you are very highly honoured this day Within a little thereafter he was taken down by Friends that received his body as the Cord was cut The Executioner came to take off his Head and being timerous and seeming as somewhat afraid he was desired to put away fear and do his work cleanly so this precious Head was taken off at one stroak which was afterward set upon the Nether-Bow Port where it standeth by the blessed Head of that precious and cleanly Martyr and slain yet witnessing Witness of our Lord Jesus Christ Mr. Iames Guthry sometime Minister of the Gospel at Sterling upon the South or right-hand of which doth the Head of this latter Martyr stand so that these two Worthies who in their life-time had alwayes been together as to those actings that tended to the carrying on of the Work of Reformation wherein they so sweetly agreed in their death were not divided but the Heads of these two Worthies who had witnessed for Christ while living stand there together confirming the same when dead and ought to put all the People of God in mind of the Truths they held while living and walking together which they sealed with their blood as true at their death according to that saying of worthy and eminent Mr. Guthrie at his return to the Prison after the receiving of his Sentence having told that his Head was to be set upon the Nether-Bow and being enquired by his nearest friend what should it do there he answered Even to Preach and indeed these Heads do preach there and this was very comfortable to him when he heard in his Sentence that his Head was to be set up by the Head of that faithful true and stedfast Witness His Body was carried to the Grey-Fryar Kirk-yard accompanied by many cloathed in deep Mourning but by many more Heart-Mourners to the number of some thousands and was buried in the Iohnstouns Yle where it rests and sleeps sweetly united unto Christ as in a secret cabinet and retired chamber whereof our Lord Jesus keepeth the key till the Resurrection at which time it shall be raised a glorious shining Body being changed and made like unto his glorious Body Phil. 3. 20 21. Thus a Prince and Great man in Israel did fall that day so that Sampson whose hair had been cut and his strength as concerning his natural abilities much wasted was there restored and whereas he was brought forth that they might have a day of spott of him imagining that he would be afraid to dye having pulled out his eyes in that his Memory after the letting of his blood and giving him the poison was so much wasted that he knew not whether he was English-man or Scots-man French man or Dutch-man nor whether Genesis or Revelation did begin the Bible nor whether he had or wanted Wife and Children and so did not remember even when in Prison what the behaviour of one should be upon a Scaffold but as he was told which he presently did forget again as also he did forget any thing else was told him though often repeated in one quarter of an hour yet that day and about the time of his suffering he was so fully restored as that there was no missing of what had formerly been taken from him and the Lord the high Supream of Heaven and Earth shewed his Power from on high and by commanding and giving strength out of Zion made his precious Servant prove a Sampson indeed by a most glorious undaunted chearful heartsom Carriage and faithful Testimony as one undervaluing all that man could do unto him behaving himself at his death like good old faithful valourous Warestoun who being so full of magnanimity gave as sore a dash and stroke to the Prelatical Interest yea even to the conviction of the owners thereof and did as much confirm strengthen chear up and admirably inhearten them that desire to abide in the Truth as ever he had done by his former Testimonies Sealing all with his own blood that formerly he had owned and professed yea and this was a return of a desire of his own written in a Letter to a Friend many years before speaking of a particular Testimony for the Covenant and having shewed how the Lord had keeped possession in Scotland by the Testimonies of his People against Defection from generation to generation he addeth O that my blood at the Cross of Edinburgh might seal this Testimony in prosecution of all the former meaning those Testimonies that had been formerly given from time to time against Defection in the preceding ages which he had mentioned in the Epistle foresaid Thus the Lord in his own time and way did graciously fulfill that his desire and by his so strengthening him making thereby the hearts of strangers sad and reviving the spirits of his fainting People did give therein a most signal evident and rich return of the many supplications which had been put up to the Lord for him during the whole time of his trouble and imprisonment which is a great encouragement to pray for it is not in vain yea it 's not in vain for the house of Iacob to seek his face who is able to comfort the most dejected heartless mourners in Zion as also this dealing of the Lord with his suffering Servants whom he so wonderfully encourageth is an excellent encouragement to the Godly in such a day as this to obey the Exhortation which is in the close of the first particular in the foregoing Discourse for guarding against temptation The good Lord bless these bloody preachings to his People to make them walk in his way whatever difficulties appear therein that the Cloud of Witnesses may not be a standing Witness against us Amen Advertisement to the Reader concerning this and the two Discourses of the former honourable and precious Witnesses formerly printed THe last words of dying men being much set by