A true and exact copie of Mr. Gibbons's Speech which he intended to have spoken immediately before his death on the Scaffold at Tower Hill AUGUST 22. 1651. I Am brought upon the Stage where I am a Spectacle to God Angells and Men an object of pity and compassion to my friends whose eyes are come to behold a man in the prime and flower of his years in the height and excellency of his strength to be cut down by a violent stroke as an unprofitable tree that burthens the ground therefore must stand no longer it is nothing but Gods ordinary way to suffer men to cast out that he may receive No sooner was the blind man throwne out by the Pharisees but he was received by Christ the three Children thrown into the fiery Furnace are entertained and delivered by God it is no matter what the means is if God take it into his hand it shall deliver his people we have but one way into the world but a thousand wayes out could all the miseries of earth and hell be inflicted if it leads to Christ a Christian must not go out of the way how much more ought I to submit to this my present condition which God hath chosen for me as the best portion I can possibly have I blesse God I come to this place with as much comfort as ever the bridegroom received his bride and though the passage be bloudy it is the way to my crowne here my head is to be severed from my body but my soul shall be to all eternity joyned to Christ I wish that the present Power and that Court they have set up have done themselves no more wrong then they have me by their sentence of death which is the means to bring me to the way I am now a going from earth to heaven from friends relations and creature comforts which ere long I must of necessity have left to receive the end of my Faith the reward of my Hope the portion of the Saints the perfection of believers the riches of eternity the glory of heaven which never can nor shall be taken from me Therefore farewell world and all that I cannot keep aâ—d thrice welcome death that puts me into the hands of a convoy of Angells that will carry me to my Fathers house to receive an inheritance I shall never part withall I do not come hither to tell a large story of my life nor to make a discovery of my sins which I find upon the examination of my heart to be so many and wonderfull that nothing but eternity can be sufficient to admire the freenesse of Gods grace in receving me to mercy From my childhood I have seen affliction I have seen a Father laid in the grave a Wife and Child in the grave but never to this day could I put my sins in the grave which have been the great wounding of my heart and this is wonderfull comfort to me though I were to injoy nothing else that after this day I shall never sin more Ever since the time I can remember I have set my face towards heaven and in the course of my life have indeavoured to fence my way with thorns alwaies desiring to go the most strictest and straitest way that might bring me to Christ In the Bishops time I did with a trembling soul behold the dying condition of Religion and then did often meet before the Lord to powre out my soul and complaints amongst others of Gods servants for the great miseries and oppressions that the Church and people of God lay under Ever since I had my knowledge I have looked upon the Presbyterian Government as the only most excellent Government and have often thought it to be the Chain spoken of in the Revelation that shall bind the Divell a thousand years believing from my soul that all the world is not able to find out a Government that does so much advance Christ in his Throne maintain Religion in its glory the Church in its rights the people in their liberties as that Government doth and that no Government doth so much curb prophanenesse all sorts of wickednesse errors and blasphemy as the Presbyterian Government doth and that no Government doth so much crosse corrupt nature and call for exact walking in all manner of holy conversation as the Presbyterian Government doth I am wonderfully confirmed it is of God when I behold the multitudes and universality of wicked men that oppose it with the swarms of all sorts and Sects with all ranks and all manner of men and old heresies that rise up against it I have alwaies been for the Covenant the force and ends thereof upon Gospell principles I have alwaies â—one owning the waies of God and Religion when most clouded and despised never daring to quit my principles upon consideration or danger whatsoever for the true cause of God Religion and liberty I have alwaies been upon these principles I have ingaged from these principles I never departed these are the principles in which I have lived these are the principles upon which I die and do resolve by Gods grace this day to seale the same with my bloud chusing rather a thousand times to have my neck upon the Block then to enjoy the most glorious life and liberty with those that have most fearfully betrayed the cause of God and Religion their own souls and consciences by their most horrible Apostacy to the great dishonour of God and scandall of Religion let them put what dresse or mask they will upon it when God shall rend and tear it off discover and rip up the intentions of their hearts men will see and themselves shall know what it must cost to lose a good conscience I never was without a trembling spirit nor a heart to lament while the Spouse of Christ was cloathed in mourning I have alwaies been so far from daring to make merry at such a time that I thought it not only my duty but the least I could do to lie in tears while the Church was rowling in bloud it hath been one of my greatest afflictions that I never yet could get a heart sensible enough to mourn as I ought for the great desolation havock and ruine that is this day made amongst all the Churches of God Lord deliver all those that fear thy Name from the number of such as can rejoyce keep daies of Thanksgiving and make Songs of triumph for the number of those that are slain for the Testimony which they hold I am at last brought to suffer death as an enemy to the State though a friend to Jesus Christ his Church and Members The Jews told Pilate he was no friend to Caesar if he did let Christ go the case is now altered for whosoever desireth to keep Christ his Truth and Laws the Covenant and the ends thereof and let sin and wickednesse go and stand in opposition to error and heresie are declared enemies to the State and if there be no Law of
