form'd as nothing can be reprehended his Beard pretty thick agreeable in colour to the Hair of his Head not of any great length but forked in the midst of an innocent and mature Look his Eyes grey clear and quick In reproving he is terrible in admonishing courteous and fair spoken pleasant in Speech mixt with Gravity It can't be remembred that any have seen him laugh but Of the Persecution in Queen Mary's Reign BIshop Jewel writes That in the 5 years Reign of Q. Mary was martyr'd 277 Persons viz. 5 Bishops 8 Gentlemen 21 Ministers 84 Tradesmen 100 Husbandmen Labourers and Servants 20 Widows 26 Wives 9 Virgins 2 Boys 2 Infants one sprung from the Womb as its Mother was burning at the Stake so flung into the Fire at the very Birth 64 were also persecuted for their Religion 7 of 'em whipt 16 died in Prison 12 buried in Dunghils and many lay in Captivity till the Reign of Q. Elizabeth In the Year 1572 30000 Protestants were massacred by Papists in France c. In the Year 1642 above 100000 Protestants were massacred in Ireland Many more Cruelties our Historians mention which here is not room to insert Bishop Usher's Prophecy THis pious Man had at several times many things impress'd on his Mind concerning future Events and with that warmness that he could not keep 'em secret He by the Holy Spirit foretold the Irish Rebellion 40 Years before it came and the time it would break out From this Prophetick Spirit he foresaw the Miseries of England in Church and State and gave mournful Intimations of the Death of King Charles I. From this Spirit he foresaw his own Poverty as to Worldly Things From this Spirit he predicted the Divisions and Confusions in England about Religion and the sad Consequences of it some whereof we have seen fulfill'd and I pray God the rest may not be accomplish'd And lastly From this Spirit he foretold that the greatest Stroke upon the Reform'd Christians was yet to come and the time of the utter Ruin of Rome should be when she thought her self most secure His Opinion of Sanctification that is of the New Creature which God formeth by his Spirit in every Soul which he doth truly regenerate I find says he so little of it wrought in my self that I can speak of it only as Parrots by rote and without the Knowledg and Understanding of what I might have express'd and therefore I durst not presume to proceed any farther upon it I must tell you says he we do not well understand what Sanctification and the New Creature are It is no less than for a Man to be brought to an entire Resignation of his Will to the Will of GOD and to live in the offering up of his Soul continually in Flames of Love as a whole Burnt-Offering to Christ And how little continues he are many of those who profess Christianity experimentally acquainted with this Work on their Souls I ask'd him then what his present Apprehensions were concerning a great Persecution which should fall on the Church of God in England Scotland and Ireland which he had spoke of many Years before when we were in Peace and Whether they were past or to come He told me they were to come and that this sad Persecution would fall on all the Protestant Churches in Europe He was told that it was hoped it might be past as to these Nations instancing the Judgments that had befallen us tho' not so great as we deserv'd He answer'd the Power of God seeming to be upon him to constrain him to speak which Mr. B. says he could easily discern much to differ from the Countenance wherewith he usually spoke to him Fool not yourself with such Hopes for I tell you all that you have yet seen are but the beginning of Sorrows to what is yet to come on the Protestant Churches of Christ who will e'er long fall under a sharper Persecution than ever yet has fell upon them And therefore said he look you be not found in the outward Court but a Worshipper in the Temple before the Altar for Christ will rescue all those that profess his Name and call themselves his People but the outward Worshippers he will leave out to be trodden down by the Gentiles The outward Court says he is the formal Christian whose Religion lies in performing outside Duties of Christianity without having an inward Life and Power of Faith and Love uniting them to Christ and these God will leave to be trodden down and swept away by the Gentiles But the Worshippers within the Temple and before the Altar are those who do indeed worship GOD in Spirit and in Truth whose Souls are made his Temples and He is honoured and adored in the most inward Thoughts of their Hearts and they sacrifice their Lusts and vile Affections yea and their own Wills to him and these God will hide in the hollow of his Hand and under the shadow of his Wings And this said he shall be one great Difference between the last and all the other preceeding Persecutions for in the former the most eminent Spiritual Christians did generally suffer most but in this last Persecution these shall be preserv'd by GOD as a Seed to partake of the Glory that shall immediately follow and come upon the Church as soon as ever this Storm shall be over for as this shall be the sharpest so shall it be the shortest Persecution of them all and shall only take away the gross Hypocrites and formal Professors but the true Believers shall be preserv'd till the Calamity be over-past Mr. B. then ask'd him By whom He said By the Papists and in a way of sudden Massacre and that the Pope should be the chief Instrument of it He then added That the Papists were in his Opinion the Gentiles spoken of in Revelat. 