The History of Korah, Title page – To the reader
THE HISTORIE of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, &c. Numb. 16. Chap.
Applied to the Prelacy Miniſterie and Church-aſſemblies of England.
By Mr Iohn Penry, a Martyr of Ieſus Christ.
Numb. 16.26. And Moſes ſpake vntounto the Congregation, ſaying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of theſe wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, least ye periſh in all their ſinnes.
Rev. 18.4. And I heard another voyce from heaven ſay, Go out of Babylon, my people, that ye be not partakers in her ſinnes, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Imprinted in the yeare, 1609.
The Publiſher to the Reader.
THere comming to my hands (Christian reader) the copie of this treatiſe following, (wherof many copies have paſſed abroad in writing) I thought good (weying well the matter vndertaken, & the partie by whom it was written,) to publiſh the ſame, to the further view of the world. And chiefly for the good of my country: which all true ſubiects are bound by all good meanes to ſeek and advance.
The ſubiect of this book, or matter undertaken, is; A declaration of th'estate of the Church and Ministery of Engl. compared with Corah, Dathan, Abiram, their Tents and conſpiracie, against Moſes and Aaron, Num. 16. chap. Which therefore all in whom the true fear of God is, ought carefully to look vntounto and examine: For we ſhould trie all things, and keep that which is good. And they who never examine the things charged to be evil and out of order in that Church, must needs be ignorant, whether their estate therin be good or evill. But if they cōſider that ignorance will not excuſe them, it behooveth all to take knowledge: whom I hartely wiſh to lay aſide all partialitie, and with indifferent mindes to weigh things well, trying them by the rule of Gods word, that whatſoever therby is required of them, they may reſolve to do it; although it turne to the loſſe of all worldly pleaſures and preferments: knowing that we have here but a ſhort time, and our God hath reſerved for vsus a more induring ſubstance and richer inheritance in the kingdome of heaven, if in obedience we ſubmit vntounto him, and in faith and pacience do wayt vponupon him.
Touching the authour, Mr Iohn Penry by name; he was a godly man, learned, zealous, & of a most Chriſtiā cariage & courage: & (as he *In his Apologie.ſaith of himſelf) borne and bred in the mountaines of Wales. And wel known it is, that with all godly care & labour he endeavoured to have the Goſpell preached and planted among his poore countrymen, whoſe caſe he greatly pittied & had compaſsion of, in that they wanted the meanes of ſalvation among them. After all this, God vſing him as a further instrument for the more clear manifestation of the truth; he was hardly intreated, impriſoned, condemned and executed; & ſo ſuffred Martyrdome for the name of Christ. Being adiudged at the Kings bench by Sir Iohn Popham Knight, Lord cheif Iustice of England, and the reſt of the Iudges there aſſembled, the 25. of the 5. month called May, and executed at Thomas a Waterings by London, the 29. of the ſame month, in the year of our Lord, 1593.
And here let the Reader obſerve, that he was not executed the next day after the iudgement, as it was expected; nor the ſecond, nor third day after; but when men least looked for the ſame, then was he brought forth being at dynner (as I have heard) by a warrant vnderunder the hands of the *Iohn Whitgift.Archbiſhop of Cāterbury, & of Sir Iohn Puckering Knight, Lord Keeper of the great ſeale, and Sir Iohn Popham aforeſaid, being then Lord chief Iustice of England, and the matter being caried after a cloſe manner, was ſodeinly conveyed to the place of execution; where he was as hastily bereaved of his life, and not ſuffred (though he deſired it) to make declaration of his faith towards God, or of his allegiance to her Maiestie. Which m…ner of dealing I thought good to note here by the way, that it might be knowen, and eſteemed of all according as it deſerveth.
Furthermore concerning this treatiſe, whether he had finiſhed the whol, or was taken & intercepted, when he had thus far proceeded in it, or what he would further have done about it, I know not. Wherfore if others have more of it, they ſhall do wel to impart it to the world, as I have done this which came to my hands. In the mean time I wiſh all to make good vſe of this part now printed, & they vntounto whoſe hands it ſhal come, to enterteyn it as a poore Orphane, who is left as it were Fatherles, by the authours vntimely death, procured by the Prelates: who as vncleane ſpirits like frogges (croaking about Kings Courts) do ſtir vp the Magiſtrates & Rulers of the earth, Rev. 16.13.14.to make warre against Gods Saintes. Whereas theſe ſhould rather hearken to that which God ſpeaketh vntounto them in his word ſaying, Be wiſe now therefore, ye Kings: be learned, ye Iudges of the earth: Serve the Lord in feare and rejoyce in trembling: Kiſſe the ſonne, leaſt he be angry, and ye periſh in the way, when his wrath ſhall ſuddenly burne. Bleſſed are all they that truſt in him. Pſal. 2.10.11.12.