God nor man to condemn us then like the Jews they find out a Law and by that Law they tell us we ought to die I shall make no large discourse of the manner of of my Tryall for I know there were both eye and ear witnesses that will declare to posterities following all the hard measure that I had besides I have left something behind to be printed which will publish to the world upon what slight grounds and slender Testimonies I lose my life those that writ for me had their books taken away whereby I was cut off from all possible means from making a defence when I came before them I declared all this again and again most earnestly craved a Copy of my Charge the Copy of the Depositions of the Witnesses and Counsell assigned when no Arguments nor means could move them to grant me this I did chuse rather to submit to the mercy of the Court then plead so that all I could do was to put up an appeal to the Court being denied means could never make any defence but my defence is of God that saveth the upright in heart the Court adjorned the next time I came before them I received the Sentence of death Here I must crave leave to discharge my conscience concerning a Petition in my name sent to Westminster that acknowledged the Sentence to be just I could not withstand my friends perswasions but according to their desires a Petition was sent the which I neither writ nor would ever set my name for without wounding of my conscience I cannot say to gain the world it is a just sentence but am clear of an opinion with that Gentleman that was both ear and eye-witnesse of my Tryall and understood both the Laws and their Acts as wel as any from his knowledge did declare that he would not have had a hand in my Sentence for as much gold as could lie in Westminster Hall Let them declare write a thousand books to blind the world and justifie themselves if they do not repent of this daies work both God Angells and Men with the blond that is this day spilt will witnesse against them as I do verily perswade my self that before this time never such a Sentence passed upon English ground so from my soul and conscience I do declare they have committed a horrible murther and without repentance make as sad an account to God for my bloud as Cain must one day for Abels I do believe it would be more pleasing to God if they did send the souldiers to the prisoners Chambers and cut their throats then under a colour to bring them to a Tryall before such a Court that carries a face of Justice when there is nothing but murther and destruction to be expected from them I do not speak this from a bitter spirit the Lord knows I do freely forgive them and desire from my soule they may have hearts to repent for both in the Sentence and all other things I read both the will and goodnesse of God I look upon them as a company of poor instruments which God knows well enough how to deal with therefore it is both my duty and the duty of all those that love God to pray for them to pity their condition and not envy it I would not leave this Scaffold to enjoy their lives and have that account they must make for all the worlds glory better to have my neck upon the Block then to have my conscience upon the rack As freely do I forgive the Witnesses the Lord lay not the great sins they have committed to their charge I hope they will one day see it is better to be in a suffering condition then in a sinfull and that wrath and sin is more to be feared then any misery whatsoever they have bought their lifes and liberties dear enough therefore let none be angry it is the will of God lament their estate and pray for them I am here brought to die for Treason and complotting against the State and such a plot have they proclaimed to the world as the like hath not been for many years Here I do concur and am of their opinion that there is a very great plot and so great that a plot must be pretended to beget greater plots that is to destroy the Presbyterian Government the whole race of the Ministery and those that desire to keep a good conscience and truly fear God this lieth at the bottom whatsoever is held forth for any plot that ever I had or any of my friends accused and the Ministers had I know none that I thought worth any thing I am sensible how many millions of sins I have committed the which I have seen before me and on the right hand and on the left every way piled up till they are swelled to such a magnitude that they exceed the highest mountains for greatnesse so you see that I have not wanted sins to powre out floods of tears upon but for this thing I am accused for and now brought to die I cannot only plead my innocency but put up my Appeal to the great God who is a most impartiall Judge unto whose Bar I am now a going to receive a righteous Judgement that I never had any other end in all this businesse laid to my charge but the honour of God his Gospell and Religion all which were so dear unto me that when I saw the wonderfull and horrible scandall that the late actions of a generation of men had thrown upon the face of Religion and Gospell I told a Gentleman now with God in the hearing of some living that so deeply did the honour of God suffer the honour of thâ— Gospell and cause of Religion in the eys of all reformed Churches in the eys of Papists in the eys of Turks and Heathens that happy for England would it be if any means might be found to wash off the scorn contempt and stains cast upon the Gospell and Religion yea though it were with the bloud of Ministers it would be cause of rejoycing in the eys of all that fear the Lord. Who can tell but this daies work is the way unto it all that I have mourned for was that Religion suffered all that ever I prayed for was that Christ might have the Government in his hand all that ever I endeavoured for was to bring things back into the channell where God would have them all that I have done and defired was that there might be a restoration of the honour of the Gospell the truth of Religion the Laws Liberties and Priviledges of the People And though I were but clay and spittle I knew in the hands of God I might be instrumentall alwaies thought it my duty to bring something though it were but a handfull of goats hair if any way I might be usefull and contribute towards the help of the Church and the relief of Gods people from under their great oppressions this is all that I have done and
