THE SPEECHES AND PRAYERS OF Major General Harison Octob. 13. Mr. John Carew Octob. 15. Mr. Justice Cooke Mr. Hugh Peters Octob. 16. Mr. Tho. Scott Mr. Gregory Clement Octob. 17. Col. Adrian Scroop Col. John Jones Octob. 17. Col. Daniel Axtell Col. Fran. Hacker Oct. 19 The times of their Death Together with Severall occasionall Speeches and Passages in their Imprisonment till they came to the place of Execution Faithfully and impartially collected for further satisfaction Heb. 11.4 And by it he being dead yet speaketh Printed Anno Dom. 1660. To the Reader REader the intent of this Epistle is not to set forth in a commendatory way any thing concerning the persons or their sufferings though much might be spoken deservedly in that matter but only to present unto thee the words of dying men some part whereof was occasionall Discourses betwixt them and some friends that visited them in the Prison yea in the Dungeon unto every particular there are sufficient Witnesses in this City unto whom we can appeale that there is nothing patronized upon these sufferers but what was spoken by them though it is not all that was spoked by them for that would have swelled into too large a volume What thou hast here therefore are but some small mites carefully taken out of their great treasury Here are also extracts of severall Letters coppied from their own hand writings the rest is their Speeches and Prayers at the time and places of Execution taken by exact short-writers and divers of the best coppies have been compared and the worke with much care and industry hath been brought to this perfection There hath some speciall reasons moved us to undertake this matter as first to prevent that wrong which might be done to the deceased and more especially to the name of God by false and imperfect coppies Secondly to satisfie those many in City and Countrey who have much desired it Thirdly to let all see the riches of grace magnified in those servants of Christ Fourthly that men may see what it is to have an interest in Christ in a dying houre and to be faithfull to his cause And lastly that all men may consider and know that every mans judgement shall be from the Lord. Prov. 29.26 Some occasionall Speeches and Memorable passages of Major Generall Harrison's after his coming to Newgate With his Speech upon the Ladder THe day of his coming to Newgate from the Tower at night he sent his Wife word that that day was to him as his Wedding day When the sentence was pronounced he said whom men have Judged God doth not condemne blessed be the name of the Lord. And as he was carried away from the Court through the croud the people shouted And he cryed good is the Lord for all this I have no cause to be ashamed of the cause that I have been ingaged in Some Friends askt him how he did he Answered very well and cannot be in a better condition if I had the desires of my Heart we must be willing to receive hard things from the hands of our Father as well as easie things when he came to Newgate there was Chaines put upon his Feet And he said Wellcome Wellcome Oh this is nothing to what Christ hath undergone for me this is out of his great loving kindnesse and faithfulnesse and my God is All sufficient in all Conditions And also soon after his coming into the Dungion in order to his Execution a Woman belonging to the Goal who was sent to make clean the Room and to make a Fire for him was askt when she came out by divers people whereof some were scoffers how the Major General behaved himself and what he said To which she answered she knew not what he had done to deserve to be there but sure she was that he was a good man and that never such a man was there before for he was full of God there was nothing but God in his mouth so that it would have done any one good to have been neer him or with him And his discourse and frame of heart would melt the hardest of their hearts Some time after he was put into the Hold Three Ministers of the City were sent by the Sheriffe to discourse with him And their discourses was to endeavour to convince him First Of being Guilty of the Kings Blood Secondly Of Mr. Love's Death Thirdly Of breaking the Old Parliament Fourthly Of being loose in Family duties and the Observation of the Lords day Fifthly Of the justnesse of this thing that was upon him by reason of his iniquity To which he answered As to the Blood of the King I have not in the least any Guilt lying upon me for I have many a time sought the Lord with Tears to know if I have done amisse in it but was rather confirmed that the thing was more of God then of men And besides what I did I did by Authority of Parliament which was then the onely lawful Authority for God owned it by pleading their Cause and Fighting their Battels for them the Lords people owned it by rejoycing in it and praying for it the Generality of people both in England Scotland and Ireland owned it by yeilding Obedience to it Forreign Princes owned it by sending their Embassadours therefore it was rather the act of the Parliament then ours that were there servants He declared that he was very tender of the King insomuch that the King himself did confesse that he found him not such a person as he was represented to him when he was brought out of the Isle of Weight and that he had some skill in Faces so that if he had but seen his Face before he should not have harbored such hard thoughts of him Secondly As to Mr. Love's Death I was in Scotland when he was Condemned and had no hand in it in the least They desired to know if he did not say then That if a Godly man so transgress as to being himself under the Condemnation of the law it were not a just thing for him to suffer for his sin he told them he did not remember that he did say so But then said if a godly man did so transgresse a righteous law he ought to suffer as another man Thirdly The breaking of the Parliament was the Act and Designe of General Cromwell for I did know nothing of it that morning before it was done he called me to go along with him to the house and after he had brought all into disorder I went to the Speaker and told him Sir seeing things are brought to this passe it is not requisite for you to stay there he answered he would not come down unlesse he was pulled out Sir said I I will lend you my hand and he putting his hand into mine came down without any pulling so that I did not pull him Indeed afterwards I was glad the thing was done for I did see they did intend to perpetuate themselves without doing those
might be speedily and cheaply administred And as for my profession I am of the Congregational way I desire to own it and am for liberty of conscience and all that walk humbly and holily before the Lord and desire to walk in the fear of the Lord and I believe it is a truth and there can be nothing said against it I doe confess I am not convinced of any thing I have done amisse as to that I have been charged with I am not indeed neither did I understand the plea of the Court that if the Lords and Commons had brought the King to the Bar and set him over them again their bringing him to the barr had been treason I desire never to repent of any thing therein I have done but I desire to own the cause of God and of Christ and am here to beare witness to it and so far as I know any thing of my selfe I can freely confess it Here the Sheriffe interrupted him again desiring him to forbeare any such expressions Mr. Cooke replied it hath not been the manner of English men to insult over a dying man nor in other countries among Turks or Galliasses The Lord bless every one of us and help us that we may look more to the honour and glory of God then the concernments of our own lives for alass what is a poor miserable life to us but that therein we might give honour and glory to the God of all our mercies And if there be any here of that Congregation to which I was related in the time that I lived here I would commend to them that Scripture Phil. 2.17 18. Yea and if I be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of the faith I joy and rejoyce with you all for the same cause also doe ye joy and rejoyce with me And Deut. 18.11 The Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times more then you are and blesse you as be hath promised The Lord be pleased to speake comfort to them and to all them that feare the Lord. The Lord keepe England from popery and from superstition and keep it from prophaneness and that there may not be an inundation of Antichrist in the land And that is all the harm I wish unto it The Lord hath forgiven me many thousand talents and therefore I may wel forgive those few pence that are owing unto me I bless the lord I have nothing lying upon my conscience but I can unbosome my selfe to every one and to the throne of free grace in the simplicity of my spirit I have endeavoured to doe nothing but with a good conscience and through the integrity of my heart though accompanied with many frailties I desire to blesse the Lord my lot was rather in Ireland then here here I have been more known where I have given the Offence The Sheriffe again interrupted him Mr. Cooke replyes Sir I pray take notice of it I think I am the first man that ever was Hanged for demanding of Justice therefore I hope you will not interrupt me I suppose yon were there and doe bear me witnesse in your conscience that there was not any thing then that I did not communicate to the Court that I now speak upon the Ladder If you will believe the words of a dying man I say as I must give an account I have nothing lyeth upon my conscience We must all meet together at the great day of the Lord to give an account of all our Actions and then it will appear the Lord grant we may meet with Joy and Comfort I have a poor Wife and Child and some Friends left I desire you that came along with me to commend to them Esa 54.4.5 and 10. ver I hope the King and Parliament will consider our poor Friends as to their Estates you know that those Lords that formerly suffered under the Parliament did not loose all their Estates I hope there will be some consideration as to Justice least that our small Estates prove a poyson amongst their great deal and my poor Wife and Relations suffer The Lord grant that mercy may be shewed that mercy and righteousnesse may magnifie and exalt it self above Justice I shall not hold you long I shall desire in the fear of the Lord to give my self as in the 12 Rom. 1. A living Sacrifice Holy and Acceptable unto God which is but a reasonable service And so doe intreat that I may have a little time to call upon the Lord unlesse there be any thing more desired or any one to would ask me a question Truly I forgive all from my heart I have nothing upon my heart to accuse any of them withal I blesse the Lord I have a cleare Conscience I say it in the integrity and simplicity of my heart I doe now appeale to the great God to whom I must give an account of what I have done knowing that all my Guilt is washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ and before him I hope to appear and have nothing else to plead any thing at all for me And so I hope that I have declared my self with simplicity and integrity in a few words that you may understand my mind I shall speak a few words to the lord in prayer and shall not trouble you further Mr. Cookes Prayer MOst Glorious Majesty I beseech thee so to warm my Heart and fill it so full of the love of Jesus Christ that it may never be cool any more Oh that the Lord would now appear Graciously to shew himself a wonder working God in bearing up the Heart and Spirit of thy poor creature it is no matter how bitter the Cup is if the Lord give strength to drink it and no matter how heavy the Burden be if the Lord be at one End and uphold the other and bear the burden himself or lay no more upon his poor Children then they are able to bear the Lord give strength to all that are to bear this burden the Lord be with all that are yet to suffer in this cause and double and treble seven-fold of thy Spirit upon us let us not stand it out against our Reasons and Judgements and Consciences If any did pursue power and interest and did not look after the good of Gods poor People and the good of the Nations the Lord forgive them The Lord knows the Simplicity of the Hearts of his poor Servants that are gone before and of those that are to come after I desire that all thine may have hearts willing to suffer for thee to make confession of Faith in Christ Jesus I know is nothing I know it is not enough onely to confesse in Words to confesse in Doctrinall Evangelicall Truths and to confesse by a holy life and conversation and if the Lord call any of his poor Children to seale the truth with their blood yea their precious blood it is their duty also if the Lord Jesus had come down from the Crosse and had not shed
case is ready to upbraide us and say where is now their God what is become of their God Now what cure and remedies are there for disponding This Eleventh verse gives you two First Hope in God Hope thou in God Secondly Faith is set on work I shall yet praise him c. But more particularly take these directions 1. Be carefull of exercising faith for no condition of man superceeds his Faith do all in Faith pray in Faith and hear in Faith c. Now what is the exercise of Faith but rouling upon Christ and staying on him here I 'le stick if I perish I perish The miscarriages of Christians is either because they have no faith or else because if they have faith they give it not food to live upon faith must go to Christ as the Liver Vaine and fetch bloud and life thence We quarrel that we have not Love and Patience and meeknesse c. but the defect lyes in our faith if we had more faith we should have more of all other Graces Now what is the food of Faith Answ Faith will not feed upon every Dish not on a stalled Ox or fatted Calfe prosperity is not faiths food But it will Eat a word live upon promises these nourish faith I will never leave thee nor forsake thee all things shall work together for good and the like promises 2. Be marvellously carefull of things below measure things not by sence or by a day but by faith and Eternity we are troubled at the losse of this and tother Creature and comfort but what 's the value of them the over valluing things is our mischiefe 3. Go and tell the Lord Christ I have a defiled conscience and if thou doest not wash me I am undone for Ever See the necessity and worth of Christ there must be something better to look at then what we loose for the present something above Estate and Life and Relations and Name See the worth of Christs bloud it 's worth all the world because what the bloud of Bulls and Goats could not doe his bloud doth cleanse from all sinne 4. Keep close to the use of Ordinances much of our mischief hath come from neglects of this kind the safety of a Christian lyes in the enjoyment of Church Communion Psal 27.4 5 and 6 Verses One thing I have desired of the Lord and that will I seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life c. for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Pavillion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a Rock and now shall my head be lifted up above mine Enemies round about me c. The greatest fears are dispelled there you shall find before troubles passe over for you expect some it will be a hard matter to break Churches they are so fast chayned together and yet there hath been marvellous miscarriages amongst Saints in their Church Relations Finis He also during his imprisonment in the Tower wrote some sheets of paper to his Daughter leaving them with her as his last Legacy containing in it very much sound and wholesome advice as to her soules health It carries with it such a savour as denotes it proceeds from a spirit that hath learned experience in Christs schoole and hath been aquainted sometimes with sunshine as well as foul weather it 's too long here to be incerted but if it be made publick by it selfe doubtlesse the Experienced Reader will be no looser by perusing this legacy Some Memorable passages of Mr. Hugh Peters in his Imprisonment at Newgate and at the time of his Execution at Charing-crosse October 16 1660. Mr. Peters as is well known was exercised under a great conflict in his own spirit during the time of his Imprisonment fearing as he would often say that he should not go through his sufferings with courage and comfort and said to friends that he was somewhat unprepared for death and therefore unwilling to dye something he said he had committed and other things omitted which troubled him but though it was a cloudy and dark day with him for a season yet the light of Gods grace and favour would break forth at last And surely the favour of God did at the last appeare for a little before he went forth to Execution as many can testify he was well composed in his Spirit and chearfully said I thank God now I can dye I can looke death in the face and not be afraid As for that slanderous report which was too much received by good people as well as bad to wit that he was guilty of Uncleannesse A Friend coming to him in prison put that question seriously and soberly to his soule to which he replyed that he blessed the Lord he was wholy clear in that matter and that he never knew any woman but his own Wife A night or two before he suffered two of the Episcopal Cleargy who as some report were the Kings Chaplains came to give him a visit they endeavoured to make advantage of the present temptations wherewith he was then assaulted and