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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60227	The life and death of Sir Henry Vane, Kt., or, A short narrative of the main passages of his earthly pilgrimage together with a true account of his purely Christian, peaceable, spiritual, gospel-principles, doctrine, life and way of worshipping God, for which he suffered contradiction and reproach from all sorts of sinners, and at last, a violent death, June 14. Anno, 1662 : to which is added, his last exhortation to his children, the day before his death.	Sikes, George.	1662 (1662)	Wing S3780; ESTC R19959	148,120	164

significancy of its words to serve their present purpose yea or if they date even beyond all this lay down their meer arbitrary assertions that have not the least hint for them in such a new made Law which will pass with Jurors for a legal ground of taking away ones Life A righteous man in these circumstances has an exceeding hard time on 't Beyond all this yet if a proviso-Foundation for securing an innocent persons Life any voluntary unsought for grant made upon a supposal that all other Foundations of his security should sail him if this also be laid aside and slighted though the word of a King in answer to the Petition of a Parliament amounting in effect to an Act of Parliament where 's the righteous man then gone without remedy But whither from earth to heaven A sad loss to us a great gain to him Sure something will come down from heaven amongst us er'e long for such doings A righteous man in a case so circumstanced which I have thus taken Liberty according to my word to speak a little to in general what can he say in his just defence that his Accusers and Judges will not call Treason and be ready to form up a new Charge against him for if commanded Thus a Iews served Christ and so I pass to the other branch of my reserved liberty the consideration of particulars in the case of the leading Sufferer Ye have heard the blasphemy saies the high Priest he hath spoken blasphemy what further need have we of Witnesses What think ye the Jewry-men never study the point they have their Verdict ready at their fingers ends he is guilty of death Mat. 26. 65 66. Quick work But what was the crime He denied not but that he was the Son of God For Christ or Christians to be in the highest sence what they should be own it this men yea the very high Priests Archbishops that pretend to be the chief watchmen over souls are ready to call Blasphemy If they can but get any the least intimation of such a thing out of them by interrogating they reckon they have enough to take away their Lives They Devil● as Christ told these Iews can't endure to hear any own themselves to be the Sons of God What a world is this for Christ and his followers The chief Priests Elders and all the Council sought false Witnesses against Iesus to put 〈◊〉 to death They tamper with many yet for a good while find none ●●●uch as are insufficient to do their work either through the invalidity of the matter testified or inconsistency of their testimony for they agreed not To murder him they were resolved all they sought for was a colourable pretext At length come two false witnesses well paid 't is like for their pains which say this fellow said I am able to destroy the Temple of God and build it in three dayes whereas his words were Ioh. 2. 29. destroy ye this Temple his Body so they did and in three dayes I will raise it up so he did But what a feeble testimony was here to go about to take away a man's Life upon in case it were true that he spake these words and that in their sence concerning the material structure of the figurative Temple They lie at catch therefore for some word from his own mouth at the bar to carry on the work Very little 't was he spoke there He lets the false witnesses pass uncontrolled answers not a word though demanded by the high Priest Mat. 26.61 63. Then the high Priest falls to interrogating tries what new matter for a charge he can get out of him by Questions Yea he adjures him to tell them whether he be the Christ the Son of God Christ denies it not Now they reckon they have enough They slight their false witnesses They are now Judges and Witnesses too themselves and that in a matter of far greater consequence blasphemy he makes himself the Son of God say they Then they hurry him away before Pilate the Romane Deputy where the chief Priests and Elders that sat as his Judges in the other Court turn his Accusers vehemently urging and witnessing many things against him before Pilate and he lets all pass answers not a word Yea though minded of it and urged by Pilate to speak for himself not a word could they get of him say or do what they would He 's a Mute It seems their Testimony in Pilates judgement amounted to very little for after all he asks