yet my Prayer is for them that in Act. 4. 29. Now Lord behold their threatnings grant that thy Servants may Preach thy word with all boldness Though I am but yong yet I will offer my yong experience to my grave Fathers and Brethren and that is this Now I am to dye I have abundant peace in my own Conscience that I have set my self against the Sins and Apostacies of this present Age It is true my faithfulnesse hath procured me ill will from men but it hath purchased me peace with God I have lived in peace and I shall dye in peace That which I have to beseech of the Ministers is this To beg them to keep up Church government Whatsoever God doth with the governments of the world turning Kingdoms upside down yet the Government of the Church will stand And of all Governments I dye with this perswasion That the Presbyterial Government makes most for Purity and Unity throughout the Churches of the Saints I would beg them therefore to keep up Church Government That they would not let their Elderships fall That they would take heed of too generall Admissions to the Lords-Supper That they be not too prodigal of the Blood of Christ by too generall Admissions of men to partake of the Supper that Sealing Ordinance And now I am speaking to them I shall speak a word of them and so I have done I have heard many clamors since I came to Prison as if that Plot which it is called that I am condemned for as if all the City Ministers they were engaged in this Design which as a dying man I tel you That all the Ministers that were present at the meeting and had a hand in that business for which I am to be put to death all those Ministers they are either in Prison or they are discovered already and therfore I do here upon my death free the Ministers of the City That those who are not yet in trouble nor discovered to the Committee of Examinations none of them had a hand in that business in which I was ingaged in which my conscience doth tell me I have not sinned I have now I have done immediately for I would fain be at my Fathers house but a word to speak to my own Congregation and I do return praises unto God and thanksgiving unto him for the love I have had from them I found them a solid and a judicious people and many of them Religious The Ministery of that learned man Mr. Anthony Burges did much good amongst them though I have cause to be humbled my weak Ministery did but little they afforded me a great deal of love and a liberal maintenance And this is all I desire of them That they would chuse a godly learned and an Orthodox Minister to succeed it would be a great comfort to me before I go to Heaven if I had this perswasion that a learned Orthodox godly man should fill that Pulpit And for encouragement to any godly Minister whose lot it shall be to succeed me I will say this to him That he will have as comfortable a livelihood and as loving a people as any people in London a few only excepted I had as much satisfaction amongst them as ever I had in any condition in all my life and should never have parted from them had not now death parted us to which I do submit with all Christian meekness and cheerfulness I am now drawing to an end of my Speech and to an end of my life together But before I do expire my last breath I shall desire to justifie God and to condemn my self Here I come to that which you call an untimely end and a shameful death but blessed be God it is my glory and it is my comfort I shall justifie God he is righteous because I have sinned he is righteous though he doth cut me off in the midst of my dayes and in the midst of my Ministry I cannot complain that Complaint in the Psalmist in the 44 Psalm Thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price My blood it shall not be spilt for nought I may do more good by my death then by my life and glorifie God more in dying upon a Scaffold then if I had dyed of a Disease upon my bed I bless my God I have not the least trouble upon my spirit but I dye with as much quietness of mind lie down I hope I shall upon the Block as if I were going to lie down upon my Bed to take my rest I see men hunger after my flesh and thirst after my blood which will hasten my happiness and their ruine and greaten their guilt For though I am a man of an obscure Family of mean Parentage so that my blood is not as the blood of Nobles yet I will say mine is a Christians blood a Ministers blood yea it is innocent blood also My blood my body my dead body it will be a morsel which I believe will hardly be digested and my blood it will be bad food for this Infant Common-wealth as Mr. Prideaux called it for this infant Common-wealth to suck on Mine is not Malignant blood though here I am brought as a grievous and notorious Offender Now Beloved I shal not only justifie God as I do without a Complement for he is very Just that my Prison was not my Hell that this Scaffold is not the bottomless pit I have deserved both I have deserved it I do not only justifie God but I desire this