A Description of the New Heaven, Epigraph

A Description of the New Heaven · Epigraph

Pſalm, 139. 7-10.

From ſight of thy all-ſeeing Spirit,

Lord, whither ſhall I goe?

Or whither ſhall I fly away,

thy Preſence to ſcape fro?

To Heaven if I mount aloft,

loe Thou art preſent there:

In Hell if I lie down below,

even there Thou doſt appear.

Yea, let me take the morning wings,

and let me goe and hide:

Even there where are the fartheſt parts,

where flowing Sea doth ſlide.

Yea even thither alſo ſhall

thy reaching Hand me guide:

And thy Right hand ſhall hold me faſt,

and make me to abide.

In Enarratione hujus Pſalmi, col. 1593. Nemo trepidet: ſed memo de Pennis ſais praeſumat. Opus eſt ut habeamus pennas; & Opus eſt ut Ipſe deducat. Adjutor enim noſter est: Affirmat

AURELIUS AUGUSTINUS.

p. 1SOME FEW LINES Towards a deſcription of the NEW HEAVEN

NOT to begin to be; and ſo not to be limited by the concernments of Time, and Place; is the Prerogative of GOD alone. But as it is the Priviledge of Creatures, that GOD has given them a beginning: ſo to deny their actions, or them, the reſpect they bear to Place, and ſucceſſive duration, is, under a pretence of Promotion, to take away their very Being. Yet notwithſtanding, ſome Things have had this to glory of; that they have been time out of mind; and their Continuance refuſes to be meaſured by the memory of Man. Whereas New England, and Boſton of the Maſſachuſets have this to make mention of; that they can tell their Age; and account it their Honour to have their Birth, and Parentage kept in everlaſting Remembrance. And in very deed, the Families, and Churches which firſt ventured to follow Chriſt thorow the Atlantick Ocean, into a ſtrange Land, full of wild men, were ſo Religious; their End ſo Holy; their Selfdenyal in purſuing of it, ſo Extraordinary; that I can't but hope that the Plantation has thereby gaind a very ſtrong Craſis; and that it will not be of one or two, or three Centuries only; but very long laſting. Some who peremptorily conclude that Aſia muſt afford ſituation for New-Jeruſalem, are of the mind, when that divine City comes to be built, the Commodities of It will be ſo inviting as will drain diſconſolate America of all Its Chriſtian Inhabitants, as not able to brook ſo remote a diſtance from the beloved City. But if Aſia ſhould be again thus highly favored, and the eldeſt daughter be ſtill made the darling; yet 'tis known there will be a River, the Streams whereof ſhall make glad the City of God. The Correſpondence, and Commerce of the little cities, and villages in the three Kingdoms, and Plantations, do make LONDON glad. And ſo it will be with New Jeruſalem: the Nations of them which are ſaved, ſhall walk in the light of it: and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and p. 2honour into it. New Jeruſalem will not ſtraiten, and enfeeble; but wonderfully dilate, and invigorate Chriſtianity in the ſeveral Quarters of the World; in Aſia, in Africa, in Europe, and in America. And one that has been born, or but liv'd in America, between thirty, and fourty years; it may be pardonable for him to ask, Why may not that be the place of New Jeruſalem? Problematical Queſtions do circulate;…e, Epiſt. …. 979. and this was ſet up by Dr. Twiſſe above threeſcore years ago; the newneſs of it in its return after ſo coſiderable a ſpace of time, will, I hope, render it gratefull; or at leaſt, will procure leave for one, with a little alteration, to enquire, Why may not New-Spain be the place of New Jeruſalem? Its being part of the New World, one would think, carries with it no contradiction thereunto. Places are uſually called new from the newneſs of their ſituation; and not from their being built anew; as New-Spain, New England, New-London. For certain, If Mr. Eliot's Opinion prove true; viz. that the aboriginal Natives of America are of Jacob's Poſterity, part of the long ſince captivated Ten Tribes; and that their Brethren the Jews ſhall come unto them; the diſpute will quickly be at an end. Manaſſeh Ben Iſrael is ſaid to have publiſhed a book entituled, The hope of Iſrael, endeavouring to prove this Poſition. For my own part, what Mr. Downam, and Mr. Thorowgood have written on this head, ſeems to be of far more weight with me than what Hornius, or any other that I have ſeen, have gueſs'd to the contrary. Mr. Eliot was wont to ſay The New-Engliſh Churches are a preface to the New Heavens: and if ſo, I hope the preface and Book will be bound up together, and this Mexican Continent ſhall comprehend them both. Who can tell, but that David may thus fetch a compaſs behind his Antichriſtian enemies and come upon them over againſt the Mulberry trees, and utterly deſtroy them by the brightneſs of his coming? Who can tell but that Chriſt may in this manner expoſe the lewd fondneſs of the Unholy War, and happily umpire the Difference about the holineſs of Places by cauſing New Jeruſalem to come down from God out of Heaven, upon that Earth wherein Satan, for many Ages, has peaceably poſſeſſed an entire, and far more large empire than any where elſe in the whole world beſides? No body doubts but that our Saviour can enter into this ſtrong man's houſe, bind him, and ſpoil his goods: Let us wait till He revive us by ſaying, I am willing. If I miſtake not we have a warrant ſufficient enough to encourage us unto a perſeverance in hoping, and waiting upon God for this Salvation.