of their affectionate Relations surely the last words of dying Witnesses for the Testimony of our Lord Iesus Christ should be had in very singular account and that especially upon these three Considerations Cons. 1. Dying sober men and more especially dying Christians but most of all dying testifying sealing confirming Witnesses for Christ must be most sober and know well upon what grounds they do express their minds being immediately thereafter to give in their last accounts and for that cause must take good heed how they put that last crowning Master-piece of Work wherein his Glory is so much concerned well and cleanly off their hand that they may hope through Grace to be accepted of him and even as to that last discourse to have him say unto them Well done good and faithful Servant c. Cons. 2. Our Lord Jesus Christ that non-such faithful tender-hearted and in the worst of times worthy to be followed Master having staged them before so many Witnesses for his sake doth for the glory and honour of his Majesty and for the commendation of the hardest pieces of his
of his slain Witnesses together with what our Lords slain Witnesses have asserted for the time to come concerning his reviving of his now languishing dying Work is very encouraging to exercise patience and not to faint while meeting with dark and tempestuous dispensations and first consider what our Lords first honourable slain Witness spake at his death viz. These times will be either times of great suffering or great sinning and they that will be free of sinning shall not escape suffering and they that will shun suffering shall not escape sinning there is a Dilemma in the matter sin or suffer And truly for my own part I may think it a mercy that I have been so hardly dealt with for if I had met with more favour as others have I might have sinned as others have done and as more will yet do if the Lord do not prevent And is not this sadly evidenced O what dreadful defection and apostatizing from the Truth since that day Have not many confirmed that Prophecy against themselves Psal. 2. 2 3. breaking the Lord's bonds and casting away his cords Have not many since that day notwithstanding the sealing of these Truths by the blood of his Witnesses declared that God's blessed Work was but a Rebellious Combination and this they have subscribed with their hands howbeit it was a precious mean of prospering the Father's pleasure in the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his seeing the fruit of the sore travel of his soul to his great comfort Isa. 53. 10 11. If it had been but a combination of men could so many souls have been converted while it was on foot Nay blessed be our God he hath put it out of doubt among us by making his Son's Kingdom flourish more in its time than ever since the Apostles dayes Our Lord hath said Ioh. 5. The works that I do bear witness of me It 's dangerous calling the work of the holy Ghost a Combination of men and his operation upon souls the fruit of Rebellion it is the sin against the holy Ghost to say he casteth out Devils through Beelzebub Mat. 12.24 31. and calling the effects and fruits of Reformation the effects of an unlawful Combination comes near to this sin Now this work this blessed work is condemned and the Covenant that opened the door thereunto is abjured by many whereby they have renounced their share and interest in the Covenant and Work of Reformation and of what too-look they seemed to have unto the comforts attending or following upon the same which is a dreadful business for our Covenant is nothing else but a solemn express declaration of our being satisfied with the Covenant of Grace and that upon the conditions whereupon the Lord offers it unto us 2. our formal express national acceptation thereof upon these terms and 3. our promising and engaging by his grace to fulfill these conditions under the hazard of forfeiting and losing our interest in that Covenant and all its blessings priviledges and advantages And howbeit a chief and main Article in the Covenant of Grace by the Lord 's engaging to make us fulfill our part of that Covenant yet he never tenders mercy to us but upon condition of our taking and owning him for our God Head and Lord in Jesus Christ and that we will worship him according to his own appointment in his Word and if you compare our Covenant with the Duties God requires of his New-Testament Church ye shall find nothing whereunto we are obliged in it but that which God requires of us as the conditions upon which he is content to agree with us in the Covenant of Grace and therfore quaeritor which to me is no question whether to abjure the Covenant that binds us to fulfill the conditions of the Covenant of Grace be not indeed to abjure upon the matter the Covenant of Grace it self seing they say they will not fulfil the conditions thereof O horrid desperate work they have quitted their share of all the comforts attending this Covenant for time and eternity for this is no such breach as is committed through weakness ignorance c. this is a clear deliberate formal express up-giving with him and to make all sure they have given under their hands that they judge themselves obliged not to keep the same and have given him assurance that he needs expect no better at their hands hereafter for they declare they judge all such Promises and Engagements to serve him utterly unlawful and this is their last answer to him as the desperate result of all the pains he hath taken on them Now as this part of this honourable Witnesse's discourse is accomplished so I hope shall the rest in due time as to what he said for encouragement to