to Truant and Loiter here at that rare as usually we do Let no Temptation soften our Spirits into an unnecessary Repose nothing provoke us unduly to depart our Orbs to run back or start aside Let us never be weary of well-doing Particularly 1. Let us never be weary of the Duty of Prayer 'T is an excellent Exercise and such as we ought continually to be intent upon Our Saviour spoke a Parable Luke 18.1 2. unto his Disciples That Men ought always to pray and not to faint And the Apostle Col. 4.2 Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving c. And 1 Thes 5.17 Pray without ceasing And let this amongst many others be one Argument to perswade us to assiduity in this kind of Devotion viz. That God Almighty is continually from Day to Day from Night to Night serving and supplying our Necessities by the Ministry of the lower Heavens all the Hosts of the Etherial Regions are in continual employment for our Good why then should we disdain to bestow some few Minutes upon warm and serious Addresses to the God of Heaven Let neither the Day or Night go away without a Testimony of or Devotion Let not God hereafter ever cite the Sun Moon or Stars for to bear Witness to our Ingratitude You know the Story of Daniel recorded to the Honour of his Memory ' That three times every Day he open'd his Windows and set his Face towards Jerusalem and prayed to the God of Heaven Even then when pinch'd with the close Temptations of the Court under a Heathen Emperour Let us at least twice a Day do Obeisance to Heaven Offer as God appointed to the Jews a Morning and Evening Sacrifice continually Let our Altars burn with Incense at least so often and this shall not only perfume our Days and Nights and make our Conversations smell sweeter to our selves and Neighbours but a fragrant Odour in the Nostrils of the Almighty And please the Lord better than a Bullock c. Job 1.5 2. Let us praise God continually as long as we live let us praise the Lord yea let us sing praises to him whilst we have any being Psal 34.1 His Praises continue in my Mouth Psal 36.9 3. Let us be continually employed in doing Good to others And let us remember this that our God causeth his Sun to shine and Rain to descend on the just and unjust Let us try what we can to be like him like our Heavenly Father diffusing our Rays to as wide a Circuit as possibly we can not limiting our Goodness to a few individual Persons or a single Party or a narrow bound but as our Faculties will extend to the Church Catholick and the wide World in general This is to be in truth like the God of Heaven And let our Charity never be discouraged never tired To do good and to distribute forget not c. To make it plainer yet God hath given us a Copy of his Infinite Goodness in general to the whole World in the Face of the outward Heavens as of his special Goodness to the Church in the Revelation of the Gospel If we contemplate seriously the Structure and Properties and several Vertues of the Heavenly Bodies we may read there in legible Characters not only the Greatnes and Glory but the infinite Goodness also of him that made them and that to the whole Race of Mankind and that not for a Spurt a short Fit of two or three Ages but of continual Duration his Patience is indefatigable and his Beneficence reacheth to the end of Time Let us then if we will aim at Perfection and try to tread in our Father's Steps Do good unto all Men without weariness and communicate the Light of our Graces to a whole Nation a whole World if possible and never grudge to lend our Candles to the assistance of those that are about us And as for those narrow Souls that confine their Goodness to a Canton or whose Light is like that of a flaming Meteor or an Ignis Fatuâ—s or a falling Star they deserve to lie down in Darkness and never more to rise up again to Light or Glory Levit. 24.2 Cause the Lamps to burn continually 2. Let us consider a little the Employment of the Saints and Angels in Heaven 'T is pretty hard to conceive with our present Apprehensions the Business of Eternity and reconcile the Notion of a Compleat Happiness to the Exercise of a continual Devotion and yet this is handsomely represented to us in the Scheme of the heavenly Bodies the Sun Moon and Stars are never weary never decay never wander out of their place but still are exercised in a continual Motion and keep still their Brightness and Glory and yet they are inanimate sensless Creatures Why should we think it strange or absurd that the belssed Spirits in the other World should be still employed in the Offices of Devotion and yet still possess'd of Ease and Bliss And which I drive at why should we not strike up and mend our Pace at present Why do we often mutter and complain as if it were a weariness to serve the Lord And cry out When will the Sabbath be over that may return to our worldly Cares and Pleasures again Is there so much Difference indeed between Grace and Glory between the Apprentice-ship and the Profession between the Church here and hereafter Or is it possible think ye to make so quick a return from one Extream to another To be all Earth and Flesh and Sin here and Heaven and Spirit and Holiness there Or must we not a little at least be Heaven'd in our Minds now and be in a continual Motion to the End of our Happiness Having these things always in remembrance 2 Pet. 1.15 Or as Psal 119.112 Inclined to perform the Statutes of the Lord always Or Psal 1.2 Exercising our selves in his Law Day and Night And when we can do this and do it with delight we are upon the Brink of a blessed Eternity upon the Skirts of the Holy Land Upon the Borders of Heaven When our Light shines without Darkness thô it do twinkle now and then and shines continually when our Devotion doth not die with the Day but glimmers through the darkest Night then and not 'till then we are in a fair way to the Life of Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made perfect 3. Learn we hence to look for that which is lasting In this World we have no continuing City nothing durable no lasting Motion unless it be that of Changes and Vicissitudes Summer and Winter Day and Night Peace and War Health and Sickness Life and Death even the Earth changes its Face according to the Seasons and the Seas thô they flow continually they are supplied from the Clouds above and both Earth and Sea and every thing here depend upon the heavenly Bodies for that Motion and Continuance which they have In Heaven only is to be found the perpetual Motion everlasting Life
of Lot Gen. 19. of Jacob Gen. 31. of Moses Exod. 3. of Balaam Gideon Manoah Elijah c. in the Old Testament And in the Case of the Baptist's and our Saviour's Birth in the New Testament they appeared to the Two Maries Zechariah and the Shepherds Act. 10.3 Cornelius is said to have seen a Vision evidently viz. An Angel of God coming to him More may be observed by Men of Leisure and Ingenuity that will take the pains to examine their Concordance and turn over a few leaves of the Bible The greatest difficulty is with Men of an Infidel Nature not only of the Sadducean humour who Account Angels no more then Divine Praises or of the Familist's Principle who say they are meer Phantasms created for the present occasion and then presently when their Business is over manumitted into Old Vanity and Nothing but Hobbists and Scepticks and Atheists The first of which Symbolizes much with the Old Sadduces the Sceptick doubts and the Atheist flatly denies them To all which I have no more to say it being not my business now to engage in the Lists of Disputation which would swell my Book into a Volume too big for the Purses of the present Age but to submit fairly the aforesaid Texts and the following stories to the Sober and Mature consideration of the Reader Only be pleased to take this distinction along with you that Angels may appeaâ— visibly to the Eye of the mind as well as to the Eye of sense And now let us lay aside our Bible a while to humour the Infirmity of this Unbelieving Club who could be well enough content there might be Good Angels concerned for us so there were no Bad ones against us Bodinus who had it from the Mouth of the Man whom it concerned a Holy and Pious Man and an Acquaintance of Bodinus's tells us that he had a certain Spirit that did perpetually accompany him which he was then first aware of when he was about Thirty Seven years of Age but conceived that the said Spirit had been with him all his Life time as he gathered from certain Monitory Dreams and Visions whereby he was forewarned as well of several Dangers as Vices That this Spirit discovered himself to him after he had for a whole year together earnestly prayed to God to send a Good Angel to him to be the Guide and Governour of his Life and Actions adding also that before and after Prayer he used to spend two or three hours in Meditation and Reading the Scriptures diligently enquiring with himself what Religion might be the Best beseeching God that he would be pleased to direct him to it And that he did not allow of their way that at all adventures pray for Confirmation of them in that Opinion they are in whether right or wrong That whilst he was thus busy in matters of Religion he light on a passage in Philo Judeus de Srcrificiis where he Writes That a Good and Holy Man can offer no greater nor more acceptable Sacrifice to God then the oblation of himself And therefore following Philo's Counsel that he offered his Soul to God And after that amongst many other Divine Dreams and Visions he once in his sleep seemed to hear the Voice of God saying to him I will save thy Soul I am he that appeared unto thee Afterwards the Spirit would every day knock at the Door about three or four a Clock in the Morning tho he rising and opening the Door could see no body This Trouble and Boysterousness made him begin to conceit that it was some ill Spirit that thus haunted him and therefore he daily Prayed earnestly to the Lord that he would be pleased to send his Good Angel to him and often also Sung Psalms having most of them by heart Wherefore the Spirit afterwards knocked more gently at the Door and One day discovered himself to him Waking which was the first time that he was assured by his senses that it was He for he often touched and stirred a Drinking-Glass that stood in his Chamber which did not a little amaze him Two days after when he entertained a Friend of his Secretary to the King his Friend was much abashed while he heard the Spirit thumping on the Bench hard by him and was strucken with fear but he bid him be of good courage there was no hurt towards him and the better to assure him of it told him the truth of the whole matter From that time saith Bodinus he did affirm that this Spirit was always with him and by some sensible Sign did ever advertise him of things as by striking his Right Ear if he did any thing amiss if otherwise his left If any body came to Circumvent him his right Ear was struck but his left if a good Man and to good Ends accosted him If he was about to Eat or Drink any thing that would hurt him or intended to do any ill Action he was inhibited by a Sign and if he delayed to follow his Business he was quickened by a Sign given him When he began to Praise God in Psalms and to declare him Marvellous Acts he was presently raised and strengthened by a Supernatural Power He daily begg'd of God that he would teach him his Will and set one day of the Week a part for meditation and Reading the Scripture and Singing of Psalms and did not stir out of his House all that day But in his ordinary Conversation he was sufficiently merry and of a cheerful mind for which he cited that saying Vidi facies sanctorum letas But in his conversing with others if he had talked Vainly and Indiscreetly or had some days together neglected his Devotions he was forthwith Admonished thereof by a Dream He was also Admonished to rise betime every Morning about four a Clock with a Voice coming to him while he was asleep saying Who gets up first to Pray He was often Admonish'd likewise to give Alms and observed the more Charity he bestowed the more Prosperous he was On a time when his Enemies sought after his Life knowing he was to go by Water his Father in a Dream brought two Horses to him the one white the other Bay and thereupon he bid his Man hire him two Horses and tho he said nothing of the Colours his Man brought him a White Horse and a Bay one In all Difficulties Journeyings c. He us'd to ask Counsel of God and one Night when he had begg'd his Blessing while he slept he saw a Vision wherein his Father seemed to Bless him At another time when in great danger and was newly gone to Bed he said the Spirit would not let him alone till he had raised him again whereupon he watched and prayed all that Night the day after he escap'd the hands of his Persecutors in a wonderful manner which done in his next sleep he heard a Voice saying Now Sing Qui sedet in latibulo altissimi c. He once attempting to speak to this
Saturday came to my House Incognito to know of me the truâ—h of the Countrey Report about this Maid having seen some of the Nails c. she had vomited up I told him it was very true and if he would stay in Town till the Morning he might see it himself for his own satisfaction VVhich he did and early in the Morning was called to see her But because Beer was not given her when she wanted it she lay in a very deplorable Condition till past Two in the Afternoon when with much difficulty she brought up a piece of Brass which the said Gentleman took away with him though before the piece of Brass came up he told me he was satisfied of the Truth of the thing because it was impossible for any Mortal to counterfeit her miserable condition She sometimes lying in a dead Fit with her Tongue swelled out of her Head and then reviving she would fall to vomiting but nothing came out till about two a Clock in the Afternoon Nay so curious waâ—â—he to anticipate any Cheat that he searcht her Mouth himself gave her the beer held her up in his Hand and likewise the Bason into which she vomited and continued with her all this time without Eating and Drinking which was about Eight Hours that he might be an Eye-witness of the Truth of it Nay further he found the Maid living only with a Brother and Three poor Sisters all young Persons and very honest and the Maid kept at the charge of the Parish which were sufficient Testimonies they were uncapable of making a Cheat of it The Gentleman I now mentioned was as I afterward learn'd Esquire Player of Castle-Cary I have often wondred how it was possible for all that Trumpery to be conveyed into her Body which at Intervals she cast up I therefore made all the Observation I could to satisfie my self and others I found that those things which she brought up in the Morning were conveyed into her Body by some Diabolical Power when she was in Bed at Night what induced me easily to believe this was by considering these following Circumstances That it was only in the Morning that she vomitted up Nails and scarce did any thing in the Afternoon I found by Enquiry that she always slept with her Mouth open and could not help it and when asleep she could not be awakened either by calling jogging or pulling of her for some considerable time though at the same time she fetch'd such deep and painful Groans as if she were awaked and sensible of her sad Condition For my farther satisfaction I got some at my own Charge to sit up at Nights with her and watch her Mouth and to see it was kept close shut Whilst this was done the Vomiting of Nails ceased and that for Thirteen Nights successively but when it was neglected she would be sure to bring up something of Nails or some such Stuff I then had her lodged at a Neighbour's House to see whether her vomitting of Nails would totally cease but it did not For coming one Day to my House to refresh her self she had not been there Two Hours before she began to be ill we immediately gave her some Beer and she vomited up a great Board Nail Some time after this she threw up a great piece of Brass which I saw followed with much Blood and she being extreamly weakened with striving and falling into a Fit I caused a Woman to open her Mouth who took out as much Blood as she could hold in the hollow of her Hand After the Assizes afore-mentioned was ended and she was turned Home she grew worse than ever by Vomitting of Nails pieces of Glass c. And falling one Day into a violent Fit she was swelled to an extraordinary bigness some Beer being given her she threw up several pieces of Bread and Butter besmeared with poysonous Matter which I judged to be Mercury This so much affrighted the Neighbours that they would come no more near her So that one Day she being taken desperate ill I was sent for to pray with her and compassionating the Deplorablenels of her Condition I at last resolved to take her into my own House where in a short time the Vomiting ceased though for some space her Distorting Fits followed her But blessed be God is now and has been for a considerable time last past in very good Health and fit for a Service April 4th 1691. May-Hill Minister of Beckington in the County of Somerset 15. In the beginning of the late War Colonel Bowen in Glamorganshire being oppressed by the King's Party took Arms under the Earl of Essex and by his Valour obtained a good Repute in the Army so that in a short time he got the Command of Lieutenant Colonel But as soon as the heat of the VVar was abated his Case and Preferment led him to a careless and sensual Life and he became an absolute Atheist denying Heaven or Hell God or Devil acknowledging only a Power as the Heathens did Fate accounting Temporal Pleasures all his expected Heaven So that at last he became hateful and hating all Civil Society and his nearest Relations About December last he being in Ireland and his Wife a Pious Gentlewoman living in his House in Glamorgan was very much troubled one Night with a great Noise much like the sound of a Whirl-wind and a violent beating of the Doors or Walls as if the whole house were falling in Pieces And being in her Chamber with most of her Family after Praying to the Lord accounting it Sinful Incredulity to yield to fear she went to Bed and suddenly after there appeared unto her something like her Husband and asked her whether he should come to Bed she sitting up and Praying to the Lord told him he was not her Husband and that he should not He urged more earnestly What! Not the Husband of thy Bosom What! Not the Husband of thy Bosom Yet had no Power to hurt her And she together with some Godly People spent the Night in Prayer being very often Interrupted by this Apparition The next Night Mr. Miles a Godly Minister with four other Godly Men came to watch and pray in the House that Night and so continued in Prayer and other Duties of a Religion without any Interruption or Noise at all that Night But the Night following the Gentle woman with several other Godly Women being in the House the noise of a Whirl-wind began again with more violence than formerly and the Apparition walked in the Chamber having an unsufferable stench like that of a putrified Carcass filling the Room with a thick smoak smelling like Sulphur Darkening the Light of the Fire and Candle but not quite Extinguishing it sometimes going down the Stairs and coming up again with a fearful Noise disturbing them in their Prayers one while with the sound of words which they could not discern otherwise striking them so that the next Morning their Faces week black with the smoak and their
had hearde of such an old Parrot when he came to Brasil and tho' he believed nothing of it and it was a good way off yet he had so much Curiosity as to send for it and that it was a very great and a very old one and when it came first into the Room where the Prince was with a great many Dutchmen about him it said presently What a Company of white Men are here They asktâ— it what he thought that Man was pointing at the Prince It answer'd Some General or other When they brought it close to him he ask'd it Dou venez vous whence came you it answer'd De Mariuuau from Mariuuau The Prince A qui est es vous to whom do you belong The Parrot a una Portuguez to a Portugueze Prince Que fais tula What do you there Parrot Je garde le poulles I look after the Chickens The Prince laughed and said Vous garde le poulles You look after the Chickens The Patrot answer'd Ouy moy Je scay bieu faire Yes I and I know well enough how to do it and then made a Chuck four or five times that People use to make when they call the Chickens I set down the Words of this worthy Dialogue in French just as Prince Maurice said them to me I ask'd him in what Language the Parrot spoke and he said in Brasilian I ask'd whether he understood Brasilian he said No but he had taken Care to have two Interpreters by him the one a Dutchman that spoke Brasilian the other a Brasilian that spoke Dutch that he asked them separately and privately and both of them agreed in telling him just the same thing that the Parrot said I could not saith Sir William but tell this odd Story because it is so much out of the way and from the first Hand and what may pass for a good one For I dare say this Prince at least believed himself all that he told me having ever passsed for an honest and pious Man I leave it to Naturalists to Reason and other Men to believe as they please upon it Thus that excellent Person Dr. Burthogge's Essay upon Reason c. p. 19 20 c. It may be this Story is not very properly asserted in this place but I Quaere whether or no it may not give some Light to the solving of that Aenigmatical Story of the Devil in the Serpent and the speaking Ass mentioned by Moses 6. Memorable is that famous Story in Wierus of Magdalena Crucia first a Nun and then an Abbatess of a Nunnery in Corduba in Spain Those things which were Miraculous in her were these That she could tell almost at any distance how the Affairs of the World went what Consultations or Transactions there were in all the Nations of Christendom from whence she got to her self the Reputation of a very holy Woman and a great Prophetess But other things came to pass by her or for her sake no less strange and miraculous As that at the Celebrating of the Holy Eucharist the Priest should always want one of his round Wafers which was secretly conveyed to Magdalen by the Administration of Angels as was supposed and she receiving of it into her Mouth eat it in the view of the People to their great Astonishment and high Reverence of the Saint At the Elevation of the Host Magdalen being near at hand but yet a Wall betwixt that the Wall was conceived to open and to exhibit Magdalen to the view of them in the Chappel and that thus she partaked of the Consecrated Bread When this Abbatess came into the Chappel her self upon some special Day she would set off the Solemnity of the Day by some notable and conspicuous Miracle for she would sometimes be lifted up above the ground three or four Cubits high other sometimes bearing the Image of Christ in her Arms weeping savourly she would make her Hair to increase to that length and largeness that it would come to her Heels and cover her all over and the Image of Christ in her Arms which anon notwithstanding would shrink up again to its usual size with a many such specious though unprofitable Miracles But you will say That the Narrative of these things is not true but they are Feigned for the Advantage of the Roman Religion and so it was profitable for the Church to Forge them and record them to posterity A man that is unwilling to admit of any thing supernatural would please himself with this general shuffle and put off But when we come to the Catastrophe of the Story he will find it quite othewise For this Saint at last began to be suspected for a Sorceress as it is thought and she being conscious did of her own accord to save her self make confession of her Wickedness to the Visitors of the Order as they are called Viz. That for thirty years she had been Married to the Devil in the shape of an Aethiopian that another Devil Servant to this when his Master was at dalliance with her in her Cell supplied her place amongst the Nuns at their publick Devotions That by virtue of this Contract she made with this Spirit she had done all those Miracles she did Upon this Confession she was Committed and while she was in durance yet she appeared in her devout Postures praying in the Chappel as before at their set Hours of Prayer which being told to the Visitors by the Nuns there was a strict Watch over her that she should not stir out never theless she appeared in the Chappel as before tho she were really in the Prison Now what Credit or Advantage there can be to the Roman Religion by this story let any Man Judge wherefore it is no sigment of the Priests or Religious Persons nor Melancholy nor any such Matter for how could so many Spectators at once be deluded by melancholy but it ought to be deemed a real Truth And this Magdalena Crucia appearing in two several places at once it is manifest that there is such a thing as Apparitions of Spirits More 's Antid against Atheism l. 3. c. 4. 7. It may not be impertinent here to relate a certain Story out of Sozomen concerning Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch was upon a time walking in the Streets of the City and a Raven flying towards him croaking a Heathen that stood by observing it began to deride and reproach him for it as if he had been a Praestigator or Conjurer and so making towards him ask'd in derision What the Raven said to him He modestly Smiling answered in Latine Cras To Morrow For he Dictates unto you That to Morrow will be a bitter Day For to Morrow you shall receive the Emperor's Edict That you shall Celebrate no more your Heathenish Solemnities And accordingly it came to pass for the next Day the Magistrates received Orders from the Roman Emperor That the Heathen Gods should be no more worshipped but destroyed utterly with all
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
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
sometime seen the Courage and Constancy of the Laird of Grang. See this Passage under the Head of Discovery of Things secret or future by Impulses The next Day Knox gave Order for the making of his Coffin continuing all the Day in fervent Prayer crying Come Lord Jesus sweet Jesus into thy hands I commend my Spirit Being ask'd whether his Pains were great he answered That he did not esteem that a Pain which would be to him the end of all Troubles and the beginning of Eternal Joys Oft after some deep Meditation he used to say Oh! serve the Lord in Fear and Death shall not be troublesome to you Blessed is the Death of those that have part in the Death of Jesus The Night before his Death he slept some Hours with great unquietness often sighing and groaning And being ask'd why he mourned so heavily he answered In my Life-time I have been assaulted with Temptations from Satan and he hath oft cast my Sins into my Teeth to drive me to Despair yet God gave me Strength to overcome all his Temptations But now the subtil Serpent takes another course seeking to perswade me that all my Labours in the Ministry and the Fidelity that I have shewed in that Service hath not merited Heaven and Immortality But blessed be God that brought to my Mind these Scriptures What hast thou that thou hast not received And Not I but the Grace of God in me With which he is gone away ashamed and shall no more return And now I am sure that my Battle is at an end and that without pain of Body or trouble of Spirit I shall shortly change this Mortal and miserable Life with that Happy and Immortal Life that shall never have end After which one Praying by his Bed asked him after he had done If he heard the Prayer Yea said he and would to God all present had heard it with such an Ear and Heart as I. Adding Lord Jesus receive my Spirit With which words without any motion of Hands or Feet he fell asleep aged 62. A. C. 1572. The Earl of Murray when the Corpse was put into the Ground saying Here lies the Body of him who in his Life-time never feared the face of any Man Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 323 324. 41. Henry Bullinger in his last Sickness endured the sharpest Pains for four Months with an admirable Patience caused the Pastors and Professors of the City to come to him unto whom he delivered a large Oration wherein he thanked them for their Love opened to them his Faith freely forgave all his Enemies exhorted them to Constancy and Unity commended the Care of the Church and Publick School in Writing to the Senate desired that Rodolphus Gualterus might be his Successor c. And so in the midst of his Extremities sometimes repeating the 16 sometimes the 42 and sometimes the 51 Psalms sometimes the Lord's Prayer sometimes other Prayers at the last as one going to sleep he quietly yielded his Soul into the hands of God Sept. 18. 1575. aged 71. Ibid. p. 339. 42. Mr. Edw. Deering to his Friends on his Death-bed upon occasion of the Sun shining said There is but one Sun in the World nor but one Righteousness one Communion of Saints if I were the most Excellent of all Creatures in the World equal in Righteousness to Abraham Isaac and Jacob yet had I reason to confess my self to be a sinner and to expect Salvation only in the Righteousness of Jesus Christ for we all stand in need of the Grace of God As for my Death I bless God I feel so much inward Joy and Comfort that if put 〈◊〉 my choice whether to die or live I would a Thousand times rather chuse Death if it so stand with the Holy Will of God Ibid. p. 342. 43. Boquine in the Year 1582. on a Lord's-day preached twice and in the Evening heard another Sermon then supped chearfully and after Supper refreshed himself by walking abroad then went to visit a sick Friend and whilst he was comforting of him he found his own Spirits begin to sink and running to his Servant he said unto him Pray adding Lord receive my Soul and so departed in the Lord. Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 349. 44. Mr. Gilpin finding Death to approach him commanded the Poor to be called together unto whom he made a Speech and took his leave of them he did so likewise by others made many Exhortations to the Scholars and to divers others and so at last fell asleep in the Lord Anno 1583. aged 66. Ibid. p. 360. 45. Olevian in his Sickness made his Will and by Pious Meditations prepared for Death declared that he had learned by that Sickness to know the greatness of Sin and the greatness of God's Majesty more than ever he had done before To John Piscator coming to visit him he said that the day before for four hours together he had been filled with ineffable Joy for said he I thought I was in a most pleasant Meadow in which as I walked up and down I was besprinkled with a Heavenly Dew and that not sparingly but plentifully where both my Body and Soul were filled with unspeakable Joy To whom Piscator made answer That good Shepherd Jesus Christ lead thee into fresh Pastures yea said Olevian to the Springs of Living Waters Afterwards having repeated some Sentences full of Comfort out of Psal 42. Isa 9. and Mat. 11. he often said I would not have my Journey to God any longer deferred I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And so bidding Farewel to his Colleagues and Friends in the Agony of Death Alsted asking if he were sure of his Salvation in Christ He answered Most sure and so gave up the Ghost Anno 1587. aged 51. Ibid. p. 376. 47. George Sohnius of Fribourg in Wetteraw bore his last Sickness with much Patience and with fervent Prayer often repeating O Christ thou art my Redeemer and I know that thou hast redeemed me I wholly depend upon thy Providence and Mercy from the very bottom of my Heart I commend my Spirit into thy Hands And so he slept in the Lord Anno Christi 1589. aged 38 Ibid. p. 385. 48. James Andreas born in Waibling at Wittenberg falling sick sent for James Herbrand saying I expect that after my Death many Adversaries will rise up to asperse me and therefore I sent for thee to hear the Confession of my Faith that so thou mayest witness for me when I am dead and gone that I died in the True Faith The same Confession he made also before the Pastors and Deacons of Tubing The Night before his Death he slept partly upon his Bed and partly in his Chair When the Clock struck Six in the Morning he said My â—our draws near He gave Thanks to God for bestowing Christ for revealing his Will in his Word for giving him Faith and the like Benefits And when ready to depart he said Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit
him a thousand Blessings and God at the same time made him also taste in his Mind ineffable Consolations but above all he knew not how to express those Comforts he felt in the Holy Assemblies and particularly in those where he administred the Lord's Supper In the mean time he had daily Experience of a very remarkable thing which the rest of God's Servants did doubtless experience as well as he and that is that thô he were surrounded with an Army of Enernies who ran about and made continual Search after him to take him yet while he was in these Religious Meetings and opened his Mouth to call upon the Name of the Lord to sing his Holy Praises and to preach his Word he had commonly as calm a Mind as if he had been in a free Country and the like Tranquility he also enjoyed when he took his Pen in Hand to labour for the Advancement of God's Kingdom and for the Consolation of his desolated Church and if God shall be pleased to favour him with Life and Means to publish some Works which he has composed in the midst of so many Dangers and which he sent to the Court for to vindicate the Doctrine which he preached the Reader will doubtless be surprized that amidst so many Troubles he could be possest with a Mind so calm as to write Things of that nature but God perfecteth his Strength in the Weakness of his Children On the other hand he had the Comfort to be a Witness of all the Wonders which God did for the Salvation of his poor People he could not but admire the Graces he bestowed on so many faithful Servants which he raised up daily in an extraordinary manner who were weak and contemptible in the Eyes of the Flesh but whom he strengthned by his Spirit whereby he accompanied at the same time his Word with a wonderful efficacy and of which many from time to time sealed the Truth by their own Blood with an unshaken Constancy thô they were pleased to Honour him so far as to look upon him as their Brother and Colleague in the Work of the Lord and that they esteemed him also as a Person to whom God was pleased to give greater Degrees of Light than to many others and that he edified then by his Conversation yet he never compared the Graces which they had received of the Lord with those which it pleased God to bestow upon him but that he found very great matter of Humiliation administred to him and that he esteemed those faithful Servants of God much more excellent than himself he saw plainly that God was pleased to lay up Treasures in Earthen Vessels that it was his Spirit which made those dumb Ones to speak which drew forth Praises from the Mouths of those little Babes and which made those mystical Stones to cry out One Night as he was going towards a place which he had appointed for a Meeting as he drew nigh unto it be heard the Voice of a Person who spake in the midst of the People whereupon he drew somewhat nigher and finding that he who spoke prayed to God he fell down upon his Knees as 't is a constant usage in the Religious Meetings of France and there be heard a long and excellent Prayer wherewith he was much edified when it was ended he drew nigh to the Person that pray'd and he found him to be a young Man and a poor Trades-man to whom he said Brother if you be disposed to make some Exhortation to the People you may proceed Alack replied that poor Trades-man how hould I do it I can neither Write nor Read Some time after this young Man as he went from place to place to pray for the Consolation of the People being taken with another young Man named Compan who together with him did what he could in that kind for the Peoples support they were both of them condemned to the Gallies and suffered their Punishment boldly confessing the Name of the Lord. I have noted before that Brousson had made choice of Henry Poutant for his Guide and Companion in the Work he was engaged in who was a young Man of about Five and twenty Years old full of Zeal and Piety and of unblamable Life and who having learnt to write in the Woods while he was with Brousson he put him upon Copying his Sermons as he had done himself and to disperse them in such Places where himself could not go to preach the Gospel But as he had Copied about a Dozen and that he saw that Brousson who had declined in his Health was then sick at Nismes he told him he was very desirous to go and visit their Brethren from place to place and read his Sermons unto them which Proposal being well liked of by Brousson he recommended him to the Grace of God and so Poutant went from place to place labouring every-where for the Instruction and Comfort of his Brethren when he had got together some faithful Ones he began with the Confession of Sin then sung a Psalm after which he pray'd again the second time to implore the Aid of the Holy Spirit in the succeeding Exercise then he read some Chapter in the Scripture and some Sermon the reading whereof was followed by a warm Exhortation which he made to those that were present upon the Things which they had heard and lastly he concluded the whole with an excellent Prayer which he made with admirable servour of Spirit as Brousson found that God bestowed a particular Blessing on his Labour he told him when he returned to him That he ought to continue his Work it was what himself greatly desired but finding Brousson somewhat re-established in his Health and that he was now in a Condition himself to go and preach the Gospel in Person as he had constantly done by Writing during the time of his Sickness by sending up and down Copies of his Sermons among the Faithful he had some regret to abandon Brousson knowing the need he had of his assistance for Poutant knew perfectly well all the Country whereas another faithful Friend whom Brousson had pitched upon for his Companion and who had already been some time with him did not know it near so well but Brousson told him he had rather want his assistance than that the People should be deprived of the Edification which they might receive by his Labours and that God who knew the sincerity of his Intentions would take care of him insomuch that being separated from him after that Brousson had again recommended him to the Grace of God God hath since that time done great things by his Ministry Brousson on his part set himself again to gather Meetings but as he found himself still very feâ—ble he could not from thence forward but every Eighth Day or thereabouts exercise his Function in the mean time he found the Zeal of the People much inflamed during his Sickness whether arising from the fear they had of being deprived of
