upon a time at dalliance with his Women one of them plucked a Hair from his Breast which being fast rooted plucked off a little of the Skin that the Blood appeared This small Scar festred and gangreened incurably so that in few Days he despaired of life and being accompanied with his Friends and divers Courtiers he brake out into these excellent Words Which of you would not have thought that I being a Man of War should have died by the stroke of a Sword Spear or Bow But now I am enforced to confess the Power of that Great God whom I have so long despised that he needs no other Lance than a little hair to kill so Blasphemous a wretch and contemner of his Majesty as I have been Dr. Burthogge out of Purchas in his Essay upon Human Reason p. 177. Mr. Greenham in his Works which I have not now by me and therefore cannot quote the particular Place and Page as I should do tells us That a certain Man not well grounded in his Religion took view of the Papists Life but not finding it so glorious as they pretended it was joyned with the Familists in whom he so stayed that he grew into Familiarity with them the first Principle that there was no God boyl'd so much in him that he began to draw Conclusions viz. If there be a God he is not so Just and Merciful as they say if there be no God then there is neither Heaven nor Hell or if any the Joys and Pains not so Eternal as some have taught why then do I sell my Pleasures in this World for uncertain Pleasures in another World So this Devilish Illusion prevail'd on him to steal a Horse for which he was Apprehended and at last condemned But by the Providence of God meeting and conferring with a Godly Minister was Reprieved till the next Assize in hope of his Conversion He confessed himself an Atheist but could not be brought any thing from his Atheism The Assize following drew near when he was to be executed and the Place assigned And at the Place of Execution when he should be turned off the Ladder cryed out directly For Christ's sake stay my Life whereupon he spoke these or the like words Well let the World say what they will doubtless there is a God and the same God is Just for ever to his Enemies and everlastingly keeps his Mercies with his Children Now turn me over And so he made an end of his Speech and of his Days This Story I took down in Writing out of Mr. Greenham's Works Five or Six and Twenty Years ago but not having the Book at present I must deliver it with a Latitude without particular Quotations And 't is the more credible because Mr. Greenham if my Memory fail me not extreamly is character'd by Bishop Joseph Hall for a Saint 5. Mr. Mather speaking of the Obstacles which Mr. Eliot met with in Preaching the Gospel to the Indians in New-England tells us That Elliot made a tender of the Gospel to King Philip Ring-leader of the most calamitous War that ever the Pagan Indians made upon them but Philip entertained it with Contempt and Anger and after the Indian Mode he took hold of a Button upon Mr. Eliot's Coat adding That he cared for his Gospel just as much as he cared for that Button The World hath heard saith my Author what a terrible Ruine soon came upon that woful Creature and upon all his People It was not saith he long before the Hand which now writes upon a certain occasion took off the Jaw from the Blasphemous exposed Skull of that Leviathan and the renowned Samuel Lee is now Pastor to an English Congregation sounding and shewing the Praises of Heaven upon that very spot of Ground where Philip and his Indians were lately worshipping the Devil Cotton Mather in Mr. Eliot's Life pag. 114. 6. Pope Leo the Tenth was so Impudent as to make the Promises and Threats contained in the Word of God things to be laughed at mocking the simplicity of those that believe them And when Cardinal Bembus quoted upon ocasion a place out of the Gospel The Pope Answered Quantum nobis profuit fabula haec de Christo O what Profit hath this Fable of Christ brought unto us The Pope having by his Pardons and Indulgences scrap'd together vast Sums of Money to maintain his Courtezans and Whores and to enrich his Bastards As he was one day at Meat News was brought to him of the Overthrow of the French in Lombardy which he much rejoyced at and doubled his Good Chear but before he arose from the Table God's Hand struck him with a grievous Sickness whereof he died within three days Clark's Mar. Chap. 9. p. 40. 7. Pope Julius the Third another Atheist a despiser of God and his Word on a time missing a cold Peacock which he had commanded to be kept for him raged and blasphemed God exceedingly whereupon a Cardinal that was present intreated him not to be so angry for such a Trifle What saith he if God was so angry for eating of an Apple as to thrust Adam and Eve out of Paradise should not I who am his Vicar be angry for a Peacock which is of far more worth than an Apple 8. Francis Ribelius was so Profane that he made a mock at all Religion counting it a thing to be laugh'd at But the Lord struck him with Madness so that he died mocking at all those that talked of God or made any mention of God's Mercy to him CHAP. CIV Divine Judgments upon Cursing RAshness is a fault in any Humane Action but in no cases more dangerous than in meddling with edg'd Tools but above all in the Imprecation of Divine Judgments Men had need to be deliberate and well-advised before they Appeal to Heaven for Vengeance for God is not to be played with And oftentimes it seems good to the Almighty to hear the Prayers of these rash People beyond their Expectation on purpose to strike them with a more dreadful awe of the Divine Majesty and let every one beware by the Examples which follow how they play with the Thunder-bolts of Heaven lest they are checked as the Apostles Luke 9.54 55. 1. In France a Man of good Parts and well instructed in Religion yet in his Passion Cursing and bidding the Devil take one of his Children the Child was immediately possessed with an Evil Spirit From which though by the fervent and continual Prayers of the Church he was at length released yet ere he fully recovered his Health he died Beza 2. Anno Christi 1557. at Forchenum in the Bishoprick of Bamberg a Priest Preaching about the Sacrament used these and such-like blasphemous Speeches O Paul Paul if thy Doctrine touching the Receiving of the Sacrament in both kinds be true and if it be a wicked thing to Receive it otherwise then let the Devil take me And if the Pope's Doctrine concerning this Point be false then am I the Devil's Bond-slave
from their very Enemies The Prodigies of our Saviour's Crucifixion procured a free Confession from some of his Enemies that certainly he was the Son of God See more Instances 1. Polycarp when first apprehended was pitied by many of his Enemies that so holy honest and aged a Man should be put to death After his Prayer at the Stake the flame framed it self in manner of a Vault or Sail of a Ship with the blustering Blasts of Wind so that it touched not the Holy Martyr's Body which sent forth a fragrant Smell like Frankincense but the cruel Persecutors thereupon call'd for a Tormentor to thrust him thro' the Side with a Spear which being done Blood issued out so abundantly that it quenched the Fire to the Astonishment of all Beholders Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist. 2. Dionysius the Areopagite being aimed at by the Idolatrous Priests who envied his Success in the Ministery with his gracious Lustre and Radiancy of Countenance abashed and so affrighted his Adversaries that they fled away Ibid. Some say that by the order of Sisinnius the Prefect of Gaul being thrown to wild Beasts they would not tear him put into a hot Oven it would not burn him at last was condemned to Decollation Ibid. 3. Justin Martyr seems accomplish'd by the Divine Providence to make a stout Apology to the Heathen Emperors for his Christian Brethren by passing first through all the famous Schools of the Heathen Philosophers by which means he was enabled and fitted to attack them with their own Weapons which he did ingeniously and couragiously and effectually in his Plea to Antoninus Pius c. Ibid. 4. Tertullian was raised in a seasonable time by God Almighty to plead the Cause of his Church against their Adversaries and slanderous Accusations for he ingeniously shew'd them that they never intended any Stirs or Rebellions against the Empire it being the Frinciple of the Christians to pray for all Men and render Good for Evil and whereas they were slander'd for murdering Infants how can that be saith he when their Custom is to abstain from all things strangled and from Blood c. Ibid. By his excellent Apologies he prevailed with Severus to favour the Christians 5. Cyprian vindicates the Christians from the Scandals charged upon them in his time by telling them that the Publick Calamities were not owing to the Christians but to the Idolatry of their Enemies that they were long before prophesied by Christ and the Heathens had no reason to expect any better than Famine Wars and Pestilences for their Wickedness and Cruelty in shedding so much Blood of the Christians Ibid. 6. Lactantius wrote seven Books of Institutions in the Behalf of the Christians against the Gentiles 7. Athanasius being accused by the Miletians to the Emperour that he had imposed a Tribute of Linnen Garments upon the Egyptians and had gathered the same it pleased God that Alipprius and Macarius two Presbyters of Alexandria happen'd to be present who easily wip'd off this false Charge afterwards he was accused that he had sent a Sum of Gold to one Philumenus to take away the Emperor but he easily clear'd himself of this too At last he was taxed that he had broken the sacred Chalice and cut off the Arm of one Arsenius that was slain and kept it for an Instrument in Magick Arsenius was a Presbyter who for some great Fault had hid himself Athanasius finding it difficult to clear himself in this Case employ'd one of his Deacons to enquire out this Arsenius who with some difficulty found him out which so satisfy'd the Emperor Constantine that he clear'd him and sent him back with Commendations to his Office requiring that this Epistle which he wrote upon this Score might be read in the Church to the Terror of his Adversaries Yet he was after some time effectually prosecuted by his Restless Adversaries and injuriously deposed Ibid. 8. The Arians prevailing for the Banishment of Basil Bishop of Caesarea and the writing being brought to Valens the Emperour to sign the Pens would not write the least tittle tho' often tried and when the Emperour being mad with rage endeavour'd still to confirm the Edict his Right Hand was struck with a great Trembling so that at last being terrified with these Judgments he tore the Writing in pieces Ibid. 9. Mr. John Husse who was condemn'd by the Council of Constance for Heresie was acquitted in a solemn Letter from any such fault in his Doctrine by the Bishop of Nazareth who was appointed and deputed by the See of Rome to be Inquisitor of Heresie in the City of Prague Martyrol p. 549. and more than that was commended for his Life and Conversation by the Testimony of no less than 54 of the Nobles of Moravia in a Letter written by them in his Behalf to the Council of Constance Which Letter and the Names of the Peers See Martyrol p. 386 387. 10. Edwond Everard Esq being an Agent in the French Court for the English Militia by Acquaintance and Discourse with the Lady Gourdon Sister to the Marquess of Huntley in Scotland then in a Popish Convent at Paris and with Collonel Richard Talbot and Peter his Brother Titular Arch-Bishop of Dublin got some small glimmerings of a grand Design on Foot for the publick Settling of Popery in England dissolving the Parliament or at least raising a Misunderstanding between them and His Majesty for Relieving the Catholicks in Ireland for killing His Majesty and setting up the D. of Y. coming over into England and making an Essay towards the Discovery of it at Court was by Malice and Arts of his Enemies falâ—ly Accused and sent to the Tower and there kept a close Prisoner four Years and never in all that time called to a fair Hearing yet at last when the Plot broke out by other Instruments and Means which God in his Wisdom produced and made use of He was Released from his illegal Confinement and brought upon the Stage as an Innocent Person and had Liberty granted him to Accuse his Accusers Anno Christi 1679. It were an endless Task to recount over the many Instances that are in the World even within ken of the present Generation of Persons who have been one while Afflicted Disgraced Fined Imprisoned c. as Persons not fit for common Society among their Fellows who have been afterwards received into Favours preferred to Places of Trust and Honour dandled upon the Knee of a benign Providence and died in the Vogue of the World good and honest Men. 11. Dr. Vsher wanted not Enemies who sought to scandalize him to King James under the Title of a Puritan which was very odious to the King in those Days hereby to prevent his further Preferment but God so order'd it that it proved an occasion of his Advancement For King James being jealous of him upon that score by reason of the Eminency of his Learning fell into Serious Discourse with him and thereby was so well satisfied in the Soundness of
