Three tractates by Jos. Hall, D.D. and B.N.

SECT. X.

YOu see then by this time, how little reason I have to be too much troubled with this impri∣sonment, or my friends for me; But indeed, there are some sorts of Prisoners, which neither you nor I can have tears enow to be∣waile: and those especially of two kinds.

The one, those that are too much affected with an outward bondage: The other, those that are no whit affected with a spiri∣tuall.

In the first rank are they that sinke under the weight of their Irons; Poore impotent soules, that groaning under the cruelty of a Turkish thraldome, or a Spanish Inquisition, want Faith to beare them out, against the impetuous violences of their tor∣mentors: I sorrow for their suf∣fering;

but for their fai•••••••• more: could they see the Gro•••••• of glory, which the right•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Judge holds ready for their ••••¦ctorious Patience, they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not but contemne paine, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all the pomp of Death, and ••••••¦fesse that their Light affliction (which is but for 〈…〉〈…〉) works for them a far more ••••••∣ceeding and eternall weight of glory: But alas, it is the weak∣nesse of their eyes, that they onely look at the things that are seen, close walls, heavy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sharp scourges, merciless racks, and other dreadfull engines of torture, and see not the things that are not seen, the glorious reward of their victory, blessed∣ness. Had they had Stephens eyes, they would have emulated his martyrdome; Surely whoso∣ever shall but read the story of the Mother and the seaven Bro∣thers in the Maccabees, and that of the fourty Armenian Mar∣tyrs

frozen to death, reported by Gaudentius, and shall there see the fainting revolter dying uncomfortably in the Bath, whiles the other thirty and nine (together with their new con∣verted Keeper) are crowned by an Angell from heaven, cannot choose (except he have nothing but Ice in his bosome) but find in himself a disposition emulous of their courage, and ambitious of their honour; But alas, what ever our desires; and purposes may be, it is not for every one to attain to the glory of Martyr∣dome; this is the highest pitch, that earthly Saints are capable of: He must be more then a man, whom pain and death cannot re∣move from his holy resolutions, and especially, the lingering ex∣ecution of both. It is well if an age can yeeld one, Mole: In what terms shal I commemorate thee, O thou blessed Confessor, the great example of invincible

constancy, in these backsliding times, (if at least thy rare perse∣verance be not more for wonder then imitation) whom thirty yeares tedious durance in the In∣quisitory at Rome, could not weary out of thy sincere profes∣sion of the Evangelical truth? All this while thou wert not al∣lowed the speech, the sight of any, but thy persecutors: Here was none to pity thee, none to ex∣hort thee: If either force of per∣swasion, or proffers of favour, or threats of extremity, could have wrought thee for thy perversion, thou hadst not at last dyed ours. Blessed be the God of all comfort, who having stood by thee, and made thee faithfull to the death, hath now given thee a crown of life and immor∣talitie; and left thee a noble pattern of Christian fortitude, so much more remarkable, as lesse frequently followed.

Whether I look into the for∣mer,

or the present times I finde the world full of shrinking professors.

Amongst the first Christians, persecution easily discovered four sorts of cowardly Renega∣does; The first, and worst, whom they justly styled Idolaters, that yeelded to all the publike forms of worship to those false Gods: The second, Sacrificers, who condescended so far, as to some kind of immolation unto those fained deities, or, at least, to a tasting of those things which were thus offered: The third, In∣censers, such as (with Marcelli∣nus himself) came on so far, as to cast some grains of incense into the Idols fire: The last were their Libellaticks, such as pri∣vately by themselves, or by some allowed proxey, denyed the faith, yet with their mony bought out this ignominy, & sin of any publique Act of Idolatry.

Not to speak of those many

thousands which fell down be∣fore Solyman the second, and held up their finger to fignifie their conversion to his Mahome∣tisme, for ease of their taxations; how many doe we hear of daily of all nations, and some (which I shame and grieve to say) of our own, who yeild to receive cir∣cumcision, and to renounce their Saviour? Oh the lamentable con∣dition of those distressed Christi∣ans▪ If constant to their professio they live in a perpetual purgato∣ry of torment; If revolting, they run into the danger of an everla∣sting damnation in hel; Even this gentle restraint puts me into the meditatiō of their insupportable durance; Why doe not all Chri∣stian hearts bleed with the sense of their deplorable estate? why is not our compassion height∣ned, according to the depth of their perill, and misery?

What are our bowels made of, if they yearn not at their un∣expressible

calamity? Ye rich Merchants, under whose imploy∣ment many of these poor souls have thus unhappily miscarried, how can you blesse your selves in your bags, whiles you see the members of Christ your Saviour, thus torn from him, for want of a petty ransome? Ye eminent persons whom God hath ad∣vanced to power and greatness, how can you sleep quietly upon your pillows, whiles you think of the cold and hard lodgings, the hungry bellies, the naked and waled backs of miserable Christians? Lastly, what fervent prayers should we all, that pro∣fesse the dear name of Christ, powre out unto the God of hea∣ven for the strengthning of the faith and patience of these affli∣cted souls against the assaults of violence? and for their happy and speedy deliverance out of their wofull captivity?