not reflect upon his Majesty or the present Government which they all promised not to do and thanked him for his civility and then Phillips began in manner following Friends and Country-men I Am come this day to pay that great debt that I owe to Nature it is a work that had need be well done for it is but once to be done My hope is now above and for what I now come to suffer for my own part I bless God in whose presence I now speak as a dying man I had not any murderous thought against the King but I have prayed for him and wished that he might Live and Reign and long Reign in Righteousness and that God would make his Crown a Crown of Righteousness upon his Head and bless him in his Government so that he may not know any of these occasions more For my part I have ventured my life for his Majesty it was far from my heart to do any thing of that nature The Lord receive my soul I freely forgive all men as I hope to be forgiven of God I never did act any thing but only this which was my ignorance of the Laws that I did not discover it And I was justly found guilty for not discovering I have done Mr. Sheriff but hope after my Brethren have spoken we may have liberty to call upon the Lord. Vnder-Sher It will not be denied you Then Mr. Tonge began in this manner Friends and Countrey-men YOu see me here a dying man I have sometimes been in some mens company where I have heard them contriving the business for which I am condemned to die and that which led me to joyn with them was this I was and had been sometimes in the Army and I have looked upon this Cause to be good As for his Majesty the Lord bless him and prosper him and put it into his heart that he may be a Nursing-Father indeed to this Country Vnder-Sher Have you any more to say you may speak Tonge I have nothing more And then Gibbs proceeded and said COuntry-men and Friends and I hope Christians and the last consideration is that that makes me the more free to speak to you we all profess to own God and Jesus Christ to be our Saviour our Redeemer our Sanctifier and giver of and bestower upon us Eternal Life this should excite our Souls to love one another and upon the account of Gods love that God has so loved us as to give Jesus Christ to reconcile us sinners to God we ought to love one another it is his great command Truly as to the Cause for which I am brought here God the great Judge of Heaven and Earth before whom I stand knows that in the place where I have lived I behaved my self as an obedient Subject and when there was an Insurrection by the Fifth-monarchy-men I went out in my own person though I had Servants as well as others purely out of affection to his Majesty knowing that in the peace of his Government I should have peace and so I went out hazarded my life and continued out till all was quiet I was at a Neighbours house drinking of a cup of Beer on Tuesday night in the Kitchin alone save only the man of the house and the maid these men came in one Hill and Riggs that are the witnesses against me there was Riggs and Hill and this Stubbs and one Beazely and I being alone in the Kitchin they asked for one Gibbs the people of the house told me there were some Gentlemen would speak with me I wished them to direct them to me and they came to me and through the ignorance of the Law which it seems runs thus If any words treasonable against his Majesty is spoken it is Treason to conceal it So thus I have given you in part the cause of my being here Hereupon information was given to the Kings Majesty that I should say there would be a Rising and that Alhallows-eve was the time that there were Arms sent into the Country and that Ludlow was to be General and this was charged upon me by the Kings Majesty when I came before him to be examined and upon Hills and Rigg's Oath I was sent to the Tower and kept a long time a Prisoner examined three or four times over by the Lords of his Majesties Council I have one word more as touching my Judgment I am reputed in the world to be one of those that is called by the name of Anabaptist a name of derision and scorn One is an Anabaptist one an Independant one a Presbyterian one this and one that and one the other who gave these nick-names to Christians There is but one God one Lord Jesus one Baptism one Hope of Glory How comes the Body of Christ or the Members of Christ to be called these nick-names But now as I am one that do profess Faith in God through the Lord Jesus Christ and do stand before you all and before the Lord I know no other God but the Eternal and Living God that hath made the World and that Rules and Reigns and disposes all his Creatures I do believe in this God he has been gracious to me a poor sinner and to all poor sinners that when we by reason of sin had forfeited our mercies and were under wrath and everlasting destruction and must perish for ever that God did out of his rich grace and tender mercies give his only begotten Son according to his promise to be the blessing of God to the poor Gentiles according as the Scripture did declare the Scripture