and Visions p 47 Chap. 9. Of Prediction by Impulses c. p. 54 Chap. 10. Of Divination Southsaying Witchcraft p. 56 Chap. 11. Of Astrology p. 60 Chap. 12. Of Oracles p. 62 Chap. 13. Of Prophets p. 64 Chap. 14. Of Urim and Thummim Teraphim c. p. 67 Chap. 15. Premonitions of general Changes or Revolutions p. 69 Chap. 16. Premonitions of particular Changes or Accidents of Life containing great variety of late Instances p. 71. Chap. 17. Promises fulfill'd p. 81 Chap. 18. Strange Convictions or Conversions with many late Instances of that nature p. 83 Chap. 19. Strange ways of Restraining Persons from Sin in several remarkable Instances of it p. 94 Chap. 20. Strange ways of promoting Salvation p. 95 Chap. 21. Wants strangely supplied p. 97. Chap. 22. Strange Instances of Consolation and Protection in dangers containing 1. Personal deliverances and comforts 2. Sea-dangers and deliverances 3. Princes and Magistrates delivered from Plots p. 99 to 120 Cha. 23. The Innocent strangely cleared p. 120 Chap. 24. Doubts strangely resolved and the weak confirmed p. 123. Chap. 25. The Modest and Humble strangely advanced p. 125 Chap. 26. Persons strangely admonished of sins or dangers p. 126. Chap. 27. Remarkable instances of Faith p. 128. Chap. 28. Remarkable courage and boldness p. 129. Chap. 29. Remarkable Patience p. 130. Chap. 30. Remarkable Prudence p. 132. Chap. 31. Remarkable Justice p. 133. Chap. 32. Remarkable Temperance in â—eats p. 135. Chap. 33. Remarkable Temperance in Drinks p. 136. Chap. 34. Remarkable Frugality and Humility in Cloaths Houshold-stuff c. p. 137 Chap. 35. Remarkable Humility in Behaviour p. 139 Chap. 36. Remarkable Veracity and Love of Truth p. 1 2d Alphabet Chap. 37. Remarkable Friendship p. 2. 2d Al. Chap. 38. Remarkable Hospitality p. 3. 2d Al. Chap. 39. Remarkable charity and liberality in Giving p. 6. 2d Alph. Chap. 40. Remarkable charity in judging â—nd forgiving p. 10. 2d Alph. Chap. 41. Remarkable Instances of Munificence p. 11. 2d Alph. Chap. 42. Remarkable chastity p. 16. 2d Alph. Chap. 43. Remarkable meekness quietness and peaceableness p. 17. 2d Alph. Chap. 44. Remark moderation and zeal for reconciling church differences p. 18. 2d Alph. Chap. 45. Retractations of censorious Protestants p. 20 2d Alph. Chap. 46. Good People extreamly afflicted and mightily comforted with several late instances of Persons troubled in mind p. 21 2d Alph. Chap. 47. Remarkable Gratitude p. 26 2d Alph. Chap 48. Remarkable diligence laboriousness and studiousness p. 27 2d Alph. Chap. 49. Remarkable instances of contempt of wealth p. 29 2d Alph. Chap. 50. Remarkable silence or reservedness of Men c. as also of retirement p. 30 2d Alph. Chap. 51. Good Wives remarkable Chap. 52. Good Husbands remarkable p. 41 2d Alph. Chap. 53. Good Children remarkable p. 42 2d Alph. Chap. 54. An account of the conversions of little Children being about 50 in number and most of this present age p. 43 2d Alph. Chap. 55. Good Parents remarkable p. 52. 2d Alph. Chap. 56. Good Servants remarkable p. 53 2d Alph. Chap. 57. Good Masters and Mistresses remarkable p. 54 2d Alph. Chap. 58. Good Pastors Bishops and Ministers p. 55 2d Alph. Chap. 59. Reverence to learned or good Men p. 55 2d Alph. Chap. 60. People loving and kind to their Ministers p. 58 2d Alph. Chap. 61. Remarkable Zeal and Devotion to this Chap. is added Mr. Albin's Evidences for Heaven subscrib'd as sufficient grounds of assurance by Mr. Calamy and other Divines which Evidences were never Printed before p. 59 2d Alph. Chap. 62. Remarkable zeal and charity in propogating Religion by Mr. Boil and oothers in several parts of the World p. 72 2d Alph. Chap. 63. Remarkable devotion in singing Psalms and Hymns of Praise p. 76 2d Alph. Chap. 64. Persons remarkable for good Discourse p. 78 2d Alph. Chap. 65. Remarkable devotion on the Lords Day p. 79. 2d Alph. Chap. 66. Remarkable love of the Holy Scripture p. 81 2d Alph. Chap. 67. Present retribution to the Faithful p. 86 2d Alph. Chap. 68. Present retribution to Plain and faithful reprovers p. 86 2d Alph. Chap. 69. Present retribution to the humble and modest p. 87 2d Alph. Chap. 70. Present retribution to the Just p. 88 2d Alph. Chap. 71. Present retribution to the Temperate p. 89 2d Alph. Chap. 72. Present retribution to the Devout and Praying or Prayers answered in kind in several late Instances p. 90. 2d Alph. Chap. 73. Present retribution to the charitable p. 93 3d Alph. beginning with a single Letter Chap. 74. Present retribution to the observers of Sabbaths p. 97 3d Alph. Chap. 75. Present retribution to them that have been Obedient to Parents p. 98. 3d Alph. Chap. 76. Present retribution to the peaceable and quiet p. 99 3d Alph. Chap. 77. Present retribution to the merciful p. 100 3d Alph. Chap. 78. Earnest of a future retribution p. 101 3d Alph. Chap. 79. Protection of the good in danger p. 105 3d Alph. Chap. 80. Guidance of the good through difficulties p. 107 3d Alph. Chap. 81. Persons strangely fitted for great Employments p. 108. 3d Alph. Chap. 82. Miraculous cures of diseases in this present age p. 109. 3d Alph. Chap. 83. Satan and evil Spirits permitted to hurt the good in their names p. 120. 3d. Alph. Chap. 84. Satan permitted to hurt the good in their health of Body p. 121 3d Al. Chap. 85. Satan permitted to hurt the good in their Estates p. 127. 3d Alph. Chap. 86. Satan permitted to hurt the good in their Souls p. 128. 3d Alph. Chap. 87. Satan permitted to disturb the quiet and peace of persons or families c. p. 132. 3d. Alph. Chap. 88. Satan hurting by charms spells amulets c. p. 134. 3d Alph. Chap. 89. Satan hurting by interposing with melancholy diseases p. 135. 3d Al. Chap. 90. Satan hurting by temptations injections c. p. 136. 3d Al. Chap. 91. Satan hurting by dreams p. 137. 3d Al. Cha. 92. Satan hurting by witchcraft p. 138. 3d. Al. Chap. 93. Satan restrained in hurting the good p. 151. concluding the 3d Al. of the single Letter Chap. 94. Satan hurting by obsessions possessions c. p. 1. beginning another 3d Alph. with a double Letter Chap. 95. Satan hurting by storms p. 2. 3d Al. Chap. 96. Satan hurting by Apparitions p. 4. 3d Al. Chap. 97. Satan hurting by false Promises or Threatnings p. 5. 3d Al. Chap. 98. Divine Judgments by way of retaliation p. 6. 3d Al. Chap. 99. Divine Judgments upon superstition p. 8. 3d Al. Chap. 100. Divine judgments upon blasphemy and profaneness p. 9. 3d Al. Chap. 101. Divine judgments on scoffers at other Men's imperfections or such as counterfeited to have them when they had them not p. 12. 3d Al. Ch. 102. Divine judgments on Atheism p. 13. 3d Al. Ch. 103. Divine Judgments on cursing p. 14. 3d Al. Chap. 104. Divine judgments upon swearing c. p. 16. 3d Al. Chap. 105. Divine judgments upon sabbath-breakers p. 18. 3d
Given at Amsterdam Nov. 23 1686. Signed Magendie heretofore Minister of Orthez in Bearne M. Garfin another Minister of the said Church of Orthez declares the like and cites his Brother in Law de Roux for the witness thereof as also M. Clarier a Lawyer of the same City who inform'd him that the Curate of the Place and a certain Priest call'd Dusan and Monsieur Lichbigarai another Lawyer and a Brother of the Curate called M. de la Roque who sent to search out a certain Popish Damsel to know of her if it were true that she had said that she had heard this Singing of Psalms and that she told them Yea c. Given at Amsterdam Sept. 23. 1689. Signed Garfin Minister One Peter Mauberg of the City of Orthez hath signed the same thing as doth also one M. Bergerit and John de la Bordotten and Madamoiselle Deformalagues adding withal that her Ears were entertained with a Melody so ravishing that she never heard any thing like it and that she heard many Persons say they could plainly and distinctly hear the first Verse of the Forty Second Psalm Like as the Hart doth breath and bray c. Others that they heard the whose Psalm sung M. de Brassalay a Person of Honour and acknowledged such by all that knew him hath abundantly attested the same thing Dr. Faur a Physitian and Papist and Magistrate of the same City confessed that he heard it c. It were too tedious to give the Reader all the Certificates that have been made of it these I have cited are enough to silence the Objections of any Reader that is not resolved to be incredulous above the common rate of Mankind But neither was it heard here only but the like hath happen'd in Cevenues together with the bearing of Drums as hath been certified by the Affidavits of no less than Four several Credible Persons viz. Barjune Minister of S. Marselle in Cevenues La Roquette Minister of Manoblet Saligne de Marnis in Cevenues M. Jane de Vignoles c. Hic consulat lector Athanasium de subtil Demon. One of the most Astonishing Passages that I my self have been witness of of this nature and which happened in my own House is that which follows In the Year 1683 whilst I lived at Shipley my Wife took a Neighbour's Daughter Mary Holland by Name to be her Servant aged about 16 or 17 Years jolly and corpulent honest humble and innocent free from all Pride and Guile naturally so far as I could judge but of no sharp Intellectuals nor extraordinary Knowledge constant to her private Prayers so far as we could make Observation Her Parents were Persons of god same and great hospitality and lived fashionably and plentifully as any of the Parish This Damsel having fetcht in Water to brew with the next day she went to Bed that Night fell into a deep Sleep as she was by Nature inclined to do presently but which was extraordinary next Morning she could not be awaked And so she continued all that Day and till the middle of the Third Night The Physician taking the Distemper for a Coma gave his Advice accordingly but without Success Her Parents gave Order for Two Women to watch with her the Third Night About Midnight I and my Wife lying in the next Chamber and hearing her talk sensibly to the Women rose up and went to her Bed-side asking her how she did She replied What do you think of me To which I answered by way of Question again whether she meant concerning her Bodily Health or Salvation Turning to my Wife she ask'd Mistress what do you think Shall I be saved or no To whom my Wife said how do you think to be saved by your Faith or Works She answered by her Works But recalling the Words again after a little pause she said O no! it must not be by my works it must be by saith in Jesus Christ After some more Discourse upon this point I ask'd her if I should pray by her She answered Yes if you please Upon which we all kneeled down she her self of her own accord putting her self into that posture in bed In the midst of Prayers she broke out into such passionate and strange Expressions as seemed to have proceeded from a sense of some Extraordinary Assault from Devils I was strangely surprized and thought it advisable to make a stop in my Prayers and give my self and the company a little time to make observation upon this strange Occurrence She continued her passionate conflict in words which have slipt my memory Afterwards I prayed again and she fell into an Agony as before After Prayer she desired to see her Parents and was afraid she should not see them before she died We promised her to send presently for them which we did But she fearing they would not come in due time ask'd for my little Daughter Pat and the key of her Box which we were not willing to give her alledging that we had purposely delivered up the key to her Mother the day before and tho she had put it into our hands again yet it would not look well in us to part with it till she returned c. In the mean time I told her if she had any thing to say we would report it truly to her Father and Mother when they came and we doubted not but they would consent to the Execution of her Will Upon which she bequeath'd a little box with some Money in it to Pat her best Cloaths to such and her old ones to such and such Persons adding withal If my Father and Mother please And after this she called one of the Women that attended to whisper something to her in the Ear which we heard not the Women said afterwards it was about an Egg that they had purloyned from my Wife After this was over and all calm I prayed with her again and she was attack'd again as before Upon which I by and by left off and with my Pen in my hand Noted down these following Expressions which I deliver to the World for an Aâ—igma desiring a candid solution of it Men of a licentious wit may banter any thing The Bible and Providence and God himself Bar give me a sober Judgment upon the following Expressions He comes the Serpent he comes in now there 's nothing now but Devils Here 's another Man is come now and hath taken the Pen our of my hand But 't is no matter I am He that have Prayed for you all this while For Christ's sake come take me out here for Christ's sake For Christ's sake for Christ's sake for Christ's sake Lord have mercy Lord never forsake Lord never forsake Lord never forsake me c. For the Lord's sake don't forget me Lord God do not forget me Don't forsake me now Lord send thy hand That 's the Man hath begg'd for you so long They will not let me come they will not let me come they will not let me come
an Angel that gave the Boy Bread and Cheese Manlius Folio 17. Batman's Doom p. 421. 18. Mr. Patrick Simpson's Wife Martha Barson in her last Sickness was sorely Assaulted by Satan who suggested to her that she should be given over into his hands And it ended in a Visible Distraction which for a time grew upon her So that most unlike to her former practice she would break forth into dreadful and horrid Expressions and it was most violent on a Sabbath Morning when Mr. Simpson was going to Preach whereupon with an heavy Countenance he stood silent for a time and at last kneeled down and Prayed which she no whit regarded After which he turned to the Company that were present and said that he was sure that they who were now Witnesses of that sad hour should yet see a Gracious change and that the Devil's Malice against that poor Woman should have a shameful toil Her Distraction still continued untill Tuesday August the Ninth which Morning at the very dawning of it he went into his Garden and shut the Door where for many hours he was alone But a Godly VVoman one Mrs. Helen Garner VVife to one of the Bayliffs of Sterling who had been with his VVife all Night apprehending that Mr. Simpson might much wrong himself by much grief and fasting by some help she did climb over into the Garden But as she came near to the place where Mr. Simpson was she was terrified with an Extraordinary Noise which made her fall to the Ground It seemed to her like a mighty Rushing of Multitudes running together and withal she heard such a Melodious sound as made her Judge that it was more then humane VVhereupon she prayed to God to pardon her Rashness which her Affections to that Good Man of God had carried her to Yet afterwards going forwards she found him lying upon the ground she earnestly intreated him to tell her what he had from God He whom she had promised not to reveal it so long as he lived said O what am I being but Dust and Ashes that the Holy ministring Spirit should be sent by the Lord to deliver a message to me Adding that he had seen a Vision of Angels who did with an audible Voice give him an Answer from the Lord concerning his Wife's condition And returning into his House he said to all that were present Be of good cheer for e're ten hours be past I am sure that this Brand shall be plucked out of the Fire After praying by his VVife's Bed-side and making mention of Jacob's wrestling in Prayer she sate upright in the Bed and drawing aside the Curtain said Thou art this day Jacob who hast wrestled and also prevailed And now God hath made good his words which he spake this Morning to you for I am plucked out of the hands of Satan and he shall have no more Power over me This Interruption made him silent a while as I remember my self was in the Case of my Maid Mary Holland mentioned before But afterwards with great melting of heart he proceeded in Prayer and Magnified the Riches of Gods Love towards her And from that hour she spake most Comfortably and Christianly even to her Death which was Friday following Aug. 13. A. C. 1601. Her last words were with a loud Voice Come Lord Into thy hands I commend my Spirit Clark's Lives last Vol. p. 217 218. 19. In the Year 1539 not far from Sitta in Germany in the time of a great Dearth and Famine a certain Godly Matron having two Sons and destitute of all manner of Sustenance went with her Children to a certain Fountain hard by praying unto Almighty God that he would there relieve their Hunger by his infinite goodness As she was going a certain Man met her by the way and saluted her kindly and asked her whither she was going who confessed that she was going to that Fountain there hoping to be relieved by God to whom all things are possible for if he nourished the Children of Israel in the Desart 40 years how is it hard for him to nourish me and my Children with a Draught of Water And when she had spoken these Words the Man which was doubtless an Angel of God told her that seeing her Faith was so constant she should return Home and there should find Six Bushels of Meal for her and her Children The Woman returning found that true which was promised Beard 's Theat p. 442. 20. Under the Emperor Mauritius the City of Antioch was shaken with a terrible Earthquake after this manner There was a certain Citizen so given to bountifulness to the Poor that he would never Sup nor Dine unless he had one poor Man to be with him at his Table Upon a certain Evening seeking for such a Guest and finding none a Grave Old Man met him in the Market-place cloathed in white with Two Companions with him whom he entreated to sup with him But the Old Man answered him That he had more need to pray against the destruction of the City and presently shook his Handkerchief against One part of the City and then against another and being hardly entreated forbore the rest Which he had no sooner done but those Two parts of the City terribly shaken with an Earthquake were thrown to the Ground and Thousands of Men slain Which this good Citizen seeng trembled exceedingly To whom the Old Man in white answered and said by reason of Charity to the Poor his House and Family were preserved And presently these three Men which to question were Angels vanished out of sight This Story Sigisbert in his Chronicle reporteth Anno 583. 21. Hottinger tells a strange Story out of Nauclerus and Evagr. to this purpose it was an ancient custom at Constantinople at Communion to call for the Young Children that went to School and give them the Parcels of Bread and Wine that were left at doing of which the child of a certain Nobleman a Jew was with the Children who took of the Bread and Eat with them his angry Father who was a Glass-Maker put him into an Oven burning hot with Coals his Mother after Three Days finding him alive in the Furnace he told her a Woman in Purple habit came often to him and brought VVater to quench the Coals and Meat to allay his Hunger The Mother and the Child were afterwards Converted and Baptized and the Father Crucified by command of Justinian the Emperor Mr. Beard relates the same out of Nicephorus Lib. 17. Chap. 35. See more in The Chapters of Miraculous Cures of Diseases and Earnests of a Future Retribution and the last Example in the Ch. of Prediction of Prophets c. 22. Oh! said Mrs. Katharine Stubs upon her Death-bed if you saw such glorious Sight as I see you would rejoyce with me for I see a Vision of the Joys of Heaven and of the Glory that I shall go unto and I see infinite Millions of Angels attendant upon me and watching to carry
after comes to her and tells her she had sent the Devil to him and bids her take the Land and so gave it up and her Son is now possest of it His Name is Mat. he lived in the Service of Mr. Reading's Brother for some Years but he has forgot his Sir-name though he knows him very well Related in a Letter of Dr. Ezekias Burton to Dr. H. More Mr. Glanvil's Saducism Triumph p. 417. 3. Dr. Bretton late Rector of Ludgate and Deptford lived-formerly in Herefordshire and married the Daughter of Dr. S. This Gentlewoman was a Person of extraordinary Piety which she expressed as in her Life so at her Death She had a Maid that she had a great kindness for who was Married to a near Neighbour whose Name as I remember was Alice Not long after her death as Alice was rocking her Infant in the Night she was called from the Cradle by a knocking at the Door which opening she was surprised at the sight of a Gentlewoman not to be distinguished from her late Mistress neither in Person nor Habit. She was in a Morning Gown the same in appearance with that she had often seen her Mistress wear At first sight she expressed very great Amazement and said Were not my Mistress dead I should not question but that you are she She replied I am the same that was your Mistress and sook her by the Hand Which Alice affirmed was as cold as a Clod. She added That she had Business of great Importance to imploy her in and that she must immediately go a little way with her Alice trembled and beseecht her to excuse her and intreated her very importunately to go to her Master who must needs be more fit to be employed â—he answered That he who was her Husband was not at all concerned but yet she had a desire rather to make use of him and in order thereunto had several times been in his Chamber but he was still asleep nor had she power to do more than once uncover his Feet towards the awakning of him And the Dr. said That he had heard a walking in his Chamber in the Night which till now he could give no account of Alice next objected That her Husband was gone a Journey and she had no one to look to her Child that it was very apt to cry vehemently and she feared if it awaked before her return it would cry it self to death or do it self mischief The Spectre replyed The Child shall sleep till you return Alice seeing there was no avoiding it sorely against her will followed her over a Stile into a large Field who then said to her Observe how much of this Field I measure with my Feet And when she had taken a good large and leasurely compass she said All this brlongs to the Poor it being gotten from them by wrongful means And charged her to go and tell her Brother whose it was at that time that he should give it up to the Poor again forthwith as he loved her and his deceased Mother This Brother was not the Person who did this unjust Act but his Father She added That she was the more concerned because her Name was made use of in some Writing that related to this Land Alice ask'd her How she should satisfie her Brother that this was no Cheat or delusion of her Fancy She replyed Tell him this Secret which he knows that only himself and I are privy to and he will believe you Alice having promised her to go on this Errand she proceeded to give her good Advice and entertained her all the rest of the Night with most heavenly and divine Discourse When the Twi-light appeared they heard the Whistling of Carters and the noise of House-Bells whereupon the Spectre said Alice I must be seen by none but your self and so she disappeared Immediately Alice makes all haste home being thoughtful for her Child but found it as the Spectre had said asleep as she left it When she had dressed it and committed it to the care of a Neighbour away she went to her Master the Doctor who amazed at the account she gave him sent her to his Brother-in-Law He at first hearing Alice's Story and Message laughed at it heartily but she had no sooner told him the secret but he changed his Countenance told her he would give the Poor their own and accordingly he did it and they now enjoy it This with more Circumstances hath several times been related by Dr. Bretton himself who was well known to be a Person of great Goodness and Sincerity He gave a large Narrative of this Apparition of his Wife to two of my Friends First to one Mrs. Needham and afterwards a little before his Death to Dr. Whichcot Some Years after I received the fore-going Narrative viz. near four Years since I light into the company of three sober Persons of good Rank who all lived in the City of Hereford and I travelled in a Stage Coach three days with them To them I happened to tell this Story but told it was done at Deptford for so I presumed it was because I knew that Dr. Bretton lived there They told me as soon as I had concluded it that the Story was very true in the main only I was out as to the place for it was not Deptford but as I remember they told me Pembridge near Hereford where the Dr. was Minister before the Return of the King And they assured me upon their own knowledge that to that Day the Poor enjoyed the piece of Ground They added That Mrs. Bretton's Father could never endure to hear any thing mentioned of his Daughters appearing after her death but would still reply in great anger That it was not his Daughter but it was the Devil So that he acknowledged that something appeared in the likeness of his Daughter This is Attested by me this 16th of Febr. 1681. Edward Fowler This Narrative was sent to Dr. H. More from Mr. Edward Fowler Prebendary of Gloucester Glanv Sad. Triumph p. 419. 4. These Relations seem strange indeed but was it now as strange that Constantine the Great praying earnestly to God should see the sign of the Cross figured in the Air with an Inscription in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hoc vince by this overcome And yet Eusebius Reports it in these words While the Emperour was thus earnestly praying unto God and besought him that he would reveal himself to him and that he would assist him in his purposes and resolutions while he was thus earnestly at his Prayers a divine and wonderful Vision appeared unto him which was scarce credible if himself had not related it But seeing this victorious Emperour did with an Oath confirm it to be true when he related it to me who intended to write his History long after when taking notice of me he admitted me to familiar Conference with him who can doubt of the Truth of his Relation which even then was seen and admired
before him And if any of the Servants had been ill employed and they had heard him coming they would say Let us cease or be gone Mr. Studly is coming After a years time his Father waits upon the Lady to enquire of his Sons carriage She not being instructed to personate any thing Answered only as it was That she was glad she had seen his Sons Face he had wrought a mighty reformation in her Family She that had formerly been troubled with unruly Servants by his prudent carriage was now as quiet in her House as if she had lived in a private Family in the Countrey After this the Father stormed What will he make Puritans in White-Hall Told the Lady that was no place for him he would take him with him which to her trouble he did When he had him at home in Kent as his last refuge he thought of Marrying him And to that end found out a Match which he thought fit for his Ends to Stifle that work of Religion in his Son He bad him one Night put on his best Cloaths in the Morning and ordered his Servant to make ready their Horses in the Morning and himself to wait upon them When they were riding on the way he bad the Man ride before and spake to his Son to this purpose Son you have been matter of great grief to me and having used much means to reclaim you from this way you are in to no purpose I have one more remedy to apply in which if you comply with me I shall settle my Estate upon you else you shall never enjoy a groat of it I am riding to such a Gentlemans House to whose Daughter I intend to marry you The Son said little knowing that Family to be profane but went with his Father who before had made way there They were entertained Nobly he had a sight of the Young Lady a great Beauty and the Young Man much in Love with her When they had taken their leaves on the way his Father askt him what he thought of her He Answered no Man living but must be taken with such an one he feared she would not like him The Father was glad it had taken bid him take no care for that The Wooing was not long At Three Weeks End they both came to London to buy Things for the Wedding The Father had charged That in the Time of Wooing in that Gentleman's House there should be no Swearing or Debauchery lest his Son should be discouraged Wedding Cloaths were bought and the Day come the Young Couple were married At the Wedding-Dinner at her Father's House the Mask was taken off they fell to drinking Healths and Swearing among their Cups and amongst others the Bride Swore an Oath At which the Bridegroom as a man amazed took occasion to rise from Table stept forth and went to the Stable took an Horse none observing all were busie within he mounted and Rode away not knowing what to do He bewailed himself as he Rode along as undone and deservedly for that he had been so taken in Love and the business so hurried on in design He said he had at that time restrained Prayer and slackened his Communion with God when as in that Grand Affair of his Life he should have been doubly and trebly serious and so might thank himself that he was utterly undone He sometimes thought of riding quite away At last being among the Woods he led his Horse into a Solitary place tied him to a Treâ— in his distress and betook himself to his Prayers and Tears in which he spent the Afternoon The Providence of God had altered his Argument of Prayer which was now for the Conversion of his New Married Wife or he was undone This he pressed with Prayers and Tears a great part of that Afternoon and did not rise from Prayer without good hope of being heard At the Bride-House was hurry enough Horse and Man after they missed the Bridegroom sent every way No News of him He was wrestling as Jacob once at Peniel In the Evening he returned home and enquiring where his Bride was went up to her and found her in her Chamber pensive enough She askt him if he had done well to expose her to scorn and derision all the day He intreated her to sit down upon a Couch there by him and he would give her an Account of his doing what he had then done and tell her the Story of his whole Life and what the Lord through Grace had done for him He went over the Story here above-mention'd with many Beautiful Particulars no question here omitted not without great Affection and Tears the Flood-Gates of which had been opened in the Wood. And ever and anon in the discourse would say Through grace God did so and so for me When he had told her his Story over And by the way this was the Apostle Pauls method by which many were converted to tell over the Story of his Conversion she askt him what he meant by that word so often used in the Relation of his Life Through Grace so ignorantly had she been Educated And askt him if he thought there were No grace in God for her who was so wretched a stranger to God Yes my Dear saith he there is grace for thee and that I have been Praying for this day in the Wood and God hath heard my Prayer and seen my Tears and let us now go together to him about it Then did they kneel down by the Couch side and he Prayed and such Weeping and Supplication there was on both sides that when they were called down to Supper they had hardly Eyes to see with so swell'd were they with Weeping At Supper the Brides Father according to his custom Swore The Bride immediately said Father I beseech you Swear not At which the Bridegroom's Father in a great Rage rose from Table What says he is the Devil in him Hath he made his Wife a Puritan already And swore bitterly He would rather set fire with his own hands to the Four Conrers of his fair built House than ever he should enjoy it And accordingly he acted made his Will gave his Son when he should die Ten Pounds to cut off his Claim and gave the Estate to some others of whom Dr. Reeves was one And not long after Died. Dr. Reeves sent for the Gentleman paid him his Ten Pounds told him he had been a Rebellious Son and disobliged his Father and might thank himself He received the Ten Pounds and meekly departed His Wife the Match was so huddled up in a design had no Portion promised at least that the Young Man knew of who relied on his Father So that she was also deserted by her Friends And having Two Hundred Pounds in her own hand that hand that had been given her by a Grand-Mother with that they took and stock'd a Farm in Sussex where Mr. Knight hath often been and seen her who had been highly bred in her red Wastcoat
together for their Good and for the promoting of their Salvation But on the other hand as the Learned Mr. Willam's observes in his Sermon to Youth Vanity unhealed is of an improving Nature and there 's no bad Child but grows worse Sin is not a Stream that grows empty or a Root that dies by meer time God knows we have had experience of that Alas how does Villany grow with Years The Child that began with few Sins grows up to many Sins insomuch that we have some Young Men before eighteen have committed as great Sins as the Man of eighty Youth enters with lesser Sins and proceeds to grosser Sins We have many Young People that seem to abound in Wickedness as they improve in Age as if they grew older only that they may grow Viler One Sin brings on another by the lesser thou art sitted for a greater Sinful Habits are strengthned by Sinful Acts And fear and shame for Sin wear off yea are even extinguished by a course of Sin Lust may be strongly Rooted before old Age and I sear 't is so with abundance of Youths Is it not so with some of you Did not some of you blush at a little Sin and now thou canst mock at great ones Are there not some amongst you that once dared not to tell a small Lye and now you can lye all sorts Are there none here that trembled when they swere a little Oaeth and now can Swear at the Bliodiest rate and add Blasphemy and Cursing to their Oaths Sirs did not some of you feel a check for a light Act and now you can commit Fornication and Vncleanness without any inward Rebuke It was hard to bring thee to pilfer a Pâ—nâ—y and now thou canst steal Shillings and Pounds It was much ado that thou couldst endure to be Drunk in the Night but now thou canst do it openly and Glory in it Thou durst not formerly have neglected a Sermon and thou must pray by thy self but now alas poor Creature Thou canst play away a whole Sabbath and spead Weeks without Prayer without one serious Prayer Thus far Mr. Wilkins I now proceed to give Instances of Persons restrain'd from Sin 1. St. Augustine after his conversion being grievously vexed with inward conflicts against his corrupt and remanent affections to Sin intentively musing and meditating with himself what to do more then he had done Viz. By purposes vows watchings fasting c. heard a Voice saying in te stas et non stas whereupon addressing him to Jesus Christ in an humble manner by faithful and fervent Prayer he found present releif and was much strengthen'd with the grace of Gods Spirit in the inner Maâ— Ibid. 2 Mr. Dod being late at Night in his Study was strongly moved tho at an unseasonable hour to visit a Gentleman of his Acquaintance and not knowing what might be the design of Providence therein he obeyed and went when he came to the house after a few knocks at the Door the Gentleman himself came to him and askt him whether he had any business to him Mr. Dod Answered no but that he could not be quiet till he had seen him O Sir replyed the Gentleman you are sent of God at this hour for just now and with that takes the halter out of his Pocket I was going to destroy my self And thus was the mischief prevented Mr. Flavel's Div. Conduct p. 98. 3. Mr. Bolton whilst he was in Oxford had familiar acquaintance with Mr. Anderton a good Schollar but a strong Papist who knowing Mr. Bolton's good parts and perceiving that he was in some out-ward wants took this Advantage and used many Arguments to perswade him to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and to go over with him to the English Seminary assuring him he should be furnished with all necessaries and have Gold enough Mr. Bolton being at that time poor in mind and purse accepted the motion and a day and place was appointed in Lancashire where they should meet and take Shipping and be gone But Mr. Anderton came not and so he escaped the Snare See the Life of Mr. Bolton 4. Thus Basil was along time exercised with a violent Head-Ach which as he observed was used by Providence to prevent lust 5. Dela Cerda saith that Albertine a Jesuit told him that a Young Man came hastily to him to confess and told him O Sir saith he I could not stay so strange a thing hath befallen me I and my Companion were resolved in Revenge against one that had wronged me to go after him into the Fields and kill him And while I was setting my Pastol in order that I might not miss a Beautiful Young Man stood by me and asked me what I was about And when I denied to tell him he told me that he knew my purpose and disswaded me and in short did so open the suflerings of Christ for his Enemies and what Sins he had forgiven us and bound us to forgive one another That I was melted into Tears and my mind changed and the Young Man Vanished away An Angel if true Hist Disc of Apparitions and Witches p. 162. CHAP. XX. Strange ways of Promoting Salvation THE ways of the Almighty and his Dealings with particular Men as well as those of his common Providence and Judgments are so strange and filled with variety of Spiritual stratagems that we may well say of him His Paths are in the deep waters and his Footsteps are not known The Woman of Samaria drawing water and giving to our Saviour to Drink received the water of Everlasting Life from him and drank to her Neighbours likewise of the Spiritual Drink Zacheus climbing a Sycamore out of Curiosity to see Jesus Jesus saw him and invited himself to his House S. Paul was knockt down in the midst of his Sinful Career and made to do obeysance at the Feet of that Jesus he was going to persecute 1. Origen after he had been prevailed upon to offer incense in the Idol Temple being Excommunicated by the Church going into Judea being well known there for his Expositions was intreated by the Ministers at Jerusalem with much importunity to bestow a Sermon he stood up took the Bible open'd it and at the very first casting his Eye upon that Text Psal 50.16 Vnto the ungodly said God why dost thou Preach my Laws c. He presently shut the Book wept bitterly the People also weeping with him and was able to say no more After this he wandred up and down in great greif of Conscience and wrote his Lamentation Clark's Mar. of Eccl. Hist 2. S. Augustine going on a time to hear S. Ambrose was accidently rebuked by some words of the Sermon or lecture that he heard which he applyed to himself as design'd particularly against him Ibid. See the Chapter of strange Conversions 3. It is Noted by Melchior Adam in the Life of Junius how very an Atheist he was grown in his younger years but in order to his Conversion to