to perswade him to a Repentance and Recantation of his former Activity in the Parliament cause which they endeavoured to enforce upon him by a promise of pardon from the King in case he would therein hearken to them But though he was then much afflicted in his spirit yet the Lord did help him to beare up with much courage against the insinuations of that sort of men and told them he had no cause in the least to repent of his Adhering to that interest but rather that he had in the prosecution thereof done no more for God and his people in these Nations and with civility dismissing those Visitants he applyed himselfe to some other Ministers then present whome he judged more able to speake a word in season to him under these great Tryals wherewith the Lord was then pleased to exercise him Being carried upon the sledge to Execution and made to sit therein within the Railes at Charing-Crosse to behold the Execution of Mr. Cooke One comes to him and upbraided him with the Death of the King bidding him with opprobrious language to repent he replyed Friend you do not well to trample upon a Dying man you are greatly mistaken I had nothing to do in the death of the King When Mr. Cooke was cut down and brought to be quartered one they called Coll. Turner called to the Sheriffs men to bring Mr. Peters neer that he might see it And by and by the Hangman came to him all besmered in bloud rubbing his bloudy hands together he tauntingly asked come how do you like this Mr. Peters how do you like this work to whom he replyed I am not I thank God terrifyed at it you may do your worst When he was going to his execution he lookt about and espied a man to whom he gave a piece of gold having bowed
Ministery from the annoynting that doth beare witness to the Lord Jesus and hath his holy Spirit That testimony I desire to beare and that testimony I desire to stand faithfull in with integrity to the Lord Jesus as King of Saints and King of Nations And therefore it is I say to have a Majestracy as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning men fearing God and hating covetousness And that Ministery as doth preach the everlasting Gospell Here Mr. Sheriffe interrupted him saying 't is desired that you spend the rest of your time in preparing your selfe Another said you spend your self Sir in this discourse Another said it raines Then Mr. Carew said I will pray Mr. Carew his Prayer O most holy and most glorious and blessed God the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of all Glory The God of the spirits of all Flesh unto thee unto thee doth my soule desire to come through the new and living way even through Christ my Righteousnesse And in him and through him to be offered up by the Eternall spirit a living and acceptable Sacrifice in which thy soul delighteth O Lord thou knowest my frame and thou knowest my life and what a passage this is and what a wonderfull thing it is to enter into Glory And what a wonderful thing it is to stand before thee and to stand in thy presence O Father father let my soul be filled with thy joy and with peace in Believing O Let my heart be in heaven while my body is here and O Let me be joyned unto the Lord through thine own spirit before this separation be O Lord thou only art able to take hold of my Heart and Spirit poor Creatures may speak words to thee but Oh! it is thine own power and it is thine own spirit that must take hold of the heart it is thine own spirit that must carry through all and it hath heen thy spirit Blessed be thy Name that hath carryed me through many Tryals and many Temptations and many Difficulties that thy poor Worme hath met with in this Pilgrimage for many Years O Blessed by thy Name for all the Goodnesse and for all thy Grace and for all thy presence that hath been with thy poor Creature far and neer Oh! Blessed be thy Name that thou hast kept me in any measure faithful to â—…to thee and made me willing to lay down my life for thy â—…ous Work and Cause Oh Blessed be thy Name that the Lord and Christ that is at thy right hand hath bought me with his own most precious bloud He hath Redeemed me indeed Therefore it is but my reasonable service that I should be offered up a sacrifice to him my joy is in him and my confidence is in him that I shall be presented by him to my heavenly father O father when thy servant is to be presented before thee let him know what it is to finde mercy Let him know what it is to have Jesus Christ an Advocate and what it is to be presented before thee by such a Redeemer O that Jesus Christ might bid me welcome into the presence and may say to my soule Well done good and faithfull servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. O blessed Father it is not that I doe expect any thing from thee upon any account below the account of the Lord Jesus and wherein soever thou hast been glorified by thy poor servant it hath been by thine own power and thine own working O nothing unto thy poore creature is due but unto thy holy name be praise and glory O holy father behold thy work in the Kingdomes and behold the cause and interest of all thy people O doe thou revive it in thine own appointed time O doe thou strengthen the starts of thy poor Saints O scatter all clouds speak comfortably to their soules that they may be able to stand under all storms faithfull into the death and receive a Crown of life and glory O blesse the poor Saints in the City and blesse thy Saints in the Country and blesse thy Saints in the West O blesse thy sonnes and thy daughters O blesse all the meetings of thy people let the blessing of the Lord appear unto them let the glory of the Lord make haste let the glory of the Lord be upon these Nations O remember thy promise to thy ancient people the Jewes O let thy people be taught of thee O let these drie bones live O let the Spirit of life breath upon them O dear father let the fulnesse of the Jewes and of the Gentiles be brought in Let multitudes be gathered out of every Kindred and Tongue and Nation unto the Kingdome of Jesus Christ O Father Father advance thy Sonne set him as King upon the mountaine of thy holinesse give him all glory and power and dominion over the whole Heavens that thou hast promised according to thy word and covenant to give unto him that he may raigne in thine own word and law through his own Spirit for ever and ever Lord lord I desire thou wouldst gather up my soul O gather up my soule O Lord make this passage sweet O make it comfortable Lord Jesus thou hast taken away the sting of death and born the burden of all this shame and of all this reproach And thou hast given thy poor servant something of thy presence through the riches of thy grace this day O Lord now receive O open thine everlasting armes O now let me enjoy thy presence O God which I have desired to behold and see and to behold thy face in Jesus Christ O and now let me enjoy what thou hast prepared for me and fill me with the joyes that are at thy right hand and those pleasures that are in thy presence for ever more O thou lamb of God lead me to the everlasting Fountain that living fountain that is able to supply all our wants O Lord blesse blesse thy poor people O comfort them in this day Poure out sevenfold of thy Spirit for what thou dost take away in any of thy servants for thy holy Names sake O let the cause and kingdome of Christ be deare and precious in thy sight and live alwaies Lord little doe these poor creatures know or these Nations know what a controversie thou hast with them O that thou wouldest be pleased gratiously to spare this people spare thy people however and let them that love Zion and favour thy righteous cause be glad for ever and ever O now Father be neer to me doe thou receive my spirit take me into thine own glory take me into thine own glory let me know it is my portion let me know there is a Crown in the hand of Christ prepared for my soul O blessed Lord thou hast honoured thy poore creature and brought him hitherto O reward all the labours of love in any to him in bonds or death and give them a double reward into their own bosomes Reward it
