations besides this to any Diversions that were expenceful and since this employed many Hands she was pleased to say That she hoped it would be forgiven her Ibid. 14. When her Eyes were endangered by Reading too much she found out the Amusement of Work And in all those Hours that were not given to better Employments she wrought with her own Hands and that sometimes with so constant a Diligence as if she had been to earn her Bread by it It was a new thing and looked like a Sight to see a Queen work so many Hours a Day She looked on Idleness as the great Corrupter of Humane Nature And believed that if the Mind had no Employment given it it would create some of the worst sort to itself And she thought that any thing that might amuse and divert without leaving a Dreg and ill Impressions behind it ought to fill up those vacant Hours that were not claimed by Devotion or Business Ibid. 15. She scarce ever expressed a more entire Satisfaction in any Sermon that she had heard than in our late Primate's against Evil Speaking When she thought some were guilty of it she would ask them if they had read that Sermon Ibid. 16. She was as free from Censures as she was from deserving them When Reflections were made on this before her she said She ascribed that wholly to the Goodness of God to her For she did not doubt but that many fell under hard Characters that deserved them as little She gave it this further turn That God knew her Weakness and that she was not able to bear some Imputations and therefore he did not try her beyond her strength Ibid. 17. Her Attention to Sermons was so entire that as her Eye never wandred from a good Preacher so she shewed no weariness of an indifferent one When she was asked how she could be so attentive to some Sermons that were far from being perfect she answered That she thought it did not become her by any part of her Behaviour to discourage or seem to dislike one that was doing his best Ibid. 18. Pluralities and Non-Residence when not enforced by real Necessity were otherwise so odious to her that she resolved to throw such perpetual Disgraces upon them as should oblige all Persons to let go the hold that they had got of these Cures of Souls over whom they did not watch and among whom they did not labour In a full Discourse on this very Subject the Day before the fatal Ilness overtook her she said She had no great Hope of mending Matters yet she was resolved to go on and never to suffer herself to be discouraged or to lose Heart She would still try what could be done and pursue her Design how slow or insensible soever the Progress might be Ibid. 19. When Reflections were once made before her of the Sharpness of some Historians who had left heavy Imputations on the Memory of some Princes she answered That
from making a Dishonourable Peace with King Pyrrhus Val Mar. l. 8. c. 13. p. c 236. 11. Gorgias Leontinus the Master of Isocrates when he was in the 107 year of his Age being asked why he would tarry solong in this Life because saith he I have nothing whereof I can accuse my Old Age Val. Max. l. 8. c. 13. p. 237. 12. Lemnius tells of one at Stockholm in Sweden who at the Age of 100 married a Wife of 30 years and begat Children of her this Man was of so fresh and green Old Age that he scarce seemed to have reached more then 50 years Cam. Hor. Sub. Cent. 2. p. 277. 13. Isocrates in the 94th year of his Age put forth his Book Intituled Panathenaicus he lived 15 years after it and in that extream Age of his he was sufficient for any work he undertook both in Strength Judgment and Memory Zuin. Theat Vol. 2. l. 4. p. 337. 14. Agesilaus King of Sparta though he had attained to a very great Age yet was often seen to walk without Shooes on his Feet or Coat on his back in Frost and Snow and this for no other cause then that being now an Old Man he might give those that were young and Example of Patience and Tolerance Ibid. 15. Asclepiades the Prusian gave it out Publickly that no Man should esteem him as a Physician if ever he should be Sick of any Disease whatsoever and ideed he credited his Art for having lived to Old Age without Alteration in his Health he at last fell down a pair of Stairs and died of the fall Ibid. 16. Mithridates King of Pontus who for 40 years managed a War against the Romans enjoyed a prosperous Health to the last of his Life used to Ride to throw Javelins and on Horses disposed at several Stages Rode 1000 Furlongs in one day and also could drive a Chariot that was drawn with 16 Horses Cel. Rhod. Ant. lect l. 29. c. 17. p. 1365. 17. Mr. Patrick Wian Minister of Lesbury Read the Divine Service David's Psalms one Chapter out of the Old Testament and one out of the New without the use of Spectacles he had two New Teeth his Sight much decayed was restored unto him about the 110th year of his Age Hair was restored to his bald Scull and he could Preach a Sermon without the help of Notes he gave this Accunt of himself October 19. 1657. 18. A certain German living in Italy had at 60 years of Age recovered his Teeth and black Hair and had extended his Life to a great many years with the only use of black Helebore White-Wine and Roses Bartholin Hist Anat. cent 5. Hist 28. p. 51. 