Devil appeared to her in her House in the likeness of a white Dog and that she called this Imp or Familiar Spirit Elimanzer and that she often fed it and that the Spirit spoke to her very audibly and bid her deny Jesus Christ which she did then assent to but denied that she killed the young maid She was Executed at Mannintree Apr. 15. 1645. 4. Anne West and Rebecca her Daughter were likewise of this black Society against whom Prudence the VVife of Thomas Hart of Lawford in Essex deposed upon Oath that about Eight weeks before going on Sunday to the Parish-Church about half a mile from her House being about Twenty weeks gone with Child and to her thinking very well and healthy upon a sudden she was taken with great Pains and miscarried before she came Home And about Two months after one Night when she was in Bed something fell down upon her Right Side but being dark she could not discover its shapes and that she was presently taken lame on that side with extraordinary Pains and burning and was certainly perswaded that Anne and Rebecca West were the cause of her Pains having expressed much Malice toward her and counted her their greatest Enemy Mr. John Edes a Minister deposed That Rebecca West confessed to him that about Seven Years before she began to have familiarity with the Devil by the instigation of her Mother Anne West and that he appeared in several Shapes As once like a proper young man who desired to have familiarity with her promising that he would then do what she desired and avenge her on her Enemies requiring her also to deny God and put her faith and trust in him which being agreed to she order'd him to avenge her on one Thomas Hart of Lawford by killing his Son who was soon after taken sick and died VVhereupon Rebecca told the Minister she thought the Devil could do like God in destroying whom he pleased After which she gave him Entertainment and he lay with her as a man She likewise confest to him that when she lived at Riverhall in Essex her Mother came and told her The Barley Corn was picked up meaning that the Son of one George Francis a chief Inhabitant of that Town was Dead and his Father very much suspected he was bewitched to Death and her Mother hearing of it said Be it unto him according to his Faith Mr. Matthew Hopkins deposed upon Oath that going to the Prison where Rebecca West and five others were he asked her how she first came to be a Witch who told him that her Mother and she going one Evening after Sunset toward Mannintree her Mother charged her to keep secret whatever she saw which she promising to do they went both to the House of Elizabeth Clark where they found her together with Ana Leach Elizabeth Gooding and Hellen Clark and that Instantly the devil appeared in the shape of a Dog then came two Kitlins and after them two Dogs more who all seemed to reverence Elizabeth Clark skipping into her lap and kissing her and then Kist all in the Room except her self Whereupon one of the Witches askt her Mother if her Daughter were Acquainted with the Business who assuring them of her secrecy Ann Leach pulled out a Book and Swore her not to reveal any thing she saw or heard and if she did she should endure more torments than there could be in Hell Whereupon she again ingaged to be silent They told her she must never confess any thing tho the Rope were about her Neck and she ready to be Hanged To which after she had given her absolute Ingagement the Devil leapt up into her Lap and Kissed her promising to perform whatever she would desire About halt a year after the Devil appeared as she was going to Bed and said he would marry her which she could not refuse whereupon he Kissed her but was as cold as Clay and then took her by the Hand Leading her about the room and promised to be her Loving Husband till Death and to avenge her of all her enemies She likewise obliging her self to be his Obedient Wife till Death and to deny God and Christ Jesus She confest that after this she sent him to kill the Son of Thomas Hart who died within a Fortnight and thereupon she took the Devil for her God and thought he could as God Rebecca West being likewise Examined before the Justices at Mannintree confessed that all was true concerning their Meeting at Elizabeth Clarks where they spent some time in Praying to their Familiar Spirits and then every one made their desires known to them Elizabeth Clark requested her Spirit that Mr. Edwards might be met withal at a Bridge near her House and that his Horse might be frighted and he thrown down and never rise again Mr. Edwards deposed that at the same place his Horse started and greatly indangered him and he heard something about the House Cry Ah Ah much like a Polecat and that with great difficulty he saved himself from being thrown off his Horse Elizabeth Gooding desired her Imp to kill Robert Jaylors Horse for suspecting her to be a Witch which was done accordingly Hellen Clark required to kill some Hogs of a Neighbours Ann Leach that a Cow might be Lamed and Ann West her Mother desired her Spirit to free her from all her enemies and to have no trouble And she her self desired that Thomas Harts Wife might be taken Lame of her right side after which they departed appointing the next Meeting at Elizabeth Goodings House for these and several other Notorious Crimes Ann West was Sentenced and Executed at Mannintree Elizabeth Gooding at Chelmsford and the Bill found against Rebecca West by the Grand Jury but was acquitted by the Jury of Life and Death Ibid p. 14. 5. Rose Hallybread was another of this black Regiment against whom Robert Turner of St. Osyth in Essex deposed that about eight days before his Servant was taken Sick shaking shrieking and crying out of Rose Hallybread that she had bewitched him and that he sometimes Crowed like a Cock sometimes barked like a Dog and sometimes Groaned violently beyond the ordinary course of Nature and tho but a youth struggl'd with so much strength that four or five lusty Men were not able to hold him down in his Bed and sometimes he would Sing several strange Songs and Tunes his Mouth not being opened nor his Lips so much as stirring all the time of his Singing She being examined confest That about sixteen years before one Goody Hagtree brought an Imp to her House which she entertained and fed it with Oat-Meal and Suckled it on her Body a Year and a half and then lost it She confessed likewise that about half a year before one Joyce Boanes brought to her another Imp in the likeness of a small gray Bird which she received and carried to the House of one Thomas Toakly of St. Osyths and put it under his Door after which
by his whole Army and afterward in process of time was confirmed in a miraculous manner He said moreover that in his sleep Christ appeared unto him with the former sign of the Cross And bid him make the like Figure to wear in his Banner Euseb in Vit. Constant l. 1. c. 22 23. See the next Chap. I dare not insist upon the Truth of that Relation that when this Emperour gave the Tithes to the Church a Voice was heard in the Air saying Nunc venenum infaesum est Ecclesia now Poison is poured into the Church though Hermannus Gigas Reports it for true Melleolus Relates it thus When Constantine gave to Pope Sylvester the Palace of the Laterane the City of Rome and Provinces of Italy a Hand was seen writing upon a Wall of the Laterane Hodie vacuum Ecclesia infusurus Centur. Magdeb cant 4. c. 13. 5. Voices Extracted from the Miscellanies of John Aubery Esq In the Life of King Henry IV. of France writ by the Arch-bishop of Paris it is recorded That Charles IX who caused the Massacre was wont to hear Screaches like those of the Persons Massacred 6. St. Augustine heard a Voice saying Tolle lege He took up his Bible and dipt on Rom. 13.13 Not in rioting and drunkenness not in chambering and wantonness c. and Reformed his Manners upon it 7. One Mr. Smith a Practitioner of Physiek at Tamworth in Warwick-shire an understanding sober Person reading Hollinshead's Chronicle found a relation of a great Fight between Vortigern and Hengest about those Parts at a place call'd Colemore A little time after as he lay awake in his Bed he heard a Voice that said unto him You shall shortly see some of the Bones of those Men and Horses slain that you read of He was surprized at the Voice and ask'd in the Name of God who it was that spoke to him The Voice made answer That he should not trouble himself about that but what he told him should come to pass Shortly after as he went to see Colonel Archer whose Servants were digging for Marle he saw a great many Bones of Men and Horses and also Pot-sherds and upon a view it appeared to be according to the description in Hollingshead's Chronicle and it was the place where the Fight was but it is now called Blackmore This was about the Year 1685. and I had the account from my worthy Friend and old Acquaintance Tho. Mariett of Warwickshire Esq who is very well acquainted with Mr. Smith aforesaid 8. It was since the Restauration of King Charles II. that Martin Luther's Table Talk was Translated into English by but about half a Year before as he lay in his Bed awake he heard a Voice which did bid him Translate that Book but by reason of some Business he neglected it The Voice demanded Why he had not done it he replyed he had not leisure Said the Voice You shall have leisure enough shortly And shortly after he was Arrested and put in the Gate-house at Westminster where he remained many Months and there was the Translation finished See the Preface before the Book Thus far I 'm beholden to Mr. Aubrey's Collections 9. Philip Vp-John the Son of a Reverend Divine being about 11 Years of Age whilst he lived with Dr. Annesley in Spittle-yard in the Year 1686. being alone reading the Bible he thought he heard a Voice Bidding him prepare for Death for he should die in a short time Upon which this Boy being surprized he came down Stairs and acquainted the Family with it Two or three days after he heard this Voice he went to one Mr. Mallerye a Joyner who work'd to the Family and seeing him making a Coffin he told Mr. Mallerye he should die shortly and desired he would make for him such a Coffin as that was which passage Mr. Mallerye acquainted the Family with the same Day and though then in perfect health in a few days after fell sick of which sickness he died This remarkable Passage I received from a Person who was at Dr. Annesley's House when this hapned 10. Mrs. Elizabeth Dunton as she was walking through Moor-Fields to see her Reverend Father Dr. Annesley who then lay dangerously ill she fancied she heard a Voice saying to her You need not be so much concerned for your Father for as near as he is to death you shall go before him This made a great Impression upon her Mind and in a few Days after she fell Sick and her Recovery is much doubted This happened about the latter end of October 1696. CHAP. VI. The Discovery of things Secret or Future by Signs common Sounds and Voices THis Title is near a-kin to the fore-going and differs only in this that there an Articulate Voice and Express words were heard here only some Inarticulate sound of no natural signification or particular sence is requisite or some noise in General which can be supposed to import nothing move then the Presence and Agency of some Invisible being Of which it will not be necessary to give many Instances because of the Affinity this hath to several other Heads or Titles in this Book 1. A. D. 1630. A very Miraculous thing happened at Geismar in Hassia two Souldiers lying for safety in that Town one of them complained to the other who was in Bed with him that he was very cold the other Answer'd he could not believe it in regard that his own Body was very hot and wet intreating him to touch and feel his side which when he had done finding his hands exceeding wet and as it were glued and congealed together he suspected something extraordinary and looking on his hands by the light of the Moon he Judged them to be Bloody and endeavouring to wash off the Blood from his side presently more Blood issued out at length after the space of an hour it ceased of it self About three handfuls of Blond were taken out of the Sheets this with the Relation of other Circumstances they presented in the Morning to the Commander who enquired of him how he had felt himself that Night the Souldier Answered That he had been extream ill for some time but was afterwards restored to his former Health The two next years after this Prodigy this goodly Countrey of Hassia was miserably harassed by several Armies and the Inhabitants were Barbarously and Inhumanely treated by the Emperours Army and if the Prince or his Poor Subjects did at any time complain and Petition for Justice or Redress they were only scorned and rejected for their labours so that they were forced to endure Quarterings Taxations Burnings Robberies and Sacking of their Towns and Villages yea the Slaughter of Innumerable innocent Subjects of all sorts without being able to obtain any Pity or Compassion from their Enemies The same Year 1630 in May the Noremberg Carrier and several Passengers in their Journey towards Hamborough passing by the Town of Coburg at Night they observed with great Admiration a Prodigious fire going in