prospect of Peace or Help and yet God hath revived me thro' his Soveraign Grace and Mercy and there have been several heretofore forely perplex'd with great inward and outward trouble whom God aftr that wonderfully refreshed Mr. Robert Bruce some time ago Minister at Edinburgh was Twenty years in Terrors of Conscience and yet delivered afterwards You may also direct them to the Lives of Mrs. Brettergh Mrs. Drake Mr. Peacock and Mrs. Wight where they will see a very chearful day returning after a black and stormy night and that the Issue from their Afflictions was more glorious than their Conflict was troublesome They went forth weeping they sowed in Tears but they reaped an Harvest of wonderful Joys afterwards You have in the Book of Martyrs written by Mr. Fox an instance of Mr. Glover who was worn and consumed with inward Trouble for the space of Five years that he neither had any Comfort in his Meat nor any Quietness of Sleep nor any Pleasure of Life he was so perplexed as if he had been in the deepest Pit of Hell yet at last this good Servant of God after so sharp Tempetations and the strong Buffetings of Satan was freed from all his trouble and was thereby framed to great Mortification and was like one already placed in Heaven and led a Life altogether Celestial abhorring in his Mind all propahen things and you have a remarkable instance of mighty Joy in Mr. Holland a Minister who having the day before he died meditated upon the 8th of the Romans he cried on a sudden Stay your Reading What Brightness is it that I see They told him it was the Sun-shine Nay saith he my Saviour's shine Now farewell World and welcome Heaven the day-star from an high hath visited my Heart O speak it when I am gone and let it be Preached at my Funeral God dealeth familiarly with Man I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty whether in the Body or out of the Body God he knoweth but I see things unutterale And in the Morning following he shut up his blessed Life with these blessed words O! what an happy Change shall I make from Night to Day from Darkness to Light from Death to Life from Sorrow to Solace from a factious World to an Heavenly Being O! my dear Friends it pitieth me to leave you behind yet remember what I now feel I hope you shall find e're you die That God doth and will deal familiarly with Men. And now thou fiery Chariot that came down to fetch up Eliah carry me to my happy hold and all the blessed Angels who attended the Soul of Lazarus to bring it up to Heaven bear me O bear me into the Bosom of my best Beloved Amen Amen Come Lord Jesus come quickly And so he fell asleep See this and several other Instances in Mr. Robert Bolton's Instructions for Afflicted Consciences p. 87. and 235 c. Thus far Mr. Rogers I shall next add what dreadful Apprehensions a Soul has that is under Desertion from Mr. Rogers's own Experience and I shall give it you in his own words viz. The time of God's Forsaking of a Soul is a very dark and mournful time 't is not only night but a weeping stormy Night and it may not be unuseful to you who have it may be hitherto lived in the Beams and chearful Light of Day to know what passes in this sorrowful and doleful Night and in this Matter I will not borrow Information from others but give you my own Experience 1. In this Night the deserted Soul in overwhelmed with continual Thoughts of the Holiness and Majesty and Glory of the Lord not does in think of him with any manner of Delight acording to that of Asaph Psal 77.3 I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was over-whelmed And in how deplorable a case is such a Soul that cannot think of its God and its Creator but with Grief and Sorrow 2. The Deserted Soul in this mournful Night does look upon God as its Enemy and as intending its Hurt and Ruin by the Sharpness of his Dispensations and this makes it to be incapable of receiving any Consolation from the Creatures for will it say to them Alas if God be my Enemy as I apprehend him to be which of you can be my Friend He is with his People ut he has forsaken me he has east me into a fiery Furnace where I am daily burnt and scorcht and he is not with me there I dare not says the mourning Person look up to Heaven for there I see how great a God I have against me I dare not look into his Word for there I see all his Threats as so many barbed Arrows to strike me to the Heart I dare not look into the Grave because thence I am like to have a doleful Resurection and what can a poor Creature do that apprehends the Almighty to be his Enemy It is a common thing to say Why do you so lament and mourn you have many Mercies left many Friends that pray for you and that pity you Alas what help is there in all this if God himself be gone Nothing is then lookt upon as a Mercy and as for the Prayers of others will the distressed Person say They can do me no good unless I have Faith and I find I have none at all for that wou'd purify and cleanse my Heart and I do nothing else but sin 3. In this doleful Night the Soul hath no evidence at all of its former Grace so that in this Night the Sun is not only set but there is not one Star appears such an one look upon himself as altogether void of the Grace of God he looks upon all his former Duties to have been Insincere or Hypocrital he feels his Heart hardned at present and concludes that it was never tender I am an Apostate if I had any share in the Intercession of the great Redeemer he wou'd not leave me thus sad and desolate O! how greatly have I been deceived that imagined my self to be an Heir of Heaven and am now seized with the Pangs of Hell 4. During this Sadness the Soul cannot think of Christ himself with any Comfort For thus it argues he will be a Saviour to none but those that believe I have no Faith and therefore he will be no Saviour to me he that is to his Servants as the Lamb of God will be to me as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah he that deals gently with them will tear me to pieces He seems to be angry and enraged against me for my Disobedience and though I have cried sometimes Have Mercy on me thou Son of David he passes away and does not regard my Cries and O what shall I do when he comes in the Clouds of Heaven when I am to stand at his Bar and to be punished as an Unbeliever 5. In this Night the Soul is full of Terror and how can it be otherwise when every
thy sight be justified After a little Rest and Slumber she spake to her Father with much Joy and Gladness 1 Cor. 15.54 c. Death is swallowed up of Victory c. She commanded afterwards Psal 84. to her Mother saying Read that Psalm Dear Mother and therewith ye may comfort one another As for me I am more and more spent and draw near unto my last Hour Pray with me pray that the Lord would vouchsafe me a soft Death And when they had prayed with her she turned to her Mother and with much Affection said Ah my Dear Loving Mother that which comes from the Heart doth ordinarily go to the Heart Once come and kiss me before I leave you and also my Dear Father and my Sister and Father let my Sister be trained up in the Ways of God as I have been I bewailed and wept for my Sister thinking she would die and now she weeps for me Also she took her young little Sister in her Ams a Child of Six Months old and kissed it with much Affection as if her Bowels had been moved speaking with many Heart-breaking Words both to her Parents and the Children 'till her Father said to one standing by Take away that young poor Lambkin from the hazard of that fiery Sickness Give her away for ye have too much already to bear Well Father said she did not God preserve the Three Children in the fiery Furnace Citing also Isa 43.3 After a little Rest awaking again she rehersed 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Isa 57.1 2. Job 19.25 26 27. John 5.28 c. Eph. 2.8 9. and descanted pathetically upon them adding My Dear Parents now we must shortly part my Speech faileth me pray the Lord for a quiet Close to my Combat I go to Heaven and there we shall find one another I go to Jesus Christ and to my Brother Jacob who did cry so much to God and call upon him to the very last Breath and to my little Sister which was but Three Years of Age when it died c. At last after she had prayed a pretty space by herself she asked her Parents If she had angred or grieved them at any time or done any thing that became her not Craving Forgiveness of them Then she began to dispose her Books and other little things with some proportion of Prudence and after a short Discant on the following Scriptures Psal 23. Rom. 8. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 1 Cor. 6.20 Isa 53 Joh. 1. 1. Cor. 6.11 Rev. 7. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. she concluded with these Words My Soul shall now part from this Body and shall be taken up into the Heavenly Paradise there shall I dwell and go no more out but sit and sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts c. O Lord God into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O Lord be gracious be merciful to me a poor Sinner And hereupon she fell a sleep Sept. 1. between Seven and Eight in the Evening having obtained according to her Prayers a quiet and soft Departure 26. Jacob Bickes above-mentioned Brother to the aforesaid Susanna was visited Three or Four Weeks before his Sister and slept most of his time 'till near his Death but so often as he awaked he gave himself to pray Upon motion made to send for the Physician he said Dear Father and Mother I will not have the Doctor any more The Lord shall help me I know he shall take me to himself and then he shall help all After Prayer Come now Dear Father and Mother said he and kiss me I know now that I shall die Adieu Dear Father and Mother Adieu my Dear Sister Adieu all Now shall I go to Heaven unto God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Angels Father know ye not what is said by Jer. 17. Blessed is he who trusteth in the Lord. Now I shall trust in him and he shall bless me And 1 John 2. Little children love not the world for the world passeth away Away then all that is in the World away with all my pleasant Things in the World Away with my Dagger which a Student had given him for where I go there 's nothing to do with Dagger and Sword Men shall not fight there but praise God Away with all my Books for where I go there 's nothing to be done with Books there I shall know and be learned sufficiently all things of true Wisdom and Learning without Books The Father telling him God would be near to him and help him Yea Father the Apostle Peter saith God resisteth the proud but gives grace to the humble I shall humble myself under the mighty Hand of God and he shall help and lift me up God hath given me so strong a Faith upon himself through Jesus Christ that the Devil himself shall flee from me for it is said John 3. He who believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and hath overcome the wicked one 1 John 2. Now I believe in Jesus Christ my Redeemer and he will not leave nor forsake me but shall give unto me Eternal Life then shall I sing Holy Holy Holy is the Lord of Sabath And with this short Word of Prayer Lord be merciful to me a poor Sinner he quietly breathed out his Soul and slept in the Lord aged Seven Years August 8. 1664. Extracted out of a Pamphlet called An Edifying Wonder of Two Children Printed at London for Richard Tomlins 1667. 27. The Reverend Mr. Clark in his Works quotes a Child of Two Years old that looked towards Heaven And credible History acquaints us with a Martyr of Seven Years old that was whipped almost to Death and never shed one Tear nor complained and at last had his Head struck off 28. Of Mary Warren born in May 1651 aged Ten Years in May 1661. When this Child was about Five or Six Years old she had a new plain Tammy Coat and when she was made ready was to be carried with other Children into Morefields but having looked upon her Coat how fine she was she presently went to her Chair sate down her Tears running down her Eyes she wept seriously by herself her Mother seeing it said to her How now Are you not well What 's the matter that you weep The Child answered Yes I am well but I would I had not been made ready for I am afraid my fine Cloaths will cast me down to Hell Her Mother said It 's not our Cloaths but wicked Hearts that hurt us She answered Aye Mother fine Cloaths make our Hearts proud What next follows was written by her Father on Friday Night Octob. 4. 1661. Her Mother asked her If she were willing to die she answered ' Aye very willing for then I shall sin no more for I know Christ's Blood hath made Satisfaction for my Sins October the Fifth her Mother going softly to the Chamber-door she heard her speaking alone and she listned and heard her say thus Come Lord Jesus come quickly and receive thy poor Creature out of all my Pains
On the Lord's Day Octob. 6. she said thus Here is nothing here but sin I am willing to die but either to live or to die which the Lord pleaseth his Will be done and so it will whether I will or no On Tuesday at Night Octob. 8. seeing her Mother weeping she said Mother do not weep for me but leave me to the Lord and let him do with me what he pleaseth And then clasping her Arms about her Mother's Neck her Mother said Thou embracest me but I trust thou art going to the Embracings of the Lord Jesus She answered Mother I know it that when I go from hence I shall go into Health and Happiness or else I should not undergo all my Pains with so much patience More Expressions of Mary Warren Pray you Mother take off these Plaisters for I would not have them I would have no Doctors or Apothecaries for God shall be my Physician and he will heal me I do not value the Things of this World no more than Dirt. Her Mother had told one That she thought her Daughter had Assaults of Satan she once looked very ghastly and now her Daughter said thus Once I think I looked ghastly and turned my Head on one side and on the other Satan stood upon my left side and God was upon my right side and opened the Gates of Heaven for me and he told me Satan should not hurt me though he sought to devour me like a roaring Lyon I am very sore from the Crown of my Head to the Sole of my Foot but I am so full of Comfort and Joy that I do feel but little of my Pain I do not know whether I shall live or die but whether I live or die it will be well for me I am not in trouble for my sins God is satisfied with his Son Jesus Christ for he hath wash'd them away with his Blood Then her Sister standing by she said Sister Betty and Sister Anne be sure your first Work be in the Morning to seek the Lord by Prayer and likewise in the Evening and give Thanks for your Food for you cannot pray too ofen to the Lord and though you cannot speak such Words as others have yet the Lord will accept of the Heart for you do not know how soon your Speech may be taken away as mine was She desired her Mother thus Do not let too much Company be here late at Night lest it should hinder them from seeking the Lord in Duty at home I know not whether I shall live or die but if I die and if you will have a Sermon I desire this may be the Text the Place I do not know but the Words may be comfortable to you That David when his Child was sick he cloathed himself in Sackcloth and wept but when his Child was dead he washed and eat Bread For you have wept much while I have been sick and if I die you have cause to rejoyce My Comfort is in the Lord there is Comfort indeed Though we may seek Comfort here and the Glory of this World yet what is all that All will be nothing when we come to lie upon a Death-bed then we would fain have the Love of God and cannot get it I am full of Comfort and Joy Though my Pains are very great yet I am full of Joy and Comfort I was very full of Comfort before but I am fuller of Joy this Hour than I have been yet It is better to live Lazarus's Life and to die Lazarus's Death than to live Dives's Life he had his Delicates and afterwards would have been glad to have had Lazarus dip his Finger in Water and cool his Tongue The last Night I could not stir my Head Hand nor Foot but by and by the Lord did help me to move my Head a little and at length my Body O what a good God have I that can cast down and raise up in a moment 29. Of the Expressions of an hopeful Child the Daughter of Mr. Edward Scarfield that was but Eleven Years of Age in March 1661 Gathered from a Letter written by one fearing God that lived in the House with the Child In August last this Child was sick of a Fever in which time she said to her Father who is a holy humble precious Man I am afraid I am not prepared to die and fell under much trouble of Spirit being sensible not only of actual Sins but of her lost Estate without Christ in Unbelief as Ephes 2.12 John 16.8 9. and she wept bitterly crying out thus My sins are greater than I can bear I doubt God will not forgive them telling her Father I am in unbelief and I cannot believe Yet she was drawn out to pray many times in those words of Psal 25. For thy Name 's sake O Lord pardon my sin for it is great Thus she lay oft mourning for sin and said I had rather have Christ than Health She would repeat many Promises of God's Mercy and Grace but said she could not believe But whilst her Father was praying the Lord raised her Soul up to believe as she told her Father when Prayer was ended Now I believe in Christ and I am not afraid of Death After this she said I had rather die than sin against God Since that time she hath continued quiet in mind as one that hath Peace with God Her Father saith that since she was Five Years old he remembred not that either a Lye or an Oath hath ever come out of her Mouth neither would she have wronged any to the value of a Pin. For these two last Relations I 'm beholding to Mr. Henry Jessey Next follows a Narrative of the Conversions and happy Deaths of several young Children extracted from Mr. White 's and Mr. Janeway's Treatises upon that Subject to which the Reader is refer'd for a much larger Account 1. THere was a Child of whom many things which I here relate I was an Ear-witness of and other things which I shall speak of him I am fully satisfied of This little Child when he died was in Coats somewhat above eight years old of singular Knowledge Affections and Duties for his Age of whom that I may give a more full Account For his Knowledge 1. He asked how the Angels could sin since there were none to tempt them and they were with God 2. It being told him that all Sins and Duties were commanded in the Ten Commandments and forbid I asked him what Commandment forbad Drunkenness He said Thou shalt not kill for they quartelled and killed one another His Father asked him who bid you learn your Book and there is no Commandment saith Thou shalt learn thy Book The Child answered in these words or to this purpose It is said Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother you bid me learn my Book He asked his Father when he was at Dinner what became of Children that died before Baptism he made a little stop that he might answer him
Things He could not endure to be put to Bed without Family-Duty but would put his Parents upon Duty and would with much Devotion kneel down and with great Patience and Delight continue 'till Duty was at an end When he had committed any fault he was easily convinced of it and would get into some Corner and Secret Place and with Tears beg Pardon of God and Strength against such a Sin He had a Friend that oft watched him and listned at his Chamber-door from whom I received this Narrative A Friend of his asked him Whether he were willing to die when he was first taken sick he answered No because he was afraid of his State as to another World Why Child said the other thou didst pray for a new Heart for an humble and a sincere Heart and I have heard thee Didst thou not pray with thy Heart I hope I did said he Not long after the same Person asked him again Whether he were willing to die He answered Now I am willing for I shall go to Christ He still grew weaker and weaker but carried it with a great deal of sweetness and patience waiting for his Change and at last did cheerfully commit his Spirit unto the Lord and calling upon the Name of the Lord and saying Lord Jesus Lord Jesâ—â— in whose Bosom he sweetly slept dying as I remember when he was about Five or Six Years old 8. Of a little Girl that was wrought upon when she was between Four and Five Years old Mary A. when she was between Four and Five Years old was greatly affected in hearing the Word of God and became very solicitous about her Soul and Everlasting Condition weeping bitterly to think what would become of her in another World asking strange Questions concerning God and Christ and her own Soul So that this little Mary before she was full Five Years old seemed to mind the one thing needful and to choose the better part and sate at the Feet of Christ many a time and oft with Tears She was very Conscientious in keeping the Sabbath spending the whole time either in Reading or Praying or learning her Catechism or teaching her Brethren and Sisters See took great delight in Reading of the Scripture and some part of it was more sweet to her than her appointed Food she would get several choice Scriptures by heart and discourse of them savourly and apply them suitably A little before she died she had a great Conflict with Satan and cried out I am none of his Her Mother seeing her in trouble asked her what was the matter she answered Satan did trouble me but now I thank God all is well I know I am none of his but Christ's After this she had a great Sence of God's Love and a Glorious Sight as if she had seen the very Heavens open and the Angels come to receive her by which her Heart was filled with Joy and her Tongue with Praise Being desired by the Standers-by to give them a particular Account of what she saw she answered You shall know hereafter and so in an Extasie of Joy and holy Triumph she went to Heaven when she was about Twelve Years old Hallelujah 9. Of a Child that began to look towards Heaven when she was about Four Years old A certain little Child when she was about Four Years old had a Conscientious Sence of her Duty towards her Parents because the Commandment saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother And though she had little advantage of Education she carried it with the greatest Reverence to her Parents imaginable so that she was no small Credit as well as Comfort to them She would be very attentive when she read the Scriptures and be much affected with them and would by no means be perswaded to prophane the Lord's Day but would spend it in some good Duties When she was taken sick one asked her Whether she were willing to die she answered Yes if God would pardon her Sins Being asked How her Sins should be pardoned she answered Through the Blood of Christ. There were very many observable Passages in the Life and Death of this Child but the Hurry and Grief that her Friends were in buried them 10. Charles Bridgman had no sooner learned to speak but he betook himself to Prayer His Sentences were wise and weighty and well might become some ancient Christian His Sickness lasted long and at least Three Days before his Death he prophesied his Departure and not only that he must die but the very Day The last Words which he spake were exactly these Pray pray pray nay yet pray and the more Prayers the better all prospers God is the best Physician into his Hands I commend my Spirit O Lord Jesus receive my Soul Now close mine Eyes Forgive me Father Mother Brother Sister all the World Now I am well my Pain is almost gone my Joy is at hand Lord have mercy on me O Lord receive my Soul unto thee And thus he yielded his Spirit up unto the Lord when he was about Twelve Years old This Narrative was taken out of Mr. Ambrose 's Life's Lease 11. Of a poor Child that was awakened when she was about Five Years old A certain very poor Child that had a very bad Father but it was to be hoped a very good Mother was by the Providence of God brought to the sight of a Godly Friend of mine who upon the first sight of the Child had a great pity for him and took an Affection to him and had a mind to bring him for Christ It was not long before the Lord was pleased to strike in with the Spiritual Exhortations of this good Man so that the Child was brought to a liking of the things of God He would ask very excellent Questions and Discourse about the Condition of his Soul and Heavenly Things and seemed mightily concerned what should become of his Soul when he should die so that his Discourse made some Christians even to stand astonished He was greatly taken with the great kindness of Christ in dying for Sinners and would be in Tears at the mention of them and seemed at a strange rate to be affected with the unspeakable Love of Christ After the Death of his Mother he would often repeat some of the Promises that are made unto Fatherless Children especially that in Exod. 22.22 Ye shall not afflict any Widow or the Fatherless Child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry These words he would often repeat with Tears I am Fatherless and Motherless upon Earth yet if any wrong me I have a Father in Heaven who will take my part to him I commit myself and in him is all my trust Thus he continu'd in a Course of Holy Duties living in the fear of God and shewed wonderful Grace for a Child and died sweetly in the Faith of Jesus My Friend is a Judicious Christian of many Years Experience who was
a very strong Faith in the Doctrine of the Resurrection and did greatly solace her Soul with excellent Scriptures which do speak the happy state of Believers as soon as their Souls are separated from their Bodies and what she quoted out of the Scripture she did excellently and sutably apply to her own use incomparably above the common reach of her Sex and Age. That in 1 Cor. 15.42 was a good support to her The Body is sown in Corruption but it should be raised incorruptible it is sown in dishonour it shall be raised in glory it is sown in weakness but it shall be raised in power And then she sweetly applies it and takes in this Cordial Behold thus it is and thus it shall be with my poor mortal Flesh Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord because they rest from their labours and their works do follow them The righteous perish and no Man layeth it to heart and the upright are taken away and no Man regardeth it that they are taken away from the evil to come they shall enter into peace they shall rest in their Beds every one who walked in their uprightness Behold now Father I shall rest and sleep in that Bed-chamber Then she quoted Job 19.25 25 26 27. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter end upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another though my reins be consumed within me Behold now Father this very Skin which you see and this very Flesh which you see shall be raised up again and these very Eyes which now are so dim shall on that day see and behold my dear and precious Redeemer albeit the Worms eat up my Flesh yet with these Eyes shall I behold God even I my self and not another for me Hear last words were these O Lord God into thy hands I commit my Spirit O Lord be gracious be merciful to me a poor Sinner And here she fell asleep She died the first of September 1664. betwixt seven and eight in the Evening in the fourteenth year of her Age. 18. Jacob Bicks the Brother of Susanna Bicks was born in Leyden in the year 1657. and had Religious Education under his Godly Parents the which the Lord was pleased to sanctify to his Conversion and by it lay in excellent Provisions to live upon in an hour of distress This sweet little Child was visited of the Lord of a very sore Sickness upon the sixth of August 1664. Once when his Parents had prayed with him they asked him if they should once more send for the Physician No said he I will have the Doctor no more the Lord will help me I know he will take me to himself and then he shall help all When his Parents had prayed with him again he said Come now dear Father and Mother and kiss me I know that I shall die Farewel dear Father and Mother Farewel dear Sister farewel all Now shall I go to Heaven unto God and Jesus Christ and the holy Angels Then with a short word of Prayer Lord be merciful to me a poor Sinner he quietly breathed out his Soul and sweetly slept in Jesus when he was about seven years old He died August 8. 1664. 19. John Harvey was born in London in the year 1654. His Father was a Dutch Merchant he was piously Educated under his vertuous Mother and soon began to suck in Divine Things with no small delight The first thing very observable in him was that when he was two years and eight months old he could speak as well as other Children do usually at five years old It was his Practice to be much by himself in secret Prayer and he was careful to manage that work so as that it might be as secret as possible it might be but his Frequency and Constancy made it to be so easily observed upon which one time one having a great mind to know what this sweet Babe prayed for got into a place near him and heard him very earnestly praying for the Church of God desiring that the Kingdom of the Gospel might be spread over the whole World and that the Kingdom of Grace might more and more come into the Hearts of God's People and that the Kingdom of Glory might be hastened He was wont to continue half an hour sometimes an hour upon his Knees together He would have a savoury word to say to every one that he conversed with to put them in mind of the Worth of Christ and their Souls and their nearness to Eternity He was next to the Bible most taken with reading of Reverend Mr. Baxter's Works especially his Saints Everlasting Rest and truly the Thoughts of that Rest and Eternity seemed to swallow up all other Thoughts and he lived in a constant Preparation for it and looked more like one that was ripe for Glory than an Inhabitant of this lower World His Mother asked him whether he were willing to die and leave her he answered Yes I am willing to leave you and go to my Heavenly Father His Mother answered Child if thou hadst but an assurance of God's Love I should not be so much troubled He answered and said to his Mother I am assured dear Mother that my Sins are forgiven and that I shall go to Heaven For said he here stood an Angel by me that told me I should quickly be in Glory At this his Mother burst forth into tears O Mother said he did you but know what Joy I feel you would not weep but rejoyce I tell you I am so full of Comfort that I can't tell you how I am O Mother I shall presently have my Head in my Father's Bosom and shall be there where the Four and twently Elders cast down their Crowns and sing Halleujah Glory and Praise to him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever CHAP. LV. Good Parents Remarkable PArents are not only obliged to provide a temporal Livelihood a Purse and Wife and calling for their Children but especially to see that they be brought up in the Fear of God and set out in a fair way to Heaven and the Salvation of their Souls and they that do the one and not the other had better never have been the Instruments or Means of conveying them into the World for certainly 't is better for us not to be at all than be miserable for ever 1. Eusebius the Father of Hierom was very careful of the Education of his Son and his Mother was a religious Woman and therefore from his Infancy he was trained up like another Timothy in the Knowledge of Christ and the sacred Scriptures Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Mariana the Mother of Fulgentius after the Death of her Husband was very careful to train her Son up in Learning causing him to be instructed in the Greek
the Vicaridge of Torcester Ibid. 12. The late Earl of Rochester upon his Death-bed acknowledged how unworthily he had treated the Clergy reproaching them that they were proud and prophesied only for Rewards but now he had learned how to value them that he esteemed them as the Servants of the most High God who were to shew Men the Way to everlasting Life Mr. Parsons in his Funeral Sermon 13. Mr. Whitaker was much beloved his House frequented with many and friendly Visits his Sickness laid to heart and many Prayers publick and private put up for him some Fasts also kept with a special Reference to his Afflictions and his Funeral attended with many weeping Eyes See his Life Mr. Fairclough's Ministry was thought to bring a Temporal Blessing to the Parish 14. I think my candid Reader will easily pardon me if for Gratitude's sake I take an occasion here for the Glory of God and the Commendation of the People to make mention of the Respects Love and Kindnesses much beyond my Desert which I received as from the Inhabitants of Arundel and Shipley in Sussex so especially from the Parishioners of Preston Gubbals and Broughton in Shropshire together with the adjacent Neighbourhood which were so freely and plentifully shewed me whilst I was their Minister that I may testify of them they were kind to me even beyond their power some of them and I hope God would return it into their Bosoms and remember them in the day of their Distress for I speak this to their Praise I never met with a more loving People in my Life 15. Mons du Plessis on his Death-bed gave Thanks to the Minister that had assisted him prayed the Lord to prosper the Word in his Mouth prayed for M. Boucherean Minister of the Church in Saumur and said he Let it not trouble him to be patient he hath to do with a troublesome People the Lord impute not their Sins unto them Clark 's Examp. Vol. 2. c. 27. 16. Mrs. Drake on her Death-bed advised her Father to keep a Minister in his House and returned most affectionate Thanks to a Friend I suppose her Minister begging earnestly Forgiveness of him and would needs have his Hand and Promise for it Mrs. Drake revived 17. John Blacknal of Abington Esq by his last Will bequeathed certain Sums of Money to several Ministers for Duties omitted by him in his Life A. 1625. CHAP. LXI Remarkable Zeal and Devotion ZEal is a Composition of all the Passions the Affections warmed and heated into a lively Vigour and Activeness and this is so far from being a Fault that if it be made regular with Prudence and a Christian Discretion 't is good and commendable always in a good Matter And certainly if ever it be seasonable for us to kindle a fire upon the Altar 't is so when we are about to do sacrifice to God Almighty 1. Polycarp going with S. John to a Bath at Ephesus and espying Ceriathus the Heretick in it said ' Let us depart speedily for fear lest the Bath where the Lord's Adversary is do fall upon us Dr. Cave Prim Christ and Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Origen when a Boy had an eager desire of Martyrdom So had Cyprian and Gregory Nazianzen Ibid. Dr. Cave Prim. Christ c. 3. The Venerable Bede was so devoutly affected in Reading the Scriptures that he would often shed Tears and after he had ended reading conclude with Prayers Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 100. 4. Tertullian used to pray thrice a day at the 3 6 9 hours Clark 5. Peter Chrysologus before he penned any thing would with great Ardency humbly betake to Prayer and seek unto God for Direction therein Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 88. 6. Luther advised George Spalatinus always to begin his Studies with Prayer For saith he there is no Master that can instruct us in Divine Matters but the Author of them Ibid. p. 195. And Melancthon testifies of Luther That he hath heard him so loud and earnest at his Prayers as if some Person were in company discoursing with him Much the same Advice doth Ludovicus Grotius give to all Students in Divinity To pray often And Thomas Aquinas is reported to use that Rule himself always to pray for the Resolution of any difficult and knotty Question and commends to others that Motto Bene orasse est bene studuisse 7. When Erasmus halted between two Opinions Capito continually called upon him to put off that Nicodemus-like Temper Clark 's Eccl. Hist p. 193. 8. Cardinal Wolsey when advanced to great Preferments in both Church and State having all State-business at his disposal and most Church-preferments in his power the Deanry of Lincoln the King's Almonership a House near Bridewel Durham Winchester Bath Worcester Hereford Tourney Lincoln S. Albans and York in his Possession and all other Promotions in his Gift was so devout that he neglected not one Collect of his Prayers for all the Cumbrances of his Place wherein he deceived many of the People who thought he had no time for his Business and his Servants who wondred how he could gain time for his Business from his Devotion Lloyd 's State-Worthies p. 8. 9. Luther was zealous in the Cause of the Reformation that he preached wrote and disputed publickly for it and when discouraged from going to Wormes whither he had been invited by the Emperour with a Promise of safe Conduct lest he should be served as John Husse at the Council of Constance he made Answer If there were as many Devils in the City as Tiles on the Houses to shake the Kingdom of Satan he would go thither And so fervent was he in Prayer that Vitus Theodorus saith of him that no Day passed wherein he spent not at least Three Hours in Prayer Once it fell out saith he that I heard him Good God! what a Spirit what a Confidence was in his very Expression with such a Reverence he sueth for any thing as one begging of God and yet with such Hope and Assurance as if he spake with a Loving Father or Friend Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 141. 10. Sir Thomas Moor was so devour that the Duke of Norfolk coming on a time to Chelsey to Dine with him happened to find him in the Church singing in the Quire with a Surplice on his Back to whom after Service as they went homeward hand in hand together the Duke said God's Body my Lord Chancellor what a Parish-Clark a Parish-Clark you dishonour the King and his Office Nay said Sir Thomas smiling upon the Duke Your Grace may not think your Master and mine will be offended with me for serving of God his Master or thereby count his Office dishonoured England's Worthies by Will. Winstanley p. 201. When the King sent for him once at Mass he answered That when he had done with God he would wait on His Majesty Lloyd's Worthies p. 43. The same Answer Bishop Vsher return'd to Charles the Second Vid.