day to magnifie God to magnifie the riches of his grace that such a one as I born in an obscure Country in Wales of obscure Parents that God should look upon me and single me out from among all my kindred single me out to be an Object of his everlasting Love that when for the first fourteen years of my life I never heard a Sermon and yet in the fifteenth year of my life God through his grace did convert me and I here speak it without vanity what should a dying man be proud of for these twenty yeaâ—s though I am accused of many scandalous evils I speak it to the praise and glory of my God for these twenty years God hath kept me I have not fallen into a scandalous sin I have laboured to keep a good Conscience from my youth up I magnifie his grace that he hath not only made me a Christian but made me a Minister judged me faithful and put me into the Ministry though the Office be troden upon and disgraced yet it is my glory that I dye a despised Minister I had rather be a Preacher in a Pulpit then a Prince upon a Throne I had rather be an instrument to bring Souls to Heaven then to have all the Nations to bring in tribute to me I am not only a Christian and a Preacher but what ever men judg me I am a Martyr too I speak it without vanity Would I
have renounced my Covenant and debauched my Conscience and ventured my Soul there might have been more hopes of saving my life that I should not have come to this place but blessed be my God I have made the best choice I have chosen affliction rather then Sin and therefore welcome Scaffold and welcome Ax and welcome Death welcome Block welcome all because it will send me to my Fathers House I have great cause to magnifie Gods Grace that he hath stood by me during my imprisonment It hath been a time of no little temptation to me and yet blessed be his grace he hath strengthened and stood by me I magnifie his grace that though now I come to dye a violent death yet that death is not a terror to me through the blood of sprinkling the fear of Death is taken out of my heart God is not a terror to me therefore Death is not dreadful to me I bless my God I speak it without vanity I have formerly had more fear in the drawing of a tooth then now I have in the cutting off my Head I was for some years five or six under a spirit of bondage and did for Death exceedingly but then when the fear of Death was upon me Death was not neer me but now Death is neer me blessed be my Saviour he hath the sting of Death in his own sides and so makes the grave a bed of rest to me and makes Death the last Enemy to be a friend though he be a grim friend I bless God further that though I am to be cast out of the world I bless my God though men judg me to be cast out of the world yet that God hath not cast me out of the hearts and prayers of his people I had rather be cast out of the world then be cast out of the heart of any godly man Some think me is true not worthy to live and yet others Judg I do not deserve to dye but God will judg all men I will judg none I have now done I have no more to say but to desire the help of all your prayers that God would give me the continuance and supply of divine grace to carrying through this great work I am now to do That I who am to do a work I never did I may have a strength that I never had That I may put off this Body with as much quietness and comfort of mind as ever I put off my clothes to go to bed And now I am to commend my Soul to God and to receive my fatal blow I am comforted in this though men kill me they cannot damn me and though they thrust me out of the world yet they cannot shut me out of Heaven I am now going to my long home and you are going to your short homes but I will tell you I shall be at home before you I shall be at Heaven my Fathers House before you wil be at your own Houses Now I am going to the Heavenly Jerusalem to the innumerable company of Angels to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant to the spirits of all men made perfect to God the judg of all in whose presence there is fulness of Joy and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore I shall conclude But when Mr. Sheriff Tichburn telling him that the words were the spirits of just men made perfect Love He then corrected himself saying To the spirits of just men made perfect and to God the Judg of all in whose presence there is fulness of joy and in whose rrght hand the eare pleasures for evermore I conclude with that speech of the Apostle I am now in 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. I am now to be offered up and the time of my departure is at hand but I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Henceforth there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me and not for me only but for all them that love the appearing of our Lâ—rd Jesus Christ through whose blood when I have shed my blood I expect salvation and remission of sins And so the Lord bless you all Then turning to Mr Sheriff he said May