equall tearmes haue embraced Death Whereas infinite of hers haue bin offered life with promotions and yet would not bee deliuered expecting a better resurrection If any shall challenge these for Thrasonicall flourishes or Carpet vaunts I appeale and call to witnesse not the Cloud now but the whole skye of witnesses such I meane as haue dyed either in the Lord or for the Lord who in the very poynt and Article of Death haue liued and expressed liuely testimonies of this their life partly in their incredible sufferings partly in their admirable sayings For their Acts and Monuments if they had all been penned all the world would not haue conteined their Histories the very summes would swell to large Volumes The valour of the Patients the sauagenesse of the Persecutours striuing together till both exceeding nature and beleefe bred wonder and astonishment in beholders and Readers Christians haue shewed as glorious power in the faith of Martyrdome as in the faith of Myracles As for their last Speaches and Apothegmes pitie it is no better marke hath been taken and memory preserued of them The choyce and the prime I haue culled out of ancient Stories and latter Martyrologies English Dutch and French The profite and pleasure hath paid me for the labour of collecting and the like gaine I hope shall quit the cost of thy reading Sweetly briefly they comprise and couch in them the foundation the marrow of large manifold precepts prescribed by the learned Diuines for preparation against Death The Art of dying well is easier learned by examples then by directions These chalk the way more plainely these encourage more heartily these perswade more powerfully these chide vnbeleefe with more authoritie if some worke not others may some will affect some some another Read them ouer to a sicke or to a dying Christian if they quicken not if they comfort not it is because there is no life of Faith in them if there be the least sparke these will kindle it cherish and maintaine it in the doore in the valley in the thought in the act of Death The Liuing Speeches of Dying Christians PART 1. OLd Simeons Swannes Song Lord let thy seruant depart in peace c. The good Theefe the first Confessor Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Steuen the first Martyr Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit forgiue them c. Peter the Apostle None but Christ Nothing but Christ. Andrew the Apostle Welcome Oh Christ longed and looked for I am the Scholler of him that did hang on thee long haue I coueted to embrace thee in whom I am that I am Polycarpus to the Proconsull vrging him to deny Christ I haue serued him 86 yeares and hee hath not once hurt mee and shall I now deny him When hee should haue been tyed to the stake he required to stand vntyed saying Let me alone I pray you for hee that gaue mee strength to come to this fire will also giue me patience to abide in the same without your tying Ignatius I am the Wheat or Graine to be ground with the teeth of Beasts that I may bee pure Bread for my Masters tooth Let Fire Rackes Pulleyes yea and all the Torments of Hell come on mee so I may winne Christ. Lucius to Vrbicius a corrupt Iudge threaning death I thanke you with all my heart that free mee and release mee from wicked Gouernours and send mee to my good God and louing Father c. Pothnius Bishop of Lyons to the President asking him in the midst of torments what that Christ was answered If thou wert worthy thou shouldest know Cyprian God Almighty be blessed for this Gaole deliuery Ambrose to his Friends about him I haue not so liued that I am ashamed to liue longer nor yet feare I Death because I haue a good Lord. And the same to Calligon Valentinians Eunuch threatning death Well doe you that which becomes an Eunuch I will suffer that which becomes a Bishop Augustine Boughes fall off Trees and Stones out of Buildings and why should it seeme strange that mortall men dye Theodosius I thank God more for that I haue beene a member of Christ then an Emperour of the world Hilarion Soule get thee out thou hast seuentie yeares serued Christ and art thou now loath to dye or afrayd of Death Vincentius Rage and doe the worst that the spirit of malignity can set thee on worke to doe Thou shalt see Gods Spirit strengthen the Tormented more then the Deuill can doe the Tormentor Iubentius and Maximinus Wee are ready to lay off the last Garment the Flesh. Attalus answered to euery question I am a Christian being fired in an Iron Chaine Behold oh you Romans this is to eat mans flesh which you falsely obiect to vs Christians Basill to Valens his Viceroy offering him respite No I shall bee the same to morrow I haue nothing to lose but a few Bookes and my body is now so crazy that one blow will ende my torment Gordius To the Tyrant offering him promotion Haue you any thing equall or more worthy then the Kingdome of Heauen Babilas dying in Prison willed his Chaines should be buried