bound, but to die for Chrift, and the Vindication and Justification of his Evangelical Doctrine; we have made high Profeffion and Confeffion of the everlasting Gofpel, and it is a bleffed Thing to believe with the Heart, and confess with our Mouths, and in our Lives, and by active Martyrdom, as Brooke, Ireton, Hampden, Pickering, and others, have worthily done, who are fafely arrived, expecting us, and we are yet upon the Waves; but the most excellent, honourable, rich and fruitful Confeffion of Chrift, whereby we can make the moft efficacious Demonftration of our Election and Faith in Christ, and Love in his glorious Perfon, with moft fupreme Illuftration of God's Glory, is to lay down our Lives as the Martyrs did, to feal and confirm the Truth of our Profeffions with our Blood, for the Caufe of Chrift, and Safety of our Brethren, Rom. 16. 4. 1 John 3. 16. as our bleffed Mafter, after he had confeffed and preach'd the Glory of God, and our Salvation, confirm'd and approv❜d all by Miracles, and his moft holy Life made a good Confeffion under Pontius Pilate, 1 Tim. 6. 13. without which all had been ineffectual: So I have often thought for the Difcovery of Hypocrites, cementing of the Saints in more concording Affections, Trial of Faith, exercising of Patience, and Love to Christ, and for many other glorious Ends, God would call for fome of his Childrens Blood, which will be the greater Favour to them whom he fhall count worthy of it, because I think this will rather be a Julian than a Neronian Perfecution, always provided that we be found in the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace; that God does not love us, because we live foberly, righte oufly, and godly, in this prefent World, and are willing to forfake all, and lofe our Lives for him.

But because he loves us, and has fingled us out from the World, therefore he enables us so to live, and to do fingular things for his Honour and Glory, and willingly to follow the Lamb whither foever he goeth, Rev. 14. 4. For the Love of Chrift conftraineth ns, 2 Cor. 5. 14. O that we had more enlarged Hearts for our King Jefus! 4. (That you may fully hit my Condition) I have fome Trouble upon me concerning the Lofs of my temporal Eftate, especially for my poor, tender loving Wife and Child: I was a Purchaser, and had a Stock of Cattle, and being wrongfully made Prisoner two Months before any Speech of a King, I was furpriz'd and could fave nothing, nor get 20 1. of my Eftate fince Michaelmas laft. They promised to bear my Charges to London; but at Chefter I was forc'd to borrow Morey, or muft have come afoot: Therefore pray be earnest with the Lord, that we may take the fpoiling of our Goods more joyfully, knowing that we have in Heaven better and an enduring Subftance, Heb. 10. 34. and that we may not faint at these momentary Afflictions, which work fo well for us, (wherein Riches and Honours are not fo) according to that Paffage, 2 Cor. 4. the three laft Verfes, and be affected with eternal Joys. It is faid that I fhall be put down into the Hole for Non-payment of great Fees: My Comfort is, that God will be with me there, they cannot fhut out God's Spirit from me, which is an everlasting Spring and Jubile, nor will that be fo bad as Jeremiah's Dungeon, nor as Jofeph's Irons, which enter'd into his Soul, tho' indeed we are fold by our Brethren as Jofeph was, that the Scripture may be fulfill'd, The Brother shall deliver up the Brother to Death, Matth. 10. 21.

I know not how to conclude, not knowing when I may have another Opportunity to converse with you. I am overjoy'd to think they cannot reach