Ask of me, and I ſhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the Uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion.

Of all the parts of the world, which do from this Charter, entitle p. 3themſelves to the Government of Chriſt, America's plea, in my opinion, is the ſtrongeſt. For when once Chriſtopher Columbus had added this fourth to the other three parts of the foreknown World; they who ſailed farther Weſtward, arriv'd but where they had been before. The Globe now failed of offering any thing New to the adventurous Travailer: Or however, it could not afford another new World. And probably, the coſideration of America's being the Beginning of the Eaſt, and the End of the West; was that which moved Columbus to call ſome part of it by the Name of Alpha and Omega. Peter M Decad. 1. p. 13Now if the Last ADAM did give Order for the engraving of his own Name upon this last Earth: 'twill draw with it great Conſequences; even ſuch as will, in time, bring the poor Americans out of their Graves, and make them live.

Thou ſhalt break them with a rod of iron, thou ſhalt daſh them in pieces like a potters veſſel.

'Twas moſt awfull to ſee, or but to hear of Chriſt's Spaniſh-Iron Rod walking amongſt the earthen pots; whereby great Kingdoms, and Empires were quickly broken to ſhivers, with many millions of their ſubjects; unto whom both defenſive, & offenſive Iron was unknown, which made the deadly impreſſions of their Enemies weapons, and the inefficacy of their own, ſurpriſing to amazement. It is to be noted, that the Pots wherein they boiled their fiſh, and fleſh, &c. were made of earth; as alſo innumerable other veſſels: moſt were enjoind to uſe no other. By this means the Potters trade was in principal demand among them: which renders this Metaphor very agreeable. In the computation of Time made by the Mexican Nation, their greateſt Period conſiſted of Fifty two Years; which they call'd a VVheel. Upon the laſt night of every Wheel they uſed to break all their Veſſels, and ſtuff; and put out their fire, ſaying that the World ſhould end at the finiſhing of one of theſe Wheels, and it might be at that time. Upon this conceipt they paſſed the night in great fear, and watched very carefully for the day. But when they ſaw the day begin to break, they preſently beat many Drumms, ſounded Cornets, Flutes, and other Inſtruments of Joy, ſaying, that God did yet prolong the time with another Age. And then began another Wheel, on the firſt day whereof they went to the high prieſt and took new fire, and bought new Veſſels. Joſeph Accſta, lib. 6. cap. 2. When the Spaniards came, they took theſe miſerable Potters themſelves, and daſh'd them in pieces one againſt another. Holy Hilary, in his Expoſition of the ſecond Pſalm, is exceedingly concernd, leſt there ſhould be any imputation of Ingratitude to our LORD, upon the account of his ſeiſing upon his Inheritance in ſuch a manner, as preſently p. 4to break it in pieces with an iron Rod. But he quiets himſelf in this; that it is in order to Reſtauration, and Reformation.

Be wiſe now therefore, O ye kings: be inſtructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiſs the Son, &c.