I pray Sheriff Tichburn Yes but consider the time Love I have done Sir Then turning to the pleople he said Beloved I will but pray a little while with you to commend my soul to God and I have done Then Mr Ash told him Mr Ash the House is risen and therefore Love To which Mr Love answered I I Sir After which he prayed with an audible voice saying Mr. Loves Prayer MOst Glorious and eternal Majesty Thou art righteous and holy in all thou doest to the Sons of Men though thou hast suffered men to condemne thy servant thy servant will not condemne thee He justifieth thee though thou cuttest him off in the midst of his dayes and in the midst of his Ministry blessing thy glorious Name that though his name be taken away from the Land of the Living that yet he is not blotted out of the Booke of the Living Father my hour is come thy poor creature can say without vanity and falshood he hath desired to glorifie thee upon the earth glorifie thou now him in Heaven He hath desired to bring the souls of other men to heaven let his soul be brought to heaven O thou blessed God whom thy creature hath served who hath made thee his hope and his confidence from his youth forsake him not now he is drawing nigh to thee now he is in the valley of the shadow of death Lord be thou life to him smile thou upon him while men frown on him Lord thou hast settled this perswasion in his heart That as soon as ever the blow is given to divide his Head from his Body he shall be united to his Head in Heaven Blessed be God that thy servant dyes in those hopes Blessed be God that thou hast filled the soul of thy servant with joy and peace in beleeving O Lord think upon that poor Brother of mine that is a companion in tribulation with me who is this day to lose his life as well as I O fill him full of the joy of the Holy Ghost when he is to give up the Ghost Lord strengthen our hearts that we may give up the ghost with joy and not with grief We intreat thee O Lord think upon thy poor Churches O that England might live in thy sight and O that London might be a faithfull City to thee that righteousnes might be amongst them that so peace and plenty may be within their wals and righteousness within their habitation Lord heal up the breaches of this poor Nation Make England and Scotland as one staff in the Lords hand that Ephraim might not envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim but that both might flee upon the shoulders of the Philistins that man of the Protestant Religion engaged in the same Cause and Covenant might not delight to spill each others blood but might engage against the common Adversaries of our Religion and Liberties God shew mercy to all that fear him Thinke upon our Covenant-keeping Brethren in the Kingdome of Scotland keep them faithfull to thee and let not them that have invaded them over spread their whole Land Prevent the more shedding of Christian blood if it seem good in thine eyes God shew mercy to thy poor Servant who is here now giving up the Ghost O blessed Jesus apply thy blood not onely for my justification unto life but also for my comfort for the quieting of my soule that so I may be in the joyes of Heaven before I come to a possession of Heaven Hear the Prayers of all thy people that have been made for thy servant and though thou hast denied prayer as to the particular request concerning my life yet let herein the fruit of prayer be seen that thou wilt bear up my heart against the feare of death God shew mercy to all that fear him Shew mercy to all that have engaged for the life of thy servant let them have mercy at the day of their appearing before Jesus Christ. Preserve thou a godly Ministry in this Nation and restore a godly Ministry and cause yet good dayes to be the heritage of thy people for the Lords sake Now Lord into thy hands thy servant committeth his spirit And though he may not with Steven see the Heavens opened let him have the heavens opened and though he may not see upon a Scaffold the Son of God standing at the right hand of God yet let him come to the glorified body of Jesus Christ and this houre have an intellectuall sight of the glorified body of his Saviour Lord Jesus receive my spirit and Lord Jesus stand by me thy dying servant who hath indeavoured in his life time to stand for thee Lord hear pardon all his infirmities wipe away his iniquities by the blood of Christ wipe off reproaches from his name wipe off guilt from his person and receive him pure and spotlesse and blamelesse before thee in love And all this we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen Mr. Ash You make a Christian end I hope Mr. Love I I blesse God Then turning to M. Sheriffe Tichburn said I thanke you for this kindnesse Sir you have expressed a great deal of kindnesse to me Well I go from a block to the bosome of my Saviour Then he asked Where is the Executioner When the Executioner came forward he said Art thou the Officer Executioner Yes Love Then lifting up his eyes he said