spirit In most Towns where he came the Generality of the people Reviling him with such words as these hang him Rogue pistol him said others hang him up said some at Salisbury at the next sign-post without any further trouble Look said others how he doth not alter his Countenance but we believe he wil tremble when he comes to the Ladder This is the Rogue will have no King but Jesus Indeed the rage of the people all the way was such that had he not been indued with strength from on High he could not have under-gone the wicked and Barbarous Deportment and Carriage of the Giddy multitude which he was subjected to After he came to London and had many opportunities of Escape if he had thought it meet before he was sent to the Tower yet he would not knowing how much the Name and Glory of God was concerned in his faithful witnesse to the cause of Christ for which he was in Bonds And the truth is his joy in the Lord was such that when many came drooping in spirit to him by reason of the Gloominesse of this present dispensation they went away refreshed and comforted by those many Gracious words that came out of his mouth When word was brought him that Maj. General Harrison was dead he said well my turn will be next and as we have gone a long in our Lives so must we be one in our Death The Lord God grant that I may have strength from himself to follow couragiously to the last breath and that I may much honour and glorifie God whom I have made profession of I can do nothing of my self but my strength is in the Lord of Hosts who hath helped me from my beginning to this day and will help me to the end The night before he suffered some of his Natural Relation came to take their leave of him and when they were parting they shed some tears but when he perceived it said O my friends if you did know and feel what joy I have and what a Glorious Crown I shall receive from the hand of Christ for this work you would not Mourn but Rejoice that I am counted worthy to be a witnesse to this Cause and said further The Lord preserve you all from the portion of this Generation for assuredly There is great wrath from the Lord that will reach them to their destruction When Mr. L. came to take his leave of him he asked this Question viz. how it was with him he Answered very well I bless my God as to my interest in him I have not the least doubt but do know assuredly that when my soul shall be separated from this body I shall be taken into his presence where is fullness of joy c. And by Jesus Christ be presented to my Father without spot and blame in his own compleat and perfect righteousnesse which is free and not for any of mine own works for I am a poor sinful and wretched creature and compassed about with many infirmities And when it was asked him if he had any thing of conviction upon him as to what he was to suffer for he answered no not in the least for said he Though man have Condemned yet the Lord hath and doth justifie he added the Lord had justifyed it in the Field once already in this Nation but that is now accounted as a thing of Nought but he will again do it with a Witnesse and prayed that the Lord would deliver him viz. Mr. L. from that Judgement that was at hand by which he would do it To this effect spake he also to many that did quere with him about this matter being told that his Nephew and some others were doing their utmost for his Reprieve he replyed that there is nothing to be done For the Sheriffe hath brought me word just now that I must Dye to morrow and that there was some that desired I might not be Quartered but it would not be granted But Death is nothing to me let them Quarter my body never so much God will bring all those pieces together again It was asked him if he had assurance of the love of God he said yea yea he had Fought a good Fight and had overcome and he was ready to suffer the will of God One asked him if he thought there would be a Resurrection of the Cause he Answered he Dyed in the Faith of that as much as he did that his body should rise again if he did not believe that he should not be so cheerfull at the Sentence of death he said also he had not the least regret or disturbance on his spirit about that for which he was to die for what he did was of the Lord if it were to be done again he wold do it And the way they took to suppresse and destroy those that did not think the Kings person Sacred their blood will make many hundreds more perswaded of the truth of it it was grievous to him to hear how at his Tryal they blasphemed God and his people but he was resolved he would own the Lord among them which they could not bear Therefore they were so violent against him he said the Gospell was going from London Popery and Superstition c. was coming in and it would be a rare thing to find a professor of religion in London shortly he incouraged those about him to keep close to the Lord in this evil day Oh! said he who would have thought some yeers since that Poper and Formality should have been let in again to these Nations he said they were so Barbacus they would not allow him some small time to take a little Rest before he was to suffer which was all he needed or desired of them For he was much tired with speaking to company which came continually in He desired to be remembred to some Friends and tell them That this was the last Beast and his Rage was great because his time was short Some more Expressions he uttered to this effect But in all his words and manner of speaking he manifested the highest Christian Magnanimity and holy Greatnesse of mind and such a spirit of joy and glory rested upon him even to astonishment It was asked if he apprehended his confidence would contniue to the death he said he was not strong in his own strength but in the Lord's strength which he still relied upon And he said to one by him will you not see how God will carry me through next day and desired prayers for him One asked him what he thought of this severe hand of God He said that which was hid secret in the bosome of the Father should be manifested in due time Oh! said he it grieves me to think how Popery is coming upon us like a flood in this poor Nation and the great judgement that will follow But the Lord will be a hiding place for his poor people untill the indignation be overpast let not our enemies think
