reft returning Moses with his Servant Joshua abode there still and waited there six dayes and upon the seventh day God speak unto him Moses received the Law upon the Mount and there he continued forty dayes and forty nights eating no meat all that while nor drinking water where he received Gods Command and the Law written in Tables of Stone with Gods own Finger God biding him withal to get him down for that the People had already made themselves a Molten-Calf to worship it Whilst he was in the Mount the People were run into Idolarty Moses seeing this brake the Tables at the Foot of the Mount and having burnt and defaced the Idol many of the people were put to death by the hands of the Levites The next day Moses returned again into the Mount and there again intreated the Lord for the People and having drawn the People out of a deep Sence of the Wrath of God to repent them of their sin by his prayer he obtained that God himself should be their Leader in their way He prayeth for the People God Commanded Moses to frame New Tables of Stone and the next day to bring them with him into the Mount Moses staying again forty dayes and forty nights in the Mount without Meat or Drink prayed there for the People God was then pleased to renew his Covenant with the People and gave his Laws a new and bids Moses commit them to writing Moses after forty dayes returns from the Mount with the Tables in his Hand and covering his Face with a Vail because it shone he published the Laws of God to the People enjoyning the observation of them and commanded a Freewill-offering to be made Nadab and Abibue struck dead and why toward the building of the Tabernacle according to Gods Order Nadab and Abibue the two Eldest Sons of Aaron which going with their Father up into the Mount Sinai had there seen the Glory of God going into the Sanctuary with strange or common Fire were struck dead in the place by Fire sent from Heaven The Priests for bidden Wine and for them the Priests were forbid to make Lamentation moreover for some particular mens neglect of duty all the Priests were charged to forbear Wine and strong Drink before they were to go into the Tabernacle Moses finding the Goverment of the Israelites to be weighty complained to the Lord of the burden thereof saying I am not able to bear all this People alone because it is too heavy for me and to ease him the Lord said Gather seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People To ease Moses in the Government seventy Elders were chosen and Officers over them and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee and Moses gathered the seventy Elders and the Lord gave of the same Spirit that was on Moses unto them and it rested upon them and they Prophesied and Eldad and Medad remained in the Camp and Prophesied and when it was told Moses that they prophesied Moses being pleased therewith said Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them The Israelites lusting after Flesh and loathing the Food that God gave them Israel murmer again the Lord was Wrath with them the Lord was Wrath with them and brought Quales from the Sea and let them fall by the Camp and the People gathered them but whilst the Flesh was yet between their Teeth ere it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People and the Lord smote the people with a very great Plague and thus God punished them again for their murmering And now twelve Spies were sent one for every Tribe to discover and spy out the Land of Canaan Spies sent out â—o veiw the Land of Canaan After forty dayes spent in searching out the Land the Spies returned to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Pearan bringing with them one Branch of a Vine with a Cluster of Grapes upon it gathered in the Valley of Eshcol ten of the twelve Spies by speaking ill of the Country and the barrenness thereof and withal magnifying the Cities for their strength and the Giantly stature of the men therein Some of the Spies bring an ill report of the Land so that the People were disheartned disheartned the People from marching any further toward it whilest Caleb did all he could to perswade the people to go on and now the People began to murmer again against Moses and Aaron and would needs go back again into Aegypt and were ready to Stone Caleb and Joshua for saying the Land was an exceeding good Land and that it flowed with Milk and Hony and because of the Peoples complaining the Lord threatens them with suddain Destruction but through Moses's intercession and Prayer the Lord spared them yet so For the Peoples complaining the Lord was again Angry that withal he denounced to them that all of them which were then twenty years old and upwards should dye in the Wilderness and never see the Land which was promised unto them and that they should wander in that Wilderness forty years but my Servant Caleb because he hath another Spirit and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land and his Seed shall Possess it Upon this Calamity and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness Moses prayed unto the Lord and thereupon it is supposed he writ the ninetieth Psalm Mans Age again shortned in which he sheweth that the ordinary Age of Men was reduced to seventy or eighty years at the utmost so that now the age of man was again contracted and cut shorter And now again the People for lack of Water murmer against Moses and Aaron year 2552 whom when God Commanded to call Water out of the hard Rock The People murmer again only by speaking to it Moses being moved in his mind said Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you Water out of the Rock and with the Rod he smote the Rock twice and the Water came forth aboundantly Moses and Aaron for their unbelieve here shewed in executing the Command of God were debarred from entering into the Land of Canaan and the Waters were called Meribah or Waters of Strife Aaron diâ—â— And now in the fortieth year after the coming of the Children of Isarel out of Egypt Aaron died and shortly after God signified to Moses that he should die and Moses desired the Lord to set a man over the People which might go in and out before them and that might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd Ioshua succeed ed Moses and the Lord chose Joshua a man in whom was the Spirit of God and Moses layed his hands on him and gave him a charge as the Lord had commanded him and here ends the matter of the five Books of Moses containing
constancy and so embracing the Fire she sweetly slept in the Lord. Thus near the space of three hundred years was the Church of Christ assaulted on every side had small rest no joy nor outward safety in this present World but in much bitterness of Heart in continual tears and mourning under the Cross passed over their days being spoiled imprisoned contemned reviled famished tormented and martyred every where by night assembling to sing Praises to God in all which their dreadful dangers and sorrowful afflictions notwithstanding the goodness of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward Tribulations did increase the more their inward Consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the joyes of this Life the more present was the Lord with them with Gracâ— and fortitude to confirm and rejoyce their Souls and though their possessions and riches in this World were lost and spoiled yet were they inriched with heavenly Gifts and Treasures from above an hundredfold then was true Religion truely felt in the Heart then was Christianity not in outward appearance shewed only but in inward affection received then was the Name and Fear of God true in Heart not in Lips alone dwelling Faith then was fervent Zeal ardent Prayer not swiming in the Lips but groaned out to God from the bottom of the Spirit then was no Pride in the Church nor leisure to seek riches nor time to keep them contention for Trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meet to pray together against the Devil the author of all dissention But after this the Christians coming to be in favour with the Emperours and riches and worldly wealth crept into the Clergy and the Devil poured his venom into the Church so that true humility began to decay and Pride to set in his Foot and after the Church through favour of the Emperours was indued with Lands Donations Possessions and Patrimonies and the Bishops feeling the smack of Wealth ease and prosperity began to swell in pomp and pride and the more they flourished in this World the more Gods holy Spirit forsook them till at last the Bishops who were for a long time kept low and persecuted as before is related now of persecuted People began to be Persecutors of others and through their pride and riches were wholy degenerated from the true Religion and became Adversaties to God and persecuted and destroyed his living Witnesses and Members as any were raised up from time to time to bear a Testimony against their Apostacy as in this following History will appear Part III Containing an Account of the grievous Sufferings Persecutions and Martyrdom of the Servants of the Lord inflicted on them by the Papists after the Apostacy from the antient Primitive Gospel of Truth preached by Christ and his Apostles IOhn saw there would be an Apostacy from the blessed Faith in his daies Rev. 13. for he saw a Beast rise out of the Sea and the Dragon gave him his Power and his Seat and great Authority and all the World wondered after the Beast and they worshipped the Dragon which gave Power unto the Beast and they worshipped the Beast saying Who is like unto the Beast Who is aâ—le to make War with him And he opened his Mouth in Blasphemy against God to Blaspheme his Name and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven and it was given unto him to make War with the Saints and to overcome them and power was given him over all Kindreds Tongues and Nations and all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him whose Names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World After this great Darkness had spread over Nations and People for some years the Lord raised up some from time to time to bare Testimony according to their measures of light and knowledge they had received against the blindness and ignorance that the World was under as in the following instances the Reader may observe Robert Grosthead living in the year 1240 wrot sharply to the Pope especially for the evils he committed in England that he was opposite to Christ a Murderer of Souls and an Heretick and complained on his death-bed of the corruptions which were sprung up in the Church and inveighed bitterly against the manifold abominations of the Church and Court of Rome saying well may these verses be applied to them The whole World cannot suffice their greedy covetous mind Nor all their drabs and naughty pack their filthy lusting kind For his thundring against the Romish Church and for his publick reproving of the covetousness pride and manifold Tyrannies of the Pope he was excommunicated to the pit of Hell by Innocent the fourth and cited to come to his bloody Court but he appealed from the Popes Tyranny to the Eternal Tribunal of Jesus Christ and shortly after died Yea before this there were some found in England who testified against the corruptions of the Church of Rome and suffered for the same for in the year 884. John Patrick Erigena wrot a Book about the Lords Supper which was afterwards condemned by the Pope and he martyred for it In the year 960. some were braned in the Face at Oxford and banished for saying That the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babilon Monkery a stinking Carion their Vows nurses of sodomy Purgatory and Masses c. inventions of the Devil In the year 1126. there was one Arnold an English Preacher was cruelly butchered for preaching against Prelates pride and Priest wicked lives About the year 1160. about thirty Waldenses came into England one Gerrard being their Minister these People labouring to win Disciples to Christ were quickly smelt out by the Popish Clergy and great complaints were made against them to the King being Henry the Second who caused them to be brought before an Assembly of Bishops at Oxford where Gerrard speaking for them said to this effect we are Christians holding the Doctrine of the Apostles in their Examinations they would not admit of Salt Spittle and Exorcisms in Baptism and the Eucharist nor of binding with the stool in Marriage and being admonished to repent and return to the unity of the Church they despised that counsel and scorned threats saying Blessed are they which Suffer Persecution for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Then did the Bishops excomunicate them and so delivered them over to be corporally Punished by the King who caused them to be burnt as Hereticks in the forehead and to be whipt through Oxford they singing all the while Blessed are ye when men hate you and dispitefully use you and the King further commanded that none should persume to receive them to house nor to cherish them with any comfort whereby they miserably perished with hunger and cold none affording any comfort to them These Wâ—ldenses are repâ—ted the first Reformers after the darkness of Popery had overspread the
lay two nights without any bed saving a few great Canvas Tent Cloths and after two nights he had a pair of Sheets allowed him but no Woolen clothes and there was kept without any being suffered to come at him only twice a day the Keeper when he brought him Victualls shortly after he was brought before the Earl again who examined him of the Sacrament at his Answers the Earl seemed to be somewhat pleased and hoped he would be conformable and commanded that he should have a bed and fire and liberty to go amongst his Servants when he departed he was much troubled in his Spirit for fear lest he had given advantage to his Adversaries in not confessing Christ so boldly as he ought to have done and was much grieved but considering his condition he cryed earnestly unto the Lord saying Strengthen me with thy holy Spirit with boldness to confess thee and deliver me from their enticing words that I may not be spoiled through their Phylosoply and vain deceit A day or two after he was sent for before two Priests who began to discourse with him concerning the Mass asking him what part of the Mass offended him he answered the whole Mass did offend him upon which discourse and other matters that past between them Articles were drawn up against him and they exhorted him to recant his Opinions he told them he could not change nor alter and desired them to speak to the Earl that during his Imprisonment his Friends might be suffered to relieve him with necessaries they still presisted to advise him to forsake his Opinions not regarding any Worldly shame he answered what he did was not for avoiding Worldly shame nor yet for any vain praise of the World but in the reverent fear of God they told him it was pity such a well-favoured Young man should so foolishly cast away himself he answered them to this effect My Wife Children and other delights of this World are as Sweet to me as another mans may be to him and I am as unwilling to lose them as another would if I might enjoy them with a good Conscience but my trust is said he that God will strengthen me to lose them all for his sake for I do not say or do any thing either out of Stubbornness willfullness vain Glory or any other Worldly purpose but with a good Conscience in the fear of God and farther said I commit my cause unto God who hath numbered the hairs of my head and appointed the dayes of my life who is a Righteous Judge and will make inquisition for my blood From Latham he was carried to Lancaster Castle where he was threatened for preaching to the people out of the Prison shortly after he was carried to Lancaster the Bishop of Chester came thither and sent for the Goaler and rebuked him for suffering George Marsh to fare so well and from thence he was removed to Chester and being brought before the Bishop he was further examined concerning the Sacrament and other matters and Articles drawn up against him and the last time he was brought before the Bishop the Bishops Chanceller made a Speech to the people to this effect The Bishop said he as a good Shepherd doth see to his Flock that no Scabby diseased Sheep infect the other wherefore his Lordship hath sent for this George Marsh as a Scabby Sheep to weed him out lest he corrupt others and then read the Articles against him and askt him if he would have mercy Marsh said he durst not deny Christ then the Bishop read the Sentence against him and committed him to the Northgate Prison and there was he kept in a dark Dungeon where none dared to come to him that had any Friendship towards him for fear of the Bishops threats so that he was kept very strictly in Prison until the time that he suffered death having little comfort or relief from any worldly Creature sometimes in an Evening some Citizens at a hole upon the Wall of the City that looked into the dark Prison would call to him and ask him how he did he would answer them chearfully that he did well and thanked God that he of his Mercy had appointed him to be a Witness of his Truth and to suffer for the same wherein he did rejoyce desiring that he might not faint under the Cross but patiently bare the same to Gods Glory and the Comfort of his Church once he had ten pence cast him in at the said hole and another time two shillings which did help to supply his necessity shortly after he was led to the place of Execution with a Lock upon his Foot he began to exhort the people but one of the Sheriffs would not suffer him to speak saying We must have no Sermon now so with patience he ended his dayes in the Fire Whilst he was a Prisoner he wrot several Epistles to his Friends and Relations and such as had been assistant to him in the time of his Sufferings the Epistles being large I shall only insert some of the Principle heads of some of them which if the Reader pernseth he will find them to be worth â—oting considering the time they were wrot in and first I shall begin with a letter he wrot to the Faithful Professors at Langton An Epistle by George Marsh to his Friends at Langton Grace be unto you and Peace be multiplied in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen I thought it meet to write unto my beloved in the Lord at Langton to stir up your minds and to call to your remembrance the Words which have been told you before and to exhort you as that Good Man and full of the holy Ghost Barnabas did the Antiochians That with purpose of heart you continually cleave unto the Lord and that ye stand fast and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel when Persecution ariseth because of the word do not fall away like shrinking Children and forsake the Truth for after this life the Godly being delivered from their Tribulations and Pains shall have a most quiet and joyful rest whereas the Wicked and Ungodly contrary wise shall be tormented for evermore as Christ by the Parable of the rich Glutton and wretched Lazarus doth plainly declare these ought we to have before our Eyes alwayes that in the time of Adversity and Persecution we may stand stedfast in the Lord and endure even unto the end that we may be saved for unless we like good Warriors of Christ Jesus endeavour our selves to please him who hath chosen us to be his Souldiers and fight the good sight of Faith even unto the end we shall not obtain the Crown of Righteousness which the Lord that is a righteous Judge shall give to all them that love his Coming Let us therefore receive with meekness the word that is grafted in us which is able to save our Souls and ground our selves on the sure Rock Christ for as the Apostle saith Other Foundation
Estate giving unto them a Commandment of Obedience which was The Commandment given man in his first Creation that they were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil for in the day they did eat thereof they should dye but of all the rest of the Trees of the Garden they might eat and receiving Comfort there-from might give the Praise and Glory thereof to their Maker to whom it did belong And whilest Man and Woman stood in this Condition they were happy and blessed And now God beheld all that he had made and behold all was Good for Sin had not as yet entered upon man But the Devil envying Gods Honour and Mans Felicity tempted the Woman to Sin by the Serpent The Serpent beguiled Man and Woman by his Subtilty the Woman being beguiled by the Serpent the man was also beguiled by her and brake the Ordinance of God by eating the Forbidden Fruit And thus Man and Woman lost the Dignity and Excellency of their first Creation and were enslaved by the Serpent who by his Wiles and Subtilty had entangled and ensnared them and perswaded them to believe him more then God for God said That in the day they did eat thereof they should die but the Serpent said They should not surely die for God doth know said he that you shall be as Gods knowing Good and Evil and thus was man by a lye drawn from the pure Command of his Maker Now after they had sinned in the cool of the day the Lord called unto Adam saying Where art thou and Adam who did hide himself said I heard thy Voice in the Garden and was afraid because I was Naked And God said Who told thee that thou wast Naked hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not Eat And now having brought Guilt and shame upon themselves by Transgression After man had transgressed he first began to make a Covering they began to make them Coverings by sewing fig-leaves to make them Aprons of which it seems they had no need before they had transgressed And now by this all men may see that it was the Serpents work from the beginning and indeed it has been in all Ages his work to beguile Men and Women with his Lyes and Subtilties and to darken their Eyes and polute their Understandings that he may keep them in subjection to himself and from hence doth spring the wicked Thoughts and Actions which all mankind are apt to lean and incline to and have been and are readier to give ear to the Voice of the Serpent and wicked One The Serpent hath ever been the moving cause of all the Wâ— that has come upon Man then to the Voice of God their Maker And this has been the Fountain and Spring-head from whence has come all the Disorders Miseries and Woes that have happened unto all Manking throughout the World in all Ages they have been feeding and delighting themselves in eating the Forbidden Fruit which their Forefathers also delighted in and all Nations upon the Earth are in this State and Condition at this day led away by the Voice of the Serpent from the Purity and Righteousness in which man was first created except a Little Remnant which God hath at this day gathered by his Light and Power to be witnesses to his name And now the Lord having convicted Adam of his evil The Promise of God for the restoring lost man and pronounced several punishments upon him and on Eve his Wife yet with this Promise added That the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head and now man being put out of the Garden of Eden and a Fiery Flaming Sword being set to keep the Way leading to the Tree of Life man was in an undone condition had not the Lord condescended in his tender Love and Mercy to restore him and make that Promise to him and this was the Lords great Love to open a Door of hope to lost man that he might not be destroyed by Satans Power and now the Power of God by which man was first created appeared again to restore him After the fall of Adam year of the world 130 Cain was the first man that was born of a woman and after Cain his Brother Abel was born and now in process of time these two offered Offerings unto the Lord being without question instructed in Righteousness by their Father Adam after hâ—s restoration but Cains Sacrifice What Sacrafice God accepted and what he rejected being only outward in shew and nothing inward in the Spirit wherein doth consist the true Worship of God the Lord accepted not his Offering but unto Abel and his Offering which was from the Uprightness and Sincerity of his heart the Lord had respect At this Cain was Wrath and being inflamed with Anger rose up against his Brother Abel and in his envy slew him here was the beginning of Persecution and that upon a righteous person for serving God in a pure mind and here the envy of the Wicked one appeared again to extinguish if he could the righteous Seed But now the Lord shewed regard again to mankind and in his tender love repaired this loss for now Abel being slain Adams Wife bare another Son whose name was Seth for God saith she Seth born in the room of Abel bath appointed me another Seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew and this Seth proved a godly man and had a Son called Enos who kept up the holy Seed and true Religion as it is recorded of him that in his dayes men did begin to call on the Name of the Lord now Enos signifies the lamentable condition of all mankind for even then as some men write was the worship of God wretchedly corrupted by the race of Cain whence it came that men were even so distinguished that they who persisted in the true worship of God were known by the name of the Children of God and they which forsook him were termed the Children of men Enochs blameless life The next of the Righteous Stock was Jared to whom was born Enoch another of the Righteous Seed whose life and conversation was so Innocent that it is recorded of him that he walked with God And thus the Reader may see how the Righteous Plants were such who took the Lord to be their Guide in their Actions and Undertakings who were as Patterns of Righteousness in the midst of a perverse Generation and it is the same with all the faithful and upright at this day And now Enoch having this Testimony that he pleased God the Lord as a requital of his faithfulness translated him so that he saw no death and took him to himself The evil the Sons of God were prone to run into And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the Face of the Earth and Daughters were born unto them these Sons of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fair and they