forseeing that God would justifie the Heathens through Faith preached before the Gospel to Abraham saying In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed he speaks not of the natural seed of Abraham but of Christ so that all the blessings that God did convey to the sinful world is by the means of Jesus Christ whom God in the fulness of time did send his Son born of a woman to redeem poor sinners under the Law and herein was the great grace and mercy of God towards all sinners that he was so gracious to send his beloved Son out of his own bosom to take our natures upon him who were defiled and cursed and condemned and separated from God I say Jesus Christ took our natures upon him and for this very end to do the will of his heavenly Father Lo it is written in the volume of thy book I come to do thy will O God and it was his meat and drink to do his will and what was that but that we might be sanctified through â—â—e offerâ— up of the body of Jesus Christ for our sins to tread the winepress of his Fathers wra and to endure the cross and bear all our sins in his own body that made his soul heavy unto death he was a surety for us and our sins and for our sakes the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all and he hath born
afraid I will not speak any evil of them Magistracy is an Ordinance of God and the end of Magistracy is for the punishment of evil-doers and the praise of them that do well and for this purpose I do desire that the Lord will give to the supreme Magistrate here on earth wisdom and understanding a wise Council a Council fearing God and hating covetousness that they may study to exalt the Throne of the King in righteousness and truth O that we may all praise the Lord for deliverance out of condemnation and I say it is the duty of all the Subjects of the Kings Majesty in all his Kingdoms and Dominions to live peaceably and to pray for the Kings Majesty Prayers and intercessions ought to be made for all men especially for Kings and Governours for this very end and purpose that thereby we may live in all quietness godliness honesty and justice and to this very end the Lord bless our Magistracy give them Counsel and Wisdom that they may love them that love the Lord and hate them that hate the Lord. After Gibbs had done speaking then Stubbs began who went over all the particulars of his Tryal at large to which for brevities sake we refer you only saith he as followeth Friends and Country-men IT is true and I must confess my sin in the presence of God and did ask mercy of the King that I was in the company when I did hear wicked and Treasonable words spoken and I being ignorant and not knowing the Law did not discover what I did hear As to my Judgment truly I desire to own what the Scriptures own I shall speak of that place in the Hebrews which is the command of Christ I desire the Churches and people every one to live the life of Faith and love one another I am confident it would be a means of abundance of comfort here in the Nation there is a kind of heart-burning and rising one against another you are so and so throw dirt one against the other it is our and your duty still to be studying to live in love and bear with one another not be angry destroy and fight one with another O that we might live that life of love that God has commanded then we may expect the presence of God to be with us surely God hath a great Judgment against his own people for not loving one another Phillips Mr. Sheriff I Have only one word to speak before I go to my Prayers that is Here I see some Gentlemen present that are in the capacity that I was in as a Souldier I say be faithful to your trust and beg of God that you may stand fast and not dishonour God nor be disobedient to the King when the Fifth-monarchy-men were up I was free and willing to lay down my life for the interest of the Nation and did venture as much as any young man in London Therefore good friends have a care I am now brought to suffer it is true I was guilty of concealing it I desire your Prayers that now as we are going to the State of Eternity from whence there is no redemption I humbly beseech you as Christians and friends that you would seek earnestly to God that now he may receive our souls into everlasting rest and happiness which he has been pleased to bestow on them that love him and fear him and the Lord knows my heart I speak it in his presence that had the King been pleased to shew mercy to me I should have been a faithful and true Subject to him all my days but seeing it is the righteous hand of God that now I am come to this untimely death I desire you to lift up your Hearts and Souls to God with me that when my soul shall leave this body that the Lord Jesus Christ may with his everlasting arms receive me to glory There is no redemption after death we shall either go to eternal woe or eternal happiness therefore good friends I desire you to look up to God that when my Soul departs it may be received to glory Mr. Phillips his Prayer O Eternal Lord God thou that art the