according to the measure and portion of Faith which God hath given us Let Him be pleased to cause that it may not dye in us but may produce fruits worthy of his Children He giving us Perseverance in the same we will ascribe Praise and Thanks unto Him to all Eternity Amen JEAN du BORDEL MATTHIEU VERMEIL PIERRE BOURDON ANDRE la FON When their Orthodox Confession was sent to Villagagnon he declared them Hereticks upon the Articles relating to the Sacrament of the Altar and Vows and said t was unlawfull for them to live any longer lest the Company should be infected with their Poison Yet his resolution to put them to death he kept as privat as he could till Friday the 9th of February 1558. on which day he orderd them to be brought from the Continent Their friends with tears disswaded them from going to their slaughter But they considering that God might have brought them into those parts and preserved them in millions of dangers for this end could not find in their hearts to desert the Cause of their dear Lord Jesus So John Bordel Matthew Vermeil and Andrew la Fon went into the boat But Peter Bourdon was left behind very sick Being come to the Island Villagagnon commanded that they should be brought before him who holding their Confession of Faith in his hand asked if they made and signed it They answered that they made it and signd it every one owning his Hand and seeing it was according to the Confession of the holy Apostles and Martyrs of the primitive Church they were resolved by the Grace of God to maintain it Their words were scarce out before Villagagnon discoverd a furious countenance threatening to put them to death if they continued in their damnable Opinion And presently commanded his Executioner to put Irons on their Legs and to every Chain to hang fifty or sixty pound weight and orderd them to be shut up in a nasty dark Prison and set a Guard of armed men upon them They comforted one another in Prayer singing of Psalms All the Company of the Island was very much troubled at this action and secretly comforted the Prisoners and gave them provisions which they stood in need of The next day in the morning he went well armd with a page into a little Hall whither he sent for John Bordel in his Irons of whom he demanded an explanation of the article of the Sacrament He confessed that the Bread and Wine were Signs of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ confirming it by the saying of St Augustin Villag in a great passion gave him a blow on the face with his fist whereupon much blood flowed from his nose and mouth To the blow he added words agreeable You have lyed Villain St Austin never said so Before I eat I will reward the fruits of your Obstinacy As some tears fell with the blood Vil. upbraided him calling him a puny fresh water souldier that would cry for a fillip Then he asked him if he would maintain what he had writ and signd Bordel answered Yes untill by Authority of the holy Scriptures I am otherwise taught V. seeing the stedfastness of the man commanded his Executioner to bind him and carry him to a Rock which the water coverd twice a day three foot He and his page being armd attended the poor Sufferer to the place appointed Bordel passing by the prison where his companions were cryed out to them with a loud Voice Be of good Courage you will quickly be delivered from this miserable life As he went along he sung Psalms to the astonishment of bloody V. and his Executioner Being upon the Rock t was with much adoe that he got leave to commend himself to God in prayer before he went out of the world The Executioner being too slow for furious V. he threatend him with a cat of nine tails if he did not make haste therefore he immediatly threw him into the Sea where he rendred to God his Spirit calling upon the Name of our Lord Jesus till he was drownd Matthew Vermeil was brought next being greatly astonished at the death of his companion he pleaded with V. for his life with such Expostulations Have we robbed you or evilly entreated the least of your servants Have we plotted your death or done any thing to your dishonour No Villain said he you and your companions dye for no such things as these but because you are a most dangerous Pest to be separated from the Church lest you spoil the rest of my company The Martyr answered Eight moneths are not passed since you made an ample confession of the Points for which you make us dye this day Afterward he petitioned him again for his life offering to become his servant V. said he had nothing for him to do but he would think of it if he would recant his Error Vermeil seeing no hope given him but what was destructive to his Salvation became thereby resolv'd in his mind and Cryed out with a loud Voice I had rather dye to live eternally with the LORD than to live a little while and dye for ever with Satan After he had made his Prayer upon the Rock and commended his Soul to the Care of God