took them Wives of all that they chose this displeased the Lord so that he said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man for that he also is Flesh and his dayes were shortned to one Hundred and Twenty Years who before lived many Hundred Years The Spirit of he Lord grieved with the corrupt among men And God saw that the Wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man and it grieved him at his Heart and the Earth was corrupt and filled with violence and God looked upon the Earth and behold it was corrupt for all Flesh had corrupted his Way upon the Earth He raised up Noah to testify against them and commanded him to build an Ark. And God said unto Noah The end of all Flesh is come up before me for the Earth is filled with violence through them and behold I will Destroy them with the Earth and he commanded Noah to make an Ark and behold I bring a Flood upon the Earth to Destroy all Flesh wherein is the Breath of Life and every thing that is in the Earth shall die but with thee will I establish my Covenant and thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy Sons and thy Wife and thy Sons Wives for thee have I seen righteous before me in this Generation But before the Lord brought the deluge of Waters upon the World of the Wicked year of the world 1536 he sent this just man Noah a Preacher of Righteousness unto them giving them one Hundred and Twenty Years space to repent them of their evil wayes The long suffering of God before he brought the deluge upon man and Noah having provided an Ark at the Commandment of God he was appointed when he should enter into the Ark whilst the World in the mean time void of all fear sate eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage in the six hundredth Year of the life of Noah upon the seventh day of the second Moneth when he with his Children were entered into the Ark God sent a Rain upon the Earth forty dayes and forty nights and the Waters continued upon the Earth a hundred and fifty dayes the Waters abating upon the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth the Ark rested upon one of the Mountains of Ararat the Waters still falling upon the first day of the tenth Moneth the top of the Mountains appeared above the waters and after forty dayes Noah opened the Window of the Ark and sent forth a Raven and seven dayes after sent forth a Dove and she returning after seven dayes more he sent her forth again and about the Evening she returned bringing the Leaf of an Olive-Tree in her Mouth and then staying yet seven dayes more sent the same Dove out again which returned no more unto him In the six hundred and first Year of the life of Noah when the surface of the Earth was now all dry year of the world 1657 Noah took off the Covering of the Ark Noah goes forth of the Ark and offers unto the Lord for his Preservation and went forth with all that were with him in the Ark being gone forth he offered unto God for his Preservation an Offering and the Lord smelled a sweet-Savour and the Lord said in his Heart I will not again Curse the Ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of his Heart is evil from his Youth And God spake unto Noah and to his Sons saying I will establish my Covenant with you and with your Seed after you neither shall all Flesh be cut off any more by the Waters of a Flood to destroy the Earth and gave the Rain-bow-for a sign of the Covenant which he then made with man And now Noah made a division of Land among his Grand-Children and that done year of the world 1757 that they went from those Eastern-parts whither they first repaired from the Mountains of Ararat unto the Valley of Shinar where the People impiously laid their heads together to hinder the dispersion of them commanded by God and begun by Noah they went in hand to build the City and Tower of Babylon The beginning of the confusion of Babel whose top might reach to Heaven least they should be scattered abroad upon the Face of the Earth which purpose of theirs being frustrated by the confusion of Languages sent among them from whence they took the name of Babel the dispersion of Nations followed and now one Language was lost which the whole Earth was of until this Attempt And now the next of the righteous Stock that succeeded was Abram the second Son of Terah year of the world 2008 he was born in the year 2008. and ten years after was Sarai born daughter of Haran Abrams Brother who was afterwards Abrams Wife some Writers say that Abram was educated in the Idolatry of his Fathers House who they say was a maker of Statues and Images and the Jews relate of Abram's going into the Shop in the absence of his Father his breaking the Images and jeering those that came to buy or worship them Schalch Hakk. p. 8. Citante Hotnig Smeg Orient C. 8. p. 291. Confer Maimon Mar. Neroch Part 3. C 29. p. 4 1. of his Fathers carrying him to Nimrod to be punished his witty answers and miraculous escapes thus the Jews write of him but however these things may be credited we have a sure record in the Scriptures that the Lord had a great regard to the sincerity of Abram and had a purpose to make use of him to be an Instrument in his work and service and that appears by his calling him from his Kindred year of the world 2083 and from his Fathers House and promising a Blessing to him and to his Seed and now Abram Abram called from his Fathers House who had chosen the Lord for his delight above all earthly things consulted not but departed as the Lord had commanded him and he took Sarai his Wife and Lot his Brothers son and travelled to the Land of Canaan where God promised to Abram that to his Seed he would give that Land but afterwards Abram compelled by a Famine went from thence down into Egypt where Sarai his Wife who to eschew a danger went for his Sister was taken into Pharaoh's House being fair and beautiful but was not long after sent back unto him untouched Then Abram Abram goes into Egypt because of the Famine being accompanied with Lot accompanied with just Lot returned into Canaan where when the Country which they pitched upon was not sufficient to feed both their Herds of Cattle Strife arose between the Herd-men and Abram loving Peace said to Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my Herdsmen and thine for we be Brethren They parted to avoid strife and they parted and Lot went into
the Country of Sodom and after they were parted the promise both of the Possession of that Land of Canaan and also of his Numberless Posterity was again renewed unto him Abram being now ninety nine years old year of the world 2107 God made a Covenant with him touching the Seed of Isaac who was to be born of Sarai that time twelve month Abrams name changed gave him the Seal of Circumcision changing both their names Abram into Abraham and Sarai into Sarah for a sure pledge and testimony of his Promise When Abraham was now a hundred year of the world 2108 and Sarah ninety years of Age Isaac was born unto them and Abraham instructed his Family in Righteousness for God said I know Abraham that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment By Faith Abraham offered up his son Isaac year of the world 2133 considering with himself that God was able to raise him again from the dead Now Josephius reports that at this time Isaac was twenty five years old By Faith Abraham offers up his Son Isaac Lib. 1. Antiq. 14. Al 22. and that he was at that time of good years may be gathered from this that he was able to carry so much Wood as was to go to the burning and consuming of such a whole burnt-Offering as himself was then intended by Abraham to have been made Sarah being now one hundred twenty seven years of Age dyed in Hebron and as Abraham for his integrity and uprightness to the Lord is recorded to Posterity for the Father of the Faithful so is Sarah for the Mother of the Faithful and she is the only Woman whose full and entire Age is mentioned in Scripture Abraham being also well stricken in Age was careful to get a wife for his son Isaac and careful he was that he might not Marry with any of the idolatrous and corrupt Nations it being looked upon as a great evil by this righteous Stock Abrahams care in getting a good Wife for his Son Isaac that their Sons should marry with the Daughters of men that were corrupted and despisers of the true Religion as it appears by Abrahams care for his son that he should not take a wife of the Daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt and also by the strict charge he gave to his Servant to look out a Wife for him who going by the guidance of God into Mesopotamia where praying to the Lord to shew kindness unto his master Abraham he there obtained for him Rebeka the Daughter of Bethuel Sister to Laban the Syrian whom Isaac receiving for his Wife brought her into the tent of his Mother Sarah and he loved her and had comfort in her after his Mothers death and he was forty years old when he married with Rebeka Abraham when he was a hundred seventy five years old and a hundred years after his coming into Canaan departed this life â—183 and was buried by his two Sons in his Cave at Macpelah with Sarah his Wife he lived fifteen years after the birth of Jacob with whom he is said also to have lived in Tents And now Abraham being dead Isaac was raised up as the next of the righteous Line and Seed of God to whom the Lord often appeared in his divine Power Abraham being dead Isaac walks in the steps of his Father confirming the Covenant that he had made with Abraham his Father for he walked in the steps of his Father in faithfulness to the Lord and when his Fathers Servant brought Rebeka to him they found him meditating in the Field at evening-tide by which it appears his mind was delighted in that which was good when his Wife had continued barren ninteen years after her Marriage Isaac entreated the Lord in the behalf of his Wifes barreness Isaac intreated the Lord for her because she was barren and the Lord was intreated of him and his Wife conceived and when the twins strove in the Womb Rebeka asked counsel of God and the Lord said unto her Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be seperated from thy Bowels and the one People shall be stronger then the other Esau Iacob are born and the Elder shall serve the Younger Being born the Children grew and one of them named Esau was a counning Hunter a man of the Field and Jacob was a plain man dwelling in Tents and Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his Venison but Rebeka loved Jacob. Isaac now grown old year of the world 2245 and blind in the forty fourth year before his death sent Esau his eldest Son to take some Venison for him purposing to Bless him at his return but Jacob the younger Son by the counsel of his Mother coming disguised in his Cloathes and with savory meat in his hand Jacob got the Blessing from Esau stole away the blessing unwiting to his Father and the Blessing though so got God confirmed ever after but Jacob seeing that for so doing his Brother followed him with a deadly hatred and being desirous to avoid his traps willing also to take a Wife of his own Kindred his Father Blessing him he took his Journey to Mesopotamia to his uncle Laban for his Father had charged him not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan and in his Journey the Lord appeared unto him by his presence Isaac's care that Iacob should not take a Wife of the Canaantes and renewed the Covenant to him which he had made before to his Father and Grandfather and now the Lord manifesting his presence unto him he covenanted with the Lord saying If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I go and will give me Bread to eat and Rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers House in peace then shall the Lord be my God and coming at length to Carron He fell in love with Rachel and continuing a time with Laban fell in love with Rachel his Daughter for whom he served seven years and they seemed to him but a few dayes for the love he had to her Esau had now been married thirty seven Years and was seventy seven Years Old whereas Jacob who was as Old as he had all this while lived unmarried but being now mindful of his Fathers Command he demanded Rachel his Wife to be given to him He is deceived of Rachel after he had served Seven Years for her using this for a reason that his dayes were now full but by the fraud of Laban instead of Rachel Leah the elder Daughter was put in Bed unto him nevertheless Rachel also afterwards was espoused to him upon Covenant of serving seven Years more for her At first Rachel was barren year of the world 2259 but afterwards by the blessing of God proving fruitful bear Joseph unto Jacob at the end of the fourteen
years service Jacob asking leave of Laban to return into his own Country he was held there six years more upon another bargain made between him and his Father-in-law Laban for a certain part of his Flock Jacob perceiving the heart burning of Laban and his Sons malice towards him was warned of God to return into his own Country year of the world 2265 which having communicated to his Wives whilst Laban was sheering his Sheep at the latter end of the Spring after his twenty years service getting away unknown to Laban with all his Substance Jacob gets away from Laban unknown to him Wives and Family passed over the River Euphrates Laban three dayes after hearing that his Son-in-law was gone took some of his Friends and Kindred along with him and persued after him seven dayes Journey and at last overtook him at mount Gilead which took its name from this their Meeting there for after many and divers Expostulations which passed there between them making all fair at last Laban following after him and overtaking him came to agreement with him for a Testimony and Monument of their Covenant there made Jacob erected a Pillar with an heap of Stones which Laban the Syrian called Jegar-Sahadutha but Jacob the Hebrew called Gilead that is the heap of a Testimony or Witness between them two Jacob being sent away in peace by Laban He is affrighted with the news of Esau approach but affrighted with the news of his Brother Esau's approach with four hundred men divided his Company into two saying If he smite one then the other Company which is left shall escape and calls upon God saying O God of my Father Abraham Isaac c. which saidest unto me return into thy Country and to thy Kindred and I will deal well with thee deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother Esau Esau having entertained his Brother courteously after much intreaty accepts of his Presents Jacob then went on to Suâ—â—oth and there he built him an House and afterwards passing over Jordan he came into Canaan and pitched his Tent in Salem and there he built an Altar He presents Esau with Presents which he called by the name of El-Elohe-Israel or of the mighty God the God of Israel to wit in the self same place where Abraham had heretofore built his first Altar and where Jacob's Well was I am now come to write of Joseph who being Seventeen Years of Age year of the world 2276 when his Brethren saw that their Father loved him more then all his Brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him The cause why Ioseph's Brethren hated him and Joseph declaring his Dream to them the Lord having shewed him that he should be set above his Brethren and be the chief of his Fathers Family they hated him yet the more and first they conspired his death They conspired his Death at last sold him and at length agreed to sell him away for a Bond slave unto a far Country so drawing him out of the Pit whereinto they had cast him they sold him to the Merchants for twenty pieces of Silver and was by them carried into Aegypt and there sold for a Slave to Potipher Captain of the Guard to Pharaoh He is sold to Captain of the Pharaoh's Guard where he was tempted by Potiphers Wife to Uncleanness and because he refused to do such Evil she by her Lyes instigated Potipher her Husband against him who put him in Prison but the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the Keeper of the Prison and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper Two of the Officers of Pharaoh's Court year of the world 2287 being Imprisoned in the same Prison with Joseph having both of them Dreamed Joseph interpreted their Dreams unto them which came to pass according to his interpretation and saith Joseph to one of them When thou art restored into thy place after thy former manner think on me when it shall be well with thee and shew kindness I pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this House for indeed I was stolen away out of the Land of the Hebrews and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the Dungeon But when this Officer was restored again into Pharaohs Court he remembered not Joseph Ioseph expert in interpreting the Dreams Two Years after Pharaoh Dreamed two Dreams which seeing he could not get expounded by his own Wise men but hearing of Josephs expertness to enterpret Dreams sent for him being then thirty Years Old who having opened to the King his Dreams first that of the Seven Years of Plenty He interpreeted the Kings Dream then the Seven Years of Famine He added moreover as his councel and advice how to provide out of the store of the first Years of Plenty against the Famine of the other Seven Years of Scarcity Pharaoh advanced Ioseph which were to follow whereupon by the general consent of his Nobles he made him Governor of the Kingdom Seven Year Plenty From the Harvest of this Year being to be counted Seven Years of Plenty wherein Joseph laid up an infinite Treasure of Corn. The Seven Years of the Famine began from the Harvest of this Year year of the world 2296 wherein the forecast and wisdom of Joseph did not only sustain Egypt Seven years of Famine but was a help and relief to other Countries Jacob dispatched away ten of his Sons into Aegypt to buy Corn year of the world 2297 to whom Joseph seeming not to know caused to be taken for Spies and being laid hold on he spake roughly unto them and said Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn and they are taken for Spies Whence came ye and they said From the Land of Canaan to buy Food And Joseph knew his Brethren but they knew not him and he said They were come as Spies to see the Nakedness of the Land they said They were true men and thy Servants are twelve Brethren the Sons of one man in the Land of Canaan and behold the Youngest is this day with our Father and one is not and Joseph said Ye are Spies Ioseph sends all of them away with Corn but one whom he kept Prisoner till they brought their Youngest Brother hereby shall it be proved if ye be true men let one of your Brethren be bound in Prison go ye carry Corn for the Famine of your Houses but bring your Youngest Brother unto me so shall your words be verified and you shall not die and they did so And they said one to the other We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us and Ruben answered them saying speak not I unto you saying Do not
also bereft of his Children and at last tormented with grievous Botches and Sores in his Body he could yet never be drawn through impatience to sin in any sort whereof having first received a Testimony from Gods own mouth he was afterwards restored to his former health and had cast into his Bossom double of whatever he possessed before Joseph being dead and Pharaoh And now when Joseph was dead and all his Brethren and that Generation and the Children of Israel were fruitfull and increased aboundantly and muliplied and waxed exceeding mighty and the Land was filled with them A new King rose up that afflicted the Israelites Now there arose up a new King over Egypt which knew not Joseph and he began to afflict them but the more they were afflicted the more they multiplyed and grew and the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with Rigor and they made their lives bitter with hard Bondage and kept them under with great severity Aaron was born three years before his Brother Moses year of the world 2430 eighty three years before the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt The Ungodly King of Egypt year of the world 2431 when he could not prevail with the Midwives of the Hebrew Women privily to make away the Male-Children of them set forth a barbarous Edict to destroy them all The King made an Edict to destroy the Male-Children by drowning them in the River About this time Moses the Son of Amram of the House of Levi was born and when his Mother saw he was a goodly Child being willing to preserve him year of the world 2433 she hid him three Moneths and when she could no longer hide him Moses born she took for him an Ark of Bulrushes and daubed it with slime and with pitch and put the Child therein and she laid it in the Flags by the Rivers brink his Sister standing aloof off from the place to see what would become of him and Pharaohs daughter finding him there caused her maids to fetch it His wonderful fetchfetch and when she had opened it she saw the Child and behold it wept and she had compassion on him and said this is one of the Hebrews Children then said his Sister to Pharaohs Daughter Shall I go and call a Nurse to thee of the Hebrew Women that she may nurse the Child for thee and Pharaohs Daughter said go and the maid went and called the Childs Mother and she nursed him and Pharaohs Daughter called his Name Moses because she drew him out of the Water and she caused him to be brought up as her Son and caused him to be instructed in the Science and Learning of the Egyptians And thus did the Lord wonderfully preserve him which noteth no less then that he intended to make him an Instrument in some great Work as indeed it so came to pass for as he grew in years the Lord put it in his heart to slight the honours of Pharaohs Court for he refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter year of the world 2513 choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward And now the Lord having chosen him into his work and service he indued him with such a Spirit of Meekness that none was like him upon the Earth and being thus fitted he had often tryals and exercises of his patience by the People he was to govern who were often murmuring and repining against him And the Lord appeared unto him whilest he was keeping his Father-in-law Jethros Sheep in the Mountain of Horeb and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of Fire out of the midest of a Bush and behold the Bush burned with Fire and the Bush was not Consumed and the Lord said unto him I am the God of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hid his Face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said I have surely seen the Affliction of my People which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Tusk-masters for I know their sorrow and am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians And he chose Moses as an Instrument to go unto Pharaoh and to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt to whom as an Assistant in this work Aaron was added Moses and Aron declare their Message to Pharaoh Moses and Aaron having declared unto Pharaoh the Message in which they were sent unto him from God were sent away with many bad words and many more grievous labours were inflicted upon the Israelites then were before They go again to Pharaoh Moses being now eighty and Aaron eighty three Years of Age being moved by the Lord returned again to Pharaoh where the Magitians immitating the Miracles of Aarons Rod God plagued Pharaoh made Pharaoh harden his heart so that he would not let the Children of Israel go wherefore the Lord sent divers Plagues upon Pharaoh before they would let the Children of Israel go and when the last Plague was brought upon them When they were departed Pharaoh and his Host followed them then Pharaoh and his Servants made haste to send away the Israelites with all their Substance being six hundred thousand men besides Children and now being departed Pharaoh with his Host over-took them here Moses divided the Waters with his Rod whom Pharaoh and his Army would needs follow The Children of Israel sung a Song a Song to the Lord for their deliverance they were all overwhelmed of the Waters coming together again when the Israelites were thus freed from the Bondage of the Egyptians they forth-with song a Song of Praise and Thanks-giving unto God for their deliverance which is called the Song of Moses After their encamping in the desert of Sinai Moses went up into the Mount and the Lord said unto him Thus shalt thou say to the House of Jacob and tell the Children of Israel Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bear you on Eagles Wings and brought you unto my self now therefore if you will obey my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a Peculiar Treasure unto me above all People for all the Earth is mine and ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation and Moses told the People what the Lord had Commanded him all the People answered together and said All that the Lord hath spoken we will do But the Reader may see how ready and apt these People were to forget the tender dealings of the Lord towards them for Moses and Aaron and several of the Elders of Israel went up into the Mount and there beheld the Glory of God and the