11. to whom the outward Court should be left that they might tread it under foot they having receiv'd the Gentiles Worship in their adoring Images and Saints departed and in taking to themselves many Mediators And this said he the Papists are now designing among themselves and therefore be you ready This is the Substance says Mr. B. of what he spoke to me and he repeated the same in Substance to the Lady Tyrel and the Lady â—yssâ— An Account of the Spanish Invasion IN the 31st Year of Queen Elizabeth 1588 Philip the Second King of Spain set forth a mighty Fleet which for its mighty Greatness they call'd it The Invincible Armado It consisted of 150 tall Ships in which was 20000 Soldiers The Duke of Parma also was design'd to bring out of Flanders Fifty-thousand more to join them it had likewise 8600 Mariners 2080 Gally-Slaves 2630 Great Guns and abundance of Boats and Tenders beside with Provisions The Pope 't is said also contributed a Million of Money All these were to Land at the Thames Mouth The Queen hearing of it provided two Guards one for the Sea and another for the Land that by Land was divided into Two Armies one of Twenty-two thousand two hundred Foot and One thousand Horse Commanded by the Earl of Leicester at Tilbury where the Queen came and view'd her Army to the great Encouragement of Her Soldiers both by Her Presence and Speech to them Her Guard at Sea were in number One hundred and Forty Ships divided into Three Squadrons Commanded by Admiral Howard Vice-Admiral Drake and Rear-Admiral Seymour The Spaniards having enter'd our Seas the Queen commanded the Lord-Admiral to prepare Eight of Her worst Ships for Fire-ships which in the dead of the Night were sent down the Wind among the Spanish Fleet which so surpriz'd and alarm'd them not understanding the Invention that they immediately cut their Cables and weigh'd Anchor and put to Sea upon which the Queen's Fleet under the Command of Sir Francis Drake and others took some of them drove others on the Sands others were tossed to and fro and mangl'd and rack'd So that more than one half of them were lost returning home with Shame and Dishonour And of the English were lost only One Ship of small Value So that this Fleet that was Three Years preparing was in a Month's Time overthrown with the Loss of a Multitude of Spaniards FINIS
to commemorate thy unspeakable Love in accomplishing the work of my Redemption by a most Shameful and Bitter Death I come to renounce and cast off my Sins and Transgressions and to renew my Baptismal Covenant which I have often and perversly broken O do thou for thy Mercy sake accept me though an unworthy Guest Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy Sight shall no Man living be justified If thou Lord should'st be extreme to mark what I have done amiss I must suffer all the Vials of thy Wrath I must undergo all the Curses of thy Law I must stand expos'd to all the Judgments and Terrors of this Life and to the intolerable Torments of Hell in another So far should I be in this Case from receiving any manner of Advantage from these Holy Mysteries that I should eat and drink my own Damnation Miserable wretched Creature that I am that I should so eagerly pursue the Paths that lead to Death and Misery that I should so continually offend thee my most tender and indulgent Father that I should trample under foot the Son of God and repay that wonderful Love and those unknown Sufferings of His on my behalf with those Sins which at first Crucified him and still continue to Crucifie him afresh and put him to an open Shame that I should grieve that good Spirit of God which so earnestly wooes and entreats to accept of Life and Salvation that I should be guilty of so much Pride Hypocrisie Indevotion and Deadness in my Prayers of so much Injustice Passion and Malice of so much Impenitency Uncleanness Intemperance c. Here reckon up the particular Sins thou hast been guilty of whereby I have wickedly departed from Thee the Lord of Life and Glory the Fountain and Spring of all Happiness Lord I fly into the Arms of Thy Mercy O save me or I perish Hide me under the Clefts of thy Wounds until thy Father's Indignation be overpast O thou that delightest not in the Death of a Sinner but rather that he should turn and be saved receive me to thy Favour for the Merits and Satisfaction of my Blessed Redeemer in whom alone thou art well pleased His Blood was shed to make Atonement for my Sins His Body was bruised and beaten with Stripes that thro' them I might be healed Lord grant that in this Blessed Sacrament I may effectually receive these Benefits of his Death and Passion grant that I may have my Pardon seal'd my Weakness repair'd my Graces strengthen'd and my Soul raised to Heaven in Flames of devoutest Affection and Adoration O do thou nourish my Soul by this immortal Food to live the Life of Grace and Holiness and enable it to make some Returns of Love to Thee