and all the World 2. Colonel HOLMES THe next Place was Lime where many of Note died particularly Colonel Holmes who was the first of those there executed near the same Place where they landed when they came ashore with the Duke of Monmouth Being brought to the Place after some difficulty for the Horses that were first put into the Sledge would not stir which obliged those concerned to get others which they did from the Coachman who had that Morning brought them to Town When they were put into the Sledge they broke it in pieces which caused the Prisoners to go on foot to the Place of Execution Where being come as I told you before the Colonel began thus at the foot of the Ladder He sate down with an Aspect altogether void of Fear but on the contrary with a kind of smiling Countenance so began to speak to the Spectators to this purpoe That he would give them an Account of his first Undertaking in the Design which was long before in London for there he agreed to stand by and assist the Duke of Monmouth when Opportunity offer'd in order to which he went to Holland with him and there continued until this Expedition in which God had thought fit to frustrate his and other Good Mens Expectations He believed the Protestant Religion was bleeding and in a step towards Extirpation and therefore he with these his Brethren that were to suffer with him and Thousands more had adventured their Lives and their All to save it but God Almighty had not appointed 'em to be the Instruments in so glorious a Work Yet notwithstanding he did verily believe and doubted not but that God would make use of others that should meet with better success tho the way or means was not yet visible but of this he did not doubt He also was satisfied of the Duke's Title so that matter did not afflict him on account of his engaging on his Score And going on further with a Discourse of this nature he was asked by a Person why he did not pray for the King He with a smiling Countenance answered I am sorry you do not yet understand the Difference between Speaking and Praying And having ended his Discourse he then prepared himself by Prayer for his Dissolution which was very devout and pious for half an Hour which was as follows Colonel Holme's Last Prayer MOst Glorious most Great and most Merciful God! there is none in Heaven or in Earth that is like unto Thee Heaven is thy Throne and the Earth is thy Footstool Who shall say unto thee What doest thou Here we are poor deplorable Creatures come to offer up our last Prayers and Services unto thee We beseech thy favourable Ear to our Prayers and the Comfort of thy Holy Spirit at this time We praise and magnifie thy Name for all the Dispensations of thy Providence towards us especially for this thy Providence in bringing us to this Place and at this time to suffer Shame for thy Name Help and assist all of us to submit to thy Will patiently Pardon all our Sins remove them out of thy Presence as far as the East is from the West and accept of us in the Merits of thy Son Jesus Christ Thou who art the Searcher of Hearts and Tryer of Reins let there not at the moment of Death be the least spark of Sin in-dwelling in us nor the Strivings of Flesh and Blood that may hinder us from a joyful Passage unto thee Give us Patience also under these Sufferings and a Deliverance to all others from undergoing them and in thy good time work a Deliverance for poor England let thy Gospel yet flourish among them Hasten the Downfall of antichrist we trust the time is come Prevent O Lord this Effusion of Christian Blood and if it be thy Will let this be the last Lord bless this Town let them from the highest to the lowest set the Fear of God before their Eyes Bless all sorts and conditions of Men in all Ranks and Qualities pardon all their Sins give them all true Repentance and the Grace of thy Holy Spirit Fit and prepare us for the chearful fulfilling of thy Holy Will Let the Comforter be still with us Be Merciful to all our Friends and Relations and Acquaintance Forgive our Enemies Accept of our Thankfulness for all the Mercies and Favours afforded us and hear and graciously answer us in these our Requests and what else thou knowest needful and expedient for us and all for our Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ his sake who died for us that we might reign with him for ever and ever To whom with Thee and thy Blessed Spirit of Grace be ascribed as is most due all Honour Glory and Praise both now and for ever After having ended his Prayer he took occasion to speak to his suffering Brethren taking a solemn Leave of them encouraging them to hold out to the end and not to waver observing that this being a glorious Sun-shining Day I doubt not though our Breakfast be sharp and bitter it will prepare us and make us meet for a comfortable Supper with our God and Saviour where all Sin and Sorrow shall be wiped away So embracing each of 'em and kissing of them told the Sheriff You see I am imperfect only one arm I shall want assistance to help me upon this Tragical Stage Which was presently done and Execution suddenly followed 3. The Execution of Mr. SAMPSON LARKE MR. Sampson Larke who was a very Eminent Pious Minister and had lived in that Town but a little before Many Years he was there well acquainted and all People that knew him had a Value for him behaving himself with that Humility and Circumspection as no body could have any other Occasion but to value him He design'd to have spoken somewhat on a Portion of Scripture and was beginning having mentioned the Place he intended to speak upon but was interrupted and told the Work of the Day being great they should want time So then he stopp'd and reply'd He could make Application where he should not meet with Interruption and so apply'd himself to Prayer which he performed with great Devotion and Zeal for a quarter of an Hour to the great Satisfaction of the Auditors And so taking leave of his suffering Brethren he mounted the Stage which was to be the last Act he made in this World Being on the Ladder he saw some of his Friends and Neighbours weeping and mourning for him to whom he spake Pray weep not for me I am going to a Place of Bliss and Happiness Wherefore pray repair to your Houses and e're you get thither I doubt not but I shall be happy with my God and Saviour where all Tears shall be wiped away and nothing shall remain but Hallelujahs to all Eternity Leaving this Place we proceed to other Parts of the Country where with the like Butchery were only five Executed amongst whom was one 4. Mr. TYLER MR. Tyler of Bristol
best Beloved Amen Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly And so he fell asleep Clark's Exampl Vol. 1. C. 39. out of Leigh c. 9. Mrs. Catherine Breterg a little before her Death said Now I perceive and feel that the Countenance of Christ my Redeemer is turned towards me and the bright shining Beams of his Mercy are spread over me O happy am I that ever I was born to see this blessed Day Praise praise O praise the Lord for his Mercies c. Oh how wonderful how wonderful is thy Love Oh! thy Love is unspeakable Oh! I feel thy Mercies And oh that my Tongue and Heart were able to sound forth thy Praises as I ought and willingly would Oh! help me to praise the God of all Consolations O My Lord God blessed be thy Name for evermore for thou hast shewed me the Path of Life Thou didst O Lord for a little Season hide thy Face from me but with everlasting Mercy thou hast had Compassion on me Thou art come with fulness of Joy and abundance of Consolations c. Help me O help me to praise the Lord O praise the Lord for he hath filled me with Joy and Gladness of Heart My Line is fallen unto me in a pleasant Place I have a goodly Heritage for the Lord is the Portion of my Inheritance Oh! how pleasant is the Perfume of the Place where I lie It 's sweeter than Aaron's Perfume composed of the most precious Spices How comfortable is the Sweetness I feel It 's like the Odour that proceeded from the Golden Censer that delights the Soul The Taste is precious Do ye not feel it sweeter it is than Myrrh than the Honey or the Honey-comb Oh the Joys the Joys the Joys that I feel in my Soul O they be wonderful wonderful wonderful O come kiss me with the Kiss of thy Mouth for thy Love is better than Wine Oh! how sweet the Kisses of my Saviour be mine Eyes are opened blessed be God I do feel and see the everlasting Mercies of my Christ O how marvellous gracious and merciful art thou unto me I feel thy Mercy I am assured of thy Love And so certain am I thereof as that thou art the God of Truth even so sure do I know myself to be thine O Lord my God And this my Soul knows right well I am sure that my Redeemer lives and that I shall see him at the last Day c. My Soul was compassed about with the Terrours of Death a roaring Wilderness of Woe was within me but blessed blessed blessed be the Lord my God who hath not left me comfortless but like a good Shepherd hath brought me into a place of Rest even to the sweet running Waters of Life O blessed blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me and brought me to a place sweeter than the Garden of Eden O the Joy the Joy the delightsome Joy that I feel O how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful is this Joy O praise the Lord for his Mercies and for this Joy that my Soul feels right well c. And thus she continued for the space of Five Hours praising the Lord with a chearful and heavenly Countenance 10. Mrs. John Drake Wife of Francis Drake of Esher in Surrey Esq naturally of a sanguine and cheerful Disposition but being by her Parents matched against her own Mind fell into Melancholly which Satan getting advantage of assaulted her with many and unparallell'd Temptations for the space of Ten Years together After Marriage being brought to Bed of a Daughter and wrong'd in her Travail by the Midwife she never recovered her Health as before Whilst she lay in her Mother Mrs. Tottle lying with her after her first Sleep she awaked with terrible Shrieks and Outcries saying That she was undone undone she was damned and a Cast-away and so of necessity must needs go to Hell And therewith she shook dropped with Sweat and wept exceedingly Her Mother comforted her and prayed with her upon which she seemed pretty well pacified and after a-while fell asleep again and awaked full of extraordinary Joys telling her Mother what a wonderful comfortable Dream she had been in and how by an Angel she had been assured of her Salvation that now she discerned all her former Fears had been false and therefore would no more doubt of her going to Heaven After she fell asleep again and waking was in a more dreadful Case than before trembling sweating shaking exceedingly the Bed and the very Chamber seeming to reel under her crying out That now she was a forlorn Creature sure to be damned without Hope of Mercy without all Remedy confident that she must needs go to Hell Together with this Distemper she had some Fits of Frenzy abstained almost wholly from Meat used strange desperate Speeches and was unruly in her Behaviour would slight and laugh sometimes at all that was said to her sought Opportunities to destroy herself search Places of Scripture that might make against her swallowed down many great Pins would sometimes slip a Knife into her Napkin or Sleeve for Two Years together she begg'd of every one not to pray for her would disturb them at Prayers threaten them with a Bedstaff yet was afraid of Hell and ask others If they did not pity her who must go to live in Hell-torments for ever Was merciful to others but with pretence of the contrary visited by many Ministers and among the rest Bishop Vsher Dr. Preston Mr. Dod c. At last after Divine Discourses about Death Heaven and Eternal Glory and Prayer she broke out with a strange Outcry into these Expressions or to this purpose Oh! oh oh What 's this What 's this What 's this I am undone undone undone I cannot endure it I cannot endure it I cannot endure it I cannot endure it Oh! oh oh Let me be gone let me be gone let me be gone Oh! I must be gone I cannot tarry I cannot tarry O what shall I do what shall I do O Father O Mother O Husband Come kiss me kiss me and let me be gone Come All. Farewel All. Let me take you by the Hand and be gone Lo Lo the Angelâ— are come they wait they stay for me O dear Mother why do you hold me I must be gone Oh! he is come he is come he is come Now you have it you have it you have it Why hold you me Let me be gone My Work is done Oh! Call call call Where 's my Crown Fetch me my Crown Bring bring bring me my white Robes Quickly quickly quickly Why run you not The Angels stay Now you have it you have it you have it Oh! it overcomes overcomes overcomes me I am undone undone undone What shall I do What shall I do What shall I do Oh! you will nto let me be gone c. With many other Expressions delivered with an incredible swiftness and with such elevation of Body and Eyes as if she were making towards the House-top and would have
how Happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen sake send me Life and Death I suspect some Mistake in recording these last Words perhaps Life or Death that I may truly serve thee O my Lord God! bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and thy People may praise thy Holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake His last Words were I am faint Lord have mercy and take my Spirit He died aged 17. 108. The Lady Jane Grey by King Edward's Will proclaimed Queen of England the Night before she was beheaded sent her Sister her Greek Testament in the end whereof she wrote as may be seen under the Head of Love of the Holy Scriptures She spoke on the Scaffold thus GOod People I am come hither to Die and by a Law I am condemned to the same My Offence against the Queen's Majesty was only in consenting to the Device of others which now is deemed Treason yet it was never of my seeking but by Counsel of those who should seem to have further understanding of those things than I who knew little of the Law and much less of Titles to the Crown But touching the Procurement thereof by me or on my behalf I do here wash my Hands in Innocency before God and the Face of you all this Day and therewith she wrung her Hands wherein she had her Book I pray you all good Christian People to bear me Witness that I die a true Christian Woman and that I look to be saved by no other means but only by the Mercy of God in the Blood of his only Son Jesus Christ And I do confess That when I knew the Word of God I neglected the same and loved my self and the World and therefore this Plague and Punishment is justly befallen me for my Sins And I yet thank God of his Goodness that he hath been pleased to give me Respite to Repent in And now good People while I am alive I pray assist me with your Prayers She died 1554. aged 16. Tu quibus ista legas incertum est Lector ocellis Ipsa equidem siccis scribere non potui Fox 's Martyrol 109. Queen Elizabeth is reported upon her Death-bed but by what Author I confess I do not presently remember to complain of the want of Time Time Time a World of Wealth for an Inch of Time yet finished her Course with that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good Fight c. 110. The young Lord Harrington professed in his Sickness That he feared not Death in what shape soever it came declaring about two Hours before his Death that he still felt the assured Comforts and Joys of his Salvation by Jesus Christ And when Death approached he breathed forth these longing Expressions Oh that Joy Oh my God! when shall I be with thee And so sweetly resigned up his Spirit unto God An. 1613. aged 22. See in his Life in the Young Man's Calling and my Christian 's Companion 111. Henry Prince of Wales eldest Son to King James in his Sickness had these Words to one that waited on him Ah Tom I in vain wish for that time I lost with thee and others in vain Recreations Which puts me in mind of what Mr. Smith relates in the Funeral Solemnity of Mr. Moor Fellow of Gaius College and Keeper of the University Library viz. That he often lamented the Misery of our English Gentry who are commonly brought up to nothing but Hawks and Hounds and know not how to bestow their Time in a Rainy Day and in the midst of all their Plenty are in want of Friends necessary Reproof and most loving Admonition 112. The Earl of Strafford made this Speech on the Scaffold May 12. 1641. MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords and the rest of the Gentlemen it is a very great Comfort to me to have your Lordship by me this Day in regard I have been known to you a long time I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few Words but I doubt I shall not My Lord I come hither by the Good Will and Pleasure of Almighty God to pay that last Debt I owe to Sin which is Death and by the Blessing of God to rise again through the Merits of Christ Jesus to Eternal Glory I wish I had been private that I might have been heard My Lord if I might be so much beholden to you that I might use a few Words I should take it for a very great Courtesie My Lord I come hither to submit to that Judgment which hath passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented Mind I do freely forgive all the World a Forgiveness that is not spoken from the Teeth outward as they say but from the Heart I speak it in the Presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not in me so much as a displeasing Thought to any Creature I thank God I may say truly and my Conscience bears me witness that in all my Service since I have had the Honour to serve His Majesty in any Employment I never had any thing in my Heart but the joynt and individual Prosperity of the King and People If it hath been my Hap to be misconstrued it is the common Portion of us all while we are in this Life the Righteous Judgment is hereafter here we are subject to Error and apt to be misjudged one of another There is one thing I desire to clear my self of and I am very confident I speak it with so much clearness that I hope I shall have your Christian Charity in the belief of it I did always ever think the Parliaments of England were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under and under God the happiest Means of making King and People happy so far have I been from being against Parliaments For my Death I here acquit all the World and pray God heartily to forgive them and in particular my Lord Primate I am very glad that His Majesty is pleased to conceive me not meriting so severe and heavy a Punishment as the utmost execution of this Sentence I am very glad and infinitely rejoyce in this Mercy of his and beseech God to turn it to him that he may find Mercy when he hath most need of it I wish this Kingdom all the Prosperity and Happiness in the World I did it living and now dying it is my Wish I do now profess it from my Heart and do most humbly recommend it to every Mâ—n here and wish every Man to lay his Hand upon his Heart and consider seriously whether the beginning of the Happiness of a People should be written in Letters of Blood I fear you are in a wrong way and I desire Almighty God that no one drop of my Blood may
my Soul I cannot find my small Concern with the Duke of Monmouth doth deserve this heavy Judgment on me but I know as I said before it is for Sins long unrepented of I die in Charity with all Men I desire all of you to bear me witness I die a true Professor of the Church of England beseeching the Lord still to stand up in the Defence of it God forgive my passionate Judges and cruel and hasty Jury God forgive them they know not what they have done God bless the King and though his Judges had no Mercy on me I wish he may find Mercy when he standeth most in need of it Make him O Lord a nursing Father to the Church let Mercy flow abundantly from him if it be thy Will to those poor Prisoners to be hereafter tried and Lord if it be thy holy Will stop this issue of Christian Bood and let my guiltless Blood be the last spilt on this account Gentlemen all Farewel Farewel all the Things of the World Then singing some few Verses of a Psalm and putting up some private Ejaculations to himself said O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit and so submitted to the Executioner September the 7th 1685. 3. The Behaviour and Dying Speech of Mr. Joseph Speed of Culliton AT the same time and place as he came near the Place of his Execution he spying his Country-man and Friend called him and said I am glad to see you here now because I am not known in these Parts being answered by his Friend I am sorry to see you in this Condition He replies It is the best Day I ever saw I thank God I have not led my Life as Unchristian-like as many have done having since the Years of Sixteen always had the Checks of Conscience on me which made me to avoid many gross and grievous Sins my course of Life hath been well known to you yet I cannot justifie my self All Men Err. I have not been the least of Sinners therefore cannot excuse my self but since my Confinement I have received so great Comfort in some Assurance of the Pardon of my Sins that I can now say I am willing to die to be dissolved and to be with Christ and say to Death Where is thy Sting and to Grave Where is thy Victory Being ask'd by some rude Soldiers Whether he was not sorty for the Rebellion he was found Guilty of He courageously reply'd If you call it a Rebellion I assure you I had no sinister Ends in being concerned for my whole Design in taking up Arms under the Duke of Monmouth was to fight for the Protestant Religion which my own Conscience dictated to me and which the said Duke declared for and had I think a lawful Call and Warrant for so doing and do not question that if I have committed any Sin in it but that it is pardoned Pray Mr. Sheriff let me be troubled no farther in answering of Questions but give me leave to prepare my self those few Minutes I have left for another World and go to my Jesus who is ready to receive me Then calling to his Friend who stood very near him said My dear Friend you know I have a dear Wife and Children who will find me wanting being somewhat incumbred in the World let me desire you as a Dying Man to see that she be not abused and as for my poor Children I hope the father of Heaven will take care of them and give thern Grace to be Dutiful to their distressed Mother And so with my dying Love to all my Friends when you see them I take leave of you and them and all the World desiring your Christian Prayers for me to the last moment Then repeating some Sentences of Scripture as Colossians chap. 3. v. 1 2. If you then c. and praying very fervently said I thank God I have Satisfaction I am ready and willing to suffer Shame for his Name And so pouring forth some private Ejaculations to himself and lifting up his Hands the Executioner did his Office The Soldiers then present said They never before were so taken with a Dying Man's Speech his Courage and Christian-like Resolution caused many violent Men against the Prisoners to repent of their Tyranny towards them some of whom in a short time died full of Horror And thus fell this Good Man a true Protestant and one that held out to the end An Account of those that suffered at Bridport and Lyme 1. AT Bridport one John Sparke who was a very Good Man and behaved himself with a great deal of Christian-like Courage to the end Being asked how he could endure those Hardships he had undergone since his being taken Says he If this be all 't is not so much but my Friend if you were to take a Journey in those ways you were not acquainted with you would I hope desire Advice from those that had formerly used those ways or lived near by them Yes says he Then said he The ways of Affliction which I have lately travelled in I had Advice many a time from a Minister who hath often told his Congregation of the troublesomeness of the Road and of the difficulty of getting through and has given me and Hundreds of others to understand the Pits and Stones in the way and how to avoid them He has been a Man used to those Roads many Years I have taken his Advice I am got thus far on comfortably and I trust shall do so to the end I am not afraid to fight a Duel with Death if so it must be Now I thank God I can truly say Oh Death where is thy Sting and Oh Grave where is thy Victory Two or three Days after his Sentence he was drawn to Execution but was very rudely and opprobriously dealt with to the Shame of those that then had the Charge over him their Rigour to him was more more like Turks than Christians Being come to the Place of Execution he prayed very devoutly but by the Rudeness of the Guards there could be no Copy taken to be said to be true He died very Couragiously and spake to them in these Words looking on the Soldiers saying Little do you think that this very Body of mine which you are now come to see cut in pieces will one Day rise up in Judgment against you and be your Accuser for your delight in spilling of Christian Blood The Heathens have far more Mercy Oh 't is sad when England must out-strip Infidels and Pagans But pray take notice Don't think that I am not in Charity with you I am so far that I forgive you and all the World and do desire the God of Mercies to forgive you and open your Hearts and turn you from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the Lord Jesus Christ And so Farewel I am going out of the Power of you all I have no dependance but upon my blessed Redeemer to whom I commit my dear Wife and Children