with him Now saith he will God wipe away all teares and now I shall walke with God in the land of the Liuing Barlaam holding his hand in the flame ouer the Altar sung that of the Psalmist Thou teachest my hands to warre and my fingers to fight Iulitta Wee Women receiued not onely flesh from men but are bone of bone and therefore ought to be as strong and constant as men in Christs cause Amachus Turne the other side also Least raw flesh offend The like Lawrence Symeones Thus to dye a Christian is to liue yea the chiefe good and best end of a man Marcus of Arethuse hung vp in a basket annoynted with hony and so exposed to the stinging of Waspes and Bees to his persecutours that stood and beheld him How am I aduaunced despising you that are below on earth Pusices to Ananias an olde man trembling at Martyrdome Shut thine eyes but a while and thou shalt see Gods light Bernard Fense the heele voyd of Merite with Prayer that the Serpent may not finde where to fasten his teeth The second part EDWARD the 6. King of England Bring me into thy Kingdom free this Kingdome from Antichrist and keepe thine Elect in it Cranmer Archbishop Thrusting his hand into the fire Thou vnworthy hand saith hee shalt first burne I will bee reuenged of thee for subscribing for feare of Death to that damned scrowle Latimer Bishop To one that tempted him to recant and would not tell him his name Well saith he Christ hath named thee in that saying Get thee behinde mee Sathan And being vrged to abiure I will saith hee good people I once sayd in a Sermon in King Edwards time confidently that Antichrist was for euer expelled England but God hath shewed mee it was but carnall confidence To Bishop Ridley going before him to the Stake
vntroubled vndismayed insomuch that an auncient witnesse of the Christian Bishops that they did more ambitiously desire the glory of Martyrdome then others did Praelacies and Preferments And a late mortall enemie of theirs bade a vengeance on them for hee thought they tooke delight in burning What then shall wee gaine by them I remember Master Rough a Minister comming from the burning of one Austo in Smithfield being asked by Master Farrar of Halifax where he had beene made answere There where I would not but haue been for one of my eyes and would you knowe where Forsooth I haue beene to learne the way which soone after hee made good by following him in the same place in the same kinde of death Now if one President made him so good a Scholler What dullards and non-proficients are we if such a cloud of examples work not in vs a cheerefull abilitie to expect and encounter the same aduersary so often foyled before our eyes Yet least any should complaine that examples without Rules are but a dumbe and lame helpe I will annexe vnto them a payre of Funerall Sermons opening a couple of Seales reuealed to Iohn in his second vision The first affording vs sundry Meditations of Death and Hell The second of Heauen the happinesse of such as dye in the Lord and rest vnder the Altar The vse of them I chiefly dedicate and commend to old sick persons such especially as die of lingring diseases affoording them leisure to peruse such themes though I forbid none but to all I say Come and see THE LIFE OF FAITH in DEATH REVEL 6. 7. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come and see And behold a pale horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was giuen vnto them c. COme and see Were it some stately some pleasing yea or but some vaine sight such as Mordecay riding on the kings Horse in pompe with the Royall Furniture or but a company of Players riding through a Market A Drum a Trumpet or the least call would serue the turne to draw vs out to the sight But these being serious yea to nature somwhat hideous and odious Voyces like vnto Thunders are giuen to the beasts to call beholders The Cryer in the Wildernesse is willed to cry this Theme aloud in the deafe eares of men A Boanerges with all the vehemency and contention of his voyce and affections will bee too little vnlesse God boare the eares open the eyes and perswade the hearts of men to Come and see Yet is it but our folly to be so shye of this sight for though it bee sad yet is it of all the sights vnder the Sunne the most necessary the most profitable Though we turne away our faces and close our eyes yet see it wee must and see it wee shall neuer the lesse neuer the sooner neuer the later Nay the truth is see it wee neuer shall but with closed eyes Thou tender faint-hearted man or woman that art so loath to meete with a Corps or Beere to see a skull or any thing that minds thee of Death shalt thou by this meanes protract or escape thy Death No let mee tell thee praeuision is the best preuention and praemonition the best praemunition That which is commonly receiued of the Basiliske is here no conceited Story but a serious truth He that sees it before he be seene of it may auoyd the deadly poyson of