the infinite Lover of Souls But oh What Returns can be sufficient what Transports of Love and Praise can be enough for Him who died a most painful and ignominious Death to deliver us from inevitable Ruin and Misery when we were his bitter Enemies and at open Defiance and Rebellion against him Oh the Riches of thy Goodness how unutterable are thy Mercies and how unconceivable is thy Love Grant I pray thee that tho' I am utterly unable to make a true estimation thereof yet I may love Thee to the utmost capacity of a frail Creature and shew it by living in all holy Obedience and Conformity to thy Laws and Precepts Grant that I may always desire and endeavour to please thee and be very tender and fearful of offending Thee keeping a strict Watch over my Heart and Ways that no Temptations prevail against me or make me fall from my own Stedfastness But that being effectually Sanctified here I may in the end be eternally Blest in the Kingdom of Glory Lord pity and commiserate my Frailty and graciously supply all my Wants and Necessities for thy Mercy and Compassion's sake Amen Our Father c. Now repair to the Communion-Table and being placed conveniently lift up your Heart towards Heaven and say O Lamb of God that didst offer thy self a Sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World have Mercy upon me miserable Sinner I am here ready to renew the Covenant I made with thee in Baptism and once more to take those solemn Engagements upon my self O do thou give me the Assistance of thy Grace and Holy Spirit that I may be enabled to perform them that I may henceforth renounce the Devil and all his Works all the Pomps and Vanities of the World and the sinful Lusts of the Flesh that I may stedfastly persist in the true Faith of thy most Holy Religion and live in sincere Obedience to thy Laws all the Days of my Life Amen Just before Receiving a Prayer GRant O Lord I beseech thee that the Wine that makes glad and the Bread of Life may infuse new Strength and Vigour into my Soul and into the Souls of all that Communicate with me that we may daily grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that according to his Command we may be united in Holy Love and Fellowship with one another and with the Church of God and at last obtain that glorious Fellowship with thy self in Heaven which thou hast promised to all that love and fear thee through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen When you receive the Bread say GRant me Blessed Lord so to eat the Flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ and so to drink his Blood that my sinful Body may be made clean by his most holy Body and my Soul washt in his most precious Blood that I may evermore dwell in him and he in me Amen After you have received the Bread say O That the Bread which I have now eaten may be the Bread which came down from Heaven and gives Life unto the World O that I may now feel â—s Efficacy inflaming my Soul with the Heavenly Ardours of Divine Love having all my Affections fet on things Above and not on things Below May this Bread be to my Soul the staff of Strength whereby I may vanquish all the Assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh and continue my Lord 's faithful Servant to my Life's end Amen At the receiving the Cup say THe Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ which was shed for me preserve my Body and Soul unto Everlasting Life I drink this in Remembrance that Christ's Blood was shed for me and am thankful After you have received the Cup say O That this precious Blood of my dear Redeemer may be now both the Purification and Nourishment of my Soul the Seal of my Pardon and Peace with God and the Pledge of mine Inheritance in Heaven Amen Then return to your Pew or Seat and say on your Knees this Thanksgiving after the Sacrament BLessing Honour and Glory be given to thee O Lord for thy Love this Day discover'd to me and for all the Benefits receiv'd at thy Table What is Man that thou art
fail and forsake thee rest thy self by Faith on the Favour and Mercy of God in Christ and comfort thy self in the Lord thy God What shall separate from the Love of God in Christ Not Life nor Death Let thine Heart and Tongue be still employ'd in Prayer to the Lord First For Patience in thy Trouble Secondly For Comfort in thine Affliction Thirdly For Strength in Weakness Fourthly For Deliverance at his Pleasure Yea endeavour to Die Praying When thou art in the depth of Miseries and at the Gates of Death there is a depth of God's Mercy which is ready to hear and help thee Misery must Call upon Mercy Be willing and ready to depart out of this World without murmuring or repining whensoever wheresoever or howsoever it shall please the Lord to call thee For why shouldest thou unwillingly suffer a short Death that will bring thee to the Fruition of Eternal Joys Perswade thy self that if thou Live by the Mercy of God thou shalt do well but if thou Die doubt not but thou shalt do better Lastly when thou feelest Death approaching commend thy Soul unto God He gave it to Him surrender it again So laying thy self down to sleep and rest God shall make thee to dwell in everlasting Safety Aâ— Death leaveth thee so shall Judgment find thee To