Certain sermons, first preached, and after published at several times, by M. Thomas Gataker…Certaine sermons, first preached, and after published at severall times, by M. Thomas Gataker…

some^* in the Dungeon, some at the Stake, some even^o in the Fire flaming on every side of them, have found greater comfort than ever they did when they were free from those afflictions; have had such strange joys even there and then imparted unto them, as they were scarce ever before acquainted with. To persuade the godly Martyrs to courage, constancy and cheerfulness in their sufferings for Christs cause, the Ancients used a two-fold Consideration. One was, that they could expect to suffer no harder nor harsher things, at the hands of cruel Tyrants, ^pthan divers had done, and had been willing to yield themselves unto, upon advice of the Physician, at the hands of the Chirurgeon. Another was, that no cruelty could be exercised upon them, but that some^q others, either out of an ardent love and affection to their Country, and a zeal of the good and welfare of it, or out of a desire to maintain their credit and reputation, or out of an affectation of future fame and renown, or^r out of a resolved obstination and obfirmation of mind, had not quietly only, and patiently, but even cheerfully endured the like. Yea the Heathen man observeth, that not only^s those Philosophers that made Virtue the chief good, but^t those also that pleaded wholly for pleasure, and placed all Humane, yea and Divine Happiness in a manner, wholly in it, yet held that a man might be cheerful amidst the most exquisite torments that might be,^u the one in the consideration of his honesty ⟨p. 207⟩and fidelity that he suffered for: