Brachy-martyrologia, or, A breviary of all the greatest persecutions which have befallen the saints and people of God from the creation to our present times paraphras'd by Nicholas Billingsly ...

THE PERSECUTIONS Mentioned in the Old Testament.

SECT. I.

The Persecution of the Church in the first Ages of the World, and so forward till Christ's Incarnation.

ADam being left unto his own free-will, Satan the Primo-genitor of ill, Maligning his so prosperous estate, Did exercise his Diabolick hate, Under the hood of friendship, to o'rethrow Both root, and branch at one pestiferous blow. VVith large-pretending promises, his suit He varnish'd thus; if the forbidden fruit But kiss their lips,* 1.1 they should more clearly see, And full as wise as their Creator be. Thus Satan's Engines play'd, till in conclusion He took the Fort, by his so smooth delusion.

Poor man made shipwrack of his Innocence, Thwarting his God-requir'd Obedience: Thus Adam fell, and by his hapless fall, Hath lost his happiness, his God and all, For ever; Ah! he cannot any more Enjoy those blessings he enjoy'd before In his first state; and all that he can win, Is death, Death is the VVages due to sin. But what of that? yet hath it pleas'd the High'st To give eternal life through Jesus Christ Our blessed Lord: whoever do believe In him alone, are certain to receive A glorious Crown: O see what God hath done, To save poor sinners, he hath sent his Son, His onely Son, who willingly came down, To bear the cross, that we might wear the Crown. Strange condescention! the great God above Is pleas'd t'embrace us in the armes of love. O groundless depths! O love beyond degree! The guiltless dies, to set the guilty free! Nor ceas'd the malice of the black-brow'd Prince Of the Low-Countries, hell; for ever since Mans forfeiture of his heav'n-granted lease, He hath been active to molest the Peace Of Christ-confiding Saints, and like a Lyon Hath seiz'd on those who bear good will to Siont Amongst the wheat, he sows seditious tares; And setteth men together by the ears. Nay more unnatural then that, one brother He instigates to persecute another: VVitness nefandous Cain,* 1.2 whose brothers bloud To heaven for vengeance cry'd, and cry'd aloud: Did not curs'd Ham his naked Father mock,* 1.3 (A graceless branch, sprung from a righteous stock.)

Did not the Sodomites deride Just Lot?* 1.4 And spurious Ishm'el I saac,* 1.5 did he not? Jacob rough Esau hates;* 1.6 young Joseph's sold To lshma' itish Merchants;* 1.7 and behold Oppressed Isr'el,* 1.8 how their shoulder grones Beneath their massy loads,* 1.9 hard hearted ones! And must the new-born Males be stifled by The Mid-wives? O unheard-of cruelty! And if these fail, may they not live a while? No;* 1.10 drown'd they must be in sepemfluous Nile. Breast-hardned Phar'oh,* 1.11 what did Moses do VVorthy thy wrath?* 1.12 and may not Isr'el go From thy enslaving hands, but bear the print Thy scourges leave?* 1.13 O heart wall'd round with flint! Years not a few the Isra'lites were drudges Unto th' I dolatrous and self-law'd Judges; Compel'd to leave their homes,* 1.14 and hide themselves In dens and caves, from persecuting Elves: And when Gods bounty fertiliz'd their land,* 1.15 All was destroyed by the Midian band:* 1.16 The Philistins thirty four thousand slay Of them,* 1.17 and carryed Gods Ark away; A Smith in Israel could not be found To fit their instruments to till the ground,* 1.18 The land was so enslav'd; they rather chose,* 1.19 Then starve,* 1.20 to be behoiding to their foes. VVith his keen javelin,* 1.21 spirit-haunted Saul Assay'd to stick up David' gainst the wall.* 1.22 Prophetick David,* 1.23 with a patient ear, Did Shimei's railing accusations bear. Egyptian Shishak prov'd Jerus'lems rod,* 1.24 And took the treasures from the house of God. And (which is strange) good Asa's spirit risen Against Gods Prophet,* 1.25 casts him into prison.

