a fair Fruit of Arras of which tho' a shred may assure us of the fineness of the Collours and the richness of the Stuff yet the Hangings never appear to their true advantage but when they are display'd to their full Dimensions and seen together Be sure the Scriptures to which we do well to take heed as to a light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 will in this prospect clearly shew their Author and Original namely that they came from him who is the Light of Men and shineth in Darkness John 1.4 5.1 John 1.4 5. to the good satisfaction of the Consciences of the honest Beholders themselves whatever Objections may be made by carnal Reasonings to the contrary hereby being far more effectual to convert the Soul and rejoyce the Heart Psalm 19.7 8. than any appearances of prodigious Spectres giving some notice of what passes in the other World could ever do Sith the read Resurrection of Lazarus had no other Influence on some of the Jews than only to give them occasion of turning Informers to the Pharisees against Christ who had just before their Eyes wrought that most notable Miracle John 11.46 In the dispensation of the Word there is an Evidence of Divinity in it commending it self to the Consciences of unprejudiced Men. The ordinary means of Crace being mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds 2 Cor. 10.4 5. yea every thing that exalteth is self against the knowledge of God from whom it came and unto whom it directs us Even great ones have been astonish'd at the Doctrine of the Lord Acts 13.12 Psal 119.111 drawn from vicious Courses into virtuous and holy Practices from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 when little good comparatively was done by Christ himself preaching at Capernaum Matt. 11. 23.13.58 The Magazine of his Miracles those extraordinary Discoveries of their Author in the use of the ordinary means of Grace even at one Sermon of Peter's we find three Thousand converted Acts 2.41 And afterwards upon hearing of the Word we meet with about five Thousand more that believed Acts 4.4 which may well evidence who was the Author of it and in whose Hand it was an Instrument Eph. 2.20 Many have been built upon this Foundation enlightned and directed by this Light Psal 119.105 fed with this Meat Heb. 5.13 14. regenerated by this Seed 1 Pet. 1.23 which as a grain of Mustard Seed in a matter of sixty six Years space after the sowing of it grew into a great Tree which Pliny †the Proconsul in Bythinia employed by Trajan to root up Christianity which they accounted a Crime did acknowledge Tertullian and others prove the spreading of it in the second and third Centuries So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed Acts 19.20 in the Primitive times ingenerating unconquer'd Constancy of Faith and Godliness in the minds of the Hearers and always victoriously triumphing over the Kingdom of Satan and false Religions In the beginning of the Reformation said Luther ‖ We do everywhere experience in the Church in the Commonwealth in the Family certain Fruits of the Word which as Leaven doth spread it self into all the parts of the Commonwealth the Offices and all the States * Mr. Boyl Stile of Scripture p. 72. †Plin Secund. l. 10. Epist mox ipso tractu us fieri solet diffundente se crimine c. Adversus gentes ipsa multitudine perturbatus ‖ Tom. 4.282 Vbique experimur in Templo in Rep. c. Afterwards we find hoe it did diffuse it self in England Scotland and Ireland c. * Notwithstanding they of the Antichristian state have laboured to keep up their Superstition and Idolatry by feigned Apparitions as may be seen in later Collections of Popish Miracles the History of Jetzer Thus far Mr. Adams See the fulfilling of Scriptures p. 401. Stand fast and fix'd says the Reverend Mr. Woodcock in his Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercise in the good Word of God which is settled for ever in Heaven Psal 119.89 as the Copy of the Divine Nature and Law Stand having your Loins girt about with Truth Ephes 6.14 and having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness This is the grand and perfect Rule of Faith Worship and Life Keep within these Trenches and you have an assurance of Protection I remember an Ear-witness told me he heard Dr. Hammond Preach before King Charles the First at Oxford when his Affairs were at a low ebb and he told him While God-dam-me led the Van and the Devil confound me brought up the Rear he would be routed in all his Designs And they are very unlikely to be good Subjects to Princes who are open Rebels to the Laws of God and Men and their own Reason Thus far Mr. Woodcock Many useful Sayings good Precepts and Rules may be fetched from Heathen Authors Plato Seneca Tully Plutarch c. But we need not says the Reverend Mr. Slater in his Sermon in the last Morning Exercise borrow Jewels of Egyptians blessed be God nor go down to the Philistines for the sharpening of our Mattocks It is the Gospel of Christ which is the Power of God to Salvation There is no need of quoting a Philosopher when we have a Paul What Examples can we produce and propound so exact and curious as is that of Christ who did no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth He spake so as never Man spake and he walked so as never Man walked What Arguments can we find more convincing than those of the Scripture which are mighty for casting down the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imaginations Conceits Reasonings of a carnal vain and proud Mind What Motives more perswasive and alluring than those of the Gospel which are indeed the Cords of a Man What Thunder-claps can be thought of more terrible or what Terrors more amazing and affrighting then the Terrors of the Lord What Promises more inviting and encouraging than those he hath given us which are exceeding great and precious Where if any one can let him tell us where we shall see sin so clearly and fully in its Deformity and Ugliness in order to a real and thorough aversation from it or Religion Godliness and a Conversation ordered aright more in its Loveliness and enamouring Beauty in order to our setting our Hearts upon it than we do or at least may see it in the Gospel When all is said and done that can be it is the Grace of God Tit. 2.14 The Doctrine the Gospel of Grace which bringeth Salvation and hath appeareth to all men Jews and Gentiles Men of all sorts and ranks it is that yea it is that which teacheth us and all that sit under it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live seberly righteously and godly in this present World CHAP. LXVII Present Retribution to the Faithful BY Faithful I mean here such as dare trust in God whilst they faithfully discharge their Duties though they
were admitted into this Order but such of the Nobility as were in all the number of 150. the chiefest of them being Sir Lancelot Sir Tristram Sir Lamrock Sir Grawine and others These were all Recorded for Knights of great Renown and had not King Arthur's Valour been most transcendent each of them might have passed fpr no less than a Worthy tho' they must fall short of the Deeds of King Arthur of whom it is written that in one Battle against the Saxons with his own Sword named Callibourn he slew 800 of them England's Worthies by William Winstanley p. 10. 8. Lucius Hiberius the Roman Legate demanded of him a Tribute for Britain which he not only deny'd but also threatned to have a Tribute from Rome as appeareth in his Letter sent unto the Senate where I find it thus written in an old Manuscript Vnderstand among you of Rome that I am King Arthur of Britain and freely it hold and shall hold and at Rome hastily will I be not to give you Truage but to have Truage of you For Constantine that was Hellen's Son and other of my Ancesters Conquered Rome and thereof were Emperors and that they had and held I shall have yours God's grace And accordingly he set forward against Lucius Hiberus who with great Power and vain Confidence came Marching against him where after a long and Bloody Fight the Romans were Discomfited their General killed and his slain Body sent to the Senate for the Tribute of Britain ibid 9. Mr. Broughton was exceedingly Courageous and Bold and free in inveighing against Popery Jesuitism among the Papists and Jesuits and also Judaism among the Jews As once more especially at the B. of Mentz's Table where also diverse Jesuits were present with whom he Discoursed so freely and sharply against the Papacy as Anti-Christian and against the Blindness and Wickedness of the Romanists that the Protestants who were present with him were afraid that would have endanger'd both himself and them At another time being in one of the Jews Synagogues at the time of their Servce where their publick Minister Read and Prayed in a strange and uncouth Tone one of the Jews as he came out said unto him Did not our Minister Sing like an Angel No saith he he Barked like a Dog and so called for a Dispute with him where they had long and much tugging 10. He was once Travelling here in England and being in his Inn a Royster in the Room next to him was Swearing horribly and at no measure in went he boldly to him and Who art thou saith he thou Wretch who darest thus to Blaspheme and Profane the Glorious Name of the great God And some other like words which he set on with so great an awe and boldness that the Roarer became calm and took his sharp reproofs especially when he came to understand who he was in very good part In his Life p. 4.7 11. It was the saying of one who suffered in Queen Mary's Regn. I was an honest poor Man's Daughter never brought up at the University as you have but I have driven the Plow before my Father many a time I thank God yet notwithstanding in defence of God's Truth and in the cause of my Master Christ by his Grace I will set my Foot against the Foot of any of you all in the maintenance of the same and if I had a Thousand Lives they