boudy Enemy and when I considered their bloudy cruelty in murthering so many thousands of protestants and innocent souls that word was much upon my heart give her bloud to drink for she is worthy and sometimes we neither gave nor took Quarter though self preservation would have said give that which you may expect to have One coming in told him that his fellow prisoners dyed Nobly and Chearfully well said he but how doe they stand Answer was made upon a Ladder Blessed be God said he it is a Jacobs Ladder The Sun shining into the room he said if it be so glorious to behold the Sun what will it be to behold the Son of Glory Laying his hand upon his fellow prisoner Col. Hacker he said come brother be not so sad by this time to morrow we shall be with our Father in Glory and what hurt will they do us to bring us through the Crosse to the Crown Well our God is the God of Newgate Then the Officer coming to carry them down into the Dungeon he took his leave of many of his Friends then present saying love the Lord Jesus love the Lord and weep not for me for God hath wiped away all tears And coming to the dore of the Dungeon said I am now going to my bed of Roses my last bed Many Friends being with him there was an Eminent Godly Minister of the Presbyterian way and Col. Axtell taking him by the hand said I have one word to speak to you it is much upon my heart that one great cause why the Lord contends thus with his people is for want of their love towards them that were not of their minds to which the Minister replyed truly Sir I think so too the Lord help us that wherein we see we have done amisse we may do so no more Then said Col. Axtell I blesse God I have not much to charge my selfe with in this matter Col. Hacker then said but I have much to complaine of in that matter Col. Axtell Afterwards sitting on his bed side clapping his hands said if I had a thousand lives I could lay them all down for the Cause Whereupon another godly Minister then present asked him what he meant by the cause Col. Axtell replyed Sir I tell you I mean that cause which we were encouraged to and ingaged in under the Parliament which was for common Right and Freedome and against the Surplis and Common prayer book and I tell you that Surplis and Common prayer book shall not stand long in England for it is not of God And afterwards thinking that he should not dye that day desired some retirement but news coming that he must dye within an hour though it was not so he quickly made himself ready to go and looking upon his Gloves said these are my wedding Gloves my mortal must marry immortality Some Friends going to see him the night before he was Executed found him at supper very chearful and many being present he said take heed of temporizing c. for that hath been the occasion of great Evil. Then speaking to an Officer there present that had continued tell of late in the Army said Brother thou hast been greatly Guilty herein the Lord forgive thee thou hast a great hand in this To which the person replyed I confesse I have been so too much Col. Axtell answered there is yet mercy for thee if the Lord give thee repentance Moreover said the Lord forgive that poor wretch Lieut. C. N. for he hath sworn falsely in his Evidence and now is that word made good that brother shall betray brother to death And speaking of Col. T. said Ah he hath appeared Five pound lighter in Twenty then I thought him to be And for Col. H. he was the uncivillest of all about the late King and yet he comes in a witnesse against Hacker and me That Evening many Friends being with him he prayed with them and in that duty the Lord by his spirit filled him with Excellent Expressions to the great refreshing of those about him And bewailing the great Divisions amongst Gods people he said Lord if they will not live together in love thou wilt make them lye together in sufferings Then minding their present condition said Lord Death is the King of Terrors to Nature but it is a believers choice Friend it is thy high way to lead us into Glory After prayer taking notice of his Daughter he said to her get an interest in Christ and keep close to him he will be a better Father to thee then I and so took his leave of her The day of their Execution being come several godly Ministers spent some time with them in prayer Viz. with Col. Axtell and Col. Hacker and many friends coming in to pay their last respects Col. Axtell seeing one of his Familiar Friends and companions said my Dear brother thou art better then I am and yet I must go to heaven before thee for all that He very chearfully said to divers then with him dear Friends Rejoyce I am going where ye shall be also yea where we shall be for ever with the Lord and never part and be without any more change I beseech you follow the Lamb wherever he goeth though he may lead you in a harsh dismal and difficult way yet at last he will bring you into a pleasant path and cause you to lye down in green pastures in the land of rest Oh be faithful unto the death and he will give you a Crown of life as he hath given to your suffering Brethren Oh! all that we have or doe suffer is but to make Christ and heaven more sweet deare and Glorious to us all the sad steps we shall tread on this Ladder is but to mount us to heaven for at the top are Angels ready to receive us as was on Jacobs ladder All the things I meet with move me not I blesse my God for I am sure to Fight a good Fight and finish my course with joy Afterwards taking his leave of his Son imbracing him in his Arms he said my dear son fare thee well I must leave thee get an interest in Christ and love him nothing else will stand thee in stead but an interest in him Then calling for his Bible he hugged it saying this hath the whole Cause in it and I may carry this without offence And calling to a Friend he desired him to remember his love to the Congregation where he was a Member and after took his leave of all his Friends exhorting them with much chearfulnesse to love the Lord Jesus Christ and keep close to him and so with great joy addressed himself to go to his next work It will be convenient in this place to give you a brief account of Col. Francis Hacker in regard that Col. Axtell and he were fellow prisoners and sufferers together He was a man of few words and had not the gift of oratory to deliver himselfe as others could yet was very
rid of it have condemned my selfe for it cried out aginst it as the ravished damsel Deut. 22.26 The like for sins done in my inclination which by preventing grace are secret and onely known to God and I haue mourned over my secret sinnes onely known to God and my selfe over the sinnes of my youth which were committed faster then can be named for those which I did not know to be sin and those that I have forgotten and especially for my actually known sins committed against love and light promises and covenants I have confest them all with a heavy bleeding broken and contrite spirit and O that I had all sin as sin in a greater execration my griefe is for having offended so gracious a father that wil not damn me for it if there were no hell nor judge I would rather dye then willingly offend him any more and I cannot satisfie divine justice for one vain thought therefore I flie to Christ and close with him upon a free promise as a poor penitent sinner no merits but the merits of my Saviour I take in whole Christ and not one drop of my pudled water shall be mingled with the ocean of his pure and perfect righteousness I give up my self wholly to him as by a deed of gift to be at his dispose and I know he hath received me I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine and all is mine 1 Cor. 3.22 death it selfe I have a sweet certificate from Heaven of the pardon of sin justification reconciliation and adoption I know Gods heart and his eyes are upon me perpetually 2 Chro. 2.15 that no tender father or mother can have so special a care of any sick imprisoned child as he hath of me I believe that God who hath given a property to the needle to keep fixt though the ship overturn wil keep me faithful to the death and that I shal receive the crown of life and stand with as much confidence at the great day as if had never sinned and herein I am confirmed by the testimony of the spirt and Scripture evidences Blessed be God I doe love the Saints every one that suffers in this cause is at deare to me as my own soule my sighs have been many and my heart faint since I came hither not for my own condition for it is happy but for the afflictions of Joseph scarce a poor Saint permitted to breathe in Irish ayre those that wil not sweare and be drunke or have prayer in their families are counted Fanaticks Esay 50.15 I have a dear respect to all Gods commandements spiritual joy is no stranger to me I love the Word and Ordinances more then my appointed food I desire that all my thoughts words and actions may please God and that all that he does may please me and I doe freely forgive my adversaries the Lord herein encrease my faith Luke 17.5 and I bless God I have a quiet conscience as to the world and which is good also for being justified by Christ apprehended by faith I have peace with God Rom. 5.1 and so I descend to the cause for which I am in bonds which is as good as ever it was and I believe there is not a Saint that hath engaged with us but wil wish at the last day that he had sealed to the truth of it with his blood if thereunto