he freely delivered himself into the hands of the Executioner and Crying out with a loud Voice Lord Jesus have mercy on me He gave up the ghost Andrew la Fon had not strength enough to climb up into this Rock of Martyrdom but by Promises Threatenings was drawn to some degree of Recantation Or else was favoured by Villagagnon for the sake of his Trade of a Tailor which was very necessary And so his life was spared But the bloody Sacrifice of Vil. is not yet ended One Victim remains viz. Peter Bourdon who was left very sick on the Continent Villagagnon went himself thither took one ashoar with him His first salutation to the poor sick man was that he must get up and go into the boat Bourdon would have excused himself from his inability to do him any service by reason of sickness Villagagnon told him this was to cure him The poor man not being able to stand much less go he caused him to be carried aboard Villagagnon asked whether he would stand to the Confession he had signd He answered he would consider of it As soon as they came ashoar the Executioner bound him without any more adoe advertising him to have a care of his Conscience Bourdon supposing that to be the place where his companions obtained the Victory over death he recommended his soul to God and Cryed with a loud Voice Lord God! I am of the same Paste with my Companions who maintained the Combat for thy Name with glory and honour I pray Thee shew me Favour that I may not succumb amidst the Allurements of Satan the World and the Flesh I pray Thee pardon all my Transgressions Offences that I have committed against thy Majesty and this in the
adeo vix aliquam esse super quo non coelestis ille penetrasset Ignis quem Christus in terra accensurus advenit p. 730. To his own that golden Promise belongs The Lord will dry up Euphrates to make a way for his scattered ones Some think it concerns the Return of the Jews miraculously as once through the Red Sea Rogers's Naam p. 228. Sed Quorsum haec What Concernment hath America in these Things America is not any part of the Apocalyptical Stage The Promise of preaching the Gospel to the whole World is to be understood of the Roman Empire only according to the extent of it in John's time As it is said Augustus made a decree that all the world should be taxed The Roman Empire contained about a third part of the Old World and this Triental only was to be concernd with the Apocalypse The Prophesies of the Revelation extend but to such Kingdoms or Monarchies of the World where the Church in all Ages still was therefore not to the West-Indians nor Partarians nor Chineses nor East-Indians But what shall we say if the Stone which these Builders have refused should be made the Head of the Corner Lo we heard of it at Ephratah we found it in the fields of the wood Or if it be not made a Corner-stone that it should be quite thrown by and not be at all laid in the Building is more than can be proved from the Scriptures I suppose there is nec vola nec vestigium of any such thing to be found there Who art thou that judgest another Mans Servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth Yea he shall be holden up for GOD is able to make him stand may be applicable here There is a vast odds between historical and prophetical Scriptures as to the manner of their declaration Augustus taxed as much of the World as he could taxed all his world Why may not Jesus in like manner give Law to all His World without asking Caesars leave To tedder the Scriptures and tie them to the Herculean Pillars takes off all the Lustre of the Spanish Motto PLUS ULTRA and makes the Glory of it to dwindle away to very nothing But the Word of God is not bound To go about to do it is I fear to limit the Holy One of Israel and injuriously to spoil the Church of that Doxology In God will I praise the Word in the Lord will I praise the Word I have seen an and of all perfection but thy Commandment is exceeding broad It was so in David's time but now tho the Scripture Canon be compleat it is so â—ar shrunk as to extend but to about a Quarter of the Old World For they who have no share in the Revelation t is hard to think how they will be able to make out a good Title to any portion of Scripture this being the last and most comprehensive of all And what a Rack of Romanizáng endless incurable Torture must this needs fasten serious Christians upon Whenas after diligence to acquaint themselves with the Scriptures and to obtain the Favour of God in the ways there marked out still all is bootless except they can prove themselves to dwell within the bounds of the Roman Empire Which as to multitudes is a doubt that all the Learning in Europe is not sufficient to resolve And what shall become of Scotland Ireland Denmark Sweden Poland Bohemia Moscovia Buchâ—â—â— Brerewâ—â—d much of Germany and a great deal more of Europe beside According to this Reckoning these Nations must be Extra Ecclesiam because they are Extra Imperium As also by far the greatest part of Asia and Africa and all America The first and most so far as I know that hath given countenance to this Bill of Exclusion is the Conjecture of the Learned and Pious Mr. Mede And therefore it may not be amiss to take a View of that Chapter entituled DE GOGO MAGOGO in Apocalypsi Conjectura lib. 3. p. 713. Altho the Author be incomparably more than my Match yet the Honour of being a Retainer to my Noble Lord Say Love to my Country and the Advantage as I apprehend on my side do prompt me to the Undertaking Dr. Twisse in a Letter to Mr. Jeseph Mede dated Ap. 6. 