They who will not take warning by Beiſhazzar, and Motezuma; and will not learn, in all their Adminiſtrations, to glorifie the God in whoſe hand their breath is, and whoſe are all their ways; they muſt expect to come to worſe ends than they did. Great Motezuma, who laboured to be worſhiped as a god. No plebeian might look him in the face; if he did, he was puniſhed with death. He did never ſet his ſoot on the ground; but was always carried on the ſhoulders of Noblemen; and if he lighted, they laid rich Tapeſtry whereon he might go. When he made any Voyage, he and the Noblemen went as it were in a Park compaſſed in for the nonce; and the reſt of the people went without the Park. He never put on a Garment twice; nor did eat, or drink in one Veſſel, or Diſh above once; all muſt be new. He uſed to be attended by Noblemen barefoot. This Motezuma, of whoſe bloody Pride, and Luxury he knew no bounds; was at laſt impriſoned in his own Palace by his unwelcom Gueſts; was hated by his ſubjects; covertly and baſely ſlain; ſo that tis yet controverted, whether Spaniards, or Indians were the authors of his death. But howſoever, Motezuma died miſerably, and paid his deſerts to the juſt judgment of our Lord of heaven, for his Pride, and Tyranny: His body falling into the Indians power, they would make him no Obſequies of a King; no not of an ordinary perſon: but caſt it away in great diſdain, and rage. A ſervant of his having pity of this king's miſery, made a fire thereof, & put the aſhes in a contemptible place. Acoſta, lib. 7. cap. 22, 26.

Some judicious and learned Divines have conjectured that America is propheſied of in the thirty ſeventh of Ezekiel, under the denomination of a Valley. Certainly, no part of the habitable World, can ſhew more Bones; or bones more dry, than theſe vaſt Regions do. Mr. Downam thinks that Mr. Eliot's taking his Text from thence when he firſt preached to the Indians, has its weight. His Appendix to the Letters from New-England, is well worth the reading. The Prophet is ſaid to be carried out in the ſpirit: and for ought I know, he might be carried beyond the limits of the then known World.

Dan. 11.45. And he ſhall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the ſeas in the glorious holy Mountain; yet he ſhall come to his end, and none ſhall help him.

p. 5The complexion of this portion of Scripture is ſuch, as conſtrains me to imagin, that the place deſigned by the Holy Spirit, is no other than America. Every word almoſt, has an emphaſis carrying in it, to me, the perſwaſion of this ſence. They who remove from one Land to another, there to dwell; that ſettlement of theirs is call'd a Plantation. Eſpecially, when a Land, before rude and unfurniſh'd, is by the New-comers repleniſhed with uſefull Arts, Vegetables, Animals. Thus when in the year 1492. 1492Chriſtopher Columbus had opened the way, the Spaniards planted themſelves in the ſpatious Regions of America; and, too much, planted Antichriſtianiſme in the room of Heatheniſme. Tabernacles] So called from the movableneſs of their condition, and ſhortneſs of their continuance. As Tents, they were lately ſet up; and, notwithſtanding all their Praemunitions, ſo far as they are Antichriſtian, they ſhall be taken down before it be long, by the immovable Counſel and Providence of God.

Palace] The Extent, Riches, and Pomp of the Mexican, and Peruvian Empires, are very great:Bellarmin. … notis Eccleſi. ad Notam Quartam, … Nonam. Inſomuch that when the Church of Rome met with Loſſes in Europe, they pleaſed themſelves with their Gains in the New-World. They glory in the many Churches they have planted there; which are, they ſay, without all mixture of Hereticks. If with Mr. Nicholas Fuller, Miſcel. ſacr. lib. 5. cap. 18. we take this word to ſignifie Equile Regium, Horſe Guards; It will ſtill look upon America. The Reputation the Spaniards Horſes gave them, did much contribute towards their prodigious Conqueſts. And after above threeſcore dangerous battels, Mexico was at laſt taken upon Hippolytus day; Auguſt, 13. 1521. Since which time, Horſes, 1521that were never ſeen there before, are one of the four Fair Things of that Citie.