O blessed Jesus that hath kept me from the hurt of death and from the fear of death O blessed be God blessed be Cod. And taking his leave of the Ministers he said Love The Lord be with you all And taking leave of Sheriffe Tichburn he kissed his hand Then he kneeled down and made a short prayer privately Then after rising up he said Blessed be God I am full of joy and peace in believing I lie down with a world of comfort as if I were to lie downe in my bed My bed is but a short sleep and this death is a long sleep where I shall rest in Abrahams bosome and in the embraces of the Lord Jesus And then saying The Lord blesse you he laid himselfe down upon the Scaffold with his head over the block And when he stretched forth his hands the Executioner cut off his head at one blow FINIS
I am amused I must break off things are true But the tumult being appeased he went on saying As concerning my Accusers I shall not say much I do forgive them and I pray God forgive them also yet what the Evangelist observes concerning Christs Accusers I may without vanity or falshood say of mine that they did not agree among themselves yea not onely contradicting one another but sometimes a Witnesse contradicted himself And though their testimony did condemn my person yet I have condemned their testimony and truly there are many remarkable Ciocumstances that I might take notice of either in or before or since the tryall that might be worthy of observation but I will not insist upon them onely is the general some of them have sent to me to pray me to forgive them the wrong they have done me One of them hath written to me under his own hand to pray me to forgive him the wrong he hath done me and told me withall that that day I should die a violent death his life would be no comfort to him because he was an instrument in taking away mine Others of my Witnesses they were some terrified before they would testifie some hired some fined before they would bear witness against me but I will forgive them As concerning my Judges I will not judge them and yet I will not justifie them I believe that what moved Herod to cut off John Baptists head moved them to cut off mine and that was for his Oaths sake John Baptists meaning Herod to avoid perjury he would commit murther whereas if John Baptists head had been upon his shoulders he would have been guilty of neither I have something in the second place to speak concerning my self and then I shall come briefly to a conclusion Concerning my self I have gone through various reports There are many sons of slander whose mouths are as an open Sepulchre to bury my name before my friends can bury my body My comfort is there will be a Resurrection of Names as well as Bodies at the last Day God will not onely wipe off tears from mine eyes this day but wipe off all blots and reproaches from my Name before many dayes be over and though my body will soon rot under ground yet my hope is my name will not rot above it I am not ignorant what Calumnies are cast upon me and more likely to be after I am dead and gone The very night before my intended execution the last moneth there was an insulting Letter written to me to tell me That after I was dead there should be something published against me to my shame I hope you will have so much charity as not to believe Reproaches cast upon a dead man who will be silent in the grave and not able to speak a word in his own justification I am aspersed both as to my Practices and as to my Principles I shall begin with the first There are five Aspersions as to my practices that are laid upon me First that I am a Lyar that I am an Extortioner that I am an Adulterer that I am a Murtherer and that I am a turbulent person crimes scandalous in any man but much more abominable in a Minister Now I hope you will believe a dying man who dare not look God in the face with a lie in his mouth I am accused of lying that what I denied before the high Court of Justice that afterwards I should confess or else was proved against me Now in the presence of God I tell you as I would confess nothing that was criminal so I did deny nothing that was true and that I might it seal to you with my bloud what I did deny the Protestations I made before the Court I make them briefly now That I never writ Letter to the King Queen Church or State of Scotland or to any particular person of the Scottish Nation since the wars began to this day That I never received any Letter writ to me either from the King Queen Church or State of Scotland or from any particular person of the Scottish Nation That I never collected gave or lent any money either to the King Queen or State of Scotland It is true I confessed though it was not proved and haply upon that ground the mistake might rise I did give money to Massey but he is of the English not of the Scottish Nation and I did write a Letter to him but he is of the English not of the Stottish Nation That for which I here come is for moving onely for money for