them What evil hath he done Their answer is Let him be crucified Bruits Oh but say they we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God 'T is a dangerous thing amongst men for Christ or his fellow-heirs to own themselves to be the Sons of God Heirs of the heavenly Kingdom though they give no disturbance or just occasion of offence to any Kings in their worldly Thrones Men will be laying their heads together to frame some miscievous Law against them to call them Blasphemers then put them to death for it They will call that Heresy which is the only right way of worshipping the God of our Fathers then punish them for it What goodly work are Magistrates with some new upstart Lawes like to make on 't at Religion and Worship If there be any that do what they should in either of all others they must be sure to go to wrack But Pilate yet seeks to release Christ. All that is said yet will not do it with him 'T was a custom to deliver some one Prisoner at the F●ast he asks them therefore Shall I deliver Christ or Barabbas Now Barabbas was a robber and a Murtherer They cry out all at once like mad men away with this man and release unto us Barabbas Men will rather favour Murderers and Robbers than Christ and his followers Pilate willing yet to release Iesus Christ had the better on 't of our Prisoner as to the Lord chief Justice that sat upon him speaks once again to them of it But they hold to their old tone cry crucifie him crucifie him He replied yet again Why what evil hath he done I find no cause of death in him But they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified Pilate sayes to them What Shall I crucify your King The chief Priest answered we have no king but Caesar. And here they take hint for a new charge against him that it will highly concern Pilate to take notice of If thou let this man g● say they thou art not Caesars friend Whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar. Then Pilate complies with them The voices of the People and the chief Priest prevailed so he passes sentence that it should be as they required 'T is the legally religious party all along that accuse prosecute and deliver up Christ and his followers into the hands of sinners among the Gentiles and so

man that is of the new-creation frame Their glory wisdom righteousness are but shadows of his and to be done away Their goodness is but a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away Hos. 6.4 Their wisdom is comparatively but foolishness and their lesser shadowy glory of the Law or ruling powers of their first-creation state is to be done away as no glory by reason of the glory that excelleth in the spiritual man 2 Cor. 3. 10. Every man at his best estate renewed enlightened gifted man is altogether vanity He was so in his first-creation he is so in his greatest renewal Nothing below the new-creature the spiritual man is exempted from this title in Scripture Vanity is of larger extent than sin Any thing that will vanish that is corruptible and perishable is vanity The whole first-creation is vanity and was sowne in corruption that is was a corruptible not a corrupt thing Angels and Men the choicest flowers in it have withered and corrupted their way before God and so lost that life of communion with God wherein they were created The natural body that 's interpreted to be the first Adam at best with his living soul 1 Cor. 15. 44 45. is but the vile body or inferiour first-creation state of man that is to be transformed into the likeness of Christ's glorious body in the new-creation Phil. 3. 21. How too generally and universally are professors in all variety of form judgement and way lodg'd in a kind of invincible conceitedness that the revival of first-creation principles and life in them towards a conformity with Adam in innocency or Christ in the flesh is the only attainment beyond which they are not concerned to look All this is but the natural or vile body Yet how strangly are men captivated to this day under this embondaging and incorrigible dotage Every thing that they are have see or desire while in this case can be no other than vanity Their wisdom glory righteousness all are vanity vanishing things Men that are vanity love vanity ou●ward visible vanities that gratify sense inward vanities that gratify reason Man's reason is vanity How oft have we heard and seen mens reason to vanish before their bodies All the inmost thoughts of mans heart all the more overly imaginations of his fancy all the reasonings and desires springing from both are vanity There is nothing man is or does till he come within the sphere of the spiritual world the new creation but it 's vanity Outward visible Thrones Crownes Scepters great Revenews and all possible flourishing accommodations of bodily life amounts but to the more glittering splendid sort