it Hee that sees it before it comes shall not see it when it comes Hee that mannageth an horse at an armed stake fits him to rush into the maine Battell without feare And wouldest thou with Ioseph of Arimathaea walke euery day a turne or two with Death in thy Garden and well foreacquaint thy selfe therewithall thou shouldest haue if not Enochs yet euery true beleeuers Priuiledge not to see Death not to taste of Death viz. in that ougly forme distastfull manner which other the sonnes of Adam do who because they will not see the face of it must feele the sting of it To dye well and cheerfully is too busie a worke to be well done ex tempore The Foundation of Death must bee layde in life Hee that meanes and desires to dye well must dye daily Hee that would ende his dayes well must spend them well the one will helpe the other The thoughts of thy end as the trayne of the Foule and Rudder of a Shipp will guide thy life and a good Life will leade thee to a peaceable end that thou shalt neither shame or feare to dye In a word Platoes Phylosophy in this is true Diuinitie that the best meane and whole summe of a wise mans life is the Commentation of Death not euery fleet and flitting flash but frequent and fixed contemplations Death is the knownest and vnknownest thing in the world that of which men haue the most thoughts and fewest Meditations Be therefore perswaded to Come and see that is come that thou mayest see Come from other obiects infinite and vaine spectacles with which the eye is neuer glutted Drawe neere and close to this that thou mayest see it throughly Wipe off the Clay Spittle and Scales of thine eyes that thou mayest cleerly behold the nature quality and consequents of Death No mortall wight but hath some blushes of mortality such as go and come but if they would suffer them to lodge in their mindes they must needes stirre some affection and leaue some impression in the memory and produce some effects in their liues Socrates had a gift that hee could fasten his eyes many howers on one obiect without change or wearinesse Halfe so stayed a thought of ones mortalitie might bring a man to immortalitie It is not beautie seene but looked on that wounds I meet with a Story of one that gaue a young Prodigall a Ring with a Deaths head with this condition that he should one houre daily for seauen dayes together looke and thinke vpon it which bred a strange alteration in his life like that of Thesposius in Plutarke or that more remarkable of Waldus the rich Merchant in Lyons who seeing one drop downe dead in the streets before him went home repented changed his life studied the Scripture and became a worthy Preacher Father and Founder of the Christians called Waldenses or poore men of Lyons In Conference and Confessions many one hath acknowledged to my selfe the like some that by dangerous sicknesse of their own others that by feare of infection in times of the Plague and generall Visitation others by the death of friends as by shafts that haue fallen neere them haue beene awakened affrighted and occasioned to thinke deeply on their ends to prouide against their ends to attend the Word which hath proued the meane of their conuersion and saluation And this I thinke should bee enough to perswade young and olde one and other to Come and see But what now are we come out to see Behold First the Seale opened Secondly the
Haue after as fast as I can follow wee shall light such a candle by Gods grace in England this day as I trust shall neuer hee put out againe To whom Bishop Ridley Bee of good heart Brother for God will either asswage the fury of the flame or else strengthen vs to abide it Bishop Hooper to one that tendered a Pardon vpon recantation If you loue my Soule away with it if you loue my Soule away with it one of the Commissioners prayed him to consider that life is sweet and death is bitter True saith hee but the death to come is more bitter and the life to come more sweet Oh Lord Christ I am hell thou art Heauen draw me to thee of thy mercy Iohn Rogers to one that told him hee would change his note at the fire If I should trust in my selfe I should so doe but I haue determined to dye and God is able to inable me Being awakened and bidden to make haste to Execution Then saith hee shall I not need to tye my poynts Iohn Philpot I will pay my vowes in thee O Smithfield Thomas Bilney I know by sense and Phylosophie that fire is hote and burning painfull but by faith I know it shall onely waste the stubble of my bodie and purge my spirit of it corruption Glouer to Augustine Brenner He is come He is come meaning the Comforter Gods Spirit Iohn Bradford embracing the Reeds and Fagots sayd Strayte is the way and narrow is the gate and few that finde it And speaking to his fellow Martyr Bee of good comfort Brother for wee shall haue a merrie Supper with the Lord this night if there be any way to heauen on Horsebacke or in fiery Chariots this is it Lawrence