great Creator of Mankind and thou that formedst him in the womb hear thy poor and sinful creature now he is coming to make his last approaches to thy Throne O that thou wouldst be pleased to look down in mercy upon my Soul O Lord that thou wouldst be pleased now to take my soul and wash it and hath it in the blood of Jesus Christ who hath died and risen again for me O that now I could see the heavens opened and Jesus Christ ready to receive my soul Be pleased O Lord to look upon me in thy tender mercy and compassion and as thou hast said thou dost not delight in the death of a sinner therefore good Lord look down upon my poor soul and receive me into the everlasting mansions which Jesus Christ is gone before to prepare for all them that love thee O Lord we are now going I hope to an estate of happiness where we shall sin and sorrow no more but where we shall ever reign with Jesus Christ O Lord had we not some hopes had we not some sight of the Lord Jesus Christ made known to our souls we durst not appear before thee this day we durst not stand before thee in thy presence O that thou wouldest more and more manifest thy gracious presence with me that thou wouldest uphold me to take the bitter cup and drink it freely O Lord I desire to come unto thee I have been a great sinner before thee but Jesus Christ has died is risen and is now at the right hand of his Father making intercession for us And good Lord as thou hast commanded us to come unto thee and to believe in thee and hast said thou wilt in no wise cast off the soul that comes unto thee in confidence of that hope I desire to fix my soul upon thee before I go hence and be no more Bow down the heavens O Lord and hear the request of the poor soul before thee and I beseech thee for Christ his sake as thou wouldst forgive me so freely forgive all that have done evil against me Be pleased to let the Kings Majesty reign in righteousness and holiness put a spirit of power and might in his soul and let him see wherein the stability of his Crown lies in following Righteousness and Justice and Judgment and preserving of that Truth that is made known to him out of the book of the Lord. Come down Lord to his soul and let him see wherein is his hope and O that he may at last liâ—e and reign with Jesus Christ for evermore Good Lord look upon me I am coming unto thee these are my last words O that thou wouldest be pleased to receive us this day that we may dine with thee in Paradise make known thy everlasting kindness to my soul before I go hence
more would be there within two or three days Sallers That which I said to Riggs was the Message I received from Wapshot but that I inquired and there was no Arms there so that it was but a fallacy For I advised him not to meddle with any such thing Mr. Hill never saw my face till I was apprehended upon the Exchange and brought before Sir Rich. Brown Hill I saw him upon the Exchange with this man Riggs Council Did he say that any Arms were delivered before and what number Hill About five or six hundred Sallers He never heard me speak a word Council How long before he was apprehended Hill Never but that time with Riggs upon the Exchange about nine days before his apprehension and he confessed upon his examination That he did see me with Riggs Court Have you or any other the Prisoners any Questions more Sallers I have more Whether he will positively affirm that he spake with me upon the Exchange Hill No Sir you answered the question to Riggs Council You heard the answer Hill Yes Sir Sallers May be at the second hand Council Did you hear the prisoner answer it or had you it at the second hand Hill I heard it from Sallers himself answering Riggs Sallers Did you hear me Hill Yes to Mr. Riggs Sir Hen. Finch He swears it and you wonder at it and so we do all Sallers Who was there then Hill It was upon the Exchange when almost full Sallers What day of the month Hill I cannot remember the day Sallers I do declare before this Honourable Bench Gentlemen of the Jury and this great Auditory That I never saw this mans face till I was apprehended That which I told Mr. Riggs was what I heard Wapshot say I never till then saw this mans face nor exchanged one word with him whereas he saies he heard me I do not believe Mr. Riggs saw him near me when I gave him the answer Hill Seeing he doth invalidate my Testimony Mr. Adjutant Carent took him upon the Exchange I shewed him the person and therefore certainly I must see him before Sallers It was not he but the other in the white cloaths that came and took me that knew me Court Will any of the rest ask him any question Sallers Here is that that I am accused of That I delivered Arms which is altogether false My Lord Mayor can bear me witness Wapshot confessed he told me such a thing I was always serviceable to his Majesty upon all occasions and all times my Neighbours can witness my civil Conversation Court Have you any thing more to ask him Sallers I would fain know whether the Bench and Jury are satisfied with this Evidence Court That you will hear