should go for payment thereof Fox Matyrol 12. If I had a Hundred Bodies said Mr. Hawks I would suffer them all to be torn in pieces rather than Abjure or Recant ibid. 13. Mr. Rothwel called afterwards by the Devil in a posessed Person Bold Rothwel being recommended to the Lady Bowes for a fit Minister to be employed in the North in the Bishoprick of Durham after his first Days Labour there for Tryal being well liked of by the People and returning afterwards to the Lady Bowes he told her he would go she replied tho' for their sakes she was glad yet she was afraid to send him understanding that they were of a fierce Disposition and having never heard the Gospel might deal unkindly with him He answered Madam if I thought I should never meet the Devil there I would never come there he and I have been at odds in other places and I hope we shall not agree there See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 70. 14. King Charles the I. spending one Sunday in a serious debate of the Lord Strafford's Case in the Morning with the four Bishops of London Durham Lincoln and Carlisle the Arch-Bishop of Armagh not being there but Preaching in the Church of Covent-Garden as he used to do was sent for by a particular Order from his Majesty The Bishop descended from the Pulpit and told the Messenger that he was then as himself saw employed in God's business which assâ—on as he had done he would attend upon the King to understand his Pleasure See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 297. 15. In like manner Sir Thomas Moor sent answer to King Henry 8th when a Messenger came to call him from Mass as is elsewhere spoken of in this Book CHAP. XXIX Remarkable Patience THE Patience of Christian Confessors and Martyrs in the early Ages of the Church was a Potent Argument to persuade many of their Adversaries that they were bore up with somewhat more than the Principles of mere Philosophy or the stiffness of a depraved Nature and that the Christian Religion furnished them with a better Assurance and a clearer ground of Confidence in their Cause than was obvious to a common Age or to be found in any other System of Religion in the World and therefore it cannot be amiss to enquire what Examples of this kind we can meet with 1. Ignatius to the Church of Trallis exhorting them not to refuse Martyrdom useth these Expressions From Syria to Rome I had a Battle with Beasts as well by Sea as by Land Night and Day being bound by Ten cruel Leopards Soldiers which the more Benefits they receive at my hands became so much the worse to me but I being exercised and now well acquainted with their Injuries am taught every Day more and more to bear the Cross yet hereby am I not Justified Would to God I were once come to the Beasts prepared for me which I wish also to fall upon me with all their violence c. Vid. Dr. Cave's Prim. Christ Clark's Mar. of Eccl. Hist c. 2. S. Hierom Reports of Melania That her Husband lying dead by her she lost two of her Sons at the same time but she instead of bursting into a Passion fell down and said Lord I shall serve Thee more nimbly and readily by being eased of this weight which thou hast taken from me Dr. Cave's Prim. Christ 3. When Lucius one of the Primitive Martyrs for speaking in behalf of one of the Christians that he had very hard measure was Condemned forth-with he heartily thanked his Judge for it that by this
sometime seen the Courage and Constancy of the Laird of Grang. See this Passage under the Head of Discovery of Things secret or future by Impulses The next Day Knox gave Order for the making of his Coffin continuing all the Day in fervent Prayer crying Come Lord Jesus sweet Jesus into thy hands I commend my Spirit Being ask'd whether his Pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a Pain which would be to him the end of all Troubles and the beginning of Eternal Joys Oft after some deep Meditation he used to say Oh! serve the Lord in Fear and Death shall not be troublesome to you Blessed is the Death of those that have part in the Death of Jesus The Night before his Death he slept some Hours with great unquietness often sighing and groaning And being ask'd why he mourned so heavily he answered In my Life-time I have been assaulted with Temptations from Satan and he hath oft cast my Sins into my Teeth to drive me to Despair yet God gave me Strength to overcome all his Temptations But now the subtil Serpent takes another course seeking to perswade me that all my Labours in the Ministry and the Fidelity that I have shewed in that Service hath not merited Heaven and Immortality But blessed be God that brought to my Mind these Scriptures What hast thou that thou hast not received And Not I but the Grace of God in me With which he is gone away ashamed and shall no more return And now I am sure that my Battle is at an end and that without pain of Body or trouble of Spirit I shall shortly change this Mortal and miserable Life with that Happy and Immortal Life that shall never have end After which one Praying by his Bed asked him after he had done If he heard the Prayer Yea said he and would to God all present had heard it with such an Ear and Heart as I. Adding Lord Jesus receive my Spirit With which words without any motion of Hands or Feet he fell asleep aged 62. A. C. 1572. The Earl of Murray when the Corpse was put into the Ground saying Here lies the Body of him who in his Life-time never feared the face of any Man Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 323 324. 