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cause_n	bring_v	death_n	sin_n	4,520	5	5.6751	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74878	A brief review of the most material Parliamentary proceedings of this present Parliament, and their armies, in their civil and martial affairs. Which Parliament began the third of November, 1640. And the remarkable transactions are continued untill the Act of Oblivion, February 24. 1652. Published as a breviary, leading all along successiviely, as they fell out in their severall years: so that if any man will be informed of any remarkable passage, he may turne to the year, and so see in some measure, in what moneth thereof it was accomplished. And for information of such as are altogether ignorant of the rise and progresse of these times, which things are brought to passe, that former ages have not heard of, and after ages will admire. A work worthy to be kept in record, and communicated to posterity.	Vicars, John, 1579 or 80-1652.; Hamilton, James Hamilton, Duke of, 1606-1649. Several speeches of Duke Hamilton Earl of Cambridg, Henry Earl of Holland, and Arthur Lord Capel, upon the scaffold immediately before their execution, on Friday the 9. of March.	1652 (1652)	Wing V294A; Thomason E693_2; ESTC R206997	57,270	63

there hath been nothing that I have said or done or professed either by Covenant or Declaration which hath not bin very constant and very clear upon the principles that I ever have gone upon which was to serve the King the Parliament Religion I should have said in the first place the Common-wealth and to seek the peace of the Kingdome That made me thinke it no improper time being prest out by accidents and circumstances to seek the Peace of the Kingdome which I thought was proper since there was something then in agitation but nothing agreed on for sending Propositions to the King that was the furthest aime that I had and truly beyond that I had no intention none at all And God be praised although my blood comes to be shed here there was I think scarcely a drop of blood shed in that action that I was ingaged in For the present affairs as they are I cannot tell how to judge of them and truly they are in such a condition as I conceive no body can make a judgement of them and therefore I must make use of my prayers rather then of my opinion which are that God would blesse this Kingdome this Nation this State that he would settle it in a way agreeable to what this Kingdome hath been happily governed under by a King by the Lords by the Commons a Government that I conceive it hath flourished much under and I pray God the change of it bring not rather a prejudice a disorder and a confusion then the contrary I look upon the Posterity of the King and truly my conscience directs me to it to desire that if God be pleased that these people may look upon them with that affection that they owe that they may be called in again and they may be not through blood nor through disorder admitted again into that power and to that glory that God hath in their birth intended to them I shall pray with all my Soul for the happinesse of this State of this Nation that the blood which is here spilt may be even the last which may fall among us and truly I should lay down my life with as much cheerfulnesse as ever person did if I conceived that there would no more blood follow us for a State or affairs that are built upon blood is a foundation for the most part that doth not prosper After the blessing that I give to the Nation to the Kingdom and truly to the Parliament I doe wish with all my heart happinesse and a blessing to all those that have been authors in this businesse and truly that have been authors in this very work that bringeth us hither I doe not only forgive them but I pray heartily and really for them as God will forgive my sins so I desire God may forgive them I have a particular relation as I am Chancellor of Cambridge and truly I must here since it is the last of my prayers pray to God that that University may goe on in that happy way which it is in that God may make it a Nursery to plant those persons that may be distributed to the Kingdome that the souls of the people may receive a great benefit and a great advantage by them and I hope God will reward them for their kindnesse and their affections that I have found from them Looking towards Mr. Bolton I have said what Religion I have been bred in what Religion I have been born in what Religion I have practised I began with it and I must end with it I told you that my actions and my life have not been agreeable to my breeding I have told you likewise that the Family where I was bred hath been an exemplary Family I may say so I hope without vanity of much affection to Religion and of much faithfulnesse to this Kingdom and to this State I have endeavoured to doe those actions that have become an honest man and which became a good Englishman and which became a good Christian I have been willing to oblige those that have been in trouble those that have been in persecution and truly I find a great reward of it for I have found their prayers and their kindnesse now in this distresse and in this condition I am in and I thinke it a great reward and I pray God reward them for it I am a great sinner and I hope God will be pleased to hear my prayers to give me faith to trust in him that as he hath called me to death at this place he will make it but a passage to an eternall life through Jesus Christ which I trust to which I rely upon and which I expect by the mercy of God And so I pray God blesse you all and send that you may