the History of the two thousand five hundred fifty two years and a half and the Children of Israel mourned for Moses as they had done for Aaron thirty dayes in the Land of Moab The Lord was with Ioshua And now Joshua succeeding Moses the Lord Promised Joshua to be with him and to Assist him and the Lord was with him until he had Conquered all the Enemies of the Israelites and now when God was about to give the Israelites rest round about them so that they might dwell there securely it was requisite also that a place should be appointed which himself should chuse to place his Name there wherefore coming together at Shilo they there fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation after the whole Land was subdued unto them Now Shilo both by the signification of the Name and also by the situation of the place seemeth to be the same with Salem both which words signifieth Peace or Rest Joshua built the City of Timnah-Sera in Mount Ephraim year of the world 2561 in which he dwelt many years after God had given rest to Israel and having lived a hundred and ten Years he there died and was buried After the decease of Joshua and the Elders who out lived him year of the world 2591 the Wonders which God had wrote for the Children of Israel Joshua being dead the Israelites began to backslide from the time of their first bringing out of Egypt began to be forgotten by the Young men every man now doing what seemed good in his own Eyes all those disorders were committed which are reported in the five last Chapters of the Book of Judges to wit the Idolatry of Micah and the Children of Dan and the War of the Benjaminites and the cause thereof and there succeeded a Generation of men which forgot God And Idolarty crept in and mingled themselves with the Canaanites by marriage and worshipped their Idols and God hereby was provoked to Wrath and gave them up to Cushan King of Mesapotania They were brought into Bondage which first calamity of theirs held them eighty years until Othoniel Son-in-law to Joshua being stirred up by God as a Judge and Avenger of his People defeated Cushan Delivered by Othoniel and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage and the Land had rest forty years after the rest which Joshua procured them After the decease of Othoniel year of the world 2661 the Israelites falling again to sin against God Brought into Bondage again were again given over into the hands of Eglon King of Moab who joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew the Israelites and took Jerico and this second Oppression of theirs continued for the space of eighteen years Instrumentally delivered by Ehud Then the Lord raised up Ehud to be an Avenger of his People who slew Eglon and ten thousand of the Valiant men of Moah and then the Land of Israel had rest forty years But when Ehud was dead they returned to their old Sin They return again to sin and are brought into Bondage wherefore they were brought again into Thraldom for twenty years until Jabins Army was routed and Sisera Captain of his Army was killed by Jael the Wife of Heber in her own Tent with a Nail struck into the Temples of his Head whereupon Debora Are delivered again a Prophetess who at that time judged Israel made a Song thereof for a memorial of that Victory and the Land rested forty years The Israelites sinning again and doing evil in the sight of the Lord year of the world 2752 the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years They sin again the Israelites falling into this fourth Thraldom cryed unto the Lord for help A Prophet sent of God to reprove them and the Lord sent a Prophet unto them who reproved them and shewed them what great things the Lord had done for them and encouraged them that they should not fear the Gods of the Amorites and the Lord raised up Gideon Gideon raised up to deliver them again being stirred up by an Angel sent from God to deliver them and first by Command from God he overturned the Altar of Baal and burnt his Grove and now the Midianites and Amorites pitching their Camp against him the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and out of thirty two thousand men he chose only three hundred according to Gods Commandment to fight against them By a small number which he chose and why That so the Victory of Salvation might appear to be of the Arm of the Lord that Israel might not Vaunt themselves against him After he had obtained the Victory when the Israelites offered to settle the Kingdom on his Posterity he refused it saying The Lord shall rule over you but receiving their Golden Earings he made thereof an Ephad whereof they afterward took an occasion to fall into Idolatry but the Midianites being vanquished the Land had rest forty years They fall into Idolatry again So soon as Gideon was dead the Israelites falling back to Idolatry worshipped Baal-Berith for their God and Abimelech the Son of Gideon begotten upon a Concubine purpossing to get unto himself the Kingdom which his Father had refused slew seventy of his Brethren all upon one Stone when Abimelech had goten the Kingdom and had reigned three years Gaal a man of Sichem conspired against him which being discovered to Abimelech the City of Sichem was utterly Destroyed and the Inhabitants put to the Sword and from thence Abimelech going to besiege Thebez was knocked on the head with a piece of a Milstone cast upon him by a Woman and then killed out-right by his own Armour-Bearer Now the Israelites forsaking again the true God and falling to Worship the Gods of several Nations year 2799 were given up into the hands of the Philistines Were delivered into Bondage Sampson the Nazarite was born at Zora who avenged the Israelites twenty years in the time of the Philistines who slew a thousand of of them at one time with the Jawbone of an Ass in which place called Lehi from that Jawbone God at the prayer of Sampson clave an hollow place that was in the Jaw and there came water there-out Sampson avenged their cause and when he had drunk he was revived wherefore he called the name thereof Enâ—hackore that is The Fountain of him which called upon God Sampson betrayed by Dalila with what followed Sampson being betrayed by Dalila and spoiled of the Hair of his Nazariteship is delivered to the Philistines who plucking out his Eyes carried him away Prisoner to Gaza and put him there in Prison fast bound in Chains where his strength renewing again he pulled down the Temple of the great Dagon killing the Princes of the Philistines with a very great multitude of People which were therein more men being killed at the fall thereof with himself for Company then he had slain in all his life
David Lamenteth the death-of Saul and Jonathan he much lamented the Death of Saul and Jonathan saying Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askelon lest the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce left the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and further he said I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy Love to me was wonderful passing the love of Women David having now built him an House of Cedar and living in a full and perfect peace imparted unto Nathan the Prophet year of the world 2960 Davids purpose to build a House for God but put by it and why the purpose he had of building an House for God but was answered from God that this was a work which should be done not by him because he was a man of Blood but by his Son Solomon a man of Peace which should be born unto him Now David subdued the Philistines the Edomites the Amalekites the Moabites the Ammonites and the Syrians and the Bounds of Israel were stretched out to the outmost part of all that Land which had been formerly promised to the Seed of Abraham but never before possessed so fully by any of them as by David and Solomon his Son year of the world 2969 David's great sin At the end of this year whilest David took his ease at Jerusalem he there defiled by Adultery Bathsheba the Wife of Uriah the Hittite who was then in the Army and in consequence thereof procured the Husband to be slain by the hands of the Ammonites â—eing convinced of his evil by the Prophet repented when the Child so gotten in Adultery was born David being convinced by Nathan the Prophet of his evil acknowledged his Transgression saying My sin is ever before me and repented of his sin as may be seen at large in Psalm 51. yet the new born Babe was taken away by death year of the world 2971 Bathsheba being now his Wfe bare David a Son unto whom Solomon born as to one who should prove a man of Peace God gave the name of Solomon as to one beloved of God the Name of Jedidia year of the world 2987 The Lord was angery with David and why David for numbring the People kindled the Wrath of God against the Israelites wherefore Gad the Prophet told David thus saith the Lord Chuse one of them that I may do unto thee viz. whether Famine Sword or Pestilence and David said I am in great streight and his Heart smote him David chose to fall into the hands of God for he saw the evil he had done in Numbering the People and said Let us now fall into the Hands of the Lord for his Mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men So the Lord sent the Pestilence upon Israel and there died seventy thousand men in one day David being now seventy years of age year of the world 2989 and broken with continually Cares and Wars David grown old grew weak and feeble and Adonias his Son seeing his Father thus declining by the counsel and advice of Joah and Abiathar the high Priest Adonias his Son strives for the Kingdom David causeth Solomon to be anointed King made himself King whereof when David was advertized by Bathsheba and Nathan he presently caused his Son Solomon to be anointed King by Zadock the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benajah the Son of Jehojada in Gihon which so soon as Adonias heard he presently fled and afterwards laying hold on the Horns of the Altar was pardoned by the favour of Solomon and set at liberty Whereupon Adonias flies and now David assembling all the Governours and chief of Israel together with his Sons and Servants exhorted them all to fear and worship God David departed this life year of the world 2990 having reigned in Hebron seven years and and six Moneths David dies and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel Solomon loved the Lord year of the world 2991 and walked in the Statutes of David his Father Solomons Uprightness to walk before the Lord. and in Gibeon the Lord appeared to him in a Dream and bid him ask and chuse what he would and it should be given him and Solomon said Thou hast shewed unto thy Servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in Truth and Righteousness and now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father and I am but a little Child I know not how to go out or come in He asketh Wisdom and he asked Wisdom and an Understanding Heart to be given him of God and the Speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing God therefore gave him Wisdom from above Wherefore God gave him Wisdom beyond any before or after The first experience of Solomons Wisdom exceeding any that was before him or should come after him and of his Wisdom the first Experiment was made in deciding the Controversie between the two Women about the Child which first gave him an esteem among the People when they saw the Wisdom of God was in him to do Judgment Solomon having according to his Fathers direction in whose heart it was to build an House for the Name of the Lord God of Israel built the Temple year of the world 2012 which was seven years and a half in building How long the Temple was building in the building of which there was neither Hammer nor Ax nor any Tool of Iron heard in the House whilst it was in building and now Solomon having built the Temple he placed there the Ark wherein was the Covenant of the Lord which he made with the Children of Israel when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and Solomon stood before the Altar of the Lord and in the Presence of the People said Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in Heaven above or in Earth beneath who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart and he made a long prayer for the Preservation of the People desir'd the Lord would be with them Solomons Prayer for he People as he was with their Fathers and not leave them nor forsake them and that he would incline their Hearts unto him to walk in all his Wayes and to keep his Statutes and Judgments which he commanded their Fathers Thus was Solomons beginning Solomons heart drawn away from the Lord. but it was not long after until he was drawn away by many strange Women who towards his latter dayes drew away his Heart into Idolatry and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the Heart of David his Father for he went after the Abominations of the Amonites and he did evil in the sight of the Lord The Lord angry with Solomon and went not fully after the Lord as
did David his Father and he built an high place for Chemosh the Abomination of Moab and for these things the Lord was angry with Solomon and said Because thou hast not kept my Covenant I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee yet in thy dayes I will not do it for David thy Fathers sake but after this Solomon repented deeply and made his peace with the Lord Solomon repenteth as may be seen at large in the Book called the Preacher and at last he died when he had reigned forty years Rehoboam the Son of Solomon year of the world 3029 when all Israel met at Sechem to make him King Rehoboam through his unadvisedness turns away the Peoples heart from him by a harsh answer made unto them alienated the hearts of the ten Tribes from him who presently sending into Egypt for Jeroboam the Son of Nebat made him King over them and fell off both from the House of David and also from the true Worship of God in memorial of which sad disaster the Jews afterward kept a Solemn fast yearly upon the twenty third of the third Moneth called Sivan from this dismal rent made in that Kingdom Rehoboam reigned over Judea and Benjamin seventeen years and Jeroboam over Israel that is over the ten Tribes by the space of twenty years And now Jeroboam fearing lest his new-gotten Subjects should revolt from him again Ierâ—â—â—ms Idolatry to divert their thoughts from looking any more after Jerusalem set up a new deviced Form of Religion setting up two Golden Calves the one at Bethell the other at Dan and there he offered Sacrifices to his Calves and the People run a Whoring after his Idolatry At which time a Prophet and Man of God out of Judea went to Bethell and cryed out against the Altar in the Word of the Lord The Prophet is sent of God to reprove him and bore his Testimony against the Kings Idolatry and when the King stretched forth his hand to lay hold on him his hand was dried up and the Prophet foretold That the Altar should be Rent After this Prophet had done his Message he was charged by the Lord not to eat Bread nor to drink Water nor return by the way that he came but being deceived by another who said he was a Prophet and abused the Word of God unto him was unfaithful to Gods Command wherefore The Prophet slain for his disobedience as he was returning homeward he was slain by a Lyon whereof when tidings came to the Prophet which had deceived him he took up his Body and buried it mourning over him year of the world 3030 saying Alas my Brother and assured his Sons that what had been foretold by the man of God should come to pass The Israelites who feared God falling off from Jeroboam to Rehoboam maintained the Kingdom of Juda three years for so long walked they in the wayes of David and Solomon Rehoboam being once settled in his Kingdom year of the world 3046 forsook the Law of the Lord and all Israel and Juda with him Rehoboam forsoke the Lord. for the Jews who by their good Example should have stirred up their Brethren the Israelites to repentance provoked the Lord with their own Sins wherein they offended more then any of their fore-Fathers had done for they made also to themselves High-places Images and Groves upon every high Hill and under every green Tree doing according to all the Abominations of the Gentiles which the Lord had therefore cast out before them After Rehoboam succeeded Abijah year of the world 3046 who putting his trust and confidence in God obtained a great Victory against Jeroboam and slew five hundred thousand men and took Bethel where one of the Idolatrous Calves was set up After the death of Abijah year of the world 3049 Asa his Son succeeded and God gave ten years peace without interuption in the Land and this godly King Asa put away all Idolatry Asa throw down Idolatry and reformed the Kingdom but when Asa dyed though he was good yet a better succeeded in his staâ—d his Son called Jehosaphat who being settled in his Kingdom began with taking away the High-places Iehosaphats good reign and the Groves but when Jehosaphat dyed year of the world 3115 Jehoram his wicked Son slew all his Brethren and many of the Princes of Israel and following the counsel of his wicked Wife Athaliah set up in Juda Iehorams Idolatry and even in Jerusalem it self the Idolatrous worship of Baal after the manner of his Father-in-law Ahab and his house He is reproved by the Prophet for which he was reproved in a letter by the Prophet Elias who foretold him what Calamities should fall upon him because he had not walked in the wayes of his Father but had made Juda and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a Whoring like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab and also had slain his Brethren of his Fathers house The Judgment that God inflicted on him which were better then himself and according to what the Prophet had foretold the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable dissease in the Bowels and he died a miserable death and his Son Achazia succeeded him who also walked in the wayes of the wicked house of Ahab for his Mother was his Counsellour to do wickedly and the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord was his destruction being sick he asked counsel of Baal-zebub the God of the Ekronites concerning his recovery the Prophet Elias told the King plainly that he should dye and accordingly he dyed Athaliab through cruelty possesses her self of the Kingdom The secret Athalia the Daughter of Ahab seeing her own Son Achazia dead destroyed all the Race of the house of Juda and possessed her self of the Kingdom but Jehosheba the Daughter of King Joram and Wife to Jehoida the high Priest took Joash being then an Infant and Son to her Brother Ahazia and him with his Nurse hid six moneths in the Temple preservatien of Joash whilest Athalia ruled and at seven years end brought him forth and anointed him King and caused Athalia to be slain and restored the worship of the True God Athalia slain destroying the worship of Baal Whilst this King had good Counsel he did right This Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehojada the Priest now after the death of Jehojada the King hearkning to the Princes of Juda they left the house of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols for which Sin the Lord sent his wrath upon them He turns into Idolatry yet he sent his Prophets to testifie against them and to bring them back again but they would not hear and Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada was moved by the Spirit of God to tell them that they had forsaken God The Prophets reproves him and that he had forsaken
them for which Message they stoned him to death at the Commandment of the King The Prophets is stoned to Death thus Joash the King remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada Zachariahs Father had done to him and when the Prophet dyed he said This Kings miserable end the Lord look upon it and require it and now mark what was the end of this King his own Servants conspired against him and slew him in his bed as may be seen more at large in the account given of Gods Judgments against Persecutors Amazia succeeded Joash year of the world 3194 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Amaziahs Evil for at last he set up the God of the Children of Seir and bowed himself before them and burnt Incense unto them wherefore the anger of the Lord was Kindled against him and he sent a Prophet unto him to reprove him The Prophets reproves him to whom the King said Art thou made of the Kings Council forbear wherefore shouldest thou be smitten Nevertheless the Prophet said I know God hath determined to destroy thee The King is slain and after the time that this King turned away his heart from the Lord he was slain After him succeeded Uzzia under him did the Kingdom of Juda flourish no less then that other of Israel did under Jeroboam the second and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord The reason of Vzziah his prosperity and he sought God in the dayes of Zachariah and as long as he sought the Lord and applyed his mind to matters of piety God made him to prosper and he subdued the Philistines and other bordering Enemies and thus whilest he was weak and low he was marvellously helped against his Enemies but when he was strong How he came to loss and lookt at his own strength his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord and burnt Incense wherefore the Lord smote him with Leprosie and he remained a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a house several God Judgment on him for he was cut off from the house of the Lord and he being dead Jotham his son reigned and he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord how be it the People did yet do corruptly but he be came mighty because he prepared his wayes before the Lord his God After him reigned Ahaz his Son year of the world 3242 who did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord for he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel Ahaz his Evil. who made also Moulten Images for Baalim and burnt Incense on the High-places and under every green Tree wherefore the Lord delivered him into the hands of his Enemies and thus the Reader may see He is delivered into the hands of his Enimies how these people and Children of Juda and Israel to whom God had given a commandment that they should fear him and not forget him and that then he would deliver them from their Enemies howbeit they did not hearken but were ready often to back-slide and to serve their graven Images both their Children and their Childrens Children unto this day Ahaz being dead Hezekiah his Son began to reign year of the world 3278 and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his Father David did year of the world 3374 he removed the High places and broke the Images and cut down the Groves Hezckiahs good reign his breaking down Idolatry and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent that Moses had made for unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it and he called it Nehushtan that is to say a little piece of Brass and thus this good Reformer he trusted in the Lord God of Israel and he left not off throwing down the Altars and High Places until he had Destroyed them all causing a thorow Reformation And his zeal was so great for the Lord that after him as it is recorded was none like him among all the Kings of Iudah nor any that was before him for he clave to the Lord and departed not from following him and the Lord was with him and he prospered him whithersoever he went forth Hezekiah falling sick unto death the Prophet Esaiah being commanded of the Lord year of the world 3291 said unto him Set thine House in order for thou shalt die He tell sick the Prophet foretold his dâ—ath and not live this moved Hezekiah's heart that he wept sore and turning to the Wall prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth and with a Perfect Heart He ekiah is broken in Tenderness The Lord had compassion on him and have done that which is good in thy sight wherefore the Lord had compassion on him and added fifteen years more to his dayes and Hezekiah dying Manasseh his Son reigned and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the Abomination of the Heathen building the High-places which his Father had destroyed and again reared up Alters for Baal His Son is turned to Idolatry and worshipped all the Host of Heaven and served them and used Inchantments and dealing with Familiar-Spirits and Wizards he wrought much Wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger for which Abomination the Lord sent his Servants and Prophets to foretel that for those Abominations he would bring such evil upon Jerusalem and Juda that whosoever should hear it their Ears should tingle The Prophets Message against the evil of those times The Kings Bondage he is brought into He is humbled under the hand of God and reforms in part and the Lord brought upon Manasseh the Host of the Assyrians which took Manasseh and bound him with Fetters and carried him Captive to Babylon and now being in Affliction he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers wherefore the Lord restored him again to his Kingdom and then he knew that the Lord was God and he cast out the Altars that he had built and took away the strange Gods and Idols and commanded the People to serve the Lord God of Israel but still the People retained the High-places to Worship in And after his death his Son Amon was punished by the Lord being slain by his Servants in his own House and now these two bad Kings being taken away the Lord raised up another good King The good King Iosiah raised up which was Josiah the Son of Amon who reigned thirty four years in Ierusalem and eaused again a Blessed and thorow Reformation amongst the People of Iuda and Jerusalem making a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Testimonies with all his Heart His Covenant with the Lord.