preserve thy Body in Cleanness Often meditate of God and good things Carefully watch over thine Eyes and Ears Be always doing something that is good To preserve thy Tongue from Sin Forethink whether it be lawful and fit to be spoken Avoid all superfluity of Words Affirm the Truth To keep thy Life in Holiness Do all things as in God's Sight Eschew ill Company Think daily of thy Death A Dialogue between a BEGGAR and a DIVINE THere was a certain Divine famous in Learning and Piety that did earnestly importune God by Prayer for some time together thinking he had not the true Knowledge of the Ways of God notwithstanding his much Learning begging that God would give him to know more of Him and himself and direct him to some that would teach him the way of Truth And being inflamed at a certain time with vehemency of Desire a Voice as was supposed spake thus to him Go forth into the Church-yard and there thou may'st find a Man that can Teach thee the way And going forth he found there a certain Beggar with patch'd and torn Apparel and filthy dirty Feet whose Cloaths were not worth Three-half-pence whom he spoke thus unto Divine God give thee a good Morning Beggar Sir I do not remember I ever had an evil one Div. God make thee fortunate and prosperous Why speakest thou in this manner Beg. Neither was I unprosperous neither was I ever unhappy Div. God save thee speak now plainly Beg. Truly Sir I will do it willingly Sir thou didst wish me a prosperous and good Morning and I answer'd I never had an evil one for when I am pinch'd with Hunger I praise God if I suffer Cold if it Snow Hail or Rain be the Weather fair or foul I praise God and therefore there never hapned any sad or evil Morning unto me Thou didst likewise wish that I might be fortunate I said I was never unfortunate because whatever God gave me I suffer'd or whatever hapned to me whether it were agreeable sweet or bitter to me I gladly received it at his Hands as the best and therefore I was never unfortunate Thou said'st moreover That God would be pleas'd to make me happy whereunto I likewise answer'd That I never had been unhappy for I am fully resolv'd thro' his Grace to adhere and cleave to the Will of God and for this Cause as I said I was never unhappy in that I cleave to his Will only and have wholly resign'd mine own Div. This is very strange But what I pray thee would'st thou do if the Lord of Majesty should cast thee into the bottomless Pit Could'st thou be content with his Will Beg. Drown me in the bottomless Pit Why certainly if he should I have two Arms by which I would still embrace him the one is true Humility and that I lay under him and by him I am united to his Sacred Humanity the other and that is the Right one which is Love is united to his Divinity and by his Love from himself I hold him so fast that he would go down to Hell with me and it is much better for me to be in Hell with God than in Heaven without him By this the Divine learnt that the most compendious way to God is true Resignation with profound Humility Hereupon the Divine spake again to the Beggar and ask'd him Div. Whence comest thou Beg. From God Div. Where found'st thou God Beg. Even where I left all the Creatures Div. I pray thee Friend who art thou Beg. Who am I Truly I am a King and Jesus himself crown'd me with Peace Power and Rest Div. A King Where is thy Kingdom Beg. The Kingdom of Heaven is in me that is in my Soul and I can now and do by his Power not my own in me so govern and command all my inward Parts and Senses that all the Affections and Powers of the Old Man in my Soul are conquer'd and are in subjection to me which Kingdom no Man can doubt but is better than all the Kingdoms and Glories in the World Div. What brought thee to this Perfection Beg. My sublime Meditations and Union with that great God of Peace and Improvement of Mercies to his Glory and by growing in Grace adding one Grace unto another and I could rest in nothing less than an Assurance of God's Love and this I have found I have forsaken the unquiet World and in him I have Peace of Conscience and therein I rest A Description of Christ's Person according to Publ. Lentulus's News to the Senate of Rome IN the Days of Tiberius Caesar as the Governours of sundry Provinces under the Senate and People of Rome us'd to advertise the Senate of such News as hapned in divers Countries Publius Lentulus being at that time President in Judea wrote an Epistle to the Senate and People of Rome the words these There appear'd in these our Days a Man of great Virtue named Jesus Christ who is yet living among us and of the Gentiles is accepted as a Prophet of Truth but his own Disciples call him the Son of God He raises the Dead and cures all sorts of Diseases a Man of stature somewhat tall and comely with a very reverend Countenance such as the Beholders may both love and fear his Hair is of the colour of a Philbert full ripe and plain almost down to his Ears but thence downwards somewhat curl'd and more orient of colour wavering about his Shoulders in the midst of it goeth a Seam or Partition after the manner of the Nazarites his Forehead plain and smooth his Face without spot or wrinkle beautified with a comely red his Nose and Mouth so