see this to be the last execution and the last blood that is likely to be spilt among you And then turning to the side raile he prayed for a god space of time God hath given me speaking to M. Bolton long time in this world he hath carryed me through many great accidents of Fortune hee hath at last brought me down into a condition where I find my self brought to an end for a dis-affection to this State to this Parliament that as I said before I did believe no body in the world more unlikely to have expected to suffer for that Cause I look upon it as a great judgement of God for my sins And truly Sir since that the death is violent I am the lesse troubled with it because of those violent deaths that I have seen before Principally my Saviour that hath shewed us the way how and in what manner he hath done it and for what cause I am the more comforted I am the more rejoyced It is not long since the King my Master passed in the same manner and truely I hope that his purposes and intentions were such as a man may not be ashamed not onely to follow him in the way that was taken with him but likewise not ashamed of his purposes if God had given him life I have often disputed with him concerning many things of this kind and I conceive his sufferings and his better knowledge and better understanding if God had spared him life might have made him a Prince very happy towards himself and very happy towards this Kingdome I have seen and known that those blessed souls in heaven have passed thither by the gate of sorrow and many by the gate of violence And since it is Gods pleasure to dispose me this way I submit my soul to him with all comfort and with all hope that he hath made this my end and this my conclusion that though I be low in death yet neverthelesse this lownesse shall raise me to the highest glory for ever Truly I have not said much in publike to the people concerning the particular actions that I conceive I have done by my Counsels in this Kingdom I conceive they are well known it were something of vanity

Bribes 46 Then they attempted by false scandals on the Parliament to intice the Army of the Scots then still in the North to a Neutrality whiles our English Army acted Die Veneris 30 July 1641. WE the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons House in Parliament finding to the great griefe of our hearts that the designes of the Priests Jesuites and other adherents to the Sea of Rome have of late been more boldly and frequently put in practice than formerly to the undermining and danger of the ruine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion in his Majesties Dominions established And finding also that they have been and having just cause to suspect that there are still even during this sitting in Parliament endeavours to subv●rt the fundamentall Lawes of England and Ireland and to introduce the exercise of an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Government by most pernicious and wicked counsels practises plots and conspiracies And that the long intermission and unhappy breach of Parliaments hath occasioned many illegall Taxations whereupon the subject hath been prosecuted and grieved And that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church multitudes driven out of his Majesties Dominions jealousies raised and fomented betwixt the King and his people a Popish Army l●vyed in Ireland and two Armies brought into the bowels of his Kingdome to the hazard of his Majesties Royal person the consumption of the Revenues of the Crown and Treasure of his Kingdome And lastly finding great cause of jealousie that endeavours have been and are used to bring the English Army into a mis understanding of this Parliament thereby to incline that Army with force to bring to pass those wicked Councels Have therefore thought good to joyne our selves in a Declaration of our united affections and resolutions and to make this ensuing Protestation The Protestation I A. B. Do in the presence of Almighty God Promise Vow and Protest to maintaine and defend is far as lawfully I may with my life power and state the true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance his Majesties Royall Person Honour and Estate as also the power and priviledges of Parliament the lawfull rights and liberties of the Subject and every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my power and as far as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by force practice councels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained And further that I shall in all just and honourable ways endeavour to preserve the union and peace between the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland and neither for hope fear nor other respect shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation The Earl of Straffords Speech on the Scaffold May 12. 