his Judgment and Piety that notwithstanding the Opposition made by some great ones without his own seeking he was made Bishop of Meath in Ireland which just then fell void while he was in England and the King often boasted That he was a Bishop of his own making Clark in his Life 12. The Papists very rashly and hastily had Publish'd a Libel against Luther supposing he was deâ—d because he was constrained for his own safety to use caution in appearing abroad by râ—â—on of his many Enemies that laid wait for him signifying How the Devils had carried away his Body c. Which Libel came to Luther's hands two Years before he died and he reading of it thank'd God that the Devil and his Instruments were such Tools that they could not stay till his Death Pref. to Luther 's Sermons I pass over the Story of Queen Emma Mother to King Edward the Confessor who is said by our Historians to be causlesly suspected of too much Familiarity with Alwinus Bishop of Winchester of which Suspicion she purged herself and him by the Fire-Ordeal walking bare foot over nine red-hot Plough-shares without any hurt in thankfulness for which 't is said they gave each of them nine Manours to the Church of Winchester Dugdale Monast. Angl. Vol. 1. inter Addenda p. 980. 13. A. C. 1650. Anne Green a Servant-Maid to Sir Tho. Read of Duns-Tew in Oxfordshire being with Child by some one of the Family through over-working her self in turning of Malt fell in Travail about the fourth Month of her time but being but a young Wench and not knowing how it might be repairs to the House of Easement where after some Straining the Child scarce above a Span long and of what Sex not to be distinguished fell from her unawares She was three Days after conveyed to the Castle of Oxford and there Sentenc'd to be Hang'd She hung half an Hour was pulled by the Legs and struck on the Breast by divers of her Friends and after all had several Stroaks given her on the Stomach with the But-end of a Soldier 's Musket Afterwards being cut down and put in a Cossin and brought away to a House to be dissected though the Rope still remained strait about her Neck they perceived her Breast to rise whereupon one Mason a Taylor in Charity to her set his Foot upon her Breast and Belly and as some say one Orum a Soldier struck her again with the But-end of his Musket After a while they perceived a small Rattling in her Throat and then they used means for her Recovery by opening a Vein laying her in a warm Bed and causing another to go into Bed to her and using other Remedies with respect to her Senselesness Head Throat and Breast insomuch that within 14 Hours she began to speak and the next Day Talk'd and Prayed very heartily In the mean time her Pardon was sued out from the Powers then in being and Thousands of People came to see her magnifying the just Providence of God in thus asserting her Innocency of Murder She affirmed that she neither remembred how the Fetters were knock'd off how she went out of the Prison when she was turn'd off the Ladder whether any Psalm was sung or not nor was she sensible of any Pains that she could remember but which is most observable she came to her self as if she had awakened out of her Sleep not recovering the use of her Speech by slow degrees but in a manner altogether beginning to speak just where she left off on the Gallows She lived afterwards and was Married and had three Children not dying till 1659. Dionysius Petavius takes notice of it in his Continuation of the Hist of the World so doth Mr. Heath and Dr. Plot in his Natural Hist of Oxfordsh p. 193. 14. I shall only take notice further of an awful Example mentioned by A. B. Spotswood in his History of Scotland p. 449. His Words are these This Summer viz. Anno 1597. there was a great Business for the Tryal of Witches amongst others one Margaret Atkin being apprehended on Suspicion and threatned with Torture did confess her self Guilty being Examined touching her Associates in that Trade she named a few and perceiving her Delations find Credit made offer to detect all of that sort and to purge the Country of them so she might have her Life granted For the reason of her Knowledge she said That they had a secret mark all of that sort in their Eyes whereby she could surely tell how soon she looked upon any whether they were Witches or not And in this she was so readily believed that for the space of three or four Months she was carried from Town to Town to make Discoveries in that kind many were brought in question by her Delations especially at Glasgow where divers Innocent Women through the Credulity of the Minister Mr. John Cowper were condemned and put to Death In the end she was found to be a meer Deceiver and sent back to Fife where she was first Apprehended At her Tryal she affirmed all to be false that she had Confessed of her self or others and persisted in this to her Death which made many fore-think their to great forwardness that way and moved the King to re-call his Commission given out against such Persons discharging all Proceedings against them 15. There was in the Year 1649. in a Town called Lauder in Scotland a certain Woman accused and imprisoned on Suspicion of Witchcraft when others in the same Prison with her were Convicted and their Execution ordered to be on the Monday following she desired to speak with a Minister to whom she declared freely that she was guilty of Witchcraft acknowledging also many other Crimes committed by her desiring that she might die with the rest She said particularly that she had Covenanted with the Devil and was become his Servant about Twenty Years before and that he kissed her and gave her a Name but that since he had never owned her Several Ministers who were jeasous that she accused her self untruly charged it on her Conscience telling her That they doubted she was under a Temptation of the Devil to destroy her own Body and Soul and adjuring her in the Name of God to declare the Truth Notwithstanding all this she stiffly adhered to what she had said and was on Monday Morning Condemned and ordered to be Executed that Day When she came to the place of Execution she was silent until the Prayers were ended then going to the Stake where she was to be burnt she thus expressed her self All you that see me this Day know ye that I am to die as a Witch by my own Confession and I free all Men especially the Ministers and Magistrates from the guilt of my Blood I take it wholly on my self and as I must make answer to the God of Heaven I declare I am as free from Witchcraft as any Child but being accused by a Malicious Woman and
for his People That God would provide for them a Pastor after his own Heart He was a Man of such a moving Eloquence that the Bishop of Carthage hearing him Preach Two Days together in his Church could not refrain from Tears rejoycing that God had given to his Church in those afflicted Times such a worthy Instrument of his Glory Ibid. p. 95. 4. Austin would have a Preacher so long pursue and press the same Point until by the Gestures and Countenances of the Hearers he perceived that they understood it and also intended to practise it 5. Jerom was called Fulmen Ecclesiasticum the Churches Thunderbolt And surely Ministers should take the same liberty to cry down Sin that Men take to commit Sin Isa 58.1 6. Athanasius was said to be both an Adamant and a Loadstone for in his private Converse he was very affable and courteous drawing all Men to him even as a Loadstone doth Iron but in the Cause of God and his Truth he was unmovable and unconquerable as an Adamant 7. Of Luther it was said Vnus homo solus totius Orbis imperium sustinuit That he alone opposed a World of Enemies 8. It s recorded of Father Latimer that he preached twice every Sabbath even when he was of a very great Age and that he arose to his Studies Winter and Summer at Two a Clock in the Morning Act. and Mon. 9. 9. Bernard hath these Words If I deal not plainly and faithfully with your Souls Vobis erit damnosum mihi periculosum Timeo itaque damnum vestrum timeo damnationem meam si tacuero It will be ill for you and worse for me the Truth is ye would be betray'd and I should be damned if I should hold my Peace 10. Peter Chrysologus was eloquent and very powerful in his Sermons to the People and very holy in his Conversation whereby he won many to embrace the Truth Ever before he penned any thing he used with great ardency and humility to set himself by Prayer to seek unto God for Direction therein CHAP. LIX Reverence to Learned or Good Men. THere is such a Majesty in Wisdom and Goodness that they beget at least a secret Veneration in all Sensible Persons Barnabas and Paul were on this score worshipped at Lycaonia for Gods one under the Notion of Jupiter the other of Mercurius and Sacrifices were preparing for them The Lacedemonians finding it their Interest to corrupt Philopaeâ—en with Money were yet so possest with a Reverence of his Virtues that none durst venture to attack him And we are told that certain Pirates came to Visit Scipio that worthy Conquerour of Africa worshipped the Posts of his Doors laid their Gifts at his Thresholds went hastily to kiss his Hands and so over-joyed they departed And 't is not long ago since a wild Bravo of our own Nation the late Earl of Rochester acknowledged That even in the midst of his wild Paroxysms he had a secret Veneration for a Good Man 1. Valens the Emperour coming to Church on purpose to disturb Basil Bishop of Caesarea in his Holy Offices was so convinced and struck with an awful Opinion of him by observing his Reverent Behaviour that he made a large Offering instead of doing him any hurt which notwithstanding Basil refused as coming from an Heretick Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Gregory Nazianzen when Valens the Emperour entred his Church first astonish'd him and afterward by discreet Conference deterr'd him from his Cruelty yea reclaim'd him from the Arrian Faction tho' he afterwards relaps'd again Ibid. 3. Fulgentius being recalled from Exile by King Hilderic was received with such great Devotion by the Africans as if he had been peculiar Bishop to every City every where met with Tokens of Joy yea their Love was so great towards him that a Shower of Rain falling they held their Garments over him to keep him dry Ibid. p. 94. 4. Poggius Secretary to the Council of Constance writing to a Friend concerning Hierom of Prague saith thus of him I profess I never saw any Man who in Discourse especially it being for Life or Death that came nearer to the Eloquence of the Apostles and Ancients whom we do so much admire It was a Wonder to see with what Words with what Eloquence Arguments Countenance and Confidence he answered his Adversaries and maintained his own Cause insomuch as it is to be lamented that so fine a Wit had strayed into the way of Heresie if that be true which was objected against him When every Article of his Accusation was read publickly and proved by Witnesses they asked him Whether he had any thing to object But 't is almost incredible how cunningly he answered and with what Arguments he defended himself He never spake one Word unworthy a good Man So that if he thought in Heart as he spake with his Tongue no Cause of Death could have been found against him neither indeed was he guilty of the least Offence At last he concludes that he was a Man that deserved everlasting remembrance Ibid. p. 129. 5. Luther hath this Testimony given him by Melancthon Pomeram is a Grammarian I a Logician Justus Jonas an Orator but Luther is All even a Miracle amongst Men whatsoever he reads or writes pierceth to the very Soul and leaves wonderful Stings in the Hearts of Men. And this from Vrbanus Regius Talis tantus est Theologus Lutherus ut nullo secula habuer nt similem semper mihi Magnus fuit at jam mihi Maximus est vidi enim praesens audici quae nullo calamo tradi possunt abseneibus Ibid. p. 169. 6. Cassander for his Learning was so respected that he held a Correspondence with most Learned Men of all Perswasions Roman Catholicks Lutherans and Calvinists was sent for more than once by the Emperour to assist in reconciling the Differences that were then arisen with large Overtures for his Encouragement 7. William Tindal hearing of a Juggler amongst the English Merchants at Antwerp that by his Magical Art could fetch all kind of dainty Dishes and Wine from what place they pleased and let it presently upon the Table before them with many other such-like Feats desired of some of the Merchants that he might be present at Supper to see this Juggler play his Pranks which being granted the Juggler came and with his wonted boldness boasted what he could do but after much Labour Toyl and Sweating being able to effect nothing he openly confessed That there was some Man in the Company which disturbed and hindred all his doings Clark's Eccl. Hist p. 167. 8. Vrbanus Regius was dearly beloved by Ernestus Duke of Brunswick and esteemed as his Father insomuch as when the City of Auspurg A. C. 1535 sent to the Duke desiring him to return Regius again he answered That he would as soon part with his Eyes as with him And at his Return from Auspurg when divers of his Nobles asked him What new and precious Ware after the Example of other