Between the Seas] The middle Provinces of the New World, governed by the Vice Roys of Mexico, and Peru, are known to lye between two of the moſt wide, and famous Seas of the whole World. The American Inhmus; reſpecting its own narrowneſs, and the bold approaches of the huge Ocean on either ſide, does command the title of Nonſuch. America it ſelf, and they who paſs thether, are ſo much concernd with the Sea, that Peter Martyr ſtiled his Hiſtory, Decads of the Ocean. And in the general Hiſtory of Spain, part of the King's Title is; The Iſlands, and firm Land of the Ocean Sea. Grimeſton, p. 1234. in the glerious holy Mountain] Ingenious Joſeph Accſta lib. 3. cap. 19. ſpeaking of New-Spain, hath theſe words, Which without douct, is the beſt Province the Sun doth circle. And Mr. Gage, in his faithfull Relations, cap. 12. p. 134 ſpeaks of its Excellency in this manner, There is nothing in Mexico, and about it, wanting which may make a City happy. And certainly, had thoſe that p. 6have ſo much extolled with their pens the parts of Granada in Spain; Lombardy, and Florence, in Italy, making them the earthly Paradiſe; had they been acquainted with the New World, and with Mexico, they would have recanted their untruths. O that the Lord were truly worſhipped where He hath poured forth the Treaſures of his Goodneſs for the children of men! O that in that Eden, the tempting and enticing Serpent were not ſo much obeyed in the uſe of the fair ſeeming apple of Pleaſures; and the LORD that hath enriched it with ſuch Varieties, ſo much neglected! The difficulty attending this conſtruction, lyes in the word [holy] which may be intended by way of Anticipation. What place more infamous for Unholineſs than Canaan? and yet it is ſaid Exod. 15 13, 17. Thou in thy mercy haſt led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy ſtrength unto thy Holy habitation. Thou ſhalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thy inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou haſt made for thee to dwell in: in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have establiſhed.

Neither is this altogether diſſonant from excellent Calvin's Commentary. For that which remains of the Roman grandeur, is ſhared between the Emperour of Germany, and the Pope: and they both contributed towards the planting theſe Tabernacles. Pope Alexander the ſixth (that horrible Monſter) by his Bull or Donation dated 1493. quarto Nonas Maij; and Charles the fifth, by his Expence, and Royal Authority. They alſo that do govern in America, are not Kings, but Vice Roys, anſwerable to Calvin's Proconſuls. And 'tis not Mexico, and Lima; but Madrid, and Rome, that are the original, and principal Seats of the Government. Take a Specimen of Antichriſts inevitable coming to his End, in the death of Roderick Borgia, afterward Pope Alexander the ſixth; taken almoſt word for word, out of Onuphrius in the Life of that Pope, and out of Guicciardin, lib. 5. p. 235, 236. It is moſt certain, ſaith he, that in his father and in him; Caeſar Borgia Duke Valentynois, were natural cuſtoms to uſe Poiſon; not only to be revengd of their Enemies, or to be aſſured of Suſpicions: but alſo upon a wicked Covetouſneſs, to diſpoil Rich Men of their Goods; whether they were Cardinals, or Courtiers; altho they had never don them wrong; as happened to the Cardinal St. Ange, who was very Rich. This manner of Rage they would uſe alſo againſt their greateſt Friends and Familiars, and ſuch as had been their moſt faithfull ſervants; ſuch as were the Cardinals of Capua, and Modeno: a Recompence unworthy the merits of good men; and not diſagreeable to the diſpoſition of ſuch a Father, and ſon; whereof the one made all things lawfull by vile Diſpenſation p. 7and with the other, nothing was diſhoneſt wherein was Opportunity to his purpoſes. Upon the 17th of Auguſt, anno 1503. a Banquet of Wine was made in the Arbour of the Vatican [ad umbroſum Vaticoni ruris fontem] for the poiſoning of Adrian Ca dinal of Cornette, or of ſome of the Richeſt Senators, as Onuphrius has it. Valentynois ſent before, certain flagons with Wine infected with Poiſon; which he gave to a ſervant that knew nothing of the matter, commanding that no perſon ſhould touch them. The Pope coming by adventure, ſomwhat before the Supper, and overcome with the Drought, and immoderate heat of the time, calld for drink: and becauſe his own proviſion was not yet brought from the Palace, he that had the infected Wine in charge, thinking it to be commended to his keeping for a wine moſt excellent, gave the Pope to drink of the ſame wine which Vatentynois had ſent: who arriving whileſt his father was drinking, drank alſo of the ſame wine; being but juſt, that they both ſhould taſte of the ſame Cup which they had brewed for the deſtruction of others. Valentinois, by the vigour and ſtrength of his Youth, and ready Help of ſtrong Meditines, and Counterpoiſons, had his Life ſaved; remaining notwithſtandig, oppreſſed with a long and grievous Sickneſs. But his father the Pope being aged, and unable long to endure the ſtrength of the poiſon, died the next day, Aug. 18th in the Vatican at Rome, in the 71th year of his Age, and the eighth day of the twelfth Year of his Popedom. The Corps was borne into the Church of St Peter, black, ſwolne, and moſt deformed. All the Town of Rome ran with great gladneſs to St Peters, about the dead body of the Pope, their eyes not being ſatisfied to ſee dead & deſtroyd a Serpent, who with his immoderat Ambition, & poiſoned Infidelity, together with all the horrible Examples of Cruelty, Luxury, and monſtrous Covetouſneſs; ſelling without diſtinction, both holy things and profane things, had infected the whole World. Thus far Guicciardin in that place. In the Death of this Planter God hath given Earneſt, aſſuring us that He will in the fitteſt Seaſon, utterly ro…t up the whole papal Plantation, ſo as none ſhall be able to Help them.