Saunders I was in prison till I got into prison and now sayes he kissing the Stake welcome the Crosse of Christ welcome euerlasting life my Sauiour began to mee in a bitter Cup and shall I not pledge him Iohn Lambert None but Christ none but Christ. Baynam Behold you Papists that looke for myracles I feele no more paine in the fire then if I were in a bed of Downe it is as sweet to me as a bed of Roses Hugh Lauerocke comforting Iohn A Pryce his fellow-Martyr said vnto him Bee of good comfort my Brother for my Lord of London is our good Physition he will cure thee of all thy blindnesse and me of my lamenesse this day William Hunter to his Mother For a momentany payne I shall haue a crowne of life may not you be glad of that To whom shee answered I count my selfe happy that bare such a Champion for Christ and thee as well bestowed as any childe that euer I bare Adam Damlip to his fellow-prisoners wondring at his cheerefull Supping and behauiour after the message of his execution Why quoth hee thinke you I haue beene so long in the Marshallsea and haue not learned to dye And when they told him his quarters should bee hanged vp then said he shall I need take no thought for buriall Priests wife to one offering her money I am now going to a Countrey where money beares no Mastery when sentence was read Now haue I gotten that which many a day I haue sought for Kirby to Master Wingfield pittying him Be at my burning and you shall see and say there is a Souldier of Christ I know fire water and sword are in his hands that will not suffer them to seperate me from him Doctor Taylor I shall this day deceiue the wormes in Hadley Church yard and fetching a leape or two when hee came within two miles of Hadley Now saith hee lacke I but two Stiles and I am euen at my Fathers house Walter Mill vrged to recant at the Stake I am no chaffe but corne I will abide Wind and Flayle by Gods grace Bishop Farrar to a Knights Son bemoaning his death If you see me stirre in the fire trust not my doctrine And so hee stood holding vp his stumps till one Grauell strooke him downe with a staffe Rawlings to the Bishops Rawlings you left mee Rawlings you finde mee and so by Gods grace I will dye Iohn Ardley If euery haire of my head were a man it should suffer death in the Faith I now stand in The like Agges Stanley and William Sparrow Thomas Hawkes being desired to giue a signe whether the fire was tollerable to be borne promised it to his friends and after all expectation was past hee lift vp his hands halfe burned and being on a light fire with great reioycing striketh them three times together Lawrence Ghest to his wife meeting him with seauen children on her hand Be not a blocke to me in the way now I am in a good course and neere the marke The Lady Iane Grey requested by the Lieutenant of the Towre to write her Symbole in his book before her beheading wrote this Let the glassie condition of this life neuer deceiue thee There is a time to bee borne a time to die But the day of death is better then the day of Birth Alice Driuer when the chain was about her necke Heere is a goodly Necker chiefe God be blessed for it Iohn Noyes kissing the stake Blessed bee the time that euer I was borne for this day To his fellow Martyrs We shal not lose our liues in this Fire but change them for a better and for coales haue pearles c. Iulius Palmer To them that haue the minde linked to the body as a theeues foot to a payre of stockes it is hard to dye indeed but if one bee able to separate soule and body then by the helpe of Gods spirit it is no more mastery for such a one then for mee to drinke this Cup. Elizabeth Folkes embracing the Stake Farewell all the world Farewell Faith Farewell Hope and welcome Loue. Roger Bernard being threatned whipping stocking burning answered I am no better then my master Christ and the Prophets which your Fathers serued after such sort and I for his names sake am content to suffer the like at your hands so immediatly he was condemned and carried to the fire Thomas Sampal offred a pardon in the midst of the fire Oh now I am thus far on my iourney hinder me not to finish my race Latimer Bishop when they were about to set fire to him and Bishop Ridley with an amiable countenance said these words God is faithfull which doth not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength Bishop Ridley to Mistris Irish the Keepers wife and other friends at Supper I pray you be at my Wedding tomorrow at which wordes they weeping I perceiue you are not so much my friends as I tooke you to be Tankerfield when hee had put one Legg into the fire The Flesh shrinkes and sayes Thou foole wilt thou burne and needest not The spirit sayes Hell fire is sharper and wilt thou aduenture that The flesh saies Wilt thou leaue thy Friends The Spirit answers Christ and his Saints society