called for I am satisfied that it is the most noble and glorious cause that has been agitated for God and Christ since the Apostolical times being for truth holiness and righteousness for our liberties as men and as Christians for removing of all yokes and oppressions for a gospel Magistracy and Ministery and not onely for the Priestly and Prophetical offices of Christ Jesus but for his Kingly also the peculiar light and worke of this generation being to discover and oppose the Civil and Ecclesiastical tyrannies intended upon the Nations by the Popes Leger demain to exalt Christ as Lord and King over mens consciences to magnifie and make the law of God honourable and authentique every where and to give justice and mercy the upper hand As I hear nothing what they intend to doe with me so I am not much sollicitous about it I doe freely trust God to make what bargain for me he pleases I believe they are as angry with me as any man in the nations because litera scripta manet but their cause requires rather silence then eloquence as for that against Monarchy unaccountable they will be ashamed to oppose it that which nettles them is the stating the Case for which I had Vouchers and Warrants for every word but now they plow with our Heffer yet great is the truth and that will prevail as for Petitioning there is not any I cannot confesse any guilt it is such a Cause that the Martyrs would gladly come again from Heaven to suffer for if they might though too many object against me 1 Pet. 4.15 Let none of you suffer as a Murtherer I look upon it as the most noble and high Act of justice that our Story can parallel and so far as I had a hand in it never any one action in all my life comes to my mind with lesse regret or trouble of conscience then that does for the bloud must lie upon Him or the Parliament and I am sure I had no more malice in my heart then when I was in my Cradle all that I can be sorry for is that I had not such pure and unbyast Aims at the glory of God exaltation of Christ therin as I should have had I neither said nor did any thing dubitante or reluctante conscientiae I was so far from a rainsaying conscience in any thing I acted that I never scrupled in the least and the generality of the people have since owned it I was in mercy a poor Advocate for Christ and the people of England and if by my bloud their cause may be watered I say as Phil. 2.17 18. to you and the rest of the Church of Christ if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith let us rejoyce together it has been counted shamefull for Souldiers to run from their Colours or desert their Masters and Principles but it is more odidus for a Councellor to prevaricate and betray his Clients Cause I am perswaded that all those that have had a chief hand and are now giving Judgement against themselves and all good people in all those points which they formerly contended for against the King as the lawfulnesse of the War which was granted both here and at Edenburgh The Militia Negative Voyce power to dissolve Parliaments conferring great Offices as King James said so long as I make Bishops and Judges I will have what Religion and Laws I please As they are most abominable prevaricators of the honest interest for they will wish at the last day that they had been Jewes Turks or Indians for the greater light the greater is their
have some trouble upon me concerning the losse of my temporal estate especially for my poor tender loving wife and child I was a purchaser and had a stock of cattel being wrongfully made prisoner two moneths before any speech of a King I was surprized and could save nothing nor get 20 l of my estate since Michaelmas last They promised to beare my charges to London but at Chester I was forced to borrow money or must have come a foot therefore pray be earnest with the Lord that we may take the spoyling of our goods more joyfully knowing that we have in heaven better and an enduring substance Heb. 10 34. and that we may not faint at these momentany afflictions which work so wel for us wherein riches and honours are not so according to that passage 2 Cor. 4 3 last verses and be affected with eternal joyes It is said that I shall be put down into the hole for non-payment of great Fees my comfort is that God will be with me there they cannot shut out Gods spirit from me which is an everlasting spring and Jubile nor will that be so bad as Jeremiah's Dungeon nor as Joseph's Irons which entered into his soule though indeed we are sold by our brethren as Joseph was that the scripture may be fulfilled The brother shall deliver up the brother to Death Matthew 10.21 I know not how to conclude not knowing when I may have another opportunity to converse with you I am overjoyed to think they cannot reach my soule and that our cause is invincible and it will be a happinesse if God see it good that none might suffer death but such whose souls are out of danger but being upon the account of civil liberties as well as spiritual our onely wise Father will order all for his own Glory and this onely silences all murmurings and master save thy selfe that what he pleases must needs be least for us he being Infinite Wisdome Love Power and Goodnesse Had the King made his way by the Sword we might expect his sorest strokes but for the men of Keilah to deliver us up for the Parliament to sacrifice us these men that sit by a Commonwealth Writ for whose priviledges we adventured our all and who cannot condemne us but must give up the Cause and give Judgement 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 make our recantations it will not last long and it is no matter what others say for they must receive their Judgement at the Bar of Christ and we shall Judge our Judges therefore let us not entertaine damps of dispondencies My rejoycing is in a good God a good Cause a good Conscience I have the Justice of Heaven on my side and Gods loving kindnesse which is better then life if we find injustice and cruelty here mens Law at Westminster will be adjudged Treason in Heaven it will not be long before all tears shall be wiped from our Eyes and if our innocencies be not vindicated and cleared up in this life as Jobs Mordecas Josephs and Daniels and Susannas were yet at the revelation of the righteous judgement of God it will appeare before men and Angels that we are not Traytors nor Murtherers nor Phanatiques but true Christians and good Commonwealths men fixt and constant to the principles of sanctity truth justice and mercy which the Parliament and Army declared and engaged for and to that Noble principle of preferring the Universality before Particularity that we sought the publique good and would have infranchised the people and secured the welfare of the whole groaning Creation if the Nation had not more delighted in servitude then in freedom And if we now suffer a martyrdom of body we shal be some of the souls under the Altar crying How long O Lord holy true and though we can patiently digest their Tortures and leave all vengance to whom it belongs yet who knows but that our blood may be their poyson but then after all unjust sentences of men how sweet and honourable will the Judgement of Christ be Matth. 25. Euge bone serve of entring into our master joy when the Kings of the Earth and the chief Captaines and Dukes of Edom shall wish the Mountaines and Rocks to fall upon them Rev. 5.16 I blesse God my poor Wife 〈◊〉 much encourage me to be faithful to the Death and she is a 〈…〉 who helps her Husband so to Heaven as in a Fiery Charoit she 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 Ier. 49.11 I shal leave her that Scripture and Esa 54.5 to 8. while they cannot take away by confiscation when we were in the storm we took our leaves each of the other * See the relation of his passage by sea from Wexsoâ—d to Kingsale and though we have not paid our Vowes at Pethell yet I trust as was then promised we shal be willing to go to Christ if he call through a Sea of bloud But O the infinite wisdome and love of God and the unsearchable riches of his Grace that if I had been drowned the Malignants would have said though he escaped by Land yet Divine Vengance over took him at 〈…〉 ow he should vouchsafe me poor me as Gideon said 〈…〉 15. one of the meanest Lawyers in Wesminster-Hall 〈…〉 of bonds and an affectual if not effectual Martyrdome for being an Advocate for my blessed Advocate and the good people of England I have been the larger not knowing what use this may be of if my mouth should be stop't if you hear any report of me contrary hereunto believe it not so you have my heart and I had rather be buried alive then my Tongue or Hand should differ from it O pray much for me and pray again and mend your prayer as I have great need to doe if you know what pittiful poor short and confused prayers I make in a day yet Father into thy hands I commend my spirit is a prayer no period better then prayer therefore now unto him that is able to keep you and me from falling and to present you and me faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and for Ever Amen Your for ever in our Dear Redeemer John Cooke A Letter written by Mr. Justice Cooke from the Tower to his Wife MY deare lamb blessed be God for Jesus Christ and for a prison where I finde much of his comforting presence tell sister Jones that she keeps but two or three Sabbaths in a weeke but in prison every day is a Christian Sabbath not onely to cease from sinne but to praise God singing Hosannaes and Hallalujahs I can but smile to think that they cannot hinder me