here neither the Ancient Fathers of the Church have started the Notion before me Dr. Day in his Lectures cites Justin Martyr Tertullian Cyprian and Lactantius making use of this Comparison I humbly acknowledge this Article of our faith is without a bottom past Human Fathom 'T is storied of St. Augustin that he endeavoured to sound it He walk'd abroad to that purpose at last came to a River-side musign with himself and labouring to conceive it At length not far off a little Child appeared unto him very busie on the Bank He had made forsooth a little Hole and with a Spoon which he had in his Hand was lading of the Water into the aforesaid little Hole St. Augustin draws nearer to him demands of the Child what he was a doing Father quoth he my purpose is to unlade this whole River into this little hole you here see Augustin That 's impossible c. Child No more will you be ever able to bring to pass that which you are about And with that the Child vanished I relate not the Story for a certain Truth The Thing itself in absolute Consideration is true viz. That 't is as impossible for us to conceive the Blessed Trinity as with a little Spoon to unlade a great River into a little Hole The present Emblem may serve a little to take off our Suspicions of the Impossibility and Absurdity of the Trinity of Persons in One God It is not sufficient to Expound the Thing itelf all the Three Persons are represented under this Notion FATHER The Lord is a Sun Isa 60.19 SON Mal. 4 2. And Vide Margent Luke 1.78 And Mat. 17.2 Rev. 1.16 HOLY GHOST He shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Lead you into the Way of all Truth Multa sunt quae dici possunt sed sufficiat fidelibus pauca de Mysterio Trinitatis audivisse Aug. In die judicii non damnor quia dicam nescivi Naturam Creatoris mei si autem aliquid temere dixero temeritas poenas luit ignorantia veniam promeretur Id. 3. Of the Divine Glory and Vnsearchableness He that goes about to stare long upon the Sun or approach its Light and dive deep into the Nature of it may as Democritus stare himself blind before he can make any near approaches to it 'T is not easie to bear the Influence of the Sun for one whole Day suppose we could possibly be so long under the immediate and direct Emission of its glorious Beams tho' upon the Earth It will burn combustible Stuff at the distance of 1000000 Miles should it stand still and neither remove away nor be tempered with other cooling Elements Consider this a little seriously and apply it The Glory of God is such an amazing Wonder that as the Father saith In hac mortali vita quicquid ad nos usque pertingit aliud nihil est quam exiguus quidam rivulus ac velut parvus magnae Lucis Rivulus Naz. vide Act. 26.13 1 Tim. 6.16 So that when we go about to search into the Divine Nature we must stand off and know our distance and assume modestly to our Thoughts and acknowledge the Depth of the Mystery and cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11.33 c. O the Depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways past finding out For who hath known the ind of the Lord Or who hath bee his Counsellour Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again For of him and through him and to him are all Things To whom be Glory for ever Amen Sure I am thô we ought as much as any thing in the World to study the Nature and Properties of that God we are concerned with and account it one of the first Points of True Wisdom to acquaint our selves with that Almighty Being we have to do with and to pray for more Light and Grace that we may be able in due time to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the Love of God which passeth knowledge Yet in our highest Attainments on this side the Veil we shall know but in part and prophesie in part our utmost Skill will not be sufficient to comprehend the Infinite God in the Embraces of our Finite Conceptions And we shall as soon be able to climb the Sun and stare with open Eyes upon that great Luminary and comprize all is excellent Rays and Influences within the Limits of our narrow Bosom as by searching to find out and trace out the Almighty to Perfection Est in Deo quod percepi potest est plane si modo quod potest velis Sicut videre est in Sole quod videas si hoc velis videre quod possis amittas autem quod potes videre dum quod non poes niteris ita ut in rebus Dei habes quod inelligas si intelligere quod potes velis Caelum si ultra quam potes speres id quod potuisti non poteris Hilar. Psal 145.3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his Greatness is unsearchable I am loth ro leave this Abyss of Meditation Pardon me Reader if I strain Courtesie a little in the Case This Infinite Being is the Fountain of our Blessedness and therefore notwithstanding his excellent Majesty can be cooped within no Bounds nor scaled by any Human Apprehensions to the Height nor fathomed to the utmost Depth by any Line of Human Reason yer 't is pleasant to behold him through the Lattices and spend our deepest Thoughts and Admirations upon his Glory and if we cannot comprehend him let us stand and wonder And cry out with longing and importunate Desire Oh! when shall the Veil be taken off our Eyes When shall the Apartment that separates us be taken away When shall we come to know as we are known But Oh! when shall our finite Natures be exhaled and drawn up with this Sun and our Souls drawn up into his boundless Glory and we eternally blessed in the warm Embraces of his Divine Love In those Flames of pure Affection for ever and ever To think now of this unsearchable God the most infinitely good and glorious Being in the whole World whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain whom Angels all admire and adore the Nature of whose Glory we cannot now grasp with our most expanded Thoughts That this God shall first pardon our Sins and then sanctifie our Natures and shortly send his Angels of fetch our Souls up to that Heavenly Choire where we shall be cloathed indeed with the Sun and tread the Moon under our Feet and look with a holy scorn upon the little silly trifling Comforts of the sublunary World This is enough to make our Faces smile now at every Beam of Light and Mercy darted upon our Souls from that Divine Countenance to make our Hearts dance within us To fill us with an
preparing that we may be ready to die Therefore oh my God I humbly pray receive my Soul by thy free Mercy in Jesus Christ my Saviour and Redeemer for Christ hath died for me and for all my Sins in this World committed My great God hath given me long Life and therefore I am now willing to die Oh Jesus Christ help my Soul and save my Soul I believe that my Sickness doth not arise out of the Dust nor cometh at peradventure but God sendeth it Job 5.6 7. By this Sickness God calleth me to repent of all my Sins and to believe in Christ now I confess my self a great Sinner Oh pardon me and help me for Christ his sake Lord thou callest me with a double Calling sometimes by Prosperity and Mercy sometimes by Affliction And now thou callest me by Sickness but let me not forget thee O my God For those that forget thy Name thou wilt forsake them As Psalm 9.17 All that forget God shall be cast into Hell therefore let me not forget thee Oh my God I give my Soul to thee Oh my Redeemer Jesus Christ pardon all my Sins and deliver me from Hell Oh do thoa help me against Death and then I am willing to die and when I die 〈◊〉 help me and receive me In so saying he died 39. Plaâ—bohon He was the second Man next Waban what received the Gospel he brought with him to the second Meeting at Wabay's House many when we formed them into Government he was chosen Ruler of Ten when the Church at Hassenamessit was gather'd he was called to be a Ruler then in that Church when that was scatter'd by the War they came back to Natick Church so many as survived and at Natick he died His Speech as followeth I rejoyce and am content and willing to take up my Sorrows and Sickness many are the Years of my Life long have I lived therefore now I look to die But I desire to prepare my self to die well I believe God's Promise that he will for ever save all that believe in Jesus Christ. Oh Lord Jesus help me deliver me and save my Soul from Hell by thine own Blood which thou hast shed for me when thou didest die for me and for all my Sins Now help me sincerely to confess all my Sins Oh pardon all my Sins I now beg in the Name of Jesus Christ a Pardon for all my Sins for thou O Christ art my Redeemer and Deliverer Now I hear God's Word and I do rejoyce in what I hear tho' I do not see yet I hear and rejoyce that God hath confirmed for us a Minister in this Church of Natick he is our VVatchman And all you People deal well with him both Men VVomen and Children hear him every Sabbath Day and make strong your praying to God and all you of Hassaunemesue restore your Church and Praying to God there Oh Lord help me to make ready to die and then receive my Soul I hope I shall die well by the help of Jesus Christ Oh Jesus Christ deliver and save my Soul in everlasting Life in Heaven for I do hope thou art my Saviour Oh Jesus Christ. So he died 40. Old Jacob He was among the first that pray'd to God he had so good a Memory that he could rehearse the whole Catechize both Questions and Answers when he gave thanks at Meat he would sometimes only pray the Lord's Prayer his Speech is as followeth My Brethren now hear me a few Words stand fast all you People in your praying to God according to that Word o God 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit you like Men and be strong in the Lord. Especially you that are Rulers and Teachers Fear not the Face of Man when you Judge in a Court together help one another agree together Be not divided one against another remember the Parable of ten Brethren that held together they could not be broken nor overcome but when they divided one against another then they were easily overcome and all you that are Rulers judge right Judgment for you do not judge for Man but for God in your Courts 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Therefore judge in the fear of God Again You that are Judges see that ye have not only Humane Wisdom for Mans Wisdom is in many things contrary to the Wisdom of God counting it to be foolishness Do not judge that right which only seemeth to be right and consider Matth. 7.1 2. Judge right and God will be with you when you so do Again I say to you all the People make strong your Praying to God and be constant in it 1 Thess 5.17 Pray continually Again lastly I say to you Daniel our Minister be strong in your Work As Mat. 5.14 16. You must bring Light into the World and make it to shine that all may see your good Work and glorifie your Heavenly Father Every Preacher that maketh strong his Work doth bring precious Pearls As Matth. 13.52 And thou shalt have Everlasting Life in so doing I am near to Death I have lived long enough I am about 90 Years old I now desire to die in the presence of Christ Oh Lord I commit my Soul to thee 41. Antony He was among the first that prayed to God he was studious to read the Scriptures and the Catechism so that he learned to be a Teacher but after the Wars he became a Lover of strong Drink was often admonished and finally cast out from being a Teacher His Dying Speeches follow I am a Sinner I do now confess it I have long prayed to God but it hath been like an Hypocrite tho' I was a confessing Church-Member yet like an Hypocrite tho' I was a Teacher yet like a Backsliding Hypocrite I was often drunk Love of strong Drink is a lust I could not overcome tho' the Church did often admonish me and I confessed and they â—orgave me yet I fell again to the same Sin tho' Major Gookins and Mr. Eliot often admonished me I confessed they were willing to forgive me yet I fell again Now Death calls for me and I desire to prepare to die well I say to you Daniel beware that you love not strong Drink as I did and was thereby undone Strengthen your Teaching in and by the word of God take heed that you defile not your work as I did for I defiled my Teaching by Drunkenness Again I say to you my Children forsake not praying to God go not to strange places where they pray not to God but strongly pray to God as long as you live both you and your Children Now I desire to die well tho' I have been a Sinner I remember that word that saith That tho' your Sins be many and great yet God will pardon the Penitent by Jesus Christ our Redeemer Oh Lord save and deliver me by Jesus Christ in whom I believe send thy Angels when I die to bring my poor Soul to thee and save my poor sinful