is better The flesh saies Wilt thou shorten thy life The Spirit saies It 's nothing to an eternall life Ioyce Lewis When I beholde the ouglesome face of Death I am afrayd but when I consider Christes amiable Countenance I take heart againe The third part IOHN HVS to a Countreyman that threwe a Faggot at his head Oh holy Simplicitie God send thee better light You roste the Goose now but a Swanne shall come after mee and hee shall escape your Fire Hus a Goose in the Bohemian language and Luther a Swan Hierom of Prague Make the fire in my sight for if I had feared it I had neuer come hither while it was making he sung two Psalmes Anonymus on his death-bed Now Flegme doe thy dutie and stop thou my vitall Artery Now Death doe me that friendly office to rid me of paine and hasten mee to happinesse To a Friend of his that willed him to haue his thoughts on heauen I am there already Claudius Monerius being cauilled at by the Friers for eating a breakfast before his execution This I do that the flesh may answere the readines of the Spirit Michaela Caignoela a noble Matron seeing her Iudges look out of the windowes said to her fellow-Martyrs These stay to suffer the torment of their Consciences and are reserued to iudgement but wee are going to glory and happinesse And to certaine poore women weeping and crying Oh Madam wee shall neuer now haue more Almes Yes hold you saith shee yet once more and plucked off her Slippers and such other of her apparell as shee could with modestie spare from the fire Iames Delos to Monkes that called him proud Heretike Alas here I get nothing but shame I expect indeed preferment hereafter Madam la Glee to one Chavique that vpbraided her for denying the Faith Your cursed faith is not worthy the name of Faith she put on her Bracelets For I goe said she to my Spouse Marlorat to friends that called him deceiuer If I haue seduced any God hath seduced me who cannot lye Castilia Rupea Though you throw my body downe of this steepe hill yet will my soule mount vpwards againe your blasphemies more offend my minde then your torments doe my body Christopher Marshall of Antwerpe I was from eternall a sheepe destined to the slaughter and now I go to the Shambles Gold must bee tried in the fire Vidus Bressius If Gods Spirit saith true I shall straight rest from my labours my soule is euen taking her wings to slie to her resting place The Duke of Wittemberg and Luneburgh Many haue beene mine errours and defects in Gouernment Lord pardon and couer all in Christ. Picus Mirandula If Christes Death and our owne were euer in eye how could wee sinne Death is welcome not as an end of trouble but of sinne Martin Luther Thee Oh Christ haue I taught thee haue I trusted thee haue I loued into thy handes I commend my spirit O ecolampadius to one asking if the light offended him not I haue light enough here laying his hand on his breast And to the Ministers about him Let the light of your liues shine as well as your Doctrine Francisco Varlute Paul and Peter were more honourable members of Christ then I but I am a member they had more store of grace then I but I haue my measure and therfore sure of my glory Peter Berger I see the Heauens open to receiue my Spirit And beholding the multitude at the stake Great is the Haruest Lord send Labourers Iohn Mallot a Souldior Often haue wee hazarded our liues for the Emperour Charles the fifth and shall wee now shrinke to dye for the King of Kings Let vs follow our Captaine Iohn Fillula to his fellowes By these Ladders we ascend the heauens now begin wee to trample vnder seet Sinne the World the Flesh and the Deuill Thomas Calberg to the Fryers willing him to repent at the last howre I beleeue that I am one of those Workemen in Christs Vineyard and shall presently receiue my penny Robert Ogners Sonne to his Father and Mother at the stake with him Beholde millions of Angells about vs and the Heauens open to receiue vs. To a Fryer that rayled Thy Cursings are Blessings And to a Noble man that offered him Life and Promotion Doe you thinke mee such a foole that I would change eternall things for temporary To the people We suffer as Christians not as Theeues or Murderers Constantine being carried with other Martyrs in a Dungcart to the place of Execution Well saith he yet are we a precious odour and sweet sauour to God in Christ. Fran Sanromanus a Spaniard Worke your pleasures on my bodie which you haue in Chaynes your Captiue but my soule is euen already in heauen through Faith and Hope and vpon that Caesar himselfe hath no power Ioan the Marshals wife of France to her Husband at the Stake with her Bee of good cheere our Wedding was but a shadow an earnest and Contract of that solemne and blessed Marriage which the Lambe will now consummate Anne Audebert of Orleance Blessed bee God for this wedding girdle meaning the Chaine My first Marriage was on the Lordes day and now my second to my Spouse and Lord CHRIST shall bee on the same Iohn Bruger to a Fryer offering him a wooden crosse at the Stake No saith hee I haue