and with all his Soul and he likewise cleansed away the Abominations from the People and again stirred them up to serve the Lord their God and all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord God of their Fathers Nero King of Aegypt year of the world 3394 by Gods Command went against the King of Assyria who at that time made War upon him He unadvisedly assisted the King of Egypt was slain 2 Kings 23.29 2 Chro. 35.20 21. Josiah unadvisedly engaging in this War was slain and now this good King being taken out of the World a World of Miseries grew on upon it and such Lamentations there was that it grew almost a common proverb the Lamentation of Hadadrimon in the Valley of Megiddo His loss gâ—â—â—â—ly â—amenâ—d by all for not only the whole People living wonderfully bewailing the death of Josiah but the Ages following were sencible of the loss of him and the Prophet Ieremiah in rememberance thereof wrote his mournful Book of Lamentations Especiaâ—â—y by the Prophet Jeriemiah wherein bewailing the Calamities which were shortly to befal the People as if he had then presently beheld them using these words The Breath of our Nostrils the ancinted of the Lord is taken in their pits of whom we said under the shaddow of his Wings we shall live among the Heathen After the death of Josiah his Youngest Son was anointed King who presently fell to doing that which was evil in the sight of God His Son walked not in the steps of his Pather but did eâ—il but Nero King of Egypt removed him after he had reigned three Moneths and made Eliakim his Elder Brother King in his room changing his name into Jehojakim that thereby he might testifie to the World that he ascribed the Victory by him gotten against the Assyrians to the Lord only by whom he professed he was formerly sent against them In the Beginning of this Kings reign Jeremiah commanded by God year of the world 3395 went and stood in the Court of the Temple and there exhorted the people to repentance and when they would not Jeremiah exhortes the people he denounced the Judgment of God against them saying that that House should become as Shilo and that City should be cursed among all the Nations of the Earth whereupon he was presently apprehended by the Priests and Prophets and all the people then in the Court and accused as a man worthy of death but was acquitted and set at Liberty by the publick Judgment of the Princes and Elders Vriahs Prophesie He is put to death At this time also Uriah prophesied against Jerusalem and the Land of Juda agreeable to the sayings of the Prophet Jeremiah for which the King put him to death by the Sword and threw his Carcass among the vilest Sepulchers of the comon people yet Ahikam who had formerly been a man of great Authority with King Josiah appeared so much in the behalf of the Prophet Jeremiah that he was not delivered over into the hands of the people to be put to death at that time To these might be added the Prophet Habbakuk to whom when he complained of the stubornness of the Jews God made this answer Habbahkuks prophesie That he would shortly send the Chaldeans into Juda and further declared his purpose concerning this matter in these words I will do a work in your dayes which you will not believe when it shall be told unto you for behold I will stir up the Chaldeans a fierce Nation and a swift which shall walk through the breadth of the Land which is none of theirs as their own Inheritance Jeremiah reproves the Jews In the fourth year of this King Jehojakim the Prophet Jeremiah reproved the Jews for not hearkning to the Word of the Lord which he had spoken unto them from time to time and for not regarding the Exhortations of the Prophets which the Lord had sent unto them and then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnezar upon them He prophesies of their Captivity and of their being carried away Captives to Babylon and that Captivity to last seventy years long and during the seventy years time of Captivity Daniel prophesied of the coming of the Messiah who should bring in the Law of Everlasting Righteousness and put an end to the Levitical Sacrifices Jehojakim being taken Prisoner by the Chaldeans year of the world 3405 was thrown out without burial that is was buried like an Ass his Carcass being tugged and drawn out without the Gates of Jerusalem according as was foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah though in referance to the common course in nature he also may be said to have slept with his Fathers as he is 2 Kings 24.6 After him came his Son Jehoiachin who was also called Jeconias and reigned three Moneths and ten dayes in Jerusalem who also did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Father had done before him against whom the Lord by his Prophet Jeremiah declared a most dreadful Decree Ieremiahs decree against Ichoiachin He pronounced a Wo against the wicked Pastors saying O Earth Earth Earth hear the Word of the Lord thus saith the Lord write ye this man Childless a man that shall not prosper in his dayes for no man of his Seed shall prosper sitting upon the Throne of David and ruling any more in Juda and pronounced a wo to the Pastors that scattered the Sheep and that had not fed nor visited the People and therefore the Lord would Visit them for the evil of their doing and that he would gather the Remnant of his Flock and would set up Shepherds over them that should feed them and that he would raise unto David a righteous Branch that should execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth and that in his day Juda should be saved and Israel dwell safely and this is his Name wherewith he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness and in the fence of this the Prophet cryed out Mine heart within me is broken because of the Prophets all my Bones shake I am like a drunken man and like a man whom Wine hath overcome Isaiahs Prophets of Christ because of the Lord and because of the Word of his Holiness And Esaiah the Prophet had a true sight of the coming of the Blessed Messiah for he said The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to Preach good tydings unto the Meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening the Prison to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of Vengence of our God to comfort all that mourn to appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them Beauty for Ashes the oyl of Joy for mourning the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness the planting of the Lord that be
might be glorified and they shall build the old wastes they shall raise up the former Desolations and they shall repair the Waste Cities the Desolations of many Generations And thus the Reader may see the many glorious Dispensations and manifestations of Gods Love unto mankind to the holy Patriarchs and Prophets in all Generations and now we are come according to what the Prophets foretold to the day of the Appearance of that great Saviour of the World whose Dispensation far exceeded all others in Glory being that eternal Substance which ended all Types Shaddows and Figures And thus these Jews who had been the true Worshippers being apostatized and degenerated from their primitive glory and institutions and their Worship becoming meerly outside for it s said they drew neer to God with their Mouthes and honoured him with their Lips but their Hearts were far from him the Prophets were raised up and sent from the Lord to Cry against them and to foretel the Desolation and distruction that was to come upon them which accordingly came to pass as will be seen anon and in this condition did Christ at his coming find these Antient people the Jews to whom God had formerly committed his Laws and Commands and given his Oracles but they were wholy apostatized from them as will appear by their fruits in the following Discourse The Continuation of the Discourse from the Birth of Christ The year of Christ AFter the Jews had Apostatized according as the Prophets had foretold and that the Messiah and Deliverer should come so in the fulness of time Christ Jesus the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary whom she roled in Swadling-Cloaths and layed in a Manger because there was no room for him in the Inn Christ is born the Birth of Christ was revealed by an Angel of the Lord to Shepherds keeping their Flock by night in the Fields and suddainly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace and Good-will to men The great rejoycing at his Birth The Shepherds making haste to Bethlehem found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the Manger and they published that which was told them concerning the Child and they returned Praising and Glorifying God but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her Heart The Child was called Jesus which signifies a Saviour which was so declared by the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. He is called Jesus The Wise men from the East the Star being their Guide coming to Herod to Jerusalem and there being taught that the Birth-place of Christ was at Bethlehem of Judea they went thither and entering into the House which was shewed them by the Star which stood over it they found the little Child and Mary his Mother and falling down worshipped him and having opened their Treasures they offered unto him Gold Frankinseence and Myrhe Then being warned of God in a Dream that they should not return unto Herod they departed into their own Country another way And when the Child was brought by his Parents to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord there came into the Temple one Simeon a just and devout man who had waited for the Consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghost That he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ he came by the Spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought the Child to do for him after the custom of the Law then took he him up in his Arms Simeons Testimony concerning that and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou they Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word for mine Eyes hath seen thy Salvation which thou hast ppreared before the Face of all People a Light to Lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel and Joseph and his Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him and Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his Mother Behold this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against In the same moment came Anna a Prophetess the Daughter of Phanuel she also openly acknowledged the Lord and speak of him to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem When Joseph and Mary had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee unto their own City Nazareth The Angel of the Lord appearing unto Joseph in a Dream sheweth him that he should flee into Egypt that he might provide for the life of the Child and escape the Devices of Herod Herods Cruelty and Subtil endeavours to kill the Child Jesus who being awakened took the Young Child and his Mother by night and departed into Aegypt where he remained until the death of Herod Herod thinking the Young Child had been still at Bethlehem that he might Destroy him among the rest killed all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coast thereof from two years old and under according to the time of the Star first seen in the East that he had enquired of the Wise-men Herod shortly after dyed Miserably being dead the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a Dream in Egypt and commanded that he should return with the young Child and his Mother into the Land of Israel but when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Juda in the room of his Father Herod he feared to go thither and being warned of God in a dream he departed into the parts of Galilee and there dwelt in the City Nazareth from whence Jesus took the Name of Nazarene and the Christians of Nazarenes In the year of the World 4010. it being the Passover year of Christ 12 Christ in the Twelfth year of his Age was brought by Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem his Parents returning home he stayed behind His Mouth was first opeâ—ed to oppose the Doctors at twelve years old they not knowing where he was sought him three dayes and found him in the Temple sitting in the midest of the Doctors hearing them and asking them Questions and all that heard him were astonished at his Understanding and Answers and he went down with his Parents to Nazareth and was obedient unto them and followed his Fathers Trade of a Carpenter In the year of the World 4030. and in the thirtieth year of Christ year of Christ 30 John came forth in his Ministry Crying with a loud Voice in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Pathes streight Iohn Ministry what it was and opening the acceptable year of the Lord or the time of his divine pleasure preaching Repentance and Remission of Sins being cloathed with a Garment of Camels Hair and a girdle of Skins about his Loyns and his food was Locus and wild Hony And now Jesus being
Christ Lord I have heard by many how much evil he hath done unto thy Saints at Jerusalem yea in this place he hath Authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call upon thy Name and the Lord said unto him Go thy way for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to carry my Name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel for I will shew unto him how great things he must suffer for my Name He layes his hand on him And Ananias went and entered into the House and laying his hands on him said Brother Saul the Lord Jesus who appeared unto thee in the Way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the holy Ghost His sight is restored and strait-way their fell from his Eyes as it were scales and he received his sight forth-with And Ananias said The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his Will and see that Just One and shouldest hear the Voice from his Mouth for thou shalt be a Witness before all men of those things that thou hast heard and seen and now why tarriest thou Arise and be Baptized and Washed from thy Sins calling on the Name of the Lord and Saul arose and was Baptized and when he had received meat he was strengthened But what was revealed to Saul at Damascus that he should do Luke shews not in the Acts but out of those things which in the Epistle to the Galatians he saith happened unto him immediately after his Conversion it appears that among other things it was commanded him that he should not confer with flesh and blood nor return to Jerusalem to them that were Apostles before him but that he should go for some time into Arabia or places neer Damascus where he should Receive the Knowledge of the Gospel not being taught of men but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ Saul then returns to Damascus and tarries with the Disciples there a few dayes and strait-way in the Synagogue he Preacheth that Christ is the Son of God and they were all amazed who heard these things and said Is not this he that destroyed at Jerusalem those that called on this Name and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief Priest and Saul increased the more in strength and confounded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus teaching that Jesus is the Christ for to the Jews that dwelt at Damascus was the Gospel first preached by him Tiberius being certified by Pilate out of Palestine concerning the Affairs of Christ he proposeth to the Senate that Christ might be reckoned among the Gods which the Senate opposing he remaining in his Opinion threatens that it should be dangerous for any to accuse a Christian as Tertullian relates in Apologetic Chap. 5 and 21. and others that follow him as Eusebius in Chronic. and Hestor Eccles lib. 2.2 and our Gildas in an Epistle of the destruction of Brittain which being granted we may lawfully say that the first Persecution after the Murther of Stephen that arose in Judea ceased partly by the Conversion of Saul who greatly promoted it and partty through the fear of Tiberius When Saul had preached the Gospel a long time at Damascus the Jews took counsel to kill him and watching the Gates of the City day and night that they might take him and kill him but being let down by a rope by night in a Baskit escaped from them The first three years after his conversion being finished Saul returned to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteen dayes and he then assaying to joyn himself to the Disciples they all were affraid of him not believing him to be a Disciple but Barnabas took him and brought him to the Apostles viz. Peter and James the Brother of the Lord he declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus Saul also speaks boldly in the Name of Jesus at Jerusalem but the Jews went about to kill him Saul being in the Temple praying was in a Trance and saw the Lord speaking unto him saying Make haste and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem for they will not receive thy Testimony of me to whom he answered Lord they know that I imprisoned and beat in every Synagogue those that believed on thee and when the Blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by and kept the Garments of them that killed him and the Lord said unto him Go and I will send thee to the Gentiles The Brethren at Jerusalem brought him to Cesarea years since Christ 38 and sent him into his own Country of Tarsus and he came into the Countries of Syria and Cilicia hitherto he was unknown by face to the Churches of Judea but they heard only that he preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed and they glorified God in him and the Churches had rest through all Judea and Galilee and Samaria and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplyed About this time King Herod troubled the Church years since Christ 44 laying hands upon some for contradicting the Institutions and Rites of the Country of which he was a most religious observer as Josephius Lib. 19. Cap. ult relates He slew James the Brother of John with the Sword and seeing the death of James Peter imprisoned pleased the people he cast Peter into prison in the dayes of Azincus delivering him to four Quaturnions that is sixteen Souldiers to guaâ—d him intending after the Passover to bring him out to the People He is wounderfully delivered but there were Prayers made daily in the Church for him and an Angel of the Lord delivered him miraculously in the night and he went to the house of Mary the Mother of John Marcus where many were Congregated and at Prayer and telling them that they might certifie James the Son of Alphâ—as and Brother of our Lord and the rest of the manner of his deliverance he went into another Place Herod rage against the Prison Kepers Herod being frustrate of his hope in his rage commands the Innocent Keepers to be dragg'd to Execution and he going down to Caesarea stayed there he was prejudiced in his mind against the Syrians and Sidonians whose Land being not sufficient to maintain them Especially in that year of scarcity they were forced to seek for themselves sustentation from Galilee and other places under Herods Jurisdiction they came therefore Unanimously to him by the mediation of Blastus the Kings Chamberlain whom they had made their Friend desiring Peace of him a day being appointed Herod in his royal attire and sitting before the Tribunal made a Speech to them the People with Acclamations shouting out 'T is the Voice of a God and not a Man Herod is smote and dâ—ed but