you put your Endeavours that Christ his Religion may be brought again unto a chast and simple Purity For what should be desired of all Godly Hearts than that all things by little and little should be clean taken away and cut off which have very little or nothing in them that can be referred wholly to Edification but rather be judged of the Godly to be superfluous 8. Bishop Latimer speaking to the Clergy saith How think ye by the Ceremonies that are in England oftentimes with no little Offence of weak Consciences continued more often with Superstition so defiled and so depraved that you may doubt whether it were better for them to tarry still or utterly to take them away Have not our Fore-Fathers complained of the Ceremonies of the Superstitions and Estimation of them In Concione ad Clerum 9. Bishop Vsher then Mr. Vsher when a Commission was granted by K. James to Sir Arthur Chichester then Lord-Deputy of Ireland to Assemble the Irish Bishops and others together to consult about the Reduction of Ireland to the same Ecclesiastical Government of England but willing them to consult with Mr. Vsher about it and do nothing without his Approbation Bishop Vsher I say finding by accident his own Name in the Commission by glancing upon a letter which he saw laid down in the Window by a Bishop whom he went to visit communicated the same to Dean Hill his Good Friend and a Devout Man desiring his Prayers to God for him in that Obscure Case and hearing what the business was when the Assembly was summoned made his Appearance and being demanded his Consent to what they had agreed upon he replied That the Matter concerned more than himself for said he if I had all Mens Consciences in my keeping I could in these Disputable Cases give Laws unto them as well as unto my self but it 's one thing what I can do and another thing what all other Men must do c. Adding The Kings and Queens of England imposed those Ceremonies that thereby they might decline the charge of Schismaticks wherewith the Church of Rome laboured to brand them seeing it did appear hereby that they left them only in such Doctrinal Points wherein they left the Truth Again Hereby they would testify howfar they would willingly stopp to win and gain them by yielding to meet them as far as they might in their own way But saith he the Experience of many years hath shewed that this Condescension hath rather hardned them in their Errours than brought them to a liking of our Religion this being their usual Saying if our Flesh be not Good why do you drink of our Broth c. See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 286. 10. Dr. Wilkins afterwards Bishop of Chester a Man of as great a Mind as true a Judgment as eminent Vertues and of as good a Soul as any I ever knew together with the Lord-Keeper Bridgeman setting up for a Comprehension of the Dissenters and a limitted Indulgence towards others got Sir Matthew Hale Lord-Chief-Baron on their side who after several Meetings and Conferences with two of the most eminent Presbyterian Divines and Heads were agreed upon the Lord-Chief-Baron put them in form of a Bill to be presented to the next Session of Parliament CHAP. XLV Retractations of Censorious Protestants LEwis du Moulin Doctor of Physick being in his last Sickness visited by Dr. Burnet and admonished of the foul Language used in his Books against Dr. Stillingfleet Dean of Pauls Dr. Durel Dean of Windsor Dr. Patrick Dean of Peterborough c. desired Dr. Burnet to ask them pardon in his name and when he spake of the Dean of St. Pauls he expressed much Sorrow and shed some Tears and upon their motion sign'd this Recantation following As for my Books in which I mixed many personal Reflections I am now sensible I vented too much of my own Passion and Bitterness and therefore I disclaim all that is Personal in them and am heartily sorry for every thing I have written to the defaming of any Person I humbly beg God and all those whom I have so wronged pardon for Jesus Christ his sake and am resolved if God shall spare my Life never to meddle more with such Personal things and do earnestly exhort all People as a dying Man that they will study more Love and mutual Forbearance in their Differences and will avoid all bitter and uncharitable Reflections on one anothers Persons And as I earnestly pray those worthy Men of the Church of England to have Charity and Tenderness for the Dissenters from them so I beg of the Dissenters that they would have a due Regard and Respect to those of the Church of England Of many of whom I say now Let my Soul be with theirs and that all true Protestants among us may heartily unite and concur in the Defence and Preservation of the holy Reformed Religion now by the Mercy of God settled among us And that Men of all sides may according to St. Paul's Rule Cease to bite and devour one another lest we be destroyed one of another and that whereunto we have already attained we may walk by the same Rule hoping that if any Man is otherwise minded in some lesser things God shall either reveal that to them or mercifully forgive it through Jesus Christ into whose hands I commend my Spirit and desire to appear before God in and through him Who gave himself for me and the refore do now study to learn of him to be meek and lowly in Heart and to love all the Brethren as he loved me This is Sincerity of Heart I Sign Lewis du Moulin Octob. 5. 1680. See his last Words p. 12. Mr. John Child having written a Book called The Second Argument for a more firm Vnion amongst Protestants where he fell foul upon the Nonconformists was thereupon smitten with Remorse and to one Mr. H. C. coming to visit him taking up the Book in his Hand began to read where he saith The greatest number of Disseners do hold Principles dangerously heretical and most abominably abusing the most Holy God c. But before he could end that Paragraph being under extream Agony of Mind and weeping bitterly put the Book from him and spake to this effect viz. I have represented those Calvin's Principles beyond whatever they conceived strained their Opinions beyond their Intentions and drawing such Consequences as never were in their Minds And striking his Breast with uch Anguish said These words lie close I shall never get over this I write in Prejudice against them calling them a villanous Body of People which was unjust Professing that be could not repent and with a very grim Countenance said I shall go to Hell I am broken in Judgment when I think to pray either I have a Flushing in my Face as if I were in a flame or I am dumb and cannot speak or else I fall asleep upon my Knees all the Signs of one whom God hath left
they must go with me to hear at the same place I do but if they are joyn'd with any others then I 'll let them go sometimes there and sometimes with me They shall give an Account of what they hear until the Affairs of my Family are such that I can't do it They shall read to me at least once a Day or else I 'll ask them about their Reading for I shall think it to be my Duty when I take any into my Family to take some care of their Souls as well as for their Bodies and to do all I can for their Souls good by Admonishing them and giving them all the good Council I can and giving all Encouragement I can in what is good If they grow wicked and careless and will not bear Reproof I shall look upon it my Duty to change them and not to mind what People say of my frequent changing of Maids David would not abide a Lyar in his sight and I am sure that is most pleasing to God to have as near as I can all in my Family that fear him and deight in his holy ways As for Children if it please God to bless me with them I shall look upon it to be my Duty if I am able to Nurse them my self and to take all the care of them I can in their Infancy and betimes to check the Buddings of Original Sin by not encouraging of Revenge or Pride in them and as soon as they are able to learn to teach them their Catechism and what is good but so as not to tire them but make it as pleasant to them as I can by giving them all the Encouragement and Praise when they do well and timely Correcting them when they do what is sinful As for my CARRIACE TO MY HVSBAND I shall reckon it both Prudence and my Duty to study his Humour when we first come together and then to do all I can without sinning to please and oblige him to obey him in all things that are not contrary to the Commands of God If I should light on one that is wicked I 'll endeavour what I can by my carriage to engage his Affections throughly to me and then to make use of that tye to engage him to God and by my Christian Carriage to try what can be done to win him over to Christ by reproving of him with all Meekness and acknowledging my great Love to him and that 't is Love that makes me do it and my desire of his being happy for ever I shall reckon it my Duty if I have a good Man to be willing to learn of him and to do what we can to engage each other more entirely to God to make use of our Love to one another to inflame our Souls with Love to Christ Being convinced from Scripture and Reason that 't is my Duty to give to the Poor I now resolve when I marry to give according to my Ability though I cannot resolve upon any Sum yet I 'll give according to my Ability When I make any Provisions that I 'de have kept I 'll give some to all in the Family that so I may not put 'em upon the Temptation of Stealing And as for other Victuals they shall have sufficient but none to waste if I can help it This is a thing that I hate for People to repeat my words after me I will not therefore allow any under my care to do it and if ever it please God that I keep Servants I now resolve to endeavour to do my Duty towards them though they should not do theirs towards me and to endeavour conscientiously to discharge my Duty towards all Relations begging of God that he would now help me to do it O that I could now do all with an Eye to God and be willing always to be at his dispose in every thing Next follows her occasional Reflections upon Variety of Subjects as I find 'em in her Diary REFLECTION I. Occasioned upon seeing my Mother very melancholy one day after she and I had had some words and I fearing she was displeased with me OH my Soul see how afraid I am at the Anger of an Earthly Parent It lays a Restraint upon me in their presence when I think I have any ways offended them I am grieved for fear of their Anger and would do the utmost I can to have 'em reconciled to me again O my Soul I may well wonder at the Patience of God towards me that when I daily grieve his holy Spirit resist all the Workings of his Grace yet he bears with me I am not neither can I be any ways so obliged to an Earthly Parent as to my dear Heavenly father and yet I sin against him offend his Justice abuse his Mercy frequently in the day-time without one serious Thought on my own Ways When I offend my natural Parents I can reflect on my self consider what I have done that may any ways give the Offence I can offend my dear God and not be troubled as I should be O the Wâ—nders of Divine Patience that God should bear so long with one so vile O the Wonders of free Love that when God knew before my Creation what a base disingenuous ungrateful Wretch I should prove yet nothing could hinder his Thoughts of love towards me before the Foundation of the World was laid Well O my Soul I see I am so infinitely indebted to free Grace that I can never do enough to testify my Thankfulness to God I am so infinitely indebted to Divine Justice that without fresh Supplies of pardoning Mercies I am irrecoverably undone for ever O God I beg of thee that I may be more and more sensible of my unchild-like Carriage towards thee that I may be more and more grieved when I offend thee that I may do my utmost endeavours to please thee in all things and yet daily grieve that I can do no better REFLECTION II. Upon seeing her Sister T 's continually loving to be talking of her Cousin W. and when she had begun a Discourse to carry it on with great Delight SEE how Persons talk of those they love they are grieved if they are troubled at any thing so that two Persons Satisfaction must go to the making one happy and one's Trouble will make them both miserable Turn in O my Soul into thy self and consider what a vast Difference there is betwixt God's Love to the Soul and all other kinds of Love in the World God lov'd the believing Soul millions of Years before it had a Being And though he knew what Sins the Creature would commit how all his Laws would be broken yet this could not hinder his Electing Love So that then you 'l grant the Sinner could not deserve God's Love since its being it hath done â—â—â—d daily doth grieve and offend him yet this cannot take off God's Love from the Soul The Love of a Creature is for some Real or Imaginary Excellency and Suitableness Their Love