Ahab hates Micah.* 1.26 In Jehosaphat His reign, the Church of God was stormed at. Elijah,* 1.27 was despis'd by Jezabel, By whom so many holy Prophets fell.* 1.28 Elisha suffers; in Jehor ams reign Judak's oppress'd.* 1.29 Good Zechariah's slain By Joash,* 1.30 for's reproof. Israel's, King Thousands of Judah slew, did thousands bring Into captivity.* 1.31 Poor Judah pines By th' Edomites, Assyrians, Philistines. The Prophet Esay by Manasses Law,* 1.32 Was sawn in sunder with a wooden saw.* 1.33 And Jeremiah after slandrous mocks, VVas beaten sore,* 1.34 and put into the stocks. Then was he (liberty deny'd him) flung Into the myry dungeon,* 1.35 where he clung; At last drag'd thence,* 1.36 into th' Egyptian land He needs must go,* 1.37 the Captains him command: And his Thren-odes those pious Elegies,* 1.38 Lament the falling Churches miseries.* 1.39 Nebuchanezzar in a rage doth throw Shadrach,* 1.40 and Meshech, and Abednego Into the furnace hot: By wicked men Daniel is cast into the Lyons Den.* 1.41 Proud Haman persecutes poor Mordecay,* 1.42 And a decree procures, that in one day Gods people should be killed murth' rously. The Jews returning from captivity,* 1.43 Judah's disturb'd and opposition's found When they would raise Gods Temple from the ground: Build it they do:* 1.44 though men and devils conjoyne They'r Powers,* 1.45 they cannot frustrate Gods designe.

SECT. II.

The Persecution of the Church from Nehemiah to Antiochus his time; and also under An∣tiochus Epiphanes, before the nativity of Christ, about 168 years.

ELiashib the High-Priest being dead, Judas his son succeeded in his stead; And John the next, who in the Temple slew Jesus which sought to wrong him of his due, No sooner had Bagoses heard the News, But with a potent force, he kept the Jews, (The Jews inclos'd within Jerus' lems walls) Till sev'n years ended, under slavish thralls; Compelling them to lay down fifty Drachmes For ev'ry Lamb that fed their dayly flames. Jaddus (John dead) succeeded, who b'ing told, Of Alexander's acts, and how he would Come shortly, he in's Priestly robes aray'd, For Gods direction and protection pray'd. The King fell down, the Jews did in a ring Encircle him, and said, God save the King. He check'd, reply'd, I do not (that were odd) Adore the High-Priest, but the High-Priests God. Then leave to live after their Ancient orders He grants the Hebrews, and deserts their borders. Antiochus Epiphanes did go Unto Jerusalem: nor friend nor foe Escap'd his fury; he the Temple spoil'd Of all her Ornaments, and it defil'd:

Yea, he inhibited the godly Jews Those daily sacrifices they did use; And having made their goodly structures void, He led some captive, many he destroy'd, Forc'd others to forsake God, and adore Those Idols he himself fell down before: But they that minded not his menacings, VVere whip'd and maim'd, had cruel torturings; Some crucifi'd; they hang'd the female sex, And hung young Children at their parents necks. VVhat books of Sacred VVrit they found, the same VVere cast into the all-devouring flame. Upon a Sabbath day these merc'less slaves Did stifle thousands hid in unclos'd caves. And now Mathias pious and devout, Led forth the Christians 'gainst this impious rout, Destroy'd their Altars; Providence did bless All his endeavours with desir'd success. His sons, Mathias, Judas, and the rest Did scowre their country, and their foes supprest.

SECT. III.

The Martyrdom of the Maccabees, under the same Antiochus.

ONias acts with a religious care His High-priests office, and may therefore fear Degrading; nay, Antiochus is bent To turn him out: the moving Argument Drawn from the Justness of Onias cause, Subjects Onias to th'Imperious Laws

