6 the earth that receiv'd the faith of Christ into his heart and kingdome: I-Ienrie the eighth, the first prince that broke the antichristian yoake of fi·om his owne and his subiccts necks. Here it was that the first Christian emperor, receiv 'd his crowne: Here began the early dawn~ of gospel! light, by vVickliffe and other faithful wittnesses, whom God rays'd up after the black and horrid midnight of antichristianisme, and a more plcntifull harves t of devout confessors, constant martirs, and holy worshippers of God, bath not growne in any field of the church, throughout all ages, then those whom God hath here glorified his name and gospel! by. Yett harh not this whcate bene without its tares, God in comparison with other countries bath made this as a paradice, so, to compleate the parallel!, the serpent hath in all times bene busy to seduce, and not unsucccssfull, ever stirring up opposers to the infant truths of Christ. No sooner was the faith of Christ embrac'd in this nation, but the neighbouring heathens invaded the innocent Christians, and slanghter'd multitudes of them; and when, by the mercy of God, the conquering Pagans were afterwards converted, and that there were none left to opose the name of Christ with open hostillity; then the subtile serpent putt of his owne horrid nppearance, and comes out in a Christian dresse, to persecute Ch rist in his poore prophetts, that bore witnesse against the corrup tion of the times. This intestine quarrell hath bene more successeful to the dev il!, and more afiictive to the church then all open warres, and I feare, will never happily be decided, till the Prince of Peace come to conclude the controversie, which att the time of my birth was working up into that tempest, wherein I have shar'd many perill s, many feares, and many sorrows, and many more mercies, consolations and preservations, which I shall have occasion to mention in other places. From the place of my birth I shall only desire to remember the goodnesse of the Lord who hath caused my lott to fall in a good ground, who hath fed m'" in a pleasant pasture where the well-
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