in Hell long ago if it had not been for thy Mercy O Lord I pray thee to keep my Parents in thy Truth and save them from this Infection if it be thy Will that they may live to bring me up in thy Truth O Lord I pray thee stay this Infection that rageth in this City and pardon their Sins and try them once more and see if they will turn unto thee Save me O Lord from this Infection that I may live to praise and glorifie thy Name but O Lord if thou hast appointed me to die of it fit me for Death that I may die with Comfort and O Lord I pray thee to help me to bear up under all Afflictions for Christ his sake Amen These are some of his dying Expressions The Lord shall be my Physician for he will cure both Soul and Body Heaven is the best Hospital It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good in his Eyes Again It is the Lord that taketh away my Health but I will say as Job did Blessed be the Name of the Lord. If I should live longer I should but sin against God Looking upon his Father he said If the Lord would but lend me the least Finger of his Hand to lead me through the dark Entry of Death I will rejoyce in him An hour and an half before his Death a Minister came to Visit him and asked him John Art thou afraid to die He answered No if the Lord will but comfort me in that hour But said the Minister How canst thou expect Comfort seeing we deserve none He answered No if I had my Deserts I had been in Hell long ago But replied the Minister which way dost thou expect Comfort and Salvation seeing thou art a Sinner He answered in Christ alone In whom about an hour and half after he fell asleep saying He would take a long sleep charging them that were about him not to wake him He died when he was twelve years three weeks and a day old 15. Anne Lane was born of honest Parents in Colebrook in the County of Bucks who was no sooner able to speak plain and express any thing considerable of Reason but she began to act as if she was sanctified from the very Womb. She was very solicitous about her Soul what would become of it when she should die and where she should live for ever and what she should do to be saved when she was about five years old I having occasion to lie at Colebrook sent for her Father an old Disciple an Israelite indeed and desired him to give me some account of his Experiences and how the Lord first wrought upon him He gave me this answer That he was of a Child somewhat civil honest and as to Man harmless but was little acquainted with the power of Religion till this sweet Child put him upon a thorow Inquiry into the state of his Soul and would still be begging of him and pleading with him to redeem his time and to act with life and vigor in the things of God which was no small Demonstration to him of the reality of Invisibles that a very Babe and Suckling should speak so feelingly about the things of God and be so greatly concerned not only about her own Soul but about her Father 's too which was the occasion of his Conversion It was the greatest Recreation to her to hear any good People talking about God Christ their Souls the Scriptures or any thing that concerned another Life She continued thus to walk as a Stranger in the World and one that was making haste to a better place And after she had done a great deal of work for God and her own Soul and others too she was called home to rest and received into the Arms of Jesus before she was ten years old she departed about 1640. 16. Talitha Alder was the Daughter of a Holy and Reverend Minister in Kent who lived near Gravesend She was much instructed in the Holy Scriptures and her Catechism by her Father and Mother but there appeared nothing extraordinary in her till she was between seven and eight years old About which time when she was sick one asked her what she thought would become of her if she should die She answered that she was greatly afraid that she should go to Hell Upon this seeing her in such a desponding Condition a dear Friend of her's spent the next day in Fasting and Prayer for her After this she had a Discovery of her approaching Dissolution which was no small comfort to her Anon said she with a holy Triumph I shall be with Jesus I am married to him he is my Husband I am his Bride I have given my self to him and he hath given himself to me and I shall live with him for ever I am going to Glory O that all of you were to go with me to that Glory With which words her Soul took wing and went to the Possession of that Glory which she had some believing sight of before She died when she was between eight and nine years old about 1644. 17. Susanna Bicks was born at Leyden in Holland Jan. 24. 1650. of very Religious Parents whose great care was to instruct and Catechise this their Child and to present her to the Minister of the Place to be publickly instructed and Catechised It pleased the Lord to bless Holy Education the good Example of her Parents and Catechising to the good of her Soul so that she soon had a true Savour and Relish of what she was taught and made an admirable use of it in a time of need as you shall hear afterwards That which was not the least observable in her was the ardenâ— Affection she had for the Holy Scriptures and her Catechism in which she was thorowly instructed by the Godly Divines of the place where she lived which she could not but own as one of the greatest Mercies next the Lord Christ O how did she bless God for her Catechism and beg of her Father to go particularly to those Ministers that had taken so much pains with her to instruct her in her Catechism and to thank them from her a dying Child for their good Instructions and to let them understand for their Encouragement to go on in that Work of Catechising how Refreshing those Truths were now to her in the hour of her distress O that sweet Catechising said she unto which I did always resort with Gladness and attended without Weariness She laid a great charge upon her Parents not to be over-grieved for her after her Death urging that of David upon them while the Child was sick he fasted and wept but when it died he washed his Face and sat up and ear and said Can I bring him back again from Death I shall go to him but he shall not return to me So ought you to say after my Death Our Child is well for we know it shall be well with them that trust in the Lord. She had
forsake all my Sins I am willing to give Glory to God in taking Shame unto myself I acknowledge myself a guilty Malefactor and judge myself worthy of the just Condemnation of the Righteous Judge of all the Earth XV. I hope I am one whom God hath taken into Covenant with himself because he hath bestowed upon me the Fruits of the Covenant because he hath circumcised my Heart to love him and hath put his Fear into me and hath wrought an universal change in me and hath given me a new Heart and a new Spirit XVI As for my Affliction that lieth upon me though it be in itself very heavy I much more desire the sanctification of it than the removal I earnestly labour to learn all those Lessons which God teacheth me by Affliction XVII Faith is the Condition of Salvation Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And this is his commandment that we should believe in his Son Jesus Christ. Now I find nothing so hard to me as to believe aright Yet I must and will give Glory to God and say Lord I believe help thou my unbelief Thus I have according to the Apostle's Exhortation endeavoured to give a Reason of the Hope that is in me Thus far Mr. Edm. Calamy 18. Mr. Albyn's Evidences for Heaven which take in his own Words viz. Some Observations upon my own Heart which I humbly hope are true Evidences of a Work of saving Grace and that my Soul has a real Interest in Jesus Christ and I desire to deal plainly sincerely and truly as in the presence of the Heart searching God in this great and weighty Work of Self-Examination humbly and heartily imploring the Grace and Assistance of God's most Holy Spirit therein 1. I desire every day to attain unto a most clear and distinct Knowledge of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost with all their Properties and Attributes and to have more high and reverend Thoughts of him and to be more enlarged in Thankfulness in Heart and Life for my Creation and Preservation but especially for my Redemption 2. I desire a true sanctified Knowledge of the whole Will of God and the full Latitude of every Commandment 3. I heartily desire and endeavour to yield constant and chearful Obedience to every one of his Commandments and particularly I endeavour to consecrate the Sabbath Day in the Service of God only and I embrace all opportunities besides that I conveniently may to hear the Word of God Preached and to Read and Meditate on it in private and I would not willingly omit any opportunity for coming to the Table of the Lord nor neglect Praying in my Family or alone in private in and by all which Ordinances 't is the unfeigned Desire of my Soul to enjoy true Spiritual Communion with God through Jesus Christ and that every Grace of God may by them be strengthened in me and evdry Sin and Lust mortified and though I do most miserably and sinfully miscarry in the Performance of every Holy Duty being continually haunted with many sinful Wandrings and Indispositions of Heart for which I unfeignedly humble my self 'twixt God and my own Soul confessing the same and Judging and Condemning my self for them in his Presence yet through the infinite Mercy and Bounty of my gracious God through Jesus Christ I feel and experimentally find some sensible Abatements of the one and a comfortable Addition to the Strength of the other 4. I do desire and in some poor Measure endeavour constantly to watch and observe the Actings and Motions of my own Heart and would not allow of any sinful Project or Design whatsoever to be contrived and harboured therein and am more careful to keep my Heart from contemplative Iniquity then to order my outward Actions to the Liking and Approbation of Men. 5. I desire to know the Duties of every one of my Relations and conscientiously to walk in all of them to Magistrates Ministers Parents Wife Children Servarts and all others and in reference to the present Distractions of our Land I humbly desire that the Lord would be pleased to set up such a Magistracy as I may with a good Conscience yield chearful Obedience to all its Lawful Commands and such under whom Religion may flourish the Power of Godliness be countenanced and the Government of Jesus Christ be erected and submitted unto for the Effecting whereof I pray that God would cast out the Spirit of Errour Prophaneness and Divisions that is almongst us 6. For the Duties of my particular Calling I desire faithfully to discharge the same and pray that God would give me such a Measure of Grace and true Heavenly Wisdom as that I may not be carryed away with Covetousness Ambition or Deceitfulness on the one hand nor with Pride Idleness or Presumption on the other but that I may conscientiously Labour diligently in my Calling so as to provide for my Family and that I may have to give to him that needeth Praying that I may be kept from all those Sins and Temptations that do attend my Calling at any time 7. I do often tho' with much Frailty and Weakness reflect on my own ways acknowledging before God and bewailing my own Miscarriages and beg Pardon for them and all my secret unknown Sins through the Merits of Jesus Christ and still desire the Lord to keep me from the Deceits of my own Heart and from all the Temptations I do or may meet with in reference to the Sins of the present evil Times And in my Judgment and Affections so far as I know my own Heart I would rather loose all my outward Comforts and Accommodations then sin against my God by a sinful Submission to any unlawful Injunctions for the Preservation thereof and pray thatas the Lord hath hitherto I hope in some good measure kept me so he would still preserve me upright in Heart before him and unspotted in Life before Men and that if I should be called thereunto he would give me Grace and Strength to make publick Profession of my Resolution to persevere in well doing and to keep close to my Duty whatsoever Sufferings I meet withal and that the carnal Reasoning of my corrupt Flesh and Blood which I find to be exceeding strong and often assaulting of me may never prevail over me to make me sin against my God on whose Promises I desire above all other things Grace to rest and commit my self to his gracious Providence to take care for me and mine rather then to use and sinful means to secure or provide for my self or them 8. In all Streights and Difficulties I meet with in my Calling and in all Hazards in my Estate by Sea or otherwise I first of all make my Addresses to the Throne of Grace for Strength and Courage to trust and relie upon the faithful Promises and gracious Providence of God and for Direction and Assistance for the conscientious using of all lawful Means for the managing of my