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my Soul, and that our Caufe is invincible, and it will be a Happiness if God fee it good that none might suffer Death, but fuch whofe Souls are out of Danger; but being upon the Account of civil Liberties as well as fpiritual, our only wife Father will order all for his own Glory, and this onEly filences all Murmurings, and Master save thy felf, that what he pleases muft needs be beft for us; he being Infinite Wisdom, Love, Power and Goodnefs. Had the King made his Way by the Sword, we might expect his foreft Strokes; but for the Men of Keilah to deliver us up for the Parliament to facrifice us: Thefe Men that fit by a Common-wealth Writ, for whofe Privileges we adventur'd our All, and who cannot condemn us, but must give up the Caufe, and give Judgment against themselves, and all the good People in the Nation; let the Indians judge of it, if any of the Elect think hardly of us, that we do not cry peccavi, and make our Recantation; it will not Taft long, and it is no matter what others fay, for they must receive their Judgment at the Bar of Chrift, and we fhall judge our Judges; therefore let us not entertain Damps of Difpondencies. My Rejoycing is in a good God, a good Caufe, a good Confcience; I have the Juftice of Heaven on my Side, and God's Loving-kindness, which is better than Life; if we find Injuftice and Cruelty here, Men's Law at Westminster will be adjudged Treafon in Heaven, it will not be long before all Tears fhall be wiped from our Eyes; and if our Innocencies be not vindicated and cleared up in this Life, as Job's, Mordecai's, Jofeph's, and Daniel's and Sufamma's were; yet at the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God, it will appear before Men and Angels, that we are not Traitors, nor Murderers, nor Phanaticks; but true Chriftians, and good Commonwealths

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men, fixt and conftant to the Principles of Sanctity, Truth, Juftice, and Mercy, which the Parliament and Army declar'd and engag'd for; and to that noble Principle of preferring the Univer fality, before a Particularity; that we fought the publick Good, and would have infranchifed the People, and fecured the Welfare of the whole groaning Creation, if the Nation had not more delighted in Servitude, than in Freedom: And if we now fuffer a Martyrdom of Body, we fhall be fome of the Souls under the Altar, crying, How long, O Lord! holy and true; and tho' we can patiently digeft their Tortures, and leave all Vengeance to whom it belongs, yet who knows but that our Blood may be their Poifon ? but then after all unjuft Sentences of Men, how fweet and honoura÷ ble will the Judgment of Chrift be, Matth. 25. (Euge bone ferve) of entring into our Mafter's Joy, when the Kings of the Earth, and the chief Captains and Dukes of Edom fhall with the Mountains and Rocks to fall upon them, Rev. 5. 16. Į bless God my poor Wife does much encourage me to be faithful to the Death, and fhe is a Meethelper indeed, who helps her Husband fo to Heaven, as in a fiery Chariot; fhe is one who bears an unfeigned Love to Christ and all the Saints; I intreat your tender Care of her and my Child, providebit Deus, Jer. 49. 11. I fhall leave her that Scripture, and Efa. 54. 5. to 8. while they cannot take away by Confifcation; when we were in the Storm we took our leaves each of the other; and tho' we have not paid our Vows at Bethel, yet I truft (as was then promifed) we fhall be willing to go to Chrift, if he call thro' a Seà of Blood. But, O the infinite Wisdom and Love of God, and the unfearchable Riches of his Grace! that if I had been drowned, the Malignants would have faid, tho' he escaped by Land, yet

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divine Vengeance overtook him at Sea; that now he fhould vouchfafe me (poor me, as Gideon faid, Judges 6. 15. one of the meaneft Lawyers in Westminfter-Hall) the Honour of Bonds, and an effectual Martyrdom for being an Advocate for my bleffed Advocate, and the good People of England.

I have been the larger, not knowing what Ufe this may be of, if my Mouth fhould be ftop'd; if you hear any Report of me contrary hereunto, believe it not, so you have my Heart and I had rather be buried alive, than my Tongue or Hand fhould differ from it. O pray much for me, and pray again and mend your Prayers, as I have great need to do, if you know what pitiful, poor, fhort and confused Prayers I make in a Day; yet Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit is a Prayer, no Period better than Prayer; therefore now unto him that is able to keep you (and me) from falling, and to prefent you (and me) faultlefs, before the Prefence of his Glory, with exceeding Joy To the only wife God, our Saviour, be Glory and Majefty, Dominion and Power, now and for ever, Amen.

Tours for ever in our Dear Redeemer,

JOHN COOK E.

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