Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A85977
|
A true and exact copy of Mr. Gibbons's speech which he intended to have spoken immediately before his death, on the scaffold at Tower Hill, August 22. 1651.
|
Gibbons, John, d. 1651.
|
1651
(1651)
|
Wing G661; Thomason E796_24; ESTC R207344
|
15,277
|
8
|
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
nothing now to do but to take my leave of the world where I do again forgive all that have been the instruments to bring me to this place heartily I desire that they may have mercy and forgivenesse at the hand of God when they have most need of it I know it is the hand of God that hath brought me to this place and that all things are under his Seal that neither death nor any thing else can come without his Commission it is not the death I am now to think upon but that which follows after I am now presently to lunch into the gulf of eternity never shall come back more to call over this life I am going with a naked soul to stand before God whose eys are ten thousand times brighter then the Sun that will never behold the least iniquitie the very thoughts of this God would be as terrible as devouring flames of fire did not I behold him in the merits and mercies of a Saviour sitting at his right hand making intercession for me his righteousnesse is more able to save then all the sins of men and divells can be to send to hell had I all the righteousnesse of men and Angels woe and ten thousand woes be unto me if I had not an interest in the righteousnesse of my blessed Saviour and then had I all the sins since the Creation of the world laid to my charge it is as easie for me to have a pardon in bloud of Christ for them all as for one vain thought all my righteousnesse is as filthy rags sin enough there is in my best prayers and performances for ever to throw me out of the presence of God into hell I have scarlet crimson sins sins of all sorts but through faith in the merits of my Saviour I have a sure confidence grounded upon promises and the Covenant of Free-grace that I shall now suddainly rest in the Lord and enter into my Masters joy where I shall never to all eternity to praise him blessed be God and blessed be his people for the benefit help and support I have had by their prayers the archers have both griev'd and shot at me but my bow hath abode in strength and the arrows of my hands have been made strong by the hands of the mighty God the Lord return a thousand-fold all the love and kindnesse with the reward of those prayers that have been made for me into the bosom of his own people the last prayer that Sampson made was that the Lord would remember him and strengthen him only once more it is the last request that ever I shall make unto you that are the Lords Remembrancers therefore be not wanting unto me now at the last act of my life only help me this once it is the last time that ever you shall pray for me the last sigh the last tear that ever you shall shed to do me good stir and quicken up your graces act your faith in God improve all your interest at the Throne of grace take notice who brought and what was thrown into the Churches treasury the eys of God run to and fro through the world he looks upon every heart this day and sees who pities me who prays and stâ—ives to help me through this bloudy passage who use their utmost indeavours to strengthen my heart and hands io incounter with death it is usuall for you to do the last things best when you give last to give most deal so with me this day put out all your might and strength to bring me safe off this Scaffold to my Fathers house for it is the last time that ever I shall need your prayers and help Most gracious God into thy hands I commit my Spirit I was never yet in distresse but thou diddest comfort me never yet in want but thou diddest receive me therefore I know thou wilt not fail to help me in this my needfull time of trouble O blessed Saviour thou hast sought after me when I was running from thee therefore I am confident thou wilt receive me now I am coming to thee Though death be my portion by sin eternall life is my purchase by thy righteousnesse though my sins should exceed the number of millions of Ages yet I know thy merits and righteousnesse is ten thousand times more exceeding upon this rock do I anchor my hope and with this assurance do I die Mr. Gibbons's last Prayer in the hearing of the People O Most blessed and glorious Lord God a God of piercing eys and seest me thy poor creature thou knowest the intention of my heart then hear the words of my mouth but thou knowest the intentions of my soul O Lord put words into my mouth vvhat I should speak for my self novv is the last time that ever I shall speak till I come to speak and admire thee to eternity O blessed God! O vvhat is a smile of thy face novv O one smile is more vvorth then ten thousand vvorlds O blessed God! before my head is severed from my body let me be assured that my soul shall be received into thy hands O blessed God! let me find novv the benefit of all the prayers and tears and desire of my heart Lord it is true I have nothing to plead I have not a handfull of Goats haire I have nothing but a dead dull heart but Lord though I be broken and distracted thou looked'st upon Hezekiah vvith his chattering prayers vvhen he chattered as a Crane ' blessed Lord look upon the Lord Jesus Christ and vvhatsoever imperfections thou hast seen in me pardon them and vvash me from them in his bloud Lord though I had never sinned before I came to this Scaffold yet I have committed sin enough here to throvv me into everlasting burning but Lord look for thy promise sake for thy mercy sake look over thy bovvells of compassion consult vvith them novv and vvith thine Attributes and whatsoever Christ and Mercy may speak hear the cries this day Blessed God there is no reason that thou shouldest own me but there is reason thou shouldest own thy promise and own thy truth and own thy Christ O blessed God! grant that this day all thy people may blesse thee and may go and keep a day of Thanksgiving that I have not carried my self any way unbecoming a Christian Lord let me give thee the glory I am but poor dust and ashes and clay the unworthiest in the world all my strength is nothing I blesse God I am nâ—w coming where I shall need Faith no more nor Hope no more O 〈…〉 let me act all the strength I have in thy Promise and in the Lord Jesus Christ s … e particular promise O Lord shew thy self O one smile for the Lord Jesus Châ—iâ—ts sake I commend all unto thee I lay my neck upon the Block I give my soul into thy hands take my soul it is no matter what becomes of my body I shall never more never more hope for any thing or desire any thing but all my soul shall be filled up Lord hear me and help me and stand by me and strengthen me and guide me and pardon and forgive all my sins for the Lord Jesus Christs sake His prayer being ended he put off his dubblet and ask't for his Noble Friend Dr. Bastwick and imbraced him after that he imbraced his Unkle and others of his friends on the Scaffold then laying his head on the Block Dr. Bastwick came to him and wish'd him to take off his Rings which accordingly he did by raâ—sing himself upon his knees and gave them to his Unkle which done he laid his head on the Block and holding up his left hand the Executioner at one blow and a small rase severed his head from his body FINIS