fort, where the electors were met together to chuse a new emperor, desiring that Ferdinand might not be admitted amongst them as king of Bohemia, notwithstanding which he was admitted, and was chosen emperor: the Bohemians, in the mean time, chusing Frederick elector Palatine for their king. This more enraged their enemies, so that they sent another army under Maximilian of Bavaria, which took two Protestant towns by storm, and put all to the sword, and every where made great slanghter of the Protestants. Then the Imperial armies came to Prague, which being struck with a panic fear, the Protestant army being overthrown in a set battle under the walls, surrendered to them, the conqueror promising to keep articles agreed upon, but performing nothing less; for they did more mischief to the church of Christ by their subtle and slow proceedings, than lately by their outrageous fury.

The ministers were every where cast out of their churches; some imprisoned, and after a while dismissed, and all commanded to depart the kingdom upon pain of death.

In the year 1624, a decree came forth from the king, whereby all the ministers of the Gospel were commanded to depart the kingdom by a peremptory day prefixed, because, as was alleged, they were seditious men and seducers of the people; yet, in most places, this edict was not known till the time was almost or altogether elapsed; so that the ministers, not having time to communicate their counsels together, went into several provinces, and some were fain to hide themselves in caves and dens, and those either returned privately and visited their auditors, or comforted such as came to them in the mountains and woods, preaching and administering the sacraments to them. But as soon as the enemies understood this, they presently published a new decree; wherein a punishment was threatened against those that should conceal the ministers, and a reward promised to such as should betray them; whereupon some of the ministers were taken and cast into prison; then by the Jesuits were they by all ways solicited to apostasy; and fear of death, hunger, cold, &c., prevailed with some to renounce their ministry, but most bore up courageously against all storms, aud, at last, some, by paying great fines, others by giving it under their hands, that they would never return into Bohemia, were dismissed.

The next design of the enemy was against the nobles; their crime was, for taking up arms for Frederick, their lawful king, against an usurper: for though hope of pardon was granted, if, laying down arms, they would submit to Caesar's mercy, yet divers of them were apprehended. And, first, they seized upon some that were of the rank of defenders of the kingdom's liberties; and then all those whom they knew to have done any thing for the common good of religion and liberty, or feared that they might be able to do for the time to come; and all such as feared to break their faith given to Frederick. These were about the number of fifty men, famous for learning, skill in military affairs, and prudence in government, who were the light, delight, and safeguard of their country.

All of these, in one night, and at one hour, were apprehended in their houses, when they suspected no danger, and by the captains were commanded to get up into waggons; and so some of them were carried to the castle of Prague, others to the major's house. Next day they proceeded to the trial of the noble

men whom they had taken. Two apostate civilians were appointed to examine them, with some of the nobility, who tired them out with a thousand impertinent questions, labouring to extort that from them whereof they were never guilty: which one of them not able to endure, rending his garments, and opening his breast, said, "Tear into a thousand pieces this body, and search into my heart, and you shall find nothing there but what is expressed in my Apology. The love of religion and liberty made us unsheath our swords; but seeing God would have Cæsar prevail, and hath delivered us into your hand, his will be done." Others of them also stoutly maintained, that their cause was not the worse for want of success.