the Lords People 2. Faithful Mr. Guthrie who had much of the Lord's mind in his lifetime gave very great ground of comfort to them that lament after the Lord he will yet again revive his Work in Britain and Ireland by the power of His Spirit for he hath not cast away his People c. and the Lord seemed to confirm this from Heaven 3. This blessed Witness gave also much ground of encouragement and it will be the more comfortable if we consider that he did it as a duty whereunto he was pressed in soul viz. to comfort the Lord's People in the assurance of his appearing for his Word his work his Câ—use his Covenant and that in such a way by such means and instruments with such antecedents concurrences and effects as shall wonderfully comfort his People c. see pag. 7. Now may not this threefold Witness together with the consideration of the Lord 's guiding the last â—ealing and Scaffold-discourses of his Witnesses encourage the Lord's People to exercise patience in waiting for him who will fulfill his Word for in Mount-Zion and in Ierusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said Ioel 2. 32. And here I cannot pass by an expression of this Witness in a Letter formerly mentioned pag. 12. viz. Shall we not account the taking and renewing of the Covenant in the years 1580 81 90 and again 1638 and then again 1643 and 48 as good as a threefold Proclamation of the Lords even so I take her even so I take her into an indissolvable Match and this threefold Proclamation is sealed by a threefold witness who confirmed and subscrived the same with their blood venturing upon death and eternity with all chearfulness and tranquility of soul owning and avowing the same and truly they were known to have more of God's mind and had nearer access unto him than all their opposers Certainly this must be a very good Cause that giveth so much quiet peace and joy to the owners thereof at death for they are ravished and transported with inexpressible joy that ever they were made instrumental for God in carrying on that Work and helped of him to suffer for the same And upon the other hand the work that 's now carried on in the Church must be very bad for the owners of it dare not own it at death but are discouraged when they cannot mend their folly some of them have cryed out on death-bed O do you think there may be mercy for abjuring the Covenant for ten thousand worlds I would not endure that one hour which I endure night and day if I could shun it c. they would gladly die in Covenant with God though they will not live so Good Lord keep all his People and me also from owning that cause in our life which we dare not own at death yea and which the very owners thereof would disown at death and no wonder for they dare not look God in the face The good Lord give repentance speedily to any of them he minds to save that they may come out of that dangerous desperate and soul-destroying condition wherein they cannot expect to be saved FINIS Let the Reader take notice that these faithful Witnesses very heartily prayed for the Kings Maiesty his succession pressing also Loyalty upon us who still have held that to be our duty according to the Covenant our Confession of Faith is a sufficient proof of the Covenant parties esteem of Monarchical Government Yea that in the person of our dread Sovereign as Gods Ordinance and may sufficiently clear them of all false Calumnies cast on them by the Prelates who have still laboured to make themselves great by begetting a misunderstanding betwixt his Majesty and his best subjects ERRATA Page 8. line 24 read unfriends P. 16. l. 7. r. Mr. George c. P. 15. l. 21 r. but what
O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death and to lie low in the dust mourning and lamenting over the same deprecating God's Wrath and begging his tender Mercies to pardon and his powerful Grace to cure all these evils I must confess withal that it doth not a little trouble me lie heavy upon my spirit and will bring me down with sorrow to the grave though I was not alone in this offence but had the Body of the Nation going before me and the example of persons of all ranks to ensnare me that I suffered my self through the power of temptations too much fear anent the straits that my numerous family might be brought into to be carried into so great a length of complyance in England with the late Usurpers which did much grieve the hearts of the Godly and made those that sought God ashamed and confounded for my sake and did give no small occasion to the Adversary to reproach and blaspheme and did withal not a little obscure and darken the beauty of several former Actings about his glorious and blessed Work of Reformation so happily begun and far advanced in these Lands wherein he was graciously pleased to imploy and by imploying to honour me to be an Instrument though the least and unworthiest of many whereof I am not at all ashamed this day but account it my glory howevet that work be now cryed down opposed laid in the dust and trod upon And my turning aside to comply with these men was the more aggravated in my person that I had so frequently and seriously made profession of my aversness from and abhorrency of that way and had shewed much dissatisfaction with others that had not gone so great a length for which as I seek God's mercy in Christ Jesus so I desire that all the Lord's People may from my example be the more stirred up to watch and pray that they enter not into temptation 2. I dare not deny on the other hand but must testifie in the second place to the glory of his free Grace that the Lord my God hath often shewed ensured into and engraven upon my conscience