19. At Tarenturn there lived an Old Man who at the Age of 100 years was grown young again he had changed his Skin like unto a Snake and had recovered a New Being withal he was become so young and fresh that hose who had seen him before could then scarce believe their own Eyes and having continued above 50 years in this Estate he grew at length to be so Old as he seemed to be made of Barks of Trees Hakewell's Apol. l. 3. c. 1. p. 167. 20. in Anno 1536. Noâ—nio de Cugne being Vice-Roy of the Indies for the King of Portugal it was averred by good Proofs and sufficient Testimony that an Indian brought unto him was 340 years Old he had grown young again 4 times changing his white Hair and recovering his New Teeth when the Vice-Roy did see him he then had the Hair of his Head and Beard black This Man was born in the Realm of Bengala and did affirm that he at times 700 Wives whereof some were dead and some were put away The King of Portugal being advertised of this wonder did often enquire and had Yearly News of him by the Fleet which came from thence He lived about 370 years Camerar Hor. Subs c. 2. cap. 68. p. 278. 22. An Old Abbatess being decrepit suddenly became Young her Monthly Courses returned her rugged and wrinkled Skin grew smooth her hoary Hairs grew black and New Teeth in her Head and Paps swelled after the manner of Virgins Donat. Hisi Med. Mir. l. 6. c. 2. p. 300. 21. Mr. John Craig of Scorland a great Divine and excellent Preacher sincere and inclining to no Faction lived 88 years thô he endured many Toffings Troubles and Dangers in his Life time after many Troubles for his Religion in his own Countrey he went to France and from thence to Rome where by the favour of Cardinal Pool he was received among the Dominions of Bononia he was employed in all their Affairs throughout Italy and was sent in Commission to Chios where he behaved himself so well that at his return he was made Rector of their School where having access to their Libraries he met with Calvin's Institutions by which and the Advice of a Reverend Old Man he was confirmed in the Opinion he had entertain'd for which being accused of Heresie and sent to Rome where after 9 Months Miserable Imprisonment he was condemned to be burnt the next Day But the same Night Pope Paul the Fourth died upon the Noise whereof the People in a Tumult broke open the Prisons by which means Mr. Craig had his Liberty As he sought to escape he met with one of the Banditi who remembring a Charity received from him gave him Money to bear his Charge to Bononia trusting to find Friendship from his Acquaintance but fearing to be intrapt fled from thence And being in a wild Desart Pensive and without Money a Dog with a Purse in his Teeth fawned upon him and gave it him From thence he came to a Village and meeting Travellers to Vienna he went with them whilst at Vienna professing to be a Dominican he was brought to preach before the Emperour Maximilian the Second from whence Pope Pius the Third sent for him but the Emperour sent him away with Letters of safe Conduct so returning to Scotland where he preached painfully many Years till spent with Age he died in Peace Anno 1600. Arch-Bishop Spotswood 's Hist Church of Scotland p. 461. 22. The Reverend Dr. Annesley appeared of a hale and hardy Constitution of Body which was such as to endure the coldest Weather without Hat Gloves or Fire For many Years he seldom drank any thing besides Water His Sight so strong that to his Death he read the smallest Print without Spectacles and in a Life lengthen'd do his 77th Year he was rarely Sick His Natural Capacity was good and his Temper vigorous and warm which his Grace over-ruled mostly to undertake those most excessive Labours and sustain the Difficulties which without a Body and Mind so fashioned had been impossible in so long a course of Service And this Vigour he so retain'd to his very Death as if God would give an Instance that the Fervour of some Men's Souls in his Work were either in dependent on the Body or their Bodies with Moses were still
repaired even to old Age when he designeth extraordinary Services by them Dr. Annesley 's Funeral Sermon preached by Mr. Daniel Williams CHAP. XXXIV Persons reviving after a supposed Death I Expect this Title will be quarrelled at both by Naturalists and Divines the former will object the Impossibility of a habit returning into the subject after a perfect Privation the latter will fetch an Argument from the Decree of the Almighty and alledge the Determination of the Immortal Soul immediately after a Dissolution and Separation to its Eternal State and Abode To both which I make only this short Answer That I conceive that in some of the Cases hereafter mentioned the Privation was not perfect in others the Return was not Natural 1. Anno 1537 when the Plague raged at Colen one Richmet Adolick a Noble Lady died in Appearance and as the Fashion was then had her Rings and Jewels buried with her of which the covetous Sexton having notice came with a Companion of his to dig her up that being done they opened the Coffin and going about to pull off her Rings she rose up in her Shroud at which the Sacrilegious Villains being conscious of Guilt and oppressed with Fear fled and for haste left the Lanthorn and the Church Door open so that the Lday loosing her self took up the Lanthorn and went home her Husband hearing her Voice was as much terrified as the others had been but by degrees lessening his Fears he received her with Joy when he perceived she was a living Corps and not a Ghost or Spectre and she confessed to him that she had all that time been as one in a Sleep till two Men came rudely and waked her but when she was made sensible that she had been buried she started and then praised GOD that those Men's Evil Purposes had been the Means of her Safety and being thereupon taken great Care of she recovered her Health and lived to have three Sons afterwards as appears by her Monument erected in Memory of so strange a Deliverance and standing now in the Entrance of the Apostle's Church in Colen The Ladies Dictionary p. 491. 