presently the Angel of the Lord smote him because he did not give the Glory to God and being eaten up of Worms he gave up the Ghost The very same History Josephius Examplifies saying he had now finished the third year of his reign the fourth now beginning when he came to Caesaria which was formerly called Stratons Tower where he Solemnized some yearly Playes for Caesars health to which Festivity a great multitude of Noble Men and Youngsters came together out of the Province on the second day of this Celebrity he goes all attired with his Princely Robe richly and curiously wrought with Silver which by the reflection of the rising Sun yeilding an Angelical or extraordinary lusture struck reverence into the Spectators and presently some wicked Parasites with acclamations from a far off saluted him God desiring him to be propitious to them for that hitherto they had only honored him as a man but now they saw there was something more in him than humane This Impious Adulation he neither refused nor repelled he was suddenly struck to the very heart afterwards his Belly began to torment him more and more grievously wherefore turning to his Friends he said Behold I who by your appellation am a God am commanded out of this Life my certain fate giving the Lye to your flattery and I who you saluted Immortal am forced to death but I must endure the pleasure of the Heavens Having spoken these things his pain grew worse and worse and presently these things being divulged about the Country the rumour went that he was a dying and in the end his pain lasted in great extremity and without intermition for five dayes space and he then ended his life Joseph Lib. 19. Chap. ult Saulâ— name is changed to Paul About this time Saul is alwayes found named by his new name Paul Paul and Barnabas coming to Antioch and entering into the Synagogues almost the whole City came to hear the Word of God but the Jews seeing the multitude were filled with envy and contradicted what Paul spoke with whose Blasphemies Paul and Barnabas being grievously offended they left the Jews and preached only to the Gentiles who with joy embraced the Gospel and the Word of God was divulged over that whole Nation they stayed an Antioch a great while and suffered those things which in his latter Epistle to the Corinthians he writes of to wit that as at Phillippy afterwards so twice elsewhere by the Gentiles he had been whipped with rods and received five times four hundred stripes from the Jews Certain Professors of the Name of Christ of the Sect of the Pharisees came down from Judea to Antioch years since Christ 52 and said that the Christians of the Gentiles ought to be Circumcised and keep the law of Moses if they would be saved disturbing the Souls of many of the Brethren in Syria and Ciliâ—iâ— with their perverse Doctrine against whom Paul and Barnabas stifly oppose themselves Paul calls them Brethren brought in unâ—wards Philastrius de Heres Cap. 87. and Epiphanius Heres 28 say that Cerinthus that arch Heretick was the first Broacher of this Opinion Paul fourteen years after his going to Jerusalem undertaken three years after his Conversation goes again to Jerusalem with Barnabas Paul goes to Jerusalem being both sent from the Church at Antioch with some others that they might ask the Judgment of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem whose names those Disturbers had abused to bolster out their Opinion concerning the Controversie newly risen but Paul would not compel Titus to be Circumcised least he should seem to give place to the false Brethren for a moment Peter and Paul had foretold at Rome that it should come to pass years since Christ 67 that after a little time God would send a King that should overcome the Jews and that should lay their City equal with the Ground and should Beseige them being pined with hunger and thirst and then it should come to pass that they should eat each other and consume one the other and at last that they should come into their Enemies hands and should see their Wives most grievously Tormented in their sight and their Virgins to be Violated and Prostituted their Sons to be torn asunder and their little Ones to be dashed in pieces and to be short all things to be wasted by Fire and Sword and themselves forever banished out of their own Land and all this because they exalted themselves against the Son of God Lactan. lib. 4. Chap. 21. On the 29th day of the Moneth call'd June which last day of that Moneth falls to be within the reign of Nero. Paul was beheaded at Rome as the Records both of the Eastern and Western Churches confirm whereupon Chrysostom undoubtedly affirms that the day of his death was more certainly known then that of Alexander himself in 2 Cor. Homil. 26. Dionysius the Bishop of the Corinthians affirms in an Epistle to the Romans that Peter also suffered Martyrdom at the same time with him in Eusebius lâ—b 2. Histor Ecclesiast Chap. 24. whom also Origen relates in the third Tome of his Comentaries upon Genesis that at Rome he was Crucified with his head downwards as he had desired Ibid. lib. 3. Hist Chap. 1. Four Years before the Jewish War that was managed by Vespasian when the City of Jerusalem enjoyed both Peace and Plenty one Jesus the Son of Ananus a Country-man and one of the common People coming to the Feast of Tabernacles began suddainly to cry out A Voice from the East a Voice from the West A prophesy against the â—ews a Voice from the four Winds a Voice against Jerusalem and the Temple a Voice against New Married Men and Women a Voice against all this People and crying thus night and day through all the Streets of the City some of the Nobility disdaining any token of adversity took the Fellow and scourged him with many stripes but he spake nothing secretly for himself nor unto them that scourged him but continued still in the same Cry but the Magistrates thinking it rather to be some Motion in him from God brought him to the Roman Captain where being beaten till his Bones appeared he made no intreaty but with a weeping Voice at every stroke he said Wo Wo to Jerusalem Albinus then asked them who he was and where he was born and why he still cryed after this manner but he answered nothing yet he ceased not to bewaile the City till Albinus thinking he was mad suffered him to depart he crying thus most on the Feast dayes and that for seven years space or rather six as it is in Phot. Biblioth Cod. 47. and five Moneths and yet was neither hoarse nor weary at last he was killed by a stone shot out of an Engine in the time of the seige Jeseph lib. 7. bel Chap. 12. And according to these and many other Prophecies concerning the destruction that was to come upon the Jews for
Persecution against the Christians Orosius lib. 5. and not only in Rome but in all the Provinces thereof thinking thereby to abolish the Name of Christians in all places In this Persecution the Apostle Peter suffered death Hien lib. de viris just with many more Christians as Hierome said Simon Peter the Son of Jona of the province of Galilee and of the Town of Bethsaida the Brother of Andrew about the year 44. after Christ's birth came to Rome to withstand Simon Magus in the time of Nero and was crucified with his Head downwards and his Feet upwards himself so requiring because said he I am unworthy to be crucified after the same manner as the Lord was Paul the Apostle after his great travail and labours in preaching the Gospel in divers Countries at last suffered Martyrdom in this first Persecution under Nero and was beheaded some writers say on the same day on which Peter was Crucified although not in the same year but in the next year following which was the thirty seventh year after the Passion of Christ that which he spake at his death is written as followeth Paul being delivered by Nero bound unto Longimus and Magistus the cheif Officers and Acestus the Centurion that they should lead him without the City and cause him to be beheaded and Paul being full of the holy Ghost spake the words of Eternal life that both Nero and all should believe in Jesus Christ who was King of Heaven and Earth who would destroy the glory of the world with fire when they had led him away Longimus Magistus and Acestus began to say unto him Tell us O Paul where is that King and where will he appear unto you and how will you know him and what will he give unto you or what good will he bestow upon you that you Christians so mightily love him that by no means you will consent unto our Religion that you may live and enjoy the good of this life but rather then all the pleasures of delight to be led to die for him with divers Torments for this seems to us to be a great error to hate this joyfull life and to imbrace with all your desire punishment and death Paul therefore said O ye wise men and flourishing in knowledge depart out of the darkness and error wherein the nobility of your understanding is clouded with darkness lest you should see the Truth which lyeth hid in you return the eyes of your minds to the Eternal true Light that ye may be able first to know your selves and so come to the knowledge of that King with gladness and to be saved from the fire which is to came upon the world and to remain unhurt for we do not War as you think for some earthly King but the living God the Kingdom without end who by reason of the Iniquities that is done in this World he will come a Judge and will judge it by fire happy will that man be who will believe in him he shall have Eternal life and shall live World without end and most unhappy is he who dispising the Riches of his Bounties and long Suffering will not return unto him for he shall Perish Eternally The first Persecution beginning under Nero as aforesaid ceased under Vespatian who gave some rest to the poor Christians after whose reign was moved not long after the second Persecution by the Emperor Domitian Brother of Titus his Tyrany was unmeasurable he put to death all the Nephews of Jude called the Lords Brother and caused to be sought out and to be slain all that could be found of the Stock of David In the time of this Persecution Simon Bishop of Jerusalem after other Torments was Crucified to death In this Persecution John the Evangelist was Banished into Pathmos for the Testimony of the Word and after the death of Domitian in the Reign of Pertinax the Emperor he came to Ephesus being released in the year 100. He lived to a great age some write till he was 120. And this was his constant practice to his dying day when age weakness grew upon him at Ephesus Hierom Comiâ— in C. 6. ad Galat Tom. 9. p. 200. that he was no longer able to Preach to them he used at every Publick Meeting to be led to the Meeting and say no more to them then Little Children love one another He expressed great care for the good of souls unweariedly spending himself in the service of the Gospel and to beget People to the Truth Euseb lib. 3. Chap. 10. p. 92. witness one instance in his visitation of the Churches neer Ephesus he made choice of a young man of goodly body gratious face and fervent mind whom with a special Charge for his Instruction and Education he commited to the Bishop of that place so John returned to Ephesus But in process of time the young man became very dissolute perniciously accompanied himself with idle dissolute persons of ill behaviour who put him in a way to steal and rob so after he forsooke the right way he brought himself unto a bottomless Pit of all misorder and outrage and a rout of Theeves being gathered together he became their Captain which John at his return understanding was sorely troubled and said I have left a wise keeper of our Brothers soul prepare me a Horse and let me have a Guide he hastned and rode in post being come to the place appointed he is straitwayes taken of the Theevish watch he neither fled nor resisted but said bring me to your Captain who in the mean time as he was armed beheld him coming but as soon as he saw his face and knew it was John he was striken with shame and fled away the Old man persued and cryed my Son why fleest thou O Son tender my case be not afraid as yet there remaineth hope of Salvation I will undertake for thee with Christ I will die for thee if need be as Christ did for us which words seized so on the young man that his Countenance changed and he shook off his Armor and trembled and wept bitterly and imbraced the Old man and answered as well as he could for weeping so afterwards the Apostle brought him into the Church again Ex Nicephâ—ro Lib. 3. Chap. 32. Yet notwithstanding all these continual Persecutions and horible Punishments the Christians daily encreased deeply rooted in the Doctrine of the Apostles and watred plentiously with the Blood of Saints as saith Necephâ—rus Everastuâ— persâ—â—â—ed Everastus Bishop of Rome was Martyred under Trajanus in the year 102. after Christ and Ignatius Bishop of Antiâ—ch was Martyred in his Regin with many more Christians This Trajanus was very impious towards the Christian Religion and cruel towards the Christians and caused the Third Persecution in which Persecution Pliny the second a Heathen Philosopher a man learned and famous seeing the lamentable Slaughter of Christians and moved therewith to pity wrot to Trajanus of the
constantly persisted in the Truth in which she was planted a Woman of her acquaintance coming to Prison to visit her said to her why doest not thou keep silence and think secretly in thine Heart these things which thou believest that thou mayest prolong thy life here Oh said the Widdow you know not what you say it is written With the Heart we believe to Righteousness with the Tongue we confess to Salvation at her Execution she commended her self into the Hands of God and after a fervent prayer was burnt to death John Pistorius Martyr About this time there suffered many more in Germany for the witness of the Gospel viz. John Pistorius coming from Wittenberge for speaking against the Mass and Pardons and against the subtile abuses of the Priests he was committed to Prison with ten Malefactors whom he did comfort one of whom being half naked and in danger of cold he gave his gown his Father visiting him in Prison did not disswade him but bad him be constant being condemned and coming to the Stake he gave his neck willingly to the band wherewith he was first strangled and then burned saying at his death O death where is thy victory There using to be a great Meeting near Antwerp where one used to preach to a great number of People which Charles the Emperor hearing of gave leave to any that would to take the uppermost Garment of all them that came to hear and offered thirty Guilders to him that would take the Preacher afterwards when the People were gathered and their usual Minister being not there One Nicholas of Antwerp Martyr one Nicholas of Antwerp stood up and preacht to the People wherefore being apprehended by a Butchers Servant was put in a Sack and drowned at the Crane at Antwerp 1524. And certain of the City of Lovane were suspected of Lâ—â—â—â—ranism the Emperors Procurator came from Brussels thither to make Inquisition after which Inquisition made certain Bands of armed men came and beset their Houses in the night where many were taken in their beds pluckt from their Wives and Children and sent to divers Prisons through the terror whereof many Citizens revolted from the Gospel The terror of Persecution caused some to revolt from the Truth and returned again to Idolatry but twenty eight there were which remained constant in that Persecution unto whom the Doctors and Inquisitor of Lovane resorted disputing with them thinking either to confound them or convert them but so strongly the Spirit of the Lord wrought with the Saints that the Doctors went rather confounded away themselves when they saw disputing would not do they used cruel Torments to enforce them one of them was condemned to perpetual Prison which was a dark and stinking Dungeon where he was suffered neither to write nor read nor any man to come at him commanded only to be fed with bread and Water two of the said Prisoners were also burns constantly taking their Martyrdom One man beheaded and two women buryed afive There was there an old man and two aged Women brought forth of whom the one was called Antonia born of an antient Stock in that City these were condemned the man to beheaded the two Women to be buried Quick which death they received very chearfully and the rest of the Prisoners that would not abjure the Doctrine of Lather were put to the Fire One Percival of Lovane for owning the Truth was adjudged to perpetual imprisonment there to be fed only with Bread and Water which punishment he took patiently for Christ's sake he was secretly made away either famished or drowned no man could learn how Justus Jusberge a Skinner in Lovane in the year 1544. for having a New Testament in his House Justus Jusberge Martyr was persecuted by one Darsardus and committed to Prison and the Goaler commanded that none should speak with him shortly after the Doctors examining of him touching the Popes Supremacy Sacrifice of the Mass Purgatory and such Trumpery whereunto he answered plainly and boldly confirming his Answers by the Scriptures when they saw he would not be moved from his Faith then they condemned him to be burnt but as a pretended favour to him he was only beheaded Giles Tilman of Brussels Cutler born of honest Parents about the age of thirty years Giles Tilman Martyr he began to receive the Light of the Gospel for which he was very Zealous and fervent he was in his nature very mild and pittiful passing all other in those parts giving whatsoever he had to spare to the poor living only upon his Trade he was persecuted by the Priest of Brussels being taken at Lovane spreading that Religion which the Pope called Heresie his Adversaries used great care to make him objure but being a man of a singular wit and constant in his Religion they went away many times with shame after he had been kept eight Months in Prison he was sent to Brussels to be judged where finding Franciscus Ensenes and othes of the same Religion in Prison he exhorted them to be constant to the Truth that they might receive the Crown that was prepared for them When the Gray-Friars being sent unto him would mis call abuse him he ever held his peace at such private lajuries wheresore they reported that he had a dumb Devil in him he might several times have escaped out of Prison the doors being set open but he would not being removed to another Prison and on the twenty second of the Month called January 1544. he was condemned to be burnt privately for openly they durst not do it for fear of the People he being so well beloved when tiding was brought him of his Sentence he thanked God that the hour was some wherein he might glorifie the Lord and being had to the Fire he willingly refined up his life into the Hands of the Lord. Great Persecution in Gaunt and other parts of Flanders Anno 1543 1544. The Edict against the Lutherans to be read twice a year Charles the Emperor lying in Gaunt the Fryars and Docters obtained that the Edict made against the Lutherans might be read openly twice a year which caused a great Persecution to follow so that there was no City nor Town in all Flanders wherein some were not either Expulsed Beheaded Condemned to perpetual Imprisonment or their Goods Confiscate without respect either to Age or Sex especially at Gaunt where some of the cheif men in the Town were burnt for their Religion Afterward the Emperor coming to Brussels there also was terrible Slaughter and Persecution of Gods People namely in Brabant Honegow and Artois the horror and cruelty whereof is almost incredible insomuch that two hundred Men and Women were brought out of the Country into the City some of whom were drowned others buried Quick others privately made away others sent to perpetual Imprisonment whereby the Prisons were filled to the great sorrow of them which knew the Gospel the Professors whereof being now compelled
either to deny the same or confirm it with their blood the Story whereof was at large set forth by Francis Ensenes in Latine who himself was a Prisoner at the same time in Brussels for the Truth Sake Martin Hoeurblock Martyr Martin Hoeurblock Fishmonger in Gaint 1545. being converted to the Truth from the Superstitious Idolatry of the Papists and a great change wrought in him having all his time till then lived a wicked and a fleshly life was a wonder to his Neighbours to see such a sudden change the Franciscan Friars who before knew him and remembring how beneficial he had been to them now seeing him so altered and taking notice of his visiting the Prisoners and comforting them in Persecution and confirming them that went to the Fire they soon caused him to be detected and imprisoned and with grievous and sharp Torments would have constrained him to utter more of the same Religion to whom he answered That if they could prove by the Scripture that his detecting and accusing of his Brethren whom they would afflict with the like Torments were not against the Law of God then he would not refuse to prefer the honour of God before the safegard of his Brethren he was soon after had to the Council in Flanders where the Causes laid against him were the Sacrament Purgatory c. for which he was condemned and burn at Gaunt all his goods being Confiscate Nicholas and Francis Thiesten Martyrs Nicholas and Francis Thiesten Anno 1545. for standing firm in the Truth and bearing witness against the Church of Rome and their Auriculer Confession Purgatory c. were condemned to be burnt and coming to the place of Execution for exhorting the People they put Wooden-gags in their Mouths when they were fastned to the Stake they patiently endured the Fire the Mother of these two men was for her stedfastness to the Truth condemned to perpetual Imprisonment Adrian Tayler and Marion his wife Martyr Adrian Tayler and Marion his wife of Dornick Anno 1545. by reason of the Emperors decree at Worms against the Lutherans were apprehended and persecuted Adrian not so strang as a man for fear gave back and was but only beheated the wife stronger then a Woman withstood their threats and abode the uttermost and being inclosed in an Iron grate formed in shape of a Pasty was laid in the Earth and buried quick when the Adversaries first told her that her Husband had relented she believed them not but as she was going to the place where she was to die passing by the Tower where he was she called to him to take her leave but he was gone before Peter Bruly Martyrs Peter Bruly of Stratsburge at the earnest request of faithful Brethren went down to visit the Lower Counties about Artois which the Magistrates of Dornick hearing shot the gates of the Town and made search for him three days he was privately let down the Wall in the night by a basket and as he was let down into the Ditch ready to take his way one of them which let him down leaning over the wall to bid him farewel caused unawares a stone to slip out of the wall which falling upon him brake his Leg by reason whereof he was heard of the watchmen complaining of his wound and so was taken So long as he remained in Prison he ceased not to preach the Truth to all that came unto him he wrote his own Confession and Examination and sent it to the Brethren he wrote also another Epistle to them that were in Persecution another he wrote to all the faithful another Letter he wrote to his wife the same day he was burned he remained four Months in Prison before he was sentenceed to be burnt Letters were sent from Duke Frederick of the Lant-grave to intreat for him but he was burnt before the Letters came Peter Moice Martyr Peter Moice being converted to the Truth by Peter Bruly was apprehended and let down into a deep Dungeon under the Castle-Dirch which was full of filthy Vermine the Friars coming to examine him he told them whilst he lived an ungodly life they never concerned themselves with him but now for favouring the Word of God they sought his blood being brought before the Senate he would have boldly answered to what they objected against him but they interrupted him to whom he said if you will not suffer me to answer for my self send me back to Prison among the Toads and Frogs which will not interrupt me while I talk with my God and continuing constant in the Truth was at last burnt to death Nicholas Frenchman Martyr Nicholas Frenchman having been at Geneva intending to go into England but in his way was apprehended by the Lieutenant of Dornick and being bound hands and feet was brought to Burgis and there laid in a Dungeon the Friars when they came to examin him went away in a shamefull rage saying he had a Devil and crying to the fire with him Soon after the Judges condemned him to be burnt to Ashes at which sentence giving he blessed the Lord which had counted him worthy to be a witness in the cause of his beloved Son going to the place of Execution he was threatned that if he spake they would put a wooden ball in his mouth nevertheless being at the Stake he minded not their threats but cryed out with a loud voice saying Oh Charls Charls how long shall thy heart be heardned with that one of the Souldiers gave him a blow then he said O miserable People who are not worthy to whom the Word of God should be Preached then the Friers cryed out he hath a Devil to whom he said depart from me all you Wicked for the Lord hath heard the voice of my Weeping So in the midst of the fire commended his Spirit unto God and ended this life Bertrand Le Blais Martyr Bertrand Le Blais at Dornick in the year 1555. Suffered lamentably his Torments being almost incredible that the Tyrants shewed unto him his constancy was admirable This Bertrand being a Silk-Weaver having something upon his Spirit set his House in order and desired his Wife and Brother to pray that God would establish him in his enterprise that he was going about which was upon Christ-mass day so called he went to the high place at Dornick where he took the Cake out of the Priests hands as he would have lifted it over his head at Mass and stampt it under his feet saying that he did it to shew the Glory of that God and what little power he hath at the sight hereof the People were amazed and he hardly escaped with his life it was not long before the Governor of the Castle heard of this passage who like a mad man threatned he should be an example to all posterity Bertrand being brought before him he askt him if he repented of his fact who answered no and if he had a hundred lives he could