shall see your Face no more in this Life Ibid. 4. S. Augustine whose usual wish was that Christ when he came might find him either Praying or Preaching was accordingly answered for in the Siege of Hippo by the Goths after he had for some Months together continually exercised himself in Prayers in the third Month of the Siege he fell sick of a Fever in his Sickness breathing forth most Pious Ejâ—culations as Vivere renuo ut Christo vivam viz. I refuse to live that I may live to Christ c. and so died making no Will having nothing to bestow but only Books which he left to several Libraries Aged 76. Anno Christi 430. having been a Minister 40 Years Ibid. 5. Prosper upon his Death-bed speaking to many of his People that wept sore said the Life which I have enjoyed was but given me upon condition to render it up again not grudgingly but gladly For me to stay longer here might seem better for you but for me t is better to be dissolved Ibid. p. 89. And so praying and lifting up his Hands before them all be departed Anno Christi 466. 6. Bede in his Sickness comforted himself with Heb. 12.6 Whom the Lord loveth be chasteneth c. When his Scholars were weeping about him he said in the words of S. Ambrose Non sic vixi ut pudeat me inter vos vivere sed nec mori timeo quia bonum Dominum habemus The time is come if my Creator pleaseth that being freed from the Flesh I shall go to him who made me when I was not out of nothing I have lived long and the time of my Dissolution is approaching proaching and my Soul desires to see my Saviour Christ in his Glory Ibid. p. 101. His Epitaph was Hac sunt in fossa Bedae Venerabilis put in as Tradition saith by an Angel Ossa 7. S. Bernard in his Sickness wrote this Letter to Arnold Abbot of Boneval We received your Love in Love and not in Pleasure for what Pleasure can there be where Pain and Bitterness challengeth all to it self Only 't is a little delightful to me to eat nothing Sleep is departed from me that Sorrow and Pain may never depart by the benefit of my Senses lulled asleep The want of a Stomach is all that I suffer only it lacks to be continually refreshed with some comfortable Liquor But if I admit more than is meet 't is very grievous to me My Feet and Thighs are swollen as in a Dropsie And in all these things that I may conceal nothing from my Friend who defires to know the state of his Friend the Spirit is willing but the Flesh weak Pray unto my Saviour who desires not the Death of a Sinner not that he will defer but guard my Departure hence with his Angels Take you care that my Heel which is naked of Merits he strengthened and defended by your Prayers that he which lies in wait may not find where to fasten his Tooth and inflict a Wound Farewel To his Monks he said I am in a Streight not knowing which to chuse Life or Death but leave all to the will of God Ibid. p. 105. 8. John Husse used these words by way of Prayer at his suffering Martyrdom Lond Jesus Christ assist and help me that with a constant and patient Mind by thy most gracious help I may bear and suffer this most Cruel and Ignominious Death burning with a tripe Crown of Paper painted with ugly Devils on his Head whereunto I am condemned for Preaching thy most Holy Gospel And when the Fire was kindled he sung three times with a loud Voice Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God have Mercy upon me And so the Wind drove the Flame into his Face and choaked him Ibid. p. 119. 9. Cardinal Woolsey being arrested by the King's Order breathed out his Soul in words to this purpose If I had served the God of Heaven as faithfully as I did my Master upon Earth he had not forsaken me in my Old Age as the other hath done Lloy's State-worthies p. 19. 10. Luther dying in his Clymacterical Year made this his last Prayer O Heavenly Father my Gracious God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ thou God of all Consolation I give thee hearty Thanks that thou hast revealed unto me thy Son Jesus Christ whom I believe whom I profess whom I love whom I glorifie whom the Pope and the wicked Rout do persecute and dishonour I beseech thee Lord Jesus Christ receive my Soul O my Heavenly Father tho' I be taken out of this Life and must lay down this frail Body yet I certainly know that I shall live with thee eternally and that I cannot be taken out of thy hands God so loved the World c. Lord I render up my Spirit into thy Hands and come to thee And again Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Thou O God of Truth hast redeemed me And so as one falling asleep and without any bodily Pain as could be discerned he departed this Life Feb. 18. Anno Christi 1548. Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 143. 11. Calvin makes this his Last Will In the Name of God Amen Anno Christi 1564. April 25. I Peter Chenalat Citizen and Notary of Geneva do Witness and Profess that being sent for by that Reverend Man John Calvin Minister of the Word of God in the Church of Geneva and a Free Denizen of the same City who then truly was sick in Body but sound in Mind told me that his purpose was to make his Testament and declare his Last Will c. which was this In the Name of the Lord Amen I John Calvin Minister of the Word of God in the Church of Geneva oppressed and afflicted with divers Diseases so that I easily think the Lord hath appointed shortly to lead me out of this World I therefore have determined to make my Testament and to commit to Writing my Last Will in this form following First I give Thanks to God that taking pity of me whom he created and placed in this World hath delivered me out of the deep Darkness of Idolatry into which I was plunged and that he brought me into the Light of his Gospel and made me a partaker of the Doctrine of Salvation whereof I was most unworthy Neither hath he only gently and graciously born with my faults for which yet I deserved to be rejected by him and driven out but hath used towards me so great meekness and mildness that he hath vouchsafed to use my Labours in Preaching the Truth of his Gospel And I Witness and Profess that I intend to pass the remainder of my Life and Religion which he hath delivered to me by his Gospel and not to seek any other Aid or Resuge for Salvation than his free Adoption in which alone Salvation resteth And with all my Heart I embrace the Mercy which he hath used towards me for Jesus Christ's sake recompensing my Faults with the Merit
J. with whom I only leave for their Direction and Encouragement 1 Cor. 15.58 Mat. 28.20 The Lay men whom I put in Joynt-Trust are Mr. B. Mr. M. Mr. B. and plain-hearted T. H. all whose Faces I hope to see in Heaven with them I leave for their Refreshment when taking some steps about it Mat. 25.39 40 for Eternity is the place I would be for to which when gone I am but a little before and you a little behind This Lecture he kept up by his constant cost and care from Aug. 4. 1653. Monthly until Jan. 2. 1659. whereof he kept an exact Account in a Catalogue wherein he took notice of the day of the Month the Place the Persons that Preached and their Texts some hints of the Congregation both number and seriousness See his Life And having thus made use of some of his Memorials we shall add what himself said of the ' writing of them in these words The occasion of making and writing these things was a thought I had what was become of all my Fore-fathers and what what Price I should set upon one of their Manuscripts concerning the state of our Family Nation or Church of God in it 500 Years since Whereupon I resolved this Work formy Son's sake and Posterity's imitation when it may be said of us in this Generation as of Israel once in that Exod. 1.6 And Joseph died and all his Brethren and all that Generation I John Machin called by him who separated me from the Womb Gal. 1.15 to the hope of having my Name in the Book of Life and likewise to be an Embassador of my Lord Christ Jesus was in my great Master's Work at Astbury in Cheshire Anno 1655. when I first set Pen hereunto See his Life 67. Part of Mr. Richard Baxter's Last Will as I find it published by Mr. Sylvester in the Narrative of his Life I Richard Baxter of London Clerk an unworthy Servant of Jesus Christ drawing to the end of this Transitory Life having through God's great Mercy the free use of my Understanding do make this My Last Will and Testament My Spirit I commit with Trust and Hope of the Heavenly Felicity into the hands of Jesus my glorified Redeemer and Intercessor and by his Mediation into the hands of God my Reconciled Father the Infinite Eternal Spirit Light Life and Love most Great and Wise and Good the God of Nature Grace and Glory of whom and through whom and to whom are all things my absolute Owner Ruler and Benefactor whose I am and whom though imperfectly I serve seek and trust to whom be Glory for ever Amen To him I render most humble Thanks that he hath filled up my Life with abundance of Mercy pardon'd my Sins by the Merits of Christ and vouchsafed by his Spirit to renew and seal me as his own and to moderate and bless to me my long-sufferings in the Flesh and at last to sweeten them by his own Interest and comforting Approbation who taketh the cause of Love and Concord as his own Now let the Reader Judge adds the Reverend Mr. Sylvester in his Preface to Mr. Baxter 's Life whether any thing in all this can in the least infer his doubting or denyal of a fature state as some have reported 68. The Reverend Mr. John Dunton late Rector of Aston Clinton in Bucks after he had in his Last Will bequeathed his Soul to God who gave it speaking next concerning his Funeral he adds That 't is his desire that his Funeral might not be performed till Five days after his decease Which Request was occasioned by his first Wife 's lying seemingly dead for three days and afterwards coming to Life again to the Admiration of all that saw her 69. A Copy of the Will made by the Reverend Dr. Samuel Annesly who departed this Life on Thursday Decemb. 31. 1696. in the 77th Year of his Age. IN the Name of God Amen I Dr. Samuel Annesly of the Liberty of Norton-Folgate in the County of Middlesex an unworthy Minister of Jesus Christ being through Mercy in Health of Body and Mind do make this my Last Will and Testament concerning my Earthly Pittance Formy SOVL I dare humbly say it is through Grace devoted unto God otherwise than by LEGACY when it may live here no longer And I do believe that my BODY after its sleeping a while in Jesus shall be reunited to my Soul that they may both be for ever with the Lord. Of what I shall leave behind me I make this short disposal My Just Debts being paid I give to each of my Children One Shilling and all the rest to be equally divided between my Son Benjamin Annesly my Daughter Judith Annesly and my Daughter Ann Annesly whom I make my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament revoking all former and confirming this with my Hand and Seal this 29th day of March 1693. SAMVEL ANNESLY 70. Cardinal Richelieu was visited by the King in his last Sickness which saith my Author was the greatest Favour he could receive from any Mortal Man seeing that having lived altogether for his King he was to die near him and almost in his Arms. He desired in his Sickness That he might live no longer than he was able do the King and the Kingdom of France Service He expired Decemb. 4. St. N. 1642. aged 58. He was buried in the College of Sorbonne where he had caused his Monument to be built during his Life Gabriel Du-gres in the Life of Jean Arman Du Plessis D. of Richelieu p. 65. 71. Cardinal Mazarine thus expressed himself to the Queen-Mother of France before his Death Madam your Favours have undone me were I to live again I would be a Capuchin rather than a Courtier This with some others following I am not now able to cite my Authors for having taken the Abstracts out of borrowed Books several Years ago 72. Sir John Mason Privy-Counsellor to four Princes expressed himself thus Seriousness is the best Wisdom Temperance the best Physick a good Conscience the best Estate and were I to live again I wold change the Court for a Cloyster my Privy-Counsellor's Bustles for an Hermit's Retirement and the whole Life I have lived in the Palace for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chapel All things else forsake me except my God my Duties and my Prayers 73. Hugo Grotius wish'd that he might exchange all his Learning and Honour for the plain Integrity of Jean Vrich who was a Poor Religious Man that spent Eight hours of his Day in Prayer Eight in Meat and Sleep and Eight in Labour 74. Salmasius his last Reflections were to this purpose Oh! I have lost a World of Time Time that most Precious thing in the World whereof had I but one Year more it should be spent in David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles O Sirs mind the World less and God more The Fear of the Lord this is Wisdom 75. Mr. Selden to Archbishop Vsher Notwithstanding my curious Enquiries