another true Crosse imposed by Christ on me which now I will take vp I worship not the worke of mans hands but the Sonne of God I am content with him for my onely Aduocate Martin Hyperius Oh what a difference there is betwixt this and eternall fire who would shun this to leape into that Augustine of Hannouia to a Noble man perswading him to haue a care of his soule So I will saith he for I presently will lay downe my body to saue my Conscience whole Faninus an Italian kissed the Apparitour that brought him word of his Execution To one reminding him of his Children I haue left them to an Able and Faithfull Guardian To his friends weeping That is well done that you weepe for ioy with mee And to one obiecting Christes agony and sadnesse to his cheerefulnesse Yea saith hee Christ was sad that I might be merry He had my sinnes and I haue his merit and righteousnesse And to the Fryers offering him a woodden Crucifix Christ needes not the helpe of this piece to imprint him in my minde and heart where hee hath his habitation George Carpenter All Bauaria is not so deare to mee as my wife and children yet for Christes sake I will forsake them cheerfully Adam Wallacke a Scot to a tempting Fryer If an Angel should say that which thou doest I would not listen to him is the Fire ready I am ready Let no man be offended no Disciple is greater then his Master Iohn Burgon to his Iudges asking him if hee would appeale to the high Court Is it not enough that your handes are polluted with our Blood but
you will make more guiltie of it Fredericke Anuill of Bearne to the Fryers that willed him to call on the Virgin Mary three times repeated Thine O Lord is the Kingdome thine is the power and glory for euer and euer Let 's fight Let 's fight Auaunt Sathan Auaunt Godfrey Varal of Piedmont Hangman doe thine office my death will be fruitfull to my selfe and others Halewine of Antwerp and Harman of Amsterdam to the Markgraue of Antwerpe offering mittigation of Torments vpon abiuration Wee are resolued these Momentany afflictions are not worthy that exceeding weight of glory that shal be reuealed Peter and Nicholas Thiesseâ— brethren vsed the like speech Annas Burgius in the middest of his torments Lord forsake mee not lest I forsake thee Peter Clarke with the root of hi Tongue plucked out pronounced audibly to shew that none euer wanted a tongue to praise God Blessed be the name of God as of old Romanus the Martyr mentioned in Prudentius Godfrey de Hammele to one that called him Heretique No heretique but an vnprofitable seruant yet willing to die for his Lord and reckoning this death no death but a life Bucer No man by talke shall withdraw my mind from Christ crucified from heauen my speedy departure vpon which my soule is fixed When one aduised him to arme himselfe against Sathans temptations Hee hath nothing to doe with mee God forbid but now my soule should be sure of sweet consolation Tremelius a Christian Iew Let Christ liue and Barrabas perish Ferdinand Emperour If mine Ancestors and Predecessors had not dyed how should I haue beene Emperour I must that others may succeed mee Frederick the third Elect. Palat. to his friends about him wishing him recouery I haue liued enough to you let mee now liue to my selfe and with my Lord Christ. Leonard Caesar Oh Lord doe thou suffer with me Lord support me and saue me Windelmuta to one that told her shee had not yet tasted how bitter Death was No said shee neither euer shall I for so much hath Christ promised to all that keepe his word neither will I forsake him for sweete life or bitter death Henry Voes If I had ten heads they should all off for Christ. God forbid I should reioyce in any thing saue in his Crosse. The Minister of Brisgo This skinne which scarce cleaues to my bones I must shortly haue layde off by necessitie how much more willingly now for my Sauiour Christ. Adolphus Clarebachius I beleeue there is not a merrier heart in the world at this instant then mine is Behold you shall see mee dye by that Faith I haue liued Alexander Cane when a fooles Cappe was put on his head Can I haue a greater Honour done me then to bee serued as my Lord CHRIST before Herod Lord seeing my Persecutors haue no mercy haue thou mercy on mee and receiue my soule Almondus a Via My body dyes my Spirit liues Gods Kingdome abides euer God hath now giuen mee the accomplishment of all my desires Giles Tilman vrged to know what hee beleeued of Purgatory Purgatorie and Hell I leaue to you but my Hope is directly to goe into Paradise Neither feare I this great pyle of Wood whereof some might haue been spared to warme the poore but will passe through it purged for my Sauiour Peter Bruse I thanke God my broken legge suffered mee not to flye this Martyrdome Marion the wife of Adrian seeing the Coffin hooped with Iron wherein shee was to bee buryed aliue Haue you prouided this Pasty-crust to bake my flesh in Lewis Paschalis It s a small matter to die once