alibi 11. Bishop Vsher's Custom was to pray Four times a Day in and with his Family in the Morning at Six a Clock in the Evening at Eight and before Dinner and Supper in his Chappel at each of which he was always present On Fryday in the Afternoons there was constantly an Hour spent in his Chappel in Catechizing upon the Principles of Religion for the Instructing of his Family and on Sabbaths in the Evening the Sermon which he had preached in the Afternoon was repeated in his Chappel by one of his Chaplains See his Life 12. It is recorded to the everlasting Praise of the young Lord Harrington so famous for Piety that it was his constant use to pray twice every Day in secret twice with some choice Friends and Servants besides his Family-Duties See his Life 13. It was the Practice of Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston to pour out his Soul before the Lord in secret thrice every Day and sometimes oftner if he could gain opportunity besides his Family-Duties and Days of extraordinary Humiliation which he importunately embraced upon every occasion This I can testifie saith Mr. Fairclough upon mine own Experience that for many Years together when I was first acquainted with him I seldom visited him but if any convenient Place could be found we might not part except we had prayed together Nor was he more frequent in secret Prayer than constant in secret Reading the Scriptures See his Life 14. Mr. Samuel Fairclough upon the escape of his Child after a dangerous Fall made a solemn Vow in the Publick Congregation to give all the Tithe-Wool of the Parish to the Poor The Vow was Registred and Subscribed by his Hand and piously observed See his Life 15. Mr. Cotton Mather tells us Such was the Piety of Mr. Eliot that like another Moses he had upon his Face a continual Shine arising from his uninterrupted Communion with the Father of Spirits Indeed I cannot give a fuller Description of him than what was in a Paraphrase that I have heard himself to make upon that Scripture Our Conversation is in Heaven I writ from him as he uttered it Behold said he the Ancient and Excellent Character of a true Christian 't is that which Peter calls Holiness in all manner of Conversation you shall not find a Christian out of the way of Godly Conversation For First A Seventh part of our time is all spent in Heaven when we are duly zealous for and zealous on the Sabbath of God Besides God has written on the Head of the Sabbath Remember which looks both forwards and backwards and thus a good part of the Week will be spent in Sabbatizing Well but for the rest of our time Why we shall have that spent in Heaven e're we have done For Secondly We have have many Days for both Fasting and Thanksgiving in our Pilgrimage and here are so many Sabbaths more Moreover Thirdly we have our Lectures every Week and pious People won't miss them if they can help it Furthermore Fourthly We have our private Meetings wherein we Pray and Sing and repeat Sermons and confer together about the Things of God and being now come thus far we are in Heaven almost every day But a little farther Fifthly We perform Family Duties every Day we have our Morning and Evening Sacrifices wherein having read the Scriptures to our Families we call upon the Name of God and ever now and then carefully Catechise those that are under our Charge Sixthly We shall also have our daily Devotions in our Closets wherein unto Supplication before the Lord we shall add some serious Meditation upon his Word a David will be at this Work no less than thrice a Day Seventhly We have likewise many Scores of Ejaculations in a Day and these we have like Nehemiah in whatever place we come into Eighthly We have our occasional Thoughts and our occasional Talks upon Spiritual Matters and we have our occasional Acts of Charity wherein we do like the Inhabitants of Heaven every Day Ninthly In our Callings in our Civil Callings we keep up heavenly Frames we Buy and Sell and Toil yea we Eat and Drink with some Eye both to the Command and the Honour of God in all Behold I have not now left an Inch of Time to be carnal it is all engrossed for Heaven And yet lest here should not be enough Lastly We have our Spiritual Warfare We are always encountring the Enemies of our Souls which continually raises our Hearts unto our Helper and Leader in the Heavens Let no Man say 'T is impossible to live at this rate for we have known some live thus and others that have written of such a Life have but spun a Web out of their own blessed Experiences New-England has Examples of this Life thô alas 't is to be lamented that the Distractions of the World in too many Professors do becloud the Beauty of an Heavenly Conversation In fine our Employment lies in Heaven In the Morning if we ask Where am I to be to Day Our Souls must answer In Heaven In the Evening if we ask Where have I been to Day Our Souls may answer In Heaven If thou art a Believer thou art no Stranger to Heaven while thou livest and when thou diest Heaven will be no strange place to thee no thou hast been there a thousand times before In this Language have I heard him express himself and he did what he said he was a Boniface as well as a Benedict and he was one of those Qui faciendo docert quae facienda docent Thus far Mr. Cotton Mather 15. Mr. Henry Gearing's Covenant with GOD As I find it in his Life Published by Mr. John Shower O Most Dreadful GOD for the Passion of Thy Son I beseech Thee accept of Thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at Thy Door I have fallen from Thee by mine Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a Thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my wicked Practice but of Thine Infinite Grace Thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit myself to thy Mercy And because Thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at Defiance with all Thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my Heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with Thee not to allow myself in any known Sin but to use Conscientiously all the Means that I know Thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my Affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before Thy Glorious Majesty That it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace
with you all this while but I dare not have so any longer wherefore I renounce all Communion with you any more I will cleave to the God that made me My Account of him will be an unfinished Piece unless all the ensuing Strokes go to make it up These things he was exemplary for First He was one that walked by Rule He was very studious to learn the way of Conversing with God in every Duty and there was a Rule which he attended still unto In his private Papers I find a wise Collection of Rules by which he governed himself in the several Duties of Christianity and in all the Seasons and Stations of his Life He consulted the best Authors for Instruction in the Affairs of Practical Religion and not into Paper only but into Action to be transcribed what he most approved in all which the Will of God was the bright Pole-star by which he steer'd his Course The Reader shall enjoy and O that he would follow Two of this Young Man's Directories One of them was this I. O that I might lead a Spiritual Life Wherefore let me regulate my Life by the Word of God and by such Scriptures as these 1. For regulating my Thoughts Jer. 4.14 Isa 55.7 Mal. 3.17 Psal 104.34 Phil. 4.8 Prov. 23.26 Deut. 15.9 Eccles 10.20 Prov. 24.9 Mat. 9.4 Zech. 8.17 2. For Regulating my Affections Col. 3.2 5. Gal. 5.24 For my Delight Psal 1.2 Psal 37.5 For my Joy Phil. 4.4 Psal 43.4 My Desire Isa 26.8 9. Ezek. 7.16 My Love Mat. 22.37 Psal 119.97 My Hatred Psal 97.10 My Fear Luke 12.4 5. My Hope Psal 39.7 My Trust Psal 62.8 Isa 26.4 3. For Regulating my Speech Eph. 4.29 Col. 4.6 Deut. 6.6 7. Psal 119.46 Psal 71.8 24. Prov. 31.26 4. For Regulating my Work Tit. 3.8 2 Tim. 2.12 1 Tim. 5.10 Titus 2.14 Mat. 5.47 1 Tim. 6.8 Rev. 3.2 Rom. 13.12 Acts 26.20 Another of them was form'd into an Hymn the singing of which might produce fresher and stronger Efforts of Soul towards the thing that is good Besides these Rules which concerned his whole Walk he treasured up many more that referr'd to this and that Step in it and it was the predominant Care and Watch of his Heart not to tread awry Thus one might see askilful Christian in him And as he was desirous to live by Precept so he was to live by Promise too He sell into a particular Consideration how to improve the Promises of God in all the Occasions of Life which is indeed one of the most sanctifying Exercises in the World It was a Proposal which I find he made unto himself Let me Salute these Promises once a Day 1. For Supplying the Wants of the Day Phil. 4.19 2. For Growth in Grace Hos 14.5 3. For Subduing my Sins Mic. 7.19 4. For Success in my Vndertakings Psal 1.3 5 For Turning all the Events of the Day for good Rom. 8.28 6. For Audience of my Prayers John 14.13 14. 7. For Strength to manage all the Work of the Day Zech. 10.12 8. For Direction in Difficulty Psal 32.8 9. For Life Eternal Luke 12.31 John 3.16 Besides these Two Mat. 11.28 and Isa 44.3 Certainly that Man must quickly grow another Enoch who does thus walk with God Secondly He was one that lived in Prayer he was oft and long in the Mount with God It was his Custom every Day to enter into his Closet and shut his Door and pray to his Father in secret And And I guess from some of his Writings that he did thus no less than thrice a Day when he met with no Obstruction in it nor did he slubber over his Prayers with hasty Amputations but wrestie in them for a good part of an Hour together It was a most refreshing Communion with God which his Devotions brought him sometimes unto October 1. he meditated on that If a Man does intend to be truly Religious he must expect nothing but to save his Soul But how can this be true Must I lose my Body altogether Must I be willing that the Union between my Body and Soul should for evermore be loosed Must I be willing to be for ever without a Body No no. All that the Lord requires of me is to have my Body for a few Days or Years a few I say for they cannot be many to be wholly at the Service of my Soul and to be willing that the Union between these two Mates then should be dissolved the Soul first taking its Progress into everlasting Bliss the Body being laid in the Dust to rise at the Resurrection accompanying the Soul into its eternal Felicity My present Notion of this thing is this This Dissolution of the Union between the Soul and Body is but a Dismission of the Spirit into its Happiness after a wearisome Conflict here And as long as it shall be best for me to be here here I shall continue Infinite Wisdom is to be the Orderer of this and it will be a grievous and shameful Reflection thereupon for me to say It will be better for me to live than to die at such a time when I am called thereunto With my Body I must expect to lose all the pleasant Enjoyments of this World Liberty Library Study and Relations But yet neither shall I lose these As for my Liberty by True Religion and by dying for it too when need requires I shall gain the only Liberty even from the Body of Sin As for my Library if I die for Christ or in the Lord I shall have no need of it my Understanding shall be enough enlarged and I shall not need to turn over Books for Learning As for my Study my Paradice I shall have a better a larger and a more compleat than this As for my Relations those of them that are truly pious I shall only go before them and if there should be any of them not pious the longer I should stay with them here if they continue impenitent it would but make my Grief more intolerable I think when I leave them that I shall have no Hopes to see them again for ever But this is not all neither My Body must be used as the Soul's Instrument and here all that Strength and Ease which I have must be used for the Soul and truly there is Reason enough for it that so there may be Eternal Happiness for both together In Marriage the Husband and Wife should have the same Design Would it not be inhumane for the one to have a Design which tends to the Ruine of the other Just so my Soul and Body should have the same Design and the Body being the more vile of the two should be subordinate to the Soul And it is a necessary Disjunction either the Body the Strength and Ease and Members of it must be used for the good or for the hurt of the Soul there is no Medium here Let me then herein make my Body useful to my Soul in accomplishing all the good
Vineyard where are two American Churches planted which are more famous than the rest over one of which there presides an ancient Indian as Pastor called Hiacooms John Hiacooms Son of the said Indian Pastor also Preacheth the Gospel to his Country-men In another Church in that place John Tockinosh a Converted Indian Teaches in these Churches ruling Elders of the Indians are joyned to the Pastors the Pastors were chosen by the People and when they had Fasted and Prayed Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton laid their Hands on them so that they were solemnly Ordained All the Congregations of the Converted Indians both the Catechumens and those in Church-Order every Lord's Day meet together the Pastor or Preacher always begins with Prayer and without a Form because from the Heart when the Ruler of the Assembly has ended Prayer the whole Congregation of Indians Praise God with Singing some of them are excellent Singers After the Psalm he that Preaches Reads a place of Scripture one or more Verses as he will and expounds it gathers Doctrines from it proves them by Scriptures and Reasons and infers Uses from them after the manner of the English of whom they have been taught then another Prayer to God in the Name of Christ concludes the whole Service Thus do they meet together twice every Lord's-Day they observe no Holy-days but the Lord's-Day except upon some extraordinary Occasion and then they solemnly set a part whole Days either in giving Thanks or Fasting and Praying with great Fervor of Mind Before the English came into these Coasts these barbarous Nations were altogether ignorant of the true God hence it is that in their Prayers and Sermons they used English Words and Terms he that calls upon the most holy Name of God says Jehovah or God or Lord and also they have learned and borrowed many other theosogical Phrases from us In short there are six Churches of Baptized Indians in New-England and eighteen Assemblies of Catechumens professing the Name of Christ Of the Indians there are Four and Twenty who are Preachers of the Word of God and besides these there are four English Ministers who Preach the Gospel in the Indian Tongue I am now my self weary with Writing and I fear lest if I should add more I should also be tedious to you yet one thing I must add which I had almost forgot that there are many of the Indians Children who have learned by Heart the Catechism either of that famous Divine William Perkins or that put forth by the Assemblies of Divines at Westminister and in their own Mother Tongue can answer to all the Questions in 〈◊〉 But I must end I salute the famous Professors in your University to whom I desire you to communicate this Letter as Written to them also Farewel worthy Sir the Lord preserve your Health for the Benefit of your Country his Church and of Learning Yours ever Increase Mather Boston in New-England July 12th 1687. Mr. Hammond in his Sermon in the Casuistical Morning Exercise gives us out of Ecclesiastical History two remarkable Passages of the Promotion of the Gospel by private Christians 1. THE one is related by Ruffinus who gives this account of the Conversion of the Kingdom of the Iberians to the Faith There was saith he a certain poor Woman who had been taken Captive and lived among them she was at first taken notice of for her Sobriety and Modesty and then for her spending so much time in Prayer these raised a great admiration of her in the Minds of the Barbarians At last they brought to her a sick Child which upon her Prayers was restored to Health This spread her Fame abroad so that the Queen of the Country was brought to her and by her Prayers recovered Whereupon the King and Kingdom were won over to Christ and the King sent to Constantine the Great for some to instruct them farther in the Christian Religion Ruffin Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 10. The holy Conversation and the ardent Devotions of private Chistians are excellent means to recommend the Gospel and to represent it as most amiable and desireable 2. The other is of Frumentius Aedecius These being Christians were left young in one of the Kingdoms of the inner India and were after some time for their excellent Parts and unspotted Life honoured and employed by the Queen of the Country during the Minority of her Son In Process of time some Roman Merchants came to Traffick among them then Frumentius understanding that there were some Christians among them invited them to reside with him and provided a place for them where they might offer up their Prayers to God after the Christian manner and himself having obtained leave of the Queen went to Athanasius in Alexandria requesting him to send some Bishop to that Kingdom to promote the farther Entertainment of the Gospel among them to which they were well inclined and disposed for the reception of it Athanasius ordained Frumentius himself who returned and by God's Blessing met with wonderful Success Ruffin Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 9. Socrat. Eccl. Hist l. 1. c. 15. Sozomen l. 2. c. 23. If Providence says my Author shall bring these Lines to the view of Christian Travellers Merchants and Mariners who come among the poor Heathen let the Examples laid before them excite and encourage them to use their Endeavours to bring them to the Knowledge of Christ and the Entertainment of the Gospel The Reverend Mr. Annesly whose non-such Zeal in promoting the Gospel has been so successful in this part of the World gives the following Account of the Reverend Mr. Brand in the Narrative of his Life wherein he seems to have been actuated by a double Portion of the same Spirit whilst he writes the Story of that is Friend He tells us His Zeal for promoting the Gospel was so extensive that besides his constant weekly Catechising where he resided he promoted the constancy of it in all Schools and places to which he was a Benefactor and engaged all Ministers to whose support he Contributed to be diligent in it often examining the Conduct and Success of those he trusted with it And besides these again he hired several other Persons in distant places to catechise Children and all others willing to Learn and once a Month or oftner rode to visit and catechise them himself And to encourage them to do well and especially those who were Old and yet Ignorant and therefore ashamed to come to frequent those Exercises he gave them Books or Money according to their Quality And to allure Masters and Parents to send their Children or Servants he would also present them with Books curiously bound and Guilt and to such as were Poor he would give more Money than they could earn in the time spent in Learning His Discourse with Parents and Masters themselves was Catechistical and yet not disparaging All his Questions to all sorts so instructively Worded that they could not miss a right Answer and his whole
Sermon in that place he and I walk'd together a considerable time before the People came he behaved himself reverently and very gravely in the Church during the Service stood up commonly at Prayers and always in my time wrote a Sermon after the Minister when the Morning-Service was ended he commonly invited the Minister to Dine with him who seldom refused and many others who either lived at distance as Mrs. Hanmer Sir Job Charleton's Daughter married to a Justice of Peace in that Country of else such as were poor and needy His Discourse homewards was sweet and spiritual at Table it was seasoned as well as his meat edifying and yet pleasant and taking never wild or inoffensive After Meat and Thanks returned they commonly I think constantly before departure from Table sung the 23d Psalm Sometime after when the Servants had dined he propounded to such Guests as he thought in prudence he should not be too free with to retire into the Parlour for a while till he had attended upon his Family repeated over the Sermon and prayed with them after which he returned to his Guests again and having entertained them with some short Discourse he retired a while himself and by and by called upon his Family to go to Church After Evening Service and Sermon ended he retired again till six a Clock then called for Prayers catechised took an account of Children and Servants of what they remembred at Church which accounts were given sometimes very largely and particularly sung a Psalm kneeled down to Prayers which consisted more of Praise and Benediction then at other times and at last his Children kneeling down before him to beg his Blessing he blessed them all and concluded the Service of the day with the 123 Psalm save that after Supper he retired for about half an hour more into his Study before Bed-time Sometimes after the publick Service ended at Church he gave some spiritual Instructions and Preached in his House to as many as would come to hear him and in his last Years when the Incumbents grew careless in providing Supplys for two or three neighbouring Churches and Chappels and the People cry'd out for lack of Vision he set up a constant Ministration and Preaching at home never taking any thing by way of Reward for his Pains unless with a purpose to give it away to those who were in greater necessities See more in my Christians Companion and History of all Religions CHAP. LXVI Remarkable Love of the Holy Scripture THE Sacred Scriptures were written for our Learning and contain in them such Doctrines Precepts Prophecies Promises Threatnings and Judgments as concern us all and therefore we are commanded to study the Law to search the Scriptures to meditate on the Word of God to make it our delight to talk of it to our Children and acquaint our selves with the Will of God And 't is good Advice which a worthy Divine gives us in this case In Reading Holy Scripture saith he take heed that an holy and humble Mind always bear thee company be humble and not proud sober and not curious study to obey not to dispute turn not Conscience into Questions and Controversies draw not all to Reason leave something for Faith where thou canst not sound the Bottom admire the Depth kiss the Book and lay it down weep over thine Ignorance and send one hearty Wish to Heaven Oh! when shall I come to know as I am known Go not without nor before thy Guide but let thine Eye be always toward the Lamb who only can open this Book and thy Understanding and then blessed is he that reads c. 1. Theodosius Sen. wrote out the whole New Testament with his own Hand accounting it a great Jewel and read a part of it every Day Clark in his Life 2. Theodosius Jun. learned much of the Holy Scriptures without Book and so reasoned of them with the Bishops as if himself had been an experienced Minister Clark in his Life 3. Origen when a Child was very inquisitive into the recondite meaning of the Scriptures D. Cave's Prim. Christianity 4. King Alphonsus read over the Bible Fourteen times with Commentaries 5. John Picus Mirandula addicted himself seriously to the study of Sacred Scripture and at Eight and twenty Years of Age wrote a learned Tractate of the Six Days Work of God and another of the Sabbath for the Publick Benefit of the Church he was mightily affected with the Elegancy of the Scriptures in their Original especially of Paul's Epistles which he preferred before all humane Eloquence whatsoever professing that the Writings of Tully Demosthenes c. were not to be compared with them he wrote much also for interpreting the Old Testament and reconciling seeming Differences he justified the Translation of Hierome against the Calumnies of the Jews He also defended the Septuagint Translation principally with respect to the Psalms Clark in his Life 6. Tho. Cromwel Earl of Essex in a Journey to and from Rome learned the whole Testament translated by Erasmus without Book Clark in his Life 7. Beza when about Eighteen Years old could say by Heart perfectly any Greek Chapter in St. Paul's Epistles 8. Cranmer and Ridley learnt the New Testament by Heart the former in his Journey to Rome the other in Pembroke-Hall Walks in Cambridge Fox's Martyrol 9. The Council of Trent because Bishops must be blameless exhorts that above all things every one keep Sobriety at his Table c. And because oftentimes idle Discourses are wont to arise that at the Tables of Bishops themselves the Holy Scriptures be read Decret 1. Sess 10. One of Bishop Latimer's Injunctions to the Prior and Convent of St. Mary's House in Worcester was thus Item That the Prior have at his Dinner or Supper every Day a Chapter read and to have edifying Communication of the same Hist of the Reformation by Dr. Burnet 11. Cardinal Pool in the Platform of his Reformation requires Bishops to have at their Tables the Scriptures or other good Books read mixt with pious Discourses Ibid. 12. We had the same Exercise in my time appointed by Dr. Tully then Principal of St. Edmond-Hall in Oxford viz. a Part or Paragraph of the Latin Testament read by some Servitor when we were at Dinner 13. Bishop Jewel had usually a Chapter read at Meals after which he would recreate himself with Scholastical Wars between young Scholars whom he maintained at his Table See his Life 14. King Edward the Sixth when very young and one of his Play-fellows or Servants being about to take something down that was above his reach took a great Bible to stand upon with a holy indignation reproved him for it some say he took it up and kissed it saying That it was unfit that he should trample that under his Feet which he ought to treasure up in his Head and Heart Fuller's Ch. Hist p. 424. 15. Hierom calls the Books of Kings his own because by frequent use and reading he had got them
Liquors unless now and then a Glass by way of Cordial CHAP. LXXII Present Retribution to the Devout and Praying Or Prayers answered in Kind NEver did God say to any of the Seed of Jacob seek my face in vain Our Saviour hath resolved us by the Authority of his Word the Example of the Syrophoenician Woman Mat. 15 22. And the Parable of the Importunate Widow Luke 18.2 That Prayer is no vain or fruitless Point of Devotion Let Elijah Daniel David Jesus the Apostles and all the sincere Votaries of the Church of GOD give their Suffrage in the Case 1. Alexander Bishop of Constantinople when Arius was sent for thither by the Emperour to give an Account of his unquiet Behaviour at Alexandria shut himself up in the Church and there fell to Fasting and Prayer begging of God Night and Day with Tears That if Arius were true in his Opinion he might never see the Day of his Trial but if not that God would inflict some visible Judgment upon Arius the Author of so much Mischief Arius before the Emperour subscribed and swore to the Decrees of the Nicene Council but with Fraud and Equivocation for swearing that he heartily assented to what he had written he meant only a Form of Faith which he had purposely put in his Bosom upon this the good Emperour was satisfied and commanded Alexander to receive him into his Communion This was upon Saturday but the next Day expecting to the admitted he goes out of the Palace with Eusebius and many Followers in great Pomp and Pride but by and by in the chief Marker-place of the City his Conscience accused him his Belly loosened he called for the next Jakes whither he retired immediately and there his Fundament coming out he voided much Blood together with Bowels Spleen and Liver and so died wretchedly Clark's Marr. of Eccl. History 2. St. Augustine when the Goths and Vandals were broke into Africa and besieged Hippo sitting at Table one Day with his Presbyters and the Bishops that were fled thither from other places for Refuge said to them You know Brethren that from the beginning of this Siege my daily Prayers have been That God would either free us from it or give his Servants Patience and Courage to undergo what he imposeth or to take me out of this present evil World and I believe that God will answer my desire And accordingly the Third Month of the Siege he fell sick of a Fever and died Ibid. And Dr. Jer. Tailour Life of Christ. He was very powerful in Prayers so that sometimes thereby he hath cast out Devils Clark Ibid. I have mention'd formerly in my Christian 's Companion out of his Confessions that once being extreamly afflicted with the Tooth-ach so that he could not speak by writing he requested his Friends that came to visit him to pray with and for him which they did and immediately whilst they were at Prayers his Pain ceased and his Speech was restored 3. Luther being present at the Marriage of Philip. Duke of Pomerania with Mary Daughter to the Elector of Saxony prayed for a Blessing and taking Philip by the hand said The Lord God be with you and keep your Posterity from failing but his Wife continuing barren Four Years all his Male-stock was like to be extinct yet at length by God's Blessing according to Luther's Prayer he had Seven Sons by her which wonderfully increased the Family Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 141. 4. Mr. Hugh Latimer used constantly in his Prayers to beg That God would restore the Gospel to England once again Which blessed be God hath been granted Clark's Exam. p. 461. 5. Luther is said to be able to prevail with God at his pleasure to obtain what he list according to that of Prov. 12.2 Once praying for the Recovery of Myconius he let fall this rapturous Expression Fiat voluntas mea Let my Will be done and then sweetning it Mea voluntas Domine quia tua My Will because thine which was granted Ibid. p. 466. 6. Henry late Lord Delamer in his Advice to his Children tells them That he had observed any Morning that he had hurried over his Devotions the Day following was not prosperous and that thing which particularly occasioned him to such haste met with ill success Lord Delamer's Works p. 3. 7. A. C. 1584 near Bern in Switzâ—rland a certain Hill in an Earthquake was carried violently over and beyond other Hills and covered a whole Village consisting of Ninety Families one Half-house only excepted wherein the Master of the Family with his Wife and Children were earnestly praying unto God This is attested by Polanus who lived in those parts Syntag. p. 841. Present Retribution to the Devout Prayers answered in kind c. 8. IF Mr. Elliot said of any Affiar I cannot bless it it was a worse omen to it then the most inauspicious Presages in the World but sometimes after he had been with God about a thing he was able successfully to foretel I have set a Mark upon it it will do well I shall never forget that when Enland and Holland were plunged into the unhappy War which the more sensible Protestants every-where had but sorrowful Apprehensions of our Elliot being in the height and heat of the War privatly asked What News we might next look for Answered unto the surprize of the Enquirer Our next News will be a Peace between the two Protestant Nations God knows I pray for it every day and I am verily perswaded we shall hear of it speedily And it came to pass accordingly There was a godly Minister of Charles-Town one Mr. Foster who with his Son was taken Captive by Turish Enemies much Prayer was made both privately and publickly by the good People for the Redemption of that Gentleman but we were at last informed that the bloody Prince in whose Dominion he was now a Slave was resolved that in his Life-time no Prisoner should be released And so the distressed Friends of this Prisoner now concluded Our hope is lost Well upon this Mr. Elliot in some of his next Prayers before a very solemn Congregation very broadly begg'd Heavenly Father work for the Redemption of thy poor Servant Foster and if the Prince which detains him will not as they say dismiss him as long as himself lives Lord we pray thee to kill that cruel Prince kill him and glorifie thy self upon him And now behold the Answer the poor captivated Gentleman quickly returns to us that had been Mourning for him as a lost Man and brings us news that the Prince was come to an untimely Death by which means he was now set at liberty Cotton Mather in his Life p. 50. 9. In 1642 One Mary Glover a Merchants Daughter in Thames-street being bewitched by one Mother Jackson who was arraigned at Newgate in London continuing every second day in most strange and dreadful Fits and Torments for about three Weeks or a Month after the Witch was condemned several Ministers and