an idle Person walking in the Streets but their Doors and Windows close shut the People within exercised in serious and grave Discourses reading of the Scriptures Repetition of Sermons Catechising Praying Singing of Psalms c. In the other the Doors open the Streets too much frequented with idle Company and licentious Exercises And even in Whitchurch where the Plague first and afterwards a Fire had the greatest Influence the Rector or Minister of the Parish did often enough and very plainly admonish them Inhabitants of that particular Street called the New-Town of their careless observance of the Lord's-Day as if that in his Judgment were the distinguishing Sin of that Street above any others in the Town 4. I have taken Notice elsewhere of Ministers and others who have been delighted and expended themselves in Sabbatical Devotions have been called to their Rest upon that Day As for instance 1. The Divine Poet nad Preacher Mr. Herbert 2. Mr. Edw. Deering 3. Theodore Beza 4. Arch-Bishop Abbot soon after he came out of the Pulpit fell sick and shortly after died 5. Dr. Rob. Harris died between Twelve and One a Clock on Saturday Night 6. Dr. Preston at Five a Clock on the Lord's-day Morning 7. Dr. Thomas Tailour of Aldermanbury Mr. Edward West the Lord's-Day-Night after having Preach'd there 8. Mr. Julius Herrings 9. Mr. Thomas Wadsworth and Mr. Richard Vines 10. Sir Matthew Hale upon Christmas-Day a Day which he used to Celebrate with great Devotion and much Spiritual Joy leaving behind him no less than Seventeen Poems which he had Composed upon that Day to the Honour of his Saviour Cum multis aliis c. On the same Day died Mr. Sam. Crook Minister See the Head of Sudden Death for more Relations of this nature 5. Mr. H. Burton after his Sufferings and Exile having an Order sent him from the Parliament for his Enlargement and his Return for England makes this Observation and in these Words Blessed Tidings indeed and the more because it comes from a Parliament and the more because it comes from a Parliament's Handsel presenting much Good but promising more The News filled Guernsey Castle with Joy and so the Island The First Observation I made of it was of the Day on which this Tidings came First I noted it was the Lord's-Day which Day I had mightily propugned and defended both by Preaching and Writing against the Malignant and Prophane Adversaries of the Sanctification thereof and of its Morality And when the Book for Dispensations and Allowance of Sports on that Day came with an Injunction to be publickly read in my Church upon the Lord's-Day that ery Day instead of Reading of it I turned my Afternoon Preaching into an opening of the Fourth Commandment therein proving the Lord's-Day both for Sabbath and Sanctification under the Gospel now the Order for my Liberty came on that Day See his Life p. 38. CHAP. LXXV Present Retribution to them that have been Obedient to Parents HOnour thy Father and Mother saith the Apostle which is the first Commandment with Promise And the particular Promise annexed to it is Length of Days viz. That thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee And the Reason is obvious and natural and plain to any Man of Common Sence for besides that the Dutifulness of Children is the likeliest may to engage the Favour of God and the Divine Conduct and Blessing on their sides it obligeth the Children who are temselves green in Years and unexperienced in the World and obnoxious to many Temptations and Snares of Ill Company Idleness Rashness Licentiousness c. to keep close to wiser Counsels and the grave Instructions of their faithful aged and experienced Parents by which means they oftentimes fare better than such rash and refractory Phaetons who throw off the Yoke of Parental Discipline and are left like Sons of Belial to do whatsoever seems good in their own eyes How many in the World have escaped the Stings of Poverty and the Ignominy of the Gallows and a violent Death and other Dangers by this means 1. Tho' Lamech had several other Children as Jabal Jubal Tubal-Cain c. yet none that we read of trod in the Steps and proved so dutiful and comfortable to his Parents as Noah Gen. 5.29 And he was remarkably blessed and rewarded for it for when all the rest of the World was destroyed He found Grace in the sight of the Lord Gen. 6.8 2. Noah had Three Sons Shem Ham Japhet but Ham dishonoured his Father and made a Scorn of his Nakedness and therefore was accursed by him Shem and Japhet joyned together and took a Garment to cover their Father's Infirmity and therefore Blessed saith Noah be the Lord God of Shem c. Gen. 9.26 3. Abraham had Two Sons Ishmael and Isaac the one scornful and disinherited and turned out of the House the other dutiful and his Father's Favourite and Heir 4. Isaac had Two Sons Esau and Jacob the one a cunning Hunter a profane Fellow that made light of his Birth-right and therefore forfeited his Blessing the other a plain Man and pious and according procured the Blessing 5. Jacob had many Children but Reuben the First-born unstable as Water went up to his Father's Bed and defiled it and therefore Gen. 49.4 Thou shalt not excel Simeon and Levi had Instruments of Cruelty in their Habitations in their Anger they slew a Man and in their Self-will digg'd down a Wall and therefore ver 7. Cursed be their Anger for it was fierce c. They were to be divided and scattered in Israel Judah to save Joseph's Life who was his Father's Fondling and the Son of his Old Age advised his Brethren to sell him and afterwards offered himself to be Joseph's Bondman for his Brother Benjamin out of Tenderness to his Aged Father Gen. 44.34 For how shall I go up saith he to my Father and the Lad be not with me lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my Father And therefore see how this Piety of Judah and Dutifulness to his Father was at last rewarded chap. 49.8 9 10. Judah thou art he that thy Brethren shall praise thy Hand shall be in the Neck of thy Enemies thy Father's Children shall bow down before thee Judah is a Lion's Whelp c. The Sceptre shall not depart from Judah c. 6. I have read saith my Author of a young Man hang'd at Four and twenty Years whose curled Black Locks upon the Gallows instantly turned White many enquiring into the Cause of such a strange Event a grave Divine assigned this Reason Had this young Man saith he been dutiful to his Parents obedient to his Superiours he might have lived so long 'till that in the Course of Nature his Black Hairs had become White Mr. Quick in his relation of the Poisoning of a whole Family in Plimouth c. p. 87. 7. Mr. Paul Baines of Christ's-College in Cambridge was at first very
of destroying herself and have had oftentimes a Knife put into her Hand to do it so that she durst not be left by herself alone and when she had considered what the Cause of it might be her Conscience did hint most her neglecting of Duties to have performed they being the Ordinances of God Thus she continued 'till two Years ago she buried her Child the which was a very great trouble to her to part with and then was she more convinced of Sin which caused her Burthen to be the greater so that she could seldom have any other Thoughts but of Desperation but the Lord keeping her by his great Mercy so that sometimes she could pray with Devotion and discerning the Lord to remove this great Trouble from her she did plainly find that those great Temptations were very much lessened the which is a great Comfort unto her Spirit Believers Experiences p. 25. CHAP. XCI Satan Hurting by Dreams That God hath made use of Dreams and Visions of the Night to awaken Men to their Duty and a Sence of the Dangers they were in is demonstrated already and it is not unreasonable to believe that the Devil can in this Case too transform himself into an Angel of Light and impose upon the Imaginations of Men by strange deluding Fancies and Idea's formed on purpose to trick their Minds into a Snare and to allure them into some Trap of either Sin or Misery that he hath laid for them 1. King James the Fifth of Scotland was a great Enemy to the Light of the Gospel which in his Days broke forth in that Kingdom viz. about the Year 1541 and out of a blind and bloody Zeal was heard to say That none of that Sort should expect any Favour at his Hands no not his own Sons if they proved guilty But not long after Sir James Hamilton being suspected to incline that way was falsly accused of a Practice against the King's Life and being Condemned was Executed Shortly after the King being at Linlithgow on a Night as he slept it seemed to him That Thomas Scot Justice-Clerk came unto him with a Company of Devils crying Wo-worth the Day that ever I knew thee or thy Service for serving thee against God and against his Servants I am now adjudged to Hell torments Hereupon the King awaking called for Lights and causing his Servants to arise told them what he had heard and seen The next Morning by Day-light Advertisement was brought him of this Scot's Death which fell out just at the time when the King found himself so troubled and almost in the same manner for he died in great extremity often uttering these words Justo Dei Judicio comdemnatus sum by the righteous Judgment of God I am condemned Which being related to the King made the Dream more terrible 2. Another Vision he had in the same place not many Nights after which did more affright him Whilst he lay sleeping he thought He saw Sir James Hamilton whom he had caused to be Executed come with a Sword drawn in his Hand wherewith he cut off both his Arms threatning also to return within a short time and deprive him of his Life With this he awaked and as he lay musing what this might import News was brought him of the Death of his two Sons James and Arthur who died at St. Andrews and Strinling at one and the same Hour The next Year viz. 1542 being overcome with Grief and Passion himself died at Faulkland in the Thirty second Year of his Age. Arch-bishop Spoteswood 's History of the Church of Scotland Clark's Mirrour Ch. 7. p. 34 35. I am not sure that these particular Instances are properly placed under this Head I leave it to my wise and judicious Reader to consider whether or no these were Divine Admonitions or Satanical Illusions Mr. Clark hath accounted them as Satanical But 't is certain the Vulgar sort of People are so fond of observing their Dreams and some pretended wise Men and Women of a superstitious Kidney do promote this Fancy extreamly and undertake to prescribe Rules for the making a Judgment upon them and by that means do no small hurt to some weak hypochondriacal and melancholick Spirits How often shall we hear them whining out their Complaints upon the Account of some late Dream in expectation of some sad Disaster or Malady that they believe with much Confidence will befall them And sometimes fretting and pining to that extremity that no Comfort will down with them 'till the Date of their Dream be fully expired And I doubt not but Comfort will down with in promoting these silly and troublesome Conceits CHAP. XCII Satan Hurting by Witchcraft ATheism and Sadducism have got such Ground in the World of late Ages that 't is no vain Vndertaking to write of Devils and the Mischief done by them to Mankind by the Mediation of a sort of People that have Familiar Communion with them To transcribe all has been writ upon this Subject by Dr. More Mr. Glanvil Mr. Baxter Scheggius Remigius Delrio Mather c. would make up a large Volume enough to confute any whose Faces are not harder than Brass and their Hearts than Iron it shall be enough to say so much as shall suffice to convince those who are industrious enough to read patient enough to deliberate and have humility and honesty enough to be serious and impartial And as for the rest Qui vult Decipi decipiatur 1. In Pinola there were some who were much given to Witchcraft and by the Power of the Devil did act strange Things Amongst the rest there was one Old Woman named Martha de Carillo who had been by some of the Town formerly accused for Bewitching many but the Spanish Justices quitted her finding no sure Evidence against her with this grew worse and worse and did much harm when I was there two or three died withering away declaring at their Death That this Carillo had killed them and that they saw her often about their Beds threatning them with a frowning and angry Look the Indians for fear of her durst not complain against her nor meddle with her Whereupon I sent saith my Author unto Don Juan de Guzman the Lord of that Town that if he took not Order with her she would destroy the Town He hearing of it got for me a Commission from the Bishop and another Officer of the inquisition to make diligent and private Enquiry after her Life and Actions Which I did and found among the Indians many and grievous Complaints against her most of the Town affirming that she was certainly a most notorious Witch and that before her former Accusation she was wont to go as she had occasion about the Town with a Duck following her which when she came to the Church would stay at the Door 'till she came out again and then would return with her which Duck they imagined was her beloved Devil and Familiar Spirit for that they had often set Dogs at
