The spirit of the martyrs revived in a brief compendious collection of the most remarkable passages and living testimonies of the true church, seed of God, and faithful martyrs in all ages: contained in several ecclesiastical histories & chronological accounts of the succession of the true church from the creation, the times of the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

TO THE READER.

Reader

I Have hear Collected and brought together that which hath been scattered in divers great Vollums, writ by several Authors, judg∣ing these my Labours may prove more profitable to such who have a desire to be informed in these things; those great Books being too Vo∣luminous, and costly for the generality to read or buy; I have therefore for the sake of such who have but little leisure, and cannot read much, brought the History of these things into a nearer compass, that so the meanest capacity may easily comprehend the Lords dealings with the Sons of men in all Generations; and my chief aim in this work, is, for the good and information of all People, that they may see how the Lord preserved his Church in all times, and what great things he hath done for them, who led the Ancient Fathers, Patriarchs, Pro∣phets, and Apostles by his mighty Power, in which they served and worshipped him, whereby they left a sweet Savour behind them, as the Reader may see at large in the ensuing Treatise, which containeth a Cloud of Witnesses to the Lords Work, and Power. And though these Testimonies may be slighted and dis-esteemed by the sensual wis∣dom which is from below; yet I know it will be acceptable, and a confirming and strengthening to the Faith of some who are Innocent and Upright to the Lord, and have a delight in reading and meditating upon his Wayes, and of his tender dealings with his Church and People, who in all Ages preserved his little Remnant whom he rai∣sed up as righteous Branches to bring forth Fruits of Holiness in the middest of a perverse Generation: And on the other hand the Reader many see, in this ensuing Tract, Satan's cruelty, the great Enemy to mans good, who hath in all Ages used all his Power to stop the in∣crease and growth of this holy Seed, by Persecuting, Murdering and Destroying their Bodies, and using his utmost indeavours by Cruelties to stop the least good Inclination that might at any time stir in any; and this hath been the work of the Evil one ever since he got footing in mens hearts, he hath alwayes sought to extinguish the Work of God, and hath deceived Nations, and all the World wondered after the Beast; and John in his time saw a Terrible Day was to come on the In∣habitants of the Earth, for the Devil was come down having, great Wrath; and when the Dragon saw that he was cast into the Earth he Persecuted the Woman, which brought forth the Man Child & the Woman fled into the Wilderness for a time and times and half a time, and the Earth helped the Woman, and the Earth opened her Mouth

and swollowed up the Flood, which the Dragon cast out of his Mouth; and the Dragon was Wrath with the Woman, and went to make War with the Remnant of her Seed, which kept the Commandments of God, and have the Testimonies of Jesus Christ, but they overcame by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Testimony; and the Lord still preserv'd a Remnant that bow'd not their knees to Baal: And the Lord said, David shall never want'a man to sit upon the Thrown of the House of Israel; and this hath been fulfilled in that the Lord hath from time to time raised up his Living Witnesses, both to testifie to, and suffer for his Name and Truth, as will appear in this Book, to which I refer the Reader for satisfaction, and remain a Lover of all the Upright in Heart,

Ellis Hookes.