other Christians met tegether to pray for her when on a sudden after a terrible Conflict which so much amazed some that they cried out with a confused Noise Jesus help Jesus save the Maid started up out of a wicked Chair wherein she sate and by main Strength lifted up one of the Ministers with her who kneeled behind and held her in his Arms and threw white Froth out of her Throat and Mouth round about the Chamber and on a sudden fell down into the Chair as one really dead with her Head hanging on one side her Neck and Arms limber though before as stiff as if Frozen presently after Life returned into her whole Body and her Eyes and Tongue came into their right place she then looked up with a chearful Countenance round the Chamber and with a loud Voice spoke saying O he is come he is come the Comforter is come the Comforter is come I am delivered I am delivered her Father hearing these Words wept for Joy and with a faultring Vocie said O these were her Grandfather's Words who suffered in Queen Mary 's Days She then kneeled down and gave humble and hearty Thanks and Praise to God for her Deliverance which she continued to do till her Voice grew weak and the Minister desired her to forbear and so they ended the Day with Thanksgiving After which she was committed to the Care of the Minister who writ this Relation least Satan should again assault her His name was Mr. Lewis Haughs then Minister of St. Helens London from whence this Narrative was taken and who doth not mention what became of the Witch nor that the Maid was any more afflicted in this kind History of Demons c. p. 20. What follows is extracted from Mr. Aubrey 's Miscellanies 10. Hugo Grotius in his Annotations on Jonah speaking of Nineve says That History hath divers Examples that after a great and hearty Humiliation God delivered Citys c. from their Calamities Some did observe in the late Civil Wars that the Parliament after a Humiliation did shortly obtain a Victory And as a three-fold Cord is not easily broken so when a whole Nation shall conjoyn in fervent Prayer and Supplication it shall produce wonderful Effects William Lawd Arch-bishop of Canterbury in a Sermon preached before the Parliament about the beginning of the Reign of Kng Charles I. affirms the Power of Prayer to be so great That though there be a Conjunction or Opposition of Saturn or Mars as there was one of them then it will overcome the Malignity of it In the Life of Vâ—vasor Powel is a memorable Account of the Effect of fervent Prayer after an exceeding Drought And Mr. Baxter in his Book afore-mentioned hath several Instances of that kind which see St. Michael and all Angels The Collect. O everlasting God who hast Ordered and Constituted the Services of Men and Angels after a wonderful manner Mercifully grant that as the Holy Angels alway do thy Service in heaven So by thy Appointment they may succour and defend us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Thus far Mr. Aubrey 11. Mr. Tho. Spatchet late of Dunwich and Cookley was under extraordinary Fits occasion'd by Witchcraft and was by the gracious Effects of fervent Prayer delivered out of them as we are assur'd by the Narrative thereof drawn up by the Reverend Mr. Samuel Petto Minister at Sudbury in Suffolk who was an Eye-witness This Account was Printed for John Harris at the Harrow in Little Britain in June 1693. 12. Mr. John Janeway as his Brother writes was mighty in Prayer and his Spirit was oftentimes so transported in it that he forgot the weakness of his own Body and of others Spirits Indeed the Acquaintance that he had with God was so sweet and his Converse with him so frequent that when he was engaged in Duty he scarce knew how to leave that which was so delightful and suited to his Spirit His constant Course for some Years was this He Prayed at least three times a day in secret sometimes seven times twice a day in the Family or College He was used to converse with God with a holy Familiarity as a Friend and would upon all occasions run to him for advice and had many strange and immediate Answers of Prayer one of which I think it not altogether impertinent to give the World an Account of His honoured Father Mr. William Janeway Minister of Kelshal in Hartford-shire being sick and being under somewhat dark Apprehensions as to the state of his Soul he would often say to his Son John Oh Son this passing upon Eternity is a great thing this Dying is a solemn business and enough to make any ones Heart ake that hath not his Pardon sealed and his Evidences for heaven clear And truly Son I am under no small Fears as to my own Estate for another World Oh that God would clear his Love Oh that I could say chearfully I can die His sweet and dutiful Son made a suitable Reply at present but seeing his dear Father continuing under despondings of Spirit he got by himself and spent some time in wresting with God upon his Father's account After he was risen from his Knees he came down to his sick Father and asked him how he felt himself his Father made no Answer for some time but wept exceedingly and continued for some considerable time in extraordinary Passion of Weeping so that he was not able to speak But at last having recovered himself with unspeakable joy he burst out into such Expressions as these Oh Son now it is come it is come it is come I bless God I can die I know now what that white Stone is wherein a new Name is written which none know but they which have it And that Fit of Weeping which you saw me in was a Fit of overpowring Love and Joy so great that I could not for my heart contain my self neither can I express what glorious Discoveries God hath made of himself unto me And had that Joy been greater I question whether I could have born it and whether it would not have separated Soul and Body You may well think that his Son's Heart was not a little refreshed to hear such Words and see such a Sight and to meet the Messenger that he had sent to Heaven returned back again so speedily He counted himself a sharer with his Father in this Mercy and it was upon a double account welcome as it did so wonderfully satisfie his Father and as it was so immediate and clear an Answer of his own Prayers as if God had from Heaven said unto him Thy Tears and Prayers are heard for thy Father Upon this this precious young Man broke forth into Praises and even into another Extasie of Joy that God should deal so familiarly with him and the Father and Son together were so full of Joy Light Life Love and Praise that there was a little Heaven in the place See his Life 13. Speed in his
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
living in the same Family with David Wright we were Eye and Ear-witnesses of the Truth of the foregoing Particulars concerning him and in confirmation of the Verity thereof we have hereto put our Hands both Sons to Wright 's Mistress Slape Drever Thomas Drever Thomas Child Joseph Morgan Ibid. See more in the Chapters of The Existence of Good Angels and Present Retribution to the Devout and Praying c. 13. We have this Account from a credible Hand viz. That about two Years ago the Apprentice of Mr. Welby in East-Smithfield was taken Dumb but recovered by the help of a neighbouring Doctor After a few days he lost his Speech again but by the direction of a second Doctor recovered it once more but falling into a third Relapse the Physicians could give him no help About two Months the young Man had a Vision in his Dream of a Man that advised him to take the Fat of a Lamb and anoint himself therewith and apply the Heart hot to his Throat he had the same Apparition a second time upon which Physicians and Divines were consulted who thought it a Delusion of the Devil and disswaded him from it The Apparition coming the third time told him 'T was no Delusion and as a Token that it was not he should lose the Vse of his left Arm which fell out accordingly and he advised him to use the Remedy upon the â—4th of August and to take the Air for a Month or it would be worse for him Upon which he went to High-Gate and applying the Remedy recovered his Speech next day and had the Use of his Arm restored Postscript to the Flying-Post Aug. 22. 1696. 14. Sozomen tells us That the Queen of Iberia being taken with an incurable Disease was miraculously restored to perfect Health by a Christian Woman at the Invocation of the Name of Christ I shall give my Reader the Story at length out of Socrates Scholasticus There was saith he a certain Godly and Devout Woman taken Captive of the Iberians a People dwelling nigh the Euxine Sea this Woman being a Captive and having her Conversation with Barbarians gave herself wholly to Godliness for she exercised very much the Discipline of Continency using a severe kind of Abstinence and applying herself wholly to fervent Prayer which when the Barbarians perceived they wondered at the strangeness of the Act. It fell out that the King's Son of very tender Years fell into a dangerous Disease the Queen after that Countrey-manner sent the Child to other Women for Physick to try if Experience had taught them any Medicine that might Cure that Malady But when the Nurse had carried the Child about to every Woman I suppose he means every neighbouring Woman that made any Profession of Skill that way and could procure Remedy of none at length he is brought to this Captive Woman who in the presence of many more Women who without the Application of any other Salve or Medicine took the Child laid her Sack-cloth upon him and said only these Words Christ which healed many will also heal this Infant When she had uttered these Words and prayed unto God for his Aid and Assistance the Child forthwith recovered and from that time enjoyed perfect Health The fame of this Act was bruted abroad among all the Barbarian Wives and at length came to the Queen's Ear so that the Captive Woman was much talked of A while after the Queen herself fell sick and this simple Woman was sent for she refused to go lest peradventure some Violence contrary to the Modesty of her Nature should be offered to her the Queen then was conveyed to her she practised the like as she had done before unto the Child the Queen is rid of her Disease thanks the Woman for the Cure but the Woman answered 'T is not my doing but Christ's the Son of God and Maker of Heaven and Earth She exhorts the Queen to call upon him and acknowledge him for the True God The King marveling at this strange Cure commanded that the Woman should be bountifully rewarded Who made Answer That she wanted no Riches but esteemed Godliness a great Treasure and that the King should receive a precious Jewel if he would acknowledge that God whom she professed with these Words she returned back the Rewards The King laid up all these sayings in his Breast the next day as the King went a Hunting the Hills and Forest where his Game lay were over-cast with dark Clouds and a thick Mist the Game was uncertain and doubtful the way stop'd and intricate the King being at his Wits end not knowing what was best to do calls upon the Gods whom he accustomed to serve but they stood him in no stead it came to his mind to think upon the God of the Captive Woman unto him he turns and cries for Help as soon as he had Prayed unto him the Cloud was dissolved and the Mist scattered and the King wondring returns home to his Wife and told what had happened Immediately he fends for the Captive Woman and after some Instructions from her turns Christian erects a House of Prayer and makes a Proclamation to his People to receive the same Faith Sozom. l. 2. c. 6. Socrat. Schol. l. 5. c. 16. Ruffin l. 1. c. 10. Theodorat l. 1. c. 23. Centur. Magd. cent 4. c. 13. Ruffinus saith The King of the Iberian 's Name was Bacurius In the Preface of a French Treatise Entituled Harmonie des Propheties anciennes avec les Modernes which was Printed at Cologn in the Year 1687 I find this very wonderful Passage which I choose to mention in this place as contributing to the Explication of them that are to follow Madam Mingot the Widow of a Chyrurgion of the City of Caen in Normandy had several unaccountable Revelations made unto her that she kept wholly secret but there was one which by a Miracle that accompanied it was put beyond the possibility of Secrecy She was afflicted with a Palsey eight or ten Years together in her Limbs which rendred her altogether Impotent and her Impotency was not the less for her being fourscore Years of Age. But one Day when she was at Prayer before the God of Heaven for the Deliverance of his Church from the Confusions then upon it in the heat and heighth of the French Persecution it was audibly said unto her Thy Prayers are heard the afflicted Church shall be speedily and gloriously delivered but it has yet something more to suffer She was commanded herewithal to make this Revelation known unto her Brethren and that they might give credit unto her Words it was added The Lord has restored thy Health and Strength unto thee She was immediately and miraculously Healed of her Malady and she walked her self and carried unto her Pastors the Account of this Revelation They wondered at the Miracle and would fain have concealed the Prophecy but the Prophecy could not possibly be hid because of the famous Miracle that attended it
the Day at which time it left him The two next Nights it gave him the same Molestation saying It must be with him as it was with David Who gave no Sleep to his Eyes nor Slumber unto his Eye-lids until he found a place for the Lord and Habitation for the God of Jacob. Upon a Wednesday at Night he was very peremptory in his resisting of it When it began to sollicite him he replied That he saw it was a Spirit of Delusion which he would not obey Upon which the Spirit denounced a Curse against him in these words Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire And so left with a very great heat in his Body After this he was in his own apprehension in a very comfortable Condition and while he was considering what had happened a Voice within him spake to him saying That the Spirit which was before upon him was a Spirit of Delusion but now the true Spirit of God was come into him It acquainted him that the Doctrine of the Trinity was true and that God had an Elect People and that those whom the Father Elected the Son hath redeemed and whom Christ redeemed the Holy Ghost sanctifieth and told him than the Minister of the Town would further instruct him about the Truth of these Things Upon Thursday Morning about Break-of-Day it set him upon his Knees as he was in Bed and bid him Farewel The same Day it came upon him in the Field as he was going to and coming from the Market and pressed upon him to believe that it was the good Spirit which he was acted with which he still doubted of One Night that Week amongst many Arguments which it used to that purpose it told him If he would not believe without a Sign he might have what Sign he would Upon that Robert Church-man desired if it was a good Spirit that a Wyer Candlestick which stood upon the Cup-board might be turned into Brass which the Spirit said he would do Presently there was a very unsavoury Smell in the Room like that of the Snuff of a Candle newly put out but nothing else was done towards the fulfilling that Promise Upon the Lord's-Day following he being at Church it came upon him When the Chapters were named he turned to them in his Bible but was not able to read When the Psalm was sung he could to pronounce a Syllable Upon Monday Morning his Speech was wholly taken from him When I came to him and asked him how it was with him he moved his Head towards me but was not able to speak I waited an Hour or two in the Room hoping that his Speech might have returned unto him and that I might have gained from him some Account of his Condition but finding no alteration I desired those who were present to joyn with me in Prayer As we were praying his Body with much violence was thrown out of Bed and then with great vehemency he called to me to hold my Tongue When Prayer was done his Tongue was bound as before 'till at last he broke our into these words Thine is the Kingdom Thine is the Kingdom which he repeated I believe above an Hundred times Sometimes he was forced into extream Laughter sometimes into Singing his Hands were usually employed in beating his Breast all of us who stood by could discern unusual Heavings in his Body This Distemper did continue towards the Morning of the next Day and the Voice within him signified to him that it would leave him bidding him to get upon his Knees in order to that end which he did and then presently he had a perfect Command of himself When I came to him he gave me a sober Account of all the Passages of the Day before having a distinct Remembrance of what the Spirit forced him to do and what was spoken to him by those who stood by In particular he told me he was compelled to give me that Disturbance in Prayer which I before mentioned the Spirit using his Limbs and Tongue as it pleased contrary to the Inclination of his own Mind Upon the Thursday following the Spirit began to rage after its former manner as I was at Prayer with him it was very discernable how it wrought upon his Body forced him to grate his Teeth and draw his Mouth awry He told me after I had done that it hid him to denounce Woe against me It pleased God upon continuance in Prayer with him at last to release him of all his Trouble and so far to make it advantagious to him and his Wife and some others which were too much byassed with the Principles of the Quakers that now they have a perfect dislike of that way and do diligently attend upon the publick Service of God in the Parochial Church Sit you may be confident of the Truth of what is here related by Balsham Jan. 1. 1681. Your assured Friend J. T. 1. In the Year 1653 in Kendal in Westmoreland there was one John Gilpin who was very desirous to associate himself with the Quakers at their Meetings and speaking with one of them about it he much encouraged him to hold on his purpose and accordingly he went to them when one Ch. Atkinson was Speaker whose drift was to deny all ministerial Teaching and Ordinances together with all notional Knowledge gained by the use of such means and to become as if they had never learned any thing and now be taught of God within themselves by waiting upon an inward Light which saith he lies low hidden under the Earth viz. The Old Man which is of the Earth earthly 2. Gilpin was immediately taken with this new Doctrine that he resolved to close with them was afraid to read any good Books to hear any preaching Minister or to call to remembrance any thing which he had formerly learned concerning God Christ his own Estate or any other Subject contained in the Scriptures for they told him that all such Knowledge was but Notional Carnal and hanging upon the Tree of Knowledge adding cursed is every one that hang on this Tree One or them told him that Christ was a Man had his Failings distrusted God c. 3. At this next Meeting the Speaker urged him to take up the Cross daily saying Carry the Cross all Day and it will keep thee at Night He urged him to hearken to a Voice within him speak much of a Light within them which Gilpin not yet finding was much troubled desiring that he might fall into Quaking thinking that thereby he should attain to the immediate discoveries of God to him And accordingly shortly after as he was walking in his Chamber he began to quake so extreamly that he could not stand but fell upon his Bed where he howled and cryed in a terrible and hideous manner as others of them used to do yet he was not afraid but looked upon it ad the Pains of the New birth after half an Hour by degrees he ceased from howling and rejoyced that now he could
their Prescriptions wrought kindly but removed not his Disease he desired divers Christians to pray for him on a Day prefixed and promised to joyn with them as well as he could with some others that should be with him assuring them That he was confident that Disease would not be removed but by Prayer and Fasting The Morning of that Day he had a Fit continued four Hours together upon him and the Devil set upon all that while with most dreadful Temptations telling him he would make him the Scorn of Religion and every Man should reproach it for his sake that had before by his means looked towards it that he should never preach more but should blaspheme the Name of God he had preached with many like Suggestions God gave him Courage Comfort and Victory over them all The Devil told him if he did fast and pray that Day he would torment and hinder him c. We met at the time appointed and Master Rothwel would needs have me to perform the Duty which through God's Goodness I did and the Devil was not permitted to hinder or interrupt him or us and God heard our Prayers so that he had never a Fit after that and the Sabbath-sevennight following he preached but after many Wrestlings with Satan who told him he would make him mad and before all the People in the Pulpit make him a Scorn if he did adventure to preach Nevertheless his Faith in Christ overcame his Fear of Stan and he preached with great Assistance and Comfort upon that Text Psal 116.9 I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living Nevertheless that Sickness did so weaken his Brain that ever after he was inclining to some Infirmities which Love must cover See his Life 3. I have spoke elsewhere of Mr. Charles Langford in his Book to which I refer my Reader only take Notice of the Complaint which he makes concerning his own Case in his own Words If by Fever Melancholly or other Bodily Distempers the Natural Spirits which are the Cursitors between the Body and the Soul are made uncapable of performing their Office aright then is Satan sure to be up and doing every Affliction is an Hour of Temptation the Dark is his Delight now is the time for him to lay his Delusions upon the Fantasie and to charge Sin upon the Soul when he finds it most unable to resist and ready to embrace end believe it Langford's God's Wonderful Mercy in the Mount of Woful Extremity Preface See more in the next Chapter and in the Chapter of Discontentedness c. CHAP. XC Satan Hurting by Temptations Injections c. As for ordinary Temptations to ordinary Sins in the common way they are too obvious to every sensible Christian than to need a particular Discourse all that I intend here is to make a Remark upon some that are more strange and unusual either as to the Greatness of the Sins the Temptations direct to or the Season or the Conveyance For Satan doth not always keep the same Road nor the same Pace but sometimes spurs on with more violence and changeth his Path and varies his Methods sometimes he roars like a Lyon and drives on like Jehu Furiously as if he would drive Souls to Hell without fear of any Opposition or possibility of Remedy 1. Anthony Wildgoose being visited An. 1634 with a violent burning Fever upon Recovery being visited by some Friends who prayed with him and sung a Psalm or two viz. Psal 15. and Psal 13. when they came to the last Verse I will give thanks unto the Lord c. Satan standing at his Right-hand to use his own words tempted him to blaspheme the great and dreadful Name of God with the words of Job's Wife To curse God and die c. And this he forced so vehemently into his Mind that he had no power to resist him insomuch that he thought verily he had done it indeed which occasioned much Trouble of Mind to him so that he had very little Sleep Night or Day and was verily perswaded the Devil would carry away suddenly Body and Soul into Hell and so he continued crying out That he had committed the unpardonable Sin despairing of God's Mercy 'till upon a Minister's Vifit and Instructions he recovered a little but by and by fell into worse Torment of Mind than before as if he had been fallen into the very Depths of Hell and in a Trance of some Hours continuance after he had seemed to converse a-while with Devils who tormented him with Whips on a Bed of Iron he though he was restored from thence and stood upon the Earth and that all the Sky was on a Light-fire and that Jesus was come to judge the Earth and was set upon his Throne and he to appear before him immediately And then looking on himself as a most vile black deformed ugly Creature Oh! thought he if I were but like such and such Afterwards recovering from his Trance and Illness of Body he continued in ill State of Mind a long time sometimes ready to make away himself living melancholly and discontented once putting a Knife to his Throat and drawing Blood but upon better Thoughts he withdrew escaping as a Bird out of the Snare c. Miracles of Mercies p. 2 3 4. 2. While Mr. Eliot was preaching of Christ to the Indians a Demon appeared to a Prince of the Eastern Indians in a shape that somewhat resembled the Person of Mr. Eliot or of an English Minister pretending to be the English-man's God The Spectre commanded him To forbear the Drinking of Rum to observe the Sabbath-day and to deal justly with his Neighbours all which had been inculcated in Mr. Eliot's Ministry promising withal unto him That if he did so at his Death he 'd ascend unto a happy place otherwise descend unto Miseries But the Apparition all the while never said one word about Christ which was the main Subject of Mr. Eliot's Ministry The Sachim received such an Impression from the Apparition that he dealt justly with all Men except in the bloody Tragedies and Cruelties he afterwards committed on the English in our Wars he kept the Sabbath-Day like a Fast frequently attending in our Congregations he would not meddle with any Rum tho' usually his Country-men had rather die than to deny themselves At last and not long since this Demon appeared again unto the Pagan requiring him to kill himself and assuring him That he should revive in a Day or two never to die any more He thereupon divers times attempted it but his Friends very carefully prevented it however at length he found a fair Opportunity for this foul Business and hang'd himself you may be sure without his expected Resurrection But 't is easie to see saith my Author what a Stumbling-block was here laid before the miscrable Indians Mather in Mr. Eliot's Life 3. Mr. Powel speaking concerning a Woman by Name E. C. who at the Birth of a Child she had very great Temptations
promising to pray for the Man and to get all the Force that he could in the Town to joyn with him he returns home about Eleven of the Clock at Night and finding there several Persons whom he intended to have sent for he desired them to joyn their Prayers with his on this Man's behalf which they continued for some part of he Night The next Morning Mr. Balsom going to Visit him again sound him in a very comfortable Condition and asked him how he did he answered Through the Goodness of God I have overcome Satan and am now as full of Comfort as I was before of Trouble Thus he continued cheerful tho' very weak all that Day and the next Morning died no Disease being apparent on him Clark's Martyr c. Wonderful Prod. p. 47. 4. The Devil of Mascon that so long molested the House of Mr. Perrheaud complained that he could not do any hurt there because they prayed so much Printed Narrative 5. Senercleus tells of a plain Country Fellow at Friburg in Germany to whom as he lay on his Death-bed the Devil appeared in the Shape of a tall grim Man claiming his Soul saying Thou hast been a notorious Sinner and I am now come to set down all thy Sins And thereupon drew out Paper and Ink and sitting down at a Table that stood by began to write The sick Man said My Soul is Christ's and all my Sins are nailed to his Cross but if thou desirest to set down my Sins write thus All our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags The Devil set that down and bid him say on He did But thou Lord hast promised for thine own Name's-sake to blot out all our Iniquities and to make our Scarlet Sins White as Snow The Devil would not write these Words but was very earnest with the Man to go on with his former Confession Then said the sick Man with great cheerfulness The Son of God appeared to destroy the Works of the Devil Whereupon the Devil vanished and shortly after the sick Man died Clark's Mirrour ch 7. p. 33. 6. Mr. White of Dorchester to the Devil standing at his Bed's Feet said If thou hast nothing else to do thou mayest stand there still and I will betake myself to my Rest. And so composing himself to Sleep the Devil vanished away Ibid. 7. Luther lodging in the Castle at Wartzburg being troubled with Noises of the Devil 's making drove him away with saying Omnia subjecisti pedibus ejus Thou hast put all Things under his Feet Ibid. 8. Mr. Jos Allein in his Illness a little before his Death uttered these Words Away thou foul Fiend thon Enemy of all Mankind Art thou come now to molest me Now that I am just going now I am so weak and Death is upon me Trouble me not for I am none of thine I am the Lord 's Christ is mine and I am his His by Covenant I have sworn my self to be the Lords and his I will be Therefore be gone be gone be gone c. See his Life 9. A. C. 1663. One Thomas Sawdie a Boy of twelve Years of Age. Servant to Joh. Roberts of Trebilian in the Parish of Lawrack and County of Cornwal being possest by the Devil in a strange manner from whom he had received Money and falling sick after it sometimes with Fits like the Epilepsie in which he would continued for the space of seven or eight Hours sometimes like the Convulsion of which he had forty or fifty in a Day swelling of his Throat Distension of Limbs tearing off his Hair biting his own Flesh hollowing yelling whilstling neighing like a Stone-Horse lying as in a dead Sleep all Night halled out of his Bed and laid under the Bed with Arms spread abroad and such a stiffness in his Limbs that there was no bending of them without breaking them flying away from his Friends and in his Flight throwing off all his Cloaths Shirt and every thing presently drawing his Hands out and putting them in again when bound strait with a Napkin in three hard Knots getting his Legs one Arm and most of his Head through a Window where the Moulins were scarce three Inches asunder shooting his Body into a little Hole in the Wall up to the Waste of no capacity in the ordinary Course of Nature to contain such a Body as his was c. yet at last this Boy by the Prayers of three or four Ministers and other Neighbors was recovered out of this Share of the Devil He affirmed after his Recovery That at prayers he felt something as alive move out of his Belly towards his Throat upon which he then cried out He is gone he is gone and that the next Morning in the Field he went out like a Rat into a Fire which appeared near the hedge and both ascended into the Air and seemed to pass over to St. German's Town Attested by Mr. Toms Ministers Mr. Lydston Ministers Mr. Travers Ministers Mr. Teag Ministers John Roberts the Boy 's Master and Elizabeth his Wife Dorothy Sawdie Mrs. Jane Brooking and Mrs. Isabel her Daughter Tho. Geffery Hen. Palmer Constable With several others See the Printed Relation called A Return of Prayer Printed 1664. CHAP. XCV Satan hurting by Obsessions Possessions c. BY Obsessions I mean immediate Attempts and Assaults made upon the Disturbed Person by Satan or his Agents in such a manner as to discover themselves plainly to be of the Diabolical kind By Possessions the Insults of Satan in the very Body of the Person and this last way of Vexation I look upon as one of the worst when the Devil hath Power not only to Besiege the Town but to Enter the very castle and Domineer there and though there are some very late Authors that resolve all the History of the Demoniacks in the Gospel into Physical Distemperature of the Brain or Hypochondria yet I think they will be hard put to it to solve all the Difficulties and strange Occurrences of subsequent History 1. Mr. John Bruen of Stapleford in Cheshire Records the Story of a Boy called Thomas Harrison of Northwich about Eleven or Twelve Years of Age possessed with the Devil who by his Torments was brought so low that he was almost nothing but Skin and Bone yet for the space of Twenty four Hours every day having only one half hour respite which they call'd his Awaking time and wherein they gave him some Food he was of that extraordinary strength that if he folded his hands together no Man could pull them asunder if he rolled his Head or tossed his whole Body no Man could stay or restrain him He would to the great Astonishment of the Hearers Howl like a Dog Mew like a Cat Roar like a Bear Froth like a Boar when any pray'd with him his passions were strongest his Rage and Violence greatest ready to flye in their Faces and to drown their Voices by his yellings and outcries If any one came near him with a Bible though under