Of wilfull Tyranny, by whose compunction, This good man leaves his Sacerdotal function, For one that least deserved it: no other Might take it up, but his false-hearted brother: VVho now but Jason! Jason is the man Must drive on the design; Jason began To force the people to renounce the true And old Religion, to embrace a new; T'abjure their Temples, to extruct them baths: To quit their beaten and accustom'd pathes, For prosecution of more choice delights, And abrogate their ceremonial Rites; To drink in Greekish customes, and betimes Train up their striplings to unlawful cimes. But mark th'event, a sin-provoked God Doth flame in fury, making them a rod (Whose Laws were studiously observ'd,) to scourge Those Mimick emulators, who would urge So good a God; their friends become their foes, T'inflict on them innumerable woes. For an edict is forthwith by the King Set forth, and sealed with his Royal Ring; The sence is this, Whoever of the Jews, Or Hierosolymitanes, refuse To offer up a Sacrifice unto The gods, he without any more ado (Besides those beatings he was like to feel) Should have his members Racked on a wheel. Antiochus perceiving this Edict VVas little prevalent, although so strict, So rigorous, but that a many chose Rather to die, then their Religion lose; He took th'advantage of an em'nent place, And summoning the Jews, his graceless Grace

Caus'd sacrific'd swines flesh be given about To ev'ry man. Amongst the mixed rout Stood Eleazar honor'd for his age, Reverend, Pious, Vertuous and sage, In whom the graces all in one combin'd; Indeed he had an heaven-enamel'd mind: To whom Antiochus doth break the chains Of silence thus: Old man, avoid those pains VVait on the obstinate, for once b'advis'd By me, and eat what here is sacrific'd: Cherish thy rev'rend age, and do not scorne The benefit of life: what though th'art born A Jew? yet eat: no wise man will refuse That meat which nature hath ordain'd for use: VVhy should this beast be more abominable Then other beasts? canst tell? sure th'art not able: VVhy was it made, if not to be injoy'd? And gifts unus'd, what are those gifts but voy'd? Admit your Laws are just, yet may coaction Excuse thee; 'tis no voluntary action. To whom this Nestor (whose undaunted brest VVas flam'd with zeal) an answer thus exprest: We, O Antiochus, love not vain shows But true Religion; nor Racks, nor blows, (chains, Nor brest all gor'd with darts, hands worn with Nor ease exchanged for a thousand pains; Famine nor sword, nor all, should make us smother Our lov'd Religion, to embrace another: Know then Proud King, I nothing weigh thy threats, As to profane my lips with profane meats: Ple joy to suffer for a righteous cause, Rather then violate those Heav'n-made Laws: 'Tis but a death at most, if I fulfil not Thy will; and disobey my God I will not:

Urge me no more, for do it I will never; This I resolve, and will herein persever. Expose me to the ravenous Lyons paw, Yet I'le not make a rupture in the Law; Rip up my Entrails, do; and when that's done, Fling, fling m'into an hate-light Dungeon: Pluck out these eyes with Pinsers; let the flame Burn me to cinders, I'll be still the same. Think not that I'll recant because I'm old And feeble no; torments shall make me bold: I am content to suffer for my God, And patiently sustain his chastning rod: The zeal I bear is not a zeal that founds It's happiness on such unstable grounds, As once to move me or to make me totter; No, Tyrant, were thy fury ten times hotter. I'le laugh death in the face, when I lay down This life, to take up an immortal Crown. Blest I shall be, although by thee accurst; Tyrant I challenge thee, do, do thy worst. With that the soldiers hale him to the place Of torment, strip him, whip him, and do lace His back with stripes, till bloody streams out-gush, And in the face of the tormentor blush: While he was under the afflicter's hand, One stood, and cry'd, Obey the Kings command: But patiently this worthy man endur'd A world of wounds, too dang'rous to be cur'd: And darting up his venerable eyes, He knew for whom he was a sacrifice; In whom he did believe: then casts a look On his afflicted self, and sees a brook, A bubbling brook, with uncontrouled tides, Crimson their passage from his mangled sides:

And when his sufferance over-flow'd the banks Of torment, he admir'd, gave God the thanks. They loathsome liquor int' his nostrils pouring, Did then commit him to the flames devouring: Yet when his nat'ral life began to fail And his approaching death would take no bail; Having his wasting eyes on Heaven laid, His dying breath breath'd forth these words, & said, Thou O my God art he who bringest down To th'grave, giv'st life, and with that life a Crown; Behold (dear Lord) I'm swallow'd by deaths jaws, For the strict keeping of thine own-made Laws. Sweet Father hear me; O be pleas'd to keep Thy bosome Nation, suffer not thy Sheep, To be devour'd by Wolves, that are too bold To worry them, or scare them from their fold: O let my death conclude all miserie, And grant in dying I may live to thee. Now I am found in thee, can I be lost? He ceas'd, and ceasing yeilded up the Ghost. The Kings displeasure waxing now more strong, Sent for sev'n Hebrew children, who being young, He thought them weak, unable pains to bear, He therefore either by entreats, or fear, Presum'd he should induce them to abjure Their Law, and eat what by their Law's impure. The crafty Tyrant ambushing his guile, Beholdeth them with a dissembling smile, And thus reveal'd himself: Admir'd young men, I wish your good, O do not madly then Shun my Behests; prevent the torments due Unto the refractory, not to you; As for my part, I desire nothing more Then to advance you, and increase your store:

Contemn your superstitious vanities, And come along our tracts, if you be wise: Tis no such crime if you your Law fulfil not. If you neglect ours (as I hope you will not) With ling'ring deaths I'll study to torment you; You may it may be then too late repent you. Am I a King? and shall contempt accrue To me a King, from such low worms as you? (Racks, Bring forth those Wheels Rods, Cauldrons, Hooks & Grid-irons, Cages; here's not all, here lacks; Let's see the Engines to torment the hands, Gauntlets, Auls, Bellowes, Brass-pots, Frying-pans. Obey, young men; if I enforce a fact Not good, 'tis not your voluntary act, You do not sin; be prudent then, I say, Not actively but passively obey. The zeal-inflam'd young men do vilify His threats, intreats, retorting this reply, Speak Tyrant say, say, why art thou so bent To persecute us that are innocent? We will observe, for all afflictions rod, What Moses taught us from the mouth of God; Know, we detest your sense-deluding shows, Nor will we be seduc'd by words or blows: No Tyrant, no, do thou the best you can To do thy worst, we will fear God, not man: Our cause is God's, and death is our desire; Heaven is our portion, yours eternal fire. Th'enraged Tyrant after one another Lop'd off these hopeful sprouts: the eldest brother, Named Macchabons, first was stretched out Upon a Rack, and beaten round about His naked ribs, with a Bulle-pizle, till His wearyed tormentors had their fill

Of long continued strokes, and did desire Rather to leave, then he did them require: Nor was this all; fresh tort'rers have extended Him on a wheel, weights at his heels appended: While yet his sinews and his entrails brake, He call'd on God, then to the Tyrant spake: Blood-guilty wretch, who labor'st to disthrone Gods Majesty it self; know, I am one Am for the cause of God a sufferer, And no witch, nor inhuman murtherer. When the afflicter with compassion sway'd, Bid him submit unto the King, he said, Accursed ministers of Tyranny, Your wheels as yet, are not so sharp, that I Should thereby be enforced to abjure Heaven, wherein is my foundation sure. See, tyrant, see how resolute I am; Winde off my flesh with pinsers, do, and cram Young Vultures with the bits before mine eyes: Put, put me to the worst of cruelties: Rost (if you please) by a soft fire my flesh, And if that will not serve, invent a fresh: Inflict, inflict, till there cannot be fonnd A place, whereon t'inflict another wound. So said, thus rack'd, into a fire he's thrown, And now his wasting bowels stared on The Tyrants face; yet with an unmov'd brest He to his brethren thus himself exprest: Beloved brethren, learn by my example To scorn the worlds alluring baits, and trample All torments under foot; obey God rather Then this proud Tyrant: God's a gracious father; And when him pleases, with a smile or frown, Can raise the humble, strike the lofty down.

