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The glory of goodness. The goodness of God celebrated; in remarkable instances and improvements thereof: and more particularly in the redemption remarkably obtained for the English captives, which have been languishing under the tragical, and the terrible and the most barbarous cruelties of barbary. : [Six lines from Psalms]
printed by T. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1703
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
It is much, that their forlorn Diet should not rather Kill them, than Feed them. So small, and so vile their Allowance ⟨p. 35⟩of Bread, that it is plain, They ••ved not by Bread alone, but by the Word of God.
It is much, that their forlorn Diet should not rather Kill them, than Feed them. So small, and so vile their Al•owance ⟨p. 35⟩of Bread, that it is plain, They ••ved not by Bread alone, but by the Word of God.
It is much, that they have Out-lived the Sorrows, the Deadly Sorrows, that must seize upon their Spirits, when the •ierce Robbers had seized upon them. By the Sorrows of their Hearts, why were •ot their Spirits broken, and Killed, when •hey saw themselves dragged away from •ll the Comforts of Life, and felt themselves fearfully broken in the place of Dragons, and were Hopeless of ever being recovered out of their doleful Circumstances? Methinks, I see them Crying •rom the Belly of Hell, Lord, The Waters compass me about, even to the Soul, the Depth closes me round about; the Weeds are •rapt about my Head; the Earth, with her •ars, is about me forever. Oh! My Children, How did you do Live, in the midst •f these Agonies? Truly, The Lord has •t last Loosed the Prisoners: 'twas He, who raised up, those that were thus bowed ••wn: Some of them for a whole Prentice-ship of Years, and One here even […] Nineteen Years together. This preservation of our Friends, has been yet •ore signalized, where any of them, endeavoured a Flight out of the Hands of ⟨p. 36⟩their Enemies, but were unhappily Retaken by those bloody Hands. For it was the manner of the Tiger, whom they call the Emperor, when such Retake• Prisoners were brought before him▪ immediately to run a Lance through the Hearts of them. We have some with us at this Hour, who once expected the stroke of the Lance, and can ascribe it unto nothing, but this, T•at the Heart of the King was in the Hand of the Lord.
It is much, that they have Out-lived the Sorrows, the Deadly Sorrows, that must sieze upon their Spirits, when the •ierce Robbers had siez'd upon them. By the Sorrows of their Hearts, why were •ot their Spirits broken, and Killed, when •hey saw themselves dragg'd away from •ll the Comforts of Life, and felt them•elves fearfully broken in the place of Dra•ons, and were Hopeless of ever being •ecovered out of their doleful Circum••ances? Methinks, I see them Crying •rom the Belly of Hell, Lord, The Waters •ompass me about, even to the Soul, the Depth closes me round about; the Weeds are •rapt about my Head; the Earth, with her •ars, is about me forever. Oh! My Chil•ren, How did you do Live, in the midst •f these Agonies? Truly, The Lord has •t last Loosed the Prisoners: 'twas He, who •aised up, those that were thus bowed ••wn: Some of them for a whole Pren•ice-ship of Years, and One here even 〈…〉 Nineteen Years together. This pre•ervation of our Friends, has been yet •ore signalized, where any of them, en•eavoured a Flight out of the Hands of ⟨p. 36⟩their Enemies, but were unhappily Retaken by those bloody Hands. For it was the manner of the Tygre, whom they call the Emperour, when such Retake• Prisoners were brought before him▪ immediately to run a Lance through the Hearts of them. We have some with us at this Hour, who once expected the stroke of the Lance, and can ascribe it unto nothing, but this, T•at the Heart of the King was in the Hand of the Lord.
Oh! That men would Praise the Lord, for His Goodness, and for these His wonderful Works unto the Children of men.
II. It is a Remarkable Goodness of God, That these our Friends enjoyed so many Supports, which Heaven and Earth afforded unto them, under their Insupportable Calamities.
How, One would wonder How, were their minds kept from Fainting under the Grievous Things▪ that continually befell them, while, for many Years together, their Lives hung in doubt before them, an• they were in fear day and night, and bad m• Assurance of their Life; In the Morning the• said, Would God it were Evening, and a• Evening they said, Would God it were Morning! Doubtless, the Good Spirit of God ⟨p. 37⟩often i• radiated their minds, with such Considerations, as were their Consolations.