of his Parents Brethren and Kinsfolks and the great sorrow of his Mother nevertheless the Lord so assisted him that he endured to the end and was burnt to death In the year 1558. the fourth day of the Month called September there being a Company of the Faithful to the number of three or four hundred met together at Paris in a certain House in the beginning of the night they were discovered by some Priests the House was soon beset and the City in an uproar many being in an extream rage furiously seeking to have their blood at the suddenness of this thing the poor people were strucken in great fear and fell to prayer about six or sevenscore of them having Weapons escaped thorow the Multitude save only one who was knockt down with Scones and destroyed the Women remaining in the House were taken by the Magistrates and had to Prison in their passing to the Prison they were plucked and haled by the rude Multitude who tore their Garments and pulled of their Hoods and disfigured their Faces with dirt they were accused to the King by a Priest that they put out the Candles in their Meetings and went together Jack and Gill and that they maintained there was no God and denyed the Divinity and Humanity of Christ the Immortallity of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body c. these things a lying Doctor charged on them without any proof moving the King People to destroy them and shortly after a Commission was directed out by the King to certain Councellors to try and give Judgment upon the aforesaid Sufferers a particular Relation of whose Execution is at large inserted by my Author but there being little material circumstances either in their Tryal or Execution wherefore I thought not meet here to insert them A Relation of the manner of the Spanish Inquisition About this time many suffered Martyrdom under the cruel and bloody Inquisition in Spain first began by King Fardinandus and Elizabeth his wife the Spainsh Priests do hold the holy and sacred Inquisition as they call it cannot err and that the holy Fathers the Inquisitors cannot be deceived if any be apprehended as favourers of Hereticks he is carried and put into a horrible Prison and none permitted to come to him but there he is kept alone in a place where he cannot see so much as the ground and often Whipt Scourged Irons put upon him Tortured and Racked sometimes brought out and shewed in some higher place to the People as a Spectacle of rebuking Infamy and thus some are detained there many years and murdered by long Torments in which is more cruelty executed then if they were at once slain by the Hangman during all their time of imprisonment whatsoever process is done against them no person knoweth it but only the holy Fathers and Tormentors which are sworn to execute the Torments all the proceedings of the Cour of that Execrable Inquisition are done in hugger mugger the Accuset is secret the Crime secret and the witness secret by the rigour of which Inquisition many good men have been destroyed both in Spain and Italy In the Kingdom of Naples in the year 1560. in the time of Pope Pius the fouth was begun a hot Persecution against the Protestants many men and their wives being slain Likewise the same year in Calabria the number of Eighty eight Persons both old and young suffered for the Protestant Religion by the Papists Eighty eight person Butchered for Religion in Calabria all which were put together in one House and taken out one after another and laid upon the Butchers Stall like the Sheep in the Shambles with one bloody Knife they were all killed one after another a Spectacle most tragical for all Posterity to remember and almost incredible to believe but that it is confirmed by two Epistles of sufficient credit which are at large incerted in the Book of Martyrs The next matter to be treated on is the great Persecution and Destruction of the People of Merindol and Cabries in the Country of Province where not a few persons but whole Villages and Townships with the most part of all the Country both Men Women and Childen were put to all kind of cruelly and suffered Martyrdom for the profession of the Gospel From the year 1200. they had refused the Bishop of Rome's Authority Persecuted in Merindol and Cabries for this cause they were often accused and complained of to the King as Contemners and Dispisers of the Magistrates and Rebels wherefore they were called by divers names according to the Countries and places where they dwelt for in the Country about Lions they were called the poor People of Lions in the borders of Sarmatia and Livâ—nia and other Countrys towards the North they were called Lollards in Flanders and Artois Turrelupines of a Desart where Wolves did haunt in Dolphine with great dispite they were called Chagnars because they lived in places open to the Sun without House or harbour but most commonly they were called Waldoys of Waldo who first instructed them in the Word of God as before is related which name continued till the name of Lutherans come up which above all others was most hated and abhorred Notwithstanding in these most spiteful Contumelies and Slanders the People dwelling at the foot of the Alpes and also in Merindol and Cabries alwayes lived so Godly so uprightly and justly that in all their life and conversation there appeared to be in them a great fear of God and that little Light of true Knowledge which God had given them they laboured by all means to kindle and encrease daily more and more sparing no charges whether it were to purchase the Scriptures in their own Language or to encourage one another in Godliness travelling into other Countries even to the furthest parts of the Earth where they had heard that any Light of the Gospel began to shine But the more zealous these people were for a Reformation in their Religion the more did the fury and rage of Persecution stir in the Bishops Priests and Monks in all Province against them amongst the rest one Jo. de Roma a Monk obtaining a commission to examine those that were suspected to be of the Waldoys or Lutherans profession forthwith ceased not to afflict the faithful with all kinds of Cruelty that he could devise or imagine The Cruelty of the Papists amongst other most horrible Torments this was one which he most delighted in and most commonly practised he filled Boots with boyling Grease and put them upon their Legs tying them backward to a Form with their Legs hanging down over a small Fire and so he examined them thus he tormented very many and in the end most cruelly put them to death this cruelty coming to the French Kings ear he was much disgusted wherefore he wrote to the Parliament at Province that the Monk might be apprehended and punisht but he conveyed himself away but the Lord
Then said the King commit thy self unto the hands of God and not unto mine Lambort I commend my Soul unto the hands of God but my Body I wholly yield and Submit unto your clemency Then said the King if you do commit your self unto my Judgment you must die for I will not be a patron to Hereticks and so caused the Sentence of Death to be read against him Shortly aâ—â—er he was had to Smithfield and there burnt in the midst of the Flames he cryed unto the people in these words None but Christ none buâ— Christ and so ended his life The aforesaid six Articles being consented unto and concluded by the King and Parliament the Bishops caused further to be enacted that whosoever denyed Transubstantiation or whosoever should be Alders Comforters Counsellors Consentors and A bettors therein should be adjudged Hereticks That every such Offender should have and suffer Judgment Execution and pain of death by way of burning without any Abjuration benefit of the Clergy or Sanctuary and should forfeit to the King all their Land and Tenements Goods and Chattels as in Cases of high Treason And for all such as did preach teach uphold maintain or defend any thing contrary to the five last Articles should be adjudged as Fellons and lose both life and goods as in the Case of Fellony When these Articles were in debate in the Parliament house Doctor Cranmer in favour to the Professors of the Truth earnestly disputed in defence of the Truth against them but notwithstanding all his opposition the Act was past By reason of these fix Articles a great Number were apprehended in London and other Places so that all the prisons in London were too little to hold them and many were imprisoned in Halls Amongst whem was one John Porter of London John Porter died in Prison who for reading to people in a Bible was sent for by Bonner and sharply reproved Porter answered he trusted he had no way offended contrary to the Law thereby Bonner charged him for making expositions upon the Text and for gathering Multitudes about him this Porter denyed yet did Bonner send him to Newgate where he was miserably Loaden with Irons both hands and legs with a great Collor of Iron about his neck whereby he was fastned to the Wall in the Dungeon after a while he sent for a Kinsman of his who by bribing the Keeper obtained that he was put amongst Thieves and Murtherers but Porter hearing and seeing their Wickedness exhorted them to amendment of life giving them good instructions for this he was complained of and carried down into the lowest Dungeon where he was so cruelly oppressed with Bolts and Irons that within few daies after he was found dead In the year 1544. One Robert Testwood living at Windsor being a favourer of the Lutherans Robert Testwood Martyr and seeing People licking and kissing a white Alablaster Image that stood behind the high Altar at which his Zeal was so stirred that with a Key that he had in his hand he struck off the Images nose saying see good People what it is it cannot help it self how then would you have it help you The noise hereof being spred abroad one Simonds a Lawyer took up the Nose and said one day it should be a dear Nose to Testwood And further upon a day whereon every one was to carry a Relick in procession Testwood amongst others had Beckets Rochet proferred him but he pusht it from him saying if they gave it him he would wipe his Tayle with it These doings so offended the Clergy that they said he was a Heretick and would roast a Fagot one day for this geer but notwithstanding their Threats he lived in quiet till the death of the Lord Cromwell and till Winchester had insinuated into the affections of the King and wholly ruled at which time Testwood being sick in bed was fetched out and cast into Prison together with one Anthony Person John Marbeck and Henry Filmer and after a while they were all brought forth to Judgment be fore Doctor Capon â—iâ—â—op of Salsbury and others Testwoods Indictment was for that when the Priest lifted up the Sacrament he said what wilt thou lift it up so high what yet higher take heed that thou let him not fall As also that at such times when the Sacrament was lifted up he used to look down on his Book or another way that he might not see the Sacrament whereupon he said Whereon did he look that marked me so well Marry quoth the Kings Attorney he could not be better Occupied then to mark such Hereticks The Prisoners being Condemned they spent the greatest part of the night before their Execution in prayer that the Lord would strengthen them and enable them with stedfast Faith and power to go through their Exercise About this time there rose a great Persecution in Callice in France which was then under Englands power Persecution in Callice there was at one time twelve persons Imprisoned for their Religion but the Lord Cromwell so called hearing of it wrote immediately to the Commissioners in Callice in the Kings Name requiring that the Hereticks with their Accusers should be sent over into England forthwith the Commissioners loading them with Chains sent them over as soon as Cromwell heard they were arrived he sent for them to his House and smiling upon them said Go your ways to the Fleet and Submit your selves Prisoners there and be of good cheer for if God give me life you shall shortly go home with as much honesty as ye came with shame But it pleased God that shortly after this Cromwell was beheaded so that the poor men then had no hope but in the Providence of their Heavenly Father who comforted them in their deep Troubles that as their Afflictions abounded their joyes and consolations abounded much more for when all hope was past the Lord Audley Chancellor of England sent for them and without any further examination discharged them of their Imprisonment In the year 1541. The King sent out a Commission for apprehending of such as offended against the six Articles and when the Commissioners satâ— at Mercers-Chapple being such as were chosen on purpose they enquired not only for such as offended against the six Articles but of such as came seldom to Church as it s called and received not the holy Bread and Water so that they indicted above five hundred persons most of which had either died in Prison or been burnt in Smithfield but that the King being informed by the Lord Audley that they were indicted of malice granted them his Pardon Richard Meekins Martyr beinâ— a Boy of fifteen years old About the same time one Richard Meekins a boy of fifteen years old was accused for spaking some words against the Sacrament of the Altar and when the first Jury would not find the indictment against him they were soundly ratled by the Bishop of London and another Jury impannelled that found it
accused on several Articles by the Bishops and afterwards Condemned by them as an Heretick to be burnt when he came to the fire he said Father of Heaven I commend my Spirit into thy holy Hands and then turned him to the People and said these Words I beseech you Christian Brethren and Sisters that you be not offended in the Word of God for the affliction and Torments which you see already prepared for me but I Exhort you that you Love the Word of God and suffer patiently and with a comfortable heart for the Words sake which is your undoubted Salvation and Everlasting Comfort Moreover I pray you shew my Brethren and Sisters which have heard me oft before that they cease not nor lâ—â—ve off the Word of God which I taught unto them after the Grace given to me for any Persecutions or Troubles in this World which lasts not and shew unto them that my Doctrine was no Old Wives Fable after the Constitution made by men and if I had taught mens Doctrine I had gotten great thanks of men but for the Word and true Gospels sake I suffer this day by men not sorowfully but with a glad Heart and Mind for this cause I was sent that I should Suffer this Fire for Christs Sake this grim Fire I fear not and so I pray you to do if that any Persecution come unto you for the Word's sake and fear not them that Kill the Body and afterwards have no power to Kill the Soul Then he prayed for them which accused him saying I beseech thee Father of Heaven to forgive them that have through Ignorance or an evil Mind forged Lyes against me I forgive them with all my heart and I beseech Christ to forgive them who have Condemned me to death this day ignorantly So being first Hanged he was then burnt many People bewailing his death VVabter Mille amongst the rest of the Martyrs of Scotland his Constancy is not to be past over with silence out of whose Ashes Sprung thousands of his Religion in Scotland many Articles were drawn up against him for which he had sentance pronounced against him that he should be delivered to the Temporal Judge and punisht as an Heretick which was to be burnt Now when all things were ready for his death and he conveyed with Armed men to the Fire Andrew Olifant Judge that past sentence upon him bad him Go to the Stake he said Nay except thou pull me up with thy hand for I am forbidden by the Law of God to lay hands of my self then Olifant put him up with his hand thereupon he went gladly saying I will go to the Altar of God and desired that he might have time to speak to the People which his Executioner denyed saying That he had spoken over-much and that the Bishops were oâ—fended that the matter was so long continued but some young men that stood by desired him to speak what he please so after he had prayed he rose up and standing upon the Coles said on this wise Dear Friends the Cause why I suffer this day is not for any Crime laid to my Charge but only for the defence of the Faith of Christ Jesus for which as the faithful Martyrs have heretofore gladly offered themselves being assured after the Death of their Bodies of Eternal Felicity so this day I praise God that he hath called me of his Mercy among the rest of his Servants to seal his Truth with my Life which as I received it of him so willingly I offer it to his Glory Therefore as you will escape the eternal death be no more seduced by the Lyes of Priests Monks and Bishops and the rest of the Sect of Antichrist but depend only upon Jesus Christ and his Mercy that you may be delivered from Condemnation All that while there was great Mourning and Lamentation of the multitude for they perceiving his Patience Stoutness Boldness and Constancy were not only moved and stirred up but their hearts also were so inflamed that he was the last Martyr that died in Scotland for Religion after his prayer he was hoised up on the Stake and being in the Fire he said Lord have Mercy on me pray People while there is time and so be constantly departed The Persecutions in the Reign of Edward the sixth Henry the Eighth being dead Edward the sixth succeeded him at the Age of nine years he was a Youth of a meek nature and disposition much inclined to Clemency and Mercy yea so much that when one Joan Butcher being condemned to be burnt for Heresie all the Council could not move him to set his hand saying to Cranmer what will you send her quick to the Devil in her Error Doctor Cranmer perswaded him with much ado at last to put his hand to whom he said He would lay all the charge thereof upon Cranmer as before the Lord. But though this King was of so mild a Nature and a Person inclining to love Religion from a Child being very Zealous for a further Reformation in the Church abolishing the Mass c. and a Protector being appointed during his Nonage which was his uncle the Duke of Somerset a man also very Zealous for Reformation and an Encourager of such as profest the Gospel but in the midst of these meek and gentle times on the other hand the Pâ—pish party having a great power in the Kingdom used all the Means and Endeavours to stir up Persecution and to hinder that good they found the King and his Uncle inclinable to yet the most of this Kings Reign which was but short the Sword was taken out of their hands so that they had not power to shed much Blood all his Reign yet some there were that suffered for Religion viz. Joan of Kent an English woman and one George a Dutchman and one Thomâ—s Dobb who was apprehended for speaking against the Idolatry of the Mass and committed to Prison where he died The cause of the Imprisonment of Thomas Dobb was as followeth The said Thomas Dobb being a Man fervent and zealous for Religion and as it is recorded of him a man so Innocent that he was like a Dove without any Gall or Bitterness and more apt to receive Injury then do wrong to any one It happened that as he was passing by Pauls in London seeing the Priest at Mass being at the Elevation as he passed by the young man filled with godly Zeal pitying the Ignorance and Idolatry of the People in honouring that so devoutly which the Priest lifted up was not able to forbear but opened his Mouth and turning to the People exhorted them testifying against their Idolatry for which cause he was presently apprehended by the Mayor and being accused by the Bishop of Canterbury was Committed to the Counter in Bredstreet where falling sick he soon after died In this Kings time there was also one John Hume a servant to one Lewnax accused by his Master of denying the Sacrament of the Altar to be the real