was not come saying why staieth the wheeles of his chariot why doe they drive so heavily I am ready blessed be God I have nothing to due but to die Word being brought that the Sheriffe was come he makes hast to be gone and his wife stepping after him tooke him by the arme whereupon he said O doe not hinder me from going to Jesus Christ And then with a chearfull countenance taking leave of his friends he went to the sledge that carried him whereon was also carried the head of Major Gen. Tho. Harrison with the face bare towards him and notwithstanding that dismall sight he passed rejoycingly through the streets as one born up by that Spirit which man could not cast down Being come to the place of execution when he was taken out of the sledge he said this is the easiest chariot that ever I rid in in all my life Being come upon the ladder and the rope put about his neck he rejoyced saying Blessed be the name of God that I am bound for the sake of Christ Then his work was to addresse himself to God and to that end said if you please I shall speak a few words to God in prayer Mr. Cookes prayer before his speech Most glorious Majesty this day is a representation of that great day when all thy poore people shall meet together multitudes multitudes in the valley of derision Thy poor poor servant is now come to pay the debt which he oweth to nature blessed be thy name that thou hast prepared him for it blessed be thy name sweet Jesus blessed be thy name O that all thy poor people that are here if possible may feel something of that divine power and assistance of God that thy poore servant now feels at this time blessed be thy name I am a poor creature a poor sinner and the Lord might justly withdraw from me and leave me to horrour and fearedness if he should deale with me in justice But this hath not been his method blessed be his name to leave and forsake his poor servant Lord let thy blessing be upon us at this time and let thy blessing be upon England and let thy blessing be upon all these Nations and let thy blessing be upon all that are here Assist O Lord by thy divine power give us to see much of thy power and let not this meeting be in vain but let every one here receive benefit thereby to the praise and glory of thy great name and the everlasting salvation of all our soules if it be thy blessed will through Jesus Christ our Lords Having ended his first prayer he applies himselfe to the Shieriffe and spectators in this following speech Mr. Shieriffe and Gentlemen The most glorious sight that ever was seen in the world was our Lord Jesus Christ upon the Crosse and the most glorious sight next to that is to see any poor creature suffer for him in his cause I desire to speake a few words briefly to let you understand what a glorious worke the Lord hath been pleased to accomplish upon my spirit I blesse the Lord I have ransacked into every corner of my heart and I have searched into all my sinnes actual and original secret and open known and unknown so farre as the Lord hath discovered them to me and I have confessed them all with a penitentiall bleeding heart and contrite spirit blessed be his name he hath been pleased to come in abundant manner and hath been pleased to shew me that the onely remedy is the blood of Christ and I have blessed be the Lord applied that precious blood to my poor soul and have laid hold upon a Christ by a true and lively faith and there is a sweet calme and serenity in my soul and conscience blessed be thy name I desire to glorifie God and to give him the glory of all and to take shame unto my selfe for any sinnes that I have ever committed that I know to be sinne and therefore I desire to rejoyce in the God of my salvation as Isai 61 10. I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soul shall be joyfull in my God for he hath cloathed me with the garment of salvation he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with Jewels Even so the Lord delighteth in me And as the earth bringeth forth her buds and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth so the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all Nations And Isaiah 43.9 10. Ye are my witnesses saith the Lord I doe desire to bear a testimony unto God and to Jesus Christ for justice and truth and righteousness and holinesse The Lord knows I have no malice upon my heart against any man or woman living upon the face of the earth neither against Jury that found me guilty nor Court that passed sentence I desire freely to forgive every one from the bottom of my heart And as concerning this great dispensation you may it may be desire to hear something of it Truly I say as to the Kings Majesty I have not any hard thoughts concerning him my prayer shall be for him that his Throne may be upheld by truth and by mercy for by mercy as Prov. 23. the Throne is upheld But I must needs say that poore we have been bought and sold by our brethren as Joseph was Brother hath betrayed brother to death and that Scripture is in a great measure fulfilled Matth. 10.21 The father against the sonne and the sonne against uhe father and brother shall deliver up brother to death I desire for my own part to kisse the rod and I doe desire if it may please the Kings Majesty that no more blood may be shed after miae it may be the Lord wil put it into his own breast Here is a poor brother comming I am afraid that he is not fit to die at this time I could wish that his Majesty might shew some mercy The Shieriffe interrupted in words to this effect let that alone for the Kings Majesty hath clemency enough for all but his fathers murtherers Mr. Cooke replied then I shall proceed to speak something concerning my profession and faith which I bless the Lord is founded upon the rock Christ Jesus I doe not expect salvation for any thing I have ever done but onely lay hold upon Christ as a naked Christ and there to bottome my soule I can say to the praise and glory of God that I have endeavored in my place and to my power to doe that which might be to Gods glory according to the best of my understanding I have stood for a Gospel Magistracy and Ministry and that many delays in the law might be removed and that thing I have much suffered for I say its good both for King and people that many delays in matter of justice should be removed and that publique justice
might be speedily and cheaply administred And as for my profession I am of the Congregational way I desire to own it and am for liberty of conscience and all that walk humbly and holily before the Lord and desire to walk in the fear of the Lord and I believe it is a truth and there can be nothing said against it I doe confess I am not convinced of any thing I have done amisse as to that I have been charged with I am not indeed neither did I understand the plea of the Court that if the Lords and Commons had brought the King to the Bar and set him over them again their bringing him to the barr had been treason I desire never to repent of any thing therein I have done but I desire to own the cause of God and of Christ and am here to beare witness to it and so far as I know any thing of my selfe I can freely confess it Here the Sheriffe interrupted him again desiring him to forbeare any such expressions Mr. Cooke replied it hath not been the manner of English men to insult over a dying man nor in other countries among Turks or Galliasses The Lord bless every one of us and help us that we may look more to the honour and glory of God then the concernments of our own lives for alass what is a poor miserable life to us but that therein we might give honour and glory to the God of all our mercies And if there be any here of that Congregation to which I was related in the time that I lived here I would commend to them that Scripture Phil. 2.17 18. Yea and if I be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of the faith I joy and rejoyce with you all for the same cause also doe ye joy and rejoyce with me And Deut. 18.11 The Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times more then you are and blesse you as be hath promised The Lord be pleased to speake comfort to them and to all them that feare the Lord. The Lord keepe England from popery and from superstition and keep it from prophaneness