of bruitish vanities and often fall to the share of beasts the vilest most bruitish men Rational parts together with their advance and ornament by acquired and infused humane Learning Arts Sciences excellent Gifts the tongue of Men and Angels these are far choicer and more eligible things than the above mentioned Lordly circumstances of bodily or bruitish Life and yet these all fall within the compass and sphere of vanities vanishing things as sounding brass and tinckling Cymbals Nothing below the very seed of spiritual new-creation Life gets out of the sphere of vanity Those that have all possible outward and inward gallantry too of the natural man or vile body are exhibited to us as to their duration and continuance under the allegory or parable of a green bay tree They may be in great power spreading themselves like a green bay tree but they soon pass away and are not we may seek them while we will their place can no more be ●ound What a stage of the choicer sort of vanities glory righteousness wisdom of man excellent gifts high illuminations dexterity of expression tongues of men and angels has England been these twenty years We have seen a praying Ministry Parliament Army going forth in a way of Righteousness in Covenant with God and no weapon that was formed against them could prosper No Army no Counsel could stand before them All opposition proved a feeble infatuated thing What is all come to They were not stedfast in the Covenant they started aside like a deceitful Bow Their righteousness vanished ●● a morning cloud an early dew and the bodies of the chief Leaders in that Ministry Parliament and Army are in their graves All is vanished save a few faithful chast-spirited men who for being true to their trust stedfast in their Covenant and undertake have been and are daily delivered up ●s Lambs for the slaughter by their apostatized friends What a Scene of vanities and shadows is this earth at best how little worth minding Things seen things temporal are the things that are not Things eternal things not seen are the onely things that are Man thinks quite otherwise That matters not Did we truly know our selves we might the more easily be perswaded in another sence not to know our selves If we knew but the vanity of our whole first-creation state the goodliness thereof comparatively with what we are capable to be made in the second we would not know our own souls no though we were perfect yet would we despise our life Iob 9.21 All the wisdom righteousness thoughts reasonings imaginations and desires thereof are vanity Did we thorowly know this we would be content to resign all not think our own thoughts speak our own words do our own works find our own pleasures and so enter into the true mystical Sabbath and rest of God in the new creation If we lose the temporary life and righteousness of our first-creation we shall find it again with usury in the eternal Life and everlasting righteousness of the second If not we shall lose it for ever in the eternal or second death If we lose our litteral shadowy Life and Image of God received in the first creation we shall find it again with usury in the mystical substance spirit and truth of the second Then let the letter and figure of Scripture be interpreted into spirit and truth we shall know what to make of it not before Could man be content to be baffled out of himself allegorized out of his first-creation shadow into spirit and truth he would be content Scripture should be so allegorized too out of its letter and shadow into spirit and truth The true allegorizing interpreter of the Scriptures does and must expound them into things not seen things eternal into a sence quite out of the reach and discerning of all the sense and reason in mankind Spiritual things things eternal are discernable onely to the eye of faith the spiritual discerning the hearing ear He only that hath this ear will hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches Heb. 11. 1. Rev. 2. 29. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Men then do seem concerned in this point for the allegorical sence of Scripture leaves them quite at a loss If they will not therefore be content to lose their sense and reason with a full assurance and stedfast perswasion

who revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets Amos 3. 7. and them that fear him Psal. 25. 14. for the discovering unto Abraham that exemplary vengeance he then resolved to pour out upon Sodom and the neighbouring Cities for their wickedness Abraham by the offering up of Isaac did certainly perform the choicest highest and most acceptable Sacrifice and Service that is required of God or performable by the Faith of Gods Elect. Nothing was so dear to him as the Will of God and God thought nothing too much to give him He must become a great and mighty Nation yea all the Nations of the Earth must be blessed in him Moreover he will not withhold his secret counsels and resolutions from his friend Abraham If he intend to execute his Judgements in the Earth he will unbosom himself to Abraham before-hand and so afford him the opportunity of trying the utmost that may be done by his intercession on behalf of the Generation amongst whom his lot was cast The servant knows not what his Lord is about to do but the Friend the Son all must be discovered to him The Friend will readily do whatsoever the Lord commands Ioh. 15. 14 15. will follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes Rev. 14. 4. therefore is the Lord willing to disclose to him whatsoever he is going about to do The Son that abideth in the house for ever is open-handed free and universal in his love and resignation of all he is or hath unto God and God is as free and open-hearted unto him knowing that he will make a right construction and improvement of his discoveries Observe first then That the life of Faith is the most excellent life and that those therefore that live by Faith in the highest operation of it are of highest esteem with God This is apparant in Abraham's case here before us He was a Believer of the highest rank and therefore the choice Friend of God the Father of the Faithful in whom all Nations are to be blessed He is thought ●it for most intimate bosom familiarity and converse with God 'T was a more excellent operation of the Faith that saves and is Eternal life in the Believer which Abraham did experience and walk in in distinction from ●nd-superiority to the elect Angels and an inferiour ●ort of everlastingly ●aved Men that shall stand about the Throne on which Abraham with others of his more sublimated spirit and higher participations of Christ shall sit as the Bride the Lamb's Wife From the singular notice God here takes of Abraham and the peculiar friendliness ●he shews in revealing to him alone of all mankind his present intendment towards Sodom Observe secondly That ●● it is the 〈◊〉 so is it the great Priviledge and advantage of Believers highly to value and carefully to improve Divine Discoveries Why did God shew this secret to Abraham more than to 〈◊〉 living but because of the singular good use he knew Abraham wo●●● make of it He knew he would instruct and command his Children and Family after him to keep the way of the Lord and to worship him in Spirit and in Truth though a way by men called Heresie God thinks he can never be open enough to a tryed Believer a known Friend Vse 1. How should this encourage us to give up all our Isaacs to him to do with us and all we are or have whatsoever pleases him How willing should this render us to have our Sacrifices fast bound to the horns of the Altar with the threefold cord of God's love to us man's enmity to us and our love to God Whatever we surrender and part with in obedience to the Will of God we are sure to receive again with Usury to die is gain To lose life is the way to find it eternally A Believer draws forth the choicest communicable Excelle●cies and bosom-secrets of Christ. God puts a great value upon every motion of his believing Friends Much tribulation they me●e with in this Vale of tears many affronts and cruel mockings from contradictious men yea bonds imprisonments and cruel death● But the Lord stands by them to assist and give them peace in the midst of all to make them stedfast and unmovable in the work of the Lord and in their sufferings for such work He raises in them such ravishments of joy through the manifestation of the glory that follows that they chuse rather to be tortured and flain than to accept of deliverance in order to obtain a better resurrection than their deliverance from prisons and death would amount unto They abide stedfastly with God unto a temporary death and he then sets upon their heads the Crown of eternal life Consider was not Christ the great Captain of our Salvation made perfect through sufferings did not he pass this way to the Crown and must not he that will live godly suffe● persecution and through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God The Apostle bids us consider Christ who quietly endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest we be wearied and faint in our minds I am now going through the grace of God to resist man unto blood as knowing that I ought to obey God rather than me● I am ready to follow the Lord whithersoever he goes and calls me after him Rest assured of this However dismal and sad the Believers work and condition appears to men God will give besides a holy triumph of rejoycing in the way an expected end an end that will answer and over-answer all the desires and expectations of his soul. Whoever is able throughout to mark the perfect man and to behold ●●e upright in heart will find that the end of that man is peace such peace and so given not as the world giveth but so as no man can take it from him Objection But what peace is this Believers have Is it not their usual lot here to be delivered into the hands of sinners doth not God permit the men of this world the inhabitants of the earth to trample upon and insult over them yea even to ride over their heads Psal. 66. 