2. In the same City John Duns called Scotus falling into an Apoplexy was buried alive but had not the good Fortune as the other to be timely relieved for before he could be taken up he had beat his Brains against the Grave-Stone Ibid. 3. Anno 1661 to the Knowledge of many Hundred about London one Lawrence Cawthorn a Butcher in St. Nicholas Shambles who having provided all Things to his Marriage it is doubtful whether too much Strong-Waters or Opium given him by his Landlady who aimed at what Moneys he had got and knew she should not be the better for it if he married cast him into a profound Sleep so sleeping all that Night and all the next Day she got some of her Confederates to give out he was dead so buried him but the next Day being Sunday as the People passed to Church they heard a strange Groaning in the Ground but for a time could not tell what to make of it growing louder thô a kind of hollow Sound they informed the Churchwardens of it who only flouted at it as a Delusion of the Senses but the next Day being better informed and all Circumstances considered this new Grave was opened and the Body found warm thô dead with the stifling Vapours and violent Beatings against the Sides of the Coffin upon News of which the barbarous old Woman fled and we do not hear she ever was found agains Ibid. 4. The Story of Anne Green hanged at Oxford and returning to Life again is already related in the former part of this Book 5. Anno 1658 Elizabeth the Servant of one Mrs. Cope of Magdalen Parish in Oxford was indicted at the City Sessions for killing her Bastard-Child and putting it in the House of Office of which being convicted she was condemned to die and accordingly was hanged at Green-Ditch the place appointed for the Execution of the City-Malefactors where she hung so long that one of the By-standers scrupled not to say If she were not dead he would be hanged for her Being out down put into a Coffin and brought to the George Inn Life was found in her and after breathing a Vein being put to bed with another young Wench by her she came quickly to her self but was the Night following barbarously carried to Glocester-Green and there hanged a second time Dr. Plot 's Nat. Hist of Oxford ch 8. p. 119. 6. I have a Relation by me from Coventry well attested concerning a young Damosel who was given for dead by her Parents laid forth and Cakes baked for her Funeral and other Preparations made for the Solemnity yet afterwards returned to Life again But having misplaced the Paper and not being able to find it presently I cannot be exact in Particulars Mr. Richard Harris who lives there and is employed commonly in dispersing and collecting Letters Patents in several Counties of England is by Marriage related to the Family 7. I have mentioned another Example out of Dr. Marc Casauben of a Person who revived again before he was buried on purpose to discover a Murder of a former Wife 8. Mrs. Anna Atherton being about 14 Years of Age fell sick in November 1669 whereupon several Physicians were called to her Assistance who consulted about her Distemper and judged it to be something of an Ague thô the Symptoms thereof were somewhat different from those that were usual in that Distemper Her Disease proved too hard for their Skill and Medicines and brought the Patient to a thinness of Body paleness of Countenance and stupidness to any thing but her Devotions She was before of a full habit of Body of a brisk and lively Temper and prone to all kind of Exercise befitting her Age. Under this strong Alteration she continued till the beginning of February ensuing when by little and little she felt a sensible Decay of her whole Body which daily encreasing prevailed at length upon all the Organs of Life and Motion so that in appearance she lay void of either whereupon she was concluded to be really dead The Women who came to do their last Office to her Body perceived more heat and warmth in her than they thought to be usual in dead Bodies upon which they desisted a while and because the Room was close and a Fire had been always in it thinking the usual Warmth might proceed from thence they opened the Casements to let in what Air they could and put out the Fire and then left her sometime to her self But returning they found the same warmth to continue then they left her in this manner one whole Day yet could find no Alteration whereupon they applied a Looking-glass to her Mouth but not the least Cloud appeared They put live Coals to her Feet which discovered not the least sign of Life or Sense Notwithstanding her Mother was very timorous which made her delay her Burial and