and that there may not be an inundation of Antichrist in the land And that is all the harm I wish unto it The Lord hath forgiven me many thousand talents and therefore I may wel forgive those few pence that are owing unto me I bless the lord I have nothing lying upon my conscience but I can unbosome my selfe to every one and to the throne of free grace in the simplicity of my spirit I have endeavoured to doe nothing but with a good conscience and through the integrity of my heart though accompanied with many frailties I desire to blesse the Lord my lot was rather in Ireland then here here I have been more known where I have given the Offence The Sheriffe again interrupted him Mr. Cooke replyes Sir I pray take notice of it I think I am the first man that ever was Hanged for demanding of Justice therefore I hope you will not interrupt me I suppose yon were there and doe bear me witnesse in your conscience that there was not any thing then that I did not communicate to the Court that I now speak upon the Ladder If you will believe the words of a dying man I say as I must give an account I have nothing lyeth upon my conscience We must all meet together at the great day of the Lord to give an account of all our Actions and then it will appear the Lord grant we may meet with Joy and Comfort I have a poor Wife and Child and some Friends left I desire you that came along with me to commend to them Esa 54.4.5 and 10. ver I hope the King and Parliament will consider our poor Friends as to their Estates you know that those Lords that formerly suffered under the Parliament did not loose all their Estates I hope there will be some consideration as to Justice least that our small Estates prove a poyson amongst their great deal and my poor Wife and Relations suffer The Lord grant that mercy may be shewed that mercy and righteousnesse may magnifie and exalt it self above Justice I shall not hold you long I shall desire in the fear of the Lord to give my self as in the 12 Rom. 1. A living Sacrifice Holy and Acceptable unto God which is but a reasonable service And so doe intreat that I may have a little time to call upon the Lord unlesse there be any thing more desired or any one to would ask me a question Truly I forgive all from my heart I have nothing upon my heart to accuse any of them withal I blesse the Lord I have a cleare Conscience I say it in the integrity and simplicity of my heart I doe now appeale to the great God to whom I must give an account of what I have done knowing that all my Guilt is washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ and before him I hope to appear and have nothing else to plead any thing at all for me And so I hope that I have declared my self with simplicity and integrity in a few words that you may understand my mind I shall speak a few words to the lord in prayer and shall not trouble you further Mr. Cookes Prayer MOst Glorious Majesty I beseech thee so to warm my Heart and fill it so full of the love of Jesus Christ that it may never be cool any more Oh that the Lord would now appear Graciously to shew himself a wonder working God in bearing up the Heart and Spirit of thy poor creature it is no matter how bitter the Cup is if the Lord give strength to drink it and no matter how heavy the Burden be if the Lord be at one End and uphold the other and bear the burden himself or lay no more upon his poor Children then they are able to bear the Lord give strength to all that are to bear this burden the Lord be with all that are yet to suffer in this cause and double and treble seven-fold of thy Spirit upon us let us not stand it out against our Reasons and Judgements and Consciences If any did pursue power and interest and did not look after the good of Gods poor People and the good of the Nations the Lord forgive them The Lord knows the Simplicity of the Hearts of his poor Servants that are gone before and of those that are to come after I desire that all thine may have hearts willing to suffer for thee to make confession of Faith in Christ Jesus I know is nothing I know it is not enough onely to confesse in Words to confesse in Doctrinall Evangelicall Truths and to confesse by a holy life and conversation and if the Lord call any of his poor Children to seale the truth with their blood yea their precious blood it is their duty also if the Lord Jesus had come down from the Crosse and had not shed
his most precious blood and had not by that blood gone to heaven our Salvation had not been Lord let it be well with England the Lord hear me for my poor Friends and Relations for my poor Wife and Child unto thee Lord I commend the cause of God and of Jesus Christ And remember poor Ireland wherein I had a lot and interest the Lord remember them all and help thy poor Children to continue Faithfull unto Death that so we may receive a Crown of life for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and so I come Lord Jesus Oh receive my soul Send down a Guard of Angells to convey my soul into Abrahams Bosome Receive my soul O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit And I desire to appeal to thee O lord thou art the great God of Heaven and Earth before whom all controversies must come I believe there is not a man in the world what ever he be but hath some reverentiall feare of death but for any sinfull vitious fear I bless the Lord I have not the hundredth part of a dram upon my conscience if it were my wedding day I could not more rejoyce in the Lord because it is a consummation of that blessed marriage that my Lord Jesus hath made up with me Blessed be thy name me thinks I doe see with Stephen even by the eye of faith Heaven open and the Lord Jesus ready to receive my poor soule And oh that I may with Ezekiel see the glory of God and see with Isaiah the Lord sitting on his Throne of glory And oh that the love of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Spirit may warme my heart and carry me up from the beginning of this passage to the end and close of it Lord Jesus come and receive my spirit and sweeten this cup and let me say The cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink of it And I leave all into the hands of the Lord that if it be the Lords will every one that belongs to the election of grace my meet with comfort at the great day and that we may shake hands together where no office of love shall be unrewarded nor any unkindness shewed to the people of God But within a few hours I shall be in the harbour I am just now entring into it I would not goe backe againe for all the world Blessed be the Lord I despise the shame and am willing to endure the crosse for Christs sake because the Lord Jesus who is the author and finisher of my salvation did it for me The Lord pitty those that follow and bear up their hearts The Lord helpe his poore people that finde any thing upon their soul that they should stand fast unto the truths of Jesus Alas we shall be but a few daies here and Heaven will make amends for all and we shall glorifie God in eternity where we shall enter into a sinlesse timelesse and temptationless estate and never meet with sorrow or troubles any more but the Lord will receive us to himselfe and then the innocency of thy poor servants shall be vindicated and we shall be ever with