the Testimony of his reconciled Mercy through the Merits of Jesus Christ pardoning all my iniquities and assuring me that he would deliver me also by the Grace of his holy Spirit from the spait tyranny and dominion thereof and hath often drawn forth my spirit to the exercise of Repentance and Faith and hath often engraven upon my heart in legible characters the merciful pardoning and gracious-begun cure thereof to be perfected thereafter to the glory of his Name Salvation of my own soul and Edification of his Church 3. I am pressed in conscience to leave here at my death my true and honest Testimony in the sight of God and man unto and for the National Covenant the Solemn League and Covenant the solemn Acknowledgments of our Sins and Engagements to our Duties and to all the Grounds and Causes of Fasts and Humiliations and of the Lord's Displeasure and Contendings with the Land and to the several Testimonies given for his Interests by General Assemblies Commissions of the Kirk Synods Presbyteries and other faithful Ministers and Professors 4. I am also pressed to encourage his doing suffering witnessing People and sympathizing ones with those that suffer that they would continue in their duties of mourning praying believing witnessing and sympathizing with others and humbly to assure them in the Name of the Lord our God the God of his own Word and Work of his Covenant Cause and People that he will be seen found and felt in his own gracious way and time by his own means and instruments for his own honour and glory to return to his own Truths Interests and Servants to revive his Name his Covenant his Word his Work his Sanctuary and his Saints in this Nation yea even in these three Covenanted Nations which were by so solemn Bonds Covenants Subscriptions and Oaths given away and devoted to himself 5. I exhort all those that have been or are enemies or unfriendly to the Lord's Name Covenant or Cause Word Work or People in Britain and Ireland to repent and amend before these sad Judgments that are posting fast come upon them for their sinning so highly against the Lord because of any temptations of the time on the right-hand or on the left by baits or straits whatsoever and that after so many Engagements and professions of not a few of themselves to the contrary 6. I dare not conceal from you who are friendly to all the Lord 's precious Interests in Britain and Ireland that the Lord to the commendation of his Grace be it humbly spoken hath several times in the exercise of my Repentance and Faith during my troubles and after groans and tears upon these three notable chapters viz. the ninth of Ezra ninth of Nehemiah and the ninth of Daniel together with other suitable Scriptures even in the very nick of humble and fervent prayers and supplications to him for reviving again of his Name Covenant Cause VVord and Work of Reformation in these Covenanted Nations and particularly in poor Scotland yea O dear Scotland which solemnly re-engaged unto him to the good example and encouragement of his People in the other two Nations to covenant with him also That the Lord I say hath several times given me good grounds of hope lively expectations of his merciful gracious powerful wonderful renewing reviving again of all his former great Interests in these Covenanted Nations and that in such a way by such means and instruments with such antecedents concurrents consequences and effects as shall wonderfully rejoyce his mourning Friends and astonish his contradicting and contra-acting Enemies I do earnestly recommend my poor afflicted Wife and Children and their Posterity to the choicest Blessings of God and unto the Prayers and Favours of all the Lord's Children and Servants in their earnest dealihgs with God and man in their behalf that they may not be ruined for my sake but that for the Lord my Gods sake they may be favoured assisted supplied and comforted and may be also fitted by the Lord for his Fellowship and Service whom God himself hath moved me often in their own presence and with their own consents to dedicate devote resign alike and as well as I devoted and resigned my own soul unto him for all time and eternity 8. Now here I beseech the Lord to open the eyes of all the Instruments of my Trouble who are not deadly irreconcilable Enemies to himself and his People that they may see the Wrong done by them to his Interest and People and to Me and Mine and may repent thereof return to the Lord and more cordially maintain own and adhere unto all his Interests in time to come The Good Lord give unto them Repentance Remission and Amendment which is the worst wish I do and the best wish I can wish unto them for
I can wish no better to my self 9. I do most humbly and earnestly begg the Fervent Prayers of all His Praying Children Servants and Instruments wheresoever they be whether absent or present to be put up in behalf of His Name Cause Covenant Work and People and also in behalf of my Wife and Children and their Posterity and that the Lord would Glorifie Himself Edifie his Church Encourage his Saints further and accomplish his Good Work by all his Doings and Dealings in Substances towards all his own 10. Whereas I heard that some of my own Friends have Slandered and defamed my Name as if I had been accessary to his late Majesties death and to the making the change of the Government thereupon I am free as I shall now answer before his Tribunal from any accession by counsel or contrivance or any other way to his late Majesties death or to their making that change of the Government and the Lord judge between Me and mine Accusers And I pray the Lord to preserve our