fearful Spectacle of God's Wrath both against that Heathenish Sport and wilfull Prophaning of the Sabbath whilst he maketh the very thing they had chosen for their Sport and Pastime to be the Instrument of executing his Fury The truth of this I diligently enquired after at my first coming to Sarum and very many Godly and Credible Persons who had seen that sad Spectacle in my hearing attested it to be so Ibid. 19. Mr. Hugh Clark Preaching about Oundle in Northampton-shire where the People were generally very Ignorant and much addicted to the prophanation of the Lord's-day by Whitson-Ales Morris-Danceâ— c. which he much set himself against endeavouring to convince them of the evil and denouncing God's Judgments in case of their obstinate perseverance They being trained up in those Courses and hardned by Custom persisted still in their wickedness At last on a Lord's-Day the Leader of the Dance a lusty young man in the midst of their Prophane Pastimes fell down suddenly and died but they soon shaking off their Fear returned to their Vomit again The Lord's-day following Mr. Clark took occasion from this sad dispensation to quote that Text Jer 17.27 If thou wilt not hearken to me to Hallow the Sabbath-day c. then will I kindle a fire in the Gates thereof c. The People still kicked against these Admonitions and the Eve following returned to their Sports again among whom was a Smith that was a chief Ring-leader but it pleased God the very next day two Husband-men coming to his Shop to sharpen their Plough-shares a Spark from the red-hot Iron as he was beating it upon the Anvil flew into the Thatch which both the Smith and his Neighbours saw but had not power to move towards it which presently burnt down the Shop House and all the Smith's Goods This Mr. Clark pressed upon their Consciences but nothing would prevail till at last upon a Sabbath-day at night when they were retir'd to their several homes there was heard a great noise and ratling of Chains up and down the Town which was accompanied with such a smell and stink of Fire and Brimstone that many of their guilty Consciences suggested to them that the Devil was come to fetch them away quick into Hell and now and not till now they began to think in good earnest of a Reformation Mr. Clark in his Father's Life p. 128. And thus much for the Examples of the first Table whereof if some seemed to exceed Credit by reason of the strangeness of them yet let us know that nothing is impossible to God and that he doth often work Miracles to controul the obstinate Impiety and Rebellion of mortal Men against his Commandment Besides there is not one Example here mentioned but it hath a credible or probable Author for the Avoucher of it Let us now out of all this that hath been spoken gather up this wholesom Lesson to love God with all our Heart and Affection to the end we may Worship him Invocate his holy Name and repose all the confidence of our Salvation upon him alone through Christ Jesus seeking by pleasing and obeying his Will to set forth his Glory and render him due thanks for all his benefits CHAP. CVIII Divine Judgments upon Scorners of their Pastors Preachers c. THe Psalmist David hath ranged Scorners in the highest Class of Sinners Psal 1.1 and Solomon tells us that Judgments are prepared for the Scorners Prov. 19.29 and again He that being often Reproved hardneth himself shall suddenly be destroyed and that without Remedy Prov. 29.1 Vpon which considerations Scornfulness is justly look'd upon by wise persons as the must visible mark and characteristic of a Reprobate Sinner a Person not worthy of more instruction from Man but like Ephraim joyned to Idols to be left to himself and the Wisdom of Heaven Reprove not a Scorner Can not that which is Holy to Dogs 1. Mr. Batman tells us of himself I was saith he in present danger to have been slain in the House of him whom I took to be my Friend laying to my charge such things as I was innocent of being only his surmise which afterward was confessed by him he was then in Wealth but how he died if his name were known it would soon be discerned Not many years after I fell into the hands of inconstant men whose double dealings I referred to God and one of them was stricken blind after much molesting me which when he had disclosed in part his old Malice died I trust Penitent another falling into a Dropsie confessed his attempted wrongs with tears and died I trust a good Christian Two others for reproving them for their manifest Whoredom it is well known that if Grace to Repent be as far from them as that wealth they once possessed they cannot die without Shame in the World and Vengeance of God Doom Warning c. p. 410 411. 2. Gildas preaching to the old Britains Repentance and forewarning them of Plagues to come was laughed to scorn and taken for a false Prophet But what followed God sent in their Enemies on every side and destroying them gave their Land to other Nations Beard 's Theatre p. 144. 3. John Wickliff preaching against the Idolatry and Superstitions of the Age was despised together with his Sermons and both burnt after his Death himself and Books What ensued A most heavy Vengeance Their lawful King slain Three others set up on a row under whom all the noble Blood was spilt and half the Commons destroyed a War with France Civil Discord at Home Cities and Towns decayed and the Land brought half to a Wilderness Ibid. 4. Hemingius a learned Divine in his Exposition upon the First Chapter of St. John's Gospel reporteth That about the Year 1550. there was a certain lewd Companion in Denmark who had long made a Profession to mock at all Religion and at devout Persons This Fellow entring into a Church where there was a Sermon made by the Minister of the Place began contrary to all those that were present to behave himself most profanely and to shew by lewd Countenances and Gestures his Dislike and Contempt of that holy Exercise To whom the Preacher being instant upon his Business in hand spake not a Word but only sighing prayed unto God that this Mocker might be suppressed Who seeing that the Preacher would not contest against him but contemned his unworthy Behaviour goeth out of the Church but yet not out of the Reach of God's Vengeance for presently as he passed out a Tyle fell from the House upon his Head and slew him upon the Place A just Judgment upon so profane a Wretch from whence all Scorners and Deriders of godly Sermons and the Preachers of the same may take Example for their Amendment if they have any Grace in them Ibid. 5. Christopher Turk a Counsellor of State to a great Nobleman in Germany going one Day to Horse and mocking at a certain Nobleman who was then Prisoner in his
former Tenets And so after his Death upon a solemn Citation and Process against him Sentence was given viz. That he was unworthy of the Favour of the Holy Apostolick See that he should be deprived of all his Honour Benefit or Dignity his Goods Confiscate and himself given over to the Secular Powers which was de facto done He and his Picture and Books which he had written to be burned Which was done accordingly in Campo di Fiori See the Relation of the Process sent from Rome Published at London 1624. 4. The pretended Possession of the London Nuns and the possessed Woman at Antwerp is detected and discovered by the Duke of Lauderdale in Letter to Mr. Baxter Hist Disc of Appar and Witches c. c. 4. of the Staffordshire Body discovered by Bishop Moreton who pissed through an Ink-horn 5. The lying Wonders and false Miracles wrought all over the World and laugh'd at by all wise People in the World would fill a Volume to Discourse of them in particular 6. The Supposititious Heirs Perkin Warbeck and Great Bellies made out with little Pillows c. would be tedious to insist upon 7. Hither may be referred those two Arch-Female Cheats Marcy Clay alias Jinny Fox and the German Princess famed lately for their Art of Lifting alias Cheating who at last were deservedly preferred to Tyburn CHAP. CXXXVII Divine Judgments upon Oppression Tyranny 'T IS said of Tyrants and Oppressive Persons That they shall not live out half their days Psal 55.25 and common Experience gives attestation to the Truth of it Ad Generum Cereris sine caede sanguine pauci Descendunt Reges siccà morte Tyranni Juv. Satyr 1. Adonizedeck pharaoh Abimelech Athaliah Jezabel Herod Pilate c. may go for Scripture-Examples Others follow 1. Alexander the Great after his Victories over Persia Asia India Hircania Babylon Scythia Syria Phoenicia Judaea Egypt c. grew Pound and Tyrannical witness his Murdering of Philotas one of his brave Captains who had assisted him in all his Conquests and his Father his Rewarding a Mariner that had leaped into a Lake near Babylon and swam to fetch off his Hat with his Crown fastened to it whither a Tempest had carried it off his Head as he was Rowing over it in his Galley with a Talent but causing his Head to be cut off for putting the Crown upon it to keep it dry In the midst of his Career and the very height of his Vigour and Jollity was cut off himself by Death in the Thirty Second Year of his Age and but the Twelfth of his Reign Qu. Curt. in vità Plutarch Alsted Eucyclop p. 2977. 2. Dionysius the Sicilian Tyrant who would not suffer a Barber to trim him nor Lodge with his Wives without first searching the Chambers nor speak to his People but out of a High Tower who giving his Cloak and Sword to a Boy that waited on him caused a Man to be slain for saying Sir now you have put your Life into his hands and the Boy for only smiling at it That set Damocles to a Feast with a Company of Beautiful Boys to wait on him together with Crowns and Musick c. and a sharp glittering Sword hanging over his Head tied with a Horse-hair only for saying Dionysius was a Happy Man lived with so little Security that himself took little pleasure in Life and his Subjects generally desired his Death except the Old Woman that went daily to the Temple to Pray for him lest the Devil himself should come in his room in short he was so tortured with his own Suspicions that he would not suffer any Man no come into his Chamber with a Gown on his back no not his own Son or Brother nay put a Soldier to Death for only giving his Brother a Halbert to describe a Plot of Ground to him with the Situation of it and slew Marsyas because he dreamed one Night that he had killed him Plut. in vit Dionys Invidiâ Siculi non invenere Tyranni Tormentum majus 3. Nero. that Monster of Mankind that used to go by Night about the Streets of Rome beating and abusing and sometimes throwing into Privies People that stood in his way and resisted him breaking open Shops and robbing them caused the Genitals of a Boy that he loved called Sporus to be cut off in order to the making of him a Woman killed his Wife Poppea Sabina when great with Child murder'd his Wife Octavia and his Mother Agrippina after he had committed Incest with her causing her Womb to be ript up to see where he had lain poison'd Claudius from whom he received the Empire murdered his Aunt Domitia and Antonia Claudius his Daughter because she refused to Marry him hired Conjurers to lay the Ghost of his Mother Agrippina with whom he was haunted caused Crispinus his Son-in-law by Poppea to be drowned as he was Fishing with many others of his Relations murdered Aulus Plancus after he had committed Sodomy with him Enforced his Master Seneca to Murder himself sent Poison to his other Master Burrhus Poison'd several Rich Free-men and Old Men who had been formerly helpful to him caused the City of Rome to set on Fire whilst himself goes up to the top of Moecenas his Tower tuning his Harp and singing to feed his Eyes with the Pleasantness of the Sight and afterwards put it on the Christians to give an occasion of Persecuting them causing some of them to be cloathed in the Skins of Wild Beasts and torn in pieces by Dogs others to be crucified others to be made Bonefires of to light him in his Night-sports Wishing the World might be destroyed whilst he lived that he might be a Spectator of it At last the Senate judging him to be an Enemy to Mankind condemned him to be whipt to Death through the streets of Rome upon which he ran and hid himself among Briars and Thorns and crying out I have neither a Friend nor an Enemy miserable Man that I am threw himself into a Pit four Foot deep and there desperately slew himself Sueton. in vit 4. Caligula another Roman Emperor who disinherited and slew Tiberius who was Co-heir with him compelled his Father-in-Law to Murder himself caused his Grandmother to kill her self for Reproving of him banished his two Sisters after he had committed Incest with them used all sorts of Magistrates scornfully murdered privately several of the Senators stigmatized many Persons of Quality or dismembred them and then condemned them either to the Mines or to mend High-ways or to Wild Beasts or to be sawn asunder compelled Parents to be present at the Torment of their Sons and one excusing himself he sent his Litter for him another Father he caused to be slain because he desired to shut his Eyes while his Children were tormented a third he brought home with him from seeing his Son 's miserable Death and would force him to laugh jest and be merry cast a Roman Knight to the Beasts and because he
