434 him," but could not but be very sad at the sight of his undeserved sufterings; and he would very sweetely and kindly chide her for it, and tell her that if she were but chearefull , he should think this suffering the happiest thing that ever befell him; he would alsoe bid her 'consider what reason she had to reioyce that the Lord supported him, and how much more intolleral:Jle it would have bene, if the Lord had suffer'd his spiritt to have sunke, or his patience to have bene lost under this. One day when she was weeping, after he had said many things to comfort her, he gave her reasons why she should hope and be assur'd that this cause would revive, because the interest Q[ God was so much involv'd in it that he was entitled to "it. She told him she did not doubt but the cause would revive, but, sayd she, notwithstanding all your resolution, I know this will con" quer the weaknesse of your constitution, and you will die in prison. He replied, I think I shall not, but if I doe, my blood will be so innocent, I shall advance the cause more by my death, hasting the vengeance of God upon my uniust enemies, then I could doe by all • The notion of tl1e revival of The Cause, and of the advancement of it by theit! sufferings, seems to have been very prevalent with those who fell in these times; accordingly they supported their fate with the true spirit of martyrs. The speech of Col. Okey·at the time of his execution, preserved in the Trials of the Regicides, maintains the style of prophetic eloquence with so much dignity aud firmness, as almost to cap~ tivate the imagination of the coolest reasoner. These sentences following are extracted from it. u And truly, as to the Cause, I am as confident, even as I am of my resurrection, u that tha-t cause which we first took up the sword for, which was for righteousness and u justice, and for the advancement of a godly magistracy and a go.od ministry, (however "some men turned about for their own ends), shall yet revive again. I am confident, u I .say, that cause for which so much blood bath been shed, wi ll have another resur~ u rection, and that you will have a blessed fruit of those many thousands that have u been killed in the late war. I would say to all good men, rather to suffer than take u any indirect means to deliver themselves; and God, when it shall make most for his u own glory ~md the good of hjs people, will deliver, and that in such a way that him~ u ielf shall have glory in, and .the gospel have no reproach by." · •
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