41. Henry Bullinger in his last Sickness endured the sharpest Pains for four Months with an admirable Patience caused the Pastors and Professors of the City to come to him unto whom he delivered a large Oration wherein he thanked them for their Love opened to them his Faith freely forgave all his Enemies exhorted them to Constancy and Unity commended the Care of the Church and Publick School in Writing to the Senate desired that Rodolphus Gualterus might be his Successor c. And so in the midst of his Extremities sometimes repeating the 16 sometimes the 42 and sometimes the 51 Psalms sometimes the Lord's Prayer sometimes other Prayers at the last as one going to sleep he quietly yielded his Soul into the hands of God Sept. 18. 1575. aged 71. Ibid. p. 339. 42. Mr. Edw. Deering to his Friends on his Death-bed upon occasion of the Sun shining said There is but one Sun in the World nor but one Righteousness one Communion of Saints if I were the most Excellent of all Creatures in the World equal in Righteousness to Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason to confess my self to be a sinner and to expect Salvation only in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for we all stand in need of the Grace of God As for my Death I bless God I feel so much inward Joy and Comfort that if put 〈◊〉 my choice whether to die or live I would a Thousand times rather chuse Death if it so stand with the Holy Will of God Ibid. p. 342. 43. Boquine in the Year 1582. on a Lord's-day preached twice and in the Evening heard another Sermon then supped chearfully and after Supper refreshed himself by walking abroad then went to visit a sick Friend and whilst he was comforting of him he found his own Spirits begin to sink and running to his Servant he said unto him Pray adding Lord receive my Soul and so departed in the Lord. Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 349. 44. Mr. Gilpin finding Death to approach him commanded the Poor to be called together unto whom he made a Speech and took his leave of them he did so likewise by others made many Exhortations to the Scholars and to divers others and so at last fell asleep in the Lord Anno 1583. aged 66. Ibid. p. 360. 45. Olevian in his Sickness made his Will and by Pious Meditations prepared for Death declared that he had learned by that Sickness to know the greatness of Sin and the greatness of God's Majesty more than ever he had done before To John Piscator coming to visit him he said that the day before for four hours together he had been filled with ineffable Joy for said he I thought I was in a most pleasant Meadow in which as I walked up and down I was besprinkled with a Heavenly Dew and that not sparingly but plentifully where both my Body and Soul were filled with unspeakable Joy To whom Piscator made answer That good Shepherd Jesus Christ lead thee into fresh Pastures yea said Olevian to the Springs of Living Waters Afterwards having repeated some Sentences full of Comfort out of Psal 42. Isa 9. and Mat. 11. he often said I would not have my Journey to God any longer deferred I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And so bidding Farewel to his Colleagues and Friends in the Agony of Death Alsted asking if he were sure of his Salvation in Christ He answered Most sure and so gave up the Ghost Anno 1587. aged 51. Ibid. p. 376. 47. George Sohnius of Fribourg in Wetteraw bore his last Sickness with much Patience and with fervent Prayer often repeating O Christ thou art my Redeemer and I know that thou hast redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy Providence and Mercy from the very bottom of my Heart I commend my Spirit into thy Hands And so he slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1589. aged 38 Ibid. p. 385. 48. James Andreas born in Waibling at Wittenberg falling sick sent for James Herbrand saying I expect that after my Death many Adversaries will rise up to asperse me and therefore I sent for thee to hear the Confession of my Faith that so thou mayest witness for me when I am dead and gone that I died in the True Faith The same Confession he made also before the Pastors and Deacons of Tubing The Night before his Death he slept partly upon his Bed and partly in his Chair When the Clock struck Six in the Morning he said My â—our draws near He gave Thanks to God for bestowing Christ for revealing his Will in his Word for giving him Faith and the like Benefits And when ready to depart he said Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit
he said Pray remember my dear Love to my Brother and Sister and tell them I desire they would comfort themselves that I am gone to Christ and we shall quickly meet in the Glorious Mount Sion above Afterwards he prayed for about three quarters of an hour with the greatest fervency exceedingly blessing God for Jesus Christ adoring the Riches of his Grace in him in all the Glorious Fruits of it towards him Praying for the Peace of the Church of God and of these Nations in particular all with such eminent Assistance of the Spirit of God as convinced astonished and melted into Pity the Hearts of all present even the most malicious Adversaries forcing Tears and Expressions from them some saying They knew not what would become of them after Death but it was evident he was going to great Happiness When he was just going out of the World with a joyful Countenance he said Oh! now my Joy and Comfort is that I have a Christ to go to and so sweetly resign'd his Spirit to Christ the 12th of September 1685. An Officer who had shewed so malicious a Spirit as to call the Prisoners Devils when he was Guarding them down was now so convinced that he after told a Person of Quality That he was never so affected as by his chearful Carriage and fervent Prayer such as he believed was never heard especially from one so young and said I believe had the Lord Chief Justice been there he could not have let him die The Sheriff having given his Body to be buried although it was brought from the Place of Execution without any notice given yet very many of the Town to the Number of about 200 came to accompany him and several Young Women of the best of the Town laid him in his Grave in Lyme Church-yard the 13th of September 1685. After which his Sister writ this following Letter to her Mother ALthough I have nothing to acquaint my Dear Mother withal but what is most afflictive to Sense both as to the Determination of God's Will and as to my present Apprehension concerning my Brother Benjamin yet remaining yet there is such abundant Consolation mixt in both that I only wanted an Opportunity to pay this Duty God having wrought so Glorious a Work on both their Souls revealing Christ in them that Death is become their Friend My Brother William having already with the greatest Joy declared to those that were with him to the last That he would not change Conditions with any that were to remain in this World and he desired that his Relations would comfort themselves that he is gone to Christ My Brother Benjamin expects not long to continue in this World and is exceeding willing to leave it when God shall call being fully satisfied that God will choose that which is best for him and us all by these things God doth greatly support me and I hope you also my dear Mother which was and is my Brothers great desire there is still room for Prayer for one and God having so answered though not in kind we have Encouragement still to wait on him Honoured Mother Your Dutiful Daughter Hannah Hewling When I came to Taunton to Mr. Benjamin Hewling he had received the News of his Brother's being gone to die with so much comfort and joy and afterwards of the continued goodness of God increasing it to the end He expressed to this effect We have no cause to fear Death if the Presence of God be with us there is no evil in it the sting being taken away it 's nothing but our Ignorance of the Glory that the Saints pass into by Death which makes it appear dark for our selves or Relations if in Christ What is this World that we should desire an abode in it It 's all vain and unsatisfying full of sin and misery Intimating also his own chearful expectations soon to follow discovering then and all along great seriousness and sense of Spiritual and Eternal things complaining of nothing in his present Circumstances but want of place of Retirement to converse more uninterruptedly with God and his own Soul saying That this lonely time in Newgate was the sweetest in his whole Life He said God having some time before struck his Heart when he thought of the hazard of his Life to some serious Sense of his past Life and the great consequences of Death and Eternity shewing him that they were the only happy Persons that had secured their Eternal states The folly and madness of the ways of sin and his own Thraldom therein with his utter inability to deliver himself also the necessity of Christ for Salvation He said it was not without Terror and Amazement for some time the sight of unpardon'd sin with Eternity before him But God wonderfully opened to him the Riches of his Free-Grace in Christ Jesus for poor Sinners to flee to enabling to look alone to a crucified Christ for Salvation He said this blessed Work was in some measure carried on upon his Soul under all his business and hurries in the Army but never sprung forth so fully and sweetly till his