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After some time, when none of the noblemen would yield, or acknowledge themselves in an error, or sue unto them for mercy, they proceeded to execution; their judgments were committed to such as were sworn enemies to the gospel. After sentence was passed, it was sent to Cæsar to consider of it; and he was so troubled, that he slept none that night; and the next morning, calling his confessor, he said to him, "I adjure thee, upon thy conscience, to tell me, whether I may with a safe conscience, pardon these that are condemned ? or whether should suffer execution to pass on them? The confessor answered, "O Cæsar! both are in thy power." Then did he with his pen, pardon some, and left others to execution, with a great addition of shame and ignominy. Presently after they were brought out singly to hear their sentence; wherein some were condemned to death, others to perpetual imprisonment, others to banishment, and some were reserved to Cæsar's further pleasure. Then were each sort of prisoners carried to their several prisons; the noblemen to the inward prisons of the castle, the citizens to the major's house; and as they went, some villains were suborned to insult over them, saying, Why do they not now sing, the Lord reigneth? Then did the wives, children, and kinsfolk of the condemned persons humbly petition for their lives; but answer was made, that all the favour which could now be granted to them was, that they should have leave to bury the bodies of their friends. In the evening the condemned men, who were twenty-seven in number, had notice given them of the day when they were to suffer; and therefore they were advised, for the good of their souls, to send for Jesuits, or a minister of the Augustine confession, but they must expect no minister of the brethren; for that would not be granted them. The Jesuits and the Capuchins, not staying till they were called for, flocked to them, using many persuasions, promising life, &c., if they would turn. But God so strengthened them, that all these endeavours were vain. Then were some ministers of the Augustine confession sent for, who spent that time which remained in religious exercises, conferences, prayer, and singing of psalms; and, lastly, in administering the sacraments to them. They who were of the brethren willingly admitted these ministers, protesting, that they acknowledged them for brethren, though they differed from them in some things.

They who were prisoners in the major's house, being called to supper the night before they were to suffer, comforted themselves, saying, "That this was their last supper on earth; but, to-morrow, said they, we shall feast with Christ in his kingdom." When it was told them, that the noblemen were coming to

heart for ever." Afterwards, when the minister came to him, amongst other things, he said, "I was troubled, but now I feel a wonderful refreshing in my heart;" adding, with his hands lifted up to heaven, "I give the thanks, O most merciful Saviour! who hast been pleased to fill me with so much comfort; O now I fear death no longer, I will die with joy!" As he was going to the scaffold, he said to the minister, "I am sure that Christ Jesus will meet my soul with his angels, that he may bring it to an everlasting marriage, where I shall drink of a new cup, a cup of joy for ever: this death, I know, shall not separate me from him." After he had prayed silently, he said, "Into thy hands, O Lord God, I commend my spirit! have pity on me through Jesus Christ, and let me see thy glory;-and so he received the stroke of the sword.

Another was the Lord of Rugenia, an excellent man, and full of zeal for God: when he was judged to die, he said, "That it was more welcome to him than if the Emperor had given him life, and restored him to his estate, with addition of more:" afterwards he said to the minister, "God is our witness, that we sought for nothing but the liberty of religion; and in that we are overcome, and condemned to die: we acknowledge, and find, that God will not have his truth defended by our swords, but by uur blood," &c. When he saw divers called out before bim, he said, "What is the matter, my God? Thou knowest that I resign myself wholly to thee. Ah! do not despise thy servant, but make haste to take me away;" and when the sheriff came for him, he rejoiced, and said, "Praised be my God, that I shall now be taken out of the world, that I may be with Christ;" and so he went up to meet him. On the scaffold he comforted himself with that promise; "Father, I will that where I am my servant may also be, to behold that glory which thou gavest me;" "Therefore," said he, "I make haste to die, that I may be with Christ, and see his glory;" and so he suffered martyrdom courageously. The next was Valentine Cockan, of about sixty years old during his imprisonment, he was full of heavenly discourse; and, at the scaffold, he said, "Grant me, O God! to pass through this valley of death, that I may presently see thee; for thou knowest, my God, that I have loved thy word; bring me, O God! through the paths of life, that I may see falness of joy in thy presence;" and, kneeling down, be said, Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit" and so holily ended his life.

The next was Toby Steffick, a man of composed temper, he spent the most of the time of his impriemment in silent sighs and tears! before his execution, be said, "I have received many good things of the Lord all my life long; shall I not therefore receive this cup of affliction? I embrace the will of God, who, by his ignominious death, makes me conformable to his Son, and, by a narrow way, brings me to his heavenly kingdom: I praise God, who hath joined me, undeservedly, to these excellent man. that I might receive, with them, the crown of martyrdom." When he was called to die, he said, "My Saviour being about to die, said, 'Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt; thy will be done.' Shall I therefore, who am but a worm, yea, dust, and a badow, contradict his will? Far be it from me; yea, I come willingly, my God, only have mercy on me, and cleanse me from all my sins, that no spot or wrinkle may remain in me, but that I may appear

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pure in thy sight;" and so he lifted up himself full of sighs, yet full of hope; and, as he was praying, he rendered up his spirit to God.