Innuendo's to the then King of England never considering adds he that if such Acts of State be not allowed Good no Prince in the World has any Title to his Crown and having by a short Reflection shewn the Ridiculousness of deriving Absolute Monarchy from Patriarchal Power he appeals to all the World whether it would not be more Advantageous to all Kings to own the Deerivation of their Power to the Consent of willing Nations than to have no better Title than Force c. which may be over-powered But notwithstanding the Innocence and Loyalty of that Doctrine he says He was told he must die or the Plot must die and complains that in order to the destroying the best Protestants of England the Bench was fill'd with such as had been blemishes to the Bar and Instances how against Law they had advised with the King's Council about bringing him to Death suffer'd a Jury to be pack'd by the King's Sollicitors and the Vnder-Sheriff admitted Jury men no Freeholders received Evidence not valid refus'd him a Copy of his Indictment or to suffer the Act of the 46th of Edw. 3. to be read that allows it had over-ruled the most important Points of Law without hearing and assumed to themselves a Power to make Constructions of Treason tho' against Law Sense and Reason which the Stat. of the 25th of Edw. 3. by which they pretended to Try him was reserved only to the Parliament and so praying God to forgive them and to avert the Evils that threatned the Nation to sanctifie those Sufferings to him and tho' he fell a Sacrifice to Idols not to suffer Idolatry to be established in this Land c. He concludes with a Thanksgiving that God had singled him out to be a Witness of his Truth and for that Good Old Cause in which from his Youth he had been engag'd c. His EPITAPH ALgernoon Sidney fills this Tomb An Atheist by declaiming Rome A Rebel bold by striving still To keep the Laws above the Will And hindring those would pull them down To leave no Limits to a Crown Crimes damn'd by Church and Government Oh whither must his Soul be sent Of Heaven it must needs despair If that the Pope be Turn-key there And Hell can ne'er it entertain For there is all Tyrannick Reign And Purgatory's such a Pretence As ne'er deceiv'd a Man of Sense Where goes it then where 't ought to go Where Pope and Devil have nought to do His CHARACTER There 's no need of any more than reading his Trial and Speech to know him as well as if he stood before us That he was a Person of extraordinary Sense and very close thinking which he had the Happiness of being able to express in Words as manly and apposite as the Sense included under ' em He was owner of as much Vertue and Religion as Sense and Reason tho' his Piety lay as far from Enthusiasm as any Man's He fear'd nothing but God and lov'd nothing on Earth like his Country and the just Liberties and Laws thereof whose Constitutions he had deeply and successfully inquired into To sum up all He had Piety enough for a Saint Courage enough for a General or a Martyr Sense enough for a Privy-Counsellor and Soul enough for a King and in a word if ever any he was a perfect Englishman 9. Mr. JAMES HOLLOWAY MR. Holloway declared That Mr. West proposed the Assassination but none seconded him That he could not perceive that Mr. Ferguson knew any thing of it and HOlloway said It was our Design to shed no Blood He being interrogated by Mr. Ferguson's Friend Mr. Sheriff Daniel whether he knew Ferguson he answer'd That he did know him but knew him to be against any Design of killing the King 10. Sir THOMAS ARMSTRONG HE had been all his Life a firm Servant and Friend to the Royal Family in their Exile and afterwards He had been in Prison for 'em under Cromwel and in danger both of Execution and Starving for all which they now rewarded him He had a particular Honour and Devotion for the Duke of Monmouth and push'd on his Interest on all Occasions being a Man of as undaunted English Courage as ever our Country produced In his Paper he thus expressed himself That he thanked Almighty God he found himself prepared for Death his Thoughts set upon another World and weaned from this yet he could not but give so much of his little time as to answer some Calumnies and particularly what Mr. Attorney accused him of at the Bar. That he prayed to be allowed a Tryal for his Life according to the Laws of the Land and urged the Statute of Edward 6. which was expresly for it but it signified nothing and he was with an Extraordinary Roughness condemned and made a precedent tho' Holloway had it offered him and he could not but think all the World would conclude his Case very different else why refused to him That Mr. Attorney charged him for being one of those that was to kill the King He took God to witness that he never had a Thought to take away the King's Life and that no Man ever had the Impudence to propose so barbarous and base a thing to him and that he never was in any Design to alter the Government That if he had been tried he could have proved the Lord Howard's base Reflections upon him to be notoriously false He concluded that he had lived and now died of the Reformed Religion a Protestant in the Communion of the Church of England and he heartily wished he had lived more strictly up to the Religion he believed That he had found the great Comfort of the Love and Mercy of God in and through his blessed Redeemer in whom he only trusted and verily hoped that he was going to partake of that fulness of Joy which is in his pesence the Hopes whereof infinitely pleased him He thanked God he had no repining but chearfully submitted to the Punishment of his Sins He freely forgave all the World even those concerned in taking away his Life tho' he could not but think his Sentence very hard he being denied the Laws of the Land On the Honourable Sir Thomas Armstrong Executed June 20. 1684. HAdst thou abroad found Safety in thy Flight Th' Immortal Honour had not flam'd so bright Thou hadst been still a worthy Patriot thought But now thy Glory 's to Perfection brought In Exile and in Death to England true What more could Brutus or just Cato do 11. Alderman CORNISH TO make an end of this Plot altogether 't will be necessary once more to invert the Order in which things happened and tho' Mr. Cornish suffer'd not till after the Judges returned from the West as well as Bateman after him yet we shall here treat of 'em both and so conclude this Matter Cornish on his Tryal is said to have denied his being at the Meeting and discoursing with the Duke of Monmouth Which they 'd have us believe
then requested they might sing a Psalm the Sheriff told him It must be with the Ropes about their Necks which they chearfully accepted and sung with such Heavenly Joy and Sweetness that many present saiâ—â— It both broke and rejoyc'd their hearts Thus in the experience of the delightfulness of Praising God on Earth he willingly closed his Eyes on a vain World to pass to that Eternal Employment Sept. 30. 1685. All present of all sorts were exceedingly affected and amazed Some Officers that had before insultingly said Surely these Persons have no thoughts of Death but will find themselves surprized by it after said That they now saw he and they had something extraordinary within that carried them through with such Joy Others of them said That they were so convinced of their Happiness that they would be glad to change Conditions with them All the Soldiers in general and all others lamenting exceedingly saying That it was so sad a thing to see them cut off they scarce knew how to bear it Some of the most malicious in the Place from whom nothing but Railing was expected said as they were carried to their Grave in Taunton Church voluntarily accompanied by most of the Town That these Persons had left a sufficient Evidence that they were now glorified Saints in Heaven A great Officer in the King's Army has been often heard to say That if you would learn to die go to the Young Men of Taunton Much more was uttered by them which shewed the Blessed and Glorious frames of their hearts to the Glory of Divine Grace but this is what occurs to Memory Mr. Benjamin Hewling about two hours before his Death writ this following Letter which shewed the great composure of his Mind Mr. Hewling's last Letter a little before his Execution Taunton Sept. 30. 1685. Honoured Mother THat News which I know you have a great while feared and we expected I must now acquaint you with That notwithstanding the Hopes you gave in your two last Letters Warrants are come down for my Execution and within these few hours I expect it to be performed Blessed be the Almighty God that gives comfort and support in such a day how ought we to magnifie his holy Name for all his Mercies that when we were running on in a course of sin he should stop us in our full Career and shew us that Christ whom we had pierced and out of his Free Grace enable us to look upon him with an Eye of Faith believing him able to save to the utmost all such as come to him Oh admirable long-suffering and Patience of God! that when we were dishonouring his Name he did not take that time to bring honour to himself by our destruction But he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but had rather he should turn to him and live And he has many ways of bringing his own to himself Blessed be his Holy Name that through Affliction he has taught my heart in some measure to be conformable to his Will which worketh Patience and Patience worketh Experience and Experience Hope which maketh not ashamed I bless God I am not ashamed of the Cause for which I lay down my Life and as I have engaged in it and fought for it so now I am going to Seal it with my Blood The Lord still carry on the same Cause which hath been long on foot and tho' we die in it and for it I question not but in his own good time he will raise up other Instruments more worthy to carry it on to the Glory of his Name and the Advancement of his Church and People Honoured Mother I know there has been nothing left undone by you or my Friends for the saving of my Life for which I return my hearty Acknowledgments to your self and them all and it 's my dying Request to you and them to Pardon all undutifulness 〈◊〉 unkindness in every Relation Pray give my Duty to my Grandfather and Grandmother Service to my Uncles and Aunts and my dear Love to all my Sisters to every Relation and Friend a particular Recommendation Pray tell 'em all how Precious an Interest in Christ is when we come to die and advise them never to rest in a Christless Estate For if we are his 't is no matter what the World do to us they can but kill the Body and blessed be God the Soul is out of their reach for I question not but their Malice wishes the Damnation of that as well as the Destruction of the Body which has too evidently appeared by their deceitful and â—â—tering Promises I commit you all to the Care and Protection of God who has promised to be a Father to the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow and to supply the want of every Relation The Lord God of Heaven be your Comfort under these Sorrows and your Refuge from those Miseries we may easily fore-see coming upon poor England and the poor distâ—eâ—â—ed People of God in it The Lord carry you through this Vale of Tears with a resigning submissive Spirit and at last bring you to himself in Glory where I question not but you will meet your dying Son Ben. Hewling Their CHARACTERS THey were both of very sweet and obliging Tempers as has appeared in their History it being a very hard matter for their worst Enemies when they once knew 'em well not to Honour and Love ' em Mr. Benjamin the Elder reconciled the Lamb and the Lion exactly In the Field he seem'd made only for War and any where else for nothing but Love He without Flattery deserv'd to be call'd a very fine Man of a lovely Proportion extreamly well made as handsome a Meen and good an Air as perhaps few in England exceeded him His Picture is pretty like him The Younger Mr. William somewhat taller and more slender his Face fresh and lively as his Spirit being Master of an extraordinary vivacity and briskness of Temper Both of 'em Vertuous Pious and Courageous far above their Years and indeed seem'd to be Men too soon one of 'em not being Twenty the Eldest but Two and twenty when they dy'd verifying that common Observation That whatever is perfect sooner than ordinary has generally a shorter Period prefix'd it than what 's more base and ignoble 2. Mr. CHRISTOPHER BATTISCOMB HE was another young Gentleman of a good Family and very great Hopes and of a fair Estate which lay in Dorsetshire somewhere between Dorchester and Lyme He had studied some time at the Temple and having Occasions in the Country about the Time of my Lord Russel's Business he was there seiz'd on Suspicion of being concern'd in 't and clapt into the County Gaol at Dorchester where he behaved himself with that Prudence and winning Sweetness and shew'd so much Wit and innocent pleasantry of Temper as extreamly obliged both all his Keepers and Fellow-Prisoners and even Persons of the best Quality in that Town They knew how to value such a Gentleman