1635. mentions his having written to my Lord Say touching his Counsels for advancing the Plantations of the West and telling him that his Lordship little thought that they tended to promote the Kingdom of Gog and Magog My Lord in his Answer to the Doctor gave a touch only thereupon which was this That surely the Americans were not Gog and Magog The Dr. writ more largely of this Subject in his next Letter Upon this his Lordship wrote a large Letter Opposing the Conceipt of Gog and Magog tho the Millennium of Christ's Kingdom were granted yet not a little against that also Epist 50. p. 993. Had this Letter of the L. Say been in print probably there had been nothing left unanswered or at least there had been a trodden Path whereas now I must beat out my way as well as I can Conjectura Thus I have told you out my fancy of the Inhabitants of that World which tho it be built upon mere Conjectures and Not upon firm grounds c. Epist. 43. p. 981. Let but those who quote Mr. Mede imitate his Modesty and as yet no great trouble occurs APocalypsis codex est fatorum ecclesiae Gentium non Judaeorum Habent enim Judaei de suo c. neque nostra ullateâ—â—s opus babent These Pronouns Meum and Tuum in a business of this nature I cannot away with This being one of the first Writts of Partition brought for dividing the Scriptures that I have taken notice of The Scriptures are an Estate holden in Joint Tenancy and none have any preferible Right in them From the Epistle Dedicatory Unto his Servants we must with Mr. Deâ—t conclude that the whole Doctrine of the Revelation appertaineth to the Universal Church of Christ throughout all the World in all Times and Ages p. 8. The Bodleian Library is not the Propriety of this or the other particular College or Hall much less of the happy Keeper of it but of the Renowned University of Oxford By which means the whole World is benefited by their Illuminations â—uard Batc vel p. 108. The Apocalypse is a most illustrious Epithalamium suited to the stately Magnificence of the Bridegroom and of the Bride Now the Jews upon their Return will eminently sustain that Character The New Jerusalem is that which the Old and New Testament do ring of This City of God is especially made up of Jews and from thence it hath its Name Goodwin Rev. p. 28. Therefore seeing the Parchments belong to those who have the Estate this Book must needs belong to the Jews because the glorious Things that are spoken of therein are eminently spoken of them Our LORD whose this Book is and his Servant John the writer
Name of thy welbeloved Son our Lord. Having prayed thus he turned himself towards Villagagnon and asked him for what he was to dye For signing an heretical and scandalous Confession said Villagagnon When he asked upon what point he was declared an heretick Villagagnon told him it was no time to dispute but to look to his Conscience and bid the Executioner make haste Bourdon seeing that Divine and humane Laws were as it were buried being very resolute he submitted himself to the Executioner and calling for the Help and Favour of God he dyed in the Lord. This Tragoedy was ended about ten in the morning After which Villagagnon exhorted the people to avoid the Sect of the Lutherans with which he himself was once infected to his great grief He threatened death to the obstinat saying that every one ought to observe what their fathers religiously taught them This day he commanded plenty of Provisions to be given to the Artificers and Labourers in token of Rejoicing He had written to some Courtiers that if they would not blame him for carrying Preaching into Brasil what great matters he would do against the Ministers promising to silence them French put to be sword by â—e Portugâ—ls â—eylyn Cosmog â—â—g 1080. After his great Cruelty his Affairs went every day to wreck Returning to France he fell into Disgrace there at last a secret fire consumed him by degrees and he dyed miserably without repenting of his Apostasie French Martyrol lib. 7. fol. 400 to 404. and 414 to 418. Also Fox his Table of French Martyrs Vol. 2. p. 129. In this history we are rather to admire the Grace of God helping three of this Company to go so far than that the fourth went no further Especially considering how destitute they were of Books and of Friends that durst speak a