Another was Christopher Chober, who much encouraged his fellow-martyrs, and then cited the words of Ignatius, "I am God's corn, and shall be ground with the teeth of wild beasts; so we," saith he," are God's corn, sown in the field of the church; and, that we may be for our master's use, we are now to suffer death; but, be of good cheer, God is able to raise up a thousand worshippers of himself out of every drop of our blood; for though truth now suffers violence, yet Christ reigns, and no man shall cast him down from his throne." Being called to execution, he said, "I come in the name of my God, neither am I ashamed to suffer these things for his glory; for I know whom I have believed; I have fought the good fight of faith, and finished my course, &c. Then praying, "Into thy hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, he received the crown of martyrdom."

"The

John Shultis was next, who, on the scaffold, said, "Why art thou so sad, O my soul? hope thou in God; for thou shalt yet praise him," &c. righteous seem in the eyes of fools to die, but indeed they go to their rest. Lord Jesus, thou hast promised, that who so comes to thee, thou wilt not cast off. Behold I now come, look on me, pity me, pardon my sins, and receive my soul to thyself: then, kneeling down, he said, Come, come, Lord Jesus, and do not tarry;" and so he was beheaded.

The next was Maximilian Hostialick, a learned and pious man; after his condemnation, he was sadder than the rest; and, being asked by the minister the reason of it, he said, "The sins of my youth do now come into my mind; for though I know that nothing remains to condemn them which are in Christ Jesus, yet I know that God exerciseth justice as well as mercy towards his own." Being called to death, he said, "Look upon me, O Lord my God! and lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; and lest mine enemies say. We have prevailed." Afterwards, repeating the words of Simeon, "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation," he was beheaded.

The next was John Kutnaur, who, when the Jesuits began to speak to them, said, "Pray you trouble not our consciences; we are sufficiently furnished against the fear of death; we need none of your help." And when they would have proceeded, he said, "Why do you create unprofitable labour to yourselves, and trouble to us?" then said they one to another, "They are hard rocks, and will not suffer themselves to be removed:" to whom he answered, "You say true; Christ is an hard rock, and we are firmly fixed on him." When he was called forth to execution, he was besprinkled with the tears of his friends, to whom he said, "Play the men, brethren, and refrain from weeping: I go before, but it is but a short time, and we shall meet in the heavenly glory." When he was upon the ladder, he said, "I have plotted no treason, committed no murder; I have done nothing worthy of death; but I die because I have been faithful to the gospel and my country. O God! pardon my enemies; for they know not what they do: but thou, O Christ! have pity on me; for I commit my soul unto thee," and so he slept in the Lord.

The next was Simeon Sussickey, who, when he saw the Jesuits coming, he said to his companions,

"These birds of prey are flying hither; but God hath promised to preserve his own, as the apple of his eye; and therefore he will not suffer us to be seduced." The last night he had a sore conflict, because the scripture saith, "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." But when the minister told him, That that curse was taken away by the death of Christ, he was well satisfied. He went to his death praying and singing.

It may be very edifying to the inquisitive and serious reader, to observe, in the history of those times, the remarkable providential chastisements that befel some of the persecutors, and to attend to the remarks that are frequently and justly made on the honour that providence has put on the posterity of King Frederick, whose family was brought so low at that time, for adhering to the cause of the gospel. But to return to the fifteenth century.