anon What else will you ask him Stubbs What he accuses me you have all heard I do in the presence of God and this Honourable Bench and the Jury deny it for it is very false and believe none will verifie the same upon Oath Court Have you any questions Gibbs We all stand in the presence of God and I am very conscientious of what I say and do I must give account of all things before the Lord. This Gentleman Mr. Hill has asserted concerning me That I should deliver divers Cases of Pistols or knowing the delivery of them if Mr. Hill who stands likewise in the presence of God can produce any man to prove that I delivered to any man any Pistols or that any were so delivered by my order or that I conveyed or sent them a way into the Countrey do this in the light of the Lord and his own conscience I expect no mercy But I would have him speak no more of me but what the knows of me or by me whether he knows I ever received any Pistols or delivered any at any time for such an end as he is pleased to speak which my Soul abhors and God can witness Stubbs This Mr. Hill was the man that mentioned this and that he had four Horses and Arms himself and had two hundred pound in order to it I was never any Plotter nor contrived any thing but am as innocent as the Child unborn but being by an accident at Tonges house a Strong water-man ask the other Witnesses whether he speaks truth Sir O. Bridgman I would put you in a right way you shall be all heard at large when you make your defence But will you ask him any question Gibbs I propounded one I desire an answer Whether I received or delivered any Pistols to such a use Hill I did not say he did but at that Meeting at Black-fryers it was discoursed among them that several Arms were sent to Dorsetshire to several friends there and he was there then I believe he cannot deny it Stubbs There was Arms spoken of but that man Mr. Hill spoke of them and upon this consideration that there were Arms delivered to every Hall Ammunition and Powder Riggs knows he spoke it at that time Hill Sir that was spoken after the question was put What was the occasion of sending the Powder and Ammunition to the Halls These Arms were spoken of in reference to the design I do acknowledge I told him I had some Arms my self and said I had Two hundred pound for carrying it on and I know the grounds of my speaking and so do some of this Honourable Bench. Stubbs Hill advised that they fall upon Sir Richard Brown as an enemy to all honest men Gibbs This Hill says that I should say these things there was more there and had ears as well as he let them speak Hill There was Riggs Stubbs my self and I know not the other Names Gibbs This Hill and Mr. Riggs whose face I never saw came to my Neighbours house where I was alone found me plotting with no man Hill We were brought into his company by one Beazley he had been at Tower-hill about two or three a clock to give some intelligence to some persons there about the design Riggs and I took a Coach and went after him and Stubbs told us we might meet him at a Bakers house near the Tower We found Beazley and he said he could not signifie any thing to us but would carry us to Black-fryers to one Gibbs and there he brought us to this very man first enquiring at a house for him Beazley was told he was at a Tavern at Bridewel-stairs We went there and found him he told us he could tell us little himself till his Brother came and accordingly he presently after came that was the occasion that I came into his company Gibbs He says that I spoke of Pistols delivered and a number but how many he knows not and that I should talk of the death of the King which is as false as God is true Again I knew not of his coming never appointed him never was privy to any such Plot I abhor it in my Soul I never engaged in any such design with any man at any time Court
our grief and endured our punishment it made his soul cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me or else we must for ever be banished out of the presence of God and never have any hopes of glory of faith or of salvation had not the Son of God become our Mediator and Surety so there is one God and one Mediator the Man Christ Jesus He gave himself a Ransom for all our sins to free us from the wrath to come everlasting destruction and from the worm that never dies O that we could ever be thankful to God live to him that hath so loved us as to send his Son to die for us and is by the almighty power of God raised from the dead and now sits at the right hand of God and ever lives to make intercession Truly friends this is not the love of man but the love of God and therefore eternal love God so loved the world it is Gods love he loved sinners ungodly ones he did so love them as to give his only begotten Son to save them to reconcile them to uphold them to redeem them from wrath to come it was to seek and save them that were lost That is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners We all like sheep had gone astray and must perish in our sins had not the Lord Jesus been