at Prayer Afterwards the Minister reading Psal 91. the Man standing by him to hold the Candle somewhat presently beat out the Light whereupon the Man said Some body else must hold the Candle Presently a Knife was thrown at the Minister which fell behind him his Brother said that he saw it come Then a Chopping-knife was thrown it was supposed at the Man's Wife Whereupon the Man said These things are thrown at others for my sake At length he fell down upon his Knees and confessed That he had been an Hypocrite and a Pilfering Fellow and that he had Robbed his Master c. and he was willing to separate the Things which he had taken wrongfully from the rest and did accordingly laying forth several things which he said were none of his naming the Persons from whom he had taken them And as a great Chest was carrying forth Trenchers Platters and other things were thrown about in so dreadful a manner that one not much noted for Religion said Pray you let us go to Prayer and indeed that was their only Refuge Praying Reading and Singing Psalms And tho' divers things were thrown as a Dish several times which gave Mr. Bennet once a smart Blow on the Cheek the Man's Boots a Chopping-knife twice Crabs out of a Tub standing in the midst of the Room a Firebrand a Hammer and a Bible yet at Prayer all was quiet In the Morning after Mr. Bennet and his Brother were come away before they got home they heard that the House was on fire Mr. Bennet was thereupon sent for again in the mean time they had carried away their Goods pulled off the Thatch and quench'd the Fire yet it kindled again and again till all th Man's Goods were carried out And when these People whose House was burnt down to the Ground together with all their Goods were removed into the Field all was quiet in the second House but some things were thrown in the Field and some noise heard among the Houshold-stuff Thus these poor Creatures were distressed their House burnt down that to which they removed several times fired and they with their Goods forced to lie in the open Fields for several Days and Nights together being made a sad Spectacle to all sorts of People that came far and near to see and hear of the Business Afterwards a Fast-day was kept by four neighbouring Ministers and Sermons preached on these Texts Job 11.13 Amos 3.6 Luke 13.2 3. Isa 33.14 15 16. The Congregation was great and the distressed Persons diligently attentive After which they were not at all troubled any more in that manner See the Narrative written by Mr. Bennet and published by Mr. Clark in his Examples Vol. II. p. 594 c. See more of the Darbyshire Woman that cozen'd a Boy of some Money in the Chapter of Divine Judgments upon Cursing and of John Duncalf that stole a Bible in the Chapter of Lying and Slandering Humane Judgments are so often inflicted in these Cases and our Prisons are so loud with the Cries of poor guilty Malefactors and the Gallows so conspicuous in every Country that it is less necessary to enquire for particular Instances of Divine Vengeance CHAP. CXV Remarkable Instances of Restitution We find in the old Mosaic Oeconomy strict Laws for Restitution Exod. 22.1 Lev. 6.2 c. Prov. 6.31 Scripture Precedents 1 Sam. 12.2 3. Nehem. 6.11 12 13. Luke 19.8 In short these four Reasons are urged by a late Author for the Necessity of it God doth strictly require it be severely punisheth the Neglect of it accepts of no Service till it be performed nor is there any true Repentance or Salvation without it 1. The Turkish Religion requires it Their Law is If any Man hath any Ill-gotten Goods in his Possession he must make speedy Satisfaction and if not able he must give a Bill under his Hand to restore it so soon as he is able Smythy's Treatise of Restitution p. 10. Selymus a Turkish Emperor lying upon his Death-bed tormented in Mind Pyrrhus one of his Basha's advised him for the quieting of his Thoughts to bestow the Wealth which he had wrongfully taken from the Persian Merchants upon a Hospital for the Poor But that would not satisfie his guilty Conscience and therefore he required that the Money should be returned to the Merchants themselves saying They are without the Obedience of God that do not Repent and Restore Ibid. 2. A Person in London having stole a Child and conveyed him beyond the Seas was so mightily disquieted in his Mind that he wrote to Mr. Smythy Curate at St. Giles's Cripplegate earnestly desiring him in his next Preparatory Sermon for the Sacrament to resolve two Questions 1. Whether one that hath stolen a Child and conveyed him beyond Sea could by any means be a worthy Communicant 2. If he might what was necessary in order to it The Questions were answered But there was no more possible to be done in that case the Child being not to be found and the Parents I suppose dead but to give the Money received for the Child to the Poor Which was done accordingly Ibid. 3. A younger Brother being covetous of an Estate sold his eldest Brother and conveyed him beyond the Seas Afterwards the Remorse of his Conscience was so great that he could not rest till he had used all possible Means for the Regaining of him Merchants engaged their Factors to enquire for him He had run away from his Master herded with a wild savage sort of Brutish People who lived in Woods and Forests with a Gun or Bow to get their Living was sent back to the Possession of his Inheritance but not capable of enjoying it being for the most part raging Mad and in his Intervals nothing would satisfie him but to return again to that wild foraging course of Life Ibid. 4. Mr. Burroughs in his Sermon on that Text Psal 17.14 hath these Words These Hands of mine had once that given to them to be a means to convey to restore that which was taken wrongfully 50 Years before The Wrong was 50 Years ago and after 50 Years the Conscience of the Man troubles him and he comes to bring to restore that wrong and desires it may be conveyed to such a place where he had done the wrong Burroughs's Gospel-Conversation p. 357. 5. Mr. Samuel Fairclough at Thirteen Years of Age hearing his Godfather Mr. Samuel Ward of Haveril Preaching upon Zacheus his Restitution and oft repeating Non dimittitur peccatum nisi restituatur oblatum was so touch'd with remorse for the robbing of one Goodman Jude's Orchard together with another School-Boy one John Trigg afterwards a Famous Physician in London that after a restless Night on Monday Morning he goes to Trigg tells him he was going to Goodman Jude's to carry him Twelve Pence for his Three penny-worth of Pears of which he had wrong'd him Trigg fearing a Whipping from his Master answer'd Thou talkest like a Fool Sam God will forgive us ten
CXXX Divine Judgments upon Discontentedness Ill Nature c. FRowardness and Discontent are certainly Diagnosticks of an ill Nature and Prognosticks of an unhappy Life 'T is hardly possible where these Qualities are Natural and predominant quite to Conquer them For which Reason Bishop Jos Hall prefers Good Nature before Grace in the Election of a Wife because saith he it will be a hard Task where the Nature is peevish and froward for Grace to make an entire conquest whilst Life losteth 1. Mr. John Mackerness Born in Northamptonshire gives us under his own Hand this ill Account of himself That he was an uncleanly Child every Night almost till the Eighth or Ninth year of his Age defiling his Bed negligent of Sports and Games not respected by other Companions but often thrust out of their Society abiding at Northampton-School with much regret and discontent never returning back from his Friends to School but with great sorrow and crying wishing that his Eyes were out rather than to learn his Book there When there out of Sullenness refusing all Victuals but Bread and Butter telling his Guardian that he wanted Victuals when indeed he voluntarily pinched his own Belly to bring an Odium upon the House which occasioned his remove to Daintry from whence he returned to his Guardian without taking leave of his master He was sent afterwards to London put to a Merchant but within three Weeks an Ague seized him and made him so peevish that he resolved not to stay He was sent for down and put to Wadham College in Oxford Anno 1669. but being always of a troubled and tumultuous Spirit and that Temper improved with Discontent Slothfulness and Pride he scorned the Company he was sorted with and those that were his Seniors scorned him so that he was fain to walk by himself and lead a solitary Life He grew unsetled began to think meanly of both the Ministry and the study of Physick had a desire to be a Lawyer promising himself thereby great Riches and brave things in abundance His Guardian not giving way to it he makes a Journey to London having Sold all his Goods in the College to enter himself at the Inns of Court his Tutor once disswaded him but the second time he went privately but not speeding he returns privately to the College Next he would be a Clerk to an Uncle of his but his Guardian not approving of that that Design was broken off At the University he learnt to Drink please himself with Womens Company abuse Scripture in Jests once stole a Duck when Batchelor of Arts he bought a Horse took Money in his Pocket resolved to Travel into divers Parts of England but knew not whither steering his Course towards Nottingham he was by an Acquaintance recommended to a Doctor 's House in the Country about Twenty Miles distant from Oxford where he stayed and spent his Time in Gluttony After a quarter of a Year he would to Oxford again with great eagerness hires a Horse for the purpose but not having gone two Miles he fears the badness of the Ways and foulness of Weather and returns with design to stay at his former Quarters but turning again on a sudden resolves for Oxford again where his Companion being dead he lived more privately and studied more closely which got him some Repute and that making him proud he began to be glutted with Books and returned into the Country and thence to Oxford again and falling upon Hobbs his Book examined his Principles and so proceeded to the study of other Points of Divinity grew Proud of his Parts began to think of Practising Law Physick and Divinity together Till at last being toss'd with thousands of Thoughts going out of Oxford three times with a purpose to come thither no more before he took his Degree of Master of Arts being returned to Oxford out of the Country and told of a Man that are any manner of raw Flesh and that continually without ceasing Night or Day he was struck so deeply that he could not forbear Tears his Company that told him leaving him about Nine of the Clock he goes to his Study and stays a while to Pray but in the midst of his Prayer had a sense that God had forsaken him which made him cry out louder than usually Lord forgive me Lord forgive me a cool Numbness came over his Sinews and his Hands were clenched one Finger n another so that he could hardly sever them Upon which he calls his Bedfellow to bear him Company burns some Papers wherein he had writ some Notions that had been the occasion of his Spiritual Pride and Discontent falls into a violent heat of Blood and Sweating so that he verily thought he should die before Morning And thus toiling his Brain with variety of Conceits and Fancies his Anguish was unexpressible his Conscience clog'd Scriptures did but increase his Doubts he look'd upon fine Cloaths and Men of Repute as Reprobates condemn'd all but the Poor condemns the way he was in as too broad for Salvation The disquiet of his Mind caused a great Pain in his Head his Brains were disordered look'd about every Morning to know if he were distracted consults the Physician Physick doth no good Next he would go Preach in the Country And gather the People together to examine the Progress and Benefit made of Christ's Commands to repeat the Lord's Prayer remember his Death in the Sacrament and make Provision for the Poor and study to do all good possible But when he came he was ashamed to make any such Proposal Upon a plentiful Meal he became strangely distemper'd his Head violently pained his Teeth fixed as in the Falling-Sickness his Hands knit so fast together that he could hardly dissever them he fell low in the sight of all Men Removed to Astrop provided Oyls for his Head used Diversions as Riding Bowling Hunting fine Cloaths c. but found no Relief was troubled with Blasphemous Thoughts a coolness came upon his Head and took away his Senses One Night after some lavish Mirth and obscene Discourses used in the Day awaking in a strange kind of Discontent he gaped three or four times and conceived some unclean Spirit had entred every time of his gaping into him and that he should be shortly tormented which accordingly happened for he was no sooner fallen into a slumber but he perceived an Obduction of his Senses and was most grievously tormented in his Soul beyond all the sharpest pains of the Body Upon Prayer he was relieved but afterwards cast down more than before At the writing hereof November the last 1675. or 1676. he felt his Pains again in his sleep and continued still to think that some Evil Spirit infested him And hereupon he resolved to make this full and publick Confession to the World concluding thus Lord be merciful be pitiful unto me for I am even nothing before thee c. Heartily begging the prayers of all good Christians for him praying and entreating them
God and then commanded them to be taken away That Night the Ministers continuing with him a certain Friend coming to him Oecolampadins ask'd him What News The Answer being made None But saith he I 'll tell you some News I shall presently be with my Lord Christ Being ask'd if the Light offended him Putting his Hands to his Eyes he answered Here is abundance of Light and then praying earnestly with the Words of David Psal 51. to the end and saying O Christ save me he fell asleep Clark Ibid. 14. Queen Mary the Second of blessed Memory on her Death-bed when the Most Reverend Archbishop Tenison bespoke her Madam Settle your Affairs your Family and your Mind you have lived and finished the course which the Parent of Nature hath allâ—tted you replied with an undaunted Cheerfulness Father How good a Messenger are you to me who as it were commanded from Heaven bring the Tydings of my last Necessity of Dying Here I am ready to submit to whatever pleaseth God the Disposer of my Life and Death I am not now to learn that difficult Art of Well-dying I have made up my Account with God by the Assistance of my Surety Christ I have discharged my Conscience long since I have considered the Condition of my Mortality I have settled all my Affairs and surrendred into the Bosom of my dearest Husband all those Cares that concern the World And therefore he that calls finds me ready to lay down the Burden of this Life being no more than a load of Infirmities Sin and Labour Then turning to her Husband standing by her Bed-side she is said to have broke forth into Words to this Effect Farewel my William and live mindful of our undefiled Matrimony till thy Lot shall restore thee to me or moe to thee I shall not altogether die while you singly possess the sole Image of us both c. Spanheim in his Fun. Orat. of Queen Mary the Second This I suppose contains the summ of what that Excellent Queen delivered but I suspect the Author hath set it off with an Embellishment of Words which did not become a dying Person The most Reverend Archbishop delivers it more nakedly and briefly 15. Anthony Walleus on his Death-bed exhorted all his Family to Fear God and the Children to Reverence their Mother for so God would bless and provide for them That every one should take care of all the rest but especially that every one should take care of himself Then he bad his Son John to have a special Care of his Mother and so kissing them took his Leave of them all and then turning his Face from them he fell asleep out of which he never awaked only some time when his Pains came upon him he stirred a little and so on the Sabbath about Eleven of the Clock he quietly resign'd up his Spirit unto God A. C. 1639. Aetat 66. Clark's Exampl p. 490. 16. Henry Alting the Day before his Death sang the 130 Psalm with a sweet Voice and warm Zeal and spent the rest to his time in hearty Prayers and holy Meditations In the Evening he blessed his Children and then commanded his Son Dr. James Alting to pray with him and in his Prayers to remember the Church and University The next Day which was the Sabbath-Day being visited by Camerarius and Strasbergerus Agents for the Crown of Sweden and his old Friends he was refreshed a little with their Company but told them that he should depart before Sun-set and accordingly about Three of the Clock in the Afternoon with a constant Voice he bid them all Farewel and after the Prayer of Emmius Pastor of the Church without the least struggling he quietly slept in the Lord A. C. 1644. Ibid. p. 497. 17. Mr. John Bruen of Stapleford a little before his Death said I will have no black no proud or pompous Funeral neither is there any cause of Mourning but of Rejoycing rather in my particular And immediately before he expired lifting up his Hands he said The Lord is my Portion my Help and my Trust his blessed Son Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer Amen Even so saith the Spirit unto my Spirit Therefore come Lord Jesus and kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mouth and embrace me with the Arms of thy Love Into thy hands I commend my spirit O come now and take me to thine own self O come Lord Jesus come quickly O come O come O come Mr. Hinde in his Life 18. Berengarius is said to have breathed out these Words with his last gasp Now I am to go and appear before God either to be acquitted by him as I hope or condemned by him as I fear Mr. Fuller Abel Rediv. p. 7. out of Illyricus 19. Erasmus by his Last Will and Testament confirmed both by the Emperor and Pope declared Bonifacius Amerbachius his Heir Hieronymus Frobenius and Nicolaus Episcopius Overseers of his Will wherein to several Friends he bequeathed several Legacies as a Clock of Gold to Ludovicus Berus a Spoon and Fork of the same to Beatus Rhenanus to Petrus Vetereus 150 Crowns as much to Philippus Montanus to his Servant Lambert 200 Florins to Brischius a Silver Tankard to Paulus Volsius 100 Florins to Signismundus Tilenius 150 Duckats to Erasmus Frobenius his Godson two Rings to Hieronymus Frobenius his wearing Cloaths Bedding and Houshold-stuffs to his Wife a Ring wherein was set a precious Stone having therein engraven a Woman looking ove her Left Shoulder to Episcopius a fair Silver Bowl with a Cover to his Wife a Diamond Ring to Goâ—lenius a Silver Bowl his Library he sold upon his Death-bed to Johannes à Lasco his Medals ancient Coins ready Money and Debts with the remainder of his Watches Clocks Rings Plate Jewels and other Curiosities of no small value to his Heir Amerbachius not for his own use but to be sold and the Money by Advice of the fore-named Overseers to be distributed first to the poor infirm Persons whether through Age or Sickness secondly to portionless Virgins to procure them Husbands and thirdly to poor but hopeful young Scholars for Advancement of their Studies His Heir he restrained meerly to his Legacy which was none of the greatest He fell sick first of the Gout and then fell into an Hepatical Flux so that for a whole Month together he came seldom out of his Bed and but once over the Threshold of his Chamber yet whilst his Body lay tortured upon this double Rack he wrote a Treatise de Puritate Ecclesiae and made a hard shift to finish his Recognitions of Origen These were the two last Songs of this dying Swan whose Patience ever encreased with his Torments and in the end surmounted them He retained his Speech to the last gasp and breathed out his Soul in these Ejaculations Mercy sweet Jesus Lord loose these Bands How long Lord Jesus how long Jesus Fountain of Mercy have Mercy on me c. He died July 12. 1536. Aged 71 or
the Chapel of Lambeth House where he received his Archiepiscopal Consecration His chief Motto painted on the Walls of his House and in his Windows was that of St. John The World passeth away and the lust thereof Ibid. p. 529. 60. Archbishop Abbot preached upon this his last Text John 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that may abide with you for ever Upon the first Proposal whereof as many of his Hearers presaged his departure from them so it proved his last Farewel-Sermon For soon after he came out of the Pulpit he fell into grievous Fits of the Stone which first stopped the Passages of Nature and within a few days shut up all the Offices of his Senses To those that came to visit him who were not a few and among others the Judges being then at Sarum in their Circuit he comunicated most Christian and grave Advice insisting very much upon the Benefit of a good Conscience the Comfort whereof he felt now in his Extremity admonishing all that heard him so to carry themselves in their most private and secret Actions as well as publick that they might obtain that at the last which would stand them in more stead than what all the World could afford them besides At last with Hands and Eyes lift up to Heaven he gave up the Ghost with these Words Come Lord Jesus come quickly finish in me the Work that thou hast begun Into thy hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me Save me for thy Mercy 's sake for I put my whole trust in thee Let thy mercy be shewed upon me for my sure trust is in thee O let me not be confounded for ever Ibid. p. 550. 61. William Cooper born at Edinburgh used these amongst other Meditations in his last Sickness Now my Soul be glad for of all parts of this Prison the Lord hath set to his Pioneers to loose thee Head Feet Milt and Liver are fast failing yea the middle Strength of the whole Body the Stomach is weaken'd long agoe Arise make ready shake off thy Fetters mount up from the Body and go thy way I saw not my Children when they were in the Womb yet there the Lord fed them without my knowledge I shall not see them when I go out of the Body yet shall they not want a Father Death is somewhat dreary and the Streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously but they stand still when the Ark comes Let your Anchor be cast within the Veil and fastened on the Rock Jesus Let the end of the three-fold Cord be buckled to the Heart so shall ye go through He expressed a great Willingness to Exchange this Life for a better which he did Anno 1619. Ibid. p. 563. 62. Andrew Willet in a Journey from London homewards had his Leg broken by a Fall from a Horse and was God's Prisoner for 9 Days together being so long confined to his Bed where his Time he spent in meditating upon the Song of Ezekiel Isa 38. his Contemplations being taken down in Writing by his Son who then attended upon him Two Sabbath-Days which happen'd in that time he spent in Conscionatory Exhortations to those who waited upon him Upon the tenth Day on occasion of a Bell tolling for one near Death he discoursed with his Wife touching the Joys of Heaven and then they both sang an Hymn composed by himself which they usually every Morning praised God with Their Spirits being thus raised they continued their Melody and sang the 146 Psalm sometimes stopping a little and glossing upon the Words by way of Self-application till on a sudden fetching a deep Sigh or Groan he sunk down in his Bed but being raised up a little he said Let me alone I shall do well Lord Jesus And with that Word gave up the Ghost ibid. p. 575. 63. Mr. Bolton falling sick of a Quartan-Ague and finding his Distemper get strength revised his Will and having preached upon Death Judgment and Hell he promised next to preach upon Heaven the only fourth and last Thing that remained but never preached more He often breathed forth these Speeches O when will this good Hour come When shall I be dissolved When shall I be with Christ Tho' Life be a great Blessing yet I infinitely more desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ He thanked God for his wonderful Mercy in pulling him out of Hell in sealing his Ministry by the Conversion of Souls which he wholly ascribed to his Glory He called for his Wife and desired her to bear his Dissolution with a Christian Fortitude and turning to his Children told them they should not now expect from him in his Weakness to say any thing to them he had told them enough formerly and hoped they would remember it and verily believed that none of them durst think to meet him at the great Tribunal in an unregenerate State Some of his Neighbours moved to him that he would tell them what he felt in his Soul Alas said he do ye look for that now from me who want Breath and Power to speak I have told ye enough in my Ministry Yet to satisfie you I am by the wonderful Mercies of God as full of Comfort as my Heart can hold and feel nothing in my Soul but Christ with whom I heartily desire to be And seeing some weeping he said Oh what a deal of Doe there is before one can die The very Pags of Death being upon him after a few gapings for Breath he said I am now drawing on apace to my Dissolution Hold out Faith and Patience your Work will quickly be at an end Then shaking them by the Hand he desired them to make sure of Heaven and remember what he had formerly taught them protesting that it was the Truth of God as he should answer it at the Tribunal of Christ before whom he should shortly appear And a dear Friend taking him by the Hand ask'd him if he did not feel much pain Truly no said he the greatest that I feel is your cold Hand And then being laid down again not long after he yielded up his Spirit unto God Anno 1631. Aged 60. Ibid. p. 591. 64. Mr. Will Whately in his Sickness gave heavenly and wholsome Counsel to his People exhorting them to Redemption of Time Reading Hearing and Meditating on the Word of God to be much in Prayer Brotherly Love and Communion of Saints c. A Minister praying with him That if his time were not expired God would restore him or put an end to his Pains c. he lifting up his Eyes stedfastly towards Heavne and one of his Hands in the close of that Prayer gave up the Ghost shutting his Eyes himself as if he were fallen into a Sleep Anno 1639. Aged 56. a little before the Civil Wars began and before the sad Desolations that befel the Town of Banbury in particular Ibid. p. 599. 65. Dr. Robert Harris when
his End drew near being often ask'd how he did answered In no great pain I praise God only weary of my unuseful Life If God have no more Service for me to do here I could be gladly in Heaven where I shall serve him better free from Sin and Destractions I pass from one Death to another yet I fear none I praise God I can live yet dare die If God have more Work for me to do here I am willing to do it altho' my infirm Body be very weary Desiring one to pray That God would hasten the Work it was ask'd whether Pain put him upon that Desire he replied No But I do now no Good I hinder others which might be better imployed if I were not Why should any desire to live but to do God Service Now I cease from that I do not live The Violence of his Distempers and Advice of Physicians forbidding his Speech he called upon his Attendants to read the Scriptures and his Son to Pray with him and whilst Life and Language lasted he concluded all Prayers with a loud Amen Once upon his awaking finding himself exceeding ill he called for his Son and taking him by the hand said Pray with me it is the last time in all likelihood that ever I shall joyn with you And complaining to him of his weariness his Son answered There remains a Rest To whom he replyed My Sabbath is not far off and yours is at hand ere that I shall be rid of all my Trouble and you shall be eased of some At last his ruinous Fort which had held out beyond all expectation came to be yielded up About Saturday Evening he began to set himself to die forbids all Cordials to be administred gives his Dying Blessing to his Son who only of all his Children was with him and upon his Request enjoyns him to signifie in that Country where he was longest known that he lived and died in the Faith which he had Preached and Printed and now he found the Comfort of it And afterwards spake no more only commanded Rom. 8. to be read to him dying into his perpetual Rest betwixt Twelve and One of the Clock on Saturday Night December 11. 1658. aged 80 and more W. D. in the Life and Death of Dr. Harris p. 58 59 c. In all his Wills this Legacy was always renewed Item I bequeath to all my Children and their Children's Children to each of them a Bible with this Inscription None but Christ Ibid. I may not here forget to Remark an Answer which he made to one that told him Sir You may take much comfort in your Labours you have done much good c. All said he was nothing without a Saviour my best Works would Condenmn me O I am ashamed of them being mixed with so much Sin Oh! I am an unprofitable Servant I have not done any thing for God as I ought Loss of Time sits heavy upon my Spirits Work work apace assure your self nothing will more trouble you when you come to die than that you have done no more for God who hath done so much for you At another time I never in all my Life saw the worth of a Christ nor tasted the sweetness of God's Love in that measure as now I do And to two Reverend Doctors his chief Friends I praise God he supports me and keeps off Satan Beg that I may hold out I am now in a good way home even quite spent I am now at the Shore I leave you tossing on the Sea O it is a good time to die in Ibid. p. 57. 58. 66. Mr. John Machin made the following Will. I commit my Soul to God my God and my Saviour that created and redeemed it even into the Bosom of the Father of Spirits my Body to my Father Corruption and to the Worms my Mother and Sister Job 17.14 In hopes he will make good to me who with them some time have endeavoured to serve him his Promise of Eternal Life Rom. 2.7 As for my dear beloved Wife I freely return and I pray it may be with Advantage to him that hath lent her to whom I leave John 17.24 Rev. 21. last Jude 24. Psal 84.10 11 hoping that I leave them Heirs together with me or rather with Jesus Christ of a Kingdom that cannot be removed If the Lord should graciously give me Issue I pray it may be of his Heritage and prepared for a Room in Heaven to it I would leave 1 Chron. 28.9 and I pray God see it executed according to my Will And it is my Will concerning my Heir if the Lord give one that he may be a Samuel lent to the Lord and his Service in the Ministry for I can say he is an asking of the Lord as was Samuel And that he may have my Inheritance performing his Father's and my Will concerning my Lecture As for my Personal Substance c. ending thus Praying whoever Rules here may keep open house for God and his and all I leave may be his to whom I would in Faith say Psal 31.5 hereunto subscribing with my Heart and Hand _____ J. M. And in a Schedule dated herewith as followeth Some Particulars concerning the thing that hath long been in my heart to do for God written as my last Will as an occasion of some standing Service when I am not Motives God's Glory Christ's Kingdoms increase and poor Souls Salvation an expression of my Thankfulness for what he hath done for our Family and for me the least and last of it And the rather because I am here in my own apprehension so little serviceable in speaking doing and suffering for him and nothing at all advantageous in writing as others have been and I could have desired Those Motives together with that blessed Experience I have had of its Advantage already through God's sealing work with it makes me to think my self favoured the more of God if I may do this for him and I doubt not but he can and will if need be give me and mine much more than this as is said 2 Chron. 25.9 and if I could say as David 1 Chron. 29.23 I would think it little betwixt him and me who hath said That whosoever shall give you a Cup of cold Water to drinkin my Name because ye belong to Christ verily I say unto you he shall not lose his Reward and my Prayer is that those that come after me whose it might have been think it's better bestowed than the rest The Thing A double Lecture viz. of two Sermons once a Month chiefly intending Souls Conversion The Ministers The most Orthodox Able and Powerful that can be procured for love to Jesus Christ and his Service or the Will of the Dead chosen by my Trustees successively The Trustees Four Ministers and four Lay-men The Ministers I leave in Trust and question not their Faithfulness herein for Christ's sake are my dearest fellow-labourers in our Lord's Work Mr. N. Mr. S. Mr. B. and Mr.