This torment's not enough to end his pain, For he is snatch'd out of the fire and flame Alive; his tongue was plucked out and then His life he ended in a frying pan: And now his soul enjoy'd what he desir'd, His friends rejoyced, and his foes admir'd. Then was the second brother, Aber call'd, Who with the tort'ring Engines unappal'd, Refus'd to eat, chains did his hands restrain: His skin (the garment of his flesh) was flain From head to knees; the tort'rer did devest His intrails peeping from his unglaz'd brest, Too grievous to behold; and him at last Unto a famine-pined Leopard cast: The beast (though truculent) did onely smell, And went her way, forgetting to be fell, Nor was sh' injurious to him in the least. The Kings displeasure but the more increas'd, And Aber grown more constant by his pain, Thus, thus his dying voice did loudly strain: How sweet! How pleasant is this death to me! Yea 'tis most welcome, for I'm sure to be Rewarded by my God; the cross I bear On earth, in heav'n a glorious Crown to wear; I thank my God, that I am more content To suffer, Tyrant, then thou to torment. And yet is not this misery of mine In suff'ring, so exorbitant as thine Is by inflicting; keeping of the Laws Thus aggravates my pains, and thou the cause Shalt by the justice of the Holy One Be banished from thy usurped throne, And be reserved for those horrid chains Of utter darkness, and eternal pains.

He said no more; his soul forsook his brest, To take possession of aye-lasting rest. Machir the third son's brought, who was not quell'd, But angrily their counsel thus repeli'd: One Father us begat; one Mother bore us; One* 1.46 Master taught us, who is gone before us: Protract no time, for I am not so weak To yield; I come to suffer, not to speak: What care I though I drink the brim-fild boul Of thy displeasure? twill not hurt my soul. A Globe was brought, his woes must b'aggravated, And bound thereon; his bones were dislocated; They flaid his face, and while a crimson river Flow'd from him, thus he did himself deliver: O Tyrant, we, what we endure, endure For the pure love of God: thou shalt be sure To rove in Sulph'ry flames, and be tormented Eternally, unpity'd, unlamented. His tongue b'ing taken out, this good young man Departed in a red-hot Frying-pan. Judas is next, whom neither menacing Nor flattries, could induce t'obey the King: Your fire (said he) shall me attract more near Gods holy Law, and to my brethren dear: I tell thee Tyrant, thou shalt be acurs'd, And true believers blest: thou that art nurs'd By cruelty it self: I bid thee try me, And see if God will not also stand by me. Hereat the Tyrant in a hot displeasure Hastily left his chair t'afflict by leasure; He charg'd his tongue to be cut out, in brief; T'whom Judas thus; Our God is not so deaf As you imagine; his attentive ear Hears the dumb language of his servants pray'r:

He hears the heart, not voice; our thoughts he sees A distance off; distongue me if you please: Divide me limb from limb, do Tyrant, do, But know, thou shalt not long scape Scot-free so. He's tongueless, and with ropes ends beaten sore, Which he with much admired patience bore: At last upon the Rack his life was spent, And to his brethren (gone before) he went. Then Achas the fifth brother unaffraid To hug grim death, disclos'd his lips, and said, Tyrant, behold, I come for to prevent Thy sending for; and know that I am bent To die couragiously, my mind is steady; Thou art to hellish flames condem'd already, By my dear bretherens effused gore, And I the fifth shall make thy grief the more. What is't that we have done? what other cause Canst thou alleage, but this, We keep Gods Laws? And therefore in the midst of torturing We joy O'tis an honourable thing! (wrongs, Though each part suffer, heaven will right our And fill your mouths with howlings, ours with songs. Then was he in a brazen morter pounded, Nay th'less he said, Those favours are unbounded With which thou crown'st us (though against thy wil) We please our God, rage thou, and rage thy fill: If thou shouldst pity me, I should be sorry; Death's but the prologue to immortal glory. So said, he made a stop and stopping dy'd. Now the sixth brother Areth must be try'd, Honour and dolour's put unto his choice; But grieving at it, with a constant voice He shot forth this reply: I weigh not either; As we like brethren liv'd, wee'll die together