in three or four hours his Wife Children and many other friends returned When we came we found them praying Assoon as Col. Scroop had ended Mr. Scot turned about and opening his arms he imbraced his Wife and one of his Daughters Ah said he my dear ones God is good he is come he is come I am full I am full O blesse the Lord for me and with me O my soul and all that is within me magnifie the Lord. By and by he went to prayer himself and one would have thought he had been as it were in Heaven his soul was so enlarged in blessing praising and magnifying the God of his Salvation O! said he to his Wife I would not change this dark Room for the best Star-Chamber under Heaven He desired his Friends and Relations would not be solicitous for his Body but let them do what they pleased and exercise what Cruelty they would saying it was meet it should be so And that the dead Bodies of the Witnesses must be unburied that the Scriptures might be fulfilled Some part of his prayer was to blesse the Lord That as the Psalmist said though he came in there weeping and fearing that he had not yet been bearing precious feed yet now they were returning rejoycing and triumphing and carrying their sheaves with them Call us not said he Marahs as she once said but call us Naomies for we came in hither some of us empty but we are going out full The Lord hath not writ bitter things but good of us for this is glorious Grace That We are counted worthy to suffer for GOD and His CAVSE Oh! what shall we render to the Lord Wee will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. Oh our souls blesse the Lord And we do with our souls blesse Thee that we have an Eternity to blesse Thee in for no lesse will satisfie our souls And now O blessed and glorious God shall we be among thy Worthies Meaning N. G. H. Mr. Carew and Mr. Cook if Possible let us attain to the first Three but if we attain not to so glorious a Testimony as that yet O Lord let us be among thy Worthies We desire to glorifie thy great and blessed Name that Thou hast in any measure enabled us to encourage our hearts in the Lord our God at such a time as this when Eighty is as it were in the flames and the people speak of worse than stoning us When some spake of the Reproaches of the people he said he accounted that his honour Mr. Scot's Speech upon the Ladder GENTLEMEN I stand here a Spectacle to GOD to Angels and Men To GOD and Angels to whom I hope I am shortly a going And now to you I owe it to God and the Nation and my self to say something concerning each For my self I think it may become me to tell you how and why I came hither and something in the general concerning my capacity In the beginning of these Troubles I was as many others were unsatisfied I saw Liberties and Religion in the Nation in great danger to my best apprehension I saw the approaches of Popery in a great measure coming in upon us I saw Upon which the Sheriff interrupted him in these words If you will betake your self to prayers you may Mr. Scot replied I shall not speak to reproach any The Sheriff interrupted him again saying You have but a little time Mr. Scot Therefore betake that little time to prayer Mr. Scot replied I shall speak The Sheriff interrupted him again saying I beseech you Sir betake your self to prayer Mr. Scot said It may become me to give account of my self because The Sheriff interrupted him again saying It doth not become you to speak any such thing here Therefore I beseech you betake your self to prayer it is but a little time you have to live you know Mr. Scot that is the most needful thing Mr. Scot replied 'T is so The Sheriff interrupts again saying Sir But when you came upon the Stage you deprived your self very much Then said Mr. Scot I thought to tell you how I came hither Here the Sheriff interrupted again or else some one besides the Sheriff and spake to this effect Every body knows that Mr. Scot said Sir 't is hard that an English man hath not liberty to speak The Sheriff interrupted again saying I cannot suffer you to speak any such thing Mr. Scot said I shall say no more but this That it is a very mean and bad Cause that will nor bear the words of a dying-man it is not ordinarily denied to people in this condition The Sheriff interrupted again saying Sir you had a fair Tryal and you were found guilty Mr. Scot replied 'T is according to my mind to speak what may be said Hear the Under-Sheriff interrupted saying It hath been denyed unto your Predecessors and will be denyed unto you Then he Prayed as followeth HOly Lord God the great and glorious God of Heaven and Earth King of Nations and King of Saints in both which capacities thy poor and unworthy Creature comes now to bear his Witness in this great spectacle before Thee Angels and Men. O Lord were it not for Sin none of these things had befallen this Nation nor my unworthy self We have all transgressed and gone astray from thee by a perpetual back-sliding even all of a sorts conditions ranks and orders of men And among them none none more than thy poor unworthy Creature who acknowledgeth the same here before Thee in the face of Heaven and in Thy Presence to which he is very shortly a going That glorious Grace which thou hast been pleased to afford unto his soul in it Thou art gone to the highest extent of mercy that ever was shewed to any of the sons of men Thy poor servant doth acknowledge himself to be the greatest of transgressors And thy glorious Grace is magnified above all thy Name in what Thou hast done for thy poor Creature But Lord so it is because such is thy good pleasure such was thy design from Eternity through or in the great Transactions that was between Thee and Christ thy blessed Son and our blessed Saviour that Thou shouldest in thy dispensation in the governing of thy Church in the World That thou shouldest glorifie thy Free-grace in pardoning of the Sins and in the Salvation of some of lost Man-kind which was the great Master-piece of thy Love that thou shouldest chuse out of poor lost Man-kind one or other it is of admirable and incomprehensible mercy And that thou shouldest chuse thy poor Creature as one in the number is matter of Adoration Admiration is matter of Eternal Extasie and is matter of Thanksgiving for ever And this is the comfort of his poor soul that he shall have an Eternity with thy self Thou hast so assured him that he shall be blessing honouring and magnifying of Thee among a company of Saints and Angels and the souls of just
men made perfect O blessed Lord thou hast called him forth as a publick Spectacle to some in a condition of Shame and Reproach to others of Comfort and to thy Blessed Self as one that is a Witness for Thee that hath served Thee with all faithfulness in his trust and publick capacity and imployment O Lord thy Dispensation to thy poor Creature hath been wonderful gracious and merciful and he must say to the praise of thy Free-grace Here the Hangman stooping down to take Drink which was reached up to him upon the Ladder interrupted him Upon which Mr. Scot said prethee let me alone I have not done and then proceeded in Prayer as followeth That this very Condition to which he is now brought he acknowledgeth is the answer of his Prayer before his going out of England Thou knowest Lord he did many times in prayers and tears seek thy blessed Majesty for Counsel and for Advice whether it were his duty to stay and suffer or to shelter himself abroad And if it were thy will to take more honour to thy self by his Suffering than his Living thou wouldest be pleased to Remand him back again and bring him hither And he hath observed thy Providence checking of his way and in preserving him all along until he came to this O blessed Lord thy poor Creature doth acknowledge that thy ways to his poor Soul have been of wonderful grace and mercy It was a great mercy to him that having had by reason of many sinful temptations and many incumbrances and many incessant Businesses in the World whereof he hath been a perpetual