How full were their prisons a while ago, and how bitter their rage? How did they scatter the carcasses in the fields? and delight themselves in the blood of Saints? How glad would they have been, if they could have brought them to ruin, and blotted out their name from off the Earth? How did they prepare, like Haman, their Gallows? and if God had not gainsaid it,1 the execution would have been answerable. But he that siteth in Heaven, did laugh them to scorn, the Lord had them in derision. O how full were their hearts of blood, and their hands of cruelty! I am persuaded the next generation that knew them not, will scarcely believe the fury of their rage. Blessed be the Guardian of the Saints, who hath not suffered the prevalency of that Wrath, which would (I believe) have made the Gun-powder Treason, the Turkish Slavery, the Spanish Inquisition, the French Massacres, to have seemed acts of clemency. But the Lord of Hosts hath brought them down, and his Power and Justice hath ⟨p. 114⟩abated their fury, and raised to his Name an everlasting Trophy, and set up a Monument of Remembrance in England, which God forbid should ever be forgotten.2 So let all thine (uncurable) enemies perish, O Lord.3 When the Lord maketh inquisition for blood, he will remember the precious blood which they have shed; and the Earth shall not cover it any more. Their hopes are, that they shall yet again have a prevailing day. It is possible, though improbable. If they should, we know where their rage will stop. They shall pursue but as Pharaoh, to their own destruction; and where they •all, there shall we pass over safely, and escape them for ever.4 For our Lord hath told them, That whither he goes, they cannot come. When their flood of persecution is dried up, and the Church called out of the Wilderness, and the new Jerusalem come down from Heaven, and Mercy and Justice are fully glorified,5 then shall we feel their fury no more. There is no cruel mockings and scourgings, no bonds, or imprisonments, no stoning or sawing asunder, tempting or slaying with the sword, wandering in Sheep-skins or Goat skins, in Deserts or Mountains, Dens or Caves of the Earth; no more being destitute, afflicted or tormented: We leave all this behind us, when once we enter the City of our Rest; the names of Lollard, Huguenots, Puritan, Roundheads, are not there used; the Inquisition of Spain is there condemned;
How full were their prisons a while ago, and how bitter their rage? How did they scatter the carkasses in the fields? and delight themselves in the blood of Saints? How glad would they have been, if they could have brought them to ruine, and blotted out their name from off the Earth? How did they prepare, like Haman, their Gallows? and if God had not gainsaid it,1 the execution would have been answerable. But he that siteth in Heaven, did laugh them to scorn, the Lord had them in derision. O how full were their hearts of blood, and their hands of cruelty! I am perswaded the next generation that knew them not, will scarcely believe the fury of their rage. Blessed be the Guardian of the Saints, who hath not suffered the prevalency of that Wrath, which would (I believe) have made the Gun-powder Treason, the Turkish Slavery, the Spanish Inquisition, the French Massacres, to have seemed acts of clemency. But the Lord of Hosts hath brought them down, and his Power and Justice hath ⟨p. 114⟩abated their fury, and raised to his Name an everlasting Trophee, and set up a Monument of Remembrance in England, which God forbid should ever be forgotten.2 So let all thine (uncurable) enemies perish, O Lord.3 When the Lord maketh inquisition for blood, he will remember the precious blood which they have shed; and the Earth shall not cover it any more. Their hopes are, that they shall yet again have a prevailing day. It is possible, though improbable. If they should, we know where their rage will stop. They shall pursue but as Pharaoh, to their own destruction; and where they •all, there shall we pass over safely, and escape them for ever.4 For our Lord hath told them, That whither he goes, they cannot come. When their flood of persecution is dryed up, and the Church called out of the Wilderness, and the new Jerusalem come down from Heaven, and Mercy and Justice are fully glorified,5 then shall we feel their fury no more. There is no cruel mockings and scourgings, no bonds, or imprisonments, no stoning or sawing asunder, tempting or slaying with the sword, wandring in Sheep-skins or Goat skins, in Deserts or Mountains, Dens or Caves of the Earth; no more being destitute, afflicted or tormented: We leave all this behinde us, when once we enter the City of our Rest; the names of Lollard, Hugonots, Puritan, Roundheads, are not there used; the Inquisition of Spain is there condemned;
- 1Psal. 2.4.
- 2Judges 5.23.
- 3Psalm 9.12.
- 4John 7.34.36. & 8.21, 22. Revel. 12.16.
- 5Heb. 11.