CONCLUSION OF THE ACCOUNTS IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

article into their Confession of Faith, That Christ shall come to judge the world at the last day." We may also observe with Mr Jenkyns, that Christianity has been still professed in these parts of the world where there has been most learning and commerce, where they have been most able, and had greatest opportunities to instruct other nations. To which end the vast extent first of the Greek, Latin, and Syriac, and since of the Persian, Sclavonic, and Arabic tongues, have been very advantageous, the Scriptures of the New Testament being written in the first, and translated into all the rest. And though, by the just and wise providence of God, Mahometans and idolaters have been suffered to possess themselves of those places in Greece, Asia, and Africa, where the Christian religion formerly most flourished, yet there are still remainders of the Christian religion among them, so as to give them opportunity to be converted, when their sins shall not hinder to restore the Gospel to these countries; for, by Mr Brerewood's account, in the dominions of the Turks in Europe, the professors of Christianity make two-thirds at least of the inhabitants; and in Constantinople itself, he reckons above twenty Christian

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THE GOSPEL AMONG THE HEATHEN. AND THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING SUBSERVIENT TO THE BLESSED REFORMATION FROM POPERY.

From MILLAR'S Propagation, &c. vol. ii. page 340.

In this century, the improvement of arts and sciences, the reviving of learning, and the discoveries made by navigation, were made blessed occasions for advancing the kingdom of Christ over the world. This is well represented by the learned Jurieu, in his Preface to the Accomplishment of Prophecies, where he says, "God has revived the light of knowledge, which was almost extinguished under the barbarism of scholastic learning. In the last century, God caused the Greek and Hebrew tongues to revive, which was of such use for understanding the sacred inspired writings, and the confutation of heresy and idolatry, that the Papists do not scruple to say, It is what has undone them. I look upon the voyages of our Europeans, the discoveries made of new countries in the east and west, and the improvement of the art of navigation, to be a mean which God prepares for the fulfilling of that great promise that concerns the more universal conversion of the Gentiles. I consider the great number of half-Christians which the Popish missions makes in the Indies, to be just as proselytes of the Gate, which the Jews made; they were, properly, neither Jews nor Christians, but were the seed of Christianity. These Eastern converts made by Papists, are neither Heathens nor Christians, but they will be the first part of the harvest God intends to have among this people, and after they are fully converted, they will be very serviceable to promote the conversion of those who are yet altogether Pagans. "I admire," says he, "the depth of Divine providence, that, by insensible steps and degrees, disposeth the Mahometan nations for Chrisianity. For this we need but consult the second book of the Present State of the Ottoman Empire, by Sir Paul Rycaut, where we meet with a sect of Mahometans, who believe the Messiah took a natural body, that being eternal, he became incarnate, as the Christians believe, wherefore they insert that

the Mahometans have or had but three mosques. Philadelphia, now called Alashakir, has no fewer than twelve Christian churches. The whole island of Chio is governed by professing Christians; there are above thirty Latin churches, and above five hundred Greek; and in some other islands of the Archipelago there are none but professing Christians.

From the Fulfilling of the Scriptures, Part iii. Chap. 2. Sect. 27.

WHILST the dawning drew near of that blest day of the Church's rising, after that dark night of antiChristianism, we may see some precious advantages most remarkably from the Lord falling in to prepare the way thereof.

1. That in the preceding age, the knowledge of the original languages began to break up, and some instruments eminently fitted for the same; human learning did in some further measure revive.

2. Many excellent men of rare endowments then brought forth beyond what had been known for divers ages.

3. But which should be most convincing, how in the year 1440, or thereabout, that rare invention of printing broke up, as a blest and promising presage, to tell the world of the near approach of time, when the temple of God should be opened in heaven, and the Bible, which had for so many ages been shut up, be universally spread, and thus made accessible for the poorest boy or maid's having familiar converse therewith, and to have it at the easiest rate; yea, for bringing forth those works to the world, in defence of the truth, and promoting of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which no pen could have reached without the advantage of such a singular mean given of the Lord for his Church's use; so that the thing itself was not more marvellous and remarkable than the time and season of its being brought forth, 1 Rycaut's Present State of the Ottoman Empire, Book ii.

Chap. 11, 12.

2 Reasonableness of the Christian Religion, vol. i. p. 116, &c. 3 Brerewood's Inquiry, Chap. 10.

4 Rycaut's Present State of the Greek Church, p. 74.