In Gods fear; and the time which in exhorting Thou hast a mind to spend, spend in extorquing, His down-ward head unto a pillar ty'd, Antiochus rosts him by a soft fires side; And that the heat might enter to the quick, And multiply his paines, sharp Auls must prick His tender flesh; about his face and head Much blood like froth appear'd; yet thus he said, O Noble fight! O honourable warre! Glad grief! O pious! and O impious jarre! My bretheren are gone, and I ally'd To them in blood, would not that death divide Our love united souls: invent, invent More horrid pains indeavour to torment This flesh with greater torments; study, study New wayes t'afflict me, more severe, more bloody: I thank my God, these are o'recome already; Let thousands worser come, I will be steady. We young men have bin conqu'rours of thy power; Thy fire is cold, nor can thy rage devour Our faith-fenc'd souls; we have a greater joying In suffering, then thou hast in destroying: As God is just, so will he right our wrongs. These words scarce out, a pair of heated tongs Eradicate his tongue; then being cast Into the Frying-pan, he breath'd his last. And now the youngest brother's onely left, Jacob; who coming forth, compassion cleft The Tyrants heart, who took aside the child By th'••and and spake, and as he spake, he smil'd: Thy bretheren may teach thee to expect The worst of ills, if thou my will neglect: Thou shalt, if thou wilt of thy self be free, A Ruler, Gen'ral, and my Counc'ller be.

This not prevail'd, he thus the mother dons; O worthy woman, where are now thy sons? Yet thou hast one, turn him, lest thou be rest Of him likewise, and so be childless left. The mother bowing to the king, bespake Her child in Hebrew; Pity, for Christ's sake, And chear thy woful mother: O despise These pains, and be a willing sacrifice, As were thy bretheren; that in the day Of grace, in heaven receive you all I may. Unbound, he forthwith to the torments ran, And with a serene countenance began; Blood-wasting wretch, what dost thou but adde fuel, thee To make hell botter, by persisting cruel? Worm that thou art, who crown'd thee? who gave Those Purple robes thou wearest? was't not he Whom thou in us dost persecute? but die Thou must at last, for all thou perk'st so high: I crave no favour at thy hands, but will Follow my breathren, and be constant still. Torments ensue: through mouth and nose he bled; His mothers kinde hand held his fainting head: His arms cut off, Lord take my soul, he cry'd; Distongu'd, he ran into the fire, and dy'd. Now Salomona (all her children dead) Enflam'd with zeal, came to be Martyred; Herein excell'd them all, in that sh'endur'd Sev'n painful deaths, before her own's procur'd, She tearless could abide to see them spurn'd, And rack'd, and torn, and beat, and flaid, and burn'd: And knowing well, death cutteth off our dayes By Fluxes, Agues, and a thousand wayes; That pains were momentary, she exhorted Them thus in Hebrew, ere they were extorted:

Most choyce fruits of my womb, let's hasten hence, And fear not, heaven will be our recompence: Shall's bear what Eleazar undergon? You know good Abram sacrific'd his son: Remember Daniel, in the Lyons den; And cast your eyes on the three childeren. The restless Tyrant caus'd her to be stripped, Then hang'd up by the hands, and soundly whipp'd, Her paps pull'd off: she while her body sryes, Lifts up her hands and eyes, and prayes, and dyes.

SECT. IV.

The Persecution of the Church from Christs time to our present age; and first of those menti∣oned in the New-Testament.

HEROD the Great having intellegence That there was born unto the Jews a Prince At Bethleem; a band of men he sent, To do full execution as they went, On smiling babes, throughout Judea's land: (Supposing Jesus might not scape his hand;) Snatch'd from the breast, the pretty little ones Were tost on Pikes, and dash'd against the stones. The Tyrant, after this, distracted grew, And's wife, his children, and familiars slew. With sickness struck, he knew not where to turn, What course to take; for a slow fire did burn His inward parts: his* 1.47 canine appetite Was unsuffic'd; his lungs corrupted quite;