1641. MY Lord Primate of Ireland and my Lords and the rest of these Gentlemen it is a very great comfort to me to have your Lordship by me this day in regard I have been known to you a long time I should be glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few words but doubt I shall not my Lord I come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to pay the last debt I owe to sin which is death and by the blessing of that God to rise again through the mercies of Christ Jesus to eternal glory I wish I had beene private that I might have been heard My Lord if I might be so much beholding to you that I might use a few words I should take it for a very great courtesie My Lord I come hither to submit to that judgement which hath past against me I do it with a very quiet and contented mind I do freely forgive all the world a forgiveness that is not spoken from the teeth outward as they say but from my heart I speak it in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that these is not so much as a displeasing thought in me arising to any creature I thank God I may say truly and my conscience bears me witness that in all my services since I have had the honour to serve his Majesty in any imployment I never had any thing in my heart but the joynt and individuall prosperity of King and people if it hath been my hap to be misconstrued it is the common portion of us all while we are in this life the righteous judgement is hereafter here we are subject to error and apt to be mis-judged one of another there is one thing I desire to clear my self of and I am very confident I speak it with so much clearnesse that I hope I shall have your Christian charity in the belief of it I did alwayes think that the Parliaments of England were the happiest constitutions that any Kingdome or any Nation lived under and under God the means of making King and people happy so far have I been from being against Parliaments for my death I here acquit all the world and pray God heartily to forgive them and in particular my Lord Primate I am very glad that his Majesty is pleased to conceive me not mericing so severe and heavy a punishment as the utmost execution of this sentence I am very glad and infinitely rejoyce in this mercy of his and beseech God to turn it to him and that he may find mercy when he hath most need of it I wish the Kingdom all the prosperity and happines in the world I did it living and now dying it is my wish I do now profess it from my heart and do most humbly recommend it to every man here and wish every man to lay his hand upon his heart and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happines of a people should be writ in letters of blood I fear you are in a wrong way and I desire Almighty God that not one drop of my blood may rise up in judgement against you My Lord I profess my self a true and obedidient Son to the Church of England to the Church wherein I was born and wherein I was bred prosperity happines be ever to it and whereas it hath been said that I have inclined to Popery if it be an objection worth answering let me say truly that from the time since I was twenty one years of age till this hour now going upon forty nine I never had thought in my heart to doubt of the truth of my Religion in England and never any had the boldnesse to suggest to me contrary to the best of my remembrance and so being reconciled to the mercies of Christ Jesus my Saviour into whose bosom I hope shortly to be gathered to that eternall

of these inviters 'T is no time to dissemble How willing I was to have served this Nation in any thing that was in my power is known to very many honest pious and religious men and how ready I would have been to have done what I could to have served them if it had pleased them to have preserved my life in whose hands there was a power They have not thought it fit and so I am become unusefull in that which willingly I would have done As I said at first Sir so I say now concerning that point I wish the Kingdome happiness I wish it peace and truly Sir I wish that this bloud of mine may be the last that is drawn and howsoever I may perhaps have some reluctancie with my self as to the matter of my suffering for my fact yet I freely forgive all Sir I carry no ranc●●… along with me to my grave His will be done that has created both 〈◊〉 and earth and me a poor miserable sinfull creature now speaking before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For me to speak Sir to you of State-businesse and the Government of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kingdome or my opinion in that or for any thing in that nature Truly it is 〈◊〉 no end it contributes nothing My owne inclination hath been to peace from the beginning and it is known to many that I never was an ill instrument betwixt the King and his people I never acted to the prejudice of the Parliament I bore no Arms I medled not with it I was not wanting by my Prayers to God Almighty for the happinesse of the King and truly I shall pray still that God may so direct him as that may be done which shall tend to his glory and the peace and happinesse of the Kingdome For my Religion that which I said was the established Religion and that which I have practised in my owne Kingdome where I was borne and bred my Tenets they need not to be exprest they are known to all and I am not of a rigid opinion many godly men there are that may have scruples which do not concerne me at all at no time they may differ in opinion and more now then at any time differing in opinion does not move me nor any mans my owne is clear Sir the Lord forgive me my sinnes and I forgive freely all those that even I might as a worldly man have the greatest animosity against Wee are bidden to forgive Sir t is a command laid upon us and there mentioned Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us Then the Earl turning to the Executioner said shall I put on another cap must this hair be turn'd up from my neck there are three of my servants to give satisfaction he also asked him which way he would have him lye The Executioner pointing to the front of the Scaffold the Earl replyed What my head this way After a little discourse in private with some of his servants he kneeled downe by the side of the Scaffold and prayed a while to himself Then with a cheerfull and smiling countenance embracing Dr. Sibbalds