drudge many years past and he hath not had the conveniency though his duty The Lord knowes he had not the conveniency nor the heart so to improve and keep his own vineyard while he had been looking after or keeping others vineyard Thou didst therefore all along while he was abroad give sweet opportunities and precious seasons while he was abroad of seeking thy face and studying his Souls good concerning Eternity and the Eternnal pleasure of thy holy will And he blesseth thy name that thou hast been pleased to open to him both the Scripture and his understanding and so to answer the one by the other as that he is through the grace of God comfortably perswaded that his eternal estate is out of hazard But O Lord thou hast been pleased all the while that his condition hath been doubtful to make his Comforts to his poor soul doubtful also sometimes fear and sometimes hope have been mixed Again and again wanting those Consolations that might support his soul to such an issue But blessed be thy glorious Name the great God of Heaven and Earth he hath been pleased to bear him witness to himself to Angels and to all that hear me this day this very day thy poor Servant that now stands to suffer had joy and much Consolation from God and from his Cause more than ever he had before I say again to the praise of the Free-Grace of God I bless his Name he hath engaged me in a Cause not to be repented of I say in a Cause not to be repented of Here the Sheriff interrupted him saying Is this your Prayers Mr. Scot desiring him to forbear those kind of Expressions Others also told him that he contradicted himself and spoke Blasphemy Then Mr. Scot said I shall say no more but this The Lord I do acknowledge that this very morning in the Dark Chamber I had very much of the presence of God and from thence I take Consolation to my self that his Spirit is with me and that he hath sealed unto my soul the Decrees of Heaven at least perswaded my soul that it will be well with me and that I am out of all danger as to my Eternal Condition and that I shall live and reign with him there where all sin shall be done away which is the growing glory of my soul and all tears wipt away also In the mean time I pray thee O Lord that thou wouldest remember England and remember thy Cause in England and remember me with the joyes of thy Salvation in the instant of my departure O Lord it is an narrow entrance it is a strait passage it is an entrance into Eternity O Lord thou hast once to day shewed me something beyond it something of the glory of God I pray thee forsake me not while I am here and sensible or afterwards in the passage of my soul to thee I leave it and to thy Providence and do acknowledge thy goodness to my soul in fitting me to receive that good which thou in thy infinite pleasure dost think fit for me And therefore O Lord into thy hands I commend my Spirit Lord I desire to have some more testimony of thy Love if it be thy blessed will It is enough that I live upon what I had to day but if it be agreeable to thy holy will I would honour and eternally bless thee if thou wouldst be pleased to shine upon me with some more particular immediate discoveries of thy presence but not my will but thy will be done The Lord be pleased to settle the Nation in peace and in the power and purity of Religion and thy Ordinances in purity And Lord for thy Son that is the darling of thy Soul Be thou pleased to give him a glorious entertainment in the world and let the Kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of Jesus Christ Lord thou hast a Cause in the world dear unto thee I pray thee own it though it may not be owned in all places and by all persons yet Religion is the Interest of them all O Lord Remember the price of Blood that hath been shed for the purchasing of the Civil and Christian Liberties And remember thy Enemies that are not incorrigible Enemies to thy Truth and Holiness and give them understanding to see their Error and to turn to thee a heart broken and with humiliation that they may seek God with their whole heart that they may be a Holy or Immanuel Nation A Chosen Generation A peculiar People zealous of good Works careful to shew forth the virtue of him that hath Called them from Death to Life The Lord call in all that belong to the Election of Grace speedily into that Number Let no Weapon formed against thy Church prosper But Lord Remember Zion if it be thy good pleasure and repair the Walls of thy Jerusalem O Lord thy CAUSE lies near the hearts of thy People And I bear thee Witness that I have this Income from thee as the Return of their Prayers And that we are Supported to bear Witness for thee very chearfully and with satisfaction I desire to be found of thee in Jesus Christ I do now abhor all my sins and renounce my Services and do account them all as dung Lord thou knowest I have desired to live that I might serve thee better and love thee more but that I may be with thy self
my hands and knees I tell you no but it is by reason of much blood I have loâ—t in the Wars and many wounds I have recceived in my body which caused this shaking and weaknesse in my Nerves I have had it this twelve year I speak this to the praise and glory of God he hath carryed me above the fear of death and I value not my life because I go to my Father and am assured I shall take it up again Gentlemen Take notice that for being instrumentall in that cause and interest of the son of God which hath been pleaded amongst us and which God hath witnessed to by Appeals and VVonderfull Victories I am brought to this place to suffer death this day and if I had ten thousand lives I could freely and cheerfully lay them down all to witnesse to this matter Oh what am I poor worm that I should be accounted worthy to suffer any thing for the sake of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I have gone joyfully and willingly many a time to lay down my life upon the account of Christ but never with so much joy and freedome as at this time I do not lay down my life by constraint but willingly for if I had been minded to have run away I might have had many opportunities but being so clear in the thing I durst not turn my back nor step a foot out of the way by reason I had been engaged in the service of so glorious and great a God however men presume to call it by hard Names Yet I believe ere it be long the Lord will make it known from Heaven that there was more of God in it then men are now aware of All the Gods of the Nations are but Idols they have Eyes but see not and Mouths but speak not and cannot save those that trust in them But my God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords before whom all you here and all Nations are but as a drop of a Bucket And he will never leave those that truly trust in him unto whose Glory I shall surely go and shall sit on the right hand of Christ in Heaven it may be to Judge those that have Unjustly Judged me Matth. 25.33 34. 1 Cor. 6.2 The Sheriffe minding him of the shortnesse of time it he had any thing to say to the people he might He said I do desire as from my own soul that they and every one may fear the Lord that they may consider their latter end and so it may be well with them and even for the worst of those that have been most malitious againâ—t me from my soul I would forgive them all so far as any thing concerns me and so far as it concerns the cause and glory of God I leave it for him to plead and as for the cause of God I am willing to justifie it by my sufferings according to the good pleasure of his will I have been this morning before I came hither so hurried up and down Stairs the meaning whereof I knew not that my spirits are almost spent therefore you may not expect much from me Oh the greatnesse of the love of God to such a poor vile and nothing creature as I am what am I that Jesus Christ should shed his hearts Bloud for me that I might be happy to all Eternity that I might be made a son of God and an heir of Heaven Oh that Christ should undergo so great sufferings and reproaches for me and should not I be willing to lay down my life and suffer reproaches for him that hath so loved me Blessed be the Name of God that I have a life to lose upon so glorious and so honourable an account then praying to himself with tears and having ended the Hang-man pull'd down his Cap but he thrust it up again saying I have one word more to the Lords people that desire to serue him with an upright heart Let them not think hardly of any of the good wayes of God for all this for I have been near this seven years a suffering person and have found the way of God to be a perfect way his Word a tried Word a Buckler to them that trust in him and will make known his glorious Arm in the sight of all Nations And though