How, One would wonder How, were their minds kept from Fainting under the Grievous Things▪ that continually befel them, while, for many Years together, their Lives hung in doubt before them, an• they were in fear day and night, and bad m• Assurance of their Life; In the Morning the• said, Would God it were Evening, and a• Evening they said, Would God it were Morning! Doubtless, the Good Spirit of God ⟨p. 37⟩often i• radiated their minds, with such Considerations, as were their Consolations.
Behold, A Support from the Goodness of God!
If they cannot say, The Barbarous people showed us no little Kindness, yet some happy Things fell out now & then, to shelter them from some Unkindnesses as would else have been offered.
If they cannot say, The Barbarous people show'd us no little Kindness, yet some happy Things fell out now & then, to shelter them from some Ʋnkindnesses as would else have been offered.
Behold, A Support from the Goodness of God!
It was a mighty Relief unto them▪ that the English Captives there formed themselves into a SOCIETY, and in their Slavery enjoyed the Lib•••y to meet on the Lords Day Evening, every Week & annually choose a Master and Assistants, and form a Body of Laws, to prevent and suppress Disorders among themselves. The Good Orders of their Society, were a great Reputation, and Preservation unto them. And it afforded them no small Comforts to delight them, in the multitude of the Griefs upon them, that at their Meetings they still had one or other, who by his Prayers, and other Exercises of Religion among them, greatly Edified them.
It was a mighty Relief unto them▪ that the English Captives there formed themselves into a SOCIETY, and in their Slavery enjoyed the Lib•••y to meet on the Lords Day Evening, every Week & annually chuse a Master and Assistents, and form a Body of Laws, to prevent and suppress D•sorders among themselves. The Good Orders of their Society, were a great Reputation, and Preservation unto them. And it afforded them no small Comforts to delight them, in the multitude of the Griefs upon them, that at their Meetings they still had one or other, who by his Prayers, and other Exercises of Religion among them, greatly Edified them.
Behold, A Support from the Goodness of God!
And God Supported them, with Raising up such as were concerned more ways than one, to supply them in their deplorable Necessities. There were some (as a Carver) among themselves, that were able to advise & assist the rest, and others (as a Balaam) at home, were full of Charitable endeavours to send them Comfortable Assistances. And, a, Pastoral Letter or two, Published, and Scattered among them, was blessed of God, for their unspeakable Advantage, and perhaps, had no little Influence, to prepare them for the Salvations which they have now received.
And God Supported them, with Raising up such as were concerned more ways than one, to supply them in their deplorable Necessities. There were some (as a Carver) among themselves, that were able to advise & assist the rest, and others (as a Balam) at home, were full of Charitable endeavours to send them Comfortable Assistences. And, a, Pastoral Letter or two, Published, and Scattered among them, was blessed of God, for their unspeakable Advantage, and perhaps, had no little Influence, to prepare them for the Salvations which they have now received.
Oh, That men would Praise the Lord, for His Goodness, and for His wonderful Works unto the Children of men!
III. It is a Remarkable Goodness of God, That none of these our Friends proved Apostates, from our Holy Religion, when they were under so many Temptations to Apostasy.
There was now and then a wretched Christian, who Renounced Christianity & Embraced Mahometism. If These our Friends had been left unto themselves, under their amazing Trials, They, They would have done so too! Sirs▪ I hope ⟨p. 39⟩you readily own, That you did not keep your selves from Falling! Wherefore unto Him that kept you from Falling, be Glory and Majesty, Dominion and Power, both now and forever. Oh: Let us admire Sovereign Grace, and shout, Grace! Grace! upon it, that though these our Friends, were covered with the shadow of Death, yet they did not Forget the Name of our God, into which they had been Baptised, nor deal falsely in their Baptismal Covenant; nor stretch out their Hands unto the Impostor Mahomet, and his accursed Alcoran!
There was now and then a wretched Christian, who Renounced Christianity & Em•raced Mahometism. If These our Friends had been left unto themselves, under their amazing Trials, They, They would have done so too! Sirs▪ I hope ⟨p. 39⟩you readily own, That you did not keep your selves from Falling! Wherefore unto Him that kept you from Falling, be Glory and Majesty, Dominion and Power, both now and forever. Oh: Let us admire Sovereign Grace, and shout, Grace! Grace! upon it, that though these our Friends, were covered with the shadow of Death, yet they did not Forget the Name of our God, into which they had been Baptised, nor deal falsely in their Baptismal Covenant; nor stretch out their Hands unto the Impostor Mahomet, and his accursed Alcoran!
Our Glorious Lord JESUS CHRIST has now and then had a Martyr, of late, in the Torrid zone of Africa.
One Story (related by Brooks,) may not unprofitably be now repeated.