12. so that they are forced to lay their bodies as the ground and ●● the sheet to their oppressors that go over them Isa. 51. 23. Doth he not suffer the Devil by wicked men to proceed further against them for the tryal of their Faith than he had commission to proceed against Job for the tryal of his patience even to the touching and taking away their very lives and that with all manner of lying aggravations contring in this to fix the black and infamous character of the greatest malefactors upon them and then cry Crucifie them crucifie them away with such people from the earth it is not fit they should live any longer Act. 22. 22. Answ. To this I answer Thus Christ himself was served and therefore all this notwithstanding they may have peace Yea they have the only true peace which passeth understanding In the midst of all

her sucking Child as he will have to you in this case Isa. 49. 15. Wait on the Lord then be of good courage and he shall strengthen your hearts wait I say on the Lord Psal. 27. 14. Wait on the Lord and keep his way so shall he exalt you to inherit the Land and verify ye shall be fed The true believing Seed of Abraham shall in the close possess the gates of their enemies The meek shall inherit the Earth and delight themselves in the abundance of Peace But the transgressors shall be destroyed together The end hope and expectation of the wicked shall be cut off Know this for your comfort though the Lord be pleased to take your Father from your head this day you have other wayes and means to learn and be built up in the mind of the Lord in your most holy Faith Never cease to beg of the Lord more abundant communications of his Spirit of Grace till you be strengthened with all might in your inward man that ye may be able to serve God acceptably and resist the Devil effectually and finally Remember it hath been the prayer of a poor worm on your behalf that ye may so pray and be so answered by your heavenly Father that your joy may be full See and consider the gracious design of God towards you in this very dealing of his with you by taking me away from you Is it not that ye may be brought more singly and immediately to rely upon his Influence that he may bring the Blessings of Abraham more plentifully upon you Once more I say be not discouraged Regard 〈◊〉 the reproaches that are fallen on your Father Say or do men what they will Abraham's Faith will find the Blessing Abraham found in whomsoever it is As for me I can truly say with David The Reproaches O Lord of those that have reproached thee are fallen upon me Psal 69. 9. And he will in his due time take off all such unjust Reproaches from himself from me and all his faithful hidden ones and will make himself known by the Judgments that he will execute in the Earth so that it shall be said Verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily he is a God that judgeth in to Earth God seems now to take all our concerns wholly into his own hands You will be deprived of my bodily presence but Abraham's Blessing shall come upon you If you be under Abraham's Covenant all that 's therein promised will be made good to you as well as to him or me The Lord revive and cause to grow up and flourish whatever is of that Faith of Abraham in you that is in your Father and grant it may more and more appear in my Family after I am gone hence and no more seen in my mortal body Certain PASSAGES in a Letter sent from a Friend out of the Country to one that accompanied Sir Henry Vane to the SCAFFOLD My loving and worthy Friend DIdst thou stand fast by my worthy Friend and bear him company Did thy soul suffer with him and rejoyce with him riding in his Chariot of Triumph to the Block to the Ax to the Crown to the Banner to the Bed and Ivory Throne of the Lord God thy Redeemer Didst thou stand by to see all these put upon him in the day of his Espousals in his solemn Nuptials Was he not my Friend most richly trimmed adorn'd deck'd with all manner of fine Linnen curious Embroyderies Did not the Perfume of his Garments give a good smell to all the Room and Company Was he not like the Lord's the Lamb's Bride made altother ready Was not his Head richly crown'd and his Neck like the Tower of David Didst thou see the Chain about his Neck of one Pearl dazling the Beholders Were not his Eyes like the pure Dove 's fixed above upon his M●te single and clear Was not his Breast-plate strong like Steel Did the