we may suffer hard things yet he hath a gracious end and will make for his own glory and the good end of his people therefore be cheerfull in the Lord your God hold fast that which you have and be not afraid of suffering for God will make hard and bitter things sweet and easie to all those that trust in him keep close to the good Confession you have made of Jesus Christ and look to the recompence of reward be not discouraged by reason of the cloud that now is upon you for the Son will shine and God will give a testimony unto what he hath been a doing in a short time And now I desire to commit my Concernments into the hands of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he that hath delivered himself for the chief of sinners he that came into the world was made flesh and was crucified that hath loved me and washed me from my sins in his own bloud and is risen again sitting at the right Hand of God making intercession for me And as for me Oh who am I poor base vile worm that God should deal thus by me for this will make me come the sooner into his glory and to inherit the Kingdome and that Crown prepared for me Oh I have served a good Lord and Master which hath helped me from my beginning to this day and hath carried me through many difficulties trialls straits and temptations and hath alwayes been a very present help in time of trouble he hath covered my head many times in the day of Battle By God I have leaped over a Wall by God I have run'd through a Troop and by my God I will go through this death and he will make it easie to me Now into thy Hands O Lord Jesus I commit my spirit Some Occasionall Speeches and Memorable passages before Execution of Mr. John Carew WHen the first tidings of the Adversaries intentions to seize and apprehend him being then in Cornwall came to his knowledge he uttered these words or to this effect That he had committed both his life and estate to the Lord to save or destroy as he thought meet and therefore he would not by any means go out of the way though provoked thereunto by several Friends After he was seized upon in the Countrey and coming up to London he had a gratious presence of the Lord with him sweetly supporting him in the sense of the love of Christ to his soul and being perswaded that the cause of his suffering from man was such as he had no cause to be ashamed of otherwise the many reproaches and hard usage in the way to London had been sufficient to have troubled his
spirit In most Towns where he came the Generality of the people Reviling him with such words as these hang him Rogue pistol him said others hang him up said some at Salisbury at the next sign-post without any further trouble Look said others how he doth not alter his Countenance but we believe he wil tremble when he comes to the Ladder This is the Rogue will have no King but Jesus Indeed the rage of the people all the way was such that had he not been indued with strength from on High he could not have under-gone the wicked and Barbarous Deportment and Carriage of the Giddy multitude which he was subjected to After he came to London and had many opportunities of Escape if he had thought it meet before he was sent to the Tower yet he would not knowing how much the Name and Glory of God was concerned in his faithful witnesse to the cause of Christ for which he was in Bonds And the truth is his joy in the Lord was such that when many came drooping in spirit to him by reason of the Gloominesse of this present dispensation they went away refreshed and comforted by those many Gracious words that came out of his mouth When word was brought him that Maj. General Harrison was dead he said well my turn will be next and as we have gone a long in our Lives so must we be one in our Death The Lord God grant that I may have strength from himself to follow couragiously to the last breath and that I may much honour and glorifie God whom I have made profession of I can do nothing of my self but my strength is in the Lord of Hosts who hath helped me from my beginning to this day and will help me to the end The night before he suffered some of his Natural Relation came to take their leave of him and when they were parting they shed some tears but when he perceived it said O my friends if you did know and feel what joy I have and what a Glorious Crown I shall receive from the hand of Christ for this work you would not Mourn but Rejoice that I am counted worthy to be a witnesse to this Cause and said further The Lord preserve you all from the portion of this Generation for assuredly There is great wrath from the Lord that will reach them to their destruction When Mr. L. came to take his leave of him he asked this Question viz. how it was with him he Answered very well I bless my God as to my interest in him I have not the least doubt but do know assuredly that when my soul shall be separated from this body I shall be taken into his presence where is fullness of joy c. And by Jesus Christ be presented to my Father without spot and blame in his own compleat and perfect righteousnesse which is free and not for any of mine own works for I am a poor sinful and wretched creature and compassed about with many infirmities And when it was asked him if he had any thing of conviction upon him as to what he was to suffer for he answered no not in the least for said he Though man have Condemned yet the Lord hath and doth justifie he added the Lord had justifyed it in the Field once already in this Nation but that is now accounted as a thing of Nought but he will again do it with a Witnesse and prayed that the Lord would deliver him viz. Mr. L. from that Judgement that was at hand by which he would do it To this effect spake he also to many that did quere with him about this matter being told that his Nephew and some others were doing their utmost for his Reprieve he replyed that there is nothing to be done For the Sheriffe hath brought me word just now that I must Dye to morrow and that there was some that desired I might not be Quartered but it would not be granted But Death is nothing to me let them Quarter my body never so much God will bring all those pieces together again It was asked him if he had assurance of the love of God he said yea yea he had Fought a good Fight and had overcome and he was ready to suffer the will of God One asked him if he thought there would be a Resurrection of the Cause he Answered he Dyed in the Faith of that as much as he did that his body should rise again if he did not believe that he should not be so cheerfull at the Sentence of death he said also he had not the least regret or disturbance on his spirit about that for which he was to die for what he did was of the Lord if it were to be done again he wold do it And the way they took to suppresse and destroy those that did not think the Kings person Sacred their blood will make many hundreds more perswaded of the truth of it it was grievous to him to hear how at his Tryal they blasphemed God and his people but he was resolved he would own the Lord among them which they could not bear Therefore they were so violent against him he said the Gospell was going from London Popery and Superstition c. was coming in and it would be a rare thing to find a professor of religion in London shortly he incouraged those about him to keep close to the Lord in this evil day Oh! said he who would have thought some yeers since that Poper and Formality should have been let in again to these Nations he said they were so Barbacus they would not allow him some small time to take a little Rest before he was to suffer which was all he needed or desired of them For he was much tired with speaking to company which came continually in He desired to be remembred to some Friends and tell them That this was the last Beast and his Rage was great because his time was short Some more Expressions he uttered to this effect But in all his words and manner of speaking he manifested the highest Christian Magnanimity and holy Greatnesse of mind and such a spirit of joy and glory rested upon him even to astonishment It was asked if he apprehended his confidence would contniue to the death he said he was not strong in his own strength but in the Lord's strength which he still relied upon And he said to one by him will you not see how God will carry me through next day and desired prayers for him One asked him what he thought of this severe hand of God He said that which was hid secret in the bosome of the Father should be manifested in due time Oh! said he it grieves me to think how Popery is coming upon us like a flood in this poor Nation and the great judgement that will follow But the Lord will be a hiding place for his poor people untill the indignation be overpast let not our enemies think