him and for being present when Letters were read from him and others and I am so far though man hath condemned me from thinking that either God or my own Conscience condemnes me for a sin in what I am condemned for that God and my own Conscience acquits me and what I said at the Bar when I received my Sentence that now is to be executed I shall say now upon the Scaffold That for the things I am condemned neither doth God or my own Conscience condemn me The next particular I am accused to be an Extortioner and this is in the mouthes I am loth to name them because I would not shew rancour but I am charged as if I should be a grievous Extortioner to receive 30 l. for the loan of 300 l. besides 8 l. in the hundred for interest which in the presence of God and of you all I do declare to you is a most notorious and abominable falshood I am accused likewise to be an Adulterer and that this Report is not in the mouthes of mean men but in the mouthes of those that sit at stern as if I were a debauched person and were guilty of uncleanness Now I tell you through the grace of God as Luther said of himself in another case That he was not tempted to covetousness through the grace of God I can say I was not tempted in all my life to uncleanness It doth not much grieve me though these slanders lye upon me I know my betters have been worse accused before me Athanasius he was accused by two harlots that he had committed folly with them and yet the man was chast and innocent Beza was charged not onely of Drunkenness but of Lasciviousnesse also But that which goes nearest my heart I am accused to be a Murtherer also and this is a Charge high indeed I am charged with the guilt of all the blood of Scotland whereas if I did lye under the guilt of one drop of blood I could not look upon you with so chearfull a countenance and could not be filled with so peaceable a Heart and Conscience as I am at this day I blesse my God I am free from the blood of all indeed those that lay this to my charge they do to me as Nero did to the Christians he put Rome on fire and then charged the Christians with it so they put England and Scotland into a flamt and
Mr. Love's Speech made on the Scaffold on Tower-hill August 22. 1651. With his Proposals to the Citizens of London his Desires touching Religion and his Judgment concerning the Presbyterian-Government As also his perfect Prayer immediately before his head was severed from his body Printed by an exact Copy taken in short-hand Mr. Love being brought upon the Scaffold by the Sheriffe Mr Sheriff Titchburn shewed him the Warrant directed to the Sheriffs of London for his Execution telling him that he took no pleasure in this Work but it was a Duty laid upon him To which Mr. Love reply'd I believe it Sir Sh Titchburn I have done my duty for you M. Love The Lord bless you Lieu of the Tower The Lord shrengthen you in this hour of your Temptation M. Love Sir I am I bless God my heart is in heaven I am well Sh. Titchburn I desire you to consider we have the other to execute afterwards and 6 a clock is our hour but we shall give you as much time as we can M. Love I shall be the briefer Then putting off his hat two several times to the people he spake as followeth BEloved Christians I am this day made a Spectacle unto God Angels and Men and among men I am made a grief to the godly a laughing-stock to the wicked and a gazing-stock to all yet blessed be my God not a terrour to my self although there be but a little between me and Death yet this bears up my heart there is but a little between me and Heaven it comforted Dr Taylor the Martyr when he was going to Execution That there were but two stales between him and his Fathers house there is a lesser way between me and my Fathers house but two steps between me and Glory it is but lying down upon the Block and I shall ascend upon a Throne I am this day sayling towards the Ocean of Eternity through a rough passage to my Haven of rest through a Red-sea to the Promised Land Me thinks I hear God say to me as he did to Moses Go up to Mount Nebo and die there so go thou up to Tower-hill and die there Isaac said of himself that he was old and yet he knew not the day of his death but I cannot say thus I am young and yet I know the day of my death and I know the kind of my death also and the place of my death also it is such a kind of death as two famous Preachers of the Gospel were put to before me John the Baptist and Paul the Apostle they were both beheaded ye have mention of the one in Scripture story and of the other in Ecclesiastical History And I read in the 20. of the Revelation and the 4. The Saints were beheaded for the Word of God and for the Testimony of Jesus But herein is the disadvantage which I am in in the thoughts of many who judge that I suffer not for the Word or for Conscience but for medling with State-matters To this I shall briefly say That it is an old guise of the Devil to impute the cause of Gods Peoples sufferings to be