and the Romans will come and take away both our Place and Nation Here was a causeless Cry against Christ That the Romans would come and see how just the Judgment of God was They crucified Christ for fear least the Romans should come and his Death was it which brought in the Romans upon them God punishing them with that which they most feared And I pray God this Clamour of venient Romani of which I have given no cause help not to bring them in For the Pope never had such a Harvest in England since the Reformation as he hath now upon the Sects and Divisions that are amongst us In the mean time by Honour and Dishonour by good Report and evil Report as a Deceiver and yet True am I passing through this World Some Particulars also I think it not amiss to speak of And first this I shall be bold to speak of The King our gracious Sovereign hath been also much and â—eed for bringing in of Popery but on my Conscience of which I shall give God a present Account I know him to be as free from this Charge as any Man living and I hold him to be as sound a Protestant according to the Religion by Law establish'd as any Man in this Kingdom and that he will venture his Life as far and as freely for it and I think I do or should know both his Affection to Religion and his Grounds for it as fully as any Man in England The second Particular is concerning this Great and Populous City which God bless Here hath been of late a Fashion taken up to gather Hands and then to go to the Great Court of this Kingdom the Parliament and clamour for Justice as if that Great and Wise Court before whom the Causes come which are unknown to the many could not or would not do Justice but at their Appointment A way which may endanger many an innocent Man and pluck his Blood upon their own Heads and perhaps upon the City 's also And this hath been lately practised against my self the Magistrates standing still and suffering them openly to proceed from Parish to Parish without Check God forgive the Setters of this I beg it with all my Heart but many well-meaning People are caught by it In St. Stephen's Case when nothing else would serve they stirred up the People against him and Herod went the same way when he had killed St. James yet he would not venture upon St. Peter till he found how the other pleased the People But take heed of having your Hands full of Blood For there is a Time best known to himself when God above other Sins makes Inquisition for Blood and when that Inquisition is on foot the Psalmist tells us that God remembers but that 's not all he remembers and forgets not the complaint of the poor that is whose blood is shed by oppression v. 9. Take heed of this 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God but then especially when he is making Inquisition for Blood and with my Prayers to avert it I do heartily desire this City to remember the Prophecy Jer. 26.15 The third Particular is the poor Church of England It hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when Storms have driven upon them But alas now 't is in a Storm it self and God only knows whether or how it shall get out And which is worse than a Storm from without it 's become like an Oak cleft to shivers with Wedges made out of its own Body and at every Cleft Profaneness and Irreligion is entering in while as Prosper speaks L. 2. de Contemptu Vitae c. 4. Men that introduce Profaneness are cloaked over with the Name of Imaginary Religion For we have lost the Substance and dwell too much in Opinion and that Church which all the Jesuites Machinations could not Ruine is fallen into Danger by her own The last Particular for I am not willing to be too long is my self I was Born and Baptized in the Bosom of the Church of England established by Law in that Profession I have ever since lived and in that I come now to die This is no time to dissemble with God least of all in matter of Religion and therefore I desire it may be remembred I have always lived in the Protestant Religion established in England What Clamours and Slanders I have endured for labouring to keep an Uniformity in the External Service of God according to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church all Men know and I have abundantly felt Now at last I am accused of High Treason in Parliament a Crime which my Soul ever abhorred This Treason was charged to consist of these two Parts an Endeavour to subvert the Laws of the Land and to overthrow the True Protesant Religion established by Law Besides my Answers to the several Charges I protested my Innocency in both Houses It was said Prisoners Protestations at the Bar must not be taken I can bring no Witness of my Heart and the intentions thereof therefore I must come to my Protestation not at the Bar but at this hour and instant of my Death In which I hope all Men will be such Charitable Christians as not to think I would die and dissemble being instantly to give God an Account for the Truth of it I do therefore here in the Presence of God and his Holy Angels take it upon my Death That I never endeavoured the Subversion either of Law or Religion and I desire you all to remember this Protestation of mine for my Innocency in these and from all Treasons whatsoever I have been accused likewise as an Enemy to Parliaments No I understand them too well and the Benefit that comes by them too well to be so but I did mislike the Misgovernments of some Parliaments many ways and I had good Reason for it For Corruptio optimi est pessima the better the Thing is in nature the worse it is corrupted And that being the Highest Court over which no other here have jurisdiction when 't is misinformed or misgoverned the Subject is left without all Remedy But I have done I forgive all the World all and every of those bitter Enemies which have persecuted me and humbly desire to be forgiven of God first and then of every Man whether I have offended him or not if he do but conceive that I have Lord do thou forgive me and I beg forgiveness of him and so I heartily desire all to joyn in Prayer with me O Eternal God and Merciful Father look down upon me in Mercy in the Riches and Fulness of all thy Mercies look upon me but not till thou hast nail'd my Sins to the Cross of Christ not till thou hast bathed me in the Blood of Christ not till I have hid my self in the Wounds of Christ that so the Punishment due to my Sins may pass over me And since thou art pleased to try me
this Affair more and more cleared up to me God hath given God hath taken blessed be his holy Name that hath enabled me to be willing to suffer rather than to put forth my hand to Iniquity or to say a Confederacy with those that do so I am heartily and sincerely troubled for what hath happened many mans Lives being lost and many poor distressed Families ruin'd the Lord Pardon what of sin he hath seen in it He in his wonderful Providence hath made me and others concerned Instruments not only for what is already fallen out but I believe for hastening some other great Work he hath to do in these Kingdoms whereby he will try and purge his People and winnow the Chaff from the Wheat the Lord keep those that are his Faithful unto the end I die in Charity with all the World and can readily and heartily forgive my greatest Enemies even those that have been Evidences against me and I most humbly beg the Pardon of all that I have in the least any way injured and in a special manner humbly ask Pardon of the Lady Lisle's Family and Relations for that my being succoured there one Night with Mr. Hicks brought that worthy Lady to suffer Death I was wholly a Stranger to her Ladiship and came with Mr. Hicks neither did she as I verily believe know who I was or my Name till I was taken And if any other have come to any loss or trouble I humbly beg their Pardon and were I in a condition I would as far as I was able make them a requital As to my Faith I neither look nor hope for Mercy but only in the Free-Grace of God by the Application of the Blood of Jesus my dearest and only Saviour to my poor sinful Soul My distresses have been exceeding great as to my Eternal State but through the infinite goodness of God tho' I have many sins to answer for yet I hope and trust as to my particular that Christ came for this very end and purpose to relieve the Oppressed and to be a Physician to the Sick I come unto thee O blessed Jesus refuse me not but wash me in thine own Blood and then present me to thy Father as Righteous What though my Sins be as Crimson and of a Scarlet Dye Yet thou canst make them as white as Snow I see nothing in my self but what must utterly ruine and condemn me I cannot answer for one Action of my whole Life but I cast my self wholly upon thee who art the Fountain of Mercy in whom God is reconciling himself to the World the greatest of Sins and Sinners may find an All-sufficiency in thy Blood to cleanse them from all sin O dearest Father of Mercy look upon me as Righteous in and through the imputed Righteousness of thy Son he hath payed the Debt by his own Offering up himself for sin and in that thy Justice is satisfied and thy Mercy is magnified Grant me thy Love O dearest Father assist me and stand by me in the needful hour of Death give thy Angels charge over my poor Soul that the Evil One may not touch nor hurt it Defend me from his Power deliver me from his Rage and receive me into thine Eternal Kingdom in and through the alone Merits of my dearest Redeemer for whom I praise thee To whom with thy self and holy Spirit be ascribed all Glory Honour Power Might and Dominion for ever and for ever Amen Dear Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Amen R. NELTHROP Newgate Octob. 29. 1685. 6. Mrs. GAVNT ONE of the great Reasons why Mrs. Gaunt was burnt was 't is very possible because she lived at Wapping the honest Seamen and hearty Protestants thereabouts being such known Enemies to Popery and Arbitrary Government that the Friends of both gave all who oppose it the Name of Wappingers as an odious Brand and Title She was a good honest charitable Woman who made it her business to relieve and help whoever suffered for the forementioned Cause sparing no Pains refusing no Office to get them Assistance in which she was the most Industrious and Indefatigable Woman living Among others whom she had thus relieved who were obnoxious Persons was one Burton whom with his Wife and Family she had kept from starving for which may the very Name of them be register'd with Eternal Infamy they swore against her and took away her Life Tho' she says in her Speech there was but one Witness against her as to any Money she was charg'd to give him and that he himself an Outlawed Person his Outlawry not yet revers'd he not being Outlawed when she was with him and hid him away That which she writ in the Nature of a Speech has a great deal of Sense and Spirit Were my Pen qualified to represent the due Character of this Excellent Woman it would be readily granted That she stood most deservedly entituled to an Eternal Monument of Honour in the hearts of all sincere Lovers of the Reformed Religion All true Christians tho' in some things differing in Persuasion with her found in her an Universal Charity and sincere Friendship as is well known to many here and also to a multitude of the Scotch Nation Ministers and others who for Conscience-sake were formerly thrust into Exile These found her a most refreshing Refuge She dedicated her self with unwearied Industry to provide for their Supply and Support and therein I do incline to think she out-stripped every individual Person if not the whole Body of Protestants in this great City Hereby she became exposed to the implacable Fury of Bloody Papists and those blind Tools who co-operated to promote their accursed Designs And so there appeared little difficulty to procure a Jury as there were well-prepared Judges to make her a Sacrifice as a Traytor to the State Her Judges the King's Counsel the Solicitor-General the Common Serjeant c. rackt their Inventions to draw Burton and his Wife to charge Mrs. Gaunt with the knowledge of his being in a Plot or in the Proclamation but nothing of that could be made out nor is here any sort of Proof that Mrs. Gaunt harboured this ungrateful Wretch or that she gave him either Meat or Drink as the Indictment charges her but notwithstanding that her Jury brought her in Guilty The Sentence was executed upon this Excellent Woman upon Friday then following being the 23d of October 1685. when she left her Murderers the following Memorial Newgate 22d of October 1685. Mrs. Gaunt's Speech written the Day before her Sufferings NOT knowing whether I should be suffered or able because of weaknesses that are upon me through my hard and close Imprisonment to speak at the Place of Execution I writ these few Lines to signifie That I am well reconciled to the way of my God towards me though it be in ways I looked not for and by terrible things yet in Righteousness having given me Life he ought to have the disposing of it when and how he pleases