to call for it and I desire to offer up my All to him it being but my reasonable Service and also the first Terms that Jesus Christ offers That he that will be his Disciple must forsake all and follow him and therefore let none think hard or be discouraged at what hath happened unto me for he doth nothing without cause in all he hath done to us he being Holy in all his ways and Righteous in all his works and 't is but my Lot in common with poor desolate Sion at this day Neither do I find in my heart the least regret for what I have done in the Service of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ in succouring and securing any of his poor Sufferers that have shewed favour to his Righteous Causeâ— which Cause though now it be fall'n and trampled upon as if it had not been anointed yet it shall revive and God will plead it at another rate than ever he hath done yet and reckon with all its Opposers and malicious Haters And therefore let all that love and fear him not omit the least Duty that comes to hand or lies before them knowing that now it hath need of them and expects they shall serve him And I desire to bless his Holy Name that he hath made me useful in my Generation to the Comfort and Relief of many desolate Ones and the Blessing of those that are ready to perish has come upon me and help'd to make the Heart of the Widow to sing And I bless his Holy Name that in all this together with what I was charged with I can approve my Heart to him that I have done his Will tho' it does cross Man's Will and the Scriptures that satisfie me are Isaiah 16.4 Hide the Outcasts bewray not him that wandereth And Obad. 13.14 Thou shouldst not have given up those of his that did escape in the day of his distress But Man says You shall give them up or you shall die for it Now who to obey Judge ye So that I have cause to rejoyce and be exceeding glad in that I suffer for Righteousness sake and that I am accounted worthy to suffer for Well-doing and that God has accepted any Service from me which has been done in Sincerity tho' mixed with manifold Infirmities which he hath been pleased for Christ's sake to cover and forgive And now as concerning my Fact as it is called alas it was but a little one and might well become a Prince to forgive but he that shews no Mercy shall find none And I may say of it in the Language of Jonathan I did but tast a little Honey and lo I must die for it I did but relieve an unworthy poor distressed Family and so I must die for it Well I desire in the Lamb-like Gospel Spirit to forgive all that are concerned and to say Lord lay it not to their Charge but I fear he will not Nay I believe when he comes to make Inquisition for Blood it will be found at the Door of the furious Judge who because I could not remember things through my dauntedness at Burton's Wife and Daughter's Vileness and my Ignorance took advantage thereat and would not hear me when I had called to mind that which I am sure would have invalidated their Evidence though he granted something of the same nature to another yet denied it to me My Blood will also be found at the door of the unrighteous Jury who found me Guilty upon the single Oath of an Out-law'd Man for there was none but his Oath about the Money who is no legal Witness though he be pardoned his Outlawry not being recall'd and also the Law requires two Witnesses in point of Life And then about my going with him to the Place mentioned 't was by his own Words before he was Out-law'd for 't was two Months after his absconding and though in a Proclamation yet not High-Treason as I have heard so that I am clearly murder'd by you And also Bloody Mr. A. who has so insatiably hunted after my Life and though it is no Profit to him through the ill-will he bore me left no stone unturn'd as I have ground to believe till he brought it to this and shewed favour to Burton who ought to have died for his own Fault and not bought his Life with mine and Capt. R. who is cruel and severe to all under my Circumstances and did at that time without all Mercy or Pity hasten my Sentence and held up my Hand that it might be given all which together with the Great One of all by whose Power all these and a multitude more of Cruelties are done I do heartily and freely forgive as against me but as it is done in an implacable Mind against the Lord Christ and his Righteous Cause and Followers I leave it to him who is the Avenger of all such Wrongs who will tread upon Princes as upon Mortar and be terrible to the Kings of the Earth And know this also that though ye are seemingly fix'd and because of the Power in your Hand are writing out your Violence and dealing with a despiteful hand because of the old and new Hatred by impoverishing and every way distressing of those you have got under you yet unless you can secure Jesus Christ and all his Holy Angels you shall never do your Business nor your Hands accomplish your Enterprizes for he will be upon you e're you are aware and therefore O that you would be wise instructed and learn is the Desire of her that finds no Mercy from you ELIZABETH GAVNT POSTSCRIPT SUch as it is you have it from her who hath done as she could and is sorry she can do no better hopes you will pity and cover weakness shortness and any thing that is wanting and begs that none may be weakned or humbled at the lowness of my Spirit for God's Design is to humble and abase us that he alone may be exalted in this Day and I hope he will appear in the needful time and it may be reserves the best Wine till last as he hath done for some before me None goeth to Warfare at his own Charge and the Spirit bloweth not only where but when it listeth and it becomes me who have so often grieved quenched and resisted it to wait for and upon the Motions of the Spirit and not to murmure but I may mourn because through want of it I honour not my God nor his blessed Cause which I have so long â—â—ed and delighted to love and repent of nothing about it but that I served him and it no Latter 7. The Earl of ARGYLE â—â—E must now take a step over into Scotland that poor Country which has been harrass'd and tired for these many Years to render them perfect Slaves that they might help to enslave 〈…〉 prevent which and secure the Protestant Religion which 't was grown impossible 〈…〉 but by Arms this good Lord embark'd from Holland about the same time with the
what I write proceeds not from any fantastick Terror of Mind but from a sober Resolution of what concerns my self and earnest Desire to do you more Good after my Death than mine Example God of his Mercy pardon the badness of it in My Life-time may have done you harm I will not speak ought of the Vanity of this World your own Age and Experience will save the Labour But there is a certain Thing that goes up and down in the World called Religion dress'd and presented fantastically and to purpose bad enough which yet by such evil dealing loseth not its Being The great and good God hath not loft it without a Witness more or less sooner or later in every Man's Bosome to direct us in the pursuit of it and for the avoiding of those inextricable Difficulties and Intanglements our own frail Reason would perplex us withal God in his infinite Mercy has given us his Holy Word in which as there are many things hard to be understood to quiet our Minds and direct us concerning our future Being I confess to God and you I have been a great Neglecter and I fear Despiser of it God of his infinite Mercy pardon me that dreadful Fault but when I retired my self from the Noise and deceitful Vanities of the World I found no true Comfort in any other Resolution than what I had from thence I commend the same from the bottom of my Heart to your I hope happy use Dear Sir Hugh let us be more generous than to believe we die like Beasts that perish but with a Christian manly brave Ambition let us look to what is Eternal I will not trouble you farther The Only Great and Holy God Father Son and Holy Ghost direct you to an happy End of your Life and send us a joyful Resurrection So prays Your Dear Friend MARLBOROUGH Old James near the Coast of Holland the 24th of April 1665. I beseech you commend my Love to all my Acquaintance particularly I pray you that my Cousin Glascock may have a sight of this Letter and as many of my friends besides as you will or any else that desire it I pray grant this my Request To William Glascock Esq Dear Cousin May 23. 1665. IN case I be called away by God in this present Employment I have recommended these few Lines to you first earnestly begging God Almighty his most merciful Pardon and yours for the very bad Example and many Provocations to Sin I have given Next I do most heartily desire you to make use of your remaining Time in bestowing it upon his Service who only can be your Comfort at your Latter End when all the former Pleasures of your Life shall only leave Anguish and Remorse If God had spared me Life instead of this Paper I would through his Grace have endeavoured to have been as Assistful to you in minding you of true Piety as the care of mine own Life could have enabled me Do not think that melancholy Vapours cause this It is God's great Mercy that by this Employment hath made me know my self for which his Name be for ever praised Lastly I pray shew these few Lines to my Lord of Portland by which I in like manner and for the sarne cause crave his Pardon wishing you both the blessed Peace and Content of a good Conscience towards God and a happy End of your Lives Your truly Loving Cousin MARLBOROUGH The Gentleman who hath communicated to us these Letters sent by the Earl of Marlborough to Sir Hugh Pollard and Mr. Glascock is a Person of Quality now living in London and if any one hath the Curiosity to be satisfied from his own Mouth about the perfect certainty of the Matters therein related if he repairs to Mr. Darker in Bull-head Court near Cripplegate he will be always ready to bring any Gentleman to speak with him for further Confirmation 3. Mr. Hobbs who was so much noted in the World for his Atheistical Writings insomuch that his Book intituled The Leviathan was condemned by the Parliament in their Bill against Atheism and Profaneness Octob. 1666. and both that and his Book de Cive by the Convocation July 21. 1683. Yet the Earl of Devon's Chaplain hath left it on Record concerning him That he received the Communion from his Hands with much seeming Devotion about two Years before his Death than which there cannot be a more express Acknowledgment of the Truth of Christianity And this methinks should daunt the Confidence of his Followers the HObbists who because he was born on Good-friday are not ashamed blasphemously to say That as our Saviour Christ went out of the World on that Day to save Men of the World so another Saviour came into the World on that Day to save them Ath. Oxon. Part II. P. 483. 4. But the next Instance of the Earl of Rochester is still more convincing who as it appears by his Funeral Sermon did with very much abhorrence exclaim against that absurd and foolish Philosophy which the World so much admired and was propagated by the late Mr. Hobbs and others which had undone him and many more of the best Parts of the Nation My Lord Rochester being awak'd from his Spiritual Slumber by a pungent Sickness as appears by his Funeral Sermon preached by Mr. Parsons August 9. 1680. Upon the Preacher's first Visit to him May 26. my Lord thank'd God who had in Mercy and good Providence sent him to him who so much needed his Prayers and Counsels acknowledging how unworthily heretofore he had treated that Order of Men reproaching them that they were Proud and Prophesied only for Rewards but now he had learn'd how to value them that he esteem'd them the Servants of the most High God who were to shew to him the way to everlasting Life At the same time continues our Author I found him labouring under strange Trouble and Conflicts of Mind his Spirit wounded and his Conscience full of Terrours Upon his Journey he told me that he had been arguing with greater vigour against God and Religion than ever he had done in his Life-time before and that he was resolv'd to run them down with all the Arguments and Spite in the World but like the great Convert St. Paul he found it hard to â—ick against the Pricks for God at that time had so struck his Heart by his immediate Hand that presently he argued as strongly for God and Vertue as before he had done against it that God strangely opened his Heart creating in his Mind most awful and tremendous Thoughts and Idea's of the Divine Majesty with a delightful Contemplation of the Divine Nature and Attributes and of the Loveliness of Religion and Vertue I never said he was advanc'd thus far towards Happiness in my Life before tho' upon the commissions of some Sins extraordinary I have had some Checks and Warnings considerable from within but still struggl'd with them and so wore them off again The most observable that I remember