the Lord blessing and praising his holy name When Elijah was taken away the spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha who stood up in his stead And when John the Baptist was cut off the Lord had his Apostles to supply that office The Lord will have profit in the Death of his Children I believe that an Army of Martyrs would willingly come from Heaven to suffer in such a cause at this that I come here to suffer for I desire to bewaile that I have not had so much love to the Glory of God therein as I ought But as to the thing I come to suffer for I have not had any thing or act come to my mind with lesse regret and greater comfort then this And as for those that brought me hither I do forgive them I have not one hard thought concerning them the blessing of the Father Son and Spirit be with them Oh that the Lord would grant that no more might suffer and so Dear and Blessed Father I come into the bosome of thy love and desire to enter into that Glory which is Endlesse and Boundlesse through Jesus Christ A Letter written from the Tower to a Christian friend by Mr. Justice Cooke Sir NOw in answer to your loving inquiry how it fares with my better part I blesse God I never found so much internall spirituall solice and unmixt joy and comfort as I have experimented in these five moneths indurance 2 Cor. 1.3 4 5. Let never any Christian fear a prison it being the onely place where wanting other books a man may best studdy the book of the knowledge of himselfe having a long vacation from all business but praying unto and praising God in Christ by the spirits assistance I cannot take Marthas part for none must come to me nor Marys part to wait upon the ordinances which my soul thirsts after therefore my chamber is like the sanctum sanctorum where wittingly none may enter but the high Priest of our profession the Lord Jesus I did not think that there had been so much ignorance impotence impatience ingratitude pride inordinate affection to creature comforts revenge diffidence of God self-love and iniquity of all sorts in me as I finde there is who am not onely a poor sinner but sin it selfe a very masse of sin I find it very hard to rely nakedly on Gods goodness not to feel the heat of persecution nor to be carefull when all is taken away Jer. 7.17 Lo so this darkness and filthiness of spirit is onely discovered by the light of Christ by whose lowliness in washing the Apostles feet I see my loftiness and want of condescention when I had power by his patience my many passions and heart-risings against instruments by his obedience to the death my reluctancies by his faithfulness my former backslidings by his fruitfulness and doing good Act. 10.38 my barrenness the little good I did when I had opportunity and by his liberality my penuriousness whereby I adore and acknowledge his justice that he hath most righteously deprived me of my liberty estate all which drives me neerer to Christ and makes me take faster hold of his righteousness I now understand through grace how precious he is 1 Pet. 2.7 if it were not for Christ what a miserable condition were I now in that might suddenly be sent to contend with the wrath of God in everlasting burnings and this makes me love Christ the more having forgiven me more then others and having had ten thousand talents forgiven me I would forgive any wrong doers and this keeps me humble and from censoriousness I bless God I have ransackt into every corner of my soule I have with David Job Esay and Paul bewailed my hereditary disease and heart-corruption I feel it is as a rotten tooth that akes would fain be
behold the Lord Jesus Christ in glory with comfort and fulnesse of joy Col. JONES his Prayer BLessed Lord God Thou art the great Opener open unto my soul the Lord Jesus Christ who will lead me into the wayes of truth and life O God save me make good all the pledges of thy love unto my soul Oh make all the Promises which I have believed all the days of my life make them now good unto my soul giving me the full enjoyment of thy self I desire to bless and praise thy Name for this hour that thou hast brought me to Oh what am I poor worm that thou shouldest give me this oportunity to suffer for thy Name and to acknowledg thy Mercies before so great a Congregation at this place Holy Father Holy Father Oh that thou wouldest now rain down Blessings from Heaven upon thy poor creatures that do hear and behold this Action this day Oh that thou wouldest sanctifie this thing to them and let poor England be a Land of truth and happiness O Lord let England flourish And oh that thou wouldest make thy Angel of Light to go before thy people Good God we pray thee keep off those great Judgments that hang over the heads of these Nations because they have sinned against thee Through thy Name sanctifie us let not thy Name be reproached Dear Father receive my soul I am ready to come unto thee Blessed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me blessed be thy Name in that thou hast opened the treasures of thy love unto my poor soul Thou hast given me this hope whereof I need not be ashamed Blessed be thy Name my Spirit is full of joy Oh Holy Father holy Father I pray thee let thy blessing come down upon thy poor people Look upon me Holy Father Stretch out thine armes to carries me over this brook I pray thee stand by me Dear Father I cast my self into thy hand I commit my soul unto thee Then speaking to the Sheriff said Mr. Sheriff I must needs return you many Thanks for your Civility Sher. Repl. I am glad to hear such an Ingenuous Confession and that you make such an end and that you have not gone into any reviling language as some others have done before After this he committed his soul to God and so departed Something as to Mr. Gregory Clements take as followeth PErhaps some may think it strange that there is so little said as to Mr. Gregory Clement who suffered with the rest Therefore this only is to be saâ—… more which is known to many That Mr. Clement was very silent both in the time of his Imprisonment at Newgate and at the time and place of his Execution at Charing-Cross only this it is said that he exprest his trouble to some Friends in the Prison for yeelding so far to the Importunity of his Relations as to plead guilty to the Indictment And though he spoke little at the place of Execution yet so far as could be judged by some descerning persons that was near him he departed this life in peace Some Additional Passages of Col. Scroopes Col. Jones and Mr. Cooks with his Letter to his Daughter Some more Passages of Col. Scroope COl Scroope when a Friend asked him at parting the same day how he did answered him Better and better I thank God every moment my life doubles upon me and multiplies He also heard him say when mention was made that there was some Endeavours for his Pardon That only would prove a snare to him but he was fully satisfied what to do and should not to save his Life do any thing to prejudice his Conscience He also heard him when one was discoursing to him the Happiness of Heaven and telling him it consisted in three Things viz. A perfect Communion with God A perfect Conformty to God And a perfect Enjoyment of God He made this reply Those three Things you mention are but one we are entring into it and can tell And