he said Truly Sir I doe take you in mine arms and truly I blesse God for it I do not fear I have an assurance that is grounded here laying his hand upon his heart now that gives me more true joy then ever I had I passe out of a miserable world to go into an eternall and glorious Kingdom and Sir though I have bin a most sinfull creature yet Gods mercy I know is infinite and I blesse my God for it I go with so clear a conscience that I know not the man that I have personally injured Then imbracing those his servants which were there present said to each of them You have been very faithfull to me and the Lord blesse you And so turning himselfe to the Executioner he said I shall say a very short prayer unto my God while I lye downe there and when I stretch out my hand my right hand then sir do your duty and I doe freely forgive you and so I doe all the world Then the E. of Cambridge said to the Executioner Must I lye all along he answered Yes and 't please your Lordship Then he said When I stretch out my hands but I will fit my head first tell me if I be right and how you would have me lye And being told he must lye a little lower he said Well stay then till I give you the signe And so having laine a short space devoutly praying to himselfe he stretch'd out his right hand whereupon the Executioner at one blow severed his head from his body which was received by two of his servants then kneeling by him into a Crimson Taffery Scarfe and that with the body immediately put into a Coffin brought upon the Scaffold for that purpose and from thence conveyed to the house that was Sir John Hamiltons at the Mews where it now remains Dk. Hambleton E of Cambridg E of Holland and Lord Capell be headed mar 9. 1649 And their speeches on the scaffold The speech of the Earl of Holland upon the Scaffold IT is to no purpose I thinke to speake any thing here Which way must I speak And then being directed to the front of the Scaffold he leaning over the raile said I thinke it is fit to say something since God hath called me to this place The first thing which I must professe is what concerns my Religion and my breeding which hath been in a good Family that hath been ever faithfull to the true Protestant Religion in the which I have been bred in the which I have lived and in the which by Gods grace and mercy I shall dye I have not lived according to that education I had in that Family where I was borne and bred I hope God will forgive me my sins since I conceive that it is very much his pleasure to bring me to this place for the sins that I have committed The cause that hath brought me hither I beleive by many hath been much mistaken They have conceived that I have had ill designs to the State and to the Kingdom Truly I look upon it as a Judgement and a just judgement of God not but I have offended so much the State and the Kingdome and the Parliament as that I have had an extream vanity in serving them very extraordinarily For those actions that I have done I think it is knowne they have been ever very faithfull to the publique and very particularly to Parliaments My affections have been ever exprest truly and clearly to them The dispositions of affairs now have put things in another posture then they were when I was ingaged with the Parliament I have never gone off from those Principles that ever I have professed I have lived in them and by Gods grace wi●l dye in them There may be alterations and changes that may carry them further then I thought reasonable and there I left them But

sit in the said House of Lords nor shall Sit Vote Advise Adjudge or Determine of any matter or thing whatsoever as a House of Lords in Parliament Neverthelesse it is hereby declared That neither such Lords as have demeaned themselves with Honour Courage and Fidelity to the Common-wealth their Posterities who shal continue so shall not be excluded from the Publike Councels of the Nation but shall be admitted thereunto and have their free Vote in Parliament if they shall be thereunto elected as other persons of Interest elected and qualified thereunto ought to have And be it further Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Peer of this Land not being Elected Qualified and fitting in Parliament as aforesaid shall claim have or make use of any Priviledge of Parliament either in relation to his Person Quality or Estate any Law Usage or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding Hen. Scobel Cler. Parliamenti ON Thursday July 25. the Generall and Army marched from Mordington to Coppersmith Col. Hackers Regiment being drawn up in the way His Excellency made a speech to satisfie them concerning Cap. Ogles Troope being sent back into Northumberland in regard of his interest in that County and that Capt. Greenwoods Troop appointed for Berwick should march with the Regiment in the stead thereof which gave great satisfaction Col. Brights Regiment being drawn up Maj. Gen. Lambert appointed Colonel thereof coming to the head of the Regiment was received with great acclamations A List of the Regiments of Horse and Foot Randezvouzed and marched with the L. Gen. Cromwell into Scotland Eight Regiments of Horse THe L. Generals in number 663 Maj. Gen. in number 663 Col. Fleetwoods in number 663 Col. Whalies in number 663 Col. Twisden in number 663 Col Lilburne in number 663 Col. Hackers in number 663 Col. Okey in number 774 Consisting with Officers in all 5450 Ten Regiments of Foot THe L. Generals in number 1307 Col. Pride 1307 Col. Bright 1307 Col. Maliveryr 1307 Col. Ch. Fairfax 1307 Col. Cocks 1307 Col. Dunell 1307 Col. Sir Ar. Hasterigs 5. Comp. 550 