penny for his pain And as ye would that other men against you should proceed Do you the same again to them when they do stand in need And part your portion with the poor in money and in meat And feed the fainted feeble soul with that which ye should eat That when your members lacketh meat and cloathing to your back You may the better think on them that now do live and lack Ask counsel at the wise give ear unto the end Refuse not you the sweet rebuke of him that is your Friend Be thankful alwayes to the Lord with prayer and with praise Desire you him in all your deeds for to direct your wayes And sin not like that swearing sort whose bellys being fed Consume their years upon the Earth from belly unto bed Seek first I say the living God set him alwayes before And then be sure that he will bless your hasket and your store And thus if you direct your dayes according to this book Then shall they say who see your wayes how like me you do look And when you have so perfectly upon your fingers ends Possessed all within your book then give it to your Friends And I beseech the living God replenish you with grace That I may have you in the Heavens and see you face to fact And though the sword have cut me off contrary to my kind That I could not enjoy your love according to my mind Yet do I hope when that the Heavens shall vanish like a scrole I shall receive your perfect shape in body and in soul And that I may enjoy your love and ye enjoy the the Land I do beseech the living God to hold you in his hand Farewel my Children from the World where ye must yet remain The Lord of Hosts be your defence till we do meet again Farewel my Love and loving Wife my Children and my Friends I hope to God to have you all when all things have their ends And if you do abide in God as you have now began Your course I le warrant will be short ye have not far to run God grant you so to end your years as he shall think it best That ye may enter into Heaven where I do hope to rest Robert Smith to his Brother AS Nature doth me bind because thou art my blood According to my kind to give thee of my good That thou mayst have in mind how I have run my race Although thou bide behind but for a little space I give thee here a Pearl the price of all my good For which I leave my life to buy it with my blood More worth then all the World or ought that I can note Although it be clad in such a simple Coate For when I had obtained this pearl of such a price Then was I sure I gained the way for to be wise It taught me for to fight for to dispise my flesh To stick unto the Light and for to leave the Lyes In sending out my Seed with bonds and bitter tears That I might reap with joy in Everlasting years And have for all my loss my travail and my pain A thousand times and more of better goods again And for because the good that hath been got and gain'd And that the Lords Elect hath evermore obtain'd Is closed in this book which I do give to thee Wherein I have my part as thou thy self mayst see In which I hope thou hast a stock also in sâ—ore And wilt not cease to sayle till God has made it more I will thee to beware be sure thou keep it well For if thou do it loose thy part shall be in Hell And here I testifie before the living God That I detest to do the things that are forbad And as my Judgment is my body to be brent My heart is surely set therewith to be content And sith it is his will to put me in his Power Upon his holy Hill to fight against this Whore Full well I am content if he allow it so To stand with all my might the Whore to overthrow Even with a willing mind the death I will out-face And as I am assured the Battel to imbrace That they which hear the Truth how I have past the pike May set aside their youth and learn to do the like And though it be my lot to let her suck my blood Yet am I well assured it shall do her no good For she is set to kill the thing she thinks accurst And shall not have her fill of blood until she burst And when as thou shalt see or hear of my decease Pray to the living God that I may pass in peace And when I am at rest and rid out of my pain Then will I do the like for thee to God again And to my woful wife and widdow desolate Whom I do leave behind in such a simple state And compassed with tears and mournings many one Be thou her staying staff when I am dead and gone My mouth may not express the dolours of my mind Nor yet my heaviness to leave her here behind But as thou art my Bone my Brother and my Blood So let her have thy heart if it may do her good I took her from the World and made her like the Cross But if she hold her own she shall not suffer loss For where she had before a man unto her make That by the force of fire was strangled at a Stake Now shall she have a King to be her helping hand To whom pertains all things that are within the Land And eke my Daughter dear whom I bequeath to thee To be brought up in fear and Learn the A B C That she may grow in Grace and Ruled by the Rod To learn to lead her Life within the fear of God And alwayes have in mind thy Brother being dead That thou art left behind a Father in my stead And thou my Brother Dear and eke my Mothers Son Come forth out of all fear and do us I have done And God shall be thy Guide and give thee such encrease That in the Flames of Fire thou shalt have perfect Peace Into Eternal Joy and pass out of all pain Where we shall meet with mirth and never part again If thou wilt do my Daughter good Be mindfull of they Brothers Blood Teach me O Lord to walk thy Wayes my living to amend And I shall keep it all my dayes even to my lives end Give me a mind to understand so shall I never start But I shall keep all thy precepts even wholy with my heart Make me to go a perfect pace in that I have begun For all my love and my delight is in thy Wayes to run Encline my heart unto thy Wayes set thou thereon my thought And let me not consume my dayes to covet that is nought O quicken me in all thy Wayes the VVorld for to despise And from all fond and foolish toyes turn thou away mine Eyes O plant in me thy
good to rost a shoulder of Mutten but evil in the Church whereby Idolatry was committed when the Articles were answered the Chancellor read their Condemnation and so delivered them to the Sheriff to whom John Spicer said now you must be their Butcher that you may be guilty also with them of Innocent Blood before the Lord. The 24th day of the Moneth called March they were had to the place of Execution where they kneeled down and prayed secretly and then being disclothed to their Shirts John Mundrell spoke with a Loud voice Not for all Salsbury which words men judged to be an answer to the Sheriff who offered him the Queens Pardon if he would recant and after this in like manner spake John Spicer This is the joyfullest day that ever I saw Thus did they most constantly give their Bodies to the Fire and their Souls to the Lord for a Testimony to his Truth Six persons burnt in Smithfield About the 23th day of the Moneth called April 1556 were burned in Smithfield at one Fire these six persons viz. Robert Drakes William Tymis Richard Spurge Thomas Spurge John Cavel Q. Mary An. 1556 and George Ambross they were all of Essex and so of the Diocess of London they were sent up at sundry times by Lord Rich and others and by Gardner Bishop of Winchester then Lord Chancellor of England committed some to the Marshal-sea and some to the Kings-Bench where they remained almost the whole year before they were brought to Examination Some Passages in their Examination are as followeth After six or seven hours discourse between the Bishop of London and Bath with William Tymis they were weary and began to pity Tymis's case and to slater him saying Ah good Fellow thou art bold and thou hast a good fresh Spirit we would thou hadest learning to thy Spirit I thank you said he and both you be learned and I would you had a good Spirit to your learning The Bishop seeing Tymis his hoase part white and part of a sheeps russet in a mocking manner said Ah Sirrah are you a Deacon Yea that I am said he So me thinketh said the Bishop you are decked like a Deacon Said Tymis Me-thinks my Vesture doth not so much vary from a Deacon but your Apparel doth as much vary from an Apostle And one of the Bishops men said Scoffingly my Lord give him a Chair a Tost and Drink and he will be Lusty But the Bishop said Have him away till another time The 28th day of March the aforesaid six Martyrs were brought to the open Consistory in Pauls before Bishop Bonner to be condemned for Heresie Bishop said Tymis I le begin with thee for thou art and hast been the Ring-leader of these thy Companions thou hast taught them Heresies and Confirmed them in their Errâ—ous Opinions endeavouring to make them like thy self Tymis said I Marvel you will begin with a Lye you call me the Ring-leader and Teacher of this Company There is none of all these my Brethren which are brought hither as Prisoners but when they were at liberty and out of Prison dissented from you and your doings as much as they do now and for that cause they are now Prisoners so that they learned not their Religion in Prison and as for me I never knew them till I was committed Prisoner with them and as for my fault which you make so greivous whatsoever you judge of me I am well assured that I hold no other Religion then Christ Preached the Apostles Witnessed the Primitive Church received and now of late hath been faithfully taught by Evangelical Preachers for which you have cruelly burned them and now you seek our Blood also proceed on hardly by what rule you will I fear not Then the Bishop proceeded to pass the Sentence upon him and then upon the rest and after he had condemned them he ridded his bloody hands of them delivering them to the Sheriffs of London who sent them to Newgate where they remained till the 14th day of the Moneth called April and then sealed their Faith with their Blood The Substance of a Letter of William Tymis to his Friends in Hookly The Grace of God the Father through the Merrits of his dear Son Jesus our Lord and only Saviour with the continual aid of his holy and mighty Spirit to the performance of his will to our Everlasting comfort be with you my dear Brethren both now and evermore Amen My dearly beloved I beseech God to reward the great goodness that you have shewed unto me seven fold into your Bosoms and as you have alwayes had a most godly love unto his Word even so I beseech him to give you grace to love your own Souls and then I trust that you will flee from all those things that should displease our good and mercifull God and hate and abhor all the Company of these that would have you to Worship God any otherwise then is contained in his holy Word and beware of those Masters of Idolatry that is these Papistical Priests My dear Brethren for the tender mercy of God remember well what I have said unto you and also written the which I am now ready to seal with my Blood I praise God that ever I lived to see the day and blessed be my good and mercifull God that ever he gave me a body to glorifie his Name And dear hearts I do now write unto you for none other cause but to put you in rememberance that I have not forgot you to the end that I would not have you forget me but to remember well what I have simply by word of Mouth and Writing taught you the which although it were most simply done yet truely as your own Conscience beareth me record and therefore in any case take good heed that you do not that thing which your own Conscience doth condemn therefore come out of Sodom and go to Heaven-ward with the Servants and Martyrs of God least you be partakers of the Vengeance of God that is coming upon this Wicked Nation from the which the Lord God defend you c. Thus now I take my leave of you forever in this World except I be burned amongst you which thing is uncertain unto me as yet By me your poorest and most unworthy Brother in Christ William Tymis in Newgate the 12th day of April condemned to die for Christs Truth Joan Beech of Tumbridge and John Harpool of Rochester were both condemned for the Truth of the Gospel by Morrice Bishop of Rochester and were Sufferers together at one Fire in Rochester the first day of the Moneth called April 1556. The next day after suffered in the like Cause at Cambridge one John Hullier Some Sentences taken out of a Letter written by the said John Hullier are as followeth John Hullier being of long time Prisoner and now openly judged for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus wisheth heartily to the whole Congregation of God the strength of
our God trusting in his Mercy and he will surely help us as shall be most unto his Glory and our everlasting comfort being sure of this that he will suffer nothing to come unto us but that which shall be most profitable for us for it is either a Correction for our Sins or a Tryal of our Faith or to set forth his glory or for all together and therefore must needs be well done for there is nothing that cometh unto us but by our heavenly Fathers providence and therefore pray unto our heavenly Father that he will ever give us his Grace to consider it let us give most hearty thanks for these his fatherly corrections for as many as he loveth he correcteth And I beseech you now be of good chear and count the Cross of Christ greater Riches then all the vain-pleasures of England I doubt not but you have Supped with Christ at his Table I mean believed in him for that is the effect and then must you drink of his Cup I mean his Cross for that doth the Cup signifie unto us take the Cup and then shall you be sure to have the good Wine Christ's Blood to thy poor thirsty Soul pray continually in all things give thanks In the Name of Jesus shall every knee bow Cuthbert Simson One thing more I thought meet to mention which I find upon record concerning this Cuthbert Simson which some may hardly believe who are apt to think all things incredible which vary from the common course and order of Nature and may look upon this to be more a Phantasie then a real Vision but I shall relate the matter in short as I find it and so leave it to the tender Reader to judge of it The day before this Cuthbert Simson was condemned he being in the Stocks in the Bishops Cole-house Cluny the Keeper about nine at night according to his usual manner came to see whether his Prisoner was safe and lockt the Doors about two hours after Cuthbert heard one coming in to him first opened the Outward-door then the Inner-door and though there was no Candle yet he saw a great brightness and light most comfortable and joyful to his heart and this he declared to one Austen and others and expressed much joy and solace in declaring of it and the Vision that he saw was comfortable unto him Soon after suffered William Nichol who was burnt for the same cause at Haverfordwest in Wales and William Seaman Thomas Carman and Thomas Hudson suffered in Norfolk William Seaman was an Husbandman of the age of twenty six years dwelling in Mendlesham in the County of Suffolk William Seaman Martyr he was persecuted by one Sr. John Terril who searched his house for him by night but missing of him he set his servants to search for him and when they had apprehended him brought him before their Master who asked him why he would not go to Mass and receive the Sacrament Seaman replyed because it was an Idol he would not receive it wherefore Terril sent him to Hopton Bishop of Norwich to deal with him who after he had examined him soon passed his bloody sentence of death against him This Seaman when he died left behind him a Wife and three young Children which her Husband being taken away one would have thought should have moved those pretended Christians to some pity towards her but instead of shewing pity they persecuted her out of the Town of Mendlesham because she refused to hear Mass and one Coles Lord of the said Town caused all her Goods and Corn to be seized and taken away Another of these Sufferers was Thomas Hudson of Ailesham in Norfolk he was thirty years of age by trade a Glover and a very honest poor man having a Wife and three Children and labouring alwayes dilligently in his imployment being zealous for that Truth which bore testimony against the Papists blasphemous preaching who put the Draugh and Darnel for the Wheat and that he might avoid their Idolatries and Superstition he absented from his house and went into Suffolk a long time and there remained traveling from one place to another at last he returned home again to comfort his Wife and Children being troubled at his absence when he was come home he conceiving his continuing there would be dangerous he and his Wife devised to make him a place among his Fagots to hide himself in where he remained all day exercising himself in reading and prayer and thus he continued for about the space of half a year but at last his Zeal and Courage arose and he walked abroad several dayes openly in the Town crying out continually against the Mass and such like trumpery and for three dayes and three nights together refused meat or to talk with any one Berry Vicar of the Town and one of the Bishops Commissaries caused the Officers to watch for him who upon the twenty second day of the Month called April apprehended him by the break of the day and led him to Berry the Commissary who examined him after this manner Doest thou not believe said Berry in the Sacrament of the Altar what is it Hudson replyed it is worms meat my belief is in Christ Berry Dost thou not believe the Mass to put away Sins Hudson No God forbid it is a patcht Monster and a disguised Puppet more longer a piecing then ever was Solomons Temple At which words Berry stamped and fumed and said Well thou Villain I will write to my Good Lord the Bishop Hudson said There is no Lord but God Then he asked Hudson whether he would Recant to which he replyed the Lord forbid I had rather die many deaths then do so This Thomas Hudson and the other two being brought to the Lollards-pit and there standing with Chains about them on a suddain Thomas Hudson came forth from under the Chain which made some to doubt that he would have recanted but his two Companions at the Stake exhorted him and comforted him in the Bowels of Christ but Hudson felt more in his Heart and Conscience then they did conceive was in him for he was compassed with great grief of mind not for his death but for lack of the feeling of Christ for which he kneeled down and prayed earnestly unto the Lord who at last according to his mercies gave him comfort and then he said now I thank God I am strong and so went to the Stake to his Fellows again and they all suffered constantly and joyfully to the Magnifying of the Lords Name Before I proceed to give a further Account of such as suffered Martyrdom its necessary to give a short Account of the said end of this Persecuting Commissary Berry who Persecuted Thomas Hudson and others to death as I find it recorded This Berry in his rage was very fierce against many godly People in the Town of Ailesham he burnt all good Books he could get and persecuted men for their Consciences and compelled many to Idolatry and being
Servants of Christ falsly called Brownists unto the High-Court of Parliament The most high God Possessor of Heaven and Earth bringeth at this present before your Lordships and Wisdoms right honourable his own Cause his own People his own Sworn and most treacherous Enemies together with the most shameful Usage of his Truth and Servants that ever hath been heard of in the dayes of Sions professed Peace and Tranquility His Cause and People he offereth unto your Consideration and Defence in our Profession and Persons His Enemies and their Out-rage against his Truth and Servants in the Persons and Bloody Proceedings of the Prelates of this Land and their Complices We profess the same Faith and Truth of the Gospel with her Majesty which your honours this whole Land and all the reformed Churches under Heaven this day do hold and Maintain We go beyond them being our only fault even in the Judgment of our tyrannical and most savage Enemies in the detestation of all Popery that most fearful Anti-christian Religion and draw nearer in some Points by our practice unto Christs holy Order and Institution this is our Faith this is our cause Right Honourable yea the Lords Cause in our sinful hands For the Profession and Maintenance of which Faith the fore-named Enemies of God detain in their hands within the Prisons about London not to speak of other Goals throughout the Land about threescore and twelve persons Men Women Young and Old lying in Cold in Hunger in Dungeons and in Irons of which Number they have taken the Lords day last being the third day of the fourth Moneth 1592. about some sixteen persons hearing the Word of God truly taught praying and praising God for his favours shewed unto us unto her Majesty your Honours and this whole Land and desiring our God to be Merciful to us unto our Gracious Prince and Country being employed in these holy Actions and no other as the Parties who disturbed them can testifie they were taken in the very place where the Persecuted Church and Martyrs were enforced to use the like Exercise in Queen Maryes dayes The former Number are now unbailable committed by the Prelatel or Bishop of London unto whose close for the most part several Prisons as Bridewel the Limboe or Dungeon in Newgate the Fleet the Marshalsea the Counters the Clynk the Gatehouse the Whitelyon c. wherein we willingly acknowledge the Lot and Inheritance in this Life of our Fore-Fathers and Brethren the holy Martyrs of the former Age and the entailed Aceldama or Bloody Succession of the See of London and that whole Linage Well here our Brethren lie How long Lord holy and true thou knowest in Dungeons in Hunger in Cold in Nakedness and all outward distress for these Bloody men will allow them neither Meat Drink Fire Lodging nor suffer any whose Hearts the Lord would stir up for their relief to have any access unto them purposing belike to imprison them unto death as they have done Seventeen or Eighteen others in the same noisome Goals within these Six Years The Husband and Wife being now taken by them they permit not to be in the same but have sent them to be close kept in other Prisons VVhat the poor Family doth at home in the mean time your Lordships may consider and justly pity Som of this Company had not one Penny about them when they were sent into close Prison nor any thing being abroad which is the case of most of them if not all to procure themselves and their poor Families any Maintenance save only their handy Labours and Trades whereby it is come to pass that these Enemies of God do not only starve and undo a number of men in the Prisons but even a lamentable Company of poor Orphans and Servants abroad their unbrid led slanders their Lawless privy searches their Violent breaking open and rifling of our Houses their lamentable and barbarous Usage of VVomen and Young Children in these hostile assaults their Uncontrouled Thievery Robbing and taking away of whatsoever they think meet from us in this case their unappeased and merciless pursuit of us from our Houses Trades Wives Children especially from the holy Society of the Saints and Church of God We are inforced to omit lest we should be over tedious to your Lordships but their dealing this way towards us is so woful right honourable as we may truly demand with grief of heart whether the forreign Enemy or our native Country men do possess and bear rule over us in our dear and native Country Their whole dealing herein is most Barbarous most Inhumane but especially most Unchristian and such as exceeds the cruelty of the Heathen and Popish Professed Tyrants and Persecutors the Records of the Heathen Persecution under Nero Trajan Decius Galienus Maximinian c. can scant afford us any Examples of the like cruelty and havock for the Heathen Romans would Murder Openly and Professedly These godless men have put the Blood of War about them in the day of the Peace and Truth which this whole Land professeth to hold with Jesus Christ and his Servants Bishop Bonner Story Wesâ—â—n dealt not after this sort for those whom they committed close they would also either feed or permit to be fed by others and they brought them in short space openly into Smithfield to end their misery and to begin their never ending joy Whereas Bishop Elinar Q. Eliz. An. 1592. Dr. Stanhope and Mr. Justice Young with the rest of that Persecuting and Blood thirsty faculty will do neither of these No Fellows no Murderers no Traytors in this Land are so dealt with There are many of us by the Mercies of God still out of their hands The former holy Exercise and Profession we purpose not to leave by the Assistance of God We have as good Warrant to reject the Ordinances of Anti-christ and labour for the recovery of Christs holy Institutions as our Fathers and Brethren in Queen Maryes dayes had to do the like and we doubt not if our cause were truly known unto her Majesty and your Wisdoms but we should find greater favour then they did whereas our Estate now is far more lamentable And therefore we humbly and earnestly crave of her Majesty and your Lordships both for our selves abroad and for our Brethren now in miserable Captivity but just and equal Tryal according unto her Majesty's Laws if we prove not our Adversaries to be in a most Pestilent and godless course both in regard of their Offices and their Proceedings in them and our selves to be in the right Way we desire not to have the benefit of her Majestyes true and faithful Subjects which of all earthly favours we account to be one of the greatest Are we Malefactors Are we any wise undutiful unto our Prince Maintain we any Errours Let us then be judicially convicted thereof and delivered to the Civil Authority but let not these bloody men both Accuse Condemn and closly Murther after this sort