Contrivements against the State when in truth it is their Religion and Conscience they are persecuted for The Rulers of Israel they would put Jeremiah to death upon a Civil account though indeed it was onely the truth of his Prophesie made the Rulers angry with him yet upon a Civil account they did pretend he must die because he fell away to the Caldeans and would have brought in forreign forces to invade them the same thing is laid to my charge of which I am as innocent as Jeremiah was I find other instances in the Scripture wherein the main causes of their sufferings were still imputed to medling with State-matters Paul though he did but preach Jesus Christ yet he must die if the people might have their will under the pretence that he was a mover of Sedition Upon a civil account my life is pretended to be taken away whereas indeed it is because I pursue my Covenant and will not prostitute my Principles and Conscience to the ambition and lusts of men Beloved I am this day to make a douâ—le exchange I am changing a Pulpit for a Scaffold and a Scaffold for a Throne and I might add a third I am changing this numerous multitude the presence of this numerous multitude upon Tower-Hill for the innumerable company of Angels in the holy Hill of Zion and I am changing a guard of Soldiers for a guard of Angels which will receive me and carry me into Abrahams bosom This Scaffold is the best Pulpit I ever preached in for in the Church-Pulpit God through his Grace made me an Instrument to bring others to heaven but in this Pulpit he will bring me to heaven These are the last words that I shall speak in this world and it may be this last Speech upon a Scaffold may bring God more glory then many Sermons in a Pulpit Before I lay down my neck upon the block I shall lay open my Case unto the people that hear me this day and in doing it I shall avoid all rancour all bitternesse of Spirit animosity and revenge God is my record whom I serve in the spirit I speak the truth and lie not I do not bring a revengeful heart unto the Scaffold this day before I came here upon my bended knees I have beg'd Mercy for them that denied mercy to me and I have prayed God to forgive them who would not forgive me I have forgiven from my heart the worst Enemy I have in all the world and this is the worst that I wish to my Accusers and Prosecutors who have pursued my blod that I might met their souls in heaven I shall divide my speech into three parts speak something concerning my Charge and a word concerning my Accusers and touching my Judges without any animosity at all and then something concerning myself for my own vindication and then a word of Exhortation and so I shall commit my soul to God Concerning my Charge it is black and hideous many things falsly suggested but nothing capital sufficiently proved by any one act that I am conscâ—ous to my self proved against me that I did The charg was hâ—gh and full but the Proof empty and low though there were 8 Witnesses that came in against me yet none of them did prove that ever I writ any Letter or directed any man to write a Letter into Scotland or into forein parts No man proved that I sent away any Letter that I received any Letter that I collected or gave or lent any money to assist or promote the Scotish War This is all that was sworn against me that I was present when Letters were read that I made a motion for money to give to Massey so that Beloved my presence at and concealment of Letters that were received and sent from forreign parts There being a disturbance amongst the people he said
present Government I die with my judgement against it It is true in a cuse of Life I did petition the present Power and did give them the Titles they take to themselves and other men give them but here in I did not wrong nor crosse my Principles There are many instances in the Scripture to justifie this Hushai did give the Title to Absolon though Absolon had no right to the Title David was the lawfull King and David himselfe gave him the Title as well as Hushai And Calvin he gave a Title to the French King calling him Rex Christianissimus The most Christian King yet he knew he was a Papist And we gave a Title to King Henry the Eighth to call him The Defender of the Faith and yet he had no right to the Title he was an opposer not a Defender of the Faith The Title was given him upon an evill ground because he opposed the Faith he opposed the Doctrine of Luther and therefore the Pope gave him the Title The Defender of the Faith and yet none did scruple to give him the Title that was then commonly given him In the next place I discover my judgement I provoke none only tell you what my own thoughts are That so after I am dead and gone I might not be belied for I dare not now bely my Principles My judgement is against the invasion of the Scottish Nation by our English Army They who gave us a friendly Assistance who were joyned with us in the same Covenant who drew a Swoâ—d with us in the same