The cognation that there is between this Propheſie, and that of the Revelation, is ſo great, as occaſioned Mede to anſwer, I conceive Daniel to be Apocalypſis contracta: p 964. It will not therefore be incongruous to paſs immediatly thether, without any other Tranſition.

Rev. 6.8.

And I looked, and behold, a pale horſe; and his name that ſat on him was Death, and hell followed with him: and power was given to them over the Fourth part of the earth, to kill with ſword, and with p. 8hunger, and with death, and with the beaſts of the earth.

The Four Quarters of the World ſeem to be reproſented by Four Animals; Aſia, by the Lion; Africa, by the Call; Europe, by the Man, and America, by the Eagle. Accordingly, the four firſt Seals ſeem to be Local; each of them chiefly, or firſtly regarding what was to be done in ſome One Quarter of the World. So that Aſia was to be the principal ſtage of the Firſt Seal; Africa, of the Second; Europe, of the Third, and America, of the Fourth. America is fitly repreſented by an Eagle, which Royal Bird is very frequent there, and was once the Standard of the Mexican Empire; the unparalleld Miſeries whereof, and of the New World are here deſcribed. And there is no Verſe in the whole Bible doth ſo pathetically, and with ſo much Amplitude, and Variety foretell the Deſtruction of Men: So wide, and deep the Meaſure needed to be, that was to contain the Blood, and Slaughter of America! If there may be any accommodation in that, the Colour**Stephanus, …retius, …areus. of this Horſe is much like the Colour of the Indians. And altho it ſeem an oddity in Beza's Tranſlation ſet forth Anno 1556. to make the Rider feminine; yet it may ſerve to put one in mind that this tragical Scene was firſt opened by the Magnanimous, and Modeſt Iſabella Queen of Caſtile. From the death of this gracious Queen, which fell out Anno 1504. the American Deſtructions are obſerved to bear Date.

Hell followed &c.] This is added by way of horrid Aggravation, being a moſt diſmal Exemplification of that Proverb, Where there is no Viſion, the people periſh. Dr. Fulk in his Praelections publiſhed 1573. ſpeaks thus, Sequitur autem mortem Infernus, …ne Corporum tantum haec lues eſſe cenſeatur: ſed quam aeterna Animae mors, & tormenta Inferm conſequantur. Et corporis quidem mortem Infernus ſemper ſequitur, niſi in ijs ſolum quibus morte Chriſti retuſus est aculeus mortis. Mr. Arthur Dent, Anno. 1603. For aſſuredly, Hell doth always follow the death of the body, excepting thoſe only whom Chriſt hath delivered from Hell and Damnation, by the power of his Death. All theſe periſhed without Faith, and without Sacraments, is the dolefull Epiphonema which Bartholomew de las Caſas often makes, where he gives an account of Twenty Millions Slain, Leſtroyd, and ſent to Hell by Spaniſh Cruelties. The Grave has nothing to do here. Multitudes of the ſlaughtered Indians had no other Grave than the Bellies of Men, Spaniſh Dogs, and wild Beaſts. In ſeveral places of this very Province,… One in …, left a… N. Engl …rial p 23 about the Year 1618. there was ſuch a Plague among the Natives, that the living were not able to bury the dead; by which means the ground became ſtrawed with their Bones.