it to lye No I will not I say if he was my Lawful King I was misled in my Judgment and have committed a great Error but Lord I hope thou hast washed away all my sins in and through the Blood of my dear Redeemer in whose alone Merits I hope for Mercy I desire to be asked no more Questions Then the Minister prayed very devoutly near half an hour after which lifting up his Hands and Eyes to Heaven he quietly submitted to Death 14. Mr. John Hicks's Last Speech 1685. I Suppose the Spectators here present may expect I should speak something before I leave this Sanguinary Stage and Passage through my Bloody Sufferings by which my Immortal Spirit will be speedily transported into an invisible and eternal World and I conclude that they have different Resentments hereof Some resent them with much Joy high Exultation and Triumph others with equal Grief and Sorrow that to the one I am a most pleasant Spectacle that they behold me with high complacency and delight but to the other I am a mournful and unpleasant one and they behold me with no less pity and compassion Concerning the first I can say I freely and heartily forgive them and heartily pray that God would most mercifully and graciously prevent their mourning through Misery not only here but eternally hereafter Concerning the other I will say Weep for your own sins and for the sins of the Nation for the highest Rebellions that ever were committed against the great and eternal God lament bitterly for those sins that have been the meritorious Cause of the late terrible Judgment that which I fear will cause God to break in upon this Nation with an overflowing Deluge of Judgments which are far more tremendous and dreadful As for Sympathizing with me in drinking this bitter Cup appointed for me I return you most humble and hearty thanks earnestly desiring God to come unto you and fill your Souls with all Coelestial Comforts and Spiritual Consolations Something I must say to purge and clear my self from a false Accusation laid to my Charge as that I was engaged with Col. Blood in Rescuing Col. Mason near Boston when he was sent down with a Guard from London to York to be Tryed for High Treason and that I was the Man that killed the Barber of that City and that also I was with him when he stole the Crown Now as I am a dying Man and upon the very brink of a very stupendous Eternity the truth and reality whereof I firmly believe without any Reservation or the least Equivocation I do declare in the Presence of the All-seeing God that Impartial Judge before whom in a very little time I must appear I never saw nor conversed with Mr. Thomas Blood from 1656 till after he stole the Crown which was in 71 or 72 nor was ever engaged with him in any of his Treasonable Plots and Practices 'T is true I being involved in great trouble of another Nature of which I have given to the World a Narrative and which is notoriously known in the Country where I then lived by some that were Enemies to me for my Preaching I was perswaded to apply my self to Mr. Blood to procure by his Intercession his late Majesty's Gracious Favour Accordingly he brought me into his Royal Presence while I was there his Majesty carried it with great Clemency without expressing one word of that which I am now charged with Mr. Blood continued with his Majesty a little longer than I did then he told me that he had granted me a Pardon which I did thankfully accept of knowing it would free me from all Penalties and Troubles that I was obnoxious to and were occasioned to me by my Nonconformity Then engaging him to take out my Pardon he told me That he got it out with several others that had been engaged with him in several Treasonable Designs and Actions at which I was troubled supposing it might be imputed to me thereby yet God knows I have often since reflected upon it with great regret and dissatisfaction If Mr. Blood did inform the late King to make himself the more considerable and to bring as many of his Party as he could to accept of their Pardons that he might be rendered utterly incapable of Plotting any further Mischief against his Government or any other ways that I was engaged with him in any of his Treasonable Attempts I now appeal to God as a dying Man concerning it that he hath done me an irreparable wrong I also in the same manner do declare That I was never engaged with any Party in Plotting or Designing or Contriving any Treason or Rebellion against the late King and particularly that I was altogether unconcerned in and unacquainted with that for which my Lord Russel and others suffered and as much a stranger to any against the present King And whereas it is reported of me That at Taunton I perswaded the late Duke of Monmouth to assume the Title of King I do once more selemnly declare That I saw not the said Duke nor had any Converse with him till he came to Shipton-Mallet which was Thirteen Days after he landed and several days after he had been at Taunton And 't is as false that I rid to and fro in the West to stir up and perswade Men to go into his Army and Rebel against his present Majesty for I was in the East Country when the Duke landed and from thence I went directly to him when he was at Shipton-Mallet not one Man accompanying me from thence But hitherto as I lived so now I die owning and professing the true Reformed Christian commonly called the Protestant Religion which is founded on the pure written Word of God only and which I acknowledge likewise to be comprehended in the Articles of the Doctrine of the Church This Religion I have made a reasonable and free choice of and have heartily embraced not only as it protests against all Pagan and Mahometan Religion but against the Corruption of the Christian and I humbly and earnestly pray to God that by his Infinite Wisdom and Almighty Power he will prevent not only the utter extirpation but diminution thereof by the heighth and influence of what is contrary thereto and for that end the Lord make the Professors of it to live up more to its Principles and Rules and bring their Hearts and Conversations more under the Government and Power of the same I die also owning my Ministry Non-conformity for which I have suffered so much and which doth now obstruct the King's Grace and Mercy to be manifested and extended to me For as I chose it not constrainedly so I appeal to God as a dying Man not moved from Sullenness or Humour or Factious Temper or Erroneous Principles of Education or from Secular Interests or Worldly Advantages but clearly from the Dictates of my own Conscience and as I judged it to be the Cause of God and to have more of Divine Truth
his Breast but by the sudden coming in of his Servants he was prevented from finishing his Design and his Wound was bound up by them nevertheless as soon as he found Opportunity he tore off his Plaisters (h) (h) Val. Max. l. 4. c. 6. p. 114. and let forth a Soul that was unwilling to stay in the Body after that his Wife had forsaken hers And as the Widows among the Primitive Christians as I hinted before counted Second Marriages a sort of Adultery so the Men too in that (i) (i) Dr. Horneck's Lives of the Primitive Christians purer Age were so Chast and Holy that not a Man came near his Wife after he perceived or had notice that she was with Child till she was delivered and even then when they came together there Thoughts were so Innocent that they proposed no other End but Procuration of Children to be brought up in the Fear and Nature of the Lord and wou'd not hear of a Second Match Neither is the present Age without Instances of Loving Husbands I shall begin with Ant. Wallaeus who lived with his Wife so very lovingly that they never Quarrel'd their mutual Care was to please each other and by Deeds to prevent each others Desires Neither did Wallaeus fear any thing more than that his dear Wife should die before him for he used her not only for the Government of his Family but for his constant Companion I shall further instance in Mr. Ratcliff whose Grief for the Death of his Wife ††See her Epitaph in Westminster Abbey was so very great and constant that it indispos'd him both in Body and Mind and in few Days ended his Life I admire these noble Instances of conjugal Affection but in nothing so much as their Aversion to new Bedfellows The Truth is Second Marriages are a sort of who bids most For my own share I am such an Enemy to 'em and naturally of a Temper so averse to Confinement that shou'd I survive thee as is very unlikely I doubt whether I shou'd ever be brought to draw again in the Conjugal Yoke 'T is said by one of the Rabbins concerning Methuselah's Wife that she had Nine Husbands in One for Age and Years so I may say of thee that I have Nine Wifes in thee alone for Matrimonial Sweetness and Love and so have no need to marry a Tenth or if I marry again 't will be to a single Life that I might imitate those Primitive Virgins Dr. Horneck speaks of who so freely and voluntarily dedicated themselves to God that they 'd be marry'd to none but him and tho' many times they were tempted by Rich Fortunes yet nothing cou'd alter their Resolution of continuing Virgins 'T is true the World is a Desart without the Society of Women and my self no Enemy to 'em but for all that they are dangerous things to meddle with especially for better for worse Whatsoever Gold one bestows upon Fetters and how glorious soever Servitude may be yet I perswade my self for all the glittering shew that Shackles and Slavery are but a couple of bad Masters and therefore will dance no more to the Musick of Fetters except Phoenix-like from thy Ashes another Daphne could arise and then I can't say what I might do for I love to look on thy Image tho' but in a Friend or Picture and shall ever receive thy Kindred with Honourable mention of thy Name Then wonder not when e'er you die if I live and pine like the constant Turtle Thy Love deserves a great deal more I know 't is a common Saying There 's but one good Wife in the World and every Man enjoys her But I never found this true in any Case but my own For there 's my Lord L declares he cou'd love his Wife above all Women in the World if she were not his Wife The Duke of is of the same Mind and the George and Garter little better Sir Charles follows his Example and most have a tang of this Rambling Fancy Where is the Man except my self that 's not a C d or the Woman that so tempers her self in her Behaviour with Men as if Vertue had settled her self in her Looks and Eyes I profess when I have excepted Daphne Chloris and Sapho I know not where to find her We were wont to say It was a wise Child that knew his own Father but now we may say It is a wise Father that knows his own Child Men and Women as familiarly go into a Chamber to damn one another on a Feather bed as into a Tavern to be merry with Wine She that does not dance so lofty that you may see her Silken Garters and learn to forget Shame is no body Who wou'd think to find Hercules the only Worthy of his Time stooping to the Meanness of being a Servant to Omphale and in the quality of a Wench working at the Rock and Spindle Or to see Mark Anthony lose the World for a Cleopatra a Woman a thing in Petticoats But wou'd Flesh and Blood listen to Prov. 22.14 and remember that the Child often proves the Pisture of the Lover and discovers it Bless'd Conclusion of stoln Sweets◠they 'd ne'er invade the Right of another But to see lewd Men seeking new Wives for a fresh Supply for Wenching is no Wonder but to find chast Persons marrying again is what I cou'd ne'er approve of And I find King Charles of my Opinion for in his Last Words to his Queen he tells her That he had never strayed from her either in Thought Word or Deed And I am apt to believe him for I am such a Platenick my self as never to touch the Lip or Hand of a lewd Woman and as much averse to a Second Marriage so that if you shou'd dye I 'll fly the Sex in general There 's Pitch and Birdlime in their Lips and Fingers an Itch of amorousness of Skin all over A Man may as soon hug a Flame without burning as not be fired if he embraces Petricoats Democrates put his Eyes out to avoid the Sight of ' em These Patterns I resolve to imitate for tho' Men in Fashion make no account of their Wives and live at a lewd rate yet I am no Lover of Strolling Mutton No I thank God I have a good Wife a very Non-such and know it too which are two Blessings that seldom go together But Miracles are ceast and I must not expect such another We find the First Man Adam the Righteous Let the Meek Moses the Philosopher Secrates and the Orator Cicero were all either over-reach'd or afflicted with Women and I am not so stupid to think I shou'd merit a better Fate or meet a Second Wife that cou'd match the first who I must say fully answers Solomon's Character in the 30th of Proverbs and has had no Equal since the World began If any come near thee 't is the Witty Chloris but she 's an Angel grown and wont be tied to a