word on their behalf and above all of their godly learned Ministers who might counsel them and comfort them in their Agonies whenas they had to do with a hasty furious Tyrant more like a Leopard than a Lord. But to return to Revel 6.9 There seems to be a Distribution of Martyrs into two Classes The first were slain because they were Christians the latter were slain because they were Not Papists For the WORD of God i. e. For the sake of Christ They were for JESUS and not for Jupiter Testimony is as it were a Term of Art pointing to the Sack cloth Witnesses mentioned Chap. 11. dwell upon the Earth This Phrase seems to be a stated Periphrasis for Antichristians who impudently pretend to the Monopoly of all that is Ecclesiastical whereas it is here said that they themselves are Extra Ecclesiam And white Robes were given unto every one of them The very material garments in which they commonly suffered were of that Colour And these words seem to be meant of the Justice done to the Memory of these slain Martyrs by the True and Universal Histories that were written of Them about this time whereby they were vindicated from the Reproaches of their beastly Pursuers and had their Proper Character given them Their filthy garments and Crowns painted with Devils were taken off from them and Fair Mitres were set upon their Heads and they were clothed with change of Raiment So much as might be a particular Account was given of each ones Birth Education Employment and Causes of Suffering Illyricus his Catalogus Testium Veritatis was printed at Basil 1556. About the same time John Crispin Beza's intimat friend writ the French Martyrology at Geneva which has been very much enlarged a compleat and excellent Composure And t is remarkable that the words of Rev. 6.9 10. are set before us in the Title-page John Fox began his universal History of Martyrs at Basil during his exile there and perfected it at London after his return At first he writ in Latine and sent the Copy to Basil to be printed where the Work is in great Estimation as also in divers other foreign Nations Legatur Martyrologium Joh. Foxi saith judicious Pareus in his learned Commentary upon Rev. 16.6 Col. 821. His more compleat English Edition was finished about the Year 1570. Thus Christ commanded the Keepers of his Great Ward Robe to clothe his Martyrs with rich and costly white Robes of Latine English and French Contexture Mr. Fox affirms that by the Iniquity of Time this Work could not be contrived in any Kings Reign since the Conquest before the Halcyon days of Queen Elisabeth One Reason why this important Work could best be performed then may be gathered from the Triumph which this Learned Unwearied Author gives the Art of Printing invented about the Year 1450. Of which 1450. take this specimen By this Printing as by the Gift of Tongues and as by the singular Organ of the Holy Ghost the Doctrine of the Gospel soundeth to all Nations and Countries under Heaven and what God revealeth to one man is dispersed to many and what is known in one Nation is opened to all Vol. 1. P. 863. The Usefulness of Martyrologies He expresseth thus Et tamen voluit hoc enodo tua declarare Majestas nobisque innotescere hominibus quam honorificum fit pro tui nominis gloria fortiter dimicantes occumbere quorum Tu vitam a cinere ac rogo sic vindicas sic causam tueris sic dignitatem illustras ut candem cum gloriae foenore abs Te recipiant clariorem quam si nunquam alioqui perdidissent The best word the Lord Cardinal and Bishops could afford Mr. George Wisehart was False Heretick Runnagate Traitor and Thief But when this Cause is brought before Mr. Fox by an Appeal He by a very just and impartial Sentence assures us that he was a most charitable Gentleman a very good Scholar a vertuous Traveller an orthodox holy man of God and blessed Martyr of Jesus Vol. 2. p. 521. Very notable is the Restauration of the Memory of Martin Bucer Paulus Phagius by Matthew Parker Edmund Grindal Gualter Haddon and others the Commissioners of Queen Elisabeth Cardinal Poole's commissioners had been such Unrighteous and Cruel Exactors as to make the Bones of those Worthies to pay for their Orthodoxy and fruitfull Diligence in the Famous University of Cambridge It was expressly mentioned in their commission ad corum qui in baeresi decesserint memoriam damnandum And part of their sentence was Eorum Memoriam condemnandum esse condemnamus See the History at large Vol. 3. P. 639. of the Ninth Edition In this manner by these printed Martyrologies adorned with lively Cutts the blessed Martyrs are all under one both gloriously Apparelled and also placed in the open View of the whole World of Christians whom John personates And it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season Now what the Lord will do with this wicked World See Rogers's Nanman â— 601 602. or what Rest He will give to his Church after these long Sorrows He is our Father in Heaven