Fourth part] It is the Field, and not the Proportion of the ſlain, that p. 9is here deſignd: the Jurisdiction of the Deſtroyers is delineated in thoſe words, Upon the Fourth part of the Earth, i. e. Upon, or over America. What ever Variation there may be in reckoning the other parts of the World; yet America always obtains the Fourth place, as not only laſt, but very lately diſcovered to the reſt. The Quaternion of Evils here ſpecified, are notoriouſly known to have Ranged over this Earth. Dr. Whitaker affirms that no Hiſtories make mention of ſo great Tyranny,Beſides the own bloody Maſſacres, Wars, Sacrifices. as the Spaniards exerciſed over the Indians De notis Eccleſiae, p. 505. And Amandus Polanus in his Commentary upon Daniel, doth very largely, and pathetically deſcribe this Deſolating Abomination. Vide cap. 11. 31. p. 1067, 68, 69, 70. Neither need one ſalve the laſt Inſtance by a Metaphor: the Indians, to ſhun the Spaniards, fled from their delightfull habitations by the Seaſide, and betook themſelves to the mountainous Deſerts, where the Tigers met with them, and devourd them. And the Spaniſh Dogs killd, and eat Multitudes of them: which might help to ſharpen Mr. Mede's Pen, and cauſe him to ſay, Chriſt our Lord ſends his Maſtives, the Spaniards, to hunt them out, and worry them: which they did in ſo hideous a manner, as the like thereunto ſcarce ever was done, ſince the Sons of Noah came out of the Ark. Epiſt. 43.

The following Seal did for many Years, ſeem to make againſt the forementioned Applications, as altogether out of Time: But within theſe few Months, It ſeemd rather to offer Arguments for them. For the Propheſie doth not ſay when the Martyrs were ſlain, but when they were ſeen. Now if the Fifth Seal be concluded with the Year 311, or 325. the Antichriſtian Perſecution, the longeſt, and moſt grievous of all, will be wholly excluded. Whereas John was ſo poſted, as that he might look backward all along to the beginning; and forward all along, to the end of Martyrdom. The eleventh Verſe alſo ſeems to intimate that, meaſuring from this Moment, much more of the time of Perſecution was paſt, than was now to come: Yet for a little ſeaſon, may be underſtood in Compariſon with what was already paſt. Upon the whole, I humbly crave leave to offer, whether the Year 1572, or 1573. 1572may not be the Article of Time intended for this Proſpect? Upon the ſuppoſition that Four of the Seals are Local, twas moſt orderly and methodical to place them all together; tho ſome paſſages of the Fifth might have an earlier commencement, than ſome of them. The Four Parts of the World are as ſo many Colledges founded, & endowed for the ſetting forth of the Glory of God. Chriſt had beſpoke Witneſſes in every one of them; and therefore New-Colledge alſo is firſt mentioned, before the Fifth Seal bring in the whole Univerſity p. 10of Martyrs. under the altar] It is to be noted, that in the Year 1554. the Sacrament of the Altar began to kindle Fires upon the Engliſh Altars: and there Chriſt in his Members, was by Authority, Tried, Condemned, and publickly crucified, to a degree ſcarce equalled in any other Nation. The Excellency and Preciouſneſs of ſo many Voluntary Whole bornt Offerings, made the Pillars of Smoke, and Fire to aſcend on high, and to be taken notice of all the World over. And Mr. Fox prepared ſuch a golden Oyl to ſeed thoſe Flames; that they …ill do, and always will mount up, in perpetuam Rei memoriam. The London Faſhion was not approved of at Paris; neither, indeed, could it be follow'd: beſides that ſo long and tedious a Proceſs was a thing of too ſlow and dull a temper for that Climat- Bartholomaeus de las Caſas writ in the Year 1542. fearing leſt he ſhould incur guilt in concealing the Loſs of an infinite number, both of Souls and Bodies. Polanus ſaith, his Book was printed in Spaniſh, at Sevil, apud Sebaſtianum Trugillium, Anno 1552. He did with ſuch irreſiſtible Importunity repreſent the Outrages committed in the New World, as prevaild with the Emperour to ſend over Commiſſioners on purpoſe to See whether it was ſo, or no; and upon their Report, took a better Order, both for their temporal, and ſpiritual Eſtate: notwithſtanding a ſtrong Intereſt made againſt ſaid Caſas in the Court of Spain. Tis poſſible, theſe extraordinary Efforts; both in Speaking, Writing, and Printing may be ſignified by a more expreſs attribution of a Voice to the Fourth Animal. In the Year 1572. Paris it ſelf, and the Priſons in Lions, and over the Kingdom, were made the King's Slaughter-Houſes. They of the Reformd Religion were commanded thither, under a pretence of keeping them out of Harms way: And there within the Courts of the Priſons, the Butchers Ax and Knife, and Streams of Blood too, as much as might be, were kept out of ſight of the common people; for fear leſt Humanity ſhould have got the upper hand, and Roman-Catholicks ſhould have reſcud their Neighbours of the Reformation, from that monſtrous Exceſs of Barbarity. At Lions, the publick Executioner, and the Garriſon Souldiers innobled themſelves by refuſing to kill theſe Sheep thus brought into the Butchers Pen; tho commanded by the Governour. As Saul's Guard of old, ſo their Unfading Honour ſhall never be in danger of being out of Mind, by being out of Sight, ſo long as any Compoſitors and Preſs men ſhall be left alive. In this Maſſacre, the Place and Means of the Trepan, were ſo Eminent; the Nobility, Number, Worth of the Martyrs flain, ſo very Extraordinary, that the Cry thereof went up to Heaven, and the Noiſe of it made the whole Earth to p. 11Ring again. Polanus, to the Date of his Epiſtle before his Expoſition on Daniel, ſubjoins this Chronogram, composd in Remembrance of the Admiral, and of his Honourable Company of Martyrs; the numeral Letters whereo make 1572. in which Year, Auguſt, 24. being the Lord's Day, this Bloody Maſſacre was begun: BARTHOLOM AIDS FLET, QVJA GALLICOS OCC…BAT ATLAS.