that Friend asking him futher about it he said That God was but one pure Act and in whom there was no succession nor distinction of Acts and that Souls led forth in his Spirit were in a manner made like to him for their Injoying was their Conformity and Communion and one was all In which he seemed to be swallowed up and even then gat so far into Heaven that all seemed to be but one Act with him Some Friends being present heard both him and Col. Jones say You can say God is better than all the World and say it truly but you cannot say it with so much feeling and experience as we now can we find he is so indeed Some more Passages of Col. Joh. Jones in Prison COL Jones the night before he suffered told a Friend he had no other Temptation upon him but this Lest he should be too much transported and carryed out to neglect and slight his Life so greatly was he satisfied to die in that Cause The day he suffered he grasped a Friend in his arms and said to him with some expressions of Endearedness Farewel I could wish thee in the same condition with my self that thou mightest share with me in my joyes Some more Passages of Mr Cook MR Cook speaking to his Wife a little before his Death said My Lamb now I am going where I shall meet the Saints all of one mind which thou knowest was the desire of my heart to see At another time saith he Truly my Lamb if I might have my choice now I would not desire Life for I could not live where I might not enjoy the Liberty of my Conscience and when I can do nothing for God what should I live for O welcome sweet Death thy sting is out blessed be God I do imbrace thee with rejoycing thou art a good Potter that will suddenly open to me the Gates of Eternity O those Everlasting Gates will my Father set open to receive me O blessed be God for Jesus Christ the fountain of all Mercies Lord Jesus I come flying to thee upon the wings of Faith I come Lord full-sail to thee Lord Jesus receive me That which the world counts shame saith he I count it my Joy my Crown and my Glory A little before he parted with his Wife she laying her head in his bosom and wept whereat he said My dear Lamb let us not part in a shower God hath wiped away all tears from my eyes blessed be the Lord. Mr. Cook 's Letter to his Daughter Octob. 15. 1660. A little before his Death To my dear Child Free-love Cook These with my most Fatherly endeared Love My dear sweet Child LEt thy Name Free-love put thee in mind of the free Love of God in Christ in giving thee to me and thy dear Mother and know so soon as God gives thee any understanding That thou art the Child of one whom God counted worthy to suffer for his sake and to seal to the Truth of his
to break the Spirit by putting us to death for I am confident That God will give his Spirit seven-fold unto those that are left but the enemy the Lord hath set their feet in slippery places so that when they come to their measure they must be cast down Therefore 't is the the duty of the Lord's people to wait patiently and he that shall come will come and will not tarry 'T is a trying time and none but those that are endued with power from on High will be able to hold out One asking him where his Chain was he said here it is and though I have worn it so long that it hath entred into my flesh yet it was not as Joseph's it had not entred into his soul He was highly raised up in admiring the grace of God That he should be accounted worthy to wear a Chain for Christ saying They have been blessed Chains to me adding that the Lord had crowned him beyond many of his Brethren being counted worthy to seal Gods work with his bloud admiring that God should accept of such a crasie body much of his strength being already spent yet That God should so honour it in the end he much admired the depths of the love of God to such an unworthy worme The Lord will bring my bloud saith he to cry with the rest of the Martyrs How long O Lord Holy and True c. As for death or the fears of it I am got above them in and through the beholding of the glory of our God into which I am entring which glory shall be shortly for the reviving of the spirits of his Saints and destroying his Enemies A friend speaking to him the night before he died of this dispensation he said he was perswaded That their bloud would be of much advantage to the Cause in Foraign Nations Two Friends that came to visit him being as he thought under some trouble of spirit he directed his speech to them as follows Be not troubled there is nothing stands between me and the Father for I go with all clearnesse and freedome and I know That Jesus Christ is my compleat Righteousnesse and this is my crown of Rejoycing That I die not in the Lord onely but for the Lord And think not that this blessed Cause shall be lost for it shall reach to the end of the Earth Think not your prayers lost for your prayers and tears with our bloud shall come down shortly upon Babylon although they think to heale her yet they shall give her a greater blow then ever we could have given her in our persons Those who have been pleading for suffering who so ready to run away from it While the Lord hath given us a little of the spirit of Rejoycing that hath made us willing to be giving up our selves unto him And although the Enemy think to Conquer us they shall never do it for we are got above them in the Spirit of the Kingdome we trample upon them and they are under our feet and this bloud that now shed shall warm the bloud that hath bin shed before and shall come down and doe notable Execution upon the Enemy The Lord hath in much wisdome hid this death from us and hath alured into it but he hath fitted us for it and be not troubled that he hath taken away two or three drops of the spirit for he will in the room thereof pour it out upon you The day he suffered and the hour being come The Rope being tyed about him he rejoyced exceedingly saying Oh! what am I that I should be bound for the Cause and Interest of the Son of God And when he was coming down Newgate-stairs to go into the Sledge in a very smiling cheerful manner his countenance shining with great glory uttered words to this effect My Lord Jesus for the joy that was set before him endured the Crosse and despised the shame and is now set down on the right hand of God whose steps desire to follow It was also observ'd that the cheerfulness of his countenance all the way as he went to the Gibber remained to the encouragement of the Faithfull and admiration of enemies uttering by the way many chearfull expressions setting forth his joy in the Lord. When he was brought to the gibbet before he went up the ladder his hands being bound he exhorted severall friends standing by to be faithfull unto death and not to be ashamed of the cause for which they suffered and they should receive a Crown of life And further said to a friend that stood by That he hoped the Truths of the Kingdom which he had preached up and down would not be the lesse esteemed for that he now came to seale it with his blood Mr. Carew's Speech upon the Ladder TRuly it is not words nor that which I have to speake in mine own spirit will glorifie God or give any advantage to your soules or unto me but it is if I may speak a few words in the Spirit of the Lord and in the power of his might and from an unfeigned love