quarrel should I live a thousand yeares I should never draw a Sword against them in all my life Scotland may say as it was said of Edem The men of my Confedracy that were at Peace with me have risen up against me deceived me and prevailed against me Because Scotland well not be a Commonwealth they shall not be a people because they will not break Covenants some men would have them broken because they will not lay their Consciences waste their Land must be laid waste Lastly And so I have done onely with a word of Exhortation I die cleaving to all those Oathes Vowes Covenants and Protestations that were imposed by the Two Houses of Parliament as owning them and dying with my judgement for them The Vow and Covenant the Protestation The Solemn League and Covenant And this I tell you all I had rather die a Covenant keeper then live a Covenant breaker I have one word more to say I am come to the third and last part of my Speech and so I shall have done and commit my soul unto God who gave it My Exhortationit shall be to this great City unto the Godly Ministry of it and unto my owne Congregation from whom Death hath parted me which nothing else could To the City I wish an affluence and a confluence of all blessings and yet I fear gray hairs as the Symtoms of a Declension are here and there upon it yet she knows it not O London London God is staining the pride of all thy Glory thy Glory is flying awaylike a Bird contempt of the Ministry opposition against Reformation generall Apostacy Covenant breaking have brought London low and I feare will bring it lower I tremble to think what evils are coming upon it This City it is the Receptacle of all Errors That as your Commodities have been vented and spread from hence in every corner of the Land so have Heresies and Blasphemies had their first rise from this great and populus City and spread into all the Country To the Inhabitants of this City I commend but these few Particulars First Let me beg you to love your painful and your godly Ministers if they be taken away you are like to have worse come in their rooms I know the Presbyterian Ministers are the great eye sore who have formerly been counted the Chariots and the Horsmen of Israel But I will say to London as was said to Leyden That after Junius was taken away an Orthodox Minister Arminius that pestilent Heretick came in his room if your godly Ministers as there are ten already at one blowe taken from you if they be taken away Arminians Anabaptists nay Jesuits are like to supply their rooms if God in mercy prevent not 2ly Submit your selves to Church government that would lay a curb and restraint upon your lusts it is a golden and an easie yoke to which if you do not submit God may lay an heavier an iron yoke upon your necks 3ly Take heed of those Doctrines that come under the Notion of New Lights I have judged that those Doctrines you ought to suspect whether they be true when the brocher of them saith it is New for Truth it is as old as the Bible A remarkable passage I would suggest unto you in Deut. 32. it is said there They chose them new gods that were newly sprung up what were these new gods the next words tell you they were old devils they sacrificed to devils not to God Now their Sacrificing to the old Devil it was called a Sacrificing to deceive the people to new gods that were newly come up new gods they were but the old devils So I say of many of those things that go under the notion of New Lights it is but old darkness old Heresies raked out of the Dunghil which were buried in former ages in the Church with contempt and reproach many hundred years ago Again Fourthly Bewail your great losse that you have in the taking away of so many Ministers out of your City there are ten Ministers if I mistake not that are taken away and removed in one blow those who were burning and shining Lights in their sevreall Candlesticks and Bright Stars in their severall Orbs though I am not worthy of the world therefore I am taken out of it yet as for my suffering Brethren who are now in Bonds Banishment the world is not worthy of them Again in the next place take heed how you be forward in ingaging in a War with your godly Brethren in the Scottish Nation for my part I have opposed the Tyrany of a King but I never opposed the Title take heed what you do I have something in the next place to speak to the godly Ministery of this City were it not that I were a dying man I would not speak to such reverend and grave men I would as Elihu being but a yong man I would say Multitudes of yeers should teach wisdom and I would hold my tongue but the words of a dying man take whether they be discreet or no or so well ordered and managed or no for them I would first desire God to shew them mercy they that have begged for mercy for me at the day of my death I will beg but this of them That as they have not been ashamed of my Chain so they would now wax confident by my Bonds and by my Blood I know they are maligned and threatned