The next Year, a Fair Account of this Foul Tragoedy, came forth in Print, bearing this Title,

DE FURORIBUS Gallicis, horrenda & indigna Amirallij Caſtillionei, Nobilium at que illuſtrium virorum caede, ſcelerata ac inaudita piorum ſtrage paſſim edita per complures Galliae civitates, ſine ullo diſcrimine generis, ſexus, aetatis & conditionis hominum: Vera & ſimplex Narratio. ERNESTO VARAMUNDO FRISIO AUCTORE. Vis conſili expers mole ruit ſua. LONDINI, Ex officina Henrici Bynneman. 1573.

This Hiſtory brings to mind Three American Martyrs, whoſe Love to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt appeard to be of Proof, whenas many Waters could not quench It, neither could the Floods drown It. In the Year 1555. Nicholas Durandus Villagagnon, … lib. 16. p. 500, 501.a Knight of Jeru. ſalem, one who had been imployd in great Buſineſs, a Learned, and able Man. He out of an eager deſire to get Riches, and Honour; did by the mediation of Gaſpar Colligny the Admiral forementioned, obtain a Licence of the King to ſet forth a Fleet, and carry the French Enſigns into the New World. Upon the 13th of November, he arrived at the capacious Harbour, which by the Portugals is called Januarius, being in about 23. degrees of Southern Latitude. The Fortreſs erected there, he called Colligni; and that he might the more curry favour with the Admiral, he confirmd the hopes he had given that it was a convenient place for propagating the pure Religigion; and petitioned that with his good leave he might ſend for ſome Divines from Geneva. And to that purpoſe, the next Year he writ to Calvin, who communicated it to the Elders; and after Conſultation upon the matter, two were choſen out of them; viz. Petrus Richerius, of fifty; and Guſielmus Quadrigarius, of thirty years of Age; who at the Requeſt of Vulagagnon, and Colligny, undertook the Voyage. To theſe many adjoined themſelves; and among them was Joannes Lerius. Philippus Corquillerius had the Conduct of the whole Company committed to him: He betook himſelf to Geneva for the ſake of p. 12Religion, and was known to Colligny, by whoſe Letters he was ſolicited to engage in this Affair, tending ſo much to the glory of God. At their Arrival in America, they were received with expreſſions of great Joy; and quickly after, their Church was formed according to the Coſ…itution, and Uſage of Geneva; Villagagnon going before them therein, and promiſing to ſubmit thereunto. About the 20th of March, the Lord's Supper was adminiſtred, Villagagnon himſelf being preſent. Afterward Controverſies prevailed among them by means of John Cointac a ſtudent of Sorbonne, who cut of a fond conceipt of his own Learning, was ambitious of a Superintendency over the other Miniſters. He was of ill manners, and ſuch a friend to Antichriſtian Non-Reſidency, as not to be aſham'd to hold a Benefice in France at the ſame time that he was ſuch a ſtickler at Braſil. He moved that Sacerdotal Garments might be provided, the Veſſels conſecrated, Bread unleavened, and the Wine mingled with Water, and the like. Richers in his Sermon, inveighed againſt theſe humane Inventions and thoſe that ſought to introduce them; at which Villagagnon was