unto Jesus Christ that would indeed give me an open entrance and make my passage very sweet and a blessing may be left behind even upon you The first thing indeed that hath been very weighty and I desire to leave it upon all upon Saints as well as upon those that are not acquainted with Jesus Christ that Eternity Immortality and Eternall life it is a wonderfull thing the thoughts and apprehensions of it are able to swallow up a poor soul we little think what it is he that knows most of God and most of Christ and hath the greatest measure of the anoynting he little little knows what it is to appeare before the holy the most glorious the most righteous God of Heaven and Earth to stand before his judgement seat before Jesus Christ that is at his right hand and where all the holy Angels are so ashamed because of the glory of God that they fall down and cover their faces and cry Holy holy Lord God Almighty which art and wast and art to come And therefore if such glorious creatures if such excellent Spirits as these Seraphins and Cherubins be if they do fall down before the glory and Majesty of this most excellent and wonderfull God how should dust and ashes doe and how should they feare and tremble to appeare before him And therefore I say think of this and of the righteousness of God as well as of his glory and Majesty and of his justice that when for one sinne he threw down the Angels those glorious Spirits into hell and he would take no ransome or redemption for them and though he hath mercy on the sons of men according to his own election and purpose and according to that that he hath purchased for himself in Christ Jesus before the foundations of the World was laid yet in time he made his Sonne a Sacrifice before men and Angels to bring
Apostacy and ingratitude 2 Pet. 2.21 and sure they will have a peculiar Judgement by themselves for they do openly proclame the cause of Barrabas before the cause of Jesus Peter denyed Christ and Judas betrayed him but it was before his passion and Assention they never saw the wonderful works which our Eyes have beheld but what shall we say if the treachery of Judas help forward the work of our salvation why may we not hope that God is whetting his Tooles and gone back to fetch a greater blow against his oppressors Isaac must not dye though the Knife be at his Throat Gen. 12.14 our case seems to be like theirs under proud Homan the Gallows was erected but the Royal seed preserved Hest 6.13 Numb 23. the story of Baalam is much upon my heart the shout of King Jesus to Reign in Holinesse and Righteousnesse is among his people I hope as much as ever and there is no inchantment against Jacob therefore he must not be afraid I am perswaded we shall fare the better for the thousand curses we had between Chester and London 2 Sam. 16.12 Now having endeavored to satisfie you that the great work is over as to my eternal salvation and my opinion of the goodness of our Cause I shall further entreat your patience to tell you that I am fully convinced that next to that unspeakable gift of Christ the greatest grace and mercy that God can bestow upon any of us is to call for and enable us to lay down our lives upon this account suffering for Christ being a strong Argument of his Electing love Acts 9.15 16. and a greater matter of rejoycing Acts 23.11 be of good cheer Paul therefore he forbids tears for him upon that score Acts. 21.13 and I have charged my poor lamb not to wear any black for me if she have where with to buy it for I shall be in white Revel 6.11 the Apostle rejoyced to be counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ and would not but speak what they saw with the eyes of Faith and heard with the ears of the Spirit Acts 4.20 and the 5.41 and Paul gloried in the tribulation rejoycing in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5 23. and took pleasure in reproaches necessity and persecutions for Christ 2 Cor. 12.10 so Moses Heb. 11.26 for the recompence of reward which is God himself Gen. 15.1 and the times cannot be so full of terrour and discouragement as the Scriptures are full of comfort and incitations in this particular to us the Lords prisoners Mat 5.10.12 why are we sorrowful when Christ bids us to be joyful Mat. 10.25.27 there is no safety but to be on Christs side for the Son of man shall come in his glory and the Saints also Mark 8.33 38. they are not the words of a Child but of Christ not spoken to affright us but for our animadversion Oh this perfidious Generation how will that word be made good to the Amazemeat of our Timerous professors John 16.21 The Axe or a Halter will be lesse pain then the pangs of Child-birth John 15.18 21. we are in nothing to be terrifyed 1 Phil. 28.29 constancy in suffering for good principles is matter of glory in the Churches and Tribulation will be the portion of our troublers 2 Thes 1.4 to the end is very pretious 1 Thes 3.8 we live if yee stand fast in the Lord I know you and my dear Brethren and Sisters are of Pauls mind if I dye in my bed being a Church member you will by the rule of Charity judge me happy I cannot doe you more service then to bear my witnesse in this Cause of Christ wherein you are so much concerned I finde our Text appropriate to our Condition Joh. 12.23 to 27. Christs death was like sowing of Corne which seemed lost but was our life so he that counts not his life dear for Christ though the world count him miserable yet he hath two special promises to be where Christ is and that the Father will honour him it is a following of Christ in Dying for him Actively or in Affection as appears John 13.36 21 19. by a conformity to his death Phil. 3.10 Rev. 14.3 some read which dyed for the Lord as Rev. 20.4 and 19.10 which now is counted as bad as Treason Heb. 12. has an ineffable sweetnesse in it Ch. 11. is the little book of Martyrs 12.1 the spirit sayes follow your leaders he is a Coward that will not follow such free Examples Christ and the Saints behold you and yee are witnesses for Christ as they were but must forsake all sin especially your Dallilaes Herodias and Rimmons and strive against it and ye have need of patience but ye will faint and be weary unlesse yea look unto Jesus and fear not for he is as well the finisher of your Faith as the Father of it he despised the shame what need you care if they say behold the Head or the heart of a traytor when your better part is in heaven and reproves us for being too parsimonious of our blood we must be prepared for suffering eruore sanctorum rigatur Ecclesiae Luther was troubled that he carried his blood to his grave he loved the Christs crosse more then the 24 Letters and loved not half Christians that were onely for doing not for suffering and though our sinne deserve death as from the Lord yet our enemies mind them not they punish us for being judges advocates and souldiers for our Lord Jesus Psal 38.20 And as the spiritual man overcomes the Animal so I am reasoning my self against sence into a willingness to dye for either the times will be better or worse is there not in probability a great floud of Oppression and Persecution coming upon the Godly will not the righteous soule of a just Lot be vexed with the horrible prophanenesse malignity and contempt of Christs pure Ordinances that abounds every where we have heard Justice and Tyranny Truth and Falsehood the forme and the power of Godlinesse pleading together and Judgement was given for God and his people but all seems to be reversed and what was but an injurie or nesciente before is now a formal and material contempt and despight to God and Christ and the spirit of grace in whom soever breathing and what comfort is there in a son if the Ark be taken 1 Sam. 4.20 21. she regarded it not the blessing is to see our children with peace upon Israel Psal 128.5 6. it is a mercy to be taken away from the evil to come Esay 57.1 bestowed upon Josiah as a favour being tender hearted 2 Kings 23.19 t is a rich mercy to get into our heavenly house and harbour before the storm come 2 Cor 5. how much more blessed to give our polluted blood for his sake who shed his most precious blood for us and if the times prove good for civil or sacred liberties Moses envied not those that were to goe into Canaan because he was