Col. Fenwicks five Companies 550 Consisting with Officers in all 10249 The Train six hundred and ninety The whole thus The Train six hundred and ninety The Horse five thousand four hundred and fifteen The Foot ten thousand two hundred forty nine The Total Sixteen thousand three hundred fifty four A Letter from Lieut. Gen. David Lesly to the L. G. Cromwel My Lord I Am Commanded by the Committee of Estates of this Kingdom and desired by the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly to send unto your Excellency this inclosed Declaration as that which containeth the state of the Quarrel wherein we are resolved by the Lords assistance to fight your Army when the Lord shall please to call us thereunto And as you have professed you will not conceal any of our Papers I do desire that this Declaration may be made known to all the Officers of your Army and so I rest Bruchton 13. Aug. 1650. Your Excellency's most humble Servant DAVID LESLEY For his Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwel The Declaration of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly of Scotland as followeth THe Commission of the Generall-Assembly considering That there may be just ground of stumbling from the Kings Majesties refusing to subscribe and emit the Declaration offered unto him by the Committee of Estates and Commissioners of the Generall Assembly concerning his former carriage and Resolutions for the future in reference to the Cause of God and the enemies and friends thereof Doth therefore Declare That this Kirk and Kingdome do not owne nor espouse any Malignant Party or Quarrell or Interest but that they fight meerly upon their former Grounds and Principles and in defence of the Cause of God and of the Kingdome as they have done these twelve years past And therefore as they doe disclaime all the sin and guilt of the King and of his House so they will not owne him nor his Interest otherwise then with a subordination to God and so far as he ownes and prosecutes the cause of God and disclaims his and his Fathers opposition to the work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the enemies thereof And that they will with convenient speed take in consideration the Papers lately sent unto them from Oliver Cromwel and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods contained therein especially in these things wherein the quarrell betwixt us and that party is mis-stated as if we owned the late Kings proceedings and were resolved to prosecute and maintaine his present Majesties Interest before and without acknowledgement of the sins of his house and former wayes and satisfaction to Gods people in both Kingdomes West Kirk 13. August 1650. A. Ker. Tho Henderson 13. August 1650. THe Committee of Estates having seen and considered a Declaration of the Commission of the Generall Assembly anent the stating of the Quarrell whereon the Army is to fight Do approve the same and heartily concur therein The Lord Generals Answer to the former as followeth I Received yours of the thirteenth instant with the paper you mentioned therein inclosed which I caused to be read in the presence of so many Officers as could well be gotten together to which your Trumpet can witness we returne you this Answer by which I hope in the Lord it will appear That we continue the same we have profest our selves to the honest people of Scotland wishing to them as to our own souls it being no part of our busines to hinder any of them from worshipping God in that way they are satisfied in their Consciences by the Word of God they ought though different from us but shall therein be ready to perform what obligations lie upon us by the Covenant but that under the pretence of the Covenant mistaken and wrested from the most native intent and equity thereof a King should be taken in by you to be imposed upon us and this called The Cause of God and the Kingdome and this done upon the satisfaction of Gods people in both Nations as is alleged together with a disowning of Malignants although he who is the head of them in whom all their hope of comfort lies be received who at this very instant hath a Popish party fighting for and under him in Ireland hath P. Rupert a man who hath had his hand deep in the blood of many innocent men of England now in the head of our Ships stoln from us upon a Malignant accompt hath the French and Irish ships daily making Depredations upon our Coasts strong combinations by the Malignants in England to raise Arms in our Bowels by vertue of his Commissions who having of late issued out very many to that purpose and how the interest you pretend you have received him upon and the Malignant interest in the ends and consequences entring in this man can be secured we cannot discern and how we should believe that whilst known and notorious Malignants