and Books and Collections I can rest my Soul on nothing but the Scriptures and above all that Passage lies most upon my Spirit Titus 2.11 12. The Grace of God that brings Salvation c. 76. Dr. Donn on his Dying-bed told his Friends I Repent of all my Life but that part I spent in Communion with God and doing good 77. Sir Walter Rawleigh in a Letter to his Wife after his Condemnation hath these words If you can live free from Want care for no more for the rest is but a Vanity Love God and begin betimes in him shall ye find True Everlasting and Endless Comfort My dear Wife Farewel Bless my Boy Pray for me and let my True God hold you both in his Arms. 78. Mr. Herbert the Divine Poet to one going about to Comfort him with the Remembrance of a good Work he had done in Repairing a ruinous Church belonging to his Ecclesiastical Dignity made answer 'T is a good Work if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ In the Preface before his Poems 79. Mr. Tho. Cartwright the last Sermon that he made was Dec. 25. on Eccl. 12.7 Then shall the dust return to the earth c. On the Tuesday following the Day before his Death he was two Hours on his Knees in private Prayer in which as he told his Wife he found wonderful and unutterable Joy and Comfort and within a few Hours after he quietly resigned up his Spirit to God Dec. 27. 1603. Mr. Clark 's Martyrol p. 21. 80. Mr. Paul Baines in his last Sickness had many Fears and Doubts God letting Satan loose upon him so that he went away with far less Comfort than many weaker Christians enjoy Ibid. p. 24. 81. Mr. William Bradshaw exhorted all that came to him to lay a good Foundation for a comfortable Death in time of Life and Health assuring them that their utmost Addresses and Endeavours would be little enough when they came to that Work Ibid. p. 51. 81. Mr. Richard Rothwel foretold his own Death I am well and shall be well shortly said he to some that sent to enquire how he did And afterwards whispering one in the Ear there present said Do you know my meaning I shall be with Christ e're long but do not tell them so And after Prayer smiling said he Now I am well Happy is he that hath not bow'd a knee to Baal He called upon the Company to sing Psal 120. And in the singing of it he died An. 1627. Aged 64. Ibid. p. 71. 83. Dr. Preston the Night before he died being Saturday he went to Bed and lay about three Hours desirous to sleep but slept not Then said My Dissolution is near let me go to my Home and to Jesus Christ who hath bought me with his most precious Blood About Four of the Clock the next Morning he said I feel Death coming to my Heart my Pain shall now be quickly turned into Joy And after Prayer made by a Friend he look'd on the Company turned away his Head and at Five a Clock on the Lord's-Day in the Morning gave up the Ghost An. 1628. Aged 41. or near it Ibid. p. 113. 84. Mr. Hildersam sickening with the Scurvy in the midst of Winter on March 4. being the Lord's-Day was prayed for in the Congregation of Ashby His Son also prayed with him divers times that Day and in the last Prayer he departed March 4. 1631. Had I time to pause upon it methinks the Death of many worthy Persons happening upon the Christian Sabbath is worthy of a special Remark Mr. Hildersam had given order in his Will that no Funeral Sermon should be preached at his Burial Ibid. p. 123. 85. Dr. Tho. Tailour of Aldermanbury expressed himself thus O said he we serve a good Lord who covers all our Imperfections and gives us great Wages for little Work And on the Lord's-Day he was dismissed hence to keep a perpetual Sabbath in Heaven in the Climacterical Year of his Age 56. Ibid. p. 127. 86. Mr. John Carter likewise Feb. 21. 1635. being the Lord's-Day ended his Life with a Doxology The Lord be thanked Ibid. p. 140. 87. Dr. Sibs died Anno 1631. Aged 58. Ibid. Dr. Chaderton Anno 1640. Aged 94. Ibid. 88. Mr. Ball being ask'd in his last Sickness whether he thought he should live or die answered I do not trouble my self about that matter And afterwards how he did replied Going to Heaven apace He died 1640. Aged 55. Ibid. 89. Dr. Potter died about the great Climacterical Year of his Age being suspected to have laid to Heart the Reproaches of some thrown upon him for a Sermon preached a little before at Westminster as too sharp against Innovations in the Church Ibid. 90. Mr. Julines Herrings the Night before his Departure was observed to rise upon his Knees and with Hands lifted up to Heaven to use these Words He is overcome overcome through the Strength of my Lord and only Saviour Jesus unto whom I am now going to keep a Sabbath in Glory And accordingly next Morning March 28. 1644. Aged 62. on the Sabbath-Day he departed Ibid. 168. 91. Mr. John Dod was tried with most bitter and sharp Pains of the Strangury and great Wrestlings with Satan but was Victorious To one watching with him he said That he had been wrestling with Satan all Night who accused him That he had neither preached nor prayed nor performed any Duty well for manner or end but saith he I have answer'd him from the Example of the Prodigal and the Publican One of his last Speeches was with Eyes and Hands lift up to Heaven I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Which desire was granted him Anno 1645. aged 96. Ibid. p. 178. 92. Mr. Herbert Palmer after Isa 38 Chap. being read prayed himself to this purpose First for himself That God would heal the sinfulness of his Nature pardon all his Transgressions deliver him from Temptation accept him in Christ c. Then for the Publick the Nation King and Parliament Ministers c. For Scotland and the Churches in France New-England c. Queen's College Westminster the Country his Benefactors c. He departed December 25. 1647. aged 46. He desired his Friends not to Pray for his Life but Pray God saith he for Faith for Patience for Repentance for Joy in the Holy Ghost Lord saith he cast me down as low as Hell in Repentance and lift me up by Faith to the highest Heavens in confidence of thy Salvation The Tuesday before he departed This day Seven-night said he is the Day on which we have used to remember Christ's Nativity and on which I have preached Christ I shall scarce live to see it but for me was that Child born unto me was that Son given c. Ibid. p. 201. 93. Mr. John Cotton to Mr. Wilson taking his last leave of him and praying that God would lift up the Light of his Countenance upon him and shed his Love into his Soul presently answered
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
of order For to set you in a way particularly now I cannot but only this A National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle this when that every Opinion is freely and clearly heard For the King indeed I will not the Laws of the Land will clearly instruct you for that Therefore because it concerns my own particular I only give you a touch of it For the People and truly I desire their Liberty and Freedom as much as any body whomsoever but I must tell you That their Liberty and Freedom consist in having 〈◊〉 Government those Laws by which their Lives and Goods may be most their own It is not for having a share in Government Sirs that is nothing pertaining to them a Subject and a Soveraign are clean different things and therefore until they do that I mean until you do put the People in that Liberty as I say certainly they will never enjoy themselves Sirs it was for this that now I am come here If I would have given way to an Arbitrary way for to have all Laws chang'd according to the Power of the Sword I needed not to have come here and therefore I tell you and I pray God it be not laid to their Charge That I am the Martyr of the People In troth Sirs I shall not trouble you much longer for I will only say this to you That in truth I could have desired some little time longer because that I would have put this that I have said in a little more order and a little better digested than I have done and therefore I hope you will excuse me I have delivered my Conscience I pray God that you may take those Courses that are best for the Good of the Kingdom and your own Salvation The Bishop of London minding him to say something concerning his Religion he answered I thank you very heartily my Lord for that I had almost forgotten it In troth Sirs my Conscience in Religion I think is very well known to all the World and therefore I declare before you all That I die a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as I found it left by my Father and this honest Man I think can witness it Then turning to the Officers he said Sirs Excuse me for this same I have a good Cause and a Gracious God I will say no more Then turning to Colonel Hacker he said Take heed that they do not put me to pain and Sir this and it please you But then a Gentleman coming near the Ax the King said Take heed of the Ax Pray take heed of the Ax. Then to the Executioner I shall have but very short Prayers and when I thrust out my Hand Then the King called to Dr. Juxon for his Night-cap and having put it on he said to the Executioner Doth my Hair trouble you Who desired him to put it all under his Cap which he did accordingly Then to Dr. Juxon I have a good Cause and a Gracious God on my side Dr. Juxon There is but one Stage more This Stage is turbulent and troublesome it is a short one but you may consider it will soon carry you a very great way from Earth to Heaven and there you shall find a great deal of Cordial Joy and Comfort King I go from a Corruptible to an Incorruptible Crown where no Disturbance can be Doctor You are exchanged from a Temporal to an Eternal Crown a good Exchange Then the King took off his Cloak and his George giving his George to Dr. Juxon saying Remember And so humbly submitted to the Block Jan. 30. 1648. through the Indignity and unjust Dealing of ill Men. A brief Review of the most material Parl. Transact began Nov. 3. 1640. 115. Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridge made this his last Speech on the Scaffold in the Palace-yard march 9. 1649. I Think it is truly not very necessary for me to speak much there are many Gentlemen and Soldiers there that see me but my Voice truly is so weak so low that they cannot hear me neither truly was I ever at any time so much in love with speaking or with any thing that I had to express that I took delight in it yet this being the last time that I am to do so by a Divine Providence of Almighty God who hath brought me to this End justly for my Sins I shall to you Sir Mr. Sheriff declare thus much as to the Matter I am now to suffer for which is as being a Traytor to the Kingdom of England Truly Sir it was a Country I equally loved with my own I made no difference I never intended either the Generality of its Prejudice or any particular Man 's in it what I did was by the Command of the Parliament of the Country where I was born whose Command I could not disobey without running into the same hazard there of that condition that I am now in It pleased God so to dispose that Army under my Command as it was ruined and I as their General cloathed with a Commission stand here now ready to die I shall not trouble you with repeating of my Plea what I said in my own Defence at the Court of Justice my self being well satisfied with the Command laid upon me and they satisfied with the Justice of their proceedure according to the Laws of this Land God is Just howsoever I shall not say any thing as to the matter of the Sentence but that I do willingly submit to his Divine Providence and acknowledge that very many ways I deserve even a Worldly Punishment as well as hereafter For we are all sinners Sir I am a great one yet for my Comfort I know there is a God in Heaven that is exceeding merciful I know my Redeemer sits at his Right-hand and am confident clapping his hand on his Breast is Mediating for me at this instant I am hopeful through his Free Grace and All-sufficient Merits to be pardoned of my sins and to be received into his Mercy upon that I rely trusting to nothing but the Free Grace of God through Jesus Christ I have not been tainted in my Religion I thank God for it since my Infancy it hath been such as hath been profess'd in the Land and established and now it is not this Religion or that Religion nor this or that Fancy of Men that is to be built upon it is but one that 's right one that 's sure and that comes from God Sir and in the Free Grace of our Saviour Sir there is truly somewhat that he then observing the Writers had I thought my Speech would have been thus takeâ—â—â— would have digested it into some better Method than now I can and shall desire these Gentlemen that do write it that they will not wrong me in it and that it may not in this manner be published to my disadvantage for truly I did not intend to have spoken thus when I came here c.
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
who had had Command in the Duke's Army where he behaved himself very stoutly to the last after the Army was dispersed he among others was taken received Sentence of Death at Dorchester and here brought for the completion of the same and from thence we hope was translated to Heaven He spent his time between the Sentence and Execution very devoutly in confirming and strengthning those that were to be his Fellow-Sufferers and made it his Business to bring them to a Willingness to submit to and a Preparedness for Death The Day being come and he brought to the Place of Execution he thus spoke My Friends You see I am now on the brink of Eternity and in a few Minutes shall be but Clay You expect I should say something as is usual in such Cases As to the Matter of Fact I die for it doth not much trouble me knowing to my self the Ends for which I engaged with the Duke of Monmouth were both Good and Honourable Here being stopp'd and not suffer'd to proceed further he then comforted his Fellow-Sufferers desiring them to joyn with him in singing an Hymn which he himself composed After the Hymn sung he prayed devoutly for half an Hour After Prayer he gave great Satisfaction to all present of his Assurance of Heaven had many weeping Eyes for him and was much lamented in the Town tho' a Stranger to the Place So unbuttoning himself said to the Executioner I fear not what Man can do unto me I pray thee do thy Work in Mercy for I forgive thee with all my Heart and I also pray to God to forgive thee Don't mangle my Body too much And so lifting up his Hands to Heaven the Executioner did his Office 5. WILLIAM COX THere was also one William Cox that died with him who also died very courageously despising the Shame in Hopes and Expectation of a future better Estate He and his two Sons were some of the first that came to the Duke of Monmouth and all taken and all condemned together The Father only suffered the Sons by Providence were preserved When he was going to Execution he desired leave to see his Sons then in another Prison in the Town to whom he gave his Blessing and though he was going to be Executed yet had that Satisfaction to hope that God would preserve them which was so An Account of those Executed at Sherborn 1. AT Sherborn in the same County were Executed Twelve who all died Courageously especially one Mr. Glisson of Yeovel in the County of Somerset His extraordinary Deportment and Carriage at the Place of Execution was so very confiderable as gave great Satisfaction to his Friends and Amazement to his Enemies He declared to the World That he died a true Protestant and had not ingaged with the Duke of Monmouth but judged it high time to stand up for the Defence of the same though God Almighty had thought fit to frustrate his Designs and to bring him to that Place to seal the same with his Blood 2. JOHN SAVAGE and 3. RICHARD HALL ALso John Savage and Richard Hall of Culliton in the County of Devon suffered at the same Time and Place In their particular Conversation they valued those most that they saw most of Piety in and pitied others that they saw not so well prepared saying That the Remembrance of our Vanity may cause Compassion towards such as were in such a Condition Exhorting all to be serious and to consider their Latter End which deserved the greatest Attention of Mind the way to die comfortably being to prepare for it seriously At the Hour of Execution their Chearfulness and Comfort was much encreased saying Now the Will of God will be done and he hath most certainly chosen that for us which is best with many other such-like Christian Expressions too tedious here to be inserted 4. JOHN SPRAGVE and 5. WILLIAM CLEGG WE return now to Culliton in the County of Devon where John Sprague and William Clegg both of that Town were condemned at Exon and there brought to be Executed Before they were brought into the Place a Messenger came from the Prisoners with a Request to the Vicar of the Parish to desire his Company and Assistance in this their Extremity and to Administer those Spiritual Helps that were suitable to Men in their Circumstances Accordingly the said Minister came very readily and did demand of them What they had to desire of him The dying Persons answered They desired his Prayers Accordingly he prayed with them a considerable space of time and after that he asked of them several Questions for to give him and the World satisfaction of the prepared Condition they were in in order to their launching into Eternity especially about the Doctrine of Non-Resistance John Sprague very soberly and moderately replied but whether satisfactory or not we leave to the Reader He believed That no Christian ought to resist a lawful Power but the Case being between Popery and Protestantism alter'd the Matter and the latter being in danger he believed that it was lawful for him to do what he did though God in his Providence had thought fit to bring him to this Place of Execution After reading a Chapter out of the Corinthians and singing a Psalm suitable to the Occasion he very vehemently and fervently recommended his Soul to the All-wise God by Prayer for near half an Hour to the great Satisfaction of all that heard him Then his Wife and Children coming to him weeping bitterly he imbraced them in his arms saying Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Sins for that he had that quiet Satisfaction that he was only going to be translated into a state of Bliss and Happiness where we should Sin and Sorrow no more but that all Tears should be wiped away wishing them to be diligent in the Service of God Then recommending his Wife and Children to the Protection of the Almighty God who had promised to be a Husband to the Widow and a Father to the Fatherless who was faithful and able to make up their loss in him in that which should be better for them than he could be desiring God to be a Refuge for them to fly to for security and preservation from the Troubles that seemed to threaten this poor Nation the which if they did conscientiously perform though Death here made a separation he doubted not of meeting them in Heaven at last And so the Executioner did his Office During which time his Brother-sufferer William Clegg was all the time on his Knees praying to himself with a seeming Zeal suddenly after which his turn being come to follow his Brother he only told the People That his Fellow-sufferer had spoken what he thought was necessary and they were also his Sentiments And so submitted to Execution An Account of those Executed at Axminster and Honiton 1. AT Axminster one also was Executed his Name Mr. Rose he was a Gunner that landed with the Duke of Monmouth
late As to the Meetings I bless God I ever was at any of them and that I was any way Instrumental to the upholding of them and am troubled that I have I fear sinfully deprived my self of them and do believe if ever the Ordinances of God were rightly administred and the Gospel effectually preached it was in those Meetings that were held in Taunton the Lord bless the Seed that was there sown As to Elections of Members for Parliament I judge it my Birth-right and therefore was Industrious in it but I hope never did I am sure never intended troublesomness to any in it but especially to my Superiors I had ever a venerable and due esteem of Magistrates as the Ministers of God and they administring an Ordinance of God I also lie under a Reproach of being unfaithful to an Interest that I owned which I utterly deny and disown I pray God bless and forgive my violent Enemies that have industriously sought the taking away my Life It 's the hearty Prayer of JOHN HVCKER From Taunton-Castle a little before he suffered Sept. 30th 1685. 7. Captain MADDERS CAptain Madders at the time of the Duke's Landing was a Constable at Crewkern in the County of Somerset and so diligent and active for the King in his Office that when two Gentlemen of Lyme came there and brought the News of the Duke's Landing and desired Horses to Ride Post to acquaiut His Majesty therewith he immediately secured Horses for them the Town being generally otherways bent and assisted them so far as any called Loyal in those Times could do which was represented to the Lord Chief Justice in expectation thereby to save his Life But an Enquiry being made about his Religion and returned by a very worthy Gentleman of those Parts That he was a good Protestant an honest Man had a very good Character amongst his Neighbours O then says he I 'll hold a wager with you he is a Presbyterian I can smell them Forty Miles then surely he must die Being brought to the Place of Execution he was the last Man except one executed and he behaved himself whilst the rest were executing with great Zeal and lifting up his Hands and Eyes would often say Lord make me so willing and ready to the last And God did hear his Prayers for though he seemed to the Spectators to be somewhat unwilling to die yet at the last he died with as much Assurance and Christian Resolution as any for after his Publick Prayer he came once down the Ladder and prayed again privately then mounted the Ladder again The Sheriff saying Mr. Madders if you please you may have more Liberty He answered No I thank you Mr. Sheriff now I am ready I am willing and desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Oh! you cannot imagine what Comfort and Refreshment I have received in a few minutes my Comforts are so great that I cannot contain my self So blessing and praising of God he was translated as I hope we have no grounds to imagine the contrary from Earth to Heaven repeating Rev. 20.6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second Death hath no Power 8. The Dying Words of Captain Kidd Executed at the same Time and Place THis Gentleman was the last executed at that time as soon as Captain Madders was turned off he began to prepare to follow and called to the Guards and those present Do you see this pointing up to Eleven that were dead before him do you think this is not dreadful to me that Eleven of Twelve of us that but a few hours since came down together are dead and in Eternity And I just going to follow them and shall immediately be in the same condition Says one to him It must be dreadful to Flesh and Blood Says he Well Gentlemen I will assure you I am so far concerned that methinks I bethink their Happiness that they should be so long before me in Bliss and Happiness But I 'll make haste to follow I am satisfied this is the best day that ever I saw The day of a Man's Death is said to be better than the day of his Birth And truly so I find it as to my Flesh for I shall be presently free from sin and sorrow I am satisfied God hath done his best for me I might have live and forgotten God but now I am going where I shall sin no more 'T is a blessed thing to be free from sin and to be with Christ O how great were the Sufferings of Christ for us beyond all that I can undergo how great is that Glory to which I am going Then taking his leave of the People then present he prayed some small time very devoutly and with seeming great Joy and Comfort the Executioner did his Office 9. The Last Speech of Dr. Temple of Nottingham at the Place of Execution DOctor Temple was one of them that Landed with the Duke and was his Chief Physician and Chirurgeon he lived in Nottingham but minding to see other Parts of the World as I have heard goes for Holland where he came acquainted with the Duke of Monmouth concerning which he thus spoke just as he was going off the Ladder Christian Friends and dear Countrymen I Have somewhat to say and not very much before I depart from you and shall be seen no more And First As to my Engagement with the Duke of Monmouth Secondly How far I was concerned And Thirdly I shall leave all of you to be Judges in Matter of Fact And so for the First As a Dying Man I now declare That when I entred my self with the Duke of Monmouth to be his Chirurgeon it was on no other Account but to serve him in the West-Indies where I knew no other Design whatsoever but to possess himself of some of those Islands until I had been at Sea two days wherein one privately told me We are absolutely bound for England and I should take it from him it was true It much surprized me but knowing no way to avoid it or to get on shore though it was at that time contrary to my Inclinations if I could have avoided it I would not let others see that I had that dissatisfaction within me After our Landing at Lyme I knew it was never the nearer to attempt my Escape the Country being so beset on the other hand if the Duke of Monmouth did win the Day I might have raised my Fortunes as high as I could expect These were the Arguments that Flesh and Blood did create in my Breast for Self-prefervation While I was with the said Duke I did him as much Service as I could and faithfully After it pleased God to disperse that Army under his Command I endeavoured to secure my self but by Providence was taken at Honiton from thence committed to Exon and after removed to Dorchester where I received my Sentence and am now as you see just going to Execution The Lord
that unhappy Accident which threatned the putting a Stop to it for I ever esteemed Platonick-Love to be the most Noble and thought it might be allowed by all but some wise Persons are afraid least the Sex should creep in for a share Here was no Danger for tho' Nature and Art have done their utmost to make Cl s Charming to all her Wit c. being beyond most of her Sex yet P t having for many Years given such Testimonies of a Conjugal Affection even to excess if such a thing can be that I fanned their Friendship might have been honourably continued to the End of Time I hope what Difficulties they meet with at their first setting out will heighten their Friendship and make it more strong and lasting So wishes August 27. 1695. Your Humble Servant E This Letter was occasioned by a Misconstruction put on the Correspondence then carried on 'tween P t and the aforesaid Lady but E being universally Religious by consequence is universally Charitable and therefore as she knew no Harm thinks none but encourages the Correspondence Mr. Richard Mays was a Man of sincere Godliness A (r) Mr. Singleton worthy Person sufficiently known in this City for his great Skill and Pains in training up of Youth was the Happy Instrument which Providence made use of for the first awakening and enclining him to look out after God I have often heard him speak with great thankfulness both to God and him of that Mixture of Love and Prudence whereby he gained upon him Throughout the Whole of his Sickness of Six Weeks continuance all was clear between God and him 2 Sam. 23.4 His End was like the Light of the Evening when the Sun setteth an Evening without any Clouds He said to my self when I enquired of him concerning that Matter I have not indeed those Raptures of Joy which some have felt tho' yet he added blessed be God I have sometimes tasted of them too but I have a comfortable well-grounded Hope of Eternal Life Another time I have had my Infirmities and Failings but my Heart hath been right with God as to the main and I look for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to Eternal Life Again another time I know that I have passed from Death to Life And again Blessed be God for our Lord Jesus Christ who hath delivered me from the Wrath to come In the Presence of others that stood by him when the sudden Blast was so strong as almost to puff out the Lamp of Life expecting to die in a very few Moments he said in the Words of the Psalmist Into thy Hands I commit my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth and this was uttered by him with a more than ordinary Chearfulness visibly spread on his Face He would often say in his Sickness If God hath any Pleasure in me and any more Work for me to do he will raise me up but if not lo here am I let him do with his Servant what seemeth him good In short I could neither observe my self nor learn from those that were constantly about him who must know this Matter better than any others and would not Lye for God himself that he had the least Darkness upon his Spirit as to his present and future State from the beginning of his Sickness till he gave up the Ghost which he did the last Lord's-Day about Five in the Morning the time when he was wont to arise and prepare himself for his Sacred Work Mr. Nathaniel Taylor in his Sermon at Mr. Mayo 's Funeral Dr. Samuel Annesley was reconciled to Death yea so desirous of it as hardly induced him to have his Life prayed for But hearing some Ministers had been fervently praying for his Life he replied I 'm then more reconciled to Life than ever for I 'm confident God will not give a Life so eminently in answer of Prayer as mine must be if he would not use it to greater purposes than ever before Yet some little time before his Change his Desires of Death appear'd strong and his Soul filled with the fore-tasts of Glory oft saying Come my dearest Jesus the nearer the more precious the more welcome Another time his Joy was so great that in an Ecstasie he cried out I cannot contain it What manner of Love is this to a poor Worm I can't express the thousandth part of what Praise is due to thee We know not what we do when we offer at praising God for his Mercies It 's but little I can give but Lord help me to give thee my All. I 'll die praising thee and rejoyce that there 's others can praise thee better I shall be satisfied with thy likeness satisfied satisfied Oh my dearest Jesus I come See a larger Account in Dr. Annesley's Funeral Sermon preach'd by Mr. Daniel Williams The Death of Old Mr. Eliot of New-England While he was making his Retreat out of this Evil World his Discourses from time to time ran upon The Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ It was the Theme which he still had recourse unto and we were sure to have something of this whatever other Subject he were upon On this he talk'd of this he pray'd for this he long'd and especially when any bad News arriv'd his usual Reflection thereon would be Behold some of the Clouds in which we must look for the Coming of the Son of Man At last his Lord for whom he had been long wishing Lord come I have been a great while ready for thy Coming At last I say his Lord came and fetched him away into the Joy of his Lord. He fell into some Languishments attended with a Fever which in a few Days brought him into the Pangs may I say or Joys of Death And while he lay in these Mr. Walter coming to him he said unto him Brother Thou art welcome to my very Soul Pray retire to my Study for me and give me leave to be gone meaning that he should not by Petitions to Heaven for his Life detain him here It was in these Languishments that speaking about the Work of the Gospel among the Indians he did after this Heavenly manner express himself There is a Cloud said he a dark Cloud upon the Work of the Gospel among the poor Indians The Lord revive and prâ—â—â—er that Work and grant it may live when I am dead It is a Work which I have been doing much and long about But what was the Word I spoke last I recall that Word My Doings Alas they have been poor and small and lean Doings and I 'll be the Man that shall throw the first Stone at them all Mr. Cotton Mather tells us of Mr. Elias That the Last of his ever setting Pen to Paper in the World was upon this Occasion I shall transcribe a short Letter which was written by the shaking Hand that had heretofore by Writing deserved so well from the Church of God but was now taking its leave of Writing for
beginning and that I had taken the Counsel which I have now given c. Loathing his beloved Sin Uncleanness and admonishing all young People to Watch and Pray against it Hoping if he were to live as many Years as he had been but Moments to live he should through the Grace of God never commit it any more 2. Thomas Savage executed at Ratcliff-Cross Oct. 28. 1669. He began very early to tread the Paths of Sin confessing at the Place of Execution That the first Sin he began with was breaking the Sabbath He was not above Sixteen Years of Age when he was Executed His Crime was for murdering a Maid his Fellow-Servant 3. Robert Foulks executed at Tyburn Jan. 31. 1678. Being at the Place of Execution he admonished the People to consider the Mischief of Uncleanness and what a Sin it was for a Member of Christ to make himself the Member of an Harlot that it was a Sin that seldom goes alone but is the Mother-Sin to a number more Warning them to avoid the Snares of a Whorish Woman to keep the Marriage-Bed undefiled He was Minister of Staunton-Lacy and executed for murdering his Bastard-Child 4. Thomas Short executed at Oxford Anno 1678. Being in Prison he imagined the Person whom he murdered viz. Mr. Wingrove an Oxford Scholar to appear before his Eyes in a bloody and threatning form commanding him to appear before God's Tribunal to answer for what he had done Being at the Place of Execution he exhorted the People to speedy and sincere Repentance and strictly to observe the Sabbath c. Which had he done he had not come to this miserable End 5. Margaret Clark executed in Surry Anno 1679. She consented for 2000 Pound Reward to the Firing of her Master's House in Southwark Being in Prison in the Marshalsea she confessed That for her Breaking the Sabbath and neglecting her Duty towards God this Temptation had prevailed over her On the Day of her Execution when she was going into the Cart This is said she a blessed Day to me O this is my Wedding-Day I shall be married to my Saviour O Lord that ever I should offend so Good and Gracious a God as thou art O the Joys I long to be at the Place of Being under the Gallows she looked up and said I am now going to the Glory to the Glory which God hath prepared for me c. Lord I am come to thee I desire you all not to spend the Lord's-Day idly and wickedly as I have done For it was Sabbath-breaking that was my first Step to this Wickedness And I beg of you all not to spend your Time in vain but to the Honour and Glory of God Being ask'd by Dr. Martin What Assurance last thou of God's Forgiveness I know said she in whom I have believed I had great Joys from the Lord since the Sentence passed on me Blessed be God that ever I came into a Prison The Doctor having prayed with her she continued crying out O the Glory O the Glory 6. Henry Parker executed at Tyburn Anno 1689. He lamented the mispending of his Time saying O the precious Time I have squandred away upon Trifles and Vanities upon my Lusts and Pleasures which I now want to make my Peace with God and purchase Eternal Life That it was not so easie to Repent as he supposed His Crime was for Counterfeiting Guinea's 7. John Marketman executed in Essex April 17. 1680. He confessed he had departed from his God in his Youth and disobeyed his Parents not shewing them that Reverence as he ought For which Sin said he I think God has justly punished me in making me die Childless For sure it is if Long Life be a Promise to those that Honour their Parents it should cause Children to take care how they do the contrary adding That neglecting the church and the Publick Worship of God and choosing rather to spend my Time in an Ale-house brought me to Evil Company and so to Drunkenness which getting an Habit made me a professed Enemy to God and give my self over to Swearing and Cursing and Lying and so from one Sin to another till I arrived at the heighth c. That formerly he loved to commit Sin but now hated the very Thoughts of it and could not commit a Sin to gain a Kingdom Exhorting the People to take heed of the Beginnings of Sin telling them You will find if once you habituate your selves to the committing of Sin it will be very hard to root it out it must cost you many a Tear and much Bitterness in crucifying your darling Sins which Trouble and Expence might be sav'd if you would be careful to resist the first Temptation Bewailing his Drunkeriness and Uncleanness His Crime was for murdering his Wife 8. William Bottler executed in Essex for murdering Captain Wade When he heard his Friends laboured for a Pardon he expressed his Dislike of it rather desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ least being so well prepar'd the Naughtiness of his Heart without a Godly carcusie over it might make him turn again to Vanity 9. John Stern executed at St. James's March 10. 1681. He consented to the Murder of Thomas Thynn Esq under the Promise of Three or Four Hundred Rix-Dollers He often blessed God for bringing him to a Prison and that he had not made his Escape to lead a wicked Life any longer The Morning of his Execution he confessed he found much Joy and Comfort saying He was going to exchange a Prison for a Paradise a Prison that had been better to him than any Palace for that God had touched him and drawn him and quickened him And now saith he O God I come to thee to live with thee for ever Breaking out into such Ecstasies of Joy as these O my God! my God! my infinitely Good God! How do I love thee I will bless thee as long as I live c. That when I had forsaken thee and was at the Gates of Hell thou hast brought me from thence to the Gates of Heaven I bless thee that thou hast chastised me with thy Rod that thy Rod is a Rod of Mercy When he expressed these Words he appeared in a Rapture of Joy and though he wept he said they were not Tears of Sorrow but Floods from the excess of Joy 10. Robert Brighurst who poisoned himself Anno 1680. He confessed to a Minister whom he sent for to pray with him That he had cast off Prayers two or three Years agoe and that now he found his Heart so hardned that he could not form it to Prayer 11. Francis Kirk executed at Tyburn Anno 1684. for murdering his Wife The Question being asked him where was his Wife he changed Colour and fell into a Fit of Trembling and being carried before a Magistrate confessed he had murdered her A Note was left in her Pocket signifying the Place of her Abode which the infatuated Murderer Divine Providence so ordering it had not taken