close Confinement in Newgate There he saw Christ and all Spiritual Objects more clearly and embraced them more strongly there he experienced the blessedness of a reconciled State the Excellency of the ways of Holiness the delightfulness of Communion with God which remained with very deep and apparent impressions on his Soul which he frequently express'd with Admiration of the Grace of God towards him He said Perhaps my Friends may think this Summer the saddest time of my Life but I bless God it hath been the sweetest and most happy of it all nay there is nothing else worth the name of happiness I have in vain sought satisfaction from the things of this World but I never found it but now I have found Rest for my Soul in God alone O how great is our Blindness by Nature till God open our Eyes that we can see no Excellency in Spiritual things but spend our Precious Time in pursuing Shadows and are deaf to all the Invitations of Grace and Glorious Offers of the Gospel How just is God in depriving us of that we so much slighted and abused Oh! his Infinite Patience and Goodness that after all he should yet sanctifie any Methods to bring a poor sinner to himself Oh! Electing Love distinguishing Grace what great cause have I to admire and adore it He said What an amazing Consideration is the Suffering of Christ for sin to bring us to God his Suffering from wicked Men was exceeding great but alas what was that to the Dolours of his Soul under the infinite Wrath of God This Mystery of Grace and Love is enough to swallow up our thoughts to all Eternity As to his own Death he would often say He saw no reason to expect any other I know God is infinitely able to deliver and I am sure will do it if it be for his Glory and my Good in
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
in wait for by the Circumcellions who designed to Murder him and they had certainly effected it but that the Person who was his Guide by a special Providence of God mistook his way and so led him into a by-path whereby he escaped their hands as afterwards came to his Knowledge for which he praised God as his only Deliverer Ibid. 5. Paulus Fagius when the Town of Isâ—a where he was Minister was greatly afflicted with the Pestilence understanding that many of the wealthiest Inhabitants intended to forsake the place without having any Respect or Care for such as laboured with that Disease and that the Houses of such as were Infected were commanded to be shut up by the Magistrate openly Admonished them either to continue in the Town or liberally to bestow their Alms before their Departure for the Relief of such as were Sick and during the time of the Visitation he himself in person would visit those that were sick he would administer Spiritual Comfort unto them Pray for them and would be present with them Day and Night and yet by the Providence of God he remained untouched and was preserved by the All powerful Hand of God Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 149. 6. A Gentlewoman having lain in a Trance for some Days was at length Buried for dead with a Gold Ring on her Finger the Sexton knowing thereof he and his Wife with a Lanthorn and Candle went privily the next Night and digged up the Coffin opened it untied the winding Sheet and was going to take off the Ring when suddenly the buried Lady raised up her self being just then supposed miraculously to come out of her Trance the Sexton and his Wife ran away in a horrible Fright leaving their Lanthorn behind them which she took up and made haste to her House and she knocking hard at the Door and the Maid-servant asking who was there she said 'T is I let me in The Maid being much Surprized thereat neglected to open the Door but ran away to her Master and acquainted him therewith he would scarce believe it till himself went to the Door and heard her Voice and let her in got her into a warm Bed and being well looked after she perfectly recovered and lived to have Three Children afterwards This is in a Book called The Victory of Patience 7. In the Massacre of Paris one Merlin a Minister of the Reformed Religion fled from the Persecutors to save his Life and hid himself in a Hay-mow where he was strangely preserved and nourished for the space of a Fortnight by a Hen that came constantly and every Day laid an Egg by him by which he was sustained Clark's Mirr p. 365. 8. In the same Persecution another Man being closely pursued for his Life got into a little Cellar in an old Castle over the Door of which presently came a Spider and Spun a thick Webb where the Persecutors came presently after to look for him but they seeing a thick Web over the Door declined seeking him there by which he was miraculously Saved See a Book called Mankind Displayed 9. At Seven-Oak in Kent was taken up an Infant of unknown Parents but by Charitable People was Baptized and brought up and bound Apprentice in London and came at last to be Mayor of the City Chetwind's Hist Collect. 