for Christ if it might be I could wish I might die a thousand deaths for him Iohn Buisson I shall now haue a double Gaole deliuery one out of my sinnefull flesh another from the loathsome Dungeon I haue long lyen in Hugh Stallour to Iohn Pike his fellow Martyr Yet a little while and wee shall see one another before the Throne and face of God Levine de Blehere To his friends that offered to rescue him by tumult Hinder not the Magistrates worke nor my happinesse Father thou soresawest this Sacrifice from eternall now accept of it I pray thee Christopher Fabrianus First bitter then sweet first battell the victory when I am dead euery drop of my bloud shall preach Christ and set foorth his praise Francisce Soet You depriue me of this life and promote mee to a better which is as if you should rob mee of Counters and furnish me with Gold Guy de Bres The ringing of my Chaine haue beene sweet Musicke in mine eares my Prison an excellent Schoole wherein Gods spirit hath bin my Teacher all my former Discourses were as a blinde mans of colours in comparison of my present feeling Oh what a precious Comforter is a good Conscience Dionysius Peloquine To the Inquisitour telling him his life was now in his owne handes Then said hee It were in an ill keeping Christes Schoole hath taught mee to saue it by loosing it and not by the gaine of a few dayes or yeares to lose Eternitie Lewis Marsake Knight seeing his other brethren goe with Halters about their necks which they offered not him because of his dignity Why I pray you quoth hee deny me not the Badge and ornament of so excellent an order is not my cause the same with theirs which obtayning hee marched valiantly to the Stake with them Symon Laloeus to one Siluester his Executioner Neuer saw I man in all my life whose comming was more welcome to mee then thine So cheerfull was his death that Syluester amazed at it left his office became a Conuert and a Christian himselfe went to Geneua for further instruction in the Gospell Kilian a Dutch Schoolemaster to such as asked him if hee loued not his wife and children Yes said hee if all the world were golde and were mine to dispose of I would giue it to liue with them though it were but in prison yet my soule and Christ are dearer to me then all Giles Verdict Out of my Ashes shall rise innumerable Christians which Prophecy God so verified by the effect that it grewe a by-word after his death That his ashes flewe abroad all the Countrey Anthony Verdict brother to the former condemned to bee eaten with Beastes to preuent the like Prouerbe sayd to his Father Oh Father how hath God enabled you to haue two Sonnes honoured with Martyrdome Iohn Barbevill to Fryers that called him ignorant Asse Well admit I were so yet shall my Bloud witnesse against such Balaams as you bee Francisce Coluer to his two Sons massacred together with himselfe Sheepe wee are for the slaughter this is no new thing let vs follow millions of Martyrs through temporall death to eternall life By all these which are but an handfull of Christs Campe Royall it sufficiently appeares they had their Faith fresh and liuely in the face of this graund enemy and by Vertue of their Faith their Spirits Wits and Tongues
THE LIFE OF FAITH IN DEATH Exemplified in the liuing Speeches of Dying Christians By SAMVEL WARD Preacher of Ipswich LONDON Printed by Augustine Mathewes for Iohn Marriot and Iohn Grismand and are to bee sold at their Shops in Saint Dunstons Church yard and in Pauls Alley at the Signe of the Gunne 1622. TO HIS DEARE AND LOVING MOTHER I Honour Augustine much for honouring his Mother so much after her death whose name and example had otherwise lyen in obscuritie But I like better and wish rather to follow the piety of Nazianzene who gaue himselfe to the performance of all Christian Offices to his louing Mother God hath so blessed the former part of your life aboue the lot of most women with two such able guides as haue so stored you with Spirituall and Temporall furniture that you neede not the ayde of any your Children Neuerthelesse Grace and Nature will bee ascending and expressing themselues though in weake seruices REVBEN when hee found but a fewe Flowres must bring them to his Mother LEAH ESAV when hee takes Uenison gratifies his aged Father withall SAMPSON findes home by the way and presents of it to his parents Heere is a Posie gathered out of olde and new Gardens this sauory meate hath God brought to hand heere is sweete out of the strong Let your soule eate and blesse The vse and fruit of them I wish to euery beleeuer especially in age and sickenesse but the handsell and honor of them if any be to your selfe whom the Law of God and Nature binds mee to honour aboue others Long may you liue to blesse your Children with your daily Prayers especially your sonnes in that worke which needes much watering Yet euery good Christian in yeares cannot but desire to bee forewarned against death approching