Arrows the sharp Tryals and cruel Mockings pierce it Did not his Shield cover him like the Targets of Solomon was it not beaten Gold When it was tryed did it yeeld to the Tempter O precious Faith Tell me my Friend how did he weild his glittering flaming Sword Did not it behave it self valiantly conquering and turning every way to preserve the Way of Truth Liberty Righteousness and the Cause of the Lord and his People Was not his whole Armour very rich Was it not all from the Sanctuary for beauty and strength Oh mighty Man of Valour thou Champion for the Lord and his Host when they were defied How hast thou spoyled them The Goliah is trodden under foot The whole Army of the Philistims fly Is He fled Is He gone from amongst men Was not this Earth this Kingdom worthy of Him Wast thou upon the Mount of Olives with him to see how he was lifted up glorified advanced Didst thou see him ascend and Chariots and Heavenly Hosts the Glorious Train accompanying Him to his Chamber to the Palace of the great King whether he is gone we gazing below after him But will he not come again Will not the Lord his Bridegroom bring him when He shall come to reign and his S●ints with Him Make ready then my Friend G●r● up thy loins Ride through gloriously for the Day is a great Day of Battel And he that overcometh shall sit down with Abraham Isaac Jacob the Prophets the Apostles and our late Friend VANE in the Kingdom of Heaven whither I shall ever long to be prepared to set forward with the first and to meet thee Friend ascending into the Heavenly Place A LETTER from a Person of Quality to a Relation of Sir Henry Vane about a week after the Execution MADAM IF I do later than others give you an account of the share I have in the losse of your generous Kinsman it is because I would not rudely disturb the Motions of so just a Sorrow but I hope that you are assured I have so real a concern in all that relates to you that it was not necessary by an early haste to send you an Information of it I have Madam whilst I own a love to my Country a deep Interest in the Publick Losse which so many worthy Persons lament The World is robbed of an Unparallel'd Example of Vertue and Piety His great Abilities made his Enemies perswade themselves that all the Revolutions in the last Age were wrought by his Influence as if the World were onely moved by his Engine In him they lodged all the dying hopes of his Party There was no Opportunity that he did not improve for the Advantage of his Country And when he was in his last and much deplored Scene he strove to make the People in love with that Freedom they had so lavishly and foolishly thrown away He was great in all his Actions but to me he seemed greatest in his Sufferings when his Enemies seem to fear that He alone should be able to acquaint them with a Change of Fortune In his lowest condition you have seen him the Terrour of a great Prince strengthened by many potent Confederates and Armies you have seen him live in high Estimation and Honour and certainly he dyed with it Men arrive at Honours by several wayes The Martyrs though they wanted the glittering Crowns the Princes of those Ages dispensed have Rich Ones in every Iust man's esteem Vertue though unfortunate shines in spite of all its Enemies nor is it in any Power to deface those lasting Monuments your Friend hath raised of his in every heart that either knew him or held any Intelligence with Fame But Madam I trespass too long upon your patience This is a subject I am apt to dwell on because I can never say enough of it I shall now onely desire you to make use of that Fortitude and Vertue that raised your Friend above the malice and power of his Enemies and do not by an immoderate Sorrow destroy that which was so dear to him your Self but live the lively Representation of his Vertue the exercise of which hath made you alwayes the admiration of Your humble Servant c. The 22d Iune 1662. FINIS Mistakes in Printing PAge 5. line 4. for graze reade grasse P. 7. l. 9. f. obsucre r. obscure P. 8. l. 27. f. two r too P. 12. l. 15. f. others beasts r. other beasts P. 16. l. 7. f. sounded r. founded P. 22. l. 2. f. wilde r. weild P. 23. l. 6. f. to r. too P. 25. l. 31. f. of r. to P. 29. l. 30. f. capacity r. creature-capacity P. 37. l. 24. f. not r. but. P. 50. l. 20. f. Popist r. Popish P. 60. l. 9. f. back-slider r. back-sliders P. 61. l. 36. r. resembled also P. 62. l. 41. f. in r. no. P. 66. l. 5. r. Pentateueh the Tabernacle or P. 68. l. 37. f. triumph r. triumph's P. 70. l. 3. f. which r. with P. 71. l. 6. f. amounts r. amount P. 80. l. 37. r. thorowly knows P. 99. l. 8. f. too r. to There are also several mistakes in the pointing Comma's and other points are wanting in some places redundant in others which obscure the sence but the ingenuous and unprejudiced Reader will easily mend all