10. There is lately come to my Hand says Mr. Mather in his Book of Providences an Account of some Remarkables which have hapned at Norwich in New-England drawn up by Mr. Fitch the Judicious and eminently Faithful Pastor of the Church in that place which that others may be incouraged to follow his Example in observing and recording the special VVorks of Divine Providence I shall here insert as I received it Remarkable Providences at Norwich 11. Many times the Heavens have been shut up but God hath answered our Prayers in sending Rain and sometimes so speedily and so plentifully after our seeking the Lord by Fasting and Prayer that the Heathen now for more than twenty years upon occasion of want of Rain will speak to us to call upon the Name of the Lord our God one special Instance of this kind I have already given and it 's upon Record in the History of the VVar with the Indians in New-England 12. Many among us have been in more than ordinary hazard by Rattle-Snakes some have set their Feet upon them some have been bitten by them upon the Skin and one as he was stooping down to dâ—nk at a Spring of VVater spied a Rattle-Snake within two Foot of his Head rising up against him thus manifold ways in danger by this Venomous Creature and yet none of us have suffered any harm but only one was bitten in the Finger and in a short time perfectly healed 13. In the time of the VVars with the Indians we were not only preserved from the Heathen in the midst of the Heathen but by the Lord 's making some of them to be a Wall of Defence unto us And thus we were saved by a destroying means 14. And at this time the Providence of God was very remarkable in preserving many of our People in one of our Garrisons who were driven to Garrison several Houses and the House of which now I speak did contain about sixty Persons and in this House one of the Souldiers taking a Gun Loaden with Bullets into his hand as he stood in a lower-Room the Lock being half bent and he holding the Gun right upwards the Gun was Discharged tho many People were in the Chamber yet none of them suffered any harm because Providence did guide the Shot into the Summer that piece of Timber which is the support of the Chamber 15. Also one in the same House looking with a Candle under a Bed for something he wanted fired some Flax which filled the Room with Flame and Smoke and two small Children lay sleeping in this peril but were preserved from the fire or any harm by the throng of People in the Room at length one of the Children was taken up by one of the Men with a purpose of throwing it out of the Camber Window but at that very moment there was such an abatement of the Flame and hope that the worst of the danger was past that he held the Child in his Arms and yet presently after the fire brake out again in the uppermost Room in the House nigh to a Barrel of Gun-powder But some were guided strengthned and succeeded in their endeavour to the extinguishing the fire so that the Lives and Limbs and Goods of all these were preserved by the good hand of God who doth wonderfully when we know not what to do 16. One of the Children of the Church grown up though not in full Communion was left to fall into a most notorious abominable Practice which did occasion the Church to meet and humble their Souls by Fasting and Prayer and at this time in the Sermon and Prayer it was declared That the Lord had determined either to bring our
Children nearer to him and not to suffer them to live out of full Communion with his Church or else he would in his Anger leave them to such Abominations as shall cut them off from his Church And since this time many young People have by the Grace of the Lord been prepared for full Communion and have taken hold of the Covenant confessing that they have felt the impression of the Word upon that abashing Occasion spoken And thus the fall of one hath been the rising of many Where Sin abounds the Lord can make Grace to superabound Concerning some Personal Deliverances 1. There was a Young man endeavouring to subdue a Young Horse and a Rope at one end of it was fastened about the Horses Neck but the Horse running with great speed the other end of the Rope caught the Foot of this Young Man as in a snare and was so entangled therein that he was drawn Ten Rods upon his back in a very rough and uneven place of Land he being utterly unable to free himself and none at hand that could help him and thus it being come to this Extremity the Horse of himself stood still so long and no longer time than that the Young Man did clear his Foot out of the Rope and thus was delivered out of the danger and suffered not a broken Bone nor any considerable bruise or harm 2. There was another Young Man who sate upon a Plough-Beam and suddenly his Cattle moving his Plough turned and one of his Legs was Entangled within the Plough and the Plough-Irons pressing hard against some part of his Body but could not free himself and the more he called to the