and that is the ayme of these endeuours God prosper and blesse them as the former and send mee my part in the benefit of these as hee hath done of them in the time of vse Your Sonne in all dutie desirous of the birth-right of your loue and blessing SA WARD THE LIFE OF FAITH IN DEATH THat which hath bin already spoken of the Life of Faith is to the naturall man aboue all Faith And yet if that bee all it can doe then is all little better then nothing Say it could fill the minde of man with all content satiate his life with all delight and sweeten the bitternesse of all afflictions yet if for all this there lurke in his breast a secret and slauish feare of Death the least peece of this leauen but in a corner of the pecke is enough to sowre the whole lumpe of his ioyes the least dram of this Coloquintida will marre the relish of all his sweetes and make him crie out There is death in the pot And Oh Death how bitter is thy mention and memory Aske Nature and call to Philosophy and see if they can affoord any ayd must they not confesse themselues heere quite posed and plunged hath not death set foyled their whole army for pouertie shame and sicknesse and other such pettie Crosses some poore cures and lame shifts haue they found out but when death comes all their courage hath fayled and all their rules haue left them in darke and desperate vncertainties It is possible for Pharaoh with much a do to stand out the stormes of Haile the swarme of Flies and Lice but when once the crie of Death is in the houses then is there no way but yeelding his Enchaunters and Mountebancks could abide the crie of Frogs and other such vermine but this Basiliske affrights them Onely Faith takes it by the tayle handles it and turnes it into an harmlesse wand yea into a rod budding with glory and immortalitie Quartane agues are not so much the shame of Phisicke as Death is of all naturall skill and valour Death is Faiths euill Faith onely professeth this Cure vndertaketh and performeth it with the least touch of Christs hand and that as familiarly as the richest Balme doth the least cut of the finger Faith turneth feares into hopes sighings and groanings into wishings and longings shaking and trembling into leaping and clapping of hands Alas all troubles are but as Pigmyes to this Gyant who defies all the hoste of Infidels holds them in bondage all the dayes of their liues and makes their whole life no better then a liuing Death and dying life Only Faith encounters this Gyant singles him out for her chiefe prize and grapples with him not as a match but as with a vanquished vnderling insulting ouer him as much as he doth ouer the sonnes of vnbeliefe sets her foot vpon the necke of this King of feares and so easily becomes Conquerour and Emperour of all pettie feares which are therefore onely fearefull because they rend to Death the last the worst the end and summe of all feared euils Here and here onely is the incomparable crowne of Faith here only doth she euidently and eminently honour her followers and difference them from all others with a noble liuery of true magnanimitie and alacritie It is true if wee had windowes into the breasts of men a difference one might see in the inward bearing of aduersitie but for the face and outside both may seeme alike hardy both may seeme alike resolute But when it comes to the poynt of Death then the speech the behauiour the countenance palpably distinguish the dull patience perforce of the worldling from the cheerfull welcome of the Christian. Let Death put on her mildest vizards come in the habit of the greatest sicknes to the stoutest Champion on his owne Downe bed yet shall his heart tremble and his countenance waxe pale Let her dresse her selfe like the cruellest Fury Come with all her rackes fires strappadoes wilde beasts all her exquisite tortures Faith will set a woman or a childe to make sport with her to dare and to tyre her and her tormentors Alas what doe they tell vs of their Socrates their Cato their Seneca and a few such thinne examples which a breath will rehearse a fewe lines containe their poore ragged handfull to our Legions whose names or number one may as soone reckon as the sand of the Sea shore their 's a fewe choyce men of heroycall spirits trayned vp either in arts or armes Our of the weakest sexes and sorts onely strong in the Faith their 's either out of windy vaine-glory childishly reckoning of a short death and a long fame or out of blockish ignorance venturing vpon Death as Children and mad men vpon dangers without feare or wit Ours out of mature deliberation and firme beliefe in Christ who hath drunke out of Deaths bitter Cup an eternall health to all mankind taken the gall and poyson out of it and made it a wholesome potion of immortalitie Faith heere proclaimes her challenge and bids nature or arte out of all their Souldiers or Schollers produce any one who hauing free option to liue or die and that vpon