of this side hell I cannot think any more miserable then those that can rejoyce at such sights as these But have a care your mourning be not a discontented mourning quarrelling with God and his Providence repining and murmuring at the instruments do you as Jacob did look who stands upon the top of the ladder and like Ezekiel see who stands upon the top of the well and do not look at the hammer that smites nor at the next stop of the ladder but look up to God that orders and directs all who is infinitely wise and knows best how to contrive and bring things about for the good of his Church and people do you your duty and trust God though you see all the Providences of God crossing his promises still wait if you should never understand them here stay untill you come in heaven there you will know the meaning of every crosse working and then see that none of all the Churches sufferings nor afflictions of the Saints could have been spaâ—ed while you are here alive and depend upon promises and not providence do not forget that when God is a pulling down he is a setting up when he seems to make the greatest wounds he comes with the greatest healing when he holds forth the greatest destruction he intends the greatest deliverances he came to Jacob like an enemy to destroy when he was resolved to shew the greatest friendship I am most confident all that your eys have seen this day is also for your good and the way to your deliverance and that our blouds shall set the enemies a horseback and pur spur to their destruction I am most assured some standing in this place shall here and to all eternity blesse God for this daies work The most â—icked of men may behold the sufferings of Gods people but they cannot see the comforts they have they may see their mournings and rears but they cannot see the Towell that Jesus Christ wipes their eys withall since the Creation to this present day there was never any suffered Martyrdome for the testimony of a good conscience but God came with strength and comfort according to their condition and now they are in heaven I do fully perswade my self these of them that died the worst of deaths would have died no other nor have abated any of their sufferings or reproaches for a thousand worlds Were we but sensible of the infinite glory God gets by the sufferings of his people did we but know how many flowers and precious pearls it adds to their Crown we should see men come running as fast to Martyrdome as our eys now see them running from it the very first moment that we behold the face of God will be a sufficient reward for a thousand times more then ever we have or can suffer here though there were nothing else to be injoyed but Christ owning their souls at the day of Judgement it were enough to ingage a Christian to own Christ here though his sufferings were to be like the torments of hell when we come to know and tast of the infinite rewards that God hath prepared for his suffering people it heaven were capable of shame we would be ashamed we have done and suffered so little for Christ therefore give me leave to perswade you and let the last words of a dying man prevail with you that you let go all rather then part with your Principles better the heavens should fall and the whole world be set of fire then that God should lose his honour or the least jot or tittle of the truth be parted with fly from errour though it come in the habit and dresse of Saints and Angells error is like barrells of gunpowder that will blow up States Kingdomes souls and bodies whosoever takes up error draws a sword against Christ his Truth and Laws if you do but countenance one step the least from the truth you are in danger of falling into a gulfe that will swallow you up ask but your own experience and that will tell you many glorious Starrs and Professors that for some self-ends at the first did go but a little aside from the truth but there they did not stay but run from one error to another searching all the rooms in hell to find out new ones for never could any rest that follow error it is like hell without any bottom how many Ministers have you seen heretofore you could have lived and died withall gone but a little astray from the truth by which they have given a greater blow to the honour of God and Religion then all their Sermons and Preaching can do good while they live did you ever see any go aside from the truth but he got a blot and dishonour upon his name Truth hath called Kings and Emperours to honor the meanest of persons therefore though you see thousand and ten thousand run to error hold you to the Truth if you love your souls bodies land estâ—â—e wife children part not with the least of it follow neither Christian nor Minister any further then he follows Christ not wonder it you see those that have appeared to be the most eminent in knowledge and grace go from the truth to error for from the beginning it hath been so and God doth suffer the same to try his people I must needs acknowledge that error is now cloathed with so smooth a dresse that iâ— makes my heart to bleed to think of the harvest the divell will have but in all Ages God hath preserved a remnant and so he doth still blessed be God that there are a few some of all sores both Ministers and people that have kept their garments unspotted never yet stained with error All you that love God be of the number of those few though you suffer and die with them every Error is a Chain that binds your Soul and Conscience that you cannot go to God every error is a Bar that makes fast the dooâ— against Christ and his Laws therefor hold and keep close to the truth look upon Athanasius that owned the truth when the whole world was against it be like Amos who kept close to God when a whole Court was against him or like Martin Luther that owned the truth of God alone against all the power and force of Antichrist in all Ages even in the most damnable apostatizing times God hath had some that have dared to own his truth if Baal be God follow him but if the Lord be God follow him Naboths Vineyard is taken away and his inheritance taken possession of but God is so far from approving of it that he sends in Elisha with an arrant of vengeance have not our eys seen and our ears heard more abominable practises in our times the head of our Countrey the breath of our nostrills the anointed of the Lord by a violent death is taken away from us so dreadfull was this stroke that it struck at the root of all Lawes and Religion and murdered