Such tortures and torments so courageously and manfully have sundry Christians in all ages suffered, as to them who only heard thereof, they seemed incredible, and to many who were eye-witnesses thereof they seemed so strange and beyond admiration, as they thought the Martyrs to be mad, witless, and senseless. But Martyrs themselves (who had the light of Gods Word for their direction,1 and the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ: the eyes of their understanding being enlightened: 2whereby they knew what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints: and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places) Martyrs, I say, by the light of the Word and enlightening of the Spirit, with the eyes of their mind, pierced through the thick cloud of all their sufferings, and (as Stephen by an extraordinary work with his bodily eyes beheld the Heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God) they did seethe gracious favour of God towards them,3 and feel the comfortable shining thereof upon their souls, whereby they were encouraged, ⟨p. 36⟩and enabled to endure all that they endured. For God useth to give such inward comfort, courage, assistance and supportance to his Saints suffering for his names sake, as is unutterable, unconceivable.
Such tortures and torments so couragiously and manfully have sundry Christians in all ages suffered, as to them who onely heard thereof, they seemed incredible, and to many who were eye-witnesses thereof they seemed so strange and beyond admiration, as they thought the Martyrs to be madd, witlesse, and sencelesse. But Martyrs themselves (who had the light of Gods Word for their direction,1 and the Spirit of wisdome and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ: the eyes of their understanding being inlightned: 2whereby they knew what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints: and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who beleeve, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his owne right hand in heavenly places) Martyrs, I say, by the light of the Word and inlightning of the Spirit, with the eyes of their minde, pierced thorow the thicke cloud of all their sufferings, and (as Stephen by an extraordinary worke with his bodily eyes beheld the Heavens opened, and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God) they did seethe gratious favour of God towards them,3 and feele the comfortable shining thereof upon their soules, whereby they were encouraged, ⟨p. 36⟩and enabled to endure all that they endured. For God useth to give such inward comfort, courage, assistance and supportance to his Saints suffering for his names sake, as is unutterable, unconceivable.
- 1The ground of Martyrs courage.
- 2Ephes. 1.17, 18, 19, 20.
- 3Act 7.56.