to promote the Agreement betweene the King and the Scots where by the way I desire humbly to give notice That this was the first and onely meeting of this nature and for this end at my house that I know of At this meeting M. Drake tooke cut some papers out of his pocket written in Characters which he read in my study what he read went under the name of a Commission and Instructions as he termed it to be sent to the Lord Willoughby Alderman Bunce Massey Graves and Titus to appoint them to advise with and use their interests in persons of Honour about the King to provoke him to agree with the Scots and to take the Covenant as also to advise with the Scots Commissioners and perswade them That in their agreement with their King they would have speciall respect to the interest of Religion and terms of the Covenant the Commission ran in this form as if it were in the names of all the Presbyteriall party in England After I heard it read I expressed my selfe against it alledging severall Reasons chiefly That it was an Act of high presumption for private persons to send a Commission with instructions and an act of notorious falshood to say this was in the name of the Presbyteriall party of England when none but a few persons knew thereof that I know of Many in the company did expresse a dislike thereof as well as my selfe M. Drake did also read a Letter in this meeting but to whom it was I know not neither know I the Contents of it I was at least a dozen times called out of the Room whiles the Company were there met so that I am not able to give so full and particular an accompt of the Contents of the Letter and of the Commission and Instructions What M. Drake did about the Commission and Instructions after he was gone from my house I know not what he sent away I know not nor did I know by whom it was sent away untill Maj. Alford declared before the High Court That he received the Papers from M. Drake carried them to Gravesend and delivered them to one Mason whose face I never saw and he carried them to Holland There was present at this meeting Major Huntington who was never at my house before nor since whose face I never saw before nor since but at my Tryall M. Drake D. Drake M. Jackson M. Jenkins M. Cauton Maj. Alford M. Gibbons Maj. Adams Cap. Farr and my selfe with some others whom I cannot remember There is one thing more I make bold to mention That there are other persons besides those I have named who did now and then come to these meetings at my house as M. Robinson M. Nalton M. Haviland M. Blackmore Col. Vaughan Col. Sowton these were also present at one time or another but at what particular meeting I cannot positively say Thus I have clearly laid open the whole matter of Fact so far as I well remember and distinctly know of Passages about these Meetings and Transactions at my house From the Tower of London July 22. 1651. I attest the truth of this Narrative under my hand Christopher Love Mr. Love's Speech made on the Scaffold on Tower-hill August 22. 1651. BEloved Christians I am this day made a Spectacle unto God Angels and Men and among them I am made a grief to the godly a laughing-stock to the wicked and a gazing stock to all yet blessed be my God not a terror to my self although there be but a little between me and death yet this bears up my heart there is but a little between me and Heaven It comforted Dr Taylor the Martyr when he was going to Execution That there were but two stiles between him and his Fathers House there is a lesser way between me and my Fathers house but two steps between me and glory it is but lying downe upon the block and I shall ascend upon a Throne I am this day sailing towards the Ocean of Eternity through a rough passage to my Haven of rest through a red Sea to the promised Land Methinks I hear God say to me as he did to Moses Goe up to Mount Nebo and die there so goe thou up to Tower-hill and dye there Isaac said of himself That he was old and yet he knew not the day of his death but I cannot say thus I am young and yet I know the day of my death and I know the kind of my death also and the place of my death also it is such a kind of death as two famous Preachers of the Gospel were put to before me John the Baptist and Paul the Apostle they were both beheaded yee have mention of the one in Scripture story and of the other in Ecclesiasticall History And I read in the 20 of the Revelations and the 4. The Saints were beheaded for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus But herein is the disadvantage which I am in in the thoughts of many who judge that I suffer not for the word or for Conscience but for medling with State-matters To this I shall briefly say That it is an old guise of the Devil to impute the cause of Gods peoples sufferings to be Contrivements against the State when in truth it is their Religion and Conscience they are persecuted for The Rulers of Israel they would put Jeremiah to death upon a Civill account though indeed it was onely the truth of his Prophesie made the Rulers angry with him yet upon a Civill account they did pretend he must dye because he fell away to the Chaldeans and would have brought in forreign forces to invade them The same thing is laid to my charge of which I am as innocent as Ieremiah was I find other instances in the Scripture wherein the main causes of their sufferings were still imputed to meddling with State-matters Paul though he did but preach Jesus Christ yet he must dye if the people might have their will under the pretence that he was a mover of sedition Upon a civill account my life is pretended to be taken away whereas indeed it is because I pursue my Covenant and will not prostitute my Principles and Conscience to the ambition and lusts of men Beloved I am this day to make a double exchange I am changing a Pulpit for a Scaffold and a Scaffold for a Throne and I might add a third I am changing this numerous multitude the presence of this numerous multitude upon Tower-hill for the innumerable company of Angels in the holy hill of Zion and I am changing a guard of Souldiers for a guard of Angels which will receive me and carry me into Abrahams bosome This Scaffold is the best Pulpit I ever preached in for in the Church Pulpit God through his grace made me an instrument to bring others to Heaven but in this Pulpit he will bring me to Heaven These are the last words that I shall speak in this world and it may be