very angry, and ſilencd him: and, as is believed, being advis'd by a Letter from the Cardinal of Lorain, evil intreated the Geneva Miniſters, and wearied them out, and their Company; who with much ado, through innumerable dangers, and almoſt ſtarvd, at laſt got to France. They were about 18, or 20. Leagues at Sea, when they ſprung a Leak; and the moſt part of their Bread was damnified with the ſalt water: and they could hardly free the Ship by pumping. Whereupon, leſt they ſhould want proviſions for ſo long a Voyage, the Captain gave way to the deſire of five of the Paſſengers, to return aſhear in the Boat: which their Company regretted, for fear Villagagnon ſhould do them a diſpleaſure. But they reckoned themſelves ſafe, having not given him cauſe of Offence; but Obligation. And ſo with much grief on both ſides they took Leave; commending each other to the Keeping of God. Now being unprovided of Maſt, Sail, and all manner of Tackling for the Boat; and of Skill to manage it: twas with infinite difficulty and hazard, that they recovered the Land, and afterward, the Iſland and Fortreſs of Colligny. They ſpeedily preſented themſelves to Villagagnon, and acquainted him with the Danger occaſioning their Return: and prayd his Favour; foraſmuch as they choſe to dwell with their Countrymen; and not with Pertugals, or Indians: and had left their Wives and Children, to ſerve him in this remote Land; which they were ready to do to the uttermoſt of their power, untill they might have opportunity of returning to France. The Governour ſpake them fair; praiſed God for their Deliverance: and ſaid, that tho they left him upon diſcontent, p. 13and were now fallen into his power; yet he would leave Vengeance to God, and by no means deny them Entertainment. However, he refuſed to let them make the beſt of their boat, to buy Neceſſaries for recovery of their impaired health. And within a while, was filld with Jealouſies, leſt all they had ſaid was feigned; and that Corquillerius called du Pont, Richer and Company, with the help of thoſe gon to the River of Plate, upon notice given, would in one night ſurpriſe the Fort, and deſtroy him and his. Whether theſe Fears were real or pretended; he came to a reſolution to take them off as Traitors: But not finding how to make that Charge probable, he pitchd upon Religion, and drew up Articles for them to anſwer, as thinking ſuch Sacrifices would be very pleaſing to the Court. The French of the Continent perſwaded them not to give an account of their Faith to this Apoſtat Tyrant: but that they ſhould rather hide themſelves among the Portugals, or Indians. But they were of Opinion that God calld them to bear witneſs for Him, and accordingly, John Bordel, who exceeded the reſt in Learning and Grace, as well as in Age, drew up in writing a Confeſſion of Faith, containing an Anſwer to the Articles. This they all read often, and diſtinctly weighed each Article; and then all ſignd it. It begins thus: According to the Doctrine of St Peter the Apoſtle, in his firſt Epistle; all Chriſtians ought always to be ready to give an account of the Hope that is in them, &c.

The Concluſion of their Confeſſion is in theſe words,