of Christ It is not all I can do that will or can save me Were I to live my Days over again and spend them in nothing but Prayers and Tears that could not Save me no it is nothing but the Mercy of God in Christ that must save me and upon this will I trust I am resolved that at the last I will lay my self wholly at the Feet of God's Mercy in Jesus Christ and there I will die This he uttered with raised and enlarged Affections They have brought my Coffin and I am not afraid to see it proceeded he I thank God I can freely lie down in it These Shackles about my Legs are as if they were not I do not regard them My Heart is so cheared with the consideration of the Precious Promises God hath made to poor perishing Sinners and why not to me And why not to thee indeed said I She loved much to whom much was forgiven Ah reply'd he it is much must be forgiven me Much indeed More to this purpose passed between us Several other Ministers were with him that Day and prayed with him as he told me what Discourse they had with him I know not A little before Execution enquiring of him what Confession he thought to make he said he was not inclined to speak much publickly in that respect for this reason That he judged it useless and at most would only gratifie some who came for nothing else but to hear him tell a long Story of a Vicious Life which was more likely to discompose his own Minds than tend to their Edification Moreover he said I cannot affect the Guilty and for others some may believe me some may not The Guilty know themselves I will therefore leave them to God and their own Consciences wishing them true Repentance that they may never come to this miserable End He did not think fit to go out of the World accusing others whom he could no more than accuse and neither bring them to deserved Punishment for what they had done hor prevent thereby their proceeding in the same course of Wickedness No for said he God must convince them and change their hearts which he did and would Pray earnestly for to his last He was desirous to employ all his little space in seeking God and giving up himself to Jesus Christ in humble Prayer now and then saying Oh! my Time is short within a few hours yea moments I shall be in Eternity O vain World Requesting me oft not to leave him till Death separated us I accompanied him to the Place of Execution where I prayed with him committing his Soul to God he joyned with me with great Ardency Then was sung the latter part of the 39th Psalm by his Appointment in singing whereof he seemed elevated in Heart and Voice above most present At last turning about and looking round on the Multitude he took his Farewel in these words or words to the like effect Gentle Spectators You are come to see a sinful miserable Wretch suffer this Ignominious Death I thank God it is not terrible to me for I trust that I shall find Mercy with God for my poor Soul through the precious Blood of my sweet Jesus You may see here what Sin will bring you to Oh take warning by me take heed of Sin shun Temptationsâ— flee Ezsil Company beware of Sabbath-breaking for by this Sin the Devil begins with many to draw them to all manner of Wickedness so he did with me Oh forsake all your Evil Wars turn to the Lord he is a gracious God Oh vile Wretch that I have so sinned against a holy just and merciful God I have been a Prodigal indeed but I hope now a Returning one Oh that they that have been my Companions in Mischief may Repent before it be too late I beg of them to fear God and mind their Souls There may be some of them that hear me at this time the Lord touch their hearts Oh do not still go on you are known to God who will call you to Account for all one day Think of it I beseech you the Lord give you true Repentance and Pardon your Sins that you may not come to this miserable End you see me come to With more to the like purpose Then Resigning himself to God and begging Acceptance with him for the Merits of a Dear and All-sufficient Redeemer he ended this Temporal and Miserable Life Thus far Mr. Burroughs CHAP. CXLV The Last Wills of Persons Remarkable for their Oddness and Singularity HAving had occasion to mention before several Wills with a particular Respect to Charities bestowed and some which were Remarkably Serious and Devout here I shall present the Reader with a few that I thought not very suitable to either of those Heads having something of Oddness or Levity or Brevity in them extraordinary 1. I have already spoken of Endamidas the Corinthian who dying Poor left his Aged Mother to Aretaeus and his Young Daughter to Charixenus two Rich Friends of his the one to be maintained till she died and the other till she married She the Chapter of Remarkable Friendship 2. Hilarion is reported at Eighty Years Old to have made this Will All my Wealth that is the Gospel and one Hair Vest my Coat and little Cloak I leave to my most loving Friend Hesychius Mourning Ring 3. Antonius the Great this As for the Place of my Burial let none know but your own Love my Felt and old Cloak give it to Athanasius which he gave me when it was new Let Serapion take the other which is somewhat better Do you take my Hair Garment And so Farewel my Bowels for Antony is going Ibid. 4. I Acathius Victor have been running to Eternity from A.C. 1581. and have Eternity in my Mind Now I commend my Spirit to God my Body to the Earth and Worms But as for Estate nothing now is mine but Good-Will which I carry with me to the Tribunal of God Ibid. 5. S. Hierom Martyr left his Estate to his Mother and Sister but to Rusticius the Chief Magistrate of Ancyra his Right-hand already cut off Ibid. 6. Zisca bequeath'd his Skin to make a Drum and his Flesh to the Fowls of the Air and Wild Beasts Ibid. 7. A Woman left her Cat 500 Crowns to maintain her with Food so long as she lived 8. I have mentioned already an Old Witch that on her Death-bed bequeathed her Imp the Devil to her Daughter 9. Luther was more serious and wise when he in his Last Will bequeath'd his Wife to God who gave her 10. Cardinal Bellarmine as I have noted before makes a long sputter in his Last Will about his Disposal of a few Cloaths and fine Pictures c. 11. I have been credibly informed that a certain School-Master in Shropshire making his Will his Wife who had always the Whip-hand over him standing by took occasion frequently to Advise the Clerk that wrote for him or rather to Correct and altar what
he should expose himself to was very terrible for as he had had some share in the management of the Affairs of the Reformed Religion in France before the entire Desolation of their Churches some of those Disorders which happened in the Year 1683 in Dauphine Vivares and Cevennes were partly tho' he were innocent imputed to him and the Zeal also which he had manifested divers ways during his Exile for the Truth Service of God and the Consolation of his desolate Church had more and more irritated the Court Clergy and Jesuits against him So that he clearly saw he could not return into France without exposing himself to extream Danger But the Motions of his Conscience were more vigorous than all the Considerations in the World wherefore he prepared himself for this dangerous Journey by frequent Fastings and continued Prayer And as he had resolved to go into France in company with some other Servants of God and that he saw the departure of one and another was deferred for Reasons that savoured too much of human Prudence He felt in himself a Fire which consumed him without intermission and which at last threw him into a slow Feaver which most People thought to be Mortal but whereof they knew not the cause he saw now clearly that God would infallibly make him die on 't if he did any longer withstand the Motions of his Spirit wherefore he concluded with himself that if he must die it were much better he went into France and died there in following the Motion of his Conscience than to pine away elsewhere and die without the discharging of his Duty In order whereunto he met the other Servants of God who were willing to depart without any more delay and they divided themselves into several Companies because of their number among whom were the Brethren Vivers Lapiere Serein Boisson Dombres Poutant Papus c. Brousson was still very weak and much wasted but God confirmed him in his Health while upon his Journey he entred France in company with Mr. Debruc an ancient Minister who for some time had Refugiated himself in Switzerland they had not been long in France but Debruc finding himself in eminent Danger departed again out of the Kingdom however the rest afore-mentioned continued to instruct the People according to Opportunity and their Abilities but many Months were not elapsed when two of them viz. Boisson and Dombres after they had preached the Gospel in Cevennes with extraordinary success suffered Martyrdom with unshaken Constancy they went to the place of Punishment singing God's Praises but least the Faithful and Roman-catholicks themselves might be edified by their pious Demeanour and Exhortations at the time of their Death they ordered the Drums to Beat all he while which has been a frequent Practise with them on several occasions 2. About the same time a young Man of about Seventeen whose name was Soveirain alias Oliver suffered Martyrdom at Mompellier with that marvellous Constancy that the Intendant sometime after taking occasion to Discourse upon this Subject with Monsieur de Villeveille Colonel of one of the Regiments that had been for a long time in Cevennes and Languedâ—c to hinder such Assemblies of the Reformed he told him If the God whom these People serve be the same with that whom we adore we run a risque of being one day very miserable But notwithstanding any present Remorse on went the Fury of these Men and among others the Soldiers seized a young Man in Cevennes whose name was Roman a Student in Divinity and who had for a considerable time preached the Gospel there they carried him to the Castle of St. John de Gardonnenques where he was sentenced to die but here Divine Providence interposed for the Night before the Day wherein he was to suffer a young Maiden who served in the Castle as Chamber-maid having passed the Guards that were asleep before the Room wherein he was looked up found a way through the Window to cut the Cords wherewith he was bound and so he made his escape next Day when none of the Prisoner was to be found Monsieur de Montvaillant to whom the Castle belonged and who was of the number of the pretended new Converts was accused of setting him at liberty But the young Woman camein of her self and freely confest she was the Person without the Intervention of any other who had freed him because she believed him to be innocent and so ought to have compassion upon him for which Fact she was sentenced to be Whipt by the common Hangman and to perpetual Imprisonment in a place called Sommieres where if alive she is to this Day But to return to Brousson when he had got to Cevennes and found he could not find a way whereby by to get those Pieces he had Printed before in Switzerland into France and which he hoped he might have been able to have got dispersed through the Kingdom he immediately fell to instruct and comfort some of his Brethren by short Exhortations in Reading and Expounding to them the Holy Scripture or in dispersing one way or another those small Writings which he had composed for their instruction and of which he made many Copies Some Months after his arrival in France that is in December 1689 being with a small Company of the Faithful upon one of the high Mountains of Cevennes covered with Snow and in a Cottage where he had dwelt for some Days with several of his Brethren all these Faithful entreated and adjured him in the Name of the Lord to preach the Gospel and to administer the Lord's Supper unto them Vivens who was also with him in the same Cortage exhorted him to the same thing It is true Brousson had found himself disposed of a long time to Labour by Writing according to his ability to advance the Kingdom of God but on the other hand he had not yet entirely forsaken his secular Imployment for during his Exile he had from time to time exercised the Function of his old Profession of Advocate though with some regret and so far as was necessary for the subsistence of himself and Family having been dispossest of all his Estate before Though at the same time he had not yet applied himself publicly to Preach the Holy Gospel Wherefore being stirred up by the unanimous Exhortations of his Brethren to preach the Word of God and then to administer unto them the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper he told them he now clearly saw God had put that into their Hearts and that he had a call to consecrate himself to his Work and Service in a more particular manner then he had done till that time wherefore he prayed to God with his whole Hear that he would be pleased to grant unto him those Graces that were necessary for so great a Work But before he began his Preaching Brother Vivens sought God in a very fervent Prayer that he would be pleased to grant him the assistances of his Holy
if those Princes were truly such as the Historians represented them they had well deserved that Treatment And others who tread their Steps might look for the same For Truth would be told at last and that with the more Acrimony of Style for being so long restrained It was a gentle suffering to be exposed to the World in their true Colours much below what others had suffered at their Hands She thought that all Sovereigns ought to read such Histories as Procopius for how much soever he may have aggravated Matters and how unbecomingly soever he may have writ yet by such Books they might see what would be probably said of themselves when all Terrors and Restraints should fall off with their Lives Ibid. 20. She did hearken carefully after every thing that seemed to give some hope that the next Generation should be better than the present with a particular Attention She heard of a Spirit of Devotion and Piety that was spreading itself among the Youth of this great City with a true Satisfaction She enquired often and much about it and was glad to hear it went on and prevailed She lamented that whereas the Devotions of the Church of Rome were all Shew and made up of Pomp and Pageantry that we were too bare and naked And practised not enough to entertain a serious Temper or a warm and an affectionate Heart We might have Light enough to direct but we wanted Flame to raise an exalted Devotion Ibid. 21. She was â—o part of the Cause of the War yet she would willingly have sacrificed her own Life to have preserved either of Those that seemed to be in Danger at the Boyne She spake of that Matter two Days after the News came with so tender a Sense of the Goodness of God to her in it that it drew Tears from her and then she freely confessed That her Heart had trembled not so much from the Apprehension of the Danger that she herself was in as from the Scene that was then in Action at the Boyne God had heard her Prayers and she blessed him for it with as sensible a Joy as for any thing that had ever happened to her Ibid. 22. The Reflections that she made on the Reduction of Ireland looked the same way that all her Thoughts did Our Forces elsewhere both at Sea and Land were thought to be considerable and so promising that we were in great Hopes of somewhat that might be decisive Only Ireland was apprehended to be too weakly furnished for a concluding Campaign Yet so different are the Methods of Providence from Humane Expectations that nothing memorable happened any where but only in Ireland where little or nothing was expected Ibid. 23. When sad Accidents came from the immediate Hand of Heaven particularly on the occasion of a great Loss at Sea she said Tho' there was no occasion for Complaint or Anger upon these yet there was a juster Cause of Grief since God's Hand was to be seen so particularly in them Sometimes she feared there might be some secret Sins that might lie at the Root and blast all But she went soon off from that and said Where so much was visible there was no need of Divination concerning that which might be hidden Ibid. 24. She was sorry that the State of War made it necessary to restrain another Prince from Barbarities by making himself feel the Effects of them and therefore she said She hoped that such Practices should become so odious in all that should begin them and by their doing so force others to retaliate that for the future they should be for ever laid aside Ibid. 25. She apprehended she felt once or twice such Indispositions upon her that she concluded Nature was working towards some great Sickness so she set herself to take full and broad Views of Death that from thence she might judge how she should be able to encounter it But she felt so quiet an Indifference upon that Prospect leaning rather towards the desire of a Dissolution that she said Tho' she did not pray for Death yet she could neither wish nor pray against it She left that before God and referred herself entirely to the disposal of Providence If she did not wish for Death yet she did not fear it Ibid. 26. We prayed for our selves more than for her when we cried to God for her Life and Recovery both Priest and People Rich and Poor all Ranks and Sorts joyned in this Litany A universal Groan was Ecchoed to those Prayers through our Churches and Streets Ibid. 27. But how severely soever God intended to visit us she was gently handled she felt no inward depression nor sinking of Nature She then declared That she felt in her Mind the Joys of a good Conscience and the Powers of Religion giving her Supports which even the last Agonies could not shake Thus far Bishop Burnet 28. In the Publick Worship of God she was a bright Example of solemn and unaffected Devotion She prayed with humble Reverence heard the Word with respectful Silence and with serious Application of Spirit as duly considering the infinite Interval between the Supremacy of Heaven and Princes on Earth That their Greatness in its Lustre is but a faint and vanishing Reflection of the Divine Majesty One Instance I shall specifie in this kind When her Residence was at the Hague a Lady of Noble Quality coming to the Court to wait on her on a Saturday in the Afternoon was told she was retired from all Company and kept a Fast in Preparation for the receiving the Sacrament the next Day The Lady staying 'till Five a Clock the Princess came out and contented herself with a very slender Supper it being incongruous to conclude a Fast with a Feast Thus solemnly she prepared herself for Spiritual Communion with her Saviour Dr. Bates 's Sermon upon the Death of the Queen 29. She had a sincere Zeal for the healing our unhappy Divisions in Religious Things and declared her Resolution upon the first Address of some Ministers that she would use all Means for that Blessed End She was so wise as to understand the Difference between Matters Doctrinals and Rituals and so good as to allow a just Liberty for Dissenters in things of small moment She was not fetter'd with superstitious Scruples but her clear and free Spirit was for the Union of Christians in Things essential to Christianity Ibid. 30. In her Relation to the King she was the best Pattern of Conjugal Love and Obsequiousness How happy was her Society redoubling his Comforts and dividing his Cares Her Deportment was becoming the Dignity and Dearness of the Relation Of this we have the most convincing Proof from the Testimony and Tears of the King since her Death Solomon adds to many Commendations of a vertuous Woman as a Coronis That her Husband praises her The King 's declaring that in all her Conversation he discovered no Fault and his unfeigned and deep Sorrow for his Loss are the Queen 's
Towns were destroyed by an Inundation of the Sea which carryed several Ships above 9 Miles into the Countrey and great numbers of People and Cattle were drowned there being found when the Water fell at one place near the Sea side above 5000 People dead and every day more were found so that no account could be given of their number 31. In 1688. a Dreadful Earthquake happened at Naples in Italy which was attended with the Rage and Roaring of Mount Vesuvius On Saturday June 5 about the 22th hour happened there a Terrible Earthquake thó it lasted not long which frightned the Inhabitants out of their Houses with the Terror of inevitable destruction they betook themselves to the Piaza's and open Publick places of the City there is scarce a Pallace or a House that has not received some considerable damage the next day there was another shook which threw down many of the Houses In The Neighbourhood of Vdico a City 16 Miles distant from hence a Mountain opened and we have an account it was all Ruined and that of 6000 Inhabitants there are but few left alive and great damages in several other places 32. In the same Year and Month we have a Dreadful Account of an Earthquake and Fire at Smyrna in a Letter from an English Gentleman at Constantinople dated July 8 1688. On June 30 Between 11 and 12 at Noon there happened at Smyrna a violent Earthquake which in a Minute threw down many and shattered all the Houses in the City it reached all the Adjacent parts and Metelone and Scio where it did but small hurt about 4 hours after a dreadful Fire broke out and consumed all the Town except the Skirts and the Houses on the side of the Hill the most moderate computation of People destroyed is 5000. 33. In December following several Earthquakes happened about Naples and Beneventum but without such infortunate Accidents which attended them some Months before nevertheless that accident being fresh in memory it is not to be imagined what a Consternation the People were in and how they fell to their Prayers in several Churches the Monks in those quarters made use of the opportunity to Preach that the end of the World was at hand and for that Reason endeavoured to give Alms but the People are not now to be imposed upon as formerly when they used such ways to rear such costly Foundations that are scattered over all Europe they resolved to keep what they had not finding the Monks to make better use of their Money then they themselves could do May not these dreadful shakings of the Earth seem plainly to presage those Convulsions that happened soon after and presignifie good as well as bad events not only the happy Revolutions in these three Kingdoms but also the horrid Ruins Devastations and Miseries which the Ambition and Barbarity of the French King has occasioned lately in Christendom and which do still continue 34. Dismal was the Calamity and Judgment which befel the Inhabitants of the Island of Jamaica in the West-Indies upon Tuesday June the 7th 1692 by a dreadful Earthquake about 11 a Clock in the Morning the Earth suffered a great Trepidation which in a Minutes time was such that several Houses began to tumble down and in 6 or 7 Minutes or a quarter of an hour at most made terrible Havock and Devastation it threw down almost all the Houses and Mountains and threw them into the Sea but Port-Royal had much the greatest share in this astonishing Judgment of God the Minister of that place relates that the same Morning he had been at Prayers in the Church which he never neglected to keep up some shew of Religion amongst a most ungodly and debauch'd People and was gone to a place near to the Church where the President of the Council was designing to Dine with one Captain Buden but his House upon the first Concussion sunk first into the Earth and then into the Sea with his Wife and Family and others that were to Dine with him the Minister staying some time with the President escaped the Danger Yet soon after they found the Ground rowling and moving under their Feet Sir says the Minister what 's this He replied very composedly It is an Earthquake be not afraid it will soon be over but it increased and they heard the Church and Tower fall upon which they ran to save themselves the Minister makes towards Morgan's Port which being a wide open place might be thought securest from falling Houses but as he came near he saw the Earth open and swallow up a Multitude of People and the Sea mounting over the Fortifications he then laid aside all thoughts of escaping resolving to make towards his own Lodgings where he found all all things safe he went to the Balcony to view the Street in which his House stood and saw never an House down there not the Ground so much as crackt the People desired him to come down and Pray with them he perswaded them to kneel down and make a large Ring which they did Pray'd with them near an Hour and after seriously exhorted them to Repentance the Earth working all the while with New Motions and trembled like the Rowling of the Sea insomuch that when he was at Prayer he could hardly keep himself when he came to the Sea he saw it had swallowed up the Wharf with all those goodly brick Houses upon it and two intire Streets beyond that he walked upon the Tops of some Houses which lay Level with the Surface of the Water from whence he got into a Canoo and then into a Long-boat which put him aboard a Ship called the Siam Merchant where he found the President safe They could not Sleep that Night for the return of the Earthquake almost every hour which made all the Guns in the Ship jar and rattle The shaking of the Earth still continued with Thunder and Lightning stormy and foul Weather The morning of this day was very fair and clear affording no suspicion of the least evil but in the space of 3 minutes about half an hour after 11 in the morning Port Royal the fairest Town of all the English Plantations was staken and shattered to pieces and sunk into and covered by the Sea as to the greatest part It is reckoned there were lost 1500 Persons From St. Anns there was News That above 1000 Acres of Wood-Land were turn'd into the Sea and carried with it whole Plantations but no place suffered like Port-Royal where whole Streets were swallowed up by the opening of the Earth and the Houses and Inhabitants went down together Some of them were driven up again by the Sea which arose in those Breaches and wonderfully escaped Some were swallowed up to the Neck and then the Earth shut on them and squeezed them to Death and in that manner several were left Buried with their Heads above-ground only some Heads the Dogs had eaten Great noises and bellowings were heard some time after in
taking what she had intends for Dover and so for France but the Child who had been playing up and down in the Copice crying after him he returned and cut his Throat and leaves him by his Mother and now goes forward on his Journey thinking all safe But mark the Providence of God Quickly after comes a Boy from Chatham to gather Sticks and a Dog with him the Boy being busie a gathering Sticks the Dog was busie a hunting up and down and having found out these two dead Corpses never leaves howling till the Boy came to him who no sooner saw this dreadful Spectacle but runs like one mad to the Town and acquainted his Neighbours who hasting to the Place and finding it as the Boy had related it unto them by her Cloaths and by her Son knew the Persons and now they want to find out the Murderer They knowing that Writtle was a Suiter to her a Hue-and-Cry was sent after him and he was taken at Dover and sent to Gaol See the Narrative 22. Ann Cocketon of the Parish of Stepney was Indicted in the Old-Baily for the Murder of her Male Bastard Child on the 9th of May 1696. by throwing it into a House of Office The Evidence deposed That she did think that the Prisoner was troubled with the Gripes and did desire her to give her some Water And about Four in the Morning the Prisoner did go down to the Vault with the Close-stool-pan and a while after came up again very weak but did not think of any thing that had happened but going down the next Morning with a China-Bowl by accident she let it fall in and looking after it she espied the Child there and she took it and washed it and laid it in a Cellar The Midwife declared that searching her she found that she had lately been delivered of a Child CHAP. CXIV Divine Judgments upon Theft Robbery c. HE that hath taken so much care for the Security of our Estates and Possessions as to make a Prohibition of Stealth one of the Commandments bath taken care likewise to annex a Penalty to the same Law and hath allowed us to kill a Night-Thief without imputing it to us at the Sin of Murder Exod. 22.2 And hath himself likewise appeared an Avenger of the Crime as in the case of Achan Ahab c. And besides it may appear plain enough to any one that makes any careful Remarks upon Divine Providence that Ill-got Goods seldom prosper 1. Draco the Law-giver of Athens appointed Death to be the Punishment of Theft Solon mitigated that Rigour and punished it with double Restitution The Locrians put out his Eyes that had stolen ought from his Neighbour The Hetrurians stoned them to Death The Scythians abhorred them more than all Creatures because they had a Community of all Things except their Cups The Vaccians used such Severity towards this kind of Men that if one had but taken a Handful of Corn he was sure to die for it Beard 's Theatr. p. 294. 2. Marcus Fabius being Censor condemn'd his own Son Buteo to Death being apprehended for Theft Tiberius the Emperor punished a Soldier after the same manner for stealing a Peacock In sum there was no Commonwealth wherein this Sin was not highly detested and sharply punished except the Lacedoemonians where it was permitted and tolerated for their Exercise of Warlike Discipline Ibid. 3. It was a rash and severe yet as it proved a just Deed of Tamberlain that mighty Tyrant and Conqueror of Asia when a poor Woman complained to him of one of his Soldiers that had taken from her a little Milk and a piece of Cheese without payment He caused the Soldier 's Belly to be ripped to see whether she had falsly accused him or no and finding the Milk in his Stomach adjudged him worthy of that Punishment for stealing from so poor a Woman Ibid. 4. Ibicus the Poet being set upon by Thieves when he saw that they would not only rob him of his Money but of his Life also he cryed for Help and Revenge to the Cranes that flew over his Head A while after as these murdering Thieves sate together in the Market-place the same Cranes appearing unto them in the Air they whispered one another in the Ear and said Yonder fly Ibicus 's Revengers Which tho' secretly spoken yet was over-heard So that they being Examined and found Guilty were put to Death for their Pains The like Story Martin Luther reporteth touching a Traveller only differing in this That as Cranes detected the former so Crows laid open the latter 5. In Georgia a Thief is acquitted paying Sevenfold what he hath stole two Parts to the Party robbed one to the Judges and four to the King If he hath not wherewith to satisfie he is sold if the Product do not yet equal the Summ his Wife is sold and if that will not do his Children Tavernier l. 3. c. 9. 6. The great Mogul will himself sit as Judge in Matters of Consequence that happen near him They proceed in Tryals Secundum allegata probata They punish Theft and Murder with Death and what kind of Death the Judge pleaseth to appoint Some are hanged beheaded empailed and put on Stakes torn in pieces by wild Beasts killed by Elephants stung with Snakes No Malefactors lie above one Night in Prison sometimes not at all but are speedily brought upon Tryal and so to Execution See my Book of all Religions 7. The Chinese punish Murder and Theft with Death Sir Tho. Herb. Their Justice is severe their Prisons strong and Executions quick 8. The Japonese punish all manner of Theft with Death Tavernier's Collect. p. 4. 9. A. C. 1659. At Brightling in Sussex there was a stupendious and amazing piece of Providence November the 7th in the Evening a Fire kindled in a Man's Milk-house the 9th Dust was thrown upon the Man and his Wife as they lay in Bed together next Morning things were thrown about and the Fire kindled again in the same Place but put out by the Woman then in the Eeves of the House and put out by a Neighbour a Pot broken on the Table with a piece of Brick and as they were going to fill a Tub with Water to set by them all Night the Fire was kindled again in the Milk-house and suddenly the whole House was on fire but most of the Goods saved The Fire was very white and did not singe their Hands when they pulled things out of it The Houshold-stuff was carried next Day to a Neighbour's House and put in one end the Family being in the other end there Dust was thrown upon the Man and his Wife in Bed At last up riseth the Man and with another accompanying him with a Candle and Lanthorn in his Hand went to Mr. Bennet the Minister of the Town and entreated him to go down with him Accordingly He and his Brother went prayed with them and at first Dust was thrown at them but all quiet