other Heresie Schism Rebellion Treason or Faction and whatsoever else is contrary to the wholsome Doctrine of the Gospel or the Prosperity and good estate of this Realm our only desire is so to serve God as that we may please him with reverence and fear abstaining and keeping our Souls and Bodies from all remnants of the Roman Religion Idolatry Imposition and vain will-worship of what sort soever We witness against the unlawful pompous Hierarchy and Priesthood of this Nation as utterly disagreeing from the Testament of Christ and Ministry there appointed in their Offices Callings Administrations and Lord like Livings and Maintenance against the confuse prophane and irreligious multitude of all sorts of vitious Livers baptized into and retained in the Body of the Church of England without voluntary profession of and holy walking in the Faith of the Gospel against their manner of Worship and Service by reading Prayers out of a Book instead of true Spiritual invocation on the Name of the Lord and briesly against all their Popish Abuses and Relicks of the man of sin whatsoever And because this our Testimony maketh against the irregular Authority of the Prelates reproveth their evil Actions and disproveth their Pomp Stateliness Rich Revenues Stipends c. therefore have they in all hostile manner set themselves against us Persecuting us unto Bands Exile and Death it self reproaching us as Schismaticks Donatists Prownists Seditions persons c. though they could never convince us of these or any the like crimes and though we have not ceased neither by Gods Grace will cease to wish and procure good to their Souls and Bodies in the Lord now therefore our humble Request is unto your Majesty Honours and Worships that notwithstanding these differences we may be suffered to return into our native Country there to live in Peace practizing the Faith of Christ which we profess and have long since set forth to the view of the World in our publick Confession wherein none hitherto have shewed us any Error and seeing the People of other Nations are by your Majesty and Honours suffered in this Realm though differing from the Ecclesiastical state of the same we hope that your Highness Natural and Loyal Subjects may find like favour at your hands for although we cannot but hold and Witness the Truth of God against the corruptions remaining yet hold we in no wise lawful for our selves or any Subjects to attempt the reforming or abolishing of these or any the like abuses for God hath committed the Sword into your Majesties hand alone who in his time will perswade we trust your Royal heart to fulfil his will and execute his Judgments upon the Remainders of the Spiritual Babylon which will turn to as great Honour to God Honour to your Majesty and good of this Realm as the abolishing of Abbats Munks Fryart Mass Images c. hath turned heretofore So the Lord of Lords and Ruler of Rulers of the Earth will establish your Crown and Kingdom unto Length of dayes and howsoever this our Suit shall be regarded we will not cease in all places of our Pilgrimage to pray for and procure the good of your Majesty your Honours Worships and all our Country whom God Almighty bless with Long Life and happy dayes on Earth and Crown with Everlasting Glory in the highest Heavens Amen I find that in the year 1604. in this Kings Reign four Persons were banished the Land of England after they had suffered three Moneths Imprisonment for no other cause but seperating themselves from the Church of England refusing to Communicate joyn or pertake with the same in their publick Ministry and Worship reputing many corruptions to be still remaining amongst them which were derived from Popery And thus I have given an Account of such as suffered for Religion in those times and now to conclude I have this further to write by what I have observed upon Histories in several Ages viz. That while any People were under Suffering and Oppression for their Consciences endeavouring to serve and worship God in that Way they believed to be most agreeable to the Scriptures of Truth then the publick Way established in the Kingdom whilst they travelled under this Bondage and Suffering they were low in their minds and the Lord had regard unto them for their hearts were tender and the Lord appeared for them and now when the Lord had tryed this People and at last put Power into their hands and raised them as it were from a low estate they soon forgot his kind dealings with them as for Example the Independants and Presbyterians some of whom I have seen neer forty years since dregged out of their Meetings in private Houses and their Cloathes tore and their Faces covered as it were with dirt and their blood spilt and in this suffering condition they made many Covenants and Vowes to the Lord but this very People afterwards coming into Places of Authority and killing and taking Possession got themselves into the High-Places of the Earth and soon forgot their time of deep Sufferings and being exalted into Goverment they tread in the same steps those had trodden that were their great Persecutors and then they turn'd as riggid Persecutors if not worse then those they had turned out as witness the Innocent Blood they shed both in Old-England and New whose Cruelty under the Visor of a more righteous Cloak is too large here to insert but will be matter sufficient for another Volum and therefore I here conclude this AN ACCOUNT OF THE Just Iudgments of God INFLICTED UPON PERSECUTORS Wherein is shewed The Wicked Lives and most horrible Untimely Deaths of many of the Persecutors of Old Collected out of Ancient Histories and out of the Scriptures CHAP. I The remarkable and righteous Judgments of God which have befaln several Persecutors for Conscience sake mentioned in the Old Testament THe Old Serpent the Devil The Old Serpent who was the first Persecutor for Righteousness sake that ever was in the World who for that very cause hath hunted after the blood of the Saints even from the beginning unto this day was for his Persecution cursed of God above all Creatures Gen. 3.14 Cain persecuted his godly Brother Abel until Death Cain and that for no other cause but for Righteousness sake even because his own works were Evil and his Brothers Good and Righteous 1 John 3. 12. was therefore cursed of God with a bitter curse even from the Presence of God and from the Earth and made a Fugative and Vagabond in the Earth yea so great was his punishment that he said It was greater then he could bear Gen. 4.11 12 13. Ishmael was another Persecutor for he was a Mocker of his Brother Isaac Ishmael the true Seed of God and therefore was cast out with his Mother out of the Family of the Faithful that he might have no part in the Inheritance in the true Seed unto whom the Promise was made Gen. 12.9 10
against him and Stoned him with Stones at the Commandment of the King in the Court of the House of the Lord and slew him but the Lord soon according unto this good mans Prayer at his Death lookt upon this evil and required it at his and their hands by executing Judgment upon the King and his evil Councellors for at the end of that Year the Lord sent the Host of Assyria against him even but a small Company and destroyed all the Princes of the People the Kings evil Councellors first from among the People and sent the spoil of them to the King of Damascus and delivered a very great Army into their hands Because they had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers and so they executed Judgment against Joash the King and when they had departed from him having left him in great Diâ—tress by reason of great Diseases his own Servant conspired against him for the blood of the Sons of Jehoida and slew him on his Bed that he died 2 Chron. 24. Proud Haman Persecutor Haman the Persecutor who persecuted Mordecai because he would not bow unto him and do him reverence according to the Kings Command who therefore sought to destroy all the Jews that were in the Kingdom promising to pay into the Kings Treasure ten thousand Talents of Silver if he would grant his Writing for their Destruction unto which the King consented to and in the mean time Haman builds a Gallows fifty Cubits high to hang Mordecai upon for not moving nor rising up nor doing reverence unto him but the Righteous God the Judge of Heaven and Earth who seeth all things soon overtook this Persecutor in his furious Pride and Blood-thirstiness and put a stop to his intended Persecution by turning the Kings Heart against him by the intercession of Esther the Queen whereby he came to be hanged himself upon the same Gallows he had set up for Mordecai the Jew Esther 3. Nebuchadnezar humbled Nebuchadnezzar that Proud Persecuting King of Babylon and Caldea how did the Lord humble him for his pride and cruelty exercised towards the three Children in casting then into the Fiery-Furnace which he caused to be heat seven times hotter then ordinary for them because they would not Worship the Golden Image which he had set up by renting his Kingdom from him and driving him from Men and making his dwelling with the Beasts of the Field and to eat grass as an Ox till seven times past over him and that his hands grew like Eagles Feathers and his nails like Birds Clawes that he and all might know that the Lord only changes times and seasons and Rules the Kingdoms of men and giveth to whomsoever he will and that his Wayes Works and Judgments are Truth as he afterwards confessed and that those that walk in pride he is able to abase Dan. 3.14 to the 18th verse The Executioners executâ—ed Those chosen men that were the most mighty men of all that King Nebuchadnezar had in his whole Army that were the appointed Executioners of the Kings cruelty in fulfilling his Commands in binding the three Children and casting them into the burning Fiery Furnace soon tasted the just Judgment of God for their frowardness to obey such commands of cruelty for the flames of the Fire slew those men that took the three Children up while the Saints of the most high themselves though bound in their Coats Hosen Hats and other Garments being cast into the midst of the burning Fiery Furnace where they fell down bound into the midst of it yet upon their Bodies the Fire had no power nor was one hair of their head singed neither were their Coats changed nor the smell of Fire past on them Dan. 3.20 Those Presidents and Princes of Media and Persia that were the Persecutors of Daniel in King Darius his time that sought the occasions to find something against Daniel The Presidents and Princes of Mâ—dia and Persâ—a that they might accuse him to the King concerning the Kingdom but could find no occasion nor fault forasmuch as he was Faithful neither was there any error or fault found in him save only in that matter concerning the Law of his God against whom that they might have something against him in that matter also they are constrained to procure a Degree that whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for three dayes save only the King he should be cast into the Den of Lions which he the said Daniel even as they thought would not obey but immediately as soon as he be understood it was signed he went into his House his Windows being opened in his Chamber towards Jerusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before God as he did before time for which those men aforesaid accused him before the King by whose means according to the said Decree he was cast into the Lions Den but God sent his Angels and shut the Lions Mouthes that they could not hurt him for no manner of hurt was found upon him because he was Innocent and believed in God but his Persecutors soon felt the just and righteous hand of God upon them for their so wicked persecuting the Innocent for Conscience sake for the King commanded those men to be brought that had accused Daniel and they cast them their Wives and their Children into the Lions Den and the Lions had the Mastery of them and break all their bones in pieces ere they came to the bottom of the Den Dan. 6. King Antiochus King Antiocuâ— surnamed Epiphanes a great Persecutor of the Jews who committed great Evils at Jerusalem and took all the Vessels of Gold and Silver that were therein and sent to destroy the Inhabitants of Judea without a cause and as himself confessed who in a Proud and insolent manner protested he would make Jerusalem a common burying place and the Streets thereof run with the blood of Gods People was by Gods just Judgment plagued with a grievous sickness having a remediless pain in his Bowels and an intolerable Torment in his inward parts his Body bred abundance of Worms which continually crawled out of the same yea he so rotted above ground that by reason of an intolerable stink no man could endure to come neer him neither could he himself endure the same but in a flood of extream Misery ended his dayes which as he confessed came upon him for the evil aforesaid see the Life of Judas Maccabees in Clarkes Martrol page 13. as also the first Book of Maccabees Chap. 1 10. and Chap. 6 8 c. Sennacrib King of Assyria murthered by his own Sons Sennacrib King of Assyria the great Oppressor and Persecutor of Israel and Judah and horrible blasphemer and reproacher of the Living God the God of Israel and Judah though they were left of him for a time for their forsaking him and falling to Idolatry and a great Defyer of him by the Mouth of wicked
Death at length being put in mind and in rememberance that his disease was sent of God he began to bethink himself of the wickedness that he had done against the Saints of God and coming unto himself confesseth his sins to God and sets forth his Edicts to command all men to cease from Persecuting the Christians desiring the Christians to pray to their God for him and this occasioned the very Infidels themselves to extol the only true God of the Christians and not long after by the very Violence of his Disease he ended his life Acts and Mon. 115.116.122 Maxentius was vanquished by Constantine and drowned in Tyber Acts and Mon. pag. 51. Lycinius being overcome by Constantine the great was deposed from his Empire and afterwards slain of his Souldiers Ibid. CHAP. III. The Just Judgments of God that befel some under Officers and Ministers of state and others that did execute the several Tyrannical Persecutions of the afore said Emperors upon the Christians for Conscience sake during the time of the aforesaid Ten Persecutions Informers justly rewarded CErtain men of the Jewish Nation Informers had accused the Martyr Symon Son of Cleophas and reputed nephew to Christ for being a Christian and one of the Stock of David against whom Trajanus the Emperor had given forth a Commandment that whosoever could be found of the Stock of David This Trajanus Emperor was the beginner of the Third persecution Anno. 100. or 108. see Acts and Mon. 57. Clae Gen. Martyr 35. he should be inquired out and put to death of which Stock upon inquiry these his Accusers were found to be and so right justly were put to Execution themselves which sought the destruction of another though it was not long after but the good man Simon after he had been scourged many dayes bearing it with singular constancy when he was a hundred and twenty years old was Crucified and put to death finishing his course in the Lord Acts and Mon. 65 66. Three other wicked evil-disposed persons Informers seeing the soundness grave constancy and vertuous life of Narcissus then Bishop of Jerusalem aged an hundred and sixty three years accused him as being guilty of a hainous crime Perjured Informers that he was clear of and having laid it to his charge they the better to make their Accusation seem more probable before the People they bind it with a great Oath one wishing to be destroyed by Fire if he said not true the other to be consumed with a grievous sickness the third to loose both his Eyes if they did Lye Narcissus although having his Conscience clear yet not able being but one man to withsland their Accusation bound with such Oathes gave place and removed himself from the Multitude into a solitary Desert by himself where he continued many years in the mean time to them which so willingly and wickedly forswore themselves this happened The first by casualty of one little small sparkle of Fire was burnt with his goods and all his Family The Second was taken with a great sickness from the top to the toe and devoured with the same The Third hearing and seeing the punishment of the other confessed his fault but through great Repentance poured out such tears that he lost both his Eyes and thus was their false perjury punished and Narcissus after long absence returned home again was by this means both cleared of the Fact and received into his Bishoprick again Acts and Mon. 80. An Executioner Antiochus Tormentor and Executioner of extreame torments under Alexander Severus the Emperor and Persecutor of the Christians upon a young youth called Agapitus of the Age of fifteen years who suffered Martyrdom for not Sacrificing to Idols after he had been assayled with sundry Torments viz. First with whips scourged This Alexander Severus was the beginner of the Fifth Persecution Anno. 195. then hanged by the feet after having hot water poured upon him at last cast to the wild Beasts with all which Torments when he could not be hurt finally with the Sword was beheaded This said Antioclius in the Executing the aforesaid Torments suddenly fell down from his Judicial Seat crying out that all his inward Bowels burned within him and so gave up the Ghost Hen. de Erfordia lib. 6. ch 29. Acts and Mon. 85. The like severity of Gods terrible Judgments is also to be noted in Claudius his President Perfident to Claudius this President and Minister of his Persecutions who was possessed and vexed with a Devil in such sort that he biting off his own Tongue in many small pieces so ended his life Hen. de Erfordia Acts and Mon. 105. CHAP. IV. The Just Judgments of God upon Persecutors in Queen Maryes Reign AFter the death of Queen Mary the bloody work ceased although a stop there was before her Death in London in some measure for as Roger Holland had declared to Bonner that the Lord would shorten their hands of cruelty and as he foretold there was not one burnt in Smithfield for Religion after him for though the vehement zeal of this Queen was such for the setting up of Popery in England as if she intended to establish it forever yet the secret hand of Providence had a regard to his suffering Seed and put a period to her cruelty and it is an evident token that the Religion she endeavoured to settle did not please God although it pleased her since we see the bad effects it brought forth for had it been as godly as it was bloody no doubt the success would have been better and the strict Hand of Gods Judgments would not have been executed upon the bloody Persecutors of such as dissented as evidently appears they were by the many Examples of divine Justice shewed from time to time and the unprosperous success of this Queen in all her affairs are a full assurance the Lord disliked her effusion of so much blood in the matter of Religion neither in all her undertaking had she any good success for though she endeavoured to restore again the Monks and Nuns Abbyes Fryars c. which were partly dissolved in her Fathers time yet she was frustrated in her designs and how unprosperous she was in her State affairs may be read at large in the Chronicle for she lost Callice which had been won by the valour of Edward the Third and marrying with Philip of Spain a Papist by him she had no Issue and though she promised to her self great felicity in him but it proved otherwise for he withdrew first his affection from her and at last his company also and thus the Almighty ordered things but no Admonitions would take place with her to cause her to revoke her bloody Laws nor to stop the Tyranny of these bloody Priests and Bishops but the Servants of God were drawn by heaps as Sheep to the Slaughter and so it continued till by death she was taken away after she had reigned Five Years and Five Moneths