His bowels rot; his secrets putrify'd; Consum'd with wormes, he miserably dy'd. Herod the Less incestuously wedded; John Baptist for his plain reproof beheaded.* 1.48 Peter and John restor'd a man born lame,* 1.49 Preach'd Christ, and were imprison'd for the same. The High-priests and the Sadduces up-risen* 1.50 Against th' Apostles, cast them into prison: But in the night, an Angel of the Lord Op'ning the doors, their liberties restor'd: They on the morrow,* 1.51 for divulging Christ, Re-apprehended were,* 1.52 beaten, dismist. False witnesses suborned,* 1.53 holy Steven Did through a Stony-volley go to heaven.* 1.54 A gen'ral persecution breaking out At Solyma, the Saints disperse about The Judean and the Samarian borders: A persecting Saul the Church disorders. The Jewish fury, new-converted Saul Scapes by a basket let down o'r the wall.* 1.55 James is beheaded:* 1.56 while Agrippa storms Against the Church, he was devour'd by worms. Peter enlarged by an Angel was: Sosthenes, Silas Paul, and Barnabas Were beaten, whipp'd, and forced several times To leave their Country, and seek other climes. Paul's ston'd at Lystra,* 1.57 and for dead he lay; But God reviv'd him; he took Derbe-way: Much he endur'd abroad, and much at home, And in the end was Martyred at Rome. James, Jesus brother, from a Pin'cle cast, Recov'ring on his knees, thus spake his last: Father (thee on my bended knees I woo) Forgive them: for, they know not what they do.

A Cameles knees were said to be more soft Then his, by reason that he kneel'd so oft.) Vespasian did to him the Jews subject; Titus Jerus'lem and the Temple sack'd. Andrew and Philip's crucifi'd: rough blows Kill Barthol'mew; Thoumas as a dart o' rethrows. Mathew's thrust through: Simon Zelotes dead Upon the cross. Mathi as loft his head: And Judas (brother unto James) not mist A murth'rous stroke: Mark the Evangelist Went up to heaven in a fi'ry Car: One of the Deacons named Nicanor, Did with two thousand Christians lay down This life, to take up an immortal crown.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 3. 5.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 4. 8.
• * 1.3

  Gen. 9. 22.
• * 1.4

  Gen. 19. 9.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 21. 9.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 27. 41.
• * 1.7

  Gen. 37. 4.
• * 1.8

  Exo. 1. 11, &c.
• * 1.9

  Exo. 1. 15, 16.
• * 1.10

  Exo. 1. 22.
• * 1.11

  Exo. 2. 15.
• * 1.12

  Exo. 2. 14.
• * 1.13

  Iudg. 3. 8.
• * 1.14

  Judg. 6. 3, 4.
• * 1.15

  1 sam. 13. 6, 7.
• * 1.16

  Judg. 6. 2.
• * 1.17

  Judg. 10. 8.
• * 1.18

  Judg. 13. 1.
• * 1.19

  1 sam. 4. 2. 10, 11.
• * 1.20

  1 sam. 13.
• * 1.21

  ves. 19. 20.
• * 1.22

  1 sam. 19 &c.
• * 1.23

  2 sam 16. 5, 6,
• * 1.24

  1 King. 14. 25, 26.
• * 1.25

  2 Chr. 16. 10.
• * 1.26

  2 Chro. 18. 25, 26.
• * 1.27

  2 Chron. 20. 23.
• * 1.28

  1 King. 19. 2.
• * 1.29

  1 King. 18. 13.
• * 1.30

  2 King. 6. 31.
• * 1.31

  2 Chro. 21. 16, 17.
• * 1.32

  2 Chro. 24. 21.
• * 1.33

  2 Chro. 28. 8.
• * 1.34

  2 Chro. 28. 17, 18, 20.
• * 1.35

  Josephus. Jer. 18. 18.
• * 1.36

  Jer. 20. 2.
• * 1.37

  Jer. 37. 15.
• * 1.38

  Jer. 38. 6.
• * 1.39

  Jer. 43. 6, 7.
• * 1.40

  Dan. 3. 23.
• * 1.41

  Dan. 6. 26.
• * 1.42

  Esther. 3. 13.
• * 1.43

  Ezra 4. 4.
• * 1.44

  Neh. 6. 2.
• * 1.45

  vers. 6, &c.
• * 1.46

  Eleazer.
• * 1.47

  Bulimia.
• * 1.48

  Mat. 14. 10
• * 1.49

  Act. 4. 1, 17.
• * 1.50

  Act. 5. 18, 19.
• * 1.51

  vers. 26, 27
• * 1.52

  vers. 40.
• * 1.53

  Act. 6. 11.
• * 1.54

  Cha. 7. 58.
• * 1.55

  Act. 9. 23.
• * 1.56

  Act. 12. 2.
• * 1.57

  Act. 14. 19.