sent of his Father out of his bosom to declare the good-will of God and did it by which we are sanctified through the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ and this Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God he is the Mediator between God and poor sinners Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden said Christ and I will give you rest now this grace is from God we are saved by grace and that not of our selves it is the gift of God through faith in Christ we are saved and all things that do pertain to life and godliness is the gift of God now all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses unto him Would you know the forgiveness of your sins your peace with God and that God is well pleased with you God is reconciled by Jesus Christ unto you and does not impute your sins unto you but looks on the righteousness of Christ as satisfaction that thereby you might have the remission of your sins through the blood of Christ Be it known unto all men that through this mans preaching the forgiveness of sins Act. 13.38 39. and by him all that do believe are justified from all things from which they could not be by the Law of Moses now justification from sin and redemption from iniquity is through the knowledge of Christs death for your sins and his resurrection and now there is no other name given under heaven whereby we can be saved but by the name of Jesus and whosoever believeth in his name shall not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 5.24 It is the doctrine of Jesus Christ it is his word and I hope you will search the Scriptures and look into those things for your souls good when Christ says Verily verily I say unto you He that heareth my words and believeth them he hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life The reason why God does assure poor sinners they shall not pass into everlasting condemnation and perish is through his rich grace through his promises for he hath promised he will be merciful to our iniquities and our sins will remember no more and these his promises of grace which are all Yea and Amen in Christ are ratified by the blood of Christ the blood of Christ is the blood of the New Covenant and it is that by which we have the forgiveness remission and cleansing of all our sins Vndersheriff Mr. Gibbs let me interrupt you this is very good and pertinent but you have said these things over and over there is another of your friends is to speak and the time grows short pray go on to the matter or conclude Gibbs I shall speak a word or two as to the knowledge of forgiveness of sins by and through Jesus Christ and so the knowledge of the Resurrection of the dead it is the fruit of Jesus Christ for by the first man came death and by the second man Christ came life and God that has by his exceeding great and mighty power raised up Jesus Christ from the grave and power of sin he also shall raise us up by the same power and when he comes again the second time at his appearing and coming we shall see him and be made like to him and he will receive us to himself he is gone to prepare a place for us and in his Fathers house are many Mansions and if it were not so he would have told us And now God that hath given eternal life and forgiveness of sins unto his poor servants he will also when Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world receive him into his everlasting glory which is my Faith expectation and hope in God through Jesus Christ A man may bear his infirmities but a wounded Conscience who can bear When God smites who can bear and therefore I desire as I believe the forgiveness of all my sins through the rich grace of God through the bloodshed of Jesus Christ his Son every one must give account to God and as their works are so will their reward be either accepted by God as workers of Christ or condemned as workers of iniquity Last of all as to the separated Congregations to whom I belong I have observed in those few days that I have lived there is a great deal of animosity evil will hard censuring and abusing the precious Saints of Jesus Christ If they are in an error you that are in the truth instruct them and you may recover them out of the claws of the Devil Are you Christians and have the light of God in your Souls O then strengthen your Brethren do not give them nick-names and abuse them that 's not the way Christ teaches another lesson That if thine enemy hunger you shall feed them and if he be thirsty give him drink we should pray to the Lord that he would turn those that be out of his way into the right way Vndersheriff You know we must be all subject to Government every Congregation must not have a Ruler their Meetings are prohibited by good Authority and because they will not be obedient to good Government Gibbs I do not say that every Congregation must have a Ruler and I hope I speak the words of sobriety I hope you will put a charitable construction upon what I say As to the Magistrates I have a word or two Vndersheriff Speak well of them Gibbs Be not