enter into us we must enter into it Next I consider wherein the substance and essence of heavenly joyes does properly consist by 1 Cor. 13.12 it seems much to be in sight and knowledge 1 For sight to see God face to face to see the beautifull person of our deare Lord Jesus to see all the blessed saints and Angels and to be one of them how joyfull is the thought of it for if the damned between whom and the saints there is a great gulph fixed Luk. 16.26 shall see Abraham and the prophets in the Kingdome of God Luke 13.28 when themselves are thrust out poor saint-haters that now persecute the heirs of glory scorn their companies would then fein crowd into heaven with them much more the Elect themselves but the difficulty is how we can see spirits with bodily eyes and bodies with spiritual eyes I rather think that Job 19.25 27. is to be understood of Jesus Christ whom Job shall see with the Eyes of his hody and by the Eyes of our soules we shall see God the Father and the blessed spirits and our comfort is that we shall for ever be with the Lord. But here the Scripture has no Tongue to speak we must not too curiously inquire for knowledge it is a wonderful expression we shall know even as we are known God knows us perfectly and what shall be our last thoughts Psal 139.1 2. All the saints upon Earth do not know so much as one saint in Heaven where faith is turned into Vision and hope into Fruition then shall we know the love of Christ which passeth all knowledge here below Eph. 3.19 how all the love that ever God vouchsafed to the world is but as a spark to the Oven red hot in comparison of giving Christ but I believe we shal never know God comprehensively but apprehensively that is so much of his glory as we shall never know more for there will he new springs and fresh discoveries of his infinite Grace Glory Goodnesse and perfections streaming forth continually to us that will be as everlasting fountaines of joy and glorious rejoycing to our soules and bodies as one at sea sees a great way but not to the end or bottome of the sea for we shall know as much of God as our heads can hold and love God as much as our hearts can containe and no doubt but there are different degrees of Glory in Heaven as the Saints know more or less of God here as when Vessels of several sizes are cast into the sea they are all full but some hold more then others 2 Cor. 5.4 God works upon our Hearts as ingravers upon Gold or Marble and the more of his image he stamps upon us in this life the liker shall we be to him in Glory but every saint shall have his own fulnesse of knowledge 3. I think that heavenly joy does much consist in the will in the transformation of our wills into the will of God for as we heard an excellent sermon from 1 Cor. 6.17 at Northampton he that is joyned unto the Lord is one spirit for I believe that mistical onenesse which our dear Lord so sweetly prayed for Joh. 17.11 21 22. is meant of onenesse in will and affections when the soul shall have all that it can desire and nothing but what it does desire and shall will nothing but what God wills and not onely to be satisfyed with the wil of God but but to taste a sweet complecency and delight in it that it is infinitely best to be there 4. This transforming of the will proceeds from the apprehension of divine love where the soul finds that God has loved it from all Eternity that his eye and his heart are perpetually upon it for good and knows that it is a free pure unchangeable and eternal love this causes an eternity of joy a love is the sweetest grace in the heart the very sugar of the soul that makes a Heaven upon Earth where it is without dissimulation and spiritual so heavenly joy will consist much in love which must needs flow from sight and knowledge for as Paul saies 1 Cor. 2.8 it is onely ignorance of God that makes so many to oppose the way of truth and holiness so the sight of divine glorious beauty and the knowledge of infinite wisdome power love and goodness in Christ causes the soul to love God and Christ and the Spirit much better then it self for if the Spouse be sick of love here Cant. 5.8 and if the fire of love constrain militant Saints not to live to themselves 2 Cor. 5.14 ingenuity being the great principle of the Gospell not to work for life but from life and to doe all from a spirit of love much more the Saints triumphant but the more I think of this blessed state of glorification the more I am at a losse in it Psal 16.11 in Gods presence there is fullnesse of joy and at his right hand there are pleasures for evermore and David saies Psal 123. that they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever but one Star differeth from another in glory and Matth. 13.43 the righteous shall shine as the Son in the Kingdome of their Father And our Lord saies in my Fathers House are many mansions and Paul calls it a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 and a building of God a House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens where we shall be so soon as the soul parts from the body 2 Cor. 5.1 8. and that it is an inheritance in light all light and no darknesse 1 Coloss 12. and that the Saints shall judge the world and when Christ shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is 1 John 3.2 the New Jerusalem there shall be no sorrow no crying no pain Rev. 21.4 and the gates of the City are pearls and the street is pure gold ver 21 the glory of God lightens it and the Lamb is the light thereof v. 22. in it there is a pure river of water of life and a tree of life which bears fruit every month Rev. 22.1 2. and there shall be no Curses there and there shall be no night and we shall reign for ever and ever ver 5. All these are soul ravishing considerations and I have suckt much comfort from Psal 17.15 I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse and 1 Thess 5.10 who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him therefore let us comfort our selves and edifie one another with these words and Mr. Burton's Text Heb. 12.22 23. it is sweet also to consider of the glory of the body 1 Cor. 15.42 43. it shall be an incorruptible glorious powerfull spiritual body there will be charity agility penetrability impossibility no hunger no cold it shall be fashioned like unto Christs glorious Body Phil.
