A Breviary of All the Greatest Persecutions, Part 1
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,Gen. 3. 5. 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 onelyonly 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, Gen. 4. 8.whoſe brothers bloud
To heaven for vengeance cry'd, and cry'd aloud:
Did not curs'd Ham his naked Father mock,Gen. 9. 22.
(A graceleſs branch, ſprung from a righteous ſtock.)
Did not the Sodomites deride Juſt Lot?Gen. 19. 9.
And ſpurious Iſhm'el I ſaac, Gen. 21. 9.did he not?
Jacob rough Eſau hates;Gen. 27. 41. young Joſeph's ſold
To lſhma' itiſh Merchants;Gen. 37. 4. and behold
Oppreſſed Iſr'el, Exo. 1. 11, &c.how their ſhoulder grones
Beneath their maſſy loads,Exo. 1. 15, 16. 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;Exo. 1. 22. drown'd they muſt be in ſepemfluous Nile.
Breaſt-hardned Phar'oh, Exo. 2. 15.what did Moſes do
VVorthy thy wrath?Exo. 2. 14. and may not Iſr'el go
From thy enſlaving hands, but bear the print
Thy ſcourges leave?Iudg. 3. 8. 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,Judg. 6. 3, 4. and hide themſelves
In dens and caves, from perſecuting Elves:
And when Gods bounty fertiliz'd their land,1 ſam. 13. 6, 7.
All was deſtroyed by the Midian band:Judg. 6. 2.
The Philiſtins thirty four thouſand ſlay
Of them,Judg. 10. 8. and carryed Gods Ark away;
A Smith in Iſrael could not be found
To fit their inſtruments to till the ground,Judg. 13. 1.
The land was ſo enſlav'd; they rather choſe,1 ſam. 4. 2. 10, 11.
Then ſtarve,1 ſam. 13. to be behoiding to their foes.
VVith his keen javelin,veſ. 19. 20. ſpirit-haunted Saul
Aſſay'd to ſtick up David' gainſt the wall.1 ſam. 19 &c.
Prophetick David, 2 ſam 16. 5, 6,with a patient ear,
Did Shimei's railing accuſations bear.
Egyptian Shiſhak prov'd Jerus'lems rod,1 King. 14. 25, 26.
And took the treaſures from the houſe of God.
And (which is ſtrange) good Aſa's ſpirit riſen
Againſt Gods Prophet,2 Chr. 16. 10. caſts him into priſon.
Ahab hates Micah.2 Chro. 18. 25, 26. In Jehoſaphat
His reign, the Church of God was ſtormed at.
Elijah, 2 Chron. 20. 23.was deſpis'd by Jezabel,
By whom ſo many holy Prophets fell.1 King. 19. 2.
Eliſha ſuffers; in Jehor ams reign
Judak's oppreſs'd.1 King. 18. 13. Good Zechariah's ſlain
By Joaſh, 2 King. 6. 31.for's reproof. Iſrael's, King
Thouſands of Judah ſlew, did thouſands bring
Into captivity.2 Chro. 21. 16, 17. Poor Judah pines
By th' Edomites, Aſſyrians, Philiſtines.
The Prophet Eſay by Manaſſes Law,2 Chro. 24. 21.
Was ſawn in ſunder with a wooden ſaw.2 Chro. 28. 8.
And Jeremiah after ſlandrous mocks,
VVas beaten ſore,2 Chro. 28. 17, 18, 20. and put into the ſtocks.
Then was he (liberty deny'd him) flung
Into the myry dungeon,Joſephus. Jer. 18. 18. where he clung;
At laſt drag'd thence,Jer. 20. 2. into th' Egyptian land
He needs muſt go,Jer. 37. 15. the Captains him command:
And his Thren-odes thoſe pious Elegies,Jer. 38. 6.
Lament the falling Churches miſeries.Jer. 43. 6, 7.
Nebuchanezzar in a rage doth throw
Shadrach, Dan. 3. 23.and Meſhech, and Abednego
Into the furnace hot: By wicked men
Daniel is caſt into the Lyons Den.Dan. 6. 26.
Proud Haman perſecutes poor Mordecay,Eſther. 3. 13.
And a decree procures, that in one day
Gods people ſhould be killed murth' rouſly.
The Jews returning from captivity,Ezra 4. 4.
Judah's diſturb'd and oppoſition's found
When they would raiſe Gods Temple from the ground:
Build it they do:Neh. 6. 2. though men and devils conjoyne
They'r Powers,verſ. 6, &c. they cannot fruſtrate Gods deſigne.
SECT. II.
The Perſecution of the Church from Nehemiah to Antiochus his time; and alſo under Antiochus 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 onelyonly 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*Eleazer. 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 onelyonly 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 mentioned 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*Bulimia. 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.Mat. 14. 10
Peter and John reſtor'd a man born lame,Act. 4. 1, 17.
Preach'd Chriſt, and were impriſon'd for the ſame.
The High-prieſts and the Sadduces up-riſenAct. 5. 18, 19.
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,verſ. 26, 27 for divulging Chriſt,
Re-apprehended were,verſ. 40. beaten, diſmiſt.
Falſe witneſſes ſuborned,Act. 6. 11. holy Steven
Did through a Stony-volley go to heaven.Cha. 7. 58.
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.Act. 9. 23.
James is beheaded:Act. 12. 2. 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, Act. 14. 19.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.