present King his Majesty and to pour his best Blessings upon him and his Royal Posterity and the Lord give unto them good and faithful Counsellors Holy and Wise Councils and prosperous Successors to God's Glory and the Good of his Interest and People and to their own Honour and Happiness 11. I do here submit and commit my Soul and Body VVife and Children and their Childrens Children from Generation to Generation for ever with all others our Lord's Friends and Followers and all his doing suffering witnessing and sympathizing Ones in the present and subsequent Generations unto the Lord 's choicest Mercies Graces Favours Services Imployments Impowerments Injoyments Improvements and Inheritments in Earth and in Heaven in Time and Eternity All which suits with all others which he hath at any time by his Spirit moved and assisted me to make and put up according to his Will I leave before the Throne and upon the Father's merciful Bowels and the Sons mediating Merits and the holy Spirits compassionating groans for now and for evermore Amen When he had delivered this Discourse at the North-side of the Scaffold he went about to the South-side where he delivered it again with the like admirable courage to the astonishment of all Then did he pray most fervently as his manner had alwayes been with much faith and humility calling upon God as a childe upon his tender-hearted father beginning his supplications according to the Rule appointed by Christ for direction in Prayer thus Abba Abba Father Father accept this thy poor sinful Servant coming unto thee through the Merits of Iesus Christ c. and when speaking of himself spake most humbly as if he had been the chief of sinners forgetting the many honourable pieces of Service the Lord had put upon him wherein he made him eminently instrumental for promoting of his Kingdom in the world Thereafter he stood very patiently till the Napkin was tyed about his head Now said this meek Lamb you will take it up till I be up the Ladder Yea my Lord that shall be done Then said he How will I get it drawn down upon my face My Lord it shall be done for you do not trouble your self Then coming to the foot of the Ladder he prayed as formerly resigning God's Interests and his own soul into the hands of his heavenly Father Then said one who had tyed the Cloth about his head There is no missing of Ministers here this day Christ hath made good that blessed word Phil. 4. 19. My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Iesus And as tribulation hath abounded for Christ's sake so hath comfort been encreased by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 5. For howbeit he had often supplicated for some Ministers to be with him there yet they would grant a liberty to none unless he would have accepted of those that had broken in upon the Labours of other faithful Ministers whom he refused neither would he have any that approve of or seem to connive at the present defection so that no Minister was upon the Scaffold Then came the Executioner desiring him to forgive him to whom he answered The Lord forgive thee poor man which I also do and giving to him some money in a cloth bad him do his work aright After this one desired the Executioner to go up to the head of the Ladder said he I must go up with him else he cannot get up Nay said he again Go you up and do not offer to touch him till it come to your own work for we shall get him helped up so the Executioner went up Then he was conveyed by some in side-mourning to the head of the Ladder who staid with him and spake with him all the time he was upon the same As he ascended he said Your prayers your prayers I desire your prayers in the Name of the Lord so great had alwayes his esteem been of Prayer As the Cord was going about his precious neck being told that many precious Friends were looking on which seemed to refresh him for he answered and said Is there indeed and considering that his chearfulness did much tend to the credit of the Work of God for which he suffered he cryed out with a very loud and chearful voice I beseech you all who are the Lords People not to scar at suffering for the Interests of Christ because of any thing you see fall out in these dayes as to the Sufferings of his Servants but be encouraged to do and endure in suffering for him and his Interests for I assure you in the Name of the Lord he will bear all your charges The Cord being about his neck he spake to the same purpose again I pray you that are the Lord's People be encouraged to do and suffer for the Interests of Christ yea even for the smallest point of Truth in your several stations for he may revive his Work by a very unexpected mean And I do again assure you in his Name he will furnish all your expences and bear all your charges and he hath graciously comforted me Then he enquired if the Executioner was ready Yes if your Lordship be then said he to the man Do your Office and so cryed out again Your prayers your prayers c. and with unspeakable composedness and tranquility of mind chearfully committing himself into the hands of his tender-hearted heavenly Father the Executioner turned him off the Ladder at which sight there arose a very lamentable Cry of many thousand Spectators Immediately thereafter he lifted up his two precious hands to Heaven as they had been often lifted up in prayer not only in the day-time but also in the silent watches of the night and without the least motion trembling or shaking of body which is most ordinary in that condition peaceably sleeped away to glory One of his Sons standing on the Scaffold weeping one present took him by the hand and said Sir be encouraged for