because of his grievous Provocations till he had brought him home to himself that in his former Visitations he had not that blessed Effect he was now sensible of He had formerly some loose Thoughts and slight Resolutions of Reforming and designed to be better because even the present Consequences of Sin were still pestering him and were so troublesome and inconvenient to him but now he had other Sentiments of Things and acted upon other Principles He was willing to die if it pleased God resigning himself always to the Divine Disposal but if God should spare him yet a longer time here he hoped to bring Glory to the Name of God in the whole course of his Life and particularly by his Endeavours to convince others and to assure them of the Danger of their Condition if they continued Impenitent and how graciously God had dealt with him The Time of his Sickness and Repentance was just Nine Weeks in all which time 30 Hours about the middle of it excepted wherein he was delirous he was so much Master of his Reason and had so clear an understanding that he never dictated or spake more composed in his Life Three or Four Days before his Death he had comfortable Perswasions of God's accepting him to his Mercy saying I shall Die but Oh what unspeakable Glories do I see What Joys beyond Thought or Expression am I sensible of I am assured of God's Mercy to me through Jesus Christ O how I long to die and to be with my Saviour His Dying REMONSTRANCE FOR the Benefit of all those whom I may have drawn into Sin by my Example and Encouragement I leave to the World this my Last Declaration which I deliver in the presence of the great God who knows the Secrets of all Hearts and before whom I am now appearing to be Judged That from the bottom of my Soul I detest and abhor the whole Course of my former wicked Life that I think I can never sufficiently admire the Goodness of God who has given me a lively sense of my pernicious Opinions and vile Practices by which I have hitherto liv'd without Hope and without God in the World have been an open Enemy to Jesus Christ doing the utmost despite to the holy Spirit of Grace and that the greatest Testimony of my Charity to such is to warn them in the Name of God and as they regard the Welfare of their Immortal Souls no more to deny his Being or his Providence or despise his Goodness no more to make a Mock of Sin or Contemn the pure and excellent Religion of my ever-blessed Redeemer thro' whose Merits alone I one of the Greatest of Sinners do yet hope for Mercy and Forgiveness Amen J. ROCHESTER Declared in the presence of Anne Rochester Rob. Parsons 5. Sir Duncomb Colchester who died May 25. 1694. in his Return from London towards Gloucestershire wrote this Penitential Letter Sir Duncomb Colchester's Penitential Letter Gentlemen and Friends SInce it hath pleased Almighty God of his great and undeserved Mercy and Goodness to bring me one of the chiefest of Sinners by a long and sharp Visitation to a sense of my Sins for which with all Humility of Soul I adore and praise him it is a Duty I know incumbent on me as ever I hope for his Pardon and Forgiveness to do what in me lies to bring Honour to his Holy Name to make Reparation for the Mischief I have done by my former vitious Life and antidote as far as I can the Poison which my Example has shed round about me In order whereunto I do hereby Declare That I am heartily sorry for all the Sins of my past Life the remembrance whereof however pleasant they formerly seemed to be is now Grief and Bitterness to my Soul More particularly that I may take shame to my self I do with the deepest Sorrow lament my Bioting and Drunkenness my Chambering and Wantonness those daring and presumptuous Sins which had so long dominion over me I do also most heartily lament that great Sin which I was so frequently guilty of of encouraging and drawing others to Excess which has made me partaker O sad Thought of other Mens Sins and liable to answer for more than mine own I am sensible that as it hath been my Practice so it is still of too many Gentlemen and that they as I did reckon excessive Drinking so far from a Fault as to be rather one of the best Indications of a hearty Respect and true Affection to the Persons they entertain But O false Love O treacherous Friendship to receive their Friends Men and send them out of their Houses Beasts I wish from the bottom of my Soul that any thing I could say would make all those whose Consciences accuse them of Guilt in this particular to loath and abhor this wicked Practice as I do And I do also heartily lament my great Neglect of putting the Laws in execution against common Drunkards Swearers and such-like scandalous Sinners and do earnestly beseech all such as are in Authority and whose Business it is to see the Laws executed if any such come to hear this Paper read that they will be more careful in that particular and consider that as their Power is a Talent entrusted in them whereof they must give a strict Account to their Heavenly Lord so by their being duly conscientious in the Discharge of their Duty herein we may hope for a Reformation amongst us and then with confidence expect God's Blessing to rest upon us And as I abhor my self for my Neglect in this Particular now mentioned and all my great Sins and Provocations against an infinite Majesty so I do farther hereby declare my full Purpose and Resolution if it shall please Almighty God with whom all things are possible to restore me to Health or prolong my Days by his special Grace and Assistance without which I shall be able to do nothing to lead a new Life in all Holy Obedience to his Will and Commands and desire that this Declaration of mine if I fail to do so may be produced as a Testimony against me to my Shame and Reproach But since my Recovery is very uncertain and what I have the least Reason in the World to hope for being heartily desirous to do what good I can in the Circumstances I am in I do hereby earnestly warn and beseech all Sinners especially those whom my Example has at any time encouraged the Remembrance whereof still fills me with Shame and Sorrow to repent of all thier Sins and Provocations least God's Vengeance overtake them in their Security and there be no Remedy And I beseech them farther to take notice that if this Warning be slighted the wilful Neglect and Refusal thereof will at last be charged upon them as a heinous Aggravation of all their Sins they shall hereafter commit will encrease their Condemnation and make their Doom more dreadful and terrible But that it may have a contrary Effect and be a means
to reduce 'em from their Sins to a Holy and Religious Life that so their Souls may be saved in the great Day of the Lord is the earnest Desire of their Languishing and Sorrowful Friend DUNCOMB COLCHESTER Who desires this may be read in the Parish-Churches of Michel Dean and Westbury and shewn to such Gentlemen Friends and others as may bring God most Glory Nov. 1693. Signed and Delivered in the presence of several of his Friends 6. The Remarkable Penitence of J. H. The next Letter is written by a Woman and one of inferior Quality in the World but not at all inferior in her Repentance It was that and the Grace of God in her Heart which moved her to do it long before it was done and it was the pure effect of that when at last it was done and all her own Composure we are assured by Mr. Stephens an ancient Divine now living in London who gave her Absolution approved her Purpose in it and perused it when she had done it and hath seen other Letters of her Writing by which he could easily discern the Composure of this if there had been any other hand in it or any Reason to suspect it It is published with her Consent who is very ready to embrace any Motion tending to the Honour and Service of God or her own Humiliation Her Letter was directed to Mr. Minister in Portsmouth and is as follows viz. Reverend Sir I Have put Pen to Paper humbly beseeching you to hear me of your Charity a few Words The Enemy of my Soul hath raised many Objections to hinder my intended purpose and I have been almost perswaded to give it over but now having the Advice of a Pious Holy Minister of God who says it may be of great use I desire to take Shame to my self and to give Glory to the Majesty of Heaven who in great Love and Pity hath pluck'd me as a Firebrand out of the Fire and I am this Day a Living Monument of Mercy I cannot but be grieved at the many sad Examples I have given at Portsmouth My Sins have encreased the heap of the publick Impieties and made them cry the louder to Heaven for Vengeance both there and here too It is very meet right and my Duty to confess to the Glory of God and Praise of his Grace my crying Sins committed in that Place that some of my Companions in Evil may hear and fear and do no more such Wickedness About Nine or Ten Years agone I came a young Woman if I deserve that Name to P my Husband Cook of a Ship in that Harbour a very ill Husband no Excuse for me Almighty God did suffer two Sinners to come together in plague one another and whilst he acted the Part of a Drunkard with Shame and Confusion of Face be it spoken I acted the part of a Harlot giving my self over to work all Vncleanness with greediness insomuch that my very Name was a Proverb of Reproach to all Civil Women Two or Three Years I lived openly Scandalous and then it pleased the Almighty to visit me with a sore Fit of Sickness even to the Loss of my Limbs for a Season at which time I did beg of God to restore me to my Health and did faithfully promise never more to defile my Marriage Bed and the Lord was entreated at that time also and hath added to my Life these remaining Years Some time after it pleased the All-wise Providence to make me a Mother I was very thankful for the Mercy and was much reclaimed and I was in some measure convinced of the great Evil of sin and did put Pen to Paper with intent it should come to the Ministers hand but the Enemies of my Soul prevented and hindred that reasonable Design and I was again lull'd to sleep in the Bed of Carnal Security where I continued three or four Years with little Interruption in which time I buried my Husband and two Children After this I was in danger of being as bad as ever living at Service in the very midst of Temptation at Portbridge I continued there but a short space for the good Hand of Providence brought me to London where I had Time and Opportunity to reflect upon my ill-spent Life O that I might improve the Mercy O that I could tell you what God hath done for my Soul He hath brought me out of Darkness into his marvellous Light O that I could prevail with my Companions in Evil to seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Some of them are old Sinners grey hairs are upon them and they know it not I could be content to stand in a white sheet in your Church if I might but prevail with any one Soul to see the heinousness of my sin Nay I could be content to be stoned without the Walls of the Garrison so I might but be a means of the Conversion of any one Sinner O that I could write these Lines with my purest Blood I am grieved for the Dishonour I have done to God by my abominable sin and heartily wish my Head were Waters and mine Eyes were a Fountain of Tears that I might weep day and night for abusing Mercy O Sir you live in a place relating to Sodom cry aloud spare not to tell the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseer their Sins and my Companions in Evil their Sins The Lord is coming to reckon with the Nations and with you God grant you may be found among the Faithful Shepherds watching them and giving them their Meat in due Season I humbly beg your Blessing desiring to be remembred in your Prayers and I humbly beseech the Almighty that this poor Paper may have its designed Effect that God may be glorified and our Souls saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Amen and Amen J. H. Jan. 22. 1693 4. 7. Sir Alan Broderick who was a Gentleman of Extraordinary Learning and Accomplishments did own with much Contrition that a long Scene of his Life had been acted in the Sports and Follies of Sin that he had sometime pursued a Pagan and abandon'd way Scepticism it self not excepted wherein the poignancy of his Wit and the strength of his Reasoning even in that very Argument the using of which proclaims a Man in the Language of the Holy Scriptures a Fool may have been the occasion of a great deal of Mischief towards some that are already gone to their Accounts Yet some Years before his Death the bent and tendency of his Life and Actions was Devout and Religious and in his Private Conversation with his Minister he would always be Discoursing some Cases of Conscience about retir'd Closet-Prayer or the Nature and Necessity of True Religion and in his last Sickness he thought himself under a mighty Incumbency to Pray but was much harassed and anxious what to do because of his fear of not performing it with all becoming Reverence and Seriousness