the transgressions of the remnant of thy people for thine own names sake Lord it is thy covenant that thou wilt put thy spirit into our hearts and erect thy law in our inward parts and our sins and transgressions thou wilt remember no more Blessed be the Lord for the Lord Jesus Christ for had it not been for a Christ we were undone forever Blessed be our Lord that hath written our names in heaven and given us a portion in Christ in whom we have believed and trusted We humbly beg of thee the pardon of all our personal and family guilt the sins of our publique imployments which thou knowest we have not willingly committed though it may be through infirmity and temptation and the sins of our nature Lord we humbly pray thee let us see our selves justified in the blood of our Lord Jesus that we may say with the Apostle Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth us it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again for our justification He is risen that he might be our advocate intercessor and mediator He is filled with all the fulness of the Godhead to distribute to us according to our need Thou hast promised by the Apostle that God shall supply all our wants according to the riches of his own grace Lord thou wilt have the passover eaten with sowre hearbs and Lord we are contented but Lord thou hast provided sweet Wine for us and hast thou not kept the best Wine and the best of thy divine comforts until now til now to carry us over this bridge and passage from earth to heaven sanctifie this our passage for it is best to have the crosse with the crown they goe together and are inseparable therefore saith our Lord they that wil suffer with me shal also raign with me Deare Lord we pray thee give us a full experience and let thy holy Spirit witness to our souls that we are the children of God and reconciled to thee in the covenant and that we shal through thy Son be glorified with thee Strengthen our faith that we may be purged washed and cleansed and for our justification sanctification and acceptation with the Father Glorious lord we desire to leave our requests with thee on the behalfe of this poor people as the last request we have to beg of thee on this side heaven if there be any here not belonging to Christ and not friends to him Lord convert them and shew them their own undone and miserable estate and give them the pardon of a dying Saviour thy poor servants would not part with a Christ for ten thousand lives Lord make Christ precious to their immortal souls Lord convince them of the evil of their sins and the evil of their own ways and break them off from them and cause them to close with Jesus Christ Thou hast promised that those that come unto him thou wilt not cast off Remember all thy people and help them to persevere in thy grace and love and make them able to hold fast the truth till thou come and to quit themselves like men to stand fast in the faith Blessed Lord we humbly pray thee to have mercy upon that great City the place from whence we came When thou resolvedst to destroy Sodom thy servant Abraham expostulated with thee and thou saidst if there were but ten righteous thou wouldst save it but Lord there are many tens of righteous ones in that City It hath been a place where thou hast been glorified and where many godly Ministers have been encouraged O Lord let it goe wel therefore with that great City and let thy Gospel have free passage in the publique worship of it Bless the government and governours thereof and make them instruments to thy glorious praise We pray thee have respect to the chief Magistrates that are come here by command to see execution done Oh Lord we beg mercy for their soules O that Christ would evidence himself more to their soules and that we might meet in Heaven together and be imbraced in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ And him that shal be the Executioner must now wash his hands in our blood doe thou wash his soul in the blood of Jesus Christ O lord we pray thee that thou wouldest have pitty upon his soul and let him know what it is to be washed in the blood of Christ that fountain set open for him and for uncleanness Blessed Lord help us thy poor creatures with strength for we have no strength of our own Thy word saith that death is the King of terrours but blessed be thy Name thou hast taken the sting out of it and the poyson from it and therefore as faith the Apostle Oh death then where is thy sting oh grave where is thy victory Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ that hath given us the victory Thou hast said by the Apostle We have the sentence of death in our selves and therefore should not trust in our selves but believe in Christ that raiseth the dead Lord we will not trust in our selves but in the living God Oh my God that art the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob strengthen and support our poor souls Stephen when he was stoned to death saw the Heavens opened and the glory of the Father and of his throne Shall we but see the Face of Jesus Christ bearing up our hearts under all and we shall go through Thou hast promised that thou wilt never never never leave us nor forsake us Thou hast said Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Come life come death or what can separate a believer from Jesus Christ let thy Angels come downe we are perswaded that the Angels are ready to receive our soules and to carry them into thy bosome and into the company of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and of the blessed Apostles and Martyrs and witnesses of Jesus and just men made perfect in thy Kingdome Blessed lord thou art our support and comfort support us with the cordials of thy love Blessed lord before we make an end of praying O thou father of mercies and God of all consolation we beg one request for the chief Magistrate of this Nation That thou wouldest give him a glorious Christ into his poor soul and magnifie thy grace towards him that he may become a friend unto Christ and a friend to the people of Christ and raigne in righteousnesse and may be a terrour to evill doers and a praise to them that doe wel that he may cast away iniquity with his eye rule for God before whom he and all others must render an account in the day of judgement Lord hear us for him And blessed lord doe the like for all that had any uncharitableness towards us we would have none towards them but we beg their souls might live in thy presence make them to see their sins and let them receive