Cattle the more speedily they moved and thus was in danger of being torn in pieces but in this extremity it was not long before the Cattle of themselves stood still 3. There was another Young Man who did fall about Ten Foot from some part of the Mill Timber into deep Waters and a place of many Rocks a Stream very violent and he was carried about eleven Rods down the Stream where there was a great piece of Ice and while he was in this confounded and amazed Posture his hand was guided to take hold of that Ice and there to hold until one who saw him fall did adventure upon that Ice and drew him out of the Waters and thus they were both delivered Thus far Mr. Mather 4. Martin Bucer upon a Sermon Preached against the Impieties and Superstitions of the Church of Rome whilst he attended upon the Prince Elector Palatine in Belgium did so incur the ill will of the Monks and Friars that they said Snares for him but he having notice thereof fled secretly away and went unto Franciscus Sickingem by whom he was kindly entertained promising him safety till the times were better quieted in reference to Religion Ibid. p. 155. 5. I will here set down a Remarkable story of my Own Father William Turner a Private Man and disengaged from Parties who yet in the time of our late Civil Wars being requested by a Neighbour to assist him in the seecuing of a Gelding which he had in a Pasture not far from my Father's House upon the Expectation of an Army that was coming in that Road My Father readily without any excuse went along with him took the Horse out of the Pasture went along the Road so long till the Neighbour fearing danger diverted into the Feilds My Father being not far from his own House and trusting partly to the innocence of his cause kept the Road and bid Farewel to his Companion but by and by meeting with some Souldiers he passed by them and after them others till at last finding the lane narrow and the Souldiers come in greater multitudes to avoid the trouble of giving way to so many having a confidence in the swiftness of his Horse and the Knowledge of by-paths he turned back again but had not gone far till he was shot at once and again and at last shot through his Body between the Bowels and Bastard-Ribs and at last seized His Horse Boots Sword and Cloaths all taken from him and a tattered suit of Apparel from a common Souldier put upon him And at last brought to the General who passed this Sentence upon him that he should be hang'd the next Rendezvour Accordly he was driven before them to the next Market-Town Drayton in Shropshire put under the Table whilst the General and his Officers went to breakfast in order to be hanged by and by But upon a false report the General caused the Trumpeter to sound a March and so left my Father bleeding inwardly in the Inn. Three Chirurgeons that were sent for successively one after the other gave him over for desperate but at last a Gentlewoman related to the Earl of Shrewsbury looking upon his wound did believe it curable and accordingly undertook the Cure and in six Months at least effected it but so that my Father upon the least Surcharge of new Ale or Beer or any windy Liquor was obnoxious to Fainting-Fits till it pleased God after 20 Years or thereabouts to order it so that the Escharre broke out in way of an Issue which continued with him I think to almost the time of his Death which was in the 77th Year of his Age A. D. 1689 90. This I thought my self bound in point of Gratitude to the Divine Providence to Record 6. Beza being in France in the first Civil War and there tossed up and down for two and twenty Months Recorded six hundred Deliverances from Dangers in that space for which he solemnly gave God thanks in his last Testament Flavel's Divine Conduct p. 104. 7. Extracted from Mr. Aubery 's Miscellanies Anno 1670. A poor Widow's Daughter in Herefordshire went to Service she was Aged about 20 fell very ill even to the point of Death her Mother besought God to spare her Daughter's life and take her to him At this very time the Daughter fell into a Trance which continued about an Hour they thought she had been Dead When she recovered out of it she declared the Vision she had in this Fit viz. That one in black Habit came to her whose Face was so bright and glorious she could not behold it and also he had such brightness upon his Breast and if I forget not upon his Arms and told her That her Mother's Prayers were heard and that her Mother should shortly die and she should suddenly recover And she did so and her Mother died She hath the Character of a modest humble vertuous Maid Had this been in some Catholick Country it would have made a great Noise 8. T is certain there was one in the Strand who lay in a Trance a few Hours before he departed And in his Trance had a Vision of the Death of King Charles the II. It was at the very Day of his Apoplectick Fit 9. There is a Sheet of Paper Printed 16 concerning Ecstasies that James Vsher late Lord Primate